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We may earn a commission for purchases using our links. Learn more. Listen up Can these Bluetooth earbuds really be worth $159? Andrew Martonik 31 May 2018 64 Google's Pixel Buds were one of the under-the-radar announcements back at Google's late-2017 launch event. With the Pixel 2, Pixelbook, Home Mini, Home Max and new services, a pair of Bluetooth earbuds kind of got lost in the shuffle. But with so many Android phones dropping the headphone jack, people are looking for a good pair of high-end Bluetooth headphones more often than ever — and now Google's in on the game. $159 is a lot to ask for a pair of seemingly simple wireless earbuds, so we're here to give you all of the information you need before you decide to pick them up for yourself. See at Best Buy See at Google Store Read our complete review For the full breakdown of the Pixel Buds experience, you'll want to read my long-term review. I've spent months with the Pixel Buds, often using them as my only … [Read more...] about Google Pixel Buds: Everything you need to know!
Finishing other peoples sentences
Data health We don't know exactly how Google and Fitbit will integrate, but what happens to your Fitbit data has already been addressed. Jerry Hildenbrand 1 Nov 2019 11 Source: Android Central Google announcing that it has bought Fitbit (pending approval by the right regulatory agencies) leaves us with plenty of questions about how the two companies will operate, or even if Fitbit still remains as more than a brand name. But for many of us the biggest question is what happens to all the data we have stored with Fitbit or through the Fitbit Wellness program with our health insurance company. It's important to know where our Fitbit data is going so we know if we want to keep using any Fitbit products. This is important for Google, too. Health data walks a thin line between personal data we collect for our own use and any data that is designed to be shared with health professionals. The latter needs to be HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996) … [Read more...] about Google’s buying Fitbit: Here’s what happens to your Fitbit data
I don't speak German. But at the concierge desk at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, I'm shooting the breeze with Phillip Klimke, a Google partnerships manager who's speaking nothing but German at the moment. Our translator? Google Assistant. It's the latest trick for the Assistant, the search giant's digital helper software that's akin to Amazon's Alexa and Apple's Siri. On Tuesday at CES, the world's largest technology show, Google unveiled the Assistant's Interpreter mode, which aims to serve as a go-between for people who don't speak the same language. Google is piloting the feature now at concierge desks at Caesars Palace (which is why we're here for the demo), the Dream Downtown in New York City and the Hyatt in San Francisco. The feature will be available first in smart displays with the Google Assistant built in. That includes Google's own Home Hub, a smart home device announced in October with a screen that shows you things like recipes and news updates. It also includes … [Read more...] about Google Assistant adds interpreter mode as war with Amazon Alexa heats up
Amazon today is introducing a new feature called AR View that lets customers visualize online products in their own living space, using their smartphone camera. Launched today in the Amazon app for iOS devices, AR View offers the ability to view thousands of products for the home or office – including furniture, electronics, toys, games, home décor and more – in augmented reality. The retailer before has dabbled with using AR technology in its app, but only in the form of AR stickers. These “shoppable stickers” were not that useful, as they represented a limited product set and were designed in an almost cartoonish way with big white borders that made them seem more like real stickers. But many other retailers have pressed forward with AR implementations, especially for shopping furniture – something it’s hard to buy online, as it’s difficult to imagine if the item will really look right in your home. Often, people have preferred to shop … [Read more...] about Amazon adds an AR shopping feature to its iOS app
In poker, complacency is a quiet killer. It can steal your forward momentum bit by bit, using the warm glow of a winning hand or two to cover the bets you’re not making until it’s too late and you’re out of leverage. Over the past few years, Apple’s MacBook game had begun to suffer from a similar malaise. Most of the company’s product lines were booming, including newer entries like the Apple Watch, AirPods and iPad Pro. But as problems with the models started to mount — unreliable keyboards, low RAM ceilings and anemic graphics offerings — the once insurmountable advantage that the MacBook had compared to the rest of the notebook industry started to show signs of dwindling. The new 16” MacBook Pro Apple is announcing today is an attempt to rectify most, if not all, of the major complaints of its most loyal, and vocal, users. It’s a machine that offers a massive amount of upsides for what appears to be a handful of easily … [Read more...] about MacBook Pro 16” first impressions: Return of the Mack


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Esports teams owner and developer Guild Esports will go public through the London Stock Exchange.
Through doing so, the UK-based company will be the first esports organisation to become public via the LSE. One of Guild's founding shareholders is former professional footballer David Beckham.
Esports has grown in popularity over recent years, providing a great opportunity within the market. Worldwide, competitive gaming tournaments attract a huge crowd, some of which rival real-life sporting events such as Wimbledon and Tour De France.
The money generated through shares will be used to grow Guild Esports further, and to bring in new players.
"The growing global popularity of esports has enabled several existing franchises to monetise their activities through sponsorship, retail, merchandising, apparel & product licensing, new media & mobile, broadcasting and tournaments," said Guild Esports executive chairman Carleton Curtis.
"Guild will be the first esports franchise to join the London stock market, which will provide us with the caché, credibility and capital to fulfil our ambition to become one of the world's top ten esports franchises within three years."

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Researchers discovered a treasure trove of nearly two million pilfered credentials from a variety of companies, including Facebook, Google, Yahoo and Twitter.
After recently impacting banks in South Africa, the malware is now infecting point-of-sale systems throughout the globe, including those in the U.S., a security firm found.
Sheep Marketplace, an illicit drug bazaar available over the Tor network, shut down last weekend after millions in bitcoins were plundered from the website.
Constantly updating technology coupled with the dynamic and evolving nature of data breaches may be stalling notification laws from becoming uniform across the United States.
NTIA, an arm of the Commerce Department, is launching an initiative with the goal of developing a "voluntary, enforceable code of conduct" for commercial use of the technology.
More than 1,700 people who made purchases with online retailer Made In Oregon are being notified that their credit card information may have been compromised in a security breach.
More than a thousand patients treated at a variety of University of Pittsburgh Medical Center locations over the past year are being notified that their personal information was viewed inappropriately by a former employee.
A UW Medicine employee opened an email attachment and unknowingly downloaded malware, which led to the compromise of about 90,000 patients of Seattle-based Harborview Medical Center and University of Washington Medical Center.
Today marks my final day at SC Magazine after more than 7-1/2 years.
Ideas are needed on ways to improve the public's perception of computer security hackers who have no malicious intentions.
An investigative report shows the Obama administration's insider threat program is far more expansive, and troubling, than even critics had thought.


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Although the red team’s introduction of the RX 6700 XT is quite important, the players expect more important news from the company. The expected scaling technology can be widely applied.
Nvidia’s DLSS technology has now reached a level that will affect the purchasing choice of users. The AMD wing, on the other hand, has not taken a concrete step yet.
Cross-platform scaling technology is on its way
According to Linus Sebastian’s post, AMD is preparing in the background. According to Linus, AMD aims to make its scaling technology cross-platform compatible to work on consoles before introducing Fidelity FX.
With the introduction of the RX 6000, the question of why a DLSS alternative technology was not offered has been asked by the players for a long time, but there is no step from the red team to eliminate the question marks. Considering the difference between DLSS 1.0 and 2.0, AMD may also want to deliver scaling technology in a mature way.


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Roku's new streaming devices can be pre-ordered today
The new Roku Ultra and Streambar are here in time for the holidays
Recommendations are independently chosen by Reviewed’s editors. Purchases you make through our links may earn us a commission.
If you're into tech at all, you've heard of Roku: the streaming device guru responsible for some of our favorite streaming devices. Today, Roku unveiled the latest additions to its lineup of streaming-forward devices: a new Roku Ultra and Roku Streambar.
The new Roku Ultra starts at $99.99, while the Streambar starts at $129.99. Here's everything we know about these new Roku devices—and how to pre-order them.
While the new Roku Ultra might look an awful lot like the old model, it's what's on the inside that counts—at least, according to Roku. The company claims its new Ultra streaming device is faster than the previous model (thanks to a quad-core processor) and offers 50% more range in terms of WiFi connectivity.
Naturally, you're still getting the classic Roku remote with headphone jack and Amazon Alexa/Google Assistant voice compatibility. That's a lot of power and functionality for a device that's only $99.
In fact, the new Ultra compares very favorably to the usual premium pick, the Apple TV 4K—but we can't say for sure how good it is until we get it into the labs for testing. However, if you just can't wait for reviews, you can pre-order the new Roku Ultra today.
Roku also announced a new Streambar, the company's streaming-facing soundbar solution. While a streaming soundbar is a bit of an odd duck in a world where every TV you can buy has streaming apps built in already, it wouldn't really be Roku's wheelhouse if they made a product that didn't stream content... so here we are.
Roku calls the new Streambar the ultimate "2-in-1" device, a combination of compact soundbar and streaming device. According to the press release, the Streambar's app's (Netflix, Hulu, Prime Video, and so on) are 4K/HDR compatible, and the Streambar (like Roku's device remotes) is voice compatible with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, too. The company also mentioned that Apple AirPlay functionality would be coming later this year.


