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Takata Corp. gave in to U.S. regulators on Tuesday, agreeing to double the number of U.S. vehicles recalled for air bag replacements to nearly 34 million, in what will be the largest automotive recall in history.
About one in seven of the more than 250 million vehicles on American roads are now involved, from 11 different automakers who used air bags from Takata. The airbags can explode violently when they deploy, sending shrapnel flying into a car’s passenger compartment. Six deaths and more than 100 injuries worldwide have been linked to the flaw.
“Up until now Takata has refused to acknowledge that their airbags are defective,” said Secretary Anthony Foxx of the U.S. Department of Transportation. “That changes today.”
At a news conference in Washington, Mark Rosekind, the head of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, said it could take years for all the repairs to be made. Besides being the largest auto recall, he said, it might be the largest product recall of any kind.
As part of a consent order, Tokyo-based Takata agreed to make the recall nationwide — a step it had resisted — and submit its air bag parts to the U.S. government for testing. The agreement offers a way for Takata to resolve a global auto-safety crisis that made it a target for lawsuits and hurt the company’s standing with the automakers it supplies.
The recalls of passenger-side air bags, previously limited to high-humidity states along the Gulf Coast, are now expanded nationwide to include 16 million vehicles. A nationwide recall of driver’s air bags was expanded to more than 17 million vehicles.
“We are pleased to have reached this agreement with NHTSA, which presents a clear path forward to advancing safety and restoring the trust of automakers and the driving public,” Takata’s chief executive officer, Shigehisa Takada, said in a statement.
The case involves air-bag inflators that may have been degraded by moisture, causing them to deploy with too much force in a crash.
As part of the consent order, Takata released four defect reports, spelling out safety hazards on various sets of vehicles. The company gives different estimates on how long replacement inflators may last in different kinds of climates, including the high-humidity states that were the focus of the early recalls.
The traffic safety agency couldn’t provide a precise timetable on when repairs would be complete because of the complexity of coordinating with so many automakers. And because the root cause of the defect still isn’t known, it’s uncertain that replacement air bags will last the entire life of the vehicles and it’s possible consumers will need a second repair in several years, Rosekind said.
“We know that the ones that are going in are safer,” Rosekind said. “The concern is, are they safe over the long term? That has yet to be determined.”
Older vehicles and those in high humidity states will get the highest priority in rolling out repairs, Takata said in its statement.
Also Tuesday, Bloomberg News, quoting three people familiar with the matter, said Takata began changing the composition of its air bags’ propellant mix to mitigate the effect of humidity after Honda Motor Co. announced the first recall related to the flaw in 2008.
Takata’s redesign to address the humidity problems, which hasn’t been reported before, may solve one of the mysteries of the auto-safety crisis. The company has repeatedly said its current products are safe, yet it hasn’t explained publicly the basis for its confidence. The majority of the vehicles recalled globally have air bags that were made before 2008.
“The thing that investors worry about the most is that we still don’t know how long these recalls will last and how bad the negative effects will be,” said Takashi Aoki, a Tokyo-based fund manager at Mizuho Asset Management Co. “Any news that they have managed to stabilize the situation and put the limit to risks from the recalls should be seen as positive because it would lift uncertainty, help determine the scope of the recall crisis.”
But action in 2008 to make the devices safer — while saying they had been safe all along — also could cause problems for Takata.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal, a a member of a Senate panel that governs transportation policy, has been pushing for a criminal investigation into Takata’s handling of the recalls.
“Takata should have been much more aggressive before now in protecting passengers through a national recall,” said Blumenthal, a Connecticut Democrat. “In the meantime the Department of Justice should be taking appropriate action to investigate and impose penalties.”
The traffic safety agency has been pressuring Honda Motor Co., Nissan Motor Co. and at least eight other automakers affected by the recalls to speed the repair process and work with other air-bag suppliers to obtain parts. The agency also has demanded that Takata turn over more documents and data from the devices that have been removed from the recalled cars.
The agency in February began fining Takata $14,000 a day for not completely answering questions about air-bag inflater production and company efforts to investigate the explosions. It said at the time that most of the 2.4 million pages of documents the company had produced didn’t actually relate to the agency’s specific inquiries.
The consent order puts the agency’s relationship with Takata on a new footing. While the potential for more fines is there as the formal investigation continues, the company and the regulator are now cooperating on testing, evaluating potential fixes, and coordinating repairs with automakers.
The agency become more aggressive since it was lambasted by Congress for failing to be more active before last year’s revelation that about 2.6 million General Motors Co. cars had a known ignition-switch defect that went unrecalled for years.
Modern air bags, credited by the traffice safety agency with saving more than 2,000 lives per year in the U.S., rely on chemical reactions to safely inflate in milliseconds when sensors detect a crash. Takata’s trouble has been linked by safety advocates and victims’ lawyers to the company’s choice of chemical propellant, a type of ammonium nitrate that can be rendered unstable by high humidity and moisture.
In a properly operating device, gas created by an electrical charge is released through holes in a metal canister to inflate the air bag. If the chemical propellant tablets are made improperly or have degraded because of moisture, they vaporize with too much pressure, potentially resulting in a burst canister that hurls metal and plastic shards.
Attorney Kevin Dean, who represents plaintiffs in several air bag lawsuits, praised the action Tuesday and said traffic safety agency officials had done “a 180-degree turn on how they’re handling these safety investigations.”
“All of us have to do fact-checking to make sure they’re getting every vehicle with ammonium nitrate-based inflators, because they’re subject to deterioration over time,” Dean said.
In addition to Honda and Nissan, Takata’s other affected customers in the U.S. market are units of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV, Toyota Motor Corp., Bayerische Motoren Werke AG, Mazda Motor Corp., Ford Motor Co., General Motors Co., Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd.’s Subaru and Mitsubishi Motors Corp.
Bloomberg News, The New York Times and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
▪ Automakers have been notifying owners of affected vehicles and will continue to do so.
▪ You can check your model by entering its Vehicle Identification Number online here. The list will expand, however, so periodic rechecking is recommended.


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MRIS, the Mid-Atlantic Multiple Listing Service (MLS) that facilitates nearly $103 million a day in real estate transactions, announced the relaunch and rebrand of its consumer-facing home search website, MRIShomes.com, formerly HomesDatabase.com. The rebranded site and companion mobile app provide the most accurate and up-to-date real estate listings available, along with outstanding resources for consumer real estate education. The app is designed to work on all mobile platforms with Apple, Android and Blackberry devices.
A new advertising campaign will aggressively promote the site and its key differentiatorāthe most accurate Real Time Local Listingsā¢. The advertising mix will feature several taglines including, āThe shortest route from search to soldā¢,ā and appear on television, radio, web, print, and outdoor ads. The campaign will extend across the entire MRIS geographic footprint, including Maryland, D.C., and parts of Virginia, Delaware, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.
According to the National Association of REALTORSā annual Buyer Survey, most home buyers start their search online. However, industry research indicates that many listings online often contain inaccurate information. āWith the spring buying season about to heat up ā and a historically low inventory of homes on the market ā consumers need a trusted source of real time, accurate real estate information,ā said John L. Heithaus, MRIS Chief Marketing Officer. āOnly MRIShomes.com provides ALL the latest real estate listings straight from the source.ā
āI receive inquiries and questions every day from my buyer clients about certain houses for sale that they found āon the Internetā. Unfortunately, my response to them 8 out of 10 times is that the homes have been under contract for quite some time. Once my clients start using MRIShomes.com, they absolutely love it because we are now both looking at the same up-to-date data,ā says Thai Hung Nguyen, Realtor at Westgate Realty Group. āAll in all, MRIShomes.com diligently helps to match home buyers to real estate agents, like myself.ā
Recent WAV Group findings show that national third party websites do not serve consumers well because they do not capture all active listings and fail to remove all inactive listings once they are sold or no longer available. The study also found that new listings appear on local sites such as MRIShomes.com as many as nine days before appearing on national consumer portals. A key differentiator for consumers is that MRIShomes.com is the only home search website in the Mid-Atlantic region powered by the MLS. This ensures that the data on MRIShomes.com is updated in real time, whereas syndicated channels might take days and even weeks longer to update their information.
MRIShomes.com also features the innovative āLifestyleā search that allows home buyers to search by neighborhood and community features such as Fun and Entertainment; Shops and Stores; Family and Child Friendly; Highly Rated Schools; Pet Friendly; Median Home Price; Rural, Urban and Downtown; and, Public Transportation.
For more information, visit www.MRIShomes.com.

domain: news


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Huawei announced a few months ago that nine smartphones will be upgraded to Android 9 Pie by the end of the year. Some of them have already received the update, while others are still part of Huawei's Android 9 Pie Beta program.
Here are the first nine smartphones that Huawei promised in the first deployment phase for Android 9 Pie:
Huawei Mate 10, Huawei Mate 10 Design Porsche, Huawei Mate 10 Pro, Huawei Companion RS Design, Huawei P20, Huawei P20 Pro, Honor 10 (Honor View 10), Honor V10 and Honor Play.
Today, the Chinese company has announced that it has decided to expand its Android 9 Pie beta program by no fewer than 13 phones and tablets. The beta versions will initially be available in China, but also gradually introduced in Europe.
Here is the second wave of devices that Huawei plans to update for Android 9: Huawei Mate 9, Huawei Mate 9 Porsche Design, Huawei Mate 9 Pro, Huawei P10, Huawei P10 Plus, Huawei Nova 3, Huawei Nova 2S, Honor 10 Note, Honor V9, Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4, Huawei MediaPad M5 8.8 and Huawei MediaPad M5 Pro 10.8.
Hope you like the news "Huawei adds 13 devices to the Android 9 Pie Beta program" from Compsmag. Stay tuned for more updates and let us know your feedback in the comments section.


