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If you take a quick look at the data, you might think that the winner of the race to own social media is Snapchat.
Piper Jaffray’s biannual “Taking Stock With Teens” survey reports that Snapchat is now the most popular social networking service among the teen set by far.
But the real story — and the one that matters for storytellers and marketers — is what’s happening at Instagram, especially Instagram Stories. Over 200 million people use Instagram Stories each month, which is over 50 million more than those who use Snapchat, as reported in Business Insider. Instagram usage has doubled in the last two years.
Facebook is no longer the place for young people. Twitter has failed to grow followers significantly in 2017.
So what can we learn from the growth of Instagram?
While Twitter, Facebook, and even Snapchat are the Wild West of social media, Instagram has created what is almost an alternate reality.
According to a Variety article, “The company strives to create a safe, happy environment.” Instagram’s CEO Kevin Systrom told Variety: “People say Instagram is super positive and optimistic.”
And a quick look at 2017 statistics provided by the Instagram prove that point in dramatic fashion.
Top hashtags of 2017:
According to Brandwatch, Instagram now reaches an average audience of 500 million people on a daily basis in the third quarter of 2017, more than double that of Snapchat or Twitter (each has fewer than 200 million daily active users).
Beyonce’s maternity photo garnered 11 million likes, making it the top “like” count for the year so far.
And Instagram is a global community, with the most-Instagrammed cities of 2017 coming from around the globe:
- New York
- Sao Paulo, Brazil
- Los Angeles
- Saint Petersburg, Russia
- Jakarta, Indonesia
- Istanbul, Turkey
75 percent of Instagram users are outside the U.S., with just 17 percent of desktop traffic to Instagram coming from the United States, according to Brandwatch. Ninety percent of Instagram users are younger than 35. Thirty-two percent of U.S. internet users are now on Instagram, and Instagram now has 800 million monthly active users.
And celebrities that fit into the Instagram vibe Instagram’s “nice” digital environment are growing fans as well.
Accounts with the most-viewed Instagram Stories of 2017:
LeLe Pons (@lelepons)
Neymar Jr. (@neymarjr)
Olga Buzova (@buzova86)
Kim Kardashian (@kimkardashian)
Amanda Cerny (@amandacerny)
Chiara Ferragni (@chiaraferragni)
Ariana Grande (@arianagrande)
Kourtney Kardashian (@kourtneykardash)
And it’s not just humans who are connecting with the Instagram community. The most-followed pets on Instagram in 2017 include cats, dogs and even a fox:
jiffpom (@jiffpom) – Pomerian, US
nala_cat (@nala_cat) – Cat, US
Doug the Pug (@itsdougthepug) – Pug, US
Marutaro (@marutaro) – Shiba Inu, JP
Grumpy Cat (@realgrumpycat) – Cat, US
Marnie the Dog (@marniethedog) – Shih Tzu, US
Tuna (@tunameltsmyheart) – Chihuahua, US
Juniper&Fig (@juniperfoxx) – Fox, US
Lil BUB (@iamlilbub) – Cat, US
Loki (@loki_the_wolfdog) – Husky, US
Instagram is a dreamscape of our lives: airbrushed, art-directed, photo-filtered images. We’re all somewhere amazing, doing amazing things, and looking perfect.
In a world of digital overload and looming global issues, Instagram provides a warm, safe, inviting view of a somewhat aspirational world. Oh, and advertisers like that, too.


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Mars Bars, Snickers and Milky Way will debut locally-created sustainable packaging in 2023 with the launch of recyclable paper based wrappers.
Manufacturer Mars Wrigley Australia today committed to transition all chocolate bars made at its Ballarat, Victoria site to a new paper-based packaging that can be recycled via traditional kerbside recycling.
In a world first for the company, the shift to paper-based packaging will be seen on the company’s much loved chocolate bars from April 2023.
General Manager of Mars Wrigley Australia Andrew Leakey said: “The transition to paper-based packaging for our locally made chocolate bars marks a significant milestone in our sustainability journey.”
“Mars’ ongoing investment in local R&D has allowed us to be agile and create solutions that have a positive impact on our environment, meet our stringent quality and food safety standards but are also convenient for our consumers to recycle via kerbside recycling.
“This was crucially important for us as we wanted to ensure consumers had easy access to recycle our new paper-based packaging.”
Leakey said that as one of the largest snacks and treats manufacturers in Australia, the company had a responsibility to reduce its environmental footprint across its business, including packaging. al packaging targets.”
Once the Australian-made chocolate bar portfolio is fully transitioned to paper-based packaging, Mars Wrigley is set to eliminate more than 360 tonnes of plastic packaging from its value chain – enough to stretch from Melbourne to London and back.
According to the company this will contribute to its aim of creating a circular economy and achieving its 2025 national packaging targets.
The new sustainably sourced paper-based packaging is a result of extensive R&D trials and locally driven innovation from Mars Wrigley’s manufacturing site in Ballarat.
The packaging is widely recyclable through comingled recycling bins and paper/cardboard recycling bins across Australia, enabling consumers to easily recycle the packaging via their kerbside recycling bin.
The Ballarat-based R&D team leading this project is pioneering paper-based sustainable packaging solutions for the Mars Wrigley business globally, according to the company.
The plan for the technology, learnings and insights developed and deployed locally in Australia to be shared and implemented in other Mars Wrigley markets across the globe.
Mars Wrigley’s new paper-based packaging will be available on 47g and 64g MARS BARs, 44g and 64g SNICKERS and MILKY WAY 45g at all leading supermarkets and convenience stores nationally from April 2023.
MARS ANNOUNCES $25.5 MILLION IN UPGRADES TO BALLARAT FACTORY
Picture: Mars Wrigley

domain: news


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Rocketize (JATO) is an innovative DeFi token that has the potential to revolutionize the crypto market. The token has recently gained traction and is being compared to The Sandbox (SAND) and Zcash (ZEC). This article highlights the key features and reasons behind its popularity, and why it could be one of the best cryptocurrencies to invest in 2022.
Rocketize (JATO) is a meme token that incentivizes its community members to participate in the decentralized economy. It has recently launched an innovative minting instrument, ROCKMint, which allows users to create digital assets to use in gaming experiences or to win in decentralized games. Additionally, it comes with a built-in inflation mechanism that decreases total supply while increasing its value over time.
The Rocketize (JATO) platform is also launching a space program to launch communications satellites, aiming to improve digital information transfer on the planet. To encourage participation in the pre-sale, buyers can get an 8% bonus on their purchase, as well as a 60% bonus for those who purchase tokens within the first 30 minutes of registering online.
The Sandbox (SAND) is another popular platform that allows users to create unique gaming assets and experiences on the Ethereum blockchain. It has a secure online marketplace for SAND tokens, and players can purchase LAND NFTs with their tokens. They can also use The Sandbox’s (SAND) game creation tool to create unique gaming experiences.
Lastly, Zcash (ZEC) is a privacy-focused cryptocurrency that offers greater anonymity for users of the crypto marketplace. It uses zkSNARK zero knowledge proof technology to verify transactions while concealing private information. Its blockchain has a 21 million token supply limit, and new tokens are generated by crypto mining.
Investors can take advantage of unique opportunities presented by these tokens to increase their chances of achieving more than 100 percent profit. The Rocketize (JATO) presale is ongoing, and buyers can get a bonus to help them recover from losses caused by the recent cryptocurrency crash.


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GDP in Israel
Israel - GDP
Growth slows down in Q1
Israel’s economy hit the brakes in Q1, mainly due to unfavorable base effects after a strong final quarter of 2016. In Q1 2017, GDP increased 1.4% over the previous quarter in seasonally adjusted annualized terms (saar), the slowest expansion seen since Q2 2015. The preliminary estimate published by the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) was substantially below the 4.7% expansion registered in the fourth quarter of 2016 and undershot market analysts’ expectations of 3.7% growth.
Private consumption contracted in the first quarter, (Q1: -1.6% saar; Q4: +1.1% saar), due to a massive drop in the consumption of durable goods. In anticipation of an environmental tax on cars which came into force at the start of 2017, household expenditure surged last year as consumers rushed to buy vehicles, and the introduction of the tax explains the large decline in private consumption observed in the first quarter of 2017. In addition, fixed investment dropped 5.6% in Q1, after growing 1.8% in Q4. Behind the contraction was the end of large investment projects undertaken by the tech giant Intel in 2016.
Looking at the external sector, imports declined 8.9% in the first quarter, after rising 1.6% in Q4. Imports were given a boost last year by the expected tax hike on cars. In contrast, exports were a bright spot, growing 10.6% in Q1 and recording the second consecutive quarter of double-digit expansion, despite a strong shekel (Q4: +11.7% saar).
In annual terms, GDP expanded 4.0% in Q1, which was down from the 4.3% expansion reported in the fourth quarter of the previous year.
This year, the economy is expected to slow down as one-off effects dissipate. However, domestic demand will continue to grow at a solid pace, supported by robust private consumption thanks to a tight labor market, while soaring business confidence should translate into healthy fixed investment growth. Although exports are foreseen to rebound on the back of rising global trade volumes, strong imports will weigh on the external sector’s net contribution to the economy.
The Central Bank expects GDP to grow 2.8% in 2016 and 3.1% in 2017. FocusEconomics Consensus Forecast panelists foresee the economy growing 3.3% in 201, which is down 0.1 percentage points from last month’s estimate. For 2018, the panel projects that the economy will expand 3.4%.
Israel - GDP Data
|Economic Growth (GDP, annual variation in %)||5.1||2.4||4.4||3.2||2.5|
5 years of economic forecasts for more than 30 economic indicators.
Israel GDP Chart
Source: Central Bureau of Statistics
|Bond Yield||2.12||-0.72 %||Jun 16|
|Exchange Rate||3.53||0.17 %||Jun 16|
|Stock Market||1,287||0.32 %||Jun 16|
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June 19, 2017
Exports rose 13.0% in May compared to the same month of the previous year, according to the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS).
June 15, 2017
Consumer prices increased 0.4% in May compared to the previous month (April: +0.2% month-on-month), mainly due to higher prices for clothing, footwear and fresh fruit. Inflation came in at 0.8% in May, which was a notch above April’s 0.7% figure.
June 12, 2017
The consumer confidence index produced by the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) climbed from minus 12.3 points in April to minus 10.8 points in May.
May 29, 2017
The Bank of Israel (BoI) decided to leave the policy rate untouched at 0.10% at its 29 May monetary policy meeting.
May 16, 2017
Israel’s economy hit the brakes in Q1, mainly due to unfavorable base effects after a strong final quarter of 2016.


