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DALLAS -- Fleming here said last week volume from Kmart Corp. will be a net addition to the distributor's 2002 results, regardless of how Kmart proceeds with its financial reorganization.
"It's just a question of how much net addition," Neil Rider, executive vice president and chief financial officer, told securities analysts during a conference call following the release of Fleming's results for the year and fourth quarter ended Dec. 30, 2001, which showed increased sales and earnings.
According to Rider, Kmart accounted for $1.4 billion worth of business for Fleming in 2000 and $3.1 billion in 2001, "and though it will likely not reach the $4.5 billion we had anticipated in 2002, we have a lot of trouble seeing any scenario where we don't see revenues in excess of the $3.1 billion we saw last year, which will mean there will still be incremental growth from Kmart for the full year."
He also said he expects Kmart to contribute to an increase in the distributor's operating cash flow, noting that Kmart's contribution last year to earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization was about $10 million -- "not a very significant amount." "We had originally anticipated the Kmart contract would bring us up to $60 million of EBITDA growth, including $40 million this year. However, we now think that number could hit $30 million or $35 million this year, which would be significant growth over 2001.
Mark S. Hansen, chairman, president and chief executive officer, told analysts Fleming does not anticipate closing any distribution centers, regardless of what Kmart does.
Fleming opened two additional distribution centers -- in Fort Wayne, Ind., and South Brunswick, N.J. -- to accommodate the Kmart business, Hansen said, "and they are two of our five best-operating divisions in terms of efficiency and throughput volume.
"Our original plan was to open those facilities to support Kmart, and then build sales beyond Kmart because Fort Wayne gives us good opportunities to address customers in the lower peninsula of Michigan, Indiana, western Ohio and the Chicago market, while South Brunswick is in an enormous population center that includes southwest New England, eastern Pennsylvania and metropolitan New York.
"So based on any knowledge we have now, we don't foresee any facility closures, but we do see opportunities to continue to add non-Kmart volume to use those spaces effectively."
Hansen also said Fleming would consider forming alliances similar to the one it has with Kmart as it seeks additional sales growth. "We believe we could duplicate that arrangement with an alliance or two with other large-scale retailers."
Sales at Fleming rose 10.3% to $15.6 billion for the year and 19.1% to $4 billion for the fourth quarter, after adjustments for a 53rd week in fiscal 2001 and a 13th week in last year's fourth quarter.
Net-income results were adjusted to exclude: a net fourth-quarter charge of $11.9 million, or 23 cents per share, for the Kmart bankruptcy; and a $5.3 million pretax charge for Fleming's strategic plan, which involved the closing and selling of conventional retail stores over the past three years to concentrate on price-impact formats.
Excluding those charges, net income for the year rose 53.4% to $93.5 million -- the highest earnings level since 1993, Fleming indicated -- or $2 per share. With the charges included, net income for the year was $23.3 million, or 52 cents per share, compared with a loss of $122.1 million a year ago.
For the fourth quarter, adjusted net income rose 59.1% to $31.1 million, or 64 cents per share. Including the charges, net income was $5.7 million, or 12 cents per share, compared with a loss of $37.4 million a year ago.
Sales in Fleming's distribution segment rose 21.2% to $13.3 billion for the year and 31% to $3.5 billion for the quarter.
"While the Kmart alliance added significantly to our distribution business, what is even more meaningful is the growth we achieved with the rest of our customer base," Hansen said. Excluding Kmart, distribution sales rose 6.5% for the year and 5.2% for the quarter -- "the third year of sales growth in what's considered a non-growth space," Hansen noted -- through acquisitions, plus growth among Fleming's Top 25 customers.
In the retail segment, Fleming said the closing of conventional supermarkets resulted in a sales drop of 26.6% to $2.4 billion for the year and 25.8% to $520 million for the quarter. Fleming operated 116 stores at the end of 2001 -- including 99 Food 4 Less and Rainbow price-impact stores and 17 Yes!Less limited assortment stores -- compared with 187 a year earlier.
Hansen said Fleming is investing in its corporate-store base with an aggressive remodeling program designed to expand departments and categories that drive sales and margins without the addition of service or labor, including: more self-service offerings in bakeries and delis; the addition of linear footage to frozen foods; and the expansion of beer, wine and liquor selections.
Comparable-store sales in the retail segment rose 0.7% for the quarter. Excluding stores that were undergoing remodeling, comps for the quarter were up 1.8%.
Bill Marquard, executive vice president, business development, said it's premature to speculate on whether Fleming or Kmart will seek to make any changes in their supply agreement, although he noted that Kmart would face many structural impediments if it decided to use sources of supply other than Fleming.
"Fleming products represent 12% to 15% of Kmart's sales base, with food and consumables [being] a significant driver of traffic, particularly at the supercenters," Marquard said. "So if Kmart were to decide to redirect its supply efforts to another company, that would put them back where they were three or four years ago, and no one [other than Fleming] has the national footprint to serve them.
"And if Kmart decided to bring distribution in-house, it would require an investment of $150 million, and with the company in Chapter 11, where every dollar must drive the growth of the business, it's highly unlikely they would devote capital to that when they already have a supply arrangement in place."
Fleming's business with Target Stores has more than doubled in the past year, Hansen said, "and we anticipate strong, additional growth as Target adds more supercenters," including 12 Super Targets during the first quarter.
He said Fleming supplies 47 of 62 Super Targets -- 26 stores with all their inventory and 21 stores with only part of their inventory.
Convenience stores accounted for 14% of Fleming's revenues last year, compared with 6% in 1998, Hansen noted.


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Davao durian growers eye external markets
Subscribe Now September 10, 2020 at 02:09pm
Neil Belviz, Davao Industry Association of Durian Council (DIADC) president, said they partnered with a private cargo company to help strengthen their plans of exporting durians to other parts of the country, particularly in Manila.
He said there is a need to strengthen their exportation plans by connecting farmers to other processors and exporters to boost the financial income of the farmers.
"At least ang mga local farmers sa Davao City, dili mag sige'g bagsak presyo (At least this will help local farmers in Davao City. In that way, they won't have to keep on lowering their prices just to sell it to the market)," Belviz said in the One Davao on Covid-19 virtual presser on Wednesday, September 9.
Durian prices will be more affordable in the coming weeks since there will be ample supply during the month of September, the start of the harvest season, Belviz said.
"Naga-start pa man ang season sa durian diria sa Davao City. Karon gahinay-hinay pa pero most likely, two weeks from now, mudaghan pa na siya (Since the durian season is still starting in Davao City, there is still a gradual increase in the supply. But expect that there will be increasing supply in the coming weeks)," he said.
Currently, Belviz said the prevailing farm gate prices of durian in the city range between P40 to P55 per kilo, depending on the variety. Puyat, the premium type of durian, is at P55, while lower varieties range from P35 to 40.
The retail price, however, is around P60 to P80 per kilo but they are expecting that it would decrease due to the increase of supply.
He said they are hoping the pricing would remain that way so the farmers will not be burdened.
Admittedly, Belviz said market limitation is one of the problems the durian growers and sellers are facing when the city was placed under community quarantine due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Belviz said the subdued celebration of this year's Kadayawan Festival, which could have been their opportunity to boost their sales since it is in demand during the festival, is also one of their challenges.
"Since wala ta'y Kadayawan, lisod ang pag-market (Since Kadayawan this year was quieter, it is hard to market our product)," he said.
But still, DIADC is thankful for the government's intervention in helping them export these items to other areas. However, there is still a need to scout for more markets.
"Isa pa sa atong gina-address is ang high cost sa inputs, like sa abono, medyo dako ato gasto ana (Other issue that we are addressing is the high cost of the inputs like fertilizers, we spent a large amount for that)," Belviz said.
Belviz said they are also hoping that farming will be professionalized to help strengthen its market expansion.
He added they are hoping to acquire the Good Agricultural Practice (GAP) certification in 2021.
GAP is a certification from the Department of Agriculture, which will help run farming in a safe and professional way. Certain standards such as chemicals used in pest control, among others must be followed to achieve sustainable farming.
« Cleanergy Park in Davao City cited as bird-watching haven Rehab of Davao’s Magsaysay Park opened to Chinese investors »

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Autonomous vehicle development has become highly competitive, and companies working on the technology tend to hold their plans close to the vest.
Honda said it will invest $124 million to create an aeroacoustic wind tunnel test center at the Transportation Research Center in East Liberty, Ohio.
Volkswagen plans to build another new SUV at its plant in Tennessee as demand surges for larger vehicles, the German company's top U.S. executive said on Wednesday.
Toyota plans to test a heavy-duty truck powered by a hydrogen fuel-cell system at the Port of Los Angeles as part of a feasibility study beginning this summer.
SAIC, China's biggest automaker by sales, has put off its plans to export vehicles to the U.S. due to policy uncertainties with the election of Donald Trump as president.
Nissan and electric-vehicle charging network operator EVgo are working to connect Boston to Washington through a network of nine direct current fast-charging sites.
Although U.S. auto sales are cooling, Cadillac marketing chief Uwe Ellinghaus says the nation's party isn't over.
A hazardous material spill at Tesla's Gigafactory battery plant in Nevada was being investigated by emergency workers but there were no serious injuries, the company said.
What started out as Doug Derwin's personal political protest has now morphed into a full-on public campaign to force Musk to sever all ties with President Trump.
We've never seen a U.S. strategy like the one PSA Group -- maker of Peugeots and Citroens -- has embarked on.
Volvo's recent success can be attributed to smart decisions, a tactfully handled sale by Ford, seductive vehicle design and an advantageous introduction to the world's largest car market, China.
Fiat Chrysler will move the U.S. headquarters for Maserati from New Jersey to the former Walter P. Chrysler Museum in Auburn Hills, Mich., two sources familiar with the plan said.
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Samsung is expected to unveil the Galaxy S21 FE on August 19. This device will be the successor to last year’s Galaxy S20 FE, which is still one of the best Android smartphones available in the market. Ahead of the launch, information about the Galaxy S21 FE’s battery appears on the internet.
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According to the new report by GalaxyClub, the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S21 FE has an R9 codename and will be backed by a 4,500mAh battery. The battery inside the phone with model number EB-BG990ABY will have a rated capacity of 4,370mAh.
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Recent reports have revealed that the Galaxy S21 FE will have a 6.4-inch Super AMOLED Infinity-O display with Full HD+ resolution and an in-display fingerprint sensor. The device will be available in five colors: grey/silver, green, pink, purple, and white. It will also have a 32MP selfie camera, an Exynos 2100 or Snapdragon 888 chipset, and up to 256GB internal storage. It will likely feature a plastic back. Other rumored features of the phone include stereo speakers, 4K 60fps video recording, IP68 rating for dust and water resistance, GPS, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0, NFC, USB Type-C port, Samsung Pay, wireless charging, reverse wireless charging, and 25W fast charging.


