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Digestible financial news. Get smarter fast with an entertaining breakdown of our top 3 business stories in 15 minutes. Pairs perfectly with your commute, workout, or morning oatmeal ritual. Hosted by Jack Kramer and Nick Martell.
Rachael Ray and GrubHub just teamed up. Uber Eats launched one last week. We’re looking at the “trend of the week” — Virtual Kitchens. Stocks popped Friday because of the latest (kinda) trade deal, so we’re looking at what it includes. And Papa raised $10M and snagged major partners as it becomes the “grandkids on demand” app.
Your other map go-to, Waze, is owned by Google’s parent, Alphabet, and it’s the company’s potential future profit puppy. Tootsie Roll is 100% focused on candy, less focused on its latest earnings report. And our Unicorn of the Day is Grammarly, the AI-powered company (or is it a feature?) that just hit a $1B valuation.
Bed Bath & Beyond stock is down over 80% in the last 5 years, but it just snagged a new CEO who revolutionized shopping at Target. Compared to Delta, it’s been hard out there for American Airlines, so we’re looking at what uniquely caused its problems. And our Invention of the Day is lithium ion batteries because the creation that enabled the tech device you’re reading this on just won a Nobel prize.
Domino’s already fights in the Pizza Wars and Delivery Wars — now it’s focused on takeout (they prefer “carryout”) to win. A Houston Rockets’ tweet has China angry at the NBA, and now companies are getting involved. And One Medical is our Unicorn of the Day: the $1.5B tech-ish doctor chain now wants to IPO
The owner of Ben & Jerry’s, Unilever is making an epic sustainability pledge: cut 400K tons of virgin plastic per year. Harley designed an electric bike to desperately snag millennial customers, but it turns out they’re not interested. And after diving deep into ecommerce, Walmart is undoing the parts that are too unprofitable.
Target is pulling a Best Buy — it’s adding Disney stores within its own stores (and it kind of looks like the future of malls). HP dropped 10% because printers are the new fax machines, but a shrinking business could become a growing one. And wedding registry icon Zola is engaged to become a unicorn — the $650M startup launches an end-to-end Honeymoon booking service.
Liquor legend Constellation brands fell 6% even though it’s launching 4 flavors of a new spiked seltzer to save its beer sales. Uber unveiled a new app that’s purely focused on the gig economy — connecting workers with needs, not just drivers and delivery. And payment processor Square jumped into supporting CBD sellers because cannabis has a banking bottleneck.
Don’t call it a phone — Microsoft just cooked up a 2-part foldable phone that creates a whole new product category (its mojo is back). The World Trade Organization (WTO) just decided on a 15-year trade dispute between Boeing and Airbus that reveals how trade conflicts should go down. And Chipotle’s new-ish CEO makes a bold move during the breakfast wars — focus on dinner and everything the previous CEO wouldn’t do.
GoPro unveiled a couple pre-holiday cameras, but the move reveals how much it’s lost its moat. Charles Schwab announced it’s cutting stock trading commissions from $4.95/trade to zero, so we’re jumping into the history of fees. And Masco is our Midwestern institution of the day for focusing on paint over cabinets as it pivots strategy.
Bud had a hefty bar tab, so it just spun-off its Asia beer business — and the IPO proved unsexy business models may be sexy again. Google’s self-driving car division just had its valuation slashed because it’s taking. Way. Too. Long. To. Arrive. And the world’s biggest RV-maker, Thor Industries, jumped 16% because camping is going global.
Talent agency Endeavor was supposed to IPO last Friday, but it called off everything Thursday night. Rent The Runway is not taking new customers to its clothing rental until Oct 15th because of a mistake that reveals what kind of a company it really is: Logistics. And NFL Sunday Ticket is the loyalty leader that got people using DirecTV — but now AT&Tis considering ending the expensive deal.
Straight from the fitness tech pioneer’s IPO, we sit down with Peloton co-founder and COO Tom Cortese to talk about how they pitched investors, what drives customer loyalty, and if the stock ticker symbol should’ve been “SWET” or “SPIN” instead of "PTON".
Facebook’s virtual reality arm, Oculus, just cooked up “Horizons” — a virtual world at a whole new level. Amazon released a huge number of Alexa-packed products, including a finger ring, copy-cat AirPods, and a high-end speaker. And fresh after WeWork and Juul just lost both their CEOs this week, eBay’s leader is stepping down.
After a crazy week, WeWork’s co-founder and CEO stepped down. Nike’s earnings reveal its next opportunity is really with guys wearing athleisure. And Nio, the Tesla of China, plummeted 22% after another rough quarter that forced it to shockingly cancel its earnings call.
Literally while some people were in the air, British travel agency Thomas Cook shut down, so we look at the millions affected by a big corporate bankruptcy. Fitbit’s fought hard to survive since Apple unveiled the Watch, but it’s now offering to sell itself. And Bloomingdale’s launched “My List,” a 10-item per month clothing rental for $149/month as “clothing as a service.”
J. Crew’s legendary denim brand is outperforming J. Crew — so it filed to IPO itself. Tinder-owner Match Group is getting an interactive TV show (welcome to “Swipe Night”) in a unique convergence of tech and media. And Juul’s e-cigarette issues keep piling up, which is a bigger pain for its latest investor: regular cigarette-maker Altria.
Bezos kicked things up a notch by announcing a carbon neutrality pledge for Amazon that shockingly even beats the Paris Climate Accords. Alphabet’s drone division, Wing, just partnered up with Walgreens, FedEx, and a local gift store to make drone delivery happen next month in Virginia. And Stripe just passed Airbnb with a $35B valuation that earns it our “Unicorn of the Day.”
Facebook just announced a $149 Portal TV device to let you video chat while binge TV-watching. Corning Glass is located in a small town in upstate New York, making the glass on your iPhone — it just snagged a $250M investment from Apple. And FedEx fell 13% on its worries about the global economy, which makes it a “leading indicator.”
LinkedIn just revealed a new “skills” feature that we consider its most strategic move since Microsoft acquired it. General Motors is experiencing its biggest strike in a decade and that’ll cost it up to $100M a day. And Shopify just became Earth’s #2 biggest ecommerce platform, but we’re looking into its cannabis-supporting moves into CBD.
Oil prices just surged after an attack in Saudi Arabia, so we break down why it’s not as big a deal as Wall Street made it seem. Netflix is treating itself to $500M of Seinfeld reruns from Sony because sitcoms earn your loyalty. The WSJ reported that Amazon’s secretive A9 search office made a change to its algorithm with huge implications for your online shopping life.
Pepsi and Venmo teamed up for a spending partnership they’re calling “PepCoin” — it highlights the behavioral challenges of Fintech. Walmart’s $98/month Grocery Club is taking on Amazon with something Amazon can’t do. And our “Nearly-Unicorn of the Day” is Voyage, whose self-driving cars are turning the elderly into early-adopters.
SmileDirectClub (uncreative ticker symbol, FYI) falls 28% on its IPO day, but we look at whether it was really a bad IPO when you look at the valuation. Under Armour is going anti-athleisure with its new strategy, but it’s actually copying Lululemon. And General Electric is selling $38B of itself to survive, which highlights its greatest disadvantage: Pensions.
Wendy’s is trying to jump into the fast food breakfast wars, but shares fell 10% because it’s too late — again. A Snacker asked us to jump into Monster Beverage, so we found out what it’s up to. And California’s new gig worker law hits right at Lyft and Uber, so they hit right back.
Everyone’s looking at the new iPhone 11 unveiled at Apple’s big product unveil (spoiler alert: new colors), but we’re focused on its strategic moves with Apple TV+. Ford’s bonds just hit junk status, so we’re looking at the decade that led to this. And Next Door is our “Unicorn of the Day” for its latest fundraise and focus on accountability.
Uber is already deeply unprofitable, but whipped up $200M to invest annually in its fastest-growing business: Uber Freight. Starbucks will launch its 1st pick-up only store in New York this fall, but it’s the early sign of American companies copying Chinese ones. And AT&T was smacked with a 23-page letter by a new major hedge fund investor, and it’s calling for huge change.
Glossier just snagged a new COO from Amazon, highlighting the company’s growth hacking success. DocuSign surged 22% as the e-signature pioneer’s anti-friction strategy pays off. And Beyond Meat drops as plant-based protein competition kicks up four notches.
Tinder-owner Match fell 5% on word Facebook’s new dating feature goes live, like, right now — even though Match already knew the competition was coming. Slack released its first earnings report since going public, revealing its next 10M users are harder than the 1st 10M. And WeWork may slice its valuation from $47B to about $25B before it IPOs because critics think its IPO paperwork is a “masterpiece of obfuscation.”
While American Eagles sales suffer, its Aerie lingerie brand is thriving — and it’s a perfect example of spinoff brands. Michigan became the first state to ban flavored e-cigarettes, just as Juul came out with “the strictest age verification system ever.” And Google was hit with a $170M fine that highlights the difference in targeted and non-targeted ads.
A “reverse engineer” took it upon herself to investigate Facebook’s code — and she discovered the company toying with a “hide your likes” feature. Ulta Beauty dropped 30% last week, so we looked into why and found an insight in slide #9. And with deadlines quickly approaching, we break down the econo-political drama in Britain and Argentina.
WeWork just acquired Spacious before its IPO, and the startup’s business model fascinated us. Walmart is stealthily testing out a new health center it could take nationwide. And Dollar Tree and Dollar General were about to be hit hard by tariffs — then they discovered 4 creative ways not to pay for tariffs.
The Disney merging with Fox saga is officially over now that Disney sold YES Network… partially to Amazon. Forever 21 is a fast-fashion founding father, but it’s reportedly going bankrupt (there’s another key F-word here: Fad). And Citibank and Panera bread both have minimum wage stories that will surprise you.
Peloton’s IPO — we literally printed off the IPO filing documents, got on a Peloton, and discovered that Peloton wants to be a religion. Fitbit’s taking on Apple by launching its own subscription service. And Amazon had already acquired the doorbell company Ring, but now it’s got an interesting partnership with police departments nationwide.
Costco just opened up its first physical store in China and the reaction was huge (the store had to close early). Smucker’s dropped 8% on word its peanut butter is facing price cut problems (and other nut-butters). And Altria and Philip Morris used to own the tobacco industry together, but now they may re-merge because nearly every trend is anti-cigarette.
First Popeye’s and Chick-fil-a went at it over a new fried chicken sandwich, then KFC added a Beyond Meat faux-meat burger. Hasbro is dropping $4B for British cartoon Peppa Pig (and it’s also getting some rap artists). And Dish is about to be the 4th biggest telecom company after the Sprint-T-Mobile merger, so we jumped into it Snacks style.
Stocks plummeted at the end of last week on the biggest escalation in the US/China trade war yet (it got personal). White Claw by the Mark Anthony group is the spiked seltzer whose sales have quadrupled as it takes on beer. And News Corp announces Knewz, a new app trying to out-play tech in its top skill: aggregation.
Dick’s pulled a classic tool out of its belt: A/B Testing. Our “Unicorn of the Day” is Wheels Up, which claims it’ll be the Airbnb of private jets (and Tom Brady and Serena Williams are members). And Germany’s 30-year bonds hit negative interest rates — so we break down what they are and why they’re so rare.
We dove into WeWork’s IPO paperwork (its S-1) Snacks style. JPMorgan is shutting down a payment app, but it’s a major lesson on how to quit something smartly. And Waymo (owned by Google) is sharing its self-driving car knowledge to make self-driving actually happen.
Apple’s card with Goldman Sachs was just released for all Americans, so we jump in Snacks style. Target announces its biggest ever food brand, focused on organic food. And Tesla’s solar panel unit announces a rental version — just as it gets sued by Walmart.
Makeup legend Estée Lauder jumped 13% after its earnings report, but we were most interested in its “travel retail channel” surprise. SmileDirectClub wants to IPO, so we jumped into its filing documents and found an Instagram story. And the Business Roundtable held a meeting, but ended up renewing its vows of what being a corporation actually means today.
Facebook’s had a rocky relationship with the news industry, but it’s trying a major new partnership to fix what it broke. Roku is the new king of streaming after its Rudy moment. And sperm startup Dadi just raised $5M as money pours into fertility — now healthtech is the next wave of Brandicorns.
Lyft jumped after its huge loss wasn’t as bad as expected — but we found two other stories with a bigger takeaway about the tech industry. Boston Beer Company is famous for its Sam Adams label, but a recent report highlights why it’s not a beer stock anymore. And prescription drug distributors are getting sued by states, and we learned a key price tag of the opioid epidemic.
FYI, take the Snacks survey so we can get to know our Snackers better (fun fact: you could win a $100 Amazon gift card): www.listenerq.com/snacks —Shake Shack popped 18% not just because of a new strategic move, but because its leadership was open to changing its mind. Disney’s earnings hit record revenues, but spent $3B more money than it made because of acquisitions. And IAC owns a piece of everybody in the human-connecting-human apps industry, including Tinder and Angie’s List.
Worst. Day. Of. The. Year. The trade war just opened up a fresh new front: the currency battles. Meat giant Tyson shares surged, but then it announced it’s being investigated for collusion on your chicken prices. And Compass has almost doubled its valuation in less than a year to $6.4B — its dream is to bring tech to real estate.
Pinterest is defining itself as the most positive, happy, feel-good social media app — and usage is jumping. Delivery apps had their biggest week yet, so we jumped into it Snacks style. And oil icons Exxon Mobil and Chevron reported earnings, which reveal a “glut” issue in the whole industry.
Kellogg enjoyed its best day in two decades even though cereal sales are struggling big. Canada Goose removed a single word from its website, causing the stock to drop Thursday. And stocks fell because of the trade war — you’re going to finally notice the tariffs that hit consumer products.
Turns out lawn phenom Scotts Miracle-Gro has been enjoying a sales boost by equipping cannabis producers to grow indoors. Fitbit plummeted 14% on a struggling new smartwatch, but its future could be Apple-style services. And stocks plummeted yesterday because of the Fed, so we break down why.
Turns out Apple is no longer an iPhone company after releasing its latest quarterly earnings report. Under Armour hasn’t embraced the athleisure trend enough and its latest 14% stock drop reveals it needs a rebrand. And P&G stock jumped 4% even though it suffered a $5.4B loss — blame that on its razor biz (which is blaming beards).
A new drug company hath been born — Pfizer is merging its portfolio of off-patent drugs (like Viagra and Lipitor) with epi-pen-maker Mylan. Beyond Meat’s earnings report had a good side and a dark side. And The Athletic’s subscription-only sports news biz model is winning the media industry with a new milestone.
We were live from the floor of Nasdaq’s opening bell ceremony at Livongo IPO’s — so we sat down to interview the president of the digital health service company. We also covered a WSJ report that Apple may be giving unfair preference to its apps in the App Store (so we run our first “snax-periment”). And the T-Mobile/Sprint deal to create a new telecom giant got a major approval from the DOJ worth diving into.
Snackers, we love you. And we would love to learn more about you — fill out this 2-minute survey to share more about yourself and thoughts on the pod (plus, you could win a $100 Amazon gift card): http://listenerq.com/snacks/In today's episode, for the past 4 quarters, Amazon set record profits. But not this time — we noticed it has 42 highlights in its report, so we picked highlights of those highlights. Hershey stock rose 2%, but its new strategy is simply repackaging Reese’s. And major car companies got together to chat emissions standards with California in a secret meeting that could affect the entire industry.
