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Samsung’s budget friendly Galaxy A05 and Galaxy A05s smartphones are poised to hit the market soon. These upcoming devices have already secured various certifications including the FCC, BIS and WiFi Alliance, hinting at their imminent arrival.
Recently the Galaxy A05 even made an appearance on the Google Play Console revealing key technical details and renderings. Meanwhile, the Samsung Galaxy A05s has also received SIRIM and FCC certifications with a leaked rendering shedding light on its camera system and other features. Let us delve into the camera specs and more for these upcoming Galaxy A05 devices.
The Galaxy A05 and Galaxy A05s go by the model numbers SM-A055F and SM-A057F respectively. According to leaked information the Galaxy A05 boasts a dual camera setup on the rear while the Galaxy A05s steps it up with a triple camera configuration. Both devices feature a 50 MP main camera reminiscent of their predecessors the Galaxy A04 and A04s from the previous year.
As per details from the Google Play Console, the Galaxy A05’s display maintains a pixel resolution of 720 x 1,600. While there is no information available regarding internal storage both models are expected to be dual SIM smartphones with a dedicated microSD card slot. They are also equipped with 5000mAh batteries and support 15W charging. Running on the One UI 5 based Android 13 operating system these devices come prepared for the latest Android experience.
Both the Galaxy A05 and Galaxy A05s share several features including a USB Type-C connector, GPS, Wi-Fi 5, Bluetooth 5.3, a single loudspeaker, a microphone and an LED flash. Neither device supports 5G connectivity instead, they rely on the MediaTek Helio G85 CPU, potentially offering improved performance compared to the Galaxy A04s, which used the Exynos 850 processor.
Although Samsung has not made an official declaration about the release date the Galaxy A05 and A05s are anticipated to enter the market shortly following in the footsteps of their predecessor which was introduced in August 2022. As Samsung continues to develop its cost effective Galaxy A series, these devices may become accessible in a number of locations including Australia, New Zealand and Southeast Asia.
As the launch date approaches, consumers can look forward to budget friendly smartphones that offer a competitive camera setup and a range of features for their everyday needs. Samsung’s Galaxy A05 and A05s are set to cater to those seeking an affordable yet capable device in the near future.


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Last month I blogged about what was perhaps the deadliest factory fire in history in a clothing works in Karachi (see my post of Oct 15). Now a fire at a clothing factory on the outskirts of Bangladesh’s capital, Dhaka, is believed to cost more than 112 lives.
The blaze started late on Saturday on the ground floor of the factory, perhaps because of an electrical fault, trapping workers on upper floors. Some jumped to their deaths from windows. The building was in a narrow lane, making it hard for fire crews to reach the blaze.
Thousands flocked to the factory looking for relatives who worked there. A senior fire official said that if there had been a fire escape on the outside of the building, it might have save many lives, while the factory owner said he had never had a fire before at any of his seven premises.
Clothes account for up to 80 per cent of Bangladesh’s exports, and about two million people work in the industry. Two years ago, another fire in a factory nearby resulted in the deaths of 25 workers.

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An industry expert expects to see some form of consolidation in the digital-only banking sector in the future .
A recent report by RFi Group found that interest in digital-only banks had started to wane.
The research also highlighted that the global appetite for digital-only providers had fallen from 74% in H1 last year to 63% in H2 2017.
'It is inevitable there will be some form of consolidation in the future'
John Gunn, executive chairman at SynerGIS Capital, said: â€œGiven the exponential growth of the industry these past five years, it is inevitable there will be some form of consolidation in the future.
â€œThis could take the form of established banks cherry-picking the technologies and services they like or complementary businesses â€“ which sit on newly formed Open Banking marketplaces â€“ establishing more permanent alliances.'
Marcus Exall, VP of partnerships at Monese, added: â€œThe rate of change that is possible by using the latest technology means that [the] pace will continue to accelerate and the products and services that can be developed to improve the experience for customers as a result of this will mean that the gulf in satisfaction between the new challengers and the incumbents is only likely to widen.
â€œThere is likely to be consolidation as the sector grows, but this is not something that preoccupies us at the moment."
Clint Wilson, founder and CEO of nimbl, also expected to see acquisitions.
â€œSome banks will doubtless buy smaller challengers, but we shouldn't see this as proof of a pitched battle raging within the sector.
â€œWith their healthy capital reserves and big balance sheets, banks may well consider acquisition to be a faster, more efficient way to enhance their offer and appeal to the new generation of consumers and business customers who crave convenience and innovation.
â€œBut don't expect big banks to be gobbling up all the minnows: smaller challengers will likely pursue partnership with big banks as an opportunity to access the capital or more sophisticated financial products required to scale up.
â€œYou could say we can expect to see as much collaboration and healthy competition as we will open conflict.'
Can challengers combat the threat of digital platforms from the big five?
Mobile-banking platform Revolut didn't agree with the findings of the report.
Nikolay Storonsky, CEO and founder at Revolut, said: â€œWe believe that rather than having to survive, digital-only banks are thriving by being tech-only platforms.
â€œWe believe that traditional banks are failing by not offering effective technology platforms, they aren't integrating customer data properly for better suggestions and they aren't serving customers with enough machine-learning intelligence embedded in their processes.
â€œFairly soon we'll start to see digital-only banks with lower fees forcing some other banks to close their branches.'
Nikolay added that Revolut had gained over 1.5 million customers with a zero marketing spend.
â€œWe expect big tech companies to be more agile than traditional banks, to start investing in promising technology platforms and start-ups, with an increasing number of key partnerships, mergers and acquisitions.'
'We're definitely going to see more collaboration between tech outfits and bigger banks'
Ricky Knox, CEO at Tandem Bank, believed that banks could certainly prosper as tech-only platforms.
â€œJust look at the big banks â€“ they're rolling back the number of physical branches in operation year-on-year.
â€œAs long as you make it easier for customers to manage their money and have great products, there's a lot to play for.'
Ricky believed that although lots of people don't pay much attention to developments in the financial space, trust and awareness would come in time.
â€œWe're definitely going to see more collaboration between tech outfits and bigger banks.
â€œWhether this extends to acquisitions of digital challengers remains to be seen.
â€œUltimately, as the market opens up, banks of all sizes are going to need to specialise.'
Gianluca Corradi, head of UK banking at Simon-Kucher & Partners, believed the customer journey and the pricing model were ultimately the key drivers to ensuring digital banks' success in the future.
â€œThe customer journey should be simple and interactive enough to ensure customers that need a more human touch will feel satisfied,' he added.
â€œAI and consumer psychology can both play a crucial role here.
â€œThe pricing model â€“ on the other hand â€“ will allow digital banks to charge fairly for the value they deliver and will ensure a constant growth path in profit to keep innovating.'
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Cognac lovers got a chance to celebrate 200 years of Hen L at a local hotel – in Nairobi. The event was graced with two members of the famous family – global brand ambassador and eighth generation ‘Henessies’, Maurice Hennessy and his nephew Roch Hennessy.
“I am delighted to have the opportunity to visit Nairobi, its energy and vibrancy is exciting. Henessy has always been a brand without borders, enjoyed the world over. It’s always amazing to see Hennessy being embraced across continents and cultures and it’s important we celebrate this milestone with our valued consumers” said Maurice Hennessy.
According to Maurice, Kenya comes third after South Africa and Nigeria as the top markets in Africa for Hennessy.
The largest maker of cognac started distributing its products in the Kenyan capital in May last year in a move meant to Africa’s second –largest luxury goods market. Its strategy is to exploit the city as a hub for regional distribution. A bottle of Hennessey cognac goes for as much as Ksh 117,000 ($1,127) in the capital’s outlets.
Chief executive officer Bernard Peillon while on a visit last year said “Kenya is a boost market, the next emerging market frontier for us.” The cognac producer is targeting a double-digit sales increase.


