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- AUD/NZD has refreshed the monthly low below 1.0850 amid a decline in Australian inflation figures.
- Australia’s monthly CPI has dropped dramatically to 7.4% from the consensus of 8.0% and the prior release of 8.4%.
- The New Zealand Dollar and the Australian Dollar will remain in action amid the release of the Caixin Manufacturing PMI data.
The AUD/NZD pair has been significantly offered by the market participants after a sheer drop in the Australian monthly Consumer Price Index (CPI) data. Longer-period patience from Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) policymakers looks fruitful now as the monthly CPI has dropped dramatically to 7.4% from the consensus of 8.0% and the prior release of 8.4%.
The street was considering the Australian economy as a laggard in the FX domain, which has not shown signs of deceleration in the pace of soaring inflation yet. No doubt, RBA Governor Philip Lowe has already pushed the Official Cash Rate (OCR) to 3.35% to bring down sticky inflation, more rate hikes are still favored as it would be premature considering a victory in the battle against galloping price pressures.
Apart from the Australian inflation data, Gross Domestic Product (GDP) (Q4) figures landed lower than anticipation. The Australian Bureau of Statistics has reported a decline in the GDP (Q4) data to 0.5% from the consensus of 0.8% and Q3 figure of 0.6%. On an annualized basis, the GDP has remained in line with expectations at 2.7%. A decline in GDP numbers also showcases lower demand from households, which will trim inflation projections ahead.
The New Zealand Dollar and the Australian Dollar will remain in action amid the release of the Caixin Manufacturing PMI data. As per the estimates, the IHS Markit will report an improvement in the economic data to 50.2 against the prior release of 49.2.
This week, New Zealand’s Retail Sales (Q4) data contracted by 0.6% while the street was expecting an expansion of 1.5%. A decline in the households’ demand is likely to soften kiwi inflation ahead as firms will be forced to offer products and services at lower prices to match the current demand levels.
Read the full article here


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A bevy of DC heroes and villains are getting together for Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League, the latest offering from the developer behind the Batman: Arkham series.
That’s according to Rocksteady Studios, which made the announcement at the DC Fandome event over the weekend.
Among the villains set to appear in the game are Deadshot, Harley Quinn, Captain Boomerang and King Shark. The heroes appearing in Rocksteady’s trailer included Superman, Wonder Woman, Flash and Green Lantern.
Notably absent from the lineup is Batman, who appeared to be killed in an explosion at the end of the third Arkham game. Of course, given how superheroes usually find a way to come back to life after being knocked off, players shouldn’t count out the Dark Knight just yet.
Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League will be available for PS5, Xbox Series S/X and PC when it launches sometime next year.
Do you expect Batman to stay dead?

domain: news


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Creator Masashi Kishimoto thought he'd get a break after "Naruto" ended its 15-year run, but he moved from the manga to working on "Boruto: Naruto the Movie."
Mark Waid, Dan Parent, Adam Hughes, Chip Zdarsky and more dropped clues about Riverdale's future in the jam-packed "Archie Forever" panel.
From the zombie apocalypse to the inspirational "Death of Archie" story, the shakeups of Archie Comics continue in New York.
At Comic-Con International in San Diego, Archie Comics President Mike Pellerito and Kevin Keller creator Dan Parent spoke about the creation and lifestyle of the Riverdale sensation.
At New York Comic Con 2012, Archie Comics announced what to expect from "New Crusaders," the return of "Sonic Underground," and details on the Sega/Capcom crossover between Mega Man and Sonic the Hedgehog.
Archie Comics discussed the upcoming comics crossover between gaming icons Sonic the Hedgehog and Mega Man and teased future developments for both characters during a special at CCI 2012.
The President of Archie Comics discusses running the resurgent publisher as a comic geek, the choice to make Kevin Keller a military brat, the rebirth of "Sonic" and the exclusive announcement on the digital future of "Jinx."


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Rupinder is founding director and company secretary of Dezeen.
Rupinder is a modern languages and European studies graduate with a background in television documentaries. She has worked for the BBC and independent production companies including October Films and Windfall Films working as a production manager on many award-winning documentaries.
Rupinder is responsible for HR at Dezeen and oversees the management of the Dezeen office.
Milan 09: furniture manufacturers SCP will launch a collection of new designs at the furniture fair in Milan this month, including pieces from designers Alex Hellum (above), Matthew Hilton and Donna Wilson. More


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Major telecom service providers including Airtel, Vodafone and Tata Teleservices have agreed to provide interception facilities of BlackBerry services in India to the security agencies in times of need.
The Department of Telecom (DoT) had setup a deadline of 31 December 2012 for the legal interception of BlackBerry services such as BlackBerry Messenger and the email services, for which the Canadian device maker had already provided a solution to the telecom service providers earlier.
With the interception facilities finally in place before the due date, users will continue to enjoy uninterrupted BlackBerry services from telecom operators which earlier faced a threat of closing down due to non-compliance with the new guidelines set by the DoT.
The controversy surrounding BlackBerry services in India started after the terrorist attacks in Mumbai in 2008. Security agencies then voiced their concerned over the misuse of BlackBerry services which cannot be intercepted even during emergencies due to technical reasons.
In early 2011, the government finally gave an ultimatum to Research In Motion (RIM), the BlackBerry service providers, to provide a facilities for interception or to shut shops in India.
Following that the Canadian company earlier this year put up a solution for interception of Blackberry Messenger (BBM) and Blackberry Internet Service (BIS) email by security agencies in times of need.
However, telecos have now implemented that solution in their networks, clearing the way for uninterrupted BlackBerry services in India.


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Shoppers could be given two hours’ free car parking as part of a shake-up of the town centre system.
The Make It Macclesfield forum, created to boost the town, has been working with the council for several months looking at ways to attract more visitors.
And they are now proposing a ‘Buy Two Get Two Free’ scheme, which means drivers could get four hours parking for the price of two.
The pilot is aimed at keeping shoppers in the town for longer and increasing the amount they spend. It would run from October this year through to March 2013, taking in the busy winter and Christmas period.
Clare Hayward, chair of the Make It Macclesfield Forum, said: "We have been working incredibly hard on this. Parking comes up again and again as a big issue in the town.
"We think this will get people staying in the town for longer and also help the night time economy with people being able to buy overnight tickets."
Presenting the plan to the Business Breakfast on Friday, head of community Peter Hartwell said the ‘4 for 2’ idea was the best way to help stimulate the town’s economy.
The plan is part of a £242,000 council review of car parking in the town which also includes painting and improvements to the Grosvenor Street multi-storey. The idea is just a proposal at this stage, subject to approval by cabinet and full council. Other changes have already been approved – including a trial at Macclesfield station where drivers can pay by debit card to park.
And machines at several car parks have been re-programmed to issue overnight tickets.
Meanwhile, Cheshire East is in the process of tendering a contract for a pay on foot system, where drivers pay for the time they have spent in the car park at machines on their return. Once a company has been selected, they hope to roll it out at the Grosvenor Centre and one other car park.
Historically, parking has been a thorny issue for Macclesfield, antagonised by out of town shopping parks such as Handforth Dean and the Trafford Centre offering spaces for free.
Coun Rod Menlove, pictured left, cabinet member in charge of environmental services, said: "We have listened to the public and we have heard what business is saying and I am committed to reviewing the situation.
"We will shortly be bringing forward pilots around parking charges to help and support town centre businesses in these austere times."
Anyone with views on which car parks should be included in the pay on foot pilot, or on parking in general, should contact the forum through their website www.makeitmacclesfield.co.uk .


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Book retailer Borders Group (NYSE: BGP) today launched an independent e-commerce site, ending a seven-year deal with Amazon to power its online division.
Previously, clicking a link on Borders.com would redirect a customer to Amazon’s (NASDAQ: AMZN) site, with Borders receiving a portion of the revenue for the referrals.
“Essentially, it was our logo on their site,” said Kevin Ertell, vice president of e-business for Borders, the nation’s second-largest bookseller.
Now, however, the retailer has opted to build out its own e-commerce infrastructure.
“The world has changed since 2001,” Ertell told InternetNews.com. “The technology has gotten more affordable, more flexible and more suitable to bringing the experience to our customers.”
The new site comes as the bookseller has said it is contemplating putting itself up for sale in the face of increasing competition from discount retailers such as Wal-Mart (NYSE: WMT). Barnes and Noble (NYSE: BKS), the larger rival of Borders, has put together a group to study the feasibility of an acquisition, it told InternetNews.com.
Even with the company’s future up in the air, Borders still sees the imperative in moving ahead with its online development, said Michael Norris, a senior analyst at market research firm Simba Information.
“Borders recognizes that they can’t just sit on their hands and let the customer experience wither,” Norris told InternetNews.com. “They’ve got to keep moving along with their long-term strategy.”
Attempting to go it alone online also puts Borders squarely in competition with its former partner Amazon, which dominates the book-selling market on the Web.
Just the same, even though the book business is facing a harsh trend of declining readership, Norris points out that most books are still bought in stores, so Borders finds its greatest competition from the offline world. Borders maintains that it is exploring its strategic options, but Norris doesn’t see the synergy in a merger with Barnes and Noble.
“Even entertaining that notion is a stupid idea,” he said, noting that the alliance would entail widespread store closings and likely lead to top executive talent defecting. “You cannot crash two Hondas together and make an Acura.”
The best survival strategy for traditional booksellers, Norris argues, will be to establish themselves as destinations by playing to the strengths of the in-store shopping experience. As it turns out, the new Borders.com site, which has been under development for 18 months, aims to simulate that experience on the Web.
Most prominent among the new features is the Magic Shelf, an interactive display of books, DVDs and CDs that users can customize to match preferences created in a profile. Like an interactive map, the Magic Shelf display scrolls to the left or right, up or down with a mouse click, mimicking the way people browse and discover titles in a brick-and-mortar store.
In addition to automatically generated recommendations, the Magic Shelf also has sections for staff recommendations, upcoming releases and topical collections such as summer reading.
In 2006, Borders rolled out its Rewards loyalty program, which now includes 26 million members. But until today, customers couldn’t redeem their Borders points or coupons online, since through Borders.com they could only shop Amazon’s inventory, which Ertell said had been a common complaint about the program.
Borders will also offer exclusive video content on its Web site, such as author readings, musical performances and original, TV-style series with recurring characters. The Borders Kitchen section will feature original cooking segments with celebrity chefs.
The site also sells e-books compatible with Sony’s e-reader device, which Borders carries in its offline stores. Ertell said the company is considering branching into other new-media revenue lines, such as selling music downloads.
Further connecting the in-store and online experiences, Borders will begin incorporating its new e-commerce capabilities into kiosks in its stores within coming weeks. Instead of just being able to check in-store availability, shoppers will be able to make purchases on the kiosks and have the items shipped to the store or their home.
The new site does not provide sample chapters of a book or provide a view of a table of contents like Amazon does, but Ertell said that feature will be coming shortly.
Next week, Borders plans to launch an affiliate marketing program through Commission Junction, where site owners will place links to Borders on their own sites and receive a commission for the referrals.
Borders, which releases its earnings after the market closes today, was down 7 percent to $6.25 by press time.