With another huge day of earnings, Tesla fell 10% because one of its top cars is cannibalizing sales of another. Dunkin’ is launching a plant-based sausage sandwich with Beyond Meat, highlighting how Dunkin’s become the great trend democratizer. And UPS popped 9% as it tries a new strategy for growth: A try every strategy.
Forget coffee. Starbucks made a strategic tech investment so it can start licensing out its successful mobile app technology and loyalty program. Hasbro shares popped 10% courtesy of its critical Disney partnership. And China’s new tech-focused stock market debuted with one purpose: Make sure Chinese tech companies IPO in China.
Uber is launching a pilot in SF and Chicago for a membership program that combines all its services for one price. Apple is reportedly buying Intel’s smartphone chip-making business, and that dropped Qualcomm’s stock. And GoPuff is our “Unicorn of the Day” because it’s about to get a major investment from SoftBank as it brings convenience stores to college students nationwide.
Beyond Meat is bouncing back after 2 big partnership deals — online and offline. You’re constantly hearing about Boeing’s issues, so we’re breaking down how its $8B price tag stacks up to other corporate scandals. And Tinder’s new move to sneak past the Google Play store highlights how app stores have become tollbooths.
Microsoft remains the world’s biggest publicly-traded company, so we jumped into the big question no one understands these days: How it makes money. Skechers stock popped because it’s basically become an international company, but its core focus is (ironically) avoiding trends. And iHeartRadio just started trading again on Nasdaq after emerging from a hefty bankruptcy.
The 2-day Amazon Prime Day just ended, so we jump into the “flywheel effect” that powers it. Netflix shares plummeted 12% and it’s blaming its lack of story-telling the last 3 months. And Turo is our unicorn of the day after an investment by Tinder-owner IAC boosted the car-sharing platform beyond a $1B valuation.
A report revealed that Apple wants to jump deeper into podcasts by signing exclusive deals with podcast creators sent Spotify shares down. Domino’s fell 9% after its earnings revealed it may be facing pressure from ”3rd party delivery aggregators.” And Big Bank Week continued with earnings from JP Morgan, Wells Fargo, and Goldman Sachs — and we noticed how expensive Goldman’s pivot from Wall Street to Main Street is getting.
Chobani whipped up a new line of nut butter Greek yogurts — The Greek yogurt industry is struggling, but Chobani is using Coca-Cola’s spinoff strategy. Marriott has been charging “resort fees” for years, but now the DC Attorney General has a problem with it. And publicly-traded private equity firm Blackstone just made an acquisition of the mobile ad optimizing startup that’s taking on Google and Facebook’s ad game.
Earth’s biggest brew-glomerate, Budweiser-owner AB InBev, was planning the biggest IPO of the year by spinning off its Asia unit — that was suddenly canceled before the weekend. France unveiled a “tech tax,” but it really looks like a tariff on Silicon Valley. And scooter icon Bird is our “dramatic unicorn of the day” for a debate raging on its profitability problems.
Fed Chairman Jerry Powell was visiting Congress — So he shared his thoughts on Facebook’s planned cryptocurrency (that may have caused Bitcoin to drop). Lululemon whipped up a 20,000-square-foot mega-store/club/studio, a sweatlife store format it wants to take nationwide. And healthcare stocks jumped this week on multiple headlines, so we jump into the factors that drive the unique industry.
Conference call icon Zoom made your webcam vulnerable to snooping, and the flaw got discovered in a dramatic way. SunTrust bank decided to stop funding private prison companies, so we decided to look into private prison company stocks. And Snapchat’s venture capital arm, Yellow, announced its 2nd class of early-stage startups, which we explored to notice the trends of tomorrow.
Pepsi’s earnings report seemed normal, until we noticed its CEO’s passion for the future of its sparkling water strategy. AT&T announced HBO Max with a unique angle attacking Netflix’s awkward Achilles heel. And Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic wants to become the first publicly listed human-spaceflight company.
So far in 2019, Snap’s stock is up 160% — we’re looking at the 2 biceps of tech powering that silent comeback. WeWork wants to IPO, but first, it’s taking on some debt. A lot of it. And it’s the same strategy as a college athlete going pro. And the Congressional Budget Office’s minimum wage report reveals some key insights on the nation’s paycheck policy if everyone made $15/hour.
Canopy Growth is the world’s largest cannabis company and it suddenly fired its co-CEO — but it looks like Corona owner Constellation Brands was all over this one. A Recode report revealed major drama within Walmart as its ecommerce arm led by Marc Lore clashes with classic brick-and-mortar Walmartians. And our “Icon of the Week” Lee Iacocca changed the auto industry forever, so we’re looking at his legacy as he passed away.
Tesla didn’t report earnings – it reported its car deliveries, and the record numbers boosted the stock 7%. Meditation app Calm just raised more money as a $1B+ valued company, so we dive into the sleep pivot that powered its growth. And happy 10th birthday to the longest economic expansion since WWII.
Stubhub is treating customers who spend $10k to VIP tailgates, VIP perks, and VIP customer service. The women’s national team soccer jersey is Nike’s top-selling soccer jersey ever, showing the potential to boost womens’ sales. And Deutsche Bank’s reportedly mulling laying off 20k workers as it still hasn’t recovered from the financial crisis.
With beer sales falling, Budweiser’s parent company AB InBev acquires the maker of Babe canned rosé and White Girl Rosé as its summer makeover. The RealReal is leading the re-commerce industry by pulling an Airbnb on thrift stores — and it just surged 45% on its IPO. And Velodyne is our “Pre-IPO of the Day,” using an anti-Tesla technology to make self-driving happen for a bunch of key carmakers (and tech giants).
While Bitcoin is rising, we looked at Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), which is the “shovel” to Bitcoin’s “mining.” A crazy stat about Amazon reveals how it’s become a shipping company. And Superhuman just raised $33M for its mission to make email a luxury thing.
We noticed WeWork is on an acquisition tear, and it just strategically added Waltz to its list. General Mills shares fell 4% because its snack biz is underperforming, while its fancy pet foods are winning. And Shopify powers your go-to boutique ecommerce options, and its new Apple iMessage feature is a new level for customer service.
Coffee stocks Starbucks and Dunkin’ are up to record highs this year because they’re both pursuing 4 specific strategies. BMW unveiled its new lineup of Tesla-battling electric cars and even an electric bike. And Google sister company Sidewalk Labs revealed details of its $1B future city plan to takeover a Toronto waterfront.
McDonald’s Quarter Pounder was launched with fresh beef a year ago — and that just propelled McD’s to its first gain in burger market share in 5 years. Caesars merged with Eldorado to create the biggest casino in the US, but activist investor Carl Icahn is the real story. And what’s being called the “Viagra for women” just snagged FDA approval, so we look into why the pharmaceutical company’s stock fell.
Canada’s Canopy Growth is the biggest cannabis producer in the world, but its latest numbers reveal it may have a pot demand problem. Walmart paid up a $288M bribery fine, but the management team has a reason to not be upset. And Amazon whipped up a new surveillance drone that fits smoothly into a trend we’re noticing from the ecommerce icon.
Slack shares jumped 49% on their first day of trading, so we jumped into the company that thinks it’ll replace work email within 7 years. Netflix’s Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston movie set a personal record, but it’s the number Netflix shared that entertained us. And Apple’s letter to a US trade rep about moving its factories is a key development in the trade war.
Grocery Outlet’s “WOW!” IPO (listen to the pod — you’ll see what we mean) is the convergence of two major retail trends. YouTube may be launching a separate version for kids and even disable its profit-powering auto-play. And we noticed Adobe’s stock hit a record high and it highlights why Silicon Valley loves software.
Facebook unveiled details of its new cryptocurrency, Libra (aka “ZuckBucks”), so we jump into the key details you need to know. Lululemon’s going hard into its #sweatlife lifestyle push by launching its new shampoo, deodorant, and more, while athleisure keeps winning retail. And Best Buy introduced a new FitnessTech strategy as it aims to become the Apple Store for Baby Boomers.
Tech-focused Domino’s is unleashing a self-driving delivery minivan later this year. Meal kit pioneer Blue Apron’s shares jumped from 55-cents to over $8 because of a reverse stock split (we’ll break it down). And while Buzzfeed employees are pushing to unionize, VW’s shockingly just voted against the idea.
Chewy.com’s IPO is based on the concept of “pet humanization,” but it’s showing how to beat Amazon. Airbnb’s insane new “Adventures” feature lets you book wild trips you probably didn’t realize were possible (because it’s facing competition in every direction). And Verizon launches a piece of hardware to help you not lose anything, but it’s all part of a “switching costs” strategy.
Startup Quibi is launching as a fully mobile streaming app with $1B in funding, and we just got more details on what it’s working on (hint: the return of “Punk’d”). Gig economy website Fiverr surged 90% on its IPO, and it literally trademarked the term “gig.” And a WSJ article reveals how HSBC has become the international bank of choice for Saudi Arabia with big risk, and big reward.
Restoration Hardware (aka RH) surged 20% after its earnings for its new magazine strategy (the opposite of everyone else). Gaming legend Fortnite acquires Houseparty in a move that may redefine the future of social media. And Crowdstrike surged 71% on its IPO day, so we made cybersecurity sexy as our “Unsexy Industry of the Day.”
Mary Meeker dropped her annual 333-slide Internet Trends Report, so we pulled out 3 keys for you. Grubhub shares jumped 8% on word Amazon is ending its restaurant delivery service. And our “Unicorn of the Day” is Brex as it hits a $2.6B valuation giving credit cards to startups.
Suddenly, it happened. Mega Merger Monday. Salesforce acquired Tableau to create the corporate starter kit of software, while Raytheon merged with United Technology to become the #2 player in the defense and weapons industry. And Zoom’s latest earnings report has us jumping into our “Trend of the Day”: Work from Home.
The pioneer of social media influencer marketing, Revolve shares surged to become the 2nd best public offering stock performance of 2019 so far. JetBlack is the text-based online concierge club that just revealed key numbers as it takes on Amazon Prime (it’s a Walmart company). And Germany’s chain Aldi opens up shop outside of Walmart’s headquarters as it adds a new front to the epic US grocery wars.
In its first earnings report since its IPO, Beyond Meat surged as it defends its first-mover advantage. Canadian cannabis icon Cronos is pivoting its CBD efforts to the US. And Barnes & Noble jumped on word it’s about to be acquired.
Liquor legend Brown Forman just revealed that fresh tariffs from the EU on American whiskey is costing the Jack Daniels owner $125M per year. Scooter pioneer Bird has a new bike option that’s blatantly targeting “THICs” -- Town-living High Income Car-less people. And GameStop falls 36% because it’s trying out the Barnes & Noble playbook.
Wall Street just had its best day since January, so we explain why (it’s all about The Fed’s focus on something sexy). Spotify whipped up a new app to fix a problem and also take down radio. And fitness-tech mirror Mirror is about to hit a $300M valuation.
Shares of Google and Facebook both fell over 6% on word US regulators have coordinated to take them on. Meanwhile, Apple’s big Worldwide Developers Conference unveiled fresh new iThings. And then private equity firm Blackstone led the biggest private real estate transaction ever -- and became Amazon’s landlord.
In a record settlement of $5M for a parental leave case, JPMorgan’s giving new moms and dads a more equal policy (although the US is still way behind). The fresh US tariffs on Mexico announced Thursday will hit cars, avocados, and Coronas. And a bunch of brands you know aren’t in the hotel business, but they’re opening hotels -- So we look at West Elm, Shinola, and LVMH.
In its 1st earnings report as a public company since this month’s IPO, Uber’s earnings report revealed it’s got a problem with 1 word: Growth. Firefly raises $30M and expands to NYC to forever change your cab ads. And Dollar General and Dollar Store stocks are close to all-time highs — And that says a lot about the US.
iRobot just unveiled two high-tech robot floor cleaners, but its expansion to non-cleaning things is TBD. Abercrombie & Fitch just axed 3 high-profile flagship stores -- But its stock’s worst day in 2 decades gave us a key insight on retail. And SoFi is raising $500M to expand beyond student loans (and maybe even name a stadium after itself).
Farmville-creator Zynga just sold its San Francisco headquarters building for $600M — And it may be better at real estate than video games. We’re jumping into the spy-worthy “corporate theft” stories of how China’s Huawei stole secret intellectual property from US tech. And cigarette companies suffered their worst day in 5 months, but not because of ecigs and Millennials.
Zuck’s launching a Bitcoin-ish cryptocurrency called GlobalCoin in 2020 so that paying for anything is as easy as messaging. Kontoor is the newly IPO’d company created after Vans-owner VF Brands spun-off its denim icons Wrangler and Lee’s — And it fell on Day #1 of trading. And Snackers asked us to cover Elon Musk’s SpaceX’s big week, so we did. And we loved it.
You’ve heard about Disney+ streaming and Marvel Movies for months — But there’s a big story around its theme parks and its new Star Wars land. Facebook’s 3rd transparency report revealed it’s destroyed 2.2B fake accounts in the last three months. And our “IPO of the Day” is Endeavor, the 121-year-old talent agency behind most of the stars you’re watching.
A “reverse-engineering specialist” discovered within code in the Uber Eats app plans to release a $9.99/month unlimited food delivery service. Yesterday we told you how the retail-pocalypse is crushing JCPenny — Today we jump into how Target is thriving through it. And Snacks Daily listeners asked us for an update on Boeing... so we’re giving it to them.
Tesla stock hit a 3-year low this week after one analysts’ aggressive dystopian imagery. Urban Outfitters is trying on its best Rent the Runway impression, whipping out a new clothing rental business to be called Nuuly. And JCPenney’s falls 7% for its uninspiring-ness.
Telecom icons T-Mobile and Sprint were supposed to enjoy a $26B merger relationship, but now it may be off — And that halted trading in Sprint stock. Chip-makers like Nvidia and Advanced Micro Devices have fallen 20% the last few months because of one big indirect threat. And Canva is our “Unicorn of the Day” because it was touched by VC legend Mary Meeker.
Amazon made 2 major moves into delivery and shipping by investing in Deliveroo and breaking ground on its own 100-plane airport. Luggage startup Away hit a $1.4B valuation to become our “Brand-icorn of the Day.” And John Deere drops 8% because it’s become a near-perfect illustration of the trade war drama (and Mother Nature).
There’s a theme to Pinterest’s first ever earnings report: Slowing. TikTok is the Chinese app that just hit 5 straight quarters as the most-downloaded in the app store. And Long Term Stock Exchange is actually a brand new stock exchange with a very particular mission.
To get into your weekend calendar, Amex acquired restaurant reservation app Resy to make perks way more Millenniall-y. LaCroix is owned by National Beverage Corp, whose shares fell 7% this week as analysts say it can’t handle new competition. And a major study shows Americans are having a record low number of babies, so we jump into the businesses that affects.
Ralph Lauren shares dropped even though its latest marketing moves are winning Gen Z. Dating app icon Match announced a new coaching hotline to get you to date #2. And the “Free Shipping Wars” of Walmart vs. Amazon were just kicked up a couple notches.
Spin studio chain Flywheel has been taken over by one of its investors because it’s losing the fitness wars to tech-focused Peloton bikes. Apple fell on word from the Supreme Court it can be sued over for its App Store monopoly. And as trade war drama dropped markets big, our “Unsexy Companies of the Day” earned some air.


