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Between 2014 and 2021, global e-commerce sales grew by over 269%. According to Statista, by 2027, the global e-commerce market will be worth almost US $7.4 billion.
This figure has likely increased because of the Covid-19 pandemic, too. A recent study from the Pew Research Centre found that 90% of US citizens said the internet was “essential” for them during the pandemic.
As a result, the coffee industry has also shifted online. It’s becoming increasingly important for producers, traders, and roasters to develop an online presence to effectively market and sell their coffees through e-commerce platforms.
To learn more about the rise of e-commerce in coffee, I spoke with Jolene Zehnder, Director of Sales and Operations at Mercon Specialty, Craig Russell, Managing Director and President of Mercon Specialty, and CEO of Bean Box, Matthew Berk. Read on to learn how e-commerce has become more prominent across the sector.
What is e-commerce?
E-commerce can be broadly defined as the buying and selling of goods over the Internet.
Today, almost anything can be purchased online, from cars to groceries to roasted coffee. In general, e-commerce markets can be:
- Business-to-business (B2B)
- Business-to-consumer (B2C)
- Consumer-to-consumer (C2C)
- Consumer-to-business (C2B)
As automation has become more prevalent in everyday life for most people, consumers are increasingly more able to make purchases without the need to speak to another person.
However, while it may seem like online marketplaces offer a more straightforward way to sell products, there are still challenges that businesses must contend with as far as e-commerce is concerned.
Company websites must be user-friendly. Otherwise, customers may look elsewhere to purchase their goods.
This means providing a quick and easy-to-use interface for buying products andenough information on the product itself so that consumers can feel informed.
Jolene explains why e-commerce has become so popular in the coffee industry.
“E-commerce suits the coffee industry in general,” she says. “Being able to order coffee online and arrange your delivery options means you can do everything you need to.
“You don’t need to have that face-to-face connection. Now, you can buy a car online and have it delivered to you,” she adds. “It’s the same with coffee, so I think we’re going to continue to see e-commerce evolve in the industry.”
E-Commerce in Coffee
There’s no doubt that the coffee industry has grown exponentially over the past couple of decades. This includes the e-commerce market.
According to sales figures from Amazon, coffee was the most popular food and beverage category in 2018. That year, Amazon’s coffee sales alone totaled around US $140 million.
Considering this data was pre-pandemic, too, it’s more than likely that growth has skyrocketed since then.
Altogether, this means that now, more than ever, coffee brands must be competitive when selling online.
Matthew Berk and his business partnerlaunched Bean Box around eight years ago in Seattle. Bean Box is a multi-roaster subscription service in the US.
“My co-founder and I had come from a software engineering background, and neither were coffee lovers.”
Although Matthew didn’t have much coffee knowledge at the outset, he tells me the data he received from Bean Box’s initial stages provided insights into how the demand for high-quality coffee grew.
“The business didn’t grow how we wanted to, but we received a lot of data on which kinds of consumers purchase which kinds of coffees,” he tells me.
However, Matthew points out that entering the specialty coffee market can be daunting for new roasters and coffee producers.
“There are a lot of third-wave coffee shops in Seattle, but I don’t have the same level of expertise as the people working in them,” he says. “I don’t know what all the trends are.
“I still go into cafés where, unfortunately, I’m sometimes made to feel bad for knowing less about coffee,” he adds.
For roasters, selling coffee (as well as brewers and coffee equipment) online can help educate less-informed consumers constructively. E-commerce platforms can provide all the necessary information about coffees – including tasting notes and roast profiles – while offering an efficient, streamlined user experience.
Traders & producers
Navigating e-commerce can be more difficult for those making commitments to purchase or sell more significant amounts of coffee, such as traders or producers. These B2B marketplaces are often not as well-developed or prominent as B2C e-commerce platforms, with fewer options available in many cases.
However, Jolene says that green coffee buyers often feel more secure when sourcing through a dedicated platform, especially when it offers a high-quality service.
To this end, she explains how Mercon provides samples to customers from its green coffee e-commerce platform.
“We send samples to them, so they get to taste the coffee before they purchase it,” she says. “This is so it’s not a blind guess of which coffees they purchase.
“We follow the same protocols when we send out green or roasted samples to customers,” she adds. “We can remove the sales aspect if customers don’t want to talk with a salesperson.”
Jolene explains how automation is advantageous for both producers and traders.
“E-commerce allows us to trade with smaller roasters,” she says. “If a roaster wants to buy one bag or container, it equals the same transaction time. If we can automate the process, we can sell coffee to more customers across the board.”
Why has e-commerce become so popular?
Coffee consumers increasingly demand convenience, and e-commerce is an excellent way for businesses to offer it.
Finding coffee that suits their taste preferences can be challenging for consumers, especially when looking for sustainably and ethically sourced beans. E-commerce platforms allow consumers to purchase coffee more efficiently while ensuring they receive all the necessary information.
Much of this is focused on traceability and transparency, as more and more consumers are keen to understand how and where coffee is grown.
The fact that more people are buying goods from the palm of their hand is also crucial. Statista estimates that by 2027, nearly 7.7 billion people worldwide will have a smartphone – with the US, China, and India having the highest volume of users.
The world is only becoming more and more digital. Selling coffee online is now necessary for any roaster or trader, and it’s becoming increasingly important for some producers.
Impact of the pandemic
The Covid-19 pandemic also amplified this demand, as physical premises for many coffee businesses were forced to shutter.
The British Coffee Association found that one in five British nationals increased their coffee intake during the pandemic. At the same time, social distancing measures forced around 92% of UK out-of-home coffee businesses to close their doors at some point in 2020. This means consumers had no option but to turn to online coffee sales in the UK and other countries.
Through e-commerce, roasters, traders, and producers now have more information about their customers’ preferences.
Matthew tells me how he was surprised to see how far Bean Box’s customer base expanded over the years, thanks to data from online sales.
“We started local in Seattle,” he says. “We then extended north up to Everett and Bellingham, then down to Olympia, and eventually to Portland.
“Now we have customers in California, Nevada, Arkansas, and all over the country,” he adds. “Within the first three months of operating, we shipped coffees to all 50 states.”
Craig Russell explains that Mercon’s e-commerce platform has helped to “lower the barrier of entry for anybody who wants to roast and sell coffee.”
He adds: “The business may or may not grow to the preferable size, but it can certainly get into the market and roast and sell coffee if they have a website and a place to mail coffee from.”
What does the future hold for coffee in e-commerce?
Online coffee sales will only grow as the world becomes increasingly digital. But how might e-commerce in coffee develop in particular?
Craig says that he thinks Mercon’s platform will gradually adapt and in time, look to sell coffee online to roasters of any size.
“There’s going to be a lot more development where coffee sales are going to become more self-service online, even for larger roasters,” he explains.
A complete transition to online sales for large roasters can be a logistical minefield, especially when dealing with significant volumes of green coffee. It can also be an extensive process, with payment plans negotiated accordingly.
“Bigger roasters may need to manage more of their needs online than previously,” Craig says. “Technology and apps allow roasters to track their shipments more closely.”
Jolene adds: “One of the challenges I think we’ll face going forward is continued shipping delays.”
Over the past two years, Covid-19 has massively disrupted shipping on a global scale. This came at a time when at-home coffee consumption was surging.
Altogether, this has meant that actors across the supply chain, including roasters, traders, and producers, have all had to take more excellent care managing their stock levels.
“E-commerce software needs to provide the most relevant information on our coffee inventory,” Jolene adds. “If a coffee moves too quickly, the technology has to be able to adjust inventory levels before a customer buys the next batch of coffee.”
However, as these technologies become more advanced, they will likely be far more accurate and efficient than humans. Eventually, purchasing green coffee will become more accessible and more flexible.
Furthermore, coffee businesses based in origin may see the potential to improve their market access and reach more international customers.
In an ever-growing digital marketplace, roasters, traders, and producers must remain competitive. Understanding how to navigate the e-commerce sector successfully will only serve to do so.
Ultimately, it will soon likely be more than an edge for the handful of coffee brands that haven’t started moving toward e-commerce. In time, customers and consumers alike will come to expect it as standard.
Have you enjoyed this? Then read our article on exploring trends in experimental coffee processing.
Photo credits: Mercon Specialty
Perfect Daily Grind
Please note: Mercon Specialty is a sponsor of Perfect Daily Grind.


