text:
On July 11, a really cool piece of gadgetry went on the market and, in the blink of three days, into more than a million pockets. New buyers' attitudes toward the iPhone 3G were by and large uniform: stoked. But in one respect the revolutionary phone is as old as, say, the Walkman: it has anticipated needs we didn't know we had. Which raises a different sort of question, one whose urgency long predates the iPhone, the iBook, the YouTube, the Wii: what happened to all the once useful things we wanted before? The cell phone that's not a computer, the GPS that's not a phone, the squarely three-dimensional television, the videotape rewinder? In most households—nothing. A recent survey by the classified-ads Web site Kijiji.com says that 70 percent of Americans simply keep old hardware around. When it comes to electronics, the overwhelming trend is in with the new, no change with the old.
This is a problem for two reasons: old electronics can't be tossed out with watermelon rinds because they contain toxic elements, and most of them needn't be tossed anyway because they aren't waste. Batteries will leak nickel and cadmium—carcinogens for humans—if left to fester in a landfill; computers, televisions and cell phones add fatal doses of mercury, beryllium, lead and arsenic, among other toxins. Most people are at least vaguely aware of this, which is why they end up never getting rid of the stuff at all. But enough people aren't—or don't care—so that the United States nevertheless sends between 300 million and 400 million electronic items to the dump every year.
The current strategy of environmentalists is to buy time before products irrevocably become waste. You can pass on working hardware to a charity, or sell it. (Though be warned: according to Kijiji, old stuff is worth far less than people think—the camera that cost $250 a few years ago now has an estimated street value of $24.)
But what if the waste problem could be solved as a design problem? The architect-chemist team of William McDonough and Michael Braungart advocates a cradle-to-cradle model for manufacturing. They believe that an industrial product—say, a carpet—can have a renewable life cycle, just like a plant. With the right design, a manufactured good can be broken down into a number of universal, toxin-free components—what McDonough and Braungart call "technical nutrients"—which then feed again into the production cycle in a closed loop. A substantial portion of the raw materials needed for manufacturing a new product would simply come from the old. A cradle-to-cradle computer, says Steve Bolton, a senior consultant at McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry (MBDC), might consist of "just one or two types of plastics, easily taken apart" and put back into the streams of production. Nothing is thrown out because nothing is waste.
Even without the dramatic redesign MBDC calls for, though, we can waste less than we think. Up to 80 percent of a cell phone is already recyclable: the batteries, once neutralized, yield reusable metals like iron and aluminum; components like the wiring board and LCD screens provide more metals like gold, silver and copper. McDonough and Braungart would like to be able to turn your old cell phone into a new one, but short of that, it can still become part of a speaker set or a stethoscope. What's important is that the waste question is being asked and progressively answered by the manufacturers themselves. Nokia has expanded its initiatives to reclaim old cell phones in the United States and abroad—in China, its Green Box program, in partnership with China Mobile and Motorola, collected more than 30,000 phones in the first three months—and consistently tops the Greenpeace Green Electronics rankings. Dell leads the computer industry's growing acceptance of product stewardship (won in no small part by the likes of the Computer TakeBack Campaign, an aggressive advocacy group): it picks up the shipping and recycling fees for its own products. If it's slightly ahead of the curve, it's actually not too far ahead of the law: in 15 U.S. states and New York City, legislation holds electronics manufacturers responsible for recycling old products.
Though a bunch of paradigm-shifting radicals at heart, MBDC welcomes this kind of incremental progress. In March, it gave Cradle-to-Cradle certification to an unexpected third party in the recycling effort: the U.S. Postal Service, recognized for a pilot program in small-electronics recycling. Special envelopes let you send old PalmPilots, BlackBerrys, digital cameras and the like free of charge to the Clover Technologies Group, an electronics-recycling company that has a "zero waste to landfill" policy.
All these, in the end, are varying stripes of a short-term solution. What cradle-to-cradle really calls for is recycling that is, in fact, restoration, and a relationship between industry and consumer that recognizes the transience of goods. It means that we think about products not just as gadgets we buy and keep but rather as services. We could be leasing our electronics the way we lease our cell-phone service—though the average shelf life of a cell phone isn't even as long as the iPhone plan (two years). Leasing versus buying: it's worth crunching the numbers, and soon—rumor has it the BlackBerry 9000 is almost ready.


text:
The Illinois CPA Society Fox Valley Chapter will offer a sales/use tax seminar from 8-10 a.m. May 2 at the Hilton Inn -- Lisle/Naperville in Lisle.
The seminar will be led by Eric Fader, CPA, JD, managing director at BDO USA in Chicago,
For many businesses that make over-the-counter sales of goods, sales tax rules can be relatively easy to apply. For others, the rules can be terribly complex. Some business owners don't learn the extent of their sales tax noncompliance until they are contacted for audit and receive an assessment.
Many businesses are only now coming to grips with a significant sales tax law change that happened last summer. In June 2018, the U.S. Supreme Court held that a state may legally require a seller to collect and remit sales tax on sales shipped to a customer even if the seller has no physical presence in the destination state. With the court's Wayfair decision, many companies are finding the need to invest in a sales tax engine, such as Avalara, to properly manage sales taxes on sales shipped nationwide.
Knowing where to register for sales/use tax is just the starting point. Whether a sale is taxable or not often differs from state to state. For example, some states impose sales/use taxes on downloaded software, SaaS (software as a service), other digital products, but others do not. Some cities have special taxes, such as Chicago and its personal property lease transaction tax and amusement taxes. Nonprofit organizations may owe sales tax on their purchases made in some states, but not others.
In Illinois, the sales/use tax laws are particularly complex. An Illinois service business, such as a hair salon or veterinarian, may find that its sales/use tax liability can be measured four different ways. Illinois also has unique rules concerning which local sales tax applies to a transaction.

domain: news


text:
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Whether you are planning a vacation or have already booked that Thanksgiving Day trip, with a travel alert in Europe and hurricane season far from over, this fall could be a dicey time to travel.
Make sure you cover all your bases before you get out of town.
Hurricane-proof your trip
The Atlantic hurricane season doesn't end until November 30th, so if you are planning a trip to the islands or a coastal state, schedule with care.
"Find a hotel with a weather guarantee," suggests Mark Orwoll, international editor at Travel + Leisure. "Many hotels agree not to charge you for your room on days that are disrupted by a hurricane."
Most airlines have hurricane policies as well. Check the policy before you book, to make sure you are protected.
"American Airlines will let you change your plans at no fee in the event of an oncoming hurricane as long as you rebook before your first scheduled flight and travel within seven days of your original departure date," says Mark Orwoll.
And if you haven't booked yet, the best way to protect yourself is to choose a destination outside the hurricane belt.
"The southern Caribbean islands of Aruba, Barbados, and Curacao haven't had hurricane damage in decades," suggests Orwoll.
Sparse crowds in major cities and pleasant weather make autumn a great time for European travel, but this week's travel alert has many Americans wondering if now is the time to head overseas.
"The U.S. now has an alert, not a travel warning. Travel could be impacted even more if this changes to a warning," says Bob Diener, travel expert and CEO of GetaRoom.com.
Travel alerts are generally milder and are issued for a shorter term than warnings.
Industry experts and travel agents say the alert has caused very little impact on the region so far, and the U.S. State Department officials say the alert should not scare anyone from traveling to Europe.
But take general precautions if you are an American traveling in Europe this fall.
"We are telling travelers to Europe not to wear sneakers," says Diener. "Europeans usually wear shoes, except to ballgames, and wearing sneakers make Americans stick out."
If you are a savvy traveler, now is actually a great time to book a trip to Europe. Prices have dropped and you can snag some great deals on trips a few months from now, when the alert will likely no longer be in effect.
"We are seeing 4 star hotels in London as low as $75 a night -- and this is in U.S. Dollars!" says Diener. "In Paris, 4 star hotels are as low as $130. These are great deals for booking now."
|Overnight Avg Rate||Latest||Change||Last Week|
|30 yr fixed||3.62%||3.69%|
|15 yr fixed||2.77%||2.80%|
|30 yr refi||3.61%||3.69%|
|15 yr refi||2.76%||2.83%|
Today's featured rates:
Investors need someone they can bring home to mother instead of bad boys (or girls) that may make their heart beat faster. Boring beats bold in this market. Here are 10 dependable stocks we love. Southwest (ticker symbol: LUV) is one. More
Cheap oil and slow global growth may not be the only culprits of the global market turmoil. There's growing concern that central banks are spooking the markets too. More
Women coders do better than men in a gender-blind study that examines GitHub requests. More
Why is Donald Trump missing from Bleacher Creatures' new line of presidential candidates plush dolls? More


text:
Jack Roberts | June 20, 2013
Electric-truck spotting across the pond.
Jack Roberts | March 10, 2013
Rounding up commercial van market, hybrid truck, solar panel, natural gas powertrain and other news from the NTEA show in Indianapolis, which ended March 8.
Sign up to get Overdrive's daily newsletter.


text: Many business owners see November and Christmas as an opportunity to catch up after a slow and difficult year. Small business owners have faced another challenging year navigating increasing wages, inflations, and supply chain issues. While it is important to maximise the Christmas window, it must not create additional stress or burnout for employers. Christmas can be an exceptionally stressful time of the year. The holidays bring specific troubles like shorter deadlines, increased workloads, family commitments, and increased expenses. How can employers look after their mental health and well-being?


text:
They will be jointly bidding for tenders rolled out under this initiative.
Get My Parking lists parking spaces on its portal and shows real time availability of spaces.
According to Rasik Pansare, chief marketing officer and co-founder, Get My Parking, “We are in talks with Bosch and Ford Mobility as they have been looking to enter the Indian parking space since quite some time and were in the process of identifying Indian partners. We will be jointly bidding for tenders.”
While the Indian partner will bring in the local expertise, Bosch would make available its world class technology in areas like video analytics where they are a world major, he said.
"While 70% of the parking spaces listed on the portal belongs to the government agencies, we are also tying up with retail chains and malls,” said Pansare, adding that usage of such technologies help them in plugging loopholes and improving revenue by 20%.
Get My Parking has worked with several government agencies like the Delhi Metro and has also conducted a pilot project in Navi Mumbai among others.
According to a complaint filed by Vivek Gupta, the Chief Financial Officer of JBM Group, Sector 44, it was on Friday that he received messages on WhatsApp requesting to transfer certain sums to bank accounts indicated in the messages.
With this, for the first time-ever all the three German luxury car companies, BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi, will have Indian executives holding the top position. Santosh Iyer will be the MD of Mercedes-Benz, Vikram Pawah is the CEO & President and CEO of BMW India, and Balbir Singh Dhillon is the head of Audi India.


