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We got a tip from one of our most-trusty ninjas earlier this morning about this, but we’ve now also got a screenshot from someone else, too. To make a long story short, if you did not pre-order an iPhone 3G S from AT&T yet, (we’re not talking about Apple because we don’t have information on their pre-ordering/stock levels, etc) your iPhone 3G S won’t be shipping to you/your store until “7-14 days” after the order date. It seems that all AT&T’s pre-order stock is depleted leaving only iPhone 3G Ss for dying-in-line purchasing on this coming Friday, and all pre-orders going forward won’t be fulfilled until after the June 19th launch date.
Thanks, to our ninjas!
When Apple announced the upcoming iPhone 3G S earlier this month, we posted a quick little synopsis of info available to would-be 3G S owners up in Canada. Our Canadian readers thanked us, and then promptly threatened violence lest we do everything in our power to dig up contract-free pricing on Apple’s new kit. Not wanting to anger the Canadian people we got to digging and thankfully, one of our ninjas just came through with some tasty screen shots from Best Buy. According to the major retailer’s inventory system, Rogers and Fido customers are looking at no-contract pricing of $799.99 for the 32GB version and $699.99 for the 16GB version. A bargain at twice the price… Umm, or something like that. Hit the jump for screenshots of the Rogers 16GB iPhone 3G S in Best Buy’s inventory (32GB is above) along with the 16GB and 32GB models from Fido.
The folks over at iTalkiPhone have picked up an iPhone 3G S early and have unboxed it for all to see. Of course, there really isn’t a whole lot to see since it looks almost exactly like its predecessor save for a couple engraved markings. We were also hoping that it would be like other unboxing sessions where pictures of the contents would be taken, but it’s only the phone and the box. If anything looks different, the bezel seems a little more prominent than the iPhone 3G (it even pops a little on the box image), but it could also be the lighting conditions. We’re just a week away from the launch of iPhone 3.0 OS and the new device, so maybe these pics will inflame that spark you have inside for new, shiny toys.
All right boys and girls… It’s time for the big show. For months now, it has been glaringly obvious that Apple would introduce its third-generation handset at WWDC today and sure enough — it’s here. Apple addicts around the world are rejoicing and Apple haters around the world are refining their arguments as to why the iPhone is a non-factor. Love it or hate it, hit the jump to find out how the new iPhone 3G S shapes up.
What we all knew/was rumored:
- Size — The new iPhone 3G S comes with either 16GB or 32GB of internal storage, a 100% bump from the 8GB and 16GB iPhone 3G offerings.
- Guts — Many will tell you that the most significant improvements are found within the new iPhone’s guts. We knew A2DP support was coming, a nice addition of course, but Apple also confirmed today that the new iPhone sports a faster processor and a 7.2Mbps HSDPA-compatible radio. Huzzah.
- Camera — The old 2 megapixel sensor has been bumped up to 3.2 megapixels and there’s still no flash. Apple also added auto-focus and geotagging support.
- Video — This little guy is all about video — 30fps video recording, video editing, video sharing… Yay.
- Compass — Know where north is. Yay.
- Battery life — The new kit features 5 hours of 3G talk time and up to 24 hours of music playback — according to Apple at least.
- OS — Tethering is now covered, though we still don’t know how AT&T will handle it, and the Find My iPhone feature we scooped is a done deal (available to MobileMe subscribers only). Oh and turn-by-turn nav is game on… TomTom was on hand at the keynote to demonstrate its iPhone app/accessory combo. 3.0 will be available beginning June 17th — free for iPhone owners, $9.95 for iPod Touch owners.
- Price — As expected, the new iPhone 3G S will ring up at $199 for the 16GB version and $299 for the 32GB version. The current 8GB iPhone 3G will hang around and drop to $99 starting today.
What we didn’t know:
- The 3G S looks exactly like the 3G — no matte rubbery finish, no matching bezel.
- Voice Control is now built in, hi 2002, so you can dial by voice, control iPod playback by voice and so on. We have to admit though, saying “play more songs like this” to initiate the Genius feature is cool.
- Integrated hardware encryption.
- The iPhone 3G S goes on sale June 19th in the US.
In the end, the jump from second to third generation is very reminiscent of the jump from first to second generation; this is more of an upgrade announcement (as we expected) as opposed to a new product launch. The man of the hour is still OS 3.0 if you ask us, and most of its features are backwards compatible. Those of you in love with your current iPhone but looking for a little more oomph will certainly be pleased while those of you holding out for things like a physical keypad, modern camera with flash, etc will have to continue to look elsewhere for another year. Sound off in the comments section and let us know if there will be a new iPhone 3G S in your future.


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“This week, Reuters Select Top Down Company Focus articles examine Technology companies. Today, we look at a firm in the Computer Hardware industry that is updating its existing products and introducing new ones to much fanfare. Apple Computer, Inc. (AAPL.O) recently came to light on two Reuters Select Growth screens: Relative Momentum and Rising Expectations,” Reuters reports.
“One factor that is necessary in order for a company to appear on both the Relative Momentum and Rising Expectations screens is that of stock-price appreciation. More specifically, the stock must have climbed during the last four and 52 weeks, and outperformed its respective Industry by more than 50% over those periods. We know that AAPL has hit this mark, but exactly how well has the stock done of late? If we just take a quick glance at a chart of AAPL, we see that the issue has been in a steady upswing for the last 12 months, rising from about $20 to its current level just north of $55,” Reuters reports.
Full article, with much more, here.

domain: news


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Will global corporations take responsibility for those they have long exploited?
A transnational solidarity beyond borders must include the corporations and conglomerates who benefitted from precarious labour.
COVID-19 was declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organisation, on March 11 disrupting life as we know it. But as many articles have exposed, among the most aggrieved are migrant workers and factory workers in the global south.
On April 2, 2020 The Guardian reported that over a million Bangladeshi garment workers lost their jobs and were sent home without pay after several western conglomerates like Primark cancelled their existing orders in the wake of the epidemic. Many migrant workers in the Middle East have also been feeling the effects of the pandemic on their health and livelihood. In recent years, organizations like Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have published damning reports on the abuses and exploitation faced by migrant workers who have been hired to build infrastructure for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. The kafala system that gives employers excessive control over migrant workers, including preventing them from changing jobs or leaving abusive labor situations have only exacerbated the precarity of many amid COVID-19.
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Workers who secured these precarious jobs, in addition to paying thousands of dollars to recruiters, have also been forced to live in squalid conditions and are unable to practice social distancing with a complete shutdown of all public spaces in the country. Migrant workers are also unable to access healthcare and sanitation which puts them at a great deal of risk. Not enough is currently being done to generate greater international solidarity and mitigate the concerns of workers globally.
The pandemic has laid bare the fragility of the system that favours the interests of consumers while simultaneously failing its workers in times of crises. It has also exposed the dearth of benevolence and empathy extended to those on the margins. Those who are privy to accessing de facto workspaces from home or virtually with a great deal of comfort, may overlook the privilege they hold and may choose to ignore the dysfunctionality of this system.
The burden of COVID-19 continues to be borne by workers at the bottom of the chain who have no savings to survive on during such times
Since the beginning of this pandemic, experts have attempted to provide an explanation on how the world could change under strict measures of lockdown and the impact it could have on livelihoods. But one thing is clear – the impact of the pandemic is not as black and white as it seems. In fact, the story of the pandemic can be boiled down to the differential impacts it has on the privileged and the underprivileged, white and non-white, rich and poor, essential and non-essential, able-bodied and disabled.
In the age of global supply chains which employs over 450 million people, the burden of COVID-19 continues to be borne by workers at the bottom of the chain who have no savings to survive on during such times. A report published by the Centre for Global Workers’ Rights at Pennsylvania State University, drew upon responses from Bangladeshi garment workers who demonstrate the impacts the devastating economic destitution and the closure of factories have had on them. The report suggests that more than a million garment workers have been fired or furloughed and 98.1% of the “buyers refused to contribute to the cost of paying the partial wages to furloughed workers that the law requires.”
The pledge fund announced by Primark for Bangladeshi garment workers and H&M agreeing to pay for the goods that have already been manufactured in Bangladesh, appear to be a lifeline amid the crisis. However, many buyers and conglomerates have evoked the force majeure clause to cancel their orders, despite contracts not explicitly specifying pandemics as grounds for non-payment. Global conglomerates and clothing brands have managed to find a way to avoid sharing the cost of compensating workers in the supply chains who represent the weakest link. With the pre-existing fragility of social safety nets in countries like Bangladesh and low tax revenues from corporations that use these supply chains, as Naomi Klein writes, the pandemic “could well be the catalyst to shower aid on the wealthiest interests in society, including those most responsible for our current vulnerabilities”.
The impact of the pandemic on factory workers has exacerbated some of the pre-existing hazards in relation to basic workplace safety. The 2013 collapse of the Rana Plaza building in Bangladesh killed 1138 garment employees. The very corporations that have cancelled orders quoting the pandemic-related economic downturn, chose to look the other way and refused to take responsibility for the rights of factory workers in the aftermath of the tragedy. While the Rana Plaza tragedy may have resulted in efforts to improve working conditions, little has been done to mitigate the precarity of those who continue to work in such factories. With fewer than 5% of garment workers being unionized and many still earning below the legal minimum, the hazards continue to mount.
Global conglomerates and clothing brands have managed to find a way to avoid sharing the cost of compensating workers in the supply chains
Migrant workers have faced some similar concerns in addition to hazards to their well-being. Qatar 2022 prompted the swift hiring of many migrant workers mostly from South Asia to build infrastructure projects. With the lockdown of all public spaces in the country there is a greater level of uncertainty to the workers’ future. The Guardian reported that Qatar’s largest labour camp had practically turned into a prison with many reported to have contracted the virus.
With just food and accommodation provided, many migrant workers are on unpaid leave. The UK-based Business and Human Rights Resource Centre (BHRRC) expressed concerns in a report and demonstrated that little has been done to protect migrant workers. Construction companies have not provided workers with Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) and have not guaranteed job security. The lack of protection both from Qatar and from countries of origin of many of these workers has exacerbated their already perilous conditions.
Aside from companies, states are equally responsible for overlooking the welfare of many of these people. The transnational manifestation of this disregard can be attributed to South Asian states benefitting from a boost to their GDP courtesy of remittances by migrant workers in addition to states like Qatar benefitting from cheap labour. For instance, in 2018 India received $78.6 billion in overseas transfers. Unfortunately, the benefits of such remittances outweigh the need for stronger lobbying efforts to better protect migrant workers.
Much of the attention is on tackling a public health disaster that has already cost over 235,000 lives. However, it is also clear that the human dimensions of COVID-19 extend far beyond a medical response. With social, political, economic, and development agenda at stake, the response must not squarely fall on states. A transnational solidarity beyond borders, that includes corporations and conglomerates, is needed now more than ever.
The pandemic has exposed the fault lines inherent in labour markets and the pre-existing economic system. But if capitalism is to live up to its promise of lifting people out of poverty, the champions of the system may need to rethink the ‘business-as-usual’ model. An unprecedented crisis of this magnitude requires an unprecedented response. As the Director of the International Labour Organization (ILO) Guy Ryder writes, “the effectiveness of our response to this existential threat may be judged by not the scale or speed of cash injections, or whether the recovery curve is flat or steep, but by what we did for the most vulnerable among us”.
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Researchers from Fraunhofer IZM have designed a new type of pliable micro-battery. The batteries are incredibly small and lightweight, yet surprisingly durable. Scientists believe this could be a significant step forward in wearable technologies.
Wearables is a rapidly growing market. These devices can be used to the health and wellbeing of patients, using high-powered sensors. In order to easily integrate into clothing or gadgets, wearables must be lightweight, durable, and powerful. This has proven decidedly challenging, particularly when it comes to charging these devices while they work. That’s where these new pliable batteries come into play.
Scientists built a smart wristband prototype for the new batteries. The wristband comes equipped with three batteries, each of which contains a capacity of 300 milliampere hours. The batteries are capable of storing energy of 1.1 watt hours. Additionally, they lose less than three percent of their charging capacity per year. The newly designed prototype has a much higher capacity than current wearables on the market. It even has the power to charge a smartwatch without suffering any runtime loss.
The secret to the success of this new design is pliability. Most pliable batteries suffer from very poor energy density. So to get around this issue, scientists instead worked on creating batteries that were extremely small and powerful. The batteries are segmented, meaning they are pliable at certain points. This allows the smart band to be very flexible without sacrificing power.
The institute has another wearable-based claim to fame. Joining forces with Xsenio, a Swiss sensor manufacturer, scientists are working to design a band-aid that is capable of measuring and analyzing a user’s sweat. This can be used to gather valuable data in real-time that can directly impact a patient’s health. Researchers hope to integrate sensors that are flexible, flat, and very light. For this to succeed, scientists are experimenting with a variety of design concepts. Currently, they are experimenting with an encapsulation system. The system would be made out of aluminum composite foil.
Although further research and testing are needed regarding both these innovations, scientists and researchers are confident that their work will soon be used to bring wearable technologies to the next level.


