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A round of applause for Waitrose, please, as the international supermarket has introduced an initiative with the Emirates Wildlife Society (WWF) to reduce its plastic usage.
From 16 June the supermarket will charge 25fils per plastic bag across five stores in Abu Dhabi in an attempt to create positive habits and promote sustainable practices.
Running for 12 weeks until 8 September, the new trial will also see Waitrose encouraging shoppers to bring in reusable bags and will welcome any carrier bag from any store, not just its own, in a bid to truly make it as easy as possible for customers to recycle.
All funds raised from the trial will be used to support local charities that champion sustainable practices, and if the trial is a success, the store will look to roll the initiative out across the rest of its nine stores in the UAE.
Shoppers, it’s time to change your habits. Let's do this.


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JAKARTA: PT Multipolar Tbk (MLPL), parent company controlled by Riady family, today skyrocketed 25% to IDR350 per share, boosted by a speculation that Wallmart wins the battle for Hypermarket acquisition deal.
"Multipolar stocks steeply rose which was automatically rejected by trading system at Indonesia Stock Exchange. Market speculates that Wallmart wins the acquisition battle againts Lotte," a local fund manager said today.Multipolar's market capitalization soared to IDR2.70 trillion. Referring to the closing level today, Multiplar stocks are very cheap, reflecting 0.45x annualized price to earning ratio (PER).As reported by Bloomberg, Lotte Shopping announces its intention to bid Indonesian Hypermarket as the bid date for the sale has been delayed to December 17 or later."We are currently conduction supplemental due diligence," Lotte said in a statement. (wiw)
Simak berita lainnya seputar topik artikel ini, di sini :

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Chuwi is now one of the most growing brands that have seen tremendous growth over a short period. One of the main reasons is to fulfil the needs of their customers. It is confirmed that Chuwi will produce some of the gorgeous-looking laptops that provide an impression whenever you afford them out.
Some of the sleek laptops mean a lot than looks. It can handle a lot of tasks. Recently Chuwi has confirmed to launch the CoreBook X in the next month. It will be one of the best choices if you are in search of something well balanced.
The latest CoreBook X is not going to disappoint the users. It has been revealed in the reports of Reuters that the global shipments of the first quarter saw the steepest growth over the last 20 years.
CoreBook X Specifications
This latest laptop is not less than a giant as you can find everything in it. The latest CoreBook has a 14-inch micro-edge full screen with the profit of FHD resolution. 100% RGB gamut, and also have 3:2 familiar aspect ratio. It has been informed that this 3:2 aspect ratio will roughly give 18% higher real estate than a traditional ratio of 16:9.
It is manufactured with the processor of 8th gen Intel i5-8259U. If you compare this with the modern 10th gen i3-1005G1, then the latest processor will run a long time ahead. Iris plus 655 integrated GPU could be matched up very well with some modern games. It is equipped with 8 gigs DDR4 RAM and the faster 512 gigs of SSD storage. One thing is to confirm that loading time does not even matter with the latest CoreBook X. The users can add 1TB of HDD storage with the device.
The thing that makes it different is like the predecessors; it is also a thin and very light laptop with a metallic body. With a thickness of 20.6mmm, the weight of the CoreBook X is just within 3.3 pounds. If you charge it fully, you can casually use it for 6 hours which is great for office works.
Availability and Price
It has confirmed that the CoreBook X will be launched in earlier May, and it is expected that the device’s price will be $599.


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METS 2014 Breaks New Ground
The Marine Equipment Trade Show (METS) ran between 17 - 20 November at Amsterdam RAI with a record-breaking 21,806 visitors attending, a 2.9% increase on last year’s figures. Yachting professionals from all over the world came to view groundbreaking products from 1345 exhibitors, set up in 3 specialised pavilions and over 18 country pavilions.
Innovation was the key message of the show, with a new dedicated innovation platform called LAB, where industry leaders joined the stage to discuss creativity, design and adaptation in an ever-changing market. Keynote speaker Carla Demaria of Monte Carlo Yachts made an inspiring presentation urging flexibility, knowledge-sharing and a philosophy of adaptive evolution, crediting their study of Porsche manufacturing as an inspirational benchmark.
The annual DAME Awards (Design Award METS Competition) were a star of the show as always, with 45 outstanding new products making it into the final judging awards. This year, the Jefa Steering ApS Steering Traveller took out the coveted Overall Winner Award, a product that removes the need for bulky steering quadrants and improves rudder feedback at the helm for twin rudder, twin wheel sailing yachts. Special attention has been paid to save installation space and weight, as well as to eliminate backlash, therefore improving yacht handling.
This year’s show also saw the launch of a new set of awards, The Boatbuilders Business Achievement Awards, which seek to acknowledge sections of the boatbuilding industry which frequently miss out on the recognition they deserve. The awards, which will be announced at METS 2015, will include six categories: retail marketing initiatives, international dealer development, innovative onboard design solutions, procurement manager of the year, innovation in a production process, and a lifetime achievement award to an individual within a boat building company who has made an outstanding contribution to his or her business.
Networking and professional development was in the spotlight this year, with the METS Young Professionals group ensuring that the leaders of tomorrow have all the support and tools necessary for career advancement.
Also of great interest was the Lightweight Challenge by Materia- a global network of suppliers and experts, whose diverse portfolio of clients include Ferrari, Apple, Wally, Unilever and Samsung. With the goal of inspiring naval architects, designers and shipyards to use innovative new materials in boat and yacht construction., Material Experience brought the ‘Lightweight Challenge’ to METS to show how certain lightweight materials could be of great benefit in the yachting sector.
Mets is an extremely exciting event for the yachting industry, as new products are unveiled and discussed, the same products that may revolutionise the yachting industry in the years to come.


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Blended burger Sonic Slinger back for fall after rave summer reviews
Sonic is bringing back its blended burger after a successful summer debut.
“Since its release earlier this year, the Sonic Signature Slinger has received overwhelmingly positive reception from Sonic fans, many of them sharing that the Slinger is perfectly sized and one of the best-tasting burgers around,” said Scott Uehlein, vice president of product innovation and development for Sonic. “The Slinger is something new, but accessible, and a delicious guilt-free option for a snack or entrée.
“Nearly half of the Sonic guests who purchased a Sonic Signature Slinger claimed it is extremely likely that they will return for another,” Uehlein said. “It performed so well that we’ve brought it back for the fall.”
The burger, which combines meat and diced mushrooms, is currently one of the options for the Carhop Classic bundle, which includes a burger and medium tots for $2.99. That offer is set to run through Oct. 28.
Retail editor Ashley Nickle and copy editor and designer Amelia Freidline reviewed the Slinger when it first came out this summer. The Packer also reported on how Sonic worked with the Mushroom Council to develop the burger.


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China adds the digital yuan to its official cash reports and now allows it to be used in wealth management
(Kitco News) - The People’s Bank of China (PBoC) has for the first time included its central bank digital currency (CBDC) – the e-CNY – in its official cash reports for the month of December. "Starting from December 2022, e-CNY in circulation has been included in the amount of currency in circulation," the central bank report said.
According to data released by the PBoC on Tuesday, the digital yuan accounted for 13.61 billion yuan (roughly $2 billion) in circulation by the end of December, which represents roughly 0.13% of the 10.5 trillion yuan in circulation.
The addition of the e-CNY to the data for the circulating money supply caused no “notable changes,” the PBoC said.
Central banks around the world have kept a close eye on the development of a CBDC in China as the world’s most populated country was an early mover in the race to develop digital fiat.
Exploration of the digital yuan initially began in 2019, and the public pilot program for the e-CNY launched in April 2020. After the initial trial was deemed successful, the program expanded to include four additional provinces in Sept. 2022.
In December, the PBoC revealed its intentions to once again expand the program to include the cities of Jinan in the Shandong Province, Nanning and Fangchenggang in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Kunming in the Yunnan Province, and the Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture in the near future.
The ongoing pilot program now involves 26 large cities and 5.6 million merchants, according to the South China Morning Post, and by the end of August 2022 had seen an accumulated transaction value of 100 billion yuan ($12.2 billion) from consumer spending, bank lending and cross-border payments.
|The digital yuan will offer "managed anonymity" - PBOC Governor|
Expansion to the world of wealth management
According to a report from Shanghai Securities News, the digital yuan trial is now set to expand into the world of wealth management as the Hong Kong Stock Exchange-listed brokerage and investment bank China Galaxy Securities has announced that it will allow digital yuan-paying customers access to over-the-counter wealth management products.
The investment bank will initially roll out the service to a select group of customers within the pilot testing zone but plans to eventually make it available to customers across the country, allowing digital yuan holders to invest in public funds and other investment vehicles.
China Galaxy Securities has 13 million brokerage customers and is thus far the only brokerage firm to be granted permission by the PBoC to offer digital yuan holders the ability to purchase securities.
The e-CNY has also been adopted into an education-related endeavor where citizens can use a “digital yuan non-tax payment channel” to pay local authorities for services outside the scope of local taxation – such as kindergarten tuition fees.
According to Zhejiang Online, the new endeavor is a collaboration between the Zhejiang Provincial Department of Finance, the Hangzhou Gongshu District budgetary authorities, and a branch of the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China.
In addition to the non-tax payment channel, there are also several separate channels currently in operation that allow citizens in Hangzhou to pay their local taxes using the digital yuan.