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iPhone owners win $20 MILLION Apple settlement over iOS ‘slowing down’
APPLE has agreed to pay out $20m/£16m to iPhone owners for an iOS update that went wrong years ago.
The case has raged since 2015, when a group claimed iOS 9 slowed down their iPhone 4S phones so much they had to buy new phones.
Worse, they couldn’t undo the damage.
After seven years, the tech giant has reached an agreement – but there’s a catch.
The case was filed in a New York court, meaning only those from the Big Apple and New Jersey are eligible for compensation.
It will only be available to people from these areas who own or have had an iPhone 4S and have downloaded iOS 9.
Considering how long it’s been, that may be difficult for many to prove.
But legal documents state that individuals “must provide an affidavit that, to the best of their knowledge, they have downloaded iOS 9 or any version thereof on their “iPhone” 4S… their “iPhone” 4S has experienced a significant decline in performance as a result.” “.
And everyone who’s eligible won’t get much – each person only gets $15/£12.
The settlement has yet to be finalized before people can start making claims.
Most Read in Phones & Gizmos
Once sorted, a dedicated website and phone number will be made available, MacRumors reports.
When Apple released iOS 9 in September 2015, the company claimed it was the “most advanced mobile experience.”
They also said it would offer “faster scrolling” and “better overall performance,” but many iPhone 4S owners complained that it did the exact opposite.
Apple released the iPhone 4S in October 2011.
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https://www.thesun.ie/tech/8753423/apple-iphone-4s-settlement-20-million-dollars/ iPhone owners win $20 MILLION Apple settlement over iOS ‘slowing down’


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Sony has announced that in its first week on sale Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End hit over 2.7 million copies sold through both physical and digital formats combined worldwide. Naughty Dog’s latest game was also the fastest selling first party PS4 title in both North America and PAL regions. Earlier today it was confirmed that Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End had secured the top spot in the UK charts for a second week in a row.
Uncharted 4 has been receiving a lot of critical praise for the story and the way it looks on PS4, with a ton of effort put in to make it look incredibly detailed. You can read Jim’s review here where he awarded the game a 10/10.
Source: PS Blog


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The ripples of Huawei’s ban from using American tech in 2019 are still being felt across the globe today. It was alleged that the the Chinese company, Huawei, had links with the Chinese government, and thus they were banned from using Android OS in the phones and other tech that they produce.
Huawei have managed to find a workaround by creating their own OS: Harmony OS. But with their reputation still being called into question across multiple countries besides the US, will the company’s next flagship phone, the Huawei P50 Pro, prove to be a success outside of China?
Whilst we don’t want to look too deeply into the issues with Huawei’s relationships with countries outside of China, it is important to understand exactly how we got to this point to begin with.
Huawei were a growing company creating phones that rivalled even the top spec iPhones of the day, and the company were only increasing in popularity as one of the most reliable and top performing phone manufacturers out there.
After the US ban on sharing any technology with Huawei though, customers certainly became slightly more dubious about owning a Huawei phone.
That being said, Huawei phones are still a popular choice among many consumers today. So, will we even be able to get our hands on the Huawei P50 Pro even if we wanted to?
Well, the answer to that question is yes, thanks to Huawei’s innovative new OS. Harmony OS will likely now be the standard OS shipping with all Huawei phones in the future, and we believe it’ll all start with Huawei P50 Pro.
Because Huawei have developed their own OS, the sales of their phones in foreign countries will still go ahead because they actually have an OS for their products now.
As fresh cracks in the Western worlds strenuous relationships with China have began to show again, we can’t be certain of how governments around the world will react, and potential bans and tariffs on Chinese products are certainly a possibility.
How things develop in the future, we can’t really say, but it’s certainly something worth keeping an eye on if you’re hoping to get the Huawei P50 Pro when it releases.
With increasing suspicion over the company’s ties with the Chinese government, more and more customers in more and more countries around the globe are beginning to doubt the safety and security of owning a Huawei phone.
With the release of their new OS, more people might be tempted to avoid the company’s products in favor of the more traditional options: iPhone, Samsung, that sort of thing.
However, if the phone is able to be sold around the world when the P50 Pro releases, we’ll need to know a little more about the new OS that it will ship with.
Huawei Harmony OS
Now that the more political stuff is out of the way, we can get into the stuff we really know a lot about: tech.
The Huawei Harmony OS has been developed rapidly, and it has a number of key features that will be attractive to potential buyers in the US and the rest of the world too. For starters, Huawei have announced that their new OS will be compatible with all of the leading chips on the market today.
This is exciting because it means that Huawei won’t have to sacrifice on performance whilst using the Harmony OS, because they will be able to continue to develop phones with the chips we have become accustomed to seeing for fast, streamlined performances from our modern phones.
The Huawei Harmony OS will also be compatible with Wi-Fi. Whilst of course we’d expect to see this, with the development of a new OS so quickly, it’s nice to hear that the company have been able to reassure its customers that they will still have access to all the things they are used to.
Along similar lines, the Huawei Harmony OS will also be capable of handling the high specs we have come to expect from cameras on our phones today. In many ways, there won’t be much difference between Harmony OS and Android.
Another exciting feature included in the Harmony OS is the connectivity capabilities of it. If you’re a fan of Huawei products then you already know the company isn’t just limited to phones, they produce laptops, desktops, TV’s and much more.
The Huawei Harmony OS is specifically designed to reach across all of these smart devices to keep you fully connected at all times.
Whilst we’re not yet sure how exactly this will work, it’s certainly something to be excited about as other companies and OS might start heading down a similar route to keep connectivity across devices at the top of their priority list for future developments.
Huawei Harmony OS is quite keen to point out their security and trustworthiness online too. Whilst we aren’t here to fall down on either side of the Huawei reputation debate, it is worth pointing out that the Harmony OS is fully certified and has passed formal verification.
How much stock you put in that is entirely up to you, we’re just here to point out the process that Harmony OS has had to go through in order to get to this point so quickly.
We’ve said multiple times throughout this article that we aren’t here to get political or weigh in on the reputation debate surrounding Huawei.
What we do know though, is tech, and the Huawei Harmony OS does seem to be a powerful OS capable of supporting the high level specs we have come to expect from Huawei’s phones.
With the Huawei P50 Pro expected to be announced sometime in March (as they did with the P40 version of the phone last year), we will certainly be keeping an eye on whether or not the new Harmony OS has led to any compromise in the performance of the final product.
If the tech is as impressive as expected, and the new OS seems to be allowing the device to perform at its best, then whether or not to purchase the phone outside of China will largely depend on individual preference.
It remains to be seen just how damaged Huawei’s reputation really is, and the first real test will come with the expected release of the P50 series in 2021. Can their new OS go some way to boosting sales outside of China? We don’t know, but we’ll certainly be watching.


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Do you have less than $500 in savings? You’re not alone.
While it is a good idea to have extra cash in case of a financial emergency, 41 percent of Americans have less than $500 saved, according to CreditDonkey.
Surprisingly, many who don’t have $500 in savings live in two-income households, own cars, homes and some luxuries. This group has come to be known as the “liquid-asset poor” because of their inability to quickly pay for a financial emergency with hard cash.
In many instances, they would have to rely on credit to fix their problem, an option that could put a strain on their credit score.
Fifty-four percent of the 1,105 Americans surveyed didn’t have a strategy in place to save money while 45 percent felt they would never be able to save a lot of money.
While many families feel it is impossible to save three to six months of wages for larger emergencies, many can still save for smaller unexpected emergencies, such as a car repair, according to CreditDonkey.
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Kiko Milano to close a quarter of its UK stores
Italian beauty brand Kiko Milano is seeking to close 12 of its 48 stores in the UK, including its shop at Bluewater shopping centre.
The decision will reduce the number of Kiko stores in the country by 25%, and follows the closure of three further stores, including one in Romford, over the last few months, reported Property Week.
The Italian cosmetics company, specialised in professional makeup and skincare products, has been undergoing a reorganisation that has included the closure of most of its US store base earlier this year.
The brand filed for bankruptcy in the US in January as a result of weak sales, a decline in store traffic and challenges from online shopping. The reorganisation has seen the business redefine its geographic priorities, and is said to be looking for a minority investor to help fund growth in India, Asia and the Middle East, where the cosmetics industry is experiencing high rates of development.
This is all part of a three-year plan that will also include an investment of 90 million euros in product innovation, marketing and digital capabilities.
The group has more than 1,000 directly-operated stores in 21 countries, and most of its revenue comes from outside Italy.
Copyright © 2023 FashionNetwork.com All rights reserved.


