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Foursquare on Monday unveiled an analytics dashboard for brick-and-mortar business to chart their popularity, and that of their competitors.
The new tool measures “actual, measurable, real-world visits,” in the words of Foursquare CEO Jeff Glueck.
“It’s a dashboard for insights on chain-level foot-traffic performance that can be easily compared to a competitive set and to the broader industry,” Glueck notes in a new blog post.
Beta partners include Taco Bell, TGI Fridays, H&M, Lowe’s and Equinox.
As for why brands should bother with physical retail, Glueck notes that 92% of commerce still happens in the real world.
To track foot-traffic patterns, Foursquare relies on its Places database, which powers more than 100,000 mobile apps, as well as in-store visit data from its mobile panel. That is made up of a group consumers who have opted in to always-on location sharing.
To date, Foursquare could provide businesses with similar insights, but it only did so on a case-by-case basis.
For Foursquare, the analytics offering is just its latest attempt to ingratiate itself with the marketing community. Last year, the company bowed an attribution tool, which can measure the conversion of media spend into real world visits to retail locations.
Glueck assumed the top spot at Foursquare after co-founder Dennis Crowley relinquished the CEO role in early 2016.
Previously, Glueck served as the local search and discovery platform’s COO.


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Continuing, Yoshida called competition from Nintendo and Microsoft "a healthy situation" for the industry and its ability to grow. Sony's own growth strategy, added Yoshida, will include mobile, but his words make it sound like it won't include connecting PlayStation players with those on Switch or Xbox One. In June, Sony's Shawn Layden said he was "confident" Sony would find a cross-play solution that players would understand and accept. Yet PlayStation Fortnite players remain the only ones walled off from cross-play and account carry over to other platforms.And while Fortnite is the most high-profile game at the center of the cross-play controversy, it's far from the only one. Nintendo and Microsoft responded by releasing a video promoting Minecraft cross-play on Switch and Xbox One. Despite all this and a rash of consumer complaints, Sony doesn't appear ready to abandon its stubborn policy.
Nick Santangelo is a freelance writer based in Philadelphia. He loves video games and sports, but not sports video games. Follow him on Twitter.
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Measuring an average 1.5 million Scoville units, the Carolina Reaper has been named the hottest chilli pepper in the world by the Guinness Book Of Records.
Tesco chilli pepper buyer Phoebe Burgess said: "Despite it being astonishingly hot it also has a wonderful fruity taste. Only a sliver is needed to add exciting flavour to your favourite curry."
She added: "Last year the Komodo Dragon became our most popular chilli pepper ever and since then we've been inundated with requests from customers to see if we could go one better and thanks to the fantastic growing skills of our chilli producer we've done that."
The variety is supplied by the UK's largest chilli pepper grower, Salvatore Genovese, whose three-hectare farm is based in Blunham, Bedfordshire.
Genovese started growing chilli peppers 15 years ago after he took over his parents' cucumber business. He now supplies about a million a week, weighing around 15 tonnes.
"On the back of the acclaim I've received from supplying Tesco I now get requests from all over the world," he said.
The Carolina Reaper will be on sale in more than 130 Tesco stores across the UK and will cost £1 for a packet containing two to three chilli peppers.


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NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- eBay (EBAY) shares are declining 0.61% to $26.04 on Thursday morning after analysts at Cantor Fitzgerald downgraded the company to "hold" from "buy" and lowered their price target to $27 from $72.
Analysts cited slowing growth of the company after the spin-off of PayPal (PYPL).
In addition, security breach and search engine optimization changes at Google (GOOGL) is weighing down on the gross merchandise value growth, the firm stated.
On top of these pressures, analysts said eBay's turnaround "remains a work-in-progress as evidenced by July and August's same-store-sales data," as the growth is lagging behind the growth rate of general e-commerce, according to the firm's note.
Based in San Jose, CA, eBay operates as a technology company that enables commerce and payments on behalf of users, merchants, retailers, and brands of various sizes in the U.S. and internationally.EBAY data by YCharts


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The Chauvin jury trial is taking place against the backdrop of a national discussion about a divisive cultural issue – namely, the issues of race and policing in the United States. These pre-existing views bring unique challenges in selecting and connecting with a jury.
Explore Our Perspectives
HawkPartners consultants earn their professional reputations by questioning, exploring, strategizing, and analyzing. Our people post, publish and speak on a wide variety of timely marketing and strategy-related topics. Browse our featured posts below or select by subject from the archived blog and published items. Want to discuss anything you read? We welcome the conversation.
How do brands weave authenticity into their identity, and why does it matter? Our panelists from The Ritz-Carlton, Pfizer, and Peloton discuss how brands communicate who they are and what they stand for during a recent ARF Insights Studio.
During a recent Advertising Research Foundation Pharma Council event, Robert Duboff moderated a discussion of how behavioral economics can provide greater insight into the COVID-19 patient journey.
Google’s announcement this week will impact almost any brand with a digital presence. Alex Ain comments on the impact of phasing out third-party cookies on the broader customer experience.
The strongest brands during the pandemic have been those that demonstrated their authentic empathy through their actions in a way that solidified their bond, not only with their target audiences, but also with the wider communities in which they operate.
An effective COVID trial strategy cannot be designed without first understanding the new COVID jury. By instead conducting focused research, trial communications can be optimized to resonate among the jury of now.
COVID-19 has upended existing customer engagement models, including the ways by which the healthcare industry interacts with healthcare professionals (HCPs). The most obvious change has been the accelerated adoption of video, tele-detailing and other digital channels that have dominated 2020. However, beyond these changes, what are some other global trends that have enhanced the HCP […]
The COVID era trial must balance protecting the constitutional elements of a jury trial while protecting the nation’s health in a pandemic. Both a socially distanced in-person approach and a virtual approach allow for that – but also pose challenges that trial teams have never encountered.
Understanding your customers and investing in your marketing and brand strategy even in the face of economic constraints is both a business necessity and an opportunity.


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USA • Printing press supplier Goss International today announced the acquisition of Graphic Automation Controls, Inc. (GAC) in an asset transaction. According to Goss this deal is part of its strategy to establish industry partnerships that deliver a broad range of solutions for its customers.
GAC focuses on full PLC integration and control systems upgrades for printing and packaging presses and provides several services.
According to the companies, this acquisition will provide benefits for Goss and GAC customers by unifying its aftermarket services network. Goss further aims to enhance its drive and controls upgrade capabilities while strengthening its ability to provide service and parts to OEM equipment other than Goss.
The label industry is seeing a range of acquistions and mergers during the last few years. In the May issue of NarrowWebTech we will take a closer look on this and will review how this development have impact to the label industry. Please find the upcoming issue of NarrowWebTech published on 18 May 2017 in our online shop: shop.gk-techmedia.com!


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Climate-friendly perennial grain Kernza gets major new support—from your Cheerios
General Mills announced on Tuesday a commitment to support the commercialization of Kernza, the Land Institute-developed perennial grain. In addition to half a million dollars in research funding for the grain’s continued development, the company has committed to buying some of the grain for its Cascadian Farm brand.
In case you’ve missed it, Kernza has been making waves (of grain) for a while now. We first heard of it being used in the bread at Perennial, a restaurant Bon Appetit called “maybe the most sustainable restaurant in America,” which we covered back in June. And on October 1, the grain popped up again in a beer released by Patagonia Provisions, which is now available in select Whole Foods stores.