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Reprinted from the Buffalo News
The coffee business has been good to McCullagh Coffee Roaster, which has an expansion brewing on the agenda of the city's Zoning Board of Appeals on Wednesday.
McCullagh is proposing a new 4,959-square-foot metal-panel addition to its existing warehouse facility at 245 Swan St.
The one-story addition, which would include manufacturing space, storage and offices, would be located in the southwest corner of the property, closer to Myrtle Avenue. A parking lot in the rear also would be re-striped as part of the project, which also includes some new landscaping.
McCullagh received a pair of zoning variances for setback and first-floor windows for the project, designed by Dean Architects.


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Service aims to buy more than 400,000 computers in five years
The Marine Corps has kicked off a massive purchase of more than 400,000 desktop and laptop computers, valued at $880 million, under a contract that also requires a smaller number of commercial and rugged tablet computers.
The service wants to buy the bulk of the gear -- 131,965 general purpose laptops and 141,838 desktop computers -- through a five-year Marine Corps Common Hardware Suite procurement announced Monday.
The Marines will also use the contract as an umbrella vehicle to acquire 7,220 commercial tablet computers and 7,880 rugged tablet computers as well as 15,850 small, lightweight netbook computers.
Retired Army Maj. Gen. Dennis Moran, who now works for Harris Corp., said the planned Marine bulk buy of tablet computers though small will prove to be the wave of the future for tactical computing. Moran, who served as deputy director for command, control and computer systems on the Joint Chiefs of Staff before retirement, said tablets are ideal for viewing maps and other graphic information.
Moran predicted that tablets will be used throughout infantry units, eventually down to the platoon and squad levels. He said the Army will test tablet computers later this month in a large-scale tactical network exercise at the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico.
The Marines said they plan to use this massive buy to establish a standardized computing equipment environment for deploying units and also to provide equipment for domestic organizations that will be connected to the Navy's Next-Generation Network. Equipment purchased for units that deploy will require global logistics support, the request for proposals said.
Security is another key requirement of the procurement, and the Marines told bidders that it did not intend to purchase any computers that include Bluetooth short-range wireless -- a standard built into commercial PCs -- and they also must provide the capability to disable other forms of wireless communications, including Wi-Fi, radio frequency identification and GPS.
The Marines have the Common Hardware Suite procurement on a fast track, with bids due July 22.


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Martin Nisenholtz, the SVP of Digital Operations at The New York Times Company was speaking at the OMMA Global conference in New York City. Nisenholtz revealed that Twitter drives 10% of The New York Times’ traffic.
The New York Times Twitter account has 1.8 million followers thus far and the number is growing at a rapid pace. This is “up from 0 a year ago,” according to Nisenholtz.
The interesting part about the traffic that The New York Times is getting from Twitter is that the micro-blogging company is not getting any money out of it. Twitter doesn’t have a revenue model as of right now.
But given how much major news agencies are relying on the micro-blogging service, the company could eventually take advantage of their situation.
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The Non-GMO Project’s full-time research team has kept a watchful eye on these potatoes since their debut and continues to monitor their presence in the North American food supply. To understand RNA interference, it is important to know that messenger RNA (mRNA) carries genetic instructions from the cell nucleus out to other parts of a cell.
People also ask
Are GMO potatoes genetically modified?
Who invented the Simplot potato?
Are white potatoes GMO?
Is Simplot GMO?
The company says it only used genes from other potatoes to create its GMO varieties, such as a gene from an Argentine potato that yields a natural defense to blight. As agro-tech companies have done since the dawn of the GMO revolution, Simplot is touting a promise that its GMO spuds will allow farmers to dramatically reduce the amount of ...
Oct 17, 2018 · The GMO potatoes are likely to accumulate at least two toxins that are absent in normal potatoes, and newer versions (Innate 2.0) additionally lost their sensory qualities when fried. Furthermore, the GMO potatoes contain at least as many bruises as normal potatoes, but these undesirable bruises are now concealed .
Jan 13, 2015 · New GMO potatoes don't bruise as easily, and, when fried, they have less of a potentially harmful chemical. Yet some big chip and french fry makers won't touch them because of the stigma of GMOs.
Nov 11, 2014 · You do not have to search very hard to find out the dirty truth about GMO foods.Monsantos own scientists do not even want to eat that stuff and they created it. Last year I read 2 articles on how Monsantos scientists wanted the company to offer conventionally grown food in their cafeterias because they do not want to eat their own gmo foods.
Oct 31, 2018 · Non-GMO Project addresses supply chain risks caused by new techniques like CRISPR and RNAi Contact: Kristin Wheeler Phone: 360.255.7704 x131 Email: firstname.lastname@example.org BELLINGHAM, WA—October 31—The potato has been added to the High-Risk list of the Non-GMO Project Standard because a GMO potato variety is now “widely commercially available” in the United States. To determine when a ...
Genetically modified potatoes are on the way to market as of 2015. The U.S. government has deemed GM foods safe, but not all scientists agree. There is no legislation requiring the labeling of GMO foods, and critics worry about potential contamination of the conventional food supply and the safety of increased herbicide use.
Nov 08, 2018 · The genetically modified Innate potato was approved by the USDA in 2014. The “Innate” potato is a group of potato varieties that have had the same genetic alterations applied using a new form of genetic engineering known as RNA interference (RNAi). Five different potato varieties have been transformed, including the Ranger Russet, Russet Burbank, and Atlantic potatoes.
The potatoes are joining a new generation of GM foods that are designed to benefit both the farmers and the consumers, rather than just the growers as, for example, herbicide or pesticide ...
Dec 15, 2019 · GMO corn is the king of GMO food with more than 33 genetically engineered varieties taking up 80%-90% of all corn farmland in the US. GMO corn derivatives are a staple in non-organic processed food ranging from the notoriously unhealthy HFCS (high fructose corn syrup) to Ascorbic Acid (synthetic Vitamin C), corn starch, and much more.


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Tessera on Lake Travis was recently featured in the Austin American-Statesman, which showcased the community’s beautiful surroundings, distinctive home designs, resort-caliber amenities, convenient location and access to highly regarded Lago Vista ISD schools.
Here’s an excerpt from the piece:
“When considering a new home purchase, the neighborhood you choose can be just as important as your choice of home. One community capturing the attention of established Austin residents and recent arrivals alike is Tessera on Lake Travis, nestled in the charming town of Lago Vista. It’s natural surroundings, quality schools, nearby conveniences and exceptional amenities are matched only by the distinctive designs of its award-winning homebuilders, Highland Homes and Wilshire Homes.
Now celebrating its one-year anniversary, Tessera on Lake Travis has welcomed growing families, empty nesters and retirees looking for a quiet escape from the hustle and bustle of city living while maintaining easy access to northwest Austin’s thriving businesses, shopping destinations and entertainment venues.”
To read the entire piece, Click Here


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Hot on the heels of a disappointing set of results for the UK chemist chain, the US owner of Boots the Chemist is looking at closing as many as 200 outlets.
According to Sky News , Walgreens Boots Alliance (WBA), which owns Boots, has placed the stores under review and that “a significant number will shut”. The move follows an announcement by WBA in April that it was "focusing on low-performing stores and opportunities for consolidation". If 200 stores close, the would account for 10% of the chain’s UK footprint.
The UK health and beauty retailer saw profits fall by more than 18% last year, and has warned that it would be included in a broader push to cut costs by £1.2 billion by the 2022 financial year.
It has also announced plans to cut hundreds of jobs at its head office in Nottingham.
In a statement issued alongside its second-quarter results last month, a Boots spokesperson said: "We currently do not have a major [store closure] programme envisaged, but as you’d expect we always review underperforming stores and seek out opportunities for consolidation.
"As is natural with a business of our size, we have stores opening, closing and relocating on a regular basis, but we have had around 2,500 stores open for several years now."
The spokesperson highlighted "a huge merchandising project to update our self-selection cosmetics areas" and the opening of a flagship store in London’s Covent Garden on the site of a former Marks & Spencer outlet.
According to GlobalData’s 2019 How Britain Shops survey shows 41.9% of UK health & beauty shoppers purchased from Boots in the past year, down 7.1% from 2015. This highlights Boots’ shopper desertion with many consumers prioritising the discounters for cheaper branded toiletries amid squeezed budgets. To better cater to price conscious shoppers, Boots must ensure its prices are competitive and that promotions offer real value.
“It has taken Boots a long time to address the midmarket squeeze that has wrought so much damage to major multichannel retailers in other sectors such as food, fashion and department stores,” says Patrick O’Brien, UK Retail Research Director at GlobalData. “Shoppers have been trading down to discounters, and trading up to higher end retailers for more expensive treats and gifts.”
O’Brien continues: “Like Tesco and M&S it has actually been in this predicament for years, but unlike them, it has done little to address the issue until very recently, and now we have to wonder if Boots has left it too late to halt its market share decline. Long term lack of investment in stores has become more noticeable to shoppers, and its dated approach also extends to pricing, where multi-buy promotions and a generous loyalty scheme have made its shelf edge prices uncompetitive with discounters such as Aldi, Lidl and Savers, who have all been eating into its market share in health and beauty.”
Leigh Moody, UK managing director, SOTI believes that the key to taking on these retailers and online pureplay competition lies in looking at strategies that compliment changing shopping habits, not trying to compete with them.
Moody says: “The recent news following the “most difficult quarter” in its history, serves as another stark reminder that brick and mortar retailers urgently need to adapt in order to survive in today’s competitive retail landscape. Rather than competing against the online world of e-commerce, retailers should be adopting the right strategies to complement it and accommodate changing shopping habits. If store retailers want to remain competitive in today’s volatile climate, they need to be agile and adopt systems that make online to in-store transactions seamless. Retailers must consider integrating a mobile first strategy across their entire on and offline operations to streamline the value chain, from supply to distribution to shop floor. They should be offering personalised services, and mobilising retail staff through technology to streamline intelligent customer interactions.
“There is a clear opportunity here for bricks and mortar retailers to innovate, harnessing all of the capabilities that technology now provides, such as artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things both through digital and physical channels, to enhance the customer journey. This will also provide real-time, data-driven insights that retailers can use to improve their interactions with customers and ensure their stores remain competitive in the digital transformation age.”
Boots declined to comment on the number of stores it was now examining for potential closure.