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Canadian Retail Banks Drive Increased Customer Satisfaction by Offering Financial Advice, According to J.D. Power Study
RBC Royal Bank Ranks Highest in Customer Satisfaction with Retail Banking Advice
Canadian retail banks are finding a successful formula for customer satisfaction in delivering financial advice at a time when many of their customers could really benefit from it. According to the J.D. Power 2021 Canada Retail Banking Advice Satisfaction Study,SM released today, 74% of customers who receive advice from their banks act on it, which is notably important because just 39% of Canadian retail bank customers are financially healthy and only 42% pass a basic financial literacy test.
The study, now in its fourth year, measures retail banking customer satisfaction with the advice and guidance provided by national and regional banks in Canada. This year, the study was redesigned to also include a series of measures related to personal financial health and literacy.
“Delivering targeted, personalized financial advice is a win-win for retail banks and their customers because it increases utilization of services and improves customer satisfaction along the way,” said Paul McAdam, senior director of banking intelligence at J.D. Power. “There is a huge opportunity for retail banks to forge closer relationships by helping customers with things like advice on investment and retirement planning, as well as providing quick tips and information to help them improve their financial situation or stick to a budget.”
Following are key findings of the 2021 study:
- Targeted, personalized financial advice drives gains in customer satisfaction: Overall customer satisfaction increases 235 points (on a 1,000-point scale) when customers are offered advice/guidance that completely meets their needs. Banks manage to achieve this 51% of the time, and 74% of customers who receive advice from their banks act on it.
- The perk no one asked for: Despite the significant customer satisfaction gains associated with financial advice/guidance, just 19% of retail bank customers say they are “very interested” in receiving it and 26% say they are “not at all interested” in receiving advice or guidance from their bank. Bank customers are more likely to receive financial advice/guidance from family members or Internet searches than they are from their primary bank.
- Many customers need advice: Only 39% of retail bank customers are classified as financially healthy, while 12% fall into the overextended category. Another 13% are stressed and 36% are vulnerable. Just 42% of retail bank customers in Canada pass a basic financial literacy test, which is four percentage points higher than among retail bank customers in the United States.
- Face-to-face still matters: Customers’ needs are met more often when advice is received from a licensed rep (69%), a branch rep (63%) or a loan or mortgage specialist (59%).
RBC Royal Bank ranks highest in customer satisfaction with retail banking advice with a score of 603. BMO Bank of Montreal (583) ranks second. The industry average is 572.
The 2021 Canada Retail Banking Advice Satisfaction Study includes responses of 2,154 retail bank customers in Canada who received any advice/guidance from their primary bank regarding relevant products and services or other financial needs in the past 12 months. The study was fielded in March 2021.
For more information about the Canada Retail Banking Advice Satisfaction Study, visit https://www.jdpower.com/business/financial-services/jd-power-financial-health-and-advice.
About J.D. Power
J.D. Power is a global leader in consumer insights, advisory services and data and analytics. A pioneer in the use of big data, artificial intelligence (AI) and algorithmic modeling capabilities to understand consumer behavior, J.D. Power has been delivering incisive industry intelligence on customer interactions with brands and products for more than 50 years. The world's leading businesses across major industries rely on J.D. Power to guide their customer-facing strategies.
J.D. Power is headquartered in Troy, Mich., and has offices in North America, Europe and Asia Pacific. To learn more about the company’s business offerings, visit JDPower.com/business.
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UNION – It first aired on Dec. 7, 1969 – 50 years to the day that the McHenry County Historical Society will mark the occasion honoring Frosty the Snowman.
Dave Harms and Lynne Eltrevoog, historical society and Golden Glow of Christmas Past members from Marengo, have compiled another must-see display of all things Frosty – from slippers to ties to string lights, movies and more – at the museum, 6422 Main St. in Union.
After all, when you’re talking Christmas characters, there are none bigger than Santa, Rudolph and Frosty. There’s magic in that ol’ black hat.
A very different looking Frosty actually appeared in 1950, Harms said – years before the Rankin/Bass makeover featured in the company’s 1969 TV special. He was part of a cast of holiday characters major retailers used as part of their marketing campaigns. Montgomery Wards had Rudolph, Carson Pirie Scott had the Cinnamon Bear and Marshall Field adopted Uncle Mistletoe and Aunt Holly. Frosty promoted merchandise sold at Sears.
Part of their corporate outreach strategy involved luring passersby on the street with “trade stimulators.” These animated props, typically featuring motors or magnets, were placed in store windows as a way of attracting shoppers. They were manufactured by companies like New York-based David Hamberger Holiday Displays and Gregory Motors, Inc. and Harold Gale Co. of Kansas City, Mo.
Dave and Lynne’s repertoire, accumulated mostly in the last 10 years, include a 1951 sleeping Santa, a ballerina bear, an elf assembling a toy and a Santa playing piano. About 20 will be on display on the museum stage.
“I love lights that blink and I love motion,” Harms said. “We’re hoping that when they’re all moving the whimsy of it will produce a smile.”
Among their favorite bits of memorabilia are the Red Raven animated records – featuring a mirrored device that attached to the spindle and brought to life a printed cartoon on the records when they played.
“I’ve been collecting for 40 years and because I’ve been doing it long enough, people will call me and say ‘I saw something you might be interested in.’”
That worldwide network has enabled Harms and Eltrevoog to latch to everything from a wooden Merriplay teeter-totter, to a Teem soda countertop display with Frosty’s likeness, to a rare 1963 Polk Brothers department store Frosty. By happenstance, the latter was found squirreled away in the attic of a Marengo house slated for demolition.
“The discovery and seeking out information is just a ton of fun,” Harms said.
© 2024 MCHS- All Rights Reserved.


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A study from the University of Edinburgh has revealed that more than 50 million tonnes of fruit and vegetables across Europe are wasted due to the shape and size of the produce. Consumers are partly to blame for the level of produce wasted, as some items didn’t meet expectations of how they should look.
The study examined food waste and loss in the European Economic Area, looking at how much food was wasted before it reached supermarket shelves to be sold. Some losses were connected to government regulations and supermarket’s standards in addition to consumer ideals on how fresh produce should look.
The study was published in the Journal of Cleaner Production, and also found that farmers who are contracted to supermarkets grew more than they were asked to supply, allowing a contingency for produce that would deemed unsuitable to sell.
Researchers suggested that consumers should have better awareness and that moving towards a more sustainable way of shopping could encourage more ‘ugly’ fruit and veg to be sold.
Stephen Porter, from the University of Edinburgh’s School of GeoSciences, said: “Encouraging people to be less picky about how their fruit and vegetables look could go a long way to cutting waste, reducing the impact of food production on the climate, and easing the food supply chain.”
Supermarkets have started introducing ‘wonky veg’ initiatives, and Lidl have recently started to sell 5kg boxes of mixed fruit and vegetables for as little as £1.50.


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Sunday night’s Super Bowl 50 attracted 111.9 million viewers, making it the third most-watched TV event in history. Millions of fans took to social media to share their thoughts on the teams, players, and Brand commercials appearing on screen during the big game. Who were the winners on Social Media? To find out, Netvibes analyzed the online conversation taking place on our Super Bowl 50 dashboard.
Leading up to the game, the Panthers were widely favored to win, and their popularity showed on social media. For the period Feb. 3 – 7, the Panthers took the majority of Twitter mentions, with 53.18% for the Panthers vs. 46.82% Broncos. However, for the period of time during and after the game, the winning Broncos took the lead on Twitter, with 50.8% of mentions during Feb. 7 – 8 (versus 49.2% for the Panthers).
Quarterbacks: First Newton, then Manning
Just as the Broncos took the lead on Twitter after winning, a similar trend was seen with the teams’ quarterbacks. From Feb. 6 – 7, leading up to and during the game, the Panthers’ Cam Newton was the more-popular player on social media. But as the game ended around 7:00pm PST, winning quarterback Peyton Manning briefly spiked on Twitter.
Among car brands advertising at the Super Bowl, Audi dominated the conversation overall and also saw the biggest spike during the game. Toward the end of the game, around 6:00-7:00pm PST, Mini Cooper enjoyed a large spike in mentions and briefly became the most-talked-about car brand due to its #DefyLabels TV commercial.
Beer: Bud Light during the game, Budweiser after the game
Budweiser is known for creating memorable Super Bowl commercials, often involving puppies and Clydesdales. In 2016, Budweiser again took top beer mentions on Twitter, but curiously, most of Budweiser’s spike occurred as the game ended (around 7:00-8:00pm PST). During the game itself, Bud Light was the most frequently mentioned beer on Twitter with similar, smaller spikes seen for Budweiser, Shock Top and Michelob.
Why was Budweiser suddenly so popular after the game? During post-game interviews, Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning unexpectedly name-dropped Budweiser several times, saying “I’m going to drink a lot of Budweiser tonight.” Manning’s comments, reportedly worth $13.9M in advertising dollars and unpaid by Budweiser, drove the large increase in Budweiser tweets Sunday night and into Monday.
With its #MovinOnUp commercial starring Jeff Goldblum and Lil Wayne, Apartments.com scored more Twitter mentions during the Super Bowl than other Internet companies, including goliath Amazon (which otherwise dominated social media all week).
Sodas: Pepsi and Mountain Dew
Propelled by its sponsorship of the Pepsi Halftime Show, Pepsi took top mentions on Twitter during the game.
However, Mountain Dew was close behind with its much-talked-about #PuppyMonkeyBaby commercial. What did people think of the odd mythical hybrid creature? When Mountain Dew’s spot first hit the Internet last week, the online sentiment was trending negative. On February 4, the tweet ratio was 17% negative versus 7% positive. However, once the commercial actually aired during the game on February 7, public sentiment turned overwhelmingly positive: 13.07% positive versus 5.21% negative.