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The upcoming platformer from Playtonic Games, Yooka-Laylee, is looking at a Spring 2017 release date. In the meantime, the developer is consistently releasing new trailers and information regarding the game. Most recently, Playtonic released a trailer showing off Shovel Knight’s appearance in their colorful platformer, as well as other characters to be seen in the game. Playtonic posted the trailer on their Twitter page:
Released back in 2014 on PC, 3DS, and Wii U, and later released on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, Shovel Knight was released to much praise. Like Yooka-Laylee, whose roots are entrenched in the 3D platformers of the late 90s and early 2000s, Shovel Knight’s platforming mechanics harken back to an era that is still close to many gamers’ hearts. As such, it is really touching that Playtonic wants to bring Shovel Knight and Yooka-Laylee together, in a way.
As more and more footage of Yooka-Laylee is released, its Banjo-Kazooie-like qualities become all the more clear. Furthermore, Grant Kirkhope, the music composer for Banjo-Kazooie and Banjo-Tooie, is also working on the game. As such, gamers should be looking forward to a large dose of nostalgia in early 2017.
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Tetra Pak ups its circular approach with recycled polymers
Tetra Pak has expanded its offering of packaging solutions using certified recycled polymers to cover new formats, product categories and geographies.
21 Nov 2023 | By Aditya Ghosalkar
Tetra Pak’s approach to circularity includes minimising dependency on fossil-based resources, responsibly sourcing raw materials, designing packages for enhanced recycling and reduced litter, and building partnerships to strengthen collection and recycling infrastructure worldwide.
The expansion of Tetra Pak’s offering of packaging solutions using certified recycled polymer is a step towards its circular packaging portfolio.
In February 2021, Tetra Pak announced that carton packages using certified recycled polymers are available for food and beverage customers. The following year, it partnered with French customer Elvir, a subsidiary of Savencia Fromage & Dairy, to launch a beverage carton with a cap using certified recycled polymers for its Elle & Vire brand.
In February 2023, Lactalis Group, a world-leading dairy player, revamped its organic ambient liquid cream in Tetra Brik aseptic cartons, under its Bridélice and Président brands with certified recycled polymers in the packaging material – a first in France. The development supports the Group’s efforts to foster innovative solutions towards a more circular packaging economy.
Switzerland’s market leader in dairy, Emmi recently introduced a carton using certified recycled polymers in the packaging material. It's the good day Milk Drink, packaged in Tetra Top 1000 base carton packages. By 2027, Emmi will see the usage of at least 30% recycled materials in all its packaging.
Fossil-based plastic production is set to increase by 10.8% between 2021 and 2025. Simultaneously, 86% of shoppers are concerned about the usage of plastic and its impact on the environment and believe that using recycled plastic is one of the best ways to tackle this challenge. They have also started to act on it, increasingly choosing to buy products or packages with recycled material in the last year.
Ola Elmqvist, executive vice-president of packaging solutions at Tetra Pak, says, “Today, the high share of renewable materials in Tetra Pak carton packages helps them feature a lower carbon footprint than many other packaging options. But we want to go further, continuously reducing reliance on virgin, fossil-based sources and keeping materials in circulation, together with our customers.”
“Actions like these signify our response to stakeholder expectations, from food and beverage manufacturers to consumers and policymakers. We also see this contributing well to the ambitions of the European Commission’s PPWR proposal as well as the intent of the whole industry to accelerate sustainable innovations towards increased access to safe nutrition,” added Elmqvist.
Tetra Pak is investing 100-million euros per year over the next five to ten years to further develop sustainable packaging solutions. Design for recycling, simplifying material structures, increasing the paper content, and shifting away from virgin, fossil-based plastics are key here.
Today, a one-litre Tetra Pak carton package is typically made of approximately 70% paperboard, 25% plastic and 5% aluminium to protect the product inside. This high share of renewable materials helps beverage cartons feature a lower carbon footprint than many other packages. They are designed for recycling and are
recyclable wherever the necessary infrastructure exists.
Tetra Pak's extended range of beverage cartons, featuring certified recycled polymers, coincides with a crucial juncture as it aligns with the recently proposed Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation by the European Commission. The regulation aims to reduce packaging waste and achieve full recyclability or reusability for all packaging by 2030.


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As China moves to relax coronavirus curbs, inquiries for outbound travel and visa application have surged, as people are keen to go abroad again after years of relatively strict COVID-19 epidemic controls, industry sources told the Global Times on Sunday.
Bao, a Beijing-based resident, recently updated her passport to prepare for visa application, which she expected would take place in 2023, she told the Global Times on Sunday.
According to Bao, she used to travel abroad at least twice a year before the pandemic, and after several years of restrictions, she is now looking forward to going overseas again.
"This is like light at the end of the tunnel, which is not easy," she said, and she may visit the UK, Germany or Japan.
Visa application centers are gradually resuming operations in China. Canada's visa application centers reopened in cities like South China's Guangzhou and Wuhan, Central China's Hubei Province. Germany will reopen its visa application centers in Guangzhou, Shanghai and Beijing in early 2023.
According to public information and people interviewed by the Global Times on Sunday, study and business visas will be the first to resume, while travel visas may take longer.
One employee at an online travel visa agency told the Global Times on Sunday that bookings for in-person submissions of travel visa documents for the US are suspended until January 2023 in Beijing, and the earliest booking available for the US travel visa document submission in Shanghai is scheduled for April.
Inquiries for travel visas have started to heat up, tourism industry sources said.
Jia Jianqiang, CEO of 6renyou, an online tourism agency in Beijing, told the Global Times on Sunday that after the 20 measures and another 10 measures involving COVID-19 management were unveiled recently, airports no longer require passengers to show their health codes, and questions asked by customs officers have become simpler.
"About one-third of our clients are interested in overseas travel for the 2023 Chinese New Year holidays or March next year, and the number of inquires has increased over the past few weeks," said Jia.
Xu Xiaolei, marketing manager at China's CYTS Tours Holding Co, told the Global Times that inquiries for travel visas have almost doubled in the past two weeks, and the hottest destinations are the Middle East, Europe, Australia and Africa.
"We found that many people are asking when outbound travel will restart. We understand their anticipation for traveling abroad, and the tourism industry also looks forward to the day when tourism returns to normal," he said.
Zhou Weihong, deputy general manager of China Spring Tour, told the Global Times that many people are doing the preparation work ahead of a resumption of visa applications.
"There are other rigid requirements for visas such as family visits. So there are many inquiries now, particularly for countries that have resumed issuing visas for Chinese residents," she said.
According to Zhou, the number of people who submitted visa applications (via the agency) rose 59 percent in the early 10 days of December compared with the corresponding period in November, most for business purposes. Inquiries mostly target Japan, Europe, Singapore and the US.
But the cautious mood is not completely gone. Bao said if visa application resumes, she would first look at airfares and the coronavirus situation before deciding when and where to travel.
Industry sources also said that the return to outbound travel should still take place after the country experiences its peak of domestic travel demand around the Spring Festival.
"After domestic travel goes through a period of tests, outbound travel should also have some adjustment that can push the industry back to a normal state," Xu said.


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Car maker Skoda is using mobile devices to capture customer information quickly and use it to boost sales as part of its first real-time test drive campaign. Skoda is holding a series of ‘ride and...
Bitdefender's decryption tool can neutralise the latest versions of GandCrab, as well as retrieve files encrypted by earlier versions
Zhengfei admits he underestimated potential impact of being placed on US 'Entity List'
Huawei is considering pulling launch of Honor 20 smartphone from Europe in order to focus on China
President Trump labelled the New York Times report "a virtual act of treason"


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Y2K a big business
If there is a new national pastime to replace baseball – and you discount the current frenzy surrounding the release of the new Star Wars movie – it has to be fretting over the year 2000. Y2K has become a fixture in the national consciousness and an industry unto itself, responsible, experts estimate, for more than $2 billion is revenue since January 1, 1998.
Who is making money off of Y2K? It isn’t big business. Major corporations are spending millions to ward off the Millennium Bug. MCI Worldcom, for example, has budgeted $574 million for Y2K fixes, and has spent $212 million since 1997.
Those making money off of the phenomenon are the entrepenuers. On a small scale it is the “stockpile specialists” and survivalists, pushing everything from compost toilets to plastic 50-gallon water tanks.
But there are also several data companies which are setting out into Y2K waters. One of the most prominent is Weiss Ratings Inc., a ratings company based in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., which sells reports to potential investors and regular consumers on the health and effectiveness of any corporation.
In the past, Weiss has made a name for itself by providing insurance company and health care organization safety ratings. For a $49 fee, an individual or group can requisition Weiss to rate a particular company, receiving a report as to the company’s financial stability, ranking among competitors, etc.
Now, Weiss is in the Y2K business. Controversy has ensued.
In a recent press release, Weiss rated some of the nation’s largest corporations as to their Y2K readiness, and started a small riot when they ranked 50 of them “below average.”
Some high-profile companies, such as Intel and Conagra, were even given a rating of “low” – the Y2K readiness kiss of death.
But further examination of Weiss’ findings just go to show what an inexact science this Y2K thing really is.
A visit to Intel’s Web site, for example, lists the computer-chip company’s Y2K preparedness at “99 percent compliance in priority manufacturing systems,” and “85 percent of priority non-manufacturing systems.”
In the corporate sector, this would be an excellent rating. And Intel is indeed acknowledged to be a leader in Y2K preparedness in the computer industry.
“Why wouldn’t we be? We’re in the computer business,” said Intel spokesperson Bill Calder. “(The Weiss Ratings findings) are unbelievable. It appears to me that Weiss has done very little core research.”
The walls have been shaking in corporate board rooms all across the nation since the Weiss Ratings report was made public last week. The title of the report read: “America’s Largest Companies Among Y2K Laggards,” and targets included such heavy hitters as Wal Mart, Sprint, RJR Nabisco, PG&E and Pacific Bell parent company SBC Communications.
“It doesn’t take a genius to figure out what Weiss has done,” said Wal Mart spokesperson Melissa Brown. “They’re just basically looking at the Y2K budgets. If a company has not spent the majority of its budget, then Weiss gives it a low rating.
“We completely disagree with this method rating. It’s an inaccurate and superficial interpretation.”
Intel has a Y2K budget of $175 million, and has spent (as of Feb. 1, 1999), $42 million of that, according to its filings with the SEC. Weiss gave the company a rating of “low.”
“Weiss is apparently assuming that the spending rate correlates exactly with our Y2K progress,” Calder said. “The assumption is that we won’t be able to spend enough by the end of the year to use up our entire budget.
“In fact, the budgeting does not occur in a linear fashion. It peaks in mid-1999, the contours into the year 2000, and we’re even spending beyond that. Weiss has no idea what’s happening.”
Weiss public relations consultant Elizabeth Grace defended the company’s methods, and claimed that more research was conducted other than simply leafing through the SEC Y2K budget filings.
“That is our main criteria, but we also have other research,” she said. “We are the only ratings company that does not take compensation from the companies it rates. And the U.S. General Accounting Office has rated Weiss as the most accurate service.”
Grace would not specify the “other research” Weiss does, instead offering to fax the details. As of press time for this article, no fax was forthcoming.
“A simple phone call to us would have cleared up everything,” Calder said. “We have data we can substantiate. This seems to be beyond (Weiss).”
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A new report from Mastercard shows that the average data breach costs Canadian businesses $5.64 million while only 39 per cent of businesses are implementing adequate cybersecurity tools.
However, the average cost of a data breach cost is higher for the U.S., at $9.4 million.
According to the report, cybercrime has increased by 600 per cent since COVID-19 pandemic with remote work resulting in a 238 per cent rise in cyberattacks.
The report states that the rise of cyber threats increased in cost with the current worldwide cost of $6 trillion, accounting for one per cent of the global GDP. The research estimates that this cost will rise by $4.5 trillion in the next few years.
In recent months, several large Canadian companies and organizations have fallen victim to cybersecurity breaches, including Indigo, Sobeys, SickKids Hospital in Toronto and the LCBO.
Mastercard also surveyed Canadian businesses and consumers and found that only half of consumers change their passwords when prompted by a platform, when hacked, or not at all. Half also say use the same password on most of their accounts.
The survey indicates that more than half of (53 per cent) of Canadians consumers have experienced a security threat as they heavily rely on businesses to protect them.
Breaking down the data, 86 per cent of Canadian consumers said they are concerned about digital security threats while 53 per cent stated they’ve already experienced a security issue.
To avoid potential risks, 68 per cent of Canadians consumers prefer to use a third-party payment platform as 82 per cent don’t trust a company to protect their data, according to the research.
The survey also found that 38 per cent of Canadian consumers surveyed said their accounts were hacked by a fraudulent text message and the same percentage experienced phone scams.
Meanwhile, more than one-in-three (34 per cent) Canadian businesses said they’ve experienced fraud from using internet software or services.
In addition, 38 per cent of Canadians businesses said they have experienced digital payment fraud while the same percentage experienced a fraudulent account takeover. Another 33 per cent said they experienced identity theft while 40 per cent said their accounts were hacked.
Overall, consumers are worried about having their identity stolen from information they share with a retailer, data breach at companies they shop with and having their data stolen through phishing. As many as 91 per cent say they believe that companies should spend more to protect their data while 81 per cent consumers say they don’t trust a company to protect their information.
The survey, conducted by The Harris Poll, involved among 4,009 individuals (2,002 from Canada) and 502 business leaders (102 from Canada). The individuals were interviewed from Oct. 26 to Oct. 31 and the business leaders were surveed from Nov. 9 to Nov. 15.
Reporting for this story was paid for through The Afghan Journalists in Residence Project funded by Meta.


