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brad delong ponders the state of the US economy. the next decision from the fed is on tuesday, and it should be interesting.
Make no mistake about it: The U.S. economy is close to the edge. Retail sales in the second quarter were rising at only a 2.1 percent annual pace. Business investment in equipment and software was falling. Residential construction was falling. Either households will continue spending beyond all reason, or businesses will start boosting investment, or exports will start booming, or there will be a recession sometime in the next year. Figure the odds at 3 out of 10.
What can be done to head off the danger? Unfortunately, very little. The bag of macroeconomic tricks is empty. In 2000-2001 the Federal Reserve could lower interest rates to the floor, boosting residential construction and consumer spending to offset the decline in high-tech investment, and turn the 2001 recession into a very small event indeed. In 2002-2003 the short-run stimulative effect of the Bush tax cuts came online at exactly the right moment to offset fears of a deflationary spiral. But today further fiscal stimulus would increase global imbalances — meaning, raise the trade deficit — and do more damage to confidence than it might do good in curing a recession. And sharp reductions in interest rates would lower the value of the dollar and increase inflationary pressures from import prices in a way that the Federal Reserve does not dare allow.


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How to prevent Beijing from being bullied? Take your Prada bags
Beijing has vowed to punish Swedish telecommunications giant Ericsson if the Swedes don’t give in and allow the country’s 5G networks to include Huawei technology. Sweden has not budged, and now China has reduced Ericsson’s access to the world’s largest telecommunications market. No Western business will be safe from such punishment unless Western governments and big business unite to thwart China’s extortion strategy.
Almost as the Swedish Post and Telecommunications Authority decided in 2020 not to include Huawei and small Chinese company ZTE in its 5G network, Chinese officials threatened retaliation. Sweden must reverse its ban or Ericsson would suffer consequences in China, the Beijing ambassador said, and the threats continued.
The Chinese government’s decision will be painful for Ericsson. The company’s last quarterly report in July painted a curious picture: 8% growth globally, but declining sales in China. The Chinese market has accounted for around 10% of Ericsson’s sales in recent years. At around the same time, China Mobile, the country’s largest mobile network operator, announced its latest 5G contracts. Huawei won 60%, ZTE 30%. Ericsson won just 2%, up from 11% in the previous round of contracts last year, according to news reports.
Compare that with what happened to the Finnish Nokia. The Finnish Parliament passed a law in 2020 allowing certain companies to be excluded from 5G networks for national security reasons, but Finnish lawmakers did not single out Huawei or ZTE, unlike Swedish regulations. The Global Times, a media outlet run by the Communist Party of China, predicted good things for Nokia, which the newspaper said would have “more room to negotiate” entry into the Chinese 5G market. Nokia, whose technology had been seen as a little less desirable, walked away from the 2020 contract empty-handed. But this summer, he suddenly came back with a share of the stock – a 10% stake.
The lesson is obvious: resist China and your companies will be punished. Keep your head down and your businesses will be fine. Denying business to Western companies is not a violation of the law. China Mobile’s majority shareholder is a state-owned company, but the entity is theoretically private and can do business with whoever it wants.

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Tesla has reached a point where the company is already “much bigger” than its CEO, Elon Musk, according to Wall Street analyst Philippe Houchois. The Jefferies analyst pointed out that while Elon Musk remains the face of the electric car maker, the company itself has been proving its critics wrong by becoming profitable — a feat that was deemed next to impossible by skeptics.
“Tesla at this stage is much bigger than Musk. Of course, Musk gets a lot of attention. But Tesla has been able to be profitable, at a level of pricing and product that nobody expected to generate cash,” the Jefferies analyst said.
Houchois also expressed his support for the company’s decision to shift its entire sales strategy online. Together with the launch of the $35,000 Model 3, Tesla announced that it will be closing a significant number of its physical stores in favor of an online-only sales model. This allows the company to sell its electric cars in all states across the US, but it also will result in layoffs across its staff.
These changes have not been received kindly by Wall Street. Barclays analyst Brian Johnson mocked the company’s strategy, calling it an “un-iPhone” moment. The Jefferies analyst begs to differ. Explaining his point, Houchois noted that Tesla is actually ahead of the curve in terms of its vehicle sales strategy.
“Every carmaker dreams about the ability to sell cars online. They are implementing a number of developments that other carmakers are only just thinking about or dreaming about,” Houchois said.
The Jefferies analyst ultimately noted that in the long term, he hopes that Tesla can grow profitably and de-stress its balance sheet, enabling the company to grow further. If the electric car maker can accomplish this, Houchois believes that Tesla can reach a level where it can effectively be self-funded.
Tesla shares (NASDAQ:TSLA) fell almost 8% on Friday following the company’s announcement of its online-only sales model. On Monday, the company’s stock continued its dip, dropping as much as 3%. Despite these recent dips, JMP analyst Joseph Osha maintained his Outperform rating and his $406 price target for TSLA stock, implying a 40% upside from current levels.
As of writing, Tesla is down 3.39% at $284.80 per share.
Disclosure: I have no ownership in shares of TSLA and have no plans to initiate any positions within 72 hours.


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The next-generation of business support systems (BSS) is rapidly becoming a standard with the increased demand for 5G and enhanced customer experiences.
With enterprises relying more on big data, there has been an increased awareness to adopt digital business support systems (BSS) for security and data management. A recent Frost & Sullivan research indicated the vast expansion and growth opportunities for the next-gen wireless BSS market.
Companies use BSS solutions to help the communication service providers (CSPs) for delivering personalized service experiences – for both consumers and businesses. However, the market may experience a short-term slowdown because of the pandemic, even as the long-term market outlook is positive.
Lately, vendors have introduced cutting-edge BSS solutions, which include the capacity to support flexible deployments in core and edge. Besides, they now prefer the network slice lifecycle management – which is essential in facilitating CSPs to deliver on multi-partner business models.
Enterprises across industries are relatively timely with their digitization efforts. They encounter similar challenges to those of CSPs in the early-stage of digital transformation efforts. With the evolving situation, it is more decisive for the wireless networks to support growing connectivity needs to function reliably across the board.
Many BSS vendors utilize the current 4G and network services of earlier generations, and they drive most of the revenue as of now. While the wireless sector remains a paramount concern for BSS vendors, they will be able to align with BSS tools to meet the necessary business needs – as we advance.
Hence, BSS vendors can tie-up with different CSPs to build substantial growth opportunities. Some key highlights from the study are –
- Introduction of innovative price strategies and partner-centered business models, including B2B2X, B2B, and B2C, for 5G to succeed.
- Pioneering AI-centric support systems and customer experience solutions- which help the CSPs offer distinguished 5G services.
- Enterprises can support flexible deployments for both core and edge to leverage cloud-native principles. This will help in keeping the operators monetize different features of a network and create new opportunities.
- With 5G, the tech strategy can manage networks and services down to the device level. It will ensure a successful customer experience while operating with valuable network resources.
Similarly, another study from Technavio indicated that the worldwide digital business support system market valuation would reach $2.96 billion by 2023. This is certainly with the increasing adoption of advanced technology and analytical solutions, including Big Data, cloud, and loT.
With the vast available data, businesses globally are focusing on analyzing and using this data to get a competitive advantage – over cost and time. In this context, Vikrant Gandhi, Senior Industry Director at Frost & Sullivan, mentioned in the report – “It is evident that BSS can significantly drive efforts to help organizations address key concerns such as introducing digital services and enabling customers to personalize their service experience.”


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La Cabra, a self-described Scandinavian coffee roastery and sourdough bakery, debuts tomorrow (Oct. 1) at 152 Second Ave. between Ninth Street and 10th Street. (First reported here in April.)
The shop opens at 8 a.m. (until 6 p.m.) with a 9 a.m. start on weekends. You can check out their Instagram for pics of their various pastries and croissants.
The coffee company got its start in Aarhus, Denmark, in 2012. This is the first of several planned NYC outposts for La Cabra.
Thanks to Steven for the photo!


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Saudi Arabia and Oman are actively working to enhance travel within the Gulf region by exploring collaborative tourism ventures. The commitment to reinforce this sector was marked by a virtual meeting aimed at activating the Saudi-Omani partnership in tourism.
The discussion, as reported by the Saudi Press Agency, revolved around the promotion of sustainable tourism and the positioning of the Gulf as a prime tourist destination. Moreover, both nations are considering an increase in the frequency of seasonal flights, a move that is in line with the broader Gulf Tourism Strategy.
The session was led by Sultan Al-Musallam, the Saudi Deputy Minister of Tourism for International Affairs, and featured the participation of Azzan Al-Busaidi, the Omani undersecretary of the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism, among other high-ranking officials.
The objective of these discussions is to draw a greater international tourist base to the region by forging strategic partnerships and initiating joint tourism programs. This follows previous dialogues held in October, where enhancing cooperation in economic zones and cities to augment trade was a focal point.
Investment opportunities and incentives for the integrated economic zone project in Dhahirah were reviewed during a Riyadh meeting, with the Oman News Agency highlighting the project’s potential impact on trade volume between the two countries. The committee in charge is tasked with devising a development strategy for the Omani zone and ensuring the implementation of all related initiatives.
In a separate June encounter, Saudi Tourism Minister Ahmed Al-Khateeb and his Omani counterpart, Salim Al-Mahrouqi, agreed on the prospect of a unified tourist visa to facilitate travel. They also discussed establishing a joint tourism calendar and enabling seasonal travel opportunities.
The ministers’ dialogue extended to enhancing cooperation in tourism investments, supporting industry entrepreneurs, and rolling out joint tourism programs with a focus on camping and adventure excursions.


