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HP Inc. Thursday unveiled new ZBook mobile workstations for engineering and creative professionals featuring enhanced performance and a more portable form factor.
The notebooks—the ZBook Studio and the ZBook Create—share the same form factor but differ on their CPU and graphics configurations, with the ZBook Studio the higher-end model, HP said.
The new ZBook mobile workstations will target heavy-duty creators—such as developers, engineers, designers and architects—when they launch a few months from now, HP said. The new ZBooks will be suited for demanding work in areas such as virtual reality, artificial intelligence and 3-D, the company said.
What follows are the key things to know about HP's forthcoming ZBook Studio and ZBook Create.
The ZBook Studio and ZBook Create will include a 15.6-inch display with 4K/UHD resolution, and choices between LCD and OLED display technologies. There will also be an option for HP's integrated privacy screen, Sure View Reflect, which prevents "visual hacking" from onlookers, HP said.
The color accuracy of the display should be a major selling point for creative professionals, according to HP. The "DreamColor" display offers a "built-in colorimeter for automatic self-calibration, 100 percent sRGB and Adobe RGB for accuracy, and over a billion colors for smoother shading and more consistent gradients," HP said in a news release.
In addition, the notebooks are designed to have minimal bezels around the display, providing an 87 percent screen-to-body ratio on the devices, HP said.
Graphics and CPU
The graphics capabilities on the new ZBook models are one of the biggest features for heavy-duty engineering and creative app users, HP said.
The ZBook Create offers Nvidia GeForce graphics, up to the GeForce RTX 2080 Super. Meanwhile, the ZBook Studio has even more powerful graphics from the Nvidia Quadro series—up to the Nvidia Quadro RTX 5000.
For the CPU in the new ZBooks, HP said it's offering up to Intel Core i9 and Intel Xeon (latest generation) processors. The company didn't disclose specifics on which processors will be available in which models.
HP is particularly touting faster performance on the new ZBooks than on the most comparable notebook from Apple, the MacBook Pro 16. The new ZBooks offer up to 7X faster rendering than the 16-inch MacBook Pro, according to HP.
The higher-end ZBook Studio, specifically, is "the most powerful workstation of its size," HP said.
Portability and battery life
The ZBook models have been designed to be more portable than the typical mobile workstation, which is often synonymous with bulkiness.
For starters, the notebooks have seen a reduction in volume of 22 percent from previous models, HP said. That's thanks in part to the slimmed-down bezels around the display, the company noted.
The new ZBooks also weigh less than 4 pounds—3.96 pounds, to be exact—and are fairly thin as well, measuring at 0.69 of an inch thick.
Another key feature for mobility with the new ZBooks is the generous battery life, which HP is estimating at 17.5 hours on a charge.
Price and availability
The ZBook Studio and ZBook Create are expected to be made available in August, HP said.
The company did not disclose pricing for the new ZBook models.


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Animoca Brands has announced that it will launch the second crypto collectible for its blockchain game soon. Like the first one, this too will be launched in collaboration with F1 Racing.
Get yourself in gear 🏎💥! @animocabrands is revved up to announce that the second @F1® NFT virtual car auction of @F1DeltaTime begins TODAY at 2 am GMT! Check out our beautiful Monaco 🇮🇩 Edition 2019 one-of-a-kind car and read here for more details 🏁: https://t.co/gSaHhIOGzc pic.twitter.com/fU8VHAnq1q
— Animoca Brands (@animocabrands) June 18, 2019
Animoca Brands is one of the leading blockchain gaming companies in the world, which creates special virtual assets to be used in its games. Earlier in May, it launched the first crypto collectible, a virtual dashing car 1-1-1, which was also in collaboration with F1 Racing. 1-1-1 was sold for whopping 415.9 ETH in an auction sale, which was about $110,600.
The second collectible, which is a Monaco Edition F1 racing car, is also up for auction sale, which began at 2 a.m. on Wednesday, and it will be live for 72 hours. Both the collectibles will be available for use in the F1 Delta Time blockchain game from early 2020. On its official page, Animoca described the virtual car by describing the performance indices and its iconic history as follows:
Top Speed: 977 (2019 marked the 77th FORMULA 1 GRAND PRIX DE MONACO)
Acceleration: 929 (the first FORMULA 1 GRAND PRIX DE MONACO was held in 1929)
Grip: 978 (the FORMULA 1 GRAND PRIX DE MONACO has 78laps)
Luck: 33 (the Circuit de Monaco is 3.337 km long)
Such crypto collectibles come under Non-fungible Tokens (NFT), are have been quite popular in the world of crypto-blockchain gaming. Collectibles are sold for cryptocurrencies and give the owners a sense of authenticity and exclusivity. Animoca Brands are also the makers of the famous crypto-blockchain game CryptoKitties, which has sold a number of crypto collectibles.

domain: news


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Yakima brewery joins ‘All Together’ beer challenge, profits go to local hospitality workers
YAKIMA, Wash. — A Yakima brewery is stepping up during the pandemic by taking part in a collaborative project between hundreds of breweries across the world dedicated to helping hospitality workers and raising awareness of their struggle.
Hop Capital Brewing is one of four breweries in Washington state currently brewing All Together beer, the proceeds of which are donated to local organizations to spend on helping those in the hospitality industry.
The project was started by Other Half Brewing in New York; the brewery invited businesses across the world to use their open source recipe, public artwork and add their own twists to the beer.
“It was a way to connect with a brewery that’s all the way across the United States to do a collaboration with them but also a way to take the proceeds that we are getting to give back to the local community here,” said Johnathon ‘JT’ Thomas, co-owner of Hop Capital Brewing. “It just felt like the right thing to do.”
Hop Capital Brewing was able to purchase a portion of the supplies at-cost and started brewing their own All Together beer two weeks ago. Thomas said it should be ready for sale by the end of next week.
“We’ll be taking all of the profits, and it’ll be split between two places,” Thomas said. “Yakima Valley Resilience and Response Fund is the first one and then it’ll be split with the Latino Community Fund.”
The Yakima Valley Resilience and Response Fund is a product of the Yakima Valley Community Foundation and serves to, “help sustain charitable organizations and agencies as they work to address the COVID-19 virus and its impacts on the Yakima Valley, particularly our valley’s most vulnerable populations.”
The Latino Community Fund of Washington has an office in Yakima and awards community grants to programs and organizations dedicated to helping the Latino community.
“This virus has caused a lot of problems for a lot of people and a lot of people have lost their jobs,” Thomas said. “When I saw what [Other Half Brewing was] doing, it was like, ‘Well, we’re all in this together.'”
Over the past four weeks, the brewery’s been through a dramatic shift; when their taproom was forced to close under COVID-19 restrictions, the hardship caused the business to lose about 95 percent of its revenue.
Prior to the shutdown, Hop Capital Brewing was in the process of rolling out a new IPA called ‘pan-DAMN-ic ‘ in partnership with Ali’s One Stop grocery store in Yakima.
It was originally just supposed to be on tap, but with that no longer being an option, the brewery had to can and label it, which cut into any profits they may have made. The beer is now almost completely out of stock.
“You’re doing something one day and then all of a sudden, without any control of your own it’s just erased right in front of you,” Thomas said. “The hardest part is probably the loss of employees.”
Thomas said the adjustment to being limited to sales only through to-go, local delivery or shipping has been challenging and has forced them to come up with alternative ways to bring in revenue, like the All Together or pan-DAMN-ic beers.
When Thomas learned the federal government had allowed for breweries and distilleries to start making hand sanitizer, he applied to add Hop Capital Brewing to the list.
He said it took about two weeks to get approved and on April 1, the brewery began the not-so-easy process of trying to find all the necessary supplies and ingredients.
“A lot of things are in high demand, so they’re really hard to find,” Thomas said. “But we were able to find bottles and all the ingredients … we started making it this week.”
The brewery has produced about 600 bottles of hand sanitizer from their first batch, which will be available starting Tuesday. Most have already been pre-ordered, with only about 100 left for purchase.
Thomas said Hop Capital Brewing plans to make more bottles, but is waiting for more supplies to be delivered, which isn’t expected until early May.
“I would say if you’re a beer drinker, or if you need hand sanitizer you can purchase any of our products online,” Thomas said, adding that hte more support Hop Capital Brewing and other local breweries have from the community, the better they’ll be when the everything starts to open back up.
Thomas said he tried twice in the past two weeks to apply for financial assistance through the Small Business Administration, but both times he was told the application had been lost and that he needed to try again.
“I was planning on doing [that] yesterday, until I heard the news that the funds that were allocated for small businesses have been depleted,” Thomas said. “It’s a bit of a sore subject because it’s very unclear what’s going on and not everyone is able to get what they need.”
Thomas said he’s thankful the brewery’s landlord has been understanding about their financial situation. He said if Hop Capital Brewing had to pay all their normal bills in full, with their current funds, they could stay open for about another three months.
With all the unique and difficult challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, Thomas said he’s grateful for the community coming together and helping one another to get through it.
“For me, personally, I think it’s definitely given me a different perspective on what’s important to me,” Thomas said.
There are several ways to support Hop Capital Brewing, including purchasing cans of beer or hand sanitizer:
- To be picked up at the brewery’s contactless drive up, from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Thursdays and Fridays, and from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.
- To be delivered to locations within a 10-mile radius from the brewery from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursdays and Fridays and from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. Order before 3 p.m. for same-day delivery. Orders made after 3 p.m. will be delivered on the next delivery day.
- To be shipped directly to a home or business.
Gift cards can also be purchased online.


