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China’s Rising Fruit and Vegetable
By Sophia Huang and Fred Gale
USDA Economic Research Service
Since the 1990s, China has substantially raised its profile in
the global market for fruits and vegetables. Total export
value of China’s fruits and vegetables (fresh fruit, fresh
vegetables, processed fruit and vegetables, fruit and vegetable juices,
pulses, and tree nuts) more than doubled between 1992-94 and 2002-04,
from $2.3 billion to $5.1 billion. China has become a leading
exporter in some markets where its presence was negligible 10 years
earlier. China’s exports go mainly to Asian countries, which also
important markets for U.S. exporters. A sharp decline in U.S. market
share has coincided with the surge in Chinese exports in a number of
China’s Rapid Rise in Exports
While most of China’s vegetable exports are processed, fresh
vegetable exports nearly tripled between 1992-94 and 2002-04. Fresh
vegetables are now the second-largest fruit and vegetable export category,
accounting for 16 percent of export value and about 5 percent
of global trade. Two products, garlic and mushrooms, account for
more than half of fresh vegetable exports, with a combined average
value of $481 million per year during 2002-04. Other leading fresh
vegetable exports include onions, carrots, and radishes.
China’s export markets for fruits and vegetables are mainly in
Asia. More than 40 percent of processed fruit and vegetable exports
by value go to Japan. Nearly three-fourths of China’s fresh vegetable
exports went to its Asian neighbors in 2002-04. Major markets
included Japan (31 percent), Association of Southeast Asian Nations
(ASEAN) (25 percent), South Korea (7 percent), and Hong Kong (6
percent). Garlic, mushrooms, onions, carrots, and radishes accounted
for over three-fourths of the 2002-04 total.
Points of Rivalry with the United States
China’s emergence as a fruit and vegetable exporter presents
a new source of competition for U.S. producers, mainly in three
categories: apple juice, fresh apples, and fresh vegetables. China
exports apple juice (mainly concentrated) directly to the U.S., Japan,
and Canada, and its exports of fresh apples and several types of vegetables
compete with U.S. exports in Asian markets. China’s largest
export category, processed fruits and vegetables, does not yet pose a
serious challenge to the U.S. because the U.S. and China have been
exporting mostly different types of processed fruits and vegetables.
However, China’s rising exports of fresh vegetables and apples
coincided with falling market share of U.S. exports in Asian markets.
Fresh Vegetable Exports
U.S. fresh vegetable exports go primarily to Canada and Mexico,
but Asia is an important market where U.S. products face competition
from China. Although trade disputes with the U.S. and other
countries over Chinese garlic since the early 1990s have been indicators
of China’s growing presence in world markets for fresh vegetables,
the main competition between the U.S. and China lies in Asia.
Four East Asian markets—Japan and, to a much lesser degree,
Korea, and Hong Kong—are the primary markets outside North
America for U.S. fresh vegetable exports. Broccoli, onions, cauliflower,
asparagus, and head lettuce account for about 70 percent
of U.S. fresh vegetable exports to Asia. Although most products
exported by the U.S. are different from those of China, China’s
fresh vegetable exports to Asia have shown greater variety and
have begun to include many of the major items that the U.S. exports,
particularly since the mid-1990s.
Two of the four East Asian markets—Japan (with 69 percent
of U.S. exports to Asia) and South Korea (with 6 percent)—are
points of competition between the U.S. and China. The other two
markets—Taiwan and Hong Kong—have unique trade relationships
with China. Taiwan, with a 14-percent share of U.S. fresh vegetable
exports to Asia, does not permit entry of most Chinese fresh produce
for political, economic and food safety reasons. Hong Kong received
5 percent of U.S. fresh vegetable shipments to Asia in 2002-04, but
its imports of fresh vegetables from China rose steadily following its
return to Chinese sovereignty in 1997. Some Hong Kong growers
have moved their production to China to reduce production costs.
China’s share of Hong Kong’s import market for fresh vegetables
reached 73 percent in 2004.
Japan receives most U.S. exports to Asia of broccoli, onions,
cauliflower, and asparagus. China’s share of Japan’s import
for fresh vegetables grew from less than 10 percent in 1989-91 to 37
percent in 2002-04. It surpassed the U.S. as the leading supplier to
Japan in 1996. The U.S. share, after reaching a peak of 29 percent
in 1994, dropped to 19 percent in 2002-04. For example, U.S. garlic
growers raised concerns about Chinese garlic imports beginning in
the early 1990s. See U.S. Department of Commerce (2004, 2005) for
Onions and, to a lesser degree, broccoli are the major fresh
vegetables exported to Japan by both countries at present, but the
variety of Chinese exports is broadening. China has substantially
increased its market share for nearly all of Japan’s top 10 fresh
vegetable imports, including many of the major crops the U.S.
exports, from a decade ago.
Similarly, South Korea’s imports of China’s fresh vegetables
increased from less than $1 million before 1994 to $66 million in
2004, and China’s market share surged from under 36 percent before
1994 to 75 percent in 2002-04. In fact, China has been the leading
supplier of fresh vegetable exports to South Korea for most years
since the 1990s. In comparison, the U.S. market share, after peaking
in 1996 at 43 percent, generally declined. In addition, as in Japan,
the growth of China’s market share in South Korea is broad based,
including onions, broccoli, and carrots, although quantities remain
small for some of these imports.
Factors Behind China’s Competitiveness
Farmers Respond to Profits
China’s substantial increase in fruit and vegetable production
is a major factor behind its fast export growth. Market reforms
introduced in the late 1970s gave farmers more freedom in planting
decisions, allowing them to divert land from grains to more lucrative
cash crops. Fruits and vegetables yield high returns per acre of
land—a scarce resource in China—and use more labor, an abundant
resource in China. China’s National Development and Reform
Commission (NDRC) estimated that vegetable production in China
yielded an average profi t of 1,563 yuan per mu (equivalent to $1,172
China’s horticultural crop production has increased dramatically.
Fruit orchard area rose from 1.73 million hectares in 1978-80 to
9.44 million hectares in 2002-04. Vegetable area swelled from 3.68
million hectares to 17.62 million hectares (China National Bureau of
Statistics). In 2004, China grew 550 million metric tons of vegetables
on 17.6 million hectares of land. Apples are China’s most important
fruit, with production of 23.7 million tons in 2004, up 3.2 million
tons from 2000.
According to data from the Food and Agriculture Organization
of the United Nations, China produced nearly half of the world’s
fi ve times the U.S. share. China also produced 16 percent
of the world’s fruit, more than double the U.S. share, including
percent of the world’s apples. China’s increase in vegetable
between 2000 and 2004 (2.3 million hectares, or 5.7 million acres)
exceeded the entire vegetable acreage in the U.S. (3.7 million acres
in 2002). China’s production has grown mainly to meet domestic
demand (over 90 percent of fruit and vegetable production is for the
domestic market), but the production increase has facilitated China’s
increased presence in global fruit and vegetable trade.
Low Production Costs
China’s competitive advantage lies in its low production costs.
Survey data reported by NDRC indicate that prices received for
vegetables at the farm level were about 5 cents per lb in 2004,
and production costs were less than 3 cents per lb. Material inputs
accounted for slightly more than half of production costs, and labor
costs accounted for less than half. China’s abundant rural labor
supply means that wages and labor costs are low. Most work is done
by hand, so machinery costs on Chinese fruit and vegetable farms are
Exporting agricultural products, especially fruits and vegetables,
was emphasized as an important way to aid the farm sector in
China’s “Number 1 document.” The document is a 2004 policy
statement that gave primary importance to addressing the “three
rural problems” of low rural incomes, slow rural economic growth,
and a weak agricultural sector. The “Number 1 document” set a
goal of boosting agricultural exports to $30 billion within 4-5 years
by improving quality and safety of products, increasing the scale
and competitiveness of processing enterprises, diversifying export
markets, and aiding exporters through access to credit and insurance,
value-added tax rebates, and other policies facilitating exports (China
Ministry of Commerce, 2005). Private enterprises that do not have“ dragon head” status can have diffi culty obtaining bank loans.
Factors That May Slow China’s Exports
While the Chinese fruit and vegetable sector appears to have
the potential to become an export juggernaut, several factors may
impede China’s export growth.
High Marketing Costs
China’s advantage in production costs does not necessarily
translate into competitiveness in fi nal markets. As produce moves
through the marketing chain, high markups, losses, waste, and
other ineffi ciencies dramatically raise the cost. One Chinese official
estimated that about 30 percent of vegetables in China are lost postharvest
due to poor storage and that 90 percent of vegetables arrive
at market with inadequate grading, washing, or packaging.
While marketing remains a problem, China is improving its
market infrastructure rapidly. A vast system of toll roads now connects
nearly all major cities and most towns, and the Government
is in the midst of a campaign to build roads in rural areas. Since
1995, China’s Government has promoted construction of a “green
corridor” network of roads designed to connect areas that produce
fresh agricultural produce with urban markets. Many cold storage
facilities have been built in recent years.
The emergence of modern supermarket chains with advanced
procurement systems is advancing marketing effi ciency greatly. The
opening of the wholesale and distribution sectors to foreign competitors
in 2005 as a result of China’s commitments as a World Trade
Organization member is likely to bring even greater competition and
efficiency in marketing as well as increased investment in cold
facilities (USDA, December 2005).
Growing Domestic Market
Growing domestic demand for fruits and vegetables is providing
an increasingly attractive alternative to exports, a factor that
constrain growth in Chinese exports in coming years. Vegetables are
a major part of Chinese meals, whether at home or in banquet halls.
Chinese consumers are cutting back on consumption of traditional
cabbage and other low-end vegetables and diversifying their consumption
to include a wider variety of vegetables.
As Chinese household incomes rise, fruit and vegetable consumption
will rise. The relationship between income and fruit and
vegetable consumption is evident from a comparison of per capita
purchases by high-income households in China with the overall
average. For example, household survey data for 2000 show that
the top 10 percent of households (ranked by disposable income per
capita) purchased 19 percent more vegetables and 40 percent more
fruit than did the urban per capita average.
Purchases of several important export crops—carrots, onions,
garlic, eggplant, celery, and spinach—are especially popular among
high-income Chinese households, with purchases by the top 10
percent exceeding the urban average by 20-40 percent.
As the Chinese economy grows, income gains will be spread
more widely over the Chinese population. Development of modern
food markets is expanding the array of fruits and vegetables
available to middle and lower income households, including those
remote inland provinces and rural areas.
In 2002, Chinese vegetables suffered a series of widely publicized
setbacks in Japan due to pesticide residues on produce imported by Japan.
In 2004, pest problems also interrupted
Chinese apple exports to Canada. Food
safety has become a much bigger concern in
the domestic Chinese market as well.
Chinese fruits and vegetables often have
high levels of pesticide residues, heavy metals,
and other contaminants. Water, soil, and
air are dangerously polluted in many rural
areas as a result of heavy industrialization
and lax environmental regulation. Heavy
chemical use results from the intensive cultivation
of China’s relatively scarce cropland.
Chinese farmers rely on chemical fertilizer
to coax high yields out of soil that has little
organic matter, and pesticides are applied in
high doses to control pest infestations that
result from monocropping (when one type
of crop is grown). Farmers generally know
little about the proper use of fertilizers and
pesticides, and the agricultural extension
service is weak. Pesticides, fertilizers, and
seeds purchased by farmers are often fake or
China is trying to raise quality standards
through “green food” and “pollution free” production standards promoted by China’s
Ministry of Agriculture. These standards prohibit
or limit the use of potentially harmful
chemicals by growers and set limits on the
presence of contaminants in soil, water, and
air in production areas. These standards are
primarily for the domestic market but also
are part of a general escalation of quality and
Many enterprises are contracting with
farmers to produce vegetables for export
and increasingly for the domestic market.
One of the motivations for contracting is to
gain direct control over the use of chemical
substances. Contracts often specify the
chemicals to be used, and farmers often obtain
chemicals on credit from the contracting
enterprise. One of the purposes of China’s“
dragon head” enterprises is to disseminate
information on chemical use and other
production techniques to farmers, playing the
role, in effect, of an agricultural extension
China’s domestic fruit and vegetable
prices and production costs are low when
converted to U.S. dollars at the official
exchange rate, but an appreciation of the
Chinese currency would narrow China’s
price advantage on international markets.
Editor’s note: The above material is condensed from
an article, “China’s Rising Fruit and Vegetable Exports
Challenge U.S. Industries,” written by Sophia Huang
and Fred Gale of the USDA Economic Research
Service. The full text can be found at: http://ers.usda.
© 2006 Columbia Publishing
>> Return to top
© 2006 Columbia Publishing & Design


