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Auto 2022 revs up with car premieres and a huge guest turnout
1 May saw the conclusion of Auto 2022, the biggest automotive event in the Baltics, which surprised its guests with impressive Baltic premieres and a glimpse of the sustainable electric future, with all of the cars sounding their horns at the same time to mark the end of the event.
119 companies from seven countries—Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Poland, Germany, Sweden, and Finland — brought the latest vehicles, electric cars, tuning masterpieces, sports cars, car maintenance gear, tools, and everything else new and automotive to the show. Throughout its three days, this year’s Auto was visited by 22,564 people, a rise of almost 50% compared to 2021.
Impressive car premieres
This year’s show delighted its guests with a few impressive Baltic premieres! The incredibly powerful and sporty Italian supercar Maserati MC20, also endorsed by the footballer David Beckham, earned the most excitement among them.
French carmakers also prepared a notable number of enjoyable Baltic debuts, with the Citro?n C5 X, Citro?n C5 Aircross, Citro?n ?-Berlingo, and Citro?n Ami. The Baltic premieres of the Enyaq Coupé iV and Fabia Monte Carlo took place at the exhibitions of ŠKODA Latvija. The electric cross-country crossover coupe Nissan Ariya, Renault Megane E-Tech, and the new-generation Jeep Grand Cherokee, which had arrived directly from the USA, also made their Baltic debuts in Ķīpsala.
German brands brought the coupe SUV Volkswagen Taigo, and the VW Multivan. The van’s latest generation is also available as a hybrid. The new Dacia Jogger and the updated Audi A8 also enjoyed their Latvian premieres.
Latest electric models
The electric future is inevitable, as confirmed by exhibits of Auto 2022. Mercedes-EQ electric cars came to the show for their first appearance in Latvia. The Mercedes-EQ exhibition presented the latest electrical intelligence successes of the automotive industry, with Mercedes-EQS, Mercedes-EQA, Mercedes-EQB, and Mercedes-EQE. ‘By 2025, electric cars will already account for 15–25% of the total sales of Mercedes-Benz AG,’ emphasised Jānis Dambītis, Mercedes ambassador in Latvia.
Although the biggest premiere of the Citro?n exhibition was the new C5 X—this brand’s smallest electric car—the Ami, one of the cheapest electric cars on the European market, attracted the most attention! The Eleport exhibit featured a new version of the Ford Mustang, Mach-E, a 100% electric crossover version of the legendary American muscle car. Škoda’s latest electric vehicle, the Enyaq Coupé iV, which in its sporty RS version is the most expensive mass-produced model of this Czech manufacturer, also saw its Baltic debut at the show.
Using an electric car does not always mean that you have to connect to a power socket to replenish energy reserves. There are electric cars in which electricity is generated from hydrogen! One of these is the new Hyundai Nexo, which also debuted at the show in Latvia.
Guests of the show not only learnt about the new cars from dealer representatives, but also got to ask car expert and journalist Normunds Avotiņš interesting questions.
Recent events in Latvian motorsport
The Latvian Automobile Federation (LAF) offered a chance to find out about motorsport in Latvia at the show: its guests could watch demonstrations and meet Latvia’s prominent motorsport drivers: Mārtiņš Sesks, Jānis Baumanis, Nikolass Bertāns, Ervins Grencis, Ronalds Baldiņš, Edgars Kroģeris, and Daniels Lācis. Drift, rallycross, autocross, and rally cars, as well as trophy raid and off-road vehicles could be seen in the LAF expositions.
All you need for car maintenance
Well-known companies such as Eleport, Ehrle, Auto Palete, Animo, Kurbads, Rags, Signeda, and others presented what today’s industry has to offer in the Auto Mechanics section of the show. Guests of Auto 2022 learnt about car care products, anti-rust treatments, equipment and machinery for car retail, car washes, workshops, and electric charging stations.
The show offered a glimpse of various comfortable vans and campers intended for travel; there were also quad bikes and electric scooters.
Auto tuning show
A jet turbine in the back, and an electric-powered glass dome roof: that’s exactly what the bright green Saab or ‘Wasaabi’ is like, and it was one the most discussed exhibits at this year’s Auto Exotica. The auto tuning show in Ķīpsala brought together some the most powerful tuning projects, fast racing cars, and restored classic vehicles! With an unprecedented presentation of 12 cars, the show featured the popular youth movement CC Nation. Guests could also see the BMW Individual of the movement’s leader. For three days, fans of ‘youngtimer’ vehicles which have gained prominence in recent years, especially those from the 70’s and 80’s, as well as Soviet car enthusiasts, who presented the evolution of all the most popular models of the Zaporizhzhia car factory in Ķīpsala. Meanwhile, at the WhatCar.lv exhibit, lovers of classic cars got to see the restored 50-year-old Jaguar Mark VIII four-door, as well as the sporty Porsche 911 GT3 and Toyota GR Yaris.
Auto Exotica Awards 2022
Winners of the Auto Exotica Awards 2022 competition were determined and awarded at the show. The title of Car of the Event was awarded to the powerful and sporty Italian supercar Maserati MC20 (Luxury Motors Latvia). This time, two vehicles got the title of Best Show Car: the bright green Saab Wasaabi, and Kryptonite. Dodge Challenger (Signeda Latvia) brought the most muscle to the table, earning the title The Muscle Car. Sound Pit won the Best Car Audio title, while the Best Friend of Auto Exotica went to the Kristena Drift Team. Edgars Kroģeris’ BMW F22 on the LAF display was named the Best Drift Car, while the Nissan GT-R at the Kesel Motorsport exhibit was found as the Best Japan Tuning Car. CC Nation received the Best Stance Tuning Car Cup for their BMW E39 M5. 3B Motorsports got the award for the best drift presentation at the show, where guests could see the drift vehicles of motorists Reinis Ozoliņš and Toms Jankovskis: Nissan 200sx S13 with a 2JZ engine and 750 horsepower, and BMW E82 with an atmospheric Mercedes V12 engine. The Most Unique Restored Car cup went to RetCar for its ZIM, while the Latvian Antique Car Club got the Ukrainian Car Industry Heritage award.
Something for the entire family!
At the show, children and adults got a chance to drive ActivePark drift karts, and watch professional bicycle and motorcycle shows by Greentrials, the best extreme cycling show team in the Baltics.
The next show, Auto 2023, will take place on 28–30 April 2023 at the International Exhibition Centre in Ķīpsala.
The Auto 2022 show was organised by the International Exhibition Company BT 1, and sponsored by the brake equipment manufacturer Textar.
For more details, visit: www.balticmotorshow.com
Follow us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/autoizstade.kipsala


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Carnival Cruise Line has marked their return to St. Maarten, four months after the island was devastated by hurricanes. Earlier today, Carnival Sunshine was the first in the fleet to return to the nation with a day-long call there.
The visit is the first of dozens of port calls by Carnival ships to the Caribbean destination in the coming weeks.
Over 3,000 passengers onboard enjoyed a variety of shore excursions, as well as St. Maarten’s world-class beaches and shopping and dining in downtown Philipsburg.
Photos: Carnival Cruise Line
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domain: news


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Has Apple lost its bite?
28 August 2014, Alison Simons
Apple seems to have learned the lesson that you can't patent "cool".
In the U.S. District Court Judge Lucy Koh has denied Apple's motion for a sales ban against Samsung products a jury had previously found to have infringed three patents.
Earlier this month, Apple and Samsung stated they have dropped all ongoing patent litigation outside the US, which is likely to save both companies millions of dollars in legal fees. The companies have agreed to a ceasefire in Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, South Korea and the UK.
The battle began in April 2011, when Steve Jobs vowed to spend whatever it took on a 'thermonuclear war'. Apple proceeded to sue Samsung in the US for copying the look and feel of its iPhone and iPad devices with multiple products. The war quickly spread beyond US borders to include claims and counterclaims in various countries across four continents.
In a summary judgment, Judge Koh found Samsung infringed Apple's patent for predictive text input. However, the US Patent and Trademark Office subsequently rejected key claims of the patent rendering void any claims Apple may have had based on the patent.
This judgment is yet another setback for Apple in its numerous bids to ban Samsung products in the US and abroad.
In another high-profile peace treaty Apple and Google's Motorola agreed to drop ongoing proceedings related to smartphone technology, vowing to work together on patent reform.


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Retailers were bemoaning the weather yesterday, as once again Britain ground to a halt in freezing conditions.
As airports closed and trains stopped running, shops were looking emptier than is usual at this time of year.
The lack of customers led many retailers to fear that this year could be a disaster, with no light at the end of the tunnel as VAT is to rise to 20 per cent in the new year.
"It's bad news in the shops," said Maggie Anglepoise of the Organisation of Some Big Retail Chains. "With the financial climate such as it is, a lot of our members fear that this could be the worse peak season on record."
But Ms Anglepoise's opinion is not shared by retail consultant and journalist, Ferdy Pratt: "Oh shut up, please. Every bloody year it's the same old song - 'Oh, where are all the customers? We're all going to go bust.'
"And yet, there they are still banging on the next year. What's the matter with them? Bloody whingeing bastards, the lot of them."


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Outsource sales agency CPM has won a major new contract to provide in-store field sales support for Diageo’s prestigious brands in the Grocery retail channel.
A new team of 20 people will be strategically working nationwide alongside Diageo’s in-house team, adding expertise, intelligent data analysis, sales tools and training – geared to maximising sales for drinks brands including Smirnoff, Gordon’s, Baileys, Bell’s and Guinness.
CPM has been working for Diageo for 20 years however this significant business win sees the agency working with a permanent Diageo team in Grocery for the first time in 15 years.
CPM Sales Director Andy Buck said: “We have established a strong position as experts in sales execution in Grocery, working with the major retailers, using sales data to help drive and improve product availability, sales opportunity and compliance. We’ve also developed a successful long-term relationship with Diageo, so we are naturally delighted to further our partnership with the Diageo team in the Grocery sales channel, building on our premier position in what is the biggest retail channel in the market.”