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Bitcoin Explained – What Is It And Do we Need It? – 06/11/17
Writing the investigate paper explained: it can be easy and quick – 28/03/17
Bitcoin is a digital currency, or “cryptocurrency”, that is used peer-to-peer with no middleman; in other words, there is no bank or other financial establishment concerned in a transaction between two parties.
Think of it as going into a bar and shopping a splash – the bartender gives you your splash and you palm him your money. It is a true sell of values, but with bitcoin it all happens online.
Bitcoin is today only one of many different cryptocurrencies, but it was the very first, with many carrying jumped on the bandwagon in new years. It was invented by Satoshi Nakamoto who due it in 2008 and launched it at the commencement of 2009.
However, Satoshi Nakamoto is believed to be a pseudonym and it might be that a organisation of people were involved. Although several people have subsequently claimed to be Nakamoto, the law is still hidden in mystery.
Who Accepts Bitcoin As Payment?
The augmenting inflection of bitcoin is heading to more companies usurpation bitcoin as a liquid currency. One of these examples is Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic, which includes Virgin Mobile and Virgin Airline. It’s not the only vital business to accept it; Microsoft accepts bitcoin on Xbox and the Windows store, and you can compensate for products on many Shopify stores with it.
All bitcoin is also supposed as a interest for bitcasino.io, an online casino which has some bitcoin-themed games.
While it is currently valued at around $1,900 you don’t have to spend it all at once – you can spend fractions of a bitcoin. Some companies are even storing it as an word opposite ransomware attacks from hackers who direct remuneration in bitcoin so that their activities can't be tracked.
How Are Bitcoins Produced?
Bitcoins are constructed by a formidable routine famous as mining, a form of entertainment that can be finished on any computer. It can be too difficult for many and it isn’t advised, with miners carrying to run a mechanism for at slightest 3 years uninterrupted in sequence to produce success. Even then, the miner might not strike it lucky.
Many bitcoin miners cite to join a mining pool – a form of associate – where the deduction of any bitcoins mined are separate between the organisation according to the volume of work each member’s mechanism has completed.
The easiest way to accumulate bitcoin is to buy them from exchanges, but even here you have to be careful. Many exchanges have failed, most shutting but explanation, including a high-profile sell famous as Mt Gox in which investors mislaid $450 million value of bitcoin.
The value of bitcoin has fluctuated extravagantly as it is not theme to any financial regulation. At the commencement of 2017 it was value around $1,000 but today has climbed to around $1,900, so some investors have made a lot of money.
However, it is identical to unfamiliar sell trade in that it is equally easy to remove a lot of income because the value changes fast according to supply and demand.


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Despite the fact that the device appears to have been in development for years, Samsung's Galaxy X smartphone is still not on the market. Latest reports and rumors point to the idea that the South Korean tech giant is set to release the Galaxy X sometime next year. Unfortunately for Samsung, such a release date might be a bit too late.
With the single-display smartphone design having matured over the years, the market for flexible devices is ripe for the picking. Over the years, rumors were abounding that Samsung is working on a smartphone that would take advantage of the company's flexible display technology, which would allow the creation of a device that can fold in and out on itself, creating a segment that has the portability of a smartphone and the working area of a tablet, according to NDTV. This device is rumored to be the Galaxy X.
Samsung proudly showed off a concept video of a foldable device in the past, and the mobile market has been eagerly waiting for it ever since. Over the years, however, and regardless of rumors and leaks about the device or patents that appear to correspond directly to the smartphone, the Galaxy X has been elusive. Fast forward to the present, and the Galaxy X is still not in the market, with Samsung now rumored to launch the device as the Galaxy F, a gaming-focused device, sometime next year -- and this is still tentative.
Unfortunately for Samsung, the mobile industry is a very competitive market, and rivals are just waiting for their chance to strike. Rumors are already abounding that South Korean rival LG is coming up with its own foldable smartphone. More recently, reports have emerged stating that Chinese manufacturers Xiaomi and Oppo are now taking on the task of bringing a flexible smartphone to the market soon. Unlike Samsung, which appears to be taking its sweet time in releasing its hybrid device, Oppo and Xiaomi are reportedly already working with suppliers to acquire components for their hybrid smartphones, according to South Korean publication ETNews.Xiaomi and Oppo are companies that move fast. Xiaomi, after all, is not dubbed as the "Apple of China" without good reason. Oppo, on the other hand, is one of the sister brands of Vivo and OnePlus, two emerging smartphone brands that are slowly blurring the lines between the midrange mobile market and flagship phone industry. Both Xiaomi and Oppo are known to release their latest devices quickly, and if Samsung is not careful, its Galaxy X device, which has been literally years in the making, might end up entering the market with a whimper instead of a bang.


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Apple is said to employ 83 drivers for its fleet, far less than the 407 of GM or even the 338 Waymo drivers with approved permits. According to the DMV figure, Apple has bigger self-driving vehicle fleet in California than Waymo, Toyota, BMW and many more that has makes it the second largest fleet in the state. "Apple is second only to General Motors which performs tests with Cruise - its self-driving division". That puts it four cars ahead of the latest figures we have for Waymo, Alphabet's self-driving auto division thought to be among the leaders in the sector.
Behind Apple lags Waymo, which has 51 vehicles registered in California, and Tesla, which has 39 vehicles.
Last April, Apple first received a permit to test autonomous vehicles in the state starting with only three Lexus Rx450h SUVs.
Ariana Grande performs new single with Jimmy Fallon's Nintendo Labo instruments
Each member of the band put together their own instruments, as Fallon divulged to IGN . "We'll help you do it'". I didn't know if it was going to sound good, but Ariana is always down to try something fun and different.
Malaysia bars more officials from leaving country amid corruption probe
He was due to hold meetings with senior civil servants. "If there is no case, we don't go for detention without trial", he said. In an astonishing U-turn a year ago , Anwar shook hands with Mahathir and agreed to join forces to oust scandal-tainted Najib.
Affordable Realme 1 phone launched on Amazon with 6GB of RAM
The Oppo Realme 1 features a glossy diamond-cut design similar to what the company had used on the Oppo F7 and the Oppo A3 . The handset appears to include a metallic framework and a glistening back panel using triangular-cut, diamond designs .
One important thing to note here is that Apple has yet to apply for a separate driverless testing permit, which would allow the company to test autonomous vehicles without a person in the auto.
Apple's quickly growing fleet of cars suggests that it's certainly taking self-driving development seriously.
At present, Apple has 55 self-driving vehicles that it is testing on public roads.
Chief Executive Officer at Apple, Tim Cook called self-driving a core technology that we view as very important. Waymo applied to the California DMV for a permit to test without human supervision last month, though it's not clear whether it has been accepted.


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Lotus has been keeping us well in the loop with the plans of expansion over the next decade. So here’s another update.
The Norfolk, UK manufacturer has apparently announced that the new Exige replacement’s engine will be a V6. Not too long ago, word was bouncing around that some journalists spotted a V6 Exige test mule running around last summer. That V6 was most likely the usual Toyota-sourced 3.5L V6, the same engine found in the current Lotus Evora.
Other details that said Lotus was serious about this project were the noticeably wider tracks to accommodate the larger engine. A longer wheelbase was also observed.
Click here for more news on the Lotus Exige.
With Lotus equipping the new Exige with a larger engine, Lotus can definitely expand on the model offerings for the Exige because the Toyota V6 can be had in two forms and can be mated to an automatic or a manual transmission. It also may be possible that Lotus could unveil their new Exige fairly soon at this year’s upcoming Frankfurt Motor Show in September. Only time will tell.
– By: Chris Chin


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River cruise line AmaWaterways is offering five per cent discount on all 2024 bookings made up to and including December 31, 2022.
The offer is in response the increased demand for advance bookings and applies to all 2024 Europe, Africa, Egypt and Mekong cruises.
“With so many once in a lifetime experience within our programme and with increased demand we have seen from travellers desiring a more intimate travel experience, guests are wanting to confirm their travel plans further in advance,” said UK managing director Jamie Loizou.
“We have early booking savings of fiver per cent on balcony staterooms and suites when guests book by December 31, 2022.
“They then have the luxury of knowing that their choice of itinerary and stateroom are confirmed, and their final payment is not due until 90 days before departure.”
AmaWaterways is extending its seasons on the Douro, Rhine and Danube rivers in 2024, and adding a new itinerary on the Saône in France.
They are also launching a second ship on the Nile and will reveal further details about the launch of two ships on the Magdalena River in Colombia in January 2023.


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Our StreetPass Mii Plaza has welcomed many special Mii characters over the years, but with Pokémon Omega Ruby and Pokémon Alpha Sapphire launching around the world it’s an opportunity for another.
Those that wander past a Nintendo Zone hotspot will receive a visit from game designer Shigeru Ohmori to say hello to Pokémon fans, while revealing that he has been playing Pokémon X and, somewhat expectedly, loves video games.
Ohmori’s Mii has collected all available Puzzle Swap pieces, and will by providing you with 10,000 allied soldiers.
Pokémon Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire has now launched in North America, and will release in Europe on November 28th.
Nintendo 3DS secures free eReader service
Japanese company Dai Nippon Printing have revealed a partnership with Nintendo to deliver a new eReader service to…


