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Posts tagged online sales
The following excerpt, from the article The Store of the Future Has Arrived (and No, It’s not Apple), was written by Christopher Heine for Adweek. The store offers an interesting look at the evolving digital experience necessary to succeed in retail and how major brands are integrating it both into brick-and-mortar and online shopping. To see more innovative examples, read Heine’s full article.
Eighty-five-year-old Chicagoan Martin Shafron, a self-described “computer illiterate,” steps into the rotunda-like entrance of AT&T’s flagship store in the city’s high-end retail district known as the Magnificent Mile. Though Shafron doesn’t realize it, he is also smack in the middle of a retail revolution showing off its gadgetry and pageantry from here to Beijing.
As he waits for one of the iPad-wielding sales associates to assist him with his first iPhone, which he’d bought there the day before, Shafron is sprinkled with what AT&T calls “innovation sounds”—perhaps best described as raindrops going pitter-patter on a digital rooftop interspersed with wind chimes producing cyber inharmonic spectra.
The highly stylized space, which opened last fall, looks more like an art museum than a store, but it’s hardly a bore—there’s plenty of digital eye candy competing for Shafron’s attention as he waits, including an 18-foot video wall equipped with motion-sensory software on which a couple of kids are playing a game.
He, like most who walk through these doors, is seriously wowed by the space, but, he says, “More than anything, I appreciate the hands-on help.”
Call it the Appleization of brick and mortar, where retailers from Michael Kors to Staples to Pep Boys are dazzling consumers with the futuristic in-store shopping experience the House That Jobs Built gave rise to. In fact, a decade ago and just a few blocks from the AT&T flagship, Apple opened its own gleaming, digitized space on the Magnificent Mile—but Apple is no longer the coolest kid on the block. Today, that distinction belongs to AT&T—though there’s plenty of competition from the likes of Nike and Burberry, which have unveiled souped-up stores here in recent months, as well as Apple, which, buzz has it, is prepping its own overhaul.
Employing the latest technology at point of sale is nothing new—for years businesses from car rental companies to Nordstrom department stores have unhooked from the wires. But the trend has gone from merely ringing up sales via mobile devices to a deeply immersive in-store experience—fully digitized but crucially featuring that face-to-face element customers like Shafron demand.
“We want to transform the traditional website experience into the physical experience,” explains Paul Roth, president, retail at AT&T. “It’s all about creating interactions rather than just transactions.”
And interacting they are. The AT&T flagship attracts an estimated 30,000 customers per month, many drawn in by bells and whistles like that giant interactive screen, which lights up the cityscape as it also manages to circumvent a zoning restriction banning exterior signage on the Magnificent Mile. The store has only one traditional retail counter, and the cash registers are tucked away in stylish wood cabinets. Sales associates access the registers not with a key but via biometric fingerprinting software and not while standing behind the tills but, rather, while sitting on a couch face to face with the customer.
The space also features a section devoted to using music apps not only for listening to but also writing tunes. To show how Square, an AT&T partner, can be used by small businesses, there’s a display with real cupcakes and a handmade sign reading “Bake Sale.”
As if that weren’t enough to command one’s notice, a Nissan Leaf is parked in front of a huge picture window, set up to interactively demonstrate how assorted auto-based apps can be used to monitor how fast their teenagers are driving. A few feet away, another area features apps that let users track who comes and goes from their homes.
The store hosts cool events with partners as well. Chicago Blackhawks legends Bobby Hull and Eddie Olczyk showed up to take a whack—with a hockey stick, duh—at Otter’s new smartphone cases to demonstrate their durability.
“Humans remember stories,” says Christina Cheng, area manager of the AT&T store. “So explaining things with stories instead of specs is a much easier way for people to understand how technology can help them.”
The space and its collection of shiny things serve as a lab for what might be deployed elsewhere at AT&T’s 2,300 locations. “You will see six or seven elements of the Michigan Avenue design incorporated to scale with the rest of our portfolio,” says Roth.
More than merely influencing what’s to come at AT&T, the store has become an incubator for what consumers will come to expect from retailers across the board—and it’s not just tech companies that are dotting their blueprints with digital tools.
Claire Huang, CMO of JPMorgan Chase, says many more tech features are in the offing. “We’ve developed a new branch concept with an open format that gives customers options. From the traditional teller window to the advice zone and tablets to self-serve kiosks and the instant-issue credit card machines, our approach is centered around choice and making the experience better for the customer,” she says.
Some may be surprised to learn that another emerging player in this space could be e-tailing monster Amazon. Even as the company has strained the bottom line for brick-and-mortar stores, reports have Amazon now eyeing a presence on the street. Amazon already has experimented with pick-up sites in markets including New York, and one can only imagine what a full-fledged Amazon store might look like.
“Retail is under siege,” D’Arcangelo points out. “The online retailers want some kind of physical presence, and all the brick and mortars are trying to catch up with the online space. What’s going to happen is a hybrid.” That could mean a deluge of business for agencies like six-year-old Web design company Gin Lane Media, which has done innovative in-store work for the likes of J. Crew and Michael Kors. The latter erected an LED display at Macy’s Herald Square in New York that has the customer walking through a constantly changing video arch. An accompanying 32-inch touchscreen display gets some 1,000 engagements per day, says Emmett Shine, Gin Lane’s founder.
There’s more innovation on the way. In-store marketing firm Synqera is piloting a program for a major Russian retailer starting this month involving facial-recognition software that can determine a customer’s age, gender and mood. Heat-map and dwell-time analytics—longtime darling stats for Web marketers—are also coming to stores.
D’Arcangelo advises that as retailers collect still more data on consumers, “everyone is going to have to think smart, transparent, opt-in, shared ownership of the data. Retailers must be clear communicating what value customers get from sharing that data. Case in point, people love when they get a great recommendation from Amazon.”
Digitization. Appleization. What about Amazonization?
“One of my favorite comments from a recent patron to our flagship store was that it was like walking into a website,” says AT&T’s Roth.
But at what cost to the retailers? While agreeing that brick and mortar is entering a new era,Sucharita Mulpuru, retail analyst at Forrester Research, wonders about the return on investment for all these digital playthings. “It’s still too early to tell,” she says.
Roth’s big digital experiment on the Magnificent Mile will ultimately succeed not on the technology alone but also on the human touch that brings in the likes of octogenarian Martin Shafron. AT&T is well aware of that fact, having enlisted some of its best and brightest from around the country to be the face of the Chicago outpost.
“There are 17 different states represented in that store,” says Roth. “Retail always depends on how good your people are.”
And increasingly, on how good they are at ringing up sales on the iPad.
The ninth-seeded Shockers kept the country on the edge of their seats this season as they advanced to the Final Four with four wins, one over top-seeded Gonzaga and one over second-seeded Ohio State. And in their first Final Four since 1965, they had the Cardinals fighting hard for a win.
Although their unbelievable run unfortunately came to an end before the championship, the team remains victorious in the eyes of their fans – several of whom have been cheering them on from the Wichita State University Bookstore.
“It has been a tremendous experience for all of us as a staff, and we couldn’t be more proud of the team,” explained Andrea Stipp, assistant director. “We were busier than we’ve ever been, and a week later, I think we’re all still recovering.”
To keep fans supplied with merchandise for each stage of the tournament, the store has been working around the clock for weeks. And, their customers have certainly taken notice. Sales have spiked both online and in-store with orders for merchandise still pouring in, despite the fact that the team is no longer competing.
The initiative kicked into high gear when the Shockers reached the Sweet Sixteen, according to Stipp.
“We utilized local vendors for the majority of our t-shirts so we could take advantage of a quick turnaround time,” she said. “Many early mornings were spent making the three hour drive to Kansas City or Lawrence to pick up t-shirt orders. It worked out great though because we could have our merchandise available in-store within two hours of opening on the day after a win.”
Social media played an essential role in promoting each new t-shirt design as the team advanced through the tournament. By updating the estimated time of arrival for new merchandise on the bookstore Facebook and Twitter accounts, they created hype and had a line of fans waiting to make a purchase each time the new shirts arrived.
“We also teamed up with the Rhatigan Student Center Marketing Department who helped us cross-promote our new products and generate a buzz,” she added.
Their real secret weapon, however, was the ability to sell merchandise online. With the help of MBS Systems inSite, their web store was easily updated and able to handle a large amount of traffic.
“A lot of the sports memorabilia stores in Wichita don’t have an online presence, so it really gave us an advantage,” Stipp explained. “We saw a 1000% increase in online orders compared to our average monthly web sales and we’re still receiving quite a bit, even now.”
inSite’s easy management allowed the store to add merchandise to their website ahead of time and simply ‘unhide’ it once their team had progressed through another round. In fact, during the Final Four, there was a point in time when shirts were selling out just as fast as the merchandise was revealed.
“We shipped packages to Asia, the Middle East, South Africa; literally all over the world. It was phenomenal,” she described. “inSite was critical in helping us gain sales. If we didn’t have an online presence, we really would have been behind the eight ball.”
Beyond sales, the store was also able to extend superior customer service to their students throughout the process, establishing loyalty that will last long after the tournament. For instance, several fans who had headed down to Atlanta for the Final Four game called the store with last minute requests for flags that had been forgotten at home or sweatshirts that they just had to have.
“inSite was instrumental in allowing us to fulfill last minute orders to our fans who were across the country,” she said. “We were able to overnight merchandise to them in time for the game and they were just ecstatic.”
Online orders also cut down on in-store traffic, offering an improved shopping experience.
“No one likes waiting in a line, so we utilized inSite to offer store pickup to our students,” she explained. “They simply ordered and paid for their merchandise online and picked it up in store. Everyone enjoyed the convenience and the fact that they avoided the hassle of dealing with a crowd.”
The store also delivered shirts to their satellite campus locations, to ensure all students had a chance to show their Shocker pride.
“We know the majority of those students are working adults, and that they may not have time to drive to our store for an order, so we wanted to make sure they didn’t miss out,” Stipp added. “We saw a huge increase in sales at these locations and they were very appreciative.”
In fact, the store even welcomed their rivals with open arms through a t-shirt trade in promotion. Because many Wichita residents sport Kansas University and Kansas State University apparel on a daily basis, the campus’ Student Center partnered with the store to increase Shocker pride on campus. So, anyone who brought in KU or K-State apparel was offered $3 off their WSU Final Four shirt.
“It became a one of a kind experience for many,” Stipp said. “We had several students tell us how excited they were to shop for their first ever Shocker shirt; it was great!”
Throughout the tournament, the store spread the word about their in-store offerings and their website to thousands and thousands of people. Although the excitement brought with it long hours and extra labor, Wichita State University Bookstore thrived under pressure and scored big points with fans from around the world.
“I think it will impact our business for a long time to come,” Stipp said. “It’s sad to see it come to an end, but it was an incredible ride!”
And there’s always next season…
The following excerpt, from the article Best Buy Swears Shoppers Don’t Have to Bother Showrooming Anymore, was written by Brad Tuttle, who covers business and personal finance for TIME. The article proves that even the biggest brands are turning to price matching guarantees as a way to combat online retail giants such as Amazon.
With the launch of a new price-matching guarantee, electronics giant Best Buy promises “the end of showrooming”—the increasingly popular practice in which shoppers scope out merchandise in a store and then buy it for less money online.
Brick-and-mortar-based retailers like Best Buy have been losing out on sales for years thanks to the rise of showrooming. Consumers simply got into the habit of inspecting merchandise in person in stores, before whipping out their smartphones to shop around for a better price. After using the physical store as a mere showroom, shoppers would ultimately purchase the item online, often via Amazon, the world’s largest e-retailer.
At first, physical retailers ignored showrooming, for the most part. They said that it didn’t matter much—that in-store customer service combined with shoppers’ need for immediate gratification would win out. But then, without really admitting the power of showrooming, retailers started battling back. Target stopped selling Amazon’s Kindle, sending the message that Target would no longer play ball with a company that’s actively trying to steal away its customers. Many retailers introduced or increased the number of exclusive products it sold: If you’re the only retailer selling an item, after all, you don’t have to worry about a competitor undercutting you on price.
Leading into the 2012 holiday shopping season, the showrooming squabbles reached a new intensity. Best Buy and Target both introduced the holiday season with unprecedented new price-matching guarantees that extended to online sellers such as Amazon for the first time ever.
What’s most noteworthy about the new price guarantees is that they seem to imply that consumers no longer have much need to shop around. It’s OK to put your guard down, we’re looking out for you: That’s the message retailers want consumers to come away with thanks to the new guarantees. Hey, we’re guaranteeing the lowest price!
In reality, these price guarantees only work when consumers shop around as aggressively as ever. Shoppers must still do all of the usual legwork involved in showrooming. The onus is on them to find the lowest price. It’s just that now, they have more options as to where to get that price.
We’d suspected it all along, but the New York Times confirmed it: retail stores are not just fighting back, they’re coming back.
“A Manhattan retail real estate broker reports an increase in inquiries from online-only retailers about opening shops, particularly in smaller spaces.” The piece went on to say that “Customers want to feel the merchandise.” “They see shopping as a social event,” said a retailer. “Think of the store as a showroom,” said another. Yet another said “They’ll show them a few products, lure them in and hopefully have them hooked. They feel that, yes, people are online, people have apps, but there’s nothing like the spontaneous face-to-face.”
One online retailer, inspired by his customers’ desire to feel the merchandise, opened a physical store and was thrilled to report that “‘the average in-store transaction was $360, double what it is online, and first-time store visitors buy again in 58 days, versus waiting 85 days between Web site purchases. And, he said, he has cut Web marketing expenses in half as in-store purchases have increased.’”
The product these people were talking about was apparel. But it could just as well have been books. Not just print books but books in all formats and domains. For some time we have been predicting that after an intoxicating decade of growth, readers would revisit print books and the brick and mortar stores that sell them.
Bookstore sales over the recent holidays suggest the trend in hard copies may be paralleling the trend in other hard goods like clothing. And for the same reasons: people like to browse, feel the merchandize, sample the goods, discover surprises, speak to an informed and friendly human salesperson. “The owner of The Book Cellar in Chicago, which saw 2011 sales rise 38% in the wake of Borders’s closing, was pleased to have last year’s increase stick,” Publishers Weekly reports. “‘Holiday sales for 2012 were “terrific,”’ the owner said, “’up a whisker.’” And Michael Boggs, co-owner of Carmichael’s Bookstore, with two stores in Louisville, Ky., was satisfied with being down 6% at one store and 4% at the other. “Both were up 38% from the year before. The new level is 30% more than pre-Borders. It’s an enormously big figure for a store that’s 35 years old to have.’”
Buried in the Times‘s report was this even more intriguing item: “An eBay pop-up store in London that opened this holiday season has no actual merchandise, just scannable screens displaying gift suggestions.” The idea of a physical kiosk selling virtual books is an idea whose time may at last be realized in the year to come, and if there is any breakthrough event we can predict for 2013, it’s that one. We’ll have more to say about kiosks before long.
The following article was written by Chris Horton and published on SocialMediaToday.com.
Over the past few years, Amazon has quickly become an online retail giant and a source of competition for nearly every retailer in the country, including college stores. Although many focus on continually finding new ways to compete with the site, it’s also important to take a look at their success and find ways your store can re-purpose their strategies to your own advantage. Take a look at the suggestions in the following article as a starting point:
As this past holiday season demonstrated, US consumers are heading online to do their shopping in droves. According to comScore, an estimated 39% of U.S. holiday shopping was done via the Internet this year. Numbers from the National Retail Federation confirm this trend, showing that between November 1 and December 7, shoppers had already spent nearly $30 billion online, up 13% from the same time period in 2011. In this new “e-tail” environment, customer satisfaction is king, and Amazon.com is the perennial ruler. For the 8th straight year, ForeSee’s E-Retail Satisfaction Index gave the e-tail giant higher marks than any of its peers. This is no mean feat, given that Foresee’s comprehensive Index takes into account more than 24,000 survey responses from shoppers who had visited the top 100 retail websites over the holiday season.
CUSTOMER SATISFACTION IS KING
The Index’s primary finding is that, though online retail sales in the U.S. are experiencing a record-breaking year, customer satisfaction is stagnant. To improve the customer experience, business leaders need to measure and understand their customers’ wants, needs, and expectations.
In other words, to win over an increasingly demanding consumer base, businesses must provide a superior, customer-focused digital marketing experience.
While other companies are struggling to find their digital marketing mojo, Amazon has emerged as the model to emulate. Why should you care? According to Foresee, companies that provide an excellent customer experience tend to see increased revenues, loyalty, and recommendations.
In the Foresee Index, a larger score equates to higher levels of customer satisfaction. For example, customers who are dissatisfied with an online experience will rate a website at 69 or lower, whereas customers who are highly satisfied will rate a website at 80 or higher.
This is a critical distinction, as the 2012 Index found that shoppers who are highly satisfied with a brand’s e-tail website are 71% more likely to purchase from that retailer online and 56% more likely to purchase offline. Here are some other customer satisfaction-related findings from the Index:
- Brand Loyalty – Highly satisfied holiday shoppers are 67% more likely to buy from that retailer the next time they buy similar merchandise, 65% more committed to the brand, and 61% more likely to return to the website than those who are dissatisfied.
- Brand Affinity – Compared to dissatisfied shoppers, highly satisfied shoppers say they are 61% more satisfied with the retailer overall, transcending the experience with the website alone. This information shows
