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Google has just released its new major platform code name "Nougat" (7.0). Along with the excitement of a new platform introduction, there are important implications on existing apps, test scenarios and Android product release schedules. First, let's clarify that most of the Nexus devices such as 6, 9, 5X, 6P and the Pixel C tablet (older devices like Nexus 5 and Nexus 7 won't get this update) are eligible to get an upgrade through the Beta program enrollment.
As mobile apps become more prevalent in our personal and professional lives, industry leaders are seeking ways to make their apps even better. We saw this idea of continual app improvement played out in mobile testing news stories this week. Some highlights: Google's 'Duo' becomes available for both Android and iOS; Hilton's CMO discusses Hilton's mobile app features; Google adds new functionality to its augmented reality platform; and PC Tech Magazine outlines the ways in
Here are the mobile testing topics in the news this week that got us excited. Netflix realizes its Internet speed testing website needed an app; TechRepublic breaks down what makes a mobile app successful; Bloomberg reports on the accelerated pace of connected cars and IoT; and a UK train ticket service uses customer analytics to improve mobile testing and digital quality. Read on for more details. Netflix Launches FAST Speed Test App for Simple Connection
Now is a good time to look at the good, the bad and the ugly of the Pokemon Go mobile app.
By now, everyone has heard about the new Pokemon GO mobile app.
Aside from the wild world of mobile gaming, apps are becoming far more focused on function rather than bells and whistles.
Competition in the mobile app market has led to a constant stream of relatively major news stories in the space.
The mobile app market is booming, but the behaviors of consumers continue to change more rapidly than many developers and testers can keep up with, especially when it comes to mobile payments and privacy.
App downtime can be extremely costly, and it does not take long for the losses to stack up.
The Internet of Things can be viewed as one of the greatest opportunities to technologists in history, or as the biggest headache.
Virtual reality is set to revolutionize the that way businesses deliver customer experiences. But what platforms will consumers use? Here's a look at the four major VR headset releases in 2016.
Today we're excited to announce support for Android N Developer Preview in the Perfecto Continuous Quality Lab. This new feature improves how mobile app development teams approach Android testing. Released on March 9 in a surprise move by Google (which usually unveils developer previews at Google I/O in May), Android N is expected to land in Q3 of this year. While Android Marshmallow is still ramping up and the majority of Android devices are still
To err is human, especially in mobile app development. But when a brand like Apple makes a mistake, consumers and developers aren't quick to forgive or forget.
For this Valentine's Day, let's talk about the apps features that everyone loves.
Twitter experienced some downtime on Jan. 19, 2016, and as a result, consumers sought out alternative channels through which to voice concerns. There are lessons here for both technical and marketing teams.
Three weeks ago, for New Year’s Eve, some of my girlfriends and I decided to head down south to Austin, TX for the slightly-warmer weather, the endless supply of barbecue, and all the Friday Night Lights feels that Austin has to offer. If you haven’t experienced all that is Austin, I recommend it. Just don't try dieting while you’re there. But this isn't a travel piece. This is about the moment I realized my entire
As we wrap up another year, we thought it would be fun and informative to take a look back at the mobile devices, operating system updates and trends that hit the market this year. Let's start with this bird's-eye view graphic of the important releases that made 2015 such an innovative year in mobile. Mobile Market 2015 Retrospective Calendar (Source: Perfecto's Digital Test Coverage Index report) There were more than 30 significant smartphones
If you're a Visual Studio user, we have an early Christmas present for you: a fully-managed mobile testing lab integrated into the Visual Studio IDE. Go beyond functional testing and test end-user conditions early in your SDLC process with Perfecto's cloud-based Continuous Quality Lab (CQ Lab) integrated into Visual Studio. In a prior blog post, Perfecto announced how we've teamed up with Microsoft to help enterprises deliver apps faster and become more Agile by enabling
We're happy to announce Perfecto has made the shortlist in the 2015-2016 Cloud Awards Program. Now in its fifth year, the Cloud Awards accept entries from across the globe, including the U.S., Canada, Australasia and EMEA. Entries are accepted from organizations of any size and include start-ups and government agencies. This year's categories include Best Software as a Service, Data Innovation of the Year, "Best in Mobile" Cloud Solution and Most Promising Start-Up. Perfecto has
Simply put, mobile devices will steer shopping this holiday season, but how exactly and what can your brand do to ensure continuous quality?
TODAY’S A BIG DAY IN PERFECTO HISTORY Today’s the day, the new biggest day in Perfecto history, the day we announce our round of biggest funding yet, $35M. And I must say I am so proud to be a part of it. I’m new here, so allow me to introduce myself. I’m Rainer Gawlick, former President of Perfecto Mobile, based in Boston. Eran Yaniv, Perfecto’s CEO says hello (or Shalom) from Israel. If you are
iOS 9 has been a major release for Apple, but not without some kinks. Bugs that, for example, make the lock screen vulnerable and the "Slide to upgrade" feature ineffective, were reported in the week after the iOS 9 release. Some of the bugs were remedied by a quick update, iOS 9.0.1. Yesterday, Apple announced a second update, iOS 9.0.2, to address several other bug fixes and improvements, including: A glitch with the setting that
Three words crushed the souls of million of iPhone and iPad users on iOS 9 launch day: "Software update failed."
With the release of iOS 9 and new devices, mobile app dev/testers should be on high alert. There are going to be implications for new and existing apps in the market -- whether they are B2B or B2C apps. Let's look at the following categories to help assess the "hit" iOS 9 will have on your existing products and processes. Environment and lab With the iOS 9 release -- officially available for download on Sept.


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Jeep has plans to release a brand new SUV
This will most likely replace the very controversial 'Renegade'
Jeep has a wide and varied range of SUV type vehicles mostly powered by combustion engines but now with most companies in favour of electricity in the movement against climate change. The Stallantis owned manufacturer is also starting to drift over to these renewable type energy sources.
This has been called the 'Baby' by other people who have reviewed it. This has been rumoured to replace the notoriously dreary Renegade which, has since the day of release, spread a depressing feeling amongst anyone who was unfortunate enough to drive one.
One of the other vehicles from Jeep's family is the recently released 'Compass' which looks fairly similar to the 'Baby'. So for all we know it could replace that too but nothing along those lines has been confirmed yet.
This future Jeep has been said to take on the Peugeot 2008 and the Vauxhall Mokka, two small compact cross over type cars. Both cars have all electric options such as the Mokka E, therefore this new Jeep will be able to take on those as it will be an EV as mentioned earlier.
However Jeep have stepped up and stated that there will be bigger models to come but it is uncertain to identify what these mystery models could possibly be at this stage but more will be revealed later in the year and maybe even early next year in 2022.
Now back to the matter at hand, the car itself well the Mokka E does have around 136 BHP so this tiny Jeep is most likely going to have around the same power output which is plenty for a small compact SUV. That is really as much as we know right now so all we can rely on now are updates from Jeep to see the development of this new Baby model.
Vauxhall Mokka E
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“Every day millions of people start a WhatsApp chat with a business because it is easier to do so than placing a phone call or exchanging emails. We charge businesses to provide customer service on WhatsApp – not people. Some shopping features involve Facebook so that businesses can manage their inventory across apps. We display more information directly in WhatsApp so people can choose if they want to engage with businesses, or not, ”says the new post.
Since then, it has repeatedly attempted to convince users that it does not divulge private data metrics with Facebook, and largely restricts its data sharing practices with business conversations. However, privacy advocates have maintained that WhatsApp’s sharing of user metadata with Facebook is the antithesis of maintaining user privacy, attracting scrutiny to the app’s practices with private user data. With its new post, WhatsApp appears to clarify that while it will attempt to further clarify its stance in the near future, it will not stand down from its data collection policy that it has in place right now.


