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Maruti Suzuki Launches On-the-Road Servicing for its Vehicles in India
The initiative encompasses both paid and free services as offered by a standard Maruti Suzuki Service Centre, along with repairs, underbody inspection, oil changing, filter cleaning among others.
Maruti Suzuki Service On Wheels. (Image source: Matuti Suzuki)
Maruti Suzuki India has announced its new – ‘Service on Wheels’ initiative. It is a smart workshop on the move to offer customers the option of availing Maruti Suzuki service at their doorsteps. Service on Wheels is equipped with all modern tools and technologies to undertake service, repairs and other related jobs for all Maruti Suzuki passenger vehicles.
Commenting on the launch of Service on Wheels, Partho Banerjee, Executive Director (Service), Maruti Suzuki India, said, “We are delighted to announce the addition of Service on Wheels, a unique service for our customers. A workshop built on a four-wheeler is designed to meet the entire service needs of our customers. Customer satisfaction has always been paramount for Maruti Suzuki, and Service on Wheels is a testament to that.”
Service on Wheels encompasses both paid and free services as offered by a standard Maruti Suzuki Service Centre, along with repairs, underbody inspection, oil changing, filter cleaning and much more. The offering is accessible for all engine variants including petrol, diesel and CNG in the Maruti Suzuki portfolio.
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It’s fair to say that London’s black cab drivers have not taken the rise of ride-hailing app Uber well. The start-up, which has delivered 10s of millions of trips in the capital, has been met with gridlock protests, judicial reviews and furious Twitter rants.
Now it seems the taxi trade has given up on trying to hamper its new competitor and plans to fight back by more positive means – by improving its service. Today the trade launched a new 'action plan', backed by the London Taxi Company, which manufactures black cabs, and the Licensed Taxi Drivers Association (LTDA). The campaign calls for taxis to all be equipped with ultra-fast wifi and contactless card readers, and for new zero emissions cabs to take to the streets by 2018.
‘Faster, Smarter, Greener is our offer and our ask of the next Mayor of London,’ said LTDA general secretary Steve McNamara. ‘The traffic in central London has to flow better and move faster, we must continue to adopt new technologies including apps, wifi and contactless to ensure we are smarter.’

domain: news


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Unifeeder eyes shift among customers: Moves cargo from highway to sea
Feeder line Unifeeder wants to conquer cargo from European highways. "We feel there's a positive momentum," says CEO Jesper Kristensen, who, unlike the competitors, has a positive take on the market.
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Thanks to VAT reform, Mingjia, a supply chain management company based in East China’s Jiangsu province, has developed into an intelligent logistics enterprise with annual revenue exceeding 100 million yuan ($15.1 million).
Now, it is tapping its potential in the Internet Plus transportation sector, and has set up a platform with credit as evaluation criterion, the first of its kind in Wuxi city.
Just as Premier Li Keqiang said, VAT reform is not only aimed at cutting taxes, but also conducive to the transformation and upgrading of manufacturing and the development of the service industry. In addition, it is a strong driving force for innovation.
As VAT reform was rolled out nationwide last May, labor costs, including wages and social insurance, were also included as items available for tax deduction.
Encouraged by such incentives, an equipment sales company in Changzhou city has extended its business to professional after-sale services.
As a transformation from traditional manufacturing to “manufacturing plus service”, the initiative has enabled the company to create 1,000 new jobs.
Statistics from Jiangsu province showed that VAT invoices from taxpayers in construction, real estate, finance, and services have saved 39.02 billion yuan for downstream taxpayers
Hu Genrong, a partner from Pricewaterhouse Coopers, said VAT reform has eliminated the tax gap between the secondary and tertiary sectors and within the service industry.
The reform is conducive to a fair and efficient tax environment, and could expand inter-industry trade to revitalize the economy, he said.
“It’s a real tax relief package, which encourages entrepreneurship and gives us confidence,” said Yang Haimei, one of the owners of an e-commerce service center in Tushan town in Pizhou city.
Data shows the number of newly-added taxpayers in the four major industries under VAT reform in Jiangsu in 2017 has increased 10 percent from 2016.
Since the overall implementation of the VAT, the scope of input tax deduction has been expanded, which stimulated enterprises’ R&D and innovative transformation.
A Jiangsu company, called South Permanent Magnetism, was granted tax credits amounting to 2.6 million yuan due to VAT reform.
In Jiangsu, 40.77 billion yuan of fixed asset input tax was declared last year, up 7.8 percent from the previous year, and the part in the tertiary industry was 6.54 billion yuan, an increase of 55.5 percent year-on-year.
Bloomberg said VAT reform in China has boosted the economy in the short term, and will promote the service sector and enable balanced economic development in the long run.
The overall VAT reform provides more room for entrepreneurship and innovation, and creates a tax system beneficial to small- and medium-sized enterprises.
Liu Shangxi, head of the Chinese Academy of Fiscal Sciences under the Ministry of Finance, said reform has reduced enterprises’ burdens, invigorated business, promoted employment, and thus improved people’s lives. “It is a sound economic cycle,” he said.


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Fall was the season of mergers and acquisitions: Viasystems and Merix; TTM and Meadville; DDi and Coretec. Likewise, you hold in your hands a merged product – PCD&F and Circuits Assembly. Like many of the industry deals, this was borne both of necessity and opportunity. The good news is, with our stable of editors, including Pete Waddell (20 years of design work), Kathy Nargi-Toth (a similar amount on the fabrication side), and my own 18-plus years covering design, fabrication and assembly, we have the technical chops and experience necessary to make sense of the fast-moving electronics manufacturing world. Going forward, our two brands will retain their identities, including their own websites. Meanwhile, the printed magazine – the last remaining monthly publication in North America covering electronics manufacturing – gets a boost in size and circulation. Win-win.
I have mixed feelings about DDi’s pickup of Coretec. On one hand, Coretec was finding it extremely difficult making it as a small yet publicly held company. Its sales had slipped from C$92 million in 2006 to C$81.4 million in 2008 – an 11.5% drop – and were on a run rate of $72.7 million this year. Worse, it was still seeing sequential declines through the September quarter, while competitor DDi has begun the upward revenue climb. Its last quarterly net profit was the fourth quarter 2006. And with no cash on hand, its hands were severely tied. All of which might explain why Coretec’s CFO position has been something of a revolving door for years.
DDI, on the other hand, has turned the corner after years of questionable acquisitions, two bankruptcies, and a notorious internal culture. It’s turned a profit all three quarters this year. That said, DDi has just $25 million in cash itself, and PWB fabrication is a cash-intensive business, with lots of ugly cycles. While I suspect DDi saw an opportunity to beat some competitors to the punch by bidding on Coretec now, I can’t help but think that had they waited, they might have picked up the company more cheaply. And I’d hate to see several years of work undone by a deal gone bad.
Meanwhile, TTM’s purchase of Hong Kong-based Meadville’s board business opens a huge can of worms, as it would put the father of Hong Kong Chief Secretary for Administration Henry Tang in position to own 33% of TTM. But knowing a little about how government works, even when a Chinese government official is the offspring of the biggest shareholder of the leading bare board supplier to the US Department of Defense, it says here the real stunner would be if US anti-trust regulators saw a potential conflict and nixed the pending deal.
Warming in Munich. November’s biennial behemoth known as Productronica was, all in all, a better-than-expected show, modest by historical standards, but strong compared to everything else this year. Perhaps more important, after a year of malaise, there was a noticeable improvement in the general outlook for 2010. Almost across the board, the more than 80 companies we spoke with during the show see 2010 already emerging as a brighter year. The strong consensus is that the worst is past, and while there remain certain structural problems – including major banks’ inability or refusal to reopen credit lines – business is picking up in most sectors, led – perhaps surprisingly – by automotive.
Much like the two major China shows and Apex, Productronica this year was dominated – capital D – by regional visitors. And I am coming to believe the ongoing regionalization has less to do with the economy and more to do with the fact that for the very most part, existing production technology can build even the latest and greatest products. No matter that new generations of end-products come out every six months (or less), processes are driven by component packaging, and while leading-edge package types have shrunk from 0402 to 0201 to 01005 during the past five years, most conventional equipment is so darn good that it can print, place, solder, inspect and test the latest package styles. Assemblers simply no longer need to chase the latest and greatest equipment around the globe to win or build the latest designs. And that, in turn, obviates the need to run from show to show in search of the “next big thing.”
Year ends. KeyTronicEMS is one assembler that never has been the “next big thing,” but based on a six-year track record of net profits, it clearly should be in the conversation. Be sure to check our profile of the Circuits Assembly EMS Company of the Year this month.
2010 will bring our third annual Virtual PCB trade show and conference. This year promises to be the best yet. Click on www.virtual-pcb.com to learn more.
Our sincere hope that all our readers have a healthy, happy 2010!