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After leading the world in electric vehicle production, Tesla (TSLA) is now on a mission to jolt the car racing world. The automaker introduced an OEM brakes & wheels upgrade kit last month aka Track Package for Tesla Model S Plaid.
Tesla Model S Plaid is already ruling the quarter-mile drag racing arena with the stock setup. Now it’s time to aim high for the curly, curvy, and edgy race tracks. And the Track Pack is here to handle this all.
For a real-world test, Tesla took a Model S Plaid equipped with the Track Package to the notorious Nurburgring race circuit.
Nurburgring is the ultimate test of a car’s handling and performance. So, Tesla Model S Plaid proved it’s able to do better with the Track Package.
Track Pack Model S Plaid set a new production EV lap record at the Nurburgring. It completed the lap in just 7:25.231 (video below).
Model S Plaid broke its own previous Nurburgring EV lap record of 7:30.909 which was set in September 2021.
The addition of the Track Pack enabled Tesla Model S Plaid to complete the Nurburgring lap around 5 seconds earlier than the previous record. It’s a great achievement when it comes to such a difficult race track.
The interesting thing was the Out of Stock message showing for the Track Package at the Tesla online shop. This happened just hours after Tesla posted the new Nurburgring lap record video on Twitter and YouTube.
Even after days have passed by, Tesla has not re-stocked the Track Pack to its online store. Track Package was completely sold out despite a fat price tag of $15,000 – $20,000 USD.
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Tencent Music Entertainment Group announced the addition of 2.6 million paid music users in its latest earnings report yesterday. The company, spun off by Chinese internet giant Tencent in December, owns four of China’s biggest music applications, including WeSing, a social karaoke app, and streaming services QQ Music, Kugou Music, and Kuwo Music. Altogether, the company counts around 900 million monthly active users of its services, the vast majority on free, ad-supported tiers.
Despite growing to 31 million paid music users in the second quarter, a 33% gain versus the prior year, Tencent Music’s New York-listed shares dipped 7% in after-hours trading as quarterly revenue narrowly missed analysts’ expectations. Even after the decline, shares traded at $13.50, above the company’s IPO price of $13 per share.
Although the company’s paid music users have grown steadily, its more profitable social entertainment business—livestreaming on KuGou and Kuwo and online karaoke on WeSing—hasn’t been as robust of late. Over the past year, Tencent Music added just 1.6 million paid users for social entertainment, giving it a total of 11.1 million paid users at the end of the second quarter.
Between the first and second quarter of this year, the company added just 300,000 paid users to its social entertainment business. More importantly, monthly average revenue per paying user for social entertainment came out to 130.20 yuan ($18.42), a small improvement over the 127.50 yuan reported in the first quarter. In the past, quarterly gains in revenue per user were much stronger. (Streaming music was worth only 8.60 yuan per paid user per month in the second quarter.)
Looking ahead, Tony Yip, Tencent’s chief strategy officer, said the company was forging partnerships with “leading manufacturers of cars, smart speakers, and smart watches,” building the company’s services into more devices. Tencent Music recently introduced WeSing Lite, a simplified version of its karaoke app, meant to “attract users in China’s lower tier cities” who have phones with less capacity and slower processing speeds, Yip explained on the company’s earnings call.
The company is also pushing to expand WeSing in Southeast Asia. WeSing’s rollout has been especially successful in the Philippines, where it has been the most downloaded music-related app on Google Play for the past three months.
Tencent Music’s challenge is to convince more users to move into its paid tiers—it controlled approximately 75% of China’s streaming music market at the time of its IPO. Its parent company is reportedly in talks to take a 10% stake in Universal Music Group (paywall). UMG, owned by French media giant Vivendi, has a star-studded roster of musicians including Billie Eilish, Taylor Swift, and Kendrick Lamar in its stable. A deal could give Tencent Music greater say over licensing agreements in Asia and listeners more reasons to stick with its services.


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Microsoft may take aim at Chromebooks' dominance in schools with an inexpensive Surface and cloud-based Windows.
Software and Services - News
With recurring reminders, more touch gestures, and enhanced security, the latest Windows update makes it easier to get things done.
A severe Microsoft Office vulnerability was recently used to deliver spyware to Russian-speaking targets, in a possible case of cyberespionage.
In a statement ahead of the Galaxy S8's April 21 launch, Samsung has said that Bixby Voice won't be supported in the U.S. until later in the spring.
No more toggling between browser tabs for the tools you need. These extensions put everything you need on one page.
Microsoft's not saying much but what the future of Windows 10's Game Mode holds, but we have some suggestions.
Raspberry Pi may be the most well-known board computer, but rival Orange Pi is rolling out a much larger range of boards at a dizzying pace, and at cheaper prices.
The arrest last week of a Russian man in Spain was apparently for his role in a massive spam botnet and not related to an ongoing investigation into foreign tampering with last year's U.S. election.
You will soon be able to use Microsoft's Cortana voice assistant with the Raspberry Pi 3 and make cool devices that can accept voice commands.
None of the new alleged NSA exploits leaked by the Shadow Brokers hacking group poses an immediate threat to users.
The suspected CIA spying tools that WikiLeaks has dumped have been linked to hacking attempts on at least 40 targets in 16 countries, according to security firm Symantec.
Microsoft's latest Discovery Update, version 1.1, adds an in-app Minecraft Marketplace where creators sell new maps and skins to players.
Annoyed with the U.S. missile strike last week on an airfield in Syria, among other things, hacker group Shadow Brokers resurfaced on Saturday and released what they said was the password to files containing suspected National Security Agency tools t...
A group of hackers who claimed to hold millions of iCloud accounts for ransom said on Friday they'd been paid. But one bitcoin expert says that's bogus.
Business users get access to their own version of the Windows 10 beta program this week.
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The print quality also does not disappoint, it’s clear, bold, doesn’t smudge and the text is perfectly sized.
The Huddle Board’s built in program; Sharp Touch Viewing software allows us to easily manipulate and edit our documents (jpegs and PDFs) all at the same time on the dashboard.
The biggest perks for me would be that it comes with easy to use and comprehensive programs that make the collaboration process a whole lot more intuitive and organic
I rate the printer as a 5 out of 5 stars as it has been able to fit seamlessly into my busy and mobile lifestyle.
It’s perfect for mobile workers. Just take it out — it’s small enough to sit anywhere — turn it on, load a sheet of paper, and start printing.
The HP OfficeJet 250 Mobile Printer is a great device that fits perfectly into my fast paced and mobile lifestyle. My first impression of the printer itself was how incredibly compact and sleek the device was.
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|Hollywood sparred with Silicon Valley in the
US Congress on Wednesday
© AFP/File Robyn Beck
WASHINGTON (AFP) – Hollywood sparred with Silicon Valley in the US Congress on Wednesday at a hearing on a controversial bill intended to crack down on online piracy.
Internet search giant Google, an opponent of the legislation, was pitted alone against five supporters of the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) at the three-and-a-half hour hearing of the House Judiciary Committee.
The bill has received the backing of the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), the Recording Industry Association of America, the Business Software Alliance, the US Chamber of Commerce and others.
But it has come under fire from digital rights groups and Internet heavyweights such as Facebook, Twitter and Yahoo!, as well as Google, who say it raises censorship concerns and threatens the very architecture of the Web.
The bill would give the US authorities more tools to crack down on foreign “rogue” websites accused of piracy of movies, television shows and music and the sale of counterfeit goods.
It would require Internet Service Providers (ISPs), search engines, payment providers and advertising networks served with court orders to block access or sever ties with websites accused of copyright or trademark infringement.
Opening the hearing, Lamar Smith, a Republican from Texas who chairs the Judiciary Committee and is a co-sponsor of SOPA, said “the problem of rogue websites is real, immediate and widespread.
“Since the United States produces the most intellectual property, our country has the most to lose if we fail to address the problem of these rogue websites,” said Smith, who lashed out at Google from the outset accusing it of seeking to “obstruct” the bill.
“Perhaps this should come as no surprise given that Google just settled a federal criminal investigation into the company’s active promotion of rogue websites that pushed illegal prescription and counterfeit drugs on American consumers,” he said.
One of the witnesses backing the legislation, Michael O’Leary, senior executive vice president of the MPAA, said Google should be doing more to combat piracy.
“There are legitimate services out there now,” O’Leary said, providing legal downloads or streams of movies and television shows.
“The problem is that when you go to Google and you punch in the name of a movie those legitimate sites are buried on page eight of the search results,” he said.
“There is a better-than-average chance that Pirate Bay is going to end up ahead of Netflix,” O’Leary said. “That’s a fundamental problem no matter how many legitimate sites are out there that we can’t overcome.
“If we could get Google to reindex those sites in a way that favored legitimacy… then consumers would be getting to those first,” O’Leary said. “That’s a practical problem that could be addressed today.”
Reminding the panel at one point that Google does “not control the World Wide Web,” the company’s copyright counsel Katherine Oyama backed a “follow the money” approach to dealing with copyright and trademark infringers, choking them off from payment providers and from advertisers.
“If you can cut off their financial ties they won’t have a reason to be in business anymore,” Oyama said. “If you look at WikiLeaks that is how they’ve been taken out, by cutting off the money.”
As for the bill in its current form, “there is a tremendous concern in the technology community about some of the remedies being proposed and some of the unintended consequences they would have,” she said.
“Casting the net too broadly threatens collateral damage to legitimate businesses and activities online, while letting the rogues wriggle free,” Oyama said.
Zoe Lofgren, a Democrat from California whose congressional district includes San Jose, home to many leading high-tech companies, expressed displeasure with the composition of the panel and the bill.
“We’ve got six witnesses here,” Lofgren said. “Five are in favor and only one against and that troubles me.
“The point is that search engines are not capable of censoring the entire World Wide Web. We need to go after the people who are committing crimes in a way that would work. This bill would not do that.”
© AFP — Published at Activist Post with license