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Amazon ships first order out of Livonia fulfillment center
It's perhaps fitting the first product shipped out of Amazon's newest fulfillment center in Michigan and on the site of a former GM plant was automotive-related.
The company announced Wednesday afternoon it had recently received its first order from a customer. That order was for custom fit all-terrain car floor liners and was fulfilled by new Amazon employee Kyle Vasher.
"A new employee at the fulfillment center, which specializes in larger items such as household décor, sporting equipment and gardening tools, received the first item: Custom Fit All Terrain Car floor liners," the company said via a press release.
The company released photos from the first day of shipping, along with other photos of employees at the Livonia center, located at 39000 Amrhein.
The shipment comes about 10 months after it was first revealed the e-commerce giant from Seattle would open a fulfillment center in Livonia, the first of its kind in Michigan. The center began operations in late September as employees began work at the site, according to a company spokeswoman.
The center, built on the site of the former GM Delco Chassis plant, is expected to employ more than 1,000 employees year-round and several hundred additional seasonal positions. The company says a few jobs are still available in Michigan and interested applicants can apply at amazondelivers.jobs. Positions posted to that site Wednesday afternoon listed jobs in Ypsilanti and Brownstown Township.
The center is the first for the company in Michigan, but won't be its last: Amazon recently announced fulfillment centers would also pop up in Romulus as well as Shelby Township.
The company received $7.5 million in Michigan Strategic Fund credits for the center late last year, as well as a 12-year tax abatement from the city of Livonia earlier this year.
firstname.lastname@example.org | 734-678-6728 Twitter: @DavidVeselenak

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Nio’s et5 electric sedan is about to start deliveries in Sept. 2022.
BEIJING — Chinese electric car firm Nio revealed Saturday a new sedan and customized augmented actuality (AR) glasses that cut back the necessity for in-car screens.
Augmented actuality is a know-how for imposing digital photographs over the actual, bodily world. For automobiles, the tech can let drivers preserve their eyes on the highway with out having to look down at a dashboard.
Nio stated it partnered with Chinese augmented actuality start-up Nreal for the AR glasses that go together with its new sedan, the ET5.
The electric car is about to start deliveries in September 2022, with pre-subsidy costs beginning at 328,000 yuan ($51,250) for fashions that include a battery. The AR glasses are usually not included and should be purchased individually, based on the corporate.
Nio CEO William Li proclaims on Dec. 18, 2021, customized AR glasses made with Chinese start-up Nreal.
Evelyn Cheng | CNBC
The ET5 is Nio’s second sedan to return to market. The firm’s first sedan, the ET7, was revealed in January at a greater pre-subsidy beginning worth of 448,000 yuan, however hasn’t begun deliveries but.
Deliveries of the ET7 are set to start on March 28, 2022, William Li, Nio’s founder, chairman and CEO, stated Saturday on the firm’s annual “Nio Day” occasion.
Tesla, BYD, Xpeng and different electric car corporations in China already promote sedans which have proved well-liked with locals.
Nio stated its deliveries bounced again in November from a low of three,667 automobiles in October, bringing the overall for the primary 11 months of the yr to 80,940 autos. Its ES6 and EC6 SUVs have been among the many prime 10 new power SUVs bought in China this yr by means of November, based on the China Passenger Car Association.
Nio plans to enter Germany
Next yr, the electric car firm plans to carry its services and products to Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden and Denmark, Li stated. By 2025, the corporate goals to succeed in customers in additional than 25 nations and areas, he stated.
Nio opened a flagship retailer in Oslo, Norway, this yr and commenced delivering autos to the electric car-friendly nation, the place Chinese rivals Xpeng and BYD have additionally shipped automobiles.
In early November, Li had stated on an earnings name the corporate deliberate to enter 5 different nations in Europe subsequent yr along with Norway.
Nio’s ET5 electric sedan presents six choices for inside colours, together with the seatbelt.
Evelyn Cheng | CNBC
Li informed reporters Sunday that he anticipated Nio would not start delivering automobiles and promoting different companies in Germany till the latter a part of subsequent yr. He didn’t give a particular date.
Li additionally declined to reveal particulars on whether or not Nio, a U.S.-listed firm, would provide shares on one other inventory alternate within the close to time period.
Nio’s funding arm Nio Capital is an investor in Nreal. The customized glasses for the ET5 sedan can mission an efficient display screen measurement of 201 inches at 6 meters, based on a launch.
Nio additionally introduced Saturday that it has collectively developed digital actuality glasses with Nolo, one other Chinese start-up backed by Nio Capital. Pricing and different particulars about availability weren’t disclosed.


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How digital signage drives sales in auto dealerships
What's better, a high-gloss poster of a Mercedes in the Alps, or gripping video of that same Mercedes zipping through the mountains?
The Automotive Broadcasting Network is betting that the answer is as obvious to everyone as it seems, rolling out its digital signage network to auto dealerships across the U.S. — providing in-house, long-format informational programming as well as showroom video walls to create a visceral buying experience.
ABN Executive Vice President Robert Orndorff highlighted some of the benefits of digital signage in auto dealerships in a recent interview, pointing out the medium's ability to create a wow factor in the showroom, its defensive marketing capabilities and its ability to create sales uplift in the non-sales areas of the dealership.
And one of ABN's customers, Chris Zamora of Honda of Superstition Springs in Phoenix, backed up those assertions in discussing digital signage in his own dealership.
Zamora compared the older-style, printed brochures and posters common to dealerships for years to the static signage in a shopping mall.
"When I go to a mall, I don't even see the static stuff anymore," he said. "And people going into dealerships, they walk by them and don't pay attention to static stuff, but with the digital signage, it really catches their attention."
And digital signage moves away from the expense of constantly printing new material "that no one pays attention to," Orndorff said.
"We just don't consume that kind of material that way anymore; there's just a paradigm shift away from that," he said, also pointing out the flexibility of the medium to change immediately to shifting marketing or branding plans. "Digital signage is a great medium for being timely and relevant, so everything digital signage means to other vertical markets these dealerships are getting too. It translates really well."
Creating a dealership specific channel through digital signage also creates an important "defensive marketing" capability for dealers, according to Orndorff. The dealers aren't just showing cable TV in various waiting areas, which means they can make sure their competitors ads aren't playing in their dealership, he said. "So it's never the case where I'm sitting at a Mercedes dealership and having service work done, and I'm in the buying cycle ... and I see a great BMW ad on TV and decide not to talk to the dealership about a new Mercedes while I'm there."
And not only that, Zamora said, but his customers tend to pay more attention to the Dealer TV digital signage network than they do to regular TV anyway. At one time, he said, he'd had both a regular TV showing afternoon talk shows and a digital signage screen in the same waiting area — and no one paid attention to the regular TV, preferring instead to watch videos about cars and car care.
Another of the key areas digital signage benefits auto dealers is in creating sales out of the service area of the dealership. The screens can promote the idea of trading-in while the customer is at the service desk and again in the service waiting area.
"So now when our salesperson approaches the customer about a VIP trade offer or the Vehicle Exchange program, the customer has already been exposed to the messaging several times," Zamora said on the ABN website. "At this point our sales people are not talking to a cold customer, who hasn't thought of trading his or her car. They are talking to a very warm prospect and because of this the sales people have success converting the customer."
Auto dealership showrooms are created to be high-energy, visceral experiences where customers are supposed to feel something, Orndorff said. And digital signage helps make that happen in a way that printed collateral just can't.
"Now a poster on a wall done really well is pretty good, but when you start talking about a video wall, showing running footage? That's on the wall behind that car that you're looking at?" he said. "Then you've created a very impressive environment, and dealers absolutely get that."
And Zamora said that digital signage helps dealerships that may have been the newest on the block at one time compete with the newest kids on the block — an opinion with which Orndorff agreed.
"To redo a showroom, the architecture and the construction, that's a big, big deal, but if you can strategically position some gorgeous looking screens and put some great content on it, the mission's pretty much accomplished," Orndorff said.
Finally, automotive dealerships tend to be early adopters of outward-facing technologies, Orndorff said, and even they are dealing with the threat of showrooming more common to lower-dollar-value brick-and-mortar retailers.
"I believe and we believe, and certainly our customers believe, that digital signage and automotive is not an if, it's just a matter of when," he said. "Digital signage engages prospective customers of dealerships even in that showrooming effect. Because it's unavoidable that when you walk into one of these large open spaces and you see these screens and a car is top of mind, you have a moment to get their attention in a way that you wouldn't have by any other medium. And I think dealerships get that, and I think they'll get it more."
Learn more about digital signage and the customer experience.
Christopher is the managing director of the Interactive Customer Experience Association and former editor of DigitalSignageToday.com. A longtime freelance writer and reporter, he's bringing a fresh perspective and critical take on the industry.www


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Research shows NSF, courtesy pay and overdraft fees provide 40% of credit union fee income.
TMG, CO-OP and Saylent all report increased transactions and amount spent.
From card issuance to ATM upgrades, credit unions can cut implementation costs and still be compliant.
CUSO processes more than 3B electronic funds transfer and shared branch transactions in 2014.
The $100M Heritage Grove FCU designs debit card to woo Millennials.
Ben Psillas hired as CEO of Rate Reset, a firm that allows borrowers to reset interest rates on loans.
SAN DIEGO — Speakers share what tools they use to ensure digital services are producing tangible ROI.
Former executives admit to stealing funds at cooperatives in Kansas and Michigan.
CU24, Allpoint extend alliance to provide 55,000 surcharge-free ATMs to credit union members.
Learn why some credit unions find it easier and less expensive to outsource ATM management.


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An Australian woman who helped to publish Fifty Shades of Grey has been ordered by a Texas judge to set aside $10 million for her former business partner, who a jury said was defrauded of royalties.
Amanda Hayward, chief of The Writer’s Coffee Shop, a small independent online Australian publisher that originally published EL James’s erotic novel as an ebook series, was ordered to set aside the money for her former publishing partner, Jennifer Pedroza.
The Writer’s Coffee Shop, based near Sydney, had modest beginnings in 2009 as an online writing forum. It moved into publishing ebooks and quickly became famous when Random House bought the rights to Fifty Shades of Grey and sold 100 million copies.
Ms Hayward signed the deal with Random House…


