text:
By Jay Bemis | Advertising Systems Inc.
The parade of nations that opened the delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympics last week was perfect timing for a retail report of note: One that ranks the top 10 countries in terms of global e-commerce sales forecasted for 2021.
That report earlier this month from the editors at eMarketer/Insider Intelligence shows China at the top — or taking the gold, if you will — with 52.1% of total worldwide e-commerce sales share for 2021, with the United States bedecked in silver at 19% share and the United Kingdom draped in bronze at 4.8%.
The same editors didn’t halt competition with those international rankings, though: Focusing specifically on the USA, eMarketer/Insider Intelligence released another report last week ranking the top 15 companies in the country in terms of retail e-commerce sales growth, also forecasted for 2021.
That U.S. competition in the retail arena features crafts-and-vintage retailer Etsy with a Cinderella-like win, taking the gold with 26.9% e-commerce sales growth — and nudging out the likes of Walmart (26.4%), pet-friendly Chewy (25%), Amazon (24.9%) and Costco (21.7%) in the top five.
China’s Prowess in International E-Commerce Field
Both the size and buying power of consumers in China remain key factors in its 52.1% share of e-commerce sales, the eMarketer editors said.
They noted: “Asia-Pacific is by far the largest market for retail e-commerce with digital sales amounting to nearly $2.992 trillion in 2021. This year, digital retail sales there will be more than three times greater than in North America and nearly five times greater than in Western Europe.”
Though a distant second among countries in e-commerce sales, the U.S. nonetheless still will near the $1-trillion mark with such sales in 2021, eMarketer said.
The fastest-growing country in e-commerce sales, meanwhile, will be India.
“Although India’s total retail sales growth dropped dramatically in 2020, e-commerce is soaring,” eMarketer said. “We expect digital sales to leap 27.0% this year, as more retailers launch or expand their online stores. That will lift the country to eighth place in the annual retail e-commerce sales table.”
Pandemic Boosted E-Commerce in the USA Rankings
In projecting the top 15 companies for e-commerce sales growth in 2021, that eMarketer report said eight of them will outpace the country’s overall growth rate, which is anticipated to be 17.9% for the year. The rankings are based on the gross value of services sold on the website of each company, via browser or app.
“Most of these eight retailers have one thing in common: They capitalized on pandemic-induced spending on home improvement, online grocery, and pet care while offering consumers convenient fulfillment options, great prices, or both,” eMarketer said.
Following Etsy, Walmart, Chewy, Amazon and Costco in the top five in the report were Apple, Wayfair, The Home Depot, Kroger and Macy’s in sixth through 10th places, respectively, and Target, Lowe’s, eBay, the Qurate Retail Group and Best Buy in 11th through 15th places.
“Together,” eMarketer said, “these 15 companies will account for 72.3% of e-commerce sales in the U.S. this year, up 10.5 percentage points from 2019, largely due to growth seen by Amazon and Walmart.”


text:
Bulgarians Consume EU Finest Foods - Deputy Agriculture Min
Bulgarians consume some of the finest food products in the EU, said Deputy Minister of Agriculture Yavor Getchev at the opening of a forum near the city of Varna.
Livestock, vegetables, perennials and the establishment of processing plants will be among Bulgarian agriculture priorities in the next programming period, Minister of Agriculture Dimitar Grekov announced.
“Over 80% of fruit and vegetables consumed in Bulgaria are imported, the same goes for the meat market,“ said the chairman of the Bulgarian Association of Agricultural Producers (BAAP) and former Minister of Agriculture Ventsislav Varbanov.
The association stated its position on the allocation of funds in the next programming period. Their demands include the application of measures concerning farm animal welfare through incentives for investors, as well as the construction of grain processing plants.
Currently Bulgaria is an exporter of cheap raw materials, according to Varbanov.
Some 500 attendees will take part in the three-day long Agricultural Producers Forum in Bulgaria's Golden Sands resort.
- » Bulgarian Farmers are Preparing to Protest over Changes in Farmland Law
- » Bulgarian Sauvignon Blanc Received an International Award
- » Bulgarian Farmers will Receive an Additional BGN 700,000 for Insurances
- » Turkey will Produce its Own Vehicle
- » Ukraine and Bulgaria will Build an International Road
- » Power Distributors in Bulgaria Seek 8% - 20% Increase in Prices of Electricity

domain: news


text:
Apple Tuesday (Oct. 23) launched its much-anticipated iPad mini, a device offering most of the benefits of its full-size counterpart for less. The new device could accelerate in-school iPad programs that are popping up across the country as school districts turn to lower-cost tablets for individual students rather than classroom computers.
"We're already starting to talk about our next rollout around our district," Andrew Marcinek, instructional technology specialist for Massachusetts' Burlington School District, told TechNewsDaily. Burlington has 1,100 iPad 2 devices in the high school — one for each student — and is expanding its 1:1 iPad program to the district's middle and elementary schools.
During yesterday's announcement, Apple CEO Tim Cook said that iPads are available in more than 2,500 schools in the U.S. In the second quarter of this year, iPads outsold Mac computers by a 2 to 1 margin, and the shift to tablets is expected to grow. Schools will spend as much as $162 billion on tablets by 2017, double today's budget, according to research firm NPD DisplaySearch.
"The new iPad [mini] could become our primary tool for the classroom," Marcinek said. The lowest priced iPad mini will sell for $329, which represents about an 18 percent savings over the iPad 2 at $399.
But it's not just the price that appeals to the school district.
[SEE ALSO: Why the iPad mini Could Be Better for You ]
"The smaller version would work nicely for little hands," Marcinek said. The district has used iPads in the lower grades and the device has been a bit cumbersome, he said. The mini is about half the weight of a full-size iPad, equivalent to an ordinary pad of paper. The 7.9-inch display offers a better fit for young hands without sacrificing much in the way of display size. Resolution, battery life and durability are also important, he said. The iPad mini matches the resolution and battery life of the iPad 2.
Marcinek said that today's launch could have a big impact on schools across the country. But funding may still be a big question. Burlington is not a rich school, falling somewhere in the middle, he said.
The first question he always hears from other administrators is, "How do you pay for it?"
"Burlington's superintendent of schools Eric Conti believes technology expenditures should be like purchasing electricity," Marcinek said. "It should be a line item that no one questions because technology is an imperative for students' futures."
- Scammers Set to Cash In on iPad Mini
- 10 Computer-Security Essentials for High School Students
- Why Apple Is the New Religion


text:
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has sent more than 44 warning letters to manufacturers and over 300 warning letters to retailers for violations relating to nontobacco nicotine (NTN) products since President Joe Biden signed legislation authorizing the agency to regulate tobacco products containing nicotine from any source. Additionally, the FDA has issued new warning letters to 102 retailers for illegally selling NTN products to underage purchasers.
In an update, the agency detailed what it described as “significant progress” in processing and reviewing premarket tobacco product applications for synthetic nicotine products.
On March 15, 2022, a new federal law gave the FDA the authority to regulate tobacco products containing nicotine from any source. This law took effect April 14, 2022, and after July 13, 2022, any new NTN product that has not received premarket authorization from the FDA cannot be legally marketed.
The FDA says it received nearly 1 million NTN applications from more than 200 companies. To date, all applications submitted by May 14 have been processed, and more than 85 percent have been reviewed to determine if they meet the minimum requirements to be accepted for further review, according to the agency. In total, the FDA has issued refuse to accept (RTA) letters for more than 800,000 NTN products in applications that do not meet the criteria for acceptance.
In total, the FDA has accepted over 350 applications for NTN products, with the vast majority being for e-cigarette or e-liquid products. The agency stresses that acceptance is not a determination about the products’ authorization status. “Accepted applications will enter further review, which ensures certain criteria are met for applications to proceed with further review,” the FDA wrote in its update.
More information about the FDA’s premarket review progress and compliance and enforcement actions is available at the agency’s NTN product webpage.


text:
Prior to joining Treebo, Shukla was associated with Flipkart as the Director of Engineering. At Flipkart, he built e-commerce giant's supply chain engineering group from the scratch and managed supply chain technology stack for last four years. He led some of the some of the projects for the brand including building several core platforms and value added services such as EKart Courier, alternate delivery model, logistics service externalization and the last mile route planning.
Shukla said, "Treebo is solving a tangible problem for the country's unorganised budget hotel segment and augmenting guest experience through technology. My key learning from Flipkart is strong customer orientation and Treebo is taking it up a notch. I am looking forward to being a part of this exciting and humbling journey."
Maulik holds an MBA degree from Walter A. Haas School of Business, Berkeley, California and has pursued his MS from Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT) Chicago.
Treebo has 6000 rooms across 250+ properties in 50 cities in the country.
Read the now!
Indulge in digital reading experience of ET newspaper exactly as it is.Read Now
Download The Economic Times News App to get Daily Market Updates & Live Business News.
ETPrime stories of the day
12 mins read
2 mins read
11 mins read


text:
Infosys Technologies on Thursday said it is scouting for acquisitions to grow its products and platform business, which it expects to contribute one-third of its revenues in the next 5-7 years.
"We are looking at building IP assets ourselves and we will also partner with our clients to co-create (assets) as this will be crucial. We will also look at acquisitions ... to convert it to products and platforms," Infosys CEO and MD S D Shibulal told reporters at the Infosys Innovation Day.
Infosys expects 33 per cent of its revenues to come from products and platforms in the next 5-7 years. At present, the segment constributes a little over 6 per cent to revenues.
Shibulal said, "Currently, about four per cent of the revenues come from Finacle, while the other products and platforms contribute about two per cent. Today, we have 12 platforms and 9 nine products from six platforms at the end of FY'11.
"To reach a portfolio of 12 products and 12 platforms, we will have to build IP assets ourselves, co-create with clients as well as grow inorganically," he said.
Infosys, which is sitting on a cash pile of over $3 billion, has met criticism from investors and analysts as rivals like Tata Consultancy Services and Wipro have boosted their businesses with multiple acquisitions.
"We will have short term challenges but I believe we are on the right path. This is about a choice about redefining the industry, being ahead of the curve and redefining for the long term and creating a balanced portfolio. We believe that's the only sustainable approach," Shibulal said but declined to comment on details.
With economic uncertainty impacting IT spending decisions of clients, IT firms are looking at redefining their offerings themselves as they look to offer clients more transformational solutions.
"We are looking for assets which will help our clients transform their business. For example, we may make a small $20 million acquisition, but have the potential to bring in business worth $200 million," Infosys SVP and global head (products, platforms and solutions) Sanjay Purohit said.


