text:
Review of Virgin Voyages
Virgin Voyages (formerly named Virgin Cruises) is a cruise line headquartered in Plantation, Florida (USA). Virgin Voyages was created in a joint venture between Virgin Group and Bain Capital, with the latter having a majority shareholding. The establishment of Virgin Cruises was announced by Virgin Group on December 4, 2014. The new cruise line it is scheduled to start operations in 2020.
In 2020, Virgin Cruises officially starts operations from Miami Florida with a 2800-passenger vessel. Two additional sister-ships will follow in 2021 and 2022. The announcement was made in the end of June 2015 in Miami, during a press conference (media event "making waves") for the new cruise brand. Richard Branson - founder of Virgin Group, arrived on a helicopter landing near Miami's Museum Park. According to Mr Branson, the total building cost for the 3 vessels is less than USD 2 billion.
The President and CEO of the cruise company is Tom McAlpin. He is a founding member of Disney Cruise Line's launch team and later its president. Prior to heading Virgin Cruises, McAlpin has served as CEO of The World cruise ship.
Earlier in 2016, Virgin Cruises settled an USD 300 million lawsuit filed by former Norwegian Cruise Line CEO Colin Veitch, who claimed Virgin had stolen his ideas and moved on with the cruise line concept without him.
In the promo video for the new cruise line, Virgin Voyages promises a "holiday you can's predict" that will "celebrate your curiosity, not force you to follow one itinerary".
Tom McAlpin shared they did not see themselves as a big player in cuise industry, but as "a small boutique line that will offer different experiences.”
In October 2016, "Virgin Cruises" was rebranded as "Virgin Voyages". At the time it was first announced, the company's founder Branson said his goal was to create a brand cruising experience that is more likely to appeal to millennials and other people who don’t normally take cruise ship vacations.
McAlpin and Branson hinted that those experiences might take some cues from other successful Virgin ventures, like Virgin Hotels. The hotel chain is popular for offering free WiFi, minibar drinks at street prices, privacy doors allowing guests to go on about their business while room service brings requests, pet-friendly amenities with no weight or size restrictions.
Virgin cruise ships
On June 23, 2015, the cruise line announced it had signed a letter of Intent with Fincantieri (Italian shipbuilder based in Trieste), for the construction of 3 cruise ships scheduled for delivery in 2020, 2021 and 2022. The shipbuilding order was officially finalized on December 21, 2016. The cruise ships will be mid-sized, each with gross tonnage 110000 GT and capacity 2800 passengers (1430 cabins) and 1150 crew.
The shipbuilding contract was valued at approx EUR 2 billion. All the 3 vessels will be constructed at the Sestri Ponente shipyard (Genoa). The first ship's construction started with the steel-cutting ceremony held on March 21, 2017.
Each of the ships will have a high percentage of balcony staterooms. The new ships greatly differ from other cruise vessels (as design) and will target younger and more adventurous travelers.
One of the new ship features is already confirmed: new clean energy system via partnership with Swedish company Climeon Ocean. This way, Virgin Voyages will be the first major line to partner with Climeon, reducing carbon dioxide emissions by converting the generated by ship engines heat into electricity for onboard use. All Virgin newbuilds will have 6 Climeon units, each, creating a savings of 5,400t of carbon dioxide per ship, annually.
In July 2017, was announced that Wartsila (marine technologies Finnish corporation / former shipbuilder) was selected to provide the power plants for the 3 Virgin ships. Among Wartsila's core products are large diesel engines for cruise and ferry ships.
Each Virgin ship is powered by two 8-cylinder plus two 12-cylinder "Wartsila 46F" diesel engines. Wartsila's Hybrid Scrubber System operate in both open and closed loop and uses seawater to remove SOx from the ship's exhaust. It also significant reduces the NOx emissions.
The Virgin ships' navigation and automation control systems are also Wartsila-made (NACOS Platinum series).
Itinerary of Virgin Voyages
Details on Virgin cruise line's itinerary program have not yet been announced. However, Branson mentioned one destination that was on the list - the Caribbean. When asked about Cuba being a potential port, he immediately replied "Yes!". This also means roundtrip departures from Florida ports.
In 2017 was announced that the first-launched Virgin cruise ship will be initially homeported at Port Miami and will operate on 7-day Caribbean itineraries departing each Sunday.


text:
Six electric vehicle charging companies will face liquidation, possibly as early as February.
For years they had little competition except for each other. But soon they’ll have to contend with Tesla’s acclaimed Supercharger network.
From a charging perspective, the EV world used to be split into two. There was Tesla, and then there were others. Tesla owners enjoyed widespread, fast and reliable charging. Other companies have managed to get by by combining accounts from different companies, but none can boast a reliability rating that comes close to Tesla’s.
Then, in May, the wall came down. Ford has signed a deal with Tesla that will give its EVs access to a subset of its network of 12,000 Superchargers. Starting in 2024, existing owners will be able to charge at these kiosks using adapters, and in 2025, future EVs will be able to upgrade their Combined Charging System (CCS) plugs to Tesla’s plugs, also known as the North American Charging Standard. Ford said it will be replaced by (NACS).
Other automakers quickly followed suit. Then GM, then Rivian, Volvo, Mercedes, nissan, and pretty much everyone else. One of his last companies to adopt this plug was Volkswagen. This is not surprising given Volkswagen’s majority ownership of Electrify America, which was supposed to be his CCS equivalent to the Supercharger Network.
EV owners like me had, and still have, high hopes for Electrify America. The company was founded out of the Volkswagen diesel settlement and was the first network outside of Tesla to prioritize nationwide DC fast charging at speeds that can support the latest EVs. When Electrify America’s best charger works, it’s actually fast, faster than most Tesla Superchargers.

domain: news


text:
London Fashion Week livestream: The industry's most recognised designers brighten up the rain-soaked capital
London Fashion Week kicks off today, showcasing the trends everyone will be rocking for Autumn/Winter 2014
The weather misery continues, but this weekend offers up a glamorous distraction as the fashion glitterati descend on the capital for the start of London Fashion Week Autumn/Winter 2014.
Kicking off today, the five day event at Somerset House features the most celebrated names in the industry, as well as tomorrow’s bright young stars.
Although spring seems a long way off, let alone next autumn, keen fashionistas will be taking notes on the hottest trends for next season.
Highlights over the coming days include shows from Emilia Wickstead, who is one of the Duchess of Cambridge’s go-to designers, Vivienne Westwood’s Red Label, and Richard Nicoll.
Overall, this year’s show will feature 77 designers and over 5,000 visitors are expected to attend.
But there’s more to London Fashion Week than endless lines of thin models draped in beautiful and expensive garments.
The British fashion industry is worth an estimated £26 billion to the UK economy, while fashion’s wider, indirect contribution to the economy, through areas such as beauty, is estimated to be more than £46 billion, according to the British Fashion Council (BFC).
Meanwhile, the UK fashion industry is estimated to support 797,000 jobs.
Brace yourselves for the social media deluge: Instagram filters at the ready.
London Fashion Week Autmn/Winter 2014 live show schedule:
Friday 14 February
09:00 J. JS Lee
11:00 Jean-Pierre Braganza
12:00 Bora Aksu
13:00 Fryodor Golan
15:00 Eudon Choi
17:00 Christopher Raeburn
18:00 Nasir Mazhar
19:00 Todd Lynn
20:00 Central Saint Martins MA
Saturday 15th February
10:00 Emilio de la Morena
11:00 Holly Fulton
12:00 Emilia Wickstead
13:00 John Rocha
16:00 J. W. Anderson (Women's)
17:00 Lucas Nascimento
18:00 Hunter Original
19:00 House of Holland
Sunday 16th February
10:00 Margaret Howell
11:00 Richard Nicoll
12:00 Marios Schwab
14:00 Temperley London
15:00 Topshop Unique
16:00 Paul Smith
17:00 Vivienne Westwood Red Label
18:00 Mary Katrantzou
20:00 Jonathan Saunders
Monday 17th February
09:00 Antonio Berardi
14:00 Burberry Prorsum
15:00 David Koma
16:00 Peter Pilotto
17:00 Michael van der Ham
Tuesday 18th February
10:00 Anya Hindmarch
11:00 Simone Rocha
13:00 Fashion East
16:30 Meadham Kirchhoff
Life & Style blogs
Astrological signs are almost all wrong, as movement of moon and sun throws out zodiac
PTSD photo series documents what the disorder is really like – as study reveals suicides of 22 US veterans every day
The distress of some Zayn Malik fans is real, and they need support, say experts
Chair-bound workers 'should move around every hour to reduce physical and mental health risks'
The truth about student sex workers: it's far from Belle Du Jour
- 1 Finland schools: Subjects scrapped and replaced with 'topics' as country reforms its education system
- 2 The West has it totally wrong on Lee Kuan Yew
- 3 Watch: Man takes selfie every mile of 2,600 mile hike, creates amazing timelapse video
- 4 #FreeTheNipple: Women in Iceland bare breasts in solidarity with trolled student
- 5 Scientists have discovered a simple way to cook rice that dramatically cuts the calories
£6 per hour: Recruitment Genius: This is an exciting opportunity to join a gro...
Negotiable: Recruitment Genius: A Service Delivery Manager is required to join...
£12000 - £24000 per annum: Recruitment Genius: A opportunity has arisen for a ...
£32000 - £38000 per annum: Ashdown Group: A successful accountancy practice in...