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Most digital marketers will be aware that the divisions between social media, search and e-commerce have been blurring in recent years.
Indeed, people's online activity has turned into one ongoing, giant experience - across platforms and devices - rather than many separate, smaller interactions.
As nearly every aspect of our daily lives becomes more digitally oriented, consumers are not only spending large amounts of time online, they're also spending much more money online as well - on groceries, clothes, just about any and every household item, and much more.
It won't be long, for example, before Amazon is America's largest retailer, according to market research firm Packaged Facts, which predicts Jeff Bezos' company will overtake Walmart in 2022.
As people continue to turn to their devices for their shopping needs, the reach and potential of e-commerce sites has been expanding significantly, especially for marketers. Developments in martech and adtech have given e-tailers the ability to gather, catalogue and leverage copious volumes of consumer data, giving them unprecedented power and influence.
While it may seem odd that companies are increasingly investing their marketing dollars on online shopping sites, it makes sense when you consider that these companies can now offer the golden ticket every digital marketer wants: vast quantities of shoppers' actual purchase data.
As such, Amazon is fast becoming one of the world's major digital advertising players.
Integrating digital marketing
Think about it: If more and more people are using a website like Amazon to shop, it is only logical that vendors would invest in on-site marketing to get their products to outshine the competition and grab more market share.
Consequently, retailers and e-tailers are catching on to the fact that they can make serious money from adding an integrated digital marketing platform to the services they offer vendors.
Shopify, one of Amazon's major up-and-coming competitors - which has just reported year-on-year revenue growth of 45% to around $390 million - has invested substantially in making martech more accessible and affordable to its merchants. Martech Today's Jennifer Cannon says Shopify has been adding different marketing integrations and features for its merchants, including an integration with Microsoft Advertising that enables merchants to expand the reach of their marketing campaigns.
Walmart has also sought to overtake Amazon in targeting online consumers and expanding its advertising business. It acquired adtech company Polymorph Labs as a step toward its goal of developing an advanced ad platform capable of helping brands that sell through Walmart use consumers' shopping preferences and behavior to target specific audience segments.
To me, the rapid evolution of adtech and martech in e-commerce is leading to the development of a new landscape in which marketers can compete.
Just as brands duke it out on social media to capture audience attention and consolidate market share, we are seeing the same in the e-tailer space. This trend is being especially driven by the growth of competitors to Amazon.
That's why marketers at B2C product-selling companies need to develop dynamic and robust e-commerce marketing strategies. As brands increasingly sell on these sites, it is becoming critical to stand out from rivals.
It's like just about any other digital marketing segment or strategy, whether it's SEO, content marketing or social media: If everybody's doing it, how are you going to do it better?
As more brands push their products online, we can expect etailers to invest time, resources and money into developing the best possible ad solutions their clients can use to boost sales.


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Good 4K TV and Gaming Deals - This is the year where 4K TV prices are expected to shine during Black Friday. For a third year in a row, it will be closing its 151 stores on both Thanksgiving and Black Friday.
You won't be missing all that much at the malls as more well-known retailers than ever will be closing their brick-and-mortar stores all or most of Thanksgiving Day, with some opting to close on Black Friday as well.
"Rather than visiting one store or another to see what they have on sale, you can just visit Early Black Friday dot com and you can see everything that's going to be on sale this Thanksgiving Day, and on Black Friday", Vincent told KRMG Monday.
The Amazon Black Friday deals season will begin at midnight on Thursday night in time for the first day of the sale, Friday November 17. Black Friday has morphed into a whole month of deals and savings, and online retailers also regularly update prices throughout the event.
The chain-based electronics company Richfield launched Wednesday's announcement of its black Friday and made many deals right down to Saturday. The products look good, and the prices certainly sound good, but the reality of actually getting your hands on one of these items isn't so rosy. In some cases, as long as you arrive at a certain time, you can be guaranteed the low price.
Simply put, Black Friday does not have to be as hysterical as it usually is. "Deals will come and go through Christmas". That can mean the only way to benefit from the discount is if you are at the front of the lineup outside the store. We have the secrets you need to know about the annual discount shopping bonanza, which this year is November 24. However, deals are likely to improve in quality and quantity as Black Friday approaches. Check your credit card rewards program for special points that could add up on Black Friday.
Woman techie set ablaze by spurned youth in Chennai
Media reports cited neighbours claiming that the ambulance arrived too late, at least 40 minutes after a call was made. The woman in the incident succumbed to her injuries, while the mother and sister are being examined in a hospital.
Google punches up doodle tribute to the office hole puncher
A cornerstone of stationery cupboards across the globe, the hole puncher celebrates its 131st anniversary today (November 14). However, the first recorded patents for a paper hole puncher was published by an American man named Benjamin Smith in 1885.
Jio offers 100GB of additional data to Oppo phone users
Airtel, Vodafone and Idea Cellular have similar tariffs, but they last just a month, which makes Jio's offers hard to turn down . In these plans (except Rs 399 plan) Airtel offers unlimited voice calls, including outgoing calls during national roaming.
Amazon developing free ad-based streaming service
Despite showcasing its fair share of acclaimed shows, Amazon continues to lag behind Netflix in the war for streaming domination. That would make its offering the Spotify of the video streaming industry, with both a premium and free offering.
The World's Oldest Wine Has Just Been Unearthed
Researchers also found three organic acids associated with wine - malic, succinic and citric - in the residue from the jars. The earliest evidence of winemaking has been traced back 8,000 years to Georgia by an worldwide team of scientists.
Emirates Airline Orders 40 Boeing 787 Dreamliners
At the 2017 Dubai Air Show, Emirates revealed the new Boeing 777-300ERs with first class suites estimated to cost over $9000. Emirates also announced on Sunday a commitment to buy 40 Boeing 787-10 Dreamliners with a market value of $15.1 billion.


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BDS Marketing (BDS) and Creative Channel Services (CCS) have combined to form BDS Connected Solutions. The new company says its the industry’s most progressive, sales-powered channel solutions provider.
Industry analysts suggest digital transformation increasingly shapes the new generation of products and services for consumers and businesses. The combined company will deliver connected commerce experiences across all consumer touchpoints. Allowing brands to connect with buyers anywhere, anytime, and on any device – in-store and online.
Spreading brand enthusiasm
BDS creates fully integrated, multichannel shopping experiences. The company says their solutions spread brand enthusiasm, simplify the sale and influence every step in the buyer’s journey. CCS is a company developing strategic sales and marketing solutions. The company says its heritage in first-to-market innovations that successfully connect brands with shoppers. By leveraging that collective experience, BDS Connected Solutions will immediately provide a more innovative, adaptable, and powerful suite of solutions.
BDS and CCS have enjoyed a collaborative relationship for two decades, partnering client strategies and programme executions across their portfolios. Their combined workforce of 7,000+ people services thousands of top-tier retailers and leading global brands. As one unified organisation, BDS Connected Solutions expects to significantly expand its scale of operations. At the same time maintain a strong commitment to client service, high-quality solutions and industry-leading results.
A transformative partnership
Andy Restivo, Founder & CEO of CCS, and Ken Kress, CEO of BDS, will serve Co-CEOs of BDS Connected Solutions. Sean Ludick will serve as President over the newly combined leadership team. According to Kress, “Both of our established organisations have been on a mission to diversify. We also wanted to expand our capabilities to even better deliver on the needs of our clients.”
“Our partners have already shared their enthusiastic support for the mutual BDS and CCS vision to create even greater results. This will be achieved by delivering strategic solutions now and into the future.”
“The experienced senior team at BDS Connected Solutions reflects our combined strengths and shared mission. To inspire buyers through experiences and influence every step in the rapidly evolving digital purchase journey,” said Restivo. “We view this transformative partnership as a unique coming together of two culturally aligned, diverse, highly successful, and respected companies. To create a first-of-its-kind market leader that accelerates our partners’ brand performance and create growth opportunities for our team members.”
“On their own, BDS and CCS were already two powerhouse brands in the retail marketing and sales solutions industry,” said Mike Sunderland, CEO of BDS Solutions Group. The parent company of BDS Connected Solutions and Apollo Retail Specialists. “Together as one, BDS Connected Solutions is on a fast-track to becoming the industry’s foremost people-first, digital-led, customer-obsessed organisation.”
Enterprise Times: What this means for business?
As one unified organization, BDS Connected Solutions is expected to significantly expand its scale of operations. Hopefully, this will not be at the cost to its commitment to client service. Both BDS and CCS have an impressive breadth of clients, ranging from private to public sector organisations and across sectors. CCS works with online merchants to improve their retail experiences. Developing strategies that creates emotional connections between a shopper and a brand. This inevitably made them attractive to BDS. The marketplace is full of vendors proclaiming high-quality solutions, and industry-leading results. It will be worth keeping tabs on the results of this partnership and the fruits of this collective labour – BDS Connected Solutions.


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Here’s why the CAC 40 index remarkable rally has faded
The CAC 40 index has lost momentum in the past few weeks as the rally experienced earlier this year faded. After peaking at €7,588 in May, the index has pulled back by more than 5% to €7,250. Most luxury group stocks that led this rally have pulled back as well.
China economic recoveryCopy link to section
The CAC 40 index jumped to a record high this year as demand luxury goods stocks like LVMH and Hermes jumped. These companies confirmed that they were doing well by publishing strong quarterly results numbers.
Most of this growth came from China, where these companies have invested massively in the past decade. Now, however, there are concerns that the Chinese economic recovery has stalled. As I wrote here, data published on Wednesday showed that the country’s exports and imports dipped in May. As a result, China’s trade surplus narrowed to the lowest level in months.
Other economic numbers from China have been a bit weak. For example, youth unemployment is still high while retail sales are growing at a slower pace than expected. As such, there are concerns about whether luxury goods demand will thrive in the second half of the year.
The CAC 40 index also pulled back as signs showed that the momentum seen earlier this year in the European economy has started to fade. Data published on Thursday revealed that the European economy contracted for the second straight quarter.
The European economy contracted by 0.1% in the first quarter. Its year-on-year gain of 1% was also lower than Q4’s 1.8%. These numbers are important because many CAC 40 constituents do a lot of business in Europe.
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The American economy, where many CAC 40 companies operate is also slowing, as evidenced by the weak import and exports data published on Wednesday.
CAC 40 index forecastCopy link to section
The CAC 40 index has retreated in the past few weeks. And on the daily chart, we see that the 25-day and 50-day exponential moving averages (EMA) have made a bearish crossover. Most importantly, the index has fond support along the ascending trendline shown in blue. It has failed to move below this point several times this week.
Therefore, the outlook of French stocks is currently neutral with a bearish bias. A break below the ascending trendline will signal that there are more sellers in the market who are keen to push it to the next support at €6,815 (March 20th low). The alternative scenario is where the index jumps to the year-to-date high of €7,567.


