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|By PR Newswire||
|February 25, 2013 02:00 AM EST||
-- Plug-and-Play Development Platform Enables Java Developers Worldwide to Prototype, Build and Launch M2M Applications --
BARCELONA, Spain, Feb. 25, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Qualcomm Incorporated (NASDAQ: QCOM), and Deutsche Telekom today announced that an Internet of Everything (IoE) development platform, based on Qualcomm Technologies' Gobi™ QSC6270-Turbo chipset, will be made available by Deutsche Telekom to application developers in Europe and worldwide. With support for Oracle Java ME Embedded 3.2 available, this IoE development platform is intended to target developers looking to create the next generation of machine-to-machine (M2M) and IoE applications. Deutsche Telekom is already accepting pre-orders for the IoE development platform on its M2M Marketplace (https://marketplace.m2m.telekom.com), and plans to start shipping these development platforms from the second quarter of 2013.
The IoE development platform has been designed to support rapid prototyping, testing and deployment of cellular-enabled IoE applications. By exposing the application processing power of Qualcomm Technologies' QSC6270-Turbo chipset and allowing developers to write and execute applications directly on the modem chipset, the IoE development platform helps enable additional intelligence and functionality to be added in the end device, along with cellular connectivity.
Deutsche Telekom will utilize the IoE development platform to help accelerate innovation amongst its M2M Developer Community in its quest to enable end-to-end M2M solutions. Oracle Java ME Embedded provides a horizontal platform, and Java technology boasts a community of over 9 million experienced developers worldwide with experience across the broad range of IoE verticals. Deutsche Telekom will make the IoE development platform available with SIM cards from Deutsche Telekom and its portfolio of operators, providing developers with large-scale access to cellular connectivity for their applications.
"The M2M market needs horizontal solutions, from the cellular connectivity enabled by Qualcomm Technologies' chipsets to the Java programming environment, and they come together nicely in this IoE development platform being launched," said Thomas Kiessling, chief product and innovation officer at Deutsche Telekom. "From first glance, we knew that this piece of hardware would become an important part of our global efforts to grow the M2M ecosystem and market."
"Oracle realizes that creating the next wave of Internet-connected devices is just a starting point, but that the real opportunity is in enabling these devices to become a part of a larger and vastly more intelligent system of collecting, processing and acting on data," said Judson Althoff, senior vice president, Worldwide Alliances and Channels, Oracle. "We are pleased to work with Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. and Deutsche Telekom to make this IoE development platform a tool that Java developers worldwide can use to create cellular connected device-to-data center applications that are the next big business opportunity."
"Qualcomm Technologies' vision of the Internet of Everything involves more than simply enabling devices with cellular connectivity; it is about bringing our industry-leading mobile device technologies to fuel innovation in new verticals," said Kanwalinder Singh, senior vice president of business development, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. "We are pleased that Deutsche Telekom and Oracle share our vision that IoE development platforms, such as this platform based on the QSC6270-Turbo chipset, can help solve the needs of developers and customers across industries and geographies, and accelerate the IoE market."
For more information and to see a demonstration of this latest IoE development platform, please visit Qualcomm Technologies during MWC 2013 (Exhibit Hall 3 #3B64), February 25-28 in Barcelona, Spain or visit www.qualcomm.com/IoE. For more information on Deutsche Telekom's M2M solutions, please visit Deutsche Telekom during MWC 2013 (Exhibit Hall 3 #C114), February 25-28 in Barcelona, Spain or visit www.telekom.com/m2m
About Qualcomm Incorporated
Qualcomm Incorporated (NASDAQ: QCOM) is the world leader in 3G, 4G and next-generation wireless technologies. Qualcomm Incorporated includes Qualcomm's licensing business, QTL, and the vast majority of its patent portfolio. Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Qualcomm Incorporated, operates, along with its subsidiaries, substantially all of Qualcomm's engineering, research and development functions, and substantially all of its products and services businesses, including its semiconductor business, QCT. For more than 25 years, Qualcomm ideas and inventions have driven the evolution of digital communications, linking people everywhere more closely to information, entertainment and each other. For more information, visit Qualcomm's website, OnQ blog, Twitter and Facebook pages.
About Deutsche Telekom
Deutsche Telekom is one of the world's leading integrated telecommunications companies with more than 131 million mobile customers, 33 million fixed-network lines and over 17 million broadband lines (as of September 30, 2012). The Group provides fixed-network, mobile communications, Internet and IPTV products and services for consumers, and ICT solutions for business and corporate customers. Deutsche Telekom is present in some 50 countries and has over 230,000 employees worldwide. The Group generated revenue of EUR 58.7 billion in the 2011 financial year – over half of it outside Germany (as of December 31, 2011).
About Deutsche Telekom M2M Competence Center
Machine-to-Machine communication – short M2M – is a strategic priority for Deutsche Telekom in the coming years. According to the OECD, the number of connected devices will rise tenfold from 5 billion today to 50 billion by 2020. Deutsche Telekom has positioned itself as a leading provider of cross-industry M2M solutions and offers its customers in cooperation with competent partners complete solutions from a single source.
More information at: www.telekom.com/m2m
Qualcomm and Gobi are trademarks of Qualcomm Incorporated, registered in the United States and other countries. All Qualcomm Incorporated trademarks are used with permission. Other products or brand names may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.
Tina Asmar, Corporate Communications
Email: [email protected]
Warren Kneeshaw, Investor Relations
Email: [email protected]
Deutsche Telekom AG Contact:
Phone: +49 (0) 228 181 – 4949
E-mail: [email protected]
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KOCHI: The marine food export sector is beset with challenges of a depreciating dollar and the antidumping duty imposed by the US department of commerce on shrimp imports from India.
The industry clocked 16% rise in exports at Rs 8,363 crore in 2006-07 against the previous year, but now the next wave of growth will come with identifying new species of seafood as well as exploring new export markets. Exporters are looking for signals from the government that would boost cultivation of new species and address concerns on declining catch and low capacity utilisation at processing plants.
"The industry is passing through a period of crisis owing to shortage of raw materials, the depreciation of the US dollar and anti-dumping duty imposed by the US department of commerce," said Seafood Exports Association of India former president AJ Tharakan at a recent conference.
As declining catch and stagnating aquaculture lead to low capacity utilisation in processing plants, the sector is in dire need of a total turnaround. The reduction of interest cost for pre- and post-shipment finance, removal of service tax and extension of DEPB benefits are some steps that may augur well for the industry in the current juncture. Shrimp continues to be the major item in the export basket, contributing to 55% of the total value of seafood exports followed by frozen fish (17%) and frozen cuttlefish (9%).
Shrimp production has been stagnating at 1,50,000 tonne over the past few years. On the other hand, other Asian countries like Vietnam, China and Thailand have been increasing their production by switching over to a new species called vannamei. The Indian exporters have also been facing a fall in the price of the black tiger variety of shrimps.

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British supermarket rebrands fish to spare blushes
LONDON (AFP) - A British supermarket has rebranded a fish after shoppers said they were embarrassed to ask for it by name, it said Monday. The humble pollack will be sold by Sainsbury's as "colin" -- pronounced "co-lan," and French for the closely-related hake -- with a limited edition in packaging inspired by abstract expressionist artist Jackson Pollock.
"It seems daft that pollack isn't more popular, particularly when it's readily available off our own coast, tastes great and is cheaper than cod," said designer Wayne Hemingway, founder of clothes company Red or Dead who designed the packaging.
"Image really is everything; so to help colin stand out on-shelf we've used bold, bright colours and a design that is cheekily inspired by another well-known pollack."
To an English ear, "pollack" sounds unfortunately like a slang word for testicles, as well being close to two other words used as insults, one of them racist.
Sainsbury's environment manager Alison Austin said the rebranding initiative would also help protect dwindling stocks of other fish which are more typically eaten as part of Britain's famous fish and chips culture.
"We want to help highlight that there are species to eat other than cod and haddock, which are just as tasty and often cheaper," she told the Guardian daily.
"Many people have said that they can't even tell the difference in taste between cod or pollack, so we urge everyone to try 'colin and chips' on a Friday," she added. Fish is traditionally eaten on a Friday for reasons originally linked to Catholicism.
Sainsbury's said sales of pollack are tiny compared to those of more mainstream fish cod and haddock -- in March it sold just 3,947 units, compared to 52,904 of cod and 98,722 of haddock.http://ca.yahoo.com/s/880530


