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FROM PRINT TO THE WEB - GOING 100% ONLINE
Disruptions, while commonplace these days, have not been as widespread or impactful on a global scale. It’s a trial by fire for businesses as they can use this opportunity to really up their game. For Adib Abu Bakar, the owner of Percetakan Darul Rizq – a graphic and art printing service, it’s not all about optimising.
As the Movement Control Order (MCO) is now going into its fourth week, businesses all over are now looking to get up to speed digitally so they can adjust with the current times. After all, Malaysians are an adaptable and versatile lot.
What did Adib do to keep his printing operations going? Can others emulate him and get back to work?
Adib’s business, based in Felda Jelai @ Gemas, Negeri Sembilan, was one of the earlier ones to embrace the idea of digitalisation. While going online is not traditional for a printing shop, Adib knew it was a necessary if he wanted to expand his customer outreach and remotely manage his operations.
In taking his operations online, Adib avoided any disruptions and even managed to complete all job orders. In fact, sales have gone up by as much as 50%. “The spike in orders, which came through Shopee, were mostly framed canvasses. As for the sales that came in from Facebook and Instagram, they’re all stickers and banners,” he revealed.
Revenue wise, Adib disclosed how his printing services is already generating close to RM5,000 a month. This was before the MCO started. As Malaysia moved into two-and-a-half weeks of the MCO, Percetakan Darul Ridz managed to hit the RM5,000 mark and is now looking to reach RM8,000 by mid/end-April.
“Before the MCO took place, I was already running online marketing and customer engagement on Facebook and Instagram. Since we’re all operating from home now, the business is now 100% focused online and all orders and enquiries are now managed via social media platforms. The switch was almost immediate,” Adib shared.
The MCO has brought on several challenges for different businesses. In fact, Adib’s business had to find other means to get printing supplies when his primary sources shut down.
“All the issues we faced as a business are mostly on how we need to ensure there is no supply shortage. Since sales are still coming in, even from before MCO became enforced, we cannot afford to run out of printing supplies. To avoid this, an arrangement was made with supportive merchants nearby to ensure a steady flow of consumables can be sent over,” he added.
In order to deliver his work on time, Adib now solely runs the printing processes at his own shop. While his storefront remains closed, orders are still coming on via his online platforms.
Riding the Wave
What has changed for Adib and his business when the MCO first started?
“Personally, this situation has provided my printing service with a lot of advantages. This includes being able to communicate more efficiently with customers and tracking the entire workflow – from design to printing production and delivery. Since there is an online presence for my business, it’s easy to say that we have an unfair advantage over the competition. In fact, more orders are coming in because we’re already contactable online,” he shared.
While his business continues to thrive during the MCO, it’s become clear to him that his focus must be 100% online. “At least for this period, we will be powering all the way via web-based platforms. Having more time now also means getting the chance to explore new technologies out there. It’ll be a real shame how, being in the digital era now, we don’t use this opportunity to discover, learn and understand what these innovations can do to bring out the full potential of our businesses. Personally, it is truly the best time to try new things while amplifying the marketing for our offerings,” Adib added.
Once the MCO lifts, the young entrepreneur is looking to buy large-scale printers. “This is part of my expansion plan as I want to literally and figuratively scale-up!” he shared.


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Samsung Plans to Launch a Flip Phone-Style Device With 6.7-inch Bendable Display Early Next Year
Undeterred by its recent Galaxy Fold un-launch, Samsung is apparently set to unveil a luxury smartphone early next year that can be folded down into a compact-sized square, according to a new report from Bloomberg.
The South Korean smartphone giant is working on a device with a 6.7-inch inner display that shrinks to a pocketable square when it's folded inward like a clamshell, according to people familiar with the product's development.
The smartphone giant is said to be collaborating with American designer Thom Browne on the upcoming phone, with the aim of "appealing to a broader range of consumers that includes those more interested in fashion, status and luxury than a device's tech specs." At the same time, the device will reportedly feature cutting-edge display technology and offer the nostalgic appeal of rejuvenating the flip-phone form factor.
The foldable phone is said to include a hole-punch selfie camera at the top of the inner display, while on the outside it will have two cameras that face rearwards when the phone is open and become front-facing when the device is flipped closed.
According to the paper's sources, Samsung aims to make its second bendable smartphone more affordable and thinner than this year's Galaxy Fold, although the launch of the successor device "may... hinge on how well the Fold performs after its imminent launch."
On that note, Samsung is said to have completed its redesign of the Galaxy Fold to resolve the multiple display failures that led to its delay. The South Korean company originally planned to roll out its $1,980 foldable phone on April 26, but was forced to delay the launch after several units sent out to reviewers broke during testing.
All of the issues were related to the device's screen, which was vulnerable to debris ingress. The new version of the Galaxy Fold, featuring several design and construction improvements, is now set to launch in September in select markets, with specific launch details to be shared as a launch approaches.
There have been some suggestions that Apple is exploring folding screen technology, but right now there are no rumors indicating Apple plans to actually release a foldable smartphone in the near future.

domain: news


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Nokia E90 hits FCC with lots of 3G bands -- destination T-Mobile?
Chris Ziegler|March 2, 2007 7:31 PM
3G smartphone after sweet 3G smartphone -- none of which packed even a lick of compatibility on US bands -- Nokia's going to rock its newest undisputed king of the hill, the E90, with every band we could possibly hope for? Of course, we don't want to count our chickens 'fore they're hatched lest we get fooled again, but the presence of Nokia's latest QWERTY-based Communicator device in the FCC's trusted hands sporting WCDMA on the 850, 1700, and 1900MHz bands is a very promising sign, indeed. As a refresher, T-Mobile will be launching its WCDMA network this year -- the last of the four national carriers to go 3G -- on the freshly-minted 1700MHz band, leaving future users without much of a handset selection from which to choose (as in, zero devices so far and few on the roadmap). But hey, with phones like this seemingly sitting in T-Mobile's pipeline, that's just fine by us.


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Agro Exports Top $5 Billion
EghtesadOnline: More than 5.81 million tons of agricultural products worth close to $5.69 billion were exported from Iran in the last fiscal year that ended on March 20, registering a 21.8% and 3.6% growth in weight and value respectively compared with the previous year, a deputy agriculture minister said.
“Agro products accounted for 4.5% of the tonnage and 13% of the value of Iran’s total non-oil exports last year. Farmed products made up 63.5% and 47.5% of the volume and value respectively and had the biggest share of the exported agro products. Horticultural, livestock and poultry products followed,” Abdolmehdi Bakhshandeh was also quoted by IRNA as saying. Pistachio and tomato paste had the largest share of exports in terms of value. Bakhshandeh added that the import of agricultural products decreased by 5.9% and 1.1% in terms of weight and value respectively last year, Financial Tribune reported.


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Charles Arthur, writing for The Guardian:
The real question is whether the watch can become an
unstoppable money-maker like the iPhone rather than a
shorter-term fizz like the iPad — which nevertheless generated
$27.8bn in revenue in 2014.
That seems awfully dismissive of the iPad’s continuing success. Yes, unit sales are down, but they’re not collapsing, and as Arthur says, they generated $27 billion in revenue last year. If Apple Watch is as successful as iPad, that would be an amazing success story for Apple. Amazing.
(I can even imagine a scenario where Apple Watch sales taper off like iPad’s have. I think a major difference between iPad and iPhone is that phone users upgrade every two or three years — partly because of contracts and the subsidies carriers offer, and partly because phones take a physical beating. A lot of people out there bought an iPad a few years ago and they’re still using it. Apple Watch could be like that — not something you buy and replace every two years, but something you buy and just use for many years. Maybe not “many years” by the standards of mechanical watches, but “many years” by the standards of the phone market.)
★ Monday, 9 March 2015


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Warsaw-based Central European Distribution Corporation (CEDC), the world’s largest vodka producer with annual sales exceeding 270m litres, has decided not to pursue an acquisition of Nemiroff, the Ukrainian vodka producer.
Nemiroff is the world’s third biggest vodka company in terms of sales, and is estimated to be worth more than $300m. In addition to CEDC, other parties reported to be interested in Nemiroff include Russian Alcohol Group, Brown-Forman, Pernod Ricard and Stock Spirits of Poland. Founded in 1992, Nemiroff saw its net sales fall 14% in 2009 to $217.6m and net profit by 50% to $38.3m with debt standing at $10.5m.
CEDC enjoys leading positions in its key markets of Poland, Russia and Hungary and is also a major importer and distributor of alcoholic beverages. The group’s brand portfolio includes BOLS, Zubrowka, Absolwent and Soplica in Poland; Green Mark and Parliament in Russia; and Royal Vodka in Hungary. CEDC is also major exporter, selling its brands, in particular Zubrowka, Green Mark and Parliament. Zubrowka is exported to over 40 countries around the world, including the US, the UK, France and Japan.
“We have decided to withdraw from the sale process of Nemiroff. We have full respect for the management of the Nemiroff Group, who have been able to build a successful brand over the last ten years, but after thorough analysis we have determined that it is not in the company’s interests to continue to pursue this transaction at this time,” comments William Carey, president and chief executive of CEDC.
He adds: “We have invested over $1.5 billion over the last three years in Russia and will look to maximize the return on this deployed capital. We believe we have a solid leading market position to capture further growth in the region in the next three to five years and management will continue to focus on maximizing this opportunity.”
CEDC was going to use the net proceeds from the expected sale of its Polish distribution business, as partial consideration for the acquisition of Nemiroff. CEDC is still on track to close the sale of its Polish distribution business to Eurocash at the beginning of August 2010, and will then determine the use of the proceeds. The distribution business being sold has an estimated operating profit of $17-21m on projected net sales revenue of approximately $675m for 2010.