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(IntegrityPress.org) – A beer brand, positioned as a “free of wokeness” rival to rival Bud Light, generated half a million dollars in revenue within 12 hours of releasing a special edition can featuring the mugshot of former President Donald Trump. Seth Weathers, the CEO of Ultra Right Beer, told news outlets that sales surged significantly following the special edition can’s launch, equivalent to over five truckloads of cans.
Weathers expressed astonishment at the overwhelming response to the collector cans, which they named ‘Conservative Dad’s Revenge,’ considering them the most sought-after collector beer cans in American history.
The company’s website pledges to donate 10 percent of sales to the GOP defense fund in Georgia, emphasizing their commitment to supporting American patriots facing what they perceive as unjust persecution. The cans feature Trump’s historic mugshot in monochrome against a black background, accompanied by the words ‘100% American beer.’
A six-pack of these cans is priced at $25, with additional shipping charges.
While the website asserts that it is not endorsed by Trump, its narrative aligns with the idea that Trump is facing opposition from corrupt, politically motivated forces attempting to derail his 2024 White House bid. Weathers, who managed Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign in Georgia, established the beer company in protest of Bud Light’s ‘woke’ marketing campaign.
In April, Bud Light partnered with a transgender influencer, creating a personalized can featuring Dylan Mulvaney’s face for their March Madness NCAA campaign. This move triggered outrage among conservatives, leading to a boycott of the brand and a subsequent decline in beer sales. Liberals criticized the company for not displaying enough solidarity with the influencer. As a result Budweiser’s parent company experienced a significant drop in market value, and two top executives took leave from the company. Within just 2 weeks of its launch in April, Ultra Right Beer gained over 12,000 customers and sold over 20,000 six-packs.
Copyright 2023, IntegrityPress.org


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Bristol Energy has selected Eliq to deliver a mobile app solution, to enable its customers to benefit from the full value of its smart metering programme.
Bristol Energy is aiming to be at the forefront of smart metering and digital utilities services, having recently signed a contract with Eliq to deliver cutting-edge mobile customer engagement apps, which will help Bristol Energy’s customers to leverage the value of smart meters. The mobile apps will help customers manage their account, access Smart and real-time data, whilst also providing Bristol Energy with a platform for future energy services.
“UK energy suppliers are so focussed on getting meters installed, that most don’t yet have solutions in place to allow customers to enjoy the full benefits of Smart. We are thrilled to see Bristol Energy making a big push for their customers.” said Joakim Botha, Founder, Business Development Manager, Eliq
Bristol Energy is a national electricity and gas supplier that is making a positive difference in the UK by reinvesting its profits back into the community. Bristol keeps things transparent and simple, and aims to make energy fair for all. Offering a friction-less, transparent and continuously developing mobile service is the natural next step in developing their service offering.
“We are really excited to partner with Eliq, as we believe they can help us deliver our ambitions as a business. The benefits of smart metering will only be realised with the provision of useful technology and insights for our customers, so we are keen to rapidly develop these with Eliq. With a mobile app that will be offered to all our customers, we can offer a more comprehensive service offering that customers expect from a forward-thinking supplier. We want to help our customers understand what they are paying for and how they can make meaningful and beneficial change. We aim to develop a market-leading offering that builds a smart platform that truly helps our customers. We look forward to rolling this out in early 2019.” said Andy Coleman, Head of Smart Metering Transition at Bristol Energy
The app, which is free to use and download, will be available for iOS and Android devices and will allow customers to better monitor, understand, manage and reduce their consumption, receiving AI-based alerts on consumption spikes and access intuitive self-service tools around billing, payment, meter read submission and budgeting.


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Exhibitors/traders at the ongoing 16th Abuja International Trade Fair (AITF) holding at the Trade Fair Ground, Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Industry (ACCI).
Speaking to journalists over the weekend at the fair, an exhibitor, Mr. David Ugo, said traders decided to crash the prices because many of them understand the low purchasing power of consumers.
“We all know the economy is in bad shape and most of us are not focusing on big profits but to dispose our stocks to get the cost price and little profit. That is why you discover that our prices here are so low. We want to attract buyers,” he said.
Another exhibitor, Salihu Tanko, said the clothing and foodstuff section had very low-price range, due to decision of most exhibitors to ensure value for money for buyers at the trade fair.
“It is the tradition for trade fair prices to be lower than what obtains in normal markets. This is one advantage of trade fair participation. Dubai International Trade Fair and others draw huge crowd for this reason,” he noted.
Speaking on behalf of the fair organizers ACCI, the chamber’s director-general, Victoria Akai, said prices are normally low at the annual trade fair because exhibitors adopt several pricing strategies.
“Realistically, real shopping is best done at the trade fair because of price advantage.
“Records at our annual fair confirm that price advantage. So, we normally record high patronage. For this year, it is not different because the economic situation demands consumers to buy smartly,” she said.
A survey of exhibition stands at the fair showed that the prices of good and products were lower than what obtained at major markets in Abuja – Wuse, Utako, Kaura and Garki.
Science Nigeria gathered that the exhibition which started few days ago witnessed huge patronage, as many Nigerians in the Federal Capital Territory sought to take advantage of the low prices.


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Sharp to begin full-scale production of ultra-sharp touchscreen for phones
Sharp, which makes the 4-inch display for the iPhone 5, has now revealed that it started producing 5-inch displays that have 1,920x1,080 resolution. They also promise to be ultra-sharp, thanks to their record 443ppi density. To compare, the iPhone 5's screen houses 1,136x640 pixels at a density of 326ppi.
The closest and previous record-holder was LG's 5-inch AH-IPS screen that has the same dimensions and resolution, but peaks at 440ppi.
Sharp's panel type 5 screen uses CG-Silicon technology that's said to allow reducing the amount of layers in it. The screen will go into full-scale production later in October. While there is no word on what devices will actually use the screen yet, Apple's upcoming iterations of the iPhone and iPod touch are a good bet.
The touchscreen will be demonstrated at CEATEC Japan show that kicks off on Tuesday.


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27 percent of U.S. consumers said Netflix is their most-used platform for viewing video content on TV, according to a survey by financial firm Cowen & Co.
Netflix is aiming for even more growth with a new “Ultra” plan option.
Since its inception in 1997, Netflix has grown from being a small DVD-by-mail company to a ubiquitous streaming giant. And, apparently, it’s more popular than ever.
Netflix is now more popular than basic cable, broadcast television and YouTube, according to data from a new survey by Wall Street firm Cowen & Co., Variety reported. The survey asked 2,500 U.S. adults which platform they used most often to view video content on TV, and Netflix came in at No. 1 with 27 percent, followed by basic cable (20 percent), broadcast TV (18 percent) and YouTube (11 percent).
With these strong viewing numbers, imagine what $1,000 in Netflix would be worth today.
RELATED: Cast of Netflix's 'Queer Eye'
The discrepancy widened even more in the adults age 18-34 demographic, with 39.7 percent of respondents choosing Netflix. That’s more than double what the second-most popular platform — YouTube (17 percent) — received among the younger demographic.
This is surely heartening news for Netflix, which announced earlier this year that it would spend up to $8 billion on content in 2018.
And although Netflix appears to be the most popular video content option among U.S. consumers, it’s the streaming giant’s international subscribers that seem to be spurring the company’s impressive growth.
In its quarterly earnings report, Netflix revealed that it added more than 5 million international subscribers in the first three months of 2018, which surpassed Wall Street’s expectations. The company now has more than 125 million subscribers.
That number will likely grow even higher with the new, higher-priced “Ultra” plan, which is reportedly being tested in Europe. This new premium plan offers 4K Ultra HD video and currently costs 17 euros, or about $20.
According to a recent GOBankingRates evaluation, Netflix is worth approximately $9.6 billion, and its market cap currently hovers around $173 billion.
Netflix is clearly making moves to dominate its industry, but it’s not the only one — see how Apple is getting into the film and TV industry.
More on Business
This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: TV Viewers Choose Netflix Over Cable, Broadcast and YouTube


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Carnival Triumph back in service
Four months after an engine-room fire knocked the ship out of commission, the Carnival Triumph returned to service on June 13. The ship is homeported in Galveston and will operate four- and five-day Mexico cruises year-round. Carnival said it improved the ship's fire-suppression system and installed a second backup generator so that key hotel operations (toilets, elevators and food service) can function in the event that the main power is knocked out. The engine-room fire in February left the ship without power for five days at sea, leaving passengers without air conditioning and functioning toilets.
ASTA makes pitch via social media
ASTA will launch a new social media strategy this month, in which the organization promotes the value of using a travel agent. Kerby said ASTA will have a presence on Facebook, LinkedIn and other social media outlets. ASTA's new tagline is "The global advocates for travel. Go with the pros."
Ritz-Carlton exiting Palm Beach hotel
Ritz-Carlton on July 1 will stop managing its hotel near Palm Beach, Fla., and is countersuing the hotel's owner, claiming breach of contract. Ritz-Carlton, which was sued by hotel owner RC/PB Inc. in 2011, will file a "multimillion-dollar counterclaim," Ritz-Carlton said. RC/PB in 2011 sued Ritz-Carlton and its parent, Marriott International, claiming Ritz-Carlton overcharged management fees by almost $30 million during the previous five years and that it was running higher costs than necessary as part of an alleged kickback scheme with some of the hotel's vendors.
Omni signs pact to buy five resorts
Omni Hotels & Resorts reached an agreement to buy five resorts from private-equity firm KSL Capital Partners and will reflag the resorts under the Omni brand on July 1. The acquisitions are Barton Creek Resort & Spa in Austin, Texas; La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad, Calif.; Grove Park Inn in Asheville, N.C.; Rancho Las Palmas Resort & Spa in Rancho Mirage, Calif.; and the Homestead in Hot Springs, Va. No purchase price was disclosed.
Report: Occupancy headed up in 2014
Next year's U.S. hotel occupancy will be the highest in this century as travelers continue to boost spending, PKF Hospitality Research said. With room supply set to rise just 1% next year, 2014 occupancy will increase 2.2 percentage points, to 63.8%, the highest since 1997. Meanwhile, U.S. revenue per available room (RevPAR) will rise 7.7% next year. Oakland, Calif.'s RevPAR will rise 10% next year, while Denver and Chicago will jump 8.9% and 8.7%, respectively.
Kai Tak cruise port opens in Hong Kong
Hong Kong's $1 billion Kai Tak Cruise Terminal opened June 12 and welcomed its first arrival, Royal Caribbean's Mariner of the Seas. The terminal was built at the end of a runway at the old Kai Tak Airport, which closed in 1998. One berth is completed, and the other is scheduled to open in 2014. The terminal can accommodate Royal Caribbean's Oasis and Allure of the Seas, the largest ships in the cruise industry, at 220,000 gross tons.
Friends & Colleagues
ASTA announced a pair of recent appointments. Susan Verdolini-Sheats is the Society's new vice president for business development. She will lead ASTA's strategic alliance and Allied Member outreach and management. Verdolini-Sheats joins ASTA after serving the same role with the Global Business Travel Association. Bill Lawrence will serve as director of partner programs. Lawrence has held sales, marketing and corporate development positions at InterContinental Hotels Group, Hilton International and Sheraton. • • • Enterprise Holdings promoted the company's president, Pamela Nicholson, to CEO. Nicholson replaces Andy Taylor, who continues as Enterprise's executive chairman. Nicholson will retain her title of president.