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The sale of port facilities to Dubai World Ports, a government-owned company in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), has sparked an outcry that now threatens America’s free trade agenda. Legitimate concern over the sale has led Congress to review the oversight of foreign direct investment in the U.S. Some in Congress, however, would move beyond that inquiry and use national security concerns as an excuse to erect barriers to trade. Their proposals include halting free trade negotiations with the UAE, requiring annual congressional certification of existing trade agreements, and subjecting major foreign investments to congressional approval.
Protectionism of this sort is no way to boost national security. In fact, it would do the opposite. Protectionism would endanger U.S. prosperity — the cornerstone of security — strain relationships with important allies in the war on terrorism, and make it more difficult to use trade as a tool to spread American values and bolster U.S. interests. A successful strategy for improving national security must include free trade and investment.
Free Trade and Free Markets
A strong economy, bolstered by free trade, is a pillar of national defense. The Bush Administration’s 2002 National Security Strategy correctly identifies "free trade and free markets" as the keys to a secure America and necessary components of our national security strategy. As pointed out in the U.S. National Security Strategy: "Economic growth supported by free trade and free markets creates new jobs and higher incomes. It allows people to lift their lives out of poverty, spurs economic and legal reforms, and the fight against corruption, and it reinforces the habits of liberty."
Last week, U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Rob Portman re-emphasized this point by warning that "canceling this port deal would be contrary" to U.S. beliefs that fighting terrorism means promoting policies that create "opportunities for people to improve their lives and the lives of their families." The opportunity to promote economic freedom in the UAE through free markets and free trade should not be sacrificed in the current debate on the port deal.
Economic freedom, of which free trade is a major component, leads to faster economic growth and improved standards of living. According to The Heritage Foundation’s Index of Economic Freedom,countries with freer trade policies experience higher per-capita GDP growth than countries that maintain trade barriers. Countries that opened their trade policies between 1995 and 2004 saw their per-capita GDP grow at an average compound rate of 2.5 percent. Countries whose trade policies were unchanged experienced an average compound growth rate of 2.1 percent in per capita GDP. Finally, countries that increased their barriers to trade managed only a 1.8 percent average compound growth rate.
These results support the 9/11 Commission’s recommendation that "a comprehensive U.S. strategy to counter terrorism should include economic policies that encourage development, more open societies, and opportunities for people to improve the lives of their families and to enhance prospects for their children’s future."
Consistent with the 9/11 Commission’s recommendations, the Administration authorized the negotiation of a free trade agreement with the UAE in 2004 as part of President Bush’s plan to create a Middle East Free Trade Area (MEFTA) by 2013. This move enjoyed broad bipartisan support at the time of the Administration’s initial consultations with Congress. Last month, the USTR announced that it intends to resume free trade talks with the UAE in March.
This move is about far more than just trade. America’s free trade agreements (FTAs) go beyond winning lower tariffs on U.S. agriculture, manufacturing, and services exports. FTAs contain provisions that safeguard investors from discrimination and uncompensated expropriation of property, increase regulatory transparency and eliminate excessive red tape, protect and enforce intellectual property rights, combat corruptive practices, insure nondiscriminatory government procurement, protect labor rights, and strengthen environmental protection. The USTR negotiates agreements that include transparent dispute resolution and arbitration mechanisms to guarantee that the agreements are upheld, along with the rights of U.S. firms and consumers.
Each element of an FTA strengthens the transparent and efficient flow of goods, services, and investments between member countries. FTAs open markets, protect investors, and increase economic opportunity and prosperity. In short, FTAs serve to promote U.S. interests, not weaken them.
A U.S.-UAE FTA would strengthen the spirit of entrepreneurship in the UAE and lead to new economic opportunities there. Economic liberalization, as well as economic and democratic development, would benefit immensely, and with it, a variety of U.S. interests. In every possible way, negotiating an FTA with the UAE makes sense for America.
A Partner and an Ally
The UAE is one of the more open and dynamic economies of the Middle East and is the world’s third most active re-export center, after Hong Kong and Singapore. The 2006 Index of Economic Freedom scores the UAE as "mostly free," a strong score for the Middle East. In 2005, the UAE was the U.S.’s third-largest trading partner in the Middle East, behind Israel and Saudi Arabia. The U.S. exported almost $8.5 billion in goods to the UAE, making the country the 21st most important destination for American goods. As well, the UAE is a staunch supporter of U.S. interests in Iraq and Afghanistan and in America’s war against terrorism.
This relationship could be stronger still. Free trade talks with the UAE should aim at encouraging reforms that will promote economic freedom. The UAE’s economy is still shackled by a restrictive foreign investment regime and interventionist government policies. Such regulations are often restrictive and nontransparent. Tariffs on agricultural products, a ban on U.S. beef, and barriers against foreign entry into the UAE’s service sector combine to keep elements of its economy well protected from competition. Removing these barriers would unblock inflows of investment and bolster economic opportunity, leading to the diversification of the UAE’s economy and greater economic prosperity.
America’s national defense is Congress’s chief responsibility; considering the potential security risks of a proposed sale of U.S. assets to a foreign firm is legitimate. However, this is no reason to backslide into protectionism, which would actually harm America’s security interests. Improving the transparency of its oversight process may be appropriate; provoking a new wave of anti-trade policy is not.
By supporting the countries of the Middle East as they expand their trading and investment relationships with the U.S., the Administration provides a concrete and mutually beneficial path to enhance opportunity and hope in this critical region. That is no threat at all to national security.


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“This is our last chance. If we don’t seize it, Japan will be left out,” declared Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Able in a televised address last Friday, calling for his country’s support in joining the U.S. and 10 other parties in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations.
The American Chemistry Council is among several business groups that would welcome Japan to the TPP talks. Here are 3 reasons why.
A robust, agile U.S. trade agenda is essential to U.S. economic expansion and job growth. That’s why ACC supports a high-standard, comprehensive, and ambitious TPP that would eliminate remaining chemical tariffs on entry into force, reduce non-tariff barriers, and address commercially strategic trade issues such as trade facilitation and regulatory coherence.
The global market for chemistry is intensely competitive, and the advancement of comprehensive and commercially meaningful free trade agreements such as the TPP would provide a significant boost for U.S. chemical manufacturers, which are already amongst the most competitive in the world thanks to increased supplies of low cost shale gas.
American chemistry is also one of the nation’s largest exporting sectors, with nearly $189 billion in exports in 2012, accounting for 12 percent of all U.S exports.
Science is essential to understanding the world’s most pressing challenges and to overcoming them.
A first-of-its-kind, leading economic indicator that helps anticipate and highlight potential trends in other industries in the U.S.


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THE closure of car manufacturing plants will not kill Australia’s auto industry, according to a new report from Auto Sills Australia.
The industry is instead predicted to grow as the research reveals a national shortage of 21,175 workers in key skills areas of the car industry.
Light vehicle mechanics and panel beaters account for more than 50 per cent of the shortage and as the number of cars owned by Australians grow more than 400,000 each year, they will continue to be in high demand.
“Our report shows that employment gains within car and parts wholesaling, repair and maintenance and tyre retailing has more than compensated for declines in employment within car and component manufacturing,” says Mr Geoff Gwilym, CEO of Auto Skills Australia.
“Even before the announcement of the car manufacturer closures, the retail, service and repairs sector comprised 87 per cent of Australia’s automotive industry,” Mr Gwilym said.
“So while manufacturing is facing tough times, retail, services and repairs represents the biggest part of the industry and it’s searching for workers to maintain the nation’s growing vehicle fleet.”
For those who have lost jobs, Mr Gwilym said the expected growth in caravan manufacturing may see jobs available for Ford, Holden and Toyota workers. But upskilling is another possibility.
Phillip Murphy, from automotive training at Kangan Institute, said he is already seeing manufacturing workers being re-skilled to take up new jobs in areas of high demand.
“A number are currently being retrained in the automotive and engineering industries,” he said.
“Their skills can be transferable across multiple sectors.”
And with high demand for workers, both men are also keen to see more younger Australians entering the industry.
“Parents prefer their kids to have a white collar job, but there are millionaire mechanics out there,” said Mr Murphy.
“The focus for higher education has been on university,” Mr Gwilym said.
“But trades should be considered a viable option to help the country build its domestic skills.”


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Act will mean motorway services and large petrol retailers have to install electric car chargers in support of EV rollout
Electric car chargers are set to become a more common sight on UK highways and motorways in near future, after the Automated and Electric Vehicles Act became law earlier today. The Act gives government...
All the latest green business news from around the world
UK survey of 7-17 year-olds also highlights concern their views are not listened to by policymakers on climate change and environmental issues
Is Tesla emulating Silicon Valley in its ability to catalyse an entire network of highly innovative clean tech companies?
Tech giant kicks off major new campaign designed to promote new wave of ultra-efficient smart technologies