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|diane von furstenberg backstage in sydney 24/10/12|
Monday, October 29, 2012
Friday, October 26, 2012
|justin smith via the agency models|
And now for the boys. Third up in frockwriter's new series about new modelling faces from down under is Henry Payten, who was recently signed to Sydney's The Agency Models.
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
|carine thevenau via chic management|
As part of a new frockwriter series on new modelling faces, meet Talia Berman. Like Molly Paisley, who we profiled yesterday, she has just been signed by Chic Management in Sydney.
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
|carine thevenau via chic management|
Horse riding competitions would appear to be fertile ground for model scouting. New Zealand’s Anmari Botha was initially spotted at a dressage competition in Auckland six years ago. And brand new Australian face Molly Paisley was scouted at a one-day event in Oakville, north west of Sydney, three months ago.
Monday, October 22, 2012
|diane von furstenberg takes a bow after her SS12 show in NY via zimbio.com|
If you don’t already know by now, frockwriter has little doubt you soon will be aware that New York fashion doyenne Diane von Furstenberg is visiting Australia this week. First up, to present her Spring/Summer 2013 collection at Westfield Sydney on Wednesday evening, not far from her first Australian boutique, which opened in the development in late 2010. Secondly, to talk at a Business Chicks lunch on Thursday. Tickets for the latter sold out in a week reports Business Chicks, which had to upgrade to a bigger venue at Sydney's Doltone House to accommodate 650 people. And finally, on the weekend, to unveil The DVF Suite – a penthouse at the recently refurbed Hayman Island luxury resort, which was of course flattened by Cyclones Yasi and Anthony in early 2011.
Saturday, October 20, 2012
|andrej pejic models chris benz SS12 via sight management studio|
Thursday, October 18, 2012
|david oldham for wonderland via red eleven|
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Julia Nobis is currently enjoying something that she likes to call “fat month” – the period immediately following the gruelling ready-to-wear show season, when she winds down. Show seasons are hard work for leading models such as Nobis, who was the season’s top runway face for two consecutive seasons up until the latest shows round that finished a few weeks ago in Paris, walking in more shows than any other model. This season Nobis lost that crown - she walked in 62 shows, making her Spring/Summer 2013's third busiest showgirl, in terms of show numbers, after Tilda Lindstam (69 shows) and Ava Smith, Erjona Ala and Tian Yi (64 shows each) according to the modelwatchers at The Fashion Spot (and many thanks to TFS for its painstaking show-combing). But that's still an impressive tally. How many Australians followed in her footsteps this season? Nineteen by our calculations. And if you have been tracking the progress of Australian models on the world’s runways for the past four years via frockwriter, you’d be right in thinking that that sounds like a steep dive in numbers on the previous Spring/Summer season – a 50percent drop in fact.
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
|nathan paul swimwear out-take via mariah jelena kordzadze's facebook|
It’s been a long time since Andrej Pejic opened the Antipodium show at Australian Fashion Week. Three years to be precise. In the interim, alongside a score of headline-grabbing magazine appearances and advertising campaigns, Pejic has blazed a trail on the runways of fashion weeks in Paris, New York, London, Milan, Tokyo, Toronto, Sao Paolo, Barcelona, Berlin and Instanbul, modelling both menswear and womenswear - not to mention bridalwear. Digital Fashion Week Singapore is the latest fashion event to snap Pejic up, billing him as the "supermodel" star of its upcoming showcase, which will run from October 20-22. Apart from a couple of fleeting appearances downunder, why has he been conspicuous by his absence on Australia's runways you ask? Because we can’t afford him it seems.
Monday, October 1, 2012
|céline SS2013 via style.com|
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What defines privacy is constantly evolving in these modern times. Smart phones, live streaming video chats, family safety tracking apps and smart home devices have made life much easier. But the flip side of these devices mean that GPS location tracking, microphones and cameras accessible via most any wireless devices have made “living off the grid” an impossibility. Reasonable expectations of privacy have become the subject of debates ranging from our nation’s highest courtrooms to the family kitchen table.
As you read this article, for instance, there are currently 2,000 satellites orbiting in the skies above us. By 2025 as many as 1,100 satellites could be launching each year, including SpaceX’s Starlink plans to add 12,000 small satellites by 2027. These satellites are being created and launched to provide everything from weather monitoring to global GPS positioning to boosting internet accessibility and taking pictures of every angle of the Earth.
Kristy CooperRedefining privacy in these modern times
We are living in an age of data breaches, security hacks, social media shenanigans and all sort of online threats that can make anyone worry about their security. Businesses have their own solutions, but what about our homes? Home wireless networks deserve attention, too, as they are just as vulnerable to security risks. That’s why we’re sharing these actions you can take to protect your home wireless network for a safer, stress-free online experience.
What is a home wireless network?
First, let’s define what we’re talking about. A home wireless network is composed of the computers, gaming stations, phones and other devices that are wirelessly connected to your internet router.
Kristy CooperHow to protect your home wireless network
Robocalls. Fake neighbor spoofing. Cell phone spam. Whatever you call them, these types of illegal calls are getting worse, and definitely getting more annoying. In fact, according to YouMail’s Robocall Index, last month Americans received 4.4 billion robocalls during just that month. That breaks down to 145 million per day, or 6 million per hour, or 1,700 calls per second. In addition to the inconvenience, robocalls also pose a danger to those who fall prey to fraudulent scams that attempt to invade people’s privacy and often their bank accounts.
While registering on the “Do Not Call Registry” was an initial solution that helped a little, lately it doesn’t seem to matter how careful you are, they still get through. In fact, it’s gotten so bad that the U.S. government is taking action.
Kristy CooperHow to avoid and block robocalls and fake neighbor calling
Wireless data allows us to access the power of the internet from practically anywhere we want to, and a recent study shows that Americans are putting that easy access to use as wireless data use more than doubled in the U.S. in 2018 as compared to 2017 and continues to grow at an impressive rate. In fact, mobile data use was up more than 82 percent growth last year – more data than was used in the first six and a half years of this decade all together.
This growth in voice calls, texts, and data is driven in part by the increasing number of wireless devices in the U.S. In 2018, Americans connected another 21.5 million mobile devices for a total of 421.7 million devices. But it’s not just about smartphones anymore as people are using data-only wireless devices that connect on-the-go such as watches, cars, health and fitness monitors, and household items with use growing 10 percent in 2018 to reach 139.4 million devices.
Kristy CooperU.S. consumers use record amount of wireless data in 2018
If you like the idea of adding smart technology to your home, but are worried about complications or expense, you’re in luck. All you need is a smart phone and high-speed internet and you can easily add “smart technology” such as thermostats, smoke detectors, garage door controls, home security cameras, doorbells and locks to your home. The good news is that a lot of this kind of tech can be installed quickly and easily by the homeowner and without spending a lot of money.
Ready to get started? Here are a few ideas for smart home-tech upgrades that are easy to DIY.
Kristy CooperSimple ways to add smart technology to your home
If you’ve cut the cord but aren’t sure what your best sports-streaming options are, we’ve got you covered. Here are a few of the top sports-focused streaming services (as of summer 2019) to choose from.
Streaming for the casual sports fan
For fans who like to catch the game of the week, or watch shows like SportsCenter for an overview of the world of sports, most streaming services like DirectTVNow, Sling TV, Hulu Live TV, YouTube TV, PlayStation Vue, will give you access to channels like ESPN or Fox Sports as well as a variety of live sporting events.
Kristy CooperThe best sports streaming services for fans who cut the cord
Everywhere you turn, companies are singing the praises of 5G technology and how it will “revolutionize” everything pretty much everything we use that’s connected to the internet. If you’re not sure about what the difference is between 4G and 5G, though, you’re not alone.
What is 5G?
In short, the G stands for generation, so 5G is the collective term for the fifth generation of mobile network technology. At it’s most basic, 5G promises much faster speeds, but it requires a lot more equipment to do that. 4G LTE, the service that Softcom provides, relies upon relatively few large towers that are positioned miles apart. This is what allows us to bring stable, high-speed internet access to rural and remote regions.
If you use AT&T, they are probably aware that you are reading this article right now, where you are reading it, what you click on before and after you read it, and storing all of that information to use in targeted marketing and advertising later on. It’s not just AT&T, either, but we’re sharing this info with you after a recent profile of AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson in Fortune magazine in which he openly laid out the mega-company’s plan to profile and target customers for advertising.
AT&T has transformed itself into a media colossus by buying Time Warner, adding to its incredible array of content from holdings including HBO, CNN, TNT, and others in combination with a huge distribution network across mobile broadband, DirecTV, and U-verse. Stephenson shared his vision of permanent, across-the-board surveillance of all those customers for extremely targeted – and personal – advertising.
Kristy CooperHow AT&T plans to use private customer info you may not be aware of
Keeping up to date with technology is important for every kind of business – even ones that have nothing to do with technology. Technology is inescapable part of life and business. Farmers carry smart phones, vineyards utilize drones, and brick-and-mortar businesses have sophisticated security systems. Crafters use the online shopping carts to sell their products, and cupcake makers use tablets to accept payments on the road. These are just a few examples of how everyone needs access and familiarity with technology to help their business thrive.
The risks of ignoring or trying to do without technology can harm a business in many ways, but the rewards can mean getting ahead of your competition and thriving in the long run. Here’s a few reasons why.
Kristy CooperWhy keeping up with technology is good for business
From checking in at your local polling venue on a computer or tablet, to registering to vote by smartphone, or using an electronic voting machine to cast a ballot, computers have become an important part of voting in America. As election time nears, however, concern about the security of those computers is high, and everyone from politicians to engineers are addressing ways to keep the process safe from hacking or harm.
Even though touch screen computers have been in use for more than a decade, the last four years have brought so much news of foreign and domestic computer hacking, disruptive social engineering, and potential election rigging that many people are asking to return to systems with paper receipts.
We believe that everyone deserves fast, reliable internet service no matter where they live or work. Softcom brings the experience, infrastructure, and technology to stand behind our vision. And we’re laser-focused on giving our customers the fast connections, exceptional customer service, and simple, affordable pricing they deserve.


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NCFI, manufacturer of flexible polyurethane foam, has announced it will introduce the sleep products industry’s first mattress that features copper in every component at the upcoming Summer Las Vegas Market.
Personal consumption expenditures have risen 41.6 percent post-recession with the majority of consumer spending absorbed by healthcare and housing.
Family-owned Tipperary Sales, a La-Z-Boy Home Furnishings and Décor dealer, has hired Lieutenant-Colonel Ed Harris as vice president of business development.
Luxury mattress producer Shifman Mattress is showcasing its all-natural latex line Pure Comfort on its new and improved PowerMotion adjustable bases at the upcoming Las Vegas Summer Market.
Mattress producer and retailer Brooklyn Bedding has announced the launch of Propel by Brooklyn Bedding, a hybrid mattress featuring European performance fabric with advanced Upcycle technology.
Home Furnishings Business (HFB), the strategy magazine for the furniture industry, is pleased to introduce the 2019 Class of Forty Under 40. In honor of the inductees, Home Furnishings Business has created a slideshow available on its website at http://hfbusiness.com/FortyUnder40/FortyUnder402019.
Furniture First, a national buying group for independent retailers, has announced the addition of four new members, approved by the board of directors in May and June. The new members include Furniture Connection in Clarksville, Tenn., Gladhill Furniture in Middletown, Md., Houston’s Yuma Furniture in Yuma, Ariz., and Rana Furniture in Doral, Fla.


