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Within a few days of seeing new images that showed Super Nintendo World under construction in Japan, another look at the upcoming theme park has apparently surfaced online. Instead of an image showing the in-progress building of the park, this latest reveal appears to be concept art that shows us yet again what the finished product will look like. Landmarks from across the Mushroom Kingdom show up in the concept art, and it appears to line up with depictions of the park that have been previously revealed.
This latest look at Super Nintendo World comes from the Xtrend Nikkei site (via Orlando ParkStop) and shows different locations like Bowser’s Castle and one of the towers on Princess Peach’s Castle. We also see a ton of other Mario-related entities and objects like the Coin Blocks, Mushroom Kingdom flags, Piranha Plants, and other things you’d find in pretty much any Mario game.
The image can be seen below courtesy of Orlando ParkStop’s Alicia Stella.
What appears to be NEW official concept art for Super Nintendo World has surfaced! This is the first to include a realistic depiction of the Yoshi ride, plus more details for the land, including the rumored AR binoculars viewers (bottom-right).November 12, 2019
If you’ve been following along with the Super Nintendo World developments as concept art and other images have either been revealed or supposedly leaked online, you’ll notice that the new concept art appears to line up with what’s been seen before. An older image which appeared to show a leaked model for Super Nintendo World features many of the same features that this new concept art did including the locations of the attractions. There are some differences like the lack of signage in the concept art over attractions such as the Mario Kart ride housed in Bowser’s Castle, but for the most part, the two images line up with one another.
While all of these reveals are all just concepts until they’ve been put into place, we actually have received some legit photos of the park’s construction thanks to some Twitter users. Just a few days ago, a user on Twitter shared some images of the park being built. What’s interesting about those photos is that they also line up with the concept art and model, though a hilly, multi-leveled area filled with Coin Blocks and Goombas isn’t enough yet to verify the legitimacy of the leaks.
Super Nintendo World is scheduled to open its gates first in Japan in 2020.


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Shaw’s Supermarkets celebrated the grand re-openings of three store locations including Easton’s on Oct. 27, with donations to local organizations.
Shaw’s made donations of $1,000 each to the Easton Public Schools, Easton Children’s Museum and the Brockton Symphony Orchestra.
Festivities were held at the Easton Shaw’s on Depot Street as well as Shaw’s supermarkets in Brockton and Nashua, N.H.
“I am proud to celebrate these three grand re-opening events with our customers, employees, vendor partners and the local Easton, Brockton and Nashua communities,” said Paul Gossett, president of Shaw’s and Star Markets. “Since 1860 Shaw’s has been serving customers in New England. And, it is very exciting that 157 years later we are celebrating a grand re-opening in one of our founding cities – Brockton, MA.”

domain: news


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Sprint officially intros the Kyocera Rise, will launch it on August 19. Virgin Mobile version coming soon
Today, Sprint has confirmed that it’s going to launch the new Kyocera Rise Android smartphone on August 19 (just as rumored not long ago) – the same day when its Motorola Photon Q 4G LTE will hit the shelves.
As previously reported, the Kyocera Rise runs Android 4.0 ICS, and features a 3.5 inch HVGA display, full sliding QWERTY keyboard, 1GHz single core Qualcomm Snapdragon MSM8655 processor, 3.2MP rear camera with LED flash, 512MB of RAM, MicroSD card support (2GB card pre-installed), and a 1,500 mAh battery.
Sprint will sell the new handset for $19.99 on contract, after a $50 mail-in rebate.
Virgin Mobile will also offer the Kyocera Rise, but only starting August 31. The prepaid carrier plans to sell the Rise for just $99.99 (no contract required).
Via Press release
Looking to buy Android t-shirts? Check my Online Store here.


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In the idyllic aisles of U.S. supermarkets, labels like “responsibly grown,” “farmworker-assured,” and “fair-trade certified” adorn fruits and vegetables, masking the harsh realities faced by Mexican workers who harvest them including wage theft, sexual harassment, retaliation, and even forced labor.
Weak standards and poor enforcement
Fair Trade USA and the Equitable Food Initiative (EFI) claim to establish private labor standards through a collaborative process involving brands, growers, nonprofits, and, in the case of EFI, U.S. farmworker unions.
However, Corporate Accountability Lab interviewed 200 workers and found that these certifications are tools of management repression, creating joint worker-management committees that are ineffective in empowering workers.
Anna Canning and James Daria report,
Both Fair Trade USA and EFI certifications assess compliance through third-party social auditors who visit plantation sites and interview workers.
The audit is set up to deliver good results, with focus-group-style interviews in front of management. “Yes, they ask us a lot of questions,” Lucinda said, “but we can’t say the truth there, because the coordinator is there. The human resources person is there.
“Before they [the auditors] come, they tell us ‘We have to go over this, and when they come we have to tell them yes.’ In other words, they instruct us to lie, and really we aren’t really complying.”
“To me, Fair Trade means unfair trade.”
One group of workers on a plantation certified by EFI and Fair Trade USA told Jacobin that they were forced to work for extended periods of time without days off, unable to leave as their identity documents and wages were withheld. One man noted, “I felt like a slave.”
Their salvation? Not auditors but a farmworker union – the kind that is undermined by certification schemes that cut out meaningful organizing by workers for workers.
The illusion of ethical consumption
Most disturbingly, the report reveals that certification standards are lower than prevailing national labor laws – so weak, they can be cleared easily and yet, even then, workers are rarely trained to recognize or understand what these standards actually are. This is how such schemes create an environment in which workers can be mistreated while corporations still earn a “fair trade” stamp of approval which consumers in the U.S. (and elsewhere) are encouraged to buy in support of workers’ rights.
The exploitation faced by Mexican farmworkers demands not just consumer awareness but a radical shift in corporate responsibility to ensure fair and equitable conditions.


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McDonald's is under pressure due to 'deteriorating industry conditions'
- McDonald's is the worst performer on the Dow Friday.
- A team of analysts at RBC Capital Markets downgraded the stock on "deteriorating industry conditions" and disappointing value menu sales.
- Still, the company's long-term prospects remain strong.
- Watch the stock in real time here.
Shares of McDonald's are down almost 5% Friday after a team of analysts at RBC Capital Markets warned of a dim outlook for the fast-food industry.
The team of analysts led by David Palmer downgraded the stock, and lowered its price target to $170 a share from $190, citing "deteriorating industry conditions and a disappointing early sales impact from the $1, $2, $3 value menu."
Palmer isn't so sure the price cut is working, and lowered his first-quarter US sales estimate to up 1% from up 3.5%. He says the new dollar menu campaign "stole attention from local marketing, particularly at breakfast, which likely slowed as a consequence." Even worse, he wrote, McDonald's new value-conscious effort "may have invited a flurry of competitor responses and diminished its overall impact."
Still, investors don't need to flee the stock because its long-term prospects remain strong. He thinks McDonald's has numerous opportunities to boost same-store sales growth by creating "more effective value marketing, digital/delivery initiatives, product renovation," he wrote.
McDonald's may benefit from the tax plan, Palmer wrote, saying that improving wage growth may get more customers into restaurants. International markets are also a particular "bright spot" because of the weak US dollar.
McDonald's is down almost 14% this year.
- Here’s why there is less adoption of the new tax regime and how budget 2022 can make it more attractive
- A market guru explains why real estate, housing and textiles should get some budget boost
- From tax structure rationalisation to expanding EV charging infrastructure, here’s what the industry wants from Budget 2022
- Best smartphones with 3.5mm headphone jack
- Best budget feature-packed TVs in India


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Pumpkin Patch workers lose health insurance
Everything that could possibly go wrong is going wrong for Pumpkin Patch employees, their union has claimed.
When the struggling children's clothing retailer announced last month it was going into receivership, employees were told they might not get any redundancy payout should the chain shut down.
On Tuesday, receivers KordaMentha announced no buyer had been found, so the chain's 43 New Zealand stores will soon close.
It's now been claimed the company failed to pay for employees' health insurance, as they were required to in a collective agreement signed only a few months before the company went into receivership.
Read the full article > Newshub - newshub.co.nz


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Tulsa city leaders are hoping to entice Amazon to set up shop in Tulsa.
Tulsa is one of a dozen cities vying to become the online retailers second North American headquarters.
Mayor G.T. Bynum said the chance to bring Amazon to Tulsa is the greatest corporate attraction in American history. He said the city worked with a diverse group of people to come up with the Amazon proposal.
The new headquarters would create 50,000 new jobs.
Bynum said the city is also making investments that he believes allows Tulsa to compete with Oklahoma City, as well as any city around the world.
The mayor said because it's less expensive to live in Tulsa, and the quality of life is higher here, our city is prime real estate for the $5 billion project.
"We put everything that we had into this…When the team at Amazon opens our proposal, my goal is I want them to be both surprised, and impressed, and I think that we're going to meet that goal," Bynum said.
The mayor said his proposal showcases all the amenities Tulsa has to offer.
Amazon will announce which city is selected next year.


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Net sales were $114.4 million for the quarter ended Dec. 31, 2014, a 1.7% increase from the prior year quarter. The company estimates that West Coast port congestion adversely impacted net sales by at least $6 million, or 5.3%, for the quarter. Net income was $4.7 million, or 61 cents per share, compared to $1.2 million or 16 cents per share in the prior year quarter. Gross margin as a percent of net sales for the quarter was 23.7% compared to 23.2% for the prior year quarter.
Flexsteel noted that during the fiscal second quarter, the furniture supplier entered into an agreement to settle the Indiana civil litigation for $6.3 million. This amount was recorded as litigation settlement cost.
For the six months, net sales increased 2.8% to $223.1 million as orders increased 10% from the prior year period. Net income for the half-year was $9.6 million, or $1.25 per share, compared to $4.9 million, or 66 cents per share, in the prior year period.
To view the full report click here.