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These 11 Little-Known Startups Have iPhone Apps That Are Making Gobs Of Cash
Last week, Funzio became a $350 million company when it raised $50 million from investors.
Many of us in the office had never heard of Funzio. But we looked in the App Store and realized two of its games were in the list of the 25 Top Grossing Apps.
We scrolled through the other top grossing apps and found some small companies making games that are going gangbuster.
One company is grossing $1 million per month from a single app.
The next OMGPOP could be one of these.
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£400 worth of shoes a woman never wears
It's not just the Victoria Beckhams of this world who can't resist a new pair of heels – however unsuitable.
New shoes?: The average British female owns 20 pairs
Almost every woman has a collection of shoes which will never see the light of day, research suggests.
While the average British female owns 20 pairs, 11 of those pairs – worth a probable total of £400 – will remain tucked away in the wardrobe awaiting the right occasion that never comes.
Despite leaving over half of their footwear to gather dust, most women will continue to fuel their shoe addiction, splashing out on an additional eight new pairs a year.
Nearly a third (31%) of 3,000 woman surveyed even admitted forking out on shoes that were the wrong size, just because they liked them.
According to the study by Co-operative Insurance, the average spend on a pair of shoes is £36, so eight pairs a year would cost £288.
However, 10% of those polled admitted to an annual spend of at least £600 a year.
There is a simple explanation, according to the behavioural psychologist Jo Hemmings, author of the book Shoes and Shopping.
'Shoes hold all sorts of promise and expectation,' she said.
'They can transform an outfit, lengthen legs and make us taller and appear slimmer and most of all they are so forgiving. We may put on a few extra pounds, but our shoes will always fit us!'
More than a third of women (37%) told the survey that they buy shoes to cheer themselves up.
Other reasons are to go with a new outfit (52%), to stay on trend (18%) and to fuel a shoe obsession (10%).
Lee Mooney, head of home insurance at the Cooperative, said: 'It's staggering to think about how much the average woman's shoe collection could be worth.
'Whereas a few decades ago shoes may have been considered an indulgent purchase, it's now the norm to spend a considerable amount of money on them every year.'
According to the research most women will wear a pair of shoes for three years before binning them, although more than a fifth can't bear to part with their beloved footwear, with as many as 21% admitting that they never throw old shoes away.
While more than half of women (55%) keep their precious purchases stored safely in their wardrobe, one in five admits to keeping them in the living room, scattered around the house or even in the car.


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John Lewis is deploying a cloud computing-based appointment booking system across all its department stores.
The new TOA Technologies system is part of a wider project aimed at offering customers greater flexibility, and will provide John Lewis with a unified way of booking and scheduling its mobile workforce.
Adrian Riley, project manager for home furnishings measure and fit at John Lewis, said, "We chose TOA because its cloud-based solution can be deployed within our existing project timeframe."
The TOA system will make it easier for John Lewis to schedule customer appointments with its mobile workforce, regardless of where the customer is located or which shop the appointment is booked through. The system deployed supports real-time changes to schedules.
The system will initially be used across all 28 John Lewis department stores to provide them with a nationwide view of appointments. It will eventually be extended to support online bookings on the company's website, and appointments arranged through John Lewis' smaller format 'at home' shops.
The platform is scheduled to be in place in all stores by November 2011.


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LOS ANGELES, Jan. 24, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- In the game of love, sex wins. That is, at least, true for the 90 percent of American men who said that sex is the No. 1 thing they would be excited to receive for Valentine's Day this year. But American women have other ideas: They rank a romantic dinner, a weekend getaway, flowers or chocolate over sex.
This comes as part of a new survey by Swagbucks, a rewards- and loyalty-program company operated by Prodege, LLC, that examined the top gifts people want to give and receive for Valentine's Day this year. The national survey of 2,000 U.S. adults was conducted online by Prodege in January 2019.
Baby, Turn the Lights Down Low
The No. 1 gift people are planning to give? A romantic dinner, with both men (92 percent) and women (90 percent) selecting this as their top choice. Sex is a close second: 81 percent of men and 79 percent of women plan to "share the love" this Valentine's Day.
What else is on the gift list?
Men will be giving:
- Flowers — 81%
- Chocolate — 76%
- Jewelry — 61%
Women will be giving:
- Chocolate — 61%
- Weekend Getaway — 55%
- Clothes — 55%
The survey also found that three-quarters of Americans hope to receive something in return for their gift. Almost half (46 percent) are looking forward to sex, followed by a gift or dinner.
Just a Small Token of My Love
The vast majority of Americans (87 percent) agree that Valentine's Day is not when they spend the most money on their significant other, and few will be breaking the bank:
- $50 to $99 — 25%
- $25 to $49 — 22%
- $100 to $149 — 20%
They're also not expecting to receive elaborate gifts: 26 percent expect a gift costing $50 to $99 and 25 percent expect a gift in the $25 to $49 range. Almost half (49 percent) don't care if they receive a gift that cost less than the one they purchased.
"It's interesting to see how Americans choose to celebrate this romantic holiday," said Chuck Davis, CEO and chairman of Prodege, LLC. "Swagbucks recognizes the importance of rewarding moments, and we're happy to help our members earn a little extra to help celebrate in whatever way will be most meaningful to them."
Valentine's Day celebrators can use Swagbucks Local to find deals and cash back on local restaurant outings across the US. Shoppers can also earn Swagbucks on all their purchases from a wide selection of popular retailers through the Swagbucks site or by downloading the SwagButton.
Swagbucks.com is the web's most popular rewards program that gives you free gift cards and cash for the everyday things you already do online. Earn points when you shop at your favorite retailers, watch entertaining videos, search the web, answer surveys and find great deals. Redeem points for gift cards to your favorite retailers like Amazon and Walmart, or get cash back from PayPal.
Swagbucks has already paid out more than $300 million in cash and free gift cards. Headquartered in El Segundo, California, Swagbucks is owned by Prodege, LLC, a leading internet and media company that operates multiple customer engagement brands.
About Prodege, LLC
Prodege is an internet and media company that is dedicated to creating rewarding moments for its members. Prodege is comprised of three consumer brands — Swagbucks, MyPoints and ShopAtHome — which deliver engaging content and valuable rewards to more than 60 million members. Our family of consumer loyalty websites and mobile apps rewards members with free gift cards or cash for the everyday things they are already doing online — like shopping, searching the web, watching videos and sharing opinions. Prodege's complementary suite of business solutions helps brands boost engagement with consumers by making it easy to gather insights, listen to their audience and gain further exposure to drive brand loyalty. Visit www.prodege.com for more information.


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They many be comfy, but they may also be bad your feet. Crocs, which started out as “boater-floaters for Jimmy Buffett types in Florida,” shouldn’t be your everyday go-to shoe according to podiatrists the Huffington Post spoke with.
While the rubber clogs offer “nice arch support,” they fail when it comes to securing your heal. That can lead to tendinitis, toe deformities, nail problems, corns and calluses and other weird foot issues. So, if you wear them every day, you’ll feet may end up looking as unattractive as Crocs do.
Chicago Podiatrist Dr. Megan Leahy says this goes for all backless shoes, including flip-flops.
The floating clogs have a flexible shank, which is the supportive piece between the heel and toe. This flexibility can lead to foot pain, according to President of the American Academy of Podiatric Sports Medicine Dr. Alex Kor.
“The only two types of patients that may benefit from wearing Crocs are patients that have a very high arch or those who suffer from excessive edema of their legs and ankle,” Kor told Huffington Post. “But, under no circumstances can I suggest wearing Crocs 8 to 10 hours per day.”
More than 300 million pairs of Crocs have been sold in 90 countries.
Source: Huffington Post
Photo: The Hearty Soul


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This week the folks at Netflix are speaking at CES 2016 about how their success is based in gadgets and remote controls. Believe it or not, Netflix suggests that they’ve had “extensive success” with Netflix buttons on remotes. Imagine how much easier it makes searching for a streaming service on your smart device when there’s literally a Netflix button – a hardware button with the word NETFLIX on it – staring you in the face. “Our consumer electronic company partners have been critical to our success,” said company CEO Reed Hastings.
What is it about Netflix – and, as another example, a service like Spotify, for streaming music – that makes one brand so ubiquitous? When it comes to a hardware company, like Apple, you know the name because of the hardware. You know what an iPhone is because the devices in Apple’s hardware family have been consistent, and people associate the iPhone name with smartphones in general.
The same is true of Netflix. The company suggests that a significant bit of their success right now is owed to their hardware company partners. Imagine how much easier it makes to keep your company’s name brand in users’ minds when that name brand is present in their lives every single day.
Every single time they pick up their smart TV remote, they see the name brand Netflix.
The key here isn’t Netflix pushing their own name directly to users. This was made clear by a Netflix box made in 2007 that never made it past the first hardware phases. It wouldn’t work on its own.
Instead, Netflix needs to work with 3rd-party companies for that cross-brand excellence.
Hastings also made mention that they’re making certain they’re drawing in more than just the brand-loving crowds. They’re going to have over 600 hours of original programming this year (2016) – Orange is the New Black, House of Cards, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, The Crown, and a whole lot more.
The Crown, if you’ve not heard of it already, will be a dramatization of the life and times of Queen Elizabeth. We’ll hear more on that in the near future.
UPDATE: Above you’ll see the first public trailer for The Crown just released this morning. You are now watching the throne.


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Odisha-based Jas Group has recently opened the 5th outlet of their experiential retail multibrand store- “All That Jazz”at BK Road,Cuttack. The outlet sprawls over an area of 3200 sq.ft and stocks brands like Gas, CK, Jack n Jones, Nike, US Polo, Levis, Cross, Colorbar, Chambor and etc.
“Cuttack is a growing market and didn’t have the premium brands for which consumers had to go to Bhubaneshwar, now they can shop in their own city ! The store has got a facade which is 40 ft high and 32 ft wide which is one of its biggest highlights, especially in a place like Cuttack where most brands have just a 12 ft facade,” says, Shamsher Singh Hura, Director, Jas Group.
All That Jazz is currently having presence across cities like, Bhubaneshwar, Puri, Ranchi, Patia and Cuttack. The company has plans to expand to cities like Patna, Raipur, Rourkela and Lavasa in next 12 months.