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Though China is the third largest overseas market for tourist arrivals in the U.S., a typical Chinese visitor spent an average of 6,700 U.S. dollars per trip in 2017, 50 percent more than the average international visitors, according to the U.S. Travel Association. In comparison, a typical tourist from the UK – the biggest overseas market for the U.S. – spends 2,500 U.S. dollars.
The revenue plunge has taken a toll on the tourism industry, affecting airlines, the hospitality sector, retail sales, and even casinos.
For the National Day holiday – a time when many middle-class Chinese families go on long journeys – Chinese flight bookings to the U.S. dropped by 42 percent. That was the figure from last year. For the upcoming golden week this year, the situation could be worse.
Hawaii Airlines suspended its direct flights between Beijing and Honolulu – a route that began operating in 2014 – by the end of 2018, and Air China pulled out of the same service a few days ago, citing falling demands. For the first six months of 2019, the number of Chinese tourists was down by 36 percent year on year, the local tourism authority reported.
A Los Angeles hotel long popular with Chinese travelers saw a 23-percent decline last year and fell by another 10 percent as of June this year, according to a report by the New York Times.
The capital Washington, DC, a must-see destination for many Chinese visitors in the U.S., saw a quarter fewer Chinese in 2018. “I no longer want to go there because of the political tensions there,” said Qi. Her mindset actually mirrors that of many Chinese travelers, who feel increasingly unwelcome in the U.S. due to its more aggressive rhetoric toward China.


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The KYC solutions industry is gaining critical importance in the contemporary business world. Earlier, KYC solutions were mostly connected to the financial sector. However, their relevance applies to all industries.
Specific trends are expected to be relevant for the 2023 KYC solutions space. One of them is the emergence and prominence of the document-free verification process.
READ MORE: Digital KYC Solutions, Noteworthy Trends
Know Your Customer (KYC) is quickly becoming a critical business component. Along with making it easier for customers to be identified, it also monitors transactions for any suspicious behavior, fights money laundering, and stops terrorist funding.
Automated KYC will be the trend in the upcoming years. As a result, people should anticipate document-free verification becoming more widely used in the following year.
READ MORE: KYC Video Solutions, From A 2023 Perspective
This implies that more users will be able to verify their identity by quickly undergoing a face authentication check. In addition, many nations have created methods of document-free verification.
The onboarding process is expected to drastically transform in 2023 with the emergence of all-in-one verification solutions.
Currently, KYC and transaction monitoring are two separate procedures, but the industry believes these two systems will be combined in 2023 to boost efficiency.


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Less than 24 hours after the launch of Internet Explorer 9, Microsoft's newest browser has hit a major milestone. At 2.35 million downloads, the browser has been downloaded 27 times every second in its first day, according to Microsoft.
The release of Internet Explorer comes a week ahead of the latest version of Mozilla Firefox, which has in recent years grabbed a significant portion of the browser market share from Microsoft. Firefox is joined by Google's Chrome browser, which, since its 2008 release has commanded over ten percent of the market.
Naturally, Microsoft is looking to expand its lead with IE9, which the company says improves over its predecessors with improved standards compliance and integration with Windows 7
But convincing users to adopt new browsers remains an issue for the Microsoft. The company recently launched a site aimed at reducing the number of Window's users running IE6, the ten-year-old version of the browser is still in use by 12 percent of the world. Microsoft aims to reduce threat number to one percent, and will no doubt use IE9's improvements to do this.


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"Customers will be able to bid on actual vehicles just like they do in an eBay auction, including the option of choosing a predetermined 'Buy It Now' price... we'll be testing this and other ideas with our dealers over the next few weeks, and hope to expand and build upon them in the coming months... in all cases, our goal is to make the shopping and buying process as easy as possible for GM customers - on their time and their terms. Stay tuned."Many individual GM dealers already use the auction powerhouse to sell vehicles, so the move isn't completely uncharted territory, but it isn't immediately clear how (or if) the automaker plans to integrate its dealer body within this process. Henderson was quick to reinforce that the company's plans with eBay are just an experiment, so as the CEO says... stay tuned.
As part of its post-bankruptcy rebirth, General Motors plans to "experiment" selling its cars on eBay. At its press conference this morning, CEO Fritz Henderson let slip to members of the media that the automaker is engaged in talks with online auction site eBay "to revolutionize how people buy cars online." According to Henderson, GM has plans to try selling its vehicles online:


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A new entrant into the top mobile market in Africa and around the world -Nigeria is Ntel as they announce a roll out of commercial 4G/LTE Mobile Telephone services across Nigeria.In a competitive market like Nigeria where you have telecommunications giants like MTN,Etisalat,Glo and Airtel one would think that there is no space for a new entrant like Ntel into the market.The answer is Yes there is still opening for new telecom companies in Nigeria.There is a great need for innovation in the telecom industry where the consumers will be given quality services at a good rate and not exploited.We are yet to see such even with these companies that have been in operations in Nigeria.This is why Nigerians are happy to welcome Ntel at this time.
Ntel, Nigeria’s most advanced 4G/LTE network has announced the commencement of its phased and paced commercial operations with bumper offers for Pioneers and data users.
As reported by Communications Week,The first 100,000 to redeem and activate their ntel SIMs will get free on-net calls for life while data subscribers will get 3 months unlimited data usage on select bundles.
In a statement issued by ntel, Kamar Abass, its CEO said “I am delighted to be writing to you, on behalf of the staff and directors of NatCom, with the news that, today, April 8, 2016, we start commercial activities on our newly commissioned 4G/LTE-Advanced network. Our very earliest customers will be able to buy and use these services in clusters, across Lagos and Abuja from sales outlets and agents featuring our bright new brand name: ntel.”
ntel, Nigeria’s 5th Mobile network operator announced that the commencement of operations is the culmination of their journey from acquiring the old NiTel/MTel assets to the delivery of successive milestones underlining their growing operating capability on their new fixed and mobile network infrastructure.
With the formal commencement, commercial services will be available on ntel’s 4G/LTE-Advanced network across key site clusters in Lagos and Abuja.
Coverage in Port Harcourt will follow during May, along with expanded coverage in Lagos and Abuja, and subsequently to other states, across multiple geo-political zones, during the second half of 2016.
The company said their 4G/LTE-Advanced technology built on the 900/1800MHz spectrum will deliver an unbeatable and game-changing customer experience of high-speed Internet Access up to 230Mbps, the fastest available in Nigeria today thus enabling a world of full mobile broadband experiences that will transform both lives and livelihoods!
“We are passionate at ntel about the power of Broadband to boost productivity and, thereby, transform lives, We expect to see this happen as ntel helps to accelerate the ongoing migration, from existing 2G and 3G services, to genuinely high-speed Mobile Broadband on 4G/LTE-Advanced,” Abass who is a strong advocate of 4G/LTE said.


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- Are you fed up with your slow iPhone? Tech experts have uncovered an incredibly easy hack that could instantly improve its performance
- Changing the region of an older iPhone to France has been shown to override measures Apple has put in place in other countries to prioritize battery life
- Check out other iPhone hacks here
By now, I think most people have been introduced to the concept of “planned obsolescence.” However, you don’t have to be familiar with the term to fall victim to the practice, as anyone who’s ever yelled the words “WHY DO I NEED A CYAN CARTRIDGE TO PRINT OUT A WORD DOCUMENT IN BLACK AND WHITE?!?!” at an inanimate object has planned obsolescence to blame.
A few years ago, Apple caught a fair amount of heat over this particular issue after a high schooler discovered an iOS update was responsible for throttling the performance of older iPhone models, which many people viewed as a shady attempt to get users to upgrade to a new phone. While the company claimed it was simply prioritizing battery life over speed, it ultimately apologized and agreed to shell out a cool $500 million to compensate customers who were impacted.
It’s worth noting Apple hasn’t abandoned the practice entirely, and while it was kind enough to give people in possession of increasingly outdated iPhone models the option to opt out of optimization, a new report suggests you may still be getting hosed.
GizChina recently shared the results of a test conducted by some tech experts who made an interesting revelation after going under the hood of an iPhone 7 and discovered they were able to instantly increase the performance of its CPU by making one minor tweak: changing the phone’s location to France.
It’s not entirely clear why this worked, but regulators in the country hit Apple with a $27 million fine in the wake of the throttling scandal, which would suggest the company has decided to abandon the practice within the physical and digital confines of its borders to save itself from future headaches.