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Worries about further US rate rises and concerns about intensifying trade disputes hit broad market indices, taking AuM for exchange traded funds and products downwards, figures show.
Exchange traded funds and products pulled in net inflows of $28.1 billion during October, with only the Middle East and Africa not seeing a positive figure, industry figures show. Turbulent markets pulled total assets under management down by 5.99 per cent on the previous month to $4.94 trillion.
“Few markets managed to avoid the October sell off, as investors grew jittery at the prospects of further rate hikes from the US treasury and any hope of resolutions to trade disputes appeared to be diminishing, be it in Europe or the US. Developed and developing markets saw similar declines during the month,” Deborah Fuhr, managing partner and founder of ETFGI, the firm issuing the data.
Index-tracking entities such as ETFs and exchange traded products have boomed on the back of a bull market lasting almost a decade, their low fees appealing to investors turned off by the higher charges of actively-run funds. However, as markets have become more bumpy – as in 2018 – it’s possible that the fashion for “passive” vehicles could hit a wall.
October pushed many indices deeper into negative territory for the year. The S&P 500 fell 6.84 per cent over the month, retaining a 3.1 per cent gain year-to-date, while European markets fell 7.82 per cent, bringing year-to-date decline to 9.56 per cent. Emerging markets fell 7.60 per cent, bringing year to date declines to 15.07 per cent.
At the end of October, the global ETF/ETP industry had 7,616 ETFs/ETPs, with 14,802 listings from 392 providers listed on 71 exchanges in 57 countries.


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Koons’s ‘Rabbit’ fetches record 91 million dollars at New York auction
A stainless steel sculpture of a rabbit by Jeff Koons has set an auction record in New York, fetching over 91 million dollars (£70.9 million)
The sale of Koons’s 1986 “Rabbit” at Christie’s on Wednesday was the most expensive work by a living artist ever sold at auction.
The previous record for a living artist’s work sold at auction was set by British artist David Hockney.
His 1972 Portrait of an Artist (Pool with Two Figures) brought in 90.3 million dollars at Christie’s last year.
The New York Times says Robert E Mnuchin, an art dealer and the father of Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, was the winning bidder for “Rabbit”, which had an estimated sale price of at least 50 million dollars.
Christie’s says the sculpture is one of three editions plus one artist’s proof.


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Since COVID-19 became a global health pandemic, economies across the board have seen a sudden shift towards digital payments. Pakistan, a culturally cash-reliant economy, also saw a significant rise in digital payments from March 2020 onwards. All major banking, retail and e-commerce outlets have reported a change in consumer payment habits once the country went into lockdown.
It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to analyze why this is the case. The change in payments habit has not only been brought upon by the need to reduce physical contact but also due to rising concern for risk of contamination when it comes to handling banknotes.
Digital payment options like credit and debit cards, mobile wallets, QR codes, etc. make the virus spread less likely at the point of sale, while also allowing consumers the comfort of purchasing essentials from their homes. This is one of the reasons why most businesses, small and large, are opting for quick e-commerce solutions to continue revenue inflow.
Considering this development, it didn’t come as a surprise when the Punjab government, in its annual budget, announced a significantly reduced GST on payments made via digital platforms. As per the announcement, five percent GST will be charged on payments made from credit and debit cards at restaurants and beauty parlors across the province; on cash transactions, the GST remains unchanged at 16 percent.
Heralded as a big step towards proper documentation and digitalization, this move not only encourages customers to use their credit and debit cards but also pushes more retailers to install the point of sale (POS) machines and reduce tax malpractices.
But, in a country where only about 21 percent of the adult population owns a bank account, mobile money platforms are a bigger hit. As per estimates, there are over 50 million mobile money wallets nationwide with people in tier-2 cities and towns being the greatest proponents of this service.
Compared to last year, mobile money platforms like JazzCash and Easypaisa have both seen a significant rise in their Wallet based activities. While Easypaisa noted an increase in wallet activations by 35 percent, JazzCash observed an equally high increase in its active wallet base. The rise of these two players along with a host of other fintech solutions is due to quicker delivery, greater privacy & security, simpler app-based digital payments and more flexible collection options in comparison to formal banks.
These digital payment solutions are also gaining popularity because they are equipped with a host of useful payment options i.e. traffic challan payments, tickets purchase, school fee payments, international remittance collection to corporate fund disbursements apart from peer to peer money transfers.
Merchants nationwide are also benefitting from the use of these platforms. Innovative digital payment features like QR and online payment gateways ensure easy access and reliability in accepting cashless and contactless transactions.
Although Punjab government’s move to promote digital payments and increase the adoption of POS machines is worthy of praise, it does warrant a second look. Card payments make up a small portion of total transactions while Credit Cards are even more insignificant. With the advent of branchless banking and innovative uses of contactless payments like QR and online payment gateways, it is important that millions of individuals who use digital wallets are also catered to.
Similarly, focus should not only be on restaurants and beauty parlors. To maximize the impact of this digital payments incentive scheme, it is imperative to include delivery businesses and other direct B2C setups under this scheme as well. The more retailers and businesses move away from traditional cash transactions, the more chances of people adopting digital payment solutions as a necessity, even those not part of the formal banking setup.
All-in-all the step taken by the Punjab government showcases how it is the state’s obligation to provide an active pathway for the spread of digitally ingenious solutions, especially in the financial sector. By taking this as a model development other provinces should follow suit and introduce incentives and mechanisms that promote a digital payments ecosystem. This should start closer to home with one smart solution being the active digitization of public employee salaries, state pensions, and public procurement processes.
Around the world, COVID-19 has proven to be a once-in-a-generation boost for digital solutions, especially in the payments arena. Now is the right time to ensure that millions without access to formal banking are enabled via the digital payment solutions on offer by mobile money platforms. Without the state’s intervention, the unbanked not only miss out on an important device to ensure quarantine measures during outbreaks, but also miss out on the benefits available to those who are a part of the formal financial sector, including falling behind in a world fast adopting a digital payments ecosystem.
Read Also: Best Credit Cards in Pakistan