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India’s leading digital payments and financial services Paytm filed its DRHP on July 15, 2021, for SEBI’s approval for its $2.2 billion IPO. In its prospectus, the numbers of Paytm Payments Bank revealed how the company is faring in the UPI game. Paytm Payments Bank Ltd (PPBL), has 155 million UPI handles on its platform and is accelerating the growth of UPI payments at retail stores and even large merchants, as stated in its DRHP.
Paytm Payments Bank is an NPCI certified Payment Service Provider and Issuer Bank for UPI transactions. “This, along with being an acquirer of UPI transactions on its own platform, allows PPBL to serve a customer end-to-end in a UPI transaction,” said the company in its DRHP. For the fourth quarter ended March 31, 2021, Paytm Payments Bank was the largest UPI beneficiary bank with a market share of 17.1%, according to RedSeer.
In the DRHP submitted by One 97 Communications Limited to SEBI, the company mentions, “Paytm UPI handles have been created by the Paytm Payments Banks and are used to send and receive payments. Users use these for money transfers, on the Paytm app, to add money to the Paytm wallet and at third-party merchants, and make payments by scanning any UPI QR code. Our users can register for Paytm UPI using their Paytm app and transact digitally in a secure manner, as well as instantly check the balance of the linked account.”
In April 2021, according to RedSeer and NPCI, Paytm Payments Bank had the lowest technical decline rate of 0.01% as a remitter bank while other banks had a weighted average of 1.06%. Whereas, as a beneficiary bank, Paytm Payments Bank had the lowest technical decline rate of 0.01% while other banks had a weighted average of 0.35%.
Paytm Payments Bank has the largest scale among all licensed Payments Banks in India, according to RedSeer, in terms of mobile transactions. As per the DRHP, Paytm Payments Bank offers one of the most comprehensive suites of digital banking products, for individuals, small and medium enterprises, and large corporates which can be accessed directly by users through the Paytm app.
As of March 31, 2021, Paytm Payments Banks had 64 million savings accounts, and over ₹52 billion deposits, including savings accounts, current accounts, fixed deposits with partner banks, and balance in wallets, as stated in the DRHP.


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CAIRO, Jun 30 (Aswat Masriya) - Egypt spends cash it cannot afford and misses market opportunities for some key commodities leading to constantly increasing food costs, concluded a report by a U.S. government agency.
The report, which was published on Jun. 8 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS), highlights that "unorthodox agricultural measures" cost Egypt over $800 million in direct costs and foregone export earnings. They further diminish much needed foreign exchange, distort trade, hinder private initiative and undermine innovation.
Various measures adopted by the Egyptian government were considered by the FAS as a stark variant from global trade rules and practices, including those imposed on wheat imports, grain and oilseed imports and cotton imports.
Wheat imports and the zero-ergot standard
Egypt has rejected several shipments of wheat from different countries since December 2015 for containing trace levels of the ergot fungus, a common grain fungus.
The measures came as the country's agriculture quarantine authority began to apply a zero-tolerance policy for ergot.
However, suppliers said the standard was impossible to meet and Egypt's Ministry of Supply and Agriculture later assured them they would follow a 0.05 percent-tolerance policy, which is a widely applied international standard.
"Zero tolerance for ergot puts Egypt out of step with the rest of the international trading community, and Egyptian consumers pay the price," the report stated.
The Egyptian government backtracked on the ergot standard after international markets had reacted swiftly to the quarantine authority's actions, the report added.
A decree overturning an old agricultural quarantine law that stipulates zero ergot has yet to be issued because of a months-old judicial order from the prosecution banning all ergot from entering the country, Reuters reported.
The FAS estimated that this measure would cost Egypt between $55-82.5 million in 2016. The figure does not include legal costs likely to be incurred as Egypt faces a multimillion dollar lawsuit brought by the trading company, whose wheat was rejected due to breach of contract.
Ban on rice exports
The FAS said that Egypt's trade policy concerning rice "curtails exporters' ability to conduct business," despite having a surplus production of the crop.
With an export ban currently in place to maintain adequate domestic supply at reasonable prices, rice producers and traders have held on to their stocks in an effort to force the government to lift the ban, the report mentioned.
However, the main state grain importer General Authority for Supply Commodities (GASC) refused to lift the ban and attempted to purchase imported rice, but did not succeed due to higher-than-expected prices.
Meanwhile, Egypt's water and irrigation minister was quoted as saying that the area where rice is planted is expected to increase in 2016 beyond the allowable area set by the government, another FAS report stated.
The FAS believes that if Egypt "allowed the market to work its course," it would be able to export larger amounts of wheat and garner desperately needed foreign currency. According to the report, Egypt foregoes close to $500 million in foreign currency due to missed export opportunities.
Burdensome cotton import regulations
The FAS viewed Egypt's "ad-hoc import bans" on cotton, evident in the lack of consistency in issuing import permits, as a measure that disrupts the textile industry's supply chain operations. This occurs at a time when domestic production is unable to meet the textile industry's demand.
A larger-than-expected drop happened in the cultivated area of cotton during the 2016/ 2017 season, reaching 50 per cent, FAS said.
Egypt is known for its extra-long and long-staple cotton that is unsuitable for many textile operations as these rely on short- and medium-staple varieties. This pushes the industry towards paying a significant premium for inferior or unsuitable cotton varieties, according to the report.
Cotton production is made up of about 90 per cent extra-long and long-staple cotton, while 10 per cent are short and medium staple varieties, the report added.
The report further alluded to Egypt's "unpredictable cotton policy and unique phytosanitary requirements," arguing that it creates a burden on the textile industry.
Egypt is the only country requiring double fumigation, a method of pest control, both at the country of origin and at the port of arrival, FAS says. "In 2016, this measure will cost Egypt’s textile industry an additional $3.0 to $5.5 million."
The ministerial decision to increase rice plantations amid an increase in prices of certain types of rice would encourage many cotton farmers to shift their production to rice, FAS said.
FAS "links U.S. agriculture to the world to enhance export opportunities and global food security." FAS has a global network of 93 offices covering 171 countries.


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A Mongrel Mob gang member is using social media to advocate healthy eating.
Putahi Kani’s Facebook group called ‘Heils Kitchen’, is about “Promoting healthy kai and cooking in the household”.
Kani started the group in July last year, and it already has more than 60,000 members watching his Facebook Live cooking videos.
He wants to eat healthy and live longer “so that we can be around for the tamarikis”, he told 1News.
* Mongrel Mob, Black Power should join forces to repel invaders, gang leader says
* Mongrel Mob brand gains ‘global recognition’
* Black Power and Mongrel Mob team up to fight violence and poverty
* Gangs go to social media to push brand and recruit
He also shares an anti-drug message via social media.
“I got a lot of aunties who’re just fried as. I don’t like seeing them like that.”


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Omnifever, an online store that has found a strong foothold in the ecommerce market and has been serving a niche group of customers since its inception, recently rolled out a wide range of — women’s blouse and swimwear products that are now available at discounted prices. The owners of the ecommerce store said that they have slashed the prices of the blouses and swimwear so as to encourage thousands of their customers to shop for fashionable summer dresses.
“Savvy online spenders know that the prices of blouses and other fashionable apparels can sometimes go through the roof at times. We always try to give better discounts to everybody who is planning to shop for a whole season’s worth of apparels. We may just rid of all the new products added to our inventory, but we will fill it up with our May hauls”, said a sales and marketing executive of Omnifever.
The sales executive also told that they are in the process of building out their web presence. The high-end women’s apparel retailer has successfully managed to build a community of loyal customers through reward points and many more exciting benefits that can be availed by both new and returning customers. The owners also said that they will soon offer large discounts on cheap summer dresses, tops and t-shirts.
“The women’s blouses and swimwear products that we have launched recently are available in hundreds of different colors and patterns. We are planning to add more colors and size options to the products in the near future. We are also trying to build a multi-channel presence and combine the benefits of brick-and-mortar shopping and online shopping”, said the CEO and managing director of the company.
The CEO and managing director of Omnifever also mentioned that they are planning to add more online shopping options and payment options to increase convenience of their online shoppers. “We are thankful to our patrons. We are looking to add more varieties in hot swimwear products and women’s blouses”, he added.
About the Company
Omnifever is a leading ecommerce enterprise selling quality fashion apparels at low prices.
To know more, visit https://www.omnifever.com/
Release ID: 502074


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BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) - Many people may have waited until Wednesday night to do some last-minute grocery shopping right before the big meal Thursday. WAFB’s Lester Duhé visited a few hot spots.
The lines were so packed at Tony’s Seafood, sheriff’s deputies were even directing traffic outside. Most people were there to get a fried turkey, and maybe even some sides.
“The taste is real good, good, good, and I love it,” said Sheron Green, a shopper.
“Fried turkey... I get one every year and they’re really good,” said Dee Toliver, another shopper.
Tony’s converts their huge crawfish pots, where they can fit 14 turkeys inside at once, able to cook about 84 birds an hour.
“This week [we’ve sold] probably in the 1,800 range, pretty much. We had about 1,100 that went out today,” said Darren Pizzolato with Tony’s Seafood.
Many people say they’d rather buy a bird already cooked so all they have to do is reheat it on Thanksgiving.
“Very easy, because I do not do turkeys,” said Toliver.
Over at Hi Nabor on Florida Boulevard, the checkout lines were long and the baskets were full of food.
“We got some ground meat, some mustard greens, some season blend, and some, you can’t have a Thanksgiving dinner without them sweet Hawaiian rolls,” said Kenya Whitmore, a shopper.
Darrell Guillory is the manager of that Hi Nabor store and has been there for 22 years. He says the store has been crowded all day.
“Mustard greens, they’re getting the hams, turkeys, they’re getting all the fixings, getting our Hi Nabor dinners, you name it, they’re coming for it,” said Guillory.
These shoppers were trying to check everything off their lists.
“Shrimp, bell peppers, mustard greens, collard greens, Jiffy cornbread mix, onion, margarine,” said Cynthia Robinson, a shopper.
“I got whole turkey wings, I’m going to do some spaghetti and cheese, we doing chitterlings, well, that’s all for me,” said Sharmekia Jackson, a shopper.
“This going to be a mirliton casserole; crab meat, shrimp, and ground turkey,” said Eric Hollins, a shopper.
“Well, we have green beans, we have corn, and we’re going to do roast turkeys, ham, all kinds of stuff,” said Brenella Reed.
They’re all hopeful their signature dishes for Thanksgiving will come out perfectly.
Click here to check out some of the WAFB anchors’ and reporters’ favorite Thanksgiving recipes.