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The first retail store of Apple in Hong Kong is scheduled to open later this month, inside the International Finance Center (IFC) on September 24. The IFC is a four-storey waterfront commercial center in the city’s Central District with more than 200 stores operating within.
Banners advertising the grand opening of the store can be seen outside the mall, stating “Apple Store, ifc mall. The new Center of Central.”
The store’s construction began in June, with the mall promising to open the store in the fourth quarter of 2011. Reports say that Apple initially planned to spend more than $20 million on the store’s construction alone.
The two-storey Apple retail store is expected to serve an average 40,000 walk-in customers daily. Apple is also said to hire over 300 employees that will occupy the retail store once it opens, making it one massive Apple Store.
If this store was not enough, Apple apparently plans on opening a second Apple store in Hong Kong in 2012. It was reported that the second Apple store will be 20,000 square feet and will be located at Hysan Place in Causeway Bay.
The presence of the company in Hong Kong will help eliminate the booming grey market for Apple products in the city. Apple devices like iPhones and iPads are brought into the city and are sold at higher prices, as its authorized resellers run out of stock.
The new Hong Kong store will be open just in time for the release of the iPhone 5, which is rumored to be launched in the United States in October.
via: Sacramento Bee


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Just days before the last-minute rush to buy pre-Christmas Day gifts, known as “Super Saturday,” shoppers are likely rechecking their holiday listings and, most importantly, shipping times.
For those who send packages to their loved ones, both the US Postal Service and FedEx list today (December 15) as the ground delivery deadline for gifts and cards to arrive by December 25. busiest sending and shipping week of the holiday season, with nearly 2.3 billion mail items – including greeting cards and parcels – expected to be processed and delivered.
Keep in mind that the shipping deadlines for gifts to be delivered by Christmas also extend to brands and retailers. Adidas, JCPenney, Nike, Public goods, Therabody and Felix Gray are just a few of the retailers that list Dec. 15 as the standard shipping deadline. And since shoppers have stockpiled freebies to make sure they arrive on time, experts told us it’s best to maintain some flexibility during the final weeks of shopping season.
If you’re still on the hunt for the perfect gift this season, we recently shared several gift guides for all kinds of people, including cat lovers, bakers, and teens. Below, we’ve also rounded up some notable launches, deals, and sales that we think you should know about.
New launches from Bala, Brooklinen and Smeg
To spark some giveaway inspiration, we’ve selected a few recent launches that we think will interest you based on the interest of the selected readers and our past coverage.
From heavier training equipment to dog toys, Bala launched a wide range of new products over the past month. The brand’s latest launch is its Floor series, which includes three attractive home training equipment: The play mat, a moisture-wicking, non-slip training mat with an antimicrobial faux leather top layer, Balance blocks made of dense sports foam and The hourglass scroll, a foam roller that the brand claims can help with flexibility and post-workout recovery. All of these products are available in three colors: Sand, Blush and Charcoal.
If you are looking to give your linens a makeover for the New Year, Brooklinen released new limited edition colourways for its Classic and Luxury sheets, duvet covers and pillow cases. You can choose from new solid colors like Toffee, Rose Quartz and Bluestone or patterns like Abstract Forest in Latte and Abstract Forest in Bluestone.
Smeg x Coca Cola limited edition collaboration
Smeg has had its fair share of iconic partnerships – the premium kitchenware brand has collaborated with giants like Disney, Dolce and Gabbana, and Supreme. Now, Smeg is adding Coca-Cola to the mix – the home appliance company has teamed up with the beverage giant to create two iconic refrigerators: the Fab 28 Coca-Cola refrigerator and the Unity 1971 refrigerator. According to Smeg, the Fab 28 Coca refrigerator -Cola pays homage to the Americana of the 1950s and comes with the brand’s retro flair as well as Coca-Cola colors and typeface. The colorful Unity refrigerator from 1971, designed to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Hilltop Coca-Cola advertisement from 1971, is modeled after SMEG’s FAB28 refrigerator, with a design inspired by the 70s. The Fab 28 refrigerator is available at select retailers such as Williams sonoma, while the Unity refrigerator is available exclusively from Neiman marcus.
Sales in progress in December
We’ve rounded up a few current sales that we think you should know about to shop this holiday season. You can also check out our December sales guide for more sales and deals going on this month.
- Neiman marcus offers up to 60 percent off previously discounted items, plus a surcharge 25 percent off items on sale until December 25.
- Anthropology offers up to 50 percent off select holiday gifts.
- The threshold offers up to 50 percent off select plants, planters, holiday sets and more.
- Adidas offers up to 40 percent off select styles through December 31st.
- The company store offers up to 40 percent off on certain items until December 19.
- Gravity blankets offers up to 30 percent off throughout the site until December 19.
- Plantes.com offers up to 30 percent off Christmas trees until December 19.
- Zipporah offer 20 percent off full-size fragrances and free same-day delivery during its Perfume for all Event using the codes FRAGRANCE20 and SAMEDAY.
- 1-800-Flowers offer 15 percent off same day flower and gift delivery services using the code SMEDY15 until December 17th.
- Homesick offer 15 percent off a product and 20 percent off two or more products.
- Mauve offer 10 percent off throughout the site, including mattresses, pillows, bedding and seat cushions.


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“Since 1998, the world has changed completely. The Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR) were drafted in 2003 to complement the DPA by defining, in detail, how and when organisations can contact individuals. It forms the basis of all current direct marketing legislation. If you work in direct marketing, you’ll recognise a lot of the principles, such as providing an easy way to opt out of marketing emails, screening phone calls against a “do not call” list, and always stating exactly how you plan on using personal information, and for how long.
The digital world evolves at a rapid pace, however, and many now feel that both the DPA and the PECR no longer provide adequate protection against organisations looking to get their hands on European citizens’ data. This view was recently backed by the European Court of Justice who declared “Safe Harbour” to be invalid in the wake of the Edward Snowden revelations.
The agreement, the European Court of Justice argued, no longer guaranteed the safety of European data and American companies, such as Google, Facebook and Microsoft, would now have to establish individual agreements, known as model contract clauses, in order to transfer data across the Atlantic.
This has fairly large implications for digital marketing, which relies on the free exchange of personal information across borders in a range of forms.” – Rob Diggle, Databroker, February 23rd 2016
This article from Rob Diggle highlights that GDPR is symptomatic of a global recognition that current data protection laws are inadequate and outdated. Take the UK for instance; our last significant reform was back in 1993 long before the invention of current email marketing systems and their extensive tracking capabilities.
According to estimates from the European Commission the value of personal data has the potential to grow to nearly €1 trillion annually by 2020. With such high stakes its a surprise these reforms haven’t come about sooner…
Rob’s article offers great insight into the issues these laws raise for digital marketers and is well worth a read.


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"So far, it doesn't look like the city is doing anything to help itself," State Rep. John Perzel said.
And if the state does not approve of Philadelphia's proposed one percent sales tax hike, which seems to be Mayor Michael Nutter's budget deficit cure all, expect massive city cuts and layoffs to become a reality, according to the Metro.
And Nutter better be ready to lobby for the city's requests like he's never lobbied before, since the city has shown no effort to decrease spending, the paper reported.
"If you look at these major corporations and what they have to do to move forward, some are laying off 40 percent of their workforce," Perzel said.
Many don't see how the sales tax increase would really impact the city.
"Those who are looking to save money are already looking at the current sales tax and shopping outside the city," Councilman Wilson Goode Jr. said.


