text:
MRI Scans Show That Constantly Using Phones Damages Our Brain Just Like A Drug Addict’s
Today we can't even think of our lives without a smartphone -- it has become one of the most indispensable things in our life. However, some people are constantly on them all the time -- being addicted to the smartphone. And in case you thought it's not as harmful as people say it is, get ready for a shocker.
A recent study (published first in Addictive Behaviours) conducted by German researchers revealed that smartphone addiction physically changes the shape and size of the brain in the same fashion as drug addiction.
German researchers examined MRI scans of 48 individuals -- 22 who were addicted to smartphones whereas 26 non-addicts. They found that the brains of people with smartphone addiction have lower grey matter volume in some key parts of the brain compared to the non-addicts.
They say, “Compared to controls, individuals with smartphone addiction showed lower grey matter volume in left anterior insula, inferior temporal and parahippocampal cortex.”
Lower levels of grey matter volume in the insula have been linked to substance abuse in previous studies. They state that discovery of this is the physical evidence showing smartphone addiction doing considerable damage to the brain.
Authors further state, “Given their widespread use and increasing popularity, the present study questions the harmlessness of smartphones, at least in individuals that may be at increased risk for developing smartphone-related addictive behaviours.”
Today, kids are experiencing a condition called ‘Problematic Smartphone Usage’ which basically means that the kids are obsessed with a mobile device in such a way that it is resulting in behaviours exuding addiction.
As per a recent study conducted by researchers at King’s College in London, 10-30 percent of children are using smartphones or other devices in a way that causes them immense discomfort when it’s not around.
Researchers feel that the obsessive use of the device has an element of addiction to it where it causes anxiety to the user if they don’t get the desired screen time.
It is time we started using a smartphone responsibly instead of just giving in to the obsession.


text:
There are several business models for AVs, but they've all got drawbacks — some more serious than others...
To develop autonomous vehicles (AVs) capable of handling almost every corner case is cruelly hard. Equally tough and yet less often discussed are the art and science of articulating use cases for AVs.
In short, who needs ’em? Where can AVs possibly be uniquely useful, economically feasible and user-desirable?
In projecting the trajectory of an embryonic AV market, the media, analysts and AV industry insiders shouldn’t duck this fundamental and inconvenient question.
Egil Juliussen, director research, infotainment & ADAS at IHS Automotive, divides AV use cases into four categories: Last-mile delivery, autonomous trucks, fixed route AVs and robo-taxis. Understanding nuances among these different uses is essential, since each imposes on AV promoters varying performance, cost and timeline issues.
We asked Juliussen to walk us through what’s happening in each of these AV market segment. Who are the key players, what’s the current status, what tests and development are happening in different regions in the world?
In parallel, EE Times also talked to Erez Dagan, executive vice president for products and strategy at Mobileye. Intel/Mobileye earlier this month acquired Moovit, developer of a popular app that provides users real-time information such public transportation schedules. Why does Moovit matter?
In our interview, Dagan stressed the need to “weave AVs into public transit.”
Dagan might be onto something. An autonomous vehicle doesn’t operate in a vacuum. Its value must be measured in the context of a society’s overall mobility demands and the circumstances in which people need them. Knowing people’s travel behavior (which Moovit claims to do) could help Intel/Mobileye judge the real need for AVs in real time.
Of all the four application categories defined by Juliussen, “The hardest one is robo-taxi,” he said.
Perhaps ironically, leading AV tech suppliers — including Waymo, Cruise (AVs for GM and Honda), Argo (AVs for Ford and Volkswagen) and Aurora (AV for FCA and Hyundai) — all jumped onto autonomy by gunning for the robo-taxi market. Currently, Waymo One is deployed in Arizona, Aptiv in Las Vegas and GM in San Francisco.
AV testing is even more widespread. More than 65 companies are allowed by the California DMV to test with a driver. Argo.ai is testing in Pittsburgh and Florida.
In the robo-taxi segment, according to Juliussen, the United States has a clear lead in VC funding, AV software development and AV testing. While China is also hot for robo-taxis, “The EU lags in AV testing and robo-taxis,” he noted.
Given the strong VC investment in robo-taxis, this has always been regarded as a market segment with huge potential.
And yet, this is also the segment that will be dogged by one big societal question: What if a robo-taxi kills somebody? Who sues whom? And for how much? And is there a jury on earth that would sympathize with a cabbie-less cab?
Answer: If robo-taxis come with no drivers, any fatalities will leave car OEMs with nobody to blame but themselves. This prospect shatters every existing liability norm.
Carmakers in the past typically dawdled in embracing new safety measures sought by society — such as seat belts — and fiercely opposed regulatory mandates. But with AV? They can’t afford to ignore safety issues, because any failure will point exclusively to them.
Juliussen puts autonomous trucks in a category with “early promise.” The trucking industry tends to agree.
In a recent interview with EE Times, Shawn Kerrigan, COO of Plus.ai, emphasized that trucks are “one of the first places” where AVs will emerge.
Separating autonomous trucks from other AVs is the business case. “We’ve got economics on our side,” Kerrigan explained. Robo-trucks can potentially result in substantial savings for fleet operators, obviously by eliminating human drivers. But that’s just a start. Think about operating cost. Autonomous trucks don’t get tired. They can not only drive many hours without breaks, but also — most likely — would suffer fewer accidents.
Fueling the demand for autonomous trucks is a serious shortage of drivers worldwide.
Technically speaking, “hub-to-hub operations” should be easier to manage, said Juliussen, because “90 percent of the route for autonomous trucks is on highways.” Kerrigan concurred. Since autonomous trucks don’t do much urban driving, they will meet fewer “social problems” in interacting with pedestrians and cars.
Juliussen described autonomous trucks as “only a small market segment.” But to Plus.ai’s Kerrigan, this market is “very large.” He cited the US trucking industry’s annual revenue of more than $600 billion.
The success of any autonomous truck startup will depend on its business model. For example, Plus.ai, which has a full AV software stack for trucks, does not make trucks. It neither owns nor operates a fleet. Its mission is supplying the building blocks of autonomous truck technology.
This model is best illustrated in a joint venture Plus.ai announced last fall with FAW Jiefang, China’s oldest and largest truck manufacturer. The new JV will develop autonomous trucks for China. Its first product, built on Plus.ai’s L4 stack, won’t be an L4 truck, but an L2 semi-autonomous truck.
In other words, despite growing interest in robo-trucks, one prominent JV isn’t yet betting its future on L4 trucks. Fully autonomous trucks are at least four years from now, said Kerrigan. “We need to make sure that all the scenarios [corner cases] can be handled by autonomous trucks,” he said.
If so, how many years can a robo-truck startup survive without any actual trucks out there?
Starsky Robotics lasted five. The AV truck startup based in San Francisco ran out of money after five years and shut down in mid-March.
Juliussen observed that Starsky tried a non-conformist approach to automated long-haul freight delivery. “I kind of liked what they were doing,” He said. Starsky’s trucks, for example, could be remotely operated by humans when exiting highways and driving local streets to terminals — and vice versa. But in the end, Starsky’s ambitions would have required building an infrastructure to support robo-truck operations, which “might have spooked investors,” said Juliussen.
Plus.ai’s COO told EE Times that his company has thus far raised $100 million. Still, there are many more competitors to Plus.ai. Juliussen listed Embark, Ike Robotics and Kodiak Robotics in the United States.
Meanwhile, TuSimple, backed by UPS, announced a plan in March to expand its freight-hauling pilot program with UPS, using retrofitted trucks for Level 4 autonomous driving.
In Europe, Daimler acquired Torc Robotics last fall and this year announced expanded automated truck testing on public routes in the United States.
Now, let’s not forget that leading AV stack suppliers — Waymo, Aurora and others — whose initial target market segment was robo-taxis are also feeling out autonomous trucking. Kerrigan, however, stressed that at Plus.ai, “Our sole focus is on autonomous trucks.”
Fixed route AVs
Autonomous shuttles designed for fixed routes on campuses, airports, hospitals or theme parks are something most consumers have already seen in operation.
To be brutally honest, however, this is AV’s most boring segment. Fixed-route AVs drive slowly and cautiously. They all look like toasters on wheels. They usually feature a limited number of seats — 10 to 15 — carrying more people than a taxi but fewer than a bus or a train.
For those of us accustomed to hailing a ride “right here and right now,” the inconvenience of AV shuttles differs little from the inconvenience of public mass transit in general.
Nonetheless these vehicles hold promise in industrial applications as shuttles in ports or in mining operations, said Juliussen.
The interest in fixed route AVs lingers. But this AV segment attracts the least VC money, noted Juliussen, partly because demand varies wildly by geographical location. It depends on the robustness of public transit in any given city.
In the United States where mass transportation is spotty, interest in robo-shuttles languishes behind robo-taxis, according to Juliussen.
In countries where public transportation systems are well established, the demand for fixed route AVs could be lukewarm. However, in rural areas of Japan, buses no longer operate, because of decreasing populations. But aging populations there have a dire need for rides to clinics, for example. What if there are on-demand AV shuttle services?
Mass transportation systems, which are never profitable, tend to be subsidized by taxpayer money in most places in the world. As a result, operators of AV shuttles would find it hard to compete with public transit. To survive, AV shuttles would need to figure out a way to “weave themselves into the fabric of public transit,” explained Erez Dagan, executive vice president, product & strategy at Mobileye.
Mobileye acquired Moovit, because they believe that knowing people’s movement habits might help AV shuttle operators to inject “intelligence” into fixed-route fleet services. Dagan asked, “What if operators can reroute a shuttle on demand so that they can bring it to where it is needed?”
The key would be coordinating autonomous shuttles with other transit options available in a city. Perhaps public transit systems might seek such intelligence to offer a more holistic system that includes autonomous shuttles.
In a nutshell, cities could solve their first and last mile transportation problems by incorporating “intelligent” AV shuttles, according to Dagan. He suggested this idea’s potential with a reminder that Lyft and Uber today cater to only one percent of all miles traveled by all means of transportation.
According to Juliussen, autonomous shuttles are the strongest AV segment in Europe, because they offer the best synergy with mass transit. Key players in the United States are May Mobility, Local Motors, Drive.ai acquired by Apple. In Europe, EasyMile and Navya are both growing into global leaders. Continental is partnered with EasyMile.
In China, both EasyMile and Navya are independently involved in more than 30 trials, according to Juliussen. In Japan, last fall, Toyota announced that e–Palette will provide automated, loop-line transportation in the Olympic and Paralympic villages for athletes and related staff.
Last-mile goods AVs
Of all four AV categories, last-mile goods AVs is a segment currently features the most rapid development, with strong VC investment, according to Juliussen.
One of the highest profile companies is a Mountain View delivery startup called Nuro. Last year, the company scored nearly $1 billion from SoftBank. Its early retail customers include grocery giant Kroger Co. and Fry’s Food stores in Arizona.
Nuro has also licensed its self-driving technology to a San Francisco-based autonomous trucking company, Ike Robotics Inc.
Earlier this year, Nuro received a permit from NHTSA to operate 5,000 low-speed electric delivery vehicles, called R2, on public roads. R2 will deliver to restaurants, grocery stores, and other service businesses.
Juliussen described R2 “a half-sized car but it’s tall enough to see the traffic. It has no seat for drivers and no steering wheels.”
Delivery AVs come in myriad shapes and sizes. Starship Technologies, founded in Estonia by two Skype co-founders, has gained a foothold at university campuses in Europe and the United States for last-mile delivery of food and groceries.
Not all U.S. states have approved the use of sidewalk delivery robots, however. Typical regulations include stipulations that they can only operate no faster than 6 mph on crosswalks and sidewalks, and must yield to cyclists and pedestrians. A human remote operator is required to monitor the vehicles. States that have approved it include Virginia, Ohio, Arizona, Florida, Idaho, Utah, Wisconsin and Washington.
Other big guns are joining the fray. Amazon is developing a sidewalk AV. Walmart is piloting a grocery delivery program with autonomous vehicle startup Udelv in Surprise, Arizona. In China, a self-driving logistics vehicle startup Neolix raised $28 million in series A+ round earlier this year. Neolix is a strategic partner of Baidu’s Apollo platform.
For investors, one appealing virtue of a last-mile goods AV running on sidewalks is that it costs a lot less than a driverless eighteen-wheeler roaring down the interstate.
New products & solutions, whitepaper downloads, reference designs, videos
Register, join the conference, and visit the booths for a chance to win great prizes.

