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Stop the CafePresses!
CafePress (NAS: PRSS) is printing something new today: stock certificates!
The one-off printing specialist went public this morning. The IPO priced at $19 last night -- above its projected range of $16 to $18 -- but that still wasn't enough. The stock opened at $21 shortly after today's opening bell.
CafePress offers users the ability to upload original designs that can then be turned into clothing, art, mugs, and other customizable items.
Shutterfly (NAS: SFLY) has been turning snapshots into personalized photo books and drinking mugs for ages. Stamps.com (NAS: STMP) lets creative shutterbugs turn their photos into postage stamps. Vistaprint (NAS: VPRT) offers companies easy access to custom-ordered business cards, rubber stamps, and bumper stickers.
Do investors need another on-demand print shop to consider adding to their portfolio?
Well, CafePress is different. Shutterfly, Stamps.com, and Vistaprint offer consumers solutions for one-off printing. CafePress offers creators cottage industries.
The real appeal to CafePress is that folks who upload their designs can then sell them.
Here is where the CafePress model gets both exciting and challenging.
There were 3 million virtual shops on CafePress.com when the year began. That's a lot of companies, stay-at-home parents, and other entrepreneurs warming up to the model, stocking CafePress with 320 million unique products. However, CafePress shipped just 7.8 million products last year.
Can a model really exist if the average store is selling fewer than three low-priced trinkets a year? Most businesses couldn't survive ringing up average sales of less than $60 a year, though this is largely a platform for hobbyists. More ambitious sellers hop on over to Etsy or rely on eBay (NAS: EBAY) through either the auction giant's namesake marketplace or its recently acquired GSI Commerce virtual storefronts.
It's a shame, because CafePress should be doing a lot better right now.
The viral nature of Facebook, blogs, and YouTube should be a rich playground of promotion. You would think that 3 million shop owners would be shouting -- or at least tweeting -- about their money-making creations.
Revenue climbed 37% to $175.5 million last year.
Last year Stamps.com, Shutterfly, and Vistaprint clocked in with revenue of $101.6 million, $473.3 million and $817 million, respectively, and that was without the benefit of 3 million supposedly financially motivated sellers.
Wake up, CafePress!
The good news is that the company -- which has been around since the dot-com bubble days -- is also profitable. Net margin may not be spectacular, but CafePress did see its bottom line grow 32% to $3.6 million last year. Based on the 17 million shares that are now outstanding, that would translate into roughly $0.21 a share.
Is CafePress really worth 100 times trailing earnings, as today's open seems to suggest?
It seems a bit rich, but the IPO itself should increase awareness of the company. Margins should also improve in the coming years, even if the cost-intensive nature of the business makes it more of a low-margin e-tailer than a scalable website operator.
Just don't dismiss CafePress. The moment the light bulb goes on and it's able to turn its army of 3 million largely passive shop owners into ambitious merchants, and its 15 million registered members become actual shoppers, that's when the CafePress news here will truly be worthy of stopping the presses.
Shiny and new
If you're into new things, there's a new report detailing the only stock you need to cash in on a new technology revolution. The report is free, but it won't be around forever, so check it out now.
At the time this article was published Motley Fool newsletter serviceshave recommended buying shares of eBay and Vistaprint; and writing puts on eBay. The Motley Fool has adisclosure policy. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe thatconsidering a diverse range of insightsmakes us better investors. Try any of our Foolish newsletter servicesfree for 30 days.Longtime Fool contributor Rick Munarriz calls them as he sees them. He does not own shares in any of the stocks in this story. Rick is also part of theRule Breakersnewsletter research team, seeking out tomorrow's ultimate growth stocks a day early.
Copyright © 1995 - 2012 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.


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EA today announced that it will be offering some of its biggest upcoming games for $39.99, including Black
, The Godfather
, and Fight Night Round 3
. This is essentially a pre-emptive move in the face of dwindling game sales. EA blames the current sales lag on the move to next-generation consoles. Allison and I blame poor sales on the fact that there are crappy games out there. If a game is excellent, people will pay $50 for it, no questions asked. By cutting the price on two of its biggest games, we feel that EA is basically admitting that these games aren't going to be good enough to merit a more expensive price. We'll be playing both Black
and The Godfather
when they come out, but I don't think Black
is my type of game. EA refers to it as "gun porn". Lovely.
Continue Article ↓

domain: news


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Coming from Long Beach, California, the Carnival Panorama cruise ship arrived in Puerto Vallarta’s Administración Portuaria Integral this morning, which represents a great advance in the gradual reactivation of this industry in our destination.
Its seven-day travel itinerary includes Puerto Vallarta as the first Mexican destination this ship visits since it set sail from California last Saturday, August 21st, 2021. Later, it will continue its journey to Mazatlán, Sinaloa.
This cruise ship has a capacity for 3,500 people, but due to official regulations its capacity was reduced to 70 percent (2,450 people).
According to the shipping company information, 98 percent of passengers are vaccinated against COVID-19, the rest being minors. As a strict health protocols, people should have presented a proof of vaccination, as well as negative PCR tests prior to boarding.
During the health emergency, the Government of Jalisco, in coordination with the three levels of government, provided support to the cruise segment to repatriate passengers and crew through humanitarian bridges in Puerto Vallarta.


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Canadian ATV maker going green
By Design Engineering staffGeneral Bombardier electric car Innovation
BRP to develop hybrid engine for Can-Am Spyder roadster
SHERBROOKE, QC – The Centre de technologies avancées (CTA)—a research facility partnership between the Universite de Sherbrooke and Ski-Doo snowmobile maker, Bombardier Recreational Products (BRP)—has received $11.3 million to develop hybrid engine technology for BRP’s Can-Am Spyder roadster. Over the next four years, CTA project will recieve $6.2 million from the Automotive Partnership Canada program and $5.1 million from BRP.
The project’s research team is led by Professor Alain Desrochers from the Universite de Sherbrooke’s Mechanical Engineering Department and includes about 30 people from the University and BRP. First launched in 2007, the Can-Am Spyder roadster features a Y-architecture (two wheels in front, one in back) but presents unique challenges, Desrochers said. Its compact size alone poses major challenges. Rather than modifying existing hybrid technology, the researchers will have to design an entirely new propulsion system.
“Creating a three-wheel vehicle, as opposed to a hybrid car, poses significant design challenges that require a very high degree of innovation,” said Desrochers. “These challenges include the lack of space to accommodate hybrid motorization, cooling problems, aerodynamics, vehicle weight, and noise. Everything must be studied and modified.”
Over the next four years the CTA will produce three generations of prototypes and their components. According to the CTA, any technological innovations will be potentially transferable to other types of vehicles and products.
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Since it was listed on Coinbase last Tuesday (03), the cryptocurrency Alchemy Pay (ACH) has already appreciated more than 1,000%, going from US$ 0.01 to US$ 0.1 on the morning of Friday (06). The reason for the rally, however, may not only center on the endorsement of the largest US cryptocurrency broker, but also on the company's recent partnership behind the asset with Binance. ACH is an Ethereum token and its role is to power Alchemy Pay, a platform that allows payments using a wide variety of fiat currencies and cryptocurrencies, ie it is a provider of hybrid payment solutions, including the point function to point (P2P). And that's how Binance Pay described the solution in a press release, also on the 3rd: “Binance Pay is a contactless, borderless and secure cryptocurrency payment feature between users in the Binance app”. At the time, Biannchi pointed out that its function allows users and merchants to send and receive payments without special fees with the support of fiat-cripto integration. “Users and merchants can choose their preferred options to pay and receive with more than 40 supported cryptocurrencies,” says the statement.
Cryptocurrency is up 1,000%
It is worth remembering that both Coinbase listing and Binance's partnership with Alchemy Pay were announced on the same day. In 24 hours from day 3, the ACH token jumped from $0.004 to $0.01—about 180%. From then onwards, amid corrections, but always reaching a higher price, the currency reached US$ 0.1 this Friday and at the time of the text it already exceeds US$ 0.15, which makes up about 170% in last 24 hours, according to CoinMarketCap data.


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Known as Veem Local Canada, this tool includes electronic fund transfers and gives Canadian businesses — Quebec included — an easy and comprehensive solution for payments between provinces and territories.
Features include no fund caps, payment workflow solutions, integrations with Quickbooks and Xero and free features that include invoice capture and a tiered approval flow.
“Today, businesses are still dealing with the nuisance of monthly subscriptions and per-use, per-transaction costs for domestic transactions from other payment platforms,” Veem said in a news release.
“Frustrating small business owners, this traditional process would force businesses to spend precious time reconciling and re-entering payment data into separate applications, while paying unnecessary fees to access necessary payment features. With Veem Local Canada, small and medium-sized businesses can now utilize a sophisticated online product to send, receive, and reconcile business payments within Canada.”
Veem launched Veem Local in March, a no-fee domestic payment product with ACH and check payment options for small businesses that include flexible pay-out options, 1099, integration with Quickbooks and Xero and optical character recognition.
With that launch undertaken, “we are thrilled to expand our new product offering to small and medium-sized businesses in Canada,” Marwan Forzley, CEO of Veem. “Veem is always looking for ways to provide more value to our users, and this is a natural next step for us.”
Veem’s announcement comes after a year in which small- and medium-sized businesses have found themselves forced to speed up their digital transformations.
Businesses have had to pivot and leverage their payment experiences to stand out in this environment, according to a recent PYMNTS report.