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It was always said that come what may, you can count on U.S. consumers. Not these days. For nearly 20 years, consumer spending has outpaced income growth in America. Credit everywhere they turned, the wealth effect of the dot com stock market, and then the ATM-like appeal of rising house prices was enough to make the word “budget” foreign to most Americans. Shop ’til you drop was the rallying cry from coast to coast.
Too bad they did just that. We haven’t seen this many dropped consumer corpses in the aisles since John Steinbeck was the contemporary chronicler of American culture.
The current financial crisis and attendant economy that grows nothing but joblessness has kicked consumers in the teeth. Finally giving up on government to limit the gimmicks of financial firms, households have ignored Washington’s efforts to get the binge going again. Instead, Joe Sixpack and his wife are giving the finger to Goldman Sachs, the Treasury, and the Fed and taking care of some toxic assets closer to home. Yes, household balance sheets are getting fixed. People are buying less and saving more, which is catastrophic to the debt-based economy built by government, banks, and big business over the past fifty years or so. A full 70% of the economy depends on Joe buying trifles he doesn’t need to keep trifle manufacturers in business so they can contribute to campaigns and lobbying efforts.
What’s good for Joe, then, ain’t good for the economy. At least not the fraud that the modern economy has become. Wall Street profits come from selling a lot of trifles, and if Joe ain’t buying, earnings won’t grow. The question then becomes: Is Joe buying?
Consumer credit fell at an annual rate of 10.4% in July, erasing a record $21.5 billion. Revolving debt like that on credit cards dropped 8%, while non-revolving debt like auto loans dropped 11.7%. Those came to dollar amounts of $6.1 billion and $15.4 billion respectively. As of July, consumer credit has been shrinking for six months in a row.
Good for you, Joe! Keep up the good work. Cut up those credit cards and start paying cash. Read fine print. Don’t borrow. Save. Send the government, bank, and big business scum back to the drawing board to figure out some new way to suck cash out of a different generation of suckers.
As for the economy, don’t worry. Green shoots, remember? We’ll do just fine on 30% firepower. Hey, it’s better than nothing and in these new happy times, better than nothing is the same as fantastic.
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domain: news


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In This Article
The fintech industry is evolving rapidly. Innovative technologies are constantly disrupting the global financial sector. The distortion in the operation and value chain of the finance industry has resulted in new possibilities for the fintech industry. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t any risks. As fintech companies usher in innovations, they also bring unknown risks to the table. With the ever-changing market and the pressure to keep up with trends, the Fintech industry is not without risks and challenges.
Here Are Some Of the Changing Fintech Trends
Understanding the regulatory requirements:
The fintech industry is constantly evolving, and so are the regulations. Understanding these changes and developing a deep knowledge of emerging technologies can be extremely challenging for businesses. Fintech companies must stay on top of regulatory requirements and any new standards or guidelines issued by authorities before rolling out their product offerings to keep up with this rapid change.
Dealing with financial crimes:
Fraudulent behavior in banking has always been an issue, but cybercrime has become increasingly common due to increased reliance on technology. As customers’ transactions move online, a cyber-attack also increases exponentially. And since many large corporations use third-party service providers for their payroll management, the risk of fraud is even higher. As customers use mobile devices more and more to access financial services and transact online, a rise in phishing attacks will follow.
Meeting customer expectations:
The fintech industry has seen exponential growth over the last decade, with new companies launching worldwide. These Fintech startups have captured a significant portion of the market share by providing innovative products that meet consumer requirements better than traditional banks. However, this has brought about its own set of challenges that need to be addressed. In today’s age, where everyone uses digital technology daily, it becomes very challenging for any company offering financial products to keep up with the constantly changing consumer needs and expectations. And should they fail to do so, it could mean the end for many fintech startups.
The fintech industry is still in its early stages. Many Fintech companies are focused on developing new technologies that they believe will be needed for the future growth of their business. However, the same technology could become obsolete in the future. For example, some Fintech companies focus on offering customers innovative payment options like mobile wallets, making it extremely simple for them to pay using their smartphones from anywhere. However, there is always an inherent security concern associated with this, especially when dealing with large volumes of money and personal information. And should this concern be addressed by an entirely different fintech product, it could mean the end of mobile wallets as we know them.
In the highly regulated financial sector, building consumer trust is crucial for any company to succeed. As fintech companies offer new products and services, they need to ensure that their security measures are robust enough to instill confidence among consumers. However, this can be extremely challenging as one data breach or cyber-attack will undo all the efforts put in by a company to win customer trust. Such an event can lead to a significant loss of revenue for the business or, in worst cases, result in a shutdown.
Building robust technology infrastructure:
It has been proven time and again that building good technology is one of the crucial elements for any successful enterprise. One needs to ensure that their core systems are present, secure, scalable, and with high availability capabilities built into them right from day one. This will help Fintech companies meet customer expectations by providing reliable services and making it easy to adopt new technologies.
Finding the right partners for collaboration:
Many companies in and around the fintech industry provide different services to Fintech startups. These include platform providers, software developers, technology consultants, data scientists, etc. Thus it becomes essential for any company looking to start up or grow its business in this space to find the right partners who can add value to the business. This will help keep costs down while allowing fintechs to focus on their core competencies, resulting in faster growth and success.
Fintech companies face a variety of challenges in the modern fintech environment. Some of these include: developing new technologies that solve customer problems and instill consumer confidence, building a reliable technology infrastructure to ensure security and high availability capabilities, and finding the right partners for collaboration who can provide expertise and solution-based services, all while keeping the costs down. Thus, any company looking to enter or grow within this space must understand its core competencies and potential business partners before making such decisions. This will help them achieve growth with minimal risk involved, thereby improving their chances of success.


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The Mahindra Group – a $17 billion IT and vehicle manufacturing firm in India – began production of a line of two-wheeled, all-electric vehicles out of a 37,000-square-foot Ann Arbor facility.
The group unveiled its new GenZe electric vehicle scooter – which are designed, engineered and built in Ann Arbor – in May 2014.
The vehicle has top speeds of 30 miles per hour, so drivers won't need special endorsements on their licenses in order to operate them. Charges last up to 30 miles and the battery packs are removable and can be charged intermittently in any standard wall outlet.
Additionally, every vehicle comes equipped with a 7-inch Cruise Connect touchscreen display panel that gives all vehicle information – battery life, speed, range, etc. – which can be fully integrated with users' cellphones, allowing for Internet and mobile app connectivity.
Mahindra said that there are about 60 people currently working in the Ann Arbor facility, and the facility has the capacity to assemble up to 9,000 vehicles per year, with the ability to ramp up to 20,000 vehicles if needed.
While sales of the vehicle will be limited to online purchases and purchases from the occasional "pop-up" or satellite stores, the vehicles will go to market at $3,000 and be available in the fourth quarter of 2014.


