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The first yr of the 2020s must be a unique one for the cannabis curious. For instance, experts inside the food industry are seeing a bunch of emerging marijuana developments for 2020 regarding CBD and cannabis-infused merchandise.
One great example comes from the “nonconventional” grocery developments for 2020 recently released by John Karolefski, supermarket analyst for GroceryStories.Com. The 25-yr veteran of the grocery industry predicts that one of the marijuana tendencies for 2020 will involve greater CBD Products on grocery shop shelves.
In a launch on his predictions, Karolefski wrote that “more stores will inventory CBD oils and lotions” as reviews preserve on how CBD Products can combat inflammation, eczema, and itching because of psoriasis. He indexed this as a part of the “cannabis is going mainstream” motion that still will include more cannabis-infused foods.
Cannabis-Infused Edibles Expand in 2020
The range of cannabis-infused meal alternatives is expected to develop as greater consumers decide to revel in marijuana while not having to smoke it.
The food merchandise anticipated to get a hashish-infused version on the market in 2020, in step with the Houston Chronicle, include:
And, of course, you can count on the wide variety of cannabis-infused chocolate bars and sweet to enlarge as they do every year.
Cannabis Food Trends in Canada
For Americans, it’s interesting to watch what is happening in Canada, which made adult-use hashish criminal national in October 2018. The country just commenced permitting edibles in 2019, and the market is expected to get flooded with new options in 2020. Among them are cannabis-infused ginger ale and chocolates.
Marijuana Luxury Brand Expansion
There have been some luxury cannabis manufacturers in the marketplace in current years. But the decision by way of Sephora to include hashish luxury brand Lord Jones in its skincare portfolio opened the door for luxury brands to attain a mass marketplace. It changed into the first-ever CBD emblem for the chain, according to the Aspen Times.
The Luxury Meets Cannabis Conference, now in its 0.33 year, is anticipated to be bigger than ever whilst it occurs in New York City in May. The conference is designed to draw collectively retailers, media and investors with the leading luxury manufacturers in hashish, hemp, and CBD.
Market trend professional Jed Wexler advised the Aspen Times that whilst tendencies in most industries track from year-to-year, it’s extra like week-to-week for hashish. He added: “I suppose it’s honestly going to be even larger than the tech bubble, which is just wild. Luxury cannabis has quickly come to be its own lifestyle class at retail and it’s beginning to be merchandised that way.”
Most luxury cannabis products are oils and lotions designed to decorate skincare and to fight inflammation, aches, and pains. There are also many wellness CBD products designed to improve both bodily and emotional wellbeing.


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To little surprise (and perhaps even less fanfare), Ford recently called time on the Mondeo, the surge of SUV demand simply too strong for the one staple sedan. But perhaps this is a glimpse at the kind of car we can expect to replace it.
This is the Ford Evos, and while it’s been revealed at the Shanghai Motor Show—ostensibly for the Chinese market—it’d be a shock if its large, crossover-y shape didn’t make it to other markets. Especially if Ford can pop a load of batteries in and offer PHEV or EV versions. And its name matches that of a 2011 concept that appeared to resemble a future Mondeo SUV-coupe (pictured below).
Ford hasn’t yet announced what’ll actually power this production Evos, instead focusing on design. It’s described as the first car “reflecting the company’s ‘Progressive Energy in Strength’ design philosophy that aligns with Chinese aesthetics,” but its shape—a slightly softer take on the Mustang Mach-E’s look and proportions—would surely fit in amongst the GLC Coupes and Q5 Sportbacks of the European SUV market.
So, no news of engines, but plenty news of technology. The digital display is 1.1m wide—spanning almost the entire dashboard—the highlight being its 27-inch 4K touchscreen. The whole setup is designed to allow the driver and front passenger to use different functions, while it can accept over-the-air updates and incorporates AI tech from Baidu.
There’s Level 2 autonomy, too. Ford China president Anning Chen describes it as “a pioneering vehicle demonstrating next-generation intelligent features that herald the future development direction of Ford vehicles in China.” Is it one you’d like to see adapted for other markets?
NOTE: This article first appeared on TopGear.com. Minor edits have been made.

