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Bitcoin, the virtual currency that has gained worldwide prominence, could be about to undergo a split.
The dispute has emerged over the creation of Bitcoin XT, a new version of the currency that is being championed by some, but not all, of the core staff responsible for the cryptocurrency.
Bitcoin’s chief scientist Gavin Andresen and its chief developer Mike Hearn both believe that the adoption of XT is essential for the currency to cope with increased demand, but the reaction to the release within the Bitcoin community has been mixed. In particular, bitcoin miners in China are concerned about how the new version will affect currency control.
Bitcoin uses a system known as blockchain to record all transactions and is made up of 1MB blocks. Bitcoin XT, however, would have blockchains up to 8MB in size, making it incompatible with exiting software and causing a split. Critics believe that creating two separate currencies would damage Bitcoin’s credibility and erode consumer trust.
Speaking to the BBC, however, Mr Hearn has said that the XT version has experienced some initial success. "We've gone from zero people running the software to 10 per cent of the network in 72 hours, which is really good," he explained. But he did accept that not everyone had embraced the new format and that some of the core development team still had to be won over, increasing the risk of further currency splits in the future.
In addition, a researcher at the Oxford Internet Institute believes that the larger blockchains used by Bitcoin XT could be prohibitive for some miners.
"Downloading the whole blockchain is already such an effort that most people choose not to run Bitcoin on their computers," explained Dr Vili Lehdonvirta. "This would put Bitcoin on a trajectory where that problem is exaggerated."


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Louis Vuitton, the top fashion brand in the LVMH luxury empire, announced that it is raising prices this week due to increased cost in production and global inflation. This decision will affect the cost of Louis Vuitton leather goods, accessories, and fragrances all over the world.
The price adjustment will take into account changes in production costs, raw materials, transportation as well as inflation.
The world’s largest luxury brand joins other prominent fashion houses like Hermès and Chanel to hike prices since the start of the pandemic to protect margins against inflation.
In 2020, the coronavirus forced companies to stop production for a large part of the year, sparking worldwide delays, the disruptions of which continue to ravage the supply chain system on an unprecedented global scale.
Louis Vuitton items are becoming less and less affordable, this ensures a certain exclusivity and this is exactly where the fashion house wants to go. Apart from the high prices, many items are not available online. One reason for this could be to lure everyone to the physical store and it seems to be working.
Here is the list of new Louis Vuitton prices
( Prices are shown in Euros)

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Earlier this year Microsoft unveiled the Xbox One Elite Wireless Controller, it thought that since this controller cost $150 there may not be much demand for it. Microsoft found out that it was wrong to assume this as the controller was most certainly in demand throughout the holiday season which is why it remained so hard to find. The company has acknowledged that it “totally underestimated” demand which ultimately resulted in supply shortages throughout the holiday season.
The Elite controller was unveiled back at E3 earlier this year, the feedback it received from retailers back then was that perhaps the controller was priced a bit too high, and that went into deciding how many units were to be made.
Microsoft released the controller in October and it was positioned as a luxury accessory, considering the fact that it costs half as much as the Xbox One, but that didn’t stop customers from trying to get their hands on one.
Chief marketing officer at Microsoft Chris Capossela visited some retailers a week before Black Friday and all they were told was “make more,” the company became aware of the intense demand, but it just couldn’t supply enough units.
The controller is still out of stock at Amazon, Walmart, Best Buy and GameStop. There is a bundle available at GameStop that includes the controller but that’s about it, good luck trying to find one to purchase in the near future. Microsoft does promise though that it will regularly send out new shipments to fill all of the orders.


