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Microsoft (MSFT) just went ballistic.
Since the year began, the stock jumped from about $244 to a current price of $363.29. Today alone, it’s up 5%, or $17.08 a share. All on news it just announced a $30 per month subscription for the use of generative AI with Microsoft 365.
As noted by CNBC, “Adding on the subscription to Copilot, a generative AI assistant that works across Microsoft 365 programs, could increase monthly prices for enterprise customers as much as 83%. Copilot’s capabilities include ranking incoming emails, summarizing meetings, analyzing spreadsheet data, offering writing prompts, and designing presentations.”
Even better, this gives MSFT a bigger piece of the generative AI pie, which is significant.
Generative AI could add between $2.6 trillion and $4.4 trillion a year to the global economy. That’s according to a new McKinsey report, which also said it could have a “significant impact across all industry sectors. Banking, high tech, and life sciences are among the industries that could see the biggest impact as a percentage of their revenues from generative AI.”
Even better, according to Mizuho Securities analyst James Lee, “Gen-AI is driving the next super cycle of cloud adoption that accelerates mass market migration over the next few years since the new technology can only be efficiently deployed in the cloud.”
MSFT last traded at $363.29 on a volume spike to 44.9 million shares, as compared to a daily average volume of 27.3 million.


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Stop Covert Data Collection for Better Consumer Trust and Road Safety
The automotive world was rocked this week by a New York Times article revealing that some car makers are selling driving data collected from cars to insurers without clear owner consent. Some owners are so angry that they’re selling their vehicles and rejecting these brands.
There are two very different approaches to data collection for usage-based insurance (UBI) programs. One, described in the Times, breaks trust by collecting data secretly; the other builds trust and improves safety.
The approach detailed in Times about covert data collection without consent violates consumer trust. Such data collection is not only questionable behavior, but by not informing drivers, it achieves no public safety benefit. If people don’t know that their driving affects how much they pay for insurance, they won’t be able to improve their behaviors.
At CMT, we take a very different approach in the programs we power with many dozens of insurers in the US and around the world. We stand for transparency and control over one’s driving data. Making programs opt-in with clear consent in simple language is our uncompromising standard. The opt-in process should educate drivers and give them a true choice to share their data with insurers. Drivers should always be aware of the program they enroll in and have the ability to turn it off whenever they like.
These practices build and maintain consumer trust, which is essential for improving road and driver safety. Consumers have the right point of view. The Times captured it well:
Omri Ben-Shahar, a law professor at the University of Chicago, said he was in favor of usage-based insurance — where insurers monitor mileage and driving habits to determine premiums — because people who are knowingly monitored are better drivers. “People drive differently,” he said. “The impact on safety is enormous.”
We see the result of this mindset across the many millions of drivers on our platform every day. Drivers improve most and save the most money when they engage (not while driving!) with UBI apps and receive feedback strategically. The driver is in complete control and is aware of how their driving impacts their premium and their safety on the road.
Our research presented at the 2024 Transportation Research Board has shown time and again that actively engaging with a mobile telematics app makes drivers safer. Highly engaged drivers are 65% safer and 57% less distracted. The most engaged risky drivers reduce their chance of a bodily injury claim by 5.5%.
We urge everyone in the mobility industry to take the issue of consumer trust seriously. Both consumer trust and road safety hang in the balance.

domain: news


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Chime Sold To WPP, Providence Equity Callaway Golf Reports Mixed Q2 Results CDI Reports Record Quarterly Revenue Providence Equity, WPP Eye $547M Chime Takeover DraftKings Closes On $300M Series D Round Under Armour Amps Up Curry, Spieth Marketing Univ. Of Hawaii, UA Nearing Apparel Deal Dunne Gives UA Bonus Exposure At British Open Terdema Ussery Leaving Mavs For Under Armour DraftKings To Close VC Funding In Coming Weeks
SBD/April 25, 2014/Finance
Under Armour Sees Big Gains In Profit, Sales During Q1, But Stock Falls
Published April 25, 2014
HIT THE GROUND RUNNING: UA Founder, Chair & CEO Kevin Plank said that the running category "will be the biggest revenue opportunity" for the company in the future. The WALL STREET JOURNAL's Sara Germano notes UA "unveiled its first running shoe in 2008 and makes footwear in the basketball and training categories, in addition to cleats for football, baseball, lacrosse, softball and soccer." But SportsOneSource analyst Matt Powell noted that UA still had "just a 2.33% share" of the $7B running-shoe market last year, "slightly better than its overall presence in footwear but well behind market leader Nike." The company has been "ramping up its marketing and product development in the category, introducing the SpeedForm Apollo shoe earlier this year and becoming the official apparel and footwear sponsor of next month's Bay to Breakers 12-kilometer road race" in S.F. Data from road-racing tracker Running USA shows that last year's race "drew more than 22,000 finishers, making it one of the largest nonmarathon races in the country." Germano notes as more companies like UA and Skechers "make serious plays in running footwear, they may meet with resistance from some specialty running retailers who work with limited inventory space" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 4/25).


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Microsoft on Thursday said it was more than doubling its presence in the European online music market by launching its MSN Music Service in eight more countries.
The company predicted it could overtake rivals such as Napster or Apple's iTunes as the region's leading provider of download music tracks, seen as a vital weapon in the music industry's fight against internet piracy.
The annual value of online music piracy has been put at $2.4bn by industry analysts, with 700m music files available illegally.
Microsoft said its European expansion followed agreements with digital music distributors including Loudeye, the US group that acquired control this year of OD2, the online music business co-founded by pop star Peter Gabriel.
The tie-ups will increase MSN Music's presence from six to 13 countries in Europe, including the Netherlands, Austria and Switzerland. Geoff Sutton, regional general manager for MSN Europe, said: ?Today's announcement sees us extend our reach to more markets in Europe than any other music provider.?
The service will offer about 400,000 tracks by 12,000 artists.
Charles Grimsdale, president of Loudeye's international business, said the latest online service augmenting a rapid expansion of ringtones and subscription music sites could be used on up to 70 portable devices.
Microsoft and its European partners, which include CDON.com, part of the Modern Times Group, declined to disclose the cost of the European rollout or anticipated demand. Music labels Universal, Sony BMG, EMI and Warner Music were said to be providing content for the service.


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Salem – The Oregon Division of Financial Regulation (DFR) announced today that, in partnership with the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and 29 other state regulators, it has reached a settlement with Safeguard Metals LLC and Jeffrey Ikahn in a
federal lawsuit. The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California in February 2022, alleged that Safeguard and Ikahn engaged in a $68 million fraudulent scheme that targeted the elderly.
Between October 2017 and July 2021, Safeguard and Ikahn deceived more than 450 customers nationwide into purchasing precious metals through false and misleading statements. This included misrepresenting Safeguard's and Ikahn's credentials and the risk and safety of customer investments in traditional retirement accounts. In Oregon, a total of 11 investors have been identified with total investments of $2.3 million.
Consumer restitution and civil money penalties will be determined in the next phase of the litigation.
“Safeguard Metals engaged in fraudulent and deceptive practices to solicit millions of dollars primarily from elderly and retirement-aged individuals for profit. As a result, customers suffered substantial losses on their retirement investments," DFR Administrator TK Keen said. “This settlement reflects the work DFR continues to do to hold bad actors in the precious metals industry accountable to consumers."
The order also finds that the defendants charged an average markup of 51 percent to 71 percent on the precious metals, which was substantially more than the amounts the defendants represented in Safeguard Metals' customer agreements as “operating margins" of 23 percent to 42 percent. Safeguard Metals steered more than 97 percent of its sales from mostly inexperienced investors into overpriced silver coins that had significantly higher markups than gold coins and generated approximately $66 million for Safeguard.
The defendants agree to the use of the consent order's findings and conclusions in this action and any subsequent actions between the parties, but otherwise, neither admit nor deny the findings.
As part of the court approved settlement, Safeguard and Ikahn agreed to a permanent injunction that enjoins them from violating several federal and state laws, including those prohibiting commodities fraud, securities and investment adviser fraud, and providing unlicensed investment advice. In addition, Ikahn agreed to an order barring him from any position of employment, management, or control of any investment adviser, broker-dealer, or commodity adviser in Oregon. Further he agreed to orders barring him from the securities industry in other states, and to a federal commodity trading ban.
Safeguard and Ikahn also agreed to settle a federal lawsuit filed by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) alleging violations of federal securities laws. DFR thanks the CFTC, other state regulators, and the SEC for their commitment to consumer protection in this action.
DFR put out a
news release in February 2022 announcing the lawsuit.
About Oregon DFR: The Division of Financial Regulation is part of the Department of Consumer and Business Services, Oregon's largest business regulatory and consumer protection agency. Visit


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Yesterday, Honda announced that the next-generation Jazz will be coming this year. To be revealed at this year's Tokyo Motor Show, it means we're jut a few months away from seeing Honda's all-new hatch for what could be all of the next decade. However, it is worth pointing out that the City is also heavily based on the Jazz, so it begs the question: when will that arrive?
Here's what we know so far. We're also bringing out our crystal ball to figure out what Honda's subcompacts will be like as well.
So far, there are two details confirmed. First, the launch date of the Jazz. As previously mentioned, mark your calendars on October 23 as we'll be there to cover its world debut. And since it will be revealed in the third quarter of 2019, it will be considered a 2020 model.
Second, the powertrain; Honda has mentioned that it will be available with hybrid power. They say that it will utilize the i-MMD hybrid setup, which is currently seen in models like the Accord Hybrid and Insight. It is possible that the figures will be similar to the Insight, meaning an electrically-assisted 1.5-liter mill with 153 PS although it could be detuned for the Jazz and City.
As for the other details, it has been reported time and again that the next-generation Jazz and City could also be offered with a small displacement turbocharged engine. The 1.0-liter VTEC Turbo inline three has been touted to power both subcompacts. It's already doing service under the hood of the Euro-spec Civic and it makes 129 PS with 200 Nm of torque. Another possible option is to retain the 1.5-liter engine seen in the current models.
But "what will it look like?", you might ask. One look at the Civic and you might get an idea as to how the Jazz and City might look. We're expecting a variation of Honda's 'Solid Wing Face' look with its thick grill bar and slim headlights. Also, expect a growth in dimensions too, as almost every generation has gained a couple of inches through the years. It is also possible that the City could have the Civic's fastback-like rear end.
The interior on the other hand could likely be inspired by the Civic as well. That means a digital gauge cluster (possibly for top-spec models), a 'floating' touchscreen, wide center console, and touch-sensitive steering wheel controls. In addition, expect more room inside as well.
We already know when the Jazz is coming out, but the City's reveal date is still up in the air. But if we were to base it on the current model, the sedan was unveiled just a few days after the Jazz was launched back in 2014. Could it be that Honda has yet another surprise in the Tokyo Motor Show? As much as we'd love to answer that, it is still uncertain. But not to worry, we'll keep our eyes peeled on any updates about Honda Philippines' best-seller.