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Now onwards get ready to read all the Andriod Updates and News straight from their own team on their own blog. Till now Google Mobile blog used to deliver all the Android related news along with lot of other Google mobile services (like Google’s mobile sites and apps for other mobile OSes). The Android Blog is launched due to the inspiration and tremendous requests for an Android-only blog from users.
The Official Android blog will be the major spot to track if anyone wants to learn anything new about the Google mobile operating system. The first piece of news to be broken by the blog is about the major Google Wallet announcement.
The Official Android blog seems to be launched with full planning as even though its launched just yesterday. It has lots of content already uploaded for the user.For the Android users who would definitely want to take a sneak- peek at the blog, here is the link- http://officialandroid.blogspot.in/
Source : Blog.gsmarena


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3 parameters to look at while picking stocks to avoid coronavirus impact READ SOURCE
I expect 2021 to be much better overall than 2019-20: Adi Godrej READ SOURCE
There’s 90% probability of economy doing well in three years: Vikas Khemani, Carnelian Capital READ SOURCE
With no growth, ITC could become just a dividend yielding stock READ SOURCE
ITC Limited chairman and MD Sanjiv Puri told ET’s Sagar Malviya and Writankar Mukherjee in a recent 90-minutes long interview that the conglomerate is continuing to work with an “open mindset” during the...
Faulty rollout of GST genesis of 2019 slowdown: H Nemkumar, IIFL READ SOURCE
People not overtly bullish on growth picking up: Ayon Mukhopadhayay, IIFL READ SOURCE
Repco Home Finance expecting to maintain spread at 3% and a margin at 4.25%: Yashpal Gupta READ SOURCE
BENGALURU: Cookie maker Unibic Foods has a new CEO in Sreenivasulu Vudayagiri who has assumed office after the demise of its top boss Nikhil Sen two months ago. In his first interview after...
ET Q&A China’s Xiaomi, which became the largest handset brand in India in the last quarter of 2019, said it is evaluating expanding exports from the country but feels there is a need for...


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inFamous: Second Son shifted one million copies worldwide after nine days on sale, Sony has said.
According to a press release sent to CVG, Sony adds that this makes it the fastest-selling inFamous title in the series, and with six million PlayStation 4’s sold around the globe it means roughly one in every six console owners have snapped up a copy of the open-world game.
inFamous: Second Son was released on March 21.
Unsurprisingly, inFamous: Second Son was also last month’s best-selling game on PlayStation Network. The game’s upcoming patch will bring with it some additional features.


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In November, the added value of equipment manufacturing increased by 20.8 per cent year on year, 2.2 percentage points faster than last month.In the january-november period, the value added value increased by 12.8% year on year, which was more than 2.5 percentage points above the national industry.
General equipment production situation is good.In November, the added value of the manufacturing sector rose 17.6 percent from a year earlier, a 2.1 percent increase from the previous month.Among the main products, engines increased by 166.8 per cent, with motor vehicles increasing 2.9 times.The metal cutting machine tool decreased from 7.9% to 24.4% in the last month, with 53.4% increase in CNC metal cutting machine tool.Metal forming machine tool increased by 65.9% year on year, 19.2 percentage points faster than last month, among which the CNC metal forming machine tool increased by 21.2%.
Production of special equipment maintained steady growth.In November, the added value of specialized equipment manufacturing increased by 13.7 per cent year on year, 1.9 percentage points faster than last month.Production of main products of agricultural machinery continued to grow.During the month, the output of small tractors increased by 45.1% and 75.7% respectively.Crop harvesting machinery increased by 103.3%, with combine harvesters up 75.4%.According to the statistics of the ministry of agriculture, as of November 30, a total of 13 billion yuan of agricultural machinery purchase subsidies have been implemented in China, with a total subsidy of 3.43 million units of agricultural machinery and equipment, benefiting 3 million farmers.Under the support of the central government subsidies, local governments have invested 1.6 billion yuan in agricultural machinery and 34 billion yuan in farmers' input.In engineering machinery products, the output of excavators, compaction machinery and cement equipment increased by 67.1%, 84.5% and 19.6% respectively, up from 21, 27.3 and 6 percentage points in October.
The transport equipment manufacturing industry is growing well.Driven by strong growth in the auto industry, the added value of the transportation equipment manufacturing industry increased by 31.3 percent in November, a year-on-year increase of 27.6 percentage points.Auto sales hit a new high.According to the China association of automobile manufacturers, in November, China's auto production and sales were 13.91 million units and 1338,000 units, up 10.6% and 9.1% from October, up 104.2% and 96.4% year on year.The fourth time in the year, the monthly record of auto sales was set to be refreshed.In the year to November, China's auto production and sales reached a million level in nine consecutive months, with 12.27 million cars and 12.23 million cars in the january-november period, up 41.6 percent and 42.4 percent year-on-year.Car exports improved, with car exports in November at 38,000 vehicles (the highest monthly level of the year), down 30.1 per cent from a year earlier to 14.8 per cent.
The growth rate of shipbuilding industry continued to fall.National shipbuilding completions rose 41% in January to November, down 13 percentage points from the previous 10 months.The new ship orders 2294 million deadweight tons, down 61 percent year on year, including 383 million new orders for new orders in November, an increase of 164 million tons in October.By the end of November, the country had ordered 188.96 million load tons of ship orders, down 7.7 percent from the start of the year and basically flat at the end of last month.


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Richmond-upon-Thames, 05 October 2018: Econocom UK, a European digital services company and JTRS, a leading supplier of technology solutions and member of the Econocom Group, have announced an upcoming seminar with Microsoft held by the French Chamber of Commerce. The exclusive seminar is taking place on 20th November at Microsoft London Paddington and will give the Chamber’s key members the chance to learn about embracing technology with Mixed Reality as a Service.
The seminar follows the launch of the Mixed Reality as a Service programme put in place between Microsoft, Econocom and JTRS in 2017. The announcement sparked great interest among UK businesses, but while some companies have already adopted Mixed Reality applications, the price tag of the device has been perceived as a barrier for adoption among others.
Econocom, JTRS and Microsoft will demonstrate the programme and how companies can overcome cost issues and reap the benefits of immersive technology via a subscription model. The only service of its kind on the European market, Mixed Reality as a Service encompasses state-of-the-art HoloLens technology, related services, dedicated apps and financing solutions.
Paul Corriveau, Microsoft’s Global Head of Network Marketing & Partners for HoloLens, says: “The aim of this partnership between Microsoft, Econocom and JTRS is to help our clients speed up their digital transformation. By offering mixed reality ‘as a Service,’ Econocom is establishing itself as a market leader and confirming its commitment to making mixed reality and 3D technologies accessible to any company looking to improve its productivity and ways of working.
A great advantage of HoloLens over virtual reality technology is that users can place themselves in a room alongside the 3D models that they’ve created, rather than fully immersing themselves in a wholly computer-generated world. They can walk around the objects or documents that they’ve created and change them while collaborating with others.”
Chris Labrey, Managing Director UK & IRL at Econcom says: “We want to make our Mixed Reality as a Service programme accessible for all businesses. The technology is still in its early stages, but it’s poised to revolutionise a number of uses in the professional world. With our partners JTRS and Microsoft, we can offer solutions that meet a company’s digital needs. Econocom is a regular speaker, contributor and sponsor at the French Chamber of Commerce, so we decided to hold the seminar in order to share our expertise and knowledge with these key business leaders.”


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Waking up in the morning without anywhere to be and nothing but the open road stretching ahead of them is everyday life for Graeme and Lyn Hauley.
The couple, who sold their house in favour of a mobile home, are some of the 200 owners settling in at Manfeild over Labour Weekend.
Frenchwoman Celine de Quillacq, 43, told her husband in August that they needed a break from his hectic work schedule and go on a holiday with their three children.
Black Horse has launched a personal contract purchase (PCP) product for customers to finance a motorhome purchase and the company was out in force at the Motorhome and Caravan Show in Birmingham last week, being one of the sponsors.
They’ve been stage, recording and road companions for the past two decades, and between them have been on the Canadian folk and country music landscape for more than 50 years.
A village of motorhomes has appear in the the Strandir region of northern Iceland, which now boasts around 200 vehicles. It is not, however, for tourism but for the filming of a Hollywood film in the abandoned herring factory of Djúpavík.
I am sure you would agree that the ideal way to spend a honeymoon is in a camper van and that is precisely what Olympic cycling medalists Laura Trott and Jason Kenny are doing after marrying at the end of September! Of course they are accompanied by their dogs Sprolo and Pringle.


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Well that’s awkward now, isn’t it? Metro Exodus was one of the first games in the whole stink that Epic created with their rampant exclusivity deals. The problem, in this case, was that Metro Exodus was already available for pre-order on Steam and fans had an issue with spending money on one platform and then being told no, go to a different one. We’ve since got an avalanche of Epic Games Store exclusives and they have admittedly gotten better at softening the blow.
However, it seems that the Epic Games Store exclusivity is not as ironclad as we thought since the game also appeared on the Windows Store recently out of the blue, as you can see here. The prevailing theory right now for why the game is suddenly here is that this might be part of the Xbox Game Pass on PC since the game’s release is on the 9th of June. And something big that’s also Microsoft related is happening on that day.
I think Metro Exodus found itself in a loophole between companies since the game is still available on Microsoft’s console platform, but Microsoft also has a PC platform. Whatever the case may be, the thing we’re sure of is that Metro Exodus is technically not an Epic Games Store exclusive anymore, well before its proposed end of the deal. The game will appear on Steam again in February 2020 and that’s quite far away from June 9th.


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Seagate, one of the world's largest maker of hard disk drives, said that solid-state drives (SSDs) will be survived by hybrid drives that feature both flash memory and traditional magnetic media. Moreover, according to Seagate, only a fraction of expensive computers feature SSDs.
"I would say though that from what we know of the offering for example Apple, the percentage of their units that they sell with SSDs versus HDDs is a tiny fraction. I think it’s under 3%, certainly under 5%. [...] I think as Seagate introduced hybrid drive last quarter, you get basically the features and function of SSD at more like disc drive cost and capacity," said Steven Luczo, chief executive officer of Seagate, during a conference call with financial analysts.