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Auto giant publishes results of three year trial that cut emissions from Gothenburg distribution fleets by 30 per cent
Volvo Group has this week revealed how a combination of cleaner fuels, more efficient engines, and smarter logistics have helped cut emissions from a fleet of 400 trucks by almost a third as part of a...
Shoemaker has unveiled new 2020 goals to hit 50 per cent renewable energy, plant 10 million trees and boost use of recycled and organic materials
Group of 26 companies, including Nestlé and Philips, signal intention to engage with recently launched regional platform
Nature has proven methods to help gird against property damage or supply-chain disruptions, and the Nature Conservancy wants business to harness these tools
Survey reveals that a quarter of the British public feel they don't need a car, though more are considering electric car ownership


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Drone fans awaiting the launch of GoPro's Karma will have to wait a bit longer.
The aerial photography drone, which was expected to launch in the first half of 2016, won't land on retailers' shelves until the holiday shopping season, the company said Thursday in its first-quarter earnings report.
"While we had to make the difficult decision to delay our drone, Karma, the upside is that Karma's launch should now benefit from the holidays," Nicholas Woodman, GoPro's founder and CEO, said in the company's report. Woodman had previously said that the company was "seeking to be extremely differentiated from what existing drone companies are offering."
The delay means GoPro's drone will be hitting the market around the same time as the Hero5, its next-generation activity-capture camera. Speaking to Engadget earlier in the year, Woodman basically confirmed the Karma would be backward-compatible with the company's cameras.


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Chinese smartphone maker Huawei has revealed the Android Lollipop update release details for select Honor series devices in India.
The company took to Twitter (@HiHonorIndia) to announce that Android will be released to four Honor devices later this year, starting with Honor 4C on 21 September, and then to Honor 6 (on 25 September), Honor 6 Plus (on 29 September) and Honor 4X (on 20 October).
The aforementioned Huawei Honor series owner will be happy to finally migrate from the two-year-old KitKat OS, but have to settle for Lollipop, which will soon get outdated. We are just a few weeks away from the official 6.0 Marshmallow release.
There is no word on whether the Android Lollipop update will be v5.0 or the latest v5.1.1. And we are also not sure the update will include security software patch to plug the dreaded security loophole, Stagefright bug.
Android 5.0 will bring the new design language, Material design, with interactive user interface, lots of animation graphics, replacement of Dalvik with ART as its default runtime will bring improvement in performance-and-battery-life enhancement, new TouchWiz UI features, refurbished interface, lock-screen notification options and many more features.
Other key enhancements include the option to transfer apps from the device's flash storage to SD card memory and multi-user profiles (Work, private & guest).
Android v5.1.1 will bring enhanced stability and an improved ART (Android Run Time), making apps open faster than before. Issues with "Okay Google" have also reportedly been fixed.
The new update will bring Wi-Fi toggle option to Quick Settings alongside Bluetooth, apart from a fix for the memory leak issue that was reported in Android 5.0 Lollipop causing apps to crash abruptly without warning. It also rectifies random app crashes of dialler and messaging apps as well.


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GRAY — Two men face felony charges after allegedly walking out of a convenience store with beer and refusing to pay Tuesday night.
Christopher Chambers, 27, whose last known address was in Portland, walked out of the Circle K convenience store at 255 Shaker Road in Gray at 10 p.m. with a 12-pack of Shipyard beer and threatened the store clerk, according to the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office.
Outside the store, Nicholas E. Norton, 25, who lives nearby on Shaker Road, also threatened the clerk, the sheriff’s office said.
Sheriff’s deputies and troopers with the Maine State Police arrested the two a short distance away on charges of robbery.
No weapon was shown and nobody was injured.


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Covina is among a handful of local cities to recently install automated license plate readers as a tool to solve grand theft auto cases and other crimes where the identification of license plates and other vehicle features is key.
Tag Archives | covina
The San Gabriel Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District recently identified West Nile virus in mosquitoes and birds in several local cities.
The Covina Concert Band hosted the sixth annual Covina Swing Band Festival featuring live local bands last weekend at the Covina Park.
The city of Covina displayed its rich citrus history in The Firehouse Jail Museum to preserve the historical events that occurred in the early 20th century and to educate current and future generations.
On Citrus Street in downtown Covina is The Zoo, a punk clothing and accessory store. On its right is Toytanic/Dog Gone Cute Pet Boutique, a small pet clothing and accessory store with smiling plastic Chihuahuas dressed in robes, modeling in the front window.
The duo from Southern California, Nathan James and Ben Hernandez, moved a full house at the Fret House in Covina on Saturday, with their country blues and their humor.
Located in the Historic downtown area of Covina, the Citrus Grill serves up hearty portions in a nostalgic atmosphere.
Anyone driving through downtown Covina is sure to have seen it. It is not hard to miss a spaceship suspended above the skeleton of a restaurant or a UFO Center sign attached to the building that used to be a bank. No, the city of Covina has not taken drastic redecorating measures. What it is […]
Upcoming events at the 1997 Los Angeles County Fair.
A group of 13 marketing interns from the University of La Verne and Elite Generation Promotions (EGP) have formed a partnership with Crestview Cadillac owner Scott Allen for a festival to take place Saturday, April 26.


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Australia Advances Cigarette Bill, Defying Threats From ‘Big Tobacco’
"We believe that it will reduce smoking in younger people and the fact that tobacco companies have been using packs very effectively as one of the last forms of advertising is one reason why they're so upset about it,"
- Professor Ian Olver, chief executive officer of the Australian Cancer Council.
Australia's parliament moved forward Thursday on a landmark scheme to remove trademarks and advertising from cigarette packages, defying threats of a multi-billion-dollar legal challenge from tobacco companies.
From December next year, all cigarettes will be sold in olive green packs, which research has shown is least appealing to smokers.
Under the new laws, approved by the upper house of parliament, no trademark brand logos will be permitted on any packaging of tobacco products, although companies will be able to print their name and the cigarette brand in small, prescribed font on the packets.
The boxes will continue to carry stark health warning messages and pictures, which will cover 75% of the front of the pack and 90% of the back.


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The Mitie Landscapes team has already kicked-off the festive season with its annual Christmas tree and office decoration service. Mitie will install and decorate more than 500 trees for businesses all over the UK this year, with many already completed.
This year, it’s clear that the traditional theme is still top of the leader board, with red and gold by far the most popular colours. Gold stars are favourites for the top of the tree and red decorations had already sold out in November, meaning Mitie had to make a last-minute order for over 2,000 extra baubles. As well as thousands of glittery garlands, droplets and snowflakes, the Mitie team will hang 87,000 baubles and 30 km of fairy lights – enough to light-up the Shard 100 times over.
However, some businesses are bucking the trend and opting to have their own bespoke Christmas decoration themes. This year Mitie created its first-ever Pride-themed tree, featuring decorations every colour of the rainbow, for a hospital in the Midlands.
When it comes to the trees themselves, artificial installations continue to lead the way. 75% of trees sold this year were artificial, as businesses continue to value the reliability of knowing it will last all the way through to the end of December. However, for clients looking for an even more sustainable option, there is a growing trend to plant Firs and Spruces outside, which can be decorated every year as the trees gets larger.
Just as businesses get their trees up before the rest of us, many are asking for them to be taken down earlier and earlier each year. In fact, the vast majority of these 500 trees will be coming down over a five-day period, from the 27th-31th December, as hundreds of hardworking team members ensure decorations are taken down before colleagues come back to their offices in the New Year. That’s nearly 2,175 baubles every hour.
With the first orders for 2020 expected in January, and a review of decorations and trends for the upcoming festivities, for Mitie, the Christmas season kicks straight off in the early New Year.
Tim Howell, Managing Director, Landscapes, Mitie, said:
“While many of us are only just starting to think about Christmas, the Mitie Landscapes team has spent 12 months hard at work ensuring that businesses up and down the country are ready for the festive season. Though traditional red and gold are timeless favourites, it’s been a pleasure to get creative this year and we’re proud to have decorated our first Pride Christmas tree.”
Notes to editors
Founded in 1987, Mitie is the UK’s leading facilities management and professional services company. It offers a range of services including Technical Services (Engineering Services, Energy, Water and Real Estate Services), Business Services (Security, Cleaning and Office Services) and Specialist Services (Care & Custody, Landscapes and Waste Management).
Mitie employs 48,900 people across the country, looking after a large, diverse, blue-chip customer base, from banks and retailers, to hospitals, schools and critical government strategic assets. It takes care of its customers’ people and buildings, by delivering the basics brilliantly and by deploying advanced technology. It is pioneering the Connected Workspace, using smart analytics to provide valuable insight and deliver efficiencies to create outstanding work environments for customers.