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Acer Android tablets to be introduced on November 23
Alright, so we have been hearing a lot about Acer planning to out a couple of Android tablets in the market very soon. But what we hear now is that, in an official interview, Acer CEO Gianfranco Lanci was reported as stating that the long-rumored Android tablets are in fact going to be unveiled in public pretty sooner than expected. Although he didn’t shed light on the specs of the devices to be launched, he did mention that the devices will see an introduction on November 23rd at a special event to be held in New York City.
Prices have been disclosed to be in the range of $299 to $699 in the US, and so we can expect a lot of flexibility in the options to be offered to the buyers. The CEO also added that the launch will be primarily focused on the US market, although other markets will surely not be left out. If we are to go buy rumors that have been circulating till now, we might very well see three tablet models - a 5-inch one, a 7-inch model with a physical keyboard, and another 10-inch model.
It has also been known that the devices might be powered by a dual-core NVIDIA Tegra 2 chip and might also come with the very latest Gingerbread build of the Android OS. Tegra 2 is an ARM based dual-core with GeForce graphics parts and HD video decoding capabilities.
As was intended by Acer, the tablets will compete with the Apple iPad, primarily the 10-inch model. There is one up against the 5-inch Dell Streak – and the 7-inch model might just lock its horns with the hot Samsung Galaxy Tab. Apple has been eating up on Acer’s US overall market share with the iPad selling like hot cakes, and so, Acer being more desperate than ever to get its rein back would just hope that the tablet magic would work for it too. Well, we all will have to see about that, as Apple is no kid to be beaten just like that. But – the Acer plays Flash!


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Each time a term from the world of video games into the wider community, it’s certain that it’s not for a good reason. Loot boxes – like Hot Coffee or Gamergate – don’t buck this trend. For at least the last five years, fueled by a mix of grassroots Reddit organizing and parental horror stories—“my teenager spent £6,000 on FIFA cards”—these randomized prize draws have attracted the wrath of the world; in several countries they are now illegal. Last week, after 22 months of consultation, the UK government decided that loot boxes will not be regulated under betting laws. Despite finding a link between these systems and problem gambling, the government has left regulation to the industry.
The nuance has been lost in this discussion. It has never simply been a binary choice between prohibition — “the nuclear option,” says David Zendle, a professor of computer science at the University of York — and letting the industry run wild. This is “misdirection”, he says, and gives players the impression that they are at risk of losing their game. The precedent it sets is disappointing. It shuts down debate on regulation of any kind, leaving industry-friendly groups like the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) and Pan-European Game Information (PEGI) to pick up the slack. After all, loot boxes aren’t the only industry practice to be investigated. Widespread monetization is endemic.
Researchers track down the first loot boxes back to the Chinese free-to-play MMO ZT online, released in 2006, where players opened virtual treasure chests. This formula mutated through various mobile games until it reached core franchises: in 2010, Valve incorporated them into Team Fortress 2. Activision Blizzard’s success Overwatch and its rewards of color-coded rarity led to a number of major titles, including Activision’s Call of Duty: WW2 and Xboxes Gears of War 4, which also incorporates them. The exercise reached a nadir with Electronic Arts’ Star Wars: Battlefront 2in 2017, a “pay-to-win” system that caused outrage and saw Congressman Chris Lee of Hawaii label the game “a Star Wars themed online casino.” EA redesigned the system, but lost billions, and regulators began to notice: Belgium would ban loot boxes in 2018.
At the moment it is FIFA Ultimate Team with which most people would associate these systems. The odds of choosing e.g. a Prime Moments R9 card is ridiculously low (EA won’t tell us exactly how low). Converted from the in-game currency of FUT Coins, the card is worth thousands of dollars.
Whether a system like this (or more egregious examples; not all loot boxes are built the same) constitutes gambling or causes problem gambling is both a hot topic and a red herring: The bottom line is that loot boxes provide another option for vulnerable over to destroy their lives. The correlative evidence between loot box engagement and problem gambling is robust. The thin line between gambling and gambling is a burgeoning academic field. And the rush I felt as a kid when I pulled a shiny Venusaur from my booster pack is indistinguishable from the rush I feel as an adult when I win a hand of poker, or more equivalently, hit big at roulette.
All of this leaves a bad taste in the mouth, but it also suggests that predatory behavior can boil down to gambling. This is not the case. “Loot boxes are what a lot of people know about,” says Zendle. “However, at the same time that the loot box has existed, there have always been other cases of players reporting exploitation or coercion.” Even if Britain had banned loot boxes, explains James Close, a lecturer in clinical education at the University of Plymouth, it would have made very little difference. Fearing regulation, many game publishers have already moved on. Overwatch 2 won’t use loot boxes, and even EA, Close says, could change its business model with a little effort. Monetization has diversified (in some cases for the better, he says), but so has the predator.


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At this point, IKEA Is practically synonymous with furniture and is one of the most recognizable home brands in the world. Many of us might have memories of strolling through their store picking out items or struggling to assemble tables at home.
After conquering the real-world furniture sector, IKEA is now on a mission to change the way that we interact with our furniture and is doing this through Space10, its research lab. According to a recent statement, Space10 is designing Carbon Banks, a speculative design project that plans to connect furniture to NFTs in order to drive sustainability.
How Carbon Banks Works
As the official statement on the Space10 website says, the company is looking to extend furniture lifecycles and promote end-of-life recycling. And the way that the company intends to promote these sorts of behaviours among consumers is through NFTs.
More specifically, IKEA intends to pursue its Carbon Banks initiative to change consumer behaviour.
“Carbon Banks proposes a future generation of NFTs called digital amplifiers as one of these new possibilities. Digital amplifiers act as a virtual layer attached to a physical object, highlighting and augmenting some of the object’s features and ultimately shifting the way we relate to these items,” an official post said.
How this will work is that the physical furniture will have unique patterns that will bind them to NFTs. When these patterns are scanned, an NFT is generated and these digital assets will evolve in a similar way to plants.
The physical furniture is made out of wood which acts as a ‘carbon sink’ that stores carbon for the duration of its lifetime. As long as the furniture is kept, the NFT will continue to evolve like a tree and this acts as an incentive for the user to prolong its lifespan.
Besides the amount of time that the furniture is kept, its linked NFT will also grow based on the data that is received by its smart contracts such as environmental, ownership, and care data. As such, all the actions that the owner takes will be reflected in the growth speed, colour, leaf shape, and so on.
The end goal of this is for the furniture owner to feel connected to the item in their home and make more responsible decisions regarding them. The team believes that people will be encouraged to care for their items if there is a digital roadmap of their lifecycle.
NFTs’ Potential Use in Furniture
While we have seen NFTs being applied in a myriad of ways, this project from IKEA is one of the most novel thus far. But upon closer inspection, it makes a lot of sense.
There is currently a big push towards sustainability and creating a way for consumers to be less passive towards the furniture that they choose to buy is certainly a step in the right direction. While Space10 has not yet revealed a rollout for the Carbon Banks items, we can only hope that they come soon.


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Microsoft doesn't want to "build walls" around Xbox.
The tech giants are set to release their next generation consoles - the Xbox Series X and the Series S - in November, and Xbox boss Phil Spencer has said the company are keen to keep their gaming experience open to as many people as possible, without forcing them to buy their latest console.
Phi told Fast Company: "Microsoft is in the gaming business for the long run, we want to be a platform where hundreds of millions or billions of players can find somewhere to play. Building walls around Xbox, so the only way you can continue the experience you love is to buy a new console this fall - for us, it doesn't seem in line with the values we have as a team."
Xbox is currently working on a cloud streaming service named xCloud, which entered beta testing in November last year and launched for subscribers of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate earlier this week.
The feature is designed to allow those who pay for the highest-tier subscription - which costs £10.99 a month - access to a range of Xbox games in a cloud system.
This means players can play more than 150 genuine Xbox games through a device such as an Android phone, as the title will be streamed to that device through the cloud, in a similar way to a YouTube video.
Meanwhile, Xbox fans will be able to pre-order the Xbox Series X, which costs £449, and the Series S, priced at £249, on Tuesday (22.09.20).


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|Not biting into the Apple|
|Friday, 06 January 2017 00:47|
Govt does well to not give it tax breaks to invest here
Given how keen it is to attract FDI, the government has done well to not give in to Apple Inc’s reported demands for tax concessions for a unit it plans to set up in India. The temptation to bag a chunky investment from a blue chip MNC, in lieu of some revenue, could not have been easy to resist. But to its credit, the government has desisted from pandering to the whims of one player, even if that player is among the world’s most reputed seller of mobile phones. Though India attracted $36 bn of FDI in FY 2016, up from $31.3 billion in FY15, estimates for the current year are pegged at a slightly smaller $35 billion despite the September quarter pulling in as much as $17.2 billion. Clearly a capital-starved economy like India can put FDI to good use at a time when overall investments have been stagnating – just 417 new projects worth Rs 1.4 lakh crore were added in the three months to December, 2016, the slowest pace of quarterly additions in a decade.
While the government has offered sops for manufacturing phones in India in the form of lower countervailing duties (CVD), this applies to local and foreign firms and is in keeping with global duty levels. Indeed, most players are not looking for tax sops and would be happy to set up shop here if the regulatory regime is stable and they are not harassed by the tax authorities. After all, the Indian market is huge and growing, and players like Apple have a miniscule market share. However, there have been too many instances of foreign companies being harassed by the tax authorities – a case in point is the shutdown of the Nokia unit in Chennai. Consequently, some reassurance that rules and regulations would not be changed frequently would help. In this context, the government would do well to specify the taxes and other levies that would be applicable once GST is rolled out – in the case of phones, for instance, the CVD incentives can’t be retained; there is concern on the state-level incentives like VAT too since these are incompatible with GST. In general, there’s little harm in relaxing onerous rules – for everyone – if this pulls in more investments and, in any case are not in sync with global practice. One such example is the 30% local-sourcing rule that Apple has asked the government to ease to allow it to set up single-brand retail stores.