text:
There are only a few weeks of us until the end of the year and, as always, it is the right time to do an analysis of the last twelve months. And a boy like the whirlwind of those twelve months. Almost no one was left without the influence of COVID-19 coronavirus, either directly or indirectly. Of course, the powerful mobile phone market did not go unharmed and, to some extent, the effects on the industry could be felt long after the pandemic became a footnote in history.
The most immediate effect of the COVID-19 outbreak was disruption of almost all schedules this year. From the closure of production facilities in China to the cancellation of annual events, it was almost as if the whole world was thrown into chaos. Even when the world has begun to get back on its feet and postpone events that have been postponed to the future, the damage has already been done.
Late development and production plans meant late launches. That meant missing out on window opportunities that smartphone makers took advantage of. This meant, for example, a loss of projected quarters of revenue because the phone was not put into operation in those months. This ultimately meant that other parts of the chain, especially manufacturers, installers and their employees, would also receive their revenues and fees late.
Of course, the pandemic had a much broader impact on the global economy, even in places where the coronavirus was barely touching. Trade has been stopped or restricted at borders, and businesses have been closed, some even permanently. Money quickly became an even bigger problem than it ever was, and people had to monitor their budgets and resources more carefully to make sure they were spending only on necessary and critical purchases.
Computers, especially laptops, have become some of the basic purchases this year due to the need for remote work, often from home. In light of all the other concerns, buying a new phone has become less urgent, especially for those who still have perfectly usable devices. Even as production and deliveries began to grow towards the second half of the year, demand for smartphones never truly reached the peaks it would have had by then.
An ironic increase
At the same time, there has been a somewhat ironic development that has countered the decline in demand for new smartphones. Smartphones have actually become even more critical even as laptops and tablets have become the focus of Work From Home (WFH) focus. Communication, via the Internet and traditional telephone lines and SMS, has become even more important during quarantine and shelter ordering.
From social networks to games, smartphones, apps and mobile Internet have seen a sharp rise in recent months. Their importance may have ironically prompted users to be more reserved about changing phones at the time. From the health risks associated with buying a new phone to the technical risks that result from a new but non-functional handset, consumers are less interested in jumping into a new phone for no compelling reason.
Of course, there will always be some reasons for people to buy the latest and greatest phones, but this year’s selection has given even passionate smartphone lovers a pause to think. Precisely because of the delay and the distorted market economy accumulated on top of the regularly rising price of components, the prices of high-end phones have risen even more this year. Where $ 1,000 phones weren’t scandalous even just two years ago, this has become the basis for this year’s flagship models.
Samsung had the misfortune to launch a new high-end phone right at the start of the pandemic, where fear and uncertainty gripped the world. Apple’s new iPhone 12 naturally sold well, but for a while its new iPhone SE 2020 was considered the most popular smartphone, especially during the first half of the year. It might be too early to conclude that consumers are smarter in buying smartphones, but there could be another factor here.
Intermediate level in March
Mid-range phones are constantly growing in capabilities and market share, not in the least by chip makers that are narrowing the gap between premium and higher mid-range silicon. Even with the slow spread of 5G, the number of such phones that can connect to the next generation network is also slowly growing.
Even Google seems to be playing this game, pushing its flagship Pixel 5 onto the Snapdragon 700 series of chips. More brands like LG are launching similar phones, sometimes powered by MediaTek’s equivalent. At the same time, there are those like OnePlus that are expanding their product lines to cover not only the mid-range market, but even entry-level markets.
COVID-19 has really changed the world in many ways, most of which are not good. Based on some data, the smartphone market has indeed declined this year, but is slowly on its way to recovery. Things may be the same, however, with some manufacturers, namely Samsung, who are trying to make up for it with custom schedules.
While there will always be people reaching for every new Samsung or Apple’s leading company, consumers are forced to re-evaluate smartphone purchases, keep their phones longer, and even expect more software updates from the manufacturer. Whether this will become the new normal for the mobile phone market is still uncertain, which makes the coming year a little more interesting and exciting.


text:
Small supplier Economy Energy has collapsed just days after regulator Ofgem banned it from taking on new customers for three months. The ban came following a string of customer service complaints.
The company has around 235,000 domestic customers, who will be assigned to a new provider under Ofgem’s ‘supplier of last resort’ process. Economy Energy customers are advised not to switch supplier until the process is complete. Their energy supply will continue uninterrupted and their credit balances will be protected.
Economy Energy had faced criticism and censure from Ofgem for its “unacceptable” customer service, including the mishandling of billing, refunds, and customer complaints. Last week Ofgem banned the small provider from signing up new customers, taking one-off payments, and increasing direct debits until its customer service performance improved.
At the time of the company’s collapse, the Energy Ombudsman had 1,303 open investigations into complaints from customers of Economy Energy, and were logging more monthly complaints about the supplier than of any other outside of the Big Six, which have much larger customer bases.
“All suppliers are required to treat their customers fairly. Where they do not, Ofgem will take the necessary steps to ensure suppliers change their behaviour and to prevent further harm to customers,” Anthony Pygram, director of conduct and enforcement at Ofgem, said at the time.
The shuttering of Economy Energy means that nine small energy providers—including Spark Energy, Extra Energy, Future Energy, National Gas and Power, Iresa Energy, Gen4U, One Select and Usio Energy — have folded within the last year, displacing 800,000 customers. However, as the cost of allocating these consumers to other suppliers is spread across all energy bills, we’re all feeling the impact of these failures.
The poor fortunes of small suppliers over the last year has raised questions about the stability of the UK’s energy industry, and has prompted Ofgem to strengthen its licensing procedures for new market entrants.
The number of upstart suppliers has exploded in recent years, from just 11 in 2008 to more than 80 today. Meanwhile market share for the Big Six has fallen to 75%, done from 100% just over a decade ago, as customers, pursuing discounts, switch to new competitors. Currently the cheapest tariff on the market is offered by Utility Point, a company that only applied for its gas electricity licence on 19 November 2018. At £903 for a typical dual fuel customer, it’s £151 a year cheaper than the lowest tariff from a Big Six supplier—£1,052 from British gas—and £357 less than the most expensive, £1,260 also from British Gas.
However, discounted tariffs leave these small suppliers will little room to manoeuvre when wholesale fuel prices rise, as they did precipitously last year. Additionally, a pound weakened by Brexit uncertainty has sapped suppliers’ purchasing power in the global energy market.
Many small suppliers have made ends meet by reducing customer support services, leading to a rash of complaints and calls for action from consumer watchdog Citizens Advice.
“It is vital now that Ofgem does more to protect consumers from poor customer service,” Gillian Guy, chief executive at Citizens Advice, said following the collapse of beleaguered supplier Iresa in July.
Ofgem has responded by stiffening its licensing procedures for new suppliers. From the spring, new market entrants will be required to demonstrate they have funds and resources to operate for 12 months and details how they will handle customer service complaints and protect vulnerable consumers.
While Citizens Advice welcomed the new regulations, it said Ofgem needed to do more to protect customers from companies already in the market.
Meanwhile, the price cap for default tariffs, set at £1,137 for the typical dual-fuel customer paying by direct debit from 1 January, is expected to further hit small suppliers.
Economy Energy did not offer apology to its customers on its website but simply directed them Ofgem’s site.


text:
UK bans retouched L'Oreal ads
Britain's advertising watchdog has banned two advertisements by French cosmetics giant L'Oreal over "misleading" airbrushed images of actress Julia Roberts and supermodel Christy Turlington.
L'Oreal - the world's largest cosmetics maker - failed to prove that the photos used in its magazine ads accurately showed the results of the products, the Advertising Standards Agency said in its ruling.
The ban follows a complaint by a British MP about ads for L'Oreal's "Teint Miracle" foundation, promoted by Roberts for the Lancome brand, and ads for "The Eraser" foundation by Maybelline, featuring Turlington.
"We accept that digital manipulation is used in adverts but it has to be done in a truthful way," Advertising Standards Agency spokesman Matt Wilson said.
"In these particular adverts we were not satisfied that the post-production techniques have not exaggerated the benefits of the product."
But L'Oreal claims the ads accurately show the results the products could achieve.
It admitted post-production techniques had been used on the picture of Turlington to "lighten the skin, clean up make-up, reduce dark shadows and shading around the eyes, smooth the lips and darken the eyebrows."
Roberts has "naturally healthy and glowing skin," L'Oreal said, adding that the photo was taken by Mario Testino, who is well known for his flattering camera work.
Jo Swinson, the MP from the centrist Liberal Democrat party who made the complaint, said images like the "dishonest and misleading" ones featured in the ads were "distorting our idea of beauty."