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Job losses at Murdochs' e-empire
Paper titles get their online editions back
News Network Ltd - the new media arm of Rupert Murdoch media empire -- has axed 30 people in its London office as part of a massive shake-up at the company.
Employees were told on Monday about the losses and the full extent of the re-organisation is still not known.
According to sources close to Wapping, among the casualties were marketing director, Tony Hall, and chief commerce and marketing officer, Susan Boster.
Hall is understood to be working out his notice and Boster has reportedly already cleared her desk.
The Register understands that News International's newspapers, including the The Times and Sunday Times, have already taken back responsibility for their online editions after being forced to hand them over to News Network when the new company was established earlier this year.
The Sun's topless tit-pics site, Page3.com, and footballfc.com from the News of the World have also reportedly been handed back to their papers.
However, the future of entertainment auction sites, FiredUp.com, and the recruitment site, Revolver.com, are not known.
Janet Anderson, a spokeswoman for News International said: "They remain [with News Network] at this stage."
Anderson refused to comment on the redundancies or the future of News Network.
Questioned about the redundancies she said: "No comment."
News Network's MD, Alasdair MacLeod wasn't available for comment today, apparently tied-up in meetings all day.
In March, a leaked document revealed that the new media company suffered from low employee morale and widespread dissatisfaction with management.
Speaking at the time, Tony Hall, marketing director at News Network said that the internal assessment was a "positive situation" and showed that the company listened to its employees.
Confirming the authenticity of the leaked internal report he said: "We are a fast developing a company with an open culture -- (what we have done is) positive and refreshing."
News Network was created in February to handle the development of News International's online strategy.
Far from simply migrating its content - The Sun, Times et al - online, News Network planned to create a number of e-businesses based on its offline collateral.
Not only did it plan to build on its existing brands, News Network said it was keen to build completely new ones, such as its online entertainment auction site, FiredUp.com.
It was also planning to ensure that whatever was created would be available not just on the Web, but also on other platforms including digital TV and WAP. ®


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After showing off sensitive clothes bought on the dark web, the beautiful female streamer also openly “invited guests” right on the live broadcast
A few days ago, Vivi Xiaoxiaosu returned to the live broadcast and quickly reasserted her inherent popularity. Not only making followers more impressed with the beauty of the incense, the female streamer also appeared with an extremely beautiful body, “mlem mlem” much more than before.
Xiaoxiaosu with a sharp face
The female streamer’s extremely beautiful body
However, on the recent broadcast, Xiaoxiaosu’s broadcast outfit was suspected by some followers to be one of the accessories of the 18+ suit widely sold on sex websites in China. Reading the comments and questions of the viewers, the female streamer was excited, wearing all the accessories in the “tools” on the live broadcast.The accessories listed by Xiaoxiaosu include belts, chains…
Female streamer shows off accessories in a set of dresses labeled 18+ right on live broadcast
After that, Xiaoxiaosu continued to introduce another outfit, including: an extremely thin two-piece nightgown, a corset with a deep cut at the waist… According to the female streamer, recently, she bought more than 20 sets of this style to wear up air streamer. But just in time to wear one, the supervisor warned the platform with the reason that the outfit was not suitable.
The female streamer also showed off other outfits with the same theme that she just bought
Xiaoxiaosu who returned to his seat after showing off his clothes said helplessly: “The female streamers/dancers these days are really talented. They are very pretty, their visuals are eye-catching, and their dancing skills are also amazing. I thought a lot about whether I could do well or not. Currently, there are a lot of people who like me, but I don’t have a die-hard fan, and I don’t have many people to donate. I bought those clothes to do “welfare” for those who donate a lot. Then, if anyone wants to see me wearing the clothes I just showed off, please donate a lot!
Female streamer “welcome guests” right on the air
at Blogtuan.info – Source: Kenh14.Vn – Read the original article here


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On Restaurants | Owners optimistic as new year begins
Justin Boehme opened his Cajun-themed restaurant, Da Levee, at 765 N. High St., in 2010, a year when the restaurant industry was still reeling from the recession. People just couldn’t afford to eat out, so they stayed home.
“Opening up in 2010 was rough,” Boehme said. “There would be some days where only a handful of people walked through my doors.”
It appears that the restaurant industry has finally shaken off the effects of that downturn.
Boehme opened his second Da Levee at 129 N. Stygler Rd. in September, and plans to open a third this year.
He also extended his lease at the original Short North location for 15 more years and plans to expand seating capacity there.
“The quickest and easiest way to compare 2010 and now is a full day of sales in 2010 was about what we do in an hour now,” he said. “People are going out more. The economy has definitely been on the upswing.”
For the first time since 2008, Columbus restaurateurs as a group are optimistic about the year ahead.
Gasoline prices have dropped, freeing up money for dining out, and the U.S. economy grew at a 5 percent annualized rate in the third quarter of 2014, its fastest clip in 11 years, according to the U.S. Commerce Department.
“I’m optimistic as I read forecasts for commodities and economic recovery,” said Rob Lindeman, co-owner of Pies & Pints.
The West Virginia-based restaurant chain opened its first central Ohio location in Worthington in 2012, and a second in the Easton area in October. It plans another in the Short North, due to open in February.
“Consumers continue to gain confidence and have more discretionary funds for eating out. The economy is recovering, or adjusting to the overcorrection of 2008, and gas prices continue to decline, freeing up discretionary income,” Lindeman said.
Tom Krouse, the chief executive of Donatos, also thinks 2015 will be a good year.
“As consumers continue to heal from a difficult recession, they’re looking for quality in their food choices and will continue to need the conveniences that restaurants offer,” he said.
But it isn’t all roses and no thorns.
“We are seeing a slow recovery,” Krouse said. “Consumers are still cautious about getting the best possible products for the money they spend.”
And forecasts are mixed about how many more times people will eat out in the coming year. Industry research firm NPD Group predicts that restaurant visits will increase only 1 percent in 2015, but that’s better than last year, which saw no rise. The research firm says that 57 percent of restaurant owners believe their sales will rise in the next six months.
Technomic, another restaurant research company, predicts that restaurants visits will rise 3 percent from last year.
But another year of rising food prices could put a damper on the industry.
Food “costs always are a major concern for restaurateurs,” said restaurant consultant Bob Welcher. “Dairy, beef and seafood prices have skyrocketed in recent years and continue to climb. Operators are worried about raising prices but might have little choice.”
Beef prices rose 12 percent in 2014, according to the USDA, and the agency expects wholesale beef prices to rise by as much as 18 percent this year as a result of drought in the West. Pork prices rose 9 percent in 2014 and are expected to rise 5 percent this year.
This is on top of nearly double-digit price increases each year since 2008, except last year, which saw a more modest overall 3 percent increase in prices of meat and produce.
Restaurant owners have to be creative and adapt.
“Food costs are always a battle,” said Louis Pappas, who is a co-owner of Kraft House No. 5 in Powell and Milo’s Catering. Those restaurants control food costs by working with affordable, in-season items and using them as the basis of “new, creative menus that change with the season,” Pappas said.
Food costs are “most dangerous for restaurants that have set menus that rarely change.”
“Rising food costs are an issue,” but one that can be ameliorated by creative solutions, said Chris Crader. He is co-owner of Harvest Pizzeria, the Sycamore and Harvest Bar & Kitchen. He soon will open a restaurant at 250 S. High St.
His restaurants focus on seasonal offerings and local ingredients, which can often be pricier to offer.
Crader’s solution? Grow his own.
Crader bought 20 acres near Granville to grow vegetables to supply the restaurants. Those acres will be planted in the spring. “It will definitely help with food costs,” he said. Beyond that, “ hopefully consumers understand.”
Restaurants are likely to get a boost from lower prices at the pump.
“Gas dipping down boosts optimism,” Pappas said. “Restaurants are consumer-driven, and having that extra cash means people spend some of it dining out and enjoying themselves.”
He’s already seeing benefits. “People are going out more,” Pappas said. “We had more traffic and more holiday parties in the last quarter of this year. Things are looking positive.”
Gas prices at the end of December were more than a dollar a gallon lower than a year earlier. Gas is averaging $1.83 a gallon in central Ohio, according to AAA statistics, down from $3.28 a year ago.
Restaurant analyst Mark Kalinowski summed up the gas-price bump to the industry in a recent interview with Nation’s Restaurant News.
“Over and over we hear from operators that, whenever their customers go to fill up their truck, it used to cost $60, now it costs $40,” Kalinowski said. “They go home and tell their wife and children, ‘We’re going out to eat.’??”
Off the menu
• Cameron Mitchell’s latest restaurant, the Guild House, is scheduled to open on Jan. 15 at Le Meridien Columbus, The Joseph, 624 N. High St.
• Zoe Cafe, which is operated by Tasi Rigsby of Tasi Cafe, has opened at 2376 E. Main St. in Bexley. Hours are 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Sunday. For more information, go to www.zoecafecols.com.
Dispatch restaurant columnist Denise Trowbridge can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.org.


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Zoe Saldana suited up in uniform to make a splash as a young Uhura in “Star Trek” and went for a blue hue in “Avatar” — but now she’s stripping down to her undies as the new face for Calvin Klein Underwear.
The fashion house unveiled the new ad featuring the “Avatar” beauty in her skivvies on Wednesday in Berlin, Germany.
“Calvin Klein has always put forth such beautifully executed campaigns,” Zoe said in a statement. “It’s very exciting for me to be associated with such an iconic, globally recognized brand like Calvin Klein Underwear.”
Fashion photographer Mikael Jansson shot the spots in New York City. The ads will run in various magazines in October.
Zoe is fronting the brand’s new Envy range, lingerie aimed at creating “a more revealing silhouette,” the brand said in a release.