domain: news


text:
Posted by Aston Avery
Gadget Show’s Georgie Barrat reacts to the new iPhone 14
Following the device’s 15th birthday in June, the brand is set to unveil the latest smartphone models this week, the iPhone 14 range.
With the Pro and Pro Max models rumoured to be packed with new and updated features – including a faster A16 chip, an improved camera system, and bigger battery – they will undoubtedly be the stars of the show.
The regular iPhone 14 models, on the other hand, are expected to retain the A15 chip from their predecessors, while also looking very similar in size and build.
However, they may – like all other models – see an increase in RAM, and are rumoured to benefit from satellite connectivity; allowing users to send texts to emergency services even went cellular networks are not within reach.
Aston spoke to Gadget Show presenter Georgie Barrat.
Photo by William Hook on Unsplash
Ads help us keep this site online


text:
NEW CANAAN, Conn. – A touch of British style is coming soon to New Canaan.
Jack Wills University Outfitters, a clothing and home accessories store, is preparing to open downtown in the former Lang’s Pharmacy on Elm Street, according to the New Canaan Chamber of Commerce. Jack Wills has a dozen American locations, including stores in Westport and Greenwich.
The town is happy to have Jack Wills on board, said Laura Budd, a marketing associate for the New Canaan Chamber of Commerce. “We are always happy to welcome new businesses and think they will bring something new to town,” she said. “We’re thrilled that our shoppers get a different choice.”
Jack Wills offers men’s and women’s clothing as well as home accessories. It joins several clothing stores, including Polo Ralph Lauren, J. Crew, Jos. A. Bank and Rugby.
The retail space had been vacant since March, when Lang’s owner Diana Levison abruptly closed the shop and sold the New Canaan portion of her business to Walgreens, which has a pharmacy on Pine Street. Levison still operates Lang’s Pharmacy in Weston.
Budd said she and Chamber Executive Director Tucker Murphy have yet to meet with officials from Jack Wills, but they plan to speak with them about becoming chamber members.
Kate Richards, a regional manager for Jack Wills, could not be reached for comment Wednesday.
- 1 Westport Schools: Greenwich ‘Jumped the Gun’ On New Staples Principal
- 2 Tarrytown's Happy Rockefeller, Wife Of Late Nelson Rockefeller, Dies
- 3 Obama Departs From Westchester After Attending Stamford Event
- 4 Lyme Disease-Spreading Ticks Arriving Early In Fairfield County, Study Says
- 5 Obama Sweeps Into Stamford To Raise Cash For Democratic Party


text:
Bogdan Stevanovic, founder of digital marketing agency, Aquare, is no stranger to fast-paced change. “Over the last year, the marketing landscape has evolved more rapidly than it has over the last 5 years,” says Bogdan. “Thanks to the pandemic, we’ve seen tremendous shifts in consumer behaviour. Lockdown has been a catalyst for accelerated digital adoption and it has changed everything. We are in new territory. Right now, companies aren’t confident – they’re nervous, cautious…because they don’t know what their customer base is going to do after COVID-19.”
Remote everything – with a conscious
First on the list, and probably the most obvious change, is the adoption of online interaction as the primary business model of nearly all businesses. Remote, digitally enabled experiences and content are the new primary nexus on the customer journey. However, movements like BLM, #metoo, mental health awareness and gender identity mean that this journey places an emphasis on diversity, fairness, transparency, and well-being. If customers feel that the businesses they’re engaging with don’t care about, or aren’t contributing to, broader societal well-being, those businesses are likely to lose out.
More nuanced data and trend analysis
In a time of uncertainty, when customer priorities and buying patterns are constantly moving, being able to collect usable data and get it to predict behaviour is difficult. Bogdan is adamant that moving analytics models to focus on more nuanced customer trends is vital – “Companies that want to keep up with the latest shifts in customer and client sentiment will want to invest in more micro-level segmentation and step up their analytics.” This is something that Bogdan’s own agency, Aquare, specialises in, using micro-level campaign data to achieve macro-level targets and objectives set against business P&L sheets.
Act fast – react faster
As a serial entrepreneur, Bogdan is a an avid exponent of the start-up mentality, something which he says is well suited to the ‘new normal’. He highlights how, “It creates a sense of urgency that leads to the agile action/reaction times that the constantly shifting post-pandemic landscape requires.” Bogdan goes on, “Effective Agile requires a whole new operating model, built around the customer. At Aquare we frequently help businesses work in this way, so that they can respond early and fast to changing customer needs – which is vital, given the many unknowns in a post-COVID-19 economy”.
A more international customer base
Research shows that the amount of people buying staples like food and personal care products online has increased by around 30% since the pandemic began. And with accelerated digital adoption, around 18% of EMEA consumers are purchasing more frequently cross-border. Consequently, it looks like international trade will play a key role in driving business growth in the post-COVID world. Companies should therefore focus on extending their geographic reach, improving online localisation, and investing more marketing spend in those regions where they see engagement.
There’s no doubt that marketing-led commercial innovation will be key to commercial success post-COVID-19. Its implementation will be the deciding factor for the success of many businesses over the next year. In short, this means there’s a huge opportunity for those businesses that make the right decisions now. Companies that can respond quickly and frequently to their customers’ changing needs and build trust with their online users through a data-driven, insight-led approach, will be first to establish commercial success in the post-pandemic landscape.


