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Industry forecasters suggest the Big Machine Records release may sell upwards of 300,000 copies in its third week on sale (ending Nov. 16). That would easily outpace the crop of new albums that were released on Nov. 10, including the likely No. 2 debut: Foo Fighters‘ Sonic Highways.
The latter set, released on RCA Records, could sell over 190,000 copies in its debut frame. The band’s last album, 2011’s Wasting Light, was its first No. 1. It bowed atop the list with 235,000 sold in its first week, according to Nielsen SoundScan.
The new Billboard 200’s top 10 will be revealed on Wednesday, Nov. 19.
After Foo Fighters, watch for Pink Floyd to notch its 10th top 10 album with The Endless River, which could sell around 150,000. The mostly instrumental album (it only has one track with vocals) was released on Columbia Records. It’s the band’s first studio album in 20 years, since 1994’s No. 1 set The Division Bell. (The new album consists of material initially written and recorded for The Division Bell.)
Another act that’s been away for a long time, Garth Brooks, will also return to the top 10 next week. Brooks’ new Man Against Machine — his first studio release since 2001’s No. 1-debuting Scarecrow — might sell around 125,000. The album is notably unavailable through digital retailers, except for Brooks’ own GhostTunes website. Man Against Machine will earn Brooks his 16th top 10 album.


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Google cars will not collect personal data
Only photos and 3D images were being taken when Google Street View cars resumed roaming the city yesterday, the company said, eight months after the process was suspended amid controversy over collection of personal data broadcast on unencrypted WiFi networks.
All WiFi data collection equipment had been removed from Google's cars worldwide, which would work under the protocol of an independent security company called Stroz Friedberg, the search engine giant said.
'Street View cars will take to the roads of Hong Kong again this week, taking pictures of your favourite areas - and also some unexpected locations,' a spokesman said.
The cars were halted in May when it was discovered that they had sent personal data over unencrypted WiFi networks when recording views of cities in more than 30 countries, including Hong Kong, over the past four years.
The admission stirred a privacy crisis worldwide, leaving the company facing investigations and lawsuits in various countries including the US, Canada, Germany, Australia and Spain.
The company immediately made the data inaccessible.
In Hong Kong, Google promised in June that it would delete all the data mistakenly collected after handing it over to Roderick Woo Bun, then the privacy commissioner, to examine.
The commissioner did not elaborate on the kind of personal data Google had collected and from whom, but they might include e-mails and website browser histories.
Street View allows users to experience 360-degree street-level views of more than 200 cities through photos on Google Maps. It was launched in Hong Kong in March.

domain: news


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The number of workers receiving unemployment benefits fell for the first time since February and new weekly claims continued to ease, offering evidence that layoffs related to the coronavirus pandemic are slowing.
Initial claims for unemployment benefits declined to a seasonally adjusted 2.1 million last week from 2.4 million the prior week, the Labor Department said. The level of claims is still 10 times prepandemic levels but has fallen for eight straight weeks.
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By: Rob Lenihan
In a mixing of media, marketing groups
join the forces of the post office and Internet
The Direct Marketing Association took over the Association for Interactive Media last week.
The merger combines the largest trade association for direct marketers with the largest trade association for Internet marketers. Plans call for AIM to operate as a DMA subsidiary.
You could call it a May-September marriage, or a union of David and Goliath: DMA is 81 years old, AIM is 5; DMA’s annual budget is about $31 million, AIM spends slightly over $1 million.
What the merger means for newspapers is unclear. Bob Wientzen, DMA’s president and CEO, said direct marketers are bringing more subject-related content to their Web site catalogs. “A lot of folks involved in food and cooking, for example, are bringing more content in forms of recipes,” he said. “It’s less expensive than ink on paper, which takes up another page. The cost of bringing editorial along with the effort to sell is much more reasonable and many of them seem to be doing it.”
He said that the interest in content could provide an outlet for newspapers to provide content to catalogs in the future. “Newspapers are looking for ways they can participate in (the Internet) in a more aggressive way,” Wientzen said. “I frankly think newspapers are struggling to come up with the right business model.”
He said newspapers, like many other businesses, “are going to find the Internet an attractive place to be, but not an easy one to figure out a business model that’s profitable.”
DMA’s members include such companies as IBM, Dell, Time, Microsoft, McGraw-Hill and several newspaper companies. Wientzen noted that a seminar dealt with marketing newspaper subscriptions.
AIM’s Web site members include the New York Times, Hearst’s new media unit and Time Warner Cable.
?( Editor & Publisher Web Site: http://www.mediainfo. com)[Caption]
?(copyright: Editor & Publisher October 17, 1998) [Caption]


