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Of GM's 6,2500 dealerships nationwide, 1,100 of those are on the chopping block. Eventually, the automaker wants to trim its force by more than 40 percent.
On a teleconference Friday, LeNeve explained that dealerships will receive a letter based on their sales. Those dealerships are considered poor performers and produce revenue below the dealers' state averages.
GM notes that 400 or 500 dealers were selling an average of 35 units per year, which is considered low. Most of the dealerships that have been notified are losing money and going out of business, he added.
About 18 percent of GM dealerships nationwide will receive one of those letters. The letters were sent out Thursday. And although LeNeve said they are not termination notices, they serve as notification of current plans. Those plans are for the dealers to discontinue sales of GM vehicles by the fourth quarter of 2010.
GM said it will not release a list of those affected.
Like Chrysler, GM ended up with a dealership network that's too large. Now that so much of that market share is being lost to foreign brands, they say their only option is to restructure.
LaNeve, said GM's "plan is quite different" than Chrysler's. He said it was a difficult process and that the company took it very seriously.
GM will follow up with the dealers in early June in order to make sure they have a plan in place to wind down their businesses.
In another week, 500 Hummer, Saturn and Saab dealerships will be contacted concerning a status update. LaNeve alluded that some of those also will have to close.
After the projected 1,100 closings and the projected additional 500, GM will have between 4,300 and 4,400 dealerships remaining nationwide. At this time, it is not clear how many in North Carolina will remain open.
GM, which is operating with $15.4 billion of government loans, has to cut debt and operating costs and present a new restructuring plan to officials by June 1. In order to avoid a government controlled bankruptcy.


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The âdigital transformationâ spreading throughout the marketing world has made its way down to the relationships between marketers and their PR agencies in China, according to a new study by consulting firm R3.
The biennial PR Agency Scope study from R3 surveyed more than 150 marketers and corporate communications decision-makers and reported that 59% of marketers now rate âdigital capabilitiesâ as a very important factor when selecting a PR agency, up a staggering 55.5% from just 3.5% in the 2015 wave of the study.
In addition, the top two biggest changes in the PR industry were âfocusing more on digital/social communications,â and the âtransition from traditional PR to digital PR,â according to the survey respondents. Despite this obvious industry-wide shift to digital, 43% of marketers still believe that the best approach is to work with a separate PR and digital agency to benefit from the core competencies of each, while 62.6% of marketers think that PR agencies should be focused on increasing their digital capabilities going forward.
According to the marketers who participated in the study, the digitisation of all information has significantly changed the relationships between brands and their target audience. The diffusion of brand information has accelerated, and business and communication strategies have had to be altered to keep up. 20% of marketers agreed that one negative impact of digitisation on PR has been the challenge of controlling crisis communications, while 14% assert that it is harder to evaluate the effectiveness of brand promotions when everything is in real-time.
In this wave of the study, creativity remained a key factor for marketers when shortlisting agencies during the pitch process. â22% of marketers selected âinnovative ideas and effective creativeâ as very important in agency selection,â said Sabrina Lee, managing director of R3 China. âMarketers believe that the more advanced a PR agency is in breakthrough creativity and providing the right content to the target audience, the more competitive they are during the agency selection.â
The study also found that while 72% of marketers are satisfied with their current PR agency, 33% would consider a pitch, citing a lack of creativity as their main reason.
For most of China’s marketers (78%), social media is used to generate buzz and brand familiarity, ahead of building word-of-mouth and influence, and communications integration. There is a marked increase, however, in those using social media for sales promotion (47%), reflecting perhaps the ability to connect content to commerce on China’s social media platforms.
The survey will go back into field again at the end of 2018.

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Social Security recipients to get 3.6 percent COLA
Some 55 million Social Security recipients will get a 3.6 percent increase in benefits next year, their first raise since 2009, the government announced today.
The increase, which starts in January, is tied to a measure of inflation released this morning.
About 8 million people who receive Supplemental Security Income will also receive the 3.6 percent cost-of-living adjustment, or COLA, meaning the announcement will affect about one in five U.S. residents.
There was no COLA in 2010 or 2011 because inflation was too low. Those were the first two years without a COLA since automatic increases were adopted in 1975.
Monthly Social Security payments average $1,082, or about $13,000 a year. A 3.6 percent increase will amount to about $39 a month, or just over $467 a year, on average.
Advocates for seniors said the raise will provide a much-needed boost to the millions of retirees and disabled people who have seen retirement accounts dwindle and home values drop during the economic downturn. Economists say the increase should provide a modest boost to consumer spending, which should help the economy.
Most retirees rely on Social Security for a majority of their income, according to the Social Security Administration.
Federal law requires the program to base annual payment increases on the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W).
Officials compare inflation in the third quarter of each year — the months of July, August and September — with the same months in the previous year.
If consumer prices increase from year to year, Social Security recipients automatically get higher payments, starting the following January. If price changes are negative, the payments stay unchanged.
Social Security payments increased by 5.8 percent in 2009, the largest increase in 27 years, after energy prices spiked in 2008. But energy prices quickly dropped and home prices became soft in markets across the country, contributing to lower inflation in the past two years.
As a result, Social Security recipients got an increase that was far larger than actual overall inflation. However, they can’t get another increase until consumer prices exceed the levels measured in 2008. Today’s announcement shows that prices have exceeded those measured in 2008, said Polina Vlasenko, an economist at the American Institute for Economic Research, based in Great Barrington, Mass.


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During InvestChile’s e-seminar, four businesspeople from the sector explained their vision of its development in Chile, highlighting the privileged position it has internationally.
With the population growing and resources scarce - and crops affected by climate change - the food industry and agriculture have had to incorporate new technologies to meet the increase in demand for food. This has led to a boom in FoodTech and AgTech innovation, a trend to which Chile has not been the exception.
This was one of the topics discussed in the InvestChile e-seminar in a panel that comprised four companies supported by the agency: Kilimo (Argentina), The Live Green Co. (India), Protera (Chile-France) and Done Properly (Chile). The panelists concurred that Chile is at the forefront of FoodTech and AgTech development and that this has permitted the internationalization of their projects from Chile.
“It was easy for us to expand from Chile. We will be starting sales in Peru and the United States next month,” announced the founder of The Live Green Co., Priyanka Srinivas.
The experience of Argentina’s Kilimo has been similar. “For global growth, we needed to be stronger in crops with high added value where Chile represents a very interesting market,” said the company’s country manager in Chile, Andrea Ramos.
According to the CEO and founder of Done Properly, Eduardo Zavala, Chile has the opportunity to be a pioneer in both FoodTech and AgTech because it has “the ability to create new technologies and export them to the world.” Similarly, the CEO and co-founder of Protera, Leonardo Álvarez, noted that “investment in the FoodTech area is increasing quite quickly and Chile’s main strength is its human capital; we have excellent scientists.”
To watch the complete discussion panel, go to:
To learn more about the economic recovery and investment opportunities in Chile, check out the following article.


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Cloud computing might just be the most exciting area of the technology sector at this time.
These interconnected networks of remote internet-hosted servers have a seemingly endless amount of uses and are playing a massive role today in almost every industry, including banking, automotive, financial, healthcare, education and more.
Prior to the pandemic, many companies had been exploring all of the different ways that this innovative approach to accessing computing services can lead to cost savings, productivity boosts and economies of scale.
Then the demand for cloud computing software exploded last year as most major enterprises pivoted toward remote work and hybrid cloud solutions.
It’s hard to imagine these trends going away anytime soon, which means there will be plenty of long-term winners for investors to explore over the next decade.
With the industry expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 19.1% from 2021 to 2028 and a variety of exciting new applications for cloud technology including artificial intelligence, augmented reality, telemedicine, and more, these are exciting times for tech investors.
The only issue with investing in cloud software companies is that it can be difficult to justify adding shares of many of the top names given their sky-high multiples.
A lot of these stocks already have rallied considerably throughout the pandemic, which has led to nosebleed valuations that will require consistently astounding growth to justify their current prices.
With that said, there are a few cloud software stocks that are actually worth paying up for even after their big moves higher.
These companies are backing up their valuations with eye-catching growth, innovative business models and solutions that could change the business world forever.
Here are two of the best cloud software stocks worth paying for:
If you are a small or medium-sized business owner that wants to grow your business, it’s extremely difficult to keep things organized and successfully manage your client relationships without the help of a customer relationship management (CRM) software solution.
The only issue is that smaller-sized businesses have long been underserved in the CRM space given that they don’t have the same amount of resources and capital as larger enterprises.
That’s what’s so intriguing about HubSpot (HUBS ) - Get HubSpot, Inc. Reportsince it's a cloud-based marketing and sales software platform specifically designed to help small- and medium-sized businesses grow.
The company cleverly has carved out a unique space in the cloud software industry by offering customers a freemium version of its innovative CRM software, then upselling and cross-selling its users with new premium products and features after they discover how useful HubSpot’s platform can be.
It’s easy to support a company that enables entrepreneurship and helps small business owners make their dreams become a reality. HubSpot certainly fits the bill.
What’s also impressive about HubSpot is that the company continues to see accelerating revenue growth and add customers even though digital transformation spending has been lower than in 2020.
With second-quarter revenue of $311 million, up 53% year over year, and thousands of new customers added every quarter, this is truly a standout name in the cloud software space that warrants its valuation.
Upstart is a cloud-based software company that is leveraging artificial intelligence to disrupt the consumer lending industry.
Upstart Holdings (UPST) - Get Upstart Holdings, Inc. Report has developed a proprietary lending platform that benefits both banks and consumers, which is certainly intriguing given the massive addressable market in the industry.
The company’s platform is attractive to banks as it uses sophisticated machine learning models to more accurately identify risk versus traditional credit-score-based lending models.
Upstart claims that its platform leads to 75% fewer defaults with the same amount of approvals as the traditional FICO score model.
For consumers, Upstart is attractive as it provides a quicker and more convenient way to get approved for loans with lower interest rates.
Anyone that has gone through the arduous process of filling out paperwork, negotiating and waiting to be approved for a loan before can understand the appeal of a platform like Upstart.
Note that 99% of Upstart loan applicants receive their money just one business day after accepting their loans and that the company claims to offer 10% lower interest rates on personal loans than traditional lenders.
The stock has been seeing heavy institutional accumulation following Upstart’s knockout second-quarter earnings report that included total revenue of $194 million, up 1,018% year over year.
The fact that this company announced a $575 million convertible senior notes offering earlier this week and is already out to new highs again tells you just how strong the demand is for the shares of this innovative cloud software company’s shares.