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In a report published yesterday, Goldman Sachs suggested selling shares in Coinbase (COIN).
Indeed, the US investment bank has changed from a “neutral” to a “sell” rating, putting the target price at $45. Of course, the reason is quickly stated: the declines in the crypto market and the consequent fact that COIN fell 5.7% trading at $59.40 in premarket trading.
Moreover, in the same report, Goldman Sachs also said it was bearish on Robinhood (HOOD) shares with a target price of $9.50, even though the company’s shares rose 2.6% to $8.21.
As Yahoo Finance reported, analyst Will Nance explained:
“We believe current crypto asset levels and trading volumes imply further degradation in COIN’s revenue base”.
And that is why Goldman Sachs expects the company’s revenue to decline by as much as 61% during this year 2022, even though it rose 514% in 2021, when the crypto market was at its peak.
Negative news at Coinbase
In fact, news a few weeks ago reported that Coinbase is ready to lay off 18% of its staff, precisely because of the bearish market.
Also, not unimportant was the news a few days ago that Coinbase has decided to shut down its Pro platform for professional traders to “stem the resulting cash burn” resulting precisely from user and volume losses. In total it appears that more than 1100 people will be laid off.
During May, Coinbase had also been outperformed in terms of volume by the FTX platform, according to a report published by Kaiko. This had never happened before.
FTX now wants Robinhood?
FTX is apparently making ends meet so well that it is now thinking of acquiring Robinhood.
BREAKING: FTX is reportedly considering a deal to acquire Robinhood.
— Watcher.Guru (@WatcherGuru) June 27, 2022
This is still a rumor, but the article was published a short while ago in Bloomberg citing an anonymous source, but internal to the company.
Shortly thereafter, the CEO of FTX told Blockworks that it would be an unfounded rumor.
Those laying off and hiring in the crypto world and beyond
Meanwhile, Tesla is also cutting its staff by 10%, the reason being the prolonged closure of the Shanghai gigafactory, which is to date the company’s most productive plant.
Perhaps this is precisely why according to Google Trends, as revealed by Cryptojobslist.com, searches for “remote crypto jobs” grew 560% in the entire month of June.
Moreover, there are still companies that during this bearish crypto market are continuing to hire, such as OKX, Kraken, FTX, Bitget, Binance, Ripple, Polygon, and OpenSea. Whereas, besides Coinbase and Tesla, there are also Gemini, BlockFi, Crypto.com and Bitpanda who are in the midst of layoffs.


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7 new devices that Apple may launch today @ the event
Apple is organizing its second biggest hardware event of the year The company has already sent invites on October 18th, with a tagline, Theres more in the making As we all know todays event will be held in the Brooklyn Academy of Music, Howard Gilma Opera House, in New York City, far from the companys usual location in California
Today (October 30) Apple is organizing its second biggest hardware event of the year. The company has already sent invites on October 18th, with a tagline, "There's more in the making". As we all know today's event will be held in the Brooklyn Academy of Music, Howard Gilma Opera House, in New York City, far from the company's usual location in California. It comes just weeks after the company's annual iPhone and Apple Watch event and is scheduled to start at 10 am ET (7.30 pm IST).
Here's all that Apple is likely to launch at the event.
New iPad Pro
Apple is expected to launch a new version of its high-end iPad, iPad Pro. According to the rumours, the new iPad will come without a home button and will be almost bezel-less. It is likely to boasts of same form factor as iPhone X, edge-to-edge display and Face ID. An upgrade is expected on display and processor front. An updated version of Apple Pencil may also be announced.
Apple may launch a new version of iPad Mini based on the rumours. The tablet was updated almost three years ago.
Apple's Mac lineup to is likely to get an update. Rumours suggest that while one may be an upgrade the other might be a new addition. Soon the company is expected to announce upgrade or replacement of MacBook Air. Since 2015 the MacBook Air has not got a significant overhaul. One of the lightest laptops when launched, the MacBook Air has been replaced by other Mac lineup in almost every tech aspect. The new MacBook Air is expected to be comparatively economical and aimed at education and other similar markets.
A Bloomberg report also suggests that Mac mini desktop may get a professional-focused upgrade by Apple. The update is said to be under progress since last four years for Apple's Mac desktop that comes without a keyboard mouse and screen.
Will Apple finally launch the wireless charging mat it showcased during iPhone X launch event. In 2017 Apple introduced wireless charging in its phones, the company also showcased Apple AirPower wireless charging mat that will be launched later as it told. However, Apple users are still waiting for them as they were noticeably absent from this year's iPhone event.
In the year 2016, Apple launched its wireless earphones dubbed AirPods. However, surprisingly AirPods' successor is yet to be launched. There have been rumours and speculations about them since months now. The latest suggests that the AirPods 2 will be waterproof. Some reports also claim that Apple is working on noise-cancelling, over-ear headphones that may foe headsets from companies Bose.
Will Apple fans be able to see HomePod the second-generation of its smart speaker? Launched in 2017, the firm is still to introduce their successor in a market dominated by Amazon's Echo and Echo Dot range, followed by Google's Google Home speakers. According to the latest data from Strategy Analytics, HomePod accounts for 4 per cent of speakers market.


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Uotani addressed journalists for the first time since he took office on the first of this month and gave a few general indications of his vision for the company. Shiseido also used the occasion to unveil a new skin-care serum called Ultimune Power Infusing Concentrate, the first product launch under Uotani’s tenure.
Uotani said that he and his new team will be reevaluating the company’s current management strategy in the coming months but details on the future of Shiseido’s various products and brands have yet to be finalized. They plan to gather input from clients and business partners, as well as within the company, he said.
The executive said that there will be two central pillars to Shiseido’s strategy moving forward: restructuring its business in Japan in order to return to a path of growth, and accelerating its profitability by establishing itself as a global brand. In order to achieve both of these goals, he said that the company must redefine its flagship Shiseido brand, while articulating clearer identities for other brands in its portfolio.
“A lot of people know the Shiseido brand and have a very favorable impression of it…but in terms of products, the Shiseido brand name is used on a wide variety of products, from prestige cosmetics to drugstore items,” Uotani said. “I think it’s been a bit diluted. What is Shiseido? Is it a prestigious luxury cosmetics brand or is it a shampoo brand? I’d like to focus this a bit more.”
Uotani, who worked as a marketing consultant to Shiseido before taking the helm of the company, said he has spoken with about 6,000 of Shiseido’s employees to get a better sense of the current situation and what changes need to be made.
“What I sensed strongly was that in the current situation, many employees are pessimistic, but they want to know what the company is doing, and what they can do, to change things,” he said.
Tuesday’s product launch of Ultimune Power Infusing Concentrate marks the first step toward a revamp of Shiseido’s marketing efforts under Uotani. The serum will hit select department stores in Japan and the U.S. in August and will be rolled out in other international markets from Sept. 1.
Shiseido bills the new serum as “an item which stands as the symbolic presence of the revolution of the brand.” Developed from 20 years of research in the fields of dermatology and immunology, it aims to boost the immunity of the skin, Shiseido said. This, in turn, helps protect the skin from outside influences like stress and environmental factors, and boosts its natural ability to regenerate and renew itself. The key ingredient is called Ultimune Complex, which is a combination of Carboxymethyl Glucan Na, PEG/PPG-14/7 dimethyl ether, rose water and glycerin.
The serum will available in a 30-ml. size, priced at 8,000 yen, or about $77.50 at current exchange, and 50 ml. for 12,000 yen, or roughly $116.30. It is packaged in a graduated red glass bottle, utilizing the brand’s signature color.
The U.S. launch will involve distribution in 1,400 doors and handing out 2.1 million samples, plus a video and social media campaign. Industry sources estimate the launch could generate $20 million in retail sales in the first year on counter. The print and digital media ad budget was estimated at $3.6 million for the balance of this year.
“The launch of Ultimune speaks to our heritage as a skin-care brand and underscores our commitment to bringing innovative, cutting-edge products and technology to market,” said Heidi Manheimer, ceo of Shiseido Cosmetics America.
From overseeing America’s fastest-growing speciality retailers to codifying cool, WWD talked to the women who are leading the way for the future of beauty. Check out our Instagram Stories to see how these women built today and are creating tomorrow. (📸: @hannah_khymych) #wwdbeauty
For @laperlalingerie's spring 2018 show, the brand chose to host their event at @thevenetianmacao. With Chinese megastars @bingbing_fan and @hubing in attendance, La Perla debuted a rock ‘n’ roll-inspired collection. The show marked the start of Sands Macao Fashion Week, which runs from October 19 to 24 — the city’s first such event. Pictured here are models backstage with glimmering eyes. #wwdfashion (📷: Cheuk-Yin To)
Trending for spring 2018: top stitch design. Gone are the days of stitch just for seams — designers are using the once-minimal detail to create strong decorative elements. (📷: Paola Testa; Styled by @andrew_shang) #wwdfashion
@tradesy is turning the concept of a showroom upside down with its new space in Santa Monica. Here, the company plans to hold events, art exhibits and a showcase rare fashion pieces like this Louis Vuitton boxing set. Get all the details on Tradesy’s first showroom on WWD.com. #wwdnews
Spotted last night at the @erdem x @hm launch event: Kate Bosworth, Rashida Jones, Kirsten Dunst and Selma Blair. The party, which took place in LA, also marked the opening of their pop-up shop. “I was interested in creating a collection that wasn’t in any way disposable. It was about pieces you’d create and keep forever, things that have a permanence to it,” designer Erdem Moralioglu said. #wwdeye (📷: Katie Jones)
Renee Zellweger in yellow in 2001 and again in 2017. Chosen as one of the 12 @pantone Leading Spring Colors (and dubbed “Meadowlark”), it only makes sense that the bright hue stands the test of time and is making a resurgence this season, seen already on stars like @blakelively and @gigihadid. (📷: Donato Sardello & @rexfeatures) #wwdfashion #tbt
Dior’s 70th anniversary celebration continues with a new exhibition at the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto. “Christian Dior,” which is scheduled to run through March 18, takes a look at the founders tenure from 1947 to 1057 and feature 40 designs. Pictured here is an evening gown from the Ailée, fall 1948-49 haute couture collection. #wwdfashion (📷: Brian Boyle)