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Uber and its Technology Partner Aurora to Expand Autonomous Trucking Pilot in Texas
Uber Freight, which is the logistics business of ride hailing company Uber Technologies Inc., is expanding its autonomous freight delivery pilot in Texas ahead of the holiday rush. Uber has been testing its autonomous trucking technology in the state with its technology partner Aurora Innovation Inc. The two companies are expanding their autonomous pilot with a new 600-mile commercial freight lane between Fort Worth and El Paso.
Eric Walz2022-12-02 11:00 PT
Waymo To Partner With Uber Freight on Autonomous Logistics for the Trucking Industry
Alphabet Inc's autonomous technology unit Waymo is partnering with Uber’s logistics business unit Uber Freight, which would see the two rivals working together to transform the trucking industry using autonomous trucks and a greater level of utilization and efficiency. Waymo is connecting its core autonomous driving technology with Uber’s logistics platform and will deploy its self-driving Class 8 trucks.
Eric Walz2022-07-14 10:45 PT
Autonomous Truck Developer Embark Trucks Adds Freight Carrier U.S. Xpress to its Partner Development Program
San Francisco-based autonomous trucking startup Embark Trucks today announced that freight carrier U.S. Xpress has joined its Embark Partner Development Program and plans to add its freight terminals to Embark's Coverage Map. These transfer points are used to move freight from driverless, long-haul trucks to driver-enabled trucks for first- and last-mile delivery.
Eric Walz2022-06-12 12:00 PT
Virginia-based Self-Driving Truck Developer Torc Robotics is Opening a Tech Center in Stuttgart as its Ramps Up its Collaboration with Daimler Trucks
Virginia-based self-driving truck developer Torc Robotics is opening a technology and software development center in Stuttgart, Germany named Torc Europe GmbH. The Stuttgart team will support the ongoing development of SAE Level 4 virtual driver for deployment in autonomous trucks in the United States. Torc Robotics has been an independent subsidiary of Daimler Trucks since March 2019 after Daimler Trucks took a majority stake in the company for an undisclosed sum.
FutureCar Staff 2022-05-13 16:15 PT
FedEx to Test Autonomous Drone Deliveries in 2023 with San Francisco-based eVTOL Startup Elroy Air
FedEx Express, a subsidiary of the world’s largest express shipping company FedEx Corp, is teaming up with San Francisco-based aviation startup Elroy Air to build the first autonomous vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aerial cargo system. The first version of the eVTOL aircraft will be able to transport 300 to 500 lbs. of cargo a range of up to 300 miles.
FutureCar Staff 2022-05-06 15:00 PT
EV Charging Provider ChargePoint Plans to Build an ‘Electric Ecosystem’ for Battery-Powered, Autonomous Trucks
Electric vehicle charging provider ChargePoint announced a new partnership with autonomous truck developer Gatik with the goal of developing what it calls an “electric ecosystem” for autonomous vehicles for the business-to-business, short haul logistics sector. The goal is to improve operational efficiency for ChargePoint and Gatik’s customers across North America by providing convenient charging options for fleets of electric box trucks.
Eric Walz2022-05-04 08:30 PT
Waymo is Deploying Self-Driving Trucks in Texas in a New Partnership with Fleet Operator C.H. Robinson
Waymo, the autonomous driving technology division of Alphabet that spun out of Google’s self-driving car project, is expanding its deployment of self-driving Class-8 trucks with a new partnership with Texas fleet operator C.H. Robinson Worldwide. Over the next few months, Waymo plans to deploy the self-driving trucks in Texas with safety drivers behind the wheel.
FutureCar Staff 2022-03-25 10:30 PT
California Startup Parallel Systems Emerges From Stealth, Aims to Disrupt the Rail Freight Industry with its Electric & Autonomous Platform
A new California startup named Parallel Systems founded by former SpaceX engineers has emerged from stealth after announcing a $49.55 Series A funding round. The company is developing an electric rail platform for shipping containers, which replaces diesel powered locomotives and converts each freight car into individually self-propelled, autonomous and electric vehicles that can be linked together.
Eric Walz2022-02-25 13:30 PT
Waymo is Entering into a Long-term Strategic Alliance with Shipping Company J.B. Hunt Using Autonomous Class-8 Trucks
Alphabet Inc's autonomous driving unit Waymo is expanding its relationship with U.S. transportation and logistics company J.B. Hunt. The two companies have entered into a long-term, strategic alliance to commercialize autonomous driving technology for Class-8 trucks after a successful trials runs using self-driving trucks throughout 2021.
FutureCar Staff 2022-02-20 12:40 PT
GM’s BrightDrop Will Supply Electric Delivery Vans to Walmart, Expanding its Existing Supply Deal With FedEx
BrightDrop, the new logistics and commercial electric vehicle division of automaker General Motors, announced a partnership with retailer Walmart at CES on Wednesday to supply electric thousands of delivery vans to Walmart. The battery-powered vans will be used in Walmart’s last mile delivery network and will help the retailer reach its goal of operating a zero-emissions logistics fleet by 2040.
Eric Walz2022-02-11 09:15 PT
The Mercedes-Benz Unveils the ‘SUSTAINEER’ Electric Concept Van, Designed for Sustainable Urban Mobility
Automaker Mercedes-Benz unveiled its last-mile transportation concept solution for urban mobility called the SUSTAINEER, which offers a glimpse to what sustainable transportation might look like in the near future. The fully-electric SUSTAINEER van is based on the popular Mercedes-Benz eSprinter. It combines a variety of innovative solutions designed to improve the quality of life in cities, to conserve resources, protect the climate and to better protect the health and safety of the driver.
FutureCar Staff 2021-12-03 14:00 PT
General Motors’ Commercial Electric Truck Business BrightDrop to Setup a Dealer Network
General Motors’ new commercial electric truck logistics business BrightDrop is setting up a dealer network to support its business customers and help drive growth, the head of the unit said on Tuesday.
FutureCar Staff 2021-12-02 14:30 PT
UPS Acquires Technology Platform Roadie to Facilitate Same Day Gig Deliveries
United Parcel Service (UPS) announced an agreement to acquire technology platform operator Roadie, which will help it facilitate same day deliveries. Roadie’s logistics platform is similar to how Uber works, however drivers pick up packages instead of people. It matches nearby gig drivers with parcel deliveries that are heading in the same direction.
FutureCar Staff 2021-10-17 10:15 PT
Autonomous Trucking Startup Inceptio Technologies Raises $270 Million in Latest Series B Round
Autonomous truck startup Inceptio Technologies announced Tuesday it closed on a US$270 million Series B equity financing round. The funding round was jointly led by Wisconsin-based trucking firm JD Logistics, Chinese e-commerce platform operator Meituan, and PAG, one of Asia’s leading investment firms.
FutureCar Staff 2021-09-09 16:15 PT
Hyundai’s XCIENT Fuel Cell Trucks Hitting the Road in California in the Largest Deployment of the Technology in the U.S.
Hyundai Motor Co announced that its fuel cell-powered XCIENT trucks are hitting the road in California as part of two publicly-funded projects in the state to improve air quality. Hyundai plans to deploy 30 XCIENT Fuel Cell trucks in Northern California by early 2023 as part of its public and private partnerships in the U.S. It will be the largest commercial deployment of Class 8 hydrogen-powered fuel cell trucks in the U.S.
Eric Walz2021-09-02 13:30 PT
Uber Freight Aims to Build the World’s Most Comprehensive Logistics Network with its $2.25 Billion Acquisition of Transplace
Ride-hailing giant Uber Technologies Inc is ramping up plans for its Uber Freight division and announced its acquiring logistics and data company Transplace for up to $2.25 billion. The acquisition will create one of the most comprehensive managed transportation and logistics networks in the world.
Eric Walz2021-08-28 09:00 PT
Mercedes-Benz Trucks Reveals its eActros Zero Emissions Electric Truck for Europe
Mercedes-Benz Trucks on Tuesday revealed its new battery-electric eActros electric delivery truck for the European market. The eActro is the first, zero-emissions, commercial electric truck from Mercedes Benz.
FutureCar Staff 2021-08-06 13:15 PT
BMW iVentures Invests in Silicon Valley-based Self-Driving Truck Startup Kodiak Robotics
BMW iVentures, the Silicon Valley-based venture capital arm of automaker BMW that invests in promising mobility startups, announced today an investment in Kodiak Robotics, Inc., a developer of self-driving technology for long-haul trucks.
Eric Walz2021-07-31 12:30 PT
Self-Driving Truck Startup Embark to Launch IPO in a $5.2 Billion SPAC Deal
San Francisco-based autonomous truck startup Embark Trucks Inc. plans to launch an IPO this year in a merger with special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) Northern Genesis Acquisition Corp. II (Northern Genesis 2), becoming that latest startup to merge with a SPAC to secure funding from investors.
Eric Walz2021-07-30 10:15 PT
Self-Driving Technology Developer Aurora to Partner with Volvo on Autonomous Long-Haul Trucks
Volvo Group is partnering with Silicon Valley autonomous driving developer Aurora to accelerate the commercialization of autonomous Class 8 trucks for highway long-haul freight delivery in North America. As part of the partnership, Aurora will supply its “Aurora Driver” autonomous driving software stack that will be added to the trucks from Volvo.
Eric Walz2021-05-06 14:30 PT
LG Develops ‘Invisible' Speaker Sound Technology That Could Revolutionize In-Vehicle Audio
Eric WalzDec 28, 2022 10:45 AM PT
Toyota's Redesigned Prius May Get More Drivers Behind the Wheel of a Hybrid Vehicle
FutureCar Staff Dec 25, 2022 12:50 PM PT
Researchers at South Korea's Chung-Ang University Develop a ‘Meta-Reinforcement' Machine Learning Algorithm for Traffic Lights to Improve Vehicle Throughput
Eric WalzDec 22, 2022 2:30 PM PT