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New socks made from strangers’ old socks are now officially a thing. Outdoor gear label Smartwool released the Second Cut hiking sock this month made from reused wool collected in a sock take-back program.
While circular business models definitely took a hit in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, the apparel maker is aiming to offer a product that “goes beyond recycling,” said John Ramsey, the brand's director of product development. Of course, truly closing the loop will ultimately depend on consumer demand and participation.
Smartwool’s Second Cut program accepts used socks of all types and brands. Consumers who are interested in donating can request a return bag with paid postage when they order online, or they can drop their old socks off at a participating retailer.
To date, the company claims to have prevented over 725,000 pairs of old socks from ending up landfills. That’s over 54,000 pounds worth of textiles — a substantial amount of resources that would have otherwise gone to waste. Smartwool’s Second Cut hiking sock is made from the brand’s repurposed wool fibers, while off-brand sock donations were used for the Second Cut K9 Camp Cushion.
Since the Second Cut hiking sock is made exclusively from the brand’s own recycled material, combined with a percentage of new Merino wool, it provides an excellent example of how retailers can begin to take responsibility for a larger share of their products’ environmental impact. While the program does not yet reach the level of full extended producer responsibility — where the maker is on the line for what becomes of the product when it reaches the end of its use — systems like these are a step in the right direction.
"We were able to accomplish this through new and innovative technology, team collaboration, and consumer participation,” Ramsey said in a statement. “Investing in this process has enabled Smartwool to take leaps forward toward our goal of shifting toward a more circular business model."
Smartwool is working with Material Return, a manufacturer based in North Carolina that's focused on circular textiles, to make the business model work. Material Return has partnerships with a variety of other producers, including other sock manufacturers like the Wilson Brown Sock Co. and custom cycling sock maker DeFeet. Additional clients include Basset, the Sustainable Furniture Council and many more.
In order for programs like Smartwool’s Second Cut to be successful, it will be up to consumers to choose to participate — both at the donation point and the point of sale system.
So far, the level of donations is impressive. Of course, while the three-quarters of a million pairs of socks that have been collected since Second Cut’s inception in 2021 sounds like a lot, it is ultimately a drop in the bucket compared to the total amount of textiles that end up in landfills. After all, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that 17 million tons of the stuff ended up as solid waste in 2018, the most recent year for which data is available. And there’s no reason to think that amount has gone down in recent years, especially considering the growth of Shein hauls and fast fashion. Scaling up is, after all, the name of the game.
And it’s not just about donating used socks either: Closing the loop will depend on how enthusiastic consumers are about wearing socks that were once on someone else's feet. Will they be into it, or is it a step too far?
Image credit: Smartwool via PRNewsire
Riya Anne Polcastro is an author, photographer and adventurer based out of the Pacific Northwest. She enjoys writing just about anything, from gritty fiction to business and environmental issues. She is especially interested in how sustainability can be harnessed to encourage economic and environmental equity between the Global South and North. One day she hopes to travel the world with nothing but a backpack and her trusty laptop.
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Credit: Original article can be found here
Britain is free from being tied to the European Union (EU), meaning it can negotiate free trade agreements which suits the nation and its demands better. A deal with Australia has already been struck and the UK is well on its way to securing other landmark deals. Express.co.uk speaks to an economic expert about the 10 countries Britain is likely to strike deals with next and why they are important priorities for the country.
The Australia deal negotiated between Britain and Australia was the first trade agreement to be negotiated since the UK left the EU.
The deal was announced on June 15 and under the deal, Australia will be able to send a certain amount of agricultural goods per year to the UK without any payment of tariffs (taxes on imports).
Over time, these limits (or quotas) will increase.
After 15 years, there will be no quotas or tariffs on agricultural produce, apart from long-grain rice.
UK analyst at the Economist Intelligence Unit Matthew Oxenford said the UK has advanced in many of its negotiations – especially with countries in South Asia and Oceania.
But before any of these deals, the analyst said the deal with New Zealand is the next most important step for British trade negotiators.
Mr Oxenford told Express.co.uk: “The next agreement that is likely to be announced is New Zealand.
“However, the agreement in principle announced with Australia still requires finalising many of the technical aspects, and any announcement reached within a year with New Zealand or any other country is similarly likely to be a statement of intent rather than an agreement ready to be immediately implemented.”
Following the New Zealand deal Mr Oxenford said the UK’s potential ascension to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific (CPTPP) trade agreement is likely to be the impactful for the UK.
He told Express.co.uk: “This is for many reasons – the CPTPP is likely the largest trade bloc the UK has a reasonable chance of reaching an agreement with (Among large markets – a US-UK trade agreement was unlikely even before the Biden administration, and looks to be a non-starter now, tensions with China preclude any major trade agreement there, and the Government is unlikely to pursue any significant re-liberalisation of trade with the EU).
“The CPTPP encompasses Canada, Japan, Australia, and several Southeast Asian and Latin American nations, giving it more global significance than any bilateral agreement.
“It’s also notable in that it includes relatively deep and modern chapters on services and digital trade, areas of strength for the UK, and areas of potential growth in trade in the future.
“Subscribing to internationally recognised rules around these chapters would also increase the UK’s trade competitiveness globally.”
The 11 CPTPP countries Britain is due to agree trade deals with next include:
- Australia (already has its own deal)
- Brunei Darussalam
- New Zealand (is separating negotiating its own deal as well)
Britain is also due to negotiate an external free trade agreement with New Zealand – more details related to this deal are expected in the next week.


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Facebook is doubling down on video content in its drive for more ‘meaningful interactions’. Watch is the company's first effort to brand video as a standalone property, and the social network is splitting ad revenue 55:45 in favour of content creators, the same as YouTube. Facebook reported more than 8bn video views in 2017 alone.
Influencers accounted for 56% of the 966m views recorded by Tubular Labs on Facebook in the first three months of this year, and 56% of the 1.2m video uploads. Further, influencers took an 84% share of the 1.7bn YouTube views during the period.
The Association for National Advertisers (ANA) expects US brand spend on influencers to rise to over $100bn in 2020. The World Federation of Advertisers (WFA) found last month that two-thirds of multinational brands plan to increase their spending on influencer marketing this year, providing transparency standards are met.
Aside from pre/mid/post roll ads in influencer videos, there’s opportunity for product placement and branded content. Influencers have built specific, always-engaged audiences, and identifying the right influencer to sponsor or co-create content can yield return on investment, as long as the brand’s values are aligned.
This Data Point was drawn from August's Global Ad Trends report, which focuses on online video advertising.


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Many analysts believe Amazon is poised to take on the prescription drug industry. What would it look like?
Amazon has changed the way people buy books, clothes, and the latest tech gear.
Today, many analysts believe Amazon may be on the verge of doing the same for the prescription drug industry.
Analysts began to see signs last year that Amazon may enter the prescription drug market soon.
In October, the online retailer received approvals for wholesale drugstore licenses in at least 12 states, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
In December, however, Amazon missed the deadline to implement drug distribution in Maine, adding to the uncertainty of its plans.
The company has yet to publicly comment on its intentions.
Amazon’s entry into the prescription drug market would certainly make a difference – the way its purchase of Whole Foods should lead to the grocery delivery business.
Morgan Stanley estimates that prescriptions by mail represent about $ 106 billion of the $ 465 billion in the drug trade in the United States.
Amazon’s entry into this market would increase the company’s bottom line.
But if Amazon opens an online pharmacy, you will find that the market is dominated by Walgreens, CVS Health, and other companies.
Some analysts see Amazon’s current distribution capabilities and its Prime membership as assets that could help the company gain significant market share.
It can also expand its reach by partnering with a pharmacy benefits manager such as ExpressScripts or directly with prescription drug manufacturers.
Saving money on online meds
It’s hard to know what an Amazon online pharmacy will look like, especially since we don’t know the company’s plans.
But other companies have already entered the field, with obvious benefits for consumers.
“The obvious benefit is that it’s convenient for the individual,” said Diana Graallum, MD, BCPS, director of clinical pharmacy at MedSavvy, an Oregon-based company that offers an online tool to compare drugs by. cost and efficiency.
This is especially true for ongoing medications such as statins or type 2 diabetes medications.
With automatic top-ups and regular home deliveries, you no longer need to fit a trip to the pharmacy into your schedule.
You can also save on gas and all the impulse buying you usually make while waiting for your prescription to be filled.
Plus, people may be less likely to miss doses if they always have their medications on hand. It can prevent health problems in the future.
“For drugs that can improve your survival, reduce the risk of hospitalization and increase your quality of life, we want to make them convenient and affordable so people can live better, longer and healthier lives,” Graalum told Healthline.
Online pharmacies can also cut many steps between manufacturer and consumers.
This includes the pharmacy benefit manager, the distributor and the pharmacy chain.
This can reduce costs even further.
But not all drugs purchased from online pharmacies will be cheaper.
If you pay for prescription drugs with health insurance, your co-contributions are those set by your insurance company.
This can help you pay for expensive brand name drugs. But sometimes the contributions on generic drugs are higher than what you would pay out of pocket for the same drug.
“We believe that a significant proportion of Americans pay more than they should pay for their prescription drugs,” said Joe Peters, president and CEO of HealthWarehouse, a Kentucky-based online pharmacy specializing in generic drugs.
HealthWarehouse is a cash payment company that does not accept health insurance. But Peters said the company can often offer many drugs that are cheaper than the combination drug, especially for a 90 or 180 day supply.
This makes direct payment a good deal for many people.
“It’s not just for the uninsured,” Peters told Healthline. “Right now there are a large number of people who are underinsured.”
As with other reputable online pharmacies, HealthWarehouse holds the Certified Internet Pharmacy Practice Sites (VIPPS) seal by the National Association of Pharmaceutical Authorities.
Challenges to buying meds online
While shopping online takes the hassle out of waiting in line or crossing traffic, you lose some of the personal touch of a traditional drugstore.
“All medicines are meant to help us, not to hurt us, but if taken incorrectly or forgotten they can hurt,” Graallum said. “Interaction with the pharmacist is very beneficial in avoiding unwanted effects.”
HealthWarehouse is responding to this development by advising all customers during online verification. If they have any questions, one of the company’s pharmacists will contact them by phone.
People can also be prevented from purchasing their medications online due to the sheer amount of personal information they have to enter the first time they shop at an online pharmacy.
This includes your usual name, address, and payment information, as well as health information such as drug allergies, other medications they are taking, and doctor information.
While this is no different than what you might get at your neighborhood drugstore, some people may refuse to share this with Amazon.
As people become more comfortable interacting with their doctors and other healthcare providers online, more and more people will turn to online pharmacies.
The high cost of prescription drugs can help move this file forward.
“When more people are shocked at the stickers – higher amounts, higher discounts – they’ll start looking and buying,” Peters said.
Right now, online pharmacies are focused on filling current prescriptions. Part of this is because of the cost as its overhead is lower when filling a 90 or 180 day supply.
But it’s also a question of timing.
After receiving a prescription, HealthWarehouse ships the medication within one to three days. This works if you already have a supply of grain on hand.
But if your doctor prescribes an antibiotic for a sore throat or pneumonia, you need it that day.
Graalum believes Amazon can use its drone delivery system to achieve this.
“Someday we might have a situation where your doctor prescribes medication for you, and a drone flies into your house and drops it off as soon as you get home,” Graallum said.