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Jobseekers across Canada are seeing CarsAndJobs.com everywhere, and sending in hundreds of applications as a result.
We’ve recently launched a new video that shows Canadians across the country all the different roles and opportunities a career in the retail automotive can offer. Feel free to share the video on your social media accounts and across your networks.
Whether you’re looking for additions to your sales team, to fill roles in the service area, or for someone to work behind the scenes, CarsAndJobs.com has candidates waiting for you.
Find your dealership’s next great hire with us today!


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Take-Two had a conference call held on January 10, 2022, and we got to learn more about GTA 6. Everything that was mentioned in this conference can be delayed, of course, but here’s what you need to know: “Together, we expect to deliver a 14% compound annual growth rate for net bookings including synergies and any future acquisitions for the three-year period ending March 31st, 2024.”
A 14% compound annual growth rate, as they say, is a huge thing for Take-Two. Some believe that GTA 6 will be released between April 1, 2023, and March 24, 2024.
An analyst from a financial services company revealed that at least one Rockstar IP would be released by FY24. Of course, the conference call didn’t mention any names, but there’s only a handful that can come with this boost, and GTA 6 is definitely one of them.
So is this the real release date?
As of now, there is no official announcement about GTA 6 or its release. Many claimed that the game will be released in 2024 or 2025, and this conference call comes as an assurance. But there also may be another project that involves the Zynga acquisition, which can account for the 14% compound annual growth rate.
The CEO of Take-Two, Strauss Zelnick has only mentioned GTA once: “To date, much of our growth and success has been rooted in the organic investments we’ve made in our wholly owned and renowned labels, including Rockstar Games, 2K, and Private Division. Our labels are home to some of the most iconic brands in the world, including Grand Theft Auto, Red Dead Redemption, Midnight Club, NBA2K, Bioshock, Borderlands, Sid Meier’s Civilization, Mafia, and Kerbal Space Program.”
We are waiting for an official statement from the company regarding GTA 6.


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Maui County residents are getting ready for some changes next week.
Starting Monday, Dec. 31, polystyrene will be banned for many every day items, but one item in particular caught some distributors off guard.
Maui County businesses had a little over a year to prepare for Monday’s foam plate ban. The bill was signed into law back in June 2017.
“I would say the majority of our customers have been waiting until the very last day,” said
Todd Kawasaki, president at Maui Chemical & Paper Products.
Kawasaki also owns TJ’s Warehouse in Wailuku, he says one item caught his company off-guard and raised questions about other popular grocery items.
“Last week we found out that cup noodles, or instant ramen, is included in the foam ban so we kind of panicked because we didn’t think that was included,” Kawasaki said.
His company filed for an extension with the County of Maui.
“The county allowed us an extra six months to get rid of our stock,” he said.
He tells KHON2, makers of foam noodle cups have already stopped shipping to Maui. Another item he asked about was Natto, a traditional Japanese food made of fermented soybeans.
“All international Natto comes in little foam containers,” he said.
“So we checked with the county and they said because it’s raw and unprepared, it’s excluded from the ban so it’s okay to sell in the store,” Kawasaki said.
“It seems all of the restaurants are prepared, but the grocery stores that sell packaged foam products, I don’t think they’re prepared,” he said.
The new law says businesses cannot use or sell foam food service containers, which includes clamshell containers, cups, plates, bowls and serving trays.
If food or drinks can be served on it and its made of expanded polystyrene foam, it’s not allowed.
Raw meats, fish and eggs are allowed, but vegetables on serving trays will be banned.
“It’s good for the environment,” said Kawasaki. “You’ll see less foam flying around at the beaches and in the water.”
That’s why one business owner made the switch away from foam years ago, when he saw his handwriting on one of his own cups at the Maui dump.
“It was sort of a moment for me because I realized how long ago I had written it, and that cup was already old but it still looked very put together like it wasn’t going anywhere,” said Christopher “Malik” Cousins, owner of Local Boys Shave Ice and Farmacy Health Bar.
He says he was able to charge more without questions.
“I realized I could raise my price just a little bit, maybe a quarter, and if anyone ever asked how come we just tell them we went green,” he said.
Anyone with questions before the switch Monday should call the county’s Enviornmental Protection and Sustainability Division.


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XINYU CITY, China and SUNNYVALE, Calif., May 28, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- LDK Solar Co., Ltd. ("LDK Solar" or the "Company") (NYSE: LDK), a leading vertically integrated manufacturer of photovoltaic products, today announced that it will report financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2013 before the market opens on Tuesday, June 11, 2013. The company will host a corresponding conference call and live webcast at 8:00 a.m. Eastern Time (ET) the same day.
First Quarter Conference Call Details
To listen to the live conference call, please dial 1-877-941-2068 (within U.S.) or 1-480-629-9712 (outside U.S.) at 8:00 a.m. ET on June 11, 2013. An audio replay of the call will be available through June 21, 2013, by dialing 800-406-7325 (within U.S.) or 303-590-3030 (outside U.S.) and entering the pass code 4621992#.
A live webcast of the call will be available on the company's investor relations website at http://investor.ldksolar.com.
About LDK Solar (NYSE: LDK)
LDK Solar Co., Ltd. (NYSE: LDK) is a leading vertically integrated manufacturer of photovoltaic (PV) products. LDK Solar manufactures polysilicon, mono and multicrystalline ingots, wafers, cells, modules, systems, power projects and solutions. LDK Solar's headquarters and principal manufacturing facilities are located in Hi-Tech Industrial Park, Xinyu City, Jiangxi Province in the People's Republic of China. LDK Solar's office in the United States is located in Sunnyvale, California. For more information about LDK Solar and its products, please visit www.ldksolar.com.
SOURCE LDK Solar Co., Ltd.


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Google announced a new feature in Google Lens that will give you outfit inspiration with style ideas from around the internet.
You can already use Google Lens to get similar item suggestions when looking for clothing and home decor, but Google is taking visual its visual search a step further with a new feature called “style ideas.”
Style ideas won’t only give you inspiration on how to wear the clothing you search for through Google Lens. It “can also show you new ways to style clothes you already own,” explains Kelly Schaefer, Product Manager at Google Lens. “Give new life to that old sweater you haven’t picked up in a year—simply point Lens at it to see how others have worn a similar one and find pieces that might match it.”
So, whether you’re just window shopping, or actively searching for new clothing on your phone, you’ll always be able to get an idea of how you would wear something. All you have to do is take a photo or screenshot of a piece of clothing and use Lens in Google Photos to see how others wore it in their looks.
Style ideas is only available in the US for now.
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The January new car sales across Europe plunged by 24% year-on-year to a record low as the COVID-19 pandemic kept the market under pressure, an industry survey showed Wednesday.
In 2020, marked by strict lockdowns and economic upheaval, car sales in the 27-member European Union slumped by some 3.0 million to under 10 million, according to the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA).
"In January 2021, the EU passenger car market posted an accelerated decline, as COVID-related restrictions continued to weigh heavily on sales across the European Union," the ACEA said in a statement.
It said 726,491 vehicles were sold in the month, down from 956,447 in January 2020.
Spain was the worst hit, with a fall of 51.5%, followed by Germany down 31.1% and Belgium 27.2%.
France fared comparatively better, with a drop of 5.8% while Italy was down 14%.
Sweden managed an increase of 22.5%.
Outside the EU, sales in the UK plummeted 39.5%, the worst performance since 1970, the ACEA noted.
By maker, Volkswagen group sales tumbled 26.8% in January, with Stellantis – formerly Fiat-Peugeot – down 26.1% as Renault lost 21.6%. German giant Volkswagen, once the best global auto seller, has already lost its top place to Japanese Toyota with the effect of declining sales in 2020. The pandemic year, meanwhile, saw Turkey jumping in overall auto sales rank in Europe as the only country with sales in positive territory. Turkey saw the sales jumping 57.5% year-on-year to 610,109 units in 2020, the data by the Automotive Manufacturers Association (OSD) showed earlier in January.


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The live music industry is putting the pedal to the metal with concerts at drive-in theaters across the country. Now national acts are finally making their way back to Columbus.
Prime Social Group rolled out their first full weekend of drive-in concerts Sept. 17-19 at the Drive-In at Westland Mall after a soft open with local favorites Mojoflo and The Floorwalkers earlier this month. PSG co-founder Zach Ruben said he is excited to be bringing some normalcy back into music fans’ lives.
“There’s no replacing a live event. A livestream does not replace a live event,” Ruben said. “When you’ve been deprived of that product for so long, and it’s not really a product, it’s a culture and it’s a way of life, and so many people need that outlet.”
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Ruben is optimistic about the new model so far. He said some artists are excited at the opportunity to get back on stage, even if it’s in front of a sea of cars instead of a swarm of sweaty people. Upcoming national acts include dubstep producer Peekaboo and singer-songwriter Quinn XCII.
In addition to the obvious appeal of getting out of the house for the first time since March, concertgoers can expect a few other advantages. Ruben said each car receives a 15-by-20-foot parking space, giving guests privacy and comfort they wouldn’t have in a tight crowd of strangers. Concessions and merch are provided via an online order system with notifications when the order is ready, meaning no more waiting in an enormous line for a snack or a t-shirt. Guests can even exit their car to dance in their parking spot or bring lawn chairs and sit outside, as long as they don a mask.
“All the attendees that have come out to the event are just thrilled that there is that fix of live performance, live music,” Ruben said.
Each ticket covers a car of four passengers, with options for VIP and front-row sections at higher rates. An additional fifth and sixth passenger can be added at a set rate. A full list of upcoming acts and prices can be found on Prime Social Group’s Eventbrite page here. More information about COVID-19 health and safety guidelines and a guest FAQ are included in the event listings.
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Are you moving to college for the first time? Our Penske summer interns and moving experts share their tips on how to survive college move-in day.
Penske Truck Leasing has opened a new facility in Ogden, Utah. Penske’s new location in Ogden is the fourth new facility announcement in Penske’s western region this summer and marks the company’s eighth new facility announcement this year.
Reports of moving-related thefts and scams by rogue moving companies are high at this time of year, as it’s the busy moving season.
Heading back to college? Penskehttps://www.pensketruckrental.com/ offers college students 10 percent off on all truck rentals, along with free unlimited miles on one-way rentals.
Around this time of year, countless college students – from freshmen to seniors – are wrapping up their final exams and getting ready for a much-anticipated summer break.
Have you ever spent a couple thousand dollars on the perfect formal dining room set? Or, maybe the simpler look of IKEA is more your style. Either way, we all enjoy our furniture more when it looks nice – that’s why Penske Truck Rental recommends using furniture pads to protect your favorite pieces when moving.
Happy moving season, Penske Truck Rental customers. May is the start of the busy season, and you’ve landed on the right page if you’re looking for tips to make your next move go smoothly.
It’s easy to take driving in the rain for granted, but according to AAA, wet pavement contributes to nearly 1.2 million traffic accidents every year.
Penske Truck Leasing announces the opening of its new facility in Amarillo, Texas, offering full-service truck leasing, consumer and commercial truck rental and contract truck fleet maintenance services. Located in the Texas Panhandle, it is close to the borders of New Mexico, Colorado, Oklahoma and Kansas.


