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July 29, 2014
It started with sweet potatoes, onions and peppers, expanded to soursop and limes, and now the hotel that serves local produce to guests is redoubling its efforts to support Bahamian business by purchasing fish, conch and when crawfish season opens, fresh crawfish, from local fishermen.
Andrew Tilley, General Manager of Melia Nassau Beach, explains.
“It makes all the sense in the world to buy as much as you can locally,” said Tilley. “It pleases the guests who enjoy tasting true local fare. It is especially appealing because what you are serving is fresh and is being served the same day it was caught. And it supports local business which is very important to the Melia brand.”
It’s important to companies like Dad & Lad, who supply conch, grouper, red snapper and hope to expand to crawfish when season opens in August.
“It’s not often that you find foreign companies wanting to deal with Bahamians,” says Dwight Higgins, one half of the Dad & Lad father and son fishing duo, Dad in Mayaguana, Dwight in Nassau. Dad fishes early, then packs the coolers and loads them aboard a plane. The catch arrives fresh and is never frozen, says Executive Chef Sidney Bullard, who recently won an honorable mention for Leader of the Quarter, a high honour considering competition was 500 strong, the number of staff members at the hotel on Cable Beach.
The younger Higgins, 43, has been fishing since he was in his late teens and this is only the second time he’s had an opportunity to supply catch to a local establishment.
“I wish more people would adapt that same habit of looking for the Bahamian first,” he says. “I encourage Melia to continue what they’re doing in putting Bahamians first. I hope they make a big difference and set the landscape for other foreign owned companies who come in and import everything rather than giving the small business an opportunity. If you provide good service and provide the product that’s coming from the heart and not a conveyor belt it makes a difference and I applaud and compliment Melia for seeing that difference.”
As for how the kitchen handles the catch to make the most appetizing sea-to-table presentation, Executive Chef Sidney, Chef Paul Pratt and cooks like Sandra all contribute, often calling on old Bahamian family favourites and that’s fine with the hotel’s general manager who has worked in exotic locations before.
“When I came here and realized soursop grew in The Bahamas, I knew life in the kitchen was going to be fun,” says Tilley. “I’m looking forward to discovering the soursop drink or ice cream recipe and we’ll add that to the menu of one of our new restaurants.”
Three main new restaurants are scheduled to come onboard as part of Melia’s $10+ million in improvements. In December, the Spanish-based chain reflagged the hotel that opened as the Cable Beach Hotel & Resort 30 years ago. It is now part of the high-end network of some 300 hotels in 30 countries and will become part of the $3.5 billion Bahamar when the mega-resort, residential and retail development launches.


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In the secondary market, story is everything. The better the story, the more desirable the object, and consequently its appeal at auction. Take the rhinestone-covered dress that Marilyn Monroe wore when she breathily sang “Happy Birthday Mr President” to John F Kennedy in 1962. It’s the most expensive dress ever sold at auction, bought for $US4.8 million in 2016 by the Ripley’s Believe It or Not! franchise and infamously worn by “media personality” Kim Kardashian at this year’s Met Gala.
Book lovers may find another example more to their taste: the faux tortoise-shell Celine sunglasses once worn by the American queen of literary cool, Joan Didion, which sold two weeks ago in New York for $US27,000 against an estimate of $US400 to $US800. You could buy yourself a lifetime’s supply of Celine sunglasses for $US27,000 – but that’s not the point. The aura of fame imbues objects with a value far beyond their pure material worth. People pay big money to be associated with celebrity and history.
But what of the lavish jewels that once belonged to notorious Sydney fraudster Melissa Caddick? Will her story appeal to buyers too? Caddick mysteriously vanished in late 2020, hours after her Dover Heights home was raided by the Australian Federal Police and the Australian Securities and Investments Commission. She was declared dead after her severed foot washed up on a beach last year. Receivers have been called in to liquidate her assets, and auctioneers Smith & Singer will be selling Caddick’s attention-grabbing jewellery collection next week. No doubt Caddick’s story will pique people’s interest and possibly stir a morbid fascination, but will curiosity translate into sales? Smith & Singer chairman Geoffrey Smith is confident it will.
“Curiosity does [translate into sales],” he tells Saleroom.
There are two stories at play here: the “mystery” of Caddick, as Smith puts it, and the artistry of her favoured jeweller, Sydney’s Stefano Canturi, known for designing the dazzling diamond necklace worn by Nicole Kidman as Satine in the Baz Luhrmann film Moulin Rouge. Naturally, Smith is keen to emphasise the latter.
“Stefano Canturi is an artist, he is a creator and these works well and truly stand on their own merit,” he says.
Caddick was a fan of jewellery that broadcast wealth, particularly collar-sweeping necklaces studded with big, precious stones. One of the most striking Canturi necklaces in her collection is a geometric cascade of aquamarine, diamonds and sapphires, for which Caddick paid $350,000 in November 2018. The “Aqualina” necklace, as it’s called, now has an estimate of $80,000 to $120,000. Another Canturi necklace, the “Stella”, featuring 13 large black sapphires surrounded by diamonds, cost Caddick $370,000 in June 2015. Can we read anything into the eerie choice of 13 black sapphires? Whatever the case, the necklace is also now on the market for $80,000 to $120,000.
In an unusual step, Smith & Singer has published the retail price Caddick paid for every piece in her collection, jewellery now being sold at a fraction of the cost.
“We have been instructed by the receivers to sell to benefit the creditors,” Smith says. “It’s a distressed sale, and people love that, whether it’s property or whether it’s art, but in this instance the quality of the material on offer is the highest it can be in an Australian context.”
Smith sees the auction as a kind of community service, clawing back some of the millions that Caddick embezzled from family and friends in a Ponzi scheme.
“You are doing something good by acquiring these items,” Smith says.
A good Samaritan might consider Caddick’s cheerful Canturi-designed “Lucinda Colourburst” necklace, named for its mosaic-like arrangement of pink tourmalines, citrines, amethysts, blue topaz, peridots, morganites, beryls and aquamarines. It cost Caddick $258,000 in December 2015 and has an auction estimate of $60,000 to $80,000.
Caddick’s jewellery comprises 56 lots in Smith & Singer’s 180-lot auction of important jewels, watches and medals next Wednesday in Sydney.
The auction will begin with a far more sanguine story – that of champion swimmer Murray Rose. The sale’s first eight lots are the Olympic and Commonwealth gold medals won by Rose during Australia’s golden age of swimming in the 1950s and 1960s.
As a member of the Australian swimming team at the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, Rose became the first Australian swimmer in history and youngest Olympian to win three gold medals in a single Olympiad. His three 1956 medals each have an estimate of $60,000 to $80,000, as does the gold medal Rose won at the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome. His four Commonwealth Games gold medals are each estimated at $30,000 to $40,000.
As jewellery auctions go, Smith & Singer’s last of the year is peppered with intrigue, and it will be interesting to see which stories hold the greatest allure for collectors.
On the art auction front, collectors’ appetites for major acquisitions are holding up. Menzies final sale of the year was a triumph, bringing in a total of $8.1 million (including buyer’s premium), with 86 per cent of lots sold by number, and 102 per cent by value.
“It was a terrific sale for us and a really good end to the year,” says Menzies’ Head of Art, Brett Ballard.
The auction set several new records. Lloyd Rees’ ethereal painting Sydney – The Source, 1973, sold for $460,000 (hammer), a new high for the artist despite the result being below the work’s estimate of $500,000 to $600,000. More thrilling was the record result for Yosl Bergner’s The Last Supper, 1982, which sold for $65,000 (hammer), $40,000 above its high estimate.
“We had interest from Israel, we had interest from New York,” says Ballard, who declined to reveal whether the Bergner was bought by a local or international collector.
Both of these record-making paintings were from the collection of the late businesswoman Millie Phillips, whose eventful life story Saleroom covered a fortnight ago.
Menzies also claimed an Australian auction record for the work of American artist Robert Indiana, whose sculpture, Hope (Red/Blue/Green), 2009, sold for $250,000 (hammer).
Indiana’s international record is many times more, set at Christie’s in New York in 2011, when an edition of Indiana’s best-known work, Love (Red/Blue), sold for $US4.1 million, but that was for a sculpture almost four metres high.
There was strong bidding too for Brett Whiteley’s Cockatoo, 1988, also from Millie Phillips’ collection, which sold for $185,000 (hammer), more than double its high estimate of $80,000.
In the general auction, Ben Quilty’s Self-portrait with a hat, 2021, doubled its high estimate to sell for $40,000, and Hart Ferdinand Nibbrig’s Tulip Fields and Alison Rehfisch’s Cagnes Revisited, c. 1958, more than doubled their high estimates to sell on the hammer for $70,000 and $46,000 respectively.
However, the heat appears to have gone out of the market for Jordan Kerwick, with the two paintings consigned to the Menzies auction failing to sell.
After a rocky start to 2022, Menzies has turned over $21 million this year, closing the gap between it and its nearest rival, Smith & Singer, which ends the year on $23.4 million.
It will be no surprise to Saleroom readers that Deutscher and Hackett is leading the pack, thanks to the consignment of large corporate collections. The company has turned over $44 million in sales so far this year, and that figure doesn’t include the results of its final live auction, on Thursday. The company is aiming for the $50 million mark – the last time that happened was in the boom year of 2007 when Sotheby’s Australia turned over $51.5 million.
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Dubai-based high street fashion brand Splash launched a sustainability initiative called the ‘Life After Fashion’ campaign last year, which encouraged people to recycle their old clothes, resulting in the collection of over 50,000 clothing items, weighing 11 tonnes. Some of the collected items were distributed amongst underprivileged communities in Africa.
The ‘Life After Fashion’ campaign saw Splash working closely with UAE-based laundry firms to communicate the message and consumers were encouraged to visit Splash stores and drop their unwanted items in specially designed boxes placed at the store. All these items were then delivered to Hands Industries who further categorised them into provision for used clothing markets, donation to African countries or for recycling purposes.
The design of the hangers was pivotal to the success of the campaign, as they depicted images of the types of people benefitting from the project. As such they provided an essential human element which resonated effectively with the public and prompted them to take action. The decision to utilise laundry companies that were able to conveniently reach out to their regular customer base and provide an efficient distribution and collection channel also contributed to the campaign’s success.
A second phase of the innovative campaign saw collection points installed in Splash stores, with shoppers encouraged to donate their old clothes as they purchased new items.
Commenting on the campaign, Raza Beig, CEO, Splash, Iconic & Landmark International & fashion director – Landmark Group, says, “Our aim was to raise awareness about the huge amount of unwanted clothing items that people throw away, which go into landfill, but which can be easily recycled for the good of others. We are very grateful for the co-operation of the public who donated their unwanted clothing and for the laundry companies who participated in the initiative and made it so feasible. We are delighted that so many people are benefiting from the campaign. The initiative will now continue as part of our long-term sustainability endeavours.”


