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The new JV will also create and demonstrate a new business model for device companies.
Telecom regulator TRAI has sought public opinion on relaxing fixed line and mobile phone service quality norms on issues like fault repair, false billing, response from customer care and other consumer grievances.
mCarbon, a mobile value added services provider, is aiming for more than 50% revenue growth over the next three years by increasing partnerships with telcos in Africa and India and possible acquisitions, and by expanding into markets like Indonesia, Vietnam and Latin America.
Gartner predicts that through 2018, less than 0.01% of consumer mobile apps will be considered a financial success by developers.
The company claims that hike the world’s first mobile instant messaging player to introduce two-way chat background feature. Hike’s two-way chat theme feature allows either of the users to set or change the background anytime during the chat. The feature is also applicable to group chats.
The finding suggested that companies dominate MVAS market include Comviva Technology, CanvasM Technology, Hungama Digital Media Entertainment, IMImobile, One97 Communications, OnMobile Global, ValueFirst Digital Media and Spice Digital.

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Fresh Summit closes, but the show goes on
On Thursday evening, Oct. 15, the Produce Marketing Association held a Closing Reception for its 2020 virtual Fresh Summit, but in fact that reception did mark the end of this year’s show.
“The event isn’t over yet,” PMA President and CEO Cathy Burns told The Produce News. “In fact, people are still registering. Every registered attendee will have access to the platform, which includes content, messaging tools and the marketplaces until November 13. Traditionally people would be breaking down booths and sweeping the floor, now they have their booths open for four more weeks. And PMA will do what we do best, connect buyers and sellers over the remaining time the platform is open.”
Over the next four weeks, registrants will still be able to engage in networking activities, participate in the Fresh Summit Marketplace, and set up buyer meetings. “Based on feedback from our members and guests, we are beyond pleased with how the first three days of Fresh Summit have met their needs for compelling, differentiated educational content,” Burns said. “While the pandemic prevented us from getting together in person, the Fresh Summit platform extends the event beyond the limits of traditional calendar days to a full month of community and connections. With a high number of retail buyers actively participating on the Marketplace, we will continue to help facilitate connections across the global supply chain in the weeks ahead.”
She said this year’s event was a learning experience but noted that its execution and value followed PMA’s well-worn playbook. “Each event we hold, whether it be in person or virtual is first and foremost about our members and what the industry needs most to drive consumer demand and grow a healthier world. We have done this with our virtual town halls, webinars, Members Helping Members, and all of our digital content. As we’ve moved through the past several months, that need has evolved and changed, and I suspect it will continue to do so. With that in mind, we’ll continue to approach events (virtual and in-person) as we always have: we will partner with our members and our volunteers. I’m grateful that we have over 600 industry volunteers that contribute their time and their ideas to drive our industry forward. And they are adding their perspective from around the world — literally.”
Using a new set of metrics to gauge the success of Fresh Summit, PMA kept track of daily engagement data. As of Friday morning, Oct. 16, more than 77,000 messages had been exchanged, more than 7,660 meetings requested and buyers had initiated more than 4,540 of the meeting requests sent.
PMA’s Director of Communications Siobhan May revealed that attendees participated from 64 different countries with representatives from the United States, Canada, Mexico, Chile, Brazil, South Africa, Australia, Peru and Colombia topping the list. She said buyer participation was at a historic high, and added that attendance at the virtual education sessions “exceeded in person attendance with record-breaking numbers that continue to build each day. More people watched the State of the Industry than ever before.”
The “show floor” included 360 exhibitors spread across four marketplaces — produce, complementary items, floral and solutions.
Though much about the show was different than in previous years, Fresh Summit did include its array of awards to its members. Jin Ju Wilder, director of marketing and business development for Vesta Foodservice, received the Robert L. Carey Award for Excellence in Leadership. The Bryan E. Silbermann Award for Excellence in Collaboration went to Bonnie Fernandez-Fenaroli, executive director, Center for Produce Safety. Debora Steier, vice president of floral for the Albertsons Cos., received the Floral Marketer of the Year Award, while four retailers were honored with Retail Merchant Innovation Awards: Scott Bennett, produce sales manager at Jewel Osco; Mike Tipton, vice president of produce and floral, Schnucks Markets Inc.; Bridget Bennett, supervisory category manager of produce, Defense Commissary Agency; and Jeff Cady, director of produce and floral, Tops Friendly Markets.
PMA’s Center for Growing Talent honored DMA Solutions Inc. President and CEO Dan’l Mackey Almy with its Jay Pack Cultivating Our Future Award, and CGT’s Frieda Rapoport Caplan Women’s Catalyst Award went to Kristen Reid, executive vice president of the MIXTEC Group.


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It took some doing, but Hillsborough County's Public Transportation Commission has managed to make taxicab service in Tampa even worse.
This week, the commission shut down an electric cart service that shuttled riders throughout downtown and the tourist-oriented channel district. Yet again, the agency charged with regulating the car-for-hire business has sided with the cab companies over the public. The commission needs to welcome the carts, regulate them and allow competition to flourish.
The open-air carts serve an emerging niche market. For the past year, four operators have been transporting riders on short hops throughout the downtown area — between the hotels, the St. Pete Times Forum and convention center, the cruise ship terminals, shops and bars at Channelside and the waterfront restaurants on Harbour Island. The carts are a smart and efficient way to get around, ease congestion downtown and add to the ambience of the city center.
Cab companies and their allies on the commission complain the carts are unregulated and unsafe. The first claim is easily resolved and the second is dubious. The carts should be regulated. They are by any reasonable definition "for-hire" vehicles, even if — in lieu of charging fares — the carts are funded by tips and through ads on the vehicles. The carts carry passengers on public roadways, and the government has an obligation to ensure they are clean, driven safely and in good working order.
But there was no reason for the commission, composed of elected officials throughout the county, to put the cart operators out of business. It is easy to put restrictions on how and where the carts operate. St. Petersburg, for example, has provisions that are expressly tailored to allow motorized, nongasoline vehicles to serve the downtown areas. The commission could restrict the carts to areas where the speed limit does not exceed 35 mph; require that they have seat belts, mirrors, turn lights and other customary safety equipment; and subject the vehicles to traffic and parking laws.
Cart operators are in a Catch-22: The commission does not have a category in which to license electric carts, yet it put the operators out of business because they did not obtain a license. That's senseless at any time, but especially in a down economy when the government should be helping to create jobs, not drive them away. The county needs to create a special class for electric cart operators. They do not operate long haul and the rates for licensing them should not be comparable to taxicab permits. Anyone wanting a taxi downtown can still call one. The carts are a response to a history of poor service stemming from the reluctance of cab drivers to make short hauls. They may want the business now that competitors have rolled out a new business model, but it's not the commission's job to pick favorites.


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A number of new technology develop- ments are expected to impact on the global electricity sector, including virtual and augmented reality, artificial intelligence, Big Data and the Internet of Things (IoT); however, tax, audit and advisory firm KPMG South Africa senior manager Nevellan Moodley says that blockchain is likely to have the most significant effect on the industry.
Blockchain technology refers to a distributed network that is used to manage a growing list of individual records or blocks, each with a unique identification code.
Local solar cell crowd-selling company The Sun Exchange is highlighted by Moodley as a “fantastic example of the potential of blockchain” in the electricity sector.
The Sun Exchange divides solar panels into individual cells or blocks which are then sold to investors around the world, improving the cost effectiveness of solar panels through crowdfunding. “Effectively, you could have 4 000 different people owning a share in one solar panel,” Moodley tells Engineering News.
End-users are then able to buy the electricity generated from solar panels in the block chain directly from the investors, bypassing the need to pay utilities.
Moodley highlights that one of blockchain technology’s most significant advantages over centralised solutions is its ability to create trust between two parties without having to involve a third party to manage the system. He explains that this is achieved because the system is able to manage transactions automatically and no electricity will be distributed without a monetary transaction from the end-user.
“The beauty of blockchain is that no one will be able to change this system. Not even government can force the investors to turn on the electricity of a defaulting end-user,” Moodley asserts.
Another benefit of blockchain is its ability to secure foreign direct investment and mitigate the risks of fluctuating currencies, which Moodley notes is a particular hurdle in South Africa, owing to the fluctuating value of the rand.
The Sun Exchange is providing innovative financing arrangements and mitigated foreign exchange risks by allowing investors to buy blocks in Bitcoin, a cryptocurrency that is electronically traded.
Bitcoin is the most successful blockchain development, with an asset valuation of about $37-billion, which Moodley highlights is “managed on a network no one has central authority over”.
Meanwhile, another trend impacting on the global electricity sector is homeowners selling excess electricity generated from rooftop solar panels to other consumers or to utilities. Moodley notes that the regu- lations in South Africa do not allow for consumers to feed electricity back into the grid, but he asserts that there need to be discussions between State-owned utility Eskom and the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) to unlock the potential of deploying similar systems locally.
“Power is no longer in shortage in South Africa, but there is an opportunity for the country to generate electricity, which it can then sell to neighbouring countries, and this is the perfect engine to do that,” he says.
Moodley explains that any excess electricity generated from a privately owned rooftop solar installation could be stored in a battery and then sold using current infrastructure. He adds that the transaction system could be managed using a blockchain system similar to that of The Sun Exchange.
“This would mean that every household in South Africa could effectively become a power-producing utility all managed by the blockchain,” Moodley notes, adding that “people who are able to bleed their assets to make cash will do it”.
He points out that any excess power not traded on the blockchain can then be bought by Eskom at a cheaper rate, as their infrastructure would be used by the consumers to trade electricity over the blockchain. “There is a lot of money that is being invested into the grid so it is only fair for Eskom to make some money off the back of it.”
Moodley states that there are two ways the local industry can approach the disruption of blockchain technology: “they can either fight it using regulation or they can embrace the technology and start having discussions about how we are going to make this work”.