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+ Show all results
São Tomé and Príncipe
Briefings and training
São Tomé and Príncipe
28 February 2022
EDPR to invest around EUR 6.5 billion in Asia-Pacific Countries
EDP Renováveis (EDPR), whose parent company EDP Portugal has China Three Gorges as its largest shareholder, is set to invest EUR 6.5 billion in the Asia-Pacific region until 2030.
22 February 2022
São Tomé e Príncipe´s telecom company acquired by Portugal´s Visabeira
Visabeira Global, from Portugal, has acquired 51% of the shares of Companhia Santomense de Telecomunicações (CST), previously held by Africatel Holding.
21 February 2022
Korea International Cooperation Agency finances climate warning system in Mozambique
Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) will finance a new climate warning system in Mozambique, worth USD 7.5 million.
16 February 2022
Brazilian billionaire Eduardo Saverin to invest USD 2.5 billion in China
Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin's capital investment firm, B Capital Group, has raised USD 2.5 billion to invest in technology companies in China.
15 February 2022
China and Hong Kong among top investors in Angola
China and Hong Kong are among top investors in Angola, according to the chairman of the Board of Directors of Angola´s investment agency (AIPEX), António Henriques da Silva.
11 February 2022
Portugal accepts Chinese vaccines Sinopharm and Sinovac for Covid-19 certificates
Portugal is now accepting, for the purposes of issuing Covid-19 certificates, Chinese vaccines Sinopharm (Vero Cell) and Sinovac (Coronavac), according to the country´s health authorities.
07 February 2022
China’s Great Wall Motor unveils USD 1.9 billion investment to produce “new energy” cars in Brazil
Great Wall Motor (GWM)'s will invest more than BRL10 billion (about USD1.9 billion) in Brazil, according to its new strategy to upgrade its new energy car factory in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
24 January 2022
1700+ applications to HUAWEI Scholarship Program in Portugal
Over 1700 applications were received in less than a month by HUAWEI Scholarship Program in Portugal, which offers 50 university scholarships in the areas of Engineering and Technology.
18 January 2022
Tesla turns to Mozambique to reduce its dependence on China for graphite
Tesla is turning to Mozambique for a key component in its electric car batteries in what analysts believe is a first-of-its-kind deal designed to reduce its dependence on China for graphite.
13 January 2022
Brazilian company backed by Softbank acquires Lisbon-based bitcoin market CriptoLoja
The Brazilian company 2TM, backed by Japan´s Softbank, is acquiring a controlling stake in Lisbon-based crypto exchange CriptoLoja.


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A young distributor of parts and accessories for utility task vehicles — think small Forest Ranger-type carts — has set up shop in Franklin to service buyers across the Southeast. Industry veteran Nick Zierden bought Innovative Off-Road, which was launched in 2011, early this year and sees a big opportunity.
“You can reach out to 80 percent of the retail population in the U.S. in one day by truck transport,” Zierden said. “Also, a significant proportion of UTVs retailed in the U.S. are in the Southeastern region. Add to this a large number of the highest volume ATV and UTV retailers are in the Southeast, and you have a tri-level rationale for establishing the business here. As I like to tell my dealers, ‘Why wouldn’t you?’”
After receiving only a handful of bids — and none on the parcel on which his stately mansion sits — country crooner George Jones on Saturday called off the auction of his 78-acre Franklin estate. Jones had first listed the "equestrian dream" Country Gold Estate for $15 million in June of last year.
"At the end of the day being a special property for a famous person that's neat, but at the end of the day this has to be a property that someone wants to live and enjoy," said Craig King with JP King Auctions.
SEE ALSO: The J.P. King Auction website marketing the property
The plan to develop more than 50 acres at the western edge of Maryland Farms is moving forward. Brentwood planners recently were presented the concept for Virginia Springs, which would comprise two buildings and a parking garage. The property is being marketed by Crews Johnston and Perry Gooch at Cassidy Turley.
Brandon Jenkins' Grove Park Construction has placed under contract the last 12 undeveloped lots in The Governors Club, continuing the work it started in 2009 in the prestigious development.
Brokers Christina and Darin Cunningham took on the marketing of Governors Club properties in 2008, when 42 lots remained available. Christina Cunningham will be the sales and marketing manager for the remaining sites and will work with Grove Park customers on the homes' designs. Terms of the sale were not disclosed.
“If you drive around The Governors Club today, there’s dirt moving and houses being built throughout, and the vast majority are Grove Park Construction customers,” she said. “They have built a sterling reputation as a totally custom builder who focuses on customer service and on making their clients’ dream homes come to life. This is a perfect partnership, and a strong sign for the luxury real estate market in Williamson County.”
Grove Park, which Williamson County native Jenkins founded in 2005, also is building in Annandale, Hampton Reserve, Windstone, Belle Meade, Green Hills and Leiper’s Fork. Check out more on the company here.


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Natural Ways CBD and More celebrates first anniversary in Tomball
Natural Ways CBD and More celebrated its first year of business in Tomball on Feb. 23. (Courtesy Natural Ways CBD and More)
Natural Ways CBD and More celebrated its first year of business in Tomball on Feb. 23. The family-owned and -operated business, located at 23802 FM 2978, Ste. A5, Tomball, offers CBD, or cannabidiol, products for family and pets, including a large selection of CBD tinctures, gummies, lotions, pet products, flowers, coffee, tea, topicals and edibles. Natural Ways CBD and More opened another location in Pinehurst in late February. 281-547-7061. www.naturalwayscbd.com


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SPEE3D Uses Its Patented Technology to Print Metal Rocket Engines
In the aerospace industry, additive manufacturing is increasingly prevalent. Many companies are now using metal 3D printing to create rocket components, as well as rocket engines. Companies, such as Relativity, for instance, have notably developed additive manufacturing centers entirely dedicated to the construction of rockets. In Australia, 3D printer maker SPEE3D received an AUD $1.5 million grant from the Australian government to develop the SPAC3D project. Through this initiative, SPEE3D aims to use its patented cold spray technology to print rocket engines using metal material.
Thanks to the advantages offered by additive manufacturing, the SPAC3D project plans to manufacture high-quality parts that are also comparatively inexpensive. According to the manufacturer, their patented process will print metal parts 100 times faster than other metal 3D printing technologies, and will therefore be more efficient in engine design. “SPEE3D has developed a new way to manufacture rocket engines quickly with our advanced manufacturing process,” explains Steven Camilleri, CTO of SPEE3D. “The MMI grant will allow us to work with other partners in Australia to manufacture and test flight-ready engines for the emerging industrial space market“, Camilleri continued.
Making Rocket Engines With 3D Printers
Manufacturers in the aerospace industry often turn to 3D printing primarily because the technology makes it possible to create efficiencies by reducing manufacturing costs and creating parts more quickly. Thanks to SPEE3D’s cold spraying process, which harnesses kinetic energy to spray metal powder onto a substrate, the company believes it will be able to produce high-quality components in a fraction of the time usually required through traditional manufacturing. For example, the Australian manufacturer explained that they were able to print a 17.9 kg piece in metal in just three hours—the Warp SPEE3D printer, which is based on the cold projection process, would be able to print metal parts weighing 40 kg, at a printing speed of 100 grams per minute.
With the SPAC3D project, SPEE3D plans to attract aerospace players and convince them to adopt its technology. However, the Australian company will face many competitors. NASA, Orbex, Relativity, and many other companies are also relying on 3D printing to efficiently produce rocket components. Though one thing is certain, this is only the beginning for additive manufacturing and the aerospace industry’s future together.
What do you think of SPEE3D’s rocket engine program with the Australian government? Let us know in a comment below or on our Facebook and Twitter pages. Don’t forget to sign up for our free weekly newsletter, with all the latest news in 3D printing delivered straight to your inbox!
Cover Image Photo Credit — SpaceX/Unsplash


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Low-key corporate executive Al-Ishsal Ishak is the next chairman of the Malaysian Commission for Multimedia and Communications (MCMC).
A Singapore parliamentary committee said on Sept 20 the government should consider legislation to ensure technology companies rein in online fake news and that those responsible are punished.
Chinese and Russian hackers are attacking Indonesia’s voter data base in a bid to disrupt the country’s upcoming presidential election, according to a senior election commission official.
Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad acknowledged that the Internet and social media platforms play a vital role in promoting openness and inclusivity but also warned that they are increasingly being abused.
Huawei eases customers' worries by confirming that its membership with SD Association, WiFi and Bluetooth alliances has been reinstated.
Sales increased in flagship product among local consumers and recognition by Prime Minister.
In a new video to promote STEM skills, Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad learns coding from 10-year-old Microsoft Malaysia Ambassadors Chloe Soh Ke Er and Serena Zara Taufiq.
Malaysia is advancing an anti-monopoly investigation into Singapore-based Grab Holdings Inc., ramping up a broader government push to bring greater competition to its economy.


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Xiaomi today announced that the company has been able to sell more than a quarter of a million units of newly launched Redmi Note 4 in the first flash sale. The sale took place on 23 January on Flipkart and Mi.com.
The company launched the phone in three variants in India on 19 January. The highest end variant with 4 GB RAM and 64 GB internal memory has been priced at ₹12,999. The other two variants with 3 GB RAM and 32 GB internal memory and 2 GB RAM and 32 GB internal memory have been priced at ₹10,999 and ₹9,999 respectively.
These sales numbers come hardly as a surprise as the phone's predecessor Redmi Note 3 was one of the most sold devices in India last year. And Redmi Note 4 keeps the familiarity of the phone impact with a few upgrades here and there to maintain the high-reliability factor.
"Over the last few years, we have seen an increasing demand for affordable, premium-grade smartphones drawing interest among consumers. The phenomenal response we have seen with the Redmi Note 4, once again indicates the trust and value that our customers place on Flipkart, when it comes to shopping for their favorite mobile phones." said Ajay Yadav, Head - Mobiles, Flipkart
The second flash sale will take place on 30 January with an expectation of similar numbers. Last year, Xiaomi managed to grab the third spot in the smartphone market in India. This year, with better offline distribution, local manufacturing, and early model launches it would aim to take on Lenovo to compete for the second position in the market share.
Meanwhile, Xiaomi's global VP Hugo Barra has resigned from the post to go back to the US to join another big startup. This big announcement would surely have some impact on the company's future launches.