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Google has announced plans to launch new hardware on October 4th, but the folks at Droid Life apparently got impatient (and got their hands on some juicy leaks), because they’ve published a bunch of pictures, prices, and other details about upcoming Google products.
That includes a new Pixel 2 (with a starting price of $649), Pixel 2 XL smartphone (which will be a premium device with a starting price of $849), a new Google Home Mini smart speaker ($49) and an updated Daydream View headset ($99).
Details about Google’s upcoming phones have been leaking for months. There will probably be two models: a 5 inch phone most folks are calling the Pixel 2, which will feature updated specs, but a design that’s a lot like last year’s Pixel.
And then there’s the Pixel 2 XL, which will have a nearly 6 inch display, but a relatively compact design thanks to slim bezels. While Droid Life isn’t giving us a look at the new screen yet, the site does have image showing what the phone will look like in several different color options.
One model has black on the top and bottom, but there are also options to have a white bottom and black top, or vice versa.
Droid Life says $849 will get you a model with 64GB of storage, while a 128GB model will run $949.
The smaller phone is said to have a design that’s closer to the original Pixel and Pixel XL, although Droid Life’s pictures of the back of the phone indicate it’ll have a smaller glass section on top (which is pretty much what we’d been expecting).
The good news is that the Pixel 2 will have the same starting price as last year’s 5 inch Pixel, even though it has updated specs (including twice as much storage fro the entry-level model).
The less good news is that the starting price is still $649, which isn’t exactly cheap. For that price, Droid Life says you’ll be able to pick up a Pixel 2 with 64GB of storage in white, black, or blue. A 128GB model will set you back $749.
Bargain hunters in search of a stock Android experience and regular software updates may have another option though: Rumor has it that Motorola and HTC will be launching Android One phones with mid-range specs (and prices) soon, and that those phones will be among the first Android One devices sold in the United States.
Google is set to expand its smart speaker lineup with a new model that’s less than half the price of the original.
While the first Google Home was priced at $129 at launch, making it more affordable than Amazon’s $180 echo and way cheaper than Apple’s upcoming $349 HomePod, Google didn’t have anything to compete with Amazon’s $50 Echo Dot… until now (or a few weeks from now, anyway).
The Google Home mini is a small speaker with support for Google Assistant voice controls. It will come in “chalk,” “charcoal,” and “coral” color options, and has swappable bottom panels if you want to mix and match colors. And there are LED lights on top that should illuminate when the speaker is in use.
Google is apparently updating its gadget for strapping a phone to your face.
The new Daydream View looks… a lot like last year’s model. It seems like Google may have changed the materials a bit, which could help make the new version more comfortable and/or easier to clean. But it’s still basically a phone holder with a head strap and a wireless remote control.
Google is also updating its Daydream virtual reality platform to support standalone headsets that work without any phone inserted. But with a $99 price tag (up from $79 for the first-gen model), and a clearly visible latch for holding a phone in place, this doesn’t seem to be a standalone device.
It’s unclear if Google has any plans to offer its own standalone device, but we know that HTC and Lenovo are two of the companies already working on third-party Daydream standalone hardware.


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PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti -- Haiti was once a major global supplier of coffee and its government is determined to help it regain that stature.
Haiti recently hosted its first International Coffee Summit, organized by the William J. Clinton Foundation. The event aimed to support local growers and discuss ways to promote and expand the Haitian coffee industry abroad.
Haiti's Minister of the Interior, Thierry Mayard-Paul, emphasized coffee's ties to the country's history and culture. He also reaffirmed agriculture's strategic importance in president Michel Martelly's plan to invigorate the economy.
"Coffee is one of the many areas where we are looking for partnerships, joint ventures and other collaborations, and we are ready to do everything we can to help facilitate this important engagement," said Mayard-Paul. He also addressed how, as part of a larger agricultural plan, Haitian coffee could play a significant role not only in economic development, but also in promoting decentralization and job creation in rural areas.
Also in attendance were representatives from Haiti's National Coffee Association, Haitian cooperatives and growers associations. International stakeholders were invited to provide their insights on how to gain access to new markets and promote Haitian coffee globally.
According to a recent article in the Miami Herald, beans from Haiti's Gwo Chwal region once sold for 30¢ a pound. Now, Japanese roasters are buying these quality beans for $5.50 (a pound). In addition, Cafe Cocano farmers from Haiti's Port-de-Paix are expecting to double exports of their organically grown coffee, already for sale on the Internet and in Italian espresso shops.


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Google Buys Smart Home Startup Nest Labs for $3.2bn
The Internet search engine giant, an early investor in Nest Labs, says it has purchased the company for $3.2 billion in cash. Nest will continue to operate as a separate brand and under the leadership of CEO Tony Fadell and head of engineering Matt Rogers, Google says.
Fadell, former vice president of Apple’s iPhone and iPod division and Rogers, a former Apple engineer, founded Nest Labs in May 2010. Their first product, which was introduced in late 2011, was a smart thermostat that uses six sensors to learn a user’s preferred temperatures and schedule and then adjust the setting accordingly.
The learning thermostat quickly became one of the most popular products in the smart home market. It has since undergone two major software updates and is now sold in Canada and in the US at Lowe’s, Amazon and the online Apple store.
The thermostat is designed to learn and then automatically save energy. It has a number of features including filter reminders, and Auto-Away, a setting that automatically turns itself down when a homeowner is away to save energy and reduce costs.
The thermostat’s Auto-Tune setting powers two services: rush-hour rewards, which tweaks temperatures during peak hours, and seasonal savings, which fine tunes the homeowner’s schedule over a few weeks to help save. Depending on the weather, Nest users save 5 percent to 10 percent with their tuned-up schedules, the company says.
The Natural Resources Defense Council released a report in October 2013 that validates the substantial savings available by catching stray energy in buildings.
Some examples of “stray” include thermostats that are set for specific events and not re-set afterwards, broken sensors for fans or pumps, and problems with energy management software that goes undetected.
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Microsoft announced a broader release of the latest build of its Windows Phone 7 mobile operating system, and it's getting good reviews from developers. The company also says it started shipping thousands of prototype handsets to software developers ...
Wireless & Mobile
Apple announced several measures Friday to keep iPhone 4 users "happy" and to turn the controversy over the smartphone's occasional reception issues into a "non-issue." Again.
Although Motorola's brand new Droid X smartphone and the original Droid bear similar names, they are very different devices.
Warnings by Apple's top antenna expert that the iPhone 4 design could clobber signal strength and lead to dropped calls were ignored by the company's top executives, according to a Bloomberg News story today.
More consumers will be buying a smartphone in the next three months than ever before. And the big winner, by a big margin, is the super-achieving Apple iPhone.
If I buy an iPhone 4, am I going to have big radio frequency reception problems?
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GGG Evaluation Team
First impression on unpacking the Q702 test unit was the solid feel and clean, minimalist styling.


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If you're looking for an escape from our current snowy, icy scenario, it's a good time to book a trip.
If you're on a budget - take a breath.
AOL Finance rounded up a list of 10 popular tourism destinations that are cheaper for U.S. travelers this year, and they are for adventurers!
First: To the Caribbean.
TripAdvisor says hotel prices have fallen 8 percent since last year at spots all across the Caribbean, so it's a good time to book.
They say travel to many Asian countries, like Vietnam, is now more affordable than ever.
Add Taiwan, Cambodia and the Philippines to the list.
They say with price drops as deep as 12 percent, you could be staying in a 5-star resort, even a palace, for less than $100 a night.
Also on the list of places to grab a great deal this year is Sri Lanka, the United Arab Emirates and Costa Rica.
AOL Finance says you will find the biggest drop in Turkey, with a 14 percent plunge in hotel pricing.
We should note that is largely due to this year's travel warning because of the threat of terrorism, but AOL says travel is not restricted so, as a result, they kept it on the list.
Finally, you can save about 10 percent on accommodations in Belize.
The Central American country has access to Caribbean Sea shorelines to the east and the jungle to the west.
What's the Deal: 10 places to travel on budget in 2017


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Autodesk Canada earlier this month settled a law suit it was planning to bring against Assimilate. Assimialte's press release relates the tangled tale:
The lawsuit... was based on Autodesk Canada’s purchase of the intellectual property, including copyright interests, in a software program called Cyborg from an English company, 5D Solutions, Ltd. The Cyborg software provided digital compositing, color correction and various editing and art functions for the post production and visual effects industry. The lawsuit alleged that Assimilate’s software program, known as Scratch, infringed Autodesk Canada’s copyright in the Cyborg software.
...Assimilate acknowledges that it used code and design elements from Cyborg in its Scratch product. Assimilate... has received a perpetual license back from Autodesk Canada for use of that code and those design elements and a release for any past use of that code and those design elements.
Big sign of relief all around.