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As a guy who’d been vintage throwback nfl jerseys playing for 14 years and played at a very high level, that’s hard to say and hard to do. That takes a lot of courage.”
It was a similar scene in London last season before the game against the Rams. Fans quickly converged on a downtown Nike store when they heard Beckham, supplynfljerseys.com Victor Cruz and a few other Giants were making an appearance. Pandemonium ensued as the throng strove to get a glimpse of one of the sporting world’s biggest stars.
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Heyward told ESPN from this week’s Pro Bowl preparations that the team would be wise to chill from the distractions and antics after a 13-win season ended with a playoff loss to Jacksonville.
NFL owners pass new national anthem policyUnder a Falcons jersey Stitched policy unanimously approved by owners, NFL players and personnel have the option not to chinese nfl jersey site take the field for the national anthem, but replica nfl jerseys reddit game cheap nfl jerseys nike china collecting those who do must stand.
Last week, Ken was presented with an opportunity to once again coordinate William Poehls jersey Discount a defense, wholesale jerseys 2018 Shanahan said. Because of how cheap jerseys nfl seahawks we feel about Ken as a coach, we cheap authentic nfl jerseys 19.99 understand and respect his desire to pursue the position.
Caleb’s fall-to-the-floor reaction makes the five-hour trip to the Pittsburgh-based camp a no-brainer, Koehler said. Roethlisberger’s Fournette cheap jersey invitation cheap football jersey paypal includes a potential pass-and-catch session between the two. Caleb also recorded a personalized video thanking the quarterback, who noted in his video he liked Caleb’s no-risk-no-reward approach.
There’s an unfair element to that analysis, though, given that Beckham is playing in a wholesale nfl jerseys league in which it’s wholesale baseball jerseys easier to rack up receiving yardage than ever before. You might argue that the NFL has shifted to a passing-friendly approach in part because of the presence of dominant receivers like Beckham, but if we want to contextualize just how good Beckham has been, we have to work a little harder and compare players versus the other receivers of their respective eras.
Editor’s PicksBlake Bortles making the case to be Jaguars starter in Jaguars Reebok jersey 2018Confidence in Blake Bortles is at a high among his Jaguars teammates, but particularly given the QB’s inconsistent past, he’s no lock to stick around.


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RAZER GAMING PCS
Then inspect out whats coming next from Razer, if you want a laptop for video gaming. The tech company has simply revealed its next generation of 15 and 17-inch portable PCs and there are some quite legendary upgrades.
Along with being more effective, thanks to NVIDIA, the laptops are now available with brand-new screen choices with higher refresh rates and greater resolutions. In reality, youll quickly be able to pop one on your lap with an Ultra HD OLED panel for the supreme visual experience.
Despite packing all this new tech inside, Razer has actually managed to keep the slim-line design with the brand-new Blade Pro 17 remaining one of the thinnest 17-inch gaming laptop computers on the market
The brand-new Razer Blade 15 starts from $1699.99 and the Blade Pro 17 starts at $2299.99 – UK prices to be announced quickly.
Lenovo has actually simply revealed its new 14-inch Yoga Slim 7i Pro laptop computer which along with being ludicrously thin likewise now uses an OLED screen.
That means users will be treated to richer colours and deeper blacks making the viewing experience much more immersive.
This display likewise provides a fast 90Hz revitalize rate to minimize lag and a taller 16:10 element ratio for more screen property.
Other treats consist of the newest 11th Gen Intel Core mobile processors, integrated Alexa voice commands, hands-free login, and Intelligent Cooling mode which need to stop your lap getting too warm.
More information on its accessibility will be revealed later on in the year.
The CES technology show might have gone virtual in 2021 but thats not stopped a swathe of brand-new devices being unveiled consisting of some very cool laptop computers. These new Windows 10-powered makers will all be launching this year and consist of some magnificent upgrades such as pin-sharp OLED screens, improved power and rapid 5G connectivity. So, if you remain in the marketplace for a brand-new laptop heres whats coming soon from Samsung, ASUS, LG, Lenovo and Razer
If youre searching for a laptop with plenty of wow factor then the brand-new series of PCs from LG might tick all the right boxes. The Korean company revealed its latest LG gram devices which feature powerful 11th Gen Intel Core processors and a portable and ultra-lightweight style.
LG is also boasting that the narrow bezels and a hidden hinge design permits for an outstanding screen-to-body ratio of 90 percent.
The keyboard and touchpad have actually likewise been bigger for faster, much easier typing without jeopardizing the mobility.
Together with standard designs coming in 17-inch, 16-inch and 14-inch screen sizes theres likewise a number of 2-in-1 gadgets that can flip to transform into a tablet and also include a stylus for simple writing and drawing on the display screen.
Full release date and cost are yet to be revealed.
GALAXY BOOK FLEX2
The Galaxy Book Flex already impressed us in 2015 with a screen that turns to become a tablet and an S Pen tucked inside its aluminium body which permits users to doodle on the screen without leaving it covered in mucky fingerprints.
Now, this popular laptop computer is back and this time its getting 5G connection. That suggests youll be able to head out for the day and still get blisteringly quick downloads without having to go near a Wi-Fi hotspot.
Other features consist of an 11th Gen Intel Core processor, stunning 13.3-inch FHD OLED screen and all-day battery life.
The Galaxy Book Flex2 is out next month with rates starting from ₤ 1,649.
Now, this is one seriously cool looking laptop that will have even the most devoted MacBook fans tempted to make the switch to Windows 10.
Samsung has actually just teased its new laptop that features a technology called the Blade Bezel.
This smart screen has the web cam concealed below the glass which implies Samsung is able to get rid of the bezels completely.
It looks amazing although theres currently no word on when a laptop with this totally edge-to-edge screen will be exposed. Lets hope its quicker rather than later.
No, you are not seeing double. ASUS is releasing new laptops in 2021 with 2 screens which it says will help users get more done.
The ZenBook Pro Duo 15 is the companys next-generation ultra-powerful 15-inch laptop computer. It comes geared up with the brand-new tilting ASUS ScreenPad Plus – thats basically a full-width 4K secondary touchscreen that works effortlessly with the main 4K OLED HDR screen.
This added display screen can be used to clear the main screen of clutter and you can likewise run secondary apps on it such as Twitter or Facebook.
Its powered by the latest generation Intel Core i9 processor and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 laptop computer GPU graphics so owners shouldnt have any concerns breezing through their day-to-day digital jobs.
A frameless screen style likewise features a 93 percent screen-to-body ratio for more immersive visuals.
Complete cost and release date are yet to be announced.


