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Bank of America (NYSE:BAC) shares saw a little boost at the end of 2012, and even started 2013 with the boost. Bank of America shares more than doubled during 2012 as it closed at $11.61 after it began the year at $5.75. Yesterday, its shares closed at over $12, which is its highest since May 2011.
Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL): The Do Not Disturb feature was added by Apple in iOS 6, and it enables users to block all but the most important notifications from lighting the device or making noise. Do Not Disturb also includes a scheduling feature allowing it to automatically shut this mode off at a particular time. On its website, Apple supports the device by acknowledging that a bug has been keeping iOS devices’ Do Not Disturb feature active past its scheduled time. The company claims that the bug should automatically correct itself after January 7, 2013.
Our 20-page proprietary analysis of Apple’s stock is ready. Click here to get your Cheat Sheet report now.
Facebook, Inc. (NASDAQ:FB) is considering potentially new revenue sources, which includes video ads and music streaming, but the company needs to get past the troubles that were seen when it became a public company last year, according to Bloomberg. Furthermore, the company is forced to deal with concerns regarding privacy rights, which attracts investors and continues CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s pledge that the company is more a social movement than a business.
AT&T, Inc. (NYSE:T): In Wednesday’s trading, AT&T Inc shares surpassed their 200 day moving average of $34.70, by changing hands up to $34.78 per share. As of now, AT&T Inc shares are trading up 3.2 percent on the day.
Nokia Corporation (NYSE:NOK) is now prepared for the release of its most recent Windows-based tablet during early 2013. The new tablet will be 10.1 inches and will be based on latest Windows RT platform, the tablet version of the Windows8 OS. Also, the tablet runs on ARM computer processor, and it will possess a HDMI output, two USB ports, and a built-in cellular radio. The most notable features of the tablet are a physical keyboard along with the virtual one and a 10-hour battery backup. AT&T Inc. is to be the first operator to offer the tablet soon after its launch the US market.
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As previously announced, Yahoo is freeing up Yahoo email IDs which have been inactive for at least 12 months, so new users can get the email addresses they've always wanted - maybe.
If there's a Yahoo email address you've been pining for, head over to wishlist.yahoo.com where you can enter up to five usernames, from most to least wanted. If you're first in line, Yahoo will email you a link to claim it in mid-August.
The move to reclaim user IDs isn't without controversy; people are concerned about privacy and security and rightly so. What if an inactive Yahoo email account is being used as a secondary email address? What if it's being used as an alternative password reset account to a primary account? If somebody claims a Yahoo username which used to belong to someone else, could they use it to force a password reset elsewhere?
Which is why Yahoo is also instituting a new security measure with the ID resets. The 'Require-Recipient-Valid-Since' header system will work with other websites to check the age of the account before delivering the email, to prevent email meant for the previous owner being sent. For example, if a Facebook user with an existing Yahoo email sends a request to reset their password, Facebook would signal Yahoo to check the age of the account before delivering the password reset email.
Because Facebook users confirm their email addresses when they first sign up, if the date of confirmation is before the date of the new Yahoo ID ownership, the email won't be delivered to the new owner of the Yahoo ID. Facebook is one of the early partners working with Yahoo to implement this security feature.
The weakness of the new header system is that it requires co-operation between both Yahoo and other websites in order to work. Yahoo says that the 'Require-Recipient-Valid-Since' is a new standard being published with the IETF (Internet Engineering Task Force), and one that Yahoo will be reaching out with more partners to implement.

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Update - Sat 1st Feb, 2020 15:45 GMT: Following on from yesterday's teaser, an anonymous source (via 4Chan), is claiming there will be an announcement for a Nintendo Switch, Xbox One and PlayStation 4 version of The Wonderful 101, and it will be crowdfunded via Kickstarter.
GameXplain has now added to this – stating how it was able to confirm "some details" via its own source. This includes the supposed confirmation of a Switch and PlayStation 4 release, along with a Kickstarter launch. It's also done some digging around and discovered a Platinum Games Kickstarter page, but can't actually confirm whether it's real or fake at this point in time.
We'll add to this by saying we've had a similar confirmation from our own source, who wishes to remain anonymous.
Original article - Fri 31st Jan, 2020 11:35 GMT: We all know that Nintendo fans love a bit of PlatinumGames, and if there's one title that they'd love to see come to Switch, it's The Wonderful 101.
The Wii U version was critically acclaimed but sold poorly, so it's ripe for rediscovery on Nintendo's latest console – and PlatinumGames has been pretty cute about the chances of that happening in the past.
Now, it would seem that the studio is laying down some pretty major hints about the game coming to Switch – check out the following tweet, and pay close attention to the time and date on Hideki Kamiya's screen, as well as the console he has sat on his desk:
This isn't the first time that the studio has teased Switch owners with some Wonderful 101-style goodness – perhaps it's just a joke? Or, maybe there's more to it? PlatinumGames has recently gained investment from Chinese media giant Tencent and has stated that it has some big news coming early this year – could this be it?


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Your wireless Xbox connection just got faster
Microsoft has released the Wireless N Network Adapter for high-speed 802.11n networks.
We had seen the wireless 802.11n Xbox 360 adapterand now Microsoft has officially released the $100 Wi-Fi accessory. In anticipation of the console's next firmware update--which will allow for 1080p video content off the Xbox Live Marketplace--the adapter promises a faster connection, better range, and improved security.
With the Wireless N Network Adapter now available, Microsoft has lowered the price on the existing a/b/g-compatible wireless adapter to as low as $70 online.
We'll have a full review of the new Xbox 360 wireless networking accessory in the coming days.


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Apple released a number of new betas this week, including watchOS 9 Beta 7 for the Apple Watch, iOS 16 beta 7, iPadOS 16.1 beta 1 and more.
We previously saw a video of the new iOS 16 beta 7 in action, and now we can discover more details about the new watchOS 9 beta 7.
The video below from Half Man Half Tech gives us a look at the new watchOS 9 beta 7 software in action and the new changes and features that are coming to the Apple Watch.
WatchOS 7 will bring a bunch of new features to the Apple Watch, including some new sleep tracking features that are more comprehensive than the current ones. This will include the ability to track deep sleep, basic sleep, rapid eye movement sleep, and more.
There’s also a bunch of new fitness tracking features coming to the Apple Watch, including new workouts for triathlons, swimming, running and more, and there will also be support for streaming to third-party TVs.
We expect Apple watchOS 7 to release sometime in September along with the new Apple Watch, and there will be two Apple Watch models this year. Apple Watch Series 8 and the new Apple Watch Pro. The new beta version of watchOS 9 is now available for developers to try, and you can find out more details on the Apple website.
The source is half man, half technology
Filed under: Apple


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Ripley’s Believe It or Not! has set the report straight on a viral Instagram submit that claims Kim Kardashian broken Marilyn Monroe’s 60-year-old gown when she wore it to the Met Gala.
According to the museum, a report on the gown’ situation in 2017 states “a number of the seams are pulled and worn. This is not surprising given how delicate the material is. There is puckering at the back by the hooks and eyes,” amongst different situations of harm.
“From the bottom of the Met steps, where Kim got into the dress, to the top where it was returned, the dress was in the same condition it started in,” stated Ripley’s VP of Publishing and Licensing Amanda Joiner in a press release on Thursday.
The reality-star-turned-businesswoman solely wore Monroe’s artifact for a matter of minutes. She slipped into the robe in a dressing room close to the Met Gala carpet and become a duplicate robe as quickly as she made it up the steps.
Kardashian reportedly went body-makeup-free to the occasion. In addition, a consultant for Ripley’s instructed The Post that she confirmed “the utmost respect” for the garment.
Monroe initially wore the gown in 1962 to serenade then-President John F. Kennedy for his birthday.
Ripley’s acquired backlash for letting the Skims founder take the gown out in town within the first place.
“Our mission is to both entertain and educate visitors and fans, and sparking conversations like the discourse around Marilyn Monroe’s dress does just that,” Ripley’s rebutted. “No matter which side of the debate you are on, the historical importance of the dress has not been negated, but rather highlighted. An entirely new group of young people have now been introduced to the legacy of Marilyn Monroe.”
On Monday, the Marilyn Monroe Collection Instagram account posted pictures exhibiting alleged new harm to some “missing” crystals and others “hanging on by a thread.”
Kardashian, 41, vowed to not make any alterations to the gown — declared a “national treasure” to The Post by one famous Monroe skilled — and altered herself as an alternative. She infamously admitted that she misplaced 16 kilos in three weeks with a view to squeeze into the gown.
She was lastly in a position to match it over her well-known derriere however was unable to zip it — therefore why she draped herself with a white fur scarf whereas on the carpet.
“I tried it on and it didn’t fit me,” Kardashian recalled on the pink carpet as she retold the story of her first becoming. “It was such a challenge. It was like a role, I was determined to fit in it.”
Ripley’s Believe It or Not! will proceed to exhibit the gown — in as-is situation — on the Hollywood, Calif., location till the autumn. Getty Images
Kim Kardashian solely wore the 60-year-old gown for a matter of minutes earlier than turning into a duplicate robe.GC Images


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MARIO Draghi will this week get his first taste of one of the dominant challenges for the euro-area economy for 2015.
Consumer prices probably recorded the first annual decline in more than five years in December amid a slide in the cost of oil, aggravating concern at the...


