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Discovery CEO David Zaslav spent a lot of time on today’s Q2 2020 earnings call, motoring around the subject of Discovery’s direct-to-consumer plans.
Discovery is devising a streaming video service that aggregates IP from all its brands. In March, the company hired former Google executive Neil Chugani to formulate the financial strategy in the direct-to-consumer space.
Today, Zaslov used a road analogy to describe the direct-to-consumer video marketplace and referred to Discovery’s future product as an “SUV.”
“There are some strong players out there that have built a great road to this direct-to-consumer business,” he said, citing Netflix, Amazon Prime and Disney Plus. Zaslov said “it was hard work” in the early days to get people to pay for streaming content but now “people are comfortable with that.”
It’s not at all clear what kind of direct-to-consumer offering Discovery is manufacturing. Zaslov would only give hints. He said the most popular OTT providers deliver scripted series and movies that are super expensive to produce. “Effectively, they built a road, and they all have great sports cars,” he said, referring to the scripted content.
But he said Discovery has “a new SUV” that it will be rolling out “very soon” with more detail. “Our SUV is filled with large fresh content, a huge amount of original content.” He said the content on this new offering would be useful to consumers on a daily basis, making it sound pretty similar to the most popular content already on Discovery, such as TLC, HGTV and the Food Network.
He also stressed that it would focus on characters that its viewers love, and this character-focus would differentiate Discovery’s direct-to-consumer offering. “We have this ability to curate through brands and through characters that people already know,” he said.
Discovery has been "very quietly aggregating content,” Zaslav said. "You should expect that we'll be offering our content in ways that are competitive in terms of whether they have commercials or don't have commercials, or how much commercials they have. We've thought that out carefully, and we intend for our product to be very competitive and flexible.”
He also said Discovery would have multiple partners, domestically and around the world.
The timing is still unclear. Zaslav said the company was putting “finishing touches on bringing an aggregated direct-to-consumer product to the market here in the United States,” and it's also making enhancements to its SVOD offerings like Dplay in many markets around the globe.
The Q2 vitals
In terms of Discovery’s Q2 earnings, against the backdrop of the global pandemic, the company reported total revenues of $2.54 billion, a decrease of 12% compared to the prior year quarter.
U.S. distribution revenues increased 7%, or increased 2% excluding certain non-recurring items, and advertising revenues decreased 14%, while international distribution revenues decreased 2% and advertising revenues decreased 37%. Net income available to Discovery was $271 million, and diluted EPS was $0.40 per share.
The company plans to resume share repurchases in the second half of the year.
During the first half of 2020, Discovery completed renewals with four major distributors: Cox, Charter, Comcast and Sky.


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The state’s first state-approved and licensed online lottery was the initial form of online gambling in Michigan. 2020 – Michigan’s first legal retail sportsbooks opened in March. However, it was only briefly. Pari-mutuel horse racing was the first type of legal gambling in Michigan. 2020 Online horse race betting is approved by the Michigan Gaming Control Board. The gaming bills were sent to the governor’s desk for the second time in a row this year. A set of bills that outline the legalization of online casino games betting on sports at a retail or online level and online poker was passed by both the state House and Senate. The bill’s package contained HB 4311, which allowed online sports betting, casino games, and poker in Michigan. Michigan is currently one of five states where all three gambling verticals are legal.
The final hurdle was posed by the bills. Then Gov. Rick Snyder vetoed them instead of incorporating them into law. Even if they know that she is likely to change, however, they do not leave the woman. Family members could be forced to conceal valuables and money from the addict or be forced to leave without proper treatment (food, shelter, food, etc.) even though all the money is being gambled recklessly. They are investing in the market with sophisticated investors and pumping money out of institutions. There is no risk of losing your real money by playing. You will quickly learn the fundamentals of all games when you play many. These laws that are a bit draconian have แทงบอล led to an increase in online gambling and have led to Western operators like Mr. Green offering a higher amount of protection for its Thai players than their government.
Operators from all three areas can launch iGaming platforms through licensing agreements with Michigan’s retail casinos. With Whitmer as governor, 2019 was a milestone year for Michigan’s iGaming efforts. 2021 – Michigan’s online sportsbooks and casinos begin to operate. The COVID-19 pandemic caused nationwide shutdowns of casinos just days after. The majority of people prefer to play free online casino games because they are entertaining and enjoyable. In November 2014, the Michigan Lottery began offering instant win tickets on the internet for purchase. The Michigan Lottery began offering online purchases of instant win tickets in November 2014. Your customers are aware that online shopping threats exist.

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B&M Bargains has reported a 43% surge in pre-tax profit to £90.6m last year after US private investor CD&R bought a “significant” stake in the value retailer in December. Co-managing director Simon Arora speaks to Retail Week.
Retail Week: You have managed to generate a 43% increase in profit last year, how did you achieve this?
Simon Arora: It is primarily a result of store expansion and a successful push into the south. The new stores that have opened outside of our traditional heartland have traded well because customers have not seen a B&M before.
At year end you had 324 stores, how many shops do you ultimately want in the UK?
We tend not to nail ourselves to a figure but we know that about half the UK doesn’t have access to a local B&M in terms of the UK appetite. We do see ourselves opening 40 stores a year for the foreseeable future.
Has your customer base changed?
We have put a lot of effort into ensuring the products are attractively priced. It’s not just price-conscious customers that are shopping with us but middle class customers that like our homewares and non-grocery offers. We’re selling more products in the £10-£20 bracket than we do with a £1 price tag.
Our stores appeal to a very broad spectrum of shoppers. We are finding that it’s a consistent theme that it’s very much a family store. When we open up new stores it’s more of a family offer for the south
How has trading been since year-end in December?
Trading has been steady but like all retailers we would like a break in the cold weather. Trading is in line with expectations but under the new owners we don’t give out like-for-like figures.
What are your growth plans for the UK and overseas?
In the UK we will have more of the same. We’re not looking to change the proposition. We are still looking for a partner for overseas growth.
Do you have any plans to launch online?
We don’t currently have any online activity but it’s something we watch closely and we will do it when the time is right.
You have generated sales of £937.2m, when will you break through the £1bn barrier?
We will go through the £1bn barrier this year. We have always believed in the B&M proposition and it is here to stay. We’ve always believed in UK retailing.
You appointed Sir Terry Leahy as your chairman, how is the relationship working?
The relationship is working and there are no more people changes.


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There will be award-winning pies, spicy curries, foaming pints and plenty more grub and drinks for which Yorkshire is famous.
This year's Huddersfield Food and Drink Festival will run from Thursday August 4 until Sunday, August 7.
The event will feature over 90 stalls from a wide variety of businesses offering the best food and drink that the county has to offer.
And for those who like their food local, the Festival has announced that over 90 per cent of the food and drink exhibitors are from Huddersfield or the wider Yorkshire area.
This year's event will feature 25 cookery demonstrations and free children's workshops in both cookery and arts and crafts.
Around 100,000 visitors are expected, making it the largest free festival of food in the whole of Yorkshire.
The Festival is currently seeking volunteers to help with everything from stage management to the information tent. Email: email@example.com


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Chargebacks911® COO & Other Experts Offers Insight on Staying Safe Online
Monica was one of several experts asked to provide insight for a recent feature on Best Company, explaining to consumers on how to stay safe online.
As cited in the article, roughly 9 in 10 Americans worry about online privacy and the security of their personal data. But, while security is a common concern, few people know how to protect themselves against bad actors. Consumers need to be educated if they’re going to be safe.
The experts consulted for the piece include executives from prominent online tech companies, doctors of computer science, and more. They provide plenty of sensible tips, including to protect your hardware, use a VPN, and turn off location services when not in use. For her insight, Monica insists that cardholders should be wary of phishing sites.
“Fraudsters will design email offers and create fake websites that look very similar to legitimate stores,” she explains. “They do this to ‘phish’ for your financial information, so they can steal from your bank account.” She goes on to provide several key indicators to watch for that can suggest fraud is at play. Continue below to check out the full article:


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In the growing realm of mobile news, men and the highly-educated emerge as more engaged news consumers. These findings parallel, for the most part, demographic patterns of general news consumption.
Overall, news consumption ranks high on mobile devices. Over a third report getting news daily on the tablet and the smartphone, putting it on par with other activities such as email and playing games on tablets and behind only email on smartphones. The popularity of news remains strong across all demographic groups studied, but is especially prevalent among men and the college educated. On the smartphone, differences also emerge in age and income.
Fully 43% of male tablet owners consume news daily on their device versus 32% of female tablet owners, a difference of 11 percentage points. The gap is nearly identical on smartphones (41% compared with 30% among women).
Educational differences in mobile news use are similar to the differences seen in gender, with greater disparity on the smartphone. A little over four-in-ten college educated owners get news on the tablet (41%) and the smartphone (44%). But among those with less than a college education daily news consumption falls to 35% on the tablet and 31% on the smartphone. Daily news consumption on the smartphone is also more prevalent among those with household incomes of more than $30,000.
Age, on the other hand, seems to be less of an indicator of mobile news consumption. This is particularly true on the tablet, where daily rates are similar across all four age groups studied (50- to 64-year-olds are a bit more likely than the youngest and oldest groups to get news). On the smartphone, owners under 50 get news at higher rates than those over 50. Read more