- Brand Promotion – Highly satisfied shoppers say they are 69% more likely to recommend the company to a friend, family member or colleague than are dissatisfied shoppers.
As anyone who has tried to purchase or even research a product online quickly realizes, Amazon is almost as ubiquitous as Google. Given Amazon’s massive size and reach, it is fascinating to note that, after eight years of tracking, the company received its highest customer satisfaction score this past year (88). It is no mean feat for a company to quickly scale and improve customer satisfaction.
LEARN FROM THE MASTER
Given that it is always a sensible practice to learn from the best, here are three digital marketing takeaways from Amazon’s business model:
- Understand Your Target Audience - Though it seems obvious, knowing as much as you can about every segment of your target audience is fundamental to understanding how specific elements of your website can better impact customer satisfaction. Collecting website user data provides offers insight into your audience’s wants, needs, and expectations. This data can also help you allocate finite digital marketing resources.
- Use Data to Define and Refine the User Experience – Amazon is expert at tracking shopper behavioral tendencies at a granular level to better understand each segment of its ubiquitous target audience. With the help of marketing automation software, you can take a similar approach. What products are shoppers purchasing (or not purchasing)?; what web or content pages are they clicking on?; how much are they spending on certain products?, etc. As the Foresee Index points out, getting inside the minds of your audience and really understanding their experiences and impressions can help you optimize website conversion relative to sales, customer satisfaction, and loyalty.
- Produce Content that is ART: A major element of Amazon’s success has to do with its prolific content. From detailed product descriptions to user-generated reviews, the website provides users loads of content that is Accurate, Relevant, and Transparent- pure ART.
THE BOTTOM LINE
As I’ve noted many times before, the mass adoption of Internet, social, and mobile technologies have shifted the balance of power from the producer to the consumer. In such an environment, customer satisfaction is more important than ever.
To compete, brands must win over an increasingly-demanding consumer base by providing a superior user experience. Amazon recognized this earlier than many, and implemented a customer-centric, highly-integrated digital marketing strategy better than most.
The battle is on between bricks-and-mortar retailers and their increasingly potent Internet adversaries.
Frustrated by once-loyal customers who have been wooed away by online merchants, retailers are gearing up with new weapons to stop the continuous flow of shoppers from stores to computers and smartphones.
With the holiday season approaching, some chains are vowing to match prices with their biggest online rivals. Others are offering free layaway and expanding their assortment of unique products or adding Wi-Fi and other digital upgrades inside stores to entice tech-savvy shoppers. There’s even increasing talk about same-day deliveries.
In California, traditional retailers are happily anticipating picking up more shoppers after online retailers started collecting sales taxes in September, losing a crucial advantage when consumers comparison shop. Virginia, New Jersey and several other states will begin collecting sales tax in the coming years.
“We think we have a huge advantage over Internet-only companies,” Toys R Us Inc. Chief Executive Jerry Storch said in an interview. “Every possible way the customer wants to use the Internet — or their neighborhood store — to interact with Toys R Us is available. The customer can choose how to do business with us.”
Online merchants say they are ready to fight. Nearly a quarter of shoppers say they’ll go online to do most of their holiday shopping this year, according to a survey from consulting firm Deloitte, and 75% said they expect to buy at least one item online this season. But Web retailers said they sense the competition with traditional retailers and are busy as well, kicking off their holiday ads before Halloween and expanding free shipping and other promotions.
Amazon.com, the nation’s largest online retailer and responsible for about half of all Internet retail purchases in California, has geared up.
“Every year we want to offer great deals,” spokeswoman Pia Arthur said. “We will have fun types of things going on for the holidays.”
It’s always a high-stakes competition for the retail dollar, and experts say this year it’s more intense than ever. And no wonder: Merchants rake in an estimated 25% to 40% of their annual sales in the last two months of the year. Shoppers this year will drop an estimated $586.1 billion during the holidays, according to the National Retail Federation.
“If the stores don’t do more, then they are going to become antiquated,” said Marshal Cohen, chief industry analyst at NPD Group. “But that is why they are doing so many things right now to test what works, and to tell shoppers that they are in the game to play.”
Traditional retailers will have to work hard to win back long-lost customers such as Paul Johnson, once a regular at malls but who now buys “almost everything” online.
“It’s such a hassle running around to stores trying to find anything you want,” said Johnson, a 30-year-old fashion model from Los Angeles, who prowls the Internet for items on his wish list — including kitchen supplies, DVDs and cotton T-shirts.
Best Buy Co. and Target Corp. are taking direct aim at Web merchants with online price matching, partly to grab customers who now use their stores as showrooms — to check out items and then go buy them more cheaply on the Internet.
“We are taking on showrooming,” said Amy von Walter, a spokeswoman at Best Buy, which has granted salesclerks the ability to match online prices for appliances and hardware including tablet computers and cameras during this holiday season. “It’s really about empowering employees to be able to match the price when it makes sense and make the sale.”
Target vows to match prices with Amazon and the Web stores of Wal-Mart Stores Inc., Best Buy and Toys R Us.
“It’s instant gratification for guests,” said Dustin Hamilton, Los Angeles district manager for Target. “Instead of waiting one day or four or five days for something to come in the mail, you get it right away for the same price.”
The discounter has also added free Wi-Fi to its stores and placed QR bar codes — which can be scanned by smartphones to bring up product information — on ads so shoppers can buy the items directly from their phones.
Toys R Us has extended free layaway until Dec. 16 and rolled out a reservation service so parents can nab popular playthings early and avoid frantic last-minute searching during the holidays.
“You can go order online and pick it up immediately at your neighborhood store,” said Storch, the CEO. “You don’t have to wait around home for FedEx to arrive or come home to the little sticky note on the door.”
We’ve all been there. You’re all set to buy something, credit card in hand, but for one reason or another you never close the deal.
Maybe the third time you were asked to enter your credit card number you gave in. Perhaps it was the exorbitant shipping costs. Maybe the site crashed.
The truth is, there are several things that send potential customers fleeing in horror from your website. If you actually want people to stick around and buy stuff from your site, you may want to take note of and avoid these common pitfalls.
1. Your Site is Too Slow
Every 2 seconds of load time on your site equals an 8% abandonment rate, according to Gomez, the application monitor from Compuware. If you drop your load time from 8 seconds to 2 seconds, your conversion rate actually jumps up 74%.
It’s easy to see why: Do you want to waste your time waiting for a site to load?
Unfortunately, there are a lot of reasons why your site is loading so slowly. Steve Tack, Chief Technical Officer for Compuware, says many e-commerce sites are overloaded with third-party plug-ins for Facebook, Twitter and ad networks — all of which can slow a site down. Another cause is cloud issues: If you’re using a content-delivery network (CDN), your site can slow to a crawl if your service provider is having issues.
2. Your Site is Too Complicated
If you’re asking consumers to take more than five steps to buy something off your site, then you’re asking too much. Compuware recommends the following:
- Welcome/cart contents page
- Bill-to section
- Ship-to section
- Payment module
- Confirmation/thank you page
3. Your Credit Card Entry System is Punishing
Is there anything more frustrating than entering your name, address, 16-digit credit card number and three-digit security code, and then restarting from scratch because you forgot your ZIP code? And yes, if most of your business is in the U.S., why not put the country first on the scroll instead of way down at the end, as it would appear alphabetically?
Sucharita Mulpuru, an analyst with Forrester Research, says that there’s a standard sequence of information for credit card information. If you mess with that order (by putting the credit card number before the name and address, for instance), then users are apt to enter the wrong info because they’ve been trained to log such data in a certain sequence. Says Mulpuru: “Follow the industry standard.”
4. You’re Charging Too Much for Shipping
Mulpuru says that if you’re charging more than 10% of the total cost of the item for shipping, then you’re charging too much. “You’re probably depressing your sales significantly,” she says. “People are more likely to abandon your cart.”
5. Your Site Performs Horribly on Certain Browsers
You may be a Google Chrome fan, but there’s a world full of people who are using old versions of Internet Explorer. Have you tested your site on those other browsers? “Many sites don’t perform well across various browsers,” says Mulpuru, “so people abandon them.”
6. You’re Hitting Your Customers With Irrelevant Offers
OK, you’ve completed the sale. This person has indicated that they’re interested in what you’re selling, so it’s natural to conclude that they might want to buy something from you in the future. So why not hit them with offers for things that they’re actually likely to buy?
Mulpuru recalls, for instance, that after she bought a bed from Costco, the retailer besieged her with offers for … more beds. While deals on pillows or sheets might have made sense, a bed is something you generally purchase every five or 10 years. Says Mulpuru: “At this point, I’m not in the market for more beds.”
Need help fixing any of these issues? Talk with your MBS Systems inSite Client Representative for advice on how to provide your online customers with an excellent shopping experience!
While mobile stole the 2011 holiday spotlight, one thing that slid in under the radar is the fact that social media sites can help drive sales. Retailers must begin forming their social commerce strategy now, by looking at how their customers are behaving on social media channels both on their sites and across the Web.
Cross-Channel Marketing Guide
OK, it’s time to officially close the book on the 2011 holiday retail season and to shift our attention forward to 2012. For me personally, what makes it difficult to stop looking back are the new trends that emerged that will forever change holiday shopping. By now you know the story:
- Mobile made its mark, with 11 percent of online sales in December coming through a mobile device — an increase of 100 percent over December 2010.
- The empowered customer turned to multiple mobile devices including smartphones and tablets to conduct mobile shopping.
- While overshadowed by their mobile counterparts, social media sites such as Facebook proved they have an influence on consumer buying.
Now it’s time to begin looking at some of the smarter commerce approaches retailers can embrace to ensure they hit the bull’s-eye this 2012 holiday season. Following are some key issues to consider.
Mobile Commerce Is Here to Stay
We now know that mobile commerce is here to stay. In fact, we believe that mobile shopping rates will exceed 20 percent in 2012. A huge part of this growth will come via the iPad, which offers consumers an unparalleled experience, one which this past December drove more retail purchases than any other device.
In 2012, retailers will need to go the extra mile by creating a design and experience that fully takes advantage of the richness and the exploration capabilities of the device.
Next, take a leap of faith and embrace Quick Response Codes (QR Codes). QR Codes are unique bar codes that store a significantly larger amount of data. By scanning the code with a mobile device, consumers are instantly presented with a vast array of data about the company, including nearby locations, special offers and more.
While many feel that QR codes have missed the mark, with mobile shoppers in full swing, this technology represents one of the next big evolutionary rungs on the mobile commerce ladder. Push to make your business’s mobile commerce efforts even smarter by using QR Codes to connect consumers with rich, detailed information about the products that interest them the most, all through their mobile device.
Let’s Get Social
One thing that slid in under the radar is the fact that social media sites can help drive sales. Retailers must begin forming their social commerce strategy now, by looking at how their customers are behaving on social media channels both on their sites and across the Web.
Specifically, look at how consumers are sharing specials and promotions within their networks. Next determine if there are patterns that you can identify and replicate in 2012.
Additionally, take the time to decipher social sentiment. By embracing advances in analytics, businesses can regularly gain new insights into consumer perceptions of their brand that will ultimately help to predict their buying behavior.
It Can’t All be About Mobile and Social
While mobile and social are center stage, email remains one of the most effective ways to engage customers, as long as it’s not overdone. To be truly effective, marketing should be perceived as a service, not an intrusion.
For the 2012 season, begin examining the data gathered over the 2011 holiday effort. Specifically, look at the behaviors of customers to identify clear preferences for time, promotion, and how they consume your messages.
What days were they shopping most, and at what time of day? What devices were they using, and when? Now take this insight and target these shoppers with promotions and special deals at these precise times and on their preferred device.
Be Prepared to Start Early
One trend that was more pronounced this past season was the Thanksgiving shopper. In 2011, U.S. shoppers took advantage of early sales, which drove a 39.3 percent increase in online spending on turkey day, making Thanksgiving the official kickoff to the weekend of holiday shopping.
In 2012, retailers must begin promoting deals a day early and then be prepared to keep them fresh for Black Friday to ensure you keep shoppers interested.
When do you start planning your holiday sales strategy? Share your tips in the comments section!
Every semester, students receive a letter grade measuring their progress and success in various classes. Stacy Elofir, director of University Store at Towson University, believes college stores should be no exception.
After a transformative year, Elofir wanted to find a new way to showcase her store’s hard work. That’s why she decided to compile a summary of their accomplishments in one easy-to-read document.
“It’s our report card; our time to shine,” she said. “We’ve done so many things this year that had never been done before. My staff and I work really hard to reach that goal and I think it’s important to review the immense amount of we achieved with limited resources.”
Although she had presented similar annual reports for previous positions within the industry, this was a first for University Store.
“We’re operating in an increasingly challenging and dynamic industry,” explained Elofir. “As the director of an independent store, I feel constantly challenged to show my store’s value and prove that we are competitive. This is just one more way to demonstrate that effort.”
As a first step in the process, she designed a structure for the report.
“I knew that NACS offered templates, so I started by looking through their resources,” she said. “I really wanted to include the store’s graphics, however, so that the final result looked as though it could stand alongside our marketing materials. I ultimately used their suggestions but created my own hybrid version.”
Based on a series of strategic initiatives, Elofir then had to decide which content to include, which proved to be no easy task.
“Honestly that was the hardest part!” she admitted. “There was so much to include but I knew it was important to keep it as simple as possible. I integrated a combination of text and graphics to visually balance the page and provided as many statistics as possible to back up each point.”
Elofir began the report with a broad summary of the various ways the store provided value to their students as well as to the University throughout the year. She then elaborated on those areas she felt were integral aspects of the store’s success including expanded course materials and savings, clothing and gifts, new products, online sales, and marketing, with more detail.
Although each of these components work together to enhance the student experience, the store’s rental program is one service that sticks out as most significant this year, according to Elofir.
Starting with just 4 titles in July of 2010, University Store has seen tremendous growth in their program with over 500 titles available in the spring of 2011!
“We took a significant risk by restructuring our textbook department over the past year,” she explained. “Because we rent books at 45% of the selling price, fiscally it looks like we’re losing money. But, our program has been so successful that, at this point, 75% of our titles have been rented for 3 semesters or more. So, I was excited to be able to show that all of this hard work has paid off in dollars.”
Saving students more than $600,000 over the cost of purchasing textbooks new, their rental program has also made great strides at enhancing student perception.
“It’s been a resounding success,” said Elofir. “I’m very proud of our numbers and the impact they have made on our students. Our store has integrated basically everything MBS has available, from price comparison to a campus marketplace, to help us stay competitive, and the rental program is just one example of how that has paid off!”
Their program isn’t stopping there, though.
“I left for vacation and asked my textbook manager to submit a list of about 500 rental titles,” she added. “I came back and she told me we were going to have 640!”
It’s that strong dedication that Elofir believes has made the store what it is today.
“I’ve been blessed with an extraordinary staff that’s been so receptive to my energy,” she elaborated. “I think it’s really important to trust your employees and allow them to do their jobs. It’s amazing what can happen when you’re passionate about your job and you surround yourself with people who are just as passionate, too!”
After presenting her report to the campus’ vice president of Auxiliary Services, Elofir received such positive feedback that she has since shared it with others.
“We have a unique entity on our campus called the Incubator, where small businesses can pool their resources in order to perform at a higher level,” she explained. “So, I sent my report to the director to help identify areas of growth for our store. I’m determined to make our foothold so strong on campus that no one would even think of replacing us. “
Based on this input, Elofir and her team identified several ways the store can further develop their success in the future.
“We’re planning to update our website with customer friendly graphics, partner with the Athletics department to link from their site, create web-only sales and promotions, integrate Google Analytics to our webpage, and expand our mobile options, including the use of QR codes,” she said. “You just have to be fearless and take the leap. If you wait, it will be too late.”
Along with those plans, Elofir has one major area in mind that she also hopes to expand.
“My main goal is to make this the students’ store,” she revealed. “We already have 65 students working in the store, which is huge; but that’s a number I want to keep increasing. I’m hoping to eventually have students involved in every process of the store from picking out new products in focus groups to volunteering to run events. The more that we allow them to be a part of our store, the more likely they are to be loyal to us.”
For others in the industry looking to better their business, Elofir suggests first finding a focus.
“Identify one or two things that you know you can do,” she said. “That alone will have a significant impact. You don’t have to do it all at once.”
But, above all, she advises stores to refer back to one simple rule they likely learned long ago.
“The best way to get an ‘A’ in school is to do what your teacher wants you to do,” she explained. “Working at an independent store is the same. If you can find out what both your school and your students want, then your success rate will be that much higher. It’s all about providing the value that your customers are looking for!”
Want to know more about how Stacy is overcoming obstacles to position her store for success? She’ll share her exclusive defensive strategies to combat the competition in our upcoming webinar, Battle for Books. Join the rally; register today!