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It’s been quite a ride for New Jersey’s Electronics Expo over the last year or so. Once riding high as one of the fastest growing New Jersey electronics retailers, the company has struggled with the changing economy, changing industry, bankruptcy, and recovery. It’s been a wild ride and founder Leon Temiz says he is committed to crafting a new type of specialty retail business.
In a series of filings associated with the Chapter 11 voluntary bankruptcy filing by Wayne, NJ-based Electronics Expo, we are learning new details on the slippery slope the company found itself facing in 2012 – a slope that landed them in court, seeking protection from creditors. The filings included an affidavit from company Managing Member and President Levent (known as Leon) Temiz that said circumstances left them with “no alternative but to conclude that a reorganization under Chapter 11 was the best way to stabilize the Debtor’s financial condition and maintain sufficient flexibility to restructure its debt while continuing to operate its business.”
What were the factors that drove Electronic Express to bankruptcy?… [Read more…] about Did Vendors Force Electronics Expo into Bankruptcy?
Wayne, NJ-based Electronics Expo, an independent regional retail chain selling quality A/V electronics, has entered bankruptcy as of March 31st. The company, which at one time had as many as eight locations at its peak, is now down to two showrooms and one outlet center at its offices, according to a report by NorthJersey.com. Electronics Expo is owned by Leon Temiz, once a partner with family members in another regional player, Sixth Avenue Electronics.


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Trans-Siberian Orchestra has announced that December 1, 2022, will be the new date for their show that was postponed last year. If you have tickets from the December 2, 2021, show they will be honored for the new date.
If you are unable to attend, you will be able to get a refund beginning now through August 17th at Ticketmaster or the arena box office. Tickets must be refunded at the original point of purchase.
For full refund information, click here: http://savemartcenter.com/events/trans-siberian-orchestra-2022/
Stay tuned for details on when tickets sales will resume.


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INDIANAPOLIS — NOTE: The above video is from a previous report on Marion County discussing a COVID-19 plan ahead of the NCAA tournament.
March Madness is about to descend on Indiana and the Indiana Attorney General's Office is warning of ticket scams.
The concern is scammers will use the high-profile sporting event to target desperate last-minute ticket buyers.
“As Indiana prepares to play host to the biggest basketball tournament of the year, Hoosiers should do their research and exercise caution before making any online ticket purchases,” said Attorney General Todd Rokita. “I am committed to protecting Indiana consumers and our office’s Consumer Protection Division is ready to assist consumers if they become victims of fraud.”
The AG's office is offering the following tips to avoid ticket scams:
- Buy tickets from a trusted vendor or official website.
- Understand what the vendor’s refund, exchange, or return policy is before purchasing tickets.
- Use a credit card to purchase tickets and avoid using cash, gift cards, or wire money for tickets you have found online.
- Be wary of advertisements with extremely discounted prices. If a deal seems too good to be true, it probably is.
If someone feels they've been scammed, they should file a claim by visiting indianaconsumer.com or by calling 1-800-382-5516.


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Paramount suffers on streaming and ads
February 16, 2023
Paramount Global disappointed Wall Street estimates on quarterly revenue as a slump in the advertising market hit CBS.
TV advertising revenue fell 7 per cent in the three months to December, despite a lift from political advertising on the back of US mid-term elections in November.
Meanwhile, Paramount+ added a record 9.9 million subscribers, partly resulting from the streaming release of hit sequel movie Top Gun: Maverick (pictured). The company revealed last month it would integrate Showtime with Paramount+ across platforms later this year as it prioritises streaming services. Showtime has suffered from pay-TV cord-cutting.
Total revenue rose 2 per cent to $8.13 billion (€7.63bn) in the quarter but missed expectations. Operating losses in the company’s direct-to-consumer unit, which houses its streaming services including Paramount+ and Pluto TV, rose to $575 million from $502 million.
“Our content and platform strategy is working and, with even more exceptional content coming this year, we expect to return the company to earnings growth in 2024,” said Chief Executive Officer Bob Bakish.


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Newk’s franchisee team to enrich Gulf Coast presence for a total of eight restaurants by end of 2017
One of Newk’s Eatery’s most successful franchisee teams is bringing fresh, flavorful eating into downtown Pensacola with the city’s second Newk’s restaurant. The Newk’s franchisee team, consisting of managing partners and seasoned restaurateurs Kevin Fitzpatrick, Roman Mayer and Craig Reeder, is jump-starting the site of the former Wintzell’s Oyster House and Copeland’s New Orleans Restaurant & Bar with the grand opening of Newk’s brand new downtown location on May 18 at 10:30 a.m. The rejuvenated property sitting directly off Interstate 110 will be serving up the fast-casual brand’s signature culinary-driven menu for both Pensacola locals and Gulf Coast travelers. The franchisees behind the downtown restaurant also own Newk’s Cordova Mall location which opened in Pensacola this past November.
“Newk’s fresh, vibrant flavor profile fits hand-in-hand with coastal living,” said Pensacola native and Newk’s franchise group COO Kevin Fitzpatrick. “Our management and partners have a taste for what local diners crave and have done an outstanding job building a customer-centered culture in each of our restaurants. We are excited to make the Newk’s experience even more convenient for Pensacola guests with our second downtown location.”
By the end of 2017, the franchisee group expects to have a total of eight Newk’s restaurants operating on the Gulf Coast. With three locations currently open in D’Iberville, Gulfport and Hattiesburg along Mississippi’s coast, the trio has plans to open three more Newk’s Eateries following the Gulf shores of both Alabama and Florida in addition to the existing two Pensacola locations.
“We were attracted to the Newk’s brand in the wake of the Gulf Coast’s large-scale rebuilding phase following Hurricane Katrina,” said Newk’s franchisee Roman Mayer. “We love the dining experience Newk’s offers with its exceptional hospitality and the freshness of its menu, and we knew Newk’s special brand of dining would resonate with the people of the coast.”
Newk’s downtown restaurant will be located at 400 East Chase Street and will offer seating in its approximately 4,500 square-foot space for 152 guests, along with outside patio seating for 20 more. The restaurant will provide job opportunities for around 80 applicants in the area.
At Newk’s, there is something for everyone to enjoy from the restaurant’s diverse menu of fresh tossed salads, artisan pizzas, hot toasted sandwiches and made-from-scratch soups and desserts. Newk’s signature menu items are meticulously handcrafted with rigorously selected fresh ingredients in an open kitchen and served tableside in a warm and welcoming atmosphere. The fast-casual restaurant delivers lunch to the table or to the office with its robust catering service and offers guests flavorful meals on the go with its convenient Grab N’ Go and online ordering options.
The Jackson, Miss.-based Newk’s Eatery currently has nearly 80 locations in 13 states and plans to expand to more than 200 units by the end of 2018. Newk’s is featured on Technomic’s list of top 50 fast-casual chains nationwide.
For more information on franchise opportunities, go to www.newks.com/franchise.
Newk’s Eatery is passionate about delivering fresh, flavorful food experiences. The fast-casual brand’s culinary-driven menu prepared in its open-view kitchens includes made-from-scratch soups, fresh tossed salads, artisan pizzas, hot toasted sandwiches and desserts. Rapidly expanding since its first restaurant opening in 2004, Jackson, Miss.-based Newk’s currently operates and franchises nearly 80 units in 13 states. For more information, visit Newks.Com, join the Roundtable Club or follow Newk’s on Facebook and Twitter.


