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COVID restrictions cool Chinese gold demand in October, but market looks healthy ahead of Lunar New Year
Monday, the Hong Kong Census and Statistics Department said that China imported 18.7 tonnes of gold through the island last month, a drop of 45% from September. This is the second month of sharp declines as September imports fell by roughly half compared to August.
However, Hong Kong's trade data only provides a partial picture of Chinese gold demand. While direct mainland imports are down, they are not as severe as flows from the island. According to customs data from Switzerland, 43.7 tonnes of gold was exported to mainland China, down slightly from 44 tonnes in September.
Carsten Fritsch, precious metals analyst at Commerzbank, said that lower gold imports could be due to the government's latest harsh COVID-19 restrictions and lockdowns. Despite lower imports, he said that there are still signs of healthy demand in China.
"Gold dealers in China sold gold at sizable price premiums of $23-45 per troy ounce on the world market price in October, which points to solid demand and insufficient supply," he said.
In another sign of a healthy market, Fritsch noted that gold imports from Switzerland have increased 70% in the first ten months of 2022 compared with last year.
Ray Jia, senior analyst of China's gold market for the World Gold Council, noted in a report in early November that October is seasonally a slow period for Chinese wholesale demand.
"Manufacturers actively replenish gold in September ahead of the traditional peak gold consumption season, and this usually leads to lower wholesale gold demand in October," he said.
|Gold prices stuck in neutral as hedge fund-induced short squeeze runs out of steam|
However, he also noted that the larger-than-expected drop in demand appears to be COVID-related.
"China's economy during October also tumbled as COVID disruptions hit. Early economic indicators show that while China's exports unexpectedly declined, the nation's manufacturing and non-manufacturing Purchase Managers' Index (PMIs) fell below 50 – into the contraction zone – in October," he said.
Looking ahead, Jia said that he expects gold demand to pick up again by year-end as Chinese consumers prepare for the Lunar New Year in January.
"COVID-related uncertainty will remain a key risk factor to China's gold demand during Q4," he said. "Nonetheless, seasonality suggests that both retail, wholesale gold demand should rise as we approach the year-end. This will be driven primarily by consumer gifting demand ahead of the Chinese New Year's holiday."


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Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal on Tuesday (12 April) said that new Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreements with Australia and UAE would open infinite opportunities for Indian textiles, handloom and footwear industry.
He said that Indian textile exports to to Australia and UAE would now face zero duty and expressed confidence that soon Europe, Canada, UK and GCC countries would also welcome Indian textile exports at zero duty.
Goyal was delivering the Keynote address at the Golden Jubilee Celebrations of the ‘Confederation of Indian Textile Industry- Cotton Development and Research Association’ (CITI- CDRA) in New Delhi on Tuesday, a Commerce Ministry release said.
Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu was the chief guest at the celebration.
Goyal said that trade agreements would help in increasing exports from labor intensive industries. He added that India must also be open to receiving new technology, rare minerals, raw materials which are in short supply in the country from the world at reasonable costs.
This will only increase our production, productivity and quality, which in turn will increase demand for our products all over the world, he said.
Goyal also said that the Indian textile Industry has the potential to achieve $100 billion in exports by 2030.
It may be noted that Indian Textile sector accounts for about 10 per cent (approximately $43 billion) of India’s total merchandise exports. India is the largest producer of Cotton with 23 per cent of global production, sustaining 65 lakh people directly and indirectly, the Minister said.
Goyal called upon Indian cultivators to adopt new technologies and global best farm practices. He spoke of the AI technology that is enabling farmers in Australia to control spraying operations, as cotton crop is sensitive to spraying through data-driven decision making.
The minister commented that modern Australian cotton growers were not just farmers but drone pilots, data analysts and agri-scientists. He said that we must augment the capacity of Indian farmers who are already very talented and capable, to make them experts in allied areas as well.
Goyal asked textiles and apparel industry to focus on sustainability and farmers to focus on natural methods of farming. He said that we must encourage innovation, Research and Development and asked farmers to work in collaboration with ICAR, Agri-Universities, IARI and Cotton Research Institutes.
He also asked research institutions of eminence working in the field of cotton farming and textiles to work with each other to maximize production and productivity.
He called upon the nation to work together to achieve the 5F vision of PM Modi for textiles – Farm to Fiber to Factory to Fashion to Foreign.
The minister also said that India must aim for global dominance in organic cotton.

domain: news


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Farmers in the North Rift are shunning government agencies that buy their produce and instead opting to go straight to market where the prices are more favourable.
About a month ago, the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) opened its gates for commercial purchase of maize from farmers and other stakeholders, offering to pay Sh2,500 for every 90kg bag.
But unlike in the past when producers flocked the NCPB stores resulting in long, snaking queues, the board’s depots in the North Rift region have witnessed subdued activity because farmers are choosing to hold on to their maize in anticipation of better prices in the informal market.
Sources at NCPB who did not wish to be quoted said that only an estimated 20 to 30 farmers have supplied their produce to the board.
“I recently harvested my maize and I am currently treating it against weevils. I will store it for future sale. The price offered by the government through NCPB is not satisfactory,” said Jackson Kwambai, a farmer from Uasin Gishu.
Kwambai said a few traders are buying their maize at the farm gate for between Sh2,300 and Sh2,400 while some millers are offering Sh2,600 for a 90kg bag.
“Some farmers disposed of part of their harvest to pay their children’s school fees and clear debts while keeping the bulk of their produce for future markets,” he said.
Paul Kerich, a farmer from Nandi, said despite rising production costs, the NCPB had not increased its purchasing price.
“The government should declare its stand on maize. Farmers have been taken for a ride. Prices should be improved so there can be food security in the country,” said Kerich.
Uasin Gishu Agriculture Executive Samuel Yego said farmers have been exposed to alternative markets thus making it easier to decide to sell their produce at higher profit margins.
“Farmers are currently an enlightened group and are making choices in a free market situation. Lately, they negotiate on price before selling their produce,” said Yego.
He said the informal market was flourishing in the region due to the lower maize and milk prices offered by the State and other farming agencies.
The dairy sector has not been spared either as milk producers have taken to selling their produce to hawkers or directly to consumers because of the low prices offered by processors.
The Kenya Dairy Farmers Federation (KDFF), a body that encompasses 27 dairy cooperative societies across the country, acknowledged that farmers have been discouraged from delivering their milk through the societies.
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“Cooperative societies are struggling to survive due to low supply of milk from farmers who are frustrated by the low prices offered by processors. Farmers are resorting to selling their produce to hawkers thus compromising the quality of milk to consumers,” said KDFF chairman Stanley Ngombe.
He said processors are offering cooperatives Sh42 for one kilogramme of milk. From the price, he said, societies deduct Sh2 for transport, Sh2 for cooling and Sh3 for administrative charges thus leaving the farmer with only Sh35.


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India’s Tata Communications has revealed its launch for an IoT marketplace which is aimed at linking enterprise customers with IoT service providers through a single platform in an effort to accelerate the country’s growing IoT ecosystem.
Partners of the IoT marketplace include software developers, device manufacturers, system integrators and startups all of whom plan to use the platform to deploy, manage and market IoT solutions to accommodate for customers such as governments, private enterprises and startups. This will enable customers to choose from available offerings and in turn, use them on a plug and play basis.
Frost & Sullivan have forecasted the growth of the country’s IoT market to be at a CAGR of 35 per cent through 2023. However, they also found that some factors have inhibited the IoT market from further adoption. Some of these factors include a lack of standardization, connectivity and interoperability.
Head of IoT at Tata Communications, Alok Bardiya, stated, “We believe that this first-of-its kind initiative provides a missing link that will make a difference to how disparate IoT components are brought together to create a unified experience in designing a solution or ultimately purchasing one; thereby enabling customers to deploy these solutions with ease and achieve their strategic goals using IoT.”
He added, “There is lack of standardization, interoperability and connectivity in the available IoT technologies today. These factors, along with security concerns, tend to slow its adoption in the market. Our proposition in the IoT space gives us an opportunity to get a holistic view of the sector and bridge the current challenges faced in its adoption.”
Additionally, Tata Communications has been actively deploying a LPWAN network within the country in order to support India’s IoT ecosystem and has so far been rolled out in 45 cities.