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The 49th edition of Cosmoprof Worldwide Bologna will be held in Bologna from March 18th to 21st, 2016, contemporarily with Cosmopack (17-20 March 2016).
Organized by BolognaFiere with the collaboration of Cosmetica Italia, Cosmoprof Worldwide Bologna 2016 will enjoy the support of ICE (Agency for the Promotion Abroad and Internationalization of Italian Businesses) and the Ministry for Economic Development, confirming a strategic appointment for the world cosmetic industry.
There are many innovations that will be enriching the exhibition space of Cosmoprof Worldwide Bologna 2016.
⁕ The Spas: Plenty of space dedicated to spas with “recruiting buyer” and distributors specialised in the world of spas will facilitate the birth of the business network between sector businesses and professional operators in wellness centres, in the hotel business, and in trade associations.
⁕ Halal Cosmetics: from production to sales: An exhibition area reserved for manufacturers and distributors or certified Halal (“legal” in Arab) products. The project will be carried out in partnership with and with the supervision of the Italian halal certification agency WHAD (World Halal Development).
⁕ Extraordinary Fragrance Gallery will host international companies that dictate fragrance market trends.. A designer stand will be the rendezvous point for businesses with highly specialised distributors.
The Cosmopack calendar will also be jam packed from 17 – 20 March 20 2016.
⁕ The Cosmopack Wall Award will be a true “innovation corner” for the world of the beauty production supply line: Italian and international companies will present their most innovative projects and the latest technological news. A jury of experts will identify the nominations and proclaim the winners.
⁕ The Cosmopack Factory: The exhibition are where the entire production cycle of a cosmetic are presented “live” – the star of the show will be the Foundation Factory, who will demonstrate the main production phases of CC cream – Cosmoprof & Cosmopack cream – the next generation of the already famous BB cream.
For more information, please visit www.cosmoprof.com


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Xbox Game Pass new games — February 2019
Xbox Game Pass new games — February 2019 ⚡⚡⚡ Esports and gaming news, analytics, reviews on WePlay! The latest news on WePlay!
Hello there, all Xbox Game Pass subscribers and those who are just passing by! Microsoft is once again expanding their games catalogue this month. Get your subscription today — and receive the first two Batman games by Rocksteady but remakes! Batman: Return to Arkham is available now, as well as Metroidvania-styled Headlander and Disney Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two — family platformer game.
Alien: Isolation and the full second season of interactive Telltale's The Walking Dead will appear on the list on February 28.
We remind you that lately the first season of Telltale's The Walking Dead, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Blob, Pumped BMX Pro and Crackdown 3 has also been added to subscribers game-list.
Xbox Game Pass subscription costs $9.99 per month, but you can buy it for only 2 bucks now — attention, 2 hours left! Or you can access the trial version. Stay sharp!


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The president of SCEJA has seemingly provided the first official comment on the censorship row that has affected multiple PlayStation games over the past few months. Posted on Japanese website Ebitsu.net – but without official translation or verification just yet – Atsushi Morita purportedly told attendees at a Japan Studio event that “expression restrictions [have been] adjusted to the global standards”. He apparently concluded: “Considering the balance between freedom of expression and safety to children, I think that it is a difficult problem.”
Sony has controversially requested changes to a number of games now, many of which depicting underage children in compromising positions. In some games you’re able to touch and fondle the minors against their will; others merely place them in highly sexualised situations. Sometimes the characters are attributed adult ages in the fiction, despite their appearance suggesting otherwise.
One such franchise that’s been affected is Senran Kagura, and the producer of the latest game Kenichiro Takaki has told Akiba Souken that the next title in the series is going to take time as it deals with these new regulations. “We have to make games in a way that they aren’t misunderstood,” he said, as translated by Gematsu. “Certain things are harder than they’ve ever been before. Given that, I think [the game] is going to take some time.”
This is a story that’s going to rumble and rumble, and it’s become such a hot topic because fans are divided over it. Many feel that the ratings boards exist to filter content, and game creators should be able to release whatever they like as long as it abides those guidelines. Others argue that Sony, as the platform holder, has a right to restrict the release of highly sexual content involving minors. Some may counter that murder and violence is accepted, so how is this any different?
As Morita himself put it: it’s a difficult problem.


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Custom Line has completed 11 hulls from 33m upwards this year, with a total LOA of 386m, and plans to launch another eight by year end.
The only Ford GT Roadster to ever race at the Le Mans, goes up for auction at the Mecum Auction’s upcoming Indy 2020 sale
Automobili Lamborghini and The Italian Sea Group unveil design of spectacular 60-knot Tecnomar inspired by Sián FKP 37 super sports car.
No oil changes, minimal maintenance, no wasted energy.
Informa says the Monaco Yacht Show will return in September 2021 and still plans to stage this year’s Fort Lauderdale show.
Presenting its latest classic supercar transformation, The Eagle Lightweight GT is a classic Jaguar Lightweight E-Type supercar showcasing the intoxicating thrills of a 1963 factory lightweight, thoughtfully and comprehensively re-engineered.


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There was once a time when Apple was synonymous with innovation, cutting-edge technology, avant-garde design, and moments that made you simply step back and say, “wow!” However, in the years following the death of founder Steve Jobs, many have begun to question whether the tech giant retains the vision and groundbreaking capacity for innovation that made it the most popular and ubiquitous tech company of the early 21st century.
Apple has come under fire, particularly in recent months, for its perceived lack of new, innovative products. The company that gave the world the Mac, the iPhone and the iPad has been uncharacteristically silent on the development front in recent months. Since the death of Jobs, the company has released the iPhone 5, which was, in essence, the exact same device as the preceding iPhone 4S, but with a slightly larger screen, provoking almost universal derision from tech pundits and competitors like Samsung, who savaged Apple in commercials for their newest smartphones.
The public reception of Apple’s native Maps app was equally disastrous following several high profile incidents of misdirection and a general lack of quality. This represented an embarrassing failure for Apple and a PR boon for competitor Google, whose own Maps app Apple sought to replace.
These factors, plus concern over the deprivation of Jobs’ strategic creative brilliance, have contributed to a 5 percent drop in Apple’s stock price from its peak of $705 last fall.
Apple managed to silence some of its doubters with the recent unveiling of the new Mac Pro desktop computer, which comes complete with a revolutionary new cylindrical design. However, this won’t end up doing a huge amount of good for Apple’s public persona, given that the Mac Pro is undeniably a niche product, primarily purchased for those working in intensive media development positions.
In addition, consumers holding their breath for a complete redesign of the rapidly aging iPhone will have to wait at least another year to be satisfied. Although Apple is expected to unveil a new, low-cost iPhone aimed at developing markets around September 10, it is expected to simply take the form of a colored plastic iPhone 5 and not to break any new ground in terms of hardware design.
However, there are some encouraging signs coming from Apple’s Cupertino headquarters. This September, Apple will be releasing its completely revamped iOS7 mobile operating system. This update ditches the dated skeumorphic design that the operating system had become known for and replaces it with a much more modern and minimalist aesthetic. In addition, rumors of a new smartwatch and Apple TV give consumers reasons to be hopeful regarding Apple’s future.
This iOS7 update is perhaps the most important though. It represents a complete abandonment of many of Jobs’ favorite iPhone features. As unintelligent as this may seem, this is actually the best strategic move for Apple. Jobs’ undeniable genius, recently portrayed to dubious effect by Aston Kutcher in this year’s critically panned Jobs, formed the lifeblood and soul of Apple. Following his death two years ago, Apple has found itself serving up products with little to no deviation from those that Jobs designed several years ago. While this allowed for something of a transition period, it’s highly encouraging that the company is abandoning this practice with iOS7.
By divorcing its new products from Jobs’ influence, Apple is freeing itself up for increased innovation in the future. Although it was harshly criticized, and perhaps rightly so, for continuing to religiously adhere to Jobs’ design language, the freedom to innovate without constraint will allow Apple to return to its former role as the vanguard of the tech industry.
[Sources: Apple, BusinessInsider]


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Hydrolyzed Infant Formula Does Not Protect Babies from Allergic Disease, Autoimmune Disorders: Study
Despite claims by infant formula manufacturers, new research suggests that hydrolyzed formula does not actually help prevent allergies or autoimmune disease, raising questions about current guidelines that recommend the products for certain high risk infants.
In a study published this week in the medical journal The BMJ, researchers from the United Kingdom indicate that there is no evidence to support health claims that partially hydrolyzed infant formal reduce the risk of eczema or allergy to cow’s milk. The study also found potential conflicts of interest in prior research that backs current guidelines.
Hydrolyzed formula is often recommended in the U.S., the UK, and Europe to help prevent infants from getting autoimmune diseases and allergic among infants who may have a family history of those conditions. Many manufacturers market the products with FDA approved claims supporting the health benefits.
Learn More About Baby Formula lawsuits
Premature infants fed Similac or Enfamil cow's milk formula faced increased risk of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) or wrongful death.
In this latest report, researchers reviewed data from 37 studies focused on hydrolyzed infant formula, pulled from Medline, Embase, Web of Science, CENTRAL, and LILACS. The data included more than 19,000 participants between January 1946 to April 2015.
The results indicate that specialized hydrolyzed infant formula offers no benefit in protecting an infant from developing eczema and other allergic conditions or autoimmune disease. It also found that it did not prevent allergies to cow’s milk, allergic rhinitis, conjunctivitis, asthma, food allergy, allergic sensitization, and autoimmune diseases, including type 1 diabetes.
The review of infant formula studies commissioned by the UK Food Standards Agency, focused on previous research where hydrolyzed formula was compared with another hydrolyzed formula, human breast milk, or standard cows’ milk formula.
The review determined there was no consistent evidence that partially or extensively hydrolyzed formulas reduce the risk of allergic or autoimmune outcomes in infants at high preexisting risk of these conditions.
Researchers also found evidence of a conflict of interest or bias in most of the previous studies on the issue. In 31% of the studies, there was a clear conflict of interest, and in 51% of the studies it was unclear whether there was a conflict of interest. The bias was often due to financial links with baby formula manufacturers.
The study also discovered some prior research actually showed that formula did not reduce allergies, but those findings were not published.
Hydrolyzed or partially hydrolyzed formula is treated with heat to break down the milk proteins in the attempt to make them easier for infants to digest them. This type of formula is often sold as special hypoallergenic formulations, including brands such as Similac Expert Care Alimentum, Enfamil Nutramigen, and Enfamil Pregestimil.
Lead author of the study Robert J. Boyle emphasized breast feeding is the healthiest, proven option to protect against most disease. He also highlighted the need for further studies that are not funded by formula companies.
More Top Stories
The Court has indicated that a three groups of Combat Arms earplug lawsuits, each including 500 claims, will be prepared for trial in the coming months.
Parties involved in litigation over the cancer risks of the heartburn drug Zantac will take part in a Zantac Science Day today and tomorrow in federal court.
A former Paraquat applicator says he was told the herbicide was toxic, but not that it could cause Parkinson's disease in a recently filed lawsuit.