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Chinese business community supports government countermeasures against U.S. protectionism, the China Chamber of International Commerce (CCIC) said in a statement.
The remarks came after the U.S. President Donald Trump said Thursday that he had asked the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) to consider "100 billion U.S. dollars of additional tariffs" on Chinese products.
Calling the U.S. move "irrational and erroneous", the CCIC urged the United States not to go further down the wrong path.
"We reaffirm that the U.S. 301 Section investigation violates rules of the World Trade Organization and impairs not only interests of both countries, but also the world economy at large," the statement said. < The investigation and its report lack evidence and adopted double standards, the CCIC said.
Unilateral protectionism is folly considering the Sino-U.S. economic trade relationship is growing fast, it added.
China will fight "at any cost" and take "comprehensive countermeasures" if the United States continues its unilateral, protectionist practices, a spokesperson with the Ministry of Commerce said Friday.
Earlier this week, the U.S. Trade Representative office proposed imposing an additional 25 percent tariff on 50 billion dollars worth of imports from China, which drew strong opposition from business groups.
Hours after the release of the proposed tariff list, China struck back with a tariff plan of equal scale, with a list of U.S. products including soybeans, automobiles, aircraft and chemical products.
The date of implementation will depend on when the U.S. government imposes the tariffs on Chinese products, according to the Ministry of Finance.


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Csr-sample-resume, 'how money works ' is a key csr programme seeking out contemporary solutions to global problems and empowering the youth in. South carolina wmbf - beginning november 2 the south carolina department of transportation scdot customer service center will resume normal hours of operation mondays through fridays from 8:30, it found that customer service representatives drivers and teachers faced the indeed analysed on a monthly basis resumes updated on its site in all it looked at about 380 000 resumes updated. We also offer full resume writing services to all other industries including but not limited to healthcare finance administration customer service it and engineering marketing sales account, train status updates and social customer service will resume tomorrow at 6am et train status can be found at https: t co ryt46oukdp or on our mobile app for customer service please contact 800 usa.
New orleans ap louisiana's revenue department says its new orleans office is resuming full customer service operations five days a week the department of revenue said in a news release tuesday, customers with overdue accounts may receive a notice or phone call they can begin a repayment plan by contacting customer service at or [email protected] org to pay your.
Based on our most successful example resumes these experts should demonstrate sap expertise troubleshooting skills customer service orientation time management and accuracy most sap crm, there are hundreds if not thousands of quality hardworking dependable and skilled experienced customer service employees in our area and could potentially be hundreds if not thousands of. Tools designed to streamline the making of widgets were adopted for every company process from accounting to customer, fhb customers with internet connectivity may access their account information online via fhb online and mobile or may contact the bank's customer service call center for at 4444 fhb's


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Selling for nearly £2m and with only 100 made - all of which have already been sold - the Pagani Huayra Roadster is probably the most sought-after sports car ever.
But now one North East company is giving car lovers the chance to see inside the vehicle as it is launched at the Geneva Motor Show.
Zerolight, which recently moved to offices on Newcastle’s Quayside, provides 3D visualisation technology which allows people to visualise vehicles with different interiors before having them custom-made.
The company works with motor giants including Audi, Toyota and Volkswagen, but its link up with Pagani is its most glamorous work yet.
ZeroLight’s online platform will give enthusiasts control of a Huayra Roadster in which users can then customise a car in a number of ways, including exterior and interior colour, trim and alloys.
Once created, personalised videos and stills of their dream Roadster, set in Pagani’s factory, will be available to share with friends and family across social media platforms.
Describing the car, Luca Venturi, head of communication at Pagani Automobili, said: “The Pagani Huayra Roadster is a combination of art and science, design and technology. We wanted to make sure the world could join us during the unveiling of what was a monumental undertaking in an interactive and engaging way.
“ZeroLight has created a platform that allows us to showcase our latest creation to our fans and clients worldwide on any device in stunning detail, allowing them to discover and configure our creation in their vision.”
ZeroLight, which is located on Newcastle’s Quayside, specialises in online visualisation for the car industry. The technology is able to offer high fidelity images without the need for browser plug-ins.
Darren Jobling, CEO at ZeroLight, said: “ZeroLight is all about world firsts. For those people not fortunate enough to be in Geneva for the launch of the stunning Pagani Huayra Roadster, we are bringing the car to you to explore at the exact same moment it is revealed to the world’s press.
“As well as exploring Mr Pagani’s unique ability to combine art and engineering, visitors to our site will also be able to configure their very own hypercar in real-time. The ZeroLight Pagani Huayra Roadster experience delivers personalisation in a truly original way that will become the standard for future automotive product launches.”


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Resident Evil creator Shinji Mikami said he doesn’t really see a difference in the specifications between Sony’s next-gen console the PlayStation 4 and Microsoft’s Xbox One, according to a report today from VG 24/7.
“We only need one console. Why do I have to make two versions of a game? And when Xbox One was first announced it had lower specs than PS4, but now they’re almost identical,” Mikami said. “So either will do.”
Mikami’s remarks could contrast those of Ghost Game’s executive producer Marcus Nilsson, who said that the Need for Speed: Rivals development team found one console particularly more powerful than the other, though he refused to disclose which one.
When asked he was referring to the PS4 version of Need for Speed: Rivals, Nilsson said, “I think that both consoles will look pretty much on parity, but one of them might stick up a little bit.”
However, Mikami could be speaking strictly from a development side in terms of specs, rather than how the final output of games looks on each console.
The Xbox One launches in the U.S. and 12 other markets on Nov. 22, while the PS4 hits shelves in North America on Nov. 15, in Europe on Nov. 29 and in Japan on Feb. 22.


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Gift cards are popular every holiday season but too often, they are forgotten. Consumers should be using those cards now especially if the stores in question are in financial trouble.
Some Kind bars aren't as nice for your body as the company claims, the government's top food regulator says.
If you feel like airline service is slipping, that’s because it is.
With the growing use of technology, like tablets in America's classrooms, there's been some debate about costs versus the benefit to students.
You will not believe these spring-cleaning tips from TODAY contributor and lifestyle expert Elizabeth Mayhew, who's showing how to get your kitchen and bathroom sparkling with easy items you already have around the house!
With tax season drawing to a close, it's an ideal time to organize some of the digital files and documents you've been using. But security experts urge consumers to handle data carefully.
Your credit score is possibly the most important number in your financial profile. A lot of websites offer free credit scores.
It’s prom season and that means teens across the nation are picking out dresses, tuxes, and everything else for that big day.
If you prepare the Easter baskets for your kids, there are ways to make them healthier.
Starbucks has jumped on the kale bandwagon.
April 15 is one of the most dreaded days of the year and it's less than a month away. No one wants to pay more than necessary or run the risk of an audit, so here are several common mistakes to avoid.
Ford is reviving the Lincoln Continental as its top-of-the-line luxury sedan.
Spring has sprung and so have the dandelions, crabgrass and clover in your lawn.
Fast-food giant McDonald's is making an early step toward extending breakfast hours to all-day long.
(NBC) - Easter shoppers will top last year's spending as they hunt down candy and new spring apparel.
The appliances in your home are a big investment. You can avoid repairs, keep them running efficiently, and get them to last as long as possible by using these tips.
If you down a daily cup of coffee, like 61 percent of Americans, you probably keep an eye on the headlines about coffee’s impact on your health. They seem to change as quickly as the time it takes to brew a pot. Consumer Reports tells us if we should savor every drop or cut down on what we drink.
About three-thousand people are killed each year in residential fires. And in the winter months the risk of house fires goes up with the use of fireplaces and space heaters.
Faced with rising beef and lower poultry costs, McDonald's and Burger King are pushing more chicken items.
Target may be the next big retail chain to raise its minimum wage to $9 an hour, following the lead of other big box stores in giving workers a much-needed pay boost.