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THE fat of the land is cutting WA’s reliance on the mining boom, with farmers entering a new golden age in agriculture.
Production is being ramped up from the Kimberley to the Wheatbelt and the South-West as the need to feed two billion soon-to-be middle-class Chinese citizens drives a boom in wheat and grain, beef and livestock, dairy, seafood, fruit and vegetable production.
In an interview with The Sunday Times, Agriculture Minister Ken Baston said it was more than a boom because “a boom is followed by a bust’’.
“We’re only scratching the surface. China and our markets in Indonesia, Vietnam and the Middle East are accelerating very quickly. The numbers are astronomical,’’ Mr Baston said.
“The amount of sheep eaten in China is 2.8kg per person per year. If we pushed that up to 10kg, we’d be looking for 60 million lambs.’’
Land use maps show almost two-thirds of the state is now being used for pastoral farming, cropping, intensive livestock grazing, dairy, horticulture or viticulture. Only the arid interior of the state is unused.
And WA’s farming bonanza is about to spread from dry land to aquaculture as well.
Giant “industrial estates’’ off the coast of WA are being set aside for big-scale aquaculture.
It means businesses can bypass many of the costly and lengthy environmental approvals to launch a commercial fish farming or aquaculture project because the Fisheries Department will already have them in place.
An aquaculture industrial zone in the Kimberley is close to being approved and a second one at the Abrolhos Islands off Geraldton is in the planning stages with approval likely for 2016.
Latest Department of Agriculture figures shows exports to Iran jumped 500 per cent in a year and exports to Iraq (276 per cent), Philippines (254 per cent), Vietnam (158 per cent) and Pakistan (131 per cent) also soared.
Mutton exports jumped more than 60 per cent in a year, animal product exports leapt 50 per cent and wheat jumped 46 per cent. Cattle exports to China are up 400 per cent in one year.
Four-fifths of the food grown in WA is feeding overseas markets in a $5.5 billion annual windfall for the state and West Australians.
WA Farmers president Dale Park said the export figures were nothing compared to the expected boom years ahead.
While it was only 5 per cent of WA export earnings and was dwarfed by minerals and energy exports, he said the “gap is closing’’.
“It’s started. It’s for real. Keep watching this space,’’ Mr Park said.
“China can’t be over-estimated. The market is just huge and the potential growth is even bigger.
“We’re going to have two billion extra people in the middle class in China and ... Asia. All our production is a drop in the ocean for China but what we have is incredibly good, clean, green credentials.’’
Billionaire Andrew Forrest recently spent more than $35 million to buy Harvey Beef and to triple the size of his Pilbara cattle grazing land to tap into the industry’s “holy grail’’ – selling processed beef and live cattle to China.
Australia’s richest woman, Gina Rinehart, has also moved into beef production for the Chinese market after buying into two West Kimberley cattle stations. Dairy firm Mundella was sold to a company backed by China’s Bright Foods, while WA’s biggest red meat producer, V&V Walsh, this month signed a deal worth $1 billion over five years to sell meat to a big Chinese supplier.
A bumper grain crop last year is expected to be followed by another in 2014, with the latest monthly crop snapshot by the Grains Industry Association of WA reporting “above average yield potential’’. The total area of grain now covers 7.3 million hectares in WA.
Dairy farmers are being promised unprecedented bonuses to boost milk production by tens of millions of litres in a industry-changing deal offered by global dairy giant Parmalat this month, which bought Harvey Fresh to launch an offensive on markets in China and South-East Asia. Live cattle exports to Iran have also resumed after a 25-year hiatus.
Chamber of Commerce and Industry WA president Deidre Willmott said an end to the construction phase of WA’s mining boom was freeing up workers for the boom in agribusiness, which was “big already but going to be a lot bigger in this state’’.
Carrot grower Francis Tedesco said he couldn’t keep up with demand.
Mr Tedesco’s family business, Sun City Farm, exports an average of 120 tonnes of carrots a day to China, South-East Asia and the Middle East.
“We could grow a lot more and still not meet the demand,’’ Mr Tedesco said.
“Our biggest problem is trying to find more available land and water.
“Everybody has to eat and some of these overseas markets are very, very big and they’ve realised WA has some very good produce that can fill that niche at the premium end of the market.’’
The Conservation Council WA cautioned farming growth would come at a cost to the environment, but Mr Baston said the industry was sustainable and would maintain world-leading environment standards.
CHINA HAS NO BEEF WITH OUR $250 STEAKS
THE steaks he produces fetch up to $250 a dish at Dubai’s finest restaurants and top resorts in the Maldives.
Despite the hefty price tag, Margaret River Wagyu beef farmer John McLeod says suppliers are knocking on his door and pleading with him to sign export deals.
The managing director of Margaret River Premium Meat Exports said his company owned 10,000 Wagyu cattle running on 11 farms across the South-West, exporting 500 tonne of the world’s best beef to 14 countries across South-East Asia and the Middle East.
And he’s a perfect example of the WA farmers at the centre of the state’s agriculture boom — a primary producer feeding Asia’s growing appetite for high-quality produce.
“Our biggest problem is keeping up with the demand. At the moment our demand is four times what we can produce,’’ Mr McLeod said.
“We’re sending 300 tonne a year to China and they want more — a lot more.’’
His family are still farming beef in his native New Zealand but the 42-year-old said WA was the new “land of opportunity’’.
“One of the big things we are seeing is customers’ concern about food safety. People are more educated, they want to know where food is coming from, they want it farmed sustainably and they want a healthy product the producer is proud to stand behind. That trend falls right into our hands in WA,’’ he said. “It’s a very good time for the industry and that will be good for everyone in this state.’’


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NEW YORK (AP) — Shares of Tesla Motors Inc. rose Friday on investor optimism that the electric car company's supply problems are being resolved and the ramp up in production of its key new model is on schedule.
THE SPARK: George Blankenship, Tesla's vice president for sales, said in a company sponsored blog post Thursday that Tesla is producing 10 of its new Model S sedans per week and has delivered 50 cars so far. He also outlined some of the supply problems that delayed the vehicle's release.
THE BIG PICTURE: Tesla, the brainchild of PayPal billionaire and SpaceX founder Elon Musk, now has two all-electric models on the market, the $109,000 Roadster and the new Model S, which starts at $49,900 after a federal tax credit. The Model S went on sale in June, and Tesla said it had more than 11,500 reservations for the sedan by June 30.
Tesla has lost money since sales of the Roadster began in 2008, and the company is banking on the cheaper Model S to expand its market. Tesla began selling stock to the public in June 2010 at an initial price of $17 per share.
THE ANALYSIS: Jefferies analyst Jesse Pichel backed his "Buy" rating for Tesla, predicting that Tesla will boost its production of the Model S to 15 to 20 cars per week in the first half of August and then double that figure to about 40 cars per week later in the month, before doubling it again in September.
Any further quality issue that emerges would certainly delay the ramp-up further, he said. "But we do not believe ramp delays are meaningful to the investment thesis on the stock," Pichel wrote in a note to investors.
THE SHARES: Up $1.12, or 4.3 percent, to $27.22 in afternoon trading, after peaking at $27.55 earlier in the day. Over the past 52 weeks, the company's shares have traded between $21.50 and $39.95.


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Advantech partners with Hiwin for robot business
Ninelu Tu, Taipei; Joseph Tsai, DIGITIMES
Taiwan-based industrial PC (IPC) maker Advantech has announced it will establish a strategic alliance with Taiwan-based automated product maker Hiwin Technologies, looking to gather Taiwan-based IT players to enter the robot industry.
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US Steel has agreed to be bought by Nippon Steel, the largest steelmaker in Japan in a $14 billion deal
Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman is unhappy with the sale of US Steel.
US Steel has agreed to be bought by Nippon Steel, the largest steelmaker in Japan in a $14 billion deal. It is the latest step in a gradual decline for the iconic 122-year-old company, which was once the largest company on the planet.
Under the terms of the deal, US Steel's operations will retain the name and will continue to have a U.S. headquarters in Pittsburgh.
However, the sale agreement could face opposition.
The United Steelworkers Union vowed back in the summer to only support a proposed purchase offer from Cleveland Cliffs, another unionized American steel company.


