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In general, Super Bowl ads were more serious and politically-driven this year with a few exceptions like Kia’s eco-warrior ad featuring Melissa McCarthy that infused some levity into the evening. On the digital front, there were some winning examples of how brands are taking a more sophisticated approach to storytelling and real-time integrations.
While brands typically commit to the Super Bowl and start planning their strategy many months in advance, a few may have changed their plans on the fly in response to the dramatic change in the political climate in the past few months. Airbnb certainly worked last minute, buying an ad for a new initiative in support of refugees a week before the game, a response to Trump’s travel ban affecting seven mostly Muslim countries, according to CNBC.
The decline in football viewer numbers over the past few months was another overarching factor brands were paying close attention to. The trend held up on Sunday night, although viewership wasn’t down by much, with Nielsen reporting that the game was watched by 111.3 million viewers on Fox and streamed by 1.72 million. Those streaming the game were treated to some local ads. With viewership drops, some brands may reconsider dropping in excess of $5 million per spot for next year’s game.
Here, in no particular order, are eight lessons from the Super Bowl that digital marketers can put to use over the coming months.
1.) In divided times, brands get boldly, resonantly political
Airbnb’s spot came through most clearly here, championing inclusion in an ostensible response to President Donald Trump’s executive order banning immigrants from seven majority-Muslim countries from entering the U.S.
Though hashtags appeared in just 30% of Super Bowl LI ads, per Marketing Land, Airbnb’s #WeAccept struck a chord, and the company announced it will provide short-term housing to 100,000 refugees, disaster survivors and relief workers over the next five years.
Coca-Cola showed that it’s not a bad idea to recycle old creative for timeliness' sake, running the same spot it did in 2014, where a diverse chorus joins in singing “America the Beautiful” in different languages. Some viewers took umbrage with the message, however, with the hashtag #BoycottCoke picking up traction.
Newcomer 84 Lumber also crafted a divisive immigrant’s tale, which cut off early for content “deemed too controversial for TV,” according to the brand. Viewers were encouraged to complete the story at journey84.com, which unfortunately crashed during the game, highlighting the pitfalls of digital extensions when brands don’t pay enough attention to online performance.
Both Airbnb's and 84 Lumber's efforts could have been better with more planning, but by moving quickly on a hot-button topic, they grabbed the spotlight. Now, it's on the brands' marketers to follow through and build from here.
2.) Counter-programming does little to take off edge
Given how straight-faced many of this year’s ads were, those that leaned lighter in tone stood out even more. Kia got a positive response with the McCarthy-starring spot centered on the actress’ bungling attempts at environmental activism. McCarthy had also just come off a standout performance imitating White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer on Saturday Night Live, earning her extra kudos.
Other marketing efforts that aimed for funny seemed off.
Bud Light resurrected ‘80s mascot Spuds McKenzie in an ad that had a dead dog pressuring a man to drink more beer lest he lose his friends. On Twitter, publications and fans weren't especially impressed.
I don't need a dead dog to tell me my friends are out having fun without me. Snapchat tells me that every day. #SuperBowl— Adweek (@Adweek) February 6, 2017
Brands leveraging Twitter to comment on other advertisers' work lost some prominence compared with previous games, but when done well — P&G was a standout this year — it still works.
Marketers displayed a deeper understanding of how to leverage social media's immediacy and how to integrate it with efforts on other channels. P&G had a coordinated effort across its Mr. Clean, Febreze and Tide brands, with each calling out the others via comments about their TV ads and tweets.
The social media presence for Mr. Clean extended the brand's efforts to reinvent its brand mascot as a helpful yet sexy guy. In one example, the @RealMrClean account tweeted at Kings Hawaiian wondering if people shouting "nice buns" at him were referring to the brand's ad.
4.) Technology fumbles
Brands like Ford, Intel, H&R Block and others couldn't resist the opportunity of getting in front of one of the most-viewed TV events of the year to plug their high-stakes, consumer-driven digital services.
Though the spots were fairly straightforward, widespread reports that Google's ads for its digital assistant and Home smart speakers actually caused the devices in some homes to go haywire exemplified the risks of talking up technology prowess in front of a large audience. In the aftermath of Google's fumble, some consumers may think twice about buying a Home device.
5.) Cleaning up
P&G had another winner with Terry Bradshaw's "Stain," a campaign that showcased great storytelling and made social media part of the story. In the TV ad, it initially looked like the game had started, with commentator Bradshaw sitting down after a break when he realizes he has a big stain on his shirt and is almost immediately informed that he is "trending."
Social media's response to the stain is featured in the ad as he takes off to try to get rid of it, a clever way to drive viewers to Twitter, where @BradshawStain comments on the happenings from the point of view of a stain. The Twitter account was active only for the day of the game and now features the notice: "R.I.P. Tide got rid of me."
6.) Digital playbook
T-Mobile got some help from celebrity Justin Bieber to push its unlimited data plan in a campaign that stands out for an extensive integration across digital and for Bieber's return to Instagram after nearly half a year.
Merkle named T-Mobile the winner in its evaluation of Super Bowl advertisers' digital marketing efforts, stating that Bieber's request of viewers to upload videos of their dance moves was the only example of a brand leveraging user-generated content during the game.
The brand also took advantage of display ads, social ads and paid search, with in-stream and discovery ads appearing on YouTube. These efforts helped T-Mobile become the second-most mentioned advertiser on Twitter, according to the platform's own measurement of Super Bowl-related activity on Feb. 5.
7.) Twitter is still big for 'live'
Despite the overall dip in hashtag use, Twitter showed that it’s still a second-screen buzz generator. This year, Super Bowl viewers sent out more than 27.6 million tweets related to hashtag #SB51 alone, according to the company, with brands like Pepsi, T-Mobile and Avocados from Mexico earning the most chatter.
That’s not to say other platforms were radio silent: On Instagram and Facebook, fans reacted in droves to Audi’s "Daughter" spot, which became the most talked about TV commercial in addressing the gender wage gap. Ninety percent of Facebook interactions also took place on mobile, according to the company, reinforcing the importance of marketers optimizing for small screens.
Relative newcomer Snapchat also had a strong ad push, with brands like Pepsi, Verizon and Amazon betting big on Sponsored Lenses and Stories spots. While the creative wasn’t particularly inspiring — Gatorade basically ran the same Lenses as last year — the platform will likely turn up strong numbers if the past serves as any indication.
8.) ...but brands are still hashing ‘live’ out
One of the more hyped ads for this year’s game was Snickers' live broadcast spot, which claimed to a be a first-ever for the Super Bowl. Ad Age pointed out that this isn’t really the case, but that didn’t stop fans from turning on social platforms to see what all the buzz was about.
Some of that hype was tempered as the ad promised to air right after halftime but then left viewers in the equivalent of a digital waiting room for several minutes after Lady Gaga’s performance wrapped. The disconnect highlighted the difficulty in coordinating live on social with live on TV, though some thought the ad itself made up for it.


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Listen: Tom Kellly, CEO of IDX, an identity protection company, talks about the EDD fraud problem in California.
IDX is the leading consumer privacy platform built for agility in the digital age. As the nation’s largest provider of data breach response services, IDX is trusted to protect over 40 million consumers. Thousands of organizations trust our disruptive technologies and services to empower consumers to take back control of their privacy and identity.
The company’s newest product is a subscription service IDX Privacy.

domain: news


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Verizon rolling Android 8.0 Oreo for Samsung Galaxy J7 and J7 V
- Tevez reveals difference between Ronaldo, Messi training methods
- Hurricane Florence swamps Carolinas, threatening record rainfall, punishing winds
- Everything you need to know about Hurricane Florence
- European Union to give Barnier mandate to close Brexit deals - Financial Times
- Apple unveils new iPhones, health-oriented watches
- Nike hits all-time high after Kaepernick ad backlash
- CBB victor : Ryan Thomas has unbelievable message for Roxanne!
- More than 80,000 without power in North Carolina as Florence moves closer
- U.S. to take longer to review Sprint merger with T
- Eminem Says This Homophobic Diss Against Tyler, the Creator Went 'Too Far'
- Hurricane Florence: Weather Channel shows simulation of 9-foot waters
- Panicked neighborhoods north of Boston evacuate as gas blasts destroy homes
- Hurricane Florence Pummels NC Coast With Heavy Surf, Storm Surge


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WASHINGTON – Consumer prices rose by an average of 7% in U.S. cities last year, the steepest rise in decades, and they grew even faster in the Phoenix metro area, according to new data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The South Central Mercado was established in October of 2019 by Cecilia Rivera, Sam Gomez and Joe Munoz. The pop-up market gives small businesses, artists and entrepreneurs a space to create business plans and sell their goods.
NOGALES – The U.S. Customs and Border Protection has received more than $743 million in funding since 2017 for upgrades in border technology. But it has only bought 28% of the equipment needed to modernize and coordinate systems designed to thwart the flow of illegal goods and border crossers.
WASHINGTON - Theft of catalytic converters - a part of a car's exhaust system that changes toxic gases to less-harmful emissions - is surging across the country, and Arizona has seen the second-highest increase in thefts in the nation in 2021, according to one report.
WASHINGTON – With COVID-19 protocols prohibiting fans at the Fiesta and Arizona bowls, and a lack of eligible teams forcing a cancellation of the Guaranteed Rate Bowl last year, organizers of the three college bowls in Arizona are eager to welcome fans and teams back this year.
WASHINGTON - Arizona families may have seen the last - for now - payment Wednesday under an expanded child tax credit program that advocates say has been a "game changer" for low-income families in the state.
‘Every penny counts’: Phoenix restaurants struggle to find food and workers while keeping prices low
PHOENIX – Restaurants across metro Phoenix are struggling to find a balance between finding quality ingredients without breaking the bank and raising prices. Restaurants also are experiencing staffing shortages and shipping complications that make it harder to stay in business.
PHOENIX - As consumers continue to face empty shelves and rising prices, public and private experts are coming together to solve the American supply chain crisis. Read their opinions, findings and suggestions here.
PHOENIX – This year, droughts and forest fires in the Northwest, supply chain issues and planting times have resulted in a shortage of Christmas trees in lots across the country.
PHOENIX – The nonprofit CASS partnered with Phoenix and neighborhoods in west Phoenix to create Project Haven 2, a homeless shelter for ages 55 or older. The project is supported by federal COVID-19 relief funds.
WASHINGTON - In the second holiday season of the pandemic era, goods may cost more, but Americans have more money to spend - and they appear to be eager to spend it, and that's true in Arizona, where retailers say holiday shopping is already in full swing.
WASHINGTON – Arizona's unemployment rate continued its steady decline in October, falling to 5.2%, down a full percentage point from just two months earlier and almost one-third of the state's pandemic high, according to the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics data.