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Retail chiefs are calling on the Scottish Government to use next week’s Budget to help the struggling sector after new figures showed the number of shoppers visiting stores was down by almost a fifth.
Footfall was 19.8% lower in November than it had been in the same month in 2019 – with Scotland the worst hit of all the four nations of the UK.
Shopping centres were even worse off, with footfall down by more than a quarter (28%) over the same period, the Scottish Retail Consortium (SRC) said.
Meanwhile in Glasgow, a flagship city for many retailers, shopper numbers were down by 22.2% compared to November 2019 – the weakest performance of the eleven UK cities surveyed.
The slump in footfall in Scotland’s largest city could, in part, be linked to people avoiding the area during the recent Cop26 climate change summit, which attracted climate change protesters to the area, the SRC said.
With shopper numbers “languishing”, SRC director David Lonsdale urged the Scottish Government to give the sector a Budget boost next week.
Stores in Northern Ireland have seen a “demonstratable uplift” thanks to a government voucher scheme where people were given a £100 card to spend in local “bricks and mortar” stores.
With the Scottish Government having scrapped business rates for the retail sector in 2020-21, Mr Lonsdale also called on ministers to “blunt” any restoration of the charges in the December 9 Budget.
Speaking after the latest SRC-Sensormatic IQ footfall data was published, Mr Lonsdale said: “Visits to Scottish stores dwindled last month when contrasted with the same period prior to the pandemic.
“This was the weakest performance in four months, disappointing retailers who were hoping for a lift during what is traditionally the second busiest trading month of the year.”
He continued: “Shopper visits were down a fifth on the comparable period two years ago, with Scotland again languishing behind every part of the UK other than London.
“Footfall shrivelled across all retail destinations, with the dip in Glasgow more pronounced and the weakest in five months.
“Indeed, Glasgow recorded the weakest performance of the eleven UK cities surveyed, which bore out anecdotal reports from some retailers about the adverse short-term impact on footfall from the transport restrictions and demonstrations associated with hosting Cop26.
“The recent spike in the cost of living has also weighed on household finances.”
Mr Lonsdale said that these “dreich figures are profoundly worrying and come during what could be a make-or-break festive trading period for some firms”.
He noted: “Scots retailers have looked on with increasing envy at their Northern Ireland counterparts who have seen a demonstrable uplift from the introduction there of a high street voucher scheme, which has boosted takings by a reported £100 million in recent weeks.
“Next week’s Scottish Budget needs to supercharge the engine of growth and support the sector over the coming months.
“It’s why the industry is asking for measures to boost consumer sentiment and to blunt the full 100% reinstatement of business rates early next year for all retail premises.”
Andy Sumpter, retail consultant for Sensormatic Solutions, said: “Usually, in November we’d expect to see a boost to the high street due to Black Friday, which traditionally marks the start of Christmas spending.
“However, whilst we saw footfall rise by a third (+35%) week-on-week, shopper numbers on Black Friday were still down on pre-pandemic levels by about a fifth.”
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A new chip under development by IBM Corp. and the University of Texas at Austin might produce supercomputer-like performance reaching one trillion operations per second by the end of the decade, IBM said Thursday.
The new TRIPS (tera-op reliable intelligently-adaptive processing system) architecture developed by researchers uses a technique called block-oriented execution. This allows the chip to process large chunks of information in parallel, rather than waiting for a sequence of instructions to finish before taking on the next batch.
The joint project will attempt to develop a processor with the TRIPS architecture and up to four processor cores, IBM said. That chip is expected to contain 250 million transistors, and run at 500MHz, the Armonk, New York, company said.
Multicore designs are the future of supercomputer and server processors. IBM’s Power4 already incorporates a dual-core design, and Sun Microsystems Inc., Intel Corp. and Hewlett-Packard Co. are planning multicore processors.
The group hopes to show that a processor with the TRIPS architecture can scale up to a 10GHz, which would reach the one trillion operations per second goal. Modern supercomputers can process several trillion operations per second, but require hundreds or thousands of processors to reach those numbers.
Professors at the University of Texas hope to develop prototype chips by the end of 2005, and IBM Microelectronics is expected to take over volume production once the chips are ready, IBM said.


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We examine, debunk, and reframe Bloody's many claims about the B188 8 Light Strike keyboard and its optical switches.
And then there were three--mechanical keyboards, that is--in HyperX’s growing lineup. The company has added the Alloy FPS Pro and the Alloy Elite.
The long waitlist for the Input Club's WhiteFox keyboard is being addressed, as a new production run of the plank begins.
Cooler Master is working hard to distinguish itself and its products in today’s market, and it's trying to serve enthusiasts.
Even though the major motherboard OEMs (except Asrock) have gaming keyboards, they seem to be putting almost no resources into marketing them.
It's not just Adomax that's teasing mechanical laptop keyboard designs; iOne had one on display at Computex that appears to be even thinner.
There are four new Alienware peripherals--two mice and two keyboards--but, curiously, there are few details available about any of them.
Thermaltake loves cooling, and it loves RGB lighting, so at its booth on the Computex show floor, the company crammed as many of its RGB-lit cooling products as possible into one showcase.
Patriot entered the gaming peripherals market last year with a keyboard, mouse, and headset. It’s now added two more keyboards to the pile.
The slew of new thin and light gaming notebooks from the likes of Acer, Asus, Gigabyte, and MSI had much in common with one another, but only Acer and MSI saw fit to include mechanical keyboards.
This year at Computex, the switch maker significantly expanded those offerings to include three more separate low-profile switch series.
Not to sound like an ad slogan, but if you liked the iconic IBM/Lenovo laptop trackball-and-touchpad combo, you’ll love the Yoda II mechanical keyboard.
Hot on the heels of the official announcement about the forthcoming “Always Connected” Qualcomm Snapdragon 835-based Windows 10 laptops, Intel made its own “Always On” PC announcement.
Windows 10 laptops built on ARM chips are nigh; Asus, HP, and Lenovo have all pledged to build notebooks based on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 SoC. But we've heard all this before, haven't we?
Acer debuted a new Predator-branded gaming laptop called the Triton 700, an ultra-thin notebook that leverages Nvidia’s Max-Q Design and sports a programmable mechanical keyboard.
It’s rare indeed to find a mechanical switch keyboard that pledges to keep moisture at bay, so Corsair is in relatively exclusive company with its K68.


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Breaking a seven-session losing streak, stocks finished with modest gains on Wednesday as investors digested a flood of fresh quarterly earnings reports from America's biggest companies. The Dow Jones Industrial Average(DJINDICES: ^DJI) and the S&P 500 (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC)each rose by less than 0.5%:
Continue Reading Below
Today's stock market:
Source: Yahoo Finance.
Individual stocks on the move included Fitbit (NYSE: FIT) and Kate Spade (NYSE: KATE), which posted large swings as investors reacted to their latest quarterly operating results.
Fitbit sells more devices
Wearable fitness tracking device leader Fitbit enjoyed a 14% jump following quarterly results that showed strong demand for its latest product innovations. Popular Blaze, Charge HR, and Alta devices helped the company log 42% higher revenue as it sold nearly 6 million devices, compared to 5 million in the prior quarter.
Image source: Getty Images.
The accelerated growth pace showed that rising competition isn't hurting Fitbit's business as much as many investors feared. It also convinced management that the company will have no problem hitting its full-year forecast. "Against a backdrop of a growing worldwide opportunity for our products, we remain confident in our guidance for the year" that calls for roughly $2.6 billion of sales, CEO James Park said in a press release.
The Q2 report contained warning signs for investors, though. Fitbit's gross margin sank lower by 5 percentage points to 42% of sales. Other costs spiked as well, especially on research and development. Executives said the margin dip wasn't a result of price cuts, but was instead driven by an increase in warranty reserves for older products. That's why shareholders will want to see gross margin climb back up to near 50% next quarter.
Meanwhile, Fitbit's future continues to depend on the popularity of just a few product introductions. Its Blaze and Alta devices, launched last year, already account for more than half of the business. For the stock to sustain its growth, executives will have to follow that success up with more rounds of hit product releases.
Kate Spade lowers its growth outlook
Clothing and accessory specialist Kate Spade saw its stock slump after posting surprisingly weak second-quarter results. Comparable-store sales growth was just 4% in Q2, marking a sharp decline from the prior quarter's 19% pace. Management said the weak result was driven by an unfavorable shift in the retailing industry that was exacerbated by a strong dollar, making it more expensive for tourists to shop in the U.S. "Several factors contributed to our second quarter results falling short of our expectations," CEO Craig Leavitt said in a press release, "the most impactful of which are the retail landscape and continuing tourist headwinds."
Image source: Kate Spade.
The good news is that profitability held steady despite the growth slowdown. Kate Spade also managed to bring its expenses down significantly from the prior year. As a result, operating profit more than doubled to $25 million. Leavitt and his executive team believe they can make even more progress in bringing down costs, which should power "robust margin expansion" this year and beyond, according to Chief Operating Office George Carrara.
Still, the weakening customer traffic trend in the industry is likely to persist, and so Kate Spade lowered its full-year growth outlook. The retailer now sees comps growth of 10% at the midpoint of guidance, compared to the 14% it projected in early May. Earnings will weigh in at $0.68 per share rather than the $0.75 per share it initially forecast. Investors accounted for that weaker sales and profit growth outlook by marking shares down on Wednesday.
A secret billion-dollar stock opportunity The world's biggest tech company forgot to show you something, but a few Wall Street analysts and the Fool didn't miss a beat: There's a small company that's powering their brand-new gadgets and the coming revolution in technology. And we think its stock price has nearly unlimited room to run for early in-the-know investors! To be one of them, just click here.
Demitrios Kalogeropoulos has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Fitbit. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.


