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Starbucks Corporation reported that its net revenues in the third quarter increased by 12 per cent to $2.9 billion, in its financial results released on 29 July.
The report noted that global comparable store sales increased 8 per cent, driven by a 6 per cent increase in traffic and a 2 per cent increase in average purchase ticket.
Earnings per share increased 33 per cent to $0.36 in the 2011 third quarter compared to $0.27 in the same period in 2010. The board of directors declared a $0.13 per share cash dividend to shareholders of record as of 10 August 2011, which will be paid on 26 August 2011.
“Starbucks record third quarter results reflect both the underlying strength and continuing momentum we have been experiencing across all of our business segments and around the world,” says Howard Schultz, Chairman, President and CEO. “These results demonstrate the power, and the extraordinary global potential, of our unique new business model. Starbucks has never been healthier, more connected to our customers and partners, or better positioned to go after the tremendous business opportunities that lie ahead,” Schultz added.
“The exceptional results that we reported today for our fiscal third quarter are a testament to the strength of the Starbucks brand, to the depth of the company’s organizational capabilities, and to the dedication of our partners around the world,” comments Troy Alstead, CFO. “Efforts to enhance the store experience continue to resonate with our customers as strong traffic gains and sales leverage helped mitigate the impact of higher commodity costs. With our global store portfolio performing at record levels and momentum building in CPG, we have a solid foundation in place to pursue continued profitable growth in fiscal 2012 and beyond. As we build upon the strength of the brand and our evolving multi-channel strategy, we expect to drive growth in earnings per share in fiscal 2012 in the range of 15 to 20 percent.”


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On-pack campaign communicates that by purchasing the kids’ lunchbox favourite shoppers are helping Pink Lady donate more apples to redistribution charity
Pink Lady has launched a ‘Share the Wow’ campaign in support of FareShare across a number of UK retailers.
As part of the initiative, some 145,000 stickered packs of PinKids apples will be available to shoppers in Aldi, Ocado, B&M, Heron Foods and Farmfoods for six weeks from the end of August.
PinKids are smaller Pink Lady apples aimed at children, and the new packs will communicate to shoppers that their purchase of the lunchbox favourite will help Pink Lady donate apples to FareShare as part of the brand’s ongoing partnership with the charity. The brand has set a donation cap at 300,000 apples.
The distribution of the donated apples has been facilitated by Pink Lady licensee Fruitways, and the apples will be supplied to FareShare depots nationwide for redistribution to charities and community groups across each depot’s local region.
Pink Lady said the promotion is part of its ongoing commitment to provide FareShare with premium fresh produce, adding that it has been made possible by the generosity and support of Pink Lady licensees, retailers and stakeholders.
Adèle Fash, commercial produce manager at FareShare, said: “Nutritious fresh produce is so important for the families and individuals our charities support, especially at a time when the rising cost of living is causing so many to struggle to provide meals for their families. “Pink Lady and their licensees have been a regular supporter of FareShare and it’s great to be able to rely on these apples from Pink Lady which will come at a key time with the school holidays.”
Lynn Shaw, marketing manager at Pink Lady UK, added: “Our ongoing support of FareShare has become one of the pillars of our Pink Lady Cares initiative and we’re proud to collaborate with the charity to help provide fresh produce for families in need in the UK. The excellent work FareShare does distributing fresh produce is vital for families across the country who are struggling to buy the food they need.
“We have linked our donation to FareShare to our packs of PinKids apples with an on-pack sticker that highlights to shoppers how choosing a pack of PinKids will help support FareShare this year.
“We’d like to give a special thanks to Fruitways who have been pivotal in making this donation possible.”
FareShare accepts all categories of safe-to-eat food from a variety of organisations, and it emphasised that its team is always happy to work with the operational needs of donors to make the process as simple and sustainable as possible.

domain: news


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Abdullatif Alissa Automotive announced today that it has signed an agreement with JAC Motors as an exclusive distributor for JAC Motors vehicles in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
The signing was completed by Sheikh Abdul Mohsen Alissa, Chairman of Abdullatif Alissa Group, and Mr. David Zhang, General Manager of JAC Motors, and was attended by senior delegates from both companies via online meeting.
Sheikh Abdul Mohsen Alissa stated that JAC Motors in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has officially become under the umbrella of Abdul Latif Alissa Automotive, which will provide considerable support for the Chinese brand in the market.
Mr. David Zhang, JAC General Manager, stressed the importance of the Saudi market for JAC Motors. The company is looking forward to strengthening its presence in the Saudi market by launching many strong and highly sophisticated models, which will meet the requirements and aspirations of domestic consumers. He also ascertained JAC’s strong support to Alissa Auto as JAC’s exclusive dealer to enhance its presence in Saudi Arabia through the provision of training and a full range of spare parts.
This new partnership will build upon the 70 years of the vast experience of Alissa Auto in the automotive industry offering a broad spectrum of services through state-of-the-art showrooms, ultra-modern service centers, spare parts depots, vehicle delivery centers, and storage which has become synonymous with customer satisfaction and appreciation.
This agreement ushers in a new industry partnership that will introduce international quality Chinese passenger and commercial vehicles to the KSA market. As part of Alissa Auto’s strategic long-term vision, this new partnership positions JAC Motors to become one of the most competitive automotive brands in the KSA passenger and commercial vehicles segment very soon.
JAC Motors known as Jianghuai Automobile Co Ltd was established in 1964, and today, which is the number one commercial vehicle brand in China, selling passenger and commercial vehicles to over 100 countries worldwide. In the global market, JAC ranks first in Brazil among Chinese auto brands and second among exported brands, and has successfully established itself as a high-end, luxury auto brand. Currently, JAC Motors has over 500 dealerships and 14 assembly plants in over 50 countries worldwide across Latin America, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia.
JAC Motors has been a comprehensive automaker with full-line independent brand vehicles in China. With an annual production capacity of more than 700,000 units of completed vehicles, JAC has been ranked as one of the top 10 brands across the Chinese auto industry. As a light commercial vehicle leading manufacturer, JAC has been number one in export sales for 11 consecutive years.


text: Microsoft Acquires Skype In an attempt to sure up its tablet and mobile defenses Microsoft has acquired Skype for an unbelievable $8.5bn. Skype is a hugely popular Luxembourg based internet phone service that has over 650 million global users. Skype has been passed around over the last few years; back in 2006 eBay bought Skype for $2.6bn then going on to sell 70% of its shares in 2009 for $2bn. The majority of this 70% was bought by private equity firms Silver Lake and Andreessen Horowit, tech firm Joltid and the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board. Now it is in the hands of Microsoft for that huge $8.5bn. Why pay so much? Only 18 months ago Skype was valued at $2.5bn, so the $8.5bn seems rather excessive. Microsoft might have some trouble explaining to the share holders how they plan to make this money back. The reasons given will be that it gives Microsoft a leg up in the tablet market. Millions of people currently use Skype on their tablets to communicate with their friends and family. The vision is according to Steve Ballmer, Microsoft chief executive, ‘together we will create the future of real-time communications so people can easily stay connected to family, friends, clients and colleagues anywhere in the world.’ The potential for Skype once it has been successfully integrated into Microsoft system is staggering. Imagine, Skype + Xbox Kinect + HD TV = a very good reason to get into the living rooms of millions of people. Skype can be so much more than just chit chat between friends; it can be face-to-face training, home schooling, patient care and customer support. Once Skype has been smartened up for the business world it may be able to challenge Cisco and Polycom in the world business tele-conferencing. ‘Mobile’ is the word, and Skype is already adapted for ‘mobile’ which gives Windows Phone 7 a boost in the stiff mobile competition. How will it affect Skype users? Skype was probably worth the money, but how is the acquisition going to affect Skype users. Skype users are very happy with the current service and normally what happens under new management is that things are streamed lined to make more money. Skype does not make huge profits because calls made to other Skype users are free. Microsoft has to justify the $8.5bn by making Skype more profitable, this may mean a hike in prices to call landlines and mobile phones. The main thing users are worried about is how Microsoft may tie it in closely with Windows Explorer, messages like ‘make Internet Explorer your default browser’ might pop up when you open links from the chat box. Skype is great as it is, let’s hope Microsoft don’t mess around with it too much. On the other hand it will be interesting to see what improvements they can make.