text:
Traffic light labelling uses colours to rate the nutritional content of food according to how healthy it is. A common version uses a panel with red, amber or green dots to rate the food's salt, sugar, saturated fat and total fat content separately. A variation adds a single coloured dot to give an overall rating, rather than just rating separate nutrients.
The percentage daily intake system and its variations present, for each of the key nutrients, the proportion of the government recommended adult daily intake that a serving of the product contains.
The study found that consumers favoured a consistent labelling format across all products. In addition, those who were shown the traffic light labels were five times more likely to identify healthier foods than those shown a single colour version of the percentage daily intake label and three times more likely to do so than those shown a colour-coded version of the daily intake label.
"As a result of these findings, we are recommending that mandatory traffic light labelling regulation be introduced in Australia. The labels should be applied to all processed retail grocery food and drinks at first, and consideration should be given to extending that to restaurant chains with standard menu items," Kelly said.
The findings are relevant to other countries, Kelly said, adding that regulations being considered by the European Union favour a system similar to the percentage daily intake approach.
Kelly said that further research is needed to determine whether the traffic light system proves to be as effective in other countries, but that the study showed it could be used equally well by all consumers, regardless of ethnicity, gender and socioeconomic status.
The study was funded by the New South Wales Health Department, the University of Sydney and several Australian public health and consumer organisations.
|Contact: Emma Ross|
European Association for the Study of Obesity


text:
Skull and Bones, Ubisoft’due south long-delayed multiplayer pirate game, has had yet another change in direction, equally a veteran producer of Call of Duty joins its development team.
Neven Dravinksi worked as a senior producer on Phone call of Duty equally far back as 2012’s Black Ops 2. He most recently directed the product of Warzone and Modern Warfare’southward live service elements. According to a press release, he’s joined Skull and Basic as a senior producer to shape the game’s vision and strategy
The press release made no mention of a potential release date. Ubisoft is still officially targeting a launch window between 2022 and 2023, and its language suggests the game is still very much in the thick of development. Dravinksi hasn’t been brought on to oversee the completion of the title, but to lead the development team as information technology continues work on the game.
“I am excited to join the talented teams of Ubisoft Singapore,” he said in a printing release. ”The Skull and Bones evolution team is working on an incredibly exciting project, and I await forward to supporting them every bit they bring the game’southward vision to life”.
A bumpy ride
That volition be no mean feat. Skull and Bones has faced a turbulent evolution since information technology began life every bit an expansion to Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag back in 2013. A Kotaku
(opens in new tab)
report released last year detailed how its scope and gameplay had dramatically inverse over the course of development, with its setting, core naval gameplay loop, and creative direction existence radically upended throughout.
Skull and Bones has long been beleaguered past changes in management, likewise. Elizabeth Pellen is currently acting as the game’southward third creative manager, and it was but earlier this year that co-director Antoine Henry left the projection.
That yet some other senior managing director is being introduced might exist taken as a sign that the game’s tumultuous development isn’t yet behind it, equally new hands are brought on to the ship to steer it into calmer waters. However, Ubisoft will probable be hoping Dravinski – and his twenty years of video game product experience – will be the cardinal to curing Skull and Bones’ ills.
Before this year, six minutes of Skull and Bones gameplay was leaked on Reddit
(opens in new tab), giving united states a glimpse of its naval combat, before existence promptly removed for copyright violation. While information technology wasn’t clear at what stage of the game’due south production the video had been captured, PCGamer
(opens in new tab)
reckoned information technology looked fairly like to what information technology had seen during a 2022 preview. Players journey across the high seas and skirmish in fast-paced naval gainsay, completing contracts to earn infamy and upgrade their ship.
Although originally slated to release in 2022, Ubisoft has delayed the game numerous times. It’s currently due to launch in the 2022 fiscal yr, which would place information technology somewhere between Apr 2022 and April 2023. But even that wide margin may prove too shortly.
- These are the games to get excited about while you wait for Skull and Basic


text:
UK Supreme court to hear UK iPhone users case against Google for tracking through Safari Browser and selling their information to advertisers
Around a week ago we saw how Google was sued for $5 billion for tracking private browsing activity of users. Everyone knows that every tech company that has a browser keeps track of user activity even if the users use it in the private or incognito mode. We even saw how the private and open-source Brave Browser indulging in affiliate marketing. Now Google seems to in a big mess in the United Kingdom. The Supreme Court of the United Kingdom will start hearings in a case where it is alleged that Google collected information of millions of iPhone users through the Safari Browser and sold this information to advertisers.
The case has been filed by one, Richard Lloyd on behalf of UK iPhone users stating that Google tracked their activity between August 2011 and February 2012 without their consent or knowledge and sold the information to advertisers.
The lawsuit against Google states that the company unlawfully bypassing default privacy settings on Apple iPhone’s and placing tracking cookies on the company’s Safari browser for advertising purposes.
The case is lead by Richard Lloyd, the former executive director of the consumer rights group on the behalf of 4 million iPhone users in the UK. Lloyd appealed in the UK supreme court for a formal hearing of the case and according to some reports the Supreme Court has agreed to weigh in on whether a collective lawsuit brought against Google for allegedly tracking the personal data of 4 million iPhone users should be allowed to proceed through the U.K.’s courts.
After getting the news of the lawsuit filed, Google said whether all the UK’s iPhone users have the same interest in the claim and argue that not all users can claim for compensation for damages.
The Court of Appeal ruled that Lloyd could represent the consumers, even though the amount of data Google extracted varied between individuals. The consumers’ claims against Google are not based upon their individual circumstances, such as the degree of distress they suffered, but on the general intrusion and loss they experienced, the court ruled.
That ruling overturned a High Court decision from October 2018, when the lower court dismissed Lloyd’s claim for breach of statutory duty. The judge, in that case, found that the millions of iPhone users cited in the claim had not suffered sufficient damage, or had not been affected in the same way, to allow the case to proceed.
The court has not made a decision yet but the Lawyers estimated that the case could yield damages to Google of between £1 billion ($1.3 billion) and £3 billion ($3.38 billion).


text:
- Subscribe NowLimited Time Offer
Fast 100: uBreakiFix
Companies are started for a variety of reasons, but for Justin Wetherill, it all came down to not wanting to pay Apple $199 to fix his broken iPhone screen. Instead, Wetherill teamed up with David Reiffin in 2009 to build a uBreakiFix website to market iPhone repair in Orlando. He auctioned iPhone repairs for $79.99 apiece on eBay and fixed about seven phones a day.
Fast-forward and uBreakiFix has grown from two stores in 2009 to 11 in 2010 to almost 50 by the end of 2012. In that time period, the Orlando-based company, which fixes everything from smartphones to computers, has watched revenue soar from $1.1 million in 2010 to $17 million in 2012.
The 25-year-old University of Central Florida graduate’s next goal: to have 125 stores up and running by the end of 2013 and a couple thousand open in the next several years.
“Now that we began franchising this past February, our plan is to infiltrate new markets at an even faster rate,” Wetherill said.
His secret to success: the fact that anyone can sell, but not everyone can serve.
“Always make an effort to ‘wow’ your customers,” he said. “Whether you’re wholesaling to other businesses or dealing directly with the consumer, always serve your customer.”
If you are commenting using a Facebook account, your profile information may be displayed with your comment depending on your privacy settings. By leaving the 'Post to Facebook' box selected, your comment will be published to your Facebook profile in addition to the space below.
- Most popular
- Epcot’s Frozen attraction one step closer to reality
- Exclusive: New 2,900-home ‘agrihood’ planned near UCF
- First look: Images of Orlando’s planned $1B agrihood near UCF
- Iconic I-Drive McDonald's getting a new look
- The Boathouse officially opens at Disney Springs
- See where Ruby Tuesday will open its Orlando office
- All Aboard Florida chooses firm to design, build signal equipment
- Maitland finance firm lands $100M+ in VC funding
- Ruby Tuesday to open new Orlando regional office, create jobs
- MegaCon brings mega fans home to Orlando
Audience Development Director Orlando Business Journal | Orlando, FL
Adjunct Professors Valencia College | Orlando, FL
Audience Development Account Executive South Florida Business Journal | Fort Lauderdale, FL
Professor, Network Engineering Technology Valencia College | Orlando, FL
Sales Southeast Stone | Orlando, FL


text:
The FDA has released the NARMS (National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System) Retail Meat Interim Report with data from January 2014 through June 2015. This report focuses on Salmonella, including serotype distribution, prevalence by food source and state, selected resistance patterns, and a list of all the identified antimicrobial resistance genes.
The “encouraging trends” in the report include finding that the prevalence of Salmonella in retail poultry is at its lowest level since testing began in 2002. In ground turkey, the prevalence of Salmonella has declined from a high of 19% in 2008 to 6% in 2014. In retail chicken during the same time period, it dropped from 15% to 9%.
Salmonella resistance to ceftriaxone, a medically important antibiotic from chicken sources declined steadily from a high of 38% in retail chicken in 2009 to 18% in 2014, and 5% during the first half of 2015. In addition, resistance to fluoroquinolones such as ciprofloxacin, which are critically important for treating Salmonella infections, was absent from poultry and beef, although one isolate was found in pork. Multidrug resistance in Salmonella showed a “downward drift” in chicken and turkey from 2011 levels of 45% and 50%, respectively, to 20% and 36% in June 2015.
But, in causes for concern, FDA identified the first instance of ciprofloxacin resistance in an isolate from retail pork, and identified the genes associated with this resistance. One ceftriaxone-resistant retail chicken isolate from 2014 had the extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) gene blaCTX-M-65. This is the first time this important class of resistance gene has been detected in the United States. This gene causes resistance to β-lactam antibiotics, which means fewer treatment options for patients.
Whole genome sequencing (WGS) data can be used to predict antimicrobial resistance for several bacteria and can also identify the genes that cause resistance to a specific antibiotic. This new report has WGS data for all of the 271 retail meat isolates from 2014 and for 114 of the Salmonella isolates collected from January through June 2015.
All of the WGS data for NARMS isolates are publicly available in GenBank bioproject PRJNA290865. In addition, WGS data lets the FDA for the first time, to understand the mechanisms underlying each of the resistance phenotypes observed, and how they differ by source. All of the data can be found at NARMS Now.