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Apple blocks sale of the Galaxy Tab in EU : Case in Germany
Apple has won a preliminary injunction to stop the sale of Samsung’s Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablet in the whole of the European Union except for the Netherlands. A new ruling by a regional court in Dusseldorf, Germany has granted Cupertino a preliminary injunction, blocking the sale and advertising of the Galaxy Tab 10.1.
Apple has a similar ongoing lawsuit in the Netherlands. Should Samsung continue to sell the tablet, the company could face fines of up to $350,000 for each violation. Apple also won the injection in Australia blocking the sale of the said tablet.
Samsung plans to appeal the injunctions, but the likely appeal will take about a month to be heard by the judge who granted the injunction.

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CARTMEL, ENGLAND (Reuters) - Simon Rogan, one of the UK’s top chefs, has abandoned long-awaited plans to open a permanent restaurant in London, for fear his two Michelin-starred L’Enclume restaurant could suffer.
Rogan, who has regularly appeared on TV and who is well known for “foraging” ingredients from the surrounding countryside, told Reuters he abandoned plans for a London outlet after a recent restaurant opening in Manchester “almost killed” him.
The decision stands in stark contrast to moves by other well-known chefs who have built up large restaurant empires on the back of growing interest in good food among the UK public.
Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver, for instance, has opened restaurants throughout the UK and abroad, and has TV series, cook books and merchandise. Other top chefs with large restaurant businesses include Gordon Ramsay, who runs a string of restaurants in London and abroad, and Marco Pierre White, who has steak restaurants in London and other UK cities.
“I was always determined that I wouldn’t have a restaurant that I would never step foot into,” Rogan told Reuters in the conservatory of L’Enclume, situated in the medieval village of Cartmel in northern England. “How much do you need? How greedy do you want to be? Quality-wise, it’s the right decision.
“I don’t want to feel that L’Enclume is being neglected, which it certainly felt like to me, because I have been away from it for four weeks now (in Manchester). Although the team here are perfectly capable - you wouldn’t know I’ve been away - I know I am away.”
Rogan has run a temporary restaurant called Roganic in London for nearly two years, and had been planning to open a permanent outlet that was “a bit more grand” when the lease for Roganic expires in June, before deciding against it in recent days.
He added that he didn’t want to have to depend on “an army of investors” for a London launch, while funding the move from his existing business “would maybe be to risk what is bordering on what we see as perfection here”.
L’Enclume - French for anvil - is situated in a former smithy and is rated Britain’s second-best restaurant, behind Heston Blumenthal’s Fat Duck, in the current Good Food Guide. The two restaurants were the only ones to achieve a top score of 10 out of 10.
Rogan said he will now concentrate on his outlets in northwest England. At his recently opened restaurant in Manchester, The French, food will be developed to “incorporate the historical element of Manchester”.
In one recipe taken from 18th century Manchester businesswoman Elizabeth Raffald, he lards veal with fat to make it more succulent before cooking it on a barbecue (Raffald used a trivet in front of an open fire).
And after eliminating foreign ingredients from his menus around four-and-a-half years ago, Rogan said he was inspired by Raffald to begin using lemons again in a lemon pickle to go with a mushroom ketchup for the veal.
Rogan, whose techniques also include cooling with liquid nitrogen, said the rest of the world has been “so far ahead” of British cuisine but said TV shows such as “MasterChef” and “Great British Menu” had had a “a massive effect on our food culture”.
However, it is France, where he has previously worked and where he felt “totally at home”, that he rates “head and shoulders above anywhere else in the world”.
“I was struck going back to Lyon this year and going into simple brasseries and bistros, by the very simple food cooked absolutely amazingly,” he said. “Beef cheeks with pommes purees, mushrooms ... that’s the type of food I really, really love.”
Among his favorite chefs he names Pierre Gagnaire - “an absolute genius” - while this year he plans to eat at El Celler de Can Roca in Girona, Spain that is run by the brothers Josep, Jordi and Joan Roca.
Rogan adds that he hopes the trend away from processed food and towards locally sourced, organic fare that has become more popular in Britain in recent years will continue.
“This is the way I see (going) forward,” he said. “We go that one step further by taking one step back down the food chain, to make sure we’ve got the perfect ingredients in the first place that you don’t have to do much to.”
Editing by Paul Casciato


