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NMP extends assurance requirements to feed
Welfare and quality assurance were to the fore at last weeks busy Dairy Event with the launch of a national code of practice for dairying.
FW examines the latest schemes, including one for feeds, and guages producer and feed compounder reaction to the drive for improved traceability
PRODUCERS supplying Northern Milk Partnership must now retain samples of every feed load arriving on-farm and get suppliers to declare feed ingredients to NMP.
The move, announced at the Dairy Event, makes NMP the first company to extend quality assurance requirements to feed. Feed suppliers will be sent NMP questionnaires via farmer buyers which must be returned to the company to "assess their general ability to meet the standards set," it says.
According to NMP director and Welsh farmer Richard Lloyd, it will not become mandatory for farmers to buy feed from specific suppliers, but should start producers questioning where their feed comes from. "Tesco have floated suggestions about own-brand feed. We are trying to pre-empt them."
Completed questionnaires will be returned to farmers, who will be responsible for sampling feedstuffs as they arrive on-farm. This should allow the company to trace back any problems which may be related to feed, said Mr Lloyd.
Producer reaction has been favourable, said Mr Lloyd. "I am a sceptic, but have been surprised at how many people said we should have been doing this years ago. It does involve more paperwork, but producers realise this is the way the industry is going."
WHEN questionned at the Dairy Event producers welcomed quality assurance, including traceability of feeds, but felt welfare standards were high already. There was concern over the proliferation of schemes and all would welcome an industry-wide scheme audited by a third party.
Tony Mallon, milking 300 cows in Norfolk:
"We have been supplying Lord Rayleighs Farms, and have consequently started supplying MD Foods. They dont have a scheme as far as I know yet, but all the dairy companies appear to want traceability. It seems the way to satisfy public needs, but I think quality and welfare standards are already high."I feed most rations as a complete diet, and so buy straights. It may be difficult to get information on imported commodities, and it is difficult to justify paying much more for feed to ensure traceability in a price-led industry."
Neil Rowe, milking 170 Holsteins in Oxfordshire:
"I supply Unigate, who have a self-assessment welfare and quality scheme. However, unless it is policed by a third party its a waste of time. We also need one industry-wide scheme rather than competing schemes which will demand increasingly harder requirements and eventually drive milk prices down.
"Im not sure how necessary it is to keep feed samples, but I reckon more stringent requirements are in the pipeline. The problem with farmers is that once milk is in the tank they think it is someone elses responsibility – we have to change that view."
Ian Mac-Intyre, milking 140 cows in Scotland:
"I supply Scottish Milk who dont have a welfare or quality code of practice at the moment, but I think there is one in the pipeline. It seems to be necessary because its what consumers want, but welfare is already of a high standard – cows wouldnt produce otherwise. However, I do feel that asking producers to retain samples of feed is taking it too far."
Poul Christensen, dairy farmer and chairman of Milk Marque:
"Customers want quality assured milk that has been produced in an environmentally and welfare friendly way. It will be a requirement, and not something that will give a market edge. But there is a danger that the proliferation of codes will reduce their impact.
"The broad issue is developing customer confidence. I dont think theres any need for us to demand more stringent standards at the moment – we are meeting customer requirements."n


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Lo, the Ron Johnson changes at JCP continue apace! Apple’s ex-retail guru has been notoriously overhauling the US high street megalith, to not exactly stunning sales results, but as his latest, and truly out-of-the-box move shows, he’s not backing off his radical revamp plans any time soon. This time round he’s decided JCP needs to join the high/low collaboration queue – you know, the H&M and Maison Martin Margiela, Target and Prabal Gurung, and so forth trend – and for his brand’s first foray, he has chosen to hook up with…wait for it…Duro Olowu. Who? Read more
The assertion that exclusivity is no longer a criteria for luxury came from PPR chief Francois-Henri Pinault when he opened our luxury conference last Thursday, and I have to say, it made me sit up in my seat. Not that that was the only striking insight to come out at the end of last week. Here, in no particular order of importance, are the top five items that stayed with me the most Read more
The amount of attention paid to the appointment of Dixon’s ceo, John Browett, as Apple’s new head of retail has been interesting. After all, how many times does the announcement of the guy running stores at even the biggest companies merit this many column inches? Put another way: I’ll give you a hundred bucks if you can tell me who runs retail for Louis Vuitton? Ferrari? Gucci? Nike? Tiffany? Actually, that was a joke, but you get the point.

domain: news


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Things were already pretty tense between the chip makers Intel and Advanced Micro Devices. The two parties are in the midst of a lengthy antitrust battle in which A.M.D. has accused Intel of harming its relationships with PC and server makers. Beyond that, the companies have fought for years as the David and Goliath of the mainstream processor market.
Now, A.M.D.’s latest moves to rework the competitive landscape have caught Intel’s attention. This week, A.M.D. disclosed plans to create a new entity tentatively called the Foundry Company, which will focus on making processors. A.M.D. will concentrate on designing them.
The Abu Dhabi government has committed up to $8 billion to the Foundry venture in exchange for a majority stake in the company. Its cash infusion, which I wrote about in an article published Wednesday, will remove a large financial burden from A.M.D.
Intel, however, is grumbling about the formation of Foundry. In particular, the company is curious how the arrangement affects an existing licensing deal between Intel and A.M.D. around the instructions used by PC and server processors.
“Intel has serious questions about this transaction as it relates to the license and will vigorously protect its intellectual property rights,” said an Intel spokesman, Chuck Mulloy.
The agreement between Intel and A.M.D. remains largely confidential, although Intel has agreed to make it public if A.M.D. will approve the request. In the meantime, there are questions as to whether or not the Advanced Technology Investment Company, the investment group formed by the Abu Dhabi government, was legally allowed to view the agreement between Intel and A.M.D. before the Foundry deal took place.
A redacted version of Intel and A.M.D.’s patent cross-licensing agreement is available on the Web and states that it can be shown “in confidence to legal counsel, accountants, banks and financing sources and their advisers solely in connection with complying with financial transactions.”
So, if a real dispute arises, it would seem to revolve around the definition of a “financing source.”
Advanced Technology Chairman Waleed al-Mokarrab said his company did go over the agreement as part of its usual research into an investment. “Of course, we did,” he said. “We do our homework.”
A.M.D. has downplayed the legal concerns, saying it expects the Foundry deal to pass regulatory, shareholder and licensing muster.
“Intel appears to be trying to disrupt an industry-changing move that apparently threatens them competitively,” an A.M.D. spokesman, Drew Prairie, said.
Should the deal go through as expected, with Foundry setting up shop in Silicon Valley in January 2009, the new company will find itself in a challenging business.
Foundries, which are companies that function as contract chip manufacturers, have experienced an average profit margin of 41 percent over the last 10 years, according to VLSI Research. That figure, however, is heavily bolstered by the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, the leading foundry, which had an average margin of 44 percent over that period.
Companies that both design and manufacture their own chips have shown an average margin of 39 percent over the last 10 years. According to VLSI, Intel has dominated this market, with an average margin of 55 percent.
Foundry will be going up against Intel and Taiwan Semiconductor at its main competitors.


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Maserati has announced that their new SUV, the Grecale will be launching on 16th November, 2021 in Milan. The car has been described by Maserati as “a wind that turns the every day into something exceptional”, and expects it to blow across the Maserati range. Talk about a strong analogy!
Maserati has always named their cars after wind currents, and the Grecale is no different being named after the Mediterranean wind stream “Gregale.” The car is also expected to run like the wind because it shares its platform with the Alfa Romeo Stelvio. Expected to come with a 2.0 or 2.9L engine that powers the Stelvio, though Maserati could choose something different altogether. Here are two official spy shots of the car:
The anticipation is high, can’t wait for November to come around! Moreover, this SUV COULD confirm a lot of the mechanical and platform related details for the even more anticipated Ferrari SUV, the Purosangue. That’s just a wild educated guess we can make from it.


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Sunday, October 19, 2008
By Erik Gruenwedel | Posted: 15 Oct 2008
Apple’s speculated foray into Blu-ray will remain the grist of scuttlebutt after CEO Steve Jobs said the technology giant would not include the high-definition drive in its 2009 line of laptop computers.
"We're waiting until things settle down and Blu-ray takes off in the marketplace," Jobs told attendees Oct. 14 during a presentation at Apple’s Cupertino, Calif.-based headquarters.
The executive did characterize licensing aspects of Blu-ray as “a bag of hurt” without providing additional details. Apple is a founding board member of the Blu-ray Disc Association, which perhaps gives it first-hand exposure to a licensing process that mandates encryption, related DRM safeguards and is reportedly cumbersome and expensive.
“It is not only not cheap but a pain in the butt,” said independent technology analyst Rob Enderle.
Indeed, Apple is no stranger to erecting obstacles itself as evidenced by the lack of third-party manufacturer access to its proprietary and lucrative iTunes platform.
Steve Baker, VP of industry analysis for NPD Group, believes the number of companies with a hand in the licensing process dissuaded Apple, which he said has migrated toward digital distribution rather than packaged media.
"[Apple is] not trying to be everything to everyone like Netflix or Blockbuster,” Baker said. “They're going to keep trying to deliver economy around digital downloads. I still question why anybody would question or care whether they have Blu-ray.”
Enderle said putting Blu-ray in a Mac laptop would be counter-strategic, as Apple is aggressively pursuing downloads and even eliminated optical drives in some products.
“Apple was an early supporter of Blu-ray but never did anything with it,” he said. “They don’t want to do HDMI either, which further takes them down a non-Blu path. Effectively, Apple has moved on.”


