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(Bloomberg) -- Doubts over BYD Co.’s sales targets and smart-car capabilities drove a $12 billion selloff in the Chinese electric-vehicle maker last month, even as it draws closer to Tesla Inc. as the industry’s top seller.
Hong Kong-listed BYD plunged 12% in November while Tesla and local rival XPeng Inc. gained more than 15% each. BYD’s loss was fueled by concerns over its ability to meet sales targets amid a difficult macro outlook, and the impact of price cuts to stave off tough competition.
There are also questions over whether BYD’s cars can compete with the intelligent, connected offerings from rivals. These are coming not only from established EV players but also new entrants including smartphone titan Huawei Technologies Co.
“The growth profile of BYD is being questioned,” and the company could wind up losing market share, said Xiadong Bao, a fund manager at Edmond de Rothschild Asset Management. “The arrival of Huawei in the EV segment, will definitely shorten the time-to-market” for new Chinese products, and BYD is “more vulnerable” given its lagging tech.
BYD shares had actually outperformed in October as record sales pushed it closer to overtaking Tesla in deliveries of pure EVs. The market quickly turned bearish again, however, as the company increased discounts in an effort to continue driving sales.
With other headwinds including a selldown by longtime backer Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Inc. and a European Union anti-subsidies probe into Chinese EVs, BYD shares have severely lagged most peers. Some are betting on further losses, with short interest rising to over 4% of the free float over the last three weeks, according to IHS Markit data.
The stock’s weakness has helped drive the forward earnings multiple down to its lowest in about 12 years, which could be attractive to bargain hunters. That valuation is “undemanding,” but it “depends heavily” on strong results estimates, which are now in question, said Edmond de Rothschild’s Bao. Growth has declined over the past three quarters and consensus expects a further slowdown over the next two periods.
While BYD’s sales reached another record last month, they were basically flat with the level in October. That might not help placate investors who have been questioning BYD’s sales goals for three million units this year and four million in 2024.
Peaking retail sales is a major reason for investor caution, along with price cuts, rising inventories and increasing competition, according to UOB Kay Hian Holdings Ltd., the only broker with a sell rating on the company.
Founded in 1995 with a focus on batteries, BYD is strong in power technologies, and has always stressed the safety of its products. Smaller, younger peers like XPeng and Li Auto Inc., in contrast, have put resources into software development and smart features, meaning BYD is now finding it necessary to increase investment to catch up.
BYD remains the dominant auto brand in China, having overtaken Volkswagen AG for the top sales spot this year. Its lineup of affordable electric and hybrid vehicles at dozens more price points than its emerging peers give it broad appeal.
Still, investors see mounting challenges. Huawei has already made a big splash in EVs, with strong orders for models that feature its advanced driver assistance system and other tech. The company is also building a large network of smart-car partners in the auto manufacturing and tech fields.
“The emerging alliance led by Huawei, the unrivaled leader in intelligent connected vehicle and autonomous driving technologies in China, will constitute a formidable threat to the established incumbent BYD,” UOB Kay Hian analysts including Ken Lee and Bella Lu wrote in a note.
Meanwhile the Chinese government has been increasing support for autonomous driving, toward levels where cars can essentially drive themselves. Morgan Stanley recommends shares of Li Auto, XPeng and Nio Inc., saying they will benefit from the market’s growing adoption of so-called navigation-on-autopilot technology.
“BYD will need to refresh its model lineup or have more competitive model launches given the challenging sector competition into 2024,” analysts including Tim Hsiao and Shelley Wang wrote in a note. The company also faces the risk that an ongoing price war with Tesla “may keep consumers from purchasing as they continue to expect ever cheaper cars.”
Tech Chart of the Day
Nokia Oyj shares fell as much as 10% to the lowest levels since March 2020, after AT&T chose rival Ericsson to supply 5G infrastructure gear. The deal is a blow for Nokia, representing a contract loss that will hit the Finnish company’s key mobile networks division and delay the timeline of the unit’s margin target by up to two years. Ericsson jumped as much as 9.9%, the biggest intraday gain since 2021 and AT&T rose 3.3% on Tuesday.
Top Tech Stories
- Rockstar Games released the first trailer for the newest version of Grand Theft Auto, giving fans a glimpse of what’s likely to rank as one of the industry’s top-selling titles.
- Five9 Inc. has been exploring a potential sale, people with knowledge of the matter said, a little more than two years after the call center software provider scrapped a multibillion-dollar takeover by Zoom Video Communications Inc.
- Nvidia Corp. plans to help build an AI tech-related ecosystem in Japan to meet demand in a country eager to gain an edge in artificial intelligence.
- Hon Hai Precision Industry Co.’s sales improved in November and the iPhone assembler said quarterly sales for the last three months of the year will be better than expected.
- Japanese police have arrested a former employee of Alps Alpine Co. for allegedly stealing trade secrets from the Apple Inc. supplier.
Earnings Due Tuesday
- NIO Inc.
- Descartes Systems
--With assistance from Danny Lee, Subrat Patnaik, Henry Ren and Rheaa Rao.
(Updates to add stock move in Tech Chart of the Day section.)
©2023 Bloomberg L.P.


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Apple’s IPhone XR Was Most Popular Smartphone In 2019 Based On Shipment Estimates
Samsung shipped 10.7 million devices for 29.3 percent market share, while LG shipped 4.8 million devices and Lenovo shipped 2.4 million devices. Overall North American smartphone shipments were down an estimated 18 percent during Q1 2019, totaling 36.4 million shipments.
Apple’s iPhone XR Was Most Popular Smartphone in 2019 Based on Shipment Estimates
Apple's iPhone XR was the most popular smartphone in the world in 2019, based on its number of shipments. Even though iPhone XR was launched in 2018, it beat all other smartphones in the world in 2019, including Apple's other iPhone models, by shipping 46.3 million units.
These shipping estimates, courtesy of research firm Omdia, show that iPhone XR managed to double its number of unit shipments from 2018. In 2018, iPhone XR sold an estimated number of 23.1 million units, while in 2019, it doubled to 46.3 million units. Despite the price cut in 2019, iPhone XR sells for $599, which is not the cheapest phone in the world. Yet it beats the likes of Samsung Galaxy A10, and A20, which are low-end smartphones and sell for less than $200. Even iPhone 11, which sells for $699, is number 2 on the list and beats Samsung's low-end smartphones.
While Apple accounted for first place and second place, Samsung rounded out the top 5 with the Galaxy A10, Galaxy A50, and Galaxy A20. The iPhone 11 Pro Max was the sixth most popular smartphone with 17.6 million shipments, followed by the iPhone 8 at 17.4 million.
Apple's master stroke in 2019 was slashing the price on the iPhone XR. The iPhone XR went on to dominate the global smartphone market last year according to new data from Omidia. Not was just the most popular, the iPhone XR was also the most shipped smartphone worldwide in 2019.
The iPhone XR was Apple's best selling 2018 model. It also became the top-selling and the most popular smartphone globally in Q3 2019. As of September 2020, the iPhone XR has sold 77.4 million units worldwide, making it the eighth best-selling smartphone of all time.
As 9to5Mac reports(Opens in a new window), Counterpoint Research estimates that the iPhone XR was the best-selling smartphone in the first three quarters of the year. It's also the most popular iPhone model in every region globally.
Still, Samsung dominates in total sales, with midrange devices like Galaxy A10 and the Galaxy A50 leading the pack and helping it stay ahead of popular Chinese competitors, according to Counterpoint Research's report(Opens in a new window). Here were the best-selling smartphones in Q3 2019:
The device is also expected to be the best-selling model of the lot. One estimate from longtime Apple analyst Gene Munster indicates that the iPhone XR will make up 38% of the company's iPhone shipments during Apple's fiscal 2019 (which began on Sept. 29, 2018) -- making it, in Munster's words, "the most popular iPhone in 2019." Incidentally, Munster's predictions call for the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus devices to be the second-most-popular iPhones, capturing 28% of unit shipments.
By Sanket Vijayasarathy: The iPhone XR is Apple's cheapest iPhone this year, which made it seem that it would also be the most popular iPhone. But the XR has been receiving a pretty tepid response from Apple fans for a few reasons such as negative impact on consumer confidence over trade war, missing features for the price and competition from Huawei Mate 20 series. These are reasons provided by Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo in his recent investor note which has also forced him to lower his estimate for the iPhone XR shipments from 100 million to 70 million.
Despite the revised estimates, Kuo believes there is no reason for Apple to panic as some of the decline will be offset by higher demand for the iPhone XS and older "legacy" models like the iPhone 8 and iPhone 7. Kuo is reducing his overall iPhone shipment forecast for Q1 of 2019 by 15 to 20 per cent. His prediction for iPhone shipments in the current fourth quarter remains unchanged at 75 to 80 million units.
From the period of January to March in 2019, Apple will see a year-on-year decline in iPhone shipments, Kuo said. His first quarter estimates have been reduced to 47-52 million from 55-60 million. This contradicts Kuo's pre-launch prediction when he said the iPhone XR will outsell the iPhone 8 series in the same period.
Huawei shipped 60.5 million units in Q4 2018, rising 47.7 percent, year over year. The company continued its double-digit y/y growth for the fourth consecutive quarter, growing in most of regions, except North America where Huawei has little exposure. Fast growing markets for Huawei include Europe, Middle East and Africa. In 2018, Huawei was able to exceed Apple in unit-based shipments for three consecutive quarters, propelling the Chinese brand to second-ranked position in the market, unseating Apple from its perch. However, the network infrastructure side of Huawei has faced increased scrutiny from the United States and other governments around the world, due to potential security concerns in to roll out of 5G networks.
Meanwhile, Nokia increased its shipments to 15 million units in 2018, up from 5 million units in the previous year. Finland-based HMD Global is operating its Nokia-branded smartphone business, by focusing on mid-range and low-end smartphones in Europe, Asia and Africa. The company will soon expand into North America.
A new report(Opens in a new tab) by Counterpoint Research estimates that India surpassed the United States to become the second largest smartphone market with an estimated 158 million devices shipped to the country in 2019. China is still the global leader at number one. 350c69d7ab

domain: news


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EA Indicates Star Wars Battlefront Sequel Coming Next Fall
During Electronic Arts' second quarter earnings call, the company signaled that a Star Wars Battlefront sequel should hit next fall.
In the question and answer period of the call, Blake Jorgensen, EA CFO, talked about the various Star Wars titles the company has in the works. He described the timing of the next Star Wars Battlefront title as, "a year from now."
Previously, the company has said a new Battlefront title would appear in 2017, but Jorgensen's comments seem to narrow that a bit.
[Source: Electronic Arts]
The analyst's question that Jorgensen replied to was about how EA would financially make up for sales from Battlefield 1 and Titanfall 2 next year, further implying that the next Battlefront would fall into a similar timeframe.