text:
Bedner’s to anchor new complex in West Palm Beach, home design district takes shape nearby
Bedner’s Farm Fresh Market will take space in the planned Flamingo Place development, at the corner of Claremore Drive and Dixie Highway, said Bill Reichel, president of Reichel Realty in Palm Beach Gardens. The family-owned and operated “farm to fork” market has leased 7,600 square feet in the project, formerly home to the Ragtops Antique Auto dealership.
With all the new investment and development in the area, “we thought a market would be a great fit,” said Reichel, who is handling the project’s leasing. Bedner’s is expected to open during the first quarter of 2020.
Meanwhile, the group behind West Palm Beach’s Warehouse District, including the Grandview Public Market food hall, in June paid $10.2 million for a group of warehouses along Florida Avenue, just west of Dixie Highway.
Plans are to create a district inspired by the numerous design, home and trades companies now dotting South Dixie Highway, said Robert Roxas, project manager of Johnstone Capital Partners in West Palm Beach.
The warehouse properties stretch from Ardmore Road on the north side to Belvedere Road on the south.
Johnstone Capital, led by Hunter Beebe, has a knack for finding the next hot spot.
The company turned a $5.5 million investment in some old warehouses at Elizabeth and Claire avenues into the Warehouse District, featuring Grandview Public Market and Steam Horse Brewing. The company then sold the properties for $18.5 million last year.
“We’ve studied the local market and there is a big supply of local designers but no design district, where each tenant feeds off one another,” Roxas said.
The unnamed design district will be of interest to anyone doing a custom home, Roxas said. The district will feature individual spaces for interior designers, art studios and galleries, as well as the trades, such as custom cabinet makers.
Roxas expects construction will start in January with completion expected by April.
At the 501 Belvedere Road building, a high profile spot, plans are to feature two businesses that developers hope will draw people to the design district.
One tenant will be a restaurant, featuring indoor and patio seating. Another tenant will be a high-end gym called 1Fitness, featuring private personal training as well as group fitness.
Roddy Limited Partnership, managed by Edward Roddy in Palm Beach, sold the warehouses, which were built in the 1950s and 1960s. The Palm Beach Opera and Jack the Bike Man bike shop lease the northernmost building, which will not be touched for now, Roxas said.
Flamingo Place and the home design district are the latest projects marking the transformation of this once-sleepy stretch of West Palm Beach into an area bustling with new stores and investment.
The rebirth began at the end of the recession but kicked into gear in 2014, the year the Reward Lighting building at 1901 South Dixie was sold to the Buccan restaurant group. The space became Grato Restaurant.
That same year, the Carefree Theater site at 2000 South Dixie went into play, selling to New York developer Charles Cohen for $3 million in 2015.
Since then, Palm Beach billionaire Jeff Greene built the Greene School on a former Mazda car dealership at 2001 South Dixie. In addition, the Norton Museum at 1450 South Dixie unveiled a $100 million expansion.
New restaurants, design studios and shops opened, too.
Bedner’s marks the latest addition to the area. The market is expected to be popular with residents living in many of the historic neighborhoods nearby, as well as Palm Beach residents who frequently shop or eat at Dixie Highway businesses.
Bedner’s already operates a large store and farm at 10066 Lee Road, west of Boynton Beach. In addition, it operates a small grocer at 381 N.E. 3rd Avenue in Delray Beach.
But this West Palm Beach location will be twice the size of the Delray Beach store and offer a greater range of products, Reichel said.
In addition to locally grown produce, Bedner’s will feature a butcher and fish monger, along with a juice and smoothie bar. Bedner’s also sells homemade soups, gourmet cheese, freshly prepared salads, sandwiches and wraps, plus craft beers and wines.
In a statement, Marie Bedner, director of operations, said the company became interested in West Palm Beach after noting strong demand at the West Palm Beach Green market.
“We are truly farmers, delivering freshly picked, sustainably grown produce directly from our own farms to our stores,” Bedner said.
The 38,000-square-foot Flamingo Place project has been in the works for more than a year and could also feature a wellness center in a rear building.
In 2018, an affiliate of Eastern Real Estate of Massachusetts in 2018 paid $5.2 million for three properties that make up Flamingo Place.
Together with New England Development, Eastern bought the old Palm Beach Mall in 2012, knocked it down and built the successful Palm Beach Outlets in 2014. The outlets mall is on Palm Beach Lakes Boulevard, east of Interstate 95.
Both companies now are teamed up to develop Flamingo Place. New England founder and chairman Stephen Karp is a part-time Palm Beach resident.
Bedner’s presence on South Dixie will compliment other tenants coming soon to the street.
Just to the south at 2751 South Dixie, national retailers Sprouts grocery and Starbucks coffee are said to be looking at locations in the Palm Beach Post complex. The 11-acre property is being redeveloped into a mixed-use center.
In addition, construction on the Carefree Theater complex, featuring a multiplex, apartments and a restaurant, is expected to begin in 2020.


text:
Trash into Treasure
Since her college years, interior designer Wilhelmina “Willie” Garcia and Junk Not! Eco Creatives owner has been involved in projects that have an impact on society and the environment. So, when the Department of Energy and Natural Resources called her in 2015 to work on a livelihood project in San Nicolas, Batangas, an island town three hours from Manila, she immediately said yes.
Interior designer Wilhelmina “Willie” Garcia at her Junk Not! booth at the April 2019 edition of Manila FAME. Garcia is currently participating with other eco-designers in the Pure Gold – Upcycled! Upgraded! Exhibit by the Goethe-Institut.
Not wasting an opportunity
Garcia performed a WACS (Waste Analysis Characterization) audit in every household in the town, and the number one waste product wasn’t surprising: plastic bags. She also discovered that since they didn’t have any waste processing facility on the island, residents burned the plastic, contributing even more to the island’s pollution.
In Batangas, waste plastic wrappers, foil packaging, and noodle packs are cleaned, cut, and processed into braided strips that Garcia uses for the webbed seating and upholstery of her furniture and décor.
The designer saw an opportunity, and after conducting a waste management workshop, taught the women how to process and braid the plastic and packaging waste for use in the making of Garcia’s furniture pieces. “Sustainability begins at home,” she stresses. “It is our contribution in paying back our environment.”
Garcia with the women of San Nicolas, Batangas, who recycle material for her furnishings. The town is now a zero-waste community.
From Laguna to FAME
These braided strands of plastic waste are then transported to Garcia’s home/workshop in Biñan, Laguna, which are woven by a group of housewives from the nearby community. They weave the plastic into webbed or looped seating for chairs, accessories, and lounges. Aside from these, she also dabbles with other recycled materials like plastic film rolls and water lily stems, which she transforms into tables, benches, and headboards
The Junk Not! showroom at Selah Pods Hotel in Pasay City shows the versatility of recycled waste—from plastic bags and film rolls to denim scraps and upcycled wood.
Garcia makes it a point to indicate exactly how many kilograms of waste are saved whenever she posts a newly completed project on social media. This is what she did when she completed Anak ng Tupa (literally, “Son of a Sheep”), a fluffy lounge chair and ottoman made out of 15 kilograms of plastic waste. The furniture piece won the Katha Award for Best Eco Product Design in the April 2018 of Manila FAME. The Eco-Design Award is conferred based on concept, as well as manufacturing processes and environmental benefits.
Anak ng Tupa won the Katha Award for Eco Design in April 2018. Junk Not also won the Katha Award-Judge’s choice in October 2019 for Your Trash, My Bag.
Healing by making
One of Garcia’s latest projects are the 2019 trophies and medals commissioned by the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP). Each component has a socially relevant meaning: the plastic waste is from San Nicolas, the wooden figures are carved by Ifugao artisans, and the metal are from iron scraps and bullet shells from the Marawi siege in Mindanao. “So many communities benefited from this. It’s a project that’s full of people’s stories.”
The 2019 UAAP trophies by Junk Not! are unique because of its social impact on the three different communities who worked on the project.
Garcia dreams of the day when all furnishings would produce zero waste, and use sustainable materials. When she was starting out, she sold her pieces online and in Paris-based social design shop Rue Rangoli, but she is optimistic that eco-conscious design practice is picking up. “Greening is a big market internationally, and a lot of designers are now willing to do it,” she muses. “You just have to think about the social impact first before profit or anything else.”
Learn more about Garcia’s Junk Not! journey on this clip from ANC’s Shoptalk.
JUNK NOT! ECO CREATIVES
Mobile: +63 917 5418886
Email: [email protected]


text:
The company expects diluted EPS (earnings per share) for full-year 2013 to slightly exceed the top end of its previous guidance of $1.51-$1.55 (GAAP) and $1.73-$1.77 (non-GAAP).
Wuxi spokesman Ron Aldridge told Outsourcing-Pharma.com, “We have clinical-trial scale manufacturing facilities that provided us with modest revenues in 2013. Most of our biologics revenue in 2013 was from development projects that had not yet reached the manufacturing stage. We expect a more significant contribution from biologics manufacturing in 2014.”
Most recently the company has seen its revenue jump by about 10% as revenues for biologics services grew strongly in the second quarter. In its presentation at the JP Morgan Healthcare Conference in San Francisco the company highlighted its rise from a chemistry-based company to one that now specializes in large scale and biologics manufacturing, including for at least one ADC.
With six sites in China and four in the US, the company seems poised to take a stranglehold on the market for businesses looking to launch products in China.
Wuxi also recently:
- Expanded small molecule manufacturing for six commercial and 10 Phase III drugs;
- Received FDA approval for the manufacture of Pharmacyclics’ ibrutinib*; and
- Installed its first set of 2000 L disposable bioreactors in Asia and completed the first 2000 L run using NSO cells.
“Our outperformance in 2013 mainly came from small-molecule manufacturing and biologics development, although all of our businesses performed well,” Aldridge told us.
Manufacturing is expected to represent about a quarter of the company’s 2013 revenue, which is an increase of about 2% over 2012. The company also says it’s expecting a “major” capacity expansion in 2014 and 2015.
The company plans to report its fourth-quarter and full-year 2013 financial results and to provide 2014 financial guidance in March.
*Wuxi joins Catalent and Lonza on the list of contractors involved in the production of ibrutinib.


text:
Retail Food Group appoints Tom Elliott as corporate store operations head
He was previously general manager of Donut King.
Retail Food Group (RFG) has appointed Tom Elliott as their head of corporate store operations, tasked with leading operations and over 350 team members across the group's aforementioned portfolio.
“I’m excited to work closely with our corporate store portfolio which allows the group to trial and test new initiatives whilst also understanding firsthand the challenges our franchise partners face on a day to day basis, so we can collectively work through solutions that are mutually beneficial for franchisor and franchisee alike,” Elliott said in a statement sent to QSR Media.
The new role follows his most recent venture as general manager of Donut King. He has been with the company for 11 years.