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“I’ve never seen Salon De Ning this packed with people before!” exclaimed Ms. Lea Salonga as she took the stage last May 18, 2011 at the Manila Peninsula. People listened and watched eagerly, their eyes filled with admiration for one of the most well known Filipinos of all time who is also Bounty Fresh’s Ambassador.
Ms. Lea Salonga has graced the launching of the Chic Moms Club website with her presence along with renowned chefs Bruce Lim, Sau Del Rosario, Melissa Sison, David Pardo de Ayala and Jessie Sinscioco. The chefs shared views on the advantages and importance of fresh chicken as well as their personal preferences. They have also imparted tips and their own recipes, which can be viewed on the Chic Moms Club website.
The event went smoothly, from the introduction of the website to the interviews and to the raffle portion where several attendees took home fabulous prizes courtesy of Bounty Fresh. Thanks to the smooth and energetic hosting of Ms. Issa Litton, the excited crowd finally settled down and were wowed at the features and exclusive benefits offered by the Chic Moms Club.
Ms. Kathlene Gomez, the Assistant Brand Manager of Bounty Fresh, was everywhere (in a good way) during the event, hounded by curious reporters and new members of the website. “This event is a celebration of all moms. We understand how moms are generally busy and we know that a one-stop venue such as the www.chicmomsclub.com website helps in their time management, while providing entertainment and information as well,” proclaimed Ms. Gomez.
Mr. Cheng also took the stage with enthusiasm and together with Ms. Lea Salonga, awarded some of the participants with items that earned by being one of the first Chic Moms Club participants.
The website has definitely made an impact on all kinds of reporters and bloggers and will definitely be something that people will regularly visit whenever internet is available. “I like reading. In between takes, during travels, I make do of the time surfing the net and reading interesting websites and one of those that I regularly visit is the Chic Moms club site. I feel it is constantly updated and it has interesting tidbits of information that is always relevant for moms like travel tips, home and health tips and such.” Salonga said.


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LAST UPDATED : Aug 06, 2019, 11:17 AM IST
- Two-wheeler theft cases rising steadily
As many as 261 two-wheelers were stolen in Madurai city in 2018, which is way higher than the number of cases reported in its previous years. As many as 141 two-wheeler theft cases were reported in 2017 and 140 cases in 2016, an RTI (Right to Information Act) query by TOI revealed.
- Dharwad police destroy 110 modified silencers
Traffic police have taken a tough stand action against those using noisy silencers on their two-wheelers. They seized as many as 110 modified silences in a month-long drive and destroyed them using a road roller on the traffic police station premises here on Monday.
- ‘Operation Number Plate’ scans all unclaimed two-wheelers across railway stations
Ahead of the Independence Day celebrations, the Railway Protection Force (RPF) in Chennai and other parts of the state conducted a three-day intense combing operation at various parking lots of railway stations, looking for vehicles parked for a long period of time
- 50,000 Honda two-wheelers recalled over faulty brake component
Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India on Friday said it is recalling 50,034 units of four models to rectify faulty front-brake master cylinder. The recalled models include -- Aviator (disc), Activa 125 (disc), Grazia (disc), and CB Shine (self disc) CBS -- manufactured between February 4, 2019 to July 3, 2019.


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Made In Our Hometown: Once Again Nut Butter
Updated: Thursday, July 11 2013, 01:01 PM EDT
Nunda, NY -- If you search your house, will you find anything labeled "Made in Rochester"? It's possible, and maybe on things you never suspected. We are focusing on local businesses this week in a series called "Made in Our Hometown". We kick things off at "Once Again Nut Butter" in the Livingston County community of Nunda.
The company makes butters like peanut butter, cashew butter, almond butter, sunflower seed butter as well as honey and nuts. The logo for the company is a raccoon nicknamed Rocky.
Employee Jake Rawleigh says people "see that raccoon from across the aisle and they know that's us now."
Rocky is on the company's building in the small community of Nunda where they joke there are more cows than people. But this is no small town business.
"I am part of a company that started very small and now we've tripled our growth," says employee Ellen Halbert.
Like every employee at Once Again Nut Butter, Halbert wears many hats. She manages the website, the UPS department and the honey department.
Maybe you've seen their honey for sale in Wegmans. Or maybe you've tasted their cashew butter in Nature Valley granola bars.
Started in a basement in 1976 when it's founders "once again" created another worker co-op, the company moved to the Nunda location in 1981 and is expanding to a building in Perry.
The 40 employees make 59 products under the Once Again label, contribute to 300 private label products and sell ingredients to companies including General Mills.
The secret to success? Ellen says, "I think Once Again is a big family and we all work together because it's our company."
Meaning, it's employee owned (technically an ESOP). Employees make the decisions, including which of the 88 local charities they support, like donating to a Living Legacy Teen Cancer Foundation event.
And there's an international commitment. Jake Rawleigh is one of the employees who's traveled to Nicaragua to help the farmers who grow the sesame seeds "Once Again" uses. He says, "If you go there and see the impact we have on those communities, it's priceless."
They help by setting up farm co-ops and by paying them US prices, two reasons they are proud to be labeled "fair trade".
In fact, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday Once Again is hosting the Annual Domestic Fair Trade conference. It will bring people from all over the country and maybe the world to Nunda and Rochester.
In Nunda, they are labeled "growing". They added on to the south state street location in 2006. And, once again, they are looking to hire and expand.
Ellen jokes, "we'll have to buy half the block."


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The urgency of the matter justified going straight to the highest court in the US and bypassing the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, the AIIS said.
“Having a second three-judge panel hear the same case is a waste of judicial resources,” the AIIS said in a petition for writ of certiorari dated Monday April 15.
A three-judge panel at the Court of International Trade (CIT) ruled against the AIIS on March 25, with the trade group subsequently vowing to take its fight to the Supreme Court.
The AIIS’ case alleges in part that Section 232 violates the Constitution by allowing the president to act without the checks and balances that the nation’s founders intended the legislative and judicial branches of government to provide against the executive branch.
The case also targets Kevin K. McAleenan, the commissioner of US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) – the federal agency tasked with collecting Section 232 tariffs, which stand at 25% in the case of most imported steel products and 10% for imported aluminium.
The Commerce Department declined to comment, and the White House and CBP did not respond to Fastmarkets’ requests on April 16.
Section 232: The law of would-be kings? “The Constitution provides that Congress shall make the laws, but… there are no meaningful limits on what the president can do under Section 232,” the AIIS wrote in its appeal. And unless Trump is restrained, Section 232 could be deployed to hammer imported automobiles or automobile parts “at any time.”
Experts have cautioned that Section 232 tariffs on the automobile sector could topple the rules-based global trading system embodied by the World Trade Organization (WTO).
And there is precedent for a presidential ambush on imports, given that Trump unilaterally increased tariffs against Turkey – and no other country – to 50%, the AIIS noted. “Section 232 left him completely unconstrained in deciding what tariff rates to apply, how to apply them, or that some countries should and other countries should not, be subject to this tariff,” the group added.
Through March, the US government has collected $4.5 billion in steel tariffs and $1.5 billion in aluminium tariffs – something that has cost US jobs, reduced importers’ profits and incited other countries, including US allies and trading partners, to retaliate, the AIIS said.
Straight to the Supremes “If this court grants this petition, petitioners are prepared to meet whatever schedule the court orders so that this issue can be promptly and definitively resolved,” the AIIS said in its writ .
A nonprofit trade association , AIIS said its members collectively handle, import, ship or store 80% of all basic steel products brought into the US.
Association members petitioning the Supreme Court in the case include oil country tubular goods (OCTG) wholesaler Sim-Tex LP, which imports 40,000-45,000 tons per month from South Korea, Taiwan, Brazil, German and Italy. Another petitioner is Kurt Orban Partners LLC, which buys 200,000-250,000 tons of imported steel per year – all of it subject to 25% tariffs.
An appeal to the Federal Circuit could take a year or more, time that importers can’t afford especially given that concerns about Section 232 can be decided only by the Supreme Court, the group said.
Trump used Section 232 to justify placing tariffs and quotas on imported steel in March of last year. The measure caused US steel prices to surge to their highest point in nearly a decade. It also resulted in unprecedented price volatility.
Hot-rolled coil prices started 2018 at $32.63 per hundredweight, rising by 40.5% to an annual peak of $45.84 per cwt in early July in the aftermath of duties being extended in June to traditional US allies and trading partners in Canada, Mexico and the European Union.
Fastmarkets AMM’s daily Midwest hot-rolled coil index has fallen steadily since then to stand at $687.60 per short ton ($34.38 per cwt) on April 16 – 25% below the July high.