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The Loxton Hotel in South Australia has been criticised by alcohol advertising watchdog ABAC over its “irresponsible” Facebook posts.
Geelong-based Southern Bay Brewing is facing major backlash over an offensive social media post published online yesterday.
The body responsible for overseeing complaints about alcohol advertising has released its 2018 Annual Report advising social media platforms and pre-vetting services were an increased focus for 2019.
Matt and Pete bring you the top beer news stories of the week including: pasteurisation and why ABAC is so concerned about social media.
The Alcohol Beverages Advertising Code has released its Fourth Quarterly Report for 2018, highlighting concerns about alcohol marketers’ use of digital platforms and the age restriction controls available for their marketing.
Reigning Champion Small Brewery Black Hops Brewing, has this afternoon been forced to take down and apologise for a Facebook post, deemed by Pink Boots Society Australia as “degrading” and “tacky”.
Facebook’s algorithm changes are a major headache for the many Australian brewers who rely on social media as their primary channel for reaching customers.
How many unique beers did you check in on Untappd while ignoring your friends yesterday? Zac Martin earns the Great Article Badge with his take on the anti-social aspects of Untappd.
Luke Robertson speaks with beer-focused social media strategist Tiffany Waldron about Facebook’s recent changes and how they might apply to how breweries and beer-related businesses promote themselves online…
There hasn’t been a better time to start a microbrewery than the last few years, and no it has nothing to do with changing palates of the drinkers, a strong economy or a reduction in excise fees for smaller breweries, although all of these help. The real reason is that marketing has never been easier… Read more →


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Amy Schumer Smolders in a High-Slit White Skirt
Amy Schumer is riding a major wave of positivity.
For an appearance on Good Morning America Tuesday in New York, the 35-year-old actress, writer, and certified multi-hyphenate turned to a minimal ensemble that showcased her legs and natural glow. Schumer rocked a navy, mid-sleeve top with a matching white skirt that brought her look to sultry new levels thanks to a high slit in the back. She styled the pieces with ankle-strap black and white sandals and a wavy 'do.
Tuesday was a big day for Schumer, whose new book of personal essays, The Girl with the Lower Back Tattoo ($28; amazon.com), officially hit stores. During an appearance at New York's Barnes & Noble Union Square—where she donned a navy long-sleeve shift dress and matching ankle-strap heels—she hilariously climbed a ladder for the bookshelves:
The star also posed with Broad City actress Abbi Jacobson, who interviewed Schumer in front of a crowd at the event.
Schumer, naturally, took to Instagram to thank her. Sounds like one epic day.


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Sensis’s Whereis mapping service is looking to outdo Google by announcing a AU$25,000 developer code-off.
Looking to appeal to developer’s hip pockets and divert attention away from competitors like Google Maps and Microsoft’s Virtual Earth, Sensis have teamed up with industry group the Australian Interactive Media Industry Association (AIMIA) to get more developer awareness around the Whereis mapping APIs.
Launching next week and concluding in February 2008 the competition is looking for the “next big thing” in mapping mash-ups.
Anthony Reed, senior product manager, Whereis, said the competition was primarily looking for new innovations and ideas for developers to use the Whereis mapping API.
“What’s important is a vision towards the future. The competition will be judged on innovation, design and user-interface, and commercial merits”.
Reed said the competition will help shape ideas and possibly the direction of the Whereis mapping service.
The winner of the competition, to be judged by industry experts from Whereis and AIMIA, will take home AU$15,000 with second prize netting AU$10,000. Other non-cash prizes for innovation will also be awarded.
Only AIMIA industry group members will be permitted to participate. Reed said the competition wasn’t about reaching as many people as it was to reach the right developers in the B2B space.
“AIMIA have a fantastic user base and it’s a quality audience,” Reed said.
AIMIA currently have around 4,000 members Australia-wide.


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Leafly (leafly.com) has introduced a cannabis News and Culture section, covering topics ranging from industry news to advocacy efforts and resources for people new to cannabis, including FAQs, how-to guides, advice for choosing a dispensary, and a dispensary patient “bill of rights.” Described as “Yelp” for medical cannabis patients, Leafly helps connect patients to the cannabis strains and dispensaries that meet their medical needs through a safe, straightforward and informative online environment. Leafly features over 50,000 patient-generated reviews of more than 500 cannabis strains, along with 10,000 patient reviews of 3,300 dispensaries in the U.S., Canada, Belgium, The Netherlands, and Israel.
“This is a big step forward for cannabis patients,” said Christian Groh, Vice President of Sales at Leafly and partner of Privateer Holdings. “Expanding Leafly’s education and information resources will allow patients to make informed decisions about their treatment in a mainstream, professional environment.”
To lead the expansion, Leafly hired Rebecca Kelley as the company’s new Content & Community Manager. Kelley brings almost a decade of experience in online content development and marketing to the Leafly team. In her new role, Kelley will oversee a team of four content creators tasked with developing Leafly into a leading news and culture resource for cannabis patients. Previously, Kelley served as content marketing manager for Intego (an industry leader in Mac antivirus and security software), and held similar positions at This or That Media and SEOmoz.
“I’m thrilled to join the smart, passionate Leafly team and feel we can transform cannabis culture beyond the standard stereotypes into a more professional and thoughtful industry,” said Kelley. “My goal is to make Leafly the leading source of information for both patients and people who want to learn about cannabis in a mature, comfortable setting.”
Leafly was acquired in 2011 by Privateer Holdings, the first private equity fund investing in the legal cannabis industry. Since acquisition, Leafly has been transformed from a popular online resource into a successful brand generating $100,000 in revenue each month. Leafly had 2.6 million visitors in May, and is projected to earn $1 million in revenue per month within the next 12 months.
“The market is ready for a news source that elevates the conversation about cannabis,” said Privateer Holdings CEO Brendan Kennedy. “Cannabis is mainstream, but most publications don’t reflect that. It’s time to give patients a news source that doesn’t insult them by assuming cannabis is only consumed by 20-somethings with Cheech and Chong posters on the walls of their apartments.”
Visit Leafly’s News & Culture site at www.leafly.com/news.


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Two of the industry’s most iconic trailblazers – Pat McGrath and Naomi Campbell – have joined forces, as Naomi, who recently celebrated her 50th birthday, has been named the global face of Pat McGrath Labs, the first in the brand’s history.
Close friends and artistic collaborators for more than 25 years, Pat and Naomi have created countless covers, photo shoots and runway shows around the world.
For her official Labs debut, Naomi stars in the makeup artist’s latest film, Divine Rose, directed by Pat for her new eye and lip makeup collection of the same name. Naomi will also star in campaigns throughout the year, as well as in Pat’s upcoming virtual Masterchat Series, featuring Pat, influencers and icons from the fashion and beauty world. The first Masterchat launched Thursday, May 28, featuring Naomi.
To view the campaign featuring Naomi, click here.


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As per CarandBike, bookings of the 'made-to-order' Maruti Gypsy will be closed next month. That said, production will continue till March 2019 to clear the order backlog. The mini off-road vehicle will be discontinued by 31 March 2019 owing to its inability to meet the stringent safety norms that come into effect on 1 April 2019.
The Maruti Gypsy was first introduced in India in December 1985. Based on the long-wheelbase Suzuki Jimny SJ40/410 series, it has been a favourite of the armed forces and car rallyists. It was initially available with a 970 cc F10A Suzuki engine but later received the all-aluminium eight-valve G13BA engine and a wider track. Other than this, the off-road-ready model has remained largely unchanged in more than three decades of its existence.
As per the new guidelines, the Maruti Gypsy would have required to start offering a driver's side airbag, ABS with EBD, reverse parking sensors, front seatbelt reminder (SBR), speed alert warning system, speed-sensing auto lock and impact-sensing door unlock to comply with the new safety regulations. Also, Maruti Suzuki would have had to upgrade the body structure to attain compliance with the stricter crash test norms. The company has found it unfeasible to upgrade the off-roader and has chosen to discontinue it.
In 2017, Tata Motors bagged an order for supplying the Safari Storme as a personnel carrier vehicle to the Indian army. As a part of the contract, the company will deliver 3,192 units of the Storme to the military. With this, our armed forces will move away from the GS 500 (General Service 500 kg) platform, which includes the Maruti Gypsy, to a GS 800 (800 kg) platform.
While there have been pretty strong rumours of the latest generation Suzuki Jimny being India-bound, the carmaker has made it clear that it has no intentions of launching the pint-sized off-roader in our country. The company doesn't see a market for a 3-door off-road-oriented vehicle here.
[Source - auto.ndtv.com]


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Due to the rise in the cost of labor, wool, cotton and interest rate, cost of production of carpet has increased by more than 50 percent over the last one year alone. Buyers are not placing orders for next year and if this continues then we might just see the entire industry collapse. Here is a story related to this one by Republica’s Prabhakar Ghimire:
"Whatever rise we witnessed over the last few months is because of the agreements made in January this year. Nepali carpet exporters negotiate and strike business deals in January every year," Kabindra Nath Thakur, president of Nepal Carpet Exporters Association, told Republica.
He said the cost of production is over 30 percent higher than that of Indian carpet, which is the major rival of Nepali carpet in overseas market.
According to Thakur, cost of production per square meter of carpet is around Rs 4,500, which is considerably up from around Rs 3,000 per square meter a year ago. The labor cost has increased from Rs 4,600 per month to Rs 6,200 per month and bank interest rate has gone up to around 15 percent. The cost of wool and cotton has also seen a sharp rise over the last year.
"We are compelled to price Nepali hand-woven carpet at around 70- 80 Euros per square meter. Export prospects are dim, especially in Europe as buyers who are buying our carpet at 40 Euros per square meter are not willing to buy at the new price," said Thakur.
Gopal Krishna Joshi, vice-president of Carpet Producer Association Nepal, said the cost of wool imported from New Zealand has jumped to $6.5 a kg from $4.5 a kg a year earlier. Similarly, the cost of Tibetan wool has increased to Rs 300 per kg from Rs 230 per kg over last couple of months. Cotton, which is an important ingredient for carpet, costs Rs 175 per kg now from Rs 150 per kg a few months ago.
Nepali carpet producers and exporters are also facing a shortage of skilled carpet weavers, making us unable to fulfill the demand from US market which has improved with the housing sector slowly returning to normal.
Labor strikes and increase labor cost have been the most binding constraint to growth of export-oriented and manufacturing sectors. In fact, labor cost in Nepal is already the highest in South Asia. More about imprudent unions and weak industries here. The strength of industrial sector in Nepal is receding and they badly need relief from labor strikes, power outages, policy inconsistency and increasing cost of doing business, among others. Also, rad my last year’s piece on the demise of garment industry in Nepal.