text:
The Aptana IDE has been around for a few years now and has gained a loyal base of users (yours truly included) due to its strength, easy of use and wide support for various languages including its support for Android and Nokia development. Aptana has now been acquired by development platform Appcelerator, creators of Titanium… Continue reading Appcelerator acquires Aptana
Ben the Bodyguard
Check the cool site for Ben the Bodyguard, an iPhone app to protect your data coming up in January 2011.
Using WordPress to build iPhone and Facebook apps
Brad Williams, CEO of WebDevStudios recently spoke at WordCamp Philly showing how they used WordPress as the platform for an iPhone and a Facebook application. You can see the slides below: http://static.slidesharecdn.com/swf/ssplayer2.swf?doc=spooky-wordpress-final-101031161712-phpapp02&stripped_title=spooky-wordpress-disturbingly-brilliant-uses-of-wp-5628086&userName=williamsba Watch the presentation on SlideShare Spooky WordPress: Disturbingly Brilliant Uses of WP
Watercolor icons in use
Check the cool iPhone theme that @Chykalophia created using the Watercolor icons I created for Tutorial9
WordPress for iPhone
WordPress for iPhone, an official app with support for wordpress.com blogs and self-hosted sites (2.5.1+).


text:
NASHVILLE, Tenn., Dec. 18, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- VendEngine, a cloud-based FinTech provider focused on the corrections industry, has acquired software development company, Sherrod Computers. The acquisition marks VendEngine’s second acquisition in less than 18 months.
Terms of the cash transaction between the two privately owned companies were not disclosed.
The acquisition allows VendEngine to expand its software development capabilities deeper into the corrections marketplace, while also acquiring a book of additional clients that expands the company’s software development client mix. VendEngine purchased hardware manufacturer, Harpeth Industries in August 2018 and now offers custom-designed kiosks used in more than 300 jails and prisons across the United States, the Caribbean and Central America.
VendEngine’s core suite of business applications include financial accounting, trust fund management, inmate commissary, communications and electronic payment solutions to the corrections industry.
As part of the acquisition, Chris Sherrod, founder of Sherrod Computers, was named chief information officer.


text:
Payment collection specialist allpay will provide Bill Payment services to Lloyds Bank as part of the bank’s selection to the newly launched ESPO public sector banking framework. Lloyds has been selected alongside two other banks to offer a range of banking solutions as part of the framework, especially designed to help UK local authorities, central government, schools, social housing providers, police, NHS, and all other public sector organisations with their banking requirements.
PayByPhone announced its mobile parking payment app is available in the Amazon Appstore for Amazon’s new Fire phone, as well as Kindle Fire devices. PayByPhone’s parking meter stickers feature a passive electronic chip that stores information such as the meter number. Users simply wave or tap their NFC-enabled phones over the sticker on the meter to automatically launch the PayByPhone app. The mobile payment system recognizes the user and identifies the exact parking location. The PayByPhone app is the simple, secure, and convenient way to pay for your parking in cities such as Seattle, San Francisco, Miami, Vancouver, London, Paris and more. PayByPhone allows drivers to charge their parking to a credit card, eliminating the need for cash at the parking meter. Features such as text message reminders before time expires, and adding more parking time from the app (within the allowable restrictions) greatly reduce the chance of a parking violation.
PayByPhone has been selected by Florida International University (FIU) to provide a cashless parking service at FIU’s campus parking lots. The same convenient mobile payment option that has been available on the streets of Miami and has proven to be a success for the users will be rolled out to FIU’s 4,500 parking spaces in the coming weeks. The PayByPhone smartphone app and dial-in service offer drivers a convenient alternative to paying with cash at a parking meter and includes the option to receive a text message reminder before their parking expires, enabling them to extend their parking time from wherever they are.
Raphaels Bank Card Services has appointed Emily Utton Senior Relationship Manager and Alex Reddish as Relationship Manager. The appointments round off a rapid period of growth for the Raphaels Bank Card Services team which has tripled in size in just 18 months. Emily Utton has joined Raphaels Bank after five years at Paypoint, where she was an Account Manager, looking after the energy sector. Prior to that, she was Account Manager at the Home Retail Group. Although Emily is new to prepaid, she has extensive experience as a relationship manager in the payments industry. Joining Emily, Alex Reddish has joined the team as Relationship Manager, moving after two years as Relationship Manager at Ukash. He has a long family history in prepaid and did his final dissertation, at Roehampton University, on the future of prepaid. Meanwhile, Janet Johnston has expanded her role as Head of Operations to include Relationship Management. Janet has been with Raphaels for three years, initially heading up Operations.
PayByPhone, part of PayPoint plc, has announced recent developments, including the acquisition of Adaptis Solutions and success in winning the tender in Paris with VINCI Park. This acquisition and win reinforce PayByPhone’s position as one of the world’s leading providers of services to parking authorities.
Allpay invested £3m in a new facility at its head office following substantial expansion plans, which will follow the opening of two other brand new office locations. The Company processes over 50 million transactions and handles over GBP 4.5 billion each year. Allpay has already won some significant deals providing payment collection services and card services. The new state-of-the-art bureau and card production facility, due to be fully operational by June 2014 will see an influx of the latest card manufacturing machinery which, will double the current capacity of card production. allpay is also a well-established manufacturer of plastic cards accredited by MasterCard® and Visa with a growing global client base. With secure production facilities in Hereford, allpay provides a fully managed fulfilment service for credit and debit cards to prepaid, transit and ID cards.
PayPoint.net payment service provider announced Nettitude PCI specialist and Qualified Security Assessor confirmed its PCI Level One compliance status to the PCI Standards Council after the required on-site audits and security testing were finalised last month. PayPoint.net was also one of the first suppliers to register its Third Party Agent Status on the Visa Merchant Agent list, an approved list of all merchant agents that provide services involving the storage and management of cardholder data.
Ukash announced its Cash Withdrawals cash access service offering. Offering consumers a convenient was to access cash at ATMs without a credit or debit card. In partnership with PayPoint, Ukash allows consumers to spend cash securely online, removing the need to reveal personal financial information. Ukash codes are purchased with cash in retail outlets such as shops and petrol stations. The unique 19 digit codes can then be used to pay directly on thousands of websites that accept Ukash transactions worldwide. Established in 2001, Ukash has grown to more than 460,000 physical points of purchase, including 50,000 in the UK, and is available in more than 50 countries around the world.
The City of Seattle has dispatched PayByPhone to introduce a pay-by-phone payment service for its 13,000 on-street paid parking spaces, allowing drivers to use their cell phones to pay for parking. PayByPhone payments are made by entering the block’s unique location number and the length of parking time desired. Customers will only have to sign up once with their credit card and license plate either online, via the app or by phone, which can be done quickly and easily at the point of parking. Drivers can also choose to receive a text message reminder before their parking time expires, with the option to add time remotely (subject to time limit restrictions) and receive parking receipts by email.
Upgrades begin across UK retailers and vending machines to raise the contactless card payment limit to £20 from £15. The cards, of which there are 23 million in the UK, give customers a fast and easy-to-use alternative to cash when making low-value payments in participating stores, and at vending machines, festivals and other events. Contactless…
PayByPhone, a leading international provider of systems for parking and urban mobility payments is pleased to announce Ottawa as the latest major North American city to implement its popular cell phone payment method for parking. PayByPhone parking allows drivers to pay for and extend their parking time using a mobile app, online, or calling a…


text:
Is this another sign an engagement is imminent?
According to the Daily Mail, Meghan Markle has apparently – and abruptly -- ended her association with Reitmans, a Canadian fashion store that featured her fashion line last year. She was also Reitmans brand ambassador.
Sources report that Reitmans did everything it could to keep the fledgling international star, including offering the actress a lot of money, but she surprisingly declined.
It would appear Markle is getting her affairs in order: Vanity Fair recently reported that Queen Elizabeth may have been behind Markle’s decision to shutter her lifestyle blog, the Tig.
The glossy mag is speculating that shuttering the site is a preamble to the couple becoming engaged — perhaps as soon as this summer.
In her farewell message, Markle wrote: “Above all, don’t ever forget your worth, as I’ve told you time and time again: you, my sweet friend, you are enough.”
Meanwhile, her romance with Prince Harry appears to be getting increasingly serious, with the prince being spotted in Toronto last week, photographed in a baseball cap being dropped off at her house, carrying a large duffle bag, ahead of the Easter long weekend.
Markle is in town for the filming of her TV show, Suits.
According to the Daily Mail, the couple has not seen each other since the end of March.
“Harry is truly in love,” a source told E! News last January. “They’re very serious.”
But because of her shooting schedule and his hectic schedule, the couple struggle getting time together.
tap here to see other videos from our team.


text:
The two payments companies announced Tuesday (May 2) that they’d formed DPX Payments, a joint venture aimed at offering “advanced payables offerings to the large and underserved middle-market.”
DPX, the companies said in a news release, is aimed at businesses that send payments to vendors and suppliers using paper, arriving at a time when the U.S. appears to be increasingly moving to electronic invoicing.
“DPX Payments is the next step in the omnichannel payment strategy of Deluxe, offering an even broader range of digital payment solutions to the middle market,” said Michael Reed, president of payments at Deluxe. “DPX Payments reduces the burden on AP [accounts payable] teams to worry about whether their payee can accept their preferred payment method, regardless of payment type preference.”
Echo and Deluxe have worked together since 2019, when they launched their Medical Payment Exchange, which processes more than $20 billion in payments annually.
The new venture “expands the partnership to offer these advanced payment capabilities to all businesses, with support for multiple payment types, including ACH, virtual card, paper check, push to debit card, and e-check, among others,” the release said.
As PYMNTS wrote last week, the shift toward electronic invoicing — and away from paper — will get a “significant tailwind this year in the United States.”
That’s because the Federal Reserve and the Business Payments Coalition (BPC) have been advancing a pilot exchange framework, first announced in 2021, that will connect businesses so that they can exchange digital invoices.
“As 2023 progresses and as the exchange looms, one end result would be a transformation of B2B payments, where, as noted in this space, as many as 45% of smaller firms have cited manual invoice review as a pain point when making payments,” PYMNTS wrote.
And research detailed in a PYMNTS Intelligence study last year showed that companies implementing AP and payments automation saw cost savings of about 70%, along with faster processing times.
There’s a major greenfield opportunity to upgrade those back-end tasks: A total of 88% of AP professionals in another report blamed the preponderance of payment errors on manual systems. Respondents told PYMNTS that it takes an average of 11 days to get department heads to approve their invoices. Of those AP professionals who had automated their accounting and invoicing, nearly three-quarters said they had fewer late payments.


