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Upland has just hit a major milestone in their platform, and for the NFT landscape as a whole. Being one of the world’s fastest growing digital metaverses, Upland’s users have recently minted the millionth NFT property on the platform.
Not long after being featured on CBS/Paramount Plus’ 60 Minutes+, Upland, the property trading metaverse, has reached a record-breaking milestone by surpassing over one million NFT properties minted in just 18 months since its inception. Upland is one of the world’s fastest growing blockchain games, with an active community of tens of thousands of daily active players flipping properties and growing their net worths. The millionth property NFT was officially minted on June 15.
Upland is an NFT metaverse mapped to real world addresses, where people around the world can buy, sell and trade virtual properties. The cities which are live in Upland include San Francisco, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Fresno,…


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Apps like Venmo and Cash App got a major boost during the pandemic. But with new fintech comes new avenues for fraud, and scams on peer-to-peer platforms have caught the attention of federal lawmakers as well as the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
The Wall Street Journal reports that Wells Fargo, Bank of America and J.P. Morgan, among other banks, are beefing up security on Zelle and creating a system to reimburse customers who fall victim to scams.
. . .
The news that scammed Zelle users could soon be reimbursed by the banks that own the platform comes as the industry faces calls for tighter regulation.
“I would say it’s timely,” said Sheridan Trent with the Strawhecker Group, adding that for the banks, volunteering a fix could help build consumer trust.
“You only have to kind of google it to see that it is becoming more and more known, there’s been more cases that are highly visible,” Trent said.
That is, cases of customers transferring money to people who aren’t who they say they are.

domain: news


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If you’re wondering what all the fuss is about one and why the press trashed the other, you can watch it now.
There have been a lot of great games this year, far more than completely bad ones, but the one that stands out is Baldur’s Gate 3, which was an unexpected hit and is also number one on Metacritic’s list, ahead of The Legend of Zelda: Kingdom Tears and Alan Wake II like that.
For now, it can be played on PC and PlayStation 5, but it’s possible that the Xbox version’s release date will be announced at The Game Awards, or even released on the same day. It is also possible that prices on the previous two platforms will be reduced by some on the occasion of the awards ceremony.
Those who want to try it out without spending a single HUF, but have a PlayStation Plus Premium subscription, can play for free for two hours starting today. Be careful not to spend this time creating the character.
The screening also included The Lord of the Rings: Gollum, which, according to its critics’ scores, is the second worst film of the year, after The Greyhill Incident. You could play with this for an hour and who would give it a chance despite all the bad reviews.


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|Raise a glass to our local culinary awards|
It's a celebration of all the gooey goodies, the salty and the sweet, the incredible chefs and culinary innovators in these Twin Cities: The Charlie Awards are back for the third year of handing out their coveted plates to the best and brightest of our food scene. This year there will be just a few changes.
The Charlie Awards, named for Charlie's Cafe Exceptionale, a downtown Minneapolis restaurant that faded into the historic fabric of the city in the 1980s, celebrate the best chefs, restaurants, food trucks, pastries, and bartenders. There's also a lifetime achievement award for those who have made their mark on the industry.
The awards ceremony will be held on Sunday, November 17, at 3:30 pm at the Pantages Theater with an after-party in the IDS Crystal Court featuring small bites, a cash bar, and a chance to mingle with all the big winners.
Unlike years past, there will then be an elegant VIP dinner prepared by last year's honorees and set among the stunning vistas at Gather by D'Amico inside the Walker Art Center. Tickets for the dinner are $125 with part of the proceeds benefitting Open Arms, a nonprofit food delivery service that caters to the nutritional needs of critically ill Twin Cities residents.
For those who would like to attend only the awards show and the IDS event, tickets are $35 for the general population, $25 for members of the hospitality industry. For more information, to purchase tickets, or to submit a dish for the popular vote, visit the event website
City Pages on Facebook | Hot Dish on Facebook | Twitter | e-mail us
710 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis, MN


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Registrations are now open for Foresighting Forum 2020.
The theme of the 2020 Forum is Take charge – a consumer vision for future energy services. The forum will be held on 19 – 20 February 2020 at Aerial Function Centre, UTS, Sydney.
The discussion will be informed by a major new piece of consumer research we have commissioned, that asks households and small businesses across Australia about the future: about their preferences and expectations in relation to service, equity, technology, control and managing change and what that means for the long-term.
Day 1 will dig into ‘why’.
Why a long-term vision for energy services is needed – through the lens of what consumers are telling us in the new research. Participants will explore the consumer values, preferences and priorities that can frame the future and hear from international experts about efforts to update the energy compact overseas. The key question about how a consumer vision for energy aligns with broader economic and societal trends will be discussed by a panel of consumer and sector leaders.
Day 2 will be about the ‘how’.
Firstly, how do we build a long-term Big Picture view of energy services and what are the key elements? How do we develop a Big Picture that can give consumers and the sector the clarity they need but is robust to uncertainty and does not close-down opportunities?
And secondly, how do we manage change to ensure consumers get the affordable and individualised services they need from an optimised system at every point in their life journey? What is our framework for managing the energy transition?
The Foresighting Forum has been influential in shifting thinking and culture in the Australian energy sector, including on the nature of choice in energy markets, the need to empower consumers to manage their own use and costs, and the central role that data will play in the future energy system.
Chris Alexander, Director of Advocacy and Communications at Energy Consumers Australia will be leading the Foresighting Forum for 2020 (FF20).
If you would like further information about Foresighting Forum 2020, please contact Helen Dau on 02 9220 5500 or via email.


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Athletic-apparel giant Nike (NKE -0.87%) has richly rewarded its shareholders with stunning returns. In fact, shares of Nike have more than tripled over the past five years, massively outperforming the broader market. As a result of this massive rise, the stock looks overvalued.
It's true Nike's huge stock-price gains have come as a result of earnings growth, but it's also true that Nike has experienced a significant multiple expansion. In other words, yes, Nike's profits are growing, but a large part of the stock price rally is due to investors who are simply willing to pay a lot more for those profits.
Nike stock trades for 31 times trailing earnings per share according to S&P Capital IQ. That's the highest P/E ratio Nike has seen in the past 10 years. While Nike is a great company with a strong underlying business, it's not such a great opportunity at these levels. Here's why:
A China slowdown could really hurt Nike
There's sometimes a difference between a great business and a great stock. Even outstanding companies that grow revenue and earnings at high rates can amount to poor investments - if too high a price is paid for that growth.
Needless to say, Nike's stock price, and its valuation, are both at 10-year highs.
The company is growing, but not fast enough to warrant such a valuation. It recently concluded its fiscal year, and the results were good: revenue grew 10% to $30 billion. Earnings per share grew 25% for the full year, to $3.70 per share. That's a great performance, and investors have become increasingly confident in Nike. That's why they're willing to pay 30 times earnings.
But every company carries a certain level of risk, and Nike is no exception. Going forward, Nike has some potential headwinds that could weigh on growth. First and foremost is Nike's exposure to the international markets and, in particular, some emerging markets that are looking shaky.
For example, 54% of Nike's revenue last year was generated outside the United States. In fact, Nike generated $993 million of profit from China last year, and another $818 million from additional emerging markets. Collectively, those two regions themselves account for 37% of Nike's total annual profit.
China is one of Nike's highest-growing markets. Last year, profit in China rose 22% year over year. That made China Nike's second-fastest growing region after Western Europe.
If the prospect of slowing growth in China proves accurate, this could be a significant drag on Nike's earnings growth in the coming quarters. If that happens, investors may not be so willing to pay such a high multiple for Nike stock.
Great business, mediocre stock
Nike is a strong business, with one of the most universally recognized, valuable brands in the world. Yet I'm inclined to avoid the stock at its current price. Nike is highly exposed to China and the emerging markets more broadly, and any economic slowdown there could affect Nike's growth.
The company has an added potential headwind in the form of foreign exchange. The rising U.S. dollar is wiping out several percentage points for multinational companies that do a lot of business overseas, such as Nike. I don't see the potential for compelling future returns at such a lofty valuation. As a result, I'm going to wait for a more attractive valuation before buying shares.


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First RTX 3090 Ti pre-orders appear online for almost $4,000
Trouble in paradise for Nvidia
Remember the RTX 3090 Ti? You know, the one that Nvidia silently delayed? According to Moore’s Law is Dead, the RTX 3090 Ti’s production was delayed indefinitely after production was halted. However, now the YouTuber assumes that the card isn’t going to be appearing any time soon. We’ve seen no AIB boxes for the RTX 3090 Ti, and we’ve only yet seen the cooler for the RTX 3090 Ti Kingpin. But, why is this all happening?
RTX 3090 Ti delayed indefinitely?
Moore’s Law is Dead’s sources claim that Nvidia has gone silent with the card itself since the news that production was halted indefinitely. It’s going to be incredibly low-volume, with the card’s availability only in extremely limited quantities. We can only assume that the card is having yield issues with the GA102 chip, which needs to be an exceptional performer if they are going to segment this chip into as many performance ‘buckets’ as they have done so thus far. It’s worth mentioning that GA102 is currently being used in the RTX 3080, RTX 3080 12GB, RTX 3080 Ti and RTX 3090. Therefore, it’s not that bad if chips don’t make the binning process involved in the creation of an RTX 3090 Ti, because they can simply reuse the chip elsewhere in the stack. But, if the yields for these ‘golden samples’ are so limited, why announce the product in the first place?
Moore’s Law is Dead also attributes the delay to the Lunar New Year holidays, where they encountered production problems, everyone goes on holiday for a few weeks. It’s also a cultural tradition to switch jobs around the Lunar New Year, therefore this could be a part of the reason why the RTX 3090 Ti has been delayed. It’s speculated that the card is going to release from anywhere between the tail end of February, all the way to the end of April. It’s really all up in the air as of the time of writing.
Nvidia wants to appear competitive
The GPU market is an ever-evolving place at the moment, with various manufacturers coming out with either refreshes, new cards or entirely new lines of GPU. AMD is preparing the RX 6X50 XT series on their high-end chips, and Intel is preparing themselves to launch their Arc Alchemist dedicated desktop GPUs. Therefore. Nvidia wants to keep themselves competitive with regards to what they are doing, and of course, want to keep the performance crown if anything threatens them. That’s why the RTX 3090 Ti even exists, especially for the spotted pre-order pricing that has gone live in certain places.
RTX 3090 Ti pre-orders go live for almost $4,000
Despite the delays, the halting of manufacture, the fact that we’ve not seen many, if any AIB SKUs go live yet, somehow stores are still taking pre-orders for the card. Moore’s Law is Dead has also reported that retailers in Vietnam have put up their initial pre-order page for the GALAX GeForce EX Gamer Black Edition RTX 3090 for around $3,840 USD. If this is one of the more basic cooling solution on the card, and if we account for international pricing, we could be seeing the card retail at around $4,000 in the US and more than that in Europe and the UK. Of course, this card isn’t going to give you the best price to performance in the world, but it’s instead intended to be a world-record producing card when it comes to benchmarks. It’s entirely overkill for most use-cases, especially for gaming.
WePC is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more