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LAS VEGAS — General Motors Corp. will introduce seven new entry-level vehicles through 2004 to recapture lost market share, Ron Zarrella, president of GM North American Operations, told a press conference here Tuesday.
"Nearly all of our widely publicized market-share loss since 1997 has occurred in the low-end car segment, which accounts for 37 percent of all young and first-time car buyers," Zarrella said at the Specialty Equipment Market Association show.
Zarrella said that in most cases, GM will rely on its alliance partners such as Suzuki, Toyota and Honda to help it bring out the vehicles. He said the models will include a new Chevrolet S-10 pickup developed with Isuzu; a new Chevy Cavalier developed with Opel, its European subsidiary; and what he called a "segment-busting Chevy," a version of the Traverse car/truck/sport-utility hybrid unveiled on this year's auto-show circuit.
The new small cars are intended to "not only turn around our market share loss but to reconnect and grow the youth market, where we have suffered considerable losses in vehicle sales and profits," Zarrella said.
Zarrella says GM sees its small-car sales growing to 1 million units when these vehicles are added, from 850,000 now.


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McDonald’s Corporation (MCD) stock is off more than 3% on Monday after the iconic American fast food chain posted declining same-store sales growth that missed forecasts by a long shot. U.S. sales fell by the most in more than a decade.
It’s a troubling continuation of a recent trend at McDonald’s, wherein an influx of competitors, the growing popularity of customizable dishes, a focus on healthier food and currency headwinds have combined to form a perfect storm for MCD stock.
Investors Weren’t Lovin’ the Sales at MCD
Sales at U.S. stores open at least 13 months fell 4.6% in November, far steeper than the 1.9% decline analysts expected. Sales at all McDonald’s across the globe open at least 13 months were also off, slipping 2.2% last month and coming in below the 1.7% expected decline.
Burger King investors, on the other hand, are experiencing quite a different reality: last quarter North American same-store sales rose by 3.7% and global same-store sales jumped 2.7%. BKW stock is up about 8% since those numbers came out on Sept. 15.
BKW stock investors have something else to be excited about, too: Europe. Burger King formed a joint venture, Burger King SEE SA, through which it will aggressively expand into Italy, Poland, Greece and Romania, according to a recent Bloomberg report.
Burger King also recently acquired the doughnut-and-coffee chain Tim Horton’s Inc. (USA) (THI) for about $11 billion in an inversion tax move that was approved by the government of Canada last week. But before you go placing flimsy paper crowns on your head and annexing your neighbor’s land, BKW investors should learn from the woes MCD stockholders have experienced.
It’s great that Burger King is thinking globally, but overseas expansion can sometimes be more trouble than its worth. McDonald’s stock, for instance, is one of the five blue-chip stocks highly vulnerable to eurozone weakness that I wrote about in late October when the euro was hitting fresh lows against the U.S. dollar.
I noted then and emphasize now how devastating an over-reliance on foreign sales can be, cautioning that McDonald’s
“is far and away the blue-chip stock with the heaviest reliance on Europe, relying on the struggling continent for a remarkable 40% of annual sales. No small wonder, then, that MCD stock is in the red for 2014, a year in which the euro has lost major ground relative to the U.S. dollar.”
And it’s not just Europe that’s giving MCD headaches overseas. How about the entire Asia, Middle East and Africa region, where same-store sales dropped 4% in November? Consumers in those parts of the world are still reluctant to return after a China meat-supplier sourcing scandal in July.
As far as competing fast food investments, Jack in the Box stock has had an incredible year, but its growth isn’t supposed to be anything special, with analysts calling for 2.4% sales growth this fiscal year.
The real winner in the category is not MCD, BKW, or JACK. It’s Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (CMG) stock, the same stock that’s been at the top of the heap for the last few years. With sales growth slated for 27.9% this year and the pricing power that comes with being on the right side of the organic trend, CMG stock blows MCD out of the water.
John Divine is assistant editor of InvestorPlace.com. As of this writing, he held no position in any of the aforementioned stocks. You can follow him on Twitter at @divinebizkid.
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Initial in New Zealand
We are a part of the Rentoil Initial group. We are a leading provider of expert facilities management and hygiene services to businesses and organisations of all kinds, enabling them to focus on what they do best.
As National Foodsafe Week 2007 gets underway (November 12-19), the Foodsafe Partnership is reminding families that warmer temperatures mean bacteria on food can double in numbers in minutes.
The largest survey of its kind ever conducted in New Zealand has shown that Kiwis’ hand-washing habits could be causing many fellow New Zealanders to fall ill, but that women beat men hands down when it comes to washing and drying their hands after visiting the toilet.
Food Safety Minister Lianne Dalziel and mascot Foodsafe Freddie launched the start of Foodsafe Week on Monday with students from Thorndon Primary School in Wellington.
Shocking as it may sound, but studies reveal that half of men and a quarter of women don’t wash their hands after they have been to the toilet.
Initial Hygiene, New Zealand has recently been awarded the Hygiene Services contract for the office complex within New Zealand’s largest retail and entertainment destination - Sylvia Park in Auckland.
With a single click, Rentokil Initial, New Zealand’s leading hygiene specialist, launched its online portal today.
Geoff Polkinghorne, Divisional Manager of Initial Hygiene explains why public and private businesses need to heed the latest research into washrooms.
“Superbrands” 2007. This prestigious award recognises the impact of both the Rentokil pest control and Initial brands within their markets. At a launch event in London, the company was listed within a line up of leading brands from across multiple business sectors.
Rentokil Initial plc (RTO), one of the world’s leading providers of business support services, today announces that it has acquired EnviroFresh Limited for a total consideration of £9 million in cash.
©2013 Rentokil Initial plc are subject to the conditions in the Legal Statement.
Registered office: 2 City Place, Beehive Ring Road, Gatwick, RH6 0HA. The names Rentokil® and Initial® are registered trade marks.


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The S&P/ASX 200 (Index: ^AXJO) (ASX: XJO) has gone nowhere in the past three months, actually falling 0.9%.
These three speculative technology companies have seen their share prices more than double. Here’s our view.
Big Un Ltd (ASX: BIG) has seen its share price rise more than 200% in the past three months, and is up more than 1,272% in the previous 12 months as we noted last week. I won’t repeat the details here, but a summary is that Big Un is generating astonishing growth in revenues, average revenue per user and subscribers.
The company makes promotional videos for many businesses allowing them to promote themselves online via video content. That appears to be a rising ad market – much like outdoor advertising, so it’s easy to see why Big Un’s share price is soaring.
The Buddy Platform Ltd (ASX: BUD) share price has gained 159% in three months to trade at 14 cents. The company offers a number of products that give businesses the ability to track and monitor resource spending such as electricity, water and solar power generation. It can gather information from various Internet of Things devices and bring them all together on one platform, which should make it easier for companies to monitor resources.
As more businesses and governments turn to smarter resources to improve efficiency, Buddy should see more sales, but investors should be aware that this is still a highly speculative, unprofitable stock.
Topbetta Holdings Ltd (ASX: TBH) has seen its share price rise 140% since April 2017. The company has its own wagering and betting platform as well as a fantasy wagering system that allows sports fans to compete online against each other via online tournaments. It’s a huge, growing industry and Topbetta continues to increase turnover and revenues each quarter at astonishing rates. The June quarter saw revenue jump 114% compared to the March quarter, no wonder the share price is soaring.
Topbetta has flagged gaining licence approval in the UK and US as two of its priorities in the next 12 months, aiming for $150 million in turnover. For investors not adverse to investing in gambling companies, Topbetta might be worth a flutter.
While these businesses might be suitable for a small speculative part of your portfolio, investors should note that the share prices of unprofitable companies can be highly volatile – Buddy Platform Ltd lost 46% of its value between its IPO price and August 2016.
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SYDNEY—Inflation pressures across Australia’s economy are now expected to ease more gradually than thought just three months ago, said Marion Kohler, acting chief economist at the Reserve Bank of Australia.
“Domestically sourced inflation, in particular, services price inflation, has been widespread and slow to decline,” she said in a speech to a conference of financial market participants. “Still-strong levels of demand have allowed businesses to pass on cost increases to customers.”
Copyright ©2023 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 87990cbe856818d5eddac44c7b1cdeb8


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Smart Moves: March 2008
The Phoenician, a AAA Five-Diamond resort in Scottsdale (Ariz.), appointed Todd Raessler resort manager. He was resort manager of Sheraton Wild Horse Pass Resort & Spa in Chandler (Ariz.).
Michael Jokovich was appointed general manager of Hyatt Regency Maui Resort and Spa. He was general manager of Hyatt Waikiki Resort & Spa.
Parc 55, a 1,000-room hotel in downtown San Francisco, promoted Stacey Edinger to director of sales and marketing. She was previously director of sales.
Rachel Benedick was promoted to associate vice president of convention sales for Denver Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau. She was previously director of convention center sales.
Marco Baumann was appointed general manager of Tulalip Resort Casino, opening in June a half hour north of Seattle. He was director of development for Bayview Retirement Community in Seattle.