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BlackBerry maker RIM’s so far down, things are looking up: Analyst
RIM has been buffeted by so much bad news that the BlackBerry’s shares actually have some upside potential, says an analyst.
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Research in Motion has been buffeted by so much bad news lately that the BlackBerry’s shares actually have some upside potential, says a research analyst who covers the company.
“We believe a failure of the current strategy is now well priced-in and we see upside risks making a short position unwise as the CEO appears open to strategic alternatives,” Bernstein Research’s Pierre Ferragu said in a research report Monday.
Those strategic alternatives were noted by RIM CEO Thorsten Heins after the company’s most recent quarterly report. Heins said RIM would consider licensing its technology to outside companies, and also wouldn’t rule out a sale of the firm.
Ferragu said the potential for a takeover of the company was a positive, as was the potential of a turnaround specialist or activist investor.
“We also see upside risks associated with M&A or the involvement of an activist investor,” Ferragu said.
Despite the upside potential, Ferragu still isn’t recommending investors dive into RIM. He currently rates it “market perform,” with a target price of $16 per share (U.S.).
Among the downside risks, Ferragu says the company’s sales of smart phones could keep faltering, and RIM could be stuck with excess inventory as a result.
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Investment Counselors of Maryland LLC continued to hold its stake in Harley-Davidson Inc (NYSE:HOG) during the first quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 3,485 shares of the company’s stock at the end of the first quarter. Investment Counselors of Maryland LLC’s holdings in Harley-Davidson were worth $ 211,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.
Other large investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Stratos Wealth Partners LTD. boosted its stake in shares of Harley-Davidson by 1.7% in the third quarter. Stratos Wealth Partners LTD. now owns 39,132 shares of the company’s stock valued at $ 2,058,000 after buying an additional 665 shares during the period. FMR LLC boosted its stake in shares of Harley-Davidson by 233.2% in the fourth quarter. FMR LLC now owns 575,566 shares of the company’s stock valued at $ 33,578,000 after buying an additional 402,811 shares during the period. Westpac Banking Corp boosted its stake in shares of Harley-Davidson by 15.9% in the third quarter. Westpac Banking Corp now owns 137,443 shares of the company’s stock valued at $ 7,228,000 after buying an additional 18,840 shares during the period. SeaBridge Investment Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Harley-Davidson during the third quarter valued at about $ 4,591,000. Finally, Independent Franchise Partners LLP boosted its stake in shares of Harley-Davidson by 1.5% in the third quarter. Independent Franchise Partners LLP now owns 8,745,188 shares of the company’s stock valued at $ 459,909,000 after buying an additional 127,052 shares during the period. 89.54% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.
Shares of Harley-Davidson Inc (NYSE:HOG) traded down 0.77% during mid-day trading on Monday, reaching $ 56.37. 1,416,786 shares of the company’s stock were exchanged. Harley-Davidson Inc has a 52 week low of $ 41.63 and a 52 week high of $ 63.40. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $ 59.86 and a 200 day moving average price of $ 58.34. The stock has a market cap of $ 9.92 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 16.07 and a beta of 0.88.
Harley-Davidson (NYSE:HOG) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, April 18th. The company reported $ 1.05 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $ 1.02 by $ 0.03. The business had revenue of $ 1.33 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $ 1.35 billion. Harley-Davidson had a return on equity of 35.38% and a net margin of 13.13%. The company’s revenue was down 15.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $ 1.36 EPS. Equities research analysts predict that Harley-Davidson Inc will post $ 3.76 EPS for the current year.
ILLEGAL ACTIVITY NOTICE: This report was first published by Chaffey Breeze and is owned by of Chaffey Breeze. If you are viewing this report on another website, it was illegally stolen and republished in violation of U.S. and international copyright and trademark laws. The legal version of this report can be accessed at https://www.chaffeybreeze.com/2017/05/01/investment-counselors-of-maryland-llc-has-211000-position-in-harley-davidson-inc-hog.html.
Several brokerages have issued reports on HOG. Tigress Financial reaffirmed a “buy” rating on shares of Harley-Davidson in a research note on Friday, March 17th. DA Davidson raised shares of Harley-Davidson from an “underperform” rating to a “market perform” rating in a research note on Wednesday, April 12th. Raymond James Financial, Inc. raised shares of Harley-Davidson from an “underperform” rating to a “market perform” rating in a research note on Wednesday, April 12th. Royal Bank of Canada lifted their target price on shares of Harley-Davidson from $ 58.00 to $ 60.00 and gave the stock a “sector perform” rating in a research note on Wednesday, April 5th. Finally, Jefferies Group LLC reaffirmed a “hold” rating and set a $ 49.00 target price on shares of Harley-Davidson in a research note on Thursday, April 6th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, eighteen have given a hold rating and six have assigned a buy rating to the stock. Harley-Davidson has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $ 56.12.
In other news, VP Joanne M. Bischmann sold 911 shares of Harley-Davidson stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, February 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of $ 57.00, for a total value of $ 51,927.00. Following the transaction, the vice president now directly owns 2,195 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $ 125,115. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, SVP Michelle Kumbier sold 3,049 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, February 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $ 56.56, for a total value of $ 172,451.44. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 103,960 shares of company stock worth $ 5,912,378 over the last ninety days. Corporate insiders own 0.99% of the company’s stock.
Harley-Davidson, Inc is the parent company for the groups of companies doing business as Harley-Davidson Motor Company (HDMC) and Harley-Davidson Financial Services (HDFS). The Company operates in two segments: the Motorcycles & Related Products (Motorcycles) and the Financial Services. The Motorcycles segment consists of HDMC, which designs, manufactures and sells at wholesale on-road Harley-Davidson motorcycles, as well as motorcycle parts, accessories, general merchandise and related services.
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The Valdosta Daily Times
When Charles Babbage, considered the “father of the computer,” and Ada Lovelace, widely held as the first computer programmer, were trading letters in the 19th century, they scarcely could imagine where computers were going to go.
Neither, for that matter, could Louis and Carrie Bamberger, the brother-sister business team who, in the middle of the Great Depression, funded the creation of the Institute of Advanced Studies in New Jersey, which would go on to play a large role in the development of computers, paving the way for the vast, international connectedness of the Internet we experience today, everyday.
Business has changed since the Bambergers, and perhaps no business as much as small business.
Take Devin Crudup, the owner of online business Borne Black. Opening this past January, Borne Black is a Valdosta-based online T-shirt/accessory store, specializing in shirts that comment on black culture and black history, while offering customized design work.
“Promoting Black culture has always been important to me,” said Crudup. “It’s hard to get people to read a book on true Black history unless they’re already interested, but rocking a fresh T-shirt with Black history behind it is more appealing. Every shirt has an in-depth meeting, a history lesson if you will.”
An example would be his bracelet with “By Any Means Necessary” printed on it, or a black tee with the outline of Africa, with the names “Malcolm Martin Marcus” printed over it.
“Marcus [Garvey] might not be as well known as the others, but ... by grouping his name with the likes of Malcolm and Martin, it’s our hope to encourage people to research him and his legacy,” said Crudup.
For Crudup, the benefits of not having a large payroll to pay or physical storefront to attend to, coupled with the quickness of online setup and the ability to make transactions all over the country (his sales stretch up to New York), were too good to pass up.
Amanda Edmondson-Corbett also opened up her store, Salvage Sparrow, to promote a cause important to her: promoting recycling and reusing, as well as donating a portion of her profits to Southeast Pug Rescue. Edmondson-Corbett opened her store on Etsy, a website that works as a kind of open marketplace; sellers open up individual pages to offer their wares.
Amanda Patterson did too.
Patterson, a full-time nurse and the mother of two boys, was seeking a way to sell her handmade jewelry and crafted fabric bowls. When she found Etsy, Patterson opened up Amanda’s Originals.
The portability of an online store is a large part of the appeal.
Like Rachel Giese, who runs Etsy store RachelsVinylCrafts. The store welcomes custom orders, offering wood signs, canvas wall art, acrylic tumblers and customized wine glasses.
“With the online store, I can set my own production times, and communicate with buyers from all over the United States and International,” said Giese. “Plus being part of a military family, it’s something I can do from anywhere. In a few months, we might be moving overseas, so I’ll truly get to test that out.”
Chelsey Nickerson is in a similar situation. Nickerson runs Chelsey’s Crochet, an Etsy store specializing in crocheted hats (fittingly, she learned how to crochet hats from Youtube tutorials). While she currently lives in Valdosta, she may have to move soon. Having a store online allows her to offer her wares at a consistent place, no matter where she’s living.
It’s not all clothes, though. There’s Tania Bauzó’s Simply Otra Vez shop on Etsy that she uses as an extension of her North Ashley store, offering home décor and vintage jewelry.
Or Alef Forge, the Valdosta-based forge that offers custom knife work through its Facebook page. The side project of Valdosta State University English Instructor Ed Braun, he cites the community and customer interaction that the web makes possible a big factor for him.
“In a city of 50,000 plus, its difficult to establish one’s self, but the web allows me the chance to have people watch the process of turning a piece of steel into sharp art,” said Braun. “It’s tough, but through the web, I’ve learned as much as I could and, in turn, become a cornerstone for the knife making community for our region.”
Through the Internet, Braun, Patterson, Nickerson, Giese, Edmondson-Corbett and Crudup are able to reach an international customer base.
Something that would be hard for Cold Veil Clothing. Run by Samuel Clements and Lauren Owly, the duo specializes in hand made, faux fur vests and jackets with a sense of humor, like their Lion Vest, a kind of vest hoodie which comes with a lion head that sits atop your own head. Or their ZomBear Jacket whose hoodie sits a bear head atop your own. It’s a unique product, but a speciality one, something that clicks with a small but enthusiastic fan base, something that, without the Internet, would probably never find its way into their hands.
For more on this story and other local news, subscribe to The Valdosta Daily Times e-Edition, or our print edition.