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Mozilla had just released Firefox 12 and it's already getting ready for Firefox 13, which is due in six weeks. The beta version of the next browser update has been made available to developers today and reveals some welcome new changes that include "tabs on demand" and Google's SPDY protocol enabled by default.
This week the Starcraft fans amongst us are being treated to Google's newest Easter Egg hidden in their own fun-loving search engine - newest as in there's a whole lot more where that came from. Google has for years added little bits of intelligent oddity in with their everyday set of powerful services for search, mapping, and media managing. Today you'll want to head to Google and search for the term "zerg rush" and see what happens - then have a peek below at the rest of the eggs hidden all over the big G all day long - bring on your ships, kekeke!
Mozilla has officially released version 12 of Firefox, which improves several developer tools and introduces a new silent updater for Windows users. With the frequency of updates for Firefox---version 11 was just released about a month ago---silent automatic updates would reduce the annoying notifications and restarts that have frustrated users.
Nokia has redoubled its efforts to win back the hearts and minds (and wallets) of the Next Billion, with the release of its new Nokia Browser for S40 complete with cloud-crunched data streamlining. The Nokia Browser 2.0 promises a cut in data transfers of up to 90-percent, thanks to a new cloud layer which compresses and caches sites so as to present as minor a footprint on your data bundle as possible.
This week the inventor of the internet Tim Berners-Lee spoke on several subjects involving data sharing on the web - perhaps most important of all on CISPA, a bill currently up for review in Washington. We've spoken about CISPA before - also known as the Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act, and have gotten some positive and very negative feedback on it from you, the readers, and groups like Facebook - who say it's great. Berners-Lee, generally considered an expert on how the web works since he invented it, after all, is worried about the bill's implications.
The original and one true inventor of the world wide web, Tim Berners-Lee, has spoken this week quite specifically on how the web might advance - and how it's currently in a bit of a trap with sites like Google and Facebook. Speaking with The Guardian, Berners-Lee spoke of "internet silos" like Facebook and Google collecting data and not immediately allowing users to give it back - this unlike home-based applications which essentially all have such an ability in one form or another. The data held online today, he suggested, could already be ushering in a new era of personalized services for you, I, and everyone around us.
Google will reportedly be hit with a regulatory fine for bypassing Safari users' privacy settings. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) will soon conclude its investigations and is expected to issue a fine within the next 30 days. The fine could be far greater than the $25,000 that Google was recently slapped with by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for privacy issues involving its Street View car.
Though of course .com and other Top Level Domains will continue to exist for a very long time, Google has noted today that they've applied for several TLDs ahead of ICANN's April 20 deadline for purchasing such rights. Google's domain name choices will likely be revealed once they've got them locked down with ICANN, until then we can only guess at such obvious hits as .GOOGLE, .YOUTUBE, and .GPLUS. Would you like your Google+ domain to be ChrisBurns.GPLUS?
Those of you using Instagram for the first time in these recent weeks when it's just come to Android may well be wondering how you can easily access and save your content to your desktop - as it turns out, there's three apps for that. Though the recent purchase of Instagram by Facebook may bring more desktop-related features in the future, for the moment we're stuck moving photos one by one if we want to save them offline or off-phone. Three projects with inspired names have filled that hole with their own solution: Copygram, InstaBackup, and Instaport.
Mozilla has been experimenting with integrating social features directly into its Firefox browser, recently demoing a built-in video chat service. The web app uses the open-source WebRTC standard to establish the video call connection and a SocialAPU add-on, built on Javascipt and HTML for audio and video streaming capabilities that previously relied on proprietary plugins, such as Flash.


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Amazon has begun preventing vendors and wholesalers from advertising any products which struggle to turn a profit.
According to a report from CNBC, Amazon has been ramping up efforts to increase its profits by blocking advertisements of items which it cannot make money on.
It has reportedly been telling vendors and wholesalers on its platform that if a product sells for less or as much money as it costs to store, pack and ship, it will no longer allow them to advertise it.
This move, the latest in a string of measures aimed at driving up profitability, will only affect direct vendors and not third-party merchants, which now account for over half the products on the platform.
READ MORE: Amazon to scrap all 87 pop-up stores
It is understood that these products are referred to by Amazon as “can’t realise a profit” or “CRaP” for short.
An email sent to an Amazon vendor, seen by CNBC, read: “One or more of your products no longer qualifies for advertising because the sale of this product on Amazon.com currently results in a loss to Amazon”, adding that they needed to “lower the product’s cost” to become eligible.
In response an Amazon spokesperson said: “Like all retailers, Amazon decides which products to market and promote in our stores based on a variety of factors, such as relevancy, availability, profitability and other factors.”
Advertising is one of Amazon’s fastest growing and most profitable arms, seeing its revenues more than double last year to $10.1 billion (£7.65 billion), a figure expected to grow another 50 per cent this year.


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Facebook is changing its corporate name to Meta as part of a major rebrand. At the company’s annual Connect conference, CEO Mark Zuckerberg confirmed the name change, which will apply to the parent company that owns Facebook (as well as platforms such as Instagram, WhatsApp and Oculus). What is the motivation for this name change, and is it likely to succeed?
Ostensibly, the reason for this proposed change is the company’s focus on building the metaverse – roughly, the idea of a future Internet made up of persistent, shared, 3D virtual spaces linked into a virtual universe. Facebook already has more than 10,000 employees building consumer hardware such as AR glasses, which Zuckerberg believes will eventually be as ubiquitous as smartphones. In July 2021, he told The Verge that, over the next several years, “we will effectively transition from people seeing us as primarily being a social media company to being a metaverse company”.
In this way, it seems the firm running Facebook has essentially outgrown the social network launched by Zuckerberg 17 years ago – as the CEO said, the existing brand could not “possibly represent everything that we’re doing today, let alone in the future”. At the conference, he confirmed: “Over time, I hope that we are seen as a metaverse company and I want to anchor our work and our identity on what we’re building towards. We’re now looking at and reporting on our business as two different segments, one for our family of apps, and one for our work on future platforms. And as part of this, it is time for us to adopt a new company brand to encompass everything that we do, to reflect who we are and what we hope to build.”
The reason for this proposed change is the company’s focus on building the metaverse
It’s certainly also the case, however, that brand Facebook is undergoing a lot of negative press at the moment, and a new name may be one way of moving past that. Recently, employee-turned-whistle-blower Frances Haugen leaked internal documents about the company, and she testified before Congress, stating that Facebook prioritises profits over people’s safety, a claim supported by the papers. The company has come under fire by all sides of the political aisle for the way that content on the platform is governed (or, in some cases, seemingly not governed), and no amount of rebranding will resolve issues like the Cambridge Analytica scandal.
Anne Oldergo, senior partner at consulting firm Vivaldi, has 20 years of brand strategy experience, and she noted: “We’ve already seen this since the day of the cigarette companies, with Altria and company rebranding themselves trying to get away from toxicity. This is exactly what Facebook is trying to do right now.” Similarly, if the company is moving from Facebook to a metaverse product, the name change could be about containing the bad reception. Ashley Cooksley, managing director for North America at The Social Element, said: “If it’s only the holding company that changes its name, it’s presumably more about distancing the parent company from the Facebook product so that any toxicity in Facebook stays within that one product, rather than ‘infecting’ other brands under the parent banner.”
If these plans sound familiar, it may be because Facebook is not the first tech company to try this. In 2015, Google formed its parent company Alphabet – its public rationale was to emphasise Google’s non-search business interests, but it was facing similar governmental scrutiny that has hit the brand too. Obviously, from a public point of view, we all still refer to ‘Google’ rather than ‘Alphabet’, but the rebrand helped shore up the company’s stock prices, which have nearly quintupled since the change.
Nick Vivion, founder at tech PR firm Ghost Works Communications, said: “The real challenge is to repair the image of Facebook itself. If the company doesn’t use any of the past few years as a learning lesson, it likely will just replicate the mistakes it’s made in the past.” His views are shared by Adam Hanft, global brand strategist and strategic adviser to Conduit, who said: “For Facebook, whose brand is already sullied by perceptions of callous capitalism, the risk of opportunism is amplified. Changing a name is a marketing solution to a reputation crisis; the problem is far more profound than the solution… People will focus on the superficiality of a marketing fix when the company is seen by many as a threat to democracy and individual well-being. Tone-deaf is a kind description.”


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HONG KONG, May 23: Mobile networks in Asia and Europe have issued suspending orders for Huawei smartphones following the US decision last week to restrict the company's access to American technology, the media reported.
The inclusion of Huawei on an export blacklist means the Chinese company can no longer source software or components from US suppliers without a license. Existing devices are unaffected but the restrictions threaten future Huawei products and its leading position in building super-fast next generation 5G networks, CNN reported.
Vodafone, the world's second largest mobile operator, said on Wednesday that it had paused pre-orders in the UK for the Huawei Mate 20X (5G) smartphone.
"This is a temporary measure while uncertainty exists regarding new Huawei 5G devices," a company spokesperson told CNN Business.
The UK's biggest carrier, EE, is also delaying the introduction of Huawei's new smartphones. The company had touted the Mate 20X in a preview of its 5G network last week.
Japan's top mobile operators took similar steps against another device, the Huawei P30 Lite, earlier on Wednesday. The phone was scheduled to launch in the country later this month.
Leading Japanese telecoms firm NTT Docomo announced that it has stopped taking reservations for the phone, and is "looking into the impact of the US restrictions", Docomo spokesperson Yoshikumi Kuroda said.
Rival carriers KDDI and SoftBank Corp. said they will delay the release of the new Huawei phone.
The suspension of orders is the first tangible evidence that US President Donald Trump's administration's latest escalation of its campaign against Huawei on grounds of national security is hurting the company's business, CNN reported.
Huawei overtook Apple last year to become the world's No. 2 smartphone brand behind Samsung, and it relies on markets outside of China for half of its sales.
The US export ban has forced Google to cut Huawei's new devices off from its Android ecosystem.
A temporary reprieve by the US Commerce Department allows Google to service existing Huawei devices for the next 90 days. - IANS