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Google has recently announced that its gaming platform Stadia is going to get an amazing new feature.
What is this amazing new feature, you ask? Well, it’s… a search bar.
Yes. Google Stadia, the video game streaming platform created by Google 16 months ago (as of this writing) has been operating all this time without a search bar. Until now!
Google made this announcement proudly on the Stadia community website. Google said, and we quote, “it will make finding your favorite games much easier.”
This is technically true. We can’t search the Stadia library without a search bar. So we guess going from “impossible” to “possible” DOES make it easier to search for our favorite games.
We are having some trouble pinpointing the worst part of this story and Google’s approach to Stadia in general.
Is it the fact that a company that made its money off being the number one search engine in the world put so little thought into their game streaming service that they didn’t even think to give users the option to search for games on it?
Or is it the fact that they posted about adding this basic and arguably necessary feature, as if they had achieved something great?
Or is it the fact that Google keeps trying to brute force a foothold in the gaming industry through Stadia by hiring and firing game devs, starting and cancelling projects, and keeping the Stadia alive through sheer force of the Google budget, despite lack of widespread interest?
Who can say.
In the meantime, let’s get back to Google’s latest update. In addition to a search bar, they also decided to gift users with a few other features.
Google highlighted an updated UI for the service and the ability to sort users’ libraries. They also mentioned an ‘Activity Feed’, which looks like a timeline made up of gaming clips and pictures posted to friends.
You can also now access Stadia through an Android web browser, and not just the app… in case you wanted to do that for whatever reason.
Before we stop talking about these new features, it is worth mentioning that Google has no dates for the upcoming content to share, and that these are mock ups, not the final design.
This bit of information paints this update in a new light. The final design could look like anything, if it comes at all.
Either way, Google Stadia
finally now has a search bar.
Maybe they should have had a silent rollout on this one across the service…


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The redesigned Mitsubishi 2021 Mirage, hits Canadian dealerships in the late summer 2020. Photo credit: Dr. Jonathan Eto.
TORONTO — Japanese automobiles were polished up and on full display at the Canadian International Auto Show in Toronto, Feb. 14 to 23. Included was Mitsubishi Canada, who celebrated the company’s 100th anniversary by going through brand transformation, stepping away from a full lineup of vehicles, to focusing on SUVs.
“There’s naturally a transition of consumers that are just gravitating out of cars, from compact cars or subcompact cars, to SUVs,” Steve Carter, marketing director of Mitsubishi Canada told Nikkei Voice in an interview at the auto show. “We’re fortunate that our lineup really fulfils that need that consumers are looking for.”
Subcompact SUVs and compact SUVs are the fastest growing segments in Canada, says Carter. Included in Mitsubishi’s SUV lineup is the Outlander PHEV, which is Canada’s top selling plug-in hybrid and 2020 Family Green Car of the Year.
The only vehicle in Mitsubishi’s lineup that is not an SUV, is the Mirage. The 2021 model, like the Mitsubishi brand, has had a refresh and upgrade and was centre stage in the Mitsubishi booth at the Toronto auto show. The 2021 Mirage will hit Canadian dealerships in the late summer. The redesigned Mirage was debuted at Montreal auto show in January. The Mirage has been popular in Quebec, where consumers prefer more European-style, smaller vehicles. Quebec accounted for nearly 40 per cent of all Mirages sold in Canada last year, says Carter.
The new features in the restyled subcompact hatchback, include new safety features and designs, including front and rear design.
“For the vehicle, we have not only changed the exterior look of the vehicle, you look at the front end of the vehicle and now it has the dynamic shield, which is one of the key characteristics in all of our vehicles, right across the lineup,” says Carter.
The Mirage is one of the most affordable cars in Canada, the 2020 model starts at $12,298. It is also the most fuel-efficient, non-hybrid car in the Canadian car market, and that fuel efficiency means lower fuel bills.
“I think [fuel-efficiency] has always been something that is important, we are a very pragmatic buyer, when you look at the purchase reasons, people are looking for something that provides quality and reliability, they want to get good fuel economy,” says Carter.
The Mirage is an entry vehicle to the brand and looking to appeal to young couples and first time car buyers. The average age of Mirage buyers is 40, whereas other compact hatchbacks is around 52, says Carter. The new features of the Mirage are designed to appeal to younger drivers. Most noticeably is the 7 inch “infortainment” display, which is compatible with Apple Carplay and Android Auto. Drivers can safely drive with both hands on the steering wheel while still having the features of their phone, like music, voice calls and voice-to-text capabilities.
“Everybody has their phone today and its constantly in their hands,” says Carter. “How do you make it as easy for me, when I climb into the car, to still do those things?”
The Mirage also boasts new safety features like front end collision mitigation and pedestrian protection, meaning the car will stop itself if a pedestrian steps out in front of it. Other safety features include auto high beam, turning off the high beams when it senses an oncoming car and lane departure detection, which warns the driver if the car drifts out of its lane.
“It’s a good introduction to consumers to the Mitsubishi brand, especially if you were looking for a vehicle that’s very affordable, provides great fuel economy and provides great reliability from a quality perspective,” says Carter. “We are a Japanese brand, Japanese automotive brands have always been known for their quality, and that’s not any different for Mitsubishi.”


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No one will forget which team you're on if you're wearing a pink jack with silver accents.
Wear it proud Licinio says some skeptics have questioned the sexuality of the team when they parade by in pink, but the French are happy to stand out in a crowd. Once you’ve laid eyes on these uniforms, you’ll never forget them. “Everywhere we go they know, it’s the French,” Licinio says. This means the French team doesn’t wait in lift lines to get their tickets scanned, and fans easily recognize the skiers wherever they go.


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Adapting to adversity during COVID-19
How adapting to adversity has changed the face of Tecman for good
Despite the doom and gloom surrounding the UK economy on the back of COVID-19, there are many good news stories to emerge from the pandemic.
One of those stories relates to our organisation Tecman, after we adapted our manufacturing facility during a time of crisis to support the health and care sector, slowing the spread of infection thanks to our innovative PPE products.
We take a look at the story of our pioneering business dedicated to protecting the UK’s healthcare and frontline workers, and addressing the discomfort caused by ill-fitting PPE.
Our story begins back in March, at the start of lockdown for the UK. Cases of COVID-19 were rising alarmingly, and the worldwide shortage of protective personal equipment (PPE) for healthcare and frontline workers had left the NHS at risk – and desperately in need of help.
Across the media, stories and images were emerging that demonstrated the effects of ill-fitting, uncomfortable protective equipment that NHS workers were being forced to endure simply to do their job each day.
Development of CE Certified Face Shield
Healthcare heroes fighting on the front line against COVID-19, while wearing Tecman Face Shields
With a reputation for innovation, our expertise in material selection and product design had already led to several ground-breaking developments. While the slowdown in the economy had affected 60% of business, the downturn presented us with an opportunity to support the healthcare sector, by helping with the PPE shortage and addressing comfort issues for wearers.
“Our skills and knowledge presented a huge opportunity to support our NHS and healthcare workers during a time of crisis,” says Kevin Porter, Tecman’s Technical Director.
“We got to work developing a disposable, CE-certified face shield, designed for high volume manufacture, which was the most effective way for Tecman to get vital PPE to the front line.”
This early result led to the establishment of a brand-new business – Tecman Advanced Healthcare Products – and began donating to local NHS trusts, hospitals, care homes and other places of need.
Back in April, our innovative business invested in new premises that enabled the production of an incredible 1 million protective visors each week!
As well as including 10,000 square feet of storage, a dedicated automation system and state-of-the-art machinery, the investment also saw a recruitment of 90 new employees, at a time when other businesses were making cuts.
A boost for British industry
Since then, Tecman have achieved the highest possible CE certification for our original face shield (EN 166:2001 category III complex design PPE level) and developed a brand-new product to protect those who are required to wear a peaked visor or baseball cap at work.
Tecman's Face Shield for Baseball Caps, designed to protect those who wear a peaked visor or baseball cap as part of their uniform.
Where many manufacturers would be satisfied in the face of this success, our team at Tecman continues to be driven by the desire to develop PPE that’s ever-more comfortable and protective for the wearer.
Technical Director, Kevin Porter, explains: “While we’re delighted with the success we’ve had so far, we’re now on a mission to become a global leader in the development of a new line of face and eye protection.
“We’ve assembled focus groups containing the people who are actually using our products so they can tell us about their comfort and protection needs – and we’re using this information to make continual improvements to our range of face and eye protection.”
That’s not just good news for workers in health and safety – it’s good news for British industry, too.
Tecman Advanced Healthcare Products is a leading UK manufacturer of face and eye protection. Founded in 2020, the company is part of the Tecman UK group, which has over 25 years’ experience of providing components and services to the healthcare, medical and life science sector.
Innovation is at the heart of Tecman’s approach. The company’s knowledge, skills and expertise in customer-centric product design have led to a new generation of face and eye protection that incorporates feedback from healthcare workers to address comfort and safety needs