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WESTCHESTER COUNTY, N.Y. – Nearly 500 Radio Shack stores around the country will be close in the next few months, according to a report Tuesday in The Wall Street Journal.
The fate of Radio Shack stories in Westchester County is uncertain.
There are 15 stores in Westchester County. They are in Somers, Yorktown (2), Peekskill, Briarcliff Manor, Thornwood, Port Chester, New Rochelle, Mount Vernon, Yonkers (2), White Plains (2), Bedford and Hartsdale,
Radio Shack has approximately 4,500 stores nationwide. The news comes two days after a Radio Shack television advertisement during Sunday’s Super Bowl was viewed as one of the big winners by people in the industry, according to the Journal.
See the complete Wall Street Journal story here.
- 1 Father Hid Computer Hard Drive After Harrison Murder-Suicide, Report Says
- 2 Suicide Note Left By Former White Plains Police Officer Tops Week's News
- 3 Widow In Harrison Murder-Suicide Will Receive Death Benefit
- 4 Brothers Sentenced In Robbery Spree That Included Harrison
- 5 March Comes In Like A Lion As Latest Snowstorm Hits Harrison


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During the last four years, the number of companies using analytics to mitigate third-party supply chain fraud, waste and abuse risk has grown to 35 percent in 2017, from 25 percent in 2014, according to a Deloitte poll.
“It’s encouraging to see more organizations using analytics to help prevent and detect financial abuses within supply chains each year,” says Mark Pearson, Risk and Financial Advisory forensic principal, Deloitte Financial Advisory Services LLP. “Unfortunately, increased vigilance doesn’t translate into lower instances of fraudsters trying to perpetrate their schemes. Even the most advanced analytics users should work to constantly evolve their efforts to stem supply chain fraud, waste and abuse.”
Deloitte polled more than 3,220 professionals about their organization’s use of supply chain forensics and analytics. Respondents work in industries including consumer and industrial products; technology, media and telecommunications; life sciences and health care; and energy and resources.
Between 2014 and 2017, an average of 31 percent of poll respondents reported at least one instance of supply chain fraud, waste and abuse in the preceding year. However, some industries saw higher and lower rates of financial abuse. For example, for the third time in four years, consumer and industrial products professionals reported the highest level of supply chain abuse for the past 12 months (39 percent), a slight decline from 2016 (40 percent). Energy and resources (35 percent) respondents also reported a higher than average rate of financial abuse in 2017, dropping a bit from 2016 (36 percent). Finally, life sciences and health care professionals noted a marked decline in 2017 (26 percent) from 37 percent in 2016.
“In the energy and resources industry, I’ve seen complex capital projects rife with bribery, bid rigging, collusion, fraud and other schemes,” says Larry Kivett, Deloitte Risk and Financial Advisory forensic partner. “Beyond reducing sole-sourced procurement to manage risk, supply chain executives can also prevent financial abuses by working to improve supplier invoicing timeliness, accuracy and approval processes.
From a life sciences and health care perspective, Pearson says he is surprised to see such a big drop-off in reports of financial abuse from 2016 to 2017, but he wouldn’t take that slowdown as a reason for supply chain executives to get comfortable. Even in highly regulated industries, there are still motives for bad actors to commit supply chain abuses, he says, noting that managing supply chain risk is a constant effort.
Indeed, Pearson has previously explained that it’s critical for companies to proactively identify and examine anomalies using data analytics so they may be more likely to increase overall profits and mitigate the risk of fraud, waste and abuse with their third-party relationships. Companies not already doing so should balance forensic accounting processes with advanced data analytics methods to home in on any inconsistencies in their third-party transactions, he believes. What’s more, companies should maintain a “forensic mindset” in examining any big data they collect on their supply chains to “provide a clearer context to suppliers and transactions,” he says.
“Many financial execs forget that fraud goes directly to the bottom line: For every dollar of fraud, there’s one less dollar of net income and value that can be returned to shareholders,” Pearson has previously explained. “Supply chains tend to be the single largest source of cash outflow in an organization … so it’s increasingly important to use electronic data to identify, mitigate and reduce fraud, waste or abuse.”
What are your thoughts on the use of analytics to help prevent and detect financial abuses within supply chains? Is your company working to mitigate the risk of supply chain fraud, waste and abuse?


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Sprouts touts 16% sales gain in Q1
Natural food retailer Sprouts Farmers Market joins the list of other supermarkets seeing large gains in the first quarter, due to stock-up shopping and increased activity during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Sprouts reported net sales of $1.6 billion, up 16% from the same period last year. Comparable-store sales grew by nearly 11% and two-year comparable-store sales grew by 12%.
Sprouts recently drew major attention in the store brands community after hiring Gil Phipps to be its chief marketing officer. Phipps came from Kroger where he was a major influence on the retailer’s Our Brands strategy. The retailer has also been looking to expand its private label profile.
“During the first quarter, the COVID-19 crisis led to a significant increase in sales as consumers bought more food to consume at home,” said Jack Sinclair, CEO of Sprouts Farmers Market.
“As we navigate these ever-changing circumstances, we remain steadfast and decisive, prioritizing team member and customer safety and remaining in-stock on fresh, healthy food for our communities, all the while not losing sight of our transformational strategy that will set us up for long-term success,” he said.


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WALMART were forced to pay one customer a whopping $4.4million for "spying on him as he shopped for a light bulb," court documents reveal.
According to a verdict that was signed on Friday, Mr. Magnum received $4.4million in damages from Walmart after worker Joe Williams "spied" on him as he browsed the store on March 26, 2020.
The lawsuit, obtained by KGW News, states: "When Mr. Mangum protested that he had done nothing wrong, defendant Williams ordered him to leave the store.
"[He] then called non-emergency police dispatch and summoned police, reporting that he 'had a person refusing to leave.'"
Williams told the 911 dispatcher that Mr. Magnum "just keeps checking me out" and "started flipping out on me" - but cops refused to take action based on his "shifting explanation," the suit stated.
He also falsely claimed that Mr. Magnum had threatened to "smash him in the face."
According to Associated Press and the lawsuit, Williams had a habit of unnecessarily calling on police in the area before the spying incident unfolded.
The lawsuit noted that Walmart was aware Williams had "provided false information about customers" to cops previously and "police had complained that he was not to be trusted."
It alleged that the retail giant was negligent "in retaining Williams in a loss prevention capacity."
The lawsuit also claimed Walmart "[failed] to supervise Williams so as to prevent foreseeable violations of customers' rights by Williams."
According to The Seattle Times, a couple who had witnessed the exchange sided with Mangum’s account.
The AP reported that Williams was fired by Walmart in July 2020 for "mishandling" $35 of their property.
Most read in News
Speaking about his experience, Mr. Mangum's trial lawyer, Greg Kafoury, told KGW: "His jobs would have been at great risk had he been charged with a crime, but he refused to be intimidated by Williams' lying and bullying.
"He lives the same message of self-respect that he teaches to young people, 'stand up for yourself when you know you're right.'
"Because of his courage, we were able to show the jury an unconscionable failure of responsibility by the world's largest corporation."
Mr. Magnum - who works for Home Forward, Portland's housing authority, and runs a night gym to keep youths from joining gangs - told KGW, “I never thought this could happen to me."
"I was very angry," he added.
The moment he was "profiled and harassed" at the store was captured in a video, in which Mr. Magnum can be heard accusing Mr. Williams of "spying" on him.
"What did I say to threaten you," he can be heard asking in the cellphone clip.
"Yes, you did," Williams replies and Magnum asks: "What did I say?"
"If I keep watching you [that] you're going to slap the s*** out of me," Williams said.
"No, I didn't say that," Mr. Magnum said. "And I'm going to find this other couple here and ask them if I said that."
However, Walmart's Senior Director for National Media Relations Randy Hargrove reportedly claimed the ruling was "excessive" and said they "do not tolerate discrimination."
He told the Oregon-based publication that Mr. Mangum "was never stopped" by Walmart's Asset Protection and "interfered with our associates as they were surveilling and then stopped confirmed shoplifters."
Mr. Hargrove also claimed Mr. Magnum refused to leave "despite being asked to repeatedly by our staff" and cops.
He confirmed Walmart is reviewing its legal options which included post-trial motions.
The US Sun reached out to Walmart for comment and did not receive a response by the time of publication.