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- GE's healthcare unit on Tuesday reported that third-quarter revenues of $4.3 billion decreased 6% organically due to ongoing industry-wide supply chain shortages.
- The supply chain hit to the conglomerate's healthcare division was the biggest of any business unit, GE executives told investors on Tuesday's earnings call, adding they expect disruptions to last through at least the first half of 2022.
- GE CEO Larry Culp described the company's supply chain challenges as the worst of the CEO's career and said the healthcare unit will continue to proactively manage sourcing and logistics. "It really is akin to playing Whac-A-Mole," Culp remarked. The supply chain issues come as GE Healthcare CEO Kieran Murphy is set to be replaced at the end of 2021 by Integra LifeSciences CEO Peter Arduini.
GE Healthcare is the latest medtech to take a supply chain hit, coming after AdvaMed late last month published a study showing that the ongoing global semiconductor chip shortage is causing delays, order cancellations and other supply disruptions for medical device companies.
The medtech lobby is pushing the Biden administration, Congress and semiconductor manufacturers to prioritize the supply of chips to medical device manufacturers over other industries that use the same components. ResMed cited the shortage of semiconductors as a reason it will be unable to meet surging demand for its sleep apnea products created by the Philips recall.
"Based on broader industry trends, we expect company-wide pressure to continue at least into the first half of next year," Culp told investors on Tuesday. "I'm not sure we're yet in a place where we would say that things are stable."
GE is trying to address the supply chain disruptions by "activating dual sources, qualifying alternative parts, redesigning and requalifying product configurations and expanding factory capacity," according to Culp.
The CEO said he wished the healthcare unit's third-quarter earnings announcement "weren't as much of a camouflaged headline" due to supply chain issues. However, Culp maintained that the division is a strong business and was optimistic about its longer-term prospects.
Despite its supply chain challenges, GE CFO Carolina Dybeck Happe told investors on the call that GE Healthcare's organic margins are now expected to expand close to 100 basis points this year as the company "proactively manages sourcing and logistics."
While GE's healthcare systems (HCS) third-quarter orders increased more than 20% organically year-over-year, growing double-digits in imaging, ultrasound and life care solutions, HCS organic revenues declined 8% more than offsetting 8% organic growth in pharmaceutical diagnostics.
GE Healthcare announced last month it will acquire BK Medical from private-equity firm Altaris Capital Partner for $1.45 billion to broaden its $3 billion ultrasound business into surgical visualization, used to guide surgeons during minimally invasive and robotic surgeries.
Though the BK Medical acquisition is "admittedly small" according to Culp, the CEO said it is "a step forward as we advance our mission of precision healthcare" with GE looking to expand its diagnostics portfolio into surgical and therapeutic interventions. The transaction is expected to close in 2022.


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Nifty: M&M’s jump into BAYC mania, a Pudgy Penguin sells for 400 ETH and more
Owners of luxury watches can now verify ownership as NFTs and then take DeFi loans out against them, while Miley Cryus may soon enter the Metaverse and NFTs with new patents.
Global confectionery giant Mars has teamed up with virtual metaverse band KINGSHIP to create limited edition boxes of M&M’s featuring content from the Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC).
KINGSHIP is a group made up of three BAYC NFT hodlers and one Mutant Ape Yacht Club (MAYC) owner. As part of the deal, the avatars depicted in the nonfungible token (NFT) art will be printed on the chocolate candies in a select number of boxes.
There has been a total of 4,000 boxes created in total, split between two tiers of rarity. The regular tier comes in 3,900 brown celebratory gift boxes, while the 100 gold edition boxes are wrapped in gold and white foil, number 1 to 100 and have the Kingship member’s apes printed on the M&M’s.
Additionally, 6,000 candy gift jars have been put up for sale from today via the M&M’s website. Hodlers of the KINGSHIP Key Card NFTs were given early access to this promotion, suggesting the gold edition boxes may already be gone.
“We’re excited to continue our Mars foray into the metaverse through this partnership with 10:22PM and KINGSHIP, as a way to engage our fans in a new and exciting space,” said Jane Hwang, global vice president at Mars Wrigley.
The deal marks another interesting utilization of the IP behind Yuga Labs’ NFT projects, with other BAYC hodlers using the content for TV shows and restaurants in the past.
400 ETH Pudgy Penguin
Despite the NFT sector going through a lengthy bear market, one Pudgy Penguin NFT has recently sold for a whopping 400 Ether (ETH) on Monday, worth roughly $670,000 at current prices.
There are 8888 Pudgy Penguin NFTs in circulation and the project is one of the most popular NFT collections on the market.
The NFT sold was Pudgy Penguin #6873, one of the rarest in the collection as nearly all of the penguin avatar’s traits are shared by just 0.01% of the other NFTs in the project.
According to the transaction history on OpenSea, the seller CoinUnited previously bought the NFT for 225 ETH on Sept. 8 last year, worth roughly $788,000 at the time. As such, they banked a major ETH profit, though it would be counted as a $118,000 fiat loss.
Over the past 30 days, Pudgy Penguin NFTs have generated $7.5 million worth of sales, marking a 314% increase within that time frame, according to data from CryptoSlam.
NFT Rolex meets DeFi loan
The 4K Protocol, a Web3 project that bridges real-world assets to NFTs, has partnered with decentralized finance (DeFi) lending platform Arcade to launch decentralized finance loans against physically backed luxury watch NFTs.
The 4K protocol enables users to mint NFTs tied to their assets and guarantees a 1-to-1 ownership via storage providers and asset authenticators.
As part of the partnership, an NFT minted on 4K linked to a top-of-the-line Rolex Cosmograph Daytona was used to secure a loan from Arcade, marking an interesting, albeit risky, use case for tokenizing real-world assets.
Party in the virtual USA
Former Disney star and widely popular musician Miley Cryus is gearing up for Web3 after filing two metaverse and NFT trademarks relating to the words “Miley” and “Miley Cryus” with the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
According to a Monday tweet from trademark attorney Mike Kondoudis, Cyrus is planning to launch digital goods such as virtual clothing, footwear, sports gear and also entertainment services.
Other Nifty News:
Cryptocurrency risk management firm Elliptic has released a report suggesting that scammers have stolen more than $100 million worth of NFTs since in 2021.
Decentralized exchange Uniswap is reportedly in talks with multiple NFT lending protocols to build NFT financialization, according to a social media post from Uniswap’s head of NFT product Scott Lewis.
This article was originally published on cointelegraph.com


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Last week, approximately 150 ICSC members from 30 states met with 165 Congressional offices to discuss legislation impacting the retail real estate industry during ICSC’s Strategic Leadership Summit (SLS). The issues included tax reform, the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act, the EPA’s proposed expansion of the Clean Water Act and Marketplace Fairness. During SLS, more than 50 SLS participants also engaged in a Twitter campaign specifically focused on asking Congress to pass the Marketplace Fairness Act.
Chances are you missed this event, thinking it wasn’t for you because it’s not a traditional ICSC deal making event. While you’re correct that SLS is non-traditional, you’re incorrect if you thought it doesn’t directly benefit your business. The people who attended this meeting weren’t political professionals. They were members of the retail real estate industry, like you, who are responsible for getting deals done. They are worried that if Congress takes away 1031 like-kind exchanges when reforming our tax codes, development opportunities for our industry will be threatened. They know that if our retail tenants can’t compete fairly against online retailers because of a government-imposed tax burden, it means vacancies in our centers. They see that the only ones looking out for our industry are the people who work in it.
It’s critical to note that your voice matters with elected officials. According to a recent poll conducted by the Congressional Management Foundation, Congressional staff said overwhelmingly that personal contact from a constituent through a meeting (97%), letter (90%), email (88%) or phone call (86%) is more influential than a lobbyist (82%) or news editor (75%). Unfortunately, they did not ask about engagement over social media, but more than 95% of members of Congress have Twitter handles now and have dedicated staff to managing the interaction with constituents on social media platforms, so this is another effective way for constituents to engage with their elected officials.
The good news is that it’s never too late to get involved. One of the most active issues in Congress impacting our industry right now is the Marketplace Fairness Act, which would level the playing field for our brick-and-mortar tenants as it relates to sales tax collection. If you aren’t familiar with the issue, you can learn more at www.efairness.org (which is powered by ICSC). Again, your voice matters, and members of Congress need to hear from our industry on this issue. You can help by simply taking a moment to email your House Representative.
Stay on the lookout for more Average Joe Advocate posts to learn about policies that impact retail real estate and tips on what you can do protect your business.
ICSC members tweet pics asking Congress to support #efairness legislation


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New Italian-American eatery The Boot planned: Andy Magowan, the owner of the popular downtown beer garden and eatery Geer Street Garden, is partnering to open a new Italian-American restaurant called The Boot in the Rockwood Center on University Drive.
Wine Authorities, the independently owned wine shop on University Drive, is holding a celebration of rosé wines at its stores in Durham and Raleigh from noon to 3 p.m. on May 17.
Honeysuckle Tea House: A grand opening will be held from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday, May 11 for the Honeysuckle Tea House.
There will be herb crafts, live music, a raffle, plant identification walks, a tea tasting and garden and field tours.
They are also giving away elderberry plants to moms who come in for tea.
More gelato in Hillsborough: Matthew’s Chocolates, a chocolate shop in downtown Hillsborough, is now serving gelato in addition to selling chocolates.
This will make two shops in Hillsborough that will be selling gelato. The owners of the Hillsborough pizza eatery Radius Pizzeria are also opening a gelato and crepe eatery called Yum in May at 118 S. Churton St.
Yum to open in Hillsborough: A gelato, sorbet and crepe shop called Yum is targeted to open May 1 at 118 N. Churton St. in downtown Hillsborough.
Mick and Kate Carroll, the operators of Radius Pizzeria& Pub, are opening the new sweets shop.
An early look at Sam’s Bottle Shop: Sam’s Bottle Shop is opening its doors on Thursday in a new building on N.C. 54 that has an industrial feel with brick walls, exposed ceilings, polished concrete floors and a bar and counter made from reclaimed wood from a downtown bank.
The owners of Triangle Raw Foods had initially planned to launch a café on Old Chapel Hill Road in Durham next to Piper’s Deli, but instead plan to start with a take-out location.


