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On October 4, Disney is launching Triple Force Friday, a retail event for products for its triple entertainment offering this fall: the Star Wars: The Rise of the Skywalker film; the Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order video game; and the Star Wars: The Mandalorian Disney+ live action television show.
Among the toys on display at Lucasfilm in San Francisco is an app-controlled Hasbro’s Ultimate D-O Interactive Droid, who is the new droid character being introduce in The Rise of Skywalker (coming December 20). Made by Hasbro, D-O is a robot toy that zooms around on a unicycle and maneuvers in interesting ways. You control it with a tablet or smartphone app.
Hasbro is a traditional toy maker, of course, and it made a lot of the non-tech toys. But it has its own robotics lab and stepped up to create the sophisticated electronics for D-O, who is like BB-8 droid the previous two films, said Chris Dern, senior product development manager at Lucasfilm, in an interview with GamesBeat.
But D-O has a bit more personality, expressed through lighting colors, movements of its head, and the antennae on the back of its head. You can use the app to express different emotions like happiness or sadness, as well as send D-O zooming around the room within the 30-feet range of Bluetooth.
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D-O has been in the works for no more than 18 months, as everything has to be done on a faster timetable now that the films have been coming so fast, said Lucasfilm’s Paul Southern, the senior vice president of licensing, in an interview.
There were dozens of different toys and other merchandise on display at an event at Lucasfilm. My favorite was a Kylo Ren lightsaber that pulses with a red liquid. It’s very heavy, and you can press a button that generates a green glow as if you’re melting something with the tip. It is different from the pricey lightsabers on sale at the new Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland.
Garmin, the navigation products company, also came up with Star Wars-themed smartwatches such as a white watch that is based on Daisy Ridley’s Rey character, the LegacySeries Rey Smartwatch. Other tech products include the radio frequency identification wearable for the Disney theme parks, now with a Star Wars theme.
Southern said there are more waves of products coming, some that have been held back so that they don’t spoil anything in the film or other entertainment. He said that the video game itself is seen as its own independent entertainment, not just another form of licensing for the film.
“It has its own story, connected to the Star Wars canon,” Southern said. “It’s a separate, standalone story
As such, it has its own merchandise, like an action figure based on the main character Cal Kestis, as well as a comic book, art book, and other products.
“The goal is to very closely with the content creators with the filmmakers and the TV creatives and with game developers to make sure that we are wherever we can, we’re really reflecting the storytelling in their content,” Southern said. “With digital technology and modern manufacturing processes, we can really get the integrity of the characters down to fine detail. We want the storytelling to be a direct connection to the content we sell.”
He noted the unicycle tech created by Hasbro was particularly difficult to build from scratch. Kano also created a programmable Force Sensor Kit, which can detect the presence of your hand. You can use an app to program the lights on the sensor. The app is part of an effort to use tech and Star Wars to teach kids how to program.
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Hot dog 'bistro' hopes to find a niche downtown
Leave it to Sarasota to give the hot dog a high-end flavor.
A new lunch and happy hour spot set to open in downtown Sarasota next month features dogs with gourmet toppings, including roasted red peppers, capers, and caviar.
Relish This, the brainchild of a chef, a technology consultant and a Chicago native, calls itself a "Hot Dog Bistro."
The menu includes "Relish This Dog," which is topped with asiago cheese and barbecue sauce, rolled in seasoned bread crumbs and baked. Some dogs aren't really dogs at all. The "Burger Dog" is actually ground sirloin, and the "Sea Dog" is made of lobster meat salad.
Chicago native Dennis Lese, business and technology consultant Michael Burnstine, and former 15 South chef Mark Heery own the restaurant at 1568 Main St.
"We want to appeal to the people who live downtown, work downtown, and have lunch downtown," said Kate Alton, who is handling marketing and choosing decor for the restaurant.
While traditional shelf sales were trickling in last year, online sales of clothing, electronics, books, and other products were soaring, according to The State of Retailing Online 6.0.
Forrester Research and Shop.org, the online retailing division of the National Retail Federation, conducted the annual study.
A survey of more than 130 retailers showed that online retail sales in 2003 jumped 48 percent to $76 billion when compared with 2002 sales.
One of the most dramatic increases was in the electronics industry, where online sales of computer hardware and software jumped 42 percent in 2002. Almost a third of all computer-related products were bought online, according to the study.
Web sales of tickets for events were up 33 percent last year and made up 17 percent of overall ticket sales.
Retailers are also starting to make money -- rather than lose it -- from their online operations.
"Businesses don't usually make money the first year," said Shop.org executive director Scott Silverman. "You have to invest in infrastructure and then you build the sales up."
Not only are retailers just getting more traffic on their Web sites, they are getting smarter about their online marketing strategies, Silverman said.
Many companies have switched to pay-for-performance advertising models in which retailers track how customers get to their sites and then pay search engines or other advertising venues accordingly, he said.
There are no indications that the online retail industry will lose its momentum in 2003, the study said.
Online sales are expected to grow another 26 percent and reach $96 billion by the end of 2003.
To contact Lauren Mayk with retail business news, call 957-5198, fax 957-5276 or send an e-mail to email@example.com.

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Thinking of representing Team Lambeth at the London Youth Games this year - volleyball trials starting soon.
March update on our GSF athletes and announcement of our GSF Athlete of the Month for April.
Over Easter, Brixton Recreation Centre is offering a range of fun packed activities.
Better supported International Women’s Day on Friday 8th March with a range of FREE women only classes and activities.
February update on our GSF athletes and announcement of our GSF Athlete of the Month for March.


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MINNEAPOLIS -- Supervalu here said it has paid approximately $213 million in cash to holders of liquid yield option notes due 2031 that were put to the retailer/distributor as of Oct. 1, 2006. The company said the move represents about 80 percent of the outstanding notes.
Under the terms of the notes, holders could require Supervalu to purchase all or a portion of their notes on Oct. 1, 2006 at a purchase price equal to the accreted value of the notes, which includes accrued and unpaid cash interest.
From there, Supervalu may redeem all or a portion of the notes for cash at any time for a purchase price equal to the sum of the issue price, plus accrued original issue discount as of the redemption date.
In other news, the grocer is closing another Pittsburgh-area corporate Shop 'n Save store in the Pullman Plaza shopping center in Butler, Pa., on or around Nov. 12. The move will affect 77 workers and is part of Supervalu's previously announced plans to sell 20 corporate-owned Shop 'n Save stores in the Pittsburgh market.


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Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza records 25,000 bookings in India
Maruti Suzuki has announced that its latest offering, the Vitara Brezza, has garnered over 25,000 bookings in India. The company had opened bookings a little over two weeks ago. Deliveries of the Vitara Brezza have also commenced. It looks like Maruti Suzuki may have another winner after the Baleno which has already set the sales chart on fire.
The Vitara Brezza is available in seven variants, starting at Rs 6.99lakh (ex-Delhi). What's surprising is that it is only available with the tried and tested 1.3-litre DDiS, diesel that produces 90PS and 200Nm. Maruti may launch a petrol powered Vitara Brezza soon, and it could use the 1-litre Boosterjet petrol that'll soon debut in the upcoming Baleno RS.
We've tested and compared the Vitara Brezza with the Ford Ecosport and the Mahindra TUV. Maruti Suzuki has kitted out its contender with a host of features to ensure that the Vitara Brezza has more teeth to fight its competition. Recently, Ford reacted by slashing the price of the Ecosport by over Rs 1 lakh. Now, who said competition is not good?
Starts Rs 7.26 Lakhs
Starts Rs 7.31 Lakhs
Starts Rs 7.76 Lakhs
Team OD | 19 Feb 2018
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On the one hand, Indian companies have called for a “strategic response” from the government on what they claim to be monopolistic behaviour by the US tech major. On the other hand, Google has said its actions against the ten companies are only to make the ecosystem “fair” for a “vast majority” of developers who comply with its norms.
“We appreciate the minister stepping in. He understands the issue well and has already said that removal of apps in the way it has been done cannot be allowed… but the matter is under litigation in the Supreme Court. We expect the final clarity to come from there,” a Gurugram-based founder of one of the impacted apps said.
At the heart of the tussle is Google’s billing system for its Play Store app marketplace. Google had initially deployed its own billing system (GPBS) under which it charged a commission of 15-30% on in-app payments made for the purchase of digital goods and services consumable within the Android ecosystem.
Google now offers three choices to app makers – GPBS, UCB or the “consumption-only” mode. Under the third mode, which the reinstated apps deployed to come back on to the Play Store, there is no in-app purchase method. Consumers can only use the purchased services within the app but they have to make payments externally on a browser.
“We were taken by total surprise,” a Delhi-based founder said. “The companies had approached Google, urging it to not take any steps that would affect them… but after the Supreme Court did not provide any relief on February 9, there was no option but to comply or be taken off.”
On February 9, the Supreme Court refused to restrain Google from delisting apps that were not complying with its policy.
Google did not respond to detailed queries sent on email.
The aftermath of Google’s action on March 1 also exposed cracks within the companies that were so far aligned on their opposition to the big tech firm.
“Even though the cases in the Supreme Court by various parties are merged, the strategy between different players is not coordinated... Every business is taking a call on what's good for them,” a senior executive told ET.
Another founder said that once a few companies started “giving in” to Google’s pressure, it became tough for the remaining apps to hold their ground.
On Saturday, Google started reinstating apps including Info Edge India’s Naukri, 99acres and People Interactive’s Shaadi.com. The ten companies under question represent more than 200 apps on the Play Store.
“The apps that were taken down were of the companies that are in litigation against Google… There are many others that do not comply but are still available on the Play Store,” said one of the founders cited above.
According to one of the persons aware of the matter, Google follows due process while delisting apps for not following any of its policies whether on billing, safety or security.
The row over Google’s actions against Indian internet companies intensified last year ahead of elections at India’s top internet lobby group, the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI). It led to the ouster of the then leadership, led primarily by big tech companies such as Google and Facebook.
Instead, Indian entrepreneurs including Dream11 cofounder and CEO Harsh Jain, Makemytrip founder and group CEO Rajesh Magow, Matrimony.com’s Murugavel Janakiraman, Shaadi.com’s Anupam Mittal, and Infibeam Avenues’ Vishwas Patel made it into the governing council.
“Everyone was pumped up last year prior to the IAMAI elections… but even after the elections, and with a majority representation from Indian entrepreneurs, the issue at hand wasn’t addressed fully,” said one of the founders quoted above. “Other payment gateways charge 4-5% commission but Google asks for 11-26%, which is simply unaffordable for some companies.”
On March 1, IAMAI said it “strongly condemned the removal of some of the most prominent consumer digital companies’ apps from the Play Store, including those of Bharatmatrimony, Info Edge, Shaadi.com, and TrulyMadly” and urged Google to reinstate the delisted apps.
“The consumption model is one of the options, where customers can't make a payment through an app and this will lead to friction in customer experience and revenue loss,” said Matrimony.com’s Janakiraman. “However, some app developers choose this option as this is better than not having apps at all in the Play Store.” Several Matrimony.com’s apps are still down.