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Jerry Seinfeld is channeling one of the most famous ad campaigns of the past century to celebrate Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee’s move from Sony Crackle to Netflix for its upcoming season.
In the new trailer for Season 10 of Seinfeld’s series, in which he chats and drives around with his favorite comedians, Seinfeld pays homage to DDB’s famous “Think Small” Volkswagen campaign from the 1960s.
The spot is bookended with black and white segments featuring Seinfeld in a black Volkswagen Beetle alongside a crash-test dummy wearing a “Comedian” sign.
“This year, practically everyone is coming out with brand new, even longer, more complicated shows. Don’t you have enough to keep track of without trying to remember, who’s a wizard? Who’s a machine? Who’s a zombie?” Seinfeld asks, as Matthew Broderick, in a lab coat, fetches him coffee.
“Our average episode is only 14 minutes long. Unlike our competitors, we’re not trying to take you away from all you have to do,” says Seinfeld. “We think one car, two comedians and some coffee is plenty. We like to think short.”
The trailer also includes clips from the show’s tenth season, which airs on Netflix beginning July 6 and features Kate McKinnon, Ellen DeGeneres, Dave Chappelle, Hasan Minhaj, Dana Carvey, Neil Brennan, Tracy Morgan, Brian Regan, Alec Baldwin, Zach Galifinakis, John Mulaney and the late Jerry Lewis.
The first nine seasons of Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee aired on Crackle (now called Sony Crackle) before Seinfeld moved to Netflix last year in a $100-million deal that also gave Netflix rights to all previous seasons of the show.
The “Think Small” campaign was just one example of DDB’s groundbreaking work for the German automaker at the time.