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Tesla’s Grand Plans for SolarCity Burn a Key Israeli Solar Tech Firm
Pity the inverter makers.
Tesla Motors Inc. is buying SolarCity Corp., and that’s bad news for some suppliers of the biggest U.S. rooftop solar installer. Case in point: SolarEdge Technologies Inc., an Israeli company that provides a key component of solar systems, is going to lose out.
Tesla Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk likes to do things his own way, and making power inverters won't be an exception. Responsible for 10 percent of the total cost of installed rooftop solar, inverters convert direct-current electricity from solar panels and batteries into alternating current for homes and vehicles. During a call with investors on Wednesday, Musk revealed plans to build his own, which will be integrated with home batteries and rooftop solar systems. No more SolarEdge inverters.
SolarEdge shares fell as much as 6.9 percent on Thursday morning before making up about half that by midday. The shares have tumbled more than 22 percent since Musk first disclosed his interest in SolarCity on June 21.
The move by Musk, 45, shouldn’t have come as a huge surprise, as Tesla already produces inverters for use in its electric cars. But the CEO served up a harsh reminder on Wednesday’s earnings call:
"There's no question Tesla's going to do integrated inverter. It's the logical thing to do. I think we've got the most advanced inverter engineering team in the world, and so it makes sense to, just as we do the inverters on vehicles, to do it with solar as well and have it in a very tight package at a cents-per-watt level that is I think probably twice as good as anyone else. I think maybe better than that."
—Elon Musk, Chairman of Tesla and SolarCity
SolarEdge officials didn't immediately return calls or e-mails seeking comment.
Musk has dropped a trail of hints that he's been thinking inverters for a long time. Even as far back as May 2014, when he first described the battery pack for the home that was later named the Powerwall, he said: "Coming just five inches off the wall, a beautiful cover, integrated bidirectional inverter, and it’s just plug and play.”
Then, just two weeks ago, at a public unveiling of his battery Gigafactory near Reno, Nev., he used inverter engineering as an example of how Tesla is approaching a new era of precision manufacturing. Musk said he's learned to put some of his most creative engineers to the task of building a more efficient factory. Instead of trying to design a slightly more efficient power inverter, he said, an engineer is better off focusing on making a more efficient machine to build it. "They can make five times as much headway per hour than if they work on the product itself," Musk said.
—With assistance from Dana Hull in San Francisco.
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“The ROI and regulations are what everybody is focused on. And for good reason, because if that regulation isn’t where somebody wants or needs it to be, then that’s going to stop their adoption or moving forward with the technology. And if the ROI isn’t there, likewise it can just fall flat on so many levels.”
This Week’s Key Question
“What’s on tap for this year’s Commercial UAV Expo?”
This Week’s Guest
Jeremiah Karpowicz is Editorial Director of the Commercial UAV News, a leading source of news, insight and analysis for the commercial drone market. The Commercial UAV News focuses on the use of drone technology in the heavy commercial sectors, such as surveying & mapping, civil infrastructure, power & utilities, mining, construction, emergency response and precision agriculture.
At the Commercial UAV News, Jeremiah has spent over a decade cultivating communities of all different types, both in-person and online. He has created articles, videos, newsletters, ebooks and much more for these communities as a contributor and editor. He has also shaped and defined various conference programs. Today, Jeremiah is focused on defining what it means to take the engagement that happens in both the physical and digital worlds to the next level.
Each year, the Commercial UAV News presents the Commercial UAV News, a leading international trade show and conference focusing on the integration and operation of commercial UAS. The Expo showcases the world’s leading commercial UAS technology from vendors from around the globe. After two years apart, more than 130 exhibitors and 1,955 drone professionals reconvened in person in 2021 to learn, connect, and drive the industry forward.
This year’s Commercial UAV Expo will be held on September 6-8 at Caesars Forum in Las Vegas.
What We Learn
Jeremiah shares details on this year’s Commercial UAV Expo and his thoughts on the commercial drone industry.
- 04:03 Opening. Introduction to Jeremiah Karpowicz as the Editorial Director of the Commercial UAV News
- 04:33 Big Stories. In Jeremiah’s opinion, the biggest story in the last year was Covid-19 and how it showed the importance of remote operations. Drone delivery really benefited from the restrictions associated with the pandemic.
- 06:58 The Commercial UAV Expo. The UAV Expo will be held on September 6-8 in Las Vegas and will focus on the industrial and enterprise applications. The dull, dirty or dangerous tasks and what it means to perform those tasks.
- 08:30 The Numbers. In 2019, the expo attracted more than 3,000 attendees. Goal is to surpass this number. There are more than 215 exhibitors committed so far.
- 09:50 Origin of the Expo. Jeremiah traces the UAV Expo back to the SPAR 3D conference which focused on mapping and surveying.
- 10:56 Themes and Highlights. Drone delivery and progress in the verticals are the major themes. There will be a Drone Visionary session, a Construction Session and a variety of ways for attendees to connect with each other. There will be keynotes, individual sessions, panel sessions and roundtable discussions.
- 14:00 Keynote Speakers. Keller Rinaudo (Zipline), Jay Merkle (FAA), Dallas Brooks (Wing) Jim O’Sullivan (Matternat), Lisa Ellman (Commercial Drone Alliance and Hogan Lovells) and Tom Walker (DroneUp).
- 16:14 Networking. Jeremiah talks about the various networking opportunities and the value of networking at the UAV Expo
- 18:21 Industry Trends. The ROI and regulation is what people are focused on. In the early days, the ROI was not there. But today, there are many examples where drones are providing value.
- 21:41 Advice to Attendees. Jeremiah offers tips for attendees to maximize the value of the show – do some research going into the event, look through the exhibitor list, connect via LinkedIn before the event, and other ideas. Think about what your next step is and how the event can advance you forward.
- 24:34 Closing. Jeremiah’s provides a final message on the drone industry.


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Botox in a bottle: The £125 moisturiser that promises to freeze time... by mimicking the paralysing effects of snake venom
Viper's venom: Rodical's Glamoxy snake serum will be available to buy in stores next week
Its makers claim it can be applied twice a day, is 100 per cent safe and is said to be used by stars such as Cheryl Cole, Kate Moss and Victoria Beckham.
And now, consumers will be rushing to get their hands on Glamoxy Snake Serum.
Dubbed 'Botox in a bottle', the cream freezes muscles by mimicking the effect of a viper's venom and is set to hit stores next week.
Rodial's Glamoxy Snake Serum contains Syn-Ake, a neuropeptide that copies the effect the South-East Asian Temple Viper's venom has on its victims.
Trials showed that after just 90 seconds wrinkles are less noticeable - with a 52 per cent reduction within 28 days.
Katie Holmes, Yasmin Le Bon, Bella Freud and Naomi Campbell are also said to be big fans.
UK advance orders already top 100,000 and demand is set to be incredibly high when it hits shops SpaceNK, Harrods, Harvey Nichols and Selfridges.
Yesterday Rodial's president Maria Hatzistefanis said: 'After two years of research and development to find the ultimate muscle freezer, I am very excited to be launching the Glamoxy Snake Serum.
'There is no other product in the market right now with such amazing and instant results, it's simply the best.
'Glamoxy is far safer then botox because Syn-ake is a small neuropeptide that mimics the effect of a temple viper snake, and it is not invasive like a botox injection.
Elixir of youth? Cheryl Cole, Kate Moss and Victoria Beckham are said to be fans of the non-invasive face cream
'One to two pumps a day will last on the skin for eight hours if applied twice a day, morning and evening under your moisturiser.'
What's your poison? The temple viper is a venomous pit viper species native to southeast Asia
Snake Serum promises instantly visible results thanks to Syn-ake, an advanced neuropeptide.
Syn-ake provides a mild freeze-like effect which reduces visible facial contractions.
At the same time tiny bubbles work to fill lines instantly while a ground-breaking oxygen carrier called Fiflow BTX boosts glow and radiance with a 3D plumping effect.
By carrying oxygen into the skin Fiflow BTX encourages cell respiration, increases epidermal volume to provide instant plumping and revitalises the skin.
It also works in synergy with a molecule named Dipeptide to reduce contraction of nerves within muscle cells.
At the same time a substance called Proturon helps moisturise and rehydrate the skin.
Real snake venom works by stunning and paralysing the prey.
Glamoxy Snake Serum comes in a 25ml bottle, will cost £125 and is also available at www.rodial.co.uk
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The former Valley Bowl on Pershing Drive could be reborn as an Aldi supermarket and a Panera Bread, Derby Mayor Anthony Staffieri said Tuesday.
The mayor’s comments came after the Derby Planning and Zoning Commission formally accepted development plans from the property’s owner, Pershing Partners, LLC.
See the video for more comments from the mayor.
State records show the principal in Pershing Partners is Jerry Nocerino, of Nocerino Construction in New Haven.
Accepting the plans is the first step in the Planning and Zoning Commission’s review, so it’s too early to talk about when construction could begin — assuming it wins necessary approvals.
A detailed review could kickoff March 26.
The plans submitted did not name the tenants, but Staffieri told the Valley Indy Panera and Aldi are definite.
He said two other leases are being finalized at the location. One is a bank, Staffieri said.
The Panera Bread would include drive-thru service, according to the mayor. The popular cafe has started rolling our drive-thru windows at new locations for about a year. A Wethersfield location opened with a drive-thru in April.
Panera Bread Co. is based in St. Louis. It has a cafe on Bridgeport Avenue in Shelton, about 6 miles from Pershing Drive. The Derby cafe would be one of hundreds of restaurants the chain hopes to open in 2013.
The company just reported a 34 percent increase in profit in the fourth quarter compared to last year.
A message seeking comment from Panera Bread was e-mailed to the company Wednesday morning.
Aldi is a discount grocery store with more than 1,000 locations in 31 states.
The German-based company is usually described as “no frills” in media reports. Customers rent carts for 25 cents and prices are usually less expensive than other grocery stores.
Aldi spokespeople told the Valley Indy several times in 2012 they didn’t have firm plans to open in Derby. They didn’t respond to another inquiry placed in December.
Gabby Brewer, a spokeswoman for the company, sent the Valley Indy an e-mail Thursday saying the company has “no defined plans for a store at this time.”
“Thank you for your inquiry about a possible ALDI in Derby, CT. As we’ve shared with you previously, we feel Derby is a viable market for ALDI; however, there are no defined plans for a store at this time,” Brewer said in an e-mail. “If that changes and plans develop for an ALDI in Derby, we will certainly update you.”
The Valley Bowl, a staple of family entertainment for decades, went out of business in July 2010. It was demolished in July 2012 — much to the dismay of the men who once bowled there and were hired to bring the building down.
The Valley Bowl redevelopment dovetails with the redevelopment of Red Raider Plaza next door on Pershing Drive. Formerly home to Xpect Discounts, the city’s Planning and Zoning Commission approved a plan last March that will see the shopping center reconfigured and redeveloped.
A Walgreen’s Pharmacy will be among the new stores. Walgreen’s owns the property.
A lawsuit over traffic flow within the shopping center filed by the owners of the ShopRite Plaza across the street was resolved in November. It’s unclear when the Walgreen’s redevelopment project will kick off.
“It’s awesome,” Staffieri said of the Panera Bread/Aldi’s development. “And then with the other project right next door (in Red Raider Plaza), that whole shopping center is going to be reconfigured.”