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Ryder's Movin' On
Ryder System is putting IT at the center of its plans to change how companies manage logistics
June 21, 2001
17 Min Read
ArvinMeritor Inc. faced a logistics problem as sticky as they come. Following the merger last July of $3.1 billion Arvin Industries Inc. and $4.5 billion Meritor Automotive Inc., the global auto supplier was trying to control more than a half-million inbound and outbound shipments per year using information systems that couldn't share data. Its approach to transportation management all too often amounted to teams of people using paper, fax, and phone to communicate.
Mike Silvio, director of logistics for ArvinMeritor's Commercial Vehicle Systems division, was the lucky man in charge of figuring out what to do. "The question was whether I wanted a materials follow-up person calling 20 carriers to find out why my shipments were going to be late," he says. There had to be a better way--and Ryder System Inc., the company perhaps best known for the yellow rental truck business it sold to Budget Group Inc. in 1998, promised to provide it.
Ryder's largest business has long been providing logistics and fleet-management services to companies such as Meritor. But it's only now that the 68-year-old Miami company is ready to use its technology prowess to secure far-reaching contracts as the lead logistics provider to multinational companies. Last month, ArvinMeritor and Ryder signed a multiyear, multimillion-dollar agreement under which Ryder manages inbound, outbound, and third-party shipments for all ArvinMeritor locations in North America and Europe. Ryder employees don't drive trucks or move packages for ArvinMeritor; they manage information--procurement support, carrier relationships and performance, freight billing, auditing, and payment--and negotiate rates for ground, rail, air, and ocean transportation.
The company that pioneered just-in-time logistics in the United States in the late '80s and early '90s, then threw up its hands at the cost and complexities of its IT operation, is reinvesting big-time in technology to better serve clients such as ArvinMeritor. Ryder and its rivals in the logistics business have discovered where their clients--multinational companies with multiple suppliers and customers scattered across global supply chains--need help most, and they're all racing to develop the IT infrastructure to provide it. "Those companies have found that it's easy to do a good job of planning the supply chain, but the problem is execution," says Gregory Swienton, Ryder's CEO and president. "That's where we step in." Decades of experience in the business paired with sophisticated logistics technology make Ryder very good at getting parts to a factory or distributor just when they're needed.
Ryder grew from its roots managing fleets and warehouses, tackling logistics for just-in-time inventory systems in 1987 with Toyota Motor USA and in 1990 with General Motors Corp.'s Saturn Corp. division. It relied on homegrown software to optimize the pickup and delivery routes for these companies, but building software for every customer soon turned into a costly mess, prompting Ryder to outsource almost all its application development and software selection.
Planning a supply chain is easy, says Ryder CEO and president Swienton. The problem is executing the plans, which is where his company steps in to help.
Swienton, a logistics veteran whose background ranges from railroads to overnight delivery, now is championing a new business model in which Ryder is building a plug-and-play logistics and supply-chain technology platform that will work for a wide variety of customers. It's catching on. In recent months, Ryder has signed multiyear, multimillion-dollar contracts with several companies, including aerospace manufacturer Northrop Grumman, networking vendor Cisco Systems, fast-food restaurant chain Wendy's, and retailer Pier One Imports. But the company can't afford to stumble: Rivals, including FedEx, Penske Logistics, Schneider National, and UPS e-Logistics, are also scrambling to deliver cutting-edge technology with a similar plug-and-play philosophy.The third-party logistics market is about $50 billion to $55 billion this year and growing at 15% to 20% annually. The value of the software and services that drive the industry is expected to grow from $560 million last year to $2.1 billion in 2005, says AMR Research.Getting to the point where technology drives Ryder's business hasn't been easy. It involved restructuring a relationship it entered into in 1997 with Andersen Consulting, now called Accenture, and IBM, in which IBM Global Services operated Ryder's information systems and Andersen selected software and other technology for the company. That setup made for painfully slow decisions on new technology, and Ryder executives worried they'd fall behind competitors such as Penske and UPS that were investing heavily in IT. "Everybody was so involved in the legalese of the alliance that nothing could get done," executive VP of global markets and E-commerce Gene Tyndall says.When Swienton joined Ryder two years ago, he created Project Fresh Start to remake the alliance. Early this year, Ryder cemented a new alliance designed to put its own managers clearly in charge of choosing the technology it needs to build its logistics and transportation services businesses. Accenture now focuses on integration projects and other IT services, supports Ryder-built legacy systems, and helps Ryder plan future technology directions. IBM operates Ryder's systems and customer call centers, and works directly with Ryder on projects such as an SAP deployment that's in the works.
After underinvesting in IT for three to five years, Ryder is stepping up efforts to give team leaders the tools they need, CFO Nelson says.
Now Ryder execs hold the reins as a customer to be supported, not a problem to be managed. The change is obvious. When Ryder CIO Dana Fuller left the company in April, Accenture's new alliance manager, Eduardo Vital, was trusted to take over until Robert Sanchez was appointed as CIO this month. "When Ed stepped into that role, he stepped in as a Ryder advocate. That's how far we've come in the past 18 months," says Ryder CFO C.J. "Corky" Nelson. "I don't think we could have done that two or three years ago."Another result of the reconstructed alliance has been regular communication between Ryder and IBM execs--which led to IBM introducing Ryder to supply-chain vendor i2 Technologies Inc., now Ryder's largest technology partner. I2 worked with Ryder to build a logistics and supply-chain platform designed to work for a wide variety of customers without requiring custom software. When Ryder pitches potential customers, it takes along fleet-management, logistics, and supply-chain services built around its own proprietary software and i2's transportation-manager, transportation-optimizer, and transportation-bid collaboration products, as well as other key products. Ryder and i2 also are co-developing software to match freight that needs to be moved with available capacity.ArvinMeritor is convinced of the benefits of using Ryder. Director of logistics Silvio likes the fact that the final responsibility for managing logistics rests with Ryder. "During the Fourth of July weekend, when a truck breakdown could stop our line from running the next day, I don't want to think about it. Ryder solves that problem," says Silvio, who notes that ArvinMeritor is on track to save 10% of transportation costs this year from Ryder's logistics management and realize additional savings from inventory reduction. ArvinMeritor may expand the relationship to include a Ryder offering that manages supply-chain events in real time, in which case Ryder would be scheduling shipments to ArvinMeritor plants from its suppliers. End result: Ryder would manage every aspect of ArvinMeritor's supply chain except for the actual procurement operation.The first thing a visitor to Ryder's headquarters notices is a delicate design balance between Miami tropical and European classical. Fine art from the 15th, 16th, and 17th centuries, on loan from local museums, fills the lobby, while the company's open-air central courtyard is a lush tropical garden where Japanese koi swim in a pool surrounded by 30-foot palm trees and other plants. Ryder is maintaining a similar balancing act as it puts IT at the forefront of its operations. It's a complex effort that involves hiring the right mix of personnel, properly funding IT initiatives, and managing growth while continuing to execute in its old-line warehouse and fleet-management businesses.
Despite the temptations of a high-growth business, Ryder mustn't take on too much, says executive VP of global markets and E-commerce Tyndall.
The company now employs 33,000 people, 5,000 more than before it restructured its technology alliance. Nearly all of the employees added last year were drivers, warehouse workers, logistics and transportation experts, and other customer-facing employees. And at a time when many companies are scaling back IT initiatives, Ryder has beefed up its IT budget to $100 million, up about 15% from last year, including IT contractors and consultants. The supply-chain operation that Tyndall heads has its own $500,000 budget."For three to five years, we feel we underinvested in IT, and in the past 18 months we've stepped that up significantly to give team leaders the tools they need," CFO Nelson says. Gone are some of the luxuries, such as the corporate jet and sponsorship of the Doral Ryder Open PGA Golf Tournament. "The discretionary dollars we spend are best spent on technology and people who know how to use it to make our operation more effective," Swienton says.The economic downturn, which has taken a heavy toll on Ryder's automotive, high-tech, electronics, and consumer-goods customers, hasn't bypassed Ryder. All in all, the company is on sound footing--revenue increased to $5.3 billion in 2000, up from $5 billion in 1999, and last week it paid a dividend to shareholders for the 99th consecutive quarter. But revenue for its first quarter ending March 31 was down 2% from $1.3 billion in the year-ago period. First-quarter earnings per share, before restructuring and other charges, was 18 cents--above expectations but still below its year-earlier earnings of 33 cents per share.As Ryder makes its big play in the fast-growing logistics-management arena, it can't lose sight of the customers in the warehouse-and fleet-management businesses that generate most of its revenue. "It's been an awesome technological challenge for them to figure out how to move from being an old execution company to becoming an E-business execution company. They have a lot of the pieces right," says Bobby Cameron, principal analyst and research director for Forrester Research. Last week, Ryder added another piece by acquiring the employees and customers of Internet logistics provider Sameday.com Inc.'s warehousing operations in Memphis, Tenn., and Newark, N.J. The move gets Ryder closer to its goal of providing 48-hour freight shipment by truck to nearly all of the United States.Ryder has to make sure its warehouse and fleet-management employees feel a part of the process as the company chooses new supply-chain