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Scots are now enjoying greater freedoms after phase one commenced on Friday of the government's so-called "route map" out of lockdown.
Over the weekend Nicola Sturgeon warned people that restrictions could be "reapplied" if people break five-mile rule after crowds flocked to beauty spots.
This came after the First Minister said the virus could "run out of control again" while speaking on Sky's Sophy Ridge on Sunday show, adding that the Scottish government were committed to a cautious approach to easing lockdown.
However, there was also praise for Edinburgh sunbathers after a walker captured a photo showing groups clearly observing social distancing in the popular Holyrood Park while soaking up the sun.
Follow our live blog throughout the day as we bring you important COVID-19 updates - including the latest official figures.
Edinburgh KFC forced to close after it is swamped with orders
A KFC restaurant in Edinburgh was forced to close early this weekend after it was swamped with orders from hungry customers.
The fast-food branch at Meadowbank retail park saw queues of drive-thru customers all day as it re-opened for orders this weekend.
Primark could reopen Edinburgh stores by 'late June' under new rules after closing amid lockdown
Primark could be set to reopen its Scottish stores by "late June" under new rules as lockdown begins to ease.
The fashion giant, which has two store in Edinburgh, one on Princes Street and another at Fort Kinnaird has already confirmed it will open 281 of its branches in England by June 15 as non-essential stores are to reopen to customers.
The retailing company behind Primark, Associated British Foods (ABF), has now revealed that it is is awaiting further guidance from the Scottish Government on opening its stores north of the border.
SNP call for Dominic Cummings Inquiry
The SNP have written to the cabinet secretary to press for a top level inquiry into the actions of Dominic Cummings.
In a letter to the UK's most senior civil servant, the SNP's Westminster leader Ian Blackford said confirmation from Durham police that Cummings' lockdown trip to Barnard Castle broke the rules meant there was a "clear need" for an inquiry.
New coronavirus losing potency, top Italian doctor Alberto Zangrillo says
The new coronavirus is losing its potency and has become much less lethal, a senior Italian doctor said on Sunday.
"In reality, the virus clinically no longer exists in Italy," said Alberto Zangrillo, the head of the San Raffaele Hospital in Milan in the northern region of Lombardy, which has borne the brunt of Italy's coronavirus contagion.
"The swabs that were performed over the last 10 days showed a viral load in quantitative terms that was absolutely infinitesimal compared to the ones carried out a month or two months ago," he told RAI television.
Scots reassured about contact-trace scammers
Health secretary Jeane Freeman insisted people were “alert to the risks of potential phone scams”.
Scots who have one or more of the three symptoms of coronavirus have urged to book a test as soon as possible.
Edinburgh police tell you how to report your lockdown flouncing neighbours
Officers in Edinburgh have issued guidance on how to report incidents of lockdown rule flouncing, as well as what to do in an actual emergency.
After the first stage of Scotland's route map out of lockdown began this weekend, multiple reports of people quickly ignoring the new rules have emerged, with many infuriated by the blatant disregard for social distancing and safety measures.
However to ensure that complaints and reports are directed to the correct location, Police Scotland have released a simple guide to for the public to follow.


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With questionable energy drink claims in the news, here's some pro caffeine buzz: The stuff may boost driver safety. Long-haul truckers who drink coffee or other caffeinated drinks are way less likely to crash than uncaffeinated truckers, according to an Australian study.
Though it's been receiving criticism as of late, the USDA Organic seal is the only label claim that has the teeth of civil fines and other penalties for individuals and companies that violate the standards....More
Avoke's Spoonables line of avocado-based smoothie bowls won Ganeden's first Probiotic Innovation Jumpstart contest, which includes $25,000 to support the product's launch. The two companies plan to launch the "ready-to-go" snack this fall....More


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News from Bertha's and Hewitt's Pasts
25 Years Ago
February 21, 1996
Dan Meyer from Freshwater has been providing guidance to the elementary staff at the Bertha-Hewitt School. The staff is working on math and science currently through the Freshwater Eisenhower Grant and also Ms. Hurtig and Mr. Frethem are learning how to use the new Macintosh computers.
The Bertha City Council discussed the options for having an appraisal done of the Municipal Liquor Store and the possibility of its sale. “The question is, do we want to sell the liquor store?” asked Mayor Don Booen. Member Gary Kleen said, “I think we will be disappointed in the appraisal value of the building.” The liquor store had a $155 profit last month.
75 Years Ago
February 25, 1946
The Bertha Theater boasts of the latest and best sound equipment. An RCA engineer installed a completely new booth and stage equipment. With the new fixtures Manager Ralph Orr promises that presentations at the Bertha Theater will be made even more enjoyable for patrons.
The annual meeting of the Bertha Cooperative Creamery Association was held. The annual report showed the manufacture of butter in 1945 topped the production of the previous year by nearly 75,000 pounds with 789,971 pounds of butter manufactured. The creamery revenues were up more than $200,000 with a total amount of $628,572. This was largely created by the first full year of operation of the new dry milk department, which sold $186,227 worth of powder. More than 16,000,000 pounds of milk and cream were processed during the year with 1,500,000 pounds of milk powder being manufactured.


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Tulix Systems, a leading provider of end-to-end over-the-top (OTT) streaming solutions and CDN services, today released the schedule of conventions it will be exhibiting at and attending in 2015.
The company announced it will be exhibiting at the following conventions:
NRB15, to be held at the Gaylor Opryland Resort & Convention Center in Nashville, TN. February 26-28, 2015.
CABSAT, to be held at the Dubai World Trade Center in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. March 10-12, 2015.
TV Connect London, to be held ... read more


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Yesterday we heard that the Razer Forge TV was no longer for sale on the Google Store, this lead to speculation that the device had been discontinued.
Engadget have spoken to Razer and have been told that the company has big plans for its Razer Forge TV and also for Google’s Android TV platform, you can see a statement from the company below.
Following our acquisition of OUYA, we’ve been focused on integrating the content we inherited and building a spiritual successor to OUYA with the Forge TV. We’re doubling-down on Android gaming in the living room and looking forward to producing the world’s largest library of Android TV games, from AAA to indie. Concurrently, we are working to ramp-up production to address present demand and should have more news to share soon.
As soon as we get some more details on exactly what Razer has panned for Google’s Android TV and their Forge TV, we will let you guys know.
Latest Geeky Gadgets Deals
Disclosure: Some of our articles include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, Geeky Gadgets may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more.


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A shortlist of four agencies has been drawn up by Butlins. The firm's head of comms Jae Hopkins said that the UK seaside resort brand would appoint the agency that best shows it how to speak to the 'nationwide audience of mums'.
'There is a particular focus on talking to mums about whether it's a brilliant brand for them,' added Hopkins.
'All our research shows that mums are key influencers on choosing and booking holidays.'
The brand currently uses Launch Group, which is repitching for the account, for consumer PR on a project-by-project basis.
Butlins expects to have an agency in place by May, which may be appointed on a one-year retainer or on a project basis like Launch Group.
The three large holiday camps run by Butlins have seen a resurgence in profits after heavy investment, which rival Pontins is hoping to copy.
Pontins plans to reinvent its five parks as themed seaside destinations, including Disney-style cartoon costumes and attractions.


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STARLIGHT OFFERING SWEET RECEPTION WITH CANDY LAND EXHIBIT Friday, July 29th, 2016 6-9pm
STARLIGHT OFFERING SWEET RECEPTION WITH CANDY LAND EXHIBIT
Starlight Studio and Art Gallery, known for its inclusive and unique art programming, is hosting its sweetest opening reception yet, in the form of Candy Land, its Summer Exhibit, Friday, July 29th, from 6-9 PM at Starlight Studio and Art Gallery, 340 Delaware Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14202. The event will showcase original artwork by the gallery’s 42 artists, including a soft-sculpture colossal squid available for photo ops, hand-crafted pins, and everything in between.
According to Jen Ryan, program assistant at the gallery, there will be artwork in various mediums, including drawings, paintings, fiber art, clay sculpture, large and small soft sculpture, mixed media, jewelry, and functional pieces. A poetry reading will take place in the gallery’s library from 7-7:30 PM.
“It’s a nice chance for the studio to showcase what we are,” said Ryan, “The exhibit will show all the ways these artists have pushed themselves.”
“Last it was discussed, there will be photo ops for posing with the squid, so people can look like they’re getting wrapped up in it, “said Carrie Marcotte, Starlight’s program director, “Some of the fiber work includes rich, lush embroideries and soft cloth and yarn vessels. There is also a menagerie of animals that Debi Wicks has recently created, including a zebra, an elephant, a monkey. John Montedoro has created some large mixed media paintings on canvas as has Mathew Sharp.”
The Candy Land title is fitting when you see the vibrant color palette that many of the artists use, which reminds Marcotte “of a warm summer day. The colors are like candy in that picture. It’s bright and sweet.”
West Side Bazaar’s food cart will be on the street out front, offering cuisine from six different vendors in the Bazaar, including Chinese, Thai, and Ethiopian. Original artwork and a new line note cards featuring images of bikes will be available for sale. Proceeds from the notecards benefit both the Starlight Gallery and GoBike Buffalo. The Fieldhands, featuring the sweet songstress, Kathy Moriarty will be playing a couple sets starting at 6pm. You can find more information about this folk band on their Facebook page, TheFieldhandsBuffalo.
The 29th is also the last date to purchase artwork from the gallery’s “Save the Elephants” exhibit, which benefits The Elephant Sanctuary in Hohenwald, Tennessee.
The event is free and open to the public. The exhibit will be on-view from July 29th through August 12th. . Full listing of up-coming events here:
Starlight Studio and Art Gallery 2016 Main Gallery Exhibition Schedule
Opening Reception: Friday, September 2nd 2016 Artists: ADRIAN BERTOLONE & DENTON CRAWFORD with: Ron Steele, Jeremy Pratt, & Saeed Dubaishi On-View: 8/15/16- 9/23/15 Opening Reception: Friday, October 7th 2016 Artist: Starlight Artist MATHEW SHARP On-View: 9/26/16- 11/11/16 Holiday Open House: Saturday, December 3rd 2016 Artist: STARLIGHT STUDIO ARTISTS On-View: 11/28/16- 12/30/16