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A Hong Kong-based blockchain company has launched a digital payment system designed to bridge the gap between stablecoins and central bank digital currencies (CBDCs).
Red Date Technology, a blockchain infrastructure company that is also leading one of the blockchain initiatives in China, launched the Universal Digital Payments Network (UDPN) on January 19 at the World Economic Forum (WEF) 2023 meeting in Davos, Switzerland.
According to the white paper, UDPN is a distributed ledger technology (DLT) platform that will serve the same purpose as the SWIFT network for banks, but for stablecoins and CBDCs.
Engineering and technology firm GFT Technologies and law firm DLA Piper’s digital asset creation engine TOKO are also contributing to the development of UDPN.
“Just as the SWIFT network created the original common standard for messaging between financial institutions across different settlement systems, UDPN will serve the same purpose for the next generation of CBDCs and stablecoins. »
According to a January 19 press release, “a number of global Tier 1 banks” are already participating in use-case proof-of-concepts (POCs) to test the network for cross-border transfers and exchanges.
The statement did not disclose which banks participated in the POC, but Deutsche Bank, HSBC, Standard Chartered, The Bank of East Asia and Akbank were featured on the panel at the UDPN launch in Davos.
A general overview of the UDPN architecture, illustrating CBDC systems connecting to external “transaction nodes”, which in turn connect to “validating nodes” in the chain. Image: UDPN white paper.
The stablecoins that will be used in the POC are also not disclosed. However, the network’s white paper states that it only supports “CBDC and fiat-backed regulated stablecoin currency systems as payment methods,” adding:
“No unregulated public network cryptocurrencies, such as bitcoin, will be accepted. »
Eight more proof-of-concept tests are planned for the network, including the issuance and distribution of CBDC and a bank-issued stablecoin, and the use of UDPN as an e-commerce payment gateway.
RELATED: Going Cashless: Norwegian Digital Currency Project Raises Privacy Questions
UDPN was developed by Red Date for almost two years.
Prior to launching this digital payment system, the company was known for its work on the Blockchain Based Service Network (BSN), a national blockchain project in China.
In a remote roadmap published on January 15, 2021, BSN stated that it plans to create a global CBDC system that will “completely change the current payment and circulation method by providing a standardized digital currency transfer method and payment procedure for any information system.”
The latest white paper makes no mention of Red Date running a Chinese blockchain project or the country’s own CBDC efforts with its digital yuan.
Earlier in June 2022, Red Date CEO Yifan He called cryptocurrencies “the biggest Ponzi scheme in human history.”


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She Leads Africa, the social enterprise supporting female African entrepreneurs and professionals, will expand its professional bootcamp – SheHive – to more than five cities in 2016.
The first edition of the bootcamp (a week long event) was held in Lagos last September.
According to a SLA press statement, SheHive will first touch down in Accra, Ghana with the bootcamp scheduled for between January 20 and 24. Abuja is next in March, then Nairobi in June, followed by three other cities that will chosen based on votes.
“We’ll have a virtual pass for community members who are unable to physically attend the event. We’re also launching SLA co-founder Office Hours which will allow entrepreneurs to book time with an SLA co-founder to discuss strategy or to review their pitch deck, ” She Leads Africa co-founder Yasmin Belo-Osagie said about the Accra event.
More than 150 women attended the first edition that featured lectures from speakers including Andrea Barrica of 500 Startups. For more information and to participate, sign up here.
See more at: http://techcabal.com/2015/12/16/she-leads-africa-will-extend-its-shehive-bootcamps-to-five-more-cities-in-2016/
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Money and a flair for numbers come naturally to Navneet Munot. Business families from Rajasthan are traditionally known for that; even small... ...http://www.mydigitalfc.com/views/opportunist-557
Google unveiled its latest self-driving system in a Chrysler Pacifica minivan during a Sunday preview ahead of the Detroit auto show, saying the... ...http://www.sify.com/finance/google-shows-improved-self-driving-system-in-chrysler-pacifica-news-auto-rbjlFeeegjjdb.html
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Angad Enterprises was established...


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More Than 300,000 Workers Eligible for Unemployment Benefits in Jakarta
Jakarta. The Jakarta provincial government has asked workers affected by the Covid-19 pandemic to register on a special site to receive their unemployment benefits.
According to the Jakarta Manpower, Transmigration and Energy Agency Head Andri Yansyah, the government has been collecting data on workers that have been laid off or put on unpaid forced leave during the pandemic.
"These workers must now verify their personal data through the www.prakerja.go.id website. [The process will] start today until Thursday at 4 p.m," Andri said on Monday.
According to Andri, a total of 323,224 workers from 39,664 companies affected by the pandemic had registered with the Jakarta provincial government in two phases by April 11.
There were 30,363 workers laid off from 3,361 companies in phase one and 20,528 workers from 3,421 companies in phase two.
There were also 172,222 workers from 16,198 companies put on unpaid forced leave in phase one and 100,111 workers from 16,684 companies in phase two.
"The data will be improved by the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs shortly," he said.
Andri said employees who had been laid off or put on unpaid forced leave should verify their data at the prakerja.go.id page immediately.
They will need to register on the site and verify their identification number (NIK) and e-mail, fill in their personal data, then take motivation and basic ability tests to receive a pre-employment card which the government has prepared for 5.6 million workers in 2020.
The government has selected as many as 200,000 participants for the first wave of the pre-employment card program.
They are now able to receive incentives and join online training programs provided by eight digital platforms: Tokopedia, Skill Academy by Ruangguru, Maubelajarapa, Bukalapak, Pintaria, Sekolahmu, Pijarmahir and Sisnaker.
Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto said pre-employment cardholders have the choice of joining 2,000 different training programs to suit their interests.
Offline or face-to-face training would be available only after the large-scale social restrictions have been lifted.
"We have 2,000 online training programs from 198 training institutions working in unison with the eight digital platforms," Airlangga said.
Airlangga said the pre-employment card is the first public service program to use an end-to-end online system, from registration to training and payment of incentives.
Program participants can choose to have their incentives transferred to a bank account or e-wallets such as LinkAja, OVO and GoPay.
Presidential Staff Office Head General (ret.) Moeldoko said President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo had wanted the pre-employment card program to be carried out in partnership with existing digital platforms and private training institutions.
According to Moeldoko, the pre-employment card program is designed to upgrade workers' knowledge or teach them new skills but does not guarantee a job.
"The task of the government is to encourage people to get a job or become entrepreneurs, but we can't guarantee employment," Moeldoko said.Tags:


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Pantaloon Retail, India’s largest retailer, is looking to scale back its expansion plans in the next financial year if weak consumer demand persists in the coming quarters.
Although Kishore Biyani-led Pantaloon would be able to meet its annual target of 2 million square feet of retail expansion in the current financial year that ends June 2012, the company would look at 1.2 to 1.4 million square feet in the coming years if subdued demand continues, said two executives in the know. This financial year, the chain has already opened 1.5 million square feet in the first two quarters (till December 2011).
The company has added 33 stores or one store every third day in the December quarter and plans to open 75 stores or an average of one store every second day in the March quarter of FY 2012.
(Source: Business Standard)


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Samsung announced HDR10+ support on Google Play Movies earlier this year in January and the streaming service gained the feature this July. Well, finally, Samsung smart TV owners can now watch HDR10+ content from Google Play Movies in 117 countries including in North America, Europe, and Korea.
“Users can now enjoy high-resolution HDR10+ 4K HDR content on the Google Play Movies, with numerous HDR10+ titles available such as Joker, Aquaman, Wonder Woman, Shazam!, and Crazy Rich Asians,” says Samsung.
Apart from Samsung’s smart TV lineup, Google Play Movies is planning to support HDR10+ content on other additional platforms in the future. In fact, Google Play Movies is not the only streaming service that offers HDR10+ on Samsung smart TVs. Back in 2017, Amazon Prime Video started supporting HDR10+ standard on Samsung’s smart TV sets.
For the uninitiated, Samsung teamed up with Panasonic and 20th Century Fox to announce HDR10+ as an open, royalty-free dynamic metadata platform for High Dynamic Range (HDR) back in August 2017. The increased adoption of open standards is indeed good news for consumers.
Right now, Samsung says that the HDR10+ standard alliance has 108 partners worldwide. The South Korean tech giant believes that Google Play Movies’ entry would accelerate the expansion of HDR10+.
“We are pleased to expand partnerships with the top global streaming providers. We will continue to strengthen the leadership of our HDR standard and lead the innovation in TV technology in the global market,” said Younghun Choi, Executive Vice President and Head of R&D team, Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics.


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That appears to be Sony's thinking as the electronics giant moves ahead with development of the next version of its PlayStation video game console.
Speaking at the Game Developers Conference (GDC), an annual trade show for the creative and technological sides of the game industry, Shin'ichi Okamoto, chief technical officer for Sony Computer Entertainment, said research efforts for the PlayStation 3 are focusing on distributed computing, a method for spreading computational tasks across myriad networked computers.
Distributed computing is making headway as a way for researchers to conduct demanding computing experiments, such as an ongoing project by Stanford University to unlock protein structures.
Okamoto said the method also appears to hold the most promise for dramatically boosting the performance of the next PlayStation. Game developers have said they would like the next console to have a thousand times the processing power of the PlayStation 2. There's no way to do that with hardware advances alone, he said.
"Moore's Law is too slow for us," Okamoto said, referring to the long-held truism that semiconductor power doubles roughly every 18 months. "We can't wait 20 years" to achieve a 1,000-fold increase in PlayStation performance, he said.
Okamoto said Sony is working with IBM to apply Big Blue's research in "grid computing," a variation of distributed computing, to the next PlayStation. While he didn't share details, the plan presumably would involve networked game machines sharing software, processing power and data.
Okamoto added that the released kit that allows PlayStation 2 users to run Linux software on the console is the foundation for much of the research.
Looking further ahead, Okamoto saw even bigger changes for Sony's game business. "Maybe the PlayStation 6 or 7 will be based on biotechnology," he said.
While Sony focused on the future, Microsoft looked at the recent past. Pete Isensee, lead developer for Microsoft's Xbox Advanced Technology Group, used his GDC talk to deliver a mostly positive critique of the Xbox's journey to the market, lauding a product launch that happened on time and without major bugs, a departure from Microsoft history.
"Microsoft has this stigma about not getting it right until version three," he said. "We didn't have a choice with Xbox. If we didn't get it right with version one, Sony and Nintendo would eat us alive."
Xbox glitches Isensee touched on mainly centered on international issues. The game console's bulky controller repelled Japanese consumers, for instance, forcing Xbox to design a slimmed-down version that comes standard with the Japanese Xbox and as an add-on purchase for U.S. and European users with small mitts.
"There is a perception we didn't know what we were doing when it came to the controller," Isensee said. "What we failed to do is a usability test for a global market. You need to do that, because things that work in the U.S. don't always work in Japan or Europe."
That includes the Xbox start-up screen, which had to be redesigned for the Xbox's European launch because nobody realized that the German "einstellungen" wouldn't fit in the same text space as "settings."