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CHAPEL HILL — North Carolina already possessed the kind of energy that only arrives before games against N.C. State, but then the Tar Heels finished their warm-ups and went inside their locker room. A surprise awaited: shiny chrome helmets, with a Carolina blue heel stretched around the side.
The scene inside the locker room was chaotic and jubilant. It was as if the Tar Heels had won something, when really they would only be wearing something they never had before.
That was crazy, Tre Boston, the UNC safety, said earlier this week of finding the helmets that UNC wore during its victory last season against N.C. State. Ill let you know that. We came in first of all, to be in all navy (jerseys) was kind of crazy, because we hadnt done that in a while. But to see the chrome was something new.
We were excited. It got us pumped up. It gets your blood flowing, gets a little something in you.
The Tar Heels havent worn those chrome helmets this season. Yet they are wearing the new jerseys that Nike designed, and new helmets. And Saturday they play at Virginia Tech, which earned attention last week during its victory at Georgia Tech for wearing a grey stone-patterned helmet design inspired by the Hokie Stone, which adorns many of the buildings on Virginia Techs campus.
Welcome to college football in 2013, when schools receive almost as much attention for what they wear as for what they do while they wear it. Perhaps its the Oregon effect a trickle down fashion phenomenon traced to the Pacific Northwest, where Nike in the mid-2000s collaborated with the Oregon football program to turn out uniforms that became more and more outlandish.
Metallic helmets that changed colors depending on the angle they were viewed? Sure. Mix-and-match jersey and pant combinations that allowed for a vastly different look every week? Why not? Accents on the jerseys, like feathers and wings and whatever else? Yes. And another thing happened, too: Oregon began winning in style, figuratively and literally.
Oregon showed that you could do this and by this I mean change your uniforms, push the envelope in terms of design, change the notion of what a uniform can be, said Paul Lukas, who writes about the aesthetics of sports for ESPN.com and his popular website, uni-watch.com. Basically Oregon has paralleled its transformation of these designs from athletic uniforms for athletes to superhero costumes.
Thats what its based on. These are superhero costumes.
Designers , Fedora collaborated
In just the past two weeks, Lukas website has chronicled more than a dozen nontraditional designs from the smoky gray uniforms Tennessee will wear against Georgia on Saturday to the throwback jerseys Georgia Tech wore against Virginia Tech last week, to the Hokie Stone helmets Virginia Tech wore in the same game, to a fire-inspired flaming helmet Arizona State will wear against Notre Dame. And the list goes on.
Lukas began writing about sports aesthetics with a focus on uniform design in 1999. By 2004, he was writing regular features on ESPN.com. Back then, college football uniform designs were far more constant. Teams rarely changed their look. But now?
Its gotten crazy, he said. It used to be teams would change their uniforms once in a generation and then once a decade and basically the cycle of change has gotten faster and faster. Once a decade went down to once every five years, and then every couple of years. And now, you have an awful lot of teams that make at least some change every year, and youve got a few teams that make a change every week.
UNC hasnt gone to that extreme yet but the Tar Heels have changed their look considerably since hiring Larry Fedora in late 2011. The chrome helmets represent its boldest fashion statement to date, but the Tar Heels will go all black including a matte black helmet when they host Miami for a nationally-televised Thursday night game on Oct. 17.
That game has been billed Zero Dark Thursday and, according to a statement UNC put out in the spring, it will wear black because of inspiration from the black in the Tar Heel logo.
Fedora played a large role in the overhaul of UNCs uniforms, which include the all black alternate and two other full designs white tops and pants, blue tops and pants that can be mixed and matched. He met twice with Justin LaRosa, who led Nikes design team that revamped the Tar Heels look.
During the first meeting, LaRosa said, he was trying to get into (Fedoras) mind, and trying to figure out what inspires him and what he instills in the guys to get them inspired. Thats kind of the first way it started. LaRosa and his team spent time on campus, searching for inspiration in and around Kenan Stadium.
We were really inspired by the curl of the rams horn, and the stance that the ram has this really super low-to-the-ground, really aggressive stance, LaRosa said. Its all about forward attack, and a forward movement, which is just what (Fedoras) playing methods are.
The rams horn inspired the stripes on the shoulders. On the back of the jerseys, the words smart, fast, physical Fedoras motto, one that is prominent inside the Kenan Football Center are embroidered on the neckline.
Chasing recruits, revenue
When Fedora began coaching at Baylor in 1990, few coaches thought about uniform design. That has changed, though, for many reasons. When Oregon began wearing its funky uniform combinations, and began winning big, the dynamic changed.
I think its so important in recruiting right now, Fedora said. Because its kind of the thing. Its the thing to do. So I think you definitely better take advantage of it and you better have an idea of what you want to do, or you better have somebody on your staff thats good at that.
Weve got a staff that understands the importance of it.
Lukas, though, doesnt buy that argument. He has made his living chronicling what sports teams wear and thinking about how and why college football has reached this point with teams breaking tradition to wear black and gray and helmets that look more befitting of a costume show than a football game.
The recruiting explanation is one. Another: These new designs represent a new revenue stream. In the online merchandise shop attached to UNCs official athletic website, a black UNC No. 2 football jersey similar to the one quarterback Bryn Renner will wear against Miami goes for $89.95. Virginia Tech, meanwhile, is auctioning 12 Hokie Stone helmets, with the minimum bid for each starting at $600. A portion of the winning bids will go to charity.
Still, coaches say the new designs are important because they attract recruits. Not that theres much evidence to support that claim.
Most of what Ive seen shows that recruits actually dont treat the uniform as that big an issue, Lukas said. They may be an impressed by given designs, they may go, Oooh and aaah, but they dont actually make their decision on where to commit based on that. Also, I certainly note that schools like Alabama and Auburn and Texas, which have stayed the course with fairly plain uniforms, dont seem to have any trouble with recruiting.
UNC, though, isnt Alabama or Auburn or Texas. Its like Oregon was, before the Ducks started a college football fashion revolution that likely has yet to reach its peak. Lukas doesnt see the change slowing down.
If anything, he said, alternate designs will only become more prevalent in part because now theres competition and not just among teams. What Nike did for Oregon, Under Armour is doing for Maryland, which has become known in recent years for its elaborate, state flag-inspired red, black and yellow jerseys and helmets. Adidas has pumped up Tennessee, UCLA and Nebraskas look, among others.
Fedora credits this uniform craze to Oregon, the first school to embrace it. Many more have. N.C. State, Duke and Wake Forest have multiple helmet options. Indiana, which has won six-plus games once since 1994, has six helmets. Even Notre Dame has worn metallic helmets and an alternate jersey.
At UNC, Fedora has spoken often about change. He wants to change the culture of his program, and the environment that surrounds it. And hes not opposed to changing the look, either.
When Nike was redesigning UNCs uniforms, Fedora received renderings in the mail. He offered feedback. One process ended and another began. Fedora said UNC has already met with Nike to discuss the next iteration.
Carter: 919-829-8944; Twitter: @_andrewcarter


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Apple does not have its own retail store in India to sell its products. From a decade, Apple is selling its products through third-party sellers in India. Every year, Apple brings new products in the market, but it sells through another seller as there is no Online Apple store in India. But now, there is news that Apple is going to open its first Retail Store in India in 2021.
Apple To Begin Online Sales By Opening First Retails Store In India Next Year!
The chief executive, Tim Cook, said, that Apple will open its online store in India. It will set up its first flagship brick and mortar store in 2021. On Wednesday, there was an annual shareholder meeting at that time Tim Cook announced about this.
Tim Cook said, “I’m a huge believer in the opportunity in India.” “It’s a country with vibrancy and demographics that are just unparalleled.”
Earlier there were reports that Apple is planning to open an online store this year and was able to have a retails store ready in India this year.
Cook confirmed the news while speaking to the investors at the annual shareholder meeting in California. Tim Cook said Apple would open an offline retail store in the world’s second-largest smartphone market in 2021. He also said, “I don’t want someone else to run the brand for us”.
At present, Apple sells its devices through a third-party reseller in India. According to the reports, Apple has hired a location in Mumbai for the branded retail store, but the company has not revealed the place yet.
Apple’s first online store will start working in the third quarter of this year. At present Apple is selling its devices in India through offline retails and e-commerce sites like Amazon.in and Flipkart.


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Retailers and manufacturers are wasting more than £2.7bn (i) a year developing new products that either fail to take off with shoppers or that end up costing more to produce, wiping out any potential profit, according to a new report by retail and manufacturing consultancy Newton.
Whilst research by Newton found that 62% of consumers like products to evolve, offering developments like different flavours and new packaging, all too often retailers and manufacturers within the food and drink industry are basing their innovations on “gut feel” rather than on insight into what customers really want.
Newton found that over an estimated £600m is lost annually on launching new and rebranded products, or refreshing the packaging, on products that don’t return the investment in terms of increased sales. More worryingly, Newton says more than £2.1bn is wasted producing new items, such as products that are costlier to make than those they are replacing, have more expensive ingredients, or that cause manufacturing problems.
Not only is poor innovation costing the industry money, Newton believes they are missing out on hundreds of millions of pounds every year in profit on new products. Less than 3% of new product launches generate over £35m in profits – Newton estimates that improvement in revenue from better new product innovation could generate £233m (ii).
But the consultancy says the key to successful new development is to focus on what consumers want rather than second-guessing their tastes – and largely what consumers want is convenience. The report found that shoppers bought different versions of their favourite food items because they were quicker and easier to use*, such as cheese slices (31% chose these over standard block cheese), or seedless grapes (almost 44% chose this variety over standard grapes).
When it comes to developing new products, Paul Harvey, head of grocery at Newton, says retailers and manufacturers shouldn’t “innovate for innovation’s sake”. He explains: “Regardless of the nature of innovation or the rationale behind it, one point remains of paramount importance – innovation must either add value to the end consumer or reduce costs for the company producing it.
“An understanding of what a customer really wants is critical to the success of innovation and new product development. Research that sets out to prove a company’s own hypothesis right, rather than understanding the needs of the end consumer, is more likely to result in products that fail.”
Harvey points out that some of the most innovative ideas in shopping over recent years have come from the growth of discounters like Lidl and Aldi, where smaller stores have put value at the heart of their proposition and out-performed bigger supermarkets, or developments that focus on convenience, such as dine for £10 offers that are perfect for a mid-week treat, or convenience-store versions of big brands, such as Tesco Metro or Sainsbury’s Local, ideal for busy workers.
On the other hand, Newton cites failed innovations like a Victoria sponge that was re-designed by a leading UK cake manufacturer to have a more “homemade feel”. What worked well in the development kitchen caused havoc on the production line – production efficiency dropped to half of that of the cake it replaced, whilst waste more than tripled.
The science behind innovation
Newton’s report proposes a three-point approach to better innovation:
- Collaboration – retailers and manufacturers collate a mass of data on consumer trends and the performance of products, but this is rarely shared. By sharing insights and working together on development, new products are more likely to be both what consumers want and what suppliers can actually produce.
- Production – all too often, product changes are made by people who have no awareness of the impact of their decisions on the manufacturing process, so a change of packaging or ingredients can push up costs and reduce efficiency. All such proposals should be tested with the manufacturer first before large scale production is considered.
- Iteration – Newton says failing fast is key to developing innovative ideas whilst not spending too much on products that are not successful. If 100 products are proposed but 90 of those are rejected based on consumer insight and production analysis before they even make it to the development stage, that will make huge savings and ensure only the best new products actually hit the shelves.
*Top five most convenient foods
|Food||% who chose it||Main reason it’s better than original||% who cited that reason|
|Seedless grapes||43.7%||Tastes better||58.6%|
|Stock cubes (powder and jelly)||36.7%||Quicker and easier||59.2%|
|Cheese slices||31.3%||Quicker and easier||57.1%|
|Spreadable cheese||28.9%||Quicker and easier||50.3%|
|Grated cheese||23.6%||Quicker and easier||64.2%|
(i) £2.7bn wasted on poor product development
|New Product Development (NPD) Spend (Rebrand/Product Launch)||£262m||30% reduction in spend of NPD launches|
|NPD Spend (Packaging Refresh)||£345m||assume 200,000 SKU’s refreshed every two years at £10k each|
|Waste (Operations)||£154m||based on 1 in 8 products running 20% higher waste|
|Slow Running (Operations)||£1,159m||based on 1 in 5 products running 15% slower, valued as labour saving|
|Raw Materials (Operations)||£859m||based on 1 in 9 products with 20% more expensive raw materials|
(ii)Lost profit opportunity
|NPD Lost Profit (EBIT)||£233m||30% improvement in revenue from better NPD product decisions, assumed 30% profit margin|