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Redmi S2, the upcoming smartphone by Xiaomi that is debuting in China on May 10, is now claimed to be the best selfie phone in the Redmi series. The latest claim has been made through an official Redmi S2 teaser that also flaunts the front of the upcoming smartphone. Other teasers deal with other aspects of the front camera. Additionally, the listing of a global version of the handset has been spotted on Aliexpress that hints its availability outside China, including India and other worldwide markets. Xiaomi is apparently projecting the Redmi S2 as its selfie smartphone to counter similar offerings by domestic competitors such as Huawei, Oppo, and Vivo.
The fresh Redmi S2 teaser claims it as the best Redmi phone for shooting selfies. The image of the smartphone featured on the teaser suggests a large front-facing camera sensor that could be accompanied by a soft LED flash. Also, there are thin bezels and rounded edges on the display panel - hinting it to have 18:9 aspect ratio. The official image in the teaser additionally looks similar to what has so far been leaked. Another teaser reveals the Redmi S2 will bear a 16-megapixel front camera with automatic HDR, to take better shots in daylight. A third teaser claims the smartphone will have both an AI portrait mode as well as AI-based beautification features.
The smartphone's back was previously shown in a teaser, revealing the vertical dual rear camera setup while another teaser showed iPhone-like antenna lines and revealed the presence of a 12-megapixel camera in the dual rear camera setup.
Coming to the listing on Aliexpress, the Redmi S2 will come with a dedicated dual SIM slot that has a separate room for a microSD card. This is unlike the hybrid dual SIM slot that we have seen on many previous Redmi series models. In terms of specifications, the handset has been listed with a 5.99-inch HD+ (720x1440 pixels) display, octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 SoC, 16-megapixel front camera sensor, dual rear camera setup, and a 3080mAh battery. It also includes a fingerprint sensor on the back. Moreover, some previous reports claimed that the Redmi S2 will come in three different variants with 2GB/ 3GB/ 4GB RAM options and 16GB/ 32GB/ 64GB inbuilt storage options.
The Redmi S2 price on the Aliexpress listing shows the handset will be available between $165.99 (approximately Rs. 11,150) and $193.99 (around Rs. 13,040). This hints that the base version of the new Redmi smartphone could start at CNY 899 (roughly Rs. 9,500). We need to wait until the May 10 launch to understand what all the Redmi S2 will offer for selfie-focused audiences.


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Rice. Grilled fish. Miso soup. That’s what breakfast food used to be in Japan. But that’s not the case anymore. Some might tell you this is globalisation at work, yet I’d argue the opposite.
You can never lose money with real estate. This is something you have probably heard often. But trust me, you can. Just ask the people in Japan.
A Japanese company, Vaak, is looking at predicting crime before it happens. The company has developed a software that uses artificial intelligence and looks at predicting shoplifting.


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Since Snapchat began rolling out its controversial redesign late a year ago, the app's Impression score - which asks consumers if they have an overall positive or negative impression of a specific brand - has tumbled from a high of 30 in late January to a low of 8 in early April with young Americans aged 18-34, according to data from YouGov BrandIndex .
According to the New York Times , researchers in both China and the US have carried out a series of experiments which ultimately proved that it's possible to communicate silent commands that are undetectable to the human ear to voice assistants like Siri , Alexa and Google Assistant .
The change in format from Sony's traditional E3 plans was announced on the Official PlayStation Blogcast . Now, if you are a Sony fan this news should do nothing but get you hyped for this year's showcase. "And we're taking kind of a different angle on how we're bringing it out ". Once again, you can expect some big announcements and reveals. "We'll have some announcements with our third-party publishing partners, we'll have some news things to talk about there, as well as our ...
They are often very passionate about the games they love and, more often than not, are inclined to gift their friends a copy to spread the joy around. You can browse the games category or search for some game you might like. The gift recipient will receive a code for their product along with instructions on how to redeem the code.
The new policy is now live, and ahead of the GDPR going into force on May 25th, Google is sending emails to every single one of its billions of users. Additionally, Google said that it is making it easier to port your Google data to other services, for example to transfer photos from Google Photos to other online photo repositories.
Trade winds could weaken Thursday and Friday, meaning the vog that's largely been accumulating over the ocean south of the Big Island could pool over a larger portion of it, creating possible health hazards, the National Weather Service says.
Another opposed immigrants who "should prove that they are deserved to stay in the United States". "My life matter. Black matters". Newly released documents show how Russian propagandists on Facebook grew increasingly sophisticated and inflammatory in their tactics over two years as they worked to sow discord in the US before and after the 2016 presidential election.
Another feature which is hidden is the split view feature. Take a look at the latest features it has in store for its customers. In Android P you can set time limits to your apps and hence limit your usage. For starters it will be available in Android search, and in one example given today, it was used to surface a piece of the Lyft app to help a user get a ride home.
Specifically, the offending emoji string consists of a "medium black circle" between a less than and greater than symbol, and a leftward pointing finger (officially known as "backhand index finger pointing left" in the emoji dictionary). The message appears to be quite harmless but it comprises of a string of hidden characters. The main problem is that there are a lot characters within the message and the processor inside the iPhone or iPad is not able to deal with it and as a result it ...
The figure includes Early Access sales on PC, Game Preview sales on Xbox One, and retail/digital pre-orders. The gaming world has doubled its breadth, new features and mechanics have been implemented, along with a great deal of content. Conan Exiles has seen massive changes, additions, and improvements throughout its Early Access phase. The Conan Exiles server issues should settle after a few days, but there's also some concerns about issues within the game.
It was a busy afternoon, with Apple Inc . Lastly, a Equal Weight rating on shares of Apple Inc . was Reiterated by Barclays, which also set a $168 price target on the company's stock. The Nebraska-based Berkshire Hathaway Inc has invested 14.63% in the stock. Saybrook Capital, which manages about $216.24M US Long portfolio, decreased its stake in General Elec Co (NYSE:GE) by 404,512 shares to 100,309 shares, valued at $1.75 million in 2017Q4, according to the filing.
Nokia is refining its portfolio to become a business-to-business and licensing company this year. A matter of days after announcing the closure of its Digital Health division , diversified Finnish communications giant Nokia has doubled down in another of its key business areas, the Internet of Things (IoT).
The company Volkswagen has presented a pilot version of "charged" hatchback Golf GTI called the TCR Concept . As you might have guessed from the name already, the new Golf GTI TCR is inspired by the racing Golf TCR that competes in Touring Car Racing.
Ultimate is apparently cramming in the "largest" roster of unique creatures to date, and the core loop of hunting down monsters, finishing quests, and nabbing precious loot is very much at the forefront of the action. Meanwhile, newcomers can take advantage of the new Hunter Arts, which are super-powerful techniques that can be activated by hitting the touch screen.
The Kuiper Belt starts past the orbit of Neptune, roughly 30 astronomical units from sunlight, roughly 30 times the distance between sunlight and Earth, and might stretch nearly as far too interstellar space. The analysis obtained from 2004 EW95 shows that it is very different from the spectrum of other similar smaller space objects located in the Kuiper belt.
Google confirmed that there's no change in functionality, but the company has made a range of visual tweaks to make the design match Google's latest material design principles. That said, there's no way you could enable the new design like on the Gmail as it's a complete server-side change. -The font used for headers has been changed.
Nintendo followed that up with the SNES Classic Edition and the success of the consoles spurred other companies to make tiny versions of consoles from back in the day. The red, white, and blue model honestly looks cooler. A version for global markets including North America, South America, Europe, and other regions will be black, white, and blue.
Being able to tell a smartphone to book an appointment with a hair salon or a restaurant or with a doctor's clinic so that they don't have to is a dream for a lot of people. It can also change photos to PDF files, and automatically add color to black-and-white photos , or make part of a color photo black and white. The changes are coming in the next few months.
Urshela played in 67 games for Cleveland year, hitting.224 with 15 RBIs. The Indians entered Tuesday night 17-17 and holding a narrow one game lead over the surging Twins. He has pitched 52.1 innings and has 53 strikeouts with nine walks. The Brewers have hit eight over their last 10. Milwaukee's issue is that they're getting by somewhat with smoke and mirrors.
Going by the teased picture, it reveals only the side and top portion of the smartphone. The smartphone industry is rapidly jumping on the tall, bezel-less display bandwagon this year and it appears that Lenovo will soon put out a device that ticks those boxes as well.