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“It has credibility because it is backed by 12,000 consumers. We will celebrate the awards both on pack and with advertising throughout the year.”
Phil Thomas, Reckitt Benckiser
"Being voted Product of the Year helped us tremendously in getting unprecedented attention and coverage from media in the beauty industry."
Natalie Banks Marketing Director, Wella (2009 US Winner)
“We value POTY award as a good online endorsement and that is the reason we keep supporting POTY every year.”
Jessica Wang, WE eCommerce, Proctor & Gamble
POY LATEST NEWS
Last month Product of the Year teamed up with Campaign at Cannes Lions 2016 to bring you the future of global brands. At the Product of the Year roundtable, global marketing giants debated the challenges of marketing product innovation across the globe. Drawing together top individuals and ideas from all corners of the globe, the delegates considered the challenges associated with giving a global vision local flavour. The roundtable was chaired by Mike Nolan, CEO of Product of the Year, with contributors including Silvia Davila, Vice-President and Global Food Chief Marketing Officer, Michael Inpong, CMO Muller Group, and Tarun Rai, CEO J Walter Thompson. Whilst consumer concerns were agreed to be a global problem – we all want our children to eat healthily and live in a safe, clean home, after all – attitudes across the globe still vary hugely despite increasing globalisation and shared technologies. What constitutes healthy eating in Beijing is unlikely to be the same as in London. So whilst the platform stays the same, delivery must be nuanced, the delegates concluded. CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE FULL ARTICLE ON CAMPAIGN
Buried in the Brexit-ness of recent weeks...
Buried in the Brexit-ness of recent weeks, Coca-Cola suffered a shock of its own, falling out of a league of top 10 global brands. Faster than a fizzing bottle, the doomsayers has some dire predictions about for big names. We heard (again!) that tech companies and ambitious start-ups were the way forward, that smaller brands were better at telling stories and gaining consumer trust, and that global companies were guilty of complacency in a market where the biggest challenge is the pace of change. More than once the ‘big ships’ of business have been accused of slow manoeuvring compared with the tight turns of their newer rivals. But given a speedboat or a tanker, we know who we’d want to steer us through the current unpredictable storm. At Product of the Year we’re not denying that these are fast-moving times when your best has to be consistently better than it was before, but no brands we see are sitting back and letting change happen without them. Judging by the entries for 2017, which are currently pouring in, the scale and scope of innovation by the nation’s most loved brands is as ambitious as it has ever been. They know that tweaking the products, while important, is not enough. Innovation today requires companies to gain their customers’ trust like never before, on social media, through feel-good campaigns, and by showing strong leadership through these uncertain times. Unilever’s vow this month to stamp out female stereotyping shows how a big company can exert a powerful social influence. While Wrigley’s Smile Back campaign, which has funded nearly 700 oral health sessions across Britain this summer, is a clear win-win, for business and the nation’s well-being. Yes, there are some innovative new brands out there who can claim an authentic following on all-powerful social media, and tech in particular may be able to quickly satisfy the shopper’s thirst to belong to a tribe and give them a more immediate experience to share. But as the corridors of power shake, and the economy wobbles, and future certainty is torn apart, we predict that consumers will find comfort in the brand names they know and trust. That doesn’t mean that brand evolution should stop. Those those brands that can show the future is a challenge they are ready to rise to, are the ones that consumers will want to sail them into the brave new world.
As we approach the middle of the Product of the Year calendar...
As we approach the middle of the Product of the Year calendar, not to mention the mid-point in the entry process, here’s a few figures to remind you why our awards just keep on growing. 1 month until entries close on 31st July 10 to 15 per cent is the average sales uplift for our award winners 29 years have flown by since Product of the Year was first established in France 40 countries around the world currently have a Product of the Year presence 42 % rise in Twitter followers Weetabix reported after a Product of the Year win 86 % of shoppers are more likely to buy an item that has won one of our awards 9 out of 10 winners would definitely enter the awards again 95 per cent are happy with Product of the Year 203 days remain until our awards ceremony on 19th January, 2017 365 days that winners get to use our prestigious Product of the Year logo on all-round advertising, marketing and packaging 11,500+ members of the public vote on products that pass the jury’s initial selection 120,000 people entered our goody bag giveaway competitions this year 1.3m people heard about Product of the Year when we trended on Twitter in January 2016 To find out more and to enter for 2017 before 31st July, go to productoftheyear.co.uk/enter
If Product of the Year proves anything...
IF Product of the Year proves anything (and we like to think it proves a lot!), it’s that iconic products aren’t the sole preserve of the past. We love to celebrate the likes of Marmite (established in 1902) and Tate & Lyle Golden Syrup (born 1881). And rightly so. These are just two British-born icons that have not merely stood the test of time, they’ve jumped up and down and jigged on it. But fortunately for us, innovation isn’t a static thing. It’s an ever-evolving opportunity, fed by changing times, bright minds and the consumers’ desire for better in whatever form that may be. That’s why brand leaders are constantly raising the bar and why the product launches we see today may well survive the passage of time to become the iconic classics of tomorrow. Yes, we all know the doom-laden statistics: three-quarters of FMCG launches fail in the first year. But what about celebrating the successes. Here at Product of the Year we’ve certainly seen a few. Former winner, Heinz Top Down Tomato Ketchup is an innovation worth squirting about. The glass bottle may still have its place but the squeezy bottle is condiment brilliance. Another victor, Persil Small and Mighty, changed the way we wash our clothes, and how we package our household products. Dove Summer Glow Body Lotion was a 2007 winner – and set the bar for the many other hint-of-tan products which followed. There are more than a clutch of other Noughties innovations which have already proved their staying power: Fruit Shoots and Ella’s Kitchen pouches, to name just two. Even the humble wrap has sliced away at the bread market. Nowadays all these are family staples, yet two decades ago they didn’t exist. Take Innocent smoothies. They’re a household name which have changed the way the nation drinks. They’ve been imitated endlessly but stand firm as market leader, albeit now owned by Coca-Cola. Yet it was just 16 years ago that Waitrose went out on a limb and stocked those crazy new smoothie drinks at 10 stores. The message here is clear: the blood, sweat and tears of today could be the future classics of tomorrow. Whether you love or hate the idea of being the next Marmite, in the end history will be the judge.
BREAKING NEWS: Product of the Year will be at Cannes Lions 2016! UPDATE: check out how we got on here! The Product of the Year team will be at Cannes this June, hosting a number of events that will draw together individuals and ideas from all corners of the world. This year our spotlight is on innovation. Here's what we have planned! Round Table Event Tuesday 21st June 2016 12:00 Marriot Hotel A roundtable debate on ‘The challenges of marketing product innovation are the same globally. Or not’ will feature marketers, agency gurus and thought leaders from Asia, North America, Europe and Africa. Our top industry leaders will be discussing whether it's really important to adapt your marketing strategy across the globe - after all, don't we all need to feed our families and wash our clothes, whether you're in Mumbai or London? Or is it really all about the channel? And how important is social media to absolutely everything? We're really excited to learn what our guests - senior marketers and experienced creatives from around the world - will have to say on this challenging topic! Campaign's Global VIP Party Wednesday 22nd June 2016 18:00-21:00 The Carlton Beach, 58 Boulevard de la Croisette We will be joining Campaign this year in hosting VIPs at Campaign’s Global VIP party – the most exclusive party in Cannes! Every year the VIP party is packed with the most talented individuals from media, marketing and advertising on the beautiful Carlton Beach. We can't wait to meet them all! Are you or your company heading to Cannes this June? If so, don't forget to drop us a line and let us know! We'd love to meet you and discuss what Product of the Year can do for your brand. Please email Helga at email@example.com or phone us on +44 (0) 20 7580 8197. UPDATE: check out how we got on here!


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Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe arrives in Washington this week with a long shopping list. First, he'll want to be assured of solid U.S. backing, including willingness to go to war on Japan's behalf if necessary, in Tokyo's face off with China over control of the Senkaku islands. Next, he'll want U.S. agreement to his policy of devaluing the yen to promote exports and growth of the Japanese economy. Finally, he'll want to politely refrain from joining the U.S. sponsored negotiations for a Trans Pacific Partnership free trade agreement (TPP).
Here's what the White House should give him.