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We’re drawing ever closer to the launch of the Samsung Galaxy S21, which is expected to be as soon as next month, so it's only natural that the leaks are going into overdrive before the holidays.
The latest S21 leak is another look at the phone itself, in the form of renders. While there’s nothing spectacularly new about them, they do show off how good Samsung's flagship phone could look.
- Everything we know about the Samsung Galaxy S21
- Samsung Galaxy S20 FE review: A value triumph
- Plus: Pixel XE leaks — what we know about Google's strange new phone
The images come from casemaker Pigtou, working in collaboration with xleaks7. They’re not massively established names, so we have to take these with a pinch of salt, but the images do look very similar to other Galaxy S21 renders we’ve seen so far.
To be honest, the front of the phone doesn’t look that much different from the Samsung Galaxy S20 range. That said, there’s only so much you can do to change the look of a pane of glass with a camera cut out of it. But the rear camera module is different, and these renders show how good it will look.
The wrap-around effect isn’t for everyone, and we’ve already seen that it might make Galaxy S21 cases look strange. But we like this design, as the metal case seamlessly flows around from the side and straight into the camera module. It sure as heck beats having a random bump on the back of your phone.
Past rumors have also indicated that the base Galaxy S21 model will have a 6.2-inch FHD+ display, 120Hz refresh rate, a 4,000 mAh battery, and a triple lens camera with 12MP main and ultra-wide lenses, and a 64MP telephoto lens. The Galaxy S21 Plus should be similar, but with a larger 6.7-inch display and 4,800 mAh battery.
The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra, meanwhile, should be a powerhouse of an Android phone with a 5,000 mAh battery, a 6.8-inch WQHD+ display, and a four lens camera composed of a 12MP ultra-wide lens, 108MP main lens, and two 10MP telephoto lenses with 3x and 10x zoom.
Samsung is expected to launch the Galaxy S21 range on January 14, ahead of a January 29 release. That means we don’t have very long to wait to see these phones for real, which is great news if you’re similarly excited about that camera design.
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Tom is the Tom's Guide's UK Phones Editor, tackling the latest smartphone news and vocally expressing his opinions about upcoming features or changes. It's long way from his days as editor of Gizmodo UK, when pretty much everything was on the table. He’s usually found trying to squeeze another giant Lego set onto the shelf, draining very large cups of coffee, or complaining about how terrible his Smart TV is.


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Remarkably, given the importance of heritage to premium automotive brands, it has lacked one since 2012, leaving the hundreds of notable cars it religiously maintains either relegated to a corner of a Warwickshire car museum or hidden behind closed doors.
The Jaguar Gallery at the Coventry Transport Museum goes some way towards fixing this. A high-end installation within Coventry’s thriving auto heritage centre, located less than a mile from Jaguar’s global HQ, means the public can again see classic D-Types, E-Types, the XKSS and XJ220 – for free.
Typically for Jaguar, deliveries were made in style. The cars massed at a country hotel and were driven in a police-escorted convoy into the centre of Coventry, where hundreds of onlookers had gathered in the blazing sunshine for the preview. The D-Type alone is effectively priceless, and estimates regarding the collective worth of the display were in the tens of millions of pounds.
So why, then, has Jaguar’s heritage been homeless? Its famous base for five decades, the Browns Lane plant, was sold by Ford, Jaguar’s former owner, to housing developers in 2007. The onsite heritage centre was given a stay of execution until last year, when it closed to some disquiet. It would be like the Henry Ford Museum closing in Dearborn, Michigan. Only now has Jaguar started to right things.
While beautiful in its execution, Jaguar’s new digs are no standalone heritage centre – and for a brand with such pedigree, that absence is conspicuous. BMW spent $200m building BMW Welt, its temple to self in Munich, Germany. The Mercedes-Benz museum in Stuttgart, the world’s largest standalone car museum, reportedly cost over $190m. Even sports car maker Porsche spent $130m on its Stuttgart heritage museum.
“In heritage is our future,” said Jaguar/Land Rover CEO Dr Ralf Speth at the opening of the Jaguar Gallery on 1 Aug. His very presence at the event, along with that of design chief Ian Callum, indicated how seriously the company takes the matter. Surely, then, Jaguar World cannot be far off?


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After an initial assault on the European market that was blighted by supply issues and lack of uptake, things have been very quiet at Chinese bait producer Old Ghost for the last two years. However, a silent storm has been building at this forward-thinking company, and it is almost upon us.
Fast-growing predator fishing brand Savage Gear has added South Korea to its extensive sales network after agreeing a deal with a new partner in the Asian country.
With 52 years of experience as a top fly fishing casting instructor, journalist and product designer, Italian Antonio Pozzolini has a new brand to introduce to the industry, which he has high hopes for.
Molix, the brand of Italian fishing tackle producer Pro Tackles, has officially opened its own subsidiary company in the USA with big plans on the horizon. TTW gets the lowdown.
The plan of one of fishing tackle’s biggest brands to encourage more youngsters to take up and be passionate about fishing is continuing to grow.
Show thrives under stewardship of new organisers. Over 15,000 visitors attend the Vicenza-based event over three days. More international feel with buyers from 14 countries in attendance.


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EL SEGUNDO, Calif., Sept. 22, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — A decade ago, five friends started a mission to expand the limited options of women’s hair color. Enter eSalon: the first custom hair color service empowering women to achieve salon-quality hair happiness at home. Today, the company continues to be the only to offer clients truly customized, professional-grade (and affordable!) hair color shipped directly to their home with everything needed to color their hair, including personalized instructions and access to licensed colorists. Since its launch 10 years ago, eSalon has dispensed over 235K unique color combinations and has shipped over 9M orders throughout North America and Europe.
“The combination of eSalon’s best-in-class technology, paired with some of the brightest minds in beauty, science, and marketing, create the magic that eSalon has been delivering for a decade,” said Graham Jones, CEO of eSalon. “From R&D, marketing, customer service, color dispensing, shipping and everything in between, our team of experts control every step of the experience, ensuring that every order is processed and handled with precision, personalization and care.”
To celebrate this milestone, eSalon has launched a new loyalty program in the U.S., which will reward clients with one free Color Set after every 10 color orders, plus special discounts, offers and early access to new product launches. eSalon has also debuted its new “Made Just For You” branding which highlights the core of eSalon’s business: customization. Finally, eSalon’s celebratory Spotify playlist eSalon’s 10th Birthday Beats was curated to inspire hair color happiness while coloring.
For 10 Years, eSalon Has Been the Color Companion, Helping Clients on Their Hair Color Journey
Part tech, part science, and part art, this award-winning company has continued to reinvent the way women color, treat and style their hair, to make seamless and customized beauty accessible for all. But what makes eSalon standout is its brand positioning as your color companion. “We understand that finding the right color can be complicated – we are by your side every step along the way. Science has shown us that feeling good about our hair can give us a psychological boost to take on the day’s challenges with confidence,” said Vera Koch, VP Global Marketing for eSalon. “eSalon celebrates beauty in all its forms. Just like hair color, beauty comes in many hues, which is why we tailor our products to make each individual feel special and truly one-of-a-kind.”
eSalon’s Evolution, From DTC Start-Up to Beauty Industry Leader
Year one proved that eSalon’s one-of-a-kind offering was in demand, but in order to mass-make custom color, eSalon had to make a custom technology. In 2012, the engineering and coding team prototyped and ultimately built the company’s “secret sauce” — high-precision and patented color mixing technology that individually fills each bottle with exact drops of pigments swiftly and seamlessly. This breakthrough took eSalon from lab-scale machinery to mass custom production levels that dispense a unique hair color combination in just eight seconds.
In 2012, eSalon launched its premium hair care line which today includes 22 color-safe products. In 2016, eSalon was the first company to offer clients custom balayage highlights at-home with its Light Set, a consistent best-seller. In 2019 eSalon opened its Europe HQ and also entered into a joint venture with Henkel, further strengthening its unique product offering. Noticing a major gap in the grooming industry, the company introduced Colorsmith in June 2020, which delivers made-to-order, natural-looking, at-home hair color for men, complete with a first-of-its-kind Gray Reduction Program.
eSalon’s Winning Business Model is Strengthened by Women in Leadership
eSalon has enlisted powerhouse women to help strengthen the company’s competitive edge. From the cosmetic chemist who formulates premium new products to the director of operations who ensures seamless production of each and every order and a VP of global marketing who builds consumer confidence through creative strategy — many of eSalon’s critical departments are led by women.
eSalon Fosters a Collaborative Culture, Encouraging Entrepreneurship in Every Individual & Creating Room for Growth
eSalon is intentional about inspiring a culture where creativity can thrive, and because of its DTC business model, it’s able to constantly evolve at a lightning-fast pace. With over 200 team members, eSalon’s philosophy leans on playing to each other’s strengths and giving everyone the space to grow and be seen. “Our culture encourages our team members to serve as change agents for the company, where they can test new ideas and inspire evolution at eSalon,” said Jones. This equal-opportunity employer also offers enviable workplace perks, from quarterly team-building activities to book and film clubs, volunteer opportunities and more. This year, in partnership with Electionday.org, eSalon is encouraging employees to participate in the presidential election with voter-friendly programs and paid time off to research and vote.
Tech-Meets-Beauty Company Champions a Pay-it-Forward Mentality Since Day One
From its eighth consecutive year supporting Breast Cancer survivors with CancerCare to employee donation-matching to Black Lives Matter and donations to Direct Relief to help communities affected by recent natural disasters, eSalon has made philanthropy a priority since its launch. When the pandemic hit, the company donated 100,000 medical gloves to the Greater Los Angeles VA Healthcare System and CareMore to help meet the growing demand for supplies. eSalon launched its Color Muse Pro program to financially support out-of-work licensed colorists and also gifted healthcare workers with complimentary hair color for one year. This fall, eSalon is partnering with Gals Starting Over in the U.S. and Force Femmes in France to help empower women as they restart their careers.
eSalon Poised for a Colorful Future
As a company rooted in entrepreneurship, eSalon never stops innovating. “We go out of our way to listen to our clients and gather findings so that we can optimize their experience, improve our current suite of products, and launch new innovations,” said Vera Koch, VP of Global Marketing. Clients can expect more inventive products and services on the horizon as the company plans to continue to shape the future of the beauty industry.
To learn more, please visit https://www.esalon.com. Get social with eSalon on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
eSalon is reinventing the way women color their hair by creating a fully customized professional-grade home hair color that’s made-to-order and shipped directly to their doors. Launched in 2010, and a five-time winner of Allure Magazine’s “Best Home Hair Color,” eSalon delivers a personalized experience through a unique combination of human expertise and state-of-the-art, dual patented technology. Every order is formulated and dispensed on-demand in its headquarters in Los Angeles and UK production facility with over 9 million orders shipped and over 235,000 unique color combinations created. eSalon’s innovation continued with the June 2020 launch of Colorsmith, the first and only custom hair color for men. Colorsmith features the first of its kind Gray Reduction Program, developed to help clients gradually blend their grays over 2 to 3 applications.
View original content to download multimedia: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/esalon-celebrates-a-decade-of-delivering-the-first-and-only-truly-custom-home-hair-color-301135071.html