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The imposition of the European Commission’s anti-dumping tariffs has increased the price for Chinese-manufactured solar modules, according to the latest report by IHS.
The report, PV Price Tracker – Modules, suggests the average price for Chinese polysilicon modules in Europe rose by 4% in June, and is likely to continue to rise in July, and again in September.
Senior director of solar research for IHS, Dr. Henning Wicht said, “With the plan to reduce government subsidies in Germany starting in April 2012, low-cost PV modules from China took over as the engine of growth in the European solar market, enabling the continued expansion of installations.
“However, the era of low-cost Chinese modules is now over, as prices have risen due to the EU Commission’s implementation of preliminary anti-dumping tariffs. This will have a negative impact on solar installations, and is likely to cause many companies engaged in the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) of solar systems to go out of business this year.”
It was widely hoped by many in the industry that the European Union and China could negotiate a settlement to avoid the imposition of further duties before 5th August.
Senior PV analyst at IHS, Glenn Gu, said: “If the 47.6% tariff goes into effect, global supply lines and pricing for solar modules will be shaken up dramatically.
“Chinese suppliers initially will suspend almost all shipments to Europe. In order to continue serving the European market, they then will try to shift production capacity to locations outside of China by using overseas branches or via agreements with non-Chinese module makers. But even if they succeed in this, the supply disruption is likely to cause module prices to increase 12-20% during the following months.”


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The Government of Andhra Pradesh has decided to launch the First Phase of NTR Anna canteens at Kakinada in collaboration with Akshaya Patra Charitable Foundation (APCF) of Hare Krishna Movement.
Govt of AP is aiming to eventually expand Anna Canteens throughout the state like Vizag, Vijayawada, Tirupati, Kurnool, Kadapa, Anantapur Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Guntur, Prakasam, and Hindupur.
The canteens are modelled on the lines of Amma Canteens that gained immense popularity in Tamil Nadu.
What are the Prices of food items?
-The standard price of food items in Anna Canteens set by the state government will be as follows:
- Idly @Rs.1
- 200 gms of Pongal @Rs.5
- Tomato Bath @Rs.5
- 200 gms of sambar rice @Rs.5
- Pulihora or vegetable rice @Rs.5
- 150 gms of curd rice will cost @Rs.3
Taking inspiration from the famous food subsidisation programme called Amma Unavagam (அம்மா உணவகம்) AKA ‘Amma Canteens’ run by the Government of Tamil Nadu, our AP Government also set the similar goals to provide quality & hygienic food at most affordable prices with ‘Anna Canteens’.
The initial aim of Akshaya Patra & Govt. of AP is to feed every poor person in the state via these canteens. The goal is to “Ensure that even the poorest of the poor have three meals a day and they do not go hungry to bed.”
Where in Kakinada?
KMC has aimed to install more than 18 Anna Canteens in our Kakinada and KMC has already installed some of the Anna Canteen structures at some important junctions and areas like:
- Balaji cheruvu
- Diary farm Junction
- Boats club etc
Most of the installed Anna canteen structures are at various stages & some are at final stages of completion. (Check the images.)
Sure these canteens will serve the urban poor and also visitors can have quality breakfast, Lunch & Dinner at an affordable Price. At an average, It costs around 15 Rupees for three meals combined in a day.
“Thanks to the Akshaya Patra & Govt. of AP.”


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Our annual PTBC drive to keep the Christmas in Christmas (see right column for this year’s PTBC Christmas List of Fame and Shame, and many forum posts and blog entries about it) got a good boost today thanks to a good PTBC contributor, “parem”, who spotted this in the National Post today and posted it in the relevent Town Square discussion forum thread:
Published: Friday, December 08, 2006
Americans are ready to put “Merry Christmas” back into holiday shopping. The majority of Americans surveyed—95%—said they were not offended by a “Merry Christmas” greeting in stores, according to the poll by Zogby International. However, 32% said they took offence at “Happy Holidays,” the religiously neutral alternative promoted over the last few years as inclusive and inoffensive. A good gauge of the national mood may be retail giant Wal-Mart, which reversed its policy of limiting the use of “Merry Christmas.” Wal-Mart’s change of heart this season could help bring more people into their stores—35% said hearing “Merry Christmas” makes them more likely to shop there this season, Zogby found.
Merry happy-tree festivus! And may the deity of your choice (or lack thereof due to your humanistic non-deity value system preventing you from having one) bless you and yours this holiday season of color and gayness (in that good old-fashioned sense of gayness)!
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From Ayodele Ajoge, Birnin-Kebbi
The National Communication Council (NCC) has taken what it called ‘protect and informed advocacy to consumers and subscribers of Communication Networks to the people of Kebbi State.
In an interview with Journalists shortly after the advocacy session, the Director Consumers Affairs Bureau, Abdulkadir Abubakar Umar said that one of their core mandate was to protect the consumers, informed them and to protect them to know their right and obligations as consumers and subscribers.
“We have a saying at the NCC which says, take advantage of NCC, so that no one will take advantage of you, basically this is why we are here to meet the people of Kebbi Stste.” He said.
Alhaji Umar said further that, “we have come to inform them, educated them about the services and what the NCC is doing to protect their right, as we have over 220 million subscribers in this Country.”
Earlier, the Emir of Gwandu, Alhaji Muhammadu Illiyasu Bashar who was represented by the Galadinma Gwandu, Alhaji Ibrahim Bashar stated that the important of Communication cannot be over emphasised, pointing out that communication play important role in modern day life.
He, therefore, appealed to all stakeholders in Communication industry to always be alive to their responsibility by making sure that subscribers get value for their money by making all networks across the Country serve their customers adequately.


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Black Friday and Cyber Monday present a huge opportunity for retailers to gain attention from consumers and capture a piece of the pie. In 2017, UK shoppers spent £7.8 billion between this four-day period, with in-store sales up 7% and online sales up nearly 12%. As we know, shoppers are on the hunt for a deal, with 61.61% naming price as their main motivation. For marketers, that means targeting customers who are seemingly loyal to the lowest price. However, just because customers are looking for a sale doesn’t mean marketers shouldn’t use the shopping holiday to think about long-term retention.
Even when consumers are searching for a deal, they still expect a superior experience. By understanding changing purchasing habits, segmenting customer behaviour and meeting customers wherever they are, marketers can jumpstart a company’s ability to bring in more than one-time sales and create a customer for life.
Here’s how marketers can turn Black Friday shoppers into loyal customers.
Accommodate changing purchasing habits
To better engage customers for the long-term, marketers must understand how purchasing behaviour is changing. Now, 77% of 55 to 75-year-olds in the UK have mobile devices but Boomers aren’t the only demographic relying more on mobile devices. Though Black Friday shopping has typically been in-store, 76.7% of last year’s purchases were made online, and only 12% of those shoppers visited the store prior to making an online purchase.
It’s clear that customers are using multiple touchpoints to make purchasing decisions, and companies are opening up new digital communication channels to accommodate. Customers can interact, ask questions and purchase products and services in store, over the phone or on social, chat, text, email and more. On the other end of those interactions are store associates or agents in the contact centre. To keep up, they must be well-versed in brand messaging and be empowered to make day-of decisions to surprise and delight customers. When marketers look at people as part of the retention strategy and ensure proper training, they can ensure employees deliver consistent cross-channel experiences and drive long-term retention.
Analyse cross-channel behaviour
Black Friday and Cyber Monday may cater to bargain hunters but consumers may have other items on their minds. If an item isn’t on sale elsewhere but is on their holiday list, they may be willing to pay full price. It’s important that marketers analyse all purchasing decisions to understand the specific products that customers want – and how and where they interact in the process.
Recording customer calls and tracking online queries across all channels during Black Friday is a critical step to gaining those insights.
Unfortunately, only 45% of UK companies use cross-channel insights to understand customer purchasing habits. Most retailers use quality assurance (QA) tactics to analyse phone inquiries but with Black Friday bringing a high volume of customers ordering and communicating online, those same methods must be applied across all channels. When marketers deploy analytics on customer calls and other interactions, they can understand which channels are most heavily trafficked, how customers are feeling, their purchasing habits and more. From there, they can segment out behaviour and create tailored retention strategies to build brand loyalty beyond the holiday shopping season.
Set long-term goals using last year’s numbers
Black Friday and Cyber Monday bring shoppers through the doors – and call/other channel volume to the contact centre. Analysing interactions across channels opens up a treasure trove of data that gives marketers insight into customer behaviour and conversion rates. That’s not all – by revisiting last year’s numbers and looking at recent history, such as interaction volume, first-call resolution and sales revenue, marketers gain context around prior purchasing patterns. From there, they can make proper adjustments before Black Friday hits and set long-term goals based on year-over-year data.
Black Friday and Cyber Monday may be the biggest shopping days of the year but marketers have an opportunity to turn deal-driven shoppers into long-term customers. When they use the right insights to deeply understand customers and take subsequent action, organisations can start building brand loyalty for the future.


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Bailiffs have taken possession of Keeble Bookshop in Fore Street.
The shop was leased by Clive Keeble in April 2013 when he moved his business into the town from Langport. Keeble Bookshop was one of only 26 independent bookshops opened in the country that year.
He opened on 7 days a week throughout the year – including Christmas Day in both 2013 and 2014 as a protest against the decline of independent retailers, particularly but not exclusively booksellers, in the high street. He said at the time, “In recent years competition from distance selling has made the traditional local high street independent close to unviable. It is imperative that quality high street retailers survive and ensure that future generations can be assured of personal service from dedicated booksellers where a diverse range of stock can be browsed and handled prior to purchase.”
Clive suffered a stroke in May 2016 and, despite making a good recovery and returning to the shop, suffered further ill-health in September last year. His shop has been closed since then.