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Soda Ash Prices to Surge Globally on the back of Consistent Supply Concerns
- 24-Mar-2022 4:50 PM
- Journalist: Gabreilla Figueroa
Soda Ash prices have been surging since the start of the week due to delays in the supplies of Soda Ash globally. Production in the downstream industries such as textile and glassware factories are facing setbacks due to delays in the shipment of soda ash by the Indian exporters over the past four months in countries like Bangladesh. Additionally, traders have been anxious that the outages in China since the resurgence of covid in the country has resulted in a short supply of Soda Ash in China's domestic market.
Soda Ash is prepared by Solvay process or ammonia soda process. Since the Solvay process holds the primary importance for global industrial production and Russia -Ukraine are substantial Ammonia and fertilizer exporters, the conflict has triggered international markets to be disrupted globally. Supplies remained interrupted since Russia is considered as the major Soda Ash exporter. Indian exporters are delaying the transport of over 50 MT of soda ash. The Indian exporters have been demanding $60 per MT due to lack of ships and increased freight charges. All imports from India, including steel, iron, and chemical substances’ prices have increased due to disruption in production because of a severe crisis in the neighbouring country stemming from the Covid-19 pandemic.
Soda Ash is mostly used as an ingredient in the manufacture of dyes and colouring agents, synthetic detergents, fertilizers, glass, and gum. According to ChemAnalyst, "Soda Ash prices are expected to witness further hike until the supply of the product attains normalcy in China." Additionally, the announcement of another shutdown scheduled in the Soda Ash plant in China with massive manufacturing capacity has exacerbated the concerns over Soda Ash supply in the upcoming quarter. Supplies are expected to remain down until the coolness in the Russian invasion.


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Two downtown restaurants to celebrate Beaujolais nouveau
The annual wine release celebration will be accompanied by special menus
Beaujolais nouveau is not known for being the finest of French wines, but it could be one of the most fun.
Each year during the release of the new season of Beaujolais nouveau, the French celebrate the release (which comes just weeks after it is fermented) on the third Thursday of November thanks in part to heavy marketing by wine makers. Nevertheless, there is always a race for wine drinkers to try the latest season on the actual release day.
In the United States, the annual release in late November coincides so closely with Thanksgiving, it is often marketed as a "Thanksgiving wine."
Two Wilmington restaurants have designed menus for Beaujolais Day.
Caprice Bistro, 10 Market St., will host a three-course meal with a prix fixe menu for $35 on Thursday, Nov. 15. Reservations can be made at 910-815-0810. Options will include a first course choice of either saucisson “en croute” with beaujolais demi glaze; sweetbreads pan fried with Beaujolais sauce; salade des “Vignerons” (frisee, poached egg, bacon, croutons, verjus) or celery root soup with chestnut salpicon and crème fraiche. Entree choices include salmon seared in compound Beaujolais butter; rabbit braised in Beaujolais sauce served with spaetzle; beef short ribs in Beaujolais sauce or Assiette Bohemienne (duck, pork, sausage and potatoes, on braised cabbage.) Three dessert choices include Clafoutis, goat cheese creme brulee and crepes served with salted caramel ice cream with a hazelnut whipped cream.
Le Catalan, 224 S. Water St., will be hosting a Beaujolais nouveau celebration Thursday, Nov. 15 starting at 5 p.m. Customers can make reservations for a dinner and selection of wines by calling 910-815-0200.
Reporter Ashley Morris can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.org.


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- Figure Technologies, under ex-SoFi CEO Mike Cagney, has filed for SEC approval to launch the first U.S. security-regulated, interest-bearing stablecoins.
- These stablecoins, unlike traditional ones, will be offered as ‘face-amount certificates’ redeemable at 1 cent each, with interest accruing daily and payable monthly.
In a groundbreaking move within the cryptocurrency sector, Figure Technologies Inc., spearheaded by former CEO of SoFi Technologies Inc., Mike Cagney, has embarked on a journey to secure approval from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for a novel form of stablecoins. This venture, if successful, is set to redefine the landscape of digital currencies in the United States.
A New Era of Stablecoins
The initiative by Figure Technologies introduces an innovative model of stablecoins, diverging from the conventional format of these digital currencies. Traditional stablecoins are digital currencies pegged to a stable asset, like the U.S. dollar, and are primarily used for transaction settlements or asset transfers between exchanges. Currently, the market is dominated by entities like Tether Holdings Ltd.’s USDT and Circle Internet Financial’s USD Coin, neither of which offer interest.
Figure’s proposed stablecoins, however, are poised to disrupt this norm. Unlike their predecessors, these stablecoins are planned to be issued as
This means each certificate would be redeemable at 1 cent, necessitating the transfer of 100 certificates for a $1 transaction. The novel aspect here is the incorporation of interest, which would accrue daily and be paid out monthly to holders.
This interest will be generated from reserves that include a variety of assets, such as treasury holdings, commercial paper, and corporate debt. To participate, potential holders must complete a know-your-customer (KYC) process, a standard procedure in the financial industry to verify the identity of clients.
Regulatory Implications and Market Impact
Figure’s move is not just about introducing a new financial product but also about navigating the complex U.S. regulatory environment. The stablecoin market has been a topic of significant discussion and scrutiny, especially considering the lack of interest offerings by current market leaders and the increasing attention from U.S. lawmakers and President Joe Biden on cryptocurrency regulation.
The submission of Figure’s draft registration statement in October, under its subsidiary Figure Certificate Co., is a strategic step towards legitimizing this new category of stablecoins as securities in the U.S. market. The company also plans to register an offering named Figure Installment Certificates, targeting investors interested in earning yields through digital asset holdings.
Figure’s ambition to establish its stablecoins as a viable alternative for payments and transaction settlements is indicative of a larger trend: the growing integration of blockchain technology and traditional financial mechanisms. This integration suggests a future where digital currencies are not just a niche investment or transaction tool but a fundamental component of the financial landscape.
In summary, Figure Technologies’ foray into the stablecoin market with its proposed interest-bearing certificates marks a significant evolution in the realm of digital currencies. It not only offers an innovative financial product but also signals a shift towards greater regulatory oversight and integration of cryptocurrencies into mainstream finance. The outcome of Figure’s application and its impact on the market will be closely watched by investors and regulators alike, as it could set a precedent for the future of stablecoins in the U.S. and beyond.


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Aston Martin is beginning a interval of progress—the British model once owned by Ford has launched the DB11 , the first all-new model in years, and is on the point of launch a new Vantage as well as numerous other products down the road, with a little bit help from Mercedes-Benz. On Tuesday, Aston Martin CEO Dr Andy Palmer formally unveiled the DB11, the grand tourer that he hopes can close the hole that has been creating between the company and its greatest direct competitors including Ferrari and McLaren. Aston Martin showcased a Vanquish Zagato idea at Concorso d’eleganza Villa d’Este at Lake Como in Italy in Could.
Lovely, dynamic and prestigious Aston Martin Virage combines decidedly efficiency luxurious sports activities car, comfort and refinement. Not to make issues straightforward on themselves, Aston Martin selected a black DB11, full with black exterior trim and darkish wheels to attract as a lot heat from our honest sun as potential. Hali ini untuk memperingati 50 tahun kerjasama antara Aston Martin dan film franchise 007. If there’s anything Aston Martin lacked in the past folks would possibly argue that it’s expertise.
As well as, it was feared that the DB8 moniker would cause some potential patrons to consider the brand new model was powered by a just a humble V8, so as an alternative the DB9 title was used. The 1950s noticed Aston Martin establishing itself as a winner on the observe, with the DB2 inserting in its class at Le Mans.
This cybersecurity govt splits his time between racing the Aston Martin and main Crowdstrike’s protection of federal establishments towards international hackers. Aston Martin have produced the all-new grand tourer coupe – DB11, a fearless design philosophy led to the DB11’s iconic appears to be like. Collectively, Aston Martin and Bang & Olufsen present a partnership of two progressive companies with a proud tradition in technology and design.
The model took its name from co-founder Martin and the Aston Clinton Hill Climb, where the duo’s Singer automobiles had competed. A lot of it centered around perhaps the most iconic automobile in film historical past, the gadget-laden Aston Martin DB5.