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The DreamWorks Experience was officially launched at Cotai Strip Resorts earlier this week in Macau. The new attraction is the brainchild of Sand China Ltd. and DreamWorks Animation.
The DreamWorks Experience is and interactive and immersive experience that is hoped to increase the number of families visiting Cotai Strip Resorts. The resort currently offers 9,000 hotel rooms and suites, live entertainment, duty-free shopping at over 600 stores, gaming and more than 100 dining options.
“The DreamWorks Experience at Cotai Strip Resorts is a milestone development for family-friendly entertainment in Macao," said Edward Tracey, president and chief executive officer of Sands China Ltd.”Sands China remains committed to offering high-calibre, diverse entertainment options in Macao; with the DreamWorks Experience at Cotai Strip Resorts, we continue our commitment to the diversification of Macao's tourism industry it's a great attraction for visitors of all ages, providing fun activities for the whole family to enjoy.”
Guests at the launch on Monday were treated to previews of some of the interactive experiences the new attraction will offer. Included in the previews was a ‘Shrekfast’, a DreamWorks- themed breakfast which will be available with hotel packages and a character parade.
"This incredible integrated resort city is a world class destination for families and the perfect place for visitors to enjoy the DreamWorks Experience," said Yoshi Maruyama, global head of location based entertainment at DreamWorks Animation. "The immersive offerings bring our characters to life and will delight fans of all ages at Cotai Strip Resorts Macao."
Image sources: 1 2 3


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SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) ‚ÄĒ Don‚Äôt expect to see Danica Patrick take her clothes off, kiss a girl or do anything else risque during the next Super Bowl.
GoDaddy will again feature its famed spokeswoman in its infamous Super Bowl ads, but the website domain provider said Thursday it is canning the risque innuendo. GoDaddy‚Äôs advertising campaign has leaned toward sexually suggestive themes since its early days when WWE diva Candice Michelle was the company spokeswoman.
But since Blake Irving took over as CEO in January, he‚Äôs tried to shift GoDaddy‚Äôs advertising focus toward its actual company message.
‚Äú2014 marks a new era for GoDaddy Super Bowl commercials,‚ÄĚ Irving said in a statement Thursday.
GoDaddy has purchased two 30-second spots, one for each half of the Feb. 2 game, and the company said Thursday ‚Äúat least one of the two spots will feature‚ÄĚ Patrick. The NASCAR driver has appeared in 12 Super Bowl commercials ‚ÄĒ more than any other celebrity.
‚ÄúI love what‚Äôs going on at GoDaddy,‚ÄĚ said Patrick, spokesperson for the company for nearly seven years. ‚ÄúSince our last Super Bowl, I‚Äôve been to the new Silicon Valley office and talked with customers who are genuinely grateful for how GoDaddy helps them grow their businesses online. GoDaddy is for the go getter, the ‚Äôlittle guy‚Äô looking to compete with the ‚Äôbig guys‚Äô and I love that.‚ÄĚ
GoDaddy teased last year that it might be dropping Patrick from its campaign, only to use her in both Super Bowl spots. Her most prolific appearance came in a commercial starring supermodel Bar Refaeli, who made out on screen with a nerd. The ad ranked last in USA Today‚Äôs annual Super Bowl ad meter.
Patrick made a cameo as a pilot in the second spot, which didn‚Äôt score much higher in USA Today‚Äôs poll.
Patrick‚Äôs first Super Bowl spot was in 2007, but GoDaddy first began using the Super Bowl to advertise in 2005 when it spoofed Janet Jackson‚Äôs ‚Äúwardrobe malfunction‚ÄĚ in its commercial. Although consumers often had no idea what GoDaddy was or offered, and the ads generally tanked in polls, they always had television viewers talking during the biggest advertising night of the year.
GoDaddy chief marketing officer Barb Rechterman said the 2005 Super Bowl debut got the company a lot of attention, but GoDaddy has changed as it hits its 10-year advertising anniversary with the game.
‚ÄúWe‚Äôve matured. We‚Äôve evolved,‚ÄĚ Rechterman said. ‚ÄúOur new brand of Super Bowl commercials will make it crystal clear what we do and who we stand for. We may be changing our approach, but as we‚Äôve always said, we don‚Äôt care what the critics think. We are all about our customers.‚ÄĚ
The Super Bowl spots will be produced by Deutsch New York, the same agency that helped GoDaddy relaunch its brand last September with the ‚ÄúIt‚Äôs Go Time‚ÄĚ campaign featuring Jean-Claude Van Damme.


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EPA Moves to Ban 12 D-Con Mouse and Rat Control Products
Action Will Prevent Thousands of Accidental Exposures Among Children Each Year
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is moving to ban the sale of 12 D-Con mouse and rat poison products produced by Reckitt Benckiser Inc. because these products fail to comply with current EPA safety standards. Approximately 10,000 children a year are accidentally exposed to mouse and rat baits; EPA has worked cooperatively with companies to ensure that products are both safe to use around children and effective for consumers. Reckitt Benckiser Inc., maker of D-Con brand products, is the only rodenticide producer that has refused to adopt EPA's safety standards for all of its consumer use products.
"Moving forward to ban these products will prevent completely avoidable risks to children, said James Jones, acting assistant administrator for EPA's Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention. "With this action, EPA is ensuring that the products on the market are both safe and effective for consumers."
The agency has worked with a number of companies during the last five years to develop safer rodent control products that are effective, affordable, and widely available to meet the needs of consumers. Examples of products meeting EPA safety standards include Bell Laboratories' Tomcat products, PM Resources' Assault brand products and Chemsico's products.
The EPA requires rodenticide products for consumer use to be contained in protective tamper-resistant bait stations and prohibits pellets and other bait forms that cannot be secured in bait stations. In addition, the EPA prohibits the sale to residential consumers of products containing brodifacoum, bromadiolone, difethialone, and difenacoum because of their toxicity to wildlife.
For companies that have complied with the new standards in 2011, EPA has received no reports of children being exposed to bait contained in bait stations. EPA expects to see a substantial reduction in exposures to children when the 12 D-Con products that do not comply with current standards are removed from the consumer market as millions of households use these products each year.
For a complete list of the homeowner use rat and mouse products that meet the EPA's safety standards, visit: http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/mice-and-rats/rodent-bait-station.html.
For a complete list of Reckitt Benckiser Inc.'s non-compliant products, visit: http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/mice-and-rats/cancellation-process.html#cancellation.


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Financial technology platform Flutterwave has announced a partnership with global payment system PayPal to process payments for freelancers and other merchants.
“As we build the largest payment infrastructure in Africa, we also know that Africa does not exist in isolation,” Flutterwave CEO Olugbenga Agboola tweeted. “We need to connect Africa to the world when it comes to payments and we took a closer step to that today.
A statement by Flutterwave on its website said the partnership will help companies pay African businesses and help them sell to the world as it provides access to over 377 million potential customers.
How to receive PayPal payments on Flutterwave
These steps, according to Flutterwave, is a quick guide on how to maximise the partnership between Flutterwave and PayPal to receive payments.
First, make sure you’re a registered business on Flutterwave.
Next, go into your dashboard, and follow these instructions on how to enable a payment method. Select PayPal from the list and that’s all.
PayPal will then be displayed as an option on your checkout and your customers can checkout using that option.
How does a PayPal user pay a Flutterwave merchant?
On a Flutterwave merchant’s checkout page, look out for the “Pay with PayPal” option.
Click the “Pay with PayPal” button, and follow the prompt as it redirects you to your PayPal account to complete your payment as usual.
After the payment, you are automatically redirected to the merchant’s checkout page as payment is confirmed on the modal.
NOTE: PayPal transaction fees of 4.4% of the transaction value + $0.30 per transaction apply.