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A roadmap for robotics uptake in Australia
As industries that have always prioritised innovation as a way to make processes more efficient and cost-effective, manufacturing and robotics have a long and illustrious history.
The manufacturing sector was the first to recognise the potential of robotics, with industrial robots appearing on the factory floor of automotive manufacturer General Motors as early as 1961. Fast forward to the present day and the controlled manufacturing environment is seen as the ideal testing ground for new robotics and automation systems. Here, highly skilled workers are on hand to oversee these systems and ensure their high performance.
“Robotics represents the peak of new technologies and is hugely valued by manufacturers for its ability to incorporate both automation and artificial intelligence,” said Marie Kinsella, CEO of the International Exhibition & Conference (IEC) Group. “That’s why we’re thrilled to have the prestigious industry body Robotics Australia Group onboard as a Supporting Partner of the 2023 Modern Manufacturing Expo.”
The free-to-attend Modern Manufacturing Expo takes place from 20–21 September 2023 at the Sydney Showground in Sydney Olympic Park. The organisers say it will showcase the latest in manufacturing processes and technologies needed to power up operations and boost the speed at which new concepts and products are brought to market.
Much like the collaboration-focused Modern Manufacturing Expo, Robotics Australia Group is designed to instil a focused, collaborative approach between industry, research, government, startups, investment and education to build a robust and world-class robotics ecosystem within Australia.
In 2022, the Group released a detailed Robotics Roadmap for Australia publication to raise the profile of robotics in Australia and to identify the challenges and opportunities available for robotics in the country. It includes a detailed analysis of the role of robotics in 13 of Australia’s most essential industries, including manufacturing, and the sector-specific challenges and opportunities needed to develop robotic capabilities.
“Reshoring manufacturing has long been a priority for both Australia’s public and private sectors but high operational costs and an over-reliance on overseas imports have proven to be a difficult challenge to overcome,” Kinsella said. “Increased adoption of robotic technologies may be what’s needed to compete on a global scale and strengthen our sovereign capabilities, and this will be a prominent topic of discussion at the Modern Manufacturing Expo in September.”
Unfortunately, while the manufacturing sector has been quick to embrace the potential of robotics, Australia as a whole has lagged behind other developed countries.
The roadmap observes that not only does Australia not develop its own industrial robots, but that the number of installed industrial robots has declined since 2014 by 14%, compared to an increase of 60% worldwide. This has caused Australia to drop from a ranking of 18th to 35th (of 37) in the world in robot density in the manufacturing industry.
Another factor contributing to low robot population density is the lack of uptake from SMEs, who find that large-scale automation solutions are either unsuitable for their operations or too costly.
“This trend is not limited to robotics, as we have heard time and time again that while small manufacturers are enthusiastic about the potential of Industry 4.0 technologies, they simply cannot afford the upfront investment,” Kinsella said.
A core purpose of the expo is therefore to connect manufacturers with industry advocacy groups like Robotics Australia Group.
“We want to make manufacturers aware of the resources and financial grants available through government-backed schemes like the National Reconstruction Fund (NRF), which has made a substantial provision for increasing the uptake of robotics in Australia,” she said.
The manufacturing section of the roadmap concludes with the finding that Australia has a specific need for robotics to act as a force multiplier — augmenting and extending world-class, skilled human capability while reducing human exposure to dirty, dull and dangerous processes. To achieve this, the roadmap outlines the following achievable five-year goals:
- Educate local suppliers in ‘skill-multiplying’ robotics, so they can best allocate human, robotic or shared operations in the completion of tasks.
- Enhance automation simulation capabilities (humans and machines) allowing for the application of synthetic data to ensure successful and sustained process improvement.
- Development of more capable cobots.
- Design and prototype a $2000 ‘skill-multiplying’ robot through modern sustainable technologies.
“It is clear that intelligent robotic systems that can easily and rapidly adapt to new product lines based on demands and real-time needs are key to removing Australia’s reliance on global supply chains and overcoming our skilled labour shortage,” Kinsella said. “We look forward to the thought-provoking discussions and innovative solutions that will be showcased at the 2023 Modern Manufacturing Expo through our exciting partnership with Robotics Australia Group.”
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Porsche has always been good at predicting the future. So in an uncertain world convulsed by coronavirus, let’s ask the Porsche CEO, Oliver Blume, about it. Not just about the numbers of cars he thinks he’ll sell, but the kinds of cars. How the motoring landscape will change.
“The best thing is to have an optimistic attitude. A crisis is always a chance at Porsche.” Which might come across as smug. But at least he’s wanting to make a better world out of it.
“The world won’t be the same. Everybody in all countries is affected: we have all learned to focus on our basics, what’s really important in our lives. So Porsche is fully committed to our sustainability goals and the Paris climate target,” he says.
His company is putting massive amounts of money where his mouth is. “We keep working on our long-term goal to be a zero-impact company. Over the next five years we will invest €15 billion in electromobility and digital transformation. We are convinced there will be much more concentration on sustainability for a better world.”
Crikey, if it’s putting all that money into EVs and the like, what about the petrol sports cars? Can Porsche afford to develop and launch them, especially if the pandemic hits sales now? “Our business is affected by the crisis but only in the short term. We did a lot of cost [reduction] work but we won’t touch our new products and our cycle plan. You can be clear that we will continue to invest. Besides the €15 billion I mentioned we will continue to invest in petrol engines as well, and emotional new body styles.”
He says revenue remains strong at the moment, buoyed up by demand for all the new cars Porsche has lately launched. “We have the best Porsche model range ever. The new 911, Speedster, Spyder, GT4, Cayenne Coupe, Taycan just in the last year and we will continue to do it and the result will be strong prices.”
We have all learned to focus on our basics, what’s really important in our lives
As to short-term sales, he says: “Production is now coming back up at Porsche, but even so the effect of coronavirus in the first half of 2020 will be heavy [versus the first half of 2019]. It’s maybe a 20 per cent drop for most in the industry. For Porsche we will fight to be a bit better than that.”
He also says the high-priced and Porsche Exclusive models are bringing in the money. “A situation like the crisis is also a time when dreams are created. That’s so especially for our Exclusive Department.” People have been getting busy with the configurators waiting for the recent production re-start. “We have a lot of orders for the 911 Turbo S and our Heritage Editions.”
It’s always worth paying attention to Porsche’s future gazing. Remember, it pioneered everyday-useable sports cars, when most 911 rivals were pretty flakey. It was first into long-lasting galvanised bodies, emission controls without loss of performance, airbags and ESP on sports cars. It also pushed early to build hybrids, both on the SUVs and the game-changing 918, and then the full-electric Taycan.
It goes back a long way, this desire to do a lot with a little. Ferry Porsche, engineer of the giant-killing 356, in his 1976 autobiography We at Porsche, was making some pretty green statements by the final chapter. He emphasised the need for cars that last a long time and don’t deplete the earth’s resources.
Photography: James Lipman/Rowan Horncastle
Top Gear Awards 2019: Porsche Taycan meets the classic 911 RS


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Overhaul Games has announced, through the game’s website, the release date of Baldur’s Gate II: Enhanced Edition for PC and Mac. A pre-purchase link has also been added to the site so interested parties can now pre-purchase their copies of the game which includes both the original Baldur’s Gate II: Shadows of Amn and its expansion, Baldur’s Gate II: Throne of Bhaal.
Aside from widescreen support and higher resolution textures & graphics, Overhaul Games has also added a few more features and content to Baldur’s Gate II: Enhanced Edition. Four new party members, a new dungeon, and improved multiplayer support.
The game is also set for release for iOS and Android but release dates for both platforms have yet to be announced. Overhaul Games have also released a short gameplay trailer which you can view below:


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What's the Best Sunscreen? There's an App for That
The Environmental Working Group (EWG), a nonprofit known for its sunscreen guide and advocacy work to create better sunscreen labeling, launched today an iPhone app that's a shopper's guide to better sun protection lotions. The free widget gives consumers access to its online database of 500 sunscreens and their ratings, which are based on analyses of the key chemicals that block or absorb harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays. The EWG promotes sunscreen with zinc oxide as the key ingredient.
"We want to give consumers the ability to pick the safest and most effective sunscreen while they're on the go," says Alex Formuzis, vice president of media relations at the Washington, D.C.-based group. "People are increasingly on the go and want to get the information they're looking for in real time wherever they are. "
The sunscreen app is the second attempt by the EWG to publicize its cause among iPhone users. A few months back, the group launched an iPhone app for its guide to 49 fruits and vegetables with their varying amounts of pesticide residues. The EWG created the list by compiling pesticide testing data from the U.S. Agriculture Department.
The app for the fruit-and-vegetable guide has been downloaded 30,318 times since its launch, Formuzis says.
No Shortage of Skincare Apps
Skin care is big business, so it's no wonder that mobile phone apps have become a popular advertising tool beyond the nonprofit world. There's the app from dermatologist Dr. Fredric Brandt, which launched earlier this year. Merck (MRK), maker of sunscreen brand Coppertone, launched an iPhone app just last week that offers UV index forecasts and product recommendations.
Meanwhile, skin-care companies and consumer groups are continuing their big battle over the federal regulation of sunscreen labels, which provide ratings for a product's effectiveness against UVB rays but not UVA. UVB causes damage that's more quickly apparent, such as sunburn, while UVA tends to causes long-term damage, such as wrinkles. Both could lead to cancer.
The Federal Food and Drug Administration has also faced criticism for not approving sunscreen ingredients that have long been available in Europe and for not doing more to warn consumers about other potentially harmful chemicals in sunscreens available today.
Last month, Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) called for the FDA to investigate a link between retinyl palmitate, a vitamin A-derived ingredient in sunscreen, and cancer and provide guidance for consumers.