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The nation’s international trade deficit in goods and services decreased to $55.2 billion in August from $55.3 billion in July (revised).
Exports increased to $207.9 billion in August from $207.4 billion in July. Imports increased to $261.4 billion in June from $262.8 billion in July.
Find the full release at the Census Bureau website. Contact us at email@example.com or 1-800-549-0595 Option 4, with any questions.


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The Town of Knightdale is holding two Christmas celebrations in 2021, the tree lighting and the Christmas Parade.
The Tree Lighting Ceremony will take place on Friday, December 3rd, 2021, at 6 p.m., at Knightdale Station Park.
Write letters to Santa, watch local entertainment, enjoy hot chocolate and cookies and then help count down the lighting of the Christmas Tree with help from Santa.
We are putting together a huge list of holiday events in the Triangle, including parades, festivals, markets, Santa visits, and more. Check out our growing day by day list of holiday events in the Triangle!
The Christmas Parade will take place on Saturday, December 4th, 2021, at 2 p.m.
The parade starts at Knight Station Run, turns left on First Avenue, proceeds down First Avenue, and ends at the intersection of Fayetteville and First Avenue.
More Holiday Events in the Triangle
Check out our big list of holiday events in the Triangle, or look at a few of them here:


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On Wednesday, October 27th, Abbeville Dentistry will be hosting their 5th annual Trunk-or-Treat event. The event will be held from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. in the Memphis Place Mall parking lot.
Not only will there be trick or treating for the kids, but they are encouraging you to bring the whole family and come hungry to enjoy the food trucks that will be there. They will have Marley Meats BBQ, Nick’s Shaved Ice Paradise, and Arctic N’ Liquid Nitrogen Ice Cream there all night.
There isn’t much information out there about this year’s event. However, in previous years, candy was handed out by local businesses and a costume parade also took place.
Trunk-or-treat events like this are a great way to enjoy spooky season with the whole family in a safe environment. The kids get loads of candy, and the parents don’t have to worry about their kiddos running around their neighborhood after dark.
Especially with the inclusion of food trucks, it makes it even more enjoyable. You can chow down on that delicious BBQ while your kids get a sugar rush from their piles of candy.
If you aren't able to make it to this trunk or treat event, or you want to stock up on even more candy, there are similar events happening all around Lubbock this month. From the October 16th through October 31st, there are over 20 places to go trunk-or-treating in Lubbock.


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As a forward looking entity, Threecubes, in keeping up with the latest technology in alternative payment, has started to accept online payment through GOCOIN.
This new payment mode is only available for online purchase currently and it can be used alongside other existing payment services, like Bank Deposit and PayPal.
The main features are:
- Customers from around the world can check out with digital currency.
- The currency works just like cash.
- Transactions are secure and meet the highest standards for ecommerce security.
So What is Bitcoin?
Many people have heard of Bitcoin. It is widely recognised as the first cryptocurrency. Simply put, Bitcoin is a peer-to-peer online financial network that people use to send payments from one person to another and it’s also a digital currency (also called Bitcoin). There are other emerging cryptocurrencies like Litecoin & Ripple otherwise known as Altcoins. The bitcoin network functions without the intermediation of a central authority. The managing of transactions and the issuing of Bitcoins is carried out collectively by the network. Lost yet?
Here's a video that might help:


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Since the appointment of David Punter as National Sales Manager in June this year, gaming manufacturer Konami have been refocusing their priorities on people and product.
They have been investing heavily in development and game diversity and are seeing the benefits with each new release. Their ‘All Aboard’ product has been the companies most successful product launch in the past 5 years and continues to hold its strong position in the marketplace.
Building on what they do best, Konami is also excited to be presenting five new games in the ‘All Aboard’ Series at AHG in early 2019.
The company’s other key area of focus is on people and teams. With the appointment of some highly qualified people in key roles that will take effect in early 2019, David Punter believes Konami is well placed for an exciting 2019.
David also says he is passionate about product and that he is very excited about Konami’s new strategic direction which will see the company fast-tracking their best product to all markets – clubs, hotels and casinos – in Australia and New Zealand by the end of the first Quarter (March) of 2019.
For more information contact Konami Australia Pty Ltd Ph (02) 9666 3111


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Next month Nissan will launch the 2019 redesigned Altima and hopes to challenge the industry decline of sedan sales. For a long time, Americans have been abandoning sedans for crossovers, SUVs, and trucks.
Nissan plans to alter the reality of the automobile market and leave consumers reconsidering sedans, particularly the 2019 Altima. Previous models had a lot less tech, now Nissan is employing the most concentrated technology they ever have.
Consumers want tech and are choosing to forgo other preferences, like vehicle style, color, and brand, for a high-tech ride. The new Altima places an emphasis on new technology. Nissan is packing the new Altima with all wheel drive, new variable compression engine and advanced safety technology including their ProPilot Assist and Safety Shield 360 which boasts rear automatic braking.
Altima sales in the U.S are off 16% this year along with the overwhelming decline in demand for sedans over the past six years.
Despite success with crossovers, notably the Rogue, decline in sedan demand has remained an issue for Nissan. Nissan is still seen as a “car brand” and continues to rely on sedan sales.
Chairman, Denis Le Vot, recognizes the massive decline in sedan sales but remains hopeful, predicting they will return. His reasoning is that higher interest rates will push price-sensitive buyers away from pricey SUVs and crossovers, leading them back to sedans. By incorporating awd, consumers who want the safety of an SUV will be reassured by the new Altima.
For Le Vot, this is just the beginning. He hinted that all Nissan sedans will be enhanced in the coming years and follow Altima with redesigns.


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Harrisburg, N.C. (February 23, 2018) – Gray Gualding will drive the #23 Earthwater BK Racing Toyota Camray this weekend in Atlanta
EarthWater Limited, the official water provider of BK Racing, will again be on board Gaulding’s Toyota at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Coming off a strong 20th place finish at Daytona, the #23 team is looking forward to this race. BK Racing and Earthwater are committed to building a solid foundation in 2018 both on and off the race track. We are “In It Together.”
About EarthWater Limited
EarthWater Limited (www.earthwater.com) is a health and wellness company that manufactures all-natural products that boost your body’s immunity, including beverages, liquid concentrates, and gummies under the brands FulHum (www.drinkfulhum.com) and Zenful (www.drinkzenful.com), which are 100% natural, proprietary blends of organic Fulvic and Humic complexes. All EarthWater products are available online through Amazon. For more information, email email@example.com.


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Durant l’été 2015, ASMonaco.com now has a brand new e-commerce platform that’s more attractive, more user-friendly and most importantly safer for users. Both the online store and online ticket office have been revolutionised, with the introduction of single sign-on. From now on, fans can create their account ASMonaco.com in the members’ area of the news website, when paying for items in their basket in the online store, or when buying tickets online – and the account will work across AS Monaco’s entire online platform.
You can also personalise your shirt with a stylish, user-friendly “kit builder”. This fun and handy feature has already proved a hit with many of our fans.
The online store is now getting a raft of other new features and tweaks inspired by feedback from its first six months. The online ticket office will soon be receiving the same treatment, as will the “Hospitality” service, which is set to get its own online environment.
A clearer, sharper-looking homepage with better visibility for products to ensure an even better customer experience. Fans can now find their favourite AS Monaco items at a glance, check out the new collections, as well as the many special offers and promotions available throughout the season.
This new development represents yet another step forward for AS Monaco, as the club continues to build on the spectacular transformation – both on and off the pitch – of the last four years.


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A study commissioned in August 2015 by New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio (D) has found increased construction and tourism are mostly responsible for the city’s congested downtown streets.
Uber, a popular transportation network company connecting drivers and riders, has been the target of a campaign by de Blasio and city regulators, who have called for more restrictions on the popular transportation company. De Blasio has claimed Uber is responsible for higher congestion rates in the city’s downtown areas.
De Blasio backed away from proposed restrictions on Uber in August 2015, instead choosing to commission a government study to identify the causes of congestion and traffic jams in the city’s downtown neighborhoods.
Jared Meyer, a fellow at the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research, says de Blasio intended to use the study’s results to blame Uber for the city’s traffic congestion.
“It was clearly disingenuous to blame a new technology for the age-old problem of busy Manhattan streets,” Meyer said. “The mayor received over $500,000 from the taxi industry for his election. He wants to protect taxi medallion owners’ profits, and he placed this priority over the needs of New Yorkers, which squared poorly with his progressive principles.”
Making a Bigger Pie
Meyer says providing more options for consumers is good for everybody, even traditional taxi drivers.
“No one is talking about taking away the monopoly that taxis have on street hails,” Meyer said. “However, the overall pie of for-hire vehicle trips will increase as consumers have more transportation options. Policymakers are now waking up to the reality that it should make taxis more like Ubers, instead of making Ubers more like taxis.”
Michael Farren, a research fellow at the Mercatus Center, says taxicabs and transportation network companies should both be regulated less.
“The best solution for e-dispatch and traditional taxis to coexist is for them to be subject to the same rules and regulations,” Farren said. “When the playing field is equal, companies must compete to differentiate themselves in ways that matter to the consumer, rather than the regulator.”
Farren says government regulations are getting in the way of businesses serving consumers’ needs.
“In general, producers won’t be able to serve customers in the way that the customers would prefer,” Farren said. “The cost of transportation services would be higher than otherwise possible, meaning that some customers won’t be able to use transportation services and some producers may be priced out of the market. As a result, the remaining producers will enjoy a measure of governmentally granted privilege, which provides protection from competition.”
Andy Torbett ([email protected]) writes from Atkinson, Maine.
Office of New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, “For-Hire Vehicle Transportation Study,” January 15, 2016: https://heartland.org/policy-documents/hire-vehicle-transportation-study/