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Anker's popular GaN fast charger just got a whole lot better
Anker has unveiled the next generation of its proprietary PowerIQ fast-charging chips, the Power IQ 3.0. The new chips make the USB-C ports on Anker’s chargers and portable batteries compatible with Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0 and Power Delivery, enabling them to charge virtually any USB-C device at its fastest possible speed.
The Anker PowerPort+ Atom III (two ports) is the first wall charger powered by PowerIQ 3.0. It can output a total of 60W via its USB-A and USB-C ports. Like other entries in the Atom series, it uses highly-efficient GaN (gallium nitride) semiconductors instead of silicon. This allows for a significantly reduced size compared to traditional chargers.
“The fast-charging capability of mobile devices is now faster than ever thanks to USB-C, but the industry continues to get fragmented due to manufacturers choosing different fast-charging protocols for their products, which creates confusion,” said Steven Yang, CEO of Anker Innovations. “With PowerIQ 3.0, we’ve created a new generation of chargers and batteries that can communicate with all of these protocols, allowing them to identify and fast-charge any device. For the first time, consumers only need to rely on one charger to charge all of their devices fast.”
The first generation of PowerIQ in 2014 changed the industry by regulating and adapting the power output from a single USB-A port depending on the device it was charging. With PowerIQ 2.0 in 2016, Anker accommodated the then-most popular fast-charging protocol: Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0 With PowerIQ 3.0 Anker has now moved their charging solutions one step closer to the unified future that USB-C promised when it first launched. Whether charging an iPhone, MacBook, or any Android smartphone, tablet, or computer, Anker says that it will always be able charged as fast as possible.
The Anker PowerPort+ Atom III (Two Ports) will be available on Amazon US for $42.99 on from today and in the UK for £44.99 at the end of May. Anker said that more details on the entire lineup of PowerIQ 3.0 products will be announced in the coming weeks.
Would you buy one of these? Let us know.


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UK plunges into deepest ever recession as GDP tumbles 20%
The UK economy is officially in recession for the first time since the financial crisis ten years ago.
The economy plunged by 20% between April and June as the pandemic shuttered businesses and kept people locked up at home. GDP had fallen by 2.2% between January and March.
A recession is defined as two successive quarters of decline in GDP, which has not been seen in the UK since 2008 and 2009 during the financial crisis.
There was some pick in June as the economy emerged from lockdown. GDP picked up by 8.7% in the month.
All parts of the UK economy were hit, including the services sector which dropped by 20%.
The ONS said: “This is the largest quarterly contraction in the UK economy since ONS quarterly records began in 1955, and reflects the ongoing public health restrictions and forms of voluntary social distancing that have been put in place in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
“In level terms, real GDP was last lower in Quarter 2 2003. Compared with the same quarter a year ago, the UK economy fell by 21.7%.”
Compared to other countries the UK fared a little better than Spain, which was down 23% over the period, but worse than the US which dropped by 11%. The UK also performed worse than France, Italy and Germany over the second quarter.
The ONS added: “The larger contraction of the UK economy primarily reflects how lockdown measures have been in place for a larger part of this period in the UK compared with these other economies. The coronavirus pandemic and the response to it has impacted the global economy, with record declines recorded in all of these countries.”
It comes after yesterday ONS data showed around 730,000 UK workers have been removed from the payrolls of British companies since March when the coronavirus lockdown began in a sign of the toll taken on the economy by the pandemic.
Jonathan Athow, deputy national statistician at the ONS, said: “The recession brought on by the coronavirus pandemic has led to the biggest fall in quarterly GDP on record.
“The economy began to bounce back in June, with shops reopening, factories beginning to ramp up production and house-building continuing to recover.
“Despite this, GDP in June still remains a sixth below its level in February, before the virus struck.
“Overall, productivity saw its largest-ever fall in the second quarter. Hospitality was worst hit, with productivity in that industry falling by three-quarters in recent months.”


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BI Targets Local Currency Settlements to Reach $2.78b in 2022
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Micro Mobility player Helbiz to reduce staff by 15% in US, Europe
Over the coming days, staff will be reduced in the US and Europe by 15% across corporate and operations teams. A deep review of current costs and obligations will also be undertaken that will look to further reduce expenditure, the company said.
New Delhi: Micro Mobility services provider recently announced that it will undertake several measures to reduce costs and staff to lower the monthly burn rate between 20% and 30%.
Over the coming days, staff will be reduced in the US and Europe by 15% across corporate and operations teams. A deep review of current costs and obligations will also be undertaken that will look to further reduce expenditure, the company said in a statement.
Already, Helbiz has been working with third parties and slimming down operations where it makes sense to reduce cost. Lastly, Helbiz will search for partners to share or take over the operation of the Media business to reduce them as on-going cost centres and return focus entirely on mobility business.
“As we reviewed the business, we concluded that our core mobility business has the best potential to quickly achieve profitable operations,” CEO and founder Salvatore Palella, said..
“We will return to focusing only on Mobility, with the goal of becoming the world leader in mobility. To make this happen we must change, cutting costs and divisions. To preserve our capital and get to profitability, we must take action to align our cash usage with the most likely driver of revenue growth in the quarters ahead. This cut will bring the cut burning from 20 to 30% down in the immediate future, we will also start conversations with partners regarding the Media business (Helbiz Live),” he said.
Launched in 2015 and headquartered in New York City, Helbiz offers a diverse fleet of vehicles including e-scooters, e-bicycles, e-mopeds with over 65 licenses in cities around the world. The company uses a customized, proprietary fleet management technology, artificial intelligence and environmental mapping to optimize operations.
With the world quickly moving to EVs, Japanese auto parts suppliers are reviewing strategies that were traditionally tailored for combustion-engine cars, Reiji Terasaka, who heads Carlyle's Japan industrial team, told Reuters in an interview.
While the Jeep brand currently offers four products in the market, the automaker is set to enter the Indian EV space with the Citroen. However, the auto major's profitability in the country may be credited to its frugal investment approach and JV-based business model.
According to ETAuto sources, the raid began at the company’s Corporate office in Gurgaon around 3:00 PM and continued till the story is filed. The latest development comes in light of heightened scrutiny by law-enforcement agencies on companies operating in India which have links with neighboring country, China.


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Flash drives are starting to hold more and more data, while still staying portable. It wasn't long ago that 128GB drives had everyone all excited about being able to carry so much data from place to place. Well, buckle up folks. Kingston just blew that 128GB drive out of the water.
The memory maker has announced that it is now shipping a 2TB drive, a unit it mentioned at the Consumer Electronics Show in January. That is capable of holding 70 hours' worth of 4K video. Kingston is also shipping a 1TB version as well, both compatible with the faster USB 3 ports. The 75.18mm x 27mm x 21.02mm units work with Windows 10, Windows 8.1, Windows 8, Windows 7 (SP1), Mac OS v.10.9.x+, Linux v.2.6.x+, and Chrome OS.
"We are always striving to create new and better storage solutions to meet our customers' needs especially in an ever-increasing digital world," Kingston's Flash business manager Jean Wong said in a statement. "With the release of the DataTraveler Ultimate GT, users can push the boundaries of their mobile storage needs and ensure that they have more than enough space to store their video, photos and files in a small form factor."
As for price, they aren't cheap. The 2TB version is on sale for $1,625 (it normally sells for $2,273), and the 1TB is on sale for $950 (normally $1,319). If you have the cash to spare–and a lot of 4K movies to store–go for it.


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Suzuki Motorcycles India, launched the Intruder in India in November 2017. The cruiser motorcycle drew inspiration from the Intruder 1200. It got off to a good start where sales were concerned, clocking 14,325 units from November 2017 to February 2018. Sales of Suzuki Intruder, which stood at 2,325 units in November 2017 steadily increased to 3,272 units in December 2017 and upwards to 3,833 units in January 2018 while sales in February 2018 went up even further to 4,895 units.
The past six months from September 2018 to February 2019 has been somewhat of a challenge where the Suzuki Intruder is concerned. Sales which had totaled 14,325 units in the 6 month period of 2017-18 went down to 2,728 units in the same 6 month period of 2018-19.
Sales which stood at four figures through the same period in 2017-18 dipped to three figures in the corresponding months of 2018-19. September and October 2018 saw sales at 954 units and 929 units respectively. Sales in November 2018 dipped 17 percent to 497 units as against 2,325 units sold in the same period of the previous year.
Sales went down further in December 2018 with a percentage fall of 89 percent to 348 units as against sales of 3,272 units in the same month of the previous year. There has now been a 100 percent fall in sales in both January and February 2019, when zero units of the Suzuki Intruder were sold.
Suzuki Intruder rivals Bajaj Avenger. Sales of the latter too has declined by a huge margin. Suzuki Intruder ticks all the right boxes where features and engine specifications are concerned. It is currently seen with features such as LED position lamps, fuel injection, a fully digital instrument cluster and LED tail lamp. It sports a single channel ABS system and a dual exhaust port while upgrades could include a full LED headlamp, revised instrument cluster and other visual accents.
Suzuki Intruder is powered by the same engine seen on the Gixxer and Gixxer SF. This 155cc engine which currently offers 14.8 bhp power and 14 Nm torque mated to a 5 speed gearbox The Intruder which carries a price tag of Rs.1 lakh as on date for the standard version and of Rs.1.07 lakhs for the Fuel Injection variant. It is not yet clear if the motorcycle is discontinued from the market or is Suzuki has stopped production and planning to launch updated Intruder. Suzuki India’s website continues to feature the Intruder motorcycle. Dealers are not taking fresh orders. Existing stock is being cleared.