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Each weekend we highlight the most relevant stories Wired News has covered. To find out what’s coming up, jump to The Week Ahead.
Adrift on privacy: Consumer advocates on both sides of the Atlantic said they don’t like an American plan to meet a minimum level of compliance with the European Union’s strict privacy-protection directive. And the EU itself isn’t buying the US’ “Safe Harbor” proposal. Trade war, anyone?
Sly move: Fox showed it is serious about broadband broadcasting, announcing a five-year deal to do news for At Home’s cable network. Earlier, Fox began delivering news to Road Runner, the second-largest broadband service.
Rocking the Web: MP3, the omnipresent digital music format, proved the catalyst for several news stories this week. Advocates and old-school industry types debated music’s digital future in New York; a newspaper reported that Alanis Morissette was going to post songs on MP3.com — not; and consumer electronics power Thomson said it would take a stake in MusicMatch, a maker of MP3 encoding and player software.
Finite numbers: Phone companies have been adding area codes at a furious pace recently, struggling to keep up with the increase in phones, faxes, and data lines. Now the number crunch has gotten so bad that three states want area codes for mobile phones.
Jay’s chin, clearly: NBC jazzed up the Tonight Show set and made its boldest leap yet into high-definition television, launching digital broadcast of the show. Now, if they could just get folks to watch.
By the grace of Fidel: Authorities are eavesdropping and use is limited. Still, email has come to Havana, and that’s a breakthrough.
Java pullback: Sun backed out of opening its Java programming language as an international standard, saying that Microsoft had bought off the body that would oversee it. Microsoft fairly guffawed at the charge. No word on what Sun will do now.
Seattle spin machine: Amazon shouted that it had bought Exchange.com, a seller of rare books and music, as well as consumer-software company Accept.com. But mindful of potential negative publicity, it barely whispered the news that it had acquired Alexa.com, which makes software that can tell Web sites who visited and how long they stayed.
Mom, have I got a deal for you: Hand Technologies is offering free or heavily discounted PCs to the first 10,001 people who agree to hawk its wares. Sounds like a perfect way to alienate friends, family, and neighbors — and blow 145 bucks while you’re at it.
The bleeding edge: The digital DJ is here, if here is Wolverhampton, England. Richard Eden says that his MP3 laptop setup gives him more freedom to mix — until the system crashes, anyway.


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The pandemic wiped out 3 million jobs in California.
Then why did the Employment Development Department send out 9 million unemployment benefit debit cards?
Since almost all of the cards were sent out in the first 10 months of the pandemic, it would seem logical that someone at the EDD would have wondered why they were giving benefits to three times the number of unemployed people.
Of course, as we know and $40 billion dollars in fraud later, it seems it did not occur to anyone at the EDD to realize the basic reality that 9 is in fact bigger than 3.
The EDD did not respond to requests for comment regarding this mathematical conundrum; the questions they did not answer as, as per Globe practice, listed at the bottom of this article.
The EDD itself did not mail the cards – that task was done under contract by Bank of America. However, the bank had little or no control over to whom it sent cards – essentially it got lists from the EDD and shipped them out as directed. It should be noted that the EDD lists included thousands and thousands of out-of-state, even out-of-country, addresses, something that should have been a fraud red flag to the agency.
B of A, however, did notice the fraud potential early on in the pandemic and told the EDD of their concerns. Despite being a contract conduit for the cards, the bank has certain legal and regulatory requirements it must adhere to, hence the fraud warnings to the EDD.
In February, 2021, the bank said it had prompted the EDD to freeze thousands of accounts the previous fall. It did not, however, have anything to do with the New Year’s Eve Massacre that saw 1.4 million accounts frozen overnight. That shutdown closed countless (countless because the EDD will not say) legitimate accounts, leaving Californians waking up to something far worse than a hangover New Year’s Day, 2021.
With the addition of an identity security system – something that could have been done near the beginning of the pandemic for less than $10 million – in late 2020/early 2021, the new fraud problem began to taper off, though the remaining EDD problems, like claimants literally waiting 25 hours on hold for agency customer service, continued.
As to the cards themselves, they contained significant amounts of immediately available (pick your PIN and go) cash. For example, rapper Nuke Bizzle – who went to prison for felony stupid after posting a song on YouTube about stealing from the EDD, pulled in over $1.2 million dollars on only 95 cards.
The initial amount on the card depended upon how many “back weeks” of unemployment you claimed when applying. If you applied in the summer for example, you could claim benefits back to the end of March. That was a minimum of $764 per week (usually higher), up to about $15,000.
Per card. And that does not include the going forward weekly benefits.
The backdating option was not halted until the fall of 2020.
Not all of the 6 million extra cards – each of which represent an unemployment claim approved by the EDD – were not necessarily fraudulent. Some were legitimate replacement cards, but that percentage was rather, um, low.
The bank said that by February, 2021 it had paid out about $105 billion dollars on those 9 million cards.
Doing basic math – something the EDD cannot do – that means the fraudapalooza losses had already far surpassed their initial public claims and that the current $40 billion estimate could go even higher.
The lesson of the story?
Always remember that 9 is bigger than 3 and if you already know the answer is 3, stop there.
As referenced above, the questions to the EDD:
- In reading through employment statistics, it is my understanding that approximately 3 million Californians were unemployed during that time period (in which 9 million cards were mailed.)
- Is the 9 million card number correct?
- Is the 3 million unemployed number correct?
- When did B of A first flag potential fraud issues to the EDD?
- How did the EDD respond to those warnings?
- Should not the EDD have noticed it was sending out way more cards than the number of Californians who could actually be unemployed?
- How many cards were mailed out of state?
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- Impressions of an Evening: Newsom, DeSantis Square Off - November 30, 2023


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Fashion month continues with London Fashion Week, which runs Feb. 18-23. With slightly more mild temperatures across the pond, hopping from show to show doesn’t necessarily require warm boots and booties, as the frigid temperatures in New York did.
We spotted some of spring’s most talked-about styles on the feet of show-goers, including Miu Miu’s ballet flats with tough buckles and grosgrain ribbon and Gucci’s metallic crossover mules.
We noticed major street-stylers including Eva Chen and Olivia Palermo. Chen went with a pair of cheetah-print lug-sole oxfords, while Palermo wore Christian Louboutin’s Toerless Muse caged pumps.
The Burberry show was a star-studded event. Naomi Campbell, Suki Waterhouse, Rosie Huntington-Whitely and more sat front row. Waterhouse wore a pair of Burberry’s fall ’16 moto boots to the show before they even hit the runway.
Click through the gallery to see more London street style looks.


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Further enhancing the portfolio of its luxury cars in India, Mercedes-Benz has introduced the advanced version of its flagship C-Class sedan even as the German auto major plans to launch new products in the next two months.
Priced between Rs.29.75 lakh and Rs.32.30 lakh, the ‘C 200BE AVANTGARDE' comes with petrol engine with 7-speed automatic transmission that enables reduced fuel consumption while delivering high output and torque for better driving pleasure.
The new C-Class now has panoramic sunroof and is equipped with comprehensive safety package like ‘Attention Assist' and ‘Parktronic' including parking guidance.
Loaded with latest luxury and comfort features, the new C-Class also has intelligent light system, while LED daytime running lights add to its exterior design.
“Setting new standards in its segment, this new C-Class will occupy an excellent position in the competitive line-up,” said Mercedes-Benz India Director (Sales and Marketing) Debashis Mitra. Stating that the company was targeting young executives and businessman for the new car, he said it planned to sell 250-300 units of the new C-Class as against about 200 units of the outgoing version. Notably, the C-Class is the cheapest model from the company's stable that contributes 40-45 per cent of the carmaker's total sales in India.
On the company future plans, Mr. Mitra said it would introduce 3-4 new products, comprising upgrades and new variants of the existing models, in the next couple of months.
Keywords: Mercedes C-Class


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Sylvan & DuBose Jewelers in Five Points is closing after nearly a century in business.
Owner Bruce DuBose is retiring., and his children, Matthew and Laura, who are the fifth generation to work at the store, don’t want to take over the business, he said.
“”I’m old,” DuBose, 68, said with a laugh. “I’m tired. I don’t want to do it anymore.”
The store at 622 Harden St. will close at the end of the year, he said.
“But it will probably take me a year and a half to clean this place out so I can rent it out,” he said. “And it won’t be to a bar.”
The west side of the 600 block of Hardin Street is dominated by six bars. Sylvan & DuBose joins a bank, salon, tax service and a new CBD dispensary as the only retailers on the block.
DuBose had briefly sued several bars for causing a nuisance in the area. That suit has since been settled as the bars have either closed or stated their intent to re-brand themselves as restaurants.
DuBose said he is not closing because of the number of bars in the area.
“I still think Five Points is one of the finest places to do business,” he said. “We just need more businesses down here.”
Kelsey Desender, executive director of the Five Points Association, callled Sylvan & DuBose “the kind of small, family owned businesses that have chosen to make Five Points home for over a century.
“We are certainly sad to see them go and wish them best wishes in retirement,” she said. “The 600 block of Harden Street is an integral part of Five Points and one that is undergoing a period of transition. We look forward to new retail businesses moving in to replace the ones that move on that are able to continue serving the diverse and vibrant neighborhoods that surround our village.”
The Sylvan and DuBose story actually began in the 1890s, when Swedish brothers Gus, Johanness and Emil Sylvan left Sweden for America and, after a stint in Savannah, migrated to Columbia. In 1897, the brothers founded Sylvan’s Jewelers on Main Street, which today is now arguably Columbia’s oldest business.
But the brothers had a falling out, and in 1922 Bruce DuBose’s great-grandfather Emil split off and opened a watch and clock repair shop, with his son-in-law Eugene DuBose, in the basement of Sylvan’s home on Senate Street.
In 1940, the business moved to 2013 Greene St. in Five Points — the building that now houses Publico.
In 1947 it moved to 642 Hardin St. and then to its present location.
“I have been on the 600 block of Harden Street all of my life,” DuBose said, adding, “I won’t miss the struggle of being a small businessman. But I’m really going to miss the people who come in.”


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Marketing technology provider Noetic has unleashed its latest integration to help hotels radically improve profitability – smartphone room keys.
In a partnership with dormakaba, Noetic has created a best-in-class integration that delivers robust security, better guest experiences, and enables smart marketing insights.
Noetic is the first company in the UK that dormakaba, the leading global manufacturer of access and security solutions, has chosen to partner with.
Matt Mills, Noetic CEO, said: “Not only is our solution more secure than a conventional plastic card room key – it empowers guests too. Guests get an enhanced hotel experience by simply using their phone as their key, while hotels can streamline operations and collect extremely rich data. And richer data means better marketing opportunities.”
The keyless solutions means guests can skip the queue at check in and check out, and even grant or remove room access to other guests through the app. But most importantly, it gives hotels incredibly rich data. When this data is coupled with the Noetic1™ hospitality marketing suite, hotels can make smarter, data-led marketing decisions to improve business performance.
Rod Reading, dormakaba projects and solutions director, added: “With dormakaba Mobile Access Solutions, hoteliers can turn individual mobile devices into a customer service tool, providing a convenient way for guests to fully-control their travel preferences.”
The dormakaba hardware and integration will be rolling out across Noetic’s client estate over the next 18 months where it is expected to further increase direct repeat bookings and drive improved operational efficiencies.