text:
Ed. Note-we continue our series of guest posts from our colleague Mary Shaddock Jones, who today draws some lessons from the Wal-Mart matter.
On November 8, 2006 Wal-Mart entered the Canadian Market opening three supercenters in Ancaster, London and Stouffville in Ontario, Canada. On April 21, 2012, the New York Times published an article which included the following statements:
“In September 2005, a senior Wal-Mart lawyer received an alarming e-mail from a former executive at the company’s largest foreign subsidiary, Wal-Mart de Mexico. In the e-mail and follow-up conversations, the former executive described how Wal-Mart de Mexico had orchestrated a campaign of bribery to win market dominance. In its rush to build stores, he said, the company had paid bribes to obtain permits in virtually every corner of the country. The former executive gave names, dates and bribe amounts. He knew so much, he explained, because for years he had been the lawyer in charge of obtaining construction permits for Wal-Mart de Mexico. Wal-Mart dispatched investigators to Mexico City, and within days they unearthed evidence of widespread bribery. They found a paper trail of hundreds of suspect payments totaling more than $24 million. They also found documents showing that Wal-Mart de Mexico’s top executives not only knew about the payments, but had taken steps to conceal them from Wal-Mart’s headquarters in Bentonville, Ark. In a confidential report to his superiors, Wal-Mart’s lead investigator, a former F.B.I. special agent, summed up their initial findings this way: “There is reasonable suspicion to believe that Mexican and USA laws have been violated.” The lead investigator recommended that Wal-Mart expand the investigation. Instead, an examination by The New York Times found, Wal-Mart’s leaders shut it down.”
This is not the type of news that the Board of Directors of U.S. public company wants to learn about through a newspaper headline ...Zum vollständigen Artikel


text:
Zhao offers a quick history of China's foreign policy since 1949 and then offers a provocative assessment of it today.
Congressional Research Service, "China-U.S. Trade Issues," July 11, 2007
Click here to view reports from another year:
March 2002 | July 2007 | March 2008 | October 2008 | March 4, 2009 | March 31, 2009 | June, 3, 2009 | June 23, 2009 | September 2009 | June 2010 | December 2010 | January 2011 | May 2011 | June 2011 | August 4, 2011 | August 10, 2011 | August 29, 2011 | September 2011 | July 2013 | December 2013 | February 2014 | July 2014
U.S.-China economic ties have expanded substantially over the past several years. Total U.S.-China trade, which totaled only $5 billion in 1980, rose to $343 billion in 2006. China is also now the 2nd largest U.S. trading partner, its 2nd largest source of U.S. imports, and its 4th largest export market. With a huge population and a rapidly expanding economy, China is a potentially huge market for U.S. exporters. However, economic relations have become strained over a number of issues, including China’s large and growing trade surpluses with the United States; its failure to fully implement its World Trade Organization (WTO) commitments, especially in regards to intellectual property rights (IPR); its refusal to adopt a floating currency system; and its maintenance of industrial policies and other practices deemed unfair and/or harmful to various U.S. economic sectors.
The Bush Administration has come under increasing pressure from Congress to take a more aggressive stance against various Chinese economic and trade practices. It has recently filed a number of trade dispute resolution cases against China in the WTO, including over China’s failure to protect IPR and afford market access for IPR-related products, discriminatory regulations on imported auto parts, and import and export subsidies to various industries in China. In addition, the Administration recently reversed a long-standing policy that countervailing cases (dealing with government subsidies) could not be brought against non-market economies (such as China) when it brought against certain imported Chinese glossy paper products. Finally, in December 2006, the Administration began a “Strategic Economic Dialogue” (SED) with China to discuss major long-term economic issues between the two countries. The latest SED talks were held in May 2007. Several bills have been introduced in Congress that would impact U.S.-China economic relations. H.R. 321, H.R. 782, H.R. 1002, H.R. 2942, S. 364, S. 796, and S. 1607 seek to address China’s currency policy. H.R. 388 would prohibit U.S. imports of Chinese autos as long as Chinese tariffs on autos are higher than U.S. tariffs. H.R. 708, H.R. 1229, and S. 974 would clarify that countervailing laws can apply non-market economies. H.R. 571 would raise tariffs on countries classified as non-market economies (including China). H.R. 1958 and S. 571 would terminate China’s permanent normal trade relations (PNTR) status. H.R. 275 attempts to promote free expression and a free flow of information on the Internet by preventing U.S. companies from aiding regimes that restrict access to the Internet.
China’s rise as a major economic power has raised a number of concerns over its impact on the U.S. economy. For example, China is attempting to become a major producer and exporter of autos and high technology products, which could increasingly pose competitive challenges to many U.S. firms (especially if China continues to subsidize its firms). In addition, massive piracy rates in China have not only cost U.S. firms billions of dollars in lost sales in China, but also in third markets and in the United States. Finally, imports of certain contaminated food and defective consumer products from China have raised a number of health and safety concerns. This report examines major U.S.-China trade issues and will be updated as events warrant.
Please click here to download the report.
Click here for a listing of reports released by the Congressional Research Service.
U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai: Openness, inclusion and fairness essential at home and as principles in dealing with China
Resilience, inclusion and communication central in her remarks
The Dragon Roars Back – Mao, Deng and Xi Jinping and China’s evolving relations with the world - Zhao Suisheng 赵穗生, University of Denver
Join us for a book talk with Suisheng Zhao on how Mao Zedong, Deng Xiaoping, and Xi Jinping each conceived and executed radically different approaches to China's relations with others.


text:
Online payment gateway CCAvenue has enabled the Immediate Mobile Payment Service (IMPS) for merchant payments which allows users to make real-time inter-bank payments via mobile phones. To use their IMPS service, users have to click on the IMPS as the payment option on the site or mobile site, enter their Mobile Money ID number (MMID), mobile number and the One Time Password (OTP) given to them by their bank. Users are required to apply to their bank to obtain their MMID.
Earlier this week, mobile -focused e-commerce platform Paytm introduced IMPS on its platform, through which users will be able to use their mobile wallets to transfer money into bank accounts.
The transaction volumes on IMPS grew on a monthly basis to 10.2 million transaction (10,296,788 transactions) from 9.5 million transactions (9,502,423 transactions) in January while the amount transacted increased by 15.68% on a monthly basis to Rs 7337.47 crore. The average transaction amount increased by 6.76% on a monthly basis to Rs 7,125.98.
Currently, 50 banks are signed up for IMPS. As of now, ICICI Bank has issued the maximum numbers of MMIDs which was at 25.78 million, followed by Axis Bank with 11.55 million, State Bank Of India with 6.44 million MMIDs, Indian Bank with 4.5 million and Kotak Mahindra Bank with 3.77 million MMIDs. What’s worth noting that these numbers hasremained unchanged on a monthly basis.
CCAvenue in the news
Earlier in January, CCAvenue had launched a multi-lingual checkout/payment page for websites and apps. The Indian languages offered by the gateway include Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Punjabi. The gateway also supports various international languages like Arabic, Chinese, French, Deutsch, Italian, Portuguese, Japanese and Spanish, other than English.
In November, CCAvenue and UAE-based financial institution Mashreq partnered to launch an e-commerce and m-commerce payment solution in UAE. For smaller businesses and individuals the payment solution will offer easy integration and better customizations, while for larger enterprises the platform will provide automated electronic invoicing through SMS and email, multiple currency processing, marketing tools and social media in-stream payments (S.N.I.P) among other features.
Previously, CCAvenue had re-launched as an e-commerce suite, with features like a DIY webstore, analytics solution, reputation monitoring, website uptime, facebook and twitter management, facebook apps, dynamic routing and billing in 27 currencies in India, in January this year. The company had then moved its existing customers to the new platform.
In 2013, the company launched an in-stream payment collection service for social networking websites called Social Networks In-stream Payments (SNIP). This service enables consumers to buy products through social networking sites.


text:
The Egyptian Tourism Authority launched a five-week campaign to promote Egypt as a tourist destination, entitled “Ramadan Fee Masr Gher” (Ramadan in Egypt is Different), to parts of the Arab world including Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, and Jordan.
The launch of this campaign coincides with the holy month of Ramadan and the approaching Eid al-Fitr to attract more Arab tourists to visit the Egyptian tourist destination and enjoy the festive atmosphere there.
The CEO of the Egyptian Tourism Authority, Amr al-Kady, that the purpose of this campaign aims to invest in Ramadan as a means of promoting tourism, in which Egypt has a competitive advantage, within the Arab market.
The promotional content of this campaign includes videos presented by Arab and Egyptian influencers, bloggers, and content makers, he said.
Kady added that these videos will be shared across social media platforms, in addition to the Shahid platform in the markets where the campaign was launched, in addition to the electronic reservation platform WEGO – one of the largest search and reservation engines in the Middle East.
The campaign aims to drive direct bookings at Egyptian tourist destinations during the Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr seasons in the Arab market, he said.
The Director General of the Tourism Promotion Department at the Authority, Suzan Mustafa, indicated that the authority is focusing on electronic campaigns, especially in light of increasing trends towards using the internet for search and reservations.
The campaign aims to advertise Egypt as the place to be to spend Ramadan, owing to its distinct and festive atmosphere during the holy month, she said.


text:
For the third consecutive year, Internet advertising revenues in the U.S have reached record highs with a total of $12.5 billion spent in 2005, jumping 30 percent from 2004 ($9.6 billion), according to recent figures released by the Internet Advertising Bureau (IAB) and PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC).
$3.6 billion was spent in the fourth quarter alone, exceeding year-on-year figures by nearly 34 percent ($9.6 billion). Internet advertising as a whole accounted for approximately 5 percent of total U.S advertising, up from nearly 3.7 percent in 2004.
Search continues to dominate Internet Ad revenues, accounting for 41 percent ($5.1 billion) of total adspend in 2005, followed closely by display related advertising which attracted 34 percent of total revenues.
Internet Ad Revenues by Advertising Format
Source: PricewaterhouseCoopers, April 2006
|Online Ad Format
Pete Petrusky, Director, PricewaterhouseCoopers is confident that this trend will continue, “The Internet delivers the right audience at the right time – a winning combination for all types of marketers. We expect to see continued growth in Internet advertising spend.”