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After a morning of interactive discussion sessions held during breakfast, senior marketing and innovation experts took the stage to discuss the evolving role of marketing at asset management firms in a panel moderated by Frank Cooper III, senior managing director and global chief marketing officer at BlackRock. The conference concluded with an overview of key fintech trends in a panel moderated by Kelley Conway, managing director of Accenture’s Financial Services Technology Advisory.
Frank Cooper III, senior managing director and global chief marketing officer at BlackRock, moderated a discussion on how to leverage tech in data-driven marketing. The panel, which also included Simon Mulcahy, chief innovation officer at Salesforce, and Martha “Marty” Willis, chief marketing officer for Nuveen, noted the importance of keeping the human element in place.
Cloud computing, artificial intelligence (AI), and cybersecurity are all game changers when it comes to fintech, but it’s important to bring them together. And though efficiency has always been a key focus, customer loyalty has come more into play, noted panel moderator Kelley Conway, managing director at Accenture Financial Services Technology Advisory. Also included in the panel were Chris Ackerson, head of product: search and AI for AlphaSense, and Dave Hannibal, global head of strategic partnerships and alliances for Duco.
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With the holiday travel season about to start in full swing and international travel restrictions lifted this month, Orlando is bracing for an influx of new visitors from all over. But just how the local tourism industry plans to accommodate these guests with a reduced workforce from the COVID-19 pandemic remains to be seen.
The hospitality industry was one of the hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, with more than 3.5 million jobs lost in 2020, according to a report by the Economic Policy Institute.
On top of this, many of those workers aren’t planning to return, says Robertico Croes, a professor in the University of Central Florida’s Rosen College of Hospitality Management.
“Lifting the international travel ban will increase tourist demand to Orlando, and the international tourist market is important for the industry’s quick recovery,” Croes says. “However, the increase in international tourist demand could be a double-edged sword.”
The labor shortage is not going to be resolved any time soon, which means the quality of the tourist experience is going to be impacted, Croes says.
“So, while the lifting of the travel ban is good news to increase tourist demand, if those tourists leave unsatisfied with their experience, the chance of them returning or recommending Orlando is negatively impacted, which could exacerbate the labor shortage in the long run,” he says.
Croes recently co-authored a new study that surveyed hospitality workers from across the nation. The researchers found that 59% of unemployed hospitality workers were not coming back, while 30% of the employed hospitality workers are considering quitting their job.
Reasons workers aren’t returning include safety concerns about COVID-19 exposure and perceived lack of career benefits in the U.S. hospitality industry, according to the study.
Respondents were from every state and U.S. territory Puerto Rico with approximately 30% of the respondents working in Florida, Texas, California and New York.
“When there is a shortage of employees in a hospitality business you may have unsatisfied and frustrated customers due to lower than expected service delivery due to workers being overworked and spread too thin,” Croes says. “A consequence of a hospitality labor shortage is customers not returning and higher employee turnover, both of which have a negative financial impact for hospitality businesses.”
In September, 863,000 hospitality employees quit, which is twice as high as the national quit level, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
“This means that the hospitality quit pattern continues unabated,” Croes says. “For a destination, such as Orlando, which has a large hospitality industry, this reality is dire and could affect businesses, families, livelihoods, the local economy, and the overall wellbeing of the community at large — for example, through reduced convention development tax collection.”
To help remedy the problem, the researchers recommend raising wages and enhancing career benefits for lowest paying jobs.
Study co-authors were Kelly Semrad, an associate professor, and Manuel A. Rivera, assistant dean and an associate professor, both in UCF’s Rosen College of Hospitality Management.
Croes received his doctorate in applied economics from the University of Twente in the Netherlands. He joined UCF’s Rosen College of Hospitality Management in 2002.


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With 34% of the S&P 500 reporting earnings, so far profits aren't as bad as expected; risk of a no-deal Brexit recedes and positive signs from the U.S.-China Trade War.
3Q Earnings: Approximately 34% of the S&P 500 has reported earnings with revenues up 3.2% Y/Y and earnings roughly flat at -.1% Y/Y, according to Bloomberg. So far, the biggest positive earnings surprises have come from the Materials, Communication Services and Consumer Discretionary, while Energy has lagged. About 1/3 of the companies that report in the current season for the Stoxx 600 have announced results, with sales up 3.1% Y/Y and earnings down 5.5% Y/Y. So far, sales and earnings are in line with estimates.
Brexit: British MPs voted in favor of the Brexit deal in principle, but rejected a fast-track plan to rush the deal into law with a three-day timetable by 322-308. Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced a motion for a December 12 snap election will be put to a vote on Monday, which will require two-thirds of Parliament to approve for the poll to take place. If Johnson wins that vote, there is a chance the Brexit deal could be voted into law before Parliament is dissolved for the election on November 6. However, it is more likely that the EU extends the Brexit deadline to January 31 and the election then becomes a referendum on Johnson’s strategy.
U.S.-China Trade: China is starting to ramp up purchases and is expected to buy $20 billion of U.S. agricultural products in a year if it signs a partial trade deal with U.S. next month. This would put its U.S. imports of farm goods back to pre-trade war levels. China said it would consider boosting purchases in further rounds of talks and in a second year of a potential final deal when all existing tariffs are removed, purchases could rise to an annual figure of $40–$50 billion. The U.S. announced it would delay the tariff increase scheduled for October 15, which would increase the rate from 25% to 30% on about $250 billion of Chinese imports. Additional tariffs on Chinese products, slated to begin on December 15, haven’t been called off yet. In exchange, China would also agree to some measures on intellectual property and concessions in financial services and currency management.


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Google is introducing image ads to search by unveiling a new Gallery Ad format.
While it is sometimes hard to predict what Google will come out with next, what they will do away with, or what they will update, one thing remains true: a new ad format is always on the horizon. Last year it was Responsive Search Ads, then it was expanded-expanded text ads, and now it appears their next ad endeavor will be Gallery Search Ads. Google announced during their Marketing Live event in May that this new ad format will be rolling out later this year. In this article, I will focus on the ins and outs of the upcoming Gallery Ads, but to learn about the other updates coming to Google this year check out Hanapin’s On-Demand Webinar of the Key Takeaways from Google Marketing Live.
I have long been an advocate of image ads. The rise of Instagram, Snapchat, Pinterest, and YouTube have helped to move society away from text and towards a new, image-centric way of viewing digital content. Google has already taken steps to keep up with the trend through display ads, shopping ads, and Gmail ads – but now it is time for search to join the party.
So what are Gallery Ads?
When imagining Google Gallery Ads, it is helpful to think of them as Google’s version of Facebook’s Carousel Ads. Essentially, they consist of a series of images that searchers can swipe through. Advertisers will be able to upload a minimum of 4 images and a maximum of 8 images displaying their products or services. Google has yet to release any specifications on image sizes, quality, etc. but we can expect them to fall in line with other ad image requirements. – Read more


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LANCASTER — The Nashua Valley Council, Boy Scouts of America, kicked off its first-ever Christmas Tree Sale fundraiser for local Scouting and Exploring units.
The Scouts are hoping to use this fundraiser to help support their program in 2017, including the 2017 Year of Service. By supporting the Boy Scout Christmas Tree Sale, you will be helping support another year of community service and character development in North Central Massachusetts.
With trees ranging from $36 to $42, including Grade A, and 8-foot-plus-tall trees, there has never been a better opportunity to celebrate the season of giving.
The sale is at 1980 Lunenburg Road in Lancaster (right off Exit 35 off Route 2) from 9 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. seven days a week. Enjoy free coffee, cocoa and candy canes.


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The move could address concerns that concentration of transactions through non-banking players such as Google Pay and PhonePe could pose a systemic risk to the digital payments ecosystem in the country.
This issue was discussed in a meeting of the UPI steering committee led by the NPCI last week, three people present at the meeting told ET. “There was a proposal on limiting each company’s market share to not more than 33% of all UPI transactions so that no one enjoys a monopoly over payments in the country,” said a top banker, who was present at the steering committee meeting. But discussions around this proposal are at a preliminary stage and nothing has been finalised.
The steering committee’s mandate is to discuss and finalise rules and regulations regarding UPI. It’s attended by representatives from NPCI, banks and select payment companies.
Cap on Daily Transaction Numbers Another Option
When contacted, NPCI declined to offer a comment on ET’s query.
“We do not know yet how this will be done but have to figure out a way without causing customer inconvenience,” said a senior executive who was also present at the meeting. He said limiting the number of transactions customers can undertake per day may be a potential option.
Industry experts said implementing a cap or restricting the quantum of transactions will not be easy.
UPI is an inter-bank payments network, developed by NPCI, which facilitates real time fund transfers. Global tech giants like Google, Facebook-owned WhatsApp and Amazon have all built their payment products around this system in partnership with banks.
Out of the 918 million UPI transactions carried out in August, Flipkart-owned PhonePe recorded the highest number at 342 million followed by Google Pay at 320 million. Paytm stood third at 157 million. WhatsApp is expected to join the payments bandwagon soon. The share of each company is not shared by NPCI publicly, but has been sourced by ET from industry executives.
Google, WhatsApp and Phone-Pe did not respond to ET queries till press time.
The concerns have mainly stemmed from these companies offering payment services in India without any regulatory licence. “The rapid rate at which UPI has grown driven by only three main players Paytm, PhonePe and Google Pay has caused the regulator and NPCI to become cautious of there being a concentration risk at some later point in time,” said another source present in the meeting.
The RBI had spoken about a similar risk on payments ecosystem while circulating a discussion paper on setting up other retail payment systems like UPI.
NPCI is also understood to be looking at ways of ensuring UPI payments get distributed among multiple partner banks. At present, a large chunk of UPI transactions flow through Yes Bank, Paytm Payments Bank, State Bank of India, ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank and Axis Bank. While PhonePe is the only app among the top UPI apps to have one banking partner, Google Pay and WhatsApp are working with four banks.
“There were also discussions around allowing each third party payment app to have maximum 10 banking partners to encourage diversification,” said one of the people mentioned above.
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- Go First Seeks DGCA Nod to Restart Ops with 22 Aircraft
Wadia Group-owned airline Go First has sought approval to restart flights with 22 planes for the next five months. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) had asked for a resumption plan last week after meeting the Go First management.Titan Plan to Buy Out CaratLane Hits Valuation Hurdle
Differences have emerged between the Tata Group and the founders of CaratLane over the valuation of the residual stake held by the founders, leading to a months-long deadlock, said people aware of the matter. India’s largest omni-channel jewellery brand is majority owned by Tata Group company Titan.Baring, Blackstone, 3 Others in Fray to Acquire Indira IVF
Baring PE Asia EQT, Blackstone, Bain Capital, Advent International and TPG Capital have submitted non-binding bids to acquire a majority stake in India’s largest fertility clinic chain, Indira IVF, said people with knowledge of the matter. The deal is expected to value the chain at ₹8,000-10,000 crore ($1-1.2 billion).
Download The Economic Times News App to get Daily Market Updates & Live Business News.
- Sustainable Aviation Fuel production set to grow, says IATA
- Emirates makes strong pitch for increased bilateral flying rights
- Revival of red-ball cricket? Disney Star scores big with sponsor deals as India-Australia to clash in 'pinnacle of test cricket'
- PolicyBoss closes series B funding round, seeks to deepen last-mile presence
- Nissan rolls out Magnite compact SUV marking milestone of one lakh units at Tamil Nadu plant
- India to offer Rs 3,760 cr in incentives for battery storage projects: Sources
- Odisha govt calls off plan to divest 49% stake in Odisha Power Generation Corp
- Honda looks to 'Elevate' fortune in India with 5 new SUVs by 2030
- India will not face any shortage of coal this year: Coal Minister Pralhad Joshi
- ICRA pegs organised jwellers' revenue growth at 12-15% y-o-y in FY2024