text:
McDonald’s UK spends £1bn every year through its supply chain, and Connor McVeigh decides where the money goes. He talks Brexit, British potatoes and making big bets
Twenty-six grams of iceberg lettuce might not sound like much, but it contains an important lesson about supply chain at McDonald’s. Early in 2017, a greens shortage hit the UK, thanks to a dearth of salad in the Mediterranean region. Some British supermarkets even started rationing iceberg lettuces.
This humble lettuce is critical for the construction of one of the most iconic – and best selling – products at McDonald’s: the Big Mac. As UK supply chain director Connor McVeigh explains to SM when we meet at the company’s UK head office (in its restaurant, of course), a Big Mac can only be served with the requisite 26g of lettuce between its buns. The salad deficit could have been severely disruptive. But McDonald’s, unlike many other retailers and restaurant chains, didn’t suffer a shortage.
The reason? “We had been working with that [iceberg lettuce] supplier for the last 26 years. They knew they had a long-term, growing business with us in the future, and that’s why they prioritised us,” says McVeigh.
A focus on the long term is what characterises the McDonald’s supply chain strategy, according to McVeigh. He joined the fast-food restaurant chain in November 2013, having spent most of his career buying food for major supermarkets (Morrisons and Sainsbury’s). At McDonald’s his remit is wide, covering purchasing, agriculture, restaurant sustainability, distribution and logistics, quality and nutrition.
“Twenty years ago, my role was buying fresh produce,” he recalls. “Negotiations were done week to week, sometimes day to day. The supplier base would be different from year to year.” By way of comparison, in the four years he has been at McDonald’s, his supplier base hasn’t changed. “There’s a greater focus on partnership – open communication and engagement and long-term relations,” he says. “Those are all clichés most retailers would claim as the hallmarks of their supply chain, but the depth, credibility and genuine nature of some of those characteristics are significant. A large part of it is non-negotiable.”
In it for the long haul
McDonald’s has had a presence in the UK since 1974, and has been working with two suppliers (McCain for potatoes and OSI for beef patties) since “day one”. The “vast majority” of its supply base in the UK has been partnering with the business for more than 20, maybe even 30 years, McVeigh estimates. “Chopping and changing, flip-flopping between suppliers breeds a lack of confidence and a distrust which we can’t afford,” he adds.
This is partly because the McDonald’s food requirements are relatively small, particularly when compared to a major supermarket. McVeigh’s team only sources 120 ingredients for the menu. “It’s not wide, but the depth and scale of our business in each of those [items] is very important,” he says. With more than 1,200 restaurants in the UK serving more than 3.7m customers every day, he’s not wrong. As with the iceberg lettuce example, a shortage of any one of the 120 items would have a major impact on consumers. Consistency, reliability and quality are critical.
Long-term relationships give suppliers confidence to grow and invest in their own businesses, creating a virtuous circle. McDonald’s has a “three-legged stool” operating model, with each leg of the stool representing the business, franchisees and suppliers. “Each of those three partners plays an equal role in contributing, but also an equal level of being a beneficiary,” explains McVeigh. It’s a model that contributes to the business being consistently ranked in Gartner’s Supply Chain Top 25. It has been in second place every year since 2013. But however warm and fuzzy this all might sound, McVeigh stresses that “partnership doesn’t mean we are soft on price”.
“We have expectations, as do our customers – but every conversation I have with a supplier about price is usually followed by a conversation about how we are going to invest for the future. With a stable and confident supply base, we can focus on the stuff that really excites me: how can we improve our proposition and identify those ‘big bets’ that we can get behind, together with our suppliers?”
Now is the time, he feels, to really zone in on those “big bets”, given that McDonald’s has made considerable strides over recent years to improve the basics. “Ten years ago, we were struggling with [the basics] and giving our customers what they wanted from a quality, provenance and sourcing perspective,” he acknowledges. That prompted a “radical rethink” to put the customer at the heart of everything, “even to the detriment of the business financially in some instances”.
Consumer demands around food have changed “enormously”, forcing McDonald’s and other fast-food retailers to up their game with healthy options and quality. McDonald’s’ US business in particular has struggled in recent years due to the perception that its food is unhealthy and overprocessed, with sales falling 3.3% over six years. But a shift towards higher- quality food, healthier choices and in-store technology (many stores now allow customers to order via digital self-service kiosks) appears to have turned things around. Last July, the company’s shares hit an all-time high.
The supply chain-related questions people now ask about their food have dramatically shifted, says McVeigh. “Ten years ago, they would have been talking about speed of service, quality, cleanliness. Now, they are asking about where the food comes from, animal-welfare standards and environmental standards. People might be surprised that customers at McDonald’s are asking those questions, but we’ve listened and acted accordingly.”
When it comes to animal welfare, all pork and eggs are now RSPCA-assured and standards have been improved across chicken farms, with all chickens having access to natural daylight and pecking objects – something McVeigh says is “a first for a business of our scale in the UK”. Many ideas for improvements come from the supply base: a meeting with a McDonald’s egg supplier in Cumbria, for example, has led to a mass tree planting initiative.
“Chickens are hardwired to be concerned about overhead predators,” explains McVeigh. “[The supplier] had an idea about providing tree cover on their free-range egg farms. We supported them with some scientific research, which found tree cover improved the roaming nature of the chickens, and ultimately improved the yield and quality of the eggs. We shared that with all our British free-range egg farmers, and six years later, we’ve planted 5,500 trees – an area the size of Hyde Park.”
The minimum 20% tree cover McDonald’s now insists on has informed the standards of other retailers, he claims. “That’s an incredibly powerful and rewarding position to be in: how we can join the dots between what we do and what’s important to our customers. The decisions we make can positively influence so many people and shape expectations.”
On modern slavery – a particular issue in agriculture – McDonald’s trains its suppliers on human rights via its Supplier Workplace Accountability programme. Regular unannounced audits include inspections of housing and café facilities, and workers are interviewed privately.
Restaurant sustainability is another area of focus. In October 2017, McDonald’s signed an agreement, along with high-street brands including Starbucks and Costa, with the Alliance for Beverage Cartons and the Environment to accelerate the recycling of PE-lined paper cups.
The company has been working with two parties, including papermakers James Cropper, to overcome the technical challenges of recycling plastic-coated cups. Now, all McDonald’s cups can be recycled into high-end stationery. “If you go to Harvey Nichols or Selfridges, that packaging could be made from a McDonald’s cup,” says McVeigh. The next challenge is to encourage more customers to actually bother to recycle their cups and provide more material, and McVeigh’s team have entered a partnership with two suppliers on “some leading-edge technology” to find a solution.
Buying British is a major part of the company’s refreshed proposition, one of the “cornerstones” of what both customers and suppliers are asking for, says McVeigh. Despite McDonald’s being a global corporate empire with a standard operating model, he has the flexibility to make changes such as this at market level. Some 70% of McVeigh’s £1bn supply chain spend goes to British farmers and suppliers – “and that’s growing”.
Supporting British farming gives suppliers the confidence “to take a punt” on investing in their businesses. The company’s 2015 commitment to buy 100% British potatoes for its French fries is one example. That has led to its supplier McCain investing more than £100m in refurbishing its UK production sites. McVeigh adds: “Businesses like that won’t make those decisions without some degree of confidence in their customer base.”
Communication is key
The spectre of Brexit looms large for the food industry. McVeigh holds a fortnightly call with some suppliers to discuss Brexit-related matters – “to understand their perspective, what they expect of us, making sure we are close to the ground in understanding concerns and opportunities”. Over the last year, he has seen a move to focusing on what “we can control” and says Brexit concerns haven’t stymied investment or delayed decision-making.
“I’ve been able to reassure our suppliers and farmers that… Brexit may be uncertain and may present potholes in the road, but it won’t change our focus on what matters to customers. And customers are still telling me they want us to support British farming.” The fortnightly calls also make sure the business can appropriately represent farmers’ concerns with industry bodies and government.
Regular communication with farmers is further enabled via the company’s Farm Forward programme. This agriculture strategy, launched in 2012, supports British and Irish farming and involves regular surveys of the more than 17,500 farmers in the supply chain. The most recent survey found that a key challenge for the agri-food industry is the lack of people choosing it as a career. According to the Food and Drink Federation, more than 140,000 new entrants are needed to maintain food and drink production in the UK. “When you’ve got big exposure and commitment to British food and farming, you have skin in the game,” says McVeigh.
In an effort to help attract people into food-related jobs, McDonald’s launched its Food Steps campaign last year. It includes a 40ft virtual-reality-enabled truck that allows people to “see the supply chain end-to-end”. The truck has so far engaged with about 1.5m people. “We’re hoping we will have prompted them to think differently about food, farming and McDonald’s,” says McVeigh.
A bright future
This investment in virtual reality is not an isolated example of cutting-edge technology; there are plenty of others throughout the McDonald’s supply chain, showing an appetite from farmers to embrace new tools. The company is working with Leaf, its salad provider, on using hydroponics for internal leaf production, allowing delicate salad leaves to be grown 52 weeks a year.
On a recent potato farm visit, McVeigh met a farmer using drone technology to look at his 22,000 acres of land. “He was using it to assess the stone coverage, to be able to decide what kind of crop to put down and how to prepare the land for that crop.” Another supplier, a chicken farmer, has developed an app linked up to CCTV, enabling him to monitor his flock without being there 24/7 and freeing up time to develop his business elsewhere.
“Part of our role is about understanding that technology and feeding it back into our [agriculture] strategy,” says McVeigh. “How can we play a role in identifying technological best practices, roll it out and replicate it? That’s the fun bit: where you can engage with farmers who have got an appetite but may need direction, finding out what those best practice solutions are and bringing farmers together to share and discuss.”
Technology is also being rolled out across distribution centres, with a £25m investment and a significant amount of automation technology. By mid-2019, the UK will have the most advanced and automated McDonald’s distribution centres globally. Given a case of product is delivered to restaurants every two seconds – that’s 71m cases a year – any added efficiencies can make all the difference to busy front- and back-of-house employees. While temperature checking used to be done manually, it has been digitised, meaning a delivery can now be received in seconds.
“We have grown our business volume-wise by more than 50% over the last five years and have restaurants doing double the volume they were built for,” says McVeigh. “There’s a critical need for my team to play their part so our crew can provide the best experience for customers, rather than spending time receiving delivery. Where automation can take away the burden and where our supplier partners can take on some accountability, freeing up staff in the restaurants, that’s a win for everyone.”
Looking to the future, in a competitive, fast-changing market, McVeigh is enthusiastic about the impact strategic sourcing can have. “It’s the opportunity to be able to shape not just our supply chain, but so much more of what will drive our success: making our supply chain more efficient, being bold, being able to use our scale for good.”
Customers, he says, don’t want a different McDonald’s; they just want a better one. “The fundamentals they enjoy; they just want more consistency and to turn up the dial.” And, he hopes, a supply chain strategy centred around ‘big bets’ will play a major part in getting there.
McDonald’s in numbers
1974 First restaurant opens in the UK
34,000 restaurants around the world
1,200+ in the UK
3.7m people served every day in the UK
115,000 UK employees
17,500 British and Irish farms in the supply chain
130,000 jobs supported through the UK supply chain
£1bn spent through McDonald’s UK supply chain each year
70% of spend goes to UK farmers
280,000 tonnes of potatoes used in 2016 in the UK
Connor Mcveigh CV
Since he joined McDonald’s, McVeigh has focused on supplier consistency and confidence
2013 – present: McDonald’s UK, supply chain director
2011 – 2013: Morrisons, category director
2009 – 2011: Musgrave Retail Partners, category head – fresh foods
1993 – 2009: Sainsbury’s, trading senior manager (and multiple previous roles)