and logistics technology, which will tie into the systems they're working on. Department managers who will be affected by changes to supply-chain and logistics technology are expected to provide feedback from the start on how the software should work. Ryder isn't neglecting technology for those groups either: SAP is developing a vehicle-maintenance module for Ryder, with IBM's help, to replace IBM mainframe and other legacy systems.Ryder will also have to resist taking on more than it can handle. "There's always tension in a high-growth business to take on anything you can get and then figure out how to do it," Tyndall says. That's what took Ryder off-track when it made its early forays into the logistics market a decade ago and ultimately resulted in its calling in Andersen and IBM to relieve it of the burden of running its IT operation and insulate it from the cost and risks of software development.As lean inventory systems became more a part of the business landscape, Ryder spent tens of millions of dollars to build customized logistics software for customers. Some were advanced for their time, such as the system called JIT, built in the early '90s to manage the just-in-time supply-chain and logistics operation for Saturn. But Ryder became too deeply entrenched in software development by mid-decade as the logistics business boomed, says Jerry Anderson, Ryder's IT managing director and chief architect. Making matters worse, Ryder's separate operating companies and divisions didn't collaborate on development issues, such as whether software they developed might have applications for other customers. "Costs were out of control," Anderson says.Ryder can't afford to go through that again, and Swienton knows it. He sold off the public transportation unit and combined Ryder's logistics and transportation services businesses under one corporate structure. The contract-logistics operation is growing at 15% a year, with Ryder now managing $2.2 billion in contracts. But Swienton is consciously slowing Ryder's growth rate and targeting what he believes will be the most-profitable contracts in automotive, durable-goods manufacturing, high tech, and electronics. "We don't want to be in the same position as a lot of other contract-logistics operations where there's big growth and little return," he says.A logistics-software strategy that doesn't require Ryder to customize offerings for each customer is vital to making Ryder's plan profitable. It's counting on i2 and other technology partners to help it explore order-management and call-center services to compete with newcomers in the market, such as United Parcel Service Inc. subsidiary UPS e-Logistics. UPS is determined to challenge Ryder by offering many of the same services, including warehouse management and logistics, customer call-center operations, and order-management technology that lets businesses compare stock against orders to determine delivery dates. In one way, UPS and Ryder are focused on the same idea--that customers want a packaged solution to their logistics problems. "We're selling a prebuilt solution that leverages our experience," says Tim Zach, marketing director for UPS e-Logistics.Lucent Technologies Inc. will test whether Ryder's direction is on target. Lucent is one of the first companies to deploy Ryder's new logistics services, which uses Optum Inc.'s TradeStream supply-chain event-management software.The network equipment maker is working with Ryder and a few suppliers as part of a major initiative to improve visibility into its supply chain. Jim Schoessling, Lucent's senior manager for supply-chain networks, says it's already resulted in some unexpected benefits. For example, Lucent uses TradeStream to provide suppliers with real-time information on demand and the required delivery date. Suppliers using TradeStream are finding that they can integrate this demand information with their production-management systems to determine when they should begin producing components so that they can deliver an order on time, without having to build inventory in advance and warehouse it until Lucent orders it.Ryder leads the logistics effort by using TradeStream to make sure each supplier will be able to ship on schedule. If a supplier can't do so, or if there's an unexpected snag in a shipment, it's Ryder's job to redeploy material from other orders or to find a different source so the material won't be late. Complete orders are compiled at a Ryder facility for shipment to a Lucent plant or to a Lucent customer.Lucent is in a life-or-death struggle to drive costs out of its supply chain. On June 12, Standard & Poor's cut the company's debt rating to junk status, concerned about Lucent's ability to improve profit in the economic downturn that's battered telecommunications companies. Lucent posted a $3.7 billion loss in its second quarter. It's cutting 16,000 employees and wants to take $2 billion annually out of operating costs.Schoessling says Lucent should realize significant savings when the software is deployed to nearly 100 key suppliers by year's end. Optum gives Lucent the visibility into the supply chain that it wants and suppliers the visibility they want, Schoessling says. "And Ryder gets the information it needs to ensure we receive materials when we need them."Ryder has had disappointments. The company hoped to get the lead logistics business for General Motors, but late last year, the automaker chose to create its own logistics-management company in-house. Yet Ryder has also added clients such as Delphi Automotive Systems Corp., GM's now-independent parts subsidiary in Troy, Mich. Ryder has provided logistics management for some Delphi divisions for years, including shipments between Mexico and the United States. Now it's running Delphi's worldwide corporate logistics, using analytical, routing, and scheduling tools that adapt parts deliveries to a new production model in which Delphi wants just-in-time inventory management, without the higher cost of making more deliveries.
Ryder is helping Delphi Automotive Systems optimize its operations to take spikes and slowdowns out of the production process, says Fletcher, Delphi's global logistics director.
Delphi's goal is to optimize plant operations to take spikes and slowdowns out of the production process, move toward a leaner inventory model, and drive costs out of the supply chain, says Debra Fletcher, Delphi's director of global logistics. Ryder delivers materials to Delphi plants daily rather than once or twice weekly, so the plants need less inventory, but the right parts still get to the right places on time.Traditionally, such a just-in-time inventory model increases transportation costs because it means more trucks on the road carrying smaller loads. But Ryder helped Delphi develop a plan to cut transportation costs by having its trucks run routes more frequently but stop at more suppliers and transport a wider variety of materials to make up full truckloads. And instead of delivering to one Delphi plant, they deliver to several in close proximity. Delphi now provides information to its suppliers and to Ryder on what will be built and when, which is helping suppliers do a better job of shipping what Delphi needs.At the Vandalia, Ohio, plant where Ryder's logistics services were first implemented, Delphi saw a decrease in the amount of plant space required to store parts and materials, and reduced the number of supply trucks needed by 20% to 30% in the first six months. Fletcher says the logistics model has another big benefit in a time when automakers are talking about customers ordering custom cars with a promise-to-deliver date. "With our new engineering, production, and logistics strategy, we're ready, willing, and able to support order-to-deliver when carmakers want it," she says.Forrester analyst Cameron points to Cisco Systems as proof of how important real-time logistics and supply chains can be. Ryder is working with Cisco on a new system designed to help it minimize inventory by connecting its logistics and warehouse operations to manufacturing and the rest of the supply chain. That work, which was proceeding on schedule, wasn't completed when the soured economy stalled demand for Cisco's products and left it with an inventory glut. For its third quarter ending April 28, Cisco reported that net income fell 77% from a year ago to $230 million, a slide the company blamed in part on $2.2 billion in excess inventory. Cisco declined to comment, but Cameron says the Ryder system Cisco is implementing is designed to help it avert inventory problems like this. "It's becoming clear now how important Ryder's work with Cisco is to the company," he says.Ryder may be landing big customers such as Cisco, but it can't coast. The company has been a partner to Saturn ever since the GM subsidiary launched its Spring Hill, Tenn., plant 11 years ago. Although Ryder is the lead logistics provider, a 328,000-square-foot storage warehouse is managed by archrival Penske Logistics, a subsidiary of Penske Truck Leasing Co. "Having a couple of competitors working with us to streamline the process is a good position for us to be in," says Tim Connearney, material director for production control and logistics at Saturn. Connearney says the logistics companies should face the same daily cost pressure that carmakers do. "We challenge all of our partners, whether they're logistics providers or suppliers, because the small-car market is so competitive," he says.That Penske has a presence at Saturn may help Ryder keep its focus sharply on using IT to help the carmaker cut costs and get parts to the factory on time. In the increasingly competitive logistics business, Ryder will no doubt find itself going down a similar road many more times in the years ahead. Photo of Nelson by Tom Salyer
Photo of Tyndall by Tom Salyer
Photo of Fletcher by Bridget Barrett
Photo of Swienton by Tom Salyer
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But what if we go back in time and apply this big nose design, which comes from chief designer Adrian van Hooydonk and his team, to iconic models such as the E36 M3? Well, the Bimmer in the pair of images above comes to answer this question.
This is the obviously-modded Bimmer of Jonsibal, an aficionado who pixel work we've featured on multiple occasions. And, as the gear head explains on his Facebook page, the kidney grilles we see here come from a 2020 330i. So while these aren't as massive as those of the models mentioned in the intro, they're still a long way from the factory units of the E36 - if you'd like to see how a non-M E36 looks with the largest grilles the Bavarian carmaker currently produces, you can check out this tale from last year.
Now, let's take a bit of time to go over one of BMW's most recent statements that see the company defending the super-sized grilled design.
"This [the bold styling direction under design boss Adrian van Hooydonk, not neccesarily the big kidney grilles] is crucial for success. BMW customers are demanding. They want to express something and are not afraid of vehicles with strong characters. They are looking for it. So, we have decided to focus even more on strong characters and bold designs," Peter Henrich, BMW's senior vice president of product management told autocar last December.