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Consumer Reports Shine Green Light On LEDs
It’s only natural to have some scepticism when any new technology comes out. Pretty soon, thanks to the EU ban on halogen bulbs, we’ll have to embrace energy efficient methods of lighting.
LEDs have been no exception to the said cynicism – but that might change thanks to a study done by Consumer Reports.
Many of the initial teething problems have been ironed out, and LEDs are now well up to the task of replacing halogens as the industry standard.
The tests were carried out on 10 different models of 60W equivalent LED lights, and the results should give you more faith in them.
After 3,000 hours of testing, the study found that all the LED lights retained their brightness, and energy usage either “matched or exceeded claims”, namely that LEDs are 90% more efficient than conventional incandescent bulbs.
For instance, our E27 Dimmable 6W Clear Globe Omni-LED uses 6W of electricity, making it 10 times more efficient than an equivalent incandescent at 60W.
Despite this, both bulbs would still output a maximum brightness of 650 lumens. This alone highlights the astounding efficiency of LED lights.
To add to this, LEDs also reached 100% brightness instantaneously, and maintained optimal performance when subjected to extreme temperatures.
They even dimmed as low as incandescent lights.
Whilst our LED lights last up to 50,000 hours on average, the acceptable lifespan is supposed to be between 20,000 and 50,000 hours.
Consumer Report had 2 CREE LEDs on continuously for more than a year – reaching 9,000 hours and reported zero drops in brightness or performance.
This is already 4 and a half times the expected lifespan of the average halogen bulb, despite being less than 25% of the way through its own expected life hours.
One of the biggest challenges faced by LEDs has been their ability to put light where it is needed.
However, these tests revealed huge improvements in light distribution scores for all LED lights. So much so, that they matched incandescent bulbs too. A lot of LED bulbs and spotlights now feature wide beam angles of around 120o.
The very best LED lights received a near perfect score of 98%, with the overall verdict being extremely positive with “most bulbs meeting most claims.”
Our range of GU10 LED spotlights exhibit all these qualities, as do our entire selection of LED light bulbs, so getting started with energy efficient lighting has never been easier.
Consumer Reports is a part of Consumer Union, and have been testing products since 1936 in an effort to ensure “a fair, just and safe marketplace for all consumers.”
The results of these tests confirm that LED lights technology is definitely a leading contender in the energy saving market.


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iPhone 4S now for sale in Dominican Republic
Claro and Orange began selling telecom plans for the iPhone 4S in Santo Domingo and Santiago, Listin Diario reported.
The popular model was launched at midnight on Friday, 13 January at the Orange offices on Winston Churchill Avenue in Santo Domingo.
Apple’s latest iPhone, with features including responding to commands with its own voice, was introduced in the DR and 21 other countries on Friday.
In Santo Domingo, Blackberries are the most popular smartphones.


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Local retailers change holiday season strategies for price-savvy customers
December 9, 2009
Analysts expect a small increase in retail sales over last year, one of the worst on record
With unemployment hovering just below ten percent in Washington, local retailers are courting customers looking for best bargains this holiday season.
With only modest growth predicted this season, local shopkeepers are luring recession-weary shoppers with more merchandise at the low end of their price ranges and promoting perks such as free gift wrapping.
Many store owners are anxiously waiting to see whether this year’s holiday sales meet their diminished expectations, which could mean the difference between a loss and a profit for 2009. Some stores could be doomed if they experience a repeat of last year’s disastrous season—the first time that holiday sales have dropped since the National Retail Federation began tracking them in the early 1990s. The economic recession and bad weather right before Christmas pushed sales down locally.
The effects of another down season would be felt in Snoqualmie Valley and across the state. The retail sector provides jobs for one of every 10 nonfarm workers in Washington state, and it is one of the largest employment sectors in the valley.
State and local government depend on sales tax revenue to pay for a large portion of their budgets. Retailers bring in around 15 cents of every dollar that ends up in the state’s general operating fund. North Bend heavily relies on sales-tax revenue, which provides about 85 cents of every dollar in the city’s general operating fund.
“Our bread and butter is retail sales,” said Elena Montgomery, North Bend’s finance director. So far this year, North Bend’s sales-tax revenue has been down.
“We’ve been running seven to eight percent lower than last year, but in the last couple of months we picked up a few percentage points,” she said.
The city isn’t expecting any big jump or drop in local retail sales this holiday season. Holiday retail sales in Washington are expected to increase one or two percent over last year, according to the state’s chief economist Arun Raha.
Nationally, expectations range from down one percent to up three percent.
“One or two percent over a really bad year isn’t really that good,” Raha said.
Weak consumer confidence from the high unemployment rate and a higher savings rate are limiting how much people plan to spend this year, he said.
However, some analysts think consumers are more confident this year.
Retail strategist Dick Outcalt predicts retailers’ sales will increase by half as much as they dropped last year.
“Shoppers are more confident and more anxious to buy merchandise more than they have been in a year,” said Outcalt of the Seattle-based consulting firm Outcalt and Johnson: Retail Strategists.
He predicts consumer confidence will be buoyed by a more stable economy, a more peaceful Iraq, a resurgent stock market and an unemployment rate that appears to have peaked.
Wherever consumer confidence is this year, shoppers will likely be looking to stretch their dollars as far as possible.
“The good news for an outlet mall is whatever consumers are spending, they’re looking for value. People have migrated to the lower price points,” Raha said.
Shoppers came to the Factory Stores in North Bend looking for good deals on Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving when many retailers become profitable – or ‘go into the black’ – for the year. Some stores opened at midnight with special offers for eager shoppers.
Paula Satterberg did most of her on Black Friday and on the Internet, she said while shopping at PacSun for a backpack to give as a gift. She often makes the 20-minute trip from her home in Ravensdale to the Factory Stores.
“We’re not exchanging gifts with as many people this year, so we won’t be spending as much money,” she said.
The mall had record traffic counts, according to Ed Cook, the mall’s general manager.
“It was probably the largest single-day traffic count we’ve had, so the shoppers are out,” he said.
Like other local retailers, the Factory Stores were hard hit by cold, icy weather in December 2008 that made driving conditions dangerous, which kept many shoppers at home and forced some stores to close. The mall draws customers from King County to British Columbia and east of the Cascade Mountains.
Overall, business seems to have been fairly consistent this past year, Cook said based on conversations with tenants.
“Shoppers are savvier and are looking for better deals, which puts us in pretty good stead,” he said.
On Snoqualmie Ridge, Hip 2 B Square’s customers have been looking for deals.
“Consumers are trying to be more innovative about getting the best value,” said Kimberly Hutchison, the scrapbooking store’s owner.
Unlike most retail shops, Hip 2 B Square helps customers create a finished product—a scrapbook. It can be an inexpensive and very personal—but also time intensive—gift, she said.
Hip 2 B Square’s benefited from shoppers looking to stretch their money by supplementing their budget with their own time, she said.
Hutchison is also focusing more on less expensive items and offering more how-to classes, “so people won’t have to break the bank,” she said.
“People have less money to work with this year, and [a class] gives them an opportunity to get out and do something. And they come out with a Christmas gift in the end,” Hutchison said.
Still, holiday business for Hip 2 B Square hasn’t picked up as quickly as in past years. Other stores have seen a similar trend.
“I think a lot of customers are waiting for the last minute to see if there are any better deals closer to Christmas,” said Chuck Gleghorn, owner of Scriptures Christian Store in Snoqualmie.
Unlike many retailers, Gleghorn also gets a sales boost around Easter, but most shops depend on sales in November and December to turn a profit.
He expects this year’s sales to be similar to last year, which was down from previous years.
However, not all shoppers are paring back this year.
“I’ll probably be buying more this year, because I have a better job,” Linase Neal said while shopping at the Factory Stores. She works as a flight attendant.
The Auburn resident said she regularly comes to the outlet stores. Earlier that day she bought a purse at the Coach store.
Still, most shoppers appear to be concerned with widespread joblessness.
Nearly a quarter of respondents to a recent survey of 207 households in the Seattle area said their jobs are “not at all” or “not very” secure, according to professional-service firm Deloitte.
A year ago, fewer than one in six respondents felt unsure about their jobs. Since then, two of the region’s largest employers, Boeing and Microsoft, have cut jobs, and unemployment in the state is at 9.3 percent.
As a result, consumers are saving more to pay down personal debt, said Lynette Frank, who advises retailers as a partner for Deloitte in Seattle.
Respondents last year said they planned to spend an average of $1,499 for the holidays. This year, they plan to spend $1,235 — an 18 percent drop. Planned expenses include gifts, decorations, entertaining and socializing.
Regardless of the economy, one thing remains true for all retailers, Hutchison said. “You have to figure out what people need and offer that to them.”
SnoValley Star reporter Tara Ballenger contributed to this report.