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Notebook maker Pegatron Technology, hailing from Taiwan, has been said to have received 15 million iPhone 5 orders from Apple, where these new handsets will be shipping sometime in September 2011 onwards. That’s the 10th anniversary of 9/11, and to roll out a new smartphone in the same month will definitely make it a whole lot easier to remember instead of spending tons of money for marketing to remind folks to check their calendars. Then again, we’re sure if Apple announces a new iPhone on an obscure date, it would be remembered easily.
The iPhone 5 does not seem to be a significant jump from the iPhone 4 according to insider sources. That’s to be expected, since evolution in hardware tends to taper off after a while. The earlier evolutionary jumps in previous generations are bigger and makes the new iPhone a whole lot more desirable, but going down the generations, it does seem as though there is less impetus to make the upgrade. What do you think? Will you be one of those who line up for a new iPhone 5 come September this year?
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- 2014-04-17 Is Steve Ballmer Using An iPhone Now? (Debunked & Updated)
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- 2013-09-26 iPhone 5S $24 Upgrade Kit Turns Your iPhone 5 Into The Latest iPhone... Sort Of
- 2013-09-16 iPhone 5 Sticky Notes Now A Reality Thanks to Paperback
- 2011-08-04 Pegatron ships iPhone 5 in September?
- 2011-04-28 Rumor: Pegatron cuts CDMA iPhone 4 production early
- 2011-01-24 Pegatron to make 10M initial iPhone 5 units


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A local startup that has blown up over the past few years to become a worldwide force has reached a historic milestone.
Voices.com has announced they have surpassed 500,000 registered users on their platform. The London, Ontario-based company was founded in 2005 and operates as an online marketplace for audio and voice talent. Voices.com has more than two million unique visitors each year and has enabled over 300,000 transactions spread over 160 countries.
“We’ve been disciplined to execute on our strategic plan, resulting in a very successful year since our investment last July,” said Voices.com’s CEO David Ciccarelli. “We’re now serving over 500,000 users on our platform and have experienced an impressive jump in transactions on the site. This is evidence of wide adoption, from both the clients finding the perfect voice for their projects and the voice over talent being successful in finding work on our platform.”
Voices.com counts major companies like Microsoft, Hulu and GoDaddy as customers, along with smaller independent companies looking for voiceover and audio work.
It was a year ago this month that Voices.com raised an $18 million Series A led by Morgan Stanley, and since then the platform has been able to rapidly expand and grow to become a market leader.
Since that funding round, Voices.com has been everywhere in the Canadian tech world. They were included among 2018’s Best Places to Work and landed in the top 100 of the 2017 PROFIT 500. But maybe more importantly, Voices.com expanded their offering by acquiring their California competitor Voicebank in addition to expanding their platform to included unionized media artists in the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists.
“For the competitive realities of the modern producer, Voices.com has become the solution that will see the 100-year-old voice-over industry meeting 21st-century demands,” said Ciccarelli.
With these recent moves and a robust user base, Voices.com will look to continue expanding around the world and improving their market share of the $4.4 billion per year voiceover market.


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Walmart has started selling pet insurance from Petplan and connecting customers to pet sitters and dog walkers through a partnership with Rover.
The retailer has revamped its website to include a new section called Walmart Pet Care, through which consumers can get pet supplies and find pet care services, including insurance.
Melody Richard, vice president of Walmart Pets, said Walmart customers can save up to 10 percent on insurance policies by going through Walmart. They’ll also get Walmart gift cards in exchange for booking pet sitting or dog walking through Rover on the Walmart website.
“We’re focused on bringing our customers and the beloved pets in their lives trusted, convenient and affordable programs at one destination,” Richard said. “And we’ll continue to focus on that.”
Increase in pet ownership
Walmart’s expanded roster of pet services coincides with an uptick in the number of consumers who recently got a new pet. The pandemic spurred a wave of pet adoptions as consumers sought companionship and found that they had more time at home.
Subsequently, demand for pet supplies has increased, and pet supplies and seasonal costumes are expected to be popular gifts this holiday season.
Walmart estimates that 90 million pet owners shop at Walmart. Last year, the retailer introduced Walmart PetRx, an in-store and online pharmacy that sells prescriptions at prices “significantly below competitors.”
The company says its new Walmart Pet Insurance offering “provides coverage for veterinary fees due to accident, injury or illness, including chronic and hereditary conditions.” Customers can also file claims and schedule appointments through Petplan and get access to “$1000 worth of online virtual vet appointments at no additional charge.”


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Snowlink.com Will Take Over Aspen International Fashion Week’s Aprés Ski Stage on Friday, March 14
Get access to everything we publish when you sign up for Outside+.
Snowlink.com Shows to Feature SIA Members, Accessories & Eco-Friendly Products
SnowSports Industries America (SIA) has announced that its consumer website, Snowlink.com will be a title sponsor at the upcoming Aspen International Fashion Week (AIFW), playing host to an afternoon of runway shows on March 14, 2014. The shows will feature SIA Members as well as snow sports biggest trends in fashion, accessories and eco-friendly products for Fall/Winter 2014.15. Aspen International Fashion Week is scheduled for March 13-16, 2014 with events scheduled throughout the town of Aspen, Colo.
“We’re thrilled to be partnering with Aspen International Fashion Week again. The open-air Après Ski Stage in the heart of Aspen is the perfect backdrop for showcasing outerwear and accessories that look fabulous AND perform in varying conditions, which SIA Member brands are experts at designing,” commented Maggie Bittner, associate director of events & education, SIA.
During the four-day event, Aspen International Fashion Week will shine a spotlight on the hottest trends in outerwear, performance skiwear and luxury fur on the open-air Après Ski Stage, followed by evening events throughout the town of Aspen at select boutiques and venues. The complete schedule of AIFW events is available at aspenintlfashionweek.com.
“SIA/Snowlink.com is the perfect partnership for Aspen International Fashion Week which will feature the best in luxury outwear. Their designer members are the best in the outerwear fashion industry and we can’t wait to see them take over the AIFW Après Ski Stage,” says Brooke Fogg, president of Aspen International Fashion Week.
On March 14, Snowlink.com’s takeover of AIFW’s Après Ski Stage will begin with collections from two SIA Members, Gor
ski Furs and PolarMax, and continue with models working the catwalks in snow sports biggest trends for Fall/Winter 2014.15 with the Accessories Spotlight Show and Focus on Sustainability Show.
“All of our talented partners helping us with Aspen International Fashion Week insure a perfect showcase for the Gorski brand,” said Leonard Gorski of Gorski Furs. “Aspen’s discerning audience epitomizes our target customer base in the Americas.”
Snowlink.com at Aspen International Fashion Week
Date: Friday, March 14, 2014
Location: Après Ski Stage – Aspen, Colorado
Featuring: Gorski Furs, Polarmax, Accessories Spotlight Show, Eco-Friendly Show
Show Details: Snowlink.com
GORSKI is a leading brand of modern evening and designer furs, cashmere and luxury fur-trimmed outerwear.
Celebrating 25 years of innovative technical base layer apparel, Polarmax® is a distinguished leader in the base layer marketplace.
Accessories Spotlight Show – Featured Brands
|CP Sports North America Giro Sport Design||Quiksilver Roxy|
|Marker Völkl||Shred Ready Smith|
Focus on Sustainability Show – Featured Brands
The North Face
More information about each runway show can be found at Snowlink.com.
– Aspen International Fashion Week –
Aspen International Fashion Week is a luxury fashion event unlike any other in the world. The four-day event features runway presentations showcasing the hottest new trends in outerwear, performance skiwear and luxury fur on the open-air Après Ski Stage, nestled at the base of Aspen Mountain. Following the runway presentations will be evening events throughout Aspen. The event will include après-ski fashion shows, sponsored evening soirées along with musical, tech industry, food, sustainability and healthy lifestyle tie-ins. For more about AIFW visit us at aspenintlfashionweek.com.
– SIA –
Celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2014, SnowSports Industries America (SIA) is a non-profit member-owned trade association with a long history of working to support the snow sports industry. SIA works year-round with North American snow sports suppliers, retailers, reports, reps and service providers to develop products and programs for their individual and collective business needs. With member support and industry participation, SIA annually hosts the industry’s largest core winter sports trade show, the SIA Snow Show, along with the On-Snow Demo/Ski-Ride Fest and the Sourcing Snow supplier show. SIA also helps retailers and resorts connect with snow sports participants around the country through Snowlink.com. Learn more at Snowsports.org.