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Delta Air Lines will continue its commitment of investment and growth in the Pacific Northwest following a decision by Delta and Alaska Airlines to end their partnership.
The decision is a positive milestone for both airlines as Alaska focuses on its merger integration with Virgin America and Delta focuses on creating more customer choice at its Seattle-Tacoma International Airport hub, where it now operates more than 150 peak-day flights to more than 40 destinations.
Effective May 1, 2017, Delta and Alaska will no longer have a codeshare agreement, and sales of flights under DL- and AS-coded flight numbers flown on Alaska and Delta aircraft respectively will cease. The carriers will retain an interline agreement, allowing them to continue offering customers ticketing and baggage connectivity. Delta and Alaska today codeshare on only a small number of flights as Delta’s growth in Seattle has reduced the need for codeshare flying.
Seattle businesses have global travel needs, and Delta customers in Seattleretain a robust selection of flights following the end of the partnership. Delta has built a strong hub at Sea-Tac, having more than tripled flights and destinations since 2013, and has become a reliable and collaborative travel partner, offering unmatched products and services and a team of 3,200 local employees to support Seattleites’ travel needs.
“We view Seattle and the Pacific Northwest as one of the most important markets in the country, with strong economic growth, cultural diversity and some of the world’s most innovative brands and minds,” said Mike Medeiros, Delta’s Vice President – Seattle.
“As a result, we have invested heavily in our product, services, facilities and the community. Our focus now is earning the long-term trust of Pacific Northwest customers by demonstrating the value of partnering with a global airline and the benefits of being a Delta SkyMiles Member.”


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Jude’s has announced it is officially carbon negative. Now how will it meet its target of a 43% reduction in carbon intensity by 2030?
British ice cream brand Jude’s has announced it is officially carbon negative – removing 10% more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere than it is emitting.
The B Corp-certified company, which claims to be the UK’s first carbon negative ice cream brand, has also committed to a 43% reduction in carbon intensity by 2030.
“In recent years, Jude’s has become increasingly aware of its impact on the environment, and although unchartered territory for an ice cream company,” says MD Chow Mezger, “Jude’s want to lead the way in demonstrating that ice cream businesses can play a key role in the fight against climate change.”
So how has Jude’s achieved carbon negative status? And how will it meet that 2030 target?
In order to reduce emissions, Jude’s first had to measure and understand its carbon footprint. It did so by “working extensively” with Professor Mike Berners-Lee – a world expert in carbon footprinting – and his team at Small World Consulting.
Small World’s analysis showed Jude’s releases 6,200 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions every year. That includes direct emissions from Jude’s operations, but also indirect emissions from the production of the energy Jude’s uses and from its supply chain – such as emissions from the farms producing its ingredients, as well as those elated to transport, packaging and refrigeration.
“The climate and ecological emergency has implications for every aspect of an ice cream business,” says Berners-Lee. “For an ice cream producer, the big questions include what ingredients to use and how they should be produced, how to cut carbon from every part of the operation, and what else can be done to look after our world.”
Once it understood exactly where its carbon emissions were coming from, Jude’s was able to develop a carbon roadmap with actions to target emissions across its supply chain and operations.
It has already switched to renewable energy at its Hampshire kitchen and is working with Carbon Architecture to review opportunities for energy recovery within its operations.
Elsewhere, Jude’s has committed to developing more plant-based products, which will be at least 50% of the its range by 2025, as well as using more environmentally friendly packaging and reformulating existing products.
The family-run brand is also engaging with suppliers to “in a bid to create a wholly environmentally conscious supply chain” to produce its products.
Matterley Farm, milk supplier for Jude’s Tywford dairy, is already part of the Winchester Downs farm cluster – which is working together to achieve benefits for landscape, habitat and biodiversity. The farm is currently undergoing its own carbon audit and developing a carbon management plan that will be implemented in 2021.
Removing carbon from its supply chain and operations will take time. So Jude’s is also investing in environment and sustainability projects, as well as carbon storage, to remove 10% more carbon from the atmosphere than its remaining footprint.
This includes supporting the development of Yarra Yarra Biodiversity Corridor in south west Australia through the purchase of its carbon credits. This quarter alone, Jude’s has purchased 4,000 tonnes of carbon credits (CER and PER).
In the UK, Jude’s has partnered with conservation charities Woodland Trust and Trees for Life. In addition to its carbon removal plan, Jude’s is sponsoring Trees for Life to “promote diversity of wildlife through rewilding the Caledonian Forest: a rich habitat found only in the Scottish Highlands,” it says.
Since beginning its sponsorship, Jude’s has planted 1,000 trees, and encourages donations of trees to its grove, in a bid to create more homes for wildlife and forests of the future.
Mezger admits Jude’s target to slash carbon emissions by 43% by 2030 is “ambitious” and will essentially involve ”changing every area of the business.”
However, the brand is determined to deliver on its promise, and hopes its ambitions “will inspire fellow industry members to take action and join us in challenging themselves, their businesses, their supply chains and their customers to leave this beautiful planet in the best possible shape for generations to come”.


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CHINESE leading information and communications conglomerate, Huawei has introduced ultra-modern electronic gadgets including 4G mobile handsets, intelligent video surveillance and tele presence video conferencing.
Speaking in Dar es Salaam over the weekend during a short ceremony to introduce the gadgets, Huawei Technologies Tanzania Company Limited Channel Executive, Moses Hella, said their latest ICT, security and conferencing technology serves all sectors of the country's economy.
"We have everything for everyone, 4G mobile handsets for individuals and mobile phone service companies, push to video technology for security companies and data center innovations for enterprises," Mr Hella said.
He further noted that Huawei has also brought latest green power innovative technology for solar power. "Ministry of Education has already purchased a tele-presence technology which allows video meetings involving real people and not the existing video conference technology," Hella noted.
In a statement, the Chinese technology giant said the road-show in Tanzania has brought convergent communication solutions and philosophies to enhance brand and industry leadership.
"During the Roadshow we will introduce the concept of ICT transformation, infrastructure transformation and business operation transformation, in addition to highlighting the benefits of our Value Growth Solution (VGS) which helps customers to improve income, increase efficiency and enhance user experience," the company said.
Among other brand products, Huawei said its innovative soft mobile solution in the radio access is a future proof deployment for 10 years evolution in wireless field with blade RRU, Adaptive Antenna Unit (AAU), AtomCell, Lampsite, Cloud BBU and Single Radio Controller (SRC).
One of the fastest growing high-tech companies in the last 20 years, Huawei is the second largest telecoms equipment business globally. Huawei is a major global multinational and leading ICT solutions provider employing 150,000 people in more than 140 countries.
Europe is Huawei's second largest region after China and it generates around 70 per cent of global revenues are generated outside China led by Europe.


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OnePlus, Apple & Samsung phones went through face recognition test, here’s the victor
Samsung Galaxy S10 will have a smaller cutout than the A8s
Huawei's Nova 4 Hole-Punch Phone Is Finally Official
Apple accused of making false claims about iPhone X series
Samsung Galaxy F may come with two batteries, dual 12-megapixel cameras
Halo Infinite announced for Xbox One, Windows 10
12 June 2018, 11:03 | Casey Mitchell
The fact that he is prominently featured at the end of the Halo Infinitetrailer is hopefully a promise that this game will remedy the failures of the last.
Of course, with the Xbox One X and the PlayStation 4 Pro upending the usual console cycle, all bets are off.
Microsoft's Xbox division is laying the groundwork for a game streaming service that zaps games directly to any device, whether it be your console at home or your phone on-the-go.
Halo 5 split players' time between Master Chief and Spartan Locke. As lee writes, it "draws significant inspiration from the most iconic and historic parts of the Halo franchise and your feedback, all while modernizing and taking advantage of the full power of the Xbox One family".
E3, short for Electronic Entertainment Expo, officially opens Tuesday, but several large game publishers and hardware makers are holding preshow events.
Anyways, Microsoft showed off the next game called Halo Infinite yesterday which will be running on a new engine called SlipSpace but there were many details left out of that presentation, notably the release date. Beyond new games, though, Microsoftannounced the acquisition of four game development studios as well as the opening of a new fifth internal studio.
Spencer promised that Microsoft is working on "Microsoft AI", new AI systems that will make games more "rich and immersive" in the future.
To counter that, Microsoft surprised with a huge number of Japanese games coming to Xbox.
On trade, it's Trump who's retaliating
Navarro later clarified that his comments were "the sentiment that was on Air Force One after that". He says Canada won't be pushed around over the tariffs and we are reasonable people.
Some members will be able to get an early look at the game through testing, though.
The End Of Net Neutrality Is Here
Republican FCC Chairman Ajit Pai has accused Democrats of "scare tactics" in their opposition to net neutrality repeal . Under the rules, internet service providers were required to treat all online content the same.
Kilauea has swallowed 600 homes in unprecedented eruption
Most of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park remains closed due to persistent earthquakes and eruptions of corrosive volcanic ash. County officials say there are 279 homes between the two coastal communities, and most are feared to be destroyed.
Apple doesn't want you mining bitcoin on your iPhone
These conditions extend to apps providing cryptocurrency futures trading, and other crypto-securities or quasi-securities trading. The section also bans apps and any third-party ads from running "unrelated background processes, such as cryptocurrency mining".
Merkel: EU will retaliate against Trump tariffs
And at the same time, the USA president seems more at home with autocrats than with Washington's traditional allies. On Thursday, the President declared the Canadian prime minister "indignant" on Twitter , decrying his trade views.
Neymar mocks Austria's 'UFC' tactics after Brazil win
He would not confirm, however, that the same side would start Brazil's opening World Cup game against Switzerland on 17 June. Once they touched down, a track suited Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov was among the first to greet Salah.