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Food NI has always enjoyed a close relationship with our politicians from all parties.
They have supported all our initiatives enthusiastically on behalf of the local food and
drink industry especially during the immensely successful Year of Food and Drink.
And our launch last year of our Taste the Greatness strategic action plan was
welcomed by the main parties. We had hoped to build momentum last year.
Our politicians have continued to lend support to our most important industry in
developing business here, in Great Britain and the Republic of Ireland. Our work with
Mid and East Antrim Council in setting up an innovative Food and Drink Network,
linked closely to tourism, has also benefited from the backing of councillors from all
The council in Mid and East Antrim has a clear vision and is committed to the growth
of food and drink and to marketing the industry as a magnet for visitors from abroad,
especially the coastal route that I believe has the potential to generate the sort of
business and innovation that the Wild Atlantic Way and Ancient East are contributing
in the Republic of Ireland.
We’ve enjoyed – and appreciated greatly – similar support from other councils that
we’ve worked with over the past few years on a range of initiatives including food
and drink festivals, most of which, I am delighted to report, have prospered since the Year of Food and Drink in 2016.
I was disappointed to see the current talks to reinstate devolution here ending last
week because strengthening our industry and the wider Northern Ireland economy
really does need a ‘united front’. This is why I hope the political discussions can be
Regrettably, hundreds of good jobs have been lost in other manufacturing sectors,
especially in the Ballymena area, over the past year, and we really are facing into the
unknown, Brexit, with no realistic plan with recommendations as to how we can
safeguard the economy and create a platform for much faster growth.
The current uncertainty is corrosive. I’m concerned, in particular, about suggestions
from several medium-sized food processors that they will consider surmounting any
future border checks and tariffs by setting up in the Republic.
We cannot afford any serious damage to the fabric of the economy and overall
economic wellbeing, especially at this time of crisis in our health and education
services. A vibrant economy is crucially important if we are to contribute to the
funding pot for essential public services.
The economy really ought to be the priority here and there needs to be a much
sharper focus on measures geared to enable our companies, both large and small,
to grasp the global opportunities that Brexit may, in time, produce.
It’s our experience that the many of our member companies, especially the smaller
enterprises, are keen to increase business in Great Britain and the Republic of
Ireland, two markets which could be a springboard, a first stage, to other global
And within our limited resources, we are undertaking to support them in this
endeavour, a commitment which has involved participation in major food shows in
Britain and further showcases are planned this year, including a major Food NI
presentation at the iconic Borough Market, one of the biggest and most influential in
Our food and drink industry, still our biggest manufacturer and a developing exporter,
has the potential to make an even greater contribution to the economy. Let’s hope
that a stable political platform can be created which supports that growth.


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Atari is on Track to Launching Two Blockchain Based Games
Atari, a Gaming-Giant video game company has recently announced a new partnership. This partnership will see to the update of two popular games in a way that they will be exploiting Blockchain technology to function.
Two Games to be Relaunched
The company released a statement which consists of the information on how the gaming company has formed a partnership with Animoca Brands, a Blockchain startup company.
This is a bid by the company to relaunch two of its well-known mobile games.
The content of the agreement between the two parties includes the right to the development and global distribution of “RollerCoaster Tycoon Touch” and “Goon Squad,” by Animoca Brands.
RollerCoaster Tycoon Touch especially has gathered over 19 million downloads, thereby providing a medium for exposure to a gaming fan base that may be familiar with Atari games which includes the well-known Tetris and Pacman.
The agreement also consists of a contract between Atari and Animoca Brands which allows them to go after mutual opportunities for the development of gaming and blockchain technology, therefore, creating an overview of the direction of the forward movement of the company.
Other gaming companies have been trying to do the same thing that Atari is hoping to achieve with this move. Recently, Justin Sun, the Chief Executive Officer at TRON and the TRON Foundation, Justin Sun, made it known that the company has formed a partnership with Game.com in order to create a blockchain and crypto focused game design.
Atari Stock is on the Rise
Earlier in the year, Atari’s stock, despite the fall in al coin prices, rose by over 60
Animoca Brands also released a statement in which it disclosed the company’s intention to launch the updated blockchain version of Atari’s games by the second half of 2019 and have the licence agreement active till March 2022.


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Upon entry to the newest ramen shop on Sawtelle Boulevard, you're welcomed with shouts of “Hello, thank you for coming” in Japanese. Miyata Menji opened less than one week ago, taking over the shuttered GR/eats space. With its flagship location in Osaka, Japan, Miyata offers a simple menu with just two offerings: tonkotsu ramen with pork broth, teriyaki beef, shallots and fried tomatoes; and tsukemen with steamed noodles, anchovy cabbage, grated cheese, minced pork, vegetable potage, tomato and croutons.
Owner and “famous comedian” Menji Miyata wants to spread his food to the world, explains vice president of operations Akihiro Kanda. The 26-seat, cash-only restaurant, which opened on March 23, has yet to make any public announcements of its debut and is relying heavily on word of mouth and foot traffic for customers. “The ramen business is blowing up,” says Kanda. On a recent rainy Sunday afternoon, the place was packed with families and solo ramenites.
Across the street, signage is posted for Clusi Batusi, a pizza joint opening this summer. More details to come.
Follow Squid Ink at @LAWeeklyFood and check out our Facebook page. Follow the author at @Glutton_In_LA.


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Pentax pulled the curtain back (slightly) on its forthcoming 645D medium format camera at the WPPI show in Las Vegas this week. The company put a mock-up of the new camera, which will use a CMOS sensor, on display under glass, at the Ricoh booth at the show, giving photographers a better idea of what the model will look like. (Ricoh is the parent company to Pentax.)
Tentatively called the Pentax 645D 2014 (we're told the name will change), the new camera is expected to use the same Sony-made, 50-megapixel CMOS sensor featured in the Phase One IQ250 medium format back, and in the Hasselblad H5D-50c.
In the past, medium format cameras were equipped with CCD sensors prone to producing excessive noise in photos when shooting in low light at high ISOs. Our test of the Phase One IQ250 proved that a medium-format system with a CMOS sensor can capture high ISO images that look as clean and crisp as those from some full-frame DSLRs.
Other details about the Pentax 645D 2014 are scant. As you can see from photos of the mock-up, the new camera system will have a tilting LCD screen on back to help photographers compose shots from difficult angles. According to Ricoh, the Pentax 645D 2014 will be faster to use overall with “a high-speed response in a variety of photographic applications.”


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The multiple lockdowns our country has been through have forced us to change many of our habits, and have been the catalyst for many new trends.
One of these trends is the rise in a new kind of entrepreneur: the mobilepreneur.
A mobilepreneur is someone that markets their business using a mobile device, such as their smartphone. Since more people in the world have a smartphone than a toothbrush, the potential for this is huge.
- O2 Business reveals rise in next generation of entrepreneurs, as 33% of Brits aged 18-24 are likely to give up their job or full-time education to focus on selling products on smartphone apps
- A year of stay-at-home orders has fueled entrepreneurial spirits, with 67% of young people selling at least one item on a smartphone app in that time, driven by the desire to make extra money
- The Mobilepreneur revolution could generate an extra £790million in GDP and over 35,000 new jobs over the next three years, with 31,000 new businesses set to start up
For this new breed of entrepreneurs relying almost exclusively on their mobile phones, dealing with the right telecoms provider is crucial. Not only do they require great connectivity and competitive tariffs but most importantly they need a customer-focused company that will be able to accompany them as their business evolves.
If you run part or all of your business from your mobile, no matter the size of your company or your sector, speak to us about your mobile needs via 03456 200 200 or email@example.com.
“In our increasingly digital world, the next generation of mobilepreneurs are showing us that all you need is a smartphone to start a business. It’s really as simple as that." Kate Mulligan-Brown, Director of SMB Marketing at O2 Business


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Hyderabad: Around 500 commercial vehicles have been thronging the regional transport authority (RTA) office in the city per day to get their fitness certificates renewed, availing of a fine exemption issued by the state under G.O. 29 on July 14, after massive protests over G.O. 714 issued by the Central government, levying a fine.
The state government decided to roll back a government order (G.O.) issued by the Centre, levying a fine of Rs 50 per day on commercial vehicles without fitness certificates or elapsed ones, providing great relief to around 4.5 lakh vehicle owners.
The fines, levied from February 1, 2020, to October 31, 2021, amount to around Rs 30,000 per vehicle.
Transport unions in the Telangana state welcomed the government decision.
K. Ajay Babu, Hyderabad secretary, All India Road Transport Workers Federation (AIRTWF), said, “Rolling back G.O. 714 brought a relief to 4.5 lakh commercial vehicle owners. If the government had taken the decision earlier, we would have avoided protests across Telangana state.”
G.R. Raju, a motor vehicle inspector at a fitness centre in Trimulgherry, said, “Since this G.O. was issued, more than 500 commercial vehicles, including 200 motor cabs and 150 maxi cabs, are getting the fitness certificate per day. All these days after the ease of the lockdown, there were hardly any vehicles for fitness.”...


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Israel’s Blue White Robotics To Establish Command Center in New York
The Tel Aviv-based company will open an autonomous systems command center at the Tech Garden in Syracuse, New York.
October 08, 2020
SELFLY’s Flying Phone Case Takes Hands-Free Aerial Selfies
A photo-taking drone that doubles as a phone case, SELFLY allows you to take great aerial selfies on the go.
February 21, 2017


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Retired WNBA Player Begins Second Career in Greenwood
A retired WNBA player has chosen Greenwood for her next career adventure.
According to The Daily Journal, retired basketball player Katie Douglas expects to open her first Orangetheory fitness studio in Greenwood sometime in April.
She currently has a membership office set up in the Centre at Smith Valley shopping plaza, adjacent to the gym space currently under construction, according to the article.
Orangetheory is a nationwide fitness chain based out of Boca Raton, FL, and designs a different high-intensity workout for each day, enabling its members to get both cardiovascular and strength training—and still get in and out in 60 minutes, the article said.
- Renovated Greenwood Community Center Reopens
- Construction, Home Sales Up Across Johnson County
- Local Charity Helps County Families in Need During Holidays
- New Shopping Center Planned for Greenwood
- ThinkGeek Opens New Store in Greenwood Mall
This local update courtesy of your Greenwood Community Expert.