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Earlier this year Subaru revealed the WRX Concept, setting off rumours about a next generation Impreza sports saloon. But it looks like we were…
He may be Formula One’s bad-boy at the moment, but that hasn’t stopped Infiniti signing him up as their new ‘Director of Performance’. Sebastian…
It seems ironic that we’re applauding a new ‘lightweight’ Range Rover Sport – a whopping 420kg lighter than its predecessor – which still weighs…
As predicted last week, the car under the covers – for the launch of Audi MediaTV – is the new S3 Saloon, based on…
You may have spotted Lexus’ LF-LC in the photo gallery we published from The Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este at the weekend. Lexus went one step further than its static Concorso display, by actually driving the LF-LC on the roads around Lake Como in Italy.
After a successful premiere at the Detroit NAIAS Auto Show in January, Lexus’ hybrid 2+2 sport coupe makes its first European appearance at next week’s Geneva motor show.
The Beetle R Concept has made its American debut today at the Los Angeles Auto Show, following its unveiling in Frankfurt earlier this year.
While the familiar outline of the latest Beetle is still clear, the R Concept adds the kind of muscled enhancements that seem entirely appropriate in image-conscious California.
After making its debut at the Geneva Motor Show 2011, Jaguar has taken the top off its most powerful model just in time for summer.. Well, perhaps not here in the UK, but rather than let rain, snow and freezing-fog stop play, Jaguar has chosen to launch its new XKR-S Convertible in sunny Los Angeles during this week’s Auto Show.
The new Fisker Surf is the world’s first electric luxury/sports automobile for an active and eco-friendly lifestyle. Building on the success of the ground-breaking Karma Electric Vehicle, the Surf offers additional flexibility and load-carrying capability, along with a spirited new attitude all of its own.
As first deliveries of the Karma luxury electric vehicle reach US customers, Fisker has released a teaser image of its next game changer – the Surf. Due to be unveiled at next week’s Frankfurt Motor Show, the wraps will come off what looks to be a shooting-brake design riding on the same wheelbase as its 4-door sibling.
It’s called the XV Concept, but it looks a lot like where Subaru are likely to be heading with a Forester replacement. Launched this morning at the Shanghai Auto Show, Subaru describes the XV Concept as “..defining a new generation of crossover vehicle, blending traditional SUV practicality within a fashionable form.”
The original Volkswagen Beetle built between 1938 and 2003, became the longest-running and most-produced vehicle in the history of the car, with over 21 million units sold in its 65-year lifespan. It was developed by Ferdinand Porsche under instruction from Der Führer himself, Adolf Hitler, as the Type 1 Volkswagen – which literally means “people’s car” in German.


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Most banks are missing prime opportunities to deepen their existing customer relationships and are ceding new product sales to competitors, says a new survey from Consulting group Bain & Company. This comes at a time when existing customer relationships are increasingly more important, as Bain reports the world is getting "banked out," as only less than one percent of those surveyed were new to banking in the last year.
The firm's “2013 Customer Loyalty in Banking Report,” the fourth annual such report, found that around half of banking customers in developed countries and 84 percent in the developing world purchased a new bank product over the past year. However, one-third of those products, on average, were purchased from a bank other than the customer’s primary bank. The report surveyed nearly 200,000 consumers in 27 countries.
According to Bain, the main factors in whether a customer purchases a new product from their primary financial institutions are the customers loyalty to their bank, and the bank's ability to actively sell new products as opposed to waiting for customers to seek out products. The firm says one-third of financial products in the U.S. were purchased by customers that did not plan to buy a particular product, but they received an offer and then decided to purchase it.
“The ‘easy growth’ is over for banks, as increased competition worldwide is forcing banks to fight over too few new customers,” said Gerard du Toit, a partner in Bain’s Global Financial Services Practice in Boston and lead author of the report, in a statement. “But there is a surprisingly large upside with existing customers to increase win rates on new product sales.”
One easy way to develop "sticky" customers, Bain found, is making targeted investments in mobile technology. Mobile was found to deliver a loyalty “halo effect” according to the report -- frequent mobile banking users in all countries give much higher loyalty scores than non-users.
Bryan Yurcan is associate editor for Bank Systems and Technology. He has worked in various editorial capacities for newspapers and magazines for the past 8 years. After beginning his career as a municipal and courts reporter for daily newspapers in upstate New York, Bryan has ... View Full Bio


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What you need to know
- Microsoft's image teasing the "next generation of Windows" is now available on Wallpaper Hub.
- Wallpaper Hub is a website that gathers together Microsoft and Windows-related wallpapers.
- Many believe that the image is teasing the name of the next version of Windows.
An image from Microsoft is causing Windows fans to hunt for clues about the future of Windows. The image, which looks somewhat like it has an "11" created by the light shining through the window, has caused quite the flutter. People around the web have broken out their magnifying glasses and analyzed every pixel of Microsoft's image. Many believe that it teases that the "next generation of Windows" will be called Windows 11.
You can now easily download the image through Wallpaper Hub, a website dedicated to Windows and Microsoft-related wallpapers. Many of the images on Wallpaper Hub are 4K, but the one teasing the next generation of Windows is only available in FHD for now.
Many hypothesize that the lack of a crossbar shadow is the crux of the image. Microsoft used a similar image to celebrate the 46th anniversary of Windows earlier this year, but that image shows the shadow of the crossbar. The new image teasing the next generation of Windows lacks the shadow in the middle, making the blocks of light look more like the number 11.
We'll have to wait a few weeks to see if this is a troll from Microsoft, a coincidence, or a tease of something more. Microsoft will hold an event to showcase the next generation of Windows on June 24. Until then, you can set the teasing image as your background.


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World Tourism Day 2018 is being celebrated today i.e. 27th September 2018 at Budapest, Hungary as well as across the globe.
The theme for World Tourism Day 2018 hovers around Digital Transformation and Innovation that Advanced Technologies can bring to the tourism sector to make it a crucial contributor for all round sustainable development of the world.
Global Tourism impacts infrastructure development, job creation, sanitation, cultural exchange, local community empowerment, transportation as well as the ecological burden on planet Earth.
In this digital era innovations like Big Data, Artificial Intelligence and Digital Platforms can play a remarkable role in ensuring sustainable growth by making tourism a more responsible sector and connecting tourism at the global level.
Today we book flights and hotels via digital platforms, travelers like to read reviews online while selecting local eateries or before booking a b&b, Social Media has contributed largely in making the world a Global Village, user generated content plays a big role in Digital Marketing today, Smartphones and Internet has made decision-making quicker, and so on. To sum-up, the world is hyper-connected today!
And with large databases and technology at our disposal, it is time how we innovate and disrupt the tourism sector further to ensure a more economical, inclusive and environment-friendly touristy.
On World Tourism Day 2018, the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) will announce the Semi-Finalists of its first ever UNWTO Tourism Startup Competition 2018 that aims to render a futuristic approach to startups across the world who can bring in innovative ideas that can transform how the world travels.