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One of Wolverhampton’s leading companies has been celebrating its 50th Anniversary during 2016 having started life back in 1966 – the year England won the World Cup! G M Treble is the UK’s leading independent pump and pumping system distributor, operating from premises in Parkfields, a short distance from the city centre. The company also has offices in London, Derby, and Minehead and it has seen significant growth over the five decades it’s been in business. It currently employs more than 60 people, many of whom have been with the business for twenty years or more.
The company offers all major brands of pumps to its customers including Grundfos, Mono, Armstrong Holden, Brooke Pullen, Wilo, Lowara, Ebara, Stuart Turner, Espa, Jabsco, ABS, KSB, Calpeda and Caprari. It’s built an excellent reputation over its fifty years in business and equally impressive relationships with the manufacturers that all value the work Treble’s does in representing their brands.
The company celebrated earlier in the year by sponsoring a horse race meeting at Dunstall Park, Wolverhampton’s own racecourse. Customers and suppliers were invited to an exhibition of the products that Treble’s distributes, followed by a meal and an evening of horse racing, that saw all races sponsored by Treble’s and its key suppliers – Grundfos, Wilo and Xylem.
“It’s been an important year for us as we begin to plan further growth in our business as we look to build representation in several parts of the country,” says Director Stuart Herritty. “Most importantly we are proud of the support of our customers who appreciate our expertise and high level of customer service”.
The company was built by the Treble family for over 40 years and then they handed the company over to existing employees in a vender backed management buyout in 2012. It has the largest stock holding of pumps within the UK at a single site, and Treble’s technical staff and designers can offer a fast reliable service plus a complete design and build service for bespoke water boosting, pressurisation and packaged pumping stations.
In addition to complete pumps and assemblies, Treble’s stock a complete range of spare parts, motors, seals, expansion vessels and accessories for all the major pump ranges.
“For clients in need of site support we have trained service engineers equipped to work throughout the UK,” says Nigel Marriott. “They provide site repair, emergency call out coverage and planned and preventative maintenance services.”
It’s been a special year for the business as it reached its landmark anniversary but the business has continued to flourish and look to the future and its next fifty years: “It’s an important achievement for the business, but we are fully focused on building the business still further, moving out of the Midlands stronghold we have developed over the years, to offer our services to businesses right across the UK,” says Stuart Herritty. “There are very real opportunities and working closely with our suppliers and customers we expect to see Treble Pumps becoming a key supplier to our customers on a far wider front than is currently the case. We’re proud of what we’ve achieved and we know we provide a unique offering to our customers, but there is no complacency here. We still have a lot to do and much more to offer as we enter our second fifty years in business.”


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There’s no question that smartphones have become an integral part of our daily lives. In 2016, the average person checked their phone 27 times a day, rising to 80 times per day in 2017. This year, the latest studies are showing that millennials (18-34 year olds) check their smartphones over 150 times a day! So the number of connected employees has clearly risen over recent years, but what does this mean for workplace productivity?
Rules of Engagement
Well, it’s hardly surprising that connected employees are engaged employees. Engaged employees are subsequently more productive – as the old adage goes: a ‘happy workforce is a productive workforce‘.
In turn, engaged employees generate more revenue and profit for businesses than non-engaged employees.
Today’s Hierarchy of Needs
But why is connection so important? Well, social interaction is an essential human requirement, as shown by the third tier of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs below. What Maslow probably didn’t anticipate, back in 1943, was that in today’s society connections would largely happen online through devices.
We can now fulfil our need for love and belonging at the push of a button, without even leaving home.
In the workplace, employees are becoming increasingly connected through email, instant messaging, social media and other digital tools. While it will take some time to replace the traditional ‘water cooler gossip’ culture, employees are definitely communicating more online.
Indeed, recent research from Salesforce shows that “71% of workers want their employer to offer the same level of technology that they use in their personal lives”.
Social interaction has been proven to release dopamine – the reward chemical. Furthermore, our brains now anticipate a dopamine spike from online behaviour, eg people liking our latest picture on Instagram.
This social currency also applies to the workplace, and savvy employers are clambering to capitalise on it. WellteQ uses gamification in a variety of ways to maximise engagement, such as matching teams against each other in wellness challenges.
Embracing Connected Employees
A 2017 report by Deloitte showed that 56% of companies were redesigning their HR programs to leverage digital and mobile tools. In addition, 41% of companies revealed that they were actively building their own mobile apps to deliver HR services.
WellteQ is extending traditional HR capabilities by embracing connected employees through our digital wellness solution. WellteQ’s award-winning analytics platform allows employees to manage their own wellness more effectively, while also lowering company risk through the HR function. The result of this is proven to deliver a 40% increase in employee engagement.
To discover how leveraging connected employees can result in a healthier, happier and, more profitable workforce, Get in touch with WellteQ today.


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The new polycarbonate e-ID card is a purely contactless smart ID card – and this is the first time in the world that a public body has made the switch straight from a contact-based to a contactless card system.
The smart ID card features multiple applications, in particular a legally binding digital signature. In combination with smartphones, the implemented security mechanisms can also be used for a mobile authentication of the card holder.
As well as providing visual and secure electronic proof of identity, the ID card allows citizens to handle dealings with the authorities electronically, saving them time and offering added convenience. It is one of the first ID cards worldwide which technically supports secure electronic signatures with a purely contactless solution.
Faster data transfer rates when reading the new card will also help speed up processing of the large number of people travelling between Macau, Hong Kong and China.
The prime contractor for the manufacture and delivery of the new ID cards was Veridos with Gemalto supplying the cards.


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The imminent rise of electric vehicles means the BMW Group has begun investing more of their efforts in every aspect of battery cell development for its future EV models, with sustainability at the core of this in-depthventure.
The brand says their ultimate goal is to develop solidexpertise in the manufacturing of battery cells, “The new pilot plant will enable us to close the final gap in the value chain from battery cell development, to the production of modules and powertrain components, all the way to installation of fully assembled high-voltage batteries at our vehicle plants. This makes us the first car manufacturer to cover the entire process chain for electric driving.” said Milan Nedeljković, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG.
Within the next three years, BMW plans to ramp up production of their electric model range and have a total of 25 models on offer and available to the public.
Parsdorf, which is near Munich is where the battery pilot plant will be set-up, and if all goes according to schedule, the plant should be ready to move into production in late 2022. The project is no small scale endeavour for the brand – it will receive a total cash injection of 110 million euro and have 50 employees dedicated to the plant. “A quarter of BMW Group vehicles sold in Europe should have an electric drive train by 2021; a third in 2025 and half in 2030.” said a BMW representative.
Producing battery cells to power vehicles plays a significant role in the curbing of pollution, however, there’s always room for improvement in the pursuit of sustainability. The German brand has entered into a contractual agreement with its cell manufacturers, guaranteeing that they will only utilise green power in the production of BMW’s fifth-generation battery cells.
As things stand, we’re expecting to see the first crop of vehicles powered by the upcoming battery cell as early as next year, with an announcement being made by BMW to introduce new electric models soon. “The fifth-generation battery cell will be on the roads later this year in the BMW iX3 and rolled out in more products over the coming year, like the iNEXT and the BMW i4”.
Over the years, the firm has amassed enough experience in the area of battery cells, meaning this isn’t an ambitious pursuit for the brand who have been analysing these cells since 2008. It’s only upwards from here.
By Gugu Masuku


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Great news for Google Docs users and iPad owners this evening: Google has announced that they have extended compatibility of the Docs desktop editor to include support for iPad. If you’re running an iPad, you can now switch from the mobile version to the desktop one with just a tap.
The desktop editor is the Google Docs you know and love, allowing you to modify fonts and alignments, paragraphs and font styles. It’s the usual Google Docs, running on a tablet.
As simple as it sounds, Google just made a great move towards ensuring millions of iPad users out there a desktop-class Docs experience without the need of a dedicated mobile client. Google announced a Docs Viewer in June, and released a mobile version for iOS and Android users with editing enabled a few weeks ago.
Once again, Mobile Safari wins.
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Think touting a fashion knock off
as ‘Kate Middleton inspired’ will boost sales? It might, but it could also
result in a royal pain of a lawsuit.
The future princess and
bride-to-be, with her feminine and classic style, is constantly being heralded
as the newest fashion icon. Reportedly the blue Issa dress that she wore when
she and William announced their engagement sold out within a day.
Knock off dresses have already
cropped up but the Royal Family is warning shops and designers to be careful of
tying their products to Ms. Middleton.
Any business that explicitly uses
the name Kate Middleton or suggests that she has endorsed their product –
without permission – could face a messy lawsuit for tens of thousands of
Though not quite a princess yet,
legal experts said that “[h]er name is now controlled by the Royal Family.
She has a reputation to uphold and because of that she is, to all intents and
purposes, akin to a brand or marque.”
Add it to the list of perks in
marrying a prince – not only does she have a coveted image, but also some Royal
weight to protect said image.


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Leave it to two actors pretending to be top models to steal the spotlight from Paris Fashion Week.
Ben Stiller (as Derek Zoolander) and Owen Wilson (as Hansel McDonald) officially announced "Zoolander 2" today by making a surprise strut on the catwalk in the Valentino runway show.
The announcement comes after much speculation that the actors will be teaming up once again for the sequel to the 2001 comedy about male models.
"Zoolander 2" is expected to follow Derek as he is forced to reinvent himself in the ever-changing world of male modeling, according to E! Online.
Fake male models are not thing causing a buzz in Paris, however.
View the top gallery for the styles, celebrities and the spectacle that is Paris Fashion Week.