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Budget 2021: What’s in it for SME
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Budget FY 2021. This year Finance Minister has made a provision of Rs. 15,700 crore for the Micro, Small, Medium Enterprises sector. This year Nirmala Sitharaman has allotted just the double amount than the last year which was around Rs. 7572 Crore.Read more
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The Finance minister has also mentioned the predictable launch of the Atmanirbhar Bharat mission in the mid of 2021 that will aim to make India Self-sufficient.
Nirmala SItharaman suggested for a revision of Small companies definition as she has increased the threshold for paid-up capital from Rs. 50 lakh to Rs. 2 Crore and the turnover from Rs. 2 crore to Rs. 20 Crore which is expected to benefit more than 2 Lakh companies to simplify their compliance requirements.
Let’s move forward to some of the highlights of Budget 2021 for SME Sector.
Union Budget 2021
FM Sitharaman presented the first paperless budget in the parliament on February 1, 2021. In this budget FM has allotted Rs. 15,700 crore for the MSME sector. She has announced plenty of procedures to boost-up the Start-up and MSME ecosystems which were growing rapidly in the Pre-covid era digitally.
Nirmala Sitharaman also offered to reduce the requirements of margin money from 25% to 15% for startups as well as extended the tax claiming eligibility for one more year until March 31, 2022.
Encouraging One Person Companies
FM proposed to grow without any restrictions on paid-up capitals for OPCs. Sitharaman also allowed them to convert in to any other type of company at any time as well as reduced their residency limit for an Indian citizen to set up an OPC from 182 days to 120 days. FM also allowed NRIs to incorporate OPCs in India.
Finance minister as a means to ensure faster resolution of cases said that National Company Law Tribunal’s framework will be strengthened. Apart from this e-courts system will be executed and some alternate methods for the resolution of debt and a special framework for MSMEs will be launched.
Custom Duty Reduced
The government reduced customs duty to 7.5% on semis, flat and on long products like alloy, non-alloy and stainless steel to help MSMEs. Exempting duty has also been announced on steel scraps one year until March 31, 2022 in order to provide relief to metal recyclers in MSMEs. The FM also proposed an increment in duty from 10% to 15 % on steel screws and plastic builder wares.
Removed Exemption on Imports
The FM announced removing of exemption on imports of certain kind of leathers. Leather is produced domestically in good quantity and quality in MSMEs mostly.
Boost up Digital Payments
FM Sitharaman allotted Rs. 1500 Crores for a scheme. That scheme will provide financial incentives to promote the digital mediums of payment.
Industry sources haves pointed out this year’s budget as a help to revive from the disasters created from the last year’s pandemic and lockdown situation. As the lockdown restrictions are slowly relaxing the MSMEs are going to get benefitted from it.


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Primark has released a £12 pair of sandals in time for summer. They look just like a designer pair on sale for £860.
The Row's grained-leather sandals have become a must-have for the fashion-conscious. They have a caged construction that is modelled on traditional fishermen's shoes. Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen's luxury label is asking for £860 for them.
But at the other end of the budget spectrum, Primark is selling its own chunky sandals for a bargain price of £12 – and they look very similar, reports the Liverpool Echo.
Primark shared a picture of the sandals on its Instagram page, with the caption: "Chunky sandals for the win. Sandals £12/€16/$18 #Primark #NewArrivals." Shoppers were quick to comment, saying how much they "needed" the shoes.
One Primark fan said: "Look very comfy." Another wrote: "Yes need these!!" A third commented: "I need these in my life."
Primark isn't the only retailer creating dupes of The Row's Fisherman sandals, which can be purchased on MYTHERESA here. Marks and Spencer released its take on the designer shoe earlier this year.
The £45 M&S sandals have a buckle fastening and antibacterial padding. They are made of sustainably-sourced leather and come in both black and white. They can be purchased here.


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Fast Food: It's Not Always What You Eat, But How Much
Nutrition Fact Sheet
Eating on the run can be disastrous to your health, but by making healthier fast food choices you won't have to give up your cravings completely.
"There is no such thing as a 'bad food,' which would include fast foods," said Dr. Mark Gilger, an associate professor of gastroenterology at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston and a pediatric gastroenterologist at Texas Children's Hospital. "Eating too much of a fast food, for example french fries, is certainly not recommended. It's the quantity consumed, not the food itself."
Fast food meals tend to be high in fat, salt and calories and low in dietary fiber. These dietary factors may lead to health problems if you eat fast foods too often, he said.
"The obesity epidemic is serious business, as we are now seeing the complications of obesity in increasing numbers in children," Gilger said. "The risks of obesity are becoming more and more clear. There's diabetes, high cholesterol, heart disease and the list goes on and on."
In recent years, fast food restaurants have responded to the growing number of obese children and adults by providing healthier food choices on their menus. To help select healthier fast food options, ask for a nutrition fact sheet from the restaurant. Grilled chicken sandwiches are one of the healthiest options. It is recommended to skip the mayonnaise, any special sauce and cheese. Also, ask if a wheat bun can be substituted for white bread and a fruit cup instead of fries. A baked potato can also be a healthier alternative to french fries if you go easy on high fat toppings like sour cream, butter, bacon bits and cheese.
The key, though, is portion control, which means sticking to the 'kid's meal' and not choosing meals with the words "double," "ultimate" or "monster." Eating too much of any food is where the problem lies, Gilger said.
Parents can teach their children how to make healthy food choices by setting a good example.
"If mom and dad eat what they want when they want, and in portions more than necessary, it's very likely that their children will model that behavior," Gilger said.
Moderation in fast food consumption and making nutritious choices, whether dining at home or in a restaurant, are the key elements for developing a healthy lifestyle and good eating habits, he said.


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While much has changed on Instagram since its launch in 2005, one thing that has remained constant is the platform’s use of hashtags—the all-important connectors that allow brands to tell their stories, associate themselves with trends and monitor campaigns.
Stories by Brian Greene
6 Instagram Hashtag Recommendations for BrandsJune 25th, 2015 by Brian Greene
How 5 Retail Brands Responded to #TakeItDown and Banned the Confederate FlagJune 24th, 2015 by Brian Greene
Merchandise displaying the Confederate battle flag is swiftly being prohibited from sale by major retailers in what has turned into a nationwide movement sparked by the killing of nine people at a historic black church in Charleston, S.C., last week.
Who Media Trained Brian Williams?June 23rd, 2015 by Andrew D. Gilman
Brian Williams’ “apology” interview with Matt Lauer has been panned by most reviewers. If Williams’ goal was to prove that he is ready to be reinstated as the anchor on NBC Nightly News—now or in the future—he didn’t accomplish it.
Staying Ahead of the Communications Technology Tidal WaveJune 15th, 2015 by Jessica Nielsen
Almost everyone has a phone in his/her pocket with more power than the computer we used to get to the moon in the ’60s. And consumers assume that next-generation technology will be twice as good. This is democratized technology at a global scale. How do communicators manage in this environment?
How Visual Storytelling Makes Emotional Connections [Infographic]June 15th, 2015 by Brian Greene
Visual storytelling helps brands inspire and engage with their audiences better and faster than text-based messaging. The trajectory of social media has always been toward more visuals, and the platforms gaining the most popularity these days—Snapchat, Instagram and Periscope among them—are all based on sharing images and videos.
Instagram Lures Brands With New Desktop SiteJune 12th, 2015 by Brian Greene
This week, Instagram started to roll out a revamped version of its desktop site, indicating that its mobile-first personality may be changing.
A Day in the Life of PR: 13 Quick VideosJune 10th, 2015 by Brian Greene
PR pros commonly say they love their jobs because no day is quite the same. A given day for a communications professional can include many different, exciting challenges—from handling media relations during a front-page crisis to implementing a new social media platform to coordinating the latest corporate sustainability initiative and everything in between.
5 PR Tips for B2B Media RelationsJune 4th, 2015 by Brian Greene
B2B PR is a specialized field that perhaps lacks the level of advice and attention that B2C PR gets. Here are some tips to help you gain valuable coverage in the specialized world of trade press.
Caitlyn Jenner Breaks the Internet Using Old MediaJune 2nd, 2015 by Brian Greene
Many have championed Caitlyn Jenner as a hero for the LGBT movement. But it’s her creative use of the media that should hold the attention of communications professionals.
How a PR Agency Tapped the Power of Puppies and VideoMay 28th, 2015 by Brian Greene
Golin and Always on Communications helped generate brand awareness for PetSmart Charities, Inc. and its documentary, “The Journey Home: A Rescue Waggin’ Story,” which tells the story of the rescue of two homeless dogs.


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It seems that every retail store has an online presence these days. Well, almost every one. Three of the biggest trendsetting chain stores, H&M, Zara and Club Monaco, have had a solely brick-and-mortar reputation until just a few months ago when Zara broke the ice and finally came aboard the e-commerce train. Although H&M is still standing firm as in-store only in the Americas, Club Monaco has announced it will be launching an online shop at the end of this month.
Upon immediate unveil of the dot com site, Club Monaco will be selling their entire spring 2012 mens and womenswear collections that have been designed in the retailer's typical trendy yet super sophisticated style. The website will also feature exclusive online-only items and will showcase an array of designer collaborations too for shoppers to conveniently beat the store crowds and effortlessly purchase via e-commerce shopping.
First up is the retailer’s alliance with Tommy Ton, the street style photographer and creative brain behind the gorgeous fashion photo blog Jak & Jil. Tommy Ton has worked with the retailer's design team to create a line of simple yet streetwear chic bags for the Club Monaco customer. Oversized clutches and satchels for the ladies and leather trimmed canvas carryalls for the boys will all be included and have already been spotted across the globe on noteworthy editors (the coveted fashion superstar Taylor Tomasi, Style and Accessories Editor at Marie Claire), models and stylists during this most recent Fashion Week.
The website will open its digital doors on March 26th, however those fashionistas who want an early in can gain shop-til-you-drop access to the site on March 23rd by liking the Club Monaco Facebook page. The store's entire Spring lookbook is also available on Facebook for a preview of what styles to expect to see on the website in just a few weeks.