domain: news


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The head of General Motors Co.'s South Korean operations, speaking during a parliamentary audit session Monday, didn't deny speculation that the U.S. carmaker may withdraw from South Korea on weaker sales.
At the audit, GM Korea President and Chief Executive Kaher Kazem repeatedly said he will do his best to put the Korean unit's business back on track without dismissing the decadelong rumors.
Repeatedly asked if there was a possibility of the U.S. auto giant's exit from Korea, he said GM Korea's executives and employees are doing their best to normalize operations and to develop a sustainable business model in the country.
His direct quotes were not available for this article.
GM Korea marked its 15th year of doing business in Asia's fourth-biggest economy Oct. 16 amid growing concerns that it may opt to leave the country entirely due to poor performance and high labor costs.
The company and its union have yet to finalize this year's wage negotiations, which have been suspended until new union leadership is elected in mid-November.
In the January-September period, GM Korea's domestic car sales plunged 20 percent to 102,504 units and exports also backtracked 2.3 percent on-year to 299,476.
GM is widely expected to restructure its operations here to reduce net losses and seek a turnaround. Possible restructuring measures include the sale of some of its domestic plants and job cuts.
In South Korea, GM has four plants, a design center, a technical center and a proving ground for new vehicles. The global carmaker owns a 70.12-percent stake in GM Korea.
GM Korea's product lineup lacks competitive sport-utility vehicles (SUV) at a time when global demand for crossovers is on the rise. Cars produced in the country include the Malibu midsize sedan, the Cruze compact and the Captiva SUV. All GM cars sold in South Korea use the Chevrolet marque.


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Brand influencer and die hard fan of Dancehall artiste Stonebwoy, Ayisha Modi has become the only celebrity in Ghana to own three of the latest iPhone12.
The phone which was released few days ago is making airwaves especially with it’s price going for around ten thousand Ghana cedis(10,000.00).
This amount alone is literally an average Ghanaian’s 3 years salary. As many “rich” people are putting funds together to get one, Ayisha Modi has already gotten three of them.
Ayisha has always created the impression that she walks with rich people who always sponsor her. She has also made people believe that she is well to do and can provide for herself especially after she publicly disclosed that she invested a large sum of money to support Obrafour even though she didn’t get anything in return.
Taking to her Instagram page, Ayisha posted a video of herself showing off her three phones. Her fans went gaga as they pleaded with her to give them just one of the phone.
Xandy Kamel was among those who wanted Ayisha to give them one of the phones.
Well, if you want to have friends, just show off your wealth.