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AT&T today said it has signed an interconnect agreement with Cuba's Empresa De Telecomunicaciones De Cuba (ETECSA). The agreement will eventually allow AT&T customers to roam on ETESCA's network when traveling to Cuba. AT&T hasn't said when it will make such roaming available and will announce pricing at a later date. Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon Wireless already have similar agreements in place with ETESCA.
AT&T and dozens of other companies are escalating the war on robocalls with a new Strike Force aimed at disrupting spammers' ability to call and pester consumers. AT&T CEO Randal Stephenson says carriers, device makers, OS developers, network designers, regulators, and lawmakers will all need to work together to create a play book to tackle the problem. "In parallel with technological solutions, we need our regulatory and law enforcement agencies to go after the bad actors. Shutting down the bad guys is a necessary step, and a powerful example to others. Our goal isn't complicated: Stop unwanted robocalls. Easy to say. Hard to do," said Stephenson in remarks made at the FCC's first meeting of the Robocall Strike Force. Industry player are gathering today to discuss initial plans and are expected to report back with more solid short- and long-term plans on October 19. Some of the companies participating in the Strike Force include AT&T, Apple, Blackberry, Comcast, Ericsson, Google, LG, Microsoft, Nokia, Qualcomm, Samsung, Sprint, T-Mobile, U.S. Cellular, and Verizon.
The Samsung Galaxy Note7 reaches U.S. stores today and with it some interesting accessories and companion products from Samsung. The new Gear VR headset, which is compatible with the Note7 and other recent Galaxy phones, has a new look, new color, and expanded field of view. It's available for $100 at carrier stores, as well as Amazon, Best Buy, and Samsung. The Gear 360 camera (pictured), able to shoot 360-degree photos and video, will only be available online for $350. Samsung's Gear IconX wireless earbuds are available, too. These $200 headphones are fully wireless, have built-in memory, and can track workouts. The less expensive Samsung Level Active headphones are sweat proof and can control music/calls for $100. Last, the Samsung Connect auto provides an AT&T-backed in-car hotspot via the OBD II port. The Connect auto can also send alerts to the driver and improve driving safety/efficiency. AT&T will sell the Samsung Connect auto online and in stores. The Galaxy Note7 is Samsung's flagship phablet for the year. It has a 5.7-inch screen, 12-megapixel main camera, Snapdragon 820 processor, 64 GB of storage, and the S Pen stylus. The Note7 is available from AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon.
AT&T today announced new service plans for multiple lines that do away with overage charges. The Mobile Share Advantage program includes unlimited talk and text in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, rollover data, sharable data, mobile hotspot, and unlimited texting to more than 120 other countries. Rather than charge customers overage fees for exceeding their monthly data allotments, AT&T will throttle users back to 2G, or about 128 Kbps, for the remainder of the billing cycle. This is in line with what competitors do. Data plans now start at 1 GB and range up to 100 GB for families, and from 25 GB to 200 GB for businesses. AT&T said new options make the plans more flexible, such as the addition of 6 GB and 10 GB data buckets. Smartphone access charges are now a flat fee of $20 per device. Device payments are extra. The new Mobile Share Advantage plans will be available starting August 21.
AT&T and Cricket Wireless today announced a low-cost Android handset from Alcatel. The device is the same hardware as the Alcatel Dawn sold by Boost and Virgin, but has been rebadged as the Ideal by AT&T and Streak by Cricket. The phone features a 4.5-inch screen with 854 by 480 resolution, 1.1 GHz quad-core processor, and 1 GB of RAM. The Ideal/Streak includes a 5-megapixel main camera, VGA front camera, 8 GB of storage, 1,780mAh battery, support for LTE, and a memory card slot for microSD cards up to 32 GB. The AT&T Ideal runs Android 5.1 Lollipop, but the Cricket Streak runs Android 6.0 Marshmallow. Cricket is selling the Streak for $30.
AT&T plans to offer small discounts to GoPhone plans with multiple lines. In order to score a discount, customers will need to chose either the $45 plan with 3 GB of data or the $60 plan with 6 GB of data. A second line added to the first will cost $5 less per month, with the third, fourth, and fifth lines costing $10, $15, and $20 less, respectively. Customers must chose a "Multi-Line Account" to receive the per-line discounts. The family-friendly offer kicks off August 19. Further, AT&T says now through September 22, customers can buy one AT&T GoPhone and get one free when activated with a new line of service on a $45 or $60 monthly plan. GoPhone does not charge overages, but does throttle users who exceed their monthly data allotment.
The FCC today approved new Kyocera phones that seem to match the just-announced DuraForce Pro. One supports both CDMA and LTE 2/4/5/13, a combination unique to Verizon. A separate version compatible with AT&T and T-Mobile networks was also approved today.
Kyocera today announced the DuraForce Pro, its new rugged Android phone. The DuraForce is positioned as a significantly upgraded replacement for both the DuraForce and the Brigadier models, and comes in versions both with and without CDMA. That implies the phone may come to both AT&T and Verizon, although Kyocera is not announcing carrier partners at this time, just that it will be released "in the coming months." Most specs have been upgraded compared to the DuraForce/Brigadier. The main camera steps up to 13 megapixels, and is accompanied by a wide-angle "action camera" with 135-degree lens and 5 megapixels, plus 5-megapixel front camera. A fingerprint reader has been added to the side, which works with NFC. It's just as rugged and waterproof, but also fully washable (unaffected by soap). The screen can be used while wet and the camera has an underwater mode. The screen is larger (5 inches) and higher-resolution (full HD). The processor is a faster Snapdragon 617. It also has a larger 3,240 mAh battery and both fast charging and wireless charging. Other features a 3.5mm audio jack, memory card slot, PTT, dual front speakers, and barometer. For business users, it supports enhanced MDM, enterprise Wi-Fi, and advanced VPN capability. Its rugged specs include IP68 and U.S. Military rating for dust, shock, vibration, temperature extremes, temperature shock, blowing rain, low pressure, sun, salt fog, humidity, water immersion (up to 2 meters for 30 minutes), and icing freezing rain. The DuraForce Pro runs Android 6.0 (Marshmallow).
AT&T today shared information about several promotions associated with the launch of the Samsung Galaxy Note7 smartphone. AT&T is selling the phone for $29.34 per month (for 30 months) with an AT&T Next plan, or for $36.67 per month (for 24 months) with an AT&T Next Every Year plan. Customers who buy a Note7 will be eligible for up to $695 in credit towards the purchase of a second Note7 with a new line of service. The credits will be applied monthly for 30 months. The customer is responsible for the remaining $155 difference, when taking into account the Note7's $849 sale price. Alternately, customers can buy a Note7 and get a free Samsung Gear S2 smartwatch with a two-year agreement, or buy a Note7 and get a Galaxy Tab E for $0.99. AT&T will make the Note7 available for preorder beginning August 3. It will reach AT&T stores August 19.
GameStop today said it has finalized the acquisition of three AT&T retailers, giving it some 507 authorized AT&T shops. The company completed its purchase of Cellular World Corp., Midwest Cellular, Inc., and Red Skye Wireless, Inc. Together, the three businesses increase GameStop's wireless retail footprint significantly. GameStop already sells Cricket Wireless products and services at 3,400 of its stores, and operates another 1,400 AT&T stores. Terms of the recent acquisitions were not disclosed.
AT&T is sending out the July 1 Android security patch to its variants of the Samsung Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge smartphones. Google made the security patch available earlier this month. It plugs a number of holes in the code, including some that could lead to remote code execution. In addition to the security update, the phones gain access to AT&T's WiFi Calling service. The update for the S7 and S7 Edge can be downloaded and installed over the air.
FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler today asked the country's major telephone providers to improve consumer tools for blocking robocalls. The FCC said robocalls continue to be one of the top complaints filed by consumers. Wheeler sent letters to AT&T, Bandwidth Comms, Frontier, Level3, Sprint, T-Mobile, U.S. Cellular, and Verizon asking them to make blocking tools available to consumers as swiftly as possible. "Consumers want and deserve more control over the calls they receive," wrote Wheeler in a blog post. "I am calling on the carriers and standards groups to accelerate the development and deployment of technical standards that would prevent spoofing of caller ID and thus make blocking technologies more effective. All of these companies have been asked to respond within 30 days with their concrete, actionable solutions to address these issues." The FCC said it will continue to investigate consumer complaints against robocalls and prosecute whenever possible.
T-Mobile today said its postpaid customers will have access to free mobile data and calling in Brazil for the entire month of August in honor of the 2016 Rio Summer Olympic Games. T-Mobile customers will not have to take any action to enjoy free roaming in Brazil. Those who travel to Brazil will have unlimited high-seed data, unlimited calling to the U.S., and unlimited texting worldwide during their visit. T-Mobile said it is supplying the families of Olympic athletes with free T-Mobile service and a Galaxy S7 Olympic Edition handset through October. AT&T debuted its own roaming plan for Brazil earlier this summer, but it costs $50 to add to an existing service plan. About 100,000 Americans are expected to make the trip to Brazil to watch and participate in the games.
AT&T is sending out the July 1 Android security patch to its variant of the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 smartphone. Google made the security patch available earlier this month. It plugs a number of holes in the code, including some that could lead to remote code execution. The security update for the Note 5 can be downloaded and installed over the air.
AT&T today announced that its GoPhone prepaid customers can buy one eligible phone and receive a second for free. The buy one, get one deal goes into effect July 22 and includes phones such as the Samsung Galaxy Express Prime or LG Phoenix 2. The handsets must each cost at least $59.99 in order to be eligible for the buy one, get one deal. Customers must activate both devices on either the $45 or $60 monthly GoPhone plan. The promotion runs through September 22. GoPhone does not require credit checks or contracts.
AT&T today said it plans to launch the low-cost LG K10 on July 22. The K10, announced earlier this year, features rear-mounted volume controls and home screen button. It has a 5.3-inch HD screen with 2.5D arc glass, a 1.27 GHz quad-core processor, 8-megapixel main camera, and 5-megapixel selfie camera with flash. The K10 has 16 GB of storage and ships with a 2,300mAh battery. It runs Android 6.0 Marshmallow. The K10 will cost $6 per month for 30 months on an on AT&T Next plan. The full retail price is $179.99.
The FCC today published a list of the 62 bidders who've made upfront payments and qualified to bid in the reverse auction for low-band TV spectrum. As expected, the list contains familiar names, such as AT&T, T-Mobile, U.S. Cellular, and Verizon Wireless. A significant number of small companies plan to bid, as well, such as Alaska Wireless and Cellular South. Collectively, bidders will need to cough up more than $86 billion to purchase the 126 MHz of 600 MHz airwaves up for auction. The forward portion of the auction begins August 16.
AT&T's prepaid brand, GoPhone, plans to sell the Kyocera Hydro Shore through Walmart stores beginning July 16. The Hydro Shore is water and dust proof, and the 5-inch qHD display supports wet finger tracking. It is powered by a 1.1 GHz quad-core Snapdragon processor and comes with 1 GB of RAM and 8 GB of storage. The main camera has a 5-megapixel sensor and the user-facing camera has a 2-megapixel sensor. The device includes a 2,160mAh battery and runs Android 5.1 Lollipop. Walmart has priced the Kyocera Hydro Shore for GoPhone at $80. (AT&T-owned Cricket Wireless is selling the Hydro Shore as the Hydro View for $50, or as low as $30 with a new account.)
The FCC has approved an unannounced handset from Samsung that is most likely the Galaxy Note 7. The device, model name SM-N930U, is banded identically to Samsung's Galaxy S7 smartphone, which marks the N930U as a probable flagship or other high-end phone. The device supports LTE 4G in the various bands used by AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon Wireless, as well as the corresponding carrier bands for WCDMA/CDMA 3G. Other technical features confirmed by the FCC include Bluetooth, GPS, NFC, and WiFi radios. The FCC did not post images, user manuals, or any other details regarding the Samsung N930U, nor do the documents refer to the device as the Note 7. Samsung has scheduled an event on August 2 in New York where it is expected to announce the Galaxy Note 7 in full. The timing of the N930U's FCC approval falls in line with a potential August launch.
The FCC today adopted a new set of rules that will govern next-generation 5G networks and technologies. Specifically, the FCC defined and opened up nearly 11 GHz of high-frequency spectrum above the 28 GHz band. The "Upper Microwave Flexible Use" service will exist in the 28 GHz, 37 GHz, 39 GHz, and 64-71 GHz bands for 5G in the U.S. Under the terms set forth by the FCC, the airwaves will be divided into exclusive use licensing, shared access, and unlicensed access to help meet the variety of potential 5G use cases. Opening up this set of airwaves completes what the FCC says is a balanced set of spectrum for wireless broadband in the low, mid, and high frequencies. Wireless companies are still developing the technologies that will eventually become 5G. AT&T and Verizon Wireless have been pushing their tech aggressively and expect to begin real-world trials as soon as late this year.
AT&T is rolling out the Android 6.0 Marshmallow update to its variant of the BlackBerry Priv smartphone. The update includes core Marshmallow features, such as Doze and Now On Tap, as well as the June security update from Google. BlackBerry made its own security improvements, updated the keyboard and notifications, and refined battery life. The update is free download over the air.
AT&T today said it is testing how best to use drones within its business and went so far as to suggest using them to enhance coverage at live events such as concerts. AT&T is already using drones to inspect cell towers, but it imagines them doing much more. "Connecting drones to our nationwide LTE network lets us capture data and feed it directly to our systems," wrote AT&T's John Donovan in a blog post. "In turn, this can allow us to make changes to our network in real time. By using drones to inspect a cell site, we're able to conduct inspections more quickly and safely — and even access parts of a tower that a human simply could not." Since AT&T's drones are already connected to its network, it sees a future wherein the drones become part of the network itself. "Possible uses include Flying COWs (Cell on Wings) providing LTE coverage at large events or even rapid disaster response," continued Donovan. "A Flying COW may even be able to provide coverage when a vehicle is unable to drive to a designated area." AT&T plans to demonstrate these and other capabilities this week at a technology conference in San Francisco. AT&T did not say if or when it might actually provide LTE coverage via drone.
Cricket Wireless today announced another expansion of its retail footprint with the addition of 400 Sam's Club Stores. Cricket says its phones and services are now available at more than 13,500 retail points around the country. Cricket's plans range from $40 to $70 per month. Cricket is owned and operated by AT&T.
AT&T and Verizon Wireless have begun allowing some customers to place VoLTE calls to one another. The carriers' deployment of interoperable VoLTE is woefully behind schedule. AT&T and Verizon first promised to launch the improved calling by the end of 2015, but only got as far as limited trials. "Currently, we are working with Verizon to allow our customers to enjoy that clear audio quality and video calling features when placing VoLTE calls to Verizon customers and vice versa," said an AT&T spokesperson to Fierce Wireless. "In December, we saw the first VoLTE exchange between our customers and Verizon's in limited, select areas. We're working with others on this same feature, too." AT&T didn't say which markets support interoperable VoLTE, and Verizon did not comment on the deployment at all. There's no word if or when interoperable VoLTE will expand to a greater number of AT&T and Verizon customers. VoLTE requires both the caller and recipient to have compatible handsets and LTE coverage in order to function properly. VoLTE paves the way for HD voice calling, as well as RCS-based services, such as rich messaging and video calls.
AT&T today made it possible for iPhone owners to use their fingerprint to sign into the myATT app. The personal account tool now supports Touch ID for quick, secure logins. Touch ID is available to the iPhone 5s, 6, 6 Plus, 6s, 6s Plus, and SE. AT&T's myATT app is free to download from the iTunes App Store.
H2O Wireless, an MVNO that operates on AT&T's network, has increased the data available on its prepaid service plans. The company offers plans that range from $30 to $60, all of which include unlimited talk and text in the US and unlimited text to more than 50 international destinations. The $30 plan includes 500 MB of 3G data and the $35 plan includes 500 MB of LTE data per month. The data improvements impact H2O's more costly plans. The $40 plan jumps from 1 GB to 3 GB, the $50 plan jumps from 2 GB to 4 GB, and the $60 plan jumps from 3 GB to 4.5 GB. The company offers a 10% discount on monthly plans when customers sign up for auto-pay, so the $60 plan, for example, would cost $54. H2O sells a variety of older Android handsets, such as the Samsung Galaxy S5, the original Moto X, and others. Customers may bring their own unlocked, compatible GSM device if they wish.
AT&T today said its customer appreciation program, called AT&T Thanks, is ready to offer its first perk: Ticket Twosdays. Postpaid customers can score a free movie ticket when they buy one at full price for a Tuesday showing. Qualifying customers can get a free ticket each week by visiting AT&T's web site, where they have to verify their number/account in order to receive a coupon code. AT&T said AMC Theatres and Regal Entertainment Group are participating in Ticket Twosdays. Another promo includes priority pre-sales to Live Nation concerts. AT&T says customers will be able to purchase concert tickets and VIP packages ahead of general availability. The Live Nation ticket program doesn't kick off until the fall. There is no cost to take advantage of AT&T Thanks, nor is there an app to download. T-Mobile launched its own customer appreciation program earlier this month.
The FCC today said that the reverse portion of its incentive auction is now complete. Bidding for 600 MHz television airwaves is over, and the cost to clear the 126 MHz spectrum target exceeded $86.4 billion. The FCC expects to begin the forward portion of the auction soon, which will see wireless companies bid on the spectrum blocks. Carriers AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon Wireless are participating, but Sprint is sitting out. The auction drew lots of interest from individual bidders, too. It's not clear how much the FCC expects to make from auctioning off the airwaves moving forward, but bidders will need to meet or exceed the $86.4 billion at a minimum. The airwaves are vital low-band spectrum to be used for mobile broadband. "Today, bidding concluded in the reverse auction, establishing the cost for clearing 126 MHz in the TV band for wireless use," said the FCC's Gary Epstein in a prepared statement. "Strong participation from broadcast stations made this initial clearing target possible. Now the action shifts to the forward auction, which will give wireless bidders the opportunity to compete for this beachfront spectrum to meet America's growing mobile data needs."
Amazon today announced the Blu R1 HD, an inexpensive Android smartphone that will be sold unlocked starting July 12. The R1 HD boasts curved Gorilla Glass 3, a metal frame, and soft-touch paint job on the rear cover to give it a premium feel. The screen measures 5 inches with 720p HD resolution and the phone is powered by a 1.3 GHz quad-core MediaTek 6735 processor with 8 GB of storage and 1 GB of RAM. The R1 HD includes an 8-megapixel main camera with f/2.0 aperture and LED flash, while the selfie camera — which has an LED flash of its own — captures 5-megapixel images. The phone can record video up to 1080p HD. The Blu R1 HD runs Android 6.0 Marshmallow and comes with support for two SIM cards and microSD cards up to 64 GB. The phone is sold unlocked and is compatible with the networks run by AT&T and T-Mobile (LTE in Bands 2, 4, 7, 17). The device costs $100, but will be sold exclusively by Amazon for $50 with ads and promotions appearing on the lock screen. A second variant includes 16 GB of storage and 2 GB of RAM for $10 more.
Motorola today said its fourth-generation G series smartphones will go on sale beginning July 12. The G4 will cost $199 and the G4 Plus (pictured) will cost $249. The phones will be sold by Amazon.com, Best Buy, BrandsMart, B&H, CarToys, Fry's, MicroCenter, Motorola.com, Sam's Club, and Walmart. Further, Republic Wireless will offer both phones with its service starting July 28. The Moto G4 and G4 Plus are sold unlocked with support for most U.S. carriers, including AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon Wireless.
Qualcomm has created what it calls a prototype 5G system and trial platform. The 5G New Radio (NR) prototype is able to function across a wide range of spectrum bands, primarily below 6 GHz, and can achieve multi-gigabit per second data rates and low latency. Qualcomm says the prototype uses some of the designs that may be used in the final 3GPP standard for OFDM-based 5G NR air interface. The 3GPP is already studying the 5G NR, which may become a part of Release 15. The 5G NR includes a base station and end-user equipment for testing 5G technologies. It supports wide RF bandwidths over 100 MHz for testing speed, latency, and the various technologies that make these speeds possible. The prototype is something that telecommunications equipment vendors and wireless network operators will put to use as they work to develop and help define 5G. The FCC recently said more action is needed to push 5G forward. Some U.S. carriers, including AT&T and Verizon, plan to test 5G networks as soon as late 2016 and early 2017. The standard for 5G has not yet been defined, but technology firms of all stripes are hoping to contribute to the final standard.
T-Mobile today said its customers will be able to use an unlimited amount of high-speed mobile data across Europe this summer. Specifically, customers can enjoy the highest-possible speed, up to and including LTE 4G, throughout the European Union between July 1 and August 31. T-Mobile customers can already use unlimited 2G data in more than 140 countries. The high-speed summer roaming includes unlimited free texting and $0.20-per-minute voice calls, but not tethering. T-Mobile may terminate or restrict service for misuse or excessive roaming. T-Mobile is also giving every person who flies in the U.S. this weekend (including AT&T, Sprint, and Verizon customers) a free hour of Gogo in-flight WiFi on their smartphone. The free WiFi offer is available from Friday, June 24 through Sunday, June 26 on all domestic flights that offer Gogo WiFi. Last, T-Mobile added Belize to its list of Simple Global countries, which means T-Mobile customers can use 2G data and send messages for free, and make low-cost calls when traveling to Belize. Free roaming in Belize begins July 1.
AT&T today began distributing the Android 6.0 Marshmallow system update to the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+ and Galaxy Note 5. The update includes the standard list of Marshmallow features, such as Now On Tap, Doze, and improved permissions. It also adds support for AT&T Video Calling. The update resolves bugs and security issues and smoothes out performance, as well. AT&T says the update is being pushed out over the air and should be downloaded via WiFi. It may take a few days to reach all users.
AT&T today unveiled a new roaming offer specifically for customers who plan to travel to Brazil for the 2016 Summer Olympics. The add-on costs $50 and includes 30 voice minutes, unlimited texting, 1 GB of data, and unlimited WiFi access at 1,000 hot spots around Rio de Janeiro (requires AT&T's hot spot app). Customers who exceed the usage limits will be billed on a per-use basis for the remainder of their stay in Rio. AT&T said customers can sign up starting June 22. The package is good for 30 days from initiation and runs through September 18. The package expires automatically.
AT&T today launched WiFi Calling on Android. Starting with the LG G4, AT&T customers will be able to make/receive calls and send/receive text messages via WiFi. AT&T said customers with compatible phones will receive a notification once the feature is available to them. A small software update is required. AT&T said WiFi Calling is available to customers with postpaid accounts set-up for HD Voice service. The phone will automatically make calls via WiFi when it detects limited or no cell coverage. WiFi calls are billed based on the number being called, so AT&T customers can call U.S. numbers via WiFi free of charge when abroad. AT&T said it expects WiFi Calling to be available on more Android devices soon. WiFi Calling has been available to the iPhone since last year.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia today upheld the FCC's 2015 net neutrality rules. The decision, which came from a three-judge panel in a 2-1 vote, is a major victory for the FCC and a blow to internet companies such as AT&T and Verizon. Internet service providers and others argue the FCC doesn't have the authority to establish net neutrality rules, but the appeals court disagreed. The FCC's rules set clear guidelines on how internet providers are allowed to treat the data that flows across their networks. The basics prevent internet providers from blocking apps/services, prevent them from throttling data speeds, and prevent them from initiating paid prioritization schemes to give some companies preferred service. The rules also reclassify broadband services under Title II of the Communications Act of 1934, which will treat them like common carriers. AT&T, an opponent of the rules, said, "We have always expected this issue to be decided by the Supreme Court, and we look forward to participating in that appeal."
The U.S. International Trade Commission today said it plans to investigate allegations made by Immersion that Apple and AT&T are violating its patents. Immersion develops touchscreen and haptic technology and says Apple and its partner AT&T are infringing on those patents. Companies often use the ITC to file patent lawsuits due to the agency's ability to ban products from entry into the country. Apple and AT&T did not respond publicly to the complaint.
Samsung today announced the Galaxy S7 Active, a semi-rugged version of its S7 flagship smartphone. The Active has a sturdier metal frame with rubber-coated corners to help protect it. The S7 Active is certified to mil-spec 810G, which means it can handle shock, vibration, fog/humidity, dirt, and temperature extremes. It also has an IP68 rating for protection against liquids; the Active can sit in a meter of water for up to 30 minutes. Like previous Active-branded handsets from Samsung, the S7 Active carries over most features from the standard S7. It is powered by a Snapdragon 820 processor with 4 GB of RAM and 32 GB of storage, it supports memory cards, and has a hardened, shatter-resistant 5.1-inch quad HD screen. The S7 Active relies on the same 12-megapixel main camera from the S7, as well as the same 5-megapixel user-facing camera. It boasts a large number of radios (Bluetooth, GPS, NFC, WiFi), and includes some 15 LTE bands. At 4,000mAh, the Active has a 33% larger battery than the S7, and it supports adaptive fast charging in addition to wireless charging. The phone runs Android 6.0 Marshmallow with Samsung's TouchWiz user interface customizations and apps. The Samsung Galaxy S7 Active hits AT&T's web site and retail stores beginning June 10. The device will cost $26.50 per month on an AT&T Next plan, or $33.13 per month on an AT&T Next Every Year plan. The full retail price is about $795.
AT&T today announced plans to extend its 5G testing to three more cities. AT&T will continue to test in Austin, Texas, and will also begin testing in Atlanta, Ga., Middletown, N.J., and San Ramon, Calif. AT&T says it recently reached a milestone in testing: it pushed speeds higher than 10Gbps with partner Ericsson. AT&T's tests are all being performed in labs, though the company says its labs are able to simulate real-world environments and scenarios. For example, AT&T can test how its 5G network might react at a sporting event, where a large number of customers might connect at the same time. Aside from speed, latency is an important aspect of 5G. AT&T says its early latency tests are promising, though it declined to share any numbers. Latency needs to be as close to zero as possible for situations such as self-driving cars, so they may react appropriately to unexpected changes in driving conditions. AT&T believes it will move to outdoor testing of fixed locations in Austin and Middletown by the end of the summer. The company hopes its progress will help it contribute to the international 5G standard, which has yet to be defined. Last, AT&T said it has added partner Nokia to the list of vendors helping it with 5G. Nokia is, specifically, researching millimeter wave spectrum use, beamforming, and higher levels of throughput.
AT&T today announced plans to offer subscribers perks and other benefits in a new customer appreciation program called AT&T Thanks. AT&T said customers won't have to enroll to participate and there are no waiting periods or fees. Starting later this summer, AT&T will kick off Ticket Twosdays, which will reward postpaid customers with a free movie ticket when they buy one at full price for a Tuesday showing. Qualifying customers can get a free movie ticket each week. Another promo includes priority pre-sales to Live Nation concerts. AT&T says customers will be able to purchase concert tickets and VIP packages ahead of general availability. AT&T Thanks will also offer unique content to DirecTV subscribers, which will be available to in-home television sets as well as mobile devices. Last, the program will offer customers individualized offers, such as accessory discounts and free data. AT&T didn't say when AT&T Thanks will officially start.