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Google’s algorithm is always evolving to ensure that it is presenting the most precise, relevant, and safe sites for its searches. And it looks to be bringing more and more modifications with each passing year.
Google algorithm upgrades were the key SEO trend of 2021, with one of the most active update roadmaps in previous years. Aside from the already mentioned page experience change and the annual core updates, Google surprised us with a slew of shocks, and the summer season, in particular, was one of the most turbulent we’ve seen. To stay up to date with the latest Google algorithm updates get in touch with our SEO experts and maintain your ranking as per the latest trends.
- 1 What is Google Algorithm?
- 2 The Complete List of Google Algorithm Updates in 2021
- 2.1 Passage Ranking Update
- 2.3 About This Result Update
- 2.4 Featured Snippet Drop
- 2.5 Featured Snippet Recovery
- 2.6 Rolling Out Mobile-First Indexing
- 2.7 Product Reviews Update
- 2.8 MUM Update
- 2.9 Broad Core Algorithm Update
- 2.10 Page Experience Update
- 2.11 July Core Update
- 2.12 Link Spam Update
- 2.13 Page Title Rewrites
- 2.14 Google Spam Update
- 2.15 November Core Update
- 3 Conclusion:
What is Google Algorithm?
Google’s algorithms are a complex technique that uses to regain data from its search index and instantly deliver the best possible results to users. The search engine utilizes a variety of algorithms and multiple scale aspects to deliver web pages ranked by relevancy on its search engine results pages.
The Complete List of Google Algorithm Updates in 2021
As we have seen a vast number of updates in the year 2021 some of the updates from Google have rocked the SEO boat like June, July, and November core updates. Let’s start from the year starting and look at some of the major updates by Google.
Passage Ranking Update
On February 10, Google announced one of the major updates that have affected worldwide searches up to 7%. In this update, Google has announced that Google will consider passages and content from the entire web page for specific search query results also and can rank the entire web page as per that. This was first applied to English Language queries and the United States.
Update: passage ranking launched yesterday afternoon Pacific Time for queries in the US in English. It will come for more countries in English in the near future, then to other countries and languages after that. We’ll update this thread as those further launches happen.
— Google SearchLiaison (@searchliaison) February 11, 2021
About This Result Update
Another update from Google that was provided by Google in February is Google adds context to each search result so that searchers may decide which results will be most useful to them. This is available for the beta version called About this Result Update.
Check the list of information displayed in Google about this result update:
- Date of the page when first indexed by Google
- Connection to site is secure or not
- Gives Backlinks details for the particular page
- The language of the page
- Content featured that relates to your search query
Featured Snippet Drop
MozCast observed a 40% drop in exposure for Featured Snippets, which had fallen to their lowest position since 2015 on February 19. In many cases, Featured Snippets were completely removed, which had a particularly negative impact on health and money searches. On further inspection, these were heavily concentrated on small queries, mainly one-term queries, and disproportionately hit YMYL queries.
Featured Snippet Recovery
After three weeks of featured snippets dropping up to 40%, they abruptly vanished from Google Search, only to magically reappear on March 12 with the same ranking positions as previously. For this change, Google has not explained the absence or return of Featured Snippets, nor has it acknowledged whether the incident was caused by a faulty algorithm update, a bug, or something else. That’s a usual diplomatic answer from John Mueller, but the Featured Snippet disappearance technique was far from “natural organic changes.”
Rolling Out Mobile-First Indexing
With the rise of mobile usage, Google began putting more priority on mobile-friendliness as a ranking factor in 2015. In 2016 Google has officially announced that they will start ranking pages based on mobile app friendliness. The Mobile-First Indexing updates were launched in 2016 end of the year. On March 26 Google announced that after experimenting all these years they have started migrating sites that follow best practices for the mobile-first updates. As of July 2021, it will be compulsory for all old and new sites.
Product Reviews Update
The purpose of Google’s April 2021 product reviews update was to stimulate product evaluations that included in-depth research, intelligent analysis, and unique content rather than just summarizing a list of items.
As per the update from Google, your product reviews should have below listed points must be taken into consideration:
- Share expert knowledge for the product
- Deliver review content that is distinct from that provided by manufacturers.
- Provide measurable performance metrics.
- Cover comparable items to explain which products are ideal for specific needs or situations?
- Assist customers in making sapient purchase decisions.
MUM was introduced on May.2021 by Google’s Prabhakar Raghvan. The Multitask Unified Model (MUM) is a natural terminology model that is far more effective than the BERT of October 2019. MUM recognizes information in text and photos, and Google intends to enhance its ability to encompass video and audio as well.
Broad Core Algorithm Update
On 2nd June Google announce the June Core update which is also known as Broad Core Algorithm Update. Google took the unexpected step of revealing not one, but two key algorithm upgrades – one later that day and another later that month.
Later today, we are releasing a broad core update, as we do several times per year. It is called the June 2021 Core Update. Our guidance about such updates is here:https://t.co/e5ZQUA3RC6
This will be followed by the July 2021 Core update. Here’s more information about that…
— Google SearchLiaison (@searchliaison) June 2, 2021
Page Experience Update
In addition to indexing mobile versions of web pages, Google had included a new set of barometers known as Core Web Vitals as a portion of the page experience upgrade. These are not new standards, but rather newly prioritized criteria for calculating a user’s experience with a website. This will include Largest Contentful Paint, First Input Delay, Cumulative Layout Shift.
July Core Update
Google didn’t waste any time with the July 2021 Core Update, releasing it on the first of the month. The consequence of the June 2021 Core Update had a lesser all-around effect, but it hit tougher and quicker than the first update’s steady rollout, peaking on 1 July and displaying dramatic oscillations after the days that followed.
Link Spam Update
On July 26, Google launched a link spam update that will be rolled out over the next two weeks but took a full month to complete. Google has cautioned that any site that engages in link spam practices may see ranking fluctuations, with sponsored, guest, and affiliate content being the most likely to be affected.
Page Title Rewrites
Google turned out to be adjusting page titles in the SERP based on the search query for a decade. Nevertheless, on August 16, individuals began to witness that Google was substantially modifying their page names, frequently in a negative way. A week later, Google announced that it has developed a new method that will no longer alter titles based on searches but will instead adjust titles to better represent the page as a whole.
Google Spam Update
According to a tweet from Google Search Liaison, a spam upgrade was sent out between November 3 and 11, 2021 as part of their ongoing efforts to enhance search results. In their announcement, they advised that webmasters continue to follow the Webmaster Guidelines.
As part of our regular work to improve results, we’ve released a spam update to our systems. This November 2021 spam update should be fully rolled out within a week. We encourage sites to follow our best practices for Search: https://t.co/jK3ArQmTqT
— Google SearchLiaison (@searchliaison) November 3, 2021
November Core Update
Google Search Central stated on Twitter on 17th November that a major core upgrade will be available later that day also known as a broad core update. They directed webmasters to their guidance on what site owners should know about core upgrades. The most recent update of core was in August 2019.
SEO is a thorough and evolved approach, and modifications may not hold a significant influence on your results as long as you focus on Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness, and elite methods. Yet, as an SEO executive, webmaster, or company owner, it is critical to monitor changes and report on your success to fine-tune your plan and capitalize on current chances. Stay up to date with Google Updates and try to apply new strategies for your business ranking.


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Craveller Inc has announced that actress Radhika Apte (Kabali fame) is scheduled to be a special guest at their Bangalore media launch event on November 12.
Radhika Apte is a native of Pune, India who launched her acting career working with the theatre troupe Aasakta. Since her first film appearance in 2005 she has amassed 40 films credits, and can currently be seen in the recently released ‘Parched’ (India release date September 23, 2016).
Parched was shown at the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles earlier this year where she won a ‘Grand Jury Prize’ for Best Actress; and the film won the IFFLA Audience Award. The film also received a jury nomination for Best International Film at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, and won the ‘Stockholm Impact Award’ at the Stockholm Film Festival.
Craveller is a search revolution; a disruptive mobile app and cloud platform that will redefine the way consumers and local businesses interact – by empowering local business through technology, and enhancing consumer experiences through automation.
Craveller Inc’s CEO, Bruce T. Dugan, stated that “Our goal for the event is for it to be fun, informative and memorable. We’ve worked to craft the evening format so that it moves along quickly to keep people engaged and interested so that there are clear and concise takeaways, photo ops and quotes. And because our product was conceived and built in Bangalore by Bangaloreans, this event is as much a celebration of India innovation as it is our product.”
We’re very excited to have Ms. Apte attending our event. She is an intelligent and beautiful woman, and also a terrific role model for young people to reach for the stars, added Dugan
Who: For newspapers, magazines, blogs, television, web-TV
What: Craveller platform presentation, live demos, photo ops, Q&A,
Where : Bangalore (Event strictly for press, media personalities and invitation-only guests) Submit press pass requests here
When: November 12, 2016 5:30 PM – 8:30 PM
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17 APR 2023 – Monday Market Highlights – Transcript
Monday Market Highlights 16 April 2023
Proudly sponsored by Milford
Good morning, its Monday the 17th of April, and I’m Roland from Milford.
The key economic news last week was the US inflation data which came in at 5% y/y, slightly softer than the 5.2% expected.
Core inflation however came in bang inline with consensus at 5.6% for the year or 0.4% m/m.
This monthly inflation print annualises at 4.8% which is still well ahead of the feds target range.
US PPI was also released which came in well below expectations, actually falling 0.5% m/m. This is the price received by domestic producers of goods and services so generally leads headline inflation metrics.
Retail sales were released in the US which fell by 1% m/m more than the 0.4% contraction expected as consumption continues to normalise.
The FOMC minutes were released and there wasn’t much surprising in them, however they did highlight a 50bps increase was considered but the issues in the banking sector held them back. Also, some staff members had forecast a mild recession later on this calendar year.
Domestically, Australian employment data came in much stronger with total employment growing 53k vs 20k expected and the UR remaining flat at 3.5% vs 3.6% forecast.
The participation rate continues to hover around record levels and increased slightly m/m to 66.7%.
Interestingly, the working age population increased by 2.3% y/y – this is well above the natural rate of inflation and although may still be recovering from covid, it also likely reflects the significant step up in immigration.
On this note, Australian arrivals and departures data was released and although it doesn’t perfectly track actual net migration it is a guide. It came in very strong as the recovery in travel and immigration continues and point to potential record migration levels should current trends continue.
Another key development in Australia was the potential thawing of relations with China as China is now reviewing the tariffs imposed on Australian Barley. As a reminder, this tariff is 80% and was implemented in 2020.
There is hope that this will open the discussion around the current wine tariffs which can be as much as >200%
Turning to equity news
Wesfarmers sold their final stake in Coles worth $688m – this was done at a very tight discount of only 0.6%.
Newmont, the giant global gold miner made a revised bid for Australian listed gold miner NCM. The prior bid would see Newcrest shareholders receive 0.38 Newmont shares for every 1 Newcrest share. They increased this ratio to 0.4 and said they’d allow a franked share of US$1.10 to be paid prior to deal implementation. This is the second time they’ve sweetened the deal.
Given the takeover is tied to the shareprice of Newmont, the deal value is moving around. As of close of Friday, this deal valued Newcrest at Australian $31.16 which is about a 39% premium to where Newcrest was trading prior to the receipt of the first bid on the 6th of Feb.
GQG, a listed fund manager in Australia who manage global equities released an update highlighting FUM grew to US$94.5b from $91b a month earlier.
Whitehaven coal released a quarterly update and downgraded guidance across the board.
Production is expected to be 5.5% below, managed coal sales to be 9% below, equity coal sales to be 8% below and unit cost of coal to be 5% higher than prior assumptions.
This was due to a range of factors but predominately due to labour shortages and operational issues at one of their mines.
They do still have $2.7b of net cash which equates to 44% of their market cap.
Looking to the week ahead
On the economic front it’s relatively quiet.
On Thursday, NZ’s inflation data is to be released with the market expecting a 1.8% quarterly increase in prices, an acceleration of the 1.4% experienced in the December quarter. This would take annual inflation to 7.2%.
Japanese inflation is also released this week with the market expecting 3.1% core annual inflation.
US earnings season continues to ramp up and we will monitor company commentary closely to determine how different sectors are faring.
Thanks for listening, and we’ll see you next week.
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Watch this viral video of an Italian distillery lose 8,000 gallons of prosecco
It’s a shame to see 8,000 gallons of prosecco go to waste
It’s not every day that we hear news this bad. Last week, a wine distillery in Italy lost nearly 8,000 gallons of prosecco due to one of its fermentation tanks spilling. L'enoteca Zanardo Giussano in Conegliano posted a six-second video September 25 that has since gone viral.
According to the winery, the overflow came as a result of its silos being overfilled. The video has already had millions of views on Facebook and it’s needless to say that millions of wine lovers around the world felt all sorts of pain from watching the perfectly good vino go to waste.
We for sure hate to see so many thousands of gallons of prosecco go to waste but suppose that there’s no point in crying over spilled wine. Let us know what you think about the tragedy in the comments section below and be sure to subscribe to The Sitch for more wine news and other entertaining reads.