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Fibre / Fiber (FTTN, FTTC, FTTB, FTTH, FTTK, FTTP) News
Airtel launches all-in-one fiber with 17 OTTs and 350 TV channels
May 30, 2022 – Airtel has launched three all-in-one plans built for the entertainment needs of today’s connected homes. The plans include subscriptions to 17 premium OTTs and 350+ TV channels together with unlimited data over fibre.
News categories: Airtel, Vir Inder Nath, Digital TV, Fibre, India, Set Top Box
Altice USA residential video RGUs down 71,000 in 4Q 2021
Feb 16, 2022 – Altice USA (NYSE: ATUS) has reported results for the fourth quarter and full year ended December 31, 2021. Altice finished with 2,732,300 residential video RGUs, down 71,000 in the quarter, compared to a loss of 74,000 in Q4 2020.
News categories: Altice USA, Cable TV, Digital TV, Fibre, Results, Subscribers, USA
Netgem powers ZEOPTV streaming service in Réunion
Feb 16, 2022 – ZEOP has announced the launch of ZEOPTV in Réunion. ZEOPTV offers an entertainment streaming experience to fibre subscribers on any screen, including for the first time on the NetgemTV-powered platform on Apple TV and Android TV.
News categories: Netgem, ZEOP, Mathias Hautefort, Xavier Joseph, Content Distribution, Digital TV, Fibre, Mascarene Islands
BrawBand selects Netgem TV to bring fibre and TV bundles to Scotland
Dec 17, 2021 – BrawBand has launched a 200 channel TV offering in partnership with Netgem TV. BrawBand Customers will also have access to Freeview Play in addition to a choice of 'add on' subscription apps, all via a 4K TV Box.
News categories: Netgem, BrawBand, Shan Eisenberg, David Siegel, Digital TV, Fibre, Set Top Box, Terrestrial, UK
Box Broadband launches fibre TV service in UK with Netgem
Dec 15, 2021 – Box Broadband has launched its TV offering through a partnership with Netgem TV. Netgem TV complements the Freeview Play service with extra box sets and movies, and a choice of 'add on' subscription apps via a 4K TV Box and a mobile app.
News categories: Netgem, Box Broadband, Shan Eisenberg, Graham Sargood, Digital TV, Fibre, Set Top Box, Terrestrial, UK
Frontier Communications and YouTube TV announce partnership
Dec 6, 2021 – Frontier Communications (NASDAQ: FYBR) has announced a partnership with YouTube TV offering Frontier customers a streaming solution that allows them to cut the cord and still watch premium live and on-demand content.
News categories: Frontier Communications, YouTube TV, John Harrobin, Digital TV, Fibre, Streaming, USA
Pay TV subscribers in Portugal up 3.5% YoY in 1H 2021
Sep 29, 2021 – According to ANACOM, in the first half of 2021, there were 4.3 million subscribers to pay TV in Portugal, 147 thousand additional subscribers (+3.5%) compared to the same period of 2020.
News categories: ANACOM, Cable TV, Digital TV, Fibre, IPTV, Portugal, Satellite, Subscribers
FTTH deployment progressing at a rapid pace in Europe
Sep 15, 2021 – At the FTTH virtual Conference 2021, the FTTH Council Europe released two reports: the latest figures of the FTTH Forecasts for 2021 and 2026 and an overview of fibre deployments in rural areas.
News categories: FTTH Council Europe, Vincent Garnier, Eric Festraets, Europe, Fibre, Market Research
Converge launches VISION home entertainment service in the Philippines
Jul 30, 2021 – In partnership with Pacific Kabelnet (PKN), Converge has introduced an add-on service called VISION in the Philippines. VISION comes with an STB called Xperience Box - a full Android, all-in-one entertainment device.
News categories: Converge ICT, Jesus C. Romero, Dennis Anthony H. Uy, Android TV, Digital TV, Fibre, Philippines, Set Top Box
- Nielsen Admosphere to implement cross-platform TV audience measurement in the Czech Republic
- ASTA-NET selects CryptoGuard to secure IPTV services in Poland
- Redge Technologies extends contract with TVN Warner Bros. Discovery
- ViX+, TelevisaUnivision’s premium SVOD tier, debuts on July 21
- Eurofins releases updated NEXTGEN TV logo certification test suite
- Xfinity Stream app launches on Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD
- Tencent Video available in NetRange Smart TV app store
- Gibtelecom launches new TV platform with Netgem
- izzi adds anti-piracy and extended threat defense technologies from Verimatrix
- MEO deploys Velocix CDN and cloud-native VRM platforms
- AminoOS deployed to Vodafone Iceland’s legacy Samsung STBs
- Bhimavaram Community Network chooses Skyworth for 4K RDK IPTV set-tops
- Synaptics selects Allegro DVT VVC compliance streams
- NextGen TV launches in Shreveport, LA
- Sunrise deploys Media Distillery to enhance TV user experience
- Vewd brings in-vehicle streaming to Renesas R-Car automotive chipsets
- Omdia expects pay TV & online video subscriptions to pass 3 billion in 2027
- SeaChange Advanced Advertising Platform selected by Armstrong and BEAM
- U.S. streaming video consumers becoming more price sensitive
- SES-22 to launch on June 29th


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The department said today the banks, which were not named, will be allowed to repay the money they received from the $700 billion Troubled Asset Relief Program created by Congress last October at the height of the financial crisis.
Investors set aside some of their worries about banks and the economy today after the government unveiled its methods for testing the health of banks. The Federal Reserve report was light on details, but didn’t bring any bad news. That cleared the way for a 119-point gain in the Dow Jones industrial average, leaving it down slightly for the week.
Stocks are ending higher as investors scoop up shares of consumer product makers and financial companies as signals grow that the economy could be slowly finding its footing.
, April 15, 2009
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Free-range eggs will finally have a national standard, giving consumers more food for thought when making their choice.ALEXANDRA BATHMAN June 24, 2014 3:20am
Dookie free-range egg farmer Jo Nelson said consumers would benefit from a national free-range egg standard.
Australia’s state and territory consumer affairs ministers recently agreed to introduce a legally enforceable standard for free-range eggs.
One local producer welcomed the news.
Free-range egg farmer Jo Nelson operates Good Lookin’ Googees at Dookie with her husband Dave and said the range of industry accreditation models created a range of different definitions for free-range.
‘‘If there is one set of rules the customer will know what product they are buying,’’ Mrs Nelson said.
‘‘The consumer makes their own decisions and the product makes a difference to them.’’
The existing framework applying to free-range eggs includes CSIRO’s Model Code for Welfare of Animals: Domestic and Poultry.
It defines free-range as a farm with a maximum of 1500 chickens per hectare — but only the ACT follows the model and it is not enforceable.
The only state to have a free-range standard is Queensland, allowing 1500 to 10
Good Lookin’ Googees farms 1500 Hy-Line chickens across 48
Mrs Nelson said a standard should consider whether chook sheds were movable or fixed as well as the number of chickens per hectare.
‘‘You need to move the chickens around otherwise you can end up with muddy paddocks because chooks just scratch all the time and that to me does not mean free-range,’’ Mrs Nelson said.
‘‘As long as they have grass, they are fine.’’
Mrs Nelson said the final standard needed to be fair across the industry.
She believed the current voluntary standard of 20
‘‘I would say 1500/ha would not be enough space but you’ve got to factor in the bigger farms,’’ Mrs Nelson said.
NSW Fair Trading commissioner Rob Stowe said the framework for a national standard would be revised early in 2015.
‘‘There is a need for co-ordination between industry, government and regulatory and non-regulatory agencies to develop a sound approach to clearer labelling requirements for egg producers,’’ Mr Stowe said.
In the meantime, how can you tell if you’ve bought a good free-range egg?
‘‘A free-range egg will have a thicker egg white,’’ Mrs Nelson said.
After months of speculation, Yarrawonga’s Alan Williams has been endorsed as the Labor candidate for Murray contesting the July 2 Federal Election.
Three Yarrawonga footballers have excelled at interleague level, representing the Ovens and Murray against Hampden in Warrnambool on Saturday.
The Aboriginal and wider community is mourning the death of revered Bangerang Aboriginal elder, Uncle John ‘‘Sandy’’ Atkinson.
Fletcher and Beau Harris might have only taken up go kart racing two years ago but they’re already showing the potential for future success.
CONSTRUCTION of Rochester’s gym is well into the swing of things, with concrete walls erected early last week.
Kyabram Football Club will host a family day next weekend.
Where there’s a Will, there’s a way
Berrigan Shire councillor Daryll Morris says he has been sickened by some of the vitriol and personal attacks to surface since the council’s proposal to redevelop Finley’s Memorial Hall and School of Arts site was revealed in October last year.
RENEWAL works have resumed on the Coliban Main Channel this month.
For most 10-year-olds, mischievous isn’t a word often found in their vocabulary, let alone having the ability to spell it correctly. But for Cobram Anglican Grammar Year 5 student Cadence Pang, it’s all in a day’s work.
Plans for the release of a carp herpes virus has captured the attention of international press.
Farmers from northern Victoria will join a protest rally over milk prices in Melbourne tomorrow, Wednesday.
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Best Buy’s Black Friday ad is live now and so are the savings if you want to get an early jump on that shopping list this year. Beginning today, hundreds of offers straight out of the Black Friday ad, including some of the hottest doorbusters, are available in stores and online. Shoppers who miss out this week will have another chance to get some of the hottest tech at the best prices starting Thanksgiving Day on BestBuy.com and when Best Buy stores open at 5 p.m. local time that day.
For those looking to get a jump start on the best brands, Best Buy is offering four days of early Black Friday offers, straight from the ad, starting now. These are limited-quantity items and rainchecks will not be available. Here are just some of the deals available now in stores and online through 11:59 p.m. CST on Saturday, Nov. 11, or until they sell out:
You can save save $125 on the popular iPad mini 4, and up to $250 on select MacBooks. There will be an LG 43-inch LED 4K Ultra HD Smart TV for $279 this year (Save $150), and a Dell Inspiron with Intel Core i5 Processor, 15.6-inch touch screen laptop for $359.99 (Save $170). You can also grab a Samsung Chromebook with Intel Celeron Processor for $99 (Save $80).
The KitchenAid Professional 500 Series Stand Mixer will be $199 (Save $300), and customers can save $220 on Beats Studio2 Wireless Headphones. Also in headphones, the Jaybird Freedom F5 SE-Black In-Ear Headphones will be available for $49 (Save $100).
Save $350 on Sony a6000 Mirrorless Camera with 16-50 mm lens (Plus, get a free SanDisk 32GB memory card and Sony camera case with purchase)
TVs, TVs and more TVs on Saturday, Nov. 11
Those with TVs on the top of their shopping lists don’t need to wait until Black Friday to score big discounts. This Saturday, Nov. 11, Best Buy will have as-good-as-Black Friday deals on top TV brands, including $420 in savings on a Vizio 70-inch 4K Ultra HD Smart TV. My Best Buy members will get a chance to grab some of the hottest deals in the Black Friday ad before anyone else. Early Access sales take place on Monday, Nov. 20, for Elite Plus and Elite members and on Tuesday, Nov. 21, for all My Best Buy members.
On Black Friday weekend, Best Buy will again have major deals on the brands and products customers want most this year. Some of Best Buy’s hottest Black Friday deals include:
Save $320 on Sharp 50-inch Class LED 4K Ultra HD Smart TV for $179.99, Only at Best Buy
Save $350 on Samsung 65-inch Class LED 4K Ultra HD Smart TV, Only at Best Buy
Save $19 on Google Home Mini, for $29.99 (Plus, get a free $10 Best Buy gift card)
Save up to $150 on iPad Pro, 10.5-inch
Save $300 on Samsung Galaxy Note8, S8 or S8+
Save $370 on Microsoft Surface Pro with Black Type Cover
Save $50 on GoPro HERO5 Black with Wi-Fi Remote
The doors open at 5 p.m. Thanksgiving Day
Nearly 1,000 Best Buy stores in 47 states will open once again at 5 p.m. local time on Thanksgiving, November 23, offering shoppers the chance to take advantage of thousands of Black Friday deals and doorbusters. Nearly all stores will remain open until 1 a.m. local time on Friday, Nov. 24, and re-open at 8 a.m. until 10 p.m. local time.