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Responsible transition of copper to IP-based networks to be facilitated by regulatory framework
ATLANTA – August 7, 2015– Birch Communications, Inc., (“Birch”) a leading nationwide provider of communications, network and cloud services to small, mid-sized, enterprise and wholesale businesses, strongly supports Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Tom Wheeler’s proposed recommendations for the transition from copper to IP-based networks released yesterday. The proposed rules establish a regulatory framework necessary to ensure consumer protections, preserve competition among carriers, and guarantee public safety.
The framework proposed by Chairman Wheeler will protect vital communication networks, offering a clear roadmap for the future by establishing regulatory safeguards needed to promote long-term investments. For the first time the incumbent phone companies will be required to notify customers--including consumers, businesses, and competing telecommunications carriers--of their plans to retire copper networks. The FCC bolstered that requirement by further requiring replacement services be available at comparable rates, terms, and conditions.
“We fully support FCC Chairman Wheeler’s position on the transition to IP-based networks. Copper networks will continue to be of significant importance to small and midsized businesses as their bandwidth needs grow. Safeguards regulating the decommissioning process will protect consumers and businesses while preserving competition--allowing businesses to innovate,” said Vincent M. Oddo, President and CEO, Birch. “The importance of existing copper network infrastructure cannot be overstated, both for businesses and as a foundation for the development of advanced communication networks. The FCC today took steps to encourage the orderly transition to next-generation communications networks in a forward-thinking manner.”
“The rules proposed by the FCC will prevent the neglect of traditional, pervasive copper networks, which will serve to protect consumers while still encouraging investment in new technologies,” said Christopher Bunce, Senior Vice President, Legal & Regulatory, and General Counsel at Birch. “Commissioner Wheeler’s new framework can protect the very infrastructure that our business and consumer customers rely on today and allow the industry to more intelligently transition to the next phase of telecommunications technology.”
About Birch Communications
Birch Communications, Inc. is a leading communications, network, cloud and IT solutions provider. Recognized for exceptional customer experience, Birch delivers compelling solutions that assist small, mid-sized, enterprise and wholesale businesses to increase their productivity. Its industry-leading product portfolio is available nationwide and includes Metro-Fiber, Metro-Ethernet, unified communications (UC), hosted phone systems, hosted data centers, and hosted file storage services. For more information, visit birch.com.
Director of Marketing Communications
Birch Communications, Inc.