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Mobilink is set to invest $1 billion over the next five years, with $300 million to be invested in the current year on the expansion and up-gradation of the cellular services in Pakistan, a report in the local media suggested.
Talking to a group of journalists, Group Executive Officer of Mobilink Jean-Yves Charlier said that the company has a robust investment plan for Pakistan and will make an investment of $1 billion in the next five years.
A major chunk of the investment will be made to expand cellular infrastructure, establish franchise outlets and introduce new IT services. Yves further mentioned that the company will also spend a substantial amount on capacity building of youth in the digital services.
Yves said that Mobilink, as a leading cellular company, wants to have a transparent and professional regulatory regime in the country. He said that after the merger of Warid and Mobilink, the customer of the former will largely benefit from the expanded infrastructure and network of the latter.
Talking about the merger, Yves said it is a win-win situation for both companies as well as for the consumers.
“We have no interest in increasing prices of our products. Rather (we are) much interested in introducing new digital services for customers,” he added. “It is also our ambition to introduce digital entrepreneurship in Pakistan,” he added.
Currently MOBILINK is the worst network in Pakistan. Many areas including their sale points one cannot communicate. If you are lucky you might hear some broken speech. Airport Road Lahore is infamous area where they had a man selling SIMS like balloons on the roadside.
very very good!
i like and sharing
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Unlike many fashion-oriented companies, Richardson, Texas-based Fossil’s business is booming, and that growth has compelled the company to shift its corporate real estate strategy from owner to tenant.
Fossil, which launched in 1984 with a focus on watch design and manufacturing, not only needed more office space, it didn’t want to own property any longer. Nor did it want to build a new headquarters campus. But it did want to consolidate its two office locations under one roof and take on enough space to accommodate future growth.
Earlier this year, Fossil inked a long-term lease for 535,000 sq. ft. of office space at 901 Central in Richardson, a northern suburb of Dallas. At the same time, the company sold off two office buildings and one distribution facility totaling 459,000 sq. ft.
“This is a completely new model for us regarding our office space,” says Randy Hyne, vice president and general counsel for Fossil, which now designs and manufactures a large collection of accessories and apparel. “The worries about our real estate aren’t there anymore.”
The Fossil deal illustrates the ongoing evolution of outsourcing, which has moved beyond simple facilities management or leasing assignment to encompass larger, more complex corporate real estate strategies, according to John Brownlee, a vice president with KDC. The Dallas-based firm facilitated the 901 Central lease, in addition to acquiring the three buildings previously owned and occupied by Fossil.
“When your business is growing rapidly, and you have 200 positions open, but only 20 cubes available, it’s a huge distraction for management,” Hyne explains. “We’ve relieved to be done with all those real estate issues.”
Making the transition to tenant
Since its IPO in 1994, Fossil had owned the bulk of its corporate real estate. In the mid-1990s, the company built a 190,000-sq.-ft. facility to house its global headquarters and product distribution in Richardson, Texas.
As Fossil expanded its business beyond watches to include a line of accessory products including handbags, belts, small leather goods and sunglasses under the FOSSIL and RELIC brands, the company bought a 139,000-sq.-ft. industrial building and relocated its distribution activities so its corporate operations could grow into the former distribution space.
Even then, the company didn’t have enough office space, so Fossil acquired another 130,000-sq.-ft. office building across Central Expressway, splitting the company’s corporate headquarters between two owned buildings.
“It certainly was not a good situation to have employees in two separate buildings,” Hyne says. “It’s hard for people to feel they are part of the corporate culture when they are separated by a big expressway and have to drive back and forth.”
Fossil determined that it needed at least 500,000 sq. ft. of office space and was challenged to find such a large block of existing space, despite the fact that Dallas-Fort Worth has an abundance of high-quality office space. While many other corporations would have chosen to build a new headquarters facility, Fossil was opposed to that solution, Hyne says.
“We’re in the business of selling product—we’re not in the business of building or owning buildings,” Hyne explains. “We didn’t think that owning real estate was the best use of our money.”
Fossil’s new headquarters at 901 Central allowed the company to expand its design, art and product and store development functions, while providing excess space to support the anticipated growth of its global business. Moreover, the new space brought Fossil’s corporate team together again under one roof and allowed the firm to add amenities, including a cafeteria, Starbucks and gym.
901 Central, which previously served as Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas’ (BCBSTX) corporate headquarters, features two buildings situated on a 26.3-acre campus. The buildings, which are owned by San Francisco-based Swig Company, became available when BCBSTX moved into its new 1.1 million-sq.-ft. headquarters in March 2010.
KDC developed BCBSTX’s new headquarters, also in Richardson, and then started redevelopment of the insurance company’s former headquarters under the new name 901 Central. The firm plans to redevelop the newly acquired Fossil buildings, as well, according to Brownlee.
“It’s a more challenging environment for corporate users today, and you have to be more creative to figure out solutions,” Brownlee says.


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With more of us spending significant amounts of time at home because of COVID-19, our attention has turned increasingly to how and what we eat. Even for those who like to cook, but especially for those who might not have the time or inclination, it can be a challenge to come up with tasty, nutritious and new things to eat all the time. Today, one of the startups that has seen a lift in its business as a result of that is announcing a round of funding to expand its operations.
Tovala, the smart oven and meal kit service, has closed a Series C of $30 million. David Rabie, the Chicago startup’s co-founder and CEO, told TechCrunch that it plans to use the funding in large part to open a second facility, most likely in Utah, to help with fresh food distribution to the western half of the U.S. Other investments will include improving customer service and bringing in more talent.
It will also slowly start to bring in more options for pre-made meals and recipes: Rabie said it is working on a service with leading restaurants and chefs to create meals to sell and cook in the Tovala oven.
“We think we can come closer to the restaurant experience because of the oven,” said Rabie. “By pre-making food rather than just reheating, we think we can open up reach for a local restaurant.”
The funding is being led by Left Lane Capital, with Finistere Ventures, Comcast Ventures, OurCrowd, Origin Ventures, Pritzker Group Venture Capital and Joe Mansueto — all previous backers — also participating.
Originally incubated at Y Combinator, Tovala has attracted other interesting investors in the company, including poultry giant Tyson. Notably, this is the second round of funding for the startup in the space of six months, after it picked up $20 million in a Series B last June.
As with that previous round, the valuation is not being disclosed today. However, the company has hit some significant numbers, evidenced by this funding, which point to how its value may well be on the rise.
Annualized revenue grew tenfold in the last 18 months (that is, including growth before COVID-19); employee count for the year is up 40%; the company has passed 3 million meals shipped; and the company says that its ovens are being used 32 times on average each month by their owners (a stat it can track because those devices are connected).
But it is still not disclosing total user numbers, Rabie said.
Tovala’s oven sells for $299, but the company usually knocks off $100 if you also commit to six of its $11.99 meals (each meal feeds one person) over the next six months. Right now — possibly to tap into the wave of people who are rethinking how they eat in the wake of restaurant closures and simply spending more time at home — it seems Tovala is offering discounts of up to $130 to those buying the oven without the meal obligation, dropping the oven price down to about $170.
In addition to the company’s own pre-made trays that you pop in the oven and then garnish when complete (garnishes are included), Tovala’s oven can also cook hundreds of pre-made dishes and meals sold in stores by way of scanning package barcodes; and recipes that it devises and you can make yourself and program the oven to cook by way of the Tovala app. You can also use the Tovala in the same way that you might use any countertop oven, to toast, steam, bake and broil whatever you choose, independent of all that.
A profusion of meal kit and food delivery businesses, which let you order things to eat at the tap of a finger, have changed how a lot of people think about food at home.
All of them are built in aid of making the process of eating easier. But in that wider selection of options, Tovala has been building out its business in the hopes that it can cover a specific niche: people who want to eat fresh food they cook at home, but who don’t have time or interest in putting those meals together — not even when they come with items precut and measured by meal kit companies.
However, that is just one side of the business: Tovala’s ovens, Rabie said, are a central part of the vertical integration that the company has built, and even with the stories you might hear about how “hardware is hard”, they are here to stay as part of the proposition.
“We are in the business of getting high-quality meals to people, and the oven is our vehicle for doing that,” he said. “We are both a tech and food company, and at no point do I see us getting out of the oven business.”
Having said that, the company is also expanding with partnerships with others that produce ovens, too.
Specifically, Tovala has a deal with LG to embed its software in LG ovens, to enable them to cook Tovala’s meals and the other dishes that can be programmed with its app and barcode scanning system. Rabie said the deal made sense since the kinds of full-sized LG ovens that will run Tovala’s software are “not the kind of product line that we will get into.”
It appears that LG is not an investor, and it’s not clear when these new devices will be rolled out: The deal between the two was announced back in 2019.
Still, that partnership is a mark of how the hardware companies that are building connected appliances, and services around them, are knitting together more closely with incumbents to take their next scaling steps.
In at least two instances that has led to would-be competitors getting acquired: BBQ giant Weber snapped up smart oven startup June (which it had also invested in previously) in January. And back in 2017, Electrolux acquired sous vide startup Anova for $250 million.
An exit of that kind may or may not be on the menu for Tovala, but it’s a signal of the options that the startup has for moving from appetiser to main course in the future.
For now, the idea is to stay independent and grow, though. Rabie had told me that Left Lane’s interest was based on how it saw Tovala as a “Peloton”-like category definer for smart food preparation at home, in part because of how it could become part of a person’s daily habits and routines.
“The pairing of a meal subscription with a connected device has enabled Tovala to achieve a customer retention rate that is a step-function better than anything else we’ve seen in food delivery — in many ways similar to what Peloton achieved in a traditionally low-retention fitness industry,” said Jason Fiedler, co-founder and managing partner at Left Lane Capital, in a statement. “Our team brings a proven track record of investing in category-defining consumer subscription businesses, and we’re excited about Tovala’s potential to be the next major food tech company.” Fiedler is joining the board with this round.