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According to the United Kingdom-based NGO Fairtrade Foundation, the environmental and social footprint of fair trade cotton has one-fifth the impact of conventionally sourced cotton. And in a warning to the global textile and apparel industries, the way in which most cotton is currently produced worldwide threatens the long-term viability for this sector.
In an article posted on the foundation’s web site, Subindu Garkhel, the organization’s cotton manager, noted that the problems the global fashion industry exacts on people and planet are endemic throughout the sector’s entire supply chain. But the worst affects of the industry are imposed on the farmers that produce this coveted crop. Garkhel noted that while most global commodities are far more expensive they were than a decade ago – despite the recent slump in prices – the cost of a t-shirt at most retail chains is remarkably cheaper now than in 2007.
A quick check of the world’s fast fashion chains verify Garkhel’s claim. Visit your local Uniqlo, for example: adult cotton t-shirts at its Union Square location in San Francisco location are currently $3.99; and currently the company’s tagline is “Fresh Tees for Miles.” H&M is currently touting t-shirts and polo shirts as cheap as $5.99 – or a different shirt for each day on the week thanks to the company’s offer of free shipping for a minimum $40 purchase.
So what’s going on? According to Garkhel, while retailers have focused on improving the lot of garment workers, especially in Bangladesh, farmers have been largely left out of the equation. Much of the problem is rooted in logistics. In India, where Fairtrade Foundation’s study focused, the industry is dominated by small landholders who are at the mercy of suppliers. Garkhel claims that over a million people farm cotton, a total that exceeds the number of cocoa, coffee and sugar growers combined. Getting through to these citizens is Herculean task; and in fairness to fashion companies, this makes 100 percent traceability a challenge; nevertheless, advances in technology, not to mention these companies' profits, behooves the world's leading fashion houses to improve their performance.
To that end, Garkhel and Fairtrade foundation are pushing the global apparel industry to improve its transparency throughout its supply chain. Indeed, companies are continually improving the social and environmental performance of the factories from which they purchase their garments, especially as the four-year anniversary of the Rana Plaza collapse approaches this Wednesday. Nevertheless, too many other steps in the global cotton supply chain have been overlooked, including farming, ginning, spinning and weaving.
The study surveyed the households of small farmers across India, which depending on the source cited, alternates with China as the world’s largest producer of cotton. Fairtrade Foundation then applied an in-house valuation tool to transform that qualitative information into quantitative data in order for the foundation to make the business case to cotton suppliers, garment manufacturers and retailers. This data, which has not yet been publicly released, indicated that fair trade cotton shows a 97 percent improvement in social performance and a 31 percent increase in environmental sustainability performance.
The bottom line, according to the foundation, is that the improved wages paid for by fair trade premiums have a reach that extends far behind a boost in salary. The elimination of child labor, and a reduction in the amount of overtime worked, also result in social benefits. Furthermore, the payment of fair trade premiums also provides a more reliable source of income, as opposed to the farming of conventional cotton, which leaves farmers more vulnerable to price volatility.
And on the environmental front, fair trade cotton outpaced conventional fiber by just about every metric, including land use, water consumption, emissions and soil health. The only exception was for land use, as the study claims that fair trade cotton has a slightly lower yield per acre than conventional cotton.
In sum, Fairtrade Foundation insists that a fair and just price paid for cotton provides numerous benefits: the empowerment of more women, a better quality in the final cotton product and the expansion of education in communities that are reliant on cotton production. And for fashion companies that are only one human disaster away from losing trust, the support of a fair trade model could also enhance their brand reputation – and help ensure the long-term success of their business.
Image credit: ILEIA/Flickr
Leon Kaye has written for 3p since 2010 and become executive editor in 2018. His previous work includes writing for the Guardian as well as other online and print publications. In addition, he's worked in sales executive roles within technology and financial research companies, as well as for a public relations firm, for which he consulted with one of the globe’s leading sustainability initiatives. Currently living in Central California, he’s traveled to 70-plus countries and has lived and worked in South Korea, the United Arab Emirates and Uruguay.
Leon’s an alum of Fresno State, the University of Maryland, Baltimore County and the University of Southern California's Marshall Business School. He enjoys traveling abroad as well as exploring California’s Central Coast and the Sierra Nevadas.
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SynSense (formerly aiCTX) is the global leader in ultra-low-power sensory processing hardware and application solutions based, solidifying its position at the forefront of neuromorphic research since its founding in 2017. A few weeks ago, the startup announced the completion of a pre-Series B+ funding round, raising USD 10 million in a round led by Ausvic Capital.
The company recently closed a strategic funding round led by Maxvision and RunWoo, announcing that it raised an unspecified amount in the “tens of millions of RMB,” according to the startup’s announcement. The funds will be used to accelerate the development of SynSense’s 3D neuromorphic processor DYNAP™-CNN2. The technology allows the company to expand its high-speed vision solutions into autonomous systems, such as drones, robots, and self-driving vehicles.
Maxvision is a smart-technology company based in Shenzhen focusing on biometrics, image analysis, and AI, among other things; RunWoo is a VC firm focusing on digital innovation, including AI, 5G, semiconductor chips, and cloud computing. Since expanding in China in 2020, SynSense has deepened its involvement in the industry and driven the integration of this new technology with real-world edge computing scenarios, creating opportunities for the commercialization of neuromorphic intelligence.


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This week, several big-box organizations released their third-quarter earnings numbers, with most reporting continued sales increases in an already successful year.
Lowe’s reported net earnings of $1.9 billion and diluted earnings per share (EPS) of $2.73 for the third quarter. Those numbers reflect a significant jump from the Q3 2020 numbers, which were $692 million in net earnings and a diluted EPS of $0.91. Total sales for the third quarter were $22.9 billion compared to $22.3 billion in the third quarter of 2020, and comparable sales increased 2.2 percent.
“Our momentum continued this quarter, with U.S. sales comps up nearly 34 percent on a two-year basis, as our Total Home strategy is resonating with the pro and DIY customer alike. In the quarter, we drove over 16 percent growth in pro and 25 percent on Lowes.com. We also delivered operating margin expansion by driving productivity through disciplined operational execution and cost management,” says Marvin R. Ellison, Lowe’s chairman, president and CEO. “I would like to thank our front-line associates for their ongoing dedication to outstanding customer service. Looking forward, I remain confident in our ability to drive further market share gains, operating margin expansion and long-term value for our shareholders.”
The Home Depot saw sales of $36.8 billion for the third quarter of 2021, up 9.8 percent from the same period in 2020. Net earnings for Q3 2021 were $4.1 billion, or $3.92 per diluted share, compared with net earnings of $3.4 billion, or $3.18 per diluted share, in the same period of fiscal 2020.
“As evidenced by our strong performance in the quarter, our team continues to do an outstanding job of operating with flexibility and agility,” says Craig Menear, chairman and CEO. “Ultimately, this is what has allowed us to respond to the elevated home improvement demand that has persisted. I would like to extend my sincere appreciation to our team, as well as our supplier, supply chain and transportation partners, as we continue to navigate this dynamic environment together.”
On the paint side, the Sherwin-Williams Company saw net sales increase 0.5 percent to $5.15 billion. Net sales from stores in the U.S. and Canada that have been open more than 12 calendar months decreased 2.8 percent in Q3 because of raw material availability issues. Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization (EBITDA) decreased in the quarter to $834.2 million, or 16.2 percent of sales.
“Demand remains strong across our pro architectural and industrial end markets; however, results in the quarter were significantly impacted by ongoing and industry-wide raw material supply chain challenges,” says chairman, president and chief executive officer, John G. Morikis. “Consolidated net sales increased less than 1 percent, as raw material availability negatively impacted total sales by a high single digit percentage, of which approximately 75 percent of the impact was in The Americas Group. The raw material availability challenges combined with higher raw material costs significantly pressured gross margins in the quarter.”