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Long before US planes began bombing runs over Afghanistan, American
farmers fired the first shot in a different skirmish with their
neighbors to the north.
The Yanks successfully secured steep tariffs on tomatoes imported from
north of the border. The Canadians retaliated, forming the Tomato Trade
Alliance, an eight-month-old organization that publicizes what it sees
as Washington's rotten tomato policies. Last week, the group's campaign
bore fruit in the form of a New York Times story headlined "US-Canada
Tomato War Heats Up."
"Pre-anthrax, we were shipping baskets of fresh tomatoes to members of
the Canadian media," says Randy Wood, senior partner at
National-Labrador Communications (NLC), which has been handling PR
efforts for the alliance.
"That really opened the door to our pitch. The first thing reporters
wanted to do was thank us for the fresh tomatoes that they'd just sliced
into." Adds Wood, "It's amazing how many newsrooms have olive oil on
NLC also works to publicize complaints brought by the British Columbia
Lumber Trade Council against US softwood growers. So far, that conflict
- part of a century-old timber tiff between the US and Canada - has
proven a harder sell than the vegetable imbroglio.
"Tomatoes are sexier than two-by-fours," Wood explains.
After hearing Wood expound on the virtues of "big, red, Canadian
hot-house tomatoes, the tastiest, juiciest tomatoes in the world,"
PRWeek wondered whether we might receive our own sample of his client's
We were told that unfortunately, due to the tomato war, such a shipment
would be impossible to arrange. "It's kind of hard to get our tomatoes
across the border right now," Wood says.


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Worthless Check Amnesty–With a New Way to Pay
DEKALB COUNTY, Ala. (WHNT) — Deputies will soon start showing up at homes and workplaces to arrest writers of worthless checks, but those people have the whole month of February to pay up without having to go to court.
The DeKalb County District Attorney’s Office has thousands of worthless check cases they hope to close and they added a new option that allows payment online or over the phone.
District attorney Mike O’Dell said the nCourt company contacted his office and set up the credit card payment program at no cost the county, although the service applies a processing fee to users making payments.
“It is a very efficient way to do it and it does provide somebody an alternative who may not have the cash right now when the 10 days are up that they have to pay; they can pay later in the month when they get paid and then they pay the credit card company,” O’Dell said.
The district attorney said at least 50 percent of bad checks are not intentional, and are cases where people simply write a check without having enough money in their accounts.
However there are scammers, and O’Dell said that’s no different than robbing the register.
“That’s no different than stealing from them, it’s just a different kind of theft,” he said.
“Go into a store you can write a check, you can walk out and it seems cleaner to the thief.”
A few bad checks here and there add up, and the district attorney said he’s seen small independent shops and stores forced to close as a result.
That is why the worthless check unit takes this so seriously, and a few of the thousands of open cases on which they are working date back to the early 1990s.
It is why they will do a warrant round-up in March to go to homes and workplaces to arrest violators, and the conviction rate is nearly 99 percent.
“Many times you get to their house and they want to pay on the spot, and we have people available to take the money and write them receipt before we bring them in,” O’Dell said.
Payment and restitution in February avoids arrest, court, and about $300 in fees.
“If you write a $10 check and you haven’t made it right, if you’ve ignored the letters from the merchant and you’ve ignored the letters from our office, if you wind up being arrested and prosecuted, a $10 check could cost you as much as $510,” the district attorney said.
The worthless check unit expects to collect at least $15,000 to $20,000 in February, and O’Dell said DeKalb County closed 65% of its cases during their amnesty month in 2012.
Officials said the online credit payment method is going well and that several other Alabama district attorneys called him to get information about adding it in their counties.
To make a payment online visit www.9thaldapay.com or call (800) 701-8560.


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Customer visits to restaurants and food outlets continued a negative path in the quarter ending June 30, according to The NPD Group. The decline marks six quarters in a row with no traffic growth, something The NPD Group reports the U.S. foodservice industry has not experienced since the Great Recession.
Average check size reflected higher menu prices, rising 2.6 percent.
“No doubt the rising cost of a restaurant meal is weighing heavily on industry traffic performance,” says Bonnie Riggs, restaurant industry analyst for The NPD Group. “The vast majority of consumers give restaurants fairly low ratings on affordability compared to other customer satisfaction attributes.”
To read the full original article, please click here.


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It will be a lively time tonight at Martin City Brewing Company’s Annual Shrimp Boil at The Martin, 135th & Holmes Rd.
The founder of numerous businesses in Martin City, parade grand marshal Matt Moore recalls another entrepreneur: his grandfather RC.
Marketed as the “perfect box of chocolates for your Valentine’s Boo,” the limited edition beer sold out long before the lovers’ holiday.
The move gives Martin City Brewing Company more parking for its customers.
There are plenty of outdoor music venues to listen to live music this summer in South KC. Check them out.
Having already conquered Martin City, Matt Moore is ready to expand. his brand.
All-You-Can-Eat Shrimp Boil at the Brewery What do you do when your anniversary falls on Cinco de Mayo and the Kentucky Derby? In Martin City …
Have you ever wanted to complete an Iron Man-style endurance event but just don’t have the time or ability? Well a perfect event has now …
On Tuesday, September 20, Martin City Brewing Company debuted its gluten-free beer, Yoga Pants, in a can.


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OnePlus 7, OnePlus 7 Pro get new Android Q beta update ahead of the final release
Tuesday, 3 September 2019 Ahead of the final release of the Android Q, the OnePlus 7 series has received a new beta update. The update, which is dubbed as Android Q Developer Preview 5, is based on Google’s Android 10 Beta 6. The company has clearly mentioned in a forum post that the build of Android Q is suited only for developers and early […]
The post OnePlus 7, OnePlus 7 Pro get new Android Q beta update ahead of the final release appeared first on BGR India.


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The tech industry here in Texas and elsewhere could have an ally in the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The FTC recently released a report calling for reform in patent law that currently allows PAEs (patent assertion entities, also known as patent trolls) to file lawsuits in an attempt to shakedown companies in the industry. The business model employed by PAEs is examined in the report and suggestions are made regarding changes in patent litigation.
PAEs will buy old patents and then file lawsuits against companies who would often rather settle because it is cheaper than going to trial -- even if the case is defensible. Holding companies that do not produce anything own the patents. Counterclaims are considered to be useless because of this, and PAEs know it.
PAEs will often offer to make the lawsuit go away for around $300,000, which is only slightly less than what the first stages of litigation would cost. Considering this, the FTC recommends that the discovery portion of litigation, which can be quite expensive in this area of law, be postponed until certain rulings can be made. This would eliminate expensive discovery being used by PAEs as a bargaining chip to convince the defendant to settle.
The FTC's report illustrates how PAEs take advantage of current patent law to legally extort money from tech companies and those in other industries. It remains to be seen whether the report will influence legislators to make changes that many believe are long overdue. Individuals or companies in Texas who find themselves on the receiving end of a lawsuit filed by a PAE should not attempt to handle the litigation alone.
Source: Fortune, "The FTC Has Some Harsh Words for Patent Trolls", Jeff John Roberts, Oct. 6, 2016


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A man by the name of Sandeep Barot has filed a proposed consumer protection class-action lawsuit against the manufacturer and distributor of dietary supplements that allegedly cause liver damage. See Barot v. USPLabs LLC et al., No. 1:14-cv-00562, complaint filed (D.N.J. Feb. 3, 2014).
The defendant companies are USPLabs, LLC (“USPLabs”) and General Nutrition


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BT Vision, the IPTV service operated by UK telco BT, has revamped its on-demand movie service, doubling the number of titles available.Â
The new look BT Vision Film Club will have 14 new titles a week and 60 titles in all. The service will operate alongside a dedicated offering from Warner Bros, WarnerFilms, which offers new and library titles from the Hollywood studio. The Film Club service costs BT Vision customers Â£6.99 (8.08) per month. WarnerFilms is Â£4.99 a month as is PictureBox, which is operated by Universal Pictures.
Separately, telco Orange is reportedly revisiting plans toÂ launch a TV service in the UK.
The France Telecom-owned company was originally looking to roll out in the UK several years ago, but put the plans on ice. Now Orange has access to the network that UK incumbent telco BT uses for its BT Vision service and, according to UK press, the launch of a TV service is Âfirmly on the agendaÂ.
RT @ViaccessOrca: Missed our session on securing your revenue in the new age of video piracy? You can listen on-demand to us discuss the is…
23 September 2020 @ 11:32:54 UTC


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Canadian acquisition giant Valeant Pharmaceuticals announced it will buy eye surgery product maker Synergetics USA for as much as $192 million.
Missouri-based Synergetics manufactures devices primarily for use in vitreoretinal surgery and neurosurgical applications. This acquisition will strengthen Bausch+Lomb business, which Valeant bought for $8.7 billion in 2013.
Earlier this week, Valeant announced that it will collaborate with AstraZeneca on psoriasis treatment brodalumab, after Amgen dropped out of the deal in May.
Read the SF Gate release


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The Sectoral Pulse by Kalkine TV – a special show covering all sectoral movements from the markets for the day.
Australian shares rose on Thursday, helped by energy and gold stocks that tracked higher prices of underlying commodities, although gains were capped by a disappointing earnings report from supermarket giant Woolworths.
Shares of Ansell were among the top gainers on the benchmark for the second day in a row, rising nearly 5%. The medical devices maker projected strong sales growth for the half year and full year on Wednesday. The top percentage loser was Woolworths Group Ltd, as the company signalled an end to a pandemic-powered sales boost it had enjoyed last year and said its current quarter was trading flat.
The S&P/ASX200 is trading up today, gaining 25.90 points to 7090.60. The top performing stocks in this index are CIMIC GROUP LIMITED and NICKEL MINES LIMITED. Over the last five days, the index has gained +0.50% and is currently +0.06% off of its 52-week high.
On the sectoral front, Gold stocks rose 2%, as bullion prices jumped overnight after the U.S. Federal Reserve kept interest rates unchanged.