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GEDDES, N.Y. - Start with French fries topped with cheese sauce, pickled jalapenos and crushed bright red Flamin’ Hot Cheetos. For dessert, there’s more French fries, but these are topped with cinnamon sugar, caramel sauce, whipped cream and fruity cereal.
The two new treats, aptly named the Flamin’ Hot Cheetos Fries and Caramel Crack Fries, are the latest offerings from Big Kahuna’s, who will debut the new creations at this year’s New York State Fair.
“We love the creativity of our dozens of food vendors, who make sure people can get what they look forward to and can also try something new, fun and a little bit crazy,” Fair Director Troy Waffner said in a statement.
Big Kahuna’s has earned a reputation over the years for other over-the-top offerings like the Big Kahuna Donut Burger or Southern Fried Chicken Donut, both of which are served on a grilled, sliced glazed doughnuts.
The 2019 New York State Fair runs from Wednesday, Aug. 21 to Monday, Sept. 2.
Jacob Pucci finds the best in food, dining and culture across Central New York. Contact him at (315) 282-8611, or by email at firstname.lastname@example.org.
Subscribers only: Join an insider text group with Jacob Pucci to get news and updates on the restaurants and cuisines of Central New York. SIGN UP HERE


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Only a yr after calling Bitcoin (BTC) a digital asset with a “long-term potential”, Elon Musk’s Tesla dumped 75% of its holdings in 2022. The electrical automobile maker had invested $1.5 billion in BTC early final yr. By now it has already transformed 75% of its Bitcoins into fiat foreign money, amassing $936 million from the sale.
Tesla’s second-quarter earnings assertion launched on Wednesday mentioned, “As of the tip of Q2, we now have transformed roughly 75% of our Bitcoin purchases into fiat foreign money. Conversions in Q2 added $936M of money to our stability sheet.”
The second quarter of 2022 has been one of many worst quarters for cryptocurrency markets. Bitcoin worth plunged from round $46,000 at first of the quarter to beneath $19,000 through the interval, which has additionally been dubbed a “crypto winter”.
Elon Musk was one of many greatest crypto influencers in final yr’s huge rally that noticed BTC rising to above $69,000 and lots of so-called consultants predicting the oldest cryptocurrency might quickly cross the $100,000 market. Nonetheless, all predictions have fallen flat this yr as crypto markets have misplaced round $2 trillion in market cap and several other crypto firms are eyeing chapter.
The sale of Bitcoins by Tesla is a speedy retreat for Musk. Although within the incomes name, he asserted that the sale shouldn’t be seen as any verdict on Bitcoin. He mentioned Tesla bought Bitcoins to maximise the money place in view of the uncertainness because of Covid lockdowns in China.
“It was necessary for us to maximise our money place…We’re actually open to rising our bitcoin holdings in future, so this shouldn’t be taken as some verdict on bitcoin. It’s simply that we have been involved about general liquidity for the corporate,” Musk was quoted as saying by information company Reuters.
Tesla has not revealed the value at which it bought its BTC holdings. Nonetheless, Musk mentioned Tesla can be open to rising its crypto holdings sooner or later.
Following Tesla’s earnings announcement, Bitcoin has plunged beneath the $23,000 mark once more, after registering beneficial properties for 3 consecutive days. On the time of writing, it was buying and selling at $22,895.
(Cryptos, together with Bitcoin and different digital digital belongings like NFTs, are unregulated in India. They’re thought-about extraordinarily dangerous for funding. Please seek the advice of your monetary advisor earlier than making any funding choice)


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US President Donald Trump on Friday announced his decision to revoke the United States preferential trade status for India citing that India has not assured the US that it will provide ‘equitable and reasonable access to its markets’. According to a proclamation from the White House, the trade preference programme with India will end on 5th of June, 2019.
For long, India had been the largest beneficiary of a scheme that allows some goods to enter the US soil duty-free. This marks the end of India’s status as a designated beneficiary developing country under the
Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) trade programme. Under this programme, developing countries are allowed to export goods to the United States without paying duties.
As per a study by the FIEO, India’s global merchandise exports for 2018 were $324.7 billion, of which $51.4 billion were to the US. However, only $6.35 billion of exports from India to the US benefited from the GSP scheme.
Trump said in an official release, ” I have determined that India has not assured the United States that India will provide equitable and reasonable access to its markets.”
Trump’s latest move is to supposedly redress what it considers to be unfair trading relationships with other countries. According to a senior official from Trump’s administration, the benefits of the preferential trade programme could be restored if India gave US companies fair and equitable access to its markets. India, however, has said the move would have a ‘minimal economic impact’.


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FDA Prepares to Limit Use of Sunlamps
June 21, 2000 (Washington) -- After reports of a melanoma "epidemic" and some tanning salon owners' failure to follow established guidelines, FDA officials said Wednesday they will pursue implementation of a rule that could provide more consumer protections from the dangers posed by sunlamps.
The statement was made to a committee of experts who meet on a regular basis to advise agency officials on policy matters and the merits of specific products.
Melanoma is a deadly form of skin cancer, and reported cases have been rising over the past few years. As a result, U.S. health officials now anticipate that 7,300 Americans will die of melanoma this year, out of an estimated 38,300 cases -- even though the condition is curable if caught in the very early stages.
The FDA has no plans to ban the use of sunlamps, choosing instead to cooperate with the industry, said Howard Cyr, MD, a member of the agency's sunlamp review team. However, considering dangers posed by melanoma and recent evidence linking melanoma to ultraviolet A (UVA) radiation, the FDA plans to outline the risks on a more stringent warning label, he told committee members.
Although there is no direct evidence linking sunlamps to melanoma, most sunlamps emit UVA radiation, which recently has been linked to malignant melanoma, and -- like ultraviolet B (UVB) rays -- to damage to the immune system. UVB, or short-wave radiation, is more likely to cause sunburn, according to the FDA.
Under the FDA's proposed rule, sunlamps will be required to carry a simpler warning label outlining this risk, Cyr said. The FDA will also establish an exposure schedule, modify the label to recommend lower cumulative doses of UVA exposure, and develop standards for replacing sunlamp bulbs, he said.
The FDA is not pursuing a ban of these products because consumers appear to understand the risks, informed consent forms are being used, and the FDA wants to respect individuals' right to choose whether to use these products, Cyr said. The FDA is also not pursuing a specific melanoma warning on the label because there are insufficient data to support this type of action, he said.


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Compliance experts from Porzio Life Sciences, Edwards Lifesciences, Covidien and ReVision Optics tell an audience in Orange County how compliance pays for itself, not only in terms of security from regulatory headaches but as a boost to a company's valuation.
Compliance concerns may be driven largely by the desire to say out of the regulatory spotlight, but it's also a business strategy, a panel of experts told an audience during this week's MassDevice.com Big 100 West event in Orange County, Calif.
Covidien agrees to acquire Given Imaging for about $860 million in cash, sending Wall Street into a frenzy over GIVN shares.
Cook Medical rearranges its management, naming Rob Lyles as its new executive vice president.
Cook Medical named Rob Lyles executive vice president, the latest move in a larger management shift at the Indiana medtech maker.
Lyles was formerly vice president of Cook's peripheral intervention division. He has been with the company since 2003 and was named division VP in 2007. Lyles' promotion follows the advancement of Pete Yonkman to president of the Cook Medical. Mark Breedlove, a 19-year veteran of Cook Medical, will succeed Lyles as VP of the peripheral intervention division.
, CareFusion Corp.
, Cook Group Inc.
, Cook Medical
, IDEX Corp.
, Life Technologies Corp.
, Orthofix International
, Stryker Corp.
, Thermo Fisher Scientific
MassDevice.com looks at the internet chatter surrounding the medical device industry with some of most searched-for companies of the last month.
MassDevice.com looked at some of the most talked-about medical device companies, based on trends in U.S. Google searches for the last 30 days.
Massachusetts medical device maker Covidien plans to open a new manufacturing facility in Hillsborough County, Fla., where the company expects to create 165 jobs and invest $18 million in capital by 2017.
MASSDEVICE ON CALL — Medical device maker Covidien (NYSE:COV) got a lot of praise from Florida regulators, who touted Covidien's plans to establish a new manufacturing facility that will be home to some 165 new workers.
Covidien's 4th-quarter and fiscal 2013 earnings beat expectations on low-single-digit sales growth.
Covidien (NYSE:COV) beat expectations on Wall Street with its 4th-quarter and fiscal 2013 earnings on sales growth in the low single digits for both periods.
Mansfield, Mass.-based Covidien posted profits of $372 million, or 80¢ per share, on sales of $2.56 billion for the 3 months ended Sept. 27.
Kardiametrics sues a raft of big-name medical device companies, including Boston Scientific, Abbott and Covidien, alleging infringement of its patents for blood clot protection devices.