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By Steve Alexander
Minneapolis Star Tribune
Target Corp. is experimenting with a relatively tiny store in Minneapolis that will provide consumers with a “quick-trip experience.”
The new Minneapolis store, to be called TargetExpress, will be even smaller than the CityTarget stores the retailer began introducing more than two years ago.
The first TargetExpress store, in a building under construction near the University of Minnesota, will test the concept of a store that is 20,000 square feet. That’s a fraction the size of Target’s big-box stores, which are 125,000 to 180,000 square feet, and much smaller than even its CityTarget stores, which are 60,000 to 100,000 square feet.
“This is an exciting opportunity to test and learn as we continue exploring new ways to meet our guests’ needs,” John Griffith, executive vice president of property development, said in a statement posted on the company’s blog Friday.
The TargetExpress store, which will open just as students begin arriving for fall semester, will offer groceries, pharmacy products, basic clothing, home decorating products and electronics.
The move could put Target into more direct competition with retailers like Walgreens and CVS that scaled up from their beginnings as drugstores, as well as with mom-and-pop stores in neighborhoods around the country. Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the only U.S.-based retailer larger than Target, has said it will begin experimenting with several small-sized stores this spring and has plans to open several hundred in the next three years.
The smaller stores are envisioned as a “quick-trip experience” because of their limited selection.
The stores would allow the retailer to open more locations in dense urban markets, where larger store spaces are hard to find. In addition, Target is making a bid to attract younger shoppers who tend to prefer cities over suburbs.
“Virtually all retailers are testing new store footprints right now,” said Minnetonka, Minn., retail analyst Stan Pohmer. “It’s because consumer demographics are constantly changing.”
Target didn’t offer any details about how many TargetExpress stores it plans to open, or what its eventual mix of big-box, CityTarget and TargetExpress stores might be. Target has 1,797 stores in the U.S. and 124 stores in Canada. Eight of the U.S. stores are CityTargets; the rest are conventional, large Target stores.


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Electronics Production |
Pricer turns to Zollner as it brings production to Europe
Pricer, a Swedish developer of electronic shelf labels, has turned to German EMS provider Zollner in order to bring its products closer to its customers on the European market as it aims to meet an expected continued high volume demand for in-store digitalization and solutions.
In order to achieve this Pricer has engaged with German EMS provider Zollner, to expand the its production capacity of electronic shelf labels and set up final assembly capacity in Europe. This will complement Pricer’s existing production facilities in China and Thailand. “In addition to mitigating the effects of geo-political uncertainties and dependencies on few suppliers, this decision is in line with Pricer’s intention to continuously improve our customer satisfaction. Moving production closer to our customers is a strategic goal that we believe will strengthen our competitiveness in the market, and also contribute to reducing our carbon footprint. Designing products for automation has been an important part of realizing this intention and we are pleased to be working together with Zollner to further enhance the degree of automation in our assembly lines”, says Helena Holmgren, President and CEO of Pricer in a press release. “We are excited to support Pricer as an innovation leader in the retail sector with our manufacturing and engineering expertise”, adds Markus Aschenbrenner, member of the Zollner Board of Management. “Automated production in one of our German sites will render ESL output scalable according to the needs of Pricer. Thus, even in a competitive high-volume production, quality ‘Made in Germany’ for the European market is guaranteed.” To meet Pricer’s high expectations, Zollner is currently fine tuning the production line for graphical labels. Deliveries from the new production facility are expected to start during the end of Q2 2022.


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New Delhi: The J&K administration has assured that there is no shortage of essential commodities and medicines in the Valley, reports said.
The reports said restrictions were imposed in Kashmir region since last 20 days ever since the Centre announced its decision to revoke Article 370.The Modi government also divided the state into two Union Territories, Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
The J&K Governor Satya Pal Malik told reporters that there is no shortage of essential commodities and medicines in Kashmir. He said meat, vegetables and eggs were supplied door to door on the occasion of Eid.
Malik said that the administration’s priority was to ensure that no lives were lost, adding that communication lines would open soon.
A government statement has said that medicines worth Rs 23.81 crore reached end-user retail shops in the last 20 days.


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The Voice Behind Sam Fisher Also Talked About the Creation of the Character
A new Splinter Cell game has been teased recently and an interview that the voice actor of series protagonist Sam Fisher has only added fuel to the fire. You can watch the interview in an official Xbox video below (it starts at the 21:20 mark).
Michael Ironside has played and voice acted many characters over his long career but he’s most famous for his performance as the gravelly-voiced and sarcastic sneaky spy Sam Fisher.
“I never left,” said Ironside in his interview with Inside Xbox. “I am Sam Fisher.”
Ironside has recently voiced Fisher again in an update for Ghost Recon Wildlands, an open-world tactical third-person shooter set in modern Bolivia.
Ironside explained in the interview how he and Ubisoft gave Fisher more depth as a character when he was initially being created. “We created a backstory. We created a family [for him], and where he goes, and what he does, and who he trusts,” Ironside said.
Notably, when he was asked about any new videogames he could be doing voice acting for, Ironside said this: “Let’s see if the storylines allow an organic presence like Sam back.”
Of course, Splinter Cell fans will remember how Ironside didn’t voice Sam Fisher for the last Splinter Cell game that came out, Splinter Cell Blacklist. Instead, Fisher was voiced by Eric Johnson since Ubisoft couldn’t use Ironside (who was in his 60s at the time) for performance capture.
Last month, a webpage was seen on Amazon that seemed to hint at an E3 2018 reveal for a new Splinter Cell game. When asked for comment, a Ubisoft spokesperson told COGconnected that the developer “does not comment on rumors or speculation.” However, the spokesperson didn’t deny the authenticity of the webpage.