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SINGAPORE – Five months after Singapore moved into phase two of reopening its economy in June, taxi and private-hire drivers continue to spend more time roaming the streets without passengers, with some earning just enough to cover costs.
Demand for rides remains more lacklustre than last year due to the lack of tourists, shut entertainment venues like nightclubs, the ban on the sale of alcohol after 10.30pm, and many still working from home.
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SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Shares of the following companies were among those making notable moves in the stock market Friday.
surged 10.9%. The sporting-goods retailer reported second-quarter net earnings of $11.3 million, or 17 cents a share, up 35% from $8.4 million, or 13 cents, earned during the year-ago period. Revenue rose to $451.2 million from $387.3 million.
FTI Consulting Inc.
gained 5.3%. The company's second-quarter net profit rose 82% to $23.1 million, or 53 cents a share, from $12.7 million, or 32 cents. Revenue jumped 50% to $239.7 million, reflecting in part increased demand from automotive, subprime-lending, homebuilding and hedge-fund customers.
American Home Mortgage Investment Corp.
plunged 52.1%. The company, which has already stopped making new loans because of a funding crisis, said it's laying off most of its employees, citing "liquidity issues."
Bear Stearns Cos.
lost 5.9%. Analysts at ratings agency Standard & Poor's revised their outlook on Bear Stearns to negative from stable because of the investment bank's hedge-fund troubles. These problems have damaged the company's reputation and could hurt its performance for an extended period, S&P said.
Bristow Group Inc.
lost 8.3%. The helicopter-transport company serving the oilfield industry said first-quarter net income rose 32% to $22.7 million, or 75 cents a share, from $17.2 million, or 73 cents a share, a year earlier, on strong interest income and boosts from unconsolidated affiliates. Revenue for the quarter ended June 30 increased 11% to $245 million.
Brookfield Asset Management
lost 5.7%. The property and infrastructure assets management company reported second-quarter net income rose to $153 million, or 24 cents a share, from $135 million, or 20 cents a share in the year-ago period. Revenue rose to nearly $2.13 billion from $1.4 billion.
lost 10%. The producer of specialty chemicals swung to a second-quarter loss of $2 million, or 1 cent a share, from a year-earlier net income of $1 million, or less than 1 cent a share, as costs rose 11%. The company recorded adjusted per-share earnings of 18 cents. Revenue grew 9% to $1.06 billion from $971 million, while costs grew to $793 million from $713 million in the year-ago period.
Chiquita Brands International Inc.
tumbled 22.81%. The Cincinnati produce company's second-quarter net income fell 62% to $8.6 million, or 20 cents a share, from $22.9 million, or 54 cents, earned a year earlier, as expenses rose 3.2%. Net sales rose 2.2% to $1.26 billion from $1.23 billion in the year-ago period, while expenses grew to $1.22 billion from $1.18 billion.
Countrywide Financial Corp.
fell 6.6%. The largest U.S. mortgage lender tried to soothe liquidity concerns, saying late Thursday that it has nearly $50 billion of short-term funding "available as a cushion." See full story.
Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group Inc.
dropped 8%. The car-rental company said it plans to eliminate about 25% of management positions at headquarters, as well as other support staff. The personnel changes are effective immediately, the company said.
GSI Technology Inc.
tumbled 2.3%. The company reported first-quarter net income of $1.1 million, or 4 cents a share, down about 50% from $2.1 million, or 9 cents, earned a year earlier, as revenue dropped 19% to $11.3 million.
IndyMac Bancorp Inc.
parent of the second largest independent mortgage lender in the U.S., sank 10.3%. Chief Executive Mike Perry told employees that the lender will have to make major changes to its underwriting and pricing guidelines.
Kosan Biosciences Inc.
fell 5.2%. The biotechnology company's second-quarter loss widened to $10.8 million, or 25 cents a share, from $6.8 million, or 20 cents a share, a year earlier. Revenue fell 17% to $2.2 million from $2.7 million a year ago.
Maxim Integrated Products Inc.
lost 5.1%. The chipmaker reported fourth-quarter sales grew 4% to $531.1 million from $510.6 million a year ago. It didn't report a per-share profit due to a pending review of its stock-option accounting. Maxim also said it's increased its quarterly dividend by 20%, to 18.75 cents a share.
Multi-Fineline Electronix Inc.
plunged 31.5%. The maker of flexible circuit boards swung to a third-quarter loss of $6.7 million, or 27 cents a share, from a profit of $8.3 million, or 32 cents a share, a year earlier, on a substantial sales decline to its largest customer. The loss also includes a $4.8 million charge related to Multi-Fineline's conditional offer to acquire MFS Technology Ltd. Sales for the quarter ended June 30 fell 20% to $104.1 million from $130.3 million a year ago.
Network Appliance Inc.
tumbled 19.8%. The network storage and data management company, in a preliminary first-quarter earnings report, said results would come in lower than expected due to weak sales in the U.S. and Europe. See full story.
Newpark Resources Inc.
sank 8.7%. The oilfield machinery company's second-quarter net income declined 11% to $5.3 million, or 6 cents a share, from a year-earlier profit of $5.9 million, or 7 cents a share. Net income from continuing operations grew to $8.2 million, or 9 cents a share, from $6.9 million, or 8 cents, a year earlier. Revenue grew nearly 4% to $167.1 million,.
Take-Two Interactive Software
tumbled 17.5%. The developer and distributor of interactive entertainment software said it would delay the release of its highly anticipated "Grand Theft Auto IV" video game by as much as six months, and also lowered forecasts through the end of its fiscal year. See full story.
Walter Industries Inc.
lost 14.4%. The homebuilding conglomerate said second-quarter net income dropped 72% to $18.1 million, or 34 cents a share, from $64 million, or $1.24 a share, a year earlier, due in part to increased production costs and lower sales prices. Revenue fell 7% to $296.5 million from $319 million in the year-ago quarter.


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NEW YORK, N.Y. – Twitter’s third-quarter revenue outpaced expectations, but investors concerned about user growth and holiday-quarter revenue clipped the company’s stock price late Monday.
The San Francisco-based company has been trying to increase its user base amid concerns that it doesn’t hold mass appeal in the way that the much-larger Facebook does. Its user base grew 23 per cent to 284 million monthly active users in the three months that ended in September, which Forrester Research analyst Nate Elliott said was “better than nothing.”
“It’s hard to be ecstatic about those numbers when it’s still a user base under 300 million people,” Elliott said. “It’s a social property less than a quarter (of the) size of Facebook.”
To appeal to more people, Twitter has tried to make it easier to sign up for and use its service, and it got a boost this summer from promoting itself as a place to follow the World Cup. In July, its stock spiked 30 per cent on the day it reported better-than-expected results and a 24 per cent increase in its monthly user base.
This time, though, the growth apparently wasn’t enough. Coupled with lacklustre revenue guidance for the current period, shares fell 8 per cent in extended trading.
To attract more users — and to get them to stay on Twitter longer, the company’s main tasks are innovation and giving people new reasons to come back every day, said Elliott.
Recent changes, such as an update on what user profiles look like, shows Twitter is moving in the right direction. But, Elliott pointed out, “the basic experience on Twitter is identical to the basic experience on Twitter 9 years ago.” Facebook, even with some notable missteps, has been able to stay ahead by regularly shifting its look and feel to get more people to join its site and stick around longer once they do.
Facebook dwarfs Twitter when it comes to users as well as advertising revenue. According to research firm eMarketer, Twitter accounted for half a per cent of worldwide digital ad revenue in 2013. This is expected to increase to just under 1 per cent this year, as digital ad spending grows to $140.7 billion. In comparison, Facebook is expected to increase its share of the market from 5.8 per cent in 2013 to 8 per cent this year, according to eMarketer.
Twitter Inc. posted a loss of $175 million, or 29 cents per share, in the latest quarter. That compares with a loss of $64.6 million, or 48 cents per share, a year earlier when it was still a private company. Adjusted earnings were 1 cent a share, matching expectations.
Revenue more than doubled to $361 million and beat the $351.5 million expected by analysts, according to FactSet. More than 85 per cent of Twitter’s total ad revenue came from mobile advertising, and about 80 per cent of the its monthly users accessed it on mobile devices.
Twitter went public last November at a price of $26 per share. The stock peaked in December at $74.73 and then declined sharply. On Monday, it closed at $48.56, then fell 7.9 per cent to $44.77 after the results came out.


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Least Cost Routing has to be made available to retail businesses, but it still isn’t a legislated default. A recent COSBOA summit focusing on payment processing costs for small businesses highlighted where Australia is sitting internationally as a result.
So how much of the total digital payment market is covered by least cost routing?
According to data from global payments consultancy business CMSPI, in the month of July, less than 10% of all debit transactions were being routed in Australia.
CMSPI head of Asia Pacific, Robbie MacDiarmid told the summit, “But up to 18% have the potential to be routed under the current systems.”
So what explains the shortfall? MacDiarmid says it’s the case of businesses not requesting — or demanding —- least cost routing to be enabled for them.
If you’re a smaller retailer too, it’s less likely that you’ve got least cost routing enabled too, as MacDiarmid says, “Quite a significant proportion of that [10%] is taken up by very large retailers that are routing millions, hundreds of millions, billions of transactions themselves.”
While one in five (18%) of transactions can be routed in Australia, in France and Germany it’s a very different picture, according to CMSPI.
In France, that figure is 83%, or just above four out of five. In Germany, it’s 61%, or three out of five.
MacDiarmid explains, “In France, you have rights and availability across all in-store transactions, most online transactions and also on credit transactions too.”
MacDiarmid made the point that to reach the levels of France, or Germany, Australia would need to mandate that acquirers, and merchant’s banks provide routing solutions in store, online, and for digital wallets.
“And effectively making sure that merchants have that choice across all those transactions”, he says.
But even smaller merchants, representing the bottom 10% of value of transactions, are paying less in payment processing fees than large merchants in the US, says Tony Richards, former Head of Payments Policy Department, Reserve Bank of Australia.
“So small merchants have low payment costs by international standards,” Richards told the summit.
Australasian Convenience & Petroleum Marketers Association CEO, Mark McKenzie and former COSBOA chair, did respond to that comparison, noting, “I don’t know that benchmarking with the most expensive market in the world is actually relevant.”
McKenzie also pointed out that the US doesn’t not have a domestic payments processing business — like eftpos — putting tension in the market and bringing down prices.