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Here’s a video tutorial on how to setup Face ID.
Apple has bounced back in China after six consecutive quarters of declining sales, thanks to the promising sales of the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus.
The first videos of Apple’s iPhone X, along with hands-on videos, have hit YouTube.
The iPhone X TrueDepth camera that allows for Face ID facial recognition is now able to be produced without major issues, meaning that supply is “now stable.”
Best Buy is showing Apple’s iPhone X has been a popular online seller this week.
Images and video posted to Twitter on Saturday are said to show units of Apple’s iPhone X preparing to ship.
A newly proposed “distracted walking” legislation would prohibit people in Ontario from using their smartphones while crossing the street.
Plotagraph+ Photo Animator is the latest freebie in the Apple Store app on iOS.
Brooke posted a new YouTube video were she reveals her father was fired from Apple.
The first iPhone X pre-orders have moved to the ‘preparing to ship’ stage.
Rogers updates outlook on iPhone 8, while praising the demand for the iPhone X.
Apple called on developer to submit updated apps that support the new iPhone X’s advanced capabilities and unique design.


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This past week, Unique Pretzel Bakery, Inc. combined efforts with many Eastern, Pennsylvania companies to send supplies to victims of Hurricane Harvey. In the wake of such a horrific natural disaster for the Houston, Texas area, Unique Pretzels is proud to partner with United Natural Foods, Inc., a national food distributor, to deliver donations to the Red Cross managed help centers.
Unique Pretzels is excited to have worked with many amazing companies here in Pennsylvania, to help make an impact on the devastation that has hit our country and the families in the Houston area. Appeeling Fruit, Berks Fire & Water Restoration, Berks Foods, Clover Farms, Dieffenbach’s Potato Chips, Just Born, Martin’s Potato Chips, Pardoe’s Perky Peanuts, Redner’s Markets, Rutter’s Markets, RM Palmer, Sturgis Pretzel Bakery, Unique Pretzel Bakery, and UNFI all organized efforts together to collect products ranging from bottled water, fresh fruit, deli meats, hotdogs, chips, pretzels, peanuts, candy and snack items, as well as, disinfectant cleaning products to be delivered to the devastated area.
“We are excited to see the outpouring of support from these great businesses here in PA. With all of our companies working together to help, we were able to send four full trailers of food, drinks and cleaning supplies to the victims of Hurricane Harvey. We wanted to help the families and victims in a big way and give them one less thing to worry about during this extremely trying time,” said Justin Spannuth, COO at Unique Pretzel Bakery, Inc.
To follow the updates on this project, along with future charitable works for companies, groups or people in Pennsylvania, search and use #PACares on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
For more on Unique Pretzel Bakery: Inside the 2016 Snack Producer of the Year, Unique Pretzel Bakery


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Apple''s new patent application implys that its mixed reality (MR) headset will reportedly allow users to view invisible things as per a report. It highlights that users might be able to see gas leaks and Wi-Fi signals. This will also allow musicians to tune their instruments by using sound waves, which might also assist in finding possible fires. It is implying that the headset might even enable users to see inside stores.
According to a patent application from the Cupertino technology company, the MR headset might allow users to perceive things that are invisible to naked eyes. The rumoured headset may reportedly assist wearers in detecting gas leaks and Wi-Fi signals for adjusting the placement of the router.
According to reports, the Apple MR headset will also track heat patterns to detect potential fires around wearers to ensure safety. It''s said to use an infrared sensor to enable wearers to see heat, which might assist them detect fires through walls. The headset reportedly creates an overlay over the AR view of the user''s location to show the invisible things.
According to the report, the headset will also visualize the sound waves to assist musicians tune their instruments. It is said to create an AR overlay over the sine wave for the correct note. The alleged Apple headset is said to allow wearers to see behind closed cupboard doors by creating an AR overlay. It will reportedly match the stored video from the moment its user opens a cupboard with their current view and position.
Apple''s MR headset would be launched in 2023, according to reports. The company is reportedly developing three new headsets, including N301, N602, and N421. The first MR headset from the company will reportedly be called Apple Reality Pro, which is expected to compete with Facebook''s next AR-VR headset.


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Apple Stock News: New iPnone 8, TV and Watch arrival on 09/12/2017
For the latest Apple Stock News, AAPL closed at $163.35 per share on August 30th, 2017. It generated a return of 0.44% from its previous close on August 29th, 2017, when it closed at $162.91 per share.
Source: photo by Stephen Lam, Getty-Images
Apple has scheduled its event on September 12. On that date, as expected Apple is going to introduce the new iPhone models, Apple Watch with cellular mode and 4K Apple TV box.
And Steve Jobs Theater in Apple Park will host an event for the first time this year. Seems the company finished all construction works in this part of the campus. And carriers are preparing marketing materials now as they were informed about of the September 12th date last week.
Despite the variety of new devices, all eyes will be on iPhone 8, as it represents the first significant design improvements to the phone in three years.
Apple Inc. plans to deliver new way people use future generations of their devices and iPhone in particular, by transforming the concept of a home button and making other changes to a flagship device. It is going to be almost all screen, as at images of the new device viewed by Bloomberg News.
The key to the iPhone is its home button, and this concept hadn’t changed much since 2007. This year Apple is ready to launch new iPhones. And the flagship one is going to blow the roof of common tech standards in the smartphone industry. It will be one of the greatest updates in the product’s decade-long history.
With a new screen that takes almost the entire front, Apple will test the complete removal of the home button. In favour of new gesture controls, according to the people and the images. iPhone will carry a 5.8-inch OLED display for the first time, what is larger than the current 4.7-inch iPhone 7. New stainless steel and glass design, wireless charging and a possible 3D front sensor to recognise the owner and unlock the gadget just looking at it.
The company will also introduce updates of iPhone 7 devices. The external design of these phones will follow current models with possible slight changes. OLED iPhone is expected to get the $900-$1000 level; the 7s phones will likely be sold at the usual $649 starting price.
In addition to the new iPhones, the company will announce new Apple Watch hardware which can include LTE cellular models. There should also be an update to the Apple TV, adding 4K HDR.


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The 2012–2013 flu season was a rough one, as health care providers—and anyone who missed their chance at a flu shot and caught the virus—can attest. With widespread warnings that the year’s strain was a particular virulent and unpleasant one, consumers stocked up on the true necessities: disinfectant and some little white lies.
The sick sufferers’ misery was a real boon for some companies, such a Clorox, which posted sales increases of 17 percent in the last quarter of the year. Noting the trend, Clorox also moved quickly to tout the increasing concentrations of bleach it had begun offering in some cleaning products, all the quicker to kill off that pesky influenza virus.
Another group taking advantage of the situation has been overscheduled, overworked employees and others who just need a break. With the flu becoming officially in epidemic in some places, such as New York City, many companies have sent cautionary warnings to their workers, asking them to stay home if they are sick, instead of running the risk of infecting others.
For some people, that creates a perfect opportunity for some “me-time,” as workers take a few days, claiming to be sick with the flu, even when they are not. Such behaviors indicate the speed with which trends can spread through a population.
For marketers that can take advantage—whether because they promise to help people avoid the risk of the flu or by promoting the benefits of taking a day at home to rest up—the potential benefits of a minor health epidemic can be nearly limitless.
Source: Paul Ziobro, “Flu Outbreak Gives Boost to Clorox,” The Wall Street Journal, February 4, 2013; Mike Vilensky, “A Trendy Excuse: The Flue,” The Wall Street Journal, January 23, 2013


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- Apple’s market value is now higher than Alphabet, Amazon and Meta combined.
- The iPhone maker is valued at $2.307 trillion, while its tech peers are as high as $2.306 trillion.
- Tech stocks suffered after posting poor quarterly results, but Apple avoided a wipeout.
This story was originally published on Business Insider.
Apple is now worth more than fellow tech giants Alphabet, Amazon and Meta combined, after it ended Wednesday with a market cap of $2.307 trillion.
At the same time, the market caps of its three tech giants soared to $2.306 trillion at the close of trading Wednesday. Google parent Alphabet’s market cap was $1.126 trillion, Amazon’s $939.78 billion and Facebook parent Meta $240.07 billion, data from Yahoo Finance shows.
In general, Big Tech stocks suffered a brutal sale last week disappointing quarterly results. But Apple’s stock outperformed its competitors after that beat Wall Street’s revenue and earnings forecasts for the fourth quarter.
Shares of the iPhone maker rose 8% in the wake of the results. After their earnings reports, Meta plunged more than 20%, Amazon fell about 10%, while Alphabet saw a single-digit decline.
Alphabet, Amazon and Metas Moderate revenues indicated that the demand for digital advertising is declining. The poorly received results helped wipe billions of their market value as their stocks fell, and pushed Amazon out of the trillion dollar market cap club.
Over the past five sessions, Apple’s stock is up 0.16%, while Alphabet is down 5.7%, Amazon is down 17.0% and Meta has lost 7.6% over that period.
Despite Apple’s performance, its market cap has slipped from its $2,193 trillion value at the end of 2021. A series of headwinds — high inflation, rising interest rates, fears of a recession and the war in Ukraine among them — have led tech stocks to take the plunge. difficult in 2022, as investors lost their appetite for higher-risk assets.
This story has been adjusted to correct the market cap figure in the headline. Apple’s market value is $2.307 trillion, not $2.037 trillion.


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Steinway to be sold to Chinese state companymain
The long-troubled piano manufacturer, presently in the hands of a hedge fund, is being smartened up for sale to a state-owned Chinese company, Poly Group Corp., according to Bloomberg.
The price could be as much as a billion US dollars, twice what the company was last sold for in 2013.
Steinway has Lang Lang as its brand leader.
That should clinch it.