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Essence magazine called National Harbor "D.C.'s Hidden Treasure."
The Gaylord convention center and hotel at National Harbor, located just outside of Washington, D.C., in Maryland, remains closed. That’s tough for retail locations there because—while some 2,500 residents make their home at National Harbor—its retail and dining square footage is built to handle the 28 million people who attend meetings and conventions there every year.
But this week, National Harbor’s developer, Peterson Companies, announced the signing of four new tenants at the site along the Potomoc River. BurgerFi will be opening a 2,714-sq.-ft. location there this summer and Roll by Goodyear is set to open this spring in a 1,616-sq.-ft. space. Girlkin Lashes and Mahogony Books also plan to open new stores in 2021—Mahogony’s second shop in National Harbor.
“We know that National Harbor is a special place,” said Kimli Cross, VP of leasing at National Harbor. “There is nothing like it in the country—proximity to the nation’s capital as well as its river frontage, interstate access, and mix of retail, residential, and Class-A office space.”
Other retailers in residence at National Harbor include Alex & Ani, Build-a-Bear Workshop, Carhartt, New York New York, and Potomoc Gourmet Market.
Peterson Companies is known for its forward-thinking mixed-use concepts. Some of its other developments are Downtown Silver Spring, Rio in Gaithersburg, Md., and Fairfax Corner in Fairfax, Va.


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Talk about a massive freakout. According to reports, these pics show staff members in the Sichuan branch of Bank of China attempting to splice together shredded bank notes worth 50,000 yuan (approximately $7,945).
The notes were apparently torn up by a woman who went ballistic
after withdrawing the money to pay for her mental disorder treatment. It took 6 hours for 12 bank clerks to successfully splice only one complete 100-yuan bank note. Sounds like they're not going to get the job done anytime soon.
With today’s technological advancements, kids are spending more time online than they are watching television. If they are not playing an online game, they are watching a video online or are on social media chatting. Parents have a responsibility to keep their children safe online. Read more
We’ve all heard the saying “diamonds are a girl’s best friend” and nowhere was this truer than when shopping around for engagement rings. Well, it seems as though times are changing, and diamonds are no longer the one and only gem being used in engagement rings. Read more


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Alphabet’s first quarter revenue fell below analysts’ expectations on Tuesday, as the company confronts supply chain problems, inflation concerns, and fallout from the war in Ukraine.
In its quarterly earnings report, Google’s parent company said it had made a quarterly profit of $16.436bn, or $24.62 per share, missing expectations of $25.76 per share.
Alphabet reported a substantial miss in its YouTube segment, fueled in part by rising competition with the short form video platform TikTok and advertisers responding to high inflation rates.
“Google’s underwhelming results underline the view that the search giant is struggling with slowing revenue growth as advertisers cut back on spending due to a slowdown in consumer demand amid the current inflationary environment,” said Jesse Cohen, a senior analyst at Investing.com.
First-quarter sales for Alphabet were $68.01bn, 23% higher than last year but below the average estimate of $68.1bn among financial analysts tracked by Refinitiv. The company’s first miss since before the pandemic sent its shares falling 4% in after hours trading.
The company attributed its YouTube miss in part to the war in Ukraine. Alphabet has in recent months has suspended all monetization on YouTube channels out of Russia and suspended a number of state media outlets to combat misinformation.
In a call with investors on Tuesday, Alphabet’s chief executive officer, Sundar Pichai, said the viewership and customer base for YouTube was evolving and expressed a positive outlook for the future.
“In the long run, for me, YouTube is a place where we see users not only come for entertainment – they come to find information,” he said. “They’re coming to learn about things. They’re coming to discover, to research.”
Despite the shortfall, Google remains dominant in the online ad market. Google advertising made up 82% of Alphabet’s total revenue in 2021, and it is expected to grab 29% – the leading share – of the $602bn global online ad market in 2022. This is at least the 12th straight year Google has been on top, according to Insider Intelligence.
Cloud sales grew at a slower pace than a quarter ago, and Google’s “other” revenue, which includes app, hardware and subscription sales, was $6.8bn, below estimates of $7.3bn.
Product changes to resolve antitrust concerns and rising competition from companies such as Amazon and TikTok are chipping away at ad sales. On Tuesday’s call, Pichai said the company’s answer to TikTok – YouTube shorts – had seen extensive growth in the past year but is still in the early phases of monetization.
Though Alphabet shares were down over 17% this year entering Tuesday, they have risen nearly 90% over the past two years. But its disappointing report comes as declines in big tech stocks sent the Nasdaq composite down 4% Tuesday, the worst drop for the tech-heavy index since September 2020.
The slump marks a departure from years of runaway success for the tech sector, which had made gangbuster gains for much of the pandemic. With interest rates set to rise as the Federal Reserve steps up its inflation fight, traders are less and less willing to pay the lofty prices they had been paying for Microsoft, Meta, and others.
The S&P 500 fell 2.8% and the Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 2.4%. Meta will report its earnings on Wednesday.
Reuters contributed to this report


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Samplings from 40 restaurants will be offered next Thursday during the 18th annual Taste of Anaheim, which aims to bolster the local economy by connecting the community with local eateries and breweries.
Even though an estimated 5,000 people will primarily be drawn to the food, the May 9th event also includes concerts from several bands playing a diverse selection of music from the 1980s, including blues and tributes to rockers Journey and Aerosmith. The event is set for 5:30 to 10:30 p.m. at the Anaheim GardenWalk, 321 W. Katella Ave.
"Good food is a powerful tool, and we are leveraging it to strengthen our local economy," said Todd Ament, president and CEO of the Anaheim Chamber of Commerce, which hosts the annual event. "We will create new fans for our local restaurants and entice them to visit their favorite eateries during the year and support more than 36,000 local jobs."
Among those participating: The Ranch Restaurant and Saloon, Slater's 50/50 Burgers, American Tavern Eatery & Drink, OC Brewhouse, Noble Ale Works and Flo's Café from Disney's California Adventure.
Tickets are $35, plus a handling fee, at TasteofAnaheim365.com. At the door, the price is $45.
The ticket pays for admission and allows participants to sample all of the food they want, along with two-ounce samples of beer from three local breweries. Water, soda and other alcoholic beverages are sold separately.
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Zynga launched "Draw Something" in China as it moved to get non-English speakers caught up in the craze for the mobile phone game based on representing words with pictures.
The San Francisco-based social games star made an alliance with Sina Weibo to let people play "Draw Something" at the Chinese social network and added "new English word choices that are more relevant to the Chinese speaking audience."
Versions of "Draw Something" were localized in 12 more languages including French, Italian, Spanish, Chinese, Korean, and Japanese.
"Draw Something has only been available to players in English since its launch and became a cultural phenomenon across the globe," said Zynga chief mobile officer David Ko.
"We are excited to be able to give back to our players around the world by offering an experience that is more locally relevant to them," he continued.
"How do you draw 'caliente'? -- Spanish for hot -- "We'll soon find out."
"Draw Something" quickly became a hit after it was released in February by New York City-based OMGPOP, a startup bought by Zynga in March due to the success of the game.
In "Draw Something," players use touch-screen strokes to create a pictures of words that friends must figure out to earn points and get turns at drawing.
"Draw Something" is available free at Apple's App Store and at the Google Play online shop for Android smartphones. The Simplified Chinese version of the game is only available at the App Store.
Shares of Zynga, which rose to success with games made for play at leading social network Facebook, plunged Tuesday after an analyst note highlighted concerns about the impact on the firm of a shift to mobile Internet.
Zynga closed down 10.57 percent at $4.98, the first close below $5 since it went public last year at $10.
A report by analysts at Cowen & Co. said Zynga may not get the revenues some people expect if Facebook users gravitate to mobile devices.
"We believe that mobile devices may be siphoning off an accelerating number of gamers from Facebook," the report said.
"Facebook itself is increasingly being accessed by mobile devices, however it is not possible to play Facebook-native apps through Facebook on a smartphone."
Zynga makes and operates the online games FarmVille, Mafia Wars CityVille, Words With Friends and Zynga Poker, and gets most of its customers from Facebook.