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September 7, 2023
Licensed products in the beer and spirit category continues to grow. License Global’s Barbara Smith wrote about the sector’s growth in her feature, “The Spirit of Celebrity,” in the March issue of License Global. Our McKenna Morgan touched on the phenomenon again in May in her feature, “Cinco De Mayo: A Licensing Celebrity.” And Ben Roberts homed in on the beer factor in his piece, “Brand Expansion in a Can: Why Beer Collaborations are Bewitching Consumers.” The bottom line is, we know that tying a celebrity to an alcohol product is a formula that works. Around 24% of U.S. adults say celebrity endorsements would make them more likely to buy an alcohol brand, while 16% of adults globally say the same, according to YouGov data. And adult beverage companies are increasingly leveraging this factor. In 2018, the marketplace featured fewer than 40 celebrity-affiliated alcohol-related brands. Now there are over 350 different beer and spirit brands tied to famous faces.
And the adult beverage market is big – and growing – business. According to data from Statista, the global alcohol market is expected to surpass $2.2 trillion by 2025.
Football legend, Joe Montana, is the most recent celebrity to tie his name to a spirit brand, recently announcing a partnership with The Gold Bar Spirits Company, makers of award-winning Gold Bar Whiskey. For the collaboration, Gold Bar and Joe Montana will release the Joe Montana Whiskey Collection in September. This special-edition whiskey release will roll out via Gold Bar’s distribution partner, Southern Glazer’s Wine and Spirits. The announcement was made at the Gold Bar Distillery’s new visitor center and tasting room on Treasure Island in San Francisco.
Known for leading the San Francisco 49ers to four Super Bowl victories, as well as winning the National Championship for Notre Dame, Montana was named the Super Bowl’s Most Valuable Player three times. Montana is widely regarded as one of the greatest NFL quarterbacks of all time.
“Collaborating with the team at Gold Bar Whiskey to develop this collection has been a fun experience,” says Montana. “From the unique flavor profiles to the meaningful blend numbers and creative designs, the collection will offer a variety of selections for a gameday beverage, with a twist of nostalgia. I’m looking forward to sharing the whiskey, as well as the experience of Gold Bar’s incredible new visitor center here in San Francisco, with fans.”
Founded in 2013, Gold Bar Whiskey is known for its award-winning double-casked, wine barrel-finished whiskies. Smooth, with a complex flavor profile and housed in an iconic gold ingot-shaped bottle, each of the company’s offerings is touted as a masterpiece.
“Gold Bar is made for moments worth celebrating, so it made perfect sense to collaborate with one of the most celebrated championship quarterbacks in the history of the game,” says Elliott Gillespie, founder, president, Gold Bar.
The Joe Montana Whiskey Collection was specially crafted for whiskey enthusiasts and the 49ers faithful who have been key supporters of the distillery, located in the San Francisco Bay area. The brand collaboration is set to receive continued exposure as Gold Bar Whiskey enters its fourth year as the Official Whiskey of the San Francisco 49ers.
Along with a boon to brand owners, these partnerships can also be quite lucrative for celebrities. George Clooney sold his tequila brand, Casamigos, to Diageo for $1 billion in 2017. Three years later, Ryan Reynolds sold his Aviation Gin brand for $610 million.
The late Jimmy Buffett inspired (and was invested in) the still-popular Margaritaville Spirits.
Expect to see more celebrities jumping on this endorsement and partnership wagon. The $37.6-billion-per-year spirits sector remains a major growth area in the alcoholic beverage business overall, according to the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, an industry trade group reporting the sector has gained 13% market share since 2000, surpassing beer for the first time in 2022.
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USDA Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Ted McKinney will deliver the 2018 Washington Conference keynote during the new Global Trade Symposium on Monday, September 24.
Under Secretary McKinney leads the development and implementation of USDA’s trade policy, oversees and facilitates foreign market access and promotes opportunities for U.S. agriculture through various trade programs and high-level government negotiations.
In 2014, McKinney was appointed by then-Governor Mike Pence to serve as Director of the Indiana State Department of Agriculture, a position he held until joining USDA in 2017. His career also included 19 years with Dow AgroSciences and 14 years with Elanco, a subsidiary of Eli Lilly and Company, where he was Director of Global Corporate Affairs.
What is the Global Trade Symposium?
Join at the Washington Conference’s all-new
The Global Trade Symposium includes industry executives and government leaders exploring the future of trade in the fresh produce industry and how it affects your business. Discussions will include the impact of NAFTA negotiations, North and South hemispheric trade, exports to and from Asia, trade disputes, and potential solutions that can serve global consumers and producers. To register, visit https://www.unitedfresh.org/events-programs/the-washington-conference. For more information, contact Angela Tiwari, Director of Grassroots and Political Action, at email@example.com or 202.303.3416.


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Nokia Asha users in India can now send and receive office emails from their mobile phones with the arrival of Mail for Exchange app on Nokia Store.
The app, which was announced last month, is compatible with the Nokia Asha 311, Nokia Asha 310, Nokia Asha 309 and Nokia Asha 308, will allow users to sync their email, calendar and contacts data with Microsoft Exchange 2003, 2007, 2010 Servers and Microsoft Office 365 Mobility Online Service.
Commenting on the launch, Viral Oza, Director Marketing, Nokia India, said, "The introduction of Mail for Exchange app on Nokia Asha devices will enable our consumers to access and conduct their work on the go. As a brand we are committed at enhancing everyday experiences of our users and this is another milestone by our Nokia Asha range."
Nokia has also introduced two more apps that will encourage corporate users to adopt Nokia Asha phones. Editori Text and Editori sheet apps allow users to view and edit Microsoft Word and Excel documents on the move. With the apps users can now modify, save and share documents or spreadsheets for quick review right from their Nokia Asha phones.
Editori Text and Editori sheet apps also come with other features including rich text formatting; bold, italic, colours and underline to keep track of the changes made. The apps recognises hyperlinks, can enable users to view pictures, tables and save the document to memory card.
Editori Text and Editori sheet come with support fort DOCX and XLSX files respectively.


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Muscle car and SUV collide in the new 2018 Dodge Durango SRT. This powerful SUV takes its ques from the Dodge Challenger by boasting a 475 horsepower 6.4 liter Hemi V8. The Durango SRT remains a full-size SUV with a max towing capacity of 8,600 pounds.
The Fiat brand is off to a great start in 2017. Earlier today, the automaker issued a press release announcing the latest award for one its newest vehicles. Earning the Cars.com title of Best New Convertible of 2017, the Fiat 124 Spider was also nominated for the Best of 2017 Cars.com award...
The title speaks for itself, friends. It's with great pleasure that we can now announce that the 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4x4 has achieved a 5-Star Overall Safety Rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the highest the organization has to offer.
Let’s face it: a fake Christmas tree will never quite compare to the real deal. That said, it can undoubtedly be something of a hassle not only to find the perfect tree, but to schlepp it home, as well. Not only do you run the risk of losing more than a handful of needles – or even worse: having the whole tree come loose from your rooftop when cruising down the highway – but you run the chance of possibly doing damage to your automobile in the process.
The 2017 Chrysler Pacifica was already the top minivan when it came to fuel economy. But now the EPA has released its official test numbers for the Pacifica Hybrid, the only hybrid in this class, and they're looking pretty darn good.
The EPA's numbers are better than the anticipated 80 MPGe from Chrysler. The official number is an impressive 84 MPGe!
Now that November is in full-swing, it's time to look ahead to the holiday season. If you're planning on doing any traveling, we want to make sure you stay safe with a few essential tips as many roadways will be packed during this busy time of travel.
Yesterday, FCA US LLC announced in a press release that the 2017 Chrysler Pacifica, the recently released minivan that has delivered more than 30 segment "firsts" in just one model year, has garnered yet another accolade, this time in the form of a 5-Star Overall Vehicle Safety Rating from the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration...
Do you need a full-size sedan that can accommodate your family but still want the option of drag racing out of the stoplight if the mood strikes you? The 2017 Dodge Charger may be the car for you. The Car Connection recently reviewed the latest edition of the Charger and loves its rear-wheel drive V8 performance and affordable price.
The Charger has four engine options that run the gamut from from a "basic" 3.6-liter V6 that makes 292 horsepower up to a 6.4-liter supercharged V8 that produces a pinned-to-your-seatback 707 horsepower and rockets the Charger...
One of the most common questions posed by new car owners is, "How often do I need to change the oil?"
Ask five people, and you'll get five different answers!
Your parents might say, "Every 3,000 miles on the dot." But things were different even just a few decades ago. Advances in the way engines are built, and in the quality of oils used, mean that oil change intervals can be much longer.
How much longer?
Chrysler recommends every 8,000 miles, but the truth is, your actual mileage may vary. Do you spend long stints out on…


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Six months to jailbreak the iPhone 5S? If history is anything to go by, yep.
It seems like every year it takes longer and longer to jailbreak the latest iPhone… which is because, ever since the release of the iPhone 3G, it has been true. To date, the number of days it takes for jailbreakers to release a public jailbreak for the latest iPhone has increased by an average of 67.58% every year… and the recent evasi0n jailbreak for all iOS 6.1 devices landed a record 136 days after the iPhone 5 went on sale.
Looking forward, we were curious what that meant for the iPhone 5S. Given historic trends, how long will it take jailbreakers to release a public jailbreak for Apple’s next phone? Here’s what we found.
George Hotz is known to his legions of online fans as “geohot,” the infamous hacker who was the first to unlock the iPhone and crack the Sony PS3. Hotz has been flying under the radar lately, but he’s about to make his first foray into the App Store with a new iPhone app.
The app is called Reactions, and it’s currently being reviewed by Apple. The idea is relatively simple, and it has the potential to either be a massive flop or make it big. It’s photo sharing with a twist.
To prep for JailbreakCon this weekend, sit down with Cult of Mac and take a look back at the history of jailbreaking.
Back in 2007, Steve Jobs used a famous quote from ice hockey player Wayne Gretzky to summarize Apple’s commitment to innovation: “I skate to where the puck is going to be, not where it has been.” That’s long been true for Apple and products like the iPhone and iPad. But for more than four years, jailbeaking has pushed the boundaries of iOS even farther.
If Apple skates to where the puck is going to be, then jailbreakers have usually already been there and left. The hackers and tinkerers that find security loopholes in Apple’s software are some of the most brilliant, innovative minds in the tech world.
We’ll be covering JailbreakCon 2012 this weekend in San Francisco, the world’s first convention dedicated solely to the jailbreak community. What better way to get ready for the future of jailbreaking than to examine the past? Let’s start from the beginning:
There is perhaps no name in the world of hacking as legendary as Geohot. George Hotz was the first person to unlock the original iPhone back in 2007. He was 17 years old at the time. He also released multiple jailbreaks, including “purplera1n” for the iPhone 3GS. Hotz later went on to hack the PlayStation 3 and battle Sony in a high-profile lawsuit.
In a recent profile by The New Yorker, we get a fascinating look at Hotz and several stories from his career as a prolific, self-taught hacker.
It's hard to believe a clean cut, law abiding youth like this would smoke marijuana, isn't it?
You only need to look at the bloodshot eyes, crunchy appearance and tossled hair of famed PS3 and iPhone hacker George “geohot” Hotz to realize that this is a mind which works best when jerkied in the cannabinoid vapours inhaled from a tightly packed magic jaybone. He’s a viper from birth, and we wouldn’t have him any other way.
But the cops would. That’s why they arrested him for cannabis possession while driving to SXSW to deliver a speech on hacking.
You may or may not be familiar with George Hotz, a.k.a “Geohot.” Whether you know his name or not, Hotz’s influence as a hacker is monumental. He unlocked the iPhone for the first time back in 2008, and was responsible for several of the early iOS jailbreaks. His exploits have haunted Apple for years, and he was recently sued by Sony for jailbreaking the PlayStation 3.
Hotz was hired by Facebook last summer to presumably work on the social juggernaut’s security team, but he apparently no longer works for Zuckerberg. Now Hotz been spotted back in his natural environment: a hackathon.
iPhone and PS3 hacker extraordinaire George Hotz, also known as GeoHot, has gone establishment, but the Limera1n hacker wasn’t scooped up by Apple or Sony: instead, the famously anti-establishment jailbreaker is now employed at Facebook. Say what?
Come iOS 5, Apple might finally win the war against jailbreakers. Even if the Dev Team prevails, though, Apple still might succeed in limiting jailbreaking to tethered exploits only, as well as finally axe the ability for users to downgrade to older versions of iOS.
Speaking of jailbreaks, check out this trailer for Unlocked, a mock biopic in the style of The Social Network incorporating footage from his various media appearances as well as a movie starring The Wire’s Ziggy that I’d be pleased if you guys would identify for me in the comments.
The iPhone jailbreaking community likes to maintain solidarity within its ranks. After all, while hackers love being the first to discover a new technique or exploit, the jailbreaking community has an enemy — Apple — who would like nothing more than to shut them down for the count.
That threat, in turn, has made the jailbreaking community a pretty tight-knit bunch: at any given time, there are a few working exploits that hackers are sitting on, waiting for Apple to invalidate a currently working jailbreak technique through a software patch before they release the next one. Why? Because the world doesn’t need more than one jailbreak at a time, and if all the known exploits are all in the wild at the same time, Apple can fix them all at once, leaving jailbreakers with nothing up their sleeves.
That’s why the jailbreaking community is so steamed up about the surprise Limera1n jailbreak geohot released over the weekend… the day before the Dev Team released their own highly publicized 4.1 jailbreak that used a totally different exploit. Geohot essentially barged ahead in line by releasing his jailbreak exploit unannounced, which risked alerting Apple to the methodology used in the Dev Team’s exploit.


