text:
Footwear retailer Accent Group is scaling up technology that has helped its bricks and mortar stores participate in the e-commerce boom by connecting online shoppers with in-store staff.
Accent, one of Australia's fastest growing omni-channel retailers, started using e-commerce technology developed by US-based company Hero when its Platypus, Hype, The Athlete's Foot and Skechers stores were shut during the national coronavirus lockdown in March and April.
Hero bridges the gap between online and physical stores, enabling customers shopping online to get assistance from in-store staff – rather than bots or call centre staff – through online chat, video, live video streaming, and photo sharing.
Within three months, more than 31,000 Accent customers had used the Hero service. Those who used it were five to 10 times more likely to make a purchase, and the average order size was 25 per cent larger when using Hero compared with unassisted online transactions.
"For us it's been a great way – particularly when stores are closed – to enable customers to get that in-store service experience," said Accent Group's general manager of digital, Kasie Heathcote.
"We've done a controlled rollout and we're in the process of scaling up in the lead-up to November and Christmas and back to school," she said. "It's now in about 40 stores but we'll almost double that in the next month or so.
"It is a different way of serving for team members, so we want to make sure they understand the nuances of serving someone online versus in the store," she said.
At The Athlete's Foot stores, for example, staff ask customers whether they intend to use shoes for running, walking or general fitness, how long they run for, and whether their feet roll in or out.
"The Hero app starts typically as a live chat, then there's the ability to share photos and products using the tool, and also use video – that's where we see it's really going to add value, particularly during the back-to-school period where we can do online virtual fittings," said Ms Heathcote.
The increase in conversion and basket size achieved by Accent is similar to that experienced by other retailers using the Hero app, said founder Adam Levene, who is on a mission to make online shopping more human.
Mr Levene said Hero, which was founded in 2015 and launched in 2017, was a way for bricks and mortar stores to improve productivity by clawing back sales lost to online shopping. E-commerce now accounts for 11.5 per cent of retail sales in Australia, up from 9 per cent a year ago.
"It's making bricks and mortar work harder and smarter for the brand, and [staff] are able to sell beyond the four walls of the store – that's very powerful when there is pressure in the market," Mr Levene said. "It allows brands that are opening stores to justify the investment."
Hero's retail partners have risen four-fold during the pandemic and it now has 150 customers in 30 markets, including British department store Harvey Nichols, Levi's, Nike, fashion brands rag & bone, Oscar de la Renta, and Camilla and Marc, Savile Row tailor Huntsman, beauty retailers Deciem and Mecca, and furniture retailer Herman Miller Group.
Retailers pay a flat fee per month per store, rather than a share of revenue. The Hero "assistance" button is located on the retailer's website and the Hero app is downloaded by store staff on their smartphones and tablets, rather than being downloaded by customers.
Hero partners are on average achieving a 28 per cent increase in basket size; customers using Hero are 21 times more likely to make a purchase and 50 per cent more likely to keep the items they buy, helping to reduce the cost of returns.
"E-commerce is surging but buying online is quite tough sometimes – [with Hero] you can tap a button, connect with a real human and get that in-real-life experience," said Mr Levene.
"That's giving shoppers a better experience, driving key metrics the brands are looking for, and also empowering store associates to have an opportunity to come closer to the fast growth of e-commerce."
The company has raised $US15 million in funding to date, including a $US10 million Series A raise in August 2019, and is likely to raise more capital in 2021.
Key investors include venture capital firms such as S28 Capital, Vectr Ventures, and DIP Capital, and strategic investors including Yasunobu Kyogoku, the former chief investment officer of Uniqlo parent company Fast Retailing, and the family office of Sir Dickson Poon, chairman of Harvey Nichols, which was one of Hero's first customers.
While online sales growth has started to moderate – rising 60.6 per cent year-on-year in August compared with almost 64 per cent in July – online penetration is expected to continue to increase, reaching 17 per cent of retail sales by 2024, according to UBS analysts.
"Now that the customer has experienced [Hero] they won't want to go back. I think it will be widely adopted and become part of the online experience in the future," said Ms Heathcote.
- Sarah Thompson, Anthony Macdonald and Tim Boyd
- Sapna Maheshwari and Michael Corkery
- James Davey
- Sarah L. Kaufman


text:
Yahoo CEO says company now has 800 million usersAssociated Press
SAN FRANCISCO — Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer says the Internet company now has about 800 million worldwide users, a 20 percent increase since she was lured away from Google 15 months ago to steer a turnaround.
The gain disclosed Wednesday at a technology conference in San Francisco is the latest evidence of the progress that Yahoo Inc. is making under Mayer’s leadership. The Sunnyvale, California, company’s stock has nearly doubled since Mayer came aboard, though she and analysts say that gain primarily stems from the value of Yahoo’s holdings in China’s rapidly growing Alibaba Group.
Mayer says the figure for the 800 million Yahoo users doesn’t include the traffic that the company has picked up from its $1.1 billion acquisition of Internet blogging service Tumblr earlier this year.
Despite the increased traffic, Yahoo is still struggling to boost its online advertising revenue — the main way that the company makes money. In recent quarters, Yahoo’s ad revenue has been barely rising while Google and another rival, Facebook Inc., have been thriving.
Mayer says she believes it her strategy for accelerating Yahoo’s revenue growth will require at least three years to unfold.
Yahoo’s stock shed 29 cents Wednesday to close at $29.19.
Recent Stories:SpaceX launches 3-D printer, other station gear 33 mins elapsed No Monday classes in some schools in Valenzuela 47 mins elapsed ‘No regrets’ for retiring Li Na at emotional farewell 1 hour elapsed Ivanovic beats Wozniacki to win Pan Pacific Open 1 hour elapsed Tropical Storm ‘Mario’ lashes Taiwan 2 hours elapsed Bayan to Abad: Time for ‘sober discourse’ has ended 3 hours elapsed With no NBA takers, Andray Blatche inks deal to play in China 3 hours elapsed How to stay amused while stuck in traffic 4 hours elapsed

domain: news


text:
When High St. Cafe reopens on Monday, the business model isn’t the only thing that will be different. There will be new hours ― 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays, and closed Sundays and all holidays ― and there will be more of a focus on selling the vintage and collectible items that will encompass more of the store (and online). Phil Wong said collecting the vintage items has always been a passion, and being able to offer them to others, he said, “It’s fun. It’s memories.”
Also, all food will be to-go, though there is an area where people can lounge to enjoy a cup of coffee or a cup of soup, he said.
These changes will allow the Wongs to focus more on the catering business and their family. Phil Wong said the catering business “kept this place alive” during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
When people walk inside on Monday, Alena Wong said it “will look completely different.” Monday will also be the restaurant’s debut of Very Berry Mondays, where she said they’ll offer only on Mondays the locally famous Chicken Berry Salad, where it’s prepared either grilled or blackened.
Kyle Jones wanted to stop by for lunch at High St. Cafe on Friday but was disappointed he and a client had to go elsewhere. He said he’s okay with the change of the business model, though he did like dining in the restaurant.
“I’ll miss that aspect, but I’ll still order some carryout,” he said. “It’s good food. It’s always good food. It’s always a good atmosphere.”
Though the menu will be pared down, it will feature staples the community’s come to love, like the Chicken Berry Salad (only available on Mondays at the store), various soups, and Phil’s award-winning chili.
The Wongs have owned and operated High St. Cafe since it opened in June 2015 in downtown Hamilton, and it has become a staple eatery for the city. They purchased the building at 250 High St. in July 2014, and 11 months later opened the cafe.
“I was here every day busting my butt,” said Wong during the renovation. “I had this place gutted, renovated, set up and opened the business all within 11 months. And this building went vacant for nine years.”
HIGH ST. CAFE CHANGES
Among the changes at the High St. Cafe are the hours. Starting Monday, the new hours will be:
11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays through Fridays
11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays
Closed Sundays and holidays


text:
An innovative new braille printer, developed by engineering consultancy KWSP together with design partner Co&Co, has scooped two international design awards. Just months after completing a working prototype, b.my.jet has been honoured, with a silver award from A’Design and first place in the office equipment category for the IDA Design Awards.
A multifunctional printing device, b.my.jet allows blind and partially-sighted people to access visual content at an affordable price in the home. It has been designed with a powder deposition system, dispersing a controlled amount of powder onto a surface in a range of sizes and quantities, enabling operators to quickly and easily print Braille and Moon alphabet, in addition to other tactile surfaces.
The project, which was backed by the EU research and innovation programme Horizon 2020 SME Instrument (GA nr: 733157), saw KWSP collaborate with Hungarian engineers, CERC (Central European Research Center) and UK-based Alchemie Technology to develop a new alternative to traditional embossing methods. A working prototype was delivered using innovative digital manufacturing techniques with the consortium now pursuing potential commercialisation of the product
Kieron Salter, managing director of KWSP, commented: “Everyone involved has offered their creative insight for a product that can make a real difference to partially-sighted and blind people around the world. We approach all of our projects with a blank sheet of paper and do away with any technological preconceptions, allowing us to draw inspiration from various different sectors to find the best solution possible.”


text:
U.S. News Healthcare of Tomorrow Summit 2018
U.S. News & World Report is hosting its 6th annual Healthcare of Tomorrow Summit, held Nov. 14-16 in Washington, D.C. The event will unite the nation’s top health care leaders—medical experts, hospital executives, policymakers, insurers, consumer advocates, and industry analysts—to exchange ideas, share best practices, and set new standards for patient care.
Over recent years, there have been seismic shifts in the health care industry, leading to major changes and new thinking for the future of health care in the U.S.
StayWell is sponsoring a breakfast roundtable at the event on Friday, Nov. 16. CEO Nicole Latimer will lead the breakfast.
Riding the Consumer Fluid Expectation Wave
Fluid expectations is the term being used to describe when consumer expectations cross from one industry to another. Do your patients and consumers receive the same level of experience when shopping for care as when shopping for a car? Our CEO will discuss the use of UX principles and the right mix of content to provide fluid expectations to consumers.


text:
The US band – The Yetis release a double A side single on the 30th.
One of the tracks is Little Surfer Girl.
Little Surfer Girl / Warm California by The Yetis
The release is available on bandcamp.
Join Emerging Indie Bands on Twitter for more release news.
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.