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Tesla workers went though 'production hell' with Model 3
FREMONT, Calif. — Tesla CEO Elon Musk this month promised his company would deliver the new Model 3 to almost a half-million waiting customers — and guaranteed employees would go through “production hell.”
For many, it’s a return visit.
The company’s last stretch of manufacturing hyper-stress — the months leading up to the September 2015 delivery of the Model X — brought long hours, mandatory overtime and an 11 percent jump in worker time missed due to injury.
Injuries reported by workers also rose about 5 percent, well beyond auto industry averages, according to an analysis of federal statistics. Production workers say they’re concerned about the potential for more injuries and burnout, while earning less than the average autoworkers across the country.
“We had long hours. It took a toll on a lot of us,” said Michael Catura, a Tesla factory worker who started in April 2014. “I hope that we learn from the mistakes.”
Tesla executives say they made their share of mistakes — and aren’t eager to repeat them. The company has already re-engineered its work flow and made the Model 3 easier to assemble.
“While adding a new model to any factory is a huge challenge and a lot of hard work,” a company spokesman said, “meeting our production goals and ramping Model 3 will never take priority over making sure our workers are safe.”
Tesla faces a crucial test in the next year, turning out at least four times more vehicles than ever before while pursuing a still-elusive profit. The company has placed an enormous bet on the lower-cost Model 3 sedan to grow and conquer a nascent electric vehicle market.
Tesla has been spending an average of $100 million a week on capital expenses, mostly to manufacture the Model 3, according to chief financial officer Deepak Ahuja.
With 455,000 orders for the Model 3, which starts at a base price of $35,000, the company has a months-long backlog to build cars. Deliveries began last month, but new orders will not be filled for another 12 to 18 months, according to the company website.
Company executives say the Model 3 is designed to be much simpler to build. Compared to the Model S and Model X, company chief technical officer JB Straubel said, building the Model 3 “is vastly more automated.”
Several Tesla workers in February began to speak publicly about injuries and organizing a union. Last month, a group wrote an open letter to the Tesla board of directors asking for more emphasis on worker safety.
“One of the most serious issues concerns our health and safety,” the workers wrote. “Accidents happen every day. Severe incidents frequently impact morale and cause delays in production.”
An analysis done for Tesla factory employees by Worksafe, a Bay Area nonprofit affiliated with unions that advocates for healthier work places, found the Tesla factory floor was less safe than the average automobile factory.
In 2015, the company had a total recordable incidence rate, a uniform measure of workplace injuries, that was nearly one-third higher than the auto industry average. Tesla workers also spent more than twice as much time as the average auto worker out of work, on restricted duty or transferred away from their normal tasks because of injuries.
Doug Parker, executive director of Worksafe, said Tesla should work with its employees and institute a health and safety plan before new production starts.
“Employee involvement and employee voice is an important factor,” he said.
Federal statistics show U.S. autoworkers are most prone to repetitive stress injuries.
Monroe Keyserling, a University of Michigan professor of industrial and operations engineering, said automakers design new model production lines for maximum efficiency and worker safety.
A simple thing like an ill-fitting part — which requires more force or twisting to secure — can slow down production and increase injury risks to workers, he said. Poorly designed work stations can also throw workers off-balance and add risk.
“That’s part of the growing pains of manufacturing a new model,” he said.
Tesla acknowledged its first pell-mell productions of the Model S and X were tough on workers.
“As we look at our safety record in prior years, we realize that we have not been perfect,” the company wrote in a May blog post. “No car factory is perfect, but particularly given that Model S and X were the first cars we built at more than tiny volumes, we fully acknowledge that they were not designed for ease of manufacturing — far from it.”
Musk put so much emphasis on improving production in 2015 that he decamped to the end of the Model X production line, grabbing a sleeping bag to rest in a conference room.
Hourly workers felt the Model X pressure, too.
Branton Phillips, 53, started at Tesla in March 2014. The next year, the whole factory was immersed in Model X work, he said. During one stretch, Phillips worked 13 days straight. Many others worked 21 straight days, he said.
Supervisors rolled through the factory with boxes of energy drinks and candy bars to fuel the 12-hour shifts.
“That was the big push to hit our numbers,” said Phillips. “It was chaotic.”
Phillips, a safety coordinator in his area for several months, said the long hours led to haphazard production habits. Not enough tasks were standardized to lower the physical stress, he said.
Hai Ngyuen said the Model X brought long hours and repetitive stress injuries from bolting rivets onto packs. Nguyen, 38, inspects, seals and moves battery packs to the production line. Colleagues who complained about injuries could face consequences, Ngyuen said.