text:
Posted November 12, 2013
By KARLA DURANGO
MIAMI BEACH, Fla. — Lincoln Road is more than just a street, it is the cultural centerpiece of one of the world’s top playgrounds: Miami Beach.
Running east to west between 16th and 17th streets in Miami Beach, this pedestrian-only road has long played host to a trendy collection of stores and boutiques, restaurants, art galleries and other local businesses that people from all over the world explore.
Ranked fifth among the top nine things to do in Miami by http://travel.usnews.com, Lincoln Road has always been one of the premier shopping venues in Miami and a yearlong hotspot for locals and tourists alike.
“It’s one of the best locales in town to get a bite to eat or enjoy drinks with friends while watching the endless exhibit of people,” said Stephanie Silva, a Miami native and longtime Miami Beach resident. “It has something for everyone and each time you go it’s a unique experience.”
In fact, on a typical Saturday afternoon, anyone can witness as Lincoln Road transforms into a never-ending runway for locals to parade around with their elegant pooches and as the alfresco restaurants become the front row seats for shopped-out foreigners to sit down and enjoy the Miami glamour.
“Every little shop from Books and Books Café to The Dog Bar has a different story to tell,” assured Silva. “Even the Starbucks at the intersection of Pennsylvania Avenue and Lincoln Road is different from your typical coffee shop.”
According to Silva, on most afternoons around 4 p.m., chess aficionados from all walks of life come together to take part in chess tournaments that help convert the resident Starbucks into a cultural attraction in and of itself.
Today however, after a recent string of new developments, Lincoln Road Mall holds an even more transcendent reputation. “It is synonymous with must-have merchandise,” said Terri Kravits, senior convention sales manager of the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau as she directly quoted their 2012 “It’s So Miami” branding campaign.
Nowadays, “The Road” as it is also known, draws in a diverse crowd to complement the eclectic mix of venues present on the scene, she assured.
As a matter of fact, visitors can now find anything from giant retail chains like Forever 21, Gap and Victoria’s Secret, to unconventional boutiques from the Brazilian luxury label Osklen and the Spanish jewelry brand Uno de 50, which showcase both local and international designers.
Among an array of different shops, locals and in-the-know travelers also flock to the area to buy one-of-a-kind items from the latest brands like All Saints Spitafeilds, Scotch & Soda, Diesel, Lucky Brand Jeans and Steve Madden.
“Lincoln does have the same relaxed Miami vibe it always did,” said Frangina Castillo, a Miami Beach resident and sales associate at Original Penguin on Lincoln Road. “You can still find the classic venues that have always been around like Van Dyke Café that has forever played live music, but now there are new stores and restaurants that have been like a breath of fresh air to the area.”
Recently renovated and opened in 2010 is the Mall’s westernmost block, which has proven to be among the most successful and attractive areas on Lincoln Road, Kravitz said, who often recommends this area to clients.
Keeping in tune with the post-modernist designs of Lincoln Road’s original architect Moris Lapidus, the newest pedestrian plaza features eye-catching imagery that sets the stage for an elite combination of shops that include Mac Cosmetics, Adidas Y-3, SLVR and the “glossy and upscale coffee table” bookstore, Taschen Books.
Along with the new additions on the mall’s western frontier, have also come a string of New York premier establishments that are again allowing Lincoln to live up to its moniker as “the Fifth Avenue of the South.”
Among the most notable places to have surfaced on the promenade are Rosa Mexicano, a popular New York-based Mexican restaurant, Shake Shack, a “go-to” spot for sun-drained pedestrians to cool off with a frozen custard shake and a classic “roadside” Manhattan burger, and Serendipity 3, the place that satisfies every homesick New Yorker’s sweet tooth.
In addition to all of the new eateries offering a wide variety of salty and sweet snacking options, Lincoln Road is also a popular place for moviegoers, as it houses a state-of-the-art multiplex cinema.
“Lincoln is always the place to go when you have no idea what you want to do,” said Manuela Sinisterra, a Miami Beach Senior High School student. “You can always rely on Lincoln to have a plan for you,” she added.
Although “The Road” attracts millions of people from around the world, with a high number of those being among European and South American tourists during the winter high season according to Kravitz, it certainly does feel the pressure to keep up with its status as an iconic destination.
With that said, in the mean time, Lincoln Road will undoubtedly remain one of the coolest places to shop in town and in the world, having recently struck gold with the debut of the five-story European retail store H&M.
“The weekend it opened, I remember there was a line of people that stretched about three blocks down” said Castillo. “I can’t even imagine how the opening of Zara will be,” she said smilingly.
Zara, which is indeed the latest store to join the “let’s open a store on Lincoln” bandwagon, is one of the hottest international brands set to arrive on the world-renowned street this winter, confirmed Kravits.
“Lincoln Road is the place in Miami to see the world, from its people to their fashion,” she voiced. “On Lincoln, it’s clear we keep on trend.”
If You Go
Lincoln Road Mall
- Directions: Lincoln Road is located between 16th and 17th Street in Miami Beach. The listed address for the mall is 1610 Lenox Ave., Miami Beach, Fla. 33139.
- Phone: 305-535-1111.
- Hours of Operation: The shops on Lincoln Road are open seven days a week typically from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., but for individual store and restaurant hours and information please visit their website at http://lincolnroadmall.com.
- For additional information visit: http://www.lincolnroadmall.info/shopping/.
- 100 Montaditos offers Spanish style “bocadillos” that are perfect for a mid afternoon snack. It is located at 541 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach, Fla. 33139.
- Quattro Gastronomia Italiana is an authentic Italian restaurant located at 1014 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach, Fla. 33139.
- Serendipity 3 is the perfect American dessert and comfort food restaurant situated on 1102 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach, Fla. 33139.
- Juvia offers an Asian, French and Latin American fusion on the iconic Herzog & De Meuron Building at 1111 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach, Fla. 33139.
- Rosa Mexicano is at 1111 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach, Fla. 33139.
- Shake Shack Burgers is located at 1111 Lincoln Road./Lenox Ave., Miami Beach, Fla. 33139.
- The Cafe at Books & Books is on 933 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach, Fla. 33139.
- Van Dyke Cafe is situated on 846 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach, Fla. 33139.
- Zara, which is set to open this winter, is on 420 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach, Fla. 33139.
- Forever 21 is at 01 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach, Fla. 33139.
- Dylan’s Candy Bar is located on 801 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach, Fla. 33139.
- Adidas SLVR is on 1656 Lenox Ave./1111 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach, Fla. 33139.
- H&M is the Swedish retail-clothing company. It is located on 541 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach, Fla. 33139.
- All Saints Spitalfields offers vintage work wear and is on 910 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach, Fla. 33139.
- Osklen is at 1111 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach, Fla. 33139.
- Scotch & Soda is the Amsterdam couture label now located on 442 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach, Fla. 33139.
- South Beach Regal Stadium 18, 1120 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach, Fla., 305-674-6766.
- Although parking on Lincoln Road is abundant, it often presents a challenge due to the amount of people that visit each day. Friday nights, Saturday and Sunday tend to be the busiest days of the week. I recommend parking at one of the many parking garages in the area that are within walking distance of the shops and restaurants and provide better quality parking spaces.
- Below is a list of parking options:
- 5th St. & Alton Road garage
- 7th St. & Collins Avenue garage
- 12th St. & Drexel Avenue garage
- 13th St. & Collins Avenue garage
- 17th St. & Pennsylvania Avenue garage
- City Hall Garage on 18th Street with Meridian Avenue
- For more parking information visit: http://lincolnroadmall.com/where-to-park/.


text:
By Harry Funk
Along with sharing a business venture, Mt. Lebanon native Mark Cuban and his “Shark Tank” beneficiary Jenny Goldfarb have the common heritage of tracing their roots to the central European nation of Romania.
And both can tell their own variations on the archetypal American success story.
Cuban’s starts with his age-12 entrepreneurial debut of selling trash bags and continues with triumph after triumph, including his role as one of the “sharks” on ABC-TV’s long-running show featuring investors mulling sales pitches.
Goldfarb’s begins with Great-Grandpa Morris Gross arriving in New York City in 1907.
“He didn’t speak English, was still a teenager, didn’t have his parents with him, so he got the first job he could get, which was as a dishwasher at a Lower East Side Manhattan deli,” she says. “Like the classic American dream – ‘Shark Tank’ dream, if you will – a decade or so later, he came to operate and own several delis and cafeterias on the Lower East Side.”
Fast-forward to the 21st century, and his great-granddaughter is embarking on her own food-based enterprise, Mrs. Goldfarb’s Unreal Deli, “unreal” in that she uses nothing but plant-based ingredients to replicate some of her family’s favorite sandwich meats.
“I started this the most humble way,” she recalls.
“I rented a tiny kitchen, was making it myself and washing the dishes myself.”
Today, the Unreal Deli operates two shipping plants to meet a growing demand for different kinds of delicacies.
“It’s such an amazing testament to what’s possible today,” Goldfarb says.
While apparently inheriting Morris Gross’ business aptitude, she also benefits from her engaging personality, which is on full display during her late-2019 appearance on “Shark Tank.”
Armed with plenty of practical information and, of course, product samples, Goldfarb has the “sharks” mulling the pros and cons of potentially backing her until one cuts through the kibitzing to pronounce:
“I love it,” one shark says.
That would be our man from Mt. Lebanon, and he proceeds to tell the Los Angeles mom.
“You know my style, right? I like the whole yes or no, let’s negotiate right now. I’ll give you $250,000 for 20% (of the company’s equity),” Cuban said. “I’ll be on the front page for it. I’ll be the poster child for it. We’ll go. We’ll hustle.”
And that was music to Goldfarb’s ears.
“Mark Cuban, you’ve got yourself a deal,” she said.
And what a deal it is, considering she was asking for $100,000 for 10%.
“When the show ended, I started working with Mark. Of course, he’s very busy and has hundreds of companies. But I email him every week. He always exchanged back with me,” she says. “And he has a team under him that I have a lot of access to, so that’s been beautiful.”
Cuban and company helped provide guidance when restaurants, Unreal Deli’s biggest customers to that point, had to close and later limit their operations because of COVID-19.
“We realized we needed to pivot to retail, to meet the customers where they were and not die as a company,” Goldfarb recalls. “Amazingly, we got it all together with the real specifics you need to enter the retail market, as you would imagine: lab work and certifications and crazy packaging specs. We figured it all out, little by little, and now we’re in about a thousand doors, grocers and restaurants, with many more to come.”
Although she said she grew up thoroughly enjoying “a New York deli corned beef sandwich on rye with a Dr. Brown’s soda,” Goldfarb since has taken a far different approach to what she consumes, becoming vegan after viewing documentaries about cattle farms and the like.
“So much cruelty goes on in these places,” she says. “Once you see just a little bit, it’s hard to unsee.”
She also considers the health benefits and the positive environmental impacts of cutting into the animal-based agriculture industry, such as conserving land, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and lessening the burden on water supplies.
“Either way, it’s a smoking gun that eating animals is causing all this bad stuff for us and the planet,” she asserts. “Why do we want that? We want to vote with our dollar more and more these days, and support industries that are doing the right thing, that are on the right side of history.”
Her business history involves coming up with something comparable in taste, shape and texture to traditional deli meats, and she does so by using beets, chickpeas and tomatoes, along with a complex spice blend and protein-rich grains. Featured products include Unreal Corn’d Beef, Roasted Turk’y, Chick’n Strips and Taco Meat Crumble, and Unreal steak slices are on the way.
“On top of our retail packages, we’re also coming out with a line of premade sandwiches on soft pretzel buns, and those are going to be available at universities, airports, prepared-food sections of grocery stores,” Goldfarb announces. “The sky is the limit. People want plant-based, and we’re here for the party, to serve the world’s best sandwiches.”
If all goes appropriately, that extends to serving them in Romania.