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Prepare your wallets, Apple’s loyal fans, because an absolute onslaught of new gadgets is coming.
This is according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman(opens in a new tab)who shared what he knows about Apple’s roadmap for the next year or so.
Of course, he’s not just talking about the four variants of the iPhone 15, which everyone knows are coming this fall. At the iPhone launch event, which typically happens early in September, Apple will also launch two new Apple Watch Series 9 models, as well as an updated version of the Apple Watch Ultra.
Apple is reportedly working on 2 new AR headsets
There’s more, though. Gurman says Apple is working on a 13-inch MacBook Pro laptop, equipped with a new M3 chip, as well as 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro variants equipped with either M3 Pro or M3 Max chips. New MacBook Air models (plural) are also coming, though there are no additional details about those. This is notable, given that Apple launched a 15-inch MacBook Air with an M2 processor earlier in June.
Apple is also working on new iMacs with 24-inch displays, as well as an entirely new, 30-inch iMac, though that one appears to be in an early development stage.
Apple is also working on revamped iPad Pro models with an OLED display, as well as a new iPad Air.
All of these are likely to launch in the second half of 2023, and the first half of 2024, claims Gurman.
Finally, Gurman says that there are a couple of products in an early development stage, including an updated Apple TV, new smart display products, and a third-generation Apple Vision Pro.
It’s a lot to process, but none of it comes as a surprise given that Apple’s line-up of products expanded tremendously in the past couple of years (most recently, with the company’s first ever virtual reality headset, the Vision Pro). One has to wonder, however, when will Apple launch all of this; perhaps the company is bound to introduce a third major annual event (the other two being Worldwide Developers Conference in June and the iPhone launch in September).


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Allergan bets on branded drugs
28.07.2015 - Irish Allergan is bolstering its product pipeline with a takeover of CNS specialist Naurex. At the same time, the company is divesting its global generics business to Teva.
Naurex is a spin-out from the Northwestern University in Illinois, US that develops therapies for disorders of the central nervous system (CNS). Allergan will pay US$560m (€506m) for the US biopharma, US$460m (€416m) of which upfront, as well as milestone payments. In exchange, it can add Naurex’ anti-depression drug candidates to its pipeline. Both are targeted modulators of the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor. Lead product rapastinel (GLYX-13) is a once-weekly intravenous molecule to treat depression that is set to start Phase III trials. NRX-1074, a next-generation drug candidate, has shown promise in intravenous form in Phase II and is being evaluated in Phase I when administered orally.
“The acquisition of Naurex is a great fit for Allergan and a compelling and exciting investment. We expect Naurex will enhance Allergan’s mental health portfolio and build on our strategy to lead in this important therapeutic area,” said Brent Saunders, CEO and President of Allergan.
The Dublin-based company also announced the divestment of its generics business to the world’s largest generics supplier Israeli company Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd for US$40.5bn (€37bn). Subject of the deal is Allergan’s legacy – Actavis global generics business, including the US and international generic commercial units, third-party supplier Medis, global generic manufacturing operations, the global generic R&D unit, the international over-the-counter (OTC) commercial unit (excluding OTC eye care products) and some established international brands. Allergan will receive US$33.75bn (€30.5bn) in cash and US$6.75bn (€6.1bn) in Teva stock. In addition, Allergan retains 50 percent of Teva’s future economics from generic lenalidomide. “This transaction will accelerate Allergan’s evolution into a branded Growth Pharma leader, enable a sharpened focus on expanding and enhancing our global branded pharmaceutical business and strengthen our financial position to build on our proven track-record of value creation led by effective capital deployment,” said Brent Saunders, CEO and President of Allergan.
With part of the sale proceeds, the Irish company, formerly known as Actavis, means to pay off debt accumulated over the last few years, most recently with the US$66bn (€60bn) takeover of US company Allergan. Shortly after the acquisition, Actavis took on the name Allergan.
After the announcements, Allergan’s stock price rose to a record high of more than US$325 (€294) per share.


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The winners of the Soil Association’s Organic Food Awards, in association with the Mail on Sunday’s You Magazine, will be announced on Friday 3 November at a special lunch at Conran’s Great Eastern Hotel in London. Now in its fourteenth year the awards represent the best organic products and producers in the UK in an increasingly competitive market.
Jonathan Dimbleby, President of the Soil Association will introduce the winners to Monty Don, Channel 4’s exclusive Gardening Expert and author of Fork to Fork, who will present the awards. There are 19 different product categories from fresh meat to baby food and six special awards including individual achievements, best producer, retailer and box schemes.
A team of 41 juudges including Sophie Grigson, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, Lynda Brown, Antony Worrall-Thompson, and Patricia Gallimore (who plays Pat Archer in BBC Radio $’s farming soap ‘The Archers’), have between them tasted and supped a total of 740 product entries and visited organic shops and farms and length and breadth of the country.
Sales of organic food continues to grow 40% year on year and the market in the UK is predicted to be worth £764 million this year. Over 70% of organic food imported to meet demand and the Soil Association is campaigned to increase the amount of agricultural land farmed organically in the UK from 2.5% to 30% by 2010.


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MCLAREN FIRES UP THEIR F1 ENGINE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 2021
The McLaren F1 team fires up their engine for the first time in 2021.
As the season for F1 ends, not everyone has a four-month holiday like the media likes us to believe. Each and every year, there are new rules and regulations set out by the FIA. This means that the F1 car and engine engineers need to work quickly and effectively to get their team's cars ready and tested for the next season.
After countless sleepless nights in the off-season, The McLaren Racing F1 team is ready to fire up their engine for the first time!
Unlike more traditional turn-of-the-key starting methods, F1 cars are a mission to start. First, you have to warm up the engine block, and ensure that oil temperatures and pressure is optimal. Then, finally, you can plug in the crank starter and give it a fire up! But, before you do so, make sure you got your headphones on!
Take a look at the video below by YouTube channel, ABC Sport, on McLaren Fires Up Their F1 Engine For The First Time In 2021.
Be sure to check out our YouTube channel here for more exciting and exclusive SXdrv content! And don't forget to smash that subscribe button!


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Tesla Catches Fire TWICE on ONE Day.
We're sorry for the owner, but do you think he will ever buy another Tesla?
A Tesla Model S caught fire on Tuesday in Los Gatos, California, after getting a flat tire.
he owner was driving on the highway when the vehicle alerted him that one of its tires had experienced a rapid drop in tire pressure. Minutes after the Model S was towed to an auto-repair shop, the front end reportedly caught fire. The vehicle reignited in the evening.
More videos on our YouTube Channel:


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When a Chinese company manufactured a line of women’s T-shirts with the words “For Hire” on them, Al-Watan published its disapproval at their availability in Riyadh stores.
At first, Al-Watan’s comment was on point when they described the T-shirt as “One more way to disrespect women.” But then they featured opinions against the T-shirt:
“The truth this is very unfortunate,” Kattan, a Saudi citizen commented, “what is left is just adding the price on the T-shirt as well, where is the control from the authorities? These women probably don’t know what it means.”
Saad Osaimi attributed that to “The ignorance of some citizens in English, plus that the spread of these situations is because of the absence of the concerned authorities and the absence of censorship on the market.”
The more interesting point is the almost unquestionable assumption that most women buying this T-shirt won’t know what the words mean. Al-Watan’s male commenters must think the female consumers of Riyadh (where the shirt was stocked) must be very poor English students.