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Every year we get the list of most targeted cars and trucks by thieves and every year it seems to be the same story.
If you're driving a pint size car, don't worry.
The odds of auto thieves targeting your Ford Focus are fairly limited.
By comparison, it's those of you styling behind a Cadillac Escalade who need to realize your Luxury SUV has a target on it. And those of you with a pick-up are in a similar spot.
What stands out from the latest list of most and least targeted stolen vehicles according to the Highway Loss Data Instituteis that auto thieves want big and bold models.
The top five according to HLDI:
- Cadillac Escalade
- Ford F-250 crew 4WD ('08-'09)
- Infiniti G37 2-door ('08-'09)
- Dodge Charger HEMI
- Chevrolet Corvette Z06
The four least targeted:
- Volvo S80
- Saturn VUE 4WD ('08-'09)
- Nissan Murano (2009)
- Saturn VUE ('08-'09)
According to HLDI, the Escalade and other luxury SUV's are 3-5 times more likely to be stolen than the average car. And in the case of the Escalade one of every four theft claims is for $40,000 or more.
And yes, even though these luxury rides have the latest ignition immobilizers, HLDI says the new technology doesn't stop the thieves. That's because they'll simply load the SUV on a flatbed and haul it away.
What can you take away from all of this?
More than anything, the lists reinforce what we've seen for much of the last 15 years. Auto thieves want the big pay off. That comes from the luxury SUV's and work pick-ups (in part because of the tools and equipment they often hold) which can be either broken down and sold in pieces or shipped off and sold on the black market elsewhere.
That's not the case with fuel efficient family cars.
Click on Ticker to Track Corporate News:
- Ford Motor
- Toyota Motor
- Honda Motor


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Chargepoint is preparing to launch its home electric vehicle charging solution in the UK, backed by channel partners and car manufacturers who already support market leader Chargemaster, setting up a hefty competition between the two.
The US giant, which enjoys a 70% market share in connected charging across the pond, is already testing its beta home units in the UK ahead of a possible launch as early as next month.
The company will look to sell directly as well as through channel partners like facilities solutions provider ABM which it signed up as a distributor in December.
Chargepoint will also work with car manufacturers to bundle their chargers into the sale or leasing of new electric vehicles as Christopher Burghardt, managing director Europe at Chargepoint, explained to Clean Energy News last week.
“A lot of EVs are sold through operating leases and that’s where you’re effectively selling the home chargers with the vehicle through the lease company. Then even privately a lot of EVs are sold as financial lease vehicles so again it’s much more about funding that in with the vehicle.
“But we’re also working with car manufacturers to bundle in our home chargers with their vehicles. Daimler and BMW are both investors so we are pretty close to the car industry.”
Both BMW and Mercedes-Benz, which is owned by Daimler, are official partners of Chargemaster, which already enjoys established relationships with these and other car manufacturers in selling home chargers as part of new EV sales.
Despite its similar approach to the current market leader in taking on the domestic consumer market, Burghardt says the company is unphased by the competition posed in the UK following Chargepoint’s success in the US.
“Coming into the UK is a very different matter than having gone into the US, where we built the market. Here we’re a fast follower into the market so Chargemaster for example are obviously a strong competitor and we think we have a very solid solution so we look forward to competing with them,” he said.
‘Very important role’ of home charging to continue
So far Chargepoint has secured a supply deal with Instavolt to roll out 50kW DC chargers, with 600 units agreed for installation across the UK. In contrast, Chargemaster operates a public charging network of over 6,000 with a further 2,000 to be added to the POLAR network over 2018.
Both companies view the home market as particularly important for the future, with Chargemaster previously stating that the current figure of around 80% of home charging is set to continue.
“We say about 80% of charging is done at home and that will probably always remain the case. The fact that there are already as many charge points out there if you count private, workplace and home, and public charge points as there are EVs, the fact that 80+% of charging happens at home anyway shows us that actually EVs are working for the people that have them,” said director of communication and strategy Tom Callow.
This view was echoed by Mark Kerstens, head of strategic accounts at Chargepoint, who recently told Clean Energy News that existing consumer charging habits will continue in the face of increasing charging rates and battery capacity in EVs.
“Where there is access to home charging I actually would say that will continue to play a very important role. Charging speeds may go up, batteries may get larger but most people are not going to sleep shorter. They’re still going to spend eight or ten hours at home with their families and sleeping so frankly whether the battery is large or not is not necessarily the key thing, they will have plenty of time to have their vehicle charged overnight,” he explained.


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Facebook has promised regulators that it will protect users’ privacy and give them the right to take their data where they choose. Now the company is trying to figure out how it can do both.
In a white paper issued Wednesday, the social-media giant outlines how those two big mandates are potentially in conflict. The company said it is seeking outside input on how to deliver on both objectives and get a consensus on how the industry will handle such matters going forward.
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Growth in Canada's purchasing activity eased in July as prices jumped while inventories and supplier deliveries decreased, according to the new Ivey Purchasing Managers Index data released Aug. 4.
The Ivey PMI, which measures monthly variation in economic activity of purchasing managers, fell to a seasonally adjusted 60.0 from 61.6 in June.
The prices index rose to 69.2 in July from 57.4 in the previous month, and the inventories index dropped to 55.8 from 60.7. Supplier deliveries slipped to 46.2 from 46.9, and the employment index increased to 52.6 from 52.0. A figure above 50 in the index indicates an increase in purchasing activity.


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New extra-large option provides coffee drinkers with a shift in sizing
When Tim Hortons changed the names of their cup sizes in late January, they did more than just include a new size, they shifted the perceptions of Canadian coffee drinkers who believed the old sizes were too small.
The new 710 mL extra-large cup, which costs $1.90, created a chain reaction for the rest of the sizes on the coffee chain’s roster; the prices didn’t change, but the names did. The old extra-large became the new large for $1.70, the old large became the new medium for $1.56, the old medium is now a small for $1.32, and the old small is now the extra small for $1.18.
“I always felt kind of ripped off when I ordered a medium coffee from Tim Hortons and the size of the cup was so small,” Jo-Anne Baillie, a marketing professor at Mount Royal University said.
“To me, it was perceived that the medium was the equivalent of a small at other coffee competitors.”
The other competitors that Baillie is referring are American coffee companies, companies that Tim Hortons now has a leg up on thanks to the new extra-large size that is 119 mL larger than current Canadian Starbucks “Venti” size.
Produced by: Pol Nikulin.
“It has been very-well received by our guests,” said Dave McKay, brand director for Tim Hortons beverages. “What we are hearing is that it is more of the coffee that they love. They have really embraced the notion of having the bigger coffee.”
While the extra-large is now being offered, Blain Shackleton, a University of Calgary student and avid coffee drinker is not buying into the new size.
“The general trend right now is that everything gets bigger in the food industry,” he said.
“So there is going to be the market for the bigger drink. But in terms of an extra-large, it never seemed like too little coffee. I never had an extra-large and was like ‘Oh, I wish I had some more coffee right now.’”
But, Shackleton believes that the new cup will have a market and McKay confirms that notion.
“We talked to our guests about it, did research groups, did a few test markets in Ontario of the larger size and the name changes to understand how it would be received overall,” he said.
How will the new size affect our health
With all the commotion regarding the 710 mL cup, one wonders if their health will be affected.
Kristin Wiens, nutrition instructor at Mount Royal University, says that one extra-large Tim Hortons coffee is the “absolute limit” on any given day.
Coffee has been linked to reducing risk of diabetes and contains lots of antioxidants, but it is moderation that lets you benefit from it as opposed to having it hinder your body.
Caffeine has a 12-hour half-life, Wiens said, which means that after 12 hours it is still in the drinker’s system but to a lesser extent.
She suggests limiting your caffeine intake after noon. Wiens also offered up some tips to get that needed jolt, while limiting the detrimental effects to the body; “I always suggest you limit the amount the sugar you add, choose a two per cent milk instead of an 18 per cent coffee cream for saturated fat, tea can be an awesome option as well because it is much lower in caffeine traditionally, green tea is very rich in antioxidants as well.”
“People appreciated the choice. It told us that introducing the extra-large size that the right name for it would be the extra-large. It motivated us to make adjustments to the other sizes.”
While the new size is not enticing either Baillie or Shackleton, both agreed that the changes in the names are going to be what drives the consumer, because of their perceived ideas about the renamed sizes.
“I think it is more important that when you order a medium coffee that you receive what you perceive, what a customer perceives, as a medium coffee,” Baillie said. “And whether it costs 30 cents or 50 cents more, I think it is irrelevant in the grand scheme.”
While both Baillie and Shackleton are coffee fans, neither one is planning on drinking the new size regularly.
“I can’t imagine myself even wanting to try to tackle that much coffee,” Shackelton said.
For Mount Royal University students, the new extra-large cup is going to be available once the construction is finished on the full-sized Tim Hortons that will feature the entire menu instead of just drinks and baked goods.