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Massive stimulus packages designed to combat the economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic were unveiled both in Canada and the United States on Wednesday, with both countries aiming to put money quickly into the pockets of individuals hit by the economic standstill.
Canada’s stimulus package, which will be rolled out early next month, will almost double direct spending on the crisis to $52 billion, with anyone who has lost income due to the COVID-19 pandemic qualifying for up to $2,000 a month for up to four months.
In the United States, meanwhile, a US$2 trillion package making its way through the Senate Wednesday promised to put direct payments of $1,200 into the pockets of anyone earning $75,000 or less.
While central banks and government agencies are also stepping in with measures to keep capital flowing in financial markets on Bay and Wall streets, the Main Street focus of Wednesday’s efforts comes in sharp contrast to the response to the 2008 financial crisis.
Ontario unveils $17-billion coronavirus plan, foresees zero economic growth in 2020
Why the coronavirus downturn may be just a recession, not a depression
Amid COVID-19, companies struggle to balance operations with increasingly fearful workers
The reason is that the triggers were much different, and almost ran in reverse this time.
“The last crisis originated from Wall Street while this one came from Main Street,” said Jason Mercer, a senior analyst at Moody’s Investors Service.
In late 2007, problems first surfaced in the subprime mortgage market, causing what was initially termed a financial crisis as contagion spread across the North American and European financial markets due to the numerous interconnected transactions between institutions. This triggered a seizure in credit markets, falling stock prices and an economic crisis.
But this time, the trigger was a near shutdown of major economies as governments tried to contain or at least slow the fast-spreading novel coronavirus pandemic. The sudden shuttering of most non-essential businesses caused an abrupt and severe slowdown in consumer spending, triggering credit concerns and deepening losses on stock markets already spooked by the growing pandemic.
“In this case … there’s a larger risk that non-financial businesses go under during this very deep dive in activity,” said Avery Shenfeld, chief economist at CIBC Capital Markets, noting that the focus in 2008 was on shoring up financial institutions and stimulating demand for goods and services.
“We can’t really do much to increase demand while everyone is stuck at home, so we need to ensure that both businesses and households remain solvent during what will be a record drop in spending,” he said.
We need to ensure businesses and households remain solvent during what will be a record drop in spendingAvery Shenfeld, chief economist, CIBC Capital Markets
The Canada Emergency Response Benefit plan unveiled Wednesday by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will provide payments to affected workers including the self-employed and those would not ordinarily be eligible for unemployment insurance.
In the U.S., it is estimated that some 90 per cent of Americans will be eligible for at least partial payments from the largest stimulus package in that country’s history.
On Wednesday, the World Trade Organization said projections indicate the economic downturn and job losses from the pandemic will be worse than during the recession triggered by the 2008 crisis.
Brian DePratto, senior economist at Toronto-Dominion Bank, said the Canadian government’s decision to broaden income support to include those who have lost hours but remain employed was a “welcome adjustment” to earlier plans.
In a note, he added that the doubling of funds being made available “should make it easier for all impacted workers to gain some support” which “strengthens the bridge back to post-pandemic normality.”
DePratto said Trudeau and Finance Minister Bill Morneau are using language that suggests more aid will be forthcoming, and suggested small and medium-size businesses are a key component of the economy that requires the government’s attention.
“The pain that small and medium sized firms are feeling is intense — we hope that additional measures to ensure that furloughed workers’ firms still exist after the pandemic control measures are lifted will be forthcoming,” DePratto wrote.
Dan Kelly, president of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, said the emergency aid package being put in place is “a significant step forward in addressing the growing economic emergency that accompanies the nation’s efforts to avoid the COVID-19 health crisis.”
But while he commended allowing individuals to tap into the relief funds even if they lose hours rather than being laid off, the small business federation is calling on government to boost a 10 per cent wage subsidy to 75 per cent. This would be more in keeping with the level to be doled out in other jurisdictions, and would allow businesses to continue to pay employees who can work at home even if the business itself has little to no revenue coming in.
“CFIB is focused on measures that will keep the connections between workers and employers and not require layoffs,” Kelly said.
“This is imperative to ensure employees can go back to work the day after the emergency ends, allowing Canada’s economy to return to normal as quickly as possible.”
• Email: email@example.com | Twitter: BatPost


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Editor’s Note: The following is a blog authored by Julian Gothard for Examiner.com.
John Sztykiel, president and CEO of Charlotte, Mich.-based Spartan Motors Inc., said during Tuesday’s (July 26) webcast following the company’s second-quarter earnings report that he remained bullish about Spartan’s future prospects in spite of the company recording a Q2 adjusted net loss of $424,000. The loss came on the back of $2.8 million in restructuring charges and a dramatic 14% drop in sales which cost the company some $16 million in lost revenue.
Sztykiel, who expects growth in both company revenue and earnings in the second half of the year, was upbeat about Spartan’s performance in the recreational vehicle market where, in spite of a slight improvement in the RV market as a whole, Spartan experienced a 26% fall in chassis sales. The Spartan CEO noted that the motorhome sales mix has shifted from high-end diesel to less expensive models in the Class A and Class C markets with some existing customers downsizing and new customers opting for smaller sized motorhomes.
As reported in June, Spartan Motors is relocating in 2012 their motorhome chassis manufacturing operation from Charlotte, to Wakarusa, Ind. Northern Indiana is home to many of Spartan’s chassis customers. Indeed, more than 60% of all RV’s and 58% of all Class A motorhomes are manufactured in the Hoosier State.
Sztykiel reiterated that Spartan’s current focus will remain on motorized RVs principally because of the size of the RV market from a dollar perspective and the RV market’s continued popularity amongst vacationers. An “RV is not only … inexpensive but it gives you the freedom to go wherever you want whenever you want. Thus as we look to the future we’re still very, very excited about it,” he said.


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Nintendo 3DS Firmware Update On the Way
Nintendo Europe announced a new 3DS firmware will be available for download on November 4. At least in Europe. But it is believed that the firmware will be available in across the world in the same period of time.
What will the firmware bring? Good question. It’s difficult to tell since the press conference came out of Europe and I don’t speak European (that’s what they speak there, right?), but reports are saying the update will bring a few things to gamers. Included will be a new StreetPass game, improvements to the eShop, and 3D video recording. Because your vision isn’t 3D enough.


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Vicon, the Oxford-based world leader in motion capture, has announced the appointment of Howard Abrahall as its new Senior Product Manager for VR/location-based entertainment (LBE).
In his new role, Abrahall will lead the strategy and development of Vicon’s VR product portfolio – including its ground-breaking VR hardware, Origin, and the Evoke software platform.
Vicon has been at the forefront of enabling the world’s biggest and best LBVR experiences – including the world’s largest full-body VR experience at Europa-Park in Germany.
VR continues to be a strategic growth sector for Vicon and Abrahall’s appointment will enable the business to capitalise on opportunities across the location-based entertainment (LBE), VR training and VR education markets.
“Despite the impact of COVID-19, LBE and location-based VR more generally are on track for exponential growth in the next 12-24 months — as evidenced by recent investment in industry leaders including Sandbox VR,” said Imogen Moorhouse, CEO of Vicon.
“Howard’s extensive experience across a range of VR application areas makes him a perfect fit for the business, and whether it is VR for entertainment or education, Howard will ensure that Vicon continues to play a leading role in defining the future of the VR market.”
Abrahall joins Vicon with more than 12 years of specialist expertise in VR technologies, games development, motion capture and creative multimedia.
He previously worked as the Product Manager at eyeora VR, where he was responsible for overseeing and implementing the strategy for its VR content platform and leading their production department.
In addition, Abrahall was also the Technical Project Manager for Digital Domain on several multi-platform VR products and as the Multimedia Lab Manager at the Erasmushogeschool in Brussels, where he worked extensively with various kinds of motion capture and the integration of it with some of the earliest versions of VR head-mounted displays.
Abrahall commented: “The LBVR/LBE space is still relatively new and full of potential.
It’s well enough established that it’s a viable and rapidly growing part of the VR (and wider experiential) market, but there is still plenty of opportunity to really make an impact, be innovative and set the trends for the sector.
The opportunity to do that as part of the Vicon team, and to join the recognised market leader in motion capture, was one that I simply couldn’t miss. It’s a fantastic honour to join such a talented team.”
Vicon is an award-winning, leading provider of tailored motion capture systems for the life sciences, media and entertainment, location-based virtual reality, and engineering industries.


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Latest From Combe, Inc.
Women’s Voices for the Earth says Prestige Brands has “quietly reformulated” Summer’s Eve products to eliminate three colorants that should not be in feminine washes, based on FDA regulations and the realities of consumer practices and women’s anatomy. Now the NGO is considering next steps.
Senator Seeks Trove Of Talc/Asbestos Docs From J&J; FDA On Status Of Lead Acetate Rule; Beauty News In Brief
The Senate Health Committee’s ranking member is “troubled” by a recent Reuters article, requesting numerous documents from J&J related to talc-asbestos testing and the firm’s communications with FDA and consumers on the subject. More beauty news in brief.
Grecian Formula marketer Combe likens the process and calculations that informed FDA’s final rule against lead acetate to “a child’s game of telephone.” Environmental Defense Fund warns that if FDA grants Combe’s request – which the NGO suspects is unavoidable – it intends to cross-examine the company’s witnesses about consumer complaints and their handling in the firm’s past.
FDA’s final rule is specific to lead acetate’s use in hair-coloring products, but the agency’s recognition of current consensus – “that there is no safe exposure level for lead” – could spook the wider cosmetics industry, particularly given that some of the same NGO petitioners that drove the rulemaking are clamoring for an all-out ban on trace lead in lipsticks and externally applied cosmetics.