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With its first pillar scent in four years, I Am Juicy Couture, the apparel brand and its fragrance licensee, Elizabeth Arden, are hoping to snare a Millennial audience — and their dollars.
The scent begins shipping this month and will be on counter in all doors in the U.S. by July 1. Global doors will begin selling the fragrance in August.
“This is a significant moment for the Juicy Couture franchise,” said Robin Mason, senior vice president of global marketing for Elizabeth Arden, which holds the Juicy Couture fragrance license. “We wanted to make a declaration of where Juicy Couture is today and who the Juicy Couture customer is. We also wanted to make a declarative statement about how Millennials of today can express their individuality. We looked into the white space in the prestige category and the opportunity to grow the Juicy franchise by appealing to that segment of our audience; we’re building the story around who we want to appeal to. It’s an entirely new psychographic — glamorous rebel. And the Juicy girl is irreverent and unapologetic — she’s not predicable or conventional.”
Nick Woodhouse, president and chief marketing officer of Authentic Brands Group, which owns the fashion brand, added: “Fragrance is a significant tentpole category for Juicy Couture, and I Am Juicy Couture taps into another dynamic of the Juicy girl and solidifies Juicy Couture’s expanding position as a global luxury brand.”
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Firmenich’s Dora Baghriche concocted the juice, which has top notes of raspberry, pomelo and passion fruit, a heart of gardenia, heliotrope, rose de mal and sweetpea, and a drydown of soft musks, warm woods and amber.
The eau de parfum will be available in three spray sizes — 1 oz. for $54, 1.7 oz. for $74 and 3.4 oz. for $94 — as well as a rollerball, $22 for 0.33 oz. There will also be a shimmering body lotion, $45 for 6.7 oz.
The fragrance bottle, designed by Paul McLaughlin, is a classic decanter shape with Juicy Couture’s signature jewelry toggle and chain detail.
“I love what this perfume stands for — the message to girls is to be independent, to be reckless and glamorous and not apologetic,” said Behati Prinsloo, who appears in the ads for I Am Juicy Couture. The ads feature the model making her own form of perfume by crushing fresh blooms in her hands — which Prinsloo loves for its do-things-your-way vibe. “It’s about being individual and nonconforming, not being afraid of who you are,” she said. The advertising campaign was shot by Solve Sundsbo and begins running in August fashion, beauty and lifestyle magazines.
An extensive digital component is also planned, including a teaser campaign on social media before the main campaign, noted Geri Archer, vice president, North America marketing for Elizabeth Arden.
“We want to provide the opportunity for Millennials to engage with the brand by offering interactive activations, where they can share social content and participate in contest challenges,” said Archer. “It’s about getting [the Millennial] into the brand and inviting her to be part of the conversation.” User-generated content will be a major component of the campaign, she added.
While all executives declined to discuss projected sales, industry sources estimated that I Am Juicy Couture could do upward of $50 million in global retail sales in its first year on counter. In the U.S., it will be sold in about 2,000 department and specialty store doors, including Macy’s, Dillard’s, Ulta and Nordstrom.
Key markets outside the U.S. include the U.K., Germany and travel retail, said Mason, and the brand is aiming to make a splash in Asia, she said. “We’ll be focusing a lot on China, and we also have Middle Eastern distribution that we’re developing,” said Mason. “Through some of the work that’s happening on the fashion side, in some of these markets we’re going to really be able to capitalize on that, a brand that is finally becoming a little bit more of a household name.”


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Indie publisher “Versus Evil,” in partnership with indie developer “4gency,” recently announced that Habitat: A Thousand Generations in Orbit will be coming to PlayStation 4 as well as PC, Mac, Linux and Xbox One. Habitat is a strategic survival game where players use orbital debris to build humanity it’s new homes. Habitat is currently available in Early Access on Steam priced at $14.99, £10.99 and €14.99.
“Since development began on Habitat, it has always been our wish to bring our space survival simulation to as many platforms as technologically possible”, said Charles Cox, founder of 4gency.“We are incredibly excited to announce that Habitat will be launching on PlayStation 4 in 2015 and can’t wait to see how the creative PlayStation community reacts to Habitat’s gameplay mechanics.”
Habitat: A Thousand Generations in Orbit is set to release in 2015.


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Connectbase enables Cloverleaf to automate network discovery, serviceability and procurement, cutting its time to quote by nearly 90 percent
BOSTON – December 21, 2022 – Connectbase, the marketplace for connectivity, announces that Cloverleaf Networks, a provider of customized networking and data solutions for business clients nationwide, is the newest member of The Connected World platform. The Connected World — Connectbase's SaaS platform for connectivity buyers and sellers — details more than 1.8 billion locations across 150 countries, creating a living catalog of location-based intelligence and opportunities for Cloverleaf. As part of The Connected World digital ecosystem, Cloverleaf will have visibility and access to partners and their serviceable locations and pricing across the country.
“Connectbase’s The Connected World platform has been an absolute game changer for Cloverleaf,” said Joe Faherty, Founder and CEO at Cloverleaf Networks. “What used to be a highly manual process, taking days or weeks, now takes minutes. We’re able to address our clients’ multi-location networking needs quickly and efficiently and provide the best possible customer service. What’s more, simply by being a part of their ecosystem, we discover new business and new partnership opportunities. That’s good for everyone. We have already experienced the power of the tool and we’re just getting started.”
The Connected World’s Buyer Cloud enables network providers to identify, manage, and quote ideal provider partners for any deal to mitigate fallout issues that plague over 20 percent of all connectivity orders globally. The Seller Cloud ensures that sellers of connectivity are maximizing opportunities when building capital-intensive networks and streamlining the sales process to prevent unnecessary costs and lost revenue. The accuracies and efficiencies provided by The Connected World significantly improve overall customer experience, which benefits all parties involved.
“Cloverleaf Networks might just be one of the best pure use cases we’ve seen for The Connected World,” said Ben Edmond, Founder and CEO of Connectbase. “The manual process of sourcing and procuring network to service multiple locations in a single geographic area is challenging, really challenging. To do so for multiple locations across the globe is overwhelming at best – and simply impossible in some cases. But that’s exactly what Cloverleaf is doing. And now they’re doing it with the speed and accuracy their customers’ increasing demand requires. It’s automated, accurate and provides new opportunities to work with providers they maybe didn’t even know existed. The ecosystem is built by partners like Cloverleaf and we’re proud to have them as a partner.”
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Connectbase is The Industry Cloud for Connectivity. Connectbase is a partner to the industry, enabling next generation buying and selling of connectivity, including automated quoting, and providing deep, trusted insights. Connectbase’s industry-leading platform, The Connected World, serves almost 300 providers globally, managing 1.8 billion locations across more than 150 countries. The Connectbase team has built a connected ecosystem transforming network buying and selling processes. Visit Connectbase at www.connectbase.com and follow us on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/connectbase-us/.
About Cloverleaf Networks
Scottsdale-based Cloverleaf Networks is empowering workforces with top-to-bottom technology that connects people, places, and devices efficiently, saving client companies millions. Incorporating internet services, cyber security, SD-WAN cloud computing, voice communications, collaboration, automation, and internet of things (IoT), Cloverleaf Networks takes businesses from "wire-to-workgroup and beyond™."