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Pragmatic Play Strengthens Its Position in Key Markets
Pragmatic Play keeps conquering new markets in Europe, and the newest ones are rapidly growing Czech and Slovakian markets. Thanks to a recently established deal with Tipsport, one of the biggest operators in the region, the supplier will be able to offer its impressive portfolio of slot titles to the players in the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
Partnership with an industry leader:
The offering will see the company’s most popular slot releases, including hits Gates of Olympus and Sweet Bonanza, as well as recently launched games such as Loki’s Riches.
Besides slots, the provider will supply its new partner with a range of RNG games. Among them are two Crash releases already popular among fans all over the world, Spaceman and Big Bass Crash.
The players in the Czech Republic and Slovakia will get a unique chance to enjoy premium Pragmatic Play releases and explore new horizons in the world of iGaming.
Tipsporthas been present in the market for more than 30 years. Established in 1991, its quality offering and rapid growth made the company become the largest betting operator in the Czech Republic and one of the leading ones in the whole of Eastern and Central Europe. It builds a strong land-based casino experience, which was later adjoined by online casino and sports betting offerings.
Irina Cornides, Chief Operating Officer at Pragmatic Play, said:“We’re delighted to partner with Tipsport, a popular and respected operator in Slovakia and the Czech Republic, bringing Pragmatic Play’s Slots and RNG content to even more players in these markets.”
Jiří Švarc, Casino Director at Tipsport, added: “As a market leader in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, we’re excited to welcome Pragmatic Play to our platform and begin to offer our players a more diverse and unparalleled number of immersive Slots. Pragmatic Play is easily one of the most well-known providers in the industry, so we’re glad to finally be welcoming them to Tipsport. We believe this will be an extremely successful partnership, and we look forward to seeing the results.”
But the renowned supplier isn’t expanding only across the European market. The company widens its reach by offering its products to the players in LATAM.
The company already partnered with several operators to extend its presence in Latin America, and now its position is cemented through the partnership with Betsala.
Betsala’s fans will be able to try three of Pragmatic Play’s biggest products. Among the slot titles included in this generous offer are recent releases such as The Big Dawns and all-time favorites.
Apart from the slots, the players will be able to enjoy the Roulette, Mega Roulette, and Blackjack offerings, along with the hit game Treasure Island. This is a direct result of the provider’s focus on this rapidly growing market since the company spent the last 12 months trying to deliver the best possible products to Latin American players.
But that’s not all – the offering will see advanced 3D renderings of various sports, including football, motorsports, horse racing, and greyhound racing.
The deal with Betsala will further position Pragmatic Play as one of the leaders in the market. These partnerships follow the news that made all provider’s fans happy – a new sequel to the popular Sugar Rush game, Sugar Rush 1000, is live, and it brings the excitement and thrill of this hit game, but at the same time it’s enriched with fantastic new features and upgrades.


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AUG. LCT: The Internet has helped ease communication with other operators, but how much is too much?
Global Ground Transportation Institute announces an educational partnership with Bus Advisors, LLC.
The Global Ground Transportation Institute is readying to serve all fleet sectors worldwide and help them grow business.
Q&A: Global Ground Transportation Institute executive director Sarah Gazi outlines the launch of an expansive resource for bus, limo, and fleet operators.
E-News X-Clusive: Boris Pinchevsky has grown thanks to coaches and his devotion to running his business the right way.
2019 LCT Video Education Series: Eric Devlin understands the importance of treating staff well and pursuing new avenues of revenue.
It doesn't just happen in high school. Facebook and Twitter humiliations can rankle any service business.
PHOTO GALLERY: The May 14 get together in Los Angeles reviewed a wide agenda for the LCT Association Award of Excellence winner.
eNews Exclusive: Megan Solly took her industry education into her own hands and learned everything she could to help propel AZ Limo’s growth.
DISRUPTIVE DISCOURSE: Diversity can help us all become better and paint a positive picture of the transportation industry.
JIM LUFF BLOG: Scheduled turnover can help an association attract more members and remain relevant.
The spring membership meeting will address proposed new state rules and questions on TCP-vehicle access during airport construction.
LCT BLOG: The largest industry trade show creates many lasting impressions.
The world's No. 1 online marketplace and trader for professional chauffeured and chartered vehicles, including all types of motorcoaches, buses, vans, stretch limousines, sedans, SUVs, exotics, and classics. New and used vehicles are available from sellers across the nation.
The best online networker to find quality affiliates worldwide and market your company.
Click on any state to see the latest industry news and events in that region.


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It’s IPO day for Cardlytics, the maker of an analytics platform that leverages purchase data sourced directly from bank partners.
Cardlytics began trading at about $12, below its target share price of $13-$15, when Nasdaq opened Friday, before climbing modestly to $13 in afternoon trading. Cardlytics aims to raise about $70 million in the offering.
AdExchanger asked Cardlytics’ co-founders, CEO Scott Grimes and President and COO Lynne Laube, what’s next for advertisers as the company makes its public market debut.
AdExchanger: This is a tough climate for ad and marketing tech companies. How would you describe your experience going public?
SCOTT GRIMES: We’ve obviously been out raising money in a challenging environment, and thankfully we have a fantastic stable of long-term investors who understand our mission and get what we’re trying to accomplish. They understood the strength of the moat we built with our bank partners, and how the media we drive through the native bank channel … helps drive a guaranteed return on advertising budgets.
What do you mean?
Grimes: We use people’s prior purchase history to understand when they’re likely to be interested in a new feature or product. Because we see the purchase history before and after a marketing event, particularly a marketing event in the native banking channel, we can close the loop on purchases to see what drives consumers into stores, not just online.
You both came out of banking. How did this influence Cardlytics’ value prop?
Grimes: We were both executives at Capital One and we saw two things going on in the banking world then. One was this rapid growth of electronic payments, which are a clear indicator of how consumers spend money. Second was the growth of mobile banking, and we wanted to turn those channels into a way to engage with customers.
What’s one thing that surprises advertisers about Cardlytics?
LYNNE LAUBE: I don’t think a lot of advertisers fully understand how engaged consumers are with online banking and why it’s such a unique channel. The reason customers are logging into online banking eight times a month and mobile banking 23 times a month, which is what they’re doing in our networks, is because they’re thinking about their money and they’re logging in often to see if they have enough money to go out to eat tonight or to buy a pair of shoes.
Our click rates are 7% on average, which is an order of magnitude larger than any other digital channel out there. It’s an engaging place to talk to people about spending.
Who is Cardlytics’ end customer? Do you work with CPGs?
Grimes: While we know a whole lot about the stores and restaurants people are going to, we don’t have a lot of visibility into what people buy when they’re in the store today.
Our footprint taps much more into the market of retailers and restaurants, less around CPGs. That being said, we have many large ecommerce advertisers. While we’re good at getting people into stores, we’re also really good at driving people to websites.
Cardlytics has a lot of stake in one particular bank partner, Bank of America. What are you doing to diversify?
Laube: Bank of America is one of our oldest bank partners. We’ve worked with them since 2010, but it’s much more than a contractual relationship. They’re a great partner and we’re deeply embedded inside all of their channels, including online and mobile banking.
We recently developed an email product with them where customers can get their offers via email and activate without having to log in to mobile banking.
They are about 50% of our MAUs today, but we also recently announced a pilot with Wells Fargo, which should help reduce some of that concentration if we do our jobs well. We have great relationships with all of our banks; many are starting to understand the opportunity for them to collectively create a scaled media platform.
Interview condensed and lightly edited.