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In a large, rapidly growing industry survival can be tough for small brands and winning awards, especially those that are decided by customer polls is often out of the question.
Thankfully, in the bingo industry, award organisers have been taking steps to ensure that there are award categories that even the smallest brands can have a shot at winning.
Lets take a look at the 2016 WhichBingo Awards, they have opened several new categories which by their very nature offer a new playing field for the smaller names in the market to compete in.
Earning awards in the big title categories such as ‘Best Online Bingo Site’, may still be close to impossible due to the size of sites that usually scoop such titles. The reason for the difficulty is simple, if only a tiny percentage of Sun Bingo (for example) players vote for a given award category, the vote tally will come in far higher than the number that would be achieved by the same percentage of players at Rocket Bingo, for example.
Fortunately, the new categories that are open in the 2016 WhichBingo Awards offer plenty of scope for even the smallest of brands to have a run at becoming award winning. Take the category, ‘Best Cozy Games Bingo Site’ or ‘Best Jumpman Gaming Bingo Site’, categories which give sites offering bingo games such as Landmark Bingo and Rocket Bingo a really great opportunity to gain some brand recognition and the potential to earn an award.
These small brands often have considerably less budget than their larger competitors, however often they have a strong following of loyal players and some of the brands, such as Rocket Bingo actually punch well above their weight in terms of the promotions they offer.
On 20th May the results of the WhichBingo Awards will be published online after they are revealed in what is set to be a fairly glitzy ceremony held in the London Aquarium!
Thanks to six exciting new software categories, we believe the WhichBingo Awards of 2016 is set to be the most inclusive and highly anticipated award evening in the calendar.


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Breakthrough research produces brighter, more efficiently produced lighting
By determining simple guidelines, researchers at UC Santa Barbara's Solid State Lighting & Energy Center (SSLEC) have made it possible to optimize phosphors –– a key component in white LED lighting –– ...
Fujitsu shows iris recognition system that unlocks phones
Kickstarter project team claims its LED bulb world's most efficient
Li-Fi: Edinburgh prof seeds LEDs for communication
Student's flashlight works by body heat, not batteries
Researchers develop tool to predict the level of driver discomfort caused by LED lighting
(Phys.org) —Long hours of nighttime driving can cause eyestrain because while our vision adapts to the surrounding darkness, the sudden stabs of brightness from streetlamps can be irritating, distracting ...
Lighter, cheaper, LED light bulbs are starting to enter the marketplace
Just when you were finally warming up to the idea of swapping out your old light bulbs with compact fluorescent ones, you may soon find a new alternative at your local hardware store.
New LED streetlight design curbs light pollution
Streetlights illuminate the night, shining upon roadways and sidewalks across the world, but these ubiquitous elements of the urban environment are notoriously inefficient and major contributors to light ...
New material for warm-white LEDs invented
Light emitting diodes, more commonly called LEDs, are known for their energy efficiency and durability, but the bluish, cold light of current white LEDs has precluded their widespread use for indoor lighting.
New kind of ultraviolet LED could lead to portable, low-cost devices
Commercial uses for ultraviolet (UV) light are growing, and now a new kind of LED under development at The Ohio State University could lead to more portable and low-cost uses of the technology.
A bright future for LEDs
A single wafer-level LED chip that produces more than 150 Watts of light output has been made in work form China. This level of output from a single chip makes applications for LEDs in high power lighting ...
Next-generation illumination using silicon quantum dot-based white-blue LED
A Si quantum dot (QD)-based hybrid inorganic/organic light-emitting diode (LED) that exhibits white-blue electroluminescence has been fabricated by Professor Ken-ichi SAITOW (Natural Science Center for Basic ...
Sky light sky bright - in the office
Working under the open sky it sounds enticing, but its seldom really a practical option. Now, a dynamic luminous ceiling brings the sky into office spaces by creating the effect of passing clouds. ...
Optical wireless may be the answer to dropped calls, and more
Anyone who has tried to make a cell phone call from a crowded football stadium has had a taste of what engineers call spectrum crunch.


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Last week, Hewlett-Packard (HP), current "owner" of the webOS mobile OS, made an announcement that would ultimately send a ripple through the modern tablet PC space: HP said it would immediately "discontinue operations for webOS devices, specifically...
Here's an interesting defense in the Samsung-Apple patent battle: Samsung claims iPad-like tablets have already been established as "prior art," thanks to a scene in Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey.
IBM's worldwide server revenue jumped a healthy 24.5 percent in the second quarter, putting it neck and neck with Hewlett-Packard for the top spot, according to IDC.
Tablet headlines have been dominated for the past week by the sudden demise of the TouchPad, and the subsequent fire sale by HP to clear out inventory. But, just because HP is bailing on the tablet industry doesn't mean the world has come to a halt. ...
Thanks to the iPad, the traditional IT culture is about to be upended.
Hewlett-Packard may be giving up on making webOS devices such as the Pre 3 and Veer smartphones and TouchPad tablet, but executives at the company say committed to developing its mobile platform. HP appears convinced it can wring some value from the ...
Barnes & Noble, Amazon.com, and Best Buy are facing a backlash from wannabe HP TouchPad buyers after each of the retailers oversold their supplies of the WebOS-based tablets. B&N is facing the brunt of angry customers with many disgruntled TouchPad b...
With geeks still scrambling to get their hands on the last of Hewlett-Packard's US$99 TouchPads, a $US49 deal just seems too good to be true.
There are signs that Apple may soon allow China Mobile to distribute the iPhone, a deal that could give Apple a bigger share of China's mobile phone market. But Apple faces a tough choice in order to reach such a deal, say analysts: develop an iPhone...
China overtook the U.S. in both PC sales and shipments in the second quarter, according to research firm IDC.
The lucky people who managed to buy a US$99 TouchPad before they sold out just got luckier: A group of developers is working on a way to load Android onto the tablets.
Apple's next iPad will be faster and more power-efficient thanks to its new, quad-core A6 processor, but the new tablet may not be ready to ship until next June, an industry analyst said Monday.
Business continues as usual for Hewlett-Packard's PC unit, which will continue to support and sell products as the company explores options to spin off or sell the Personal Systems Group, HP said on Monday.
"The PC is dead!" We've heard that message a lot since the birth of Apple's iPad, but when one of the creators of IBM's first PC added his voice to the chorus, people took notice.
Considering how hot the tablet market is right now, Thursday's decision by Hewlett-Packard (HP) to stop making tablets raised a lot of eyebrows.
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Yoga, walks or email? We bring to you the morning routine of eight influential people. What do you do after waking up?
Liow Tiong Lai told a select group of foreign reporters that he remains cautiously optimistic that the Boeing 777.
"If you look at the last six games we took 60 wickets. And medium pace of fast bowlers have been a lot of disciplined work.
The actor, who is famous as Hulk in 'The Avengers' films, suggested on Twitter the popular character will be featured in the third 'Captain America' movie along with Marvel's other superheroes.
'Dusokute', the rocking number from "Margarita With A Straw", was originally part of composer-singer Joi Barua's Assamese album.
Across the world, President Obama too has been pilloried for peregrinations that took him to 35 countries during his first term.
Here are some tips from FashionAndYou, a flash website in the fashion and lifestyle space, which will help you be a diva in the summer.
The designers said the app uses proprietary algorithms based on "clinically verified weight change dynamics" to generate the image, reported Daily Mail.