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The diner who orders sweetbreads, expecting sweetmeats, is in for a surprise — and a valuable lesson — for sweetmeats are candied treats and sweetbreads are typically a serving of animal pancreas, genitalia or thymus gland.
Where one man might consider offal to be awful, another might consider it a delicacy. At some point, a dish speaks for itself.
Which brings us to "pink slime," or "lean, finely textured beef," depending on whether you have skin in the latest controversy over processed food that's all the rage in social media circles. A production technique that is approved by the government and hasn't bothered people eating hamburgers over the past 30 years or so has come to their attention, and they're shocked.
"There are a lot of people who haven't given a lot of thought, haven't put a lot of effort into understanding the food system. And when they're exposed to one small part of it and somebody is telling them about it in such a way that they're supposed to be shocked, well, they are," Edward Mills, associate professor of dairy and animal science at Penn State University, said Tuesday. "They called it 'pink slime,' and we're in the communications age where things just fly.
"But find a food where there's not a surprise. People have become so separated from their food that the things that we food scientists, and food processors, take as normal day-in, day-out activities, all of a sudden those are shocking and surprising to people."
You don't necessarily want to think about the hooves, bones or skin that went into your gelatin dessert, what's needed to keep your fruits and vegetables safe, the fat and calories of some favorite foods, or how much sodium and other additives are in others. In that it's no different than trying not to think about the conditions under which certain goods are produced overseas.
Most of us are generations removed from the farm. Old MacDonald might as well have a supermarket.
"The more people are disconnected with their food supply and the sources of their food, the more questions they will have, and we understand that," said Craig Letch, director of food safety and quality assurance for South Dakota-based Beef Products Inc. But, "We don't produce 'pink slime.' We produce 100 percent quality lean beef. That's it. That whole thing is a farce. There's no substance to it."
At issue in this beef beef is BPI's technique in producing lean hamburger meat that gets the last bit of beef from that which packagers have cut away. It involves melting the fat and chemically treating the meat with ammonia mist to eliminate the potential of E. coli, salmonella and other contaminants. The residual meat is returned to packagers, so the product can be blended to achieve specific ratios of lean-to-fat ground beef for consumer retail outlets and institutions.
Consumers increasingly concerned about what goes into what they put in their mouths were taken aback by the process, slashing demand for the company's mainstay and leading it to suspend operations at three of its four plants across the country.
"It's unfortunate that our company has been cast into such a negative light with people having an extreme negative connotation to what we do when we've been recognized for our food safety efforts," Letch said. "You're able to scare the consumer by misrepresenting what we're doing. We're a family-owned business and … pride ourselves on producing a safe, nutritious, quality 100 percent beef."
Back in the days of the old Union Stockyards, when the wind offered Chicagoans daily reminders of what went into meat production, maybe this wouldn't cause anyone to do a double take. But Penn State's Mills notes it's the push for leaner, less expensive meat that has encouraged BPI and others to seek efficiencies. Take BPI's work out of the process and the price of lean meat goes up a nickel to 15 cents a pound, he said.
Not all meat is prepared the same. Allen Brothers on Chicago's South Side supplies steak houses and high-end consumers with USDA prime beef that doesn't need to be tweaked and isn't. Its trimmings are recycled instead by pet-food makers and others.
"(BPI's product) is not a pretty product," said Todd Hatoff, president and the fourth generation of Allen Brothers' founding family. "It's not dangerous, but it's the thought of it. … I've tried that kind of product. Basically there's no flavor, in my opinion. That's when the buns and the sauces and the cheeses and everything you put on it becomes extremely important. So you're eating a protein, but you're using all the other stuff to enhance the eating experience."
Letch sounds pained when talking about the misconceptions over what BPI does, noting that all meat — beef, pork, fowl, whatever — is processed once someone takes a knife to it to make it consumable.
Unfortunately, as Larry Light, a former chief marketing officer forMcDonald's, points out: "The word 'processing' itself in the food industry, for a lot of people, has scary connotations … even if, at the end, that makes it safer, better tasting."
In his book, "Medium Raw: A Bloody Valentine to the World of Food and the People Who Cook," celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain noted that he has dined on "extremities of feculent Southern wart hog, every variety of gut, ear and snout of bush meat … raw seal, guinea pig" and bat. But learning of the way trimmings are treated, he blanched.
"I came away with more faith in the people who process cocaine on jungle tarpaulins — or the anonymous but hard-working folk in their underwear and goggles who cut inner-city smack — than I had in the meat industry," Bourdain wrote.
But other than potentially making tallow cheaper for the baking business, Penn State's Mills can't yet think of a positive to come from this whole to-do.
"This isn't a situation where somebody was doing something wrong and they got caught and now there's this need to pay the consequences," Mills said. "This is a company with a long reputation of doing things right, working with regulatory agencies and food safety people. From a technical or logical standpoint, these are the folks you'd hold up and say this is the way you do it."


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Meet the new Ford Bronco!
The 2020 Ford Bronco will be released for sale early in the new year and is expecting to hit dealer lots by mid-2020. The Ford Bronco’s debut marks the start of a new era in Ford’s vehicle line-up, which will continue through at least 2020. Ford has been testing its new Bronco for several years …. Read More


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OnePlus 9RT specs leak: will have a powerful cooling system
Following the cancellation of the launch of the OnePlus 9T series this year, the upcoming OnePlus 9RT has generated a lot of excitement. OnePlus revealed the official launch date of the smartphone in China last week, after legendary tipster Evan Blass share official handset renderings. Almost all of the OnePlus 9RT spec sheet has already been leaked online, ahead of its launch on October 13.
According to recent reports and speculation, the OnePlus 9RT will sport a number of advanced features and be considerably better than its predecessor. For starters, the smartphone will feature a Samsung E4 AMOLED display with a maximum brightness of 1300 nits as well as a refresh rate of 120 Hz and a touch sample rate of 600 Hz. As you would expect, the OnePlus 9RT will have low touch latency while gaming, allowing lag-free gaming.
The smartphone will be powered by Qualcomm’s flagship SoC, Snapdragon 888, which houses a 6th generation Qualcomm AI engine and Hexagon 780 DSP. The processor will be paired with up to 12GB of LPDDR5 RAM, UFS 3.1 storage, as well as 7 GB of virtual memory.
– Mukul Sharma (@stufflistings) October 9, 2021
In terms of cameras, the OnePlus 9RT will feature a tri-camera system, with the primary lens being a Sony IMX766 50MP sensor. This is the same lens as OnePlus used in the latest OnePlus Nord 2 smartphone, and it’s a noticeable improvement over the 48MP primary lens found on the OnePlus 9R.
Regarding the battery capacity, the handset will be equipped with a 4,500mAh battery that supports 65W fast charging. A 19,067.44mmÂ² thermal system is also used to maintain the temperature of the battery. device under control during high performance workloads. The OnePlus 9RT will be available in two colors: black and silver, with the black model offering a matte back panel.
The device is likely to run Oxygen OS 12 out of the box, based on Android-12. According to reports, the new user interface will be heavily influenced by Oppo’s Color operating system, but will contain some features exclusive to OnePlus, such as Shelf. New features include floating windows, privacy improvements, and a new theme store. Other features that should be added are Gorilla Glass 5 screen protector, dual speakers with Dolby and NFC support.
These are some of the OnePlus 9RT specs that have just surfaced on the internet. Following the rumors, OnePlus acknowledged some of the features and posted an official photo of the OnePlus 9RT (above) on the Chinese microblogging platform Weibo.
The OnePlus 9RT will be unveiled in China on October 13 at 7:30 p.m. (5 p.m. IST). The OnePlus Buds Z2 true wireless earphones will also be introduced alongside the OnePlus 9RT. Stay tuned in the coming days for more details on the price and availability of the smartphone.