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Aggressive growth plans backed by national leadership,investment organization
Madison, WI — SoLoMo Identity LLC, a mobile application development firm pioneering in the identity management space, has been announced as one of eleven seed- and growth-stage companies selected for Springboard’s 2012 Media/Tech community-driven accelerator program. For over a decade, Springboard has provided over 500 emerging growth businesses led by women with access to the human and financial capital needed to scale.
Selected from over 100 applicants globally by a Springboard committee of investors, seasoned entrepreneurs and industry experts, SoLoMo Identity was invited to participate in an entrepreneur “Bootcamp” program held at Bloomberg in NYC and to meet with the members of Springboard’s recently announced Media/Tech Council.
SoLoMo’s Chief Executive Officer Liz Eversoll, a 25-year veteran of executive leadership positions at CDW and elsewhere, comments, “The Midwest often gets overlooked as a technology hub, but our nomination to Springboard proves that we’re producing ‘bleeding edge’ technology with top-notch business and programming talent.”
SoLoMo Identity, locally known as “SoLoMo,” will be one of the first entrants into the “personal identity” management space, spurred by the growing concerns people have for control over their digital identities. SoLoMo’s platform seeks to become a ” trust broker” between companies and individuals for the benefit of both. Vice President of Marketing Karen Hitchcock states, “Consumers see their personal information bought and sold like a commodity. Our platform helps put consumers in more control of their identities. At the same time, it also serves as a new model for businesses – gain consumers’ trust and they will likely share more information with you.”
Springboard’s accelerator program involves the active participation of industry leaders and hundreds of investors, accountants, lawyers and business development professionals in recruiting, qualifying and coaching emerging growth businesses led by women.
About SoLoMo Identity http://www.slmtechnology.com
SoLoMo Identity, based in Madison, Wisconsin, is developing a proprietary, digital Personal Identity Engine that fosters the direct connection between consumers and trusted brands for the benefit of both parties. In August, SoLoMo closed its angel investment round and is thrilled to receive Springboard support.
About Springboard http://www.springboardenterprises.org
Springboard is the premier platform where entrepreneurs, investors, and industry experts meet to build great women-led businesses seeking equity capital for expansion. Springboard alumnae entrepreneurs are leaders involved in commercializing new innovative technologies, business products and services. The Springboard portfolio has raised over $5.5 billion including 10 IPOs and legions of successful M&A transactions.


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SYDNEY (Reuters) – Australian regulators will consider intervening to stop banks from automatically directing “tap-and-go” card payments through the world’s largest payment processors Visa and Mastercard Inc., the central bank said on Wednesday.
Banks must stop automatically directing debit card payments through the two global networks, and instead give retailers the cheaper option to use local network EFTPOS, Philip Lowe, the governor of the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA), told reporters.
“Regulating here is not the preferred option but it is a fallback option if we don’t see the required change,” he said after a speech in Canberra.
Global card schemes MasterCard and Visa, alongside the major four banks, dominate card payments systems in Australia. EFTPOS is owned by domestic financial institutions and retailers.
The RBA says debit card payments, Australia’s most frequently used method, processed through Visa or Mastercard cost retailers more than twice as much as using EFTPOS.
The retailers’ association estimates this adds up to extra costs of between A$300 million and A$500 million ($200 million and $340 million) each year.
“We have made it very clear to the banking industry that we expect them to develop the functionality to allow the merchant to choose which payment rails it goes through, the international schemes or the EFTPOS schemes,” Lowe added.
“If that process doesn’t work then we would have to consider a regulatory solution.”
Visa and Mastercard were not immediately available for comment.
The banks had promised to develop systems to facilitate the cheaper route for retailers, Low said, adding that his preference would be not to have to intervene.
The RBA is reviewing payments regulations to see what strategic issues need to be tackled, from the impact of new payment technologies and new entrants to regulatory technology and an electronic form of banknotes.
“One of the possible reasons for the major banks dragging their feet on least-cost routing is that they each have very extensive relationships with the large international schemes – we will be exploring this in the review,” Tony Richards, the head of payments policy at the RBA, was quoted as saying in the Australian Financial Review on Wednesday.
A spokesman from Commonwealth Bank of Australia declined to comment.
A spokesman for NAB said the bank started letting its merchant customers choose their payment network in April 2018, adding, “We continue to roll out this service across our client base throughout this year.”
Westpac Banking Corp and Australia and New Zealand Banking Group were not immediately available for comment.
(Reporting by Paulina Duran in Sydney; Editing by Richard Pullin and Clarence Fernandez)


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Tuesday, December 31, 2002
Pew Internet & American Life Project": Counting on the Internet "With over 60% of Americans now having Internet access and 40% of Americans having been online for more than three years, the Internet has become a mainstream information tool. Its popularity and dependability have raised all Americans’ expectations about the information and services available online. When they are thinking about health care information, services from government agencies, news, and commerce, about two-thirds of all Americans say that they expect to be able to find such information on the Web. Internet users are more likely than non-users to have high expectations of what will be available online, and yet even 40% of people who are not Internet users say they expect the Web to have information and services in these essential online arenas."


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Authentic LSU tickets will be hard to get
Published: Monday, December 17, 2007 at 9:55 a.m.
Last Modified: Monday, December 17, 2007 at 11:40 a.m.
The issue: Fake BCS title tickets.
We suggest: Buyer beware.
This is one of the most exciting and tantalizing times for all Louisiana football fans: Our flagship universityís football team is in the national championship game and that game will be held just down the road in New Orleans.
Unfortunately, there are precious few tickets to the big game, those that are available are incredibly expensive and the landscape is rife with rip-off artists eager to get money for fake tickets.
We understand the people who feel like they would do anything to cheer on their favorite team in the Louisiana Superdome.
But we also must urge caution and warn people who are determined to go to the game to be prepared to spend big money.
We should probably also pass along some good, common-sense advice that will serve everyone well if they plan on buying tickets to the sold-out football game.
If a deal seems too good to be true, it probably is.
That sounds simple enough, but too often peopleís eagerness to see a particular event clouds their thinking and leads them to make foolish decisions.
According to officials with the Louisiana State Police and the Superdome, there are only a few good, reputable places to buy tickets.
Before you spend money on tickets, check out the authenticity of the Web site. Make sure the company has been around and that it has satisfied customers.
Also, be sure that any method for payment is a common one.
Be wary of any ticket seller that, for instance, asks for a wire transfer or bank information.
Finally, stay away from going to the game without a ticket and hoping to find one on the street. Buyers on the street can easily pass along counterfeit tickets and you wonít even know it until youíre at the entry gate.
"Weíve been aware of a few people here and there that have created fraudulent Web sites," said Sgt. Markus Smith, a State Police spokesman. "Theyíre not legitimate. They either have fake tickets or they donít have any tickets at all."
Thatís a smart thing to keep in mind if you run across a Web site offering cut-rate tickets.
The fact is that this is the biggest college-football game of the season and there is tremendous interest in its outcome. There also are huge numbers of people who want to attend.
The high demand means the cost for tickets will spiral ever upward.
Itís the price of success, perhaps. But the great news is that even if you canít afford the thousands of dollars it can cost for a single ticket to the championship game, you can still catch it on television.
And the view is bound to be better.
Editorials represent the opinion of The Courier and Daily Comet and not of any one individual. Questions or comments concerning editorials may be addressed to the Editor, P.O. Box 2717, Houma, LA 70361 or e-mail at: firstname.lastname@example.org.
Reader comments posted to this article may be published in our print edition. All rights reserved. This copyrighted material may not be re-published without permission. Links are encouraged.
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This is coming a bit late to the party, but LinkedIn has just confirmed the launch of a new “Student Voices” feature that is heavily inspired by Snapchat’s Stories format. As its name suggests it, LinkedIn’s Student Voices will be restricted to university students in the US, allowing them to express themselves in short videos recorded from their smartphones.
Speaking with TechCrunch, product manager Isha Patel explained that the new feature is a response to what students like to do with their phones today. “As we know, students love to use video to capture moments so we’ve created this new product to help them connect with one another around shared experiences on campus to help create a sense of community.”
Compared to Snapchat or Instagram Stories, LinkedIn’s Student Voices will work slightly differently: videos will remain permanently available on the profile of students who published them, but they will disappear after a week on a student’s Campus Playlist. Each university will apparently have its own Campus Playlist with student-created videos that will remain public for week.
Since the launch of LinkedIn Video last year, the professional social network introduced several new features designed for attracting a younger audience including GIF support and voice messages. Unfortunately, taking some inspiration from popular messaging apps isn’t a guaranted recipe for success, and even Skype failed to copy Snapchat Stories with its own “Highlights” feature, which disappeared from the Skype mobile apps after a year of consumer neglect.
According to LinkedIn, Student Voices have just started rolling out to college students in the US, but the company told Techcrunch that it’s planning to bring ephemeral videos to more LinkedIn users in the future. Time will tell if the professionnal social network will have more success at copying Snapchat than Skype ever did.


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Scandinavian health food chain Life has bought eight stores in southern Sweden from Skåne Everkost, one of its own franchisees.
Scandinavian health food chain Life has bought eight stores in southern Sweden from Skåne Everkost, one of its own franchisees
One of the Britain's best known independent organic retailers – Oliver's Wholefoods Store in Kew, south west London – has been sold to the owners of Food For Thought.
Amazon and Whole Foods Market has launched a free two-hour delivery of natural and organic products from Whole Foods Market through its Prime Now membership scheme, with plans to expand…
German discounter Aldi will launch 60 new organic lines in stores across the country this year in response to what it is calling “booming” customer demand.
Finland's largest eco-chain Ruohonjuuri (grassroots) has opened a concept store in Stockholm, Sweden under the name Happy Food Store.
US supermarket giants Albertsons and Kroger are raising the stakes in organic food retail by ramping up their private label offers in 2018.
Reports in the Washington Post and other US media have revealed that Whole Foods Market has begun to charge suppliers for in-store services such as promotional displays and demos.
Amazon’s purchase of Whole Foods Market marks the beginning of a new growth phase for the organic and sustainable products market, says ethical products industry analysts Ecovia Intelligence in a…
Tesco's new Wicked Kitchen range of vegan ready-meals aims to "please rather appease" its vegan and meat-reducing customers.


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Average gasoline prices in Southern California have fallen by nearly a quarter since last week, erasing the October price spike that set new records for the region, according to the Automobile Club of Southern California.
As of Thursday morning, the average price of self-serve regular gasoline in the Los Angeles-Long Beach area was $4.125 per gallon, 23.3 cents less than last week, 5.9 cents lower than last month, and 46 cents higher than last year.
In the Inland Empire, the average per gallon price dropped 25.5 cents from last week to $4.060, while San Diego saw a fall of 24.7 cents to $4.068 a gallon. On the Central Coast, the average price was $4.186, down 19.9 cents from last week.
The state average for regular self-serve gasoline was $4.075 a gallon, 23.7 cents lower than last week and nearly 60 cents lower than the $4.671 a gallon record price set on Oct. 9.
“Even with these huge price declines, this is the first year ever that Southern California gas price averages have been above $4 a gallon on Nov. 1,” said Auto Club spokesman Jeffrey Spring. “We’re encouraging drivers to continue to aggressively shop for the lowest possible gas prices. In most local areas, drivers should be able to find stations charging less than $4 a gallon.”