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Here is an edited version of an email sent to TVO about their May 17, 2017 The Agenda segment on online voting.
I was pleased to see Steve Paikin ask a variety of questions about online voting, Internet security and electoral fraud in the May 17, 2017 The Agenda segment on the topic.
There were many things we didn’t hear in the segment, such as the fact that Toronto, Kitchener and Waterloo have always rejected Internet voting, or that municipalities have to make the decision about online voting without any comprehensive background briefing about the computer security risks, or that Guelph and Orillia just rejected online voting for the 2018 elections.
We also didn’t hear about the many Canadian expert consultations and reports about online voting, consultations where unlike municipal online voting decisions, there was more time to draw on a variety of election expertise. In every such case, without exception, the recommendation is against online voting.
This includes Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Ontario, and British Columbia, as well as the federal government.
[added for the web: recommendations on Internet voting from government consultations]
In addition, Quebec has a total moratorium on all forms of electronic voting, including online voting.
As well there is the recent expert study of the PEI referendum, which also recommended against online voting.
Just to give you a flavour of these kinds of expert assessments, here’s what Toronto had to say in its analysis http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2016/ex/bgrd/backgroundfile-98545.pdf
The overwhelming consensus among computer security experts is that Internet voting is fundamentally insecure and cannot be safely implemented because of security vulnerabilities inherent in the architecture and organization of both the Internet and commonly used software/hardware:
- Internet voting is extremely vulnerable to a wide range of cyber-attacks, and many of these are impossible to detect.
- Internet voting poses extraordinary and unnecessary risks to election integrity, and even a small issue—were it even detectable—could completely undermine public trust.
- Every jurisdiction whose Internet voting system has been thoroughly examined by security experts—including the long-running system in Estonia—has revealed major vulnerabilities that could allow the system to be hacked, to reverse election outcomes, or to selectively disenfranchise voters, all while going completely undetected.
- Many jurisdictions that ran Internet voting pilots—including Washington, DC, France, and Norway—cancelled the projects due to security issues.
Should you have a future segment about online voting, I urge you to include computer science expertise. Here is a list of contact information for experts specifically in the risks of online voting, including Canadian experts such as Dr. Simons and Dr. Essex:
[embedded list replaced with web link: Internet voting and computer security expertise]
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Made from 52 shipping containers, an environmentally friendly craft distillery
Former Swimming WA boss James Young is a vocation flipper of extreme proportions
James Young was recently named champion Australian distiller.
Son of Dilmah founder Merrill J. Fernando reveals his secrets.
Canadian health authorities says some bottles has almost double the alcohol content.
The Swan Valley has become the home of a creative craft beer and cider industry
The TV star has paid tribute to WA’s Multiplex founder John Roberts.
China is expected to add 35 million new wine drinkers as the middle class grows.
WA produces the most malting barley in Australia, with exports valued at $1 billion.


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Discussing the firm’s full-year 2011 results with analysts last Thursday – net profits of $444m on sales of $8.6bn – Ball said it also planned to plough the bulk of its $400m capital expenditure budget for 2012 into China.
Raymond Seabrook, executive vice president and COO for Global Packaging Operations, said: “China continues to grow. We’re basically sold out – every can we make, we can sell.”
Predicting high teen percentage growth for Chinese beverage cans, despite market growth of 20-25%, he added: “We’re kind of oversold a little bit in China in 2012, it won’t be up 30% because we haven’t increased capacity 30%.”
European price weakness
Nonetheless, answering a question from Philip Ng, Jefferies & Company, about price weakness in Europe, and whether Ball was predicting “leakage” in other major markets, Seabrook said that China (where Ball is the leading player with a reported 31% share) was not an easy place to do business.
He said: “We have good competitors that play hard, and so do we. But I would say Europe is where we’re seeing most of the pressure. A little bit in China, but I would say primarily Europe.”
Despite strong fundamentals within the Chinese market, Ball CEO and president John Hayes said that Ball didn’t think the 30% growth seen over the past couple of years would persist over the next 10, “but certainly [would] in the near term”.
He added: “We’ve talked about can penetration in the beer market really being mid-single digits, the 5-6% range as we sit here today, verses 50% in developed markets.
“When you think about China as the world’s biggest beer market, and only 5% of that is packaged in cans. You have all the people moving from rural areas to urban area.”
Hayes added: “It sets us up very nicely over the long term, and that’s why a lot of our capital dollars are going into that.
Asked by Mark Wilde from Deutsche Bank about Ball’s Q3 mention that it was thinking of moving some lines in the US (where Ball has excess capacity) to China, Seabrook said: “Yes, we’re actively looking at that. I said we had a couple of lines right now that we’ve got out of commission.
“So our preference would be to relocate the equipment from mature to emerging markets.”
Discussing development targets worldwide, Hayes said Ball new plant builds were presaged by long-term customer agreements, to ensure certainty regarding volume and pricing.
In a tough European market with only 2% beverage can volume growth in 2011, Hayes pointed to high unemployment and the risk of double-dip recessions, while US beverage can volumes fell 2%.
Hayes also predicted continued good growth in Brazil due to a growing middle class, despite an economic slowdown. “We still think there are good prospects relative to the consumer need for our product.”


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Centralia FD Responds to Trends. Photo by Tim Ferguson.
Centralia Fire Responds to Smoke at Clothing StoreA fire reported at the Trends Clothing store in Downtown Centralia turned out to be the result of a fluorescent light bulb burning out, causing the store to fill with smoke as a result.
Centralia Firefighters were on the scene for only a few minutes to ensure no fire had started. The store closed for the rest of the day.
See other LocalNews news:Light Snow Brings Numerous Accidents
Police Beat for Thursday, March 5th, 2015
Former Centralia Man Pleads To Severe Beating To Girlfriend
Rural Salem Man Gets 14 Year Prison Term in Meth Case
Evening of Honors Award Winners Announced


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The Latest News On The API Economy
Searching: No Search Term , Filtered By Category: "Payments", Category: "Billing", Category: "Business"
As enterprises embrace digital business models, they are evolving toward becoming data-driven organizations and harnessing analytics. This article explores the challenges of using traditional analytics approaches, how API management can address these challenges, and mine valuable data for analytics.
Nineteen APIs have been added to the ProgrammableWeb directory in categories including Storage, Security, and Printing. Highlights include several APIs for the Stronghold crypto platform housed on the Stellar network, and a new API from Mercedes Benz. Here's a rundown of the latest additions.
UTRUST has a bold vision: to be the PayPal of cryptocurrencies. The Swiss startup has a number of APIs in beta, and plans on launching a publicly available crypto payment platform in early 2019. The platform will enable both online and brick and mortar merchants to accept cryptocurrency payments.
Ripple provides blockchain payment technologies for banks, giving them more reliability, cost efficiency, and speed (transaction completion and recognition) that are infamous challenges within the banking industry. Its solutions enable banks to handle inter-bank transactions, liquidity and payments.
Stronghold has released a set of APIs that developers can use to add to apps a variety of payment instruments including Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Lumens. The APIs also allow apps to leverage Stronghold platform capabilities such as generate quotes, trade cryptocurrencies, and get available venues.
12 more APIs have been added to the ProgrammableWeb directory in categories such as Payments, Location, Infrastructure, and Security. Highlights include the GeoDataSource API which returns data about cities based on geolocation input. Here's a rundown of the latest additions.
simPRO, a business management software provider focused on the trade service industries, has launched an API for integrating its services with third party applications. The API grants access to simPRO's entire suite of Enterprise and Service level features. The API will be available globally.
Eleven APIs have been added to the ProgrammableWeb directory in categories including Messaging, Insurance, and Supply Chain. Featured today is the Aidlab API for interacting with health and fitness biosensors, and Tyntec cloud communication APIs. Here's a rundown of the latest additions.
Many startups are digital natives, meaning they don't have to deal with issues arising from legacy systems as enterprises often have to. Here are five key enablers to help established companies overcome disadvantages they may face compared to digital natives and stay competitive in the long run.
Google has announced the release of the Google My Business API version 4.2 containing new endpoints that will let third-party partners create end-to-end onboarding experiences for their merchants on their own platforms. Google My Business offers merchants the ability to create business listings.
Ten APIs have been added to the ProgrammableWeb directory in categories including Validation, Email, Sustainability and Security. Also new to the directory is the official Clash Royale API and African bank-based Jenga API for payments integration. Here's a rundown of the latest additions.
Square today announced the Square Reader SDK, a toolkit that will let Android and iOS developers design and deploy their own checkout experience for both sellers and buyers. The SDK makes it possible to run a custom UX on Square's hardware, opening up new possibilites for retail.
Last year, Facebook announced that it would launch a set of business-centric tools around WhatsApp. The company has also long stated that it would eventually monetize its various messaging platforms. Facebook has taken a step towards both goals with the introduction of the WhatsApp Business API.
Stripe announced a new Issuing API and Partner Program. Stripe’s new API provides infrastructure for issuing physical and virtual cards via a single API call. The new partner program aims to provide members with documentation and best practices, along with an avenue for promoting integrations.
One of the cool things our directory data allows us to do is to get a glimpse at both short term and long term trends in the API space. One slice of data worth looking at is the categories have had the most growth. This article looks at which categories have grown the most in the last five years.
Revolut has expanded its Revolut for Business offering by extending banking services through an Open API. The API is designed to integrate with internal business systems and tools, as well as third party applications and workflows that businesses rely on to operate their businesses.
One of the more interesting views given by the directory is a look at what sectors are seeing the most growth in APIs. The directory data model allows for one primary category as well as multiple secondary categories and in this article we take a look at which categories are most represented.
Enterprise software companies display wide variety in their needs and behaviors but fundamentally they are concerned with security, administration and control, cost-effectiveness and visibility. While the problems are not unique to APIs, the solutions used by modern enterprises include them.
Twelve APIs have been added to the ProgrammableWeb directory in categories including Financial, Billing, and Feedback. Some highlights include the Gfycat API for programmatic access to the animated GIF platform, and the Rev.io API for usage-based billing functions. Here's a look at what is new.
Sixteen APIs have been added to the ProgrammableWeb directory in categories including IoT, Payments, and Religion. Highlights include an API for adding parental controls to applications to limit screen time, and an Apple Pay web payment request API. Here's a rundown of the latest additions.