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Leading audio company realigns to unveil direct-to-retail distribution model
NORTHRIDGE, CA – The Harman International Consumer Division today announced a direct-to-retailer business model in America to optimize the company’s product distribution, increase profitability for dealers and deliver the preeminent consumer experience in retail electronics.
Harman will focus its attention exclusively on direct-to-retail partnerships, eliminating the need for independent distributors, providing a more streamlined, efficient and effective engagement with customers and consumers. Effective January 1, this new distribution strategy will create more targeted and powerful retail partnerships support Harman’s premium brand equity and ensure a richer in-store consumer shopping experience.
“This new strategy will assist Harman to build its world-class brand portfolio and reputation for quality audio products,” said James Foster, general manager of Harman Consumer Division Americas Region. “It will dramatically shape our retail footprint so that consumers are delivered a world-class shopping experience and our retail partners realize improved business results.”
The new distribution model will provide Harman’s retail partners greater reliability and profitability going forward, as well as significantly increased interaction and planning with the Harman Consumer team.
Harman Consumer has hired two new sales executives to steward the strategy. Lyle Smith will serve as director of sales, Western Region, and comes with 19 years of consumer electronics experience. He was most recently vice president of sales for the western U.S. and Canada regions for Klipsch Group, Inc. Todd Bogart will serve as director of sales, Eastern Region, and joins HCA with 25 years of sales experience from companies such as Bose, Logitech and SIRIUS XM Radio. Smith and Bogart will report to Foster.
“Our vision for the future of Harman’s consumer brands is at the heart of this new model,” Foster said. “This powerful new strategy mirrors Harman Consumer’s continued success in Europe and is a significant departure from what many companies are doing in the CE space, at the expense of their brands and the consumer’s experience. We will continue to support Harman’s brands as best in category, while proactively taking control of our distribution channels so that we can more effectively serve our customers.”
About Harman International
Harman International Industries, Incorporated (www.harman.com), designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment products for the automotive, consumer and professional markets. Harman International maintains a strong presence in the Americas, Europe and Asia, and employs more than 9,500 people worldwide. The Harman International family of brands includes AKG, Audioaccess, Becker, BSS, Crown, dbx, DigiTech, Harman Kardon, Infinity, JBL, Lexicon, Mark Levinson, Revel, QNX, Soundcraft and Studer. Harman International’s stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “NYSE: HAR.”


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Intel CEO Gelsinger Shares Silver Lining After Chipmaker Posts Brutal Earnings Results
It was right around two years ago when Pat Gelsinger took the reins as Chief Executive Officer of Intel, replacing Bob Swan and returning to a company he first joined at just 18 years old before moving on 30 years later. During the past two years, he's made big and bold promises as he attempts to right the ship. There were always going to be icebergs along the way, and now he must navigate tricky waters in which Intel is coming off one its biggest earning losses in history.
The numbers are in for Intel's fourth quarter and full-year 2022 results, and they're not particularly pretty when put in context. Intel's fourth quarter revenue settled at $14 billion, and while that's not chump change by any stretch of the imagination, it's a massive 32 percent drop compared to the same quarter a year ago. It also resulted in a $684 million net loss for the quarter, which nearly matches its biggest loss ever ($687 in the fourth quarter of 2017).
Intel's full-year results for fiscal 2022, meanwhile, tallied $63.1 billion in revenue, which marks a sizable 20 percent drop compared to 2021. On the bright side, Intel still ended the year $8 billion in the black, though that's a massive 60 percent decline from the $19.9 billion profit it posted the previous year.
"Despite the economic and market headwinds, we continued to make good progress on our strategic transformation in Q4, including advancing our product roadmap and improving our operational structure and processes to drive efficiencies while delivering at the low-end of our guided range," Gelsinger said in a statement.
"In 2023, we will continue to navigate the short-term challenges while striving to meet our long-term commitments, including delivering leadership products anchored on open and secure platforms, powered by at-scale manufacturing and supercharged by our incredible team," Gelsinger added.
Regarding the company's product roadmap, Intel says it's next-gen Meteor Lake CPU architecture is on track to release in the second half of this year, followed by Lunar Lake in 2024. Intel also pointed to Emerald Rapids launching to the server sector around the same time as Meteor Lake, with Granite and Sierra on track to release in 2024.
Looking beyond the numbers, Intel highlights its strategy of launching five nodes in four years. To that end, Intel 7 has reached high volume manufacturing, Intel 4 is ready for manufacturing, Intel 3 is on track, and both Intel 20A and 18A have taped out with silicon in the lab, the company says.
Be that as it may, the losses can't be overlooked, given the steep declines among Intel's biggest earners. Revenue for its Client Computing Group tallied $6.6 billion in the fourth quarter, which is a 36 percent decline year-over-year, while its Data Center and AI division tumbled 33 percent to $4.3 billion.
It wasn't all bad, though. Intel's Mobileye division shot up 59 percent to $565 million, and Intel Foundry Services saw a 30 percent jump to $319 million, both in the fourth quarter.
"In the fourth quarter, we took steps to right-size the organization and rationalize our investments, prioritizing the areas where we can deliver the highest value for the long term," said David Zinsner, Intel CFO. "These actions underpin our cost-reduction targets of $3 billion in 2023, and set the stage to achieve $8 billion to $10 billion by the end of 2025."
A market correction of sorts was always inevitable, given that the pandemic spurred a bunch of PC upgrades as employees shifted to remote work. However, Intel also pointed to macro uncertainty, rising interest rates, geo-political tensions in Europe, and the ongoing effects of Covid in Asia as contributing factors. And while not specifically mentioned, Intel is competing against a reinvigorated rival in AMD.
The good news for Intel is that its massive investments in manufacturing and node roadmap offer some longer term stability to what feels like shaky ground at the moment. It just has to weather the current landscape, which is brutal, as reflected in its earnings report. Intel didn't provide a full-year outlook, but looking ahead to Q1, the company expects its revenue to land somewhere between $10.5 billion and $11.5 billion.


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Core inflation seen at around 8.1 pct in January
MUMBAI (Reuters) - India's core consumer price index was estimated to have risen around 8.1 percent in January from a year earlier, broadly in line with around 8.05 percent in December, according to a Reuters snap survey of dealers and economists.
Data earlier showed headline consumer price inflation eased more than expected to a 24-month low of 8.79 percent in January, below a Reuters poll forecast of 9.40 percent and well below an annual 9.87 percent in December.
(Reporting by Swati Bhat, Abhishek Vishnoi, and Himank Sharma; Editing by Subhranshu Sahu)
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DAVOS, Switzerland - Central banks have done their best to rescue the world economy by printing money and politicians must now act fast to enact structural reforms and pro-investment policies to boost growth, central bankers said on Saturday.
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India's largest carmaker Maruti Suzuki India Ltd posted a smaller-than-expected rise in profit for the third quarter, hit by one-off items including a jump in advertising costs, a higher tax rate and lower income from investments. Full Article | Full coverage


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SAN FRANCISCO — The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals here has reversed a lower court ruling that denied certification of a class-action suit brought by Hispanic workers at some of Bashas' Food City stores — stores at which questions of whether the workers are represented by the United Food and Commercial Workers Union are in dispute. The suit, filed in 2003 with the assistance of union officials, charges Bashas' with discriminating against those employees in pay and working conditions because of their Hispanic origin. The U.S. District Court in Arizona had certified the proposed class in terms of working conditions but denied certification on the basis of pay, arguing a lack of commonality. In a press release issued late yesterday, the UFCW said the appeals court had reversed that decision on the basis that the district court had "abused its discretion in failing to find commonality in the plaintiffs' original class definition for the discriminatory pay claim." Bashas' officials could not be reach for comment.
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Facebook Automates Video Ad Captioning
With more than 100 million hours of video being consumed each day on Facebook, it’s competitive out there. According to Facebook’s own research, most viewers don’t like it when video ads play automatically with sound. In fact, 80% of people react negatively. At the same time, most video ads don’t make sense, let alone make their point, when played without sound.
To help overcome this challenge for its advertisers, Facebook will automate captioning on video ads. While Facebook has always supported the capability for advertisers to caption their own ads via SubRip (.srt) files, this capability does the work. Facebook’s captioning tool has been trained by transcribing over 50,000 video ads.
Most video ads are played without sound, the company says, and this new capability will allow ads to play silently and still provide context.
"Captions are a way to tell someone who's in a sound-off environment what the video is about quickly. What we've seen in some of our internal tests is adding captions actually increased view time by an average of 12%," said Matt Idema, VP-monetization product marketing at Facebook.
For maximum engagement, however, the company is urging advertisers to create video ads that are effective even without sound and which capture a visitor’s attention within the first three seconds.
For more information, see Facebook for Business: Capture Attention with Updated Features for Video Ads.