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Halfords has announced its interim results for the FY22, upgrading its full year profits to £80m-£90m.
The retailer saw strong revenue growth of 19.2% in H1 FY22 vs FY20, with cycling growth of 8.8% despite supply chain disruption. Sales of e-bikes, e-scooters and accessories also grew by more than 140% on two years ago.
Cycling had a ‘very strong’ FY21 and sales this year, while strong, have been constrained by supply chain issues and industry specific bottlenecks on production, said the retailer. “Cycling availability started the year lower than we would like, and while we hoped to see availability normalise, it unquestionably deteriorated further during the first half.
“Although supply challenges have now begun to ease, we saw shortfalls in our premium ranges of own brand and exclusive mechanical bikes through most of H1, which saw demand outstrip an irregular and unpredictable supply. Nevertheless, we are confident, as supply normalises in the future, that we will see good sales in the categories hardest hit this year and we believe we are well set for Christmas trading.”
Stapleton said: “We are delighted to have delivered a strong H1 performance, driven by market share gains in motoring products, garages and our mobile services business, which now account for more than two thirds of our revenue. We also continued to see a significant contribution from areas of strategic focus, with revenue from group services, online and B2B, all growing by more than 75% on a two-year basis.
“In cycling, demand levels remain good, and we are pleased with the current availability of kids bikes and e-bikes as we head into the Christmas trading period. We have carried good sales momentum into H2 across our business, supported by the easing of supply chain disruption. This has enabled us to increase our FY22 underlying profit before tax guidance to between £80m and £90m.
“We are seeing significant growth in the number of customers choosing electric forms of transport, and we continue to have a market-leading position in the servicing and repair of electric vehicles. Sales of e-bikes, e-scooters and accessories grew by more than 140% on two years ago, and servicing for electric cars in our garages was up 120% year-on-year. We have already invested in the training of more than 1,300 electric technicians and are on track to train 2,000 by the end of FY22, equating to more than two per store or garage. This number will double next year.
“There is good momentum in our existing business, the strategically important area of motoring services continues to grow strongly, and our recent acquisitions are all performing well. As a result, despite the challenging trading environment, I am very excited about our future growth prospects.”


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Models Direct were pleased to hear that the well known singer Geri Halliwell had chosen to perform at the Breast Cancer Care fashion show, which will be held on the third of October. Halliwell has been a patron of this charity for over a decade, and has said that she intends to perform some of her favourite songs, as well as some new material, including a song called ‘Phenomenal Woman’. Geri has said that she is ‘thrilled’ to be taking part, and that it was a great honour to have been asked.
According to Models Direct, Geri will be joined at the fashion show by 24 women and men who have suffered from the disease. These men and women will be conquering the catwalks, proving to all that it’s entirely possible to look and feel amazing after being diagnosed. All of the models participating in the event are to be styled by Hilary Alexander, a fashion correspondent, and Lesley Goring, the Fashion Week co-ordinator.
The models will be donning a huge selection of fabulous clothing from some of the world’s top designers, including Vivienne Westwood, Stella McCartney and Alexander McQueen. Models Direct say that all of the proceeds raised by the show will go towards the Breast Cancer Care charity, to help the 50,000 people who are diagnosed with the disease each year. A similar show held in 2011 raised more than half a million pounds for the charity, which, Models Direct say, provides expert advice to those who are suffering from the disease.
Two of the models from last year’s show, discussed with Models Direct what the experience had been like for them. Debbie Hull described is as one of the most inspiring and uplifting things she had ever done, and said she had felt honoured to have been a part of it. Dave Abbett, a male model remarked that he had gained a huge amount of confidence from taking part in the show and the subsequent TV appearances, interviews and photoshoots, and that the show itself was an ‘absolute pleasure’ to take part in.


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A quarter of the world’s food crop contamination can be attributed to aflatoxins, produced by certain kinds of fungi in food crops. In many low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), aflatoxin-contaminated food finds its way to the poorest households or into the animal feed industry, thus contaminating dairy, eggs, and meat. In Rwanda, we found that infant cereals in the market can exceed 60 times the approved aflatoxin cut-offs.
The World Bank indicates that African nations lose USD 670 million annually on account of aflatoxins. In a world grappling with decreasing crop yield due to climate change, the loss of food crops due to aflatoxins also exacerbates challenges related to global warming.
Aflatoxins are also linked with stunting among children, which is already a major malnutrition problem. These pernicious effects of aflatoxins result in severe economic and health consequences, which we want to tackle.
Almost 40% to 60% of maize, peanuts, and dairy in Rwanda are contaminated with aflatoxins. As a result, the country is import-dependent, with maize amounting to USD 8 million being lost every year due to aflatoxins. Sight and Life is testing affordable technologies to prevent mold growth and stop aflatoxin-contaminated food from entering the markets in Rwanda. These innovations, if successful, could be scaled up across the globe to tackle aflatoxin contamination.


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Alexander Graham Bell wrote a letter to his father moments after he first tested his invention that has come to be known as the telephone. With his pen, Bell recounted the first “harmonic” telegraph in history. “I called out into the Transmitting Instrument, ‘Mr. Watson – come here – I want to see you’ – and he came!”
The inventor told his father about his big dreams for the new device. “I feel that I have at last struck the solution of a great problem – and the day is coming when telegraph wires will be laid on to house just like water or gas – and friends converse with each other without leaving home.”1
In essence, Bell was announcing that communication technology had advanced from the age of “text messages” (after all, was that not what telegraphs were?) to the age of voice calls.
How surprised might the father of the telephone be to learn that more than 130 years after his breakthrough, Americans have reverted to communicating by sending abbreviated typed messages?
In fact, a study released by Nielsen Mobile in 2008 found that cell phone users on average sent more text messages than the number of calls they made. During the second quarter of 2008, a typical U.S. mobile subscriber placed or received 204 phone calls each month. In comparison, the average mobile customer during the same period in 2006 sent or received 357 text messages per month – a 450% increase over the number of text messages circulated monthly .2
Makers of the original mobile phone handsets certainly did not anticipate that text messaging would become the primary use of the devices. Companies designed small keypads primarily for punching numbers, with the alphabet as an afterthought.3 Their prediction – unlike Bell’s, which correctly guessed that the public would use his Transmitting Instrument to “call on” their friends without leaving the house – did not account for the user-generated revolution now underway in mobile communication.
This revolution is being led by youth who come from a generation than speaks as much with thumbs as it does with tongues.4 According to a recent study by the Pew Internet and American Life Project, the typical teen texter exchanges more than 50 text messages per day, or 1,500 per month. That’s 18,000 text messages per year.
In 2009, a writer for the Los Angeles Times technology blog caught up with Friedhelm Hillebrand, former chairman of the nonvoice services committee within the Global System for Mobile Communications and the man responsible for deciding the space limit for text messages would be 160 characters. The writer asked the inventor of the short messaging service (SMS) for his impressions about the evolution of the technology since 1986 when it was first created.
“Hillebrand never imagined how quickly and universally the technology would be adopted. What was originally devised as a portable paging system for craftsman using their cars as a mobile office is now the preferred form of on-the-go communication for cellphone users of all ages. ‘Nobody had foreseen how fast and quickly the young people would use this,’ Hillebrand said.”5
It is significant for news media that the division of the Pew Research Center that is dedicated to studying the Internet has focused an entire report on teens and their relationship and use of their cell phones. Users, in increasing numbers, are turning to their cell phones for news and information. The mobile devices industry is rushing to facilitate this consumer behavior. News providers, then, should be rushing to fulfill their audiences’ needs and their heightened capabilities on-the-go. Some of these needs will look familiar to what newspapers have provided in the past and some will be new and specific to the dynamic mobile landscape.
Newspapers want to follow the example of Alexander Graham Bell, who envisioned the uses for the technology he invented and created a company that thrived on the huge demand for both the device and the service. However, the news industry has been more apt to have the low expectations and limited vision of the SMS providers. For example, when television emerged, news shows began as radio content with a camera that slowly evolved into visual storytelling.
The Internet, as well, was initially used for little more than pasting print content on a Web page until reporters and editors discovered the power of interactive multimedia.6 This was not the final frontier, however. As journalists finally begin to acclimate to digital storytelling on the Web, connectivity has gone mobile with hand-held devices – smartphones, eReaders, the iPad, what’s next?
Some industry analysts predict that, again, our “old” medium – the Web site – is giving way to a new one: the “app” – or application software that makes connecting to the Internet from a portable device involve less clicking. News companies that assume readers would use these mobile devices to connect through Internet browsers to their Web sites may be bypassed for stories that are pushed to readers through news apps or through social media on the mobile devices. News providers not only have to adapt to the new communication technology, they must also adapt to the unforeseen preferences and uses that users dream up for the new technology.
In January 2010 Apple, Inc., unveiled its much-hyped iPad and pitched the device as a technology that aimed to maximize the potentialities of mobile Internet connectivity. Perhaps more important than the arrival of highly anticipated gadget, which begin shipping in March, was Apple’s overt market expansion, almost a re-branding, as a mobile devices company.
“Apple is the largest mobile devices company in the world now,” Apple CEO Steve Jobs said in his address at the January 2010 iPad launch event in San Francisco. He pointed out that the mobile devices divisions of Sony, Samsung and Nokia fall behind Apple’s sales of mobile products, in which he includes MacBooks, iPods with the iTunes Store, and iPhones with the App Store.7
Apple has proposed that the iPad with its iBookstore will do for the publishing industry what the iPod with its iTunes store did for the music industry.
Reports, however, indicate resistance from newspaper and magazine publishers over sharing subscription revenues with Apple, which is asking for 30% percent. Even The New York Times, which introduced its app for the iPad at the launch event, is rumored to be plagued by disputes about how to price its content for the iPad.
Wrapping up the demonstration of the Times’ iPad app at the Apple event, Martin A. Nisenholtz, senior vice president for digital operations at “the paper of record,” said, “We”re incredibly psyched to pioneer the next version of digital journalism.”8
So, your thoughts: Is Apple giving us a piece of technology that will be our major mode of communication for the next century, like Alexander Graham Bell? Or is a user-generated change (like the text messaging revolution on mobile phone) still ahead?
2 “In U.S. SMS text messaging tops mobile phone calling,” Nielsen Mobile, September 22, 2008
4 “Teens and Mobile Phones” study, April 20, 2010, Pew Research Center Internet and American Life Project.
5 Mark Milian, “Why text messages are limited to 160 characters,” Los Angeles Times, May 3, 2009.
7 Apple Special Event January 2010, San Francisco, video-on-demand.
8 ibid. Minute 39:30.