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Written by Dentistry Today Friday, 12 November 2010 14:57
Launch of EDA Accepted Seal for Environmentally Friendly Products and Services Announced at EDA’s Green Lounge Event at 2010 ADA Session
Berkeley, CA (November 11, 2010) – The Eco-Dentistry Association™ (EDA), an international membership association formed to promote environmentally sound practices in dentistry, recently announced several products that have achieved the newly created EDA Accepted Seal. The newly launched exclusive EDA Accepted Seal is for products and services that meet specific environmental criteria.
The EDA recently announced several product lines that have achieved EDA Accepted Status at this year’s ADA Meeting:


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Computer security remains a critical issue for everyday consumers and security researchers alike. Despite Adobe...
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More than half (54 percent) of children around the world worry about being bullied online, according to a new Global Youth Online Behavior Survey released Tuesday by Microsoft Corp.
Conducted in 25 countries Jan. 11, 2012, to Feb. 19, 2012, among more than 7,600 children ages eight to 17, the survey focuses on how kids are treating one another online and whether parents are addressing online behaviors.
Recently, a children’s television show hosted a panel of anti-bullying experts, which included a representative from nonprofit Committee for Children, creators of the Steps to Respect bullying prevention curriculum that recently showed positive effects on bullying behaviors in a randomized controlled trial. (Read: Anti-Bullying Discussion at Sesame Workshop)
Earlier, with the help of singer and songwriter Ne-Yo, Cartoon Network, a division of Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. (TBS, Inc.), and Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) decided to distribute over 4,000 Bullying Prevention Kits to Boys & Girls Clubs across the U.S. (Read: Cartoon Network Campaign to Stop Bullying)
Microsoft commissioned the survey looking at a range of online behaviors among youth — from “meanness” (least severe) to online bullying or cruelty (most severe).
What’s more, according to the results, there is not one common step taken by parents to address the problem, with only 17 percent having communicated a clear set of rules for negative online behaviors.
“Kids need to know that they can turn to a trusted adult, such as a parent, caregiver or teacher, who will talk to them about all kinds of online safety concerns,” said Jacqueline Beauchere, director, Trustworthy Computing for Microsoft. “At Microsoft, we help empower adults with the productive tools and resources to help start the conversation with kids about how to stay safer online.”
In conjunction with the survey results, Microsoft is also releasing two additional resources:
Stand Up To Online Bullying Quiz. This interactive online quiz can be downloaded onto an organization’s or school’s website as a teaching tool. It is designed to walk adults through a series of scenarios in which, upon answering, the quiz delivers immediate guidance on how to talk about, identify and respond to the range of online behaviors from online meanness to bullying and beyond.
Digital Citizenship in Action Toolkit. Kids mirror adult behavior — the good, the bad and the ugly. This interactive educational guide helps teach users how to foster responsible use of technology in today’s digital world.
Microsoft made this announcement Tuesday, June 26.


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"With these significant technical improvements, we anticipate the typical charging time at a V3 Supercharger will drop to around 15 minutes", the EV maker has posted in a blog on its website. The metric is a bit misleading, however, as the peak charge rate of 75 miles in 5 minutes presumably decreases to a slower pace as the battery gets closer to full capacity.
To make better use of the Supercharger network, Tesla says it will also update its cars with a new feature that begins to prewarm their batteries when they approach a Supercharger, similar to the prewarming that occurs in some models when you use Ludicrous mode.
Tesla on Wednesday announced a new V3 Supercharger that supports charging of up to 250 kilowatts. Tesla has flirted with adding liquid-cooled cables to Superchargers in the past, but the rollout V3 is the first use of the new technology at scale.
While the Supercharger is making headlines, some Tesla followers started speculating what a wrapped pickup truck was doing on a spotted carrier loaded with Tesla vehicles, Electrek's Fred Lambert reports.
In addition to faster charging, Tesla's V3 Superchargers also allow for more consistent charging - the stations effectively eliminate the power-sharing tech that is present at existing Supercharger locations.
R.Kelly Says Parents Handed Girls Over To Him
Kelly doing?" He was previously out on bond after being charged in Chicago with 10 counts of aggravated sexual abuse. There are older men that like younger women ... there are younger women that like older men".
Elon Musk-owned electronic carmaker Tesla launched the company ambitious third generation Supercharger station V3 series in the US. Because this is just a software hack, the fix can be rolled out to the Model S and X as well.
The V3 Superchargers will come to USA sites in Q2 and Q3 this year, with Asia-Pacific and Europe to follow in Q4. V3 Supercharging is coming to Europe towards the end of 2019.
Tesla now has more than 12,000 Supercharger sites in North America and says it plans to have coverage for 99% of the European population by the end of the year.
Power is delivered to the vehicle via a new liquid-cooled cable design that Tesla claims is actually lighter and more flexible than the current air-cooled cable.


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Unveiling the third tranche of measures aggregating Rs. 1.63 lakh crore, at a media briefing on Friday May 15, Finance Minister Sitharaman announced a mix of financial, legislative and reform measures aimed largely at increasing the pricing power of farmers-or share of profit in farm incomes-by proposing to dismantle historical domestic trade barriers, bring new law for free food and commodities markets, and better infrastructure.
The third tranche measures is a mix of new allocations and top-up to existing agriculturally critical schemes, some of them announced in Budget 2020-2021 in February. The measure did not contain any direct cash transfer programme for farmers, or money in hand.
It is also an attempt to push through critical legislative reforms that can free up India’s agricultural markets and improve farm incomes. Farming is the largest source of livelihoods and supports nearly half of the population but it has been hobbled by scores of obsolescent regulations. For the benefit of farmers Essential Commodities Act, 1955, will be amended to deregulate food items including cereals, potatoes, and onions.
The measure will help the rural economy, our hard working farmers, fishermen, the animal husbandry and dairy sectors.
Totalling Rs.1.63 lakh crore, the measure includes:
- Rs. 1, 00,000 crore-Agri-Infrastructure Fund for marginalised farmers
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday announced that the Centre will immediately create an Rs 1 lakh crore Agri-Infrastructure Fund for farm- gate infrastructure for small and medium farmers, most of whom are marginalised.
“Financing facility of Rs 1, 00,000 crore will be provided for funding Agriculture Infrastructure Projects at farm-gate and aggregation points which will include primary agricultural co-operative societies, farmer producer organizations, agricultural entrepreneurs and start-ups. The fund will be created immediately,” Sitharaman said
The lack of adequate cold chain and post-harvest management in the vicinity of farm-gate is causing gaps in value chains. The government’s focus has been on short-term crop loans while investment in long-term agriculture infrastructure has often not been enough, the minister indicated.
- Rs. 20,000 crore-For Fisheries
Finance Minister allocated Rs 20,000 crore to the welfare of fishermen under Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana, announcing the third tranche of the centre’s stimulus package to cushion the adverse economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic. She said the amount will address critical gaps in the fisheries value chain and will help provide employment to 55 lakh people.
“Under the Prime Minister Matsya Sampada Yojana (announced in Budget), Rs 20,000 crore fund has been allocated so that fishermen get financial support for increasing their produce and improve infrastructure. This will lead to an increase of 70 lakh tons in production in the next five years. It will also double the amount of exports,” she said.
Out of the amount, Rs 11,000 crore will be used for the development of marine, inland fisheries and aquaculture, and Rs 9,000 will go into creating infrastructure like fishing harbours, cold chain and markets. This will double the exports to Rs 1, 00,000 crore, she said.
The focus of the scheme will be to back fishing activities in islands, Himalayan states, north-east and aspirational districts, a press information bureau tweet said.
- Rs. 10,000 crore-For Micro food enterprises
Scheme to help 200,000 micro food enterprises meet FSSAI standards, build brand and market.
Union Finance Minister announced ₹10,000 crore for micro food enterprises as part of PM Narendra Modi’s ‘vocal for local’ focus. “Aiming to implement PM’s vision of ‘vocal for local’ with global outreach, a scheme will be launched to help 2 lakh micro food enterprises” Sitharaman said.
The scheme will be launched by adopting cluster-based approach such as makhana in Bihar, kesar in Jammu and Kashmir, mango in Uttar Pradesh, bamboo shoots in Northeast, chilli in Andhra Pradesh, tapioca in Tamil Nadu. “This fund would help in reaching untapped export markets in view of improved health consciousness,” the FM said.
- Rs. 15,000 crore-for Animal Husbandry Development
Union Finance Minister allocated Rs 15,000 crore to animal husbandry infrastructure development.
Taking cognisance of the many areas across India which have high production of milk, Sitharaman also invited private investments in dairy processing, cattle feed infrastructure, and other value addition.
She said that incentives will be given for establishing plants for the export of milk products such as cream, cheese, processed milk powder and such. Sitharaman also invited private investments in dairy processing, cattle feed infrastructure, and other value addition.
- Rs. 13,343 crore- for National Animal Disease Control Programme
Union Finance Minister launched National Animal Disease Control Programme, with total outlay of Rs 13,343 crore for 100 per cent vaccination of cattle, buffalo, sheep, goat and pig population in India. This will cover around 53 crore animals, of which 1.5 crore cows and buffaloes have already been vaccinated.
- Rs. 4,000 crore- for Herbal Cultivation
Union Finance Minister announced an Rs 4,000 crore plan to promote herbal cultivation in India. Under this scheme medicinal plants will also be cultivated across the banks of river Ganga. This will be a Major Push for Herbal Cultivation, Corridors of Medicinal Plants to Be Established along Ganga’s Banks.
These herbal corridors which will span across 10 lakh hectares of land, will be established in the next two years. This scheme is expected to generate an income of Rs 5,000 crore for the farmers. In order to help the farmers sell their produce, a network of regional mandis will also be set up for medicinal plants.
- Rs. 500 crore- For Operation Green
Union Finance minister that Operation Green — a price fixation scheme that aims to ensure farmers are given the right price for their produce — will be expanded to cover all fruits and vegetables from just the tomatoes, onions and potatoes (TOP) as of now. This will be done with an additional allocation of ₹500 crore.
The scheme will have a 50% subsidy on transportation from surplus to deficient markets and 50% subsidy on storage, including cold storage.
The eligible organisation for availing financial assistance would include State Agriculture and other Marketing Federations, Farmer Producer Organizations (FPO), cooperatives, companies, Self-help groups, food processors, logistic operators, service providers, supply chain operators, retail and wholesale chains and central and state governments and their entities/organisations.
- Rs. 500 crore- for Bee Keeping Initiatives
Scheme to develop infrastructure related to beekeeping; will help 200,000 people.
The government will implement a Rs 500 crore scheme of infrastructure development for the country’s beekeepers, with special thrust on capacity building of women, Union finance minister said.
The government will implement the scheme for infrastructure development related to integrated beekeeping development centres, collection marketing and storage centres, post-harvest and value addition facilities among other things,
It will also include implementation of standards, developing a traceability system, development of quality nucleus stock and bee breeders.
“This will lead to an increase in income of 2 lakh bee-keepers,” Nirmala Sitharaman said in her press conference.