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Since Apple pulled Fortnite from the iOS App Store earlier this month, some eBay users apparently paid thousands of dollars for iPhones with a playable, pre-installed copy of the game. Starting tomorrow, however, those devices will no longer be able to play the latest version of the game.
“Apple Blocks” Fortnite updates and new installs on the App Store and has said they will end our ability to develop Fortnite for Apple devices,” Epic wrote in an update to the FAQ this morning. FortniteThe newly released Chapter 2 – Season 4 Update (v14.00), will not release on iOS and macOS on August 27.”
In other words, because the game’s online servers require the latest version to be installed, Fortnite will finally be completely unplayable on iOS devices starting Thursday.
[Update, 8/26 at 3:10p ET: iOS players who have previously downloaded the game will actually be able to continue playing the current Version 13.40 “Chapter 2 -Season 3” update on iOS, as well as subsequent versions on other platforms. Progression in the Season 3 Battle Pass will no longer be possible on any platform, however, and iOS players won’t be able to crossplay with players on later versions on other platforms. Ars regrets the error.]
Android users can still install and play the latest update by downloading it directly from Epic or from The Samsung Galaxy Store on compatible devices.
A fool and their money?
It has been clear that FortniteThe approaching sunset on iOS has been coming at least since August 13, when Apple first pulled the frequently-updated game from the App Store. But that didn’t stop hundreds of enterprising eBay sellers from selling their Fortnite-enabled iPhones on the site for now.
“Don’t miss the opportunity to continue playing this great game!” read a representative list that started yesterday. As if that weren’t bold enough, that listing also had the audacity to say that a game with over 100 million iOS downloads was “rare.”
It’s not surprising that some of them Fortnite-enabled iPhone listings were asking for ridiculously high prices above the MSRP, ranging from thousands to tens of thousands of dollars. Surprisingly, some eBay users were apparently willing to pay those high prices.
An Ars search of recent successful iPhone sales on eBay last week found 32 listings selling for $2,000 or more. That includes an offer that sold for $11,100 after an apparent four-day bidding war. For context, the most expensive stock iPhone currently sells for $1,449 brand new.
A market crash?
Does this mean that your iPhone with a copy of Fortnite is suddenly a coveted collector’s item? Not necessary. First, despite the apparent outliers (some of which can be fraudulent bidding situations), the majority of eBay listings for Fortnite-equipped iPhones go well under $1,000 for more reasonable prices.
That makes this situation different from the discontinuation of the PS4 horror demo in 2015 PT At the time, the vast majority of systems sold with the game up front were running for hundreds of dollars more than used consoles without the game, according to an Ars analysis of completed listings.
For another it is not clear that iPhones with Fortnite are more prone to ridiculous price inflation than regular iPhones. Earlier this month, for example, an iPhone 11 Pro Max without Fortnite installed sold on eBay for nearly $10,000, although a new one could be bought from Apple for thousands less. Similar examples of iPhones going for suspiciously high prices on eBay aren’t hard to find, even without Fortnite‘s influence.
Most importantly, today’s news from Epic makes it clear that an iPhone Fortnite installation will soon have limited tangible value for current players. Until and unless Apple and Epic resolve their differences in court (which could take months or even years), there will be no way to play the latest version of the game on an iOS device.
Sure, that iPhone copy of Fortnite may still have value as a historical oddity. As a Twitter user @mistydemeo put it earlier this month“The rarest iPhone in the world has authentic copies of both Flappy Bird and Fortnite†


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FOX 17’s Tim Doty talks to Denise Kolesar and Ramona Schmitt about style products ahead of the West Michigan Women’s Expo.
Posted at 9:03 AM, Mar 14, 2014
and last updated 2014-03-14 09:03:27-04
Copyright 2023 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.


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The Bahrain Pavilion is set to participate in the highly anticipated 29th edition of Gulfood, scheduled for February 19 to 23, 2024, at the Dubai World Trade Center, United Arab Emirates.
Now in its 10th year, the Bahrain Pavilion serves as the Kingdom’s platform in forging meaningful connections among industry leaders while providing a robust stage for participating enterprises to showcase their business prospects, growth strategies, and investment opportunities within sectors such as manufacturing, distributors, suppliers, wholesalers, retailers, education, hospitality, and restaurants.
The Bahrain Pavilion’s participation in Gulfood is a strategic step aligned with the Kingdom’s vision to bolster food sector exports and amplify its global footprint. This initiative not only strengthens Bahrain’s position as a leading destination for culinary tourism and business but also showcases its spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship within the industry.
The Pavilion will proudly present a diverse range of premier offerings from Bahraini food industry entities, highlighting their excellence and innovation.
Ahmed Al Hujairy, CEO of WorkSmart for Events Management, and organizer of the Bahrain Pavilion emphasized the pavilion’s pivotal role at Gulfood in catapulting national exports onto the global stage.
According to Al Hujairy, the Bahrain Pavilion stands as a catalyst for Bahraini companies to venture into fresh export markets while also serving as a platform for local exporters to glean insights from industry peers, delve into innovative products and industry dynamics, foster new alliances, strike meaningful agreements, and connect with premier suppliers hailing from over 120 countries.
Al Hujairy states, “By participating, entities can harness Gulfood’s global platform to cultivate relationships, acquire insights into cutting-edge technologies, and exhibit their offerings to a vast international audience.”
Al Hujairy also emphasizes, “These collaborative endeavors are poised to pave the way for Bahraini food industries to establish a stronger presence in global markets, solidifying the Kingdom’s standing as a prominent global food and beverage hub.”
For further details on how to be part of the Bahrain Pavilion, please email the organizers at [email protected] or call +973 1700 2280.


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Dunelm to grow Radcliffe customer services centre with 85 jobs
Homewares retailer Dunelm is to almost double the size of its customer service centre in Radcliffe, with the recruitment of 85 staff.
Dunelm, which started on a Leicester market stall in 1979, has an estate of over 160 stores as well as an online presence.
It’s customer service centre, which currently employs around 100 staff, is on a recruitment drive follows the company’s acquisition of the WorldStores group in February this year. The group which includes the Kiddicare, Achica and WorldStores brands will double the size of the Dunelm’s online offering to customers.
Over the coming months the customer service centre, located at the back of Dunelm’s Radcliffe store on Green Street, will host open days to allow prospective candidates to get a feel for the company’s culture.
Philip Cochrane, head of contact centre at Dunelm said: “We’re looking for motivated individuals that are passionate about providing a great service to our customers. Having a background in customer service isn’t essential, our in-house learning and development team will provide candidates with training and support to develop their confidence and communication skills.”


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As some of you may know, Huawei has been planning to overthrow Samsung next year, and become the world's number one smartphone manufacturer. Well, the US trade ban may prevent the company from achieving that, so Huawei is reassessing its plans, according to South China Morning Post.
The US trade ban raised some serious questions about Huawei's access to services that are crucial for international sales, said the company's senior executive. The US barred American companies from supplying Huawei, and that is a serious issue, said the president of HONOR, Zhao Ming.
Mr. Ming also said that it's too early to say whether Huawei will be able to overthrow Samsung next year, as the situation is still fresh, and things could get resolved in the near future. Hardware issues are not the only ones that Huawei is dealing with at the moment, as Google also suspended Huawei's access to future Android updates.
Huawei did say that it is working with Google in order to amend the issue, even though we don't see how will they do that considering that the ban applies to US companies, and Google is a US-based company. Huawei was granted a 90-day grace period to continue its business, before the ban goes into full effect.
Android may be the largest problem for Huawei, in fact, as its smartphones are based on Android, and even though Huawei is making its own operating system, many users may stop using its phones without Android. The US President, Donald Trump, did say that Huawei's issues could be resolved with a new trade deal with China, so there's still hope that the ban will be lifted in the near future.
Foxconn actually stopped several production lines for Huawei phones as the company reduced orders for new devices. All in all, this whole situation has created quite a problem for Huawei, and if it doesn't get resolved, chances are Huawei's business will suffer quite a bit. Reports are already claiming that Huawei's shipments fell quite a bit, since the ban was announced.
Even assembling its own Kirin-branded chips could prove to be an issue for Huawei, as the company is using ARM's architecture, and ARM has connections to the US companies in that regard as well, which is a problem.
Huawei was the second-largest smartphone manufacturer in the world prior to this ban, and it probably still is. We will not know what the situation is like exactly until market research companies share their data.
HONOR's president Zhao did say that all the difficulties make the company stronger, as he's trying to show that the company is ready to deal with the situation. If Huawei ends up being cut off from future Android updates, that will affect the market competition quite a bit, and it will leave Samsung without a direct competitor, at least when Android is concerned. In the end, that's not great for consumers, of course, the more competition, the better.


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Visa and MasterCard have stopped accepting credit
card transactions for purchases of online music made on AllofMP3.com. For those not familiar with the situation, AllofMP3 is a Russian Web
site being accused of selling music illegally. The site typically charges under $1 for an entire album or around a few cents per song, which is significantly less than Apple’s iTunes Music Store among others that typically charge about $10 per album or 99 cents per song.
Simon Barker, a spokesman for Visa said, “The action Visa has taken is in line with legislation passed in Russia and with basic international copyright and intellectual property norms.”
Chris Harrall, a spokesman for Mastercard said, “MasterCard does not tolerate the use of its network for illegal activity.”
On Wednesday, AllofMP3 posted a notification on its site explaining that credit card payments were not available at the moment. Interestingly enough, the site directed prospective customers to another site (alltunes.com) to make Visa/MasterCard payments there for transactions on AllofMP3. Sneaky. But Visa shut down payment processing for that site as well as of October 1.
AllofMP3 claims that by paying royalties to a Russian licensing group, the site is in compliance with Russian laws. The music industry, of course, has explained that the Russian licensing group doesn’t have the authority to collect and distribute royalties. Such is the drama in a technological world with shrinking borders.


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The Consumer Council in Hong Kong recently released its research on its tests of processed meat snacks from the shelves and one snack stood out particularly – bak kwa from Singapore brand, Bee Cheng Hiang.
Bak kwa is a type of jerky that is salty-sweet and is a popular snack in Singapore, especially during Chinese New Year. And it doesn’t come cheap. Prices can start from S$24 for 250g of bak kwa.
The study in Hong Kong found potentially carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAHs) in 13 samples of different meat snacks, with the highest levels detected in Bee Cheng Hiang’s sliced beef bak kwa.
But don’t panic just yet! The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) did some assessments of its own and said that there is no health risk when consumed in moderation and “not in large quantities, on a regular basis”.
According to the SFA, PAHs are formed in the cooking process – when meat is grilled or charred over an open flame and also when PAH particles which are found in smoke settle on the meat surface.
However, at 18.2 micrograms per kilogram, the level of PAHs in the Bee Cheng Hiang bak kwa exceeds the suggested European Union (EU) limit of 12 micrograms, according to the Hong Kong Consumer Council.
It is understood that Bee Cheng Hiang are aware of this report.
A spokesman for Bee Cheng Hiang told The Straits Times that the company was aware of the report but assured that the bak kwa produced at their outlets are in compliance with SFA’s food safety requirements and safe for consumption.
They added, “For consumers with a balanced and varied diet, this is no cause for concern.”
But in the words of the Spice Girls, too much of something is bad. Bak kwa, a processed meat product, is already generally high in fat and sugar content – throw in some carcinogens now and this snack is one for the bad books.
Other stories to check out:
Our baby furball is all grown up
The 51-100 list sees several new entries and spans 17 cities this year.