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Ubisoft has no Wii U VC plans at the moment
Posted on 5 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in News, Wii U eShop | 11 Comments
Don’t expect any Wii U Virtual Console titles from Ubisoft anytime soon. The publisher told one fan on Twitter that “nothing’s planned at the moment”.
Ubisoft’s full tweet is as follows:
@PBZReviews Hey Connor, nothing's planned at the moment but we'll let you know if anything comes up. Thanks!
— Ubisoft (@Ubisoft) August 20, 2014
Ubisoft says “Nintendo customers don’t buy Assassin’s Creed”
Posted on 5 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in News, Wii U | 103 Comments
Ubisoft is releasing two Assassin’s Creed games this year, but Wii U isn’t getting either of them. Wondering why this is the case?
While speaking with Game Informer at Gamescom last week, Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot explained:
“It’s very simple. What we see is that Nintendo customers don’t buy Assassin’s Creed. Last year, we sold in very small numbers.”
Guillemot also spoke about Ubisoft’s shift in focus on Wii U:
Ubisoft on why The Crew isn’t coming to Wii U
Posted on 5 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in News, Wii U | 20 Comments
The Crew was originally a current-gen game. However, that changed today after Ubisoft announced that its open-world racer is now also coming to the Xbox 360.
Both the Wii U and PlayStation 3 are being left behind. When asked to explain why The Crew isn’t coming to these consoles as well, a Ubisoft representative told VideoGamer:
“The Crew is originally built for the new generation of consoles so when we made the decision to port it to the previous generation of consoles, we decided to focus solely on the platform closest to the new-gen’s technical infrastructure, which is the Xbox 360. We are not currently working on a PS3 or Wii U version, we are rather focused on delivering The Crew for Xbox One, PS4, PC and Xbox360 simultaneously on November 11th.”
New Just Dance 2015 tracks announced
Ubisoft revealed a new round of tracks for Just Dance 2015 today. The game will offer the following songs:
• “4×4” by Miley Cyrus
• “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell
• “Bailando” by Enrique Iglesias Ft. Descemer Bueno & Gente de Zona
• “Best Song Ever” by One Direction
• “Built For This” by Becky G
• “Love Is All” by The Sunlight Shakers
• “Macarena” by The Girly Team
• “You Spin Me Round (Like A Record)” by Dead Or Alive
Just Dance 2015 will be featured at Gamescom in the business area of the Ubisoft booth (Hall 5.2 in space A010).
Rayman creator founds new studio, will continue working at Ubisoft
Posted on 5 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in General Nintendo, News | 3 Comments
Rayman creator Michel Ancel is founding a new studio known as “Wild Sheep”. However, he will continue to work at Ubisoft as well.
Ubisoft Annecy, Paris, and Montpellier managing director Xavier Poix said in a statement:
“Ubisoft Montpellier is a hotbed for artistic game development, including great games like Rayman, Beyond Good and Evil, and Valiant Hearts. We are fortunate to have some of the industry’s finest talents, including Michel Ancel, working with us at our studio. In addition to spending some of his time on this new venture, Michel is leading the creative development of select projects at Ubisoft Montpellier, including an extremely ambitious new title that is very close to his and the team’s heart.”
And how about that little game we’ve been waiting years for? You know, Beyond Good & Evil 2?
“In many ways, BG&E is an inimitable game – it appeals to all generations of gamers and is an inspiration behind many of Ubisoft Montpellier’s past and future games. It’s still far too early to give many details about this new title, but what we can say is that while Michel and the team at Ubisoft Montpellier are working with the core tenets of BG&E, they’re developing something that aspires to push past the boundaries of a proverbial sequel and leverages next-gen technologies to deliver a truly surprising, innovative and exceptional game. The entire team is excited about the direction this extremely ambitious project is taking, and we’ll have more to share later, as it progresses.”
Ubisoft has released a fact sheet for Tetris Ultimate covering the 3DS-exclusive Challenge Mode, social features, and more. You can find it below.
The world’s most-loved puzzle game arrives on Nintendo 3DS and is better than ever in Tetris® Ultimate. With six exciting modes plus an exclusive challenge mode on the handheld version, fun new features, and unique visuals, the evolution of this iconic game is the ultimate must-have on 3DS.
Experience the Best of Tetris®
In this fast-paced game of skills, players can take on the puzzle game solo, challenge a friend, partner up with friends, or make battle teams. Up to four players can get in on the action.
• Marathon – Get to level 15 and rack up as many points as you can.
• Endless – Play for as long as you can and keep clearing lines for as long as possible.
• Ultra – Get your highest score before time runs out in this three-minute challenge.
• Sprint – Clear 40 lines as quickly as you can.
• Battle – Go head-to-head to knock out your opponents.
• Battle Ultimate – Be the last person playing after using crazy power-ups! Go on the offensive with Carousel and make your opponent’s matrix shift to the left after each move, or trigger Let it Rain and dump blocks down on top of them. Buzz Saw helps you out by clearing away a number of your lines – especially useful when you’re in a spot of trouble.
Tetris Ultimate officially announced for 3DS
Ubisoft has officially announced its new Tetris game – Tetris Ultimate – for 3DS. It’s scheduled to arrive this fall.
Tetris Ultimate features seven modes, including the exclusive single-player Challenge mode that will put any player’s determination to the test.
Here’s an overview of the different modes:
• Marathon – Complete level 15 and rack up as many points as you can.
• Endless – Keep clearing lines until your stamina runs out.
• Ultra – Race to score as many points possible before time runs out in this three-minute challenge.
• Sprint – Clear 40 lines as quickly as you can.
• Battle – Go head-to-head to knock out 1-4 challengers.
• Battle Ultimate – Be the last person playing after using crazy power-ups. Go on the offensive with Carousel and make your opponent’s Well shift to the left after each move, or trigger Let it Rain and dump garbage down on top of them. Buzz Saw helps you out by clearing away a number of your lines, especially useful when you’re in a spot of trouble.
• Challenge – From disappearing Tetriminos (Tetris playing pieces) to orientation-locked Tetriminos, be prepared for a variety of challenges that will test a player’s fortitude.
Aside from these modes, Tetris Ultimate will also include real-time worldwide leaderboards.
Ubisoft again says Wii U needs sales to become a more mass market, liked E3 showing
Posted on 5 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in News, Wii U | 55 Comments
The latest issue of MCV has a few more comments from Ubisoft about Wii U, courtesy of CEO Yves Guillemot and Alain Corre.
First, Guillemot commented on how the Wii U needs additional sales to become a mass market device. He also spoke about Nintendo’s games and how fans are waiting on them to arrive.
Image: Breakdown of Ubisoft sales by platform
Ubisoft published the graphic above as part of its latest financial results. Unsurprisingly, Nintendo systems encompass just a small fraction of the company’s sales. That can be attributed to, at least partially, a lack of releases on Nintendo platforms.
“Ubisoft Summer Game Sale” hits the Wii U and 3DS eShops
Posted on 5 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in 3DS eShop, News, Wii U eShop | 11 Comments
Ubisoft has discounted several games on the Wii U and 3DS eShops as part of a new “Summer Game Sale”.
As of now, you can save on the following titles:
ZombiU – $22.49
Rayman Legends – $20
Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag – $20
Splinter Cell: Blacklist – $22.49
Assassin’s Creed III – $14.99
Rabbids Land – $12.50
Cloudberry Kingdom – $5
Marvel Avengers: Battle for Earth – $15
Your Shape: Fitness Evolved 2013 – $12.50
ESPN Sports Connection – $12.50
The Smurfs 2 – $20
Rayman Origins – $7.50
Ghost Recon: Shadow Wars – $7.50
Splinter Cell 3D – $7.50
Rabbids Travel in Time 3D – $7.50
Rayman 3D – $7.50
Petz Fantasy 3D – $7.50
The prices above are valid through July 7.
Source: Wii U/3DS eShops


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Intel ruled the PC era. Can it do the same in the age of big data and the Internet of Things?
Last month at CES, Intel demoed tiny, low-power chips to power the coming wave of wearable tech and other smart objects in the Internet of Things (IoT). This week, the chipmaker introduced Xeon processors aimed at the other end of the spectrum -- high-end datacenters, where IoT and other analytics-intensive trends have increased demand for a new breed of hardware optimized for big-data applications.
Intel claims its new Xeon E7 v2 family boasts plenty of muscle to chew through numbers, with twice the average performance and four times the I/O bandwidth of previous generations. But is the chipmaker prepared to rule the top-of-the-line datacenters of the future? Here are five things to consider.
1. The new Xeons shine a spotlight on in-memory analytics. "I don't know if this product line will be the tipping point for in-memory database adoption... but if it's not, then the tipping point is very near," IDC analyst Kuba Stolarski told us in an email.
Indeed, research firm Gartner projected last year that by 2015, 35% of midsized-to-large enterprises will adopt in-memory analytics, which speeds up analysis by placing a dataset in the system memory rather than in traditional disks. Intel claims the E7 v2 family boasts triple the memory capacity of previous generations. The chip giant this week touted that eBay achieved roughly twice the performance of current baselines during a recent trial with E7 v2 chips and SAP's Hana in-memory analytics software.
2. Intel's chips could take share from RISC systems. Though Intel's x86 chips dominate the PC and server markets, many legacy mission-critical systems rely on RISC (reduced instruction set computing) architectures, which are engineered to provide improved performance by sacrificing instruction complexity for a much faster execution rate. Chips from companies such as IBM and Oracle usually power such systems, but if Intel's E7 chips can displace RISC in the next generation of high-end hardware, the company could command elite status in a world of increasingly data-driven, intelligence-hungry datacenters.
Xeon Processor E7 v2 product die (Source: Intel)
Intel claims E7 v2 can deliver up to 80% better performance and up to 80% lower total cost of ownership compared to an alternative RISC architecture based around IBM's Power 7+. The new silicon also boasts RAS (reliability, availability, and serviceability) features that originally appeared in its Itanium products -- the Linux-oriented family of mission-critical processors, mainly used by HP, on whose space the Xeons are now encroaching. The company also possesses peerless manufacturing resources, which should help it to produce new chips at yields and margins few competitors can match.
"Intel is upping its game," Gartner research director Sergis Mushell said in a phone interview. "They make larger chips that no one else can make."
3. E7 v2 could give Intel a needed win in a lucrative enterprise market. In January, Intel reported strong demand for chips to power cloud servers, but sales for other datacenter products missed analyst expectations. The new E7 v2 chips could change that. They're very expensive (the top-end version is almost $7,000), but they're also aimed at customers who don't cut corners.
"Pricing of chips in the consumer market is going down, but as you look at the high-performance market, companies pay for the highest quality products at the highest speeds," Mushell said.
"The top-tier service providers have traditionally gone for top-bin parts," Stolarski said. He said businesses might not go for Intel's high-end
Michael Endler joined InformationWeek as an associate editor in 2012. He previously worked in talent representation in the entertainment industry, as a freelance copywriter and photojournalist, and as a teacher. Michael earned a BA in English from Stanford University in 2005 ... View Full Bio
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Cybersecurity Strategies for the Digital EraAt its core, digital business relies on strong security practices. In addition, leveraging security intelligence and integrating security with operations and developer teams can help organizations push the boundaries of innovation.


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Pink Shirt Day began when two Nova Scotia students decided to take action when another student was bullied for wearing pink. ClearlyContacts.ca is taking a stand against bullying by supporting Pink Shirt Day on February 25th by donating $5 from every glasses order to support anti-bullying programs in British Columbia through CKNW Orphan’s Fund. We’re excited to be among some great local retailers who are rallying behind the cause!
SHOP & SUPPORT
ClearlyContacts.ca – $5 from all glasses orders will be donated on February 25th.
Party Skirts by Skot – 15% of all pink skirts sold will be donated.
Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory Canada – $1.00 from every sale of their famous Pink Shirt Day Apples will be donated.
YYoga – All drop-in revenue will be donated to anti-bullying programs throughout British Columbia and Ontario, which work to fight bullying in our schools, workplaces, homes, and online social sites.
Take Five Cafe – Part proceeds from pink cupcakes will be donated.