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Kim Kardashian and Jay Sammons to launch a new private equity firm
Kim Kardashian and Jay Sammons are launching a new private equity firm focused on investing in consumer and media businesses.
The new firm, named SKKY Partners, will make investments in sectors including consumer products, hospitality, luxury, digital commerce and media.
Celebrities including Leonardo DiCaprio, Ashton Kutcher and Gwyneth Paltrow are turning prolific investors in the private equity and venture capital space.
Kardashian has gained success in her recent business ventures such as shapewear label Skims and makeup brand KKW.
Her launch of a private equity firm also underscores a broader shift among renowned Hollywood celebrities including Leonardo DiCaprio, Ashton Kutcher and Gwyneth Paltrow.
Serena Williams raised $111 million for her early-stage venture capital firm Serena Ventures in March.


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We already know one reason Google's earnings came in light—Motorola was a bigger mess than expected.
Here's another reason, and one that's not as easily fixed as Motorola. (Not that Motorola is an easy fix.)
In its most recent quarter, stock-based compensation jumped 33 percent to $762 million from $571 million in the same quarter a year ago. That differential accounted for a good chunk of Google's earnings miss. ($47 million of that was due to a restructuring charge.)
For all of 2012, Google expects to record $2.7 billion in charges for stock-based compensation.
Besides keeping employees from jumping to rivals, Google has to worry about startups luring engineers and product designers away with the promise of a big payday.
So it's been lavishing big stock awards on key personnel, new and old.
One by one, an eight-figure package may not seem like much when Google's taking in $14 billion a quarter. But $10 million here, $20 million there starts to add up.
Get the latest Google stock price here.


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Grants attract downtown improvements
For the first time, five downtown Shawnee businesses are getting help from the city to make exterior improvements to their buildings.
Last week, the Shawnee Downtown Partnership and the city announced the recipients of this year's Special Downtown Improvement Grants, which have been offered for the past three years. But with the approval of the City Council, five rather than three $5,000 grants have been offered this year.
One surprise was one of this year's grants was awarded to a business, Window Flair Drapery, that is relocating from Merriam to Shawnee at 11805 W. 62nd Pl. David Morris, chairman of the downtown partnership, said he thinks that a new business learning about the grants is a good sign that the promotion of the grants has been successful.
One improvement not well-represented in the grants, however, are improvements to parking lots and landscaping. These types of improvements were allowed when the Shawnee City Council approved the partnership's recommendation last year to increase the number of yearly grants from three to five.
At the time the partnership stated that these improvements should be encouraged in the downtown area, though only O.K. Garage intends to use its grant for its parking lot and landscaping, in addition to removal of an underground gas storage tank.
"We've tried to make sure it's out there," Morris said. "I think with all of it, it's going to take a little bit of time; people have to plan for things."
The $5,000 grants are awarded to those businesses that spend $10,000 or more to improve the exteriors of their businesses. An unlimited number of $2,000 grants also are available for businesses that make improvements of at least $5,000.
Both downtown businesses and residents can take advantage of a loan incentive program, which is offered through several Shawnee banks to help lower the interest rate charged on loans for improvements. Both can also take part in the improvement incentive program, which offers a rebate of 90 percent of the portion of Ad Valorem taxes incurred due to an increase of at least $5,00 in appraised value due to an improvement.
This year's grants show the spectrum of revitalization in downtown, with three used for older business, one for a new business and one for a completely new building.
"It just takes time, and we're thrilled with the amount of grants people are using right now," Morris said. "It's getting some more improvements downtown."


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Capcom announced that Monster Hunter World surpassed 20 million copies sold worldwide! This includes digital copies sold and shipments. Here’s what Capcom had to say:
Capcom Co., Ltd. (Capcom) today announced that multiplatform title Monster Hunter: World has shipped over 20 million units worldwide (includes shipments of Monster Hunter World: Iceborne Master Edition).
In recent years, Capcom’s promotion of digital sales has enabled it to realize long-term, global sales for its major titles. With the January 2018 release of Monster Hunter: World in particular, Capcom was able to propel the Monster Hunter series to global-brand status with a series-first worldwide simultaneous launch coupled with international promotional activities, establishing the game as Capcom’s best-selling title of all time within a month of its release and being honored with awards the world over. In the more than three years since the game’s release, in addition to promoting digital sales, Capcom also launched Monster Hunter World: Iceborne (Iceborne, below), a massive premium expansion for the game, as well as a bundle containing both titles, capitalizing on synergies with Iceborne and resulting in prolonged sales that led Monster Hunter: World to achieve a Capcom all-time record of 20 million units shipped.
Also in the Monster Hunter series is Monster Hunter Rise, which has sold a cumulative 7.5 million units on Nintendo Switch™ (as of September 24, 2021). This title will also be released for PC (Steam) on January 13, 2022*, a demo version of which was released on October 14*. Moreover, Capcom aims to further grow the brand by actively promoting the series overall, including with Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak, a massive premium expansion for this title, which is scheduled for launch in summer of 2022.
Capcom remains firmly committed to satisfying the expectations of all users by leveraging its industry-leading game development capabilities in order to create highly entertaining gameplay experiences.
(*Japan Standard Time)
Stay tuned at Final Weapon for the latest Japanese gaming news and updates!


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Swedish m-commerce software firm Seamless has launched its mobile payment service SEQR in India and Thailand.
SEQR customers can already transfer money to one another across the 16 countries where the service is available. Transfers from Sweden directly to India and Thailand will be the first deployment of the service.
The SEQR platform enables anybody with a smartphone to pay in stores, at restaurants, in parking lots and online, to transfer money at no charge, store receipts digitally, connect loyalty programs, and receive offers and promotions directly through one mobile app.
The user simply uses the SEQR app to scan a QR code at the check-out and enters a PIN code to approve payment. It is also NFC compatible.
Seamless CEO Peter Fredell said: “Demand for international transfers is constantly growing as the movement of people becomes increasingly global. India, one of SEQR’s launch corridors, received 12% of the total remitted volume globally so it makes perfect sense for SEQR to start here, offering a convenient solution to the Swedish market that is considerably cheaper than traditional remittance services.
“Following the launch of India and Thailand we intend to rapidly expand the number of countries to which SEQR’s customers can transfer money.”


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A new drone that can carry up 250kg and fly for eight hours has been developed in Russia.
Known as the SKYF, and built by ARDN Technology, the unmanned craft is being aimed at the cargo and logistics market.
Design work first began in 2014, with the prototype’s first flight taking place in spring 2016 – but for now it remains very much still in testing, according to its developers.
Unlike many other drones, the heavy-duty SKYF uses a petrol engine to achieve its long flight time, with the team behind it also claiming it has a positional accuracy when offloading cargo of within 30cm.
Drones are being increasingly developed to take on manual tasks as the technology advances – perhaps most famously being tested as a vehicle for parcel delivery by Amazon.
Airline easyJet is also planning to roll out drones as inspection crafts for its planes from next year.
ARDN is yet to reveal when it expects the SKYF platform to roll out fully for commercial use, but has suggested a range of uses for its device including as part of agricultural and forestry work, as well as a cargo mover.


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Audi Gives GM a Raspberry
While GM was wooing the greenies with their big PR event at the Oscars, Audi was busy thumbing their nose at The General. GM trotted out the Yukon Hybrids, Equinox Fuel Cells and "ethanol-compatible GMC Yukons" and put the concept Volt (that looks nothing like the eventual production model) on display to impress the easily-impressed. Audi, on the other hand, "chauffeured [nominees and winners] through the Audi VIP fleet of more than 55 exclusively equipped A8L W12's and Audi Q7's." The press release lists a number of stars who "selected Audi as their preferred mode of transportation for Oscar week." Not surprisingly, Ed Begley Jr. and George Clooney don't appear on that list.


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Signed in Seychelles: Study of regional ports to harmonize experience for cruise guestsGeneral |Author: Daniel Laurence Edited by: Betymie Bonnelame | July 19, 2019, Friday @ 09:30| 6316 views
The agreement was signed on Thursday by Maistry (right) and representative of Inchcape, the contractor for the study. (Thomas Meriton)
(Seychelles News Agency) - A study on how to elevate Indian Ocean port services to the same standard was commissioned Thursday with the signing of an agreement in Seychelles, which currently holds the presidency of the Vanilla Islands group.
The chief executive of the Seychelles Ports Authority, Ronny Brutus, said that it is important that “we harmonise our infrastructure to the same standard as the cruise ship berthing our port.”
Brutus said that the “study will also help to compare the different ports in the region to bring all ports to the same standard to meet the expectation of visitors. It will help us to adopt the best practices offered by other ports.”
The study is being financed by the European Union and the Agence Française de Développement (AFD) at a cost of $360,000. The contract to conduct the study — which will last for six months during the cruise ship season — has been awarded to Inchcape, a company based in Mauritius.
The study will focus on countries that form part of the Vanilla islands, an affiliation of islands comprising of Mauritius, Madagascar, Reunion, Mayotte, and the Maldives.
A memorandum of understanding to start the project was signed on Thursday by the reprsentative of Inchcape from Mauritius and the President of the l'Association des ports des îles de l'océan Indien, Ramalingum Maistry.
In his address, Dogley, who is also the Minister of Tourism, Civil Aviation, Ports & Marine, said that the arrival of a cruise ship brings economic growth to the country, therefore, it is important to conduct an in-depth study.
“As a Small Islands Developing State, we depend heavily on tourism as our main source of income. Our port and facilities give the first impression when visitors disembark on their cruise ship, therefore we continuously need to find innovative ways to keep them satisfied, and this study will help us with that,” he said.
According to the Seychelles Ports Authorities, the cruise season of 2018/2019 has brought 46 cruise ship calls. The Seychelles’ cruise ship season lasts from October to around April.
On his side, Maistry said that it goes without saying that there is a huge potential in the Indian Ocean when it comes to cruise ships
“What is left for us to do is to find out how we can capture this traffic. This is why this study will be conducted to better understand the evolution of this sector including finding our strength and weaknesses,” said Maistry.
He added that after the study, “we will design a common action plan to develop this sector in the economic interest of the Indian Ocean islands.”
The majority of cruise ships to Seychelles dock in Port Victoria -- the main port of the island nation, which opened in 1972. Upon arrival visitors are greeted at a special reception area, accompanied by traditional music and dances of the island.
Seychelles, a group of 115 islands in the western Indian Ocean, came out as the top sought-after destination for cruise ships in the region, winning the Indian Ocean’s Leading Cruise Destination at the World Travel Awards 2019.