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This week Republican lawmakers in the
Republican controlled US Senate gave up any pretense, as did their
in the House earlier, they were in those powerful jobs to serve the
people and not huge corporations, Wall Street and the top 1%.
It was a classic moment frozen in
time for future
generations to look back upon and understand it clearly as one of the
reasons why America is now a complete oligarchy and not a
democracy, even in
Republican lawmakers voted Tuesday
night, along with their
pals in the House before them, to give "financial institutions" -
read that Wall Street banks to your local bank to outfits like Equifax
just screwed up millions of consumer accounts big time - the legal
force their customers (you) to settle disputes in the way that benefits
big outfits best -- through
private arbitration, not in the courts and not in a
class-action lawsuits with other wronged, very angry customers.
your right to take them to court away from you
You thought you had a hard time
cold-blooded reptilian corporations to give you a fair shake before?
you haven't seen the half of it yet.
The only way consumers have been able
to force any change in
these mega-rich, powerful, monster-sized corporations is through big
lawsuits because they only understand and respect four things -- money
it and losing it), their own jobs, power and control.
And now Wall Street, the big banks
and all the huge credit
monsters that already control your life - like the massively
Equifax - have got you right where they want you.
Binding arbitration gives corporations all
Binding arbitration was invented by
precisely because it
gives corporations all the power when it comes to
consumers; precisely because that arbitration is designed in such a way
you can't win anything in 98% of these "arbitration cases" because
the corporations choose,
hire and pay the arbitrators.
You could say the arbitrators are, in
a HUGE sense, their
employees. Do you know what happens to arbitrators when they side with
consumers? Corporations dump them and go find a friendlier arbitrator
who is buttering his or her bread.
Binding arbitration is one of the
three biggest lies in the
world. They are: (1) the Mercedes is paid for (2) my divorce is final
and (3) I
promise........this binding arbitration will be fair and impartial.
Here's a couple items published by Quartz Media on the theft
of your rights thanks to Republican lawmakers:
the company that exposed
the private financial data of 143 million Americans, is set
earnings today. Are investors worried about the consequences? Not at
creates opportunity,” according
to a Wells Fargo securities researcher. He should know: His
employer, or at
least its retail banking arm, has been suffering its own credibility
after it created millions of fake accounts to get more fees out of its
Wells Fargo’s stock price is higher than when the
scandal broke in 2016, even though an additional 1.4 million fake
uncovered in August 2017.
reason his analysis rings true is what happened last
night on the floor of the US Senate: Republican lawmakers voted, along
their colleagues in the House, to give financial institutions the
force their customers to settle disputes in private arbitration.
the most pernicious aspect of the forced arbitration
clause is that most consumers don’t even realize they are giving up
in court when they sign on the dotted line.
business would never enter into an agreement like this,
whether with suppliers or other companies,” Prentiss Cox, a University
Minnesota Law Professor, says. “They would never waive their right to
court, when they don’t even know what the dispute is.”
That Quartz Media story also points
out that research on
arbitration shows "that
vanishingly few consumers come out on top; in one study of
four years of
arbitration in California, 94% of rulings favored the financial
Bloomberg News: "On Tuesday night while many
Americans were busy watching the first game of the World Series, Vice
Mike Pence trekked to Capitol Hill to hand banks one of their
legislative wins in years. Pence cast the tie-breaking vote to
all but kill a Consumer
Financial Protection Bureau rule that would have made it
much easier for people
to sue lenders over financial disputes.
With Pence’s vote, the Trump
administration sent a clear
signal: It isn’t worried about looking like it’s doing the industry’s
even after campaigning last year on a populist, anti-Wall
It may be a political risk worth
taking, some analysts said.
The issues involved aren’t necessarily well-understood by the public."
That consumer finance protection rule
(called the CFPB
regulation, which had been set to take effect next year) would’ve
use of "mandatory arbitration clauses that are buried in the fine print
contracts that consumers sign when they get credit cards or open
accounts. The language bars customers from joining class-action
requiring them to settle disputes through arbitration."
the Washington Post: " To secure a rare
legislative victory this week, Senate Republicans turned to a strategy
paid off for them in the recent past: killing policy rather than
This time, Republicans took aim at a
regulation giving U.S.
consumers more flexibility to sue their banks and other financial
The rule is widely loathed by the business community and conservative
lawmakers, many of whom opposed the creation of the agency that wrote
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
So Sen. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) turned
to an arcane legislative
tool — 1996’s Congressional Review Act. The law gives legislators a
period of time to block a new regulation before it goes into effect.
have used the measure more
than a dozen times already to roll back rules issued at the
end of the
And so the oligarchy goes.


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For the fourth year running, the European Publishers Council (EPC) is delighted to bring to its members, key policy makers and interested journalists the latest data in global media trends. A free copy is available to the press on request.
The 500 data sets and 60,000 words of analysis tell the story of a seismic transformation in content development and publishing for newspapers and magazines:
• Social Media: Reading an article or news story is in the top five activities on Facebook: publishers have proactive social media strategies and social media advertising is on the increase.
• Mobile: Publishers are adopting “mobile-first” strategies to deal with changes in competition and consumer behaviour – interaction and attention; but this affects profoundly production, distribution, monetisation, and content development. Most consumers will be using their smartphones to access media content by 2019, going straight to specific articles (not the publication’s home page) and getting there via social media and not by search. When they get there, today’s consumers want high quality, personally relevant content including on-demand video clips. In the US, people using mobile to read newspapers has gone from less than 40% in March 2014 to more than 70% in March 2015.
•Advertising: internet advertising is poised to overtake TV advertising but ad-blocking is a serious and expanding threat to publishers’ revenues as it spreads from web to mobile.
EPC Executive Director Angela Mills Wade commented: “Amidst these data sets, there are reasons for optimism and excitement about the future, despite the challenges regarding global adspend for newspapers and ad-blocking on web and mobile sites. There are many new opportunities, notably in mobile and social media, and, arguably, greater opportunity than ever to make content appealing and accessible to record numbers of consumers of all ages via their smartphones.”
Over the next year or so, the media will be subject to new and revised EU regulations in the fields of copyright, data privacy, audiovisual media services, text and data mining, and Big Data.
Angela continued: “We hope that our Global Media Trends Book will help to steer regulators and opinion formers towards appropriate and market-driven regulations based on actual worldwide digital content and usage trends. The press is a unique sector, where our values are as important to us as our profits but we do not operate on a level playing field with the big, techno-media players. Professional journalists need to be paid, trained, resourced and legally protected by their publishers. Quality content is expensive. However, regulators can help protect a free press by taking our important differences into account when legislating and making sure our pursuit of the provision of reliable information, analysis and entertainment is helped, not hindered to the benefit of all in Europe’s Digital Single Market. For in order to perform our vital role in society, our traditional media need to be financially viable.”
The EPC would like to thank Martha Stone and the World Newsmedia Network for another year’s excellent collaboration. We would also like to thank the 60 contributing research companies for their ongoing support of this valuable resource for publishers, researchers, academics and media industry stakeholders.
Link to the executive summary:


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Contributed by Clair Sauer on Nov 19, 2012
With Christmas becoming evermore a time of self-indulgence, it's all the more important that we truly pause at Thanksgiving and the beginning of the Christmas season to praise God's divine goodness.
A few weeks ago, news broke that some major retailers would be opening their doors early for Black Friday. Now, we’ve all watched over the years as Black Friday “door busters” have slipped up and up into the ever-earlier hours of that first post-Thanksgiving Day. It is no longer


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What happened to the 1700HP LM2 Streamliner?
Do you remember when we announced that a 1700 horsepower hypercar will debut at the New York Auto Show? Well, it did, after the official press days though. The first thought that comes to mind is that the prototype wasn't actually finished in time and this has caused the delay. There was even an official statement from Lyons Motor Car that the Streamliner will be available for public view during the consumer/public days of the event, because the "prototype wasn't ready".
What we have found today at the official Facebook page of the company is those two photos of poor quality that actually display the car. And I am definitely not impressed. Maybe a little surprise is there, since this actually looks like a plastic box with an odd shape that is put over very posh and expensive wheels. Could this car even sustain 1700 hp?!?! My guess is that it would fall apart.
What is more, there isn't a reliable explanation why the prototype wasn't revealed during the press days, thus missing the opportunity to be shown to the world. Or is Lyons Motor Car trying to hide some details about the Streamliner and actually avoiding questions? We would probably never know, since I sincerely doubt that this car would ever develop 1700 hp .. or even 700 hp.
If my guesses are wrong, then we'll see how this DOHC V8 powered car develops the promised horses and covers the 0-100 km/h acceleration sprint in just 2.2 seconds. Still, I doubt that Bugatti should have any fears of having this more potent rival.
Pictures Source: Lyons Motor Car via Facebook


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Love Facebook? You can now proclaim your undying love for it by wearing its signature blue on your fingertips.
For social media addicts, Facebook is officially selling a Facebook-blue nail polish called “Social Butterfly Blue”, as one of its branded products.
The lacquer priced at US$4.95 is only found at its campus store in Menlo Park, California, and has a packaging devoid of the social media giant’s “F” logo or name—it has an art deco-inspired look, with a small icon of a butterfly.
Although Facebook was introduced earlier this year, the nail polish was only recently highlighted in a picture post on Twitter by Huffington Post executive tech editor Bianca Bosker, that was spotted by Mashable.
Will Twitter, Google+ and other social networks soon jump on this fashionable bandwagon too?
(via Bianca Bosker)


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Have Drake and Rihanna been on their worst behavior?
Tuesday afternoon, Ri Ri was spotted wearing an over-sized, striped blouse and cut-off shorts, while doing some shopping at the high end baby boutique, Petit Tresor in Los Angeles. After leaving the store, the “Bad Gal’s” assistant was seen carrying a small bag. So, let’s put it all together — You have Rihanna in a big shirt, shopping at a baby store and hiding the evidence by making her assistant carry it. That means she’s pregnant, right?!
Ummm, no…not at all. The rumor mill has been buzzing about the possibility of a baby bump, but we need to see more receipts before we believe Rih and her on-again/off-again boo, Drizzy have created a baby.
Furthermore, the “Unapologetic” singer hit the town with her friends last night in a tight black dress and knee high, red boots…no baby bump in sight. Although, she did cover up with a VERY large denim jacket. Hmmm…maybe she was just cold.
Take a look at these pics and decide for yourself!
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Monro opens Mr. Tire store in Pennsylvania
Monro Muffler Brake Inc. has opened a new Mr. Tire retail store in Chambersburg, Pa., which gives the company 16 Mr. Tire locations in "The Keystone State."
"We are very pleased to now have 16 Mr. Tire locations in Pennsylvania as an added convenience to our customers," says Fred Tomarchio Jr., Tire Group president, Mr. Tire Auto Service Centers. The new store is managed by Dave Berney.
Monro has more than 200 tire outlets throughout the country, making it the fourth largest independent tire store chain in the U.S., according to the Modern Tire Dealer 100.


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Nintendo DS (DS)
at 10:43AM PST on April 20, 2010.
Article: '3DS' Launching October 2010
Nintendo's 3DS will be released a full two months in advance of Christmas this year, CVG can reveal. UK industry sources have today informed us that the platform holder is readying an October launch for the system - which it will announce at E3.
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OTTAWA — After months of mounting trade deficits with the rest of the world, Canadian exports bounced back in June — and in a big way — recording the largest surplus in shipments in nearly a decade.
That’s welcome news for an economy that is now in a shrinking pattern and flirting with another recession.
tap here to see other videos from our team.
For Canadian companies often criticized for not investing enough to support growth, with the country having to rely heavily on consumer spending to pull us out of the 2008-09 downturn, this could mark a long-awaited sea change.
Wednesday’s June export data — pointing to a 6.3-per-cent jump from the previous month and representing the biggest increase since December 2006 — helped shave Canada’s overall trade deficit to $476 million from $3.38 billion in May, according to Statistics Canada. Imports, meanwhile, were down 0.6 per cent in June.
Shipments to the United States, this country’s No. 1 trading partner, leapt 7.1 per cent and accounted for much of the rebound in total exports in June. Exports to countries other than the U.S. were up 3.8 per cent.