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- Deutsche Telekom (DT) launched the Neebo Baby Sensor Wristband, an Internet of Things‑enabled smart bracelet for babies and toddlers.
Deutsche Telekom (DT) launched the Neebo Baby Sensor Wristband, an Internet of Things‑enabled smart bracelet for babies and toddlers. The networked bracelet monitors metrics including heart rate, sleep duration, and temperature in real‑time, and transmits information for parents to a smartphone app via Bluetooth, Wi‑Fi, and a DT‑supplied embedded SIM (eSIM), with a battery life of up to five days. LTE connectivity for the device is provided by Sequans Communications’ Monarch SiP solution. The Neebo app is currently being offered to DT customers with iOS devices, with an Android version said to be in preparation. The Neebo device is manufactured by Daatrics, a UK‑based baby monitoring technology solutions provider, which has a relationship with DT’s hub:raum innovation unit. It was one of 18 solution partner finalists that participated in hub:raum’s LTE‑M Prototyping summit event in Austria during November 2018, initiated to accelerate the roll out of “5G‑ready” LTE‑for‑Machines solutions in various Group markets during 2019 (Deutsche Telekomwatch, #79).


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The automotive industry is headed in the direction of electric power, but gasoline isn't dead yet at Stellantis. To hammer that point home, the conglomerate announced a sizeable $24.7 million investment into the large Trenton, Michigan assembly plant that builds 3.6-liter V6 engines.
The V6 is widely used in a range of vehicles from Ram, Chrysler, Dodge, and Jeep. Generally serving as the entry-level engine in models like the Chrysler 300 or Dodge Charger, the DOHC naturally aspirated mill can make up to 305 horsepower (227 kilowatts) and 269 pound-feet (365 Newton-meters) of torque in the Ram 1500. It's offered on nearly every model from the Detroit-based Stellantis brands, and this investment suggests it will stick around for at least a few more years.
save over $3,400 on average off MSRP* on a new Ram 1500
The Trenton, Michigan engine complex consists of two facilities. The south facility is the focus of the upgrades, and when complete, it will be the only on-site location for engine production. Multiple versions of the Pentastar engine have been in production since its launch in 2011, with an upgraded engine design having launched in 2016. The retooling of the south plant will allow the production of both engine designs in one location.
As such, the original Pentastar design is still in production and will continue through 2023 at Trenton. The south plant will begin production of the upgraded version by the spring of 2023. Meanwhile, the north facility will be converted to storage and non-production activity.
Gallery: Trenton Michigan Pentastar V6 Engine Plant
The heavy investment in gasoline engine production comes amid a paradigm shift among automakers moving towards electric power. Several companies have pledged to have partial or fully electric lineups by 2030 or 2035. Earlier this year, Stellantis announced its Dare Forward 2030 plan, calling for 100 percent EV sales in Europe and 50 percent EV sales in the United States.
"Dare Forward 2030 inspires us to become so much more than we've ever been," said Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares. "We are expanding our vision, breaking the limits, and embracing a new mindset, one that seeks to transform all facets of mobility for the betterment of our families, communities, and the societies in which we operate."


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Mahindra Y400 speculated to be named XUV700…
SsangYong G4 Rexton based Mahindra’s Fortuner rival, codenamed Y400, is expected to be launching on 9th October. As per the announcement at Marazzo name reveal, it was supposed to launch after the S201 compact SUV. But, now this rumour. Does that mean S201 is delayed? We will have to wait and watch.
Mahindra has been testing Y400 extensively over the past many months and we have shared its spy pics time and again. Recently, we shared its clearest spy shots till date where the upcoming car was caught in its production guise. These pics were shared in a story done by GaadiWaadi. The spied version carries a Mahindra grille and appears to be the top end version. A production-ready Y400 has already been showcased at Mahindra AGM some time back. There is a speculation that it might be named XUV700 but, nothing is confirmed yet.
Mahindra Y400 features
Y400 is expected to carry forward most of the design elements & features of the new generation Rexton, which looks more matured & premium than its predecessor. It will get things like:
- Leather upholstery
- Ventilated seats
- Dual zone climate control
- Electric sunroof
- 9.2-inch infotainment system with navigation
- 7 inch LCD instrument cluster
- 9 airbags
- HID headlamps
- LED DRL’s
- 18-inch alloys
- Smart tailgate
Mahindra Y400 Engine & Transmission
The Y400 will be offered with a 2.2L diesel engine which will produce 178PS power and 420Nm torque. This will come mated to a 7-speed, Mercedes sourced torque converter automatic gearbox. There is no word on manual version as yet. The car is expected to be offered in an all-wheel-drive version as well.
Once launched in India, Mahindra Y400 will take on the likes of Ford Endeavour, Isuzu MUX and Toyota Fortuner. Mahindra is expected to price the car around 25 lakh and if this turns out to be true, it will have one more winner at hand similar to the XUV500.


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Promising to boost the quality of audio and video playback for users of PDAs (personal digital assistants) and other portable gadgets, ARM Ltd. is offering a sneak peek this week at the next major release in its family of embedded microprocessor designs, the ARM 11.
The new chip family was designed in part to address an emerging class of PDAs and smart phones that allow users to send and receive small audio and video clips as well as run other types of applications that use data. It's also designed for use in digital cameras, in networking gear such as switches and routers, and by the automotive industry for applications such as antilock braking systems.
Based in Cambridge, England, ARM doesn't make chips itself but licenses designs to chip makers like Motorola Inc., Texas Instruments Ltd. and Intel Corp., which turn the ARM blueprints into finished products. ARM expects to release the first completed chip design based on the ARM 11 by the fourth quarter this year, and chips based on that design should be available in finished goods in the second half of 2003, said Eric Schorn, a CPU product manager at ARM.
The ARM 11 is the first family of chips to use version 6 of the ARM instruction set architecture, first discussed in October last year. It makes use of a longer, 8-stage integer pipeline that should help boost initial clock speeds to 350MHz to 500MHz. It also includes new processor instructions that reduce the time it takes to encode and decode MP3 music files and MPEG 4 video clips, which should make for smoother playback, Schorn said.
Chip cores based on the ARM 11 design will typically measure about 7 millimeters square and consume less than 0.4 mW/MHz when manufactured using a 0.13-micron process, he said. It will be available for Microsoft Corp.'s Pocket PC, PalmSource Inc.'s Palm OS, Symbian Ltd.'s Symbian OS and the Linux operating system, ARM said.
ARM engineers are due to present a paper on the new architecture Tuesday at the Embedded Processor Forum, a conference for chip engineers that kicked off Monday in San Jose, California. ARM will also present a paper on a new member of its existing ARM 10E family of chips, the ARM 1026EJ-S, according to the conference agenda.
Separately at the event, MIPS Technologies Inc., an ARM rival, announced a new 32-bit chip core that's also aimed at consumer gadgets like set-top boxes and handheld computers, as well as networking equipment and other embedded systems.
Called the MIPS32 M4K, the chip core was designed to make it easier for designers to put two processors on a single chip, which helps address the demand for increased data bandwidth in networked storage equipment, residential gateways and other products, the Mountain View, California, company said in a statement.
The core offers a typical clock speed of 300MHz or more and consumes as little as 0.10 mW/MHz when manufactured using a 0.13-micron process, MIPS said. The MIPS32 M4K is available now for licensing, and general availability is expected in the third quarter, the company said.
More information about the Embedded processor Forum is on the Internet at http://www.mdronline.com/epf/index.htm/.


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Oil prices are soaring through the roof, hitting new all-time highs with each passing day, record high fuel prices have made life challenging for everyone. While everyone is feeling the effects of higher living costs, nobody feels the crunch of rising fuel costs than companies and professionals who rely on being on the road to earn their bread and butter – namely, Professional Truck Drivers. In turn, the impact of rising diesel and gasoline prices is seeping into the broader economy.
As Prices Keep Rising
Several factors have contributed to the surge in energy prices. Geopolitical tensions have flared up since Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022. The world’s second-largest oil and natural gas producer’s invasion of its neighboring country resulted in the US, NATO, and several other Western countries imposing heavy sanctions against it.
The economic sanctions came with consequences, resulting in a drastic reduction in available global crude oil and natural gas supplies. The uncertainty in oil supply and rise in demand has led to oil prices hitting new all-time highs.
On February 28, 2022, the national average price of diesel fuel was $4.10 per gallon. Within seven days, the diesel fuel prices rose to $4.84 per gallon. A week after that, March 14, 2022, saw diesel prices rise to $5.25. At writing, diesel fuel prices stand at $5.05 per gallon.
Trucking companies and Professional Truck Drivers or owner-operators, are feeling the effects of rising fuel prices. Each trip to the pump has become incredibly expensive. The unpredictability of fuel prices right now makes it harder for Owner Operators and trucking companies to budget. The additional expenses for Professional Truck Drivers and the broader industry translate to higher costs for everyone else.
Oil Prices Touch Everything
The most obvious impact of rising crude oil costs can be seen at gas stations, but the expenses flow through to everything the end-consumer can find on a shelf. The economy was already contending with an inflationary environment. Higher fuel costs for the trucking industry mean that it has to charge its customers more (FCS) to compensate for the increase in expenses.
As companies feel the financial squeeze of increased fuel prices they pass on the higher costs to the end-consumer. Higher costs of living have adversely impacted consumers’ buying power, eventually consumers will no longer be able to sustain absorbing the expenses.
Higher oil prices make production more expensive for businesses. At a macroeconomic level, oil prices contribute to inflation directly through greater expenses for petroleum products. The indirect impact comes through more expensive bills for raw materials, manufacturing, and transportation. The impact on supply and demand for goods beyond oil can stifle economic growth.
The impact on the trucking market is likely going to affect owner-operators the hardest. Professional Truck Drivers in the owner-operator segment do not have wide enough economic moats to withstand long-standing pressure on profit margins.
The next few months will pose many challenges for owner operators, trucking companies and the broader trucking industry, and the entire economy. It remains to be seen how long the uncertainty will last. Oil prices are heavily linked to how the situation in Ukraine continues to unfold. Whether other oil-producing nations increase production capacity to tackle the supply and demand problem could offer a viable temporary solution. Still, there is no development on that front as of yet.
As trucking industry consultants and experts here at Fr8 World Logi$tix, we understand the difficulties Professional Truck Drivers/owner operators and trucking companies face, especially during the current fuel crisis. We love helping our clients achieve success, we want to help you navigate through these trying times. Give us a call at 713-579-1933, send an email at email@example.com to see how we can assist you.
- Created by Fr8 World Logi$tix