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DUNEDIN, Sunday: The outgoing boss of Film Otago Southland says competition for locations – is becoming a major threat to the NZ film & commercials industry.
A report in the Herald on Sunday (attributed to Radio NZ) quotes executive manager Kevin Jennings, who said it is becoming harder to get permission in some locations.
“The advent of the streaming services drives an incredible demand for content to be created.”
“People just assume there’s lots of great locations – but the reality is we’re competing against other users – tourists, locals, businesses or farming.
Jennings, who leaves at the end of the year, says he has witnessed a shift from a focus on large international TV commercial shoots to more films and TV shows.
Pending national park management reviews for could also be a problem if access if reduced, he said.
“The advent of the streaming services has also been a gamechanger – it drives an incredible demand for content to be created.”
Share this Post


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One Project Closer just tipped us that Craftsman tools will now be available in about 100 Ace Hardware stores by this summer. Ace Hardware will start with about 10% of the Craftsman line and go from there.
This is big news for Sears Holdings as they’ve found a partner in Ace Hardware that has a reach and distribution that Sears is lacking. In a poll conducted by Popular Mechanics last year, Craftsman was chosen as the readers favorite so this venture should prove well for both parties.
photo: JoeBehr, Ace Hardware Palm Springs


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Originally Posted on Black Friday @ GottaDEAL
While Amazon’s Prime Day sale doesn’t start for a few more weeks, they’ve started some early deals for Prime members. The biggest one is their Support Small promotion which will earn you a $10 credit to use on Prime Day when you spend $10 or more on small business goods on Amazon.Next, Prime members can get a 2-pack of Echo Dot speakers for $39.98 shipped, or a Toshiba 43" Fire TV Edition smart HDTV for $179.99. Amazon’s Fire TV Recast DVR is available starting at $129.99. Find more early deals including savings on an Audible membership on the Prime Day page.


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- Elon Musk confirmed on Tuesday that he's moved to Texas.
- Earlier this year, he threatened to move Tesla out of California during a spat about the state's coronavirus restrictions.
- The move could save him lots of money on taxes.
- Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.
After months of speculation, Elon Musk on Tuesday confirmed he has moved to Texas.
He made the announcement at a virtual conference hosted by The Wall Street Journal, while continuing to criticize his former home of California.
"Tesla and SpaceX obviously have mass operations in California," Musk told the paper's editor-in-chief, Matt Murray. "In fact, it's worth noting that Tesla is the last car company still manufacturing cars in California. Space X is the last aerospace company still doing significant manufacturing in California. There used to be over a dozen car plants in California, and California used to be the center of aerospace manufacturing. My companies are the last two left."
"For myself, yes, I have moved to Texas," Musk continued. "We've got the Starship development here in South Texas where I am right now. We're hopefully going to do a launch later today. And then we've got big factory developments just outside of Austin for Giga Texas."
His move has been months in the making
Musk's divorce with California began largely this spring, when local coronavirus restrictions forced Tesla to temporarily close its only US car factory in the San Francisco Bay Area.
"Tesla will now move its HQ and future programs to Texas/Nevada immediately," he tweeted during a May disagreement with local health officials whose COVID-19 rules differed from state and national guidelines. "If we even retain Fremont manufacturing activity at all, it will be dependen (sic) on how Tesla is treated in the future."
For Musk, Texas' lack of a state 2019 pay — the most of any CEO at just under $600 million — thanks to a series of stock-option awards unlocked by various corporate performance metrics. In total, they could reach more than $55 billion.is a clear incentive compared with California, which has the highest in the country. Musk's 2020 income is set to be just as large as his


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The new Sun-Netscape Alliance this week will branch out into the online trading community business. Sun Microsystems Inc. and Netscape Communications Corp. plan to roll out the Sun-Netscape Supplier Network at the Internet and Electronic Commerce Conference in New York.
Set to go live in midsummer, the Supplier Network will be a business-to-business trading site, where companies can go to purchase goods such as office supplies, said Netscape officials in Mountain View, California
It will be similar in scope to other horizontal online trading communities, such as those of e-commerce software vendors Ariba Inc. and Commerce One Inc. Netscape is getting help from Aspect Development Inc., which has a database of more than 5,000 suppliers and 3 million products, and Harbinger Corp., which will help build customised catalogue software for companies that use the Supplier Network. Charter members will include Dell Computer Corp., CompuCom Systems Inc., Office Depot Inc. and Boise Cascade Corp.
The Sun-Netscape Alliance also will announce business and technology integration with two vendors, Selectica Inc. and Trilogy Software Inc., for building applications for complex product configuration.


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Stranger Things’ Eleven Made Into A Bleeding Nose Candle Holder
The new season of Stranger Things was launched just a couple days ago and the fans are raving about it. To celebrate the important release the creatives at Firebox has come up with a clever piece of merchandise that is sure to creep you out. This candle holder, shaped like Eleven’s shaved head from the previous season, “bleeds” wax from the nose as the candle melts away imitating the character’s expression when she uses her telekinetic abilities.
The company claims that it is “possible the strangest thing” they’ve ever created and it comes with two red candles and a ‘nose picker’ to clean out the precious sinuses. If you’re one of the biggest fans of the show and you wish to admire this “giant ornament” “bleeding out” onto your table, be ready to pay £29.99 (about $40) and wait ’till it’s back in stock on December 14th…
More info: firebox.com (h/t boredpanda)
Got wisdom to pour?


text: Dell has been awfully quiet since their release of Dell Duo, a tablet-laptop hybrid that was well ahead of its time. Well, save for the fact that it was incredibly slow. At last week’s IFA, the company teased us with Dell XPS Duo 12, a formidable follow-up to the 2010 model. Dell XPS Duo 12 is expected to be faster than the previous release since it will be running Windows 8 and belongs to the high-end XPS family of laptops. In addition to XPS Duo 12, Dell also announced XPS 10 Tablet which has a removable keyboard dock. As the broadband connection and computer products has been tremendously fast growing, Dell products are getting more competitive in technology world as well.


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Forgive not just the awkward name, but also the fact that Cyber Monday is not the busiest day for online shopping. But it's emerging as a day for kicking off digital campaigns and promotions anyway.
Easier to shop from work
"People go and do their shopping, retreat, and then recognize obviously that online is great alternative," said Marcia Kline, publisher of Style.com, which sold a site takeover to Nordstrom for Cyber Monday, and Men.Style.com, which has given all its ad inventory over to Hewlet Packard that day. "When they get to the office on Monday, they realize they can do it online."
Tracey Trachta, U.S. consumer advertising manager for HP's personal systems group, said the Cyber Monday ads, which will also appear on sites such as VanityFair.com and RollingStone.com, are meant to be the "front door" for consumers' holiday shopping. "It's the kickoff to the high season that ends around mid-January for online purchases," she said. "There will be additional pushes the week of the fourth and the week of the 11th."
Magazine publishers will want to sell more online programs around Cyber Monday if many marketers act like HP. The percentage of HP's global media spending going online increased to 25%-30% this year from 8%-12% last year, said David Roman, VP-marketing communications for the personal systems group. Print advertising, he said, took the biggest hit to support that shift.


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Breaking Bad Gets Its Own Beer As Tribute For The Final Season
Fox News – “Breaking Bad” is getting its own beer. The Albuquerque-based brewery Marble Brewery is coming out with a “Breaking Bad”-inspired beer in tribute to the end of the series. Called Heisenberg’s Dark, an India Black Ale, it’s named after Walter White’s drug dealing alias in AMC’s hit show. Marble Brewery has occasionally been used as a location on the show, and the announcement was made on Breaking Bad Location’s Instagram feed. There’s no word yet on whether the beer will be available nationwide in time for the final eight episodes of the show on August 11. “Breaking Bad” isn’t the first TV show to have its own beer. “Game of Thrones” has a whole line of Ommegang beers to commemorate the show, and Stone Brewing created a “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” beer. Winemakers are getting into the game too. This week it was announced that “Downton Abbey” will get a new “vintage” wine, distributed by Wines that Rock.
“Heisenberg’s Dark.” Even if Breaking Bad didn’t exist that sounds like it would be a perfect beer. They should pair it with a “White” ale to have a dark and light version. Also some sort of blueberry ale or something for Walter’s blue would be fitting.
And maybe a specialty craft beer for Walt Jr. that just tastes like pancakes and waffles and eggs and shit. Call it “Flynn’s Breakfast A-A-A-Ale.”