text:
They sound delicious, but also very fattening.
Starbucks will also be holding a competition from June 19th to June 30th in which customers will be asked to choose their favorite one of the new flavors in the Frappuccino Flav-Off. The winning flavor will be offered at a price of only 3$ from July 3-6.
“In celebration of the 20th anniversary of Frappuccino and the thousands of flavor combinations created by our enthusiastic customers, we are excited to introduce six Fan Flavor Frappuccino beverages, ” said Renee Jones, marketing director at Starbucks. “Over the years we have seen many creative recipes from our customers, and the six Fan Flavor Frappuccino beverages featured in the Flav-Off contest represent a few of the most popular recipes.”


text:
You have searched for "package"
Showing 1-10 of 10000
PARIS: Renault SA plans to eliminate about 14,600 jobs worldwide and lower production capacity by almost a fifth as part of cost reductions aimed at outlasting the downturn that has rocked the global auto industry.
AMID a short working week due to Memorial Day, the US dollar witnessed a sell-off, losing 1.48% to 98.38, underpinned by global risk-on sentiment – which led to robust buying in the equity space with the Dow Jones rising 3.8% week-on-week (w/w) to 25,401 while the S&P 500 climbing 2.5% w/w to 3,030.
WHILE millions of Americans were losing their jobs, the stock market in April produced its best monthly return in over 30 years.
(Reuters) - When Yahaira Caraballo opened her nail salon in the Bronx, New York nearly seven years ago, it was a bare-bones shop with two nail technicians.
TOKYO: Japan's labour market in April appeared to be weathering a severe slowdown in economic activity due to the coronavirus pandemic, but a closer look at official data released on Friday revealed a less rosy picture.
PARIS (Reuters) - Renault will stay in Formula One, interim Chief Executive Coltilde Delbos said on Friday after announcing the carmaker's restructuring measures including plans to cut 15,000 jobs worldwide.
KOTA KINABALU: The government must put in place a special stimulus package for the tourism industry to recover amid closures of hotels and other related businesses in the country.
TOKYO (Reuters): The phones at the Tokyo suicide hotline start ringing as soon as it opens for its once-weekly overnight session. They don't stop until the lone volunteer fielding calls from hundreds of people yearning to talk signs out early the next morning
JAKARTA (The Jakarta Post/ANN): The Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry has proposed a Rp1.02 trillion (US$69 million) stimulus package to aid small scale fishermen and aquaculture farmers affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.
TOKYO (Reuters) - The phones at the Tokyo suicide hotline start ringing as soon as it opens for its once-weekly overnight session. They don't stop until the lone volunteer fielding calls from hundreds of people yearning to talk signs out early the next morning.


text:
was a leaky launch for
and it appears that its Pixel 4A sibling is following in its footsteps. After details first appeared at the end of 2019, Wednesday brought some additional details suggesting the phone may be nearing release.
Coming from the oft-reliable Evan Blass on Twitter, the new leak is a series of images featuring the phone on what appears to be mock billboards. Beyond showcasing the design and hole-punch front camera the leak also includes a $399 price tag for Google's latest. This starting price would put it in line with the
which debuted at the same price last May.
A Qualcomm Snapdragon 730 processor has previously been rumored to be powering the device, along with 6GB of RAM and 64GB of built-in storage. The phone is also expected to keep the 3.5mm headphone jack. These specs were seemingly confirmed by a Spanish YouTuber who posted a video hands-on with the forthcoming phone on Monday.
canceled due to coronavirus concerns, it is unclear when or where Google may debut the Pixel 4A. The company did not immediately respond to a request for comment.


text:
In a state boasting more than 200 breweries, you’d think this would have happened sooner, but Central Washington University just announced the establishment of a craft brewing program and now offers a four-year brewing degree. Enrollment is now open. Successful students will earn a Craft Brewing Bachelor of Science. The interdisciplinary program, approved by the CWU Board of Trustees on April 20, is the first of its kind in Washington state.
The degree prepares graduates for careers in brewing production, quality assurance, brewery management, beer merchandising, distribution, brewing technology, packaging, safety, sanitation, sensory evaluation, and entrepreneurship.
“In the craft brewing program, students will get hands-on training in the use of ingredients and processes to make flavorful, distinctive beers characteristic of the northwest and the growing market of northwest beers and craft styles worldwide,” said Professor Steve Wagner, program director.
A statement from the university explains the program, noting that there’s a lot of science behind beer. The program intends to teach the complex process of brewing, by providing an in-depth knowledge of chemistry, microbiology, physics, and engineering, as well as business and leadership. Extra emphasis will be placed on science-based laboratory skills and other hands-on learning opportunities. Courses also incorporate pilot brewing, field trips, industry speakers, and research activities.
“Industry needs aren’t being met by any program in Washington, which has the second largest number of breweries in the nation,” Wagner said.
According to the University, a 2014 industry survey by the Master Brewers Association of America, revealed that breweries are looking for employees with laboratory, engineering, and business training. They also value management and leadership skills and employees who have knowledge of the brewing process.
The new degree’s core requirements include classes in chemistry, business, safety and health, and physics. Advanced classes cover brewing microbiology, brewing processes and technology, brewing biochemistry, sensory analysis, and merchandising and management.
Enrollment is now open for fall quarter. Apply online at www.cwu.edu.
The post CWU introduces a four-year brewing degree, the first in Washington appeared first on Beer News.


text:
Sure says it's business as usual despite now being fully owned by a Bahranian telecoms operator.
Batelco completed a transaction this week which sees it take full ownership of all Cable & Wireless Communications business interests.
The takeover will not result in any change of branding or terms and conditions for Sure’s mobile phone customers.
Chief commercial officer for Cable and Wireless Andy Bridson told us more:
(PLAY AUDIO ABOVE)


text:
Nearly four years after the death of Steve Jobs, the legacy of the iconic Apple co-founder continues to be debated in books and on film.
Each year, Apple dazzles its devoted fans with faster, sleeker, more powerful iPhones with better cameras and a bevy of bells and whistles. So, what's to become of last year's model?
The new Apple TV unveiled this week has the potential to do for television what iPhone did to mobile phones, while claiming a starring role in home entertainment.
Google's answer to the Apple Pay mobile-payment service is debuting in the U.S., marking a do-over by the company behind the world's most-used operating system for smartphones.
Apple shares rebounded in early trade Thursday, a day after a lukewarm market reaction to the US tech giant's launch of upgraded iPhones and other devices.
A Chinese subsidiary of US tech giant Apple failed to pay 452 million yuan in taxes (now $71 million) due at the end of 2013, Beijing's finance ministry said.
Don't let looks deceive you. The new iPhones look the same as last year's models on the outside. But changes on the inside matter, from camera improvements to new sensors that enable quicker access to tasks.
Loyal Apple fans likely shuddered on Wednesday as longtime nemesis Microsoft was welcomed at a high-profile media event to show off software tailored for a new iPad.
The latest news on iPhones and other products from Apple's event in San Francisco. All times are PDT.
Apple on Wednesday unveiled a new streaming television device with voice search, touchscreen remote control and an app store in a challenge to Google, Amazon, and video game console titans.


text:
» View Printable Year Of The Horse 2014 Cards
View Printable Year Of The Horse 2014 Cards
We are sorry, article about "View Printable Year Of The Horse 2014 Cards" is not found or may be has been deleted. You may read other articles below or searching by type keyword in search form above!
Through Vietnam blog site, Tinthe.vn, it was reported that the latest generation iPhone that was allegedly named the iPhone 5S will have a 12 megapixel camera.
In addition, Apple also improve low-light photography feature so image quality in low-light [...]
A number of games on the App Store and Android Market are sold at very cheap prices.
Approaching the end of the year as this, the lovers of the game spoiled by the vendor.
Following in the footsteps Rovio has staged a massive promo for every game his [...]
Detailed smartphone from Nexus 4 owned by Google and produced by LG leaked by British mobile phone retailer websites, Carphone Warehouse’s.
At Carphone Warehouse’s website it is mentioned clearly that they offer LG Nexus 4 with a contract [...]
Everyone wants to prepare for Cisco certification exams the right way because the right way is what is going to earn a passing score. But what is this elusive right way? Hold on to your exam registration. You’re about to find out exactly what you [...]
An asteroid will make history as it will be a space object that pass closest to Earth next week, though certainly not going to hit this planet.
Sized asteroid is 45-meter, called 2012 DA14 will pass 27 700 kilometers from the Earth on February 15, closer [...]
If you have been around in the Tablet models then this Samsung’s latest tablet shouldn’t be missed. In fact, with the number of choices tech enthusiasts can choose these days, it has become a lot easier for us as a customer to choose our favorite [...]
Although the majority of smartphone users prefer to communicate via messenger applications, many of them are also fond of making phone calls.
Some of the applications are available both on the iPhone, Android, or BlackBerry can be used for free calling [...]
Have you ever imagined playing your favorite PC games with an XBOX controller? If so, your dream might come true with the release of some updates from XBOX. As confirmed by XBOX official website, now it is possible to use an XBOX controller on our PC [...]
iPad Mini shipments would begin on November 2.
After Apple issued invitations to a mysterious event on 23 October, rumors about the iPad Mini seems to have been confirmed.
In a simple invitation that Apple does mention “got a little more to show”. [...]
The talk on social networking Twitter.
A photo cards appalling universe of cyberspace, especially on social networks. From the photo clearly visible a business card Apple Canada to that of a man named Sam Sung.
A business card is interesting when related [...]
Faster, easier to use, and can be accessed anywhere
Confused viewing your Yahoo email today? Yes, Yahoo is just presenting a fresh new look.
In a posting on its official blog on Tuesday (12/11), Yahoo boss Marissa Mayer, said Yahoo! Mail is now not only [...]