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|1||Anglo American||Diversified Metals & Mining|
|3||Shoprite Holdings||Food Retail|
Who is the best employer in South Africa?
A total of 96 companies were named as top employers in South Africa, many of which operate in the financial services, telecommunications, IT, and electronics industries. Some of the winners include AvBob, CSIR, AECI, DHL, Dimension Data, TransUnion Africa, Sanlam, Mercedes Benz Africa and Microsoft SA.
Who owns the most businesses in South Africa?
Top 10 biggest companies in South Africa
- FirstRand Limited (FSR) …
- Anglo American Plc (AGL) …
- Compagnie Financiere Richemont SA (CFR) …
- Glencore. …
- The BHP Group Plc (BHP) …
- British American Tobacco Plc (BTI) Market Capitalisation – R1245bn. …
- Naspers Limited (NPN) Market Capitalisation – R1519bn. …
- Annheuser Busch Inbev (ANH) Market Capitalisation – R2117bn.
Which company is the largest employer in Africa?
Largest Companies in Africa: Top 100
- Sonatrach. Sonatrach operates in the oil and gas sector of the economy of Algeria. …
- Steinhoff International. Bruno Steinhoff founded Steinhoff International in 1964. …
- Sonangol. …
- The Bidvest Group. …
- Eskom. …
- Sasol. …
- MTN Group. …
- ShopRite Holdings.
What are the top 10 employers?
Be sure to also check the Top 10 global US employers’ summary after the list!
- Raytheon Technologies.
- JPMorgan Chase.
Which companies pay the most in South Africa?
MultiChoice, Vodacom, Eskom, and the SABC pay the highest average salaries in South Africa, ranging between R762,000 and R896,000 per year. These findings emerged from an investigation into the compensation of employees at South Africa’s largest IT and telecommunications companies.
Which job pays the most money in South Africa?
In the video the “Top 10 Highest Paying Jobs In South Africa” we look at which professions have the highest earning power.
- Software Engineers – R1.2 million p/a. …
- Pilots – R695,800 p/a. …
- Lawyers – R655,000 p/a. …
- IT Managers – R620,230 p/a. …
- Medical Specialists – R616,000 p/a.
What is the oldest company in South Africa?
Oldest Companies in South Africa – By James Ball
- 1682 – Blaauwklippen (Read oldest winefarm debate)
- 1685 – Groot Constantia.
- 1685 – Boschendal.
- 1700 – Vergelegen via Bev Young [History on the website does say 1685 but brand states 1700]
- 1838 – FNB (click here for some brief history)
- 1845 – Old Mutual.
- 1846 – Mossops via John Marwood.
What is the biggest brand in South Africa?
The 50 most-valuable brands in South Africa
|Rank 2018||Brand name||Country|
|3||First National Bank||South Africa|
Why do businesses fail in South Africa?
Lack of planning:
There is no detailed plan on how the business is going to be run. There are no well defined short-term and long-term goals. As a result, there is no understanding of costs, responsibilities, markets, funding needs and other requirements of the business.
Which is the richest company in Africa?
100 List of Richest companies in Africa 2021
- 1 1. FirstRand – Worth 94.8 billion US$
- 2 2. Standard Bank of South Africa Limited – Worth 153.05 billion US$
- 3 3. Imperial Holdings – Worth 74.43902 trillion UK£
- 4 4. Sonangol – Worth 5 billion barrels (790,000,000 m3) of offshore and coastal petroleum reserves.
- 5 5. …
- 6 6. …
- 7 7. …
- 8 8.
What does South Africa import the most?
South Africa main imports are: machinery (23.5 percent of total imports), mineral products (15.1 percent), vehicles and aircraft vessels (10 percent), chemicals (10.9 percent), equipment components (8.1 percent) and iron and steel products (5.3 percent).
Which city is expensive in South Africa?
Pretoria, which previously ranked as the most expensive city in Africa, has now dropped down the list, below Johannesburg (379th on Numbeo), which ranks as the fourth most expensive city on the continent.
South African cities.
Who is largest employer in world?
Our annual ranking of the world’s largest corporations
|Rank||Company||2011 Number of Employees ▾|
|2||China National Petroleum||1,668,072|
Which company has highest number of employees?
Walmart had about 2.2 million employees in the fiscal year of 2019, the highest of any company in the world. Walmart also led the ranking of companies by revenue in 2019, with a total revenue of about 524 billion U.S. dollars.
What are the best companies to work for in 2019?
The 10 best places to work in 2019, according to Glassdoor
- Bain & Company. Industry: Management consulting.
- Zoom Video Communications. Industry: Communications. …
- In-N-Out Burger. Industry: Food service. …
- Procore Technologies. Industry: Software. …
- Boston Consulting Group. Industry: Management consulting. …
- LinkedIn. …
- 7. Facebook. …
- Google. …


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Import and Export Prices
• Import Prices rose 0.6% vs. (E) 0.4% in August
• Export Prices rose 0.6% vs. (E) 0.2% in August
A normally overlooked price report, Import and Export Prices came out yesterday and the release is worth mentioning. The headlines showed a decent upside beat in both import and export prices, which underscored the uptick in inflation we saw last week in several overseas CPI reports including China, Britain and India.
The reason this is worth pointing out is the bond market. Over the last several weeks, firming inflation overseas has become a recurring theme that has started to influence global fixed income markets, including Treasuries, pushing yields higher despite the fact that US inflation still remains very low.
Bottom line, yesterday’s Import and Export Prices report is showing the effects of both a weaker dollar, but also the fact that global inflation is beginning to edge higher.
From a macroeconomic standpoint that is encouraging for the reflation trade argument.
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STERLING, Va., Jan. 12, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Arminco Inc. and Boyd Industries, Inc., have finalized the details of their sales relationship. The new agreement allows Arminco Inc. to distribute products manufactured by Boyd in the mid-Atlantic region. Arminco Inc. plans to immediately promote Boyd equipment and cabinetry by creating a space in their showroom, which will highlight several popular products.
"We are delighted to have Arminco join the Boyd sales team to promote our wide range of dental products for the specialty dental markets," said Adrian LaTrace, chief executive officer of Boyd Industries. "Partnering with Arminco provides us a proven office design, sales and construction team to reach more customers in the Washington D.C. and Virginia territory."
Boyd is a market leader in the design and manufacture of award-winning dental treatment center equipment. Boyd's products include a full line of exam and treatment chairs, delivery systems, LED operatory lighting, custom sterilization and storage cabinetry, doctor seating and other equipment. The company has been the recipient of numerous awards, and is known for their durable, customizable products and exceptional customer service.
"Our partnership with Boyd creates an in-house dental and medical project team for clients in these sectors," said Artin Safarian, president and CEO of Arminco, Inc. "Adding the innovative products of Boyd Industries to our equipment offerings now allows us to provide the latest technology in a pragmatic design to our orthodontic, oral surgery, pediatric dentistry and medical offices."
Collectively, Arminco Inc. and Boyd believe they will be better equipped to serve their dental and medical clientele through this long-term relationship.
About Arminco Inc.
Arminco Inc. has evolved from a family-run service-oriented heating and air conditioning company to a comprehensive design and build firm. Arminco Inc. staff includes designers, architects, contractors and project managers in addition to service and equipment specialists. The company is most well known for its specialization in dental offices, and delivers unique, high quality products while keeping a close eye on the clients' budgets. Arminco Inc. has been providing superior services since its formation in 1995.
SOURCE Arminco Inc.


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Brace for food price agony
Staples are set to soar by double digits as drought takes its toll, hitting the poorest of the poor hardest
Brace yourselves: if you thought food was expensive already, prices are expected to hike by double-digit percentages within the next few months. The prices of basic foods – such as maize meal and samp, vegetables, wheat, chicken and beef – are expected to increase the most, says AgriSA senior economist Thabi Nkosi.
The drought has affected overall food production in South Africa, but maize, vegetable and meat production have been the worst hit.
“White maize prices have already increased by 150%,” says Nkosi.
“This has impacted negatively on the price of maize meal and samp, which are the staple foods for most South Africans.
“The price of yellow maize has also already increased by 80% over the past year – and that has had an impact on the price of poultry.”
Nkosi says a similar trend is expected in the meat industry, where beef and chicken prices will rise by double-digit percentages towards the middle of the year.
“Due to the drought that affected most parts of South Africa, farmers had to increase the number of animals they slaughtered because it was becoming too expensive to feed the cattle,” she says.
“A knock-on effect of this was that the breeding stock was depleted, which means increased shortages will follow in the next few months.
“These will push up prices, making it difficult for an ordinary South African to afford meat.”
While the full effect of food price increases is expected to be felt around June, monthly research conducted by the Pietermaritzburg Agency for Community Social Action shows prices have been on the rise over the past three months, hitting an all-time high of 15% in baskets of basic foods.
The agency tracks the prices of 36 basic foods every month.
The latest barometer shows that a basic food basket increased by R149 since November – driven by hikes in the prices of beef, vegetables, cake flour, cooking oil, sugar beans, samp, rice, maas and eggs ( see graphic).
The agency’s advocacy and research officer, Julie Smith, says the findings – which are based on the basic food items found in the basket of the average South African consumer – suggest food prices may still increase by more than 15% in 2016.
The situation, she says, is not likely to get any better.
“We have seen the month-on-month increase in basic food items, and what is clear is that it will get worse with time.
“Sadly, it is the poorest of the poor who will be hardest hit because they will not be able to afford basic foods,” she says.
Nkosi agrees, adding that poor households are already spending at least 40% of their income on food.
“So if prices continue to soar like this, it means ordinary people will not be able to meet other needs, as all their money will go towards food,” she points out.
“This reality suggests massive ramifications for health and wellbeing, child development, productivity, education, health and economic outcomes, family functioning and social solidarity – and civil discontent and protest,” warns Nkosi.
“High food prices, together with Eskom’s request for a 16.6% increase in electricity tariffs, the exponential water-tariff increase, increased interest rates and excessive levels of indebtedness, may have disastrous implications for South African society,” adds Nkosi.