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There is blood in the metaverse water this morning, if the metaverse is real water.
The blood, if Meta Platforms is real blood, is flowing from the hot technology created on Facebook.
The immediate reason was the lowering of value last night in Underperform from Hold by Needham & company MD renowned, Laura Martin. A 5%decrease, Meta did not step on the meta water at US $ 162.88. It started the year at over $ US330.
But the crash of the database is another sign of a big problem and the size of META…
Now, I stopped using Facebook years ago. At the same time, young people realize that they do not need to get started.
Facebook knew they didn’t need to. His cause was reduced to laughter, anger and bitterness.
The smartest business model it could collect – it would be home to some 2.91 billion active users each month (as of April) – is just advertising.
It’s not a lack of reasoning.
That’s why he doesn’t want to be again. She likes this job:
When the virtual and physical worlds combine, anything can work. Digital creators unleash the potential of our technology and eliminate all forms of digital and enhanced environments. Check it out: https://t.co/t0h9kYwHCt pic.twitter.com/7MKEEFDVwe
– Meta (@Meta) July 5, 2022
And what this industry is really doing is one of the mysteries that is not known today.
This has been a difficult year for Meta.
Philosophically, I am behind the fusion of the virtual with the physical in search of augmented environments. But I think of companies like Althea Group (ASX: AGH) or my local store for that, before I think of Meta.
Now 2022 is a long-standing crisis for a company that remains the third most visited site in the Berners-Leeverse. The porousness of the user base is immediately visible. Both the publisher and the user were hurt.
In February, Meta Platforms recorded its first quarterly drop in the most important FB metric of daily users.
In the fourth quarter of March its users came in each month under review for the first time.
Disease is an engine of industry and industry. An engineer of innovation and innovation.
It’s not just where everyone spends their money because the high cost of sugar has started to cause stress and shortness of breath.
As the Nasdaq began to reverse its cyclical gains, Meta seemed to be getting hit.
Hitting a Zuckerberg
Undoubtedly punished by falling prices, the best idea the rest of the Mark Zuckerbergians have is to stop investing in talent and pull out the unbelievers.
In a new theater ‘table’ with staff, the CEO walked over to the digital stage talking about the reboot. The director has a new idea of a new driver and a new raisaon d’etre.
According to the New York Times last week, Zuckerberg called his team Meta in one of the “worst scandals we’ve seen in recent history.”
Unfortunately for Meta Platform employees in difficult times, many of them are no longer wanted and welcomed and if you choose to stay, it will go well.
The CEO told his employees close to the 78K Meta that they are ready for more work, less resources and a more complex manufacturing process.
“I think some of you may decide that this place isn’t for you, and that choice itself is good for me,” Zuckerberg said. . ”
Punch in the eye
The fact that Zuck’s idea for a Meta Platform escape is unavoidable in the economic world we live in.
Shares of Meta Platforms Inc (NASDAQ: META) have fallen more than 50% since January until last night when Needham & Co threw the first punch with fury, and perhaps the keys will follow.
“Meta said it will invest in Metaverse at the same time leading to slower revenue growth. We are lowering our expectations because we believe the price will be higher. rather than revenue growth for the next 2 years, “Martin said in a letter to customers.
Then there are the heaps of publishers around Meta who are wondering what customers want from them.
Then the quality and the amount of competition increases.
Needham and Co feel that the moat of the Meta team, as a whole, is declining.
Then there’s the world of innovation and decision -making against reform.
There is a list, and it is going
And Metaverse comes with a whole bunch of investment problems, Martin says before telling shareholders that they can “use Meta as a source of revenue” and investors need to stand – As short -term resources increase and the challenges associated with economic development increase.
“We encourage investors to stay on the sidelines as they evaluate some pricing strategies related to customer change, competition, lower moat, management issues and with Metaverse publishing problems. “
Martin said the uncertain pivot of the industry in the metaverse was not timely and the payoff could be like having a gold bowl at the end of the rainbow.
“In the near term, we are concerned that consensus expectations are high, given that Meta’s promises for high investments in the Metaverse at the same time are slowing its growth to compete well with TikTok,” he said. and Martin.
He thinks the rewards of gambling are too long.
“We are concerned that Meta’s significant investment in creating a new world called Metaverse reflects the fear of problems associated with its historical collection of businesses,” Martin said.


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The battery can be made from ‘earth-friendly materials’ like sodium, which can be extracted from seawater.
A new longer-lasting battery technology that can’t catch fire has been developed by a team of engineers led by 94-year-old Professor John Goodenough, the co-inventor of the lithium-ion battery, the Daily Mail Online reports.
Lithium-ion batteries are one of the most popular types of rechargeable batteries used in many mobile devices, but they can sometimes explode and catch fire – as was the case for Samsung’s Galaxy 7 exploding battery fiasco.
But this new battery technology could increase the distance electric cars can drive for between charges, and recharge within minutes rather than hours.
The new battery technology could be used for mobile devices, electric cars and stationary energy storage. It was developed with Dr Maria Helena Braga, a senior research fellow at the Cockrell School of Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin.
The battery is low-cost, all-solid state and noncombustible. It has a long cycle life (battery life) and charges and discharges rapidly.
‘Cost, safety, energy density, rates of charge and discharge and cycle life are critical for battery-driven cars to be more widely adopted,’ Professor Goodenough said.


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Sony post second quarter profits for PlayStation division
Sony has posted a ¥6.9 billion ($85.5m / £53.7m) operating profit for their Networked Product and Services division (which includes all PlayStation products) for the second quarter of the financial year, a significant improvement on the ¥59 billion ($731m / £458m) loss for the same period last year.
The period saw significant reductions in hardware costs, increased PlayStation 3 sales (3.5 million units, up from 3.2 million), the successful release of PlayStation Move and improved PC sales; these are said to be the main driving forces behind the turnaround.
However, it wasn’t all rosy, the game sales category posted a 12.9% drop in sales, ¥171 billion ($2.1bn / £1.3bn) compared to ¥196 billion ($2.4bn) for the same quarter last year. This is despite PlayStation 3 software sales rising from 23.9 million to 35.3 million units.
Poor sales for both the PSP and PlayStation 2 were behind the drop: PSP game sales fell from 13 million to 11 million units, while PlayStation 2 software sales had an even more dramatic fall, with only 5.6 million units being shifted compared to 11.4 million.
Hardware sales for the PSP were also poor, with a 50% drop in sales – that is 1.5 million units down from 3 million. It sold as much as the ten year-old PlayStation 2, which was down to 1.5 million from 1.9 million.
Despite the poor showing for both the PSP and PlayStation 2, these are very positive results for Sony’s NPS division; it’s had some pretty horrendous results in recent years, so to post a rise in profits is a big thing for them. They will also be happy to see the PlayStation 3 continue to prove that it can be profitable. This was difficult to imagine in previous years.
These results are also reflective of Sony as a whole. The entire Sony Corporation recording a profit of ¥62.7 billion ($777.1m / £487.7m) for the period, which is a significant increase over the ¥26.3 billion loss they posted for the same period last year. Operating income was at ¥68.7 billion ($582.6m / £535.3m), up from a ¥32.6 billion loss ($404.6m / £254m).
So what’s your thoughts? Too many numbers?


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Apple engineers have been working on the rear-facing 3D depth camera for at least two years. It remains to be seen if the company is able to successfully implement it this year.
The 1,500 dollar device isn't in line with Motorola's usual pricing scheme because till now the Lenovo owned company laid its main focus on relatively inexpensive phones.
The study, conducted by researchers from the University of Manchester, argues that we encounter more yellow light during the day while twilight is bluer, and thus, our bodies are more likely to associate with blue light with bedtime.
Based on the concept design renders created by PhoneArena, the iPhone 12 could come with a design reminiscent of the iPhone 4 or iPhone 5 from years ago, with sharper edges, Cnet reports.
Earlier, businesses had to send product photos one at a time. With Catalogs, customers can easily browse a business's offerings right within WhatsApp, without having to visit the website, the official blog notes.
WhatsApp said that users of Android versions 2.3.7 and older will no longer be able to create new accounts, nor reverify existing accounts.
The Me tab shows options to stop sharing your location with your friends, edit location names, and turn friend requests on or off. The new Find My app is included in iOS 13 and iPadOS.
This year, Apple is expected to introduce three iPhone 11 models, including a high-end iPhone 11 Pro version with the triple camera setup. The event will kick start at 10 AM PT on September 10, 2019.
This year, Apple is rumored to introduce an iPhone 11 'Pro' model which will be the high-end version and feature a triple-camera setup.
New Delhi: Paytm Mall Republic Day Sale has gone live on the e-commerce platform and while the Paytm sale is...