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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — November is World Vegan Month. In this week’s edition of Living Well with Michelle, Michelle went inside a raw kitchen in Birmingham to gain insight about how to prepare tasty vegan dishes. Amanda Blake Coile is the owner and general manager of Sprout & Pour Juicery + Cafe in downtown Birmingham.
“I think it’s educating people on how to really flavor those foods well,” said Coile. “So you don’t feel like you’re just eating green leaves.”
She said adding citrus and salt to fresh produce will help enhance flavors. Creativity is key while making raw vegan dishes. Without the use of heat or eggs in the cooking process, Coile said there are a few staple ingredients to perfect vegan dishes.
“Cashews, dates, cinnamon, honey,” said Coile. “Things that are binding.”
Registered dietitian Abby Nevins said that you don’t have to be a vegan to eat like a vegan some of the time.
“You’re just gonna have the overall health complex of a more nutritious person by shifting a little bit more vegan,” said Nevins. “Because there are more fruits and vegetables in that diet.”


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By Robin Roberts
Robotic vacuums? Self-cleaning toilets? An autonomous cart that delivers linens (and uses the elevator)? Software that assigns room cleaning based on guest preference? Sounds more like sci-fi than AI, but futuristic technology and artificial intelligence (AI) is already a reality, whether we like it or not. And what’s not to like? Anything that makes the hard work of housekeeping easier, more efficient, more economical and more sustainable is surely a welcome addition to the team. And, with ongoing staff shortages, more automation and tech can help fill the gap left by the loss of all those human workers.
“The hospitality industry was already dealing with staffing shortages before the pandemic,” says Bryan Michalis, head of Strategic Initiatives at Canary Technologies. “The massive changes in the labour market post-COVID only exacerbated these shortages. A recent McKinsey report revealed that the travel-and-tourism industry lost 62 million jobs in 2020 — and labour supply and demand continue to remain out of balance.”
Michalis says that, with travel now soaring and staffing shortages persisting, hoteliers need to do more with less. And any advances in modern tech can help them do more to streamline procedures and lessen tedious administrative work, freeing them to focus more on guest relations.
However, while Michalis says he’s not seeing widespread adoption of robotic vacuums (although Travelodge in the U.K. introduced RoboVac Buddies two years ago) and other revolutionary technology in North America just yet, he does see digital solutions specifically for housekeeping on the rise.
Let’s get digital
Before the digital age, housekeeping staff really had no way to know if guests had left their room. Now there’s an app for that. Canary’s Contactless Checkout alerts housekeepers that a room is vacant, allowing them to prepare rooms for the next guest up to three hours faster.
Sharon Alexander, director of Rooms, Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel, says, “Through handheld REX devices, our housekeeping associates are able to receive and provide real-time updates, allowing them to prioritize rooms based on guest needs or arrival times. Our IVR system (interactive voice response) allows associates to report deficiencies and request guest supplies directly from our engineering or housekeeping departments, which improves response times and minimizes unnecessary travel.”
Other software, such as Alice Housekeeping, can also improve productivity through automatic room assignment, board creation, and task management. It can also let the whole department know which rooms are available for cleaning, which ones need inspection, and how the team is performing.
Nuvola’s features are similar and include cleaning scheduling based on guest preference, monitoring staff time spent in each room, and the ability to report items that guests left behind.
Brands such as Hilton, the Drake Hotel and Fairmont San Francisco have introduced an interactive, in-room tablet from the Hotel Communication Network, which allows guests to communicate directly with the hotel to order room service, request housekeeping and report issues. It also has a Room Ready function that alerts housekeeping staff when guests have checked out.
Sara Park, director of Housekeeping at the Chelsea Hotel Toronto, says the property uses the Opera Operation system, which also allows staff to monitor changes in room status, as well as create room attendants’ daily assignments.
Cleaning products, too, have undergone a revolution since the pandemic and are more efficient and less harmful to the environment. “We understand housekeepers have a lot to deal with everyday, so having fewer solutions means making fewer decisions, leading to more consistent cleaning results,” says Samer Loubieh, senior Marketing manager for Ecolab. “We achieve this through multi-purpose products that streamline the process and what [staff] need to stock on the cart.”
He points to the newly introduced Rapid Multi Surface Disinfectant Cleaner, a 4-in-1 solution — disinfectant, cleaner, glass cleaner, and surface deodorant all in one — which has a faster kill time, he says, on viruses such as SARS-CoV-2 and Norovirus.
Econo-Clean also offers a highly concentrated multi-surface, all-in-one cleaning product that says it improves effectiveness and efficiency by up to 70 per cent. And it doesn’t contain any harmful chemicals, instead using sodium-based agents that clean up just about anything.
Apple Cleaning Supplies’ Azure glass and surface cleaner is biodegradable and carries the ECOLOGO seal of approval, certified to reduce environmental impact.
“[Also], we recognize that housekeeping is very manual and can cause staff to use excessive bending and reaching to get the job done,” says Loubieh. “Our housekeeping tools are designed to take on more of the work to reduce the strain on the housekeepers’ bodies,” referring to the company’s Housekeeping Tools Complete Tool Kit, which includes lightweight tools that are interchangeable with the same pole to minimize trips to the housekeeping cart.
Today’s travellers continue to be more environmentally conscious and are increasingly opting out of unnecessary daily room cleaning, which can also waste resources with excessive laundering. Most hotels are onboard with that, driven by their own green schemes. Some even encourage guests to minimize their environmental impact by offering hotel credit or loyalty points.
In 2020, during the height of the pandemic, an AHLA survey showed 86 per cent of travellers support optional housekeeping and feel more comfortable with it. An unforeseen consequence, however, is that now rooms are often dirtier, requiring housekeeping staff to spend more time cleaning, which can accrue additional cost.
Last year, Booking.com released results of new research that showed 76 per cent of travellers say they want to travel more sustainably; 43 per cent are willing to pay extra for options with a sustainable certification; 67 per cent turn off the AC in their rooms when they’re not there — up 29 per cent from 2022 — and 77 per cent turn off the lights; and 60 per cent re-use the same towel multiple times — up 25 per cent from 2022. Overall, 74 per cent believe we all need to make more sustainable choices to save the planet.
Reality Meets Hospitality
In the end, is all this R2D2-type tech for real or simply pie-in-the-sky sci-fi? Based on a recent report by Skift Research, which showed the hotel industry in particular has shied away from this kind of automation despite its availability, only 11 per cent of hotels and 25 per cent of hotel rooms worldwide have adopted software or use in-room technology.
Still, a report by MarketsandMarkets Research expects tech, such as hotel robots, will grow from $79 million in 2020 to $338 million by 2025, driven by the need for efficiency and cost. Cleaning robots, for example, can vacuum 10,000 sq. ft. on a single charge and don’t require lunch breaks. They also don’t mind being exposed to sometimes harsh chemicals and will cheerfully immerse themselves in a cloud of disinfectant sprayer mist that cleans and sanitizes bathrooms.
As for the concern that robots will completely replace humans, experts emphasize that this type of automation will in fact allow those humans to do their job quicker and better, leaving them to engage in the all-important work of running their hotel and interacting with guests.
Additionally, robots aren’t perfect. They can only do one basic thing — mopping, vacuuming, delivery or clearing hallway room-service trays — whereas a staff member will often have to oversee and sometimes go over areas that they missed, or respond to specific guest requests that they won’t understand.
But they’re still enough of a novelty that they do impress guests. And they won’t quit if they find a better gig down the road.


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CLERMONT, Fla., Aug. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Uncle Matt’s Organic®, the nation’s #1 selling brand of organic orange juice, is excited to debut its new look featuring a redesigned logo and packaging. It’s been just over a year since the brand was welcomed back home to Founder and CEO, Matt McLean, who built and subsequently sold the company to Dean Foods in 2017, and bought it back in 2020. The visual transformation reflects the metamorphosis of a new Uncle Matt’s Organic® – one with a stronger sense of cohesion and modernity. The refresh comes as the company continues its rapid expansion within the juice, functional beverage, and shots categories, highlighted by continual innovation and sales growth.
The vibrant new design elements elevate the look and feel to appeal to its consumer audience, while continuing to connect with brand loyalists, who have driven significant growth. The design increases shelf presence with a more modern look featuring a sophisticated color palette, and easy-to-read product benefits. Products featuring the new logo and packaging are rolling out to retailers now to reach on-shelf displays this month. The brand has also just launched its direct-to-consumer platform via UncleMatts.com, offering their functional and better-for-you beverages direct-to-doorsteps nationwide.
"We are very proud of the long-standing heritage of the Uncle Matt’s Organic brand and the way the company continues to evolve," said Susan McLean, VP of Marketing and Innovation at Uncle Matt’s Organic®. "We see this brand refresh as an opportunity to gain more visibility on-shelf with clearer graphics that communicate our beverages’ benefits and eye-catching package design. We felt that it was time to reimagine the look and feel of the brand so it visually reflects the forward-thinking and innovative approach that is at the heart of our company," she continued.
The new look ushers in an era of firsts for the brand as Uncle Matt’s Organic® recently entered into a new category with its new line of Ultimate Immunity and Energy Shots.
With the addition of Ultimate Shots, there is a functional Uncle Matt’s Organic® offering for everyone in the family, including: Ultimate Immune® Organic Orange Juice, Ultimate Defense® Orange Juice with Turmeric and Probiotics and Organic Orange Juice with Calcium & Vitamin D in addition to its core Orange and Grapefruit juices and line of Lemonades.
Uncle Matt’s Organic® produces the highest quality juice, using only premium 100% organically grown fruit that is free from synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, and GMOs. As the nation’s oldest organic orange juice company, Uncle Matt’s Organic is committed to growing and producing tasty, good-for-you organic juices and fruit. All of Uncle Matt’s products are certified Glyphosate Residue Free by the Detox Project.
For more information, or to shop online please visit UncleMatts.com.
About Uncle Matt’s Organic®
Uncle Matt’s Organic® is the nation’s oldest organic orange juice company offering premium quality organic products. All Uncle Matt’s products are USDA Organic, have no synthetic additives or preservatives and contain no GMOs. Uncle Matt’s Organic® products are available nationwide in fine retailers nationwide. Uncle Matt’s Organic® is an active member of Organic Trade Association (OTA) and supports the Organic Farming Research Foundation, The Organic Center, and Organic Voices. To learn more, visit unclematts.com or follow along on Facebook @unclematts and Instagram @unclemattsorganic.
SOURCE Uncle Matt’s Organic