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Today has been a very great day for Marvel fans, as not only did Marvel Vs. Capcom: Infinite get officially announced earlier today during the PlayStation Experience. It seems Capcom has a few more treats for “Mahvel” fans.
Such as those who are awaiting the first gameplay footage of MvC: Infinite won’t have to wait long as Capcom recently showcased a glimpse on what you can expect to your hands into next year when the game officially launches.
Check out the footage above.
Additionally, if you’re itching to get back into the groove of the MvC series those who own a PlayStation 4 won’t have to wait long. As starting right now, a remastered copy of Ultimate Marvel Vs. Capcom 3 is now available for purchase. However, for those on the PC and Xbox One platforms will have to wait a bit longer, as it launches March 2017.
Marvel Vs. Capcom: Infinite is set to be released late 2017 for the PlayStation 4, PC and Xbox One platforms.


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TOKYO - Ford Motor Co. (Japan) Ltd. President Eiji Iwakuni is trying to pull his company out of its tailspin by getting Japanese shoppers to 'Imagine Freely.'
That is the tag line for a new corporate ad campaign for Ford Japan, meant to sell an 'American image' of freedom and limitless possibilities, said Ford Japan spokesman Hiroo Tanabe.
But it takes some imagination to see limitless possibilities for Ford Japan right now. The company is in deep trouble.
Through September, Ford Japan's import sales were down 49 percent to 5,785, much worse than the overall import market's 26 percent slide. That is on top of a decline from 21,011 in 1996 to 13,983 in 1997.
Ford Japan long ago shelved its onetime goal for 2000 of selling 200,000 vehicles, half of which were to be imports and half rebadged made-in-Japan Mazdas.
Even worse, in a market where it is tough enough to persuade shoppers even to consider an American car, Ford Japan cannot keep the few customers it has. Ford Japan's retention rate for its previous owners hovers under a dismal 20 percent, the company concedes.
Ford Japan must do better, Iwa-kuni told his dealers at a conference in early October.
'This is like salmon hunting,' he told the dealers. 'Salmon usually return, unless they have a very bitter experience.'
Iwakuni has a three-pronged plan for reviving Ford Japan. It includes a new-product blitz, a complete rethinking of Ford Japan's dealer network and a spate of marketing support for the dealers who survive.
His plan is yet another way Ford Japan is rethinking its sales networks around the globe, much as Ford is trying to do in the United States with the company-owned Ford Retail Network.
Despite the fact that he does not speak English, Iwakuni was hired in April because of his success in remaking Honda Motor Co.'s dealer network in Japan. There, he closed unprofitable stores even as Honda's home-market sales surged from 617,199 in 1995 to 801,576 in 1997.
His goal for Ford Japan: Push sales to 60,000 by 2000 and 100,000 by 2003, including rebadged cars from affiliate Mazda. Indeed, in tallying those sales, 'By the end of 2003, the definition of Ford and Mazda vehicles may be changed,' Tanabe said.
Much of Ford Japan's current problems lie with its product lineup.
In the peak import year of 1996, Ford Japan's sales were built on three key models: the Taurus, the Explorer and the Europe-built Mondeo. Then Japanese consumers were put off by the new Taurus' styling and its lengthened body, which does not fit in Japan's mechanized vertical parking lots.
Taurus sales plunged 64 percent from 6,791 in 1996 to 2,471 in 1997.
The rest of the lineup has struggled, too. Sales of the Mondeo, Mustang and Explorer are all down from 1995 levels.
Ka needs an automatic
Ford's Ka is the right size for the Japanese market and might have curbed the slide, but it initially was engineered only for a manual transmission, and Japanese buyers demand automatics. So the Ka will not go on sale in Japan until next spring.
The Ka's arrival, though, will herald the start of Ford Japan's marketing comeback. It will be the first of 15 new products due over the next six years.
Ford Japan will support its dealers' marketing efforts for the new models with a roadside-assistance program, a magazine for Ford's owner body, expanded training for dealer staff and possibly a certified used-car program.
Iwakuni wants to have his dealers ready for the new models, so he is shaking up his dealer network with plans to shrink and then rebuild it.
His strategy marks
a radical break with Ford Japan's past. Under former President Konen Suzuki, Ford Japan led the Big 3 in pressing for more dealers in Japan, often using the American Automobile Manufac-turers Association to lobby at the government level. Increasing outlets for U.S. car companies in Japan was a key part of the 1995 U.S.-Japan auto accord. But that is all history.
'I haven't heard anyone talk about those numbers in a long time,' said Saturn President Don Hudler during a recent visit to Tokyo.
Fords are sold at 275 outlets in Japan, none of which sells more than 500 a year.
310 outlets by 2003
By 2003, Iwakuni wants to have 310 outlets. But before then, the total probably will drop, as some dealers decide not to invest to meet his minimum standards for signs and other facilities, based on three categories of dealers.
These will include 30 to 40 large-scale stores selling more than 500 vehicles a year, and 200 medium-scale outlets selling between 240 and 500 vehicles a year. Both will sell the entire Ford Japan lineup.
The third category will be specialty shops. Iwakuni calls them 'pro shops,' boutique-like stores that would sell only part of Ford Japan's lineup. For example, one dealer might sell only Mustangs, while another carries only the Explorer and a smaller sport-utility being developed jointly by Ford and Mazda.
Some dealers will be able to retrofit their current stores to meet the new design and sign criteria. To build one of the new large-scale outlets from the ground up, however, probably would cost between ¥300 million and ¥500 million, or about $2.6 million to $4.3 million, Tanabe estimated.
A specialty store might be built for as little as $350,000.
The smaller option may help Ford to hold onto dealers who do not want to pay the larger amounts for a bigger store. Still, even the lesser investment in a franchise that appears to be in free fall will require a Japanese dealer to 'Imagine Freely.'


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Nintendo 3DS – The Best Selling Console In Japan
Nintendo has been having a great year topping both gaming and console charts. The company actually managed to overpass Sony’s PS2 in the amount of units sold in Japan, not by a large margin but still impressive nonetheless. According to a recent study, Nintendo 3DS managed to sell a whopping number of 21,913,661 units while PS2 sold 21,833,216.
The Japanese company recently launched the highly anticipated Pokemon Sun and Moon games and the combined number of units sold surpassed even Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare, and not only that but Nintendo’s Super Mario Run game is the most downloaded mobile game worldwide. It’s safe to assume that Nintendo managed to generate huge amounts of profits during 2016 but in 2017 the company might manage to achieve even bigger milestones because the Switch console will be launched during the first quarter of 2017.
Nintendo Switch has been showcased recently at “The Tonight’s Show” with Jimmy Fallow, where the host got a chance to play Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild which is a Nintendo exclusive and the console performed exceptionally well. Also, seeing that Switch’s YouTube trailer gathered over 22 million views in less than two months leads us to believe that Nintendo will bring in impressive amounts of profits during the upcoming year.
One major concern 3DS fans have right now is that Nintendo will focus entirely on Switch and forget all about them, but Nintendo’s president Tatsumi Kimishima reassured them that this won’t happen when he said “3DS hardware is still growing and business has momentum”. Tatsumi Kimishima’s statement means that 3DS will continue in its own form and it won’t be affected by Switch.