text:
Woz: Apple 'somewhat behind' on smartphone features
Woz he talking about? Steve Wozniak recently gave an interview with German business weekly Wirtschafts Woche in which he contended that the company he co-founded has fallen behind its competitors when it comes to its flagship product, the iPhone. According to Woz, Apple is "somewhat behind with features in the smartphone business," adding that "others have caught up. Samsung is a great competitor. But precisely because they are currently making great products."
Unfortunately, there's no additional context for Woz's comments, so we're left wondering precisely what he believes iPhone is lagging behind in. Since he mentions Samsung outright, we're thinking that maybe he's referring to things like screen size, since he has opined in the past that he's not exactly a fan of the iPhone 5's taller-but-not-wider format -- but who knows?
What are some things the iPhone is "somewhat behind" the competition on, in your opinion?
Subscribe to Newsletter
Software Updatesmore updates
- Dropbox adds file/folder renaming and Office document editing to iOS app
- Vizzywig 8xHD price tag now a very affordable $49.99
- Automatic targets teen drivers with License+ service
- Dropbox adds support for TouchID
- YouTube for iOS gets updated with full support for iPhone 6 and 6 Plus
- iOS 8.0.1 update now available (Updated -- Don't update!)


text:
Pieology’s footprint in Colorado has slimmed down.
The pizza chain’s location at 1147 N. Broadway in the Golden Triangle has shuttered.
While a sign on the door says the location is closed temporarily, the restaurant is no longer listed on Pieology’s website, and its 2,147-square-foot space is being advertised for lease on LoopNet.
California-based Pieology, which has a franchise model, did not respond to a request for comment. The company launched in 2011 and now has a presence in 17 states and Guam, according to its website.
Like competitors Mod Pizza and Blaze Pizza, staff at Pieology assemble pizzas in front of customers, who work their way down a service line pointing out toppings.
The Broadway location — which shared a building with BurgerFi and Zeps Epiq Sandwiches — opened in 2017.
The sole remaining Pieology restaurant in the state is in Centennial. A different Pieology franchisee, who once operated a Lakewood location, filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy protection in 2018.
Leave a Reply


text:
Shares in SThree have slipped nearly 6% after the staffing group reported half year profits down by a third.
Pre-tax profits fell by 34.8% to £7.3m (excluding an exceptionial charge taken last year) although the company said it had made a strong start to the second half and was cautiously optimistic about the outlook. Despite many analysts - such as Panmure Gordon and Investec - sticking to their buy recommendations the shares are currently down 16.9p at 276.1p. Collins Stewart has a hold recommendation, and analyst James Gilbert said:
SThree's valuation does not seem expensive, and we do see 19% upside to the current share price versus our price target. However, we think it is the wrong time to be buying a stock geared to recovery in Europe and the UK. The risk-reward trade-off appears more favourable for peers.
Meanwhile David O'Brien at Altium Securites said that for the company to meet its full year profit forecasts, "the improvement in momentum begun in the second quarter needs to be stepped up."


text:
Results from the digital marketing and web content management platform for higher education revealed insights into the social media priorities of higher education with 71% believing that Facebook is the social media platform most responsible for driving conversion on the website.
The survey of 257 marketing, web and leadership professionals from more than 150 higher education institutions in the UK, Ireland, US, Canada, Australia and South Africa revealed that 44% believe that Facebook will still be the most important social media account in 12 months’ time. This is followed by Twitter at 29% and Instagram at 11%.
Vine, Snapchat and Pinterest were the lowest concern for institutions surveyed, receiving <1% each.
Piero Tintori, CEO and founder, TERMINALFOUR, said, ‘There have been lots of rumblings about Facebook losing its appeal among the millennial generation in favour of newer platforms. In fact in our 2014 survey, 27% of respondents stated that Facebook was less effective today than it was 12 months ago but the reality is that in terms of pure performance and meaningful metrics no other platform has quite stepped up to the plate.
The survey also uncovered prevailing attitudes to traditional marketing efforts, such as print advertising, billboards and TV/radio. Of higher education respondents, 63% recognised that traditional marketing is still ‘fairly important’ to their institution. Almost a quarter (24%) cited traditional marketing as being very important, 5% believed they were as important as online marketing efforts and just 8% believed they were no longer important.
Of the survey respondents, 78% stated that Yik Yak, the controversial ‘anonymous’ social media site that has been associated with bullying on college campuses, has no place in their institution’s marketing strategy. Furthermore, 12% believe it should be banned altogether, while 38% of respondents had never heard of it.
‘Yik Yak is relatively untested in terms of influence. Outside the US, it has little or none of the brand awareness of the other social platforms and it’s seemingly mired in controversy and speculation. It’ll be interesting to see its progression in higher education in the face of such public and media scrutiny,’ he concluded.
Download the survey here: https://www.terminalfour.com/survey2015/


text:
6 October 2015 — The German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s visit to India included bilateral discussions on the reinstatement of negotiations for the controversial EU India free trade agreement. Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) calls for a cautious approach from Indian negotiators and goverment.
The European Union is only a few formal steps away from adopting and enacting new European Trademark rules. The new rules will allow EU customs officials to seize goods in transit suspected of counterfeit (willful) trademark infringement, unless a holder of legitimate goods (such as low-cost generic medicines) –can prove that there is no infringement of the relevant trademark in the country of destination.
MSF and other organisations have repeatedly called for the removal of any border measures that allow trademark enforcement on goods in transit, given previous seizures of generic medicines within the European Union that were intended to provide life-saving treatment in developing countries. Any seizure of legitimate low-cost generic medicines could introduce a substantial new barrier to low-cost generic competition that undermine producers and purchasers of low-cost generic medicines, and more broadly have a negative impact on treatment programmes in developing countries.
MSF responds with the following quotes:
Helle Aagaard, EU Policy Advisor, Médecins Sans Frontières Access Campaign.
"By introducing a new right to stop and seize goods in transit through the European Union on just the suspicion of counterfeit (willful) trademark infringement, the EU is about to take another unacceptable step beyond internationally-agreed trade rules to the detriment of affordable access to medicines in low- and middle-income countries.
"These new rules will increase the risk of abuse by intellectual property rights holders, which could result in harmful delays, seizures or even the destruction of legitimate generic medicines in transit through Europe on their way to people in developing countries. Any wrongful seizure and detention of generic medicines in transit can lead to harmful, and even fatal, delays for people who need access to life-saving medicines."
Leena Menghaney, Head-South Asia, MSF Access Campaign.
“Before rushing into negotiations with the European Commission (EC), India should take into consideration the outcome of TPP negotiations that concluded yesterday. The big losers in the TPP are patients and treatment providers in developing countries who will face increased levels of IP barriers in procuring affordable generics, largely produced by India. The negative impact of the TPP on public health will be enormous, be felt for years to come and it will not be limited to the current 12 TPP countries, as it is a dangerous blueprint for future agreements.
We urge the Indian government to carefully consider before they resume FTA negotiations with the EC - whether this is the direction they want to take on pharmaceuticals, as negotiations on IP will inevitably be aimed at undermining access to affordable generic medicines".
The EU-India Free Trade Agreement (FTA) has been in negotiations since 2007. From the outset, the European Commission has pushed to include provisions that would undermine India’s ability to produce affordable medicines on which millions of people in developing countries rely.
Certain provisions damaging to access to medicines such as patent term extensions and data exclusivity have been removed by EU negotiators or rejected by the Indian Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) from the proposed deal.
However intellectual property (IP) enforcement and investment provisions, proposed by the European Commission in the draft negotiating text, were still under consideration by the negotiating teams before they were halted due to elections in the EU and India.
Enforcement provisions could potentially block the production and export of generic medicines from India – a lifeline for millions of people across the developing world. In addition these provisions would also open the door to abusive practices in India from multinational corporations, by allowing the supply of medicines to be stopped, delayed, seized, detained and destroyed.
Measures on investment could see the Indian government sued by multinational companies for billions of dollars in private arbitration panels if national laws, policies, court decisions or other actions are perceived to interfere with their investments; for example, if an Indian patent office rejects or overrides a patent on a medicine resulting in the increase in availability of affordable generic versions.
Indian negotiators and the Ministry of Commerce in the past have made an assurance publicly that India will ensure that the high-quality generic drugs it produces continue to be accessible for all countries.


text:
You probably drive by self-storage warehouses all the time. It is quietly one of the fastest-growing industries in the U.S. It’s partly driven by technology. People are buying stuff online all the time, and they need places to store it all. This article dives into the industry in detail.
There’s so much excitement around the new storage industry that it seems as if the only ones urging caution are the largest operators. They see a coming drop in consumer spending, one that will in turn result in less need for more space for your stuff.
Life Storage, a publicly-traded landlord based in Williamsville, New York, has said it’s done shopping for newly constructed facilities. Public Storage CEO Ronald Havner, meanwhile, warned on his most recent earnings call that the American consumer is “stretched and or under stress.”
That won’t necessarily slow the building boom, said SpareFoot’s Gordon. There are more than 50,000 storage facilities in the U.S., and mom-and-pop operators control about 80 percent of them.