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For the last few months, we have heard that Russian internet company, Mail.ru Group has been planning to launch internationally under the name My.com. In continuation to materialize that step, lately the company has opened a Silicon Valley office and launched My.com to provide a suite of communication and entertainment apps for US users.
Mail.ru Group has been a keen investor over the years in other technology companies. It develops products centered around advertising. The company’s revenue comes from display and contextual advertising in addition to selling so-called “value-added services,” such as online games and virtual gifts. However, Mail.ru Group is considered to be in fifth place handling the email platform in the world after Google, Yahoo, Microsoft and AOL.
After setting up a new office in the US, the company is not offering any independent email product, rather the company has launched three mobile products: myMail, myChat and myGames, which the company claims will make ‘easier’ and ‘more exciting’ to manage email, communicate with friends and family and discover captivating new games.
Be noted, all the mobile apps support for both iOS and Android platform. myMail lets users manage other email accounts from services such as Google, Yahoo, Microsoft and AOL. myChat is a video and text messaging mobile application for iOS and Android, and myGames is a portfolio of games including Jungle Heat, Poker Arena, Lucky Fields and Evolution.
Source: PC World


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The mood in Europe's boardrooms has darkened markedly this month, with key surveys showing business confidence plunging in Germany, France and Italy.
The global economic downturn has cast a longer-than-expected shadow in Europe
The bigger-than-forecast falls in sentiment among industry leaders in the 15-member euro zone's top three economies, revealed in surveys released Thursday, July 24, came in the wake of a surging euro, spiraling inflation, worries about higher interest rates and slowing global growth.
Business confidence in Germany and France is now at a three-year low with Germany's closely-watched Ifo business confidence index falling from 101.2 in June to 97.5 this month and France's survey of 4,000 industrialists, dropping from 101 last month to 98 in July.
Analysts had predicted that the German business index, which is drawn up by the Munich-based Ifo economic institute, would fall to 100.2 and that the French survey would edge down to 100.
The release of the business confidence indexes for Germany and France coincided with the publication of surveys showing the mood also sinking in the manufacturing sectors of the euro zone's two biggest economies as they entered the third quarter.
Economic upswing coming to an end, say experts
"The data significantly added to the impression that economic growth is slowing at a fast clip," said Peter Possing Anderson from Danske Bank.
Business sentiment in Italy is now at a seven-year low with the downbeat world economic outlook and the global credit crunch helping to fuel recession fears about the euro zone's third biggest economy.
"These results suggest the economic upswing (in Germany) is coming to an end," said Ifo chief Hans-Werner Sinn releasing the latest report, which is based on a survey of 7,000 German executives.
The release of the latest sentiment surveys for the euro zone's three leading economies also coincided with the launch of Europe's latest company reporting season, with businesses already reporting mixed earnings results during the latest quarter.
"The deterioration is evident in all industrial sectors and all around the country," the Rome-based ISAE research institute said releasing the index which declined to 83.5 points. Analysts had predicted a fall to 86.5.
Underscoring the precarious state of the Italian economy, a report released Tuesday showed consumer confidence in the country dropping to a 15-year low.
Euro reaches all-time high against dollar
Speaking Wednesday, German Chancellor Angela Merkel warned that after a strong start to the year, the Europe's biggest economy was facing increasing headwinds and that a "significant fall" in growth was likely next year.
Euro zone factory orders tumbled by 3.5 percent in May, data released Wednesday showed after industrial production in the currency bloc in May chalked up its biggest fall in about 16 years.
Moreover, since the release of the last business confidence surveys, the euro has surged to an all-time high of $1.6038 and oil has raced ahead to a record high of $147.27 a barrel.
The European Central Bank has delivered its first rate hike in more than a year, increasing borrowing costs in the 15-member euro zone by 25 basis points to 4.25 percent early this month to ward off inflationary pressures. Euro zone inflation hit a record 4 percent in June.
In addition, continuing tough talk about the threat posed by inflation from leading ECB officials has helped to fuel speculation that the Frankfurt-based central bank might deliver another rise in the cost of money before the end of year.
However, the dramatic fall in the latest economic sentiment surveys is likely to make it more difficult for the ECB to mount a case for a further tightening.


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NBC PyeongChang Sales Pacing Ahead Of Sochi New Era Looks To Build On Record MLB Sales Intel Pokes Fun At LeBron James In New Creative Royals Add Seven New Sponsors For '17 Season Ronaldo Launching Men's Denim Brand In U.S. NASL's Indy Eleven Adds Turkish Airlines As Sponsor Marketplace Roundup Shiffrin Looking At Deals Ahead Of '18 Games AT&T Is Top NCAA Tourney TV Spender To Date Marketplace Roundup
SBD/April 4, 2013/Marketing and Sponsorship
Louisville To Wear Adidas-Made Warmups At Final Four Honoring Injured Kevin Ware
Published April 4, 2013
FOLLOW THE MONEY: NBCSPORTS.com’s Daniel Martin wrote, “Regardless of whether Louisville says it is profiting or not, it highlights the reality of big-time college athletics. It’s about money.” adidas is using Bulls G Derrick Rose’s comeback story as a "way to sell shoes and apparel, too.” The "only difference" is Rose inked a $260M deal with the company. Ware has “no such contract and won’t see a dime of the revenue” (NBCSPORTS.com, 4/3). CBSSPORTS.com’s Matt Norlander wrote it is “an endearing idea for a shirt, and it'd be fine -- if only Ware saw some of the cut.” Fans will “buy these because it's a way to support the team and a way to connect beyond simple fandom at the Final Four.” It is “smart marketing,” as plenty will “purchase the shirts without realizing the background/unfairness behind the concept: Adidas is making money off the image and emotional connection to the most powerful story in sports/at the Final Four.” Even with “some of the portion going to good causes, Adidas will still at some level make money off this injury.” Norlander: “Blame Adidas, blame the NCAA. Don't blame Louisville, now that we know the school's position. But regardless, this doesn't seem the right move on the whole” (CBSSPORTS.com, 4/3). USA TODAY’s Dan Wolken on Twitter wrote, “The sick part is, if fans sent Kevin Ware $25 checks instead of shipping it to Louisville and Adidas it would be a violation.”
SHOP TIL YOU DROP: In Ann Arbor, Ben Freed noted Michigan’s journey to the Final Four has been a “source of increased income" for a number of local businesses. Underground Printing co-Founder Ryan Gregg said, “Our sales in the last 48 hours have probably been 1,000 times higher than they would have been otherwise, it’s that much more significant than a non-event weekend.” Gregg said UM’s wins over Kansas and Florida triggered what his team calls a “hot market.” He said, “The theory is that the best market for something this significant exists for 24 hours, so you want to print a lot to make sure you’re stocked up for Sunday and Monday.” The M Den President Scott Hirth said, “The regional championship T-shirts and the hats they were wearing on the court when they cut down the net, those are the most popular by far.” He added, “Anything to do with Trey (Burke) has been a great seller.” UM also will “benefit handsomely from the deep tournament run.” UM Trademark Licensing Dir Kristen Ablauf said that the department “closed its quarter on March 31, so it is still too soon to measure the royalties from increased apparel sales” (ANNARBOR.com, 4/3).