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From the moment Google’s big product event kicked off on Wednesday, it seemed as if every speaker was attempting to temper expectations and say, in not so many words: “We get it, you’ve seen this before. But this time... Google’s doing it.”
The most blatant example of a Google spokesperson teeing up this admission came from senior vice president of hardware Rick Osterloh. He reminded everyone in the room about Google’s history of gradually coming to dominate areas of the market in which it wasn’t first, but arguably became the best—areas like email, browsing, mobile OS, and even search. It’s kind of like how Apple was late to MP3 players and smartphones, or how Facebook wasn’t the first social network. And with that, we saw a series of products that grabbed features from all over the landscape and will (maybe) add a bunch of zeros to the Google bottom line someday.
Osterloh emphasized his sympathy for tech reviewers who have to write about the same minor updates between generations of phones as a prelude to the introduction of the Pixel 2—an ominous sign for a phone that looks good, but doesn’t offer anything particularly unique.
The Pixel line’s biggest selling point, so far, has been its well-regarded camera, and the latest editions, the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2XL, have again won praise from camera experts. But perhaps more importantly for users Google is adding the live photo and portrait modes that the iPhone has been rocking for a while now. And like HTC’s squeezable U smartphone, the new Pixels come with a pressure-sensitive frame. Neat!
And a year after Apple mimicked DSLRs with its portrait mode feature, Google has responded with effectively the same feature for its new phones; a portrait mode that stands out only because it doesn’t require two cameras to achieve the effect. Google isn’t the first company to use software to emulate a shallow depth of field, but when we tried out the Pixel 2 out ourselves, the results blew us away—when it worked.
You’ll also get 4K videos with the new Pixel, but the biggest rip off of the iPhone by far (and to a lesser extent, the Moto Z) is the exclusion of the headphone jack. You’ll now be in dongle hell just like Apple fans. Enjoy it.
Google Home Max
The Home Max is a blatant attempt by Google to challenge Apple’s HomePod with a design that effectively crams the Google Assistant into a Sonos Play:5 form factor. It features better sound quality than the standard Google Home and more importantly it adapts to its position in the room as well as the situation, like sudden ambient volume fluctuations—kind of like Sonos!
Google Pixel Buds
Google’s jumping into the Bluetooth earbuds game with Pixel Buds, its very own version of Apple’s AirPods. Like the AirPods, these are just wireless headphones that can call up a voice assistant with a tap on the side and automatically pair with a phone.
But we can cut Google some slack here for a few reasons. The Pixel Buds have a cord to keep them together, playing music and volume can be controlled through touch gestures, and Google Assistant is built in. (AirPods have an option to tap for Siri streamed from your phone, or tap to play/pause.) The most impressive feature demonstrated was an instant translation option that allegedly can translate a conversation you’re having in real-time with 40 different languages. It’s a nice idea, certainly, but let’s wait and see how that works out in the real world.
With Apple putting so much emphasis on augmented reality, Google had to invest extra time in promoting its own AR programming toolkit, ARCore, and the usual basic AR apps that let you see furniture in your room before you buy it.
Both companies appear to have been working on the concept for years, but Google’s dancing food stickers felt dangerously like Snapchat’s dancing hot dog—one of the only uplifting things Snap could share during its most recent earnings call with investors. Snap CEO Evan Spiegel’s wife, Miranda Kerr, hates when companies do shit like this. Sorry, Evan.
Google Clips is a small lifelogging camera, and maybe the most out-of-left-field announcement of the day. But there are tons of these things on the market, and nobody’s ever really figured out if this something that anyone wants. Google is betting that it can make people care by claiming its creepy little camera is better than the rest at choosing when to automatically snap a pic—and that it will just get better through machine learning over time.
If lifelogging is something you want to do, this might be just the nosey device for you. But there are definitely other options out there that won’t set you back $249. Or hey, you could just pull out your phone.
The stylus is not a new idea, but the Pixelbook, Google’s high-end Chromebook, has a high-end stylus that can be purchased separately, and it certainly looks a lot like Microsoft’s Surface Pen and Apple’s Pencil.
It’s big and offers 10ms of latency, 60 degrees of angular awareness, over 2,000 levels of pressure sensitivity, and it was co-designed by Wacom. It’ll cost you the same price as the $99 Apple Pencil, but unlike that stylus, it should be able to function on more than one piece of hardware. Google says you can use the Pixelbook Pen with any touchscreen if it’s running an app that includes the correct API.
Cayenne the Pig
At Google’s Pixel event, Nest CTO Yoky Matsuoka showed off all the new features that Google’s smart home company is offering. And in one demonstration, she used her pet pig Cayenne in an example of how you can track your pig’s misdeeds by installing a Nest camera in your house. This was a blatant attempt to take attention away from Elon Musk’s pet snail, Gary. The move was made all the more baffling by the fact that Nest isn’t even directly competing with Musk. To which we must add a very important question: Gary, are you still okay?


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Tupac Shakur fans are in a frenzy as the late rapper’s (murdered in 1996) memorabilia has been listed for sale. Fans can now be the owner of two pieces of Tupac’s past as it has been reported that two items, a booking photo and identity card, of the late rapper have been listed for sale at $35,000 and $75,000 respectively.
The public listing of Tupac’s items from his stay in prison, Clinton Correctional Facility in New York, in 1995 after sexual abuse charges came after his murder suspect was arrested and charged on one count of murder of deadly weapon.
Tupac Shakur’s memorabilia up for sale
According to The Blast, the legendary rapper’s items put on sale include a black and white mug shot of Tupac and the other item listed for sale is his laminated ID that was issued as a replacement to his original ID that he lost during his prison time.
TMZ reports that memorabilia of the late iconic rapper would be sold at Momentsintime.com.
These are not the first memorabilia of Tupac that has been put up for sale. In 2019, one of his letters to his girlfriend was sold for $19,000.


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FMCG firm Dabur Ltd today reported a 21.03 per cent increase in consolidated net profit at Rs 284.8 crore...
FMCG firm Dabur Ltd today reported a 21.03 per cent increase in consolidated net profit at Rs 284.8 crore for the fourth quarter ended March 31, 2015.
The company had reported a net profit of Rs 235.3 crore in the January-March quarter of 2013-14.
Dabur’s net sales moved up by 10.24 per cent to Rs 1,944.8 crore in the fourth quarter of 2014-15, compared to Rs 1,764 crore in the year-ago period.
Dabur India CEO Sunil Duggal said: “The gradual improvement in the consumption environment has helped our business perform well on all operating parameters. Our robust business model and our ability to efficiently manage the external challenges have helped us report a strong and consistent performance even in the face of intensifying competitive pressures.”
He further said: “Going forward too, our focus will be on pursuing an aggressive and profitable growth strategy. We will continue to invest behind our brands and on market expansion programmes while stepping up on innovation with a series of new product launches in the coming quarter.”
For the entire 2014-15, Dabur’s net profit stood at Rs 1,065.8 crore, as against Rs 913.92 crore in the previous financial year.
Its net sales in the year ended March 31, 2015 stood at Rs 7,806.4 crore compared with Rs 7,054.1 crore in the corresponding a year ago.
The company’s board has proposed a final dividend of Rs 0.75 per share.
Dabur’s shares closed at Rs 264 apiece on the BSE, up 0.99 per cent from previous close.


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AOL shares are getting smoked today—they’re down 21% after the company reported weaker-than-expected earnings.
The company is trying to rebrand itself as a content business, but the owner of the Huffington Post, TechCrunch and several other websites still generates pretty much all its profits from its dial-up internet business, as well as other internet-based “products and services.”
Dialup is a business in inevitable decline. But AOL is not declining as fast as it could be. Amazingly, the company still has has 2.42 million internet customers, who pay for dialup internet access and other services like email. Apparently many don’t even realize they are still customers. AOL’s average monthly revenue per user was $19.41, higher than a year ago, and the rate of subscriber decline actually slowed (to a decline of 9%, from a decline of 14% a year ago).
This business generated $138 million in operating income (down 6% from a year ago) which AOL can use to underwrite growth initiatives. One of those, “AOL Platforms,” a programmatic ad-buying platform, grew revenues by 43% (it now makes more in revenue than membership does) but it still lost money.
Basically, none of AOL’s content businesses look like they are anywhere near ready to pick up the slack from the impending demise of dialup yet.


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In the brief uprising, in April, the Oakdale Irrigation District east of Modesto held its public meeting to discuss government demands to release “pulse flows” from Lake Tulloch – a small, district-controlled reservoir in the Sierra Nevada foothills. Those pulse flows, large water releases, were designed to help about a dozen fish – not 12 species, but 12 individual fish – swim from the lake through the Stanislaus River and out to the Delta and then to the Pacific Ocean.
Here's more insanity:
This wasn’t the only instance of strange water priorities. A Modesto Bee article focused on a proposed project to help 500 to 1,000 salmon a year swim around the Don Pedro Reservoir near Turlock. Depending on the ultimate cost of the project (estimated at between $70 million and $150 million), the per-fish figure would range between a whopping $70,000 and $300,000 per salmon. That’s a lot of money for a fish that consumers can buy in the grocery store for $6 a pound.And this is the best one:
The smelt are big swimmers compared to plankton, tiny organisms that do not swim at all. But the California Coastal Commission is holding up a Huntington Beach desalination plant because of its potential impact on plankton.So you think government is there to protect YOU? Hah!! It's clear CA's priorities have "help the people" at the BOTTOM.
In reality, there’s no sense blaming plankton, smelt, trout or salmon. The problem is state and federal officials more concerned about bureaucratic and environmental priorities than people.


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Last updated on August 31st, 2022 at 03:38 pm
Global Market Development Center (GMDC) has revealed the top 10 products and merchandising displays showcased at its 2017 Health Beauty Wellness Marketing Conference (HBW17). The event, which brought more than 200 retailers, wholesalers, suppliers and service companies together, includes an annual showcase that lets participants select the brands they believe are the most innovative and will spark the greatest consumer demand.
The HBW17 Showcase brands and products that ranked highest include:
- JFL Enterprises Inc.—Candy Scented Hand Sanitizer
- Global Brands Group—Children’s Bath Products
- Value Max Products—Bela Soaps
- BIC Corp.—Flex 5 Disposable Razor
- Ontel Products—Dream Tents
- Thistle Farms—Love Heals Bath + Body Collection
- Cashco Distributors Inc.—Trial & Travel
- Sundial Brands LLC—Shea Moisture 2017
- Hello Products—Natural Toothpaste
- GOJO Industries Inc.—Purell Healthy Soap
“At a time when new and innovative products can drive traffic and build category sales for retailers, the GMDC Showcase has become a vital tool for our members to connect with what’s next,” said Patrick Spear, president and CEO of GMDC. “The companies in the Showcase Top 10 drive innovation at every turn and boost demand through uniqueness and relevancy in the core categories of health, beauty and wellness.”
In addition to the Showcase Top 10, GMDC Board Chair Steve Davis of Weis Markets Inc. selected three products from the Showcase as his Board Chair’s Choice. The items Davis selected are those he believes will drive retail sales at their company, be among the top consumer choice at retail and have everyday use. They are:
- EverlyWell – Health Testing Kits (a winner from the GMDC HBW16 Retail Tomorrow Demo Day)
- Navajo Inc. – Handy Solutions
- Mad Gabs – Organic Body Care & Lip Balm
Following the conference, GMDC and its Showcase participants donated products featured at the event to the Sojourners Center of Phoenix. The Sojourners Center provides shelter and support services to women, children, men and pets that are affected by domestic violence and human trafficking.
The next GMDC conference, 2018 General Merchandise, will be held June 2018 in Orlando, Florida.