text:
TRENDING ON ONEINDIA
- Supreme Court Verdict On Rafale Deal Tomorrow
- Petrol Price Increased For The First Time In Nearly Two Months
- Hockey World Cup 2018 Quarter-Finals: India vs Netherlands — Updates
- Nissan Kicks Review — KICK-starting A New Statement Among Five-Seater SUVs
- Things To Know About The World's Quad Camera Smartphone
- Patiala — The Princely State Of Punjab
- Inside Pics From Isha's Wedding: Ash-Aaradhya Pose For A Pic
- She Sits In The Lake For The Entire Day — Here's Why!
Samsung Galaxy Note, the first phablet has been a huge success for the brand. It managed to grab the attention of those consumers who want a hybrid device combining a tablet and a smartphone. Then came the Galaxy S3, that made all the heads turn towards it. After the launch of the flagship smartphone, the rumors regarding the successor of Galaxy Note have started pouring in.
The latest information regarding the Galaxy Note 2 is that, Samsung Mobile Arabia has mentioned the Galaxy Note 2 in a tweet. The image below is the evidence for this. There is no official announcement from the brand on the phablet other than the rumors. The tweet mentions three different Samsung models – the Galaxy Beam, Galaxy Tab 2 and Galaxy Note 2 in a poll asking the users which one they are looking forward to have.
We have already seen rumors claiming that the Galaxy Note 2 will be launched in October thereby giving a tough competition to the Apple iPhone 5 that is expected to be launched in September. The phablet successor is expected to have a flexible unbreakable display. But these suggest contradictory specifications. One source claims the handset to have a splendid 5.5 inch display and 8 MP camera while the other states it will have a 5.4 inch display and 12 MP camera.
As of now, that is all we know about the phablet. We will update you on more soon as we get some information regarding the device.


text:
Honda Rebel 500
Kia Sonet Kia QYI
2020 Hyundai i20
Royal Enfield Meteor 350
2021 Yamaha R15 (Honda CBR150R rival) gets new colours in Indonesia
19/01/2021 - 16:00
With the recent launch of the 2021 Honda CBR150R, the 150cc segment in Indonesia has become more competitive. The new motorcycle has been given a major visual overhaul when compared to the previous..
After TVS, Yamaha announces extended free service and warranty in India - IAB Report
30/03/2020 - 18:48
Yamaha has announced extended free service and warranty for its customers in India. The company has taken this step as a relief measure amid the prevailing COVID-19 situation.
BS-VI Yamaha YZF-R15 V3.0 changes and features shown in new promo [Video]
12/01/2020 - 09:30
Yamaha had launched the BS-VI YZF-R15 V3.0 in India last month, and now, it has released the bike's first promo video showing its key changes and salient features. The 2020 YZF-R15 V3.0 has started..
BS-VI Yamaha R15 v3.0 launched at INR 1.45 lakh
09/12/2019 - 16:55
Yamaha has launched the BS-VI R15 V3.0 in India at INR 1.45 lakh*. The BS-VI version has a slightly reduced performance output and a few new features. he de
More two-wheeler brands to skip Auto Expo 2020 - Report
16/10/2019 - 19:11
The list of two-wheeler brands that will skip the 2020 Auto Expo expands, as more manufacturers reportedly withdraw from the biennial motoring event in Delhi NCR. ry
BS-VI Yamaha YZF-R15 tech specs leaked
14/10/2019 - 20:37
A leaked document has revealed the technical specifications of the BS-VI compliant Yamaha YZF-R15, and it hints at a lower power output figure than the BS-IV model. ls
Yamaha YZF-R15 V3.0 gets a marginal price increase
14/10/2019 - 20:07
Yamaha Motor India has revised the prices of the YZF-R15 V3.0. The increase, however, isn’t massive, and the fully-faired motorcycle now retails at INR 1,40,880* for the standard model, and INR..
2019 Yamaha YZF-R15 V3.0 gets three new colours in Malaysia, priced at INR 2.03 lakh
19/09/2019 - 12:33
The Malaysian-spec 2019 Yamaha YZF-R15 has received visual upgrades in the form of new colours and graphics. It is priced at RM11,988 (ex-showroom), which roughly translates to INR 2.03 lakh..
Here's How The 2021 Tata Safari Could Look Like If It Was Used By The Indian Army Again!
New 650cc Royal Enfield Cruiser testing continues; prototype spied again
Hyundai 7-Seater Creta-Based SUV Spied Testing In India Once Again
2021 Royal Enfield Classic 350 testing continues; spied once again
Hyundai i20 Turbo vs Tata Altroz iTurbo - Acceleration Test - Shocking Results
Second Batch Of Volkswagen T-Roc To Arrive Soon; All Units Already Spoken For


text:
We're about a week away from Google Photos turning off its most popular and unique selling point. Almost every user will soon lose out on unlimited backups and will either need to use up their existing cloud storage space or pay up for extra. As we approach this big change, there are a few smaller changes to look out for.
This story was originally published and last updated .
Free backups to Google Photos have been one of the nicest perks of the Pixel line-up, but the benefits have certainly dwindled with time. The original Pixel got unlimited original quality backups, the Pixel 2 and 3 dropped that to three years, and everything from the 3a to the 5 has only had free high quality (i.e. slightly compressed) backups. We're here to talk about the Pixel 2, though, as the three-year timespan has nearly elapsed and that perk is expiring today.
AT&T went to great lengths to resist changing its misleading 5G icon, but it needs no encouragement when it comes to changing up cellular plan options. Over the weekend, the company rolled out updates to its unlimited plans — and it looks like customers with multiple lines could save some significant cash.
T-Mobile is a bit strange in that it has two prepaid branches: T-Mobile prepaid and the newly-renamed Metro by T-Mobile. Alongside its name change, Metro introduced two new plans with unlimited LTE at $50 and $60. T-Mobile has just added a new prepaid $50/month unlimited LTE plan of its own, though it doesn't seem quite as appealing as Metro's.
Two years ago, T-Mobile announced it would only have one cellular plan moving forward - the 'ONE' plan. That didn't last long, as the ONE Plus plan became available a few months later, along with a slew of add-on packages. Now the carrier is throwing another option into the mix, called 'T-Mobile Essentials.'
I think we can all agree at this point that the term "unlimited" has become utterly meaningless in the context of phone plans. Most unlimited plans include at least a few odd limits, but Sprint's latest offerings are really impressive in how many limits they apply to "unlimited" service. The old Unlimited Freedom plan will soon be replaced by Unlimited Basic and Unlimited Plus.
Verizon announced not a second, but its third "unlimited" smartphone plan yesterday, and it goes to show just how meaningless the term has become in the US wireless industry. Verizon's new "above" unlimited plan (the tiers are "go," "beyond," and "above" for those of you playing aspirational-marketing-nonsense-vocabulary at home) is basically America's Most Red Carrier deciding it can cash in on heavy data users to the tune of an extra ten bucks, making it $95 a month.
The "above" plan raises the unlimited (but obviously not unlimited) data cap to 75GB from 22GB, the mobile hotspot allowance to 20GB from 15GB, and tosses in five "TravelPass" roaming days per month.
U.S. Cellular has never been one of the country's major carriers, but for many areas (especially rural regions), it's one of the top choices. The company's previous $70/month unlimited plan was in line with unlimited plans from the big four carriers, but now U.S. Cellular is undercutting the competition.
Back in August, Verizon split its unlimited data plan into three separate plans - Go Unlimited, Beyond Unlimited, and Business Unlimited. All three plans have limitations on video streaming, tethering, and international usage. But starting on January 25, Go Unlimited will include limited service to Mexico and Canada.
Project Fi was a great deal when it was first introduced, minus the fact that the only compatible phone was the Nexus 6. Now that carriers are re-introducing 'unlimited' plans, Project Fi's $10/GB pricing tier isn't quite as appealing as it once was. Fi has now introduced its own version of an unlimited plan, called 'Bill Protection.'


text:
Just when you thought things couldn’t get any worse. As Property Week went to press the US presidential election was on a knife edge and England was bracing itself for a second national lockdown.
Fun times. All I can say is thank God the authorities saw sense and did a U-turn on pubs and bars not being allowed to sell takeaway alcohol. It would have been the final nail in the coffin for many businesses (and many of us will need a few stiff drinks to get through this).
What worries me is that people can only put up with so much for so long. The rising sense of frustration is inevitably going to spill over. Necessity may be the mother of invention – and the hospitality and retail sectors have been amazingly innovative throughout this crisis – but when that invention is to no avail, what then? Then necessity becomes the mother of desperation.
This week, it became clear just how febrile the situation has become in the US when we saw stores and businesses being boarded up ahead of the election in anticipation of violence. With Trump crying fraud, the election may well end up being decided by the supreme court.
Another bitter battle heading to the courts is the one between UK retail landlords and their tenants as relations become increasingly rancorous over unpaid rents.
A growing number of landlords are resorting to county court judgments (CCJs) in a desperate attempt to claw back rental arrears. One dispute lawyer described CCJs as “the only remedy they’ve got right now” and they are likely to remain so if the moratorium on the forfeiture of commercial leases for non-payment of rent is extended until March, as many predict it will be.
That would mean a year of unpaid rent for some landlords. How can any business survive that? Yet, incredibly, landlords continue to be hung out to dry, ever the villains of the piece, while retailers are portrayed as the innocent victims. As Irwin Mitchell’s Tim Rayner notes: “There is this stereotype of the big nasty landlord and the small retailer. In many cases, it’s the other way round. You have a relatively small landlord and an enormous well-capitalised corporate tenant.”
It is little wonder that some landlords have said ‘enough is enough’ and are now calling their non-paying tenants out. I wish them luck.
Another group I wish the best of luck to are this year’s magnificent cohort of RESI Trailblazers, who we unveil this week ahead of our now-virtual RESI Convention on 10-11 November. This formidable bunch underline how innovative the industry remains in the face of the greatest of challenges, and how diverse it is becoming. Against all the odds, this year’s list is our most diverse yet, showcasing talent that spans discipline, gender, age and experience. It is also our most inspiring.
Every year, we ask our Trailblazers to give us their mantras. Two particularly resonated with me this year: Riccardo Iannucci-Dawson’s “Sheer grit and determination wins over raw talent every day of the week” and Alexandra Jezeph’s “Perseverance: if you don’t keep trying, you’ll never know what might be possible”.
If there was ever a time when the industry needed to show that sheer grit and keep trying, that time is now.