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The Food Marketing Institute (FMI) bestowed awards at its annual Midwinter Executive Conference to three industry leaders who demonstrate the commitment the food retail industry shares with people and communities.
Oscar Gonzalez, co-president and COO of Southern California’s Northgate Gonzalez Markets, received FMI’s Robert B. Wegman Award for Entrepreneurial Excellence. Jerry Garland, former president and CEO of Associated Wholesale Grocers Inc., was presented with the Sidney R. Rabb Award for Statesmanship. Irene Rosenfeld, chairman of Mondelez International, received the William H. Albers Award for Industry Relations.
The awards were presented Jan. 27 during FMI’s annual conference in Doral, Fla.
“Our industry is rooted in a commitment to people and communities. It shines through the food, the service and the support we provide,” said FMI President and CEO Leslie G. Sarasin. “Visionaries who blazed new trails in their day established a noble legacy – a legacy that thrives and continues in the work of today’s esteemed industry leaders.”
Robert B. Wegman Award
This year’s 2018 award winner, Oscar Gonzalez, adds another chapter in the heritage of entrepreneurial leadership. Co-owner of Northgate Markets, the largest chain of Mexican supermarkets in the U.S., Gonzalez has further transformed the store. Today, Northgate Markets develops their own high-quality brands and the innovative business even touts departments specializing in technology to design and construction. And, under Gonzalez’s leadership, the company created programs focused on education, healthy eating options and community empowerment.
"All of us are reinventing ourselves to find what we need to do to succeed and win," Gonzalez said in his remarks upon accepting the award.
Sidney R. Rabb Award
Throughout his career, Jerry Garland has built relationships among trading partners and elected officials, advocating for independent supermarket operators along the way. During his tenure at the cooperative Associated Wholesale Grocers, Garland once said, “I have 633 bosses – all retailers.” His commitment to shared success led to AWG’s increased revenue, decreased operating expenses, and funds paid back to member stores and their communities.
Garland served as FMI’s board chairman during one of the most regulatory-laden times in our history, most notably working with FMI to navigate the biggest change to the food safety system in 70 years, the Food Safety Modernization Act.
William H. Albers Award
Crediting her strong sports background as a key factor in her leadership development, Irene Rosenfeld is known for her staff-building skills and determination. She has led her teams to breathe new life into established brands and create the world’s greatest snacking company, formed by the splitting up of Kraft Foods. Her pioneering efforts have propelled her to be one of only 32 female leaders among the U.S.’s 500 largest companies.
"It's important that we continue to find ways to work together to create in-store experiences for the brands that consumers want," Rosenfeld remarked upon accepting her award.
Glen P. Woodard Jr. Award
As president and CEO of Martin’s Super Markets, Rob Bartels embraces competition and has earned the trust and loyalty of his customer base. Last year, when a tax bill that could leave small businesses at a disadvantage to large corporations was advancing through Congress, he became a strong voice for independent grocers. Bartels has long represented the interests of food retailers on Capitol Hill and in his home state of Indiana, holding leadership roles in FMI for more than a decade. He’s demonstrated both with lawmakers and with shoppers that he can respond with empathy.
Herbert Hoover Award
Robert Ling Jr., the retired president and CEO of Unified Grocers Inc., has striven to understand all aspects of food retail, both the issues that face the industry and opportunities that allow it to better serve its customers. Ling has built solid relationships with Unified Grocers’ members, vendors and associates. He also spearheaded the merger of Unified Grocers and Supervalu; the combined company now offers value-added benefits and serves broad range of independent grocers, helping them better compete in a changing marketplace.
FMI advocates on behalf of the food retail industry, which employs nearly 5 million workers and represents a combined annual sales volume of almost $800 billion. FMI member companies operate nearly 33,000 retail food stores and 12,000 pharmacies.


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MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - Lt. Andy Seiler and his colleagues have been busy at work Wednesday at the Salvation Army Family Store, but it wasn’t how they had planned.
"We were wondering but we didn't think it would be this bad," Seiler said.
They arrived early in the morning to find strong winds had blown out a front window, but inside it was much worse.
"We came thinking it would just be a few repairs and maybe some water damage from it going inside the window but when we actually opened the door and came inside we realized the roof had been ripped off and everything in our back section had been ruined, all the water damage from that," Seiler explained.
About $50,000 in goods had to be thrown away.
"All of our furniture was ruined, all of our clothes, household items, books, anything you can imagine would be damaged by water was hit in just the span of one night," Seiler said.
They said it would take months to rebuild.
"It’s kind of surreal for me right now,” store manager, Mark Sheridan said. “I'm going through the motions of cleaning everything up, I mean I almost broke down once.”
His employee's well-being was one of his biggest concerns.
"Are we going to be continued to be paid, are we going to continue to have a job?" Sheridan asked.
Throughout the community there have been many who rely on the Salvation Army's help, but for now they'll have to wait.
"So the people we help with all that money we make are going to be affected first and foremost," Seiler said.
Seiler said they would rebuild at their location on Front Street, but they would need the public's help to do it.
"To be able to rebuild the store, to be able to put in new carpet, fixtures and things like that," Seiler said.
Anyone wanting to make a monetary donation could visit them online by clicking here.


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Dairy milk has become a difficult business to be in, as American consumers are flocking more to non-dairy alternatives. Some do so for allergy reasons, but most believe the alternatives are healthier, and in some cases, better for the environment.
Sales of U.S. dairy milk dropped as much as 7% in 2015 and are projected to drop another 11% through 2020, according to research from Mintel. The shift is driven by negative health perceptions, lowered retail prices, declining exports and a growing number of non-dairy alternatives. This led to a rise in sales of these non-dairy alternatives, which saw a 9% increase in 2015, reaching $1.9 billion.
Almost half of Americans consume non-dairy milk, with 46% drinking it every day. Children may be a driving factor in its popularity as 68% of parents and 54% of children under 18 consume it, and 69% agree that non-dairy milk is healthy for kids (although admittedly, 62 percent also say the same about dairy milk).
However, dairy milk is not devoid of supporters. Over 90% of Americans drink dairy milk, but it is most commonly used as an addition to other food or as an ingredient, so only 57% drink dairy milk by itself. Eighty-one percent of consumers say that dairy milk is free of additives, compared to only 62% for non-dairy milk. The top attributes consumers look for when purchasing dairy milk are natural and vitamin/mineral content, while 21 percent look for organic options. Also, 86% of consumers view dairy milk as fresh compared to 63% who say non-dairy milk is fresh.
Non-dairy milk could grow even more in the future with the addition of more health benefits. Thirty percent of Americans say they would drink more non-dairy milk if it had more protein and 18% would drink more if it had beauty benefits like skin and hair health.
Those added nutritional benefits are sometimes hard to find in milk alternatives, but new company Ripple may have solved that problem. Ripple is made using peas and has eight grams of protein, which is the same amount as milk from cows, as well as more potassium and vitamin D, a third of the saturated fat and 50% more calcium. While all of that is certainly positive, the real reason Ripple was formed was to make milk production more sustainable than traditional milk and even other alternatives. Ripple says its milk uses 96% less water than almond milk, 99% less than dairy milk, and 76% less than soy milk. Its carbon footprint is also 93% smaller than dairy's.
Ripple was created by Adam Lowry, who is the cofounder of Method, the sustainable soap brand. It took a year to develop the milk product that has all of the nutrients from peas, without its taste and color. The company describes its milk as "rich, creamy, and satisfying" as well as "gentle on your body and the planet." It will be available at Whole Foods Markets starting on May 2, but it plans to expand more from there.