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Strong December reading of new orders suggest that industry could shift into higher gear in 1Q 17
Year-end rally. German new orders surprised to the upside with the strongest December reading since December 2008. New orders surged by 5.2% MoM in December, from -3.6% in November. On the year, new orders were up by a whopping 7.6%. The December increase was driven by both strong domestic and foreign orders. The demand for capital goods increased by almost 10% MoM. Obviously, the December surge must be the result of some bulk orders. Nevertheless, the strong December figure all of sudden made a rather weak year 2016 a strong year for new orders. While in 2014, new orders on average increased by 0.4% every month, they dropped by an average 0.2% in 2015 and had only increased by a meagre 0.1% per month up to November. With today’s December data, the entire year has all of a sudden become the best year for new orders since 2010.
Needless to say that new orders data is highly volatile and the coming months will definitely bring some negative surprises. Still, against the background of Brexit and Trump, today’s data suggest that the German industry could shift into a higher gear in the first quarter of 2017.


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With Avatar: The Way of Water beating out Spider-Man: Now Way Home’s box office gross, it looks like there’s a lot of new hype for James Cameron’s world of Pandora. It was a year ago when it was announced that we would be getting a game called Frontiers of Pandora from Ubisoft, and though we haven’t had any updates, it looks like the studio has high hopes for the upcoming game adaptation.
According to Insider Gaming, Ubisoft is expecting Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora to ‘do incredibly well’ when it releases around April of 2024. Originally, the game was announced for a 2022 release, but seeing as we got nothing, it’s likely the title was pushed back.
Seeing as how meticulously crafted the world of Avatar is, I think a delay could be expected. I just wish they gave us some kind of update alongside the release of The Way of Water. With the movie still doing pretty well in the box office, I think there’s still some time for the studio to offer some kind of update on the game.
Here’s the official game description:
Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora™ is a first person, action-adventure game developed by Massive Entertainment – a Ubisoft studio, in collaboration with Lightstorm Entertainment and Disney.
Built using the latest iteration of the Snowdrop engine, and developed exclusively for the new generation of consoles and PC, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora brings to life the alluring world of Pandora with all of its beauty and danger in an immersive, open world experience.
In this new, standalone story, play as a Na’vi and embark on a journey across the Western Frontier, a never-before-seen part of Pandora. Explore a living and reactive world inhabited by unique creatures and new characters, and push back the formidable RDA forces that threaten it.
No new release date has been announced for Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, but the game is expected t launch on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S sometime in 2024.


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HumanForest to launch UK’s first e-mopeds in London
HumanForest’s new e-mopeds will be available from January 2022 in London, initially for a trial period with 100 vehicles in operation.
HumanForest, the sustainable micro-mobility firm, has announced that it will be launching the UK’s first fleet of shared electric mopeds in London in January 2022.
It comes following the successful launch of HumanForest’s e-bikes in the UK capital in September 2021, which saw users cycle almost 100,000 miles cumulatively in the company’s first month.
The e-mopeds will be available initially during a trial period, which will see 100 vehicles on London’s roads. The sustainability startup plans on increasing the number of vehicles in the fleet to 200 during 2022.
HumanForest’s multi-modal fleet and service vehicles operate on zero emissions as part of its ambitions to help build a cleaner and greener London.
A poll taken in August 2021 revealed that public concern about the environment has jumped 16 percentage points from the previous month’s index. With this increased public pressure on helping individuals and businesses to go green, HumanForest believes that its new, shared electric mopeds will improve air quality and reduce congestion on London’s roads. These are both key facets of the Mayor of London’s ‘Green New Deal’ to make the capital net-zero by 2030.
The e-mopeds will use the same ad-led revenue model as HumanForest’s e-bikes, as the firm continues to offer affordable and sustainable transport for Londoners. Users will get five minutes free per day, with rides costing 20p per minute thereafter, meaning that a 20-minute journey would cost just £3. HumanForest users will be able to unlock the e-mopeds through the same app that they use for its e-bikes.
HumanForest is putting safety first by ensuring that the entire fleet will be equipped with two helmets per e-moped. They can be docked in existing dedicated moped parking spaces across London. Users will also be required to have a provisional license to drive the e-mopeds, which can travel up to 28 miles per hour, and must be aged over 18 years old. The e-mopeds are equipped with storage compartments able to hold up to 5.6kg to facilitate transportation of small consumer items and business goods.
Commenting ahead of the launch, Agustin Guilisasti, Founder and CEO of HumanForest, said: “The arrival of our electric mopeds is an exciting moment for London and the UK. Our e-mopeds will be good for people and businesses looking to move around London in an affordable and sustainable way, helping to reduce air pollution in the city. Our mission to reForest London is well and truly underway; following the successful launch of our e-bikes, these new vehicles will help people to travel faster without releasing any emissions. The introduction of electric mopeds into the UK’s market will pave the way for embedding better and healthier ways of moving around our cities into our national transport ecosystem.”


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Nathy Kihara, 32, drew attention on social media when she shared the snap that highlighted her gains.
The bombshell, who has over 411,000 followers on Instagram, insists she doesn't use Photoshop to alter her pictures.
Instead she swears by a vegan diet which she has been following for three years.
She revealed the secret when she was questioned by several followers on her social media account.
The model is known as the "vegan fitness muse" because she tries to show off her healthy lifestyle online.
What is your big fitness secret? Share your tips with us below...
She said: "Guys, this is the result of three years of a vegan diet.
"In the beginning we find it a little strange, changing habits that are so ingrained, whatever they may be.
"And in the beginning we miss some items, but with professional monitoring and certain planning, the transition becomes easier.
"Also there are some really fun options to get started."
Nathy says the benefits of a vegan diet goes beyond her defined abs.
She continued: "The changes are many, today I have more taste, my digestion is easier, weight control occurs more smoothly.
"There are also changes in my skin, sleep, hair, more energy to train, in short, there are countless changes.
"I advocate this type of diet, because in addition to doing good for the body, it can save animals."
Nathy recently hit the spotlight after she lifted the lid on her romantic love story with model Guilherme Pacheco.
Before the ripped couple linked up, Nathy lived at least 35 hours away from her love Guilherme in South America.
It was only recent the beauty took the plunge to move all the way to Brazil to be with her boyfriend.