text:
On our latest From the Cold Corner Podcast, I discuss the state of frozen foods and COVID-19’s effect on the entire industry with Alison Bodor, president and CEO of the American Frozen Food Institute (AFFI).
Frozen food sales rose significantly the final week of April, according to new research by the American Frozen Food Institute (AFFI), 210 Analytics, and IRI. The +50.3% increase was the highest since the height of mid-March stockpiling by consumers, when frozen food sales peaked at +94.4% compared to 2019 sales for the same time period. The +50.3% increase translates to $1.3 billion compared to $442 million in 2019.
The adage, "shoot for the moon and you'll still land among the stars" comes to mind when assessing frozen food sales since early March. The rocket launch of consumer stockpiling created astronomical sales figures that were impossible to sustain, but now that buying has leveled off, the year-over-year numbers look like they'll be hovering around +30% over 2019 sales for weeks to come, if not the rest of 2020, according to new data from the American Frozen Food Institute (AFFI) and 210 Analytics. That means the meteoric sales arc created by panic buying in March has a long way to go before it comes down to normal levels.
New numbers from NCSolutions for the week ending April 18 support the trend that many cold foods are still selling strong, focusing on frozen food categories in particular. Week-over-week numbers showed a decline in most frozen categories, which NCSolutions attributes to slower Easter weekend shopping when many stores were closed for the holiday.
State of the Industry Report from NFRA/Nielsen shows YOY growth in both segments.
February 25, 2020
Today’s frozen and dairy departments are clearly connecting with shoppers showing combined sales of $125 billion in the 52 weeks ending June 29, 2019. Nearly every U.S. household buys from the frozen and dairy departments annually, and the diverse appeal of these products crosses generational, multicultural and socio-economic demographics.
The July 2020 issue of Refrigerated & Frozen Foods magazine takes a mid-year snapshot of the cold chain in our annual State of the Industry Report, plus our 2020 Best New Retail Products Contest winners, women in cold chain logistics, the latest innovations in palletizers and refrigeration controls, plus much more—just click below to start reading.


text:
October 27, 2017 (Sherbrooke, Que.) – When it’s almost time to call it a season, riders gather for two months of intense cyclocross racing. A mix of spectacular courses feature music and good beer to make for a fun atmosphere. With the 2017 CX Nationals about to begin in Sherbrooke, Que. Pedal spoke with ex-national team member and beer passionate, Pierre-Olivier Boily. He’s the one in charge of turning this important race day into a fantastic bike party.
Back then, Pierre-Olivier Boily was about to move to Sherbrooke, where he started his Siboire microbrewery in 2007 with two partners who were just as passionate about good beer and cycling.
The Belgian Way
Sherbrooke was already a regular stop on the provincial cyclocross circuit. After his second Paralympic Games in Beijing in 2008, Boily decided to have another crack at cyclocross. “Organizers asked me if I could bring some beer to celebrate cyclocross in true Belgian style. I said no worries, I’ve got this covered.”
Since then, Sherbrooke’s cross races have never run out of beer. In 2015, Boily and his team even brought a huge tent and made a big beer garden similar to what they saw at many UCI races in the US. “It’s such a nice gathering. People are serious all summer long… it’s time to loosen up a bit, not worry too much but still race your bike really hard,” adds Boily.
As more and more local cyclocross events ensure they have a brewery sponsoring their races, Siboire is raising the bar up each year. This year’s nationals will feature a beer specially brewed for the event, La Déraillée (Eng: Derailed). “It’s a Belgian IPA that my partner Joe brewed to warm up those who will be out there cheering for the riders,” Boily explains. ”Considering cyclocross roots, a belgian beer is a must. And cyclists love IPAs, so let’s drink that.”
When asked if he plans to remain involved with those new events, his final words are clear. “I’ve spent all of my life in cycling, I make beer for a living, and cyclocross is so much fun… it would be crazy not to continue!”
The party’s just beginning… and is not about to stop too soon.
Registration for the CX Nationals is still open in every category, from youngsters to masters, until Thursday, Oct 26, 2017 at 5:00 PM EST – click here.
Visit the event’s website and facebook page for more details.


text:
Kat Von D dropped hints about her upcoming beauty products, including a new GLIMMER PALETTE
Our sweet, benevolent Queen, Kat Von D, has already made it clear that she has plenty of magical surprises in store for 2017, and knowing her they’re gonna be big ones. That said, we did NOT see her latest sneak peek coming — because it looks like Kat Von D will be releasing a new palette hot on the heels of the already legendary Alchemist palette! Specifically, she looks to be releasing what she calls a GLIMMER PALETTE!! What did we do to deserve such wonder and joy in our lives?
Though she doesn’t go into specifics as to what exactly the Shade + Light Glimmer palette could possibly be, we have a feeling it could be a highlighter palette. What we know for sure, is that it will be absolutely magnificent!
Perfumes and lip liners and palettes, oh my!
From the looks of this photoshoot, 2017 is gonna be a good year for Kat Von D beauty!
These looks are absolutely stunning!
And as with all her products, we can already tell these new releases will be versatile and look hot on everyone.
Unsurprisingly, her fans flipped out when they heard about the new arrivals. Not only is the news of an impending glimmer palette thrilling, but her long-awaited liners will soon be here to make our lips even more perfect!
We are also dead with the news, Instagram.
And though we aren’t exactly sure how our bank accounts are going to fair with the release of so many new products this year, it’s really not something we can worry about right now. The heart wants what it wants and who are we to deny those needs?
Keep your eyes peeled for any clues as to what the glimmer palette may be or when it is launching on Kat’s social media. You know she loves to give us those sneak peeks!


text:
Every year, Apple provides free scholarships to students and STEM organization members who don't have the $1,599 necessary to purchase a ticket to the Worldwide Developers Conference.
For Apple's 2019 WWDC event, scholarship applications were accepted from March 14 to March 24, with Apple promising to notify winners on April 15. April 15 has rolled around and emails are going out to those who were chosen to receive a scholarship now that Apple has reviewed the submissions.
Apple is offering 350 scholarships in total, which will include a WWDC ticket, free lodging, and a one-year membership to the Apple Developer Program.
🎊 I've won a #WWDC19 Scholarship! 🎊
Whether or not you were accepted, it was a great learning experience, and it was tons of fun chatting and having fun in the #WWDCScholars chat pic.twitter.com/ccn35lxIQ8 — Julian Schiavo (@justJS_dev) April 15, 2019
Apple asked scholarship applicants to create an interactive Swift Playground able to be experienced within three minutes. Like last year, submissions were judged applications based on technical accomplishment, creativity of ideas, and content of written responses on the accompanying application.
Apple held its developer ticket lottery in March and notified developers who won a full price ticket on March 21.
At this year's WWDC event, Apple is expected to debut iOS 13, macOS 10.15, tvOS 13, and watchOS 6 at a keynote event set to be held on June 3. WWDC 2019 will take place from June 3 to June 7 at the McEnery Convention Center in San Jose, California.
Scholarship students and developers who were not chosen to attend the event will be able to follow along with the conference using the WWDC app and developer website.