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Technology is often cited as the key to overcoming two challenges for shippers and the logistics providers that serve them: customer satisfaction and cost savings.
But what if technology hinders the achievement of those goals instead of enabling them? Approximately half of supply chains failed to meet their goals for 2019, according to an American Productivity & Quality Center (APQC) survey of supply chain professionals in late March, and technology shortfalls were cited as a primary factor in those failures.
In terms of the specific areas where supply chains broke down, 43 percent of survey respondents said they failed to meet customer service goals; 41.2 percent failed to meet cost-savings goals and sales goals; 35.7 percent failed to meet inventory control goals; and 27.1 percent failed to meet return-on-investment (ROI) goals for technology.
It may be more instructive to look at the underlying reasons many of these supply chains don’t reach their potential. Respondents cited regulations (46.6 percent), a lack of support for collaboration (44 percent), and technology itself getting in the way (40.6 percent) as the primary roadblocks.
Digitalization offers supply chains an opportunity to maximize revenue streams, overcome obstacles, and build better customer service experiences. But even when armed with a full lineup of systems, problems still regularly arise.
Let’s drill into the latter two roadblocks: a lack of collaborative ability and friction caused by juggling multiple systems.
It’s natural for a software user to wonder, “Are we really getting what the software vendors promised if we have to spend hundreds of hours clicking and moving between software suites? Where is the efficiency? Where are the real savings, and what do I really know about those savings?”
For most, the answer to these questions is “no,” and it often starts with breakdowns in collaboration, which is much more than people just communicating with one another. Instead, it involves the integration of supply chain partners’ systems and people.
Generally speaking, logistics services providers want to be able to measure the health of their businesses. Freight brokers need speedy and accurate cargo capacity availability information and a faster invoicing process. Shippers need faster pickup and delivery. Carriers need more data and access to drivers. Relationships exist between all of these parties in some form, but each interaction is a risk of lost efficiency.
These inefficiencies were present prior to the COVID-19 pandemic — and supply chain leaders knew they existed — but they were easier to ignore given their relatively low impact. Now, those minor inefficiencies are under the microscope as companies try to survive. A simple enough solution exists for those that know what they need, one often referred to as the “single window” strategy. This is intended to describe a unified platform that allows a user to access multiple systems — connected on the back end — thereby avoiding the issue of lost inefficiency through having too many platforms in use.
What does it all mean, really?
Well, each of these companies likely has some form of system that provides information to its supply chain partners. Assume a single process takes three minutes. It seems efficient and leverages digital systems. It feels like that’s not a lot of time, and that people can check their data entries to save money, right? Well, across 250 daily shipments, that's the equivalent of 1.5 full-time employees (12.5 hours), and that excludes the costs of fixing errors during rekeying.
The same concept applies to creating carrier scorecards, managing invoices, and other laborious, resource-intensive processes. Every redundant task adds to expenses. But unified capabilities can enable more efficiency, reduce update downtime, unlock revenue gains, and shorten the technology investment repayment clock drastically.
Viewing such investments through the return on investment (ROI) lens can help sharpen the use case for investing in technology, particularly as a way to better leverage existing investments that aren’t performing optimally.
Adam Robinson is director of Product Marketing for Turvo. He can be reached at email@example.com.


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LIMA — You haven’t seen many shoes like this before in area shops.
That’s the business plan for the co-owners of Shoe Fetish, a new shoe and accessory boutique that held its grand opening Thursday in Lima Center on Elida Road.
Co-owners Demont Watkins, Natasha Mears and Jill Whitmore wanted to bring something to the city it didn’t have before: an upscale, trendy shop for people who love shoes. The three are natives who left the city and returned, committed to the idea of the shop.
“As someone who’s come back to the community, it’s been neat to partner with everyone here. We love shoes. We love clothing. We wanted something fun,” Mears said. “We put a lot of thought into the store.”
The store is at 2720 Elida Road, down from Hobby Lobby. It is open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday and closed Sunday. Call 419-222- SHOE (7463) for details.
The owners are visiting merchandise shows in Las Vegas, Chicago and New York to purchase merchandise for spring, summer and fall.
“We wanted something hip, something upscale, different,” Mears said. “People here do wear these shoes, but now, they have to go out of town or go online to get them.”
The shop currently carries women’s shoes, purses and accessories and will open its men’s line this spring, Mears said. The owners would also like to expand to other locations.
The Lima/Allen County Chamber of Commerce welcomed the shop with a grand opening ribbon cutting Thursday.
“These are fine products,” chamber President Jed Metzger said. “We hope you grow and flourish, and we’re glad you’ve brought this store to Lima.”


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Soon, within Mastercard’s payment network, merchants will be able to accept crypto tokens and offer crypto rewards.
Mastercard partners with Bakkt
According to a report from CNBC financial services firm Mastercard will announce that its thousands of banks and millions of retailers will soon be able to accept crypto. To do this, Mastercard has partnered with Bakkt, a digital asset company. It will provide custody services to the merchants and institutions that sign up.
Bakkt was launched in 2018 as a Bitcoin custodian, like Coinbase Custody or Anchorage. In March, Bakkt launched its crypto wallet and Bakkt app. The Bakkt app allows consumers to use Bitcoin as a means of payment and collect loyalty points and rewards from several participating companies, including Starbucks.
This month, Bakkt started trading on the Nasdaq. It closed its first day at $8.76, a whopping 6.41% lower than its opening price of $9.41. Today it trades against $12.28 per share.
The Mastercard deal will bring a plethora of crypto services to the Mastercard payment network. These include Bitcoin wallets, the ability to earn crypto rewards on crypto credit cards, and participation in select airline or hotel loyalty programs where rewards can be converted into Bitcoins.
Growing institutional interest in crypto is the driving force behind the latest initiative. Sherry Haymond, Mastercard’s executive vice president of digital partnerships, said.
Mastercard Tracks Bitcoin ETFs
The news comes after a week of explosive price performance in the global crypto market. Last Wednesday, market leader Bitcoin set a new all-time high of $66,930. The next day, Ethereum, the second largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization, also set a new record at $4,366.
Much of the recent buzz around crypto has been due to the launch of Proshares’ Bitcoin futures ETF. This is the first regulated investment tool in the US that allows investors to gain exposure to Bitcoin without buying it directly.
The launch of ProShares was followed on Friday with the announcement that the SEC had also approved Valkyrie’s Bitcoin Futures ETF filing.


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This year, Starbucks brought back the Pumpkin Spice Latte well-before the official start to fall, so in order reinvigorate excitement for the actual first day of the season, the coffee chain has released a couple new beverages. The Maple Pecan Latte, a drink that was introduced last fall, will be available for the first time in iced form. Additionally, Starbucks is introducing a never-before-seen drink called the Cold Foam Dark Cocoa Nitro.
The new Iced Maple Pecan Latte is like the hot beverage in that it starts with espresso and milk, which then gets blended with notes of maple syrup and pecan. However, the new version is finished with Starbucks' Cold Foam and autumn sugar topping.
If you're a little bit skeptical about a drink that's so obviously autumnal being served cold, we understand. You can still order the original version, but the combination of maple and pecan over ice could turn out to be the refreshing fall drink you never knew you needed. You won't know until you try, which is why it's especially convenient that Starbucks is offering a special Maple Pecan Latte Happy Hour deal this Thursday, September 20. Starting at 3 p.m., customers can get a grande or larger MPL for 50% off. Simply sign up here to take advantage of the offering.
In addition to the hot Maple Pecan Latte's return and the new iced MPL, Starbucks also recently launched the Cold Foam Dark Cocoa Nitro. This drink is so simple that you can pretty much guess how it's made based on its name. It's created when Starbucks takes its Nitro Cold Brew and tops it with cocoa Cold Foam. According to the coffee chain, the new offering was "inspired by a dark chocolate stout" and it's described as velvety, smooth, and bittersweet.
The new Cold Foam Dark Cocoa Nitro will unfortunately not be included in tomorrow's 50% off Happy Hour deal. It's available now at Starbucks locations where Nitro is sold.