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Company achieves 7% rise in Q3 2018 operating income due to strong music sales
Dubai, UAE – 7th February 2019 – Sony Corporation reported its strong third quarter annual operating income with a year-on-year increase of seven per cent compared to the same quarter of the previous fiscal year ending December 31, 2017.
The operating income for the most recent quarter increased to US$3.34 billion (¥377.0 billion) from US$3.10 billion (¥350.8 billion), a 7 per cent rise from the year ago period. Contributing to the income growth were the robust sales in the Music Division, which recorded a 274 per cent rise from the year ago period to US$1.3 billion (¥147.1 billion). Another contributor was the Imaging Products and Solutions (IP&S) division, which posted 31 per cent year-on-year growth amounting to US$302.9 million (¥32.2 billion). Sales for the Home Entertainment & Sound (HE&S) segment were also up 2.8 per cent on year at US$420.4 million (¥47.5 billion).
“We got off to a strong start in the first two quarters for FY2018 and were able to sustain good momentum in the third quarter. Apart from Music, the Home Entertainment & Sound segment experienced an increase in operating income due to an improvement in the product mix of televisions reflecting a shift to high value-added models,” said Fumiatsu Hirai, Managing Director, Sony Middle East and Africa. “The continuous popularity of the award-winning WH-1000XM3 noise-cancelling headphones and our top-of-the-line range of BRAVIA Master Series TVs contributed to the overall sales across segments in the region.”
Sony reiterated its October forecast for its annual operating income of US$7.7 billion (¥870 billion), a significant rise from the previous year’s outlook of US$6.5 billion (¥734.9 billion). Meanwhile, the latest annual consolidated sales forecast is 2 per cent lower than the October forecast at US$77 billion (¥8.5 trillion).


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Indonesia Payments Startup Xendit Takes On Southeast Asia After Unicorn Status
(Bloomberg) -- Xendit, an Indonesian digital payments firm that recently reached a $1 billion valuation, plans to expand to the rest of Southeast Asia.
The company will also seek to broaden its product offering in the next few years to help businesses verify customers and let them manage merchants, Tessa Wijaya, co-founder and chief operating officer, said in a Bloomberg Television interview with Haslinda Amin and Rishaad Salamat.
Xendit seeks to be a “one-stop shop” for merchants looking to shift online as it understands the various payment behaviors in each country, Wijaya said. “Hopefully we can replicate that playbook to other parts of Southeast Asia,” she added. Xendit is already present in the Philippines.
Xendit lets businesses handle payments and disburse payroll on its platform, which links them with transaction methods including digital wallets, credit cards and online installments. It counts major tech companies like Traveloka among its clients. The company raised $150 million in a funding round led by Tiger Global Management in September, bringing its valuation to $1 billion.
©2022 Bloomberg L.P.


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Microsoft’s Build Conference Focuses on Windows 8.1 and 2 More Heavily Traded Stocks to Follow
Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT): Current price $34.57
It appears that most content of the Build conference, which is being held in San Francisco, is concentrated around improvements in, and modifications to, the next upgrade of the Windows operating system, Windows 8.1. Chief Executive Steve Ballmer reported that his company has adopted a new “rapid release” attitude to bringing out new versions of Windows to appeal more effectively to developers. Microsoft supplied developers with an early release version of Windows 8.1, and said again that a free upgrade for consumers who have purchased Windows 8 will be available later in 2013. The analyst Brad Reback at Stifel Nicolaus has called Windows 8.1 “a step in the right direction,” and that its release indicates the company can make innovations at a faster rate than it has done previously.
Sirius XM Radio (NASDAQ:SIRI): Current price $3.41
Sirius shares have been moving up for years, and it is apparent that one investor believes that it is a safe proposition in the long term. OptionMONSTER’s tracking programs have detected the sale of 85,000 January 2015 2 puts for 14 cents, marking the biggest trade in any instrument aside from the volatility index in the entire session on Wednesday. The put seller must now buy shares in the company for $2 if they are under that level upon expiration 18 months hence. In exchange for making that pledge, he or she collected the credit of 14 cents.
The Charles Schwab Corporation (NYSE:SCHW): Current price $21
An arbitration panel has ordered that the former financial planner Matthew Weitzman, who is presently serving an eight-year prison sentence for stealing from clients, must pay Charles Schwab Corp $2.75 million. The case arose with a claim against Schwab brought by the father-in-law of Weitzman, who was a former principal at AFW Asset Management. The father-in-law Burton Langer accused Schwab of unauthorized transfers of securities, and sought damages of $8.4 million, along with interest and attorneys’ fees from the firm, and also from the Weitzmans, as third-party respondents in the arbitration claim.


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Weston-super-Mare pair arrested following WH Smith burglary
PUBLISHED: 09:36 26 January 2017 | UPDATED: 09:51 26 January 2017
A man and woman from Weston-super-Mare have been arrested and bailed after a WH Smith store in Somerset was burgled at the weekend.
Police released CCTV footage earlier this week after a burglary at the store in Street on Saturday.
The incident involved a black Ford Focus estate car, which is said to have been damaged after it was used to smash into the Street store in High Street at around 10.17pm. A man went inside the store and stole a cash box, before getting back into the car and driving off.
Since then, a 33-year-old man and a 28-year-old woman have been arrested on suspicion of burglary and are currently on police bail until March 6.


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They vary in scope and scale but Sickinger focuses on the three qualities that a final PERS bill will likely have.
Consumer: Laura Gunderson's latest indispensable consumer complaint column takes on the sometimes unscrupulous practices of magazine sales.
Tech: Mike Rogoway continues his reporting on the mysterious "Project Azalea," which is the code name for a major electronics factory being courted by economic development officials in Oregon and New York. In his latest story on the project, Rogoway breaks down the three way race.
Economy: Molly Young has a roundup of local area economic news.
Sportswear: Allan Brettman reports that analysts are cautious about Nike stock right now.
Wine: Dana Tims reports that word of the first large-scale acquisition of Oregon vineyard lands by a California winemaker was made official Friday, when Jackson Family Wines confirmed it has bought vineyard lands in the Willamette Valley.
-- The Oregonian


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Bill Grimsey, the former boss of Wickes, Iceland, Booker and Focus DIY, is revisiting his Grimsey Review, first published in 2013.
The revised edition of the Grimsey Review – An Alternative Future for the High Street aims to shed light on current developments in UK retail, given recent troubles in the industry including store closures, administrations and CVAs.
The review, written by independent experts, will examine the current state of high streets and town centres, and the impact of technological advances and Brexit.
Grimsey – following the recent collapse of two major UK retailers, Toys R Us and Maplin – called for a renewal of focus on town centres and high streets.
He said: “It is time to get this subject back on everyone’s agenda. Otherwise we will continue to sleepwalk into the remainder of the 21st century, leaving a legacy of ill-thought-out town centres and high streets to the next generation.”
Using case studies, the report will explore models for reinventing the store as a community hub.
Due to be published on July 4, it will also examine social and political factors for change, such as ageing demographics, as well as the costs, financing and operating models of towns.
Grimsey said: “Change is rapid and change is constant. This all-encompassing second review […] will act as an independent source of evidence and advice as to how the change should be managed.”


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A bowling alley and ice-skating rink are two of the suggestions for the future use of the former Budgens supermarket in Shaftesbury made to Shaftesbury Town Council by members of the public .
The Bell Street store has been empty for almost two years after the company running it went into liquidation in February 2017. But the town council has now formed a special committee to look into the feasibility of making a bid for the freehold to turn it into a community facility run by a charitable company.
Among other suggestions for the store are a health and fitness suite on the upper floor with a mixture of retail shops on the ground floor.
The town council’s latest committee, launched 31 October, has until the end of November to make a bid for the property to the Bristol-based agents GVA. The agents want £1.5 million for the store but it is believed they would accept £1 million.
Deputy mayor Councillor Lester Taylor, introducing the meeting, said that the council would probably have to take out a commercial loan to buy the site so whatever happened there had to be financially sustainable. That meant tenants would have to pay a commercial rent.
Newly-elected chairman Jackie Upton-King, secretary of Shaftesbury Civic Society, told members that the committee had to have ‘a clear commercial focus’.
She said they had to be ‘clear and honest’ with people that some of the things people might like won’t happen unless they can be shown to be properly commercially viable.
If the council is successful in buying the site it is likely to be a year to 18 months before it is ready for occupation while a number of structural alterations are carried out. One option being considered is the complete demolition of the existing building and starting again.
Shaftesbury Town Council is to consider the committee’s plan at an emergency meeting on Tuesday (6 Nov). The meeting starts at 7pm and is open to the public.
• Jemma Ricketts, owner of Enchanted Plants in Shaftesbury, is the committee’s first vice-chairman.


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One rumour floating around at the moment is that the eventual Mazda RX-9 sports car may pack an H-Bomb under its bonnet.
According to these rumours, Mazda intends to use the technology behind the RX-8 Hydrogen RE to make the RX-9 into the flagship for an eventual range of dual-fuel Hydrogen-petrol powered cars (not forgetting the FCX), offering a 20 percent improvement on fuel efficiency and emissions as compared to a regular rotary engine.
Mazda's engineers apparently envisage the hydrogen component being used for day-to-day city driving, switching over to petrol for more spirited driving when desired.
Whether this engine will be the only option made available, is unknown. Rumours are good like that.
Beyond that, the usual suspicions for the RX-9 apply. Styled strongly on the lines of the Taiki concept, offered in both a manual and auto spec, and power put down at the rear wheels. We've touched on concepts a couple of times before, but nobody knows anything for certain at this point.