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While Intel and Motorola Mobility made sure the world found out about their new, multi-year-multi-device partnership to deliver Intel-based Android devices, Chinese phone-maker Lenovo announced the K800, the world’s first Intel-based smartphone.
The Lenovo K800 brings a 4.5-inch 720p display, a 1.6GHz Intel processor and an eight-megapixel main camera. The Intel chip inside the phone is the Z2460, formerly referred to as the “Medfield”, aided by the Intel XMM 6260 platform chip in order to offer support for HSPA+ networks. Android is the platform of choice with [...]
“Find out what’s new and what’s next! Join us at our Press Conference at Mobile World Congress for the latest news on our Xperia smartphone portfolio and strategy“. That’s the wording on the invitations Sony is already sending out, preparing for MWC.
While at CES, Sony introduced the 4G LTE Xperia Ion on AT&T, the Xperia S, as well as the Xperia NX and Xperia acro HD for Japan. Make sure Sony will not come empty-handed to MWC, where last year they introduced the Xperia Play, Neo and Pro devices, aside from the European intro of the [...]
A leaflet circulating in Vegas hinted towards the existence of the world’s first quad-core, nVidia Tegra 3-powered smartphone, wearing the Toshiba branding. Turns out the info was right as the company had the phone prototype on display.
On display is the proper expression because, as you can see in the image above, the device was showcase behind glass, in a transparent box, safe from the prying hands of everyone. The specs accompanying the device are talking about nVidia Tegra 3 quad-core processor clocked at 1.2GHz, a 4.6-inch “HD-quality” LCD screen, [...]
Last fall, Google added support to Google Maps for indoor spaces. With the CES now underway, the company is reminding its users of that relatively recent addition, and how it can be used to help navigate around labyrinthine conference spaces. While that sounds like a very apt use for the feature, Google neglected to take the time mention an update it just pushed-out to the app, which quietly landed at the Android Market today.
If you use Google Latitude features to keep track of where your friends are, you should start seeing a couple of nice improvements, including lower [...]
Last month, we heard a lot out of Intel about its interest in getting back into the smartphone game. While Intel chips saw use in the days of Windows Mobile, the most recent generations of smartphones have favored ARM processors. We heard about a reference design Intel had put together in hopes of attracting manufacturer interest in the platform, and had the opportunity to see a render of the device. With the CES now underway, Intel is showing-off this smartphone effort, giving us out first look at an Intel Android in action.
This hardware is never meant for retail shelves, but [...]
We’ve learned that T-Mobile is poised to add a third 42Mbps HSPA+ handset to its lineup, known as the Samsung Galaxy S Blaze 4G. Since the Blaze isn’t scheduled to launch until later in the year, details are still scarce: so far all that’s been revealed to us are a dual-core Snapdragon processor by Qualcomm and, predictably, a Super AMOLED display of unknown dimensions. All indications point to this being a successor to the carrier’s version of the Galaxy S II, not the least of which is its model number: SGH-T999, which is the highest number Samsung has ever [...]
So far, we’ve seen manufacturers at the CES show off Android tablets that have quad-core chips, that feature HD displays, and dock with smartphones. The latest to catch our eye has a few unique hardware features of its own, which together may be able to help it become one of the stand-out tablets for gaming.
The highlight of the WikiPad, currently being demonstrated at the CES, is arguably its eight-inch screen with not only an impressive 1080p resolution, but with autostereoscopic abilities, as well.
We don’t recall seeing anyone else trying to adapt the sort [...]
At CES we got some hands-on time with the Lenovo S2 Android 2.3 smartphone (which will be upgradable to Android 4.0). It packs a single-core Snapdragon MSM8255 1.4GHz CPU with a 3.8″ WVGA IPS display with an 8MP camera on the back and a 1.3MP camera on the front. The S2 features a single button control that functions as a menu, back, and home button, all in one, depending on the gestures you use. It has Lenovo’s custom UI which features a custom home screen interface, custom launcher, and even custom notification bar. The S2 isn’t the most advanced smartphone ever, [...]
Ever since the Lumia 900 rumors started pouring in, following up on the launch of the Lumia 800, we were inclined to believe (taking hints, actually), that the next Nokia Windows Phone will be made of the same polycarbonate material as the Lumia 800.
Not according to New York Times! According to their sources, the Nokia Windows Phone called Lumia 900 will be announced “on Monday at the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas”. It will be sold in the U.S. by AT&T and, instead of the same material used in the production of the Lumia 800, the Lumia 900 [...]
According to recent rumors, Sony Ericsson will unveil two Android-powered smartphones at the upcoming CES. According to reports, they will be the Xperia S and the Xperia Ion, wearing a “Sony”-only branding (though it is yet unknown whether it will be accompanied by the “Sony Ericsson” branding too, or not).
The Xperia S is a new name but it appears to relate to the LT26i “Nozomi” phone which we’ve recently saw previewed (though with a full “Sony Ericsson” branding at the top). You should expect specs like 1.5GHz dual-core [...]
Don’t feel strange if you feel sorry for the USB adaptor in the video below. It makes a sad face and even manages to squeeze out a tear from one of its ports.
Motorola invites everyone to “stay unplugged” as the manufacturer teases some sort of wireless charging and/or synching technology for CES. Of course, the wireless charging concept is no stranger, not to mention the wireless synching concept which is already part of many smartphone owners’ lives. How is Motorola going to implement the new technology? We’ll find out soon [...]
Eight months ago, just a couple of days shy, Research in Motion announced the BlackBerry OS 7, bringing an easier and faster user interface, universal voice searches, an enhanced browser, HTML5 Video support and more. Now the company has just announced the updated version of the platform, BlackBerry 7.1 OS.
Alongside the OS, other popular RIM apps have been also updated: BBM (which is now version 6.1 with BlackBerry Tag Support), BlackBerry Traffic, and BlackBerry Travel. The 7.1 iteration of the BlackBerry OS will roll-out from carriers starting today and over the coming weeks, [...]
We’re just hopefully a couple of minutes away from the AT&T event in Las Vegas where everyone expects the carrier to unveil the highly anticipated Nokia Lumia 900 (aka Ace).
We can now not only see the official, though minuscule, renders of the phone (what we previously had was a mock-up, though a good one) but also catch some details of the device coming to AT&T’s LTE network. There’s a real resemblance with the Lumia 800 and the Nokia N9 and it’s worth mentioning that the manufacturer seems to have placed the flash back to the left of the [...]
Late last week, Gorilla Glass creator Corning announced that it would have the next generation of the technology ready to show-off at the CES this week. Today we learn of the details behind Gorilla Glass 2, including Corning’s claims of the ability to manufacture the glass such that it’s up to twenty percent thinner than existing Gorilla Glass screens, while maintaining the same level of damage resistance.
Considering we’re looking at the arrival of some of the thinnest smartphones yet conceived, manufacturers are going to be more hard-pressed than ever to find [...]
LG’s Spectrum is about to become the company’s flagship phone on Verizon’s LTE network. We got a really good look at the phone last week, with its 1.5GHz dual-core processor and 4.5-inch 720p display, and heard a rumor that the phone would become available on January 19. At a press event this morning, LG and Verizon finally announced the Spectrum, confirming the January 19 launch date and revealing the phone’s price tag.
Considering the high-end specs, the LG Spectrum will be quite affordable on Verizon. We were expecting to learn of a launch price in the [...]
AT&T is very proud to call itself the first U.S. carrier to offer LTE windows Phones. At today’s CES event, HTC’s Peter Chou, together with AT&T’s Ralph de la Vega and Microsoft’s Steve Ballmer, announced the HTC Titan II, follow up to the original Titan Windows Phone.
You must remember the HTC Bresson rumored back in May, with the huge camera 16-megapixel camera and you surely remember the HTC Radiant render from the other day. The HTC TItan II is HTC’s first LTE Windows Phone and it takes the Titan to the next level.
Instead of [...]
Not more than seven months after the Droid 3 was released, Verizon has announced the latest in what appears to be the longest lineage of a smarpthone brand ever. The Droid 4, which appeared on our radar in September, is the first LTE-capable original Droid (of the hardware keyboard variety). In a lot of ways, the Droid 4 reminds us of the Droid RAZR with its slender design and somewhat rounded edges. It packs a 4.0″ qHD 960×540 display powered by a 1.2GHz dual-core CPU, 1GB of RAM, 16GB of built-in storage with microSD expansion, an 8MP shooter on the back capable of [...]
Back at the beginning of December, we broke news of the name Droid RAZR Maxx for one of Motorola’s upcoming smartphones. We didn’t have much more than some EXIF data to go on, but did see one unconfirmed report from a Verizon user who claimed to have been told by a retail employee that the RAZR Maxx was basically going to be a slightly-thicker RAZR with the benefit of a higher-capacity battery. Even a minor change to the phone seemed like a surprising development, considering how little time had passed since the Droid RAZR was first introduced. Sure enough, though, Verizon [...]
We were hoping to learn about Nokia’s Lumia 900 during AT&T’s developer event from earlier today, but while we did have that opportunity to get the skinny on the HTC Titan II, Nokia’s Stephen Elop teased that we’d have to wait just a little longer for his company’s news. Sure enough, Nokia’s own event kicked-off at the start of the hour, and it took this opportunity to finally announce the Lumia 900, coming to the US as an exclusive to AT&T LTE.
We’ve been hearing about the Lumia 900 for weeks, saw plenty of potential images of [...]
After the Nokia event in Las Vegas where Stephen Elop proudly announced the first Nokia LTE Windows Phone, the Lumia 900, the first ever Windows Phones from the manufacturer will be coming to Canada as part of the Espoo-based company’s plans to re-enter the North American market.
Current and future subscribers of Rogers Canada will be able to choose the Nokia Lumia 710 (in February for $49 on contract) — which in also on T-Mobile in the U.S. (on January 11 for $49.99 on a two-year contract) — while those on TELUS Canada will have the opportunity to grab the [...]
At the beginning of December, following up on the acquisition of Ericsson’s stake from the joint venture by Sony, we’ve been told that Sony will be phasing out the Sony Ericsson brand by mid-2012.
We’re now told that Sony Ericsson will be rebranded as Sony Mobile Communications and all the phones which will be announced and released from this point on will be only wearing the “Sony” branding. The old Sony Ericsson logo is also dumped and, to testify to all the above, the Sony Xperia Ion on AT&T as well as the Sony Xperia S are only labeled as [...]
If you didn’t catch all the details of the AT&T-bound (for the moment) Nokia Lumia 900 from the announcement, the first Nokia Windows Phone with 4G LTE support, the manufacturer has just enlisted the newcomer to its official website.
It has a 1.4GHz Qualcomm APQ8055 + MDM9200 (WCDMA) combo, 512 MB of RAM, 16GB if internal storage out of which 14.5GB usable, 4.3-inch AMOLED ClearBlack glass touchscreen with WVGA resolution, eight-megapixel f/2.2, 28mm back camera with LED flash, one-megapixel front facing webcam with f/2.4, WiFi, Bluetooth and a 1830mAh non-removable [...]
Aside from the Sony Xperia Ion on AT&T and the Sony Xperia S, Sony also announced the Xperia NX and Xperia acro HD at CES. Though we’ve heard that all mobile devices announced will wear the Sony-only branding, the two new devices destined for Japan are still branded Sony Ericsson.
The Xperia NX is the Japanese variant of the Xperia S, with the 4.3 inch LCD “Reality Display”, Qualcomm MSM8260 1.5 GHz dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM and twelve-megapixel camera. The Xperia acro HD will also share similar specs, like the 1.5GHz dual-core processor, 4.3-inch HD [...]


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Update: A Sony representative reached out to us, saying "Cross-game voice chat was not announced as part of PlayStation Plus." The feature was not officially announced at E3, however sources familiar with the situation say that this incentive will be announced at a later date. "The new offering pro...
Posted on Jan 27th 2015 8:15AM
Posted on Jan 26th 2015 11:00AM
Posted on Jan 26th 2015 10:00AM


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Doritos’ annual fan-made commercial contest – Crash the Super Bowl – has returned for its ninth year, and why shouldn’t it? It’s arguably the most successful Super Bowl promo ever created and it helps the brand score a boatload of media coverage and online buzz each year.
Yes, asking fans to create the Super Bowl commercial also means they don’t have to pay an advertising agency to do it for them, but they probably spend as much (if not more) to promote the contest (not to mention the $1 million prize), so it’s sort of a wash on the financial end.
Doritos has announced the five finalists that will compete for two spots in the Big Game. One will be chosen by the Doritos team and one by fans via an online poll. The spot with the most votes will win $1 million, and the creator of the spot that ranks higher in the USA Today Ad Meter ratings will be invited to work on the set of The Avengers: Age of Ultron. The guaranteed $1 million is a first for Doritos. In past Crash the Super Bowl contests, that prize was only awarded if the fan spot finished on top in USA Today’s annual Ad Meter rankings (which actually happened in 2011).
Check out all five finalists and cast your vote on the Doritos website. As cringe-worthy and disgusting as it may be, it’s safe to assume that “Finger Cleaner” will be the easy winner as the fan’s selection. It’s got more YouTube views (1.8M) than all of the other four finalists combined (1.3M). As for the brand’s choice, we’re going with “Time Machine.” It’s got a cute kid, a dog, and a stupid adult – three key ingredients for any great Super Bowl ad.