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In this news, we discuss the P&G raises forecasts on sustained demand for cleaning products.
(Reuters) – Procter & Gamble Co PG.N raised its forecast for annual sales and profits on Tuesday, as coronavirus-linked home cleaning pushed sales of the consumer goods giant’s home care products up at 30% higher.
P&G shares, up 14% this year, are up another 2% after figures suggest consumers are spending the money they’ve saved by traveling and socializing less this year on its more branded products. Dear.
Detergent maker Tide and Ariel also benefited from the fact that people washed their clothes more often, and its organic sales grew 9% overall in the first quarter.
Grooming products also saw their first increase in sales growth since the start of the year, as electronics stores in Europe placed more orders for clippers and other styling products.
While demand from retailers remains high, the company warned it would not stay at levels seen during the July to September period, when most economies relaxed lockdowns and orders resumed.
Sales of home care products like Mr Clean have grown by double-digit percentages in its regions and sales of personal cleaning products have increased by 30%, said P&G CFO Jon Moeller.
It showed the resilience of its branded products, Moeller said, while calling for a drop in the share of store brand labels in the United States and Europe.
P&G said it now expects sales for the entire year to increase by 3% to 4%, compared to previous forecasts of 1% to 3%.
Earlier today, Lysol maker Reckitt Benckiser RB.L also raised its outlook for the full year, showing that demand is still healthy in the industry despite difficult economic conditions.
“There’s just… a willingness to spend a little more to make sure I’m using a product that… will work for me and for my family,” Moeller said on a media call.
P&G also expects full-year basic earnings per share to rise 5% to 8%, from 3% to 7% earlier, and said it would aim to buy back $ 7 billion to $ 9 billion from ‘actions during fiscal year 2021.
Reporting by Uday Sampath and Siddharth Cavale in Bengaluru; Edited by Shounak Dasgupta, Patrick Graham and Saumyadeb Chakrabarty
Original © Thomson Reuters
Originally posted 2020-10-20 08:26:10.


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Our second Chef Eats Out event, in partnership with Udale Speciality Foods, will take place at Aiden Byrne’s Manchester House on 8 November. Book your place now!
Luxury hospitality company, Jumeirah Group, has appointed Francesco Becci as restaurant manager of the three-AA-rosette Rib Room Bar & Restaurant at in Knightsbridge, London.
The hotel firm founded by former Manchester United footballers Gary Neville and Ryan Giggs is to launch a new restaurant with chef Michael O’Hare, owner of the Michelin-starred Man Behind the Curtain in Leeds.
Sodexo Prestige Venues & Events has opened a new 186-seat restaurant at Brighton’s Amex Stadium, named after a leading figure in the club’s history.
Leading chefs, restaurateurs and hoteliers from the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts (RACA) will go back to school in February to deliver food and front of house education lessons to schools throughout the UK.
Choice Hotels International, one of the largest hotel companies in the world known for its Comfort, Quality, Clarion and Ascend Hotel Collection brands in Europe, announced today the appointment of Peter S K Till as UK managing director for Choice Hotels Europe.
Alan Yau’s flagship Cha Cha Moon restaurant in Kingly Court near London's Carnaby Street has been brought to market for £700,000 for the leasehold interest.
The Isle of Wight’s Priory Bay hotel has gone into administration and is now on the market for a guide price in excess of £3m for the freehold of the property.
The World Chocolate Masters launched its seventh edition yesterday evening among the crème de la crème of the UK’s pastry chefs at Lima Floral, London.
Marriott International has completed its highly anticipated acquisition of Starwood Hotels & Resorts to create the world's largest hotel company today (23 September).
Restaurant Associates head chef Sam Fisk and chef de partie Bryony O'Neill were crowned the winners of the Association of Catering Excellence (ACE) Ready Steady Cook competition last night (22 September).
The new owner of Manchester's London Road fire station site is looking for a number of "exciting and independent" restaurant operators to sit alongside the hotel being developed within the iconic building by the Zetter Group.
View All Latest News


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The same security expert that recently found an open accessible database with 191 million Americans now found a similar Mexican database with data on 87 million individuals.
By using the free search engine for internet connected devices, Shodan, the researcher found a register with names, addresses, and ID’s on 87 of the 120 million Mexican population on a Amazon file storage in USA.
Similar leaks found on 70 million Philippine voters lately.
So, the trend is quite clear. Have you checked your company data in the cloud lately?


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Every year, the Mustard Seed throws 85,000 lbs. of perishable food into the compost, having no use for it without the proper facilities to prepare meals.
Herowork, the local renovation company who works with charities and other non-profits is helping fix that problem, with plans to build a commercial kitchen and dignity market in a two-phase project beginning in June at Mustard Seed’s Viewfield Road facility.
“This is a huge build for a big and great organization,” says Paul Latour, executive director and founder of Herowork.
The 4,000 sq. ft. warehouse in Esquimalt, where food rescued from grocery stores is distributed to 42,000 people per month through 60 community partners, will be renovated. The addition of commercial kitchen equipment, racking and improved counter surfaces will create a 450 sq. ft. processing space. Herowork will also provide a rebuild for the bathrooms and offices.
“We contacted professional chefs, engineers and architects to come up with a beautiful design,” Latour explains.
New sewers and drains, commercial grade non-slip flooring and Plexiglas wall panelling are in the works, and a new six-burner stove, refrigeration equipment and convection oven are also coming. The changes will enable volunteers in the food rescue community kitchen to transform nearly half of the previous food waste into nutritious soups, stocks, and sauces.
Through this work, the kitchen will be able to process 40,000 lbs. of food per year, says Latour. The kitchen will also be used by other organizations as a base from which to run programs building on cooking skills and food literacy.
In October, phase two of the renovation will see the creation of The Dignity Market at the Queens Avenue location.
Some 5,000 people are served each month by the Mustard Seed’s food hamper program, and the market – designed after a grocery store – will enable them to shop for items they choose, reducing food waste, as well as shame and stigma.
“Both projects are different,” Latour says. “There’s been some learning curves. But, this is the most value we’ve achieved [in a project]. We estimate these renovations at about $900,000.”
Herowork began excavations last weekend and volunteers are still welcome. Those skilled in trades like plumbing and carpentry are needed, as well as general help. The food distribution centre at Mustard Seed will remain in operation during the month-long renovation, slated to finish June 17.


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More than 90 per cent of data breaches are attributed to successful phishing campaigns. That's a haul that should make any CEO sit up and take notice. Since you probably can't shut your organisation off...
Emma Stevens, Associate Solicitor - Dispute Resolution, Coffin Mew, explains the applications of AI across different sectors, and who's responsible when things go wrong
The cloud worker is replacing the knowledge worker in the enterprise space
Ming-Chi Kuo: Apple Macs on Apple chips are coming in 2020, with Apple's self-driving electric car coming by 2025
ARM aims at everything from IoT devices to the data centre


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Sony’s next-gen console is ready to show you its stuff. Its high-tech, rhombus-shaped stuff.
Sony earned a lot of ire when it revealed the PlayStation 4 without ever showing the physical console. Well, the time has come – the next-gen system has a finalized look, and there’s no better time to show it off than E3. If you’re busy snarking about how it’s a lot of fuss over a black box, you may want to hold your tongue. The PS4 has a radical design that’s way more interesting than just some black box.
It’s a black rhombus.
More to come as the Sony E3 press conference continues!
Update: Sony has concluded their press conference by dropping the PS4’s price point. The PlayStation 4 will sell for $399, undercutting the Xbox One by a clean hundred bucks. In other territories the price has been named as 399 Euros in Europe and 349 Pounds in the UK.


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Four Honda vehicles earned recognition from the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) as among the "greenest vehicles of 2010" with the Civic GX natural gas car earning the title of America's greenest vehicle for the seventh year, American Honda Motor Co., Inc., announced today. In the annual ACEEE's "Green Book® Online" ranking of environmentally responsible vehicles (available at www.greenercars.org), the near-zero emissions natural gas-powered Civic GX ranked first with the Civic Hybrid, Insight and Fit joining the list on the ACEEE's 12 most environmentally responsible vehicles available to the public.
This is the tenth year in a row that a Honda vehicle received the number one ranking and the 12th consecutive year that multiple Honda vehicles held positions in the top 12. This year's list also marks the first appearance of the next-generation Insight in its first year on the market.
"Honda's rankings in the ACEEE study are emblematic of our commitment to lowering emissions and increasing fuel efficiency in all of our models," said John Mendel, executive vice president of American Honda. "Honda continues to set the standard for socially and environmentally responsible vehicles with products like the Insight and Civic GX."
The ACEEE's ranking system uses a singular measure that incorporates fuel economy, health-related pollution impacts, and global warming emissions. All vehicles are analyzed and given a "Green Score" which is used to rank a vehicle's total environmental performance, including a list of the 12 "greenest" and 12 "meanest" vehicles. The Civic GX, first introduced in 1998 and currently built at Honda Manufacturing of Indiana*, is the cleanest internal combustion vehicle certified by the U.S. EPA**.
Honda has a long history of environmental innovation, including the introduction of America's first retail hybrid, the Honda Insight (1999), delivery of the first fuel cell vehicle in the U.S., the FCX (2002) and the first gasoline-powered vehicles in the hands of consumers to meet stricter emissions standards, including:
The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy is a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing energy efficiency as a means of promoting both economic prosperity and environmental protection.
*Using domestically and globally sourced parts
**EPA Tier-2, Bin-2 and ILEV certification as of January 2010


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This move by Nike came as a surprise to fans but some were still prepared to grab a pair for their collection. After going on sale through the Nike website, the sneakers sold out in under 10 minutes.
The Nike Air Yeezy 2 has sold out on http://t.co/KGtR93W3hR
— Nike.com (@nikestore) February 9, 2014
Some who were able to purchase a pair later uploaded them to Ebay in an effort to sell them at a higher price. Nike was selling the shoe for a little over $300 but it is currently going for $16.4 million by a UK seller and a US seller is selling it for $10,000.
Would you be willing to pay that much for the limited edition sneaker?