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TeliaSonera Sweden (Telia) disclosed in a press release that in April it will launch ‘M2M in a Box’ to enable more Swedish companies and organisations to utilise machine-to-machine (M2M) / Internet of Things (IoT) communication over its mobile network. In addition to a SIM card, M2M in a Box contains 25 sensors which can be utilised in connecting ‘everything from buildings to machines’; the sensors collect data (e.g. temperature, humidity, movements and positioning) that can be monitored in real time via a cloud-based web portal and can automatically trigger customer messaging notifications when readings change. The standard package also includes a battery and charger, plus ‘round the clock support’, and costs SEK9,375 (USD1,090) per month. Potential examples of M2M in a Box usage were given in Telia’s release: ‘A municipality can place sensors in snow ploughing vehicles to ensure that the roads are ploughed as they should. Stores can measure temperature and humidity in refrigerated counters. Construction companies can put sensors in the machines on a construction site and receive notification when they are moved outside a certain area.’
At present many small and larger companies are reluctant to expend resources on extensive M2M-related engineering/IT projects, but Telia claims that M2M in a Box makes it easier to explore the potential of M2M and IoT without large-scale investment. According to a study quoted by TeliaSonera, by 2018 there will be 35 million connected ‘things’ in Sweden, from appliances and home alarms to pay points, industrial machinery and vehicles. The same study said that in the wider Nordic region there will be 102 million connected things by 2018, compared to 2014’s regional total of 45 million, while Sweden currently has the largest IoT market in the region, valued at EUR1.3 billion (USD1.38 billion) in 2014 in terms of all products and services.


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It's been rumoured for quite some time, but Samsung has become the first manufacturer to officially launch a smartphone with a curved display.
Optus has announced pricing and plan details, and opened online pre-orders for Samsung's new Galaxy Note 3 smartphone, but it will not bundle the Galaxy Gear smartwatch with any of its plans.
Samsung has officially announced the Australian launch of its new Galaxy Mega 6.3 smartphone, but the device will not be sold through traditional telco carriers.
Samsung has officially announced the release of the Galaxy S4 Active in Australia, a water and dust resistant Android smartphone.
Samsung officially launched its hotly anticipated Galaxy S4 Android phone last night at an event in Sydney, with the device officially going on sale in Australia from Saturday, April 27.
Foxtel is soon expected to release its Foxtel Go app on the Android platform, but latest rumours suggest the app will be available exclusively for Samsung mobile and tablet devices until October.
Samsung has today announced that its hotly anticipated Galaxy S4 Android phone will be officially launched in Australia on Tuesday, April 23.
Samsung is expected to unveil its upcoming Galaxy S IV Android phone on Thursday 14 March, according to new rumours.
Samsung has announced that its latest Galaxy Ace Android phone is now available exclusively through Telstra in Australia.
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First impression on unpacking the Q702 test unit was the solid feel and clean, minimalist styling.
For work use, Microsoft Word and Excel programs pre-installed on the device are adequate for preparing short documents.
The Fujitsu LifeBook UH574 allowed for great mobility without being obnoxiously heavy or clunky. Its twelve hours of battery life did not disappoint.
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My first impression after unboxing the Q702 is that it is a nice looking unit. Styling is somewhat minimalist but very effective. The tablet part, once detached, has a nice weight, and no buttons or switches are located in awkward or intrusive positions.
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Audi R8 e-tron Piloted Driving: Self-driving gets sporty
Elon Musk has a lot to answer for. Long before the automotive world was willing to accept that electric cars were the future, Musk championed Tesla’s belief in a solar-electric economy – a future in which all cars are electric, all power renewable. The result? Tesla has grown to become a $25 billion business, and sent shockwaves coursing throughout the sector. Now, automotive giants such as Audi are looking to stake their claim in the all-electric, autonomous future of the automobile.
It’s not inconceivable that Tesla’s success served as the inspiration for Audi’s 2008 concept car, the R8 e-tron – perhaps the German manufacturer wanted to show that Tesla wasn’t the only company that could imbue electric cars with high-performance, high-end cachet.
And not to be outdone by news of Google’s driverless car experiments, Audi has moved one step further in 2015. Fusing an advanced version of its 2008 R8 e-tron concept with the latest in self-driving technology, Audi unveiled its most ambitious project yet: the R8 e-tron Piloted Driving.
Driving with eyes closed
The digital eyes, ears and brain at the heart of the self-driving R8 e-tron are the product of a collaborative, multidisciplinary effort. Marshalling a team of specialists from Nvidia, Delphi, TTTech and Mobileye among many others, Audi brought together the hardware and software components required to create the Piloted Driving engine, dubbed zFAS.
Although it might look like a standard PC motherboard, it’s nothing of the sort. Instead, the components lashed together on the zFAS PCB are tasked with converting the vast amount of data that is streaming in from the myriad sensors dotted around the R8 e-tron’s chassis – the depth-sensing cameras, laser scanners and ultrasonic sensors – as well as dealing with more mundane computing tasks, such as feeding data from the GPS receiver and the car’s always-on LTE mobile connection.
Details are frustratingly scarce on the specifics of Audi’s efforts, but with the CPU and GPU tech lurking at the heart of zFAS delivered by Nvidia’s Tegra K1 – a chip better known for packing a daunting amount of processing power into Android tablets – it’s fair to assume that there’s power enough to handle hands-free driving as well as the demands of Audi’s digital heads-up display system. Sadly, Audi wasn’t allowing anyone to sit in the driver’s seat, but if the fully digital dashboard on its demonstration unit is anything to go by, you can expect to have control of everything from GPS to your music playlist without lifting your hands from the steering wheel.
Teaching the blind to see
But how hard is it to make a car drive itself? The margin of error, after all, is tiny. One mistake, and at best you’ll be taking several hundred thousand pounds’ worth of concept car to the paint shop. At worst – it doesn’t bear thinking about. Given that current regulations require a driver to be present, if not actively in control, there is virtually no margin for error whatsoever. After all, it’s one thing to have a car race its way around the Hockenheim race track unaided, it’s entirely another to navigate the M25 at rush hour.
The sheer number of connections dotting the edge of the zFAS board hints at the vastness of the hardware and programming challenge involved. In addition to the twin Ethernet sockets and what looks like the telltale thread of a wireless aerial connection, the other 13 connections are entirely unfamiliar to a PC enthusiast.
Not that you’d be able to distinguish the R8 e-tron Piloted Driving from a standard model just by looking at it – at least, not at first glance. It lacks the brutish, oval, twin exhausts at the rear of its petrol-powered stablemates, and the muzzle of carbon-fibre replacing the air intake of the V8-and V10-powered models is another dead giveaway, but there’s no outwardly obvious sign of the sheer amount of technology that lurks within Audi’s latest concept: the R8 e-tron looks exactly like a sports car should, all perfect curves resting on squat, muscular haunches.
The death of the petrol engine?
Looks aren’t everything, however. Indeed, petrol-head purists addicted to the guttural rasp of a V8 might still scoff at the prospect of an electric sports car, but in terms of pure performance numbers the R8 e-tron is a potent advert for all-electric tech.
“Twin 170kw motors combine to deliver 0-62mph times of 3.9 seconds, 0.9 seconds faster than the original model.”
The electric drivetrain of the R8 e-tron has been given a number of significant upgrades since it made its debut in 2008. The former model’s 280kw power output has been eclipsed by twin 170kw motors which now combine to deliver 0-62mph times of 3.9 seconds, 0.9 seconds faster than the original model. Top speeds remain identical: with the speed limiters disabled, the R8 e-tron tops out at 250km/h – outside of a race track, you’re unlikely to find the R8’s limits.
Audi has steadily made advances with the lithium-ion battery technology, too. Where the earlier models made do with 50kWh of reserves, the R8’s T-shaped battery pack almost doubles in size to 92kWh, an advance which now gives it a working range of up to 450km.
In fairness, though, Audi’s petrol-powered R8 GT still has the edge over its electric stablemate. With its 5.2-litre V10 generating a brutish 552bhp, the V8 GT reaches 62mph just a fraction quicker, in 3.6 seconds. The all-electric R8 e-tron is gaining ground rapidly, though, and with Audi’s drivetrain technology advancing dramatically in the past few years, the gas-guzzling model’s superiority may soon come to an end.
Are enemies electric?
In fact, Audi would probably rather we didn’t mention its most unforgiving adversary – and there are no prizes for guessing who. Tesla’s tight focus on electric drivetrain technology has provided it with no small advantage in the field.
What’s more, the company has already deployed semi-autonomous driving technology in its line-up, something it calls AutoPilot. And with all models since September 2014 equipped with windscreen-mounted cameras, radar and ultrasonic sonar sensors, Tesla only has to deliver an over-the-air software update to activate the technology in its latest models.
One thing is clear: Tesla and Audi (and Google and Apple, too, if reports are to be believed) are locked in a battle to secure the future of autonomous vehicles. With Musk himself stating that autonomous driving tech will be ready for the big time around 2020, albeit subject to governments thrashing out the necessary laws, and Audi confidently stating that its zFAS technology will be ready for series production by 2017, the race is most certainly on.
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With over 4 million albums sold, Adele’s album became the fifth best-selling in the UK this week, according to the Official Charts Company, the UK equivalent to SoundScan. The songstress edges out MJ’s Thriller, selling just 500 units more.
“To add to her many landmark records, Adele’s achievement in overtaking Thriller in the all-time sales list is truly remarkable,” said Martin Talbot, the Official Charts Company’s Managing Director. “Thriller has long been recognized as one of the most iconic albums of all time – there is now no doubt that 21 can be spoken of in the same breath.”
Another fun fact mentioned by the company – one in six British households own a copy of 21.
At the end of last year, Adele outsold Amy Winehouse’s Back to Black to become the biggest selling album of the 21st Century in the UK. And in America, she’s fairing just as well. This week, the singer takes over the number two position with almost 84 thousand albums sold, according to SoundScan. The album has sold just under 9 million copies in the U.S. since it’s release in January 2011.
At this point, it’s worth asking, who doesn’t own a copy of 21?
– Shannon Carlin, CBS Local
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Fiat Australia has confirmed the 500e will arrive in Australia next year.
Fiat will bring the pint-sized electric 500e to Australia next year, likely ushering in a new affordable EV option next to rivals such as the Mini Electric.
The all-electric 500 city car has been available to order in Europe for two years (as we’ve tested already).
In top-spec trim, the 500 electric hatchback offers plenty. With a larger 42kWh battery it achieves a WLTP-rated 320km on a single charge and thanks to 85kW charging capability, the 500 electric can recharge from 0 to 80 per cent in 35 minutes.
The larger 42kWh battery is likely the option for Australia over Europe’s smaller 24kWh base model, although it helps push the price of the range-topping Icon model to almost $50,0000 in Europe.
Some of the options available overseas include Mineral Grey, Ocean Green and Celestial Blue paint, and standard equipment such as LED headlights, “eco-leather” trim, 17-inch alloy wheels and chrome exterior trim.
The hatchback gets a glass-panoramic roof in place of the convertible’s retracting fabric hood.
The revisions required to make the 500 EV are sufficient enough for Fiat to call this model the third generation – following the 2007 rebirth and the original Cinquecento made between 1957 and 1975.
There’s a new platform that results in a slight increase in size compared with the Mk2, so the EV is 60mm wider and 60mm longer. The car’s wheelbase has grown by 20mm too, but the overall length of the 500 is still under four metres.
Fiat hasn’t played around too much with the car’s styling. The side profile of the new EV is still unmistakably 500, but there are tweaks to the front end, with a new bumper that is actually closer in style to the set-up on the original 500. There are split headlights – another nod to the 1957 model – and a new 500 badge on the rear end.
The car has a 42kWh lithium-ion battery pack – enough to deliver up to 320km of range. It powers an 87kW electric motor that can take the Fiat 500e from 0-100km/h in nine seconds and on to a top speed of 150km/h. Those stats apply to both hatchback and convertible variants.
The 500 gets an 85kW DC charger, so the car can be recharged from flat to 80 per cent of capacity in just 35 minutes. A full charge on a 7.4kW home wallbox will take just over six hours, and Fiat also plans to launch its own 3kW home charger, which will be able to be plugged into a domestic socket without requiring professional installation.
The car will let drivers pick from three driving modes. Normal is described by Fiat as being “as close as possible to driving a vehicle with a normal combustion engine”, while Range activates higher levels of brake energy recuperation. This will allow owners to drive the car using only the throttle pedal and anticipating stop situations.
The last mode, Sherpa, preserves as much range as possible, so it limits the top speed to 80km/h, blunts throttle response and turns off the climate control and heated seats.
Inside, there’s a bigger jump in design and quality, because Fiat has used the car’s new platform to introduce a cleaner, less cluttered dashboard with improved materials. There should be huge gains in in-car technology too, because the 500 is the first FCA product to get the group’s new UConnect 5 infotainment system. This brings a 10.25-inch high-definition touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay functionality and the ability, in future, to offer wireless Android Auto. The instrument panel is now a seven-inch TFT digital display.
The 500 will offer a range of smartphone apps, allowing users to check the charge level of their car remotely, and warm or cool the vehicle before setting off. On-board Wi-Fi is part of the bundle of new technologies on the reborn 500, as is tracking software to help trace the car if it is stolen.
Fiat claims that the new 500 EV is capable of ‘Level 2’ semi-autonomous driving, using a front-facing camera system to monitor the road ahead. Adaptive cruise control with automatic braking and accelerating, lane keep assist, speed limit assist, blind spot warning and 360-degree sensors for tricky manoeuvres all feature.
Further details for the Australian-spec Fiat 500e will be revealed at a later date.