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PROBLEMS caused by information circulated via social media are worsening matters, given the amount |of time that Thais spend online.
According to the Electronic Transactions Development Agency (ETDA), a public organisation, Thais usually spend around seven hours a day online and most of that is spent on social media.
This phenomenon has had an impact on many businesses due to the time people are forced to spend on social media, especially content businesses, like news providers, bloggers and websites.
It has also affected the way people get news and other information, with rumours sometimes mistaken for genuine news reports.
Nowadays, many people do not get their news by directly accessing a media organisation’s website. Rather, it comes via their social media timeline, with news shared among “friends”.
They click to read a news story and many do not bother to look at the URL of the link. People often don’t know where the news comes from because they may not care about the source of news unless the content appeals to them in a human interest sense.
This behaviour has resulted in the launch of websites that provide news with 100-per-cent sourced material. A lot of copied content comes from official media websites, mostly online papers, and is simply stolen.
The websites with sourced copy often do not provide an accessible referral link (they give a link that cannot be accessed by clicking on it] and post their content on social media with emotive headlines – a lot of the time completely changed from the original one – in order to attract attention like newspapers do.
So why do these websites do this? It is obviously done to attract traffic, as the volume of people who click on to a site can be monetised.
The high number of people who consume news via a social media timeline has attracted the attention of official media websites, which are using arresting headlines and photos to try and grab people’s attention.
Digital literacy is challenging Thai society. Educating young Thais and new Internet users – people who usually use the Internet for the first time via a mobile phone – on how to use the Internet and social media in a proper way seems to be a priority for relevant organisations, not only the government but also the private sector, schools and families.
However, more than negative information is obviously read on social media. The beauty of social media is it gives people information instantly and there are many expert posts. It is free and often useful content.
So, be concise when surfing social media and careful when consuming information. But, of course, what you read is always your choice.


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Netflix has launched a new feature designed to make it easier to find newly added content to the streaming behemoth.
The company is looking to solve the selection anxiety experienced by many viewers who can be overwhelmed by the thousands of shows and movies on offer from Netflix with a new tab called New & Popular.
The dedicated section will group together a number of content rows including New on Netflix, Coming Soon and Top 10, along with a newly introduced row called Worth The Wait.
The latter is a new introduction which will show subscribers a preview of what is coming to Netflix between the next 15-365 days. This should go some distance to inform users of what’s coming to the streamer, rather than solely relying on algorithmically-driven content suggestions.
The New & Popular tab will be exclusive to TVs and TV-connected devices, at least initially, and is a wide rollout following a successful test in April.
This is an example of a Netflix feature experiment going well, and comes just under a year after it trialed variable playback speeds for mobile viewing. This was met with significant amounts of controversy from creatives in the industry, and Netflix had to slightly backtrack and say that it was just one of a number of feature tests it carries out.
Netflix would do well to keep users aware of the content coming up as to avoid any sort of churn – particularly if Jefferies’s Alex Giamo’s prediction of a price increase in the “near to midterm” comes to fruition.
The streaming giant has done well so far in 2020 and has capitalised on the stay-in-place orders around the world to add 10 million subscribers globally, but will look to avoid a repeat of 2019 when it lost subscribers for the first time as a result of a US pay hike.
2021 Rugby World Cup in doubt digitaltveurope.com/2021/07/29/202… https://t.co/aR5GGFOfAv
29 July 2021 @ 12:07:03 UTC
BritBox confirms South Africa rollout for August 6 digitaltveurope.com/2021/07/29/bri… https://t.co/V00Strss7T
29 July 2021 @ 11:35:13 UTC


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Supermodel Bella Hadid turned heads on Miu Miu’s runway in Paris wearing just a bodysuit, as singer Rita Ora made a catwalk cameo.
We’re used to seeing the supermodel in skimpy swimwear but Bella Hadid left little to the imagination in a sheer wedding gown.
Supermodel Naomi Campbell is back and on the catwalk in London for Tommy Hilfiger alongside an Aussie model.
A model who refused to wear strange accessories in a New York fashion show has captured global attention after speaking out.
Bella Hadid’s fashion week look was so close, yet so far from being something you could wear to the office. Here are news.com.au’s photos of the week.
Supermodel Bella Hadid turned heads at Tom Ford’s pre-Oscars runway show in a sheer dress, narrowly avoiding a wardrobe malfunction.
Supermodel Bella Hadid has turned heads on the runway in Paris, sporting a near-naked dress and matching thong.
She’s been a best dressed regular this awards season, sporting head-turning outfits on the red carpet. Now, Jennifer Lopez has unveiled her latest role.
New York designer Tommy Hilfiger is expanding Down Under, with a new flagship store and celebrity collaborations.
Cindy Crawford’s daughter, Kaia Gerber, has been ruling Paris Fashion Week but showed a little more skin than she intended at Valentino.
Supermodel Bella Hadid had a cheeky moment at Paris Fashion Week, wearing a barely-there outfit on the runway.
Dressed as a bride and clown, supermodels Gigi and Bella Hadid turned heads in bizarre couture outfits at Milan Fashion week. SEE THE PHOTOS
The Victoria’s Secret fashion show may be dead, but that hasn’t stopped another lingerie brand from stealing the spotlight at Paris Fashion Week.
It’s supposed be all about the fashion, but the children of Posh and Becks managed to take the limelight from even Anna Wintour herself.
If the latest fashion runways are anything to go by, Australians can expect to see a whole lot less swimsuit material at the beach this summer.
Amid controversy over the future of Victoria’s Secret, Rihanna has staged an epic lingerie show for her Savage x Fenty line in New York.
Model Emily Ratajkowski has her pick of the world's top designer clothes — which makes her budget fashion week outfit so surprising.
G-strings, bare booty’s, underboobs … PrettyLittleThing’s first fashion show was nothing short of wild and fans are stunned by the X-rated display.
Supermodel Gigi Hadid’s new boyfriend was her surprise plus-one, as she turned heads at Tommy Hilfiger’s New York Fashion Week show.
Emily Ratajkowski is no stranger when it comes to flaunting a bikini, but the model has turned heads yet again with her sassy style.
Sports Illustrated star Kate Upton is the latest model to slam Victoria’s Secret, saying it has a huge body image problem.
Amid backlash over its controversial runway show, Victoria’s Secret has announced a major change to its business model.
Just days after rumours emerged the Victoria’s Secret show had been axed over backlash — the brand has made a huge casting.
The star-studded lingerie parade has been under fierce fire. Now Aussie model Shanina Shaik has let slip a major bombshell about its future.
An extreme new take on the “underboob” bikini trend has taken Miami Swim Week by storm — but would you be brave enough to wear it?
Reality star Elora Murger has turned heads at Fashion Week after rocking a daring cut-out design that caused jaws to drop.
It’s the event that boasts a slew of Insta-influencers and socialities in attendance but there was one glaring omission at fashion week’s opening day.
The model has caused a stir over her “naked” Met Gala dress, with fans losing their minds over the 27-year-old’s impressive figure.
It’s the biggest night of the fashion calendar. But judging from previous years, we’re set to see more revealing and skin-baring gowns.
A male model has died after he collapsed on the catwalk in front of a horrified crowd, with some people assuming it was part of an “act”.
Barely-there outfits, braids and knee-high boots … Coachella has provided some of the most head-turning (and paid-for) style moments of the year.
Supermodel Ashley Graham has put the fashion industry on notice, saying women shouldn’t be referred to by to their clothing size during her latest TV appearance.
In one of the most buzzy shows at Paris fashion week, Tommy Hilfiger has unveiled a new collection co-designed by Zendaya and featuring Winnie Harlow on the catwalk.
Wearing a sheer lace, Gigi Hadid has showed some skin on the runway in Paris — and turned heads in the process.
Insiders have declared it dead, but the glamorous event still maintains an elite hierarchy that leaves outsiders desperate for access.
Her mother was one of the top supermodels in the ’90s but Kaia Gerber is making New York Fashion Week her own.
Australian luxury brand Zimmermann has shown its latest spy-inspired collection at New York Fashion Week, amid a flurry of iPhones in the front row.
Supermodel Gigi Hadid has sported the colour of the moment — head-to-toe red — walking the catwalk for Tom Ford at New York Fashion Eeek.
Supermodels Jessica Gomes, Victoria Lee and Gemma Ward took DJs to a whole new level at their fashion launch, which is more than just a runway.
Stars have joined DJ models Victoria Lee, Jessica Gomes, Gemma Ward and Cameron Robbie — Aka Margot Robbie’s brother — at the store’s launch.
DJs ambassadors Victoria Lee, Jessica Gomes, along with model mum Gemma Ward and catwalk newcomer Cameron Robbie — AKA Margot Robbie’s brother — are prepping for the runway.
She’s known for her role as Arya Stark but Game of Thrones’ actor Maisie Williams has been making quite an impression front row at Paris fashion week.
THE Bachelorette contestants have been branded “beige”. Perhaps the producers should have grabbed one of these men instead.