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CURACAO — Curacao is an autonomous territory in the Caribbean with a population of almost 150,000 people. It is under the rule of the Netherlands and was previously part of the Netherlands Antilles. The island nation’s economy relies on tourism, service, petroleum refineries and communication with at least one foreign contract expiring in 2019. Recent developments have put Curacao in a more fortuitous position and have gained foreign interest in developing current or new sectors in the country. The country also has internal plans in regards to developing Curacao’s business sector.
Advantages for American Business Interest
Curacao’s current geographical position has several advantages with building trade partners with South America and the United States. Curacao’s current offerings for potential American investors include two “free-zones” at both the Curacao International Airport and Port of Willemstad where imported goods are not taxed. Companies with full permits are required to export at least 75 percent of their goods.
Curacao also provides international trade with its own World Trade Center near the country’s main airport, giving access to South American, Caribbean and European markets for American businesses. As political and economic ties already exist with the U.S., businesses can expand into Curacao with these advantages, which can also help with developing Curacao’s business sector.
New Mega Pier Increases Tourism
Tourism in Curacao has taken a noticeable boost with new investments in the construction of a new mega pier. The new Tula mega pier, located in the Otrabanda area, was built in 2017 and moored it’s first large-sized cruise ship in November of that year, following up with a full opening in 2018. The new pier has bolstered the tourism industry in Curacao.
Tourist turnout was up by 18 percent in February 2019 from the previous year. There were 41,145 visitors for that month alone. Estimates show a total of 800,000 will visit by the end of the 2018-19 season. The new mega pier was designed to allow larger cruise ships to moor into Curacao, allowing for an increase of tourists entering and staying in the country. Curacao expects the Tula mega pier can continue growing the tourism industry in the following years.
New Business Partner for the Petroleum Refinery
Curacao’s Isla Refinery is currently going through a transfer for its petroleum refinery operations. The American-based company ConocoPhillips took over assets used at the refinery from Venezuelan oil corporation PDVSA after PDVSA shut down refineries across the Caribbean. So, Curacao made a tentative deal with Swiss-English corporation Klesch Petroleum to operate the Isla Refinery, which has been left largely idle since PDVSA’s shutdown of the site.
The refinery contributes 10 percent to Curacao’s gross domestic product, making Isla an important pillar for the country’s economy. Curacao and Klesch are currently aiming for a deal in 2020. As of now, there is an arrangement between Curacao’s Refineria di Koursou (RdK) and PDVSA to continue using the Venezuelan company for at least another year.
Curacao’s current developments have the island nation primed to fully develop its business sector with plans for further growth in several other sectors. Curacao’s current interest in allowing American businesses to take root in the country will allow additional the flow of foreign interest and goods through Curacao. The Tula mega pier has already bolstered the currently strong tourism industry and current expectations should grow the sector even further in the near future. A new deal to reignite the petroleum refinery sector is currently in place with negotiations currently ongoing and with the hope that it will get done before year’s end. Developing Curacao’s business sector has set up its future success.


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NFT security issues are stopping 68% of Americans from getting involved according to new data.
7 /10 Americans Aware Of Security Risks of NFT
A new study from the cybersecurity leaders at NordVPN has found that nearly half of Americans are now somewhat familiar with NFTs (non-fungible tokens), but nearly 7 in 10 of those “in-the-know” are also very aware of the security risks that result from NFTs. The study finds that the rising awareness of NFT security risks may be why only 1 in 4 Americans have bought, sold or invested in them.
“NFTs have quickly become the digital format for owning the modern day collectible,” said Daniel Markuson, digital security expert with NordVPN. “Now, despite being a well known investment risk, the security volatility regarding NFTs figures continues to escalate, as recently seen with the $200M OpenSea NFT heist via a phishing email hack. “
Awareness Around NFT Issues
According to respondents from the survey of 1,002 U.S. consumers, 47% of Americans say they have some knowledge of NFTs (27% don’t know and don’t care). Half of those familiar with NFTs have already either bought, sold or invested in NFTs. However, 68% of those familiar with NFTs are also very aware that there are serious security risks associated with NFTS, including that:
- 51% worry that someone can steal their NFT asset, with little chance to recover it
- 49% fear there are chances of counterfeit NFTs being sold on a fake NFT store
- 48% are concerned that people are impersonating a famous NFT artist and selling fake NFTs
- 48% are aware there are fake NFT stores that sell NFTs that are not even present in the digital world
Private Browsing for NFT
When it comes to security, the survey found that nearly half of those that have bought, sold or invested in NFTs use private browsers when buying and selling NFTs online. Others use popular types of security technology such as password managers (43%), file encryption software (37%), a VPN/virtual private network service (34%) or antivirus software (33%). Only 8% do not use any type of security tech when dealing with NFTs.
“As NFT technology evolves, we’ll surely learn about its potential for even more security risks,” continued Markuson. “But for now, as with every other piece of information that we store online, there should be very similar means of protections used when dealing with NFTs, such as encryption, antivirus and ad-blockers, which NordVPN with Threat Protection can provide.”


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LOS ANGELES — Like a lot of Americans this year, Amazon started its holiday shopping early. And for the next three weeks in Southern California, it’s hoping Angelenos will join them at two holiday toy pop-up shops on Melrose in West Hollywood and at the Glendale Galleria.
The stores, which opened Tuesday and run through Nov. 22, include more than 100 toys from Disney, Hasbro, LEGO and Osmo, including some of the most anticipated items this season: the FurReal Gogo My Dancin’ Pup and LEGO Monkie Kid: Monkey King Warrior Mech.
“People do so much gift giving with toys,” said Amazon Spokesperson Katie Larsen. “We recognized it’s such an important part of the holidays to go into a physical store and hear the holiday music and walk around and pick things up.”
While Amazon is best known as an online retailer, it has been making inroads with brick and mortar locations in recent years. It operates Amazon Go convenience stores, Amazon Fresh groceries, Whole Foods markets, bookstores and themed pop-ups, but this is the first year the Seattle-based company has done temporary stores dedicated to holiday toys.
The West Hollywood and Glendale Galleria pop-ups both have unboxed toys for customers to interact with and unopened boxes that can be purchased on site or ordered for delivery. Each item is accompanied by a QR code that lets customers read reviews or order it online through the Amazon app. Most of the toys for sale are featured in Amazon’s “Ready, Set, Play” 2021 holiday catalog.
Christmas shopping is starting earlier than ever this year, largely due to congestion at the ports that is leading to limited product availability.
“We are encouraging people to shop early,” Larsen said, adding that the company has been working with toy companies to ensure adequate supply leading up to the holidays.
The two LA locations join five other Amazon holiday pop-up locations across the country, in Chicago, Denver, Houston, Las Vegas and Seattle.


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It's been a long time since we last heard news about foldable phones, either in terms of real handsets or prospective ones in the form of leaks and renders – but some new images have popped up to remind us of this once-exciting form factor.
Recently-published renders of a phone from Oppo, included as part of a filing to the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), and spotted by LetsGoDigital, show a folding phone with features like a pop-up camera and 3.5mm headphone jack.
- These are all the foldable phones we know of
- Check out our thoughts on the Samsung Galaxy Fold
- Oppo put out the first 5G phone in Europe
The renders themselves are nothing special – their features are novel, for sure, but patents don't always result in actual phones, and these images show a very rough idea of the phone. However the publication of the renders at this time, now the foldable phone hype has died down, is an intriguing reminder of this kind of phone.
What happened to foldables?
When we were shown the Samsung Galaxy Fold and Huawei Mate X in February and March, it seemed foldable devices like these were going to become the new big 'thing' – patents and renders for folding phones from companies like Google and Apple started popping up left right and center.
After it was discovered the Galaxy Fold had a durability problem, the hype died down, and we haven't heard much on foldable phones for a while.
Perhaps companies are watching Samsung to see how it deals with the Galaxy Fold, which still doesn't have a solid release date, or maybe many are souring on the idea of flexible handsets.
On top of that, the recent Huawei ban means the fate of the Huawei Mate X is uncertain – that and the Galaxy Fold were the only two real foldables that we'd gotten hands-on with and new release windows for, but now we've no idea when the first device could release.
The wild form factor of bending handsets may be futuristic and intriguing, but it's also uncertain – while Oppo's filing reminds us foldables exist, it doesn't make them any closer to being in our hands.