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The Redmont Group (NW) title gained 3.26% in electronic trading ahead of the stock market opening on Wednesday. (Photo: 123RF)
San Francisco. Microsoft’s results were hurt by the economic situation last quarter, but good resistance to its cloud computing (remote computing) activity has reassured investors.
On Tuesday, the computer giant reported $52 billion in revenue for the fourth quarter of its fiscal year, which was distributed on a rolling basis, up 12% year-over-year.
Its net income was $16.7 billion, a very small increase (+2%).
The Redmont Group (NW) title gained 3.26% in electronic trading ahead of the stock market opening on Wednesday.
In a press release, the US group notes that the unfavorable exchange rate is depriving it of $595 million in revenue.
Record inflation, supply chain issues, the closure of factories in China due to COVID, and the war in Ukraine have all weighed on the company’s accounts.
Thus, its activity in the field of personal computers is 14.4 billion US dollars, which is only 2% more than last year over the same period.
For video games, revenue from Xbox content and services was down 6% year-over-year.
Microsoft’s results are “below Wall Street’s expectations, but cloud and ordering fundamentals are solid,” Dan Ives of Wedbush Securities responded in a note.
Microsoft generated $25 billion in cloud computing revenue, up 28%, according to Chief Financial Officer Amy Hood, quoted in the statement.
Revenue from Azure, Microsoft’s remote computing platform, jumped 40% year-on-year, or 46% in constant currency, comparable to the previous two quarters.
“The DNA of Microsoft growth is the cloud,” said Dan Ives. “And Azure’s growth looks set to continue in the coming months, despite the economic hardship.”
With a market share of 21%, it is the second largest cloud service provider in the world, behind Amazon AWS (33%) and ahead of Google Cloud (8%), according to the consulting firm. 2022.
Microsoft, like many other technology companies, indicated last quarter that the pace of hiring would slow down, especially for teams working with Office or the Windows operating system.


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RL Pro Exclusive
With the future of U.S. cannabidiol sales growing, Sunnyside expands into more locations.
The high-protein, low-sugar cereal brand appeared in Target this year, and it will now be available on more store shelves.
The grocer doesn’t have a substantial physical presence in the state, but it offers groceries via delivery supported by a hub-and-spoke system.
- RL Pro ExclusiveStreamlining the supply chain, high-quality consumer experience and seamless point-of-sale drove tech innovations at NRF 2023: Retail’s Big Show.
- Automation of the retail industry across all sectors, from supply chains to fast food restaurants to e-commerce AI took over the news this week. All of this is centered around making retail more efficient and more cost effective in retailers daily activities.
- The new grocer opened up its first location in Massachusetts and is planning a “rapid” expansion.
Most Popular Articles
Tal Zvi Nathanel, the founder and CEO of Showfields, explains the retailer’s unique approach to experiential retail and why most physical retail is “dull and boring.”


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Pokemon Go Creator Making a Harry Potter Game
The maker of one of the biggest mobile games around is joining forces with one of the biggest forces in pop culture.
Niantic Labs, creators of the smash Pokemon Go, are working on an augmented reality Harry Potter game called Harry Potter: Wizards Unite. The game, made in conjunction with Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, is expected to release next year.
Details on the game are scant, but it expected to allow players to blend the real world around them with the fantasy of J.K. Rowling’s wizard-laden universe.
Niantic is regarded as the leader in the augmented reality gaming space. Pokemon Go was released in July 2016 and quickly became a pop culture phenomenon, with over 750 million downloads in the first year. The game still has an active user base of 65 million people each month, is updated frequently, and has established a regular presence on the list of the 20 most lucrative apps. The game has earned an estimated $1.5 billion to $2 billion.
The video game rumor mill had suggested Niantic might be working on a Harry Potter game last year, but the company brushed it aside at the time.


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Stay in step with market opportunities and get insights, actionable trade ideas and dedicated support.
A guide to the German stock market
The German stock market has a huge range of popular and well-known brands listed on it – including Adidas, BMW and Siemens. Learn about the exchanges, companies and indices that make up the German stock market.
Euro analysis: EUR/USD drops below 1.07 again as last week’s bounce sputters
After the better-than-anticipated growth early in Q1, the signs are piling up that the Eurozone economy is sputtering in Q2
European Open: EUR/AUD looks week ahead of German PPI
A strong employment report for Australia has sent AUD to top of the class overnight, weighing on EUR/AUD ahead of PPI data for Germany at 07:00 BST.
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European Open: Keep an eye on Germany's Regional CPI’s
The first (of several) regional inflation reports for Germany came in soft this morning, and that could be a lead for Germany’s broad CPI released at lunch today.
European Open: German IFO expected to slump, EUR/GBP in focus
If the latest ZEW report was anything to go by, this month’s IFO report on German sentiment could be in for a rough ride.
European Open: Equities continued to tumble, German IFO up next
Anyone hopes of a Tuesday turnaround in Asia following Wall Street’s late rebound were quickly dashed, with equity markets across the region all in the red again.
Retail traders not buying the DAX’s breakout to record highs…yet
Despite very clear evidence that German stocks are in an uptrend, StoneX Retail traders are upping their bets against the index...
Vantage Towers IPO: Everything you need to know about Vantage Towers
Vodafone seeks to raise up to €2.3 billion by floating its rapidly growing subsidiary Vantage Towers. What's the strategy behind the move?
E.ON confirms 2020 outlook
E.ON, the energy group, posted 3Q adjusted net income declined 52.4% on year to 139 million euros.
BMW : watch 57E
BMW, the automobile group, announced that 3Q net profit increased 17.4% on year to 1.82 billion euros.
Daimler remains within a bullish channel
Daimler, the automobile group, said its preliminary 3Q results were above market expectations.
German Wholesale prices on the upside
German September Wholesale prices were released at +1.8%, vs -1.6% on year expected.
Hella shares down after 1Q results
Hella, the automotive part supplier, reported that 1Q adjusted EBIT declined 49.2% on year to 56 million euros on revenue of 1.34 billion euros, down 14.4%.
Weak German Retail Sales
Earlier this morning, July German Retail Sales were released at -0.9% on month, worse than +0.5% expected.
Single digit German GDP fall
The German Federal Statistical Office has reported final readings of Q2 GDP at -9.7% on quarter, above -10.1% expected.
German July PPI above expectations
Earlier this morning, German July PPI was released at +0.2%, above +0.1% expected.
German Balance of Trade stronger than expected
This morning, June German Balance of Trade was released at EUR 15.6 billion surplus, much higher than EUR 1.4 billion surplus expected.
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German Consumer Confidence above expectations
The August German Consumer Confidence was released above the expectations.
German PPI below expectations
The June German Producer Price Index was released at +0.0% on month, below +0.2% expected.
Much higher German Wholesale prices
June German Wholesale price index was released at +0.6% on month, much higher than -0.6% expected.
Daimler - continuation of the short term rebound
Daimler, the automobile group, will invest in Chinese electric vehicle battery producer Farasis Energy's 480 million dollars IPO.
Bayer: Watch 63E
Bayer, the pharmaceutical group, is nearing deals to resolve 50,000 to 85,000 of 125,000 U.S. cancer lawsuits over the use of its Roundup weedkiller
Merck trades lower after 1Q results – The trend remains bullish
Merck KGaA, the chemicals and pharmaceuticals group, posted 1Q net income surged to 458 million euros from 190 million euros in the prior-year period


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Reverend Jesse L. Jackson, Sr.
Comments on Apple Diversity and Inclusion Record
August 13, 2015
“Today, Apple released its diversity and inclusion report. It shows solid, measurable progress as the company seeks to fulfill their view that “diversity is critical to innovation and it is essential to Apple’s future.” (Tim Cook)
As Rainbow PUSH and others have advocated, Apple for the first time released its formal Equal Employment Opportunity report (EEO-1). That’s a positive step and we hope that other tech companies do the same. But RainbowPUSH has asked companies to go beyond the EEO-1 report and provide additional, comprehensive, transparent data points, showing year over year numbers and percentages relating to hiring of women and people of color in the tech and non tech sectors; in leadership positions; retail; and their supplier diversity spend. This data provides a much clearer picture of what companies are actually doing.
Apple has done that, reporting that they have “hired over 11,000 women globally… more than 2,200 Black employees — a 50 percent increase over last year — and 2,700 Hispanic employees, a 66 percent increase. 50% of their new hires this past year have been women and people of color.” (Tim Cook) Tim Cook and Apple are driving innovation in diversity, and are showing measurable and quantifiable results. Hiring 2200 African Americans and 2700 Latinos is perhaps the highest numerical increase – in the last 12 months - shown by any tech company. (Their full report is at http://www.apple.com/diversity/)
Earlier this year, Tim Cook said, “we are wrong,” referencing the virtual exclusion of people of color in the industry. He, along with Intel CEO Brian Krzanich, are provided the type of high level leadership the industry needs to change the face of technology.
This is a watershed week for propelling the tech diversity and inclusion agenda forward. HP broke new ground by appointing two African Americans to each of its two new companies (HP Enterprise and HP Inc.); Intel reported significant and measurable progress in their diversity hiring in perhaps the most aggressively transparent report provided by any company in the industry. Now Apple has leaned in.
While progress among other companies has been disappointingly slow – high on initiatives but low on hiring – these three companies are providing much needed momentum to the tech diversity and inclusion PUSH for 2015.
I said to Apple at their shareholder meeting this March, “Apple is one of the greatest innovators in the world - - - from the IPad and IPhone and now the IWatch – you make products that transform the world. I urge you to use that same power and genius to transform the culture of Silicon Valley - to transform the workforce, leadership and Boardrooms to look like America and the communities you depend upon for success. Apple and this thriving Silicon Valley are solving the world’s most challenging and complex problems. Diversity and Inclusion is a complex problem – if we put our collective minds to it, we can solve it, too.
Apple and the tech industry has demonstrated that it can solve the most challenging complex problems in the world. Inclusion is a complex problem – if we put our collective minds to it, we can solve it, too. “
RainbowPUSH is excited to join with Apple and partner with them to implement the “tech 2020” initiative, and to engage and empower people, businesses and communities of color who can change the face of technology. That continues to be the civil rights challenge of this era, and we intend to keep pushing for racial equality and economic justice.