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The Indian consumer market is seeing the launch of multiple robot vacuum cleaners. We already are aware of the popular ones from the likes of Eureka Forbes, Xiaomi, and Realme. Eufy, which is also known as a company for creating smart cleaning solutions, has launched a new vacuum cleaner in India. The new Robovac X8 Hybrid comes with twin-turbine technology and laser navigation.
The Robovac X8 Hybrid Robot Cleaner
The new Robovac X8 hybrid robot cleaner launched by Eufy is aimed at pet owners. It comes with an iPath Laser navigation that intelligently memorizes the house environment. The laser guidance also helps it navigate the obstacles in real-time that may stand in its path. The cleaning robot can be used on both hard surfaces and rugs. The 2-in-1 vacuum uses AI Map 2.0 technology to customize cleaning areas, no-go zones, multi-floor mapping, and more via the Eufy app.
Robovac X8 possesses two turbines, each of which generates a suction power of 2000Pa. It also has a unique pet hair magnet, that cleans up to 57.6 percent more pet hair.
The robot vacuum cleaner makes the best use of its dust box with Eufy’s dust-compression technology more dust is collected as it gets used to cleaning. Lastly, it is compatible with Google Assistant and Alexa for voice-controlled commands.
Eufy is part of Anker Innovations, one of the leading and most trusted consumer electronics brands in America. A motto of “, Smart Home Simplified” drives Eufy to build easy-to-use smart home devices and appliances that are designed to enhance lives. Eufy is developing a new generation of connected devices and appliances that work seamlessly together to simplify the complete smart home experience.
For more information, please visit , https://www.ankerindia.com/vacuum-cleaner/cid-80674803-80674805


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What you need to know
- Russia's premium Apple reseller re:Store closed its stores temporarily yesterday.
- They have now reopened and prices have increased.
- Apple has stopped selling products in the country due to the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Just a day after closing stores temporarily, Russia's premium Apple reseller re:Store has reopened stores and raised prices.
As reported by state-owned news agency RIA Novosti:
It seems from re:Store's website that the reseller has significantly increased the price of its products as a result of sanctions and ongoing economic pressure in the country.
According to iMore research, the iPhone 13 Pro Max 128GB was listed for pre-order on February 9 at a pre-order price of 109,990 rubles. This is roughly $940 at the current exchange rate, however, at the time of listing according to historical exchange data, this would have been around $1,470. The same model listed as of March 3 is now priced at 149,990 rubles, about $1,277 at the current exchange rate but $2,005 at the previous rate.
The best iPhone on offer, the iPhone 13 Pro Max 1TB, was previously listed on February 9 at 159,990 rubles, only slightly more than the 128GB model now costs. Reflecting the extreme economic impact of sanctions on the country, at the time this was $2,139 but is now only worth $1,362. The same model is now listed for pre-order at 239,990, over $2,043 at the current exchange rate but a staggering $3,208 at the rate on February 9. In real terms, a customer on February 9 trying to buy a 1TB iPhone 13 Pro Max at re:Store could today only purchase a 128GB model with the same amount of money, a 50% increase.
Another such example is the MacBook Air with M1. On February 19, re:Store was offering the 8GB variant with 256GB of storage for 99,990 rubles ($1,315 at the time, now $850). The same model is now listed at 149,990, the same price and difference as the aforementioned iPhone 13 Pro Max, a 50% increase in real-terms pricing for customers.
Apple has made the decision to stop selling its products in Russia, and earlier this week it was reported that other resellers are battling similar skyrocketing prices. The volatile economic situation is likely to continue, as the ruble hit a record low overnight and fell by another 18% against the US dollar in early trading Thursday:
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Stephen Warwick has written about Apple for five years at iMore and previously elsewhere. He covers all of iMore's latest breaking news regarding all of Apple's products and services, both hardware and software. Stephen has interviewed industry experts in a range of fields including finance, litigation, security, and more. He also specializes in curating and reviewing audio hardware and has experience beyond journalism in sound engineering, production, and design.
Before becoming a writer Stephen studied Ancient History at University and also worked at Apple for more than two years. Stephen is also a host on the iMore show, a weekly podcast recorded live that discusses the latest in breaking Apple news, as well as featuring fun trivia about all things Apple. Follow him on Twitter @stephenwarwick9


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The Britton Digital Update—Week of January 2, 2017
Five minutes to get you up to speed on this week’s digital, business, social media, entertainment, and marketing news
Annually, there are two occasions when we try to predict the future: New Year’s Day and Groundhog Day. Sure, we guess how my Cubbies will do at the start of baseball season or how many games the Cleveland Browns will lose in a season, but when it comes to predicting what happens in the near future, it’s between us and Punxsutawney Phil. Since we’re not ready to see our shadow or to decide whether winter or spring is on its way, let’s stick to something we do know: digital. While it seems like a cliché to kick off the year with predictions, it is also important to understand what is coming so that you can build your business and marketing around future opportunities. Here’s what’s headed our way in digital in 2017.
AI (Artificial Intelligence)
Expect Google Home, Amazon Echo (or Echo Dot), and other home-assistant devices to become more mainstream in 2017. Amazon sold nine times the devices this past Christmas than the year prior, which will help the online retail giant enormously. Amazon has removed the barriers to ordering everyday items. It’s now as simple as asking your home assistant to do it. Plus, unless Google builds warehouses and a supply chain, only Amazon is there to fulfill that order.
One benefit of the growth of this category of devices is that it will also encourage the use of smart appliances and moving toward a connected home. Of course, it will take a few years to reach a significant threshold of homes. However, in 2017, we should start to see more connected televisions and lights (“Alexa, turn on the hallway lights”). It will take significantly longer for things like refrigerators, etc., to become more mainstream. Security needs to be proven in the home, too. Will someone hack your fridge and start pouring out ice cubes from the ice maker? Will they be able to burn your coffee from your smart coffee maker? Now that is scary (and the coffee part, pure evil). There will probably be some sort of malicious attack that scares people off a bit in 2017, but this will continue to grow by leaps and bounds this year.
I don’t believe Apple will release a home-assistant device, as it has said it believes your phone is that device. I do, however, have another prediction for 2017, in regard to AI and Apple: Siri will become relevant again. Apple has opened up Siri development and will make that part of the next iPhone release, along with new skills, like Alexa and Google Assistant. This will also help to expand the use of Apple Pay and online merchants, as it will become too easy not to use.
The Rise of Chat Bots
Bots have been used for years, but this year, in particular, expect to see incredible growth in this market. Customer service is becoming increasingly important again (millennials value customer service and have a low tolerance for errors), and companies understand that they need to be in your neighborhood, er, preferred channels (as in Facebook and Messenger, Twitter, maybe even Snapchat).
The good news is that it will be easier to get your complaints heard and receive a quick response. The bad news is that it will be automated by chat bots. Every major retailer will have a chat bot by the end of 2017. This is a priority for them. Some tasks are easy to automate, like “pay my bill.” But others require a certain amount of care and compassion that I worry will be missing. Remember how frustrated you were in automated-phone-customer-service hell? Will this be any better? The hope is that with predictive artificial intelligence the answer is yes, because the responses will be personalized and improve over time with machine learning.
Social Media in 2017
In 2017, expect existing successful platforms to continue to swallow up smaller emerging companies. Snapchat is partnering with Prisma. Facebook is copying anything Snapchat does. This strategy—buying smaller companies and incorporating their technology before they become big enough to become real competitors—seems to be working. It will become increasingly harder for new networks to emerge, so growth is more likely among current platforms. Since most of Instagram’s users are outside the United States, expect big growth in 2017. As big as Instagram—which Facebook purchased—is, it really is just the tip of the iceberg. Expect Snapchat to continue to expand to older demographics. Twitter and LinkedIn have huge opportunities if they can improve user experience, but perhaps some of the biggest growth in 2017 will come from messaging apps.
Both Messenger and WhatsApp are owned by Facebook, but both will take off to new heights (could Messenger catch up to Facebook?). Why will this happen? In-app apps are one reason. It gives the app the ability to become more productive without leaving the app (plus, you see more ads that way). Think of it as Facebook adding what are now basic features, like video, etc., at its very beginning. Now, there isn’t a reason to go anywhere else. With their ability to reach not only the inner circle with whom you communicate most frequently but also the brands with which you want to communicate, messaging apps are poised for a big year.
Facebook will try to appease the fake-news haters in 2017. My guess is that it gets worse before it gets better. The same goes for ad fraud, which Facebook needs to get a better handle on. After all, trolls and spam are one of the biggest downfalls of Twitter, which didn’t resolve this issue and is still on life support. I predict that Twitter survives this year, but 2018 is a bit cloudy.
Social media influencers will continue to play a huge role in marketing. Fake news is a big reason for this. Who do we trust anymore? Brands are telling us what we want to hear, but those influencers that we follow for their authenticity and integrity will “tell it like it is” through influencer content marketing—or at least they will tell us what they are getting paid to say it is. Eventually this becomes overplayed, so we can’t trust anyone but our friends anyway. But in 2017, influencers will continue to become very valuable to brands.
We see them all over the news. They make some of us excited and others nervous. We won’t be driving them in 2017 (although it is possible to be a passenger in one thanks to Uber and Lyft testing these vehicles). However, this will be the year that regulations get figured out. This is an important step forward. As for driving them? Maybe in 2020, but more likely in 2025.
Virtual and Augmented Reality
Virtual reality will see big gains in 2017, but don’t expect it to be mainstream (as in, you won’t see your grandma buying one yet). This year, expect virtual reality to take off with the gaming community. Video-game creators will release some well-known titles that will actually put players “inside the game.” It will be a whole new level of entertainment and will be enough to get gamers to spend the cash. Media companies will want in on that action, too, so expect more movies and live sports to be viewed in virtual reality. It’s a small step toward us all sitting in a virtual Facebook chatroom—like Mark Zuckerberg demonstrated—which could even get released this year (but it won’t be mainstream).
Augmented reality took a step forward with Pokémon Go and Snapchat Spectacles in 2016. This could be a big year for augmented reality, as it very well could become a standard smartphone-camera feature this year (Apple is a big believer in AR). This means that more games and apps could integrate AR into our lives. Some retailers, like IKEA, are doing this now with their furniture apps, and some fashion brands are already doing this with clothes or makeup.
Only time will tell whether these predictions are realized, but for the record, even meteorologists keep their jobs when only about a third of their predictions actually come true—and no one has fired that groundhog yet. If it is current digital news you desire (much easier to predict), we haven’t forgotten about you. Here are some additional stories from the past week that you may have missed.
- Facebook Can Help Subtitle Your Videos
- Can Alexa Solve a Murder?
- Mattel’s Digital Assistant for Kids
- AT&T to Test 5G
- Mass-Producing Battery Cells at Tesla’s Gigafactory
You think you know Britton? Well, This Is Britton.