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YouTube launches music app
November 13, 2015
YouTube has launched a new music streaming app to take on the likes of Deezer and Spotify.
Branded ‘YouTube Music’, the app allows users to stream tracks and albums with or without video.
YouTube Music will offer a limited free service. Users will be able to listen to tracks and watch videos while online. Those paying for a $9.99 per-month YouTube Red subscription will get what the company calls an “amplified” experience – no adverts, the ability to listen offline and hear any video playing in the background whilst your phone is locked or you’re using other apps.
The app is currently only available in the US.


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Deals365.us, a money-saving coupons hub was created to put together the ever growing number of online retailers issuing coupons and coupon codes and saw higher than expected visitor numbers.
Deals365.us saw a huge number of bargain-hunting online shoppers come to its site. The economics gloom has seen more and more shoppers looking for discount coupons and promo codes. Coupon codes, also known as promotional codes, discount vouchers and money-saving coupons are entered at checkout at hundreds of online stores and give a the customer a free gift, free delivery or a monetary discount off the total value.
The large audience deals365.us received for the awaited launch on the weekend wasn’t a surprise for many. The credit crunch and the highest rate of unemployment seen for years has meant more people are ditching their local high streets in favor of online shops. Indeed, http://www.deals365.us collects and lists online coupons and coupon codes.
With so many savings to be made, and most wallets ridden with debt, online coupons and promotional codes are great news for the growing community of online bargain-hunters. Savings of up to 75% have been experience and with so many retailers listing there voucher codes, www.deals365.us seems like the online shoppers’ paradise. Little wonder then, that the enthusiasm for saving such vast amount of money is moving the offline world online.
Visit www.deals365.us for more information on coupons, coupon codes, promo codes for massive savings.
- EdisonLearning Joins with Digital Learning Collaborative to Improve Online Education - December 6, 2021
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- Wasted Technology: Why Many Teachers Don’t Use the Programs Their Districts Provide - August 17, 2021


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Apple’s newest iMac has a Retina 5K display, which Apple says is the highest resolution display on the planet. The new screen is, as you might expect, gorgeous at first sight, and prolonged exposure only heightens the experience. And even as someone who’s used to using a Retina MacBook Pro as his main machine, it’s a big step up.
The screen shows full resolution photos with zoomed crops that look better than most originals coming out of the camera, and the iMac still features that tapered design that narrows to 5 mm at its thinnest point. Apple’s existing industrial design on the iMac has aged well, but the screen is the real star here, and it’s honestly a little hard to pay attention to the rest as a result.
As someone who works with images and video on a daily basis, I can immediately see the advantages of owning a Retina 5K Mac, even over and above the arguably more powerful Mac Pro. Apple has beefed up the internals with faster processor and graphics card options here, however, and it should have enough juice to handle 4K video editing, which it can also do at full resolution while also offering you a fully featured app window with controls and settings in Final Cut Pro.
Apple’s clearly not positioning this for the average computer user – $2,499 is a lot less expensive than high-end 4K TVs at comparable sizes, and this is a full computer, so that’s definitely a good deal. But it’s still a big investment, and one that most people in the market for an all-in-one will probably balk at.
Just like with the Retina MacBook Pro, Apple’s looking to start this tech out as something aimed at pros and serious enthusiasts first, but make no mistake – eventually, Retina will bleed to lower cost lines, and it’s definitely the future of desktop computing.


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JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- A survey of utility customer satisfaction survey by J.D. Power and Associates showed the JEA ranking very low, 29th out of 30 midsize utilities in the South.
JEA received a score of 586 out of a possible 1,000 among midsized companies in the southern region. The only company ranked lower that JEA with a score of 569 was Entergy New Orleans.
MORE: Jacksonville's Water Hogs Let Millions of Gallons Go Down the Drain
JEA customer Chelsea Love, who was at the JEA's downtown customer service center today, that the low ranking did not a surprise her at all. " I think that is about right. " said Love. " I think it's ridiculous what JEA is charging us. I pay $2 to come down here and pay my own bill. Who charges you to pay their own money? It doesn't make sense. "
JEA spokeswoman Gerri Boyce defended the utility, saying it works hard for its customers. She blames the poor economy in the area for the dissatisfaction in the survey. "JEA provides an essential service that people have to have," said Boyce.
"Our utility has the most lenient disconnect polices of any utility in our surrounding area, we try to work with our customers. We also have payment arrangements, pay installments with our customers. We work hard to meet their needs."
Boyce said there has been a recent decrease in the number of disconnects for non-payment because of the numerous options JEA offers for payment of customer bills.
She also points out that the company's rates fall roughly in the middle of all utilities in Florida.
The JEA also has independent surveys done of it's customers to constantly get their feedback. "We listen to the research, it allows us to improve service," said Boyce.
The top ranked company was Jackson EMC in Georgia with a score of 711.
The annual J.D. Power and Associates' survey is based on responses from more than 98,000 online interviews from July 2010 through May 2011.
It measures satisfaction via power quality and reliability, price, billing and payment, corporate citizenship, communications, and customer service, according to the study.
MORE: Read the full report.
First Coast News, NBC


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In today's news
- "A bra can save your life," says British rap star Lady Sovereign, according to contactmusic.com.
- The granny who was caught hiding cannabis in her bra to give to her son in prison has been jailed, says The Mirror.
- The good people of York cannot get enough bras and knickers, reports the York Press.
- See through dress and a hot pink bra? Britney gets it wrong again says msnbc.
- The latest celeb to enter the underwear fray is former Blink 182 drummer Travis Barker - he's planning his own line of socks.


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- BitTorrent is all set to launch its flagship BitTorrent Live, a P2P live streaming platform
- It is the first of its kind Live streaming and instant messaging platform
- The beta version is out for users to experiment and report
BitTorrent Live, a live streaming P2P platform developed under the BitTorrent-Tron banner has announced the public Beta launch. On 20th September 2019, the platform will open its gates to the public. Users are asked to go and checkout out the platform before officially rolling it out to the mass audience.
BitTorrent Live is a social media video streaming app, and it’s one of the initiatives to give the BitTorrent Token (BTT) a use-case. The audience can watch their favorite content creators on BLive and reward them using BTT. In addition every content creator will get a share of advertisement income.
The news comes after last month’s press release stating that BitTorrent has officially started Alpha testing. With Beta ready in just less than a month, BitTorrent plans to roll out the full-fledged platform by Q1 2020 if all goes well.
At the time of writing one BTT was worth $0.000619, 8.25 percent up in the past 24 hours. This has probably got to do with the announcement of BLive. Tron, the holding company of BitTorrent, went up 7.13% and is now at$0.017407.