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ARLINGTON, VA. — The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has shifted the mindset of many environmentally conscious consumers, according to a new report from the Consumer Brands Association (CBA).
For businesses, being environmentally conscious has become a key priority through recyclable packaging, sustainable ingredient sourcing, reduced carbon emissions and other targets. McCormick and Co., for example, recently released an update on its sustainability goals, which outlined progress toward 100% sustainable sourcing and achieving more than 80% recyclable plastic packaging by 2025. The company also is planning to power its facilities in Maryland and New Jersey with renewable electricity by 2022.
“The era of shareholder only is over,” said Michael Okoroafor, vice president of global sustainability and packaging innovation at McCormick & Co., during a virtual presentation hosted by the CBA. “We are linking financial performance to how we treat people, how we deal with communities where we live, work and source and how we address issues around the planet.”
Conagra Brands, Inc. launched a new sustainable packaging design for its Swiss Miss Hot Cocoa, part of its larger goal to make 100% of its plastic packaging renewable, recyclable or compostable by 2025. Other manufacturers, including Mondelez International, Inc. and Campbell Soup Co., also have announced plans to achieve 100% recyclable, compostable or reusable packaging within the next 5 to 10 years.
Despite the high-level targets, such initiatives may not have their intended impact unless consumer behavior also changes, the CBA said. The association found just 4% of Americans believe recycling is not confusing. Three-quarters said allowing recycling systems to set different standards on what can be recycled creates confusion.
“Without consumer education, people don’t know how to recycle,” Mr. Okoroafor said. “We have to work together to ensure that we bring the government, our communities and our states as part of this. That is how we accomplish this.”
Along with confusion about recycling, the study found consumers’ pandemic-related concerns may be taking precedent over environmental concerns.
Nearly 70% of Americans said they are more concerned about safety and hygiene than environmental impact. Eighty-two percent of consumers said they were concerned about the environment, down 8 percentage points from 2019. Similarly, 80% said they are concerned about single-use plastic, compared to 87% last year.
Increased home delivery and pantry stocking has contributed to an uptick in waste during the pandemic. The World Economic Forum reported daily plastic waste has increased 24% in 2020, owing to soaring home deliveries of food.
“America is using more plastic and packaging to contend with COVID-19, and it is exposing our broken recycling system,” said Geoff Freeman, president and chief executive officer of the CBA. “The pandemic has validated the urgent need for a modern recycling system that can deal with our reality.
While 72% of Americans said consumers should be responsible for reducing waste, a third said packaging and CPG manufacturers should be responsible, and more than half (54%) said the responsibility should fall to retailers.
“You really need to collaborate in this area, even with your competitors,” Mr. Okoroafor said. “If you come up with a new way to make completely sustainable plastics but you don’t have the scale to bring it to a cost-effective level, it doesn’t go anywhere. At the end of the day, the consumers want to pay for value and having collaboration gives you the scale to deliver.”


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Is it a phone, a watch, a wallet? All eyes will be on Cupertino Tuesday for Apple's next big announcement. Apple will also be live-streaming the "special event" on Apple.com starting 10 a.m. Sept. 9.
The Apple website already features a countdown clock counting down to the magic hour.
Reports from both Re/code and Bloomberg indicate that the debut of a wearable device is in the cards. There are also reports that the tech giant might unveil its own mobile-payment system -- possibly an iWallet? Apple is also reportedly working on a new, taller iPad.
Apple's invitation to media last week didn't say much, except for a one-line teaser: "Wish We Could Say More." The company stock reached a new all-time high following the announcement and sent social media abuzz.
Apple opted to switch venues for the event, opting for the Flint Center for the Performing Arts in Cupertino, instead of its usual Moscone West venue in San Francisco.
On Friday, Apple CEO Tim Cook announced plans to add extra security to iCloud, following a celebrity photo hacking incident last week.
According to Apple, live streaming Tuesday's video from its website will require Safari 5.1.10 or later on OS X v10.6.8 or later; Safari on iOS 6.0 or later. Streaming via Apple TV requires second- or third-generation Apple TV with software 5.0.2 or later.
Follow NBC Bay Area on Twitter @nbcbayarea for live coverage of the event.
— Craig Grannell (@CraigGrannell) September 5, 2014
— Re/code (@Recode) September 5, 2014
— CNBC (@CNBC) September 5, 2014


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The number of customers using mobile technology to undertake banking transactions has surpassed 6 million users for the first time.
The popularity of mobile banking is growing at a more rapid pace than the earlier uptake of internet banking, underlining the dramatic impact technology is having on the banking sector.
While sectors such as print media and traditional retail struggle to adapt to the impact of technology, banking appears to be adjusting more comfortably.
It took 13 quarters for the number of mobile banking customers (including tablets) to break through the 6 million barrier, quicker than the 15 quarters for internet banking, according to Market Intelligence Strategy Centre (MISC).
MISC says that a confluence of unique factors has caused the rapid uptake, including the presence of advanced technologies including the iPhone, Wi-Fi and 3G, better broadband affordability and the existing high internet banking penetration.
All the major banks, including ANZ Banking Group,
Westpac retail and business banking group executive Jason Yetton said there had been a huge increase in customers using smartphones and tablets to do their everyday banking, “something which we now call banking at the speed of life".
“We have had more than 190,000 downloads of our dedicated iPad banking app since its launch in the middle of last year and transactions through that have topped $1.2 billion."
“This trend is unstoppable. It took nearly seven years for us to see 1 million regular users of our online banking service after its launch with a lot of fanfare. Mobile banking reached that same figure in just two and a half years, primarily on word of mouth and the way people use their smartphones."
The Australian Financial Review


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MILWAUKEE -- Whether you're in the market for a car or just dreaming of a new ride -- there's plenty to see at the Greater Milwaukee Auto Show. Laura spent the morning at the Wisconsin Center checking out the show.
Greater Milwaukee Auto Show (website)
New cars, trucks and SUVs will fill the Wisconsin Center for the 2016 Greater Milwaukee Auto Show! Saturday, February 20 – Sunday, February 28, 2016.
Saturdays 10 am – 10 pm
Sundays 10 am – 6 pm
Monday – Thursday 3 pm – 9 pm
Friday 1 pm – 9 pm
ONSITE TICKET PRICING
Buy now and save!
Adults (13 & over) $12
Senior Citizens (Mon.–Thur. only, 62+) $9
Students (21 & under w/ID, Onsite Only) $8
Children (7–12)* $6
Children (6 & under) FREE
Family Day (12 & under)* FREE
* Family Days are Saturday, February 20 and Sunday, February 21
All children 12 & under admitted FREE with paying adult
FREE Motor Trend Subscription
sponsored by Automobile Dealers Association of Mega Milwaukee, Inc.


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The Nuts processors are in the process of drafting a law to streamline farming, harvesting and marketing of macadamia nuts.
The Nut Processors Association of Kenya currently is conducting public participation to get public opinion of the proposed law before it’s sent to Parliament.
Backed by Agriculture Food Authority (AFA), the processors have claimed that the sector has been invaded by brokers and unscrupulous traders who are compromising the quality of the nuts.
During a public participation meeting held at the Kenya Agricultural Research and Livestock Organization (KARLO) centre in Kandara on Thursday, the processors led by their Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Charles Muigai said they want all macadamia farmers to be registered and be attached to specific processors.
Currently, Mugai said lack of regulations in the sector has highly contributed to increased theft of the nuts from farms and harvesting of immature macadamia nuts.
“Without clear regulations and procedures, the quality of our macadamia will be low prompting our nuts to be locked out from international markets,” Muigai observed.
The proposed law, he added, will guide in harvesting and marketing of nuts and ensure farmers are known to avoid increased theft of the nuts.
The processors expressed their concerns over existence of brokers who they claimed are fueling theft of macadamia.
They fear that if necessary strategies are not put in place, Kenya may lose its position in provision of quality macadamia internationally.
Speaking during the meeting, Chairman of Nuts Traders Association, Johnson Kihara, criticized the proposed law, saying its sponsors are trying to push out independent traders who have ventured in the macadamia business.
Kihara castigated AFA of failing to provide proper guidelines saying the authority is being influenced to spearhead only interests of the processors.
“As traders we want a liberal market for macadamia. Very many farmers market their nuts through us and we should not be ignored,” added Kihara.
Towards the end of last year, AFA imposed a ban on harvesting of Macadamia between November 1 and February 15 as a way to curtail farmers from harvesting immature nuts.
The processors claimed that macadamia mature at different times considering climatic conditions of counties where the crop is grown.
The participants unanimously underscored the imposition of tough measures to ensure only mature nuts get into the market.
By Bernard Munyao