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Zen Internet becomes second UK broadband to be B Corporation certified
Today, Zen Internet has announced that it has been officially certified as a B Corporation, becoming the second ISP to achieve the accolade after iDNET back in May earlier this year.
B Corporations, as assessed and certified by the non-profit organisation B Lab, are for-profit companies that adhere to a strict set of standards that encompass social and environmental goals. In order to achieve certification, these companies must also legally embed their commitment to these goals within their company articles.
“Certified B Corps are a new kind of business that balances purpose and profit,” explains the B Corp website. “They are legally required to consider the impact of their decisions on their workers, customers, suppliers, community, and the environment. This is a community of leaders, driving of a global movement of people using businesses as a force for good.”
The “global movement” so far contains around 3,500 companies across 150 industries and 74 countries. Around 330 of these companies are from the UK, including major names such as The Guardian, Ben & Jerry’s, and The Body Shop, though entrants from the telecoms sector are conspicuously absent.
Zen reportedly achieved certification following an eight-month implementation period, with highlights including new initiatives to offset carbon emissions and enhanced employee benefits.
“From the moment I started Zen, my philosophy was to create a company that made a positive difference to the wider world, not just the bottom line,” said Zen’s founder and chairman, Richard Tang. “This accreditation backs up the years of hard work to make this happen. For too long companies, particularly large companies, have focused on short-term profits to the detriment of all else. Zen wants to show its customers and the industry that we can be a successful and profitable company, without compromising our values.”
Social and environmental responsibility has been of growing importance to operators in recent years, but these noble causes are too often swept aside in the pursuit of profits, particularly in times of financial stress. Commitments like those of B Corps are a welcome promise of long term commitment to make the world a better place and increase transparency within the industry.
What changes are UK telcos making to support society and the environment this year? Find out at this year’s Connected Britain
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Last week, famed pilot watch manufacturer IWC unveiled its latest release, the new Pilot’s Watch Chronograph Edition “Blue Angels.” The blue-clad model is a special edition of the Schaffhausen-based brand’s Pilot’s Watch Chronograph series, released in partnership with the U.S. Navy’s Blue Angels.
The Blue Angels are the United States Navy’s flight demonstration squadron. The group was formed in 1946 — making it the second oldest aerobatic team in the world — and since its creation has showcased countless flight demonstrations and undertaken innumerable community outreach projects. As part of the 141-member team’s work, they participate in air shows and flyovers across the United States, performing for more than eleven million spectators each year. The group is likely best known for they flyovers at major sporting events, such as Super Bowl 50 in 2016, which have inspired awe and excitement for generations of Americans.
The “Blue Angels” watch uses IWC’s Pilot’s Watch Chronograph design with a few unique changes. Foremost, the piece uses a 44.5-mm, polished black zirconium oxide ceramic case, differing from the steel commonly used in other Pilot Chronographs — though the new model still uses brushed steel for the chronograph pushers and crown. The dial of the watch is executed in a sunray blue — complemented by the matching calf leather strap securing the watch to the wrist— and accented with outer white and inner yellow minute/hour rings. The brand has stated that these aspects are influenced by “early military observer’s watches,” which is a reference to the wartime-era German B-Uhren watches that still exert heavy influence on IWC’s pilot watch designs, today.
Sweeping over the face are two white, sword-style hands commonly found in IWC’s pilot’s collections. An integrated subdial toward the 12 o-clock position tracks both the chronograph minutes and hours, while the running seconds are displayed on another subdial near 6 o’clock. Inside the new model, behind a specially engraved caseback, is the IWC-manufactured Caliber 89361, an automatic movement that stores a 68-hour power reserve when fully wound.
The new “Blue Angels” watch is the first model released since IWC announced its extended eight-year warranty program, which you can learn more about, here. The special edition will be retailed by the brand at a price of $10,900; it is available at IWC boutiques and authorized dealers across the U.S.A. as of this month.


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Nissan’s Smyrna Plant Receives Recognition From EPA
Nissan’s manufacturing complex in Smyrna, Tennessee, was recently recognized by the Environmental Protection Agency as one of the top 70 Energy Star certified plants in the country.
The Nissan plant has taken several measures to reduce its demand for power and offset the negative impact that auto manufacturing can have on the environment. Such power saving measures include LED lighting, more environmentally friendly water-based paint, and a compressed air leak detection system that has saved the plant 11,300 megawatt hours by reducing waste.
The 70 plants named have saved a combined 8 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions and nearly a billion dollars in energy bills.
Nissan and the governor of Tennessee also announced an upgrade to the plant that would create more than 1,000 new jobs. The project involves building a new logistics center to improve the flow of supplies into the plant.
The Smyrna plant will begin building the all-new 2016 Nissan Maxima that was revealed during the Super Bowl XLIX commercial, “With Dad”. It currently manufactures the Altima, Maxima, LEAF, Rogue, Pathfinder, and Infiniti QX60.
News Source: Daily News Journal


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Digital spend by e-commerce companies will not reduce even from a brand perspective, according to Shamsuddin Jasani, MD, Isobar India, who was speaking with BestMediaInfo.com on the launch of Isobar Commerce Practice in India. However, he feels that the mainline spend will come down in the future.
Upbeat about growth of e-commerce in India, Jasani sees the growth coming from smaller towns and rural areas. “Another thing that is happening is that e-commerce is now largely being driven by category B and C towns where people don’t have a lot of access to big brands in stores,” he said.
“Discounting is not as big as it used to be and this is going to drive up profitability of e-commerce players,” said Jasani. “I really believe that five years down the line third-party e-commerce companies will be profitable. We are trying to see how we can keep the brand’s best interests in mind. What we are trying to do is map the entire ecosystem and make it profitable for brands to be leveraging e-commerce.”
After launching Isobar’s Global Commerce Practice in July last year, the agency has now announced the launch of Commerce Practice in India which will be headed by Shekhar Mhaskar, Vice-President, Isobar India. About 15% of the team at Isobar India is dedicated towards Isobar Commerce Practice right now.
The expansion of the Commerce Practice in India will help it become a commerce centre of excellence, delivering end-to-end commerce experiences for clients through integrated platforms and solutions that are informed by local insight.
What exactly is Commerce Practice?
It is a global practice that we have now launched in India. eCommera, a company that Dentsu Aegis acquired, has been rebranded as Isobar Commerce in India. They already have approximately 150 people in Pune who develop very large-scale development and strategy solutions for a lot of brands, especially in the UK, Europe and now in Northern America as well.
Commerce Practice is a global entity. What will Isobar Commerce Practice in India bring to the table?
In India, we need to have a mix of third-party and first-party commerce. What I mean by that is one has to have their own e-commerce platform while also leveraging the Amazon and Flipkarts of the world. What Isobar commerce in India will be doing is to work with our brands and clients to define the entire e-commerce ecosystem for clients in India.
Why bring a platform that caters to the needs of e-commerce players in India now?
E-commerce is booming. I really believe it is going to go the way that China is going. A lot of people are now coming onto e-commerce and buying on e-commerce. But a lot of brands are lost as to how to take advantage of this, ensure there is a distinction between how they do their e-commerce v/s how they do their off-line and also how to integrate the two and that is where Isobar Commerce Practice India comes in.
So will this division function out of the Pune office?
The way we have structured this is that we will be offering our clients the best across all the three brands under the Isobar umbrella. From a strategy and understanding the consumer perspective is where Isobar India will play the biggest role. The front-end development is where Fractal Ink will play the biggest role and back-end development is something Isobar Commerce Practice India will deliver. It will be primarily driven by our Mumbai office and supported by the Pune office.
E-commerce has changed a lot since its advent in India. A lot of consolidations have taken place since then but many major e-commerce players are losing money even today. Do you see the tide changing? What will be the face of digital five years down the line?
A lot of e-commerce companies are still at an investment stage and for the next couple of years, it is still going to be about a lot of investments and getting profitable. I really believe that five years down the line third-party e-commerce companies will be profitable. We are trying to see how we can keep the brand’s best interests in mind. What we are trying to do is map the entire ecosystem and make it profitable for brands to be leveraging e-commerce. As far as e-commerce third party vendors go, there might still be room for some consolidations in the horizon and there is still more room for a few more big players to come in. Paytm and Alibaba will step up their game as well. Slowly and steadily, over the next three to four years, they should start making money.
What do you think are the drivers for the growth of e-commerce in India?
The importance of e-commerce is going to go up where convenience is going to trump money. A big change that we are witnessing now is that discounting is not as big as it used to be and this is going to drive up profitability. Another thing that is happening is that e-commerce is now largely being driven by category B and C towns where people don’t have a lot of access to big brands in stores. They have the money but they can’t buy these brands from stores. Another bit of e-commerce where the biggest amount of expense is, the delivery and returns part. A lot of e-commerce players are now just establishing the groundwork for a supply chain. It is an expense but once the supply chain gets a lot better, e-commerce will have bright future in India.
As you rightly mentioned, discounts and sales on e-commerce are going down. Since e-commerce platforms spend a lot of money in marketing these discounts and sales, do you think this will have an effect on digital agencies?
There are two parts to the monies that are spent. One is ‘brand monies’ and the other is ‘performance monies’. Performance money is not going to go down. A lot of digital agencies work on the performance part of the business. What I do see consolidating is that one needs to spend a little more in the beginning to establish their brand, take it to the smaller towns and cities and talk about the sales that were to happen. Now with the price of data going down, more and more people are on digital and one can leverage digital itself to reach out to these audiences. Even from a brand perspective I don’t see it as a reduction in the digital spends but I do feel that the mainline spend will come down in the future.


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New Ontario government puts brakes on anti-scalping law
No end in sight for sky-high markups, analysis of summer concerts shows
Ontario has quietly shelved a key part of a controversial anti-scalping law that would have capped prices ticket scalpers can charge to fans of live music and sports, a joint CBC News/Toronto Star investigation has learned.
Premier Doug Ford's office confirmed late Tuesday his government is suspending a portion of the law, introduced by the Liberals, that would have outlawed resale of tickets at markups of more than 50 per cent above face value, which was set to take effect July 1.
"The previous government attempted to institute a cap on ticket resales with no way to enforce that cap, resulting in less consumer protection," Ford spokesperson Simon Jeffries wrote in an email statement.
"We have paused the implementation of this section until we can review this provision in full to make sure it is in the best interest of Ontarians."
While portions of the law banning ticket-buying bots remain in effect, it's unclear what the new government will do instead to curb skyrocketing prices on resale websites such as Stubhub, Ticketmaster and Seat Geek.
Thousands over 150%
CBC News and the Toronto Star have been closely tracking prices for thousands of resale tickets to 10 popular summer events, in anticipation of the price cap taking effect, to test how Ontario could ever hope to police the online scalping market.
We reached out to the new minister of government and consumer services on Friday and, on Tuesday after the long weekend, the government said it is hitting "pause" on the law.
But by then, online listings for high-demand events such as Elton John, Taylor Swift and Radiohead had exposed the scope of price gouging by scalpers.
CBC News found thousands of tickets listed on StubHub, Seat Geek and Ticketmaster Resale at prices that would have violated the Ontario cap.
Capping resale prices has been vigorously opposed by scalping websites, which praised the move by Ford's new Tory government.
"This is a very rational and prudent decision," wrote Patti-Anne Tarlton, chief operating officer for TicketMaster Canada, which has been aggressively expanding into the resale market.
The pause, Tarlton said, will make time to "evaluate the anticipated impact" of the law.
StubHub said it is "pleased" by the move which, according to a statement from spokesperson Cameron Papp, ensures that sales "occur on platforms that provide vital consumer protections."
Vivid Seats, another resale website, said it is now reconsidering its options after geo-blocking all customers in Ontario earlier this week for fear of running afoul of the law.
Some of the most jaw-dropping prices found Tuesday on StubHub and SeatGeek included a $325 face-value ticket, to sit at the feet of Taylor Swift next month in Toronto, posted for $66,000.
Or a Foo Fighters' ticket for next week's show at Toronto's Rogers Centre: originally sold for $96, it is reselling for $9,240.
But price caps are not the solution, argues Erin Benjamin, executive director of Music Canada Live, a lobby group representing the live music industry.
"They've just been shown over and over again not to work," Benjamin said, pointing to a report released last month by the U.S. Government Accountability Office that examined various anti-scalping strategies.
"If the priority is to decrease fraud and to keep fans and consumers safe, that's not the answer," Benjamin said
"When a lot of people want one thing it drives the price up and people are interested in making money off ticket sales. What's to stop the guy on Kijiji from selling that $100 ticket for $500? It's really hard to enforce. And it makes it makes it really easy to dupe fans."
Methodology: How did CBC track ticket prices?
CBC News and the Toronto Star monitored tickets for 10 popular events in Ontario, tracking face value and resale prices on various secondary resale websites. Some tickets were simultaneously posted for resale on multiple websites. VIP packages or listings without clear section, row or face values were not counted.
(Data collection and analysis by Valérie Ouellet, William Wolfe-Wylie and Jessica Willms.)