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‘Data is now recognised as a powerful source of innovation’ – 25 quotes of the week on digital transformation
From digital change to Digital India, these quotes from the week of February 9-14 capture tech impacts sweeping across the world.
Launched in 2014, StoryBites is a weekly feature from YourStory, featuring notable quotable quotes in our articles of this past week. This special series of quotes focuses on the increasing impact of digital media in India and around the world (see the previous post here). Share these 25 gems and insights with your colleagues and networks, and check back to the original articles for more insights.
The entire world is on social media now and it is important for merchants to find the customers where they spend most of their time. - Vargab Bakshi,
The growing importance of technology, analysis, war room strategies and surveys has resulted in politicians across parties making a beeline for technocrats. - Utkarsh Ayush,
We foresee a massive shift towards content-driven shopping. - Sattvik Mishra, Media
It’s disappointing to see that there is no emphasis on learning how an operating system works, even though that’s the first thing that a person interacts with when using a computer. - Subhajeet Mukherjee, The Programming Foundation
True learning happens during self-study for most students. - Imbesat Ahmad,
The agriculture ecosystem is witnessing a wave of entrepreneurship with disruptive and futuristic ideas. - Dilip Chenoy, FICCI
Entrepreneurs across industries are leveraging the benefits accruing from virtual events, soft launches, and webinars to retain a competitive edge and survive the pandemic. - Sameer Chhabra,
Omnichannel, self-service engagements are the way of the future in insurance and beyond. - Simha Sadasiva, Ushur
Fintech companies that cater to children help them become financial savvy by teaching them the importance of investing and inculcating a habit of saving. - Saumya Shah,
Digital lending is a global effort to create a more financially inclusive world and provide nearly three billion people excluded from these services the access to a wide range of financial products. - Anand Agrawal, Credgenics
The last 24 months has been interesting for the Indian gaming market. In the last 17 months, over $750 million has been poured into Indian startups across the board. - Salone Sehgal, Lumikai Fund
2020 has seen a higher amount of total investments of $2.1 billion in the [edtech] sector compared to investment of $ 1.7 billion in last 10 years combined. - Anand Rathi Advisors Limited
The Karnataka Digital Economy Mission (KDEM) will create ten lakh jobs by 2025 and will help Karnataka reach the goal of $150 billion in IT exports, and also become a $300 billion economy by 2025. - C N Ashwath Narayan,
The growing burden of chronic diseases in India is exacerbated by issues around compliance of patients with the treatment regime – including medication, lifestyle changes and periodic follow-ups. - Ranjan Pai, MEMG
Digitisation has helped us to reach the unreachable. - Sangita Reddy, Group
It is encouraging to see Tier-II and Tier-III markets provide tough competition to the metros when it comes to gaming, entertainment, and fintech. - Sanjay Trisal, India
India has a complex supply chain. However, the solutions for small dealers and retailers are limited. - Ishpreet Gandhi,
COVID-19 has also exposed the lack of cyber risk preparedness and inadequate processes of technology risk management in Indian startups. - Udai Chopra and Hersh Shah
The dynamic market conditions precipitated by the Covid 19 crisis also meant that organisations faced a number of data privacy and security challenges. - Madhurima Agarwal,
For a SaaS business, security is not a separate team’s effort. It has to be a part of the core culture. - Harishankaran K,
A safer internet will improve experiences and shape the well-being of our communities. - Keshav Dhakad, India
Digital transformation isn’t just restricted to IT; it is about people, it is about culture and process. A complex transition is happening. - Dirk-Peter van Leeuwen, Red Hat
Practically, every technology will start advancing exponentially. They will start converging, opening up trillion-dollar opportunities for new industries while decimating old ones - Vivek Wadhwa and Ismail Amla, ‘From Incremental to Exponential’
Cloud computing is the future. Efficient usage of these services can unlock a lot of opportunities, but managing them well is essential for your growth. - Alok Bansal,
In 2021, it’s the combination of artificial and human intelligence that will transform the work and its workers. - Vikram Wadhawan,
Data is now recognised as a powerful source of innovation. - Tuija Rentala, Katariina Palomaki and Katri Valkokari, 'Managing Digital Open Innovation'
YourStory has also published the pocketbook ‘Proverbs and Quotes for Entrepreneurs: A World of Inspiration for Startups’ as a creative and motivational guide for innovators (downloadable as apps here: Apple, Android).
Edited by Kanishk Singh


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TalkTalk merges line rental charges ahead of advertising rule change
TalkTalk has scrapped separate line rental charges and started advertising a single combined monthly price for its broadband packages.
It follows Vodafone in moving to a new ‘all-in’ pricing structure.
From 31 October, providers not including the cost of line rental in their headline price are likely to break new advertising rules.
The likes of BT, Sky and Virgin Media are expected to change the way they price their broadband packages later this month.
Launching its new pricing yesterday, TalkTalk said existing customers will now be able to take advantage of deals previously only available to new customers.
Anyone who has been with the company for more than three months will be able to switch to another TalkTalk deal if there’s a better one available.
TalkTalk is also giving customers the option to fix their broadband price for 18 months.
Tristia Harrison, TalkTalk’s consumer managing director, said: “TalkTalk is changing.
“Nothing matters more to us than our customers and doing right by them is the right thing for our business. We’ve listened hard to what they’ve told us and we’re acting on it.
“People are fed up of confusing packages and loud advertising, they’re frustrated with deals which shoot up mid-contract, and they hate seeing the best deals saved for new customers.”
TalkTalk said it had carried out “extensive” research that revealed consumers’ frustration with deals reserved for new customers and that many feel loyalty is punished rather than rewarded.
According to TalkTalk’s survey, this is the biggest thing that 84% of UK adults want their broadband provider to change.
“Silly gimmicks and shouty ads (with catches hidden in small print) don’t do justice to how much this stuff matters to customers,” said Ms Harrison. “Especially now, with the country in such an uncertain place, people deserve security, peace of mind, to be talked to honestly.
“We’re determined to be the provider that makes things simple, tells the truth and most of all rewards loyalty.”
TalkTalk, which was the victim of multiple data hacks last year, said it has recently recorded its lowest complaints figures as well as its highest customer satisfaction and loyalty scores.
The provider said its network has also become congestion-free for the first time, with speeds and reliability up as a result.
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5/25/2011 09:45:00 AM
With the rainy spring this year, vacations are top of mind for most Americans right now, and this trend is expected to last through July. According to a recent USA Today study, more than six in ten Americans say it’s important that they get away from home this year.
Unfortunately, getting away from home might be more of a financial challenge than expected due to the high gas prices. As such, stay-cations are on the rise this year, with consumers placing an increased importance on staying local and decreasing spend. Among Americans who report making major changes to their lives to deal with gas prices, 32% said they will drive less or stay home more.
With more people remaining within their local communities, Retailers should focus on promoting seasonal products that are easy to transport or even use in your own backyard. Here’s a few helpful tips to keep in mind:
Use Display Ads to Drive Interest:
Show ads alongside relevant articles and content related to the rising gas trends or fun summer activities using eye-catching banner ads. Text ads are easier to create, but banner ads may have a longer-lasting impact. E-Marketer reported that use of standard banner ads grew 23.1% from 2009 to 2010. With the growth of display and increasing emphasis on local, relevant deals, display ads are a great way to supplement your text ads. Don’t forget to include all ad sizes!
Expand Your Reach Locally:
Explore ideas for new keywords with Google’s Contextual Targeting Tool to ensure you have as many potential keyword themes as possible. Type in a local attraction and let the system do the heavy lifting. Also remember to make as many tightly-themed display ad groups as possible.
Remember the Essentials:
Gas grills and tents are on the rise, so gear up and get ready for the camping trip and bonfire! Promoting outdoor accessories will be helpful for the last-minute camper looking to get away for a nice weekend.
It’s not too late to capture these growing trends and plan for local summer promotions. Remember to stay relevant and communicate the value of your offer through display advertising!
Posted by Nicole Poppe, The Google Retail Team


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Energy drink maker Monster Energy recently prevailed in its trademark and trade dress infringement lawsuit against Integrated Supply Networks (ISN), a maker of automotive tools and related goods. Although the jury verdict awarded zero actual damages for infringement, it did award $5 million in punitive damages against ISN after Monster Energy proved that Integrated Supply acted with malice, oppression or fraud.
Monster Energy first filed suit on its trademark and trade dress infringement claims in March 2017 in which it alleged that ISN was offering goods for sale using trademarks and trade dress that was confusing similar to Monster’s trade dress and federally registered trademarks. Monster Energy eventually identified 399 stock keeping units (SKUs) for products ISN was selling with a black and green-colored trade dress and using word marks similar to Monster’s marks.
Although an entity filing an application for federal registration of their trademarks must make a declaration of the goods and services on which the marks will be used, proving trademark infringement in court doesn’t require that the infringing party sell an infringing good within the claimed classes of goods or services. The trademark owner can enforce the registration against goods that are “related,” meaning that prospective purchasers of the goods associate the infringer’s goods with the registered mark. Monster presented evidence that it had developed strong recognition of its brand in the motorsports area, where its mark was promoted with many tool brands. “The major takeaway from this case is that Monster Energy is able to assert its trademark and trade dress rights against what might appear at first blush to be unrelated goods,” said Joseph Re, partner at Knobbe Martens and counsel representing Monster Energy in this case.
Re noted that the law regarding likelihood of confusion requires a court to determine whether or not an ordinary purchaser might believe that a product sold by one party was either endorsed or sponsored by the party asserting trademark rights. So while most consumers might associate Monster Energy with energy drink products, the enforcement of its trademark rights isn’t limited to the goods and services claimed in Monster’s federal trademark applications. Re said that one example of an infringing use of a mark due to likelihood of confusion that he provided to the jury was the use of a Starbucks logo on a wrench. “I told the jury that Starbucks wouldn’t have allowed that,” Re said. “Starbucks doesn’t sell wrenches, but you can’t sell a wrench with a Starbucks logo on it.” On closing argument, counsel for ISN argued that Re’s Starbucks example wouldn’t have caused consumer confusion because “no one drinks a wrench,” but the jury still found the trademark infringement claim in favor of Monster Energy. Prior to delivering the verdict, the jury was given instructions on how to determine likelihood of confusion based on factors determined by the Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in its 1979 decision in AMF, Inc. v. Sleekcraft Boats.
One recent article on this verdict and published by The Recorder said that the verdict was “flawed” in that the trademark infringement findings didn’t lead to a monetary award for actual damages; according to the article, California state law requires that actual damages be awarded in order to support a punitive damages award. Re mentioned that the true value of a trademark was the right to exclude others from using the mark and, in briefs submitted during the case, Monster Energy argued that monetary harm and irreparable harm were completely disconnected. “There’s nothing which suggests that the jury didn’t think that the mark had value,” Re said. “The real value of the mark is the right to exclude, to prevent consumer confusion and to signify source.” He added that Monster Energy had already moved for a permanent injunction in the case.
Re said that both sides of the case would be presenting any perceived shortcomings in the jury’s verdict in post-trial motions. The briefing schedule for the case requires parties to file briefs on laches and judgment as a matter of law (JMOL) on a new trial on December 4th, briefs on permanent injunction on December 5th, briefs in opposition to JMOL on December 11th and reply briefs on December 18th. “This is a case that’s still playing out,” Re said. “We’ll know a lot more after we see what the judge does with the verdict.”