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Tencent Games is making an open world game based on Kim Yong-yong, a martial arts novelist who is well-known in Korea. Major fictional figures such as Yang Gu (Yang) appear.
Tencent Games held its annual conference ‘Spart 2022’ online on the 27th and unveiled 44 new games and new projects. Among them, 26 kinds of game-related news were announced, including new titles such as Code: Two Jin, Return to Empire, and League of Legends esports Manager.
Among them, the eye-catching one is the new world ‘Code: Tujin Jung’ based on the martial arts series of Chinese novelist Jin Yong (Kim Yong). Tencent’s game developer Light Speed Studio is being developed and licensed by Myeong-ho, a member of the original copper.
Based on Unreal Engine 5, an open world based on ancient China is introduced, and many martial arts novels such as Yang Gu, Chao Feng, and Ringhoo gun appear. In addition, the martial arts operation was reorganized based on a realistic physical engine, and photographic surveying technology provides a high-immersive game experience.
Tencent Games announced that it plans to digitize Jin Yong’s martial arts world with more partners and continue to promote martial arts culture with more partners.
Subsequently, ‘League of Legends e-Sports Manners’ based on the League of Legends League starts public service in China in July, and Tencent’s Timmy Studio is developing in cooperation with XBOX Game Studio ‘Mobile Strategy Game’ Return to Return to Empire ‘has been released. Return to Empire is based on Age of Empire IP.
In addition, Tencent’s own cloud gaming solution ‘Start Engine’ and their own cultural heritage digital restoration based on their game technology are also introduced in steel, aviation, robots, and science research.
Tencent Stephen Mars, vice president of game development, emphasized the importance of crossover technology, and users have begun to experience ‘hyper digital reality’ that combines virtual and reality experiences.
The game industry is not an industry that has developed its own independence. Since the beginning, the game industry has been developing mutually with the development of advanced technology, and has accumulated a series of unique technical capabilities in the process. As the understanding deepens, the game industry will play a more important role in the social economy and create more various innovation technologies and added value.


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Hawaii Flavored Vape Ban to be Passed
This past Tuesday, a law, which will ban flavored vape and tobacco products in Hawaii, has just passed the House of Representatives with a vote of 36-15. The revised HB 1507 will move forward to Governor David Ige's desk where it will be signed into law or vetoed. It has already passed through the Senate and Ige's decision will be the final ruling.
Hawaii has a rising epidemic of teen vaping among middle and high school students and this bill is an effort to combat teenage vaping. The ban would prohibit the sale of most flavored tobacco products in Hawaii stores including vapes, cigarettes, cigars, pouches, and lozenges. The primary target are fruit, dessert, and sweet flavored e-cigarettes, but will also include menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars.
An exemption was added to HB 1507 that allows for the sale of products that are FDA approved. So far, this includes NJOY and Vuse vaping products as they are the only major brands authorized by the FDA. Representative Scot Z. Matayoshi is not in favor of the exemption and if the law passes, he will introduce a bill to remove the exemption.
If Governor Ige signs this law, retailers will be penalized for mislabeling products containing nicotine as nicotine-free. Fines will be imposed of $500 for first-time violators and $500-$2,000 for additional offenses.
Although this law is aimed at protecting youth from flavored vapes, it will have catastrophic consequences for Hawaii's legal vaping industry. Vape shop owners have been battling the Hawaii Public Health Institute for years over numerous tobacco ban attempts. Now with the flavored vaping ban passing through the House of Representatives, one vape shop owner has had enough.
Scott Rasak is the Chief Operating Officer of Volcano, a vape shop chain with 16 stores all over Hawaii. As a strong advocate for the tobacco industry, he opposes the flavor ban on vaping products. He claims that HB 1507 is a "step backward for public health and adult access to harm reduction" as it will take away from an "age-verified legal pathway."
Rasak believes it will lead to flavored vape products being sold on the black market, leading to no age verification, making a larger problem with youth access. On the other hand, Matayoshi argues that children won't be able to afford black market products since they have little access to money. Regardless of their opposition, they are both for keeping vapes out of youth's hands.
Despite sharing a common goal, Rasak states that the ban is an "overreach of government in the ability for adult consumers to make their own choices and a failure at the state in enforcing the already 21 and over the law" which already exist for smoking and tobacco products. The industry keeps enforcing laws to protect children but they still get them. Vape shop owners argue that they are following all age guidelines and flavored products are not the issue.
Ultimately, the fate of Hawaii's vaping industry is in the hands of Governor Ige. Public health advocates want to keep flavored vaping products out of schools and are heavily pushing for this law to pass. On the other hand, vape owners will face job loss and bankruptcy. The real loss will be that adult vape smokers will lose their safe alternative to cigarettes. Hopefully, the governor will stand by the vaping community and veto this bill.
If you would like to stop the flavor ban in Hawaii, visit the CASAA website. The Consumer Advocates for Smoke-free Alternatives Association (CASAA) has the latest updates and history of the HB1507 bill. Not only do they provide the current status of the bill, but they also have a form where you can send a letter to the governor to urge him to veto the ban. They provide tips to include in comments, phone calls, and testimonies when protesting this bill. It is a great source to help save flavored vapes in Hawaii!


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For full-size pickup buyers, these are the good old days. Never before have trucks been more capable for hauling and...
Chrysler Group announces a recall on select 2013 Dodge Dart vehicles.
Read This Article
The 2013 Dodge Dart was officially unveiled earlier this week at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, and received a warm reception.
We drove more than 100 new cars, trucks, hybrids, SUVs, and crossovers over the past year.
Mopar stands for "Motor Parts" and is a special service branch of Chrysler Group LLC.


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Kat Von D Going Completely Vegan
And That Goes Way Beyond Just Her Diet – What Could It Be?
Kat Von D is making fundamental alterations to the make-up line bearing her name, Kat Von D Beauty. She recently announced that she’s taking it one hundred percent vegan. This was while she was talking to the vegan lifestyle magazine Laika in an interview with them.
“So, what’s that mean, exactly?” you’re probably asking yourself now. You know your friend who doesn’t consume anything whatsoever that’s an animal product— milk, cheese, honey, and many others things —she’s vegan, isn’t it? Now replace the dietary stuff with beauty merchandise. This just means that this additionally being cruelty-free (i.e. definitely not testing on animals)—Kat Von D is now replacing use of long-established parts like beeswax (more often than not utilized in lip balms) and Carmine, a dye made out of beetles’ wings with plant-based substitutes. (Carmine, by the way, is a customary additive. Check your make-up packaging for CI 75470 to find out if your favourite brands are making use of it.)
“We have been reformulating anything that had carmine in the past, and if we can’t reformulate, we just throw them out,” she told the magazine. “I can live without a purple eyeshadow, it’s fine.”
It’s a game changer for the makeup-loving animal enthusiasts among us – yay!!
“When I launched [the line,] I was not sober; I was not vegan yet. So I had no idea about ingredients in formulation,” she said. “I would always think it was funny when brands would be like, ‘Oh, we’re vegan.’ Yeah, well, you don’t eat lipstick. [I was] super ignorant, you know?”
Are you now wondering when these fundamentally revamped products will be hitting the shelves for you to get their hands on them? The jury is still now. Rest assured, though, that the moment we know, we’ll be communicating it further for sure.
Stay Tuned for further info on this right here on Raw Vegan Zone
Read the source article here
Special Thanks to the Huffington Post for posting this. The featured image is from that post.