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We're all about getting rid of office clutter here at Lifehacker — usually for the sake of our own sanities — but it turns out you may have a bit more motivation than that to stay tidy.A recent study interviewed HR managers at a number of different companies, asking them how neatness of an employee's desk affects their perception of that person's professionalism. 65 per cent said it "somewhat affects it", while 18 per cent said it "greatly affects it", with only 17 per cent saying it has no effect. It isn't exactly fair, but it's something to think about when you're staring at your tornado of an office: you might want to tidy it up, if only to improve your reputation with your superiors. Hit the link to read the full study. [OfficeTeam via Unclutterer]Photo by Jeffrey Beall.
A Messy Desk Can Influence Perceptions Of Your Professionalism
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Samsung is planning to revolutionise the smartphone industry - and notched displays could be first on the chopping block. The company recently unveiled a cavalcade of new technologies in development, including "under-screen" sensors and cameras. Yes, cameras. This changes everything.
Here is your Netflix binge list for the weekend, fresh from the Australian servers! The best brand-new content includes season three of Marvel's Daredevil, supernatural chiller Haunted, South Korean sci-fi Illang. The Wolf Brigade and the hotly anticipated crime documentary Making A Murderer Part 2!


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In a contracting core market, historical actors look to startups to speed up and boost their capacity for innovation. While internet access and mobile communications are still Telco’s critical sources of income at the moment, long-term growth will focus on services like lodging, data storage, security, and cloud technology. Startups are creating solutions that should […]<
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In today’s world culture, people are increasingly encouraged to start their own businesses. Why help someone else make money when you can put all the effort into making yourself the money? It seems like a perfect idea; everyone is entitled to dream, yet reality can often be disappointing. Before embarking on this journey, some harsh […]
Dubai, UAE, October 2022: du, from Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company (EITC), has partnered with GoDaddy to enable Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and the Small Office, Home Office (SoHo) segment to create, evolve and grow their digital presence. The announcement was made at GITEX Global 2022 – where du is presenting an innovative showcase under […]
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Reuters is reporting today that the game code for Nokia's new N-Gage mobile game deck has been cracked by hackers and made available for download on the Internet after only one month on the market. Full Story
The N-Gage, which has had wide-spread media coverage as a competitor to Nintendo's Gameboy, also works as a mobile phone and and MP3 player. Nokia N-Gage is the first mobile and connected game deck to feature online high-quality 3D multiplayer gameplay over Bluetooth wireless technology and GPRS.
All New Nokia Phones at a Glance
The Media already calls Nokia N-Gage a Failure?
Don't Miss: iPhone 8: Everything You Need to Know


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Ever known that ghastly feeling, when you set off somewhere on your Christmas holidays, only to realise to your horror that you forgot to programme your YouView set-top box to record the Eastenders episodes to watch when you come back?
|YouView releases remote record mobile app on iOS but not Android|
Well, worry no more because now YouView has come up with the ultimate remedy for such forgetful soap-addicts – a free new app that lets viewers set their box to record TV shows by remote from anywhere in the country. But only so long as they have an iOS device and not an Android…
Android fans are used to being treated as ‘second class’ customers compared to their iPad and iPhone-owning counterparts, and so we’re sure that YouView’s new app will draw their ire just as readily as previous examples have, such as the BBC iPlayer or the Sky Go app. But at least by now, they should be used to waiting!
Meanwhile, while Android users are being patient, owners of the iPhone, the iPod Touch and the iPad will all be able to make use of this handy new feature from the YouView app. The application allows users to record television shows to their YouView box from just about anywhere on the planet, so long as they can find a web connection. Simply get online, browse through the app’s TV guide of more than 70 listings, then hit the record button – once you get home, your show will be ready to be watched from your YouView box on your HDTV display.
The move means that YouView has caught up somewhat with rival services. Sky customers have already had access to similar services for a long time, while Virgin TV recently developed its own app that lets TiVo customers record shows remotely.
Youview’s CEO Richard Halton hinted that the app is just a taste of things to come for the company’s customers:
“We’re delighted to release the YouView app in time for Christmas. Customers now have a great new way to explore content, plus it gives them much more flexibility by allowing them to record shows remotely.”
“The app is just part one of our strategy – we plan to offer much more value to our customers, which will include extending the app’s functionality at a later date.”
Sadly, there’s no concrete release date for the Android version, although YouView assures us that there is one in development.


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Identity Theft: How big is the threat, really?
July 13th, 2012
When people access your personal information for personal gain, it’s called identity theft. But that doesn’t mean the bad guys had to uncover every bit of your personal information. Some of these criminals have real expertise in taking a little info here and a little data there, and using it as a platform to get even more. All to develop a surprisingly complete profile.
With that said, along with all the news about hackers and breaches and stolen accounts, it is somewhat surprising that many people still have the “it can’t happen to me” mindset. Maybe it won’t. Maybe it will.
Here are some numbers that put things in perspective, just so you know that the threat is indeed real.
Identity theft by the numbers.
Number of identities stolen every three seconds1
Number of U.S. adult identity theft victims in 20112
How many times more likely you are to be an identity theft victim if you received a breach notification2
Percentage of increased likelihood of fraud for smartphone owners2
Percentage of Americans surveyed who said they were seriously concerned about identity theft3
1, 2, 3
Florida, Georgia and California state rankings for the highest per capita rate of reported identity theft complaints4
Largest reported dollar amount of identity fraud committed against a child5
Percentage of identity theft cases involving phone, utility, bank and employment fraud6
Perhaps you now have a fresher perspective on the threat of identity theft. And while it isn’t cause to break into a sweat with paranoia, it certainly is smart to be aware of how, where, when and to whom you are passing along your personal information. Be vigilant.
1 Javelin Strategy & Research and LifeLock’s internal calculations. 2012 Identity Fraud Survey Report. Javelin Strategy & Research. February 2012.
2 Javelin Strategy & Research. 2012 Identity Fraud Survey Report. February 2012.
3 U.S. Unisys Security Index, 2011
4 FTC Consumer Sentinel Network, 2011
5 Child Identity Theft, Carnegie Mellon CyLab 2009-2010
6 TransUnion Identity Theft Facts


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In an article published on February 10, 2020, news provider Supply Chain Dive informed about insights from the 2019 Global Packaging Trends Report published by the Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies (PMMI). The market research study investigated global packaging markets across beverage, food, home care, personal care, and animal food products to identify current market shares and potential future trends. By material type in the year 2018, flexible plastics were found to lead the packaging market (27.9%), followed by PET bottles (16.5%), and then metal beverage cans (8.3%), glass bottles (8.2%), and thin wall plastic containers (7.2%). A total of 3,271 billion units of packaging were estimated to have been sold in 2018 across all sectors. Bottled water was by far the leading category with 300 billion packaging units sold (primarily PET), followed by beer (245 billion units; primarily glass), and drinking milk products (211 billion units).
The greatest category growth between 2018 and 2023 is expected in sugar confectionary packaging (6.5%), bottled water (5.5%), and yogurt and sour milk products (ca. 4%). Worldwide by 2023, flexible plastic packaging is expected to increase by 165 billion units driven largely by sugar confectionary and salty snack products. PET bottles are expected to increase by 109 billion units driven almost entirely by bottled water, and glass bottles are expected to increase by 16 billion units, driven by beer, bottled water, spirits, and wine. As overall trends, the report identified increasing consumer demand for convenience and options for smaller portion sizes. Sustainability and recyclability were also found to have emerged as “key themes of innovation.”
Matt Leonard (February 10, 2020). “Flexible plastic makes up 28% of global packaging: report.”
PMMI (February 2020). “Global Packaging Trends Report 2019.”