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Toshiba fell to its lowest in more than three years in Tokyo trading after saying it will reduce production of NAND flash memory by 30 percent as weakened demand for data storage devices helped create a glut.
Toshiba is the worlds second-largest maker of NAND chips after Koreas Samsung, with 39 percent and 31 percent of the market respectively in the final quarter of 2011, according to IHS iSuppli, a research company. Boises Micron Technology Inc. was No. 3 with about 17 percent.
Toshiba, the worlds biggest maker of flash memory after Samsung Electronics Co., fell 3.3 percent to 267 yen, the lowest since March 2009, on the Tokyo Stock Exchange.
The output cut is Toshibas first since 2009, as demand for storage cards used in mobile devices including cameras and USB memory slumped.


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A New Zealand Government spokesperson has confirmed that the Government will allow “Golden” milk tea to be sold as an alcoholic drink in New Zealand.
The Kiwi Government has confirmed it will allow all Kiwi citizens to drink the “golden milk” tea that was created by the Australian company, Golden Milk, which is owned by David and Margret Harvey, who have been running the business since 2004.
“We believe this will enable New Zealanders to take advantage of the economic and cultural opportunities afforded by our Gold Coast and the Gold Coast region,” the spokesperson said.
Golden Milk has been in the New Zealand market since 2004, and it is not uncommon for Kiwis to purchase their own version, which comes in several flavours, including “gold-coated” and “gold milk tea”.
“Golden milk tea has been sold as a beverage in New Zeland since 2003 and has become the go-to drink for locals and tourists alike,” the company said in a statement.
Gold Coast Mayor Craig Gwin said that the decision by the Government was “great news for the Gold and Coast region”.
A spokeswoman for the Department of Health said it had been asked for comment and would respond in due course.
There are several Golden Milk products available in New Zealand there is no suggestion that Kiwis are being forced to drink a particular drink, the spokesperson added.
A spokesperson for the Prime Minister’s Office said the Government’s decision was an example of how the Government had continued to listen to the advice of the community.
He said that as an example, the Government recognised that Kiwi consumers could purchase their Own New Zealand brand of Golden Milk tea and it would be available to purchase in supermarkets, as it had already been in stores.
While the spokesperson would not be drawn on the exact price of the Golden Milk brand, it was likely to be more expensive than the regular price of Golden milk tea in New York.
In October, the Kiwi Food Safety Authority announced that it had found the “real” Golden Milk drink to be “in poor taste” and had advised that it should be replaced with the “Goldcoated”, “gold infused” or “gold coated” versions.
An earlier version of this article misstated the number of people that have died of the coronavirus in New England in the last year.
It was 3,932.


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There are a few remedies for fixing or closing the digital divide in Africa and fixed wireless access 5G alongside, affordable access to devices,…
Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa — collectively known as the BRICs countries — represent the next great wave for both mobile telecommunications and marketing. Home to over 40% of the world’s population, the rise of the BRICs’ emerging middle class will profoundly affect both industries.
Emerging markets in developing countries are destined for phenomenal growth in this sector since there are many more mobile phones than internet connections in these countries.
The numbers for mobile internet growth speak for themselves. The BuzzCity mobile advertising network has already delivered 70% more ads in 2010 than it did in 2009. India, South Africa and Kenya are amongst the top five countries with more than five billion mobile ad banners served amongst them.
While China may be in 15th position overall, the country saw positive annual growth of 20% — not bad for a country predicted to have 957-million mobile internet users by 2014. Central and South American countries also saw phenomenal growth, with Brazil in particular seeing a staggering 793% annual growth in 2010.
So what does the future hold for mobile marketing in these countries?
I see it as falling into four key areas:
1. Marketing budgets will continue to shift towards digital
- This makes sense as mobile audiences continue to grow as handsets get better and cheaper, and data rates continue to fall. In Kenya recently Safaricom, the mobile phone operator in which Britain’s Vodafone has a 40% stake and which has more than 70% of the Kenyan market, said on 7 January 2011 it is slashing its SMS prices.
- Mobile will get a bigger slice of digital spend, particularly in emerging markets where mobile is the more common form of online access due to infrastructure and cost reasons, as well as amongst niche communities. In Brazil for example, multinational and local companies are showing interest in mobile advertising especially in the beverage and automotive industry such as Fiat, Coca-Cola and Anheuser-Busch InBev
- There will be an increase in brands and agencies using more mobile tools – SMS, mobile display ads, applications, in-game ads, search and location-based services- to enable them to engage with their target audiences for branding, customer acquisition and retention efforts.
- But clients remain price sensitive and the era of experimentation in mobile is over. It will be critical for brands to ensure that mobile is fully integrated into their businesses – a traditional web presence is simply not enough anymore. Plus agencies need to work closely with the brand’s product development team to define the role of mobile, for example, will it be an app, a site etc?
2. Mobile content: Discovery and distribution
- Moving on from the early years of mobile marketing, the ground rules for mobile content are now well established and mobile specific content is now being created, for example the New York Times on mobile is radically different from its web version.
- Free and freemium applications and games will take centre stage particularly on operator portals as this boosts their earnings from data charges.
- The mobile internet will be available in local languages catering to more niche communities. This feature will work hand in hand with newer phones, which enable users to communicate in different language scripts more easily.
3. Growth of ‘White box’ manufacturers
- Smartphone usage will increase in all markets but contributions from ‘white-box’ manufacturers, particularly in emerging markets will change the landscape.
- ‘White box’ competition will continue to cannibalise sales from the major manufacturers, largely by mimicking handsets like iPhone or BlackBerry, while offering more features such as multiple SIM capabilities, at lower price points.
4. Phones will come into their own when it comes to banking and commerce
The retail and entertainment sectors are leading the way with mobile payments – and we are seeing innovative payment methods being deployed where most least expect them.
Some examples in BRICS countries include:
- VIVO, the largest mobile phone service provider in Brazil has recently partnered with Paypal to allow mobile subscribers to send payments for airtime, goods and services.
- Last year in June, Citibank launched its mobile banking services in Russia to enable customers to use their mobile phones for banking operations, without any additional applications to be installed on their mobile.
- Bank-led MVNOs, such as First National Bank (FNB) in South Africa will sign on more merchant partners as more retail players take up mobile strategies.
From the examples above, we can safely say that the future looks bright for mobile as the medium continues to be a dominant force in socio-economic development. Organisations will carry on using mobile and m-commerce to drive reservations, to promote events, and to increase general awareness of their goods and services.
Although there are a rising number of consumers purchasing smartphones, the reality is that many mobile users in the BRICs markets will remain on less sophisticated devices and legacy second-generation mobile networks well into the middle of the decade.
It is important that while we must continuously strive to develop new technology in terms of mobile to reach out to the newer 4G generation of mobile users, we must still remember the root of what mobile internet is all about – which is keeping it simple for the masses.
Dr K.F. Lai is the CEO and co-founder of BuzzCity — a successful Singapore-based mobile advertising network


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Uganda needs to boost manufacturing and exports to realise the ambitions listed in its social and economic development plan.
The side effects of globalisation that have led to our current populist politics will not be successfully addressed by old-style industry policy.
Surveys show Trump's election is damaging America's reputation abroad, which research suggests could deal a sharp blow to US trade.
New research shows that importing goods from low-wage countries has helped US manufacturers shift production to less-polluting industries, produce less waste and spend less on pollution control.
Budget 2017 has allocated A$100 million to boost innovation and advanced manufacturing. But can it fill the hole left by automotive industry closures?
The high cost of imports and borrowing, as well as market volatility mean manufacturers aren't in for an easy ride.
The need to connect African markets to aid development will once again be discussed at the World Economic Forum. The debate needs to move beyond the usual rhetoric.
Pulp and paper production is a major industry with a large environmental footprint. Recently, though, paper companies have worked to reduce pollution and promote sustainable forestry and recycling.
People will still be needed on factory floors, even as robots become more common. Future operators will have technical support and be super-strong, super-smart and constantly connected.
There's good news from manufacturers around the world, and this should feed into economic growth.
Today, the U.S. is leading the robotics revolution. But without timely investment, China will overtake us, and could permanently put Americans out of work.
A border adjustment tax would raise government revenue and boost jobs in export-driven industries, which tend to concentrate in the embattled manufacturing sector.
The economic transformation discussion document released by South Africa's governing party, the ANC, fails to be radical.
The takeover of GM's European brands has historic parallels – and implications for both Europe and the US.
Are you part of the 86 percent of Americans who do not live in rural America? Here's why Trump's choice to lead the USDA matters to you.
Why you should model your writing on 'lean' manufacturing.
Objects of almost any shape or geometry can be produced by 3D printing. The technology could seriously disrupt not just manufacturing but related national plans for economic development.
Data centers are taking over the factories where workers once processed checks, baked bread and printed Bibles. What will the rise of the information-based economy mean for American cities?
The 'Africa Rising' narrative was disturbed in 2016 by a combination of factors. But the continent is still on firm economic development footing.
Making products in our new economic age is fast becoming a partnership with customers, not just a transaction.


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- Following up on their previous
Firmware update, Sony Product Planning & Platform Software Innovation Director Don Mesa
has announced that PS Vita System Software update v2.10 is incoming and includes a new folder system.
The new folder system allows users to organize their games and apps, and as expected patches the recently released Apache Overkill exploit
and purportedly blocks Open CMA for those on PS Vita Firmware 2.10 according to mixed reports.
Download: PS Vita Firmware 2.10 Update (USA)
/ PS Vita Firmware 2.10 Update (EUR)
/ PS Vita Firmware 2.10 Update (JPN)
Coming later this evening is the next system software update for PS Vita. We've listened to your feedback...