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- The first IPO for Y Combinator in 13 years of existence shows how hard it is for incubators and accelerators to be profitable as an investment play.
- By adapting the accelerator and incubator model, German Corporates together have set up more than 100 initiatives to foster startup incubation and acceleration with probably more than 5 times the amount of startups in the same time period as Y Combinator.
- Still, German Corporate Innovation Programs have generated neither one IPO nor one single unicorn.
- Heavily scouting startups and putting them into incubators and accelerators without owning a majority stake is not the solution for the corporate innovation problem.
- There’s a middle way between overnight successes and years of pumping millions into an accelerator — a company builder might be the answer.
Afew weeks back, Dropbox announced its upcoming IPO, a long overdue move for one of the most famous Y Combinator backed startups. What for many will be deemed as an absolute success, for others will be considered a cautionary tale for startup incubators and accelerators around the world.
A few facts: Y Combinator has been around 13 years and has backed around 10 Unicorns, among them Airbnb, Dropbox, Docker, Stripe, Instacart, Zenefits, Twitch, Machine Zone, Quora and CoinBase. But within the pool of their 1.500+ startups funded, Dropbox is the first of them all to go public. So far, 231 of all these startups generated 4.6B USD in Exits, but they raised 18B USD along the way.
While the numbers are mind-blowing, a quick math exercise will show that the average funding for each startup goes over 12M USD.
This means that the “best in breed” AAA program that shaped most accelerators and incubators worldwide and the one everyone looks up to is far from being profitable as an investment play.
Overnight successes don’t exist and if the first IPO for Y Combinator comes after 13 years of helping startups, well, it was an overnight success that was 13 years in the making. But what this news shows is that as a model for corporates to innovate, the accelerator program has proved to be too expensive and slow.
Y Combinator is not only the benchmark for startup hubs around the world: undeniably, most incubators and accelerators are a shameless copycat of their model. The promise to bring lots of startups together, pump millions for them to go from idea to incorporated company in a few months, let the network and the money do their magic, and in this way create a shiny portfolio of startups, caught fire everywhere. Corporations saw in this strategy their solution to stay innovative and relevant, opening their doors to startups and press.
But the last few years have proved that if this is not working for Y Combinator in investment terms, it’s also not working for its clones all over the world. Unless the sponsors of this avalanche of innovation programs measure their KPIs only in terms of PR and Marketing, the economic gains and the corporate innovations are really low.
We could identify currently more than 100 incubators and accelerators which are set up by German Corporations. Going back to the starting period of Y Combinator until today, around 400 programs have been run in the last 13 years. Assuming that each program has 2 batches each year with 5 startups in average, at least 4.000 startups must have been supported through corporate programs in Germany. However, we could not find one single IPO or unicorn within this huge amount of startups.
And companies are noticing that: in 2017, quite a few corporations switched gears and re-formulated their bet on having their own accelerators and incubators. The biggest example in Germany was Axel Springer’s Plug’n’Play, which, after 5 years of focusing on funding companies, decided to join forces with Porsche Digital. While Axel Springer is often named as the best practice in the German incubator and accelerator scene, with Runtastic and N26 having been part of their program, there are hardly any other success stories from other corporations.
In this joint reformulation of Plug’n’Play and Porsche Digital, the economic expectations were lowered and the focus shifted towards supporting digital innovations.
This should make us all wonder. The 12M USD in funding per company that the Y Combinator model produced seems not to work. Certainly, the money could easily be spent more wisely: what if, instead of putting that sum in startup batches, the money would be used in an offering that attracts entrepreneurs to build new digital assets for corporations? How much more could one achieve? By investing the money in minds with a proven track-record and putting them to solve your corporate pains, knowing that you fully own the end result, corporations undoubtedly have much more to gain.
The logic is overwhelming: rather than investing in a massive portfolio of 100+ startups that don’t create any financial returns over the years (by pumping money into an incubator or accelerator program) and having a minority stake in each of these startups, corporates would be better off taking the same amount of money and letting someone else build their portfolio of digital business and completely own the future returns of their ventures.
This is the solution that company builders such as GERMANTECH DIGITAL are offering by creating companies for corporations with the help of a network of great entrepreneurs from all over the world. The promise: a new company in 100 days. So far, they have come up with 3 funded products for EWE, one major German utility player, in record time. With this model, going for a company builder instead of for a branded accelerator program could significantly improve results.
All being said, let’s still celebrate Dropbox’s success story and IPO and raise our glasses to the big contribution that Y Combinator has had in shaping how startups are created and supported around the world. But looking at the bigger picture, all those who are in the business of real digital transformation and corporate innovation should also realise that PR and Marketing won’t solve the long-term problems that big companies face.
The incubator and accelerator models are not what’s going to make corporations survive the next decade and it’s time to face that hard reality. You can spend millions trying to make incubator and accelerator programs work, but maybe it’s smarter to rethink this model and not do what everyone else is doing without checking the numbers first.


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Chevrolet’s global entry in the booming subcompact crossover market began production in April 2013. By 2015, the Trax had made its first full year of sales in the United States, where it became the third bestseller in its segment. Over here, the second generation Trax for the 2017 model year was launched at the 2016 […]
“When in Rome, do as the Romans do,” the saying goes. Well, when in Texas, love trucks as the Texans do. On my second visit to the Lone Star State a week ago, I saw again how pickup trucks outnumber cars and SUVs on the road, especially in the suburbs and rural communities. This time, […]
Dallas, Texas—One of the nice things about traveling to the United States at this time of year is that you get to buy the Consumer Reports New Cars issue.
You’d think that after the Montero Sport swept the 2016 SUV of the Year awards of the Car Awards Group Inc. in the 2WD and 4WD categories, Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corp. would rest on its laurels.
When Kia Motors designed the fourth generation of the Rio, they made their best-selling global car 90 percent new.
A 6-percent increase in sales in the first half of 2017 kept Hyundai Asia Resources Inc. (HARI) in the top three magic circle of the Philippine automotive industry.
Committed to Hyundai Motor Company’s mantra of “New Thinking, New Possibilities,” Ma. Fe Perez-Agudo, president and CEO of Hyundai’s exclusive distributorship in the Philippines, grabs a new marketing opportunity when she sees one.
“The Lord giveth, the Lord taketh away.”
Over the years, the market share of Subaru vehicles like the Forester, Legacy and XV has grown as the brand’s symmetrical all-wheel-drive and boxer engines gained consumer recognition.
Is Honda Motor Company running out of alphabet letters for its new offerings?


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Tucked away above a laundromat on Bronson Avenue, Noshin Ahmed can usually be found threading up to 20 pairs of eyebrows a day.
Ahmed, 25, is known online as The Brow Guru and her accompanying Instagram account has more than 1,300 followers. She is a facial hair threader, a technique of hair removal that involves using a piece of string to individually pluck each hair out.
In 2014, when she was a first-year student at Carleton, Ahmed began to thread eyebrows in her residence room as a way to make pocket money.
“It was just a side hustle at first,” said Ahmed.
Ahmed soon realized there was a huge need for eyebrow threading in Ottawa, so a year and a half ago she decided to do her business full-time. It is her main source of income, and she not only supports herself with her earnings, she loves “what I do.”
However, Ahmed and many other small business owners in Ottawa have been forced to shut down their operations due to the spread of COVID-19. In fact, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused businesses around the world to close down.
In a normal week, Ahmed would see 100 to 150 people. All of them would come into her apartment, which she shares with her partner.
“It’s particularly risky for me,” she said, explaining why she has shut down.
Difficult choices under lockdown
Ahmed is not sure how long she will keep her operations suspended because her work space is her home and because she has immuno-compromised people in her life. She has considered finding a part-time job to support herself and those who rely on her.
“That’s what makes all of this so scary,” she said.
Timing and uncertainty are also cause for frustration for Lucy Asante the owner of a baking business, Blvckteacakes.
“We’re in this precarious situation where it’s hard to plan for the future when you don’t necessarily know how long things are going to last,” said Asante.
People are postponing events and if you want to cater an event, it can become hard to navigate when no one is really sure how long things are going to last, she explained.
Emily Gooding is the co-owner of Holistically Nuts a business which offers personal training, Thai massages and nutrition consulting. Her business is a little over a year old and Gooding said the pandemic has put a “dent” in her plans.
“We’ve had to stop personal training sessions and the Thai massages,” said Gooding. She has been able to continue nutrition counselling online, however there has been a decrease in clients.
“People aren’t really spending money on these things right now,” she said.
The federal government announced on March 27 it would be offering wage subsidies of up to 75 per cent for small and medium sized businesses impacted by the pandemic. The legislation ensuring that will happen has just received royal assent.
The federal government also announced the Business Credit Availability Program, which “will provide more than $10 billion of additional support to businesses experiencing cash flow challenges.”
Ahmed and Gooding said that they have thought about accessing the government assistance program to help keep themselves afloat.
Ahmed, Gooding and Asante all highlighted the importance of supporting local businesses during this pandemic.
Support can range from buying a gift certificate, sharing information about their businesses on social media or even leaving a positive review online, said Ahmed.
“Reach out to the businesses you know and ask them how you can support them,” said Gooding.
All three stressed that when you support local businesses you know where your dollar is going.
In an attempt to drum up business, Ahmed offered a $60 gift certificate valid for three eyebrow threadings and receive one for free to clients.
She was met with an outpouring of support. Some bought the gift certificate; others simply sent her a kind message of support.
“I was tearing up from how supportive and encouraging they all were … that’s the one thing that makes me think I’ll be okay.”