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In February, the exchange will delist NFTs with low trading volume that were listed before the new KYC rules took effect.
Binance announced on Jan. 19 that it had tightened the rules for listing nonfungible tokens. All NFTs listed before Oct. 2, 2022 and with a daily trading volume of less than $1,000 between Nov. 1, 2022 and Jan. 31, 2023 will be delisted by Binance on Feb. 2, 2023. NFT artists will also be limited to minting a maximum of five digital collectibles per day after Jan. 21, 2023.
Before listing on Binance NFT, sellers must complete Know Your Customer (KYC) verification and have at least two followers. In addition to the revised rules, Binance said it would forthwith “periodically review” NFT listings that do not “meet its standards” and recommend them for delisting.
“Users can report NFTs or collections that violate Binance’s NFT minting rules and terms of service. Binance’s due diligence team will actively review reports of fraud or rule violations and take appropriate action.”
By Feb. 02, 2023, all digital collectibles that do not meet these two requirements will be delisted automatically. Delisted assets will remain in users’ wallets until then. Regulators have been closely watching Binance since last year for allegations of lax KYC procedures and its involvement in illicit fund transfers, which Binance has denied.
According to the United States Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, Binance was one of the “top three receiving counterparties” to the Bitzlato money laundering allegations that surfaced on Jan. 18. Following new sanctions from the European Union, Binance was among exchanges that continued to serve non-sanctioned Russians.


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A) Market Overview:
The global micro-mobility charging infrastructure market is estimated to be valued at US$ 4,280.5 million in 2022 and is projected to witness a remarkable CAGR of 20.57% from 2023 to 2030, as highlighted in a new report published by Coherent Market Insights. This market primarily focuses on providing charging solutions for the emerging micro-mobility sector, including electric bikes, scooters, and other small electric vehicles. The demand for efficient charging infrastructure is driven by the growing adoption of electric micro-mobility solutions, their environmental benefits, and the need for sustainable transportation alternatives.
B) Market Key Trends:
One key trend in the micro-mobility charging infrastructure market is the integration of renewable energy sources. The increasing emphasis on sustainability has led to a rise in the use of renewable energy for charging electric vehicles. For instance, companies like Flower Turbines are introducing wind-based chargers to harness clean energy for micro-mobility vehicles. This trend not only ensures greener transportation but also reduces reliance on conventional power sources, making charging infrastructure more eco-friendly and cost-effective.
C) Porter’s Analysis:
– Threat of New Entrants: The threat of new entrants in this market is relatively low due to the high cost and complexity associated with establishing a charging infrastructure network. Existing players have a first-mover advantage and extensive experience which acts as a barrier to entry.
– Bargaining Power of Buyers: As the adoption of micro-mobility solutions increases, buyers gain more leverage to negotiate favorable pricing and quality services from charging infrastructure providers. This drives competition among infrastructure providers and promotes customer-centric offerings.
– Bargaining Power of Suppliers: Suppliers of charging equipment have moderate bargaining power as demand for quality charging infrastructure rises. However, the market offers opportunities for strategic partnerships between charging infrastructure providers and equipment suppliers to meet the growing demand.
– Threat of New Substitutes: The threat of new substitutes is minimal as the market primarily caters to the charging needs of micro-mobility vehicles. However, technological advancements might bring disruptive changes, such as advancements in battery technology or alternative charging solutions.
– Competitive Rivalry: Competition in the micro-mobility charging infrastructure market is increasing as more players enter the industry. Key players are focusing on innovation, partnerships, and expanding their geographical presence to gain a competitive edge.
D) Key Takeaways:
– The global Micro-Mobility Charging Infrastructure Market Size is expected to witness high growth, exhibiting a CAGR of 20.57% over the forecast period. This accelerated growth can be attributed to increasing concern for environmental sustainability and the rising adoption of electric micro-mobility solutions.
– In terms of regional analysis, North America is expected to dominate the market due to the presence of major players and increasing initiatives by governments to promote clean transportation. Asia Pacific is projected to be the fastest-growing region, fueled by rising urbanization, government incentives, and a surge in micro-mobility startups.
– Key players operating in the global micro-mobility charging infrastructure market include Ather Energy, bike-energy, Bikeep, Flower Turbines, Get Charged, Inc., Giulio Barbieri SRL, Ground Control Systems, Magment GmbH, Perch Mobility, Robert Bosch GmbH, Solum PV, SWIFTMILE, and the Mobility House GmbH. These players are actively involved in strategic collaborations, investment in research and development, and expanding their product portfolios to cater to the escalating market demand.
In conclusion, as the world moves towards a sustainable future, the micro-mobility charging infrastructure market plays a vital role in supporting the widespread adoption of electric micro-mobility solutions. With continued advancements in renewable energy integration and concerted efforts by key industry players, a greener, more efficient, and interconnected micro-mobility ecosystem is within reach.


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Highland Europe is leading the round, a Series B round of financing, with Highland Capital, HubSpot Ventures and Concept Ventures also participating. HubSpot is a strategic backer: Reachdesk integrates with a number of CRM and other business support tools, including HubSpot’s, to help those sending gifts manage their campaigns in a more organized way.
While the world of retail has a clear peak season for gift buying and giving that starts around Black Friday and ends just after the New Year, corporate gifting knows no start nor endpoint except for the beginning and completion (and ideally not the latter, but rather a continuing relationship) of a business association.
So with the market on an upswing to fill the vacuum left when in-person meetings disappeared off the calendar, there have been a number of other B2B gifting startups also seeing growth and raising money to fuel that. They include Sendoso, which announced a $100 million round only a couple of weeks ago. Then there’s Alyce, which raised $30 million in April for a platform it says uses AI to improve the compatibility between the occasion, the sender and the person who is receiving the gift. (That’s not a bad aim, considering that hitting the target on the gift itself and sending something that feels right can mean all the difference between getting or not getting your desired outcome as the sender.) And &Open raised $7.2 million for its own twist on the model, a platform aimed specifically at sending B2B gifts at scale.
Reachdesk was founded in London in 2019 by Alex Olley, Jay Radia, Meelan Radia and Alex Correia-Santos, with Temy Mancusi-Ungaro joining as CEO in May of this year. The idea for the company came out of the same impulse that spurred the creation of at least one of the other startups in the space: personal experience.
Specifically, the two Radias — who are brothers — previously had co-founded Yieldify, a marketing startup that was backed by GV, among others. In that time and across other roles, they firsthand came to understand how manual the process was for gifting in the B2B world, and how it could be so much more meaningful — in the business sense, not the sentimental sense as you might have in a consumer gift — if it could be tied in with other software that people use to track and manage their business prospects and wider strategic planning.
Mancusi-Ungaro — who is based in Reachdesk’s other big center, New York — acknowledged that there are indeed a lot of similarities between different gifting businesses — it is, after all, a very well-defined and massive space, worth some $235 billion annually in the U.S. and U.K. alone — but the key differentiator with Reachdesk, he added, is that it is being operated as a global business, which gives customers the ability to use the platform in much bigger and more consolidated campaigns. That in turn gives the startup access to serving much bigger corporate customers, in addition to smaller ones, in a more efficient manner.
The company does this by providing three main buckets for gifting options. The first of these focuses on the company’s own inventory of items, a mix of a company’s own swag and items that it curates, which Reachdesk houses in co-located warehouses in different parts of the globe. The second is a marketplace, currently with some 50 vendors, that connects gift givers with a network of gift makers that focus on, say, personalised corporate gifts. The third area is the wide world of gift cards, with no physical boxes at all. The idea is to expand all three in the future.
While today most of the use cases for Reachdesk are still in the areas of sales and marketing, there are some emerging scenarios that speak to how it might grow, said Mancusi-Ungaro. These include more internal gifts for employees within your company; and potentially also gifts that a business might send out to its customers, B2B2C, if you would, with the “C” representing not clients, but customers of the business. In such a scenario you could imagine that the global reach and scale of Reachdesk might well come into play.
“The Reachdesk team truly understands the pain points faced by companies looking to break through to customers with effective marketing campaigns and has built a single solution that acutely addresses these,”
said Laurence Garrett, partner at Highland Europe, in a statement.
“Every team member is passionate about making corporate gifting work for everyone involved, and has a unique take on it, one that is set to capitalize on the potential in this space, and become a clear market leader.”
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Grand Theft Auto V may be over six years old, but it's still one of the most played and one of the best selling games each year, mostly thanks to GTA Online, which continues to make boatloads on boatloads of money for Rockstar Games. That said, it's also one of the most impressive games of all-time, and when it released in 2013, it set a bar for open-world games. So, perhaps it should come as no surprise that so many years later, PS4, Xbox One, and PC players are still discovering new and impressive details about the game.
The latest discovery is that the game has realistic light pollution. This means that when you're in Los Santos, where light pollution is extreme, you see less stars. However, the further you get away from Los Santos, the more stars become viewable given the drop in light pollution. At the end of the day, this isn't a big feature or something that even changes the game's quality, but it goes to show the incredible detail Rockstar Games dumps into its titles. Further, you know a game is pretty special when players are discovering new things about it six years later.
Grand Theft Auto 5 has realistic light pollution, you can see the sky better in the hills than in the city.December 18, 2019
Grand Theft Auto V is available for PS4, Xbox One, PC, and last-gen consoles. For more news, rumors, leaks, media, and information on the game, be sure to peep all of our previous and extensive coverage of the title by clicking right here. Meanwhile, as always, feel free to leave a comment or two letting us know what you think or, alternatively, hit me up on Twitter @Tyler_Fischer_ and let me know over there.
"When a young street hustler, a retired bank robber and a terrifying psychopath find themselves entangled with some of the most frightening and deranged elements of the criminal underworld, the U.S. government and the entertainment industry, they must pull off a series of dangerous heists to survive in a ruthless city in which they can trust nobody, least of all each other,' reads an official pitch of the game.