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The Honda Element, an Ohio-made vehicle that helped make boxy cool, will be discontinued after the 2011 model year, the automaker said yesterday.
Low sales and high demand for other Honda models have hastened the end for this compact crossover.
Assembled in East Liberty, the vehicle was introduced as the Honda Model X concept in 2001 and went on sale in December of 2002.
"The Element proved that ultimate functionality can often come from thinking inside the box," John Mendel, Honda's top sales executive in North America, said in a statement.
By discontinuing the Element, the plant will have additional capacity that it will devote mainly to the CR-V crossover, said Ron Lietzke, a Honda spokesman. He does not anticipate any change to the work force or the number of vehicles produced at the plant.
"The original idea was that this was going to be the dorm room on wheels, hip and cool," said Michelle Krebs, senior editor at Edmunds.com, a website for car buyers. "It turns out, older people bought it."
The Element also was designed to appeal to people who camp, bike and transport pets. Among the notable features, the side and rear doors open wide, and the floor is a hard plastic that easily wipes clean.
Those features helped make the vehicle popular with a small, yet devoted, group. News that the Element was ending was greeted with sadness at www.elementownersclub.com.
"It's their own fault for slow sales," said one commenter from Texas. "A little more advertising wouldn't have hurt."
As of November, Honda had sold 12,960 of the Element, down 3 percent from a year earlier. The vehicle is a tiny part of Honda's output. The CR-V, for example, has sales of 180,589.
Element sales peaked in 2003, the first full year of production, with 67,478 units sold.
Other automakers followed Honda's lead with boxy vehicles, sometimes with much more success, such as the slightly smaller Kia Soul, which has sold 60,743 through November.
Krebs thinks the relative success of the Soul was the "final nail in the coffin" of the Element.
One of the Element's greatest competitors might have been its sibling, the CR-V, said Jesse Toprak, vice president for industry trends at Truecar.com. The CR-V looks more like a car and doesn't have the same hard corners.
"The CR-V's styling has become more fashionable than the Element in recent years," he said.
He wasn't expecting to see the Element discontinued at this time, but he wasn't surprised by it, considering the sales totals.


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Vimeo has launched an on-demand service that allows creators to sell their own works -- and keep 90% of the revenue after transaction costs.
The online video platform showcased its new offering at the South By Southwest festival in Austin with a screening Tuesday of "It's Such a Beautiful Day," the latest project from Academy Award-nominated animator Don Hertzfeldt.
Vimeo Chief Executive Kerry Trainor said the on-demand feature builds on a series of tools the service provides to Vimeo Pro members, who pay a $199 annual fee.
With the on-demand service, creators can make money from the direct online distribution of their videos. They can set their own price, determine where the video will be distributed, on a country by country basis, and offer the project on their own websites as well as through Vimeo.


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FAIRFIELD, Conn. – Loss prevention agents at Kohls Department Store in Fairfield stopped a Bridgeport woman from reportedly stealing $862 in items.
Yazmin Hechavarria, 26, reportedly came into the store with her 7-year-old daughter and began to fill her cart with items from the jewelry and children’s department.
While in the store, the loss prevention agents watched Hechavarria as she reportedly took tags off items and put them into the cart. According to the report, Hechavarria put on boots and a jacket, and gave her daughter a Barbie doll.
Before leaving the store, Hechavarria paid for $200 in items, but did not attempt to pay for the $862 in other items.
Fairfield police charged Hechavarria with larceny in the fifth degree and risk of injury to a minor. She was held on a $2,500 bond and released with a court date of Oct. 21.
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A change, most definitely, is in the offing and largely because our quest for the alternative is seemingly endless. When it comes to food, we are constantly on the lookout for options in a bid to derive maximum nutritional value from what we put into our bodies. Right now, there is a terrific battle that rages around milk as a large percentage of consumers and manufacturers are standing at cross roads over what does and does not constitute milk.
Consumer behavioural patterns are at the heart of this debate because cow milk seems to be finding lesser users now than in the previous decade. According to data issued by market research firm Nielsen, Americans consumed $16.16 billion of cow’s milk for the year ending March 2015. This number dropped to $12.13 billion around the same time last year. In contrast, sales figures for alternative milks rose up by 8 per cent year-on-year to stand at $1.7 billion as of January this year.
While plant-based milks are not new, with soy and almond having made their contributions to it some time ago, it is the newest entrant in the search for alternative milk which is taking over from everything else. Oat milk is the newest entrant in the plant-based milk stakes and it is hugely popular at the moment.
One of the factors propelling this huge craze for oat milk is the fact that it mixes really well with coffee. Coffee lovers have really taken a shine to the fact that oat milk steams really well and helps baristas make very attractive latte art. Not just that, oat milk comes with a variety of health benefits. There is enough research out there to indicate that oat milk helps lower blood cholesterol.
It is also a great source of essential vitamins and fibre and is absolutely great for people with allergies and intolerance for dairy products. It has also been suggested that the vitamin composition of oat milk helps to strengthen the immune system. But perhaps the winning argument lies in the fact that it tastes really good.


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Bangladesh High Commissioner to UK and Ireland Saida Muna Tasneem paid a courtesy meeting with the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) President Md Jashim Uddin at FBCCI office in the capital on Sunday.
During the meeting, they discussed various issues relating to trade and investment between Bangladesh and UK and Ireland, said a press release.Business exchange on ICT, pharmaceutical, jute goods, public health, light engineering, vegetables, automobile, electronic vehicles were also discussed in the meeting.
FBCCI President Md Jashim Uddin said that UK should be the most congenial partner of Bangladesh in Covid-19 situation. We may afford to take the cooperation in vaccination as well as technology.
Saida Muna Tasneem suggested that FBCCI to study on green sector and raise the sustainable market economy agenda.
FBCCI Senior Vice-President Mostofa Azad Chowdhury Babu, Vice Presidents Md. Amin Helaly, Habib Ullah Dawn, Salahuddin Alamgir, MA Razzak Khan, Director Dr. Ferdousi Begum, Shomi Kaiser, Priti Chakraborty, Abu Naser, and the CEO of FBCCI Mohammad Mahfuzul Hoque were also present on the occasion.