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Hybrid Investor Day to be Hosted on April 12, 2022 from the New York Stock Exchange
American Express Global Business Travel (“Amex GBT” or the “Company”), the world’s leading B2B travel platform, today issued a reminder that the Company will host a hybrid Investor Day on Tuesday, April 12, 2022, beginning at 8:45 am ET. Members of the Amex GBT management team will discuss the Company’s performance, strategy and outlook.
The event will be held at the New York Stock Exchange. Additionally, a live webcast of the Investor Day presentations, along with supporting materials will be available on the day of the event on Amex GBT’s website at investors.amexglobalbusinesstravel.com.
A replay of the webcast and associated presentation materials will also be available on its Investor Relations website following the event.
In December, Amex GBT entered into a business combination agreement with Apollo Strategic Growth Capital (NYSE: APSG) in a transaction that would result in Amex GBT being listed on the NYSE. The transaction is expected to close in the first half of 2022, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions.
About American Express Global Business Travel
American Express Global Business Travel is the world’s leading B2B travel platform, providing software and services to manage travel, expenses, and meetings & events for companies of all sizes. We have built the most valuable marketplace in B2B travel to deliver unrivalled choice, value and experiences. With travel professionals in more than 140 countries, our customers and travelers enjoy the powerful backing of American Express Global Business Travel.
Visit amexglobalbusinesstravel.com for more information about Amex GBT. Follow @amexgbt on Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220406005235/en/
Vice President, Global Communications and Public Affairs, American Express Global Business Travel
Vice President Investor Relations, American Express Global Business Travel


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updated 12:05 pm EDT, Mon May 12, 2014
Square removes its Wallet payment app from App Store, introduces Square Order
Square has removed its mobile payment app, Square Wallet, from the App Store this week, as it introduces Square Order. Comparable to Pickup, Square Order allows users to place orders and pre-pay from one's smartphone before arriving at a deli or coffee shop, so as to not need to wait in line. Square Order is aimed at local businesses, and is currently limited to San Francisco and New York City.
Hyper announces launch of made-for-iPhone, iPad USB flash drive with Lightning connector
After recently receiving approval from Apple, Hyper has announced the launch of its made-for-iPhone, iPad and iPod touch flash drive with built-in Lightning connector, the iStick. The USB flash drive includes a standard USB connector alongside the Lightning connector, which will come in 8GB, 16GB, 32GB and 64GB variants. Its companion app will allow for transferring content from one device to another, and while connected, streaming video and music can be done directly without requiring copying files over. Pre-ordering is available through Hyper's Kickstarter campaign, with pricing beginning at $130.


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Industry insider news for New Zealand's technology resellers
These search results are from across the Techday network of sites
Massey University staff to dissect sports management in the digital age
Lecturer Ashleigh Thompson and associate professor Andy Martin will present research at the European Association of Sport Management conference.
Kiwi boardrooms in desperate need of digital transformation
“Digital has disrupted markets, and the way we do business, but it hasn’t yet changed boards.”
Xero: Making paperwork paperless
Xero has entered an integration partnership with Formitize, the mobile forms platform to create paperless solutions for data collection and reporting.
The next phase of digital technologies is here
"While it’s impossible to know what future digital technologies will look like, it’s clear that touch and gesture features are here or on their way."
Cochlear goes digital with OpenText
OpenText has announced they are partnering with Cochlear to bring the company into the digital-first world.
Spark shakes up leadership team and hones in on digital first strategy
Spark New Zealand says in the past two years they have seen a lot come from their new ‘future-oriented’ strategy, and in 2015 are looking to become a leading digital first company.
Gartner to CIOs: Flip your leadership to succeed in digital business
Kiwi CIOs have been told they need to flip their leadership style and change from aligning with the corporate culture to building a digital culture in order for their companies to survive and thrive in the digital world.
Intimacy, mindset and innovation key for digital advertising success
The PwC Global entertainment and media outlook, 2014-2018, forecasts digital advertising will increase by 10.2% every year until 2018.
What are the 4 laws of IT innovation?
Stay ahead of the IT game in this rapidly changing technological world and learn a thing or two from Melcalfe, Moore, Edholm and Shannon.
RealMe: The government's answer to digital natives
Westcon Imagine 2014 - Richard Foy's comments on how the government is responding to an increasingly digital world.
Kiwi Bright Sparks announces leading young tech heads
Bright Sparks 2014 finalists have been announced and the group innovative winners, all between 12-17, are already making tracks in the digital industry
Lightbox serves up seven years of content in 14 days...
Lightbox has shone the spotlight on its new online TV service in the first two weeks after launch...
Is it time for CEOs to hammer home Yammer?
"Smart CEOs of the past would walk the factory floor or spend a day working behind the counter to understand how their company operates...."
Is Digital vs IT a generational leadership divide?
Recently I was interviewing a couple of digital leaders about what drives them and what digital means. They mentioned several things that separate digital from IT but one surprised me.
Westcon “masters of own destiny” following cloud acquisition
"We’ve bought all the tools and solutions which help power our digital distribution strategy and for us, this is a big deal."
Can a digital workforce create 100,000 new NZ jobs?
Internet MANA has launched its election campaign, promising 100,000 new jobs and to make New Zealand a digital workforce.
Every business needs to digitise - here's how...
Every business must transform into a digital business...
$150k and counting... Digital Kiwi SMEs bask in higher revenues
"It’s hugely concerning that overall there’s been little progress in the uptake of company websites around the country since last year – it’s stayed stagnant at 50 per cent."
Six patterns of “wow-worthy” digital marketing…
What makes digital marketing wow-worthy? Exceptional branded moments that remind us what great marketing is all about.
How the role of the CMO is changing...
The role of chief marketing technologist hasn’t even reached its tenth anniversary. Yet it’s already starting to change. Why?
Why continuous evolution knocks at our digital doorstep… every day
The past few years have seen immersive technologies brought into the market and forming mega-trends, yet continuous evolution knocks at our digital doorstep every day.
Telecom makes digital mark... officially changes to Spark
"Spark will be a stimulus for new customers to take another look at what we have to offer, and we think they will be pleasantly surprised."
Internet Party: Digital drive will deliver "truly responsive" Govt
The digital transformation of government services, the introduction of online voting and making government more open and accountable will benefit all New Zealanders.
Canterbury software start up bags $700k Japanese investment
"There is just so much going on in social media now that having a tool that can harness all of a company’s online activity, pulling it all into one website, is very valuable."


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Sainsbury’s has warned of gaps in shelves after struggling to cope with demand fuelled by the Euros and lorry driver shortfalls.
Chief executive Simon Roberts said the popularity of soft drinks, beer and barbecue foods had leapt as families stayed at home to watch the football.
“As customers are spending more time together for the big events we have seen demand respond as a result,” he told The Guardian.
Sainsbury’s beer sales have surged by 60 per cent since the tournament began.
On Saturday, it sold 17 packs a second as England fans stocked up for the quarter-final match against Ukraine.
Roberts also admitted the supermarket had difficulty sourcing salad packs, along with particular beer and soft drink brands, on account of delivery driver shortages.
However, he claimed to have brought in a range of different items so that “in areas that customers want to buy we have got availability”.
According to the Road Haulage Association, there is a “catastrophic” shortfall of around 70,000 lorry drivers.
Wholesalers, retailers and logistics firms have repeatedly sounded the alarm bell over the issue in recent months.
The government recently held crisis talks with industry leaders, though one minister reportedly accused the sector of “crying wolf” last month.
The news comes after Sainsbury’s revealed that its grocery sales growth had slowed to just 0.8 per cent.
However, given the panic-buying as the country went into lockdown last year, this was up 11.3 per cent from 2019.
Roberts seemed to hint that growth would continue shrinking, saying he expected shopping patterns to “normalise further”.


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You are not permitted to download, save or email this image. Visit image gallery to purchase the image.
Police were called to Super Liquor on East St, about 8.40pm on Wednesday.
A police spokeswoman said a masked man, who was wearing a black hoodie and grey trousers, entered the store and threatened an employee with a knife.
The man stole about five small bottles of spirits and two one-litre bottles of liqueurs before running from the store.


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While many folks mourn the loss of the Sprint’s unlimited data plan for its non-smartphone devices, it looks like the carrier is trying to make things right with the launch of its new mobile broadband plans. While Sprint isn’t going to give you unlimited data anymore, it has tailored a bunch of plans to suit the needs of different folks.
For $19.99 a month, users can get 1GB of data just for tablets, which should be good enough for casual users. $34.99 a month gets 3GB of data for tablets and dedicated mobile hotspot devices. $49.99 a month gets 6GB of data for tablets, dedicated mobile hotspot devices, USB modems/card modems, netbook and notebooks, and $79.99 gets you 12 GB for the same devices.
The new plans will be available to all new and existing customers and are available now. Head over to Sprint’s website to find out more.RELATED
- Apple iBeacon Deployed To 254 Stores To Help Guide Shoppers
- Mint Financial App Now Available On Windows 8.1, Windows Phone
- HBO GO Now Supports Google Chromecast Across iOS, Android, Web
- Google Opening Showrooms In Six U.S. Cities For The Holidays
- Windows 8, Windows Phone 8 Will Be Getting Facebook One-Click Login
- Follow: mobile broadband, plans, Sprint,


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MOROCCO: Investor Abraaj looks to accelerate growth at candy firm Kool Food
Investment firm Abraaj Group has indicated it plans to support an "ambitious investment plan" to drive growth at newly-acquired Moroccan chocolate group Kool Food.
Abraaj said it would look to "consolidate" Kool's leading position in Morocco and "advance its international distribution strategy".
The investment house also intends to expand Kool's product line-up, with new products in the near-term and "complementary products" in the medium term.
"Kool Food is well-positioned in the Middle East and North Africa region as a successful local producer of quality chocolate confectionery products affordable to the region's burgeoning consumer classes. By building out Kool Food's current product offering with attractive new products and extending its pan-regional distribution, Abraaj will catalyse the company's growth into one of the leading chocolate confectionery players in the region," Tarek Kabil, an Abraaj partner, said.
Kool Food makes chocolate confections and powder drinks as well as other sweet and salted food products under its own brand. Its products are sold in Morocco as well as other countries Maghreb region, including Algeria and Tunisia.
- On the money: Hormel still looking for M&A
- FMCG sales slowing despite economic green shoots
- Consuming issues: The hunger-obesity paradox
- On the money: Hain expects continued organic gains
- Analysis: Market bets on higher Chiquita offer
- Switz rejects EU plea to bypass Russia export ban
- Parmalat nears Lacteos Brasil acquisition
- Russian government eases ban on food imports
- Fonterra, Beingmate launch infant formula JV
- UK group Symington's eyes Australia growth