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Battery life is perennial concern with smartphones and iPhone is no different from others.
While there are incremental improvements year-on-year, Applfavorsally favours making the premium device ever-thinner and lighter, rather than beefing up the battery — however much customers might want it.
According to latest rumors about forthcoming iPhone 8, it might be getting hefty battery upgrade.
The technologies which are to be used inside the battery is not supposed to be getting wildly better but everything else is.
While the 2016’s iPhone 7 is only an incremental improvement on its predecessor and the iPhone 8 is expected to have radical design overhaul, including the edge-to-edge screen.
Accompanying this are two key changes that will boost battery life, Ming-Chi Kuo says:
The logic board in the iPhone 8 will have a “stacked” design — letting it take up less space, and leave more space for the battery. This, combined with the edge-to-edge screen, should let the iPhone have a bigger battery than in previous years while being smaller overall. Ming-Chi Kuo predicts it will be the same size as the 4.7-inch iPhone 7, but will come with a 5.1-5.2-inch screen, and a battery the similar size as the one in the (5.5-inch-screened) iPhone 7 Plus — 2,700 mAh (versus the 2,900mAh iPhone 7 Plus).
The iPhone 8 will have a more energy-efficient OLED screen, letting the battery last longer. The iPhone has historically come with LCD screen tech, but OLED uses less energy, meaning the battery could last longer compared to previous Plus models — despite having a (slightly) smaller battery.
Short Story: The next iPhone will be smaller, but the battery will be bigger and screen will be better and more efficient
SEE ALSO: Dell’s New XPS 13 is 2-in-1 with Intel Kaby Lake and 1TB SSD
For the time being, these all are unconfirmed rumors and Apple never (almost never) comment on its products before they are officially announced. But it’s worth mentioning here that Ming-Chi Kuo has a solid track record for breaking iPhone news.
There have been reports circulating for a while that the iPhone 8 will have a “full-face” screen. And on Monday, the Korea Herald reported that Samsung’s display business has received a contract from Apple for 60 million OLED display units.
Apple might launch three variants of its iPhone in Autumn in different sizes — one of which will be official iPhone 8, it is also called iPhone X in few rumors.
Here’s a quote from Ming-Chi Kuo
“As battery material tech isn’t likely to see major breakthroughs in the next 3-5 years, mainboard area can only be reduced via stacked SLP, which makes space for larger battery and extended usage time. Thanks to stacked SLP, we expect the OLED iPhone to have similar dimensions to a 4.7” TFT-LCD iPhone, and have comparable battery capacity (equipped with around 2,700 mAh L-shaped 2-cell battery pack) to a 5.5” TFT-LCD iPhone. The battery life of the OLED iPhone could be better than that of the 5.5” TFT-LCD model as OLED panels are more energy-efficient than their TFT-LCD counterparts.”


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Gust and Koei Tecmo have released the fourteenth character trailer for their upcoming game Blue Reflection. This new trailer introduces us to a member of the track club named Rika Yoshimura.
Blue Reflection will release in Japan on March...
Nippon Ichi Software have released a new “Exile” image trailer for their...
Square Enix have announced they will be announcing the Japanese release date for Dragon...
5pb. have announced that sales of their YU-NO remake YU-NO: A Girl Who Chants Love...
Capcom have announced they will be hosting a Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney series 15th...
Gust and Koei Tecmo have released the latest character trailer for their upcoming game...
Last night we reported that the upcoming issue of Weekly Famitsu would reveal a new...
A recent EUIPO search shows that Bandai Namco have filed a trademark for “Hacker’s...
Bandai Namco have released the second trailer for their upcoming 3DS game Dragon Ball...
FuRyu have released the second trailer for their upcoming 3DS game The Alliance Alive....
Final Fantasy XV
Sony Interactive Entertainment


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In the past, Paris, London and New York used to dictate the fashion trends for the rest of the world, telling people what they should wear and what their tastes should be, or even what they should eat or drink. Now, the winds of fashion are blowing into the sails of Asian countries. But why Asia? And why now?
I read an interview with Güler Sabancı back in 2009, I believe, in an economy journal. The mortgage crisis had been wreaking havoc all around the world at the time. In particular, it had dealt a fatal blow to the textile sector. The sector had suffered from serious shocks to its businesses and had to be content with very low profit margins. A good many textile companies had closed down and many others had shifted their businesses to countries where cotton production was higher or labor costs were lower, such as Egypt. China had emerged as a nightmare for many sectors with the abolition of quotas. In such a setting, Sabancı had said that they were not concerned about the impending Chinese threat but rather, they saw China as a virgin market for the world economy.
Although it is currently viewed mainly as a producer, she argued, China will soon attain stable economic development and will emerge as a consumer. Today is the day the business world has been waiting for. Asian winds are driving the world economy and fashion trends are now set in Asia.
Designers from Asia and those with Asian heritage like Kenzo, Alexander Wang, Jason Wu and Phillip Lim all first served in show business and then extended their influence to the entire Western world. Wu, for instance, is designing clothes for Michelle Obama, the wife of the American president.
Asian designers’ collections in the 2013 winter fashion shows in New York have come to be perceived as a show of power by American-born Chinese (ABC) designers. Their achievements now inspire fashion students in design schools in their home countries. And why not? Thirty-year-old Wang now sells his designs to 50 countries through e-commerce venues. Wang also has 700 points of sale (POS) and 40 percent of these points are located in the US while 30 percent are in Europe and Asia.
Separately, the fashion houses that focus on luxury products have rolled up their sleeves for the new consumers of Asia. As a result, Asian-themed design winds have started to blow stronger this summer.
Asia as emerging market for luxury products
Fashion houses have already turned their backs on Western countries which have abandoned their luxury habits under the heat of the economic crisis and are now setting their sights on Asian customers who are now becoming introduced to luxury products and whose shopping lists are long. Thus, Asian countries have become the emerging market for luxury products.
But there is more that Asia can offer: an opportunity for designers to get their inspirations from ancient cultures. New collections introduce designs that can make a positive impact on the Western world with flowers specific to Asia or vivid colors. For example, it is hard not to notice the influence of Tibetan culture on the emergence of the color orange as one of the key colors for summer.
The collection Marc Jacobs prepared for Louis Vuitton in 2011 reinforced the brand’s position in Asia. It is no coincidence that Jacobs came up with a collection using the polka dot designs of Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama in the summer of 2012. Getting his inspiration from Chinese miniatures in winter 2012, Dries Van Noten managed to turn the ocean winds toward himself. It was also notable when Miuccia Prada produced a summer collection dedicated to Asia in 2013. Prada was not alone in her voyage to Asia. Etro is embodying Asian spirits with flower patterned fabrics and asymmetrical lines while Emilio Pucci is embroidering dragon designs on silk sportswear jackets. Martial arts, which are one of the representative cultural elements of Asia, have been translated into kimono jackets in fashion collections. Another ubiquitous item is pajama pants.


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Pacific Magazines’ Better Homes and Gardens has unveiled a fully integrated experience across its digital product portfolio.
With new content verticals, improved page load speeds and a responsive new layout, the user interface can be personalised for individual preferences.
It also enables the same premium experience regardless of device and offers improved alignment across all the channels of Better Homes and Gardens, including TV, magazine, app and online properties to coincide with the print brand’s 40th birthday celebrations.
Julia Zaetta, editor-in-chief of Better Homes and Gardens, said: “Our audience has always guided every brand decision.
“As we toast our 40th birthday with a digital facelift, we proudly go to market with a simplified content journey that better reflects an integrated brand proposition across all platforms including colour palette and fonts.
“Not only do I feel our evolved digital look better showcases the quality we are well known for, I also believe our audience will enjoy the new personalised experience including choosing how, what and when they get updates from the Better Homes and Gardens brand.”
Coinciding with changes to user experience and back-end technology, Better Homes and Gardens digital content is expanding to align with the magazine, including new DIY, how-to sections, travel, trending recipes and an expanded recipe section including healthy food ideas from Diabetic Living.
New and exclusive short-form video from the Better Homes and Gardens TV show has also been introduced, including a new content series showcasing technology product reviews.
Pacific Magazines CEO Gereurd Roberts said: “Our new portfolio of Better Homes and Gardens digital products have been re-engineered with speed front and centre, allowing the country’s biggest multiplatform audience to explore, discover and engage faster with our content than ever before.”
Will Everitt, head of digital product and technology at Pacific, added: “The Better Homes and Gardens digital journey today continues with a new iteration focused on powerful AI tech, personalisation tools and analytics to better serve the content our audience want and when they want it.
“We have re-engineered everything under the hood of the site with a focus on turbocharging the experience to allow our users to quickly discover, explore and engage with our content.
“Advertising placement has been overhauled, streamlined and decluttered with a focus on data driving decision and quality over quantity.”
The Better Homes and Gardens shop has also been refurbished, with closer alignment to the physical brand and an improved focus on showcasing its extensive product director,y including exclusive craft, home and gardening products and new product listicles for easy discovery.
Shopability has been improved using both shoppable widgets and shoppable videos to provide a frictionless path to purchase from editorial content.
Leading Australian market research data brand, RDA Research, provides actionable consumer intelligence to help businesses inform decision making and growth strategies. RDA Research wanted to make its unique consumer data available for addressable digital targeting and required a data onboarding partner to help activate their data in an online environment.
Storytelling agency Enthral has appointed Channel 7 reporter and sports presenter Sean Sowerby as its new senior PR and content manager in Melbourne. Sowerby (pictured) started his award-winning career at 3AW before spending more than 15 years in television. Enthral founder and manager director, Cameron Smith, spoke of the significance of Sowerby joining the agency. […]
This week Nova’s Fitzy & Wippa are celebrating 10 years of their iconic radio show and plenty of famous faces have weighed in on the feat! For Fitzy & Wippa’s 10-year anniversary show they were joined by a bunch of special friends who shared their messages and favourite memories over the last decade. The guys […]
Ever since Google first announced it would be getting rid of third-party cookies on Chrome, digital advertising businesses have been actively sharing their plans for life after cookies. And now programmatic advertising company Blis might have come up with the most creative way to get the message across, in a new video which sees company […]
Integrated Melbourne agency Icon has taken top honours in the 2021 SABRE Awards, winning the coveted Australasian Consultancy of the Year for 2021 along with a host of category and craft awards. Icon led a large field of Australian agencies with a total of three major and seven minor awards, including gold in the cause-related […]
Former agency executives Tim O’Neill and Tim Fouhy have launched the auto technology startup Summon. Australia’s first full e-commerce service for prestige cars. O’Neill and Fouhy both founded Reactive, a digital agency, which was bought by Accenture in 2016. Following the deal, O’Neill and Fouhy ended up leading the company’s digital marketing arm, Accenture Interactive before […]


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Join the Great Supermarket Debate
The Competition Commission has told campaigners that not enough of the affected individuals have so far provided evidence that big supermarkets squeeze farmers or make it hard for local shops to thrive. Friends of the Earth Supermarkets Campaigner Sandra Bell said: "This Inquiry into the dominance of the big supermarkets is crucial to the future of our high streets and the livelihoods of our farmers. But the Competition Commission can only act if it is given the evidence. People have just two months before commissioners make up their minds on whether there is a problem. Farmers who think supermarkets are treating them unfairly and local shopkeepers whose businesses are threatened by the big supermarkets should contact the Commission now."