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ELLSWORTH — Trade wars can make for strange bedfellows, but few pairings would seem stranger than Maine’s lobster industry and Food Export USA-Northeast, a nonprofit group that works with the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry and nine other state agriculture departments throughout the Northeast to promote the export of “food and agricultural products” from the region.
Strange or not, earlier this month the organization announced that it had received $20 million in funding from the federal Agricultural Trade Promotion Program and that it planned to use “a significant portion” of those funds to help boost exports by New England seafood suppliers. No surprise, the effort, and funding, will be spread “over the next few years.”
According to Tim Hamilton, Food Export USA-Northeast’s executive director, over the next few years the organization will have a “special focus” on opening new overseas markets for the U.S. lobster industry — primarily based in Maine.
To read the rest of the story, please go to: Ellsworth American


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When consumers are emotion the pinch with their weekly grocery costs, shareholders of the Major 3 publicly traded grocery store chains are experience quite complete and far more than happy by their the latest returns.
In the three many years considering the fact that the conclusion of January, 2020 when the pandemic began, Loblaw Co. Ltd. L-T, Metro Inc. MRU-T and Empire Co. Ltd., EMP-A-T have been behaving like just about anything but the slow expansion, reduced-margin businesses they have been traditionally.
Shares of Loblaw, Canada’s largest grocer, are up 80 for every cent in the a few decades and it has sent three dividend increases. Metro is up 39 for every cent and also elevated its dividend a few moments. Even Empire, the laggard as it functions by means of operational problems, is up 27 for every cent with the identical a few dividend hikes.
“The corporations all have unique appeals and they’ve all accomplished well,” states Gavin Graham, main system officer of SmartBe Investments in Calgary. “The [pandemic] has been the best storm for them in a very good perception.”
The concern for buyers is no matter whether the pandemic was a just one-time energizer, or is there far more to come? The response looks to be that when the surge may possibly be above, the sector has a new attractiveness in a recessionary ecosystem.
“Full-company merchants did much better all through COVID-19 for the reason that they were a person-stop stores and you could discover all the issues you wanted in one put,” claims Kathleen Wong, spouse and senior investment decision analyst at Veritas Expenditure Investigation Corp. in Toronto.
“But now the pandemic is in the rearview mirror and lower price retail store [traffic] is choosing up. Folks have tighter budgets.”
Grocery merchants have been one particular of the couple locations customers could devote funds all through the lockdowns. Total-provider merchants presented a wide assortment of goods, indicating all the procuring could be accomplished far more securely, in 1 put. The grocers beefed up on-line ordering and consumers could opt for home delivery or contactless pick up at the shop.
But now, with larger fascination costs squeezing disposable revenue, buyers are on the lookout all around. That performs to other strengths. For Loblaw, that includes its No Frills and Genuine Canadian Superstores makes as perfectly as Maxi in Quebec. For Metro, it’s Foods Essentials Ltd. in Ontario and Super C in Quebec. For Empire, which operates by means of Sobey’s, it is growing its FreshCo Ltd. manufacturer.
Ms. Wong notes that 47 per cent of Loblaw retailers are lower price banners making about 60 for every cent of total Loblaw revenue. About 24 for each cent of Metro’s shops are discount and 10 per cent for Empire.
She states standard shop gross sales have held up extra than may well be envisioned write-up-pandemic. Price ranges are bigger but the suppliers are a extra enjoyable put to store with additional staff to aid and a broader collection of merchandise. Loblaw’s Pc The best possible loyalty program, with 16 million users, is a effective marketing software. Metro ideas to beef up in this place with the launch of a co-branded Royal Lender of Canada Visa card this spring.
Passing by the costs
The analysts say there’s no proof of gouging, but a good deal of evidence that inflationary costs have been handed by way of. The cost increases are apparent to people for the reason that purchasing is a weekly occasion. Other things, these types of as Canada’s provide administration procedure of eggs, milk and butter, which sets selling prices compensated to farmers, is observed as a culprit which is hidden from see.
The companies are offended by the accusations of “greedflation.” Michael Medline chief government officer of Empire, referred to these statements as “reckless and incendiary attacks” in a recent meeting simply call.
Mr. Graham of SmartBe Investments argues that we want our grocers to be worthwhile and economical to be capable to give us the solutions we need at their correct price tag.
“The fact is that they want to move as a result of the expenditures, and they have witnessed pretty large boosts,” he states.
Ms. Wong’s analysis sees Loblaw passing through the full price tag of meals inflation. She concluded this by evaluating its reported interior foodstuff client cost index (CPI) to Data Canada’s food at house CPI, which are the exact same.
Metro is passing by significantly less of the boosts, she claims, as an alternative utilizing its special partnership with U.K.-based mostly Dunnhumby, a details analytics business, to focus on weekly specials strategically to push traffic.
Soaring income margins have also been offered as proof of grocery gouging. Here, Ms. Wong notes that the pandemic might have distorted perceptions. All three of the grocers have tie-ins with pharmacy chains with Loblaw proudly owning Customers Drug Mart Inc. and Metro the Jean Coutu Team Inc. chain. Their highest-margin goods are entrance-of-keep objects these kinds of as cosmetics and well being and natural beauty aids. Income dropped off dramatically all through the pandemic.
As Ms. Wong states, “If you are operating from dwelling you have substantially fewer require for cosmetics.” With reopening and back again-to-office environment developments, these revenue are picking up.
‘Will do properly in a recession’
So, which grocer to select for an financial investment portfolio? Ms. Wong favours Metro. She argues its discounting approach is perfectly-positioned as consumers search for more benefit in a recession. Loblaw has a wider publicity to a weaker economic climate by way of its Joe Contemporary general merchandise device and credit rating card functions.
Mr. Graham favours Empire simply because of “a full transform in operational society in the earlier 5 many years.” That contains rebranding FreshCo, investing in food items shipping fulfilment centres and providing off gas stations in Western Canada.
In a modern RBC Money Markets outlook on customer stocks led by retail analyst Irene Nattel, the crew favoured Loblaw as finest positioned, with the appropriate combine of assets for the lengthy expression.
As a group, Ms. Wong sees the sector as a portfolio anchor. “They did effectively in the pandemic and will do well in a recession,” she claims.
Adam Mayers is a contributing editor to the World wide web Wealth Builder financial investment publication.
For more from Globe Advisor, pay a visit to our homepage.


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India's largest ride-hailing company Ola's founder Bhavish Aggarwal took to micro-blogging site Twitter to clarify rumours of a possible merger between Ola and its American counterpart Uber.
"Absolute rubbish. We’re very profitable and growing well. If some other companies want to exit their business from India they are welcome to! We will never merge," Aggarwal tweeted while quoting a news report.
In addition to this, an Ola spokesperson, while replying to a Business Today’s query, said, "Ola is one of the most profitable ride hailing companies in the world with a strong balance sheet. We are the market leader in India and are much bigger than other player. Hence, merger of any kind is completely out of the equation. We believe that India has a lot more opportunity to unlock when it comes to mobility services. As a strong vertically integrated mobility company we will further consolidate our position by any acquisition in the Indian market, if at all."
According to a media report, Ola and Uber have started talks of a possible merger. An Economic Times report, citing two sources, stated that Ola CEO had met top Uber executives in San Francisco, United States.
This comes after Ola shut its quick food delivery and used car businesses, and fired close to 300-350 employees this week. Moreover, the company is readying for its IPO later this year or early next year, Aggarwal had told Business Today in a recent interview.
"We saw the markets turn softer and the global geopolitical situation take over. We as a board took a call to do it later. It could be later this year or early next year because we’re ready… Our investors are very supportive… There’s no urgency for us to list. Our Ola Cabs business is profitable... That’s why we don’t need to perpetually keep raising funds. When we come to the market, some people will be positively surprised," he had said.
Four years ago, the two companies were in talks of a possible merger. In 2018, Japanese conglomerate Softbank was consolidating its cab-hailing companies across the world. Back then, SoftBank Vision Fund owned about 26 per cent stake in Ola and a similar stake in Uber.
Uber’s sale of South-East Asian operations to Grab, two years after selling its Chinese operations to Didi Chuxing, had fuelled the talks that SoftBank was willing to merge Ola and Uber in India as well. But Aggarwal didn't let it happen.
Copyright©2022 Living Media India Limited. For reprint rights: Syndications Today