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Ocado finance boss Duncan Tatton-Brown believes the etailer’s new fulfilment centre in Hampshire will help it finally strike an international deal.
The online grocer launched the state-of-the art facility in Andover during its fourth quarter – a period in which the business enjoyed a 13.1% spike in retail sales to £398.1m.
But despite another quarter of growing sales and average order numbers per week – which jumped 17.6% to 241,000 – Ocado has still not sealed a partnership with an international retailer.
The retailer’s boss Tim Steiner had previously stated his aim to tie up a deal by early 2016.
However, Tatton-Brown believes the new customer fulfilment centre, which uses the Ocado Smart Platform technology it is trying to sell to an international partner, could prove the catalyst to getting a deal over the line.
A marathon, not a sprint
He said: “Without doubt, it will be easier to talk to retailers about what we do when we can demonstrate the live facility using the technology that we have talked about.
“So it is helpful and our confidence remains undiminished on this.
“Yes, it has taken some time, but this isn’t a sprint, this is a marathon.”
Elaborating on how the new fulfilment centre would help its negotiations with international retailers, Tatton-Brown added: “If I talk about it like buying a car – if you were buying a BMW and you’d seen the 2002 model, you’d seen the 2012 model, and then BMW said they had a really good model coming out in 2016, are you likely to buy it?
“The answer is yes, you trust that BMW make good cars, so you’d buy one. But you are sure as hell more likely to buy one when you can go to the showroom, see the car and drive it.
“It’s about showing how it works and showing it live in operation.”
Tatton-Brown did not put a timeline on when an international deal would be done, but insisted Ocado was “making progress all the time” with its efforts to find a partner.


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The US Justice Department indicted one Bridgestone Corporation executive and two former officials for conspiring to fix the prices of certain automotive parts, reports Tire Review. Bridgestone itself agreed in February to plead guilty to price-fixing, paying a $425 million criminal fine. The case involves anti-vibration parts used in automotive suspension systems and engine mounts.
Earlier today, Bridgestone shared news that it has entered into a plea agreement with the US Department of Justice on antitrust activities and accepted a $425 million fine. But it omitted to mention that the amount to be paid is so large because this isn’t the first time Bridgestone has been found guilty of price-fixing in the United States. In a statement published yesterday, the Department of Justice confirmed that Bridgestone’s failure to disclose its participation when pleading guilty to other violations in October 2011 was a “factor in determining the $425 million fine.”
On 13 February, Bridgestone Corporation entered into a plea agreement with the US Department of Justice; this deal will see the company plead guilty to an antitrust conspiracy related to the sale of automotive anti-vibration rubber products. Bridgestone will also pay a US$425 million fine, and says it now intends to “take appropriate disciplinary action against certain responsible employees” in accordance with applicable corporate standards.
On 26 July, the Hart-Scott-Rodino (HSR) review period for Apollo Tyres’ pending acquisition of Cooper Tire & Rubber expired with no action taken by the Federal Trade Commission or the Department of Justice in the US. In a statement issued on 2 August, Cooper Tire explained that the expiration of the HSR review period satisfies one of the conditions necessary for the acquisition transaction to close. Cooper and Apollo now expect that, subject to the remaining customary closing conditions, the transaction will be completed before the end of the year.
The joint venture lithium-ion battery systems company formed by Continental and Korea’s SK Innovation, SK Continental E-motion, officially commenced operations earlier this month after gaining approval from the relevant authorities. Continental reports that “all relevant authorities have given unrestricted approval to the antitrust application submitted by the two companies” and that all provisions of the agreement signed with SK Innovation on 23 July 2012 have come into force.
The acquisition of two businesses belonging to Solutia Inc. subsidiary Flexys is intended to strengthen the product portfolio chemical specialist Lanxess’ offers its customers from the tyre and rubber industries. Pending approval from the relevant antitrust authorities, the company will incorporate Flexsys’ primary accelerator business and Perkalink 900 anti-reversion agent into its Rubber Chemicals business unit. Lanxess has not disclosed any financial aspects of the acquisitions and reports that no Flexsys employees will be transferred to Lanxess.
Pirelli & C has sold its broadband business to Advanced Digital Broadcast Holdings (ADB), a company quoted on the Swiss stock exchange for 30 million euros. Analysts received the move as confirmation that the company is wholly dedicated to its tyre business after the separation of its real estate arm earlier this year. The deal was announced on 21 October hours after the company confirmed that Prelios (the new name for Pirelli RE) would make it stock market debut on 25 October.
Schaeffler Group is to re-submit its antitrust clearance application next week after European Union officials reportedly returned it requesting more information. According to a Bloomberg report, Schaeffler’s original 17 October draft needs to “clarify other matters.” Schaeffler spokesman, Detlef Sieverdingbeck dismissed media reports suggesting Schaeffler is procrastinating. “No one’s delaying anything, the matter’s proceeding in perfectly normal fashion,” he said.
The new owner of Continental AG, Schaeffler Group, has announced that it now holds a total of 90.19 per cent of the tyre and automotive system supplier. This figure includes the 82.41 per cent holding Schaeffler has gained at the end of the statutory additional acceptance period and the 7.78 per cent stake it already held. Reuters reported that Schaeffler had agreed last month to limit its stake in Continental to just under half and said it would sell excess shares back to banks for re-placement in the market.
Having attained the approval of antitrust authorities, Continental has completed the acquisition of all shares in the Finnish spikes manufacturer TIKKA Spikes Oy, along with its Russian subsidiary OOO TIKKA, based in St. Petersburg. Financial details of the takeover have yet to be released.
On 20 December the Brose Group agreed to buy Continental’s Electric Motor operations. The acquisition is subject to the approval of the antitrust authorities. “We decided to sell the former Siemens VDO Electric Motor Drives operations and Continental’s cooling fan business to the Brose Group because Brose’s excellent positioning in the market segment creates exceedingly good prospects for that business,” said Continental’s Executive Board Chairman, Manfred Wennemer. The news follows Continental’s acquisition of Siemens VDO and, according Wennemer.
According to media in South Africa, Tiger Automotive has declared that 64.5 per cent of shareholders had given a firm undertaking to vote in favour of the R1.05 billion (£76 million) offer made by Ethos Private Equity on December 12. To go ahead the transaction needs to approved by at least 75 per cent of shareholders and by antitrust authorities.
“TiAuto shareholders representing approximately 64.8 per cent of the shares eligible to vote at the scheme meeting have furnished irrevocable undertakings to vote in favour of the scheme,” Tiger Automotive said in a statement. The company added that it would not actively seek any rival offer while the Ethos offer remained on the table.
According to the US Department of Justice, charges were laid against an independent consultant and two executives from Grimsby based Dunlop Oil & Marine Ltd. on December 5. A one-count felony charge, resulting from the international marine hose price fixing cartel that operated until May 2007, was filed against: Peter Whittle, sole proprietor of PW Consulting (Oil & Marine) Ltd., Bryan Allison, managing director of Dunlop Oil & Marine Ltd., and David Brammar, Dunlop’s Oil & Marine’s sales and marketing director.
Continental AG will become the proud new owner of Siemens’ VDO automotive electronics unit after agreeing upon a deal worth 11.4 billion euros. The details of the sale were confirmed at a meeting of Siemens’ supervisory board on July 25. Following the sale, which must first be granted approval from the relevant antitrust authorities, Continental will become one of the world’s five largest automotive suppliers. Assuming no delays in antitrust clearance occur, the sale should be closed towards the end of this year’s fourth quarter. Integration will be concluded by the end of 2009.
The sale to Continental spells an end to the possibility of an IPO for the VDO unit as previously considered. At the same time as this deal was approved Siemens also announced its intention to purchase the US manufacturer of medical equipment Dade Behring for US$7 billion


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The National Waste & Recycling Association (NWRA) joined the National Association of Manufacturers and numerous other trade associations and businesses representing the manufacturing sector on a letter to Congress urging passage of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) as soon as possible.
North America is the most significant market for the United States globally, with Canada and Mexico purchasing one-fifth of the total value of U.S. manufacturing output. Canada and Mexico, despite representing less than 4 percent of the global economy, buy more U.S.-manufactured goods than America's next 11 trading partners combined.
"NWRA supports passage of USMCA to promote certainty and growth for American businesses," said NWRA President and CEO Darrell Smith in a statement. "This new trade agreement will expand domestic manufacturing and increase access to the Canadian and Mexican markets. This not only benefits NWRA's supplier members but can also help alleviate the recycling market issues facing our services members through increased demand for manufacturing feedstock."
According to the letter, the USMCA makes “significant improvements” to the 25-year-old North American Free Trade Agreement and includes provisions that will:
- Strengthen and Modernize America’s Innovation Engine: The USMCA includes intellectual property rules that will help protect the full range of U.S. manufacturing inventions and innovations from theft and set new standards for the 21st century digital economy that will prohibit distortive measures that undermine American innovation.
- Expand U.S. Manufacturing Access to Canada and Mexico: The USMCA will maintain and improve duty-free market access to Canada and Mexico, eliminating red tape at the border and making it easier for small- and medium-sized businesses to sell into these markets.
- Level the Playing Field: The USMCA will raise standards, improve transparency and prohibit both anti-U.S. discrimination and anti-competitive activity while providing the same binding enforcement for all obligations in the agreement.
In their letter, manufacturers are calling on both the House of Representatives and the Senate to make consideration and approval of the USMCA a top priority this fall.