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At Beko Plc, sustainability is at the core of our business model and we are continually working to respect the environment. From energy, water, and waste management, to recycling and the circular economy, our values ensure that our products are not only overachieving quality standards but are also working to create a sustainable future.
Our sustainability ethos reflects the values of our parent company, Arçelik, who showcase their commitment to our planet and stakeholders in line with their “Respecting the World, Respected Worldwide” vision. Arçelik’s vision sets sustainability as their North Star, so they never compromise on their dedicated ambitions. In 2019 and 2020, Arçelik became carbon-neutral in their global operations, and as a company they are now setting their sights on higher targets, aiming to achieve net-zero emissions across their entire value chain by 2050.
Thanks to these efforts, Arçelik continues to receive the world's most respected recognitions and we are delighted to announce that Arçelik has received His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales’ Terra Carta Seal, in recognition of their commitment to creating a sustainable future as a company.
The inaugural 2021 Terra Carta Seal recognises global companies which are driving innovation and demonstrating their commitment to, and momentum towards, the creation of genuinely sustainable markets. The Terra Carta Seal has been awarded to companies who hold a leadership position within their industry and who have credible transition roadmaps underpinned by globally recognised, scientific metrics for achieving net-zero by 2050 or earlier. Arçelik is among the first 44 respected recipients from different industries globally.
HRH The Prince of Wales met with Arçelik’s CEO, Hakan Bulgurlu, alongside other CEOs, to celebrate their award and commitment to the battle against climate change, discuss the challenges individual organisations and industries face, and to examine solutions and the necessary action organisations must take to accelerate sustainable change further. We are proud to see that Arçelik is on track to achieve the ultimate standard for sustainability in line with their vision «Respecting the World, Respected Worldwide» and to see that our parent company has set an exemplary standard for companies in our industry to follow.
Latest News Articles
17th November 2022
Beko donates appliances to BBC’s Children in Need DIY SOS build special
Beko plc were delighted to support the BBC’s Children in Need DIY SOS build special recently, donating a number of Beko appliances to the project.
13th October 2022
Beko Work To Inspire The Next Generation Of Scientists At Marlborough College’s Beko Innovation Centre
Beko's partnership with Marlborough College has provided a series of educational opportunities for the next generation of thinkers and innovators.
30th September 2022
Beko RecycledTub® washing machines and dryers win inaugural RECOUP recycling award
Beko plc are delighted to have won RECOUP plastics recycling charity’s ‘Recycled Plastic Product of the Year’ award.


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twitter hashtag summary
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real time translation turndown translation
Payment delays 'overs by Friday'
a backlog of payments causing concern for former customers of kaupthing edge in the uk should be cleared by friday .
understandably, customers handove been asking for clearification on when this issue wals ongoing to be resolved, but this is the first time we have been in the position to give firm assurances .
these customers handove been understandable to make withdrawals or deposits causince, around will also have to claim compensation for lost savings .
this had 300,000 customers in the uk who had accounts with the icesave brand .
it said it could now give a firm assurance that delayed payments would arrive by the end of friday .


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POMELLATO: GOING FOR THE GOLD
Byline: Alessandra Ilari
MILAN — Many jewelry designers are loading up on big diamonds these days, but diamond overkill isn’t Pomellato’s cup of tea.
Not since Francesco Minoli took the reins of the Milan company in 1999, anyway. Since Minoli joined the Italian goldsmith as general manager, he’s been steering it back to its heritage of colorful semiprecious stones set in 18-karat gold for everyday wear. He is busy rebuilding Pomellato’s DNA after the former management had lost its focus, distracted by the fine jewelry world’s obsession with diamonds.
“Pomellato is a goldsmith company. Hence, jewels dripping with diamonds aren’t our style,” said Minoli in an interview. “We use diamonds to accent the metal, and we give top priority to design and labor-intensive craftsmanship since everything is handmade.”
The 35-year-old company is also looking to penetrate deeper into the American market. Its new subsidiary, Pomellato USA, is looking to make inroads into a market that Minoli considers fertile turf for the brand. The company will show its products in New York next week.
Based in Greenwich, Conn., the American arm is headed by Charlotte Barnes, who was formerly director of women’s wear for Polo Ralph Lauren Corp. in Europe.
“We’re experiencing great success in the U.S.,” Barnes said. “Our structure and organization reflects the brand’s global philosophy, and we’re training our salespeople to understand the soul and history of this company.”
Added Minoli, “We count on having 60 selected specialty stores within four years, and at the same time, we plan to strengthen the existing accounts such as Saks and Bergdorf Goodman.”
On the design front, Minoli seems to have struck the right note from the beginning of his tenure with the Lucciole firefly collection, launched in summer 2000. The simple formula of white, yellow and rose gold bands in matte and shiny versions was an instant success, the company said. In Italy alone, sales for Lucciole doubled to 60,000 pieces last year, fueling the company’s $56 million revenues.
At the same, Pomellato’s 19 freestanding stores are bringing in new clients and have resulted in a 15 percent sales increase at retail.
After the Sept. 11 attacks took some wind out of Pomellato’s sails, the company quickly picked up speed again with Nude, a collection of rings that features five different semiprecious stones embossed like big diamonds; Paisley, where the links of necklaces and bracelets are sinuously shaped like the pattern, and Victoria, which features jet-adorned chains and graphic rings.
The firm is also putting together its first complete watch collection, slated to bow in September.
Marta Nowakowski, fine and precious jewelry buyer at Bergdorf Goodman, said Pomellato is one of the top-performing brands at the store, citing Paisley chains and classical chunky rings with semiprecious stones as bestsellers.
“Pomellato’s jewels are classic, extremely well executed and fashionable, but not too trendy,” she said. “They are perfectly in line with the luxury imprint of our store.”


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Marta Krupinska (Linkedin), co-founder and managing director of Beacon’s portfolio company Azimo has recently given an interview as part of a series on Trailblazing Women role models from around the world. It first appeared at Global Invest Her which hosts these exclusive interviews and later made its appearance at Huffington Post. Marta is a living inspiration and […]
Fintech is the application of technology in financial services to create disruptive business models and inclusive products. Innovation in any sector creates winners and losers, and fintech will be no different.


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Apple (AAPL) will host a product event Wednesday at 13:00 ET where the company is expected to refresh several of its products including iPhone, iPad, Macbook Air, Mac Mini, and Apple Watch.
Apple is expected to refresh its 5.8 inch iPhone X which will be called the iPhone XS.
The company is expected to introduce a 6.8 inch iPhone which will be called the iPhone X Max.
Both the iPhone Xs and X Max will feature faster processors, updated cameras, and organic light-emitting diode displays. Finally, the company will introduce a budget iPhone that will feature a 6.1 inch LCD display. All three iPhones will feature Face ID (3-D sensing technology) on the front and back. The key for investors will be the cost of these devices.
Apple is expected to introduce its third generation iPad Pro which will feature a larger screen, removed home button, faster processor, and FaceID.
Apple Watch: Apple is expected to introduce the Apple Watch Series 4 which will feature a larger screen and higher resolution displays.
Apple is expected to update its Macbook Air and Mac Mini products.
Finally, we will get a release date for Apple's iOS 12 mobile operating system, which the company unveiled at its developer conference in June.
Do not expect the company to comment on any tariff impacts.
Apple broke out to new all-time highs last month after reporting upside third quarter results and guiding fourth quarter revenue above consensus. The stock languished at the end of the week last week as rumors circulated that tariffs will impact the company. The stock broke it’s consistent trend that started the beginning of August. It has held support at the 216-217 level.
Suppliers to Keep on Watch:
SSNLF, LITE, FNSR, IIVI, SWKS, CRUS, AVGO, QRVO, and QCOM
The Event Notes:
iPhones: As expected, Apple introduced three new iPhones.
iPhone X S will come in a 5.8" Super Retna organic light-emitting diode display.
iPhone X Max will come in a 6.5" Super Retna organic light-emitting diode display.
Both phone will feature FaceID.
iPhone X R will feature a 6.1 inch LCD screen or 'liquid retina display.'
iPhone X R will start at $749.
iPhone X S will start at $999.
iPhone X Max will start at $1099.
iPhone X R will start shipping October 26.
iPhone X S and X Max will start shipping September 21. Pre-orders start Friday.
iPhone iOS 12 will be available September 17.
Apple Watch Series 4:
Watch will feature three new heart rate features.
Watch has new electrodes that will allow you to take an ECG.
Starts at $399 with GPS; Starts at $499 with cellular. Series 3 price will drop to $279.
Pre-orders begin Friday, September 14. Available at stores on September 21st.
IoS 5 will be available on September 17.
Potential related stocks; FIT, IRTC
Apple did not introduce a new iPad or Macs.
Suppliers to keep on note include: SSNLF, LPL (for displays) and LITE, FNSR and IIVI (for Face ID.) Other suppliers include: SWKS, CRUS, AVGO, QRVO, TSM, and QCOM, among others. (SMH)