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Halloween can’t come soon enough for Eminem’s daughter, Hailie Jade, who looked fabulous in a new spooky selfie. The 26-year-old posted a photo of herself on Instagram wearing a tiny white ribbed crop top that was more of a bralette than a shirt and styled it with a dark gray skeleton hoodie.
In the photo, Hailie wore a high-neck, white ribbed crop top that had a scooped hem right under her chest. Her toned abs and tiny waist were on full display in the shirt and she styled it with high-waisted gray elastic sweatpants. On top of her cropped shirt, she threw on an oversized gray zip-up hoodie that had a white skeleton pattern on the front.
She topped her look off with a spooky white ghost phone case and gorgeous glam. Underneath her hood, her light brown highlighted hair was down in super soft, voluminous waves while a light pink smokey eye, long lashes, and a light pink matte lip completed her ensemble. Hailie has been loving fall and her Instagram posts prove that.
Just a day before this selfie, Hailie posted a photo of herself showing off her new super light brown hair that almost looked blonde. She styled her new hairdo with a pair of black sunglasses, black leather pants, and an oversized denim jacket with a white sherpa collar. She captioned the photo, “this new hair kinda makes me wanna go even more blonde.”
Aside from these outfits, Hailie also rocked a pair of skintight, short black biker shorts with a black hoodie and an oversized, plaid tan blazer on top. She styled the outfit with a pair of chunky black leather mid-calf boots, a black purse, and black Prada sunglasses.


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eBay is also taking over the eBay.in domain from Flipkart, a company spokesperson has confirmed to ETtech. "We are immediately focused on the cross-border trade opportunity and encourage India-based sellers to continue to take advantage of eBay's global platform and sell to customers around the world," a company spokesperson said.
Flipkart had acquired eBay.in last year when it raised $1.4 billion in funding from eBay, Tencent and Microsoft. eBay had at the time invested $500 million in Flipkart and is exiting with gross proceeds of around $1.1 billion.
The Walmart-owned e-tailer had shut down the eBay.in platform earlier this month and had stated plans to set up its own platform for refurbished goods, which was unveiled as ' 2GUD' yesterday. eBay India had a base of 4 million buyers at the time of the announcement of the Flipkart merger.
"In India, we will start with export meaning Indian sellers selling on other marketplace platforms around the world that was something that we turned over to Flipkart. We are going to get that back upon the closing of the transaction. So, we will light up the Indian seller base to sell across all of our major markets," eBay CEO Devin Wenig said in the company's earnings call earlier this month.
Wenig said the second phase would be restarting its operations in India "with a differentiated import inventory" but declined to disclose any specific timeline on the launch.
In July, ET had reported that eBay has held talks for a merger with a few e-commerce players, including ShopClues for re-entry into the Indian market. The talks could also lead to ShopClues' acquisition by eBay, a source had previously told ET.
eBay had first entered the Indian market in 2004 and began operations through the acquisition of News Corp-backed Bazee.com, however, it struggled to capitalise on its first mover advantage in a market dominated by Flipkart and Amazon India.
In 2013, the California-based e-tailer also picked up a significant stake in the online retailer Snapdeal, however, it eventually wrote down a $61 million investment in the Delhi-based company in February this year.


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World growth is set to remain modest, with the impact of the necessary monetary policy tightening, weak trade and lower business and consumer confidence being increasingly felt, according to the OECD’s latest Economic Outlook.
The Outlook projects global GDP growth of 2.7% in 2024 and a slight improvement to 3.0% in 2025. Asia is expected to continue to account for the bulk of global growth in 2024-25, as it has in 2023.
Consumer price inflation is expected to continue to ease gradually back towards central bank targets in most economies by 2025, as cost pressures moderate. Consumer price inflation in OECD countries is expected to decline from 7.0% in 2023 to 5.2% in 2024 and 3.8% in 2025.
GDP growth in the United States is projected at 1.5% in 2024, and then picking up slightly to 1.7% in 2025 as monetary policy is expected to ease. In the euro area GDP growth is projected at 0.9% in 2024 and 1.5% in 2025. China is expected to grow at 4.7% in 2024 and 4.2% in 2025 on the back of ongoing stresses in the real estate sector and continued high household saving rates.
“The global economy continues to confront the challenges of both low growth and elevated inflation…We expect that inflation will be back at central bank targets by 2025 in most economies,” OECD Secretary-General Mathias Cormann said. “Over the longer term, our projections show a significant rise in government debt, in part as a result of a further slowdown in growth.”
The Outlook highlights a range of risks. Geopolitical tensions remain a key source of uncertainty and have risen further as a result of the evolving conflict in Israel-Palestine. Amid heightened geopolitical tensions and a longer-term decline in the trade intensity of growth, the anticipated cyclical pick-up in trade growth could fail to materialise, according to the Paris-based organisation.
Still, economic forecasting is an inexact science. As in 2023, forecasts may well fall wide of the mark again.