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UPDATE 3-Cognizant Q2 profit beats Wall Street; ups '09 outlook
* Q2 adj EPS $0.47 beats St by 10 cents: Reuters Estimates
* Sees Q3 results above Street expectations
* Increases full-year revenue, profit forecasts
* Shares up as much as 10 pct (Adds conference call details, analysts' comments, updates share movement)
By Deepti Govind
BANGALORE, Aug 4 (Reuters) - Cognizant Technology Solutions Corp (CTSH.O: Cotización) wrapped up what has been a strong quarter for IT offshoring firms, with better-than-expected results and a strong outlook as businesses look to its services to cut costs.
Shares of the New Jersey-based company rose as much as 10 percent to a year-high of $33.70 in morning trade on Nasdaq.
Cognizant raised its 2009 outlook, but like its peers Infosys Technologies (INFY.BO: Cotización) and Tata Consultancy Services (TCS.BO: Cotización) remained cautious about a "surge" in demand this year.
"Cognizant is continuing to show that it's by far the industry's leader in terms of growth," Stanford Bernstein & Co analyst Rod Bourgeois said by phone. Continuación...


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DMG Entertainment has developed Mini Marilyn, an original animated character inspired by American film icon Marilyn Monroe. Mini Marilyn will serve as an engine for licensing, retail and other brand opportunities including film, TV, videogames and next-gen technology.
ABOUT THE UNIVERSE
The plan is to bring Mini Marilyn to life through a portfolio of animated 3D CGI content, some of which is already in development, and build from there. A search is underway to cast the character’s voice. There has already been a soft launch on Chinese social media. As an entertainment property, Mini Marilyn content and products are eyed for roll out across Greater China and in other key global locations.
IN HKRI TAIKOO HUI SHANGHAI


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One of history’s greatest inventors and artists is featured in a new exhibition at the Ontario Science Centre . Leonardo da Vinci’s Workshop: The Exhibition, presented by Barilla Canada Inc., features unique models of Leonardo’s inventions, incredible technology that allows visitors to interact with his notebooks (codices) and digital versions of iconic pieces such as the Mona Lisa and The Last Supper. Making its Canadian premiere today, the exhibition runs until March 18, 2012.
“The Ontario Science Centre is delighted to offer this remarkable exhibition. During his lifetime Leonardo da Vinci was an inventor, painter, scientist, engineer, musician, architect, and more. Visitors come to the Centre to be engaged with science and inspired by innovation,” said Ontario Science Centre CEO Lesley Lewis. “Who better as the source of such inspiration than Leonardo da Vinci? Through working prototypes and digital technology, his sketches and ideas are brought to life in the exhibition allowing visitors a glimpse of his inventive spirit.”
- Direct from Milan, Italy, this highly anticipated exhibition recreates dozens of Leonardo’s inventions, visions and concepts, including his flying machines, robots, weapons of war and mechanical devices that foreshadowed modern technology.
- The exhibition includes the world’s first digital reproduction of the restored Last Supper, as well as a digital version of the Mona Lisa, which allows visitors to examine each brush stroke.
- Touch-screen technology will allow Science Centre visitors to actually interact and flip through 600 “pages” and secrets of Manuscript B, the Codex on Flight and the Codex Atlanticus. Visitors can also virtually operate machines as Leonardo had envisioned – such as firing the cannons of his Multi-cannon Gunship designed in 1482.
- Highlights of the unparalleled new exhibition include the Great Kite, considered his “definitive” flying machine, the world’s first working prototypes of his Self-Propelling Cart and his Harpsichord-Viola, and the first physical models of his Mechanical Lion and Robot-Soldier.
- All models were constructed from Leonardo’s surviving codices, which contain thousands of pages of notes, drawings and designs. They were built using materials and techniques that would have existed in the 15th and 16th centuries.
The exhibition opened on October 13th and will run until March 18, 2012. Tickets (including Science Centre admission) are $25 for adults, $20 for seniors, students and youth, $17 for children. Member prices are $5 for adults, $4 for seniors, students, youth and children.
The Science Centre is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekends. Tickets can be purchased online , at the box office, or by calling 416-696-1000.


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Mumbai: Shares in Maruti Suzuki, the country’s top car maker, fell more than 9% on 22 July on concerns that its margins would remain under pressure because of rising costs and greater competition.
New Delhi-based Maruti on 21 July reported a smaller-than expected 7% fall in quarterly profit to Rs4.66 billion ($109 million). Operating margin fell to about 10% from 14.6% a year earlier.
“Margins are a concern,” said Huzaifa Suratwala at IL&FS Investsmart, which is reviewing its ‘buy´ rating on the stock.
“The outlook is not good, because competition will make it hard to raise prices, so margins are likely to stay at this level for the rest of the year.”
Maruti shares were down 7.9% at Rs597 in a firm Mumbai market, after falling as low as 588 in early trade.
Maruti, 54.2% owned by Japan’s Suzuki Motor Corp, has nearly half the Indian car market, with models such as the best-selling Alto and Swift hatchbacks, and has been shifting consumers to premium models such as the DZire sedan. But the high cost of raw materials such as steel have hit margins, while firm interest rates, rising inflation and a fuel price hike have dented demand in Asia’s third-largest economy.
“Margins are not going to go back to the 14% plus levels,” said Ashutosh Goel at Edelweiss Securities.
“But we should see some improvement from here because they have been able to manage costs in the past, and they have new launches lined up which will boost sales.” Maruti is facing more competition from rivals such as Hyundai Motor, General Motors and Fiat.
It will face the greatest pressure in the small car segment, with Tata Motors scheduled to launch the Nano, priced at just above $2,500, and a venture of Bajaj Auto with Renault and Nissan building a similar car.
But a weaker rupee is boosting earnings from exports, while an increase in annual capacity to 1 million units by 2009/10 will yield greater economies of scale for Maruti, which will make A-Star cars from late 2008, and then the Splash.
“Maruti will definitely lose some market share, there is no question of that,” said Goel who has an ‘accumulate´ rating.
“But it is not going to be a cake walk for anyone else, either. Everyone is suffering.”


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Home Depot's CEO says the retailer cut its outlook partly due to "the potential impacts to the U.S. consumer arising from recently announced tariffs."Retailread more
The report comes as Trump in recent days has lashed out over media reports about growing recession fears.Politicsread more
United States Steel Corp will temporarily lay off hundreds of workers at its Great Lakes facility in Michigan in coming weeks, according to a filing the steelmaker made with...US Marketsread more
While the U.S. gave Huawei a 90-day reprieve, allowing American businesses to keep selling specific products to the Chinese firm, it also added more affiliates of the...Technologyread more
Dow set to drop; White House denies payroll tax cut report; China tweaks interest rates; Home Depot worries about trade war; Beyond Meat gets an upgradeMarketsread more
Energy stocks may be fueling up for a comeback rally. One technical analyst says that after the sector's pummeling, these two stocks look particularly good.Trading Nationread more
The attacks come after state and local ransomware attacks in New York, Louisiana, Maryland and Florida resulted in the loss of significant sums.Technologyread more
Porsche and Apple believe music streaming is the next advancement for in-car entertainment. The luxury automaker and tech giant are teaming up to allow drivers of the all-new,...US: Consumer Servicesread more
J.P. Morgan advised clients in a note early Tuesday that it was time to buy shares of Beyond Meat again.Marketsread more
U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson told the EU that a Brexit deal can still be approved by U.K. lawmakers if Brussels agrees to scrapping the contentious Irish "backstop."read more
Baidu posted better-than-expected earnings for the June quarter, swinging back to profit and managing to stabilize its core ad business.Technologyread more
Blockchain, one of the world's largest cryptocurrency wallet platforms, says it's launched a digital currency exchange aimed at delivering "lightning-fast" trades.
According to Blockchain CEO Peter Smith, the new exchange's matching engine Mercury can execute buy or sell orders in "40 to 50 microseconds," an "order of magnitude faster than other market players" like Coinbase and Binance.
Founded in 2011, Blockchain initially started out with what's known as a block explorer — kind of like an internet browser for cryptocurrency data — and then built digital wallets for users to store and exchange their crypto. It derives its name from the eponymous blockchain network that records bitcoin transactions.
Having enjoyed popularity with bitcoin enthusiasts — Blockchain claims to account for about 25% of daily activity on the bitcoin network — the company is hoping its exchange platform will help lure in the uninitiated.
"There's a huge audience of people who have not yet placed their first bitcoin trade," Nicole Sherrod, head of trading products at Blockchain, told CNBC in an interview. Sherrod previously led the active trading product team at online stock broker TD Ameritrade before joining Blockchain.
Sherrod said the new trading platform would give investors a degree of liquidity not seen in competitor exchanges.
"In volatile markets in particular, speed is of utmost importance," she said. "I would not feel comfortable delivering a platform to retail investors that puts them in a position where they couldn't get in and out of a trade with lightning-fast speed."
Cryptocurrencies have gained a reputation for their volatile price swings. Bitcoin in late 2017 skyrocketed to a near-$20,000 record high, before plummeting the following year to as low as $3,122. The world's best-known digital currency has been on the rise this year, however, last trading at $9,502.
Bitcoin's rise in 2019 was attributed in part to Facebook's plans to create a cryptocurrency, with analysts saying it brings some much-needed credibility to cryptocurrencies. Facebook's Libra project has been panned by regulators, however, concerned by the risks it may pose to consumers.
One big hurdle for the industry to overcome is bringing institutional investors with deep pockets on board. That may be slowly starting to happen, with financial services giant Fidelity signaling it's warming to the space. Sherrod said that Blockchain's crypto exchange is providing liquidity through "institutional-level market makers."
Blockchain said its exchange will be available in more than 200 countries, starting with 26 trading pairs. Users will be able to link their bank account with Blockchain and use U.S. dollars, euros and sterling to trade cryptocurrencies.
The company has raised over $70 million from investors including British billionaire Richard Branson, Alphabet venture arm GV and early Spotify backer Lakestar. It has also accrued over 40 million users, Blockchain said, who will be able to transfer crypto from their wallets to the exchange.