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Mastercard has agreed to buy Danish open banking technology outfit Aiia. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Aiia provides a direct connection through a single API to more than 2700 banks across Europe to its bank, fintech and payment firm clients. Mastercard stresses that Aiia has "expertise in providing safe and secure data access" that aligns with its own "data responsibility principles".
The deal compliments Mastercard's acquisition, last year, of American open banking player Finicity.
Specifically, the connectivity of Aiia in Europe will enable Mastercard to deliver the credit decisioning and credit scoring applications of Finicity to European clients. Meanwhile, the connectivity of Finicity in the US will help deliver the account information services and payment applications of Aiia to American clients.
Craig Vosburg, chief product officer, Mastercard, says: “The value of open banking comes through empowering consumers and businesses to use their own data to obtain financial services solutions simply, securely and quickly. The addition of Aiia anchors our European open banking efforts and allows us to continue to meet our customers where they are.
“As open banking continues to ignite innovation, we’re committed to providing a unique set of technology platforms, data connectivity and infrastructure combined with data privacy and security principles."


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KUALA LUMPUR: The latest variant of the Volkswagen Jetta Allstar and a special Volkswagen Beetle 60th Merdeka Edition were launched at the Setia City Convention Centre in Shah Alam yesterday, by Volkswagen Passenger Cars Malaysia (VPCM).
Unveiled in conjunction with the Volkswagen Fest 2017, the latest edition of the Volkswagen Jetta Allstar is fitted with exclusive accessories worth RM3,000, and include aluminium pedals, rear spoiler bumps, side plates, logos and “Allstar” carpets.
The price for the Jetta Allstar starts from RM109,990.
The Volkswagen Beetle 60th Merdeka Edition, created in honour of the nation's independence month, is decorated with a “60th Merdeka” sticker on the bonnet, which alludes to the iconic Herbie Beetle model.
Only 16 units of the special edition vehicle are being offered, at RM136,888. They are available in white and silver.
VPCM managing director Erik Winter said apart from the launch of the two models, the Volkswagen Fest 2017, which runs until Aug 13, is dedicated to creating a carnival-like atmosphere where visitors can experience Volkswagen's car models and be exposed to its latest promotions.
Special activities and offers, such as free vehicle checks, spare parts and labour discounts, and a showcase of classic Volkswagen cars such as the Beetle and the Kombi, also await visitors.


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Yes, yes. Titanfall already has online play, but this Nexon-released title is specifically an online game.
Titanfall Online was announced for Asia as a collaboration between EA, Respawn and Nexon. So no word on an international release.
It appears to be based more on the first game than its sequel.
Here is some gameplay footage:
As tipster Sang notes, Nexon is holding a “Frontier Test” for South Korean players, which will start on December 15 and run until December 21.
Kotaku East is your slice of Asian internet culture, bringing you the latest talking points from Japan, Korea, China and beyond. Tune in every morning from 4am to 8am.


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Fake news, deep fakes and fraud detection 2020 – addressing an epidemic
Online giants and regulators alike have taken up the fight against fake news and deep fakes. Simon Marchand says the answer has been on the tips of our tongues all along.
Since 2016 when the Macquarie Dictionary named ‘fake news’ as its word of the year, the spread of misinformation online has only increased. Technology has become more sophisticated, giving rise to the production of ‘deep fakes’ and synthetic voices.
It’s no wonder the Analysis and Policy Observatory’s (APO) 2019 ‘Digital News Report’ for Australia found that nearly two-thirds (62%) of the nation is concerned about what is real or fake on the internet ― above the global average.
The lack of consumer confidence in online content is a major threat to marketers, with their brands’ success firmly embedded in establishing a trustworthy and authentic reputation – consumers are far more likely to purchase from, stay loyal to and advocate for brands they trust.
Introduce deep fakes into the mix and you’re looking at a far more sophisticated threat to brand reputation that demands an ultra-modern response. Big tech organisations, government bodies and social media platforms are fighting back against fake news with new policies, technology, litigation and more. However there is an existing, under-utilised tool that could have a major impact if employed by marketers – voice biometrics technology.
Deep fakes – how tech is propelling the issue forward
Deep fakes are used in the context of broad propaganda campaigns, intended to influence the opinion of groups of individuals. On a large scale, this can potentially have a dramatic impact, such as heavily influencing the outcome of a political election. Consumers are continuously warned to be sceptical and afraid; we’re in the middle of a fake news epidemic. The technology used to create this content has become more realistic and accessible, so it’s easy to see why. Effectively, anyone with a computer, internet connectivity and a bit of free time, could produce a deep fake video or audio file. As AI becomes more sophisticated, it’s become increasingly hard to discern what is real or fake.
This is compounded by the increasing reliance on social media for news―the APO’s report found almost half of generation Z (47%) and one-third of generation Y (33%) use Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and other social channels as their main source of news. Blind trust in social media platforms is enabling fake news to spread to masses in record time.
The rise of social media and influencer marketing in recent years has put brands in an extremely vulnerable position. A convincing deep fake of a company’s CEO, brand’s celebrity or an influencer ambassador can be created with ease. If their visual image were manipulated to depict them or even the brand itself in a way that is false or offensive, this would pose a serious threat to modern-day marketers.
The threat-level heightens when you consider that debunking fake news takes time, and content published for that purpose typically receives less coverage than the original, false article. As a result, misinformation can have lasting effects, even once discredited – it is a phenomenon researchers across the globe are investigating.
How social media and tech companies are fighting back
As AI becomes increasingly refined, big tech is racing to keep up. Twitter has announced it will add labels to or remove tweets carrying manipulated content, while Facebook has partnered with Microsoft and academics to create the Deepfake Detection Challenge, which seeks to better detect when AI has been used to alter video.
Google recently released more than 3,000 visual deep fakes to help inform a FaceForensics benchmark that is combating manipulated videos. This follows its earlier release of a synthetic speech dataset.
These solutions are a work in progress, however. Voice biometrics technology – existing fraud detection tech – could have a major impact in marketing.
Voice biometrics to combat fake news
Banks, insurance providers and governments across the globe are already using voice biometrics as an easy and secure way to authenticate their customers, combat fraudulent activity and improve customer satisfaction.
A voiceprint includes more than 1000 unique physical and behavioural characteristics of a person, such as vocal tract length, nasal passage shape, pitch, cadence, accent and more. In fact, research shows it’s as unique to an individual as a fingerprint.
Where behaviours can be easily mimicked, physical voice characteristics cannot, thus preventing impersonators from ‘tricking’ the system. Voice biometrics could be monumental in verifying if a video or audio recording is legitimate, analysing if the voice is actually from the person the message claims to be, or has been manipulated, simulated, or created synthetically to create fake news stories.
The accuracy and speed with which voice biometrics can authenticate a person’s identity mean that harmful deep fakes be debunked with certainty – quickly mitigating the threat to a brand’s reputation.
Biometrics represent a new era of identity security, and given the dramatic influence fake news can have, combating deep fake videos and synthetic audio with voice biometrics is a natural progression for the technology.
Simon Marchand is chief fraud protection officer at Nuance Communications.