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What a difference a few months make. Back in July, Intel CEO Brian Krzanich predicted we'd see tablets priced under $150 this holiday season.
Now he's knocked $50 off that estimate.
Speaking to analysts Tuesday following Intel's quarterly earnings release, Krzanich said he expects $99 tablets, $299 Haswell (Intel's latest microprocessor) laptops, and $349 two-in-one hybrid tablets and laptops.
Last month Intel touted the arrival of Bay Trail, its latest member of the Atom microprocessor family designed for tablets.
Two years ago, Amazon shook up the tablet world when it released its first Kindle Fire tablet for a breakthrough $199 price.
Image: Nick Knupffer
This article originally published at TabTimes here


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It’s been almost 2 years given that Netflix initially revealed its venture into video gaming. Yet, as Netflix has more than tripled its video game library from 24 to 77 video games in the in 2015, customers have actually mainly shrugged their shoulders.
This is all a part of the strategy, however, according to Netflix.
“This trajectory is not dissimilar from what we’ve seen before,” Co- CEO Greg Peters stated on the business’s prerecorded incomes callWednesday “When we’ve launched a new region — or when we launched new genres, like unscripted” we needed to “crawl, walk, run, but we see a tremendous amount of opportunity to build a long-term center value of entertainment.”
Netflix’s push into video gaming belongs to a bigger effort to plant seeds for future earnings streams to balance out a possibly saturated customer environment. Others consist of sports and retail, each of which remain in the early stages of advancement.
“The more possible earnings streams [Netflix] tosses out there, the more things they can hang their hat on throughout an incomes contact the future when password sharing has actually run its course and they’re not including brand-new customers,” stated Insider Intelligence expert Ross Benes.
Netflix revealed it was taking video gaming seriously in 2021, presenting titles as stand-alone apps for cellphones. Netflix stated that video games are a technique to keep customers participated in between seasons of their preferred programs, such as “Stranger Things,” which has actually been adjusted into 2 video games.
Since 2021, the business has actually generated a number of huge names in the video gaming area. Former Electronic Arts mobile video gaming executive Mike Verdu signed up with Netflix as vice president of video game advancement in2021 Joseph Staten, who was the imaginative chief for Microsoft’s “Halo Infinite” video game, revealed in February that he was joining Netflix as “Creative Director for a brand-new AAA multiplatform game and original IP.”
Getting existing customers to download and play mobile video games is a difficulty, however, Benes kept in mind. More than three-fourths of all streaming service memberships are used on a tv screen, according to information launched in 2015 from video analytics companyConviva This provides a challenge for Netflix in marketing its mobile video game library to existing customers given that consumers do not tend to utilize Netflix on their phones.
As of September 2023, Netflix’s video games have actually been downloaded 70.5 million times, internationally, according to information acquired fromApptopia An approximated average of 2.2 million users played several of Netflix’s video games daily, even as Netflix includes brand-new video games practically each month, according toApptopia Average everyday users peaked at 2.7 million in January 2023, however dipped listed below 2 million in between March and July, striking a bottom of 1.45 million typical everyday users in March.
These numbers suggest that less than 1% of Netflix’s 247.15 million customers play a video game every day, even as the video game library has actually tripled in its offerings in the in 2015.
Other mobile video gaming publishers far exceed Netflix in downloads. Since the creation of Netflix’s very first video game offering, Gardenscapes publisher Playrix had 531 million downloads, Candy Crush maker King had 438 million downloads and Clash of Clans owner Supercell had 388 million downloads, according to Apptopia.
With interest doing not have in its mobile video games, however, Netflix has actually started evaluating brand-new video games that can be used any gadget, Netflix’s vice president of video games, Mike Verdu, stated in an August post. The beta rollout to restricted users Canada and the U.K. consisted of Oxenfree from Night School Studio, a Netflix video game studio, and Molehew’s Mining Adventure, a gem-mining arcade video game. Games used a television will need gamers to utilize a cellphone as a controller, available through the Netflix app on Android and a different controller-specific app on iOS.
Peters stated previously this year that video gaming was “following a trajectory that we have seen before” with brand-new material classifications, “where we sort of build into this over a multiyear period,” however avoided revealing particular information points.
Mention of any video gaming advancements was visibly missing from the business’s second-quarter incomes teleconference previously this year, raising suspicions that Netflix might be getting ready to desert its efforts.
But that was not the case. The Wall Street Journal reported recently, ahead of the Netflix’s third-quarter incomes report, that the business prepares to adjust more of its prominent series, such as Wednesday, Black Mirror and Squid Game into mobile video games. The streaming giant is likewise checking out launching a version of Grand Theft Auto through a licensing offer, the Journal reported.
Then, video gaming turned up briefly in Netflix’s prerecorded third-quarter incomes teleconference, where Peters stated that video games engagement presently “drives core business metrics in a way which is incremental to movies and series.”
Netflix’s effort to charm players likewise deals with technological obstacles.
“I don’t think that playing mobile games, but on a bigger screen, is something I would be bullish on,” stated Sunny Dhillon, creator of VC company Kyber Knight, which concentrates on video gaming and tech financial investments.
“The bandwidth and servers that are being used are inherently handicapping the gamer,” Dhillon stated. “I don’t think that we’re in a place where streaming multiplayer hardcore games can be played successfully simply because of the lags.”
But Netflix is not seeming a console replacement, Netflix video gaming executive Verdu formerly informed Tech Crunch.
“It’s a completely different business model. The hope is over time that it just becomes this very natural way to play games wherever you are,” Verdu stated.
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Snapdeal names Jason Kothari as FreeCharge CEO
To invest $20 million
Besides continuing in his role at Snapdeal, Kothari will take up the additional charge at Freecharge, and will also become a director at the latter. The Softbank-backed Snapdeal acquired FreeCharge in April 2015 at a valuation of around $450 million. Assuming the charge, Kothari said the digital payments space in India is forecasted to be over $1 trillion by 2025.
“I’m excited to join the talented team at FreeCharge at such a high-growth and dynamic time in the industry, and expect FreeCharge to continue to play a key role in this digital payments revolution,” he said. The company will use the additional $20 million to investment to further ramp up its technology prowess. “The investment will further accelerate innovations and growth,” Snapdeal said in a statement.
New to the board
In an another development, Japanese conglomerate Softbank has appointed its most experienced ecommerce veteran Kabir Mishra to the Board of ecommerce firm Snapdeal to support the company. According to sources familiar with the development, Mishra’s appointment comes at a time Snapdeal is working hard to hit profitability in the next two years. Besides making structural changes by moving away from non-core activities, Snapdeal recently announced a number of steps, including layoffs,” said a source.
Mishra has for many years been closely involved in managing Softbank’s investment in Alibaba in China. He also played an anchor role in managing Softbank’s investment in Indonesian ecommerce major Tokopedia. He also involved in South Korean firm Coupang, where Softbank invested $1 billion in June 2015.


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Shares in motor retail specialist Lookers (LSE: LOOK) have soared by over 6% today after it released an upbeat first quarter update. Encouragingly, Lookers was able to increase gross profit from new cars by 5% on a like-for-like (LFL) basis, while used cars gross profit rose by 7% on a LFL basis. And with Lookers’ aftersales business recording an increase in LFL sales of 7%, the company is on track to meet full-year expectations.
Those expectations are for a rise in earnings of 7% versus the prior year. And with Lookers expected to post a rise in its bottom line of 6% next year, investor sentiment could pick up in the coming months and push the company’s share price higher. That’s especially the case since Lookers trades on a price-to-earnings growth (PEG) ratio of just 1.3, which indicates that its shares offer strong growth prospects at a very reasonable price. As such, now seems to be an opportune moment to buy them for the long term.
Shares up despite losses
Also among today’s major gainers are shares in Speedy Hire (LSE: SDY). They’ve risen by over 7% despite the company releasing a rather disappointing set of results for the year to 31 March. They show that the tool and equipment hire company has gone from a pre-tax profit of £2m in the previous year to a loss of over £57m as a result of almost £60m in exceptional administrative costs. These were made up of impairments and restructuring charges, while Speedy Hire also finalised the rollout of its new network structure. With these one-off costs excluded, Speedy Hire remained in the black.
Looking ahead, Speedy Hire is expected to increase its adjusted profit by 88% in the current year and by 71% next year as its new strategy starts to take hold. Although there’s a significant risk that its turnaround plans disappoint, Speedy Hire seems to have a sufficiently wide margin of safety to merit investment at the present time. Evidence of that can be seen in its PEG ratio, which stands at just 0.2 and indicates that the company’s shares could continue today’s rise.
Georgia on my mind
Meanwhile, Georgia Healthcare (LSE: GHG) is up by 18% today after it reported a strong set of first quarter results. Its pre-tax profit increased by 84% to over £2m, while its top line rose by around a third versus the same quarter of the previous year. This was at least partly due to improved performance in the company’s healthcare services segment, with an improving macroeconomic performance from the Georgian economy and favourable currency movements also having a positive impact on the company’s results.
With Georgia Healthcare on track to post a significant rise in profitability this year, investor sentiment could continue to improve. And with the company’s bottom line forecast to rise by 42% next year, now could be an opportune moment to buy – especially with the company’s shares trading on a PEG ratio of only 0.4.


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Under the Advanced Fulfillment Initiative (AFI), IBM is shifting more responsibility for parts inventory management and final computer assembly to 12 resellers and distributors. These partners will receive parts directly from component manufacturers as well as IBM and then put the systems together according to orders from customers. A massive electronic data interchange system will link IBM, the parts suppliers, and the assembly partners.
Additionally, IBM has redesigned the chassis on its corporate computer models so that parts can be "snapped" into place, rather than hooked in through screws, easing the manufacturing process. The new IBM PC 300PL is the first computer to use the snap method.
In the end, the AFI is expected to reduce the cost of computer by streamlining the shipping and inventory processes. "We are creating a virtual enterprise so that we can operate more efficiently, increasing speed and removing cost," said Bill McCracken, general manager of sales and service at the IBM PC Company, in a prepared statement.
IBM projected that the AFI program would increase overall inventory turns to 24 times a year.
The AFI program stems from IBM's Authorized Assembly Program, a similar partner assembly program that started two years ago. Desktops are currently being assembled under the AAP program. IBM's first desktops to be manufactured on a distributed basis will come out next quarter.
IBM's AFI program represents one half of the "build-to-order" revolution sweeping the computer industry. Compaq and the mail-order manufacturers are staking their futures on classic build-to-order techniques. Under those schemes, manufacturing and inventory management take place at a central plant. Computers are built pursuant to phone calls or Web orders from customers.
Under the AFI-like programs being promoted by IBM and Hewlett-Packard, manufacturing and inventory management take place at a number of locations. Although a number of analysts have said that a distributed manufacturing scheme adds risk and can be more costly than classic build-to-order, it is nonetheless workable. Resellers and distributors already have the capability to build systems. Distributed manufacturing also cuts down a computer maker's overhead.