text:
Internet hacker and now Cyber security expert Kevin Mitnick is in Australia in November for a conference in Sydney and Melbourne with business leaders where Kevin will talk about security risks and issues in the modern day business environment and how to best manage and combat such risks.
Hollywood and Hacking: Into the 21st Century - Real life hackers, computer punks and Hugh Jackman dancing
For the past 30 years, Hollywood has consistently struggled to depict computer hacking in accurate and exciting ways. The history of Hollywood and hacking is littered with lazy writing, absurdly unrealistic computer interfaces and stereotypical "nerd" characters. But in amongst the idiocy we've also seen certain films influencing governmental policy, inspiring entire sub-cultural identities and guiding mainstream attitudes around computer security.
It’s almost inconceivable to think of life without the Internet. As if out of nowhere, this remarkable technology quietly emerged from modest beginnings and proceeded to explode, revolutionizing the world in countless ways – as well as in countless ways we have yet to imagine. But, given how unexpectedly this remarkable phenomenon arose, not to mention how it has come to so completely dominate many aspects of our lives, are we fully aware of its current influence and potential future impact? Those ideas are among the many raised in director Werner Herzog’s thoughtful new documentary, “Lo and Behold, Reveries of the Connected World”
Enterprise mobility is expanding to an array of devices, such as connected cars, smart TVs, smartwatches and others. Protecting this new ecosystem with traditional endpoint management models is incompatible with this new world.
The first step toward change is awareness. The second step is acceptance.
With an ever evolving regulatory landscape and with increasingly smart technology at our fingertips, it’s probably time we paused to examine the way we’re doing business. Just because it’s been done a certain way for years, it doesn't mean that’s still the right way. Businesses need to start seeing the bigger picture rather than forever playing catch-up, as so many are guilty of thus far. Breaking the cycle means analysing the threats that businesses can anticipate both now and in the coming months and years, and determining the smartest solution for them.
Rating: ***** Werner Herzog brings his dour brand of whimsy to LO AND BEHOLD, REVERIES OF THE CONNECTED WORLD, his consideration of cyberspace. The result is a thought-provoking piece that brings up little-known issues and implications, placing them side by side with the more conventional topics of security and dependence. Indeed, the most arresting moment in the documentary isn’t a security analyst explaining that if were presently engaged in a cyberwar, we would not necessarily know it. Rather, it’s a computer scientist blithely musing on another potential blind spot. That would be the idea that if artificial intelligence arose on the internet, and became self-aware, he didn’t see any reason why it would let us know it’s there, much less consult us about anything it might want to do. It’s as revelatory as it is disconcerting.


text:
J.C. Penney became the latest national retailer to seek Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The department store chain was struggling even before the coronavirus pandemic. (Mike Blake/Reuters)
By Abha Bhattarai May 15, 2020 at 7:24 p.m. EDT
Department store chain J.C. Penney filed for bankruptcy protection on Friday and said it would permanently close some of its 850 locations, making it the latest major retailer felled by the coronavirus pandemic.
The 118-year-old retailer was struggling long before the public health crisis forced it to temporarily shutter all of its stores and furlough the majority of its 90,000 employees. It has nearly $4 billion in debt and hasn’t turned a profit since 2010. Sales have fallen for four straight years as it struggled to win back the longtime loyalists who have gravitated to big-box chains such as Target and Costco to outfit their families.
The filing came the same day Commerce Department data showed the industry’s devastating decline. Retail sales fell 16.4 percent in April, by far the steepest drop on record, with sales at clothing stores — down 89 percent from a year ago — taking the biggest hit.
J.C. Penney is the fourth major retailer — and the largest — to file for Chapter 11 protection this month, after J. Crew, Neiman Marcus and Stage Stores. All four have a heavy presence in shopping malls.
In its bankruptcy filing, J.C. Penney said it has both assets and liabilities between $1 billion and $10 billion, and that it owes money to more than 100,000 creditors. The company, which has about $500 million in cash, said it had secured $900 million to fund bankruptcy proceedings. It also said it would close some stores, but did not provide details on which locations or when.
“Until this pandemic struck, we had made significant progress rebuilding our company,” Jill Soltau, the company’s chief executive, said in a statement. The bankruptcy filing, she said, “is the best path to ensure that JCPenney will build on its over 100-year history to serve our customers for decades to come.”
The filing comes days after…


text:
A consortium of private equity investors – TPG, ChrysCapital and Premji has invested around $315 million in Firstcry, valuing the omnichannel children’s retailer at around $1.9-$2.1 billion, three people with direct knowledge of the deal said.
The company will look to target a public market listing in 18-24 months, they said. The deal involves a $300 million secondary transaction, they added.
There is also a small primary component of about $13 million from Premji Invest, regulatory filings showed. ET was the first to report about the impending transaction on January 8 2021.
“All three private equity investors have roughly brought in $100 million each,” said a person with direct knowledge of the development.
The early investors in the SoftBank-backed company, such as Elevation Capital (formerly SAIF Partners), Vertex Partners and MegaDelta Capital Advisors have sold their entire stakes as part of the latest transaction.
“The deal values the company at between $1.9 billion and $2.1 billion,” said another person with knowledge of the development.
The current transaction has doubled the company’s valuation in less than 24 months — SoftBank Vision Fund had picked up 40% in FirstCry in 2019, valuing it at about $1.1 billion. The omnichannel retailer dedicated to baby and mother care products received $400 million in fresh equity from the Masayoshi Son-led fund as part of its Series E round.
“This round helps the company consolidate its investor base ahead of the IPO that it plans over the next 18-24 months,” another person said. When contacted, Supam Maheshwari, chief executive and co-founder of Firstcry, declined to comment.


text:
Kenya is also a country in East Africa with coastline on the Indian Ocean, it’s filled with savannah, lake lands, the Great Rift Valley and the mountain highlands. It’s also home to variety of wildlife like the lions, Rhinos and the elephants. Just from Nairobi, the capital, the safari visit the Maasai Mara reserve, mostly known for its annual wildebeest migrations and the Amboseli national park that offers the views of Tanzania’s Mt Kilimanjaro.
The tourism stake holders in Mombasa country have also extolled the government for allocating more funds to the tourism sector in the 2017/2018 financial. It’s said that the budget for the next financial year gave a significant boost towards the efforts to recover the tourism sector in the country.
The sector has also shown the signs of developments as follows the enhancement of security and more funds for marketing the industry also stand to benefit hugely. Within shs 2.6 trillion budget showed to the parliament last week by the National Treasury Cabinet secretary, the government gave sh 1 Billion for marketing of the tourism sector and another sh 600 million for the capital lending to the hoteliers.
Mr.Kiuru said that we must acclaim the government for this clear statement of commitment towards improving the tourism sector. The hotelier also said the improved security and the construction of the shs 350 million modern cruise ship terminal at the port Mombasa as some of the thoughtful measures the government has put in place to promote tourism at the coast which account for over 60% in the country.
The hotels in both north and south coast were expecting good business during the holiday adding that special packages were an offer for the domestic tourists. The managing Director of Shehenai hotel said these measures will boost the number of both foreign and local tourists at the coast.
The tourism sector is also improving and the future looks so bright. More so the port of Mombasa has shown an increase in cruise ships calling at the facility bringing many tourists from different parts of the world. Kenya Tourism Board should also market the country in order to attract more tourists from the traditional and developing markets like Asia and Middle East.


text:
Deutsche Börse and EMETRA to Set Up B2B Internet Metal Derivatives Platform
Deutsche Börse and EMETRA, the derivatives arm of London based metal trading marketplace, announced that they will cooperate to set up a B2B internet platform to trade non-ferrous metal derivatives. The new derivatives market is scheduled to go live by the end of January 2001. It will form part of a worldwide, integrated non-ferrous metal marketplace. EMETRA’s physical platform will offer a full range of non-ferrous metals physical products and related services. It is expected to go on-line by the end of July 2000.


text:
Uber plans return to financial services with hires “across the board”
Uber has broken its silence on financial services products just five months after it pressed the brakes on finance-related projects in favour of its ride and food delivery businesses.
Johnie Lee, Uber’s engineering lead for financial products, announced on LinkedIn last Thursday that his team was hiring “across the board”.
The new hires will prepare the ride hailing giant for a number of “initiatives” come next year, says Lee.
Uber Money head Peter Hazlehurst left the firm in June, following Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi’s announcement via email that it would “deprioritize” several of its finance-related projects.
But now, it seems Uber is reigniting its focus on finance, with a particular emphasis on globally scalable financial products and Uber Cash integration.
What the team will work on
Amid the four roles currently open in Lee’s team are a senior product manager, and three software engineers. All are based across San Francisco and Palo Alto.
The job postings have a blanket focus on integrating Uber Cash with the firm’s other services. These include Eats, Rides, Transit, and Uber for Business.
Users in the US can already use Uber Cash to pay for these other Uber services. But it is not yet a service rolled out to all of Uber’s markets.
Specifically, the job listings say the product team will work with Uber’s “Money Platform” to support paying with Uber Cash. The Uber Money team was subsumed under Uber’s vice president of technology, Peeyush Nahar, back in June.
The postings also mention building “consumer Internet products”, “co-branded credit and debit cards which scale across different geographies”, and “cashback reward-based products”.
FinTech Futures approached Uber to understand more around the ride hailing giant’s decision to re-invest in its financial services play.
Team head Lee, a former Google senior software engineer who joined Uber in May 2017, says the firm is “not ready to announce anything yet”.
Uber’s first financial push
Former Uber Money head Hazlehurst began leading Uber’s financial strategy in 2018. He oversaw the firm’s creation of co-branded credit cards, a digital wallet and instant payments for drivers.
At the end of October last year, Uber announced its financial product line Uber Money. The line included services for both consumers and employed drivers.
It relaunched its Barclays-backed credit card, which offered consumers 5% in ‘Uber Cash’ and offered employed drivers ‘Instant Pay’. This meant drivers could receive payment after each ride.
The firm also built an Uber Wallet for drivers and consumers. And for US drivers, their debit account and card already provided through Green Dot was updated. This saw it offer cash back on gas starting at 3% and going up to 6% for ‘Uber Pro’ drivers.
Hazlehurst announced the product play at the Money 20/20 conference in Las Vegas late last year.
The brief pause on its financial services project could be down to COVID-19. A month before its deprioritisation, Uber cut its employee count by 25%.
The firm was under huge pressure to cute inessential projects, with ride volumes dropping roughly 70% at the height of the pandemic.