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Even in France — a nation whose President’s wife was recently revealed talking dirty in seven languages — government representatives do not discuss their underwear. The exception to this is Ulyana Sukach, chargée de projets for La Fédération de la Maille et de la Lingerie.
Within moments of meeting her, Ms Sukach (unprompted) told The Times: “My lingerie today is by Princesse tam.tam.”
Such, though, is her brief, for Ms Sukach is in effect France’s ambassador in Britain for lingerie. And this week she deployed a campaign, bankrolled by the Sarkozy Government, to get British women into French underwear.
Waving a placard emblazoned with the tricolour brassiere logo of the federation, a squadron of lingerie models in ensembles by eight of France’s leading brands toured…


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Apple was poked in the iBooks today, after a New York judge set in motion restrictions on the company for having conspired to price-fix e-books with publishers.
"I want to fashion as narrow a remedy as possible to restore competition to retailers of e-books," said U.S. District Judge Denise Cote in Manhattan today, according to BusinessWeek.
"We do need an injunction here. There was blatant price-fixing."
That remedy calls for Apple to hold contract renegotiations with the five publishers who settled with the Justice Department. And it couldn't be in contract discussions with more than one publisher at a time.
"This was a rough and tumble game played with high stakes...and the consumer suffered," Cote said in comments captured by CNET, which noted that the judge called out Apple for a lack of remorse.
"They are, in a word, unrepentant."
No external monitor required
The judge, in a non-jury trial, found that Apple and book publishers attempted to work together to raise e-book prices.
This was allegedly in an effort force Amazon to change its pricing model that often sold best-selling e-books at $9.99 through its Kindle service.
But while the judge condemned both Apple and book publishers for their practices, she didn't call for an external antitrust monitor to track its activities like the Justice Department had wanted.
Instead, BusinessWeek noted that Apple can "adopt a vigorous internal antitrust program and convince the court there's no need for a monitor."
"If we can adequately protect price competition without touching the flexibility and management of the App Store, that would be my preference," concluded Cote, according to CNET.
- You know what goes well with cheaper e-book prices? Back to School tech


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A new 100% natural product combining New Zealand bee venom and capsaicin (chilli pepper extract) designed to give rapid relief to joints - Rubeeven - was launched today.
Worldwide, around one in three people suffer from joint stiffness or discomfort as a result of conditions such as arthritis. HoneyLab, the developers of the product, say the unique patent-pending blend of two powerful natural products targets joint stiffness safely and rapidly.
"For centuries, people have used bee venom for arthritis, and capsaicin is a proven treatment," says international complementary medicines expert and Rubeeven creator Professor Shaun Holt.
"This is a completely new approach to joint relief, using the power of two natural products."
The dual-action cream works in two ways. Capsaicin warms the treated area, increasing blood flow, relieving pain and helping the bee venom penetrate the joints.
"Studies have shown that bee venom causes local release of the body’s own anti-inflammatory steroids, which is why bee venom has been described as ’nature’s cortisol shot’," says Professor Holt.
"We’re confident Rubeeven will make a difference to the lives of thousands of New Zealanders suffering from joint stiffness and discomfort."
The Wellington-based company behind onesay Rubeeven - HoneyLab Ltd - is dedicated to research and innovation of natural products…


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There is good news on the horizon concerning the material that is used to package our products in plastic containers. In an article published in the January 2012 edition of Packaging Digest, a publication for the packaging industry, John Kalkowski writes about Coca Cola’s advancement in moving away from non-renewable plastic packaging to a 100% plant based material to produce its soda bottles.
It seems that Coca Cola has entered into an agreement with three different resin manufacturers, one in Madison Wisconsin, one in Luverne, Minnesota and one in the Netherlands that have developed the technology to produce 100% plant based materials to manufacture bottles to meet Coca Cola’s high standards. Coca Cola plans to have in place this next generation PlantBottle, made of 100% plant base material, in its complete line by year 2015.
Coca Cola has been using a first generation PlantBottle since 2009 that was manufactured with 30% plant based material. According to the article, 10 billion of these bottles have been distributed in 20 countries.
In a news conference in December 2011, Coca Cola announced its agreement with these manufacturers to develop “plant-based alternatives to materials traditionally made from fossil fuels and other non-renewable resources” the article says.
The juice brand Odwalla that is under the Coca Cola umbrella of products is already packaged in a fully recyclable 100% plant base material. Not to get too technical, the material used to make the Odwalla bottles is HDPE (high-density polyethylene) plastic that is different than the PET (polyethylene terephthalate) bottle that is more suitable and shelf stable for carbonated liquids. To develop a plant base PET resin took more R&D time than HDPE.
Since Coca Cola has this technology, they are also now looking to share it with other companies. Coca Cola, earlier this year, announced a partnership with H.J. Heinz Co. allowing them to produce ketchup bottles using PlantBottle technology that was launched this past summer in the U.S.
So that definitely is progress in the way companies are looking to more green alternatives in package their products. Although the R&D to produce these green containers was quite costly, Coca Cola is not passing on the cost to the consumers. Kudos to Coca Cola for putting the environment first and not profits. We hope that more and more companies will take Coca Cola’s lead in making the products we know and love more earth friendly.


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Viva la (Facebook & Smartphone) Revolución!
Palwasha is a member of The Motley Fool Blog Network -- entries represent the personal opinion of the blogger and are not formally edited.
Social media advertisement and smartphone apps have revolutionized old school marketing. Costs of advertising and ultimately costs of doing business have been reduced. While almost every other corporation is adapting to this new ecosystem, there are some businesses that are making the most out of it.
I’ll avoid getting into financial analytics and forward P/Es and PEGs or comparing competitors to make a recommendation. Since the following two stocks are both recommended ‘buys’ right now, I’ll leave the comparison between the two for the next time. This time my focus is going to be on their marketing models.
Two famous pizza brands have recently beaten Wall Street’s earnings forecasts and their stocks have since been opening higher than the previous close each passing day. Both stocks, Papa John’s Pizza (NASDAQ: PZZA) and Domino’s Pizza (NYSE: DPZ), are hot picks right now with one of the two (Domino’s) also landing in Jim Cramer’s portfolio.
Star analysts have especially upped their ratings for Domino’s Pizza, which was recently upgraded by Goldman Sachs from neutral to buy, setting a price target of $45 for the stock. Experts say Domino’s future growth will mostly come from its international operations, especially emerging markets. Last year, Domino’s Pizza had global sales of over $6.9 billion, of which 51%, or $3.5 billion, came from the international markets with Japan’s 50% of sales, the UK’s nearly 50% and Australia’s 40% coming from online orders. Today, 30% of Domino’s total sales revenue comes from mobile and traditional online ordering. Such is the power of internet!
The Facebook Factor
Domino’s saw its Facebook and Twitter fan base growing by more than 400% in just one year last year. The pizza company has been able to attract an average of 500k fans every month since the beginning of the year. User growth got a bit sluggish in the last three months yet its Facebook page, which had around 6.3 million followers back in April, has attracted another 800k fans—though outpaced by Yum! Brands' Pizza Hut (NYSE: YUM), which saw a faster fan growth over the same period.
Domino’s was able to earn $1 billion in total online sales during a one year period in 2011, and to celebrate this it announced the half-price pizza deal that offered 50% off its pizzas. The major marketing platform for this promo was Facebook itself. Domino’s ran sponsored stories and premium ads on Facebook days before the campaign was launched. The campaign, which ran on over 19 country-specific Domino’s Facebook pages, broke the company’s own sales records in many countries. The trick was to attract customers to like their Facebook page. Once they did, Domino’s added the 50% discount offer to their shopping carts on Domino’s website. The result was a huge number of Facebook users liking the page—who, to this date, continue to receive promotional updates from the company daily on their news feed.
A somewhat similar kind of marketing strategy was employed by Pizza Hut earlier last year when its Facebook fan base was only half of what it is today. Fans who liked the official Pizza Hut Facebook page received a free $5 P’Zone with every online purchase.
Another rather interesting way in which Domino’s utilizes its Facebook presence is via its game app. Ok, I confess that at first it felt like a complete waste of time, but then I noticed I was contributing to charity. Against every three levels you clear, Domino’s Pizza donates $1 to a cancer research hospital for children. You can play it here to donate. So far, the app users’ donations have reached $7,521.
As of now, Domino’s Facebook page has over 7.1 million likes. Pizza hut has over 8 million and Papa John’s is behind the two with only 2.4 million. What makes the former two more likable is their page admins who keep the users engaged daily with their interactive shares and statuses, to keep them coming back. Note, fans who like and comment on these pages, have their activity made visible on their friends’ news feeds; thus the pages' message reaches an even wider audience than actual subscribed fans. Papa John’s lags behind the two peers in this department because of a not-so-engaging (a subtle way of saying boring) admin, but that’s where smartphones do the trick for this brand.
The Smartphone Factor
Papa John’s is the pioneer in the mobile space, the first to generate $1 million in mobile sales back in 2008. Pizza Hut followed with $1 million in sales via its iPhone app in 2009, which reached over 3 million downloads. Domino’s entered the app market a little late, with its first iPhone app releasing and generating $1 million in sales in 2011. Better late than never!
According to Domino’s chief marketing officer, Russell Weiner, sales from apps are now approaching $140 million per year. Domino’s has just launched its pizza ordering app for Amazon’s Kindle Fire, which Pizza Hut doesn’t have, thus making an addition to Domino's mobile ordering apps portfolio. The Kindle Fire app does crash every now and then and thus hasn't received many good reviews, but that's another issue. It still pushes Domino's a step ahead. Papa John’s pizza leads with its apps available on android, iPhone, iPad, Windows Phone, Blackberry and Kindle Fire. The pizza brands have also been running mobile ads with Pandora.
The smartphone apps make pizza ordering a unique experience via phone. For me, Domino's has by far the best app. It allows you to choose your base sauce in addition to a wider range of crusts, sizes and toppings. You can place an order in advance for a future date and even track your order while it's being processed. Pizza Hut's app also lets you customize your own pizza, but the choices are comparatively narrower.
And then there are these partnered marketing schemes with smartphone manufacturers. One employed by Domino’s is the ‘Free Android Smartphone’ giveaway, in which the company has partnered with Google and telecom service providers like Verizon and Sprint to give free Android phones to its customers. All they need to do is sign up for a two year service plan with any telecom operator they like and download Domino’s Android pizza ordering app on the free phone.
Needless to say, the Facebook/smartphone era has us witnessing many businesses booming. And while Facebook stock gets ditched and smartphones fight for market share, many corporations like these pizza brands continue to win at their expense.
Long live the Facebook/Smartphone Revolution!
PalwashaS has no positions in the stocks mentioned above. The Motley Fool owns shares of Papa John’s International. Motley Fool newsletter services recommend Yum! Brands. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.If you have questions about this post or the Fool’s blog network, click here for information.