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Peter Schiff: This Is a Sequel to 2008 and Like All Sequels It Will Be Worse Than the Original
The Fake 'Food as Medicine' Agenda
The Best Way to Protect US Troops in Syria by Ron Paul
How to Create a Food Forest in Your Backyard
Musk expects Tesla Bot to be a much bigger business than its cars
Autoflight breaks Joby's world record for the longest eVTOL flight
How does Starlink Satellite Internet Work?
SpaceX Starlink Version 2 Mini Will Have 4X Version 1.5 Capacity
Blue Origin Making Solar Cells from Lunar Regolith
Preparing to keep people alive on medical equipment when SHTF hits. Try to solve this problem.
Phones using VOIP Only - Understanding Limitations + Q&A
According to the latest estimates from the ITU, Statista's Felix Richter details below that 4.9 billion people now use the internet, up from 4.1 billion people in 2019.
This unusually sharp increase in internet users is attributed at least partly to what the ITU calls a "COVID connectivity boost".
"Widespread lockdowns and school closures, combined with people's need for access to news, government services, health updates, e-commerce and online banking" have driven the surge in internet usage according to the organization.
"While almost two-thirds of the world's population is now online, there is a lot more to do to get everyone connected to the Internet," ITU Secretary General Houlin Zhao said in a statement.


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Grocery Outlet fined $392K for selling sterilizing products not registered with EPA
SAN FRANCISCO (KOLO) -The Environmental Protection Agency fined Grocery Outlet $392,000 for selling four kinds of wet wipes and a cleaning product claimed to be sterilizing but not registered with EPA.
The EPA announced the fines this week for products sold Oct. 24, 2020, to May 20, 2021, in Grocery Outlet stores in Redwood City, Oakland, Stockton and Concord.
“Products not registered with EPA can be harmful to human health, cause adverse effects, and may not be effective against the spread of germs,” the EPA said in a statement.
- Love of Dream Antibacterial Wipes
- Fabuloso Orange Energy Cleaner
- Miami Sterilizing Antiseptic Wipes
- Miami 75% Alcohol Wipes
- Gold Essence Multi-Purpose Antibacterial Wet Wipes
Copyright 2023 KOLO. All rights reserved.


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Facebook to stop spending against California privacy effort
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Facebook says it will stop spending money to fight a California initiative aimed at increasing data privacy.
The company contributed $200,000 in February to a committee opposing the “California Consumer Privacy Act,” whose backers are gathering signatures to put it on the November ballot.
Facebook’s Wednesday statement comes as chief executive Mark Zuckerberg faces questions from Congress about the company’s handling of user data.
The measure would require companies to disclose, upon request, what types of personal information they collect about someone and if they’ve sold it. It would let consumers opt out of having their data sold.
Critics say the measure is “deeply flawed” and will “disconnect California.”
Google, AT&T, Verizon and Comcast also oppose it. Facebook says it will support “reasonable privacy measures in California.”


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It's only a few weeks before California's strict data law takes effect January 2020, and there are others in the pipeline in other states including proposals to jail executives that fail to protect people's data from a breach. Data is fast becoming a business liability rather than a benefit.
Also: The scariest hacks and vulnerabilities of 2019
I go to a lot of media roundtables organized by computer security companies, and they all say that 100% protection is not possible and that every company has to prepare for a security breach. Yet that's assuming that the organization knows where all its data is located, which is unlikely.
Companies are constantly making copies of their production database for many reasons and especially for their developers so that they can to test software. These database copies often are not stripped of sensitive data because it is needed for testing. And the data is often used outside of the main IT environment and with different access controls. Developer testing setups are often easy entry points for intruders with nefarious intent.
If you don't need to store the data, why collect it and collect the legal liabilities?
Companies have been collecting mountains of personal data, but few of them have figured out what to do with it. They assume data is valuable -- like oil -- but like oil, it becomes a slippery thing to work with, and if you slip up and leak your data, you'll face massive fines and damage to brand reputation.
BIG DATA BIG LIABILITIES
The past couple of years the IT industry talked about the value that can be found in big data -- now it's better described as risky data. Companies will ask themselves, "What's the point of having it and risk losing it if we aren't using it?" The boards of companies and investors will likely recommend dumping any data that increases legal liabilities.
Unless the lobbyists for Google, Facebook, and other tech companies manage to persuade Washington to pass weak federal data laws to trump strict state laws.
RISKY AD TECH
There is currently a big clash of ideas around consumer data privacy and security. Politicians, the media, and the tech industry are trying to define the problem and how best to mitigate problem activities.
Data breaches by hackers are certainly a big problem, but there's a much bigger issue at play: Allowing ad technologies to collect and create massive data warehouses of highly sensitive personal data. If the personal data isn't there, there's nothing for hackers to steal. Ad tech makes it all possible.
Ad technology is in danger of being severely restricted. Marketers use people's data to save a few cents on the costs of selling services and products. This exact same data is used to judge people's beliefs and leave them exposed to hidden political and ideological manipulation by unknown parties.
WHY DOES YOUR SOAP POWDER NEED TO KNOW SO MUCH ABOUT YOU?
Procter & Gamble used to sell plenty of soap powder without using targeted data. Contextual advertising is very effective, and it doesn't require collecting personal information.
Also: Two steps you should take to protect your network from hackers
Contextual advertising enables media sites to reclaim their readers from the programmatic dashboards that steal them and follow them wherever they go. It would increase advertising revenues for publishers creating original content and allow them to reinvest rather than layoff people.
Over the short term, the winners will be Google and Facebook, because they don't have to sell people's data directly, and they can afford the costs of complying with any new legal regulations. They will essentially become vendors of metadata about personal data. That way they shelter ad clients from any data liabilities because they don't need to handle sensitive data themselves.
But over the long term, there are serious problems: Trying to persuade people to buy a product is the same as trying to persuade people to buy an idea -- advertising works and targeted messages work even better for political and ideological ends. It's why it's inevitable that societies will place strict limits on ad technologies and the use and collection of personal data, in my opinion.


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A new campaign to share the latest evidence and insights on plastics packaging with citizens has been launched today by sustainability not-for-profit WRAP.
Clear on Plastics has been designed to give citizens clear information about the complex world of plastics and the environment, helping them to make their own informed choices. For example, it will explain the role of plastic packaging in protecting the products we buy, and demonstrating the balance between the benefits and drawbacks of alternatives. It will also give tips and advice on how citizens can reduce their use of plastic at home.
Peter Maddox, Director of WRAP UK, said: “When we set up The UK Plastics Pact we committed to uniting an entire supply chain with a common goal to keeping plastics in the economy and out of the environment. We also committed to engaging with citizens, who are concerned about the environment and want to understand how they can play their part. But we know that navigating the issues around this complex material can be tricky.
“We’ve listened to the most common areas for confusion and have designed Clear on Plastics to address those, so that citizens are empowered to make their own informed decisions when it comes to plastics.”
Clear on Plastics will be a social media led campaign amplified by influencer content and the support of UK Plastics Pact members and supporters, and other partners such as local authorities.
More information can be found on the campaign website at www.clearonplastics.com, as well as @ClearonPlastics on Twitter and Instagram.


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We are at the absolute end of the road for gaming consoles. There is no reason that you are going to need a dedicated gaming machine in the next year or two.
Viacom's Nickelodeon has launched a free app for iPhones that provides access to full episodes for subscribers of participating pay TV partners — plus games and other interactive content — and is…
Apple has sold more than 13 million Internet-connected set-top boxes to date — about half of which shipped in 2012 — but the product has mostly been a “learning experience” for bigger plans the…
Step aside, Siri, you've got competition. Osito, a new voice-controlled personal assistant app for mobile devices, relies on predictive technology to alert you.
Apple's smartphone will once again be a must-have item this holiday season.
More “Iphone 5” on Variety.com


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That's the word from DoCoMo Senior VP Kazuto Tsubouchi in a chat with the Wall Street Journal. The telco giant has about half of Japan's cellular business, but the iPhone has never been offered by DoCoMo, despite many customers who have migrated to competitors that carry the iPhone.
In the published interview, Tsubouchi said the company is "not necessarily against the idea of selling the iPhone. It just depends on the conditions. What's the procurement cost? What kinds of obligations do we have if we sell the iPhone?"
"What we gain would be a boost to our marketing. Having such an attractive item in our lineup would help. However, you also have to ask: What are the conditions that come with the iPhone? Other Japanese carriers are selling iPhones at very low prices, and that means their sales expenses must be very high."
Instead, DoCoMo has been pushing high-end Android phones from Samsung and Sony. DoCoMo also offers services that go along with the phones, and they like the customization options they have with Android. Those are things Apple, of course, does not allow.


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In the untouched Maldivian paradise, Mövenpick Resort is getting ready to celebrate Valentine’s Day with a host of romantic experiences.
Maldives witnessed a total of 37,926 tourist arrivals within the first 2 weeks of 2021 with a daily average of 2,917 arrivals.
France2 visited Lily Beach Resort & Spa recently to witness first-hand how the tourism industry is faring during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Spend AED250 at Nakheel Mall destinations in Palm Jumeirah for the chance to win an exclusive luxury vacation at Kandima Maldives.
The St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort Become Sharecare Health Security Verified with Forbes Travel Guide
The St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort has earned ‘Sharecare Health Security VERIFIED ® with Forbes Travel Guide’.
Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi unveiled the exclusive Ithaafushi – The Private Island, the largest Maldivian private island.
Qatar Airways announced that the airline achieved Diamond Standard in the APEX Health Safety Powered by SimpliFlying audit.