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Walmart Invests in DroneUp for Nationwide Drone Deliveries
June 18, 2021
After completing hundreds of successful test flights in the past year, Walmart said it is expanding its partnership and investing in drone delivery and services provider DroneUp.
Soft Robotics Names AMP Automation as a Preferred System Integrator
June 17, 2021
Soft Robotics, which makes the mGrip compliant gripper, 3D vision, and AI systems, is working with AMP Automation to expand robotics adoption in the European food and beverage market.
Drone Express and FarEye Partner to Launch Autonomous Drone Deliveries for U.S. Retailers
June 11, 2021
Drone Express, which provides commercial drones as a service, and FarEye, which offers logistics optimization software, say they will offer end-to-end visibility and route optimization.
Qualcomm Releases Roster of 7 IoT Products Built to Drive Digital Transformation
June 8, 2021
Qualcomm has released seven new products that it said will help with Internet of Things and AI applications including connected healthcare, logistics management, and warehousing.
Geek+ Deploys 100 Mobile Robots at Circle K Distribution Center in Hong Kong
June 8, 2021
Circle K Hong Kong has deployed 100 Geek+ autonomous mobile robots for picking at its distribution center, which serves 300 convenience stores and handles 1 million items daily.
Top 10 Robotics Transactions of May 2021
June 5, 2021
Robotics transactions in May 2021 slowed from the previous month, but companies supplying autonomous trucks, software and sensors, and systems for new applications raised millions of dollars.
MegaRobo Raises $30M Series B for Light Robotics, IoT
May 29, 2021
Robert Bosch Venture Capital and Sinovation participated in MegaRobo's financing, which will enable it to apply its motion-control technology to lab automation, retail, and light manufacturing.
Flytrex Gets FAA Approval to Expand Backyard Drone Deliveries in North Carolina
May 25, 2021
Flytrex has received a waiver from the FAA to operate above people, expanding its on-demand drone deliveries from a local Walmart and restaurants in Fayetteville, N.C.
OhmniLabs Offers Modular Robotics Platform for Cloud-Based Mobile Robot Design
May 21, 2021
OhmniLabs said its new Ohmni Modular Robotics Platform enables it to rapidly develop, manufacture, and deploy mobile service robots for a wide variety of applications.
Vargo Agrees to Distribute OPEX Warehouse Automation
May 21, 2021
Material handling systems integrator VARGO is partnering with OPEX Corp., which provides automated storage and retrieval systems and other warehouse automation.
PuduTech Raises $78M in Series C Funding for Service Robots
May 19, 2021
PuduTech, which makes several mobile robots for restaurants, hospitals, disinfection, and supply chain applications, has raised more than $100 million in the past year.
RightHand Robotics Opens RightPick Center Europe in Germany
May 18, 2021
RightHand Robotics, whose RightPick 3 robotic system is designed for item handling, has opened a business development and training center in Nürnberg, Germany.
Robotic Deliveries Quadruple During Pandemic, Reports Starship Technologies
May 17, 2021
Starship Technologies reported that its robotic deliveries have quadrupled worldwide during the COVID-19 pandemic, with demand particularly strong on college campuses.
Orbbec to Build Time-of-Flight 3D Cameras on Microsoft Azure Depth Platform
May 12, 2021
Orbbec said its design and manufacturing expertise will complement Microsoft's 3D sensor and cloud technology for a new 3D, time-of-flight sensors to meet growing developer demand.
AWS RoboMaker Support for ROS 2 Foxy Fitzroy Includes Navigation2
May 11, 2021
Amazon Web Services' support for the latest build of the Robot Operating System enables developers to more easily create simulations and navigation for robots.
How Amazon Robotics Helps Fill Orders, Create Jobs
May 9, 2021
From its acquisition of Kiva, now Amazon Robotics, to its construction of fulfillment centers across the U.S., Amazon.com is leading e-commerce and creating jobs.
Kroger Partners With Drone Express on Grocery Drone Delivery Pilot
May 3, 2021
Kroger said it will offer bundles of related grocery products, such as for child care or a picnic, through a drone delivery service it is piloting with Drone Express.
Attabotics Works With AltaML and Amii to Add AI Capabilities to Supply Chains
April 28, 2021
Attabotics has partnered with two organizations in Alberta, Canada, to add AI, machine learning, and IoT to help customers be more proactive.
Wing Drone Deliveries Get Good Marks From First Virginia Town Testing the Service
April 26, 2021
After being the first town in the U.S. to test Wing's drone delivery, Christiansburg, Va., residents reported favorable attitudes toward the service.
Meituan Raises $10B to Develop Robotic and Drone Delivery
April 21, 2021
Meituan has raised $10 billion, which the Chinese e-commerce provider said it will invest in developing autonomous delivery vehicles and drone services.


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Anheuser Busch InBev is prepping a line extension for Bud Light called Mixx Tail that appears to continue the brewer's recent innovation strategy of blurring the lines between cocktails and beer.
A-B InBev Plans New Bud Light Extension Called Mixx Tail
A-B InBev filed a recent trademark application for the product which lists it as a flavored beer. The company on Friday confirmed the launch to Ad Age but did not provide other details, only saying that it would debut this spring.
One of the brewer's distributors recently tweeted about the launch, saying the product would come in flavors such as Hurricane, Firewalker and Long Island Ice Tea.
A-B InBev, the world's largest brewer, already sells a version of the product in Argentina where the product is sold under the Quilmes brand name. Below is what appears to be an ad for that product in Argentina found on YouTube. (Although the Mojito flavor is not expected in the U.S.)
The brewer did not share marketing details on the U.S. launch. But typically A-B InBev puts significant money behind products that carry the Bud Light name. For instance, the launch of higher-alcohol line extension Bud Light Platinum in early 2012 was accompanied with a Super Bowl ad. And the brewer continues to invest behind its Bud Light Ritas franchise, which is a line of fruity, margarita-inspired flavored malt beverages.
Brewers have been tinkering with flavorful drinks as a way to appeal to fickle millennial drinkers, who tend to like intense flavors and constant variety.
In a separate move, A-B InBev is also planning to launch a new tequila-flavored beer called Oculto that was first reported by the Wall Street Journal earlier this month. The brand will debut in the spring targeting drinkers ages 21 to 27. The brewer describes it as a lager "infused with blue agave and blended with beer aged on Mexican tequila barrel staves."


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Scholastic feathers its nest with Chicken House
Building on a winning streak will be Scholastic’s goal as it integrates its latest acquisition, indie Brit publisher Chicken House, into its Children’s Trade Book division. Founded in 2000 by Barry Cunningham (who is famous for signing J.K. Rowling while working for Bloomsbury), Chicken House inked a distribution deal with Scholastic in ’01 to get its books out in the U.S., Canada and Australia. The company’s stable of talent includes Cornelia Funke, author of New York Times bestsellers Inkheart, The Thief Lord and Dragon Rider, which have sold more than 2.6 million copies to date. Scholastic plans to turn Chicken House into a new imprint that will continue to operate from its headquarters in Somerset, England.
Barbie goes high fashion with Benetton
Mattel has teamed up with Italian apparel manufacturer Benetton Group to create a line of aspirational fashions for tween girls under the banner ‘Barbie loves Benetton.’ The range will include more than 50 garments and accessories divided into four looks inspired by the world’s fashion capitals. London and Paris collections will hit United Colors of Benetton stores in September, with New York and Stockholm following in October. Then in December, the line will welcome a special holiday-themed clothing collection.
Mattel also plans to release special-edition ‘Barbie loves Benetton’ dolls, which will be available alongside the fashion line in Benetton stores as well as at mass toy retailers. The two companies have agreed to continue the partnership until at least December 2006.