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Meet the InSkin Team at IAB Engage (12-13 October)
InSkin Media’s Hugo Drayton, Steve Doyle and Evan Russell will be attending this years’ IAB Engage conference between 12 -13 October.
Visit our stand and meet our friendly team who will be showcasing some of our latest creative work. There will be smoothies so don’t miss out!
Hugo has led InSkin Media from start-up to a profitable, international business. Under his leadership, the company’s expansion across Europe, APAC and MENA has been recognised by multiple high-growth awards, including Sunday Times Tech Track 100, Media Momentum Awards, and the Deloitte Technology Fast 500. Previously, Hugo held leadership roles at Phorm, and Advertising.com, following 10 years at The Telegraph Group, where he launched the UK’s first national newspaper website. Hugo is a non-executive Director of Future plc, a Trustee of the British Skin Foundation, and a regular contributor to trade press and media conferences.
Steve Doyle, Chief Commercial Officer
Steve is responsible for InSkin Media’s global revenue, and agency / advertiser adoption of the company’s ad formats. He is on the board of the IAA UK Chapter, has chaired the IAB Video Council since 2012, and was named Commercial Director of the Year at the IPA Media Owner awards 2013. Steve joined InSkin Media in 2009 from Virgin Media/IDS where he spent 4 years as Sales Controller.
Evan runs the UK Commercial Team and is responsible for agency relations and InSkin Media’s UK ad revenue. He joined InSkin Media in 2009, and led his team to victory as Commercial Team of the Year in the 2012 British Media Awards, as well as securing the company’s position as a top 10 Media Owner in the IPA Media Owner Survey since it first featured in 2013. Prior to InSkin Media, Evan held sales roles at Channel 4 and Virgin.net.
Find out more about InSkin Media:


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Sales of the Chevy Volt remain solid with General Motors reporting it sold 2,851 units in September 2012. That’s 20 units above the previous record-setting 2,831 units sold in August 2012, and significantly more than the 1,849 units sold in July. If we flip the calendar back to September 2011, we discover that General Motors sold only 723 Chevy Volts that month.
Nissan reported that sales of its electric LEAF checked in at a 12-month high of 984 units in September 2012, compared to 685 units in August, and only 395 in July. Nissan’s low volume of LEAF sales throughout nearly all of 2012 was a disappointment, but the higher numbers suggest that attractive pricing for leases at the dealership level could signal a turnaround.


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Jan. 29 (Bloomberg) -- Myanmar agreed to sell 200,000 metric tons of white rice to Indonesia’s state food agency Bulog, the Myanmar Rice Industry Association said.
Exports of the grain will begin in February, the association said in a statement e-mailed today. That will be the first shipment to Indonesia since exports to the Southeast Asian buyer were halted more than 10 years ago, the association said.
To contact the reporter on this story: Supunnabul Suwannakij in Bangkok at firstname.lastname@example.org
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Paul Tighe at email@example.com


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By Michael Lopez
If there was one place in the world you wanted to be last night, it was New York for the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show. Featuring gorgeous models, performances from Justin Bieber and some of the most provocative lingerie on the market, it earned tons of media attention. It also had a lot of Latino faces in the mix.
On the supermodel side, Brazilian beauties Adriana Lima and Alessandra Ambrosio stole the show. Adriana came out dressed in a sensual circus ringmaster outfit, while Alessandra sported petal wings and that famous bejeweled bra.
Part Puerto-Rican crooner Bruno Mars made a memorable appearance too, belting out hits from his new Unorthodox Jukebox album. He also got serenade 12 different models during a “Calendar Girls” segment of the night.
And this year’s show even added a charitable touch. Both Victoria’s Secret and CBS announced that they made substantial donations to Hurricane Sandy relief before the models took the stage.
Who’s your favorite Victoria’s Secret model? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.
Read more Blogamole's News and Chisme here.


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The following is a new tweet from the official Twitter page of TNA president Dixie Carter:
“Just had lunch w/@realMickFoley. He showed me the 1st copy of his new book, Countdown to Lockdown, that hits stores 10/1.”
Follow more Dixie tweets on Twitter @ TNADixie.
Have a news tip? Attended an event and want to send a live report?


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The past few years have been relatively challenging for Kenyan manufacturers, with the manufacturing sector as a percentage of GDP declining from 11.8 per cent in 2011 to 8.4 per cent in 2017, according to data from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics.
Despite this downtrend, the underlying fundamentals are still encouraging and the potential for manufacturing to lead the country to a brighter economic future is stronger than ever.
Kenya has one of the most developed consumer markets in the region. Research from the Oxford Business Group indicates that the country’s formal retail penetration rate is between 30 and 40 per cent, the second in sub-Saharan Africa after South Africa and double Nigeria’s.
This high formal retail penetration, which has partly been driven by the entry of international retail chains, underlines the huge opportunity to manufacture and market world-class consumer goods in the country.
Kenya is also the preferred gateway to East and Central Africa and, through the Port of Mombasa, provides the region with direct connectivity to over 80 ports worldwide. This makes it an ideal base of operations for manufacturers seeking to use the country as a vantage point to penetrate other markets in East and Central Africa.
To capitalize on the country’s comparative advantages in manufacturing, the government is employing a strategic mix of reforms and incentives under Vision 2030, the Kenya Industrial Transformation Programme and, most recently, the Big 4.
President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Big 4 Agenda targets to expand the manufacturing sector as a percentage of GDP to 15 per cent by 2022. For this rapid expansion to occur in a space of just three years, the pace of reforms needs to pick up.
Issues such as fighting illicit trade and counterfeits, improving market access within key trading blocs like EAC and COMESA and the removal of punitive taxes targeting high potential manufacturing subsectors need to be definitively dealt with.
Importantly, the country also needs to urgently mobilize fresh investment in manufacturing. This includes both domestic investment and, crucially, foreign direct investment, which is key in bridging the country’s domestic savings gap.
To attract foreign investors into manufacturing, attractive fundamentals are not enough. A deliberate effort to entrench green manufacturing is also needed in view of the direction in which manufacturing is moving.
Globally, leading manufacturers are adopting a more long-term view on clean energy use amidst mounting challenges such as climate change. This is certainly the case with Mars Wrigley Confectionery.
Our recently launched $70 million (Sh7 billion) chewing gum factory in Athi River is the first in the region to be recognized for green technologies under the world’s most widely used green building rating system – LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. The factory has received LEED GOLD Certification status, awarded by the United States Green Building Council.
While we are not the only ones thinking about green manufacturing in the world, we are among the first to take this giant leap in Africa. This is in line with our ambition of cutting all fossil fuel energy use and greenhouse gas emissions from our operations by 2040 in the Mars Sustainable in a Generation Plan.
Industrial players are the largest consumers of electricity in Kenya, accounting for about 60 per cent of total consumption. Therefore, if Kenya wants to attract the top cadre of manufacturing multinationals, who are increasingly concerned about issues like clean energy, it needs to put in place clear policies and incentives.
Recent investments in 21st century infrastructure, such as roads, rail and ICT connectivity, will help position Kenya’s manufacturing sector competitively in the eyes global investors looking to enter the market. However, the real game changer will be policies and incentives that promote clean energy and allow manufacturers to operate in a way that is good for the planet and the people.
This is the way to do business today and the route that offers Kenya the best chances of mobilizing foreign investment to fast-track the growth of the manufacturing sector, while playing its part in combating climate change.
(Ms Mwangi is the Corporate Affairs Director, Developing Middle East and Africa at Mars Wrigley Confectionery. Wanja.email@example.com)


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The Business Bulletin
WINE COUNTRY -- Vivienne Flesher celebrated her 90th birthdayTuesday, making her perhaps the oldest employee in the TemeculaValley wine-grape region. Flesher has worked at Mount PalomarWinery since 1978. In those 28 years, she has run the winery’stasting room, conducted tours, bottled wines and pasted labels ontobottles.
TEMECULA -- Daniel Leigh, president of Corman Leigh Communities,is one of three finalists for the Spirit of the Entrepreneurcorporate award given each year by the Inland Empire Center forEntrepreneurship at Cal State San Bernardino.
Corman Leigh recently began construction on Viscaya, adevelopment of 160 homes in Lake Elsinore.
The two other finalists in the category are Norman Morales ofVineyard Bank in Corona and Mark Warmoth of Weekend WarriorTrailers Inc. in Perris. The Inland Empire center gives similarawards in seven other categories, including technology and familybusiness. It will present the awards at a black-tie gala at theRiverside Convention Center on Nov. 15.
TEMECULA -- Missouri-based First Bank expects to open a branchat Winchester and Nicolas roads early next year. The35,000-square-foot branch office will be located in Rancho TemeculaTown Center, now under construction.
MURRIETA -- Silverado Apartment Homes will open to new rentersin December. Its leasing center, operated by Mesa Management Inc.,will open Nov. 1 at 25100 Vista Murrieta Road. Rents range from$1,045 to $1,545.
Baron von Grocery
TEMECULA -- Baron’s Marketplace, a specialty grocery store,opened a new location at the intersection of Rancho California Roadand Meadows Parkway on Wednesday. The store is in Meadows VillagePlaza, a new shopping center that is expected to include severalrestaurants.
TEMECULA -- CVAC Systems Inc. has formed a scientific advisoryboard to evaluate a series of processes used for treating diabetesand insulin resistance. The company draws its name from theprocess, “cyclic variations in altitude conditioning.”
The board members include Anne Friedlander, a researcher inexercise physiology and a consulting professor of human biology atStanford University. Also to serve are Mike Nichols, MichaelSchwartz and Jeffrey White. Nichols founded TempusClinic, a programdesigned to regulate metabolism. Schwartz founded aweight-disorders clinic at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. Hehas conducted federally funding studies of neuroendocrine controlof food intake. White has helped to build biotech companies.
The company employs fewer than a dozen people at itsheadquarters on Business Park Drive, on Temecula’s west side.
Got an idea for a business story or an item for the BusinessBulletin? Contact staff writer Chris Bagley at (951) 676-4315, Ext.2615, firstname.lastname@example.org.