text:
The National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, says Cross River, Jigawa, and Zamfara states have the highest prices of 12.5kg of liquified petroleum gas, known as cooking gas in Nigeria.
NBS disclosed this in its January Liquefied Petroleum Gas report.
The report revealed that Cross River recorded the highest average retail price for the refilling of a 12.5kg cylinder of cooking gas with N13,040.00, followed by Jigawa with N12,875.00 and Zamfara with N12,725.00.
Conversely, the lowest average price was recorded in Kaduna with N9,699.50, followed by Kwara and Niger with N10,000.00 and N10,400.00 respectively.
Analysis by zone showed that the South-South recorded the highest average retail price for refilling a 12.5kg cylinder of LPG with N12,602.47, followed by the North-West with N12,224.93, while the South-West recorded the lowest price with N11,189.02.
The report added that the average retail price of 5kg LPG increased by 3.55 per cent monthly to N5,139.25 in January from N4,962.87 in December.


text:
WILMINGTON –– “I remember when I was a kid, my friends and I would hear the ice-cream truck music, and we would stop and take off running through Hillcrest,” Nikishiea McKnight said.
The entrepreneur always had a preference for the Nutty Buddy.
She now serves it on her own ice cream truck, Kayla’s Kones, which McKnight launched last month. It’s been two years in the making, as life tends to be busy in her world. She runs Kayla’s Korner Child Enrichment Center and K&K Gift Wrap, the latter of which she started with her daughter, Kayla — the namesake of her enterprises.
“She is 15,” McKnight said, “and she helps me run the truck and the gift-wrapping businesses.”
(The two design specialty gift wrap for Christmas, birthdays and other holidays.)
McKnight opened her childcare center in 2015 at Castle and 8th streets. She said Covid forced the daycare’s closure from April to October 2020. Even though most clients returned, she still took a financial hit.
“The families that did not [come back] just didn’t enroll their kids back in any other daycare, period,” McKnight said.
When the holiday season rolled around, K&K Gift Wrap helped sustain some of the income loss. McKnight then decided to move forward to get Kayla’s Kones up and running. She bought the truck in 2019 from a man who operated it in Burgaw, fully functioning and loaded with freezers and refrigerators, air conditioning and stainless steel counters.
“The only reason he was selling it was because he was moving to Florida and he couldn’t take it with him,” she said.
Having an additional business — specifically, an ice cream truck — appealed to McKnight for financial reasons, but also out of sheer nostalgia.
“My grandmother used to sell ice cream and drinks in Hillcrest,” McKnight recalled, where she lived until she was 16. “I used to help her scoop it and put it on cones, count the money, help her purchase it, so this has really come back full circle for me.”
She decked out the truck in bright colors — purples, pinks and greens — and dots and stripes to make it noticeable when it’s set up in the parking lot of her daycare center on Saturdays.
“There’s a lot of traffic that comes through,” she said.
McKnight focuses on old-school offerings that almost every kid will have some memory of enjoying, complete with juice that drips down to their elbows during sweltering summer months. Strawberry shortcake, red, white and blue pops, orange creamsicles, ice cream sandwiches — McKnight carries it all. She also will start scooping eight flavors of old-fashioned Hershey’s ice cream this weekend.
“I just ordered a new freezer,” she said.
Already, she had to shift some of her inventory, though she’s only been operating for a month. In the age of Covid, shortages seemingly affect the ice cream industry too.
“We only have Powderpuff Girls faces right now,” McKnight said, in reference to one of the most popular items on the Kayla’s Kones menu. Normally, she carries multiple kinds of popsicles with imprints of kids’ cartoon characters on them.
“SpongeBob and Space Jam are no longer available,” she said. “So I had to take those off the menu.”
She also had to replace the popular vanilla bar with fresh fruit bars.
It’s a small hiccup in an otherwise happy business. She focuses primarily on doing private events and birthday parties, and plans to add more arts and farmers markets into the schedule as well.
Just don’t expect to track down the truck through a cul-de-sac anytime soon. “I don’t go cruising through neighborhoods,” McKnight said.
Ice cream truck music is not allowed to be played within city limits, according to City of Wilmington spokesperson Jennifer Dandron. The ordinance has been on the books for 38 years; it went into effect June 28, 1982.
“Additionally, this isn’t just for ice cream trucks,” Dandron clarified.
The noise ordinance doesn’t allow any loud projections of sound — from a business truck or individual vehicle — in neighborhoods to solicit or draw in attention to a business or a person.
McKnight still plays the music parked on her own property or at events. In fact, she was one of 100 ice cream truck owners to win national brand Good Humor’s music-box contest, which launched in spring.
In August 2020, Wu Tang’s Rza wrote a new jingle to better represent ice cream trucks in the modern era. Rza revealed in a video the most well-known song, “Turkey in the Straw,” that played on trucks nationwide throughout the last century has racist roots. It was popular at minstrel shows in Europe and was rewritten to include bigoted lyrics in the mid-20th century. Rza said he wanted to strip its tainted past and bring joy back to it.
“The ice cream box that they gave us has 50 new songs,” McKnight revealed. “We play it and the kids love it. We also have a bubble machine.”
McKnight sells around 20 ice cream novelties and scoops for $2 to $4.50. She will be set up Saturday, July 17, at Northern Regional Park in Castle Hayne from 1 p.m. – 3 p.m., and then at her own business, Kayla’s Korner (816 Castle St.), from 3:30 p.m. – 6 p.m.
Kayla’s Kones’ upcoming schedule:
July 24 — Kayla’s Korner, 1 p.m. – 3 p.m.
July 26 — New Hanover County Courthouse, 12:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
July 30 — New Hanover County Courthouse, 12:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Aug. 7 — Kayla’s Korner, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m., with free backpack giveaway and ice cream to the first 100 people
Aug. 14 — Pender Community Market, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Have food and beverage news? Email firstname.lastname@example.org


text:
The Cape Chamber of Commerce and Industry says the ongoing taxi strike has taken a heavy toll on several business sector organisations affiliated to it, with some reporting that 80% of their workforce was impacted.
Cape Chamber of Commerce and Industry deputy president Derryn Brigg said although for many sectors it was too soon to quantify the economic loss, all report widespread absenteeism linked to commuter inability to reach the workplace.
“One sector drew a parallel between the impact of the strike on business operations and the impact of Covid-19.”
The Retail Motor Industry Sector reported that 50% of the workforce was impacted, leading to the implementation of a “no work, no pay” policy.
The were fears that negative publicity might result in operations in the Business Process Outsourcing Sector shifting away from Cape Town.
At Fish SA, 80% of the workforce was affected, with a substantial number of workers either absent or arriving late. Factory operations were notably affected, leading to underutilised production lines.
“The Federated Hospitality Association of Southern Africa anticipated a sharp decline in bookings in local establishments in light of the UK issuing a safety warning for its citizens in Cape Town. This concern is amplified by the fact that the sector is currently in its peak booking season, which aligns with the upcoming summer period. Export activities are also affected due to concerns for staff safety, further impacting the movement of goods and products,” said Brigg.
The South African Association of Freight Forwarders experienced “severe impact” as the airport and its precincts were blocked off, preventing air freight from getting through.
Absenteeism of about 60% in some of the larger establishments in the furniture manufacturing sector was reported.
“Additionally, the Cape Town Port operated with only 60% of its staff, significantly hampering ship movements, container discharge, and collection/deliveries. As a result, goods are not reaching production lines, and finished products are not reaching consumers.
“At the Production Technologies Association of South African, the training centre was affected and forced to find overnight accommodation for affected students. Board meeting was cancelled due to airport security fears," said Brigg.
Premier Alan Winde said: “We have been communicating with stakeholders in the private sector as well as the consular corps to keep them abreast of everything we as the provincial government and our partners have been doing to address this issue.
“It angers and saddens me to see how law-abiding residents are being prevented from going about their everyday lives by this deadly thuggery. In our meeting this morning (Tuesday), I again made it clear that those who break the law and place our residents at risk must face consequences.”