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Renovation project on one side of the street hurt retailers, but Hunky’s impending move, new businesses give gayborhood a brighter outlook
It’s been a tough year for retailers on the Cedar Springs strip, but Scott Whittall is optimistic that things are looking up heading into the holidays.
Whittall, co-owner of Buli CafÃ© and president of the Cedar Springs Merchants Association, said retailers on the strip have been hurt by a major renovation project on one side of the street between Reagan and Throckmorton streets, which has closed off the sidewalk and blocked parking spaces over the last several months.
Other factors hurting the retailers include continuing redevelopment and demographic changes in the surrounding neighborhood, rainy weather and, of course, the ongoing recession, Whittall said.
But he noted that the newly renovated sidewalk on the north side of the street is now fully reopened. Meanwhile, Hunky’s is preparing to move into the old Crossroads Market, and two new businesses have come on line in recent weeks a few blocks away at the mixed-used development ilume.
"It got rough there during the summer, but I think we’re just starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel," Whittall said this week, adding that he estimates 2009 sales at Buli CafÃ© are down 10-15 percent from last year.
Whittall encouraged people to consider doing some of their holiday shopping on Cedar Springs.
"I think the main thing is we’ve got to get the word out that we are the lifeblood of the gay population, this is their street," Whittall said. "Yes, there are other areas, but remember where your heart is. We need everybody to continue to support us during our transition period.
"I know that people don’t need a gay street anymore," Whittall added. "They have to want it now instead of need it."
Rick Barton, owner of Hunky’s, said this week that he now hopes to move the iconic burger joint from its current location to the site of the old Crossroads Market sometime in January. Barton originally intended to move in November, but he said there’s been a delay in obtaining permits from the city.
Barton noted that retail sales are down everywhere, not just on the strip. But he said he wouldn’t be moving Hunky’s to the new location if he didn’t believe in the future of the street.
"That’s my Christmas wish, that all this is going to come back soon," Barton said.
A crew began finish work on the inside of the new Hunky’s this week, Barton said.
Outside, another crew appeared to be wrapping up faÃ§ade work on the Center, which stretches from Throckmorton Street to the other side of the Round-Up Saloon.
The sidewalk and faÃ§ade improvements began in July and were originally scheduled to be complete in early October, but reportedly were delayed in large part by wet weather.
Peter Deinken, vice president of Harry B. Lucas Companies, which managers the Center, couldn’t be reached for comment this week. But Deinken said in a voicemail that the sidewalk and faÃ§ade improvements were "coming along pretty well."
"I think we’re going to be wrapping up most of the physical construction about the end of the month," Deinken said. "We’ll probably have a few little things we have to tie up still, that will take us into at least the first few days of December, but things are starting to look kind of like they should, and hopefully everybody likes the look.
We’ve been getting lots of great comments from our tenants and other people."
Whittall said with the sidewalk and faÃ§ade improvements wrapping up, the Merchants Association is preparing to order benches and trash receptacles for the street, which represents the first phase in the group’s planned $2.5 million beautification project. The Merchants Association has raised about $36,000 through galas and raffles thus far.
"We haven’t even scratched the surface," he said.
The Merchants Association is working with the city of Dallas to obtain funding for things like cobblestone crosswalks and streetcorners. Meanwhile, private donors and sponsorships are being sought for gateway arches at either end of the strip.
Although the beautification project will eventually stretch from Oak Lawn Avenue to Wycliff Avenue, efforts are currently focused on the area between Reagan and Throckmorton streets.
Whittall said the Merchants Association hopes to eventually win approval for palm trees on the strip, which aren’t currently allowed under the Oak Lawn zoning ordinance.
It’s unclear what potential tenants are being eyed for the Center. Hunky’s will take up only the corner that was once occupied by a coffee shop, leaving at least three additional storefronts for lease.
Whittall said the Merchants Association’s wish list for Cedar Springs includes an art gallery and a flower shop, adding that options are somewhat limited by minimum parking requirements.
Barton said he’s heard rumors that a mom-and-pop burrito restaurant will occupy the site of the old Hunky’s once it moves. George Christ — property manager for the building that also houses Havana, Obscurities (which is currently moving into a storefront facing Cedar Springs) and Hungdinger’s — didn’t return a phone call seeking comment this week.
Whittall expressed concern about rumors that Mickey’s, one of several gay bars on the strip, is in danger of closing.
"That’s the last thing we need is another empty building on Cedar Springs," Whittall said.
Mickey Briggs, owner of Mickey’s, confirmed this week that there’s a possibility the six-year-old establishment will have to close at the end of the year.
Briggs said he needs to retire for health reasons. He also said his landlord wants to significantly increase his rent effective in January.
Briggs said he’s currently looking for someone to buy the business for next to nothing. He said his top priorities are protecting his 12-15 employees and finding a new owner who will support the community.
"I’m trying to look at it from a good standpoint," Briggs said. "I could be negative and say I think I’m the latest victim of landlords raising the rent because of all the development on Cedar Springs. But I’d rather look at it like this is an opportunity for me to retire and for someone else to take over and hopefully continue on and have a great business.
"For me to have to step back from it is really difficult, and the main thing is, what we’ve created here, I want it to continue," he added.
Briggs said he had a potential buyer for Mickey’s lined up, but the deal fell through early this week. He said he hopes that even if another buyer can’t be found by the end of the year, he can extend his lease on a month-to-month basis.
While Briggs blamed new developments like ilume for causing rent increases and pulling away some customers from existing businesses, most believe ilume will eventually be a boon to the area.
Dish, an upscale bar and restaurant, has been open for a few weeks at ilume, and Red Mango, a popular frozen yogurt chain, opened this week.
Luke Crosland, chairman and CEO of ilume developer the Crosland Group, said the deli/convenience store Beyond the Box is expected to open the first week of December. Crosland said other future retail tenants include Delicatessen, a hip restaurant/lounge that offers international comfort food and currently has two locations in New York City; a sushi place or a restaurant from the chef of Geronimo Restaurant and Coyote CafÃ© in Santa Fe, N.M.; and a salon.
Crosland said more than 100 of the 306 planned residential units at ilume are complete, and 60 to 70 percent of them are already occupied, mostly by LGBT residents.
"We ought to have all the retail filled up by June, and I think the property should be fully occupied by June or July," Crosland said. "I’m just real excited that people have received it so well."
This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition November 20, 2009.


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The Nvidia GeForce GTX 670 is here to make a real name for the Kepler architecture in the more mainstream segment of the graphics card market.
Since we saw the first Kepler card, the Nvidia GeForce GTX 680, in cool, crisp sunny San Francisco, we've been itching to get our mitts on the more sensibly priced versions of the new architecture.
The GTX 680 is still sitting over the £400/$500 mark a few months after release and, given the Nvidia GTX 580 didn't have to drop its price throughout its lifespan, we doubt it will change much.
Since then we've seen the Nvidia GeForce GTX 690 tip up, the graphics equivalent of the race spec sports car, all injection-moulded magnesium and multiple GPUs.
But at £830/$1,000 that exceptional card is beyond the financial realms of the typical PC gamer.
So a cut-down version of the GTX 680 is what we've been after, and what we've known was coming, since Kepler first fired up in our test bench. With the Nvidia GeForce GTX 670 that's exactly what we've found ourselves facing.
At its heart is the same GPU that powered the first Kepler card, and as Nvidia puts it, the Nvidia GeForce GTX 670 is "built from the DNA of the GTX 680".
But we're still not calling this the real mainstream Kepler card, that will come in the shape of the GTX 660 that is yet to come. This GTX 670 is aiming squarely at the market currently inhabited by the AMD Radeon HD 7950, so we're talking about a £330/$400 graphics card here.
The GTX 660 though is likely to come with a new GPU spin, not just the slightly chopped down GK104 GPU that sits at the heart of the Nvidia GTX 670 and its redesigned PCB.
So then, what sits on that redesigned circuit board?
- 2GB GDDR5
When Nvidia says it is using the same DNA as the Nvidia GTX 680 for the GTX 670 it's not just trying to hang on the coat-tails of the current top-end single-GPU card.
The GTX 670 is running the exact same GK104 GPU as the GTX 680, but with one of the new SMX modules chopped out. That means it is running with 7 SMX modules making a total of 1,344 CUDA cores running around inside it.
One of the key differences between the Kepler and Fermi graphics architectures is the now unified shader and GPU clock. In previous generations Nvidia had been running the shader clock at twice the speed of the GPU itself.
That meant that for the relatively limited number of CUDA cores it was cramming into its Streaming Microprocessors (SM) it could squeeze out as much performance as possible. With only 32 CUDA cores per SM that made sense.
With the change in production process to 28nm transistors in Kepler the core count per redesigned SMX has risen dramatically to 192.
From the Nvidia GTX 570 to this GTX 670 then that's a massive 180% increase in CUDA cores.
It's this exponential rise in core count that eases any speed issues that would have otherwise arose in making the CUDA cores run at half the speed they were in Fermi.
Other than the clockspeed, and the sheer number of them though, the CUDA cores in Kepler are identical to the ones that we've had in Fermi for years.
As well as the new SMX modules then, what else does Kepler do differently?
Well, the real big news is down to the Intel Turbo Boost-aping GPU Boost. Nvidia has been very open about the fact it is standing on the CPU company's shoulders on this one.
But take nothing away from Nvidia, making the GPU clockspeed dynamic on a per second basis is thoroughly impressive and enables the card to take advantage of the massive amount of overclocking headroom most GPUs have been born with in the last few generations.
While the clockspeed is a way short of the 1GHz mark the Nvidia GTX 680 was sporting, in the games across our benchmarking suite the Nvidia GTX 670 happily ran at over 1,058MHz.
Nvidia has also redesigned the PCB layout too – and is allowing card manufacturers to create their own designs from the get go too.
That should mean we ought to see some interesting designs from the add-in board (AIB) manufacturers at launch, with overclocked cards here, like the Zotac GTX 670 AMP! edition.
The big change has been to move the power circuitry to the 'west' side of the chip. That pushes it close to the bracket side of the board and has created a great deal of space at the end of the card.
This reference design card has taken up this space with the same GPU cooler as chills the heart of the GTX 680, but the PCB itself stops short of the fan.
You can expect to see some small form factor designs, with different coolers, coming our way soon.


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The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has lent its voice to the growing calls for stricter artificial intelligence (AI) regulation amid concerns for consumer safety.
The FTC disclosed its stance in an eight-page response to the U.S. Copyright Office’s request for comments on its proposed AI regulatory framework. According to the document, the FTC noted that while AI can potentially improve productivity and efficiency, it is fraught with several risks that could harm unsuspecting consumers.
For the FTC, unsupervised AI development may lead to a proliferation of cyber fraud, privacy violations, and copyright infringement cases. The regulator disclosed in its response that AI risks may have several unintended consequences for the U.S. economy, affecting small businesses and a significant chunk of the workforce.
“The manner in which companies are developing and releasing generative AI tools and other AI products, however, raises concerns about potential harm to consumers, workers, and small businesses,” said the FTC.
“The FTC has been exploring the risks associated with AI use, including violations of consumers’ privacy, automation of discrimination and bias, and turbocharging of deceptive practices, imposter schemes, and other types of scams.”
To protect consumers from unfair practices, the FTC submitted that it would “vigorously use the full range of its authorities” without exemptions to mitigate AI risks akin to its stance on blockchain and digital currencies. Over the last 12 months, the regulator has upped the ante against AI developers, famously launching a significant investigation into OpenAI for allegedly breaching consumer protection laws.
The streak of enforcement actions against Big Tech firms rolled on, punctuated by a probe on Amazon and Ring for illegally using data obtained by Alexa to train AI models in violation of privacy rules. The regulator scored wins over two firms for attempting to fraudulently use machine learning models to offer investment advice to unsuspecting users.
“These dominant technology companies may have the incentive to use their control over these inputs to unlawfully entrench their market positions in AI and related markets, including digital content markets,” said the FTC. “In addition, AI tools can be used to facilitate collusive behavior that unfairly inflates prices, precisely target price discrimination, or otherwise manipulate outputs.”
Attempts to solve the copyright puzzle
In response to the U.S. Copyright Office, the FTC organized a roundtable with creatives spanning music, art, movies, and software developers in attendance in a valiant attempt to resolve the intellectual property (IP) concerns associated with AI models.
The FTC noted that there is a consensus among participants that AI developers used their copyrighted materials to train their machine learning models, expressing a collective fear for their livelihoods. In its submission, the FTC suggests robust mechanisms to give creators more significant control over their work and increased transparency from AI developers with participants to the roundtable seeking appropriate credit and compensation.
Watch: CoinGeek Conversations with Owen Vaughan & Alessio Pagani: Blockchain can bring accountability to AI
New to blockchain? Check out CoinGeek’s Blockchain for Beginners section, the ultimate resource guide to learn more about blockchain technology.