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Dollar General to open 10,000th store
Goodlettsville, Tenn. -- Dollar General Corp. announced the opening of its 10,000 store, giving the retailer a coast-to-coast presence for the first time in its history. The location is in Merced, Calif., and is due to officially open on Saturday. It will be Dollar General’s fifth store to open in California. “Opening the doors of our 10,000th store is a meaningful day for all of us at Dollar General, and we are excited to celebrate the occasion in California,” said Rick Dreiling, Dollar General’s chairman and CEO.


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PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- Federal grand jurors in Philadelphia have indicted six businessmen on charges they defrauded hundreds of hopeful entrepreneurs out of millions of dollars.
The indictment made public Friday alleges that the men associated with Remington Financial Group bilked at least 800 people seeking funds for commercial ventures.
According to the grand jury, victims paid thousands of dollars in up-front fees to Remington based on false representations that the company had found investors for their projects.
Prosecutors say victims collectively lost more than $10 million between 2005 and 2011.
The company, which was later renamed Remington Capital, had offices in Arizona and Pennsylvania.
Remington founder Andrew Bogdanoff is among the defendants. He faces charges including fraud and money laundering. His attorney did not immediately return a call for comment.


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Gone are the days when marketers could look at display as an “add on” for traditional ad campaigns. Data-driven display works, but if you're not making the most of your consumer data, you could be missing out.
Interactive content draws users in and keeps them engaged, which is why more and more marketers are choosing to switch from passive content to quizzes, calculators and interactive assessment tools.
Imgur's growing community of Millennial males makes the photo sharing site a prime advertising spot for brands like eBay and Starz.
Google recently made changes to its Local Pack. Now only exhibiting three top search results, here are five tips to help optimize your SEO strategy and remain relevant in local search.
We caught up with Mozilla CMO Jascha Kaykas-Wolff to talk about data, transparency, and the importance of community for building a trustworthy brand.
After a Vanity Fair article suggested that Tinder is contributing to "hookup culture," the brand created a very public fuss. Meanwhile, Bic managed to accidentally insult women yet again.
Twitter's falling share prices have, once again, sparked speculation that the time is right for Google to buy Twitter, but what benefits would the buyout really have?


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Florida, the world's largest grower of grapefruit, was then hit with devastating hurricanes during back to back harvest seasons, particularly in 2005 with 26 named storms in one season. Infamous Hurricanes including Katrina, Rita and Wilma extensively damaged many grapefruit groves leading to loss of production and higher costs to the consumer for fruit that does make it to the supermarket.
This year, grapefruit is rebounding and making its way back to the spotlight. The Florida grapefruit harvest is expected to almost double from 19 million boxes a year ago to 28 million this year. The industry high was reached in the mid 1990's with some 55 million boxes of grapefruit harvested. The industry is also eagerly awaiting the results of several research studies currently being conducted which could shed light on the grapefruit diet myth, as well as its role in possibly helping prevent certain types of cancer.
"This harvest season, the trees are on the mend and we are producing more grapefruit than we could have imagined after witnessing the destruction," said Daryl Jacobs, an Ocean Spray grapefruit grower in Florida. "Grapefruit has become somewhat of a forgotten fruit in recent years. With more grapefruit available this season, we want people to get reacquainted with the other Florida citrus - the refreshingly healthy grapefruit."
The industry really, really needs a good year, and I need some fresh grapefruit.


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Bentley powered by wealthy motorists from China, the U.S. and Germany
Bentley Motors powered its way back to pre-recession sales, as wealthy motorists from China, the U.S. and Germany clamoured for its upmarket cars.
The Crewe-based firm, whose cheapest model carries a £135,760 price tag, said global sales were up 37 per cent, with 7003 new Bentleys delivered.
This puts the company back to sales figures not seen since before the recession.
Bridging global appeal: Bentley Motors
The US is still the luxury car-maker’s top market, with sales up by a third in 2011 to reach 2,021. But American Bentley fans are in danger of being overtaken by the growing ranks of the wealthy in China.
Sales in the People’s Republic nearly doubled to a record 1,839, as Chinese motorists turned to a British brand with a reputation for luxury.
A spokesman for Bentley, owned by German giant Volkswagen, said: ‘The fact that these cars are all made in Crewe, that it’s a British brand, is a big factor in brand recognition.’
Chief executive Wolfgang Durheimer said it had been a ‘tremendously good’ year for the company.
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Ceva has seen profits rise 17 per cent in the first nine months of 2011 in the wake of a strong performance by the contract logistics business.
EBITDA rose to 238m euros (£205m) from 203m euros (£175m) in 2010 while sales were up 2.1 per cent to 5.15bn euros (£4.4bn).
“The actions we have taken over the past 18 months to reduce costs and improve our operational efficiency have resulted in better margins and increased EBITDA in markets that have become tougher in recent months,” said chief executive John Pattullo.
Sales and profits both rose on a constant exchange rate basis in the third quarter but the increases were wiped out by exchange rate effects. Revenue fell 3.3 per cent to 1.76bn euros (£1.5bn)as a result while EBITDA was flat at 86m euros (£74m).
At constant exchange rates, revenue in Contract Logistics grew revenue 2.5 per cent year-on-year. In Freight Management the air business was affected by declines in market volume, particularly in trans-pacific airfreight lanes.
The ocean business continued to grow. The thirds quarter saw expansion of the LCL offering, with the addition of the Hamburg to New York service, which is the first of many new LCL solutions scheduled to launch in Q4 2011.
EBITDA margin increased year-on-year from 4.7 per cent to 4.9 per cent. Third quarter new business wins totalled 391m euros (£336m) – up from 368m euros (£316m) last year. Strongest growth performances were achieved in freight management and the automotive and energy sectors.[asset_ref id=”1341″] Leigh Pomlett
Leigh Pomlett, Ceva’s president for northern Europe, said the results reflected the resilience of the business to difficult markets.
Ceva has been standardising processes and systems across the business, and this had created a more resilient organisation, said Pomlett.
The airfreight market had been particularly affected by tough trading conditions, and Pomlett said Ceva had responded by creating a specialist team to drive up airfreight volumes. “That has worked well for us.”
Looking ahead, the group said: “With external markets remaining volatile, we expect the uncertainty of the last few months to continue. Against this background we believe that we have identified and prioritised the right actions to continue to strengthen our business model.”


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The hotel industry is ramping up its Washington profile as it looks to counter the online home-sharing service, Airbnb. The industry's political action committee, HotelPAC, spent money in 225 congressional races during the 2016 election, a record for the group. During the election cycle, they raised $1.5 million and gave out $1.3 million to congressional candidates, breaking their own fundraising and spending records.
The Home Office is looking at plans for “Barista Visas” and new rules for migrants, after hospitality industry experts warned many business will close. The British Hospitality Industry has warned that hotels, restaurants and bars will be forced to shut as there is a severe shortage of British workers and a steady stream of migrants is needed.
Trade experts do not see Google’s impending entry into the package holiday market as a threat and say it will boost innovation. Google’s package product will search for combined flight and hotel deals and has been available to a proportion of users since the beginning of the year.
Blueground, a hospitality company offering high quality accommodation to business executives and expats, has made its entry into Dubai's hospitality industry. Based in Greece, Blueground's business model operates by leasing existing high-end residential properties in the most sought after areas, upgrading and converting them into best-in-class rentals, thus avoiding the lengthy and capital intensive construction process of traditional hotel operators.
A chic new hotel brand is getting launched, and it’s set to attach itself to a half-dozen historic properties right off the bat. Journal Hotels — a new label created by veteran hotelier Stephen Brandman along with the owners of the Hollywood Roosevelt hotel — will soon begin managing six venues in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Palm Springs, California and Chicago.
Soon enough, you can start streaming Netflix, Hulu, YouTube, and more when you check into a Hyatt property around the world. The hospitality company is the latest to offer personalized in-room streaming entertainment, following in the footsteps of Marriott International.
It has been reported that a new bill was being presented to the Irish Upper House that would change a 90-year-old law in Ireland. The Good Friday alcohol sales ban would be lifted if the bill were to be passed, which many people took to Facebook and Twitter to celebrate. However, not everyone has found it to be such great news.
The Expedia group has unveiled its first ‘Expedia Innovation Lab’ in Asia, with a view to using its proprietary scientific methods to capture consumer online and app travel search and booking behaviour, and to inform future innovation and technology development globally.
Shimao Property Holdings, a Shanghai-based property developer, is establishing a new hotel joint venture in China with Starwood Capital. Under the terms of the agreement, Shimao will hold a 51-percent stake in the joint venture, while Starwood will own the remaining 49 per cent.
Marriott International has announced plans to open seven new hotels in Scotland. The US firm intends to expand its footprint north of the border by almost 75 per cent over the next four years.