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Century Plyboards (India) Ltd on Wednesday reported a consolidated net loss of Rs 11.79 crore for the first quarter ended June 2020.
The company had reported a net profit of Rs 39.91 crore in April-June quarter a year ago, Century Plyboards said in a BSE filing.
Its revenue from operations stood at Rs 203.02 crore during the quarter under review. It was at Rs 582.27 crore in the corresponding quarter of previous fiscal.
The leading plywood company’s total expenses stood at Rs 224.76 crore in June quarter.
According to the company, “results of this quarter are not comparable to the previous corresponding periods” as it had temporarily shut down operations, including factories and branch offices, during the lockdown, leading to a near halt of business activitieswhich impacted its sales volume and profit.
Commenting on the company’s performance,Century Plyboards (India) Chairman Sajjan Bhajanka said, “Satisfactory results with cash profit in historically most difficult situation. Future looks bright with improvement every month.”
Shares of Century Plyboards (India) Ltd on Wednesday settled 2.53 per cent lower at Rs 130.75 on the BSE.
(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)


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AMD posted a net loss of $177m in the fourth quarter and predicted that revenue will drop by around eight per cent at the start of 2012, as the firm struggles to turn around its fortunes. The chip maker...
Huawei can no longer produce the chips it needs for its high-end smartphones with features like 5G and AI, due to US government sanctions
Rivals AMD and Nvidia have already started taking advantage of 7nm technology to produce more efficient chips
The chip maker is also rumoured to have made major breakthrough in 2nm chips
The firm has been struggling since buying HPE's software business in 2017
The first Macs with Apple chips will arrive by the end of the year


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One of the biggest ad tech trends of 2019 has been the shift to programmatic direct. As premium video inventory becomes available across CTV and OTT, buyers are embracing programmatic as a way to execute branding campaigns. We expect direct transactions will continue to grow as marketers navigate this fragmented landscape, vet premium publishers with meaningful distribution footprints, and invest directly to gain greater control over the content and delivery of their ad buys.
The convergence of TV and digital represents a monumental shift in the advertising ecosystem, with combined worldwide ad spend forecasted to exceed $587 billion in 2020, according to eMarketer. At the center of this convergence is the opportunity for advertisers to identify, target, and measure households across the full array of addressable channels, including linear, connected TV (CTV), digital, and social. But the premium TV and video ecosystems behave differently than traditional display, where programmatic buying originated.
To capitalize on the total video opportunity, both media sellers and buyers need to embrace new technologies and measurement strategies, while breaking down the silos that have historically separated TV investment from digital trading. Audiences already consume content this way, moving seamlessly from screen to screen; it’s important for agencies and brands to converge their data and operations to build a better consumer journey that aligns with this behavior.
In 2019, we saw advertisers and publishers tailor their solutions to data and privacy regulations. There is a growing need to help advertisers protect their data and better understand consumers’ choice to opt-in to personalized recommendations and more relevant ad experiences. For example, at Roku, we are actively working on solutions to help foster more advertiser adoption of OTT by going beyond the traditional 15 or 30 second ad to engage with consumers in new and immersive ways.
There was a lot of conversation about in-housing, which has resulted in fresh thinking about the positioning of agencies, where programmatic talent should sit and, ultimately, the pursuit of transparency. Brands have been controlling elements of media planning and buying in-house for years, but the desire to develop full programmatic capabilities in-house grew considerably in 2019.
The results have been varied. In some cases, it’s as simple as brands owning tech contracts but collaborating with agency teams to streamline planning. In other scenarios, brands have taken control of the planning and strategy, and then outsourced activation. It’s a positive trend in terms of broadening knowledge and promoting more open partnerships. Agencies will continue to add value in the form of expertise, as brands still require their knowledge, influence, and competence for campaign delivery.
According to Samsung Ads’ proprietary data, we’re at a tipping point where time spent watching streaming is catching up with linear TV – 45% to 55%. And although we do find a portion of viewers who only watch streaming (30%), or only linear (26%), the biggest group watches both (44%).
Even more interesting, this group of “Total TV Watchers” watches 50% more TV than any other group. The implications of these changing TV viewing behaviors are far-reaching as ad tech providers innovate solutions to embrace this new TV paradigm.
One of the biggest trends we’ve seen this year has been the widespread integration of data into campaign development and strategy. Technological advancements have equipped ad sales teams at advanced MVPDs and vMVPDs like DISH Media with the technical infrastructure to be more precise in how we target audiences. These efforts involve collaboration with top data partners to help brands and agencies better understand their audiences and be smarter about their ad buys. These days it’s all about reaching your audience wherever they are, and whenever and however they watch video.
The biggest ad tech trend of 2019 was connected TV (CTV) devices becoming the leading method of digital video viewing, especially for long-form content. CTV and over-the-top (OTT) services create an ecosystem for viewers to access all their favorite shows in one hub, with some original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), even creating an environment where consumers only need to buy a TV (no additional plugins) to tap into their favorite apps.
This one-stop shop for consuming premium OTT video is driving up engagement and viewing minutes, with a higher adoption of viewers connecting into this experience. It’s a significant moment for advertisers to target household users at a highly captivating moment. OTT engagement rates speak for themselves with video completion rate (VCR) at 95% or higher compared to a 70% VCR rate on desktop or mobile devices.
The biggest trend of 2019 lives at the very heart of the Internet: sustainability. The Internet has swiftly evolved as the most important communications channel for consumers globally, but regulation, consumer concerns around personal data usage, and brand misalignment with inflammatory and fake news threaten its long-term viability as a marketing platform. While there is still work to be done, 2019 has seen the industry start to come together to address these material issues – building consumer trust, and giving advertisers clarity and confidence in their digital investment.
I think it’s safe to say that OTT was the biggest ad tech trend of the year. Investment in OTT significantly increased as more and more advertisers are embracing its potential, from incremental reach to audience targeting and advanced insights. Today, OTT serves as a powerful medium and an ideal solution to reach the right consumers with sight, sound and motion.
At the same time, media owners have also been betting big on OTT by developing and/or acquiring direct to consumer apps in an effort to open another channel for viewers to consume their content. By doing this, publishers have the ability to enhance the distribution of content and connect with their consumers.
A significant increase in M&A activity, coming from both strategic acquirers as well as private equity, is continuing to step into the sector. Many ad tech companies have been “pivoting to video” for years already and now we are seeing “aging” display or mobile platforms “skipping” the video narrative and coming to market with “Connected TV/Over The Top TV” offerings that are not stable/accurate or scalable. The traditional “linear” TV market continues to face ratings declines and subscriber losses making CTV even more important to the future of entertainment.
Multi-channel contextual advertising was the biggest ad tech trend of 2019. Through the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning, more brands are realizing the importance of personalizing ads to relevant target groups following a customer-first approach.
Ads can now be laser-focused and tailored in order to correctly detect the viewer’s searches, enhancing the user experience. With the rise of mobile, we also saw a surge in video ads over static ads.
Until recently, many Japanese consumers used DVD players to record linear TV shows at home. In the last few years, OTT streaming apps like TVer have been driving new behaviors so that consumers no longer need to record and can stream where and when they want.
This OTT ad inventory was originally sold direct (not programmatic) and controlled by a select group of agencies including Dentsu and Hakuhodo. But as of late 2018, TVer has partnered with the likes of CCI and SpotX to sell inventory programmatically and introduce broadcasters to PMPs for the first time.
2019 was the year that Programmatic Guaranteed went from being an emerging trend to a substantial transaction type across both video and display. As we move into 2020, I believe we’ll see more programmatic guaranteed campaigns because of the efficiency of automation with the personal assurances of traditional direct sales, eliminating the laborious emails, tags and invoices that have always plagued manual direct buys.
The biggest ad tech trend we saw in 2019 was businesses placing a greater emphasis on the need for first-party data powering their advertising and targeting strategies. With changing privacy and technology regulations impacting the use of third-party data, businesses began thinking about the sustainability of their data strategy with greater importance than ever before. Whether it’s privacy or performance, first-party data reigns as the champion; however, companies have had difficulty connecting martech and adtech solutions to make the most of their data and activate it seamlessly across environments. We anticipate the momentum of this trend continuing into 2020 and beyond as changes to policies continue to impact advertising as we have known it.
Consumption of digital video continues to rise across all devices and supply types. Leading the pack over the past year has been connected TVs, which now account for nearly half of broadcast VOD streams. CTV has the added value of tapping into co-viewing experiences where advertisers can achieve a 40-80% increase in audience at no additional cost. The growth of CTV reflects the fact that audiences still love to lean back and enjoy quality TV programming on the big screen. This demand isn’t going away—it’s just shifting into new times of viewership, and more varied sources of programming.
The biggest ad tech trend of 2019 has been creating a harmonious ecosystem that balances direct sales initiatives with programmatic endeavors. This brought awareness to competitive separation, challenges with latency, as well as managing saturation of an ad to the end user. It also sparked initiatives to address these shortcomings, which will be a primary focus in 2020.