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NEW Aston Martin Vanquish 25 By Callum – First Look!
This is the new Aston Martin Vanquish 25 redesigned by Ian Callum. 20 years after creating the first Vanquish, Callum has revisited one of his most iconic cars to add the finishing touches that are only now possible thanks to the advancements of technology. This new Vanquish is limited to just 25 cars, it is the latest in a series of exclusive R-Reforged editions fully endorsed by Aston Martin Lagonda. With an increase of 60bhp, revised aero and styling, improved handling together with upgraded carbon ceramic brakes and a collaboration with Michelin tyres – the Vanquish has been reimagined for 2019!
Big thanks to Michelin for providing such early access to the new Vanquish and Ian Callum – this wouldn’t have been possible without
Want To Buy The New Vanquish? https://www.r-reforged.com
More Info On CALLUM: https://www.callumdesigns.com
SUBSCRIBE TO MrJWW For More Exclusive Content: http://bit.ly/1Q2RWK4
Tweets by MrJWW


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Mass Effect 3 is getting an announcement tonight courtesy of BioWare, according to the developer on Twitter.
BioWare Community Coordinator Tully Ackland confirmed the announcement on Twitter:
“Good morning! #MassEffect fans should keep an eye out for news that’ll come out later today :-)”
And then comically added:
“I realise my tweet is like an announcement of an announcement… How awful of me! #Notsorry”
A new Mass Effect 3 DLC announcement, or something to do with the games Wii U port? You decide.


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Demand for Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) certified sustainable palm oil (CSPO) in Asia has to date been limited, inhibited by complex challenges such as low consumer awareness and a lack of clear labelling of palm oil products. While a number of tactics could help shift business behaviour, a persistent lack of transparency on the palm oil footprint of companies in the region makes it difficult to design effective strategies aimed at accelerating corporate action on sustainable palm oil.
The opportunity for Asian markets to drive meaningful, positive change in the palm oil value chain is unequivocal: Asia consumes approximately 60% of the world’s palm oil, and Indonesia, India and China are among the world’s top consuming countries. Indonesia and Malaysia account for 86% of global palm oil production, and palm oil is a primary source of income for an estimated 4.3 million people in these two countries alone.
To uncover critical opportunities for palm oil buyers to take impactful action on sustainable palm oil in Asia, WWF has recently published two landmark studies:
Palm oil trade from key landscapes in Asia: Risks and opportunities for action sheds light on the global palm oil value chain linked to six landscapes that are rich in biodiversity and where palm oil production is prevalent: Tabin, Tawau, Lower Sugut in Sabah, Malaysia; and Tesso Nilo, Sintang and South Papua in Indonesia. For each landscape, the study identifies key companies involved in the production, trade and purchase of palm oil, and assesses their level of exposure – or the likelihood they are sourcing from the considered landscape. The result is greater visibility and traceability into palm oil supply chains linked to key landscapes, bringing into sharp focus the supply chain connections that can be leveraged to drive better sustainability and transparency outcomes.
Sustainable palm oil uptake in Asia: Where do we go from here? highlights the huge potential for five Asian markets to boost their sustainable palm oil consumption. The study provides credible market intelligence on palm oil consumption and sustainable palm oil uptake across five key Asian markets (China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore), which together account for almost half of global palm product consumption. The report contains estimates on both conventional and RSPO CSPO volumes for 2019, in addition to highlighting key players, applications sectors and interventions in each market that can help expand the uptake of RSPO-certified palm oil in Asia by one million tonnes per year.


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The newest version of the GMC Acadiahas slimmed down while upping its available power, and it's done that in an attempt to tackle the rest of the mid-size crossover competition out there.
Kia's Telluride concept, on display this week at the 2016 Detroit Auto Show, should fill the automaker's need for a larger, more focused SUV.
The truck that served as Optimus's vehicle mode in the movies will soon be available at auction.
The Honda Civic and the Volvo XC90 managed to beat out strong rivals in their respective categories to win the awards at the 2016 Detroit Auto Show.
Tesla's new software update curbs some of the original functionality of the semi-autonomous system, dubbed Autopilot. Among the other changes to Autopilot is more accurate steering.
Rumors have been swirling for a few years about an Apple car, and now the tech giant has registered three automotive web domains.
At the CES electronics show, the Korean carmaker said autonomous cars will be in showrooms by 2030.
Chevrolet revealed the production version of the 2017 Bolt EV at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. The 2017 Bolt EV will have a range of more than 200 miles on a full charge, and its price will come in below $30,00.
At the electronics tradeshow in Las Vegas, Toyota unveiled its plans for smartphone-connected and autonomous cars.
The Justice Department sued Volkswagen in a federal court Monday over the installation of emissions-cheating discovered last September on close to 600,000 vehicles in the US. VW could be fined up to $32,500 for each of the affected vehicles
Chevrolet dominated the list of the most searched vehicles on Google this year, with four of the top 10 entries.
Reports say Ford is in talks with Google to build autonomous cars for the tech giant, though it’s not clear if the cars are meant to be dedicated models for the tech giant or versions of existing Blue Oval products fitted with self-driving technology.
The 2017 Audi Q7 is the rare luxury SUV that feels like a tiny mid-sizer. You might actually forget you're in a tall utility vehicle that's around 200 inches long.
The Bugatti Chiron name was confirmed by the French automaker today, along with a 2016 Geneva Motor Show debut.
Ford will present an updated version of the Escape, its popular compact crossover, at the 2015 Los Angeles Auto Show. The 2017 Ford Escape will be brimming with new tech features, fuel-efficient EcoBoost engines and revamped styling.
The Mustang GT was all-new for the 2015 model year, and it's the best Mustang ever. But how does it stack up to other muscle cars on the market.
Mercedes is giving its full-size SUV a facelift, along with a new name, for 2017. The automaker describes the GLS as the 'S-Class among SUVs.'
A new generation of Mazda’s CX-9 crossover will debut this month at the 2015 Los Angeles Auto Show. It’s rumored the current model’s thirsty V-6 will be replaced by a downsized turbocharged four-cylinder.
One critic says Tesla is 'showing all the signs of a company in trouble,' and that the situation will only get worse as established automakers start taking electric cars more seriously and introduce luxury models of their own.
Honda is an industry leader in the development of hydrogen-powered fuel cell vehicles. Today, at the 2015 Tokyo Motor Show, we were treated to the production version which Honda has labeled the Clarity Fuel Cell.


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Tag Archives: hot wheels
Um, you might want to join the Hot Wheels Red Line Club this year. It was announced today that one of the club exclusives this year will be none other than the SCCA Toyota 2000GT campaigned by Carroll Shelby. Last … Continue reading
Just a friendly reminder that the beautiful blue Hot Wheels X JNC Datsun 620 will be available this Saturday, February 15, at participating Kmart stores across the US. In fact, it will only be available at Kmart this weekend, and when they’re gone, they’re … Continue reading
Toyota isn’t the only company getting nostalgic for the 80s with its latest batch of TRD trucks. Hot Wheels‘ latest line of premium collectibles is the Cool Classics series, and with 25 of the 30 cars released it was looking like … Continue reading
Last year Hot Wheels graced us with the Toyota 2000GT, a car JNC readers have been clamoring for ever since the first hints of Mattel venturing into the world of nostalgics. For 2014 two re-colors of the million dollar baby … Continue reading
We know, we know. It was hard just to find the orange one. But we absolutely love Mattel’s casting of the Datsun 620 so we are happy to report that not only is there a second version on its way, … Continue reading
We’ve been to Mattel’s design studio in El Segundo, California a few times but have never been granted permission to take photos. Instead, we signed a mountain of NDAs. Clearly what we needed to be was CBS News.
We at JNC are proud to share the latest Hot Wheels release to bear our inkan logo. A couple weeks ago the third official color of the popular Hot Wheels 1970 Toyota Celica arrived at the JNC office, but as usual we took … Continue reading
On Tuesday at 9am Pacific Time, Hot Wheels will be releasing a limited edition, online-only version of the legendary BRE Datsun 510. Here’s how to get yours. UPDATE: The car has sold out in a little under 2 hours. Better … Continue reading
With the Japanese Classic Car Show closing in on a decade, the theme of its 9th holding could be summed up in one word: More. More cars, more rarity, more stock survivors, more booths, more people, and more staggering Nihon … Continue reading
We had mentioned before that 2014 was going to be a banner year for nostalgics in the Hot Wheels lineup, and here’s the latest proof. Hot on the heels of the new Hot Wheels X JNC Datsun 620 comes the … Continue reading
Just in time for 86 Day festivities, the Lamley Group has leaked that the Toyota Corolla AE86 Hot Wheels casting will be making a return to the pegs in 2014. This time around, the car will be silver with 80s-vintage … Continue reading
We’ve been sitting on this news for months, but now that it’s been leaked, we are stoked to share with you, our dear readers, the latest Hot Wheels wearing the JNC inkan — the Datsun 620!
This week’s QotW was about the hardest JNCs to find. Here’s another one. We are proud to announce our latest collab with Hot Wheels, the 2013 Treasure Hunt Mazda RX-7!! You read that right. JNC has entered the rarefied ranks of … Continue reading
We take a break from all the Toyotafest coverage to bring you… more Toyota news. Earlier this year Toyotakus had their wildest dreams fulfilled when the 1970 Toyota Celica finally appeared, after years of begging, in the Hot Wheels line. Here’s … Continue reading
Today’s MiniCar news is another secret we’ve been dying to tell you for months (and would have if had it not been for Mattel’s legion of embargo enforcement ninjas). One of the rarest nostalgic Hot Wheels to be released this … Continue reading
We weren’t supposed to show you the latest Hot Wheels car featuring the JNC logo until much later. However, collector sites have leaked the car already so we might as well put up our official announcement.
Looks like the J-tin is coming on early and often for Hot Wheels‘ 2013 lineup. Hot on the heels of the hakosuka and Jun Imai‘s 510 wagon comes this just-leaked image of the Boulevard series Subaru BRAT. This is the … Continue reading
We’re less than a week into 2013 and already it’s turning in to a great year for Hot Wheels collectors. First we had news of the Treasure Hunt Toyota 2000GT that’s coming out March-ish, but before that even hits the … Continue reading