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There is no need to worryabout the economic slowdown that is happening in the world today. Because of the protectionist nature of each and very country, the global trade is at a halt and you may need to change your personal view about the safe heaven of the investmentfrom now. The bitcoin is one such popular digital currency that is ruling the currency market and you can know more about it by the help of bitcoin news through various sites.
Because the global powers are at a cold war and the financial market is changing its face because people tend to use the digital currency more than the past. If you are good enough at the market sentiments, then you can transfer the investment towards the bitcoin because it is the future.
Why expert advice is needed?
Because they have an experience in the digital currency market and hence it is easy for the experts to handle the volatile market by the help of predicting the future changesand this is the reason why you may need the help of bitcoin news provided in the online world. Even though it is hard to predict each and every things that is going to happen tin the market, you can easily judge the way its is heading By the help of this piece of information you can enjoy a great deal of things and if you need shortterms returns, then the charts available in the online sites could help you without nay hassles.


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The global supply chains of multinational companies such as BP, Coca-Cola and Walmart are responsible for nearly a fifth of climate-changing carbon dioxide emissions, according to a new study.
But the businesses outsource many of these emissions to poorer parts of the world by investing in production in developing countries, said researchers from University College London and China’s Tianjin University.
Dabo Guan, the study’s co-author, called the work the “first quantitative evidence” on the investment flows and carbon footprints of multinational enterprises (MNEs).
“The results were quite shocking. For many large companies, emissions from their supply chains … (are) larger than the emissions of many countries,” he told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.
For example, emissions from the supply chain producing Coca-Cola products is almost equivalent to what China emits in its food sector to feed 1.3 billion people, he said.
Similarly, foreign affiliates of Walmart emit more than Germany’s retail sector while Samsung’s emissions around the world are higher than all electronic manufacturers in India, Thailand and Vietnam, the study found.
A spokesperson for Walmart, the world’s biggest retailer, said the company is aiming to avoid one billion metric tonnes (a gigaton) of emissions from its global value chain by 2030 through an initiative called Project Gigaton.
Since 2017, more than 2,300 suppliers from 50 countries have avoided 230 million metric tonnes of emissions through improvements in areas such as energy, waste and packaging, the spokeswoman told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.
Coca-Cola, BP and Samsung did not respond to e-mails seeking comment.
Carbon dioxide is the main greenhouse gas responsible for rising temperatures. Increased concentration of such gases have already led to an hike in average global temperature of about 1.2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial times.
Scientists warn that failure to curb the still-growing emissions could lead to crises from food and water shortages to worsening weather disasters and sea level rise.
Investment by MNEs in developing countries “has the effect of reducing developed countries’ emissions while placing a greater emissions burden on poorer countries,” lead author Zengkai Zhang, of Tianjin University, said in a statement.
The study, which looked at data from 2005 to 2016, was published Monday in the journal Nature Climate Change and said multinational companies’ foreign investments accounted for 18.7 per cent of total global carbon emissions in 2016.
The authors said emissions should be assigned to the countries that provide the investment in producing products rather than the countries where they are made to make companies more accountable.
“MNEs can do more and should do more,” said Guan, a professor at UCL as well as Beijing’s Tsinghua University.
Guan said it was crucial for European and American MNEs to set an example for Chinese and Indian companies which have started to invest more rapidly in Africa and Southeast Asia.
This story was published with permission from Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers humanitarian news, climate change, resilience, women’s rights, trafficking and property rights. Visit http://news.trust.org/climate.
Thanks for reading to the end of this story!
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[Las Vegas] Step aside luxury vinyl tile (LVT) — there’s a new powerhouse in the resilient category.
At The International Surface Event (TISE), held here Jan. 18-20, it was clear that companies are clamoring to get a piece of the multi-layered flooring (MLF) pie. Whether it’s called wood plastic composite (WPC) product, rigid core or rigid LVT, premium vinyl plank or something completely different, there was no question that everyone wants to have a horse in that race.
“Rigid LVT is an improved version of LVT,” said Thomas Baert, president of Creative Flooring Solutions (CFL). “It’s more stable,” and is less likely to show indentation marks — a problem with some of the category’s earlier products.
At Surfaces, CFL showcased its FirmFit product, a rigid, floating luxury vinyl product with a high mineral content base that is 10 times more impact resistant than standard WPC products and three times more rigid than traditional LVT. In addition to being waterproof, one of the benefits of MLF products is its rigidity, which means the product doesn’t telegraph as much and is easier to install over imperfect subfloors, explained Ron Oliver, technical services director with Hallmark Floors. “It’s the next generation of LVT,” he said.
After last year’s launch of Vivero, which won an FCW Dealers’ Choice award, Armstrong launched two new products within this category — Luxe Plank with rigid core technology, which features a rigid, stable core with cork backing to reduce noise transmission, masks subfloor issues and eliminates the need for acclimation and expansion strips; and, Pryzm, a waterproof, dent-resistant and wear-resistant luxury flooring product. Its dense thermoplastic core provides ease of installation over irregular subfloors, and no acclimation time is needed.
“Design, performance and innovation have been at the core of the Armstrong Flooring brand for well over 150 years,” said Morgan Hafer, product manager. “Our goal is to continue to be a leader in innovation and design, and to continuously exceed our customers’ expectations. Pryzm is not only new to Armstrong, it is a brand new category of waterproof flooring.”
With five new designs in residential sheet vinyl, including Deco, shown here, Mannington looks to revitalize the category.
Companies that launched MLF products in the past are continuing to invest in the category. EarthWerks added 12 new SKUs to its Parkhill and Sherbrooke WPC collections. Parkhill’s collection features six new SKUs of Embossed in Register planks, highlighting the company’s focus on being design-forward. And Karndean Designflooring, which has had a foothold in the LVT market for more than 40 years, showcased Korlok, its premium rigid core floor, at TISE. With Korlok, which is slated to launch in the spring, Karndean will have products to cover any type of subfloor scenario in gluedown, loose-lay and rigid core formats. Like other MLF products, Korlok is waterproof, kid and pet-friendly, and can be installed over imperfect subfloors and over most existing hard floor coverings. Its attached foam underlayment and IIC rating of 62 make Korlok Kardean’s most acoustically friendly product to date. The collection includes 12 new colorways in a 56" ≈ 9" plank format.
Even companies that have traditionally been exclusively soft surface providers are throwing their hats in the ring. Phenix, for example, debuted four new hard surface products, including Impulse and Momentum, two rigid core luxury plank styles. Impulse and Momentum are 100 percent recyclable luxury vinyl planks that combine Corex technology with a cork backing, which eliminates the need for additional underlayment and makes the floors 100 percent pet-proof and waterproof.
The investment in this burgeoning subcategory goes beyond new product launches. Mohawk, which debuted its rigid SolidTech product at its Solutions convention in Dallas late last year and showcased it again at TISE, is in the process of building a facility in Dalton that will focus on producing rigid LVT.
LVT still making waves
This isn’t to say that LVT is old news. Quick-Step showcased its recently-launched luxury vinyl flooring product, branching out from laminate with a new waterproof product.
“We all know and understand that the customer wants waterproof,” said Jurgen Goessens, product director of luxury vinyl flooring for Mohawk Industries. “Quick-Step’s waterproof floors are the perfect flooring solution for high traffic spots and wet areas in a home.”
Quick-Step’s luxury vinyl floors are also heat and sun resistant. Some floating LVT floors are susceptible to temperature extremes, and can result in warping or gapping. “The dimensional stability designed into Quick-Step’s luxury vinyl floors keeps them stable up to 115 degrees Fahrenheit and as low as 45 degrees Fahrenheit.”
John Wu, president and CEO of Novalis Innovative Flooring, is using his company’s LVT products to make strides in the Main Street market. “I think the specialty retailer is missing an opportunity on Main Street,” he said, pointing out that often, small, Main Street-style businesses have been limited to carpet tile or ceramic, which can be hard to install and maintain.
John Wu, president and CEO of Novalis Innovative Flooring, with the company’s Davidson LVT product at TISE.
At TISE, Novalis showcased its Abberly LVT for Main Street from its NovaFloor collection. Available in both glue-down and click options, the designs were inspired by New Orleans, Wu said. “I think it offers great styling options for retailers,” Wu said. Abberly features ornamental tiles, concrete looks and weathered planks in 12 styles. Novalis also showed Davidson LVT, another Main Street offering. “It’s trendier than a traditional wood look,” Wu said of the product’s design options.
Sheet vinyl gets a makeover
While the MLF and LVT categories definitely featured the lion’s share of new products at TISE, some companies are looking to revamp their sheet vinyl offerings, dressing up a category that’s sometimes written off as dated. But Mary Katherine Dyczko-Riglin, product manager of residential sheet vinyl with Mannington, said the company is trying to get today’s customers excited about sheet vinyl.
“We want to revitalize the category,” she said. “People are taking a second look, they’re excited, when before they’d written it off.” She added that it’s budget friendly and easy to change out. “It can be a huge statement piece,” she said.
Mannington introduced five new designs in sheet vinyl — Deco, an authentic reproduction of 12-inch encaustic tiles featuring a dramatic large format pattern based on the symmetry of intertwined florals; Hive, featuring a honeycomb pattern in a limestone look with rectified grout lines; Niagara, a dramatic travertine look in a large rectangle format; Horizon, a concrete visual in plank format; and, Lattice, an Art Deco-inspired small basket weave pattern combining the look of natural Carrara marble with colorful insets.
Armstrong added its Diamond10 Technology, featured in last year’s Vivero launch, to its Duality and CushionStep Better lines. “Durability is the most important feature to the consumer,” said Matt Savarino, Armstrong’s senior product manager of resilient sheet. By adding Diamond10 Technology to sheet vinyl products, they become scratch, scuff and stain resistant, while also repelling dirt.
“By infusing the surface with cultured diamond particles — one of the hardest substances on the planet — vinyl floors with Diamond 10 can offer twice the protection against dents, scratches, scuffs and staining over traditional vinyl,” explained Jamey Block, vice president of Armstrong’s residential resilient.
IVC updated its Flexitec collection with new designs and fresh colors. Featuring a total of 160 SKUs, the update celebrates a variety of new styles, such as herringbone stone paver layouts; geometric formats with tone on tone color; and, stone designs.
“It’s suitable for an everyday lifestyle,” said Amie Foster, product director of sheet vinyl with IVC US, adding that the company wants the customer to understand that sheet vinyl — like the increasingly popular MLF — is also waterproof.
Beauflor showcased Blacktex, its new luxury vinyl roll collection, at TISE.
Beauflor called its new Blacktex collection the company’s most notable innovation, touting the product as luxury vinyl roll, a brand new category that combines the benefits of LVT and cushion vinyl roll. It can be loose-laid up to 500 square feet, and is tear-proof, waterproof, stable and durable. The collection features 20 wood and stone styles, backed with a black felt textile backing.