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A South Korean battery maker tapped by the US to help it catch China in the clean-car market is losing money – a state of affairs expected to continue all year. Its chief financial officer isn’t concerned.
SK On Co., which along with Ford Motor Co. received a conditional commitment for a $9.2 billion loan from the US government to build three electric-car battery plants in America, is investing for the future, Chief Financial Officer Kyung-hun Kim said in his first interview since starting the job in October.
“We are now in a cycle that delays our profitability — we build a new plant, invest a lot of capital, suffer a loss until production is stabilized,” Kim told Bloomberg News. “Once we are about to see a small profit, we should build another plant, and we have a loss again.”
The churn is at least paying off with soaring sales, and helping the Seoul-based company cement its place in the burgeoning American EV market. It already has two plants in Georgia, and plans another in the state as part of a joint venture with Hyundai Motor Co. It plans to build three more with Ford — two in Kentucky and one in Tennessee — using funds from the Biden administration.
“Growth is so fast at our company — revenue will double this year to about 14 trillion won ($10.7 billion) from a year ago,” Kim said.
Biggest American Loan
The loan to BlueOval SK, a 50-50 joint venture between Ford and SK On, was the biggest from the US government to an automaker since the 2009 bailouts that saved General Motors Co. and what was Chrysler at the time from bankruptcy. It eased investor concerns about the feasibility of the massive production project for electric batteries, the most expensive part of an EV.
The money also paves the way to fulfill Ford’s pledge to make 2 million EVs by 2026. It took almost two years for Ford and SK On to get the loan, which was extended only after extensive due diligence conducted by the US on the South Korean company’s finances, technology and expected market impact.
The most appealing point for US authorities was the companies’ commitment to job creation, Kim said. Play Video
While the cash infusion eases concern about liquidity needed to build and run the new manufacturing facilities, the question on improving profitability remains, Kim said. The company had a 344.7 billion won loss in the first quarter, while local rivals LG Energy Solution Ltd. and Samsung SDI Co. posted strong profits on record revenues.
While SK On also posted record sales for the quarter, its operating margin has been at least 10% negative since 2021. Kim said he expects the company to hit full-year profitability in 2024.
Kim is in a unique position to help address the issue. A former investment banker with more than 25 years experience at companies including Standard Chartered Korea and Merrill Lynch, he’s eager to take on the challenge of boosting profitability amid rising demand from automakers for the batteries needed to power the industry’s future.
One element that may help is the estimated tax credits from Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, which SK On could use to boost its results. Officials are discussing when the company will reflect those credits in its earnings, he said, as rival LG Energy did in the second quarter.
Even with the tax credits, the challenge remains of rebuilding manufacturing in a nation that’s pushed most types of production offshore to less expensive places. The situation is exacerbated by rising inflation, the fight for talent as unemployment rates plummet and a poorly prepared local workforce in many communities where the plants are being constructed.
SK On may need to increase its prices given higher labor costs at manufacturing plants, especially those in the US, Kim said. The IRA’s Advanced Manufacturing Production Credit, however, may help mitigate the situation, he said.
“Labor costs are already high in US and we are not in a situation to sell batteries at low prices because of profitability,” he said.
|Read more on Ford’s costs:|
|Union Blasts $9.2 Billion Loan to Ford Over ‘Low-Road Jobs’Ford to Cut Hundreds of US Salaried Workers to Lower Costs|
Getting the plant up and running will also be a challenge. The pool of talented battery engineers is small and highly sought after by automakers, battery firms and companies in other industries. Educating the local workforce – beyond the battery engineers – will be necessary as the world’s biggest economy allowed its manufacturing sector to lay fallow for decades.
“It’s been such a long time for the US to be away from manufacturing,” Kim said. “It’s not easy to train and educate local workers living in a suburban area, where residents haven’t seen factories. It’ll be very difficult for the US to re-shore manufacturing.”
A key question is how popular SK On’s batteries – and Ford’s EVs – will be. SK On’s competitive advantage is its high-nickel batteries, which maximize driving range, said Park Chulwan, a professor in the car engineering department at Seojeong University. But its dependence on just a few customers — especially Ford — is a risk, he said.
“What if Ford’s EVs are not as popular as they expected?” Park said. “That might lead to a rising inventory of batteries at SK’s plants.”
SK On has a lot to prove to its investors and industry watchers after quarter upon quarter of losses, particularly given questions about the quality of its technology following a legal settlement with LG Energy in 2021. The company is dramatically ramping up production and experts say it can take four to five years to get steady results.
Time will eventually tell, and Kim says he’s willing to wait. The company is planning an initial public offering in the next four years, though it could come sooner depending on the market and the battery-maker’s profitability, he said. What he doesn’t want is to compromise on quality.
“We are moving at a slower pace than your expectation, but we are moving forward anyway,” Kim said. “We are trying to be lean on costs, but that shouldn’t sacrifice the quality of products.”
(Adds details on the loan in the second paragraph and updates pricing issues in the 14th paragraph)
© 2023 Bloomberg L.P.


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Stradivarius opens its first store in London, but does London needs another womenswear fashion brand?Digital Editor
Just a few days ago, Stradivarius opened its doors in Westfield Stratford City to Londoners. The Inditex Group brand is aimed at 20-35 year old women, sitting alongside Zara, Bershka or Massimo Dutti in the fashion group’s womenswear portfolio.
But could Stradivarius survive the fashion brands war in London?
Well, yes. First of all, compared with Zara, Stradivarius is both classic and imaginative. But above all of its stylistic advantages, it is cheaper! Despite the positive rhetoric coming from Whitehall, we aren’t so far out of the recession that customers will stop prioritising price points when clothes shopping. It may be a little lower down the fashion spectrum, but just take a look at the continued success of Primark!
Stradivarius’s website, launched in 2013, has already proved to be a success in the UK market, while the exclusivity of the brand and its collections give it real standout – an essential advantage in order to survive in such a competitive retail environment.
Justine Even, Analyst


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Google’s Pixel 4 to be launched next week : Here in New York, the climate is crisp and the leaves have started to turn crimson and brown. That can only imply one thing: hardware season is on us.
Backdropped by cloudy, grey Manhattan skies, Google is set to seize to the stage on Tuesday, October 15, to swell its just-in-time-for-the-vacations hardware line.
As ever, the incident will be headlined by the newest version of the firm’s flagship smartphone, the Pixel. But this incident has always been stored.
The Google Nest (née Home) cord has long been an apex. This time of the previous year, we got our initial peek at the firm’s very good Home Hub smart exhibit.
Based on the rumors, this year is converting up to be a veritable cascade of Google Hardware news. In improvement to multiple Pixel editions, we are also anticipating a new improvement to the Pixelbook line and, maybe even a new haul on the firm’s lukewarmly received Pixel Buds.
This much we can tell for sure. The Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL are arriving soon. Google’s not done an extremely good job keeping its new gadget under wraps. The justifications are likely two-fold.
First, trickles happen. There are a lot of points of failure when inaugurating a new phone. The thing gets out. That said, the firm has felt the pain of postponing smartphone sales as great as anyone. It is certainly not above priming the rumor pump.
The phone has been seeping for many months now, comprising a fresh batch of marking pictures that dropped this dawn, courtesy of Evan Blass.
The huge constant among the leaks so far has been the firm’s adoption of an identical trypophobia-inducing circle-in-square camera habit as the latest iPhone. This is just how gadgets look now, I think.


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If you were asked what you think are the five largest Swiss watch brands by market share, which brands would you list? The popularity of certain luxury watches such as the Rolex Daytona has almost guaranteed their respective brands a spot on the list, but what about some of the others? Earlier this year, Morgan Stanley and Swiss consultancy firm LuxeConsult released a report outlining the biggest players in the Swiss watch market for 2018. Here’s what they found.
The Billionaire’s Club Includes Seven Members
According to the report, the Swiss watch market is comprised of 350 brands, which collectively achieved CHF51.8 billion (US$52.37 billion) in retail sales in 2018. Of those brands, seven stood out for recording turnover in the billions: Rolex with CHF5.05 billion (US$5.17 billion), Omega with CHF2.34 billion (US$2.39 billion), Cartier with CHF1.66 billion (US$1.7 billion), Longines with CHF1.65 billion (US$1.69 billion), Patek Philippe with CHF1.35 billion (US$1.38 billion), Tissot with CHF1.05 billion (US$1.07 billion), and Audemars Piguet with CHF1.03 billion (US$1.05 billion).
No surprise, but Rolex leads the charge here with more than double the turnover and implied retail value of runner-up Omega.
There are two important points to bring up. First, some of these brands are private companies that do not divulge official sales figures, so Morgan Stanley had to estimate some figures using several sources. Second, we suspect that there was an error when compiling this specific “Billionaires’ Club in 2018” table where Longines and Cartier were possibly mislabeled – the average price for Longines watches and Cartier watches would make more sense if they were switched.
If we look beyond the individual brands and turn our attention to the parent groups, 75% of Swiss watch sales are dominated by four main companies: The Swatch Group (28.6%), Rolex (including Tudor) (23.5%), Richemont (18.4%), and LVMH (7.9%).
The Swatch Group currently has the biggest slice of the pie with 19 watch brands under its umbrella. For context, Rolex has two brands, Richemont has 12 watch brands, and LVMH has three watch brands in their portfolio.
The Top Five Largest Swiss Watch Brands by Retail Market Share
The Morgan Stanley report lists the following Swiss watch brands with the largest retail market share: Rolex (22.2%), Omega (9.0%), Longines (6.4%), Patek Philippe (5.7%), and Cartier (4.9%).
Among the top five listed, Patek Philippe has the highest average price per watch at CHF53,500 (US$54,724), closely followed by Audemars Piguet at CHF50,000 (US$51,144), and then Rolex at CHF12,200 (US$12,479).
So in short, the five largest Swiss watch brands of 2018 were Rolex, Omega, Longines, Patek Philippe, and Cartier. It is an interesting mix of watch brands with average price points that range from $1,600 to $54,000 and production outputs that vary from around 50,000 units to over a million units per year.
Yet again, Rolex dominates by a big margin, bringing in an implied retail value of CHF11.55 billion (US$11.81 billion) in 2018 – illustrating the seemingly insatiable global appetite for Rolex watches, something that is also confirmed by the multi-year waitlists at retailers for certain models like the Rolex Daytona and Submariner.
And barring any unforeseen events, we fully expect the same name to be at the top of the podium in the 2019 reports.


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Attempts at mastering the livestreaming business continue as mega-media companies like Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter (with Periscope), dominate the space. While the big dogs lure major publishers and video creators, monetization on these social media platforms still lacks.
Los Angeles-based Busker, a smaller but ambitious mobile livestreaming app, is aiming to fill that gap with a new commerce feature to help livestreamers make more money and have more control over their broadcasting career destinies. Busker CEO Lippe Oosterhof tells VideoInk that he wants the app to allow indie broadcasters to make real dollars by selling physical products, digital goods and, on occasion, the livestream broadcast itself. The feature would add to the “tipping” option viewers currently have but would represent higher margins for creators.
“Live interactive commerce… enhances the already-successful tipping feature whereby audiences can support creators with real money, not virtual currency. We will also open the door for retailers and brands to monetize through live video in the coming months,” he said.
Busker isn’t the first to build in a digital currency—YouNow, the New York-based startup, has created a sticker and gifting economy within its app that translates to dollars. But according to Oosterhof, this elementary approach targets a younger audience than Busker, which has a more sophisticated broadcaster and viewer on its mobile apps. It’s also less transparent for the creator given stickers don’t have direct values associated, and YouNow takes a 35 percent tax on each transaction. Busker, on the contrary, has embraced a full transparency and only takes a 15 percent slice off the top of each transaction.
And broadcasters who have been active in Busker’s beta are already seeing the upside. Freestyle rapper Fabian Zayas-Luciano (aka therealFABE) has tested the feature by selling merch like his coined “Hat of the Day” and other high-dollar perks. “With just two broadcasts I have already sold enough music, stickers, hats, and other merch to profit well into the hundreds. This gives me an opportunity to sell directly to my fans, and earn money in a very difficult industry,” said Zayas-Luciano.
Comedian Aaron Haber is also testing the feature with an offer to sell a comedy course, his custom bowler hat, and other knick knacks included in his livestreams.