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NEW SPRINT RELATIONSHIP ADDS VALUABLE BENEFITS FOR AAA MEMBERS
Sprint will pay AAA "Classic" level membership renewal fees for eligible Sprint customers who register
TAMPA, Fla. (April 5, 2017) — AAA members who are Sprint customers can now enjoy many new benefits, including the payment of AAA Classic membership renewal fees and discounts on Sprint’s unlimited calling plan. These benefits can be enjoyed by more than 3 million AAA members in Florida and more than 50 million members in the U.S.
Additional benefits of the relationship:
- AAA members receive a 10 percent discount on the data portion of applicable Sprint plans.
- Sprint customers who are also AAA members will receive a 25 percent discount on eligible accessories.
- Sprint customers who are also AAA members will receive free access to the Sprint Family Locator1 app, providing the ability to locate a family member’s registered phone. With the app, users can see a loved one’s last available location on a map and receive notifications as soon as they get home.2
- Sprint will also provide customers easy access on new Android devices to the AAA Mobile app featuring lowest gas prices, member discounts, access to roadside assistance, and AAA’s exclusive travel information, including diamond ratings for hotels and restaurants.
“We are proud of our relationship with Sprint, and this newly enhanced program will provide our members discounted access to the latest in digital technology, including our free AAA Mobile App,” said Joseph J. Richardson Jr., President and CEO, AAA – The Auto Club Group. “These new mobile technologies will help members stay connected with their friends, family, and important roadside assistance when they need it.”
“Sprint and AAA share the mutual goal of keeping our customers safe, secure and connected when it matters most,” said Marcelo Claure, Sprint CEO. “We are delighted to have this opportunity to ensure our customers have easy access to the important benefits of an AAA membership, including roadside assistance and travel discounts. For me, this is much more than just another discount program – it gives Sprint the ability to provide peace of mind for families that count on us.”
About The Auto Club Group
The Auto Club Group (ACG) is the second largest AAA club in North America. ACG and its affiliates provide membership, insurance, financial services and travel offerings to over 9 million members across eleven states and two U.S. territories including Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Michigan, Nebraska, North Dakota, Tennessee, Wisconsin, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands; most of Illinois and Minnesota; and a portion of Indiana. ACG belongs to the national AAA federation with more than 57 million members in the United States and Canada and whose mission includes protecting and advancing freedom of mobility and improving traffic safety. Motorists can map a route, identify gas prices, find discounts, book a hotel, and access AAA roadside assistance with the AAA Mobile app for iPhone, iPad and Android. Learn more at AAA.com/mobile. AAA clubs can be visited on the Internet at AAA.com.
Sprint (NYSE: S) is a communications services company that creates more and better ways to connect its customers to the things they care about most. Sprint served more than 59.4 million connections as of June 30, 2016, and is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying innovative technologies, including the first wireless 4G service from a national carrier in the United States; leading no-contract brands including Virgin Mobile USA, Boost Mobile, and Assurance Wireless; instant national and international push-to-talk capabilities; and a global Tier 1 Internet backbone. Sprint has been named to the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI) North America for the past five years. You can learn more and visit Sprint at www.sprint.com or www.facebook.com/sprint and www.twitter.com/sprint.
1 Must register for offer at sprint.com/AAA within 30 days of activation and before downloading Sprint Family Locator App. Free service will discontinue if Sprint service or AAA membership is cancelled.
2 Sprint does not guarantee service or location accuracy. Location info could be delayed, inaccurate, interrupted based on a variety of conditions.
3 Offers subject to change according to AAA’s agreement with Sprint and may be modified, discontinued or terminated at any time without notice.


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Leket Israel in partnership with BDO, released its Third National Report on Food Waste and Rescue in Israel. The press conference was held on March 13, 2018.
The report presents, for the first time in Israel, a detailed model for the estimation of food loss in the retail and distribution sectors: in retail chains, open markets, local grocery stores and small retailers.
The Food Waste and Rescue in Israel Report reveals that food loss in Israel this year amounts to 2.3 million tons with a market value of NIS 19.5 billion (US $5.6 billion). A large part of the loss is rescuable; approximately 1.1 million tons, valued at NIS 7 billion (US $2 billion). Almost half of the value of salvageable food is found in the retail and distribution sectors, with total food loss in these segments amounting to 400,000 tons this year, worth 4.2 billion shekels (US $1.2 billion).
The loss in the retail and distribution sectors is of particularly high economic value, since it includes the entire investment: growth, production, packaging and transportation. This refers specifically to food that is produced for marketing and consumption and is lost even before reaching the consumer. Due to the characteristics of the loss at this stage, the vast majority of the food is rescuable and can be prevented from becoming waste. Of the NIS 7 billion (US $2 billion) worth of food that can be saved, NIS 3.5 billion (US $1 billion) is in the retail and distribution sectors.


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New Delhi: Tata Docomo has tied up with mobile messaging app WhatsApp to launch two unlimited data packs for its pre-paid GSM customers.
The two packs, valid for 15 and 30 days, have been targeted at price sensitive pre-paid customers who want to use WhatsApp for communication but don't want to shell out money on data usage. The two packs have been priced at Rs 15 and Rs 30.
The customised packs have been offered after conducting a user research. Thus, the data packs let you pay only for the applications you consume.
"Standing tall on the fundamental tenet of simplifying consumer's life, dedicated WhatsApp data packs serves up a hassle-free experience for our consumers with a clear focus on enriching the data experience," said Tata Docomo Head VAS Marketing Rishimohan Malhotra said.
While at international level, WhatsApp has over 300 million users, in India it only has 30 million monthly active users.


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The most promising game of the upcoming year just got even more tantalizing. Today in an interview The Witcher 3 senior visual effects artist, Jose Teixeria, revealed that the game will have 36 different endings.
Teixeria was quick to point out that he does not refer to them as endings but rather as “world states” as the game will continue after the main storyline quests are completed.
He alludes to the variability of certain villages being destroyed and certain characters being either alive or dead, which will all affect the world state that the player experiences. This hints that the element of choice will feature very heavily in the The Witcher 3.
The news is a sign that the developers at Cd Projekt Red are pushing the RPG to true next-gen levels. Where a lot of RPGs falter is in their low replayability. By providing a wealth of different conclusions to the game, players can be sure they will be coming back to this title time and time again, a feat that was just not possible on the previous generation of consoles.
This news is coming on the tail of a very strong showing for the game at this year’s E3, as developers held an impressive demo during the Microsoft press conference. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt will be available February 27th on PS4, Xbox One, and PC.
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Steam has withdrawn ‘Rape Day’ a game described as a visual novel that allows you to play as a rapist and murderer of women in the zombie apocalypse. The game is no longer available to buy on the Valve store, after an outcry from the games industry and consumers, regarding the content of the game. The controversy follows Valve’s decision last June to take a hands-off approach to moderation of content on its Steam store.
Desk Plant, the game’s solo developer, describes the game as a chance to “verbally harass, kill, and rape women as you choose to progress the story. It’s a dangerous world with no laws. The zombies enjoy eating the flesh off warm humans and brutally raping them but you are the most dangerous rapist in town.” Before being finally being pulled altogether the developer admitted to removing infanticide from the game to avoid being banned.
People took to social media and began to campaign against the game. Developers were uncomfortable with the violent, misogynist content and the possibility of being on the same storefront with such a game.
This controversy is seen by many in the industry as an inevitable situation, since Valve decided to implement an “allow everything” policy on Steam. There have been criticisms of Steam’s new rules, which state that anything is allowed “except for things that we decide are illegal, or straight up trolling.”
Valve released a statement regarding its decision to remove the game, which read “After significant fact-finding and discussion, we think Rape Day poses unknown costs and risks and therefore won’t be on Steam.” Some commentators didn’t feel the decision had been made for the right reasons and failed to take a stand against the game’s content.
Game developer and CEO at One More Story Games, Jean Leggett, is currently working on games that explore PTSD and sexual violence. She argues for games that approach tough topics with sensitivity.
She says, “As a sexual assault survivor writing a game about a sexual assault survivor dealing with post traumatic stress disorder while uncovering a dark mystery, I have had to do a lot of research to capture experiences other than my own and to ensure that the narrative, art, and audio design of the game tells the story in an honourable and healing way for players. I would not presume to speak for all survivors but I can design content that is mindful of collective experiences.”
The open door policy at Steam is making some developers nervous about submitting their games. Many don’t want to support a system that seems reluctant to take any moral stand, unless pushed. The lack of clarity and the fact that games with sexual content are struggling to make it through Steam’s open door system just adds to the confusion and anger.
Leggett says, “I would love to see the leadership at Steam take a stand against toxicity in general – of players and of developers. Inaction will not only drive players and developers away, but it will be an opportunity for other publishing platforms to thrive that are willing to set standards for human decency.
“One of the reasons we set out to build our own platform 5 years ago is because our target demographic, women over 30, isn’t interested in being part of toxic game communities and is more interested in curated content that isn’t centered around violence, especially violence against women. The more ugly and toxic Steam gets, the better it is for platforms like ours.”
Responding to those who argue for freedom of speech and the right for people to make and play games with sensitive or offensive content, Leggett says, “Create your own platform for that kind of content. No one has the right to publish anywhere – Steam is a privately held company that can dictate the content it sells. We need to pay attention to who is telling the stories and why they’re doing it.”
Fortnite and Unreal developer, Epic launched its own publishing platform in late 2018, taking on Steam’s dominance. Valve’s hands-off approach, combined with Epic’s lower revenue share could see developers move away from Steam. In addition, calls from UK MPs for an investigation into the Rape Day incident is putting even more scrutiny on Valve’s policy, as well as the rest of the games industry.