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Romance novels need a canon
"Bet Me" by Jennifer Crusie
A contemporary romantic comedy set to Elvis Costello and lots of luxurious and sinful sugary treats. Read the whole essay.
Forget about moving to a more sustainable meat production system. If we want chicken that isn’t going to make us sick, China probably isn’t the place to get it. Yet a gaping loophole in new mandatory labeling laws will allow chicken processed in China to appear on U.S. shelves — with no way for consumers to identify it.
The laws, introduced last November, require some meat to be labeled with the country it originates from. But they don’t apply to all meat — specifically, they leave out meat that’s been raised and slaughtered in the U.S., sent to China to be made into chicken nuggets, and then sent back to the U.S., where it ends up, among other places, on school lunch trays. So far, the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service has approved four Chinese plants to do just that.
Nearly 300,000 have signed a Change.org petition calling for Congress to stop such poultry from reaching U.S. markets. In Congress itself, a group of 12 Democrats and two Republicans signed a letter to the Agricultural Appropriations Committee pointing out the huge risk this policy represents, specifically raising issue with the poultry’s inclusion in federal school lunch programs. It reads, in part:
Consider the impact of China’s weak enforcement of food safety laws and regulations: more than 300,000 Chinese children fell seriously ill, with some dying, from melamine-tainted milk powder; dangerously high levels of mercury found in Chinese baby formula’ the sale of more than $1 million worth of rat and other small mammal meat passed off to consumers as lamb; more than 16,000 diseased pig carcasses dumped in a river to rot.
Last year China Central Television revealed that a Chinese poultry supplier provided Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurants with chickens fattened by large quantites of illegal drugs. In addition, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently announced that, since 2007, pet treats important from China containing contaminated chicken have killed 600 dogs and cats in the United States, and sickened 3,600 more. According to the World Health Organization, so far 45 of the 136 people who contracted the H7N9 bird flu in China this year have died.
We therefore find it deeply concerning that FSIS would allow chicken processed in China to soon arrive for consumption in the United States. While FSIS determined that such poultry is equivalent to poultry processed in this country, there will be no on-site inspectors in Chinese plants to verify continued equivalence or to prevent the inclusion of Chinese-slaughtered poultry (or any other adulterant) in products imported to the United States. Moreover, because processed chicken products do not require country-of-origin labeling, American consumers will not know if they are consuming chicken processed in China or be able to avoid such products if they so choose.
Lindsay Abrams is an assistant editor at Salon, focusing on all things sustainable. Follow her on Twitter @readingirl, email firstname.lastname@example.org.More Lindsay Abrams.
"Bet Me" by Jennifer Crusie
"Welcome to Temptation" by Jennifer Crusie
Another of Crusie's romantic comedies, this one in the shadow of an ostentatiously phallic water tower. Read the whole essay.
"A Gentleman Undone" by Cecilia Grant
A Regency romance with beautifully broken people and some seriously steamy sex. Read the whole essay.
"Black Silk" by Judith Ivory
A beautifully written, exquisitely slow-building Regency; the plot is centered on a box with some very curious images, as Edward Gorey might say. Read the whole essay.
"For My Lady's Heart" by Laura Kinsale
A medieval romance, the period piece functions much like a dystopia, with the courageous lady and noble knight struggling to find happiness despite the authoritarian society. Read the whole essay.
"Sweet Disorder" by Rose Lerner
A Regency that uses the limitations on women of the time to good effect; the main character is poor and needs to sell her vote ... or rather her husband's vote. But to sell it, she needs to get a husband first ... Read the whole essay.
"Frenemy of the People" by Nora Olsen
Clarissa is sitting at an awards banquet when she suddenly realizes she likes pictures of Kimye for both Kim and Kanye and she is totally bi. So she texts to all her friends, "I am totally bi!" Drama and romance ensue ... but not quite with who she expects. I got an advanced copy of this YA lesbian romance, and I’d urge folks to reserve a copy; it’s a delight. Read the whole essay.
"The Slightest Provocation" by Pam Rosenthal
A separated couple works to reconcile against a background of political intrigue; sort of "His Gal Friday" as a spy novel set in the Regency. Read the whole essay.
"Again" by Kathleen Gilles Seidel
Set among workers on a period soap opera, it manages to be contemporary and historical both at the same time. Read the whole essay.


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One of India’s giant automakers, Mahindra and Mahindra, is planning to sell its new upcoming electric SUVs all over the world, but entering into the US market could take at least 5 years, the chief executive told Reuters.
On Tuesday, Mahindra’s CEO and managing director Anish Saha said, ” I don’t see any EV launching in the US in the next 5 years”.
Read more:New MG Electric Car Photo Leak while Testing
He also said,” our first plan to expand our electric vehicles in the Europe market and in the US, it could take longer than 5 years.”
” Mahindra is working on a long term policy. Our plan is to make electric vehicles as soon as possible in North America because under the US inflation Reduction act to take tax benefits, who will have to take tax benefits”.-Mahindra CEO
” We will have to think about manufacturing closer to some of the major markets- that is something we will look at”- Shah said,”But this is still far off”.Mahindra CEO,Anish Shah
On Wednesday, Mahindra declared to set up a giant 100 billion rupees ($1.2 billion ) electric vehicles manufacturing plant in Pune, near its Mumbai headquarters.
This plant will boost manufacturing of electric vehicles along with the local rival Tata Motors. By 2030, 70% of sales will be commercial cars and trucks, 30% will be private cars and remaining 40% of buses and the Other side 80% share is two and three wheelers.
Mahindra’s upcoming five future electric SUVs cars will be unveiled in the next few years in August . Some electric vehicles manufacturing will start soon in January. All the five vehicles will be built with partner Volkswagen’s MEB, electric vehicles platform.
Shah said Mahindra’s partnership with VW may take on other forms as it goes forward without elaborating.
Only Mahindra sells tractors and small road vehicles in the U.S.A.
what is Mahindra plans for EVs in USA ?
Mahindra CEO sees U.S entry for new electric vehicles at least 5 years. Their first plan to enter in Europe market.


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The computerized office that has brought abundant increased production has also spawned complaints of eye strain, backaches and even nerve damage from clerical workers who labor for hours on end in front of computer screens. Indeed, office workers who once spent time getting paper, changing ribbons and generally moving around to do several tasks may now do little more than sit and type, perhaps talking on the telephone as part of their chores.
As technology has made clerical work more repetitive, resembling assembly-line routine, office workers increasingly complain of aches, pains and injuries that previously were seen mostly in factory workers.
The spread to office workers of maladies that researchers call cumulative trauma disorders or repetitive motion injuries is attracting new attention from science and industry. Ergonomics, the study of technology and its effects on biologic systems, is attaining new significance.
An indication of newfound interest in ergonomics will be evident at the NEOCON office furniture trade show that opens this week at the Merchandise Mart.
Office furniture intended to make workers as comfortable as possible and to avoid or minimize injuries associated with repetitive motion will be a major show theme.
One manufacturer, Haworth Inc., of Holland, Mich., will introduce an electronic, motorized table that changes positions to accommodate worker comfort and has a timer to remind a computer user when to take a break or shift to another position.
``Worker comfort is becoming a very big issue in our industry,`` said Jane Nelson, a product manager for Haworth. ``Ergonomics is definitely a major focus for all of us.``
Haworth developed its new product, called the Trakker Adjustable Table, after working with several customers to learn what was needed to make working at a computer less likely to cause fatigue and injury.
The table allows a person to adjust the computer keyboard and screen independently for maximum comfort. The table even permits the user to stand up while working.
``We find that standing eliminates the arch in the spine,`` said Nelson.
The table`s memory allows users to put their computer in precisely the positions they have found most comfortable through trial and error, Nelson said.
Although mechanical computer stands and chairs can be adjusted for maximum comfort, the electronic aspect of Haworth`s new product is intended to make such adjustments easier so that workers will actually use them, she said. ``Adjusting furniture should be easy and even fun, if someone is going to take the time to do it as often as needed,`` Nelson said.
If the table actually helps a company avoid employee injury, it may be worth the premium price of $3,200 to $4,200 Haworth is charging, experts said. But, they cautioned, furniture alone won`t solve the problem of repetitive motion injuries.
``The concept sounds very good,`` said Dan Ortiz, ergonomics program manager at the Georgia Institute of Technology, ``but I don`t like to label something as ergonomic furniture, because it really depends how something is used whether it is helpful.``
Georgia Tech researchers spent the last two years interviewing and studying more than 130 factory workers, many of them who work at sewing machines, to learn about repetitive motion injuries.
A major conclusion, Ortiz said, is that a little common sense can avoid a lot of injuries. A major problem, researchers found, is that job supervisors are often unaware that worker comfort is an important issue.
About 90 percent of the workers studied were using pillows or other remedies to adjust their chairs and work stations to make them more comfortable.
``That`s a pretty good indicator of problems,`` Ortiz said. ``What we saw was that complaints about back discomfort virtually disappeared with use of easily adjustable chairs.``
As a result of their work, the Georgia Tech researchers have prepared a training booklet and videotape intended to make supervisors aware of ergonomics issues.
The training manual, called ``A Stitch in Time: The Supervisor`s Guide to Ergonomics,`` and supporting videotape are available from the Georgia Tech Research Institute`s Environmental Sciences Branch in Atlanta, Ga., 30332-0800, for $10.
At least as important as the right workstation furniture is a company policy of frequent breaks for workers whose jobs require repetitive motion, said Dr. Daniel Nagle, an assistant professor in clinical orthopedic surgery at Northwestern University.
``These workers need frequent breaks,`` said Nagle, a specialist in hand injuries. ``In San Francisco, city workers are required to take a 15 minute break after every two hours on the job.``
Although frequent breaks and adjustable, comfortable furniture may cost an employer money in the short run, Nagle said, it saves money in the long run.
``I have people coming in all the time who`ve been obliged to work in poorly set up cubicles where the employer will make no adjustments for individual comfort,`` Nagle said.
``It leads to huge medical expenses and worker`s compensation settlements. These employers could save a lot of money down the line by addressing the question of ergonomics and spending a little money up front.``