text:
Headquartered in New York, Macy’s Inc. (M) is one of the nation’s premier omni-channel fashion retailers, operating through its stores, websites, and mobile applications. The company sells a range of merchandise, including apparel and accessories for men, women, and children, cosmetics, home furnishings, and other consumer goods. M operates primarily through its three retail brands — Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s and Bluemercury.
The stock has been on a steep downtrend over the past couple of years as consumers have slowly but surely increasingly favored online retailers. Amid this intensifying competition, M has declined 31.9% since hitting its 52-week high on January 8.
Even though the company’s digital sales grew in the last-reported quarter, its weak fundamentals and uncertainty about its potential to rebound based on several factors have led our proprietary rating system to rate the stock as “Neutral.”
Here is how our proprietary POWR Ratings system evaluates M:
Trade Grade: C
M is currently trading slightly above its 50-day and 200-day moving averages of $10.20 and $7.49, respectively. This indicates an uptrend. Moreover, M has gained 17.8% over the past month. However, the company’s results for its last reported quarter do not look promising.
The company’s net sales for the third quarter ended October 31, 2020 have declined 22.9% year-over-year to $4 billion. Its digital sales have increased 27% year-over-year. However, comparable sales were down 21% on an owned basis and down 20.2% on an owned-plus- licensed basis. Moreover, M reported an operating loss and net loss of $127 million and $91 million, respectively.
On December 15, the company announced several deals to attract last-minute shoppers. M offered same-day delivery through DoorDash Inc. (DASH) until December 23, and contactless curbside pick-up until December 24. The company announced on November 23, that it has named Malek Robert Amirshahi as senior vice president for its corporate communications. Also in late October, M announced its collaboration with the Culpo sisters — Olivia Culpo, Aurora Culpo, and Sophia Culpo — on an exclusive ready-to-wear collection, Culpos X INC International Concepts.
Buy & Hold Grade: C
In terms of proximity to its 52-week high, which is a key factor that our Buy & Hold Grade considers, M is positioned unfavorably. The stock is currently trading 35.2% below its 52-week high of $18.57.
Over the past three years, the company’s revenue has declined at a CAGR of 8% due to its weak financials and stiff competition from its peers. M’s EBITDA also declined at a CAGR of 79.8% during that period.
Peer Grade: D
M is currently ranked #36 of 66 stocks in the Fashion & Luxury industry. Other popular stocks in the fashion & luxury group are Estee Lauder Companies, Inc. (EL), Crocs, Inc. (CROX), and lululemon athletica inc. (LULU).
These industry participants have comfortably beaten M over the past year. EL, CROX, and LULU have gained 27.2%, 50.8%, and 52%, respectively, over this period, versus M’s 28.3% decline.
Industry Rank: B
The Fashion & Luxury industry is ranked #38 of the 123 StockNews.com industries. Since COVID-19 struck the whole world, people have been spending more time at home. So, retailers have had to come up with innovative ways to connect with their markets with the help of advanced technology.
Companies in this industry have been increasingly emphasizing on their online platforms. Although the way these companies operate is expected to change versus the pre-pandemic MO, the industry is expected to perform well as the economy gradually recovers.
Overall POWR Rating: C (Neutral)
Despite reporting digital sales growth in its last reported quarter, M is rated “Neutral” due to its weakening fundamentals and stiff competition as determined by the four components of our POWR Rating.
Despite expanding its fulfilment offerings — such as curbside pick-up, store pickup, and same-day delivery, M has lost 29.2% this year. Even if demand revives after the successful deployment of the coronavirus vaccine, consumers will have a wider range of shopping options from which to choose than before the public health crisis.
Analyst sentiment, which gives a good sense of a stock’s future price movement, is not favorable for M. A consensus revenue estimate of $17.04 billion for 2021 represents a 30.6% decline year-over-year. Its EPS is also expected to decline 200.7% in 2021.
Want More Great Investing Ideas?
M shares were trading at $11.66 per share on Thursday morning, down $0.37 (-3.08%). Year-to-date, M has declined -28.57%, versus a 17.60% rise in the benchmark S&P 500 index during the same period.
About the Author: Manisha Chatterjee
Since she was young, Manisha has had a strong interest in the stock market. She majored in Economics in college and has a passion for writing, which has led to her career as a research analyst. More...
More Resources for the Stocks in this Article
|Ticker||POWR Rating||Industry Rank||Rank in Industry|
|M||Get Rating||Get Rating||Get Rating|
|EL||Get Rating||Get Rating||Get Rating|
|CROX||Get Rating||Get Rating||Get Rating|
|LULU||Get Rating||Get Rating||Get Rating|


text:
In light of the current world situations, Covid-19 has forced many brands and businesses to think creatively about their marketing. A great example of this is Taste.com.au has launched their new ‘Dinner Revolution’ campaign in July. The campaign will focus on a dinner range across all of its platforms, including website, social, video, email newsletters, magazine and new client solutions.
During lockdown the food website noticed a distinct increase in consumer demand for dinner recipes. Dinner Revolution provides taste.com.au’s monthly audience of more than 5.6 million people with recipes, social and video programming, a custom newsletter and a new section in the physical magazine, all devoted to dinner. There will also be a ‘Cook by Ingredient’ function that enables users to locate recipes (from taste.com.au’s database of 50,000 recipes) that utilise ingredients that they already have in their fridge and pantry.
To kick off the campaign taste.com.au is streaming a live virtual event featuring Matt Preston and Marion Grasby. Dinner Revolution will be further supported by a national consumer marketing campaign across digital, social, print and radio.
With increasing consumer demand "Dinner Revolution" campaign will help more Australians make, eat and love dinner at home.
From the ashes creative solutions are born.
Don't wait until it's to late. Let's work this out together: 02 6761 2222


text:
Vehicle thefts increased three per cent in the UK in 2021 as criminals got their hands on almost 48,500 vehicles.
The figures were reported by the police to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) and mean that a car is stolen every 11 minutes somewhere in the UK.
It’s an increase of 1,617 vehicle thefts on 2020, but remains more than 10,000 down on 2019’s pre-pandemic figures, when 58,642 cars were nicked.
The Ford Fiesta was 2021’s most stolen car in the UK with 3,909 thefts, which is perhaps unsurprising given just how popular the supermini is, having spent many years at the top of the annual sales figures.
In second place was the Range Rover, with 3,754 being stolen. This model is commonly targeted because it’s an expensive premium SUV that’s in high demand.
The rest of the top five was made up of two more mainstream models in the Ford Focus (1,912) and Volkswagen Golf (1,755), as well as another premium model, the Mercedes-Benz C-Class, with 1,474 thefts.
The Land Rover Discovery was the second Land Rover product in the top 10, with 1,260 stolen, while the Mercedes-Benz E-Class (818) rounded out the top 10.
These premium models are often targeted by keyless car theft. This usually involves criminal gangs using signal boosters to trick vehicles into thinking the key is nearby, which makes it possible to unlock it and drive away.
To combat this, it’s recommended to keep the key as far from the vehicle as possible so the signal boosters are less effective. Meanwhile, some manufacturers have implemented software that turns off the signal if the key is not being moved.
The data was released following a Freedom of Information request by vehicle leasing comparison site LeaseLoco. Other findings included the fact that the Mitsubishi Outlander was the most stolen plug-in vehicle in 2021, followed by the Hyundai Ioniq and Lexus RX.
John Wilmot, CEO of LeaseLoco, said: “There’s no reason not to purchase these cars just because they appear on the list. If you take the right precautions you can avoid becoming a victim of car thieves – and that goes for any car owners.
“Always make sure your vehicle is locked before you walk away and check that it’s locked at night. Think about upgrading the security on your car; this could include fitting an alarm, immobiliser and tracking system.”


text:
Today is the 75th birthday of Peter Max, the pop artist who’s famous for his use of psychedelic shapes and color palettes. Max has been the official artist for the World Cup, the Grammy Awards, and the Super Bowl…but, so far as we know, no beer festivals.
And now….The Mash!
We begin in Frederick, Maryland, where the Monocacy Brewing Company has released its first Civil War commemorative beer, an English session bitter called Antietam Ale.
Kendall Jones of the Washington Beer Blog describes a weekend beer getaway in Victoria, British Columbia. Final stop on the tour: Garrick’s Head Pub, which has been serving beer since 1867.
Congratulations to Brown Distributing Company, of West Palm Beach, Florida, which was honored as the Craft Beer Distributor of the Year by the National Beer Wholesalers Association.
According to the Beer Institute, New Hampshire ranks first in per-capita beer consumption. Rounding out the top five: North Dakota, Montana, South Dakota, and Nevada.
From the Department of Higher Zymurgical Education: Arizona State University offers a course called The Cultural and Chemical History of Beer. The course has been rated “challenging.”
A British microbrewery has developed a freeze-resistant beer for researchers working in in Antarctic cold. The beer, an India pale ale, is packaged in plastic, vacuum-sealed bottles for the journey to the Pole.
Finally, Scott, who blogs at The Brew Club, serves up 12 Things You Don’t Know About Your Beer. For instance, there are more calories in a pint of Budweiser than in a pint of Guinness.


text:
The Swiss designers of Swatch have created a unique watch that makes the political, personal. Earlier this month they released a watch for the global Occupy protest movement. The watch is lime green and has “Occupy” written in red letters across the face and band. On the face of the watch it read “your wrist” thus suggesting the wearer is literally occupying their wrist.
This statement piece has only been created in small quantities and the CEO of Swatch has not said if it will be for general sale. This Occupy watch may not be seen in Zuccotti park but it is definitely making a splash in the watch world!


text:
HOLYROOD chiefs have reported record sales at the Scottish Parliament - after moving the gift shop closer to the exit.
Tourists at the £414 million government building now leave through slowly-revolving automatic doors next to the souvenir and gift shop.
The new location gives a clear view of the books, mugs, jewellery, chocolates and other keepsakes on offer.
Loading article content
The £6.5m security extension built as a new entrance to the parliament involved changing the shop's site to a more suitable location.
Figures in a report by Holyrood chief executive Paul Grice have revealed a 13% sales increase since the move with takings over the Christmas period passing £50,000.
Mr Grice said: "The shop enjoyed another successful pre-Christmas sales period, with sales for November and December at £50,371."