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In recent weeks, Google has made headlines numerous times over technological improvements set on speeding up Americans’ Internet experiences. Talk has also spun from these headlines that Google is looking at the big picture all wrong, suggesting Google should care more about Internet speed itself rather than shaving milliseconds here and keystrokes there. I beg to differ, but my position obviously deserves further explanation. Perhaps a quick view of what Google has done over the past weeks will shed light on what I mean.
Google Instant (AC source): Almost one month ago now, Google Instant was announced. Since most Internet browsers (the people, not the software) use Google over other search engines, you have probably already seen what Google Instant does. By cutting down the number of keystrokes required to find what you need by giving you suggested findings based on what the search engine anticipates you will type or what you have already typed, Google Instant decreases your search time from about 20 seconds to about 15 seconds.
Why Instant Matters: Google Instant’s technology matters more than the product we are using in the search engine. Sure we shave 5 seconds off our search times. But what is truly important is the cunning use of a similar technology as the failed Google Wave. I still waiting for this technology to be used in Gmail’s Chat feature so I don’t have to keep watching “so-and-so is typing” and instead can watch the message pop up instantly as its being typed.
WebP: This new technology has probably been missed by many everyday Internet users. WebP is Google’s answer to, of all things, the trusted and well known JPEG (ZDNet.com). Google’s new image file format is said to compress images nearly 40% more than JPEG formats with no noticeable loss of quality of the images.
Will WebP Matter: Probably not. Google’s work tweaking our browsing experience around every corner has pushed Google to do what so few big companies do now: think outside the box! However, sometimes, as great as their ideas sound, and usually are, they will still fall on deaf ears. Why will WebP probably die? Comfort and ease of integration. Most digital camera default formats are JPEG. Unless Google creates an easy manner in which webpage creators can transfer JPEG into WebP, WebP will go the way of the DVORAK keyboard.
False Start (CNet.com): The newest technological change from Google is a technology called False Start. False Start is a small nugget of software attached to Google’s web browser Chrome that decreases the number of back and forth communication between your computer and many websites during encryption. Normal users will probably never notice this increase in speed. The decrease in time is measured in milliseconds.
Each of these technologies are minuscule by themselves, but the problem is not seeing the forest through the trees. WebP, False Start, Instant, and Google Chrome itself are small steps in an ever-changing Internet world.
Some will, and have argued, that Google is focused on the wrong thing. Google should be focused on the speed of Internet itself. As I’ve mentioned elsewhere, the United States is far behind in terms of Internet speed options (AC source). To this, I would argue Google is still committed to Internet speeds. Google is giving one U.S. city 1 gigabyte Internet speeds. Not only that, these other smaller technology changes in conjunction with Google’s other well done products like Chrome, Chrome OS, Droid, Gmail, Earth, Maps and so many others will show that Google is experimenting and thinking outside the box, which is a great business model and a better model for consumers.


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Brainstorm’s InfinitySet 3 technology seamlessly combines 3D virtual graphics with real on-screen talent to take you where no news or sports set has gone before.
We’re going to see Brainstorm’s latest InfinitySet 3 virtual set system at the 2017 NAB Show demonstrating advanced graphics for real time augmented reality presentations thanks to Brainstorm’s TrackFree technology and its TeleTransporter feature.
As Ricardo Montesa, CEO and founder of Brainstorm Multimedia told The Broadcast Bridge in an exclusive interview, InfinitySet 3 not only seamlessly integrates their Aston graphics creation system, “it can now edit, manage and create any kind of 2D/3D motion graphics and cg from scratch.”
This is especially important to the on-air look of today’s graphics expectations because Aston is not just a product, but a whole family of 2D and 3D modules from creation to playout including Designer, Player, cg and Snap Render.
“In fact, both products are based on our eStudio,” Montesa said, “so they enjoy many common features and that is why it is possible for us to make InfinitySet a complete standalone solution for graphics and virtual set applications.”
But what is undoubtedly going to draw the crowds around the Brainstorm exhibit at the 2017 NAB Show will be their TelePorter demonstrations.
Montesa previews it for us as, “In essence, the TeleTransporter feature seamlessly combines 3D virtual sets and live or pre-recorded video feeds with chroma keyed characters, all moving accordingly with precise perspective matching. This allows presenters, or on-screen talent, as well as 3D objects, to be precisely inserted into videos from remote locations and pre-recorded feeds.”
Key to this is Brainstorm’s unique 3D Presenter feature which is much more than a chroma key.
“The 3D Presenter feature is indeed more than a traditional green screen process.” Montesa said. “Traditional green screen results in a video layer where the presenter is a ‘sticker’ a two-dimensional object inside a video composition. When we’re dealing with 3D environments, these video ‘stickers’ can’t behave as any other object around, so dropping the proper shadows or reflections, or being affected by real 3D lights is impossible for them.
For years, technicians tried to solve this by adding furniture to the green screen set and keying in shadows to the real set. But they never interacted properly with a 2D object such as the video layer of the on-screen talent.
“What Brainstorm has developed with the 3D Presenter feature is a technology that allows the real-time extrusion of the video layer of the presenter to create a 3D object with real volume and correct shape in the virtual set,” he detailed for us. “Therefore the chroma keyed character is no longer a video layer but an extruded 3D object, which can interact properly with the virtual elements in the scene by dropping real shadows and intersecting correctly with the augmented reality object, as if it were an object in the scene.”
In truth, Brainstorm’s VirtualGate feature really has to be seen to be understood. But Montesa was good enough to take a shot at explaining it to us.
“In essence, this is like applying the sequence shot’s concept to a mixture of virtual and real images, with the keyed character being the continuity element. This is something that has been done in advertising and post production, but never in real-time 3D broadcast operation before.”
With Virtual Gate, the presenter moves in and out of the sequence as if he/she were part of the virtual reality.
The upshot is that, thanks to Brainstorm’s TrackFree technology, the on-screen talent is integrated not only into the virtual set, but also inside the additional content. As a result, the presenter in the virtual set can walk into a virtual screen and become part of the video itself with correct spatial reference.
Once you get past the VirtualGate demonstration, you will be treated to Brainstorm’s VideoCAVE, which, by using multiple screens, gives you the essence of virtual reality without the glasses.
“The CAVE concept means ‘Cave Automatic Virtual Environment’,” and is related to a multiple virtual window, Montesa said. It’s an immersive virtual reality environment where projections are directed to a cube or room space, or a set of screens. These projections are related in perspective to the tracked person in the room, or to the camera which is shooting the scene.”
You won’t have any problem finding the Brainstorm exhibit at the 2017 NAB Show. But you may find it challenging getting through the crowds to see it.
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Commissioner of the Department of Tourist Development
Mark Ezell, a seventh generation Tennessean, will serve as the Commissioner of the Department of Tourist Development.
Ezell has worked with Dean Foods since 1998 as a senior executive focused on brand development for Purity Dairies and other southeast dairies. Ezell spearheaded philanthropic efforts to create the Purity Foundation and other Middle Tennessee efforts like the successful Moosic City Dairy Dash. He is a nationally recognized brand developer who coordinated the creation and implementation of the iconic “Milk Mustache – Got Milk?” campaign.
His 35 years at Purity Dairies, including time as President and General Manager, helped the former family-owned company receive recognition as a “Brands That Built Nashville” winner from the Nashville American Advertising Federation.


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Cry 'Fore,' Not 'Foul'
BB&T Corp. is getting visibly involved with golf at a time when others are keeping the sport at arm's length.Kelly S. King, the Winston-Salem, N.C., company's chief executive, was named honorary chairman for the 2009 Wyndham Championship in Greensboro, N.C.
For King the job means more than simply promoting the PGA Tour event. It will allow him to tout increased regional cooperation between Greensboro and Winston-Salem, which is about 30 minutes west of the tournament site.
"The Wyndham Championship is the perfect vehicle to help bring all parts of our region together so that we can all experience growth," he said in a news release.
"The proceeds from this event go to charities, so we are helping people," King said. "With the economy the way it is, everything we do should be about what we can do to help others, and this needs to be" a regional effort.
A number of banking companies have caught flak for spending on lavish golf outings and the like after receiving funds from the Troubled Asset Relief Program. Wells Fargo & Co., for instance, decided not to put its name on the Wachovia Championship (now the Quail Hollow Championship) after buying Wachovia Corp. of Charlotte in December.
BB&T helped its own cause this week, exiting Tarp after buying back $3.1 billion in preferred stock from the Treasury Department.
Needed Brand Boost
First Horizon National Corp.'s bank has found some succor in the midst of the financial turmoil.First Tennessee Bank was named the "most loved" consumer financial services brand in a quarterly survey by Brand Informatics Inc. of Rockville, Md. Respondents especially praised the bank's customer service, convenient locations and staff.
The findings are a bright spot for the Memphis company, which accepted $866.5 million in Tarp funds last year and has posted several quarters of losses while leaving the struggling national lending businesses.
Dan Marks, First Tennessee's chief marketing officer, said the survey results validate the efforts of the bank's 6,000 employees.
"This research shows that our customers feel a strong emotional connection" to the bank, he said.
Promotion at HSBC
Patrick Burke has been named senior executive vice president and CEO of the card and retail services division of HSBC Finance Corp., part of the U.S. arm of HSBC Holdings PLC.Burke was most recently chief operating officer of card and retail services.
Burke, who joined HSBC in 1989, will continue to manage HSBC's U.S. credit card business.
He is also joining the team charged with building HSBC's global credit cards business.