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The pet industry is always changing, and after 2010’s contentious midterm elections, continuing economic tumult, and the specter of anti-pet legislation, we felt a look forward to 2011 was in order. Here’s our list of who to watch in the pet industry over the coming year.
Olivier Amice: As new president of Furminator, he is cracking down on counterfeiters of the company’s grooming tools and otherwise trying to protect its intellectual property through the legal channel. The company is also aggressively rolling out product line extensions to hone its market proposition.
John Boehner: The 2010 midterm election saw a historic shift in the House of Representatives as the Republican Party regained control. Under the leadership of John Boehner (R-Ohio), the House will serve as a foil to the Obama administration and pursue a more conservative agenda.
|U.S. Rep. John Boehner.|
Judy Breton: Her move from region manager and national grooming specialist at Tomlym Products to the World Pet Association as director of grooming and special services comes at an interesting time. For one, how will Barkleigh’s decision to not offer GroomTeam-sanctioned competition for the next two years at its events change the professional grooming contest landscape. More importantly, however, Breton’s hire demonstrates WPA’s desire to expand its offerings to pet service providers, including boarding facilities, pet daycare providers and trainers.
Mike Canning: As the newest president and CEO of the Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council, Canning will oversee day-to-day operations of the industry’s legislative watchdog. The reptile hobbyists and public affairs specialist has already benefited from the support of the three pet industry organizations as they have all endorsed his selection by continuing their funding. His challenge is to maintain that support while growing PIJAC into a largely self-sufficient organization.
|Mike Canning, president and CEO of PIJAC.|
Dr. Earl Chilton II: As director of the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department’s aquatic habitat enforcement program, Chilton is the person charged with creating and implementing the Texas “white list” of aquatic plants approved for sale in the state. The final list, which covers both water garden plants and also freshwater and saltwater aquarium plants, is set for board approval in late January. Then Texas will focus on creating a “white list” of non-native aquatic animals that do not pose potential invasive species risks.
Laura Christine: In a world of single first-name divas (Madonna, Rihanna, etc.), PetFoodDirect.com is betting two first names make for an e-commerce maestro with its new chief marketing officer. Fresh from a multi-channel, multi-brand 6-year tenure at Skechers, she is excited about joining an Internet pure play with multiple brands (NationalPetPharmacy.com, ThePetCenter.com and PetMD in addition to flagship) in a field that evokes passion. Her goal: aggressive sales growth.
Jason Coe, DVM, Ph.D.: Dr. Coe was appointed to a five-year, $1 million chair at the University of Guelph’s Ontario Veterinary College. The Nestlé Purina PetCare Canada-funded position has a lofty goal: reducing pet abandonment through teaching and research. Coe’s efforts will include a symposium on the human-animal bond in 2011 as part of the college’s sesquicentennial celebration and supervising research on pet behavior, overpopulation and abandonment.
John Cullen: Cullen brings considerable pet industry marketing experience (including the launch of Zoombak GPS and stints with H.J. Heinz and Treats4Pets.com) to a JW Pet Co. already on a roll, with new product honors at SuperZoo (PetVille Roll-A-Coaster) and Global Pet Expo (dog toys). Cullen will be expected to accelerate the momentum started by sales VP Ken Oh and marketing director Emilye Schmale.
Tony de Vos: Displaying dedication to green business practices and manufacturing processes, Cardinal Laboratories president de Vos is in the process of putting the company through a complete energy overhaul. Currently, the company is working on a solar- and geothermal-powered distribution center in Azusa, Calif., as well as converting its other distribution center in Baldwin Park, Calif., to be energy efficient. Watch for other energy innovations from this company in the future.
Philip Falcone: One of the world’s wealthiest hedge-fund managers and founder of Harbinger Capital Partners has reportedly drawn the scrutiny of the SEC regarding a $113 million personal loan and questions about certain clients being allowed to withdraw money from the fund while others were not. Falcone maintains the issues are much ado about nothing, but some major investors have withdrawn funds. One of Falcone’s goals is to shift some of his holdings, including a 54.4 percent stake in Spectrum Brands, from the hedge fund to a more stable, publicly traded vehicle, Harbinger Group Inc., of which he is CEO. Harbinger Capital, which has been selling some assets to cover investor withdrawals, still maintains a 12.7 percent stake in Spectrum.
Ezra Field: As a managing director with Roark Capital Group of Atlanta, Field sits on the board of directors of Roark’s Pet Valu Inc., which it acquired in 2009. Field, who previously managed franchise investments including Jenny Craig, will work to ensure Pet Valu lives up to its growth potential. One move was Pet Valu’s acquisition of Bosley’s Pet Food Plus, a platform for growth in Western Canada, in 2010.
Zach Grey: Somewhat of a mixologist, dog trainer Zack Grey, who blended hipster cool with organic and eco-friendly products at his L.A. pet store chain The Urban Pet, has since expanded into Moon Shine. The new grooming facility, which opened in October adjacent to the Silver Lake Urban Pet, offers full- and self-service groom in artist-themed grooming pods, i.e., the Van Gogh pod and the Picasso pod, as Grey tries to add a splash of color to the pet industry.
Jim Heim: As chairman of the Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council, Heim played a critical role in developing a strategic plan for the organization and recruiting Mike Canning as its new chief executive to ensure the organization remained viable as Marshall Meyers stepped into a part-time consulting role. Meanwhile, his employer Central Garden & Pet missed analyst expectations in its fourth quarter (mostly due to sales growth on the garden side related to wild bird and grass seed) and Central chairman Bill Brown vowed to ”be relentlessly focusing on growth.” As president of business development, Heim will no doubt be central to that effort.
Pennye Jones-Napier: As co-founder of The Big Bad Woof Inc., Pennye and partner Julie Paez are on the vanguard of a new concept in business organization: benefit corporations, which include “general public benefit” as part of their corporate charter and are subject to third-party verification. Moreover, Big Bad Woof is trying to franchise its beneficial retail concept to areas outside its DC home.
Matt Klinger: New president and fourth-generation leader of Hunting Creek Fisheries, Klinger is bringing technology and sustainability to the 86-year-old operation. Among his first moves was revamping the fish farm’s website and social networking efforts. Longer term, he’s exploring alternative sources of energy to make the facility more sustainable by replacing propane with a wood furnace and solar energy.
Debby Lening: Reaching out and networking with other women in the pet industry is the idea behind the Women in the Pet Industry Association, brainchild of Lening, founder and director of the organization. The group has attracted several members, though they mainly hail from the equine industry, so there is room for the organization to grow by adding members from other areas of the pet industry.
Scott Nash: As CEO of Aquarium Retail Holdings, Nash broke away from Big Al’s Aquarium Services last summer to go the independent route as the 20,000-square-foot Allfish Emporium in Tamarac, Fla. He expects to open his first full-line pet store (albeit with a strong fish emphasis), a 23,500-square-foot Allpet Emporium, in mid-2011 in Pembroke Pines, Fla., then expand that brand throughout South Florida and beyond. With many pet retailers becoming increasingly specialized, it will be interesting to watch his progress.
Jackie Oakes: The founder of K-9 Coastal Bakery, a retail store in Wilmington, N.C., Oakes had a banner year in 2010. Not only did she open a second store, Tippy’s Treats & More in the same city, Jackie also exhibited for the first time her natural baked goods line at the H.H. Backer Christmas Trade Show in Rosemont, Ill. Oakes is on a roll and could have even more business innovations in the making for 2011.
Andrew Quinn: Quinn stepped into a larger role with Zoo Med in 2010 with his promotion from New England sales director to the newly created position of director of education. Quinn will be expanding Zoo Med’s educational efforts not only to retail staff and hobbyists, but to politicians and regulators as well. His responsibilities include working with government reps on current and future reptile regulations—certainly a growing field.
|Andrew Quinn, director of education for Zoo Med.|
Betsy Banks Saul: She celebrates the 15th anniversary of Petfinder.com, which she founded in 1996 as a local site in New Jersey. The site has since expanded to link 13,500 animal welfare groups across North America and posts 300,000 adoptable pets at any time. Since 1996, Petfinder.com, now part of Discovery Communications, reports it has found homes for more than 16 million pets and plans to find homes for 2.5 million more in 2011. This could help stem dips in new pet acquisition rates.
Patti Strand: As national director of the National Animal Interest Alliance for more than 20 years, Strand had long fought for responsible pet ownership. With an increasing number of cities, counties and states considering regulations that would restrict pet owner rights, she is likely to be stretched in many directions in 2011 as she continues to promote animal welfare over animal rights agendas.
Steve Thoeny: Thoeny is a third-generation president of family-owned RFG Distributing, one of the original Iams distributors. Since 2005, when Iams dropped its exclusivity requirements from its distributors, Crystal, Minn.-based RFG has expanded geographically and in its offerings, both pet foods and hard goods, while maintaining a tremendous customer service reputation with both retailers and vendors—including P&G Pet Care, which recently named RFG its distributor of the year for 2009-10. Future plans call for more growth, including a distribution facility in Missouri.
|Steve Thoeny. |
Mel Toellner: Though never still, “Bird Man” Mel, president of both Gold Crest Distributing and manufacturer Songbird Essentials, has seemed especially busy of late. Songbird has been buying company’s and licensing products (Eklund’s gift line, Rubicon Intl., the Bird Bath Raft, and the Seed Hoop) in the past year, and Gold Crest launched a training program called Wild Bird University to teach retailers how to sell more wild bird product.
Debbie Wakabayashi: Wakabayashi, owner of Salmon Paws in Encinitas, Calif., founded her new company with just one product, pure salmon treats for dogs, and less than three years later, is already up to seven. Debbie is also dedicated to educating pet owners on the dangers of sago palms—a common plant in Southern California that when ingested is highly toxic to dogs, cats and children. Wakabayashi’s entrepreneurship, animal-welfare dedication and growing involvement in the industry could take her far in the pet industry.
David Waters, DVM: A professor at Purdue University’s Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences and associate director of Purdue’s Center on Aging, Dr. Waters capped off three years of researching 140 exceptionally old (at least 13 years, equivalent to 100 for humans) Rottweilers last year by visiting 15 living ones. Waters is now expected to publish many research papers regarding longevity in dogs, which could shed light into extending longevity in both pets (for example, by providing data on the optimal age for spaying dogs for longevity) and people alike.
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Advanced Energy Industries, Inc. recently announced financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2015. The company reported third quarter sales of $130.8 million compared with $136.8 million in the second quarter of 2015 and $143.1 million in the third quarter of 2014. Net income was $16.4 million or $0.40 per diluted share. Non-GAAP adjusted net income was $21.1 million or $0.51 per diluted share. A reconciliation of non-GAAP adjusted net income and earnings per share is provided in the tables below. The company ended the quarter with $199.0 million in cash and marketable securities, a sequential increase of $15.8 million.
“Near record sales to semiconductor applications drove our strong profitability and cash generation in the third quarter,” said Yuval Wasserman, President and CEO of Advanced Energy. “We expect the fourth quarter slowdown in the semiconductor capital equipment market to be slightly offset by sales to our industrial applications. With the wind down of the inverter business nearly complete, we are excited at the opportunities ahead for our industry-leading technology in an expanding number of Precision Power applications.”
Results Excluding the Inverter Business
Excluding the inverter business, sales were $107.9 million in the third quarter of 2015, above the second quarter’s sales of $104.6 million and up 18.3% from $91.2 million in the third quarter of 2014. Sales to the semiconductor market increased sequentially, while industrial sales were roughly flat.Non-GAAP operating income for the business excluding inverters was $32.4 million, or 30.1% of sales.
Closing out the third quarter, inverter sales were $22.9 million, down from $32.2 million in the second quarter, and down 55.8% from $52.0 million in the third quarter of 2014.Non-GAAP operating loss for Inverters was $7.5 million.
Restructuring and Tax Charges
During the quarter, the company incurred $13.2 million in charges related to the wind down of the inverter business that was announced on June 29, 2015. These include:
– Restructuring charges of $13.9 million consisting of $8.0 million for contract settlement costs, $5.6 million for severance and related costs and $0.3 million for facility closure costs;
– An inventory write-down of $3.4 million that is included in cost of sales; and
– Recovery of previously impaired accounts receivable of $4.1 million that is included in Selling, General and Administrative.
The remainder of the restructuring plan is expected to be substantially complete by year end. Total year restructuring, tax and other charges related to the wind down are anticipated to be within the expected range of $260 million to $290 million. Cash costs for the wind down are expected to be $20 million to $30 million in 2015. The total year 2015 GAAP tax expense is currently anticipated to range from zero to a slight tax benefit.
Net Income (Loss)
Net income for the third quarter of 2015 was $16.4 million or $0.40 per diluted share, compared with a net loss of $232.5 million or $5.68 per diluted share in the second quarter, and net income of $12.3 million or $0.30 per diluted share in the third quarter 2014.On a non-GAAP basis, adjusted net income for this quarter was $21.1 million or $0.51 per diluted share as compared to $17.7 million or $0.43 per diluted share in the second quarter of 2015, and $16.9 million or $0.42 per diluted share in the same period last year.