text:
Top Fashion Retailers in Southeast Asia
As markets around the world continue to be impacted by the pandemic, Southeast Asia thrives.
Sales have plummeted in the UK and US, but international sales increased by significant margins for Asos. Meanwhile, e-commerce in the US got a major boost from cross-border trade, lifted by 42% from last year.
In other words, the emerging market presents expansion opportunities for global fashion retailers.
As a leading figure in the online landscape, the Asia Pacific region houses some of the fastest-growing markets for e-commerce, namely Southeast Asia.
E-commerce in Southeast Asia is projected to surpass US$150 billion by 2025, a 400% increase from 2019. Digitally mature countries in Southeast Asia and higher levels of e-commerce adoption have captured the attention of global brands.
However, brands must capture the local nuances to succeed. After all, local key fashion retailers in Southeast Asia are masters at navigating this landscape.
The Key Fashion Retailers in Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia plays host to a competitive retail landscape, home to key retailers with extended presence across multiple countries.
Local small-medium enterprises (SMEs), a growing pool of independent retailers and fashion marketplaces mushrooming in the region, are tell-tale signs of a rapidly developing market.
Here are the top fashion retailers and marketplaces in Southeast Asia to keep your eye on.
Founded in Singapore, Love, Bonito is a digital native brand that made its start as a blog shop – prior to the e-commerce boom in Southeast Asia. It has since expanded its foothold throughout SEA, namely in Malaysia, Indonesia and Cambodia.
Love, Bonito’s unique proposition is a localised approach. It pushes its ‘Designed for an Asian fit’ philosophy to draw in local consumers – who struggle with limited international sizes that are better suited for Western consumers.
The brand also opened several brick-and-mortar stores to boost omnichannel capabilities. It provides a holistic experience to its customers with services like click-and-collect.
With a focused assortment geared towards womenswear, Love, Bonito boasts the strongest sell-out rate at 72%. Key categories that contribute to its success include bags, shoes and dresses.
Zalora is the largest fashion e-tailer in Southeast Asia. A multi-label marketplace, the retailer currently lists over 4,250 brands on its platform, ranging from established international labels to smaller local favourites.
With operations across seven countries in the region, Zalora has 2 million customers and receives 50 million average site visits monthly.
While Zalora delivers variety, it sets itself apart by tailoring its assortment to each country. The marketplace curates its assortment by including categories and consumer segments that exhibit strong demand locally.
Zalora also owns private labels that are listed on its platform, spanning categories such as basics and modest wear.
Zilingo is an e-commerce platform that lists products on its site for fashion businesses to sell to consumers and charges a commission fee for orders. Currently, Zilingo lists upwards of 1,400 brands on its platform, focusing mostly on small-scale fashion brands in Southeast Asia.
Zilingo provides great exposure to merchants on its platform with 5 million monthly visitors across six countries.
On top of this, Zilingo facilitates quick scaling with tools and software ranging from analytics, management, automated logistics and payment systems for merchants to efficiently process orders.
With numerous brands available, Zilingo has a broad assortment and a more balanced gender mix than the rest.
On the premium end of the spectrum, Mimpikita enjoys an above-average sell-out rate with a $53 median price – a steep amount for a largely developing region.
The Malaysian independent retailer is a modest wear specialist and a popular choice for Eid celebrations, an event that accounts for 30% of annual modest wear sales.
Mimpikita drives sales at premium prices, delivering value to its customers that love its quality and niche designs.
Its success indicates Malaysian consumers are willing to spend on progressive designs and superior quality, as long as there’s value.
Logo Jeans is part of Logo De Corps, a leading fashion retail group in the Indonesian casual fashion market. As Logo De Corps’s womenswear brand, Logo Jeans’s assortment is mainly customised to casual wear, rounded off with several semi-formal options.
Logo Jeans delivers demand at accessible prices for Indonesian consumers, with a median price of $12. This indicates consumers in Indonesia are more price-sensitive – and will gravitate towards the value segment for their retail needs.
With this strategy, the brand achieved the highest sell-out rate on this list at 87%.
Identify Key Players and Potential Competitors Before Expansion
Before expanding into a new market, brands need to understand potential opportunities and threats. By doing so, they can better understand local consumer preferences and behaviours.
As demonstrated by the top fashion retailers in Southeast Asia, a localised approach is crucial to align with the cultural nuances of this region, which can vary greatly by country.
Consumer behaviour and cultural influences are impactful on Southeast Asian fashion trends.
Fashion market insights improves that understanding with an in-depth view of the brand and retailers’ positioning and performance, validated with e-commerce data.
You might also like
Welcome to Cottagecore, Quarantine’s New Fashion Trend
Farmhouses, open fields, sourdough and prairie dresses have become the ultimate form of escapism for a group of Gen Zs online. The new quarantine-led trend is Cottagecore, an aesthetic based on a fantasy lifestyle in the Western countryside. It was first cultivated through online platforms like Tumblr but has recently grown in popularity on TikTok. […]
Leading Up to 11.11: Shopee Singapore 9.9 & 10.10 Performance in 2020
Sales events are integral to Southeast Asia’s e-commerce landscape. With 11.11 just around the corner, we took a look at how Shopee Singapore performed during 9.9 and 10.10 in 2020 for a clearer picture of what to expect in the next major shopping event. In the build-up towards Single’s Day on 11th November (11.11), more […]
How Retailers are Dealing with the Second Wave of Covid-19
A number of countries have implemented heightened social distancing regulations in August and September as the second wave of Covid-19 cases resurges in Asia Pacific and Europe. Once again these restrictions will have an immense impact on consumers and the retail industry. Physical stores are only allowed to operate at a limited capacity to curb […]
How to Competitor Benchmark to Identify Opportunities
In an increasingly competitive landscape, brands and retailers must competitor benchmark to stay ahead of the game. E-commerce continues to scale and push the boundaries of profit and opportunities worldwide. While this has been true for years, the Covid-19 pandemic further amplified the phenomenon. Online shopping surged by 30% in the span of three months […]
The Secret to Everlane’s Pricing Strategy
Marketed as the ‘most radically transparent’ apparel brand in the industry, Everlane’s mission was about bringing full accountability to the table and revealing the true cost behind each product. Choosing the direct-to-consumer approach, Everlane was able to cut the middleman and adopt a unique pricing strategy that enabled them to produce high-end essentials at a […]
Top Fashion Retailers in Southeast Asia
As markets around the world continue to be impacted by the pandemic, Southeast Asia thrives. Sales have plummeted in the UK and US, but international sales increased by significant margins for Asos. Meanwhile, e-commerce in the US got a major boost from cross-border trade, lifted by 42% from last year. In other words, the emerging […]


text:
Momeni expands showroom presence in Atlanta
December 26, 2012-- Home Textiles Today,
Carlstadt, N.J. - To accommodate its growing offering of coordinate accessories to its core rug program, Momeni is opening a new and additional showroom at the AmericasMart here in time for the International Area Rug Market in mid January.
Locted on the fourth floor neighboring its eisting rug showroom, the new space is where the company will display several new collections of decorative accessories such as decorative pillows and poufs -- all made work as stand-alone pieces as well as coordinates to Momeni's area rug collections.
As Reza Momeni, president, explained: "The company began with the idea of finding rare and beautiful finds from all over the world and bringing them here. We are continuing the tradition by offering these beautiful pieces."
In addition, the company is also bringing in to market new one-of-a-kind rugs from Pakistan, Turkey and India.
Related Content By Author
Industry Related Content
H&TTtv Talks Outdoor Rugs


text:
[YS Exclusive] Freshworks shares are “most bought” by Indians during the listing week; exceeds Microsoft, Amazon, Apple
FreshworksThe $ 10 billion IPO will go down as a red letter day in Indian SaaS history. After the extravagant NASDAQ listing on September 22, its stock (traded under the ticker symbol “FRSH”) quickly gained popularity with Indian retail investors.
At the close of trading on Friday, September 24, FRSH was already the most purchased share by Indians, according to Funding acquiredLive inventory tracking. The platform registered with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) allows Indians to invest in foreign stocks, primarily NASDAQ and NYSE stocks.
In shared data exclusively with Your story, Vested Finance revealed that FRSH traded more than popular stocks such as Microsoft (MSFT), Shopify (SHOP), Salesforce (CRM), Amazon (AMZN), Apple (AAPL), Zoom (ZM), Adobe (ADBE) , Facebook (FB) and Tesla (TSLA). More than Rs 2 crore has been invested in FRSH since its registration.
FRSH has managed to keep its top position on acquired even if its the stock price fell 1.66% to $ 46.75 (from $ 47.54) at market close on Friday.
The data source: Funding acquired
Viram Shah, co-founder and CEO, Invested Finance, Recount Your story,
âInvestigations were made by Indian investors even before the listing. But unfortunately, they are not allowed to invest directly in IPOs in the US markets. Since Freshworks was listed, the observed trend has been phenomenal. For the past three days, she has been the # 1 action on our platform. This shows that investors are riding the global wave and investing in big IPO stocks like Freshworks. “
âWe witnessed a 50% increase in daily new account openings on our platform over the past few days due to the excitement of Freshworks, âadded Viram.
At the time of registration, the Giant SaaS founded by Girish Mathrubootham made 10 percent of the company’s shares available for retail purchase. The IPO event enabled Freshworks to raise $ 1.03 billion public procurement.
âIt gives me a great sense of fulfillment today, as I feel that this IPO has given me the opportunity as CEO to take responsibility for all of the employees at Freshworks at this time. day, including those who are former employees today, and everyone who believed in us over the past 10 years and contributed to Freshworks, âGirish told the media.
Given the positive sentiment in the market, with FRSH up 30 percent on opening day, Freshworks’ current valuation of nearly $ 15 billion, according to Forbes estimates. This not only makes it the Most Popular SaaS Unicorn from India, but also one of the top three Indian startups in terms of valuation.
YourStory’s flagship startup and leadership conference will be virtually back for its 13th edition from October 25-30, 2021. Sign up to receive updates on TechSparks or to express your interest in partnerships and speaker opportunities . here.
To learn more about TechSparks 2021, click on here.


text:
The holiday shopping season is here, and whether you're shopping the small businesses in Ferndale or heading out to an area mall, you'll want to keep some safe shopping tips in mind.
Ferndale Police Chief Tim Collins said at the Ferndale City Council meeting last week that he wanted to "remind residents and shoppers to be careful" and to put their packages and bags in their trunks, versus in the passenger seat or backseat where they are in plain view to the public.
For more safe shopping advice, local mall manager Catherine O'Malley - who runs Fairlane Town Center in Dearborn - offers these tips:
1. "Make sure you're comfortable," O'Malley said. She said she often sees Black Friday shoppers at the mall in pajamas and slippers. Is it comfy? Then go for it!
2. Stay hydrated and fueled. Plan out your meals or pack some snacks.
3. "Don't carry a handbag if you don't have to," O'Malley advises. Instead, keep all cards, cash and IDs in a wallet in your pocket, or a small purse that can be worn close to the body.
4. Do not—I repeat, do NOT—put your bags down. It's an open invitation for a would-be thief to snag some free gifts at your expense.
All in all, make sure that holiday shopping is as much fun as the gift-giving itself. Don't stress, and don't overdo it, O'Malley said.


text:
Boris Johnson has been urged to move Staffordshire out of "unwarranted" Tier 3 restrictions by council leaders across the county.
County council boss Alan White, along with Staffordshire's eight borough councils, have told the Prime Minister the county should be moved into less strict Tier 2.
They have lobbied Mr Johnson to make the change when the Government revises which tier each area of England is in on December 16.
In line with Tier 3 rules - the harshest that can be imposed - pubs, cafes and restaurants can only operate takeaway or delivery services, while indoor tourist attractions must stay closed.
However, if Staffordshire was moved to Tier 2, they would be able to reopen.
In their letter, the council leaders say the area's falling Covid infection rates mean the current Tier 3 restrictions are 'unwarranted', with many local businesses being left 'on their knees'.
The tourism and hospitality sectors employ more than 33,000 people in Staffordshire, and contribute £1.85 billion to the county's economy. According to the letter, businesses will be able to keep customers safe while helping the local economy recover from the pandemic.
The letter states: "Infection rates are falling rapidly across Staffordshire as local authorities work with public and community leaders to defeat this terrible disease.
"Yet sections of our economy and many local businesses are on their knees.
"Any prolonged stay in Tier 3 restrictions will damage the economy, lives and livelihoods further. We firmly believe that the impact on our hospitality and tourism businesses is also unwarranted.
"The review of tiers on December 16 presents the perfect opportunity to move Staffordshire from Tier 3 to Tier 2.
"By doing so, Government would provide the desperately needed shot in the arm for hospitality and tourism in Staffordshire and the country as a whole.
"We would urge you to look into this as a matter of urgency, so that our businesses can recoup some of their losses endured this year as we approach Christmas, and are able to start contributing to the recovery that we are all desperate to support and see."