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11 February 2008
Imagination Technologies Extends its Lead in Mobile Graphics
MWC, Barcelona, February 11th 2008: At MWC 2008 Imagination Technologies a leader in mobile multimedia technologies says that the uptake of graphics technology is continuing strongly in the mobile market, a fact born out by this yearâ€™s Mobile World Congress where dozens of phones and semiconductors containing Imaginationâ€™s POWERVR graphics acceleration technology are on show.
Imagination forecasts that as much as 40% of all mobile phones shipped (that is, more than 400m) will incorporate graphics acceleration hardware by 2012.
Imaginationâ€™s technologies are the de facto standard for mobile graphics and are continuing to set the pace in this exciting new device segment. Licensees of POWERVR graphics technology include leaders in mobile semiconductors including: Centrality/SiRF, Freescale, Intel, Marvell, NEC, NXP, Renesas, Samsung, Sunplus, Texas Instruments and others.
POWERVR MBX already enables multimedia applications including gaming, Flash and SVG players, camera viewfinders, navigation and user interfaces while the next-generation POWERVR SGX is being widely adopted for the â€˜OpenGL ES 2.0 generationâ€™ of products in advanced development now.
Says Hossein Yassaie, CEO, Imagination Technologies: "POWERVR graphics is now being specified by name by both semiconductor companies and OEMs. Graphics is becoming an essential for mid-range as well as high-end phones. POWERVR MBX is shipping in volume now and will continue to dominate in mobile and consumer globally for several years to come. The new generation POWERVR SGX is already established as the industryâ€™s leading OpenGL ES 2.0 implementation this will be the future, with the first ground breaking devices shipping later in 2008. There is no doubt that mobile graphics is developing at a serious pace and that pace is driven by POWERVR."
Imaginationâ€™s family of POWERVR graphics cores address the feature set and performance requirements of all key mobile and consumer market segments. Designed to enable the emerging OpenGL ES 2.0 generation of 3D devices, as well as OpenGL ES 1.1 and OpenVG, the next-generation POWERVR SGX is already being used in the development of over 20 devices from Imaginationâ€™s partners including Intel, Texas Instruments, NEC, Renesas and others.
Imaginationâ€™s POWERVR MBX leads the range of currently available 3D-enabled handsets, with over 75 current models using the technology, and is widely accepted as the de facto standard for mobile hardware graphics acceleration.
With the market demonstrating growing recognition of the importance of graphics for mobile devices, Imagination is seeing increased engagements with customers for the high performance cores that make up its POWERVR SGX family, from the base-line SGX520, through the high-performance SGX530 and SGX535 to the performance leading SGX540. With significant architectural performance scalability across the POWERVR SGX520, SGX530, SGX535 and SGX540, and process node clock speed enhancements, Imaginationâ€™s partners have significant flexibility enabling them to target all the key market segments with optimal designs.
Imagination Technologies was recently first to announce a conformant OpenVG 1.0.1 implementation when Texas Instrumentsâ€™ OMAP2420 processor, which incorporates the POWERVR MBX graphics accelerator IP core, completed the Khronos Group-defined conformance test suite and process.
Concludes Yassaie: "As a hardware graphics acceleration company it is to be expected that we already have a strong line-up of licensees for POWERVR SGX but we are also now a strategic partner for development and promotion of accelerated 3D, 2D and vector graphics based applications through our SDKs, tools and other middleware. The industry is learning from the success of the â€˜OpenGL ES 1.1 generationâ€™ of phones that it is important to get onboard quickly or risk missing key engagements."David2008-03-11 11:22:20


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Auckland properties sold by the city's biggest agency, Barfoot & Thompson, have hit a new all-time price high of $756,909, up $20,671 in just 30 days.
Peter Thompson, Barfoot managing director, has just released the latest monthly data showing a post-election splurge caused the price spike.
Barfoots' media price in the election month of October was $736,238.
Volumes rose sharply too: in January 854 properties were sold unconditionally with commissions paid, February 771, March 1392, April 811, May 1109, June 1037, July 983, August 909, September 959, October 939 and November 1105.
Thompson said sales were the strongest they had been for some time.
"For the previous three months the uncertainty that always exists around general election time was influencing sales, but the market put that behind itself by November. November is normally one of the strongest sales months of the year, and has proved to be again this year.
Attendance at auctions was extremely high, there was keen buyer demand and new listings were strong. It added up to a buoyant month's trading that saw the average price increase by 2.8 per cent over that for October and it was 10.6 per cent higher than the average price in November last year. Sales at 1105 for the month were the highest since May, and were 18.1 per cent higher than the average number of sales we have achieved monthly over the previous three months," Thompson said.
"The current record sales prices are not proving a deterrent to buyers, with demand at the top end of the market being extremely strong," he said.
At month end we had 3303 homes on our books. While this will contribute to an active month's trading in December we anticipate sales numbers and prices to edge lower during the current month.
Sales of homes in the under $500,000 price category at 225 made up only 20.4 per cent of total sales. This was the lowest number of sales in this price category in any month this year, and reflects the challenge those not already in the market face when trying to meet the LVR ratio, Thompson said.
Real estate asking prices in New Zealand have hit an all-time high of $509,750, according to an internet listings business.
Nigel Jeffries, head of the Trade Me Property Price Index, said prices had risen steeply in the last two months.
"The November data echoes the lift we saw in October, meaning sellers have continued to raise their price expectations to land at a new high water mark of $509,750. There has been a resounding resurgence in the property market after a pretty subdued winter and that all adds up to good news for sellers and a bitter pill for buyers to swallow," he said.
The average asking price across all property types for the three months to November was up 13.7 per cent year-on-year, and the new record asking price represented an overall increase of 27.6 per cent since November 2009.
Year-on-year rises in average asking price saw the Hawkes' Bay up 24.1 per cent, Taranaki (+18.2 per cent), Canterbury (+12.5 per cent), Otago (+11.6 per cent), Auckland (+11.3 per cent) and Southland (+10.8 per cent).
Pressure in the Christchurch residential market appears to be easing, with the November increase of 12.5 per cent down on October's 13.6 per cent increase, Jeffries said.
Expectations in the apartment sector are on the rise with a new average asking price record of $426,950 last month.
"It's no surprise that the driving force here is Auckland - up 22 per cent to an average asking price of $435,500, and up more than $30,000 since October. Compact living in the city remains alluring," Jeffries said.
The index tracks listings from private advertisers and real estate agents and is produced from listings on Trade Me Property.


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This content was originally published by The Hop Review, a digital magazine that joined the Hop Culture family in March 2020.
This piece was written by Jack Muldowney.
Scotland’s Loch Lomond Brewery was recently on the hunt for a visual refresh, in an effort to maintain relevancy on the shelf, as well as begin to tell a story across its packaging. They turned to fellow Scots, the folks at Glasgow’s beer-focused design agency, ThirstCraft. The firm focused on the brewery’s initial packaging lineup–its Classic Range–before recently releasing the next range and direction in its portfolio, the Craft Range.
Further explanation of the design approach to the new brand can be found on ThirstCraft’s website:
“The award-winning Loch Lomond Brewery had big ambitions, but needed a bold new look to achieve them. The brewery wanted a brand that captured its cutting edge, creative brews while celebrating its home. To do this, we knew we had to match Loch Lomond’s iconic beauty with the brewery’s iconic beer by showing modern perspectives of an ancient land.
By illustrating stunning scenes from the shoreline we took drinkers on a journey of discovery through the Loch. Each image follows one man’s adventure, with the light source traveling with him from morning to night across the range to track the day’s progression.”


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HOW can they play this year’s Super Bowl when they haven’t finished last year’s?
Last February, when Adam Vinatieri’s field goal was adjudged to be good, there were two seconds left on the game clock. Last we checked, they were still there. A kickoff return is still due the Rams.
Kickoffs count, ya know. In 1999, the Titans, on the last play of their wild-card game against the Bills, returned the kickoff for a game-winning TD – then wound up in the Super Bowl.
This is the same NFL whose overly legislated, unrealistic and ludicrous quest for trans-human officiating perfection weekly creates a perfect storm.
While last season’s Super Bowl ended at 20-17 – the game clock was even closer: 59:58 – this postseason already has led to a post-game admission that the Giants were due another game-winning field-goal try, followed the next week by a game in which a ref turned on his stadium microphone to offer a candid admission that he’s still not sure how the replay rule works.
Had the replay-rule official also been attached to a stadium mike we might’ve heard him reply, “Whattya want from me?”
And there’s no end to the NFL’s systemic excesses that have turned football games into subliminal messages.
Last Sunday, during the NFC Championship game in Philly, the NFL’s advanced sense of youth-marketing saw the street-thuggish rapper Ja Rule, along with his backups, Murder, Inc. – charming – serve as the on-field, extended halftime entertainment. The Eagles’ crowd, long known, indulged and even celebrated for its drunken incivility, booed. The NFL couldn’t see that coming?
As seen on Fox, at performance’s end, Ja Rule proved worthy of the NFL’s youth-target pandering, his in-stadium audience and even Fox Attitude. Ja Rule summoned up his saliva – his D-Rool – and spit. What, no reverse angle replay? If the NFL didn’t get what it wanted, it got what it deserved. To think they used to have marching bands.
Now the Super Bowl, increasingly less a championship game or even a sporting event than an insider trading festival, a torturous variety show and a four-hour opportunity for beer and sneaker companies to spend millions to establish a new leader in smut-shock advertising.
But no gambling-related ads, the NFL insists, those would send the wrong message.
Wednesday, an eBay publicist called to proudly report – so that I might report – that as of Tuesday, eBay had 1,683 Super Bowl tickets still up for bid. Great! Anything available in Rows I, R or S?
With the NFL pre-emptively scalping tickets at $400 a pop – up $250 from 10 years ago, up $325 from 15 years ago – eBay was taking its cut to service private-sector scalping by who knows how many additional hundreds of thousands of dollars. Yeah, that’s great news!
Meanwhile, the NFL has yet to explain how the Packers, playing in the 1997 Super Bowl, saw fit to deliver thousands of tickets from the team’s allotment to a Texas travel agency.
Are we to believe that the Packers, rather than selling those tickets at face value to its season-ticket holders in Wisconsin, instead chose to sell them at face value to a travel agency in Texas? Such a belief would be beyond belief.
But the NFL either still doesn’t know anything about it, or still chooses not to.
This week also found an NFL-licensed company selling “limited edition” coins that will or won’t be used – the ad is slightly confusing – in Sunday’s Super Bowl coin flip.
For $65 one can buy a “limited edition” Super Bowl coin-flip coin. Highland Mint’s ad claims that it will sell only 7,500 coins – all accompanied by a “certificate of authenticity.” But if all the coins are authentic, then there has to be 7,500 coin flips, no?
No. The certificates of authenticity attest to the claim that the coins are “authentic replicas.” So you can buy an authentic replica or a genuine fake, whichever way you choose to look at it. You think they accept authentic replica checks?
Someday, sports fans, we’ll get our revenge. And, as Lenny from “The Simpsons” says, “Revenge is a good way at getting back at people.”