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Could retail workers benefit from implanted microchips?
SCDigest Editorial Staff
Through a special arrangement, presented here for discussion is a summary of a current article from Supply Chain Digest.
SCDigest has reported several times over the past few years about the small but growing interest in having one or more RFID chips or similar technology implanted in one’s body, generally in the fleshy area between the thumb and index finger, and using that wireless device to automate an increasingly broad array of everyday tasks.
Referred to in some circles as “transhumanism,” the movement largely started with a man name Amal Graafstra, who made news in 2010 by publicizing the fact that he had a RFID tag implanted in each hand, which he used to perform tasks such as opening his garage door or turning on his computer with a wave of his hand.
This summer, a Wisconsin company, Three Square Market, offered employees implantable chips to open doors, buy snacks, log in to computers and use office equipment like copy machines. It’s not clear how many workers have taken advantage of the offer, though some 50 were said to have signed up initially.
In a recent opinion column in the San Francisco Chronicle, transhumanist Zoltan Istvan, who is running for governor of California as a Libertarian, writes, “I got my RFID implant two years ago, and now I use it to send text messages, bypass security codes on my computer, and open my front door. Soon I’ll get the software to start my car, and then my life will be totally keyless.” His implant cost $60.
Many privacy groups worry about where all this is headed, such as government tracking citizens with implanted chips. But a few similar examples in Europe have been reported over the last several years, including a new program being developed in Sweden that will allow train riders to use implanted chips instead of a physical ticket.
“You could use the microchip implant to replace a lot of stuff, your credit cards, the keys to your house, the keys to your car,” a Swedish company executive told the BBC (via the Daily Mail).
- Despite the Controversy and “Ick” Factor, Growing Number of Humans Opting for Embedded RFID Chips – SCDigest Editorial
- RFID and Auto ID News: Are RFID Tagged Humans Closer than we Think? – SCDigest Editorial
- 3,000 Swedish commuters are now using microchips to pay for their journey – Daily Mail
- Why most of Three Square Market’s employees jumped at the chance to wear a microchip – CNBC
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: Will the transhumanism movement gain traction in the years ahead? Do you see applications for retail workers in corporate offices, stores and warehouses to use embedded RFID chips to automate tasks?


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The rapid expansion of the garment industry is one of the driving forces behind Bangladesh’s economic development: Bangladesh is now the second largest exporter of garments in the world.
Poor nutrition is a major challenge for many garment factory workers. The industry employs over 4 million garment workers in Bangladesh, of which 60% are women. Almost half of factory workers are believed to experience undernutrition and anaemia – a condition made worse for many women when they become pregnant, and responsible for up to 50% of childhood stunting cases.
COVID-19 has exaggerated the country’s gender nutrition crisis, with a declining number of expectant and new mothers receiving nutrition counselling (63% decline) and taking iron and folic acid supplements (36% decline). Both services are known to have a direct and positive effect on the health and well-being of workers and their young children. This comes alongside major disturbances to food systems in both urban and rural parts of the country, further increasing people’s vulnerability to poor health and nutrition.
Recognising the opportunity to improve nutritional levels by going directly to working women in Bangladesh’s factories, The Power of Nutrition and PVH Corp. are partnering to introduce nutrition services within PVH supplier factories in Bangladesh. PVH is one of the world’s largest fashion companies, with a presence in over 40 countries through global iconic brands including Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger.
The partnership forms part of a four-year, $15 million national programme through which UNICEF Bangladesh is supporting the Government of Bangladesh to scale up critical nutrition interventions for pregnant women and children in Bangladesh districts where undernutrition rates are highest. The programme is expected to reach over one million women and have a positive long-term impact on the country’s nutrition as well as socio-economic levels by addressing the root causes of stunting and encouraging more productive, healthy communities.
Bangladeshi women who work in the garment industry often access antenatal care through an onsite health facility. With support from PVH, UNICEF Bangladesh and The Power of Nutrition will introduce core nutrition support in eight PVH supplier factories through UNICEF and Better Work Bangladesh’s Mothers@Work programme. ‘Mothers@Work’ provides seven minimum standards of maternity protection and breastfeeding support including:
- Breastfeeding spaces
- Breastfeeding breaks
- Childcare provision (including onsite childcare in all private organizations with more than 40 female employees of reproductive age)
- Paid maternity leave
- Cash and medical benefits (provided to women on maternity leave to support the health and well-being of both mother and child)
- Employment protection and non-discrimination (including the right to return to a job of the same grade or an equivalent pay after maternity leave)
- Safe-work provision ensuring that factories conditions are safe for expecting mothers.
To date, the programme has successfully reached 92 factories and 160,000 workers. PVH’s investment in The Power of Nutrition and UNICEF’s programme will also support in-country advocacy to strengthen the nutrition regulatory framework in Bangladesh and protect working women and mothers’ rights.
Smruti Govan, Senior Manager, Corporate Responsibility at PVH said “At PVH, we recognize that we have an important role to play in investing in the health and prosperity of our people and their communities. Through our partnership with The Power of Nutrition, we are supporting an innovative initiative to provide access to critical services for working mothers and ultimately empower women in the global supply chain – a crucial priority within our Forward Fashion strategy. We are excited to enter this new partnership as it will truly make a difference to working women in our factories and set a model for potential expansion.”
The Power of Nutrition is a charitable foundation that unites businesses, governments, investors, non-profits, and change agents in a joint mission to end the cycle of undernutrition. Its unique match-funding and partnership model makes nutrition investments go further for maximum scale and impact. By working through The Power of Nutrition, PVH’s funding for the Bangladesh programme will be leveraged over four times.
Michelle Thompson, Director of Partnerships and Brands at The Power of Nutrition said: “We are delighted to welcome PVH to our growing network of partners from a range of sectors committed to ending undernutrition. This partnership is a great example of businesses playing an active role in improving the health of the communities they work within, while benefiting from pooling resources and expertise with other sectors for maximum impact. We are excited to see the results of our joint work.”
 Bangladesh DHIS-2 January 2020 – May 2020


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Donaldson Company, Inc., a supplier of filters for food and beverage processors, has addressed a contamination risk posed by carbon tube steam filters with the introduction of a new stainless steel alternative.
Food-Tech Eurasia, which celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2019, is an annual event in Istanbul that draws visitors from around the world, although mainly from southeast Europe, North Africa and Central Asia.
Machinery from a high volume fluid milk jug plant in southern Florida is up for auction this week, including milk silos, homogenizers and processors. Auctioneers New Mill Capital will oversee the online sale, open to all global customers.
The Dutch Royal FrieslandCampina N.V., a global dairy brand, closes out a busy December with the announcement that it has acquired Best Cheese Corporation USA, importer and vendor of specialty cheeses. It’s the second US company it has picked up this...
Light protection services and certification company Noluma has released new research that tackles the effects of light exposure on milk and other dairy products. Vitamin A, vitamin D and riboflavin levels in milk all begin to deplete after just two hours.


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GK & Comdata POS Partnership
The strategic partnership will streamline point-of-sale solutions.
GK and Comdata Inc. entered into a strategic partnership for Comdata to offer truck stops and convenience store retailers a single point-of-sale (POS) solution. Comdata turned to GK to update the tech stack for its SmartDESQ application. SmartDESQ will now be connected to GK CLOUD4RETAIL via OmniPOS. According to the companies, the integration of GK's cloud and POS technology will transform SmartDESQ into a next-generation retail platform, offering an omnichannel suite of solutions that will enable retailers to improve their customer experience and drive operational efficiencies, all while simplifying the store environment.


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Bitcoin value destruction has pushed it by nearly each latest technical help stage, forcing merchants to now take into account $30,000 as the following help.
Bitcoin value destruction plummet has pushed it by nearly each latest technical help stage, forcing merchants to now take into account $30,000 as the following line within the sand. The world’s largest digital asset is mired in its sixth straight day of declines, with the token down roughly 20% over the previous seven days. Bitcoin value is now 50% under its November peak and was buying and selling as little as $32,970 on Monday, the bottom since July.
The Bitcoin selloff has pushed it to probably the most oversold since March of 2020, based mostly on its Relative Strength Index (RSI) rating of 19. Bitcoin is now approaching a help area of $30,000, the place some analysts see it discovering a near-term flooring. Assets are thought of overbought if its RSI crosses above 70 and oversold if it falls under 30.
“A 50% fall down is not as significant as what we have seen in previously years gone by, but it’s significant now so it’s more of a concern,” stated Simon Peters, markets analyst at eToro. “The real support level seems to be around the $30,000 level, where we tested back in May after the Bitcoin mining ban in China.”
Wilfred Daye, head of Securitize Capital, the asset-management arm of Securitize, stated $30,000 is psychologically necessary, and Bitcoin ought to discover some help there. But, he provides, ought to the selloff proceed past that to $27,000 “miners who got in at the beginning of the bull market will be in trouble.”
Crypto has come beneath widespread promoting strain in latest days, with merchants pointing to hawkish alerts from the Federal Reserve as a purpose to withdraw dangerous belongings together with richly-valued know-how shares.
Traders usually flip to technical evaluation for cryptocurrencies given their volatility. And for a way of how precipitous the decline has been, take into account this: it was lower than two weeks in the past that merchants considered $40,000 as a key stage of help. Now Bitcoin is buying and selling roughly 15% under that stage. Meanwhile, different cryptocurrencies are additionally down, with Ether priced at $2,240, down considerably from a November excessive of round $4,860.
“Crypto market capitalizations across the board became hugely inflated and priced in a tremendous amount of growth due to a dovish Fed, and the tightening path the Fed is pursing is bringing liquidity out of the system and resetting outlandish valuations that weren’t keeping up with true usage,” stated Avi Felman, a portfolio supervisor at BlockTower.
The 40-day correlation coefficient for Bitcoin and the tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 index has reached virtually 0.66, probably the most in information compiled by Bloomberg since 2010. An analogous correlation with the S&P 500 can also be at a historic stage.
Here’s what different market-watchers needed to say:
Leah Wald, CEO at Valkyrie Funds: “This selloff is largely a result of traditional markets entering correction. The narrative around Bitcoin being a non-correlated asset clearly isn’t holding up, and the notion that its reached safe haven status appears to be a bit naive. That isn’t to say this won’t happen in the future but, right now, Bitcoin is a risk asset and all other digital assets have historically gone as Bitcoin goes.”
Jon Venverloh, COO of Hypernet Labs, a cyber-infrastructure supplier: “Federal interest rate policy, inflation, worldwide supply chain shortages, and ongoing global unrest are having an adverse impact on markets of all sorts. Crypto is not immune to widespread shifts in investor confidence, and this too shall pass.”
Coming up, the Biden administration is getting ready to launch an preliminary government-wide technique for digital belongings and job federal companies with assessing the dangers and alternatives they pose, in keeping with folks aware of the matter.
“The market is much more susceptible to negative news like we’re seeing over the last weekend and the last few weeks,” James Malcolm, head of international change analysis at UBS, stated by telephone. “And that creates a very unstable environment because a lot of people who have hoarded coins are now beginning to come under pressure.”