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Democrats in Congress on Wednesday said reported delays in mail deliveries in some U.S. cites could jeopardize delivery of ballots ahead of next week’s presidential election. U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan in Washington late Tuesday ordered the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) to release daily reports on mail deliveries, participate in daily court conferences and take other steps to ensure timely delivery of ballots.
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Chinese EV manufacturers are increasingly and actively investing in having showrooms in plush malls
They are willing to pay huge rentals for the same.
In Shanghai, more than half of the plush malls have at least 1 EV showroom as a tenant or owner of a showroom. And more are in the pipeline as per top real estate service provider Jones Lang LaSalle Inc.
This trend, of malls having an EV Showroom, is being seen in another medium as well as large cities of China.
China is presently the largest EV market in the World. It is also a highly competitive one, with a host of players trying to get a footprint into it.
Every player, be it the big players like SAIC motor corp, Geely Automobile Holdings or even the new entrants like Nio Inc and Xpeng Inc are trying to showcase their products through showrooms in the Malls.
This is in spite of huge rentals to the tune of around $1 million a year for a showroom of area 200-300 sqm, in prime areas of China’s big cities, as per JLL.
“They pay big rent because they want to be seen,” said Zino Helmlinger, head of retail in eastern China at real estate firm CBRE Global Inc. “In China, you have many EV brands competing for a still very small market share, and every two-to-three months there’s a new car released. It’s crazy.”
The entry of the EV showrooms has been a godsend for the Mall Owners what with the premium Apparel, Footwear, and Electronics Showrooms increasingly marketing their products through the Online mode.
And with the EV players preferring the more premium 1st and lower floors, the Mall Owners are now increasingly being able to command more profitable rentals.
The first floor offers easy accessibility for providing display and test drives to the customers.
“There’s an overlap between the target consumer groups of electric vehicles and premium commercial developers,” said Vivian Zhu, director of retail at JLL Shanghai. “Those middle-class visitors who tend to shop for cosmetics or luxuries on the ground floor are also regarded as potential buyers for a Tesla or Nio.”
EV demand in China is expected to soar in the next few years; with some researchers like Canalys estimate growth in excess of 50% in 2021.
EV players like Nio are now moving from the earlier “Nio House” showrooms to investing in Malls.
A flagship outlet has been opened by Nio in the upmarket HKRI Taikoo Hui Mall in 2017, and this before its mass production had even begun.
The flagship outlet includes a library, an art gallery, and an open kitchen. All to lure the customers with the high-end lifestyle that its top-end EV Car too offers.
Nio has signed a five-year lease, monthly rent starting at 1.1 million yuan ($170,000) and rising to 1.7 million yuan in 2021, according to a public court document. However, in spite of the huge cost involved, 20 more Nio Houses will be opened this year.
And Nio is now also focussing on opening Nio Spaces, which are a tenth of the Nio House, which are typically showrooms without the display of high-end lifestyle visages. 120 Nio Spaces would be opened in 2021, it is estimated.
“We have significantly lowered the operating cost of Nio Houses,” CFO Steven Feng said on an earnings call last week when the company reported a wider-than-expected loss. “It’s only about 40 percent of the original cost.”
The expansion of showrooms into malls “is in line with automakers’ product development,” said JLL’s Zhu.
Companies that could not meet their plans for product launches and mass production have been seen fading away from the markets. For instance, Byton, which had its production plans delayed many times o.
ver and faded away, has seen its Shanghai Display room being replaced with the flagship store of Xpeng. The company delivered over 27000 vehicles last year.
“EV companies are now way more cautious with the location they open,” said CBRE’s Helmlinger. “Three years ago they were trying to break the market. Now, they’re very selective with the mall. It’s quality over quantity.”


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Mystery over Inverness city centre shop closure
An Inverness city centre convenience store was like the ghost ship Mary Celeste this week after it suddenly closed to the public.
The Highland News learned that RS McColl’s in Queensgate was due to close this Saturday, but it suddenly closed to the public on Tuesday.
A considerable amount of stock was still inside, including alcohol, and the revolving advert screen on the counter was spookily still working.
A member of staff earlier said they were not allowed to comment although he confirmed he was out of a job.
An Allied Surveyors’ sign outside says that the premises is for let.
McColl’s in Queensgate, is usually pretty busy being situated beside the Queensgate bus stops, and because it sells lottery, papers and snacks.
It also is an agent for receiving packages from people who have ordered goods online, but it is understood that this part of the business is transferring to their sister shop in Culcabock.
McColls’ head office referred calls to its media people, who were checking if they could give a statement as we went to press.
A worker at a neighbouring office said: “It always seemed to be busy then we heard it closed this week. We always got our papers there.”


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For existing users, account permissions will temporarily change to ‘Withdraw Only’ which means they will only be able to do the following they complete the required verifications:
Binance says it is mandating intermediate verification to help support its efforts in Know Your Customer (KYC) and Anti-Money Laundering (AML). This is intended to further enhance user protection and combat financial crime.
Binance CEO, Changpeng Zhao, has indicated in an interview with Bloomberg TV that he is spending about 80% of his time on compliance and is not involved in the day to day operations of the world’s largest crypto exchange.
He has also added that this focus is because the company is going through a pivot from a technology pioneer to a pioneer services company.
He has also indicated that regulators now view cryptocurrencies as financial instruments.


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TUAW's own Erica Sadun recently announced the immediate availability of Banana TV, software that allows users to display photos and videos from any iPad, iPhone or iPod touch on a Mac connected to the same wireless network. Banana TV closes a notable gap in Apple's AirPlay streaming ...
When it comes to making AirPlay sit up and do tricks, we're proud to have one of the best in the business right here at TUAW. Erica Sadun has released a full suite of in-progress Mac apps to work with Apple's video streaming protocol. While AirPlay is intended to allow iOS devices or iTunes to ...
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By Nia Kile
Italian life centres around coffee. Whether it’s the punchy awakening of an espresso ‘al bar’ in the morning or the sound of a Bialetti percolating after lunch, coffee unites Italians of all ages. Given that 98% of Italians drink it, the Italian government’s latest campaign to obtain international recognition for the national drink is not surprising. On Thursday 21st January, the Agriculture Undersecretary announced that they are one step closer to securing a place for espresso on UNESCO’s list of ‘intangible cultural heritage’, which would guarantee its protection and confirm its status as an undeniable symbol of Italian culture. The Undersecretary, Gian Marco Centinaio, highlighted the universal appreciation for espresso within Italy, explaining that ‘a cup of espresso represents a social and cultural ritual for all Italians… [it] excites the entire country, from Naples to Venice and Trieste, via Rome and Milan.’
If approved by UNESCO in Paris this coming March, espresso will join multiple Italian traditions already designated as ‘intangible cultural heritage’, including the Mediterranean diet and the art of the pizzaiuolo (Neapolitan pizza makers). The list records cultural traditions from all over the world, going beyond typical demonstrations of heritage to include practices such as falconry, dances and dry-stone walling. With over 600 elements and 139 countries featured, UNESCO aims to recognise intangible cultural heritage as ‘an important factor in maintaining cultural diversity in the face of growing globalisation.’ Granting a place to the ritual of espresso will ensure its protection and, crucially, will maintain its link to Italy.
Despite espresso originating in Turin in the nineteenth-century, it is remarkable that nowadays the biggest coffee and espresso companies do not originate from the Italian peninsula. Borrowing its name from the Italian drink, Nespresso is actually a Swiss company and the global, corporate coffee chains that litter city streets are frequently American in origin. The saccharin, milky, complicated coffees are a far cry from the elegant espresso enjoyed by Italians every day and this indicates why espresso needs to be labelled intangible cultural heritage. While these coffee creations are delicious, their existence points to a possible bastardisation of such a treasured Italian tradition. Drinking a flat white is (rightly!) not a crime, but we should correctly recognise the origins and cultural practices in which our food is rooted. As an au pair living in Bologna this past summer, I saw how an espresso was savoured after our pasta lunch and the children also got involved and tried it. The daily ritual was comforting and cherished. It was worlds away from sipping a lukewarm, bitter coffee from a non-recyclable paper cup on the crowded morning commute…
Such a campaign for espresso’s protection is no surprise. Italians are fiercely proud of their food and drink, and rightly so. With DOP (Denominazione d’Origine Protetta) products all over our supermarket shelves, we seem to buy into their high food standards, too. From San Marzano tomatoes to Parmeggiano Reggiano and Gorgonzola, we import many protected Italian foods, but it’s only a fraction of what Italy has to offer. Perhaps at the expense of profits, Italy is rigidly strict on the production of hundreds of foods, as the DOP label attests. If you buy Parmeggiano Reggiano DOP, you know that it has been made in accordance with tradition; every step is regulated. Such a rigorous process is essential because forgery of Italy’s prized products is rife and presents a real threat to their economy. According to the OCSE (Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development), forgery of Made In Italy products earned €32 million in 2018, income which does not stimulate the Italian economy but flows into the wallets of overseas exploiters and the mafia. It is no wonder, then, that Italy seeks to protect the treasured and socially invaluable tradition of espresso.
Thanks to Italy, we too can enjoy an invigorating espresso. However, the amicable culture of ‘facendo due chiacchiere’ (having a chat) over a morning espresso at the bar before work is yet to permeate our comparatively more subdued morning routine. The country’s current bid to recognise espresso as more than a drink, privileging it as an essential element of Italian culture, is therefore warranted. At a time when we have rediscovered the joy of simple pleasures after Covid put a stop to all socialisation, a celebration of friendly meetings and familial conversations over the pasta dishes is a practice worth protecting. Espresso thus epitomises Italian tradition, combining masterful craft with a sociable, personal experience; it is a tradition that we are lucky to take part in from our corner of the world.
Image credit: Sonerkose (via Pixabay)