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Intel Highlights the Simbe Robotics Tally
We love applied robotics, so it’s no wonder that we love our portfolio company Simbe Robotics. Their Tally robot automates the most mundane, repetitive tasks in retail execution. Which in terms means a better customer experience and more profits for retailers.
We’re not the only people who love Tally. Intel’s CEO Brian Krzanich demonstrated Tally at the recent NRF 2017 conference in New York City. Read about it here!


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When I campaigned in the May elections on the behalf of UKIP, most of the people I spoke to said how depressing the empty shops made the town centre feel and that we need to do something about the image it gave to the tourist who came to Eastbourne.
I explained to those people how the new planned extension to the Arndale Centre would act as a magnet to draw shoppers into the area and that would encourage small independent retailers to set up business which in turn would bring new life into the high street.
But having read your article “Meads Traders’ Anger” I despair at the logic of the council, how can it be fair for residents to be charged £25 for a parking permit but businesses £220!
The small independent shop owners are the ones who will bring the centre of town back to life, we need to make it as easy as possible for these people to set up shops not hinder them.
We should be embracing ideas that could help bring life back into our high street, schemes like the pop-up shops that many towns and cities are doing with great success.
The council should also remember that Eastbourne is a tourist attraction and we need those tourists who come here to go back home and tell their friends how vibrant Eastbourne is and not that the High street is full of boarded up shop fronts with a small multi- national on every corner.
The area around little Chelsea and the station could become the “lanes of Eastbourne” just like the Lanes in Brighton. But the council has no vision for the future and seems to prefer the easy route of filling the local shopping areas like Grove road, Seaside and Albert Parade with small multi-national’s stores knocking the independent retails off the street and helping Eastbourne lose its individuality and therefore a poorer place for it.


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The latest statistics for Queensland hotels show that while some sectors of the tourism industry are performing relatively well, others are struggling with the downturn in domestic travel and the impact of the Australian dollar, according to peak national body, Tourism & Transport Forum (TTF).
The ABS’ Survey of Tourist Accommodation shows that occupancy rates for central Brisbane hotels were 74.0% in the first quarter, down just 0.4% points on the same period last year, despite the impact of the floods.
However, predominantly leisure destinations fared worse, with occupancy on the Gold Coast down 4.2% to 66.9% and Cairns occupancy at just 52.1%, despite a rise of 1.9% points for the period.
TTF Chief Executive John Lee said this is putting pressure on tourism operators.
“Queensland suffered from the perception that the state was either underwater or had been blown away in the first three months of 2011,” Lee said. “And this reduced holiday demand even in those places which were not directly affected.”
“Many leisure destinations in Queensland are also being affected by the strong dollar, as the number of Australians choosing to holiday in Indonesia, Fiji and Thailand continues to grow.
“The strong Australian dollar is also having an impact on the choices international visitors to Australia make while they’re here and that is affecting tourism operators in more remote areas, as people forego a trip in favour of other activities.
“The recent Queensland Budget allocated significant funding increases to Events Queensland, recognising that events drive visitation and economic activity, as well as smoothing out seasonal demand.
“A strong events calendar and effective marketing and promotion of tourism and events can help create interest in – and demand for – travel to regional Queensland,” Lee said.


text: “If you look at all the various industries, everything from film to computer software and even apparel, people are still complaining,” Kyser said. “It’s still an issue. It’s going to be really hard to stamp the situation out.” The 168-page report, issued by the departments of Commerce, Justice and Homeland Security, does not claim any decline in the production of pirated goods. But it notes that on the enforcement end, the Department of Homeland Security seized 8,022 shipments of pirated goods valued at about $93.2 million last year – up 10.5 percent over 2004 and more than double the 3,586 seizures in 2001. The Justice Department, meanwhile, reported 350 intellectual property-related prosecutions in 2005, nearly double the 177 of the previous year. Seizures of pirated movies, pharmaceuticals and other goods have doubled since 2001, the Bush administration announced Thursday in a sweeping report touting significant progress against worldwide intellectual property theft. The glowing fifth annual account to Congress from a multiagency federal task force charged with responding to international piracy comes on the heels of a June Department of Justice report that said U.S. efforts have put copyright thieves on the run. But economists and Hollywood officials continued to maintain on Thursday – as they did in June – that piracy remains a crippling problem in Southern California and nationwide. “The government can honk all they want about how successful they’ve been, but call me cynical; it’s election time, and everyone is trying to look good,” said Jack Kyser, chief economist for the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corp. AD Quality Auto 360p 720p 1080p Top articles1/5READ MOREThe Christmas Truce of 1914 proved that peace is possible The agencies maintained that the persistent enforcement and prosecutions, as well as diplomatic and trade efforts, are making a real difference. In China, for example, which the Bush administration counts as its top piracy target, the government earlier this year vowed to increase pressure against retail markets that sell counterfeit goods. Federal authorities also noted that commitment to enforcing intellectual property theft was a key part of the Central America-Dominican Republican Free Trade Agreement. And they noted that U.S. officials have worked closely with El Salvador to live up to agreements. “The message that we are delivering is that the United States takes the issues of intellectual property enforcement very seriously, we are leveraging our resources to address it, and we have high expectations of all our global partners,” the report states. Gayle Osterberg, spokeswoman for the Motion Picture Association of America, said it is difficult to determine whether the government’s efforts are reducing the economic loss to Hollywood. The last major study on the issue, she noted, valued the movie industry’s annual loss to copyright theft at $6.1billion. A separate report due out today is expected to reveal that revenue lost to piracy in the movie industry is only a fraction of piracy’s impact on the U.S. economy. Still, Osterberg said, the administration has been an ally in the fight against intellectual property theft, and making the issue a key part of trade agreement negotiations has been particularly helpful. Rep. Howard Berman, D-Van Nuys, however, said that while he was pleased with the administration’s attention, he remains concerned that piracy protection has not been more firmly linked to Russia’s admission to the World Trade Organization. But others say the entire issue of piracy is being overblown. Jon Sanserino, a Studio City engineer who worked 20 years in the audio industry, said he thinks the real revenue lost to piracy is “a fraction” of what the record and movie industries claim. And he argues that the industries are partially culpable for the burgeoning piracy problem overseas because of the prices they charge for movies, music and software. “The places where the piracy is taking place, the people are so poor that they can’t pay the high prices on the software,” Sanserino said. “Here you have people who are making $30 a month, and you’re trying to sell them a movie for a week’s wages. The pricing’s all out of whack.” [email protected] (202) 662-8731160Want local news?Sign up for the Localist and stay informed Something went wrong. Please try again.subscribeCongratulations! You’re all set!


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McLaren is fairly raw in the supercar market. In spite of that, the British manufacturer has delivered a record number of cars in 2015. And with the launch of a new lower-priced model, it is firmly on track to surpass that success in 2016. According to official statistics released by McLaren, it delivered 1,654 units in 2015, which is marginally higher than 2014’s 1648 cars. These are significant numbers for a company that started regular production only recently in 2010. Despite these numbers, the big ramp up for McLaren will be in 2016 when its new 570S is up for sale.
With the 570S, McLaren is hoping to dig its feet deeper in the supercar domain. The 570S was unveiled in 2015 and is a high-speed supercar with a lower price. But its first deliveries to eagerly waiting customers started only at the very end of the year. So naturally, with a whole new year at its disposal, the sales of 570S are likely to propel the company to the very top of the market. The 570S has a base price of approximately Rs. 1.23 crore, and McLaren has said that currently it has a waiting period of 6 months. As per the company’s estimates, the Sports series which includes the 570S and other lower-priced models including the 540C, will attribute to nearly two thirds of its sales volumes.
These impressive numbers are a strong indication that McLaren is giving traditional sports-car manufacturers such as Lamborghini, Porsche and Ferrari a run for their money. It also proves a point – the global demand for supercars, priced around Rs. 1 crore still remains strong. The company said that it has added a second shift and also hired 250 additional production workers to its manufacturing line in Woking, England, with the aim of handling the increased workload due to the demand for the 570S.
In addition to the lower-priced models like 570S, McLaren has continued to produce higher-priced and more limited models such as the P1 GTR, which sells for more than Rs. 6.7 crores. Also recently, the company sold out all of its 675 LT Coupe, which is a race-track car and is priced at Rs. 2.27 crores. Additionally, in December, the manufacturer delivered the last of its coveted P1 models, whose production was limited to 375 units and used to cost above Rs. 6 crores. These models, combined with the expected success of 570S, ensure that McLaren will remain a force to be reckoned with in 2016.