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It is a known fact that Walmart had applied for a patent for the control of the electric grid with the help of blockchain technology. On June 14, it was granted that patent. As a result, Walmart will be able to handle the demand and supply on the electric grid with the help of distributed ledger. This will open up new applications for the blockchain.
Purpose of the patent:
According to Walmart, the main purpose of the patent is to reduce the cost of electricity which is supplied to the customers. As a result, customers will be able to benefit. Moreover, with the help of proper tracking, it will be easier for the grid managers to look at proper energy distribution as well. As a result, efficiency will be achieved.
The patent was filed on December 13, 2017. It was recently granted on June 14, 2018. This clearly indicates that it is one of the very few companies which is trying to use the distributed ledger in order to control the electricity. If indeed, it is able to do so, this will be a huge application for blockchain.
Applications of blockchain:
When you look into the potential blockchain, you will realize that the applications of blockchain are plenty. They are spread across various different industries. This is one of the main reasons why more and more companies are looking to explore the blockchain technology. Similarly, a startup by the name of Vervis trying to create a blockchain-based system which will allow peer-to-peer lending of power. As a result, the consumers will be able to access extra power at an affordable cost as well. It will not be necessary for the consumers to buy directly from the power generation companies. They will be able to buy the power from individuals who are generating power using solar panels as well. As a result, the cost of power will come down. With the help of this peer-to-peer trading, power will be available to various individuals quite easily.
When you look at the applications of the blockchain, you will realize that with the increasing innovation, the applications will increase significantly. As a result, it will become easier for the companies to explore the usage of blockchain in many different industries. When that finally happens, it will become much easier for the companies to use blockchain to control a variety of different functions. This will also revolutionize many industries.
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In fact, with age comes wisdom, according to 71% of pet owners who said their four-legged friend got smarter with age.
The survey of 2,000 dog and cat parents looked at some of the experiences of having younger and older pets and found that as they get older, pets interact better with other pets. company or other people (72%) and learn new tricks/commands. (56%).
While 54% said young pets are easy to learn, 87% say you can actually teach an old dog new tricks.
Additionally, parents of older pets reported a stronger emotional bond with their pet than those with younger pets (91% vs. 85%).
Conducted by OnePoll for Stella & Chewy’s, the survey found that although younger pets have more energy (64%) and fewer health issues (54%), owners acknowledge that they also have need more training (61%) and are more likely to have accidents. (55%).
Parents of senior pets may overlook some of these concerns about training (69%) or misbehavior (64%) and even said senior pets are just as easy to care for as younger pets ( 57%).
“We believe that all pets deserve to be loved, regardless of age,” said Marie Moody, founder of Stella & Chewy’s.
“As my dogs got older, they became even smarter companions, giving me a new perspective that I carry with me every day.”
In fact, 68% of pet owners think more people should be open to adopting a senior pet, especially since three-quarters of respondents said their pet is become more intuitive with age (74%).
And pet parents have learned a thing or two about aging their pets, like “age doesn’t determine how fun or social you can or can’t be and take things.” in stride one day at a time”.
Parents attested that their senior pet had a significant impact on their lives (90%), going through major life experiences like having children, losing another pet, and going through the pandemic.
One way for parents to reciprocate the love is to keep nutrition in mind. In fact, most senior pet owners (72%) agree that they have noticed positive changes when they prioritize their pet’s nutrition.
“There’s nothing quite like the love senior pets give, and I’m so grateful to have lived with them by my side,” Moody said.
“I hope we can inspire others to experience the joy of parenting a senior dog or cat and encourage adoptions throughout November, National Pet Adoption Month. senior company and beyond.”


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Madden NFL 10 Demo Coming Early To Xbox 360
Being a 360 owner has its perks, at least according to EA.
The company announced today that Xbox Live Gold Members will be receiving the demo for Madden NFL 10 one week before anyone else.
The demo drops July 23, with Silver Members (and other platform holders) able to make the download on July 30.
Timed-exclusive demos? Now Ive seen it all.


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Dealing with grief can be especially challenging during the holiday season. A unique study launched by a team at the Indiana University Bloomington Luddy School of Informatics is examining how video games might help. The study was prompted by a senior thesis project that wanted to see how games are designed to engage users.
In an interview with Inside INdiana Business of Health reporter Kylie Veleta, IU Assistant Professor of Informatics Dr. Christina Chung said the team is analyzing the elements of the game that are most important.
“We are using it as a medium to understand for example, in this particular case, how games design can help people to engage people with kind of reflecting and kind of thinking about their process of grieving,” said Chung. “We actually look at this particular topic, because this is a very kind of a niche topics that we don’t see a lot of kind of interactive technology in these fields.”
The team is looking at one video game in particular called GRIS, which means gray in Spanish. It has sold over one million copies.
Players interact with the storyline of a young woman lost and sorrow. Her world begins in black and white and as the player completes each level of grief with her a coinciding color is brought back to her world.
“For example, like when you are sad, and then after that they give you like kind of green. And then as you’re going through a stage of anger and they give you color red, so like they kind of build on colors in all the stages,” explained Chung.
Chung says this gaming technology is not meant to replace therapies or getting help from professionals, but it could complement those things. Right now, there are four participants, and they may enroll as many as 10. The team understands the very nature of grieving may make it difficult for people to participate.
“This is a very difficult topic for people to talk about. And also, for people to be willing to share that with strangers, right, and then also play games,” said Chung.
Chung says their results may help video developers design mental health programs that work best for future technologies to support grief counselors.


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This latest Internet phenomenon has many concerned.
The Internet has seen its fair share of viral sensations, from the more beneficial phenomenon of the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, to the more humorously bizarre Mannequin Challenge, we humans are fascinated by these ubiquitous gags. However, one such pointless circumstance that is unfortunately sweeping the nation is the "Tide Pod Challenge" a particularly troublesome craze that has many concerned.
The main objective of this latest viral fad is the participant simply places one of these detergent capsules in their mouth and eat them; gross, right? Well this growing trend has been spreading across the Internet like wildfire, which has seen many individuals indulging in this challenge for all to witness. Here is a video of one eager Youtuber biting into a pod:
However, media sources have been notified of this latest trend, and have been bringing awareness to the potential for death when chewing into a Tide Pod. NME recently posted a similar diatribe against the Tide Pod Challenge, as well as the brilliantly effective pairing of Tide and footballer Rob Gronkowski. In a pair of tweets, the two have partnered together to trying and nullify the interest in this phenomenon by outright denouncing it. You know when the manufacturer of a product warns you against ingesting it, that is some advice that should not be taken for granted.


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The Georgia Power Department of Community & Economic Development recently launched an initiative called “Grow Georgia” which aims to support the growth of minority-owned businesses across Georgia. On Wednesday, August 17, investors and startups from Atlanta gathered to celebrate the launch at the Atlanta United vs. NY Red Bulls match.
Minority-owned startups were able to meet and network with investors as well as get information on supplier-diversity resources. With Georgia being home to 18 of the country’s top 500 companies, Grow Georgia features companies such as The Home Depot, Delta and UPS who offer supply diversity programs, giving minority businesses more contract opportunities.
One of the attendees, Farah Allen, Founder and CEO of The Labz enjoyed the event. “Tonight, I reconnected with people I hadn’t seen in four years, made new business connections, and discovered opportunities for my business - Grow Georgia provided the platform to make all of that possible.”
Grow Georgia also created a digital hub of resources on topics such as funding, expansion support, networking and more. For more information visit https://growgeorgia.com/


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Anti-snooping message software gets Android release
SAN FRANCISCO (AFP) - Startup Wickr on Monday released snoop-thwarting messaging software tailored for Android-powered smartphone or tablets, following last year's release of the program for Apple devices.
"Wickr not only offers the most secure form of correspondence but also helps protect our users' contacts as we anonymise this information before it leaves the senders phone," said startup co-founder Robert Statica.
"Wickr does not collect any personally identifiable information on users nor can we read any messages or contents sent through Wickr, therefore, no criminal or rogue government can take them from us." Wickr has not released details on numbers of users, but reported seeing "exponential growth" since releasing a free version for Apple mobile devices in June of last year.
The free version of Wickr that debuted on Monday was tailored for devices running on Google's Android mobile platform that dominates the smartphone market.