text:
In light of the uncertain and evolving situation relating to the COVID-19 pandemic, the FIA Food for the Future Summit scheduled for 10 July 2020 will be transformed into a 100% virtual event. Over the coming weeks, we will be exploring ways to bring together our ecosystem of experts in the food supply chain to learn and connect in this global and digital format.
While it is disappointing that we will not be able to meet and network in-person, the health and safety of our members is our top priority. Stay tuned for more details to come as we work through the logistics of this new digital experience. If you have any questions regarding the cancellation, please reach out to [email protected]
FIA has been monitoring the situation closely and the impact the pandemic is having on the food supply chain. Please visit our website for the latest COVID-19-related news and developments in the region.
Thank you for your understanding and we look forward to connecting with you in our virtual event.


text:
LG Display said on Wednesday that its factory at Paju suffered a gas leak that injured six people.
Tetramethylammonium hydroxide was leaked when workers were trying to reconnect a pipe at LG’s P8 factory, the company said.
Two were heavily injured __ they suffered heart attacks but were revived __ while four suffered light injuries.
The hydroxide is used when making the circuits of liquid crystal display, printed circuit boards and sensors. It can cause burns when they come in contact with the skin or eyes.
The P8 factory is used to mostly manufacturer LCD panels.
LG said it has called authorities and 119 immediately after the accident. The valve that leaked the hydroxide was immediately shut to prevent further accidents, it said.
It will work hard to make sure those that were injured recover quickly, it said.


text:
In the current issue of our print magazine, we talked with Hester Street Fair food vendors who have gone on to success with permanent brick-and-mortar stores and restaurants. This summer, the weekly showcase of artisan food and crafts is set to launch even more new entrepreneurs, including chefs and bakers from an incubator kitchen in the Bronx who will be making their debuts at a special event during the July 20 fair. Click through to read the story.
Our friends at the Hester Street Fair have released the lineup for opening weekend, a week from Saturday. To kick off their fourth season on the Lower East Side, there will be 60 vendors, including more than 20 food purveyors.
A lot of old favorites will be back on April 27, including Luke’s Lobster, Daisy Duke’s BBQ and Little Muenster. But there are also some interesting new additions Khao Man Gai (Thai street food), Chinese Mirch (blending Indian spices with various regional Chinese cooking styles) and the Deviant Chef (umami burgers, short rib & kimchi risotto balls). Also featured: Rachel Mae’s Farmstand, which is a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture on a membership basis. If you’d like to sign up for the CSA, check out Rachel Mae’s Facebook page. On the fashion front, Coast to Coast Mobile Vintage will be on hand in their “tricked out 70′s camper.”
Here’s a sure sign of spring. The Hester Street Fair is getting ready for a new season on the Lower East Side. The food, crafts and vintage market returns to Essex and Hester streets Saturday, April 27. It’s a little hard to believe HSF is beginning its fourth year. We’ll have more on opening day in the next couple of weeks.
Meanwhile, time is running up to sign up for your local CSA. The food cooperatives (Community Supported Agriculture) pay a regional farm to provide fresh produce and other items on a weekly basis throughout the summer. The Grand Street CSA has a final May 1 deadline. Click here for more information.
Our friends at the Hester Street Fair are kicking off their holiday market this coming weekend. The month-long event, held at 233 Mott Street (Prince), features some of the fair’s most popular artisans and food vendors, plus “DIY” workshops, a holiday lights show, an open bar serving hot spiced wine and other wintry beverages, a petting zoo and Christmas tree farm. On Saturday at 1 p.m., you can catch the “Light-o-Rama” synchronized light and music show, followed by a tree lighting ceremony at 4. The Hester Holiday Market is open 11 a.m.-7 p.m. the next three weekends and every day the week of December 15th. Click here for a complete schedule and a full list of vendors.
It’s almost time to say so long to the Hester Street Fair for another year. This weekend’s finale will include a kid-friendly pre-Halloween celebration. There will be pumpkin carving, a costume contest and (are you ready?) an exotic pug petting zoo. Plus, there will be the usual mix of food and fashion. Among the food offerings, Langos House from Williamsburg will be offering up its signature Hungarian pastries. For more information check out the full lineup. The Hester Street Fair is open from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, where Essex and Hester streets meet.
It was a nearly perfect fall weekend — ideal conditions for several community events, including yesterday’s Grub Street Food Festival at the Hester Street Fair. We stopped by before the biggest crowds began swarming the Seward Park playing fields, checking in with some Lower East Side favorites.
Newbies Dorie and Josh Greenspan, who recently opened Beurre & Sel in the Essex Street Market, were right inside the main entrance, offering up their addictive cookies. Right next to the mom and son combo were our friends from Melt, the Orchard Street bakery. The Pickle Guys were on the scene, as well, along with Natalie Raben of the Lower East Side BID, who was getting the word out for next weekend’s Pickle Day. Other vendors pictured (after the jump): Cheeky Sandwiches, Pop Karma, Sons of Essex, Brooklyn Taco, Knishery NYC and Family Recipe.
The Hester Street Fair and New York Magazine are coming together once again this year for the Grub Street Food Festival. There will be almost 100 vendors spread across the Seward Park playing fields. Some of our personal favorites, including Cheeky Sandwiches, Northern Spy, Family Recipe and Mile End are all part of the popular event. The fair will also be open on Saturday as always. You can check out the full food festival lineup right here.
“Bon vivant, nightlife impresario and food lover” Simonez Wolf is hosting a special Sunday edition of the Hester Street Fair this weekend. The Fashion Week-themed soiree will feature LES favorites Luke’s Lobster, Pushcart Coffee and Whitmans burgers. Aaron Sanchez’s Tacombi will be serving fish tacos out of a vintage VW van. And there will be a beer and wine bar. Head over to the Hester Street Fair’s web site for more info.
It looks like we’ll have nice summer temperatures this weekend, a bit cooler and perfect for getting out and about it the city. If you’re in town for the weekend, the Hester Street Fair is offering up another great lineup from food and shopping vendors. Kimchi dogs from The Supply are back and It’s a Cuppie will be on hand with their tasty looking cupcakes with cookies inside. Dealer’s Choice will be selling some unique costume jewelry and you can check out Astridland’s “architectural knit wrap dresses” and printed rayon pieces. For a closer look at tomorrow’s impressive list of vendors, visit the Hester Street Fair site here.
Saturday // 10a-6p // Corner of Hester and Essex Streets.
The Hester Street Fair is getting into the spirit of the Summer Games. They threw a big Olympics-themed party last week at “Hester Nights” (held at the Eventi Open Air Plaza in Chelsea) and will do the same tonight. The festivities head back downtown on Saturday, when the original Lower East Side version of the fair gets in on the action. There will be corn-on-the-cob and bbq rib eating contests, plus ping pong tournaments, burlap sack races and photo booths. For more info and the full vendor lineup, check out Hester Street Fair’s web site.
This weekend at the Hester Street Fair, it’s a new social initiative, “Hester Gives.” There will be all kinds of activities, including yoga, massages, screen-printing and interactive workshops. Ten percent of the proceeds go to Community of Unity, an organization to empower students all over the world.
There will be 30 minute yoga sessions on the lawn at 10 and 11 a.m. led by Khalsa Kaur, “a yoga instructor, Energy Healer and filmmaker who lives a nomadic lifestyle across the great turtle island.” Participants must bring their own mat. If you’d like another stress reliever, there will also be a massage chair at the fair. Rockaways’ Veggie Island will also be at the market with a selection of fresh produce. And there will be a live seed ball making demonstration.
There will be a full lineup of food, crafts and clothing vendors at the fair. as well. Check HSF’s web site for details.


text:
The fist shot in the next-gen console battle has seemingly been fired.
Microsoft’s community voice Major Nelson has, without any hint of explanation, gone live with a countdown on his blog that leads up to E3. The only text included is thus: And it’s on…”
Having at one stage planned an E3 2012 reveal for its new console, strong sales of Xbox 360 (particularly in North America) saw Microsoft decide to give its machine another year.
However, a terrible year for the core games industry has highlighted the folly of this move and both Microsoft and Sony are expected to reveal their next-gen machines this year.
Microsoft has now laid its first card on the table by effectively announcing an E3 reveal. The question now is whether Sony will take the bait and lift the lid on its machine pre-June.
And it’s on” indeed.