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CITY FOCUS: Ocado opens the door to its float
The Ocado driver had been trained well.
Just a day after the online grocer announced plans for its muchhyped float, Roger arrived in his van with the weekly delivery of supplies.
'I'm afraid I can't offer any advice about the share offer - you need to call customer services,' he said jabbing his finger at the telephone number on the invoice.
The retailer, which exclusively sells produce from upmarket Waitrose, is about to start hawking shares on its website - alongside its fruit and veg. But the company's army of 700 drivers are under strict instructions to keep mum about the listing.
Delivering his promises: Chief executive Tim Steiner at the company's Hatfield headquarters
Ocado, which was founded by three former Goldman Sachs bankers in 2000, doesn't like leaving things to chance.
It sends text messages to customers ahead of its deliveries.
And it warns shoppers if items have been substituted, and has spent the past year agonising over when to push the button on its off/ on float.
Ocado plans to raise £200m to build a new distribution centre in the Midlands and a further £200m to help some investors - which include the John Lewis Pension fund, Procter & Gamble, and TetraPak billionaire Jon Rausing - to realise cash.
The prospectus for the stock market listing is due later today and there will also be a tranche of retail shares reserved for Ocado's shoppers.
But chief executive Tim Steiner f inds himsel f in unchar ted territory.
The future direction of the firm is effectively out of his hands. It rests with the City. And already the City is giving him a rough ride.
Traders have not taken kindly to the 12 months of indecision and have baulked at a valuation expected to be around the £1bn mark.
The list of concerns are long. Ocado has not made a profit in the ten years since it was set up.
It is tied to one supplier, which runs its own rival service. And Ocado has carved out a niche selling posh food at a time when household budgets are getting hammered.
This on top of wider market jitters that have caused a raft of firms to pull their floats at the last minute. Madame Tussauds owner Merlin has cancelled its debut, while retailer New Look was forced to postpone its listing.
So why, after months of waiting, has Steiner decided the time is right?
'I don't think anyone knows whether things are going to improve, or, for that matter, whether they'll improve and not get worse,' he said.
'The reality is that the float is not about selling the business to different investors or someone taking their money out.
'The reason why we decided to do this float is to finance the growth of the business.'
He says the half-year gross sales were up 30pc. But, the brutal fact is that profits, yet again, proved elusive - the firm posted an operating loss of £3m.
This prompted Philip Dorgan, an analyst at broker Ambrian, to pronounce: 'Ocado began with an O, ended with an O, and was worth zero.'
At HSBC, analysts suggested it could take until 2013 to break even if funds from the float are not factored into the mix.
Steiner has drafted in no fewer than eight investment banks, including HSBC, UBS and Goldman, to underwrite the deal.
the float is still not guaranteed. Ocado needs to generate enough interest to build a healthy order book for its shares. Only once this has been achieved does the underwriters' support kick in, with the banks taking up the slack if an investor fails to cough up.
One City source says it is touch and go whether there is enough appetite for Ocado to launch successfully on the market.
'There is always uncertainty about floats, even in the good times,' he said.
'But given the current market conditions combined with concerns about Ocado's proposition this is no slam dunk.
'If markets are sh*t and investors don't like the story, you are not going to get it away.'
Steiner remains defiantly optimistic though: 'I do believe that we will be successful in the float.
'I think with any company there will be people who understand it and believe in it and people who are concerned about it.
'Whether it is worth more or less in numbers is something for the buyers of shares to decide.'
The big question is whether Ocado will be able to deliver.
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The U.S. Commerce Department is slated to send a confidential report to U.S. President Donald Trump clearing the way for him to potentially impose tariffs on imported autos and auto parts on the grounds that they threaten U.S. national security.
According to auto industry sources, the U.S. Commerce Department is scheduled to send a confidential report to U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday. The report is expected to clear the way for Trump to threaten to impose tariffs on imported autos and auto parts by designating such imports as a threat to national security.
The Recommendations in the report could potentially be a nightmare for the auto industry since U.S. tariffs could potentially be imposed on millions of imported cars and carparts. These will add thousands of dollars in cost to the vehicles and could cost hundreds of thousands of jobs across the U.S. economy.
The report and its contents is likely to be classified until Trump moves ahead with its recommendations.
Major car exporters, including the European Union, South Korea and Japan, could face the consequences of the recommendations in the report.
As per auto industry officials, the report is likely to recommend at least some tariffs so that the administration can use the findings of the probe as negotiating leverage during negotiations this year with Japan and the EU.
The report is the result of an investigation started by the Commerce Department in May 2018 at Trump’s request. Known as a Section 232 investigation, the probe’s purpose is to determine the effects of imports on national security.
The final version will be sent to the White House on Sunday to meet a statutory deadline, said a source within the Trump administration.
Confidential draft versions of the recommendations have been circulated to the White House and other government agencies for review since November 2018.
Automakers and parts suppliers anticipate the recommendation to include broad tariffs in the range of 20%-25% on assembled cars and car parts; narrower tariffs could also be aimed at components and technologies related to new energy cars, autonomous, internet-connected and shared vehicles.
“Nobody I’ve talked to in the industry thinks the report won’t recommend tariffs” said an automotive official speaking on the condition of anonymity. “And there’s not much chance that Trump decides not to impose them.”
As per a report from the Center for Automotive Research in Ann Arbor, Michigan, in the worst-case scenario of imposition of tariffs of 25%, it would cost the United States, 366,900 in jobs in the auto and related industries.
In 2018, automaker groups have stated, if the U.S. were to impose such high tariffs, the cumulative impact would be $83 billion in annual price increase; major automakers have also argued that there is no evidence to suggest that auto imports pose a threat to U.S. national security.
According to Senator Rob Portman, an Ohio Republican, “There is no way that minivans from Canada are a national security threat”.
Trump has 90 days to consider the report and act on its recommendations.
On Friday, Trump had said, tariffs protect the industry and also help win trade agreements.
“I love tariffs, but I also love them to negotiate,” said Trump.


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- Abbott said FDA approved its FreeStyle Libre 14-day glucose monitoring system, making it the longest-lasting self-applied personal blood sugar sensor on the market. Previously, people with diabetes could wear the FreeStyle Libre sensor for 10 days before needing to replace it.
- Abbott, which gained U.S. approval for the 10-day sensor system in September, said the product is now being used by more than 800,000 people with diabetes globally. The product was launched in Europe in 2014.
- The system was the first continuous glucose monitor to eliminate the need for routine finger prick tests. The sensor is worn on the back of the upper arm and is the size of two stacked quarters.
The FreeStyle Libre system reduces the need for fingerstick testing by using a small sensor wire inserted below the skin’s surface that continuously measures glucose levels.
Users wave a mobile scanner above the sensor wire to determine if glucose levels are too high (hyperglycemia) or too low (hypoglycemia), and how glucose levels are changing. Each scan provides a real-time glucose result, an eight-hour historical trend, and a trend arrow showing the direction the blood sugar is going. The reader holds up to 90 days of data, which allows people to track their glucose levels over time.
With the data, people can decide whether to adjust their diet or how much insulin they need to take. Study data published in The Lancet showed people using the system spent 38 percent less time within hypoglycemia compared to those who managed their glucose with a traditional self-monitoring system.
Abbott said the FreeStyle Libre led a 40 percent jump in sales in its diabetes care division in the second quarter. The new system will be available via prescription in the coming months, the company said.
The FreeStyle Libre system recently gained competition when Dexcom received FDA approval in March for its G6 product that also eliminates the need for fingersticks. The G6 system has a 10-day sensor that automatically sends glucose readings every five minutes to a Dexcom receiver or compatible smart phone and has an alert feature that predicts hypoglycemia before it hits.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 29 million people in the U.S. have diabetes. People with diabetes either do not make enough insulin (type 1 diabetes) or cannot use insulin properly (type 2 diabetes).


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As new home sales continue to rise, where are the appliances?
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The monthly durable goods orders report is scheduled to come today. That means large products that are made to last at least three years, like appliances. We recently learned that new home sales went up 14% in September from August. And new homes need new stuff that’s been hard to come by lately.
The top complaint from homebuilders isn’t about the availability of lumber or paint. It’s about appliances, according to Robert Dietz, chief economist of the National Association of Home Builders.
“In fact, 95% of builders right now report delays in terms of appliances,” he said.
Many homes sold in September haven’t been built yet. Deitz said. It’s not too early for those buyers to start thinking about furnishings, though.
“Builders are recommending that buyers make design decisions early, because that process is being stretched out. And it’s more expensive,” he said.
The situation isn’t new, and Rick Palacios Jr. of John Burns Real Estate Consulting said homebuilders are starting to adapt.
“A big part of it is just realizing things are going to take weeks and weeks longer than we anticipated,” he said.
He’s heard from homebuilders that they’re stocking up earlier, buying alternative brands, and using more local warehouses to have the appliances close by when needed.
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Color is a ubiquitous source of information, and businesses are spending bundles to match the right color with their message. Here’s a look at what color can say about a company and how it can influence customers’ decisions.
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Designer Con 2015 is this weekend (Nov 21 -22) in Pasadena. The theme of this year’s Designer Con pop art fair is “Back to the 80s” and will feature an exhibition of the private Back to the Future art collection of founder Ben Goretsky.
As you would expect, there will be a slew of designer toy exclusives at DCON.
As has been their tradition for the last few year, Hasbro kicked off NYCC 2015 with their ‘Twas the Night Before… Party, revealing new items from their action figure brands. We took a look at their Marvel and Star Wars lines, with a focus on their 6-inch figures in Marvel Legends and the Black Series from Star Wars. And we got to chat with our long-time friend, Jesse Falcon, from the Marvel licensing team.
The second of Mondo’s 1/6 scale Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is up for pre-order today – it’s the staff-wielding Donatello’s turn. I was lucky enough to pick up the subscription with Leonardo last month, but for those of us picking these up individually, Donnie is available in a regular version for $149.99 and an exclusive for $10 more.
Both are loaded with accessories, including both the cartoon purple and comics red masked heads, while the exclusive version, limited to 500 pieces, includes his Gravitic Equalizer.
Target has released its picks for the top Star Wars products from The Force Awakens, and pitches that they can be your one stop for Star Wars. We all know that with all the retailer exclusives out there, if you want to complete your collection, you’ll be stopping everywhere. But Target will be the only one with Hasbro’s remote-controlled BB-8 droid.
Still, it’s nice to see some of the other items outside of our Black Series and LEGO updates – a Millenium Falcon drone looks like fun!
Since it’s officially Force Friday on the east coast, Hasbro has released the official details on its Star Wars offerings for this Fall. I’ve been doing my best to avoid as much hype as possible for The Force Awakens – I’m trying to recapture that feeling I had when I saw the original movies as a kid, knowing nothing about what I was about to see. I know, it’s pipe dream. In any case, by avoiding the news, I’ve managed to know next to nothing about the toys coming our way. So while this may be old news to everyone else, it’s new to me! 😀
Hasbro has a ton of product coming out – I am going to limit the this post to the Star Wars Black Series line. Unsurprisingly, almost all of the regular and retailer exclusive releases are for The Force Awakens. But there is one exception.