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Detroit, MI — A Detroit woman threw a fit when the clerk at a cell phone store refused to give her a refund, as Andy Choi shows us, her meltdown was caught on camera.
Stephanie, "Let them know you took my son's 200 @#$% dollars!?"
It was a shouting match serious enough for the clerk at this cell phone store to start filming the exchange, it was all over this woman's son, who bought a cell phone more than two weeks ago, and wanted a refund.
Store Owner, "They came in a week ago, I explained them the situation, I showed them everything on the receipt."
The clerk who shot the footage didn't want to go on camera, but says after trying to explain to the irate mother her son's date of purchase exceeded the store's 7-day policy for refunds, the mother wasn't taking no for an answer.
Stephanie, "Take everybody's mother#$%% money! Take it!?
In addition to knocking down signs, the clerk says she even used a knife to damage display cases and things took a strange turn as the customer addressed the clerk's camera.
Stephanie, "Take my picture. Take that! Take that! You got that? Because I will be back. You got that close up? Cheese!?"
"But I want you to know there's a reason why I had to do that. He telling me my money is up in the air, I can't get a refund or another phone?
Holding the cell phone she's trying to return, Stephanie says the cell phone store sold her son an outdated, damaged phone, "My two hundred dollars, he needs to either give me another phone or return my money."
Store Owner, "There is no excuse for anyone to walk into anybody's business and do that."
Stephanie, "Put that on @#$%!"


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New Delhi : If a lot can happen over coffee, a lot more can happen over a chat as Swedish sommelier Cecilia Oldne discovered after striking up a conversation with the owner of one of India’s largest vineyards eight years ago. Now the head of international business and the global brand ambassador of Sula Vineyards, Cecilia Oldne says consistency can make India a leading wine producer.”If we can keep up the consistency, India can become one of the world’s leading wine producers. China has been trying for years, but India has come much far ahead,” said Oldne, who in her five years with the company has taken its products to 20 countries, 10 more than when she came on board.Oldne first met Sula Vineyards owner Rajeev Samant at a wine event in South Africa in 2004. “He was carrying these little bottles of wine and he said: ‘Try it’. I did and said to myself: ‘Wow, India makes wine,” Oldne, who was here for the 200th event of the Delhi Wine Club Friday night, told media in an interview.”We kept meeting at various events over the next three years and he was always carrying his wine. I could see the improvements and that impressed me. I had always wanted to go to Asia, the Middle East or China but Rajeev consistently wanted me to join him,” said Oldne, who has a British degree in international business studies, is a winewriter and wine judge and has previously undertaken assignments like being in charge of the wines served at Stockholm’s annual Nobel Banquet.Now based in Mumbai, Oldne took the plunge in 2007 and since then, there’s been no looking back.
“I’ve become Sula. I’ve become Indianised and I’ve changed in many ways. I have no plans to leave,” she said, adding: “It’s an honour to be appointed the global brand ambassador of a company that is not only pioneering the growth of the Indian wine industry but is doing so in a way that combines sustainability and benefits to the local economy.”
“We’re aiming to become one of the most sustainable wineries in the world,” Oldne said.
That’s no idle boast because a series of environmental best practices adopted by Sula Vineyards has enabled it to do away with diesel gensets for generating power, meet 60-70 percent of its water requirements from water harvesting and 40 percent of its fertiliser needs through vermiculture.The five years that she’s been with Sula has seen the brand introduced to new markets like Canada, Belgium, the Middle East, Nepal and Bhutan, apart from consolidating in countries like Japan, Britain and the US. The last two are particularly important due to the large Indian diaspora in cities like New York and San Fransisco, which Oldne described as “trend setters”.


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Hyundai has launched the E-mobility pilot programme in Singapore. The programme is being run in conjunction with Komoco Motors (Hyundai’s official agent) and utilities provider SP Group.
According to Hyundai, the programme “aims to identify real-world customer concerns and requirements for enhancing customer value and experience and establishing a robust EV ecosystem in the city state.”
The participants in the E-mobility pilot programme are 50 owners of the Hyundai IONIQ 5, the carmaker’s latest electric vehicle. Each participant can choose to subscribe to one of the three monthly subscription plans that integrate customer care services and EV-charging credits.
The three plans are: basic (60kWh monthly), standard (180kWh monthly) and premium (300kWh monthly).
On the E-mobility platform and SP Utilities app, users can find locations of the nearest charging point, charge, and track their remaining credits.
Each plan also includes several customer care services. For instance, drivers can monitor their EV’s battery, and receive updates and alerts on both the battery and vehicle condition.
As Hyundai’s official distributor in Singapore, Komoco Motors will also provide maintenance services that include Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V) mobile charging services.
Participants in the E-mobility pilot scheme are also given in-vehicle air care products. Embiome, an affiliate of Hyundai Motor, will offer eco-friendly coating and filters that help ensure that the vehicle’s internal air quality is maintained.
SP Group CEO, Mr Stanley Huang, said: “This strategic partnership is an important milestone for us to enable large-scale EV adoption through ensuring accessibility, convenience and reliability for the EV community.”
“The pilot will provide crucial driver insights to help us better understand and meet the needs of future EV adopters. This will allow us to design and develop EV infrastructure and smarter integrated solutions to support Singapore’s electrification journey.”
Komoco Motors Executive Chairman, Mr Teo Hock Seng, added: “We are honoured to be part of this strategic development, demonstrating to Singaporeans what an EV ownership journey could offer.”
“With peace of mind after-sales support by a trained technical crew coupled with robust infrastructure and mobility solutions, I believe this exercise will be a good benchmark for those considering switching to full electric. We hope more people will join in this electric motion.”


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Digi has just introduced its new INFINITE plans designed for those who need bottomless internet connectivity. Since Digi has bastardised the word “unlimited” on their previous plans, these new INFINITE offering comes with true unlimited data and unlimited calls to all networks from RM80/month.
|iOS, iPhone, Maxis, Mobile Devices, Mobile OS, News, Players on the Field|
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It has been a year since TIME Broadband introduced their 500Mbps Fibre Home internet plan. To mark the occasion, they are giving rebates up to RM500 if you sign up during their 4-day promotion.
After dropping clues of the Galaxy S8’s colour options, serial leakster @evleaks had revealed the upcoming a new colour for the upcoming flagship. For those who prefer a colour with more bling, the Galaxy S8 will be available in Gold colour.
|Android, Mobile Devices, Mobile OS, News, Samsung|
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If you’re looking for the Redmi Note 4 in different colours, the Black version is now available on the Malaysian Mi Store. Priced at RM799, it comes with 3GB RAM and 32GB of expandable storage.
With faster 4G connectivity and more data for video streaming, you must be wondering which telco in Malaysia has the best video streaming experience. To find out, Google Malaysia has announced a new YouTube Video Checkup tool that ranks each telco by its streaming quality.
We’ve seen Huawei launch the brand new P10 and P10 Plus in Malaysia — two very capable smartphones with pretty much the best the company has to offer including their latest processor, latest camera system and a brand new look.
But, these two phones come in 5.1” and 5.5” form factors. But what if you want something bigger? Is the Mate 9 still worth your time?
When Apple introduced its new 9.7″ iPad, they had also discontinued its ageing iPad mini 2 which is formerly known as the iPad mini with Retina Display. This makes the iPad mini 4 its sole surviving compact tablet and it comes only with a single 128GB option.


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We don’t spend near enough time talking a about Nokia smartphones, and it’s a shame as a lot of folks were fans of the companies handsets. The Nokia Lumia 930 was very popular when it was released last year, and now the company is giving fans a taste of luxury with the Nokia Lumia 930 Gold Edition.
The Microsoft Lumia 535 was the first Lumia smartphone to launch without Nokia branding and it has created a huge amount of interest. It’s a fairly low-end device for the budget end of the market and comes in single SIM and dual SIM models. It released in December and will compete with many of the […]
Nokia Lumia devices have plenty of fans and there have been several additions to the lineup that have released over the last few months before the Nokia branding was lost to Microsoft. Today we have an interesting video that shows Nokia Lumia 930 vs. 830, 735 and 635 boot-up speeds compared. All of these smartphones […]
The iPhone 6 is Apple’s new top-flight smartphone while the Nokia Lumia 930 is a high-end handset that released back in the summer. These phones both have plenty to offer potential buyers and use the iOS and Windows Phone platforms respectively. If you’re open to either operating system this iPhone 6 vs. Nokia Lumia 930 […]
From time to time we like to share video comparisons of smartphones, and generally these are of devices with similar prices. However, the Nokia Lumia 930 and 635 have recently released and are priced for different ends of the market. The video that we’re showing you today is of the Nokia Lumia 930 vs Lumia […]
The Nokia Lumia 930 smartphone was officially announced in April but only released on the market this month. It’s a high-end Windows Phone 8.1 handset that has got a lot of people talking as it has some top specs and a class design. If you’re considering it as your next smartphone purchase, you might be […]