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Where to buy the Withings Activite Pop is one question a few Product Reviews readers have on their mind today, especially those of you in the UK that have to deal with Dixons customer service. We have received a few complaints about order problems at both PC World and Curry’s in the UK, in fact even one PC World staff member said directly to us “Dixons online customer service isn’t the best”.
The UK stock for Withings Activite Pop is very low with PC World / Curry’s quoting around 500 items in their main warehouse. We have seen the order process first hand and heard a few stories from consumers, especially when it comes to making a change to any online order.
It’s not clear why Withings decided to sell the Activite Pop in the UK with Dixons, aka Curry’s PC World, as there were many better choices in our opinion like Tesco and even other popular retailers. One Product Reviews reader said, “I just ordered a Withings ActivitÃ© Pop at Curry’s and to say customer service is bad would be an understatement. They prefer to tell you why you are wrong, rather than helping to find a solution to order problems. I have now cancelled my Withings order”.
Any new launch will cause frustration, although it is how stores deal with issues that create a feeling of good customer service. Not letting Withings Activite Pop launch at other retailers on day one might be a mistake in our opinion.
Low stock will be one reason Withings couldn’t let many stores sell the Activite Pop on its UK release date. This still won’t make those that couldn’t get one today any happier, especially the customer that said “I ordered a Withings Activite Pop at Curry’s and they told me I had to cancel my order to get next day instead, so I did that and now they say there’s no stock left. I asked where the one you told me to cancel has gone and they said this is just the system, it’s not their fault. Withings should have used someone better than Curry’s to sell this new smartwatch”.
Have you had any problems buying a Withings Activite Pop today in the UK? We would love to hear your comments below, especially if you have something positive or negative to say about the customer service.
The current price for Activite Pop is just under £120 and you can watch a video detailing its features below. Apple’s online store do sell Withings products, but it’s not clear if they will sell the Activite Pop considering the Apple Watch will launch soon. The latter product will cost a lot more and do more, although some consumers feel the Activite Pop mixes analogue and digital features perfectly.
*Identifying Monetised Links - outgoing links that we monetise are marked with an '*' symbol.


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Could the ‘milkman model’ be the next wave in business?
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A new initiative, Loop, was just announced at the World Economic Forum in Davos. It plans to partner with big companies to deliver products like orange juice, shampoo and laundry detergent in reusable glass and metal bottles. The TODAY team discusses.Jan. 24, 2019


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GLOBAL - Hedge funds experienced their first quarterly outflows for the first time in nearly three years during the final quarter of 2002, according to Tremont TASS.
The hedge fund consultant found that the outflow in the fourth quarter of 2002 was US$696m (£441.2m), compared to an inflow of US$6.8bn (£4.3bn) during the previous quarter.
Here they are - the winners of the UK Pensions Awards 2019...
Sir Philip Green's restructuring proposals for his retail giant Arcadia will not "adequately protect" its pension schemes' members, The Pensions Regulator (TPR) has said.
The Marks and Spencer Pension Scheme has completed buy-in deals worth £1.4bn with two insurers, mirroring similar transactions last year.


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(Karachi, 2 April 2010) L’Oréal Paris, the world’s leading beauty brand, announce their exciting official partnership with Fashion Pakistan Week starting 05 April 2010. This long term association will witness L’Oréal Paris as Official Creator of the ‘Look’ for Fashion Pakistan Week in consultation with Saba Ansari of Sabs Salon using L’Oréal Paris products throughout Fashion Week. L’Oréal Paris will also be bringing their internationally coveted ‘black carpet’ to Fashion Pakistan Week at which all celebrity interviews will be conducted and an official L’Oréal Paris studio space revealed for fashionistas to experience the L’Oréal Paris product range and expertise, from top to toe!
Indeed L’Oréal Paris’ association with fashion is historical and their partnering with Fashion Pakistan Week is therefore an organic extension of their global beauty association with fashion weeks including those in Paris, Milan, New York, Toronto, Melbourne and Dubai. Speaking about L’Oréal Paris as official partner Fashion Pakistan Week, CEO L’Oréal Pakistan Musharaf Hai said, “Beauty and Fashion are fast emerging as the newest global faces of Pakistan with the industry bringing forward the nation’s creativity and resilience. L’Oréal Paris’ is honoured to be a part of this positive projection and change. Internationally and over the years, we have developed and supported exciting cultural partnerships such as that with the Cannes Film Festival and with international fashion weeks; with our association with Fashion Pakistan Week, we are looking forward to bringing this international L’Oréal Paris standard of celebrating and demonstrating our expertise in make-up, styling and beauty in general, to the Pakistani Industry.”
CEO Fashion Pakistan, Ayesha Tammy Haq has said, “Fashion has always been synonymous with beauty hence it is only natural that Fashion Pakistan and L’Oréal Paris should come together to present Fashion Pakistan Week 2, Pakistan’s biggest ever fashion event. We are delighted by the synergy between our two organizations, the direction it is taking and look forward to showing Pakistan and the world, a beautiful, brave and exciting side of Pakistan.”
L’Oréal Pakistan Spokespeople Meesha Shafi, Sabina Pasha and Sanam Saeed will also be present at the exclusive Fashion Pakistan Week.


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FACT was founded in 1982 in order to promote humane farming practices. It advocates for the safe production of meat and dairy products and works to help consumers make good choices in the products they purchase.
On their website, FACT says that they believe “that all farm animals should be granted adequate space, access to the outdoors, clean water and air, the opportunity to express their natural behaviors, and safe feed.”
The Fund-a-Farmer Project grew out of that mission. It awards grants and provides the opportunity for peer-to-peer farmer education around humane animal farming practices.
FACT realizes that oftentimes, farmers want to make positive changes in the way they raise their animals, but these changes often chest money. By providing financial assistance, FACT hopes to make those changes a reality.
This year, farms in 15 different states received Fund-a-Farmer grants. Nine farms won Animal Welfare Certification grants, while 15 farms won grants for pasture improvement projects.
This year’s grants bring FACT’s total awards to 91 grants across 27 states since the Fund-a-Farmer Project began in 2012. In that time, FACT has awarded over $57,000 in grants.
Larissa McKenna, FACT’s Humane Farming Program Director, explained that they hope these grants will help individual farmers, as well as food consumers, in general.
“Today, an increasing number of people want to know where their food comes from, who produces it, and how it was grown,” McKenna said. “Small and mid-sized sustainable farms are essential to meeting consumer demand for humanely-raised food, but often face financial challenges due to high costs associated with economies of scale. Our organization supports these farms by funding projects that improve animal welfare and also help farmers increase their profit margins.”
By Dawn Henderson, Earth.com Staff Writer


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Another angry iPhone 3G user has filed a lawsuit but this time it's directed at both AT&T and Apple with the bulk of the complaint against AT&T's network. The San Diego-based lawsuit filed by William Gillis accuses Apple and AT&T of overselling the iPhone 3G and promising fast speeds. The lawsuit says that by overselling the iPhone 3G, there are too may customers using the device, which causes the network to get bogged down.
Gillis is particularly critical of AT&T--claiming that the carrier says the iPhone 3G performs well on its 3G network when in reality the handset requires too much power. That coupled with the high volume of iPhones sold, has caused the network to kick users down to the EDGE-based 2G network even when 3G coverage is guaranteed, Gillis says in his lawsuit.
Neither AT&T or Apple have commented on the lawsuit, which is the second lawsuit directed at the iPhone 3G concerning performance issues.
- see this article
Apple slammed with lawsuit over iPhone 3G