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Maybe China's not slowing as much as expected?
Alibaba spent a record 278.8 billion yuan, or $41.6 billion, on various areas of business from original content to product deve...
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Fascinating deep dive into China grocers and how e-commerce giants are building a remarkably innovative omnichannel distribution model.
Stores like Alibaba's Hema offer a vision of the future for American grocers, but experts say creating a similarly seamless omn...
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63% back plain cigarette packages
Almost two-thirds of people in the UK back proposals to strip cigarette packages of their logos, a survey suggests.
The questionnaire, conducted with 2,000 adults on behalf of Cancer Research UK, found that 63% were in favour of plain packs.
On Saturday, Australia will become the first country in the world to put all tobacco products in standardised packs. Cigarette packs and other products will just have the name of the brand and warnings will be visible.
The law bans the use of logos, brand imagery, symbols, other images, colours and promotional text. Packs will all be in a plain dark brown colour, displaying a graphic health warning with the name of the brand printed but in a standard colour, position, font size and style.
Earlier this year the British Government launched a consultation on plans to introduce mandatory standardised packaging for tobacco products. Health campaigners have welcomed the proposal, but opponents claimed it would lead to increased smuggling and job losses.
Information generated by the consultation, which closed in August, is still being analysed by health officials.
Charity Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) said the main purpose of standardised packaging is to dissuade children from smoking.
Deborah Arnott, chief executive of ASH, said: "The tobacco industry is terrified of the removal of the last vestiges of advertising from their products and is spending millions of pounds in the UK to fight the measure. We trust our Government will calmly review the evidence and not be swayed by the distorted misinformation put out by the tobacco industry and its allies."
Dr Harpal Kumar, Cancer Research UK's chief executive, said: "With so many children starting to smoke each year, the Government must show strong leadership to reduce the deadly lure of cigarettes. Smoking causes at least 14 different cancers as well as a long list of other illnesses. So it's vital the Government introduces standardised packaging as soon as possible, giving millions of children one less reason to start smoking."
A Department of Health spokesman said: "The Government has an open mind on this issue and any decisions to take further action will be taken only after full consideration of the consultation responses, evidence and other relevant information."


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On Wednesday, Jefferies analyst James Wheatcroft upgraded InterContinental (LON: IHG) to Buy from Underperform, setting a price target of 5,750p.
The upgrade was part of a research note named “Leisure Outlook 2022: Hotels Now Preferred.”
The analyst told investors that the company is among the beneficiaries in the travel industry due to the pandemic recovery being underway.
Wheatcroft also noted positive trends in UK and US hotel searches, with geolocation data showing the U.S. hotel footfall recovery continuing.
IHG shares initially touched a high of 5,070p on Thursday. Despite a recent dip — where it fell to 4,795p — the stock has managed to regain some of those losses with today's move.
Since a low of 2,161p back in March, IHG shares have made a strong comeback, in line with travel restrictions steadily easing.
There's no doubt that IHG Group, like many hotel groups, has been impacted by COVID-19. However, in the last year, IHG Group has seen an increase in ratings, dragging it out of the slump it was once in.
InterContinental Hotels Group is, as the name suggests, an international hotel company. It first started as a brewery in the UK in 1777 under the name Bass. The IHG brand was born in 2003.
IHG currently has 17 brands, according to its website. These are Six Senses, Regent, InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, Vignette Collection, Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants, Hotel Indigo, Even Hotels, Hualuxe, Crowne Plaza, Voco, Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express, Holiday Inn Club Vacations, Avid, Staybridge Suites, Atwell Suites, and Candlewood Suites.
Its shares are listed on the New York Stock Exchange and London Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol IHG.
Travel stocks, including IHG shares, have been severely impacted by the coronavirus pandemic and subsequent travel restrictions. Hotels, airlines, cruises, and car rental companies have all been affected, but could now be a good time to buy travel stocks at a discount? Are IHG shares included on our list of the best travel stocks to buy? Here's what our analyst had to say on the issue…
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Sam is a trader and lead stock market writer at AskTraders. After starting his career in the forex market, Sam now focuses on stocks, specifically consumer staples.


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If you think shopping is fun, try shopping after hours, and even better yet—when it’s for a good cause.
This year, Barneys will be participating in the Fashion’s Night Out festivities by keeping our doors open late (10pm!), serving special cocktails dreamed up by designers Prabal Gurung, Irene Neuwirth and Sidney Garber’s Brooke Garber Neidich (see our menu below), and by donating 10 percent of proceeds from the entire day at our Madison Avenue flagship to the Human Rights Campaign, America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve LGBT equality. Additionally, the HRC will receive 10 percent of sales from the Barneys flagship stores around the country—Beverly Hills, Chicago, Boston, Las Vegas, San Francisco, Dallas, Scottsdale and Seattle—during the Fashion’s Night Out event.
Like Barneys’s support of the HRC during our Perfect Pairs campaign celebrating the new shoe floor, the donation will specifically benefit the organization’s Americans for Marriage Equality Program. “This is a cause that we are proud to support, and we invite all of our customers, designers, vendors and business partners to participate,” says Barneys Chief Executive Mark Lee.
And lest you need further motivation to shop in support of the HRC, just take a look at creative-ambassador-in-residence Simon Doonan who married his beloved Jonathan Adler and is coming up on his fourth wedding anniversary.
You hope to see you at 61st and Madison!


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30 April 2012
In Pictures: Stars roll into Belfast for Titanic GO Awards
A host of well-known faces poured into Belfast for a red carpet gala event, the Titanic GO Awards.
The annual ceremony, also known as the GONGS, showcases the best of Northern Ireland’s retail, tourism, hospitality and entertainment sectors. More than 25,000 people voted online this year for local businesses nominated across 14 categories.
Continue reading - In Pictures: Stars roll into Belfast for Titanic GO Awards
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Monthly Industry Roundup: March 2017
Location3 News: Location3 head of Local Search Nick Neels traveled to San Diego for Local Search Association’s flagship event, LSA 2017. Neels was a featured speaker at this year’s conference, presenting “Developing a Market Prioritization Model for Greater Effectiveness.” Neels’ insights were at the center of Location3’s award-winning case study on the performance of HoneyBaked Ham throughout the holiday season.
That highlight brings us to an obviously related bit of news. Location3 received the top prize for Best Local Search Campaign at LSA 2017. This is the second time in the last three years that Location3 has won the award. The winning submission included a franchise marketing case study that showcased our ability to drive incredible ROI for HoneyBaked Ham, including the national brand and the 211 individual franchisees across the country.
WHAT’S HAPPENING IN SEO?
Google Research Indicates Majority of Mobile Sites Bloated
- According to Google, the time it takes to load the average mobile landing page is 22 seconds (this seems absurdly high)
- Additionally, Google’s research also indicates 53% of people will leave a mobile page if it takes longer than 3 seconds to load
- Google came to the conclusion that “the majority of mobile sites are slow and bloated with too many elements”
- Obviously, these stats indicate poor user experience
- Google recommends compressing images and text and continuously testing mobile and desktop speeds in their Test My Site tool (this tool displays mobile, desktop and mobile friendliness all at once)
Emojis Are Back in Google SERPs
- Emoji were removed from Google SERPs back in 2015, but now they’re back
- Google says emoji will appear “where relevant, useful and fun”
- We can expect to see more in the future
- A newly filed Apple patent includes an emoji button on its keyboard so this is also why Google is bringing them back in the SERPs
- Should brands rush to cash in and place the characters in awkward, stilted contexts, Google may opt to banish them again
WHAT’S HAPPENING IN LOCAL?
Waze Digs into Your Car Dashboard
- As Waze usage moves from your phone to your car dashboard, Google will be getting a lot more info
- Some predicting car data could be 750 billion dollar industry by 2030
How to Optimize On-Page Signals for Local Search
- On-page signals are the number one factor in local search ranking at 20.3%; link signals came close at 20%; followed by Google My Business signals at 14.7%. (via Moz)
- Add Accurate NAP to Your Website
- Optimize Content for LOCAL KEYWORDS
- Add ALT attributes to your images
- Optimize LP Content
- Optimize LPs based on Site Structure
Proximity to Searcher is the New #1 Local Search Ranking Factor
- Proximity appears to be weighted more than links, website content, citations, and reviews in the local pack ranking
- Proximity impacted non-geo modified terms more than results for geo-modified terms
- Results sometimes cluster together
- Google would rather show a smaller pack than a 3-pack when there is a business that’s too far away from the searcher
- Speculates that this will increase ad revenue for google
- Also speculates that this is because it is a better user experience
WHAT’S HAPPENING IN DISPLAY?
Amobee Makes Big Acquisition in Turn
Amobee has agreed to acquire Turn. In the ad-tech space, this is a pretty big acquisition. Turn is one of the top DMP/DSPs in the space – so Amobee will be acquiring a lot of technology into the stack. Amobee has historically been known for their branding and rich media capabilities, so this acquisition will help round out their full funnel offering. It will also help position them in International markets.
WHAT’S HAPPENING IN VIDEO?
Streaming Services Continue Traditional TV Takeover
4th quarter 2016 saw some of the steepest declines in traditional pay TV service, down 1.7%. Many of those users are moving to a service like SlingTV and DirectTV Now, so for those traditional service providers that have added a digital option, their overall user base did not decline that significantly. But from the consumer’s perspective, they are cutting the cord. The biggest saving grace for traditional services was the availability of live programming. But now with YouTube TV, consumers will have another option to get their live programming. Here’s a blog post from Location3 that digs into the details.
WHAT’S HAPPENING IN SOCIAL?
Instagram Stories Leading to Snapchat Declines?
The launch of Instagram stories may correlate to a decline in the number of Snapchat stories. From August to November 2016, the average unique viewers per Snapchat Story has decreased about 40%, according to this article from ClickZ
Kenshoo and Pinterest Make a Formidable Tandem
Advertisers using the Kenshoo platform to manage their search campaigns will also be able to run product search ads on Pinterest. Images and copy are pulled in through Google Shopping Ads. While Pinterest doesn’t have near the volume of searches Google does, they do have a lot of information on what consumers are interested in. Combining the two sources of data provides a lot of insight and opportunity for advertisers.
WHAT’S HAPPENING IN ANALYTICS
Google Adds Features to Data Studio
Here are a few of the “powerful features” added to Google’s data visualization tool:
Reuse – Create a filter once and then use it on as many different components on the report as you want. No more recreating identical filters!
Compound filtering – Combine multiple AND and OR filter conditions together into one reusable filter.
Metric filters – Filter metric values that are too large, too small, or within a specified range.
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