text:
As we look toward a third year of living with COVID-19, savvy marketers know that meaningful, personal connections will be the key to long-term brand health. For that, they’ll need to focus on building and maintaining trust with their audiences—as well as which channels to leverage in those efforts.
While it’s important for brands to maintain balanced marketing strategies, marketers should be mindful of consumer sentiment as they allocate their media spending. For example, Nielsen’s 2021 Trust in Advertising study found that brand sponsorships are among the most trusted advertising sources among global consumers, yet most marketers don’t readily consider newer ad formats like brand integrations, sponsorships and product placements in their media planning. In fact, almost 34% of marketers surveyed for our 2021 Annual Marketing Report deemed these marketing formats as not important at all.
The report highlights how important digital channels have become from a marketing perspective, evidenced by significant increases in planned spending across email, search and social media. Digital marketing, especially conversion-oriented efforts, are attractive because they drive sales in the current quarter, not the next. The appeal of near-term sales—and the ability to measure the effort—serves to grow investments in these strategies. And to that effect, marketers surveyed for the report believe email, search and social media are the most effective for their businesses.
The downside of focusing too heavily on these digital channels, however, is that our recent Trust in Advertising study found that consumers don’t consider these channels very trustworthy.
Compared with their planned digital spending intentions, marketers aimed to increase their spending across traditional channels very minimally. Only 1.15% of marketers, for example, said they planned to boost their TV and AM/FM radio spending by 50% or more, and just 4.23% planned to increase spending on these channels by 1%-49%. From a consumer trust perspective, these traditional channels rank significantly higher than most digital avenues.
At a very high level, marketers typically categorize their efforts as either brand building or conversion-driving and then plan their channel strategies accordingly. Heading into a new year, marketers should keep their primary objectives top of mind as they plan their spending and channel strategies.
Our Era of Adaptation report notes that marketers’ top objectives heading into the second half of 2021 were brand awareness (25%) and customer acquisition (42%), with customer retention carrying significantly less weight (19.6%). For brands with those objectives in mind, and knowing which channels consumers find most trustworthy, marketers should be focused on brand building and awareness strategies. Our recent Brand Resonance white paper highlights that conversion-focused strategies stand in opposition to numerous academic studies that claim upper-funnel marketing is the best path to growth.
Debates about growth-building notwithstanding, marketers shouldn’t make assumptions when it comes to channel choice and expected sales impact. Studying channel effectiveness in driving long-term sales can help marketers understand how strong a particular channel is at driving awareness and other upper-funnel metrics that have latent sales effects. Consumers, for example, believe television is among the best channels for becoming aware of a brand. Yes, TV is, on average, one of the most effective channels for driving long-term sales lift, but every campaign is different—and so is the effectiveness of TV across them. For example, in 25% of Nielsen brand studies, we found that TV was in the lowest quintile of all channels in producing long-term effects. In a separate 25%, however, it was the very best. So the key takeaway for marketers is that without measurement, the quest for meaningful growth may ultimately hinge on generalizations, assumptions and gut feelings.
There is no discounting the effectiveness of leveraging digital channels to strengthen relationships with existing consumers, but it’s important that marketers seeking long-term growth consider consumer sentiment in addition to their martech stacks. When word-of-mouth is the most trusted channel among consumers—and has grown as such over time—marketers should be as people-focused as possible.


text:
Pairs have already dropped at Foot Locker earlier this week, but those that missed out on the “LeBron James Foundation” edition of the Nike LeBron 13 Low will soon get another chance via the Nike SNKRS app. The Swoosh is now reporting that the colorful, mismatched, and doodled-on sneakers benefiting the LeBron James Family Foundation will be released again next Friday, November 4th on Nike SNKRS. Get a refresher look at the shoe here, and log on to the Nike SNKRS app next Friday at 10AM EDT if you want a pair, because they won’t last long.
Nike LeBron 13 Low “LeBron James Family Foundation”
Style Code: 849783-999
Release Date: November 4th, 2016


text:
After Tesla showed that it doesn't deserve the trust of investors by doing a data dump on July 3 evening (see below tweet...), Goldman Sachs is out with a note Wednesday that needed to be written three months ago. As TheStreetreported, Goldman Sachs Analyst David Tamberrino reiterated a "sell" rating for Tesla, citing slowing sales growth of the company's electric cars currently on the market.
Tamberrino lowered his six-month price target to $180 from $190, which is 49% downside from Monday's close.
"We see potential for downside as the Model 3 launch curve undershoots the company's production targets," Tamberrino said. "This comes as demand for Tesla's established products (Model S and Model X) appears to be plateauing slightly below 100k annual run rate."
The bottom line is this: unless Tesla and Elon Musk has found the cure for the common cold -- where the cure is sprayed on people while sitting in their Tesla -- the company in no way deserves its valuation. Not only are its sales slowing, per Goldman's analysis, but there is a wave of strong electric cars coming to market over the next five years that could inhibit Tesla's gains. And from an outsider's perspective, one has to question Musk's leadership style -- ever listen to him on an earnings call? Give it a whirl, and then take a look at what the company did on Monday.
What's Hot On TheStreet
Volvo is no longer feeling gas engines: Ford's (F) - Get Ford Motor Company Report founder Henry Ford may be rolling over in his grave on this one. Volvo Cars said Wednesday that all of its cars will feature an electric engine from 2019, as it embraces of the new technology in the face of industry-wide adoption. The Swedish car maker will roll out a mix of all-electric, hybrid and mild hybrid cars from 2019 and will no longer offer vehicles that carry just a traditional internal combustion engine, TheStreetreports.
"This announcement marks the end of the solely combustion engine-powered car," said CEO Hakan Samuelsson. "Volvo Cars has stated that it plans to have sold a total of 1 million electrified cars by 2025. When we said it we meant it. This is how we are going to do it." Meanwhile, Nissan said Wednesday that its new all-electric Leaf will hit markets starting Sept. 6.
About Tesla's Model 3...
Microsoft on the clock: With speculation swirling of impending layoffs, TheStreettakes a look back at how Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) - Get Microsoft Corporation Report CEO Satya Nadella has reshaped the tech giant. Since taking over in 2014 from the energetic Steve Ballmer, Nadella has completely reorganized Microsoft by driving better internal collaboration and via the purchase of LinkedIn. The stock market has rewarded Nadella accordingly: Microsoft shares hit an all-time high in January after better than expected earnings.
Summer paychecks for tech interns are no joke: You can't beat working as a summer intern for Apple Inc. (AAPL) - Get Apple Inc. Report . Apple pays an average of over $7,000 per-month (plus paid overtime) for college interns, along with free housing near its San Francisco Bay-area headquarters, TheStreetreports.
Wait, we stand corrected. Being a college intern and logging into work for Alphabet Inc. (GOOGL) - Get Alphabet Inc. Class A Report and Facebook, Inc. (FB) - Get Meta Platforms Inc. Class A Report isn't too shabby, either: you can pull in the equivalent of $96,000 a year.
Costco has been crushed: Shares of the membership club retailer have plunged 13% to $158.82 inside of a month, as investors have grown worried about a world where Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN) - Get Amazon.com, Inc. Report owns organic food pioneer Whole Foods Market, Inc. (WFM) . Costco Wholesale Corp.'s (COST) - Get Costco Wholesale Corporation Report market cap has fallen a shade more than $9 billion, TheStreetpoints out. The more one looks at the grocery store landscape, the stock market has good reason to be concerned about Costco's future.
Visit here for the latest business headlines.
(This article originally appeared on Real Money, our premium site for active traders. Click here to get great columns like this from Brian Sozzi, Jim Cramer and other writers even earlier in the trading day.)
Don't miss these top stories from TheStreet:
- Volvo Isn't the Only Car Maker Who Isn't Keen on Gasoline
- This Is Why the Federal Reserve Isn't Likely to Spark Another 'Taper Tantrum'
- Alpha Rising: Meet The Children's Place CEO Jane Elfers
- We Should All Thank Goldman Sachs For Saying Tesla's Stock Is Going to Crash
- Brutal News for Tesla: Goldman Predicts the Stock Will Get Slashed in Half
- 10 Troubled Retailers Besides J.C. Penney That Are Shuttering Stores


text:
Although Miami car accident lawyer Joseph Lipsky applauds the increase in accident prevention technology being included by vehicle manufacturers in their new cars, the technology divide of older drivers is causing many to disregard and ignore possible life saving safety equipment. According to the National Safety Council, this failure to use car accident avoidance technology is an unexpected consequence of rapid technological advancements.
Vehicle manufactures thankfully are readily installing unintended lane change technology, blind spot avoidance and automatic rear-end collision braking; but, they are failing to educate consumers about how to use such technology to avoid deadly car accidents. In light of these shortcomings, and because each manufacturer uses different technology, the Department of Transportation started a website, mycardoeswhat.org, as a resource for consumers to visit for detailed and simplistic information about every vehicles safety features. The website includes multiple video demonstrations to help reduce the learning curve.
The safety feature most motorists have difficulty with is adaptive cruise control, even though it has existed for over 10 years in more expensive luxury vehicles. Given the high costs of those vehicles, dealers were apt to spend an extended amount of time helping their customers fully understand their vehicles. However, as the safety equipment begins to find its way into less expensive cars, experts question whether those dealers will be able to devote the time amount of time to teach their customers. And, as anyone who has tried to read a new car manual can attest, what was once a small booklet has grown into a full sized encyclopedia.
Considering these devices save lives, Miami car accident lawyer Joseph Lipsky hopes all new car buyers take the time to learn about how their cars can save their lives.


text:
AMARILLO, TX (KFDA) - Amarillo residents banded together on Saturday to help those with food needs.
The '"Stamp Out Hunger" event at the High Plains Food Bank helped collect non-perishable food items for the people it serves.
Donors could leave bags of items at their mailboxes for collection.
HPFB is in critical need of more shelf-stable food items, including dry milk, canned meats, boxed dinners and more.
Those who missed the event but would still like to donate can drop items during the weekend at any of the following locations:
- Market Street on Georgia
- United Supermarkets at 45th & Bell Street
- Amigos Supermarket at Grand & I-40


text:
Reliance Jio new phone leaks, cheaper data plans, and more
- Reliance Jio is working on a new phone.
- The phone could be accompanied by cheaper data plans.
- Meanwhile, Jio has announced new plans.
After disrupting the telecom market with free 4G data plans, Reliance Jio is now sets its eyes on the mobile phone market.
Just a week after reports floating around about an upcoming Reliance Jio feature phone slated for 21 July launch and priced at Rs 500, Techpp has managed to get its hands on the Jio feature phone. Along with the images, the report revealed that the device will come with a 2.4-inch display and a 2MP camera sits on its back. The 4G VoLTE phone comes with 512MB of RAM and 4GB of onboard storage. The dual SIM device could either be running the Snapdragon 205 built specifically for 4G VoLTE or Spreadtrum processor.
An IndianTribune report had earlier claimed that to further attract more users, the company may also launch data plans that are priced around Rs 80 - 90. However, there was no clarity on whether these will be made available to all or simply limited to those who buy the feature phone.
Meanwhile, Jio has announced its updated 4G data plans for Dhan Dhana Dhan offer. The Rs 309 and Rs 349 data plans have been updated to offer a validity of 56 days, from 28 days that was available earlier. Both offer unlimited voice calls, text. The Rs 309 recharge will bring to you 56GB data increased from 28GB earlier, and a cap of 1GB/day. At Rs 349, users will get 10 + 10GB data without any cap on daily usage.
The Rs 399 plan has been updated to offer 84 days of validity over the 28 days it offered earlier with 1GB/day cap. The data has also been increased to 84GB. Besides, users get unlimited voice calls and text messages. You can read the complete list of plans here.