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THE DOMA STORE INITIATIVE
United Way Virginia Beach Tragedy Fund
When DOMA Culture relaunched the DOMA Store, the team knew there was a great opportunity to build both company pride and community connection. The store is a collaborative effort between all three culture committees – Driven, Ignite, and Gives. Driven, whose mission includes brand management, designs the products for the store. Ignite manages product partnerships, sales, and store inventory. Gives has the most important job of all – delegating how the store proceeds will be donated to local charities and causes.
This year DOMA Gives has decided that 100% of the proceeds from the DOMA Store will go to the United Way Virginia Beach Tragedy Fund in support of victims and their families.


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Sony Unveils a Successor to the PSP
|Running Time: 122 seconds
||Published: 2011-01-28 11:47:23
Sony has unveiled a successor to its PlayStation Portable, a new handheld gaming device that will go on sale at the end of 2011. Provisionally dubbed the "next generation portable," or NGP, the device has a 5-inch OLED touchscreen, WiFi and 3G, front and rear cameras and, answering the calls of many gamers, dual analog sticks.
More Videos on "Gadgets And Gizmos"...


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The Walt Disney Company releases statement on the ongoing situation in Ukraine.
Guardians of the Galaxy has an opening date! Check it out here!
Face masks will become optional for guests visiting Walt Disney World soon. Find out more here…
Character sightings are now being added to Disney's paid service, Disney Genie+ beginning very soon at Walt Disney World.
Check out the the rootinest, tootinest news about what is coming to Toy Story Land at Walt Disney World Resort!
The highly anticipated trailer for Marvel Studios “Moon Knight” is now officially out! Check it out down below!
Watch Fantasy in the Sky New Years Eve fireworks live at 11:50 PM EST on New Year Eve!
Magic Kingdom saw emergency vehicles driving down Main Street USA this evening at Walt Disney World Resort. See all the details here.
The EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival will be returning in 2022 bringing new topiaries, 18 outdoor kitchens and so much more!
Walt Disney World is FINALLY bringing back the Parking Lot trams to all four theme parks starting with the Magic Kingdom!
Fantasy in the Sky returns to the magic Kingdom this year following a skipped showing last year due to the pandemic.
Disney pauses all sales of most annual passes for Walt Disney World. Find out all the latest here !
Disney pauses vaccine mandate at Walt Disney World following Gov. DeSantis legislation
Fantasmic returns in 2022 to both coasts since the beginning of the pandemic
New details on Guardians of the Galaxy revealed including opening date
Livestream the biggest the Disney event of the year, Destination D23 beginning November 20th, 2021!
Check out the brand new OFFICIAL TRAILER for Spider-Man No Way Home hitting theaters Mid-December!
Face masks for Disney guests who are fully vaccinated are now optional in indoor locations across Walt Disney World
The Walt Disney World Resort just announced new room discounts for annual passholders and residents of Florida!
The brand new official trailer for 'The Book of Boba Fett' has been officially released this morning by Disney!


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The acquisition allows for the delivery of more powerful insights to life science companies around the globe.
Within3 announces the company’s acquisition of Voxx Analytics. The acquisition will bring additional products and features to fulfill the company’s vision of identifying, engaging, and analyzing the most valuable insights to life science organizations worldwide.
“We are thrilled to welcome Voxx Analytics to the Within3 team,” said Lance Hill, Chief Executive Officer of Within3. “Voxx’s proven, customer-centric approach to identifying and answering important business questions for life science teams reinforces Within3’s dedication to successful business outcomes.”
“We are excited about the future and being a part of the next chapter at Within3,” said Anthony Page, Chief Executive Officer of Voxx Analytics. “The company’s unprecedented growth has proven how impactful virtual engagement is for life science organizations and adding our products to Within3 will only strengthen that impact.”
The acquisition is in line with Within3’s product innovation and infrastructure strategy spurred on by the company’s 2021 $100 million funding round led by Insight Partners. It also complements Within3’s acquisition of rMark Technologies earlier this year.
“Within3 is the exact type of company that we always knew we’d want to make an exit with,” said Daniel Vesely, President and Chief Operating Officer, of Voxx Analytics. “The company culture and values are directly aligned and our products fit perfectly into their portfolio, letting Within3 take the great company we built to the next level.”
The top 20 pharmaceutical companies and top medical device companies worldwide use Within3’s collaboration infrastructure to bring drugs and devices to market more quickly than ever.


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I’ve heard it said many times – no one judges you as harshly as you judge yourself. That’s hard to remember sometimes, though, when you’re looking in the mirror and every flaw seems to stand out like a neon sign. I have some unfortunate news – the mirror is judging you, too. But it’s judging you constructively so it can give you the means to fix things – at least one mirror is. Panasonic introduced their Smart Mirror last January at CES, but they just unveiled the latest version at CEATEC, and it has an important new feature – an attached 3D printer so you can print your way to perfect skin.
So how does it work? Basically, you stand in front of the smart mirror, which scans your face and then informs you where the flaws are. It apparently detects everything – wrinkles, zits, redness, enlarged pores, and even invisible sun damage beneath the skin, which could actually be a helpful thing to know, health-wise. Once you’re thoroughly discouraged about your skin, the mirror will not only suggest products that will conceal those trouble spots, but it will print them out for you on a customized palette.
The makeup printer will print out the exact amount of makeup you need, so there’s no waste, and it will match your skin tone perfectly, according to Panasonic. That’s a concept that has taken hold with a few other cosmetic companies, such as the Adorn makeup printing pen, but the Smart Mirror takes it a step further by letting you know exactly where to apply the makeup.
It’s not a perfected product yet. The makeup is printed as patches that are applied like temporary tattoos and then smoothed out to blend with your skin, and at this point the patches still take about a day to dry and set before they can be applied – so if you’re going out on the town, it’d be better to check your face the day before and hope that no new zits pop up in the next 24 hours. It’s still in the prototype stage at the moment, though, so presumably that won’t be an issue once the mirror is finally on the market.
It may not end up being targeted towards individual consumers, either – right now, Panasonic is marketing the device towards makeup counters and stores, so that customers can buy the products the printer customizes for them.
The Smart Mirror also gives users some control, too, rather than just telling them what to put on their faces. If you’d like a particular eyeshadow look, you can actually draw it on a connected tablet, and once you’re satisfied, it’ll print the makeup you need and instruct you how to apply it. There are also several pre-designed makeup looks you can try out virtually in the mirror before printing them – and men need not feel left out, either, for the mirror also offers several facial hair options to be virtually tried out. (Presumably the men need to grow those themselves, though.)
Panasonic hasn’t given any indication of when the Smart Mirror might be on the market, or what the cost will be; they’re still working on developing it further in hopes that it may be useful in covering up scars and tattoos eventually, too. You can take a look at the current concept below:
Discuss this at the 3D Printed Makeup forum at 3DPB.com.
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February’s U.S. e-grocery sales rose almost 9% versus 2021
U.S. shoppers are buying their groceries online even more than they were the same time in 2021.
In February, the total U.S. online grocery market gained 8.5% in sales compared to the same period a year ago, according to the Brick Meets Click/Mercatus Grocery Shopping Survey fielded Feb. 26 and 27. Brick Meets Click is a grocery analytics firm, and Mercatus sells digital commerce platforms.
That’s $8.7 billion in sales during February, according to a new release.
- Pickup sales, the largest segment of eGrocery, grew 6% versus a year ago, generated $4 billion in sales and accounted for 47% of the total sales during the month;
- Delivery reported a year-over-year gain of 37%, which equated to $3.2 billion, capturing a 37% share of eGrocery spending; and
- Ship-to-home, which was the largest segment pre-COVID with over 40% of spending, is now the smallest with just 16%; it finished with $1.4 billion in sales, down 24% year-over-year.
“New service providers, a broader range of retailers selling grocery-related products online and services targeting faster cycle times contributed to delivery’s strong sales growth. But even so, more shoppers still prefer pickup for a range of reasons that will benefit this service model going forward,” Brick Meets Click Partner David Bishop said in the release.
During February, shopper interest in online grocery shopping remained strong, as more than 68 million households bought groceries from a wide variety of providers and retail channels, which was almost 11% higher than last year’s monthly active user base. All three segments — pickup, delivery and ship-to-home — reported double-digit gains in their respective monthly active user bases, with delivery reporting the largest year-over-year gain at about 28%.
However, shoppers are spending less money per grocery order.
Overall spending per order, also known as average order value, softened in February, declining in aggregate by more than 2% year over year, according to the release. Considering the way price inflation has skyrocketed lately, this decline may mean shoppers are putting fewer items in their baskets. The ship-to-home segment was the main contributor to the overall spending decline; its average order value fell more than 25% to under $40 in February 2022, while the pickup segment’s average order value declined by less than 4% and the delivery segment grew by 12%.
February’s order frequency was up 3% versus a year ago, as shoppers completed 2.73 orders during the month, driven by using pickup and delivery more, while ship-to-home dropped by mid-single digits.
The increased order frequency, however, was not evenly distributed across market types. Only in large metro markets did monthly active users complete marginally more orders this year versus last; the three smaller metro market types reported mid- to upper-single digit declines.
The likelihood for an online grocery shopper to use the same service again within the next month came in at over 62% for the month, climbing by more than four percentage points on a year-over-year basis.
“Today, customer expectations for online grocery shopping are different than they were even a year ago, not to mention before COVID," Mercatus President and CEO Sylvain Perrier said in the release. “To grow their online share of wallet going forward, conventional grocers need to find ways to better satisfy those changing expectations. Inflationary pressures suggest retailers should look at optimizing online meal planning, showcasing store brands and encouraging repeat customers to take advantage of online loyalty discounts."
Brick Meets Click created and conducts this ongoing independent research initiative, which is sponsored by Mercatus. This February research surveyed 1,790 adults who participated in the household’s grocery shopping. This research is scheduled to run monthly through 2022; then the cadence will be re-evaluated to best suit the industry’s needs.
The three receiving methods for online grocery orders can be defined more specifically:
- Delivery includes orders received from a first- or third-party provider, such as Instacart, Shipt or the retailer's own employees;
- Pickup includes orders that are received by customers either inside or outside a store or at a designated location/locker; and
- Ship-to-home includes orders that are received via common or contract carriers such as FedEx, UPS, USPS, etc.