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Volvo Delivers its First Fully-Electric Trucks to Customers
【Summary】Volvo Trucks delivered its first fully-electric commercial trucks on February 19 to two customers, including a refuse truck to waste and recycling company Renova, and a distribution truck to the German logistics company DB Schenker. Volvo said there has been significant market interest for its electric trucks.
Volvo Trucks delivered its first fully-electric commercial trucks on February 19 to two customers, including a refuse truck to waste and recycling company Renova, and a distribution truck to the German logistics company DB Schenker.
The Volvo FL Electric trucks are part of a pre-series being developed in collaboration with select customers. Series production of the Volvo FL Electric and its sibling, the Volvo FE Electric, will begin with a limited number of trucks deployed in European markets in the second half of 2019.
Volvo said there has been significant market interest for its electric trucks.
The Volvo FL Electric and Volvo FE Electric trucks are purposely developed for freight distribution, refuse handling and other urban transport applications.
Electric trucks are ideal for urban deliveries and 24 hour operation, as the absence of internal combustion engine makes these trucks much quieter when operating in urban environments. The zero emissions trucks contributes to better working conditions for truck drivers, as they don't have to worry about breathing in harmful diesel exhaust fumes when working around the trucks.
The battery-powered trucks can also be used in indoor terminals and environmental zones. Their low noise level creates opportunities for doing more work at night, removing congestion from roads in the busy daylight hours.
"Our close collaboration with drivers and customers has enabled us to develop, in a short space of time, electrified transport solutions that meet high requirements in terms of performance, driving distances, cargo handling and vehicle use," says Roger Alm, President Volvo Trucks.
The fully-electric trucks are much quieter than diesel-powered trucks and can operate at night in urban areas.
The drivers who will operate the electric trucks were provided the opportunity to test-drive them prior to delivery, as part of the operator training. "The drivers were particularly impressed with the responsive driveline, delivering fast and seamless acceleration, and the low noise level," Alm added.
"We will continue to develop our electrified offering. At the same time, we are steadily reducing the environmental and climate impact of our diesel and gas powered trucks, primarily through energy-efficient drivelines," says Roger Alm, President Volvo Trucks.
The Volvo FL Electric has capacity for a GVW (gross vehicle weight) of 16 tons, while the Volvo FE Electric has capacity for a GVW of 27 tons.
Commercial sales of the electric trucks is scheduled to begin in North America in 2020. In September 2018, Volvo Trucks announced it will deploy eight Class-8 electric demonstration trucks and an additional 15 pre-commercial and commercial electric trucks throughout California's South Coast Air Basin, which includes the area around the Port of Los Angeles.
The California Air Resources Board (CARB) has preliminarily awarded a $44.8 million to the The South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) for the Volvo LIGHTS (Low Impact Green Heavy Transport Solutions) project. Volvo is working with 15 other partners on the project.
Volvo LIGHTS is part of California Climate Investments, a statewide initiative that puts billions of Cap-and-Trade dollars to work reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Toyota is Using Tesla-style Panasonic Batteries for its China Hybrid Models
Uber Sells $1.2 Billion in Junk Bonds to Help Fund its Acquisition of Dubai-based Careem
Ford Motor Co is Selling its Canvas Car Subscription Business
European Automakers Tell Governments They Must Help Sell EVs
Volkswagen Unveils its ID.3, the Electric Car That Will Take On Tesla
Daimler & Torc Robotics Begin Testing Autonomous Trucks on Public Roads in the U.S.
U.S. Launches Antitrust Probe into California Automaker Emissions Agreement
Bosch Inks Deal with China's CATL for 48-Volt Hybrid Vehicle Batteries
- Toyota Enters Partnership With Chinese Startup Pony.Ai for Autonomous Tech
- Ford Acquires Robotics Company to Speed up the Development of Self-Driving Cars
- California Bill Could Increase EV Rebates up to $7,500
- EV Startup NIO Begins Deliveries of its ES6 Crossover
- Waymo Urges U.S. to 'Promptly' Remove Regulatory Barriers to Self-Driving Cars
- Mercedes-Benz Vision EQS Concept Is a Take on Modern Luxury
- Robotics Startup Nuro & Domino’s to Deliver Pizza Using Unmanned Autonomous Vehicles
- General Motors Teases Ultra Cruise Technology During Conference Call
- China Increases EV Safety Checks After Tesla, NIO Fires
- Four Autonomous Cars Facts That Are Hard to Believe


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Neo Won't Shorten PS4 Lifecycle, Sony Boss Says
"The lifecycle is not going to be shorter."
The release of Sony's more-powerful PlayStation 4, codenamed Neo, doesn't mean the lifecycle for the existing console is going to end earlier than expected. PlayStation Worldwide Studios boss Shuhei Yoshida said in a new interview that the Neo is not expected to replace the PS4.
He was responding to a question about if console generations were getting shorter as companies like Sony (and Microsoft with Project Scorpio) release hardware upgrades before a console cycle has ended.
From the way Yoshida answered the question, it seems like he wants to stress that Neo and PS4 will complement each other. Neo will be the more high-end (and thus more expensive) model, while the standard version will be more affordable and still capable of hosting great-looking games such as Uncharted 4: A Thief's End.
Yoshida's comments match up with what PlayStation president Andrew House said this month when he announced Neo. "It is intended to sit alongside and complement the standard PS4," he said at the time. "We will be selling both [versions] through the life cycle."
As for why Sony is introducing new hardware in this way to begin with, House said it comes down to how the company is responding to consumer behavior.
"The consumer is attuned to a different cadence of innovation in technology thanks in great part for the upgrades cadence on mobile phones or PCs," House said of this new strategy to offer a more powerful version of the same system.
Nothing like Neo or Scorpio happened in the last console cycle. The PlayStation 3 launched in 2006, with the PS4 arriving seven years later in 2013. On the other side of the fence, the Xbox 360 debuted in 2005, and the Xbox One came out in 2013.
Neo is currently without a release date, but a report said it would arrive this year, while Scorpio is scheduled to launch in holiday 2017. There is no word yet on pricing for either system. In terms of specs, it sounds like Microsoft believes it has the stronger system, as it describes Scorpio as the "most powerful console ever made."
Looking further out, Sony is reportedly unsure if there will ever be a PlayStation 5.