text:
Electrified Holden Commodore Could Surface By 20257
Should Holden stick with a PSA-sourced Holden Commodore for the long term, an electrified version may surface by 2025. Plans for such a car stem from PSA Groupe’s decision to electrify all of its models by 2025.
Motoring reported on the potential for an electrified Commodore on Friday, though it’s purely speculation. An electrified Commodore from PSA rests in Holden’s future decision to continue sourcing the car from PSA. Holden will decide in the next 12 to 18 months if it will continue to tap PSA for the Commodore, or switch to a General Motors-sourced car. GM sold Opel and Vauxhall to PSA Groupe last year.
If Holden decides to stick with PSA in a new agreement, an electrified Commodore, a copy of the Opel Insignia, seems all but certain in PSA’s future plans. But, if Holden parts ways with PSA and a Commodore agreement, it’s less clear if the car’s replacement from GM would offer such a powertrain.
Holden will have to make a similar decision regarding the Astra hatchback, which hails from Vauxhall. It will either source the next car from PSA, or move to a GM vehicle to replace it. The most interesting facet is PSA’s development timeline. The French automaker is working speedily to move cars from GM platforms and technology to PSA architecture. The decision could leave the current Astra and Commodore on a very short lifecycle.
- Sweepstakes Of The Month: Win a 2023 Corvette Z06 Convertible. Details here.
It is highly, highly unlikely that Holden would adopt a PSA architecture for its cars. I think Holden was mostly saying that it might continue to source Commodore from PSA because it no longer has manufacturing – as long as PSA continues with GM architecture.
Really what is probably going on here is that PSA may need to continue to license GM platforms for cars like Commodore/Insignia/Regal, as they may not have new platforms ready to go yet to replace them. And if so, Holden will keep sourcing those cars.
If not, Holden will switch to GM platforms and tap Korea and Detroit lines. Holden was put in a tough spot here, and GMNA may be stuck – through no other option – but to change its plans to handle them.
I would guess that Holden gets source from Buick China for cars and U.S./Mex for mid-size to large SUVs.
I agree, especially as GM Korea is likely next up on the chopping block for production. With continued concerns about North Korea, and strong production in China… China is probably going to be a strong source for Holden in the future too.
I think the decision will be taken in Detroit, not in Melbourne
General Motors’ CEO Mary Barra had already announced last year that GM intends to introduce 20 new ZEV by 2023 and that Holden gets their products from GM; it’s a no brainer that Holden will feature a ZEV fleet by 2025 because they have little choice as well as the fact that Australia signed the Paris Climate Accord meaning all new vehicles sold needs to be ZEV. Australia needs to plan on the infrastructure upgrades of recharging stalls at public parking and a massive increase to the country’s power grid to support all the electric power vehicles.
“the fact that Australia signed the Paris Climate Accord meaning all new vehicles sold needs to be ZEV”
False. While Paris Climate Accord called on countries to attempt to eliminate gas, there is no obligation for them to do so. That’s why so many countries signed on. It’s just something for future politicians to squirm out of.
Only certain countries like France have even passed laws that would require all-EV cars, and even then, there’s no guarantee they can even pull it off.
Sure, Holden will get Bolt at some point, but Voltec SUVs are much more likely. Australia is the land of the V8, and that isn’t changing any time soon.
If you are connect the any time you are conform the new working website firefox for windows In windows 10 and all things so if i response then it’s responds very quickly.


text:
Perusahaan Otomobil Kedua Sdn Bhd (Perodua) expects to sustain its export growth performance this year as seen in 2016, said its president and chief executive officer Datuk Aminar Rashid Salleh.
Last year, the country’s biggest carmaker sold 4,696 vehicles overseas, a 6.12% increase from 4,425 cars in 2015.
“We aim to be able to sustain our (export) sales performance this year, if not do better,” Aminar Rashid told reporters after launching the second phase of Perodua Eco-Challenge 2017 here today.
“In the first five months of this year, Perodua managed to export 1,600 cars. Growth of our exports this year will be anchored by positive demand in Sri Lanka, as well as other international markets,” he said.
This follows the recent launch of its Bezza 1.0L model in Sri Lanka, which is currently the compact car maker’s largest export market.
“Perodua expects to be able to sell from 80 cars to 100 cars of each Axia and Bezza per month. In the long run, we hope to be able to sell around 2,000 cars to 2,500 cars in Sri Lanka,” said Aminar Rashid.
Besides Sri Lanka, Perodua also exports its cars to five other countries, namely Indonesia, Singapore, Mauritius, Fiji and Brunei.
Perodua’s export strategy is one of the thrusts espoused in its second five-year business plan, dubbed Transformation 2.0 Roadmap, which it will be rolling out this year, following the expiry of its Transformation 1.0 Roadmap that was launched in 2011.
Chief in Perodua’s second transformation plan is its aspiration to be a regional auto player by 2021, Aminar Rashid said.
However, he added Perodua will first extend its footprint in existing markets, before making an aggressive move to expand its international markets, particularly in Asian countries, which adopt the right-hand drive system.
“We are giving a priority to countries with similar regulatory environment, covering aspects such as safety and carbon emission. We will also consider other factors that include market expectation and product line-up,” he said, adding Perodua will at some point, revisit its long-paused plan to expand its sales in Thailand and South Africa.
“Other important thrusts in the second transformation agenda is improving and enhancing the automotive ecosystem, particularly with vendors and suppliers,” he added.
On its car sales for 2017, Aminar Rashid said Perodua is “cautiously optimistic” on the upcoming performance, keeping to its earlier forecast of selling 202,000 cars this year, which is lower than the 207,110 cars it sold in 2016.
“We will be announcing our sales performance for the first half of this year, in the next few weeks. But for now, I am keeping to my earlier forecast,” Aminar Rashid added.
From January to April this year, data from the Malaysian Automotive Association showed Perodua sold 64,727 cars — a 4.27% increase from the 62,079 cars it sold in the same period last year.
Perodua’s sales of its cars in the first four months of this year made up 31.25% of its total sales last year, which was at 207,110 cars. It is also equivalent to a market share of 35.3%.


text:
THE recent mission by Tanzanian buyers in Zimbabwe is expected to generate export business worth $1,5 million in the next six months and there is a huge potential for more business, an official has said.
Source: Zim eyes $1,5m exports to Tanzania – NewsDay Zimbabwe March 16, 2017
BY MTHANDAZO NYONI
Trade promotion body ZimTrade recently hosted an eight-member Tanzanian business delegation, which sought to make orders from local companies.
The buyers were drawn from pharmaceuticals, agricultural implements and inputs sector companies.
ZimTrade’s public relations officer, Dillon Kamutenga, told NewsDay that the recent mission by Tanzanian buyers was expected to generate export business worth about $1,5 million in the next six months and there is a huge potential for continued business.
According to Trade Map, total trade between Tanzania and Zimbabwe grew by an average of 18 percent, from $7,95 million in 2012 to $12,86m in 2015.
In 2012, Tanzania’s imports from Zimbabwe were $2,9 million, while its exports to Zimbabwe were $5,02m. By 2015 the figures had improved with Tanzanian imports from Zimbabwe reaching $5,7m, while recording $6,3m as exports to Zimbabwe.
Kamutenga said their participation in Zambia’s trade shows in the last two years has directly contributed to export receipts worth over $2 million.
He revealed that since 2012, ZimTrade conducted market surveys in South Sudan, Angola, Zambia, Mozambique, Namibia and, more recently, Tanzania and the DRC.
“The objective was to identify export opportunities for Zimbabwean companies and to recommend appropriate market entry strategies,” he said.
“Opportunities were identified in sectors such as agricultural implements and inputs, pharmaceuticals, processed foods, protective clothing, building and construction and engineering services as well as mining supplies.”
Following the surveys, Kamutenga said ZimTrade organised trade promotional activities such as buyer/seller missions, B2B meetings, as well as facilitated companies to participate in relevant trade fairs. Furthermore, capacity building programmes were conducted to assist Zimbabwean companies to explore these markets.
However, he noted that Zimbabwean companies faced challenges in penetrating these markets.
“Our products continue to be uncompetitive in both the domestic and international markets, due to, among other things, the cumbersome regulatory and administrative processes, the high costs of production and logistics issues, among others,” he said.