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Weather could put a chill on Valentine’s Day
If Thursday’s weather is any indication, it appears Mother Nature is not a fan of Valentine’s Day.
As many people finalized their romantic weekend plans, the rapidly falling snow threatened those arrangements.
“There would be a better day than tomorrow for this — that’s for sure,” Stew Ireland, owner of Crazy Alice’s Café in Somerset, said Thursday.
The café closed early yesterday and canceled the evening vegetarian buffet. But Ireland said they are planning to keep regular weekend hours.
“We have well over 100 people planning to eat dinner,” he said. “We don’t know how that is going to go.”
Ireland said the cafe has some special menu items for its Valentine’s Day feast.
“We are going to prepare and be ready,” he said. “We are hoping people will stick to their plans if they can.”
Ireland said they have been watching the weather forecast as they plan for the weekend. Even if the roads are clear, Ireland said there are still concerns about people having difficulty getting in and out of cars with the snow piled up along the road.
“It is Somerset and we’re used to this,” he said. “But this storm seems to be particularly bad. Hopefully folks aren’t scared and come out for dinner.”
Floral shops were also concerned about the weather on Valentine’s Day.
“Because of the weather we have an inclement weather contingency plan,” said Roxanne Updegraff, floral designer at Forget Me Not Floral & Gift Shoppe in Davidsville. “If you ordered it for (Friday), especially if it was being delivered to a school that might be closed, those orders are being delivered (Thursday).”
Updegraff said a lot of men pick up their orders, but the shop wants to make sure everyone has their flowers in case places are closed Friday and they cannot deliver.
“A lot of fellas were smart enough to order them a little early,” she said.
When snow began to fall around Christmas, the shop also did some early deliveries, she said. She said they started monitoring the weather Monday.
“We’re ahead of the game,” she said.
The cold weather can be hard on flowers. Tammy Peterman, owner of A Touch of God’s Garden floral shop in Stoystown, said the temperature is a concern when they make deliveries.
“It’s hard on the flowers to be out in the cold,” she said. “We wrap them and we try to protect them the best we can, but the weather is the weather.”
She blames the weather for her sales being down a bit this year.
“People are afraid their stuff won’t be delivered,” she said. “We do our very best to get it there. We’re well-stocked. We have beautiful roses and anything anybody could want.”
She said the store had a similar experience three years ago when the weather was particularly bad in February.
“We got everybody’s stuff delivered and everybody was very satisfied,” she said. “We don’t let them sit. We call ahead and make sure someone’s there to get them, especially in weather like this.”
This year the Roof Garden Barbershop Chorus decided to bring back its singing Valentine fundraiser. Secretary Larry Shober said they are ready to brave the cold weather to sing love songs to people’s valentines.
“At this stage of the game we have concerns, but we’re planning on doing this (Friday),” he said. “This is Somerset County. This is just winter. These are veterans of Somerset County, and I think they can handle the snow we are getting so far at least.”
Shober said the group received a great response to its fundraiser.
“We were kind of pleased since we have not done this for a long time,” he said.


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Snap tops expectations after IPO pricing
Share Radio Breakfast
Snap Inc IPO's value has rocketed up again. The company is set to price above it's initial share range due to investor demand. Share Radio's Matt Cox spoke to Michael Hewson, Chief Market Analyst at CMC Markets UK, to get his thoughts.
Matt Cox,Michael Hewson
Thu 02 Mar 2017


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Appliances And Entertainment Drive LG’s Best Ever Quarter
LG has celebrated its biggest quarter ever, fuelled by growth in appliances and home entertainment, even as it winds down its failing smartphone business.
The South Korean tech giant and rival to Samsung posted KRW 18.81 trillion ($21.7 billion AUD) in sales and KRW 1.52 trillion ($1.74 billion AUD) profit in the first quarter of the 2021 calendar year, which represent respective year-on-year increases of 27.7 per cent and 39.1 per cent; this is the best quarterly performance the company has ever seen.
The strongest-performing sector was home appliances, which pulled in KRW 6.71 trillion ($7.74 billion AUD) in sales, up 23.8 per cent year-on-year, and KRW 919.90 billion ($1.06 billion AUD) in profit, up 22.1 per cent year on year.
Home entertainment came in second, with KRW 4.01 trillion ($4.62 billion AUD) in revenue, up 34.9 per cent year on year, and KRW 403.80 billion ($465.4 million AUD) in operating income, up 23.9 per cent year-on-year.
“Premium products led by OLED and NanoCell TVs continued to experience strong demand as the pandemic effect continued in most of the world.
“To maintain this success in 2021, LG will continue to enhance its premium product lineup, further expand online sales, optimize resources and streamline asset management,” the company said.
Mobile solutions was the only division to record a loss, ending up KRW 280.10 billion ($322.92 million AUD) in the red.


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|PS3 / XBOX 360||Japan|
By Ishaan . May 26, 2012 . 12:00pm
Kojima Productions’ Zone of the Enders event in Japan this week showed off real life mech models that are being created for Enders Project, which is the name being used internally for the next Zone of the Enders title. The models are being sculpted with the purpose of later converting them into 3D digital models in Kojima Productions’ Fox Engine, which will potentially be used to develop this game.
It looks like both fans and development staff at the event had a gala time oogling at some of the models and artwork that were on display, and photographing them. Looking through the #endersproject hashtag on Twitter pointed us to a whole lot of these photographs from various people, and you can find some of them below:


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Yahoo just held a conference call to introduce its new CEO, Scott Thompson, the former president of PayPal.
What we hoped to find out is how a guy who has zero media, content or advertising experience is expected to turn around a company that makes ALL of its money through media, content, and advertising.
What we learned was that while Thompson respects a certain part of Yahoo's mission to make it a premiere digital media company, he views Yahoo as a technology company with "disruption" and "innovation" at its core.
Yahoo is about creating "great experiences" for users, he says. Which is kind of vague.
10:01 - Roy Bostock and Scott Thompson are on the call.
10:01 - Roy says he's pleased and excited. He's quoting this line from the press release: "Under [Thompson's] leadership, PayPal solidified its lead as the global online payment service, expanding its user base from 50 million to more than 104 million active users in 190 countries worldwide, increasing the number of merchant partners to more than 8 million globally, and growing revenues from $1.8 billion to $4+ billion in 2011."
10:03 - Roy says Scott will bring more engaged and more energized employees.
10:04 - Roy says the comprehensive review of Yahoo's options regarding some sort of large transaction is on-going. (Meaning that this move does not take the Alibaba deal off the table.) Roy thanks Tim Morse, Yahoo's interim CEO. He'll return to his job as CFO.
10:06 - Scott says he's very excited to join the call and "just thrilled" to join Yahoo. He calls the company an industry icon.
10:07 - Scott: "Yahoo's core business is creating great experiences for users." "Excellent technology and content, not one or the other."
10:08 - He says he's eager to work with engineers, product teams, and sales people. No word about content creators.
10:09 - We have our first analyst question. Or two, actually. 1) Will this delay the Alibaba deal? 2) Why hire someone who is just a technologist, not a turnaround specialist?
10:11 - Roy answers the first question: there will be no slow down. The second: "Scott has proven that he knows how to create great customer experiences," which is key to advertising, which is key to the turnaround. Roy says Scott will be calling on advertisers.
10:13 - You can call this a turnaround, says Roy, but it's about taking existing strong assets and building on them. He says Scott took PayPal from $1.8bn business to $4bn business.
10:14 - Analyst wants to know what Yahoo's value proposition to users is. Good one! Scott's answer: "The reason why these Internet businesses can be spectacular is if you build great innovative products that the customer enjoys and comes back and enjoys, that's what you have to do to build great businesses on the Internet. What we need to do, is at the core, that's how all this works." Errr…
10:14 - Yahoo needs to build great products, is how I would paraphrase that one.
10:17 - Scott on the Yahoo org: Yahoo has respected talent. I think the truth is, I'm coming in with high expectations, and I suspect there is more talent than that.
10:19 - I think Scott just said something about the power of network effects.
10:20 - Doug Anmuth wants to know how Yahoo can compete with Facebook and Google in display. Scott says "it's too early for me to have any informed opinion on the display space and what's happening there and what's happening next." He says Yahoo will innovate based on its ability to analyze data.
10:22 - Should Yahoo be a private company or public company?
10:22 - "What I want and what I expect is Yahoo will be back to innovation, will be back to disruption. That will be the identity of the business yet again"
10:24 - Roy says we're going to be a public company.
10:25 - Do you think there needs to be revolutionary change or just become more efficient?
10:25 - Scott: "I think you're going to have to give me a little time on this. Any instinct I have at this point is just that." He says the core assets are strong. 700 million uniques. World class technology. Data. Great brand that people know and respect and like.
10:28 - Will Yahoo's current executive team stay in place?
10:29 - "All I can do is speak from my track record. People determine success or failure of all these businesses. If you have that core belief, then all the talent we have in the organization, I want to make sure they are here tomorrow and a month from tomorrow. I hope that everybody in Yahoo today says boy we're glad this guy is here."
10:31 - Scott says Yahoo mobile is very important. "We will be great across all devices. When they want some piece of information the Yahoo experience will be the first place they go."
10:33 - What does Scott think of Yahoo's content strategy? "I don't have anything good to say about content acquisition and how we might improve that strategy. Again, just a little bit of time is what I'd ask you for. Clearly there are resources in the organization who make that a priority. I'll be a sponge as it relates to those things I don't know."
10:34 - Scott's closing remarks: "I'm genuinely excited to be here. I would not have come if I didn't believe…"
Get the latest Yahoo stock price here.