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Moncler saw its consolidated revenues jump by 18 percent to €365.5 million in the first quarter of 2021, with a jump of 21 percent in local currencies, although many countries were still being affected by coronavirus-related restrictions. The growth was primarily driven by a strong contribution from China, Korea and North America and the strong acceleration of e-commerce.
The Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region, excluding Italy, registered a decrease in revenues of 15 percent at constant exchange rates which the company has mainly attributed to the restrictions imposed by the various national governments to contain the pandemic and limitations on tourist flows, while local demand continued to grow. France and the U.K. were most impacted by the restrictive measures, Monclair said. Italy registered a 16 percent decline for the same reasons.
In Asia, by contrast, revenues went up by 53 percent at constant exchange rates. Mainland China registered “exceptional growth,” the company said. Meanwhile, revenues in the Americas rose by 34 percent at constant exchange rates, with a positive performance across both distribution channels and its two main markets.
By channel, Moncler’s retail revenues increased by 22 percent at constant exchange rates and by 18 percent at current exchange rates, reaching a level of €279.2 million. This result was driven by strong performance in China and Korea and the exceptional growth of e-commerce across all markets, especially in North America and Korea. The wholesale channel saw revenues go up by 17 percent to €86.3 million, driven by the positive reception of the spring/summer collections, major restocking and significant growth through e-tailers.
As of March 31, 2021, Moncler’s mono-brand distribution network comprised 221 directly operated stores (DOS), two more as compared to Dec. 31, 2020, and 63 wholesale shop-in-shops (SIS), unchanged from Dec. 31, 2020. In the first quarter of 2021, around 25 percent of Moncler’s retail network was temporarily closed due to pandemic-related restrictions.
During the period, Moncler completed the acquisition of 100 percent of the share capital of Sportswear Company, the owner of the Stone Island brand, whose results will be consolidated starting from the second quarter.


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The industrial mega-farms grow larger every year, gobbling up those around them.
There are 2.17 million farms in the U.S., a country with a population of over 315 million. Only about 1.6% of Americans live on farms these days.
But that doesn’t tell the whole story. According to the data from the 2007 Census of Agriculture, a mere 59,000 farms (with gross revenue of over $1 million each) account for 59% of all U.S. farm production. That number is expected to rise when the 2012 data becomes available.
That is an unprecedented and dangerous concentration of agricultural production into very few hands. Of course most of what these farms produce is destined to become CAFO animal feed, processed foods and ethanol. Once the commodities leave those 59,000 farms, the stranglehold tightens even more.
In Bill McKibben’s book Deep Economy he writes:
“Four companies slaughter 81% of American beef. Two control 75% of the global grain trade. 89% of American chickens are produced under contract to big companies, usually in broiler houses up to 500 feet long holding 30,000 or more chickens. Four multinational companies control 70% of milk sales in the US. Five companies control 75% of the global seed market. The largest seller of food in this country (and the world) is Walmart.”
He wrote that in 2008. Consolidation has continued steadily since then, so this too has probably worsened significantly. Control of the food supply is being ceded to fewer and fewer corporations.
Community-based agriculture offers an alternative to this system. Just another reason to find and support local family farms.


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Do you realise that poor people around the world are dying from hunger, while Western countries are throwing their food away?
There is a myth, often used as a reason of continuous world hunger, which states that the number of people on the Earth is so high, there is not enough food for them all. It’s a nonsense. We would only require around 27 billion dollars to feed those in need. That’s less that what the US spends on perfume industry every year. Western culture is a 'throw food away' culture. Being able to behave so wastefully without consequences, gives people the feeling of power and comfort. If you are wealthy enough to not to finish off half of your dinner, it means you are far more richer that you can imagine.
In 2003, Institution of Mechanical Engineers IMechE has published the article, which confirmed that 50% of food produced around the world does not get eaten. Because of inappropriate production methods and storage, as well as poor transportation and human wastefulness, 2 billions tons of food gets thrown away every year. It also results in unnecessary use of water and energy.
In Italy alone, food worth 37 billion Euro ends up in the bin per annum. In USA, the National Resource Defence Council admitted to a yearly 40% food waste. In UK, 4 million apples, 5 million potatoes and 1.5 million bananas get thrown away on a daily basis. Yes, that’s correct - on a daily basis. In 2011, well-known university of Buenos Aires confirmed, that the town is wasting from 250 to 350 tons of food every day. That's 550000 portions.
It may seem like just human improvidence, but there is more to that. In recent years, strong consumerism has led to an increase of food standards, which people want to see in their supermarkets. Those standards are often too high and irrational. In UK, 30% of farming produce is thrown away, only because it doesn’t match to size requirements. And it’s not only a problem of Western society. IMechE has announced that Southeast Asia annually wastes 180 million tons of rice. In China, it’s 45% of their rice production and in Vietnam, huge 80% waste.
Shopkeepers and customers are putting excessive attention into ‘use by dates' on food labels and that’s also creating difficulty in food waste management. Getting past those dates, gives people the feeling that they should dispose of items immediately. It’s terrifying, but statistics indicate that 30% to 50% food we buy, does not get eaten. Food and Agriculture Organization is monitoring this issue. According to their research, an average person in Europe and United States throws away 100 kg of food a year, when an average person from Africa and Asia disposes of 10 kg. Citizens of 20 richest countries in the world are wasting together 220 million tons of food a year, purely by getting rid of food they didn’t like or it went out of date.
World hunger is not an economic problem. We do not have food deficiency on our planet. People very often just cannot appreciate the great value of their meal. Food is a gift from the earth, we wouldn’t survive without. It’s as important as the air we are breathing, so we should treat it with respect. The way that Western society behave is unthinkable. If you were to stock lorries with all food from around the world, they would surround the earth eight times. The question is, why is a tiny bit of food, still a dream for hundreds millions of people. Why are we filling our stomachs with sophisticated delights, while others starve to death? Is our narcissism and egoism a cause? Is it being unable to share and care about people who are not directly close to us? We have an excess of goods that bore us and quickly become unattractive. We are keep craving better and tastier food and that lead us to wastefulness. It is a moral problem – a lack of empathy. We just simply got used
to a hunger problem, often accepting that people are evil. This attitude is wrong. We have to change the world, starting from ourselves.
What will you buy in the supermarket today? Are you definitely going to use that much? Will you end up throwing some of it away? Have a think about it. Food, which you will waste is a dream for someone else. Someone, who hopes to last another week.
Article based on the book “Hunger”, by Martin Caparros.


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By Lauren Hirsch, The New York Times
In a deal sure to reverberate across the collectibles industry, Topps is selling its famed sports card business for an undisclosed price to Fanatics, the sports brand steadily creating a licensing empire.
The deal includes Topps’ sports and entertainment business. In August, Topps lost its licensing agreement with Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Association to Fanatics. That sudden loss of a decadeslong relationship killed Topps’ plans to go public and put its future in doubt.
Topps has been owned by Tornante, the investment firm owned by Michael Eisner, the former Walt Disney Co. CEO, and the private equity firm Madison Dearborn Partners since 2007, when the two firms acquired it for $385 million.
Eisner said in a statement that “the strong emotional connection between Topps collectibles and consumers of all ages” would make it “a jewel in the Fanatics portfolio.”
All of the roughly 350 employees working in Topps’ sports and entertainment department will move to Fanatics. Topps sells its products in more than 100 countries, with physical operations in 10 countries.
Topps’ remaining business, which include Bazooka gum and gift cards, will now be called the Bazooka Cos. Those two divisions brought in more than $250 million of sales in 2021.This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
Source: Read Full Article


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Tis the season for seasonal events, and as with last year, Overwatch is bringing back its Winter Wonderland, with a few new changes. First off, there’s a new brawl mode coming to the arcade in the form of Yeti Hunt. Four Meis will hunt down one super powered Winston in the hope of defeating him before he gains enough power to transform into the mighty yeti. The mode itself is vaguely reminiscent of the game Evolve and is an interesting departure from Overwatch’s other game modes. In addition to the new mode, several maps will be getting winter reskins and many characters are going to be getting festive-themed skins! Winter Wonderland runs from 12/12/17-1/2/18.
Tying in with the release of Star Wars Episode 8: The Last Jedi, Star Wars: Battlefront 2 released two new maps on Thursday, along with a host of other content themed around the movie. Most importantly, the game released two new heroes, and rather than putting a credit cost on them, they will be free. This announcement was a big deal in the community as one of the main complaints around the game was how long heroes originally took to unlock. While this gesture has not assuaged the community’s ire, it is a step in the right direction for DICE. Changes to the game’s progression system have not been fully detailed, but developers are hard at work on them.
Wednesday, Ghost Recon: Wildlands announced a special free DLC pack that will be bringing Predator to the game. Players will be able to hunt/be hunted by the creature in the game’s vast jungles, and will also be able to unlock themed weaponry from the Predator franchise. The event will begin on December 14th.
Notable Game Releases:
Player Unknown’s Battlegrounds [Xbox One] – The popular PC shooter has made its way to Xbox! Initial reviews of the game have been mixed due to a buggy launch.