text:
reported a first-quarter loss of $22.2 million, or $1.09 a share, as revenue more than quadrupled from year-ago levels to $30.1 million. The loss was narrower than Wall Street expected and revenue jumped 43% from fourth-quarter levels, also exceeding analysts' expectations.
The stock jumped 10, or 14%, to close at 84 ahead of the news.
For its year-ago first quarter ended March 31, 1998, the company reported a loss of $13.3 million, or 96 cents a share, before charges. All figures exclude the effect of a recent 2-for-1 stock split. The
consensus estimate had the company losing 57 cents a postsplit share, or $1.14 a presplit share.
Exodus also said it would acquire closely held professional services provider
Cohesive Technology Solutions
, an affiliate of New York private investor
Welsh Carson Anderson & Stowe
, for $100 million. The acquisition of the Palo Alto, Calif., company is designed to fill out Exodus' service offering.
Exodus also nailed a few other milestones. The company said it surpassed the 1,000-customer mark and that annualized revenue per customer rose to $148,000 from $133,000. The company also boasted that 47% of its new customers were in the enterprise, bringing the total number of enterprise customers to 400. Finally, Exodus said that two more of its data centers reached EBITDA profitability, bringing the total number of EBITDA-positive data centers to seven out of a total of eight.
The following story was posted at 10:18 a.m. EDT:
Wall Street Expecting Exodus to Show Its Growth Is Real
SAN FRANCISCO -- As
prepares to report first-quarter earnings this afternoon, revenue growth is the name of the game. That's because the Web-hosting and network-management company has posted nine consecutive quarters of more than 40% sequential revenue growth. Investors and inquiring analysts want to know: Can the company do it again?
The answer: Most Exodus watchers say it's possible, although unlikely, that the Santa Clara, Calif., company can pull this off again. But even if it fails to hit the mark, analysts say Exodus is likely to report another solid quarter.
"It's absolutely in that range," says Farrokh Billimoria, an analyst with
Hambrecht & Quist
, referring to the revenue growth rate. "But even if they did 35% to 38%, that would be huge." H&Q has no underwriting relationship with Exodus.
Billimoria expects Exodus to post a loss of 57 cents a share on revenue of $26.6 million, compared with a loss of 46 cents in the same quarter last year and a loss of 50 cents in the most recent quarter.
analyst Rakesh Sood, who upgraded Exodus Tuesday to the recommended list from market outperform, believes the company will post a loss of 56 cents a share on revenue of $26.1 million. "We think that there is considerable potential for an upside surprise in revenues," wrote Sood in his upgrade note. Goldman has an underwriting relationship with Exodus.
consensus of 13 analysts has Exodus losing 57 cents a share. The unofficial estimate, or whisper number, calls for a much smaller loss of 44 cents. That would fall in line with the company's track record: Exodus has beaten or matched the Street's estimates for the past four quarters. Even though Billimoria's estimate nearly matches the consensus, he's hedging for an upside earnings surprise. "It's highly unlikely that they'll beat the estimates by that much," says Billimoria, speaking of the whisper number. "But I think they'll beat the number by at least 2 to 3 cents."
In late March, Billimoria upgraded Exodus to a strong buy from a buy rating, placing it on H&Q's focus list, which highlights the firm's top 30 picks from a total list of 440 stocks.
Goldman's Sood expects Exodus to show continued growth in the managed-services side of its business, which company executives say improves profit margins and has been instrumental in winning new accounts. In addition to selling Internet access and server hosting to companies, Exodus also sells a variety of services such as caching, network security consulting and data storage. Managed services constituted 9% of revenue in the third quarter and 14% in the fourth quarter, says Sood, who looks for that figure to climb to 20% by the end of the year. But it's difficult to track this figure because Exodus doesn't break down its revenue into separate parts.
Some investors are also hoping to see continued growth in the number of Exodus' customers. Matt Ankrum, an analyst with
, one of the 10 largest institutional shareholders in Exodus, is expecting 90 to 100 new customers this quarter. Exodus started the quarter with 830 customers, up from 642 the previous quarter.
One other key metric is average revenue per customer, which could signal an increase the company's margins. Exodus CFO Richard Stolz said that average revenue per customer grew to $133,000 in the fourth quarter of 1998 from $127,000 in the third quarter. "It could be moving up, but I'm comfortable if it moves down," says Ankrum.
Even though analysts and investors are bullish on Exodus, the company continues to burn through cash at a startling rate. Last year, for example, Exodus lost $66.4 million, compared with a loss of $25 million in 1997. But analysts are unfazed by these numbers, regarding the red ink as a natural result of the company's growth and the investment required to build 10 more data centers by the end of the year. They take comfort in the fact that Exodus' data centers are projected to reach EBITDA profitability in 13 to 15 months. Already, company executives claim five of their eight current data centers have reached this stage.
"If they were ever concerned about growth," says Ankrum, "they could turn off the spigot on growth and just gush cash."


text:
In the market for a new luxury crossover? You could do a lot worse than the Volvo XC60. But if the existing model isn't luxe enough for your taste, Volvo has now announced the availability of a new trim level that amps things up a notch.
- Volvo shoots for self-drivers by 2021
- Jeep spends $1 billion on factories
- Find Parts & Accessories for your vehicle!
- Obama rolls out new EV plan
- Infiniti dealers ranked best, Tesla worst
- Compare Volvo XC90 and Lincoln MKX


text:
Artificial intelligence-generated art is everywhere.
Just scroll down your Instagram or Facebook feed, and you’ll see a bunch of selfies turned into magic avatars with Lensa, an AI image generator app launched in 2018 that is all the rage at the moment.
Images created by AI aren’t only found in your social media feed — they’ve already made their mark in OpenSim and other virtual environments.
From AI art galleries in OpenSim to AI-created fully immersive three-dimensional environments, AI is already shaping how we experience virtual worlds.
The rise of AI text-to-image generators
Nowadays, pretty much anyone can create AI-generated art thanks to AI text-to-image generators.
All three AI image generators can take simple text commands and create entire works of art.
The quality of the AI art varies depending on the text you put in and what you’re asking the AI to create.
Here’s a video comparing how the three image generators stack up against each other:
AI art created using these three tools can be found in all sorts of virtual settings.
If you’re on OpenSim, you can take a trip to an AI art museum called AI Dreams in Art.
AI Dreams in Art is a region in Kitely where you can admire and make copies of art created by Dale Innis using Midjourney.
The hypergrid address is grid.kitely.com:8002:AI Dreams in Art.
AI has reached a point of being so accessible that mass acceptance is unavoidable at this point, said virtual world hobbyist Han Held.
“AI is already being used by non-professionals with no AI background to enhance their interests and activities,” Held told Hypergrid Business.
Held used Stable Diffusion to create some AI-generated portraits that decorate her home in Second Life.
“The results feel more authentically like paintings than I could have made on my own,” she said.
The art that these AI image generators create doesn’t have to be just two-dimensional.
Here’s an example of how Midjourney can make a three-dimensional virtual reality image:
And here’s a three-dimensional image created on Stable Diffusion by Scottie Fox that you can actually move around in::
Images created using these new AI text-to-image generators aren’t only decorating our virtual worlds — they’re already becoming the virtual worlds we explore.
AI is creating virtual worlds
AI is increasingly being used to create detailed images for virtual worlds and other environments, said Matt Payne, CEO of machine learning consulting firm Width.ai.
“AI algorithms allow developers and designers to create realistic graphics that were once impossible to generate,” Payne told Hypergrid Business.
The AI-generated images are becoming more realistic and complex as the technology improves while offering advantages over manually created ones, said Payne. “AI can produce a large number of variations quickly, which makes it easier for developers and designers to choose the best image for their project.”
And GET3D works fast.
GET3D can generate about 20 objects per second using a single GPU, said NVIDIA’s Isha Salian in a blog post.
The name GET3D comes from the AI’s ability to generate explicit textured 3D meshes, which means that the shapes come in the form of a triangle mesh covered with a textured material. This way, users can import the objects into game engines, 3D modelers, and film renderers and easily edit them.
AI is also being used to transfer the artistic style of one image into another.
An AI algorithm can be trained on images with a specific artistic style, and that training can be used to apply the same style to other images, said Amey Dharwadker, machine learning engineer at Facebook.
“This can be used to create a wide variety of artistic styles and can be applied to 3D objects and environments in video games and virtual worlds,” Dharwadker told Hypergrid Business.
Here’s a video of a Google Stadia demo showing how the technology works in real time:
While Google Stadia recently shut down due to a lack of popularity, style transfer technology can still be used to change the artistic styles of virtual reality worlds and games without needing a human artist to do the work.
AI could help you create metaverse environments with just your voice
In the future, we could all be the artists that speak our virtual worlds into existence.
Back in February, Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg demonstrated the company’s Builder Bot, an AI tool that lets you change your virtual surroundings in the metaverse with just your voice.
“It enables you to describe a world, and then it will generate aspects of that world for you,” Zuckerberg said in the demo.
Zuckerberg and another Meta employee used voice commands in the demo to create a simple beach scene that had clouds, a picnic table, and Zuckerberg’s hydrofoil.
The technology still has a long way to go.
In the Meta demo, the scene looked low-res and lacked detail.
The future of AI images in virtual worlds
As AI continues to mature, it could eventually generate lifelike environments that we can’t distinguish from reality.
One possible direction is through the use of generative adversarial networks, or GANs, said Facebook’s Dharwadker.
GANs are a type of AI model consisting of two neural networks that are trained together to produce realistic images, said Dharwadker.
“GANs have shown great potential for generating high-quality images and could be used to create more realistic and immersive environments,” he said.
AI could also be used to support human creativity, Dharwadker added. “This could include using AI to suggest ideas and concepts or to refine and enhance existing human artist designs.”
In the future, not only could AI create totally realistic virtual environments for us to explore, it could be working hand in hand with humans to create the images we find in virtual worlds.
“By combining the creativity and ingenuity of humans with the computational power of AI, it is possible to create even more impressive and engaging images for video games and virtual worlds,” said Dharwadker.
MetaStellar news editor Alex Korolov is also a freelance technology writer who covers AI, cybersecurity, and enterprise virtual reality. His stories have also been published at CIO magazine, Network World, Data Center Knowledge, and Hypergrid Business. Find him on Twitter at @KorolovAlex and on LinkedIn at Alex Korolov.