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With the home automation and Internet of Things (IoT) markets continuing to make inroads with consumers, Apple may be gearing up to release a standalone HomeKit app with the release of iOS 10 later this year.
HomeKit is a database similar to HealthKit and PassKit, and lets developers make software that discovers, configures, communicates with, and controls devices for home automation.
Actions can be grouped together and can be initiated using Siri either from home or from Apple TV.
Apple's potential HomeKit move was first spotted by blog MacRumors, which discovered that an Amazon reviewer who works in the marketing department at Apple had left clues to the possible launch within a product review related to HomeKit.
"'As I work in marketing for Apple, we test many Smart Home devices, especially for iOS HomeKit integration,'" MacRumors quoted from the review. "'Some advice, there are many third party applications, most free, that offer more control and customization(s) with many Smart Home devices. Yonomi is a free app that I often use, Home is another which cost $14.99. Both offer support for many devices with more added daily (including Amazon "Echo"). The next version of iOS due this fall will have a standalone "HomeKit" app as well.'"
HomeKit works through the apps that control each of the user's home products, enabling the apps to interconnect. This helps users make their home products work together and allows for control in more ways, right from the user's device.
For instance, HomeKit lets users create scenes to connect and control appliance settings in different combinations, like a scene named "Leaving home" that turns off the lights, locks the doors, and lowers the thermostat -- all with one command.
There are already more than 50 accessories available through Apple that work with HomeKit, including WiFi-enabled smoke detectors, video cameras, light bulbs, and weather sensors.
Consumer spending on smart home services, including entertainment, health, energy, and home automation will reach $100 billion by 2020, well over twice the estimated spend for this year -- $43 billion -- according to an October 2015 report from Juniper Research.
The research forecasts that the number of connected appliances in smart homes will rise to more than 20 million by 2020, and that the market would continue to be characterized by high prices and a low value in connectivity.
However, the principle barriers remain a lack of education, cost concerns, and issues with complexity. Many consumers remain unaware of the smart home concept, while a large proportion of those aware of it are unconvinced of its benefits.
A recent survey from August Home and Xfinity Home revealed that nearly 18% of respondents reported that they'd likely buy a new smart home product over the next 12 months, including 56% of those who already have installed at least one smart home product in their home.
Connected cameras, video doorbells, and lights are the smart home products highest on consumers' priority list, according to the survey of nearly 1,300 US consumers.


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Motorama Kia has recently been awarded the award for the number one dealer in Australia.
With several award-winning cars now in the line up, we took a quick look at Kia’s journey to the top.
When Australia was first introduced to Kia, it was as the cheap and cheerful alternative to the mainstream brands, making its name with a budget alternative to light hatches, small cars and SUVs.
But you can only coast on being a budget brand for so long, so beginning in the early 2000s, Kia Australia set out to change their image from throwaway vehicles to cars that you can depend on once the warranty ended. Not coincidentally, the head office in South Korea decided to extend the warranty on all Kia’s to five years, with unlimited kilometre coverage – and in 2014, extended it to 7 years of warranty coverage, with 7 years roadside assistance and 7 years of capped price servicing to go with it; and still with unlimited kilometre coverage.
To keep their momentum going, Kia decided to revamp the design language that had kept them from fully being accepted as a mainstream brand. Peter Schreyer, a former Audi/Volkswagen designer, accepted a role as chief design officer and changed the game for the cars out of Seoul. His trademark ‘tiger nose’ grille and sleek designs brought Kia from an carmaker who was often down the list of alternatives to suddenly offering a line-up that stood shoulder to shoulder with mainstream brands, with cars that looked better than their price tag would suggest.
But smart designs are useless if you don’t have the engineering to match. So to make sure it remained competitive, Kia Australia contracted Graeme Gambold, a former rally driver and engineer specialising in vehicle dynamics, to head up a program to tune their entire range for Australian roads. This partnership produced benefits for the entire Kia range including revised suspension for the Cerato Koup, the Rio, Sportage as well as the new Sorento – which reportedly proved difficult to balance between a family cruiser and a dynamic SUV, but ended up winning awards for its
And globally, in 2015, Kia was voted second overall in an industry-wide survey of initial quality. In the first 90 days of ownership, Kia owners are more satisfied than any other car brand – except for luxury carmaker Porsche, whose sports cars and SUVs are considerably less affordable, with a much smaller customer base.
Maybe this is why the entire Kia range continues to win industry and people’s choice awards including:
Sorento: Carsguide Car of the Year (Overall) (2015), Drive Best Family SUV (2015), Australia’s Best Cars Best AWD SUV $50,000-$65,000 (Sorento Platinum, 2015) & Best Family Wagon (Sorento SLi, 2015)
Optima: Australia’s Best Cars Best Medium Car under $50,000 (2015)
Carnival: Drive Best People Mover (2015)
Cerato: Wheels Magazine Gold Star Value Award Small Car under $25K (Cerato S, 2015)
In the last two years, Motorama have moved to anticipate the increasing interest in Kia, with new car showrooms at both Moorooka and Browns Plains. To test any of the Kia range for yourself, come into Motorama Kia to get into the latest model built in Korea and made for Australia from our award winning team.


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NIST Hits Quantum Teleport Key Out of the Park News & Analysis 9/22/2015 4 comments The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has announced that it has quadrupled the previous world's record for transmitting photons by quantum teleportation, up from 25 kilometers (16 miles) to 102 kilometers (63 miles) making long-range transmission of uncrackable encryption keys over fiber optics a reality.
Synopsys Touts IP Portfolio for IoT News & Analysis 9/22/2015 Post a comment Stable of intellectual property, cobbled together largely from acquisitions, targets connectivity, security and sensor processing requirements of the Internet of Things.
TSMC Discusses Next MEMS, Monolithic Mics News & Analysis 9/22/2015 Post a comment To expand its role as a supplier to fabless MEMS vendors foundry TSMC plans to use its advantages in being able to combine CMOS logic and MEMS sensors together to come up with innovative sensors and use cases.
HCL, IBM Team Up to Drive IoT Adoption News & Analysis 9/22/2015 Post a comment HCL has partnered with IBM to accelerate the development of Internet of Things solutions. The two companies also plan to set up an incubation centre in Noida to develop these IoT applications.
IoT Boosting MCU Market, Says IHS News & Analysis 9/21/2015 Post a comment The market for microcontroller units (MCUs) used in Internet of things (IoT) applications is on the rise, which is having a positive effect on overall MCU market growth.
Design Options for Next Billion IoT Devices News & Analysis 9/21/2015 2 comments Among a surfeit of theories, predictions and technology horse-race stories on IoT, it’s time to hear from an executive who has actually done the due diligence, made design choices and developed his own new IoT chipset.
3D Printed Parts Help Regenerate Nerves News & Analysis 9/21/2015 Post a comment For the first time ever, regrowth of nerve complexes has been demonstrated in rats by creating a custom 3-D scaffold shaped like the missing nerves and "seeding" it with biochemicals that promote both sensory an motor nerve regeneration.
Smart Battery Startup Raises $5.5 Million News & Analysis 9/18/2015 2 comments Roost Inc. (Sunnyvale, Calif.), a startup that is trying to retrofit IoT functions and connectivity into consumer electronics by including them in a battery form factor, has raised $5.5 million in a Series A round of financing.
New York Investor Offers to Buy Korea's MagnaChip News & Analysis 9/18/2015 Post a comment New York based investment firm Pleasant Lake Partners LLC has made an offer to acquire MagnaChip Semiconductor Corp. (Seoul, South Korea) a designer and manufacturer of analog and mixed-signal ICs and a provider of foundry services.
China Warms Up, Slowly, to FD-SOI News & Analysis 9/17/2015 6 comments Participants at the Shanghai FD-SOI Forum this week doggedly pursued three key questions. Namely, FD-SOI’s IP, entry cost and roadmap beyond 22nm. And here’s a list of eight FD-SOI stakeholders best positioned to answer them.
TSMC Preps 10nm, Tunes 16nm News & Analysis 9/17/2015 7 comments The world’s largest chip foundry said it will start “risk” production in 10nm late this year while it fine tunes its 16nm process and plans a basket of IoT offerings.
60 GHz Tested for 5G Backhaul News & Analysis 9/16/2015 Post a comment The XHaul Project, a €7.3 million euro program based in Bristol, UK, will test millimeter wave backhaul and fiber optic networks for 5G cellular networks.
Q&A with GloFo CEO: ‘IoT Is No Mystical Animal’ News & Analysis 9/16/2015 13 comments PC shipments are going down all over the world. The smartphone market is losing steam. The IC industry is expecting a down year in 2016. Globalfoundries CEO discussed what chip vendors should do about it.
Autonomous Driving Not a Question of Technology, Managers Say News & Analysis 9/16/2015 5 comments A car owner calls a driverless car with a smartphone and relaxes while the silicon chauffeur directs the car through the traffic: This scenario could be reality in a few years, but the biggest roadblock is not technology, says a survey of automotive industry managers.
Chips Slump as Drivers Falter News & Analysis 9/16/2015 1 comment The Internet of Things won’t be enough to revive a semiconductor industry amid slowing PC, tablet and smartphone drivers, a Gartner analyst said.
Dresden Memory Startup To Debut At Semicon Europa News & Analysis 9/15/2015 4 comments A startup company that is working on a ferroelectric non-volatile memory technology based on hafnium oxide is set to make its debut at the Semicon Europa exhibition taking place in Dresden, Germany, October 6 to 8.
Software Regulates Voltage in Everyday APUs News & Analysis 9/14/2015 Post a comment Instead of using a higher-speed application processor or a dedicated co-processor just for voltage regulation, reasearchers demonstrate how to reduce system cost by using real-time interrupts to the applications processor to regulate voltage.
4K Video Drives Up LPDDR4 Densities News & Analysis 9/14/2015 1 comment Mobile phones producing high-quality video make them a high priority target for DRAM, although devices such as smart appliances and automotive systems are also a growing market.
Smart Prosthetics to Learn Mind Reading News & Analysis 9/11/2015 3 comments Smart prosthetics, where the prostetic learns to read the human brain's signals instead of the human learning the prosthetic's signals, is the focus of a project sponsored by the directors of the European Union's Human Brain Project, École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL).
IoT Lacks Tools, Says EDA Vet News & Analysis 9/11/2015 3 comments The coming world of networked sensors demands a new class of design tools, Berkeley researcher and EDA veteran Alberto Sangiovanni-Vincentelli said at a DARPA event.
AMD Forms Graphics Chip Business Group News & Analysis 9/10/2015 2 comments AMD, which was reportedly considering spinning off its graphics chip business earlier this summer, has created the Radeon Technologies group to “solidify position as graphics industry leader.”
Smart Inks Monitor Glucose News & Analysis 9/10/2015 Post a comment Researchers at the University of California San Diego are working toward the holy grail of sensor technology – non-invasive glucose testing. A team at the school’s Jacobs School of Engineering developed high-tech bio-inks that react with several chemicals, including glucose, to create temporary sensors.
New York Investor Offers to Buy Korea's MagnaChip News & Analysis 9/10/2015 Post a comment New York based investment firm Pleasant Lake Partners LLC has made an offer to acquire MagnaChip Semiconductor Corp. (Seoul, South Korea) a designer and manufacturer of analog and mixed-signal ICs and a provider of foundry services.
DARPA Enlists Civilians to Secure U.S. Tech Lead News & Analysis 9/10/2015 4 comments The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) hosts a three-day conference called "Wait What?" (St. Louis, Mo.) for researchers in industry, academia and government to share ideas that will keep the U.S. ahead of the rest of the world in technology.
Freescale Buys CogniVue News & Analysis 9/10/2015 3 comments Freescale acquired CogniVue. The biggest benefit for Freescale is that it will be able to integrate inside its ADAS SoCs “automotive-qualified vision IP, instead of IP retrofitted for safety after the design,” according to the company.
Intel-led Group Touts OIC 1.0 Over Rival IoT Specs News & Analysis 9/10/2015 1 comment The Open Interconnect Consortium has made public its long-waited Internet of Things candidate specification 1.0. "The big unresolved problem with IoT is not about ‘things.’ But it’s about the network,” said OIC executive director.