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- The SEC introduced at the moment it was bringing costs towards 11 people for his or her function in founding and selling Forsage, which the company claims is a crypto pyramid and Ponzi scheme that has price traders worldwide $300 million.
- While a number of promoters of the scheme function from the United States, the founders themselves are regarded as residing in Russia, Indonesia, and Georgia.
- The SEC has been taking a extra energetic function in crypto legislation enforcement these days, although the company’s method has been met with criticism.
Share this text
The SEC has charged the staff behind Forsage for allegedly operating a crypto pyramid and Ponzi scheme, which can have price traders over $300 million worldwide.
Both Pyramid and Ponzi Scheme
Regulators maintain cracking down on crypto fraud schemes.
The United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) charged 11 folks at the moment for defrauding retail traders of $300 million by means of creating and selling an alleged crypto pyramid and Ponzi scheme, Forsage.
Forsage marketed itself as a “decentralized networking platform,” but the SEC claims the platform is structured in such a manner that traders earn income from bringing new customers into the venture and that freshly-deposited belongings from newcomers are used to pay earlier traders.
Of the 11 people named within the submitting, 4 are the founders of Forsage (Vladimir Okhotnikov, Lola Ferrari, Mikhail Sergeev, and Sergey Maslakov), and 7 function promoters for the venture. The latter have been charged with violating the registration and anti-fraud provisions of the federal securities legal guidelines. Two of the defendants have already settled the fees.
Okhotnikov, Ferrari, Sergeev, and Maslakov are believed to be residing in Russia, Indonesia, and the Republic of Georgia, which locations them exterior the U.S. regulatory physique’s attain. The Securities and Exchange Commission of the Philippines and Montana Commissioner of Securities and Insurance had already despatched cease-and-desist letters to Forsage in September 2020 and March 2021, which solely prompted Forsage founders to disclaim the fraud accusations on YouTube.
The SEC has been extra energetic in crypto legislation enforcement these days. The company, alongside the Justice Department, not too long ago charged a former Coinbase worker for insider buying and selling. It has additionally accused Coinbase itself of itemizing securities on its platform. Furthermore, SEC Chair Gary Gensler declared final week that crypto exchanges must be regulated identical to securities exchanges, stating that he discovered “no difference” between the 2.
The company’s method, nonetheless, has not been effectively met throughout the crypto house, with a number of business leaders, lawmakers, and different regulators usually criticizing it for “regulating by enforcement.”
Disclosure: At the time of writing, the writer of this piece owned ETH and a number of other different cryptocurrencies.


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Alison McMahon should be able to find some really dope jobs after opening what she says is the first staffing agency working exclusively with Canada's budding marijuana industry.
Women CEOs earned big bucks last year, but there’s still very few of them running the world’s largest companies.
The U.S. government is suing Fiat Chrysler, alleging that some diesel pickup trucks and Jeep SUVs cheat on emissions tests.
Workers at McLane drive forklifts and load hefty boxes into trucks. The grocery supplier, which runs a warehouse in Colorado, needs people who will stay alert - but prospective hires keep failing drug screens.
Executives of the most popular tuna brands in the U.S. — Chicken of the Sea, Bumble Bee and StarKist — conspired regularly to keep prices high for consumers with a taste for one of America’s favourite sandwich ingredients, according to criminal and civil court records updated this week.
Bell Canada says an anonymous hacker has obtained some customers’ names and telephone numbers as well as email addresses.
Air Canada is planning to launch its own loyalty rewards plan in 2020 but says customers will be able to continue collecting Aeroplan points until then.
WestJet buys 10 Boeing Dreamliners, giving it capacity to reach more destinations in Europe, South America, Asia
WestJet Airlines Ltd. (TSX:WJA) has placed a firm order for 10 Boeing Dreamliners, which will have the range and fuel efficiency to serve new destinations in Asia, South America and expand the airline's presence in Europe.WestJet's first Dreamliner 787s would be delivered between the first quarter of 2019 and December 2021.The Calgary-based airline
Shaw Communications says it's closing local TV stations in Calgary and two other cities in a move to bolster its Global News operations.
Clothing chain Bebe says it expects to close all its stores by the end of May, making it the latest retail casualty of the migration to online shopping.


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They will want a more beautiful mind (as well as a beautiful face and body)
Awareness of the mind-body connection is deepening throughout society and Mintel believes that the trend of integrating mental wellbeing into the beauty industry will begin to mainstream in 2024.
“Technology will play a vital role in this trend, with artificial intelligence (AI), virtual reality (VR), and augmented reality (AR) applications personalising beauty experiences, tracking well-being metrics and offering virtual wellness consultations,” shared Mintel Director, Beauty & Personal Care Research Andrew McDougall.
“Wearable devices will provide real-time feedback on stress levels and skin health, strengthening the mind-skin connection. Advanced data analytics, DNA testing and personalised algorithms will enable brands to innovate customised beauty products and regimens tailored to individual mental and physical needs,” he continued.
“This trend will drive scientific research in psychodermatology and neurocosmetics, leading to evidence-based practices and products. Through this trend, brands have the potential to shift consumers towards prioritising holistic well-being, including integrating mental well-being practices into daily life and promoting a balanced and mindful approach.”
They will be feeling pretty greenwashed out
Consumers are ‘greenwashed-out’ and pushing environmental responsibility back onto businesses, according to Euromonitor’s Client Insight Research Manager, Stephen Dutton.
He said that people have been taking steps to live sustainably but question whether companies and governments are using all possible resources to make a true difference.
“They know their eco-friendly choices help to an extent, but real change needs to be a collective effort. Consumers are pushing the responsibility back on businesses and won’t accept empty promises or false narratives. All organisations must take ownership of their carbon footprint and prove their positive impact,” said Dutton.
But this doesn’t mean that people won’t care about the planet anymore, as environmental concerns remain top of mind. Euromonitor’s consumer data showed that 64% of consumers tried to have a positive impact on the environment through everyday actions, while 45% felt they were personally contributing to climate change in 2023.
“Some will keep making sustainable choices within their means, while others who feel discouraged might not make as much of an effort. Barriers like affordability and distrust are big challenges preventing further action,” added Dutton.
As the burden is shifting to companies and government, he advised that emission reduction should be a focus area for businesses going forward.
“Offsetting isn’t enough but accurately mapping out your carbon footprint is complex. Businesses need to measure direct and indirect emissions, including upstream and downstream value chains. That’s not only challenging to track but also extensively regulated,” he said.
They will expect more sensory experiences (thanks to TikTok)
According to MMR’s Chief Ideas Officer, Andrew Wardlaw, FMCG brands must prepare for a fundamental shift in how they design and test products to win over younger consumers. “This TikTok generation craves excitement and elevation. Product optimisation is beginning to feel ‘old world’. This generation wants to discover, be challenged, and have experiences that excite their senses and emotions,” he said.
MMR undertook research on over 700 participants in the UK to discover what the younger demographic wants. This included unboxing experiences, AI-powered chatbot conversations, and deep sensory immersion, based on products from 85 different brands across 12 categories, including personal care, food and drink.
Wardlaw said that based on what he is seeing, he believed that elevated sensory experiences should be the new standard in product design. “Manufacturers must understand exactly what Gen Z leans into and turn the volume up,” he said.
“TikTok content is shifting what Gen Z expects from everyday products. They want layered packaging that builds anticipation, unexpected sensory moments that prompt social shares, and even post consumption content accessed by QR codes.”
They will seek out “restorative” and “dependable and familiar” colours
According to trend forecasters WGSN, key colours for next autumn are Celestial Yellow, Cherry Lacquer, Retro Blue, Neon Flare and Future Dusk.
Head of Colour for WGSN, Urangoo Samba said: "Light and luminous hues such as Celestial Yellow, as well as meditative and sensual darks of Future Dusk and Cherry Lacquer speak of the search for restoration, whether it be looking out to cosmos for guidance, or turning our gaze inwards for solace.”
She also noted that "dependable and familiar colours such as Retro Blue" will trend, as this will "echo the enduring appeal of nostalgia and the need to connect with people and things that are comforting and recognisable in a world that feels perilous and uncertain.”
They will seek out more personalisation
Personalisation within the beauty and skincare industry will ramp up in the coming year, particularly with the advancement of AI.
“Consumers seeking tailored products will be key. This could become widespread that consumers can go into a shop and have a bespoke foundation made for them – especially if it’s reasonably priced and accessible,” said Canvas 8’s beauty expert Anita Bhagwandas.
“The knock-on effect of this could be that people would buy a little bit less and buy better, which we’re seeing as people become more aware of fast beauty.”
They will be busy ‘value hacking’
People are finding clever ways to maximise their budgets to afford top quality purchases and outsmart the system, according to Research Manager at Euromonitor International, Herbert Yum.
Yum said that inflation has forced consumers to adopt new financial and lifestyle tricks to make the most of their income.
“Inflation has instilled a new financial mindset, but consumers won’t skimp on what they really want. Instead, they hunt for the best deals. And that extends beyond the price tag," he said.
"Value Hackers find clever ways to maximise their budgets without sacrificing quality. Businesses need to step up incentives, innovate around affordability and cater to cost-conscious needs.”
Euromonitor’s consumer data revealed that nearly three out of four consumers expressed concern about the rising cost of everyday items.
“People were forced to make sharp cutbacks and trade down to cheaper options,” continued Yum. “They became budgeteers out of necessity to keep up with the cost of living. Even as inflation decelerates, the residual effects still impede their purchasing power. Shoppers will look for novel ways to stretch their wallets.”
Yum also added that value hackers try to reduce spend without compromising quality. This means they will look for dupes, pay with credit cards or rewards points and switch to private label brands when possible.
He also warned that this ties into the de-influencing social media trend too.
“De-influencers have also become popular on social media where people expose products they believe are overhyped or overpriced and businesses need to watch out for this,” he said.
Yum highlighted bundle-and-save deals, subscribe-and-save plans, referral bonuses or early-bird rates as ways to entice these deal-savvy shoppers and said that brand communication is critical.
“If shoppers don’t understand your value proposition, they will switch to a competitor or find alternatives like dupes. Promote the right information to influence their decisions. Education falls under this umbrella, too. Share tips and tricks on ways to save or teach your customers about versatile ways to use your products,” he concluded.