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2014 Forward Ladies Women in Business Awards
- Credit: Archant
A Sheffield book-keeper who went to work for a tool reclamation business and then bought the company was named Business Woman of the Year in the 2014 Forward Ladies Women in Business Awards.
Anne Wilson, now managing director of Numill, Sheffield, also won the SME (Small or Medium size Enterprise) Business Woman of the Year category and was shortlisted in the international category.
Debra White regional director for small businesses at HSBC, who presented the Business Woman of the Year honour, said the winner was a truly inspirational woman.


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In 2009, Alibaba’s now-CEO Daniel Zhang created the one-day shopping bonanza Singles’ Day. Only 27 merchants participated in the event on that initial November 11, but the e-commerce platform Tmall set a single-day sales record of Rmb52 million ($5.74 million). While the amount seems small by today’s standards, on average each merchant made around Rmb2 million, which was far larger than what they’d sell in a usual day. Liu Qiangdong, the founder of JD.com, looked on nervously. He was worried that if his company didn’t react fast enough, his e-commerce rival Alibaba would steal away his shoppers.
For his own bargain bonanza Liu chose June 18, the day the company was founded and which also happens to be his birthday. Since then 618 Day has been the second biggest online shopping event in China after Singles’ Day – and now features other e-commerce players as well as JD.com (such as Pinduoduo).
Given that it falls in the middle of the year, it has also become something of a barometer of consumer confidence and a dry-run for merchants as they prepare inventory for the much larger Singles’ Day.
Last year 618 became a battlefield for e-commerce livestreaming, with hundreds of out-of-work celebrities descending onto different platforms to plug products (see WiC499).
What happened at this year’s 618? The consensus is that it was, well, uneventful. “There was a lack of trying at this year’s 618. First of all, advertisements to promote the event all but disappeared on TV, newspapers and magazines; but also in elevators, corridors of subway stations, bus stops, social media and all online platforms. If you look up the hot search list on Sina Weibo, 618 and other topics related to the shopping festival didn’t even make it to the top 10,” financial news portal Gelonghui observed.
This year, JD.com claimed that total gross merchandise value (GMV) reached Rmb343.8 billion, up 27.7% from a year ago.
Alibaba did not disclose its total sales figures on Tmall, merely claiming that the first hour of GMV went up 100% from a year ago. Some say the reason the e-commerce giant has been quieter this time is because it was still reeling from April’s antitrust investigation, which saw Alibaba having to pay a $2.8 billion fine.
The rises in sales are a healthy surprise, given the fact that discounts for products were also considerably less aggressive than in previous years. For instance, last year Tmall offered Rmb10 billion of subsidies, while this year the amount dropped to Rmb6 billion.
This year’s 618 saw many e-commerce platforms talk less about GMV and more about improvements in customer service and logistics. Alibaba reported that 95% of its orders were delivered the next day. JD.com claimed that that one of its shoppers in Jiangsu received her goods in just four minutes.
At the end of the day, quality customer service is what builds loyalty, reckoned Tencent News. “It is not to say that e-commerce promotional events are not worthwhile. But we should listen to the voices of consumers, let discounts really be discounts [some merchants inflate their prices ahead of big shopping events] and make the calculation of promotions simpler. These are the ‘real demands’ of today’s consumers. To build trust, e-commerce promotions should pay more attention to the consumer experience, rather than just work hard on gimmicks,” it opined.
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Ousted American Apparel CEO Dov Charney has worked closely with investment firm Standard General to increase his stake in the company from 27% to 43%.
But the deal between them includes an agreement that Charney essentially cedes his authority to Standard General, which is in the midst of discussions with the retailer’s board.
The firm plans to make operational and management changes to the retailer, but both the firm and Charney say that retaining the retailer’s manufacturing in the United States and paying workers good wages remain top priorities.
Dov Charney has never been shy about his liberal politics; he has long needled his retail competition for underpaying garment workers in sweatshop conditions. It looks like he is willing to give up personal power to ensure that American Apparel retains its dedication to making its clothing Stateside and paying its more-than-average wages.
The deal between Charney and investment firm Standard General is startling, but could be the best thing to happen to the struggling retailer, which is loaded with debt. Standard General has already begun work on figuring out what the retailer needs operationally, and in terms of management.


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Revolve is almost ready to take the plunge.
The Millennial-obsessed, influencer-savvy, e-commerce company is said to have already filed for an initial public offering — but secretly under the JOBS Act. That process, which is available to smaller companies, has helped the firm meet with would-be investors and test the market.
Now, the Los Angeles-based firm could be ready for its big reveal and officially set the offering process motion under the public eye. (The company was already getting a little extra attention Friday, having apologized for the tone-deaf move of putting an LPA and Lena Dunham slogan shirt meant as a protest against body shaming on a slender model).
A Revolve registration statement could be unveiled within a week, laying bare the internal workings of the company, including the sales and profits that have piqued the interest of the investment set.
The spokeswoman for the five-year-old company, run by cofounders and co-chief executive officers Mike Karanikolas and Michael Mente, declined to comment on Friday.
The firm is said to be working on the offering with Morgan Stanley and Credit Suisse, which both declined to comment.
Revolve was exploring its options with other bankers last year and while one source said an outright sale of the business was pursued at first, the process switched over to an IPO.
The timing might well be right for another techie fashion offering.
Stitch Fix Inc. went public in November and, while it stumbled at first, its stock started making a dramatic move higher this summer. And last month, Farfetch filed for an offering that is set for Sept. 21 and could value the online platform at as much as $4.9 billion.
The market is also still at a high and while an economic downturn does not seem to be in the immediate future, there is a sense that the getting might be about as good as it gets right now.
Revolve has backing from private equity firm TSG Consumer Partners, which invested in the company in late 2012 — nearly six years, or relatively ripe by PE standards. A spokeswoman for TSG declined to comment.
On its web site, TSG noted that it served as a “strategic partner” with the founders, helping them “evaluate opportunities to grow the business and scale profitably.”
TSG aided in the development of Revolve’s in-house brands, which recently made up about a quarter of the business. The private equity firm was also said to have helped Revolve get into the beauty business in 2016.
Over the 2012-2016 time period, TSG said the company’s net sales saw a compound annual growth rate of about 45 percent. The business was said to see sales hit $1 billion this year.
That’s the kind of growth trajectory that investors, particularly in fashion, can get behind.


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INDIANAPOLIS — The Good Food for All Initiative in Indianapolis is expanding across the United States.
The program gives families in underserved communities access to fresh foods and produce across the state.
It provides Instacart Health Fresh Funds to more than 1,100 families in Colorado, New Jersey, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia.
The effort is made possible by a partnership between the city's Office of Public Health and Instacart. Their goal is to deliver 10 million servings of fruits and vegetables by 2025.
The first phase of the program launched in February, when families received pre-packaged boxes with 50 servings of fresh fruit and vegetables for 10 weeks. The second phase provided families with 50 monthly produce credits that could be redeemed at the store or online.
Based on feedback from the families, people want more flexibility to support their food preferences.
The program also found:
- 80% of respondents preferred produce credits over produce boxes.
- 79% of those who received produce credits reported they planned to continue to eat more fruits and vegetables.
- 78% said produce credits allowed them to purchase more fruits and vegetables than they could usually afford.
- 78% said produce credits helped their family build a healthy habit.


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UK: Drinkaware appoints a new chief executive
Drinkaware has appointed its first permanent chief executive.
The company said today (2 July) that Jean Collingwood will take on the role of chief executive from 23 July. Collingwood has previously been chief executive of Wheelchair Rugby as well as CEO of Ingenious Group and been involved with the charities 4Children, Leonard Cheshire and the Princess Royal Trust for Carers.
Drinkaware chair of the board Debra Shipley said: "We are delighted to have Jean on with us. She has a great range of experience in both the not-for-profit sector and in the commercial environment. I believe she will be a great asset to the team and the perfect person to take Drinkaware forward."
Collingwood added: "As a social marketer this is a unique opportunity to play a leading role at a key point in Drinkaware's establishment. I am really looking forward to developing partnerships with all of our stakeholders as we drive forward Drinkaware.
Drinkaware is a voluntary body comprising officials from the drinks industry and the health sector educating consumers on the dangers of the misuse of alcohol
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