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In 1981, 22 percent of home buyers relied on advertisements in the newspaper to find their dream home, while 8 percent turned to a friend for word-of-mouth information.
Since then, lots has changed. According to recent survey data from the National Association of Realtors®, nearly half of buyers headed to the internet as the first step in their home search. As real estate professionals rely more and more on technology to meet consumer demands, Realtors® say the issue of net neutrality is of growing importance.
Net neutrality refers the idea that Internet users should control what content they view and the applications they use online. A “net neutral” system requires that broadband networks remain free of restrictions on content, websites, or platforms, as well as the way communication takes place.
The Federal Communications Commission implemented “net neutral” rules in 2015, but under a new administration the FCC has since proposed a rollback of those protections.
NAR made its position on this proposal clear this week in official comments to the FCC. NAR pointed to net neutrality’s role in encouraging small business innovation, citing the potential rollback as a threat to innovation.
NAR’s 2017 Real Estate in a Digital Age Report showed that the demands of home buyers are changing, putting the importance of a free and open internet in focus. For example, 50 percent of buyers said they found virtual tours “very useful,” while over 40 percent said the same of interactive maps.
Realtors® themselves are also putting technology to work in greater numbers as they work to meet this demand. The report finds that the vast preponderance of Realtors® use a website, email, text messaging and social media in their business.
Less conventional technologies are catching on as well. According to the report, over 30 percent of Realtors® say they are currently or plan to use drones in the future. But as more Realtors® use drones to capture images and otherwise serve their clients, NAR is raising concerns that a net neutrality rollback would put that progress at risk.
“Since UAS (drones) are network connected devices—disrupted, degraded or blocked service to these devices could significantly reduce their usefulness,” NAR said in its comments. “Consumers would lose the benefit of enhanced aerial photography and drone photographers would lose a source of income.”
Citing Realtors® as early adopters of consumer technology, NAR President William E. Brown called for the FCC to leave net neutral rules in place.
“As streaming video, virtual tours and other technologies grow in popularity, these concerns will grow as well,” said Brown. “Net neutrality means stronger protections for our members and better results for the clients they serve. We’re hopeful the FCC considers these concerns as they examine the rule.”
NAR intern Sarah Purcell contributed to this report.
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MP Welcomes Cookstown Jobs and Investment by Vion Foods
Martin McGuinness MP MLA for Mid Ulster has welcomed the news of an £11.5 million investment by Vion Foods into their Cookstown factory which will see the creation of 164 new jobs.
Martin McGuinness said: “This is a good news story in difficult economic times and a welcome boost to the Cookstown and wider Mid Ulster economy”
“Investment on this scale with 164 jobs will ensure the continued development of the factory in terms of technology and equipment. This will enable the local workforce to enhance their own skills and experience in the food sector which will greatly benefit them in the industry.
The creation of an additional 164 jobs will not only instil confidence into the local economy but will create significant spin-off benefits to other local businesses. It will also confirm the Cookstown factory’s position as the largest pig processing plant on the island of Ireland.


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Optus made a public announcement about its breach but was not legally required to do so. This needs to change.
This week: all things facial recognition and the implications of using public data.
We look at lessons learned from the use of digital contact tracing apps, launched with great promise early in the pandemic, but now largely regarded as ineffective by many countries.
The data collection and surveillance capabilities of smart street furniture raise a number of concerns.
This week: we dive into the complex shadow world of trading location data from innocuous apps.
Facebook's Oculus Quest 2 headset is the latest step in the construction of a 'mirrorworld' built on high-tech surveillance and targeted advertising.
In the past decade, the Australian government has commissioned data analytics projects worth more than A$200 million. We have little information about what they involved.
This week: contact tracing with Apple and Google, and the big picture of surveillance during the pandemic.
This week: part one of a special with Simon Kemp on the state of digital.
Is FaceApp amassing a database of user-submitted images for political purposes, under the guise of a light-hearted game?
The Australian Competition Consumer Commission (ACCC) released its report into digital platforms and their effect on traditional media, and it's good news for Google and Facebook.


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NEW YORK -- Lower demand, higher promotional costs and a $5.6 million payment to end a 1998 compensation agreement with vice chairman David Chu led Nautica Enterprises Inc. to sharply reduce fourth-quarter earnings estimates as it reported...
NEW YORK -- Lower demand, higher promotional costs and a $5.6 million payment to end a 1998 compensation agreement with vice chairman David Chu led Nautica Enterprises Inc. to sharply reduce fourth-quarter earnings estimates as it reported third-quarter earnings that were down 18 percent from year-ago levels, but met Wall Street's expectations.
The revision has no effect on Chu's role within the company.
Nautica now expects fourth-quarter earnings per share of between 2 and 4 cents, down from earlier estimates of 26 cents and fourth-quarter EPS of 39 cents in 2000.
The downward revision includes a fourth quarter pre-tax charge of $4.5 million, or 8 cents per share, in connection with the purchase and cancellation of the 1998 agreement with Chu.
Under the terms of the arrangement, also announced Wednesday, Nautica agreed, in exchange for a $5.6 million payment to Chu, to buy and cancel all rights flowing to Chu under the 1998 agreement which gave Chu the right to receive a payment, subject to certain limitations, of 1.5 percent of the net sales of certain merchandise sold by Nautica's subsidiaries. Included in the cancellation is the $1.2 million Nautica had accrued for this purpose in fiscal 2002.
Chu remains vice chairman and a director of Nautica and creative director of the Nautica brand. The new agreement leaves intact separate 1987 and 1988 arrangements which give Chu 50 percent of the net income that Nautica Apparel Inc., the licensing subsidiary of Nautica Enterprises, receives from licensing the Nautica name and trademark.
Last year, Chu received just under $1.24 million in salary, bonuses and other compensation.
For the third quarter ended Dec. 1, the company reported net income of $13.6 million, or 40 cents a diluted share, matching Wall Street estimates, compared with income of $16.5 million, or 50 cents, in the year-ago quarter. Sales were up 12.5 percent to $201 million from $178.6 million.
Shares of the company on Wednesday closed at $13.53, down 9 cents, or 0.7 percent, in Nasdaq trading.
Harvey Sanders, chairman, president and chief executive, said sales were driven primarily by strong performance in the existing men's and women's jeans business, retail outlet operations and new businesses such as the Earl Jean acquisition last year.New business will continue to boost sales while dragging on profitability
Dennis Rosenberg, analyst at Credit Suisse First Boston, wrote in a research note issued Wednesday that fourth-quarter selling, general and administrative spending is likely to increase 33 percent to support new businesses including the Rockefeller Center store, John Varvatos line and men's underwear. He cut his fiscal 2003 EPS estimate to $1 from $1.30, and pegged fiscal 2002 at 85 cents from $1.03. "We project relatively flat sales," he said. "Growth from Nautica's new businesses should be offset by an estimated mid-single digit decline in men's sportswear sales."
Rosenberg said the company also expects declines in it's boys' wear, European and retail operations during the year's final period.
Sanders said, "We continue to diversify our businesses and are laying the framework to leverage the Nautica name into new lines and distribution channels by exploring appropriate opportunities to build a presence in Nautica women's sportswear and further testing specialty retail formats."
For the nine months, income was down 22.5 percent to $25.7 million, or 75 cents a diluted share, from $33 million, or $1, in the comparable year-ago period. Sales rose 14 percent to $535.5 million from $469.5 million.
“My personal philosophy to beauty is paying attention to oneself. I love to be outdoors, lots of fresh air, trying to take care of yourself as best you can. I always notice that comes through,” says Felicity Jones, the global face of @shiseido-owned @cledepeaubeauteus, which launches today. Head to WWD.com to read more about the actress’ love for beauty and how she prepared for her new role in “The Basis of Sex,” playing the young Ruth Bader Ginsburg. #wwdbeauty (📷: @dandoperalski)
For men’s fall 2018, @giuseppezanotti drew on elements from streetwear, sport, biker, combat and rock ‘n’ roll. Pictured here are a pair of shoes from the collection, featuring zippers, rhinestones, and silver hardware. Head to WWD.com to see a roundup of the accessories from Milan’s men’s fall 2018 shows. #wwdfashion (📷: Andrea Delb)
To celebrate the 25th anniversary of @ralphlauren’s snowboarding collection, the brand is mining its archives. The iconic brand is reintroducing vintage styles and dropping new designs for a color capsule that will be available in Ralph Lauren stores and @openingceremony on January 25. The capsule will consist of 10 pieces, including the Snow Beach Pullover, pictured here, which is a collector’s item that rapper Raekwon wore in Wu-Tang Clan’s “Can It Be All So Simple” video. #wwdfashion (📷: Tom Gould)
For @rochasofficial’s pre-fall 2018 collection, creative director Alessandro Dell’Acqua channeled the sophisticated and intriguing Catherine Denevue in the film “Belle de Jour.” Polished collarless coats, midi skirts, suits and ’60s graphic motifs were all featured in the collection, adding a sense of discreet luxury. See the rest of the photos on WWD.com #wwdfashion
“We tried to produce clothing of that couture quality, but the most daunting part was that we only had a matter of days [to do it],” said costume designer Lou Eyrich, who recreated Gianni Versace’s iconic looks for @americancrimestoryfx. Eyrich searched online retailers and vintage shops for original pieces from the design house and for @penelopecruzoficial, who plays Donatella Versace. Head to WWD.com to read how she created the Versace world. #wwdfashion
Only three months after her stellar debut catwalk season, @kaiagerber has inked her first big design collaboration –– with @karllagerfeld. The collection blends Lagerfeld’s Parisian chic aesthetic and the model’s signature West Coast casual style via RTW, accessories, footwear and more. The #KarlLagerfeldxKaia collection will launch in September with a series of events. Get all the details on WWD.com. #wwdnews #wwdfashion
Harrods plans to remove the famous statue of Princess Diana and Dodi Al Fayed from the bottom of the Egyptian escalators and hand it back to Mohamed Al-Fayed. “We are very proud to have played our role in celebrating the lives of Diana, Princess of Wales and Dodi Al Fayed at Harrods and to have welcomed people from around the world to visit the memorial for the past 20 years,” said Michael Ward, Harrods managing director. “With the announcement of the new official memorial statue to Diana, Princess of Wales at Kensington Palace, we feel that the time is right to return this memorial to Mr. Al Fayed and for the public to be invited to pay their respects at the palace.” More on the news, with reporting by @loreleimarfil, at WWD.com. #wwdnews