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Bold shoulder! Julianne Hough looks like she's just stepped off the runway in playful jacket and shorts at J Mendel show
Julianne Hough was spotted Thursday as she headed for the J. Mendel Spring 2016 runway show at New York Fashion Week.
The 27-year-old beauty looked radiant in a black and pink ensemble which included high waisted shorts, matching coat and sheer black top.
Hough pulled back her hair to show off her face and finished her look with a black clutch and strappy black heels as she headed to the couture fashion presentation.
Scroll down for video
Julianne and J: Julianne Hough was spotted heading for the J. Mendel Spring 2016 runway show on Thursday in New York City
In an interview with PopSugar Hough described her personal style as, 'Feminine with a little bit of an edge, especially with my haircut,' she explained.
'I feel so much more sassy and free with it, and I feel like I can wear these fun high-collared shirts and kind of business-y things, but it's still feminine with boyish kind of clothes.
I'm still kind of figuring out what I like, but what I love is that I like to try different things, and it might not work, but at least I tried it.
Picture perfect: Julianne Hough looked flawless as she headed to J. Mendel's runway show in NYC on Thursday
Hi everyone!: Julianne gave a cheerful wave as she returned to her hotel after the show
Everyday attire: Earlier on, Julianne was spotted in a casual striped top and low-rise skinny jeans
The Emmy Award-winning choreographer was joined by actresses Bella Thorne and Emily Meade, and world class beauty expert and dermatologist, Dr. Lisa Airan.
Bella Thorne took to Instagram Thursday to post her excitement for the J. Mendel fashion show.
'On my way to the @j_mendel show this morning....caught a bit off guard but still like a lady. Loved my dress and the show!'
Fashion beauties: Julianne Hough was with actresses Bella Thorne and Emily Meade, and world class beauty expert and dermatologist, Dr. Lisa Airan who were joined by another guest in attendance
Dance away the day like Julianne in strappy pumps
She's already taken the dancing world by storm and now she's stepping strongly into the fashion world. She's obviously decked out in J. Mendel's resort 2016 tweed jacket and shorts set (she's sitting front row at his show after all). However instead of tempting you readers with something you can't have yet, we noticed her strappy Gianvito Rossi pumps that we can get right now!
These sexy heels would finish off a hot little minidress or a pair of stovepipe jeans perfectly. We've spotted the sandal version on tons of celebs already like Amy Schumer.
And if you really want to nab Julianne's style, head over to the right and get them now at Barneys. However if you're trying to strap down your spending, try one of the alternatives in the edit below. The Mode Collective has a pair that are nearly identical and at just $186, they're almost impossible to turn down.
Instagram excitement: Bella Thorne attended the J. Mendel Spring 2016 fashion show on Thursday and took to Instagram to post her excitement
Strawberry blonde beauty: Bella Thorne attended the J. Mendel Spring 2016 fashion show on Thursday
Gilles Mendel has continued his family's legacy as the fifth generation CEO and head designer of J. Mendel since 1981 and the luxury brand is known for specializing in fur.
However according to the New York magazine the brand now includes a full women’s ready-to-wear line which originated to detract PETA members from protesting outside his boutique on Madison Avenue in the 1990s.
Mendel created simple dresses to display in the store windows at night but collections now include everything from chiffon dresses and sleek canvas trenches to tweed suiting and red-carpet gowns.
Catwalk couture: Models presented the J. Mendel Spring 2016 fashion collection at New York Fashion Week on Thursday
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Google has announced that it has teamed up with J.K. Rowling's Pottermore to make the Harry Potter books available through Google's literary products.
Starting this fall, all seven Harry Potter tomes will make their debut on Google eBooks, the search giant's ebookstore. Unlike most digital book platforms, Google eBooks lets users port their purchases to more than 80 ereaders. The books will also be available through Google Books and the company's iOS and Android apps.
As part of the distribution deal, Google also secured exclusive rights to be the payment platform for all Pottermore.com purchases. That means you will be paying for your ebooks and audiobooks via Google Checkout rather than PayPal or Amazon Payments.
Pottermore, which launches this fall, is designed to be an interactive online reading experience. It will also be the exclusive place to purchase the ebook versions of Harry Potter. The site is rumored to have gaming elements, awards and achievements, and virtual items.
Harry Potter mania is at an all-time high, despite the last book being released in 2007. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, the final film in the cinematic adaptation of the series, is breaking box office records and is set to become the first billion-dollar movie in the franchise.


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Google Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) has run out of the Nexus One phones. Google decided to stop selling the Google Nexus One phone through their own store this past July. But the demand for the phone for Android developers was pretty high.
“We blew through the (substantial) initial inventory in almost no time,” stated Tim Bray on the Android Developers Blog. “Everyone appreciates that it’s important to the platform to get phones in the hands of developers, so we’re working hard on re-stocking the shelves; stand by.”


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The winds of change are blowing. It seems bundled chargers and power adapters with new smartphones could be on the way out. While everyone spent the last few days being critical of Apple after recent reports suggested that the Cupertino based tech company will not ship chargers with the next line-up of iPhones, it seems Apple isn’t alone in pushing for this change. A new report suggests that Samsung will also not include chargers in the box for some of its upcoming Android phones. A report on the Korean site ETNews suggests that Samsung will ditch the chargers from its smartphones starting next year, in what is an attempt to save costs.
It is believed that most users already have the chargers from previous phones still working well. This report comes a few days after Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo suggested that Apple may not bundle chargers with the next iPhone line-up. There is also the belief that Apple will phase out the 5W and 18W chargers and instead simplify the line-up to the much faster 20W chargers which will be sold as optional accessories.
For phone makers, it could help reduce costs in a significant way, because they will be saving on one charger and perhaps one charging cable for each phone they manufacture. That number runs into billions of phones shipped every year around the world
Saves on Cost, Saves The Environment
There are reasons why removing the chargers from new smartphone boxes does make a lot of sense. For phone makers, it could help reduce costs in a significant way, because they will be saving on one charger and perhaps one charging cable for each phone they manufacture. That number will run into millions within a few months of launch, particularly for the popular phones. It will also help phone packaging to become smaller and more compact, which is definitely great news for the environment. There will be lesser requirement of packing materials and lesser waste subsequently. For companies, that also saves on shipping costs—smaller packages mean more boxes can be shipped in the same space and price.
The numbers are mind-boggling. According to research firm IDC, smartphone companies shipped as many as 368.8 million smartphones in just Q4 2019. If we are to spread that out through the year, we are looking at well above a billion phones shipped globally in just one year. That means over a billion chargers and over a billion charging cables shipped too. A lot of these smartphones would have been bought by folks who still use the charger from the phone they have just replaced, which means the charger that came with the new phone just sits in the box. Money and resources, financial and environmental, were spent in making it and yet it just sits there. Relaxing. That is the wastage which could well be reduced with what Apple and Samsung are planning. If you need a charger, you buy a charger.
It will also help phone packaging to become smaller and more compact, which is definitely great news for the environment
Moving Towards Charger Standardization
According to the International Telecommunications Union, “One million tons of external power supplies are manufactured each year. This highlights the importance of efforts to reduce the number of such power supplies, and to make them more sustainable.” At the same time, the European Union has been pushing for universal chargers, which will work with all smartphones, in an attempt to standardize the power accessories as well as make them work across the board. In 2018, Apple, Samsung, Google, Motorola and Sony, to name a few, signed up to standardize USB-C standard for smartphone charging by the year 2021.
According to the International Telecommunications Union, “One million tons of external power supplies are manufactured each year. This highlights the importance of efforts to reduce the number of such power supplies, and to make them more sustainable.”
You Need A Charger, You Buy a Charger
The reality is that a lot of chargers sold with new phones do go unused, because users already have the chargers from their previous phone still going strong. At the same time, a lot of users, particularly those who buy flagship phones, tend to buy multi-port fast chargers, multi-port chargers or wireless chargers, often from third-party brands such as AMX Labs, Anker and more.
There are a couple of ways in which phone companies could get consumers on their side in this move towards simplifying smartphone packages. One could be to either offer users free chargers if they need one, particularly with the higher priced phones. Secondly, they could simply bundle gift cards of an equivalent value with phones being sold, and buyers may be able to exchange that for a new charger, if they need one. While the angst against Apple and now perhaps Samsung is understandable, one needs to also factor in the usage trends we have carried on over the years and how that has impacted the environment. A change may be necessary, and this could kickstart exactly that. We will get used to it. Just as we got used to the lack of the 3.5mm headphone jack on most smartphones. Remember, no one is taking away your charger. In fact, this could just widen your choice.


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In a world where instant gratification for little money is a necessity for companies today, many have fallen by the way side because they could not keep up. Today, the pioneers into the instant streaming services have become the guiding business model for companies wanting to stay competitive in the instant gratification world that has risen with the millennial generation.
Netflix, in particular, along with Hulu and Amazon Prime are companies that have forged through the weeds of the traditional business model and have gained unquestionable success because of it.
Netflix, now worth more than CBS, was the first company to create instant streaming services for your favorite TV shows and movies. Though before that, they were one of the first companies to also start the customizable mailer trend that you now see across many business types including fashion, makeup, technology and even pet toys. However, Netflix now gains more momentum for its stock’s growth, now around $110 per share, through the instant streaming service, which is available on computers, smart phones, tablets and televisions.
Companies like Netflix have changed the way that the consumer receives their content. Over 75 percent of people 18-32 prefer instant streaming services to traditional cable television.
One of the respondents to the survey stated, “It’s convenient, less expensive, and you don’t have to deal with commercials interrupting your show.”
In the same survey, less than 13 percent of the respondents did not have an instant streaming service subscription (e.g. Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime and HBO). Also over 80 percent had at least a subscription to Netflix.
More companies today have been adopting this business model to serve the millennia’s instant gratification needs.
To keep up with the trend of online versus cable, service providers like Comcast and Verizon have changed their pricing structure – increasing the cost of Internet or bundling the cost to get cable and Internet for cheaper than just one of the services. With less people requiring the need for cable due the availability of shows and movies online, service providers have needed to change to keep themselves up with the trend to stay profitable.
This drastic change in only the past five years would have to make someone consider – are companies going to be able to keep up with the increasing needs of instant gratification? How long until the next innovative trend appears?