text:
A client I consult to sent me this link to a news story about a “Festive Aid Kit” being sold/delivered in the London area by Llyods Pharmacy’s online Doctor prescribing service Dr Thom asking me how talking a mobile first approach might be able to make a difference:
Identifying the 12th of December as the day of the year when there is the highest demand for the emergency contraceptive pill (as in the linked news story this is often inaccurately referred to as the “morning after pill“) has provided a timely news interest link for the mail order medication service this Pharmacy chain is marketing in the approach to the new year and it’s a wonder that public health safe sex campaigners are so slow off the mark with the preventative opportunities if this is data that is already widely known by those working to increase awareness of safe sex practices.
So how could this look if it was designed with a mobile first approach?
Imagine if a retail pharmacy (or the NHS Sexual Health service, a family planning charity, etc) teamed up with a regional taxi firm to launch a 24×7 condom delivery service?
Using the same SMS shortcode that they use to accept charitable donations could you imagine how easy it would be to let people request and pay for the delivery of condoms whenever/wherever they need them?
Imagine the potential to send personalised educational mobile video content to individuals at a time when they are planning to have sex.
As simple as voting for Pop Idol: All a potential customer would need to do would be to send a £5 premium SMS to the advertised shortcode including details of their address and the nearest driver (all drivers could carry discrete envelopes and supplies in their vehicles/delivery bikes and deliveries could be allocated based on their proximity to the customer making the request) could be posting them through their door inside the hour (with a SMS confirmation/receipt of course).
If you’re wondering who’s going to pay, consider the retail mark up on condoms, appreciate the treatment costs of sexually transmitted diseases in the USA it’s been calculated that STDs cost the healthcare system $17 billion per year and try to imagine the cost to individuals in immediate and long-term health consequences.


text:
23 September 2010
iQ Media recently produced and presented a breakfast seminar, covering all aspects of digital marketing at a recent Chartered Institute of Marketing Merseyside event, held at the world famous Parr Street Studios, in Liverpool city centre.
Working with the CIM's Merseyside regional team, iQ Media provided CIM members from Liverpool and Cheshire, with an insight into the world of digital marketing.
The following topics were discussed; search engine optimisation, natural search, organic search, pay per click advertising, sponsored links, affiliate marketing, viral and online video, social media and social media marketing, mobile applications; the modern day marketing mix.
Simon Poyser, MD of iQ Media said: "as this was the first inaugural breakfast briefing for the CIM's Merseyside branch, we were thrilled to have the opportunity to work with the team headed by David Murray. The initial post event feedback has been very very positive; the content appears to have been appropriate and we look forward to working with the CIM again, on other events and seminars in the near future".
Copies of the presentation and associated social media marketing white paper are available within our downloads section.
Please enter your details to receive blog, event and news updates from us.


text:
Cyber Security is non-negotiable! Cyber-attacks can affect businesses and individuals in a professional, or personal capacity, with disastrous consequences. While October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month, the seriousness of cyber-crime should always take precedence; particularly in companies where a ‘work-from-anywhere’ culture is the order of the day.
Did you know?
Malware – It has been estimated, that South African businesses suffer 577 malware attacks every hour via online communications. Malware is malicious software such as a virus, worm, spyware, ransomware etc., which are designed to steal information and disrupt or damage a network.
Phishing & Social Engineering – A Mimecast report found that social engineering tactics through phishing increased by 64% in 2020. Phishing is fraudulent emails aimed at getting the receiver to click on a link or download malware. Social engineering refers to the communication tactics a hacker uses to interact with a cyber victim (via telephone, email or social media) and persuades the person into sharing sensitive information, clicking on a link or downloading a file.
Ransomware – The same Mimecast report found that 6 out of every 10 companies experienced a ransomware attack last year. Ransomware is malware that gains access to sensitive information, encrypts it and then sets a ransom amount for the release of said information.
South Africa is a hacker hotspot – Hackers focus a lot of their attention on South Africa, taking advantage of internet users who have a lack of online security awareness. We experience the third highest number of attacks in the world, losing R2.2-billion every year.
The Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) holds you accountable – Companies have a responsibility towards their online customers and are required to follow certain protocols to ensure the protection of their personal information. When a company is successfully hacked the business not only suffers financial losses and a tarnished reputation but will also be liable to legal action.
The biggest treat
Securing a company’s network is only part of the solution. Due to cyber-attacks becoming more highly organised and sophisticated, and working-from-home (WFH) on the increase, employees have become a company’s weakest and biggest cyber security risk. According to the 2021 Data Breach Investigations Report (DBIR) 85% of data breaches involve a human element such as phishing, stolen credentials or human error.
Lastpass, an encrypted password manager recently released research done on the password habits of 3750 professionals across seven countries. The Psychology of Passwords research results found that:
65% of respondents use the same or a variation of their password for most accounts;
only 8% think it’s not a good idea to use a password that’s personal to them; and
20% share pictures of their pets with their names on social media even though they use their pet names as passwords.
Even more alarming is that since working remotely, 47% did not change their online security habits whatsoever.
All it takes is one employee’s bad judgement to bring an entire organisation’s defence to its knees. Employees’ online behaviour is therefore a notable threat to businesses, and ongoing cyber security awareness is a must.
Domains.co.za takes cyber security seriously
“It is essential to appoint a cyber security officer that will help set-up and drive your company’s cyber security strategy,” says Laura Kruger, head of client operations at Domains.co.za
“We believe that the best way to combat this threat is to implement on-going training sessions and using practical, real-world examples. An employee who knows what to look out for will be more prepared when suspicious activity occurs. The best and most sophisticated software and scanners are useless if a company neglects to educate its employees. You are only as strong as your weakest link,” she adds.
Next week we will share practical tips for businesses and employees to better prepare against this growing concern.
Domains.co.za is a domain name and website hosting company based in Johannesburg. We offer various value-added solutions to help our customers succeed online. Our domain validated and organisation validated SSL certificates can help your business secure its website and our ESET Anti-Virus solutions provide device protection.
Learn more about our products and services, here.


text:
A close-up look at how this brand management company has grown from one brand in 2010 to a diverse portfolio of 27 brands with almost $5 billion in retail sales and counting.
The NFL Players Association has added six new licensees to its roster for products including women’s apparel, toys, personalized video messages and more.
In its search for the next generation of talent, Disney XD will look no further than fellow Walt Disney Company subsidiary Maker Studios.
Moose Toys has tapped Disguise to bring its collectible toy franchise Shopkins to life with a costume and dress-up range.
Lebanese design label Elie Saab has partnered with Italian eyewear creator Safilo to develop the brand's first-ever eyewear collection.
To celebrate the start of the college football season, the Collegiate Licensing Company is promoting the 11th annual College Colors Day, taking place Friday.
Maurizio Distefano Licensing has been appointed to manage the licensing program for one of Italy's top fashion brands, Camomilla Milano.
Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment has released a new video game inspired by the world of Mad Max.
Twentieth Century Fox Consumer Products has hired Cynthia Rapp as senior vice president of global creative.
Sports lifestyle brand '47 has partnered with the snow apparel brand 686 to create a capsule collection of collegiate technical gear.
Ink Global has unveiled a new animated television property, "The Mojicons," inspired by the modern digital world.
England's Rugby Football Union has teamed up with Wattbike for a range of branded exercise bikes and floor mats.
Hasbro has promoted John Frascotti to the newly created position of president, Hasbro Brands.
AutoTrader.com has signed a multi-year renewal of its partnership with Turner Sports and the National Basketball Association.
Sesame Workshop and ToyTalk have signed a two-year research partnership agreement to explore ways to advance literacy learning among preschool-aged children.
Target has announced a number of new initiatives for the holiday season centered on guest-friendly services–including exclusive products.
U.K. sports brand Extreme's energy drink, Extreme Energy, is now available in more than 3,000 bars and clubs across the U.K.
Topps has teamed up with Stan Lee to create an all-new Garbage Pail Kids character exclusively for the upcoming Comikaze Expo–Smilin’ Stan.
Disney Consumer Products has rolled out a robust product range for its upcoming comedy-adventure Big Hero 6, which will debut in theaters Nov. 7.
Lawless Entertainment has introduced Bonnie Boat & Friends, an all-new original preschool brand for animated series co-production and licensing.
Chef Fabio Viviani, a popular contestant on the reality competition TV show “Top Chef,” has teamed with Sipp for the new Fabio Viviani wine collection.
©2015 ADVANSTAR COMMUNICATIONS INC. All rights reserved.


text:
MULTICHANNEL MERCHANT » ARCHIVES FOR
Why wait until December 26? Throw the doors open on Christmas for returns and sales appears to be the message to retailers, particularly from millennials.
A new national survey from Corvisa shows consumers are getting fed up with poor customer service and as a result, businesses’ livelihoods are at stake.
Digital disruption is cutting across nearly every aspect of the global post and parcel industry, including the customer experience and last-mile delivery.
December’s import cargo volume at major container ports will be the same as 2014 as stores bring in the last round of holiday merchandise, the NRF said.
eBay Enterprise, an omnichannel commerce provider, announced Designer Shoe Warehouse , a footwear and accessory retailer, successfully implemented eBay Enterprise In-Store Pickup and Ship-to Store in 467 stores.
Staples, Inc. and Office Depot, Inc. have issued the following open letter to customers after the U.S. Federal Trade Commission announced earlier today their decision to challenge the merger of the two companies.
A blowout Cyber Weekend 2015 topped the news and happenings we were watching this week in ecommerce, marketing and direct-to-customer operations.
Wayfair Inc. one of the world’s largest online destinations for home furnishings and décor, reported a 109% increase in overall gross sales.
Representing a record-breaking year, the number of China-based consumers shopping U.S. brands online over the holiday season has increased 7 times over last year.
Cyber Weekend 2015 is in the books, and Multichannel Merchant’s editorial staff put a wrap – and a bow – on Black Friday, Thanksgiving, and Cyber Monday. Watch as Chief Content Director and Publisher Ellen Shannon, Managing Editor Tim Parry, Senior Editor Mike O’Brien and Content Producer Daniela Forte share their insights and impressions of Cyber Weekend.
Posted 4 days ago
by Curt Barry
Posted 1 week ago