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Vizio Inc of the US, which topped LCD TV sales in the third quarter of 2003, is now drawing interest when it comes to forecasting the future of the FPD TV market.
In a forum titled "How to win the price war: Forecasts for the FPD industry" (session code A-3) at FPD International 2007, all three analysts in the session referred to Vizio and revealed their analyses of the company's future strategy and its impact on other TV manufacturers. In their analyses, they indicated risks that could be the company's Achilles heel when it expands its business.
Yasuo Nakane, director analyst of Equity Research at Deutsche Securities Inc., predicted that Vizio's business would continue to grow in 2008. He did, however, cite four business risks facing Vizio now.
They are (1) the possibility that the company may run short of panels if demand strengthens, (2) a heavy dependency on external companies in many areas including development and manufacturing, (3) patent-related issues such as Funai Electric Co Ltd's lawsuit against Vizio and (4) after-care service being outsourced to external companies.
Above all, the risk of panel procurement is concerned in particular. Vizio is currently supplied LCD panels by LG. Philips LCD Co Ltd of Korea and other companies. A large portion of Vizio's products is 40-inch and larger screen models that major TV manufacturers are marketing as their mainstay.
As long as panels are abundantly supplied, it is easy for Vizio to procure them. If demand strengthens, however, panel suppliers might find it difficult to sell their panels to Vizio, which impacts the business of major TV manufacturers that are better customers for panel manufacturers.
Regarding this matter, Masahiko Ishino, senior analyst, research service, equity research, Mitsubishi UFJ Securities Co Ltd, pointed out, "A significant amount of money is required to purchase a large number of LCD panels. When raising funds for such a purchase, however, banks don't loan money to LCD TV manufacturers as they know that the LCD TV business isn't very profitable and could even result in a loss."
Nakane suggested, "Vizio may suddenly shift its mainstay products to PDP TVs" if wholesale retailers like Costco and Wal-Mart attempt to sell Vizio products in immense quantities.
Vizio reportedly plans to enter the European markets as early as 2008. The company's business expansion relies on whether or not it can establish a structure to stabilize its provision of more products than before.


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Celebrity chef Mario Batali has done some controversial things over the years, some of them humorous (wearing shorts in all seasons), others not so much (comparing bankers to Stalin and Hitler). But his thoughts on how much easier it was to get into the business twenty years ago aren't likely to count as a faux pas -- fashion or otherwise.
Back then, you didn't have to have "a rich daddy or an investor," he said, adding that "it's sad to watch the cost of business push the real individualist entrepreneurs out of the game." Thankfully, his remarks -- played along with those from actors, athletes and other personalities on 5,000 Manhattan pay phones as part of an ad campaign for an exhibit on life in New York in 1993 -- are less true in Denver today than they are on the other side of the Hudson River. And Iain Chisholm, chef-owner of Amerigo Delicatus Restaurant & Market, which opened last summer in the Ballpark neighborhood, is proof of that. Hungry to know more? Read Gretchen Kurtz's complete review of Amerigo Delicatus here.
We Believe Local Journalism is Critical to the Life of a City
Engaging with our readers is essential to Westword's mission. Make a financial contribution or sign up for a newsletter, and help us keep telling Denver's stories with no paywalls.


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The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission has increased electricity tariffs, while removing fixed charges for all consumers.
The new tariffs were approved Sunday. Henceforth, all electricity distribution companies are not to bill customers the fixed charge component, starting from the customers’ next round of billing, the regulator directed.
Fixed electricity charge is a component of the tariff consumers are made to pay monthly, separate from what they actually consume.
The controversial N750 fixed charge nationwide had generated intense controversy among consumers who described it as illegal.
The chairman of NERC, Sam Amadi, said that under the new tariff regime, electricity consumers would only pay for what they consume from month to month.
Mr. Amadi said the removal of the fixed charge component was in compliance with consumers’ demand for a just and fair pricing of electricity in the country.
“NERC had promised to address all the complaints against fixed charges through a regulatory process that promotes investments in the electricity industry without unfairly burdening electricity consumers. This is in line with NERC’s mandate to be fair in all its regulatory interventions”, he said.
Some customers will however pay more for electricity under the new regime of charges. The NERC chairman said the objective of the new tariff was to “enable prudent consumers to save money on electricity bill as they can now control their consumption and not pay monthly fixed charges”.
The new rates show that residential consumers in houses, flats or residences with electricity lifeline of 50 kWh, classified as R1, would not be affected, as they would continue to pay N4 kWh for unit of electricity consumed.
However, residential customers, who use single and three-phase meters in the houses and residences and are classified R2 under the area covered by Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC), will now pay N23.51kWh against the old rate of N13.91 kWh.
They will not pay the N702 fixed charge again. AEDC covers Niger, Kogi and Nasarawa states and the Federal Capital Territory.
Equally, their counterparts in Eko and Ikeja electricity distribution areas will no longer pay N750 fixed charges, but will pay N10 kWh and N8 kWh more respectively in their energy charges.
Consumers in the two zones, consisting residents in southern part of Lagos state and Agbara in Ogun state as well as northern segment of Lagos State are currently paying N12.87kWh and N13.61 kWh respectively.
Electricity consumers in Kaduna and Benin electricity areas will no longer pay N800 and N750 fixed charges, but will pay N11.05 kWh and N9.26 kWh more, respectively.
Their current charges are N16.90 kWh and N12.54 kWh.
Kaduna and Benin zones comprise Kebbi, Kaduna and Zamfara, Edo, Ekiti, Ondo & Delta states.
Commercial consumers in Ibadan and Enugu who use their residences as factory for manufacturing goods and classified as C2, with maximum demand consumption capacity, will no longer pay fixed charges of N17,010 and N22,141. But, their energy charges will increase by N12.08 kWh and N13.35 kWh respectively.
They currently pay N25.18 kWh and N24.01 kWh respectively. Details of all charges covering all regions would be available by Tuesday, the commission said.
Mr. Amadi said the new tariff regime is coming with renewed commitments by the electricity distribution companies (DISCOs) to rapidly improve the quantity and quality of electricity supply in their areas of operation as contained in service agreements.
The tariff order, NERC stated, would encourage the DISCOs to develop new sources of supply within their franchises to increase the quantity and quality of supply to target customers on a willing buyer willing seller basis.
These measures, he said, was necessary to improve electricity supply across Nigeria and ensure that the DISCOs increased investment to ensure reliable and uninterrupted electricity supply in the country.
“Henceforth, every DISCO should distribute meter to all its customers,” Mr. Amadi said. “The metering policy will be strictly enforced. There is zero tolerance for overbilling of customers.
“An unmetered customer who is disputing his estimated bill would not be expected to pay the disputed bill. He would pay his last undisputed bill as the contested bill go through the dispute resolution process”.
He said those electricity customers who paid for meters under the Cash Advance Payment Metering Initiative (CAPMI), but are yet to be metered within the allowable 60 days would no longer be billed by the DISCOs under the new tariff regime.
The DISCOs would not disconnect those categories of consumers, the NERC Chairman said, pointing out that this was a departure from the old practice where customers were expected to first settle the bill, while dispute resolution was in process.
To close the wide metering gap of over 50 per cent and reduce high incidence of collection losses in the Nigeria Electricity Supply Industry (NESI), NERC said no DISCO was allowed to connect new customers without providing meter first.