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A quick sprint through today’s tech news, brought to you by The Tech Chronicles.
PC RENTAL PROGRAM: Microsoft announced its new FlexGo payment program over the weekend, allowing third world residents a variety of payment options to get a computer in their homes.
The service, which MS is dubbing “pay-as-you-go computing,” gives people a variety of ways to put a down payment on a PC and then pay for software and services as they go. A good analogy is the phone cards popular in many developing nations, where you pay first and then get to use the technology until your credit runs out.
FlexGo will be tested in a variety of forms and nations, including India and Brazil, according to a PC Magazine story.
It’s an interesting idea, as well as the latest manifestation of the sofware as a service model made popular by business firms like Salesforce.com and NetSuite. I saw no mention, however, of Microsoft making this available to underprivileged people here in the U.S. It sounds like a good tool to bridge that gaping digital divide of ours.
WIRED TAKES A STAND: Wired News put itself smack dab in the middle of the AT&T/NSA scandal this morning when they published a full set of court documents previously considered confidential and under court seal.
A file detailing aspects of AT&T’s alleged participation in the National Security Agency’s warrantless domestic wiretap operation is sitting in a San Francisco courthouse. But the public cannot see it because, at AT&T’s insistence, it remains under seal in court records.
The judge in the case has so far denied requests from the Electronic Frontier Foundation, or EFF, and several news organizations to unseal the documents and make them public.
… we are publishing the complete text of a set of documents from the EFF’s primary witness in the case, former AT&T employee and whistle-blower Mark Klein — information obtained by investigative reporter Ryan Singel through an anonymous source close to the litigation.
There are 30 pages of docs posted on the site, including an affidavit from Klein that many have wanted to see. You can check out the documents here.
Hats off to Wired on this one. It takes a huge amount of guts to publish sealed documents obtained anonymously, considering the situation Chronicle reporters Lance Williams and Mark Fainaru-Wada find themselves in after obtaining Grand Jury testimony in the BALCO case. They have been subpoenaed to give up their source. And then there’s Judith Miller and her fiasco while at The New York Times last year involving leaks from the White House. She ended up doing time protecting her source.
Get yourselves a team of good lawyers.
THE GIZMONDO STORY: The Sunday Times, in London that is, published a great profile of Gizmondo yesterday, detailing the meteoric rise and fall of a UK start-up that burned through 160 million pounds in 18 months.
The company, which was marketing a handheld gaming device, had shares listed in the U.S. valued over $1 billion. In the past few months, it’s all gone to seed, punctuated when a high-ranking exec at the firm crashed a Ferrari in Los Angeles … which he didn’t even own!
It’s a great story of excess and hubris:
Details of the firms extraordinary extravagance — with huge sums spent on exotic sports cars and Rolex and Cartier watches during its short, unprofitable life — are coming to light.
One of (Founder Carl) Freer’s closest allies and a former director of the company (Steffan Eriksson) is in jail in Los Angeles facing charges of embezzlement, car theft and possessing a firearm. Freer was arrested on suspicion of posing as a policeman to buy a Magnum revolver — and has been exposed as having a criminal record.
Now that’s my kind of story.
That’s all for now folks. Keep us posted on what’s happening in your neighborhood.


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Analysts Divided on Sustainability of Apple’s iPhone Cycle
Two analysts’ recently released research notes reflect the opposing perspectives on the long-term viability of Apple’s (NASDAQ:AAPL) primary product – the iPhone. Apple is widely expected to refresh its iPhone product line with one or two new models this fall. Several industry rumors have suggested that the next-generation iPhones will feature larger screens that may be made out of sapphire — a harder, more scratch-resistant material.
Canaccord Genuity analyst Mike Walkley had a positive outlook on Apple’s next iPhone upgrade cycle. In a note to investors seen by Barron’s, Walkley cited recent smartphone surveys that showed that the iPhone 5S “remained the top selling smartphone” in the U.S. and “in many international markets.” Walkley attributed the strong iPhone 5S sales to weak sales of Android-based smartphones.
However, he noted that recently unveiled devices such as the Samsung (SSNLF.PK) Galaxy S5 and the HTC One (M8) may gave Android devices a slight edge in the current quarter. “With our surveys indicating gradually increasing consumer interest in and pre-order activity for these new Android smartphones, we anticipate new high-end Android smartphones will gain market share vs. the iPhone during the June quarter,” wrote Walkley in a note obtained by Investor’s Business Daily.
On the other hand, Walkley was optimistic that Apple would regain its market share with the new upgrade cycle. “We believe Apple will win back meaningful high-end market share during H2/C2014 based on our belief new iPhones with larger screen sizes could create a strong upgrade cycle among Apple’s loyal base,” wrote Walkley. The Canaccord Genuity analyst reiterated a “Buy” rating and a $600 price target on Apple shares.


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All Samsung fans, your wait is over! The time has finally come to pre-orders Samsung’s highly anticipated Galaxy S23 series. As of today, Samsung has opened reservations in India as part of its first Galaxy Unpacked event, which will take place on February 1, 2023. Find out more about this great new device and how you can get your hands on one!
Pre-orders for the Galaxy S23 Series are now available in India.
By pre-ordering the Galaxy S23 series for Rs 1,999, you will receive the Next Galaxy VIP Pass, which includes benefits worth Rs 5,000, early delivery, and the option to customize any S23 phone to your liking.
If you are a Smart Club member, you can also take advantage of the Welcome Voucher worth Rs 2,000 and loyalty points via the Samsung Shop app.
You will be in for an exciting deal if the company announces some bundle offers at launch time.
As we get closer to the launch of the Samsung Galaxy S23 series, more and more information is coming out about the devices. The latest is that pre-orders for the devices will begin in India on February 1, 2023. The Galaxy S23 series will consist of the Galaxy S23, the Galaxy S23+, and the Galaxy S23 Ultra.
The series will receive many upgrades: improved zoom, a 200MP camera (for the S23 Ultra), and a new design. If you’re in India and looking to pre-order one of these devices, make sure to do so on February 1! Better night photography. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset is expected to be tweaked, with a longer battery life and many other features.
The Galaxy Book 3 laptops and more products are expected at the launch event, including smartphones similar to the Galaxy S22 series but without the Contour Cut design.
Samsung.in offers pre-orders for the Galaxy S23 Series


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Coca-Cola Japan May Import Mineral Water From South Korea
Coca-Cola Japan Co. is considering importing mineral water from South Korea to meet demand in Japan’s Tohoku and Tokyo regions. The company initially plans to secure 1 million cases of water for the affected areas, according to a faxed statement today.
The Japanese government last week called on mineral water suppliers to increase supply after tap water in the Tokyo area was at one point found to have radioactive iodine levels higher than the recommended limit for infants.
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Gearoid Reidy at firstname.lastname@example.org


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Apple announced their Google Docs competitor, iWork for iCloud, earlier this year. Now, it's finally available for users to try out.
The product is still technically in "beta," and it officially launches in the fall, but you can start using it now. Just head to iCloud.com and sign in with your Apple ID. The apps are currently free to use (no word on future pricing just yet) and work in modern versions of Safari, Chrome, and Internet Explorer on OS X and Windows. It claims Firefox is not supported.


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In a major step toward implementing its pledge to ban the ivory trade, China will close 67 carving factories and retail shops across the country on Friday, WildAid has learned. The first round of closures impacts about a third of all official shops and factories, according to documents released by China’s State Forestry Administration.
Late last year, China announced plans to stop all domestic ivory sales by the end of 2017. The country is currently the world’s largest market for elephant ivory products. Although international trade is prohibited, up to 30,000 elephants are killed illegally each year for their tusks.
“These closures prove that China means business in closing down the ivory trade and helping the African elephant,” said Peter Knights, CEO of WildAid. “The price of ivory has dropped by two-thirds from previous highs, so it is now a very bad investment. We expect further drops as the full closure approaches at the end of the year.”