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Cohen & Steers Inc. lowered its holdings in American Express (NYSE:AXP) by 7.4% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 100,651 shares of the payment services company’s stock after selling 8,014 shares during the quarter. Cohen & Steers Inc.’s holdings in American Express were worth $9,594,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.
Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Pearl River Capital LLC acquired a new stake in American Express in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $25,000. JNBA Financial Advisors acquired a new stake in American Express in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Capital Investment Advisory Services LLC acquired a new stake in American Express in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $37,000. Vigilant Capital Management LLC acquired a new stake in American Express in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $38,000. Finally, WESPAC Advisors SoCal LLC grew its holdings in shares of American Express by 305.0% during the 4th quarter. WESPAC Advisors SoCal LLC now owns 405 shares of the payment services company’s stock worth $39,000 after purchasing an additional 305 shares in the last quarter. 84.07% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.
American Express stock opened at $112.35 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 1.93, a current ratio of 1.93 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.62. The company has a market cap of $93.13 billion, a P/E ratio of 15.33, a P/E/G ratio of 1.29 and a beta of 1.11. American Express has a one year low of $89.05 and a one year high of $114.55.
American Express (NYSE:AXP) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, January 17th. The payment services company reported $1.74 EPS for the quarter, missing the Thomson Reuters’ consensus estimate of $1.80 by ($0.06). The company had revenue of $10.47 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $10.54 billion. American Express had a return on equity of 30.35% and a net margin of 17.08%. American Express’s quarterly revenue was up 7.9% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $1.58 EPS. On average, equities research analysts forecast that American Express will post 8.16 EPS for the current fiscal year.
The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, May 10th. Investors of record on Friday, April 5th will be given a dividend of $0.39 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, April 4th. This represents a $1.56 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.39%. American Express’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 21.28%.
In related news, Chairman Stephen J. Squeri sold 12,500 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, February 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $103.02, for a total transaction of $1,287,750.00. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, EVP Richard Petrino sold 2,444 shares of American Express stock in a transaction on Thursday, February 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $107.11, for a total value of $261,776.84. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 7,591 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $813,072.01. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.20% of the stock is owned by company insiders.
AXP has been the topic of several recent research reports. Bank of America set a $108.00 price objective on American Express and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a report on Friday, January 18th. Atlantic Securities raised American Express from a “neutral” rating to an “overweight” rating and set a $100.80 price objective on the stock in a report on Tuesday, January 29th. Morgan Stanley decreased their price objective on American Express from $113.00 to $111.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, January 8th. Zacks Investment Research lowered American Express from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a report on Wednesday, January 16th. Finally, William Blair reissued an “outperform” rating on shares of American Express in a report on Friday, December 14th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, nine have issued a hold rating and eleven have issued a buy rating to the company. The stock has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $112.25.
American Express Profile
American Express Company, together with its subsidiaries, provides charge and credit payment card products, and travel-related services to consumers and businesses worldwide. It operates through three segments: Global Consumer Services Group, Global Commercial Services, and Global Merchant and Network Services.
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Crunch time for unlimited data use
Millions of smartphone users will know today if unlimited data plans will disappear in Hong Kong, as new rules come into play.
Four of the city's five telecoms service providers are set to make announcements. SmarTone has already said it will stop offering unlimited plans to new customers.
It is likely that CSL and PCCW will also end unlimited plans. CSL - which oversees One2Free and 1010 - said it was considering eliminating the option and might announce details today. PCCW has removed the option from its leaflets, and is promoting 100 megabyte, 800MB and 5 gigabyte plans instead.
3HK has not spelled out its position, while China Mobile never offered genuinely unlimited plans - the company limits or suspends data services for that billing month when a client uses more than 5GB of data.
All of the companies are making changes in order to meet the Office of the Telecommunications Authority's (Ofta) Fair Usage Policy Guidelines, which take effect today.
From today, service providers offering 'unlimited' plans must ensure they offer the service free of restrictions. If limits are necessary, the provider should consider offering plans with a high-usage cap.
The guidelines are a response to consumer complaints about restrictive 'unlimited' service plans. CSL was fined HK$130,000 in 2010 when it throttled transmission speeds of high-data-use groups as part of its 'fair use policy', a set of restrictions that consumers were not aware of.
Although Ofta stressed that its guidelines did not ban unlimited-data plans, it is unlikely they can be sustained without controls given that consumers now use a lot more data. As at October last year, there were 7.7 million mobile broadband users in a city with a population of 7 million. That figure was a 27 per cent increase on a year earlier, and in that time mobile data usage grew 120 per cent.
The growth coincided with the launch of smartphones. In 2009, monthly data use per customer was about 100MB. In 2010 when the iPhone 4 arrived, it more than doubled. A year later, with the iPhone 4S, usage jumped again to 460MB.
By providing unlimited data plans, telecoms companies had to spend more on infrastructure without profiting from the increase in data use, iProA chief executive Gary Chao Yuk-ming said.
Telecoms providers around the world have been retreating from unlimited deals. The two biggest players in the industry, United States-based AT&T and Verizon, stopped offering unlimited plans to new clients in 2010 and 2011 respectively.
Consumers should start learning to monitor their data use so they were not shocked by their phone bills, Chao said. Apart from streaming less video, users can cut back by turning off location trackers and notification systems for applications. They can also disallow automatic updates of RSS readers - applications that update subscribers of news headlines, blog entries and web content.
SmarTone, which has a 2GB monthly cap to its biggest data plan, could push some high-data-use clients to 4G networks, an industry veteran said. 4G occupies the same portion of spectrum as 3G but allows greater data transmission. With fewer people using the 4G spectrum at this early stage of its development, it could be feasible for companies to roll out unlimited 4G plans at higher prices, the source said. CSL rolled out a 4G HTC phone this month, while SmarTone announced it would start its 4G service later this year.
Monthly data usage per customer in 2010, more than double the previous year's. Last year, with the iPhone 4S, it jumped again to 460MB
What you can do
Choose the best data plan by monitoring your data use. iPhone users can open the 'settings' app, scroll down to 'general', then click on 'usage'. To start your calculations today, click 'reset statistics'.
Estimate future data usage by entering personal preferences into Ofta's data calculator on the telecoms watchdog's website at www.ofta.gov.hk.
Streaming 20 minutes of low-definition video every day uses up 1.8GB a month, while browsing 20 web pages uses 600MB and posting 10 social media posts with pictures 150MB.
To prevent bill shocks, download data monitor apps and set usage alarms. Examples are My Data Manager for iPhone and 3G Watchdog for Android.
Double-check monthly data usage on bills, or by contacting the telecom provider.
Use web page browser apps that compress data. The developer of Opera Mini boasts the app can compress web page content by up to 90 per cent. By browsing Facebook on Opera instead of the Facebook app, users can save about 40 per cent of bandwidth. The app also includes a mobile broadband meter showing how much data has been used for browsing.
Avoid streaming videos, especially high-definition ones, on 3G networks. Exercise caution if you are addicted to TVB's myTV or love browsing YouTube.
Download new apps when connected to a Wi-fi network.
Cut background data use. Turn off location-based services in the 'settings' app, and turn them back on only when necessary for example when using a map or finding bus stops in your vicinity. Turn off notifications of various apps by changing settings.
Turn off automatic updates of RSS readers, apps consolidating content of blog posts, news headlines and social media, such as Pulse. Select 'manual update' or 'update when Wi-fi is available'.


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We Write. About branding. Matamata-Piako District Council is one of the first local bodies to take up LGNZ’s “We Are.” branding campaign which is now being made available to individual local authorities.
So far around 35 councils are understood to have expressed interest in using the branding, with some 15 of them working on it behind the scenes.
Designed by Saatchi & Saatchi, the branding aims to help local authorities better “tell their story” about the value they provide to their local communities.
Lack of awareness of council value by both individuals and the business community was a key finding in a major study undertaken by LGNZ last year.
The branding consists of the introductory word “We” followed by a verb selected to best get across each particular piece of information. It has multiple uses and is extremely versatile. For example: We maintain. We provide. We support.
There are further guidelines around following statements and room for councils to blend in their own branding too.
LGNZ works closely with councils to ensure the branding is used consistently.
The branding can run on a wide variety of media. Councils are already known to be looking at including it on websites, printed materials such as water notices, in lifts, on vehicles, billboards, screensavers, and even blank walls out in their communities.
When LGNZ president Lawrence Yule originally launched the organisation’s “We Are. LGNZ” brand at its 2013 conference he said it would be a “unifying vehicle to carry the local government story”.
This article was first published in the October 2015 issue of NZ Local Government Magazine.