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The other day we reported that the Nexus 6P smartphones appear to be affected by an early shutoff bug in which the phone would die at around 30% battery, and the only way to get it operational again would be to plug it into a charger. For the most part it seems to have only affected the Nexus 6P, but now some Google Pixel owners are reporting similar issues.
Google’s Pixel smartphones are supposed to be the company’s latest and greatest smartphones. They are also expected to represent a new lineup of smartphones from the company that are no longer part of the Nexus family, but unfortunately it seems that the phones are presenting quite a bit of problems to its owners.
There are all kinds of things we take into consideration when choosing a new smartphone. Specs are of course important, along with its operating system, and the accompanying ecosystem. However there are also other things to factor in, such as repairability because sometimes you don’t want to have to end up spending a fortune to get a phone fixed.
As it stands, Verizon is the only carrier to officially offer Google’s new Pixel phones. However carriers like T-Mobile are encouraging Pixel owners to activate their phones on their networks and a couple of months ago, the carrier announced that they would give up to $325 in credit to customers who do so.
One of the new features that Google introduced to their Pixel handsets in Android 7.1.1 Nougat is the double-tap to wake function. This isn’t necessarily a new function, but it is new for Pixel phones. Basically in addition to lifting the handset to wake the phone, users can now just double tap on its screen to wake it up.
While some of us like to keep our phones on silent, others might prefer to let audio through, and sometimes they even set it at max volume so that they can be sure to hear it when alerts or phone calls come through. However in the case of Google’s Pixel smartphones, setting it at max audio levels can be problematic.
You know those Christmas sweaters that you seem to receive on a yearly basis from well-meaning relatives? It looks like those sweaters are now coming for your phone because it seems that Google’s pop-up store in NYC is handing them out for free to Google Pixel owners, where they can dress their phones up to match their outfit.
The Pixel is the first smartphone that’s “Made by Google” and it appears to be performing very well ever since it was released a couple of months ago. Google is selling this handset unlocked and off-contract via the Play Store but it has made it exclusive to Verizon in the United States. There’s nothing stopping someone from buying it from Google and using it on T-Mobile. Magenta has been taking […]
Do you think that you’re currently getting the best internet speed possible on your phone at the moment? If you think you are, think again because come 2017, it seems that Sprint will be unlocking a hidden feature in its flagship phones that will apparently help to boost their connection speeds.
Google Assistant is Google’s new voice assistant platform that has found its way into the Pixel handsets as well as Google Home. However for some reason, Google Assistant was never able to control the Nest Thermostat via the Pixel phones, even though it worked just fine if you were do it via Google Home. At least that’s until now.
You may remember that Google has made Pixel smartphones exclusive to Verizon in the United States in addition to selling the handsets unlocked and off-contract through its online store. Verizon today detailed a new software update for the Pixel and Pixel XL. It’s likely that the upcoming update for the Pixel on Verizon is Android 7.1.1. It may be a version number bump but it’s actually going to be a […]
If you are the owner of a Google Pixel or Pixel XL smartphone and you’re realizing that your camera seems to be freezing up more often than it should, you’re not alone because it seems that Google has acknowledged that this is a problem that they’re looking into, and hopefully we should be able to look forward to a fix in the near future.
Apple’s iPhone 7 is IP67 certified, meaning that to a certain extent, it is both water and dust resistant. Google’s Pixel phones, unfortunately, do not have the same protection rating. However if both phones do share one thing in common, is that neither of them have really been designed to withstand drops, or at least not specifically.
Google released its first “Made by Google” smartphones recently under the Pixel and Pixel XL brand. They effectively bury the Nexus lineup and mark the start of a new era in which Google itself manufactures and sells high-end Android devices. The handsets have done well so far and latest data shows that they performed spectacularly well on Black Friday.


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Elektra Records has announced the upcoming release of “THE A TEAM,” the hugely anticipated US debut from acclaimed British singer/songwriter Ed Sheeran. The EP — which includes the blockbuster UK hit single, “The A Team” — arrives at all DSPs on December 6th.
“THE A TEAM” will feature four extraordinary tracks, previously unreleased in the US. In addition, a special iTunes version of the EP will be available exclusively via the iTunes Store, augmented by the additional track, “Grade 8 (Live At The iTunes Festival London).”
“The A Team” proved an unqualified sensation upon its June release, debuting at #3 on the UK Singles Chart. The track spent 11 consecutive weeks in the Top 10, making history as 2011’s highest charting, biggest selling debut single. “The A Team” was soon followed by Sheeran’s full-length debut, “+,” which entered the charts at #1 with the highest opening sales figures for a debut artist ever. What’s more, the platinum-certified “+” entered the record books as the best selling debut album by a UK male artist in the last 10 years. “+” will be released in the U.S. via Elektra Records next year.


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SACRAMENTO — Backed by the state’s association of physicians, a state senator on Thursday introduced a bill that would make California the first state to require health warning labels be placed on sugar-sweetened drinks, including sodas, sports drinks and energy drinks.
The label would read: “State of California Safety Warning: Drinking beverages with added sugar(s) contributes to obesity, diabetes, and tooth decay.”
It would apply to any beverage that contains 75 calories or more per 12 ounces, and the bill would require the label be affixed to all bottles, cans, vending machines and self-service machines that dispense such beverages.
Sen. Bill Monning, D-Carmel, said there is “overwhelming scientific evidence” that sugar-sweetened beverages are the No. 1 contributor to what he called an obesity and diabetes crisis in California and the nation.
“It’s critical that consumers have a right to know about the unique health problems associated with these kind of beverages,” he said.
The proposal, SB 1000, is the latest in a series of steps proposed or implemented by government entities to call greater public attention to health issues associated with sugar-sweetened drinks. Two years ago, Monning proposed a 1 cent per ounce statewide tax on such beverages, but said political support for such a tax does not exist in the Legislature.
In response to the proposal, the state’s beverage-industry trade group, CalBev, issued a statement asserting that soft drinks are only a minor contributor to the caloric intake in American diets.
“We agree that obesity is a serious and complex issue,” the statement reads. “However, it is misleading to suggest that soft drink consumption is uniquely responsible for weight gain. In fact, only 4 percent of calories in the average American diet are derived directly from soda.”
Dr. Harold Goldstein, director of the Davis-based Center for Public Health Advocacy, said scientific studies have shown sugar-sweetened beverages are the leading source of added sugar in American diets. Because the drinks have no nutritional value, he noted, the calories consumed from such drinks do not replace calories provided by other foods.
“Liquid sugar gets absorbed into the bloodstream in less than 30 minutes, and gets converted into fat,” he said. “We humans simply didn’t evolve to drink liquid sugar.”
Goldstein, whose group has previously backed successful legislation that barred the sale of sodas and junk food at schools and required chain restaurants to include caloric information on menus, said the labeling proposal is based on “overwhelming and unimpeachable science.”
He noted the average American drinks 49 gallons of sugary drinks a year and two-thirds of California teenagers drink a soda or more each day. The label, he said, would promote educational efforts to increase awareness of the health risks.
“It tells the truth about soda and lets consumers decide for themselves what to drink,” he said.
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Will Post-Coronavirus America Blaze New Trails or Just Keep Hunkering Down?
A Commentary By Michael Barone
On my daily walk down a side street, I saw the restaurant with a diagonal cross made of adhesive tape on its sign. Gone was the notice that it would open for takeout; it looked to be closed for good.
Although I'm aware that most restaurants go out of business within a few years or even months, I felt a certain sadness. The owners and staff members lost their jobs and perhaps their dreams through no fault of their own and for reasons they couldn't have anticipated just a few weeks ago.
I'm guessing they'd like to go back to that time now, as most of us would. I have been thinking about this amid news reports that social isolation and other measures have made sufficient progress against the virus.
But we're not going back to that exact normal life we remember. Even if restrictions are relaxed, many people will likely be reluctant to do things that seemed normal before -- eating restaurant meals, fingering merchandise in clothing stores, attending mass events.
Governments' powers to control people's movements and restrict their behavior are, for good reasons, greatest in times of epidemics and wars. For that reason, many compare the limits and restrictions imposed in this and other countries with those during what some people still call "the war," World War II. The government shut down large parts of the economy, and people were prevented from buying most consumer goods.
But there is a big difference. In today's crisis, most people are confined to their home. In World War II, millions of Americans were moved across the country and around the world. The war got them to places they otherwise may never have seen. The novel coronavirus forces people to hunker down.
In both emergencies, people put up with restrictions and rules that would have been considered tyrannical in other circumstances, albeit there was a little more rule-breaking and regulation dodging than was usually mentioned during the war or later, and there is a certain amount of that today.
Government powers are maximized in wars and epidemics, even though government remains inefficient. During World War II, there were constant complaints about bottlenecks, shortages, black markets, wildcat strikes and price gouging. This year rigid bureaucracies at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration blocked production of workable coronavirus tests for precious weeks.
Politicians are attracted to policies designed to maintain the pre-pandemic economy, to let it spring back into existence after what is hoped to be a brief period. But actually, "we need for the economy to be very dynamic," economist Arnold Kling argues. "It's not just that we need less of some activities, such as serving good (sic) in restaurants. We need more of other activities, including manufacturing masks, delivering food, and making sure that electricity and Internet service are available and even ramped up, if necessary."
The economy proved to be unexpectedly dynamic after World War II. Almost every economist had predicted that after the government shut off heavy wartime spending, the economy would plunge back into a 1930s-style depression. Instead, something like the opposite happened: the flowering of a vibrant postwar prosperity that is looked back on lovingly by both liberals and conservatives.
High geographic mobility was an important ingredient in this. People used to being shunted around by the military started moving around the country on their own. Midwesterners moved to California; Southern blacks and mountain whites to northern cities; city dwellers to newly sprouting suburbs. In recent decades, analysts have lamented Americans' declining geographic mobility. But that decline may have just been a return to the norm after the extraordinary migrations set in motion by the war.
Geographic mobility also produced economic gains, which foundered after a generation but were then revived by deregulation of transportation and communications in the 1970s and 1980s -- repeal of 1930s New Deal policies that were intended to freeze the 1929 economy into place.
Government restrictions to combat the coronavirus may not end as crisply as those of World War II, but even if they do, it's not clear whether that would produce something like the effervescence of post-World War II prosperity. Not only are restaurants and hospitality industries unlikely to snap back but also, more importantly, it's not clear that people kept mostly in place indoors will be inspired to venture into new economic enterprises.
Sentimentally, Americans may want things to go back to where they were, but they will be better off if they let their imaginations run loose and not keep hunkering down.
Michael Barone is a senior political analyst for the Washington Examiner, resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and longtime co-author of The Almanac of American Politics.
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Middle aisle fans rejoice – supermarket Aldi is making a bid for ‘Specialbuys’ to be added to the Oxford English Dictionary after the iconic aisle has gained cult status with UK shoppers, thanks to its quirky range of top quality, affordable products – including everything from egg chairs to inflatable kayaks, fire pits to e-bikes and homeware to bedding.
Since 2008 – when the middle aisle was first introduced to the UK – an army of Specialbuyers has grown. They think nothing of setting their alarms for 4am on a Sunday to be the first to see the newly updated Specialbuys online page and get their hands on Aldi’s latest must-haves.
Owing to the ever-growing popularity of the Aisle of Aldi, the supermarket has applied for ‘Specialbuys’ to be added to the Oxford English Dictionary. And as part of its bid, Aldi has released new online sales figures which reveal where classic Specialbuys are the most popular across the UK:
|Specialbuy||Biggest UK online sales|
|Inflatable Spa Pool||Birmingham|
|Caravan Toilet Fluid||Chelmsford, Essex|
|Gym equipment||Guildford, Surrey|
|Valentine’s Day range||Manchester|
|Cycling range||Birkenhead, Merseyside|
While secrecy surrounds the latest haul of twice-weekly Specialbuys, social media is regularly full of predictions on what might be revealed next. Over the past 12 months, ‘Specialbuys’ has been mentioned 53.8K times on social media sites, resulting in it being seen by users a whopping 9.4 billion times on Twitter alone.
Julie Ashfield, Managing Director of Buying at Aldi UK, said: “Specialbuys have taken on a life of their own over the last 13 years – they’re beloved by shoppers and even have pages dedicated to them on social media!
“From garden furniture to pet gear, and kayaks to spa pools, the Specialbuys concept of amazing value products that you didn’t know you needed until you came across them has struck a chord with the British public. Being able to buy them online has also helped to boost their must-have status. The term Specialbuys is now part of the UK retail landscape, and we think it deserves official recognition in the Oxford English Dictionary.”
Notes to editors: Specialbuys online sales figures are dated 30.09.19 – 30.09.21, and do not include sales across Greater London.
Aldi has reported bumper bubbly sales so far this Summer thanks to soaring temperatures and Jubilee celebrations. The supermarket’s best-selling Castellore Prosecco Spumante DOC (£6.25, 75cl) saw its highest day of sales EVER in June, with an incredible one bottle flying off the shelf every second!
Aldi’s Specialbuys Summer Sale has just got even better with more products added, and now you can even shop the sale from your local middle aisle. Just popping in for a loaf of bread? Now you can also take bargain trampolines, tents and garden must-haves to the check out and make the most of savings with up to 50% off. Bargain hunters will need to be quick though, as with all Specialbuys once they’re gone, they’re gone.