text:
When more and more young people love sports and fitness and begin to pay attention to equipment, it gave birth to a unicorn that you can’t imagine.
Author I Zhang Jiwen reported that sun Zhengyi, pedaily in the investment community, made another move.
The investment community learned that vuori, an American functional sportswear brand, has just announced that it has won a $400 million investment in the second phase of Softbank vision fund, causing a sensation.
So far, vuori’s total valuation will reach an unprecedented $4 billion (about RMB 25 billion), a full 20 times higher than the valuation of $200 million in 2019.
Many people may be very strange to vuori, but its men’s yoga pants have become popular in the United States.
Joe kudera, the founder of the company, is a yoga enthusiast.
He found that men in yoga classes could not find suitable clothes, so he founded the brand vuori in 2015 to provide Yoga equipment for men.
He once admitted in an interview: “I always think lululemon is a brand belonging to my wife.
Vuori is a sports brand founded by men and dedicated to men.” vuori has a valuation of 25 billion by relying on men’s Yoga Pants, which makes people sigh: the sportswear business of young people is far beyond our imagination.
Just like lululemon, relying on a pair of female yoga pants to support the market value of 300 billion; There is also the domestic hot fire, which has achieved a valuation of 10 billion in less than two years with a fitness mirror, and the competition for VC / PE is fierce…
The young people who love sports pay more and more attention to sports equipment and quietly created a unicorn company.
He sells men’s yoga pants.
Sun Zhengyi just voted, and the valuation has increased 20 times.
What immortal company is this? Statistics show that vuori, founded in 2015, is a men’s sports fashion brand.
Its products include sports underwear, swimming pants, sports shorts, yoga pants, etc.
The story of this brand starts with the founder Joe kudla.
Kudela was born in Encinitas, San Diego, Southern California, which is a surfing resort.
Influenced by his hometown environment, he loved sports very much since childhood and tried different sports such as surfing, football and hockey.
About ten years ago, kudela, who suffered from back injury, came into contact with yoga by chance and fell in love with the sport.
During yoga classes on weekdays, kudela noticed that most people, especially men, generally wear old-fashioned clothes.
Once a model, he began to have an idea: why not set up a brand to launch Yoga equipment for men? Just do it.
In 2015, kudera raised $300000 from friends and family and founded vuori to provide yoga clothes for men.
In the same year, the company launched the first men’s wear series, which was designed to be suitable for sports and perspiration, and to meet the needs of daily wear.
In its second year, vuori opened its first flagship store and held free yoga and sports fitness courses, as well as monthly art exhibitions and local fund-raising activities.
For this mode of operation, kudera once explained: “we hope to contact customers where they shop, which is an advantage over the pure DTC brand.” in addition, vuori attaches great importance to cooperating with influential people.
During the epidemic, vuori carried out a series of interviews and invited Steven Nash, head coach of the NBA Brooklyn basketball nets, Jason Mraz and other guests.
It is understood that singer Jason Mraz is also one of vuori’s investors.
However, vuori really benefited from online operation during the epidemic period.
After the outbreak of the U.S.
epidemic, vuori, which focuses on offline sales, shifted its focus to e-commerce and social media channels.
At that time, the brand will hold real-time fitness courses on social media and provide 30 to 60 minute courses brought by different fitness coaches or yoga teachers at 8 a.m.
Unexpectedly, this move caused vuori’s fans to soar and sales performance to soar.
By the end of 2020, the company’s revenue has increased to nearly three times that of 2019.
Starting with men’s yoga clothes, vuori is gradually expanding to training, running, surfing and other categories.
Kudela and his team also launched a women’s clothing series, including sports bras, tights and hoodies.
At the beginning of this year, kudela said in an interview with American media that the sales of vuori women’s jogging pants increased by more than 1000% this year, and the sales of men’s Ponto performance series also increased similarly.
At present, vuori is still sold only in the United States.
However, after the completion of the new round of financing, it is preparing for global expansion – starting from the UK, vuori also wants to take the lead in the Japanese market with the help of Softbank, and will set up an innovation center in Taiwan, China.
Maybe in the near future, you will see this brand of men’s Yoga Pants full of hormone flavor on major platforms.
The sports business you can’t imagine is a pair of Female Yoga Pants, which supports the sky high valuation of vuori with a market value of 300 billion because investors benchmark it on lululemon, the ancestor of Yoga fashion.
Lulemon created a myth of women’s yoga pants.
Behind the company is chip Wilson, a male entrepreneur from Canada.
Because his parents are athletes, he has practiced swimming since childhood, 7-8 times a week.
Later, he broke the swimming record of the same age group in Canada and successfully won the University Swimming scholarship.
While studying at the University of Calgary in Canada, Wilson founded his first retail clothing company, westbeach company, which specializes in surfing, skateboarding, skiing clothing and equipment.
In 1997, Wilson sold the company and returned to his hometown.
At that time, yoga began to be popular in Europe and America.
A group of Yoga lovers gathered in Wilson’s area.
Driven by professional habits, Wilson paid special attention to the clothes of teachers and students.
He saw that most students in the yoga class wore cotton or polyester sportswear, which was neither close to the body nor breathable.
Sometimes there was an embarrassing perspective phenomenon, so he came up with the idea of creating female yoga clothes.
(source: lululemon official website) in 1998, he founded lululemon, specializing in selling yoga clothes.
Before long, lululemon opened its first store close to the yoga studio, and quickly gained the first batch of target users by providing yoga pants to the coaches of the yoga studio for free.
Since its establishment, lululemon has established its medium and high-end positioning.
The early yoga pants sold for $100 each, while Canada’s per capita monthly income was $1644 that year.
Even though the price is high, this pair of Yoga Pants still won the love of a group of fans.
Lululemon chooses to cooperate with yoga coaches or fitness coaches around the world and invite them to serve as brand ambassadors by providing free clothes for one year.
With this innovative promotion model and sponsoring community yoga courses, lululemon has quickly accumulated a large number of fans.
In 2004, lululemon opened stores in North America in the mode of Direct stores; In 2007, Wilson took lululemon to the bell ringing stage of NASDAQ.
Lululemon first exploded around 2010..


text:
With the advance of social and digital channels as a way to reach audiences and increasingly sophisticated PR analytic available to help PR pros shape their campaigns, it would be easy to write off the press release as an archaic media outreach strategy. But it would also be a mistake.
How so? Glad you asked! Here are five reasons the press release is very much alive and beneficial to any marketing strategy.
- They help you establish relationships with the media. A press release can be an excellent way to start a dialogue with a reporter. Journalists are inundated with dozens – sometimes hundreds – of irrelevant pitches and press releases each week. If you’re reaching out to a reporter with a well-written press release that is relevant to their industry or beat, they will take notice and appreciate it. Even if they can’t cover the topic or product your press release relates to this time, they are more likely to work with you in the future because you’ve established that credibility.
(While we’re on the subject, let’s discuss the difference between a pitch and a press release: Think of a pitch as a teaser to pique a journalist’s interest. Provide just enough information about what’s going on with your brand to grab their attention. Pitches work well for product updates or to introduce an employee as a media expert to be used for quotes. Keep it short, preferably in a bulleted list, and send via email.
On the other hand, a press release is a factual account of something newsworthy. Your press release needs to provide the who, what, where, when and – most importantly – why your news matters. Again, writing a clear, conciise press release goes a long way and will help you establish a trusted relationship with journalists.)
- They establish credibility and help you control the narrative. The media and consumers view press releases as a trusted source of data and information and, as evidenced in the 2021 Edelman Trust Barometer Special Report, the majority of consumers say brand trust is essential to buying.
Consistently distributing accurate press releases allows you to build credibility over time with journalists as well as existing and potential customers. It is especially useful for start-ups and growing small businesses to get positive word out about themselves.
Press releases also enable you to drive the narrative around your brand. In addition to publicizing important company information, the press release can be used to mitigate an internal crisis or negative external press. By providing credible facts without spin, you can clarify internal conflict to reestablish a positive brand image and public perception.
- They help build SEO traffic. A well-written press release utilizing SEO best practices for search algorithms allows search engines to find, match, index and rank your press release. Having a high-ranking press release on Google (where it’s estimated that around 89,000 searches are conducted every second) and other search engines provides enhanced exposure to current and future customers. So be thoughtful about how you create your press release. Search algorithms are looking for well-written content that naturally incorporates keywords and links.
Repurposing your press release to create additional content will also help your brand rank higher in search (after all, content is king, so the more relevant, timely content you have, the better). Most press releases can quickly and easily (and cost-efficiently) be repurposed for your blog, website and social media. For example, turning a press release into a blog article takes much less time than researching and writing an entirely new piece – after all, you already have all the facts and data in front of you. You’re providing the same information, but by communicating it differently, you make it more accessible to new audiences.
- They can increase customer engagement.Thanks to online news distributors and the rise in social media, you can get your press release in front of a wider audience than ever. Distributing a well-crafted press release provides the opportunity to rank high in search, catch the attention of current and potential customers, and leads to direct engagement and sharing on social channels. You have the opportunity to reach an untapped audience that you may never have considered before.
While you’re at it, make sure to include multimedia such as photos, videos or infographics with your press release when and wherever possible. Not only do press releases with multimedia see higher engagement rates, customers and the media are more likely to share multimedia via social platforms than text-only releases.
- Simply put: Journalists want them. Journalists are always on the lookout for a good story, and press releases remain one of their top resources for finding stories, according to Cision’s State of the Media report. In addition to naming press releases as the most useful resource for getting stories, press releases and news announcements are the types of content the vast majority of journalists (78%) say they want from brands.
Bottom line: Press releases remain one of the best ways to get in front of your target audience. The key to standing out is making sure your press release is well written and clearly demonstrates what you’re promoting and why it matters to your audience.


text:
Alibaba led a round of funding of over $ 300 million in the Chinese self-driving startup DeepRoute.ai.
The Shenzhen-based startup makes autonomous driving systems for vehicles that include hardware and software. DeepRoute.ai operates a fleet of autonomous taxis with some operated by its partners, including Kaokao and the automaker Dongfeng Motors, but the company is also developing logistics technology.
Alibaba’s participation al round funding underlines the ambitions of Chinese tech giants to gain a foothold in the field of auto self-driving. Alibaba Group is also already an investor in a new company of auto self-driving Chinese called AutoX, as well as its support for the company auto Xpeng electric.
Alibaba also has its own logistics arm, Cainiao, which plans to develop self-driving trucks.
For his part, Deep Root CEO Maxwell Chu said that “most of the money raised is spent on technology development and the rest will go towards increasing the size of its robot taxi fleet,” according to CNBC. which has been reviewed by Al Arabiya.net.
The money will also go to hire more talent, Zhou added.
The company currently operates around 70 automated taxis and wants to expand its fleet between 150 and 160 Robo Taxis, according to Zhou, who added that half of the fleet will be operated by DeepRoot itself, while the other half will be operated by its partners. .
In a press release, the company said its long-term strategy includes the development of mid-size trucks for urban logistics.
This is when the Chinese autonomous driving industry has become very competitive. Chinese Internet giant Baidu and Didi are investing in auto self-driving. A large number of other startups too in China, including Pony.ai and WeRide, are pouring money into the camp.
Read More About: Business News


text:
The presence of companies from the retail trade and technology sectors in the final stage of the Manager of the Year 2020 contest is strongest. 40 companies applied to take part at the prestigious contest and 10 of them – 5 Bulgarian and 5..
In case of exceptional circumstances, the budget deficit may exceed the threshold set at 3% of the GDP ,a draft of Bulgaria’s Ministry of Finance reads, investor.bg informs. The global Covid-19 pandemic and economic stagnation put the fiscal..
Bulgaria ranks 44th among 193 countries in the E-Government Development Index (EGDI), a UN report shows. For the first time, the country falls into the category of very high level of e-government development among countries such as the Czech..