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Metallica Just Bought an Established Vinyl Pressing Plant + Jack White Is Stoked
Metallica are getting in vinyl pressing game, and they've made sure that they're in good hands to get things started. In fact, the pressing plant that they purchased is one that has been pressing their vinyl albums since 2014. For one of metal's biggest bands, it's a bold move and one that has sparked praise from fellow musician-turned-pressing plant owner Jack White.
Having worked with Furnace Record Pressing for several years now, the band acquired a majority interest in the company, not having to start from the ground up. Furnace has produced more than five million pieces of vinyl for the band already, working on the box set editions of Kill 'Em All, Ride the Lightning, Master of Puppets, ...And Justice for All, the Black Album and S&M2. While the purchase of the plant will provide the obvious ability to press more vinyls of their own music, the group also intends to help out other record labels and artists with their vinyl releases as well.
Furnace founder Eric Astor has been in business since 1996, producing records out of his state-of-the-art facility in Alexandria, Virginia. The company already services many major artists and record labels with vinyl offerings and the management team will remain in place with Metallica's takeover.
“Building Furnace into the dedicated and experienced family of experts that it is today has been a huge effort, but immensely gratifying” said Astor. “Knowing our long-term future is secured while also being better able to take advantage of growth opportunities is really exciting for every member of the Furnace staff.”
Ali Miller, Chief Operating Officer of Furnace, added, “We have found ideal partners in Metallica. They want us to continue our customer driven focus. To that end we look forward to providing even greater capacity and service to each of our customers in the future.”
“We couldn’t be more happy to take our partnership with Furnace — and Eric, Ali and Mark specifically — to the next level,” said Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich. “Their indie spirit, the passion they have for their craft… culturally we’re kindred souls.”
James Hetfield, co-founder of Metallica, added, “Furnace has been great to Metallica and more importantly to our fans. This deepened relationship between Metallica and Furnace ensures that fans of vinyl everywhere, particularly our Fifth Members, will have continued access to high quality records in the future."
As stated earlier, the move was met with a nod of respect from fellow artist-turned-pressing plant owner Jack White, who started his Third Man Records operation in 2001. White has been a champion of pressing vinyl while urging record labels to follow suit.
"Huge congratulations to the boys in Metallica for purchasing their own vinyl record pressing plant," he wrote. "Metallica announced it bought the Furnace record pressing plant in Virginia today! Welcome to the cause gents! And thank you for putting your money to amazing creative use! Here's hoping the major labels will also see this as further proof, and finally start investing in themselves. Outstanding."


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A new kind of computer pointing device that spares the wrists could avert carpal tunnel syndrome
In a development that bodes well for sufferers of osteoporosis, a new artificial bone material appears to be just as strong as the real thing.
TR's short list of 2003 U.S. patents with the potential to transform fields from security to cancer diagnostics. Plus: The 2004 TR Patent Scorecard.
News from around campus
A topography of nation-by-nation inventive prowess.
Insights and opinions from our readers
From the editor in chief
OmniPerception's facial-recognition technology protects privacy as well as property.
One prolific inventor offers tips on how to ensure that your inventions have their day in the sun.


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Caravan and campsite across the UK have had a difficult start to the summer season due to the coronavirus lockdown measures. Now, as sites gear up to welcome back guests as part of phase 3 of relaxing lockdown, Haven has announced new changes to caravans across its sites.
The holiday provider, which has sites across the country, has implemented the “Haven Caravan Cleanliness Guarantee” (HCCG) to assure customers that their stay is clean and safe.
Upon arrival at their holiday home, guests may notice something a little bit different - a new cleanliness seal.
Every caravan on site will be “sealed” after cleaning to indicate that the caravan has undergone a stringent cleaning regime.
“Guests should only enter the caravan if the seal is intact. Guests should not enter if the seal is broken,” advised Haven.
This new seal will be in place to indicate that the caravan has been deep cleaned with a specific cleaning material “known to kill viruses like the coronavirus”.
Haven has implemented new cleaning standards
Deep cleaning is part of Haven’s new caravan cleaning protocol, which will see every caravan cleaned for 20 percent longer.
Cleaning teams will be kitted out in personal protective equipment (PPE) every time they enter a caravan to reduce the risk of contamination.
As part of the HCCG, guests are also entitled to seek a refund if they find their caravan is not cleaned to the highest standards.
Haven explains: “Should a guest enter their caravan and find it not cleaned to the high standards that we expect then the guest should contact a member of our team.
“A member of our cleaning team will inspect the accommodation with the guest.”
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If the caravan is not cleaned to the standard the caravan park has set out, guests have two options.
“Allow us one opportunity to clean the caravan again to meet the standards we have set ourselves, continue their holiday but receive a full, no quibble, refund of the remaining balance of their holiday,” says Haven.
Alternatively, guests may decide “not continue with their holiday, returning home and receiving a full, no quibble, refund of the remaining balance of their holiday.”
Similarly, all high-touch public areas will be cleaned to the same standard.
Gerard Tempest, Director of Guest and Proposition explained: “In light of the Coronavirus challenges we are all facing, our new Clean and Safe Charter has been designed to ensure we are protecting our guests in these uncertain times, providing reassurance that all public areas and private caravans will be scrupulously clean while adopting social distancing guidelines in all public areas.”
Haven has also made additional changes throughout the park, including a one-way system to help guests adhere to social distancing, signage to help direct guests, and a new arrival experience.
Guests will be assigned an arrival time to ensure minimal contact with others.
From the entrance, guests will go directly to their caravan where they can collect their keys and welcome pack.
“The Clean and Safe Charter covers six key areas from the new arrival process to way-finding around the park, ordering of takeaway foods to the new cleaning processes and particularly the new Haven Caravan Cleanliness Guarantee which we believe will the new quality standard that every guest will be looking for.” Tempest continues.
The holiday provider will also continue to offer its Book Coronavirus Book with Confidence Guarantee across all 2020 and 2021 booking, allowing guests the option to cancel their holiday between 28-days and three days prior to their arrival.


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Brisbane to Focus on Safety
For three days in June 2013, the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre will be the safety capital of Australia, with nearly a 150 safety-centric exhibitors on site and ready to show off the latest innovative solutions focused on keeping Australian workers safe.
Businesses looking to ensure their workers' safety should not miss the Queensland Safety Show (Tuesday 18 –Thursday 20 June 2013), which will be an unprecedented opportunity to network with their peers, safety experts and solution providers, and gain cutting-edge knowledge on the latest safety trends and technologies.
Those looking for additional safety insight will find the series of free and incisive seminars at the Show to be invaluable. Top safety experts from around Australia will present the thought-provoking sessions, which will cover a spectrum of important topics.
Co-hosted with the Queensland Safety Show is CleanScene: The National Cleaning & Hygiene Expo, with exhibitors showcasing the latest and best cleaning equipment and supplies.
While you’re there you can also visit The Advanced Logistics and Materials Handling show for those wanting supply chain specialist information on the packing, moving, storing, tracking and delivering industries.
With co-located events and suppliers both new and established, the Queensland Safety Show is more than just a trade show: it is a rare opportunity for safety-oriented businesses and professionals to find everything they need, all at the one place.
Explore and source safety solutions, get all your safety questions answered, receive expert advice and perspective at the seminars, and connect with the industry.
For more safety solutions and expertise, make sure to also mark off 3 – 5 September 2013 on your diaries, for The Safety Show Sydney which will be held at the Sydney Olympic Park.


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Macy’s (NYSE:M) reported on Wednesday a better-than-expected 4.1% increase in sales for May on a sharp jump in demand from online shoppers.
The retail giant reported sales of $2.02 billion for the four weeks ended May 26 compared with $1.94 billion in the year-earlier period.
On a same-store basis, which includes online sales, sales were up 4.2%, slightly ahead of the 4% forecasted by analysts in a Thomson Reuters poll.
On their own, online sales at Macys.com and Bloomingdales.com soared 42.3%.
The company, which has its headquarters in Cincinnati and its flagship store in New York, attributed the gains to demand in stores across its geographies and business categories, as well as online.
“The momentum in our business continued in May, and came on top of a very strong month last year,” Macy’s CEO Terry Lundgren said in a statement. “We are seeing the ongoing benefit of the key strategic that have propelled our success over the past several years.”
Some of the initiatives included the My Macy’s localization, omnichannel integration and associated training in an effort to boost customer service and engagement, the company said.
So far this year, Macy’s sales have totaled $8.15 billion, an increase of 4.3% from the same 17-week period in 2011.


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Ministers debate food security in times of crisis
Southeast Asian countries are discussing plans to build a regional rice reserve to help ensure food security for half a billion people in times of crisis, RFA's Burmese and Lao services report.
Agriculture ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) met in Kuala Lumpur to discuss ways to create emergency stocks of the grain, which is a staple food for half a billion people in the region.
"It's all about creating food security and helping a friend in need," Azmi Mat Ahkir, a Malaysian official, said.
During the meeting, ministers approved the East Asia Emergency Rice Reserve System, in recognition that rice is the "staple food for about two-thirds of the world population and is 90 percent grown in Asia," a statement issued after the meeting said.
The project will be run out of Thailand, which is the world's biggest rice exporter. But it would be administered by a committee of other major exporters, including possibly Vietnam, Burma, and China. Details of how the reserve will be funded, and when it would be launched, have yet to be decided.
"We are still working out the details but, in terms of food security, it may be bigger than whatever we have in ASEAN, as it will also involve trade arrangements and contracting," Azmi said.
Current food security agreements in the region are non-binding, and many of ASEAN's members have expressed concern at ensuring a steady supply of rice.
In 1991, after the eruption of Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines, the country was forced to buy rice from Indonesia, as most of its paddy crops were wiped out by the disaster.
"And almost every year, Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam are hit by floods from the Mekong Basin, destroying their crops," Azmi said.
Southeast Asia produced 150 million tonnes of rice a year and consumed 95 percent of it by itself. Regional demand is forecast to rise to 160 million tonnes by 2020.
The ministers, who represented regular ASEAN members Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Burma, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam, together with China, Japan and South Korea, vowed to extend and continue agricultural cooperation in a number of other areas.
Apart from food security, ASEAN plus 3 will continue its cooperation on research and development in the food industry, agriculture, fisheries and forestry, human resource development, and trade facilitation for agricultural products in the region.


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Police find $20K in stolen jewelry in attic
Oceanside police recovered about $20,000 in stolen jewelry and other stolen items from an attic crawl space Thursday that may be linked to burglaries reported last week.
Officers went to check on several Mission Avenue businesses near North Horne Street about 7:40 p.m. after someone reported people on the roofs. Some of the businesses had reported burglaries Aug. 28.
While investigating, an officer crawled into crawl space and found stolen items linked to last week’s burglaries, including a bag of jewelry stolen from Daniel’s Jewelers.