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|By Marketwired .||
|January 29, 2013 08:37 AM EST||
SAN DIEGO, CA and SEATTLE, WA -- (Marketwire) -- 01/29/13 -- San Diego-based Rio SEO, a leading provider of software tools for search engine optimization automation and reporting, today announced the launch of a suite of social media marketing products following the recent acquisition and integration of Seattle-based Meteor Solutions.
With the integration complete, Rio SEO is now providing digital marketers with three software products that assist with large-scale, social-sharing campaign analysis, as well as social advertising initiatives and digital-influencer activation programs.
The newly-named Rio SEO Social Media Suite encompasses Rio SEO Social Analyze, on-demand analytics that help marketers measure and optimize social marketing initiatives for scalable, repeatable results; Rio SEO Social Advertise, a software product that delivers digital advertising directly to a brand's most influential users and advocates; and Rio SEO Social Activate, an automation solution for fostering social engagement.
"Rio SEO is all about providing digital advertisers and search marketers with the tools they need to help their brands get discovered," said Russ Mann, the firm's chief executive. "The combination of well-orchestrated search marketing and social media strategies supported by advanced software tools to help execute at scale is what separates great content and discovery marketers from also-rans."
Mann credited Ben Straley, co-founder of Meteor Solutions -- who has joined Rio SEO as vice president of social technologies -- along with the Seattle-based team, for expediting a smooth transition and fast integration since the acquisition was finalized late last year. Straley now reports to Chris Reid, senior vice president and operating head of Rio SEO.
"It's great to have Ben and the Rio SEO Social crew aboard and fully integrated," Reid said. "They've hit the ground running, meeting with clients and working productively with our software development, product management, client services, sales, and operation teams."
To celebrate, Rio SEO will host a reception Thursday evening, Jan. 31, for team members, clients and investors, as well as the area's search, social media and digital marketing community. The event will be held at the Palace Ballroom, located at 2100 Fifth Avenue -- north of the firm's office in historic Pioneer Square -- and feature the cuisine of acclaimed Chef Tom Douglas. Voyager Capital, one of Seattle's top venture capital firms and a leading investor in Rio SEO and its parent company Covario, Inc., is helping to sponsor the event.
Rio SEO was recently cited as "the only leader" by Forrester Research, an independent research firm, in The Forrester Wave: SEO Platforms, Q4 2012.
"Our aim is to help digital marketers catch the wave of content and discovery marketing by leveraging social marketing activation and measurement tools," Straley said. "As part of Rio SEO, we are now extremely well positioned to integrate these social tools with search marketing strategies and technologies for a complete discovery marketing solution that delivers maximum consumer engagement and ROI to leading brands."
Along with the newly integrated Rio SEO Social Media Suite, Rio SEO offers award-winning SEO automation tools for website optimization, keyword discovery, and mobile websites. It also provides the search industry's first patented organic search reporting solution, along with a unique SEO change tracking tool. Additionally, Rio SEO has a suite of popular local search solutions, which appeal to national retailers, franchise operators, auto dealers, and other marketers looking to implement "hyperlocal" promotion campaigns.
About Rio SEO
Rio SEO provides best-of-breed technology solutions for earned and owned digital media programs, specifically for SEO (search engine optimization) and social media marketing. Based in San Diego, Rio SEO is among the largest independent providers of SaaS-based SEO automation solutions and patented reporting tools. Rio SEO offers application modules for organic search and social media, including software tools for content marketing, campaign activation, auditing, reporting, change tracking, keyword competitive analysis, mobile site optimization, SEO execution, and local SEO automation. Rio SEO software clients include brand marketers, retailers, and digital agencies. More information about Rio SEO is available at www.RioSEO.com.
Sr. Director, Public Relations
O: 858-397-1532 M: 858-527-9199
@ThingsExpo has been named the Top 5 Most Influential Internet of Things Brand by Onalytica in the ‘The Internet of Things Landscape 2015: Top 100 Individuals and Brands.' Onalytica analyzed Twitter conversations around the #IoT debate to uncover the most influential brands and individuals driving the conversation. Onalytica captured data from 56,224 users. The PageRank based methodology they use to extract influencers on a particular topic (tweets mentioning #InternetofThings or #IoT in this ...
Oct. 22, 2016 01:00 AM EDT Reads: 8,116
SYS-CON Events announced today that Super Micro Computer, Inc., a global leader in Embedded and IoT solutions, will exhibit at SYS-CON's 20th International Cloud Expo®, which will take place on June 7-9, 2017, at the Javits Center in New York City, NY. Supermicro (NASDAQ: SMCI), the leading innovator in high-performance, high-efficiency server technology, is a premier provider of advanced server Building Block Solutions® for Data Center, Cloud Computing, Enterprise IT, Hadoop/Big Data, HPC and ...
Oct. 22, 2016 12:30 AM EDT Reads: 3,482
Cloud based infrastructure deployment is becoming more and more appealing to customers, from Fortune 500 companies to SMEs due to its pay-as-you-go model. Enterprise storage vendors are able to reach out to these customers by integrating in cloud based deployments; this needs adaptability and interoperability of the products confirming to cloud standards such as OpenStack, CloudStack, or Azure. As compared to off the shelf commodity storage, enterprise storages by its reliability, high-availabil...
Oct. 22, 2016 12:15 AM EDT Reads: 949
Explosive growth in connected devices. Enormous amounts of data for collection and analysis. Critical use of data for split-second decision making and actionable information. All three are factors in making the Internet of Things a reality. Yet, any one factor would have an IT organization pondering its infrastructure strategy. How should your organization enhance its IT framework to enable an Internet of Things implementation? In his session at @ThingsExpo, James Kirkland, Red Hat's Chief Arch...
Oct. 22, 2016 12:00 AM EDT Reads: 5,926
The IoT industry is now at a crossroads, between the fast-paced innovation of technologies and the pending mass adoption by global enterprises. The complexity of combining rapidly evolving technologies and the need to establish practices for market acceleration pose a strong challenge to global enterprises as well as IoT vendors. In his session at @ThingsExpo, Clark Smith, senior product manager for Numerex, will discuss how Numerex, as an experienced, established IoT provider, has embraced a ...
Oct. 22, 2016 12:00 AM EDT Reads: 933
SYS-CON Events announced today that Cloudbric, a leading website security provider, will exhibit at the 19th International Cloud Expo, which will take place on November 1–3, 2016, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA. Cloudbric is an elite full service website protection solution specifically designed for IT novices, entrepreneurs, and small and medium businesses. First launched in 2015, Cloudbric is based on the enterprise level Web Application Firewall by Penta Security Sys...
Oct. 21, 2016 11:45 PM EDT Reads: 982
We are reaching the end of the beginning with WebRTC, and real systems using this technology have begun to appear. One challenge that faces every WebRTC deployment (in some form or another) is identity management. For example, if you have an existing service – possibly built on a variety of different PaaS/SaaS offerings – and you want to add real-time communications you are faced with a challenge relating to user management, authentication, authorization, and validation. Service providers will w...
Oct. 21, 2016 11:45 PM EDT Reads: 3,185
When people aren’t talking about VMs and containers, they’re talking about serverless architecture. Serverless is about no maintenance. It means you are not worried about low-level infrastructural and operational details. An event-driven serverless platform is a great use case for IoT. In his session at @ThingsExpo, Animesh Singh, an STSM and Lead for IBM Cloud Platform and Infrastructure, will detail how to build a distributed serverless, polyglot, microservices framework using open source tec...
Oct. 21, 2016 11:45 PM EDT Reads: 4,407
November 1–3, 2016, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA. Penta Security is a leading vendor for data security solutions, including its encryption solution, D’Amo. By using FPE technology, D’Amo allows for the implementation of encryption technology to sensitive data fields without modification to schema in the database environment. With businesses having their data become increasingly more complicated in their mission-critical applications (such as ERP, CRM, HRM), continued ...
Oct. 21, 2016 11:45 PM EDT Reads: 866
The Open Connectivity Foundation (OCF), sponsor of the IoTivity open source project, and AllSeen Alliance, which provides the AllJoyn® open source IoT framework, today announced that the two organizations’ boards have approved a merger under the OCF name and bylaws. This merger will advance interoperability between connected devices from both groups, enabling the full operating potential of IoT and representing a significant step towards a connected ecosystem.
Oct. 21, 2016 11:15 PM EDT Reads: 1,137
You think you know what’s in your data. But do you? Most organizations are now aware of the business intelligence represented by their data. Data science stands to take this to a level you never thought of – literally. The techniques of data science, when used with the capabilities of Big Data technologies, can make connections you had not yet imagined, helping you discover new insights and ask new questions of your data. In his session at @ThingsExpo, Sarbjit Sarkaria, data science team lead ...
Oct. 21, 2016 10:00 PM EDT Reads: 4,214
A completely new computing platform is on the horizon. They’re called Microservers by some, ARM Servers by others, and sometimes even ARM-based Servers. No matter what you call them, Microservers will have a huge impact on the data center and on server computing in general. Although few people are familiar with Microservers today, their impact will be felt very soon. This is a new category of computing platform that is available today and is predicted to have triple-digit growth rates for some ...
Oct. 21, 2016 10:00 PM EDT Reads: 33,894
SYS-CON Events announced today that Roundee / LinearHub will exhibit at the WebRTC Summit at @ThingsExpo, which will take place on November 1–3, 2016, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA. LinearHub provides Roundee Service, a smart platform for enterprise video conferencing with enhanced features such as automatic recording and transcription service. Slack users can integrate Roundee to their team via Slack’s App Directory, and '/roundee' command lets your video conference ...
Oct. 21, 2016 09:15 PM EDT Reads: 1,982
SYS-CON Events announced today that Enzu will exhibit at the 19th International Cloud Expo, which will take place on November 1–3, 2016, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA. Enzu’s mission is to be the leading provider of enterprise cloud solutions worldwide. Enzu enables online businesses to use its IT infrastructure to their competitive advantage. By offering a suite of proven hosting and management services, Enzu wants companies to focus on the core of their online busine...
Oct. 21, 2016 09:15 PM EDT Reads: 1,196
SYS-CON Events announced today that SoftNet Solutions will exhibit at the 19th International Cloud Expo, which will take place on November 1–3, 2016, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA. SoftNet Solutions specializes in Enterprise Solutions for Hadoop and Big Data. It offers customers the most open, robust, and value-conscious portfolio of solutions, services, and tools for the shortest route to success with Big Data. The unique differentiator is the ability to architect and...
Oct. 21, 2016 08:15 PM EDT Reads: 351
Why do your mobile transformations need to happen today? Mobile is the strategy that enterprise transformation centers on to drive customer engagement. In his general session at @ThingsExpo, Roger Woods, Director, Mobile Product & Strategy – Adobe Marketing Cloud, covered key IoT and mobile trends that are forcing mobile transformation, key components of a solid mobile strategy and explored how brands are effectively driving mobile change throughout the enterprise.
Oct. 21, 2016 07:15 PM EDT Reads: 1,616
In past @ThingsExpo presentations, Joseph di Paolantonio has explored how various Internet of Things (IoT) and data management and analytics (DMA) solution spaces will come together as sensor analytics ecosystems. This year, in his session at @ThingsExpo, Joseph di Paolantonio from DataArchon, will be adding the numerous Transportation areas, from autonomous vehicles to “Uber for containers.” While IoT data in any one area of Transportation will have a huge impact in that area, combining senso...
Oct. 21, 2016 07:15 PM EDT Reads: 265
"Matrix is an ambitious open standard and implementation that's set up to break down the fragmentation problems that exist in IP messaging and VoIP communication," explained John Woolf, Technical Evangelist at Matrix, in this SYS-CON.tv interview at @ThingsExpo, held Nov 4–6, 2014, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA.
Oct. 21, 2016 07:00 PM EDT Reads: 8,932
The IoT has the potential to create a renaissance of manufacturing in the US and elsewhere. In his session at 18th Cloud Expo, Florent Solt, CTO and chief architect of Netvibes, discussed how the expected exponential increase in the amount of data that will be processed, transported, stored, and accessed means there will be a huge demand for smart technologies to deliver it. Florent Solt is the CTO and chief architect of Netvibes. Prior to joining Netvibes in 2007, he co-founded Rift Technologi...
Oct. 21, 2016 06:45 PM EDT Reads: 2,815
For basic one-to-one voice or video calling solutions, WebRTC has proven to be a very powerful technology. Although WebRTC’s core functionality is to provide secure, real-time p2p media streaming, leveraging native platform features and server-side components brings up new communication capabilities for web and native mobile applications, allowing for advanced multi-user use cases such as video broadcasting, conferencing, and media recording.
Oct. 21, 2016 06:15 PM EDT Reads: 3,023


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As Chinatowns have been devastated by the pandemic, it has become essential to share reminders of how much these places matter to all of us. Here are the stories of why that is very much so.
Read More ›
New on Resy Washington D.C.
From the DC outpost of a coveted, New York-based omakase joint to a new tasting menu destination from an ambitious…
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The Hit List Washington D.C.
In Washington, D.C., the food is what it’s all about. Indulge in global cuisine and award-winning dining concepts in the nation’s…
By Anna Mandelbaum March 14, 2017
By Allison Chesky February 22, 2017
DC’s food scene has had a wonderful run, and it’s nowhere near stopping. Before your New Year’s resolutions kick-in, pick…
By Anna Mandelbaum December 15, 2016
The Michelin Guide has finally caught onto the trend, and it’s official: DC is one of the best food towns…
By Anna Mandelbaum October 28, 2016
According to Bon Appétit, DC is “the Restaurant City of the Year.” The Capital City is sitting pretty and just…
By Anna Mandelbaum September 14, 2016
DC’s first Cidery arrives at The Capital City. Add the Neopolitan pizza-boom to the equation and it’s an all-around good time.…
By Anna Mandelbaum July 27, 2016
One week until July 4th. Summer is so on that it’s almost over. Please meet these new Resy restaurants, hotter…
By Anna Mandelbaum June 27, 2016
Resy powers the world’s best restaurants, using technology to imagine the future of hospitality.
© 2023 Resy Network, Inc.


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A hacker has created his own version of ChatGPT, but with a malicious bent: Meet WormGPT, a chatbot designed to assist cybercriminals.
WormGPT’s developer is selling access to the program in a popular hacking forum, according to email security provider SlashNext, which tried the chatbot. “We see that malicious actors are now creating their own custom modules similar to ChatGPT, but easier to use for nefarious purposes,” the company said in a blog post.
It looks like the hacker first introduced the chatbot in March before launching it last month. In contrast with ChatGPT or Google's Bard, WormGPT doesn't have any guardrails to stop it from responding to malicious requests.
“This project aims to provide an alternative to ChatGPT, one that lets you do all sorts of illegal stuff and easily sell it online in the future,” the program’s developer wrote. “Everything blackhat related that you can think of can be done with WormGPT, allowing anyone access to malicious activity without ever leaving the comfort of their home.”
WormGPT’s developer has also uploaded screenshots showing you can ask the bot to produce malware written in the Python coding language, and provide tips on crafting malicious attacks. To create the chatbot, the developer says they used an older, but open-source large language model called GPT-J from 2021. The model was then trained on data concerning malware creation, resulting in WormGPT.
“The results were unsettling. WormGPT produced an email that was not only remarkably persuasive but also strategically cunning, showcasing its potential for sophisticated phishing and BEC attacks,” SlashNext said.
Indeed, the bot crafted a message using professional language that urged the intended victim to wire some money. WormGPT also wrote the email without any spelling or grammar mistakes—red flags that can indicate a phishing email attack.
“In summary, it’s similar to ChatGPT but has no ethical boundaries or limitations,” SlashNext said. “This experiment underscores the significant threat posed by generative AI technologies like WormGPT, even in the hands of novice cybercriminals.”
Fortunately, WormGPT isn’t cheap. The developer is selling access to the bot for 60 Euros per month or 550 Euros per year. One buyer has also complained that the program is “not worth any dime,” citing weak performance. Still, WormGPT is an ominous sign about how generative AI programs could fuel cybercrime, especially as the programs mature.