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Microsoft suffers biggest drop in 4 years
BusinessTech.co.za/ Reuters - Jul 22nd, 08:36
Microsoft Corp shares fell more than 11 percent on Friday, their biggest plunge in more than four years, a day after the software company posted dismal quarterly results due to weak demand for its latest Windows system and poor sales of its Surface tablet.
The stock’s selloff, from five-year highs, is the biggest in percentage terms since January 2009, when the world’s largest software company cut 5,000 jobs during the recession. At one point in the day, losses exceeded 12 percent, making it the biggest fall since the Internet stock bubble burst in 2000.
About $34 billion was wiped off Microsoft’s market value on Friday, exceeding the size of rival Yahoo Inc.
Microsoft’s earnings were wrecked by a $900 million writedown on the value of unsold Surface tablets after it cut prices in a bid to excite buyers.
The poor results shocked Wall Street, which had believed the company’s strength with business customers would help it ride out a downturn in consumer PC sales. The results provoked fresh skepticism of Chief Executive Steve Ballmer’s new plan to reshape the company around devices and services, unveiled last week.
“The recent reorganization does not fix the tablet or smartphone problem,” Nomura analyst Rick Sherlund said in a note to clients on Friday. “The devices opportunity just received a $900 million hardware write-off for Surface RT and investors may not even like the idea of wading deeper into this territory.”
Sherlund suggested that activist investors will pressure Ballmer to reconsider his strategy this summer, a reference to ValueAct Capital, which took a $2 billion stake in Microsoft in April and is in talks to get a seat on Microsoft’s board.
“This (the results) was much more disruptive than investors have expected, with Microsoft missing its guidance in every division and guiding lower,” wrote Sherlund. “Everything an activist investor could ask for.”
Other Wall Street analysts were similarly dismayed by Microsoft’s latest financial report.
Brokerages Raymond James and Cowen & Co cut their ratings on Microsoft stock by a notch to “market perform” and at least five others trimmed their price targets by as much as $3.
Price targets were cut as low as $35, below Thursday’s closing price of $35.44. The shares fell as low as $31.02 on Friday and closed at $31.40 on Nasdaq, an 11.4 percent drop.
FBR Capital Markets analyst David Hilal said Microsoft’s revenue from Windows operating system in the fourth quarter was 9 percent below his expectations.
“The key potential growth drivers (Windows 8, Surface) of the Microsoft story appear to be fading, heading into FY14,” Hilal wrote in a note.
Earlier this week, Microsoft said it was drastically cutting Surface prices to entice buyers, reducing the value of the devices in its inventory.
Microsoft launched Surface tablets last year to challenge Apple Inc’s iPad, but sales have failed to meet expectations.
“The new Windows RT operating system has not been the hit MSFT had hoped for,” Cowen analyst Gregg Moskowitz said in a note, adding that investor expectations for the tablet had never been very high.
Janney Capital Markets analysts said the writedown was an admission that Microsoft’s first attempt in the tablet market had not been successful.
The company also said on Thursday it expected revenue from Windows software to continue to fall due to a weak PC market.
Microsoft’s outlook points to a weaker PC market, shifts toward subscription revenue and a pause ahead of the Xbox One gaming console release, all of which are expected to pressure revenue growth, Morgan Stanley analysts said in a note.
Xbox is the only device by Microsoft that has found a following among consumers and a new version is expected to launch this year.2013 Copyright, BusinessTech. All right reserved
HP CEO promises stability in 2014
11/10/2013 - 09:21
Hewlett Packard Co Chief Executive Meg Whitman expects revenue to stabilize in 2014 with “pockets of growth” before the business accelerates again in 2015, sending the stock up as much as 9.5 percent on Wednesday.
Microsoft lines up more TV projects for Xbox One
18/09/2013 - 15:43
Microsoft Corp will follow its Steven Spielberg collaboration with more television projects aimed at positioning its new Xbox games console as a home entertainment hub.
Nokia sells phone unit to Microsoft
04/09/2013 - 12:12
Helsinki - Beleaguered Finnish mobile phone maker Nokia will sell its mobile phone unit to the US group Microsoft for 5.44-billion euros ($7.17-billion), it has said.
JD Group earnings fall as consumers suffer
30/08/2013 - 08:17
Joahnnesburg - Retailer JD Group [JSE:JDG] reported a 10% drop in full-year earnings on Monday, and hiked its provision for bad loans, as debt-laden customers continue to suffer.
Panasonic pulls out of smartphone business
29/08/2013 - 10:56
Panasonic Corp is finalizing plans to pull out of the consumer smartphone business in Japan and has approached potential buyers for its cellular base station business, the Nikkei reported.


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IMSI today announced the release of TurboViewer Pro v2, the professional version of its free TurboViewer app for the iPad and iPhone. The full press release can be read here.
I haven’t had a chance to use the app yet as they IMSI have not released a version for Android. Hopefully we won’t have to wait too long for an Android version of this app. It looks interesting and it’s great to have another player in the CAD world developing for the mobile platform.
You can read more about TurboViewer by clicking here.


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Lush to reveal new customer-centric store concept starting with fresh-look Lincoln store
Lush is to unveil a totally new store concept which places the customer journey at the heart of its design.
Debuting at Lush’s Lincoln store on 22 October, the new concept has been designed to ease the shopping experience with much clearer category signposting and different zones with separate identities.
The ‘Dairy’ zone, for example, will display fresh handmade haircare and skincare, while ‘Bathing’ will be home to shower, soap and bath products.
The ‘Gifting’ zone will also feature traditional gifts, bespoke gifting, fragrance gifts and alternative Christmas packaging options including Lush Knot Wraps.
A number of other stores across the UK, Ireland and Europe are also to be re-launched with the new concept over the following weeks.
At a time when physical retail was under huge economic pressure, “Lush was committed to continuing investment in the high streets and providing innovation and new customer experiences,” it said.
The store will also boast totally unique fixtures and fittings created from old repurposed furniture, while new fixtures will be produced from ethically sourced and durable materials in a bid to reduce wastage.
Counter tops will be made from recycled yoghurt pots and plastic packaging, while new more energy efficient LED lighting will be fitted throughout.
The store will also offer Lush’s Bring It Back packaging recycling and rewards scheme.
For each plastic Lush item returned, customers will receive a 50p deposit to spend on their Lush basket that day.
Today Lush operates in 48 countries with over 900 shops, 38 websites shipping worldwide and a global network of native apps, broadcasting channels and digital communities in over 30 languages.


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Whole Foods has a rather ironic problem on its hands; it’s selling products that are just too popular. Earlier this month, the high-end grocery chain announced it would close nine stores after about a year of falling same-store sales. Why does this come as a surprise though? Because organic produce sales have spiked like crazy over the past year due to more shoppers looking for more responsibly-sourced food. Other grocery chains that have caught on to this and now offer more organic options than before include Kroger, Trader Joe’s, Costco, etc. This had led to the possibility of easily undercutting Whole Food’s steep prices.
Whole Foods CEO, John Mackey, said the chain will slow its plans for expansion in the future to refocus on keeping their core customers from leaving for other stores. In a recent earnings call Mackey added, “I do think the world is very different today than it was five years ago,” Mackey said in the call. “And Whole Foods is adapting to the new world it finds itself in.”


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Ziffi.com, earlier know as DocSuggest has raised INR 15 Cr in Series A round of funding led by Orios Venture Partners, a INR 300 Cr. fund launched by serial entrepreneur Rehan Yar Khan. The startup plans to deploy the raised funds for expanding in Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore & Hyderabad.
It further plans to utilize the funds raised for expanding its network, strengthen technology interface and design, and invest in marketing and brand building.
Based out in Mumbai, Ziffi was founded in 2010 by IIT Bombay and IIT Kharagpur alumni Shantanu Jha, Pushkar Soni and Anshuman Pandey. Initially it was focusing on doctor and clinic appointments and has recently forayed into salons and spas to cover the gamut of wellness services.
As per the company, it covers over 1,000 salons, 15,000 doctors and 5,000 diagnostic centers, and has till date booked over 250,000 appointments. It has a team of 40 employees across the four cities where it operates.
“We estimate that there are currently 3 million people at the technology adoption cycle in India ready to use such a service and by 2020 this number will swell close to 100 million people. We are impressed by the company’s vision and the incredible work they have done so far and we are delighted to back them in their next phase of growth,” said Rehan Yar Khan, Managing Partner of Orios Venture Partners.
Rehan has earlier made seed investment in Ziffi; Indiagames founder Vishal Gondal and Google India head Rajan Anandan are also investors in it.