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Pacific Coast Lighting Announces Grand Opening of High Point Showroom
Posted on April 9, 2013 by
CHATSWORTH, Calif.-Lighting and home accessory manufacturer Pacific Coast Lighting will unveil a new High Point showroom at the upcoming April market. The new showroom is located at IHFC-Hamilton Wing #H-203.
Kathy Ireland will preside over the grand opening celebration on Saturday, April 20 at 11:30 a.m. Following complimentary hors d'oeuvres and cocktails, Ireland will lead a ceremonial ribbon-cutting alongside the Pacific Coast Lighting team to formally open the showroom. The event will conclude with a catered lunch.
"We are very excited about the new space and the ease with which this high-visibility location allows us to connect with our customer base," said Pacific Coast Lighting President Clark Linstone. "With a fresh, new layout, we're able to effectively showcase the great range of our lighting designs, including our extremely popular kathy ireland Home collection. The new space also gives us the opportunity to display the breadth of styles in our array of new wall mirrors."
In addition to the kathy ireland Home collection, Pacific Coast Lighting will debut a variety of new lighting designs, including chandeliers, lighting fixtures and lamps. New wall mirror designs in contemporary, traditional and globally influenced styles will be featured as well, expanding on the existing styles introduced last year.


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Truck finalists — all from Detroit 3 automakers — are the Chevrolet Colorado, Chevrolet Silverado EV, Ford Ranger, Ford Super Duty and GMC Canyon.
Utility vehicle finalists are the Chevrolet Blazer EV, Chevrolet Equinox EV, Dodge Hornet, Genesis Electrified GV70, Honda Pilot, Hyundai Kona, Kia EV9, Mazda CX90, Toyota Grand Highlander and Volvo EX30. The Blazer and Kona are previous winners.
Three finalists in each category will be named in Los Angeles on Nov. 16, with car, truck and utility winners announced in Detroit on Jan. 4, 2024.
A panel of 50 journalists, including Automotive News‘ engineering reporter Richard Truett, evaluates and selects the winners.


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Create tidy, actionable to-do lists by copying a block of text and pasting into this simple, straightforward app.
The one new feature you didn't expect from Apple's iPad Air 2? iFixit says the new device has a battery that's 15 percent smaller, yet Apple claims it still gets the same battery life.
CNET editor Sharon Profis takes Apple Pay, Google Wallet and PayPal for a test drive and compares the options.
Inspirational or not, Momentum is a Chrome extension that adds a couple of useful features to Chrome's new tab page.
Google just released a new way to keep your email organized so you can spend more time being productive. Read on to learn how to use all the new features of Inbox by Gmail.
A Connecticut man really doesn't like ice, so he tweaked his refrigerator's ice machine to dispense something a lot sweeter.
Apple says it won't break out retail store and iPod sales anymore. And forget about detailed stats on the Apple Watch, due next year.
A Google Keep update ties your reminders not only to time, but to location. What better way to not forget the milk than when you walk into the grocery store?
CNET breaks out the most important things to know when shopping for a new television.
Take a look at the new and improved Windows 10 Start menu, care of the Windows 10 Technical Preview.


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VisionTrack appoints new European sales director
Connected vehicle cameras and video telematics company VisionTrack has appointed Vernon Bonser as European sales director in an effort to increase growth.
It is hoped the appointment will enable VisionTrack to take advantage of business development opportunities in the UK and mainland Europe thanks to the newly created role. Bonser has more than 20 years of experience in the telematics industry, and will now look to create a network of European channel partners in the fleet, vehicle tracking and insurance sectors.
Joining from TomTom Telematics, Bonser has spent the last eight years in a number of senior sales roles, and was most recently head of corporate business in the UK and Republic of Ireland. Prior to joining TomTom Telematics, he held business development positions at Cybit, DA Systems, Bluecom Group and Tracker Networks.
Bonser said: “Connected vehicle camera solutions are transforming the fleet telematics marketplace, so I am excited to be joining the industry leader within this rapidly developing field. There is huge potential for video telematics especially within mainland Europe, as recognition grows about the safety and financial benefits the technology can provide. I will use my current experience and relationships to take full advantage of the opportunities that exist.”
Maritime extends reach with new purchases
A new investment by Maritime Transport will help increase capacity in its Maritime Intermodal rail freight business.
The newly launched subdivision, created in April this year, will benefit from the purchased of five new empty container handlers and five new reach stackers from Sany.
Supplied by Cooper Specialised Handling, the new equipment will be based at a number of Maritime sites including its new terminal currently under construction at East Midlands Gateway. The site, which is due to be completed in November this year, will get three second-rail reach stackers, while its Tilbury site will get two H9 reach stackers.
The five single and double-empty container handlers will meanwhile be spread across Maritime’s other terminals, replacing older machines.
Speaking about the new equipment MD of Container Transport, Tom Williams, said: ‘This investment in new equipment will enable us to continue to provide the most advanced logistics solution, and truly reflects our ongoing commitment to upgrading our terminals and plant to support our growth and ambitions, and to meet our customers’ unique requirements."
"We look forward to working closely with Cooper SH to achieve this.’


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New Delhi: Solar panel equipment will attract the lowest tax rate of 5 per cent under the GST regime, as against the initially proposed 18 per cent, Revenue Secretary Hasmukh Adhia said.
Responding to industry queries on twitter, Adhia said, "All solar equipment and parts would attract 5 per cent GST only".
Senior officials today said that the GST Council, headed by Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and comprising state counterparts, is likely to reconsider the decision of levying 18 per cent tax on solar equipment.
These equipment fall under Chapter 85 of the GST Rate Schedule for Goods and include diodes, transistors and similar semiconductor devices, photosensitive semiconductor devices including photo voltaic cells, light emitting diodes (LED) and mounted piezoelectric crystals.
The GST Council has already decided on a 5 per cent tax rate on solar water heater and system, renewable energy devices and spare parts for their manufacture, bio-gas plant, solar power-based devices, solar power generating system and wind mills and wind operated electricity generator.
There was confusion in the industry that if these were put in 5 per cent bracket, why the equipment for solar panel manufacturing have been slapped with 18 per cent GST. India is targeting 175 gigawatts of renewable energy generation by 2022.
Of this, 100 GW would be from solar power, 60 GW from wind, 10 GW from biomass and 5 GW from small hydro power. To achieve the proposed capacity of 100 GW target by 2022, the overall investment required would be around Rs 6 lakh crore and so keeping the duties down on solar power equipment is necessary.
The Goods and Services Tax Council had brought down the levy on coal to 5 per cent from the current tax incidence of 11.69 per cent. With the lower GST rate on coal, the net value of dry fuel to the consumer is likely to come down.
The GST Council had earlier this month fitted over 1,200 goods and 500 services in the tax brackets of 5, 12, 18 and 28 per cent....


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Bandai announced a new Digimon toy line for collectors and hardcore Digimon fans, the Digivolving Spirits line!
The official Digimon Adventure tri: The Adventure on August 1 website stage play revealed more info about the upcoming play.
The poster for the 5th Digimon Adventure Tri. film "Union" is finally posted in the anime's official website.
The staff of the Digimon Adventure tri. anime announced that the fifth part of the anime project titled "Union" will premiere sometime this year.
Toei Animation's official YouTube channel posted the second trailer for Digimon Adventure tri. project's fourth chapter titled "Loss". The new trailer features the first anime appearance of Sora's Hououmon outside of the Digimon Adventure PSP game.
The Premium Bandai shop has opened pre-orders for the Digimon: Digital Monster Ver. 20th toys, an updated version of the Digivice toys release back in the 90's.
V-Jump's February issue revealed that Bandai will release the Digital Monster Ver. 20th, an updated version of the original Digivice toys release back in the 90's.


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Formerly a contributing editor for Wine Spectator and the wine and spirits editor at Travel + Leisure, Bruce Schoenfeld has seen his work appear in Gourmet, Saveur, Food & Wine and the New York Times Magazine. He also writes about sports, music and politics for Esquire, Fast Company, ESPN and other outlets.
For American collectors, Napa is still the only wine in town
Despite the charms of Washington and Oregon, wine investors looking to make their fortune should stick to California’s most famous region, says Bruce Schoenfeld. For those looking to drink their wines, though, there is potential – and value – elsewhere
Bruce Schoenfeld was always a hoarder. In lockdown, he’s had to change tack
Our US columnist wrote this piece in January. ‘Little did I know then that I wouldn’t be ordering wine in restaurants for months,’ he says. ‘Turns out fighting the pandemic by staying home is far easier when you have a substantial cellar – but it does take a toll on your inventory…’


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Transportation remains main obstacle for Iran-Tajikistan trade boost
Baku, Azerbaijan, Jan. 22
By Rahim Zamanov - Trend:
Tajik Ambassador to Tehran Dulatali Hatamov and Head of Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Mines Gholam-Hosseini Shafeyi held a meeting in Tehran on Jan. 22, Iranian ISNA News Agency reported.
During the meeting the two sides discussed possible ways to boost bilateral trade ties.
"The two countries need to reshape their bilateral trade ties," Shafeyi said, adding Tehran is ready to send some trade delegations to Tajikistan.
"Transportation problems at the Tajik border are the main obstacle to boosting the two countries' trade ties," he added.
"Iranian investors can carry out numerous projects in Tajikistan which will create job opportunities there," Shafeyi noted.
Hatamov, for his part, said that many countries want to invest in Tajikistan but the Tajik president believes Iran should be the first priority in this regard.
He further proposed to create a joint commerce council to facilitate the two countries' mutual investments.
In October 2012, Iran and Tajikistan signed a memorandum of understanding to expand relations between their free trade zones.
The MOU was signed on the sidelines of the exclusive exhibition on potentials of Iran's free zones, which was held in Tajikistan's capital Dushanbe.
The agreement would give a boost to economic, industrial and cultural ties between the two countries.
According to Tehran's ambassador to Dushanbe, Ali-Asghar Sherdoost, trade between Iran and Tajikistan exceeded $500 million in 2011.
According to Tajikistan's chamber of commerce, Iran-Tajikistan trade hit $250 million in 2012. The bilateral trade amounted to $229 million in the first nine months of the 2013.
Edited by C.N.