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Pokemon Company president Tsunekazu Ishihara says that Pokken Tournament is a game aimed at the adults who grew up with the original games.
You may have heard of Pokken Tournament, the strange, arcade-only Pokemon fighting game being developed in a collaboration between Nintendo and Tekken publisher Bandai Namco. It’s a very different type of Pokemon game, not just in genre, but also in visual style, and that’s completely intentional according to Pokemon Company president Tsunekazu Ishihara. Ishihara explains that Pokken Tournament isn’t being made to appeal to children, but to those adults who grew up with the original Red and Blue games.
“Considering that many of the people in the generation who experienced Red and Green are now nearing their thirties, and those who were in elementary school then are now in university, we aimed to make a game for those who grew up playing Pokemon-rather than just target children,” Ishihara said in an interview with Japanese TV program NHK World. “The bottom line is, we want to show adults that this is the new Pokemon, and get them to play.”
Namco’s Katsuhiro Harada also piped up to talk a bit about the challenges of making an arcade-exclusive title in this day and age. While not quite in the dire straits of America’s arcade scene, Japan’s scene has been struggling more and more these days, as more and more gamers are preferring to play in the comfort of their own homes.
“Players can quit a game after just one try if they find it boring,” he says. “Seeing people quit after spending a hundred yen or even watching them play from behind and hearing their reactions firsthand can be very tough. There’ve been countless games that have been unable to re-coup their production costs after customers say things like ‘this is not fun’ or ‘this isn’t good at all!’ I mean, it’s all for nothing if nobody wants to play, even after spending a stupendous amount of money to develop the software, to cover the cost of the expense of the chassis, and the costly system that serves as the base. It can really be an unforgiving market.”
To combat this, Harada designed the game with the strange-yet-familar controller we saw revealed earlier in the year. “Envisioning that our customers were Pokemon fans and maybe new to arcade games, we decided to forego the usual buttons-and-joystick approach common to arcade games, and opted for a controller people would be familiar with from home gaming, with the D-Pad, four buttons, and the L and R buttons,” says Harada. “When they visit an arcade and see this controller, even those who play at home-which is now the trend-might just think ‘I can play this one’.”
Finally, Ishihara was positive about a localization of the game in the west, stating that “I think the possibility definitely exists.”


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iOS VPN App
Apple’s new 8th Generation iPad is back on sale for $299 at Amazon, with inventory expected to be in stock by Dec. 13 for Christmas gift-giving.
Pick up Apple’s standard 32GB 2020 iPad (Wi-Fi) in Gold for $299, a $30 discount off retail. Or opt for the 128GB version for $395 and save $35 off MSRP. Both of these deals deliver the lowest 10.2-inch iPad prices available on the latest models with delivery dates at press time scheduled just in time for Christmas.


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THE PHILIPPINE government’s move to grant value-added tax (VAT) refunds for foreign tourists is expected to boost the tourism industry’s recovery from the coronavirus pandemic.
President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. is expected to issue an executive order to implement the VAT refund program for foreign tourists by 2024, Malacañang said on Sunday. No details were given.
“The VAT refund for tourists can (encourage) tourists to spend more here in the Philippines as this practice is also done in many developed economies with huge arrival figures,” John Paolo R. Rivera, an economist at the Asian Institute of Management, said in a Viber message.
The Philippines applies a uniform 12% VAT on nearly all sales of services and imports in the country.
Many countries currently offer VAT refunds to tourists upon their departure. For instance, tourists can claim a VAT refund on purchases made in European Union member countries, such as Spain, France and Italy, but the minimum purchase required to qualify for refunds would depend per country.
Aside from the VAT refund scheme, Mr. Marcos on Jan. 26 approved other recommendations by the Private Sector Advisory Council (PSAC) such as the rollout of e-visas by 2023 with priority given to Chinese and Indian nationals, and the removal of the One Health Pass.
The PSAC had also recommended the revocation of outdated advisories and loud-speaker announcements at all airports, as well as the automatic inclusion of travel tax in all airline tickets.
“These are great initiatives to energize tourism and create more jobs… We need initiatives like this to become world-class, then world-beating,” Makati Business Club Executive Director Francisco Alcuaz, Jr., said in a Viber message on Sunday.
The Department of Tourism (DoT) reported 2.65 million international visitor arrivals as of end-December 2022, which translated to P209 billion in tourism revenues. The DoT exceeded its target of 1.7 million tourist arrivals last year, as government began easing travel restrictions.
Of the total, there were 39,627 foreign arrivals from China and 51,542 from India.
While last year’s tourist arrivals are significantly bigger than the 163,879 recorded in 2021, it is still a far cry from the 8.6 million tourist arrivals before the pandemic in 2019.
Tourism-related jobs reached 5.23 million in 2022, the DoT has said.
The Philippine government is targeting 4.8 million international tourist arrivals this year.
“With pandemic-related travel restrictions lifted, we Filipinos are ready to showcase the Philippines as a world-class tourist destination. PSAC is in support of the administration’s tourism agenda, particularly in boosting infrastructure and systems that will support the many travelers looking to discover the unique beauty of our country,” Robinsons Land Corp. President and Chief Executive Officer Frederick D. Go, who was also PSAC Tourism Sector Lead, said in a separate statement.
The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has said international tourist arrivals are projected to hit 80% to 95% of pre-pandemic levels in 2023.
“The recent reopening of several Asian source markets and destinations will contribute to consolidating the recovery in 2023,” according to the UNWTO. — J.V.D.Ordoñez


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Supermarkets are losing kids' video sales if titles are contained solely within the video rental department, according to a new study by Ingram Entertainment, La Vergne, Tenn.
The best place to merchandise children's titles is actually away from other videos -- outside of the video department, out in the main selling area of the store, the study found. Grocers who've taken the tip, according to Bill Bryant, vice president of sales, grocery and drug, have seen a 40% boost or greater in sales.
"Preferably, the titles should be placed next to the cash register -- for two reasons," said Bryant. "First, it makes the product highly visible to both consumers and store employees, which helps eliminate shrinkage. And second, the kids see it there, too. If the child sees it and wants it, a discussion happens between the kid and the parent, who is now being pressured to buy the product. The sales pitch begins."
The Ingram study noted that 90% of all foot traffic that enters a supermarket does not go into the video department. The national average of those who will rent or purchase a video in a grocery store is about 10%, which, Bryant notes, is actually a good number.
"If 10% of all consumers who enter a grocery store go to the video department to get something, that's a pretty healthy video department," he said. "But when a big sell-through title is confined solely to that department, 90% of the customers are missing it."
He noted, too, that children aren't typically attracted to a video department -- most grocery store video departments cater to adult audiences. Most video departments, too, aren't configured in a way that allows consumers to bring in a grocery cart, thus deterring them from browsing even more.
So is the checkout a store's only hot spot? Jenny Maddox, director of video advertising and marketing, WaxWorks, Owensboro, Ky., agreed that it's a great place for kidvid titles, but so are some other high-traffic areas, like the meat department.
"It's so simple, but what sells children's video in grocery stores is placement," she said. "Children's titles should be in the main action alleys, near checkout or near the meat department, or even the dairy or bread sections -- the aisles everyone goes to."
She said that should grocers opt to keep kidvid titles strictly in their video departments, there are ways to merchandise them there as well. First, have activities for the kids, such as a table with a box of Lego pieces, and second, play a children's title on the video monitor.
"A mom will appreciate being able to see a portion of a movie before she buys it," Maddox said. "She'll also appreciate that her child is being occupied while she browses for other video titles."
Video departments can also draw more attention to their children's offerings by putting Christmas lights around a poster touting a new kidvid title, or by grouping titles by a theme. For example, to draw attention to Disney's "Dinosaur," other movies with a dinosaur or jungle theme can be grouped with it.
"We've seen great success with this type of thing," she said. "People are already in the grocery store for so many different purposes. You just want to do something that will catch all eyes."
But to catch children's eyes, those titles have to be where the kids themselves can see them -- at their eye level, according to Steve Scavelli, president of Flash Electronics, Brooklyn, N.Y.
"Yes, these titles have to be near the checkout, but if they're at an adult eye level, the kids won't be looking that high," he said.
Scavelli said he's also seen grocery retailers have success with special promotions, like a Kids Day event. "Depending on the neighborhood and size of the store, we recommend to our customers that they occasionally do things like bring in a petting zoo or have a little carnival where you give out helium balloons.
"Events like these are a great opportunity to give away premium items, too, like the free T-shirts grocers get to promote certain titles."
Food retailers have the ability, too, he said, to sell children's videos for a lot less than their competition and to do in-store cross promotions.
"It's easy for a grocery store to run a promo that offers consumers a free video when they purchase a certain amount of grocery items. It's a little easier for them to do these types of promos, as opposed to specialty dealers, because people have to buy food anyway. They're going into that store regardless."
But what about smaller independents? Will these ideas work for them as well?
Dale Cooper, buyer for rack-jobber The Movie Exchange, Oaks, Pa., said that at smaller stores, aisle space is at a premium, which means that a shipper near the checkout isn't going to work, particularly if all of those videos aren't likely to sell. His solution? Get a fixture that can hold anywhere from 100 to 600 pieces, and stock it with a wide variety of children's product. Don't focus on pushing just one title.
"This is particularly great for stores that don't have a designated in-line video department," he said. "It allows grocers to put a wide variety of children's video in a prime area in the store without taking up a lot of space. It's been tremendously successful for our customers."