text:
Video game platform Roblox (RBLX) saw shares soar Tuesday after the company hit Wall Street’s third-quarter target and showed strong user engagement. Roblox shares rose more than 25% on the news.
The San Mateo, California-based company reported late Monday orders of $ 637.8 million in the September quarter, up 28% year-over-year. Analysts expected orders of $ 636.5 million, according to FactSet.
Average daily active users increased by 31% from the previous year to 47.3 million in the third quarter. It showed an acceleration in growth from the second quarter when users rose 29% to 43.2 million.
Time spent on the platform increased by 28% year over year to 11.2 billion hours in the September quarter. In the second quarter, committed hours increased by 13% to 9.7 billion.
Roblox stock is rising
In the morning trading on the stock market today, the Roblox share jumped 26.2%, close to 97.20. During the ordinary session on Monday, the Roblox share fell 1.3% to 77.
“Commitment is our North Star,” CEO David Baszucki said in a news release. “We are very pleased that during the third quarter, people of all ages from around the world chose to spend over 11 billion hours on Roblox.”
CFO Michael Guthrie added: “Growth in all our core values - DAUs (daily active users), hours and orders – showed strong year-on-year growth despite periods affected by Covid and back-to-school seasonal variations. “
Roblox lost 13 cents per share on revenue of $ 509.3 million in the third quarter. In the same period last year, it lost 26 cents per share on revenue of $ 251.9 million.
Roblox Stock is a metaphorical investment game
The Roblox share is considered a play on the new meta-verse, a next-generation version of the internet. Technologists describe the meta-verse as a sustainable, shared, virtual 3D environment for socializing, entertainment and business.
Some analysts believe video game platforms will lead in metavers.
“Despite the hype surrounding ‘metaverse’, the only companies that can succeed in metaverse are gaming companies,” said Activate Consulting CEO Michael Wolf in a recent report. “The only viable path to the metaverse is through gaming platforms. Anyone who bets on a metaverse platform other than gaming bets on the wrong horse.”
Take-Two is ‘Largest Metaverse Company’
Strauss Zelnick, CEO of Video Game Publisher Take-Two interactive software (TTWO), told Investor’s Business Daily that his company can be considered a metaphorical company with the virtual worlds it has created with games such as “Grand Theft Auto Online.”
“Depending on how you define the meta-verse, we not only play in it already, but we lead in it,” Zelnick said. “I would argue from an income and earnings point of view, we are the largest metaverse company.”
Meanwhile, software giant Microsoft (MSFT) is reportedly planning metaverse apps for gaming. This may include versions of games such as “Minecraft”, “Halo” and “Microsoft Flight Simulator”.
To date, Microsoft has largely focused on metaverse applications for enterprise users. At the company’s Ignite 2021 online event on November 2, Microsoft unveiled its latest innovations for enterprise metaverse. They include Dynamics 365 Connected Spaces and Mesh for Microsoft Teams.
Metaverse exchange traded funds
At least two exchange-traded funds have emerged to invest in metaverse companies.
The top stock for the Roundhill Ball Metaverse ETF (META) is Nvidia (NVDA), Microsoft, Roblox shares and Metaplatforms (FB), the company formerly known as Facebook.
The top stock of the Fount Metaverse ETF (MTVR) is apple (AAPL), Meta and Alphabet (GOOGL).
Follow Patrick Seitz on Twitter at @IBD_PSeitz for more stories on consumer technology, software and semiconductor stocks.
CAN YOU ALSO LIKE:
Nvidia touts Metaverse avatars, simulation technologies
This is where you will see streaming video services turn on next time
Best growth stocks to buy and see: See updates to IBD stock lists
Find winning stocks with MarketSmith pattern recognition and custom displays
See stocks on the list of managers near a point of purchase


text:
Starwood's luxury brands have doubled in scale over the last five years and will continue to be a major growth area for the company, Frits van Paasschen, CEO of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, told CNBC's "Squawk on the Street" Tuesday.
Starwood said Monday it will add 50 luxury hotels over the next five years in 12 countries, making the announcement ahead of the company's investor day in Dubai. The hotel operator described this move as part of its "laser focus on luxury," as it looks to target younger customers. Starwood also estimates that 90 percent of its future luxury hotels will open in emerging markets, van Paasschen said.
After the company announced a continued expansion of its luxury hotel portfolio, investors in the options market made bullish short-term bets on the company as Starwood shares neared two-year highs. According to OptionMonster, bullish option volume on Starwood was seven times its daily average compared to the past month, with calls outnumbering puts 9 to 1. Starwood shares were down slightly in morning trading Tuesday.
(Read More: Bulls Look for Fast Money in Starwood)


text:
NEW YORK — Baume & Mercier’s latest offering is all about the ladies. This month, the Swiss watchmaker is introducing a new collection, Promesse — its first women’s piece in almost a decade.
“If you look at the watch industry, there are very few brands that have the same credibility between men and women,” said Alain Zimmermann, chief executive officer of Baume & Mercier, which is owned by Compagnie Financière Richemont. “It’s a true asset that we’ve been successful in that, so we didn’t want to let it go.”
But it didn’t rush things. Promesse has been in production for more than five years. The design centers on a round face, a feature missing from previous collections. “The problem is that it’s the most common design you’ll find in the industry,” Zimmermann explained. “So the question is, how do we add a round watch that’s a true Baume & Mercier? Redesigning the round watch was the most difficult exercise we had to do.”
The result is a jewelry-esque timepiece inspired by a Seventies model found within the brand’s museum collection. Offered in two sizes — 30 mm. and 34 mm. — the watch features an oval mother-of-pearl bezel setting. It is offered in several variations, including steel and two-tone 18-karat red gold, with some set with diamonds. Additionally, the watch will be available in both quartz and automatic models. “Choice is important,” said Zimmermann. “Ladies like to have a choice. We also wanted the watch to have a strong feminine touch, but [also be] an everyday, wearable watch.”
The collection will be available at select retailers beginning in September. Prices start at $1,900. Providing a reasonable entry-level price without compromising quality was imperative to the brand.“It’s nice to dream about a watch, but it’s even nicer when a dream becomes a reality on your wrist,” said Zimmermann.
He also hopes to balance out brand offerings, in terms of gender, upon the new collection’s release. Currently, men’s watches account for about 70 percent of Baume & Mercier’s total offerings, with men’s sales at a slightly higher percentage. “The overall target in the next two to three years will to get to a 60-40 split,” said Zimmermann. The brand declined to provide sales projections, but Zimmermann said he expects Promesse to become the company’s most popular women’s style within a year. Currently, the Linea collection is the best-selling women’s offering, accounting for almost 40 percent of all women’s sales.
To ensure the success of the new collection, Zimmermann said the second half of the year will be “extremely lady oriented” for Baume & Mercier. The brand has invested “a significant portion” of its global marketing budget to promoting the product. In-store promotions and a focused advertising campaign are currently in the works. “We want people to understand that we are back with a fantastic product and a unique design,” said Zimmermann.
EXCLUSIVE: Two and half months after John Targon, cofounder and codesigner of Baja East, was hired as creative director of the contemporary division at Marc Jacobs, he has left the company, WWD has learned. Marc Jacobs International, which is owned by LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, confirmed Targon’s departure in a statement: “John Targon is a talented designer and we appreciate the work he has done here. Ultimately working together did not make sense for the brand and we wish him the best.” Read the story by @jessiredale, link in bio. #wwdnews
@theluxurycollection is officially launching a collection, tapping Sofia Sanchez de Betak for the capsule. Over 30 styles will be featured in the Chufy x The Luxury Collection, debuting next month at Bergdorf Goodman, The Webster, FiveStory and more. De Betak, known as “@chufy,” drew inspiration for the collection from her trips to Japan in the past year #wwdfashion
@lhd, founder and CEO of @thewebster, has teamed up with @lebonmarcherivegauche for the European launch of her ready-to-wear line, LHD. The launch will come with an exclusive pop-up opening today that’s set to run through May 20. Located on the second floor, it carries her debut Miami-themed resort collection, launched in November as see-now-buy-now. #wwdfashion
@longchamp, which marks its 70th anniversary this year, just opened its biggest U.S. store on Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue. On the lower level there’s a floor-to-ceiling display of the brand’s iconic Le Pliage bag – in all of its different colors, shapes and sizes. Customers can also have their product personalized in-store by imprinting names, initials or emblems. #wwdfashion (📷: @ericmtownsend)
“Whenever I’m in that place of sound and music, I don’t have fear or nervousness…This album has a lot of themes of courage and boldness and I want to be the soundtrack for people’s lives. I’ll be so happy if [my songs] evoke strength in people, which I know music has done for me,” says @kimbramusic of her newest album “Primal Heart.” The New Zealand-born singer sat down with WWD to talk about her music, newest tour and connecting with hear fans — read more on WWD.com #wwdeye (📷: @jilliansollazzo)
Luxury handbag resale company @rebagofficial is planning to sell a rare collectible for $70,000: the @hermes White Crocodile Himalayan Birkin. The exclusive Birkin sold for about $100,000 in 2008, when @davidbeckham bought one for his wife @victoriabeckham to add to her collection. Read more about the rare Birkin on WWD.com #wwdaccessories
With her costume pearl necklace and what-you-see-is-what-you-get style, Barbara Bush, who died Tuesday at age 92, was a straight-shooter from start to finish.
Born Barbara Pierce in New York City, Bush served as the 37th first lady, as well as the country’s second lady from 1981 to 1989. In addition to being part of the longest presidential marriage — 73 years — Bush also had the unlikely distinction of having one son, George W., become the 43rd president and another son, Jeb, run unsuccessfully in 2016. Having served as second lady during the Reagan administration’s two terms and lived all over the world during her own husband’s ascending political career, Barbara Bush made it clear that literacy — not fashion — was her priority. Read more from Rosemary Feitelberg’s obituary on the late First Lady in WWD.com, link in bio. #barbarabush #wwdnews
Western and ’90s trends have influenced denim for fall 2018. Think raw, dark and coated jeans mixed with bold prints and tough leather. #trendtuesdays #wwdfashion (Styled by @thealexbadia;📷: @ryanplett)


text:
BBC Brasil content now available on Grupo Gol digital platforms
September 4, 2015
BBC Brasil has further extended its reach in Brazil by making its news content available on the digital services of the major mobile content aggregator, Grupo Gol.
The platforms, Nuvem de Jornaleiro and Nuvem de Livros, have been developed by Grupo Gol for the Brazilian mobile operator, Vivo, and now, thanks to the syndication agreement between BBC World Service and Grupo Gol, Vivo subscribers as well as Grupo Gol’s other distribution partners can access global and regional news and information from BBC Brasil via smartphones (Android and iOS), tablet, desktop or laptop.
BBC Brasil text and video feeds, covering international politics, economy, science, environment, health, culture and social issues, add to the Nuvem de Jornaleiro platform which currently offers access to more than 250 national magazines and newspapers and two news agencies. The Nuvem de Livros platform – a virtual educational library with more than 15,000 books, videos and interactive content – now features BBC Brasil coverage of culture and social issues, science and environment. Users can select and configure content based on country, topic and language.
BBC World Service Business Development Manager, Brazil, Katie Wellham, says: “The collaboration with Grupo Gol is a great development allowing us to extend BBC Brasil’s reach directly to the subscribers of the two digital platforms. We very much hope that BBC’s comprehensive coverage of global and regional developments will become an essential resource for these users – especially Vivo customers and those who are new to our content.”
Jonas Suassuna, president of Grupo Gol, adds: “The inclusion of BBC Brasil into the Nuvem de Livros and Nuvem do Jornaleiro platforms demonstrates a commitment to offer the whole of Brazilian society pioneering, unique and transformative solutions which will increasingly take hold as ways to democratise access to information and knowledge.”
Grupo Gol is a value added service (VAS) business provider for key mobile operators in Brazil, including Vivo. Nuvem de Jornaleiro and Nuvem de Livros are flagship products in Grupo Gol’s portfolio of mobile VAS.
BBC Brasil reaches around 15 million unique users a month with its multimedia content on its website bbcbrasil.com and via its content syndication on portals such as UOL, MSN Brasil, IG, Terra, G1, and Folha. BBC Brasil offers news apps for Android, iPhone and iPod touch users as well as for Nokia’s Series 40 devices.
BBC Brasil is part of BBC World Service.