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/PRNewswire/ -- Revolve Group, Inc. (NYSE: RVLV) announced today that it will release financial results for the fourth quarter and year ended December 31,...
Consumer Internet Stocks Q3 Recap: Benchmarking Revolve (NYSE:RVLV)>
BABA vs. RVLV: Which Stock Is the Better Value Option?
Skate to where the puck is going with these three off-the-beaten-path e-commerce stocks.
This company operates in a tough industry but has proved time and time again that it can put up top-line growth.
These stock prices are cheap, and their valuations are low, too.
Investors can beat the market with these stocks.
These stocks are cheap or have huge potential or both.
Nike is tops in apparel, but other companies are showing real promise, especially under challenging circumstances.
Look past all the fear and worry, and instead choose to use this recent market weakness to your advantage.


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Nokia N-Gage closes in 2010
Nokia today closed a chapter in its online history today with news that it would close its N-Gage gaming service. The company plans to shutter the game download and community in September 2010 and is moving all its users over to the Ovi Store. Games on devices and in the store will remain, but Nokia warns that community features like high scores will come to an end as part of the switchover.
Nokia Ovi Store to get 20K
Nokia's Ovi Store will open with a much larger catalog than its immediate rivals did when they were new, the company said late Thursday. Executive VP of services Niklas Savander estimates to Forbes that the portal will launch with about 20,000 "items" when it launches in late spring, just ahead of the N97 touchscreen smartphone's July release. While a significant number of these will include short-form videos, most will be apps and should include games from N-Gage as well as general apps.
Nokia N-Gage Teaser
Nokia is potentially gearing up to launch another device at the start of next week, a new teaser shows. The page shows an image of what appears to be a 7610 Supernova but says the device will "unlock" by about 8PM on the 13th, suggesting an evening phone launch. Some members of the online media have also received an invite for a similar timeframe and have been told the event relates to N-Gage, though a series of promo videos connected to the event (shown below) don't mention the Nokia gaming service.
Nokia Brings N96 to US
Nokia today tried its hand again at competing in the US smartphone market with the announcement of a North American edition of the N96. The black slider phone carries the same 16GB of built-in storage, five-megapixel camera, true GPS and Wi-Fi as the version just reaching Europe but makes a few key changes to adapt to the Western market. The update brings full 850MHz band HSDPA to support 3G on AT&T and Rogers but in return loses the ability to tune mobile digital TV, with no DVB-H broadcasts available on the continent.
Nokia N79 and N85
(Update: official release due tomorrow) Nokia today fulfilled a promise from earlier this month with two new Nseries devices both aimed at driving down the cost of getting into full smartphones. The N85 as flagship appears set to replace the N81 and upgrades the camera from two to five megapixels, also adding GPS both for mapping and for geotagging shots. It also switches to a 2.6-inch AMOLED screen that should supply richer color and as much as 28 hours of music playback on a single charge.
Nokia to Allow N-Gage Move
Nokia will allow users to transfer their N-Gage games from phone to phone after all, the company confirmed on Friday. The company has caused controversy by tying each game purchase to a specific phone, forcing customers to repurchase each game if they upgrade, but now says it has a means for users to port their game libraries without raising piracy concerns. The solution will at first involve contacting Nokia's support service but will ultimately include an unspecified "long-term" solution that allows users to make the switch much more easily.
Nokia N-Gage goes public
After having done a limited soft launch in February, Nokia has officially thrown open the doors to N-Gage, its online gaming service. Users can download demos of games that use both 2D and 3D technology, and then buy full titles through the same means. In some cases, users can play the games against other opponents online, via the N-Gage Arena.
Nokia Yamake for N-Gage
Nokia today said it had developed a new game for its N-Gage game platform that will let users create their own titles. Yamake is a game of its own but centers around creating mini-games using the player's own content: audio, photos, and videos captured or stored on the phone can be used to build puzzles. The resulting creations can be shared through the N-Gage Arena and are linked to a comment system that lets fellow Yamake players review the games as well as offer suggestions to creators.
Nokia launches N-Gage, Ovi
After considerable delay, Nokia has finally begun an initial rollout of its N-Gage gaming service. The online network allows people to download and play a variety of high-end cellphone games, rendered with both 2D and 3D graphics. The client software is now available through the company's First Access program; although it is only officially said to work with the N81, third-party sources have already managed to remove the software's protective "wrapper," and run N-Gage on phones like the N95. The service was initially slated to launch in November, but the date was then moved to late December, and finally to sometime after the holidays.
New Nokia N-Gage delay
Nokia has announced yet another delay for its N-Gage online service. N-Gage was originally slated to launch in November, in part to support its N81 gaming phone; the date was then moved to this week, but the company now says that N-Gage is still in no shape for a debut. The network's 1,000 testers are said to have encountered "unexpected difficulties," meaning that the early-adopter First Access program will not begin until after the holidays.
Nokia N-Gage Next Week
Nokia will launch its N-Gage gaming service for its newer phones in an early form next week, according to an update from the Finnish company's team. Originally announced with the N81 phone, the service lets users download and play games directly from supporting handhelds with the 3D graphics and content often found impossible through ordinary phone games. The debut is a pre-release version that will include both a test version of the store and will include at least one full N-Gage game, Nokia says.


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Snapchat and Facebook are looking to better serve marketers with recent updates that bring branded content to the top of social media feeds while still putting a focus on creating a less invasive experience for consumers.
Articles Tagged ‘Facebook’
YouTube is currently a critical platform for mobile video but, as consumption continues to grow, Facebook is making a play for a bigger role, which means marketers should consider boosting their video strategy on Facebook, given its significant reach.
Days after the highly anticipated birth of Princess Charlotte of Cambridge, luxury brands are taking the opportunity to congratulate the royal family on social media and present a number of bespoke gifts to the new princess.
With more than 80 percent of users accessing social platforms on their mobile devices, mobile marketing has become increasingly important for brands that wish to remain competitive in the marketplace, according to a new report by L2.
Home furnishings retailer West Elm is one of the first brands to tap visual marketing platform Olapic’s new consumer-generated Facebook advertisements, which enables marketers to grab user photos from Instagram and other social networks in retargeting and display ads to bolster performance.
NEW YORK – A Facebook executive at the 2015 Mobile: IAB Marketplace said the social networking site’s ability to track mobile users across devices and gauge advertiser return on investment points to the need for delivering relevant and accurately measured messages in an era of cross-screen consumption.
Between 2011 and 2014, nearly 3 million teens in the United States abandoned Facebook in favor of Instagram, further cementing the image-sharing platform as “the most important” social network, according to a new report for L2.
British makeup artist Pat McGrath is promoting a number of the luxury brands she works with by sharing behind-the-scenes images of this year’s New York Fashion Week on Facebook.
Social media has democratized content creation. The implication for luxury brands is that they can no longer hide behind the carefully controlled image that they create for themselves.
Toyota Corp.’s Lexus is using Facebook’s advertising data and targeting tools to reach niche audiences with more than 1,000 videos created to appeal to different types of consumer.


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Last year, we told you about UK-based Planet Computers and their big communicator device, the Gemini PDA. And it’s actually done well – they shipped out units, started direct sales, and now, they’re on their next device… and it’s meant to be more than a communicator.
Reporting for Pocketnow from MWC in Barcelona, I’m Jaime Rivera, this is the Cosmo.
Music: “32” by HOME – Resting State
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Graphics provided by: Motionvfx.com
Pocketnow has been a key source of mobile technology news and reviews since its establishment in 2000. With offices on three continents, Pocketnow offers round-the-clock coverage of the mobile technology landscape, from smartphones to tablets to wearables. We aim to be your number-one source for mobile tech news, reviews, comparisons, and commentary. If you love mobile as much as we do, be sure to subscribe!