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AutoTrader announced Canada’s Most Trusted Automotive Awards for 2023
by CM staff
The awards celebrate and recognize the best vehicles in over 30 segments.
TORONTO — AutoTrader announced the winners for the 2023 Canada’s Most Trusted Automotive Awards.
“As the country’s leading and most trusted automotive marketplace, the AutoTrader Awards are yet another way we empower Canadians during their car-buying journey,” said Jodi Lai, Editor-in-Chief, AutoTrader. “These winners represent vehicles that go above and beyond to raise the bar so Canadians can feel more confident the next time they’re buying a car.”
Categories across AutoTrader’s season include Best Overall Car, SUV, and Truck, with the Genesis G80/Electrified G80, Subaru Outback, and Ford Maverick winning the coveted awards, respectively. The Ford F-150 Lightning was voted as the Best Overall Green Car. Toyota is named Canada’s Most Trusted Car Brand for 2023, according to a survey of Canadian consumers. This is the only category not voted on by the AutoTrader Awards jury. In total, 31 winners are named.
The jury of over 20 automotive journalists from across the country vote on the best vehicles in each segment. When voting, the judges consider a dozen different criteria including value, innovation, safety, driver satisfaction, and overall excellence. Every vehicle that’s available for Canadians to buy is eligible for an award, but each winner offers something special that takes it to the next level.
“It’s a huge accomplishment for an automotive brand to win an AutoTrader Award,” Lai said. “They should be very proud that their vehicle has earned the trust of our discerning jury and that their dedication to excellence has resulted in vehicles that Canadian car shoppers can feel confident with.”
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Single-use plastic bags will double in cost from 5p to 10p in all shops from next April, the Government has announced.
Shoppers will pay more for each bag in an attempt to reduce the UK’s plastic consumption further.
Data suggests the 5p charge, first introduced in 2015, has already reduced plastic bag usage by roughly 95 per cent in major supermarkets.
The Government says the average person in the UK now buys four plastic bags a year, compared to 140 per year in 2014.
Unlike the 2015 charge, which only applies to retailers employing 250 or more full-time staff, the 10p charge will be enforced in all shops from April 2021.
George Eustice, the Environment Secretary, said the UK had a “pioneering track record” on plastic bags.
"We have all seen the devastating impact plastic bags have on the oceans and on precious marine wildlife, which is why we are taking bold and ambitious action to tackle this issue head on,” he said.
"The UK is already a world-leader in this global effort, and our carrier bag charge has been hugely successful in taking billions of harmful plastic bags out of circulation. But we want to go further by extending this to all retailers so we can continue to cut unnecessary waste and build back greener.”
Greenpeace, the environmental campaign group, said the move was a “small step” in the right direction but called for more action, especially against major corporate producers of plastic and bags for life.
“Reinstating the previous price of carrier bags, but not taking action on bags for life, is only looking at one part of the problem,” a spokesman said.
“And it could be construed as tokenism when there are so many ways ministers know they could be driving fast and substantial reductions on plastic pollution.
“If they're increasing costs for shoppers, ministers really have no excuse not to increase costs for the companies that are responsible for the escalating volumes of single-use plastic packaging in the first place."
Carrie Symonds, the Prime Minister’s partner, campaigns on environmental issues including plastic pollution.
Ms Symonds has criticised Amazon for the quantity of plastic included in their online delivery boxes after she gave birth to the couple’s son, Wilfred.
The UK-wide 5p cost of plastic bags came after devolved parliaments in Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland introduced a levy in 2011, 2013 and 2014 respectively.
Dr Laura Foster, Head of Clean Seas at the Marine Conservation Society, said the levy had a noticeable effect on plastic in the UK’s waters.
“It’s encouraging to see the Government take further steps in reducing our reliance on single-use plastic bags,” she said.
“Since the introduction of the 5p carrier bag charge we’ve seen a more than 60 per cent drop in the number of plastic bags on the UK’s beaches.
“It’s so important we reduce our reliance on single use items and we move to a culture of reuse. This increased charge, and extending to all retailers, will help remind people of everyday, simple changes they can make to help the marine environment.”


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News tagged ‘mobile’
You probably know how the video ads on iOS look like: these are small banners placed on the bottom of the screen. To see the ad, one has to tap on the banner. Pretty simple and quite effective mechanism, I must admit.
According to N4BB, Apple will collaborate with BlackBerry to use its QNX to unleash CarPlay. QNX has officially approved Apple as its partner on the website of the company.
“Connectivity to smartphones and other mobile devices is a key strength of QNX Software Systems’ platform for car infotainment systems, and many automakers and tier one automotive suppliers use our platform to implement smartphone/head-unit integration in their vehicles. We have a long-standing partnership with Apple to ensure high-quality connectivity with their devices, and this partnership extends to support for Apple CarPlay.”
Apple’s iPad Air won the Best Mobile Tablet award at Mobile World Congress yesterday, even though the company from Cupertino did not participate in the annual exhibition devoted to all kinds of new gadgets organized and held by GSM Association in Barcelona. I must admit that the tablet deserves the award.
TechCrunch reported that Apple has acquired Burstly, the developer of the popular iOS beta testing platform TestFlight. At first it was believed to be only a rumor, but Apple has recently confirmed the purchase.
The NPD Group's Mobile Phone Track reported that Apple occupied 45% of the U.S. smartphone market in 2013. Over the year 2013 the market increased by 21%, with the total figure of 121 million smartphones sold. In Q4 the growth slowed down and were only 10% higher than those of the previous year.
A well-known member of the jailbreak community nicknamed Winocm will soon start working at Apple. As he tweeted a couple of hours ago, he’ll take up his new duties “later this year”. As to his position at the company, it remains unknown.
Apple has recently released iOS 7.0.6 to public. At the same time, the company from Cupertino seeded iOS 6.1.6 to users. Both updates contain a fix for SSL connection verification, so you should update your device. Be sure.
The company from Cupertino reportedly sold nearly 1.6 million iPhones in Russia during 2013, even though in the first half of the year Apple’s handsets were not available on Russia’s largest carriers - MegaFon, Mobile TeleSystems (MTS) and VimpelCom.
Apple’s market share on Chinese market grew one percent in the last quarter. Now the company from Cupertino takes about 7% of smartphone sales in the country, AppleInsider reports. However, I should say that these figures do not include China Mobile iPhone sales.
Following Apple’s example, Samsung will add a fingerprint sensor to its Galaxy S5. According to the latest SamMobile report, the user will have to swipe across the home key at a moderate speed to make the sensor recognize the fingerprints. Not as convenient as Apple’s Touch ID, right?
According to the latest rumors, the company from Cupertino will release its iOS 7.1 in mid-March. An unverified source claims that Apple is currently working on a new Mobile Device Management system and will release the next iOS version "around March 15."
The Chronicle reports that iWatch will be able to warn its user about a coming heart attack.
In 2011 Tomlinson Holman started working for Apple to "provide audio direction". Tomlinson Holman is a well-known audio engineer. He invented THX and 10.2 surround sound. It seems that Holman was studying blood flow sound in order to predict heart attacks.
As noted by Mary Jo Foley, Microsoft Office for iPad, codenamed 'Miramar', might be released ahead of the version for Windows, codenamed 'Gemini', though previously Steve Ballmer said he wanted the latter one to be launched first.
According to the latest
According to the latest report from LEDinside, Apple’s iPhone 6 will become slightly lighter, even though it will boast a larger display. The guys from Cupertino will probably use a new lighter frame for the next-gen handset and thinner LED backlights.


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17 May 2012 – This year is the UN’s International Year of Sustainable Energy for All). The focus is on providing energy access to the 2.7 billion people worldwide who still rely on traditional biomass for cooking and heating, and the 1.4 billion who have no access to electricity.
Every week I hear of yet another low-cost, small-scale renewable energy product, which has come to market and proved itself in a “demonstration” project.
Which begs the question: Why hasn’t it proved itself at scale?
The small-scale solar lamp market is a good case study as to the issues with energy access. There is the camp which says the main issue is that product quality is not up to scratch see this report by GTZ Then there is the camp which says the products are fine, and produces awards each year to say as much (see Lighting Africa the World Bank’s program to develop commercial off-grid lighting markets).
Good Return, the organisation I am working with across Southeast Asia, has seen some success – there are a handful of interesting products which have somewhat proven themselves in the market.
Like the Coke-bottle solution featured in The New York Times , which brings light into dark, shuttered homes free of charge.
Then there is Australia’s own Barefoot Power , which produce small solar desk lamps for as little as $15. This has been a clear favourite among the villagers I’ve been surveying here in Indonesia. The lamps will last 2-3 years and can be paid back with the cost of around six months’ worth of kerosene.
The next step up in the small solar scale is Tough Stuff’s overhead lamp. Having been keen enough to see what their product can survive through, the company has thrown it off buildings, into blenders and under trucks. And they’ve got the videos on their website to prove it. In the Philippines we’ve seen their products dropped into buckets of water, bent by kids, walked all over – and still live to see another day.
At the top of the solar lamp pyramid is Sundaya , which industry experts have long lauded as “the best thing on the market.” When I showed it to the Indonesians, they loved the brightness of the lamp, but unfortunately weren’t so enthusiastic about the price.
And in my opinion it is this last statement which may prove the answer to the scale issue. The Indonesian farmers I am working with happily use poor-quality head torches that need to be replaced all the time. The light may be substantially less useful, but the cost per year is half that of the Sundaya lamp. The product is also readily available at the local market and they already effectively pay in “installments,” by purchasing replacement batteries.
The brightness they would gain from the Sundaya lamp just isn’t worth the additional cost and effort for a product they don’t understand.
This is part of a series on the UN’s International Year of Sustainable Energy for All. You can read the first in the series here. You can catch Monique on Twitter (@moniquealfris) or on her blog: https://moniquealfris.com.