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Report claims global expansion a positive for U.S. growth
A January report from the Manufacturers Alliance/MAPI put forth an argument that for some in the manufacturing sector amounts to calling the sky green and the sun purple. The report contends foreign expansion by U.S. companies is good for the domestic economy.
“The most frequently expressed fear of globalization %%MDASSML%% that multinational corporations will shift production from the relatively high-wage United States to low-wage foreign countries for the purpose of reducing labor costs %%MDASSML%% is misplaced,” said Daniel J. Meckstroth, Ph.D., the chief economist for MAPI and author of the report “Globalization Complements Business Activity in the United States.”
Meckstroth said the primary motive for multinationals to invest in businesses abroad is to gain access to larger markets for their products and services. He noted that the foreign affiliates of U.S. manufacturing sold only 10% of their products back to U.S. consumers in 2004. The rest of the sales were to local and regional markets near the manufacturing site.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported in 2005 that 4.78 million people were hired at non-farm jobs each month while an average of 4.54 million people left from non-farm jobs. BLS figures also show that 5% of wormers were ‘displaced,’ losing jobs because of plant relocations, plant closings or other similar factors. Meckstroth said manufacturing job loss is due more to productivity gains than any other factor.
“The labor market in the United States is at what many economists consider non-inflationary full employment; capacity utilization in the manufacturing industry is above its long-term average; and corporate profits are the highest share of GDP in more than 40 years,” he said. “Furthermore, U.S. productivity has increased dramatically since the mid-1990s thanks to increased competition, greater innovation and advances in information technology. Globalization creates the competitive pressure on firms that leads to a higher standard of living in the United States.”


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Community’s voice heard as Razer reveals left-handed MMO gaming mouse.
Razer, the world leader in high-performance gaming hardware, is receiving an overwhelming response from its devoted community, and has decided to move forward with plans to release a left-handed version of its award-winning Naga MMO gaming mouse.
Razer CEO and Chief Gamer Min-Liang Tan promised left-handed users that the company would make a left-handed Naga if his post on Facebook reached 10,000 “Likes” before April 21. The community responded by hitting that lofty total on March 29, more than three weeks before the deadline.
“That Facebook post generated more buzz than we could’ve ever imagined, which proves that there have been a number of gamers that have had their needs ignored for some time,” said Tan. “We pride ourselves on being gamers ourselves, and we all know that there is no substitute for gaming with your dominant hand.”
Razer became the first company to offer a left-handed gaming mouse two years ago, when the company announced its DeathAdder Left-Hand Edition. Proving that it’s still serious about serving the need of its legions of left-handed users, Razer’s latest Naga is only the second professional-grade gaming mouse designed specifically for left-handed users – and Razer makes both of them.
The community is a huge part of Razer, and that’s why we have a dedicated team of community specialists that monitor and interact with fans all over the world. Razer encourages any and all of its fans to connect with the company via Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/razer) and Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/cultofrazer), and share their ideas on what could be the next big announcement. We’re always listening.


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According to Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA), yarn worth Tk1,000 crore has piled up in the warehouses of its members
Fear and frustration have gripped yarn manufacturer KM Dash (not real name) as yarn worth Tk90 crore lies unsold in his warehouse.
With only eight days left of the current month, his disappointment grows further as he has to pay his workers their wages for the month of September.
Mr Das is one of the hundreds of millers facing problems in selling the huge amount of yarn and fabrics lying unsold.
According to Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA), yarn worth Tk1,000 crore has piled up in the warehouses of its members.
The situation went from bad to worse in the last seven to eight months when the demands for locally manufactured yarn and fabrics fell amid seen decreased work orders, the sector people have said.
On the other hand, fabrics imported illegally by misusing the bonded ware house facilities by an errant group of apparel makers are taking toll on the sector.
“Currently, the apparel work order is slower than the same period of last year, which dragged down demands of yarn and fabrics. It was assumed that work orders flow will increase due to the ongoing US-China trade war,” BTMA president Mohammad Ali Khokon has told Dhaka Tribune.
But it did not happen, he says, as the Chinese government has devalued the US dollar and offered local manufacturers incentive while fabrics and yarn are entering into Bangladesh through misdeclaration, Khokon explains.
Besides, production cost has gone up due to rise in gas prices, while yarn prices has fallen due to slower demands, Khokon adds.
According to BTMA, per kilogram of 30 carded yarn is selling between $2.60 and $2.65, while 40 carded yarn sold for maximum $2.75.
“The apparel makers are preferring to import yarn and fabrics as they offer better prices than Bangladesh. This is because of devaluation of US dollar by their governments, while Bangladeshi taka has gained against the US dollar which ate up the competitive edge,” the BTMA leader maintains.
According to National Board of Revenue (NBR), during January-June period of the year, Bangladesh imported 602,432 tons of yarn, while it exported (deemed export) 506,342 tons, meaning imports are higher than exports.
India, China and other countries offer better prices of yarn and fabrics as their governments have devalued dollar while they have their own cotton against Bangladesh’s zero production, he goes on to say.
Apparel makers also say that the demands of yarn is slower as the work order inflows is less than the previous year.
“In August, the apparel sector saw negative growth, which may continue for the next few months. This is only because of shortage of work orders,” Exporters’ Association of Bangladesh (EAB) senior vice president Mohammad Hatem has told Dhaka Tribune.
In August, the apparel sector, which accounts for 84% of national exports, witnessed an 11.46% decline to $2.41 billion.
Global buyers are not placing orders as the production cost here has gone up due to new wage structure and utility services, says Hatmem, also managing director of MB Knit Fashion Ltd.
For industrial use, gas price has been increased by 37.88% from Tk7.76 to Tk10.70 per cubic metre, while for captive power it has been increased by 43.97% from Tk9.62 to Tk13.85.
To overcome the difficult situation, the sector people have called for policy support, stern action against misuse of bonded warehouse facility and stopping illegal imports of Indian and Pakistani clothing products especially three pieces.
“Now the sector is able to supply 85% of yarn and fabric for knitwear sector and 40% of woven fabric. So, the government should come up with policy support and stop illegal imports,” Shahid Alam, a director of BTMA, demands.
He also calls for 5% cut in advance income tax (AIT) on fibre. It is a burden for the sector people as they cannot even make 1% profits, he claims.
As per the BTMA, there are 430 yarn manufacturing mills, 802 fabrics manufacturing mills, and 244 dyeing-printing finishing mills in Bangladesh, along with 32 denim fabrics manufacturing mills and 22 home textile manufacturing mills.
Currently, local manufactures are capable of supplying 85% of yarn and fabric, along with 40% of woven fabric, required by the knitwear sector.


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The Daily Telegraph - Business
New credit card rules lift pressure on banks
As major changes by the FCA aim to tackle persistent card debt, James Connington examines the impact on ratings, switching, and the wider market
THE City watchdog has ramped up the pressure on banks and credit card firms with a crackdown on card debts that could result in interest being scrapped for struggling borrowers.
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has unveiled a host of proposals that would force firms to help consumers labouring under long-term credit card debts, including cancelling interest or other charges for customers who are unable to clear their balances through a repayment plan.
It comes amid mounting concern about the rise of so-called “persistent” card debts, with the regulator estimating that there are approximately 3.3m people who pay more in interest and charges than they repay of their borrowing over 18 months.
“Because these customers remain profitable, firms have few incentives to intervene,” said Andrew Bailey, the chief executive of the FCA. The regulator estimates its proposed measures could save borrowers between £3bn and £13bn by 2030, depending on how businesses and customers respond.
Analysts said the watchdog’s plans threatened banks including Barclays, which is the UK’s leading credit card business with a 26pc market share through its Barclaycard division, as well as Lloyds Banking Group, which is seeking to boost its share to 25pc by acquiring MBNA from Bank of America for £1.9bn.
Lloyds struck the deal in December but is waiting for the competition regulator’s approval. Smaller firm Provident Financial, the doorstep lender that has pushed into credit cards through its Vanquis division, could also be vulnerable to the FCA’s measures because it targets sub-prime borrowers.
“Obviously any caps on interest rate charges would also cap the profits that the banks are making off their credit card businesses,” said Cenkos analyst Sandy Chen
Under the regulator’s plans, which have now been put out for consultation, credit firms will be forced to prompt customers to make
CREDIT card firms will have to give more help to customers stuck in severe debt, under new proposals from the City watchdog.
The rules from the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) will mean providers have to help customers out of debt, rather than continuing to profit from them.
Around 3.3m people in the UK are in “persistent debt” – defined as paying more in interest and charges than actual repayment of the loan over an 18-month period.
The proposals could lead to major changes in the way that providers handle credit card debts. Here is all you need to know.
Q What are the proposed rules and who do they apply to? A If a customer has been in persistent debt for 18 months, credit card providers will be required to prompt them to make larger repayments, and explain that this will reduce the cost of the debt over time.
If the customer remains in persistent debt for a further 18 months – so three years in total – the provider must take additional steps.
This could involve agreeing a repayment plan with the customer to help them repay the debt within a “reasonable period” – which the FCA says is three or four years.
Customers who do not respond to such a request, or refuse to pay back the debt more quickly when they are capable of doing so, would then have their card suspended.
If a customer cannot afford any of the options to repay the debt, the provider would have to take further action to help the customer. This could include reducing or waiving interest and charges, which would likely include suspending the card too.
It is understood that it will be up to providers as to how they implement the proposals, as long as the end outcome is helping the customer to repay within a reasonable time frame.
Q Will any of the measures affect my credit rating? A This will depend on the exact implementation of the rules by individual providers.
Providers may choose to report to a credit reference agency when a customer is moved to an altered repayment plan or has card access suspended.
The degree to which any measures will affect a credit report will depend on how providers report them and the scoring applied by the agencies.
James Jones, of credit reference agency Experian, explained that being placed on a repayment plan could be marked on a credit report with a “special instruction flag” detailing the length of the plan. “The fact that you are taking steps to pay a debt off could play in your favour,” he said.
He added that having interest or charges waived, or having a card cancelled, shouldn’t affect a credit score.
Q Can’t I just switch to a 0pc balance transfer card? A Moving credit card debts that are proving difficult to pay down on to a 0pc balance transfer deal elsewhere is often the most efficient way to stop the debt from spiralling out of control.
Having a card suspended with one provider will not automatically preclude a customer from getting a card elsewhere.
This will depend on passing a credit check and other lending criteria, as usual. However, if a card suspension or another step taken has been reported to a credit reference agency, this will likely make it more difficult to get a new card elsewhere.
Q Is anything else changing in the credit card market? A The FCA’s proposed rules are part of a wider package of changes it is suggesting after an in-depth study of the credit market – the final findings of which were released last year.
Other proposed changes include requiring providers to flag customers at risk of financial difficulty earlier on, notifying customers when a promotional offer comes to an end, and clearer standards for price comparison websites.
The City watchdog has also proposed giving customers greater control over credit limit increases, meaning they would have to authorise any rises in the limits.
Q When will the changes be brought in? A Credit card industry trade body the UK Cards Association has agreed three new measures already that will come into force next year.
From April customers will be notified when a promotion is expiring and will have more control over their payment date, while from July customers will be notified when they are close to their credit limits.
The proposed rules on persistent debt are in the consultation stage, meaning there is no set implementation date at this stage.
The exact timings will depend on the consultation outcome, but it could happen as soon as the end of this year.
Q Are there any concerns about the new rules? A Tom Lyon, of uSwitch, said the proposals are “goods news” for struggling credit card users, but that there is a danger credit card providers will prematurely cut off customers’ access to credit to meet the rules.
“Many people are reliant on their credit cards to make ends meet and for these consumers limiting their credit could throw them into even more difficult situations,” he said. Q How will the rules be enforced? A The FCA has the power to intervene when a firm does not adhere to its rules, issuing fines or requiring compensation.