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Aug 25, 2018
CMMN SWDN AW18 Coming soon!
Presented in Paris last January, CMMN SWDN will be finally in store in the next weeks. The collection is inspired by the complexity and nostalgic feeling of growing up, as Emma said "it's about going back to an analog time". Check out the collection. —


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Jordan Brand has partnered up with Sotheby’s to conduct an exclusive auction for 23 pairs of Notorious B.I.G. x Air Jordan 13s. All proceeds from the auction will go towards the Christopher Wallace Memorial Foundation which works towards empowering inner-city youth with educational learning instruments, grants, mentorship programs and sponsorships.
The love letter to the iconic hip hop artist was initially crafted in 2017 to celebrate Biggie’s 45th birthday, but they’ve resurfaced to commemorate the 50th anniversary of hip hop and self-belief.
The sneakers are anchored by a faded black hue. Direct shout-outs to the Brooklyn rapper can be found on the outer suede tongues that display a silhouette of his face and with lyrics from his hit record “Juicy” inside the tongues that state “It was all a dream” on the right shoe and “If you don’t know, now you know”.
Hangtags with Christopher Wallace Memorial Foundation branding come with the kicks, and the aglets are fitted with “dream” spell-outs in red font. Additionally, the insoles have been adorned with black and red plaid patterns and are stamped with “Notorious B” hits on the heels.
23 pairs are now up for bidding starting at $1 USD here through February 3, 2023.
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Something to look forward to: It was all but certain that Samsung would be holding a Galaxy Unpacked event on August 5, and now the company has confirmed it. As with so many things this year, Covid-19 means it will be an online-only affair. You'll be able to watch live on Samsung's website at 10 a.m. ET/7 a.m. PT.
Samsung usually doesn't announce what phones are being revealed at its Unpacked events, and this year is no different, but it did include a paint graphic in its invite that looks like the Mystic Gold version of the Note 20 Ultra seen in a recent leak.
The Unpacked event will be focused on the Galaxy Note 20, of course, which is expected to come in a 6.4-inch standard size and a 6.9-inch Note 20 Ultra. We've heard rumors that the smaller model will have the same FHD+ (1080 x 2280) resolution as the Note 10 and sport a 60Hz screen, while the Ultra will feature a higher resolution and 120Hz refresh rate. Both phones are thought to support 5G.
Yesterday, YouTuber Jimmy is Promo posted images of what's alleged to be the first real-world images of the Note 20 Ultra. They show four sensors on the back, including what appears to be a folded zoom lens and either a 3D ToF sensor or a laser autofocus unit.
The Galaxy Note 20 series won't be the only devices unveiled at the event. Expect to see the long-rumored Galaxy Fold 2, which could be called the Galaxy Z Fold or even Galaxy Z Fold 2. The Galaxy Tab S7, new Galaxy Watch, the bean-shaped Galaxy earbuds, and a 5G-version of the Galaxy Z Flip might all make an appearance, too.


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Ecommerce firms appear to be extremely confident about the prospect of growth in 2012, reports Internet Retailing. Author: Ashley Curtis
Ecommerce firms appear to be extremely confident about the prospect of growth in 2012, reports Internet Retailing.
According to figures from the Cybersource’s UK Online Fraud Report 2012, 73 per cent of merchants believe their business will grow in 2012, whereas only 24 per cent expect no change at all.
While the figure is a slight decrease from 2011 (77 per cent), this still shows ecommerce firms are confident that shoppers will continue to use a variety of platforms to make an online payment, such as the web, mobiles and tablets.
Andrew Naumann, CyberSource senior business leader for fraud management solutions, commented on the survey to Hostway: “The continued growth in ecommerce is a welcome development for merchants and the economy overall.”
Digital media outlets involved in ecommerce are expecting the highest growth, forecasting a climb in revenue of 33 per cent, while the travel sector has targeted an 11 per cent increase.
Furthermore, 38 per cent of ecommerce firms have a dedicated mobile site so consumers can make mobile payments, while 26 per cent have developed their own app.
Akif Khan, co-author of CyberSource’s report, believes that small businesses will perform well: “Smaller businesses, with turnover of less than £500,000, expect to grow by 35 per cent during the next year.”
Comments are closed.


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Microsoft has now released official versions of its Solitaire, Mahjong and Minesweeper games for Windows Phone, which can sync up to their Windows 8 counterparts.
...of Windows updates, more Marshmallow, and the Edge of glory
Nokia Lumia Icon finally gets Windows 10 Mobile upgrade
Windows 10 Insider Preview build 14372 out now for PC and Mobile
The Oukitel C3 is an entry level device that ticks all the right boxes
99% of Windows 10 Mobile devices are Lumias (and other Windows phone insights)
Asus is taking pre-orders for its upcoming PQ321Q 4K PC monitor and is hyping up the release by showing it running 207 instances of Minesweeper at the same time.
Microsoft has now updated its Xbox Games app for Windows 8 and RT, plus it has pushed out new updates for its popular Mahjong and Minesweeper casual games for the OS.
Microsoft has launched a new Minesweeper website that's designed to also be a benchmark for HTML5-based web browsers, including the new Windows 7 version of Internet Explorer 10.
Microsoft has released an update to the Windows 8 version of its classic Minesweeper game that finally allows the title to be played on Windows RT, and therefore the new Surface tablet.
A new report claims that Microsoft will brand PC games made specifically for Windows 8 under the "Xbox Windows" brand, in a further merging of the Xbox name with Windows 8.
One of Neowin's forum members has found a way to check out screenshots of some of Microsoft's build in games for the RTM version of Windows 8, including Solitare, Minesweeper and Mahjong.


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Wayport’s Wi-Fi World hotspot service—the same service being installed in some 8000 McDonald’s restaurant locations in the United States—has a new venue. 50 Hertz airport locations in the US will also be outfitted with Wi-Fi service for anyone picking up or dropping off a rental vehicle.
What’s more, if you rent a Hertz car with the NeverLost GPS navigation system, you can use it to get instant directions to the nearest hotspot powered by Wayport.
The Wi-Fi service, for use while waiting to pick up your car and then after dropping it off and catching the next bus to the terminal, won’t be free — but pricing is yet to be determined, according to Dan Lowden, the vice president of business development and marketing for Wayport.
The service, as part of Wi-Fi World, will also be available to other providers that want to buy into offering access at the venues as part of their package.
For example, SBC—the only announced Wi-Fi World partner to date—will allow all of its FreedomLink customers to get wireless access at McDonald’s without any extra charges. SBC can do the same with the Hertz locations, but would have to pay more to Wayport (again, at a price to be determined).
“On average, partners pay $32 flat per venue (for McDonalds),” says Lowden, “but Hertz would be different. We need to work that through.”
He says other partners are “getting close” to signing, as are other potential venues.
Wayport installs broadband at all the locations, usually DSL lines, and for McDonald’s, the company at least puts in a network management server with one or two access points. This can be used as the basis for more than just public access—in fact, McDonald’s locations use the service for cashless (credit card) payments, going live soon in most locations. The company provides other services to its lodging customers as well.
The 50 Hertz locations won’t go live until the first quarter of 2005. 1,600 McDonald’s are now deployed, and the company is installing as many as 50 new locations per week. Wayport has a total of 4,700 locations now live, up from only 800 a year ago. According to Lowden, “things are really ramping up.”


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REAL ESTATE REPORT: Median Sales Price for Brevard Single-Family Homes Up 7.9 Percent to $280,000
By Bobby Freeman, Realtor // April 24, 2021
median price for condo-townhouse units was $220,000, up 7.3% over the year-ago figure
BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – Brevard’s housing market continues its momentum in March, with more closed sales, higher median prices, more new pending sales and increased pending inventory compared to a year ago.
The coronavirus was first detected in Florida on March 1, 2020.
“This spring is very different than this time last year. Buyer demand is intense and our low inventory is creating many bidding wars which are challenging for potential homebuyers,” says Jennifer McCoy, broker/owner of McCoy-Freeman Real Estate serving all of Florida’s Space Coast.
“Unfortunately, there aren’t enough homes available for sale to meet the overwhelming level of demand especially here on the Space Coast,” says McCoy.
Available single-family homes for sale in Brevard were down 65.9% compared to this time last year.
The Brevard median sales price for single-family existing homes was $280,000 up 7.9% from the previous year. Last month’s Brevard median price for condo-townhouse units was $220,000, up 7.3% over the year-ago figure.
According to Freddie Mac, the interest rate for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 3.08% in March 2021, significantly lower than the 3.45% average during the same month a year earlier.
Recap of the Brevard County Residential Report for March 2021:
■ Closed Sales are up +13.9% for March 2021 in which the number of units closed was 1122 compared to 985 in March 2020, with an increase in cash sales of +41.0%.
■ New Pending Sales are up +29.7% and New Listings are down -10.0%.
■ The Median Sales Price for Brevard Single Family homes is up +7.9% to $280,000 compared to a year ago, which was $259,571.
■ Months Supply of Inventory is down -66.7% to 0.9 months, a decrease from 2.7 months in March 2020.
■ Traditional Sales are up +15.5%, with a median sales price of $280,000.
■ Foreclosure/REO Sales are down -75.0%, with 4 closed sales and a median sales price of $168,000.
■ Short Sale Closings are down -50.0% with 1 closed sales and a median sales price of $215,000.
Recap of the Brevard County Townhouses/Condos for March 2021:
■ Closed Sales are up +31.6% for March 2021 in which the number of units closed was 371 compared to 282 in March 2020, with an increase in cash sales of +35.6%.
■ New Pending Sales are up +97.1% and New Listings are up +14.1%.
■ Median Sales Price for Townhomes/Condos is up +7.3% to $220,000 compared to a year ago, which was $205,000.
■ Months Supply of Inventory is down -62.9% to 1.3 months in March 2021 from 3.5 months in March 2020.
■ Traditional Sales are up +32.0%, with a median sales price of $220,000.
■ Foreclosure/REO Sales are down with 0 closed sales compared to 1 closed sales in March 2020.
■ Short Sale Closings are unchanged with 0 closed sales in March 2021 and 0 closed sales in March 2020.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Bobby Freeman, a lifetime resident of Brevard County, has been a top Realtor in the area for over two decades. In his first year as an agent, Freeman received a Rising Star award from his Brokers. Since then he has achieved numerous sales awards from some of the largest real estate firms in the world.
Freeman, Jennifer McCoy and Nikki McCoy-Freeman are family owners of the McCoy-Freeman Real Estate Group on Florida’s Space Coast. Together they have more than 40 years of extensive experience in all aspects of the real estate industry, have sold over $420 million and are ranked in the top 1% of all Florida Realtors.
Among McCoy-Freeman Group’s achievements are Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist (CLHMS), Certified Distressed Property Experts (CDPE), Accredited Buyer’s Representative (ABR) and voted Best Realtor in Brevard County. The group has been featured in many news publications including CNN Money Magazine, CNNMoney.com, WFTV 9 News, News 13, WKMG News 6, Coastal Condo Living Magazine, Hot Retirement Towns Magazine, and SpaceCoastDaily.com.
For more information log on to BrevardRealtyConnection.com
TO SEE CONDO LISTINGS LOG ON TO CocoaBeachCondoGallery.com
CLICK HERE FOR BREVARD COUNTY NEWS


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The China trade war news has been trending over the recent month. And the embargo placed on the Chinese company Huawei by the US government has made other companies under US government to discontinue support for Huawei.
In the latest blow to Huawei, Facebook has suspended Chinese tech giant Huawei from pre-installing its applications on new phones.
This does not apply to Facebook alone, as we all know WhatsApp and Instagram is equally owned my mack, Zuckerberg. So, Huawei users will not be able to install Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp on their upcoming phones.
According to Reuters, the ban applies only to unreleased Huawei phones as existing Huawei phones can still make use of it within the 90days reprieve slated by US government.
So what’s your view on this, let know via the comment box.