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Kraft Heinz slides to fourth-quarter loss, but results beat estimates
(RTTNews) – Kraft Heinz Co. (KHC) on Wednesday announced a net loss for the fourth quarter compared to a profit last year, penalized by strong non-cash impairments. However, adjusted earnings per share and quarterly net sales exceeded analysts’ estimates. The company also provided organic sales growth guidance for the full year of 2022.
“We are generating efficiencies to fuel additional investments in our business, which, together with efficient pricing, mitigate inflationary pressures,” CEO Miguel Patricio said.
For the fourth quarter, the company reported a net loss attributable to common shareholders of $257 million or $0.21 per share, compared with $1.03 billion or $0.84 per share in the year-ago quarter.
The loss was attributable to non-cash impairments of $1.3 billion, primarily due to the impairment of the Kraft brand following the closing of the Cheese transaction, higher interest expense and losses not performed on merchandise covers.
Excluding items, adjusted earnings for the quarter were $0.79 per share, compared to $0.80 per share in the prior year quarter.
On average, 17 analysts polled by Thomson Reuters expected the company to report earnings of $0.63 per share for the quarter. Analyst estimates generally exclude special items.
Net sales for the quarter fell 3.3% to $6.71 billion from $6.94 billion in the same quarter last year. Analysts had expected sales of $6.61 billion for the quarter.
Net sales include a negative impact of 7.3 percentage points from acquisitions and disposals and a favorable impact of 0.1 percentage point from the exchange rate. Organic net sales increased by 3.9%. The volume/mixture was essentially stable.
Sales in the United States decreased by 6.8% to $4.74 billion, while international sales increased by 6.5% to $1.50 billion and sales in Canada increased by 5, 2% to $471 million from a year ago.
Looking ahead to fiscal 2022, the company now expects a single-digit percentage increase in organic net revenue. The Street expects sales to fall 5.0% to $24.59 billion for the year.
Separately, the Company’s Board of Directors declared a regular quarterly dividend of $0.40 per common share, payable March 25, 2022, to shareholders of record as of March 11, 2022.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.


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This is the Centodieci, this is the limited-edition model from Bugatti that celebrates the company’s 110th birthday. To commemorate the special occasion, Bugatti went back to its roots and created the Chiron based Centodieci while paying homage to the landmark EB110 supercar. Introduced in 1991, the EB110 was the first car launched by Bugatti, following its revival by Italian businessman Romano Artioli.
The Bugatti Centodieci features a number of elements inspired by the EB110, including a similar grille design, a windscreen that wraps around an invisible A-pillar and a five-aperture side air intake. Bugatti has a modern spin on EB110’s defining features that have helped the Centodieci stand on its own. We will just let the pictures do the talking.
The Bugatti Centodieci offers an exclusive take on the Chiron. It’s made largely with carbon fiber to keep weight in check, and it’s powered by an 8.0-liter W16 engine, quad-turbocharged to 1,600 horsepower at 7,000 rpm, a 100-horsepower increase over the Chiron. Looking back, the EB110 used a quad-turbocharged, 3.5-liter V12 rated at just a tiny 560 horsepower.
According to Bugatti, the Centodieci has a 2.4 second 0-100kph time, covers 0-200kph in 6.1 seconds and can reach 300kph from rest in just 13.1 seconds, which means by the time an average car reaches 80 kph, the Centodieci has already reached 300 kph. Here is the kicker, only 10 of these works of art will be made. The 10 examples of the Centodieci that Bugatti plans to build have already found a home. The French firm reached out to its most loyal clients shortly after it started the project, and it had no trouble selling the entire production run in spite of a base price pegged at 8 million euros (nearly $9 million).


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AMD had announced desktop APUs with heterogenous system architecture (HSA) compatibility earlier this year. But AMD is not just stopping there and have also announced HSA-compliant high performance system-on-chip (SoC) called Carizzo. It is based on the Excavator CPU micro-architecture and a next-gen Radeon GPU architecture. At the time of announcement at the ‘Future of Compute’, yesterday, AMD did not reveal much details about the next-gen Radeon GPU.
HSA is an intelligent computing architecture that enables the CPU and GPU to work in harmony by seamlessly streamlining right tasks to the most suitable processing element, resulting in performance and efficiency for both consumers and developers.
The Carizzo SoC is designed in a way that the HSA takes full advantage of GPU compute which will increase performance and energy efficiency. Carizzo is the first HSA compliant SoC to come to market. ARM, Qualcomm and Marvell too are working on coming out with HSA-compliant SoCs but there haven’t been any chip announcements so far.
Apart from the high end Carizzo, AMD also announced the Carizzo-L which will be a lower end SoC that comes with AMD’s Puma+ CPU micro-architecture along with the older Graphics Core Next (GCN) architecture. These SoCs are expected to be used in upcoming tablets, low-end Windows notebooks as well as Chromebooks. The two SoCs will also support Windows 10, DirectX 12, OpenCL 2.0, AMD Mantle API and AMD’s FreeSync technology.
Both will also sport the AMD Secure Processor which is based on ARM processor and ARM’s TrustZone technology which keeps sensitive data separate from the main OS and restricts access to apps.
“AMD’s commitment to graphics and compute performance, as expressed by our goal to improve APU energy efficiency 25x by 2020, combines with the latest industry standards and fresh innovation to drive the design of the 2015 AMD Mobile APU family. We are excited about the experiences these new APUs will bring and look forward to sharing more details in the first half of next year,” said John Byrne, SVP and GM, Computing and Graphics business group of AMD.
According to AMD, the chips will launch next year and one can start seeing tablets, notebooks and all-in-ones with the Carizzo and Carizzo-L chips will be seen in the market by mid-2015.


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Realtors and homeowners in the Bartlesville area had a good year in 2016, as home sales were up by over $8 million compared to 2015, a report from the Bartlesville Association of Realtors showed.
According to a residential closing statistics report provided by the organization, 2016 had $109,225,950 in home sales in the Bartlesville area. In 2015, sales were $101,220,173.
A total of 775 homes were sold in 2016 compared to 735 in 2015.
Contributing to the total, December closed out the month with 60 homes sold for an average price of $147,752. The average home price in December 2015 was $119,368, the report showed, showing a dramatic rise in the prices for the year.
Of the homes sold in December, 21 sold for less than $100,000; 26 sold for between $100,000 and $200,000; nine sold for between $200,000 and $300,000; and four homes sold for more than $300,000. The least expensive home sold for $18,850, while the most expensive sold for $465,000.
Total monthly closings for December were up by more than $1 million from the previous year, even though the amount of homes sold in December 2016 was lower. December saw total monthly closings of $8,865,120, while closings for December 2015 totaled only $7,673,448.
According to the report, homes in Bartlesville were on the market for an average of 68 days in 2016. In 2015, the average was 66 days. The Bartlesville Association of Realtors reports there are 270 homes currently on the market.


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The coronavirus pandemic has now claimed one of the country’s oldest and most prestigious retailers.
Brooks Brothers — pioneer of the polo and uniform of the polished prepster — submitted for bankruptcy on Wednesday, as it continues to research for a buyer.
The retailer, which is extra than two hundreds of years old, boasts of obtaining dressed 40 U.S. presidents and many expense bankers. Early to the office environment-informal appear, it turned acknowledged for its crisp oxfords and jaunty sports activities jackets. But hire had turn out to be a load, and the pandemic torpedoed a sale system that commenced in 2019.
“Over the earlier year, Brooks Brothers’ board, management workforce, and economical and authorized advisors have been analyzing several strategic solutions to situation the business for future good results, which includes a possible sale of the small business,” a spokesperson for the retailer said.
“During this strategic overview, Covid-19 turned immensely disruptive and took a toll on our company.”
The brand has attracted substantial interest from prospective acquirers, CNBC has noted, but lots of have most popular to acquire the brand name with less stores.
It commenced to evaluate which of its about 250 North American retailers to shut in early April. It has currently determined to near about 51, a selection it attributes to the pandemic. Most of all those retailer closures have currently begun, and the firm has moved inventory from the targeted stores to distribution facilities. The retailer is continuing with ideas to reopen the majority of stores it shut owing to the pandemic.
It has more than 500 suppliers globally and employs 4,025 persons.
“We are in the method of pinpointing the correct operator, or house owners, to lead our legendary Brooks Brothers brand name into the foreseeable future,” the spokesperson explained.
“It is significant that any possible purchaser aligns with our core values, culture, and ambitions. Further information on the sale procedure will be built available in the coming times,” the spokesperson included.
Brooks Brothers created a lot more than $991 million in revenue previous year, about 20% of which have been on-line. It has wholesale agreements with vendors like Macy’s and Nordstrom, and contracts to manufacture uniforms for NetJets, United Airlines and some others.
To guidance its operations in personal bankruptcy, Brooks Brothers has secured $75 million in debtor in possession financing from model administration agency WHP World-wide, which is backed by Oaktree Money and Blackrock. That will come on top of a $20 million loan it secured from Gordon Brothers in May.
By Aug. 15, it will cease its production do the job at facilities in Massachusetts, North Carolina and New York, the place it produces suits, ties and some shirts. Those amenities make about 7% of the brand’s goods.
Brooks Brothers is just the newest retailer to succumb to the pandemic. It follows on the heels of Neiman Marcus, J. Crew and J.C. Penney, which have all filed for court docket safety in the final handful of months.
But not like many retail trailblazers, Brooks Brothers is not buckling from credit card debt leftover from a personal fairness-led leveraged buyout that still left its owner not able to devote in the storied brand name.
Instead, it is owned by its CEO, Claudio Del Vecchio. Del Vecchio, son of the founder of Italian eyewear giant Luxottica, has targeted on restoring the brand’s excellent since attaining it from British retailer Marks & Spencer in 2001.
Individuals attempts surface to have borne fruit. A person senior banker who spoke to CNBC claimed he still wears the brand’s principles underneath his a lot more highly-priced satisfies. He requested anonymity because he did not want to converse publicly about his fundamental dress in.
But leases from the expansion of its footprint have develop into pricey. The retailer had approximately 160 retail shops in the U.S. when Del Vecchio acquired it two many years back, about two-thirds of the 236 U.S. retailers and retailers it at this time promises.
And, like each and every retailer, it has had to rethink its retail strategy as the coronavirus pandemic has forced its shops to shut.
In the meantime, levels of competition from more youthful makes like Bonobos and Lululemon has cropped up, even as Brooks Brothers has expanded further more into sportswear and introduced in trendy designer Zak Posen to achieve extra fashionable customers.
And as the unemployment rate rises and all those who do have employment keep on to do the job from residence, it is more and more difficult to get Us residents to get nicer apparel, permit by itself wear them.
Retail targeted traffic declines have accelerated about the previous two months, as Covid-19 circumstances surge nationwide, including hotspots in Florida and Texas.
— CNBC’s Lauren Thomas contributed to this report.