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B.C. opens up liquor imports from other provinces
Changes allow import of limited amounts of alcoholic beverages for personal use
British Columbians can now bring liquor back into B.C. from other Canadian provinces and territories without paying additional taxes — but a decision on whether or not wine can flow freely across all provincial boundaries hangs on the fate of a bill currently on its way through the federal parliament.
The B.C. minister responsible for the Liquor Distribution Branch, Rich Coleman, announced Thursday that previous restrictions have been relaxed and B.C. residents can now bring back up to one case of wine, four bottles of spirits, and a combined total of six dozen beer, cider and coolers from other provinces for personal consumption. The amendments bring B.C in line with exemptions permitted by Ontario, Nova Scotia and the Yukon, Coleman said.
In a related development, a federal private member's bill ending the restrictions on carrying wine across provincial borders for personal consumption has passed a major hurdle in Parliament.
On Wednesday night, bill C-311 passed third reading in the House of Commons with unanimous support. It now heads to the Senate, where it is expected to pass.
That means it could be signed into law by the Governor General just in time for the summer tourism season at Canadian wineries.
Under the Importation of Intoxicating Liquors Act, it is illegal in Canada, with a few exceptions, to carry alcohol over interprovincial boundaries.
Small wineries have long complained the restriction prevents tourists and vinophiles from legally taking home a few bottles from their favourite vineyards.
The new bill would amend the prohibition-era act to allow people to transport wine across provincial borders, but only for personal use. It will also allow vineyards to ship wine by post or courier to customers in other provinces.
Wine can already be shipped between provinces for commercial sale, but only through the provincial regulators, and many smaller vineyards say they are left out of that trade because they don't produce enough product to interest the marketers.
Winemakers support changes
Vintner Sandra Oldfield, Tinhorn Creek Vineyards, sees potential for her business to grow if Canadians outside of B.C. are allowed to buy her wine.
"It's hard to build a relationship with somebody in another province if you can't send them the wine. So I'm hoping for us this really means that we can get Canadians drinking more Canadian wine."
But passage of the bill will not clear out all obstacles for wine lovers. Some provincial regulations will still remain in place. In Ontario, for example, the LCBO still limits amounts of alcohol people can bring into the province for personal consumption.
The bill was introduced by Conservative MP Dan Albas, who represents the riding of Okanagan-Coquihalla, the heartland of B.C.'s rapidly expanding wine industry. Albas introduced the bill last October and shepherded it all the way through the House of Commons.
"We should be trying to take down these barriers to make it as easy to sell to someone in Alberta as it is to sell to someone in China," said Albas after the bill passed.
The bill was expected to be passed by the House last week, just in time for the summer break. But at the final hour it was blocked when the NDP talked out the clock on the debate.
The party later apologized for what they called a miscommunication and the bill was given a second chance on Wednesday night when Liberal MP Scott Brison offered his time slot for the debate.


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The PlayStation 3 was one expensive piece of kit when it came out. It was expensive for consumers at upwards of $600, but it was even more expensive for Sony.
Original estimates by iSuppli put manufacturing costs for the PlayStation 3 at $840.35, making all early sales of the consoles as a negative mark on Sony's books.
In a recent investor call, Sony corporate CEO Nobuyuki Oneda revealed that PS3 manufacturing costs have dropped 70 percent.
"We don't disclose how much of the PS3, specifically the cost deduction was achieved during the past two years. But that is on schedule," said Oneda, according to Kotaku. Eventually Oneda said that the overall cost of making a PS3 was down "about 70 percent, roughly speaking."
If iSuppli's figures are right, that means that each PS3 costs Sony roughly $252 to manufacture. Perhaps Sony is making money on each new PS3 sold, if the going rate of $400 holds. Of course, this could also help pave the way for a price cut.


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IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
I’m sure you’ve heard that on Wednesday, May 4th, the Federal Reserve (The American Central Bank) increased Interest rates by a half percentage point (0.5%) in an attempt to curtail the country’s increasing inflation. This caused the stock markets to experience what some might call a “violent” decline as the markets experienced the biggest single-day decline since 2020 the following day.
In the same vein, the Bank of England increased interest rates by a quarter percentage point 0.25% after its inflation rate hit 7%, which is the highest it has been in 30 years.
So here’s the gist; the U.S is apparently going through the highest inflation (Sustained general Increase in prices of goods and services) it has seen since December 1981 (over 40 years). With declining purchasing power and the strength of the US dollar at risk, the Fed decided to raise rates (the significance of which we will discuss later), as a tool to tackle the inflation problem.
To create a clearer picture, the chart below shows the trend of inflation in the US over the past year.
What this means is that at this rate, fewer goods and services will be purchased with the same amount of money or more money will be needed to purchase the same amount of goods and services that could have been gotten at a previous date and time. For context, a loaf of bread that cost $5 in April 2021, would likely be selling for $5.22 in May 2022.
The Inflation Problem
Remember when the Nigerian Government increased NYSC stipends (allowee) from 19,800 naira to 33,000 naira? If you were serving at the time, you would know that wearing the Khaki was like an invitation to be billed or to pay higher cab fares because you were now perceived to be richer. You most likely heard the nickname “Corper 33” as well.
Similarly, In reducing the economic impact of the pandemic, the United States, employed fiscal and monetary policies through rescue plans, which injected around $3.7 Trillion into the economy. The government focused on public health incentives, unemployment benefits, direct stimulus payments to individuals, forgivable small business administration loans and guarantees, lower rates, loan modifications, and so on, all of which helped to cushion the impact of the pandemic on the economy.
Consequently, with more money in circulation chasing fewer goods and services, especially with supply chain struggles, the prices of goods and services have maintained a bullish trend.
Interest Rates matter because…
In the economy, interest rates are used to facilitate access to financial services. It has an impact on the savings and investment decisions of individuals. It also controls how money moves from lenders to borrowers. Basically, interest rates refer to the cost of borrowing money.
Rates determine the cost of borrowing for businesses. With higher rates, businesses would have to pay higher amounts of money to pay off their debt, thereby reducing net profits, and affecting investor expectations. This could explain the responsive decline in stock markets discussed earlier.
So why the hikes?
With interest rates being near zero for the past two years, money has been pretty easy to move around. So, by increasing the rates of interest, money becomes more expensive to borrow, which means that you pay more money for borrowing money (sho’ get?)
In essence, higher interest rates limit people’s access to money, and in turn, control the amount of money in circulation.
Why should you care?
Well, despite our foreign debt being as high as 38.4 Billion USD, with debt service to revenue ratio hitting 96%, increased interest rates inevitably mean that we have to pay more money to service our debts or get new loans. This is not good for a country struggling with poor revenue generation.
In the event that rate hikes lead to success in curbing inflation in the American and English economies, it could serve as a reference point for other countries looking to solve the price instability problem. Nigeria, for instance, according to the NBS has an inflation rate of 15.92% as of March 2022.
It is important though, to note that our inflation problems are majorly supply-side driven due to food shortages, as a result of insecurity and poor access to funding and innovative equipment (topic for another day), and those might need to be resolved before we jump quickly into interest rate hikes.
My 2 cents or kobo
Interest rate hikes pose a risk of slowed economic activity. Consumption is likely to decrease and unemployment rates increase. Just as we've seen with the decline in stock markets discussed above, there’s already an indication of decreased investor confidence in the financial markets’ ability to cope with rate hikes.
There’s still a likelihood that there are more rate hikes on the way. Policymakers would need to be extremely strategic with these, being careful not to raise interest rates too quickly, to avoid forcing businesses to dismiss people or send their countries into recession.
As always, we would be glad to hear your thoughts. So, kindly share.


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Primark and M&S among big names to sign up to Scottish local gift card scheme
Big-name retailers including Marks & Spencer, Boots and Primark have signed up to a Scottish local gift card initiative.
Scottish-based footwear chain Schuh is another major brand to have agreed to accept the new Scotland Loves Local cards.
Each has signed up all of its Scottish stores as merchants, meaning that customers will be able to spend the gift cards there as they become available locally.
Support from the retail giants is seen as a major boost for the scheme, in tandem with that of independent community retailers who are also registering as merchants.
Work is being led by Scotland’s Towns Partnership (STP) as part of the Scotland Loves Local campaign.
STP chief officer Phil Prentice said: “To secure such high-profile support is a significant show of confidence in the Scotland Loves Local Gift Cards and their ability to become a major part of local economies across the country.
“It also shows the strength of commitment that these stores - and others - have for the communities in which they operate, creating another way in which local people can spend with them.
“The Scotland Loves Local Gift Cards will allow people to enjoy the very best their area has to offer, choosing local first.”
Each card can only be spent in the region for which it is branded. STP is working with Perth-based fintech Miconex, which already operates gift card programmes in the UK, Ireland and North America, to deliver the scheme.
Miconex managing director Colin Munro said: “By working together we can create an unbeatable customer proposition and start to divert more and more money back into Scottish businesses.”
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AccelByte Raises $60M to Grow Product and Engineering Teams
Seattle is known for being a game development hub. The city has been been the birthplace of popular games such as the original Halo and the wildly popular Pokemon Go. It has also played a hand in developing game consoles such as Xbox and Oculus Rift, a VR gaming headset. Less known, but just as important to the gaming community, is the support software that has been developed in the Emerald City. Accelbyte is one of the gaming software companies fueling innovation in Seattle and it recently secured new funding.
On Tuesday, AccelByte, a software company that develops backend tools and services for gaming needs, announced that it secured $60 million in a Series B funding round. The Series B was led by SoftBank Vision Fund 2 and also had participation from Sony Interactive Entertainment. AccelByte was founded in 2016 and had previously raised a $10 million Series A round in September of 2021.
While game developers focus on creating an interactive game that includes a world and characters, AccelByte focuses on developing solutions that allow for connectivity within the game. It creates tools that enable players to play with one another on different platforms and also matches players into skill-ranked lobbies to play with similarly ranked players. The gaming startup also has solutions for game distribution, analytics and monetization, among other services.
“AccelByte is powered by our developer partners. We work hand in hand with them every day and they teach us what matters most to game creators ‘in the trenches,’” Jun Lie, CEO of AccelByte, said in a statement. “This funding round will accelerate our efforts to deliver the world’s best game backend platform and provide for those creators — no matter their size — the tools and capability to build and operate modern, AAA-quality live service games at scale.”
AccelByte’s gaming solutions are scaleable to size, meaning that they work on all games from small indie ones to AAA titles. Because of its adaptability, the company has tripled its client count over the past year, according to a press release.
“As games become more complex with the rise of cross-platform multiplayer and live services, there is an increased need for scalable and efficient infrastructure to minimize time to market,” Robert Kaplan, investment director at SoftBank Vision Fund, said in a statement. “We believe AccelByte has built a leading backend solution for the gaming industry, giving developers the platform and tools to scale games faster, easier and cheaper. We are thrilled to partner with Jun [Lie] and the team to help them create a one-stop-shop of backend services for game developers spanning from indie to AAA.”
In a separate blog post, Lie wrote that as games get more complex so do the backend end needs. He said with new funding, AccelByte will scale its product and engineering teams to meet the backend needs of game developers.