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Happy Cyber Monday!
“Cyber Monday was an instant hit when it was created in 2005 by the National Retail Federation (a major retail trade association), and is today by far the largest online shopping day of the year in the U.S.” according to A. Ant Ozok. He predicts Cyber Monday will become the biggest shopping day of the year period within the next decade.
The other Black Friday alternative is Small Business Saturday, created by American Express. Which is kind of ironic, as my sister Evelyn pointed out over Thanksgiving, as many small businesses don’t take American Express due to their anti-vendor policies and high fees.
Evelyn works in medical cannabis (check out Metropolitan Wellness Center if you’re in D.C.). She and I talked about how people upset that Big Tobacco will likely take over the cannabis industry when enough states legalize recreational marijuana. While Steve Horwitz challenges the assumption that shopping local is more moral than shopping international, Ev and I challenge the idea that shopping small is more moral than big.
In fact, I want to challenge the set of assumptions behind so-called “conscious consumerism.” I’s tempting, at least for the people with the time and money for it, to vote with our dollars against things we dislike. But as Jason Tebbe wrote for Jacobin, the idea of morality through luxury goods contains more than a little neo-Victorianism. While the nineteenth-century bourgeoisie used moderation and abstention to assert class dominance, today’s elites do it through locally sourced, ethically produced, organic, gluten-free, non-GMO goods.
Moralizing consumerism turns shopping at Walmart instead of Whole Foods into a sinful act. It’s a way to self-righteously sneer at poor people.
Drinking Bud Light isn’t a moral failing. It’s a rational choice. Not everyone likes craft brews enough to pay more for it. That’s okay. Not everyone needs the craft brew of cannabis. Sometimes you just want to get buzzed, and sometimes you just want to get stoned. Opening up altered states to people who cannot or don’t want to pay a lot for them is a good thing. Big business makes that possible.
Now, a caveat. Walmart and Anheuser Busch are cheaper in part because they’re subsidized by government. They’re guilty of taking land deals and favorable trade agreements and lobbying successfully for competition-crushing laws. None of that is good for consumers. Competitive advantage should only by conferred via innovation, not government-conferred rents. However, even in a free market, big business would exist. And in a free market, there would and should be a place for lower cost, lower quality goods.
The problem isn’t that Bud Light exists. It’s that I’m paying for it whether I buy it or not. Similarly, the problem with Donald Trump using his position to get richer isn’t that that feels yucky. It’s that companies will use Trump to get richer instead of innovating.
Small Business Saturday and shopping local and buying organic can’t undo cronyism. They just reinforce class dominance by painting the “wrong” purchases as moral failings.
So shop Cyber Monday with pride. Buy from whoever offers the quality you want at the price you can afford. And if you want to get moral about it, write your mayor and tell them not to offer Walmart a tax break or discount on real estate.
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Australian hair tools brand EVY PROFESSIONAL has launched the next phase in their dynamic business with a brand new website, created with the aim of increasing salon engagement and reinforcing their commitment to the industry with even more efficient service. The business is aiming to deliver a more exclusive, tailored and adaptive experience for salons, now offering an online platform that allows salons to order in their own time.
“Salons are loving that our online service is more convenient and time-saving, especially now when the salon floor is busier than ever and time is a true commodity,” said EVY PROFESSIONAL CEO, Tracey Bazzano Lauretta.
“In launching the new website, we have seen an incredible increase in salon engagement, and online orders have been exceptional. I am incredibly proud to be providing a service for our EVY devoted salons that is positive and rewarding.”
Users of the website can create an account, log in to a ‘Salon Only’ area, order online and have access to salon-only information which is unavailable to the consumer.
“Flexibility and ease of use has proven to be appreciated by our customers, and the added bonus of having access to exclusive Salon Only information has also been another great selling point,” Tracey said.
The website is just the next juncture in a business that constantly evolves. EVY PROFESSIONAL delivers hair electrical products that prioritse healthy hair and deliver much needed hydration during styling, with technologically advanced hair tools necessary for both the hairdresser and the client. Congratulations to the brand on this new launch!
For more information visit www.evyprofessional.com


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The Nigerian Standards Organization has presented the product quality certificates of the Compulsory Conformity Assessment Program to Lafarge Africa Plc, the Nigerian building materials giant LafargeHolcim.
A statement issued Wednesday by Lafarge’s director of communications, public affairs and sustainable development, Folashade Ambrose-Medebem, said the certificate was presented after Mfamosing products satisfactorily met the certification and standardization requirements set by SON.
The Mfamosing plant is described as a modern production plant located in Cross River State with an annual cement production capacity of 5MMT.
According to the company, the presentation of the MANCAP certificate further demonstrates Lafarge Africa Plc’s commitment to ensuring quality assurance and compliance with relevant product standards within the government’s regulatory framework.
Presenting the certificates, the Director General of SON, Mallam Farouk Salim, represented by the Cross River State Coordinator, SON, Mr. Ogbuji Chukwudi, praised Lafarge Africa for satisfactorily meeting the prescribed certification requirements and called on the company to continuously ensure high quality control at all times.
Salim said, “Lafarge products at the Mfamosing plant have received the prestigious SON quality label because they have met the prescribed requirements following the outcome of a series of MANCAP inspections of the company and corroborating and extensive analyzes.”
He said Lafarge Africa had unwaveringly ensured that its products met the requirements and therefore called on the company to ensure full use of the certification.


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The following censorship instructions, issued to the media and internet companies by government authorities, have been leaked and distributed online. The name of the issuing body has been omitted to protect the source. Hello...
by Melissa M. Chan | Nov 13, 2012
China Daily reports Singles’ Day promotions have successfully draw in online shoppers. This report comes amid the shift in political power with the 18th party congress and claims of the continuing need for economic growth: By 7...
by cdtstaff | Mar 2, 2011
Popular Chinese search engine Baidu and Chinese online retailer Taobao have been criticized by the U.S. Trade Representative Office for facilitating piracy and counterfeiting of goods. From Bloomberg News: Baidu Inc. and Alibaba...
by Sophie Beach | Apr 20, 2009
The Straits Times reports on the failure of international Internet companies to compete with local Chinese counterparts: In China, most global Internet giants live miserable lives. Auction giant eBay, which once controlled as...
by Liu Yong | Jun 25, 2008
From Reuters: China’s Shaolin Temple, the birthplace of kung fu and the star of many martial arts films, has set up an online store to flog its wares. Named “Shaolin The Stage of Joy”, a Web page has been set...
by Sophie Beach | Aug 8, 2005
From Forbes: Web media company Yahoo! is in advanced talks to purchase an approximately 35% stake in China’s biggest homegrown e-commerce company for almost $1 billion, in what would be the biggest investment by a foreign company in China’s Internet industry to date, sources close to the negotiations said. Yahoo! (nasdaq: YHOO – news – […]
CDT in the News
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- WSJ – China Fines Weibo for Spreading ‘Illegal Information’
- The Guardian – China’s troll king: how a tabloid editor became the voice of Chinese nationalism


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The Xiaomi 13 Ultra recently got an official launch timeline. Following the launch of the Xiaomi 13 series globally and the Xiaomi 13 Pro in India, the Chinese smartphone maker is now poised to introduced its most premium smartphone yet.
The Xiaomi 13 Ultra release date is set for April 2023, which is later this month. Xiaomi recently took to Twitter to confirm the launch of its upcoming flagship smartphone, which it says will mark another milestone in mobile photography.
Xiaomi 13 Ultra Launch Timeline
The company also confirmed that the upcoming Xiaomi 13 Ultra will make its global debut in the coming months, following its April 2023 launch in China. Xiaomi will also leverage its partnership with Leica for the camera system of the upcoming 13 Ultra. The tweet also confirms that the Xiaomi 13 Ultra will feature the Leica Summicron lens incorporated on the Xiaomi 13 Pro.
Marking another milestone for the strategic cooperation between Xiaomi and @leica_camera, and the mobile photography world.
Debuting this April, #Xiaomi13Ultra will be available in global markets in the coming months. https://t.co/ljTyEmFbGK
— Xiaomi (@Xiaomi) April 6, 2023
To recall, the Xiaomi 12S Ultra was the first smartphone to leverage the brand’s partnership with Leica but didn’t make its way to international markets. However, the company has confirmed that its upcoming flagship will arrive on the international stage, all-but confirming that the Xiaomi 13 Ultra India launch is on the cards.
Xiaomi 13 Ultra Specs (Expected)
The Xiaomi 13 Ultra will be powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset that is currently powering its ‘Pro’ counterpart. Accompanying the chip will be the latest LPDDR5X RAM (up to 16GB) and UFS 4.0 storage (up to 1TB). The phone will boot Android 13 with the MIUI 14 skin on top.
The phone is also expected to sport an E6 AMOLED display with LTPO technology, a 120Hz refresh rate, and a QHD+ resolution. The phone will likely use a 4,900 mAh battery with 90W wired fast charging and 50W wireless fast charging support. It could also feature an IP68 rating and an in-display fingerprint reader.
On the back, the Xiaomi 13 Ultra is expected to get a quad-camera setup with a 50 MP Sony IMX989 primary sensor, the same 1-inch sensor at the helm of the Xiaomi 13 Pro’s triple-camera setup. The main camera will likely be accompanied by three more 50 MP cameras for the ultra-wide, telephoto, and periscope lenses. On the front, the Xiaomi 13 Ultra is expected to use the same 32 MP selfie camera as its ‘Pro’ counterpart.
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published: Thursday, April 6, 2023, 15:10 [IST]


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Allhands: 5 unexpected game-changers for how we travel
Phoenix was built for the automobile, but will that still be the case in 2045?
A draft report from the U.S. Department of Transportation talks about the trends and challenges that could change how we get from Point A to Point B.
There are the usual suspects. Overburdened freeways, airports and ports cost us time and hundreds of billions of dollars every year. Shrinking funding sources have delayed basic maintenance on roads and bridges and delayed new high-speed transit routes.
And what about self-driving cars? Will anyone need a driver's license a few decades from now?
Other seemingly unrelated factors could change how we move people and stuff in the future. Here are five of the more surprising ones we culled from the report:
The online retailer has rolled out same-day delivery on some products. It also is testing grocery delivery services. That means as e-commerce grows – it accounted for 6.6 percent of all retail sales in 2014, up from 4 percent in 2009 – quick errands to the store or the mall could become a thing of the past. While that could take cars off streets and freeways, it will undoubtedly put more delivery trucks on the road, producing a whole new kind of congestion.
Like online shopping, 3-D printing is already starting to revolutionize how we make (and transport) things. Instead of ordering parts from huge manufacturers or specialized suppliers, businesses can make what they need on site. That will decentralize manufacturing, which, in turn, will change not only how and where we work – and how we commute – but also what kind of goods and raw materials will be sharing the road with the rest of us.
There are apps that tell you when to leave and the fastest route to take, but the technology has limitations. Those will lessen as we get more sophisticated at collecting and analyzing millions of traffic data points in real time. And it goes beyond that. Planners will use that data to set tolls based on congestion (yes, in the future, you’ll have to pay more often to use certain lanes during peak times) and to prioritize projects in line for scarce transportation dollars.
We usually think of carbon footprints and energy efficiency when we talk about climate change in transportation. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Our roads, subways and other transportation infrastructure weren’t designed to withstand more intense weather (case in point: the flooding that swallowed Interstate 10 last year after heavy rains overwhelmed pumps).
THE PANAMA CANAL
A project to widen and deepen the canal will make it easier for larger ships to pass, and that’s important for trade, considering that a majority of the cargo that passes through the canal originated in or is bound for the U.S. The deeper canal is expected to increase traffic at already crowded West Coast ports – and could increase traffic on Arizona railways to move imports further inland.