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The shares of Abercrombie & Fitch have shot up on the stock market this Wednesday after the fashion firm has announced by surprise a record of sales in its main chain and that the group has achieved profits in the first quarter of its fiscal year, February to april. The company has also raised its forecasts for the year as a whole. The shares have risen more than 28% two hours after the opening of the New York Stock Exchange.
“Fiscal year 2023 has started strongly, with net sales and an operating margin in the first quarter above our expectations,” said Fran Horowitz, CEO of the company, through a statement.
Net sales were 834 million dollars (777 million euros at current exchange rates), 3% more than in the same period last year, but sales of the Abercrombie brand soared 14%, up to 436 million. With this, the chain that gives its name to the group is once again the main one, as it surpasses Hollister, aimed at a younger audience and whose turnover fell 7%, to 400 million dollars. The United States and Asia have acted as engines of growth in sales, which have fallen in Europe.
Gross margin has risen to 61.0%, some 570 basis points (5.7 percentage points) more than the previous year. The year-on-year improvement was mainly due to 760 basis points lower freight costs and 230 basis points year-on-year growth in average unit prices, partially offset by 320 basis points higher cotton and raw materials costs. premiums and 100 basis points for the adverse impact of currencies.
Consolidated attributable net profit was $16.5 million, compared to losses of $16.5 million in the same period last year, when inflation and rising costs took their toll on the group. Analysts expected it to reduce the red numbers, but not to make a profit.
“Abercrombie’s offering is resonating significantly with our target customer, setting several other sales records this quarter across genres, categories and geographies. Work continues on the Hollister brands,” Horowitz said, announcing an increase in forecasts for the year as a whole: “Looking ahead, we remain cautiously optimistic about consumer demand and our ability to react to a dynamic macroeconomic environment, also supported by our solid balance sheet”, he added.
For fiscal 2023, the New Albany, Ohio-based company now expects growth of 2% to 4%, instead of the previous 1% to 3% range. Abercrombie will continue to outperform Hollister and the domestic market will continue to be stronger than the foreign. Additionally, fiscal year 2023 includes a 53rd week for fiscal year purposes, which the company expects will translate to an extra $45 million in total net sales in the fourth quarter and full year 2023.
The operating margin range also improved by one point, which went from 5% to 6% for the year as a whole. The company expects an improvement in freight and raw material costs, partially offset by the combination of inflation and increased investment in other operating expenses.
The results suggest that despite economic uncertainty, some shoppers are still willing to spend on clothing. Shares of Urban Outfitters have also soared (rising more than 20%, then losing some ground), after the company’s results, presented on Tuesday afternoon, beat expectations. Billing increased 5.9% to a record of 1,114 million dollars. The benefit shot up 67.5%, up to 52.8 million, according to the company.
Kohl’s Corp. also presented better-than-expected first-quarter results on Wednesday, sending its shares up as much as 14% in pre-market trading, though they later deflated. In his case, the benefit remained at 14 million dollars despite the fact that sales fell by 3.3%, to 3,355 million, as reported by the company in a statement.
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The most important economic appointments of the day, with the keys and the context to understand their scope.
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Staff at Redcar’s Marks and Spencer outlet have been told the store could close - ending 76 years trading history at the site.
Bosses want to close the High Street store - but claim there will be no compulsory job losses for its 44 staff.
Workers will be offered alternative positions at nearby branches including Middlesbrough and Teesside Shopping Park.
The branch, which also sells food alongside clothing and other goods, opened its doors in 1938 and became an outlet store in 2008.
The company says it wants to close the store because its clothing team is managing stock levels “better than ever before” and its outlet clearance business needs fewer stores.
Staff have entered a formal consultation process today.
A spokesman said: “These proposals have not been put forward lightly.
"It has been driven by the changes in the outlet business, but the food business does not stand alone and the proposals are for the whole store.
“Staff would be offered alternative positions at other stores.”
Marks and Spencer also has a food-only store at Cleveland Retail Park in Skippers Lane.
If the proposals go ahead, the Redcar store could be in line for a late-summer closure, they have confirmed.
Read more Gazette Business news


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'Entourage' star Adrian Grenier plans pop-up store in downtown L.A.
Hollywood activists Adrian Grenier and Peter Glatzer said Monday that they would open a pop-up art gallery and store for two weeks in a historic downtown Los Angeles building.
Grenier, who portrays movie star Vincent Chase in the HBO television series “Entourage,” and Glatzer, a producer, said their SHFT Gallery would open May 13 during the evening Art Walk downtown and operate daily through May 26 in the Continental Building at 4th and Spring streets.
The gallery will include more than 50 pieces by Los Angeles-based artists including Tierney Gearon, Jay Mark Johnson, Lauren Bon, Rebeca Mendez, Ramon Coronado and Jay Mark Johnson. Eco-friendly products from SHFT will also be on sale.
Grenier and Glatzer founded SHFT after creating the TV show “Alter Eco” for the Discovery channel.
The 13-story Continental Building, completed in 1904, was the city’s first high-rise office tower. It is now an apartment building, but the ground floor retail space does not have a permanent tenant.
-- Roger Vincent
Photo: The Continental Building in downtown Los Angeles was the city's first high-rise. Credit: Los Angeles Times


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HMD Global will be announcing 4 Nokia branded smartphones at the Mobile World Congress in an event scheduled for 26th February. Whiting’s, a company acquired by Nokia last year announced on their Twitter account that they will be joining Nokia for an exciting key note announcement.
Whiting is known for manufacturing health devices like trackers but they have built a smartwatch too. Whitings ventured into the smartwatch arena back in 2014 by launching Activite Sapphire. Then in 2015 they launched Activite Steel and Activite Pop. The smartwatches produced are compatible with both Android and iOS devices.
At the moment Whitings works under Nokia Technologies Digital Health division, so there is a likely probability that Nokia may unveil or announce their plans for new wearbales that they will announce later this year. This would be a chance for Nokia brand to diversify their products and show that apart from smartphones they will be venturing with other projects too.
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The Swiss watchmaker announces a new partnership with the legendary motorcycle company
Some things from the ’70s are best left for dead. But the blow dryer is ready for a comeback
How a factory flaw made the ‘tropical’ dial one of the watch world’s most sought-after screwups
R-Patz is the new face of Dior Homme Autumn 2018
Dutch-based Fighetti’s pastel-coloured swim gear is your new summer essential.


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The Florida Keys continue to rank as one of the most significant seafood ports in the United States, the National Marine Fisheries Service reports.
The “port of Key West” accounted for $71 million in commercial seafood sales in 2015, which stands at No. 10 nationally among 128 surveyed ports, according to a new federal report.
Key West statistically is considered the port for the vast majority of sales from Monroe County’s seafood industry.
In terms of pounds, the port of Key West ranks No. 39 with its 17 million pounds harvested, up from 13 million pounds in 2014.
“The Keys bring in lobster, stone-crab claws and shrimp — all the expensive fish,” Bob Jones, executive director of the commercial Southeastern Fisheries Association, said Tuesday. “Other places catch more fish but you’ve got the ones people want.”
Key West’s port sales were put at $61 million in 2014.
“The Keys still have a very healthy shrimp fishery,” Jones said. “The fleet doesn’t look anything like it used to, when there were 400 boats. But the shrimp are still there and always will be if we keep Florida Bay clean.”
Five of the top 10 ports in the 2015 summary of commercial-fishing value are in Alaska, including second-ranked Dutch Harbor, which reported $218 million in catch sales from 124 million pounds of catch. New Bedford’s production and sales actually dropped from 2014, when it landed 140 million pounds worth $329 million.
Other domestic ports in the top 10 of value include Empire-Venice, La. ($111 million); Honolulu, Hawaii ($97 million); and Cape May, N.J. ($72 million).
Of the U.S. harvest, 75.3 percent is sold for fresh or frozen food for human consumption, and 4.7 percent for canned or cured human food. The balance goes to fish, pet food and other uses.
All of Florida (including saltwater and inland fish) generated $241.24 million in 2015 from more than 95 million pounds of harvest.
Kevin Wadlow: 305-440-3206


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High-end restaurants and night clubs are large format destinations spread across minimum of 10,000 square feet that can go up to 50,000 square feet.
Low tourist inflow to India and a fall in MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions) business have impacted the number footfalls at such places in India.
“Globally, such businesses thrive on tourist inflow, which is also a challenge in India,” said Gaurav Marya, president at Franchise India Holdings that advises companies on franchising opportunities in the country.
Marya, who has worked as a consultant with Cavalli Club in Dubai, said that two years ago the club there did sales of close to .`8 crore on the New Year's Eve. “But in India, even the best performing night club cannot do more than .`2 crore a month.” One reason for that is the early cut off time — in most places in the country, those serving alcohol have to down shutter latest by 1 am.
Designer Manav Gangwani, who runs the Cavalli Caffe (different from the club format) in Delhi, said he took the decision to shut down one portion of the place as he could not serve alcohol to the guests there.
National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI) president Riyaaz Amlani said India doesn’t have the depth in the market to support large formats. “If you look at clubs in Europe, they are allowed to be open till 5 am or even for two days straight in places like Berlin,” he said. “In addition to this, the kind of money that is expected from clients here in India, is too much. We don’t have the critical mass that can bring in profits to these international names.”
Pricing was also a crucial factor. “Spending Rs 4,000 on a drink is just not feasible for everyone,” he said adding, “The critical mass will grow going forward, but right now it is lacking,” he added.
Yet, some firms are looking to expand. B-Bar, according to Lalani, plans to expand its operations to Bangalore and Kolkata. Franchise India’s Marya said one of its clients, FTV, which runs cafés, nightclubs and lounges, is “looking for partners to open a chain of F Cafes across the country” to tap the young crowd who did not have enough time (late night) and money for night clubs. According to Marya, the royalties paid by Indian partners to international club and lounge brands are almost 10% of their revenues.