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(Crystal A. Proxmire, July 9, 2013)
Every two years Ferndale City Council votes on how much to charge for various city services, and the most recent round happened at Monday’s council meeting. Many of the changes in fees happened because of state-mandated fees, and a few fees were simply eliminated. Increases in gas prices also played a role.
Plumbing, mechanical and electrical fees were changed to be in line with state requirements. Plumbing contractors must now pay an annual $35 registration fee. Mechanical contractors must now pay a $45 fee every three years, which went up from $35. Permits per job for plumbing, mechanical, electrical and building have all gone from $35 down to $25 to make it easier for businesses and residents to get work done and to make up for the annual fee.
Michigan also is requiring a fee and a bond for secondhand, junk dealers and pawnshops. The fee for this has gone from $50 to$250 per year, and a $3,000 bond with 2 sureties is required.
Precious metal and gem dealers must also pay a $50 annual fee.
Some fees that have been eliminated include those for garage sales, street vendors and handbills. Garage sales permits were eliminated in 2011, and since that time there have not been any reported complaints about residents over-using garage sales at their homes. Handbill permitting was eliminated in 2012.
Council increased the returned check fee from $30 to $35, in line with what they are charged for a bounced check. But in terms of credit card fees, they decided to hold off. “We’ve moved, finally, online payment to our website and with that brought a conversation about many places do charge a convenience fee for credit cards,” said City Manager April Lynch. “It’s one of those catch-22s. You really want people to use the online services but we’re not sure how much will be used, and at what point how much is the city paying for that use of credit cards?”
The dilemma comes in figuring out how much staff time is freed up by having people pay online, compared to how expensive it is for the city to maintain the online payment system. Lynch said that credit card companies vary in how much they charge the city, with a range of fees from 3% to 5%.
Her recommendation was to “create a new line item that tracks transactions and helps us to see how many people are utilizing online payment, and see if we see some traffic decrease at the counter and over the phone.” She added that by gathering data for a year it would help them come up with a fee that realistically covers the cost.
Council members opted to follow Lynch’s advice, but with the realization that the fee issue would likely come up again. “I agree with taking one year, but I think it’s inevitable,” said Councilperson Melanie Piana. “All businesses are dealing with this credit card fee, and how do you cover these costs.”
Other fees that got approved go along with the increased cost of expenses. Sanitation, refuse collection and disposal went up for homeowners, rental properties and commercial properties. For a single family home the cost went from $111 per year to $128. Multifamily units and apartments went from $95 per unit to $110. Commercial, based on per yard, per dumpster, went from $190 to $220. This was discussed at the budget meetings, and is based on the increased cost of transporting the waste.
Another transportation-related fee increase came in the cost of medical transport. The cost per mile has gone up from $9.50 to $12.50.
Most of the 36 page fee schedule remained the same as the previous two years. The entire document is available on the City of Ferndale website, or you can download it from our website by clicking here.
The City of Ferndale recently launched their new website, complete with online bill payments. Here is our article on the launch: https://oaklandcounty115.com/2013/06/25/ferndale-launches-new-website/, and here is the site: http://www.ferndalemi.gov.
For coverage of the City Budget process, read our previous articles:


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The ZenFone 4 Selfie Lite, ZenFone 3 Laser, and ZenFone 3 Zoom are on sale for the ZenFone x Lazada Flash Sale from August 30
Traxion, a transaction management company, offers multiple services on its platforms to help farmers, fishermen, and sari-sari store owners.
HP Philippines offers free Customer Delivery Inspection (CDI), which help protect businesses against using fake products.
HMD Global, the home of Nokia phones, announced that the Nokia 7 Plus has been awarded the Consumer Smartphone of the Year award by the
ASUS Republic of Gamers recently announced the latest model in their ROG Zephyrus series, and the thinnest gaming laptop; the Zephyrus S (GX531).
ASUS Republic of Gamers recently announced their latest 17.3-inch addition to their ROG Strix gaming laptop lineup; the Strix SCAR II (GL704).
HMD Global just announced their new generation Nokia 2.1 and Nokia 3.1 smartphones and they will be coming to Davao City.
The company’s latest premium notebook, the ASUS ZenBook Pro 15, has finally hit our shores and will be available in ASUS authorized dealers nationwide.
Samsung just announced their new 2-in-1 Android tablet designed for people who want to do more on the go; the Samsung Galaxy Tab S4.
Samsung wants you to stay connected no matter where you are. And so, they released their newest addition to the Galaxy line; the Samsung Galaxy


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Cellini was once one of Leicester’s oldest and best known shops.
As well as selling top quality bags and leather goods, the shop was also known for its distinctive gold clock above the shop entrance.
But after over a century of trading, the luggage store in Hotel Street closed on 18 March 2017.
The Leicester store first opened in 1903 as The Orient Trunk Shop, and was also known as The Bag Stores until the 1980s.
It was renamed Cellini after brothers Andrew and David Shilton bought it in the 1980s.
The brothers had already invested in Cellini stores across the country, with the first two opening in Manchester and Wilmslow.
"We liked the name, so we changed the name of The Bag Stores to Cellini," Andrew told us in 2014.
When the shop closed last year, Faith Walton shared her memories of the shop under its previous moniker.
"My father-in-law, Percy Walton, worked at The Bag Stores for about 40 years, in the workshop," said Mrs Walton, of Leicester.
"I went there once to see him at work. We still have some of the tools he used.
"The workshop was on Cank Street, with half-moon windows.
"For his 18th and 21st birthdays, he was allowed to make himself a suitcase of fibre and a leather attache case, which we still have. Both are quite heavy.
"I believe he also made a briefcase for Prince Charles."
The premises the shop once occupied is now set to become the latest bar in the St Martin’s Square area, joining nearby gin specialist 45 West and cocktail bar 33 Cank Street.
Spirits Bar Ltd recently submitted their plans to convert the premises into a bar and escape room, employing 10 people.
The business currently runs an existing escape room, Escape Asylum, in St Martin’s.
In documents sent to the council, Spirits said: “The success and popularity of the escape room venue has led to this application which is to re-brand and refurbish 6 Hotel Street.
“This is an expansion of the concept that has been implemented at St Martin’s.”
Until then, Cellini joins the ranks of other long-established retailers in Leicester that have closed over the last few years including Fenwick, Denhams and Irish Clothing.
Some retailers believe that Leicester city centre's heritage is falling victim to the ' Highcross effect', as footfall is increasingly drawn towards the shopping centre's 'one-stop-shop' of retail and leisure.


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Ontario Lottery Website Launches Blueprint Gaming Slots
Blueprint Gaming, the developer of several popular slots, has given its Canadian presence a boost by launching its portfolio of games with the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG).
Players can now enjoy many of Blueprint Gaming’s most popular titles, such as The Goonies, Buffalo Rising Megaways, and Diamond Mine Megaways, on the lottery’s website. The lottery website OLG.ca recently celebrated its one-millionth player registration.
In the coming months, Blueprint Gaming is set to deliver new slots to OLG on a weekly basis, ensuring that players in Ontario always have something new to look forward to.
OLG’s new digital gaming platform was launched with Bede Gaming in October 2020. Since then, close to 400,000 Ontarians have registered accounts, taking the total number of players past the one million mark. In the near future, OLG is set to launch new mobile apps for both iOS and Android, giving players the ability to purchase lottery tickets, play casino games, check tickets that have been purchased in shops, and find games and jackpot information quickly and easily.
We’re thrilled to have Blueprint join our fold as we celebrate an incredible milestone for OLG.ca, having recently surpassed one million player registrations. We’re obsessed with delivering world-class entertainment experiences for each of our over one million players and bringing quality suppliers like Blueprint to OLG.ca means we’ll be able to do that while introducing more games, more often.
Jo Purvis, the Director of Key Accounts and Marketing UK at Blueprint Gaming, described the games going live with OLG as “fantastic” and said that the company is excited to reach a new audience. She said that the launch is a testament to the quality and appeal of the developer’s games and added, “We’re very much looking forward to delivering more exciting titles and mechanics to OLG and its player base over the coming months.”
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The most famous hotel in golf is golf-proofing its roof.
According to the Daily Express, the Old Course Hotel was spending £1,500 per week repairing its roof from damage done by errant shots from St. Andrews’ nearby ‘Road Hole’ so it hired Calgary-based roofer Euroshield to install an impact-resistant roof.
Euroshield uses recycled materials, like rubber tires, to produce durable surfaces intended to withstand extreme weather conditions, but its owner, Henry Kamphuis, says golf balls won’t pose much of a challenge.
“I was up on the hotel and the gutters are just full of golf balls,” Kamphuis told the Express. “It’s very easy to hit the hotel, it’s right in the middle of the fairway. They looked at a number of different products and hit them all with a hammer and ours was the one that stood up to it … We have done golf courses before and we have never had any problems with golf ball strikes.”
Construction is scheduled to begin in January and is expected to be completed by April.