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All the New York Fashion Week debuts, homecomings and late-night events you need to know
Over the past few years, the fashion industry has made strides towards inclusivity. Although it is now almost the norm to see models of diverse races, bodies and genders on the runway, one community that remains underrepresented is that of people with disabilities. This season, two events will aim to turn the tide. The September 8 Double Take fashion show is the result of a collaboration between Open Style Lab, an organization dedicated to creating functional and wearable solutions for people of all abilities, and the spinal muscular atrophy community. Andrea Saieh, a 2022 Open Style Lab Fellow whose work will be featured on the show, tailored a purple velvet suit for author Shane Burcaw, who has SMA and uses an electric wheelchair. “I added an invisible zipper in the back of the jacket to make dressing easier and stretch panels at the elbows to accommodate bending,” Saieh explained. “Matching tailored velor pants have two layers – a comfortable L-shaped base and an interchangeable cover that goes over the top.” On September 12, the Runway of Dreams Foundation will return to NYFW for its seventh year and showcase adaptive fashion from Tommy Hilfiger, Target, and Zappos, among others. With brands like Gucci also putting disability inclusion at the forefront, how long before the rest of the industry follows suit? We’ll watch.—Laia Garcia-Furtado
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Kellogg’s and Sanitarium drop Halal certification
Kellogg’s and Sanitarium have both decided not to renew Halal certifications for their cereal products.
If a food product is Halal certified it indicates to Muslims that the food is permissible for them to eat under their religious law.
Halal and religious certification has been a hot topic in the Australian food industry over the past several years, with some members of the public calling for boycotts of halal certified food brands.
Kellogg’s Australia however told Australian Food News that its decision to not renew halal certification, which occurred in 2016, was a commercial decision and not the result of any public pressure or backlash.
“As most of our cereals are plant-based, they’re inherently halal, so we chose not to renew our certification in 2016 as part of a regular review of all certifications for our foods,” the Kellogg’s spokesperson said.
Sanitarium never had Halal certification symbols on Australian sold products
Sanitarium said it has never used Halal, or Kosher, certification symbols on its Australian or New Zealand sold products.
It has however previously obtained Halal certification for exported foods.
“However, Sanitarium does not currently hold either Halal or Kosher certification although it may choose to do so in the future depending on the requirements of our export markets,” Sanitarium said.
Sanitarium said its products are suitable for people who want Halal or Kosher foods as it does not use meat-based ingredients or alcohol.
In July 2016, Australian Food News reported on yoghurt brand Jalna’s decision to stop religious certification whilst a Senate inquiry into third party certification went underway. Jalna however changed its mind on Kosher certification after receiving complaints.
- Jalna listens to Kosher customer concerns
- Halal and other Third Party Certification findings in new Senate report
Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce has announced a $50 million Export and Regional Wine Support Pac...
Non-for-profit’s OzHarvest and MobileMuster are teaming up to encourage Australians to recycle their...
The Australian Open has attracted criticism for selling bottle water imported from China.
Australian born entrepreneur and registered dentist, Angie Lang, 42 is the Founder of Swirlit - an ...
Global milk supply growth has slowed to a halt, while trade volumes are growing with attractive comm...
KFC has a new Colonel Sanders with a famous sit-com actor playing the role for the fried chicken cha...
IF you needed further evidence the butcher shop was, to say the least challenged, Victoria’s largest...
Bellamy’s has upgraded its revenue and profit guidance for its 2018 financial year.


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WESTPORT, Conn. and AUSTIN, Texas, April 1, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Entrepreneurs launching education, toy and gaming companies will take the stage to raise startup funds during the fourth-annual Sandbox Summit @ MIT, http://www.sandboxsummit.org, a two-day conference for educators, researchers, game and toy designers, developers of education software, app developers, and pioneers in media and entertainment technologies, that explores how technology is changing the way kids play, learn and connect.
ShowStoppers® and Sandbox Summit® today announced they are partnering with LearnLaunch, Launch.it and the New York Angels to add a ShowStoppers Launch.it pitch event for startups and investors to the second day of the two-day conference, which takes place 15-16 Apr. 2013 at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, MA.
For more information and to apply for one of the presentation slots, visit LearnLaunch at http://learnlaunch.org/2013/01/sandbox-summit-2013.
The presenters are also eligible to exhibit at ShowStoppers @ Sandbox Summit, a two-hour event on the first day of the conference that organizes hands-on product introductions, previews and demonstrations by select companies for conference attendees and journalists.
Applications will be screened by LearnLaunch, a non-profit organization based in Boston, MA., that is expanding the education innovation ecosystem in New England by driving the growth of learning and education technology companies.
A panel of experienced angel investors and venture capitalists organized by LearnLaunch and the New York Angels will select the finalists. One of the largest and oldest angel groups, New York Angels, http://www.newyorkangels.com, is a member-led organization committed to finding, funding and mentoring great young companies from pitch through a successful exit.
The pitch event is powered by Launch.it, a startup based in New York City. Launch.it is a self-publishing event news and social engagement platform that "leaves no new product, service or idea behind." The Launch.it platform gives companies built-in social networking tools to engage directly with media and consumers around the world. ShowStoppers works with Launch.it to power a ShowStoppers-branded news service that is socially engaged to better connect startups and industry leaders with consumers and journalists.
About Sandbox Summit
Sandbox Summit is an idea forum focused on the intersection of play, learning, and technology. Founded by Claire Green and Wendy Smolen, the goal of Sandbox Summit is to ensure that the next generation of players becomes active innovators rather than passive consumers of technology. Through high-energy panels, innovative demonstrations, original research, and thought-provoking discussions with industry leaders, analysts, journalists, educators and parents, each Summit strategically intermingles disciplines and viewpoints to bring fresh ideas to every event and never talk to a room full of nodding heads.
Now in its 20th year, ShowStoppers, http://www.showstoppers.com, is the global leader in producing press and business events spanning the US, Europe and Asia. Each event organizes product introductions, sneak previews and demonstrations for selected journalists, bloggers, industry and financial analysts, venture capitalists and business executives. Industry leaders, innovators and startups exhibit to help generate news coverage and product reviews, make new connections, promote brand, and open new markets. ShowStoppers produces events at CES, CTIA and Mobile World Congress, among others, the official press events at IFA, NAB and Sandbox Summit, and partners with the CEA LineShow.
To exhibit at ShowStoppers events, contact Dave Leon, director of sales, email@example.com, +1-845-638-3527.


text: News Current Events Dairy Farm Bottles Milk Instead of Dumping It By Mary Jo DiLonardo Mary Jo DiLonardo LinkedIn Twitter Senior Writer University of Cincinnati Mary Jo DiLonardo has worked in print, online, and broadcast journalism for 25 years and covers nature, health, science, and animals. Learn about our editorial process Updated May 15, 2020 11:05AM EDT This story is part of Treehugger's news archive. Learn more about our news archiving process or read our latest news. Share Twitter Pinterest Email When the owners of Whoa Nellie Dairy in Acme, Pennsylvania, announced online they would have to sell all their milk at the shop, this line of cars was the response. Whoa Nellie Dairy / Facebook News Environment Business & Policy Science Animals Home & Design Current Events Treehugger Voices News Archive In early April, Pennsylvania dairy farmer Ben Brown got a call from his processor that they wouldn't be able to pick up his milk for a few days. A few days meant hundreds of gallons of milk from Brown's 70-plus Holsteins and Jerseys. Asked what he should do with all that milk, Brown was told to dump it. Farmers all over the country are facing similar scenarios during the coronavirus pandemic as the food supply chain transforms. In many cases, there's plenty of food but no transportation or re-packaging to get it to the people who need it. So farmers are forced to let produce rot in the field or throw away gallons of milk. Brown and his wife Mary Beth weren't going to let that happen. Their Whoa Nellie Dairy had been in business since the 1700s. The farm is located in Acme, just south of Pittsburgh. They had been bottling and selling about a quarter of their milk in a small farm store with the rest sold to the processor. Sales weren't always good in the store, but they figured they'd spread the word and sell what they could. It was better than letting it go to waste, says Samantha Shaffer, a Whoa Nellie employee and close family friend. So, Mary Beth posted on Facebook telling friends and followers that they were being asked to "dump down the drain" a total of 12 milkings. "We are totally disgusted by this kind of waste. (We also do not get paid for the dumped milk obviously.) We can only pasteurize and bottle 30 gallons at a time, but we are going to work around the clock to try and bottle as much as we can this week. We are REALLY going to try to not waste a drop!" She announced that they'd open up the farm store with an extra day and more hours to sell directly to consumers. She shared the post on a weekend and the next day the store was open was Tuesday. Shaffer wasn't supposed to be working that day but she got an "SOS" text from Mary Beth asking her to come in. "The SOS was that they had a line of cars up the road that wanted to get the milk," she says. "They were shocked and in disbelief that this was really happening. She says to me, 'This is just milk, right?'" That first day they sold out within hours. Trying not to waste a drop owners Mary Beth and Ben Brown (left to right) and friends Adam and Samantha Shaffer. Samantha works on the farm with the Browns. Whoa Nellie Dairy / Facebook Just three days later, Mary Beth posted again. "It's almost midnight here at Whoa Nellie Dairy and all is not silent. I'm answering messages and keeping myself busy until I wake up my husband Ben at 12:45 am to start another batch to bottle ... The shock of the last couple of days and the outpouring of love and support is something that we will not get over quickly! Stunned is pretty much the best way to describe how we are feeling," she wrote. "I just got to say THANK YOU to everyone that stood in the cold today. To the ones who didn't get milk and had to be turned away when we sold out...thank you for being understanding. If we hold steady this week, we won't have to waste 1 drop! That's the true accomplishment!!" They've sold out every day since they've been open with people waiting patiently, the line often snaking a half-mile or more up the road. The 'sold out' sign goes up quickly at the dairy. Whoa Nellie Dairy / Facebook Some people have been driving from far away to purchase milk and others have been showing their support online. "We drive almost an hour, stood in line for almost an hour in the rain. Would do it again in a heartbeat. The milk is that good!," wrote Sharon Bobich wrote on Facebook. "I would support other Farmers if they decided to sell directly to the public whether it be milk, cheese, meat, and of course vegetables. It's good to know where these items are coming from. We owe everything to our Farmers. Thanks for all you are doing Whoa Nellie and continued success to you." "Something I'm starting to see, a huge positive impact of this whole pandemic... people as a whole finally re-engaging with local resources," wrote Shaun Yasalonis. "You're story is an example, right. Your demand is going to be so high now even when we 'go back to normal' Awesome blessing in disguise! Keep grinding! Keeping farms alive The Browns milk about 70 cows twice a day on their Pennsylvania farm. Whoa Nellie Dairy / Facebook Every single person who has stopped by to purchase milk has been nice and has kind words to say, Shaffer says. Even if they've waited in a long line and the milk has run out, they never complain. Many still come back a couple of days in a row, hoping to be able to buy fresh milk. "They're kind of bummed, but it doesn't stop them from coming back," she says. "I think a lot of it, in the beginning, was they wanted to support the farm and local businesses. But you also know exactly where the milk’s coming from. Everyone is getting milk that’s been bottled within 24 to 48 hours." The dairy makes cream-line milk, which is minimally processed. It has been pasteurized at a low temperature, but not homogenized or separated. That means the rich cream rises to the top and you have to shake it before you can drink it. It doesn't taste like the milk you buy in stores, Shaffer says. "I think it’s better," she says. "It's richer with a thicker consistency." The farm is selling whole white milk, whole chocolate milk, and whole strawberry milk in pints, quarts, half gallons, and gallons. They've had to limit how many products people can buy and had to upgrade from their 30-gallon vat to pasteurize milk to a 45-gallon vat. They're talking with a supplier about a 100-gallon vat, Shaffer says, but that won't happen until late summer or early fall. The Browns recently found out that their former processor had dropped them permanently, so right now the farm stand is their only way of selling milk. In response, Ben Brown sent a message to friends and fans on Facebook, "At first I was mad and maybe a little scared but that all went away and a peace came over me knowing that God is with us. Over the last couple of years, hundreds of farmers have gone under but yet we remain. So I'm not mad at our old milk company they were simply a stepping stone from where we were to where we are going and I want to thank all of you who have stood in line for our milk. It is you who are keeping us going and keeping this family farm alive. Thank You!" The farm owners and employees are amazed at the feedback they keep receiving from new fans as far away as Australia, the U.K., and Canada. Many ask if they'll ship milk. Instead, they encourage them to look locally. "We try to encourage everyone to try to find their local farms who are trying to do the same thing and support them," Shaffer says. "We appreciate all the support. It's so heartwarming."