text:
General Motors Co. (NYSE: GM) reported a 0.3% rise in earnings for the second quarter as strong all-new light-duty truck performance and its cost actions partially offset planned heavy-duty truck downtime and expected lower China equity income. The results exceeded analysts’ expectations. Further, the company reaffirmed the adjusted earnings outlook for 2019.
Net income rose by 0.3% to $2.38 billion, while earnings remained unchanged from the previous year quarter at $1.66 per share. Adjusted earnings decreased by 9% to $1.64 per share.
Net revenue declined by 2% to $36.1 billion. The results were hurt by lower passenger car sales and planned heavy-duty truck downtime at GMNA.
Looking ahead into the full year 2019, the company continues to expect adjusted earnings in the range of $6.50 to $7.00 per share and adjusted automotive free cash flow in the range of $4.5 billion to $6 billion.
The company remains on track for the execution of transformation cost savings of $2 billion to $2.5 billion through 2019. Earnings guidance is narrowed to the range of $5.91 to $6.75 per share from the previous range of $5.76 to $6.79 per share for the full year.
For the second quarter, total vehicle sales in North America decreased by 4% year-over-year to 876,000 and vehicle sales in the Asia/Pacific, Middle East, and Africa fell by 9% to 900,000. Total vehicle sales in South America declined by 0.6% to 163,000.
Also read: Ford Q2 financials
Due to China’s economic slowdown, China industry unit sales are expected to remain weak through the second half of the year, with industry deliveries projected to be down for the full year. GM China expects to benefit from about 20 new vehicle launches, the majority of which will go on sale later in the year.
Nearly two-thirds of the launches in the second half are SUVs. However, GM expects equity income in the second half of the year to be generally in line with the first half, due to ongoing headwinds.
Shares of General Motors ended Wednesday’s regular session down 0.17% at $40.34 on the NYSE. Following the earnings release, the stock rose 3% in the premarket session.
Last month, the IPO market was in a full swing. IPOs of Snowflake (NYSE: SNOW) and JFROG (NASDAQ: FROG) had an impressive opening day in September, the former creating a
PepsiCo Inc. (NASDAQ: PEP) beat market expectations on both revenue and earnings for the third quarter of 2020. The company saw the momentum continue in its snacks business while the
With more and more people turning to virtual entertainment sources, amid the virus-related movement restrictions, video game publishers like Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: EA) are witnessing unusually high demand. Not surprisingly,


text:
Equities slid amid a disappointing outlook from Apple, while energy stocks fell with the price of oil.
In 2.14pm trading in New York, the Dow Jones Industrial Average eked out a 0.03 per cent advance. The Nasdaq Composite Index dropped 0.7 per cent. In 2pm trading, the Standard & Poor's 500 Index fell 0.3 per cent.
In the Dow gains in shares of Boeing and those of Nike, recently trading 4.2 per cent and 1.9 per cent higher respectively, offset slides in shares of Apple and those of Merck, down 3 per cent and 2.2 per cent respectively.
While Apple's latest quarterly earnings per share exceeded analysts expectations, analysts were disappointed with its outlook for iPhone sales-especially given the rival Samsung's woes.
"In essence, in China and elsewhere, while Apple's products are still seen favourably, the distance between Apple and its competitors is nowhere near as great as it once was," Neil Saunders, head of retail research firm Conlumino, wrote in a note, according to Reuters.
The latest US economic data were better than anticipated. The US trade deficit shrank 5.2 per cent to US$56.1 billion in September, bolstering hope that third-quarter GDP growth might beat expectations.
"We now believe the boost from trade could be closer to a full percentage point, almost twice what we had expected," Michelle Girard, chief economist at RBS in Stamford, Connecticut, told Reuters.
Girard said she now predicts real GDP growth in the third quarter of 3.3 per cent.
Separately, a Commerce Department report showed new home sales rose 3.1 per cent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 593,000 units in September, an unexpected gain.
Mondelez International shares climbed, up 3.6 per cent as of 1.35pm in New York, after the maker of Cadbury chocolate upgraded its full-year profit forecast.
The company has increased its full-year adjusted earnings per share outlook and now expects growth of about 25 per cent on a constant-currency basis, Mondelez said in a statement.
"Our third quarter results underscore our continued commitment to improve operational efficiency, expand margins and profitably grow volume while also investing in strategic growth initiatives for the longer term," CEO Irene Rosenfeld said in the statement.
In essence, in China and elsewhere, while Apple's products are still seen favourably, the distance between Apple and its competitors is nowhere near as great as it once was.
SHARE THIS QUOTE:
"In the face of challenging market conditions, we're building a stronger, more streamlined company that is well positioned to deliver sustainable, profitable growth and attractive cash generation," Rosenfeld noted.
In Europe, the Stoxx 600 Index finished the day with a 0.4 per cent slide from the previous close. France's CAC 40 Index slipped 0.1 per cent, Germany's DAX Index declined 0.4 per cent lower, while the UK's FTSE 100 Index shed 0.9 per cent.
Germany's Bayer, which agreed to buy Monsanto in a US$66 billion deal, reported better-than-expected quarterly profit bolstered by its pharmaceutical unit.
Even so, Bayer shares closed 1.4 per cent lower in Frankfurt as investors were concerned about weakness in its Crop Science division.
Pharmaceuticals posted "encouraging" sales growth of 7.6 per cent in the quarter, Consumer Health sales grew 3.6 per cent, while sales of Crop Science were level year on year, Bayer said.
"Earnings are not strong enough to fuel markets," Ralf Zimmermann, an equity strategist at Bankhaus Lampe in Dusseldorf, Germany, told Bloomberg. "Some investors who had expected accelerating earnings may be disappointed."


text:
China's state television network CCTV this weekend reported that at least one worker has died, with others injured, from N-hexane poisoning at a factory which supplies components for Apple's iPhone and iPod Touch. The report alleges hazardous work conditions and disputes over pay and safety issues at a Wintek Corporation subsidiary in Suzhou. Here's the CCTV video report (in Chinese), and here's an English language item in China Tech News. I can't find any Western (or more trusted, independent, China-based) reporting on this yet, with which to validate the claims. I've reached out to both Apple and Wintek for comment.
Update: Here's a related report from January, in China Daily claiming that at least four workers died from hexane overexposure. (thanks Charles Starrett). More reports from January: The Star, and Engadget. Wintek is a major parts supplier for Nokia, also.


text:
To help provide employees with improved financial well-being, DailyPay tapped into Fiserv’s Digital Disbursements offering to allow workers access to their earned, but unpaid, wages. The solution sends these funds quickly and securely through multiple methods instantly, the same day or the next day, according to a case study from Fiserv.
“We live in a world where instant is an expectation,” DailyPay CEO Jason Lee said in the study. “The evolution of the on-demand economy has created a new generation in the workforce who expects to be paid immediately for services rendered. Employees want the financial security of knowing their hard-earned money can be used in case of an emergency or to pay their bills.”
Employees can access the offering through their existing HR platforms and/or via the app from DailyPay. Users tend to make requests when they need money instantly to pay rent before the next payday or when an unexpected expense arises. As a result, Fiserv noted, “the ability to provide employees immediate payments into their account is critical for DailyPay’s business model.”
Through Digital Disbursements, payments can be sent to a bank account at a federally insured financial institution in the U.S. via automated clearing house (ACH) or the NOW Network from Fiserv. Alternatively, payments can be sent through electronic funds transfer networks such as Visa and Mastercard, as well as the Accel debit payments network from Fiserv, STAR Network or PULSE. In addition, payments can be sent via an email address, a mobile phone number or a physical check.
Currently, DailyPay partners report an average adoption rate higher than 30 percent, with more employees opting into direct deposit by enrolling in DailyPay per the case study. At the same time, the company said partners report a 52 percent faster fill rate of open positions compared to companies that do not offer DailyPay. In addition, applicants say they are 1.9 times more likely to apply for a job that offers DailyPay. In total, 94 percent of employees use DailyPay to pay bills, while almost 73 percent of the service’s users report greater control of their finances.


text:
SHAHEEN: TRANSATLANTIC ECONOMY IS ANCHOR FOR GLOBAL ECONOMIC STABILITY
New Hampshire Business Leader Stresses Importance of European Trade for American CompaniesDecember 09, 2009
(Washington, D.C.) - U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen today held a hearing of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on European Affairs, which she chairs, to examine the economic, trade, and investment ties between the United States and Europe. The hearing also explored increasing access to opportunities for further integration, expansion, and deepening of this critical partnership. Charles Howland, President of Warwick Mills Inc., a New Hampshire-based company that has developed into a world leader in innovative textile engineering, traveled to Washington to testify about the importance of European trade to his business.
"With much of the global attention turning to rapidly developing economies, like China, India, and Brazil, it is easy to forget that, by far, America's largest, most vibrant, and perhaps most critical economic relationship is actually with Europe," said Shaheen. "It would be a mistake to neglect this crucial partnership as we attempt to dig ourselves out of this economic downturn and create jobs."
For every dollar in goods traded across the Atlantic, nearly four dollars are invested between the United States and Europe, and these investment dollars from Europe lead to jobs in the United States. European investment supports tens of thousands of jobs in New Hampshire and an estimated seven million jobs across the country.
As governor, Shaheen led New Hampshire's first trade delegation outside of North America, traveling to England, Ireland, Germany and Denmark on missions that generated millions of dollars for New Hampshire businesses. Today, Europeans buy nearly $1 billion worth of goods from New Hampshire businesses, and European countries represent six of the top ten overseas markets for New Hampshire goods.
"As a small business we exist on the value of our innovations and we must invent to thrive," said Howland. "To make a commercial success out of our inventions we must have access to markets that are deep and sophisticated. Europe is at the top of the list in these characteristics."
Testimony was also offered today by Robert Hormats, Under Secretary for Economic, Energy, and Agricultural Affairs, U.S. State Department; Dr. Frances Burwell, Vice President and Director of Transatlantic Relations & Studies, Atlantic Council of the United States; and Michael Maibach, President and CEO, European-American Business Council.
"The U.S.-European economic relationship is one of the central drivers of the world economy," said Hormats. "Given the importance of transatlantic trade and investment in supporting high-quality jobs in the United States, I cannot empha enough the importance of making further efforts to remove barriers to commerce between the United States and Europe. We need to build on this strong transatlantic foundation as we continue to construct new international economic rules and architecture to meet today's challenges."
Representing more than 800 million people, the combined economies of the United States and Europe generate a GDP of $32.7 trillion - which accounts for more than 50 percent of the world's GDP. Both the United States and Europe represent each other's largest trading partners, and total trade between the two, which now stands at over $600 billion per year, represents an astounding 33 percent of the global trade volume.
Press ContactPress Office
Next Article Previous Article


text:
A new, relatively stealth startup called Rock City Apps is gearing up for the launch of a mobile application called UpTo, and has raised an undisclosed amount in seed funding from Detroit Venture Partners and Ludlow Ventures to finance the development of the product.
The company, which is based in Detroit, Michigan, plans to launch its first iPhone app ‘soon’ and lets you indicate your interest by inviting you to sign up to receive an invitation to the private beta.
You can do that here.
Rock City Apps co-founder and chief executive Greg Schwartz, previously founder and CEO of Mobatech and director of business development at Warner Music, has this to say about the service:
UpTo is a platform focused on the future tense that makes sharing calendar events simple and social. Other social applications are based on status updates and check-ins that are after-the-fact. UpTo lets friends see what’s coming, ahead of time.
The platform is built on top of your existing calendar and social graph.
Sounds interesting, but we’ll have to wait to see if it actually is.