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Image credit: Instagram/diamirzaofficial
Dia Mirza attends 'Save The Children' event
Actor Dia Mirza championed the cause of 'child safety' against sexual violence at an event recently. For her appearance at the event, she wore an easy-breezy printed dress by designer label Saksha and Kinni. Dia posted a few photos of herself speaking at the event and she could be seen looking as radiant as ever in the pictures.


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Just recently, whispers of E3 2020 cancellation have circulated over the social media and insiders from the gaming industry seem to be waiting for an official confirmation from the Entertainment Software Association (ESA).
According to journalist Mike Futter, his sources told him that an impending announcement confirming the cancellation of one of the major gaming events this 2020 is about to be disclosed any time soon. Futter even advised to cancel any E3 2020 plans, moving forward.
My day started with investigating some E3 stuff. Ended with multiple (and I mean MULTIPLE) sources coming my way.
E3 cancelation announcement scheduled for tmw AM. I don’t think it will hold the night. Many of us have been engaged by sources this evening.
Cancel your plans.
— Mike Futter (@Futterish) March 11, 2020
Further, Jason Schreier also revealed on his Twitter account that he heard about the possible cancellation from among the several developers and publishers, but noted that ESA is still consulting the industry and is yet to make a decision. Shcreier also shared Devolver Digital’s tweet announcing on social media to cancel E3 2020 flight and hotel bookings.
Been hearing secondhand whispers tonight from several devs/pubs that E3 is cancelled, although I've also heard from a couple of people in positions to know that the ESA hasn't officially made a decision yet and is still consulting with pubs. Either way, it's only a matter of time https://t.co/Od0MDj3ZXv
— Jason Schreier (@jasonschreier) March 11, 2020
Cancel your E3 flights and hotels, y’all.
— Devolver Digital (@devolverdigital) March 11, 2020
Last week, ESA confirmed that E3 2020 will still push through this year, despite the coronavirus outbreak worldwide, while stating that the association is still watching the situation very closely.
E3 has always been held at Los Angeles. However, the Los Angeles’ local government has already declared a state of emergency due to a confirmed coronavirus case. It is possible that the association is now seriously assessing the recent events related to the global health concern and is set to announce their decision soon.


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Edcon creditors angered as rescue practitioners seek higher fees
On Monday, a majority of Edcon creditors voted in favour of adopting a business rescue plan to restructure the struggling clothing retailer. However, the Edcon business rescue practitioners want to up their fees. They have proposed increasing their hourly rate from R2,000 to a ‘market-related hourly rate’ of R4,500.
The business rescue practitioners of Edcon, the owner of Edgars and Jet stores, have angered some creditors over a proposal to increase the fees that they charge for restructuring the embattled retailer.
Rescue practitioner Piers Marsden was quizzed at a virtual meeting with Edcon workers and creditors on Monday 22 June 2020 about a proposal to more than double the business rescue fees. Any increase in fees that Marsden charges would also apply to his colleague and joint Edcon business rescue practitioner, Lance Schapiro.
Marsden and Schapiro, who were appointed as rescue practitioners by the Edcon board on 29 April 2020, each earn an hourly rate of R2,000 or R25,000 a day, including value-added tax (VAT). These are the maximum amounts that business rescue practitioners can charge in their individual capacities for a large company such as Edcon, according to the Companies Act.
The Companies Act provides for business rescue, which is an attempt to restructure the affairs of financially distressed companies. Business rescue also allows a company to continue operating while it is being restructured, cutting costs and saving jobs in the process. Edcon filed for business rescue in April after it struggled to pay suppliers following weak sales in January, which were worsened by the hard Covid-19 lockdown from 27 March.
Marsden and Schapiro want their business rescue practitioner fees to be increased by 125% to a “market-related hourly rate” of R4,500 or R45,000 a day, including VAT. The proposal for the fee increase is yet to be approved – through a vote – by Edcon creditors, who are owed a combined R6.7-billion by the retailer.
‘Reasonable’ fee increase
Marsden and Schapiro have appointed a team of lawyers, retail, and restructuring experts to assist with the Edcon business rescue. The team of experts separately bills the retailer for its work. The hourly rate of R4,500 that Marsden and Schapiro are seeking is in line with the fees that Les Matuson & Associates, one of the expert advisers to the rescue practitioners, is already charging for being part of the Edcon business rescue proceedings.
Les Matuson & Associates is also involved in the ongoing business rescue of SAA. Public enterprises minister Pravin Gordhan and his ANC colleagues have trashed the work of Les Matuson & Associates on SAA, accusing Les Matuson (the firm’s founder and one of the SAA business rescue practitioners) of enriching himself through the fees charged for the rescue of the airline.
At the virtual meeting on Monday, Edcon workers and creditors queried (several times) what Marsden and Schapiro are earning in their individual capacities as the business rescue practitioners. Their specific queries went unanswered, as Marsden said the fees invoiced will be made clear to creditors at a later stage.
Marsden defended the proposal to increase the Edcon business rescue fees, saying ongoing efforts to save the retailer from collapse will be “large and complex”.
“Our intention is to save the company. Given the complexity and scale of this engagement [appointment as business rescue practitioners], the fee [increase proposal] would be justified. This is not a make-us-rich exercise,” Marsden told Edcon workers and creditors. He also said the proposed hourly rate of R4,500 is “reasonable” and is in line with what auditors charge to verify the veracity of company financial statements.
Marsden said he would still be prepared to continue restructuring Edcon at a current hourly fee of R2,000 or the R25,000 daily fee if creditors reject the fee increase proposal. Some Edcon creditors accused Marsden and Shapiro of foisting the proposal on to creditors at the 11th hour, and not giving them sufficient time to consider it.
“The fee adjustment proposal came to us very late and for that reason, we won’t express a view on it… But it leaves suspicions in our minds. We want everything, including fees, to be upfront when the business rescue practitioners are appointed,” said an affected party representing workers.
Adoption of the rescue plan
The virtual meeting with Edcon creditors and workers also considered the adoption of a final business rescue plan, which includes finding a buyer for Edcon’s retail and financial services divisions by July 2020 or a structured wind-down, which entails the disposal of assets — as businesses where possible — and the payment of liabilities with the proceeds.
The controversial aspect of the plan is that unsecured creditors won’t receive their money owed in full — they are set to be paid 4c for every rand owed to them. But a majority of Edcon creditors (more than 75%) voted in favour of adopting the plan at the more than four-hour-long virtual meeting. BM/DM


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If you chance to pass by the grave of Colonel Harland Sanders at Louisville’s Cave Hill Cemetery, you might notice buckets of chicken atop his memorial. In Japan, however, statues of Colonel Sanders can be found at a memorial ceremony for KFC Japan’s chickens.
While KFC is known for its unusual promotions and public relations stunts, the poultry memorial is not one of them. According to the English-language Japanese news site SoraNews24, KFC Japan conducts an annual memorial service for the brave chickens whose lives were lost in the service of satisfying Japan’s fried chicken craving.
KFC Japan Hosts an Annual Memorial Service
The memorial service, known as Chicken Thanksgiving, is an annual event that has been held since 1974 as a means for the company to express gratitude for the birds. According to SoraNews24, each year to commemorate the solemn occasion, the president of KFC Japan and other high-ranking executives, as well as “key people along the supply chain such as meat processors, sales reps, and seasoning producers,” gather at a temple in Japan to appreciate, remember, and honor the chickens that are so valuable to their business. They also “pray for safe and nutritious meat in the coming year.”
While Chicken Thanksgiving is a long-standing custom, the memorials aren’t well-known even in Japan, according to SoraNews24.
The memorial is usually held in early summer, but it’s making headlines right now because many Japanese families celebrate Christmas with buckets of KFC, thanks to a cunning businessman, a white lie, and a marketing campaign, according to Business Insider, which reported the story for their podcast. The company first opened a branch in Japan in 1970, in Nagoya, which was saved when the businessman convinced his Japanese market that people in the United States celebrated Christmas with buckets of KFC.
The concept took on, and in 1974, KFC Japan launched a marketing campaign promoting “Kurisumasu ni wa kontakia!” or “Kentucky for Christmas!” that helped transform buckets of chicken from a fast food dinner into an annual holiday feast. According to the BBC, the tradition is now so ubiquitous that it accounts for one-third of the chain’s annual revenue.


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Nike Canada, Dynasty Gold face ethics probe
Canada's corporate ethics watchdog is looking into whether the local affiliate of US sportswear giant Nike and Dynasty Gold, a Canadian mining firm, benefited from using ethnic Uighur forced labor in China.
This might not sound like a big deal because the Canadian Ombudsperson for Responsible Enterprise only has investigative powers and can recommend prosecution. Dynasty Gold called the allegations “totally unfounded,” and Nike argued that the complaint has "factual inaccuracies."
Still, the probe might have two geopolitical ramifications.
First, it happens amid a rather icy phase in Canada-China ties. Beijing will not be happy with Ottawa about the investigation — although the Chinese are used to playing defense over their treatment of Uighurs, which most Western governments say are often "employed" as modern-day slaves by the ruling Communist Party.
Second, the proceedings will be closely watched in the US, where in late 2020 Nike was among a handful of big companies that lobbied against Congress passing the Uighur Forced Labor Prevention Act. The bill, signed into law in December 2021 by President Joe Biden, bans the import of goods when there is "reasonable evidence" they were produced with Uighur forced labor in China's northwestern Xinjiang region.
So far, US customs authorities have only seized some Chinese imports under the new law. But if the Canadian complaint eventually yields sufficient proof, the Biden administration might face bipartisan pressure to do more to enforce the law right when Biden wants to lower the temperature with Beijing.