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Cell gaming has had an exceptional 12 months, although there haven’t been as many marquee video games releasing instantly onto the normal App Retailer and Google Play Retailer platforms in 2020.
As an alternative, this 12 months has seen options and standout indie hits arrive on cell, in addition to older titles turning into large tendencies on the earth of cell gaming.
Cloud gaming has additionally turn out to be a far higher focus in 2020, and it’s positive to develop exponentially in 2021 as we see providers like Google Stadia, Xbox Video games Move and Amazon Luna broaden onto extra units and smartphones.
We’ve put collectively 5 of the most important highlights of 2020 in cell gaming, which has been a landmark 12 months for video games, even with out the brand new PS5 and Xbox Collection X console launches.
1. Google Stadia involves cellphones
The primary large new development in smartphone gaming was having the ability to play top-end titles in your telephone via cloud gaming. Google Stadia might have launched in 2019, nevertheless it debuted on smartphones in February this 12 months.
It was solely suitable on a small listing of smartphones together with the Google Pixel 4, Samsung Galaxy S20 to start with, together with some devoted gaming telephones. Then, in June, the rollout continued as we noticed Stadia come to different Android units.
Google Stadia has now debuted on iPhone, too – albeit via a really particular manner – nevertheless it implies that most smartphones can now hook up with the service. It means you may play top-end titles like Cyberpunk 2077, Murderer’s Creed Valhalla and Watch Canine: Legion in your smartphone by way of the cloud, which was unthinkable a number of years in the past.
2. Genshin Influence affords a Breath of the Wild clone in your telephone
What do you get if cross Breath of the Wild with a massively multiplayer RPG? Genshin Influence, that’s what – a recreation which is on observe to turn out to be one of many greatest cell launches of all time.
Genshin Influence turned an on the spot hit with gamers when it launched in September, and it managed to generate a cool $60 million in income throughout its first week on sale. It’s now closing in on $500 million after lower than three months on sale, and averages about $6 million a day for developer miHoYo.
Genshin Influence exhibits how China’s prime publishers are having a higher say within the video video games trade, with Tencent Interactive Leisure, a division of Tencent, persevering with to take a position closely in firms like Ubisoft, Paradox Interactive, PlatinumGames and Epic Video games.
3. Amongst Us turns into an enormous hit on cell
In 2020, everybody’s been “sus” sooner or later or one other. Regardless of being out for a few years, Amongst Us skilled a stratospheric rise in reputation in 2020, reaching 275 million downloads so far. The spike in curiosity started round August, and reached its peak in September, nevertheless it continues to be probably the most common video games round.
The very definition of a fantastic get together recreation, Amongst Us’ success is right down to its mass enchantment and the hilarious outcomes that happen when the incorrect imposter is jettisoned from the area craft. With the world locked down as a result of Covid-19, it’s been a fantastic social outlet for individuals to get pleasure from.
It’s exhausting to foretell whether or not Amongst Us’ success will proceed in 2021, although, particularly as the sport is now accessible on extra platforms. Nonetheless, the benefit of use and skill to play anyplace is definitely a bonus that Amongst Us on cell has over PC and consoles.
4. PUBG Cell has one other enormous 12 months
PUBG might need been considerably eclipsed by Fortnite within the console area, nevertheless it’s transition to cell has been an unbelievable success. The battle royale formulation has attracted thousands and thousands of gamers and, regardless of a shock ban in India, continues to attract in customers with its common updates and new content material. In truth, it made a staggering $2.6 billion in income this 12 months alone, making it the very best grossing title.
The sport has naturally been tailored to be extra forgiving and fewer real looking on cell, however all of the core elements of what makes PUBG so addictive are alive and nicely. From sizzling dropping into contested areas, to overcoming all the percentages to win a hard-fought hen dinner, the longer term for PUBG Cell is extraordinarily vivid.
5. Xbox video games come to cellphones and tablets
Beforehand referred to as Challenge xCloud, Microsoft introduced its Xbox Sport Move to smartphones this 12 months with the same cloud gaming expertise to Stadia, give or take.
Debuting as a part of Xbox Sport Move Final in September, Microsoft’s streaming service enables you to play top-end video games like Forza Horizon 4, Doom Everlasting and tons of of others instantly in your telephone with using a controller. Some video games are additionally touchscreen suitable.
Not like Google Stadia, although, these are all included in a single subscription value. You’ll need to pay month-to-month for Xbox Sport Move Final to have the ability to entry it, nevertheless it lets you play the very best titles in your smartphone or pill it doesn’t matter what your gadget’s processing energy is.
Cloud gaming is about to be a giant development in 2021 and past, with Amazon not too long ago becoming a member of the fray with Amazon Luna. So, if you happen to’re after an affordable approach to recreation with out making a giant funding on a brand new video games console, this may very well be it.


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3 questions about Coinbase’s NFT push
At long last, Coinbase’s NFT push came to the market this week.
The U.S. cryptocurrency trading giant’s entry into the market for non-fungible tokens
has been a long time coming and lands at an important time for the public company.
Shares of Coinbase are trading near all-time lows today ahead of its earnings that will land in early May.
Coinbase has proven that it can build a large, profitable business by helping both individuals and institutions buy, sell and stake crypto.
But as its revenues — and, therefore, net income — oscillate with the macro health of the crypto market itself, the company has taken on the valuation profile of a bank more than a technology company.
Indeed, if we observe the company’s Q4 net revenues of $2.49 billion, and we compare an annualized version of that number against Coinbase’s current market valuation of $36.3 billion, we can see that the company is trading for a revenue multiple of less than 4x.
The NFT effort from Coinbase, then, is at once its entry into a market that already has an incumbent — the valuable and popular OpenSea NFT platform — and a shot at a new vein of growth to tap. Growth that could help Coinbase move its valuation, and resulting multiples, closer to the range that it enjoyed while private.
Sadly, data on the Coinbase NFT push is de minimis today. This is not a huge surprise, really, as the new service from the former unicorn is well, new. So instead of trying to parse what appear to be the first dribs and drabs of numbers from third-party analytics services, let’s ask a few questions. Today we’re outlining our three top head-scratchers concerning the new Coinbase NFT project.
In basic terms, we want to know how fast Coinbase’s NFT marketplace can scale in the near term, its potential economic profile, and, finally, its long-term growth prospects. We’ll take them in order. Let’s have some fun!
How fast can Coinbase scale NFT volume?
Over the next few weeks, we’ll be curious to see how much volume there is in terms of total trades, as well as the value of those trades driven by Coinbase’s NFT marketplace.
The company has an enormous waitlist and has a simply massive user base to shuttle into its new product. How well that waitlist converts into active users, and then activity, is a critical question. And after the waitlist is chewed through, the fraction of Coinbase that heads over to the NFT product will help us determine volume growth at the company in the immediate future.
So far data is limited, and, frankly, incomplete. So we don’t know much today, but the strength of Coinbase’s start in the NFT game will perhaps give us a vibe for how quickly it may scale volume over the next few quarters, a key period for the company if it wants to regain some of the value it lost over the last few months. Naturally, however, volume is just one part of the trading revenue equation. The other is fees.
How strong do the economics of Coinbase’s NFT push look?
In the long term? Good. In the near term? Weird!
Here’s an excerpt from our coverage of the Coinbase NFT launch from earlier in the week:
There will also be no transaction fees on NFTs on its marketplace “for a limited time.” Over time, the fee will increase, but will be a “low single-digit fee,” Sanchan Saxena, vice president of product at Coinbase, said during the meeting. Users can either use a Coinbase wallet or any self-custody wallet they own to trade NFTs on the platform.
By charging no fees to start, Coinbase is flexing the fact that it is incredibly wealthy and profitable. It can afford to forgo fees to encourage volume. Once its marketplace reaches a healthy level of supply and demand, it can begin to extract revenues.