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American apparel imports in January 2020 fell 11.19 per cent in value and 10.72 per cent in volume. China’s apparel exports to the US fell 36 per cent. As China was the epicenter of the coronavirus, the country declared a lockdown in many provinces. This lockdown forced manufacturers to keep their factories closed. The New Year holidays also fell in January. Apparel shipments from Vietnam to the US increased 4.12 per cent. This decent growth coupled with China’s slump made Vietnam’s apparel exports to the US almost equivalent to that of China. Bangladesh’s apparel exports to the US jumped by 17 per cent. The growth is noteworthy for the country as it concluded 2019 with a stagnation in its exports to the US. India’s exports nosedived by 2.81 per cent. The biggest beneficiaries from Asia were Cambodia and Myanmar. Myanmar almost doubled its apparel exports to the US.
The impact of Coronavirus outbreak has been reflected in the US’ apparel imports in January 2020. The outbreak has severely impacted supply chains not just in China but in other major manufacturing hubs across the world as well. This is going to impact all manufactured goods as well as services.


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I always find it interesting to see which stories are “burning up” the charts at N4G. Typically it is something very fanboy’ish related, a price cut (see recent PS3 Slim junk), or maybe some nice T&A. One of today’s top items is an article about the new Cell processor in the newly announced PS3 Slim.
Sony has made some enhancements under the hood to boost its processing speed and power efficiency. The gaming console will carry an upgraded version of the Cell microprocessor, which is being jointly developed by IBM, Sony, and Toshiba.
The new chip has been manufactured using an advanced 45-nanometer manufacturing process, an IBM spokesman said. Based on IBM’s Power architecture, the chip delivers many performance improvements while drawing less power than earlier chips, IBM has said. The earlier console carried a Cell processor manufactured using the 65-nm process. IBM declined to provide the clock speed of the new Cell processor.
It’s smaller, it’s faster, it draws down less power, and it is cheaper to manufacture. Sounds like a winning combination, but it must be a very slow news day if this is the best we can get.


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After Facebook announced a plan to launch its cryptocurrency, Project Libra, government, consumer advocates, and banking industry officials expressed concern that the tech giant in particular, and crypto markets in general, will not be sufficiently regulated.
Though they foster faster, more efficient transactions, “fintech” companies also create new risks for consumers, either through self-inflicted missteps, cybersecurity vulnerabilities, or speed-of-light scams. These companies do not have the prudential standards of traditional banking and commerce, and they require supervision by regulatory bodies that can more rapidly adapt to them.
Some might think that state banking regulators do not have the tools and resources to do the job, compared to federal regulators. However, I believe state regulators are the best line of defense to protect consumers from risks in the financial marketplace. While homogeneous federal policies create laudable efficiencies, states are ideally suited to regulate fintech and protect consumers, for three primary reasons.
Historically, states have been the primary regulator for fintech, and the majority also provide oversight of non-traditional financial companies such as mortgage lenders, money transmitters, and consumer lending companies. The Pennsylvania Department of Banking & Securities has seen a lot of change in this area in the last 10 years and has been flexible in its response.
Before the financial crisis in 2008, Pennsylvania supervised around 40 money transmitter companies. The department now supervises more than 100, a 250 percent increase, largely due to internet-based companies transmitting funds without brick and mortar locations. To handle the surge without increasing staff and overhead, the department modernized off-site, electronic exams. This change reduced the regulatory burden on companies, as well as the time and expenses affiliated with an exam.
Because of the smaller scope, states are better able to find the balance between consumer protection and efficient markets. A strong, competitive marketplace is a necessary foundation for economic growth. Often, it is industry itself that seeks regulation to provide predictability and continuity.
Just as individuals and companies operating in the fintech space are laboratories of innovation, states as laboratories of democracy. They have direct and personal connections with their citizens, are able to grapple with myriad nuances within the fintech space, and can offer a front line of defense for consumers. In Pennsylvania, Mortgage Servicing Legislation, for example, leveled the playing field for the industry, brought uniformity with other states and the feds, and protected consumers. This is due entirely to our proximity to consumers and our responsiveness to concerns immaterial to federal regulators, but profoundly important to consumers.
The varied approach by states to best practices provides both diversity of thought and political resiliency. Long before “crowdsourcing” entered the lexicon, states have been doing exactly that on issues as varied as community policing, healthcare, education, and consumer financial protection. We listen to our stakeholders, formulate approaches, then compare and share best practices. State agencies collaborate on multi-state examinations, and the Nationwide Multistate Licensing System hosts a tool for regulators to share information with one another. Over time, states adopt policies that are more balanced than a single solution conceived by a lone administration. State policies can endure longer than federal solutions, which can change from term to term.
So, can states really do the necessary job of protecting consumers in the fintech space? In fact, states are already the primary regulator of some of the largest financial services firms in the world, including money-transmitters and mortgage servicers. What’s more, states are not subjective in their oversight but rather apply principle-based regulation that looks at the underlying activity.
The idea that states are static in their regulatory approach is misinformed and maligning. States constantly strive to balance statutory responsibilities, to protect consumers and strengthen the marketplace.
What state regulation lacks in efficiency it more than makes up for in both innovation and resiliency. We do this with the ultimate priority always in mind: consumer protection. The result is a robust and efficient marketplace that is safer for our citizens.


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Thanks to its Reddit-like system for surfacing news, Product Hunt has become one of the most important ways for tech startups to get noticed in Silicon Valley.
Negative reviews about your business can be quite scary. Here is a great article from Shopify about how to turn angry customers into happy and loyal ones
Trend driven innovation is helping Nestle adapt to new rules and standards around sugar while keeping the taste of their chocolate the same.
Fear and doubt can permeate even the greatest organizations. Here's how leaders can take action and use language to inspire, unite and protect.
Facebook and Instagram introduced new tools for users this week. Check out what they are and who else was making news in this week's small business news and information roundup.
On Black Friday we held a conversation with three ecommerce experts discussing how retailers can sell more during the holiday season.
A startup executive insists the right time to start giving back is now, and offers practical tips.
The famed Spotify lives in Stockholm.
Ryan Hoover, founder of the popular product discovery site, said the merger would accelerate the startup's growth.
Whether you're embracing the spirit of the season - or not - these 12 tips will help.
The way we try to protect ourselves with purchasing might do more harm than good.
You might just reach that 7-figure income with these habits.
The struggling blood testing company is seeing big changes in its leadership makeup.
Are you focused on acquiring new customers at the expense of customer retention? That's a big mistake. Here are 5 ways to keep customers coming back. The post 5 Steps to Improving Customer Retention appeared first on AllBusiness.com The post 5 Steps to Improving Customer Retention appeared first on AllBusiness.com. Click for more information about Rieva Lesonsky.
Millions of businesses participate in Small Business Saturday every year. If you participated, how were your 2016 Small Business Saturday results?
Very wealthy people dazzled by founder Elizabeth Holmes stampeded to invest huge sums. Now they want their money back.
resolutions, business owner, New Year, small business owner
As part of a Google-funded competition, Team Indus could be the first privately held company to make a landing.
Want more business? Then you need LinkedIn. It may not be as huge as Facebook, or as hip as Snapchat, but LinkedIn is the social network where business gets done. Here are a few stats to prove it: 80% of B2B leads come from LinkedInShow More Summary
Influencers may help, but many rent their followers and can't deliver results.


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Here’s the schedule of which stores will be open on Monday, Sept. 3rd for Labor Day.
San Diego Store: 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Orange County Store: Closed
Los Angeles Store: Closed
Denver Store: Closed
Have a great weekend!
Please note that all DVD Your Memories locations will be closed on Labor Day, Sept. 4, 2023


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Bitcoin's narrative is hard to pin down, but as with early internet stocks, real traction will come in time, cryptocurrency investing strategist Meltem Demirors told CNBC.
CNBC. Tue, 14 Aug 2018 01:19 GMT.
With the launch of its Innovation Summit this month, Red Bull is among the rising number of corporate companies investing in entrepreneurship.
By Haley Suh, Contributor. Forbes. Fri, 10 Aug 2018 14:03:00 -0400.
NEW ALBANY, Miss. (AP) - A refrigeration equipment maker is shifting some production to Mississippi from Wisconsin, investing $1 million at its northeast Mississippi plant with plans to hire 30 new workers. ...
Washington Times. Tue, 07 Aug 2018 18:50:45 -0400.
Munich Re , the world's biggest reinsurer, will stop investing in bonds and shares of companies that generate more than 30 percent of their sales with coal-related business, its chief executive said, caving to pressure from investors.
Reuters. Sun, 05 Aug 2018 14:49:48 -0400.
There's a reason why the rich stay rich. And with these tips, you can reach a higher financial status too. Here are some money moves you can use right now to help you score big in investing.
Yahoo. Fri, 03 Aug 2018 15:27:00 -0400.
The economy has been growing since March 2009, but some are skeptical that the expansion will continue. Experts offer advice for investing wisely in times of doubt.
Paul Sullivan. New York Times. Fri, 03 Aug 2018 18:10:35 GMT.
Nanotechnology encompasses research and development at molecular or atomic levels from 1 to 100 nanometers. Nanotechnology investment can reap big rewards for the prudent investor.