text:
Agriculture current affairs November 2018
1. Arunachal Pradesh govt launches Chief Minister’s Sashakt Kisan Yojana and Chief Minister’s Krishi Samuh Yojana in,Arunachal Pradesh .
The Chief Minister’s Sashakt Kisan Yojana included three state flagship programmes, namely – CM’s Employment Generation Scheme, CM’s Agri-Mechanization Programme and CM’s Flagship Programme on Tea and Rubber.
Chief Minister Of Arunachal Pradesh :Pema Khandu.
The current governor of Arunachal Pradesh : BD Mishra.
2. SRiX Agri-Business Academy is India’s first agri and food business online learning platform and was launched at SR Innovation Exchange (SRiX) Campus, Warangal city
The things you should remember that
It is an Indo-UK collaborative initiative.
And this is India’s first agri and food business online learning platform which has launched in Warangal city of Telangana.
Telangana’s chief minister is K. Chandrashekar Rao
The Governor of Telangana is E. S. L. Narasimhan.
3. ‘Soura Jalanidhi’ a Agriculture scheme recently launched by Naveen Patnaik, the Chief Minister of Odisha .
Purpose of the scheme : to increase use of solar energy and helping farmers in their irrigation.
Things to be Remember related this scheme :
Under the scheme solar pumps will be provided to farmers at a subsidy of 90 per cent.
Farmers applicable for this scheme belonging to small and marginal categories having minimum 0.5 acres of cultivable land.
4.The International Conference on Organic Farming and Our Future Food System took place on Friday 12 October 2018.
5.Agricultural scientist Prof. M.S. Swaminathan will be honored with the ICFA’s first-ever World Agriculture Prize.
To know more follow our facebook page


text:
Women diagnosed with the condition can suffer urinary leakage during physical exertion or while coughing or sneezing. To date, physicians have recommended solutions ranging from exercises to surgical implants called pelvic meshes, with thousands of lawsuits having been filed against three manufacturers of the devices the past few years after women suffered adverse reactions.
Elidahs Elitone system can be worn during the day, providing 20 minutes of electrical stimulation delivered through a flexible, non-invasive device worn under clothing.
“This is such a huge market — one out of three women over the age of 30 have this problem,” CEO Gloria Kolb said.
Exhibitor Data Sheet


text:
News by Topic
- Search Marketing
- Email Marketing
- Loyalty Marketing
- Mobile Marketing
- Social Marketing
- Viral Marketing
- Trends & Ideas
- Internet Marketing 101
Study: Push notifications engaging consumers
For the last couple of years brands have been testing push options in their mobile campaign plans. In many cases brands geo-fence a certain area and when an opt-in consumer enters that area, a message is sent through their mobile device. New data from Urban Airship offers brands five times the engagement of typical mobile ads.
Other interesting findings include:
• Push notifications doubled 4-month app user retention rates
• Apps with high push engagement push 388% more app opens
• Medium and low push engagement apps push 170% to 77% open increases
"Consumers that invite you in to message them on the one device they are never without, should be considered your most valuable customers," said Scott Kveton, CEO and co-founder, Urban Airship. "The opportunity to drive mobile engagement and build stronger relationships should not be squandered and according to this study, adding push messaging to your app will significantly boost retention and engagement, while a best practices approach will achieve optimal results that turn relationships into loyalty."
The study further found that high push engagement apps also double click through rates. What's more most app users are opting in to push notifications.
Meanwhile, data from onswipe indicates mobile consumers are engaging more with content on their tablets and smartphones. According to researchers mobile users are more apt to share content when using larger (10") tablets through social media than through email. The study also shows that Apple's iPad is pushing more mobile traffic than it's iPhone unit. More than half of mobile traffic (54.5%) comes from iPads while less than 20% comes from iPhones, an indication that mobile consumers aren't surfing via phone. Instead they may be directly navigating to specific sites or using apps to make content consumption simpler.
- How travel brands can do more with data
- Expert: What retailers need to know about EMV
- Study: Utility apps take most of ad spend
- Holidaymakers swindled out of £2.2 million in 2014
- Brits warming to biometric technology for online banking access
- Banks missing out by focusing mobile banking ads on television
- Top 3 tips to add personality to your targeting
- Will 2015 be The Year of Mobile?
Featured White Papers
- Analyzing the Value of Responsive Design Can Be Messy
Responsive web design is an integral part of customer engagement in our multi-device world. But the additional costs and resources...
- Mobile Email Guide: Design strategies to help you capture mobile clicks
On average, about 40 percent of e-mail opens come from mobile devices and tablets. Mobile subscribers are less engaged because...
- Avoid these common pitfalls when choosing a cloud CRM
Organizations are frequently turning to SaaS solutions for their CRM needs. But there are risks when deploying any solution at...
- 2015 Social Marketing Planning Guide
2015 is going to be a great year for social marketers, but to make the most of it you'll need...


text:
All the bars reopened after being closed for 170 days. Everyone seems excited be it bar owners, bar employees, or customers. The first week was very good for us said one of the bar owners to Booznow, we have received comparatively good numbers of customers, despite of COVID fear, seems people need chang they want to go back to their favorite bars and drink there.
The excise department, however, said violation of COVID-19 guidelines could lead to sealing of the premises or cancellation of license.
All bar owners are extra careful about the adherence to SOPs prescribed by the government and authorities.
Sumit Goyal, the owner of Gastronomica, said, “We conduct daily temperature checks of all staff members, and anyone with fever is refused entry and needs a minimum 14-day quarantine to rejoin. We are ensuring contactless ordering using QR codes and contactless payments have been enabled. Guests are given a choice to use disposable crockery,” Goyal said.
Priyank Sukhija, the owner of restaurant chains such as Plum By Bent Chair, Lord of the Drinks, and Tamasha in Delhi and Mumbai, said there has been a “substantial increase” in bookings for both lunch and dinner. “We will do much better than what we used to do without alcohol being served. We only have 50 percent seating. We are keeping sanitizer on every table,” Sukhija said. He said they are ensuring that guests remove their masks only when they get seated at their tables.


text:
Do you illegally download content from the internet?
23608 votes, 48.4%
9051 votes, 18.5%
16156 votes, 33.1%
Total 48815 votes
Latest Digital Living Headlines
Kids consider technology 'a bum subject'
Sony to make PlayStation media everything
Microsoft targeted in Chinese antitrust probe
And Telecom said let there be Lightbox
OkCupid admits Facebook-like experiments
Chavez's handwriting lives as new font


text:
Thursday 3rd January 2019
|Text too small?|
Dairy product prices rose at the Global Dairy Trade auction, climbing for the third consecutive time amid a drop in supply.
The GDT price index gained 2.8 percent from the previous auction two weeks ago. The average price was US$2,986 a tonne, compared with US$2,844 a tonne two weeks ago. Some 28,651 tonnes of product was sold, down from 36,181 tonnes two weeks ago.
Whole milk powder rose 1.2 percent to US$2,705 a tonne.
“Prices increased across the board, which was partially due to a decline in offer volumes for all commodities at this event,” NZX dairy analyst Robert Gibson said in a note.
“Leading into this event whole milk powder offer volumes were down 22 percent on the previous event, while skim milk powder offer volumes were down 28 percent on the previous event,” Gibson said.
At the latest GDT auction, butter milk powder jumped 9.3 percent to US$3,252 a tonne, while skim milk powder rallied 7.9 percent to US$2,201 a tonne.
Butter increased 3.9 percent to US$4,076 a tonne, while anhydrous milk fat gained 3.9 percent to US$5,137 a tonne.
"There was with 2,000 tonnes of each commodity removed from the GDT platform for this event," Gibson noted.
Cheddar rose 3.2 percent to US$3,371 a tonne, while lactose advanced 1.6 percent to US$948 a tonne, and rennet casein added 1.3 percent to US$5,123 a tonne.
For sweet whey powder, no product was offered or sold, or no price was published for the last event, or on both of the two previous events.
The New Zealand dollar last traded at 66.58 US cents as of 1.50pm in New York, compared with 67.17 US cents at the previous close in Wellington.
There were 115 winning bidders out of 167 participating at the 15-round auction. The number of registered bidders was 515, up from 514 at the previous auction.
No comments yet
NZ dollar falls; coronavirus spreads to more countries
Looking to $2,000 gold price: Coronavirus is the straw that broke the camel’s back
Hong Kong Stock Exchange Turns From Tough Year to Trading Boom
Treasury 10-Year Yield Tumbles to Record Low on Haven Demand
U.S. Stocks Plunge, Bonds Surge After CDC Warning
26th February 2020 Morning Report
NZ dollar takes a breather, likely to fall further
Hong Kong Stocks Are Trading at Lowest Versus World Since 2004
Stocks Tumble, Havens Gain on Rising Virus Concern
25th February 2020 Morning Report