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IKEA Launches a Bike Called the Slaada
Posted on April 18, 2016
IKEA has added a bicycle to its product offerings. The bike is called the Slaada. IKEA says the bike is rust and oil free and has a long-lasting belt drive. IKEA is also offering accessories for the bike.IKEA says in a press release that the bike is almost like a tablet in that it has several accessories to make life easier for the owner. The company also says it is a great alternative to a car because it is more sustainable. The Slaada was designed by Oskar Juhlin, Jan Puranen and Kristian Eke from the Veryday design studio.
The Telegraph reports that the Slaada is unisex and will be sold in just one color and two sizes. Some of the Slaada accessories will include a bicycle trailer, racks and a bike bag.
The Telegraph says the bike will retail for £450, which is about $642 U.S. It is not known when it will be available at IKEA stores in the U.S.


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The next generation BMW M3 is expected very soon with certain media outlets having already published the images (rumored images) of the car. The headlines is already known by now: The 4.0-liter V8 gives way for a 3.0-liter straight-six.
Car Advice has spoken to Jorg Bartels, BMW M division Head of Sales operations management and to put it in a nutshell, Bartels says that the new M3 will be lighter than it's 1,605kg predecessor.
This is what he said -
The target is that we have a weight reduction. This is the core target, for sure. The advantages are you get more dynamics and less fuel consumption. Unfortunately you don’t get it for free, so it takes quite a lot of work and quite a lot of initial cost.
Bartels also said that the brand aimed for a new M model every year. Unlike the past, the new M3 will be sold as a sedan only. The coupé and convertible variants of the M3 would move upwards to the 4 Series nameplate.
The 3 Series is already on the road for quite a long time, and the 4 Series starts production in July, so those two [M3 and M4] will be close.
From what we hear, it seems that the M4 would be announced soon after the M3. BMW will continue to produce the M3 for another few months. However, they're all sold out!
[Source - Car Advice]
[Images from - CAR UK]


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Automakers around the world have found some stabilization after trying to stabilize in 2009 in which the industry saw big players die, merge and shrink.
But Renault-Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn is optimistic, believing the sector will see gradual growth in the new year in every market except Europe.
The big growth is not in the developed markets, though.
"The growth is in China, India, Brazil, the Middle East and in new countries like Indonesia and southeast Asia," Ghosn told Maria Bartiromo at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
But the real driver Ghosn believes for his and other industries is jobs. "The big problem today is unemployment. The major issues is not about the market picking up," Ghosn says, "but until unemployment picks up, the perception that this crisis is over will not go away."
Renault-Nissan is focusing its future on electric cars, which Ghosn believes will comprise 10% of the market. With numerous governments including the U.S., France and Japan offering incentives for electric and hybrid vehicles, Ghosn believes the price point for consumers will be equal to gasoline and diesel models.
Dorian Langlais contributed to this article.
Questions? Comments? Write email@example.com


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ScoMo reveals further details of Australia’s reopening plan, as lockdown extended for South East Queensland
Just as the PM provides some hope of an end to lockdowns, one of the states has gone and tacked on a few extra days to its own.
“The product of travel has lost its value”: AFTA chair pens letter to ScoMo
Tom Wanwaring has his handwriting down pat after penning a letter to the PM. Travel Weekly understands he opted for a felt tip and even sealed it with a custom wax stamp.
Travel industry reacts to Brisbane’s 2032 Olympics win
While Queensland’s capital was a shoo-in to snare the Games for 2032, it was still a bloody nice bit of news for Aussies to wake up to this morning.
Australia’s overseas arrivals must now declare vaccine status
by Ali Coulton
The change looks to have been made in preparation for relaxed restrictions on overseas travel for vaccinated Aussies, which we hope happens sooner rather than later.
Home quarantine trials for international travel set to kick off in South Australia
Looks like we’re one step closer to having international travel back on the cards! We’ve already started shopping for new luggage.
Singapore travel bubble delayed until end of 2021: Tourism Minister
Got a client who had their heart set on visiting Singapore soon? Best to send them a box of chocolates before breaking this news.
Industry bodies urge government to provide more support and clarity for its roadmap rollout
The industry’s lobbying groups have been sharpening their pitchforks again in pursuit of more clarity, government support and a change in vaccine prioritisation.
PM slashes inbound caps, says vaccinated Aussies may be travelling overseas by end of 2021
by Ali Coulton
ScoMo’s shiny new roadmap to get Australia “back to normal” includes shortened quarantine periods and unrestricted international travel for vaccinated Aussies.
Singapore to be “first country outside of NZ” slated for Aussie travel bubble, says ScoMo
The PM said the bubble will kick off with a “pilot exercise” giving priority to international students from Singapore.
“Not clear where it goes next”: UK’s COVID battle helps ScoMo’s international travel argument
While some might have hoped the G7 leaders’ summit would prompt Australia’s PM to change his tune on international travel, it appears to have had the opposite effect.
PM says trans-Pacific travel bubble “a real possibility”
Do you have money on Singapore being the next country Aussies can travel to? Well, your bet’s starting to look a little risky.
Aussie tourism leader pens open letter to PM calling for “urgent clarity” on reopening international border
A senior industry figure has written to ScoMo. However, it’s yet to be confirmed whether they opted for a fountain pen or a ballpoint one.
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- The POCO F2 Pro moniker was recently confirmed through a teaser image.
- The company has now confirmed the smartphone will feature Liquid Cooling 2.0 tech
- Rumoured POCO F2 Pro specifications include Snapdragon 865 SoC, 5G, full-screen design, and quad-camera setup
POCO F2 Pro is set to launch globally on May 12th at an event in Spain, where the vanilla F2 could also tag along if the recent 30W fast-charging certification is anything to go by. While the F2’s existence remains officially unconfirmed, the Pro model’s moniker was recently confirmed through a teaser image. Now, in another marketing image, the brand has confirmed the POCO F2 Pro will have Liquid Cooling 2.0 tech to dissipate heat during gaming sessions. However, not much else has been revealed in the poster image. The phone is expected to ship with flagship internals such as the Snapdragon 865 SoC, 5G connectivity, and a full-screen display thanks to the pop-up selfie camera. Speculations are rife that the POCO F2 Pro could be a rebrand of the Redmi K30 Pro that was launched in China back in March.
POCO F2 Pro specifications
If POCO F2 Pro is indeed a rebrand of the K30 Pro, it is expected to ship with 64MP quad-camera setup, an LED flash, an in-display fingerprint sensor for security, and a 4,700mAh battery and 33W fast charging support. It is likely to boot Android 10 OS with MIUI 11 custom skin on top and should get the MIUI 12 update shortly. It could have an AMOLED display but with the standard 60Hz refresh rate. The Gearbest listing of the phone suggested it’ll be available in two variants: 6GB + 128GB and 8GB + 256GB internal storage.
Last week, 91mobiles exclusively revealed the POCO F2 Pro price will be EUR 570 for the 128GB storage model, which roughly translates to Rs 47,000; however, the India pricing should be lower than that. The smartphone will be available in four colour options: White, Purple, Grey, and Blue. Since the launch is just a day away from now, we should know more information very soon. Stick around.


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Watching the event, many Apple users and myself including were expecting a "one more thing" from Apple today. Why? Because the whole event was pretty boring and especially disappointing. For months now we kept hearing rumors about the new iPhone 5, and the news about the release were driving me nuts.
Plus, all Apple users have been expecting something very big from Apple considering the launch of the next iPhone has been delayed for 4 months already. That's 16 months of waiting for Apple users. This is why people were really hoping a one more thing from Apple until the end of the event. I think they still couldn't believe it the event ended, without announcing a true successor for the iPhone 4. Instead Apple announced only a slightly upgraded iPhone 4, called iPhone 4S. The upgrades are nothing out of the ordinary, and in fact they are barely even competitive at this point.
The chip is the same one that was in the iPad 2, which was launched like 8 months ago. It most likely has the same dual core 1 Ghz CPU, and a downgraded GPU. The original A5 had 9x faster graphics compared to the iPad 1/iPhone 4 GPU, but this one only has 7x faster graphics, so that's about 20% weaker, which should put it around the same level with the new upgraded Exynos chip that should launch very soon (possibly in Nexus Prime).
So what does all this mean to Android? Android phones were already selling twice as fast as iPhones, and with this big disappointment from Apple, that selling pace may even increase now. If Ice Cream Sandwich and the Nexus Prime excites people, Apple will be in a world of hurt by the time they launch the next iPhone. I'm not saying the iPhone 4S will do bad with sales. It will do fine. But going from the reactions, it clearly won't manage to get the same kind of sales it would've gotten if Apple delivered something more special.
One thing that is close to being special about iPhone 4S is the new Siri assistant, which is a small evolution of what Google has been offering for years with their voice control commands. And I have to wonder, if they didn't restrict Siri to just the new iPhone 4S, how much fewer would they have sold? Because if people could get the exact same features on the iPhone 4, too, there would be very little reason to break out of contract and pay for the iPhone 4S.
But the way I see it now, the only real options for Apple users now if they are approaching the end of their contract is to either get a new Android phone like the Galaxy S II or Nexus Prime, or wait for the *next* iPhone in mid 2012 or so.


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Category: Bathroom fittings
23rd Oct 2013
Happy D.2 by Sieger Design for Duravit
Launched earlier this year, the Happy D.2 line is an updated version of Duravit‘s bestselling Happy D line by Sieger Design that was originally launched in 1998.
1st Apr 2013
The New Joyce Collection by Villeroy & Boch
German bathroom brand Villeroy and Boch‘s versatile Joyce Collection was launched earlier this year at the ISH trade show in Frankfurt, and has already become the winner of a prestigious red dot award.


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By Keleigh Nealon, Buzz60
You've been stretching and doing sprints for when stores open on Black Friday -- but what good is that going to do if you don't know what time to go?
Remember, hours of operation may vary by location -- and some times are just rumors for now -- so be sure to check ahead.
Here's when some of your favorite fashion and beauty retailers are rumored to open:
And if you wake up too full from Thursday's food -- don't worry, there's always online shopping!
RELATED: See when some big-box stores are expected to open