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Borders Books is online folks. They launched their new site yesterday.
By David Runk
DETROIT — Borders Group is jumping back into online retailing with a website designed to evoke the feeling of browsing at a neighborhood bookstore, down to the popular shelves of staff picks that are familiar to its customers nationwide.
But after seven years paired with Amazon.com, analysts say it will be a challenge for the new Borders.com to step out of the shadow of the Web retailing giant.
Just a couple of months ago there was talk that Borders might be up for sale. I’m hoping they will stick around. I love both Borders and Barnes & Noble.


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Stoke-on-Trent will become home to one of the fastest rates of employment growth by the end of 2022, according to a new report.
The UK Powerhouse study, released by law firm Irwin Mitchell and the Centre for Economics and Business Research (Cebr), analyses 50 of the largest local economies by employment and GVA (gross added value) growth.
And the latest report has revealed that Stoke-on-Trent is predicted to see employment levels grow the sixth fastest over the next 12 months, increasing year-on-year by 2.2 per cent to 130,500.
It means jobs growth in the Potteries is expected to be higher than 44 other major UK locations including Birmingham, Manchester, Cardiff and Edinburgh.
At the same time, Stoke-on-Trent’s GVA – the value of the goods and services produced in the city – is expected to have increased by 2.9 per cent by the end of 2022 – ahead of Derby, Birmingham and Portsmouth.
Hannah Clipston, partner at Irwin Mitchell, said: “The UK’s economy has undergone significant change over the last two years and this report highlights that the recovery is unlikely to be linear or even uniform.
“Over the next 12 months our report predicts that manufacturing’s output will grow by 3.5 per cent whilst for hospitality it will grow by 35 per cent. This has a huge impact on the variations that we are seeing in terms of growth in different locations and should be considered by the government as it looks to level up and tackle disparities in economic growth.”
Alun Rogers, chair of the Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire LEP, has welcomed the report’s findings.
He said: “It’s fantastic, but not altogether surprising, to see Stoke-on-Trent forecasted to have one of the fastest rates of employment growth by the end of next year.
“It is real testament to the resilience and ambition of our region’s diverse business community, as well as the hard work of city leaders whose efforts have been firmly focused on recovering and ‘powering-up’ the local economy as we look ahead beyond the pandemic.”
The Stoke-on-Trent BusinessLive Awards
The Stoke-on-Trent BusinessLive Awards in association with The Sentinel and Stoke-on-Trent Live 2022 are back and open for entries.
Businesses and individuals from across Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire are being encouraged to enter across 14 categories including the coveted Business of the Year award.
You can find more information about all of the categories here.
The deadline for entries is Monday, January 10 and the ceremony will take place on Thursday, April 28.
To enquire about sponsorship please email firstname.lastname@example.org or email@example.com.
The Powerhouse report outlines that the UK’s GVA growth was largely driven by the construction and services sectors in 2021 – particularly the accommodation and food services industries. Education also saw strong growth as schools reopened.
And while the outlook for 2022 looks generally bright, the study found that businesses across the UK are still facing a number of challenges including staff shortages, supply chain issues and Brexit.
Alun said: “Over the past 18 months and more, the LEP and our Growth Hub have invested in local businesses to tackle the challenges of the pandemic and come back stronger.
“As a business-led organisation, we understand the challenges and opportunities that businesses are presented with on a daily basis including staff shortages, supply chain issues and rising energy costs – which are highlighted in the latest UK Powerhouse report.”
He added: “Importantly, the report highlights the need for businesses to invest in skills, technology and innovation to maintain their resilience in the future. This is something the LEP and our Growth Hub are delivering at a local level and we look forward to working with more businesses to ensure Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire continue on their growth trajectory.”


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Nation’s Premiere Scholarship Program Awards 11 Florida Students $220,000 for College
TAMPA, Fla.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–#CokeFlorida–Coca-Cola Beverages Florida, LLC (Coke Florida) recognizes the 11 Florida High School Seniors who have been named 2022 Coca-Cola Scholars and will each receive a $20,000 college scholarship. The prestigious program led by the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation awarded scholarships to 150 high school seniors across the country based on their academic excellence, leadership, and service demonstrated in school and community activities. The 3-stage selection process, which had an initial pool of 68,000+ applications, resulted in less than 1/4th of 1% of applicants being chosen to receive this extremely competitive award. The 2022 Florida recipients are:
- Lauren Bartel – Gulliver Preparatory School
- Cecilia Bodon – Freedom High School
- Gabriel Gerig – Inlet Grove Community High School
- Lena Kalandjian – North Broward Preparatory School
- Denny Lu – Manatee High School
- Bernadette Nwokeji – Riverview High School
- Florence Onyiuke – Seminole High School
- Ellie Reyna – Mast Academy
- Daniel Solomon – Miami Palmetto Senior High School
- Miles Wang – Alexander W Dreyfoos School of The Arts
- Maxwell Wenzel – Tampa Preparatory School
These exceptional seniors have been recognized as one of the country’s most outstanding high school leaders by the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation and have each been awarded a $20,000 college scholarship. As members of the 34th class of Coca-Cola Scholars, these students not only exemplify superior leadership, service, and academics – they are change agents, positively affecting others in the community.
A joint effort between the local Florida bottler Coca-Cola Beverages Florida, The Coca-Cola Company, as well as other bottlers across the country, the Coca-Cola Scholars Program is the largest corporate-sponsored, achievement-based scholarship program in the United States. With the addition of the 2022 class, the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation will have provided more than 6,600 Coke Scholars nationwide with over $78 million in scholarships over the course of 34 years.
“We believe that identifying these young leaders throughout the country and encouraging their passion for serving others not only empowers the students but also lifts up those around them,” said Jane Hale Hopkins, President of the Foundation. “The Coca-Cola system is dedicated to giving back to the communities they serve, and the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation is proud to be a part of that commitment.”
Percy L. Wells, II, Coke Florida’s Group Vice President of Government Relations, Public Affairs, and Communications added, “This is a natural for Coke Florida! We are a family-owned business serving more than twenty-one million consumers in Florida communities through three pillars – one of which is education. We are extremely proud of these Florida-based students and their accomplishments and see this as just the first step in their bright and promising futures. We are excited to be able to contribute to their educational endeavors.“
In addition to receiving college scholarships, those students selected as Coca-Cola Scholars will be welcomed into a vibrant and growing family of alumni that have become a powerful force for positive change in the world. Through networking, collaborations, and friendships, the group strives to make a greater impact together. Recent initiatives include a podcast called The SIP and the sixth year of a coaching program that partners seasoned alumni with first-year Scholars as they transition to college. Every 5 years, all alumni are invited to a Coca-Cola Scholars Leadership Summit.
Coca-Cola Beverages Florida, LLC (Coke Florida) is a family-owned independent Coca-Cola bottler. Coke Florida has an exclusive sales and distribution territory that covers over 21 million consumers across 47 Florida counties, and includes the major metropolitan markets of Jacksonville, Miami, Orlando, and Tampa. Coke Florida markets, sells, manufactures, distributes, and merchandises over 600 products of The Coca-Cola Company and other partner companies. The company is the third largest privately held and the sixth largest independent Coca-Cola bottler in the United States. The company is also one of the largest Black-owned businesses in the United States. Coke Florida was founded in 2015 and is headquartered in Tampa, Florida.
The Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation celebrates and empowers visionary leaders who are refreshing the world. With its 34th class of Coca-Cola Scholars, the Foundation has provided more than $78 million in scholarships to over 6,600 program alumni who together have become a powerful force for positive change. Learn more at www.coca-colascholarsfoundation.org.
J. Katrinda McQueen
Vice President, Communications


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Open-Source Designs Could Turn You Into The Next Philippe Starck [Video]
A new furniture brand asks the customer to get involved.
Customizable clothing has been inching its way into society for a while now, but with the kick off of Milan Design Week, a new company has unveiled an opportunity to customize your own designer furniture.
TOG – also known as All Creators Together – is both a furniture brand and a creative community that seeks to combine the best of technology, humanity, and craftsmanship. They provide design collections in an open source format via an interactive online app, where customers can upload their own personal touches to pre-established designs from the likes of Philippe Starck. Elements like photos, beads, yarn, and stickers have been added so far, and colors, patterns, and geometry have also been altered. Products can either be shipped directly to the client’s home or downloaded as a 3D-printed file.