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Delisting a double-edged sword for struggling firms [ZDNet]
Going private allows once-public tech companies greater freedom to pursue their strategic goals, but cuts down on funding options to sustain themselves.
Voluntarily delisting from the stock exchange to take a company private brings pros and cons. It can give a struggling tech business freedom and flexibility to find its feet again without the weight of public scrutiny, but it also carries the risk of the company incurring more debt later on if it cannot get enough private capital or new strategies fail to revive its fortunes.
Nitin Pangarkar, associate professor of strategy and policy at National University of Singapore (NUS) Business School, said depending on one’s definition of struggling, privatization is not always suitable, unless it is a situation where the company feels the market undervalues it.
The company may believe the requirements of conforming to various regulations for listed firms are too burdensome. Hence the freedom that comes with being private may help it compete better and pursue new strategic paths, and there are also less strict regulations to stick to, Pangarkar explained.
Going private to revive firm: a gamble
In contrast, if a company is truly struggling–financially or managerially-related–and analysts are unanimously grim about its future prospects, it will face difficulty finding private capital once it delists until some people–and banks–believe the company is worth more than its market valuation, he added.
It is usually more ideal in a voluntary delisting to be bought out a third party instead of an internal party, said Ng Kian Teck, lead analyst at SIAS Research. The interested third party typically would have a strategic and financially-sound plan in mind to help the company because they believe it is simply undervalued, he noted.
Ng added a caveat, saying when companies go from public to private, they “cut themselves from a lot of funding opportunities.” Banks are also “less comfortable with you since your shares are not public and it’s harder to value your company, and so may loan you [lower amounts],” he pointed out.
Michael Yoshikami, CEO and founder of U.S. investment consultancy Destination Wealth Management, also cautioned that delisting is not necessarily the answer to business problems for public tech firms.
“Companies that have delisted might have higher probability of fail rates. Market dynamics provide the perfect accountability for business decisions. [Hence] companies that become private make decisions with limited feedback, thereby increasing the possibility that a mistake could be made whilst developing a strategic process,” Yoshikami said.
Private companies enjoy flexibility
But there are scenarios wherein delisting is a positive step, partly due to industry and macro trends, he said.
Referring to U.S. PC maker Dell which recently announced it will go private, Yoshikami said it will give Dell maximum flexibility to make decisions about the company. “They are in a business undergoing rapid transformation, and the public [market] might not be so comfortable with the type of dramatic moves necessary to make the company a success.”
Mike Grandinetti, global discipline leader and professor of entrepreneurship, innovation and consulting at Hult International Business School, concurred. In a post-PC era, Dell’s PC products are no longer as significant contributors before, and it is behind competitors such as Lenovo in terms of global shipments and innovation, he said.
As such, Dell has to completely reinvent itself and has “brutally hard decisions” to make. “This is difficult enough for any public company to do, much less one in the insanely fast-paced world of high technology. [Going private], on the plus side will give Dell the opportunity to make the hard decisions, which, if public, would cause them to be pummeled by the capital markets. Real innovators have long ignored Wall Street and taken the long-term view,” Grandinetti said.
After rumors first surfaced in January this year, Dell announced on February 5 it will go private in a US$24.4 billion deal, led by its founder, chairman and CEO Michael Dell and investment firm Silver Lake Partners, who are offering to pay US$13.65 per share. Microsoft will also contribute a US$2 billion loan. The buyout, subject to shareholder approval, has been met with growing opposition over the proposal’s valuation.
Charles King, principal analyst at Pund-IT, said going private basically frees Dell from having to “endure the commercial market’s constant scrutiny”, which is a key benefit.
“Looking at Dell’s balance sheet, you find a company that has been consistently profitable while its largest traditional business, that is PCs, has been under significant increasing pressure. In spite of that, the company’s shares have lagged,” said King. “Going private should allow Dell to escape the noise of the market’s obsession with short term financials and better focus on the signal of its long term strategy to be an IT systems vendor…delivering a robust portfolio of business IT solutions and services.”
Grandinetti pointed out that Dell could also see the downside of possibility of debt for companies that delist. With the buyout, the company is taking on a significant amount of debt and this will inevitably lead to cost cutting, much of which is likely to come from innovation at “precisely the wrong time.” A reduction in Dell’s revenues could “lead to a scenario where they are unable to service their debt, leading to a vicious negative cycle,” he added.
While Dell declined to comment when contacted by ZDNet, its CEO said in an earlier open letter that taking the company private represented an “exciting new chapter for our company and for our customers.”
Michael Dell added in the letter: “We recognize that ours is a highly competitive industry. I am confident we are making the right decisions to position Dell, our customers and employees for long-term success. There is much more we can accomplish together.”
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Former Blur bassist turned farmer Alex James has announced the name of his new cheese - Blue Monday. Inspired by the 1982 New Order track, the cheese is, naturally, blue and tastes "very moist, very gooey, spicy with quite a mellow flavour with sweet notes," according to the man himself.
The announcement of the musically inspired produce comes after James and his cheese-making partner Julie Harbutt, who was not in Blur, won Best Goat's Cheese at this year's British Cheese Awards for their brand Fairleigh Wallop.
"Our first goats cheeses Little Wallop and Farleigh Wallop are niche cheeses, not a big hit single as we hope Blue Monday will be," James told the Gloucestershire Echo.
"We were playing around with a couple of blue cheeses, which take six to eight weeks to develop, and we were working on a triple cream cheese. Most people would take 18 months to two years to release a new cheese but Blue Monday came through." Blue Monday is expected to go on the market next month.


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TYLER, Texas — If you're looking for a job online, you're not alone. The unemployment rate in Texas fell 13% in mid-April, according to the U.S Department of Labor.
As Americans turn to online resources for employment opportunities, the Better Business Bureau says if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
"If you see something that is offering a lot of money for very little experience, and very little effort, those are also very good signs that it's a scam," Mechele Mills, CEO & President at the Better Business Bureau serving Central East Texas said.
Mills says there are multiple signs to look out for when navigating online.
Signs of employment scams include:
- Bad grammar and poor English
- Offering high pay for little or no experience
- No interview required
- Company denies virtual interview
- Company requests money for background checks and processing fees
Since the outbreak, the BBB Scam Tracker has received 357 scams filed with reported losses of $46,861.
"Just be aware that scam artists like to impersonate well known companies," Mills said. "Just because it says it's from some company that everybody knows about and you know that that company happens to be hiring right now, go instead to that company's website. Don't click on a link."
Going directly to the company's website allows you to look at all their job postings in one location.
Local hiring agencies can also help, since they are directly connected to the community.
"They can direct you to local companies, and they have relationships with people outside of the area too," Mills said. They'll be able to help you get your resume in order and give you better tips on how to present yourself well."


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The holidays are coming early to direct response marketers on YouTube. The platform recently announced an important update to its inventory, making YouTube ads in the living room more shoppable by expanding video action campaigns to Connected TV devices. Now, marketers that want to drive down-funnel results like online purchases or leads can include video action campaigns for TV screens in their YouTube strategies.
While Connected TV screens have been great drivers of awareness and engagement, tying back down-funnel results has proven a little more complicated. The rollout of this updated ad format, however, helps position YouTube on TV Screens as a one-stop shop for marketers looking to take advantage of the massive surge in viewership of YouTube and Connected TV — driving upper-funnel awareness and down-funnel actions.
Audiences have flocked to YouTube and Connected TV in the recent past, as pandemic lockdowns in 2020 led to more consumers staying in and watching video. Total viewership on YouTube continues to increase, with eMarketer estimating a 4.4% increase in 2021, reaching a total of 223.5 million viewers. Following the dramatic spike in living room viewing by nearly 63% last year, more than half of YouTube viewers now watch on TV screens.
With this update, direct response marketers will be able to take advantage of the largest ad-supported platform in Connected TV through video action campaigns for TV screens, driving and measuring conversions of customers through YouTube. When viewing the ad, consumers will be encouraged to visit a URL on their mobile or desktop device. The viewing experience will remain uninterrupted, while video action campaigns enable marketers to seize the second screen and motivate consumers to take action — whether visiting a website to learn more, signing up for an offer, making a purchase, or another down-funnel outcome.
Want to learn more about how video action campaigns for TV screens could elevate your YouTube strategy? Let’s get in touch — we’d love to hear from you and walk through Pixability’s approach to driving actions across YouTube and Connected TV.