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In competition with the Motorola Xoom which runs on Android Tablet OS and based on Android Tablet OS, LG has made the promise during mid of 2010 to launch first LG Optimus 3D Pad which will run on the same principle of OS. The LG optimus 3D Pad is named as T-Mobile G-Slate and is hopefully make debut at the coming MWC Barcelona in the next week.
The LG Optimus G-slate is based on following features:
- 8.9 inches capacitive touchscreen
- Honeycomb OS
- 3D but doesn’t require 3D glasses
- Dual core NVIDIA Tegra 2 chipset (1GHz)
- Front facing cam
- Rear cam (5mp) with 2 led flashes
- 32 GB internal mem
- Possibly expandable to 64GB via SD card slot
It will be the European 3G version of the G-Tablet After making debut at the MWC 2011 during 14-17th February it is expected to launch at T-Mobile USA around March 2011 and will be launched around the world shortly after.


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Speaking about Siri during the D10 conference on Tuesday, Cook said Siri is one of the most popular features of the iPhone 4S. But he hinted that Apple is nowhere near done with its development, stating the company has "some cool ideas about what Siri can do."
"I think Siri has proven that voice is something people want to do," he said in an interview at the D10 conference on Tuesday, where AppleInsider is in attendance. He added that customers will "be pleased with where Siri is going," and that new features will be seen in the "coming months."
Cook also explained that the key feature of Siri is not the voice recognition technology of it, but instead the understanding of natural human language. He said that the artificial intelligence of Siri is "something people have dreamed about for years."
The Apple CEO also said that Siri could be improved if it were made broader, and that the company sees "unbelievable potential" in expanding the technology. Cook revealed that Apple is "doubling down" on Siri development.
But he said he thinks what makes Siri truly resonate with users is the fact that the iPhone 4S personal assistant has "a personality."
Visit AppleInsider's D10 archive for more of Cook's comments and ongoing coverage of the conference.


text: NXP Semiconductors NV /zigman2/quotes/202999625/composite NXPI +0.81% delivered preliminary first-quarter results Tuesday that showed weaker revenue than the company had modeled in its last forecast issued in early March. The company expects to report $2.02 billion in March-quarter revenue, down 3.5% from a year earlier. The midpoint of the company's March 2 forecast had been calling for $2.23 billion in revenue, which would have marked a 6.3% rise on a year-over-year basis. Analysts surveyed by FactSet were modeling $2.12 billion. "While the supply chain disruption experienced post Lunar New Year in China appears to be subsiding, the end market demand trends in the rest of the world have started to significantly deteriorate," the company said in a press release. These headwinds worsened throughout March in the automotive market as many auto makers worldwide have shut down production lines. In addition, weaker consumer demand in the industrial and mobile markets has caused orders to be pushed out. NXP has been trying to align channel inventory with sales out of its channel, and the company opted not to ship about $150 million worth of orders to distribution partners in order to maintain its normal channel inventory. The stock is up 3.5% in premakret trading Tuesday. It's dropped 32% so far this year as the S&P 500 /zigman2/quotes/210599714/realtime SPX +0.24% has fallen 18%.


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A talented young East Kilbride fashion designer, who has showcased her striking, sustainable designs on a worldwide stage under the watchful eye of royalty and the biggest names in the business, makes no secret of the personal battle that has made her so determined to succeed.
At the age of 16, Nicole Christie developed an eating disorder which landed her in hospital.
Considering herself lucky to have come out the other side, 25-year-old Nicole is now a proud ambassador for the UK’s leading eating disorder charity, Beat, which campaigns to end the pain and suffering of people who struggle with what is a serious mental illness.
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Much has been achieved, says Nicole, to end the stigma that was associated with mental health and eating disorders when she was a teenager, when she was “categorised and labelled, which was why it took so long to get help.”
She echoes the charity’s view that the fashion industry – in which she has undoubtedly become one to watch – can regretfully promote a very limited picture of the ideal body type through images that can encourage people who are affected to continue or worsen their disordered eating.
Inspirational Nicole – a public speaker and fundraiser of more than £10,000 for the charity – has channelled the tenacity and resolve that she mustered during her recovery into staking her claim as one of the brightest, most promising new stars on the fashion design scene.
She launched her fashion brand, Ellipsis, in October last year, with a commitment to slowing the pace of so-called fast fashion and propel on to the market seasonless, sustainable garments that wearers will cherish for years to come, thus reducing textile waste and its harsh impact on the environment.
Although she displayed a keen interest in fashion from a young age, Nicole was hooked on following the fortunes of aspiring fashion designers on US reality TV series Project Runway, and entered numerous Tammy Girl design competitions.
Her path into fashion design was far from conventional.
“When I was younger, I was always interested in fashion, but I also had a passion for dance,” said the former St Bride’s High School pupil, who studied at Dance Studio Scotland, based at Anniesland College.
“When I regained good health, I wanted to pursue something that I would need good health for. But in all honesty, I did not know where I was going with dance.”
Although she’d never before sewn or threaded up a machine, she left her dance course after three years in favour of studying fashion at Ayrshire College.
“The first year in HNC was lot of hard work, staying late, making sure I was keeping up with my peers,” said Nicole, who sailed through the HNC and HND, receiving an outstanding achievement award in two consecutive years.
“I never shy away from hard work. I’m a determined person, and that comes from my past with my illness. I strive for what I want.”
She went on to gain a first class BA Honours degree in Fashion Design and Production from Manchester Metropolitan in a course delivered by Glasgow Kelvin College.
“I always had the idea that I wanted to pursue my own business, but I thought I’d get a job and do a business as a sideline,” explained Nicole, who said career opportunities in the fashion industry in Scotland are notoriously hard to find.
“Then, one my of my lecturers contacted me and said: ‘Have you seen this? I think you should apply’.”
Her lecturer had highlighted the Modern Artisan Project – a collaboration of the Prince’s Foundation, which realises the Prince of Wales’ vision of creating a community for a more sustainable world, and Italian online fashion retailer, Yoox Net-a-Porter.
She was selected as one of the four British and six Italian students and graduates who were united by the Modern Artisan Project to create a collection of men’s and women’s wear that debuted in 2020.
“The experience bridged the gap between education and industry, strengthening skills to design and manufacture garments to high-end, luxury standard,” explained Nicole, who was to attend Milan Fashion Week in her privileged capacity as a Modern Artisan.
“Sustainability was at the core of the partnership, educating the importance of sustainability within the fashion industry.”
The Modern Artisan Project gave her new impetus to make a name for her label, Ellipsis, and introduced her to invaluable contacts who have a like-minded commitment to sustainability – including Johnstons of Elgin, who supplied fabric to the project and whose blended cashmere and minerva wool roll-ends are given a new lease of life through Nicole’s luxury scarf designs.
“The skills I learned are priceless,” said Nicole, who has been featured with fellow Artisans in high-end magazines, including Vogue.”
Resourceful as ever, Nicole refused to see the challenges of 2020 as a hindrance to the launch of Ellipsis. Rather, she grasped the opportunities they presented, designing face masks bearing the iconic Ellipsis label, and responding to the changing demands of a nation in lockdown through the launch of a collection of affordable loungewear.
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Entrepreneurial Nicole sees sales from signature loungewear by Ellipsis as a funding source and launchpad for her luxury collection of timeless, elegant, silk women’s wear, whose garments carry price tags of between £120 and £380.
Like the high quality loungwear, they are designed and made by her own hand in her studio in Stewartfield, East Kilbride, underpinning artisanal skills that the young designer says have been lost in a mass-produced industry.
“We want our customers to feel confident in what they wear and to be able to cherish our pieces for years to come,” said Nicole, whose garments are manufactured in small batches to reduce over-stock – and the risk that they may eventually end up in landfill.
“As a brand we believe it is important to be as transparent as possible for our customers, letting them see the process behind their garments.
“Ellipsis uses and recycles unwanted clothing using fastenings and material from the clothing for the toiling process. We see this as a very small step, but nevertheless a step in the right direction.”
Nicole – who plans to fuel the growth of her enterprise by attracting talented young freelance designers – is a young woman with a strong belief that everything in life has a meaning and purpose.
That’s why she derived the name of her agile fashion label from her lucky number, three.
And the meaning of Ellipsis? The set of three dots at the end of a sentence, which promise that more is yet to come...


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PITTSBURGH – PPG and Sibi, a technology platform for supply chain, announced a four-year partnership with Tricon American Homes (TAH) for PPG paint products. Financial details of the agreement were not disclosed.
Through the agreement, TAH will use a standardized set of PPG paint products with low or zero VOCs for maintenance and new construction across TAH’s more than 7,000 multi-family and 21,000 single-family rental properties in Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Nevada, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas.
"At Tricon American Homes, our commitment to an exceptional resident experience is paramount,” said Kevin Baldridge, President, Tricon American Homes. “We are excited that this partnership allows us to use environmentally conscious and sustainable products that benefit our residents.”
One of the standardized products is PPG SPEEDHIDE™ Pro-EV Zero vinyl acrylic paint, which is designed for new and repaint applications for commercial and multi-family construction. The product’s low odor and zero VOCs allow a space to be painted while occupied.
“Our primary focus is centered on building solutions where manufacturers of goods can connect with buyers of those goods in a transparent ecosystem,” said Barrie Lindahl, CEO, Sibi. “We’re stoked with the partnership and our ability to connect two innovative, forward-thinking companies.”
“As Sibi’s partner and paint supplier, we are proud to provide exceptional PPG paint products to TAH,” said Vinny O’Sullivan, PPG Senior General Manager, Trade, Architectural Coatings, U.S. and Canada. “We know that new home construction requires very specific coatings expertise, and PPG is well-equipped to provide the products, resources and know-how to get the job done right.”