text:
A mixed week for the stock market left the confirmed uptrend intact heading into the three-day Memorial Day weekend. Markets are closed on Monday, meaning just two trading days left in May — not to mention the deadline for the federal debt ceiling negotiations. Investors will have an eye on the Labor Department’s payrolls report on Friday, as well as earnings from Dow Jones heavyweight Salesforce.com (CRM) and fabless chip giant Broadcom (AVGO). The debt ceiling talks will remain center stage, and a deal reached or talks abandoned during the week would very likely have an impact on the market’s behavior.
Stocks To Watch: Five Stocks Near Buy Points
Leadership has been narrow in the stock market’s confirmed uptrend, but a number of stocks are acting well. That’s particularly in the chip and software spaces, which just received a boost this past week from Nvidia‘s (NVDA) earnings report. Arista Networks (ANET) and Mobileye (MBLY) are flashing early entries after breaking badly on earnings several weeks ago. Monolithic Power Systems (MPWR) soared past early entries as well on artificial intelligence chip buzz, although a pause might be constructive. Health products distributor McKesson (MCK) has shaped a short handle on a seven-month cup base. And a three-week advance has lifted Smartsheet (SMAR) to just below a buy point with earnings ahead.
With markets now betting on a rate hike at the June 13-14 Fed meeting after hotter-than-expected inflation in April, the stakes are really high for Friday’s jobs report at 8:30 a.m. ET. Economists are forecasting a 180,000 jobs increase in the payrolls report as the unemployment rate ticks up to 3.5%. Wage growth is seen rising 0.4%, which is still too hot for the Fed.
The Key Fed Inflation Rate Heats Up, Lifting Rate-Hike Odds; The S&P 500 Shakes It Off
The Labor Department’s Job Openings and Labor Turnover survey is out Wednesday at 10 a.m. It will offer important indications of how tight the job market is. Another dive in job openings would be good news for the Fed, but economists are expecting an increase.
The Fed’s Beige Book survey, out at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, will provide an anecdotal update of economic conditions across the country. Evidence of tighter credit conditions amid banking turmoil might give the Fed pause. The Institute for Supply Management’s manufacturing survey index, out Thursday at 10 a.m., is expected to indicate that factory sector activity contracted for a sixth-straight month.
Stock Market Perspective: The Dow’s Debt Ceiling Funk
The Nasdaq finished strong to add a fifth straight weekly advance. The S&P 500 recovered into positive territory, and is working to finish May with a third straight monthly gain. The Dow is off almost 3% for the month and in the red year to date as it tests support at its 200-day moving average. The question: Could those losses reverse on a debt ceiling agreement?
Debt-Ceiling Come-Down: Fiscal Reckoning Will Bring Recession And Stock Market Swoon
Blue Chip Tracker: Salesforce.com earnings
Dow Jones stock Salesforce.com reports Q1 earnings Wednesday. The April quarter is usually seasonally weak for the maker of enterprise software. And, amid cost-cutting spurred by activist investors, analysts project EPS growth of 64% to $1.61 on revenue growth of 10% to $8.18 billion. Operating margin improvement will be a key metric. Management may comment on further cost-cutting since consulting firm Bain is reviewing Salesforce operations. Salesforce’s MuleSoft business rebounded in the January quarter and analysts will look for that to continue. Amid fuss over generative artificial intelligence, management will likely comment on competitive positioning in AI and future plans.
Tech Earnings: Cybersecurity Week
The coming week brings a last wave of earnings reports from cybersecurity firms. Results are due from CrowdStrike Holdings (CRWD), SentinelOne (S), Okta (OKTA) and Zscaler (ZS). The IBD Computer-Software Security group ranks No. 50 out of 197 industry groups that IBD tracked. Earnings reports have been mixed for cybersecurity firms, with Palo Alto Networks (PANW) and Fortinet (FTNT) beating expectations, while Tenable Holdings (TENB), Cloudflare (NET) and Check Point Software (CHKP) fell on results. Generally cybersecurity firms building cloud service platforms, such as Palo Alto, have outperformed. Fortinet is well-positioned in an emerging market, software-defined wide area networks, or SD-WANs.
CrowdStrike reports May 31. Analysts model 64% EPS growth to 51 cents on revenue growth of 39% to $677 million. Okta also reports May 31. Analysts expect Okta to swing to a 12-cent profit from a 27-cent loss a year earlier. Revenue is projected to grow 23% to $511 million.
CrowdStrike rival SentinelOne reports June 1. Analysts expect it to report a loss of 17 cents per share, narrowing from a 21-cent loss a year earlier. Targets call for a 74% gain in revenue, to $136.6 million. Zscaler on May 8 preannounced fiscal third-quarter results and raised full fiscal-year outlook. Zscaler reports after the stock market close on Thursday.
Broadcom Earnings Seen Up 12%
Chipmaker Broadcom plans to release its fiscal second-quarter results late Thursday. Analysts expect Broadcom to earn $10.12 a share, up 12% year over year, on sales of $8.7 billion, up 7%. Broadcom stock is in record-high territory after the company signed a multiyear, multibillion-dollar deal with Apple (AAPL) to supply 5G wireless chips. Analysts said the deal is positive because it addresses concerns about the sustainability of the company’s business with Apple.
Stock Market Earnings Bullets
Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) reports fiscal Q2 earnings after the market close on Tuesday. Analysts expect the maker of computer servers, networking equipment and data storage devices to report 49 cents EPS, up 11% from a year earlier. Revenue will grow 9% to $7.31 billion, analysts estimate.
HP (HPQ) plans to report its fiscal second-quarter results late Tuesday. Analysts expect the PC and printer maker to earn 76 cents a share, down 30% year over year, on sales of $13.1 billion, down 21%. Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway (BRKB) last quarter increased its ownership stake in HP to about 12%.
Ambarella (AMBA) will release its fiscal first-quarter results late Tuesday. Wall Street is looking for the computer-vision-chip maker to lose 20 cents a share on sales of $62 million in the period.
C3.AI (AI) reports Q1 on May 31 after the stock market close. Analysts expect the maker of artificial intelligence software to report a loss of 12 cents per share vs. a 22-cent loss a year earlier. Revenue will fall nearly 2% to $71 million, analysts estimate.
PVH (PVH), maker of the Tommy Hilfiger and Calvin Klein clothing brands, releases Q1 results late Wednesday. Analysts expect flat earnings year over year at $1.94 per share after four quarters of declines. Sales are seen relatively flat, ticking up to $2.13 billion. PVH stock is nearing the 91.17 buy point for its cup-with-handle base.
Canadian flight simulator company CAE (CAE) announces fourth quarter and full-year results late Wednesday. Analysts expect earnings growth to slow to a 17.2% jump to 34 cents per share after two quarters of accelerating gains. FactSet projects revenue to spike nearly 25% to $1.19 billion after three quarters of 20% growth or more. CAE stock is trading near the bottom of a flat base with a 24.42 buy point.
Donaldson Company (DCI) reports third-quarter financials early Wednesday. Analysts project earnings growing 10% to 74 cents per share while revenue is expected to increase around 2% to $868 million. Donaldson Company profits grew 15% between 2021 and 2022 and analysts expect another 14% jump in 2023 to $3.05 per share. Donaldson stock is in a flat base dating back to March and is trading around 6% below its buy point.
Macy’s (M) reports early Thursday. The embattled department-store chain is likely to see earnings tumble 58% per share on a 6% sales drop. That would mark the fourth sequential quarter of earnings and sales declines, with more pain seen ahead.
Five Below (FIVE) earnings are expected to rise for the second quarter in a row for its Q1 report late Thursday. FactSet projects the discount retailer to post a 6.3% EPS increase to 63 cents while sales accelerate for the third quarter in a row, increasing 13.8% to $728 million. FIVE stock has retreated nearly 19% from its 2023 peak of 220.19 on April 12.
Cooper Companies (COO) is on deck to report its fiscal second-quarter earnings late Thursday. Analysts polled by FactSet expect contact lenses maker to report adjusted profit of $3.03 per share and $865 million in sales. Earnings would dip 6.5% as sales climb more than 4%. Cooper stock broke out of a cup base in late March and it’s pulled back somewhat, though it remains within a buy zone.
Samsara (IOT) reports Q1 earnings. Analysts project a 5-cent loss, the same as a year earlier and revenue growth of 34% to $191.3 million. Founded in 2015, San Francisco-based Samsara provides sensors and cloud-based software to manage vehicle fleets and industrial operations.
Asana (ASAN) reports Q1 earnings after the stock market close on Thursday. Analysts expect the maker of work management software to report a loss of 18 cents per share vs. a 30-cent loss a year earlier. Revenue will climb 25% to $150.7 million, analysts estimate.
Lululemon Athletica (LULU) reports late Thursday. Wall Street forecasts a 32% EPS increase on a 19% sales gain. That revenue growth would be the lowest in multiple quarters, with forecasts calling for further slowing in subsequent quarters. The Canadian leggings and yogawear seller was a pandemic winner. But amid recession fears, several retailers are seeing consumers avoid discretionary items, opting more for everyday essentials. Lululemon has been resorting to markdowns. It used to be known as a retailer whose high-end apparel almost never went on sale.
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE:
Why This IBD Tool Simplifies The Search For Top Stocks
Want To Get Quick Profits And Avoid Big Losses? Try SwingTrader
IBD Digital: Unlock IBD’s Premium Stock Lists, Tools And Analysis Today
Time The Market With IBD’s ETF Market Strategy
Rally Gains Steam; Tesla Lead 9 Stocks Near Buy Points


text:
In Slate, Jacob Leibenluft published an essay about coffee that gets at the problem a little bit deeper:
If your biggest concern is landfill waste, there's no question that a reusable cup is best. While it's technically possible to recycle a polystyrene cup or a paper cup, your office will be hard-pressed to find a way to do so...
But water use matters, too — especially if you're living in parts of the country, like South Carolina or California [or North Carolina], that have recently faced droughts.
Finally, there's the question of energy use and emissions. Here, the results get a little more complicated. Pound-for-pound, petroleum-based polystyrene is a pretty bad material—it takes twice as much energy to produce a gram of polystyrene as it does to produce the same quantity of ceramic. But you'll need at least 70 times as much energy to produce a ceramic mug as you will to manufacture a polystyrene cup, and probably even more to produce a stainless steel mug.


text:
Samsung's foldable phone may feature three cameras
Samsung's first-ever foldable phone, expected to be unveiled at the Mobile World Congress 2019 in February, will reportedly come with three cameras. According to a South Korean site ETNews, the phone will pack a triple camera setup comprising a super-wide angle sensor. Previously, a report had suggested that the phone would come with 8GB RAM, 128GB storage and a 6,000mAh battery. Here's our roundup.
Earlier, a leak had claimed that Samsung's foldable phone would come with a 12MP+12MP dual camera setup. However, ETNews now claims that the phone will have a three-camera setup comprising two main sensors and another super wide-angle camera. The report further adds that the triple camera setup on the foldable phone will be same as that of Galaxy S10 and S10+.
Back in November, Samsung had briefly showcased the device, revealing its design and folding mechanism. It will sport a 7.3-inch main internal display and a 4.6-inch external screen. When unfolded, this screen will offer features of a tablet, but on being folded, it takes the form of a regular candy bar phone.
Separately, a previous report had claimed that this foldable phone will pack a massive 6,000mAh battery, possibly stacked in two parts. Under the hood, the handset will come with a Samsung Exynos 9820 chipset or Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, paired with 8GB RAM and 128GB storage. Moreover, the phone is expected to run a special version of Android that will leverage both the displays.
Meanwhile, a Korean publication has suggested that Samsung would officially launch its foldable phone in March 2019, alongside the 5G variant of Galaxy S10. Interestingly, DJ Koh, the chief of Samsung Mobile has said that the company would ship at least 1 million units and that the handset will be made available globally. It is reported that the smartphone will be priced at around $1,770 (approx. Rs 1,30,000).