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SNG & PARTNER
ETPWLA 2020: Sonal Agrawal on the criticality of diversity and inclusion at workplace
In conversation with Sonal Agrwal of Accord India, Know...
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Companies prefer pre-litigation mediation to force majeure
Companies in the manufacturing, services and real estate sectors, in particular, are looking at mediation to end disputes with suppliers, vendors, consumers and even lenders.
Cipla Health partners Swiggy, Zomato, Dunzo for home delivery of OTC wellness products
A home-delivery system makes it very convenient and safe for customers to get access to the wellness products, which otherwise might be difficult due to these lockdown conditions, the company said in a statement.
Urban Company snaps up Australian on-demand beauty venture Glamazon
The deal will see Urban Company foray into the home-based beauty services segment in Australia
PE to cut risks, eye convertible instruments
Structures or instruments such as compulsorily convertible preference shares — which get converted into ordinary shares after a predetermined date — are expected to become popular.
What corona? Apple to conquer affordable devices market with massive discounts, cheaper iPhones in China
China is the only major market where the smartphone-maker has been able to reopen all shops.
Coronavirus blow: Firms prepare for slow capital flows, uncertainty
Record capital flows into Indian startups, many of which have been chasing growth at all costs and seen valuations multiply in the past year, are expected to halt in the coming months as coronavirus disrupts economies around the world.
Swiggy partners with restaurants to launch exclusive delivery brands
Swiggy currently has 100 such brands on its platform that were co-created with 95 restaurant partners across 13 cities.
IIIT-Delhi partners Extramarks to encourage research in AI
This collaboration is hopeful of making education delivery more personalised, interactive and effective, the release added.
PhonePe says services resumed; now partners ICICI Bank
PhonePe has connected to second largest private sector lender ICICI Bank to act as a payment service provider in place of Yes Bank to make it possible. Its chief executive Sameer Nigam thanked ICICI Bank and the National Payments Corporation of India for making the transition possible in quick time.
Planning your first baby? It can spark jealousy among anxious partners
Partners who showed signs of relationship anxiety before the birth of their first child were more likely to be jealous of the child after it was born.
COVID-19: Uber to provide Rs 25 crore in grants to driver partners in India
New Delhi, Apr 9 () Ride-hailing major Uber on Thursday said it will provide grants totalling Rs 25 crore to its driver-partners in India to support them amid the ongoing coronavirus crisis.
Lockdown: Godrej Consumer partners Zomato, ShopKirana, Zoomcar for delivery of essential items
Earlier three FMCG makers - ITC Foods, Marico and Britannia - had announced partenships with several firms to get their products delivered at consumer's doorsteps by using the service of app-based aggregators.


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2022 IOM World Championships – Postponed
Due to the ever changing travel restrictions around the world it continues to be challenging to ensure that all NCA members are able to attend the proposed world championship in April 2022 at Rogoznica, Croatia.
As a result of the continued travel restrictions in place on some member NCAs the decision has been taken to postpone the IOM World Championship until later in the year.
The championship will now take place in Rogoznica, Croatia 27th October 2022 - 4th November 2022.
Please note A further review of travel restrictions will be held prior to confirmation of the event taking place.
-Rob Walsh, VC Events


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The Game Awards 2015 are coming this Thursday, December 3 and many “exclusives” are promised. One of them being that Oculus founder Palmer Luckey is going to make a big announcement at the show.
The reveal was made by Geoff Keighley who has been teasing many of the big reveals that will be coming at the the show:
— Geoff Keighley (@geoffkeighley) November 30, 2015
With nothing being revealed as to what Palmer Luckey is going to reveal there is obviously going to be a lot of speculation as to what this could be. Will he reveal details of a consumer verison of the Oculus Rift? Pre-Order details? Or will he reveal some information on what platforms the headset will support?
With the rise of other headsets, especially PlayStation VR there is a lot of interest as to how Oculus Rift will keep the interest of gamers. Obviously there are plenty of PC owners who will look to the Rift for their Virtual Reality experience, but even on that platform Steam VR is providing competition among others. Oculus Rift has plenty of competition and it needs to keep gamers interested.
With The Game Awards looking to gain an audience for the streamed event on Thursday they are collecting many exclusives to catch our interest. Oculus Rift is an interesting choice to be featured at the show, so hopefully the announcement will be something big. If not, fans may wonder what all the fuss was about over an announcement for the VR headset.
What do you think Palmer Luckey will reveal at the Game Awards 2015? Let us know your thoughts below.


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Sony has added a new camcorder to its Handycam lineup that lets users set up a WiFi connection via NFC so that photos and videos can be transferred and backed up to other devices “in an instant.” The HDR-CX330 can record in full HD resolution and includes Optical SteadyShot technology to help keep images clear and steady during filming.
- German carriers and retailers promote NFC mobile payments in Berlin
- Jawbone adds NFC payments to fitness trackers with AmEx
- Half of digital tickets will be bought on mobile by 2019
- Jawbone to add NFC payments?
- Kairos mechanical smartwatches get NFC payments


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The 2015 Marine Dealer Conference and Expo got underway with a splash Sunday night during a poolside kickoff reception at the Rosen Plaza Hotel.
“We have folks from almost all of the 50 states, as well as Canada and even Australia at this year’s convention,” said Liz Walz, vice president of the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas—which cohosts MDCE along with Boating Industry magazine “Having a chance to informally gather as an industry, reconnect with old friends and meet new colleagues makes for both a fun evening and an experience that pays dividends throughout the year.”
Sunday night’s reception was sponsored by ARI, and guests were treated to fantastic weather, hors d’oeuvers and plenty of time to network. The marine industry’s premier annual dealer educational event, the 2015 edition of MDCE offers a menu of more than 30 specialized educational sessions covering topics from Facebook ads and best hiring practices to maximizing retail efficiency and advanced leadership courses for young professionals.
“This year will feature the most dynamic mix of laser-focused seminars yet—all led by recognized experts in their field,” Jonathan Sweet, editor of Boating Industry, said. “We’ve spent most of the last year talking to dealers about the content that would be most helpful for them, and we are proud to be delivering an educational agenda that not only matches what they were looking for, but exceeds those expectations on multiple levels.”
In all, nearly 1,200 registrations were received for the 2015 MDCE—topping last year’s record-setting number and illustrating the conference’s continued, year-over-year growth.


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Citi recently unveiled a new brand campaign bearing the firm’s old slogan “Citi Never Sleeps.” The original version of the slogan, “The Citi Never Sleeps,” was first used by the firm 30 years ago.
According to the NY Times, Citi’s marketing department thought about resurrecting the old slogan as early as last year, but passed because when then-CEO Charles Prince said he wanted “something fresh and focused on the theme of financial partnership.”
Citi ended up choosing “Let’s Get It Done” instead, which seems to capture what Prince was after. But some people felt the selection was just a little too close to the popular catchphrase of redneck-sensation Larry the Cable Guy: “Git-R-Done!”
Then the mortgage crisis hit. That meant the end for both CEO Prince and his new tagline. They were both out. At least Prince made it 5 years. His tagline lasted fewer than 10 months.
Connect with your customers and provide lightning-fast support as effortlessly as texting friends. Two-way SMS text messaging is no longer optional.
83% of FI leaders agree investing in AI is essential for 2024 but how you leverage AI is instrumental in success and meeting customer expectations.
$30 Million Doesn’t “Get It Done”
Of the $451 million Citi spent on brand advertising in 2007, $30 million went towards launching the “Let’s Get It Done” slogan — in just its first two months. Citi says it expects to spend another $20-30 million on their refreshed “Citi Never Sleeps” campaign.
Cost-cutting has been a big theme around Citi lately. So to save money on its new spot, Citi says it used leftover footage and music from a previous “Let’s Get It Done” TV ad. You have to wonder: What did Citi’s agency charged to dust off some footage and slap an old slogan on it?
It isn’t the first time a big brand has recycled its marketing. Sony did something similar earlier this year.
Citi’s launch spot for the “Never Sleeps” campaign shows random clips of business and societies from around the world. There’s no correlation between the script and video. Too bad. It would have been much more effective if the visuals had linked with the script in some way. Doing so would have evoked more feeling — a greater emotional reaction. Instead, the spot feels somewhat hypnotic — a “safe commercial” that is perfectly ignorable:
The script tries very hard to be earnest and sincere. Citi seems to be shooting for the feeling of a manifesto or a mantra, but it isn’t working. It’s just repetitive. “Never sleeps…never sleeps…never sleeps…” It’s even repetitive in another language.
Someone slapped a parody video together almost immediately.
Of course there’s a microsite attached to the campaign, but it isn’t anything more than a turnstile counting clicks. The experience isn’t engaging, and the site lacks any depth. Its only real function is to drive people to the websites of other Citibank business units.
The “Turning-Dreams-Into-Realities” device is a tired one in the financial industry, although Citi’s iconic red “umbrella” linking the two words is a nice touch.
Reality Check: Who visits a microsite for a Citibank slogan? Seriously.
- How much caffeine do you think it takes to keep a financial institution this size up all night?
- Losing only one night’s sleep can shut your brain completely off.
“Citi Never Sleeps” :30 TV
Every night you sleep. But your dreams are wide awake.
Because ambitions never sleep. Aspirations never sleep.
Goals never sleep. Hopes never sleep. Opportunities never sleep.
The world never sleeps.
That’s why we work around the world.
That’s why we work around the clock.
To turn dreams into realities. That’s why Citi Never Sleeps.