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Why Intel Projects Zero Growth for 2014
In the latest Investor Day presentation, Intel made a shocking announcement that took most investors by surprise. After delivering an amazing presentation on the company's product road map for 2014, management announced that revenue for 2014 would be flat, compared to 2013 revenue.
After the announcement, Intel's market capitalization declined by 5.4%, as several investors reconsidered their bullish positions. Although the company remains one of the most innovative research-driven institutions in the semiconductor space, there is a high level of uncertainty regarding Intel's ability to compete against Qualcomm , which is better positioned in the mobile market, or ARM Holdings , which outsources manufacturing of its chips to avoid maintaining a heavy cost structure. Moreover, investors remain worried about shrinking PC sales, the only segment in which Intel remains strong. Under this difficult context, how does Intel plan to improve its top line performance in the long run?
Intel's zero revenue growth projection
Intel projects zero revenue growth next year because the company will be giving away 40 million Bay Trail chips, which are specifically designed for tablets and hybrids. This will allow Intel to gain tablet market share, a space currently ruled by ARM. Considering that ARM-based low-power chips are found in virtually all tablets, Intel had to use a very aggressive strategy to start capturing meaningful market share.
According to semiconductor expert Russ Fischer, this "gift to tablet manufacturers" will cost Intel roughly $1.2 billion.The good news is that, long term, Intel's investment could pay off, as the company will win sockets and increase its presence in the tablets market. The company is preparing the road for 2015.
Intel is a very-long-term value play
Although Intel's short-run weak forecast offers limited upside, it is important to remember the company is still paying the consequences of missing the smartphone revolution. However, the company's plan to catch up is very consistent. Apart from investing heavily in mobile strategies, Intel remains focused on discovering new cash cows -- for example, its foundry, datacenter, and security business units -- that could offset the negative effects from a slow mobile catch-up and weaker PC sales.
Source: Intel Investor Meeting 2013
The foundry business looks particularly promising. It has allowed competitor Taiwan Semiconductors to enjoy strong sales in past quarters, and could help Intel improve its top line significatively. Foundry basically involves using Intel's manufacturing plants and development resources to build chips for other companies.
In terms of security, Intel is on its way to consolidate its McAfee antivirus software as the standard tool against PC cyber threats. Intel has a strong competitive advantage in this area because the company uses an approach that combines software and hardware to enable safer computing experiences. The company is poised to launch 30 new McAfee products in the near future.
Finally, the mobility business remains challenging, as Qualcomm's market position is very strong. Qualcomm is the main innovator behind the CDMA network technology, which acts as the backbone of all 3G networks. As a result, handset makers must pay royalties to Qualcomm -- between 3%-5% of the price of the handset, according to Morningstar -- if they want their mobile phones to work on CDMA-based networks. This recurrent business allows Qualcomm to enjoy high, safe margins.
Intel has a chance to capture market share in the mobility segment if it uses an aggressive pricing strategy for its XMM 7160 modem, which can work on 2G, 3G, and 4G LTE networks. Because this new modem is said to support up to 15 LTE bands simultaneously to allow for global roaming and other advanced features, it is regarded by most reviewers and critics as the best choice in the market, tech-wise. However, unless this modem is attractively priced, handset makers may not have enough incentives to readapt and redesign their models, which are already based on Qualcomm technology.
Final Foolish takeaway
Because Intel predicts zero revenue growth for 2014, short-term upside is very limited. However, the research-driven company also remains focused on building new cash cows -- security, data centers, and foundry -- in the long run, and it is set to capture more tablet market share next year -- by giving away 40 million chips. Because of this, Intel could be a great long-term play, only suitable to patient investors.
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The article Why Intel Projects Zero Growth for 2014 originally appeared on Fool.com.
Adrian Campos has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Intel. The Motley Fool owns shares of Intel and Qualcomm. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
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text: The NCGS News Vol. 35, No. 1 Winter 2011 is now available online. Members of NCGS should receive their print copies soon. The next issue will be published in early April 2011. News items for inclusion in that issue can be sent to Phyllis Matthews Ziller, NCGS News Editor, at NCGSNewsEditor@ncgenealogy.org by 15 February 2011.


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Namecheap’s email account was breached on Sunday evening to be used for sending phishing emails to Namecheap customers – in an attempt to steal sensitive information.
The unknown threat actor used DHL and MetaMask themes for stealing the data – of customers’ cryptocurrency wallet keys and other important information. Namecheap disabled their compromised email account and said to be investigating the incident.
Exploiting Namecheap’s Email Account
Since yesterday, several Namecheap users have been complaining about receiving suspicious emails from the service asking for sensitive details – which was later confirmed to be a hacking incident – as Namecheap CEO Richard Kirkendall said in a tweet.
People noted the suspicious emails being sent through the SendGrid network – an email delivery service often used by Namecheap for sending transactional and marketing emails to its customers. Hackers who breached Namecheap’s email account used this to send phishing emails to its customers – asking for sensitive data.
Beware of phishing emails coming out of @Namecheap’s @SendGrid account. DHL, MetaMask, digitally signed with DKIM. Looks like low level hackers were able to get into their systems. PII looks to be exposed. pic.twitter.com/IuLE8mo2w6
— Kathy Zant (@kathyzant) February 12, 2023
Most reported seeing emails coming with either DHL or MetaMask themed – where the former is asking users to fill in important information on the name of a delivery fee for a package. If not this, some received MetaMask phishing emails asking for their cryptocurrency wallet private key.
This is fuelled by a pending KYC (Know Your Customer) verification to prevent their wallet from being suspended! The suspicious email contains a marketing link from Namecheap (https://links.namecheap.com/) that redirects the user to a phishing page pretending to be MetaMask. When arrives, it asks the user to enter their ‘Secret Recovery Phrase’ or ‘Private key’ to process the request.
Kirkendall said they believe the breach may be related to December’s CloudSek report – where the API keys of Mailgun, MailChimp, and SendGrid were exposed in mobile apps. But a request by BleepingComputer to Twilio (parent of SendGrid) denied this possibility – and affirmed that breach was not a result of any hack. Instead, they encouraged users to use multiple security methods like 2FA, IP address-based access, etc., to secure to be safe.


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Growers call for increased production of organic seeds
By Caitlin Fillmore
Though certified organic farming acreage has steadily grown in California and the U.S., farmers say they still have trouble securing organic seeds for planting.
Some growers continue to call for a tightening of national organic standards to drive needed growth in organic seed production. They say current rules allow exemptions to using organic seeds, thus slowing development of seed varieties and discouraging production of more diverse seed options for organic farmers.
At the Organic Growers Summit in Monterey last month, a panel discussion entitled “Challenges of Organic Seed Production” revealed continuing frustrations for growers who want certified organic seeds.
During the discussion, Theojary Crisantes Jr., chairman of the Organic Produce Association, urged growers to commit to producing and procuring more organic seeds.
Crisantes is chief operations officer of Wholesum Family Farms, which has production in Watsonville, Arizona and Mexico. Two years ago, the firm began producing organic cucumber and pepper seeds in partnership with a Dutch seed company.
“This has been our journey,” Crisantes told attendees. “I encourage everybody to think about this and be part of the solution—one, by procuring the seeds but maybe even thinking about the production of seeds.”
Zea Sonnabend, an organic farmer at Fruitilicious Farm in Watsonville, blamed exemptions to organic standards for diminishing demand for organic seeds.
While regulations for other aspects of the national organic certification process remain strict, she said, using organic seed remains a less stringent aspect of certification.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture requires farmers to use organic seed to be certified organic. The USDA National Organic Program requirements state that organic producers “must use organically grown seeds, seedlings and planting stock.”
But USDA also allows exemptions that enable growers to use untreated, conventionally grown seeds when they cannot source organic seeds in the “form, function and quality that was required for production,” Sonnabend said.
Sonnabend worked on the team that developed California’s original organic regulations, which inspired some of the national certification standards, she said. Now, organic policy advocates are working to correct seed market deficiencies that may have resulted from exceptions to organic regulations, Sonnabend said.
“It is the intent of activists and regulators in the seed world to try and strengthen these recommendations to encourage the use of more organic seed,” she said.
In spring 2019, the National Organic Standards Board recommended updating organic seed guidance for the National Organic Program to spur more production. Similar recommendations were made in 2005 and 2008. Sonnabend said the latest recommendations are more strident in seeking to uphold a “founding principle of organics.”
In Europe, regulatory pressure helped boost the organic seed market, said Jared Zystro, research and education assistant director of the agricultural advocacy group Organic Seed Alliance, a Port Townsend, Wash., nonprofit dedicated to promoting “an abundant and diverse supply of organic seed.”
But demand for organic seed in the United States still remains low, Zystro said.
“There is real interest in growing the organic seed market, but the challenge for seed producers is the demand side,” he said. “If we want to see investment in the needs of organic growers, we need to see some increased uptake in organic seed among growers.”
Zystro said the Organic Seed Alliance’s 2022 State of Organic Seed report noted the seed market remains stagnant for vegetable farms of more than 50 acres. “There is a lack of growth or decrease in use of organic seed among the largest vegetable farms,” he said.
Michael Willey, North America production lead at Bayer Crop Science, appealed to growers at the Monterey gathering to reach out and tell seed companies if they want organic seed. Breeding programs can take between 10 to 12 years to produce seed at a large scale, Willey said.
“We’re really hoping to partner with many of you and hopefully get into this space of producing organic seed if that is where you, our customer, are willing to go,” Willey said.
Crisantes described some drawbacks to growing seed, including getting adjusted to a one-time payment for seed versus the constant cash flow of growing vegetables. He also listed benefits of growing organic seed, from predictable, set prices for the crop to rewarding relationships built with seed scientists.
Zystro said growing more organic seed can boost crop genetics. He said unique strains of genetics are frequently discarded because the seed market is not robust enough to support diverse varieties.
“There could be varieties addressing your production challenges or opportunities for new markets that you could capture with unique colors and flavors,” Zystro said. “There could be a lot more options and more organic-tailored genetics if there was more investment.”
Zystro said using organic seed reinforces organic integrity and standards while also maintaining a trusting relationship with consumers, who believe organic produce comes from organic inputs.
“Whenever there is a discrepancy between consumer expectation and the realities,” Zystro said, “it’s a risk point for everyone.”
(Caitlin Fillmore is a reporter in Monterey County. She may be contacted at firstname.lastname@example.org.)