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New Delhi, Rising nearly unscathed from the Covid effects, auto big Kia Motors India sees the pent-up demand starting to be extra sustained and predictable now, which is expect to travel development.
In a conversation with IANS, the firm’s Vice President and Head Profits and Marketing Manohar Bhat stated: “Kia has been in India for a calendar year now and in this period, we have intently observed the performing of the Indian marketplace. Though it is a extremely short time interval to particularly forecast the demand.”
“We are learning from our experiences each and every day and I can say that pent-up demand is now extra sustained and predictable than when we started off.”
The firm’s general performance can by gauged from its September income quantities. It registered the greatest-ever domestic income due to the fact entry into the Indian marketplace, with eighteen,676 units in September 2020.
The major contributor in the firm’s income was its a short while ago released compact SUV Sonet which recorded nine,266 device income in just twelve days.
“Till now, we have obtained nearly 35,000 bookings. With a potent item like Sonet, we have been anticipating such suggestions from the Indian individuals,” he stated.
Kia’s very first item for India, the Seltos recorded nine,079 device income.
“Owing to Covid-19, many industries and corporations have been witnessing a slowdown interval and have been adversely impacted in the last handful of months. However, article zero income in the month of April we have witnessed a change in the direction of revival and restoration in the auto sector,” he elaborated.
“With an raise in income and demand of our products and solutions, we have now observed a continuous month on month development with our present selection of products and solutions.”
Likewise, in August, the firm experienced registered healthful income figure. It experienced offered ten,845 units which represented seventy four for every cent YoY development along with 1 lakh device income of Seltos in a lot less than a year’s time.
In July, Kia grew to become the speediest automaker in India to arrive at the historic milestone of 1 lakh cumulative income with two products and solutions Seltos and Carnival in just eleven months due to the fact its very first car or truck debuted in the place.
“The auto sector is on a revival phase from a handful of months now the place we have found a surge in income quantities across models. At Kia Motors India, we have experienced very good momentum for a handful of months and are moving in the direction of a speedy restoration in the sector,” Bhat stated.
“With our three potent item choices, we are optimistic about driving even further development for the model.”
In accordance to Bhat, the firm is hopeful of getting healthful client response in the course of the festive year.
“We are moving into into the festive year phase, which is viewed as as the ‘thirteenth month’ of income. The festive year has always been a extremely significant time across industries, as the buyer sentiment in the course of this time is commonly extremely beneficial. Specially in the automotive sector, we witness a extra than usual surge in demand in the course of this time,” he explained.
“We are also looking at an activity with Seltos in the course of this festive interval which will be backed by a total thrust advertising and marketing approach.”
Not just income but even production has picked up for the auto manufacturer.
The firm experienced resumed operations at its producing plant in Anantapur on Might 8, 2020.
“Owing to the growing demand for Kia Cars and trucks, we have started off operating at a double change. The the vast majority of our income and source channel is on observe now which has manufactured the operations smoother,” he added.


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The great thing about Advertising Week is that everyone there is clairvoyant! Here's a rundown of all the things we heard the future of advertising will be (drumroll please...):
Artificial intelligence that knows you, possibly too well. "I don't think it will be too long, probably within the next five to 10 years, that you're going to be able to talk to a voice assistant in the same way you would to somebody on a shop room floor, that knows all the information about the products, but more importantly knows everything about you, knows you as well as your own mom and dad does," said Marc Lore, CEO of Walmart E-commerce for the U.S. during his Wednesday panel alongside Sridhar Ramaswamy, senior VP of ads and commerce at Google.
"The age of assistance," said Allan Thygesen, president of Google Americas, in his panel by the same name, alongside Unilever Chief Marketing and Communications Officer Keith Weed. "I'm not talking about self-driving cars or contact lenses that project the internet. I'm talking about things that are happening today," like Unilever's voice-activated tips for stain removal served up via Google Home. Weed pointed to a Hellmann's app in Brazil that delivers recipe ideas based on photos taken of what's in a refrigerator.
Threatened by the many problems with digital media today, Weed said on the same panel.
"The digital ecosphere is still just too mucky and difficult, whether you're talking about viewability or verification or brand safety or ad fraud. And we seem to lurch from one to the other."
Virtual reality: Lore said one of the projects in the works at Walmart's tech incubator, Store No. 8, are virtual-reality apps that, for example, let you go to a remote lake to try out fishing gear.


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Press releases • Jul 18, 2019 05:00 GMT
Panalpina recorded stable results for the first half-year 2019. From January to June 2019, Panalpina generated an EBIT of CHF 52.1 million (YTD 2018: CHF 54.7 million) and a consolidated profit of CHF 34.0 million (YTD 2018: CHF 36.1 million), thereby nearly reaching previous-year levels.
New Panalpina customer portal: bringing the future of digital supply chain management to transport logistic in Munich
Press releases • Jun 03, 2019 13:00 GMT
Panalpina will present its new customer portal this week at transport logistic 2019, the world’s leading trade fair for logistics and supply chain management. Collaborative shipment management, fully-automated instant quotation and lane risk assessment make the portal unique in the industry. Interested parties can test the customer portal in Munich before it will be made available later this year.
Press releases • Apr 17, 2019 05:00 GMT
In the first three months of 2019, international freight forwarding and logistics company Panalpina improved profitability compared to the same period of last year. Panalpina reported an EBIT of CHF 28.1 million (YTD 2018: CHF 24.4 million) and a consolidated profit of CHF 19.2 million (YTD 2018: CHF 16.6 million).
Press releases • Apr 15, 2019 12:00 GMT
Panalpina, the freight forwarding and logistics company that pioneered Logistics Manufacturing Services (LMS), has stepped into the telecoms installation market after signing an agreement in Mexico with a large global telecoms network infrastructure company. With this, Panalpina has extended its LMS offering to include the installation of hardware and software for mobile network antennas.
Press releases • Feb 28, 2019 06:45 GMT
Panalpina continued to deliver innovative, end-to-end supply chain solutions in 2018 to its customers in a wide range of industries. The Management Report 2018 highlights the company’s key achievements in expanding its services and footprint as well as carrying out complex freight forwarding and logistics projects.
Press releases • Feb 28, 2019 06:00 GMT
Panalpina ended the year 2018 with a historic record in Air Freight volumes, a recovering Ocean Freight product and solid profitability in Logistics. For the full year, Panalpina’s reported EBIT increased from CHF 103.3 million to CHF 118.4 million (+15%) and the reported consolidated profit increased from CHF 57.5 million to CHF 75.7 million (+32%).
Press releases • Feb 20, 2019 10:45 GMT
Panalpina announces the launch of its new state-of-the-art digital customer portal. The portal enables customers to benefit from a wide range of instant and real-time services. It is currently available to selected customers by invitation only and will be launched globally this summer.
Press releases • Nov 28, 2018 16:15 GMT
Panalpina has entered into a strategic alliance with technology company Honeywell to enhance worker productivity, accuracy, and efficiency across its global distribution centers.
Press releases • Oct 25, 2018 05:00 GMT
In the first nine months of 2018, Panalpina increased group profitability compared to the same period of last year. From January to September, gross profit increased from CHF 1,024.8 million to CHF 1,116.2 million. Year-on-year, Panalpina’s EBIT increased from CHF 72.1 million to CHF 83.2 million and the consolidated profit increased from CHF 48.4 million to CHF 51.0 million.
Press releases • Jul 17, 2018 05:00 GMT
Panalpina recorded a sound first half-year 2018 with sustained margins and double-digit profitability growth across the board. From January to June 2018, Panalpina increased EBIT from CHF 42.0 million to CHF 54.7 million and consolidated profit from CHF 29.9 million to CHF 36.1 million.
Press releases • Jun 26, 2018 08:05 GMT
Panalpina has launched the Panalpina Digital Hub to embrace new technologies including the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI) and blockchain that have the potential to disrupt the business in the coming years. The new business unit is to explore innovative technologies, develop new digital solutions for customers, and engage with digital start-up companies.
Press releases • May 22, 2018 12:00 GMT
Panalpina has joined the Blockchain in Transport Alliance (BiTA), a forum of leading tech and transportation companies for the development and implementation of blockchain standards in the freight industry. The company sees many advantages of blockchain technology for freight forwarding and logistics operations in general, but also for specific areas such as perishables in particular.
Press releases • Apr 19, 2018 05:00 GMT
In the first three months of 2018, international freight forwarding and logistics company Panalpina improved profitability compared to the same period of last year. Panalpina reported an EBIT of CHF 24.4 million (YTD 2017: CHF 16.4 million) and a consolidated profit of CHF 16.6 million (YTD 2017: CHF 12.4 million).
Press releases • Mar 21, 2018 15:30 GMT
Panalpina has published its second integrated management report, summarizing the company’s activities during 2017 in terms of business performance and sustainability.
Press releases • Mar 07, 2018 06:00 GMT
Panalpina ended the year 2017 with strong Air Freight volumes and margins, while in the fourth quarter margin pressure continued to impact the financial results in Ocean Freight. For the full year, Panalpina’s reported EBIT increased from CHF 82.0 million to CHF 103.3 million and the reported consolidated profit increased from CHF 52.3 million to CHF 57.5 million.
Press releases • Dec 21, 2017 12:00 GMT
Al Rushaid is one of Saudi Aramco’s main suppliers and a large Saudi conglomerate which provides services through partnerships in many different industries including oil and gas, manufacturing and construction. Pending regulatory approval, Panalpina will be tasked with managing the logistical aspects of Al Rushaid’s subsidiaries and joint ventures.
Press releases • Dec 13, 2017 13:45 GMT
As part of its growth strategy, Panalpina has centralized its Supply Chain Solutions offering with plans to expand the existing team of experts and further invest in technology and infrastructure. Panalpina’s customers from across multiple industries will benefit from solutions that manage their supply chains from end-to-end and offer greater flexibility, customization, and visibility.
Press releases • Oct 19, 2017 05:00 GMT
In the first nine months of 2017, Panalpina grew volumes in both Air and Ocean Freight compared to the same period of last year. As the year progressed, group gross profit as well as EBIT increased with every quarter. Year-on-year, Panalpina’s reported EBIT increased from CHF 67.5 million to CHF 72.1 million and the reported consolidated profit increased from CHF 46.5 million to CHF 48.4 million.
Press releases • Jul 20, 2017 05:00 GMT
Panalpina recorded robust volume growth in both Air and Ocean Freight in the first half-year of 2017. As higher freight rates and margin pressure persisted, Panalpina increased its reported EBIT from 34.7 million (adjusted half-year 2016: CHF 60.8 million) to CHF 42.0 million and the reported consolidated profit from CHF 21.8 million (adjusted HY 2016: 47.9 million) to CHF 29.9 million.


text: RIGA – The fifth annual Riga Garage Sale and Pancake Breakfast is Saturday. The Riga Township Firefighter’s Association will be hosting the pancake breakfast from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the township hall. The cost of the breakfast is $5 per person and will feature pancakes, whole hog sausage and a beverage. All proceeds from the breakfast will go to the Riga Firefighter Association. The garage sales will take place from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and a prize will be awarded for the best decorated sale sign.