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In 2022, all top brands in the smartphone field will face a “new” rival – Motorola. The company has already managed to release the world’s first smartphone powered by the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip. And recently, we have been hearing more and more news concerning the new unique models that will hit the market soon. One of them will definitely be the much-anticipated Moto G Stylus 2022.
— Steve H.McFly (@OnLeaks) December 21, 2021
Moto G Stylus 2022 Renders
Today, Prepp in collaboration with OnLeaks showed the renders of the phones coming our way from the Moto G Stylus 2022 series. Plus, you can check out the 5K video below. It displays the actual look of the phones from all sides.
Gizchina News of the week
Interestingly, all these photos, the video, and features have been spotted ahead of the launch that even has no launch date yet. But we guess the Moto G Stylus 2022 will go on sale by mid-2022 (around June). The lowest version is assumed to cost Rs.38,475 ($508).
As the name implies, the Moto G Stylus 2022 will have stylus support and a dedicated slot for the same. The stylus must be compatible with the pre-installed Moto Note app on the device.
From the renders, we can also see that the Moto G Stylus 2022 smartphones sport a flat display with a hole-punch cutout. The latter will house the selfie camera. There are thin bezels around the display. But the chin is relatively wide. The diagonal of the screen will be 6.81 inches. Not a small screen, at all.
The power button will be placed on the right side. Not surprisingly, it will integrate a fingerprint recognition scanner. On the same side, we can also see the volume rockers.
There is a rectangular camera module on the rear panel. It includes three sensors and a flash. If believing in early reports, the primary lens will have a 48-megapixel resolution.
Motorola G Stylus 2022 Features
- Screen: Flat, 6.81 inches (assumably LCD)
- Camera : triple camera with a 48MP Primary Sensor
- Processor: Octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 Plus
- Dimensions: 170.3 x 75.9 x 9.4mm
- Memory: 6GB RAM + 128GB native storage
- Battery: 4500mAh
- Charging interface: USB Type-C
Though the renders of the Moto G Stylus 2022 look stunning, you understand that the final product might have a different look. But the information comes from OnLeaks, which has been always showing high credibility.
Anyway, the Moto G Stylus 2022 is going to be a low-end device with stylus support. Agree that there are not many products with such a combination of features.


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Spotted Cow is now in cans
Spotted Cow has been canned. And it's only likely to make the beer even more popular.
Reasons for rolling out cans of the ubiquitous craft beer from New Glarus Brewing Company listed in a press release included: "requests from customers as well as the environmentally friendly nature of cans." Which means Wisconsin's beloved bovine will now be welcome at "golf courses, parks and beaches that do not allow bottles."
Keeping it all in Wisconsin, the cardboard used in the 12 pack is made by Menasha Packaging Company in Neenah and the cans are made by Ball Corporation in Fort Atkinson.
Though, all that really needed to be said was: Spotted Cow now in cans. You're welcome.
Daniel Higgins writes about food and drink for USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin
Twitter and Instagram @HigginsEats, facebook.com/gwmdanhiggins.


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BMW i3 set for September debut - reports
Friday 03 June 2011
BMW is gearing up to unveil its first electric car under the new BMW i brand, according to reports from Germany.
The Munich-based automaker is set to unveil the i3, the first of two initial all-electric models, this September at the Frankfurt Motor Show, writes German motoring blog Auto Motor and Sport.
The new model will feature a 100 kW electric motor and a range of 160 kilometers, says the blog, with an expected market launch in 2013.
The BMW i sub-brand was launched earlier this year by the premium German manufacturer, promising to put two electric vehicles on the road in the shape of the i3 and the larger i8.
Despite not releasing more than design sketches to date, the sub-brand has already made a name for itself, with over 200,000 fans on Facebook and a high-profile sponsorship of technology blog Mashable's Global Innovation Series.
It announced via Twitter this week that the first plant for carbon fiber production was ready and that test production of the materials used in the lightweight i3 and i8 models was set to begin.
This could be an important step - unlike other electric models such as the Ford Focus Electric and Mitsubishi i-MiEV, the i3 will be built ground-up as an electric vehicle, allowing BMW engineers to experiment with the electric concept.
However, it does mean that the design could change dramatically from the Mega City Vehicle, upon which the i3 is reportedly based, and even the car which is presented in Frankfurt, before 2013.
The 64th Frankfurt Motor Show runs September 15-25 in Frankfurt, Germany.
For a look at some of the first design concepts, see http://youtu.be/L7Z9j07uSyI
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SAG Awards 2015: Best and worst gowns on the red carpet
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Islamic history is full of free thinkers - but recent attempts to suppress critical thought are verging on the absurd
Leaked documents show Ukip leaders approve NHS privatisation once it becomes more 'acceptable to the electorate'
- 1 The BBC has just done more to eradicate ‘terrorism’ than all our wars since 9/11
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Americans Brighter Than Obama & Democrats … 67% of Americans Oppose Upcoming Ban on Traditional Light Bulbs
BLINDED BY THE LIGHT …
Will Barack Obama say that 80% of Americans want to do away with traditional light bulbs? Probably, seeing that this disingenuous president will pretty much spin every fact to benefit his unpopular agenda. Just this week, Democrats blocked the repeal of the light bulb ban. Just yet another position by Democrats and the President that goes against the will of the people. According to a recent Rasmussen poll, 67% of Americans oppose the ban of traditional incandescent light bulbs. Only 20% believe that the bulbs should be banned.
Mercury filled light bulbs and jobs to China … Democrats Say ‘YES”
Hat Tip: Vanderbilt ’11
One-in-five Americans (20%) say they or someone they know has bought large quantities of traditional light bulbs to use when those bulbs disappear off store shelves next year under new federal light bulb regulations.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 70% of Adults aren’t doing that themselves or don’t know anyone who is, but another 10% are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
Such a decision to lose jobs to China and move to dim watted bulbs is the height of brilliance from President Barack Obama and the Democrat party. Democrats whine that the GOP needs to stay out of people’s bedrooms … We say to Democrats stay out of the rest of our homes. BTW, aren’t there lights in bedrooms, so Democrats, stay out of our bedrooms as well!
An amendment from Rep. Michael Burgess (R-Texas) defunding the Energy Department’s standards for traditional incandescent light bulbs to be 30 percent more energy efficient starting next year was approved rather anticlimactically by voice vote.


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A report before the authority’s Economy and Environment Committee on Tuesday examined new plans to support greater “internationalisation” and improve the county’s import and export market.
The report said in 2020 the region exported around £4.19billion of commodities, down from £5.18billion pre-pandemic – a drop of 19.11 per cent – however, it was not clear how much was due to the UK leaving the EU, or was down to coronavirus.
It imported £7.49billion of products, down from £8.55billion – a drop of 14.15 per cent.
Coun Hilton Spratt said the council was in the best place to facilitate imports and exports, but had limited control over the intervention itself.
However, he said: “From what I read about in the press, or see on TV, it strikes me that since we came out of the EU – for better or worse – a lot of businesses are suffering what I would describe as excessive bureaucracy compared with what was there previously.”
He noted around 63 per cent of Lincolnshire’s exports go to the EU and questioned whether there had been “any fall off”.
Committee chairman Coun Martin Griggs said he imagined business at the moment was “quite scary” following Brexit, the pandemic and world changes.
Samantha Harrison, LCC’s head of economic development, told councillors full data around the trading statistics post-Brexit, had not been released yet.
She added: “Information from our international trade advisors say that there was a slight dip, but it was only until people got to be au fait with the new paperwork requirements.
“There’s been a lot of support for businesses to actually navigate through that process and that once they’ve become familiar, it’s starting to ramp up again.”
Councillors also questioned whether Lincolnshire could trade better further afield, how the carbon neutrality of the region was affected and how much was going into improving domestic markets.
The report before councillors laid out how the Greater Lincolnshire Local Enterprise Partnership and the Department for International Trade were arranging advisors for local businesses, taking advantage of freeports, creating peer to peer networks and utilising technology to share market information .


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‘BORN TO GO’: THE LAUNCH OF A NEW SAMSONITE
Malta, February 2020
Samsonite, the world’s leading luggage and travel accessories brand, recently unveiled its newly-refurbished flagship store at Malta International Airport, celebrating the launch of a striking new identity. Now in its 110th year, Samsonite is younger, bolder, smarter and lighter than ever before, offering hi-tech innovation and metropolis inspired designs. Apart from a new store design, a new feature is the personalisation zone, allowing customers make any item unique with initials and abbreviations.


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Changes to Tasmania's freight subsidy scheme, to give rebates to overseas exports, are being lauded as game changing for the state's agriculture sector.
The Federal Government's $200 million commitment over four years will give a $700 subsidy for each container shipped internationally.
Devonport mayor and National Sea Highway Coalition member Steve Martin said it would boost exports and job growth.
"It enables the exporters to compete with their mainland counterparts and to compete internationally," Mr Martin said.
"It provides the additional income and confidence for businesses in Tasmania to invest in their business operation and facilities and expand and increase employment opportunities."
Mark Dobson, from vegetable machinery manufacturer Dobmac at Ulverstone in the north-west, said the expansion of the scheme gave him the confidence to grow the business.
"We'll be looking at new (export) opportunities and expanding our manufacturing facility somewhat to look at new opportunities and export markets for our products," Mr Dobson said.
A major Tasmanian meat exporter said farmers would get more for their produce following the expansion of the Freight Equalisation Scheme.
Peter Greenham, from beef processor Greenhams Tasmania, in the state's north-west, which exports 90 per cent of its product, said the $700 subsidy would help.
"It means that we are able to access more export markets at a price comparable to our mainland counterparts," Mr Greenham said.
"It will be a lower cost to get our meat to our supplier. If it makes us more competitive in the open market, it means producers can get more for their cattle."
The subsidy comes into affect from the start of 2016.


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Since June last year 3DS owners in Japan have had access to Itsu no Ma ni Terebi, a video service that has produced regular and exclusive content via SpotPass. Like the former Wii service Wii no Ma, Nintendo has decided to take the service off the air.
In the past year the channel has offered content from Fuji Television and Nippon Television, such as animal footage, magic classes and a show called Idoling Sumo 3DS, which involved a famous girl-band taking on a variety of challenges. Nintendo has said that over one million people have accessed the service since it launched, but it will close on 20th June, just short of one full year on the platform.
Do any of you own a Japanese 3DS, and will you miss Itsu no Ma ni Terebi?