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SPOKANE, Wash. - A long-awaited home decor store officially opened its doors on Wednesday, serving as a replacement to the former Costco on North Division.
“At Home” is a decor store based out of Texas that specializes in the selling of home goods, from bed and bath supplies to garden decor.
Catch up on the day's news and look ahead to tomorrow by signing up for the Daily Local email newsletter from KXLY4. Headlines, events, and staff picks every weeknight at 8 p.m. Sign up HERE to get your news on the D.L.
- Semi crash, hazmat spill closes eastbound I-90 near St. Regis
- Top stories to know for your Wednesday
- Increased security at Deer Park High School Wednesday due to social media threat
- Police investigating fatal motorcycle crash on N Indain Trail Road
- Friends of the Library fall book sale starts Wednesday
- Tartar Sauce puts Zip's Drive-In on the map


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European savings and retail banks have questioned the business case for a digital euro, raising concerns about the unintended consequences for balance sheet deposits and the roll out of competing instant payments products.
In a position paper, the European Savings and Retail Banking Group (ESBG) highlights three areas where the introduction of a digital euro could have a negative impact on is members.
While recognising that having digital money issued by the central bank would provide an anchor of stability for the monetary system, the association worries about the effect on balance sheet activities and the knock on consequences for consumer finance, mortgages and SME financing.
"If the Digital Euro becomes 'too successful', the deposit outflow could reduce the balance sheets of banks and eventually their capabilities to finance the economy," states the paper.
Secondly, the document warns lots of obligations and requirements will be put on savings and retail banks as envisioned institutions for the distribution of the digital euro, "whilst a sustainable long-term business model is questionable".
The trade group notes that banks are already investing heavily in instant payment technology and fears that the addition of a digital euro to the payments mix could be a "game changer" by introducing yet another competing product.
"We are of the opinion that many legitimate and reasonable questions still need to be answered and a successful implementation needs to properly address the above concerns," the paper concludes. "In order to achieve this, we argue for significantly lower maximum caps on holdings. For the distributors of the digital euro, a long-term sustainable business model will be required. And if the digital euro will be positioned as a retail payments product, it should not use its privileged position as a public-money funded product by mandatory acceptance requirements that distort the competitive retail payments market."


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From as early as 5 years old, women are introduced to their first neck ring. In addition to the twenty-plus pounds of rings on her neck, a woman will also put on simply as many rings on her calves. At their extent, some necks modified like this can reach 10–15 in (25–38 cm) long. The practice has health impacts and has in recent times declined from cultural norm to vacationer curiosity. Tribes related to the Padaung, as properly as different cultures throughout the world, use jewellery to stretch their earlobes or enlarge ear piercings.
Netanyahu Ready To Stop In Return For Israel-saudi Peace Deal – Report
In a dramatic incident of daylight robbery, a father-daughter duo in Uttar Pradesh’s Ghaziabad on Wednesday pulled off a theft by blindsiding staff at a jewellery store with a chilli powder assault. The owner of the jewelry store, Mr Babikian, mentioned he was capable of eventually hit a hidden “panic button” that summoned police to the store. Delhi Police has arrested an employee of a jewelry store for allegedly concocting a narrative of a robbery to misappropriate Rs 34 lakh.
They stated they recognized the suspect as someone who got here into the shop three weeks earlier and asked to see their most expensive gadgets. Newly launched surveillance video shows jewellery retailer house owners combating off a would-be thief during an attempted smash-and-grab robbery in El Monte. The department’s housebreaking suppression group recognized Warren as a suspect and discovered that he was implicated in other thefts. On Sept. 1, the group found Warren at a shopping mall in El Cajon, and with the help of Escondido and San Diego police, arrested him. Aside from Bolsonaro, police additionally questioned his spouse Michelle, two lawyers, former aide Lt. Col. Mauro Cid, Cid’s father, Osmar Crivelatti and Marcelo Câmara, the officer said.
Autumn Fair came to an in depth yesterday after 4 days of internet hosting over 500 exhibitors and their inspirational and progressive new products. Thousands of outlets, together with Sainsbury’s, Next, Dunelm, Boots, Ocado, Waterstone’s, Ospre… The international nonprofit Pure Earth, a frontrunner in addressing international toxic pollution, will honour jewelry industry leader Iris Van der Veken with the 2023 Pure Earth Impact Award in a ceremony at the Pure Earth Benefit on October sixteen in New Yo… Our news articles provide daily perception and inspiration, that includes our members work, achievements and announcements. A jewelry shop proprietor was allegedly stabbed to dying in broad daylight by two males throughout a theft attempt at his retailer in Margao metropolis of South Goa on Wednesday, police said. A dramatic video exhibiting three thieves smashing their method right into a high-end jewellery retailer in New York is gaining traction on social media.
“Don’t miss out on the buzz – stay informed with Jewelery information only on luxuryjade.my.id!”
From Indian Royalty To Retail Brands, We Cater To Probably The Most Demanding Customers
Gold jewellery sales have seen a spurt after a lull of two months as costs of the valuable metallic have softened to about ₹58,300 per 10 grams from ₹61,000 per 10 grams up to now month, mentioned main jewellers. April and May proved to be lacklustre months for jewellers as gold costs surged previous ₹62,000 per 10 grams, however with the easing of gold costs, customers have returned to the market, stated industry executives. Gemstones and similar supplies corresponding to amber and coral, precious metals, beads, and shells have been widely used, and enamel has often been essential. In most cultures jewellery can be understood as a status symbol, for its materials properties, its patterns, or for meaningful symbols. Jewellery has been made to adorn almost each physique half, from hairpins to toe rings, and even genital jewellery. In fashionable European culture the amount worn by grownup males is relatively low compared with other cultures and different periods in European tradition.
Following the General Assembly, the members had the chance to go to the rich “Museum Orodautore” that mixes Arezzo’s goldsmith tradition with the originality of up to date artwork. A gorgeous visit to the opening of the worldwide jewelry exhibition Oroarezzo also happened the following day. This truthful presents every year all of the excellence of Made in Italy production, with corporations specialising in gold and silverware reflecting all of the Italian know-how, creativity and innovation. The EFJ members were enchanted by the warm hospitality and wonderful organisation of the hosts, the FEDERORAFI group, and they are wanting forward to the next gathering. The Federation also reaffirmed the significance of getting an moral and responsible enterprise conduct within the provide chain of the jewellery sector. The sector is already subject to the European legislation on the sourcing of diamonds and minerals, and relies on industry-driven certification schemes, such as the Responsible Jewellery Council’s Code of Practices, to support their due diligence practices.
Seed beads are also utilized in an embroidery technique where they’re sewn onto fabric backings to create broad collar neck items and beaded bracelets. Bead embroidery, a well-liked sort of handwork in the course of the Victorian period, is having fun with a renaissance in trendy jewellery making. Beading, or beadwork, can be very fashionable in many African and indigenous North American cultures. The country’s big retail jewellers said that with the competition and wedding season approaching, consumers have started purchases to realize from the practically 6.5% drop in costs from the June quarter. Experts’ views that gold costs in India might not drop considerably now have also aided this enhance in demand. Although reliable, artificial diamonds fundamentally differ from pure diamonds.


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The company, which posted sales of £5mln, up from £3.9mln, reminded investors that its financial performance would be heavily second-half weighted, “reflecting the peak tanning season”.
It added: “The momentum of the first half coupled with our forthcoming new category launch give us much confidence for the full year. The balance sheet remains healthy and with an increased retail footprint coupled with continued focus on our DTC (direct-to-consumer) channels in core regions, the company expects to generate strong revenue and profit growth in the second half of the year.”
In the update, InnovaDerma added a minor note of caution as it said its Roots haircare line had underperformed “due to competitive shelf positioning”.
Charles + Lee, the men’s skincare product, is “growing in popularity”, investors were told, while Roots “will receive extra marketing and product development focus” this year.
InnovaDerma said Skinny Tan sold well across its direct and UK retail channels and is proving popular in the US and Australia also.
“Product innovation remains key to the business and the first six months included the launch of the limited-edition Choc range in Superdrug, which resulted in exceptional demand and the continued success of Wonder Serum in Boots has provided a strong platform for the season ahead,” the company added.
“These initiatives have alleviated the effects of a softer UK high street retail environment and shelf space rationalisation, typical of seasonal products such as Skinny Tan.”