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The television market in India has evolved over the years, but nothing more than what we have seen since the pandemic. Televisions are affordable, and many of you are choosing to go for smart TVs rather than the old LED ones. Screen resolution has exploded from full HD to 4K as technology has become more accessible, allowing more people to experience these features.
But the trend is not limited to brands like Xiaomi, Realme, Vu and OnePlus, old horses like Sony have been more active and have shown that they can go beyond the premium market with quality products in different price ranges. So, to understand how the company did this and what it thinks about the future of the TV business, we talked Sunil Nayyar, Managing Director at Sony India to get a closer look at the sector, the company’s product strategy and how it has met the changing needs of consumers in India.
News18 Tech (NT): Sony BRAVIA TVs are placed in the premium category, how has the range fared in the last few years?
Sunil Nayyar (SN): The increase in the consumption of OTT content during the pandemic has created a shift from the small screen to large televisions, which is clearly visible in all industry reports. OTT exclusive releases and the rapid rollout of digital have created a need for home cinema setups with large screen televisions.
To meet these needs, Sony BRAVIA has become the preferred choice for consumers because of the many industry-first technologies we offer. Proprietary technologies such as BRAVIA XR, Triluminos, and 3D surround sound, combined with industry technologies such as Dolby Vision Atmos, IMAX Enhanced and Netflix Calibrated are now household names.
The new Master Series OLED A95K offers greater efficiency with color brightness up to 200% compared to conventional OLED technology. Overall, our premium TVs have grown by more than 60% over the past two years and our premium OLED series and Full Array LED have contributed significantly to this success story.
NT: What do you think the television sector is getting with the slew of smart TV brands?
SN: With the expansion of OTT services and the increase in the number of Apps available on the television, consumers have a variety of choices with different smart televisions currently available in the market. In this world, Sony offers smart TVs equipped with the latest Google TV UI to not only ensure the latest functions but also provide a secure platform.
NT: Most TV brands these days are looking to develop their own TV software, so what is Sony’s plan for the TV platform?
SNAs mentioned earlier, the entire FY22 BRAVIA TV range is now optimized for the Google TV platform with the best UI and optimal content viewing experience. Using the Google TV platform, customers can not only enjoy the ease of use but also the security of the updated platform.
NT: Sony has its own software, why did you decide to switch to Google’s TV platform after all these years?
SN: While Sony software has technological advantages; From a customer experience perspective, Sony is partnering with Google to use their platform to provide consumers with the entertainment experience they are used to.
NT: Smart TVs run on Android like smartphones and need an update to protect the TVs, can Sony shed some light on its plan to update the existing Sony smart TV model?
SN: In accordance with Android/Google platform security standards, we will provide timely TV updates.
NT: What screen size do most Indian consumers prefer, and are they going for Full HD or 4K TVs?
SN: Since the pandemic, people spend more time at home and this situation has created a great need to improve and make the cinema at home experience leading to a definite change to the size of the screen especially 140 cm (55) and more models. . Technologically, consumers are moving from full HD TVs to 4K TVs as 4K content is readily available these days and with the latest movie releases acting as a catalyst for 4K TV demand.
NT: You started manufacturing TVs in India in 2015, what are the challenges of local manufacturing if any?
SN: All our BRAVIA TVs are now manufactured seamlessly in India.
Read it all Latest Technology News Right here


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Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) today revealed an official proposal for a merger between the American-Italian auto conglomerate and France's Groupe Renault.
The FCA pitch follows discussions in which both companies identified "products and geographies where they could collaborate" in a 50/50 partnership. FCA, which currently operates the Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram, Fiat and Alfa Romeo brands, says that the merged corporations would sell about 8.7 million vehicles globally every year.
But that number doesn't account for the Nissan and Mitsubishi brands, of which Groupe Renault is a part owner. Including those nameplates in the mix would boost the merged companies' global sales to more than 15 million annually.
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However, the FCA proposal positions the Japanese brands "purely as members of the alliance." FCA suggests those two would benefit financially, but would have little say in how the merged FCA/Renault would do business. An 11-member board would include four each from FCA and Renault, but just one from Nissan. FCA doesn't say who the remaining two board members would be.
According to Automotive News, Renault had wanted to form a tighter partnership with Nissan, but the Japanese company was resistant to giving up more of its independence. Automotive News suggests that if FCA and Renault go through with this deal, it could negatively impact Nissan's North American presence. The proposed merger follows the arrest of Nissan and Renault CEO Carlos Ghosn on charges of under-reporting his income and personal use of company assets.
It's now up to Renault to look at FCA's proposed terms and decide whether such a merger is the right move for the French company.


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Wayfair and its two cofounders have emerged as clear winners of the coronavirus pandemic, as buyers stuck inside and spending to upgrade their living spaces send revenue and shares soaring.
Revenue for the online home furnishings company was up 20% in the first quarter, driven by everything from office and playroom furniture to kitchen gadgets, as the company delivered 9.9 million items, compared with 8.2 million in the prior-year period. News of the results sent Wayfair shares up 25% on Tuesday morning, pushing it to a 85% year-to-date gain, compared with an 11% decline for the S&P 500.
The run has boosted the individual fortunes of cofounders Niraj Shah, 46, and Steve Conine, 47, to $2.1 billion. Each own 11.6 million shares, according to filings, and the value of those shares has risen to $1.9 billion from $700 million before the pandemic hit the U.S.
Wayfair, which has long relied on a formula of spending heavily in the pursuit of growth, remains unprofitable, and those losses wore on investors who sold off the stock and knocked the founder fortunes to below $1 billion.
Revenue soared 20% to $2.3 billion in the quarter, just shy of the $2.31 billion that analysts had projected, with the average order dropping $2 from a year ago to $235. Losses widened to $286 million from $200 million, but excluding one-time items, losses totaled $2.30 per share, below the $2.61 analysts expected.
Cofounder and CEO Niraj Shah said in a statement that Wayfair is “making significant strides toward profitability” by driving gross margin expansion, increasing marketing efficiencies and gaining leverage on operating expenses.
“Millions of new shoppers have discovered Wayfair while they shelter in place at home, and we are seeing strong acceleration in new and repeat customer orders across almost all classes of goods and across all regions,” Shah said.
Wayfair was started in 2002 in Conine’s spare bedroom. The two soon operated 250 websites selling everything from barstools to birdhouses and took the company public in 2014. Wayfair, which now offers more than 18 million products, brought in sales of $9.1 billion in 2019, which was up 35% from the previous year. It also recorded losses of about $1 billion.


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Rumors are in the air that Nokia shall be soon announcing a Windows 8 tablet followed by Nokia Lumia Phablet in September and November respectively. It is believed that if the anonymous email tip sent to Nokiapoweruser turns out to be true, we will definitely get to see these new gadgets soon.
Actually Nokiapoweruser’s source declares to get hold of Nokia’s product roadmap, but due to non-availability of any document or image, they cannot claim this with conviction. According to the tipster, the tablet could be either a Windows 8.1 or Windows RT tablet, although Nokia is inclined towards the previous as Nokia is not even sure itself of the Windows RT platform.
If we talk about the Nokia Lumia Phablet which is expected to possess a 6-inch screen, we believe that an announcement will take place sometime in the first week of November. The tipster also unveils the fact that dual SIM Lumias will hit the market in October, and besides this, Nokia will also be working on launching a new product every month from now onwards till December.
Obviously it is still just a rumor, so no point of any high expectations. Although, presuming that the roadmap might be correct, most probably Nokia will have a device in every category of the mobile market by the end of the year.