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May 18, 2015 The obesity rate in Mexican children has reportedly tripled in the past decade.
May 7, 2015 McDonald's plans to implement kale in its menu.
May 4, 2015 The company plans to cut costs, boost revenue, buy back its own shares.
May 4, 2015 The company's huge size and long history complicate its efforts to keep up
Apr 10, 2015 Mexico is fighting obesity by urging people to drink less soda and more water.
Apr 1, 2015 Average hourly wages will rise to $9.90 for 1,500 locations the company runs directly.
Apr 1, 2015 As Seattle's minimum wage starts a gradual rise, Ivar's takes a radical path.
Mar 16, 2015 Here are the stories we're reading and numbers we're watching Monday.
Mar 6, 2015 Now that McDonalds is promising us antibiotic free chicken, who else will join?


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After a month-long work stoppage, The Detroit News is reporting that GM has resumed production of the 2012 Chevrolet Volt, and in a big way.
Read This Article
For 89 years, the baddest of dirt race aficionados, drivetrain gurus and wild-winged pioneers have embraced the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb as one of the ultimate racing thrills the world has to offer.
We finally know the price of the 2014 Nissan Pathfinder Hybrid.
The 2014 Nissan Rogue has landed with new features, a new look, and new ambitions of being one of the top-selling crossovers in its class.


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Vietnam tightens checks on oil product imports from ASEAN
Sources report that the customs department has tightened its checks to see if products imported from other ASEAN countries over the past year were produced in the region and declared properly. The number of imports from ASEAN has risen significantly since the agreement.
According to a circular by Vietnam’s Finance Ministry, if there are doubts about the validity of the certificates of origin of some cargoes, the importers in question will have to report to the customs department to prove that they qualify for import tax reductions. Sources do not expect to see a decrease in import volumes, though the checks might slow down trading activities.
More free plastics newsPlastic resin (PP, LDPE, LLDPE ,HDPE, PVC, GPS; HIPS, PET, ABS) prices, polymer market trends, and more...
- Early reactions to Turkey’s dumping case on Saudi Arabian LDPE
- October PET deals concluded with moderate increases in Europe
- Will it be supply or demand to set PP, PE outlook in Europe?
- Premium of HDPE over LLDPE hits 16-month high in Turkey
- Post-holiday hikes carry China homo-PP market to 1-year high
- Asia PVC markets see longest rising streak ever on extreme tightness
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- Stable to softer PE trend prevails in Europe amid soft demand, poor netbacks
- Turkey’s PP and PE markets move up, but riddled with uncertainties
- India, SEA PVC markets unlikely to take respite from bullish run for November


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The company operates the TA, Petro Stopping Centers and TA Express travel center brands.
“We believe there are significant opportunities for continued growth through franchising, and in early 2020, we began rapidly increasing our engagement efforts and broadening our reach with potential franchisees,” said CEO Jon Pertchik.
“We have a team dedicated to identifying and actively pursuing excellent franchisees who are committed to providing our customers with the services and amenities they’ve come to trust and rely on at our travel centers.”
Since the beginning of 2019, TA has signed 18 new franchise agreements under one of its travel center brands, the company said.
Wednesday’s announcement came just weeks after the company launched a reorganization to improve its operational efficiency and profitability.
In April, TA laid off 2,900 field employees and 122 corporate staff in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic.
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text: (AllHipHop News) Hip-Hop star Kanye West will add to his discography today (November 22), when his fifth album, My Dark Twisted Fantasy lands in stores across the country. But the Chicago rapper is planning to expand his career beyond music, with a possible new clothing line with high-end clothing line with French Fashion label, Lanvin and a chain of fast-food restaurants. According to TheDailyBeast.com, Kanye West may turn into the next fast food mogul, as the rapper snatched up the franchise rights for 10 Fatburger restaurants in Chicago through his holding company, KW Foods LLC.Its safe to say that well be doing more strategic partnerships in areas like fashion and design, Gee Roberson told The Daily Beast. Music is the foundation for everything Kanye does, but he doesnt want to be defined only as a musician. Hes really a designer. He designs his sounds, his raps, all aspects of his tour. He wants to do deals where he can have his fingerprints on the product.Kanye West, who already operates two of the restaurants in Orland Park and Beverly, joins a growing number of rappers who have invested money into the Fatburger franchise. Hip-Hop musician Pharrell Williams opened two Fatburgers in China, Queen Latifah reportedly owns several of the restaurants, while E-40 closed his Fatburger in California in 2008.


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The gourmet-burger chain founded by the Wahlberg brothers is rapidly expanding.
The Boston-based chain, called Wahlburgers, has signed agreements with five franchise groups to open 30 new restaurants in seven states: Massachusetts, California, Georgia, Michigan, Ohio, North Carolina, and South Carolina, the company told Business Insider.
Today the chain has only seven open restaurants.
The new agreements bring the total number of restaurants set to open over the five to seven years to 118, Wahlburgers CEO Rick Vanzura told Business Insider in an interview.
The cities that will get Wahlburger locations include: Atlanta and Savannah, Georgia; Los Angeles; Charlotte, North Carolina; Cleveland; Detroit; Charleston and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina; and greater San Francisco. The company has also made previous agreements to open in Manhattan, Orlando, Philadelphia, Long Island, and Washington, D.C.


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14Fourteen new technical sponsor of PF Broni 93
The Broni 93 Women’s Basketball has a new technical sponsor, Fourteen, an international sportswear brand.
The agreement, signed in recent days by the two companies, concerns the supply of technical, leisure, training and merchandising apparel for the next
Andrea Picciau, CEO Fourteen
“This new partnership agreement reached with PF Broni 93 is the result of a shared vision between us and the management of the Bronese team, we are confident that adequate technical and sports support and the opening to fans through the creation of a dedicated merchandising collection, will lead to a new step in terms of strengthening the visual identity of the team ».
Gianluca Caraffini, Dg PF Broni 93
“The whole of our country identifies with our team, the possibility given by Fourteen to our fans to be able to access and dress the official apparel will be a sure success for morale and sports support ».
Through the new partnership, all Bronesi fans will have the opportunity to buy the products worn by athletes, technicians and others created specifically for fans.
The collection will be available for the start of the championship at the Palasport during the team’s home games and in the company’s official online shop


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New Porsche masterclass to help you clean and detail your car better
Rubbing alcohol can sanitize your interior, but will it do harm?
PUVs are not spared from MVIS checking, but it's emissions testing for those for now.
The Philippine auto industry suffers a major decline in 2020 with 40.26% drop, reports 248,171 units sold.
All medical practitioners, frontliners exempted from paying toll at Skyway 3 even after February 1
It's been 25 years since Mitsubishi introduced the Montero Sport to the world. Now, it's one of their best-sellers.
NLEX Connector to reach Espana in Manila this year, according to Villar
Make no mistake about it: driving on the Skyway 3 won't be cheap
The third-generation Honda HR-V will be revealed next month
PAREX to connect R-10 with C-5 and will span a total of 19.4-kilometers
Getting your car inspected soon? You must read this first.
As Hyundai moves towards zero emissions, the company has reportedly stopped further development of turbo-diesels


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Walmart employees steal credit card information from customersUPDATED 5:25 PM EDT Jun 12, 2013Video Transcript
AVAILABLE. NOW TO A SIMPLE BUT EFFECTIVE SCAM AT A LOCAL WALMART: TWO EMPLOYEES ACCUSED OF áSTEALING CUSTOMERS CREDIT CARD INFORMATION. TERRI PARKER IS LIVE IN GREENACRES WITH THE STORY, TERRI. You might want to check your credit card bills tonight. Police are looking for more victims of two Walmart cashiers they've arrested For stealing customers credit card numbers and then collecting cash Police arrested Nayeliz Soto and Nadia Saint jean Monday after a female customer noticed a charge of her credit card for something she didn't buy at Walmart She told police she "did" remember her cashier, Soto, writing down the credit card number after she had swiped it 9:47 S/u: I spoke to that victim on the phone, she says she never suspected a thing. That although she says She saw Soto writing down her credit card number , she says Soto was so calm cool and collected it was as though she done it 1000 times before Well, $6000 9:15 is the amount of money police say Soto confessed to stealing from customers They say surveillance video showed her taking that victims credit card number tofellow cashier St. John and St. John using it to buy a Visa gift cardsNat 2:39 I'm Terri p with ch 25 - Sotos mother said she ch 25 - Sotos mother said she was sleeping and had no comments. Both women blamed the other. Soto says that she gave all the money to st jean who claims she needed it to feed her children.8:57 St. John claims Soto approached her and said a rich customer gave her the credit card number to use 9:20 Walmart customers say the scheme is worrisome6:38 yeah it's scary/ because there's no recourse if they're doing that - how do you get your money back?