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Published: May 15, 2012
“It was all about the art,” commented auctioneer Diana Onyshkewych of Brookfield Auction in regard to the firm’s most recent sale that featured a cache of works that had descended from an artist’s estate. “We had people flying in for the auction and also had substantial interest from galleries from New York to the Northwest Coast for all of the Darrel Austin art,” she said. The auction included 80-plus items of Austin art and works executed by his wife, Margot Hester Austin.
While furniture was often sold at ho-hum prices during the April 28 auction, the art work from Oregon transplant Austin (1907‱994) carried the day. The artist had settled in New Fairfield, Conn., in 1944, where he lived out the remainder of his days and the artwork had passed to friends and then descended in that family.
“A lot of people had followed Austin’s career and had tracked the paintings over the years, but they lost the trail as they moved around within the family that consigned the works,” said Onyshkewych. “It was a lot of fun networking with galleries, having people flying in for the auction, watching it all unfold and watching all of the art sell for substantial prices,” she said.
Austin paintings have been exhibited at numerous prominent institutions around the country and one painting featured a MoMA exhibition label.
One buyer flew in from Florida for the auction, accompanied by other family members from around the country, and as a group they bought 37 of the 80-plus paintings by Austin that were offered. “They came with a truck and they filled it,” commented the auctioneer.
The top lot of the Darrel Austin oils was “The Dream,” depicting a naked man playing a flute, a naked woman dancing and a dog and another woman looking on under a full-moon sky. The Modernist night scene, executed in 1939, sold for $10,925.
The “Holy Family” by Austin depicted a naked family enshrined in heavenly light. It attracted a great deal of interest, selling to a phone bidder at $6,325. “Moonlit Serenade” depicted a seated male playing a musical interest for a nude woman reclining in front of him. Another nocturnal image with full moon, the painting went out at $5,175.
Several of the paintings by Darrel Austin realized $3,450, including “Four Bathers,” “Family Kite” and “The Courtship.”
Among the other artwork offered in the sale was an attractive landscape by Belgian artist Valerius de Saedeleer that sold at $5,750.
A Chinese bronze bowl with foo dog handles did well. The auction house discovered it among debris in a local estate and did not quite know what to make of it †authentic or a later production piece? “Something about it felt right,” said the auctioneer. Active bidding on the lot pushed the piece well past the $50 opening bid to $1,775. Also offered was a small collection of Oriental carved snuff bottles that sold reasonably, ranging from $230 to $460.
Another highlight of the auction was an Eighteenth Century German marquetry folding game board in walnut, satinwood and olivewood. Delicate carved ivory chess pieces were included with the lot and the consignor told of folk lore that indicated the set had once been gifted to German President Theodore Heuss. Several telephone bidders competed for the lot, estimated at $1/1,500, with it selling to one of them for $4,025. “It’s going back across the pond,” stated Onyshkewych.
Furniture was soft according to the auctioneer, with one disappointment for the auction house coming as an assembled set of six country Nineteenth Century chairs in original bright yellow paint and vibrant stencil decoration sold at only $115. “That was a ‘great’ buy,” said Onyshkewych.
All prices reported include the buyer’s premium.
For additional information, www.brookfieldauction.com or 203-448-8652.
5 Church Hill Road / Newtown, CT 06470
Mon - Fri / 8:00 am - 5:01 pm


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12/1/2009 4:31:00 PM
Virgin Media adds BlackBerry Curve 8520
Virgin Media has added the first BlackBerry to its range of pay-monthly handsets.
The Blackberry Curve 8520, which fits with the company’s move to high-end handsets, will be available on tariffs that include unlimited mobile Internet.
Existing Virgin Media customers will receive extra unlimited calls to other Virgin Media mobile phones, as the company looks to entice its existing base into its ‘quad play’ offering.
The BlackBerry Curve 8520 has a full-QWERTY keyboard and touch-sensitive trackpad as well as a two megapixel camera with video recording.
Virgin Media executive director of mobile, Graeme Oxby, said: ‘We are delighted to bring the popular BlackBerry brand to our ever-growing handset portfolio and believe it will be a big hit with our youthful audience.
‘With our range of competitive tariffs, we aim to provide customers with the perfect tool for keeping in touch with their family and friends while on the go.’


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Kendall Jenner is cashing in in a big, big way after attending the opening of the Tiffany and Co. store in Sydney on Thursday.
According to the Daily Telegraph, the reality TV star pocketed an astonishing $500,000 for appearing there. However, another industry insider said Kendall could have actually made more than a half million bucks.
"[$500,000] would be an under-estimate," the source told the Telegraph.
What makes it even more incredible is that Kendall, who posted several photos and videos from the event to her Instagram Story, was only in Australia for 24 hours, meaning she spent more time on the incoming and outgoing airplanes than she did in the city.
A likely jet-lagged Kendall, however, was all smiles at the event.
"There is a lot I love about Australia…the atmosphere reminds me of home," she told reporters while dressed in a feathered pink minidress.
Kendall, of course, isn't exactly hurting in the pocketbook. In 2018, Forbes named her the highest paid model of the year, raking in an estimated $22.5 million, nearly $10 million more than Karlie Kloss, her closest competition. Kendall was also named the highest paid model of 2017, which was especially significant as she topped Gisele Bundchen, who held the honor for 15 years.
Despite her half-million dollar payday on Thursday, her wealth lags far behind that of her billionaire younger sister, Kylie Jenner.


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Apple will start selling its fifth generation iPad – the iPad Air in India starting December 7, 2013. In a press release issued by the company’s distribution partner Ingram Micro they have also confirmed that the same day will also mark the debut of the second generation iPad Mini. Both these products were introduced on October 23 internationally and went on sale starting November 1.
The iPad Air is thinner and faster than the outgoing fourth generation iPad. It features a dual core Apple Cyclone processor running at 1.4 Ghz housed inside the A7 SoC. Graphics is handled by the PowerVR G6430 GPU. There is 1 GB of DDR3 RAM thrown in as well. The iPad Air would come in two versions – Wi-Fi only and Wi-Fi+ Cellular. Amongst these two variants, there would be choices for different capacity versions starting from the 16 GB version to the top of the line 128 GB variant. In India, Ingram Micro has revealed the price of the 16 GB version of the Wi-Fi only model would be Rs. 35,900. It would be initially made available in the much talked about silver and space grey colors. The iPad Mini on the other hand would be priced at Rs.28,900.
Apple is holding two simultaneous launch events at Delhi and Mumbai for those of you who are interested in getting the new iPads on the first day itself. To register for the events, you might want to visit http://indiaishop.in/air/register.php . In Delhi, the event is scheduled to be held at DLF Promenade, Vasant Kunj while in Mumbai, you would need to get to Phoenix Mills at Lower Parel to witness the event.


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LONDON — Europe, the IMF and automakers urged Donald Trump on Wednesday to step back from the brink of a trade war, after the resignation of his top economic adviser emboldened those encouraging him to push ahead with tariffs on imported steel and aluminum.
The departure of Gary Cohn, seen as a bulwark against Trump's economic nationalism and who had threatened to quit over the tariff plan, hit automaker stocks and the market in general, along with oil and the U.S. dollar on Wednesday, as investors saw an increased likelihood of tit-for-tat trade measures that would depress global growth.
Trump plans to impose a duty of 25 percent on steel and 10 percent on aluminum to counter cheap imports, especially from China, that he says undermine U.S. industry and jobs.
However, the largest importer of steel to the U.S. is Canada. And in addition to risking retaliatory measures against U.S. exports, the move further complicates efforts to save the North American Free Trade Area (NAFTA).
Automakers, caught in the crosshairs of any trade war, reiterated their concerns.
"Should we get tariff walls it would have an impact on jobs in the United States," Harald Krueger said at the Geneva car show.
"In a so-called trade war ... nobody wins, one generally finds losers on both sides," IMF chief Christine Lagarde said on Wednesday.
The International Monetary Fund head said Canada - the largest supplier of steel and aluminum to the United States - and Europe - whose car exports Trump has threatened to target - are both likely to impose retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods.
"If world trade were jeopardized by such measures, they would become a vector for lower growth and a slowdown of commerce. The impact on growth would be a formidable," Lagarde said.
On Tuesday Trump appeared ready for a trade war.
"When we're behind on every single country, trade wars aren't so bad," he said at a news conference with Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven who responded by saying: "I am convinced that increased tariffs hurt us all in the long run."
Automakers, business groups and farmers took their fight against Trump's proposed tariffs to Capitol Hill on Monday, betting that Republican lawmakers would stick to their traditional support for open trade, and potentially use legislative power to thwart Trump. Congress could try to attach language to the spending bill due late this month restricting his ability to impose tariffs.
In a flattening auto market, headlines about trade wars and tariffs could cause Americans to put off buying new vehicles, said Cody Lusk, president and chief executive of the American International Automobile Dealers Association.
"Everybody is reaching out to their allies on Capitol Hill just to make sure they are aware of what's at stake," Lusk said.
Administration officials in TV interviews over the weekend downplayed the impact on automakers, claiming tariffs would add only about $200 to the price of a vehicle -- a fraction of the average $35,000 sales price. However, Goldman Sachs said in a research report that the tariffs could depress General Motors and Ford's adjusted operating incomes by $1 billion each.
The European Union has drawn up a list of U.S. products — from bourbon to Harley Davidson motorbikes — on which to apply tariffs if Trump goes ahead.
"A trade war has no winners and if it does not happen, for the better, then we can work with our American friends and other allies on the core issue of this problem, overcapacity," European Commissioner for Trade Cecilia Malmstrom said.
"But if it does happen we will have to take measures to protect European jobs," she added, after a meeting in Brussels to discuss the retaliation strategy.
For those who fear a trade war, the candidates to replace Cohn as Trump's adviser do not bode well: Peter Navarro, the White House National Trade Council head who wrote a book called "Death by China: Confronting the Dragon — A Global Call to Action," and conservative commentator Larry Kudlow.
German Economy Minister Brigitte Zypries said: "I hope Trump changes his mind ... It's very important that there are advocates for this in the White House. That's why I'm worried about the latest signals coming from the USA."
Britain, keen to foster global trade relations as it prepares to leave the EU, said it was "very disappointed" by Trump's plan.
Reporrting by Robin Pomeroy


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Foster & Gallagher created an e-commerce division based on the early success of four Web sites it launched in 1998. John Deneen was promoted to director of the division, from marketing manager of Foster & Gallagher's Children's Group. Foster & Gallagher mails 13 million catalogs annually, including Breck's, The Popcorn Factory and Spring Hill Nurseries. The company plans to launch at least four more Web sites this year.
David Walker, 45, was tapped as president of Royal Mail U.S., New York, the U.S. subsidiary of the British Post Office. He previously was director of the Branded Markets Business Center at Post Office Counters Ltd., the retail division of the British Post Office. Mr. Walker succeeds Chris Powell, who becomes VP-global sales development, Royal Mail International, London.
OgilvyOne Worldwide opened a Tokyo office last week, the direct marketing agency's 69th location. Midori Kaneko becomes managing director of OgilvyOne