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Fidelity Investments has slashed the value of its stake in Snapchat by 25 per cent, making the disappearing-photos app the latest and biggest casualty among so-called tech unicorns valued at $1.4 billion ($US1 billion) and up.
Snapchat — whose 25-year-old CEO Evan Spiegel earlier this year was jetting around the globe courting investors in China and the Persian Gulf — saw its value sink to $17 billion in September from $22.6 billion in May.
“It’s emblematic of the moment,” said Chris Douvos of Venture Investment Associates in California. “These are companies that had extremely high valuations based on momentum and hype, and which are at last returning to Earth.”
A Snapchat spokeswoman declined to comment on Tuesday.
Douvos, whose firm invests in start-ups and venture funds, said he wasn’t privy to Snapchat’s financials. But he notes that investors are growing increasingly restless with start-ups that are racking up losses in the name of growth.
Indeed, Snapchat’s painful discount followed the bad news last month that cloud-storage start-up Dropbox saw its $14.2 billion valuation take a 24 per cent hit on a markdown by a BlackRock investment fund.
And last week, payments start-up Square priced its initial public offering 35 per cent below the $8.5 billion valuation it had won in its latest private-funding round during the past year.
It’s a painful reminder that these $US1 billion-plus valuations have to stand up to the scrutiny of the public markets.
Nevertheless, the markdown of Snapchat — whose viral spread among teens has grown its user base to more than 100 million — still came as a shock to many tech insiders.
Earlier this week, Snapchat confirmed that its users are viewing more than 6 billion videos a day on its mobile app. That staggering sum — triple what Snapchat claimed in May — is closing in on the 8 billion daily video views reported last week by Facebook.
Critics, however, note that Snapchat reportedly measures its video views in fractions of a second, versus the three-second minimum required by Facebook — a crucial distinction for advertisers.
Snapchat is “struggling to figure out how to monetise” its wildly popular app, and that’s worrying tech investors, according to one Silicon Valley insider.
“It’s never been clear what the revenue model is, and the path from customer acquisition to engagement to monetisation is not always a straight line,” the source added.[related-posts]
A few smaller unicorns also have been kneecapped, including the New Jersey based Jet.com.
Last week, Bloomberg News reported that e-commerce start-up has settled on a $1.5 billion valuation to raise more than $707 million in cash. In July, Jet.com had been seeking a $4.2 billion valuation, according to reports.[News]


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Airlines operating in the UK have not faced a single fine for breaking consumer law on refunds, delays or cancellations in the past 17 years, a consumer body has announced.
The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) was granted regulatory powers in 2003, allowing it to take action against carriers and seek enforcement orders to ensure they comply with the law.
But, despite being responsible for enforcing consumer rights laws, the CAA cannot directly fine airlines. Instead, when an airline breaks the law, the regulator can apply to the courts for an enforcement order. If the airline continues to refuse, the court process can potentially end in an airline paying a fine for being in contempt of court.
‘Blatant disregard of law’
Consumer group Which? is calling for the regulator to urgently be given powers to fine airlines, after nearly six months of what it described as the carriers’ “blatant disregard of the law on refunds for cancelled flights during the pandemic”.
It also claimed that since 2003, just one application for an enforcement order has been made by the regulator. This was against Ryanair in 2018, for refusing to compensate passengers for delays caused by planned industrial action by its staff during the peak of the summer holidays. Two years on, the case has yet to be heard and may not be heard until 2022. During this time the airline can continue to refuse to compensate consumers without penalty, Which? said.
Near the start of the Covid-19 crisis, airlines including Ryanair and British Airways and Jet2 came under fire for refusing to reroute passengers when flights were cancelled, leaving passengers stranded abroad and having to pay extortionate fees to get home.
In July, the CAA stopped short of applying for enforcement orders against any UK airline for their handling of cancellations and refunds as a result of the pandemic, despite receiving tens of thousands of complaints.
Standing up for passengers?
“Without the ability to issue fines or take swift action against airlines, the Civil Aviation Authority has struggled to effectively stand up for the passengers it is there to protect,” said Which? Travel editor Rory Boland.
“Several airlines already know this, and there’s a real risk some have felt empowered to break the law as a result – and without the threat of penalties, they may continue to do so.
“Trust in the travel industry has been battered in recent months, so passengers need a strong regulator they can count on.”
Lengthy legal proceedings
Richard Stephenson, director of the Civil Aviation Authority, said: “Using the powers we currently have, we work with airlines to receive commitments and undertakings to improve performance for consumers. We have done this in many cases in recent years, including during our recent review into airline refunds during the coronavirus pandemic, which secured significant improvements for consumers, with call times and refund backlogs reduced.
“[This is the] most immediate way of providing benefits to consumers as enforcement processes can take a considerable amount of time to complete given the potential for legal proceedings.”
He added: “We have called for more powers, including the ability to impose fines in the past. This is something that would bring us in line with other sectoral regulators and would allow us to take stronger and faster action.”


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Former Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton has started selling coffee mugs that mock accusations about her missing emails.
Clinton has started selling the item as part of raising funding for Onward Together, described as “supporting progressive groups working to build a fairer, more inclusive America.”
“Take a sip from your new mug as you read the news…” the Twitter post read.
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) February 7, 2022
Other products include vintage Hillary T-shirts and tote bags, along with inspirational shirts. There is even a Hillary pantsuit onesie for infants.
Clinton’s new mug refers to thousands of missing emails from a private server Clinton had as Secretary of State and the messages had been demanded by Congress.
The 2019 case led by then-President Donald Trump ended up with no consequences against Clinton.
The products also follow speculation that Clinton could run for president again in 2024, even though President Joe Biden would have a second term available and has said he plans to run again.
The new store may be nothing but a promotional piece, but the spiteful product that seems to flaunt alleged criminal activity is not something that seems to support a person hoping to run again for president.


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Domestic energy production in the U.S. is growing at a rapid pace, which means fuel distributors have a particular need to invest in advanced fleet management software. Transportation is one of the most important steps in delivering energy products to consumers and businesses around the nation. No matter how much demand increases, trucking companies don't want to inhibit growth by failing to meet higher distribution standards.
Weather has limited impact on natural gas industry production
The prospect of enhancing operations to meet growing demand for natural gas and other energy product becomes much more difficult when weather gets in the way. According to the online publication Natural Gas Intelligence, this year's cold and snowy winter that presented so many challenges for fleet owners actually had only a minor impact on production levels in the energy industry. The website cited data from the Natural Gas Council (NGC) that found even though U.S. energy demand was 27 percent higher this year than the average rate, stakeholders in the industry were most successful in meeting this increased standard.
"One lesson we learned from this record-breaking cold winter is that the resource is there to meet growing demand if the investment is there to get it to market," Marty Durbin, chief executive officer of America's Natural Gas Alliance (ANGA), told the publication.
Much of this success has to do with the fact that domestic supplies of natural gas are abundant. In fact, Barry Russell of the Independent Petroleum Association of America (IPAA) said the U.S. is currently producing 94 percent of the entire nation's natural gas supply on American soil.
It's up to freight organizations to do their part to distribute this energy at a rate that keeps up with existing market trends. Transporting fuel has become somewhat of a contentious issue in the U.S. political environment. For example, The Motley Fool reported that the federal government has been reluctant to approve pipelines for fear of accidents that would damage regional water supplies. Until then, trucking will play a vital role in delivering energy from production sites to various locations around the country.
Fleet owners don't necessarily have to strain their operations to meet these demands. Investing in advanced logistics software can actually increase a company's capacity for meeting shipping deadlines without creating any additional overhead costs. Managers can use this technology to schedule assignments, identify the fastest routes and coordinate with customers to ensure products are consistently delivered on time.


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You might remember one of our recent posts where we discussed how Apple TV and Apple Watch could do wonders by working together. Now, Aaron Tilley from Forbes is confident that Cupertino has much greater plans for its set-top box, as it will play an integral role in creating Apple’s ultimate smart homes. This doesn’t come as a surprise to anyone who has read one of our post-WWDC14 opinion articles:
The ability to control home alarms, thermostats, and lights is very powerful. Having the ability to leverage this information in your home from the largest screen you own would hopefully be an area of expansion as this technology is adopted, and combined with Siri would be an even more powerful offering.
(WWDC 2014 and the invisible Apple TV; Apple TV Hacks, June 10, 2014)


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The new and improved version of the Unified Payment Interface is finally all set to be launched, with the National Payment Corporation of India (NPCI) expected to roll out UPI 2.0 later this week. With version 2.0, UPI is likely to include a bunch of new features like the doubling of transaction limits to Rs 2 lakh, and the ability to link overdraft (OD) accounts to UPI. The Aadhaar-based payment feature, however is expected to be withdrawn following privacy concerns.
Overall, UPI 2.0 will be a significant change from its first-gen avatar, and will be highly focused on Person-to-Merchant (P2M) transactions. According to a source quoted by YourStory, “Most of the features are designed for P2M. I guess the requirement is that P2M players need to scale up with the UPI infrastructure”.
Another new feature expected to be added to UPI as part of the impending update is the ability for merchants and service providers to block an amount in the customer’s account as security as in an escrow account, with the transaction going through only after the delivery of the goods or services.
There’s also talk about e-wallets being part of UPI 2.0, although, there seems to be no confirmation regarding that just yet. As things stand now, only bank accounts can be used for UPI payments. UPI 2.0 is also expected to bring the invoicing feature that will enable individuals or merchants to send an invoice along with a payment request in the Inbox.
One thing to note here is that ‘Standing Instructions’ may not be a part of the new update, although, it may be rolled out at a later date. According to the report, the long delay in rolling out UPI 2.0 is precisely because of Standing Instructions, and the only reason the feature still won’t be part of the upcoming update is because the NCPI didn’t want to postpone the launch any further.
The Standing Instructions feature, in case you didn’t know it already, will allow users to set up automatic payment mandates via UPI, facilitating monthly subscription services and other regular payments through one-time authentication. The feature, according to the report, was removed from UPI following disapproval from the RBI.