text:
A new alliance of 120+ UK travel companies – called Save Our Summer – is urging the government to allow overseas holidays to restart on May 1.
Members of the group have combined pre-Covid annual revenues of more than £11 billion and include Trailfinders, easyJet Holidays, Travelopia and Regent Seven Seas Cruises.
They are urging consumers to ignore ministers’ “don’t book” travel advice and guarantee that anyone booking through them will be entitled to either a refund or a change of date if travel is cancelled or not possible due to government Covid-19 restrictions*.
The members argue that vulnerable groups in the UK should have been vaccinated twice by mid-May, leading to reduced Covid pressure on the NHS.
The UK government said it hit its target of giving the first four priority groups their first jab on Sunday, and confirmed 15 million jabs had been given out so far.
Without a target date for the re-opening of overseas travel, the group fears consumers will delay booking due to lack of confidence. They point to data from the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), which suggests up to 2.4 million travel and tourism jobs in the UK could be lost as a result.
Tui chief executive Fritz Joussen last week hailed the UK’s ‘amazing’ vaccination progress, and said “there is no reason to be pessimistic” about the summer.
EasyJet chief executive Johan Lundgren called for a UK government plan to lift restrictions on travel.
But Emirates president and chief executive Sir Tim Clark warned summer may be “too soon” for a “meaningful restart” of international travel.
Paul Charles, chief executive of The PC Agency and co-founder of Save Our Summer, said: “Give us all a break, Boris. The industry is united in outrage.
“Senior government ministers have done a good job of torpedoing recovery in the travel sector and threatening jobs across travel and tourism.
“UK citizens should ignore their conflicting advice and book summer trips with confidence, knowing that they can get a refund or refix their travel dates if booking through a reputable travel provider signed up to SOS.”
Henry Morley, chief executive of True Travel and co-founder of Save Our Summer, said: “The travel industry stands on the edge of a precipice today. A minister’s job is to protect our industry, not destroy it.
“There must now be a clear roadmap set out from May 1 onwards specifically for travel, in order to reinstate consumer confidence and protect millions of jobs which hang in the balance.”
Save Our Summer is also calling for quarantine measures to be lifted by May 1 and replaced with a more extensive testing programme.
Travel firms can register to join Save Our Summer by visiting sostravel.uk.
Other members of Save Our Summer – also known as SOS Travel – include Mr & Mrs Smith, DialAFlight, Audley Travel, True Travel, Wild Frontiers, &Beyond Group, Elegant Resorts, Campbell Gray Hotels, Celebrity Cruises, Steppes Travel, YourGolfTravel, Ski Solutions, The Turquoise Holiday Company, Teletext Holidays, Plan South America, Oxford Ski, The Thinking Traveller, Bellini Travel, True Luxury Sport, Chef Jason Atherton of The Social Company and Kevin Pietersen, former cricketer and safari lodge owner.
*Travel providers that sign-up to the SOS guarantee that a customer will be offered a refund or be able to change their travel dates if travel is cancelled or not possible due to government Covid-19 restrictions, save in the circumstances where an airline has not refunded the travel provider.


text:
The answer for dropping the paywall is simple: “It just wasn’t our growth strategy,” Sandy Macleod, chief operating officer/print at Toronto Star and Metro, told delegates at the INMA European Media Conference in Budapest, Hungary, on Tuesday.
In summer 2013, Toronto Star took the metered approach with 10 articles for free. Free access was granted, through social media and apps were left outside of the paywall. The price was set on C$9.99 per month.
From a marketing perspective, the company targeted three groups, MacLeod said:
- Current Toronto Star subscribers.
- Heavy thestar.com users.
- Former Toronto Star print subscribers.
The company had a wide range of marketing tactics and put much effort into it. As a result, one one hand it had a great early momentum, hitting the ceiling quickly, MacLeod explained. But when staff looked at numbers, they realised the acquisition costs were too high and the digital traffic dropped more quickly than expected.
The game changer was that they went completely free and launched an iPad app. Content on the app is updated once a day, with interactive content and advertising. It is designed to be a lean-back publication, engaging readers with photo galelries, maps, videos, audio clips, and fact boxes.
Where there are risks, there are also great opportunities, MacLeod said. The company now plans to re-invigorate the Star brand and its journalism through:
- Attracting new businesses.
- Greater and deeper engagement.
- Broadening its national reach.
Another opportunity is the potential for material digital revenues by:
- Changing the conversation with advertisers.
- Protecting existing marketer relationships and revenues.
- Developing new marketer relationships.


text:
Rivals put the bite on Atkins diet firm
THE Atkins low-carbohydrate diet company has hired a crisis management specialist as it struggles with tough competition.
The Atkins diet craze took a heavy toll on many firms from rival diet regimens to purveyors of high-carbohyrdate foods, but now Atkins Nutritionals itself is suffering as imitators flood the market.
'There has been a huge explosion of low-carb products from manufacturers of every conceivable size,' said Atkins spokesman Richard Rothstein.
'We are dealing with a very different marketplace than existed a year ago.'
Atkins will cut jobs and take other measures to boost efficiency in response to an increase in the number of low-carbohydrate foods on supermarket shelves.
The company was founded by the diet's creator, Dr Robert Atkins, in 1989.
It had huge initial success as it spearheaded the rapid rise of low-carbohydrate diets that discourage eating starches like bread and pasta in favour of proteins.
The New York company, which is now 80% owned by Goldman Sachs Group and private equity firm Parthenon Capital, said in a statement it has hired crisis management firm AlixPartners LLC to help shore up its finances and management of its supply chain.
Most watched Money videos
- Lamborghini unleashes the 217mph Sian Roadster hypercar
- What next for shares after the post-crash bounce?
- Ford reveal promo video of new hardcore Bronco 4X4 range
- Jaguar new 'predictive touch' that stops viruses spread
- Take a look at the new Gordon Murray Automotive T.50 supercar
- The all new Ford Puma is unveiled by Ford
- Yo! promo shows how customers will be served post-lockdown
- Promo clip shows capability of Torsus Terrastorm as cargo van
- The first Aston Martin replica from 007 Goldfinger ever made
- Ineos reveals its brand new model Grenadier 4X4
- Check out the lightning quick Lamborghini Essenza SCV12
- Ford unveils the all-electric track Mustang Mach-E SUV


text:
Blockchain Technology: A Solution to Counterfeit Medicines
Counterfeit medicines pose a significant challenge in the pharmaceutical sector, with an estimated impact of $5.3 billion this year. However, experts are optimistic about the potential of blockchain technology to address this pressing concern.
The Potential of Blockchain in Safeguarding the Pharmaceutical Sector
Hyperspace Technologies CEO Oluseyi Akindeinde highlighted the potential of blockchain in safeguarding the pharmaceutical sector. He emphasized that by serializing pharmaceutical products and incorporating verifiable security features through blockchain, the circulation of counterfeit medicines can be significantly hindered.
Akindeinde proposed integrating encrypted non-fungible token (NFT) tags into pharmaceutical products. These tags create unique identities and offer an additional layer of security, ensuring the integrity of digital assets on the blockchain.
The Impact of Counterfeit Medicines
Counterfeit medicines not only result in financial losses but also lead to a staggering 500,000 deaths annually in sub-Saharan Africa alone. The United Nations reports that 267,000 deaths are linked to counterfeit antimalarial drugs and substandard antibiotics contribute to 169,271 deaths caused by severe pneumonia.
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control has taken action against counterfeit medicine trade, destroying over N500 million worth of fake and expired goods in Abuja. The destroyed drugs included psychoactive substances, antibiotics, herbal remedies, and drugs confiscated from unauthorized vendors.
Smart Contracts: An Antidote to Drug Counterfeiting
Akindeinde explains that blockchain technology offers an immutable solution through smart contracts. Each pharmaceutical product receives a unique identification tag within a smart contract, making manipulation virtually impossible.
Blockchain technology has the potential to restore trust and integrity in the healthcare system. By providing authentication and transparency across the entire pharmaceutical value chain, from raw materials to manufacturing and distribution, blockchain can instill confidence in consumers and stakeholders.
The Potential of Blockchain Technology
While challenges such as regulatory frameworks and industry collaboration remain, blockchain technology offers hope in combating counterfeit medicines and protecting lives. The pharmaceutical sector has the opportunity to leverage this transformative technology for a safer and more reliable future.
Featured image from Freepik, chart from TradingView
Bitro Conwell stands as an intellectual architect, weaving together the roles of crypto analyst, meticulous researcher, and editorial virtuoso with finesse. Amidst the digital intricacies of cryptocurrencies, Bitro’s insights resonate harmoniously with seekers of all stripes, showcasing a profound understanding. His ability to untangle the most complex threads within the crypto landscape seamlessly pairs his their editorial finesse, transforming intricacy into an artful tapestry of comprehension.


text:
As present ideas go, a voucher can sometimes fall a little flat. But now there’s a rather more uplifting class of gift voucher that’s taking the option to giddy new heights of desirability.
For the first time since it launched in 2011, the on-demand private jet charter service Victor is this week releasing seasonal gift vouchers (on sale until Tuesday January 6, from £5,000 and valid for one year) for empty-leg flights and full jet charters that waive the company’s (already competitive) booking fee and promise “the most cost-effective way to book a private jet this season, by far”.
The service is increasingly adopted by big businesses keen to cut back on travel overheads without abandoning the superior style, convenience and expedience of private jet charter, but is also becoming popular with private individuals.
By cleverly networking 131 local private jet operators worldwide, Victor flies to thousands of destinations with route combinations between 40,000 airports – and some departures are available within just three hours of booking. So the dream of an impulsive, glamorous escape from it all (Luton to Palma, full charter for four flyers at £9,400 one way), or the idea of making a necessary journey that much more enjoyable (Luton to New York full charter for eight flyers, £40,000 one way) becomes delightfully tangible – even among the crumpled wrapping paper and half-eaten pudding on Christmas Day.


text: The Ford Motor Company is recalling nearly 435,000 cars and S.U.V.s to fix rusting frame parts or faulty seats. The biggest of the two recalls covers nearly 386,000 Ford Escapes from the 2001 through 2004 model years. Ford says the subframes can rust, allowing a control arm to separate and hamper steering control. Ford is aware of one crash but no injuries linked to the problem. Dealers will install a reinforcement brace to fix the problem. The second recall covers 49,000 Ford Fusion, Lincoln MKZ, Ford Escape and C-MAX vehicles from 2013 and 2014. Dealers will replace seat back frames that were not welded properly. No crashes or injuries have been reported from the problem, Ford said.