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Cuero store receives bonus for selling winning lottery ticket
July 18, 2014 at 2:18 a.m.
Claudia Lopez, the manager of the Stripes Convenience Store in Cuero, 111 E. Morgan Ave., accepted a bonus Friday for the store because the store sold a $36.25 million-winning lotto ticket May 31. The multimillion dollar winner has not claimed his or her prize, according to the Texas Lottery Commission. shown, from left, are Lopez; Robert TirloniI, products and drawings manager with the Texas Lottery Commission; Piper Scott, public relations associate with Stripes Convenience Stores; and Andrew Donilon, GTECH key account representative.


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Shares of Whole Foods plunged as much as 9 percent after the company released fiscal fourth-quarter earnings Wednesday.
Whole Foods also announced a $1 billion stock buyback program, dividend increase and capital structure plan.
The grocery chain posted quarterly revenue of $3.44 billion, missing analysts' expectations for $3.47 billion, according to Thomson Reuters. Whole Foods reported GAAP earnings per share of 16 cents. Adjusted for one-time items, the retail chain reported earnings per share of 30 cents, missing the 34-cent mark analysts had been expecting.
The shares later recovered slightly to a drop of 6 percent in extended trading.


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Smart Spending: Secrets of the value menu
That cheeseburger on the value menu may end up costing more than you think.
Whether it’s the “Dollar Menu” at McDonald’s or the “Why Pay More Menu” at Taco Bell, fast-food chains often spotlight their cheapest offerings to attract customers.
The items usually cost a buck or so and are no doubt a deal if you’re looking for a quick treat. But the reason that companies dangle the offers is that customers often end up spending more on other items once they’re in the restaurants. Think $3 coffee frappes and fruit smoothies.
“Every restaurant has an opportunity to get customers to trade up to more expensive, higher-priced options, including main entrees, sides, beverages and desserts,” said Darren Tristano, an analyst at research firm Technomic.
Additionally, value menus aren’t as filling as they were a few years ago because restaurants swap out items that become too expensive to offer at such low prices. Earlier this year, for instance, small fries and small soft drinks disappeared off McDonald’s Dollar Menu.
That doesn’t mean you should stay away from value menus. After all, you get deals on certain items because restaurants make money on others.
But as a consumer, it’s worth knowing how fast-food chains rely on value offerings — and the role they play in how much you ultimately spend.
FILLING UP THE TRAY
For restaurants, the profit margins for value menu items are often razor-thin. But they make money from them by selling the items in huge volumes.
Taco Bell, for example, is known for its affordable prices even in the fast-food industry; its “Why Pay More” menu offers 89-cent nachos and 99-cent tacos.
But chances are that you’ll get more than one taco. Not including a drink, customers order an average of three items, said Brian Niccol, the chain’s chief marketing officer.
Better yet, customers may opt for relatively pricier items, such as a grilled stuffed burrito, which is around $3. Or they might “trade up” to the new taco that comes in a Doritos flavored shell, which costs 30 cents more than a regular taco. The idea is that people will fill up their trays, hopefully with more profitable foods.
The same philosophy applies to other fast-food chains, including Subway. The ubiquitous sandwich shop doesn’t have a value menu per se, but its $5 foot-long deal has become a staple of its marketing. Without giving details, Subway Chief Marketing Officer Tony Pace said the offer has been a “game changer” in bringing in customers since it was introduced in 2008.
And as customers wait for their sandwiches, they may be tempted by the variety of chips (about $1 a bag) that line the counter or the cookies (three for $1.39) by the register.
WOULD YOU LIKE A DRINK WITH THAT?
Whether you choose to order a drink with your meal makes a big difference to fast-food chains. That’s because fountain drinks have high profit margins.
“The more often you can sell a drink, the better you feel about providing discounts on other items,” said Niccol of Taco Bell.
In the past year, however, customers have kept spending in check by ordering only food or requesting only tap water, according to a study by The NPD Group. As sales of sodas and diet sodas have slipped, restaurants have responded by aggressively marketing other drinks, such as specialty coffees and smoothies.
That has been a big part of McDonald’s success in recent years. The chain introduced premium coffee drinks in 2009 and fruit smoothies the following year. It’s no surprise that Burger King followed suit with its own coffee frappes and smoothies as part of its revamp earlier this year. Wendy’s is also testing specialty coffees in select markets.
At Taco Bell, customers can get a Fruitista Freeze, a frozen drink topped with fruit pieces, or Limeade Sparklers, which is lemon-lime soda and lime juice.
“There’s definitely a consumer trend of splurging on drinks,” said Taco Bell’s Niccol.
In fact, “beverage only” trips to fast-food restaurants are increasing, according to The NPD Group. These trips are often for shakes, smoothies, slushy drinks and coffee.
Value menus aren’t as meaty as they once were, either.
When McDonald’s first introduced its Dollar Menu a decade ago, for example, the flagship offering was the Big ‘N Tasty, made with a quarter-pound beef patty. But as McDonald’s and other fast-food chains pay more for beef, cheese and other ingredients, what customers can buy for just a buck isn’t quite as filling.
The Big ‘N Tasty lasted on the Dollar Menu for about a year. McDonald’s then added the Double Cheeseburger, which has smaller patties, to the lineup instead. About three years ago, McDonald’s took the Double Cheeseburger off the Dollar Menu and replaced it with the McDouble, which has one slice of cheese instead of two.
In March, McDonald’s introduced its “Extra Value Menu,” where items cost closer to $2. That’s where the two-cheese-slice Double Cheeseburger is now found.
“What it boiled down to was our ability to offer our customers options that make sense for them, but also make sense for us,” said Danya Proud, a spokeswoman for McDonald’s.
The changes may be why the Dollar Menu now makes up about 10 percent of McDonald’s business, down from about 13 percent in earlier years.


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At a time when arch rivals Samsung and Apple are busy settling their differences in courtrooms and fighting hard against each other to remain at the top of the smartphone industry, a new quarterly research report has shown that the clash between the two titans is not hurting their sales.
Both Samsung and Apple continue to rule the smartphone market as the world’s best-selling cell phone brands, collectively accounting for a staggering 46.5 percent of global smartphone sales in the third quarter of 2012, according to research firm Gartner.
“Both vendors together controlled 46.5 percent of smartphone market leaving a handful of vendors fighting over a distant third spot,” said Anshul Gupta, principal research analyst at Gartner.
The report says that Samsung’s mobile phones sales continued to accelerate, totaling almost 98 million units in the third quarter of 2012, up 18.6 percent year-on-year. The company saw a strong demand for Galaxy smartphones across different price points that further widened the gap with Apple in the smartphone market.
The South Korean tech giant sold 55 million smartphones in the third quarter of 2012 and commanded 32.5 percent of the global smartphone market during the quarter. Apple, on the other hand, sold a total of 23.6 million units in the third quarter of 2012, up 36.2 percent year-on-year.
Although Apple lagged way behind Samsung and Nokia in terms of overall mobile phone sales, when it comes to the smartphone sales figures, the Cupertino giant scored big along with Samsung to account for nearly half of the global smartphone sales during the third quarter.
“We saw inventory built up into the channel as Apple prepared for the coming holiday season, global expansions and the launch into China in the fourth quarter of 2012,” said Gupta.
With the iPhone 5 launching in more territories in the fourth quarter of 2012, including China, and the upcoming holiday season, Gartner analysts expect that Apple will have its traditionally strongest quarter.
As for the other players in the market, Nokia slipped from No. 3 in the second quarter of 2012 to No. 7 in smartphone sales in the third quarter of 2012. RIM moved to the No. 3 spot with HTC at No. 4.
Nokia had a particularly bad quarter with smartphone sales with 7.2 million smartphones sold in the third quarter. The arrival of the new Lumia devices on Windows 8 should help to halt the decline in share in the fourth quarter of 2012, although it won’t be until 2013 to see a significant improvement in Nokia’s position, said Gartner.
On the other hand, thanks to increased sales of the Asha full touch range, Nokia saw overall mobile phone sales of 82.3 million, which was better than Gartner’s early estimate. However, the company’s mobile phone sales declined 21.9 percent in the third quarter of 2012.
[Global mobile device sales in Q3 2012. Source: Gartner, November 2012]
In the smartphone market, Android continued to increase its lead with 72.4 percent market share, up 19.9 percentage points in the third quarter of 2012. Apple held on to second with 13.9 percent of the market.
However, with the launch of the iPhone 5, Gartner analysts expect iOS share will grow strongly in the fourth quarter of 2012 because users held on to their replacements in many markets ahead of the iPhone 5 wider roll out.
Although RIM lost market share, it climbed to the No. 3 position as Symbian nears the end of its lifecycle. There was also channel destocking in preparation of new device launches for RIM, which resulted in sales worth 8.9 million to end users in the third quarter of 2012.
Windows Phone’s share weakened quarter-on-quarter as the Windows Phone 8 launch dampened the demand of Windows Phone 7 devices.
[Global mobile OS market share in Q3 2012. Source: Gartner, November 2012]
The report also stated that worldwide sales of mobile phones to end users reached almost 428 million units in the third quarter of 2012, a 3.1 percent decline from the third quarter of 2011. On the other hand, smartphone sales accounted for 39.6 percent of total mobile phone sales, as the sales increased 46.9 percent from the third quarter of 2011 to touch 169.2 million units in the third quarter of 2012.