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ARTICLE BY Cesca Benson
Nike's CNY Releases Continue with Patchwork Flightposite
The Swoosh are pulling out all the stops to celebrate the Year of the Pig. Having unveiled a 12-strong CNY collection last week, they’re now adding a Flightposite to the mix.
The hightop baller wears the traditional patchwork pattern that appears on the other releases, but forgoes the red and gold colour palette for a purple and pink fade.
Other details, such as the geometric printed shroud and glitter-flecked outsole keep things interesting without distracting from the main event.
A China-only release date has been set for January 10, but there’s no word yet on a global release. Stay tuned.


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The indium market's focus might be tuned to liquid crystal displays (LCDs) currently, but analysts see the solar industry as a major bright spot in driving future recycling needs.
An anticipated growth in demand for solar semiconductors made from copper, indium, gallium, (di)selenide (CIGS) material is expected to drive increasing use of indium, leading to an increased focus on improving indium recycling methods for solar semiconductors.
The market is divided primarily into two segments silicon wafers and thin-film transistors (TFTs). Silicon-wafer-based solar semiconductors represent more than 90 percent of the market, understandable given their ability to more efficiently harvest light with a 20-percent photon conversion rate.
Indium is used primarily in CIGS in the solar industry, with TFTs accounting for only a sliver of the market. With a conversion efficiency rate of 10 percent, CIGS has a significant amount of ground to make up before it can be viewed as competitive. However, advocates argue that CIGS can be as efficient as silicon, having achieved more than 15 percent efficiency in laboratory tests. With further improvements, analysts believe CIGS could emerge as a strong competitor to silicon and drive demand for indium.
As primary sources of indium continue to be at the mercy of the weak zinc market, the steady stream of supply offered by recycled indium has kept prices from spiraling out of control.
"As far as where does indium come from in five years, I can only tell you that the recycling capacity of indium must increase," said Douglas Hunter, a trader at London-based physical trader Wogen Plc. Indium prices could soar if recycling remains at current levels while the expected growth in the CIGS industry starts to compete more heavily with the LCD industry.
Hunter estimates CIGS industry demand for indium will reach between 110 and 120 tons annually by 2011, more than five times the 21 tons of consumption in 2007 reported by Cranston, R.I.-based alloyer AIM Specialty Materials USA. Still, these figures pale compared with AIM's forecast of 2,193 tons of indium-tin oxide consumption in 2009. Indium-tin oxide is a compound used in TFT LCDs.
SolarVision Consulting, a Silicon Valley, Calif.-based company, said that a single CIGS solar panel would need approximately 4 grams of indium vs. only a few fractions of a gram used in LCD panels. Naturally, there's also a cost component to recycling vs. disposal, but "at least now it makes some financial sense," SolarVision founder Andy Skumanich said. The company estimates the cost for in-house recycling of elements in CIGS TFTs at about 5 cents per watt compared with $3 per watt to make a solar panel.
The development of CIGS recycling has taken place largely in Europe, where it is moderately advanced, Skumanich said. The European Electronic Recyclers Association in the Netherlands already has targets for recycling materials such as TFTs. Market observers agree that the U.S. is missing an important market opportunity by not building up infrastructure for CIGS recycling.
Recapture Metals Ltd., a gallium refiner based in Peterborough, Ontario, is an exception, having developed a CIGS recycling process that can separate indium from gallium, a challenge that few companies have mastered.
"I would say that people who are recycling indium at the moment can look forward to a relatively stable business in the next couple of years at least," Hunter said.
Some analysts disagree, though, saying CIGS won't be a viable competitor in the solar industry. Jack Lifton, a Detroit-based strategic metals consultant, strongly believes that CIGS won't succeed because the key minor metals used—indium, gallium and selenium—are all byproducts of other base metals and thus subject to fluctuations in these markets.
While the CIGS market has yet to prove itself as a significant commercial threat to silicon-based wafers, analysts generally agree that if the technology can be successfully transferred from lab to fabrication, indium demand will rise, which bodes well for the recycling segment of the industry.
Overall, CIGS recycling and end-of-life solar panel recycling remain in their infancy in terms of scrap generation, but should CIGS take off then recycling's role could become a major factor.


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Russia: export potential of maize in 2013/14 MY totals 3.5 mln tonnes - expert
In 2013/14 MY the potential of maize exports from Russia totals 3.5 mln tonnes, declared Vladimir Petrichenko, General Director of ProZerno LLC, in an exclusive interview with APK-Inform Agency.
As for the export volumes, the expert raised the forecast of maize export potential from the level of 3.2 mln tonnes to 3.5 mln tonnes. As a reminder, in 2012/13 MY Russia shipped 1.93 mln tonnes, but in the current season maize exports to almost double, he said.
You can receive more detailed information on the situation on the Russian market of maize from the next issue of Agrimarket Inform #8 dd. February 24, 2014.
You should be authorized to post comment
Russia: no plans to expand the list of sanction products – Ministry of Agriculture
In the fourth week of May, Russia increased grain export supplies from the seaports
Russia exported over 32.2 mln tonnes of grains - Ministry of Agriculture
Russia planted spring grains throughout 26.1 mln ha — Ministry of Agriculture
May 27, 09:35
Russia: export duty on wheat is the effective tool of the government - Ministry of Agriculture
May 26, 11:30
In 2016, Russia to harvest 106 mln tonnes of grains – A.Tkachev
May 26, 09:55


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So, let’s get this straight: parent company allegedly goes out of business, production stops, there’s public outcry for a treat that was mostly dormant in the snack world. Then an investor is found, company resurges with a huge push towards the tagline of “The Sweetest Comeback in the History of…Ever.” Wow. That’s classic Marketing 101.
Have we all been hoodtwinked?
Eight months ago, Hostess shut down abruptly amid labor and financial woes and “the public” went bonkers. But when’s the last time you — yes, YOU; we’re getting personal around here — ate a Twinkie? Once the darling of every kids’ lunchbox and brown bag, a Twinkie today seems so, well, "Honey Boo Boo" in comparison to the heights reached by today’s treats. American tastes seemed to have evolved beyond the forever food wrapped in cellophane. We graduated to red velvet-mania, fancy cupcakes, mini pops, even taking a liking to macarons and French hybrids like the cronut, doughsants, and a half a dozen other names for this new mashup. We’re constantly onto the next best thing, the next sweet thing, seeking the perfect treat to tempt us on queue for hours, simply to be amongst the first to sample a new calorie-laden culprit. We tweet and Instagram our feats into cyber culture history, or right onto Craigslist compete with a nice little “for sale” toothpick stuck on top. And yet, we await this Twinkie drop with baited breath.
There’s nothing too terribly sexy about corporate buyouts, restructures or take-overs; they happen every day. Private equity firms Apollo Global Management and Metropoulous & Co., struck a $410 million deal with Hostess Brands when it filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy…and struck gold with their marketing team. To herald the comeback of Twinkies, the Kansas City, Mo., company’s new owners are spending “several million dollars” on a marketing blitz using social media, Vine videos, billboards, building walls and a website called Prepare Your CakeFace. Street teams are handing out T-shirts and “I Saved the Twinkie” buttons. A Hostess food truck is visiting county fairs, music festivals and other locations. That truck was tracked live on national morning television the day of the re-launch, as the "TODAY Show" counted down the arrival of the golden spongecake to the New York area, tossing wrapped treats to the crowds gathered in Gotham’s midtown.
This is either pure American nostalgia “WINNING!” as Charlie Sheen would say, or it’s all a part of Hostess’ (genius) bigger plan: to revive a 94-year-old brand, resuscitate its’ relevance, and see it rise from the proverbial ashes of the Snack Graveyard. Hmmmm. Either way, if riding an emotional or economic trend rakes in a ROI that eclipses $410M, we know who the real winners will be.
Hostess Twinkies are now back on shelves across the country. Look for brand extensions such as individual sizes, assorted flavors and even gluten-free options to come soon. www.hostesscakes.com
(from reports by The Chicago Tribune, ABC News and NBC Universal)