text:
Credit card reward scheme gets seal of approval
Consumers are set to get a better deal from Woolworths credit card reward schemes and the Qantas frequent flyer programme now that the pair have teamed up to create a new loyalty initiative.
Sydney Morning Herald reports that people using a Woolworths credit card will have access to a greater selection of rewards, while Qantas flyers will be able to tally up air miles much more quickly.
The new initiative has already been rolled out in Big W stores and will be available to Woolworths Supermarket customers from June 22nd onwards.
However, Woolworths customers were advised that the new scheme is not available to Everyday Money credit card users
The duo announced that they would be teaming up in December but only outlined the exact details earlier this month.
Woolworths’ Everyday Money credit card offers up to three cents in rewards for every dollar spent, while customers can also get ten cents off every litre of fuel they buy until June 30th.
This article brought to you by Mozo – helping you compare credit cards


text:
The Hasselblad 500 is perhaps one of the coolest film cameras you could ever own, and this one—which has been to the moon and back—is even cooler. Which perhaps explains why it just sold for a cool $910,00.
The Hasselblad wasn't the first camera to reach the moon; that honor goes to the one Neil Armstrong took one with him on the 1969 mission. But it's the only one to ever make it back. The rest were left behind due to their bulk and weight; this one, which was used on the Apollo 15 mission in 1971, was lucky enough to make the return journey. The cameras were heavily modified for use in space, which in and of itself makes it rare as it gets—let alone if you're looking for one that's been on a real NASA mission.
The camera was purchased for 550,000 euros which, combined with auction expenses, means the camera cost 660,000 euros total—or just over $910,000. The buyer was Terukazu Fujisawa, founder of Japan's Yodobashi Camera retail chain. It was expected to sell for closer to $300,000. [AP]
Image by AP


text:
Spring fever event to raise funds for pantry
Nine local businesses teamed up for the Brandon Spring Fever Event to raise funds for the Brandon Area Food Pantry, according to a press release.
Businesses will have deals on merchandise, while items for donation will be accepted from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, April 8, at 212 Boiling Point, The 1948 Trading Company, Ace Hardware, Beautique, Gypsy Trading Co., Oak Ridge Nursery & Landscaping Inc., The Paisley Pod Mobile Boutique, Scooter’s Coffee and The Warehouse.
The most-needed items for donation include toiletries, paper goods and cash. Other donation recommendations are cleaning supplies and other household items.
» 212 Boiling Point will offer free cotton candy, $3 tall domestic beers and $3 small one-topping pizzas.
» The 1948 Trading Company will provide free soup samples, 20 percent off all soups and coffee all weekend and 20 percent off all wall décor with a donation.
» Ace Hardware will offer inflatables for kids from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., a 20-percent off bag sale and shoppers can enter to win a Scotts four-step fertilizer program and inflatable rental with a donation.
» Beautique will give 15 percent off an entire order with a donation.
» Gypsy Trading Co. will offer 20 percent off all wine glasses. Also, enter to win a private class for five with a donation, which is a $200 value.
» Oak Ridge Nursery & Landscaping Inc. will offer a seminar on bare-rooted plants at 10 a.m. and 10 percent off all spring bulbs and flags.
» The Paisley Pod Mobile Boutique will provide 15 percent off an entire order with a donation.
» Scooters Coffee will match dollar for dollar any cash donation collected. Also, receive 15 percent off a purchase with a donation of $1 or more.
» The Warehouse will offer an all-day open house with free refreshments and treats. Enter to win a $25 gift certificate with a donation.


text:
If there's one holiday that tends to get overlooked, it's St. Patrick's Day. Here are some pieces of St. Patrick's Day lingerie for a celebration night-in.
Millennials love avocados. Now some are trying to make avocado proposals a thing in the latest creative Instagram food trend. Check it out here.
Actress Constance Wu just dyed her hair pink and it seriously looks like a beautiful sunset/sherbet ice cream/rose gold/pink lemonade/etc.
Hey, cute friends! After the buzz of Valentine's Day, another awesome holiday is here — happy Lunar New Year! We're excited to celebrate.
Today, February 20th, Florida students staged school walkouts, continuing protests against gun violence in the wake of the Parkland, Florida shooting.
When is St. Patrick's Day in 2018? Fortunately, the holiday falls on a Saturday this year, so get ready to celebrate with green beer.
Sometimes the best thing to do is walk away — especially if you're Jamie Foxx and don't want to answer a question about your private dating life.
Here are 17 rom-coms streaming on Netflix that you might not have heard of that you need to stream this Presidents' Day weekend.
We gathered some of our favorite beauty brands that are celebrating Presidents' Day with incredible makeup and skin care sales this weekend.
One of the best ways to celebrate a friend's birthday is to dedicate an Instagram post to them. Do so with one of these Instagram captions for birthdays.
These are the 10 bomb-ass beauty products that launched the third week of February. From new lip oils to gel liners and hair treatments.
Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds celebrated Valentine's Day with an epic troll exchange on Instagram. Click here to read what they said.
A daily roundup of the things HelloGiggles’ Editorial Director and Deputy Editor are madly in love with, and what we — you guessed it — WANT/NEED.


text:
LOOKING AHEAD TO THE 2014 INTERNATIONAL FRANCHISE EXPO
For business owners who have done their due diligence, franchises are a hot market. As 2014 progresses, the outlook for franchise growth remains strong, and employment and output forecasts are surpassing early estimations. So, as we gear up for the year’s biggest event in franchising, the International Franchise Expo (IFE), we’re taking a look at some of the drivers of market growth that we think will be creating buzz at the expo next week. Here’s what we found:
Healthy appetites. Among franchising’s most visible sectors, food franchises continue to attract investors and consumers nationwide. But with 71 percent of adults trying to eat healthier at restaurants, it seems that those with successful health-conscious marketing campaigns are in a strong position to rise to the top -- think of the froyo craze, which has led to a market expected to hit $816 million by 2016.
Furry friends. Growth in the pet care industry can be found everywhere from social media newsfeeds to pricey cat food commercials. And with 71.4 million households owning pets, the pet care industry seems poised for sustained growth in the coming years.
Tech integration. The instant connectivity provided by mobile technology allows franchisees to not only monitor business productivity, but connect with consumers in new ways. From smartphone apps to point of sale systems, the use of mobile technology in the industry will continue to grow throughout 2014.
We’re excited to see what else could emerge as hot trends in franchising during the IFE this year. We’re also looking forward to showcasing our own FastTrack Franchise program at the expo, which matches entrepreneurs to pre-approved franchise vacancies within our portfolio which comprises America’s largest portfolio of neighborhood and community shopping centers.
When we last wrote about our FastTrack program we had already matched more than 20 franchises with vacant retails spaces in locations throughout New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Maryland, and Virginia. Today, we have increased our number of franchises nearly 10 percent, and expanded their reach to 31 states and Puerto Rico. As one of the only retail owners and landlords attending the IFE show, Kimco will have a great opportunity to network and connect with future and current franchise owners. If you’ll be at the show, we’d love to connect with you, too -- email us at firstname.lastname@example.org, and we’ll be happy to set up a meeting.


text:
Japanese stocks ended lower while Australian and Hong Kong shares pared early gains on Wednesday as lingering uncertainty over the timing of a bailout for Spain and downbeat data from China turned investors cautious.
Japan's Nikkei Stock Average fell 0.5% to 8,746.87 and Taiwan's Taiex declined 0.4% to 7,684.63.
After a strong start as investors returned from a long weekend, Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index narrowed most of those gains, finishing 0.2% higher at 20,888.28. In Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 index rose 0.1% to 4,438.60, a 14-month high, but well off the day's highs.
Stock markets in China and South Korea were closed for holidays.
"As markets wait for Spain to formally request bailout funds, which in turn would trigger European Central Bank peripheral-bond purchases, patience is running thin," said Credit Agricole strategist Mitul Kotecha.
Holidays in China and hesitation ahead of Friday's key U.S. jobs report kept market activity restrained, he said, referring to the week-long holiday in mainland China and the upcoming U.S. nonfarm payrolls report for September.
Economic indicators in Asia also failed to encourage investors. Data released Wednesday showed China's non-manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index fell to 53.7 in September from 56.3 in August, and that Chinese consumer sentiment weakened in September for a third month.
Ben Kwong, chief operating officer at KGI Asia, said losses for the sector could be due to a change in the consumption patterns of mainland Chinese visitors to Hong Kong, who "may be buying cheaper items."
"Sino-Japanese tension still appears to be a worry," he added, noting that car makers involved in joint ventures with Japanese firms were under selling pressure in Hong Kong.
Japanese auto makers also turned lower, giving up a morning advance following strong U.S. sales data for September.
Shares of Honda fell 1.1%, losing early gains posted in the wake of a 31% increase in U.S. sales. Toyota, which reported a 42% increase in monthly U.S. sales, ended up 0.4%, after rising about 1.9% earlier in the day. Last year's sales for both firms were hurt by vehicle shortages resulting from the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan.
But Nissan, which wasn't as hurt by the 2011 disaster, reported that its U.S. sales declined 1.1% from the year-ago period. Its shares ended 2.1% lower.
Tokyo-listed Fast Retailing Co. , jumped 3.7% after the Nikkei reported the firm is set to become the first-ever Japanese clothing retailer to generate ¥1 trillion ($12.8 billion) in annual group sales.
Retailers were also higher in Australia after Tuesday's surprise cut to the country's official cash rate, with department-store owner David Jones Ltd. climbing 2.5%, and furniture and electrical-products retailer Harvey Norman Holdings Ltd. advancing 2.1%.
"[The] rate cut should be positive for home builders, housing-material suppliers, banks and retailers," said Craig James, chief economist at CommSec.
Write to John Phillips at John.email@example.com