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TEHRAN (Iran News) – Deputy head of Iran’s Trade Promotion Organization (TPO) said approximately 88 percent of Iranian cross-border customs offices are open for trade exchange and passengers’ travel.
Mojtaba Mousavian said on Monday that Iran has joint borders with 15 neighbors and it prefers to expand trade with these nations as the country is under illegal harsh sanctions, reported Fars News Agency.
Iraq and China are the two top destinations for the export of Iranian commodities, Mousavian noted, adding that nearly 23 percent of Iran’s exports are destined for Iraq and some 24 percent for China.
Meanwhile, Managing Director of Arvand Free Zone Organization Ali Mousavi said that Shalamcheh border crossing in the southwestern province of Khuzestan was reopened and trade exchanges with Iraq were resumed through the border after a short halt.
He said that the border crossing, which connects Iran’s Khuzestan Province to Basra in Iraq, resumed trade operation on Monday morning after a one-week halt.
Mousavi added that based on an agreement with the Iraqi side, traders are allowed to export non-oil goods, including foodstuffs, fruits, vegetables, and meat, as well as techno-engineering services to the neighboring country through Shalamcheh.
Iraq closed its international borders in March, except for the import of essential goods to curb the coronavirus spread.
Then it partially reopened its southeastern Shalamcheh border crossing with Iran on July 7 after over three months.
In early June, Iranian Parliament Research Center announced that China, Iraq and the UAE, accounted for more than half of share of Iran’s total value of non-oil goods exported during the last Iranian year (ended March 19, 2020).
“There is a relatively strong focus on Iran’s export target markets in such a way that the UAE, China and Iraq accounted for about 54 percent of country’s total exports share value of non-oil goods,” Head of Iranian Parliament Research Center Mohammad Qassemi said.
- source : Iran Daily


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While there has been much talk of an iPod that includes satellite radio capabilities, such a device may still be light years away.
According to the Financial Times, Sirius Satellite Radio Chief Executive Mel Karmazin said recently that he talked to Steve Jobs. Apple Computer's chief wasn't interested hooking the iPod up with satellite radio, he said.
Karmazin said Jobs indicated that, for now, the iTunes Music Store provides consumers with ample listening options. However, the Sirius chief hasn't given up. Jobs left the door open for a future partnership, if there is compelling content available via satellite, Karmazin told the British paper.
With high-rating "shock jock" Howard Stern jumping to Sirius next year, maybe the heavens aren't that far a stretch, after all.


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Tourists take a rest on the beach at a Club Med resort in Sanya, Hainan province. (Photo: Agencies)
Luxury holiday operators and airlines are positive about the outlook for the country's tourism industry as the sector has remained robust, said business insiders.
"Even with the slowdown of the global economy, China's economic growth and consumption power compared to other parts of the world are still way ahead, especially in the tourism industry," said Gino Andreetta, CEO of Club Med China, a world-renowned luxury resort brand.
"Especially during holiday and festive periods, we performed even better," Andreetta said. He added that even though the international situation might affect certain industries like import-export, the outlook for regional tourism in China is optimistic as demand for holidays as a means of escape and to explore new experiences was constantly increasing.
He said the group's business had not seen any trace of a negative impact of the trade war on Chinese tourists' consumption habits. On the contrary, high-end tourism is gaining popularity.
During the Labor Holiday in May and Dragon Boat Festival in June, the group saw 30 percent growth in the number of Chinese tourists visiting their resorts in China.
"High-end tourism is a new form of tourism that has emerged after the development of national tourism in China. It has resulted from the improvement of the overall economy, the improvement of people's living standards, and the individualization of consumption habits," he said.
He said the group is promoting getaways for the upcoming National Day holiday and Mid-Autumn Festival, as Club Med believes the trend for quality holiday experiences in China is encouraging and expected to grow further. The group also plans to open two new resorts in China, one in the 2022 Winter Olympics site and the other in the North of the country, he said.
Airline operators are also positive about the industry's outlook.
"Airline operators are always among the first to sense a change in the economy. If the economy is good, they'll operate more flights," said Li Ping, assistant manager of the business department of Juneyao Airlines, adding that the airline had confidence in China's outbound travel. The company recently announced a new route between Shanghai and Helsinki under a code-share cooperation with Finnair.
Joshua Law, Qatar Airways' North Asia vice-president, said that in 2019 the airline will further promote tourism to Doha and encourage Chinese tourists to go there for travel or transit.
"The company will also enhance the service provided to Chinese customers to meet their demands and win their approval," he said.
Akbar Al Baker, group chief executive of Qatar Airways, said: "China is the largest outbound tourism market in the world and in 2018, we saw a significant growth of 38 percent in the number of Chinese visitors from the previous year."


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The Department for Business & Trade (DBT) has been making efforts to boost the UK rail supply and exports sector at the Middle East Rail Expo which took place in Abu Dhabi, UAE, earlier this month.
Rail and HS2 minister Huw Merriman also attended the event with over 30 UK rail business exhibiting at the UK Pavilion.
The UK Pavilion was developed in partnership between the UK Railway Industry Association (RIA) and the DBT
In addition to giving an address at the show, Mr Merriman visited and talked to exhibitors in the UK Pavilion. He also engaged with UAE and other Middle East rail stakeholders as the UK seek to boost export opportunities with the region and build on the UK’s enviable global reputation for supply chain exporting.
Mr Merriman said: “It was a pleasure to attend the recent Middle East Rail expo and meet many of the innovative UK supply chain businesses using rail to help boost trade and jobs.
“Collaboration with the rail industry across the globe is vital in identifying new export opportunities and sharing expertise to build a better, stronger railway here at home.”
Darren Caplan, RIA chief executive, said: “Rail exports from the UK are immensely valuable, totalling some £600-800m, helping boost trade and jobs, and supporting UK businesses of all shapes and sizes.
“Having high-level backing from the UK Government can only help UK rail exports grow even more, at a time when we are striving to help build a “Global Britain”. So we are grateful to Rail & HS2 Minister Huw Merriman for supporting UK rail exporters on this work in the Middle East, a region with much railway potential. And we will continue to work closely together to realise rail’s full potential in the future, not just in rail markets at home but abroad too.”
Want to know more about the opportunities to become a key supplier to the UK rail industry? Attend TransCityRail and access an exclusive marketplace of buyers from Network Rail, HS2, Train Operators, Major Contractors, and all other tiers of the supply chain. For more information and to secure your place click here.


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12.13.18Hilton Honors Research Shows More Than 50 Percent of Americans Are Last Minute Holiday Shoppers
This year, holiday shopping should have been a breeze with a whopping 32 days between Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.
09.10.18Hilton Introduces Explore, a New Local Travel Feature Within the Award-Winning Hilton Honors App, Powered by Foursquare
Powered by location technology company, Foursquare, Hilton’s new Explore feature will bring together industry-leading at-your-fingertips technology and localized recommendations rooted in the personal experiences of local employees.
06.13.18Hilton Honors and Live Nation Launch New “Lawn Days” Program
Just in time for summer, Hilton Honors is launching a new “Lawn Days” program as part of its ongoing partnership with Live Nation, the world’s largest live entertainment company. This one-of-a-kind program will unlock thousands of lawn seat concert tickets on the Hilton Honors experience platform at amphitheaters across the country.
05.29.18Obtain Once-in-a-Lifetime Experiences through Hilton Honors
Hilton Honors gives members access to private meet-and-greets with chart-topping artists, one-on-one artist experiences, and exclusive concerts available through the Hilton Honors Auction Platform.
04.25.18Hilton Honors App Controls and SHOWTIME® Streaming are Latest Wave of Innovations Coming to Connected Room
The award-winning Hilton Honors app has already been making guests’ lives easier by enabling them to control and personalize various aspects of their stay.
03.26.18Guests Can Live like Royalty with Hilton’s Royal-Wedding Inspired Packages
As the couple’s wedding approaches in May, Hilton is giving guests around the world the royal treatment with several royal wedding-inspired packages and events – including exclusive offerings for Hilton's most loyal customers.
01.30.18Hilton and American Express Celebrate New Co-Branded Credit Cards With Special Bonus Offers and Experience
Hilton and American Express celebrate the launch of the upgraded Hilton Honors American Express co-branded credit card portfolio with the announcement of special bonus offers for consumers and small business owners who sign up for the newly available cards.


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More than 7 out of 10 companies were found to take five days off during the Lunar New Year holiday.
On the 23rd, the Korea Economic Daily announced the results of the ‘New Year holiday status survey’ conducted in the middle of this month targeting 512 companies with 5 or more employees.
As a result of the survey, 73.7% of the responding companies answered that they had a five-day holiday. 13.4% of those who took a break of 4 days or less, and 13.0% of those who said they took a break of more than 6 days. 97.9% of companies said they would take a day off during the Lunar New Year holiday. About 2.1% of companies did not have a clear holiday plan.
72.7% of companies that take a break for more than 6 days were found to be obligated to take a day off in accordance with the collective bargaining agreement and employment rules, rather than a problem of work schedule or cost. 12.7% of companies said they wanted to adjust production due to a lack of work, and 5.5% said they took six days or more off to cut costs such as annual vacation pay.
Looking at the Lunar New Year holidays by company size, 3 out of 10 companies with 300 or more employees (29.6%) had more than 6 days. Of the companies with fewer than 300 employees, 10.2% of companies took a break of 6 days or more.
The number of companies that said they plan to pay a New Year’s bonus was 61.9%, down 1.6 percentage points from last year (63.5%). As for the level of bonuses, 91.0% answered “the same as last year” the most. 4.7% said they paid less than last year, and 4.3% said they paid more.
The factor that is expected to be the most burdensome to achieving business results this year was the ‘rise in raw material prices’. 43.0% of companies selected it. The increase in labor costs was 23.7%, the spread of the corona virus 18.3%, and the global supply chain instability 6.8%. It seems that there are still many concerns about the re-spread of COVID-19.