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In January every year, Samsung launches its main S-series phones.
The event is normally accompanied by huge amounts of hype and speculation (as well as a load of leaks). And this year, of course, was no different, with a full line up leak of the new S21 phones hours ahead of the official launch.
Still, the new S21, S21 Plus, and S21 Ultra models look set to be some of the most impressive phones of the year — though the latter has some, shall we say, interesting design details.
Let's take a closer look at the latest Samsung phones.
Samsung S21 Ultra – A Smorgasboard of Specs
Let's start with the biggest, most expensive phone Samsung launched today — the S21 Ultra.
As ever with Samsung's bleeding-edge phones, the spec sheet is staggering. Everything is larger, more powerful, and more impressive than the last iteration.
It has a huge 6.8-inch display with a 120Hz refresh rate and a 1440×3200 resolution. Plus, you can actually run the S21 Ultra at its highest resolution setting and 120Hz at the same time, unlike last year's phones.
It runs Android 11 with Samsung's latest One UI 3.1 skin. It has the latest and greatest Snapdragon 888 processor, along with a huge 12GB of RAM, as well as 128GB of storage as standard. There's also a 256GB storage option as well as a 512GB version which gives you an eye-watering 16GB of RAM.
The S21 Ultra is stacked when it comes to cameras. It has a 108Mp (yes, 108Mp) main lens, a 10Mp periscope telephoto lens for huge zooming, another 10Mp telephoto lens, and a 12Mp ultrawide lens. It can record 8K video at 30fps, or 4K at 60fps. Round the front, there's a single 40Mp selfie camera.
The 21 Ultra is 5G-ready and works on both sub-6Ghz and mmWave connections.
Finally, it has a huge 5,000 mAh battery, 25W fast-charging, 15W wireless charging, and can reverse wireless charge other devices. It also now works with the S Pen stylus normally reserved for Samsung's Galaxy Note devices.
The price? Try $1,199. Oh, and that stylus costs an extra $40, or $70 if you want a case that can store the phone and the stylus.
Of course, specs don't make a phone. In fact, the S21 Ultra is certainly not a phone we'd recommend for everyone.
It's big, heavy, and has the kind of features that only the most serious power users require.
We also think the rear looks a bit, well, odd. That camera bump is huge and the asymmetry is jarring — particularly with those two smaller lenses closer to the center of the phone.
Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus – The Sweet Spot?
Let's start with the price, the Samsung S21 Plus costs $999. That is a full $200 less than the equivalent S20 Plus from last year.
Wait, a phone that costs less than its predecessor? How is that possible in this day and age?
Well, we're going to be honest with you, the S21 Plus is found lacking in some areas compared to the S20 Plus.
For example, it has the same 6.7-inch display as the S21 Plus. But, unlike last year's model, the sides are flat, rather than curved. The resolution has dropped as well, from 1440×3200 to 1080×2400. However, you can now run full resolution at 120Hz, which is good.
RAM has decreased from 12GB to 8GB. We'd expect most people won't actually notice the difference but it's still a strange sight to see in 2020. However, the S21 Plus does get the newer, faster, and better equipped Snapdragon 888 chipset. It also has a new and improved in-display fingerprint sensor and the battery has jumped from 4,500 mAh to 4,800 mAh.
There are three rear cameras, a 64Mp telephoto lens, a 12Mp wide angle lens, and a 12Mp ultrawide angle lens. 8K video can be recorded at a sluggish 24fps, while 4K can be achieved at 60fps. Round the front, there's a single 10Mp selfie snapper.
The S21 Plus certainly looks like it could be the pick of the bunch. It isn't as over-the-top as the S21 Ultra but it also retains more premium features that aren't found on the S21.
It is still quite expensive at $999 but it looks set to be well worth it.
Samsung S21 – Behind the Times
The S21, meanwhile, also costs $200 less than the S20 it replaced from last year.
It has a 6.2-inch flat display with a 1080×2400 resolution and 120Hz refresh rate. RAM also stands at 8GB.
However, the S21 gets a polycarbonate plastic rear case, not aluminum or glass. We don't have a problem with plastic phones here at Tech.co — in fact, we quite like a lot of them, including the Pixel 4a. But, when you're spending $799 on a phone, we'd expect a bit more.
Similarly, the 21 doesn't have an ultra-wideband radio which means it won't work as well as the two more expensive phones with Samsung's new Galaxy SmartTag Bluetooth locator.
It gets the same 64Mp telephoto, 12Mp wide-angle, and 12Mp ultrawide lenses from the S20 and the same selfie camera.
The battery is no larger than last year's model and nor are the charging speeds. Oh, but you won't get a charger included with your new $799 Samsung phone, just like the latest iPhones.
All told, we can't think of a massively compelling reason to upgrade from the S20 to the S21.
In fact, we'd go as far as saying that the S20 FE (the cheaper, mid-to-high-tier phone Samsung launched last year) might be the best phone for most people looking at the new S21.


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We’ve Built Digital Technology That Enables Us Deliver Seamless and Affordable Services – MD, Ecobank
The Managing Director of Ecobank Nigeria, Mr. Patrick Akinwuntan has asserted that the bank’s focus on technology and innovation is what drives it to be a leader in the provision of financial services across Africa. “We provide full-service banking right from the wholesale business to the small, medium scale and to individuals. To do this, we’ve built technology services that enable us deliver our services in a convenient, accessible and reliable manner. This is affordable and sustainable to our customers, while also ensuring good returns to our shareholders,” he stated.
Akinwuntan, who had an interactive session with the media in Lagos, informed his audience that Ecobank which commenced operations in five countries in 1989 grew to become a formidable financial institution of repute in Africa and boasts of its presence in 40 countries in less than 30 years.
According to him, “We were established from day one as Pan African entity with shareholding from sixteen countries, and within our first year of operation, we had established in five countries – Nigeria, Benin, Togo, Ghana, and Ivory Coast. Today, we are present in 36 African countries and four outside Africa which are UK, UAE, China and France essentially to provide linkage to global reach and facilitate financial transactions of our customers.”
“We have a customer base of over 20 million as a group, with Nigeria accounting for about nine million of this figure; over 400 branches and 4,000 agency locations; and a balance sheet in the region of N2 trillion that shows that we have demonstrated ability to be a reliable keeper of customers funds and a reliable supporter of those who wish to borrow money to grow their business,” Akinwuntan continued.
He ascribed this growth to the quality of services the bank renders to its numerous customers, which hinges on the bank’s focus on innovativeness as a way of driving customer satisfaction.
The Managing Director listed some of these innovative products to include the deployment of over 4,000 agency locations known as Ecobank Xpress point which aimed at bringing banking to every neighbourhood through technology, the Ecobank Mobile which brings banking to your palm; the Ecobankpay which is a payment solution that enables you to scan and pay with a mobile phone; the Ecobank Value card, an e-wallet that worked like a prepaid card which was introduced as far back as year 2000 when none of the international credit cards were available in Nigeria.
“If you came into Nigeria in 2002 with a Visa card, no ATMs in Nigeria accepted a Visa card. No ATMs accepted a MasterCard. None accepted any of the international card brands and as an individual in Nigeria, you could not apply for these cards. Once you put your Nigerian address, they tell you this service is not available in Nigeria. That, for us in Ecobank, was not acceptable!
So, we took the bold step of going to MasterCard and Visa and said ‘why don’t you allow us issue a MasterCard or Visa Card in Nigeria?. That discussion sparked off some other ones that led to the coming of Visa and MasterCard to Nigeria. Ecobank Nigeria was the first banking institution to issue an international card in Nigeria in 2004. Actually, that card was issued and used in this bank premises. The first time an ATM in Nigeria paid money on an international card happened in our premises”. He concluded.
Akinwuntan announced the bank’s yet another novel product of the bank, EcobankPay which is a payment solution that enables customers to scan and pay with their mobile phone or by using the *326# code to get into USSD platform and make payment seamlessly.
He listed the benefits of this product to include instant transfer of funds without any chances of repudiation by the creditor thereby boosts the business of the vending partner. He explained that the “EcobankPay is affordable and almost risk-free, as you can have 100 QR codes at no additional cost. Also, you don’t have to protect the code as it cannot remove money from your account because it can only receive money into your account.”


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LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Guess Inc.'s fiscal first-quarter profit fell 63 percent as the weak economy in Europe weighed on business there and sales slid in U.S. stores.
Still, the clothing retailer's earnings per share came in above Wall Street expectations, and shares rose in after-hours trading Thursday.
Guess reported after the market closed that it earned $9.9 million, or 12 cents per share, for the period that ended May 4. That is down from $26.6 million, or 30 cents per share, in the first quarter last year. Excluding one-time expenses from efforts to cut costs, Guess earned 14 cents per share in the most recent period, topping analyst expectations of 8 cents per share.
Revenue slid 5 percent, to $548.9 million from $579.3 million, with declines in North America and Europe, while Asia sales increased. Sales matched the prediction of analysts polled by FactSet.
Revenue in stores open at least a year, a key retail metric, fell 9.8 percent in North American stores.
The company has been trying to improve its productivity and cut costs to cope with the impact of still weak economic conditions in Europe and fewer shoppers in the U.S.
Guess CEO Paul Marciano said the outlook for consumer spending "remains soft," and the retailer is particularly concerned about conditions in Southern Europe. Still, he said the company is "encouraged" by how the beginning of its fiscal year turned out.
The company maintained its earnings forecast for the year, saying it will earn between $1.70 and $1.90 per share. It lowered its revenue forecast by $30 million, to a range of $2.57 billion and $2.61 billion.
Analysts were forecasting earnings of $1.78 per share on revenue of $2.59 billion.
Guess also said that it expects to earn between 34 and 38 cents per share in its current quarter on revenue between $620 million to $635 million. Analysts had forecast 36 cents per share on revenue of $618.4 million.
Shares soared more than 8 percent to $31.75 in after-hours trading. Its stock added 19 cents to close regular trading at $29.35, in line with broader market trends.