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Silicon Valley giant, Microsoft, has been reportedly testing out new ways to innovate its Xbox console gaming experience. According to Neowin, Microsoft is trying to bring Xbox games to PC via an internet browser. This might sound crazy, but latest feeds from the company show that they have in fact build a cloud-based gaming service that seems to be working well, showing reduced lag for the most part. Naturally, the concept is still far from home, but indications show that Microsoft’s ambitions aim high with this one. They say that we will be able to play not just current releases but upcoming titles as well via our PC browser.
Some sources say that the frame rate level reaches up to 60 FPS, which is very impressive considering that this is a work in progress. This feature is panning out to be one of Microsoft’s revolutionary ideas in terms of gaming, and will set the tone for a new gaming era, experts say. The product version for the Xbox 360 seems to be offering up to full experience according to some sources, but Microsoft has not yet given us specific details in that sense. The company has already proven their point in this matter with Titanfall, a well known title among gamers. They showed that it is possible to play a high-end graphics game on a cloud-based system, and they intend to make this new service a more complex extension of the previous one.
Xbox One users should be able to connect to Microsoft’s Azure platform and easily subscribe to this service if everything goes as planed in the development of this project. The major set back for Microsoft concerning this service is the licensing issue. They will have to find a way to please game publishers because if this works, PC titles will not show as much profit as before hence a rainier payday for those involved. Obviously, Microsoft plays on high stakes here with much to gain and lose at the same time. The off-loading of the processing power broadens the horizons, as games will be playable on any device and any browser. Surely, all Xbox enthusiast will be keeping their ears close to the grapevine to learn more about Microsoft’s updates regarding this project.


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Two Verizon store employees in Florida are accused of stealing nude photos from a woman's smartphone and sharing them with a random customer. The catch? The random customer was the woman's friend
The Vimtag P1: A great home monitoring cam with a few kinks
...of Microsoft money, ARM's acquisition, and Windows 10 updates
JESBOD QY13 sports Bluetooth earphones
Expanding mobile photography with Aukey's wide-angle lenses
Time is running out to claim your free Windows 10 upgrade
windows 10 upgrade
Insider build 14393.5 for PC and Mobile released to Fast ring
Samsung Galaxy S7 edge Lens Cover
The Oxford English dictionary has added 400 new words, including woot, retweet, cyberbullying and sexting
Apple has been clear on their message to keep the iOS platforms clean from impurities. A new patent by the company is designed to prevent people from 'sexting,' or sending sexually explicit text messages. In...
Microsoft has apologised via tweet after it was suspected one of the promotional videos for the recently announced Kin mobile phone series contained material encouraging 'sexting'. The tweet read, "Microsoft has deleted the inappropriate portion...


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In day 2 of retrospective-post-gazing, I will follow up on my post about the suspected fall in search marketing spend in Quarter 4. Did this come about? What happened really? Google and Yahoo have both posted their Q4 results now, and it seems that all the doom and gloom was for nothing. Both posted increases in profit on both Q3 2008 and Q4 2007.
Of course, ignoring the economic crisis, this should have been expected as Q4is the consumer-crazy period of the year when everyone wants to buy everything retail, and online marketers would naturally want to be a part of the frenzy by increasing their search visibility.
Google increased their potential to get a piece of this pie by increasing the number of ways in which you could pay for advertising, with new ad spaces popping up everywhere. They also cut down massively on costs , reducing those associated with their many side projects, in preparation for the down turn.
From Googles website, here are some of the actual figures:
Google reported revenues of $5.70 billion for the quarter, an increase of 18% on Q4 07, and 3% on Q3 08.
They also released data on the number of paid clicks, including Adsense, which showed they increased approximately 18% on Q4 07 and 10% on Q3 08.
Google’s operating expenses were decreased – they decreased the amount they paid out to their ad-sense partners and also their other operating costs. Notably though, their payroll related costs increased by around 20 million compared to Quarter 3, which is unexpected considering the bad news and cost cutting that has been surrounding Google since October.


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Last week’s release of the American Trucking Associations’ advanced seasonally adjusted (SA) For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index decreased 0.7% in May. This makes two consecutive months of lower volumes.
Compared with May 2020, the SA index rose 3.7%, which was preceded by a 6.7% year-over-year jump in April. Compared with the same five months in 2020, tonnage is up 0.4% since the beginning of the year according to ATA Chief Economist Bob Costello.
“Tonnage, despite falling slightly over the last two months, remains well above the lows of last year,” says Costello. “[This] is no small deal considering that truck tonnage fell significantly less than many other indicators during the depths of the pandemic in the spring of 2020.”
The May tonnage numbers also got a boost from higher gasoline demand due to increased demand for both commuting and vacation travel. According to the report, “trucking’s biggest challenges are not on the demand side, but on the supply side, including difficulty finding qualified drivers.”
ATA calculates the tonnage index based on surveys from its membership and has been doing so since the 1970s, making it one of the most reliable truckload demand indicators available today.
Note: All rates exclude fuel unless otherwise noted.
On the 372-mile run from Los Angeles to Phoenix, spot rates continue to climb reaching $4.44/mile this week. That’s a $0.12/mile increase since last week and up $1.42/mile since February. Spot rates reached $4.25/mile this week on the high-volume e-commerce lane from LA to Stockton’s warehouse market. That’s an increase of $1.16/mile since February this year.
On the East Coast in Atlanta, spot rates for loads to Orlando are $3.89/mile this week, which is the highest we’ve ever recorded on the 440-mile lane. Rates are now up $1.08/mile since February also.
Seasonality returned to the market last week with dry van spot rates increasing by $0.03/mile to $2.38/mile. Dry van spot rates are still $0.78/mile higher than this time last year and $0.39/mile higher than in 2018.
How to interpret the rate forecast:
- Ratecast: DAT’s core forecasting model
- Short Term Scenario: Formerly the pessimistic model that focuses on a more near-term historical dataset
- Blended Scenario: More heavily weighted towards the longer-term models
- Blended Scenario v2: More heavily weighted towards the shorter-term models


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Recently Samsung had launched the two all-new smartphone camera sensors of a 64-megapixel and a 48-megapixel Samsung Isocell image sensors. Despite packing more resolution, this chip will utilise the 0.8-micrometre-sized pixels similar to Samsung's current 48-megapixel sensor. Samsung claims its new sensor delivers brighter images in low-light conditions and richer details in brighter settings.
The Bright GW1 functions as a standard 16-megapixel sensor that merges four pixels into one to give you high-res 64-megapixel shots. It is also touted to showcase up to 100dB of dynamic range in real time, a wider range than any other smartphone sensor and close to what Samsung says is the human-perceptible limit of 120dB. The sensor further brings high-performance phase detection for improved autofocus and will support Full HD video recording at 480fps.
Barr faces contempt vote in Congress over Mueller report
David Cicilline, who sits on the House Judiciary Committee, announced that he is working on arranging Mueller's testimony. It also described attempts by Trump to impede Mueller's probe, but stopped short of declaring Trump committed a crime.
Manchester City vs. Leicester City
Nothing is won yet". "We spoke with him and his agent". "Desire, belief. But the one that came, you have to score that. I'm disappointed because we deserved more.
Kevin Durant out for rest of series vs. Rockets with strained calf
Kerr confirmed that Durant would undergo the MRI on Thursday. "We'll have to reconfigure the rotation". The Warriors lead the series 3-2. "People say, 'They won one, ' Well they did, and they was terrific".
The world's leader in advanced semiconductor technology, Samsung Electronics has come up with ISOCELL Bright GW1, which is a 64MP image sensor.
Moreover, at a media briefing in Seoul, executive vice president of Samsung's sensor business Yongin Park, said: "we are also looking into new applications for sensors for autonomous vehicles going forward". Having more power, better screen, more autonomy or sound are still important aspects, but it is the photographic one where more differences are marked and can be what determines the purchase. According to Samsung, the new sensor will support up to 100 decibels. Cleverly, the sensor can adapt to different lighting conditions.
Both the GW1 and GW2 are sampling to customers and will go into mass production later this year. Currently, it is the largest imaging sensor in the market and beats Sony's 48MP IMX586 sensor in terms of pixel count. This technology aims to enhance the quality of images captured by the device by reducing the amount of light that bleeds to adjacent sensors.