text:
Happy 40th Birthday Gisele Bündchen! This year the model and environmentalist activist made
big treemendous plans with her family to celebrate — and it involves giving back to the planet!
On Saturday, Bündchen shared a photo to Instagram of herself, her husband Tom Brady, and their two children getting their hands dirty. She writes that since she's turning 40, she really wanted to go out on a limb in how she commemorates the occasion. "I feel like a whole new chapter of my life is starting, and I wanted to celebrate it in a meaningful way, so I decided to plant 40,000 trees," she writes. Woah, you grow girl!
Now, if you're wondering how Bündchen and her family could plant that many trees, they’re not working alone. Bündchen explains that her original birthday plan was to visit the Amazon rainforest in Brazil and plant trees herself, but due to COVID-19, she had to find another way to bring new saplings to the rainforest. She set up a fund where friends and families could donate and "turn their gifts into trees."
More From House Beautiful
Bündchen also opened the opportunity up to fans. "In case you also feel inspired to give back to the Earth, you can join me and plant a tree in the Amazon rainforest. Just go to www.vivaavida.gift to donate," she writes.
The site, which is in Bündchen's name, allows visitors to donate an amount of trees ranging from five to 80. Planting five trees costs just $5.10 USD plus $0.40 taxes. Visitors can also donate an amount of their choosing via credit card or Paypal in USD, euros, or pounds. Note: the site is in Portuguese, but can be translated to English in the upper right hand corner.
While Bündchen's goal was to plant 40,000 trees, over 150,000 trees have been planted since the site went live over the weekend. On the donor rankings, it shows that Bündchen and Brady each donated 40,000 trees respectively. Hair care brand Pantene, for which Bündchen has acted as an ambassador, also contributed 40,000 trees.
Bündchen explains in her Instagram post that she's been planting trees for different projects over the years and that "this is the best way I know to give back to Mother Earth." Interested in helping the birthday girl and the Amazon rainforest? You can head here to plant some of your own greens.
Follow House Beautiful on Instagram.


text:
In the bewildering position of deciding whether to renew your contract for an iPhone 5? If you are set on upgrading now, we have the best deal yet for those willing to sign a new two-year contract (which is required at any subsidized price). Join us after the break for
Hot on the heels of news that a “low-budget” iPhone is on the way comes astounding news that the iPhone 5 is now available to everyone, regardless of whether they sign a contract. Indeed, Walmart has made the newest iPhone model available to its customers through its Straight Talk banner.
In an article posted by Insanely Great Mac, Walmart has publicly issued a statement regarding the available of the new iPad, which was announced last Wednesday by Apple and began its preorders that same day. If you missed the opportunity to get your hands on the highly improved iPad 2 predecessor, thankfully your local Walmart will have a few.
Apple’s revised app store restrictions have not been popular with third party developers, publishers and other companies. Many have been figuring out new ways to deliver their content on iOS devices while avoiding giving Apple a cut of their profits. On Wednesday, both Amazon and Walmart launched web-based services that
In a report released annually by the National Retail Federation, Apple ranks 21st in a list of the top 100 retailers based on US sales. The company’s retail and iTunes sales were combined giving Apple a total of $18 billion in sales. According to the list, Apple’s sales rose 32.3%
Okay, we know that you would need a reason to go to Walmart for an iPhone 4 purchase. Prior to today, it would be easy to come up with tons of reasons to go elsewhere to a more tech-savvy store (wait, it still is). Does a 26% discount entice you?
Have your chairs, food, drinks, and other necessary supplies ready for the night of March 10. Judging by how well the first-generation iPad sold, iPad 2 will have all the trimmings of a hot device launch day, including long lines. Your wait in line will be significantly shorter if you
Apple today released iTunes 9.1 which brings several changes and enhancements, including support for syncing the iPad. In anticipation of the iBookstore, the "Audiobooks" section of iTunes has been renamed to "Books" and now allows users to manage both audio books and eBooks.
However, in addition to the other features mentioned below, some users are reporting that iTunes 9.1 seems to have broken sync on some jailbroken devices. Initially it had appeared that my jailbroken iPhone 3GS was affected, although rebooting my computer re-enabled sync. If you experience issues with syncing your iPhone or iPod touch after applying the update, restarting your computer should fix the problem.
Apple has just released iPhone OS 3.1.3 Software Update, which includes a number of bug fixes and security patches for all iPhone and iPod touch models. The new version appears to be a very minor update, as the previous software version was 3.1.2. However, the update is recommended for all users (except those who jailbreak), as it includes the following fixes:
- Improves accuracy of reported battery level on iPhone 3GS
- Resolves issue where third-party apps would not launch in some instances
- Fixes bug that may cause an app to crash when using the Japanese Kana keyboard
As usual, the update can be downloaded and applied in iTunes by clicking the "Check for Update" button under the iPhone Summary tab.
On Thursday, Apple released iTunes 9.0.2, the latest version of its media player and software hub for devices such as the iPhone and iPod touch. The new version, a 92.8 megabyte download, adds support for Apple TV software version 3.0, adds an option for a dark background for Grid View, and improves support for accessibility.


text:
The Farmers’ Union of Wales (FUW) is urging shoppers to keep their Christmas shopping local to show support for rural and local businesses, especially as the Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted how vital local shops are.
FUW Deputy President Ian Rickman said:
As we speed towards Christmas, I would urge you to think about your rural businesses and see if you can buy local, either for the upcoming Christmas dinner or even gifts for family and friends.
“This year we have seen how important the local shops and businesses are.
“Many of us relied on them to help out with delivering food and other essentials during the lockdowns and now is the time to repay that favour by supporting them.”
Rickman further encouraged people to speak to their local butcher about meat for the Christmas period and to see what the local farm shop has to offer.
I promise you will find many of the ingredients you need for your Christmas dinner right on your doorstep. There are also plenty of small shops around that offer Welsh craft and locally designed gifts and of course the choice for local food gifts is aplenty.
“It really is worth having a look. These are small decisions we can make that will have a big impact on our rural economy, and we need to support our rural businesses who have suffered this year because of the Covid-19 pandemic,” he added.


text:
RICHEMONT SALES JUMP 21%
Byline: James Fallon
LONDON — Compagnie Financiere Richemont AG revealed further proof Thursday that it was a luxurious Christmas.
The luxury goods group — which owns brands such as Cartier, Montblanc, Alfred Dunhill, Lancel, Van Cleef & Arpels, Chloe, Baume & Mercier, Piaget, Vacheron Constantin and Officine Panerai — said its sales in the third quarter ended Dec. 31 jumped 21 percent over the same period a year ago.
The figure excludes the acquisition of the watch brands Jaeger Le-Coultre, IWC and A. Lange & Sohne, which was completed last month. Richemont will include these companies in its results from Jan. 1.
Richemont did not reveal actual sales figures for the quarter.
Johann Rupert, Richemont’s chief executive, said in a statement that the 21 percent growth was in line with expectations and came across all the company’s brands. “This increase follows growth of 28 percent in the same period of the previous year, which saw particularly strong sales during the months leading up to the millennium celebrations,” he said.
The strongest performing geographical region was the Far East, where sales leaped 25 percent, followed by Europe, which registered a 20 percent rise in third-quarter sales. Sales in the Americas rose 17 percent. Richemont said that while the region benefited from the strength of the dollar against the euro, it comes against a backdrop of “outstanding” results in the third quarter of 1999.
Jewelry and watches were the star performers, with sales of the former rising 26 percent while watch sales grew 25 percent. Sales through wholly owned stores continued to grow faster than those through wholesale distribution, reflecting the ongoing trend of Richemont’s brands opening more of their own stores.


text:
Maruti Suzuki has announced that it will be increasing car prices across its model line-up from April 2021. In a regulatory filing, the country's largest car manufacture said "Over the past year the cost of company's vehicles has been impacted adversely due to increase in various input costs. Hence, it has become imperative for the company to pass on some impact of the above additional cost to customers through a price increase in April 2021." Maruti Suzuki India has not announced the quantum or percentage of the price hike, but it has said that the price hike will vary for different models.
It is quite common for Original Equipment Manufacturer or OEMs to increase vehicle prices in India at the start of the new financial year. In fact, Maruti Suzuki India had also increased its prices in January 2021, making this the second price revision in just three months. Among other OEMs, Isuzu Motor India has also announced its plan to the prices of its D-Max Regular Cab and the D-Max S-Cab in India, by ₹ 1 lakh, from April 1, 2021. And we expect a few other manufacturers to join the bandwagon soon.
Currently, Maruti Suzuki India has 15 models in its combined line-up from Arena and Nexa brands. While its most affordable model, the Alto its priced between ₹ 3 lakh to ₹ 4.48 lakh, its flagship model, the S-Cross is priced from ₹ 8.39 lakh, going up to ₹ 12.39 lakh (all prices ex-showroom, Delhi).


text:
The long-time Unilever exec has joined the social networking company to lead the CPG vertical.
The Unilever brand’s new strategy to tantalize female viewers with TV-inspired baking ideas.
The company is working with the creative agency, installing data visualization screens in its office, and applying the numbers to its future Axe campaigns.
The social media co is offering the units to select large clients in the country, following an initial launch period in the US.
The Montreal Canadiens defenceman is hosting a show on Sportsnet to kick off his year as spokesman for the deodorant brand.
The fifth list of finalists reveals potential prize-takers in the experiential category.


text:
As we head into 2022, GDUSA looks back on a year of high-profile rebrands, new office and experiential space openings, and a proliferation of flat logos. Here are our top design news stories of 2021.
How can a new brewing company stand out from the crowd? A fresh typographic approach from Pentagram partner Dominic Lippa.
The Turner Duckworth design agency recently partnered with The Brotherhood Sister Sol (BroSis) to create a new visual identity for the non-profit organization.
Convenience store chain Kum & Go is revealing its new brand identity and communication campaign to add a new, creatively-driven dimension to the on-the-go category.
Monotype type trend report examines the movements shaping the creative community, informing branding, and driving design today and into the future.
New MTN DEW RISE ENERGY will launch with a bold visual identity created by PepsiCo’s in-house design team. A lion logo and LeBron James are in the mix.
Independent agency St. John led the charge in concepting, designing and executive all aspects of Wonderbird, a new fast food chicken concept that seeks to close the gap between convenience and quality.
One of London’s most popular fast-casual diners has launched an all-new identity that keeps its iconic visual tone but with an NY twist.
O Street helps Denver Distillery reflect the value of handcrafting in their brand with a new logo, typeface, illustrations and a teardrop logo.
Today’s desire for healthier alternatives and adventurous flavors led to the creation of Marie’s first sub-brand with naming and design by Chase Design Group.
The SUNY College of Optometry recently completed a strategic planning exercise and turned to Trillion for help in share its plan for the future.
Discovery came to Roger looking to redesign their global brand, beginning with a new logo system, and extending out to a new identity that would cross platforms and reach over 220 countries.
Jan Tschichold and the New Typography: Graphic Design Between the World Wars is a Bard Graduate Center Focus Project on view now through July 7.
On July 18, Dr. Gerard Unger will receive the TDC Medal, first awarded to Hermann Zapf back in 1967.
Willoughby Design explores analog and digital type with the help of six iconic type designers, and the textures and colors of several Neenah CLASSIC brands. “Nothing makes a designer happier than type on paper,” says Ann Willoughby.
Hoefler & Co. has a new subscription, App.typography, that makes it easier to use its fonts in digital publishing.