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This year, Whole Planet Foundation’s Annual Prosperity Campaign aims to raise $4 million dollars to fund people living in poverty where Whole Foods Market sources products. Amplifying this year’s Prosperity Campaign, suppliers to Whole Foods Market in our top giving levels are donating $1.05 million to fund 31,550 opportunities for low-income entrepreneurs around the world to change their own lives.
Suppliers donating $50,000 each include Chobani, Hain Celestial, High Brew Coffee, Hiball Energy, Kevita, Numi Organic Tea, RenewLife, Sambazon, Seventh Generation, Traditional Medicinals and Weleda. Watch this video to hear from suppliers during their field visit to Nepal. Continue reading to find out why these brands believe it’s important to fund the future of women living in poverty.
Chobani joined our mission to alleviate poverty last year, and in 2019 they have committed to donate another $50,000 to empower women entrepreneurs through Whole Planet Foundation. In September of 2018, Chobani joined us on an impact visit to Nepal to meet microcredit clients and see the way our microfinance partner in Nepal serves clients in some of the hardest-to-reach parts of the country.
“Chobani has a history of supporting impactful charitable projects and programs and is proud to continue to partner with Whole Planet Foundation, supporting their work and global efforts to alleviate poverty,” says Jessica Sterling, Regional Business Manager, Natural Channel at Chobani.
Hain Celestial has been supporting Whole Planet Foundation since 2008 and has donated half a million dollars to our efforts to alleviate poverty.
Haven’t heard of Hain Celestial? You may be familiar with their family of brands, which includes Alba Botanica, Terra Chips, Avalon Organics, Garden of Eatin, Celestial Seasonings, and many more. Their significant donations over time have created almost 3,000 microloans and more than 14,000 opportunities for microentrepreneurs around the globe.
HiBall Energy has been a proud supporter of our mission to empower women entrepreneurs since 2017. Members of HiBall’s team joined our impact visit to Guatemala to witness the power a microcredit loan can have for a woman living in poverty.
“In 2017, I had the opportunity to embark on an impact trip to Guatemala to visit the villages and women that Whole Planet Foundation supports, observing and experiencing the culture, first hand. I was overwhelmed and moved by the camaraderie and support that these women shared with one another,” says Allison Wilson, Director Sales for Natural Channel for HiBall Energy.
“Despite having fewer resources available to them, their positivity shined brighter than I could have imagined, and their aspirations for a better, more sustainable future for themselves and their families was inspiring. I feel privileged to work for a company that is committed to Whole Planet Foundation’s mission of alleviating poverty around the globe and creating opportunities for women. At Hiball, good energy is always at the center of everything we do, and we continue to align with people and organizations that feel the same way we do about finding a better way, and working towards a better future.”
HIGH BREW COFFEE
High Brew Coffee believes in giving back to the communities where they source their products. In addition to their support of Whole Planet Foundation, High Brew Coffee gives a portion of sales from every purchase to support the De Los Andes Cooperativa in Colombia. This Direct Trade partnership allows them to help their farmers achieve greater profitability.
“Partnering with Whole Planet Foundation is a great vehicle for us to empower working women all in Colombia and around the world by helping them gain access to funding to grow their businesses,” says the team from High Brew Coffee.
Numi Tea is a new addition to our Supplier Alliance for Microcredit, and we’re thrilled to have them pledge to donate $50,000 to our mission this year.
“The partnership between Numi and Whole Planet Foundation amplifies and extends our work nurturing and empowering global communities to prosper and thrive in good health. We are stronger together in realizing our shared vision of a world where all basic human needs are met and people have the resources to fulfill their greatest potential,” says Co-Founder Ahmed Rahim. “It is an honor to commit on this path with the Whole Planet Foundation and create positive impact for communities in need.”
Reem Rahim Hassani, Ahmed’s sister and Co-Founder of Numi Tea adds, “We are excited to partner with Whole Planet Foundation in our joint mission to make the world a better place than we found it. Supporting people through initiatives like the Prosperity Campaign, Fair Trade, and Together for H2OPE, brings our mission full circle. Similar to Together for H2OPE, a Numi Foundation nonprofit program bringing clean water and sanitation education to our family communities, Whole Planet Foundation’s work funding microfinance institutions benefits primarily women who have so much at stake to help lift their families out of poverty. From one female entrepreneur to the next, the value that brings to our children is priceless.”
Renew Life® is proud to partner with The Whole Planet Foundation to alleviate poverty and empower some of the most tenacious, innovative and hardworking entrepreneurs around the globe, with a focus on women. Renew Life was founded by a strong, perseverant, visionary woman who had suffered from undiagnosed ailments throughout her life until she took matters into her own hands and formulated her own natural remedies. After finding relief, she brought her products to the masses with the promise of renewed expectations for a healthy life – hence the brand name Renew Life. Today, Renew Life continues as a leader in digestive wellness, offering a comprehensive selection of products.
“We believe that by focusing on quality digestive wellness products, we help empower people of all walks of life to make an impact on their health which improves their lives,” says Jennifer Eiseman, Associate Director of Marketing, Renew Life.
Sambazon has been a proud donor to Whole Planet Foundation since 2011 and has contributed more than $200,000 to our mission.
“Whole Planet’s mission is to alleviate global poverty through access to capital for the world’s most under-served global community. At Sambazon, we partner with over 30,000 family farmers to facilitate sustainable harvesting, manufacturing and marketing of organic Acai to the world through a triple bottom line philosophy – measuring our impact from an environmental, social, and economical perspective. Both missions, at their core, strive to unlock the human potential through commerce in a more just and equitable fashion beyond the current capital model/system,” says Ly Ung of Sambazon.
Since Traditional Medicinals started their support of Whole Planet Foundation in 2008, they’ve given over $300,000 to empower women through small business loans. In addition to their generosity funding microcredit through our work, Traditional Medicinals is also committed to social development projects funded in sourcing communities — and women and girls are the programs’ greatest beneficiaries.
Last year, Whole Foods Market featured one of Traditional Medicinals’ programs, the Revive Project, which focuses on water security interventions in the senna-growing villages of Rajasthan, India. In 2009, Traditional Medicinals, Traditional Medicinals Foundation and WomenServe launched the project in the Thar Desert, one of the driest places on earth where temperatures can reach as high as 122°F. Women and girls must walk miles for hours each day in search of water for their families, crops and livestock.
“The heart of our business at Traditional Medicinals is to create a better world through the power of plants. That not only means preserving and sharing the traditional use of herbal medicine, but also empowering the people who collect and grow our medicinal plants around the world. Through collaborating with our farming communities, like those in Rajasthan, India, we’ve seen the profound impact investing in local initiatives can truly have. Partnering with like-minded organizations like Whole Planet Foundation helps to further this mission,” says Elise Running, Assistant Customer Marketing Manager for Traditional Medicinals.
Chakra Earthsong Levy and Bill Moses founded Kevita in 2009. Through their own perseverance as they launched a new brand, they learned how challenging and rewarding it was to start their own business. Today, KeVita proudly supports micro-entrepreneurs around the globe through an annual contribution to Whole Planet Foundation.
Seventh Generation has donated $500,000 to alleviate poverty through microcredit with us and has pledged $50,000 in 2018. Their giving over time has created approximately 2,747 microloans and more than 14,000 opportunities for microentrepreneurs around the globe.
Employees of Seventh Generation have visited microcredit clients in the USA and around the globe in Togo, Paraguay, and Guatemala. Gayle Grindley of Seventh Generation shares why the brand chooses to alleviate global poverty through Whole Planet Foundation on Seventh Generation’s blog.
Almost 100 years ago, Weleda was founded to connect people with nature, built upon a mission to make a difference in the world.
“As a brand that ethically sources ingredients from over 50 farming partnerships across the world, it’s only natural that Weleda is excited to participate in the mission to empower women to start or expand their own home-based businesses. This year Weleda is a proud partner of Whole Planet Foundation donating $50,000 to alleviate global poverty. We invite you to take a stand with Weleda and Whole Planet Foundation in planting seeds against poverty,” says the team from Weleda.


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As Germany's machine tools sector faces stiff competition from abroad, it is turning to innovation and automation to protect its "Made in Germany" brand. A fresh study highlighted the prospects of the industry.
Germany's machine building industry will see its production levels grow by 3 percent by the end of 2014, even as companies grapple with competition from cheap producers such as China or Korea, according to a study presented Monday in Frankfurt.
As those countries flood the market with less expensive goods, mechanical engineers in Europe's largest economy are finding it more difficult to keep the "Made in Germany" brand competitive.
"We can't do cheap," the president of the German Engineering Association (VDMA), Reinhold Festge, told reporters as he unveiled the study, which examined the future prospects of Germany's machine building industry and was compiled with the help of the consultancy firm McKinsey.
Moving abroad an option?
The study found that the majority of German business owners are not interested in moving production facilities abroad to cut costs.
"Only one in five businesses is planning to truly relocate their production abroad," it said.
Instead, manufacturers are focusing on automating or streamlining existing production facilities.
"So if we continue building better-quality and more efficient machines than the competition or occupy a product niche, the future is in our hands," Festge said.
More than 300 businesses took part in the study, its authors said.
cjc/hg (dpa, VDMA)


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NEW YORK - J.C. Penney is permanently marking down all of its merchandise by at least 40 percent so shoppers will no longer have to wait for a sale to get the lowest prices in its stores.
Penney said Wednesday that it is getting rid of the hundreds of sales it offers each year in favor of a simpler approach to pricing. On Feb. 1, the retailer is rolling out a three-tiered strategy that offers "Every Day" low pricing daily, "Monthly Value" discounts on select merchandise each month and clearance deals called "Best Price" during the first and the third Friday of each month when many shoppers get paid.
"We want to invite our customers on Feb. 1 to see our new store," said Bill Crouse, manager of the J.C. Penney store in the Logan Valley Mall. "I am optimistic about our new strategy moving forward. It is very exciting for us and our customers."
Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski
Shopper Janice Moberg of Huntingdon looks at a pair of shoes in the newly renovated shoe department at the J.C. Penney store in the Logan Valley Mall on Wednesday afternoon.
The plan is similar to Wal-Mart Stores Inc.'s iconic everyday low pricing strategy except that Penney's goal isn't to undercut competitors. Instead, Penney aims to take the guesswork out of shopping in its stores by offering customers fewer sales and more predictable pricing.
Penney's plan comes at a time when stores are struggling to wean shoppers off the profit-busting bargains that they have come to expect in the weak economy. The move is risky because shoppers who love to bargain-hunt may be turned off by the absence of sales.
"The big question on investors' minds will be how customers will react to a single price point versus a perceived discount under the old strategy," Citi Investment Research analyst Deborah L. Weinswig said.
Here's how Penney's pricing will be different:
n Everyday prices. The company will use sales data from last year to slash prices on all merchandise at least 40 percent or lower than the previous year's prices. So, a woman's St. John's Bay blouse regularly priced at $14.99 could have the "Every Day" price of $7.
n Fewer sales. The retailer will pick items to go on sale each month for a "Monthly Value." For instance, in February, it might be jewelry for Valentine's Day, and in December it could be Christmas decorations. Items that don't sell well would go on clearance and be tagged "Best Price," signaling to customers that's the cheapest price.
n New tags. The retailer used to pile stickers on price tags to indicate each time an item was marked down. But now each time an item gets a new price, it gets a new tag, too. A red tag indicates an "Every Day" price, a white tag a "Monthly Value" and a blue tag a "Best Price."
n Simpler pricing. Penney will use whole figures when pricing items. In other words, you won't see jeans with a price tag of $19.99, but rather $20.
n New advertising. There will be an ad that shows shoppers screaming "No" to discounts as they look in their mailboxes, a pile of coupons and big sales signs. A 96-page colorful catalog that highlights "Monthly Value" items will be mailed each month to 14 million customers, along with other promotional efforts.