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Etisalat to unveil trendsetting technologies
Abu Dhabi, October 5, 2011
Etisalat is set to unveil an enticing showcase of the most trendsetting technologies in the field of telecommunication and information technology at the upcoming Gitex Technology Week in Dubai.
The company will play a major role at the expo as ‘Official telecom partner’ of Gitex Shopper, ‘Headline sponsors’ of Telecom Symposium and ‘Gold sponsors’ of Cloud Confex. Besides it will also participate in the Gulfcomms exhibition and Gitex Shopper and Conferences.
Visitors to Etisalat’s stand will be able to experience, first-hand, the potential of futuristic technologies on our day-to-day lives, said a company statement.
In addition, the telco will be showcasing a variety of the latest ICT solutions tailor-made for the enterprise sector in the UAE.
At the Gitex Shopper to be held October 8 to15, Etisalat will continue to delight its customers by offering a wide choice of latest range of products and services.
Held at the Airport Expo in Dubai, Etisalat’s presence at the exhibition will be marked by value-packed deals, prices and a host of bundle offers on a broad range of Voice, Internet, Multimedia and TV services.
Visitors will also get the opportunity to keep one step ahead with the latest devices including 3G modems, routers, and Smartphones.
Announcing the Gitex participation, Jaber Al Janahi, VP (Corporate Communications), Etisalat, said, "This year’s event also coincides with Etisalat’s milestone achievement in innovative telecommunications technology – the launch of the LTE network.”
“The expo is also an ideal platform to strengthen vendor relationships and interact with our customers to meet their expectations and continue innovating every step of the way,” added Al Janahi.-TradeArabia News Service


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Organic farming campaigners have called for glyphosate to be banned as a pre-harvest spray on milling wheat – amid warnings from scientists linking the chemical to cancer.
Glyphosate use in UK farming has increased by 400% in the past 20 years, according to figures published by the Soil Association on Wednesday (15 July). Nearly one-third of UK wheat and barley crops were sprayed with glyphosate, it said.
A report by the World Health Organisation’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) recently concluded that glyphosate was a probable carcinogen. Report co-author Professor Christopher Portier said: “Glyphosate is definitely genotoxic. There is no doubt in my mind.”
Soil Association policy director Peter Melchett said farmers could easily choose not to use glyphosate as a pre-harvest management tool. “The Soil Association is calling for the immediate ending of the use of glyphosate sprays on wheat destined for use in bread,” he said.
Glyphosate was among three pesticides regularly found in routine testing of British bread, said the association. Although it acknowledged that the quantities found were below official safety levels, the association said the limit was agreed before the latest scientific findings.
The association has written to Defra, the NFU, the National Association of British and Irish Flour Millers, major supermarket chains and bread manufacturers calling on them to ensure no British milling wheat is sprayed with glyphosate before this year’s harvest.
But the Crop Protection Association, which represents agrochemical manufacturers, said there was a big difference between hazard and risk. Risk assessments ensured crop protection products were only approved when shown to be safe for humans and the environment, it added.
CPA chief executive Nick von Westenholz said: “It is disappointing to see pressure groups misrepresenting the science in using this classification to promote their own agenda, whipping up concern among the public despite glyphosate’s excellent safety profile.”
He added: “Let’s not forget that the IARC has made similar assessments of items such as coffee, mobile phones, pickled vegetables and aloe vera, products we are quite capable of using in our day-to-day lives while managing any risk. Crop protection products are no different.”


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What are the expectations of users of Facebook and other social networks when they communicate with brands via those channels? Customer-engagement-solutions provider Accent Marketing Services surveyed more than 1,000 U.S. Internet users to find out.
According to Accent:
- 72 percent of respondents only want to interact with brands when they comment via social media channels.
- 82 percent use Facebook to communicate with customer-service representatives.
- Two-thirds use Facebook to locate deals and promotions, and that figure jumps to 80 percent for baby boomers.
- 75 percent of millennials find it helpful when other users respond to questions or comments on brands’ social media channels. That total drops to 55 percent for baby boomers.
Accent Director of Social Media and Digital Strategy Roger Huff said in a release announcing the survey results:
Our goal was to connect with consumers to discover their preferences for engaging with a brand. The survey findings prove that brands need to pay attention, anticipate consumers’ needs, and create natural conversations across all channels, especially social media.
Accent Chairman and MDC Partners Executive Vice President of Customer Analytics and Insights David Norton added:
Consumers behave differently across channels, and if brands are going to create engagement that drives customer loyalty and builds brand advocates, it’s increasingly important for chief marketing officers to understand their customers’ behavior on varying channels. To be a part of the conversation, CMOs need to have a social strategy in place to build a trusted relationship with their consumers and within their social community, ultimately creating a lifetime of engagement on social channels and in person.
Readers: Did any of the findings by Accent surprise you?
Image courtesy of Shutterstock.


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By Ken Alltucker and Dawn Gilbertson, The Arizona Republic
No matter that the airfare topped $1,000 and requires a detour through Tucson. Or that the rental-car tab for two days was above $400.
The New York city chefs who called travel agent Charlene Ocone-Pecora this week to book a trip to Phoenix for the Super Bowl just cared about seeing their New York Giants.
CITY GUIDE: More Phoenix attractions to visit
"They're die-hard fans," the owner of 4 Seasons Travel Bureau said. "It (money) is just not an issue."
Passionate fans planning a last-minute trip to Arizona to watch the New England Patriots battle the Giants in Super Bowl XLII can expect some sticker shock.
A sampling of prices shows airline fares from Boston and New York have quadrupled over the past week. Some rental-car prices have more than tripled. And some suburban hotels are charging as much as six times a typical weeknight rate.
Plan to cruise to Scottsdale clubs in a rented Cadillac Escalade or have a chauffeur guide you around in a stretch limousine? Expect to pay up to double the amount you would pay seven days later. Organizers of Super Bowl XLII predict Arizona's economy will be the ultimate winner of professional football's championship game, with as many as 125,000 visitors looking to spend millions to book rooms, rent vehicles, shop and party with celebrities.
Still, some fans are surprised by the cost of attending the big game — or even of hanging out in the metro area where the game is to be played.
"The prices in Phoenix are ridiculous right now," said Tom Bielenda, a Boston-area resident and Patriots season-ticket holder. "The rooms that are available are going for five times the price of what they are worth."
Money no object?
Hotels, airlines and other tourism businesses are betting money is no object for plenty of fans booking last-minute trips.
Major resorts set their rates several years ago when they committed their rooms to the NFL, most at levels not sharply higher than regular rates this time of year. The steep price increases mainly can be seen at smaller and independent hotels.
The Holiday Inn Express in nearby Peoria, for example, is getting $399 a night for Super Bowl weekend, vs. $169 a night the following weekend. But some hotels tested the market and apparently found the limits of consumer tolerance. The new Comfort Suites hotel in Goodyear, open just a few weeks, advertised last week in New York newspapers, offering room rates starting at $600 a night with a four-night minimum. With rooms slow to book, the hotel reduced prices to the regular rates of $179.
"We were just looking to see what the market will bear," said Nena Gourlay, director of sales.
She said most callers haven't balked at the rates, which many of its competitors are also charging.
"If anyone has made any calls, they know that you're not going to get your standard rate for the Super Bowl," she said.
Airlines are also taking advantage of the Super Bowl supply-demand imbalance.
Fares on US Airways.com jumped up appreciably after the Patriots-Giants matchup was decided Sunday night.
Round-trip tickets on peak time non-stop flights from Boston, already higher than normal from early bookings by confident Patriots fans, jumped from as low as $700 last week to more than $2,700
The most expensive leg of the trip is Monday, Feb. 4. Many flights out of Phoenix to Boston, New York and other major cities are already sold out that day, forcing travelers to stay longer or fly out of Tucson or other cities. The airline is trying to bring in larger planes to add more seats.
"The one day that everybody wants to leave is obviously the day after the game," said Wallace Beall, managing director of revenue analysis for US Airways.
Car-rental companies and limousine companies this week are busy fielding calls from corporate customers, groups and individuals searching for ground transportation to the Super Bowl.
The Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group has supplied its rental locations at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport with additional cars in anticipation of Super Bowl week. It has raised its rates, too.
Dollar Rent a Car charges $139 a day to rent a premium car such as a Chrysler 300 during Super Bowl weekend. Two weeks after the Super Bowl, the same car can be leased for $64 per day.
"It is supply and demand and looking at what the competitors do," said Chris Payne, a spokesman for Tulsa-based Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group. "It is very much like the airlines in that respect."
January and February is traditionally a busy period for limousine and shuttle companies such as Scottsdale-based Transtyle and SuperShuttle, which runs the ExecuCar sedan service in Phoenix. Add in a Super Bowl and the FBR Open, and the companies are scrambling to take orders.
ExecuCar is bolstering its fleet of limousines and shuttles with more vehicles. The company will charge $575 for a six-hour minimum to drive football fans to University of Phoenix Stadium on game day. The normal rate: $325 for six hours.
"We have to charge a premium for the game for two reasons," said Dave Bird, SuperShuttle's senior vice president of operations. "The traffic is going to be horrendous, and we have to buy a ($165) parking pass."
Some fans have avoided the supersize costs by planning ahead.
Bielenda, of Boston, arranged his Super Bowl plans in September on a hunch his beloved Patriots would make the big game. He'll skip Phoenix-area hotels due to high prices and the crowds associated with Super Bowl week. Instead, he booked rooms in Las Vegas and Sedona, with plans to drive to Glendale on game day.
"I got a better price for a room in Sedona than I could in Phoenix," said Bielenda, a Patriots season-ticket holder since the mid-1990s.
Rick Ardis, manager of Ardis Travel in the Giants' hometown of East Rutherford, N.J.,said he hadn't booked any Super Bowl trips as of Wednesday.
"Unfortunately, it's out of the price range of most of my customers," he said. "They're just stunned."
Ardis said the budget buster for most fans isn't sky-high airline tickets or hotel prices but the price of tickets to the Super Bowl. Fans who didn't win their team's season-ticket lottery and don't have NFL or corporate ticket connections face ticket prices in the thousands.
Tickets are going for $3,000 and up on sites like stubhub.com and ebay.com. The lowest package prices he could find started at $5,000 per person, and they didn't include airfare.
Some see the high prices for flights, rooms and services as capitalism run amok.
"They think because it is the Super Bowl, they will spend an unlimited amount of dollars," said Robert Tuchman, president of New York-based TSE Sports & Entertainment.
He expects many fans will look for cheaper rates over the next week, prompting hotels to adjust pricing. "The truth is, people will turn away, and they will find an alternative. Come a week from now, they may be slashing their rates in half when they don't sell the room."
Arizona has no anti-gouging laws, even though Attorney General Terry Goddard has called for such legislation to protect consumers.
The Arizona Super Bowl Host Committee helped arrange a minimum number of rooms for the National Football League. Beyond that, it's not the host committee's job to try to control costs for visitors.
"We can't tell business what they can or can't do," said Bob Sullivan, president of the host committee.
Sullivan warns the NFL, the National Collegiate Athletic Association or organizers of other major sporting events will scrutinize a host city's costs before deciding whether to bring future events here.
"They are not going to want to do business in communities that take advantage of the consumer to such an extent that it does not make the experience a pleasant one," he said.
The Arizona Republic is a Gannett-owned publication.
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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