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Ritchie Bros.’s third Edmonton auction of the year sold more than 7,400 equipment items and trucks for more than $72 million.
More than 10,100 people from 49 countries registered to bid in the June 20–22 event, including more than 8,300 online bidders.
About 89 per cent of the equipment in the Edmonton auction was sold to Canadian buyers, with buyers from Alberta purchasing 59 per cent, while international buyers from countries such as Australia, Greece, and the United Kingdom purchased 11 per cent of the equipment. Online bidders purchased about 70 per cent of the equipment sold, generating more than $51 million.
“We continue to see strong attendance for our Edmonton auctions in 2019,” said Brian Glenn, senior vice president and head of Canadian sales for Ritchie Bros.
“Oilfield transportation equipment, which was the key component to our Edmonton June event, performed very well this week. However, as the landscape for construction projects continues to change in Western Canada, we did see a moderate level of pricing pressure on certain equipment categories.”
Glenn noted Ritchie Bros. is confident that as the Alberta oil and gas market gets moving again heading into fall, the landscape for its customer base will improve and demand for used equipment will continue to rise.
Equipment and trucks were sold in the Edmonton auction for more than 1,100 owners, including a complete dispersal of 150 items for Dynamic Heavy Haul Ltd., a premier rig moving and heavy haul provider with operations in Saskatchewan and Alberta.
“Ritchie Bros. sets the standard in the auction industry,” said Eric Eckert, president of Dynamic Heavy Haul. “We’ve bought and sold with them many times in the past and they are always helpful and professional, taking care of all the little important details. The exposure they provide our equipment is massive and we are pleased with the results achieved last week.”
Edmonton auction highlights:
- Two unused 2018 Western Star 4700SB hydro vac trucks sold for a combined $802,500.
- Two 2012 Volvo A30F 6×6 articulated dump trucks sold for a combined $407,500.
- A 2014 Kenworth C500 T/A T/A 385-in. WB bed truck sold for $275,000.
- A 2013 Caterpillar D6N LGP dozer sold for $270,000.
- A 2013 Kenworth C500 T/A tri-drive w/ Weldco WHL45TC100 boom truck sold for $230,000.
- A 2013 Kenworth C500 T/A Texas bed winch tractor sold for $190,000.
- A 2008 Claas Jaguar 830 forage harvester sold for $180,000.
- A 2017 Doepker Rockr 31-ft. super b-train lead side-dump trailer sold for $124,000.


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Android activations have now surpassed 300,000 per day which equals the number of activations for Symbian worldwide, according to data provided by Google. It also indicates that the now near-continuous stream of new Android phones is having a positive effect on sales overall.
Back in October, Google CEO Eric Schmidt said the company was activating about 200,000 phones per day. The new number also comes from Google's engineering chief Andy Rubin, who tweeted it on Wednesday night. It is not out of the question to think that Android may become the top platform in the world early next year.
Such a milestone shouldn't come as too much of a surprise: analysts have been expecting this to happen for quite awhile now. However, the speed at which it has happened -- a fivefold increase in just the last year alone -- likely gives its competitors some pause, if not cause for concern.
Surveys show that Android is now comprising about half of all smartphone sales in the US in the third quarter, and comScore found that the OS had nearly 15 percent of the worldwide market in October.
Apple may have one last salvo to fire against Android that could slow down its plans for taking over the top spot. First, it is believed that AT&T's exclusivity on the iPhone expires in 2011, which could lead to a significant increase in sales. Add to this the release of the fifth-generation iPhone, and Cupertino might be able to stunt Android's growth, however briefly.


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Best Buy: a Bit of Personality
A new digital era hit Best hard, as well as any other brick-and-mortar retailer of consumer electronics. While Best Buy somehow survived, some did not: companies like HHGregg and Circuit City went bankrupt. However, it looked like BB would join them soon: by the end of 2012, its stock sunk to a low of $11.3 per share. Declining sales forced the company to leave European and Canadian markets. Over years, things only got worse, as Amazon e-commerce grew immensely.
Despite all that, things started to turn around for Best Buy. Sales began growing, stock hit $90 in February, and $120 in November, despite COVID-19 pandemic. Why? The company changed the way it works.
Amazon destroyed a lot of old-fashioned brick-and-mortar competitors, as it provided much better prices. However, Best Buy have found one thing that e-commerce giant couldn’t provide — heavy personalization. E-commerce is perfect for the people who know what they want, but there are a lot more people who actually don’t have any ideas. In fact, according to 2018 Kantar survey showed that 50% of consumers can’t understand what’s going on with consumer technologies. So, Best Buy remade its website to make it more approachable for overwhelmed customers and launched a service which provides free home visits to help customers figure out exactly what they need. Also, it introduced a Total Tech subscription that offers unlimited technical support in-person, over the phone or online, for an annual fee of $199. It was a huge success: in two years since the start of the program Best Buy sold more than 2 million memberships.
The other measures are linked with health care. As senior population is growing fast, Best Buy tries to profit from demand for smart home technologies that lets seniors remain in their homes. So, Best Buy bought tech firms like Great Call that gave it tools to get in touch with senior health issues.
The pandemic hit Best Buy hard. First, they had to close all stores, then meet with customers only by appointment for in-home advisory service. This format helped customers somewhat, but then management was able to reopen stores and again be fully operational by June 22. At that time, half of the 51,000 associates who were furloughed returned. While management expected fewer customers and held back on recalling all furloughed associates, they soon saw the need for more customer service and recalled 80% of their sales forces.
Of course, customer shopping changed during this time. The e-commerce sales jumped 242% over the previous year as customers stayed home. 44% of the merchandise was picked up in stores, and many stores now have sophisticated pick-up service in front of the store that includes scheduled time slots to help customers know when to pick-up.
Despite the pandemic, Best Buy’s stock valuation grew even larger than ever before. It was only possible thanks to the earlier measures.


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Boeing and Japan
Japan's airline industry has more to lose than that of any other nation as delays in fixing the Boeing Co. (NYSE: BA) 787 Dreamliner continue. All Nippon Airways (ANA) in particular has relied on the plane. Now, the U.S. manufacturer plans a series of actions to reassure Japanese customers. However, based on a review of these plans, they hardly seem likely to work, particularly based on the skepticism of authorities. According to The New York Times:
Japanese investigators have maintained that there is still not enough evidence to show that the batteries themselves are the cause of fires, and that a shock could have caused them to overheat. That could complicate Boeing's efforts to get regulators around the world to approve their fixes, because they focus only on containing any problems that might arise in the batteries.
Groupon Inc.'s (NASDAQ: GRPN) fourth-quarter results were so bad that there is new talk about firing CEO Andrew Mason. The problem with this is that he and two others control the company's voting shares. Fourth-quarter consolidated revenue totaled $638.3 million, up 30% year-over-year, but that was not as spectacular as Wall St. had hoped. The fourth-quarter GAAP loss per share of $0.12, including $0.07 loss per share from a non-operating item, compared with a loss per share of $0.12 in fourth quarter of 2011. But the thing investors liked the least was that revenue for the first quarter 2013 is expected to be between $560 million and $610 million, an increase of between 0% and 9% compared with first quarter of 2012. Shares sold down as much as 14% on the news. A look at Groupon's proxy shows Mason owns 19.5% of voting shares, while Chairman Eric P. Lefkofsk owns 27.7% and Bradley A. Keywell owns 10%. Mason will not be going anywhere unless his co-founders turn against him.
Walmart Executive Departs
Wal-Mart Stores Inc.'s (NYSE: WMT) chief administrative officer has left the retailer suddenly. Tom Mars was general counsel during a period (2002 to 2009) when the retailer allegedly bribed Mexican authorities to give preferential treatment on the locations and building of stores. According to The Wall Street Journal:
In a 2005 email memo to Chief Executive Michael Duke, Mr. Mars wrote, "The attached memorandum summarizes an interview conducted with a former WalMex in-house lawyer. The lawyer asserts in some detail the alleged corruption by various WalMex associates, including senior people. You'll want to read this. I'm available to discuss next steps. PS: Welcome to Wal-Mart International."
Now the pressure to resign moves to Duke.
Filed under: 24/7 Wall St. Wire, Market Open Tagged: BA, featured, GRPN, WMT


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Unbelievable, but Virat Kohli, Deepika Padukone brand value in 2018 is this much
Iconic cricketer and Indian cricket skipper Virat Kohli has sensationally fought hard to retain his spot in the brand value 2018 rankings list. In fact, Virat Kohli is at the top of the list of the most valuable celebrity brands in the country for the second year in a row. Kohli and Padukone have been designing endorsement deals with an equity element, which has helped to maintain a long-term association with the brand and share the upside from the performance of the company, the report said. Over the past decade celebrity-led endorsements increased in number from 650 in 2007 to 1,660 in 2017, representing a steady CAGR of 10 per cent, according to ESP Properties data.
The rising trend of power couples has also been noticed by the report, as brands target each partner's unique following and voice by tapping into a power couple's reach and impact. "The coming together of a power couple creates a larger platform that brands want to leverage to target the youth. This year, power couple Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma have endorsed around 40 brands together such as Head and Shoulders, Manyavar, Pepsi, Celkon, Boost, Audi, Fastrack, Gionee, Wrogn and Polaroid," the report added. Image source: Reuters
TV ad spends with celebrity endorsers also rose from Rs 1550 crore in 2007 to Rs 6660 crore in 2017 at a CAGR of 16.1 per cent. The report said that TV ads with celebrity endorsers represented close to 24 per cent of the total TV ad spends in 2017, representing a 5 per cent uptick from 2007. Image source: Reuters


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The next flagshipphone will be made by Samsung and called the Google Nexus Prime, according to the word on the street. The , called , will make its debut on the Google-branded smart phone sometime this autumn.
As the flagship device showcasing the most up to date version of Android, the Prime is undoubtedly going to be a behemoth of a smart phone. It will sport a Super AMOLED screen with 720p high-definition resolution. Inside will be an OMAP4460 dual-core processor. Boy Genius Report also reckons the Nexus Prime will do away with physical buttons, with everything happening on the high-res screen.
With those specs, the next generation of Android phones look to have set the bar high for the forthcoming iPhone 5 and software.
Ice Cream Sandwich is the next generation of Google's Android software for mobile devices. It hasn't been officially unveiled yet, but it's likely to absorb features from Honeycomb, the version of Android that was designed specially for tablets. ICS will, making it easier for developers to build apps that work on either type of device.
The first phone for new versions of Android often carries the Nexus name. The current version, Gingerbread, came fresh out of the oven on the
It seems highly likely that Ice Cream Sandwich will appear quickly on a range of phones from different manufacturers, such as HTC, Motorola and LG, and on different networks too. That's great news for update-hungry Android fans.
Are you screaming for Ice Cream? What features would you like to lick in the next Android update? Let us know in the comments section or on our Facebook page.