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Super-caffeinated energy drinks with names like Red Bull and Monster are increasingly popular among teenagers. But is it savvy marketing or the caffeine that keeps teenagers coming back for more?
New research from the University at Buffalo suggests that adding caffeine to a beverage increases its appeal among young people — even when they don’t know the drink contains caffeine.
To study the effect of caffeine on taste preference, the researchers first set out to create new drink flavors that weren’t familiar to their test subjects. Using a combination of Kool-Aid and flavored carbonated water, the researchers concocted seven new drink flavors, including vanilla-orange and lime-pomegranate. Then they asked 100 young people, ages 12 to 17, to rank their favorites.
The scientists then picked each child’s fourth-ranked drink. Half the students were given the drink with caffeine added, while the other half, acting as a placebo group, were given the version of the drink without caffeine.
Over the next four days, the students came back to the lab to taste the drink and rank their preference for it on a scale of 0 to 100. Notably, among the placebo drinkers, there was no change in the students’ flavor ratings over the four-day tasting period. But among those students who were unknowingly drinking a caffeinated version of the drink, the flavor ratings improved each day, rising by 20 to 25 percent over the four days.
“Every day, the association with that flavor and the feeling it gave them increased their liking just a little bit,’’ said Jennifer Temple, an author of the study and assistant professor in the department of exercise and nutrition science. Dr. Temple and colleagues are presenting the study on Friday at the annual meeting of the Society for Study of Ingestive Behavior in Clearwater, Fla.
Dr. Temple said the study suggests that the presence of caffeine in a beverage influences a child’s taste preferences. That said, the study data weren’t conclusive. On the sixth day of testing, the students were given all seven drinks again and asked to rate them. Even though they had tasted their fourth-favorite flavor repeatedly over the past four days, it remained in fourth place.
In conducting the research, the researchers told the students they were part of a study testing a variety of drink additives, including flavors, artificial sweeteners, carbonation and caffeine. Follow-up testing at the study’s end showed that the students were no more likely to guess the beverage had caffeine in it than any of the other additives, showing that neither group was aware if they were drinking a placebo beverage or one with an additive.
Dr. Temple said flavor and packaging likely influence a child’s drink choice. But once they have made a choice, over time children appear to develop a stronger preference for drinks with caffeine.
“The pairing between the flavors and the way caffeine makes them feel reinforces their propensity for drinking these drinks,’’ she said. “The caffeine is what makes these drinks so reinforcing to children and so liked.’’


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“President Donald Trump is expected to announce his intent to withdraw the United States from the Paris climate change accord in an afternoon ceremony in the White House’s Rose Garden,” Francesca Chambers reports for The Daily Mail. “Myron Ebell, the head of Trump’s environmental division during the presidential transition, said Thursday morning that ‘all signs are good’ for a Paris exit and he does not believe ‘the president is going to disappoint.'”
“After a period of intense lobbying that spanned the globe – and his administration – White House officials told several news outlets Wednesday that Trump was pulling the US out of the international agreement,” Chambers reports. “Microsoft, Apple, Facebook, Google, Gap, Mars and Tiffany & Co. joined a group of large businesses in publishing an open letter to Trump asking him not to end the United States participation in the global warming agreement. Their ask ran as a full page ad in the New York Times and Wall Street Journal on Thursday [see below].”
“The administration is determining between a formal exit from just the Paris Agreement, a process that could take years, and a total rejection of the United Nations climate change framework that serves as the basis for the pact,” Chambers reports. “European Commission Vice-President Maros Sefcovic said of a U.S. pullout: ‘It would be disappointing but I really do not think this would change the course of mankind. There is a much stronger expectation from our partners across the world from Africa, Asia and China that Europe should assume leadership in this effort and we are ready to do that.’”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Note: Apple’s Environment – Climate Change website states:
We mapped our carbon footprint, and we’re working to eliminate it.
When we measure our carbon footprint, we include hundreds of suppliers, millions of customers, and hundreds of millions of devices. And we’re always looking for ways to make the biggest difference in five major areas: manufacturing, product use, facilities, transportation, and recycling.
To reduce our carbon footprint, we design each generation of our products to be as energy efficient as possible. We’re sourcing lower-carbon materials to make our devices, we’re partnering with suppliers to add clean energy to their facilities, and we produce and procure clean, renewable energy for 96 percent of the electricity used at our global facilities.
Our comprehensive 2016 carbon footprint: 29,500,000 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions.
Apple CEO Cook calls President Trump as Elon Musk threatens to quit White House advisory councils over Paris decision – May 31, 2017
President Trump leaning toward exiting Paris climate change agreement despite Apple, others urging U.S. to remain in deal – May 31, 2017
Apple to stick with environmental pledges despite President Trump’s gutting of Obama’s climate change orders – March 30, 2017
Greenpeace: Apple again the world’s most environmentally friendly tech company – January 10, 2017
Apple continues supply chain transparency as Trump administration considers suspending conflict mineral requirements – March 27, 2017
Greenpeace: Apple is tech’s greenest – May 15, 2015
Greenpeace: Apple leading the way in creating a greener, more sustainable internet – April 2, 2014
Greenpeace praises Apple for reducing use of conflict minerals – February 13, 2014


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- Number 354 |
- January 16, 2012
Retailers ring up energy savings
NREL's Jennifer Scheib checks
lighting levels as Rois Langner
records them in the grocery
section of the SuperTarget in
Thornton, Colo. Target is a
DOE Commercial Building
Partnerships (CBP) Partner.
Credit: Dennis Schroeder
American retailers, with their brightly lit buildings and eye-catching displays depend on energy to drive consumers to their stores and sales.
The energy used for retail is significant, with Walmart often considered to be the largest private consumer of electricity in the U.S. Together, residential and commercial buildings account for a staggering 40 percent of energy use in the United States.
Although the power is always "on" for use in our country's buildings, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and its National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) are working with the nation's commercial building owners — from retailers to offices and warehouses — to discover new and innovative ways to reduce commercial building energy use.
DOE's Commercial Building Partnerships (CBP) program is a public/private, cost-shared program that pairs selected commercial building owners with DOE's national laboratories and private-sector technical experts. The goal is challenging, yet simple: new commercial construction is designed to consume at least 50 percent less energy than today's code allows (ANSI/ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1-2004), and retrofits are designed to consume at least 30 percent less energy.
Teams representing NREL, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) along with private sector experts provide technical know-how throughout the project. Working with companies and their design teams, laboratory staff identify energy efficiency technologies across building systems — including building envelope, HVAC, lighting, and miscellaneous electrical loads — all while using advanced energy modeling to achieve optimum whole-building performance.
"An underlying idea with CBP is to demonstrate that energy efficiency makes good business sense," NREL Senior Engineer Greg Stark said. "We are helping the companies develop better stores that use significantly less energy than their current prototypes — and for roughly same cost as their current buildings."
Coming up with energy saving solutions that can be repeated throughout the U.S. is a key CBP goal.
"It's important for us to work with these large companies because they can replicate the lessons learned across their building portfolios," Deru said. "Walmart is the largest private consumer of electricity in the U.S. and, because they are so big, they can make a large impact that ripples out into the industry by creating a marketplace for new energy efficient technologies."
Other opportunities abound to expand the program's reach. Current CBP projects represent more than 8 million square feet of commercial real estate. These same partners have committed to reproducing low-energy technologies and strategies throughout their building portfolios, which represent nearly 4 billion square feet of commercial real estate.
One retailer working with NREL is Target, the United States' second largest general merchandise retailer. "We worked with the engineering and design teams at Target to come up with a list of measures that would help them save energy at an existing Colorado store," Deru said. "In the end, we came up with solutions that exceeded the 30 percent energy savings goal for a retrofit project."
If the actual savings in the Thornton, Colo., SuperTarget match the modeling results, each year the store will save more than 2 million kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity and 3,300 therms of natural gas.
When the CBP program began a few years ago, it was mostly DOE and lab employees doing the work. Now, in an effort to share knowledge with industry, the teams are bringing in third-party design and engineering firms to help with projects. NREL, Stantec, and CTA Architects Engineers are working with Walmart to design a new store outside of Dallas.
"NREL clearly has done a lot of work on big retail projects, including looking at commercial refrigeration energy savings, which is a big part of one of the facilities we are currently looking at," Stantec Associate David Okada said. "It's been an enjoyable process to work with people who have pushed the envelope very far when it comes to energy savings. It's also great to be involved with pushing the savings to the next step."
Submitted by DOE’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory


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Here are some of the top personnel moves in marketing over the last week.
SPYR Launches ESports Division
Holding company SPYR Inc., which specializes in mobile game development and publishing and the restaurant industry, is jumping into eSports by hiring Mike Turner as VP of strategic partnerships. In his role, Turner will focus on developing strategic partnerships in Asian markets while launching a new eSports division. Turner is a gaming industry veteran, having held leadership roles at World of Tanks publisher, Wargaming, Big Collision Games and FASA Studios at Microsoft.
Mike has held leadership roles for companies such as Wargaming America, Inc. (the developer and publisher of World of Tanks),
CastAR Expands Executive Team With Three Hires
Mixed Reality entertainment company CastAR announced that it has hired Peter Dille as CMO, Mel Heydari as head of talent, and Arnie Sen as VP of engineering. The team will help bring the platform to market in 2017.
Peter Dille has over 20 years of experience in leading marketing strategies for entertainment companies. His most recent role was as CMO for the mobile advising company, Tapjoy. Other positions include being senior vice president at Sony Computer Entertainment, where he helped launch the original PlayStation and PlayStation 3. Dille was also once the senior vice president of worldwide marketing at THQ.
MSG Networks Names New Marketing VP
Specializing in sports entertainment, MSG Networks has named Kevin Marotta as senior VP of marketing and content strategy. The network also announced that Melissa Karten has been promoted to VP of Marketing for the organization.
FOX Sports Names SVP Of Brand Marketing
Whit Haskel has been promoted to senior vice president of brand marketing at FOX Sports. In his new role, he assumes joint oversight of FOX Deportes’ marketing and promotional activity with a focus on the strategic alignment of properties airing on FOX Deportes and FOX Sports’ English-language channels. Furthermore, Haskel is in charge of leading the market relationship between FOX Sports and the Mexican National Federation.
Comcast Spotlight Names SVP Of Marketing
Maria Weaver has been named Comcast Spotlight’s SVP of marketing, and is responsible for developing a strategic evolution of Spotlight’s brand, reputation and product marketing. Additionally, Weaver will be responsible for creating and managing the marketing strategy for Comcast Spotlight’s multiple advertising solutions. Weaver’s most recent position was at Interactive One as SVP head of sales and marketing. She most recently worked for Interactive One, the digital division of Radio One Inc, as the SVP head of sales and marketing.
Jenzabar Hires New VP Of Marketing And Communications
Boston based Jenzabar, which provides software strategies for higher education, announced that it has hired Eileen Smith its new Vice President of marketing and communications. In her new role, Smith will oversee Jenzabar’s global marketing organization and will be responsible for continuing to build the brand and creating consumer demand.
Marketo Names New CEO
Marketing software company Marketo has hired Steve Lucas as its new CEO. He takes over for company founder Phil Fernandez, who will be stepping down on November 1. Lucas’ most recent role before joining Marketo was as president of enterprise platform and analytics at SAP.
GoldieBlox Hires New CMO
The award-winning children’s multimedia company, GoldieBlox, has hired Kenny Davis as chief marketing officer. Prior to joining GoldieBlox, Davis was the senior director for global marketing at Hasbro. Additionally, the company has also hired Jenna Boyd as its chief content officer and Jennifer Rahardjanoto as creative director.
Globalscape Appoints Vice President of Marketing
Globalscape, which specializes in the secure exchange of business information, has appointed Gary S. Mullen as vice president of marketing. According to a press release, Mullen “will oversee and lead marketing strategy, messaging development and demand generation initiatives. In addition, Mullen will oversee communications, content, channel and event marketing to drive brand awareness and increase the overall impact marketing results have on the sales organization.”
Mullen brings over 20 years of experience in technology with focus on building global, customer-focused marketing teams. He has held previous leadership positions at Kaspersky Lab, Vijilan Security, IBM, Cybertrust and GE and others.
B12 Hires SVP Of Growth And Marketing
B12 is an early stage human-assisted AI company that is “leading the movement toward the intersection of how humans and machines work together.” The company announced that it has hired Ethan Dobson as senior vice president of growth and marketing. In this role, will be responsible for overall revenue growth, marketing, and ensuring that B12 is a dominant player in what will be a $70B industry by 2020.
Viacom Promotes Chris McCarthy
Media giant Viacom has named Chris McCarthy to the role of president of MTV, VH1 and Logo. His new role gains him leadership of MTV, where he will manage creative and business operations, which adds to his responsibilities VH1 and Logo, which he has been in charge of since June. Under his leadership, VH1 managed to deliver its biggest YOY ratings growth in 15 years.
Have a new hire tip? Let us know at firstname.lastname@example.org.


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Starbucks' executive chairman has said he is embarrassed by the recent accusations of racial profiling in the company's US cafes. Howard Schultz's comments came after Starbucks announced it will close US stores on 29 May for company-wide racial bias training.
The initiative is in response to the arrest of two black men for trespassing at a Philadelphia Starbucks last week. The two men were waiting for a friend when the manager called the police.
I think what occurred was reprehensible at every single level, Mr. Schultz told CBS News on Wednesday.
The announcement we made yesterday about closing our stores, 8,000 stores closed, to do significant training with our people is just the beginning of what we will do to transform the way we do business and educate our people on unconscious bias.
The former Starbucks CEO added that the firm is working with the NAACP and Equal Justice Initiative to assist company efforts to reduce unconscious bias in employees.
There's no doubt in my mind that the reason that they [police] were called was because they were African American, he said. That's not who Starbucks is.
The coffee company has since apologized over the incident as protesters called for a boycott of Starbucks. Mr. Schultz said that the two black men from Philadelphia might also be working with Starbucks in the future.
According to Schultz, the store manager who called the police has said she is interested in speaking with the two men. He added that this could be a unique opportunity to reconcile.
Perhaps something good can come out of this and by that I mean, this has highlighted for us that we have more work to do as a company.
Days after Starbucks apologized to the Philadelphia men, mobile phone footage emerged of an apparent race-related incident in a Starbucks store in California.
Brandon Ward, a black Starbucks customer in Torrance in southern California, posted a video on social media purporting to show an incident in January, in which he was barred from using a toilet - despite being a paying customer - while a white man who hadn't bought anything was allowed to use the facilities.
Mr Schultz told CBS it was possible that the Philadelphia incident was not isolated and the company would continue to examine its policies.


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Internet on a phone was a wild idea just a few years ago, but now it's the lack of Internet on a phone that sounds even worse. But while general browsing and surfing the web has continued its growth, mobile analytics from Flurry noticed an interesting trend – mobile apps have engaged us more than the web. In just a couple of years, pushed by Apple's iOS and Google's Android, mobile applications have become a core part of the mobile experience.
US mobile app consumption, time spent per category
And this June, the numbers backed it up as we've spend an average of 81 minutes per day for mobile apps
, 9% more than the 74 daily minutes of browsing the web. A huge part of our app usage was games which had a 47% share of our time, but social networking with its 37% of daily time dedicated to apps was nearly equally time consuming.
To be perfectly precise, we have to mention that Flurry measured the open web, Facebook and the mobile web for the web and iOS, Android, BlackBerry, Windows Phone and J2ME apps for the applications. The web data was compiled using publicly available information from comScore and Alexa, while for the apps, the company used its own stats.


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Produce Greenhouse Goes Carbon-Neutral
Houweling’s Hot House, a British Columbia-based greenhouse tomato and cucumber grower, has put into place what it calls the world’s first carbon-neutral commercial greenhouse for fresh produce.
At Houweling’s Oxnard, Calif., greenhouse, where 40 acres of greenhouse capacity was recently added, a 1.2 megawatt solar array runs the facility, also generating heat to let the greenhouse operate with greater efficiently during cooler weather, reports The Packer.
Additionally, the greenhouse employs a water recirculation system, whereby rainwater, as well as runoff from plants inside, is purified and reused within the facility, which totals 120 acres of greenhouses.
Kirk Homenick, director of sales and marketing, said that because the structure is taller than a standard greenhouse, it will let in 15 percent more natural light. The company expects to see increased yields of fresh produce, with a reduction in fossil fuel. And the fact that the greenhouse is a closed system means that fewer pests can get inside, reducing the need for pesticides.
Solar arrays installed with the recent 40-acre addition are enough to power all 120 acres.
The adjacent coolor facility has a system to capture and store waste heat, which is used to keep the greenhouses warm at night, according to the firm’s sustainability Web page. To see a video about the greenhouse, click here.
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The prestigious German winter trade fair, boot Düsseldorf held from 21-29 January, proved to be the ideal stage to take stock of Sacs Tecnorib's first year.
Launching at boot Düsseldorf 2023.
Join the Highfield Media Event on Tuesday 24th January in Hall 9 on booth C24 at 10am to meet the Highfield and ePropulsion teams.
The entry level of the semi-displacement line is the star of the first boat show of the year.
International water sports industry and global players on board.
The countdown is on: in eight days, on 21 January 2023, the 54th boot will start in Düsseldorf.
The first production series of NEMO submersibles is well underway at U-Boat Worx’ revamped production facility in The Netherlands.
The two hulls were recently transferred and everything is right on track for the launch expected this coming summer.
Hot on the heels of the launch of the fifth hull in its 50-metre series, and following the successful debut of M/Y Kinda at the Monaco Yacht Show 2022, Tankoa is proud to announce the sale of a second unit in the new Sportiva 55 series designed by Luca Dini due for delivery in 2024.
Sunseeker reveals two brand new model launches along with a full line-up of yachts on display at boot Düsseldorf, one of the largest boat shows in the world.
The Damen Yachting team is pleased to announce the sale of the second Amels 80.
Zeelander Yachts is finishing 2022 on a high note, after a year of steady expansion and growth.
An industry in the throes of transforming, the Luxury Yacht sector is mobilising players who have already begun to make significant steps towards an environmental transition.
It’s been less than a year since the building plans for Wider‘s new shipyard in Fano were announced. Today, the high-tech facility under construction in Fano is on track to open a first production area in early 2023.
Just delivered and already nominated for three awards: YYachts are delighted to announce that Y9 "Bella" has been listed as a finalist in the BOAT International Design and Innovation Awards.
The new flagship of the superyacht fleet will be the largest ever built by the yard.
Sunseeker is delighted to announce that the new 100 Yacht is in the running to win three awards at the renowned Boat International Design & Innovation Awards 2023.