text:
In India, WhatsApp sends messages and Paytm sends money.
Or at least, that was the old order of things.
But as of today, Paytm users will have the option of accessing newly added chat features — including photo and video sharing — within their Paytm digital wallets.
The move comes as WhatsApp — the Facebook-owned global messaging app currently used by two-thirds of India’s 300 million strong smartphone carrying population — has been woking toward rolling out its own P2P payment service for its customers. That services is still a few months away from rollout — Paytm’s move is something of a preemptive strike.
Deepak Abbot, Paytm’s senior vice president of product, said his company had decided to add the communications feature because it provides necessary and long-requested functionality for users who often need to be able to send informational messages along with their funds.
“If I sent money to you, I’d wonder, ‘Hey, have you received the money?’” Mr. Abbot said in an interview. “Either I’d call you, or find another messaging app.”
Paytm was first founded to solve a simple problem — paying a mobile phone bill — but has seen explosive growth since India rapidly demonetized a year ago. With cash notes increasingly a thing of the past, consumers have been looking for newer, digital methods — and Paytm found itself in the all-time rightest place, at the right time.
Powered recently by $2 billion in financing from Alibaba, China’s leading eCommerce company, and SoftBank, the Japanese investment giant, Paytem approached consumers as a simple, accessible and mobile way to pay at a variety of places and widely expanded its product and service offerings. These days gold by the gram, airline tickets and all sorts of personal entertainment options can be paid for quickly and securely via Paytm.
WhatsApp, which has over 200 million monthly active users in India and 1.3 billion worldwide, has been considering a P2P payments play. Neeraj Arora, head of business at WhatsApp, said in an October interview that his team was studying opportunities that have arisen since demonetization.
“They are trying to digitize every part of society,” said Mr. Arora, who also sits on the board of Paytm. “We play right in the middle of it. It’s natural for us to think about improving the experience.”


text:
It wouldn't be a major videogame industry event without a Sony executive making an offhand remark about The Last Guardian. This time, vice president of Sony Worldwide Studios Europe Michael Denny was on hand to make sure that we know the title is still very much a part of the Japanese giant's long term strategy.
"There are no new announcements. It’s still in development," the big-wig stated. "It’s something we’re very, very excited for, and I understand why people want to ask all the time, because it’s an exciting project from an exciting team.” We could be wrong, but we get the feeling that Michael Denny might be excited about this game.
When affable executive Shuhei Yoshida was asked wether we might see the hotly anticipated title at the Tokyo Game Show next month, his response was an emphatic no. He was also predictably reticent to give out any more details about the game's release schedule. "I cannot confirm any timing because we are waiting for it be in a state where we are happy that this is the game," Yoshida said. "We have a certain time frame in our mind and the team is making great progress, but still not to the point that we can say that.”
Are you still excited for The Last Guardian, or has the waiting game completely destroyed your excitement? Let us know in the comments section below.


text:
AGOA Textile and Apparel Benefits Suspended for Rwanda
President Trump issued July 30 a proclamation suspending the application of duty-free treatment under the African Growth and Opportunity Act for all apparel products from Rwanda. The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative notes that Rwanda remains eligible to receive non-apparel benefits available under AGOA and that this suspension does not affect the vast majority of Rwanda’s exports to the U.S.
One of the AGOA eligibility criteria is making continual progress toward establishing a market-based economy and the elimination of barriers to U.S. trade and investment. According to USTR, the East African Community announced in 2016 plans to phase in a ban on imports of used clothing and footwear by 2019. USTR states that while EAC members Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda subsequently took actions to reverse their policies (and thus continue to receive full AGOA benefits), Rwanda insisted on retaining its tariffs and U.S. efforts over the past two years to address this issue have been unsuccessful.
The proclamation thus suspends Rwanda’s duty-free access to the U.S. for apparel products until Rwanda comes back into compliance with the AGOA eligibility requirements. USTR states that the president opted to take this step instead of terminating Rwanda’s status as an AGOA beneficiary and supports continued engagement with the aim of restoring market access for used apparel.


text:
Porsche Centre Kochi delivered
the first new 911 GT3 in Kerala. The model’s 500 hp, four-litre six-cylinder
engine, which produces 460 Nm of torque, remains virtually unchanged from the
one used in the thoroughbred 911 GT3 Cup racing car.
Pavan Shetty, Director of
Porsche India, and Sabu Johny, Managing Director, Porsche Centre Kochi handed
over the keys of the all-new Porsche 911 GT3 to to Ashique Thahir.
When equipped with the
standard seven-speed double-clutch transmission (PDK), the 911 GT3 reaches 100
km/h in 3.4 seconds, achieving lightning-quick lap times and a top speed of 318
km/h. The 911 GT3 is now available for order at all Porsche Centre’s across the
country with a basic retail price of Rs 23,793,000 (Rs 2.37 crore) (ex-Showroom).
BorgWarner has clinched an agreement with a major North American OEM to supply its bi-directional 800V Onboard Charger (OBC) for the automaker’s premium passenger vehicle battery electric vehicle (BEV...
Uno Minda, a leading tier 1 supplier of proprietary automotive solutions to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), has unveiled an innovative range of side stand sensors and switches that use advanc...
As the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) continues to grow, Honeywell has created innovative solutions to address safety concerns across the spectrum of EV manufacturing and use.


text:
SINGAPORE—Nokia Corp. unveiled a new smartphone and three lower-priced handsets as the company attempts to stem market-share losses and buy time during its transition to phones that run software from Microsoft Corp. MSFT -1.31% Microsoft Corp. U.S.: Nasdaq $37.61 -0.50 -1.31% Dec. 11, 2013 4:00 pm Volume (Delayed 15m) : 37.85M AFTER HOURS $37.63 +0.02 +0.05% Dec. 11, 2013 7:59 pm Volume (Delayed 15m): 2.00M P/E Ratio 13.93 Market Cap $318.14 Billion Dividend Yield 2.98% Rev. per Employee $810,010 12/11/13 Survey: CIOs Plan Microsoft Ta... 12/11/13 HEARD ON THE STREET: Microsoft... 12/11/13 Microsoft's Xbox One Sales Top... More quote details and news »
Nokia's decision in February to dump its Symbian smartphone software—considered cumbersome and outdated compared with its rivals—and make handsets using Microsoft's Windows Phone software has left the company in a bind. As it works through the transition, Nokia is stuck with its old technology and struggling to stop phones from Apple Inc. INTC -1.61% Intel Corp. U.S.: Nasdaq $24.42 -0.40 -1.61% Dec. 11, 2013 4:00 pm Volume (Delayed 15m) : 23.91M AFTER HOURS $24.53 +0.11 +0.45% Dec. 11, 2013 7:59 pm Volume (Delayed 15m): 770,364 P/E Ratio 12.85 Market Cap $123.38 Billion Dividend Yield 3.69% Rev. per Employee $498,581 12/06/13 Sky-High Stocks: A Split Decis... 12/04/13 Bill on Patent 'Trolls' Seen L... 12/04/13 Intel Aims to Bag Bigger Share... More quote details and news » and that run Google Inc. GOOG -0.68% Google Inc. Cl A U.S.: Nasdaq $1077.29 -7.37 -0.68% Dec. 11, 2013 4:00 pm Volume (Delayed 15m) : 1.66M AFTER HOURS $1075.24 -2.05 -0.19% Dec. 11, 2013 7:24 pm Volume (Delayed 15m): 55,223 P/E Ratio 30.54 Market Cap $362.37 Billion Dividend Yield N/A Rev. per Employee $1,059,710 12/11/13 NASA: Google Founders Received... 12/11/13 Streaming Video Means Streamin... 12/11/13 Microsoft's Nadella Says IT Sp... More quote details and news » 's Android operating system from taking even more of its market share.
Nokia has unveiled a new smartphone running the operating system it plans to ditch, as well as plans to ship other smartphones. Are these phones enough to give the Finnish handset maker some mojo?
Making matters worse, the company's strong position in lower-priced phones in emerging markets is also being eroded by competition from Chinese manufacturers. Just last month, Nokia warned that its core handset division might not book a profit in the second quarter.
Nokia saw its global handset-market share decline to 25.1% in the first quarter from 30.6% a year earlier, according to market researcher Gartner Inc.
On Tuesday at the Nokia Connection event in Singapore, Nokia unveiled the long awaited high-end N9 smartphone, based on the MeeGo platform that the Finnish phone maker developed with Intel Corp. INTC -1.61% Intel Corp. U.S.: Nasdaq $24.42 -0.40 -1.61% Dec. 11, 2013 4:00 pm Volume (Delayed 15m) : 23.91M AFTER HOURS $24.53 +0.11 +0.45% Dec. 11, 2013 7:59 pm Volume (Delayed 15m): 770,364 P/E Ratio 12.85 Market Cap $123.38 Billion Dividend Yield 3.69% Rev. per Employee $498,581 12/06/13 Sky-High Stocks: A Split Decis... 12/04/13 Bill on Patent 'Trolls' Seen L... 12/04/13 Intel Aims to Bag Bigger Share... More quote details and news »
With a 3.9-inch, high-resolution touch screen and eight-megapixel camera, the N9 comes with sleek touch-based software and, unlike the iPhone, has no home-screen button.
Despite being celebrated by analysts as a well-designed smartphone with an intuitive user interface able to compete against the iPhone, the N9 is unlikely to help improve Nokia's plight, analysts said, because of a lack of support from carriers and developers.
Francisco Jeronimo, an analyst with market-research firm IDC, said the N9 was Nokia's best smartphone to date, but added that it is "dead on arrival."
Nokia last year cooperated with Intel to develop MeeGo—a combination of Nokia's Maemo and Intel's Moblin platforms—for Nokia's high-end smartphones and other devices such as tablets and TV sets. The project faced a major setback when Nokia announced its deal with Microsoft earlier this year.
Since its February announcement, Nokia has repeatedly signaled that its primary smartphone operating system will be Windows.
The lack of operator support means consumers will have to pay full price for the device, another hurdle. In addition, as a new operating system, MeeGo has little support from developers, who write the popular software applications available on Android smartphones and the iPhone. "There is no reason for operators to subsidize the launch or support this device… From a consumer perspective, why would they buy this device, when there isn't an eco-system, as opposed to the Apple or Android devices," IDC's Mr. Jeronimo said.
A Nokia spokeswoman declined to comment directly on the criticism, but said the N9 will "make a strong and unique addition" the company's existing smartphone portfolio.
On stage in Singapore, Nokia CEO Stephen Elop said the N9 was about bringing innovation into the marketplace, and added that "many of the innovations you see today in the N9 will live on in a variety of ways at Nokia."
The smartphone is slated for availability later this year, he added, without specifying the launch date or price. A new phone based on Microsoft software is on track to be launched this year as well, he said.
In addition to the N9, Nokia also pledged continued support for its old Symbian software through 2016, and announced plans to launch up to 10 new Symbian-based smartphones over the next 12 months.
At the same event, Nokia also launched three new low priced handsets, named the C2-02, C2-03 and C2-06.
Two of the three handsets come with two subscriber identity module (SIM) card slots that allow users to maintain two different phone numbers. Dual-SIM phones are increasingly popular in markets such as China and India. "Smartphones clearly represent an important part of Nokia's business, but the reality is that 90% of the world does not have or cannot afford a smartphone or a high-end device," Mr. Elop said.
Mary McDowell, executive vice president for mobile phones, said in a separate briefing the company has been losing share in markets such as India and Southeast Asia due to competition in dual-SIM phones. Nokia says the C2-02 and C2-03 will be priced at around €75 ($108). The Nokia C2-06 will cost €80.
"We may be late to this party, but we are in full swing now," Ms. McDowell said on stage at the event.