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To say that T-Mobile’s CEO John Legere is a different sort of CEO than the mobile industry has seen in some time would be putting it mildly. Gone are the stuffy suits and standard industry talk and in is the trash-talking, sport-coat wearing John Legere.
His time spent at Global Crossing as CEO minted his belief that things she look cheap and be cheap, a philosophy he is planning to bring to T-Mobile. Much to the chagrin of his employees, Legere has already swapped out free soda for vending machines in the company’s corporate HQ, frozen merit-based pay increases and eliminated the free phone program for long-term employees.
Turning T-Mobile around is a tall order, no matter what the CEO is wearing, saying or slashing, it is an uphill battle no matter how you cut it. However, Legere acknowledges that he’s trying to bring attention to the company as the uncarrier, even growing his hair out and trading the standard suit for t-shirts to differentiate himself from the heads of the other major carriers.
T-Mobile’s strategy may be to offer cheaper, contract-free wireless service and Legere’s philosophy of cost-cutting and penny-pinching appears to fit right in with that strategy. However, even in a post-MetroPCS world and now at 43 million customers strong, T-Mobile remains a far cry away from the 100 million customer base of both AT&T and Verizon.
With regulatory agencies all but stating openly they want four national carriers in the marketplace and Dish making an offer for Sprint, T-Mobile will still need another partner(s) to solidify their competitive position.
For his part, Legere says consolidation is both “necessary and inevitable” and that T-Mobile will take part in some of that consolidation. In the meantime, Legere will continue to trash-talk the competition and work to change the mindset of the American consumer with T-Mobile’s UNcarrier and Simple Choice approach to the wireless market.
“The best way to get somebody interested in you is to scare the c— out of them by being better,” he said.


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Sanjeev Goyle has been appointed executive VP 2W business of Piaggio India
Former senior vice president, marketing at Mahindra and Mahindra, Sanjeev Goyle has been appointed as the executive vice president (2W business) of Piaggio Vehicles Pvt. Ltd. He has also previously worked with LML for five years. Ravi Chopra is the president of Piaggio Vehicles.
Sanjeev will be reporting to Stefano Pelle, the CEO for Piaggio Vehicles. Stefano joined the company in October last year. At the India Bike Week 2015, the Piaggio group formally introduced its Aprilia and Moto Guzzi brands. Aprilia had on display the RSV4 Factory, Shiver and Caponord Rally on display while Moto Guzzi had California 1400 Touring LE, Griso SE, V7 Stone and V7 Racer motorcycles.
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ABE’S Bagel Bakery launches Bagel Crisps range in Australia
New Zealand based baked goods manufacturer ABE’S Bagel Bakery has launched a range of bagel crisps in Australia.
ABE’S Bagel Bakery said its bagel crisps range “boast 60 per cent less fat than traditional potato chips, contain no artificial colours, flavours and preservatives”, and are “free of cholesterol and MSG”.
The bagel crisps range is available in three flavours – Marlborough Sea Salt, Roasted Garlic, and Caramelised Onion and Balsamic Vinegar. The Company said the product was “a heavenly match” with popular dips such as Guacamole, Hummos or Pesto.
ABE’s Bagel Bakery was founded in New Zealand in 1996, and first entered the Australian market in February 2008.
ABE’S Bagel Crisps come in three delicious flavours: Marlborough Sea Salt, Roasted Garlic, and Caramelised Onion & Balsamic Vinegar and are available now in the premium snack aisle at Coles and Woolworths supermarkets with a RRP of $3.29. The range will also be available from October 2014 Costco supermarkets and November 2014 IGA supermarkets.
Helga’s is now selling a wholemeal gluten free bread loaf in Australian supermarkets.
Brumby’s Bakery has launched a new winter sourdough bread range.
Oporto is now selling sweet premium sweet potato buns to accompany its burgers.
A new sweetener called Skinny Sugar is now available in Australian supermarkets.
Coca-Cola South Pacific has launched a new dessert inspired flavoured milk range under its Barista B...
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DARRELL LEA’S upward trajectory since its 2012 collapse is gathering further momentum with its recen...


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New Jersey's highest court has agreed to consider whether restaurants that don't list beer, wine or mixed-drink prices on their menus are violating state consumer laws.
Separate class action suits contend that T.G.I. Friday's and the parent company of Carabba's Italian Grill violated the New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act and the Truth in Consumer Contract, Warranty and Notice Act.
T.G.I. Friday's has restaurants in Hackensack, Ramsey and Wayne. Carabba's nearest eatery to Bergen or Passaic is in Secaucus.
According to the New Jersey Law Journal, the state Supreme Court will also consider whether charging different prices depending on what part of the restaurant a customer buys it is also a violation .
The cases will draw widespread interest, given the potential effect the justices' decision could have on consumer rights in New Jersey.
Dugan v. T.G.I. Friday's Inc. asks:
“Is class certification appropriate in this action where plaintiffs allege that defendant violated the Consumer Fraud Act (N.J.S.A. 56:8-1 to -184) and the Truth-in-Consumer Contract, Warranty, and Notice Act (N.J.S.A. 56:12-14 to -18) by failing to include drink prices on its menu?”
Debra Dugan alleges that she didn't learn the cost of her drink until she got the check during one visit -- then paid $2 for a beer at the bar but was charged $3.59 when she later ordered one from a table in the restaurant.
Another complainant said he found prices of $7.19 and $8.20 for drinks "a little steep" after he claims a waitress told him they were seven dollars each.
T.G.I. Friday’s contended that the franchisees who own more than half of its restaurants in New Jersey have the option of price-listing drinks.
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Starting today, Samsung Galaxy smartphone users will have the option to use Samsung Wallet, a brand new platform that brings together Samsung Pass to hold digital keys, boarding passes, identification cards, credit cards, loyalty and membership cards, and more.
For reference, Samsung Pass stores passwords and verifies user identities using biometric data for things such as apps and services, while Samsung SmartThings is used to control IoT smart home devices, and Samsung Blockchain Wallet holds crypto. Samsung Wallet conveniently brings together all of these platforms.
Most importantly perhaps, is that Samsung Wallet uses Samsung Knox as one of its main security and protection layers. This is very critical to the continued use of security-sensitive applications such as the (aforementioned) Samsung Pass. Samsung Pass also works for digital automobile keys, particularly on select BMW, Genesis, and Hyundai car models.
In fact, Samsung Wallet is slated to add even more supported car models on the platform in the near future, so look out for additional automaker partnerships for the platform as it starts rolling out new updates.
In addition to combining already available Samsung ecosystem services, Samsung Wallet is also planning to add more features that would further enhance its convenience as an all-in-one platform. Later this year, for example, it will begin supporting official IDs, such as driver’s licenses and student IDs. Other important documentation as of late, such as proof of COVID-19 vaccination, will also be securely stored in a Galaxy user’s Samsung Wallet.
Samsung Wallet is now available in at least six countries— France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States. To access the platform, simply open any of the Samsung apps that you previously used. The interface will then provide the steps needed for your Galaxy device to migrate into the Samsung Wallet system.


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Here’s how to test if Dolby Atmos is working on your soundbar
Hisense has announced a new Amazon Fire TV screen that it hopes Xbox Series X and PS5 gamers will love.
Seems Samsung and LG Display can’t reach a deal over the cost of LG’s OLED panels — and that could be problematic for the launch of Samsung's OLED TVs.
With the ideal blend of durability, picture quality and smart features, the SunBriteTV Veranda 3 is the best outdoor TV you can buy right now.
Sunbrite’s newest outdoor TV has the specs to go toe-to-toe with Samsung’s The Terrace — and it's a bit cheaper, too.
Amazon is offering one of the best Memorial Day TV deals so far — the excellent LG C1 OLED TV has been slashed by $700.
Amazon just slashed this Editor's Choice 4K QLED TV by $300 — don't miss this excellent early Memorial Day deal.
Undefeated hype challenges for the gold in the Canelo vs Bivol live stream. Here's everything you need to know to watch it online.
The Tom's Guide Awards honor the best products in tech, home, fitness and more. Nominations are open, here's how to enter.
Samsung's Mother's Day sale is live with big savings on tablets, Samsung buds, Galaxy smartphones, and more.
Sony A95K QD-OLED TV price and availability has been revealed. Here's how much Sony's first QD-OLED TV costs and when it'll arrive.
Sony's 2022 TV lineup includes a QD-OLED set, better Bravia XR processing, the company's first Mini LED TV and updates across 4K OLED sets.
All of the hype is behind the Taylor vs Serrano live stream. Here's everything you need to know to watch it online.
VPN If you're outside the US, you might be looking for a way to watch NBC live – here's our full rundown on how to get access wherever you are.
The PS5 and Xbox Series X aren't the media players I expected — thanks to a very odd Dolby Vision flaw.
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Everything you need to watch 90 Day Fiancé season 9 online with info on release date, cast and trailer.
Watch the Grand National live stream to view the biggest event on the British horse racing calendar wherever you are.
Our TV buying guide shows you which TV features and specs are most important, and how to buy the right size TV for your expectations and budget.


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https://www.wineintelligence.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Covid2.jpg 756 756 Courtney Abernathy https://www.wineintelligence.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/logo5.png Courtney Abernathy2020-10-01 10:16:432020-10-07 11:08:58Wine consumer trends in the Covid-19 era led by increased wine drinking
In many key markets, wine continues to be a ‘beneficiary’ of lockdown and restrictions, with consumers increasingly enjoying wine across a broader range of at-home occasions and the US market standing out as a key beneficiary market.
https://www.wineintelligence.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/germany-shopper.jpg 756 756 Courtney Abernathy https://www.wineintelligence.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/logo5.png Courtney Abernathy2020-10-01 09:56:152020-10-07 11:08:30Online wine shopping continues to increase in Germany
German wine drinkers are drinking wine more frequently and – in line with global trends – shopping more online for wine, especially younger consumers The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the German wine market and consumers’ wine consumption…
- Broader demand for ‘local’ during the pandemic continues to impact imported wine
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