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Published On: Jul, 22, 201904:08 PM
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Despite Political Rhetoric, Some Drug Prices Jumped on July 1, Including Medicines on Shortage Lists
In many states, when July 1 rolled around, so too did many new laws and taxes, including hikes on gasoline. But what may have slipped by people is the fact that many drug prices also saw significant increases in price.
This morning, The Wall Street Journal reported that 20 companies raised the list price of more than 40 drugs by an average of 13.1%. The price hikes include some generic medications that are administered in hospitals, which happen to be in short supply. The Journal said B. Braun Medical raised the price on more than a dozen drugs, including its antibiotic cefazolin, which saw a 50% increase to $9 per package. Cefazolin, an antibiotic in use for decades, is on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)’s list of medications in short supply, the Journal said. Other drugs on that shortage list were also the subject of price increases, the Journal said.
The hikes posted on July 1 this year are greater than those a year ago. Citing Rx Savings Solutions, a software that helps health plans choose the least-expensive medications, the Journal said in 2018, 16 different companies increased the price of medications by an average of 7.8% on July 1.
With July 1 being the halfway point of the year, it’s not uncommon to see a price increase in drugs. Companies typically raise prices at the first of the year and then again on July 1. This year though, the price increases come at a time of increased scrutiny from state and federal lawmakers who have made the cost of medication a political issue. With the scrutiny, numerous companies have pledged to keep drug price increases within “acceptable” levels of 10% or less. As an example, at the beginning of the year, Allergan raised the price on more than two dozen drugs by almost 10 percent. Johnson & Johnson increased the price on about two dozen prescription medications, including its top-selling branded drugs Stelara, Zytiga and Xarelto. In November 2018, pharma giant Pfizer announced plans to raise the price of 41 drugs in January. GlaxoSmithKline increased prices on about three dozen drugs, but by an average of 3%. There were a few outliers at the beginning of the year. Hikma Pharmaceuticals raised the price of morphine by 10 percent and its blood pressure drug enalaprilat by 30 percent.
The Journal report showed that during the first quarter of 2019, list prices for branded drugs in the U.S. saw increases of about 3.3%, as opposed to the 6.3% for the same period the year before.
As has been stated numerous times, the list price is not the same as the retail price a consumer pays at the local pharmacy. There are rebates and discounts that can dramatically affect the price of a medication negotiated between manufacturers, pharmacy benefits managers and insurers. The rebate system has been criticized by the pharma industry for higher costs of drugs. Still, high drug prices, as well as shortages, have caused great concern across the United States. A recent poll showed that a majority of adults, including seniors, who took the survey, are in favor of government actions that could curb the cost of medication. The poll found that 24 percent of adults, as well as 23 percent of those who identified as senior citizens, found the higher out-of-pocket expenses paid for prescription drugs make it more difficult to maintain regular use of their medicines.


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7 Business Stats: How COVID has impacted SMEs
Tue, 08 Sep 2020 by James Green
• Only 22% of businesses have been accepted for government-backed loans. What does this mean for the 78% of those who are unsuccessful?
• For businesses that have applied for alternative finance, are there any significant trends that have been highlighted that could be linked to COVID?
• We gain insights into what business types have made the most finance applications; what products have led to the most applications during the pandemic; and the demographic breakdown of applicants in the UK.
Statistics from the Office of National Statistics show that 22% of businesses that are currently trading have applied for Government-backed accredited loans or finance agreements, such as the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS). However, only 22% of businesses that applied for Government-backed loans have received this scheme.
It means that 78% of businesses who have applied for finance are either waiting for a response or have not met the qualifying criteria and have likely been unsuccessful in their application.
To get a better understanding of the businesses that have used the alternative finance market to find funding for their business, we have assembled a set of statistics. These statistics are designed to provide further insight into how companies have tried to navigate COVID. It includes what products have been most popular with our users, the demographic breakdown of our application audience, and what business types have been more inclined to apply for business finance.
Application statistics detailed breakdown
1. Popular business types
*Sample data taken from anonymous SME Loans Google Analytics data, from 2,515 applicants over the period of 01/07/2020 until 24/08/2020.
Since the start of July, there has been an increase in applications being submitted for financial products compared to the previous period. The majority of businesses that applied for finance were limited companies (57%) followed by sole traders (33%), with 10% of companies not specifying their company type.
Out of the total businesses that applied, over a third were startups which had been trading for 0 months. The reason why there was a high amount of startups who applied for finance could be as a result of the difficulty in acquiring startup funding during COVID. Despite the Future Fund scheme being introduced at the start of June to help startups, only 590 loans have been approved so far leaving many startups having to look elsewhere for funding.
2. Popular financial products
*Sample data taken from anonymous SME Loans Google Analytics data, from 2,515 applicants over the period of 01/07/2020 until 24/08/2020. **Sample data take from Google Trends under the search term ‘startup business loans’ over the period 01/07/2020 until 24/08/2020.
The five most popular product pages that our users searched for were
- Startup business loans (46%)
- Limited Company Loans (6%) & Islamic Finance (6%)
- Sole Trader Loans (4.4%)
- Self Employed Loans (2%)
Startup business loans were the most popular product which led to an application on SME Loans. Google Trends data shows that throughout July and August, there has been a fluctuation in interest in the UK regarding startup finance. Peak interest for startup loans was mainly found during July.
Our stats are contrary to Government figures, which state that there had been a small decrease in businesses being created in Quarter 2 of 2020, in comparison to the previous year. Although the decline is not particularly pronounced, COVID-19 has been considered the root cause for the slowdown of business births during this period.
However, our research has shown that 64% of people would like to start their own business, but 41% found that business finance was the biggest concern for starting a business. Furthermore, with more businesses being impacted and resorting to redundancy and laying off employees, it could lead to more startups being created. These points would indicate that ambition is not an issue, that it is likely securing finance in addition to COVID-19 for a slow down in startups being created.
3. Reasons why businesses are applying for business finance.
It is clear that businesses have applied for finance to try and navigate through the pandemic, especially since the various Government-backed schemes were offered for interrupted businesses. However, getting an insight into specifically why they’re applying for finance is difficult to guess confidently.
We already know that the many businesses that took part in a government-backed scheme are required to use their CBILS loan to help support trading in the UK. Requirements include using the finance to manage cash flow, buying inventory, developing a project, and more.
4. How much is being borrowed?
*Sample data taken from anonymous SME Loans Google Analytics data, from applicants over the period of 01/07/2020 until 24/08/2020.
Interestingly, over half of companies applying for business finance were looking for loan amounts lower than £10,000. One third of companies were looking for business finance greater than £10,000. 14% of companies that applied for finance were looking for an amount greater than £50,000.
Demographic statistics breakdown
5. Gender demographics
*Sample data taken from anonymous SME Loans Google Analytics data, from 831 applicants over the period of 01/07/2020 until 24/08/2020.
Our research showed that demographically, two-thirds of businesses that applied for finance were run by men. When broken down into sole traders and limited companies, 70% of limited companies were run by men, in comparison to sole traders where men ran 60%.
Despite a review into female entrepreneurship in 2019, our stats highlight the current gender gap problem that women still face in business and entrepreneurship in the UK in 2020. It would seem in COVID that the trend still persists and women are still underrepresented in business.
6. Age demographics
*Sample data taken from anonymous SME Loans Google Analytics data, from 802 applicants over the period of 01/07/2020 until 24/08/2020.
Our research shows that it was 25-34 year-olds who made up 42% of business finance applicants since the start of July. Based on stats taken from Finder, 25-34 year-olds only make up 12% of business owners in the UK. It could suggest that it is this age group that have struggled the most to secure funding for their business.
The next most significant age group was 35-44 and 18-25 year-olds, who both made up 20% of finance applications to SME. The smallest group was the 45+ year-olds, who made up 18% of applications.
7. Region demographics
*Sample data taken from anonymous SME Loans Google Analytics data, from 2,332 applicants over the period of 01/07/2020 until 24/08/2020.
In the United Kingdom, 89% of businesses that applied for financial products were based in England. 7% of applications were from Scotland, 3% from Wales, and 1% from Northern Ireland.
The largest proportion of businesses that applied for business finance were based in London, which made up 28% of total applications. This insight is unsurprising as London has received the highest number of both the Bounce Back Loan Scheme and CBILS loans as shown by British Business Bank research. The high concentrations of businesses based in the capital city is likely the reason for such a high percentage of loan applications.
Frequently Asked Questions
The five most popular product pages in lockdown have been:
• Startup loans – 46%
• Limited Company Loans – 6%
• Islamic Finance – 6%
• Sole Trader Loans – 4%
• Self-employed loans – 2%
Startup funding has always been difficult to be accepted for, it is likely even harder during COVID-19. It has been reported that more and more startups are being created in light of people failing to find jobs due to the number of layoffs due to the coronavirus. The combination of the two could be the reason why there is a strong demand for startup funding.
If you’re looking for startup funding during COVID-19 you can apply for a startup loan for a traditional or alternative lender. As a credit broker, SME Loans can help you find startup financing if you apply with us.
Alternatively, you can check out our ‘sources of business financing’ blog post, where we provide links to sources of finance for startups such as business credit cards, invoice financing and startup loans.


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`Remember back in the day, before Google Maps and other navigation systems, where if you didn’t know where you were going, you’d have to look up directions online and actually…write them down? Or even worse, use a paper map?
If you’re anything like me, HopStop was one of your earliest travel saviors, providing you with accurate public transportation (trains, buses, rails) directions to get you to your destination. The genius behind this gift from God, Chinedu Echeruo, recently sold HopStop to Apple for $1 billion, making him one of the newest inductees to the billionaire club.
This move is said to be Apple’s retaliation to Google’s recent purchase of a very similar mapping program, Waze.
Echeruo, who grew up in eastern Nigeria, previously worked as an analyst at several hedge funds before going out on his own to start his company. After becoming frustrated with the lack of accessible mass transit directions, he decided to do something about it; his app now provides map data for over 300 cities across the US.