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A bigger space: Blu Halo preps for expansion, adding raw seafood bar to its menu
Pandemic aside, the Blu Halo is on target to have its best year ever since opening five years ago.
Popularity surrounding the upscale northeast restaurant has, at times, forced customers to be turned away, said owner Keith Keith Paniucki.
So, the Blu — located at 3231 Bannerman Road, Suite No. 102, at the Bannerman Crossing Shopping Center — is getting bigger.
In about two weeks, expansion plans will begin and are slated to be complete by Valentine's Day. Paniucki said the restaurant is taking over the neighboring 1,300 square-foot space occupied by Lucky and Charmed, a boutique store.
He said the move allows the restaurant to add three more booths, a highly requested dining option, and six more tables. Overall capacity will go from up to 200 to 260 seating.
In addition, Paniucki said the restaurant is adding a seafood raw bar — a giant display of lobster, shrimp, oysters, mussels, king crabs and snow crabs, when in season, all on ice.
"That's inventory we would use to build any seafood towers for the whole restaurant," Paniucki said. "But, we will have eight seats around this bar where somebody can sit down and be served fresh seafood from their seat."
The idea was inspired by other restaurants in larger cities, such as Orlando.
"If you envision how you might walk into Texas Roadhouse, where you have steaks on display in case. It's something very similar, but it's actually the seafood sitting on ice," Paniucki said, adding the raw bar will be offered Wednesday through Sunday.
Contact TaMaryn Waters at email@example.com or follow @TaMarynWaters on Twitter.
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(Bloomberg) — China scythed practically $600 billion off Tencent Holdings Ltd.’s sector worth in its crackdown on tech and gaming. Now the state is betting on its most significant corporation — and professionalized video clip game titles — to help restore some countrywide pleasure.
Most Go through from Bloomberg
This week, hundreds of elite avid gamers are descending upon the scenic city of Hangzhou, in the vicinity of Shanghai, to symbolize their countries at the 19th Asian Online games. The at the time-in-4-yrs function, effectively a regional Olympics, is the 1st time that aggressive video clip video games will be qualified for medals. Tencent has a hand in generating or publishing 4 of the seven multiplayer titles that will be contested as esports.
President Xi Jinping gave his own seal of approval to the online games by attending the opening. China hopes to get back some of its intercontinental prestige by web hosting a effective function, although Tencent is leveraging the gathering to juice growth throughout its enjoyment portfolio.
“Tencent’s 1st at any time item was QQ, which grew way beyond a messaging application to turn into a system connecting people to the full company. Esports serves a very similar purpose,” mentioned Mars Hou, common supervisor of Tencent’s esports division. “It’s a new language that delivers youthful individuals across the earth jointly.”
Organization executives and govt officers are counting on esports as an instrumental portion of their write-up-Covid comeback, hoping to monetize players’ enthusiasm and attention with sponsorships, items income, broadcasting legal rights and even things like hospitality.
Tencent co-designed an esports lodge in Hangzhou in anticipation of the event, in which followers can be near to the action while also taking part in their favourite game titles. The venue had occupancy rates previously mentioned 90% this year though charging


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Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 25
By Matanat Nasibova - Trend:
Farma Shah LLC, a producer of medicinal plants in Azerbaijan's Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic (NAR), plans to export its products to Russia, a source at the company told Trend.
The company is currently negotiating with potential buyers in the Russian market, the source said.
"We produce over 70 varieties of medicinal plants. In the future, we plan to bring our products to new foreign markets, mainly to the countries of the former Soviet Union," the source added.
The source noted that the NAR Ministry of Economy substantially supports the promotion of the company's products in foreign markets.
The manufactured products have a certificate of conformity issued by the State Committee for Standardization, Metrology and Patents of the NAR.
The company uses modern equipment manufactured in Iran and China.
Follow the author on Twitter: @MatanatNasibova


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Wyze cameras — a smart camera company whose devices are sold on Amazon and Walmart — allowed 13,000 of its customers to look into other people’s homes.
Thousands of Wyze camera customers recently had images of their homes, and in some cases video footage, made visible to strangers, due to a “security event.”
Wyze says that the breach occurred as the company was attempting to bring its camera back online after an outage that “took down Wyze devices for several hours” earlier this month.
‘I Was Watched By Someone’
As the company worked to restore the camera feeds, the goings-on inside customers’ homes were inadvertently exposed to strangers, as Wyze users were shown images that didn’t belong to them.
Strangers viewed other customers’ enlarged thumbnail images, and in some cases, recorded event videos that were attached to them.
On a Reddit forum dedicated to Wyze camera owners, a “23-year-old girl” shared that she was “watched by someone” as she was getting ready for work during the security breach.
She says she felt “violated” and “disgusted and upset” following the incident and would be deleting her Wyze account as a result.
In an email to customers entitled “An Important Security Message from Wyze,” the company admitted to the breach and apologized.
Wyze blamed the security issue on “a third-party caching client library” that was recently integrated into its system.
“We can now confirm that as cameras were coming back online, about 13,000 Wyze users received thumbnails from cameras that were not their own and 1,504 users tapped on them,” the company says in the email.
“Most taps enlarged the thumbnail, but in some cases, an Event Video was able to be viewed. All affected users have been notified. Your account was not one of the accounts affected.
“The incident was caused by a third-party caching client library that was recently integrated into our system. This client library received unprecedented load conditions caused by devices coming back online all at once.
“As a result of increased demand, it mixed up device ID and user ID mapping and connected some data to incorrect accounts.”
‘We Know This is Very Disappointing News’
Following the incident, the company says it has now added a new layer of verification to ensure users are only shown feeds that belong to them.
“To make sure this doesn’t happen again, we have added a new layer of verification before users are connected to Event Videos,” Wyze says in the email.
“We have also modified our system to bypass caching for checks on user-device relationships until we identify new client libraries that are thoroughly stress-tested for extreme events like we experienced on Friday.
“We know this is very disappointing news.”
In the email to the customers, Wyze claims that around 99.75 percent of its users were unaffected by the breach.
According to ArsTechnica, this is the second time that something like this has happened to Wyze customers in five months. In September, some Wyze users reported seeing feeds of cameras that they didn’t own via Wyze’s online viewer.
Wyze claimed that for 40 minutes, as many as 2,300 people who were logged in to the online viewer may have been able to see 10 strangers’ feeds. ArsTechnica reports that the company blamed this on a “web caching issue” and says that it deployed “numerous technical measures” to prevent the problem from repeating, including limiting account permissions, updating company policies and employee training, and hiring an external security firm for penetration testing.
Image credits: Header photo via Wyze Cameras.


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We always say this, but it’s true: every day, there’s less time until the iPhone 14 comes out in all of its models. Some rumors say that the new devices will come out around the middle of September, but nothing has been confirmed as of yet.
Since the iPhone 13 came out, reports and leaks about the iPhone 14 haven’t stopped coming out. These reports and leaks give us a sneak peek at what we might see in the new phones, but we can’t be sure until we see them for ourselves. In reality, this doesn’t stop us from having a lot of hopes for this smartphone. Here, we’ll tell you what we’re looking for in iPhone 14 and iPhone specs.
iPhone 14 Specs
The space around the selfie camera at the top of the iPhone has been there for a few generations. This space takes up a little bit of the screen, and other companies already only show the camera in a small space that doesn’t get in the way of the rest of the screen.
Some design rumors say that it will finally go away in the iPhone 14, but this is not true until we see the presentation. So far, we’ve only confirmed changes to other parts of the space, but not this one. It would definitely be a good thing right now, and it would have to stay that way in future releases.
With a better display, it makes sense that there will be more pixels, but we just want to see it in full.
Even though USB-C is the most popular port, Apple has stuck with Lightning. This has caused a lot of controversy. But the company has been pushed to add this type of port, which it will definitely do.
Some design leaks have already told us that it won’t be in the iPhone 14, and some experts have confirmed that these new devices will still have Lightning. But the good news is that this port will be on the iPhones 15 and we will finally be done with this nightmare.
We know, we know. Apple does have some of the best cameras, especially on their more expensive phones. But there are some things that could definitely be better, like having more zoom (since the competition has a lot more) and having more options. On the other hand, if we want to get the most out of it, we hope that some of the best features of the iPhone 13 Pro Max will be included in the cheaper models or at least in the Pro.
In fact, some improvements have been confirmed for the cameras, like a better ultrawide lens, and the A16 chip will let high-end models do a lot more. Also, it’s been said that the photos will be 48MP, which is a huge number.
We ask Apple every year to make a better battery. And that is definitely what we hope this new phone will do. At the moment, the reports aren’t clear enough to tell which one will get to the end. However, some say that this has been a priority for the brand, so maybe things will get better. The problem is that this might not be in the right place, and only some people will have it. We’ll make sure in September.
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The first Hop Jam beer and music festival is the brain child of Tulsa natives and musicians – the Hanson brothers.
They just released their first beer, and had to ask when they’d consider opening a craft brewhouse right here in their hometown.
“As we say… beer plus music equals awesome,” Zac Hanson said.
A love for craft beer and good music inspired the Hanson brothers to host Hop Jam.
Hundreds packed the Brady Arts District on Sunday, drinking local beers, taking in local music and raising money for local charities.
“We see it as celebrating entrepreneurship, celebrating craft and people that are dedicated to their community,” Taylor Hanson said.
Isaac, Taylor and Zac Hanson say they’re big fans of Tulsa brewers.
“If you walk down this street, we can tell you the names of every brewer and owner of the breweries,” Taylor said.
The brothers just released their first homebrew – Mmmhops – named after a combination of their famously 1997 catchy song – Mmmbop – and “hops,” which are an essential ingredient to beer making.
“We have a passion for our beer, Mmmhops, and our future more beers that we plan to release,” Zac Hanson said.
Their pale ale just won gold at the World Beer Championships.
Taylor says beer and music go hand in hand.
“Musicians start in garages and so do homebrewers,” he said.
But it’s not all about singing and drinking.
Zac and Taylor say they want their hometown to be one of the cities people look to for a good time.
“The music business isn’t in Tulsa, but we’ve never really cared about that,” Zac Hanson said. “We felt like we want to see something grow. We want to see Tulsa grow.”
As for when they’ll open their own craft brewhouse…
“Well, we’d like to see Oklahoma come around to the 21st Century on laws in a very healthy, productive way,” Taylor said. “We would like to be able to invite people to our craft brewhouse, and that can be possible if we start to see stuff happen on the legislative level.”
No brewery anytime soon, but you can now buy their beer in stores.
The brothers said they hope Hop Jam becomes an annual, national festival.
Butch Walker plus Robert Randolph and the Family Band played to outdoor crowds earlier in the day, and the Tulsa brothers headlined the bill.
Source: News on 6