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Joining forces with world-reknown chassis maker Dallara, iRacing has unveiled the newest and very different addition to their vehicle lineup: The Dallara iR-01 open wheeler.
Unlike the other cars available in iRacing, the iR-01 isn’t a painstakingly laser-scanned virtual replica of a real life car but rather a fictional take on a modern open wheeler.
Weighing just 600 kg, the iR-01 is powered by a naturally aspirated 3.0-liter V10 engine providing 900 horsepower. Using limited electronics to aid drivers, the car is aimed to be both accessible for new drivers while providing a challenge for pros to master.
“Our partnership with Dallara to bring the Dallara iR-01 to iRacing has been unlike any other project we’ve ever undertaken,” said iRacing executive producer Steve Myers. “With a clean sheet in front of us, we challenged ourselves to build the ultimate open-wheel racecar to bring to our users. The result is an exciting blend of the past, present, and future of grand prix racing that is thrilling to drive and produces incredible on-track battles.”
The Dallara iR-01 will be made available for iRacing members with the 2021 Season 1 build, check out the video above for more information on the project.


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The ALT Network aims to build the African legal and tech ecosystem by facilitating the growth of enabling legislative and regulatory environments for tech innovation across all sectors, supporting legal technological entrepreneurship, and contributing to efficiency in the design and delivery of legal services across the continent.
Who We Are
We are a team of legal sector insiders and connectors working around the world with law firms, regulators, and governments. We are witnessing the positive disruption of the legal sector by technology around the world and believe that innovation and technology can transform the delivery of legal services in Africa to boost economies and improve people’s lives. Lawyers can also play a critical role in creating an enabling legislative and regulatory environment for tech innovation across sectors and industries and we aim to facilitate those connections.
Press & Awards
Expansión, July 2021
“In 2017, the African Law & Tech Network (ALT Network) was born, the first African legal innovation ‘hub’, based in Nigeria but with a vocation to assist all operators on the continent. ‘The solutions that facilitate access to justice are the most common among “start-ups” African legalities,’ says Nankunda Katangaza, co-founder of the network. Nigeria, Uganda, Benin, Kenya, South Africa, and the Republic of the Congo are the countries where some of the most legal-tech [start-ups] are located of the continent, whose technology allows, among other things, access to cloud software for lawyers to process documentation with governments.”
Christina is a co-founder of the ALT Network and our Network Coordinator leading on membership engagement, producing and curating content, and researching market trends and opportunities. She is excited about the disruption of traditional business models and the growth of new startups.
Christina also has expertise in regulation and innovation in the areas of military affairs, national security, law, and foreign policy.
Nankunda is co-founder of the ALT Network and has led the strategic direction of the Network, building relationships with African law firms, institutions and the wider tech sector. Nankunda has a post-graduate certificate in legal technology and innovation and is passionate about the development of the African tech sector and building a supportive legal sector to facilitate that growth.
Nankunda is also a director of Hook Tangaza, a research and advisory company working globally with law firms, institutions and governments to build more competitive businesses, stronger institutions and better regulated markets in the legal services sector.
Alison is the co-founder of the ALT Network. Alison speaks regularly on innovation and tech disruption in the legal sector and works closely with legal sector regulators and institutions around the world on building enabling frameworks for innovation and disruption.
Alison is also a director of Hook Tangaza and leads on Hook Tangaza’s technical assistance, trade and regulatory work.


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BTN Europe presents an overview of business travel and MICE predictions for this year
ExCeL London - 24-25 February 2021
Air Canada has announced that it has entered into an exclusive agreement to acquire all outstanding shares of Transat AT, parent company of low-cost carrier Air Transat.
The transaction is valued at CAD$520 million (nearly £300 million) and Air Canada says it will create a Montreal-based global travel services company in leisure, tourism and travel distribution.
Air Canada CEO Calin Rovinescu said the acquisition “represents a great opportunity for stakeholders of both companies”. He added: “This includes the shareholders of both Transat and Air Canada, employees of both companies, who will benefit from increased job security and growth prospects, and Canadian travellers, who will benefit from the merged company’s enhanced ability to participate as a leader in the highly competitive leisure travel market globally.
“The acquisition presents a unique opportunity to compete with the very best in the world when it comes to leisure travel. It will also allow us to further grow our hub at Montreal-Trudeau airport, where we have added 35 new routes since 2012 to the benefit of the Montreal and Quebec communities, and from which we carried 10 million customers in 2018 alone.”
Air Transat has made moves to appeal to business travellers in recent months, launching special fares for SMEs on routes between the UK and Canada.
The airline also announced plans to add its new Airbus A321neoLR aircraft to its transatlantic flights from Gatwick, Glasgow and Manchester later this year. The plane will feature the carrier’s Club Class (premium economy) product, as well as 187 economy seats.
Jean-Marc Eustache, president and CEO of Transat AT, said: “This announcement is good news for Transat. This is an opportunity to team up with a great company that knows and understands our industry and has had undisputable success in the travel business. This represents the best prospect for not only maintaining, but growing over the long term the business and jobs that Transat has been developing in Quebec and elsewhere for more than 30 years.”
Transat says customers can continue to book Air Transat flights as normal in the meantime.
The acquisition is subject to regulatory approval. There is no estimate as to when the transaction might be completed.


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On paper, the idea of remixing the iconic Meow Mix jingle with the likes of NSYNC seems silly and absurd, but dang it…if it isn’t cat-chy!
Yes, Meow Mix is back with a new rendition of their one-word kitty ditty, only this time it’s leaning heavily into the boy band phenomenon of the 90s, featuring pouring rain, choreography, and a whole lot of denim. Complete with digital and social executions on TikTok, the ‘Tabby 5’ (AKA the replacements for that ceiling poster of JT) are joined by NSYNC’s JC Chasez to spread the literal word for a new line of wet cat food.
Meow Mix is joining the ranks of other brands taking advantage of nostalgia for iconic pop culture relics of the past decade, only this time it’s purr-sonal. Recently, the parent brand, J.M. Smucker has sold a number of their other pet food brands, meaning an increased risk and focus to stand out in the increasingly competitive pet food sector.
We’d argue they are on the right track, you know, getting cats to sing and dance about food. But maybe the next step is to teach them where to leave the dirty dishes!


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Apple opened its latest flagship store in the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday, and the company is celebrating by sharing a gallery of photos and a short video of the retail debut in Dubai Mall.
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Found 651 Results for: ‘final cut’
Final Cut Pro X -- once a controversial redesign of Apple's professional video editing suite -- has topped 2 million users, the company announced at this week's National Association of Broadcasters conference in Las Vegas.
Towards the end of May Apple plans to launch a new series of education sessions at its stores dubbed "Today at Apple," retail head Angela Ahrendts revealed on Tuesday. [Updated with official session details]
Apple has hired Tim Dashwood, the author of a series of 3D and 360 VR plugins for video editing software. Dashwood has since made his existing plugins for apps such as Final Cut Pro X free to download.
Apple's 'iPhone 8' again rumored to adopt stainless steel chassis, flat OLED, vertical iSight camera
Seemingly confirming a handful of rumors regarding Apple's next-generation "iPhone 8" handset, a report out on Monday claims the forthcoming smartphone will feature a polished stainless steel "glass sandwich" design, vertical iSight camera array for augmented reality functionality and a flat OLED display.
Apple is building its own GPU architecture, but why? Rather than being motivated by simple cost savings, evidence points to the timing of a significant technical leap forward that could be as big of an advance as iOS was ten years ago.
Apple on Thursday released updates to its main Mac video editing tools, Final Cut Pro X and iMovie, focusing the brunt of improvements on the former.
The Hover Camera Passport, a drone designed for taking selfies, is now exclusively available from Apple stores, including retail outlets and the online store, with the flying imaging device also receiving a number of updates to make it easier to fly.
The Apple Music app for Android was updated with a significant redesign on Tuesday, finally incorporating the overhauled interface iPhone and iPad users received with iOS 10 last September.
Despite the long-term benefits Workflow will reap from Apple's acquisition, existing users have already seen features disappear. AppleInsider assesses the pros and cons of the buy.
Apple on Thursday continued its iPad Pro ad campaign with three new installments featuring the tablet's abilty to act as a desktop replacement, long battery life and educational features.
Apple's 2017 Supplier Responsibility Report reveals 2.4M workers taught rights, carbon emissions cut
The welfare of workers employed by Apple's partners is continuing to improve, according to the iPhone producer's latest annual Supplier Responsibility Report, with the firms audited also found to be following its lead in becoming more environmentally friendly with their production processes.
Hollywood studios are reportedly showing "greater flexibility" in negotiations with theater chains about the prospect of early movie rentals -- something that could affect Apple, which is also allegedly pursuing early streaming via the iTunes Store.
Apple has several elements of a social network already, with evidence pointing to plans for expansion. Here's why the company needs a strong social strategy, and how a social network from Apple could uniquely address the issues of online harassment, fake news, surveillance advertising, clickbait and viral plagiarism.
A report on Thursday offered a behind-the-scenes look at how Apple introduces new languages for Siri, suggesting that broader language support is one of the few things keeping the voice assistant competitive in the face of rivals from Amazon and Google.
Rumor: Apple's 'iPhone 8' might not feature full-screen OLED sans home button, to launch long after September reveal
Though analyst consensus has Apple releasing an OLED "iPhone 8" with wireless charging and "invisible" home button later this year, a report on Tuesday claims the described model is but one of many prototypes that might not make it to production.
Thinking about the future of Apple's Macintosh becomes more realistic when grounded in facts. It's no accident that several Mac models have not been updated in many months, but it's also true that Apple faces real constraints in dramatically expanding its Mac sales. Here's a look at what's involved, and what's possible for the future of Apple's graphical mouse-based computing platform.
The Jaybird X3s are a high-quality, yet affordable alternative to other fitness-oriented Bluetooth headphones, including Apple's AirPods and Beats products. Whether or not they're right for you, though, can be very subjective.
The 27-year-old "Fire Emblem" series' latest entry was released earlier in February on iOS -- AppleInsider fights the forces of evil in "Fire Emblem Heroes."
Bloomberg is doubling down on its narrative of Apple as an incompetent, poorly managed company with a perpetual strategy of failure that can't quite pull off its iPhone Magic in everything else the company does. However, the site's facts and analysis of the TV opportunity are seriously flawed.