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- March 7, 2014 -
After months of speculation and teasers, Patch Update 1.1 for Path of Exile has finally dropped, which includes the much awaited expansion Sacrifice of the Vaal. Grinding Gear Games is planning to do three major updates per year, and Sacrifice of the Vaal is the first for this year, which is just after the official release of the game back in November 2013. As yet another milestone for the game, this update introduced yet more additions to the game like new Path of Exile items, new skill gems, new areas, free-for-all PvP mode, and new leagues for more challenge.
- March 6, 2014 -
- February 28, 2014 -
The new expansion and patch update are coming, along with tons of changes for Diablo 3. There are some features that will be removed, a lot more to be changed, and a few new ones to be added to improve the Diablo 3 experience. Whether you're a casual or hardcore fan of the game, you'll have to get familiar with whatever is going to be in the new iteration of the game.
- February 16, 2014 -
As if the patch updates that the game has been having over the past few months after the official release weren't enough, Grinding Gear Games had announced a major patch update featuring a new mini-expansion, which is the first official one for the game.
- February 13, 2014 -
As if the recent updates to the game haven't been enough, Grinding Gear Games is now planning to step it up with yet more big updates to give players more reason to stick around and play. Ever since the official release back in November 2013, there have been a lot of additions to the game that have made it a far cry from its former state in the beta, yet it still retains much of what makes it one of the most unique and innovative online action RPGs in gaming today.
- January 27, 2014 -
The new stuff that players can expect from Reaper of Souls and the pre-expansion patch are quite exciting, especially the ones regarding the Diablo 3 items. There are a few things to consider though before you consider it to be the most perfect thing you've ever seen in action RPGs. It's still pretty good though, even though there are limitations to what is possible in the game. Reaper of Souls does change the game for everyone, especially when it comes to item farming and crafting.
- January 9, 2014 -
Before the game was officially released, a lot of people were exclaiming about how melee builds were not viable in the long term and were suicidal in gameplay compared to ranged and spellcasting characters, which is a classic argument in role-playing games. Certainly, this has to be far from the truth as Path of Exile is not without its balance and viability of all character classes.
- January 6, 2014 -
The release date for Reaper of Souls has been set -- March 25, 2014. With that, the pre-release timeframe has been squeezed down and all the details about the new Diablo 3 expansion has been released. There is now little left for speculation other than what the additions and changes will change the way that Diablo 3 is played.
- December 19, 2013 -
December is perhaps the most awaited month in every year, and gamers are no exception in spreading the Christmas cheer. There is much to be excited about during the Holiday Season as we get under way with this year's Christmas promos. Just like last year, it will be 10 days of daily promos for our our loyal customers!
For the next 10 days, Lewt is going to have some crazy promos for Diablo 2, Diablo 3, and Path of Exile that will change every day. We are giving away tons of stuff this year, so join in on the festivities. If you want to know more about what is about to take place, then you may want to keep a close eye on the proceedings via announcements that will be posted on this post!
For any questions and suggestions, head on over to either our customer services or our special 24/7 live chat hotline and be helped by one of our personnel. Good luck, Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year to you all.
Click "View Full News Article" below for the promo updates!
- December 14, 2013 -
Leveling up in an online RPG like Path of Exile is something that most players put a lot of effort in since that takes up the majority of the gameplay. As you develop your character, you then acquire better Path of Exile items that then goes into making the leveling process faster and easier. With Path of Exile being an online RPG that caters to the more serious gamer, there is definitely an optimized way of leveling up in this game.


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Also in this playlist...
This transcript is automatically generated
He commerce giant Amazon reports earnings tomorrow after the bell and despite holiday shopping in the sales of millions of Kindle fire tablets.
And are preparing for what could be a fourth quarter -- so what's the story with Amazon.
RJ how to -- is -- Morningstar equity retail analyst thanks so much for joining us so why are you anticipating a loss.
Yeah right now led Amazon's trillion -- investment -- and lot of this is for customer acquisition reasons but between technology behind the Kindle.
Suite of products and namely the fire video streaming rights and well are building up the -- -- designers.
It's really -- investment time for Amazon.
Even -- we do expect sales coming above the yet top and a management's guidance.
We think that they operating income number could disappoint.
Set the stock up for disappointment tomorrow.
I think the bottom line is that picking -- -- selling so well it's putting a lot of pressure on margins that -- -- a loss leading product which means that technically Amazon sells differ.
For less than what they actually manufacture for in the hopes that you know the digital media sales -- will make up that difference over time -- That's something we do you see happening but -- how can how -- he's emphasized.
If I would take a couple quarters and I think we're prepared for a couple quarters of soft operating income numbers but I think -- internal longer goal here I think this is really key customer acquisition tool to to build up the Amazon prime memberships.
As well as you know start to.
-- general merchandise sales through that distribution network that Hilltop.
We're optimistic longer term margins can rebound.
So is it worth signal long run to pursue this strategy and would you say by extension that if the stock dips -- -- loss that it's worth buying.
Yeah absolutely our fair value adjustment for the stock is 225 dollars and this assumes -- the company maintains.
Plus 20% top line growth of the next five years plus bills operating margins in the fourth 5% range.
And I do think if the -- to sell off tomorrow it would be a buying opportunity for this one of the most disruptive forces we've seen a retell a long time.
Stance again upon a market share I think a lot of initiatives we have placed our -- to longer term profitability in the sperm.
Your first question on the call what you wanna know.
You know I think just what everybody else is asking when is this gonna payoff do you have a time frame for how these investments are gonna play out.
How long can we expect to operate in -- low margin environment.
When you start seeing you leverage in the fulfillment senator -- -- ECB had a customer acquisition in the investments you made it.
I really think that would sought a lot of the fears are seeing in terms of profitability from street right now.
You know I've heard other people ask if there's an Amazon Smartphone in the offing.
Would that be good or bad news do you think that they need another product out there would you like to see -- just continue to focus on what they're doing.
Yeah I think I prefer to see just the tablet devices right now I think that's -- Smart customer acquisition tool.
I think if you exposure -- -- Smartphone you obviously have to have a wireless carrier -- well.
-- -- -- lost control over that product but then again a year.
In this day and age they're Smartphones are hot selling product and could be leveraged to bring people to the Amazon.com platform.
It depends on how it's structured but.
Get a good product in the long run and how much of a run for their money's been not giving them -- and how much you compare it to the iPad has that war shaping up.
-- I don't see much competition I'm not longer term I think that there's some internal issues that need to be worked out there.
I think the iPad is the serious competition but then again you can put him into different buckets I think.
-- -- full functionality we're travel apples really clearly making our margins on the products themselves.
I think that the fires more customer acquisition to a loss leader -- Amazon hopes of picking up and you know just -- up the ecosystem to keep a digital media sales.
Plus bring people Amazon.com RA -- -- thank you so much for your insight there ahead of earnings we appreciate it not a problem.
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T-Mobile customers can now get AppleCare Services included when they sign up for the Bellevue, Wash.-based carrier’s Premium Device Protection.
When a T-Mobile customer buys a new iPhone or iPad and signs up for the carrier’s $12 per month device protection plan, it includes access to Apple’s phone and chat-based tech support, cheaper repairs, and other features of the service.
On its own, one year of AppleCare costs between $99 and $129 for iPhones, depending on the model and plan. Incorporating AppleCare is T-Mobile’s latest attempt to bring in new customers by adding features — a strategy that has been working.
At the end of last year, T-Mobile added another 2.1 million customers, marking its 15th straight quarter of adding at least 1 million new customers. The carrier also saw healthy revenue growth and increased profits, beating Wall Street estimates.


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Science and Technology Center / Reported by Zhou Yiyu
In addition to selling the latest iPhone 13 mobile phone, Apple recently released the latest version of iOS 15 to allow users to perform system upgrades. However, many disasters have been reported one after another, including the inability to unlock the phone with the Apple Watch, errors in the backup and restoration, and the inability to close the micro I didn’t expect some users to point out recently that a bug in the messaging app will cause the stored photos to be deleted.
▲iPhone 13 went on sale, and the latest version of iOS 15 was released, but disasters continued to spread. (Picture/Retrieved from Apple’s official website)
According to a report by “ETtoday News Cloud”, some users reported that after the update to iOS 15, the message app has a bug. If you save a photo from the message app and then delete the message, the photo will still disappear even if the picture has been saved to the personal iCloud library , Cannot be saved with iCloud backup. Since this problem has not been fixed yet, it is recommended not to delete the conversation data temporarily after downloading the photos.


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- Date: Tuesday March 7 & Wednesday 8, 2023
- Location: Hilton Sydney
- Register today
After the worst global pandemic in a century, Australia and the world now confront an inflation outbreak, a global energy crisis, a synchronised increase in central bank interest rates, supply chain disruptions and unprecedented worker shortages that threaten to give way to an economic slowdown, perhaps even recession.
While increased commodity export revenue has left it better placed than some to deal with the inflation outbreak, Australia also confronts an unsettled geo-political situation in its region and the major challenge – and opportunity – of decarbonising a fossil fuel-intensive economy.
Considered the leading business event of its kind in Australia, the eighth annual Financial Review Business Summit brings together more than 40 globally-focused chief executives, political leaders, policymakers, entrepreneurs and technology experts from this country and abroad to tackle the big issues facing the global economy and Australian businesses.
Curated, moderated and covered in depth by the Financial Review’s leading journalists, the Summit will discuss how business and government should deal with stagflation and the energy shock amid the expected sharp growth slowdown. The Summit also will canvas the new federal Labor government’s policy agenda to repair the budget, increase social spending and revive growth in living standards for all Australians.
- Brian Moynihan, Chair of the Board & CEO, Bank of America
- Mathias Cormann, Secretary-General Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
- Robyn Denholm, Chair of the Board, Tesla
- Matt Comyn, CEO, Commonwealth Bank of Australia
- Philip Lowe, Governor, Reserve Bank of Australia
- Jennifer Westacott, Chief Executive, Business Council of Australia
- Brad Banducci, CEO, Woolworths Group
- Danielle Wood, CEO, Grattan Institute
- Tim Reed, President, Business Council of Australia
Fetching latest articles


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The Age newspaper last week reported on a surge in theft.
A study of over 9000 Australian and New Zealand retailers has revealed the cost of theft in-store has now reached a “crisis point” for companies as shoplifters have become more brazen in recent years.
While the report focusses on shoplifting, in my experience working eityh retailers, employee theft has a higher cost. This paragraph is telling…
The majority of respondents were large fashion, grocery and department retailers with 300 or more stores. For the 2018 financial year, those companies estimated crime-related losses of $3.37 billion, or 0.92 per cent of the region’s total retail revenue for the year.
The average cost of theft in small to medium business is 3% and more. This, considering the .92% noted above indicates the focus of the report is narrow. But then the report goes on to say employee theft was 22% of overall theft.
Maybe the disconnect is because the report pulled data from medium to large businesses whereas all data I have seen over the years has been from small businesses, single store businesses. In those, in my experience, employee theft costs around 70% of the total cost of theft.
Regardless of this latest report, theft is retail is a high cost for which retailers, customers and others in the supply chain pay.
Read the report. It’s got useful information for any retailer.
Our POS software company helps small business retailers cut the cost of theft. We have proven facilities in the software that achieve this. Better still, we back these facilities with experts who can make a real and positive difference in theft outcomes for small business retailers.