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Isla Fisher: Workout Shopping with the Girls!
The 37-year-old actress was joined by her older daughter Olive while shopping for workout clothes.
The day before, Isla was spotted chatting on her phone while arriving on a flight at LAX Airport.
It was recently reported that Isla and her husband Sasha Baron Cohen are currently in escrow on their Hollywood Hills West home, which they listed at $2.595 million, according to the Los Angeles Times.
10+ pictures inside of Isla Fisher spending time with Elula and Olive…


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At its meeting on 16 June, the Economic and Financial Affairs Council (ECOFIN) discussed the compromise proposal prepared by the Maltese Council Presidency on anti-VAT fraud measures, with the aim of reaching an agreement on this proposal in respect of the directive on a generalized VAT reverse charge mechanism. The discussion was concluded without an agreement, which requires unanimity in the Council. France and Slovenia opposed the proposal.
The Eu Council has been working on a proposal for a Council directive which aims to allow the application of a generalised VAT reverse charge mechanism to domestic transactions between businesses involving services or goods with an invoice exceeding EUR 10,000 based on the application of the Czech Republic and Austria, which are prepared to start the pilot project.
The aim is to help some member states that are particularly affected by VAT fraud and do not have sufficient measures to combat it, which could be the case in instances of VAT fraud schemes such as the ‘carousel’ or ‘missing trader’ schemes.
According to the European Commissions, the VAT gap in the EU has reached nearly EUR 160 billion, of which about EUR 50 billion is attributable to cross-border fraud (in 2013).
The possibility of applying the reverse charge mechanism exists in the current system; however, its application is limited to a certain list of sectors. Its application is also limited in time. It was introduced by EC directive 2013/43/EU.
This article was originally issued in the GGI Indirect taxes newsletter.


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Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain will release on Xbox One, it's been confirmed.
The next-gen version was shown during Microsoft's E3 presentation earlier today, showing off the game's advanced lighting, real-time weather and open-world.
The game is also due to release on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. A PlayStation 4 version has yet to be announced.
"Xbox One will make Metal Gear shine with its graphic power," said director Hideo Kojima.
A release date for the game has yet to be confirmed.


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Netflix subscriber growth narrows
Although the Los Gatos, Calif.-based DVD rental company’s revenue increased, thanks to a bigger subscriber base, subscriber growth declined 9% in the quarter ended Sept. 30 compared to the same period last year. Netflix had lowered its expectations in an announcement earlier this month.
The company also lost subscribers at the same rate as last year. Netflix had anticipated higher retention as consumers grew more accustomed to the Web-driven Netflix model of paying a monthly fee for all-you-can-watch movies by mail and by instant stream.
Still, the news isn’t too bad overall. Revenue increased 16% to $341.3 million, and total subscribers grew 23% to 8.7 million. Net income increased 31% to $20.4 million, or 33 cents a share. That beat the expectations of analysts surveyed by Bloomberg by 2 cents.
The economy wasn’t Netflix’s only problem during the third quarter. Must-see television events like the August Olympics and the political conventions lured viewers away from rentals, and Netflix had a brief shipment stoppage (which also cost the company $6.5 million in customer credits).
And Netflix might be better positioned than most companies to weather the credit-crunched months ahead, thanks to its solid subscriber base and its adoption of new technologies.
“The good news for Netflix is that they don’t necessarily have to grow subscribers to keep the business on track in any given quarter,” says Piper Jaffray & Co. analyst Mike Olson. “Netflix definitely has a strong, recurring, high cash-flow business model.”
Netflix is also starting to offer customers more ways to watch. Twelve thousand titles can be streamed instantly online — including recently added content from CBS, Disney-ABC Television Group and Starz Entertainment. And though there are only about a thousand titles so far, Netflix is trying to offer more content in the higher-definition Blu-ray format, for which it will charge subsribers a dollar extra per month, adding slightly to its revenue next quarter.
And this year Netflix announced a series of partnerships with consumer electronics companies that will make it easier for subscribers to watch movies instantly on their TVs through Roku set-top boxes, LG Electronics’ Blu-ray players, and soon via Xbox 360 video game consoles.
“The most important piece of the Netflix story going forward is its ability to get its technology on consumer electronics devices,” Olson says, “I think they’ve done a great job out of the gates, but ultimately they need to be on hundreds of devices.”
Olson thinks that expansion isn’t necessarily out of Netflix’s reach, and, if consumers switch from discs to instant streams, could lower the company’s operating costs.
Wedbush Morgan Securities analyst Michael Pachter agrees, calling that switch “nirvana for Netflix.”
“We have fewer discs, streams don’t break — discs do — and we have no postage. We can pay the studios even more, and the customer gets immediate gratification,” Pachter says, speaking from Netflix’s perspective.
But Netflix Chief Executive Reed Hastings doesn’t seem optimistic that perfect substitution will happen, at least not any time soon.
“We’ve seen a growing adoption of ‘watch instantly’ [Netflix’s streaming option] and we expect that to continue,” he says. “[But] you can’t see a drop-off in DVD usage because the people who go for online streaming are a different type of person.”
The company expects to have between 8.85 million and 9.15 million subscribers in the fourth quarter, lowered from its previous estimate. But its net income prediction remained steady at between $18 million to $23 million.
Netflix shares were steady at $23.80 in after-hours trading on the Nasdaq, following the earnings announcement.
*Photo of Netflix Chief Executive Reed Hastings courtesy Paul Sakuma, Associated Press.


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We’ve received word form Konami that Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance will receive its first portion of DLC this month.
Articles by Ray Willmott
The long-awaited Update 10 for Lord of the Rings Online, Against the Shadow, has finally hit today.
A brand new mode for the console version of Resident Evil: Revelations has been announced by Capcom through the means of a trailer.
The fourth multiplayer mode for Resident Evil 6: Siege Mode, has finally released on Xbox 360.
Regardless of whether you believe the failed future fortunes of the series or not, two more screens from upcoming Dead Space 3 expansion, Awakened, have released.
Ubisoft have released the highly anticipated ‘fan favourite’ Far Cry 3 patch for Playstation 3, Xbox 360 and PC.
Blizzard have released long awaited The Thunder King patch on World of Warcraft.
Square Enix have revealed details on the first Tomb Raider DLC, due for release on March 19th, and it’s coming first on Xbox 360.
Warner Brothers have announced the final character as part of the Guardians of Middle Earth Season Pass. Introducing the Barrow-wight Lord.
Famitsu conducted an interview with Metal Gear Rising writer, Etsu Tamari, in their latest magazine and gathered some more details about the game’s upcoming DLC.


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Indian Mars Orbiter is the best
Mangalyaan has been named among the best inventions of 2014 by Time magazine which described it as a technological feat that will allow India to flex its “interplanetary muscles.”
New Delhi: Mangalyaan has been named among the best inventions of 2014 by Time magazine which described it as a technological feat that will allow India to flex its “interplanetary muscles.”
“Nobody gets Mars right on the first try. The US didn’t, Russia didn’t, the Europeans didn’t. But on September 24, India did. That’s when the Mangalyaan …went into orbit around the Red Planet, a technological feat no other Asian nation has yet achieved,” Time said about Mangalyaan, calling it “The Supersmart Spacecraft.”
Mangalyaan is among the 25 ‘Best Inventions of 2014′ listed by Time magazine that are “making the world better, smarter and—in some cases—a little more fun.”
Developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation, the Mars spacecraft cost India just USD 74 million, less than the budget for the multi-Acacdemy Award winning science fiction thriller film Gravity. Time said at that price, the Mangalyaan is equipped with just five onboard instruments that allow it to do simple tasks like measure Martian methane and surface composition.
“More important, however, it allows India to flex its interplanetary muscles, which portends great things for the country’s space programme and for science in general,” Time said.
The list also includes inventions by two Indians for developing an exercise space for prisoners in solitary confinement and a tablet toy for kids.
Nalini Nadkarni, forest ecologist and college professor helped develop the ‘Blue Room’ with Snake River Correctional Institution in Oregon for inmates in solitary confinement, who for 23 hours a day see nothing but a tiny, white-walled cell, an experience some research suggests heightens mental illness and makes prisoners prone to suicide attempts and violence.
Last year, officials began letting some of them spend their free hour in a first-of-its-kind Blue Room, an exercise space where a projector plays video of open deserts, streaming waterfalls and other outdoor scenes. Nadkarni says the imagery is designed to calm prisoners, “much in the way we walk through a park” to relax.
Former Google engineer Pramod Sharma developed ‘Osmo’, a tablet toy that gets physical. Sharma got the inspiration when he saw his daughter playing with the iPad, but did not want her to be glued to the tablet all day long.
The toy, which debuted in October, has helped Osmo raise USD 14.5 million in capital and is now being sold in the Apple Store.
The other inventions are a reactor developed by aerospace company Lockheed Martin that could realize nuclear fusion, Apple’s smart watch that besides telling time, can send messages, give directions, track fitness and make wireless payments and Microsoft’s Surface Pro 3, a “hybrid” that bundles laptop into a 12-inch tablet and can run desktop apps.
Other best inventions:
Hendo Hoverboard: A type of skateboard that levitates like a magic carpet.
Witricity: Acronym for Wireless Electricity, a device which powers objects as far away as 8 ft. The technology has been tested on cars and could be a reality within a decade.
3D printers: Devices that can build objects from digital blueprints.
Apple Watch: It can send messages, give directions, track fitness and make wireless payments.
Blackphone: A smartphone designed to put privacy above all else.
Coolest Cooler: It stores food, And also touts a blender, an LED lid light, a USB charger, a Bluetooth speaker and big wheels.
Lumo Lift: It analyses neck and spinal positions and vibrates when they’re less than ideal.
BMW i3: Its novel design allows drivers to use a single pedal to both accelerate and brake.
Superbananas: Bananas that prevent blindness
Hemopurifier: The filter that fights Ebola.