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Donald Trump’s crusade against Chinese companies that have access to the personal data of Americans continues. After the veto of Huawei and the ban this Sunday to download TikTok and WeChat in the United States (only TikTok has 100 million users in the country), a Bloomberg report ensures that the United States government is investigating Epic Games and Riot Games.
It is a different case because both are North American companies, but they are wholly or partially owned by the Chinese giant Tencent. Specifically, Tencent owns 40% of Epic Games and 100% of Riot Games.
Epic Games is the creator of Fortnite and the Unreal Engine graphics engine, as well as the Epic Games Store PC game store. Riot Games is the developer of the popular multiplayer game League of Legends and the recent hit Valorant.
Tencent is one of the largest Chinese technology companies . She owns WeChat, which the Trump administration just banned, but she also owns shares in numerous video game companies around the world. Not only does she own Riot and own 40% of Epic Games. It is also the owner of Funcom, owns 83% of Supercell, and has at least 5% of Ubisoft, Activision Blizzard, Sumo Digital or Paradox. Even 5% Tesla.
According to the report, the United States government will carry out an inspection of the security protocols of Epic Games and Riot Games , as well as other companies in which Tencent has shares, to assess whether the data of American citizens is accessed. by the Chinese government.
When asked about the issue a year ago, Epic Games founder and CEO Tim Sweeney said that ” I am the majority shareholder of Epic Games, and have been since 1991. We now have several outside investors. Tencent is the greatest. All Epic investors are our friends and partners. No one can dictate decisions to Epic. No one has access to Epic’s customer data. “
If Tim Sweeney’s claims are correct, Epic Games should have no problem with the US government. Its blocking would be a catastrophe for the world of video games: Fortnite is one of the most played titles in the world, and the Unreal Engine is used by thousands of companies to create their games.
More problematic seems the situation of Riot Games, a company that owns 100% Tencent. So far their representatives have not made any statements.


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Shoppers at The Fort have been faced with empty shop units for more than two years.
Mothercare was also closed - to be replaced by Wilko in January 2016, which was followed a few months later by Primark in March 2016.
Many shoppers have since been wondering what was happening to the empty units at The Fort, which celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2017.
Now, at last Fort bosses are revealing the plans for 2018 and there are some changes afoot, with two big new openings planned for later this year.
JD Sports is relocating to take over the former Arcadia shops with a huge flagship store.
Due to open its doors in autumn / winter 2018, the 27,000 sq ft store will be almost five times larger than the current store.
There’s no news, as yet, as to what will replace the existing JD Sports store.
Soon after, there will be another new launch – a designer fashion retailer Tessuti, which will sell menswear, womenswear and childrenswear collections.
Tessuti will move in next to the new JD Sports store.
Marjan Horne, centre manager for The Fort, said: “Celebrating our 20th anniversary last year was a fantastic achievement and the expansion of JD Sports and the arrival of Tessuti strengthens the Fort’s position as we move into the first phase of a new period for the shopping park.
“We would also like to take this opportunity to thank our customers for their patience and support whilst we go through this change to enhance the Fort’s retail offer.”
What stores would shoppers like to see at The Fort?
Sasha Johnson likes to shop online and have her items delivered to The Fort for easy collection as she can park for free.
“Lots of the fashion shops have closed down, it would be good to get them back here again,” said Sasha, from Hockley, who has four children, aged 12, seven, two and three months.
“I think a bigger JD Sports is unnecessary. The one that’s here already is big enough.
“It would be good if there was another restaurant here. I’d like to see something like Pizza Hut, something kiddy-friendly.”
Living in Castle Bromwich, Jodie Cummins finds The Fort handy and tends to pop in every week, often with her friend Emma Lamb.
“I can’t make it into town and be back in time for the school run so I come to The Fort,” said Jodie, a full time mum whose children are aged nine, four and two.
“I’d like to see more variety here. It’s nice to have a Debenhams but there’s not enough in the store. I think that’s the case in lots of the shops, that they don’t have much variety instore.
“You have to go elsewhere if you want more choice."
“It would be nice to have a baby store, something like Mothercare. That used to be here but it’s not now.
“The Fort seemed better when it first opened, it seems to have gone downhill since.”
Mum of five Emma Lamb added: “It’s good for families here, there’s good access for pushchairs from the car park.
“I wish there were better bus services here though.”
Natasha Folan, from Pype Hayes, said her children will be pleased a bigger JD Sports is coming but she’d like to see more for mums.
“It’s a shame some of the shops have closed and been replaced with shops like Primark and Wilko ,” said Natasha, a nurse, whose children are aged six and three.
“I like shopping at The Fort and I sometimes bring the kids.
“A bigger JD Sports would be OK, I know my kids like their sports stuff.
“I’d like to see something for kids here, like Mothercare .
“If I need something for my little one, I have to go into town.”
Dora Evangelou works at Primark at The Fort and would like to see more sandwich shops opening there for staff to use on their lunch breaks.
“There’s a potato bar here but apart from that, there aren’t really many healthy options for staff wanting to buy lunch, it’s all Burger King and Nando’s.
“I tend to bring my own lunch instead.”
Julie Newman used to bring her nephew to The Fort when it first opened.
“There used to be a lovely (Food Court) restaurant in the corner (currently empty but where M&S used to be) where I'd take my nephew on a Saturday.
“I used to shop here at lot but when that closed I stopped coming because there wasn’t really anywhere else to eat at the time (Nando’s, Harvester, Frankie and Benny’s have opened since).
“This is the first time I’ve been here in ages.”
The Fort says it saw an 8.6 per cent increase in footfall over the Easter Bank Holiday weekend compared to Easter 2017 - a rise that's said to exceed the 0.7 per cent national average increase for retail parks.
The shops are at The Fort?
What restaurants are at The Fort?
Frankie & Benny's
There's also a Scallywags soft play centre plus kiddie cars to hire too.
There are baby changing and breast feeding facilities next to Carphone Warehouse plus free wifi and a click and collect service plus Amazon lockers too.


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Microsoft's Remote Desktop Preview app for Windows Phone 8.1 got a new update earlier today, and it brings with it a number of new features, including a way to pin any frequently used remote desktops to the Start screen.
The app update, which brings the version number up to 126.96.36.199, also adds Word flow and predictive texts to be used while typing in the app's virtual keyboard, and going into Settings will now allow users to high or show any desktop thumbnails.
The new version also adds support for the transparent live tile feature, that was added as part of Windows Phone 8.1. Finally, the official change log states there are a number of unspecificed bug fixes and improvements.
You can download the free Remote Desktop app for Windows Phone 8.1 right now from the Windows Phone Store.
Do you use Microsoft's Remote Desktop app and what do you think of the changes and additions that have been put into the Windows Phone 8.1 Preview version?
Thanks to the many people who gave us tips about this release


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Microsoft's Chief Product Officer of Windows and Devices, Panos Panay, has penned a blog post about the state of Windows 10 development, dubbed 'Accelerating innovation in Windows 10 to meet customers where they are'. Despite the word 'accelerating' in the title the most interesting news nugget to be dug out of the piece is that the progress of Windows 10X is decelerating in a technological way - it will ship first on single-screen devices. The other major news shared by Panay regards the impending release of Windows 10 May 2020 Update.
As those following the development of Microsoft's Surface Neo will be aware, Windows 10X was supposed to debut on dual-screen PCs. It was designed to be adaptable and deliver experiences on these 'multi-posture' devices. However last month there were whispers from insiders indicating that Microsoft's foldables (the Android powered Surface Duo too) would not appear until 2021. Of course Covid-19 related supply chain issues were a major factor listed in relation to the delays(s).
The same insider report indicated that to keep the ball rolling Microsoft would let Windows 10X cut its teeth on common-or-garden 2-in-1 and clamshell form factors. This gets the OS out there and onto the front lines combating the encroachment of Google Chromebooks.
In the blog post Panay confirms the rumours were correct. To round off the segment he wrote "These single-screen devices will be the first expression of Windows 10X that we deliver to our customers, and we will continue to look for the right moment, in conjunction with our OEM partners, to bring dual-screen devices to market".
Windows 10 May 2020 Update
Of course the Windows 10 May 2020 Update is now due, but Microsoft traditionally leaves roll out to the end of the designated month, like some workshy student submitting an essay at the last minute.
Panay highlighted his pick of the main attractions of the Windows 10 May 2020 Update, which were as follows:
- Streamlined Bluetooth connectivity
- An improved tablet experience when you detach your 2-in-1’s keyboard
- Drag and drop using Eye Control functionality
- Japanese kaomoji IME
Of the above, HEXUS has previously reported upon the improved tablet experience, when it appeared in an Insider Preview during March. During the same month we had a closer look at Windows 10 Insider build Eye Control refinements.
Microsoft will hold a 48-hour digital experience for developers later this month. From 19th to 21st May Microsoft will "share how we will enable developers to build applications that seamlessly enable cloud-powered virtualization," as well as gaze into the future of Windows. Registration is now open, and free.