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Tag Archives: California
The state of U.S. infrastructure has been in the news lately, but just how much does that infrastructure affect the amount of car repairs (including auto glass repair and replacement)? Plenty, as it turns out. A state-by-state fact sheet produced … Continue reading
The Boyd Group Inc. (the Boyd Group) announced it recently acquired 11 locations in California. The acquisitions include 10 repair centers and one intake center in the counties of Riverside and San Bernardino in southern California, east of Los Angeles. … Continue reading
Wildfires have severely impacted businesses, homes and more on the West Coast, and according to news reports, California recorded its first gigafire in modern history this week. A gigafire is a term for a blaze that burns at least one … Continue reading
Three Californians have been charged with multiple felony counts of auto insurance fraud and forgery, according to the California Department of Insurance. Luis Manuel Burgos self-surrendered to the Fresno County Jail shortly after being charged for allegedly filing fraudulent auto … Continue reading
California often serves as a bellwether for legislation that is slowly adopted in other states throughout the country and an Assembly Bill could have serious implications for auto glass companies that subcontract work to installers as independent (1099) contractors. Assembly … Continue reading
The Boyd Group Inc. (the Boyd Group) recently announced it acquired 11 locations within three different areas around the globe. According to the company, the newest locations are located in California, British Columbia and Michigan. California The Boyd Group entered … Continue reading
California experienced two earthquakes over the Fourth of July holiday weekend. According to Key Media & Research, California has more auto glass shops than any other state in the U.S., as well as the largest number of registered vehicles. World … Continue reading
Earlier this week a California Federal Court judge granted a preliminary settlement in the Yadir A. Ontiveros v. Safelite lawsuit. Safelite agreed to pay roughly $8.2 million to settle its labor violation suit, which claimed the company “shortchanged” California workers … Continue reading
California has had massive fires in its past, but none as devastating as the state’s most recent one. It’s been nicknamed the “Camp Fire” and has destroyed 150,000 acres of land, leaving nothing but soot and ash behind in addition … Continue reading
As hot weather scorches parts of the country in Southern California, Arizona and Texas, AGRR technicians are scheduling more jobs in-shop and doing their best to stay cool, says Dominique Contreras, a customer service representative (CSR) with Glass Doctor in Murrieta, Calif.
Former technician Yadir Ontiveros has filed a state class action lawsuit against Safelite Fulfillment, Safelite Group and Safelite Glass Corp. in the U.S. District Court, Central District of California, alleging Fair Labor Standards (FLSA) violations stemming from Safelite’s pay-per-piece program.
Pilkington North America, a subsidiary of Nippon Sheet Glass, has announced it is closing its Lathrop, Calif., plant, which currently manufactures automotive and commercial architectural glass. According to a release from the company, “This decision was made after a careful … Continue reading


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SoftBank to Acquire ARM for $32.2 Billion
At 17 pounds per share, SoftBank’s offer is a 43% premium over ARM’s stock price as of closing on Friday, July 15, 2016. SoftBank has also pledged to double ARM’s UK headcount over the next five years, and will keep the existing senior management team in place.
ARM posted a $661 million after-tax profit in 2015 on revenues of approximately $1.5 billion. The company’s strength and partnerships in development of the Internet of Things was a prime factor in SoftBank’s interest in the company.
“We have long admired ARM as a world renowned and highly respected technology company that is by some distance the market-leader in its field,” said Masayoshi Son, Chairman and CEO of SoftBank. “ARM will be an excellent strategic fit within the SoftBank group as we invest to capture the very significant opportunities provided by the Internet of Things.”
ARM has particular strengths in mobile, automotive, consumer electronics and embedded intelligence, and counts more than 1,300 partners worldwide.
SoftBank held a press conference today to discuss the deal, which is available here.


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Advisers have received a new warning from the regulator not to churn clients into new products to maximise recurring revenue in the run-up to the RDR.
In its retail conduct risk outlook published this week, the FSA says advice firms may look to increase the amount of trail commission on their books as a way of “cushioning” the RDR’s ban on commission.
It says advisers selling their businesses may try to build up income by selling significant amounts of commission-based products to make their firms more attractive to buyers.
The FSA says providers may also seek to acquire market share by offering big commission to advisers.
The FSA says: “We have heightened our supervisory vigilance in this area and will continue to intervene where we believe high commission levels may be contributing to poor outcomes for consumers.”
Clancy Financial Planning financial planner Jim Clancy says: “I am getting fed up with this kind of thing. The FSA makes us all look like crooks. The vast majority of advisers I know work with honesty and integrity.”


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Commercial vehicle sales in New Zealand have surpassed the number of passenger cars in the country as of June for the first time, based on Statistics New Zealand (Stats NZ) data.
Utes, in particular, were among the best-sellers. If you’re looking for the best-priced vehicles, many dealerships have offered bargain deals for new and used models. You should only transact with authorised dealers and choose a company with the biggest selection of your favourite brand.
Light commercial trucks were the second most popular vehicles next to passenger cars. Stats NZ figures show that there were more than 600,000 registered trucks compared to 570,000 in the previous year.
Passenger car registrations still dominated the sector with almost 2.8 million, up by around 50,000 units. However, the ute sector continues to be a growing market especially with the launch of new models this year. Ford and Toyota are among the top favourites, yet other brands like Volkswagen have rebranded some of their models to keep up with the competition.
The Volkswagen Amarok has been one of the best-selling utes by the German car maker. It phased out the 2WD version in 2017 and replaced it with the 4Motion 4WD system. The company also plans to release updated V6 models this year, including those with a 190kW engine.
Buyers can still choose to drive one with a 165kW engine, along with a limited edition of Amarok Canyon models. Other notable changes on ute models include Toyota’s new SR5 Cruiser and revamped Hilux range, which will make it harder for the Ford Ranger to stay on top of the market.
Whether you plan to buy a new or used car, consider buying from your city’s biggest car dealers. In Auckland, for instance, some of the largest dealerships offer a wide variety of Volkswagen vehicles.


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Last week, Gov. Brian Sandoval announced that he would be calling a special session this week to vote on a package of tax abatements and transferable tax credits for Tesla.
In exchange for Tesla opening a new factory in Nevada, Sandoval proposed to give Tesla up to $1.3 billion in targeted tax breaks. At the press conference announcing the package, Sandoval and his economic development team, led by Steve Hill, presented their projections of the impact that Tesla’s move to Nevada would have.
These rosy projections contained no economic analysis. The message was: “Trust us.”
The governor, of course, will leave office no later than 2018, which means it will be taxpayers who are left holding the bag if all doesn’t go as planned.
Consequently, taxpayers need lawmakers — most of whom hope to remain in the Legislature longer than the next four years — to carefully examine the Tesla package and make a good decision based on facts, rather than hype, hoopla or promises.
Here are 10 questions that need to be answered before lawmakers even consider voting for the Tesla package:
Process and transparency
- Where are the bill drafts? Why hasn’t legislative language been released to the public? Does it not yet exist?
- Why is this happening so quickly? Why should lawmakers approve giving away up to $1.3 billion less than a week after learning Tesla wants to move to Nevada? Should not the public and lawmakers have at least 72 hours to review any proposed legislation before it is voted on?
- The Nevada Constitution says the governor may only call a special session “on extraordinary occasions.” Does giving one company tax abatements meet that legal standard? What risks exist of constitutional challenges that would overturn facilitating legislation passed during the special session?
Economic risk vs. reward
- No matter the amount of hype, every business venture is a risk. How are Nevadans protected if Tesla’s business plan doesn’t work?
- Where is the independent analysis of this deal and the risks involved? The governor and his Office of Economic Development are, of course, deeply invested in it. Will lawmakers be reviewing a worst-case scenario, in addition to the best-case scenario that’s already being presented?
- Will GOED release anything more detailed than a two-page summary of expected economic impacts? Or did GOED not conduct a more detailed analysis?
Impact on current Nevadans
- A business investment of this size should attract many new people to come to Nevada, thereby increasing the demand for government services. What government spending will be cut to pay for these additional services? Or, will the governor and lawmakers expect other businesses and residents to bear higher taxes for the benefit of this one company? Which taxes will lawmakers propose raising?
- Currently, 1.26 million jobs exist in Nevada. What do legislators say to those job creators and their employees who aren’t getting the same generous deal as Tesla?
- How does the state of Nevada prevent other large companies from demanding similar company-specific tax breaks?
- Why is the state creating a different set of rules for one company? How does this square with the concept of equal justice under the law?
Until these questions are answered, taxpayers are not protected — and no vote on Tesla, for or against, can be cast responsibly.
Andy Matthews is president of the Nevada Policy Research Institute, a non-partisan free-market think tank. For more visit http://npri.org.


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•Exclusive What Car? Vans research reveals 88% of all new vans fail to meet any of the proposed European safety standards
•Automatic emergency braking, lane keep assist and reversing cameras are some of the technologies which will have to be fitted to every new car and van from 2022, according to proposals by the European Commission*
•To find the latest van reviews, visit: www.whatcar.com/category/van
Just one-in-10 new vans on sale today features lifesaving technology that is set to become mandatory across all cars and vans by 2022, according to exclusive analysis by What Car? Vans
Van fatalities have dropped by 38% since 2007** against a 24% rise in the number of registered vans on the road, but the findings show there is still plenty of room for improvement.
While some van manufacturers are fitting important safety features, such as Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) to their vehicles, 88% of all vans on sale in the UK today do not meet any of the upcoming European Commission proposed safety standards.
What Car? Vans analysed every van derivative on sale in the UK*** and while many top-of-the range examples come fitted with multiple safety features as standard, lower specification models typically do without the potentially life-saving technologies.
The European Commission has proposed to make eight safety technologies mandatory across new cars and vans by 2022*. These include driver drowsiness and distraction alerts, intelligent speed assistance, reversing cameras or sensors, data recorder in case of an accident, lane-keep assistance, advanced emergency braking, and crash-test improved safety belts.
What Car’s analysis found just 12% of all new vans on sale have one of the eight mandatory safety technologies as standard, while only one in five vans come with at least one of the eight as an optional extra.
AEB, which automatically applies the brakes if it senses an imminent collision, is standard in one-in five of the 228 new vans and pick-ups on sale in the UK. Studies by Euro NCAP, the European vehicle safety standards agency, previously found AEB reduces real-word rear-end collisions by 38%***.
Other technologies, including Lane Keeping Assistance, which automatically keeps vans on the centre of the lane, was available as standard in only 2% of all new vans on sale, and an optional extra in 18%.
New technologies, including Intelligent Speed Assistance, which helps drivers to avoid exceeding the speed limit, and automatically slows the vehicle down when the limit drops, is found in just 3% of new vans on sale, while crash-test improved seat-belts and accident data recorders are not fitted as standard to any van currently on sale in the UK.
Despite van drivers covering on average 13,000 miles a year Ŧ driver distraction and drowsiness alerts were standard on just one-in-10 vans on sale, and an optional extra in 11%.
In 2012, Euro NCAP tested some of Europe’s best-selling vans and called on “manufacturers to offer these vehicles with higher levels of safety equipment” after many of the models tested were found to lack basic safety equipment such as electronic stability control (ESC) Ŧ Ŧ.
Van manufacturers have since made improvements to driver, passenger and pedestrian safety. In the latest Euro NCAP tests, for example, the Ford Transit achieved a five star rating.
Jim Holder, editorial director of What Car? Vans, said: “There are more than four million vans on the road today. Van drivers shouldn’t be waiting for legislation to come into force to have access to the latest safety tech as standard. Though the industry has made strides in recent years, it clearly still has a lot more work to do.”
To find read the latest van reviews, visit: https://www.whatcar.com/class/vans
***What Car? Analysed the specification brochures for every single van and pick-up derivative currently on sale in the UK, including their trim variations. In total, more than 220 different van and pick-ups were analysed as part of the research.
Ŧ Ŧ https://www.euroncap.com/en/press-media/press-releases/euro-...
About What Car?
What Car? has established itself over more than 40 years as the UK’s leading and most trusted car buying brand. Today, it has a market-leading website and magazine, plus successful video and social channels.
In recent years What Car? has enjoyed major investment in its digital infrastructure to develop a new ecommerce platform, allowing users to act on the trusted advice What Car? offers.
This heritage is now being rolled out across the What Car? Van channel, launched today with in-depth reviews, consumer advice and buying tips for the UK’s four million light commercial vehicle and pick-up drivers.
For further media information please contact Performance Communications:
Natasha Perry or Sam Wilkinson at Performance Communications on 0208 541 3434.
This press release was distributed by ResponseSource Press Release Wire on behalf of Performance Communications in the following categories: Consumer Technology, Motoring, Manufacturing, Engineering & Energy, for more information visit https://pressreleasewire.responsesource.com/about.