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Investors are holding their breath ahead of today's torrent of economic data and events as they await firm direction following yesterday's quieter session.
City sources predict the FTSE 100 will open around five points higher than yesterday's close of 6,816.37.
The main release today is the monthly US non-farm payrolls report, which may have a significant impact on investors' interest rate expectations.
Also on the cards are the latest ISM services sector figures, weekly jobless claims data and international trade numbers.
Here in the UK, the most recent service sector purchasing managers' index is due out, which is particularly important as the sector is the largest component of UK gross domestic product (GDP).
As noted by Jameel Ahmad, Chief Market Analyst at FXTM, "only last week, Bank of England Governor Carney stated that a potential interest rate hike would be economic data driven, while hinting that a UK unemployment rate below 6% might influence the decision".
In addition to this raft of data, the European Central Bank (ECB) will hold its monetary policy meeting, marking another important event for markets today.
CMC Markets' Michael Hewson said: "With the US off on Friday for the Independence Day holiday we have a host of event risk to navigate around today [...] Any volatility is likely to come from either the US employment report or the ECB press conference, with the rest of the data likely to be 'market noise'.
"That doesn't mean that the data is unimportant, far from it, but from a policy point of view it's not likely to have a lasting effect."
As for this morning's company news, RSA Insurance announced it has agreed to offload the Chinese arm of its Sun Alliance subsidiary for £71m cash to Swiss Re as it looks to streamline the business. RSA Chief Executive Stephen Hester said the board was evaluating further non-core disposals, some of which the company expects to sign off before the end of the year.
Building products distributor SIG has acquired Inatherm BV, a specialist distributor of air handling products based in the Netherlands, for an initial €4.7m and a deferred €0.7m due in January 2016. In 2013 the group generated profit before tax of €0.6m and had gross assets of €1.8m at the year-end.
Government outsourcing group Serco said that while difficulties continue on some contracts, overall its trading and financial position has been in line with expectations since its last update two years ago. The group, which in April announced the resignation of its long-standing Chief Financial Officer Andrew Jenner and an emergency fundraising to bolster its balance sheet, said it is rebuilding trust and confidence with the UK government and its Strategy Review is proceeding according to plan.
Upmarket chocolate maker Thorntons announced sweeter revenues in its business selling to supermarkets and other retailers in the fourth quarter, paving the way for annual profits in line with expectations.
Infrastructure group Balfour Beatty has maintained its profit guidance for the full year despite a "further worsening" in the trading performance of its mechanical and electrical engineering activities in the first half. Engineering Services, which accounts around 10% of the UK construction business, is now being reviewed after the company identified a "further £35m profit shortfall", relating to issues with design changes, project delays, rework on projects and contractual disputes.


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With effect from 28 January 2021, the UK Financial Conduct Authority banned discretionary commission arrangements between dealers and finance companies, under which dealers received higher commissions by selling finance products with higher interest rates. The FCA ban helps consumers on a forward-looking basis but does not compensate consumers for any financial losses already suffered.
Scott+Scott has filed claims in the CAT at the direction of proposed class representative Doug Taylor on behalf of UK consumers. The claims are seeking compensation for consumers who entered into finance agreements with Black Horse, Santander and MotoNovo, the three largest finance companies for used cars in the UK, in the period from 1 October 2015 to 27 January 2021.
To join the claim or learn more visit: www.carfinancingclaim.com


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Secure your seat for Trotters test
The Sir Bobby Robson Stand has sold out for this weekend's 2022/23 opener against Bolton Wanderers at Portman Road.
Over 25,000 tickets have now been snapped up to see Kieran McKenna's side take on the Trotters in a 3pm kick-off on Saturday afternoon.
Tickets remain available in each of the other three stands at Portman Road for this weekend's match.
Secure your seat for the Blues' first game of the new campaign here.
Meanwhile, tickets for the trip to Burton Albion on Tuesday, 16 August, will go on sale to season ticket holders at 10am.
Town's allocation is split across seated and standing areas, with more information available here.


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We asked our readers to submit their favorite photos of the furry or four-legged members of their families who, though they aren’t human, are (almost) as beloved as the kids. We were delighted with the piles of photos you all sent in.
Americans are particularly in love with their pets. Here are a few fascinating tidbits culled from the annual AP-Petside polls conducted between 2009 and 2011.*
• About 30 percent of married women say their pets are better listeners than their spouses.
• A majority of pet owners polled said they planned on buying their pet a present to put under the Christmas tree.
• About one-fourth of pet owners celebrate their pet’s birthday or mark the day the pet came to live with them.
• Over 40 percent of pet owners have taken a pet on vacation, dogs more so than cats.
• Over 20 percent have taken their pets to their workplace.
• Most pet owners admit to feeding their animals human food.
• 19 percent have bought an outfit for their pet but 43 percent said their pet had its own “sense of style.”
• Men were less likely than women to call their pet a full member of the household.
Bath time at Star and David Espinoza’s Simi Valley home is lots of fun for Molly, Mac, Miles and Murphy.
*The Associated Press-Petside.com poll is conducted by GfK Roper Public Affairs and Corporate Communications.


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Global tech brand OPPO has announced its partnership with Riot Games to sponsor the League of Legends World Championship 2021 (S11) today. The partnership was part of the company’s multi-year deal signed with Riot Games in 2019. This partnership will help OPPO further enhance its brand awareness among global esports players.
OPPO officially unveiled the secret behind many of its 5G technologies – the OPPO Communication Lab – which has recently been upgraded in partnership with Ericsson, the world’s leading provider of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) to services providers.
Our gadgets have been our companion throughout daily pandemic life. Other than our smartphones, smart wearable devices continuously leveled up and became must-haves to accompany us with our current lifestyle.
Han features in The E-Hustle book talking about the recipe for success of OPPO and what small businesses can learn about building their own business.
There’s no doubt about it – the esports industry in the Philippines has grown rapidly in the past several years. What was once seen as just a hobby people would engage with during their downtime is now considered a professional sport.
Start the holiday season early with special treats, as global smart device brand OPPO offers exciting freebies, bundles, and discounts on your favorite and latest OPPO products from A and Reno Series smartphones to IoT devices starting September 17 until October 3, 2021. Such a great way to welcome ber-months with sweeter deals.
The holiday season is starting early as global smart device brand OPPO offers exciting freebies, bundles, and discounts on your favorite and latest OPPO products from A and Reno Series smartphones to IoT devices starting September 17 until October 3, 2021!
Powered by AI camera features, the OPPO Reno6 Series features an AI Triple Rear Camera setup, including a 64MP main camera, an 8MP ultra wide-angle camera, and a 2MP macro camera, as well as a 32MP selfie camera.
The ber-months have officially arrived and what better way to celebrate the early holiday cheers than with the upcoming OPPO 9.9 Super Brand Day Sale via Shopee and Lazada starting September 9-11.
Leading global smart device brand OPPO announced that it has selected Amazon Web Services (AWS), the world’s leading cloud platform, for power-enhanced cloud-based services for international users of OPPO’s ColorOS operating system. These services have been certified by ePrivacy, CSA STAR, and ISO (ISO/IEC 27001, 27018, 29151).


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By Li Panpan
(JW Insights) Mar 24-- Cheng Weihua, chief operation officer of Yangtze Memory (YMTC), pointed out that ChatGPT and intelligent vehicles will drive the NAND flash memory market and provide a new balance in supply and demand in the second half of this year. He addressed the China Flash Memory Summit 2023 (CFMS) held in Shenzhen on March 23.
Yangtze Memory (YMTC) has been in the focus of industry attention since it was placed on the US export control list last October. Cheng said in his keynote speech that the global demand for flash memory will rise in 2023 and YMTC will not stop innovation, international cooperation, and talent training, despite geopolitical changes.
China’s National Integrated Circuit Industry Investment Fund, or Big Fund, took a stake in YMTC, with an investment of RMB 12.9 billion (about $1.87 billion), according to a government website that discloses company registration information in early March.
In his speech, Cheng believes that mobile phones, servers, and PCs will still be the primary sources of demand. In addition, ChatGPT and autonomous driving in new energy vehicles bring about explosive data growth. Those emerging applications have driven a tremendous need for memory and have become a new growth driver for the NAND flash memory market.
The latest survey by market research firm TrendForce said that the NAND Flash market had faced headwinds in demand since the second half of 2022. The supply chain has been destocking, leading to a 20-25% price drop in NAND Flash contracts in the fourth quarter.
Established in Wuhan, central China’s Hubei Province, in July 2016, YMTC is an IDM semiconductor company focusing on designing and manufacturing 3D NAND flash memory with complete memory solutions. The company’s products and solutions include embedded memory solutions, and consumer and enterprise SSDs, which are widely used in mobile devices, consumer electronics, computers, servers, and data centers.
The company is one of a handful of domestic chipmakers in China that compete with South Korean giants Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix, and US giant Micron in memory chips for many applications. The firm was short-listed by Apple as a memory chip supplier for its iPhone 14 and dropped it after the US placed export control on it last year, according to media reports.
The IC design subsidiary of China’s listed IC distributor P&S completes testing of its first MCU product for automotive standard11-20 16:26
Chinese electronic component company CETC mass produceds its Beidou satellite communication module for China’s major EV maker11-20 15:55
China’s PC maker Lenovo will launch AI-powered PCs after reporting strong revenue growth11-17 16:04
No Data Yet～


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There’s been a resurgence of interest in RaceRoom Racing Experience recently, particularly since the launch of ranked multiplayer racing. And now Sector3 preview a RaceRoom WTCR 2020 Car Pack due for release in the next few days which seems likely to feature in the competitive online racing pretty soon.
RaceRoom has provided a virtual recreation of the FIA World Touring Car Cup in the past, with individual cars from the WTCR 2018 available for £3.48 each or as a pack for £13.07. And Sector3 Studios followed that with the 2019 season, with cars for the same price, or a pack for £9.80.
Prior to that, RaceRoom also have the WTCC cars from 2013 through to 2017, so they’ve got plenty of history modelling the saloons used in world touring car series.
This pack will be interesting as there are two new cars in the series, with the Renault Megane RS TCR, and the Cupra Leon Competicion.
All of the cars and teams from the 2020 WTCR season will be included, including some late entries and wildcard drivers. And there are also the appropriate liveries for each of the cars.
Apparently extra attention went into the handling model, which is likely to have some improvements. But with the series limits and balancing, it means that you should be able to mix and match the 2018, 2019 and 2020 cars across a WTCR grid without anyone having too much of a disadvantage.
The 2020 WTCR series took place across six events at Zolder, the Nurburgring, Slovakia Ring, Hungaroring, MotorLand Aragon, and a repeat at Aragon to replace the cancelled WTCR Race of Italy. All of which are circuits already available in RaceRoom if you want to replay the season, which saw victory for Yann Ehrlacher from Yvan Muller and Kean-Karl Verney, with a team championship for Cyan Racing Lynk & Co.
Interestingly in 2021, the WTCR season will include a race in South Korea at the Inje Speedium, so maybe Sector3 Studios will be planning to add that track when it’s possible?
There’s no confirmed release date for the RaceRoom WTCR 2020 Car Pack, but Sector3 Studios suggested it will be in the next few days.
You can download Raceroom Racing Experience on the PC for free via Steam. Some additional content is available via Steam, but everything can be purchased via the official game store.
Keep up with all the latest RaceRoom news, updates and eSports articles, here. And check everything available for free and via paid DLC with our RaceRoom car list, and RaceRoom track list.