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Frankly Wines Wants Your Help To Open A New Wine Bar In The Neighborhood
Frankly Wines (66 West Broadway) wants to bring a new wine bar to Lower Manhattan this summer, and it’s asking for your help.
The compact but well-stocked wine shop is raising money on Kickstarter to open a new wine bar on the corner of Warren Street and West Broadway — in the former Vin Sur Vingt space — according to the Tribeca Citizen. The Kickstarter has raised more than $28,000 already and is hoping to raise $40,000, with just four days to go. The idea to open the bar came from the shop’s customers.
“We’ve watched a lot of places in the neighborhood close and one of those places was a small wine bar that was two doors down, and they closed right at the beginning of the pandemic,” Frankly Wines owner Liz Nicholson says in the Kickstarter video. “By five months into the pandemic, we had customers suggesting we should take over the wine bar. Which sounded crazy at first, but it planted a seed.”
The bar will be named Della’s, in honor of Nicholson’s Italian grandmother. Kickstarter rewards include a fully-loaded tote bag full of wine and picnic fixings, dinner for a group and — if you kick in a big chunk of money — your own dedicated barstool at the new bar.
Stevenson hopes to open the bar by July 1 at the earliest. You can donate what you can to the Kickstarter here.
screenshot viaTags: Frankly Wines, kickstarter


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BMW Group to produce the new BMW M2 in San Luis Potosi
SAN LUIS POTOSI – BMW Group revealed that it will begin production of the second generation of the BMW M2 exclusively at its San Luis Potosi plant for the global market by the end of 2022.
The addition of this third model to be produced at the plant reaffirms the company's commitment to the state's economic growth, as well as the great Mexican talent it has for the manufacture of premium vehicles.
The San Luis Potosi Plant has been manufacturing the iconic BMW 3 Series since 2019 and recently added the BMW 2 Series Coupe, making it a strategic facility for the BMW Group Production Network.
The Plant has maintained sustained growth, registering a production increase of close to 25% in 2021, compared to the previous year. By 2022, the plant will hire an additional 800 employees and start a second production shift.
"We are very excited to be part of the celebration of M's 50th anniversary, now that our Mexican plant will build M vehicles for the entire world,” said Harald Gottsche, President and CEO of BMW Group San Luis Potosi.
The start of production of this vehicle occurs within the framework of the celebration of the 50th anniversary of BMW M, commemorating decades of success.
With the arrival of the BMW M2, the San Luis Potosi plant joins the select group of BMW M production sites, which includes the German production centers in Munich and Dingolfing, and the Spartanburg plant in the United States.
Source: Cluster Industrial


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- Prior to the global pandemic, the ad industry was forecasting a blockbuster 2020 with the Summer Olympics in Tokyo and the US presidential election. Instead, advertisers have slashed spending, which has led to layoffs at ad agencies and media companies.
- Brands have also accelerated investments in areas that have grown during the past several months, like e-commerce and digital products.
- Transformers in media and advertising are developing new content breakthroughs for brands like Netflix, launching new direct-to-consumer brands, or organizing boycotts that hold the world’s largest platforms accountable for misinformation.
- 100 People Transforming Business is an annual list and series highlighting people across industries who are changing the way the world does business. Check out the full list for 2020.
The advertising and media worlds are on a crash course of innovation and disruption.
For the second year, Business Insider is highlighting 10 people transforming the advertising and media industries as part of a list identifying 100 people transforming the business world in North America.
We identified visionaries disrupting established businesses and pushing the industry in new directions. They’re tasked with breaking new ground — whether it’s developing the next big hit for Netflix and Spotify, building a new direct-to-consumer brand from scratch, or organizing boycotts that hold the world’s largest platforms accountable for misinformation.
These people are making sweeping decisions that influence how large companies like Facebook, Amazon, and Google make money and how people get their news and entertainment.
Industry disruption across every channel
Long gone are the days of glossy print advertisements and the “Mad Men” agencies. More than a decade after Google acquired YouTube and DoubleClick to become the world’s biggest online advertising juggernaut and Hulu launched to rival Netflix in the cord-cutting era, the advertising and media industries are grappling with monumental structural change on top of the economic downfall caused by the coronavirus.
The $226 billion US advertising industry is facing disruption and change around every corner. Marketers are under growing pressure from their CEOs to prove that advertising actually drives sales, which is causing more advertisers to cut ties with their ad agencies and handle marketing internally. Agencies are racing to offer clients data-backed expertise to keep up with consulting firms and tech giants that are eating away at their business.
Regulators and privacy-protection laws like the California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018 have threatened marketers’ ability to target people at exactly the right time and place. And advertisers are changing how they target their audience and giving so-called walled gardens like Facebook, Google, and Amazon more power.
Activists and critics who are making more headway than ever before in holding big tech companies responsible for monitoring speech on their platforms are holding advertisers accountable, as evidenced by July’s mass boycott of Facebook that got hundreds of big-name brands like Unilever and Starbucks on board.
With the ongoing decline of traditional TV viewing — and the $70 billion in advertising it props up — Hollywood, media outlets, and tech companies like Disney, NBCUniversal, and Amazon are pivoting harder to streaming video as viewers and ad dollars flock there.
Content creators and entrepreneurs are seizing on the rise of new platforms, changing how people shop and are entertained.
Before the coronavirus, the ad industry was forecasting a blockbuster 2020 with the Summer Olympics in Tokyo and the US presidential election. Instead, the pandemic and associated economic downfall have led advertisers to slash spending, resulting in widespread layoffs at ad agencies and media companies. The pandemic has also caused brands to speed up investments in areas that have grown during the pandemic, like e-commerce and digital products.
“In the previous landscape, those things were very long-term initiatives, but they have taken on a new relevance,” Jay Pattisall, an analyst at Forrester Research, said. “[Advertisers] are taking displaced marketing budgets and funneling them into these projects.”
Holding media and tech brands accountable
Ryan Mayward, sales director at Amazon Advertising, is helping challenge Google and Facebook’s dominance of digital advertising. As Google phases out the cookies that advertisers have long relied on to zap ads at people, Justin Schuh, engineering director for Chrome at Google, is building privacy controls into the Chrome browser that in theory don’t kill advertisers’ ability to target and measure ads while maintaining users’ privacy. His work is part of Privacy Sandbox, a Google initiative to develop privacy-friendly standards for online advertising.
“With Privacy Sandbox, we are working with the web community to develop new standards that build privacy into the core architecture of the web, while continuing to support free access to content,” Schuh said.
Rashad Robinson, executive director of civil-rights group Color of Change, helped organize a massive boycott that led brands like Unilever and Starbucks to pull campaigns from Facebook over concerns about how Facebook handles misinformation.
Eight-year-old YouTuber Ryan Kaji is turning his social-media following into a full-blown business that includes selling branded products and TV show roles on Nickelodeon and Roku.
Scott Stuber, Netflix’s VP of original films, Hulu president Kelly Campbell, and director Jordan Peele are building new content and business models based on streaming. Spotify’s Dawn Ostroff is positioning the music-streaming giant as a large podcasting player, signing high-profile deals with talent such as Michelle Obama and Joe Rogan.
Others are changing the way we buy online and highlight the shift to e-commerce that was accelerated by the pandemic. Entrepreneur Moiz Ali sidestepped traditional distribution channels and built a direct-to-consumer deodorant brand through Facebook and YouTube before selling it to Procter & Gamble. And Instagram’s VP of product Vishal Shah is changing e-commerce by building shopping features into the app.
The full list of transformers reveals more about how these outsiders, upstarts, and entrepreneurs are changing the nature of shopping, advertising, and entertainment.