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Technology: Finding Love The Facebook Way
Love is definitely online and with technology more people are using the digital world to find love on dating websites, however, now with the growing popularity of social networks, the lonely hearts brigade is turning to a popular service called AreYouInterested.com; a dating application available on Facebook and Appleâs iPhone to find lurve. AreYouInterested.com is adding more than 50,000 users a day, according to New York-based parent SNAP Interactive Inc compared with Match.com new daily 20,000 users.
AreYouInterested.com is now the largest Facebook dating application with more than 13 million average monthly users, according to research firm AppData.com and it is hugely popular. Snap Chief Executive Officer Cliff Lerner says, âTraditional online dating companies donât have a large app presence like us. Our growth, as well as the growth of a couple competitors, has come out of nowhere.â AreYouInterested.com works as a piece of technology; a software application or app that users can load onto their Facebook page or iPhone, allowing people to click through photos of potential matches and exchange messages or virtual gifts of digital roses or teddy bears. One reason dating apps on Facebook are popular is that they give romance-seekers insight into potential partners through the social-networking siteâs existing information; which is key. As people who meet on AreYouInterested.com can become Facebook friends and learn about each other before they ever agree to an actual date. They typically can see another personâs Facebook posts and photos or videos of them and their friends.
Lerner says, âAs an app on Facebook, every user is legitimate. Before people go out with someone, they look them up on Facebook, they add them as a friend, and they see who their friends are. They get a better representation of the person, and it makes them more comfortable.â There are plans to expand the AreYouInterested.com brand beyond Facebook, using technology and placing it on mobile devices. Lerner says, âWe believe there are big growth opportunities around mobile as web usage continues to increase rapidly and there are exciting opportunities around location-based features for dating apps.
One online dater Adi, who refuses to give her last name for privacy reasons is a 26-year-old event planner in New York who says she joined a couple dating websites before she recently registered on AreYouInterested.com through the Facebook application. Adi tellingly says, âFor people in their 20s and 30s on Facebook dating is a big aspect of our lives, and a lot of people use Facebook as a dating thing anyway. Thereâs something to be said for a dating website thatâs linked in with the most popular social network. It makes it feel more real.â Adiâs comment is very insightful and reflects how integral Facebook has become in our lives; it is now playing cupid through its on-line presence and technology and probably a rich playground to find and fall in love.
Photo Credit: AreYouInterested.com


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For over a third of millennials, first comes home then comes marriage, according to a recent study.
A Redfin survey found that 38% of American millennials, or those between the ages of 18-34, said they either have or would put off a wedding in favor of buying a home.
While home price growth has moderated some in recent months, according to CoreLogic deputy chief economist Sam Khater, buying a new abode continues to get more expensive. Meanwhile, weddings have hit record highs in recent years in terms of cost. In 2014, the average cost of a wedding nationwide came to $29,858, according to TheKnot.com Real Weddings Survey.
For some couples, those two trends combined makes buying a home before walking the aisle seem like a sensible choice, but owning a home as an unmarried couple can be risky, especially since the relationship might not last. According to the Centers for Disease Control, 27.4% of unmarried, cohabitating couples end their relationship within three years.
Unlike a typical break-up situation for an unmarried couple, ending a co-ownership situation with a house can become a tricky endeavor, according to Seattle-based brokerage firm Redfin’s chief economist Nela Richardson.
“Breaking up is hard to do, but splitting financial assets makes it even harder, especially considering the fees and closing costs that are associated with buying and selling a home, which, if done too soon, can wipe out all the equity accumulated,” Richardson said in a Feb. 13 blog posttied to the online survey that polled 2,021 adults.


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WASHINGTON, D.C. — Trade using surface transportation between the Canada, the US and Mexico was 20.2% lower in September 2009 than in September 2008, dropping to $57.3 billion, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) of the US Department of Transportation.
However, BTS reported that the value of US surface transportation trade with Canada and Mexico rose 5.6% in August 2009 from September 2009.
The value of US surface transportation trade with Canada and Mexico in September was up 4.3% compared to September 2004, and up 32.1% compared to September 1999. Imports in September were up 27.2% compared to September 1999, while exports were up 38.4%.
US-Canada surface transportation trade totalled $34.8 billion in September, down 25.7% compared to September 2008. The value of imports carried by truck was 24.5% lower in September 2009 compared to September 2008, while the value of exports carried by truck was 15.1% lower during this period.
Michigan led all states in surface trade with Canada in September with $4.5 billion.
Truck News is Canada's leading trucking newspaper - news and information for trucking companies, owner/operators, truck drivers and logistics professionals working in the Canadian trucking industry. All posts by Truck News


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Google has announced version 2.0 of Google Maps for mobile, featuring a beta version of ‘My Location’, a new navigation service.
Unlike most navigation systems, My Location doesnâ€™t use GPS (global positioning satellite) technology. Instead it uses cell tower ID information to find a users approximate location.
My Location takes the information broadcast from cell towers and processes it with Google-developed algorithms to find the user’s approximate location on the map.
It is available on most smartphones including BlackBerry phones, the Symbian Series 60 3rd Edition range, most Windows Mobile devices, and some Sony Ericsson and Motorola phones.
My Location is said to work more quickly than GPS and can function indoors, which GPS is unable to do. It also takes less power from the phone’s battery.
The system should appeal to those who don’t have GPS enabled phones, and as Google estimates that GPS functionality is supported on fewer than 15 percent of the phones expected to be sold in 2007, there should be a pretty big market for it.


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Small-scale trials aid device and trial design
This article was originally published in Clinica
Studies of only a few patients at a single clinical centre can be crucial when developing a new medical device, but, contrary to the views of some, they must conform with regulation. And, if they are to attain their objectives, they need careful planning.
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Lannett will launch a further seven products in fiscal 2021, after launching four products recently in the first quarter of FY21. The company also plans to pay off its Term Loan ‘A’ in full, by the end of November 2020.
Pfizer has now received a formal European Commission approval for its Nyvepria biosimilar pegfilgrastim. The approval puts the firm in direct competition with several other versions of the Neulasta original.
AstraZeneca's research head admits that the half dose approach was a lucky mistake – but one that could boost the vaccine's effectiveness and supplies. The US regulator may not be persuaded, however.


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Samsung has released a new software update for the international Galaxy Note 9. The latest software update includes the November 2018 security patch, bug fixes, and minor improvements.
It has a small size with 65.79MB, and the software version N960FXXS2ARK3/N960FXXS2ARK2.
The November 2018 security patch, adds fix for 8 Samsung device’s Vulnerabilities and Exposures alongside bug fixes and system stability improvements.
You can check for the update by heading into Settings > Software Update or you can simply wait till it pops up in your notification bar.


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Watch maker Pebble has smashed through a US$500,000 crowdfunding target, raising nearly $16m in a matter of days to produce its new Pebble Time smart watch with a colour display. The device will connect to Smart Straps, interchangeable wristbands that can contain electronics and sensors that interface directly with apps running on the watch. “Now everything is possible — GPS, heart rate monitor, NFC, battery extension, you name it!” says the company.
- Square arrives in the UK
- Nordic banks roll out first mobile payment services with support for Dankort
- Boston Fed calls for clearer value proposition to encourage mobile payments
- Apple Pay to launch in Taiwan on March 29?
- Wells Fargo to add NFC mobile withdrawals to ATMs later this year


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Ottoedge bags branding & marketing mandate for AMO
AMO is an electric mobility solutions company. The agency will extend the brands presences in Digital, Print & Outdoor campaigns
Ottoedge, a full-service advertising and marketing agency based out of Mumbai, has bagged the branding and marketing mandate for AMO, an electric mobility solutions company. The agency will help with the branding exercise and the launch of AMO in the Indian market shortly.
Partnering with AMO right from the stages of conception of brand identity, Ottoedge has outlined the creative approach and formulated the brand’s strategy, the agency said in a statement.
The brand identity created reflects AMO’s positioning – Unstoppable Energy. Focusing on an integrated marketing strategy, Ottoedge has extended the brand’s presence to the digital medium as well. Other conventional media such as print and outdoor have also been optimally tapped to increase the reach, the statement mentioned.
Commenting on the development, Abhimanyu Sikarwar, Managing Partner, Ottoedge, said,” I’m truly delighted and very excited about the agency’s foray into the field of electric vehicles communication space. This has been an extremely interesting and challenging project to be part of and we truly value this partnership with AMO. The fact that it is a category first for us makes it even more vital to our growth as an agency.”
The team has delivered a great job in delivering the project well in time. Sushant Kumar, Director, AMO Mobility Solutions, mentioned.
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The SDSU Dairy Bar will reopen for business Monday. The facility will be open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday through Aug. 14.
When arriving, customers are encouraged to use the doors marked for entrance/exit, follow all signage and practice social distancing.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there will be a limited seating capacity of 25 customers. Customers are suggested to carry out purchases and to use cashless payment options.
The SDSU Dairy Bar will follow food preparation and service guidance set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the South Dakota Department of Health.


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WorthPlaying writes: ""Think Different" may have been an advertising slogan for Apple Computer, but it's just as apt when applied to Wii developers. Companies who try to do the same ol', same ol' and pump out ports have found Wii gamers to be a somewhat hostile crowd, but those who take the time to develop specifically for the Wii have been reaping the rewards. Perhaps the latest example of this is THQ's de Blob, an innovative bit of software that's a lot deeper than it looks.
Originally developed as a freeware PC title by students at the Utrecht School of the Arts in the Netherlands, de Blob has spent the last two years undergoing a transformation from student project to a full-fledged video game. And while it has changed a bit, it certainly hasn't lost its magic."