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Browse the latest corporate news from Villa Restaurant Group.
Villa Italian Kitchen, one of America’s favorite quick-service pizza brands, today announced that it is introducing two meaty new items to its menu this fall featuring everyone’s favorite Italian classic - the meatball.
Morristown-based Villa Restaurant Group announced that it has expanded its international presence with the opening of its newest Villa Italian Kitchen restaurant in Egypt.
South Philly Cheesesteaks & Fries today announced the addition of two new handcrafted Old-School Sodas to its menu.
It’s The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year: Villa Italian Kitchen Announces 8th Annual Have A Slice Day Sponsored By Dr Pepper
Pizza lovers rejoice! Back by popular demand in honor of National Pizza Month, Villa Italian Kitchen today announced that it is hosting its 8th annual Have A Slice Day on Tuesday, October 17.
Villa Italian Kitchen, one of America’s favorite quick-service pizza brands, is jumping on the bandwagon and demanding its piece of the pie - with the intro of the first-ever Pumpkin Spice Pizza.
South Philly Cheesesteaks & Fries announced that its guest-favorite crispy chicken sandwich, formerly known as the Chick Philly, will remain on its menu despite a legal threat from a certain unnamed chicken brand’s legal counsel.
Villa Italian Kitchen Introduces The Mooch: The Most Front-Stabbingly Delicious Spaghetti, Meatball & Salad Combo
Villa Italian Kitchen, one of America’s favorite quick-service pizza brands, today announced the launch of The Mooch - the most front-stabbingly delicious spaghetti, meatball and Caesar salad combination meal available on the market.
Times Square’s Villa Italian Kitchen To Reward Commuters For Surviving The First Week Of The “Summer Of Hell”
Villa Italian Kitchen, one of America’s favorite quick-service pizza brands, will reward Manhattan-bound train commuters for surviving the first week of the “Summer of Hell.”
Swimsuit season is finally here, meaning it’s time to hit the beaches, pools and lakes to have some serious fun in the sun.
Villa Italian Kitchen Heads South Of The Border With New Chorizo Menu Items, Pepsi® And Chivas De Guadalajara Soccer Team
Villa Italian Kitchen today announced that it is taking its customers on a flavor vacation this summer with the addition of three delicious, limited-time-only menu items featuring on-trend chorizo.
Villa Restaurant Group, global multi-brand restaurant operator and franchisor, is proud to announce that Andrew Steinberg has been promoted to Chief Operating Officer, effective immediately.
On Tuesday, March 14, in celebration of National Pi Day, the geniuses at Villa Italian Kitchen are offering full-size Neapolitan Cheese Pizzas to guests for $3.14, at locations nationwide.*
Villa Italian Kitchen announced that it is turning the flavor up a notch with the addition of two new menu items featuring the sweet and spicy taste of Frank´s RedHot® Stingin' Honey Garlic™ Sauce.
Villa Italian Kitchen Announces The Launch Of The #AlternateFacts Zero-Calorie Meat Lovers Pizza Nationwide
Villa Italian Kitchen, one of America’s favorite quick-service pizza brands, has finally mastered what pizza fanatics watching their waistbands have been waiting for: The #AlternateFacts Zero-Calorie Meat Lovers Pan Pizza.
Villa Restaurant Group Announces Key Promotion Within Newly Formed Communications And Digital Marketing Department
Villa Restaurant Group is proud to announce that the company has made a significant promotion within its newly formed Communications and Digital Marketing Department.
Villa Italian Kitchen, one of America’s favorite quick-service pizza brands, today announced that it is turning up the heat this fall with the addition of three new menu items featuring the original Huy Fong Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce and Pop!
Just when you thought that South Philly Cheesesteaks & Fries couldn’t get any more delicious, the quick-service cheesesteak brand raises the taste bar once again, combining the taste of South Philly with the world’s favorite cookie.
October is National Pizza Month, and to celebrate, Villa Italian Kitchen is hosting its 7th annual Have a Slice Day on Monday, October 24, offering fans the opportunity to receive a free slice of one of the world’s favorite foods – pizza.
Pro football season is almost among us – meaning that die-hard fans nationwide are pontificating how their teams will fare in 2016/2017.
Villa Italian Kitchen Celebrates A Year On The Job For One Of America’s Favorite Late Night Hosts With Free Slices For “Stephen’s”
It has been a full year since one of America’s favorite late night hosts took over the reins of the Ed Sullivan Theater. To celebrate the occasion, Villa Italian Kitchen today announced that it will honor the September 8 anniversary of the show.
Villa Restaurant Group announced that it has hired Enrico Cundari, CPA as the new Controller of its corporate finance team.
Villa Restaurant Group Officially Cuts The Ribbon To Open Its New Food Hall At Orlando International Airport
On Tuesday, May 10, Villa Restaurant GroupSM, global multi-brand restaurant operator and franchisor, cut the ribbon to officially open the counters of its highly-anticipated new food hall at the Orlando International Airport.
Villa Restaurant Group is proud to announce that the company has made some significant changes to its marketing department, reorganizing the team into two divisions, and promoting key employees to steer the charge for each.
2016 is a Leap Year, and Villa Italian Kitchen is stepping in to help make the day extra special for all the “leaplings” out there who can only celebrate their actual birthdays once every four years.
Villa Italian Kitchen Hosts ‘Pizza With Purpose’ Campaign To Give Back Peace Joy & Pizza Sweepstakes Starts Today
Villa Restaurant Group, global multi-brand restaurant operator and franchisor, announced Villa Italian Kitchen restaurants have kicked off its first-ever “Pizza with Purpose” campaign with a PEACE, JOY & PIZZA Sweepstakes.
Villa Enterprises, announced a company name change to Villa Restaurant Group? effective immediately.
Villa Enterprises announced they will open four restaurants in SIMON Tampa Premium Outlets at 2398 Grand Cypress Drive, Lutz, FL 33559, at the grand opening today.
New Bacon Ranch Chicken Philly Cheesesteak Joins South Philly Cheesesteaks & Fries Menu For A Limited Time
Villa Enterprises, global multi-brand restaurant operator and franchisor, announced their South Philly Cheesesteaks & Fries restaurants have added a new Bacon Ranch Chicken Philly Cheesesteak to the menu for a limited time.
Villa Enterprises Management announced today their Villa Italian Kitchen restaurants have introduced a new Chicken Chipotle Stromboli made with Tabasco® Chipotle Sauce to their Stromboli menu.
Villa Italian Kitchen To Celebrate National Pizza Month With 6th Annual Free Slice Day Tuesday, October 13th
Villa Enterprises, global multi-brand restaurant operator and franchisor, announced Villa Italian Kitchen will celebrate National Pizza Month this October.
Villa Restaurant Group is a global multi-brand restaurant operator and franchisor. Founded in 1964 by Michele Scotto, a Naples, Italy native, Villa Restaurant Group, began as a small pizzeria next to the Ed Sullivan Theater in New York City.
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Appliances retailer AO World has reported a sharp drop in profits after the cost of its launch in Germany offset a 25 per cent jump in half-year sales.
The Bolton-based online business said pre-tax profit fell to £779,000 in the six months to the end of September from £2.1m a year ago, after incurring £3.3m of costs from the October launch of its German business.
The firm, which sells washing machines and fridges and was launched in 2000 by founder and chief executive John Roberts, said total sales for the period were up by just over a quarter to £217.1m.
AO World’s new unit was launched six months ahead of schedule and it said that although customer feedback is positive, German trading losses will reduce group trading profit for the full year. Shares fell more than 3 per cent.
Chief executive Mr Roberts said: “Although Germany has only been operating a number of weeks, we are delighted with the way our culture has transferred, with the way it’s operating and with the way sales are building.”
The firm added it was confident about future opportunities in Europe.
In May the UK site began selling smaller appliances such as TVs and sound systems. It said it was developing its experience in this category and expected to sell more of these appliances in the next financial year.
The business has also recently launched a consumer finance operation in the UK, which will allow it to reach a wider range of customers.
Cantor Fitzgerald analyst Mike Dennis said that AO World’s new European arm “will need to gain share in Germany quickly to absorb start-up costs.”
AO World floated on the London stock market in February, at 285p a share, and is one of a number of market debutants that now trade below their offer price.


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EA have confirmed today that it’s gaming franchise FIFA is the first gaming brand to smash through the £1 billion sales mark here in the UK.
It’s latest incarnation FIFA ’13 was the franchise’s best seller last year, and before that it was FIFA ’12. 13 Has contributed some 200 million sales towards FIFA’s new benchmark of 1 billion.
It blows Call of Duty and Mario out of the water as it’s closest rivals with Call of Duty netting some 800 million sales thus far from it’s 19 titles.
What is more amazing is that the figure is no doubt more as the data company Chart-Track was only established in 1996 and only bases it’s numbers on sales since then. FIFA did of course start before then so you can no doubt add a couple million more on top of all that.


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Thanksgiving weekend always spurs a flurry of purchases, and consumers drifted from channel to channel to score some cool deals.
According to the Custora E-Commerce Pulse, a dashboard for U.S. e-commerce statistics, the amount of e-commerce revenue generated from Thanksgiving to Cyber Monday increased 16.4% compared to last year; plus, the number of orders jumped 14.6%. Mobile helped facilitate this avalanche of purchases; in fact, 32.1% of the e-commerce orders made last weekend were placed on mobile devices.
Email also helped consumers unthaw their wallets. According to the dashboard, email drove 23.3% of e-commerce orders. However, social was the one channel that didn’t snowball; it only generated 1.6% of e-commerce orders.