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Miriam Henry was on a five-and-a-half-month travel adventure when she fell sick in late March.
- Travel agents are one of the worst-hit sectors in the COVID crisis and the industry is calling for $250 million in Federal Government support
- Many have seen revenue plummet by over 100 per cent, while others have exited all together
- There is hope international travel bans will ease, bringing much needed business back
"About a week out from coming home I started to get a small cough which I thought was something I normally get in the winter."
Miriam's travel agent Linda Forster quickly got her back home on one of the last flights before the international travel ban took full force.
"I arrived home on March 24, in the evening and I was in the hospital the next day," Ms Henry said.
Confirmed as COVID-19, she had to spend 10 weeks in isolation before she got cleared with a negative test.
Ms Henry says she picked the virus up in Surrey, south-east England, and could have died if she hadn't come back home to get proper medical care. She is now COVID-free.
"It's been extremely stressful," Ms Henry said.Loading...
"I thank Linda very much for making me come home because I'm quite worried what would have happened to me had I still been in England.
"I would have probably got into a worse state and got much sicker. She [her travel agent] was my lifesaver."
Ms Henry is one of millions of Australians who travel overseas each year with the help of a travel agent — in 2018-19 more than 8.1 million Australians did.
When international travel bans lift, there's no question Ms Henry will use her travel agent to help her navigate a whole new world of travel.
But the question is, can her agent and other agents survive in the meantime?
Industry pleading for Government support
The industry is on edge. Hundreds of travel agents have closed their shopfronts since the onset of the COVID pandemic, and many have exited the industry.
Australian Federation of Travel Agents (AFTA) is the peak industry body for travel agents.
Its chairman Tom Manwaring, who is also CEO of Express Travel Group, has called on the Federal Government to provide the sector with a $250 million support package for 4000 travel agencies and the 40,000 Australians they employ.
"We contribute $28 billion plus each year to the economy," he said in a recent submission.
"Without a tailored support package, businesses will start closing," he said, estimating at least 25 per cent of the sector will close.
"That means job losses, a gap in the market that the internationals will fill."
According to Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman Kate Carnell travel agents are wearing the costs of airline, cruise ship and hotel refunds.
She says they did a recent survey of hundreds of agents and 98 per cent say they have seen their revenue plunge by more than 75 per cent since COVID restrictions were introduced in March.
"More than half have told us their revenue has plummeted by over 100 per cent, meaning they have been paying more out in refunds, including previously made revenue, than they are selling in new business," Ms Carnell said.
Small businesses in 'hibernation' barely hang on
Ms Forster knows that story only too well. She runs a mobile travel service, TravLin Travel, out of her home on the Mornington Peninsula.
She says business was thriving before the coronavirus pandemic, now the phones only ring when customers want help getting a refund or credit for cancelled trips.
Ms Forster relies largely on international travel bookings and has placed her business in hibernation while she looks for a second job.
But she says many others have been unable to survive. She recently made a video on the dire situation, noting the number of agents that have to close their businesses.
"They've already left — people who have been in the industry since school — they've been in the industry 10, 20 30, even 40 years," she said.
"They've been in a position where they've had to leave broken and it's heartbreaking."
Ms Forster has been living off JobKeeper but wants the Government to extend it — and go back to its full original rate of $1500 fortnightly, instead of reducing it from March.
"We've been through crises before in the world — we've had Ansett, we've had SARS, we've had the GFC, we've had 9/11.
"We've never asked the Government for help but now we really need the help now."
'Nothing to sell. It's been a really tough time'
It's not just leisure travel that's been affected. Penny Spencer runs a corporate travel agency in Sydney, Spencer Travel.
She's had to close two shopfronts and run her business out of head office in Mascot.
"Pretty much overnight our business stopped," she said.
"We had nothing to sell. We're like a supermarket with nothing on the shelves. It's been a really, really tough time."
Ms Spencer has had to use her home as collateral to negotiate with the banks and spends her days negotiating with the banks and her suppliers.
"Everyday I look at my cash flow and try work out what I can and can't pay," she said.
"Everyday I wake up and think, 'what is today going to bring?' Whether it's going to be another shutdown of a border. Mentally it does take a toll on you.
Ms Spencer says thanks to leniency from the banks and JobKeeper "we are just surviving". Her hope is that there will some from of international travel soon.
"A couple of bubbles would be good, with New Zealand, the Pacific and possibly Singapore and Japan," Ms Spencer said.
"That would be great, but it's going to be slow," she said, noting corporates are already saying they will cut down 50 per cent of travel they normally do.
"Obviously December and January are slow in corporates, so we will just have to wait and see whether corporates will travel over that period," she said.
Ms Spencer also wants to see JobKeeper extended.
"It [JobKeeper] has been a lifesaver for everybody, especially in the travel industry," she said.
"We need to look at what the travel industry can have after March because there is no way we will be able to put people onto full salaries after March.
"The borders will be shut to international travel and the majority of our business is international travel."
Flight Centre boss: earnings won't hit pre-COVID levels until 2025
ASX-listed companies like Flight Centre can still go to the market for extra cash. But it has also taken a huge hit, having to close more than 500 stores in Australia since the crisis.
It's down from 950 stores in Australia to about 400 and has another 150 stores left overseas.
"We've had a significant downsizing and obviously there's staff to go with that as well," says Flight Centre chief executive Graham Turner.
"We started pre-COVID with about 21,000 people [employees internationally]. And were down to 6,500-7,000 at the moment."
"We've kept our best locations and frontline people so that we can cope with a fair bit of businesspeople coming back.
But he thinks it won't be until June 2025 where their earnings lift to pre-COVID levels.
"We will have a significant loss this financial year — and it will be the year after, 2021-22 — when we should make a small profit or break even that year."
But he says with interstate travel still largely restricted and COVID infections in North America and Europe, "it is going to take a bit of time to get back to any level of serious normality".
"International [travel] we believe will start returning in the next six months — it will be generally bilateral arrangements — places like Japan, South Korea, perhaps China, Japan and New Zealand of course."
But Mr Turner says his view is that we need to learn to live with the virus until a vaccine is successful, "by controlling and supressing, not eliminating".
"By June/July we will see much more travel coming back and will have much better protocols to protect people both before and after [getting on the plane], so the risk of travelling will be very low of either catching it on a plane or spreading it once people arrive here," he said.
Navigating travel as COVID restrictions ease
Regardless of how soon international travel resumes, Mr Turner says there will be more agents exiting.
"A lot of small businesses in travel and tourism are really going to suffer over this next period, if they indeed survive," Mr Turner said.
"The really low-cost ones will scrape by. And larger companies like us, who are publicly listed and can raise capital, get a reasonable cash runway …that we think will last us two to three years.
Mr Turner said Flight Centre had already raised more than $700 million, "plus, another couple of hundred million in back facilities" and is considering whether it needs to raise more.
He says those who survive will have to shift to being even more customer-centric. This call was being made months before the pandemic hit, with the collapse of British tour operator Thomas Cook.
"The industry is going to change — it's inevitable," Mr Turner said.
"But as things come back whether it's busines travel or leisure travel most customers are going to want the certainty that they get good advice and the way they travel is safe, so the role of the travel agent will be even more important."
Regardless of Government support measures, Ms Spencer says the industry is going to look very different on the other side of COVID.
"We're going to have to be like lawyers and doctors," Ms Spencer said.
"We are going to have to know what is required when someone travels to Italy, and then goes to Germany — do they need a COVID test to get into Germany?
"What borders are going to be open to what countries? So there's going to be a lot of extra work that we have to do.
"But I think there definitely will be fewer travel agents."Ask us your coronavirus questions


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Apple has privately considered the possibility of releasing some iPhone models without a SIM card slot by the end of the year, According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. In his most recent Power On newsletter, Gurman also stated that the action will be a part of Apple’s push toward eSIMs.
Although Gurman suggested that the change may not occur until the iPhone 15 next year, which Apple is scheduled to introduce in only three days, some iPhone 14 models may no longer have a SIM card port, he claimed. It has previously been claimed that the SIM card slot will eventually be eliminated.
In his newsletter, Gurman predicted that “Apple will give eSIM a larger push this time around, with carriers planning to guide consumers toward the digital, integrated SIM cards rather than physical ones.” In fact, Apple has thought about doing away with the physical SIM card port entirely, starting this year or next for some models.
Users can activate a cellular plan using an eSIM, or electronic SIM, instead of a physical nano-SIM card. Some iPhone models with a SIM card slot may continue to be accessible for at least a few years during the transition, despite the fact that eSIM availability is quickly expanding but the technology is still not available in all nations.
Customers can often activate a cellular plan via eSIM by turning on the iPhone, connecting to a Wi-Fi network, and following the on-screen instructions. Nano-SIM cards are already missing from iPhone 13 models sold at Apple Stores and on Apple.com. Additionally, iPhone 13 models enable several eSIM profiles, enabling users to digitally sign up for a variety of cellular plans and swap between them, which is practical for travelling.
The removal of the SIM card port could increase the iPhone’s water resistance even more and possibly free up a tiny bit of inside space.
Apple is rumored to hold a special event at Steve Jobs Theater where the iPhone 14 lineup would be unveiled. The new Apple Watch Series 8 models, a new Apple Watch SE, an Apple Watch Pro, and new AirPods Pro are among the additional devices that are anticipated to be unveiled.