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Almost every company presents itself as an innovator, with claims ranging from the fantastic (we’ve produced cold fusion!) to the trivial (our gadgets now come in Persian blue as well as the standard periwinkle).
Among the innovations touted by one consumer goods company is a “crave-worthy collection of five luxury home and fabric care products with sophisticated scents that deliver rich, long-lasting, and enveloping sensorial experiences to elevate the every day.”
Which is to say that a great majority of these alleged breakthroughs are hardly the stuff of da Vinci and Edison. In fact, the word innovation is now “so broadly defined that it has lost all meaning,” writes a jaded financial industry tech executive under the pseudonym Coverlet Meshing. "The innovation industrial complex produces fast food—innovation in a can, with loads of salt, sugar, and fat," he says.
No wonder that consumers may be suffering a bout of “innovation fatigue,” as communications firm Ketchum calls it in its new Innovation Kernel study, which attempts to figure out how consumers “define, perceive, and value innovation.”
The Ketchum study is based on an online survey, conducted in January 2015 with M/A/R/C Research, of 4,094 working adults in the US, UK, Spain, China, and Hong Kong. The study never quite defines innovation, but survey respondents said they’re most interested in innovations that improve their quality of life (58%) or help them be more efficient (57%).
Among the study’s key findings:
Innovation matters to consumers—a lot: Nine in ten respondents to the Ketchum survey said innovation is important to their brand preferences, and 68% said they’re willing to pay an average 23% premium for brands they consider to be innovative.
That latter finding certainly makes sense when it comes to aspirational brands such as Apple, Rolex, BMW, and British Airways. But for some companies, innovation is tied more to the efficiency and value they provide than to the glossy quality of their end products.
At least part of the attraction of three of Fast Company’s 50 Most Innovative Companies of 2015—Alibaba, Google, and IndiGo—is that they charge less, not more, than their less-innovative competitors. Consider the value proposition of innovative brands Uber, Southwest Airlines, and Amazon as well. In other words, sometimes innovation leads not to higher prices, but to larger market shares.
Views on innovation differ from market to market: Ketchum asked consumers about the extent to which the following four factors influence their perceptions of a company’s innovation: it has a proven track record of launching successful tech products; it introduces new products with a different/new look and feel; it is first to market with new products; its CEO is very visible and seems innovative.
Interestingly, consumers in China and the US rely heavily on those four attributes when judging a company’s capacity to innovate; consumers in Hong Kong, on the other hand, don’t value those attributes nearly as much as their peers in other countries.
Ketchum attributes that finding to the rapid adoption of technology and the pervasiveness of tech marketing in China and the US. In Hong Kong, it finds, “consumers are more brand loyal, decreasing the influence of innovation marketing on their perception.”
In which markets are consumers the most willing to pay extra for what they consider innovative brands? China and Hong Kong. The least willing? The UK and US—perhaps because their savvy consumer populaces are the most leery of empty claims of innovation.
Being first to market doesn’t always equal long-term advantage: This notion is true even in the fast-moving tech industry, as products get commoditized quickly and first-mover advantages fade, the Ketchum study maintains. What’s most important to 47% of the consumers surveyed is to see tech companies deliver a track record of successful, progressively innovative products—not necessarily on a set timetable, but only when they have meaningful advancements.
Arguably, it’s that same commitment to continued innovation, backed by visionary leadership and sufficient financial resources, that keeps first-mover products on top over the long haul. Think Oracle Database, Adobe Photoshop, and Quicken QuickBooks. Without that long-term commitment and vision, first movers quickly become also-rans—or answers to trivia questions. For every Oracle Database or Adobe Photoshop there’s a VisiCalc and a WordStar: great early products that didn’t keep up.
And sometimes consumer tastes just shift. In social media, for example, consider the mass migration from MySpace to Facebook to (potentially) Instagram, Snapchat, or the next “killer” site or app. Elsewhere, we’ll see whether the likes of Amazon Web Services (cloud infrastructure), Uber (ride sharing), and Airbnb (home rentals) retain their first-mover leadership positions over time.
Healthcare is the industry in which innovation is most critical: Innovation in healthcare can mean the difference between life and death on a massive scale. Consider how stem cell research and mapping of the human genome could lead to medical discoveries and cures for decades to come.
The older the age of survey respondents, the greater importance they placed on healthcare innovation, “a fitting trend among a global population that is living longer and experiencing more chronic diseases,” according to the Ketchum study.
In fact, healthcare was the only category for which the perceived importance of innovation rose with age. Healthcare innovation is also more important to women (59%) than to men (48%) across age groups.
Notably, healthcare is considered by survey respondents in the tech sector to be the least innovative industry. To the extent that healthcare providers don’t share data or don’t adopt technical advances such as population analytics and telemedicine, lack of innovation can cost lives in addition to hurting efficiency.
Innovation in computers and consumer electronics matters almost as much as in healthcare: Among tech categories, survey respondents consider innovation to be most important in computers and smartphones and less so in tablets, TVs, household appliances, and music equipment.
Only 39% of gamers consider innovation in that segment to be very important. The study’s authors posit that gamers may be growing tired of shelling out ever-more money for what they consider to be incremental hardware and software improvements.
Innovation isn’t all that important in the consumer packaged goods, automotive, and airline industries: It’s easy to understand why consumers aren’t particularly jazzed about packaged-goods innovations such as the aforementioned scented home and fabric care products. But profound innovations such as crashless cars and self-flying planes may end up impressing them much more than Wi-Fi-enabled cars and planes, which consumers probably now see as industrywide, non-differentiating commodities.
Companies must earn a reputation for innovation. They can’t buy it: Consumers in all five markets rated marketing and advertising among their least-trusted sources of information for evaluating how innovative a company or product is. And while social media have “provided consumers with closer brand intimacy,” Ketchum says, outside of Hong Kong and China social channels don’t have much influence over consumer impressions of innovation.
In other words, there’s no shortcut or easy answer, which is why Oracle spent close to 10 years rewriting its software for the cloud. In the end, what customers value is true innovation—opportunities “missed by most people,” Thomas Edison famously said, because they’re “dressed in overalls and look like work."
See these articles for more about Oracle and innovation:


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The Indian logistics industry contributes more than 15 lakh crores to the economy and employs more than 40 million people. Yet, it is not immune to supply chain disruptions. While some disturbances can be predicted and prevented, others cannot. Unforeseen disruptions, caused by the pandemic, for instance, impacted economic growth, competitiveness and employment. The Indian Chamber of Commerce stated that during the lockdown, which was followed by the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Indian logistics sector lost about ?50,000 crores, hampering the business cycles and supply chains across the country. According to an article in The Economics Times, the lockdown resulted in an increase in stuck shipments by 9%, an increase in order delays by 21% and a decline in deliveries by 9%. The pandemic took a toll on the freight capacity along with the capacity of small trucking businesses that did not have any backup plans, recovery plans or intermittent operation plans.
As the world continues to cope with and adapt to the consequences of the pandemic, the logistics industry is gradually equipping itself to be better prepared for future mishaps and disruptions.
Causes of supply chain disruptions
Supply chain disruptions can be caused by several factors, and no organisation is immune to them. Some of the prominent causes are -
- Natural Disasters and Pandemics
Natural disasters like floods, hurricanes, wildfires, earthquakes along with pandemics like COVID-19 have the potential to disrupt supply chains despite their sturdiness and strong foundation. In 2005, for example, Hurricane Katrina caused massive supply chain disruptions by hampering power and transportation routes along the Gulf Coast of the US.
- Transportation Issues
Transportation issues like increased fuel prices, cargo theft, shipping charges, route efficiencies and port complications affect the smooth functioning of supply chains. Other issues may include factors such as political upheavals and union troubles.
- Outdated Technology
Outdated technology and manual methods of working can cause disturbances in the supply chain. Organisations that have not yet adopted modern technology may experience the disruptions caused by using obsolete technology, thereby paving a way for embracing Industry 4.0.
These supply chain disruptions have an impact on the companies as well as consumers. Companies are likely to face shortages in key components and parts, resulting in delayed operations and the high cost of raw materials. Increased prices and shipment cancellations by exporters lead to an increased price of the finished product for consumers., Thus, organisations need to examine the causes of supply chain disruptions as well as their impact on the overall working of the sector and be prepared to effectively tackle such challenges.
Responding to Supply Chain Disruptions
Having assessed the causes of supply chain disruptions and their impact on suppliers and consumers, organisations must focus on the appropriate ways to respond to them -
- Restructuring supply chains
When organisations are faced with disruptions and crises, they must pause, reflect and take appropriate actions. Businesses must then evaluate the critical components of their supply chains and estimate their available inventory so that they can assess the potential risks and implications and restructure their plans accordingly. This is, especially, effective when operations are hampered due to calamities, natural or otherwise, and resources need to be redistributed to produce optimal outcomes.
- Using resources optimally
Analysing network models and capabilities will help the industry be better prepared and equipped for the future by exploring different options to distribute their resources optimally. For instance, negotiating for lower prices with carriers and controlling fuel expenses can help organisations make smart investments. Additionally, partnering with logistics providers experts and identifying backup suppliers rather than relying on only a single supplier will help organisations be better prepared for unforeseen disruptions.
- Investing in technology
Investing in proper infrastructure and technology will help the sector to cut costs, increase productivity and margins and make operations smoother. Leveraging technology will help the industry to foresee potential disruptions and plan strategies to mitigate future risks.
- Training the Workforce
The workforce must be equipped to understand the new ways of working post disruptions. Organisations must upskill their employees, promote digital and data literacy as well as encourage them to become flexible to change. Empowering employees by developing their cognitive skills will prepare them to deal with unforeseen situations and respond actively.
While the industry is responding well to supply chain disruptions, it is also essential to prepare for the future and take adequate measures.
Using 3Rs to minimize the effect of supply chain disruptions
The 3Rs- Resilience, Reliance and Risk evaluation - can help organisations minimize the damages caused by supply chain disruptions. These competencies not only empower organisations to become better and more robust but also help them reduce losses by taking the right measures.
Organisations must analyses their readiness in times of crisis and prepare a business continuity plan along with emergency alternatives. Rethinking existing strategies and plans, reallocating its resources deliberately and collaborating and managing meaningful business relationships will ensure that the industry is prepared for future disruptions.
Many organisations are trying to shorten or diversify themselves and their operations by becoming reliant or adopting alternative partners. This will benefit countries with the required capabilities and capacities rather than relying on others. For instance, The Government of India’s initiative, Atmanirbhar Bharat launched amidst the COVID-19 pandemic aims to boost Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).
- Risk Evaluation
Organisations must be better equipped and prepared for the future by evaluating their existing models and predicting the plausibility of risks and disruptions caused in the supply chain. It is essential for businesses to identify the risks, assess and monitor them. While not all potential risks can be determined beforehand, such as the coronavirus pandemic, risk evaluation can prevent companies from being in a vulnerable position during crises.
Organisations are taking conscious measures to gradually become more equipped and prompt in dealing with the various kinds of disruptions by evolving their supply chains with the changing market landscape and introducing more efficient technology to improve operations. The market has come a long way from facing the brunt of the COVID-19 pandemic to adapting, adjusting and preparing itself for the future. These increased insights have helped organisations to redesign, transform and grow as they develop their competencies and reduce their dependence on other sources.


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Many Android smartphones available now offer incredibly quick charging. Realme just unveiled the Realme GT Neo 5, their latest flagship device, which enables up to 240W fast charging. In light of this, it begs the question of why the most latest iPhone, the iPhone 14 Pro Max, can support only 30W fast charging
Smartphone charging support has improved over the years, from being a measly 5W, to a whopping 240W for the upcoming realme GT neo 5 and while android smartphones commonly boast ridiculously high fast charging speeds, why do Apple iPhones can only support up to 30W charging speed?
We can only speculate, but there are plenty of reasons why Apple chooses not to incorporate functionality that other companies do –
One: It usually involves waiting and watching; Second, it would be disastrous if even a handful of the hundreds of millions of iPhones that rapid charging is being used on explode. It’d be as awful as a Samsung Galaxy Note 7. Apple is obviously taking safety precautions with battery charging speeds. And three: Apple doesn’t need to compete with faster charging even if customers want it because iPhones already have enough differentiation thanks to features like iOS, iMessage, FaceTime, and others.
There is little reason for a leading manufacturer like Apple to take a risk of batteries failing early or bursting into flames. Particularly when advanced battery technology is being researched by so many companies, both for mobile technology and electric vehicles.
Perhaps faster charging isn’t as critical as more capacity or greater efficiency because most flagships charge sufficiently within an hour. Apple could introduce quicker charging for the iPhone, but it could not have a significant influence on consumer happiness and might shorten the battery’s life. 😉


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The 21-gun salute applauds the efforts of the Electricity Authority, Sky TV and Steinlager.
Marketing, advertising & media intelligence
Y&R NZ has picked up where FCB left off by launching its first campaign for What'sMyNumber.org.nz since winning the Electricity Authority account after a competitive tender earlier this year. The new campaign, unveiled over the weekend, features a series of of people in torturous work-based scenarios and aims to remind Kiwis of what they endure in order to earn their salaries.
Last week, the Labour Party said the $15 million campaign that aimed to prompt consumers to check out different electricity suppliers and decrease their bills was a failure after a Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment report found it had not led to lower retail prices overall and didn't increase competition. The Electricity Authority's agency FCB won plenty of awards for the campaign, with 350,000 people visiting the sites and 70,000 people saving $16 million as a result of switching. But that relationship is now over, with Y&R thought to have won the business after FCB declined to pitch.
By mobilising apathetic New Zealanders to see if they could get a better deal on their power, the What’s My Number campaign changed the electricity retail landscape.
DrafFCB's had a pretty good year on the awards front. Hell, it even helped to halt inflation with its 'What's My Number' campaign for the Electricity Authority. And that campaign has won Yahoo!'s Q3 Digital Strategy award, following on from a win earlier in the year for its BMW Summer Sale campaign.
One of the surprises of the Effie awards was not seeing DrafFCB and The Electricity Authority's What's My Number campaign up on the podium. Turns out it was ineligible for this year's competition because of the dates it ran, but it looks set to be a shoo in for next year, because you don't get much more effective than a campaign that ends up influencing the nation's interest and inflation rates.


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Stephenville Downtown Merchants to ring in the Christmas shopping season with holiday open house.
Updated: Nov 10, 2021
The Stephenville Downtown Merchants are ringing in the Christmas shopping season this week with a holiday open house on Friday.
The festive event is one of my favorites and will include refreshments, entertainment, and of course, the opportunity to do lots of shopping.
Businesses will be decked out for Christmas and stay open late to give you plenty of time to browse.
“We are having a popup Kendra Scott shop that will benefit Meals on Wheels of Erath County,” Julie Thomas, owner of Julianne’s told Beneath the Surface News. “We will also have door prizes, food and drinks.”
And Julianne’s isn’t the only one jumping into the Christmas spirit.
Julie Lowrance, owner of Frames Etc, said most businesses will offer wine, snacks and festive fun.
“We will have goodie bags and door prizes too,” she said.
Willow’s Scarlet Ribbon will host a drawing for a gorgeous holiday basket and Hearsay Wine Bar will have appetizers and giveaways.
And whatever you do, make sure to stop by the beautiful Scott’s Flowers to check out their holiday gifts and displays, which are always exquisite.
The event will be held from 5:30-8:30 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 12.
Other participating businesses include Caam’s, Greer’s Ranch Cafe, SlimPickins, Brush and Blush Salon, Ben Franklin, Pinspiration, Cowboy Way Travel, Punchy’s, Senior Citizens Center, Newton’s Cellar, Leslie Walker’s Farmer’s Insurance Agency, Blue-Eyed Buffalo, Bangs and Co. Salon and Root and Roam.
It’s going to be a beautiful night and I can hardly wait!
See you there!


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Microsoft announced today that it will raise the cost of its Microsoft 365 Commercial subscriptions starting in March 2022. It is also adding some new audioconferencing capabilities in Teams to take your mind off the price hike.
“Today we are announcing changes to our commercial pricing for Microsoft 365 – the first substantive pricing update since we launched Office 365 a decade ago,” Microsoft’s Jared Spataro revealed. “This updated pricing reflects the increased value we have delivered to our customers over the past ten years in three key areas—communications and collaboration, security and compliance, and AI and automation—as well as the addition of audioconferencing capabilities that we’re announcing today.”
Microsoft’s original post has a lot of information about all the value it has added to its Office 365 and Microsoft 365 subscriptions over the years, but all we really care about is the new pricing. It breaks down like so:
Microsoft 365 Business Basic is going up from $5 to $6 per user per month. Microsoft 365 Business Premium is going from $20 to $22, Office 365 E1 is going from $8 to $10, Office365 E3is going from $20 to $23, Office 365 E5 is going from $35 to $38, and Microsoft 365 E3 is going from $32 to $36. These changes will be effective March 1, 2022. And there are no changes to the pricing for education and consumer products at this time, Microsoft says.
As for the new stuff, Microsoft notes that Microsoft Teams now has over 250 million monthly active users and is “the new front-end across work, life, and learning” for those users. It has received over 300 new features since its launch in 2017, and it’s about to get some more.
“We will add unlimited dial-in capabilities for Teams meetings across our enterprise, business, frontline, and government suites over the next few months,” Mr. Spataro notes. “Even as cloud connectivity increases, we know that people join Teams meetings while they are on the go or struggling with a bad internet connection. Currently included with Microsoft 365 E5 and Office 365 E5, we have come to see dial-in as an important part of the complete Teams experience. Available with subscription in over 70 countries and with interactive support in 44 languages and dialects, unlimited dial-in provides peace of mind that users will be able to join their Teams meeting from virtually any device regardless of location.”
Tagged with Microsoft 365