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According to a recent British Chamber of Commerce (BCC) survey, three in five businesses (58 per cent) believe the tax system is “fundamentally unfair”.
The figures have revealed that out of 1,000 respondents, 67 per cent said they don’t feel HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) apply tax rules fairly across all businesses.
The survey also found that many small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) want and need more support to stay compliant, as new rules and regulations such as Making Tax Digital are frequently being introduced.
Nearly half of the firms (49 per cent) said that HMRC doesn’t give the support they need to stay compliant with the tax system, whether it’s on Brexit preparation or their tax affairs.
Another frustration raised by respondents was they felt the governing body fail to understand the amount of time and money small businesses need to spend on staying up to date with the rules.
The survey findings suggest that the smaller the business, the more likely they are to think the system is broken.
As a result, the BCC is calling on HMRC to match the level of investment in its work to reduce tax avoidance with “funding for support and advice to businesses.”
Suren Thiru, Head of Economics at the BCC, said: “When it comes to compliance there is a tendency for HMRC to see smaller businesses as low hanging fruit and as a consequence they feel under the constant threat of being called out for getting things wrong in a tax system that has grown ever more complex.”
Mr Thiru added: “The lack of guidance, along with the costs that come along with keeping up with the rules, is hindering the ability for British businesses to “get on and invest, train their staff, and compete on the global stage.”


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Key supporters for The Barossa Cellar
Wednesday, May 2, 2018
The Barossa Cellar has announced its first two Platinum Key donors - Casella Family Brands and the Orora Packaging Group. John Casella, managing director of Casella Family Brands, said he was proud to support The Barossa Cellar. "The Barossa Cellar is an exciting new landmark for the Barossa that aims to share the region's rich history, community spirit and vision for the future," John said.
Orora is one of the largest suppliers to the Australian wine industry. Its glass manufacturing facility at Gawler, on the doorstep of the Barossa, employees 340 people and produces more than one billion, high quality, glass bottles every year.
Read full article here.


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- Related Games:
- Halo Infinite
2020 will be a year of change in video games. Google Stadia will launch to the public, Intellivision will try to capture the casual market, and Microsoft and Sony will usher the mainstream into the next generation. If you remember back in 2013, console launches aren’t a hard line in the sand, and games can live on both new consoles and old for a while. Speaking with MCV/Develop, Xbox Game Studios head Matt Booty says that will not change in 2020 for Xbox Series X launch games.
As our content comes out over the next year, two years, all of our games, sort of like PC, will play up and down that family of devices. We want to make sure that if someone invests in Xbox between now and [Series X] that they feel that they made a good investment and that we’re committed to them with content.
Of course, we know one game that will exist on both consoles is Halo Infinite, and there’s excitement about Master Chief returning to the launch window. “It’s the first time in over 15 years that we’ll have a Halo title launching in sync with a new console. And that team is definitely going to be doing things to take advantage of [Series X].”
Xbox has been firm that Halo will launch with the new console, and Matt hopes that they can stick to release dates more often. Not just with Xbox Series X launch games, but across the generation. “We need to deliver on the promises that we make. So if we say a game is going to ship at a certain time, we’ve got to get that done, we just need to get better at executing.”
In the full interview, Booty also expands on studio culture and Xbox Game Studios, the type of games that work on Xbox Game Pass, and slowing down on acquiring studios. It appears to be a more considered strategy than what came with the Xbox One and will have to see if the Xbox Series X launch games can live up to the hype.
[Image Credit: Charley Gallay/Getty Images]


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Techno Classica 2014 will showcase plenty BMWs
This year’s iteration of the Techno Classica event has just opened its gates to the public, displaying classic vehicles of all kinds that were more or less prominent throughout the ages. As expected, German car maker BMW will have a strong presence at the show, bringing iconic Bimmers and even a few classic bikes from [...]
The post Techno Classica 2014 will showcase plenty BMWs appeared first on BMWCoop | BMW Blog, BMW News, BMW Reviews.
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Value Added Tax (VAT) on petrol has been increased to 26.80 per cent and on diesel 17.48 per cent, the order said.
Updated : August 20, 2019, 7:01 am
The Indian automobile industry is experiencing a major slowdown with the domestic sales declining 18.71 per cent to 18,25,148 units in July 2019, the worst numbers in nearly two decades. The sales of two-wheelers dropped 16.82 per cent to 15,11,692 units in July 2019.
Updated : August 16, 2019, 2:55 pm
Kia Seltos will be offered in three engine options -- 1.4-litre Turbo GDI petrol, 1.5-litre petrol and 1.5-litre VGT diesel. Apart from a standard 6-speed manual gearbox, there will be automatic transmission options like 7-speed DCT, IVT and 6-speed AT.
Updated : August 16, 2019, 12:53 pm
Renault Triber will be an important addition to the company's product portfolio that currently comprises of the newly updated Duster, Kwid, Lodgy and Captur. The upcoming seven-seater car was unveiled in India on June 19.
Updated : August 14, 2019, 2:47 pm
New Bajaj Pulsar 125 Neon is powered by a 124.4 cc DTS-i engine that makes 12 PS and 11 Nm of torque. The engine is mated to a 5-speed transmission.
Updated : August 14, 2019, 10:06 am
Renault Triber production has already commenced at the company's manufacturing facility in Chennai. Expectations are that Renault Triber will be priced in India between Rs 5.50 lakh (ex-showroom) and Rs 7.50 lakh (ex-showroom).
Updated : August 13, 2019, 5:01 pm
Renault Kwid rivals against the likes of Maruti Suzuki Alto 800 facelift and Datsun redi-GO. The hatchback is available in the price range of Rs 2.76 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi) and Rs 4.75 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi).
Updated : July 30, 2019, 12:53 pm
Renault India has over 350 sales and 259 service facilities across the country at present. The product portfolio of the company includes Kwid, Duster, Lodgy and Captur.
Updated : July 8, 2019, 10:47 am
Duster facelift will feature major changes up front. There is an all-new grille, providing a bold look to the SUV. While the headlamp design has not been tweaked drastically, there are projector lamps with LED DRLs now.
Updated : July 8, 2019, 9:57 am
New Kia Seltos will be powered by a BSVI (BS6) compliant 1.4 Turbo GDI petrol engine, mated to 7-speed DCT transmission. Besides, there will be other petrol and diesel motor options as well and these will be offered with a variety of transmission options, including IVT (Intelligent Continuously variable transmission), 6-speed automatic and 6-speed manual.
Updated : June 25, 2019, 2:05 pm
Kia Seltos is powered by new third-gen BSVI (BS6) compliant powertrains. The buyers will have a lot of engine options to choose from. There is a 1.4 Turbo GDI petrol mill, offered with a 7-speed DCT. This is not it. There are other petrol and diesel motors as well, with a choice for IVT (Intelligent Continuously Variable Transmission), 6-speed automatic and 6-speed manual gearbox.
Updated : June 25, 2019, 2:03 pm
Upcoming Kia Seltos has an advanced high strength steel structure. Apart from the standard safety features like multiple airbags, ABS with EBD and BA, reverse parking sensors and camera, the compact SUV also gets VSM (Vehicle Stability Management), ESC (Electronic Stability Control), TCS (Traction Control System) and HAC (Hill-start Assist Control).
Updated : June 20, 2019, 2:19 pm
The AIS 145 safety norms, which will come into force from July 1, 2019, mandate all the passenger vehicles in the country to compulsorily have safety features like driver airbag, driver and co-driver seat belt reminder, rear parking sensors and speed limit alert.
Updated : June 20, 2019, 11:09 am
New Kia Seltos's front will have the company's signature tiger-nose grille flanked by LED headlamps that have turn indicators placed below them. There are LED DRLs as well. At the rear, one will find LED taillamps, rear bumper with metallic muffler effect and dual exhaust pipes.
Updated : June 20, 2019, 10:03 am
Upcoming Kia Seltos will be one exciting compact SUV, loaded with features. It will be produced at Kia Motors' 536-acre manufacturing facility in Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh.
Updated : June 19, 2019, 4:42 pm