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N.Z.'s first digital enablement training for tourism operators, is launched in Whangarei September 26th 2013.
Backed by The Ministry of Communication and Information Technology and The Digital Office of Otago...digital enablement training comes to Northland's Tourism Sector on September 26th '13. see flyer for details
Latest Economic Reviews for Northland, Whangarei, Kaipara and the Far North
Economic Reviews for Northland, Whangarei, Kaipara and the Far North, as at June 2013
Northland companies looking to raise capital
If you are the owner of a small innovative business who is seeking early stage investment or an established company with high growth potential looking for private equity or joint venture investment, this could be an opportunity for you.
Quarterly Economic Review
The latest issue of Northland Economic Quarterly.
New areas up for exploration
The Government is opening up a massive offshore area for oil and gas exploration, bigger than the South Island, and says the prize could be billions of dollars in royalties. But critics are already lining up against the proposed exploration areas, saying they put popular beaches at risk of potential oil spills.
FITEC Merges into Competenz
FITEC is the industry training organisation for forestry, wood manufacturing (sawmilling, wood panels, and pulp and paper), furniture and biosecurity. Competenz is the ITO for manufacturing, engineering and food and beverage industries.
Entries open for PM’s Business Scholarships
Prime Minister John Key says executives looking to expand their international expertise should apply for this year’s Prime Minister’s Business Scholarships, which are now open for applications. The scholarships are designed to build business capability and develop skills, particularly in management and international business leadership.
We bring benefits: Newmont
With the Government's Petroleum and Minerals expected to announce soon which companies have been given exploration permits across Northland, arguments are heating up over benefits to locals from mining. Newmont Waihi Gold says a Northland group opposed to already-permitted mining exploration at Puhipuhi has not
Emerging economies driving growth in food & beverage sector
Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce has today released a report showing growth in the New Zealand food and beverage sector is being driven by the Asia-Pacific region and other emerging economies. The report, an Investor’s Guide to the New Zealand Food & Beverage Industry 2013, says that Asia is now New Zealand’s largest export country destination, accounting for more than 40 per cent of export value.
Forestry markets picked to keep growing
Forestry is going gangbusters, buoyed by the giant Chinese market, with production up 9 per cent in the December quarter, the strongest growth since 1999. Statistics NZ figures, issued yesterday, show forestry and logging activity at the highest levels since the series began in 1987.


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Automation Alley, Michigan’s largest technology business association, returned recently from a trade mission to Mexico, helping to facilitate business connections for 14 local companies.
Automation Alley’s trade mission program allows small and medium-sized businesses in Michigan to explore opportunities to expand their business abroad. The Mexico trade mission included stops in Mexico City, Puebla, Querétaro, Guanajuato and Monterrey.
Companies that joined Automation Alley on this latest trip to Mexico included:
Caster Concepts, Inc [www.casterconcepts.com] (Albion)
Chrysan Industries, Inc. [www.chrysanindustries.com] (Plymouth)
Clayton & McKervey [www.claytonmckervey.com] (Southfield)
Duggan Mfg [www.dugganmfg.com] (Shelby Township)
Energy Design Service Systems (EDSS) [www.edssenergy.com ] (Whitmore Lake)
Flexible Automation, Inc. [flexautoinc.com] (Burton)
Harry Major Machine [www.harrymajormachine.com] (Clinton Township)
Integrated Fabric Resource [www.ifrinc.com ] (Zeeland)
KC Jones Plating Co. [www.kcjplating.com] (Warren)
Modern Machinery [www.modernmachineinc.com] (Beaverton)
Panagon Systems, Inc. [www.panagonsystems.com] (Macomb)
Robotic Industries Association [www.robotics.org] (RIA) (Ann Arbor)
US-Mexico Consulting [www.usmxconsulting.com] (Royal Oak)
Vantage Plastics [www.vantageplastics.com] (Standish)
Kirk Blair, Harry Major Machine (HHM) executive of business development and planning, said the mission exceeded the company’s expectations, delivering reputable choices in sales representation, distributors, and partners for manufacturing and local sourcing.
“I have been in business development and planning for machinery and equipment suppliers for 20 years, trying to and successfully creating the very same objectives as Automation Alley – business acceleration,” Blair said. “The success of this mission was correlated to our ability at HMM to describe the business to the Michigan Mexico Center and Automation Alley, after which the team at-large was able to accelerate our value-proposition into the Mexico market. If you know your business, and you know your objectives, Automation Alley delivers an exceptional business acceleration experience.”
David Ely, president and CEO of Energy Design Service Systems (EDSS), said Automation Alley’s trade mission to Mexico was essential in positioning EDSS for growth into the Mexican market.
“The Automation Alley team provided us with unmatched expertise, preparing our team for cross-cultural communication, offering guidance for our market strategy, and providing resources to work with partners, clients, and the government in Mexico,” Ely said. “Thanks to the work of Automation Alley and the Michigan Mexico office, we had the opportunity to meet with potential partners, clients, and resources to further our efforts in a shorter time period than doing it all on our own.”
To date, Automation Alley has led 184 local companies on 25 trade missions to locations around the globe, resulting in $507 million in export sales for those companies. Based on these results, Automation Alley has received both the President’s “E Star” Award (2013) and the President’s “E” Award (2008) for export service, the nation’s highest and most prestigious international trade awards granted in recognition of success in promoting U.S. exports overseas while producing new jobs at home.
In addition to matchmaking abroad, Automation Alley hosts pre-mission workshops to educate participants about the opportunities and challenges of doing business around the world, including cultural idiosyncrasies and acceptable business practices.
Automation Alley trade missions are supported in partnership with the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC).
Automation Alley trade missions include international airfare, five-star hotels, transportation, matchmaking meetings, business briefings, welcome receptions and tours.
Next up for Automation Alley is a trade mission to Dubai Airshow, Nov. 6-13. Interested companies should ask about the State Trade and Export Program (STEP) to find out if they qualify for funding that can be applied toward the cost of the mission.
The deadline to register for Automation Alley’s trade mission to the Dubai Airshow is Oct. 26. For more information or to register, contact Lisa Lasser at 248-457-3283 or email@example.com.
Source: Automation Alley


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News By Tag
* Boston Weddings
* Boston Wedding Djs
* Best Boston Wedding Djs
* best wedding djs MA
* wedding DJ MA
* More Tags...
News By Location
The Knot Reveals Entertain New England LLC as Hall of Fame Wedding DJs in Boston
In 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015, Entertain New England was voted into Best of Weddings honors by brides and their reviews on TheKnot.com and WeddingChannel.com, for their DJ and other services.This made Entertain New England eligible for the Hall of Fame.
The Knot's Hall of Fame is a first of its kind in the wedding industry, recognizing the very best organizations and individuals from across the country -- the top one percent in fact.
"I am so proud of our team's efforts over the past several years, and thankful to every bride and groom who offered their kind words, in helping us achieve this recognition,"
To learn more about ENE's award-winning Boston wedding DJs service, visit http://www.EntertainNewEngland.com or http://www.Facebook.com/


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Spike of 95% seen for severe reactions over a 7-year period, with teen rates the highest.
American pediatricians have gone a step further than their initial June endorsement of new interim guidelines for infant consumption of peanuts
Nurse practitioner behind project of mass placement of stock auto-injectors.
Enjoy Life Foods announced it will recall some of its Enjoy Life Semi-Sweet Chocolate Mini Chips
Back to school can be a time of heightened stress. Here’s a wealth of resources from the allergists and others who attended our Twitter party
A Quebec woman has credited the persistence of her pharmacist for saving her life.
Under entity laws, “stock epi” is moving to public venues – including theme parks, restaurants, sports arenas and daycares
In-flight staff would be required to know how and when to use auto-injectors for food allergic passengers under proposed federal legislation
Should grocery store bakeries fall under the same food allergen labeling exception that applies to traditional bakeries?
All of the participants in the Phase II trial were able to tolerate nearly 2 peanut kernels at the end of two months.


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The latest quarterly reports issued by Verizon Communications and AT&T illustrate new strategic issues in the U.S. mobile business. Fundamentally, the issue is that the U.S. mobile market--in financial and subscriber terms--is bifurcating.
Verizon is pulling away from its other top three competitors--AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile US--and especially putting distance between itself and AT&T, the other firm in a position to lead the market.
In part, that also explains the different strategic choices apparently being made by Verizon, which is focusing on the core U.S. market, and AT&T, which virtually has to look overseas for growth.
For the moment, the key market structure issue appears to be whether AT&T can reignite subscriber growth in the U.S. market.
Verizon Wireless added 1.7 million retail net connections in the fourth quarter, including 1.6 million retail postpaid net connections.
Some 87 percent of new accounts in the fourth quarter of 2013 were phones, the balance being tablet and personal hot spot devices, for example. Compare that to AT&T’s results.
In the fourth quarter of 2013, AT&T added 566,000 new postpaid wireless users, but 440,000 of them were only signing up tablets. In the previous quarter, the company actually lost phone subscribers. In part, that explains new pricing for AT&T Mobile Share plans.
So AT&T is exposed to danger from T-Mobile US and its attack on phone accounts.
In large part because of that threat, AT&T has introduced what it calls the “best-ever prices” for people on its Mobile Share plans, wanting a family-size bucket of data and unlimited talk and text.
Along with Sprint’s new “Framily” plans, which allow unrelated individuals to create shared plans, the latest AT&T move also illustrates the importance of group plans in the U.S. mobile market, where 68.5 percent of postpaid customers are on such family plans, according to an analysis by Cowen and Company.
AT&T says a family of four can now get unlimited talk and text, and 10GB of data for $160 a month. Though partly aimed at new potential customers, the deal also allows existing AT&T customers to save money as well.
Current AT&T customers with four smartphones could move to this new plan and save between $40 and $100 per month, depending on their current plan, AT&T says.
As you would expect, the plan also is designed to compare favorably with family plans offered by AT&T’s leading competitors.
Verizon charges $260 monthly for a plan costing $160 from AT&T. A family with four smartphones with unlimited talk and text, and a shared 10GB bucket of data, could switch to AT&T from Verizon and save $100 a month.
In addition to the savings on recurring costs, such an account would get a $400 bill credit for the four smartphone lines of service added, when switching from Verizon, as part of another marketing effort AT&T is making.
The plans take effect on Feb. 2, 2014 and are available to any AT&T customer, including small businesses with up to 10 lines, and customers of Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile and other wireless carriers who switch to AT&T.
Such price reductions are going to be a key concern for equity analysts watching for signs of impact on U.S. mobile service provider average revenue per account and average revenue per user.
The general expectation is that ARPU is going to drop as carriers face potential threats to gross revenue. AT&T obviously calculates it will gain more than it loses, as some accounts will purchase larger data allowances than they had in the past, even if some accounts are able to pay less.