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U.S. customs authorities are cracking down on solar imports from China’s Xinjiang region, which provides roughly half of the world’s supply of a vital component in solar panels, according to the Wall Street Journal; however, the crackdown is undermining President Joe Biden’s climate goals.
As customs officers enforce the recently implemented Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA), which went into action in June to ban imports from the region due to the alleged forced labor of Uyghur Muslims, shipments from numerous Chinese solar-panel suppliers are now being delayed or sent back altogether, according to the WSJ. The Biden administration’s attempts to condemn Chinese labor practices and human rights abuses are hurting its own push to switch to renewable energy sources like solar energy due to China’s dominance of the solar market.
Customs officials are forcing firms to demonstrate that imports weren’t made using slave labor; however, the amount of evidence demanded by authorities is catching the U.S. solar industry, which is highly reliant on Chinese imports, off guard. Xinjiang, home to Uyghurs and other minorities, plays a massive role in the global solar supply chain, harboring up to 41% of the world’s manufacturing capacity for polysilicon, a critical ingredient for solar panels, the WSJ reported.
The UFLPA is the most recent U.S. effort to denounce alleged atrocities in Xinjiang, a province of northwest China where human rights organizations claimthe government is interning hundreds of thousands of members of ethnic minority groups like the Uyghurs as part of an assimilation agenda. The law presumes that all products from Xinjiang were produced using forced labor, thus imports are prohibited unless vendors can provide proof to the contrary.
U.S. customers could see up to 10 gigawatts or more of supplies delayed, equivalent to nearly half of what the U.S. installed last year, as it is likely to be at least six months before import challenges relating to the new law are resolved, according to the WSJ. The rising demand for Chinese solar products comes amid President Joe Biden’s ambitious green energy agenda, which seeks to phase out fossil fuel use in favor of renewable energy and make the U.S. a net-zero emissions economy by no later than 2050.
The solar sector has struggled to shake its reliance on China as Biden’s droppingof tariffs in June and rising material costs continue to incentivize the dependence on the Chinese market. The Senate Democrats’ spending bill, which may pass this week, contains tax incentives and other investment measures to expand solar energy across the nation.
China’s dominance over the middle stages of solar manufacturing, the manufacture of solar ingots and wafers, is near-total, at 99%, according to a Coalition For Prosperous America report. China is also responsible for 80% of global solar cell manufacturing.
The Chinese Communist Party has constantly refuted claims of forced labor and abuses in Xinjiang and claims that the UFLPA is not supported by evidence.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the White House did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.


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The exclusive apparel features Pokémon seen in the Galar region and designs centered around “evolution.” It features clothing items such as crop tops and accessories like phone cases.
Fans will be able to purchase the collaboration beginning Aug 21 on theGU website.
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The Mac — Macarthur Credit Union — opened it’s Tahmoor premises inside the Tahmoor Town Centre.
General manager David Codden said the office featured a contemporary layout.
‘‘We took this opportunity to review our branch layout and create a more personal and solutions focused experience for our members,’’ he said.
‘‘Our new Tahmoor branch will continue to deliver traditional personal service but in a contemporary environment.’’
Area manager Gayle Murray said ‘‘the location may be new but our personalities and smiles are here to stay’’.
Details: Shop 7, 117 Remembrance Drive, Tahmoor Town Centre, opening hour Monday to Friday 9.390am-4.30pm.


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No role for India yet in Tesla’s new global supply chain hedge
With a friendly policy bolstering the country’s EV goals, companies have started committing billions of dollars. LG Energy Solution, along with others, is investing about $9 billion in a full supply chain from mining to manufacturing in the country. With Hyundai, the firm is developing a battery plant, too. Meanwhile, the world’s top powerpack maker Contemporary Amperex is investing almost $6 billion in a battery project with state-backed Aneka Tambang and Industri Baterai Indonesia. Further up the value chain, China’s Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt and Vale Indonesia announced they would work together on a nickel project.
The move by companies across the EV supply chain into Southeast Asia’s largest economy shows how important it is to be close to a source of raw materials. If there’s one thing the past year of logistical screw-ups and delays has shown the industry, it’s that proximity is key. Even if global supply and demand is balanced on paper, moving industrial goods around is expensive.
Tesla knows this well. It has created large manufacturing hubs in China and Germany. After having trouble making EVs in the US, its market share has grown globally. Now the EV-maker is looking to secure materials and make its own batteries, while stopping short of buying mines . Wherever Musk sees problems in production, he looks for a solution. Tesla is essentially creating discrete supply chains across the globe.
Indonesia churns out around 1 million cars in a good year, and is dominated by Japanese producers’ smaller vehicles. Its auto market pales in comparison with China’s and the US’s, with EVs a small portion. Potential sales generated in Indonesia wouldn’t really move the needle for Tesla. Yet, Jakarta is leveraging existing resources, an EV business-friendly policy and the right story to make it fertile ground for large-scale investment. The moment that happens, Indonesia will be able to boast about its battery manufacturing supply chain on the global scale.
Meanwhile, India continues to hem and haw over import duties. Government officials in New Delhi have made bold statements about their ambitions, talking up their desire to draw in Tesla. Earlier this month, road transport minister Nitin Gadkari said that Tesla would benefit from a plant in India. Yet, customers who placed orders are still waiting and it’s unclear how Musk’s firm would get a leg up. Now, there are questions around whether Tesla will make its way into India at all.
That is probably a good bet, too. Firms are worried about procuring parts and dealing with logistical issues and high shipping costs. Progress on EVs has been scattered and commitment isn’t clear. Toyota, one of the world’s biggest automakers but an EV laggard globally, has pledged to invest $624 million in making EV components through its existing units in India, but it’s unclear who will buy them. Even India’s top automaker Maruti Suzuki isn’t planning on EVs until 2025. Add in policy hoops and punitive taxes, and India has all but ruled itself out by making the cost of investing in its market so high. India’s vaccine king, Adar Poonawalla, also decided to weigh in earlier this month. He tweeted that putting capital into making cars in India would be the “best investment" Musk would “ever make." That’s perhaps too optimistic.
EV and battery manufacturers are in high demand across the globe and it will take far more than bold words and political ambition. Resources must be made available and policy should be sufficiently coherent for manufacturers to work with. It’s bizzare, then, that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government continues to hold back. Yes, there are a few local EV models, but the Indian auto market remains an aspirational one. That means wide-scale adoption will pick up pace only once there are enough models that people want to buy—like Tesla’s Model 3—and enough charging facilities that make it easy, as the evolution of the two-wheeler market showed.
Just as China made Tesla a global company, Indonesia could do the same for its battery supply chain. All while making manufacturing more affordable and eventually, EVs, too. It’s a means to an end—and a smart one at that. ©bloomberg
Anjani Trivedi is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering industrial companies in Asia.


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Ford's hot-selling compact Figo– which has revived the fortunes of the Blue Oval and put it firmly among the top four auto manufacturers in country – celebrated the rolling out of its 100,000th unit at the Maraimalainagar plant recently. Body and paint shops and Trim, Chassis and Final (TCF) teams celebrated the event during two days that saw senior managers praise the great work of plant employees. Blanking and stamping started the celebrations to mark the occasion of 100,000 Figo roll-out, with a cake-cutting by Michael Boneham, president and managing director of Ford India, and Tom Chackalackal, vice president, Manufacturing.
At the body shop, employees joined Boneham to cut a ceremonial ribbon and mark the historic occasion. Boneham congratulated employees both on India's historic World Cup cricket win as well as rolling out the 100,000th Figo in such a short span of time. "We are proud of the great work you are doing and we hope you will carry on this enthusiasm to our other new products as well," he said.
Chackalackal urged the employees to continue their excellent safety record of 50 days without any First Time Occupational Visit (FTOV) incidents.
At the paint shop, colourful balloons marked the rollout of the historic Colorado Red Figo. Paint Shop General Manager Anand Misra congratulated employees on having reached the milestone, just 12 months of after the first Figo rolled off the line. He commended the reduced use of paint – from 134 to 47 litres per car, as well as lower power consumption rates. "These efforts show the boost in productivity as well as a commitment to greener manufacturing," he said.
Sathyan, General Manager of Material Planning & Logistics (MP& L) compared the rolling out of the 100,000th car to scoring the last winning run of the World Cup. "We will one day reach a situation where we will reach 10 million cars,” he said.
Balasundaram Radhakrishnan, vice president of Powertrain Operations, observed that while producing 100,000 cars is smart, to achieve this production with the lowest number of Things Gone Wrong (TGW) in the region is smarter – and that for the Figo to win the highest number of awards among any car ever in India was the smartest thing achieved thus far by Ford India employees.
Hyundai Motor India Ltd. (HMIL) has announced its new campaign with the 6- and 7-Seater SUV – Alcazar, featuring Shah Rukh Khan and the four 4 Indian Women Cricketers -Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigu...
Leading two wheeler automobile manufacturer TVS Motor Company has announced the integration of the innovative location technology, what3words into its customer app – TVS Connect. TVS Connect users ca...
Technology-driven consumer finance NBFC Credit Wise Capital launched its AI backed and WhatsApp integrated bot Twin2.


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The federal government has launched a $20 million program aimed at helping small and medium businesses grow, export and generate local Australian jobs.
The Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) Export Hubs Initiative, initially announced in the 2018–19 federal Budget, will fund successful applicants to develop local and regional hubs that will help local firms begin to export.
Federal industry, science and technology minister, Karen Andrews, said that export hubs would help Australian companies overcome many of the challenges they face in entering export markets.
“Beginning to export can be challenging but there are massive opportunities for Australian firms to take their products, processes and services to big markets in our region and around the world, increasing revenue and creating new jobs,” Andrews said.
“The hubs will help businesses team up with other firms and through activities such as developing collective brands, take advantage of local infrastructure to boost business operations, and position regional businesses to participate in global supply chains.”
The export hubs will consist of business-to-business networks made up of a group of businesses and other organisations – usually based in a specific geographical region – that promote engagement between businesses, information and resource sharing, and professional, strategic and coordination support.
The export hubs will be aligned with the federal government’s national export strategies coordinated via its established industry “growth centres” in advanced manufacturing, cyber security, food and agribusiness, medical technologies and pharmaceuticals, mining equipment, technology and services, and oil, gas and energy resources.
Alongside the Industry Growth Centres initiative, the SME Export Hubs Initiative will complement the Entrepreneurs’ Program, and services and programs delivered by Austrade, including the Export Market Development Grants scheme.