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ARGENTINA: Quilmes restarts sale process
Argentina's largest brewer Quilmes International has restarted its search for a buyer of assets it was ordered to sell after its alliance with AmBev in 2003.
Argentine competition authorities ordered the sale of "certain assets", Quilmes said, after AmBev bought a stake in the company three years ago. Quilmes said it had 12 months to find a buyer.
"This process had been halted pending the legal resolution of an injunction introduced by a competitor who claimed the right to bid for those assets," the company said.
Argentina's Supreme Court threw out the injunction, paving the way for the sale process to begin, Quilmes added.
Quilmes officials in Argentina could not be reached for further comment as just-drinks went to press.
The Latin American brewing force AmBev, part of the InBev group, has reported a threefold rise in third-quarter net earnings to BRL399m (US$178m), against BRL131.7m in the third quarter of 2004, well ...
The pan-Latin American beer force AmBev has opened a new brewery in Peru....
AmBev has announced the sales volumes for the third quarter of this year....
The investment bank, Merrill Lynch, has warned that a takeover of the Brazilian brewer Kaiser by a large international group could lead to some profit-taking in the shares of the market leader AmBev, ...
Companhia de Bebidas das Americas (AmBev) has reported a 92% year-on-year leap in EBITDA for the second quarter of this year....
AmBev's Peruvian unit has launched a new bottle in the country....
Companhia de Bebidas das Americas or AmBev has been boosted by a strong recovery of its Brazilian beer unit and reported a 11% jump in second quarter beer volumes....
InBev has had its target share price raised....
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Look for Jimmy Iovine to leave Apple Music in August.
The former Interscope CEO joined Apple in 2014 after selling Beats, the the music service and electronics business that he and Dr. Dre co-founded, to the tech giant for $3 billion. It is believed his departure is timed to his Apple shares fully vesting, sources tell Billboard. Apple declined to comment. Hits Daily Double first reported the news.
You can read more here.


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Delta plans to sell gas, diesel for autos: report
From Philly refinery, says Reuters
"Delta Air Lines Inc is preparing to market gasoline from a refinery it owns outside Philadelphia," reports Reuters here.
"The sales will allow Monroe to benefit from motor fuel profit margins, an attempt to turn around a loss-making plant at a difficult time for the refining industry along the U.S. East Coast."


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Mid-City-based Jarrow Formulas Inc. has appointed Nina Barton as its new chief executive. Barton comes to Jarrow after more than a decade with Chicago-based Kraft Heinz Co., most recently serving as the company’s global chief growth officer. In her new role, she will also be CEO for Chatsworth-based Natrol. Jarrow and Natrol are owned by New York-based alternative investment manager New Mountain Capital. Barton will lead the two vitamin and supplement brands as one combined company, overseeing 600 employees. “Nina has an exceptional track record in building brands people love and trust. Her deep ecommerce experience and world-class leadership skills make her the right leader for Natrol and Jarrow Formulas,” Andre Moura, managing director at New Mountain Capital, said in a July 14 announcement. “We welcome Nina and are excited to work closely with her as we continue to invest in developing new products and capabilities to enhance our customers’ health and wellness,” he added. Barton, who has an MBA from the Wharton School, started her career as a brand manager at Procter & Gamble Co. in 1996. She went on to work for L’Oréal USA and Johnson & Johnson. Founded in 1977, Jarrow Formulas manufactures and distributes nutritional supplements, including vitamins, minerals, probiotics, herbal concentrates, amino acids and enzymes. The company was acquired by New Mountain Capital in September. Natrol was founded in 1980 and manufactures vitamins and supplements. It was acquired by New Mountain Capital in December. New Mountain Capital, founded in 1999, manages private equity, public equity and real estate funds. It has $33 billion in assets under management. “It is a fantastic opportunity to partner with New Mountain Capital to accelerate the Natrol and Jarrow Formulas brands in a category that has ever increasing consumer demand,” Barton said. “I look forward to building on the enormous success of the Natrol and Jarrow Formulas teams as we continue to serve our consumers by providing high-quality products.”
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The long-rumored merger has finally happened. Boardriders, Inc., owners of Quiksilver, have purchased Billabong for a reported $155 million. The sale brings to an end one of the longtime surf rivalries that has spanned some 40 years and helped define beach culture during that time.
“I think what you’ll see in the coming years is much more a focus on the brands themselves and a lot less noise on changes in the action sports industry,” Billabong CEO Neil Fiske told us in an email. “That’s a good thing. Everyone involved in this particular proposal understands the critical importance of brand heritage and authenticity; that won’t change. What would change is the ability to provide greater investment and speed in building the platforms and processes to support them globally.”
As with all modern financial transactions, the purchase is anything but simple. Oaktree Capital, which specializes in purchasing companies in bad financial straits and turning them around, is the majority owner of Boardriders, which aside from Quiksilver, also owns brands like Roxy and DC Shoes. But Oaktree also owned nearly 20 percent of Billabong, which must have obviously helped facilitate the move.
During both brands’ storied histories, each had made poor financial decisions leading up to their respective collapses (Billabong purchasing companies like Honolua, and Quiksilver buying Rossignol in 2005 and selling it for less than half of what it bought it for three years later, oy!). Financial decisions that ended up biting them in the, ahem, backside. By 2015 both companies were basically worthless (Billabong had claimed itself so while Quik had filed for bankruptcy).
“The combination of Boardriders and Billabong will create the world’s leading action sports company,” wrote Boardriders in a public statement following the purchase. “With sales to over 7,000 wholesale customers in more than 110 countries, owned e-commerce capabilities in 35 countries, and over 630 retail stores in 28 countries.”
The main problem for these two iconic brands finding any future success (as I see it) is that fashion is so incredibly different than it was when Quik and Billabong were in their respective heydays: modern youth–where much of Billabong and Quik product was/is aimed–is now enthralled with the second-hand market as boutique used-clothing stores have become chic (not a bad thing, environmentally). That market has also turned anti-label in the extreme. And that’s oversimplifying things.
Oaktree has now bailed out both companies. But solidly-built strategy to fit into that complicated modern fashion industry will be the only thing that can save them, long-term. And that is no small task.
This piece was updated with comment from Billabong CEO Neil Fiske.


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Brampton coffee drinkers now have one less caffeine option in the city’s downtown core.
Today (March 8), popular cafe Coffee Culture announced that it was shuttering its Queen Street East location for good.
The following sign was posted:
This Location is now closed.
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We would like to thank all of our loyal customers for their patronage and support over the years.
Fans of the cafe are being urged to visit nearby locations, such as the one at Bramalea and Sandalwood Parkway and another at Derry and McLaughlin in Mississauga.
The brand is famous for providing a relaxed cafe experience that pairs creative caffeinated drinks with made-to-order sandwiches and snacks. The comfy spot, which offered cozy seats and a quiet retreat from the bustling downtown traffic, will certainly be missed.
Here’s hoping locals can find an empty spot at the nearby Starbucks during morning and lunch rushes.


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NEW YORK (AP) -- Shares of Alphatec Holdings Inc. jumped Tuesday after the company said regulators approved a device designed to stabilize a patient's spine during surgery.
The Food and Drug Administration will allow Alphatec to sell the Solus internal fixation anterior lumbar interbody fusion device. The Carlsbad, Calif., company said the Solus device provides more stability during surgery, allowing for simpler surgical techniques and giving surgeons more space to insert bone grafts.
Alphatec said it started selling the device in Europe in January.
Alphatec shares rose 25 cents, or 12.5 percent, to $2.25 in afternoon trading.


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Apple Is Building 'The Best Office Building In The World.' Here's What It Looks Like Now.
It's been a long time coming, but Apple will soon open its massive $5B "spaceship" campus, a massive 175-acre space in Cupertino that the late Steve Jobs once called "the best office building in the world."
The campus, designed by architect-superstar Norman Foster, is set to finish by the end of 2016. But what does the construction site look like now? Recent drone footage released this week captured how far the project has come:
The centerpiece—a doughnut-shaped four-storied circular building of roughly 2.8M SF—has mostly been completed. The footage shows that workers are installing panels of curved glass that will make up the building's walls. The roof will be eventually covered with solar panels.
The development is gigantic. The area, which was once home to Hewlett Packard, will even include a 1,000-seat auditorium for Apple's corporate events, a fitness center and parking space.
Of course, there's still a lot of work to be done till the building's grand opening. When the campus is complete, the buildings will be surrounded by elaborate landscaping and greenery, where Apple workers can enjoy lunch and relax.