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Enterprise Inns is offering a new lease agreement that means licensees earn a £150-a-barrel discount if they exceed barrelage targets.
It's part of a suite of new agreements offering licensees more flexibility and support.
Enterprise's new Retail Partnership Tenancy (RPT) offers licensees shorter lease terms — anywhere between one year and five years — with the option of giving six months' notice. The shorter leases on offer come with a much more "interventionist" approach from Enterprise to maximise survival chances.
For the first time, Enterprise has introduced compulsory open-book accounting and stock-taking to ensure tenants "form good habits from the start" — this costs around £3,000 per annum. The tenanted operator has a bank of eight approved stock-takers and accountants that licensees can use.
The company has also insisted on a "repairing fund" so, in the case of shorter tenancies for example, £1,500 is set aside per annum for repairs, rising to an average of £6,500 for longer leases. Enterprise has also instituted a mandatory compliance package.
The new approach from Enterprise sees the company offering licensees a range of enhanced services. It is offering access to its own network of contractors for repair work, and also Experian data to ensure licensees drawing up a business plan understand whether neighbourhood demographics are suitable for their trading plan.
Chief operating officer Simon Townsend said: "We are trying to provide licensees with a complete business package and offer the appropriate deal for the appropriate pub. We want to ensure that when people invest in a tenanted pub, the safest place is with Enterprise."
Gerry Carroll, Enterprise managing director of operations, who has overseen the development of the new agreements, said the idea was to ensure a "win/win situation" where licensees were given the greatest chance to establish themselves for the long term. Licensees who sign up for shorter tenancies are able to upgrade to longer leases.
Since their launch in November, RPTs have made up around 50% of new lettings. Enterprise believes this will settle at around 20% in the long term.
Enterprise bosses admit they have learned from the marketplace in introducing items like open-book accounting and compulsory stock-taking.
Other tenanted pubcos like Greene King have found that licensees stand a much greater chance of survival if basic business disciplines are enforced at the start.
New Enterprise licensees are being offered more flexibility — and the fall-back of the option to leave with six months' notice.
For those selling more beer than their barrelage target, there's the big carrot of £150 of discount for extra barrelage.
All in all, it's a sensible and welcome evolution of contractual flexibility and tenant support structures.


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A new study by Acquity Group has revealed that Gen Y B2B buyers are more likely to shop online than their older counterparts. The study also found that 40% of buyers purchase frequently from Amazon Supply.
Nearly 60% of consumers who showroom head to Amazon in search for cheaper prices and cheaper shipping options. In this infographic by CouponChief.com, you will learn about some of the factors that influence showrooming including pricing policies, free shipping, and online coupons and codes.
Goodreads will be joining the Amazon family. Amazon reached an agreement with Goodreads this week, the leading site for book recommendations that help people find and share books.
International leader in ecommerce order fulfillment Webgistix announced this week the unveiling of SmartShip for ecommerce retailers. SmartShip will help make strategic approaches to inventory placement by leveraging Webgistix’s nationwide network of fulfillment centers to offer consumers faster and more economical shipping, according to a press release.
Amazon now offers true social Q&A on most of their product pages. Amazon is not the first to introduce this, like they were with customer reviews. But this is why they have leapfrogged the competition with a beautiful execution of the concept.
Is a merger between OfficeMax and Office Depot just a few days away? Although the office supply giants are keeping a tight lip, there have been several published reports within print and online media pointing all signs to yes.
Amazon extends its domination of ecommerce into the mobile platform, according to the ForeSee Mobile Satisfaction Index: Holiday Retail Edition. In the survey, which was conducted of more than 6,200 consumers during the peak holiday shopping season between Thanksgiving and Christmas, the online marketplace scored highest among 25 of the top mobile commerce companies.
Amazon has announced plans to open a new one million-square-foot fulfillment center in Tracy, California, making it the third one in the state for the ecommerce company.
Competing against Amazon is a tall order any time of year, but especially during the crush of the all-important holiday season. Here are seven tips for merchants to better compete against Amazon this holiday season.
Steve DelBianco, executive director of NetChoice, said there is “big momentum” for federal legislation that would allow states to require online retailers to collect sales tax


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Kanye West and his Yeezy sneaker label have sued Walmart, accusing the retail giant of selling fake shoes.
Specifically, the billionaire rapper’s complaint, filed Thursday in California court in Los Angeles, claims the giant discounter has been selling fake versions of his bizarre-looking Foam Runner slides.
Introduced last year at a retail price of $75, the genuine Yeezy slides initially drew unflattering comparisons to Crocs. Nevertheless, they “instantly” sold out, and now sell for upwards of three times that on the secondary market, according to the suit.
The knockoffs on Walmart’s site, meanwhile, have been retailing for between $21.99 and $33.99 a pair. While Yeezy has sent Walmart legal warnings demanding that it yank the ripoff sneakers from its site, it has thus far failed to do so, according to the suit.
“Walmart is flagrantly trading off of his and Yeezy brand’s popularity by offering for sale an imitation version of the Yeezy Foam Runner,” according to the suit. The legal salvo goes on to claim that “the Yeezy brand is worth ‘billions’ of dollars, and the potential loss from the imitation shoes in the ‘hundreds of millions.’”
Yeezy is concerned partly because the lookalikes being sold on Walmart.com appear to be “virtually indistinguishable” from the real thing, the suit says. “My son has been wanting the Yeezy slides but these look similar and are much more affordable,” one customer wrote on the site, according to the suit.
“Consumers likely would have purchased the Yeezy Foam Runner were it not for the cheaper, knock-off imitation shoe,” according the complaint.
In addition to stealing Yeezy’s market share, the fake sneakers are of “subpar quality,’ which in turn is hurting the “reputation and the goodwill of the Yeezy brand,” according to the suit. It cited various customer complaints that the shoes fit poorly and “ripped after 20 minutes of wear” with one advising, “Don’t buy this garbage.”
Walmart appears to have removed most of the counterfeit Foam Runners from its web site, though some could still be found in a search of its site on Thursday afternoon. Indeed, a review of Walmart.com pulls up other fake Yeezy merchandise, including a pair of “Yeezy Inspired Slides” that sell for $38.99. Yeezy is exclusively sold by Adidas.
In a statement, Walmart said “The product referenced in the complaint is not sold by Walmart, but rather by third party Marketplace sellers. We take allegations like this seriously and are reviewing the claim. We will respond in court as appropriate after we have been served with the complaint.”
Thursday’s suit comes on the heels of a trademark dispute between West and Walmart over a “rays from the sun” logo design West wants to use for Yeezy, but which Walmart says looks too similar to its 13-year-old sun logo.
In response, people close to Yeezy have scoffed at the idea West’s upscale brand — whose shoes typically retail for hundreds of dollars a pair — wanting to piggyback off Walmart’s image.
“Celebrities are regularly photographed wearing Yeezy clothing and footwear and using Yeezy products, which enhances the brand’s popularity and appeal to the general public,” according to the Thursday lawsuit. “Some celebs include, Kim Kardashian, Justin Bieber, Ariana Grande, Jay Z, Hailey Baldwin, Gigi, and Bella Hadid, and Snoop Dogg, to name a few.”


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In the past 5-10 years, the entire automotive industry has ushered in unprecedented changes, in which the Internet of Vehicles (IoV) is one of those that have played a major role.
The emergence of the mobile phone has allowed people to make phone calls anytime and anywhere, hence the pager gets eliminated; then with the smartphone coming out, people are able to access the internet anytime and anywhere; now, thanks to the high-speed and secure mobile communication technologies, all these can be realized in the car. With the overall planning and arrangement for the implementation of 5G technology, the IoV is bound to embrace a greater opportunity for development. How to seize it has become a new direction for the major OEMs to conduct R&D and think about.
At the “AI Governance Forum” of the World Artificial Intelligence Conference 2019, Ken (Yilun) Ying, founder and Chairman of PATEO Group, made a presentation on the latest developed “Mobile IoV” system.
To put it simply, it breaks away from the traditional “onboard system” concept, and turns the user’s mobile phone into an IVI. The computing power of the mobile phone is leveraged, but all applications can operate on the IVI, and voice control can also be applied to the whole IVI. As Ken sees it, the mobile phone hardware itself is more than ten times as powerful as the mainstream in-vehicle hardware in terms of the performance, and will undergo an enormous iteration every two years, while it may take 5-10 years for the IVI to be updated.
“With the IVI becoming needless and abandoned, the ‘Mobile IoV’ could reduce the cost by RMB 800-1600 yuan per unit for the complete vehicle manufacturers. For an OEM with a production capacity of several million units, that means an increase of 800-1000 million yuan in profits,” said Ken.
In fact, the schemes to substitute mobile phone for the IVI have long existed and are nothing new. CarPlay, Android Auto, etc., all belong to the cell phone mirroring schemes, in which the IVI is connected with the cell phone via USB, so that simple infotainment functions can be used on the IVI.
However, for so many years, such schemes have always been criticized for the sake of poor experience. Today, given that functions like navigation and music have become part of the basic configuration of the IVI, and even in the worst case scenario, at least the cell phone could be directly resorted to, CarPlay with solely simple functions doesn’t seem to be of much use. In this context, the Automotive Operating System (AOS) was born, then the IoV companies turned their eyes on this market. Obviously, PATEO expects this Mobile IoV product to replace the AOS by virtue of its low cost, easiness to learn & operate and good experience.
In Ken’s opinion, the automotive industry will be driven by intelligence in the future, therefore the IoV market will have broad prospects. As an important gateway to mobility, the IoV will be in a position to collect more and more information, and promote the transformation and upgrading of traditional industries including car manufacturing, retail and insurance.


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Amazon to stream Ghibli-produced 'Ronja, the Robber's Daughter'
With the studio's future uncertain, fans should savor this.
Save items to your Todoist lists with the Amazon Echo
Chat with Alexa to keep track of what you need to get done.
VR at comic cons isn't worth the hassle
Try a photo booth instead, it will last longer.
Amazon Echo Dot review (2016): Forget the Echo. Buy this instead.
You’ll get Amazon’s Alexa assistant in a smaller, cheaper form factor
Amazon's standalone music streaming service is finally here
Prime subscribers and Echo owners get discounts on the monthly subscription.
Amazon reportedly plans to open convenience stores
This is on top of previously rumored pickup locations.
Google Assistant is getting a sense of humor from 'The Onion'
Alphabet and Amazon are betting you'd like to hear a joke.
Lady Gaga album leaks through Amazon's Echo speaker
"Alexa, play previews of unreleased songs."
Amazon makes food delivery cheaper for Prime members
AmazonFresh is now $14.99 a month if you're already paying for Prime.