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Splendid is redesigning the website for Muse, www.muse.mu, which will launch to coincide with the release of the band’s next album in June. The site has more than 140 000 registered users.
The X-57 plane marks the space agency’s first attempt at electric air travel, with the team hoping to get it in the air by the end of next year.
V&A East comprises two sites that the museum is developing in east London.
With the festive season heading our way, Design Week looks at some of London’s West End’s flagship store window displays.
The latest iOS update came with a Dark Mode feature for iPhones and native apps, which inverts screen displays, from black writing on a white background to white writing on


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BY NICOLE FORMOSA
LAGUNA HILLS, CA—Wading through the intricacies of a comprehensive liability insurance policy causes huge headaches for specialty retailers, but shrugging off the task can turn into a nightmare if a claim is filed against your business.
“It’s not challenging to get insurance, but it’s challenging to find insurance that covers all your risks,” said Erik Saltvold, founder of the 15-store Erik’s Bike Shop chain in Minnesota and Wisconsin.
“Any retailer in this industry probably gets numerous calls from insurance companies—that’s pretty typical—but when you get into the realities of what they offer, what they may and may not cover...I think you’ve just got to be aware that not all insurance is equal.”
Steven W. Hansen, a Los Angeles attorney who defends retailers and manufacturers in product liability cases, said he regularly sees inadequate insurance in two areas: the type of coverage a retailer has and the plan’s dollar limits.
“I’d say 99 percent of retail stores do not know who their insurance company is nor do they know what their liability dollar limits are,” Hansen said.
Retailers too often allow insurance brokers to guide them through the policy buying process without asking questions, pay thousands of dollars for coverage and mark the chore off the checklist for the year, Hansen said.
Sometimes, brokers will try to sell bike shops a Business Owners’ Policy, or BOP, which is an inexpensive, one-size-fits-all policy for any business.
But, BOPs don’t take into account many of the risk factors specific to the bicycle industry such as sponsorship, offering test bikes, selling used bikes and running a rental fleet.
If a customer is injured on a bike during one of these activities and files a claim or a lawsuit against the shop, the insurance company will probably defend the claim, but likely won’t renew the policy.
“Now all of a sudden that retailer has to scramble to replace coverage, then they’ve got a blemish because they were non-renewed,” said Rob Martin, managing director of Horizon Agency in Eden Prairie, Minnesota.
Horizon has made a name for itself covering ski shops through its specialized Outdoor Sports Insurance program, and is poised to push deeper into the bicycle industry.
The Horizon program provides clients with a business policy, a risk management manual, waivers for rentals, test rides and some promotional group rides and a checklist for technicians to complete while inspecting rental/demo bikes before they go out the door.
Martin said he has seen some resistance from retailers who don’t want to take the time to shop around, preferring to buy the cheapest insurance they can find. “Until they have a problem, they’ll get away with that, and some day it’s going to come back to bite them,” he said.
It’s not only their own insurance retailers need to concern themselves with, according to Hansen.
He said retailers typically don’t ask upstream suppliers about their insurance coverage because they assume the products they’re buying are covered.
That’s not always the case.
“If you’re a retailer selling the product and the manufacturer does not have insurance, you could be left holding the bag in many states,” Hansen said.
While that doesn’t happen often, Hansen has seen it occur with a small manufacturer. Fortunately the retailer had enough coverage to pay the claim.
Start-up suppliers are especially vulnerable to this scenario, said Fred Clements, executive director of the National Bicycle Dealers Association. In the past, he’s heard of newer companies foregoing insurance in a cost-cutting effort to keep the business afloat.
Not surprisingly, cost is one of the main factors for retailers having inadequate or no insurance coverage.
A 1999/2000 study done by the Gluskin Townley Group showed retailers paid $2 built into every bike for liability insurance through the manufacturer; that price has likely doubled by now, according to Jay Townley.
Retailers also have to contend with Mother Nature. It’s not unusual for rates to skyrocket after a flood, hurricane or other natural disaster.
“Insurance is a cost of doing business that retailers have to absorb and it’s hard,” Clements said.
Clements often gets calls from members seeking a plan that offers better insurance prices, but the association isn’t big enough to negotiate lower rates, and doesn’t have a member policy.
Instead, the NBDA refers its members to the National Insurance Professionals Corporation, which offers a policy tailored toward bicycle retailers.
Hansen recommends retailers further protect themselves by incorporating their business and requiring signed waivers.
“You need to be conscious of risk management because in the long run, if you don’t have claims, insurance is going to be cheaper,” he said.


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Rent protection extended for businesses until September 30
BUSINESSES struggling to pay rent have been given additional protection by Stormont.
Finance Minister Conor Murphy said yesterday that emergency measures introduced for commercial tenants would be extended by another three months, until September 30.
It follows a similar move by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) in London.
The special provision inserted in the Coronavirus Act has protected businesses in situations where non-payment of rent would have normally allowed a landlord to treat a least of forfeited.
But the protection is due to run out on June 30. It will now run to September 30.
Conor Murphy has previously expressed concern that some landlords are trying to manoeuvre around the interim protections.
Yesterday also saw the publication of a new voluntary code of practice by MHCLG in London.
It encourages tenants to continue to pay their rent in full if they can, while acknowledging that landlords should provide support to businesses in difficulty.
"I understand the financial pressure on landlords where rent is outstanding,” said Mr Murphy.
“However, I would again appeal for leniency to be shown to businesses in difficulty.
“I welcome publication of this new code of practice which seeks to promote good practice between tenants and landlords, working together to get through this pandemic."
Aodhán Connolly, director of the Northern Ireland Retail Consortium, said the requirement for many shops to close during the lockdown had created “a gaping hole” in the finances of many businesses.
“This has been exacerbated by continued rent demands on stores across Northern Ireland, even where most have been closed for business.”
He described the code as a “a first step” in improving dialogue between retailers and landlords.
“An extension to tenant protections against aggressive behaviour from some landlords is essential to underpin it, and we warmly welcome the Government’s commitment to this.
But he said the code does not provide a solution for retailers who are simply unable to pay what is being demanded.
“We now look forward to continuing our constructive dialogue with government and other parts of the property sector to address these unpayable rents.
“Without further action, both retailers and landlords remain in a precarious situation that could lead to substantial numbers of redundancies as soon as tenant protections expire.”


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Apple Emoji Update to Finally Introduce Facepalm, Avocado + Shrugging Designs
Do you find yourself struggling to adequately communicate all the nuances of your feelings via text? Well, good news, iPhone users: New emojis are coming!
On Monday, October 31, Apple released a developer preview of the new emojis included in the forthcoming iOS 10.2 update, which (finally!) features shrugging and fingers crossed (you know, like when you're fibbing) emojis for the first time, according to Forbes.
Also new to the lineup? A cute fox face, a duck, a squid, an owl and a long overdue avocado. (How have we possibly survived conversing about our favorite guacamole hot spots and avocado toast recipes before this very moment?)
The update also sees some new additions to the available profession-related emojis, including a firefighter and a judge, both of which are available as either male or female gendered versions. And if you're professionally exasperated for a living like this writer, there's also a brand new, handy-dandy facepalm emoji. Hurrah! Oh, I mean, jeeeze...
Along with the new emojis, older designs that weren't updated during Apple's previous iOS 10 update in September have received a redesign as well.
Obsessed With Pokemon Go? Check Out 25 Stars Who Look Like Pokemon:


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After week’s of waiting, Sony’s PlayStation Network and Qriocity entertainment services have finally returned, at least in some places.
The service disruption was caused by a massive attack on Sony’s servers last month that left almost 102 million users’ personal details like names, addresses and credit card details exposed to hackers.
Following this breach, Sony came under severe criticism, primarily because the company waited “unnecessarily” for almost a week in notifying the affected customers.
The console giant announced on Saturday that Sony Online Entertainment and the PlayStation Network are being brought back into the action in America, Australia, New Zealand, Europe as well as in the Mideast. Users from Japan and the rests of Asia will have to wait longer before they can resume accessing these services.
"Sony not only has to take technological steps to fix its security, but it also has to communicate what it has done," said Marc Rudov, a branding consultant based in Silicon Valley, to The Wall Street Journal.
"They need to over-secure the network and over-communicate what they've done," he added.
But even if Sony has completely fixed its network's security, it's not clear what steps it will take to repair its reputation among gamers and game developers, both of whom have begun turning their focus to other platforms.


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Amazon’s Project Kuiper to Compete Against Musk’s Starlink Internet After Historic Space Launch Deal
Amazon announced it had secured 83 rocket launches from three commercial space companies — Arianespace, Blue Origin, and United Launch Alliance (ULA) — in what the company says is the largest commercial procurement of space launch services in history.
The rockets are for Amazon’s Project Kuiper, a low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite system designed to provide fast, affordable broadband to unserved and underserved communities around the world, according to an announcement.
“These agreements mean we have enough capacity to carry into space the majority of the 3,236 satellites that make up our satellite constellation,” Amazon said in the announcement.
The three agreements include 38 launches on ULA’s Vulcan Centaur rocket, 18 launches on Arianespace’s Ariane 6, and 12 launches on Blue Origin’s New Glenn, with options for 15 additional launches.
“Together, they represent the largest commercial procurement of space launch services in history, and our investments will support thousands of suppliers and highly skilled jobs in the space industry across the United States and Europe,” the announcement read, in part.
Amazon said that once deployed, the Kuiper System will serve individual households, as well as schools, hospitals, businesses, disaster relief efforts, government agencies and other organizations operating in places without reliable broadband.
Amazon SVP Dave Limp said that “securing launch capacity from multiple providers reduces scheduling risk and helps the company secure competitive, long-term pricing that it can pass on to Project Kuiper customers as cost savings.”
“We still have lots of work ahead, but the team has continued to hit milestone after milestone across every aspect of our satellite system. These launch agreements reflect our incredible commitment and belief in Project Kuiper, and we’re proud to be working with such an impressive lineup of partners to deliver on our mission,” Limp said via a press release.
Ars Technica reports that in building out its Project Kuiper constellation, Amazon is going head-to-head with SpaceX and its Starlink constellation. Based on the timing of its first launches, Amazon is running about four years behind SpaceX, Ars Technica added, saying that Amazon is also behind SpaceX because it does not have its own rocket — and that no one in the industry can currently compete with SpaceX’s Falcon 9 on price or launch cadence.