text:
Credit Card News Barclaycard Warns Online Shoppers Stay Safe 17961506
Barclaycard warns online shoppers: stay safe
16 November 2006
A survey carried out by the company revealed that 27 per cent of people are not sure how to check whether the website they are using is secure, while 57 per cent fail to check that a website has the secure ‘https’ web address type.
Common mistakes, according to Barclaycard, include using credit card details on public computers, which exposed 14 per cent of shoppers to fraud.
Moreover, while many customers clearly choose to shop online for convenience, Barclaycard expressed concern that 40 per cent would be too rushed to suspend a purchase if concerned about a site’s security.
Last week, research from UK payments association Apacs found over 26.4 million people in the UK now shop online with an estimated 372 million transactions made last year.
Online fraud losses rose by 55 per cent, from £14.5 million in the first six months of 2005 to £22.5 million in the same period for 2006, Apacs said.
Read more about Credit Card Protection
© Adfero Ltd


text:
Just for Men, the male hair care brand, has announced a sponsorship deal with the National Football League (NFL) UK and Europe.
According to the Combe-owned brand, 47% of NFL fans are more likely than the average male consumer to use hair colourants.
The £500,000 investment gives Just For Men prime positioning at major American football games in the UK, Ireland, Germany and France until 2020.
Clare Want, Managing Director of Just for Men, said: “Partnering in the UK with the NFL – an international, heavyweight brand – is a great milestone for Just for Men and will help the brand to further stamp its authority on the market.
“We look forward to engaging with a new audience and seeing how our fans react to the collaboration.”
The sponsorship deal will be supported with a 360° media campaign, including retail partnerships, social media Q&As with the players, and experiential activities.
Melissa Brown, NFL UK’s VP of Commercial Partnerships, said: “Just for Men has a long-standing link with sport so we see them as an ideal partner.
“We look forward to working with them to broaden the reach of the NFL and introduce more and more people to the sport.”


text:
Morpho said has developed an innovative face recognition Software Development Kit (SDK) for smartphone platforms, which Samsung SDS, a global leading ICT service provider, has integrated as a decisive part of a new multi-modal, online authentication solution.
This interoperable solution, which will be fully integrated in Samsung devices and in all existing Android and iOS devices, enables customers to protect their digital identities.
The Paypers. All rights reserved. No part of this site can be reproduced
without explicit permission of The Paypers(V2.3).


text:
Latest ePrize Stories
PLEASANT RIDGE, Mich., March 24, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- ePrize announces it has opened its technology platform to partners, providing the power to engage audiences by leveraging ePrize's robust promotions engine.
PLEASANT RIDGE, Mich., Feb. 22, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- ePrize announces a new multi-channel platform allowing seamless integration between social networks, microsites and mobile in a single marketing campaign execution.
NEW YORK, Feb. 22 /PRNewswire/ -- Advertising Age's Annual Digital Issue released today showcases an interactive front cover, a first for the magazine and its readers.
PLEASANT RIDGE, Mich., Feb. 8 /PRNewswire/ -- ePrize, the world leader of interactive promotions, announced today the appointment of Matt Wise as chief executive officer, effective March 1.
SAN FRANCISCO, Aug.
MyRide.com, the new online resource for consumers to research anything automotive, today announced the launch of the "Road Trip USA" Photo Contest and Sweepstakes. Visitors to MyRide.com can register and upload a photo of their favorite ride for a chance to win a grand prize of $10,000.
- The analysis of literature, focusing on the words and grammar to the exclusion of context or literary merit.


text:
For Immediate Release
January 13, 2021
Senior Vice President, Membership & Business Development
McLean, VA – The Food Processing Suppliers Association (FPSA) today announced Brian Beaulieu, CEO and Principal of ITR Economics, as the keynote speaker for the 2021 FPSA Annual Conference taking place April 27-29 at the Hyatt Regency Indian Wells Resort & Spa in Indian Wells, California.
Brian Beaulieu is a nationally recognized economist and has long been considered one of FPSA’s most popular keynote speakers, having participated in multiple conferences in the past. As a speaker and consultant, Brian provides valuable and practical advice to companies in need of domestic
and global perspectives to increase profits through business cycle trend analysis, forecasting, and effective planning. Brian has shared his expertise through various media outlets including USA Today, Knight Ridder, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The Wall Street Journal, Barron’s,
The Washington Post, Kudlow and Friends, First on Fox, Canadian television, and numerous other outlets.
“This year is the perfect time to bring in Brian Beaulieu to speak at the Conference and provide attendees with his insights and economic forecasts,” said Matt Malott, Chairman of the Food Processing Suppliers Association (FPSA) and CEO/President of Multivac, Inc. “Between prospects for economic recovery following the COVID-19 pandemic and policy changes related to the new administration, Brian will share ITR’s forecasts and expectations of the coming months and years. This information is critical for us both personally and for our businesses.”
“This will be the third time Brian speaks at the Annual Conference,” said David Seckman, President and CEO of FPSA. “His distinctive delivery combines valuable economic data with a sense of humor that FPSA members have always enjoyed. Considering the unique environment in which we have found ourselves over the past year, it made complete sense to bring him in to help us get a better idea of what to expect down the road.”
As always, the 2021 Annual Conference will feature breakout sessions for all major industry segments including meat, dairy, beverage, bakery, prepared foods, and pet food, as well as additional general sessions and breakouts being developed by our Networks.
Registration for the 2021 FPSA Annual Conference will be open on Friday, Jan. 15th with an early-bird rate of $1,055 for FPSA members and $1,300 for non-members. Additionally, there is a special promotional rate for any first-time Network attendees of $595. Anyone interested in attending can register on-line at www.fpsa.org. For more information on the FPSA Annual Conference, contact Andy Drennan at (703) 663-1201 or firstname.lastname@example.org.
The Food Processing Suppliers Association (FPSA) is a global trade association serving suppliers in the food and beverage industries. The Association's programs and services support member’s success by providing assistance in marketing their products and services, overall improvement in key business practices, and many opportunities to network among industry colleagues. Programs and services to achieve these objectives include PROCESS EXPO (industry-leading trade show), electronic media marketing, education, market intelligence, research, and advocation of critical industry issues such as food safety, sanitary design of equipment, and global trade.
FPSA members are organized in vertical industry councils that focus on specific needs and concerns that are unique to each industry sector. FPSA councils currently represent the Bakery, Beverage, Dairy, Prepared Foods, and Meat sectors.


text:
Riverland yuzu gin could become signature drink for South Australia
PUTTING fruit in the liquor loop is a winning new distinction for South Australia, says a self-described “Old Sea Dog” riding the giant gin-soaked drinks wave.
Former master mariner Rowland Short, who entered “all this silliness with gin” after retiring to McLaren Vale a decade ago, says he is competing “with every man and his dog now making the stuff”.
Also searching for a truly SA-centric point of difference is fruit and veg wholesaler Margy Abbot, of AMJ Produce, and the pair have collaborated to create a yuzu gin, using the fresh citrus from a new crop in the Riverland.
They will unveil the yuzu spirit, under the Settler’s label, at the Maximus cellar door on World Gin Day next Saturday.