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We are excited to announce the first speaker for the 14th Founder Showcase, taking place on Wednesday, July 17th at the Microsoft Mountain View Campus: Phil Libin.
Phil Libin is the CEO of Evernote, the leading software suite for note taking and archiving. Prior to joining Evernote, Libin founded and served as president of CoreStreet, a company that provided credential and identity management technologies to governments and large corporations. Libin was also founder and CEO of Engine 5, a Boston-based Internet software development company acquired by Vignette Corporation (VIGN) in 2000.
In addition to his role at Evernote, Phil is an advisor and mentor to hundreds of startups worldwide. His expert guidance and leadership has helped spawn companies such as Udemy, Zirtual, and many more. At next month's event, Phil will kick off an exclusive educational workshop series with his top tips for startup founders.
We look forward to hearing what advice Phil has for early-stage startups on July 17th. Get your tickets today.
- Crafting the Perfect Pitch: How to Find Your Secret Sauce
- ReadyPulse featured on Virtual-Strategy Magazine, Kindara highlighted on Daily Camera, and More Grad News
- Meet the Most Promising Los Angeles Founder Institute Graduates of 2014
- Presenting the Graduates of the First Ever Toronto Founder Institute
Girls in Tech is a global social network, focused on the engagement, education and empowerment of like-minded, intelligent and influential women in technology.
Pakathon Toronto is part of the larger Pakathon network that provides a platform for purpose-driven people to connect and create an ecosystem for entrepreneurship in Pakistan.


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Worcestershire businesses are being invited to attend the upcoming Worcestershire Innovation Wednesday on 16 September.
This session, which will focus on Tourism, follows on from the success of the Worcestershire Innovation Wednesday for International Opportunities which was fully subscribed with 228 businesses attending on the night.
The session will run from 5.30pm – 8:30pm on 16 September at Spring Grove House, West Midland Safari Park and businesses are being urged to secure their place.
‘Worcestershire Innovation Wednesdays’, which are held each month to showcase innovation across Worcestershire, present new developments and opportunities as well as provide an opportunity for like-minded business people to network. The sessions provide a space for businesses and experts to come together to share ideas and thoughts about innovation and creativity with guest speakers providing specialist insight.
Worcestershire Innovation Wednesday was initiated by QinetiQ, the experts in defence, aerospace and security, the Worcestershire Local Enterprise Partnership, Herefordshire and Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce and Worcestershire County Council.
Places are limited and businesses are being encouraged to register at the earliest opportunity for the next sessions, each of which has a different focus:
- Tourism: 5:30 pm – 8:30 pm on September 16, 2015 at West Midland Safari Park, Kidderminster.
- The Art of Bidding for Funding: starting at 5:30pm on 21 October, 2015 in Kidderminster (venue tbc).
Future dates for the diary for this year include: 11 November and 9 December.
Keith Mowbray, Strategic Business Development Director of QinetiQ Ltd, added: “We aim to continue to bolster the innovation of the county’s businesses through Worcestershire Innovation Wednesdays. It is clear that local businesses are finding success through these informative events, as seen with the high attendance at the International Opportunities meeting.
“I would strongly encourage Worcestershire businesses to continue to involve themselves in these innovation showcases and to register at the earliest opportunity to avoid disappointment.”
Gary Woodman, Executive Director of Worcestershire Local Enterprise Partnership, said: “It was great to see hundreds of local businesses in attendance at the previous Worcestershire Innovation Wednesday on International Opportunities. The free-to-attend innovation events are really benefitting businesses of all sizes, by providing them with an in-depth insight into business opportunities with like-minded individuals.”
“I would urge local businesses to register as quickly as possible for the Tourism event on Wednesday 16 September as well as future sessions.”
Any questions can be sent to email@example.com and join the conversation on Twitter using #WorcsInnovationWeds.


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In 2010 several employees working and committed suicide China
• The wage data that nobody knew Steve Jobs De10.mx
• Again? Apple iPhone5 prototype lost De10.mx
• 10 interesting facts about Tim Cook: Steve Jobs’s successor De10.mx
• Causes and consequences: Apple without Steve Jobs De10.mx
Video uncovers the dark side of Apple
A journalist joined Foxconn where workers hand assemble Apple tablets. The building is surrounded by nets to prevent suicides
By: Rodrigo Fraga | March 2, 2012 | 9:45
Apparently, everything is rosy in the company of the bitten apple. Apple generates plenty of revenue worldwide and is one of the best positioned brands in the market. Their products always go around the world: Iphone, Ipod and Ipad are the best selling products internationally ….
Therefore, the company has expanded its horizons and has been installed in different countries, with China where the nation has one of its supplier facilities.
But everything beautiful that Apple has been handled in between that, after seeing the conditions in which they work and their employees live in that Asian born.
According to the BBC, a reporter for the U.S. television network ABC was exclusive to Chinese factories run by Foxconn, which are a leading provider of access technology giant.
During the tour, the journalist was found so precarious conditions in which they work workers technological monster. Security in these plants has been questioned after a series of fatal accidents and suicides, in addition to reports on the grueling schedules of several employees working six days a week with the work more than 12 hours a day.
In early February, an online petition signed by at least 155 thousand people asked Apple that do more to ensure that its employees in China were treated better, while another suggestion, with more than 50,000 signatories demanded that the iPhone ethically occurred.
One company that has drawn attention is the Taiwanese Foxconn, the private sector in China, which is responsible for the production of the iPhone, for reports say at least 18 of its employees have attempted suicide largest employer .
Explaining the Inspectors Review, Apple’s CEO, Tim Cook, said that “the inspections are being unprecedented in the electronics industry, both in scale and scope.”
According to the newspaper El Mundo, in early 2010, it was confirmed independently that 137 workers “, including them,” he was poisoned by a chemical called n-hexane. ”
Moreover, at least a dozen Foxconn workers (factory that supplies Apple) have committed suicide, about 300 threatened to do so, and finally 150 workers stayed 2 days in the pending roof jump to commit mass suicide in a Foxconn factory in Wuhan, as a result of a protest caused by the company’s plans to move to a new production line.
It is noteworthy that the workers work 6 days a week in shifts over 12 hours, have shared a small room with seven other people. For this reason it is common to see them in the halls of factories trying to rest from exhaustion, newspaper El Comercio.
This has pushed Apple to review weekly work shifts, called factories will undertake changes and hired a consultant. Tim Cook, the successor to Steve Jobs, he sent his employees an internal email in which he states:
“To us define our values. Unfortunately, some people are questioning Apple’s values today … We value every worker in our global supply chain … Any suggestion that we do not care is patently false and offensive for us. ”
Will Apple really be little aware of these labor practices in Asia?
What are your working hours?
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That happens by not having to study and work of workers in any way without the companies they could not survive. The cheap labor is what keeps many companies well poscicionadas market. You believe that a North American citizen will want Apple labor for less than 12 bucks an hour?
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chequen in california workers to make them work worse than the Chinese that if you do your interviews silly to say the word you wonder why you want to work with them (probably because perde rle time or breathing porqurria all of its factories) that if the rulers anunican with fanfare that transnational corporations will invest in mexico ed sources creating employment but under what conditions
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I work at a maquiladora and have had the opportunity to be in other plants of the same company in China and, believe me, that’s a common situation everywhere. The problem is not Apple itself, but the Chinese government to attract foreing investment contal allows these abuses in its legislation …
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Adam with an apple
perverted the human species.
What was the plan of Steve Jobs
filling us with apples?
Reply Send Pros (8) Against (12)
IFE IN SOME AREAS ARE IN SIMILAR CONDITIONS, USELESS FURNITURE, LOW WAGES, HEADS THAT SEEM RATHER O FOREMEN TYRANTS, AND NOW WE HAVE TO BUY OUR OWN WATER, THERE IS NO MONEY TO BUY
Reply Send In favor (14) against (5)
The fault lies not with Apple as the article meant. Blame it on the Chinese overnment whose labor laws allow this as long as attract business. Even many Mexican companies their products are manufactured in China under similar conditions to this.
Reply Send In favor (13) Contrary (2)
So? That’s not new, had already documented the problem of suicide is NOT unique in these fábricos apple, but more at thousands of companies, is also well known that there if they apply the death penalty to patterns that lead to over-exploit their workers including those who enslave them, however, here in Mexico, working conditions of the majority of Mexicans are completely outside the law and secretarial work for almost anything to avoid even allow companies the benefits removed law without notifying the employee discharged or reporting a lower income, etc..
By Hack Deutsch


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The American home shopping channel and Web site is already present in the U.K., Germany, Japan, Italy, and China in a joint venture.
— May 21, 2015
Do It in London targets Parisians, expatriates and young Londoners alike.
— May 20, 2015
The majority of fashion-centric magazines registered double-digit declines in March.
— May 19, 2015
The pop star nabbed the number one spot on Maxim’s Hot List, which newly appointed editor-in-chief Kate Lanphear has revamped to include restaurants, travel destinations and movies.
— May 18, 2015
The new campaign of the London-based lingerie label shows a roller-coaster ride of images.
Sources indicate that Time Inc. let go of 15 employees, as it continues to restructure its Books division.
— May 14, 2015
The company’s multimedia division’s revenues gained 1.1 percent in the period.
— May 12, 2015
Stylecaster tapped Jessica Teves, who joined from Style.com where she served as site director.
— May 11, 2015
Elie Top, Camille Bidault-Waddington, Anne Sophie Mignaux and Louis-Marie de Castelbajac are among those photographed with an array of Moynat leather goods.
— May 10, 2015
After four weeks of testimony, an 11-person jury ruled in favor of HBO.
— May 8, 2015