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According to Morgan Stanley, Apple’s (NASDAQ:AAPL) App Store experienced its “biggest decline in the history of the data” in September, with net revenue falling by 5% year over year. As a result, Apple stock declined this month.
Using data from an independent source called Sensor Tower, Morgan Stanley observed that the App Store of Apple stock remained sluggish in China. At the same time, growth slowed in both Japan and the United States.
App Store spending comes from the top 10 regions. In September, analyst Erik Woodring noted that net revenue growth slowed in all of them except China, Taiwan, and South Korea.
The analyst noted that despite a 9% year-over-year decline in sales in China, net sales have “essentially steadied” since August. The decrease between one year and the next was primarily due to the gaming industry, which saw an 18% drop in revenue.
Japan and the United States experienced slower annual growth of -20% and 5%, respectively, compared to August.
According to Woodring, the overall net revenue from the App Store was $6.4B, which was down 2.1% from the previous year.
The analyst predicts that Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) Services business will bring in $19.71B in sales for the upcoming quarter, up 7.9% year over year but falling short of the $20.25B that Wall Street is anticipating. As of the 27th of October, we should have Apple’s (AAPL) quarterly report.
Consumer spending is slowing. Not even Apple stock is immune. Still, the December quarter is anticipated to get more accessible due to comparisons, the benefit of an extra selling week, and rising costs due to currency fluctuations.
With discretionary income being shifted to areas of pent-up demand, “we believe the recent App Store results make clear that the global consumer has somewhat de-emphasized App Store purchasing in the near-term,” Woodring wrote.
“Therefore, even if the direction of [year-over-year] growth improves in the December quarter (thanks to the extra selling week), the App Store argument will likely remain a battleground for investors.”
Investment firm Evercore reported on Friday that growing iPhone 14 Pro production delays indicate robust demand.
App Store net revenue dropped 5% in September, marking Apple stock’s “biggest reduction in the history of data.”
Featured Image – Unsplash © einfachlaurenz


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Louis Vuitton Fall 2014 Will be a Major Event
To say that we are excited to see Louis Vuitton’s Fall 2014 collection make its debut during Paris Fashion Week would be an understatement.
The future of the house has remained a topic of speculation ever since rumors swirled that its artistic director of womenswear for 16 years, Marc Jacobs, would step down to develop his namesake brand. The speculation ended up being more than just rumors but since then a cloud of secrecy has surrounded Vuitton. When Nicolas Ghesquière was finallyconfirmed, we weren’t given any indication of what to expect.
…Nothing has changed.
Ghesquière will present his first collection for the brand since talking the helm and is not giving interviews or previews—certainly, that's one way to let the clothes speak for themselves.
Women’s Wear Dailyis reporting that sources say, “his show is likely to reference Vuitton’s roots as a maker of master trunks, a recurring prop in recent ad campaigns.” Perhaps the Spring/Resort ad campaign released on Tuesday is a nod to that mission?
Fashion’s bold names surely wouldn’t dream of snubbing this show (sorry, Mr. Armani). Word has it that Alber Elbaz, Jean Paul Gaultier, Riccardo Tisci and Raf Simons have all been invited.
“We have a new designer, which in and of itself is a major event for 2014,” Bernard Arnault told WWD. “The fact that we have a new collections designer at Louis Vuitton, somebody with huge potential and exactly in line with the Vuitton spirit of creative audacity with extreme refinement—I mean, you talk about challenges and opportunities, this is on the opportunities side of the sheet.”
So. Major. March 5th can’t come soon enough!


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Lighthouse opens new thrift store
By Becky Barclay
Published in News on August 25, 2006 1:55 PM
The Lighthouse of Wayne County will once again venture into the thrift store business.
Seconds Please will replace the group's old thrift store, the Beacon of Hope, which had been located on West Walnut Street.
That store was opened Nov. 1, 2004, but closed its doors in October 2005. Lighthouse Director Cheri Seronick said it was nowhere near being self-sufficient.
She said it served two purposes while open -- to generate funds to use for client services and to allow domestic violence victims to choose free clothing and household items from donated goods.
"Having a store downtown, the majority of the traffic we got was foot traffic," Mrs. Seronick said. "And with that customer base, we couldn't charge enough money for nice clothing and items to make anything.
"We wanted to be in a location where if we want to sell a silk blouse for $5 instead of $1, we can do that. We really felt like we needed to get out of downtown to do that."
The new thrift store will open Oct. 1 at 4450 U.S. 70 East, just past N.C. 111 (the old City Girls Antiques store). Hours of operation will be Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Donations of housewares, clothing, knick knacks, appliances and furniture will be taken starting Sept. 1. The manager will be Cassy Wood.
The Lighthouse is leasing the building through a family violence prevention grant, Mrs. Seronick said.
"The new store will have informational materials on domestic violence in the dressing rooms," she said. "It will be a less conspicuous way for people who may need assistance to access our agency safely."
For information about the store or donations, contact the Lighthouse at 736-1313 or Ms. Wood at 738-2308.
Other Local News
- Care in the sky: Members of the aeromedical evacuation crew fight to get injured troops back to their families


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[:en]Apple to take a position $3.6b in Kia Motors to develop the Apple Automobile[:]
Apple is seemingly going all in on its electrical automobile ambitions. The Cupertino-based tech big is reportedly planning to take a position a sum of $3.6 billion in world-renowned automotive producer Kia Motors so as to advance the event of the Apple Automobile.
As reported by South Korean on-line information outlet DongA Ilbo, the iPhone maker has plans to arrange manufacturing with Kia and construct Apple vehicles on the automaker’s facility in Georgia, USA.
The report mentioned the deal could be signed on February 17. Apple will intention to provide 100,000 autos yearly by 2024 on the Kia plant in line with the report and goals to develop that annual capability to 400,000 at a later stage.
Following the report, Kia Corp shares surged to their highest in over twenty years. Apple’s funds shall be used to construct unique amenities for the manufacturing and growth of Apple Automobile.
The iPhone maker’s automotive efforts, referred to as Challenge Titan, have proceeded erratically since 2014 when it first began to design its personal car from scratch. At one level, Apple drew again the trouble to deal with software program and reassessed its targets. Doug Subject, an Apple veteran who had labored at Tesla, returned to supervise the challenge in 2018 and laid off 190 individuals from the staff in 2019.
Central to Apple’s technique is a brand new battery design that would “radically” cut back the price of batteries and improve the car’s vary, in line with a 3rd one who has seen Apple’s battery design.
The automobile will reportedly have greater than 300 miles of vary on a full cost and may get 60 miles on a five-minute cost. It’s going to additionally have the ability to go from 0-60 mph in lower than 3.5 seconds and have a prime pace of 160 mph, reported Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.


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Hilton has joined its HHonors loyalty program with its JetBlue counterpart, TrueBlue, in an initiative that gives consumers TrueBlue points for stays at Hilton hotels. Members can also convert HHonors points into TrueBlue points under the terms of the agreement, which began April 14.
“This is the first of several new partnerships we will be adding to TrueBlue, to enable our members to earn more TrueBlue points,” said Dave Canty, director of loyalty marketing at JetBlue, in a statement.
Consumers previously earned JetBlue points at a rate of one per $2 spent at Hilton hotels. The initiative doubles that to one point for $1. The promotion also allows members to exchange 5,000 HHonors points for 500 TrueBlue points, a threshold that will increase throughout the partnership.
Jeff Diskin, SVP of global customer marketing for Hilton, told DMNews earlier this month that HHonors has shifted its focus to casual travelers by “being more active with promotional activity, both added-value discount offerings and loyalty program offerings.”
American Express and Dunkin’ Donuts began a loyalty partnership last week enabling holders of the Blue family of American Express cards to earn $5 in Dunkin’ Donuts gift cards for every four visits to the chain per month. Consumers also get a 20% bonus for filling their Dunkin’ Donuts cards using their American Express accounts.
Representatives for Hilton and JetBlue could not be reached for comment by publication.