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Sony CEO confirms new details on the next-gen PlayStation 5
The PS5 will support 4K graphics at 120Hz refresh rate.
June 06, 2019 / 04:39 PM IST
Sony’s next-gen gaming console won’t make an appearance in 2019, while the company is skipping on E3, but a few more details of the PlayStation 5 have recently been confirmed by CEO, Jim Ryan.
The PS5 will incorporate a faster SSD as opposed to the slower HDD on the PS4. The next-gen console will also support 4K graphics at 120Hz refresh rate. The 120Hz support will offer a much smoother look on displays that can handle the faster speed. Considering the PS5 will pack serious hardware, you can expect games to run on 4K settings past the regular 60fps you usually get on the latest titles at that resolution.
You’ll also be able to transfer game saves between console generations, allowing you to pick up where you last left off, regardless of the console. According to a report by CNET, Ryan is committed to offering the PlayStation faithful “cross-generation play.” This will effectively bring PlayStation 5 and PS4 players together online.
In an interview with CNET, Ryan said: "The community has never been bigger, and it's never been more engaged. A lot of people we brought in, in 2013, are still with us. And the amount of time and money they invest in the platform is very humbling."
Sony’s next generation gaming console is set to make its debut in 2020. Sony officials have also confirmed that the new console will feature an eight-core CPU based on AMD’s Ryzen architecture, while the console will also get 8K graphics support courtesy of AMD Radeon graphics.
The other previously confirmed detail was regarding the PS5’s ability to support real-time ray tracing. It is also interesting to see how Sony’s deal with Microsoft for cloud gaming factors into the new PlayStation console.


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As an emerging company, it is always rewarding to receive awards. They are a tangible proof that your vision and innovations are making a big difference in the market, especially if they are being recognised through global awards and organizations.
Since Tespack was established in 2013, we have received various awards thanks to our supportive community (we really thank you guys!). Recently, Tespack was rewarded with 2 new global awards in the technology industry and we are very proud to announce them here.
Tespack awarded as Top 500 Technology startups Worldwide
Hello Tomorrow is a global competition that annually chooses the best early-stage technology startups around the world. The competition celebrates greatest innovations in technology and science by choosing top 500 startups worldwide out of thousands of applicants. This year around 5000 companies applied under 10 different tracks such as “Transportation”, “Data & AI” or “Air Quality”.
We are very proud to be chosen as one of the Top 50 startups under “Energy” track, as it shows us that we are revolutionizing the Mobile Energy sector. This energy revolution includes new patented technology in Solar energy combined with our upcoming ULTRA-FAST CHARGING capabilities. Forget about Hours, we talk about Minutes! Real Vision of #FutureOfEnergy.
Tespack chosen as the Top Startup in Finland
Start Tel Aviv is a global competition held by The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Tel Aviv Global. The event takes place in more than 30 different countries around the world in order to find the best startup in each country. The winner gets an opportunity to take part in an intense five-day startup experience journey in Tel Aviv’s startup ecosystem.
This year the competition was focused on digital and technology startups around the World. Our co-founder and COO Caritta Seppa attended the event on behalf of Tespack, pitching in front of a panel of judges, formed by technology experts and investors. The pitch was successful and Tespack was chosen as the best Finnish startup in the competition.
We are really proud to have received these 2 new awards, but for us, the most important prize is the support that we receive everyday. Thanks to all of you and stay tuned for new exciting info about all our upcoming products and projects in October!
Get the REAL mobile energy experience with Tespack!


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Our portable video player focused blog PVP4U reported last week about the latest news in this gadget segment.
new PMP was launched recently in India called the YES YMP45 otherwise known as “the complete entertainment gizmo”. The device does all the things you expect a PMP including displaying photos of sexy ladies.
Latest portable Video Player headlines:
- Nickelodeon Media Player for Kids
- Stuff.co.nz Reviews the Cowon D2
- YES Touch Screen PMP Announced in India


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Sweden-based Volvo Group said its European division, Volvo Trucks, is launching a first-of-its-kind transmission with a dual clutch system for its heavy vehicles.
The I-Shift Dual Clutch’s power-shift gear changes without interruption in power delivery, and the truck does not lose speed during gear changes, according to Volvo Trucks.
The I-Shift Dual Clutch will be available on the Volvo FH with Euro 6 D13 engines in the fall. The clutch is not available in the United States.
“In situations that require a lot of gear changes, for instance on hills or roads with lots of curves and bends, I-Shift Dual Clutch brings an entirely new dimension to truck driving. Here at Volvo Trucks, we are immensely proud to be able to offer this innovation to our customers,” Volvo Trucks President Claes Nilsson said in a statement.


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It’s not time for fragrance suppliers to be wallflowers.
In a fragrance market characterized by product oversaturation, sluggish U.S. performance, enormous potential abroad, unrealized sales from indifferent and frustrated segments of the consumer population and a shifting retail landscape, fragrance supplier executives agree that sitting on the sidelines isn’t a recipe for success. A period of experimentation is taking root as suppliers and their fragrance brand partners test novel marketing concepts, breach new retail channels and address audiences outside of their comfort zone.
“In the last two to three years, the fragrance world has been on a roller coaster,” said Matt Frost, director of global marketing for fine fragrance and beauty care at International Flavors & Fragrances. “The prestige fragrance market, having been hit by the recession, is still in a little bit of shock and is trying to find its footing again.”
According to The NPD Group, U.S. prestige fragrance sales rose 1 percent — the slowest growth among three prestige beauty categories — to generate $2.5 billion last year. In mass excluding Wal-Mart, SymphonyIRI Group reported dollar sales for the top 20 men’s fragrances dipped 1.76 percent to nearly $193 million and dollar sales for the top 20 women’s fragrances inched ahead 0.3 percent to almost $311 million for the 52 weeks ended Feb. 27.
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Despite the unimpressive fragrance sales, flavor and fragrance manufacturers have rebounded rather impressively from the global recession. According to Leffingwell & Associates’ estimates, sales volume at the top six flavor and fragrance industry players climbed around 16 percent to nearly $14.7 billion in 2010. For the fragrance and flavor niche as a whole, Leffingwell noted company sales grew 10 percent to reach $22 billion in 2010, making the year “remarkably successful with some of the largest year-to-year gains in recent years.”
So, what’s the problem? Buying a fragrance today can be downright confusing, faced with a dizzying array of fragrance extensions. Klaus Stanzl, president, scent and care, global life essentials at Symrise, cited industry data revealing 35 percent of women’s launches are new brands and 42 percent of men’s launches are new brands. “Brands are slowly moving away from launching as many flankers and limited editions as they did in the past,” he said. “This will be a slow transition. I think it will be five years until we see more newness.”
The celebrity fragrance phenomenon, which has helped propel a flanker deluge, doesn’t appear to be fading — at least, yet. “This will be a big celebrity holiday season with several on the docket,” said Cosimo Policastro, executive vice president of fine fragrance at Givaudan. Debra Butler, vice president, creative marketing at Firmenich, sounded a similar chord, saying, “People are looking still to brand new brands with publicity and high consumer impact value already premade.”
However, Butler praised efforts to cultivate lasting brands. “We made the consumer addicted to this newness, and now we are taking a more measured approach,” said Butler. “We will see a cleaning up,” said Syed Shamil, Mane America’s vice president, marketing and innovation for fine fragrance, North America.
“We are moving from a place where the product could represent nice values and appeal to many different people, but not really stand out from the crowd, to a place that in order to succeed you have to stand out, have a point of view, be quite polarizing,” Frost declared. He singled out Paco Rabanne’s Lady Million with its “unapologetic gold-digging” marketing proposition for making a bold statement in the marketplace.
Frost emphasized that the “segmentation of consumers is becoming more and more important.” That segmentation can occur by age — and young consumers are of particular interest — or by fragrance usage. “There are Gen-Y consumers who are using the product. It is just that, in that group, there is greater percentage that aren’t. If we focus on reconnecting with nonusers, I think we have a shot at reengaging them,” said Policastro, discussing a recent Givaudan study on 16- to 29-year-olds. Butler said Firmenich is putting money and energy toward figuring out what lapsed and nonusers like and dislike. “They want everyday fragrances, [but] they have different needs,” she said.
Luring new fragrance users is dependent on scent, marketing and distribution. Policastro said young customers “gravitate to fragrances that are more classically designed because it’s new to them.” Stanzl and Frederic Jacques, Mane’s vice president of fine fragrances for North America, stressed social media, associated with mass more than prestige launches, is essential to draw young consumers. And alternative distribution channels, particularly television and Web shopping, could initiate new consumers into fragrance, although many supplier executives are skeptical. “This is where the opportunity lies,” said Jacques, a believer in Internet fragrance shopping.
Business is swinging to emerging markets — IFF, for instance, forecast they will account for 50 percent of sales in 2015, up from 44 percent now — and fragrance and flavor companies are expanding their global footprints as a result. Examples abound. Symrise has a new Perfumery School in Chennai, India. Mane has planted offices in Ghana and Nigeria. Givaudan officially opened its new Fragrance Creative Centre in São Paolo, Brazil, last year.


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Bianca VÃ¡zquez Toness, Bloomberg:
Suresh Subbian, 42, bought an iPhone 4 in June for his wife, paying about 19,500 rupees.
â€œWe donâ€™t want to take a big risk by buying a new model,â€ he said by phone from Chennai. â€œI thought Iâ€™d buy her a simple model and try it. Itâ€™s about half the price of a 5s and thatâ€™s an important factor.â€
Older iPhones like the 4 and 4s are selling well in India because of two reasons: older iPhones are still considered prestigious, and they are more affordable to more.
I would think there’s a burgeoning market for used iPhones in India since used iPhones are generally much cheaper than new ones. On Craigslist in Bangalore a used 16GB iPhone 4s is offered at 20,000 rupees (about US$330), about the same price as a new iPhone 4, but still significantly more expensive than used prices in the SF Bay Area (about $150).