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Mandeville, LA – It’s a new law in California and a new way to see the threat, this week on Tom Gresham's Gun Talk (R) Radio
, the original nationally-syndicated radio talk show about guns and the shooting sports.
One state the entire firearms community watches closely is California, where Governor Brown just signed into law a bill that bans openly-carried handguns. Gene Hoffman with the online forum site Calguns.net drops in on Sunday to discuss this latest law, and what else has been happening in California. More on Calguns can be found at www.calguns.net
You saw the new Crimson Trace Lightgaurd on this season of Guns and Gear TV, and next week, they’ll be available in stores. Iain Harrison with Crimson Trace stops by to talk about the Lightguard, currently made for Glocks, Smith & Wesson M&Ps and Springfield Armory XDMs and XDs. Find out more at www.crimsontrace.com
. To watch the Guns and Gear segment about the Crimson Trace Lightguard, visit http://www.guntalk.tv/gtv/library.php?video_id=728
Also this week, it’s back out to the Remington Arms Versa Max tour with Firearms Development Director Andrew Haskin. This Sunday, the Versa Max Tour Truck will be supplying shot shells to test the Versa Max Shotgun from 9am to 3pm at River Valley Sportsmen Club in Clarksville, AR. More details on both the Versa Max tour and the new Remington shotgun are available at www.remington.com/pages/community/versa-max-ontour.aspx.
In its 17th year of national syndication, Tom Gresham's Gun Talk Radio airs live on Sundays from 2PM-5PM Eastern, and runs on more than 130 stations, plus on XM (Ch. 165) Satellite Radio. All Gun Talk shows can be downloaded as podcasts at http://www.guntalk.libsyn.com/ and Apple iTunes, or through one of the available Apps: the Gun Talk iPhone App, the Blackberry Podcast App, the Android App and the Gun Talk App for Android on Amazon. More information is available at http://www.guntalk.com/.
("Gun Talk" is a registered trademark.)


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May 20, 2013
If you’re looking for adventure at ViVa! Vienna!, you can bungee jump.
Stories this photo appears in:
A roundup of entertaining things to do this weekend.
A roundup of fun things to do this weekend in Fairfax county.
Rotary Club and Town of Vienna partner to offer family fun, food, and live entertainment.
Vienna’s most family-friendly, fun-filled festival returns for Memorial Day weekend. ViVa! Vienna!, a celebration of food, live entertainment, amusement rides, and more than 300 merchandise and service vendors, kicks off on Saturday, May 23, at 10 a.m. with food vendors, amusement rides, and live entertainment. Vendors open their booths on Sunday, when Church Street closes down to vehicular traffic. The Historic Church Street corridor turns into a rollicking community-centric party.
Three-day festival features live entertainment, carnival food, rides and 300-plus vendors.
ViVa! Vienna! is back: Carnival midway, live entertainment and food vendors kick-off the three-day Memorial Day weekend festival on Saturday, May 25. And that’s just the beginning. On Sunday, more than 300 vendors—selling crafts, goods and services—converge along the historic Church Street corridor, hosting upwards of 50,000 visitors to the festival sponsored by the Rotary Club of Greater Vienna.


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President Donald Trump has the upper hand in trade talks with China despite false claims that he made at a Wednesday rally with supporters in Florida, CNBC’s Jim Cramer said Thursday.
He refuted Trump’s suggestion that the United States should welcome tariffs on imports from China because the Chinese pay for them.
“The whole theory feels more than a little Orwellian to me, because strictly speaking it’s just not true. Americans pay these tariffs,” the “Mad Money” host said. “But if you haven’t noticed, we’ve been living in a post-truth world for a long time now.”
At the Panama City, Florida rally, Trump said that China “broke the deal” and that the world’s two largest economies have been in negotiations over for months. Cramer said Trump is taking a hard-nose approach because he’s convinced that America can afford to end business ties with China, and his strategy could ultimately work.
Even as the Dow Jones Industrial Average gets hammered by the trade turmoil, Trump can attempt to mitigate the damage by floating some good news about trade discussions as he did Thursday, he said.
Dubbing it the “Panama City doctrine,” Cramer laid out Trump’s stance in the trade talks.
“Trump’s surreal, fanciful vision is stronger than China’s … and maybe that’s all that matters,” he said.
1. Trump gave businesses huge tax breaks.
“So even if they have to pull out of China, they’re still coming out ahead,” Cramer said.
2. Trump doesn’t care about American business’ desire to sell goods to China.
“He views the People’s Republic as a major geopolitical rival and he doesn’t want to give them even more commerce than they already have,” he said.
3. Trump wants to make it harder for American companies to make products in China.
“Companies that insist on sticking with the People’s Republic are simply going to have lower profit margins than companies that shift their manufacturing to anywhere else on earth,” Cramer said.
4. Americans have made their minds up about the president — they either love or hate him.
“As long as his base still loves him, he doesn’t care what anyone else thinks, and his base is never going to punish him for being too tough on China,” he said.
5. Trump knows the U.S. economy is huge and service-oriented.
“There’s no universe where we’re going to export that much to China anyway, so when they inevitably retaliate with tariffs of their own, it simply can’t hurt us very much,” Cramer said.
6. Trump doesn’t want to help President Xi Jinping and the Chinese Communist Party save face.
“He wants to rip their faces off to the delight of the base,” Cramer said. “Anyone who really gets hurt by the tariffs, like the farmers, they get bailed out by the government. Just send them a check.”


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Callbi Speech Analytics has thrown their weight behind annual the Debt Collection Southern Africa Conference by signing up as a sliver sponsor.
It will be hosted at the Focus Room Modderfontein, Sandton on the 10 & 11 March 2021. The event will be live streamed in real time from the venue and will be attended by virtual and physical delegates.
Callbi is a South African developed speech analytics solution that transcribes, organises, analyses and reports in detail on contact centre voice and text interactions – providing the insight into organisations to solve business challenges and improve customer engagement.
Francois du Plessis, MD of Callbi Speech Analytics, said the company has decided to partner with TCI at this year’s conference as it is an established event, drawing the right calibre of delegates presenting the debt collection industry. He said the company will promote their speech analytics offering tailor-made for use in call centres.
The global take-up and deployment of speech analytics solutions is expanding at an estimated CAGR of 21%+, with market value burgeoning from US$1.1 billion in 2018, and expected to reach US$3.6 billion by 2024”.
Utilisation of these powerful speech analytics technologies by South African contact centre operators has been particularly slow in the past, but since Callbi was launched in 2020, the take up of South African speech analytics deployments is estimated to have more than tripled!
“The Debt Collection Southern Africa Conference is a perfect platform for Callbi to highlight why speech analytics is a game changer for the future of contact centres.”
Rod Jones, Brand Ambassador for Callbi, will contribute to the official programme with his topic focused on using speech analytics to dramatically improve collections. Jones has over 40 years’ experience exclusively in the call centre and customer service industry. He is internationally recognised as a Thought Leader and a Trusted Advisor to corporates, parastatals and government agencies in South Africa as well as many other African and Middle Eastern countries.
Rod will be joined by Henriette Potgieter, who is also well known in the industry, to conduct live demonstrations for anyone who is interested to see first-hand how Callbi speech analytics can dramatically improve contact centre operations. Henriette has been involved with the deployment of more than 30 speech analytics deployments in South Africa to date.
Together they will join a speaker panel representing organisations such as Credit Ombudsman, Credit Intel, Debt Rescue, Kredr Khuluma, NDS Credit and many more.
Ryno van Ellewee, MD of Trade Conferences International (TCI) welcomed Callbi as a partner to the event.
He said the conference will unite the main role players in the industry such as debt collection companies, credit providers, call centers, banks and suppliers. It will provide the ideal platform for service providers to network with delegates


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Vodafone expands Toronto-based company’s global partners to advance mobile platform offerings
TORONTO, April 28, 2015 - Vodafone, one of the world’s largest global mobile carriers, has led a second closing of Flybits’ Series A round through Vodafone Ventures. The announcement builds on Flybits’ previously announced Series A financing in August 2014, which was led by Robert Bosch Venture Capital and Trellis Capital.
This announcement was covered in the Financial Post, TechVibes, PE HUB and BetaKit.
As an innovative software-as-a-service (SaaS) company, Flybits enables consumer-focused ...
Toronto start-up to advance context-aware mobile experience platform
TORONTO, Canada (August 20, 2014) — Flybits Inc., a Toronto start-up that has created a context-aware experience development platform for mobile environments, has closed a $3.75 million Series A financing. Led by Robert Bosch Venture Capital GmbH (RBVC) and Trellis Capital Corporation with participation from MaRS Investment Accelerator Fund and Ryerson Futures, Inc., the investment will advance the company’s product development and international growth in the United States and Europe.
This announcement was covered in ...
"Start-up culture is fast taking hold at U of T, with an array of incubators and accelerators providing student entrepreneurs the resources and mentorships required to get their businesses up and running," writes Ameya Charnalia of The Varsity, the University of Toronto's student newspaper.
Charnalia's article focuses on new student-focused incubators, such as the UTEST program, which provide entrepreneurs cash, access to in-house expertise, working space and mentorship to advice their ideas.
It appeared in the same week that recent UTEST graduate Whirlscape released ...
University of Toronto Early-Stage Technology (UTEST) graduate Whirlscape Inc. released a video on February 25, 2014 showing how their Minuum keyboard can make typing on Smart TVs and consoles easy.
UTEST is currently accepting applications for its third cohort. Apply now.
Minuum, the "little keyboard for big fingers" is making waves in wearable technology with their disambiguation algorithm and advanced language modelling, which can be used on Android devices and smart watches.
Read Darrell Etherington's article about Minuum on Smart TVs and consoles in ...
Matt Ratto, assistant professor in the University of Toronto's Faculty of Information and co-inventor and CEO of Shotlst, a UTEST company, was featured in the Globe and Mail on October 22 in an article by Nick Rockel on how emerging technology will change the education experience.
Here's an excerpt:
Asked what the technological tools in university classrooms will look and feel like by 2020, Matt Ratto admits he’s no futurist. But the assistant professor at the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Information is ...