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Oreo is really embracing some summer flavors this year.
The company is planning on adding coconut and salted caramel flavors to grocery stores soon.
Salted Caramel will be on blonde cookies while coconut will be placed on chocolate crisps.
The upgrade is happening to Oreo Thins, not regular Oreo cookies.
We can’t wait to see these on store shelves.


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Gap Inc. plans in the second half of 2005 to launch its first new chain in a decade, a specialty clothing retailer aimed at women over 35 years old, the Wall Street Journal said on Wednesday, citing Gap Chief Executive Paul Pressler.
"We'll start with 10 stores and see where it goes," Pressler told the newspaper in an interview on Tuesday. "When we think about growth strategies, we are looking for opportunities that are going to meaningfully add to our growth, given the size of our company."
San Francisco-based Gap, the largest U.S. specialty clothing retailer, last year reported net income of $1.03 billion on revenue of $15.9 billion, a securities filing shows. Its chains include Gap, Banana Republic and Old Navy.
The new chain will be run by Gary Muto, the president of Gap's U.S. division, and will sell clothes "for a range of occasions" for baby-boomer women, the newspaper said.
The nearly 40 million U.S. women born from 1946 to 1964 have few apparel stores geared solely to them.
Gap said its stores capture roughly 7 percent of overall U.S. apparel sales, but just 3 percent from female baby boomers, the newspaper said.
In the interview, Pressler declined to say where the stores will be located or what they will look like, or what the chain will be named. He said the chain won't be a derivative of its current brands.
Gap shares closed Tuesday at $20.02. They began the year at $23.21.


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The owner of a former fitness company that operated six facilities across the Treasure Valley has been slapped with a lawsuit from Idaho Attorney General Lawrence Wasden, who accuses the owner of failing to reimburse customers when he shuttered the business.
Body Renew, which had operated in the Treasure Valley since 2009, locked its doors July 9, with little-to-no-warning and a spokeswoman for the company said at the time that the business was "bleeding."
And today, the AG filed a consumer protection lawsuit against Body Renew and owner Dakota Routh. The AG's office registered 54 consumer complaints against the company. The lawsuit alleges that Routh closed his business after charging consumers for memberships, training, tanning and and other fees but didn't refund any monies.
“Too often my office receives complaints about a business that sells thousands of dollars of future services up until the date of its sudden closure, leaving consumers without their money or purchased services,” said Wasden. “This type of business practice is not lawful. There is a right and a wrong way to go about business in this state, and Mr. Routh chose the wrong path.”
Routh operated three gyms in Boise, and one each in Meridian, Star and Garden City.


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In-stock machinery meets demand
Haffner Murat’s SBA-2 and SBA-4 machining centres are now available from stock with rapid delivery into fabricators, the company has reported.
Dave Thomas, managing director at Haffner Murat, said: “Due to the completion of our new state-of-the-art purpose-built factory in Istanbul, Turkey, we have rapidly increased our manufacturing output. This has resulted in two of our most popular machining centres now being available from stock, which supports the growing demand from customers looking to bring high-quality automation into their businesses.”
The SBA-2 and SBA-4 machines are available with routing and sawing stations that can be mixed and matched to meet individual requirements.
“To put the demand for automated manufacturing into context, we have been consistently selling automated packages since our return to work following the first lockdown,” Dave said. “This not only shows the demand for our machines but demonstrates how fabricators are investing in their businesses for the immediate and longer term. Having two of our most popular machines available from stock will certainly help support the growing demand for our products.”
Furthermore, until March 31, 2023, companies investing in qualifying new plant and machinery will be able to claim a 130% super-deduction capital allowance, cutting tax bills by up to 25p for every £1 invested.
“With the launch of the new government initiative, there has never been a better time to invest in machinery,” Dave said. “Since this proposal was announced, we have already witnessed a further surge of interest as fabricators look to invest.”


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Hong Kong as the Major Service Platform for “Going-out” Enterprises: 2019 YRD Survey Results.
China, the world’s second largest economy, enjoys vibrant trade and economic ties with international communities. Although the world economy is affected by uncertainty due to the recent trade conflict between China and the US, many mainland Chinese enterprises are still pursuing their “going out” and “bringing in” strategies with the aim of opening new markets and diversifying their market risks. They are also looking to improve their sustainable development capability by bringing in outside partners and optimising their business portfolios.
Against this backdrop, mainland enterprises increasingly need professional services that are in line with international practices to support their growing international business, while helping them adapt to the increasingly complicated investment environment. Shanghai and the coastal provinces in the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) are among the centres for economic cooperation with foreign countries, as well as major sources of outflows of foreign direct investment (FDI) in China. Enterprises in these areas are actively seeking professional services to help them improve their “going out” strategies.
To assess the latest developments, HKTDC Research conducted a new round of questionnaire survey with mainland enterprises in the YRD in the first quarter of 2019, with the support of the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Commerce. Despite the on-going China-US trade dispute, 72% of the mainland enterprises surveyed said they would consider exploring business opportunities in overseas countries in the next one to three years, including the advanced economies as well as those along the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) routes. Of these, 45% indicated that Hong Kong was their preferred choice when seeking professional services outside the mainland. Among those mainland enterprises with clear overseas destinations in mind, more than half said Hong Kong was their preferred service platform for “going out”.
Overseas destinations that respondents showed the greatest interest in exploring included advanced economies such as Europe, the US and Japan (39%) and BRI regions like Southeast Asia (38%). 71% said they were interested in selling more products to overseas markets, 38% were looking to source goods abroad, while 26% were looking to invest in and set up factories.
Hong Kong service suppliers have been providing a wide range of professional services to mainland enterprises and helping them conduct trade and investment activities in Hong Kong and overseas markets for many years. Their services make Hong Kong the preferred platform for mainland enterprises to manage their “going out” businesses. Further efforts by mainland/YRD enterprises to capture overseas business opportunities are therefore bound to generate more business for Hong Kong.
“Going Out” to Expand Business Overseas
Mainland enterprises are increasingly involved in economic activities overseas. China’s foreign trade volume stood at US$4.6 trillion in 2018, higher than any other country . Total trade with BRI countries amounted to US$1.3 trillion, up 16.3% from the year before, and accounted for 27.4% of China’s total foreign trade last year. On the other hand, China was ranked as the second-largest source of FDI outflows only after Japan last year . Chinese figures showed that outflows of FDI in non-financial sectors by mainland investors totalled US$120.5 billion in 2018 (up 0.3% year-on-year), and encompassed 5,735 companies in 161 different countries and regions . FDI outflows to BRI countries in particular saw sustained growth. Direct investments in non-financial sectors by Chinese enterprises in 56 BRI countries reached US$15.64 billion, up 8.9% year-on-year and comprised 13% of China’s total non-financial FDI outflows last year. Most of this was in countries like Singapore, Laos, Vietnam, Indonesia, Pakistan, Malaysia, Russia, Cambodia, Thailand and the United Arab Emirates.


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Four specialty retailers posted fourth-quarter results on Thursday, with Pacific Sunwear of California Inc. the big loser as its quarterly profit dropped 42.3 percent.
The skate-and-surf-inspired chain said earnings for the period ended Feb. 2 fell to $5.2 million, or 7 cents a share, from $9.1 million, or 13 cents. Sales fell 7.8 percent to $420.1 million from $455.8 million, while total same-store sales decreased 2.2 percent. By division, comps at PacSun increased 2.1 percent, and declined 31 percent at the d.e.m.o. chain.
Hermès is launching a Laundromat pop-up shop in NYC - dubbed Hermèsmatic - where customers can bring their old scarves to be dip-dyed by an expert. Get all the details on WWD.com. #wwdnews (📷: @donstahl)


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Grand Theft Auto 6’s expected release date has been revealed by a reliable leaker. Recently, there have been a lot of discussions in the Grand Theft Auto community, particularly about the hack.
The most recent Rockstar breach shocked the gaming industry to its core and sparked numerous discussions about the ethics of leaks and the numerous effects they have on not just the companies, but also the people working on the project.
According to reports, Rockstar Games is currently looking for an investigation analyst to strengthen its security and surveillance procedures to ensure that this does not happen in the future.
Normally, this would result in delays, but Rockstar Games stated that production would proceed at the same pace without committing to a specific release date.
A trustworthy leaker on Twitter with the Moniker “Adrien Perea” claimed that Grand Theft Auto Vi is set to release in 2015.
This is not too far off from what many people had predicted would happen with regard to the game’s release date. Prior to this, Bloomberg, predicted that the upcoming GTA game will be released in 2024.
It’s not surprising that a game would be delayed given how erratic and dynamic game development can be. Any sensible person would say that the release date of 2025 is to be anticipated when you combine that with the results of the most recent hack.
It would also be influenced by the fact that support for GTA Online is expected to terminate soon. As with prior installments, GTA 6 will likely also have a new online component.
Both GTA IV and V had an online component when they first came out, with V’s being much more popular and still being played by many despite being almost nine years old.
This is due to the fact that developers must prepare components in advance in order for the launched product to be playable, which is especially important for online games. As is obvious, the creation of GTA 6 is undoubtedly incredibly difficult.
Because of this, a delay until 2025 isn’t as absurd of an idea as it might appear, even if the initial release date was anticipated to be in 2024 at the very worst.
It should be emphasized that Adrien Perea has a solid reputation and a long list of trusted leaks. Before the formal announcement, they gave the Uncharted PC release date in the right context.
Along with the delay of Hogwarts Legacy, they accurately predicted that an Iranian actress by the name of Shohreh Aghdashloo will do voices for Assassin’s Creed Mirage.
Perea also leaked information that has since been confirmed to be true, like the fact that Forspoken won’t come out until January 2023, that Skull and Bones will come out in November, and that Cyberpunk 2077 will get a 1.6 update.
Although Rockstar has not yet made an official announcement, we can certainly anticipate hearing more information at The Game Awards this year, or maybe at any event if not this year.
We shouldn’t expect any leaks of any kind from the already infamously overprotective and secretive developer given that Rockstar is now stepping up its security.