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America loves trucks, and Ford Motor Co. (NYSE:F) loves them even more.
Pickup trucks are a big driver of profits for automakers like Ford. This year, Ford has rolled out a redesigned 2015 F-150, which marks a significant change in direction for the company.
Continue Reading Below
As a result, the most important vehicle in Ford’s lineup has been put under a bigger microscope.
The new 2015 F-150 starts at $25,800 for the base model. The XLT version one step up carries a starting MSRP of $31,085.
When equipped with a 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 engine, the pickup can tow up to 12,200 pounds. Ford also introduced a 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6 to the lineup for the first time. The smaller of the two turbocharged engines is rated to tow 8,500 pounds.
Ford has touted the fuel efficiency of its EcoBoost truck engines. The 2.7-liter variant can travel 26 miles per gallon on the highway or 22 mpg when averaging city and highway driving, according to EPA estimates.
In June 2015, 24% of F-150 buyers opted for the 2.7-liter EcoBoost.
However, a recent analysis by AAA revealed that turbocharged pickup trucks, of which Ford is the only manufacturer, were getting worse fuel economy than anticipated. The report was based on real-world mileage results submitted to the EPA’s website.
F-series sales, including half-ton and heavy-duty pickups, have been muted as Ford builds up inventory of the new F-150. In June, Ford sold 8.9% fewer pickup trucks compared to the year-ago month.
Through the first half of 2015, General Motors (NYSE:GM) has outpaced Ford in pickup sales. GM has delivered 376,672 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra trucks, while Ford’s F-series sales hit 357,180 units.
The entire U.S. auto industry has seen buyers shift to SUVs and trucks. According to research firm Autodata, utilities have outpaced sedans and other passenger cars, which are selling at a slower pace than 2014.
Not only has sales volume grown at a faster clip than other segments, but a larger portion of truck buyers are opting for pricier packages. That helps automakers build even wider profit margins on trucks.
Analysts at Morgan Stanley have said trucks and related sport-utility vehicles account for 90% of Ford’s global profits.
Based on comments from Ford CFO Bob Shanks, trade publication Automotive News estimated that each F-150 contributes $13,333 to the company’s bottom line. Shanks said Ford could have made another $1 billion in North America during the first quarter of 2015 if not for reduced production of the F-150 and Edge crossover. Both vehicles underwent redesigns.
Ford separated itself from competitors by shifting to an aluminum construction for the F-150. Other brands producing half-ton trucks, such as GM’s Chevrolet and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles’ (NYSE:FCAU) Ram, continue to use steel.
Ford has argued that its military-grade aluminum is lighter and the lost weight—700 pounds to be exact—adds to the F-150’s hauling capacity. Chief rival GM is sticking with steel, saying aluminum still can’t match its durability and lower price tag.
Aluminum, which is more expensive than steel, has traditionally been used in higher-end vehicles like sports cars.
Ford recently said its assembly plants in Dearborn, Mich., and Kansas City reached full production of the new F-150, which first went on sale at the end of December.
In 2014, Ford’s overall net income fell to $3.2 billion compared to $7.2 billion a year earlier, thanks in part to the 2015 F-150 switchover that began during the summer. Ford had warned that its results would be under pressure until its truck factories ramped up production.


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Canadian clean energy solutions provider Xebec Adsorption Inc has bought Tiger Filtration (TFL), a UK-based manufacturer of alternative filter elements, housings and bespoke filtration solutions for the compressed air and gas industry.
The acquisition gives Xebec Adsorption a recurring element and filter aftermarket manufacturing business. With Tiger Filtration’s R&D capabilities, Xebec will also be able to expand its product portfolio to include filtration products for hydrogen and renewable natural gas (RNG).
Founded in 2004 by former Walker Filtration employees Bob Thompson, Gary Ashton and Matthew Rowe, Tiger Filtration’s product portfolio includes alternative in-line filter elements, vacuum pump separators, compressor air and oil separators, high-pressure stainless-steel filter housings and bespoke filtration solutions.
Tiger Filtration’s products are supplied from a 14 000 sq ft facility in Sunderland, in the North East of England, and are sold worldwide. The company had revenues of £2.7 million (C$4.6 million) for the financial year 2020.
“We started TFL almost two decades ago and are happy to be handing over the company to Xebec, a company with a clear focus on clean technologies,” said Gary Ashton, managing director of Tiger Filtration. “I believe that TFL will enable Xebec to not only capture immediate sales and costs synergies but also help create products for the energy transition, as our knowledge will facilitate the development of filter products for hydrogen and RNG.”
Kurt Sorschak, chairman, CEO and president of Xebec Adsorption, said Tiger Filtration provides a unique opportunity to vertically integrate into the valuable aftermarket business for filters and elements.
“Ultimately, the acquisition positions us well as we look to transition from being predominantly an equipment supplier to a support and service-oriented organization with recurring revenue streams for renewable and low carbon gases,” said Sorschak.


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Sony's upcoming 4K-capable PlayStation 4 Neo console looks set for a September reveal. The company has began sending out invites to a "PlayStation" meeting taking place in The PlayStation Theatre, New York on September 7 at 3pm (8pm UK time). It has also confirmed that updates on the PS4 and the PlayStation business are part of the event.
The invite follows several reports that Sony would unveil Neo in September, with French gaming website Gameblog even nailing down the exact date earlier this week. While Sony's Andrew House confirmed the existence of the console to the Financial Times in June, it has yet to detail any of its specifications, or what sort of performance players can expect from its upgraded hardware.
That said, an earlier report from gaming website GiantBomb—which was corroborated by several other publications—detailed the specifications of the console, which included a boost in CPU clock speed, more and faster GPU cores, and increased memory bandwidth. All is said to be based on AMD's technology, which is used in the current PS4.
|CPU||8 Jaguar Cores @ 1.6GHz||8 Jaguar Cores @ 2.1GHz|
|GPU||AMD GCN, 18 CUs @ 800MHz||Improved AMD GCN, 36 CUs @ 911MHz|
|Memory||8GB GDDR5, 176GB/s||8GB GDDR5, 218GB/s|
While the PS4 Neo will allow developers to create games that run at 4K resolution, or at 1080p with improved textures, effects, and the like, they would be required to ensure their games ran on the existing PS4 consoles too, according earlier reports. There's no indication as to whether Neo will sport a 4K Blu-ray drive like Microsoft's recently released Xbox One S, but given the company's movie ties and the 4K-capable hardware, it's highly likely.
The timing of the PS4 Neo reveal is odd given that Sony is due to release its highly anticipated PlayStation VR headset in October, which is designed to work with the existing PS4. That said, Microsoft's unexpected early reveal of its Project Scorpio console at this year's E3, complete with specs, as well as the release of the Xbox One S may have spurred Sony into action.
Listing image by Aurich Lawson


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Saskatchewan brewer taking Alberta government to court over beer pricing policy
A Saskatchewan brewing company wants to take Alberta to court over its beer tax.
The Notley government raised mark-ups on breweries this past summer, but offset that with rebates for Alberta brewers. Now the Great Western Brewing Company is going to court to declare the increase unconstitutional.
“We are seeking an order declaring the mark-up and rebate policy unconstitutional,” said Great Western CEO Michael Micovcin in a statement. “At a time when Alberta’s economy is hurting, this policy not only hikes the price of beer, but it’s also a huge barrier to new investment and job creation.”
It says Alberta is not allowed to bring in protectionist taxes, and that this will raise the price of beer by roughly three dollars a case and hurt job creation.
In July, Alberta Finance Minister Joe Ceci spoke to reporters about how Alberta’s small beer brewers will get up to $20 million a year in grants to help offset the coming hike in the markup on all beer sold in the province.
He said the reason for the grants was to help grow Alberta’s industry and create jobs.
The markup on beer was raised to $1.25 a litre on Aug. 5 for all beer sold in Alberta, regardless of where it is made.
At the time, the Saskatchewan government argued the policy violates the spirit of the New West Partnership free trade deal.
Alberta has the most open beer market in Canada, with sellers simply having to fill out a form to sell. Access to shelves in other provinces is controlled by liquor boards.
-with files from Phil Heidenreich and The Canadian Press.
© 2016 Corus Entertainment Inc.