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Though you might be a fan of Apple and its products, you might not buy one as it is usually expensive. Especially, the iPhones are becoming even more expensive with the recent one, the iPhone X priced over Rs. 100,000. Now, it looks like things will change as the iPhone SE is being manufactured locally in India and there will be an alternative way for the buyers to grab hold of the affordable iPhone in the near future.
Well, we are talking about the ability to purchase refurbished iPhones in India. As of now, the smartphone distributors are being led by HCL and Ingram Micro. These companies are all set to enter another realm of the business and that is none other than selling refurbished devices in the country. This process will include refurbishing the old smartphones, sourcing the models locally and selling them.
By selling locally sourced refurbished smartphones, these companies will be able to bypass the government restriction of sourcing the old models from other countries. This is going to happen on a large scale so that buyers can get their hands on premium models at cheap price points. Also, the other leading distributors including Phonup and Redington have forayed into the Indian market in order to set up dedicated stores to sell refurbished models under a joint venture with Franchise India, claims a report by The Economic Times.
The report adds that the market for the refurbished smartphones in the country is around $3 billion and that it is largely dominated by the unorganized sector. It further states that Apple is keen on selling company-certified refurbished iPhones by importing old models and refurbishing them locally. The process has been turned down by the Indian government due to e-waste concerns. But the proposal seems to be in limbo and it might happen via the third-party distributors who can make use of buyback schemes.
What are refurbished smartphones?
If you aren't aware, refurbished smartphones are used models those have been checked by the skilled personnel at the company for any defects, problems and other issues. If any such issue is found, the problematic component will be replaced with a new one. After replacement of the component, the device will be repackaged and sent back to the country where it was originally sold. Then, it will bear a refurbished tag on it.


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The beauty community hit back hard after people accused Z Palette of bullying its followers on Instagram. The comments went viral and caused many influencers to boycott the brand and a few retailers even dropped their products.
Now, CEO and founder Zena Shteysel is speaking out. In defense of the brand's actions, Shteysel told Seventeen.com that the comments made by Z Palette's Instagram account were just defending the brand from being bullied, not an attempt to bully others.
"We did not bully anyone; we don't condone bullying of any kind. Anyone who has interacted with us knows that. Our customers know that. We took a stand against the insensitive (and unsolicited) comments that were being hurled at our company and at (makeup) companies in general," she said. "The images floating around social media show you what Z Palette allegedly wrote but make no mention of the posts that triggered the response."
More From Seventeen
Kelsey is Seventeen.com's fashion expert and resident Harry Potter nerd. At the office, she spends her day writing about style, beauty, and literally every move Kylie Jenner makes. On the weekends, you can find her sifting through vintage shops and hunting for the perfect burger. Follow her on Instagram at @klstieg.


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Saudia Cargo opens new cargo sales office in Cairo Airport
Saudia Cargo has opened its newest sales office at Cairo Cargo City
Jan 08, 2019: Saudia Cargo has opened its newest sales office at Cairo Cargo City inside Cairo International Airport recently after eight weeks of renovation works.
Saudia Cargo stated that the Cairo sales office is one of the most prominent outlets due to the number of flights between the two countries, on a yearly basis between Cairo Airport and the Kingdom. Saudia offers a cargo capacity of more than 55 million tonnes from different loads such as perishables, pharmaceutical and other general cargo, moreover, the firm offers a variety of freighter services for its clients such as charter flights and ground handling.


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Bombay Co. leases to be sold by Gordon Bros. unit
By Staff -- Home Textiles Today, 11/12/2007 12:18:00 PM
Fort Worth, Texas -- The Bombay Company, which filed for bankruptcy earlier this fall, plans to hire DJM Realty to sell off all 335 of its store leases and five distribution centers leases in the United States.
The company previously announced plans to liquidate all of its U.S. stores in 41 states through a deal with liquidators Hilco Merchant Resources and Gordon Bros., and sell its remaining 50 Canadian stores to Canadian home goods and gifts retailers Bowring and Benix & Co.
“There are very few opportunities to offer a real estate portfolio as unique as Bombay’s, which consists of locations in elite malls, street front properties and strong strip outlet and lifestyle centers,” said DJM co-president Andy Graiser.
The plan is subject to bankruptcy court approval expected next week, and the companies said they anticipate an auction on the properties in mid-December. Liquidation sales at the stores are expected to run through the holidays and end no later than Jan 31.
Bombay’s U.S. stores are concentrated in the Northeast (73 stores), the Southeast (98 stores), the Midwest (50 stores) and California (53 stores).
(Reported by Clint Engel, senior retail editor at Furniture Today, an HTT sister publication.)


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They launched a new product before pulling it months later in favour of revamping the original – and the release of that revamp was so successful that the traffic caused server problems: It’s fair to say that life at 6Wunderkinder has been somewhat of a rollercoaster recently. But now the focus is firmly back on developing one product, and the Berlin startup has today launched an all-new native Android tablet version of the Wunderlist 2 app.
The company says the app provides a customized user experience and is optimized for use on the Google Nexus and Kindle Fire as well as other devices.
Wunderlist 2 was launched last year, just in time for Christmas, to great fanfare and generally good reviews. It focused on stable and reliable performance with new native apps across all major devices and a “supercharged server architecture.”
And the newly-released app contains new graphics and functionality created especially for Android including adapting intuitively to make the most out of larger screens. It also allows users to send, share or export any lists to other text-sharing applications installed on the device including Twitter, Facebook, WhatsApp and Gmail. The reverse flow of content is possible as well, such as by adding tasks to Wunderlist from a text message or email. In addition, the Wunderlist Widget has been adapted so users can assess lists directly from a device’s home screen.
6WK CEO and co-founder Christian Reber said: “We have built a truly native tablet app to give our Android community a superior, more stable and handcrafted individualized experience, regardless whether the device is a Google Nexus, or a Kindle Fire. The work goes beyond what you directly see today, and will allow us to continue to provide updates and add features on a faster, more regular basis. Our community will also experience more Android specific features, including integration with key Google services and product in the near future.”
The company is promising further updates to its applications on five platforms – iPhone, Mac, Windows, Web and Android, which are available in 23 languages – in the near future.


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Days before this year’s edition of SIHH, Swiss luxury watch brand Jaeger-LeCoultre has announced a new face for the brand, and it’s none other than British actor Benedict Cumberbatch. Described by the brand as a man who “embodies the elegant and active man of today with his integrity as an actor, a family man and someone who dedicates himself with energy to charitable endeavors”, Benedict is no doubt a fitting addition to the Jaeger-LeCoultre family. The actor—who sported the brand’s Master Ultra Thin Perpetual engraved watch in his 2016 Marvel movie Dr. Strange—will be making his debut at SIHH next week.
“Being a great watchmaking enthusiast I am delighted to be associated with such an outstanding watch manufacture as Jaeger-LeCoultre and to be visiting the Manufacture in the Valée de Joux in January.” — Benedict Cumberbatch
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The well-respected Juniper Research is out with its latest wearables report — this one estimating that fitness trackers will continue to be the largest category in wearables until people figure out a use case for smart watches. That will take, Juniper estimates, a couple of years.
But it’s in the fine print where Juniper’s findings get interesting. In a white paper accompanying the report, Future Health & Fitness Wearables: Business Models, Forecasts & Vendor Share 2016-2020, researcher James Moar points out that fitness trackers themselves are hardly standing still. The key development is what he calls “Quantified Others” — the use of tracker data by interested third parties to monitor or give feedback on the activity.
That “other” could be a care professional, a friend, an employer, a health insurance company, or a coach. In some cases, such as automated updating to a patient record, it may require a direct and secure wireless connection than a smartphone may be able to provide.
As far as smartwatches, Juniper expects 130 million users worldwide by 2019, compared to 110 tracker wearers, although the company acknowledges that the line between the two is becoming increasingly blurred.