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The latest TV Box to hit the market is the Beelink i68. It is an Android 5.1 TV box powered by Rockchip’s hottest 64-bit SoC, the RK3368. The box is garnering a lot of attention because of it
The craze for multi-functional devices among generation next remains unabated. Manufacturers of electronic devices are focusing on developing many such unique products to catch the attention of cus
Excelvan CL720D is a portable LED Projector with slot for digital TV Slot. This advanced device is a projector that allows you and your family and friends to enjoy your favorite programs on a large
Facebook is responding to criticism that users tend to see news articles that reinforce personal beliefs.
After the team tested its patch on a mouse, the rodent's heart saw a "significant increase" in functional capacity in the space of 4 weeks.
Game developer Square Enix still hasn’t given a release date for “Kingdom Hearts 3” or “Final Fantasy VII Remake,” and it looks like fans might have to wait until 2018.
An investors document, which w
BRUSSELS (Reuters) - European Union lawmakers voted on Tuesday to ban online retailers from treating consumers differently depending on where they live and expanded their proposed law to include music
The vintage ads from both the US and UK promote now-outdated tech at exuberant prices. The adverts highlight how far technology has progressed over the past 70 years.
WWE’s first pay-per-view since WrestleMania 33 is set for Sunday night in San Jose, California. Payback 2017 will feature mostly members of the “Monday Night Raw,” roster, though a couple of “SmackDo
A video originally posted more than two years ago resurfaced recently, increasing attention on the dire human rights situation in North Korea. In the clip, Yeonmi Park, a young defector, told the sto
Bad news for Amazon Prime users… you’re about to lose a bunch of HBO shows. Josh King has the story (@abridgetoland).
It’s not secret that tickets for concerts have become extremely expensive, but Live Nation will try to ease your pain this summer with its Kickoff To Summer promotion. They will offer $20 tickets to
Despite being in the process of ending her marriage to NBA star Carmelo Anthony, La La Anthony is attempting to still enjoy life. The actress allegedly spent some time with rapper French Montana at a
The only remaining Democratic representative on the Federal Communications Commission has expressed skepticism of the current administration’s plans to change the existing net neutrality rules, acco
Caterpillars might hold the key to Earth’s plastic pollution problem. But not the kind that turn into butterflies — the kind that are a parasite to bees.
Nick Viall and Vanessa Grimaldi have prided themselves on being honest with the public about their relationship. From the start, they’ve been clear that they’re not rushing to get married and are ins
Schoolgirl Chloe Bridgewater, from Hereford, melted hearts around the world when she sent a handwritten letter to Google asking for a job for when she grows up.
The ELO system, which most chess federations use today, ranks players by the results of their games. Although simple and efficient, it overlooks relevant criteria such as the quality of the moves play
Researchers inspired by efforts to promote green energy, are exploring the factors driving commercial customers in Southern California, both large and small, to purchase and install solar photovoltaic
Neuroscientists have long noted that if certain brain cells are destroyed by, say, a stroke, new circuits may be laid in another location to compensate, essentially rewiring the brain. Researchers hav
Ivanka Trump has brushed aside groans and hisses over her father's track record with women as she made her first international outing as a White House adviser at a high-profile meeting in Berlin
Chinese phone maker ZTE has announced a new 6-inch smartphone called the Max XL. The handset is exclusively available from Sprint’s Boost Mobile and only costs $129.99.
At the end of last month, the first seven start-ups became the first cohort to graduate from the GCHQ Cyber Accelerator, powered by Wayra UK. GCHQ is the UK's intelligence and security organisation re
Pokémon Go players using third-party trackers to find the game’s rarest monsters may want to take notice. Niantic has demanded that the creators of PokeSensor and PokeSearch discontinue work on their
Search giant says it's seeking to promote authoritative content and demote 'low quality' content such as Holocaust denials.
Professor Jason Wright, an associate professor in astrophysics at Pennsylvania State University, claims an ancient species of alien once lived in our solar system.
Colorado firm Webroot's anti-virus software began quarantining files needed by Windows to operate after an update designed to allow combat the latest online threats was sent out yesterday.
They’ve been on the run together for a while, and he has sworn to her many times that he is in love with her and wants to be with her for the rest of his life. Now, Nicole will finally let her guard
An industrial robot made by Swiss robotics manufacturer Staubli was reprogrammed for the reckless prank. The sharp blade of the bot is seen narrowly missing cutting off digits in the video.
Starbucks (NASDAQ:SBUX), with the success of its Unicorn Frappuccino, has become one of a handful of companies that have managed to master the art of capturing public attention. Call it car-crash pub
Scientists from the Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii found that levels of carbon dioxide have reached record highs of 410 parts per million (stock image).
How lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries behave under short-circuit conditions can now be examined using a new approach to help improve reliability and safety.
A strain of anthrax-causing bacterium thought to have been viable 80 years after a thwarted World War I espionage attack, was, in reality, a much younger standard laboratory strain, a team of internat
From the earliest days of our solar system's history, collisions between astronomical objects have shaped the planets and changed the course of their evolution. Studying the early bombardment history
Samsung has now admitted that its Galaxy S8’s facial recognition technology is not fit for carrying out mobile payments. The feature is said to be not as secure as fingerprint and iris recognition, a
Wikipedia co-founder Jimmy Wales is set to launch Wikitribune, a crowdfunded news source based on a model of impartiality to fight the rise of ‘fake news’.
After the Monday night episode of “Basketball Wives,” Season 6 cast members Evelyn Lozada and Tami Roman decided to speak out on the drama that transpired on episode 2. Once the episode aired, Tami t


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Over a week ago reports have spread online that Microsoft has a new vision for the Xbox platform where some exclusives will be seen on Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 5. Reports include games like Hi-Fi Rush, Sea of Thieves, or even Indiana Jones And The Great Circle. Phil Spencer then addressed social media that they plan to share details on their vision for the future of Xbox in the next week.
Today, Microsoft announced they will be sharing an update on the Xbox business through the Official Xbox Podcast featuring Phil Spencer, Sarah Bond, and Matt Booty. This podcast episode will drop on February 15, 2024, at 3 PM ET / 12 PM PT on the official Xbox YouTube channel.
Please join us for a special edition of the Official Xbox Podcast.
Hear from Phil Spencer, Sarah Bond and Matt Booty as they share updates on the Xbox business. pic.twitter.com/TxwWJVUbgx
— Xbox (@Xbox) February 12, 2024
This is one of the first times that we have seen Microsoft address something this major through the Official Xbox Podcast. It will be interesting to see what information the leaders of Xbox will be able to share about the future of their platform.


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M:Lab East Africa officially opened
MOBILEBy BiztechAfrica - June 16, 2011, 3:50 p.m.
The World Bank, together with Nokia, Kenya’ s iHub consortium and other stakeholders, have officially opened a mobile business incubation hub for East Africa.
The new facility, m-Lab East Africa, will serve as an incubation centre for new business in the mobile space. The facility is situated in Nairobi, Kenya, and will initially house seven start-ups.
The facility, based at Bishop Magua Building on Ngong Road, is hosted by the iHub Consortium that includes Nairobi’ s iHub, eMobilis, the World Wide Web Foundation, and the University of Nairobi School of Computing and Informatics.
The centre was officially opened this week, after the close of Pivot25, a conference staged for the mobile application sector in the city. This event, sponsored by Samsung and Nokia, among others, included the opportunity for 24 mobile application developers pitch their applications to an industry panel.
m-Lab will assist entrepreneurs with infrastructure, as well as technical and business training. It aims to foster innovation and the growth of Kenya’ s ICT sector as a whole.
Dr. Bitange Ndemo Permanent Secretary at Kenya’ s Ministry of ICT, told guests at the official opening: “ We must move to change from a minimalist approach as a government to something better. We are going to do whatever it takes. We must begin to invest in research. We must free up the government data. I have persuaded the Ministry of Planning and Ministry of Health and they have given us government data to open up to the public. We are currently putting it into a format so all can access it online.”
“A problem to overcome is that people don’ t collaborate enough. If we can begin to widen and collaborate through facilities like m:lab, the mobile applications emerging from the region will become more successful.”
“In Kenya, it’ s clear is a lot of potential in ICT,” World Bank country director, Johannes Zutt said. “ We are working with Kenya to promote areas where we think it will flourish – tourism and ICT.” He said that in Kenya, it is clear that ICT is one of the sectors where Kenya has been doing very well and thus there is a lot of potential for Kenya.
m-Lab East Africa is one of the labs World Bank is supporting globally through the infoDev programme, in partnership with Nokia and the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland.
It has also selected hosts for m-Labs in South Africa, Armenia, Pakistan and Vietnam. Ken Oyolla, general manager for Nokia East and Southern Africa said the firm will support testing labs with equipment, training and events.
Finnish ambassador Heli Sirve, noted that Finland considers innovation and ICT as an important part of its development strategy. Private-public partnerships can be particularly important (like that of Nokia, Government of Finland and infoDev). Technological innovation can turn into economic growth in almost any sector. She said: “ I hope that m:lab will succeed in generating new mobile applications and improve people’ s lives in Kenya and East Africa. An old town in Finland, 25 years ago started a similar “ m:lab” and today, the people of the region have benefited greatly and are very successful.”
Paul Kukubo, CEO of Kenya’ s ICT Board, said at the opening: “When you talk about an ecosystem, you talk about the talent, the academic community, the researchers, the partners, and the developers. But you also have to talk about the leadership! We are very lucky to have Dr. Ndemo to set the tone of this sector in Kenya. We need to appreciate that this sector has gone through a very nice ride up to this point, thanks in large part to Dr. Ndemo. The enormous energy of the entrepreneurs in the past year is really encouraging and exciting.”
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- Google confirms that Android 12 will be official in August.
- It brings new widget pages.
- The dark mode also improved.
The developers of the Mountain View company Google is working on the next generation of Android operating system that is the Android 12 and now the company has rolled out the second developer preview of the upcoming operating system. So without making any further delay lets dive into the article to check out all the available information about the latest developer preview.
Google has rolled out its second developer preview to the users of Google Pixel Smartphones and only Pixel 3 series and above can able to download the developer preview. It is also confirmed that the company will bring the stable version of the Android operating system in the month of August this year.
The latest developer preview of the upcoming Android 12 is coming with bug fixes and improves the features along with the new implementation. The developers of the Android 12 has made a significant change to the dark mode in Android 12 developer preview 2 and now it changes from pure black to a lighter grey colour.
Android 12 developer preview 2 is also bringing the new one-hand mode and gestures and that is for opening the notification bar. It is also available with three options. The first option will allow users to turn on and off the new feature and the second option will enable users to set the feature off automatically while the third option will enable users to make an option to exit the one-handed mode after a set time.
The developers of the operating system also brings the new widget selection pages and the media center of the notification bar and now the same adapt with the theme. The Android 12 developer preview 2 will also bring a new feeling to the colour, lock screen, pin code input, and interface pattern.
So what are your thoughts on the latest developer preview? Do let us know in the comments section below and stay tuned with us for more interesting information from the technological world at your fingertips.
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