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“Currently ARPU ranges between Rs 88 and Rs 100 and by coming December it should touch Rs 130,” said Neil Shah, research director, IoT, mobile and ecosystems, at Counterpoint Technology Market Research.
This increase will come on the back of certain steps by telcos, like introduction of minimum recharge plans that make it mandatory for prepaid customers to recharge their phones once in a certain period, effectively ending lifetime free incoming calls, industry insiders and analysts said.
Telcos have also tweaked some tariff plans. Market leader Vodafone Idea and second-ranked Bharti Airtel have increased international roaming rates.
Shah said consumers are upgrading their smartphones constantly to support consumption of more data. “People are willing to pay more for these services,” he said. “Their data consumption is expected to go up from 1-1.5 GB per day to 2 GB per day by end of this year and this means they will be ready to absorb any increase in prices.”
Bharti Airtel chairman Sunil Mittal recently said the industry should look to drive ARPUs to around $3 levels. Rajan Mathews, director general of Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) that represents all private telecom operators, said consumers are increasingly more focused on quality than affordability.
“Earlier, customers have clocked in at an average ARPU of Rs 180, so it is not that they could not afford to pay,” he said, adding that there is an opportunity for operators to review optimal ways to increase tariffs and invest in enhanced network quality. Applications that are free now could be charged in future.
“Higher-end post paid subscribers may be the first ones willing to pay for a better quality of service,” Mathews said. “Enterprise offerings will be another opportunity for bundling enhanced value and tariffs.”
To weed out non-paying subscribers, Airtel and Vodafone Idea have rolled out minimum recharge plans—at Rs 35 valid for 28 days—a few months ago. The efforts have started showing results with the respective ARPUs reversing a falling trend to grow—albeit marginally— in the October-December quarter.


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BEIJING (Reuters) - China auctioned 10,000 tonnes of pork from state reserves on Thursday to secure meat supply during the National Day holiday, the country’s commerce ministry said, after disease ravaged the world’s largest pig herd.
Beijing also released 2,400 tonnes of beef and 1,900 tonnes of mutton from state reserves this month, according to a statement published on the ministry’s website.
Pork prices have jumped sharply recently and demand for the meat has fallen, the ministry said.
(Graphic: China to release more meat from reserves to ensure supplies & cool pork prices, )
The ministry said it would continue to monitor supplies and pork prices while coordinating with other government departments to release meat from state reserves as required to guarantee supply in the market.
With a significant increase in meat imports and as the volume of frozen meat in reserves remains high, supplies are secured, it added.
Thursday’s auction was seen by analysts as a symbolic gesture, however, and unlikely to cool pork prices. Those eclipsed 40 yuan ($5.64) per kilogram in early September, almost 80% higher than a year earlier.
“Our consumption is 12,000 tonnes a day,” said Ma Chuang, partner at Beijing-based consultancy Boyar. “It’s just a signal that the state is paying attention to the problem.”
But Ma agreed that there was plenty of frozen meat in storage, with high prices being driven by the shortage in freshly slaughtered meat - much preferred over frozen in China - not a lack of meat overall.
China celebrates its National Day on Oct. 1 with holidays lasting a whole week.
“During the holidays lots of people go traveling and eat out. The restaurants mainly use frozen meat so there won’t be a big impact,” said Ma, but he added that high prices were a longer-term concern.
Pork prices in the world’s top consumer hit record levels after an epidemic of African swine fever that has reduced the hog herd by around 40%.
The disease is not harmful to people but kills almost all pigs infected.
(Graphic: China's pig herd shrank by 38.70% in August, )
Beijing is rolling out measures to help recover pig production and secure meat supplies, especially during the holidays, when demand usually peaks.
China consumed about 54 million tonnes of pork in 2018 but volumes this year are uncertain because of the shortages.
Reporting by Hallie Gu and Dominique Patton; Editing by Dale Hudson, David Evans and David Goodman
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.


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LAKE ROSSEAU, Ont. — The death of the turbo may be the most noticeable change for the 2019 Kia Sorento.
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You find exactly the one you...
Genesis aims to turn the traditional way of buying a new vehicle on its ear.
The Toyota Tacoma has been with us for more than 20 years. The first generation was genuinely compact.
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The cloud storage company's Android app also gained document preview capabilities
Skype can no longer be used on Windows Phone 7 devices, which leaves some users outraged.
He's had his share of hits and misses but he's made his presence felt from the start.
The workplace version of the popular cloud storage service competes against offerings from Google, Microsoft, Box and others
Profits were down 7 percent year on year, including an $0.08 loss from Microsoft's new Nokia business.
TechEd and individual conferences for Exchange, SharePoint, Lync and other products have been fused into one event
World Partner Conference attendees were more receptive to Microsoft's pleas to change their business models for cloud computing
Maybe the new CEO doesn't fully share his predecessor's vision of Microsoft as a maker of smartphones.
The company has acquired Mezeo to complement its email and enterprise social collaboration products
At WPC, the company will unveil new cloud programs and incentives for channel buddies like resellers, ISVs and system integrators
'Tired traditions will be questioned,' the Microsoft CEO wrote in a letter to employees
In general, Microsoft is keeping the same Office plans as before, but at lower prices.
After bundling it with Office 365 Enterprise plans, Microsoft is now adding it to school and midsize business editions.
Achieving solid adoption of these 'Facebook-for-work' tools takes planning, vision, training and effort
Previously, users granted edit rights by default to the colleagues with whom they shared folders


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The sources close to the development said that with the appointment of Hwang as the presiding arbitrator, the tribunal is expected to meet soon and begin the arbitration proceedings between Amazon and Future.
The process could take 6-9 months before a decision is made, they added.
E-mails sent to Future Group did not elicit a response.
An Amazon spokesperson said the SIAC Registry has informed the parties that the arbitral tribunal has been constituted.
Amazon had dragged Future to arbitration at the SIAC after the indebted Kishore Biyani group firm signed a pact to sell retail, wholesale, logistics and warehousing units to billionaire Mukesh Ambani's Reliance in August last year. The e-commerce major's argument is that Future violated the contract by entering into the deal with rival Reliance.
The SIAC, on October 25, 2020, passed an interim order in favour of Amazon barring Future Retail Ltd (FRL) from taking any step to dispose of or encumber its assets or issuing any securities to secure any funding from a restricted party.
In August 2019, Amazon had agreed to purchase 49 per cent of one of Future's unlisted firms -- Future Coupons Ltd -- with the right to buy into flagship, FRL after a period of three to ten years. Future Coupons holds 7.3 per cent equity in BSE-listed FRL -- that operates popular supermarket and hypermarket chains such as Big Bazaar -- through convertible warrants.
In August 2020, Future reached an agreement to sell its retail, wholesale, logistics and warehousing units to Reliance Retail Ventures Ltd (RRVL) -- which operates the retail business of RIL -- for Rs 24,713 crore.
While Future claims that Amazon failed to provide any help as the debt-laden Future Group suffered massive setback amid the COVID-induced lockdown, the US e-commerce major contends that there were ongoing discussions on multiple options with partners and with the promoters of Future.
Future Retail had even approached Delhi High Court, which last month upheld Amazon's right to make representations to statutory authorities against the Future Group-Reliance Retail deal. The court also gave a go-ahead to the regulatory authorities to decide about the deal in accordance with the rules and regulations.
Future Group has approached markets regulator Sebi to expedite the review of the proposed deal and issue a no-objection certificate while Amazon has urged that the review of the "impugned transaction" be suspended.
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The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) has proposed tighter disclosure requirements for foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) to prevent the misuse of overseas investment routes and curb public shareholding norm violations.Apple’s India Stores Bear Fruit, Post Sales Record
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Shub Law is investigating Harley-Davidson for a recent recall on its electric motorcycle line. The recall states that the LiveWire electric motorcycle may experience a sudden loss in power, which is dangerous to the riders.
Released in 2019, LiveWire is Harley-Davidson’s first electric motorcycle. Harley-Davidson’s motorcycle reputation is well known, but electric-powered vehicles are a whole new territory.
POWER LOSS ISSUE IN LIVEWIRE ELECTRIC MOTORCYCLE
Harley-Davidson sent out a recall notice on October 19, 2020 for all LiveWire motorcycles produced between September 23, 2019 and March 16, 2020. The recall notice states, “The electric vehicle powertrain may unexpectedly shut down and not restart, due to a software issue in the Onboard Charging (OBC) system.” Clearly, this becomes a serious issue for riders not expecting their vehicle to suddenly stop. It is estimated that 1% of the LiveWire motorcycles are affected by the power default, but that is 1% too many.
HARLEY-DAVIDSON’S INSUFFICIENT RESPONSE
Harley-Davidson is notifying owners whose LiveWire motorcycles are included in the recall. The company is offering to update the OBC software for free to amend the power issue, but is that enough for those riding unsafely for months?
This isn’t the first time the LiveWire line experienced a manufacturing issue. Harley-Davidson had to stop production on the LiveWire vehicles in late 2019 after an anomaly occurred, but resumed production not long after. Despite the halt to production, Harley-Davidson assured riders to continue using their LiveWire vehicles. Was that the safest decision?
CONTACT US TODAY!
We can’t allow companies to risk your safety. It is unclear how many people may have been put in danger due to this software issue. We care about your rights as consumers and your rights to safe products!
If you or someone you know owns a LiveWire electric motorcycle, contact us right away via email at firstname.lastname@example.org or give us a call at 856-772-7200. At Shub Law, our attorneys specialize in representing consumers who are victims of defective products. Shub Law Firm is a national leader in representing consumers, just like you, against some of the nation’s largest companies. Our experienced class action attorneys are here to help you get justice. Contact us now! All consultations are free of charge.