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U.K. retailer sees the benefit in new laser label technology
The company will begin testing the new laser label system in several of its stores nationwide sometime in the next few months, becoming the first grocer in the country to do so.
The technology works by removing the pigment from a very small area of the fruit's surface and applying a contrasting natural liquid. By doing this, producers are able to inscribe almost any logo they desire.
This innovative method of labeling produce has several advantages over conventional stickers, the most notable of which is the sustainability aspect, since producers often end up with surplus and useless stickers if logos change.
The practice has also been described as more cost-effective, avoiding consumers' minor annoyance of having to remove stickers, and the company says the system guarantees traceability while providing optimum stock management for retailers.
In a release, Marks & Spencer senior agronomist Andrew Mellonie said his company's initial meeting with Laser Food was set up after officials at the retailer read about the laser labeling system developed by the Spanish specialist.
"We had a meeting with Laser Food after we saw an article in the trade press," he said.
"We thought it was an interesting concept to try because often fresh produce is stickered, which can be difficult to remove, plus there can be a lot of design changes, so growers can be left with stockpiles of stickers that they can't use.
"From this point of view, the concept would fit in with Marks & Spencer's Plan A for sustainability."
The exact trial start date has not yet been confirmed, though Mellonie said it is due to be rolled out in the coming months with supporting material nearby in-store to explain the concept to customers.
Although the British retailer is only trialing the technology on oranges, Laser Food claims the technology could be used for almost any fruit of vegetable.
Despite Laser Food being based in Spain, the company says 90% of its business activities take place outside the country. Its biggest customers are in Italy, France and Poland, but it has plans to branch further afield to the likes of Brazil, Chile and Australia.
Related stories: Spain: getting under fruits' skin with laser labeling
Photo: Laser Food


text: Yowzers! Mercedes-Benz sure is turning up the sex appeal with this concept model for its next-generation A-Class. The Concept A-Class will officially be shown to the world at the 2011 Shanghai auto show that will open later in April and gives warning to rivals - BMW’s 1 Series and Audi’s A3 – that it’s going for the premium hatchback jugular. Mercedes is dropping the mini-MPV profile that does the current A-Class no favours. In its place: a more athletic profile with a long, swooping bonnet and low roof inspired largely by the F800 and the recent CLS Shooting Brake concepts. Although the production model that will surface sometime in 2012 will probably lose many of the concept’s most striking details, the general shape should remain in place. FUTURE FIRSTInside its futuristic cabin, the Concept A-Class seats four and emphasis has, apparently, been placed on delivering better interior quality with the new car equipped with plastics and trim seen on the C-Class (recently revised in Europe). The Concept A-Class rides on a new front-wheel drive platform called MFA (Mercedes front-wheel architecture) that uses front suspension struts and a multi-link rear axle. The concept is powered by a 152kW version of a new four-cylinder petrol engine that combines direct injection and turbocharging. Power is channeled to the front wheels through Merc’s new dual-clutch transmission.A choice of petrol or turbodiesel engines will be on offer, including a hot two-litre turbo AMG version to take on Audi’s S3.The AMG is expected to launch in 2013.


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Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand, yesterday announced that her Ministry has decided to extend the school uniform and supplies voucher programme.
Manickchand said that the extension gives parents more time to utilize the vouchers at stores, it also gives all authorized vendors, and stores more time to redeem the vouchers at the Ministry of Education’s Georgetown Office, 21 Brickdam.
The new deadline dates, according to the Education Minister, is January 9 for parents and January 15 for authorized vendors and stores.
More than 160,000 children in the public school system all across Guyana, were set to receive the uniform and school supplies voucher valued at $4,000 to assist with the purchasing of their school supplies and uniforms for the new school term. This amounted to about $650 million in vouchers being distributed.
The value of the voucher was previously $2,000; however, at a press conference in September, President Irfaan Ali had announced the increase to $4,000. He had also announced that ‘Because We Care’ cash grant would be restored and increased to $15,000 from $10,000.
“This, of course, will bring tremendous help to families, to parents and to children by which time they will hopefully be returning to school under the improved situation we have now, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Secondly, we would double the uniform voucher allowance to $4,000 per child,” President Ali had said.


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Country’s leading carmaker Maruti Suzuki is all set to introduce a premium SUV in India. As per the report, the premium SUV from Maruti Suzuki is expected to be positioned above the Maruti Suzuki Breeza and may carry a price range between Rs 12 lakh to Rs 18 lakh.
Prior to this, Maruti Suzuki had launched the Vitara in the country a few years back that was discontinued in India due to the response it received. Now, the new premium SUV which Maruti Suzuki is planning to introduce at a price below Rs 18 lakh, there are possibilities that the new premium SUV might be a tough competition in the SUV segment.
Maruti Suzuki’s premium SUV to rival the likes of Mahindra XUV500, Tata Hexa
Maruti Brezza that was launched by Maruti Suzuki last year has been one of the successful models for the company. The company has plans to replicate the business strategy that it has implemented for Maruti Brezza so that it can receive a good response for the premium SUV as well. As per the report, the new premium SUV from Maruti Suzuki is likely to rival the likes of Tata Hexa and Mahindra XUV500.
In addition to the Maruti Suzuki Breeza, the company has also utilised the similar marketing strategies for premium models such as the sedan Ciaz and the hot hatchback Baleno and have tasted success. Maruti Suzuki will try to introduce the new premium SUV using similar marketing strategies.
Launch date of the premium SUV by Maruti Suzuki
Maruti Suzuki has not yet revealed which international model is going to be introduced in India in the mentioned segment premium SUV segment that falls in the bracket between Rs 12 lakh to Rs 18 lakh. Maruti’s Vitara Brezza that was launched in the country last year has been one of the most successful sub-compact SUVs in India.
Brezza has also been company’s one of top-selling cars in the segment since its launch. After tasting success in the subcompact SUV segment, Maruti Suzuki has all eyes on the premium SUV segment in the country. This is only segment where Maruti Suzuki is not offering any product.
The company has not released any official date for revealing the premium SUV but reports suggest that Maruti Suzuki India Ltd. (MSIL) has plans to soon introduce a bigger and premium SUV from the stable in the mentioned segment in India.
Source: Drive Spark
After Brezza, Maruti Suzuki Again Set to Launch a New SUV in India | Check Details


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ClearSale Named as Finalist for 2020 CNP Award
Leading global fraud protection firm ClearSale announced that it has been named as a finalist for the Best Antifraud Solution category at 2020 CNP Awards. This nomination underscores the incredible success that ClearSale’s comprehensive CNP fraud protection has garnered in the market.
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ClearSale’s unique proprietary fraud-fighting solution combines advanced statistical technology with the world’s largest team of specialized fraud analysts for a balanced, real-world approach unlike anything else. The company’s optimized, performance-based approach ensures that fraud is wiped out and the customer experience is maximized. Mark May, who serves as Director – Global E-commerce for client bloom baby, highlights the service and commitment of ClearSale, saying, “ClearSale’s response time is so quick that most of the time, they’ve already handled the process by the time we even know there was a red flag. Between the reduction in staff time spent on fraud and the reduction in chargebacks, we’re saving much, MUCH more than ClearSale bills us for fraud management.” With almost two decades of experience in the most dynamic e-commerce markets worldwide, ClearSale has built its reputation as industry pioneers and thought leaders in e-commerce and CNP retail.
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“Being nominated for Best Antifraud Solution is a real honor,” said Rafael Lourenco, EVP of ClearSale. “Our dedication to our retailer clients and our trade as a whole is at the core of what makes us different from other solutions. Fraud is an unfortunate reality in e-commerce, and it is a reality that changes and evolves every day. Our objective is to not just stay ahead of the latest fraud-fighting techniques, but to also educate every merchant on the potential risks and how to protect themselves.”
Read More: PDI Acquires SwiftIQ Expanding Its Data And Insights Solutions To Include Analytics Cloud