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Akron, OH – Time Warner Cable is looking to fill more than 40 inbound sales positions at its Akron, Ohio operations.
“We are looking to fill a number of full-time inbound sales positions in our Akron office, which provides many employment opportunities for this region of the state,” said John Higgins, Area Vice President at Time Warner Cable. “With the roll out of new products and services this year, the increased workforce is needed to assist customers.”
"Time Warner Cable's decision to expand new job opportunities in the area is a win-win-win for our community," stated State Representative Vernon Sykes. “This announcement means new products and services for our residents, providing a boost to our local economy and most importantly, jobs for individuals looking for a career.”
The hiring event will take place Wed., Oct. 1, from 11 a.m. -2 p.m. and Sat., Oct. 4 from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. at 530 South Main St., Suite 175, in Akron.
During the fair, candidates will have the opportunity to meet sales leaders and assess the company culture, while learning about hours, pay, and training. Candidates who have successfully sold themselves will be invited for a final interview.
Inbound sales representatives are responsible for selling residential cable, internet, home phone, and home management services. This position is responsible for learning a customer’s household needs and making product recommendations.
All positions offer competitive compensation structures and an extensive benefits package. Job applicants should bring updated copies of their resume and dress in business appropriate attire.
About Time Warner Cable
Time Warner Cable Inc. (NYSE: TWC) is among the largest providers of video, high-speed data and voice services in the United States, connecting 15 million customers to entertainment, information and each other. Time Warner Cable Business Class offers data, video and voice services to businesses of all sizes, cell tower backhaul services to wireless carriers and enterprise-class, cloud-enabled hosting, managed applications and services. Time Warner Cable Media, the advertising sales arm of Time Warner Cable, offers national, regional and local companies innovative advertising solutions. More information about the services of Time Warner Cable is available at www.twc.com, www.twcbc.com and www.twcmedia.com


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More often than not, the beginning of the new year signals an opportunity for people to shed unwanted weight in different circles of their lives; that is exactly the case when it comes to McDonald's new take out bag. If people feel the need to reinvent themselves come January, so too do businesses. By embracing a minimalist design, the McDonald's take out bag portrays a fresh outlook for the fast food franchise.
In regards to the psychology behind the new take out bag, Design Taxi writes, "The redesign marks a shift in McDonald’s business, as they pare down on product offerings and offer greater transparency in all their communications." As people embrace healthier lifestyles, this is a direction that many similar food establishments may want to follow.
McDonald's Introduces a Simpler Take Out Bag Design
Meghan Young — January 12, 2015 — Lifestyle
References: mcdonalds & designtaxi


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An unannounced smartphone could be the next Facebook phone after the HTC Status and ChaCha.
Website Unwired View has leaked specs of a new HTC Myst #UL from U.S. telecoms carrier AT&T.
Expected to arrive later this year as the latest Facebook phone, the HTC Myst follows the footsteps of the HTC Status.
The HTC Status had a physical keyboard with a dedicated Facebook button.
Unwired Review is not sure if the phone will come with a dedicated Facebook button, but its leaked specs have no hint of a physical keyboard.
According to the leaked specs, the new HTC Myst #UL will feature a 4.3-inch 720p HD display with a pixel density of 320 ppi (pixels per inch).
The leak also mentioned a 1.5 GHz dual-core Qualcomm MSM8960 Snapdragon processor, 16 GB of internal storage (non-expandable), and 1 GB of RAM.
It’s not clear if the HTC Myst #UL will carry a 5-megapixel rear camera, a 1.6-megapixel front camera, and if both cameras will use the company’s Ultrapixel technology or not.
The leaked specs look like the HTC One S released last year, even though the new Facebook phone has a higher display resolution.
It’s expected the HTC Myst #UL will run on the latest Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean OS topped with HTC’s own user interface.
If it follows the steps of the HTC Status, the handset will likely have Facebook features on its skin, or it may use HTC Sense 5 found on the HTC One.
It doesn’t matter what UI it will use, because it will likely ship with pre-installed Facebook apps: the main Facebook app, Messenger, Instagram, Poke, and potentially a few other Facebook apps.
Completing the standard range of options for connectivity are Bluetooth 4.0, 802.11 a/b/g/n Wi-Fi, 4G LTE, and Category 14 HSDPA.
Regardless of the leak, the HTC Myst #UL is likely an unofficial Facebook phone similar to the HTC Status.
The HTC Status was just an Android smartphone that happened to have Facebook integration. After all, it is the QWERTY-equipped US version of the HTC Salsa.
In November 2011, AllThingsD reported that a new Facebook phone dubbed as “Buffy” will be made by HTC.
Several phone makers have built smartphones with dedicated Facebook buttons earlier that year – HTC Salsa, HTC ChaCha, and son on.
That time, Facebook also considered Samsung as its partner but selected HTC as its hardware partner in the venture.
Unwired Review says AT&T and HTC will likely launch the new Facebook phone (previously known as the HTC Opera) in spring.
The website based its report from a tweet by Twitter user @LlabTooFeR.
Like all leaks, we suggest that you take this with a pinch of salt.


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We should have originally written ‘integrated low-density polyethylene (LDPE) in paragraphsix, but instead wrote linear-low density PE (LLDPE). It’s now been corrected and apologies for the error – we will be buying some better glasses (less of this “we” – it’s actually “me”!)
By John Richardson
The rise in ethylene prices to what ICIS pricing says is a 17-month-high has created the widest spread between naphtha and ethylene since 2007.
As of last Friday (29 January), the spread was $620/tonne, based on ethylene at $1,310/tonne FOB Korea -and naphtha at $690/tonne CFR Japan. This compares with a spread of $627/tonne on 17 August 2007 and a tremendous $667/tonne on 5 January of the same year.
In 2007, the world was vastly different as it was in the midst of the highest economic growth in a generation.
Interestingly, despite the inevitable complaints of squeezed margins by PE producers – and anecdotal reports of market-driven rate cuts and plant-idling – the latest weekly ICIS pricing margin reports tell a more nuanced story.
“Naphtha-based ethylene margins in Northeast Asia rose by $37/tonne due to weaker naphtha prices,” said The Ethylene Asia Margin report for 29 January.
Naphtha costs had fallen by 4.8%, offsetting a 4.6% dip in co-product values, the report continued.
Integrated low density PE (LDPE) and high-density PE (HDPE) margins also increased – by $30/tonne and $39/tonne respectively – said The Weekly Margin – PE Asia report.
And so the incentive for integrated producers to increase ethylene sales at the expense of PE didn’t seem to be that strong as of last week, despite reports to the contrary.
On a non-integrated basis, however, standalone LDPE margins fell to their lowest level since July 2008, the report continued.
Average January HDPE margins were the worst since way back in September 2004, it added.
I would strongly suspect that converters, who, like the standalone PE producers, lack market muscle because of their scale, are also being squeezed; the few who I have spoken to since the start of the year certainly claim this.
Ethylene-PE margins have been strong because of temporary supply issues.
“Some ethylene traders have a sense that C2 prices will decline from March because of increased supply,” said an industry source today.
“For example, a large amount of ethylene is expected to hit the market when the 800,000 tonne/year Shell cracker in Singapore starts up.”
Shell is expected to have 180,000-200,000 tonne/year of ethylene to export when its cracker is commissioned in Q1.
The remaining surplus from its cracker (it’s only associated plant is the 750,000 tonne/year Shell monoethylene glycol plant which came on-stream late last year) will be sold to other producers on Jurong Island, say market sources. How this will affect the market’s net balance is uncertain.
“Another factor to consider is that Shell has actually been buying ethylene in order to run its MEG plant. So you have a buyer who helped tighten the market becoming a significant seller of ethylene,” the source continued.
A further reason for the ethylene rally has apparently been tight supply from Iran as a result of unconfirmed cracker outages.
Polyolefin supply has also been immensely tight since December on a host of production problems.
Recent supply issues seem likely to be resolved over the next few months with a great deal of new capacity yet to come on-stream.


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Shanghai GM’s new Wuhan Branch just saw its inaugural Buick Excelle compact sedan roll off the line, marking the start of production for the $1.12 billion manufacturing plant. It is the fourth manufacturing facility erected in the country by the SAIC-GM partnership.
According to an official press release, the plant has an annual production capacity of 240,000 units, although further investments in expansion are already planned. A $1.2 billion second phase investment in the plant will just about double the facility’s capacity when it reaches production in 2017, and an additional $1.6 billion will be put into Powertrain projects.
Shanghai GM’s Wuhan Branch is a thoroughly modern production facility, with 452 robots total throughout the plant. In fact, General Motors is boasting a 97 percent automation rate in the facility’s body shop. Considering the rapid rate of maturation of the Chinese marketplace, and the impressively high demand already (Shanghai GM sold a staggering 1.7 million vehicles in 2014), this certainly won’t be the last massive investment made by General Motors in Chinese production.


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OUKITEL has emerged in our coverage as another Chinese OEM to take seriously after we reviewed the OUKITEL U10. We previously covered the K10000, part of the company’s efforts to provide customers with the largest battery for a cheap price. The company’s currently selling its much more reserved, but better-designed K4000 smartphone.
OUKITEL’s headed back up the amp-hour ladder again, this time to the K6000. The company issued an initial statement for the device that claims 46 hours of non-stop music, 10 days of use with the phone’s power-save mode and 40 days of standby. It will also come with fast charging (at 9V/2A conversion) and reverse charging support.
The design is pretty generic, but the fit-and-finish may be pretty substantial — the K4000 had a zinc-magnesium alloy frame.
Everything else has yet to be revealed by the company (including the reasoning for the poster), so it looks like we’ll have to wait a bit more.
Who wants to head over and see a fight at Thunderdome?