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Rob Ford declares plastic bag debate dead
Mayor Rob Ford says the debate whether to ban or charge a mandatory fee for plastic shopping bags is over.
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Toronto has no further interest in either charging a fee for plastic shopping bags or banning them, says Mayor Rob Ford.
The mayor took the unusual step of appearing before the public works and infrastructure committee to add his vote to ending the bag debate.
A staff report that discussed a new fee or ban was received for information in a 5-2 vote.
That means councillors plan no further action and will leave things as they are, where retailers can charge for a plastic shopping bag if they wish and people are urged to reuse the bags and then put them in the blue bin for recycling.
Former mayor David Miller’s administration mandated retailers to charge five cents per plastic bag starting in June 2009, which cut the use of plastic bags, according to solid waste officials.
Ford opposed the charge and last June it was rescinded by councillors, who in a surprise move voted to ban plastic bags outright. The ban exposed the city to legal problems and was subsequently scrapped.
On Wednesday, Ford attended to cast his vote at committee, which he’s entitled to do because he’s an ex officio member of all standing committees.
“Obviously, this is an important issue to the taxpayers,” Ford told reporters after voting. “I wanted to make sure the nail’s in the coffin. It’s done, it’s finished.”
People are suffering from “debate fatigue” and are tired of hearing about councillors squabbling over plastic bags, said Councillor Denzil Minnan-Wong.
The public is happy with the status quo, Minnan-Wong said.
“The public doesn’t want to deal with this any more,” he added. “The current arrangement is fine: Businesses that want to charge for plastic bags will, and the ones that don’t, won’t.”
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Subway joins Michelle Obama in Let's Move three-year partnership
- Subway has joined Michelle Obama's Let's Move campaign to get kids to eat more fruit and vegetables
- The first lady announced the three-year, $41 million campaign today at a Washington DC Subway outlet
- Subway will offer a kids' menu that meets government standards, including apples and milk or water as default beverage
- Former Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps, NFL player Justin Tuck, retired gymnast Nastia Lukin and brand ambassador Jared Fogle were also present
- Mrs Obama ate a turkey sandwich on whole wheat bread and chatted with school kids at the event
Michelle Obama has a new partner in her campaign to get kids to eat more fruits and vegetables.
The Subway sandwich chain will spend $41 million over three years to encourage children to eat more food that doesn't come from a box, the first lady announced Thursday at one of the Connecticut-based company's restaurants just north of the White House.
Subway will also offer a kids' menu that mirrors federal standards for school lunches, including offering apples on the side and low-fat or nonfat plain milk or water as a default beverage.
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Moving: First Lady Michelle Obama, along with Michael Phelps, speaks at an event to announce a commitment by Subway restaurants to promote healthier choices to kids January 23, 2014 in Washington, DC
Lunchtime: First lady Michelle Obama orders a turkey sandwich at the event as school children line up behind her
Speaking as a parent, Mrs Obama said Subway's commitment will help moms and dads choose healthy food for their kids. Its kids' menu will help eliminate the worry some parents feel about the choices they have to make when eating out, she said.
'Every single item meets the highest nutrition standards,' the first lady said before she went to the counter and ordered a turkey on whole wheat bread with spinach, peppers, and oil and vinegar dressing.
She paid the $4.40 tab with a $20 bill and scarfed down her lunch while chatting with a group of local elementary school students who had been invited for the announcement.
Healthy choice: First lady Michelle Obama orders a turkey sandwich with spinach and peppers from retired American artistic gymnast Nastia Lukin
Partnership: Michelle Obama sits down to lunch in a Washington DC Subway restaurant
Some of Subway's famous celebrity endorsers also were present, including Olympians Nastia Lukin, who prepared Mrs Obama's sandwich, and Michael Phelps, along with New York Giants defensive end Justin Tuck and Jared Fogle.
Fogle gained fame in a series of TV commercials years ago in which he described losing 245 pounds while eating a steady diet of Subway sandwiches, plus walking.
Subway's commitment is 'a natural extension of what we do,' Tony Pace, Subway's chief marketing officer, said in a telephone interview.
The chain offers a line of lean-meat and vegetable sandwiches that have been certified by the American Heart Association, as well as a trio of breakfast sandwiches with fewer than 200 calories apiece.
Pace said people are becoming more aware of the importance of eating healthier.
announcement follows a summit on food marketing to kids that Mrs Obama
held at the White House last fall. At the time, she urged food and
beverage makers, media and entertainment companies, and others to do
more to promote healthier foods to children.
Breaking bread: First lady Michelle Obama chats with school kids over sandwiches at the event to announce Subway's partership with Mrs Obama's Let's Move campaign
On board: Subway ambassador and 18-time Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps (left) joins the First Lady Michelle Obama, Justin Tuck (right) and local area kids for lunch at a Subway
A month after the September gathering, Mrs Obama announced that the nonprofit organization that produces TV's 'Sesame Street' had agreed to let the produce industry use Elmo, Big Bird and its other furry characters free of charge in its kid-focused advertising.
Sam Kass, a White House chef and executive director of the first lady's campaign against childhood obesity, told The Associated Press that Subway was 'raising the bar for what a responsible, quick-service restaurant can do to help support the health of the nation.'
Subway will work with the Partnership for a Healthier America, a nonprofit organization that works with the private sector to help advance the goals of 'Let's Move,' the childhood obesity initiative Mrs Obama launched in 2010, a year after becoming first lady.
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The actions taken by companies to become sustainable and reduce their carbon emissions to the stage of “carbon neutrality” can bring them an increase of more than 30 percent in revenues, according to a study carried out by the management consulting company Horváth. At the same time, aiming to achieve sustainability-related objectives, companies can achieve cost reductions of up to 7 percent.
The Horváth report attests to the fact that, for more and more companies, the objectives related to sustainability are no longer found only at the declarative level, but take the form of concrete plans with clear deadlines.
Thus, 80 percent of the responding companies, coming from the German-speaking economic area DACH (Germany, Austria, Switzerland), aim to have an ESG (“Environmental, Social, and Governance” rating – non-financial criteria that measure sustainable behavior and ethical behavior of companies towards all stakeholders and the environment) until 2025. Comparatively, only 30 percent of Romanian companies have assumed a clear target for reducing CO2 emissions, according to another Horváth study from this year.
Of the companies that have set sustainability goals, more than 70 percent want to achieve “carbon neutrality” by the end of the current decade. To achieve these goals, the Horváth study identified four categories of “decisive actions”: (1) fast action (to become carbon footprint-neutral companies in 2030, the main steps must be taken now); (2) focusing on consumer demands (demanding transparency and real change); (3) adopting new ways of generating income; and (4) transforming supply chains (products, logistics and operations). Companies that act in these four directions will achieve competitive advantages and real economic benefits.
Study participants see a potential for increased business and profitability from their sustainability efforts: 50 percent of them see potential sources of income in already existing markets that would bring them additional income of at least 11 percent, while 60 percent expect to open new markets or market segments with a sustainable product portfolio, leading to potential additional revenues (around 23 percent). In addition, 40 percent of respondents expect to achieve cost reductions from efforts to become more sustainable.
“A gratifying conclusion of our study is that sustainability is no longer just a concept discussed at a high level on company boards, but a phenomenon that is gaining substance as consumer pressures have intensified. People and companies want to be customers of sustainable companies, and this desire has become the engine of change, although some happy side effects cannot be ignored: by embarking on the path to becoming sustainable, businesses also gain new markets, new sources of income, respectively cost reductions. Finally, the study showed that a sustainable employer is more likely to attract and retain talent in its team,” said Kurt Weber, Managing Director, Horváth Romania.
In terms of the main negative consequences that companies see if they fail to achieve their sustainability goals, they are: (1) loss of customers; (2) losing the best employees; and (3) increasing costs. Other reasons for concern would be a bad image, decreased sales, an unfavorable impact on the relationship with investors and the loss of some contracts.
Companies from industries such as mechanical engineering (26 percent), automation and technology (20 percent), electrical engineering and energy technology (11 percent) and others (43 percent) participated in Horváth’s research, including: construction, consumer electronics, metallurgy, paper and luxury goods.


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Following on the heels of Flipkart, popular online retailer Myntra has come under Enforcement Directorate’s scanner for possible violation of FDI norms.
With online retailing becoming popular in the country, Reliance Retail is also looking to tap the potential of this segment.
The contentious issue is, the pricing of products by online retailers, which are offering huge discounts to consumers.
Apart from horizontals like Flipkart and Snapdeal (Those who sell everything), the fashion and apparels segment has attracted the maximum funding.
Amazon.com has launched an advertising blitzkrieg in India with a budget that not only dwarfs all its local peers but is also comparable with retailer Future Group’s ad spends.
"The only e-commerce player that will benefit from such a move is a company which is already operating in India as a marketplace," said a spokeswoman for Flipkart.
From watches to sportswear to jewellery to apparel to even soap, the connection between Bollywood and fashion goes back a long way.
Industry estimates point to about 10 – 15% of the business done by ecommerce portals including travel portals coming through affiliate sites that are driving traffic.