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FRENCH firm EDF ENERGY yesterday got the green light to build Britain’s first
new nuclear power plant for 18 years.
The state-run power giant received planning permission for a mammoth facility
at Hinkley Point in Somerset.
Energy minister Ed Davey — who campaigned AGAINST nuclear power
in 2006 — said the site was “critical” to securing our future energy needs.
The £14 billion facility would be capable of powering five million homes.
Jubilant EDF boss Vincent de Rivaz told The Sun it was an “iconic day”. But he
admitted there was still NO certainty it would be built.
He said EDF faced critical talks with the Government to thrash out a
guaranteed price for the power the site would generate.
Insiders say that without this subsidy EDF will not be able to generate enough
of a return for investors. Sources claim EDF may demand £100 a megawatt hour
— far more than the current going rate for power.
Mr de Rivaz said: “The current market prices are not a relevant benchmark when
it’s about the price of electricity in the next decade — and when many of us
will have invested tens of billions to keep the lights on. That’s what it’s
about. I believe though an agreement is still possible.”
Sizewell B was the last nuclear power plant built in Britain, in 1995.
Last night GREEN PARTY MP Caroline Lucas said: “Ed Davey warned in 2006
that a new generation of nuclear power stations will cost taxpayers and
consumers tens of billions of pounds. So it’s astonishing that, in a
deplorable departure from his party’s policy, he has today given the green
light to EDF.”
EDF once boasted its nuclear power plants would be ready to help Brits cook
their Xmas dinners in 2017 but it now may not be ready until 2023.
Sun win as Lloyds scrap sales bonus
LLOYDS BANK will today scrap quarterly sales bonuses for thousands of
branch staff — as revealed by the Sun.
All quarterly payouts to frontline employees will now be linked to SERVICE
alone and could stamp out mis-selling in a big victory for the Sun’s Bank
Annual bonuses across both Lloyds and HALIFAX will still include team
sales goals. But retail chief Alison Brittain said the new approach —
starting in April — puts customers “at the heart of the business”.
She added: “I do not believe staff were doing anything inappropriate or
intentionally doing the wrong thing.”
One branch manager said: “You may well see the end of mis-selling forever
after this announcement.”
The Sun revealed the plans last week. Last month a branch manager pocketed
£39,000 for sales achieved by his team from October to December.
Many staff claim they are under huge pressure to flog products at any cost.
Ms Brittain insisted Lloyds TSB came top of a nationwide customer service poll
Ryanair in £10bn jet order
RYANAIR is on course to fly 100 million passengers a year after buying £10.3BILLION
worth of new planes.
The low-cost airline struck a deal to buy 175 new Boeing jets yesterday.
It is the biggest order Ryanair has ever placed — and the biggest European
order the US plane maker has ever received.
The order will mean Ryanair has 400 jets in the sky in 2019 — when it hopes to
be taking 100m passengers abroad each year.
It has flown 79m in the past 12 months.
Ryanair chief Michael O’Leary said the order would build on the airline’s
“cost and price leadership” over its rivals.
Mr O’Leary refused to say what level of discount Ryanair had received on the
£10.3bn “list price”.
But he said the extra nine seats available on the 737s were more important
than the fuel savings offered on AIRBUS jets.
Ale sales put on ice
CHEF & BREWER pubs group SPIRIT blamed the freezing start to
the year for a flop in beer sales.
Boss Mike Tye said the January snow, cold February and wet weather meant
people stayed at home.
Drink sales fell 3.4 per cent in the eight weeks to March 2.
Mr Tye said: “Our pubs are friendly and warm but people have to get there.
When it’s wet we’re down 20 per cent.”
Rival dig at Tesco promise
THE chief exec of SAINSBURY’S blasted the quality of TESCO
Justin King slammed his long-time rival’s much vaunted Price Promise — and
threatened to call in advertising watchdogs.
He said the pledge to match the price of Sainsbury’s own-brand products was
bonkers because there was no comparison on quality.
Mr King added: “Price comparing with products that are not as good, with not
as great a provenance, is not a fair comparison.”
A trading statement yesterday showed like-for-like sales at Sainsbury’s rose
3.6 per cent in the ten weeks to March 16 — far ahead of its rivals.
Mr King said his chain had been helped by emerging unscathed from the horse
meat scare — and was cashing in on its reputation for quality and value.
Clothing sales were up 20 per cent as non-food sales rose at three times the
rate of food.
– WARREN East is quitting as boss of microchip designer ARM HOLDINGS
after 12 years in which the company has tripled in size.
He will be replaced by colleague Simon Segars. Mr East told The Sun: “It’s
time for somebody else to have a go.”
– THE CO-OP is pulling out of the life insurance and pensions
market after selling its historic CIS business, formed in 1867, to ROYAL
LONDON for £219million.
The Co-op is trying to boost its reserves so it can pick up 632 bank branches


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The Next Asian Bubble?
Reuben is a member of The Motley Fool Blog Network -- entries represent the personal opinion of the blogger and are not formally edited.
Asia is clearly the big growth story these days, and for good reason. However, with every growth story there are, invariably, excesses that take place. One that's “brewing” in the region today is beer and spirits. With the prices being paid in recent transactions, it looks like some companies will require impressive growth from the region to make their deals work out.
The big story in Asia is China. Clearly that country is going through an industrialization that has moved it well beyond its largely agrarian past. The transition has been difficult at times, and will likely continue to be so for the near future, but, overall, citizens are increasingly entering the so-called middle class.
That's an important milestone financially, because it means that an increasing number of citizens have disposable income. Having lived through the West's industrial revolution, what those new middle class folks will do with their money is pretty clear—they will spend it. How, exactly, they choose to spend will be different in many ways, but it will rhyme well enough for companies to take advantage of the growth potential.
Of course China isn't the only nation in Asia, and others are either following along on China's coattails or are ahead, often well ahead, of the giant country in their efforts to become developed nations. However, until recently, many investors and plenty of companies simply didn't dare tread in Asian waters. China's advance has materially altered that dynamic.
The Next Bubble
One important habit change as people inch up the socioeconomic scale is to eat better. This includes such things as eating out more often, which companies like Yum! Brands (YUM) and McDonald's (MCD) hope to take advantage of, but it also includes eating better. Rice and beans can provide carbohydrates and protein, but rice and beef (chicken, pork, etc.) tastes better to a lot of people.
Drinking habits are similar, with beverage companies like PepsiCo (PEP) and Coca-Cola (KO) aggressively expanding to take advantage of the trend. Simply put, the more you make the more prepackaged drinks you tend to consume in a year. Beer and spirits is another industry that will see increased sales. Though these beverages always seem to have strong underlying demand, consumers often trade up to higher prices fare when they have more money to spare.
In fact, with the purchase prices being paid for some Asian alcohol companies, this area is looking particularly bubble like.
Paying Too Much
Bloomberg recently ran an article highlighting that merger and acquisition, and joint venture activity in Asia is heating up. Deepa D'Souza, a consultant with Indian firm Mintel, summed up the problem when she told Bloomberg, “...There are not enough suitable assets available and so there is a race to pick up whatever is around...” That sounds like a recipe for disaster for the purchasing companies that get caught up in a feeding frenzy.
For example, Heineken (NASDAQOTH: HEINY) recently paid what appears to be among the richest valuations ever for an Asian brewer when it agreed to buy a controlling stake in Asia Pacific Breweries. The nearly $6.5 billion deal is about 35 times earnings. While the industry is likely to see growth, beer typically isn't a high margin business in the region, making 35 times earnings a pretty risky multiple.
Diageo (NYSE: DEO), meanwhile, is moving into India, the other big Asian country that most people don't realize is even a part of the region. It is buying a majority stake in United Spirits for more than $2 billion. Although the deal is facing some troubles on the regulatory front in India, most expect it to be cleared. The Financial Times described the price as “high for deals in the sector, but not out of kilter with multiples paid in India...”
Despite the prospects for growth and, to some extent, increased efficiency savings, it is disturbing to see companies paying at the high end of any range for acquisitions. It may sound obvious, but the more you pay, the harder it is to make money.
It's also interesting to see that beer giant Anheuser-Busch InBev (NYSE: BUD) actually sold a Korean brewery several years ago in an effort to reduce debt. Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. (NYSE: KKR) bought South Korea's Oriental Brewery from the beer giant in what now looks like a prescient move. Using some of the multiples being thrown at other companies, KKR is set to make a nice profit on the deal.
Interestingly, however, the sale includes a safety valve of sorts for Anheuser-Bush InBev, which has the right of first refusal to buy back the company. That option helps protect InBev from allowing others to buy a brewer it helped to build up. Still, stopping its competitors could prove costly, since KKR has no particular reason to settle on a cheap price. Debt, then, could be a bigger issue for InBev if it buys the brewer back.
Still, the simple fact that this was the operation that the beer giant choose to sell could be telling. Perhaps management thought the market had less compelling growth prospects and, thus, the brewer was a less desirable asset. The company's hands on knowledge of the business is a notable part of this equation. KKR, meanwhile, may have just seen an asset that the Asian investment momentum would benefit.
Watch What You Pay
Investors often say that you should buy a stock with the mindset that you are buying the entire company. So, in some ways, investing can be very similar to mergers and acquisitions. How much would you pay to get into the Asian beer and alcohol market? If a company you own is paying what you think is an inflated price, watch out, it very well might be.
ReubenGBrewer has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Diageo plc (ADR). Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Is this post wrong? Click here. Think you can do better? Join us and write your own!


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HANOVER − A grocery store with a small footprint that's part of a chain with a cult-like following will be moving into a bigger space before the end of the month.
The Trader Joe’s at 1775 Washington St., currently next to Panera Bread, will be moving mere steps south to a bigger storefront in the former Office Max. The new location in Hanover Crossing will have the same address, but the store will be between Mattress Firm and Petco.
It is scheduled to open Tuesday, Nov. 28, moving from an 8,000-square-foot space to one with more than 12,000 square feet.
“We are busting at the seams and want to provide a more enjoyable shopping experience for our awesome, loyal customers,” reads a sign outside the existing store.
Trader Joe’s first opened in California in 1967 and has grown to more than 500 stores across the country. There’s one other location on the South Shore, in Hingham. Quincy may be the next to get a location, although a Trader Joe's spokesperson did not confirm that.
The smaller size of Trader Joe’s stores, compared to traditional grocery stores, is keeping true to the brand, explained the company’s marketing team in a podcast episode about why their parking lots are small (it corresponds with the square footage of their stores).
Back Bay in Boston is home to the smallest Trader Joe’s in the U.S. But residents and workers in the neighborhood will also be able to rejoice in the addition of new, larger store opening a half-mile away.
Hannah Morse covers growth and development for The Patriot Ledger. Contact her at [email protected].
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News By Tag
News By Place
Follow on Google News
Total Marketing Middle East partners Open Bonnet to further enhance consumer experience
The MoU spans the entire digital value chain whereby TMME and Open Bonnet shall seek opportunities to collaborate in the auto aftermarket segment. The two companies share the same vision: customer satisfaction as a priority. Together, they will achieve this by offering customers with transparency and an optimized digital journey.
The Open Bonnet platform offers a marketplace that allows car owners to choose & connect with one of its 70+ verified workshop partners through an end-to-end digital experience. TOTAL is the preferred lubricant partner on Open Bonnet with a listing of more