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Sears' shares are exploding higher on cost-cutting promise — even as losses pile up
Sears' revealed Friday that it had a brutal holiday quarter and announced plans to cut costs by as much as $1 billion in 2017.
The company's stock soared by more than 46% in premarket trading early Friday.
For the fourth quarter, revenue plunged 16% to $6.1 billion and net losses widened by up to $635 million from $580 million in the period last year, the company said, citing preliminary results.
Sales at stores open at least a year plunged 10.3%, including an 8% decline at Kmart stores and a 12.3% decline at Sears US stores.
For the full year, revenues are expected to fall 12% from last year to $22.1 billion. Sears' shares have fallen more than 40% from the start of the year to market close on Thursday.
The company said it would accrue savings from the closure of 150 Sears and Kmart stores over the next couple months, among other actions.
"To build on our positive momentum, today we are initiating a fundamental restructuring of our operations that targets at least $1.0 billion in cost savings on annualized basis, as well as improves our operating performance," Sears CEO Eddie Lampert said in a statement. "To capture these savings, we plan to reduce our corporate overhead, more closely integrate our Sears and Kmart operations and improve our merchandising, supply chain and inventory management.
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Authors: Doreen Hemlock and Christine Winter
Reprinted from Sun-Sentinel.com
August 11, 2002
Call Centers Thriving Worldwide
When Hewlett-Packard Co. decided this month to pull a contract with a Fort Lauderdale call center and shift some of its computer help-desk business to India, the move touched a raw nerve in the emotional debate over U.S. jobs and the global economy.
Phone calls and e-mails streamed into the Sun-Sentinel denouncing the company as un-American, and Broward County Commissioner Sue Gunzburger suggested a boycott of HP products. Questions surfaced about the future of the call-center industry, which employs more than 35,000 in South Florida.
Specialists say, however, that HP's move should not be overblown.
While some call-center business for U.S. clients is going offshore, that portion represents less than 5 percent of U.S. call-center business. And demand for call-center services is growing so fast that there's no end in sight to the boom of call-center jobs within the United States.
"There's going to be some leaking of business offshore. It's not a wave we're going to be able to push back," said Peter Gurney, managing director of Kinesis, a Seattle-based market research firm specializing in customer service strategies. "But there's no sign we're going to lose the call-center industry. It's still growing overall, and it's still growing in the United States."
Call centers provide a range of customer services, making and receiving phone calls and e-mails for businesses from hotels to airlines, newspapers to computer software makers. They employ as many as 2 million people in the United States, from low-end workers largely making telemarketing calls to engineers who answer such sophisticated inquiries as how to fix computer snags.
Most employees work directly for banks or other companies; a smaller number work for independent call-center operators, such as The Answer Group, which lost the HP contract.
The business has boomed since the 1980s, thanks to telecom deregulation and new technologies cutting the cost of phone calls and creating demand for e-mailed customer queries. By 2005, New York-based market researcher Data Monitor projects 2.8 million computer work stations in the call-center industry in the United States.
In contrast, India this year is expected to reach 33,000 work stations, according to industry estimates.
U.S.-based companies, such as HP, IBM and American Express, are looking offshore partly to cut their costs -- a priority that's gained importance amid the current economic slump and since the high-tech bubble burst in 2000.
The savings can be considerable both in labor, training and start-up costs.
While call centers in South Florida generally pay employees $7 to $12 an hour, with rates up to $19 an hour for computer engineers, wages can be less than half that in India, and perhaps 20 percent less in Canada.
A study by The Boyd Co. Inc. shows that New York City is more than twice as expensive as an English-speaking Caribbean island to operate a 250-employee customer service-center spanning 30,000 square feet, even though telecom costs are higher in the Caribbean. Sites in Canada can run about a third less: under $10 million a year, compared with about $12.5 million a year in New York.
Overseas call centers have far less of the employee turnover that drives up costs in the United States, said Geri Gantman, a senior partner at Oetting & Co., a New York-based consulting firm specializing in call centers and customer service since 1980.
Turnover for highly skilled, trained computer help-desk staff can run 50 percent a year in the United States and perhaps 10 percent in India, the Philippines and other large, developing countries with a surplus of college graduates in the technology field, she said.
"The real investment in tech-support jobs is training. So if you can keep the people, you can lower costs and provide the high quality of performance that can keep your customers," Gantman said. "The financial benefits of retention get too often forgotten."
Furthermore, many global companies already have call centers overseas to handle service for clients living in those countries, so it's convenient to expand them to handle U.S. calls, executives said.
But operating overseas is no panacea for call-center business. And indeed, concerns are rising about offshore operations, especially since the economic downturn and Sept. 11, said Brendan B. Read, author of two books on call centers and a Canada-based editor at Call Center magazine.
Company executives are worried that strong accents and cultural differences can complicate customer service for demanding clients in the United States. An unpleasant experience can hurt a company's brand image and erode customer loyalty at a time of fierce business competition.
"In general, American companies don't have a level of confidence yet in outsourcing customer care overseas," said Roger Nunley, managing director of consultancy Customer Care Institute of Atlanta.
Plus, there's growing emphasis after the Sept. 11 terror attacks on security, including travel required for U.S. staff for training and other management functions overseas.
"I've heard of outsourcing projects being put on hold in India. Do you want to do a training program in a part of the world when they may be lobbing nuclear weapons at Pakistan? I don't think so," said Call Center magazine's Read.
That explains why some firms are looking more to neighboring Canada than more far-flung locales to cut costs offshore.
"If your corporate center is in Seattle, you don't even have to get on a plane to reach a call center in Canada," Read said. "You can just drive" across the border on a major highway.
Furthermore, it takes plenty of money and patience to develop call centers overseas and make them profitable.
Consultants note the call-center business has low-profit margins. It's tough for small mom-and-pop firms to master the ropes to open a call center overseas; some have failed. The most successful operations offshore tend to be linked with large, global companies that have enough cash and international expertise to navigate the permitting process, find overseas partners, build centers and produce enough volume of business to eventually turn a profit.
"If you don't have deep pockets," said Gantman, "you fall by the wayside."
Beyond financial or safety concerns, there's the weight of political backlash against companies expanding overseas -- as HP learned in pulling business from The Answer Group in Fort Lauderdale.
HP said it needed to consolidate call-center operations after it bought Compaq Computer Corp. The Answer Group handled Compaq's computer help-desk business, with 800 employed directly on the account and as many as 1,200 working on Compaq business altogether. Some of the consolidation will mean a shift of work to India, some to other U.S. and global locales, HP spokesman Tim Marklein said.
For The Answer Group, which publicized the move, the shift offshore is unpatriotic.
"This is … a clandestine trend," said Dennis Quinn, executive vice president at The Answer Group. "A lot of it has been deceptive, with foreign workers trained to say things like `this is Mike or Bob from Atlanta.' … Now that it is coming out where this work is going, it may backfire on some of these companies."
Yet consultants say flag-waving and calls for boycotts likely won't stop expansion offshore, just as protests have failed to halt U.S. manufacturers from shifting some operations to lower-cost sites to better compete in the global economy.
"Consumers can get outraged and talk about "Buy America," but they're not going to pay more for tech support. They're just not," consultant Gurney said. "No boycott will make a difference."
Longer term, that leaves U.S. companies to look for ways to boost competitiveness. One area consultants see for major growth in South Florida: call centers with Spanish-language staff handling calls and e-mails for the booming U.S. Hispanic market.
Peter Gurney is the Managing Director of Kinesis. A well-known customer experience management expert, Peter has worked with dozens of brand name companies, including Expedia, E*Trade, Westin Hotels, Starbucks, Microsoft and Bank of America, among others. Peter Gurney can be reached by calling 206-285-2900.
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Copyright © 2001 by Kinesis. All rights reserved. Terms and Conditions.


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As a new year’s gift from Toyota Indus Motor Company, the prices for the Toyota Corolla have been increased for their 1.3L variants. Also, Indus Motor Company plans to introduce a new variant of the Toyota Fortuner which is said to be more affordable.
Prices of all 1.3L variants of the Toyota have gone up by Rs. 20,000. The company hasn’t given any information on why the prices have been increased. The new prices for the cars are:
|Change in Price|
The company is however offering free registration on purchase of the Toyota Corolla XLi 1.3L.
The sales for Indus Motor Company have significantly declined in the past few months of 2019 and even their car productions were halted due to the car stock that was already in hand and wasn’t being sold.
On the other hand, Indus Motor Company has introduced a new variant of their popular SUV, Toyota Fortuner. The new variant is called the Fortuner G 2.7-Litre.
Toyota Fortuner G is the base variant of the Fortuner lineup and obviously has been stripped of some premium features and materials according to adjust the price and make it cheaper.
These are some of the difference between the Toyota Fortuner 2.7 G and the Fortuner 2.7 VVTi:
|Specifications||Fortuner 2.7 G||Fortuner 2.7 VVTi|
|Seat Material||Premium Brown Fabric||Chamois Leather|
|Front Seat Adjustment||Manual (D+P)||Driver Powered|
|Door Trim||Premium Brown Fabric||Chamois Leather|
|Head Lamp||Bi-Halogen PES||LED PES|
|Head Lamp Leveling||–||Auto-level|
|Alloy Rims||17 inch||18 inch|
The prices of all the Toyota Fortuner Variants are:
|Fortuner G 2.7-litre||Rs. 7,299,000|
|Fortuner 2.7 VVTi (Petrol)||Rs. 7,999,000|
|Fortuner 2.8 Sigma 4 (Diesel)||Rs. 8,649,000|