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Macau’s mass market casino gross game revenue (GGR) during the recent Chinese Spring Festival (CNY) holiday was able to recover at least 60% of the 2019 break when the festival was in early February, according to a note from brokerage JP Morgan Securities (Asia Pacific) on Monday.
The agency said the pace of mass market GGR recovery was likely to have significantly outpaced the recovery in visitor numbers, which was 451,000 during the seven-day Chinese New Year holiday, by about 37% of its 2019 holiday tally.
Analyst DS Kim said, “We admit that it is difficult to estimate weekly sales, but our sense is that Lunar New Year’s bulk game sales may have recovered to 60-70% of the 2019 Lunar New Year’s sales. That would be almost twice as much as the visit figures suggest and twice as much as we have in our model,” it said.
According to data from the Macau Game Inspection and Coordination Bureau, the February 2019 GGR was $25.37 billion ($3.14 billion) overall, when the junket-based VIP business was still an important part of the Macau market. In the first quarter of 2019, VIP Baccarat, generated mostly from junket adjustment plays, accounted for 48.9% of the market.
“The 2019 Lunar New Year generated one of the best bulk gaming revenues in Macau’s history, so a 60% to 70% recovery is very certain compared to this figure and will be much higher than Street [investment sector] expected,” Kim said in a note on Monday 경마사이트
“All [Macao] operators we met were positively surprised by the level of demand during the Lunar New Year in all sectors, including in-house VIPs,” Kim said in a recent note
The JPMorgan analyst suggested that the number of visitors “is not a suitable figure to look at if you want to anticipate game revenue.” This was due to factors including an increase in the economic “quality” of visitors, as package travel transactions have not yet increased.
Las Vegas Sands Corporation, the parent company of Macau casino operator Sands China Limited, last week marked “contained demand” in the Macau market during the Chinese New Year holiday. Rob Goldstein, the group’s chairman and chief executive, said the company is in a “very positive territory” in its Macau business and sees “strong” momentum following eased travel restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic.


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Lease-to-own looking good
January 25, 2017,
HIGH POINT — Companies providing credit financing and leaseto-own services to furniture retailers are bullish on prospects for 2017.
David Minero, Tidewater Finance
With a national election in the rear-view mirror and good numbers for employment, the stock market and potential GDP growth, they’re hopeful that the coming year offers opportunity for themselves and their retail partners.
TD Bank conducted a survey of retailers at the 2016 Furniture Today Leadership Conference last month. Potential interest rate increases, a possible headwind for furniture sales, could be a good thing when it comes to consumer confidence, the survey indicated. More than half of 109 respondents said they thought a bump in rates would have little impact on home furnishings sales this year.
“Interest-rate hikes would be a sign the economy is recovering a bit, and that is great news, plus we have the uncertainty of the election behind us,” said Mike Rittler, who heads up retail card services for TD Bank.
Fortiva CEO Jeff Howard said he sees a “little of both” when it comes to headwinds and positive influences for consumer financing this year
“On the positive side, we’re seeing GDP growth and continued stability in employment,” he noted.” Other consumer lending asset classes are trending well.”
On the other hand, Howard believes there’s a potential impact from rising interest rates.
“There could be a little more stress on the consumer from a lending perspective,” he said.
On the plus side is economic growth before and after last year’s presidential election.
“Higher rates of consumer spending will create growth for our retail partners, and therefore be good for us,” Howard said. “We’ve also been hearing from prime lenders and other asset classes that higher delinquencies are becoming more prevalent in the marketplace, which we are keeping an eye on.”
David Weyher, Lendpro
“Balancing automation for speed and quality of transaction with the continuing need for operational excellence in providing top tier support for retailers will be key,” he said.
Another key moving forward is that retailers maximize the potential that a customer will be offered financing.
While the LTO market in particular has seen several entrants, Lendpro chairman and founder David Weyher sees a lot of changing terms among existing players in that segment.
“It can change on a dime. It’s important to have more than one (financing) option,” Weyher said. “While new players provide options and opportunity, there can be a risk. Retailers are concerned about their customers’ experience, and some of these might be untested in their stores. I’ve seen a lot of the discounts charged with LTOs go away.”
J.R. Zirkelbach, senior vice president of sales at Tempoe, also mentioned the mounting competition in LTO services.
“Virtually all providers in our space face mounting competition,” he said. “Newcomers are entering the market regularly, but unfortunately they are often riddled with offers that are not sustainable for retailers in the long term.”
While he doesn’t expect headwinds for AcceptanceNow’s business this year, Stephen McKinley, vice president of sales and client relations, believes some of the new LTO players in the furniture realm could “fade away.”
“LTO requires a company to invest a lot of human and monetary capital to support the traditional retail industry,” he said. “You need a strong infrastructure and experienced senior leadership staff to provide value to the retailers. Retailers are seeing this and would rather gravitate towards brands that have a proven concept and continue to deliver incremental revenue to their bottom line.”
Seamlessness and ease of transaction for RSAs and customers alike are key at Versatile Credit. “How do they do this in a way that both employees and customers are willing to participate?” said Kevin Lawrence, vice president of sales and marketing. “How can they leverage technology to improve the process?”
Retailers are embracing the concept of a “waterfall” or “cascading” credit option, he added.
Bruce Weinstein, Genesis Financial Solutions
If retailers offer primary financing in combination with a secondary or no-credit-required option they can reach almost all consumers. “While that’s important, it’s a process fraught with high abandonment rate and fatigue for both the customer and the sales associate,” he added.
Olson at Progressive sees more tailwinds than obstruction to its business this year.
This past year “brought thousands more doors offering help to credit-challenged customers,” he said. “Those additional doors become more examples of opportunity for the doors yet to adopt a full spectrum of financial programs. At some point, lease-toown programs will be in every store and be a common payment type for the consumer.”
Genesis Financial Solutions is confident about the coming year. “We anticipate the business, regulatory and macroeconomic conditions will more than offset any headwinds in the housing sector due to rising interest rates,” said CEO Bruce Weinstein, noting the company is position to address the impacts of these changes.
While Zibby Director of Sales Tony Cerino believes a lot of highend and larger retailers are not comfortable with the LTO pricing model, he said the category’s growth is too big to ignore and that Zibby is working to alleviate retailers’ concerns through a dynamic underwriting platform and enabling consumers to reduce their cost over time by rewarding them for on-time payments.
“We also know that our industry and our customer base are undergoing a lot of change right now, and 2017 will be no different,” Cerino said. “It will be important to be able to adapt quickly to meet new challenges as these changes are taking place.”
At Tidewater Finance Co., David Minero, national sales manager, believes portfolio performance and anticipated rate increases, which could potentially affect cost of funds, are on his radar screen this year.
“Loan portfolios simply must perform at acceptable levels in order to produce positive returns,” he said. “If sufficient delinquency and charge-off levels are not maintained, companies must shift their long-term underwriting and servicing models.”
Technology, specifically system-to-system integration and offerings from third-party providers, presents an opportunity this year, according to Minero at Tidewater.
“Taking the human element out of the transaction with an integrated solution creates a more consistent, user-friendly experience throughout, from the approval process all the way through to the funding of the merchant,” he said.
Rittler at TD Bank reiterated the fact that customers walking might know more about retailers than their retail associates think, and offering credit options during the research phase can help.
“Especially with furniture retailers, an interesting dynamic is that the first time people walk into your store is not the first time they’re checking you out,” he said. “If we can make credit offers in the online arena, (consumers) can walk in ... knowing they have credit available.”
There’s an opportunity, as well, for educating merchants and retail sales associates on gathering sales through varied financing options, said Mark Olson, vice president of marketing and field sales development at Progressive Leasing. “No credit-challenged customer could walk away from an intended purchase because they weren’t offered help,” he added.
Bob Millerberg, Crest Financial
“They might say ‘We have 80% approval with our prime lending.’ Beyond that 20% they’re missing, there’s a whole base of consumers who aren’t coming into your store if you aren’t promoting (secondary or LTO) programs,” Lawrence said. “I think there’s a stigma about offering secondary or no-credit-required financing that needs to be overcome.”
Zirkelbach at Tempoe agreed: “Nearly a third of the U.S. population is technically ‘sub-prime’ today. Many merchants want to believe that the leasing customer is not their customer. Realistically, the leasing customer would easily be the customer of the vast majority of merchants if only they knew of a payment option available to accommodate their needs.”
A flexible product offering and the accompanying technology for a “seamless” consumer experience will be key to Fortiva’s business in 2017.
“Our configurable product offering and flexible technology allow us to provide a seamless program to consumers by integrating into our client’s environment, rather than making them fit into ours, whether it be online or in store,” Howard said. “We’re excited about the opportunity we have in this market, the investments we’ve made over the past 10 years, and the macroeconomic trends we’re seeing today.”
Zibby sees a lot of untapped potential for financing in the online space. “Many e-commerce and omnichannel retailers are missing an opportunity to provide a no-credit-needed option to the underserved non-prime consumer,” Cerino said. “This is mainly because most LTO options aren’t available online, and if they are, it’s only the application, not a full-cart integration.”
Lendpro’s Weyher thinks some retailers need to broaden their financing options. “The opportunity is that there’s still a lot of money being left on the table,” he said. “The gap between the prime lenders and no-credit options remains the biggest miss for retailers.”
McKinley predicts strong growth in acceptance for LTO programs, so much so that AcceptanceNow has built an entire department around national sales growth. “Looking out 12 to 24 months, I can see a landscape that will be different from today as more and more national retailers adopt and embrace the LTO offering like so many of the regional and local retailers have over the years,” he said.
“Customers are demanding payment options of all types, and … customers want to shop in their favorite stores. Sometimes, the only option for both the retailer and customer to overcome these challenges is an LTO option.”
Weinstein at Genesis said the Millennial segment continues to be an area of focus of its retail partners’ business. “Millennial shoppers now represent almost 40% of the buying segment in the furniture and bedding segment, which is up significantly from less than 15% in 2012,” he said.
He added that the recession prevented many of that generation from establishing credit. “Millennials have an affinity toward online shopping and online financing, and we are working ... to support the buying preferences of this important segment.”
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