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A great number of new products are debuted at the annual International Fly Tackle Dealers show. Each year, a handful items stand out among the crowd of new introductions. In order to help highlight some of the new products, IFTD allows attendees of the show to vote for their favorites in its New Products Showcase. While this helps bring attention to some great products, there are many that don't win awards or that aren't entered in the showcase which don't always get the attention they deserve.
We've been patiently waiting for a chance to talk about the new Omega fly reel while the team over at Allen Fly Fishing has been perfecting the design and details over the last year or so. The Omega has briefly reared its head a couple times before being formally introduced in this year's new product showcase at IFTD in Orlando, but only briefly and without the lid really being lifted on what the Omega was all about. The Omega's driving feature, an interchangeable drag unit that can be swapped between spools and frames, is a first in the world of fly reels and one that may change the way you think about -- and buy -- fly reels.
The fully removable drag unit (in red) of a prototype of the new Omega fly reel from Allen Fly Fishing.
Fly fishermen have long been accustomed to being able to buy interchangeable spools for their fly reels allowing, for instance, a saltwater angler to carry a nine weight reel spooled with a floating line but also tote along two extra spools loaded with intermediate and full sinking lines. The swappable spools turns one reel into three, with the minor inconvenience of restringing a fly rod. But Allen's new Omega fly reel takes this concept to previously uncharted territory, seeking to add even more versatility and give anglers an even greater value for their dollar.
At its annual "party at the pond" last night, IFTD announced the winners of its new products showcase at this year's show. Over 1,000 attendees voted, selecting their pick for the best product in 28 different categories which included several new women-specific categories. Simms and Sage stood out from the crowd, with Simms walking away with seven total awards and Sage winning both fly rod categories as well as taking home 'Best of Show' honors for its new SALT fly rod series.
Sage's "Best of Show" winning SALT fly rod.
Other multiple category winners included Nautilus, which swept both fly reel categories and Fishpond, which received honors in both the chest pack/vest, eco-friendly product and the luggage categories. The full list of winners at the 2014 IFTD show in Orlando, Florida follows.
Vedavoo's Little Bugger sling pack, winner for "Best Youth Product".
With the International Fly Tackle Dealers show (IFTD) in Orlando just days away, Simms has released its list of products that it will debut for its Spring 2015 lineup. Included in the list of new offerings are additions to almost every category of products that Simms manufactures, including a number of new items designed specifically for female anglers.
Simms' new Dry Creek Z backpack.
Simms popular Dry Creek line of water-resistant bags is seeing many of its existing bags upgraded from water-resistant storage to waterproof storage through the addition of waterproof TiZIP zippers. New incarnations of the backpack, duffel and hip pack have been adorned with the TIZIP waterproof closures and will wear the moniker "Dry Creek Z." The new bags/packs will retail for $299.95, $349.95 and $199.95, respectively.
Until YETI introduced its original cooler almost a decade ago, there weren't very many people out there that could get excited about a cooler. After all, we had all been toting around different versions of what amounted to the same clumsy cooler for years. These cheap plastic doppelgängers required lots of ice refills to keep things cold and ended up being fairly disposable, since their flimsy construction didn't offer up much durability. But they got the job done, we were satisfied. That is, until YETI came along and showed us we were setting our expecations way too low.
YETI's flagship Tundra series holds ice for over a week in some cases, offers up bomb-proof (read: bear proof) construction, is dry ice safe and is packed with other should-have-thought-of-it features that for many years now have made an ice box into a conversation piece, something to covet, and a very serious piece of gear. YETI unquestionably revolutionized how we think about coolers, and now they're back to try to do it again.
The all new YETI Hopper.
On Wednesday, YETI introduced what it is confidently referring to as product that is just as game-changing as its hard sided cooler. The new YETI Hopper is a soft-sided cooler, designed from the ground up to provide much of what its hard-sided coolers provide -- long-term ice retention, robust durability and thoughtful features and construction that address the shortcomings in the industry standard of design -- only in a vastly more portable package.


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The country’s industrial production index (IPI) for May 2019 rose 4.0% from a year earlier. Info Note: Industrial production index (IPI) is a measure of factory output in the manufacturing, mining and electricity generating sectors.
Minister of Finance Lim Guan Eng, shared that from January till May 2019, Malaysia’s IPI grew 3.2% compared to the corresponding period last year. Meanwhile on 3 July 2019, S&P Global Ratings’ (Standard and Poor’s) affirmed Malaysia’s issuer credit rating at A- with a stable outlook.
In contrast, industrial production in other ASEAN economies experienced contraction – factory output (in May 2019) in the Philippines (2.1%), Singapore (2.4%) and Thailand (4.0%) in May 2019.
Furthermore, Q2 2019 of the Singaporean GDP grew only 0.1% compared to last year, or shrank 3.4% quarter-on-quarter. A HSBC economist was quoted that this latest quarterly figure in Singapore is a “harbinger of further growth deterioration across the region”, as a result of the continuing trade war between United States and China.
“However, we (the Malaysian Finance Ministry) believes that persistent industrial production expansion for Malaysia in the month of May, together with solid expansion in exports and domestic demand, point towards sustained GDP growth in the second quarter of 2019.The World Bank forecasts Malaysia to enjoy a 4.6% GDP growth for the whole of 2019,” Lim says.
Separate data from the Department of Statistics shows that the jobless rate fell to 3.3% in May from 3.4% in the preceding month.
The strong IPI growth is reflected in Malaysia’s manufacturing sales, which grew 6.7% to RM69.7 billion in May 2019. Meanwhile, Malaysian exports expanded in May by 2.5% year-on-year, again beating the market consensus of 2.2%. Like the 4.0% IPI growth, the May 2019 export growth was due to increased global demand for Malaysian electrical & electronics, and chemical products.
The expansion of both exports and industrial production signal that the Malaysian economy is resilient in the overcoming external disruption, while benefiting from the ongoing trade war through business relocation, as well as trade and investment diversions.
Approved foreign direct investment (FDI) across all sectors for the first quarter of 2019 rose 73.4% to RM29.3 billion. The first quarter of 2019 approved FDI growth was driven by a 127% increase in approved manufacturing FDI to RM20.2 billion.
“Malaysia is a small, open economy that is deeply embedded in the global supply chain. The Government recognises the downside risk that exists from a slower global growth, especially when Malaysia’s top trade partners are experiencing an economic slowdown.
The Government is in the midst of preparing its 2020 Budget, which will take the relevant risk scenarios caused by the continuing trade war into account. In the meantime, the Government is taking a business-friendly approach to take advantage from the permanent reorientation in the global supply chain leading to investment or trade diversions to Malaysia, while pressing on with its institutional reforms,” ends Lim.


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SportBusiness Sponsorship talks to DP World and its agency of record 160over90 about the brand's sponsorship strategy and how it is leveraging a deal with McLaren F1 to support its B2B objectives.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has signed up global logistics company DP World to its sponsorship portfolio
Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) has signed up tile manufacturer Kajaria as the principal sponsor of its Women’s Premier League (WPL) team.
McLaren Racing has signed up logistics company DP World as a sponsor of its Formula 1 team
Dubai-based logistics group DP World has agreed a five-year title sponsorship deal with the UAE's new T20 cricket league, the International League T20
Dubai-based logistics company DP World has assumed naming rights to Johannesburg’s Wanderers Stadium, a home ground for South Africa’s national cricket team.
Dubai-based logistics company DP World has expanded its presence in sport sponsorship by acquiring the title rights to the 2022 World Padel Championship


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[Musikmesse][VIDEO] New Vestax products
Along with the new VCI-400 and VCI-380 DJ controllers, Vestax introduces at Musikmesse the PBS-4 web broadcast module.
The Vestax PBS-4 is designed for home broadcaster who wish to stream audio and video on the internet. The compact box features three audio channels, including two with combo XLR/Jack mono mic/line inputs and stereo RCA, the third only has RCA connectors, as well as two video channels which includes a VGA input. HDMI, USB 2.0 and composite (NTSC/PAL) ports are also available.
It is also possible to use an audio and video capture software to record the live content. Discover the PBS-4 on www.vestax.com.
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- Antelope Discrete 4 Synergy Core review About a year and a half ago, Antelope released the Discrete, a new range of Thunderbolt & USB interfaces including discrete preamps, their famous FPGA module as well as the stack of audio effects that would usually come with it. Now back in June 2019, Antelope releases a new version of its Discrete 4, this time providing dual DSP chips in addition to the FPGA. Marketing ploy or real step forward?
- The top commercial audio editing software for 2018 Four years after our first poll on the topic, few things have changed in the world of audio editors, at least according to our French readers.