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The Challenging #ChallengeAccepted Challenge And Other Social Media News This Week
Viral challenges seem to be social media staples of our virus-laden times. This week, black-and-white selfies dominated feeds in #ChallengeAccepted posts ostensibly about empowering women. Similar to the #BlackOutTuesday challenge, there’s skepticism about the purpose and impact of the ubiquitous Instagram chain. The challenges illustrate that important issues can be lost in wildfire movements spreading different messages and the origins of digital phenomenon are difficult to pinpoint. They also remind us that, in an rapid social media environment, it’s often helpful to take a beat to dive into back stories. Here, we explore the recent challenge and check in on other developments shaping social media this week.
1. #ChallengeAccepted MYSTERIES
What’s the real meaning behind #ChallengeAccepted black-and-white selfie posts? That’s a difficult question. Harper’s Bazaar digital fellow Chelsey Sanchez traces their origins to a campaign to raise awareness about high rates of femicide in Turkey that accelerated after a 27-year-old student named Pinar Gültekin was murdered earlier this month. However, Taylor Lorenz, technology writer for The New York Times, says in a Twitter post that attributing the campaign to awareness efforts focused on Turkish women is inaccurate. She writes, “The challenge has been around since 2016 in various forms. That is just one recent manifestation of it.” Some point to Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s speech last week taking Rep. Ted Yoho to task for derogatory remarks about her as the catalyst for the #ChallengeAccepted pervading feeds now. Does that clear things up? If you want to investigate further, read Sanchez’s article here.
2. The StATE of digitized Global Citizens
Every quarter, social media management and marketing company Hootsuite releases a report filled with data assessing the extent of digitization around the world. In its most recent report, the social media management and marketing company reveals 5.15 billion people or 66% of the global population are on mobile devices, and internet users spend nearly seven hours a day trolling the web. Due to the pandemic, 70% of people report spending more time on their devices. Hootsuite’s insights can be helpful for companies adjusting their digital strategies in an evolving landscape. Download its report here.
3. Effective Pinterest Strategies
Pinterest can be a bit puzzling. Instagram marketing platform Later breaks it down by showcasing how a dozen brands have used the platform to grow their businesses. These brands are savvy about Pinterest activities, whether they’re creating engaging community-focused boards, sharing inspirational content or optimizing Pins to drive sales and traffic. Learn more about their Pinterest strategies here.
4. Remote Content Production Tips
Working from home requires adjustment. Many brands have skillfully made the move. However, for brands that could benefit from some guidance, social media software firm Sprout Social has dissected the social media content production process to keep content exciting and fresh at a moment when people aren’t physically together to dream it up. Read its top five tips here.
5. Social Media Content CREATOR Recognition
The Sprout Spotlight Awards recognize the people behind brands’ great social media content. They laud unheralded social media professionals constantly taking in the world around them, empathizing with their communities and championing the power of communications. Learn more about the program here.


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At this point in 2024, the decennial of the Apple Watch is on the horizon. There is some uncertainty about whether Apple will observe a ten-year anniversary for the Apple Watch in 2024 or 2025. Nonetheless, leaks and rumors indicate that the company might rejuvenate the design when it unveils the new Apple Watch, following a few unchanging years.
What would an Apple Watch X look like?
The last design change to the standard Apple Watch was seen in the Series 7, which introduced a larger edge-to-edge display. Prior to that, the most apparent upgrade was from Series 3 to Series 4, and it’s been five years since that smartwatch was introduced. Since this year’s Apple Watch will represent the 10th series of Apple Watch, a substantial change similar to the iPhone X launch in 2017 is expected.
What could we see with the Apple Watch X?
The iPhone X made significant changes to the iPhone’s line with the introduction of slimmer bezels, Face ID, and the notch. It was a major upgrade to the iPhone product line and coincided with the 10th anniversary of the iPhone. Although the official 10-year anniversary of the Apple Watch won’t arrive until 2025, this fall will mark 10 years since the product’s announcement, as it was revealed in 2014. Given that the next Apple Watch generation would presumably be Series 10 (or X), it makes sense for Apple to provide the iPhone X treatment to its smartwatch in the form of Apple Watch X.
Apple Watch X: Pricing and availability
Gurman agrees that due to the discrepancies between when the first Apple Watch was released and announced, we could see Apple Watch X in either 2024 or 2025. It’s possible, but unlikely, that Apple would announce the Apple Watch X in 2024 but not release it until 2025. What’s more likely is that we’ll see an Apple Watch X announced in either September 2024 or September 2025, and released soon after the unveiling. Apple has historically released new Apple Watches at its annual fall events, along with new iPhones, and we expect it to follow this pattern with the Apple Watch X. We don’t have any information about pricing right now, but check back as the launch of Apple Watch X gets closer.


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The Case-Shiller index is out: Nationwide, home prices fell 19% in January, a record. That’s hardly a shock and there is a bright side: the faster prices fall the sooner we’ll hit bottom (if , like me, you assume there is a bottom), prices will stop falling and sales will rebound. That may take awhile, but we seem to be t=in the middle of a very necessary, if painful, clearing process.
A glut of unsold properties may keep prices low, shrinking household wealth and damping spending. Still, sales of new and previously owned homes rose in February, indicating the housing slump, now in its fourth year, may ease as policy efforts to unclog credit and aid borrowers begin to take hold.
“There is still a lot of downward momentum,” said Michelle Meyer, an economist at Barclays Capital Inc. in New York. “We don’t think we’ll see a bottom in home prices until the second half of next year. The decline in home prices will continue to depress household balance sheets.”


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(Pocket-lint) - Kodak has announced that it is pulling out of the consumer printing business, ending a short-lived era in the world of printers and surely the end to the company being a household name.
"Kodak previously announced its intention to emerge as a company focused on commercial, packaging & functional printing solutions and enterprise services, as well as processes to sell its Personalised Imaging and Document Imaging businesses," the company said in a statement.
"Consistent with that emergence strategy, Kodak has continued to manage its Consumer Inkjet business for profitability, and the company announced today that, starting in 2013, it will focus that business on the sale of ink to its installed base, and wind down sales of consumer inkjet printers."
In real terms that means Kodak sees some value in servicing its current install base of printer customers, but has realised not enough people are buying printers to make it a viable business.
"Kodak remains committed to its significant installed base of consumer inkjet printer customers, who recognise the value proposition of affordable ink, high-quality output because of Kodak’s unique pigment-based inks, and advanced features including cloud printing. The company will provide its customers and retail partners the same level of service and support they have come to expect from Kodak."
Kodak's continued decline is one that is likely to be studied for a long time. The company that invented the digital camera but failed to capitalise on its find, was once worth more money than Apple.


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Lenovo is set to spend $195m (€176.4m) on obtaining 44 per cent of NEC's share in Lenovo NEC Holdings. The deal will give Lenovo an overall 95 per cent share in the joint venture with NEC, with the...
But vendor vows to come back stronger and pledges business as usual
Sales projected to grow sixfold
Vendor monolith announces $650m acquisition
Software developer Euvic and datacentre firm 3S Data Centre each grab 50 per cent share


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The harvest and auction of the banana plant planted as a protest against K-rail
Mallappally: The harvest of the banana plant, symbolically planted to mark the protest against K-Rail here, took place on Monday. Held on Monday evening, the event was inaugurated by former MLA Joseph M Puthussery.
The banana plants were planted as per the call of the protest committee on Environment Day last year. The auction following the harvest on Monday was led by the strike organizing committee district Chairman Arun Babu and Convener Mukesh Nattakkal.
The auction continued for over an hour and a half and finally ended with a price of Rs 28,000 being called. The auction sum was handed over to Chengannur native Thankamma, on whose 3.5 cent property with a single-room house, a K-rail survey stone was laid after removing the stones the family had set up for a traditional stove.
The money was handed over by state general convenor S Rajeevan to be used to fulfill the woman’s dream of constructing a house.


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HMM bolsters presence in dry bulk sector
South Korean shipping line HMM has concluded time charter contracts for four bulk carrier newbuildings.
The charter deal is worth around $954.2 million with an undisclosed company and is set to last from 2026 to 2042.
The contract marks a significant move in the company’s expansion strategy into the bulker sector which has been described as more stable than the more volatile container shipping sector.
HMM wants to grow its dry bulk fleet from 29, as recorded at the end of 2022, to a total of 55 by 2026. To achieve this, the company has already incorporated six new bulk carriers into its fleet in the current year. The plan is to continue this growth trajectory by introducing an additional 11 bulk carriers in the upcoming year.
In August, HMM placed an order for four multi-purpose vessels as part of its strategy to enhance its maritime capabilities and meet evolving industry demands.
HMM is undergoing a privatization process with three finalists in the bidding process. These are Harim, the parent company of Pan Ocean, Korea’s largest dry bulk shipping company, LX Holdings, and Dongwon Group, which are likely seeking integration of maritime logistics with their existing land logistics and warehouse operations.