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Worldwide consumer expenditure in mobile apps reached new highs yet again in 2021, and Sensor Tower Store Intelligence data reveals that mobile users are spending more than ever in subscription apps. The top 100 non-game subscription-based apps saw their revenue grow 41 percent year-over-year from $13 billion to $18.3 billion globally. This was 7 percentage points greater than in 2020, when spending in these apps climbed 34 percent Y/Y from $9.7 billion in 2019.
Revenue from the top 100 earning non-game subscription apps represented about 14 percent of the $131.6 billion that consumers spent on in-app purchases last year in both non-game apps and mobile games. This was up from when the cohort represented about 11.7 percent of total spending in 2020. In Q4 2021, 86 of the top 100 earning non-game apps worldwide offered subscriptions, down slightly from 87 in Q4 2020 and 89 in Q4 2019.
The growth of subscription app revenue in the United States mirrored the global trend as its consumers spent $8.5 billion in the top 100 non-game mobile apps offering subscriptions in 2021. This was up 44 percent percent year-over-year from $5.9 billion in 2020, which had grown 28 percent Y/Y from $4.6 billion in 2019.
U.S. consumers spent $40.7 billion on in-app purchases in 2021, about 21 percent of which were in the top subscription apps. This was up more than 3 percentage points from 2020 when the top subscription apps generated $5.9 billion or about 17.9 percent of the $33 billion overall spend.
In Q4 2021, 90 out of the top 100 earning apps in the U.S. included subscriptions. This was down slightly from 91 in Q4 2020 and 93 in Q4 2019.
As in previous years, consumers spent more on subscription-based apps downloads from the App Store than on Google Play. The top 100 non-game subscription apps on the App Store generated $13.5 billion in 2021, up 31 percent Y/Y from $10.3 billion. Worldwide consumers spent $4.8 billion on the top 100 subscription apps on Google’s marketplace, up 78 percent from $2.7 billion in 2020. While the top subscription apps on Google Play experienced more growth, the top apps on the App Store saw nearly three times as much spending last year.
Consumer spending in the U.S. saw a similar breakdown, with the top 100 subscription apps generating $6 billion on the App Store, up 33 percent Y/Y from $4.5 billion. The cohort saw approximately $2.5 billion in consumer spending on Google Play, up 79 percent from $1.4 billion in 2020.
Alphabet remains the perennial chart-topper globally as well as in the U.S. YouTube generated $1.2 billion worldwide and $566.5 million in the U.S., while Google One saw $1.1 billion worldwide and $698 million in the U.S. in 2021.
Subscription video on demand (SVOD) platforms such as Disney+ and HBO Max have seen adoption continue to climb as consumers are now accustomed to tuning into streaming for premium content such as blockbuster releases. Social media giants such as Twitter, TikTok and Instagram are now also rolling out that subscription payment model. As platforms experiment with subscriptions as a way to entice content creators as well as retain their audiences, the number of top apps incorporating the subscription model will likely continue to grow in the months and quarters to come.


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iQOO seems to be inching closer for the launch of a new Z-series smartphone dubbed as the iQOO Z5 Pro. The device had made an appearance at the Geekbench platform just yesterday. The Geebench listing revealed the key hardware specifications of the device. Additionally, the smartphone was spotted earlier at the TENAA and 3C certification a few days back. Now, ahead of the official launch, the iQOO Z5 Pro has appeared at the Google Play Console listing. The Google Play Console listing discloses the render of the handset and confirms the same specifications which were revealed by the Geekbench listing yesterday.
iQOO Z5 Pro Launch Seems Imminent
The iQOO Z5 Pro carries the model number as V2148A at the Google Play Console. The smartphone will feature a Full HD 1080 × 2400 pixels resolution display with a 480PPI pixel density. Under the hood, the device will be powered by Snapdragon 778G processor. The phone will pack 8GB of RAM. On the software front, the handset will run Android 11 out of the box. As far as the design of the device is concerned, the phone will feature a punch-hole display. The power and volume keys will be located on the right side of the smartphone.
The previous Geekbench listing also had revealed key specifications like Snapdragon 778G SoC and 8GB RAM for the iQOO Z5 Pro. The device will offer dual-SIM and 5G connectivity support as per the TENAA certification. According to the 3C certification, the handset will have 44W fast charging support. The past leaks suggest us that the iQOO Z5 Pro will feature a LCD 120Hz display. In the imaging department, the phone is supposed to sport a 64MP primary camera. The smartphone is tipped to feature a side-mounted fingerprint sensor. The rest of the specifications of the device such as storage details and selfie camera information remain to be unknown as of now. Additionally, the launch date of the handset is yet to be revealed by iQOO.
Now, that the iQOO Z5 has started appearing on several certifications and benchmark listing, we can expect iQOO to launch the device by the end of this month. What are your thoughts about the iQOO Z5 Pro? Do let us known in the comments below.


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We are proud to announce the launch of Technology Works today, a study demonstrating the pervasive and important growth of the tech workforce across the United States. Engine is committed to tracking the close connection between innovation and entrepreneurship. This new research, which we commissioned from the Bay Area Council Economic Institute, demonstrates the connection between high tech employment and overall economic prosperity.
Today’s study is an expansion on the data visualization we launched during the party nominating conventions that illustrates the geographically diverse nature of technology hubs in the U.S.
More than ever, startups harness technology to achieve their goals. This means hiring more people with skills in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields, the definitive factor in the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ defintion of high tech industries. Tech-focused startups tend to start small and grow rapidly, becoming the drivers of overall employment.
It’s easy to highlight startup success stories: Google, Facebook, Pandora, Twitter, and Yelp are just a few of the relatively young, tech-based companies that employ thousands of workers. As we better understand the multiplicative effects of hiring at these companies -- and the startups that will follow in their footsteps -- the case for supporting innovative entrepreneurs becomes apparent.
Communities experience significant benefits from high tech employment. We are able to estimate that the creation of one high tech job accounts for the creation of 4.3 other jobs in a local economy. How does that work? Technology workers tend to earn more than their peers in other industries, which they put back into the local economy by consuming goods and services. Tech companies companies also rely on local services and vendors, further driving local benefits.
So while many Americans may never work for a company like Google or a technology-focused startup, they still benefit from the impact these jobs have in communities around the country. About two-thirds of the U.S. labor force works in local services, ranging from healthcare to legal services to restaurants. As Enrico Moretti, Professor of Economics at the University of California, Berkeley, said about the study, “the dynamism of the US high tech companies matters not just to scientists, software engineers, and stockholders, but to the community at large.”
Our research with BACEI makes it clear that the economy increasingly depends on innovation. Explosive job growth isn’t likely to come from the established internet giants. It will bloom from driven entrepreneurs making the most of the technologies at their fingertips. Engine is committed to continuing analyses of startups’ impact on the economy and we’re planning further compelling research in the near future.


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Snapchat has nabbed a heavy-hitter from traditional media as it attempts to win over brand advertisers. Betsy Kenny Lack comes on as head of global brand partnerships for the disappearing messaging app, reporting to Imran Khan, Snapchat’s No. 2 behind CEO Evan Spiegel.
Lack worked for Condé Nast’s Vanity Fair for eight years, under editor in chief Graydon Carter, where she helped make its Establishment List conference a profitable business. Lack, who’s also married to NBC News chief Andy Lack, left Vanity Fair in January. Lack starts at Snapchat in July, according to a source.
Snapchat has been trying to grow its ad business with a focus on top brands in verticals such as entertainment, fashion, retail, finance and auto, but faced challenges because of the quirky nature of the platform. Brands have been willing to spend big bucks on sponsorships on Snapchat, which caters to a young audience that can be hard to reach. Gatorade and Taco Bell, for instance, have sponsored popular animated lenses that people put on their selfies.
Other advertisers like Burberry have bought video ads in the Discover and Live Stories sections of the apps, where publishers and media companies share special content.
But Snapchat has run into trouble with advertisers who want guaranteed views and more data on who’s seeing their ads than the platform was able to provide. (Snapchat says it does offer guaranteed video impressions and has been offering data on viewership through Nielsen.) Snapchat also requires creators to make content that can’t easily be repurposed elsewhere, demanding resources that may not be worth it.
As a buzzy, new platform, Snapchat has been able to charge inflated prices to advertisers who don’t mind paying to be first on the app. But some have complained that their ads haven’t gotten that many views, and Snapchat has since had to bring its prices down to earth, according to a report.
Snapchat has been hiring rapidly to fill out its agency, brand and ad team in the past six months. It recently hired Tom Conrad as vp of product from Pandora and Sriram Krishnan from Facebook, to name two.
Garett Sloane contributed to this story.
More in Media
As Google and Meta roll out new features, startups like Runway are finding new ways to compete for enterprise clients.
Future plc’s CFO Penny Ladkin-Brand announced on Thursday that she is stepping down, as the U.K.- based media company reported declining revenues and a new two-year investment plan to get back to growth.
In this week’s Media Briefing, publishing executives share how the task forces they created earlier this year to oversee generative AI guidelines and initiatives have expanded to include more people across their organizations.