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The reflection of bitcoins in a computer tricky push.
Thomas Trutschel | Photothek by using Getty Pictures
Bitcoin ongoing to rebound from its lows for the calendar year on Wednesday.
The cryptocurrency sank below the important $30,000 threshold Tuesday, at a person issue briefly erasing all its 2021 gains. It later on recovered to turn beneficial for the day.
On Wednesday, bitcoin surged 18%, climbing again over the $34,000 mark in early morning buying and selling, in accordance to Coin Metrics data. It final altered hands at $33,641.27, up 3% on the day.
Smaller sized rivals also surged, with ether soaring 6% to $2,014 and XRP up 9% at a price of 64 cents. The purpose for the moves higher was not distinct, but cryptocurrencies are acknowledged for their volatility.
Bitcoin had a stable get started to the 12 months, rallying to an all-time substantial of nearly $65,000 forward of crypto exchange Coinbase’s blockbuster debut and as institutional buyers appeared to be warming to it.
But the world’s most important digital coin has been on a roller-coaster journey considering that, practically halving in price amid a slew of detrimental news.
In China, authorities have been clamping down on bitcoin mining, the ability-intense procedure for validating transactions and producing new bitcoins. Above the weekend, Beijing’s crackdown on crypto mining extended to the hydropower-loaded Sichuan province.
Then, the People’s Bank of China on Monday claimed it experienced urged financial institutions which include Alipay and big banks not to deliver expert services related to cryptocurrency pursuits.
Investors have also develop into more worried about bitcoin’s environmental impact, following Tesla CEO Elon Musk made the decision to stop accepting bitcoin as a system of payment for his company’s automobiles.
At the time, Musk reported he was concerned about bitcoin’s big strength intake and the “rapidly growing use of fossil fuels” in mining the digital asset. Having said that, he afterwards explained Tesla would settle for bitcoin when at minimum fifty percent of bitcoin mining is confirmed to be powered by clean vitality.
Critics of the cryptocurrency have prolonged been wary of its impression on the surroundings. That could threaten the adoption of bitcoin by institutional investors, which are below growing stress to devote in cleaner, a lot more moral belongings.
In the meantime, there have also been fears about tether, a so-identified as stablecoin whose selling price is intended to be pegged to the U.S. greenback.
Tether is now the world’s third-most significant digital forex with a market worth of more than $60 billion. But some investors are worried tether’s issuer doesn’t have enough dollar reserves to justify its peg to the greenback.
Previous thirty day period, the company driving tether broke down the reserves for its stablecoin, revealing that all-around 76% was backed by income and dollars equivalents — but just underneath 4% of that was true cash, while about 65% was business paper, a sort of shorter-time period personal debt.
It arrives right after the New York legal professional general’s business office attained a settlement with Tether and Bitfinex, an affiliated electronic currency trade. The state’s top law enforcement formal experienced accused the firms of going hundreds of hundreds of thousands of pounds to include up the reduction of $850 million in commingled customer and corporate funds. Tether and Bitfinex agreed to pay out $18.5 million in the settlement and ended up barred from working in New York condition, on the other hand the companies did not admit to any wrongdoing.
— CNBC’s Tanaya Macheel contributed reporting.


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We all remember in 2020 during peak COVID scariness when anything we ordered online took forever. If you lived in the Midwest there was a 100% guarantee your USPS shipment got stuck in Chicago for weeks on end. And while things aren’t as scarce as they were in 2020, the end of 2021 still is having some pitfalls that are affecting brands that ship online sales.
Even more, small businesses that needed to find a niche to sell online during 2020 (to make up for in-person services or sales they lost during the quarantine); are suffering from what’s happening now. So what is happening?
Shipping is still an issue:
The queue of container ships waiting to enter Los Angeles’s and Long Beach’s neighboring ports hit an all-time high of 65 vessels this past week, and they’ll wait an average of 8.7 days longer to deliver their cargo.
The average transit time from China to the US is now 71 days, compared to 40 days in 2019…and you thought your morning commute was long.
Why it matters: These California ports are the busiest in the US, and they accept the majority of imports from Asia. A snag outside their docks signals an economy-wide slowdown in getting goods → consumers.
To my esthetician clients! They began selling Korean or Chinese skin care products online to make it through the pandemic sales slump, they are now having to wait a long time to get re-stocked.
Product Price Hikes…Again?
Your local stylist to your behemoth Target? Covid-19 worker restrictions in Malaysia have caused the price of palm oil, a key ingredient in every bottle of shampoo, to skyrocket as much as 70%.
Travel restrictions in Vietnam are making coffee beans more expensive for companies like Folgers.
For now, its fine. It will be a really crazy time to buy things come Christmas though. Santa’s elves stationed at Target, Best Buy, and other retailers are scrambling for extra inventory in an effort to keep their shelves stocked for the holiday season.


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Customization has always been part of home furnishings. Urged on by their clients, interior designers seek out luxurious fabrics and collaborate with workshops to design special pieces. And even mass-market items like Crate & Barrel sofas come with size, finish and upholstery options. But in almost all situations, the more personalized the piece, the more you will have to pay, and the waiting time for made-to-order is months.
It doesn’t have to be that way. A new wave of e-commerce furniture companies, including Inside Weather, The Inside, Interior Define and Benchmade Modern, are promoting speedy customization for all.
To buy a sofa in Inside Weather’s online store, shoppers choose among a dozen arm styles, including fat upholstered perches and grooved timber slabs; upholstery options like woven linen-and-polyester fabrics and vegan leathers; and details like tufting and stitching.
If a credenza is wanted, shoppers can pick the finish for the top and sides, one of more than a hundred ornamental door patterns, and their favorite pulls and legs.
The sofas start at $898, and small credenzas begin at $518 — a substantial savings over traditional custom furniture, which can run into five figures. These are shipped (from California) typically within a couple of weeks and in some cases just a few days.
“In apparel, customization has moved downstream and become more and more accessible,” said Ben Parsa, the chief executive of Inside Weather, which began in 2018. He wants to do the same for household products. “Being able to visualize tens, and soon hundreds, of millions of combinations of furniture from the comfort of your home is something that we think has tremendous mass appeal.”
The Inside, a company that started in 2017, makes fabric the object of dizzy decision-making. On its website, shoppers choose a shape for a lounge chair, bed, room divider or other piece, and then select from about 150 textile patterns, including translations of terrazzo and malachite, leafy botanicals and galloping zebras licensed from the revered design house Scalamandre. Each piece is made and shipped in two to four weeks.
“The people who are shopping online have spent years on social media saving gorgeous interiors, and they have a sense of what they’re looking for,” said Britt Bunn, a co-founder of The Inside. “We’re excited to be able to make those visions come true.”
As with so many other industries, technology has changed furniture production. On the front end, digital tools and apps allow companies to reach consumers, no showrooms required, and provide real-time visualizations of what custom pieces will look like. Interior Define even offers an augmented reality smartphone app that inserts the prospective piece into an image of your living room.
Behind the scenes, the companies hold essentially no inventory and rely on computer-controlled machines to do much of the work. At Inside Weather, a sofa is merely raw lumber until a customer places an order. When this is done, a CNC machine cuts the necessary wood components at the company’s facility in Rancho Cordova, California. When someone orders a credenza, a flatbed digital printer applies patterns to panels.
“Frankly, we couldn’t have done this at all 15 years ago,” Parsa said, “and it would have been significantly more cost prohibitive even five years ago.”
It’s a similar story at Skyline Furniture, a manufacturing company outside Chicago that was founded in 1946 and offers quick, custom-made furniture produced through recently acquired equipment.
Skyline’s digital textile printer turns out upholstery fabric on demand. “Previous to that, if you wanted to do a custom textile, it took 90 days, and you had to buy a minimum of 2,000 to 3,000 yards,” said Meganne Wecker, the company’s president.
Now Skyline can print just enough fabric to cover a single chair, in any pattern. The company manufactures many pieces for other retailers, including The Inside, but also has its own consumer-facing brand, Cloth & Co.
In a recent partnership with One Kings Lane, Cloth & Co. created Palette, an online service that allows shoppers to play with the color and scale of their patterns, even changing elements within them.
Online furniture customization “is a challenge to a company like West Elm or Ikea, which does carry a lot of inventory,” said Patricia Johnson, the graduate program director for furniture design at Rhode Island School of Design. “It gives a populist element to design — it’s more democratic — which I think is never a bad thing.”
Less appealing, however, is that many of the pieces offered by new online companies venture into knockoffs. “A lot of them are derivative or copies of things,” Johnson said. Inside Weather’s Vita lounge chair ($473) looks almost exactly like the Shell Chair ($3,865) designed by Hans Wegner for Carl Hansen & Son in 1963.
But imitation is hardly a deterrent, certainly not at these prices.
Jessica Stambaugh, an interior designer who splits her time between Nashville and New York, has purchased upholstered beds, benches and ottomans from The Inside. “I’ve recommended them to clients and friends on a regular basis,” she said, adding that the products resemble the custom pieces she creates with expensive fabrics from design centers.
Alex Burrow, the head of home design at Zeus Living, a San Francisco-based startup for furnished rental homes across the country, likes that Inside Weather products can be altered to meet the particular aesthetics of different regions.
“Having that baseline foundation of a good silhouette and a good design, and then being able to customize it with fabric, wood grain, stitching and things like that, makes it a lot easier,” she said.
Cultivating trust remains a hurdle for digital retailers, however. Ordering a sofa without flopping down on a sample can feel like a roll of the dice.
To help ease shopper anxiety, some online furniture companies are opening traditional showrooms, much as Casper has done with its mattress stores.
When Interior Define began in 2014, it had a single showroom in Chicago. But after finding that shoppers were more likely to buy furniture they could actually touch, it opened outposts in New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Boston and Austin, Texas.
“Our conversion rates when people get into the stores are exceptionally high,” said Jill John, the company’s chief customer officer. “We’re hoping to open another five or six this year and then expand at the same rate in years to come.”
Inside Weather is contemplating doing the same thing. “We probably get customer inquiries on a daily basis, asking ‘Where can we see your products?’ ” Parsa said. “It’s something we’re seriously entertaining.”
But precisely how the company’s wares might be displayed in such stores remains an open question.
“Why predesign a product,” Parsa asked, “if technology allows us to have a manufacturing process, and the software, to let the customer do it for themselves?”