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Hold the Retirement Party — Grandma's Starting Her Own Business
Baby boomers make up a growing share of new entrepreneurs, as older Americans look for ways to stay busy and earn money.
Judith Norton never imagined becoming a purveyor of high-end jam. The partially retired California resident instead spent the bulk of her career creating and writing educational training materials for private companies from the coffee industry to community colleges. Yet now, at 67, Norton finds herself contemplating a different career trajectory: as an entrepreneur who makes and markets low-sugar jam, finished with a splash of spirits. Her jam tastes so good that an Orange County Register food writer listed it as a favorite product for 2013. That's not a bad distinction for a product that Norton considered a hobby until recently.
Norton, like many aging Americans, is not ready to retire in the stereotypical sense — moving to Florida or playing bingo or spending her days shuttling between doctor's appointments. (She says she's way too healthy for that.) Instead, she is thinking about ramping up her jam-making into a small business with a dedicated production space and greater social media presence.
What helped to put her in this entrepreneurial frame of mind? A pilot program from AARP and the Kauffman Foundation that teaches entrepreneurial skills to baby boomers and senior citizens in Orange County and New York as a way to both keep this demographic engaged in the workforce for longer and to provide them with a potentially different way to earn money as they age. "We're trying to stimulate innovation that will benefit people over the age of 50," says Jody Holtzman, senior vice president of thought leadership at AARP, who helped to launch the pilot programs. "It can have a direct impact if people over 50 start companies, hire workers, and pay taxes."
The number of entrepreneurs ages 55 to 64 has only grown over the last decade — busting the myth of entrepreneurship as something solely for young, hotshot, hoodie-wearing risk takers. In 2003, people ages 55 to 64 represented 18.7 percent of all new entrepreneurs, compared with 2013 when their ranks rose to 23.4 percent, according to data from the Kauffman Foundation. New entrepreneurs from this age group now surpass the number of those in the 20-34 age range. "The trend lines are very clear there," says E.J. Reedy, director in research and policy at the Kauffman Foundation. "Most people who go into entrepreneurship have some work history."
The Kauffman Foundation first became interested in catering to the baby boomer and aging entrepreneurial set in 2009, when one of its top researchers, Dane Stangler, predicted a coming entrepreneurial boom among older people. Stangler thought that rising life expectancy, coupled with the huge cohort of baby boomers about to retire and a pretty tough labor market, would drive more people to start firms or work for themselves. His predictions were not off-base. The number of new entrepreneurs between the ages of 55 and 64 continues to grow, compared with the youngest generation (even as the largest share of new entrepreneurs still falls in the age range of 45 to 54).
Armed with about $30,000 in AARP money, the Kauffman Foundation created a business class designed especially for older Americans. The goal was to help baby boomers and senior citizens think through the mechanics of starting a business from scratch: from honing a sales pitch to finding financing to building financial projections and developing a personal brand. At the same time, the class tries to take into account the unique aspects of starting a business as an older worker such as the financial risk and factoring in the desire to eventually retire. "If I'm a boomer and I'm thinking about starting a business, I need to plan my exit as soon as I plan my entrance, unlike a 20-year-old," says Michele Markey, vice president of products and programs at the Kauffman Foundation. So far, about 100 people have attended the pilot classes in New York and Orange County, with AARP offering some scholarships to cover part of the cost.
Larry Kutcher, a consultant to entrepreneurs and companies, taught the inaugural Orange County class. Unlike younger people, Kutcher says that baby boomers and retirees bring special skills to entreneurship: lots of work experience, a fairly sophisticated support network, and financial resources. The challenge, he says, is that many come from corporate environments, where they're accustomed to an abundance of resources, or where they're taught to act with more caution in pursuing their ideas.
This is where Kutcher first encountered Norton, the jam-maker who still raves about the experience and stays in touch with her classmates. "It gave me a different way to look at having a business and different options that I never would have had access to," she says. "It was a real high to go to the class every week."
Of the 21 people who enrolled in the Orange County class, about three or four are now actively pursuing their business ventures. In addition to Norton's jam prospects, others are working on opening a consignment store, starting website projects, or offering professional services like helping college students prepare for job interviews, Kutcher says. Just as important, a few attendees figured out that their business ideas would not work in the marketplace. "That is, by itself, a success," Kutcher says.
Of course, there's inherent risk in nudging baby boomers and senior citizens toward entrepreneurship. The financial risk of potentially sinking part of one's nest egg into an uncertain venture comes at a time when people need to ensure they have enough money to live as they age and face mounting health concerns. But for baby boomers who've found themselves laid-off from long-held, corporate jobs thanks to the recession, or for those who aren't yet ready to retire, entrepreneurship offers an avenue for staying engaged and continuing to make some money over a longer time period. "You no longer have longevity even at the larger companies, and this conspires to make everyone at-risk anyway," Kutcher adds. "Our society has changed, so that everyone is an entrepreneur in some respect."


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After several years of looking to streamline their banking relationships, multinational corporations are now increasingly opting to work with larger groups of banks. Multi-banking is not a new model - but companies choosing this approach today are doing so for different reasons than in the past.
Maurice Cleaves, Global Head of Cash Management, Barclays
Michael Mueller, Head of International Cash Management, Barclays
Yera Hagopian, Global Head of Liquidity Solutions, Barclays
Jonathan Ashton, Global Head of Channels, Barclays
Brendan Reilly, Managing Director, Global Head of Client & Market Execution, Barclays
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Kering takes the lead for the apparel industry’s low-carbon future.
The French fashion conglomerate’s carbon reduction plans were verified by The Science Based Targets Initiative, a partnership between environmental organizations that works with companies to meet their sustainability targets. Kering aims to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 50 percent in eight years, and it is the first luxury company to have its environmental goals approved by the initiative.
“Contributing to combating climate change and respecting planetary boundaries in the way we do business is a priority for us,” said Marie-Claire Daveu, chief sustainability officer and head of Kering’s International Institutional Affairs. “The Science Based Targets initiative is enabling the business community to set meaningful and measurable goals to ensure that we align with the 2°C global agenda and Kering is proud that our own GHG reduction ambitions have been validated by the initiative.”
Many environmental organizations, including the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), World Resources Institute (WRI), World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and the UN Global Compact, are part of the initiative. Using the latest climate science, the environmental organizations work with businesses to reduce their carbon footprint. The initiative’s science-based targets enable companies to plan their carbon reduction approaches and determine how much improvement is required for a low-carbon economy in upcoming years.
Along with its commitment to reduce direct emissions, Kering will also reduce its indirect emissions from distribution and transportation operations, business flights and energy use by 50 percent by 2025 and purchased goods emissions by a further 40 percent.
“Kering’s ambitious but achievable targets will slash emissions across their value chain, and demonstrates the company’s commitment to a low-carbon future that other businesses must urgently adopt if they are to protect themselves and their customers from the threats of a warming planet,” said Alberto Carrillo Science Based Target initiative leader.
Alvanon’s latest collaboration is helping retailers detect the American consumer sizes.Read more
At its best, AI—which allows computers to crunch millions of data points and provide better results with each interaction—is like human sales help, only better.Read more
It’s tough times for the middleman as e-commerce increasingly connects producers with consumers, and that fact played its part in the nearly 50 percent plunge in Li & Fung’s profits last year.Read more
In today’s sourcing market, no country is an island, especially when regional sourcing could be the solution to the speed to market conundrum.Read more
Adidas Greater China is in growth mode and making the proper preparations. Plus, Finish Line had a rough fourth quarter.Read more
India’s consumer is changing—spending more and spending it differently—and between now and 2025, opportunities will be many for companies that can correctly customize their approaches and offerings.Read more


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WELCOME TO The advertising REPORT
Feature market insights and perspectives from top C-Level executives, elite technology influencers and thought leaders from your company here. This signature initiative has garnered immense support...
news3lv | March 23, 2020
One mobile advertising company in the Las Vegas valley is putting its workforce to display prominent social distancing and COVID-19 health messages.Kre8 Media Outdoor Advertising has partnered with the Nevada Governor’s Office to provide digital mobile billboards at no charge to the state. “We are completely shut down as a business yet running these advertisements to play our part during this time of need,” said Jeremie Watkins, managing partner and co-founder of Kre8 Media Out...
Ampersand | September 18, 2021
Ampersand, the audience-first TV advertising sales, data and technology company, announced today the availability of its Total TV Measurement solution for advertisers and agencies. This new capability allows Ampersand to offer brands as well as local advertisers the ability to unify and consolidate the measurement of audience-based media delivery across all of their TV investment channels – including network, spot and addressable– and activate across Ampersand's full footprint of...
ZeroSum | November 11, 2021
ZeroSum, an industry leading provider of software, data and marketing automation services to the automotive industry, has launched Auto-Stream, a first-of-its-kind platform that utilizes real-time data to assist auto dealers and marketers with the transition from traditional TV to over-the-top (OTT) and connected TV (CTV) advertising to drive faster auto sales and lower advertising costs.
For many auto dealers looking to make the switch to OTT and CTV, barriers such as OEM brand s...
UK advertising | December 15, 2021
The UK advertising watchdog has taken the crypto industry to task for “widespread” problems with misleading and irresponsible ads, issuing rulings against several of the sector’s biggest firms, including Coinbase and eToro. The Advertising Standards Authority on Wednesday released formal rebukes to seven firms for breaching UK ads industry standards with a wide range of promotions, from online campaigns to endorsements by social media influencers. Papa John’s, the pizza c...
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The ragdoll physics simulation about terrible package delivery couriers, Totally Reliable Delivery Service, is coming to Steam with its full release for the first time on April 1st, 2021!
With the name “Totally Delivered”, this release will continue the fun of a chaotic yet controllable and interactive world full of exciting missions while keeping both old and new players refreshed with more content, new visuals and gameplay mechanics.
Playing as a delivery driver who may not be so good at his/her job, players will send some goofy laughs along with the fragile boxes while they are on duty. They need to work out the drivers’ noodly limbs and torsos and fire up the vehicles to strive for top performances. Taking a detour around multiple dynamic scenes just for a fun distraction is a common choice. While running solo or joining friends both could work to secure the best customer reviews, competitions always exist and can get serious now!
Totally Reliable Delivery Service – Steam Trailer
New Features in Totally Delivered:
- Globally improved graphics
- New competitive arena mode
- New NPC’s and zone unlock system
- Upgraded animations on the characters
- Revamped UI
- And more!
Since the game’s first launch on PC, consoles and mobile, dedicated drivers across platforms have contributed more than 14 million downloads! Described as a title with “great music full of funky bass lines and bumping beats, a cute and comical art style, and a lot of customization items” by reviewers on Metacritic, Totally Reliable Delivery Service has also been streamed by more than 15000 content creators and received 988,178 hours of watched gameplay time.
Follow the game on socials to get the latest news on the game from the development team or share your ideas and suggestions:
For even more gaming news, click right HERE.