text:
The prestigious Concours d'élégance Paleis het Loo will take place this weekend. In addition to hundreds of classic cars of international class, 60 classic Dinos and a special Renault line-up, various car brands present firsts in the gardens of Paleis Het Loo in Apeldoorn. In this way, the most beautiful classics are joined by the classics of the future. Porsche, Alfa Romeo, Fiat, Cadillac and Tesla, among others, are letting their heritage go hand in hand with important newcomers.
In addition to the international competition, the event, which is now being held annually, has a number of fascinating themes. One is 60 year Dino. This legendary sports car brand, with both Fiat and Ferrari blood, has a rich and versatile history that will be told by 60 present classics with that beautiful name.
Fiat 124 Spider
There is big news from Fiat and Alfa Romeo. The long-awaited Alfa Romeo Giulia is coming to Apeldoorn, The Giulia is flanked by the Fiat 124 Spider, the new roadster of the Italian brand. Design and name are subtle hints to designer Tom Tjaarda's legendary predecessor. The American-born designer with Dutch roots will be reunited in Apeldoorn with a nice collection of classic Fiats 124 Spider.
Exclusive and stylish are the new Cadillac CT6 and XT5, presented by Cadillac importer Nefkens Amersfoort. These two new Cadillacs have never been seen in the Netherlands before and stand out with their typical, distinctive design. That coupled with the rich history of the brand, make the CT6 and XT5 more than worth viewing.
Chevrolet Corvette and Camaro
The Chevrolet Camaro and Corvette also come from the United States. The Corvette C7 is already the seventh generation of the iconic sports car, which builds on the concept of its ancestors: a lot of power, a powerful appearance and a competitive price for sports cars. The importer is taking the extra sporting R-edition with him at the beginning of this year, making his international debut at the Geneva motor show.
911 RS and 911R
Porsche Center Gelderland is not only because of the beautiful stock of new Porsches the beating heart of Porsche loving the Netherlands. Last year the company was the first in the world to open a Porsche Classic Center. To celebrate this celebration, the company is taking the brand new Porsche 718 and 911R to Paleis Het Loo. And just as important: the company takes a copy of every generation of the 911 RS.
SUV enthusiasts come face to face in the palace gardens with the latest Land Rover models. Jaguar's very first SUV, the F-Pace, can also be seen in Apeldoorn on the weekend of 2 and 3 July. And Tesla, which has been in the news in recent weeks due to the presentation of the Model 3, will introduce the Netherlands to the first electrically powered SUV, the Model X, during the event.
Including Palace visit
This year the Concours d'élégance Paleis het Loo takes place on Saturday 2 and Sunday 3 July in the gardens of Paleis het Loo in Apeldoorn. The ticket for the event includes a visit to the palace. More information for participants and visitors can be found on the website of the event: www.concourselegance.com.


text:
Online retailer Flipkart is in talks to acquire stake in Bengaluru-based Pharmallama, according to a report by Mint.
Pharmallama is run by Mera Dawai Pvt. Ltd. The deal may result in Flipkart gaining access to technologies of the platform, the report added.
Pharmallama handles the pre-sorting of drug prescriptions, over-the-counter (OTC) medications, and vitamins into personalised pockets, organised by date and time.
Pharmallama was launched in June 2020 by Achintya Dayal, Arjun Raghunandan, and Deepesh Rajpal. Dayal and Raghunandan also run Kiplist, a travel tech startup that builds software-as-a-service (SaaS) tools, that serve the hospitality


text:
There are currently only public plans for four stores, three in Seattle and one in Chicago. The first one opened in Seattle near the online giant’s headquarters in 2016.
The cashierless stores sell salads, sandwiches and snacks, and two of them offer a few grocery items. Customers use a smartphone app to enter the stores, and can leave without any further interaction. Sensors and computer vision technology detect what shoppers take and bills them automatically.


text:
Microsoft vet raises more cash to sell coffee cup lids that ‘drink like a ceramic cup’
It seems there is demand for better coffee cup lids.
Vaporpath, a Seattle-area company that manufactures the Viora Lid, has raised another $ 1 million to help fuel production of its innovative coffee lids and is looking to reel in an additional $ 1.5 million to complete a Series A round. Backers include Seattle angel investor Geoff Entress and tech vet Rick Hennessey.
The 2-year-old startup, based in Bainbridge Island, Wash., is led by former Microsoft director Barry Goffe and has now raised more than $ 1.6 million to date.
The Viora Lid, invented by Vaporpath founder Doug Fleming, differs from a traditional plastic cup lid in a variety of ways. It is designed to mimic sipping coffee or tea out of a ceramic cup by bringing a drinkable amount of liquid into the well on top of the lid, rather than requiring the user to pull liquid out of a small hole. It also eliminate splashes and gives the user a more intense aroma of their drink.
Vaporpath counts more than 275 shops now using its coffee lids across North America, including top premium coffee companies like Intelligentsia Coffee (acquired by Peet’s in October) and La Colombe (acquired by Chobani Yogurt founder Hamdi Ulukaya in August).
“These may not necessarily be household names, but for people who are serious about their coffee, these are among the biggest names in the business,” Goffe noted.
While Vaporpath is adding 2-to-3 customers per week, Goffe — the company’s sole employee — sees potential for even more growth. The fresh cash will be used to pay for a larger production line and to help manufacture a smaller version of the Viora Lid for 8-ounce cups.
“We have a long list of customers waiting for both sizes to be available before switching over to the Viora Lid,” Goffe explained. “We expect that this will give us a huge sales boost. As the smaller lid is the predominant size outside of North America, it will also open up a host of foreign markets that have already indicated strong interest.”
The new investment will also be used to add employees and expand Vaporpath’s patent portfoilo, Goffe added.
Startups – GeekWire http://www.geekwire.com/2016/microsoft-vet-raises-cash-sell-coffee-cup-lids-drink-like-ceramic-cup/


text:
Apple has added an additional 46 banks and credit unions to its list of supporting financial institutions in the US. “The new additions increase the number of banking institutions in the US supporting Apple Pay to over 425,” MacRumors reports.
- UnionPay sets out its mobile payments rollout plans
- Google expands support for wearable payments to Canada, Spain, and Australia
- American Express files faster blockchain payments patent
- Crédit Agricole expands HCE payments to Visa cardholders
- Android P to include support for GlobalPlatform Open Mobile API


text:
Netflix is raising its prices: A few months ago, the streaming service took action against account sharing, and now there is a rumor of another price increase to follow up.
Netflix is still considered an authority among streaming services, but it also had to face all kinds of criticism in recent months. Many users criticized not only the quality of Netflix's own productions, but also the prohibition of account sharing and the increase in prices.
As Wallstreet Journal reported, the company is currently thinking about an increase in several markets again, which it could justify with the ongoing strike of actors and writers. Techradar also suspects that Netflix has been planning to make prices spiral upwards for quite some time.
Whether Netflix users will simply accept another increase in their subscriptions remains to be seen. However, it is clear that the streaming giant is standing in an unflattering light at the moment.


text:
According to the latest data released by Counterpoint, OPPO has become the No.1 smartphone brand in Asia, accounting for as much as 15% of the
However, the success is not accidental. OPPO has payed many efforts to get the honor. First of all, OPPO has been adhering to the concept of products as the king and competitive products for many years. The company adheres to the boutique strategy, on one hand promoting the product upgrade, on the other hand, making the whole supply chain production link, the storage link and the sales link become more simple.
Secondly, OPPO has the spirit of continuous innovation. In 2017, when the overall environment of the smartphone industry is weak, OPPO has not reduced communication with young users. Instead, OPPO has increased input and sustained innovation, which has won the trust of users.
Now, OPPO has 30 global markets, 6 overseas research and development bases.


text:
The future is wireless, Rogers tells telecom summit
The sixth annual Canadian Telecom Summit kicked off on Monday with Rogers Communications stressing that the future of the industry would be all about wireless.
"There is no doubt in my mind," said Nadir Mohamed, president and chief operating officer of Rogers Communications Inc., "that what we've seen in the wired internet world, in terms of market share and penetration, will in fact happen in the wireless world."
Mohamed said the arrival of the iPhone and the growing popularity of Research In Motion Ltd.'s BlackBerry, demonstrates that wireless web usage is about to explode.
BlackBerry subscribers make up only five per cent of mobile customers, meaning there is lots of room for the mobile data market to grow, he said.
"There is a tremendous opportunity for greater wireless data penetration," he told about 500 conference attendees.
While he did not say what the company's rate plans will be for the iPhone, which it announced last week, Mohamed hinted that data rates will come down when the device launches on July 11 in order to address larger, mainstream market.
"When you look back at pricing … it always evolves to meet and support new applications," he said. "Web browsing is happening. Our pricing will change to embrace that fact."
On the wired side, Mohamed said internet access will continue to move toward usage-based billing, where customers are charged for how much they download — much the way the wireless world works.
Rogers needs to monetize
"Usage-based billing is a reality for wired and wireless network," he said. "The capacity is exploding, and we need to be able to monetize some of that."
Mohamed also suggested that usage-based billing might be the best way to avoid coming into conflict with so-called "net neutrality" complaints.
Rogers and Bell Canada Inc. are currently at the centre of a heated debate over how much control service providers should have over what customers use the internet for. Both companies are limiting the speeds of peer-to-peer applications such as BitTorrent, prompting an inquiry from the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission.
The three-day summit — the Stanley Cup finals of the telecommunications industry — this year comes at an active in Canada. Besides the probe into internet access, which the CRTC is expected to rule on by September, the industry is also in the midst of the government's wireless spectrum auction, which is expected to result in new cellphone carriers.
CRTC chairman Konrad von Finckenstein is scheduled to deliver a keynote address on Tuesday, while Robert Dépatie, president and chief executive officer of Montreal-based Videotron — a company that is positioned to become one of those new cellphone carriers when the auction concludes - is giving a speech on Wednesday. The auction is slowing down and could possibly end before Dépatie's speech.
Net neutrality on agenda
Net neutrality will also be at the forefront with a panel discussion on Wednesday. The panel will include Rogers' chief strategy officer Mike Lee as well as Dave Caputo, CEO of Sandvine, a company that makes network-management technology for internet service providers.
Tuesday will be highlighted by the annual "regulatory blockbuster" session, the only panel this year that will pit representatives of different carriers against each other — a situation that often results in fireworks. During a panel on wireless last year, for example, Quebecor executive vice-president Luc Lavoie took a shot at the quality of Bell Canada's cellphone service:
"If you were half as good at running a company as you were at lobbying, maybe you'd have a better network," he said.
This year's panel will joined by Mirko Bibic, Ken Engelhart, Janet Yale and Chris Peirce, chief regulatory officers for Bell, Rogers, Telus Corp. and MTS Allstream Inc. respectively. Also on the panel will be John Lawford, counsel from the Public Interest Advocacy Council.
Other notable speakers include Nortel CEO Mike Zafirovski and Competition Commissioner Sheridan Scott.