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Sony announced that the PS4 has hit the massive milestone of 100 million units sold. This is the culmination of a superb console generation, and one which they have utterly dominated since the consoles launch in 2013.
What’s most impressive here is that the PS4 has outpaced the Wii and the PS2 to reach the milestone. Since launch, the PS4 has seemed certain to reach this milestone, but the speed at which this has been achieved is remarkable.
Sony reported sales of 3.2 million units for the quarter, which actually brings total units sold to 100 million exactly. Should the sales continue at the current pace, it will outsell both the Wii and Plasystation, to put it within touching distance of Game Boy original.
Sony got off to a winner with their grounded marketing at the PS4 E3 reveal, and received a timely boost by Microsoft’s utterly disastrous early marketing of the Xbox One. The Xbox never recovered, to the point where Microsoft have stopped revealing sales figures. However, Sony haven’t been complacent. They have released a catalogue of games that have placed the PS4 as arguably the best console of all time.
However, given that the PS5 is set to launch Q3 or Q4 2020, it is unlikely to reach the 155 million lifetime sales of the PS2, which currently sits as the highest selling console of all time.


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Discontent as town’s MP backs VAT hike on caravans
PUBLISHED: 12:00 06 May 2012
A PLANNED Government tax rise on caravans could cost businesses in the South West an extra £40milllion, according to leisure sector experts.
The change in VAT rates from zero to 20 per cent on the sale of holiday caravans will be introduced by Chancellor George Osbourne in October after several MPs, including Weston MP and Tourism Minister John Penrose voted in support of the plans.
It means the cost of holiday caravans will rise significantly, leaving businesses to either foot the bill or pass on rises to customers.
The proposals only affect holiday caravans, not residential mobile homes.
Clive Wilson, owner of a caravan park in Sand Bay and member of the British Holiday Homes and Parks Association (BHHPA), said: “Weston and Sand Bay is the second largest area for caravans in the country.
“These sites help make this area the popular holiday destination it is today, supporting thousands of local businesses and bringing millions of pounds to our area.
“You can imagine our utter dismay when we looked on the Government’s voting list only to find that our Tourism Minister Mr Penrose voted for the increase.”
Catherine Look, director of Oaktree Parks, which owns a holiday park in Uphill as well as others in the South West, said: “If the proposals do go through it is going to be quite devastating for holiday home sales.
“Holiday park businesses do not have a lot of margins to play with so we aren’t going to be able to absorb that increase, so the customer will have to pay.
“It will curtail sales.”
When asked how she felt about Mr Penrose voting for the tax rise, she said: “It is disappointing. As Tourism Minister we would hope that he would be able to support the tourism industry.”
Leisure sector experts Colliers International called on park owners to pressure the Government into a U-turn over the plans.
Ben Jones, associate director at the Bristol-based firm, said: “Our estimates suggest that caravan holiday home parks could lose as much as £900 per pitch or 20 per cent of their profit as a result of the proposals.
“When you multiply this across the 44,656 pitches on 262 parks across the South West alone you are talking about a net cost of £40,190,400.
A spokesman for John Penrose said he takes great interest in the issue, which he stated is a Treasury decision and part of a wider attempt to end long-standing VAT loopholes.
He said Mr Penrose had also been in contact with the BHPPA and is lobbying ministers to get them to address the tourism industry’s concerns.
He also encouraged those concerned to make comments on the proposals’ consultation, which is open until May 18. To view the document, go to www.hmrc.gov.uk or to raise an objection, email email@example.com
If you value what this story gives you, please consider supporting the Weston Mercury. Click the link in the orange box above for details.


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The state Department of Environmental Protection on Thursday announced it is extending its alternative fuel vehicle rebate program.
The extension means the department will provide $2,000 rebates for 500 additional large-battery system plug-in hybrid electric and battery-electric vehicles, or until Dec. 31.
Large-battery vehicles including the Nissan Leaf, Ford Focus, BMW, Tesla and Chevy Volt are eligible for the highest rebate of $2,000.
Rebates of $1,000 are also available for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and battery-electric vehicles with smaller batteries, including the Toyota Prius plug-in, Ford C-Max Energi, Ford Fusion and Honda Accord.
Rebates of $1,000 are also available for natural gas, propane, hydrogen or fuel-cell vehicles such as the CNG powered Honda Civic or any 2014 CNG powered car or pickup. A $500 rebate is available for electric motorcycles and scooters.
For information on how to get the rebate, go to www.dep.state.pa.us.


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Growth in domestic demand for steel products should be focus of attention - Putin
MOSCOW. Aug 1 (Interfax) - Ensuring domestic demand for steel products should be in the focus of attention of both companies in the sector and the government and regional heads, Russian President Vladimir Putin at a meeting on the development of the metallurgical industry on Monday.
"We're not just talking about stable supplies of these goods to our market, but also about an increase in these supplies, about growth in demand, primarily by increasing the volume of construction of housing, industrial and commercial facilities, by implementing large-scale programs to develop infrastructure: railroads, bridges and overpasses, and other capital facilities," Putin said.
Putin recalled that at a meeting in April, he gave instructions to approve a strategy for the development of the domestic steel industry through 2030, in which he asked that an emphasis be placed, in particular, on the active growth of domestic steel consumption, ensuring affordable prices for these products for business, large regional and federal projects with a powerful effect on target sectors of the economy.
The president also noted that the issue of taxation of the industry was raised in the spring, and the government was instructed to jointly with business to clarify the export directions of Russian steel products in order to redirect the commodity flows to dynamically growing markets.
"With our colleagues from the administration and the government we've again in recent days and this morning once again raised all these issues and discussed them," - said the president.


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Back in February, Sony promised a new Xperia E4 model, this time with 4G. At the time, the company said the single-SIM Xperia E4g will cost only 129 euro (Rs. 8,700), which was the original price of the Xperia E4. That sounded like a great move from Sony and was actually a first in the company's E-series history.
Sony has usually sold its low-end E-series smartphones for a price that was significantly higher than that of competing phones with similar specs. The E4g looked like it was going to change that and offer much better value for the money, similarly to Motorola's Moto E 4G.
However, the dual-SIM version of the Xperia E4g will cost Rs. 13,290 in India, which is roughly 200 euro. Even the single-SIM version looks like it will be around 165 euro in the UK, on Amazon. While the original price made the Xperia E4g much more competitive, the new pricing may put it at a disadvantage compared to new low-end phones being launched with similar specs but at lower price points.
The Sony Xperia E4g comes with a MediaTek MT6732 chip, which includes a 64-bit 1.5 GHz quad-core Cortex-A53 CPU and a Mali-T760MP2 GPU, which should be quite fast for most casual smartphone users. The device has a 4.7" screen with a qHD 960 x 540 resolution; that's a little on the low side, but with the lower resolution comes the benefit of increased battery life.
The E4g also features 1 GB of RAM, 8 GB of storage, microSD support, a 5MP camera with LED flash that supports 1080p video recording and HDR for photography, 2MP front-camera, and a 2,300 mAh battery. As the name implies, it also supports 4G connectivity.
One of Sony Xperia E4g's unique features is its Ultra Stamina mode. According to Sony, the device can already last for two days of moderate usage, but with the Ultra Stamina mode, the phone can last for a whole week. Sony achieved this performance by shutting off all of the smartphone's processes except for the basic call functions.
Perhaps the biggest disappointment about the Xperia E4g is that it comes with the year-and-a-half-old Android KitKat operating system, while other competitors in India are already on Android 5.0 or even Android 5.1. (Mainly, those are the "Android One" smartphones from Google's partners, as well as Nexus devices).
The higher price and the older version of Android may chase away some Indian customers, while others could be drawn to Sony's more refined design sensibilities and higher-quality materials. Indian consumers can purchase the dual-SIM Sony Xperia E4g now from Sony's website. The black version costs Rs. 13,290 while the white one is a little more, going for Rs. 13,490.
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I wish Google would change the Android licensing. Instead require handset makers to submit drivers to Google for their phones if they want to use Android. Then Google could include them in Android releases, rather than this half-baked approach of relying on each handset maker. Instead have all updates be immediate by being direct from Google. The installer could just install the drivers for the phone it is being installed on and dump the rest.Reply
Also let component manufacturers submit drivers to Google. That way you could install Android on any device you want if drivers are available. Even a desktop PC. Without waiting for someone to make an Android build which is compatible.


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Topic: social-mobile app
A new logo, redesigned app, but what does it all mean?
By Christopher Heine on Jul. 24, 2014 - 6:00 AM EDT
Foursquare yesterday unveiled a fresh "F-pin" logo and ultimately a new brand strategy, as it plans to release a starkly different version of its app in three weeks. Adweek asked…