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07 Dec 2012
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal on Friday said the state was always against foreign direct investment (FDI) in retail.
21 Dec 2013
New Delhi: Retail inflation for farm and rural workers increased to 13.43 percent and 13.27 percent in November this year from 12.65 percent and 12.48 percent, respectively mainly due rise in prices of food items.
22 Nov 2012
The Samajwadi Party (SP) said on Thursday it was opposed to foreign investment in multi-brand retail and that it was for the presiding officers in parliament to decide if the issue would be discussed under rules that entail voting.
12 Nov 2012
Implementation of FDI in multi-brand retail sector would amount to committing crime against the poor, former Union Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha said on Sunday.
03 Jan 2014
Hyderabad: Union Commerce Minister Anand Sharma on Friday said his ministry is in the process of preparing a Cabinet note on Foreign Direct Investment norms for railways and Construction.
06 Dec 2012
FDI in retail is a "national imperative" and will benefit farmers and small traders immensely, Law Minister Ashwani Kumar said in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday.
08 Dec 2012
The United States has welcomed the decision of the Indian Parliament to allow FDI in multi-brand retail, noting that this is a win-win for all, from small businesses to farmers and consumers as well, besides deepening economic co-operation between the two countries.
22 Jan 2013
Expressing its concern over the Parliament’s nod to the Foreign Direct Investment in multi-bran retails, the Supreme Court on Tuesday asked the Centre to file its response within five weeks on how it intends to safeguard interests of small traders after FDI is allowed in retail sector.
05 Dec 2012
Opposing FDI in multi-brand retail, the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Wednesday said pushing it will trigger social unrest in the country.
12 Jan 2013
BJP on Friday said the last word has not yet been said on the FDI in multi-brand retail issue and the party would revisit the decision of the UPA government if it comes to power.


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The world will soon be plunged into a crisis of historic proportions, and Donald Trump will be the man to lead the charge.
The man who has been accused of sexual assault by multiple women and who has also called for the extermination of Jews, Muslims, Latinos, and anyone else who has disagreed with him, is now poised to be the most powerful man in the world.
If you have been living under a rock, this is what Donald Trump is going to be.
He is going a step further than just taking on the establishment.
He will be taking on those who have historically supported and supported the status quo.
As Trump has repeatedly declared, he is “not afraid” of violence.
This is precisely why the Trump Organization is already making the jump from the family business of Donald Trump Jr. to a global business empire that will eventually take over the globe.
The reason for this is that the Trump brand, which has been the cornerstone of the family’s wealth and influence for more than a century, is increasingly at risk of falling apart.
The family’s business model is built on a combination of high-end real estate and luxury branding.
Trump owns several of these properties, and the company also owns several luxury brands like the Trump Plaza Hotel and the Trump National Golf Club.
These properties have been sold to various developers over the years, but the Trump empire is still one of the most recognizable brands in the United States.
And the Trump name has become synonymous with American exceptionalism.
The Trump brand is so successful, in fact, that it has earned the nickname “America’s Dad.”
This is a brand that has stood for almost two centuries, and it is about to lose its identity.
If Donald Trump has anything to do with the decline of the Trump family brand, it is his failure to keep it afloat.
He has been willing to make outlandish promises and promise them to the people of the United State, but he has been unwilling to fulfill them.
When he was elected president, he promised that he would repeal Obamacare and restore tax breaks for the wealthy, but then he changed his mind, saying that he did not want to “do that.
The Donald Trump brand has been built on promises and promises, and if he has anything left to offer the American people, he will not keep his word.
It is a perfect scenario for the Trump organization.
It was not until a few years ago that the company’s top executive, Peter Navarro, began to worry that the brand might be in serious trouble.
The brand has long relied on the loyalty of its celebrity stars, who are paid millions of dollars per appearance, but those stars are also paid by the Trump Foundation to appear in the ads that they run, and those who appear in those ads are paid handsomely.
Navarro had a very difficult time convincing his staff that the Donald Trump name was worth the money that the organization was paying them to appear on the campaign commercials, and so he began to wonder whether the brand was worth saving.
He called Donald Trump’s daughter Ivanka, and she suggested that the brands future should be a brand of peace and prosperity.
But that was when she was still Ivanka Trump.
She was a teenager when her father first announced his candidacy, and in many ways, she was his first campaign surrogate.
She had never been in a political campaign before, and as the first daughter, she had never seen a campaign ad, either.
But she had been told that Donald Trump would win, and that she would be the first to be introduced to him.
And when the first lady was finally given the opportunity to meet the Republican candidate, she quickly recognized Ivanka as one of his most ardent supporters.
Ivanka Trump has always had a great relationship with the brand.
She’s an enthusiastic supporter, and her daughter is a fan.
As the first family has grown, the Ivanka Trump brand and the brand’s brand has also grown with her.
In her first major role in the Trump administration, she is now the president’s daughter-in-law.
But while Ivanka is still very much a daughter, her role as First Daughter is a significant departure from her father’s role as the patriarch of the Trumps.
As a brand, the brand is now a global organization, and a key part of the brand strategy is to develop relationships in countries across the globe with brands that have global brands, which are owned by the same people that own the brands.
In many ways this is a very risky business model for the brand to pursue, and Ivanka is not a fan of it.
The Ivanka Trump name and image has been tarnished by the president of the company, Jared Kushner, who is married to Ivanka’s daughter, Ivanka Trump, and has used his position to attack her father and to push a hostile narrative against his family.
Ivanka and her husband have repeatedly said that the Ivanka brand is a symbol of the success of the father, and to them, it must be preserved


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For Viacom, youth media brands like MTV and Nickelodeon are a core part of its business. But it knows kids aren’t glued to the TV schedule any more. Viacom’s response? A new suite of mobile apps.
MTV is launching two new products for the European market at the beginning of March. MTV Play is the first: a video app which will house its TV shows like “Geordie Shore” and “Catfish” for on-demand streaming. An “industry first” tie-in with startup Vigour lets this app flick content from the smartphone to any other connected screen, and back. The app is priced at €2.99 ($3.40) a month.
The second product, MTV Trax, puts Viacom in competition with Spotify in the U.K. This audio app solves two problems: too much choice, and the issue of limited mobile data plans. In terms of choice, MTV’s research says most users don’t actually want to have to sort though a vast music library. They just want hits. The app will offer users a curated list of the hottest 100 tracks in music that day. And with a daily update streamed over Wi-Fi to enable offline listening, MTV Trax prevents users from spending too much on mobile data.
The move comes at a time when Viacom is starting to feel the effects of changing habits. In the U.S., it is seeing declining TV ratings among younger viewers. MTV in the U.K., however, is doing rather well, but that might not always be the case. More than two-fifths (41 percent) of 16-24-year-olds regularly watch TV shows on smartphone, according to recent research by MTV’s international parent company, Viacom International Media Networks. The company said “the majority” of online engagement with the MTV brand was now coming through mobile devices, hence its focus on producing new products for users to enjoy.
“Young people still want long-form content and mostly on big screens, whether it’s linear or OTT,” said Oliver Nitz, SVPSVP of mobile brand licensing at Viacom. “That’s not something that’s frightening us though. This product has come at the right time and will help us stay the forefront of changing media habits.”
Viacom knows it’s hard to get people to download apps. It’s experimenting with some direct-to-consumer distribution in the U.K., but it expects the majority of its downloads to come through wireless providers. It’s planning to pitch carriers to license their brand and offer pre-installed MTV apps. In Germany, Switzerland and Romania, users can subscribe to MTV Mobile through a provider like AT&T or Sprint, giving users access to over 1,500 hours of video via MTV Play. The company has one deal to distribute MTV Trax in New Zealand and is hoping for more deals to come through.
The partnerships make sense for telecom companies, which need to differentiate their plans through content and other services. They can no longer stand out by selling an extra gigabyte of data a little cheaper than the next company.
“We’re able to show Net Promoter Scores increase by 50 percent and show reduced customer churn for MTV Mobile users,” Nitz said. “That’s attractive in a saturated, highly competitive market.”
Carriers are a popular distribution method for apps, particularly in the U.K. Both Spotify and Sky have deals in place with Vodafone to get their apps into the hands of its customers. MTV arguably lacks the depth of content offered by those companies, meaning it could have a tougher time convincing carriers to sign up. But one analyst says Viacom’s app strategy has some promise.
“More and more content owners understand that they need to be present where young viewers are, on smartphones, and in this case Viacom has taken an interesting approach, said Eva Knoll, digital video analyst at Enders Analysis.
“The technology within the app, unlike some, allows users to both discover content on their smartphone and then send it to their smart TV. Here, Viacom appears to have spotted an opportunity to bridge short-form content, which has been very successful on smartphones, and long-form content, which has been less successful on smartphones so far.”
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While the Huawei-built Honor 9 is on show at IFA 2017 in Berlin, one thing you won't find on the show floor is the new "robin egg blue" color — unless you know where to look. We've tracked down the exclusive new color variant, which Honor tells us will be produced in "extremely limited" quantities for the UK market, and sold with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage (up from the 4GB/64GB of the standard UK Honor 9.)
The performance and overall physical feel of the Honor 9 hasn't changed, of course, but now we're now looking at a phone with a white front bezel, and a unique teal back panel and frame. And while the glass back is constructed using the same 15-layer process as the existing Honor 9 models, the new color gives a slightly glossier appearance, with a subtle color shift as the teal-green panel tilts through the light.
Take a closer look at the new color below. It'll go on sale in the UK in mid-September, priced £459.99.
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