text:
According to the Bermuda Tourism Authority, Bermuda saw the volume of air arrivals decline by 0.4% in October 2018, falling from 21,538 arrivals in October 2017 to 21,452 arrivals in October 2018. Air arrivals from the USA fell by 2.7%, from 15,696 visitors in October 2017 to 15,271 visitors in October 2018. Cruise arrivals grew by 89.9% however, from 34,988 cruise visitors in October 2017 to 66,429 cruise visitors in October 2018.
Through the first ten months of 2018 Bermuda saw a 5.4% increase in the volume of air arrivals, growing from 235,962 arrivals in the first ten months of 2017 to 248,783 arrivals in the same ten months of 2018. Arrivals from the USA increased by 9.0% in the first ten months of 2018, growing from 174,737 arrivals in 2017 to 190,473 arrivals in the same ten months of 2018. The number of cruise visitors increased by 11.6% in the first ten months of 2018, growing from 410,285 cruise visitors in 2017 to 457,752 cruise visitors in 2018.
Leave a Reply.
Jim Hepple is an Assistant Professor at the University of Aruba and is Managing Director of Tourism Analytics.


text:
Jennifer Mann will be taking over the role of corporate senior vice president and president of the company’s North America operating unit.
Mann currently holds the position of corporate senior vice president and president of Global Ventures at Coca-Cola. She has primarily been responsible for scaling global acquisitions and brands, including Costa Coffee and Monster Beverage Corp.
“Jennifer has emerged as a strong business leader during her 25-year career with the company,” said James Quincey, chairman and CEO of The Coca-Cola Company. “Her background in operations across the United States and globally makes her a great fit to lead the company’s largest operating unit.”
Mann joined Coca-Cola in 1997, becoming president of Global Ventures in 2019. Prior to that, Mann served as chief people officer for the company and as chief of staff for Quincey. She was also vice president and general manager of Coca-Cola Freestyle, where she accelerated the global expansion of Freestyle and led its development across the Coca-Cola system.
She also previously held various customer and operational roles, including director, McDonald's customer and consumer operations; director, Good Answer; and vice president, foodservice and on-premise strategy and marketing for Coca-Cola Refreshments.
Mann will be taking on the new role effective January 1, 2023. A new leader for Global Ventures will be named at a later date.
Mann is replacing Alfredo Rivera, who is stepping down on December 31 but will remain in an advisory role through March 2023. He held the current position since August 2020 and began his career with Coca-Cola in 1997.
Prior to joining Latin Center, Rivera was sparkling beverages general manager for the Mexico business unit. He also served as general manager of the Ecuador business, leading the turnaround of the business under challenging circumstances. Prior to that, he was southeast region manager in the Brazil division.
Rivera spent the first 13 years of his career working for independent Coca-Cola bottlers in Honduras and El Salvador.
“Alfredo has been a highly valued business partner for me and countless others across our system for nearly four decades,” said Quincey. “I thank Alfredo for his service and wish him all the best.”
Kellogg Company will soon have a new chief information officer of North America Cereal Co., tapping Bill Rex as part of the brand’s business segmentation strategy. With Rex’s appointment, along with several others recently named, this completes the North America Cereal Co. leadership team.
What Werner Graf learned down in New Orleans very early in his career was that there was really only one way to drive big wins — especially in a stoic, mundane business that had been frozen in time: innovation. Learn more.
Edgewell Personal Care Company is shifting responsibilities, announcing internal promotions as the company moves forward with the planned departure of Nick Powell, president of the brand’s international business. Learn more.


text:
Traditionally, consumers have viewed their vehicles as analog transports that should take them from place to place quickly and reliably. But a generation raised on omni-functional smartphones has different priorities. For young professionals, cars must be more than just conveyances; they need to be secure and convenient connected spaces.
Chipmaker NXP Semiconductors is developing the Internet of Things ultra-wideband (UWB) technology that will make the next generation of smart cars as protected and intuitive as high-end handsets or smart home equipment.
What Is Ultra-Wideband Technology?
For the uninitiated, UWB is a secure short-range, high-bandwidth, and low-power radio communication protocol. Similar to Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, UWB allows for low interference data transmission and precise distance measuring. Apple included UWB chips in its iPhone 11 range to help users locate the handsets and perform secure AirDrops.
The technology has a host of applications in a variety of different industries. For instance, NXP is using UWB to revolutionize how people interact with their automobiles. The company makes a host of components that allow smart cars to drive more safely and anticipate their maintenance needs. The corporation is also working on ways to create tomorrow’s vehicles more secure and functional.
More Secure, Comfortable, and Convenient Cars
Recently, NXP collaborated with Volkswagen on a concept car that highlights the ways UWB can improve vehicle security and utility.
For instance, UWB-enabled key fobs can provide vehicle owners with the peace of mind that comes with two-factor authentication. Next-generation cars will be able to detect the consumer’s entry device as they approach the vehicle. Then, the user can perform a specific motion, say tapping their toes that verifies their identity, and grants them access.
Notably, NXP’s UWB components and applications are specifically designed to prevent relay attacks. In 2016, Wired reported thieves found a way to subvert keyless entry systems for 24 different cars made by 19 different manufacturers. But UWB’s two-factor authentication protects owners from cybercriminals.
Basically, UWB key fobs act as a car owner’s personal Baby Yodas.
Cars with UWB chips are also more functional than their predecessors. With a few toe taps, an owner can tell their vehicle to pop the trunk. Besides, future transports will deploy their trailer hitches when they detect a trailer being moved into position.
NXP’s tech doesn’t just provide enhanced exterior features. Smart cars equipped with the firm’s cabin sensors will know if they’ve correctly set up a child’s car seat before they drive off.
NXP UWB components currently empower automakers to offer those above-listed enhance security and convenience features. As technology becomes more ubiquitous, it will allow smart cars to do things that will make Elon Musk’s jaw drop.
As an example, the technology will also facilitate a range of car-to-building transmissions that will make driving much more relaxed. Imagine a car that opens gates to restricted areas, automatically pays for parking and opens the garage door when the driver gets home.
Click here to learn more about NXP’s smart car evolving UWB technology.


text:
Maruti Suzuki’s diesel engines will not be upgraded to meet the upcoming stringent emission norms.
It was reported that Maruti Suzuki could go petrol only in the Indian market. Now, the company has officially announced that it will phase out all of its diesel cars starting April 2020. The announcement comes on the back of the upcoming BSVI emission norms from April 1, 2020. Maruti Suzuki’s diesel engines will not be upgraded to meet the upcoming stringent emission norms.
Maruti Suzuki has two diesel engine options in India – the tried & tested 1.3-litre, Fiat-sourced MultiJet and the in-house developed 1.5-litre, four-cylinder DDiS engine that recently debuted in the Ciaz. It is now confirmed that there will be no Maruti diesel cars on sale by April next year. The company is currently a wide range of cars with diesel cars in India. Maruti Suzuki is selling the diesel powered Swift, Dzire, Baleno, Ertiga, Ciaz, S-Cross and the popular Vitara Brezza. In fact, diesel account for over 30 percent of the Maruti Suzuki sales which is huge. Also See – Maruti Swift to Volkswagen Polo – popular cars to go petrol only
It is expected that Maruti Suzuki’s in-house developed 1.5-litre diesel engine could continue on sale in the future. The Indo-Japanese brand has invested over 1000 crore to develop the new 1.5-litre diesel engine. The company would be assessing the 10 year lifecyle costs of the engine before upgrading it to meet the BSVI emission norms. Adding to it, the engine will also have to be upgraded to meet the super-stringent Rear Driving Emissions regulations set to come into effect by 2023. This will further increase the cost of diesel cars in India.
Maruti Suzuki’s bigger cars including Ciaz, S-Cross, Vitara Brezza and the next-gen Vitara (Hyundai Creta Rival) could require diesel engine option. The company will also look at the price gap between the petrol and diesel cars in India. If the price gap between the two further increase, the demand for diesel cars will further go down.


text:
A higher chrome benchmark price and increased sales volumes are expected to result in an improvement in London-listed Afarak Group’s financial performance for the second quarter, after the company posted a €7.5-million loss for the first quarter.
The company attributed the first-quarter loss to weaker ferrochrome prices and lower sales volumes, as well as to “specific segment conditions”.
Revenue for the quarter contracted by 17.7% year-on-year to €41.3-million, while sales of processed material decreased by 4.4% to 22 252 t.
Output decreased by 21.9% to 108 905 t.
Afarak reported a €4.8-million loss before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation for the quarter.
CEO Guy Konsbruck said “the operational challenges in our South African operations seen in 2018, persisted into the new year”.
He added that the second lowest benchmark price in the past nine quarters had impacted on sales volumes and revenues.
“The specialty segment performed well, although market prices for low carbon ferrochrome have weakened and the sales volumes have contracted,” Konsbruck noted, adding that the company had adapted its production output to market demand to maintain efficient inventory management.
He stated that the company was focussed on improving the efficiencies and operational performance in South Africa.
“Following the implementation of a turnaround strategy, positive results started being achieved in our South African mines towards the end of the first quarter,” he noted.
Meanwhile, the chrome benchmark price for the second quarter had increased by 7.1% to $1.20/lb.
Konsbruck further commented that the acquisition of its joint venture partner’s share of Synergy Africa would positively impact on its results for the second quarter.
“Synergy Africa will have a positive one-time impact on the results of the second quarter. We must, however, emphasise that the business environment in South Africa, with the scarce availability and the high cost of energy, will constitute a major obstacle to a good performance in our Mogale smelter,” he cautioned.