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Nationals Senator for Victoria Bridget McKenzie said a Coalition Government would strengthen Australia’s anti-dumping regime.
The food and grocery industry is Australia’s largest manufacturing sector and a key economic driver for regional Victoria.
‘Dumping’ occurs when foreign product is sold in Australia at less than its cost of production, undercutting local growers or businesses.
Senator McKenzie said it was vital to protect regional jobs and communities which were sustained by manufacturing.
She said this would be achieved by ensuring timely and affordable access to international trade mechanisms for local manufacturers.
“The Nationals have championed Australian farmers and manufacturers,” Senator McKenzie said.
“Australian farmers have been undercut by cheap imported produce, while regional employers including SPC Ardmona have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars of their own money fighting anti-dumping cases with no real support – either legal, financial or in kind – from the Labor government.
As part of strengthened anti-dumping measures, Australia would require other countries to provide information on products it exported to Australia, with penalties applicable for non-compliance.
Senator McKenzie said a Coalition Government would provide more resources for anti-dumping investigations, which have been slow, expensive and ineffective under the Labor Government.
‘‘Increasing the opportunities for export, while subjecting cheap imports to more scrutiny, is crucial to ensuring agribusiness profitability, keeping local jobs and addressing food security.
‘’Ensuring a competitive international trading environment will strengthen our national economy.’’
Media Contact: Kathleen Tonini Mob: 0400530027


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What will you get when three of the biggest event brands in the gaming industry are packed into one spectacular four-day iGaming conference?
iGaming Business has hailed this year’s iGaming Super Show an overwhelming success with delegates up 9% year-on-year.
R. Franco Digital,showcased its market-leading solutions to the online gaming sector last week in Amsterdam at the iGaming Super Show.
The combination of technology and personalisation is the key to attain an excellent Mobile UX.
Welcome to the CalvinAyre.com's featured conferences and events for the month of July, 2017.
From 11thto 14th July BtoBet will be in Amsterdam as VIP Area Lounge sponsor at the iGaming Super Show.
R. Franco Digital will display its market-leading online gaming solutions at Europe’s largest dedicated igaming trade show, the iGaming Super Show.
This year’s iGaming Executive Conference will see C-level executives gather to discuss how to break the mould in the fast-growing igaming space.
CalvinAyre.com brings you the highlights for iGaming Super Show 2017 promo.


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There has been a lot of talk about wearable devices in recent years, but where exactly are these gadgets hiding?
New technology that transforms previously static GPS (global-positioning system) data into actionable information that triggers work orders within a maintenance and asset-management application is heralded in an announcement of a new strategic partnership between Maintenance Assistant, www.maintenanceassistant.com, and ZenduIT Corp., http://zenduit.com.
As breaches become common alongside a developing IoT (Internet of Things), a well-known leader in security and software is joining the NCSA (Natl. Cyber Security Alliance), www.staysafeonline.org, as a means to increase and secure citizen data.
The ability for enterprises to efficiently collect, integrate, sort, and distribute data is key to taking advantage of today’s connected world.
In the next few weeks, the mobile-payment space will further diversify. Samsung Electronics Co., www.samsung.com, recently unveiled the U.S. launch date for Samsung Pay, the company’s mobile-payment service, and it’s soon: September 28.
When the Boise Police Dept., www.boisepolice.org, decided to upgrade its cruiser fleet’s legacy technology, it was because the system was outdated, expensive, and difficult to maintain.
The IoT (Internet of Things) world now has smartphone gaming drones, and a strategic partnership between OriginGPS, www.origingps.com, and TobyRich, www.tobyrich.com.
One goal the entire IoT (Internet of Things) community shares is making sure security is where it needs to be so that end users are as protected as possible.


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Virtuoso, which is based in the US, added a total of 18 new travel agencies and 39 locations across 23 countries in 2016. The group now has 772 agency locations – a 5% rise on the previous year.
New UK members included Worldwide Escapes in Cheshire, Selective Asia in Brighton plus the sister brands of Oxford Private Travel and Oxford Ski Company.
Four London-based firms have also joined Virtuoso: Bluebird Travel, Brown + Hudson, Beyond Traveller and business travel agency Reed & Mackay.
The new additions take the number of Virtuoso members in the UK up to 19.
Virtuoso’s global network now includes more than 15,000 travel consultants in 44 countries – the number of agents has risen by 33% in the last year. Total annual revenue from Virtuoso members was £21.2 billion in 2016.
David Kolner, senior vice president of global member partnerships for Virtuoso, said: “More than half of the advisor growth – 55% of it – came from our existing travel agency members, not from agencies we added throughout the year.
“That means current Virtuoso members brought on 2,095 new advisors, which is really incredible when you consider CareerBuilder’s 2016 Jobs Forecast showed only 36% of employers planning to hire full-time permanent employees. Luxury travel is continuing to outpace and outperform other industries.”


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For Saturday, April 26, 2014
POSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Apr 26, 2014
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Consumer confidence rises to 9-month high

Consumer confidence rises to 9-month high
WASHINGTON » U.S. consumer confidence surged in April, approaching the highest level since the recession began in 2007 as Americans reported greater optimism about their financial situation and the economy. Login for more...


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The team behind Record Store Day have announced a new event to tide vinyl lovers over, after the original was postponed.
The Great Australian Warehouse Sale is a two-day event happening in April, which sees Independent record stores receive stock marked at the lowest price possible. It aims to give indie stores a financial boost and make music more accessible for fans.
Record Store Day Australia took to Facebook, saying “we went to the record companies and asked them to venture into the dim and dusty corners of the warehouse and then get sharp and hot with the prices. They came to the party.”
Participating record labels include Sony, Universal, Warner and Inertia, along with companies Rocket Distribution and MGM Distribution. Lists of exclusive marked down items – vinyls, cassettes and CDs – will start appearing on Record Store Day’s official website as of tomorrow, March 23.
“You need to contact your local indie store to get info and buy,” they explained. “You can pre-order. Kerbside pick up. Some may do home delivery. Plus the usual mail delivery. Whatever is safe and legal.”
The Great Australian Warehouse Sale will be held on Record Store Day’s original date of April 18. All participating stores are listed here.
There may be no Record Store Day (yet) but instead there is The Great Australian Warehouse Sale. We went to the record…
On March 14, Record Store Day was cancelled worldwide amidst coronavirus concerns and newly implemented social distancing practices.
Record Store Day happens annually across the world, as a push for sales of limited and exclusive products in independent music stores.
An online statement from Blake Budak – owner of Landspeed Records and President of AMRA, which runs Record Store Day in Australia – said, “the third Saturday in April is a hallowed day in the diary of all music fans and we don’t want to abandon that, but we are also very aware that we are not operating under normal conditions.”
The original post also mentioned they were working a new plan to “safely celebrate indie music and indie record stores on our Day of Days,” foreshadowing The Great Australian Warehouse Sale.
Record Store Day has been postponed to June 20.
As NME previously reported, the UK edition of Record Store Day was also postponed.
Up to 230 record stores were enlisted for the event, with special releases from My Chemical Romance, Robyn, Gorillaz, New Order, Eminem, The Cure, David Bowie, Christine and the Queens and more.


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NEW YORK, March 13, 2017 — Lime-A-Rita announced today that it will become the first brand in the Anheuser-Busch U.S. portfolio to market exclusively to women. Led by a team of female marketers, agency partners, and brewmasters, the brand is celebrating its fifth anniversary with a head to toe makeover including a new look and marketing campaign. The brand will also unveil five new flavors to the lineup this year.
Lime-A-Rita has naturally resonated with women since its arrival on shelves in 2012. Today, women represent 51% of the U.S. population and drive 85% of consumer purchasing decisions through their influence and buying power. Paired with the knowledge that female drinkers are strong advocates for Lime-A-Rita, the brand saw a unique opportunity to transform a beverage category that it successfully reinvigorated five years ago.
“By using the existing strength we have with female drinkers, we are poised to exclusively speak to women and bring more margarita moments to their lives,” said Selena Kalvaria, Senior Director for Lime-A-Rita. “We did our homework to understand the special connection female drinkers have with margaritas, and uncovered insights on the role that Lime-A-Rita plays in bringing women together. Our brand provides a variety of delicious, fun, and flavorful drinks that allow her to enjoy spontaneous moments with friends.”
The national campaign, Make it a Margarita Moment, features a series of vignettes, titled “Romantic Face,” “Brazilian,” “Rooftop” and “Disco,” that showcase the real conversations women have when they get together and the role Lime-A-Rita plays in fostering those margarita moments. The campaign will include new female-centric TV and digital ads, as well as social, retail and experiential components.
The creative campaign was developed by a female team from FCB Chicago, and directed by Hey Wonderful’s Tricia Brock, whose credits include cable TV hits such as Girls and Orange is the New Black. “It is a privilege to partner with a brand that is truly committed to finding more relevant ways to connect with women,” said Melanie Hellenga, SVP, Group Management Director at FCB Chicago. “We wanted to tap into real moments, when women get together with their friends, drink margaritas, let loose, and go where the conversation takes them.“
In conjunction with the new campaign, Lime-A-Rita will debut its first major redesign since 2012. Hitting shelves nationwide this week, the packaging is a reflection of the new direction the brand is taking. Inspired by Pop-Art, the design elevates perceptions by leveraging cues from spirits – with a focus on the margarita and simple, colorful fruit. This new look is premium and refreshing but it’s still fun – this is at the heart of Lime-A-Rita. “Our goal with this redesign was to give women a product that she is proud to hold, serve and share with her friends,” said Kalvaria.
Lime-A-Rita will also launch five new additions this spring to keep the product portfolio fresh with on-trend flavors that give our consumers the variety they are looking for. Additions to the core line include Grape-A-Rita, while Peach-A-Rita will be available through August as Lime-A-Rita’s new summer seasonal. The brand will also be launching Orange-A-Rita regionally in select markets. Splash by Lime-A-Rita, a refreshing take on the traditional margarita with a lower alcohol by volume, will also add new flavors including Pine-Apple-Rita Splash nationally and a limited-edition flavor, Coco-Nut-Rita Splash, which will be available in a special variety pack starting in April.
For more information on Lime-A-Rita and Splash by Lime-A-Rita, visit www.limearita.com or follow the conversation on social with #MargaReady.