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JEFFERSON COUNTY, Mo. — The annual Kimmswick Strawberry Festival is underway this weekend in the Jefferson County, Missouri, river town.
Between flooding and COVID, it’s been a rough couple of years in Kimmswick. That event had to be canceled last year because of the pandemic.
But if parking and traffic Saturday are any indication, the strawberry festival in Kimmswick is back in business.
Inside, you’ll find actual strawberries and about anything else you can imagine on the “festival” circuit.
They are moving product at the Imperial Farmer’s Market booth, where the strawberries look ripe and juicy.
Gina Viviano said it was busy.
“Oh yeah!” she said, in between customers ordering preserves. “Trying to keep up with the strawberries.”
“Yeah, it’s very busy,” offered her sister, Chris Leach. “I think this is the busiest it’s been since 2018.”
Arkansas vendor My Father’s Garden has been to Kimmswick before, selling their brand of lime jalapeno pepper jelly.
5 On Your Side was there when one customer tasted a sample.
“This is really good. It’s kind of sweet, right?” she asked the owner, Chad Rasmussen.
“A little delayed heat,” he said.
“We went to the Apple Butter Festival in 2019,” Rasmussen said.
So what brought them back?
“Look at this!” he laughed, looking around the crowded festival.
“This is an incredible place!”
309 Elm, a retail gallery space in the Bernard Klein House since 2014, promotes arts and culture through active living and universal design.
Owner Amy Barnes acknowledged her business was one of the few made of bricks and mortar, instead of a temporary tent.
“This is the first festival since 2018, and we’re very happy to see the crowds,” Barnes said.
Tony Walters’ custom pop culture mini-figures loom large at StL Brick Fanatics. A 5 On Your Side reporter asked Walters what it means to have this opportunity to display his wares at a festival once again.
“Oh, everything,” Walters said. “This is a family business. My kids help me; the family helps. It impacts everybody, but for us, personally, it was a blessing to be able to get going again.”
The Kimmswick Strawberry Festival continues Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Parking is available with a shuttle to and from Windsor Intermediate School and Windsor High School.
Residents are also selling parking in grass fields outside their homes, blocks from the festival venue.


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All of Honda's assembly plants in Japan will be running again by April 11 and parts production and shipment for use outside of Japan will begin next Monday, the company said today.
All of Honda's assembly plants in Japan will be running again by April 11, and parts production and shipment for use outside of Japan will begin next Monday, the company said today.
The automaker's Ohio plants cut back to partial shifts beginning yesterday because of a dwindling supply of parts from Japan.
While Honda's parts-supply operation will resume, it will be running at about 50 percent capacity, the company said.
"Honda will carefully monitor the situation and manage its operations accordingly," the company said in a statement.
The statement covers parts produced by Honda, but not parts from third-party suppliers in Japan that ship directly to plants outside the country, the company's North American office announcedthis morning.
"There are still many questions relating to the supply of parts manufactured by other suppliers in Japan," the North American office said.
Honda has about 13,500 employees in Ohio at assembly plants in Marysville and East Liberty, an engine plant in Anna, a transmission plant in Russells Point and administrative offices. In addition, the company is served by more than 150 parts suppliers in Ohio.
All of those locations and employees are affected by the cutbacks, which stem from an interruption of the supply of parts from Japan following the March 11 earthquake and tsunami.
More than 80 percent of the Honda vehicles sold in the United States are produced in this country, and more than 80 percent of the parts come from North American sources. While only a small share of parts come from Japan, it takes only one missing part to shut down as assembly line.


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Accord slow in recruiting local engineers for factory inspection
The platform of 150 mostly European retailers and brands that source garment products from Bangladesh has so far recruited only seven local engineers for inspections of 1,600 garment factories.
The Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh has 38 teams of foreign engineers for the inspections.
It pledged to recruit 25 local engineers just after few days of the beginning of the inspection on February 20, as the garment makers complained that the foreign engineers are not familiar with the situation in Bangladesh.
More local engineers will be recruited soon as they are waiting in line to face interview, said Rob Wayss, executive director for the Bangladesh operations of the Accord.
The Accord has already completed inspecting 600 factories in Dhaka and Chittagong. “We are still hopeful for the completion of the inspection of all 1,600 factories by the end of September,” Wayss said.
After the deadliest Rana Plaza building collapse in April last year, the IndustriALL Global Union, a federation of trade unions, initiated the Accord.


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OPINION: Independent television critic Thinus Ferreira gives his take on the latest DStv price increase. "The price increase reflects that MultiChoice is starting to understand that video consumers in South Africa have choices now," he writes.
Tu-Dum: Following years of DStv's steep price increases, it is competition in the form of It-That-Can't-Be-Named that finally seems to have brought a sense of cents sanity in 2022 to MultiChoice's manic price hikes. We'll whisper you its name: Netflix.
On Tuesday, MultiChoice announced a price increase for 2022 that it said is a "2.7% weighed adjustment across all of DStv's offerings" from March.


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Consolidated Supply Co. is a 90-year-old supplier of plumbing equipment — all words that would seem to belie the impression that it's hip to any sort of modern e-commerce user experience, or that it would want to be.
But times are changing, and so is the Tigard-based company. Now in its fourth generation of family ownership, Consolidated this year is launching a slate of new digital features it hopes will ensure the company stays relevant for a fifth generation.
It's a strategy Consolidated believes will position it well ahead of regional competitors, while catering to the millennial generation that's starting to take the reins in this decidedly blue-collar industry.
“Being a legacy company is a treasure and a privilege," said Karla Neupert Hockley, the president of Consolidated and a fourth-generation leader at the company founded by her great-grandfather E.A. Neupert. "However, the supply chain industry is shifting dramatically and to remain relevant we have to look at status quo as the enemy."
The next generation
Consolidated employs 430 people and generates annual revenue of more than $150 million by selling supplies to contractors in plumbing, waterworks and hyrdronics. The company has six branches in Oregon, seven in Washington and four in Idaho. Consolidated also owns and operates The Fixture Gallery, which has 10 locations throughout the Northwest.
Hockley heads Consolidated's leadership team along with her mother, Karolyn Neupert, the company's chairwoman. Neupert is the widow of Karl E. Neupert, the company’s third-generation owner and leader. Karl, upon being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2003, asked his wife to take over day-to-day operations. He passed away only 10 days later.
Like most suppliers to the trades, Consolidated has offered online ordering for a number of years. But also like most suppliers, the user experience is clunky, lacking deep product detail and artificial intelligence for suggestive shopping, among other features that are commonplace in online consumer retail.
Distributors like Consolidated historically have been small to medium-sized, closely held legacy companies that have survived by sticking to the status quo. Very few have mobile apps for customer interaction, let alone shopping and buying.
But a demographic shift in that sector is forcing it to adjust. The retirements of baby boomers are putting millennials in roles where digital optimization is imperative. The average age of a person doing business-to-business buying is now younger than 35, according to a report by Absolunet. Millennials also are taking the reins of supply chain companies as their parents and other elders retire.
Hockley and her mother recognized that they, too, needed a better digital experience. “Why should it be convenient for you in your personal life to shop online but not when you go to work and do your job as a buyer,” Hockley said.
But there was one problem: the didn't have the deep understanding of e-commerce needed to do it right.
Hiring a ringer
To fix that, they brought in Josh Schoonmaker, an e-commerce expert whose resume includes work at PayPal, Ebay and consulting projects for Disney. His most impressive experience, however, may be working on consumer technology giant HP’s “home of the future,” a project in which he led HP executives in envisioning home technology and how it would help drive broader business goals.
Before agreeing to come on board, Schoonmaker needed to make certain that Consolidated wanted someone who could lead organizational change and implement technology.
“At 90 years old and being in the trades, most companies are not champing at the bit to change. Most are resistant and that’s where disruption comes in and smacks people around,” Schoonmaker said.
It soon became clear that Consolidated was not merely seeking a cheap and fast solution, which compelled Schoonmaker to join the company last August. His title is eCommerce Manager.
Schoonmaker led the way on developing a digital vision that, in addition to e-commerce and mobile apps, will include digital file sharing, integration with shippers for real-time shipping data, business intelligence and marketing automation.
He first took the concept to the company's various branches, thinking employees might be resistant. He prepared for tough questions.
“I’d do my presentation and then, there’d be silence,” during which Schoonmaker said he anticipated push-back. Instead, hands when up and meetings turned into brainstorming sessions. People were highly engaged, offering suggestions for how to make the proposed platform even better.
“I had 35-year veterans of the company telling me they were excited,” Schoonmaker said. “That kind of attitude doesn’t just pop up. Karla and Karolyn and the rest of the team have been doing a good job of getting the company ready for the revolution that will inevitably happen with more technology."
The platform Consolidated is about to launch contains a high level of institutional knowledge, allowing it to customize the user experience for each of its clients and their employees. The e-commerce portion of the platform is expected to go live in about a month, while other new features will launch over the coming year.
“For a 90-year-old company to do that and in such a short time-frame is amazing,” said Justin King, CEO of B2X Partners, an e-commerce agency based in Maryland specializing in distribution. B2X is working with Consolidated.
“In distribution, everyone says ‘I’m too far behind the curve. I can’t catch up," King said. "But that’s not true. Every company that doesn’t do this is experiencing a revenue leak. And we know that leaks don’t get smaller."
That’s not lost on Hockley. “We could say ‘we’re brick and mortar people,' but if you want to be that, you’re marching toward the tar pit.”
The company: Consolidated Supply Co.
The business: A supplier of supplies to contractors in plumbing, waterworks and hyrdronics.
Annual revenue: $150 million