text:
Smartphones are especially useful for personal and business use since it provides portability and power that laptops, desktop PCs and even tablet can only dream of having. This is why businesses are putting so much effort in deciding which smartphone to use for their daily performance of business tasks. No other aspect of business is benefits more from the productivity and portability provided by smartphones than business communication. Smartphone can be used in a variety of business communication endeavors including but not limited to basic call and text functions, cloud-computing services, and utilization of features and functions offered by phone service providers that include RingCentral and others.
Every year, different smartphones are added to the already considerable repertoire of useful handheld devices. Among the top of the class smartphones based on their track record in the industry are the iPhone, the Samsung Galaxy series, and other Android phones. Also every year, consumers wait in anticipation on what new features and functions each newly released smartphone has in store for them.
With this in mind, we elected to list down what we think would be the most looked forward-to smartphones for the year 2013. The high standards set by smartphones released last year, which include the iPhone 5, the Samsung Galaxy SIII, and HTC Droid DNA, among others, will increase the expectations consumers have for their successors. Here is the list:
What this Year Brings for the Smartphone Industry
iPhone 5S or 6
There is little information yet as to what Apple is up to this year after the success of the iPhone 5 last year. It can be just a refinement on its current flagship or an entirely revolutionary device that has the potential to change the way we look at smartphones. But we expect a few things that would come with the next iPhone: a new operating system, a faster processor, a larger screen, and a more powerful camera.
Samsung Galaxy S4
On the heels of the success of the bestselling smartphone of 2012, Samsung Electronics is set to release it next in the Galaxy S series, the Samsung Galaxy S4. This smartphone has a bigger screen (5 inches), a faster processor, and such nifty features that include eye-tracking and gesture control. With the Samsung Galaxy S4, the South Korean company bids to secure its place as the number one smartphone in the business.
Nokia Lumia 920
The Finnish company has not really been successful in the past few years, with only a number of considerable smartphone released such as the Nokia Lumia series as an exception. The new smartphone of Nokia is heavily-based on the Nokia Lumia 900, only, this time it runs the latest operating system of Microsoft, the Windows 8. The Nokia Lumia 920 smartphone come with the largest battery Nokia ever had, as well as an 8MP camera with floating lens and image stabilization technology.
This might be the best contender of the Samsung Galaxy S4 as the best Android phone for 2013. With a larger screen, a better design, and excellent hardware, the HTC One may actually best Samsung if it will be able to whip up an effective marketing campaign for this smartphone.
In an attempt to save the company from a really devastating collapse Research in Motion is set to release the Blackberry 10, a touchscreen smartphone that is equipped with BlackBerry Hub and a smoother and faster interface.


text:
Restaurants aim for relevance in pandemic response
On May 18, the downtown restaurant Sycamore opened for dinner service on its 15th anniversary.
What, on paper, seems like a joyous event came with complicated emotions, co-proprietor Sanford Speake said. Actually a re-opening, the night arrived with limited seating and social distancing after the restaurant endured what felt like several business cycles in a matter of months.
The coronavirus pandemic has punctured the concept of business as usual for area restaurants, setting off a series of big questions and little innovations. Speake’s sit-down establishment is staying open thanks to federal relief; others benefit from an easily adaptable model.
All are testing their resilience as they try to rebuild their revenues.
“We have to figure out how to pivot in order to continue being relevant so that we don’t just subsidize business for a year with this loan, then close,” Speake said.
Restaurant reservations crashed nationally even before most locations imposed stay-at-home orders. Columbia lost several restaurants early in the crisis. The transition to a delivery or take-out only business model was easier for restaurants already focused on delivery orders.
Pizza Tree owner John Gilbreth said it has been “unfairly easy” for his shop to regroup.
Before the pandemic, approximately 60% of Pizza Tree’s business was delivery and takeout, so an “infrastructure” was already in place when he closed his dining area, he said.
Gilbreth also estimated 40% of his staff was college students who headed home after courses went online. This allowed him to work smaller without firing or furloughing employees.
Compressing hours of service and a different focus allows Gilbreth to avoid the wear and tear of daily restaurant life, like managing awkward customer dynamics in a small space or dealing with clogged toilets.
Most important, the pizza is better, Gilbreth said, as he and his staff concentrate more on performing fewer tasks. These days of simple, refreshing rhythms have him making “back-of-the-napkin” drawings about how to repurpose Pizza Tree’s small dining room. He's in little hurry to change what’s working today.
Harold’s Doughnuts co-owner Michael Urban has centralized operations — Harold’s downtown shop is temporarily closed, and it is focused on drive-thru and retail service at its south Columbia store. This has freed Urban to pursue ideas that were on “the roadmap,” but he anticipated tackling at a later time.
Harold’s now sells DIY cake doughnut kits, and has a prototype for “Harold’s at Home,” a package with yeast-raised doughnut mix and cooking tools that can be shipped anywhere in America, Urban said.
If any good has come from sheltering in place, he added, it’s the “experiences of engagement” — like cooking together — households share. He wants to foster such experiences, even after life returns “to some semblance of normalcy,” to preserve the positive from a difficult time.
Urban also plans to install a pass-through window in the downtown shop, allowing it to reopen in some capacity by National Doughnut Day, June 5.
In his restaurant dependent on dine-in customers, Speake is working on Sycamore’s business model. Focusing on takeout options only brought in 25 to 30% of typical business.
Sycamore could pivot to catering, he said, but that isn’t why he or his staff entered the business. Bearing the weight of new responsibilities, and prioritizing the safety of and generosity to his staff, he will keep feeling his way through a tenuous situation.
Speake said places like Sycamore aren’t inherently essential, but their customers confer that status.
“We matter because of people’s experiences here,” he said. “... The experience could’ve been had elsewhere, but they chose Sycamore. ... Those experiences build up to a point where it’s shared by a lot of people. The place gains a sense of mattering.”
Stories to watch
As restaurants reopen and readjust their business models, a number of stories will develop.
How will businesses change their menu offerings? Factors of scale, relationships and supply and demand might reshape menus going forward. Restaurants like Sycamore are working from a smaller dine-in menu — for now. Suppliers are dealing with new challenges. And customer demand has changed through the pandemic. For example, a recent Missouri Restaurant Association survey found that 75% of Missourians support permanently allowing to-go alcoholic beverages, an option some restaurants have implemented. Will changes like these become permanent or will they fulfill their purpose?
Help wanted? Small businesses and larger, franchise-based corporations are experiencing the pandemic in both strangely similar and very different ways. Those with eyes on the industry will watch to see how, when or if furloughed employees come back and which businesses grow their employee pool. McDonald’s, a giant on the landscape, recently announced that its Mid-Missouri restaurants would add 1,200 summer employees through its Archways to Opportunity program.


text:
Auto retail technology giant Reynolds and Reynolds is the lead investor in Sheeva.AI’s $9.25 million series A funding round announced Thursday.
Sheeva.AI is building an in-car payments software system that works off a vehicle’s location.
The Tysons Corner, Va., company says its geolocation technology will allow drivers to seamlessly pay for fueling, electric vehicle charging, parking, curbside pickup and drive-through services from their car. The technology can detect a vehicle at a specific gas pump, battery charging space, parking spot or drive-through lane. It then enables payment via an in-vehicle infotainment screen or an automaker’s mobile application.
“Like the Sheeva.AI team, we’re big believers in the in-vehicle commerce space,” said Sidney Haider, senior vice president at Reynolds and Reynolds. “Our dealer and automotive OEM network sees the car as a new digital platform that will be as revolutionary as the smartphone was in e-commerce.”
Sheeva.AI, which also has offices in Detroit; New Delhi; Dresden, Germany; and Nagoya, Japan, plans to use the funds to hire workers for its production team and expand its automotive partnerships.
The funding will also help Sheeva.AI add service partners in the fueling, EV charging, parking, tolling, curbside retail and quick service restaurant drive-through sectors in the U.S., India, Europe and Japan, the company said.
“This investment shows the same level of belief and faith that the entire Sheeva.AI team has in the future of in-vehicle commerce and payments,” said Evgeny Klochikhin, founder and CEO of Sheeva.AI.
Other investors in this round included Poppe + Potthoff Capital and Pegasus Tech Ventures, a San Jose, Calif., venture capital firm that works with large global corporations that want to partner with technology startups.
After Sheeva.AI completed Techstars’ global accelerator program in 2020, Tier 1 supplier Hagiwara America seeded it with a $1 million investment in 2021. Sheeva.AI obtained additional funding from Conscious Venture Partners, a Baltimore accelerator and venture capital fund.


text:
Grayscale Head of Research: Crypto to Penetrate Gaming, Virtual Reality
Space is shifting from digital money like bitcoin to DeFi and the metaverse.
David Grider, Grayscale Investments; Blockworks exclusive art by axel rangel
- Crypto, with about 220 million users, has “long way to go” to reach potential as sectors such as DeFi have reached only a fraction of that audience
- Grider expects crypto to be the next wave of the internet
Grayscale Investment’s head of research said at Blockworks’ Digital Asset Summit in New York City last month that as crypto moves into the metaverse, it is going beyond NFTs into sectors such as gaming and virtual reality.
“I don’t know that we’re absolutely there yet, but there’s definitely a lot of interesting use cases that are being built out around that,” David Grider said. “As the industry matures and evolves, I think the tech and adoption will follow.”
Grider joined Grayscale in August after working for nearly two years as head of digital assets research at FundStrat Global Advisors. He had co-founded Aenigma Capital in 2017, an investment company focused on emerging technology ventures at the intersection of fintech and internet innovation.
The head of research noted that he expects crypto to be the next wave of the internet. While the internet has billions of users, Grider said, crypto users are estimated at 220 million, and those within DeFi total between 1 million and 3 million.
“If you’re thinking about the runway from that perspective,” Grider said, “I think that the whole space has a long way to go.”
Watch the full interview below and watch all of the panel videos from DAS here.
Are you a UK or EU reader that can’t get enough investor-focused content on digital assets? Join us in London on November 15th and 16th for the Digital Asset Summit (DAS) London. Use code ARTICLE for £75 off your ticket. Buy it now.