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More than $250,000 in counterfeit goods seized from Jockey Lot vendors
The Anderson County Sheriff's Office has seized $251,275 in counterfeit goods from Jockey Lot vendors.
The sheriff's office joined agents from the Secretary of State's Office in a raid Saturday at the weekend flea market on S.C. 29 north.
Law enforcement found more than 9,000 bootleg DVDs and more than 1,000 bootleg CDs and some counterfeit designer-name clothing, purses and shoes, said sheriff spokesman Chad McBride.
The raid resulted in 14 vendor arrests. Their names were not available Monday. Some were charged with illegally distributing more than 1,000 CDs and more than 65 DVDs. Others were charged with distribution or sale of counterfeit items of $2,000 or more. All charges are felonies in South Carolina.
The majority of arrests were for illegally distributing music and DVD recordings, McBride said. Some law enforcement agents posed as shoppers during the raid, which ended in the afternoon, McBride said.
Counterfeited brands include Coach, Dolce & Gabbana and Louis Vuitton purses. Nike and Adidas shoes and Major League Baseball and National Basketball Association clothes were also seized.
The sheriff's office and state agents worked with representatives from the Motion Picture Association of Americaand retail and manufacturing representatives, who verified the counterfeit items.
Consumers should shop with caution to avoid buying bootleg and counterfeit goods, said Secretary of State Mark Hammond.
"The sale of counterfeit merchandise hurts manufacturers, retailers, the local economy and consumers," he said. "Consumers should question inappropriate pricing on known designer items, as well as where the items are being sold."
Anderson County Sheriff John Skipper said he was pleased with the outcome of the raid, McBride said.


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Updated: June 1, 2021 3:47:14 pm
The Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation has decided to allow essential shops to operate from 7 am to 2 pm on all days of the week. The shops were earlier allowed to operate only till 11 am. The PCMC administration has also allowed opening up of standalone non-essential shops which are not inside shopping centres or malls, from Tuesday. The administration has, however, warned that it be forced to close down the shops if they are found violating Covid-appropriate norms.
In a directive on Monday, Municipal Commissioner Rajesh Patil said all non-essential shops that are standalone shops and not located in shopping centres have been allowed to operate from Tuesday from 7 am to 2 pm. “However, non-essential shops can operate only from Monday to Friday while essential shops can operate throughout the week,” he said.
When asked whether salons and beauty parlours will be allowed to open, Patil said, “All the shops which are standalone shops, including salons and beauty parlours, have been allowed to operate from Monday to Friday.” He added that wine shops will also be allowed to function from 7 am to 2 pm throughout the week.
The PCMC said though all shops have been allowed and their timing has been extended, the administration will be keeping a close watch on them. “If any shop is found violating Covid norms, it will closed down and action will be initiated against the shopkeeper,” he said.
The order said restaurants and bars have been allowed to continue parcel services and e-commerce services have also been allowed to continue.
Banks will be open on regular days while all government offices in PCMC areas will be allowed top function with 25 per cent attendance. Agriculture related shops and establishments will also remain open during the allowed time period, stated the order.
The order said after 3 pm every day, local residents will not be allowed to move out of their houses unless for a medical emergency or other valid reasons. “The order will remain in force for the next 10 days. After that, the situation will be reviewed and a decision will be taken accordingly,” said Patil.
Meanwhile, on Monday, Pimpri-Chinchwad registered 246 new Covid-19 cases, the lowest number in four months. The twin city has so far seen 2,50,399 positive cases.
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how korea’s male beauty obsession is challenging gender norms
The South Korean male beauty market is booming — thanks in part to the country's mandatory military service and cult TV dramas.
In April 2014, Yves Saint Laurent's Rouge Pur Couture No. 52 lipstick (a coral shade) sold out in stores around the world. On eBay, the $35 tube was going for upwards of $90. There was a waitlist of "unspecified" length on Yves Saint Laurent's e-commerce site. Someone tried, unsuccessfully, to fill their suitcase with handfuls of the lipsticks at a Melbourne airport duty free store.
Why? Because earlier that year, Jeon Ji-Hyun, the star of My Love from Another Star, a popular South Korean TV drama, had worn the shade. Or rather, a rumor had circulated that she had. It was later disproved, but this is what the beauty market is like in South Korea — collective obsessions, overnight sellouts, and wild headlines.
But now that everyone in the US has heard about glass nails and snail slime face masks, media attention is turning to the male K-beauty market. Which is understandable when you see the stats. According to a July 2015 report, men in South Korea buy more cosmetics and skincare products that men in any other country around the world, and four times more than the next country on the list, Denmark, contributing to a grooming market worth $1 billion. The market is also expected to quadruple in size over the next five years.
"There's a tendency to sensationalize, though," says Charlotte Cho, the co-founder of the New York-based K-beauty site SokoGlam.com. "A lot of men do wear makeup in South Korea," she tells me over the phone, "and a lot of K-pop stars wear a lot of makeup, but not every guy on the street in Seoul is wearing eyeliner." She explains the boom in the sale of "cushion compacts" for men as being "part of a general culture in South Korea of people caring about their skin."
Charlotte's husband, David Cho — with whom she founded the site and who, she says, has a very elaborate skincare routine — has a slightly different answer though. Most men in South Korea, he explains, choose to complete the country's mandatory military service during university. This means they're graduating from college two years after their female classmates and entering the job market later.
"To me, how that relates to beauty is that it's about getting the best jobs," says David. When applying for their first positions, men who have served in the military have shorter professional resumes. "And Korea is very status-driven and hierarchical," David explains.
David served in the military for eight years, and even within the same rank, he says, command would be determined by the year men graduated, and then by academic successes. In the job world, too, precedence is given to candidates according to the year they graduated and, it's widely believed, according to your appearance. So a youthful appearance (sometimes thanks to products) is paramount. "Korean culture is so driven by how you look," David says, that companies will often require candidates to include a photo of themselves on their job application. "It's common for men to wear tinted moisturizer to interviews," Charlotte adds.
"On the face of it, such preening is at odds with South Korea's macho, socially conservative culture," reads a recent piece in the Economist. But it's during their military service that most men first get into beauty products. "Korean people have very high standards when it comes to what they put on their face," says David. And the army-issue camouflage kits and sunscreens are made with "terrible ingredients."
In response, Korean beauty brand Innisfree makes products specifically for men in the military. There are "extreme power military masks," sold in camouflage packaging that come in different formulas for "after field work" and "before going on leave." And the brand also sells a palette of brown and green makeup "that's better for your skin when you're applying camo," says David.
Other brands like Lab Series and Biotherm have also begun to double down on their men's lines, and not just to cater to the armed forces. On his last trip back to Korea, two months ago, David saw "a lot more men wearing BB or CC cream. It was always a millennial generation thing but now I'm seeing it with men in their mid-to-late 30s and 40s. It's all intertwined with the hallyu wave."
The "hallyu wave" is the meteoric rise in popularity of South Korean soap operas and music. And it's radically changed conceptions of male beauty. David remembers that "back in the day, older male characters (known as 'ajusshi') looked like fathers in K-dramas, now they don't: they have glowing, unwrinkled skin." And now, a desire for flawless skin is driving up sales of BB creams, compacts, and tinted moisturizers among men: "women and men want to look like these people and they have perfect skin."
Park Tae Yun is a South Korean makeup artist who works with the K-pop idol Rain, actors Chang wook Ji and Byung hun Lee, and the members of the pop group EXO — none of whom, he says, attend events without makeup. And most of whom are not afraid of eyeliner. Among the population at large though, he says, guys are mainly "seeking out natural looking coverage to even out their skin tone through products such as tinted moisturizers." They're not getting kohled-up.
"But K-pop stars are highly influential for Korean men in their 20s," he says. "And I believe they are an even greater influence to Korean men past their 20s because they are concerned about aging and want to stay on top of the trends." He adds finally, "It won't be surprising to me if the US follows this trend."
For a time, when David Cho was in the US military, he was stationed in South Korea. I ask him how the US soldiers in the barracks reacted to the Korean soliders' use of facemasks and other beauty products. "Besides the friendly banter, like 'are you a girl?' nothing much. It was always friendly. These US soldiers living in Korea wanted to assimilate — even if they weren't doing a ten-step routine, they did begin to try things."
While it's unlikely that men are going to be causing BB cream shortages across the US any time soon, 2016 could be the year makeup for men finally goes mainstream here, if our current K-beauty obsession continues. Watch The Sunday Styles section.
Text Alice Newell-Hanson
Image via YouTube


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Vibrant Wii™ Controllers in New Colors, now available at WalmartLos Angeles
Nyko Technologies®, the premier videogame accessories manufacturer, today announced that their best-selling Wand controller is now available in four vivid colors: blue, pink, purple and black. These controllers join the award-winning original white Wand providing consumers with more choice and freedom for the Wii.
“We’re rolling out new colors for the Wand just in time for the holidays,” said Chris Arbogast, Marketing Director, Nyko Technologies. “We want consumers to have high quality and fun alternatives to the standard controller options, and the new color Wands will bring a variety of choices and splashes of color into the game room.”
Featuring the same quality and durability of its predecessor, these color Wands let Wii fans personalize their gaming setup to suit their own unique style. The blue, purple and pink Wands feature matching buttons, while the black features a striking red “A” button that gives the controller a bold look. Each Wand comes with a matching silicone jacket. All four color Wands feature Nyko’s Trans-Port™ technology, which allows for compatible peripherals to communicate digitally with the Wand.
The new Wand colors are available now at Walmart stores nationwide for an MSRP of $29.99, and will be rolling out to other retailers soon.


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Microsoft plans to launch a new digital music service utilizing its Xbox and Windows brands.
The new service will be called Xbox Music and will provide access to a catalog of 30 million songs. The service will allow consumers to have unlimited streaming of the songs on computers running the latest version of its Windows software as well as on the Xbox console.
Microsoft will not initiatlly limit how much music can be streamed, but that could change over time. The company is planning to package Xbox Music with Windows 8.
Redmond, Wash.-based Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) operates a data center in San Antonio and provides sales and technology support to San Antonio enterprise customers.
Source: New York Times