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813 news items tagged worldwide
Global chip shortage to persist until 2Q22, says GartnerThursday 13 May 2021
The worldwide semiconductor shortage will persist through 2021, and is expected to recover to normal levels by the second quarter of 2022, according to Gartner.
Worldwide semiconductor revenues are forecast to surge 12.5% to US$522 billion in 2021, driven by continued-robust growth in consumer, computing, 5G and automotive semiconductors,...
Global 1Q21 semiconductor sales grow 3.6%, says SIAWednesday 5 May 2021
Worldwide sales of semiconductors totaled US$123.1 billion during the first quarter of 2021, up 3.6% sequentially and 17.8% from a year earlier, according to SIA.
Fabless suppliers hold record-high 33% of 2020 IC marketThursday 29 April 2021
Fabless IC suppliers saw their combined sales register a strong 24% rise in 2020, while IDMs' grew by only 8% on year. Fabless company IC sales accounted for a record-high 32.8% of...
TSMC to expand capacity for 28nm process at China fabFriday 23 April 2021
TSMC's board of directors has approved a budget of about US$2.89 billion for installation of mature technology capacity, the pure-play foundry announced on April 22.
US companies hold 55% of worldwide IC market in 2020, says IC InsightsWednesday 14 April 2021
US companies held a 50% share of total IDM sales and a 64% share of fabless sales worldwide in 2020, capturing 55% of total IC sales worldwide last year, according to IC Insights.
Global semiconductor equipment sales hit record high in 2020, says SEMIWednesday 14 April 2021
Worldwide sales of semiconductor manufacturing equipment surged 19% from US$59.8 billion in 2019 to a new all-time high of US$71.2 billion in 2020, according to SEMI.
Worldwide semiconductor revenue logs 10.4% surge in 2020, says GartnerTuesday 13 April 2021
Worldwide semiconductor revenue totaled US$466.2 billion in 2020, an increase of 10.4% from 2019, according to Gartner.
NOR flash chipmakers see more customers eager for long-term dealsThursday 8 April 2021
Taiwan-based NOR flash chipmakers have seen more of their clients eager to strike long-term supply agreements, according to industry sources.
Digitimes Research worldwide notebook shipment update – February 2021Tuesday 23 March 2021
The global top-5 notebook brands saw their combined shipments, excluding those of detachable models, decline 8% sequentially in February while the top-3 notebook ODMs' combined shipments...
IC Insights raises 2021 IC market forecast to 19% growthWednesday 10 March 2021
IC Insights has raised its IC market growth forecast for 2021 to 19%, up 7pp from its previous estimate of 12% growth.
Winbond, Macronix post brisk February resultsTuesday 9 March 2021
Winbond Electronics, a maker of specialty DRAM and flash memory, and ROM and flash memory chipmaker Macronix International both saw their revenues for February 2021 come to high levels...
Digitimes Research worldwide notebook shipment update – January 2021Friday 26 February 2021
After hitting a new high in monthly shipments last month, the global top-5 notebook brands saw their combined shipments slip more than 10% sequentially in January due to seasonality...
Semiconductor equipment billings hit record high in January 2021Tuesday 23 February 2021
Billings among North American manufacturers of semiconductor production equipment topped US$3 billion in January 2021, according to SEMI.
IDMs may evaluate more outsourcingTuesday 23 February 2021
IDM vendors may consider outsourcing more of their production starting 2022, with Taiwan-based contract chipmakers being among the beneficiaries, according to industry sources.
O-RAN applications gaining momentum worldwideTuesday 23 February 2021
The application of Open RAN (O-RAN) networks is gaining popularity worldwide, offering plenty of opportunities for Taiwan-based makers to tap into the niche market by optimizing their...
DRAM and flash memory supply to stay tight in 2H21, says WinbondMonday 22 February 2021
A rally in DRAM and flash memory prices will boost Winbond Electronics' memory business revenue in March and April, according to Pei-Ming Chen, president for the specialty DRAM and...
China remains largest IC marketMonday 22 February 2021
China became the largest IC market in the world in 2005 and has continued to grow in size since then. In 2020, China's IC market increased to US$143.4 billion, a 9% gain from US$131.3...
Global 5G smartphone shipments to approach 550 million units in 2021Thursday 18 February 2021
Worldwide 5G smartphone shipments are expected to grow drastically to nearly 550 million units in 2021, and supply chain players will benefit as a result, according to market sourc...
Top-5 wafer capacity leaders raise share of global capacity to 54%, says IC InsightsWednesday 17 February 2021
The top-5 wafer capacity leaders saw their combined installed capacity represent 54% of total global wafer capacity in December 2020, according to IC Insights. In 2009, the top-10...
Global tablet shipments to fall 31% in 1Q21, says Digitimes ResearchFriday 5 February 2021
Worldwide tablet shipments climbed to a 13-quarter high of 51.56 million units in the fourth quarter of 2020, according to Digitimes Research. However, shipments will fall 31% sequentially...
Global 2020 silicon revenue remains stable with wafer shipments edging up, say SEMIWednesday 3 February 2021
Worldwide silicon wafer area shipments increased 5% in 2020, when revenue remained unchanged from 2019 at US$11.17 billion, according to SEMI.
Imagination and PaddlePaddle announce collaboration to grow AI ecosystemWednesday 3 February 2021
In a collaboration between Imagination Technologies and PaddlePaddle, Imagination's IMGDNN API has been integrated into Paddle-Lite, growing the artificial intelligence (AI) ecosystem...
Chromebook shipments to climb nearly 30% in 2021Thursday 28 January 2021
Worldwide notebook shipments are forecast to grow 13.1% to 227 million units in 2021, with shipments of Chromebook devices to post the highest on-year growth of nearly 30%, according...
Worldwide semiconductor revenue increases 7.3% in 2020, says GartnerFriday 15 January 2021
Following a decline of 12% in 2019, worldwide semiconductor revenue rebounded in 2020 to total US$449.8 billion, an increase of 7.3% from 2019, according to preliminary results by...


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Even as Hewlett-Packard posted better than expected fourth quarter results and raised its outlook for 2011, new HP CEO Leo Apotheker Monday left little doubt that he is laser-focused on increasing the company's software sales.
Noting that the software business only accounted for about 3 percent of HP's $126 billion in sales for the fiscal year ended Oct. 31, Apotheker said the HP management team is united in the view that the company needs a "viable" and "vibrant" software business. "Doubling it wouldn't be too bad," said Apotheker in a conference call with reporters. "Tripling it would be even better!
"We need more software both as a category and also across the portfolio so that we can differentiate our individual products and services," said Apotheker. "We have an opportunity to better integrate our software and services strength across the company and we will be focusing on that."
Apotheker's remarks came after HP posted non-GAAP diluted earnings per share of $1.33 for the fourth fiscal quarter ended Oct. 31 on an eight percent increase in sales to $33.3 billion. The Wall Street consensus was earnings of $1.27 per share on sales of $32.75 billion, according to a survey of analysts by Thomson Reuters First Call.
HP shares were up 3 percent or $1.46 in after hours trading to $44.67. HP shares closed Monday up 2 percent or 76 cents per share to $43.25.
HP's networking battle against market leader Cisco in the wake of its acquisition last year of 3Com paid off in big sales gains for the computer giant. HP said networking revenue increased a whopping 227 percent overall in the fourth quarter. The company's ProCurve network equipment sales were up 50 percent over the year ago quarter.
HP's Enterprise Storage and Servers (ESS) business reported a strong overall quarter with sales up 25 percent to $5.3 billion. Blade sever revenue was up 51 percent,, while industry standard server revenue increased 32 percent. Even storage sales, which have sometimes lagged, were up 14 percent.
Even with the strong hardware numbers, it was HP's software business, which accounted for only $3.58 billion in sales in the last fiscal year, that Apotheker focused in on several times during the call. "We need to enhance our software IP (intellectual property) across the company to create more differentiation with our products," he said, singling out an HP medical software solution that comprises the Medicaid platform for 22 states.
"We have many options available to us (to grow software sales)," added Apotheker, who spent 20 years at ERP software giant SAP, in response to a question on whether the company would consider a big bang acquisition in the software market. "We can do some of it organically. We can do some of it non organically.
Next: Ready To Dig Into HP's Technology Portfolio


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Pay day loans simply got a large shot within the supply from a not likely supply.
Earning profits from providing short-term loans to borrowers is a tradition that is time-honored extends back hundreds of years. Yet lots of the low-income People in america whom depend on the modern-day pay day loan have difficulties repaying their financial obligation, and that could cause a downward financial obligation spiral that may cause dire financial consequences.
Significantly less than four months ago, it showed up that the uproar against payday-loan providers might bring about the demise that is ultimate of industry. But a move that is recent the regulatory agency that initially set brand brand brand brand new guidelines in movement to position restrictions on payday loan providers has signaled alternatively that the industry will probably have a brand new rent on life. That may place the onus straight back on people who sign up for payday loans to guard on their own contrary to the profit-seeking motives associated with the loan providers supplying these financing that is sometimes-disastrous. Continue reading →


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There was a time where Twitter lacked a revenue model and was mocked about it, but recently all of that has begun to change with their new advertising features as well as the new interface that makes it more attractive to advertisers. Now, looks like the company is getting a boost of new capital in form of an unlikely person.
Bloomberg reports that Saudi Prince Alwaleed bin Talal has invested $300 million into the micro-blogging website. This was done alongside his investment company Kingdom Holding which looks to have a âstrategic stakeâ in Twitter. Twitter confirmed this but declined to give any more information.
It’s great for the company that can now focus on working on the website since this is a significant investment to say the least.