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I wish I could say that I only recently encountered the trend of transforming used grain into something edible, but then I'd be ignoring evidence of me eating dog treats made at a microbrewery a few years back. The worst part is that I tell Zagat on camera that "these are some of the best I've had," full-on admitting that I've consumed pet food before.
My tastes don't usually run so beastly. But those treats didn't contain much more than grains, oats, honey, peanut butter, and the like, so no judgment, please. When Hops & Grain started making these things a few years ago, it was called recycling food waste. Because no one wants to eat anything deemed waste, another term is now in vogue: upcycling.
Generally, the word refers to transforming waste into something of greater value. In the gastronomy world, it usually means creatively using surplus food to make a new, often unheard-of product. In 2017, researchers found that consumers would not only accept this type of food but may even prefer and pay more for it, as they have for organic and locally made products. "They associate many of its characteristics with the natural/organic aisle (good for self, good for planet, premium)," Jonathan Deutsch, a professor at Drexel University and the co-author of the study, explained to me by email.
If you've ever loitered outside a bakery until closing time, you'd see how Americans can waste around 60 million tons of food per year. That's one-third of all food, worth $160 billion. And while that might translate to free blueberry scones and garlic bagels, it's not great for Mother Earth. Deutsch estimates that two to five percent of wasted food could be upcycled -- or three million tons of food per year. A study from Future Marketing Insights, a UK consulting firm, determined that in 2019 the upcycled food market was worth $46.7 billion with a compound annual growth rate of five percent over the next decade.
My mind flashed to the last time I visited my cousin in Seattle and he told me how he foraged for groceries every week in the dumpsters behind his local Whole Foods.
But consumers preferring upcycled food? That seemed a little drastic. When I read that report, my mind flashed to the last time I visited my cousin in Seattle and he told me how he foraged for groceries every week in the dumpsters behind his local Whole Foods.
Sure, we all care about maintaining a sustainable world for our great grandchildren. But at the end of the day, there has to be something in it for us, like, now. So amid the granola bars from spent grain and protein crisps from trimmed chicken breasts, what would make me choose upcycled foods instead of products I already know and like?
It must first of all taste delicious -- even more delicious than its non-upcycled counterparts to get me to pay attention. A nagging voice in my head told me that food should also probably be nutritious -- in this case, it needed to be more nutritious than similar trash-producing options. And last of all, the company itself should also be innovative in the way it runs its business. Delicious, nutritious and innovative. I was ready to start tasting.
jirkaejc via Getty Images
Luckily I'd already been eating one of these foods for a few years. My neighborhood bakery Runner & Stone, in Brooklyn, makes roasty, buttery bite-size cookies created with a flour from a company called Rise. After buying every batch the bakery has made and consuming them straight out of the crinkly package on the way home, I realized that Rise Flour is made from spent grain. Dog treats 2.0! This time actually for human consumption!
Rise collects used barley from dozens of New York-area microbreweries, dehydrates it almost completely, and processes it into flour. The company sells two types of flour: dark, made from spent grain used to make stout and porters, and light, made from spent grain used to make lagers and IPAs.
For decades, scientists have been analyzing brewers' spent grain, but until the past decade, few companies had stepped up to the plate to create products with it. Enter Regrained, which in 2010 began making energy bars with beer leftovers.
Co-founder Daniel Kurzrock said when he started Regrained, he expected processing to be the biggest challenge, but actually it's been much more difficult to build the market. Now, even Anheuser-Busch is investing in companies like Zea10, which makes protein isolate, and Canvas, which makes fiber-protein shakes. "Consumers give a shit now and want products that are better for them and better for the planet," Kurzrock said.
I'm happy to report that my decision to buy Rise's flours was a good one: It tastes nothing like the grub you'd feed to dogs or eccentric food writers. "The process of making beer removes starch, but there's still a ton of flavor left," said Kathryn Gordon, a faculty member at the Institute of Culinary Education and the author of Les Petits Macarons: Colorful French Confections to Make at Home. Gordon holds my dream job of playing with pastries all day and actually knowing what she's doing, and she described Rise's dark barley flour as akin to pumpernickel rye bread, noting that "it absorbs wet ingredients much differently than wheat flour." While consulting for Rise and working with it on a series of events, she's created yeast bread, brownies, blondies and Irish-style brown-bread ice cream.
"This whole notion of throwing things away -- landfills -- is taboo."
The mirror-image company of Rise, which uses leftovers from beer-making to create flour, is Toast Ale, which uses leftover bread to make beer. "Throughout history brewers and bakers have always been in the same sort of space and used the same ingredients," said Toast's James King. The UK-based company plays matchmaker in countries as close as the Netherlands and as far-flung as Japan, connecting a local bakery, microbrewery and nonprofit. The bakery donates heels and crusts of bread -- a highly wasted food staple -- and the microbrewery and Toast create a "bespoke beer" with it. Everyone donates the profits to a local charity or Toast's partner nonprofit, Feedback.
I acquired the company's New York offerings, created by Captain Lawrence Brewing using upstate favorite Bread Alone, and immediately cooled down on an unexpectedly sweltering May day in New York City. After I used the can of American Pale Ale to chill my forehead with its frosty condensation, I popped it open and took a long, refreshing swig, then another. I wouldn't have been able to tell that it was made any differently from a "regular" beer, and it didn't taste particularly, um, toasty. But it was a solid choice that would edge out quite a bit of competition.
Delicious? Check. On to the next value-add: It must be nutritious. Beer is hardly a health food, but I'd argue that by using fresh, local ingredients and making the brews in small batches, Toast's beverages are much more natural than their industrial counterparts.
Rise Flour turns out to be a nutritional powerhouse. One ounce of its barley flour has 110 calories and a whopping 12 grams of fiber and 6 grams of protein; meanwhile, one ounce of white flour contains 103 calories, 0.8 grams of fiber and 3 grams of protein. Then again, Rise's barley flour, its cheapest product, costs $1 per ounce. Compared to the seven cents per ounce that Gold Medal's all-purpose flour costs or even the nine cents per ounce that a nice flour like King Arthur all-purpose costs, that's basically a fortune.
Even if they were to cost 90 percent less than their current price, though, Rise's flours still wouldn't appeal to all bakers. "Asking this very heavy flour to rise is especially difficult," explained Gordon, contrasting it with a lighter wheat flour. As my botched quinoa-and-millet croissants taught me a few years ago, baking experiments quickly become chemistry classes, especially when you're trying to work with an unconventional product. That's why Gordon recommends using Rise's products for brownies, cookies and crackers but not traditional breads, buttermilk pancakes or other pastries.
The real impact from upcycled foods comes from the potential to feed many people around the world. "Imagine a farm, a brewery, a malter and a mill, all located right where people live," Rise co-founder Ashwin Goutham Gopi said. "We made sure our technology is modular and cheap so that it can be implemented in the countries where we're from." All five co-founders are immigrants from India and Ecuador, and Gopi believes that seeing things through an immigrant's lens defines Rise.
"There is so much availability of food at a low cost that there is no need to turn [spent grain] into a food product here," he explained. "There's also an abundance in terms of space. It's cheap and easy to throw things away in the US: You just have to put them in a landfill and forget about them." Where he and his co-founders hail from, though, "this whole notion of throwing things away -- landfills -- is taboo."


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Trademark misuse of Olympians' names criticized
Updated: 2012-08-30 18:37
BEIJING - Trademark registrants are exploiting the popularity of successful domestic and overseas Chinese athletes in the wake of the Olympic Games by rushing to register the right to use their names, a business tactic that is increasingly being questioned in China.
With the practice referred to as "qiangzhu," or "rush to register," criticism has centered around companies or individuals buying the rights with the intention of cynically selling them onto other entities wishing to use the famous names in marketing. There have been cases of millions of yuan changing hands in these high-price transfers, or even illegal activity such as blackmail being involved, according to trade officials.
Meanwhile, many are concerned that the feeding frenzy is not in athletes' best interests.
Two Chinese swimsuit companies applied to use the names of Sun Yang and Ye Shiwen, swimming gold medalists at the London Olympic Games, as early as summer last year, without the swimmers' approval, Central China Television reported last Sunday.
According to the China Trademark Office, the names of Sunyang and Ye Shiwen were the subject of a trademark application last August.
Of all the trademarks passed by the State Administration for Industry and Commerce (SAIC), 48 target Liu Xiang, China's 110m hurdler; Asian-American basketballer Jeremy Lin is the subject of 229 applications; while the Chinese characters for Yao Ming, the retired NBA star, feature in 110.
Although Sun Yang and Ye Shiwen's names have not received official approval for registration, the phenomenon has stirred discussion in the online community, as netizens argue, if passed, the trademarks could mislead consumers and damage the reputation of the athletes.
Survey results revealed by People.com on Tuesday showed that 48 percent of polled netizens said government offices should crack down on such activity, while 28 percent believe that celebrities or businesses should strengthen their awareness to protect their fame or trademarks.
Meanwhile, 20 percent said the situation is understandable and the rest offered no opinions.
Lawyer Lin Rencong commented on Sina Weibo, the Chinese twitter-like microblogging site, that the government should work out specific laws and regulations to prohibit such behavior, and authorities should pay more attention to the matter.
The SAIC said that it is considering making a "blacklist" for those who consistently apply for trademark rights with malicious intent.
China's trademark registration volume tops the world, with 10.54 million applications submitted between the enactment of current trademark law on August 23, 1982, and the end of June, 2012, according to figures released by the SAIC.
Trademark disputes are also on the rise. In early July, a Chinese court ruled that Apple Inc. must pay 60 million U.S. dollars to Proview Technology (Shenzhen) for the iPad trademark, as the latter had claimed that the Taipei subsidiary of its Hong Kong-based parent company registered the name in a number of countries and regions as early as 2000.
In February, U.S. basketball icon Michael Jordan sued Chinese sportswear manufacturer Qiaodan Sports Company Limited, which was registered in 2000, due to the "unauthorized use" of his name and identity, as "Qiaodan" is known in China as the Chinese translation for Jordan's name.
Some celebrities' monikers were even registered before they built up their fame. The name of Lin Dan, China's badminton superstar, was registered as a trademark for an animal feed brand in 1997, when Lin was still unknown to the public.
A netizen named "Pan Deng Not Registered Yet" teased via Sina Weibo: "I should immediately register my name in case I get famous some day."


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Leo Apotheker could be about to be replaced with ex-eBay chief by its increasingly anxious board, sources have told Reuters.
Click to enlarge
Change is already nigh over at Palo Alto, recently announcing a shock change in direction intending to spin off its PSG group including PC and notebook business – to focus on software business – a move spearheaded by Apotheker himself, who has been in the job less than a year.
HP’s board of directors “is thrashing out a host of issues, including whether to name Whitman as the interim CEO,” the source said.
This comes as the No.1 PC maker in the world faces market incredulity, major shareholder discontent and free falling share prices, following the move to ditch its hardware ops.
Read Apotheker Ousting: HP ‘Risky Business’ As Future Hangs Uncertain Here
Ex eBay CEO Meg Whitman may be announced as interim leader of Hewlett Packard in the coming weeks, source indicated. Shares immediately rose up 6.6% to close at $23.96 yesterday on the US stock market, following the news.
The ousting of the German native, the third CEO alongside Carly Fiorina to be booted by the HP board in a matter of years, comes as no surprise to many analysts, who say it was only a matter of time.
“He was doomed from the beginning,” analyst Brian White, Ticonderoga Securities, said. “The die was cast for whoever stepped into that position.”
Hewlett-Packard has also just begun layoffs at its mobile device unit which makes the webOS operating system. The move follows discontinuation of HP’s TouchPad tablet computer, which went on sale here for just $98 last month as it sought to offload excess inventory.
Several staff members already have left on their own volition; but more than 500 are expected to lose their jobs involuntarily in the next few days.
The company said it would give notice to employees by the end of September.
Unclear is the future for former webOS chief executive Jon Rubinstein, a former senior software executive at Apple. He’s now answering to Todd Bradley, VP of HP’s personal systems group – but that group will either be sold or spun off under CEO Leo Apotheker’s latest plans.
Some folk are asking whether Rubinstein could be attracted back to Apple, which might appreciate some visionary drive following the retirement of Steve Jobs.


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The competition in the spend management space continues to intensify. Brex and Rho today each announced AI-powered/enabled accounts payables offerings. Their announcements coincidentally came out the same day competitor Ramp announced it had expanded into procurement — further evidence that the companies in the space are clamoring to not only meet customer demand but presumably […]
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