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Australia’s Mayne Pharma Group Limited is launching new drugs that will be made at its new manufacturing facility in Greenville.
The pharma’s latest launch is a generic alternative to Concordia International’s drug, Kapvay, for the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
Mayne Pharma cited contract research giant Iqvia in stating annual U.S. sales of the particular type of tablets “were approximately $60 million for the 12 months [ended] April 30, 2018.”
Back in 2016, Mayne Pharma closed on a roughly $650 million generics buy from Teva Pharmceuticals Industries Limited (NYSE: TEVA) and Allergan (NYSE: AGN).
That deal was followed in April of this year with the official opening of its new $80 million manufacturing facility in Greenville. Mayne Pharma also has its U.S. base at a commercial office in Raleigh.
As of June 2015 – when the new manufacturing facility broke ground – Mayne Pharma employed 326 people in Greenville, a company spokeswoman confirmed earlier this year. While, as of March, the company employed upward of 420 there.
Mayne Pharma employed 25 people in Raleigh as of June 2015 and 70 people as of March. There are also additional employees who work remotely.
According to Mayne Pharma, it “expects several product launches throughout the coming year, with 14 drug applications pending at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration targeting U.S. markets with sales greater than $2.5 billion.”
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Hi and welcome to a look at what’s making headlines in natural health this week on iHealthTube dot com…
Just how much do the products you buy for your home… affect your health? More than you might think according to a recent study out of Australia…A University of Melbourne researcher found that a third of Australians report problems like migraines and asthma attacks when exposed to common fragranced household products like cleaning products, air fresheners and personal care items. Other health effects included dizziness, breathing problems and nausea… The author of the study previously showed these products produced a range of chemicals… including air pollutants… but that some ingredients do not need to be fully disclosed on the product label.
We all know that sugar is found in many things that we eat or drink… but you can now add breast milk to that list.
A new study out of Southern California indicates that fructose is passed from mother to infant through breast milk. Fructose… which is found in fruit… processed food and sodas, is not a natural component of breast milk and is derived from the mother’s diet. Lactose is a sugar that is naturally found in breast milk and is beneficial to infant growth and development… the study indicated that even a small amount of fructose in breast milk could be associated with increased body weight.
Finally… research out of Alabama is showing a connection between Parkinson’s disease and the composition of trillions of bacteria that make up the gut microbiome. Research showed a major disruption of the normal micro biome in individuals with Parkinson’s and those taking medications for the condition. However what is not known is whether Parkinson’s causes changes in the gut or if the micro biome is a predictor or early warning sign of the condition. But what is known is that the first signs of Parkinson’s are often gastrointestinal symptoms like constipation or inflammation.
That’s a look at what’s making headlines in natural health this week… be sure to sign up for our free email newsletter to keep up with the latest… and go to ihealthtube dot com.
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In this week's edition of natural health news, find out how those common household products are really affecting your health. Learn about another place where sugar is now being found and as well as a possible connection between your gut health and a debilitating neurological disease!
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Many column inches have been devoted to analysing the issues surrounding the Volkswagen emissions scandal, but what are the real issues for owners of affected vehicles?
If you have been living out of sight of newspapers and out of earshot of televisions and radios, the scandal hit the headlines last week when Volkswagen admitted it had programmed some of its cars to recognise when they were being tested and to operate in a reduced emissions mode.
It certainly is quite shocking when the world’s biggest car manufacturing group admits to dishonesty on this scale. From a public relations perspective, it will take some time for Volkswagen to re-establish trust with consumers, governments and regulatory bodies.
To its credit, Volkswagen decided to come clean. Volkswagen’s boss in the USA was quick to admit his company was dishonest and candidly added: “We have totally screwed up”. Martin Winterkorn, the Volkswagen Group Chief Executive, resigned.
The big question for Volkswagen owners is what happens now.
Volkswagen has said it will refit up to 11 million vehicles that have the illegal software – a programme that some analysts have said could cost the Volkswagen Group $6.5 billion. Germany’s KBA watchdog has given the group until October 7 to come up with a refit plan.
UK owners of affected vehicles are expected to hear next week if their cars are affected. Volkswagen has revealed that more than a million vehicles are affected in the UK – 500,000 Volkswagens, 400,000 Audis, 132,000 Skodas and 77,000 Seats.
Quite apart from the sheer logistics of developing a solution and instigating the massive refit programme, there are many questions about how this scandal will affect car owners.
- Will the scandal reduce the value of affected vehicles?
- Will the performance of cars be affected?
- Are there tax issues to consider?
There are indications that the value of affected vehicles has already reduced. It’s reported that Glass’s Guide – the motor trade used car value bible has recorded an increase of over 2% in the value of diesel vehicles overall this month. But, Volkswagen diesel values have stayed static, meaning an effective reduction in value, compared to others, of around that 2% margin.
If the value of your car is reduced due to the actions of the manufacturer, you are likely to knock on the door of the manufacturer or their dealer to seek compensation for that reduction. How do Volkswagen plan to deal with that issue?
Given that the purpose of the illegal software was to allow the diesel power unit to behave differently under test conditions and yet produce higher power (and greater emissions) when not under scrutiny, it is fair to assume that any refit may involve a reduction in the performance of the car.
How would you feel if your car no longer performs as well as it used to?
My guess would be that you would be going back to the manufacturer or dealer to complain that your car is no longer as described when you purchased it.
Given that motor tax in the UK is very closely tied in to vehicle emissions, specifically CO2 emissions. Will these be affected by the unfolding story and the refit programme?
What happens if vehicles have been incorrectly taxed due to false figures from the illegal software?
It may well be that CO2 emissions were not affected by the emissions-cheating software. My impression is that it has been aimed more at reducing emissions such as nitrous oxide.
Finally, there are wider questions about whether other manufacturers have also been fiddling the system and what this whole debacle will do to the current arguments about the real-world emissions of diesels – as seen in the debate about banning diesel vehicles from the London congestion charge zone.
STOP PRESS: UK Transport Secretary has, today, confirmed that “no-one will end up with higher tax costs as a result of this scandal.”


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Apple named its John Browett as its new retail chief and the move is going to be interesting to watch from a management perspective. First, Browett comes from U.K.-based Dixons Retail, which has a mixed history of customer service. And then there's Apple's move to hire an outsider.
Browett (right) will report to Apple CEO Tim Cook and the retail unit isn't small potatoes by any stretch. Apple's retail stores in many ways are its show piece for its hardware and software. The last person to run the Apple retail unit was Ron Johnson, another outsider hired from Target. Johnson is now CEO of JC Penney.
In other words, Apple usually has to hire an outsider to run its retail stores. It would be far more notable if Apple hired an outsider to run product development, hardware design or software.
In a statement, Cook said "our retail stores are all about customer service, and John shares that commitment like no one else we’ve met."
That quote poses a conundrum. A few consumers in the U.K. are already scratching their heads at the Browett hire. Dixons' customer service was spotty at best.
The reaction via Twitter was also mixed. Turns out Dixons' major brands---Currys and PC World---aren't exactly beloved. GigaOm also raises questions about Browett's history nicely. Browett has been an executive at Tesco too. In other words, Browett seems to know the crossroads between big box and mass consumer-Best Buy retailing. Neither approach exactly touches on the Apple vibe.
At Dixons, Browett came to the retailer in 2007 as a turnaround guy. The U.K. retailer had institutional issues with customer service.
Add it up and it's possible that Browett is the right guy for Apple's retail strategy. However, there are more than a few questions about how Dixons and Tesco translate to Apple. Dixons had positive same store sales in 2010, but saw declines in 2009, 2011 and likely 2012, according to Deutsche Bank estimates. Dixons ability to hit its earnings targets is also questionable.
In any case, the stakes are very high. For the three months ended Dec. 31, Apple's retail unit delivered operating income of $1.85 billion on revenue of $6.12 billion, up from $3.85 billion a year ago. For Apple's fiscal year, the retail unit delivered revenue of $14.13 billion, up 44 percent from a year ago. Apple could spin its retail unit off and have a hot IPO.
Fortunately, Browett doesn't have a lot of fixing up to do with Apple's retail stores. On the flip side, he could be the one that botches a well-oiled machine.


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Krispy Kreme is on the move again. This time, it’s not about the doughnuts; it’s about their late-night companion, Insomnia Cookies. Krispy is looking to sell its majority stake in Insomnia Cookies. Here’s the story in the land of sweet treats.
A Shift in Focus
Krispy Kreme, the iconic doughnut maker, is eyeing some strategic changes. They’re considering various options, including a full-cash sale of their majority share in Insomnia Cookies. Why? It’s all about getting back to their doughnut roots.
Back in 2018, Krispy Kreme took the majority slice of Insomnia Cookies. The deal got the backing of JAB Holding, a European investment firm. This acquisition clocked in at less than $500 million, according to sources. But times change, and now Krispy is rethinking this cookie-doughnut combo.
Krispy Kreme CEO Mike Tattersfield noted that the partnership with Insomnia Cookies was all about boosting e-commerce, digital capabilities, and helping the cookie chain spread its wings both in the U.S. and internationally. Mission accomplished. Now, it’s time for the next chapter.
Krispy Kreme’s Second Go-Round
Krispy Kreme made a sweet return to the public market in 2021. The implied value? A whopping $2.7 billion. This followed their initial public offering back in 2000, but the company went private again in 2016 when JAB Holding took the reins.
Late-Night Cookies Rising
Insomnia Cookies, founded in 2003 by Seth Berkowitz, a student at the University of Pennsylvania, is known for its cookies that satisfy cravings well into the early morning hours. They’re often strategically located near college campuses, providing students with a sugar rush during their late-night study sessions. The chain has had quite the growth spurt, with revenue tripling since 2017, according to Krispy Kreme. In 2018, they had around 135 locations; now, they’re at 250 and counting.
The Sweet Farewell
Seth Berkowitz, the CEO of Insomnia Cookies, expressed his gratitude for the partnership with Krispy Kreme during this period of incredible growth. As Krispy takes this strategic step, it marks the end of an era of sweet collaboration.
So, while the Krispy Kreme doughnuts will keep rolling, the future of Insomnia Cookies is poised for a fresh batch of possibilities.