text:
NFT (Non-Fungible Token) games are an exciting new form of entertainment, but one project goes one step further by leveraging fast-growing trends in a convenient way.
The Tokenpuss NFT The project allows gamers to collect and play unique things NFT Represents a platypus – a semi-aquatic mammal that lives in Australia. The goal of the project is to raise awareness about platypus. Endangered Mainly due to the 2019 wildfire that devastated Australia and destroyed its habitat. In addition to raising awareness, 10% of the profits go directly to Australia’s wildlife conservation.
This project has 10,000 unique NFTs called “Tokenpuss” which will be released on December 12th. It will start in two stages. Initially, 8,000 NFTs will be available in mid-December. Early adopters of NFTs will see their cast Tokenpuss appearing in Opensea, the largest NFT market in trading volume.
Second, Tokenpuss NFT will be integrated with the blockchain-based mobile games currently being built in partnership with Australian game studios that have already generated millions of downloads worldwide.
Tokenpuss are cute creatures that live in the Metaverse. It can be used for trading, collecting, and playing in future mobile games. All Tokenpuss NFTs have the same posture, but with different furs, accessories, background colors and types. There is no NFT at the time of writing, but you can get a feel for what you have from the samples published on the official website and Twitter profile.
(Times Square Tokenpuss Banner, 2021)
In addition to weekly giveaways to Tokenpuss followers, one-tenth of the first 100 owners have access to AirDrop. You’ll also get unique products for every 500, 1,000, 2,000, 3,000, 4,000, 5,000, 6,000, 7,000, 8,000, 9,000, and 10,000th owners. After all the tokens have been created, the project opens a merchandise shop and the $ 10,000 worth of Ethereum (ETH) To the lucky “Minter” with a specific NFT.
The project is gaining momentum ahead of its launch thanks to partnerships with YouTube influencers such as CryptoWendyO, CryptosRUs, also known as George T, Crypto Daily Aka Cameron, and Jimipapi.
Save the platypus from imminent extinction
Like above-mentioned, Tokenpuss NFT project It is the only living species of the platypus family and contributes to improving the habitat and conditions of the evolutionarily and morphologically unique platypus species, one of the five existing monotremes.
The platypus strain is estimated to have occurred about 120 million years ago. Key features of the platypus include duck-like beaks, waterproof fur, webbed feet, and the use of receptives to detect prey.
Unfortunately, this iconic Australian species currently faces several challenges that affect long-term population survival. Since platypus species are endemic to Australia, the main problems are related to extreme droughts in most of eastern Australia, which peaked in 2017-2019, and fires that destroyed much of the country. increase. In some areas, droughts and fires were the worst in more than a century, causing platypus deaths and outbreaks, as reported by landowners, zoos, and platypus conservation groups.
The 2019-20 fire after a severe drought heightened concerns about the condition of platypus in the affected rivers, and the Tokenpuss NFT project is a major global organization and influence to raise awareness of this issue. Is affiliated with.
Disclaimer. Cointelegraph does not endorse the content or products on this page. Although intended to provide all important information available, readers should conduct their own research and take full responsibility for their decisions before taking any action related to the company. Nor can this article be considered investment advice.


text:
Carvana’s newest ‘car vending machine’ is operational in Virginia. (Photo: Business Wire)
Carvana is opening its 30th automated location for picking up online vehicle purchases.
The omnichannel platform for buying and selling used cars is launching its 30th car vending machine, situated in Richmond, Va. The red brick-and-glass structure stands 12 stories tall with a 43-vehicle capacity and serves as an automated fulfillment center for online car purchases.
The vending machine, the first Carvana has opened since introducing a “car slot machine” in Las Vegas in February 2021, is designed to offer a fast and convenient pickup option for customers who purchase a vehicle on the Carvana omnichannel platform for buying and selling used cars.
Customers can use the Carvana online platform to shop more than 55,000 used cars for sale; secure auto financing; use a digital car loan calculator; and purchase, trade-in, and schedule as-soon-as-next-day vehicle delivery in as little as five minutes.
In addition to home delivery, Carvana customers in Richmond and other markets with a car vending machine can also choose to select a day and time convenient for them to pick up their vehicle at the automated car dispensing location. Upon arrival, they will be greeted by a customer advocate and receive a commemorative, oversized Carvana coin to activate the automated vending process and watch their vehicle descending through the brightly lit structure from inside the all-glass tower.
Carvana gives customers a high-definition, 360-degree virtual tour of every vehicle, inside and out. Carvana vehicles have passed a rigorous 150-point inspection, have never been in a reported accident and have no frame damage. Features, imperfections, and updated information about open safety recalls are listed on every car’s vehicle description page.
All 55,000-plus vehicles in Carvana’s national inventory come with a seven-day return policy; as opposed to a traditional test drive. According to Carvana, this ensures customers have the right amount of time to determine if the vehicle fits their needs.
Customers can also sell their current vehicle to Carvana and receive a real offer in as little as five minutes, without having to purchase a vehicle. To sell a vehicle, customers enter their VIN or license plate number on Carvana.com, answering a few questions, and then Carvana can pick up the vehicle and bring them a check, as soon as the next day.
In addition to opening its newest car vending machine in Virginia, Carvana also recently began operating in Iowa for the first time, offering soon-as-next-day home delivery of vehicles from its site in the Des Moines market.
“Richmond is now home to our 30th car vending machine, one of the tallest we’ve ever built,” said Ernie Garcia, Carvana founder and CEO. “This homage to Richmond’s distinguished historic district showcases our fun, customer-centric car buying experience and we look forward to continuing to deliver exceptional customer experiences here for years to come.”
The newest car vending machine is the first of its kind in Virginia. Additional car vending machines are located in Utah, Nevada, Kentucky, Tennessee, Texas, Florida, Maryland, Arizona, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, California, Michigan and Georgia. Carvana operates in over 300 U.S. markets.


text:
"They're fun, but can you tow?" Why Toyota won't be doing an electric HiLux or LandCruiser any time soon
Don't expect to see a fully electric HiLux or LandCruiser anytime soon, with...
Browse over 9,000 car reviews
Renault claims its incoming next-generation all-electric Megane E-Tech will be 90 per cent recyclable, as it targets carbon neutrality by 2040.
According to Renault, the Megane E-Tech had been designed with a circular economy in mind. Not only will each vehicle use 28 kilograms of recycled plastic in its construction, and minimise its environmental impact by re-using aluminium off-cuts from the stamping process, but its materials will also be reclaimed at the end of its life.
The recycled materials will be re-used at a new Gigafactory designed for this purpose in Douai in the north of France. To reduce its carbon footprint further, the Megane E-Tech will use as many locally sourced parts as possible in order to cut its carbon footprint from transport.
Renault says 70 per cent of the new Megane E-Tech’s overall mass is sourced from within Europe.
The new Gigafactory will open its doors in 2024 and will have a focus on recycling the valuable metals used to make lithium-ion batteries.
Renault’s move toward ‘circular economy’ projects is part of a once-in-a-generation re-think of car manufacturing as the mass-production of electric vehicles bring up new issues for the industry. A strategic shift of manufacturing facilities to the key markets of Europe, China, and the US is taking place as brands are forced to move factories closer to battery construction facilities.
Renault is the latest to make big sustainability claims, following in the footsteps of brands like BMW and Polestar, both of which also offer circular economies for their vehicles, with the latter offering a publicly available life cycle assessment report for each vehicle’s overall environmental impact.
The hefty cost and impact of high-voltage batteries has made manufacturers conscious of reclaiming the materials at the end of the vehicles life, although how the plans will come to fruition is still unclear.
The Megane has morphed from a hatchback to a small SUV as it moves into the electric era, with the new-generation model launching on a new CMF-EV platform shared with Alliance partners Nissan and Mitsubishi. It is yet to be confirmed for the Australian market, but will launch in Europe in two variants, either a 96kW/250Nm base version or a 160kW/300Nm flagship.
It can travel 299km between charges on a base 40kWh battery, or 470km on the larger 60kWh battery, and can be charged from 10-80 per cent in 30 minutes using a DC charger capable of its maximum 130kW charging speed. It has a max AC charging speed of 7.4kW for a charge time of eight hours for the larger of the two batteries. Unlike the Polestar 2, the Megane E-Tech can feed power both ways via its charging port thanks to vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology.
It is due to launch in Europe during the course of 2022, stay tuned as we keep an eye on Renault Australia’s plan for the model.


text:
Cyberpunk: Edgerunners is an animated series which tells a standalone, 10-episode story about a street kid trying to survive in a technology and body modification-obsessed city of the future.
Cyberpunk: Edgerunners News
Dec 31, 2021 - UPDATE: The video was produced before both Chainsaw Man and Bleach's Thousand Year Blood War received confirmed release date windows for 2022. Even though they are not listed, both are also highly anticipated anime for 2022. 2021 has been a stellar year for anime fans. Huge hits like Jojo's Bizarre Adventure continued to delight and new favorites like Ranking of Kings have emerged triumphant. While we could be sad that it's coming to end, there's no reason to mourn as we can look forward to even more amazing anime in 2022. Whether you're eagerly awaiting the sophomore series of a show you already love or looking for something entirely new, next year is stacked with releases like Attack on Titan Final Season Part 2 and Made in Abyss Season 2 that'll have you eagerly counting down the days until the new year. Whether you're on Crunchyroll, Netflix or another streaming platform, you'll have a ton of 2022 anime to check out this year! Don't forget to stick to the end of the video to see our other anticipated anime 2022 choices that didn't quite make our top 10 anime because of no confirmed dates yet. Let us know what upcoming anime of 2022 you're looking forward to in the comments below!
Aug 30, 2021 - Here’s everything we know about the many video game adaptations coming to Netflix.
Jan 27, 2021 - After decades of mostly misses, video game movies and shows may finally have found their rightful home on the streaming giant.
Jun 25, 2020 - Studio Trigger reveals their involvement in creating an anime series based in the Cyberpunk 2077 universe.


text:
Selling youre gold coins might not be as easy as everyone thinks, there are lots of dealers but a lot of them only seem to be interested in buying back the coins they sold. The way a lot of them make there money is from the difference in the price fluctuations, which is called the spread. Here is a great article on one investors expierience
Bullion dealers, cash-for-gold outlets and hundreds of online companies selling gold coins and bars have sprung up in recent years as investors have looked to cash in on rising gold prices. You can now buy and sell bars on your mobile phone, and there are even vending machines dispensing ingots in shopping centres.
But how easy is it to cash in gains if you have invested in the precious metal? For many investors the attraction of gold is that it is a tangible asset. After the financial crisis many want to invest in a product which should hold its value should stock markets crash, banks collapse or if governments printing more money decreases the value of “paper” currencies.
But how easy is it to sell and realise the value of gold ingots, sovereigns or exotic coins such as the US Buffalo, the Chinese Panda or the Austrian Philharmonic?
After all, even if these real assets have risen in value, it is of limited use if you can’t derive an income from them, sell them at their current price or spend them.
One reader who contacted The Daily Telegraph said the sales process may not be as transparent as many people think. He bought a 1oz Britannia gold coin for £1,129 just over a year ago – as gold prices peaked. With prices falling, he decided to try to sell it.
You can read the full story over at the www.telegraph.co.uk