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Twitter has taken the first steps of what will no doubt be a long journey towards providing more native support for businesses using their micro-blogging platform by introducing the new (beta) Contributors feature.
Back in 2008, I posted some initial thoughts about companies using Twitter for business. This past year has shown that companies have taken hold of Twitter and are making it part of their business plan. Some have done it well, while some clearly still don’t get that Twitter is about conversation, not advertising, but more and more brands are using Twitter and that’s not about to change any time soon.
Yesterday, Twitter announced the very limited beta release of a new feature they’re calling “Contributors”. From their company blog post:
The feature we are beta testing is called ‘Contributors’ – it enables users to engage in more authentic conversations with businesses by allowing those organizations to manage multiple contributors to their account. The feature appends the contributor’s username to the tweet byline, making the business to consumer communication more personal; e.g. if @Twitter invites @Biz to tweet on its behalf, then a tweet from @Twitter would include @Biz in the byline so that users know more about the real people behind organizations.
Before this feature was introduced, enterprise-level Twitter apps that focused on facilitating a team of people servicing a single account – services like CoTweet and HootSuite – encouraged team members to “sign” their tweets with an initial, such such as “^S” to indicate which team member posted.
This new API feature, in addition to the launch of Twitter’s Business site, shows that supporting and cultivating business interaction on the platform is clearly something on Twitter’s long-term agenda.
I, for one, am pleased to see Twitter going in this direction. Whether or not you agree that businesses should be on Twitter, the fact is they’re here to stay– and by adding this functionality to the API, they are encouraging something I have felt was important for as long as social media has been in the mainstream: personalizing your public face.
As I mentioned in a previous post, the companies that seem to be doing things right with regard to Twitter seem to be the ones that grok the concept of the ‘conversation’, and allow the personalities of their Twitter representatives shine through.
To put a finer point on it, several studies have been done that show that doctors who have poor beside-manner or come across as uninterested in their patients have a higher risk of being sued for malpractice, regardless of their technical skill as a physician. [more] In short, patients don’t sue the doctor’s they like.
Customers have a harder time getting angry or frustrated with companies when they get to know the employees as human beings. I felt the full impact of this myself just a week and a half ago at the Microsoft Web Developer’s Summit, and have often referenced Rackspace’s presence on Twitter as being a good example of this.
Conversely, if you have a bunch of assholes handling your Twitter account, expect to feel the backlash of “social media malpractice”.
Is it risky to let customers or potential customers get to know your company employees on a more personal level? Absolutely. But if you’re not prepared to handle that risk, you should probably rule out social media as a service, support. or pre-sales tool. Stick with your static Facebook fan page with your carefully crafted and copy-edited status updates.
Like everything else in this world, you need to evaluate the risk-to-reward ratio, and determine whether or not you’re willing to give up a little bit of the structure and control of traditional media for a chance to really connect with your customers and establish brand loyalty on a deeper level. If you’re not, that’s totally fine. But if you’re going to do it, you damn sure better do it right, because if you don’t, the spotlight will be on you, and it gets hot as Hell. I’m talking to you, Dell, HabitatUK and countless others.
Obviously, if you’re going to take advantage of this new feature, you will want to set up some corporate guidelines for what is – and is not – appropriate for a personal Twitter account that is effectively endorsed by your brand, but remember not to hold the reigns too tightly. Just as you would hire the outgoing, friendly, charming associate with the dynamite personality to be your public sales face, choose your brightest, wittiest and most interesting employees to be your Twitter face.
If your company is just starting to (or starting to consider) venturing into the Twitter depths, be sure to take a cruise through Twitter’s Business site, which features a breakdown of how Twitter works, business best practices, Twitter lingo, case studies and a slideshow for download that is tailored just for you.
Blog photo credit: Tom Hoffarth, InsideSocal.


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Apple launched its new iPhone 15 series on September 12 in which it introduced four new models. During the Apple launch event in 2023, as part of the announcement, iPhone prices from previous generations were reduced by a substantial amount. The iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, and iPhone 13 prices were reduced during the event. If you are planning to buy a previous year’s iPhone model, then this is the right time as the iPhone 14 Plus prices are reduced and Apple is also offering various offers that can further give you more discounts.
Also read: Catch All Live Updates here.
Last year Apple launched the iPhone 14 Plus which was priced at $899 in the US for the 128GB version. Now, the price has been reduced to $799 at the Apple event. Also, the iPhone 14 Plus price in India has been reduced from Rs. 89900 to Rs.79900. This is a great opportunity for buyers to take benefit of the price reduction and invest in a premium range smartphone.
On the purchase of iPhone 14 Plus, get Rs.4000 instant savings by using an eligible HDFC bank card in Apple store India. Additionally, you can avail no no-cost EMI over 3 or 6 months from most leading banks.
Buyers can also exchange their old smartphones with the new iPhone 14 Plus and further reduce the price by up to ₹55700. Also read: iPhone 15 price in US, UK, India, UAE and more: Check Apple event 2023 announcement
The iPhone 14 Plus 6.7-inch Super Retina XDR display which is similar to the iPhone 15 Pro Max. The smartphone is powered by an A15 Bionic chip with a 5-core GPU and supports 26 hours of video playback. It comes with a dual-camera system with a 12 MP main camera and a 12MP ultra wide-angle lens. The smartphone also comes with crash detection and it also sends emergency SOS through satellite.
Now that the new iPhone 15 series has been launched, all its predecessor models will experience a massive price cut that will make them more reasonably priced.
Copyright © HT Media Limited
All rights reserved.


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If you work in the travel sector and you're starting to build a mobile strategy you may be thinking: "Do I need an app for that?"
With over 2,500 new apps released every day and a total of 6.5 million apps now available across the 5 major App Stores, app discovery has never been harder. That's why ASO, or App Store Optimization, has a key role to play in the success of every app.
Getting a great app to market is the first step in truly engaging customers via mobile, however making sure that your customers find and download your app is of equal, if not more, importance.
For Travel companies whose customers are, literally, always on the go - mobile engagement is mandatory for survival and growth. While there are a number of emerging platforms to cater for this necessity such as Progressive Web Apps (PWAs), the two most widely adopted platforms in use today to engage with travellers via mobile are Responsive Website Design (RWD) and Native Apps.
Think about this - in a country of 30m people, in any 24 hour period the entire population will have checked their phones over 800,000,000 times!
If you’re reading this blog you already recognise the value mobile can bring to help your travel business create more valuable relationships with your travellers.
From getting serious about AR to going toe to toe with Google on AI and machine learning, this year’s WWDC keynote was, as Tim Cook promised in his opening remarks, the “best and biggest” ever!
Google has been holding its annual developer conference for eleven years now, but I/O is not only just a developer conference. It’s a place for Google to announce some of its latest technologies and talk about the future.
WWDC 2017 kicks off on June 5th, but what can we expect from this years conference? Travelport Digital predicts...


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Yahoo! and eBay announced today that the companieshave inked a deal that will expand both businesses in the U.S.This multi-year strategic partnership includes components in the areas of online payments, search and graphical advertising, a co-branded toolbar, and “click-to-call” functionality.The plan between both companies will be fully implemented in 2007.
“Our consumers will benefit from the combination of Yahoo! and eBay’s leading technology and services, providing them with one of the best online experiences,” said Terry Semel, chairman and chief executive officer, Yahoo! Inc, in a press release. “Yahoo! holds a leadership position in all forms of online advertising. This partnership with eBay provides us with a great opportunity to further extend our sponsored search and graphical advertising reach to one of the largest and most active communities on the Web.”
Meg Whitman, president and chief executive officer, eBay Inc. also commented, “We are thrilled to be working more closely with Yahoo! and we think this agreement represents a great opportunity to benefit our communities and grow our businesses. Yahoo! offers an engaged online audience, which drives massive traffic through its rich consumer content and premium services. Working together, we can create more exposure for our properties, which in turn makes them more valuable to our users.”
Details of the agreement include that Yahoo! will become the exclusive third-party provider of all graphical advertisements throughout the eBay.com site, and sponsored search for complementary products on some eBay.com search results pages in the U.S. PayPal will also become Yahoo’s exclusive third-party provider of its online wallet, which allows customers to pay for Yahoo! services such as bank accounts, credit cards or balances associated with their PayPal accounts.
Yahoo! web search functionality and Yahoo! site links, including the Yahoo! Home Page, Yahoo! Mail and My Yahoo!, will also be integrated into a co-branded version of the eBay toolbar.Finally, Yahoo! and eBay will explore developing and deploying “click-to-call” advertising technologies on their respective Websites in the U.S., accessible by users of both Yahoo! Messenger with Voice and Skype.


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Fake bills recovered
Counterfeit money fake $10 bills has turned up in several places throughout town, including a bill found at 10 a.m. Wednesday at the Dow Chemical Employees Credit Union, 600 E. Lyon Road. It was found by a teller and where it came from is not known.
A Midland Police report states the bill has the same serial number as a bill recovered earlier in Tittabawassee Township.
In addition to the most recent counterfeit cash, reports from the Midland Police and Midland County Sheriffs Office as far back as January document the following:
Jan. 25 A counterfeit $20 bill was used as payment at McDonalds Restaurant, 1711 S. Saginaw Road.
Feb. 20 A counterfeit $5 bill was used as payment at Meijer, 7300 Eastman Ave.
March 3 Deputies received a complaint of a counterfeit $10 bill that might have been passed at a Hope Township home, and was passed at a Beaverton business.
March 4 A counterfeit $10 bill was reported as given to a woman as change while she was shopping in downtown Midland. The bill was made of two pieces of paper.
On March 1, a fistful of counterfeit bills was found in a snowbank at Northwood University by a maintenance worker. Along with the 19 fake bills, four sheets of 8 1/2-by-11-inch paper with bills copied onto them were found.
Legitimate bills use special security features, such as watermarks, security strips, paper with colored fibers and different colored inks. Special pens with ink that turns black on fake bills can be used to check to see if bills are real.