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Peugeot 208 GTi could go electric
French brand’s boss hints at battery-powered future for baby hot hatch.
Peugeot is set to electrify its next-generation of hot hatches.
Speaking to British publication Auto Express Peugeot CEO Jean-Pierre Imparato has hinted the brand is looking at a range of powertrain options for the new 208 due to launch in 2019, including fully electric.
The new 208 is expected to break cover at the 2019 Geneva motor show and Imparato said the details would be revealed then, but in the meantime he alluded at what is to come saying he didn’t want Peugeot’s electric cars to be “boring” - suggesting the 2018 GTi will include electrified powertrains.
“I’ll reveal this in full in March, but I don’t want the future to be boring,” Imparato told Auto Express. “My message will be that each time I launch a new car, it will be electrified, but you will buy your Peugeot and you will choose your powertrain.
“When you buy a Peugeot you will find design, the latest version of i-Cockpit, the upmarket trim levels like GT-Line, GT and perhaps GTi, because I don’t want to generate any difference between EV and combustion-engined models, but the customer will choose the powertrain.”
The next 208 is expected to sit on a newly developed platform for small Peugeot and Citroen models, known as Common Modular Platform (CMP), which has been designed to accommodate both conventional petrol and diesel engine but also electric and hybrid powertrains.
That opens the possibility of either a fully electric or plug-in hybrid powertrain option for the next generation 208 GTi. Peugeot has already experimented with alternative-powered hot hatches in the past, developed the 308 R Hybrid, a petrol-electric hybrid that almost made production (pictured below).
It was powered by the 308 GTi’s 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol engine mated to an electric motor on the rear axle to create an all-wheel drive machine packing 372kW of power and 730Nm of torque.
Adding weight to the possibility of the 208 GTi having an electric option in the near-future is Peugeot’s support of the World Rallycross Championship and its move to electric cars in 2020. Peugeot Sport runs a two-car assault on the series using the current petrol-powered GTi as its basis so a switch to a road-going electric 208 GTi would already have a ready-made marketing platform.
Imparato said Peugeot Sport is involved in the development of electrified cars as European emissions laws get stricter in 2020.
“I have the high-market mix [GT and GT-Line], including the high-performance versions,” Imparato told Auto Express. “So at the moment we are working on that. I will not hide that it is not so easy because we are facing the 2020 threshold.
“But my friends from motorsport are working on some projects to make our customers happy with something that is high-performance and at the same time compliant with the rules. As I said, I don’t want the future to be boring.”


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Shopper numbers rose ahead of last year for the first time since January last month with a 0.2% rise in footfall compared to June 2010, according the Experian Retail Footfall Index.
The rise in town centre visitors is largely attributed to the fact that shoppers stayed at home to watch the World Cup last summer.
June was also 2.4% ahead of the previous month thanks to half-term, Father’s Day and the start of the summer Sales.
The South West and Wales saw the highest growth in year-on-year footfall, up 1.8% on last June. London was next with a 1.3% rise compared to the same month last year, while the North West (-3.8%) and the East (-3.4%) fared the worst.
While soaring temperatures at the start of the month encouraged people outdoors, it has not necessarily translated into sales as June also saw a wave of administrations, store closures and profits warnings. Experian Footfall suggests quarterly rent payments, due at the end of June, played a fatal role.
Experian Footfall research also found retail parks showed a 1.5% climb in footfall year-to-date and the Retail Park Index puts the sector’s growth at 0.7%. Meanwhile, the UK National Index declined by 1.0%.
Research shows vacancy rates are higher on the high street than in retail parks as incentives, including free parking, tempt shoppers out of town centres.


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Wildstar: Details On Pets and Holo-Wardrobe System Revealed
Carbine Studios has recently released a news update regarding new features for their upcoming INVASION: Nexus update for Wildstar.The new update (currently available on WildStar’s Player Test Realm) brings some big additions that will give players new ways to make their characters unique.
In INVASION: Nexus, WildStar is bringing in 54 companion pets for players to collect. Pets can be obtained in a variety of ways, including as drops in shiphands and dungeons.
WildStar will also be introducing the new Holo-Wardrobe system, an upgraded version of the costume system. Players will no longer need to visit the Stylist in order to modify their costumes or have to store physical items in costume slots. Players will also get the ability to save item appearances to an account-wide list of available appearances.
For more info, visit http://www.wildstar-online.com/en/news/2015-03-25-customization-the-deep-dive
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NEW YORK – A shorter holiday selling season and a financially strapped customer base led Walmart to mount Thanksgiving weekend events that were aggressive even by the discounter’s standards.
While some analysts dismissed the company’s preholiday pronouncements as “bluster” (Aram Rubinson, Wolfe Research), “transitory” (David Strasser, Janney Montgomery Scott), and part of the seasonal “noise” (Stephen Baker, The NPD Group), they nonetheless reverberated through retail and rattled Best Buy and Target. Both chains pointed to the likelihood of lower fourth-quarter profits as a result of the higher promotional stakes.
Walmart made its intentions clear last month after reporting meager net sales gains of 1.6 percent and flat U.S. comps in the third quarter. On an earnings call, outgoing CEO Mike Duke acknowledged, “Our most important priority is growing top-line sales, including comps … The retail environment, both in stores and online, remains competitive. At the same time, some customers feel uncertainty about the economy, government, jobs stability and their need to take care of their families through the holidays. Walmart has aggressive plans to help our customers enjoy the holiday season … while maximizing their budgets at the same time. There is no doubt that we plan to win for our customers and shareholders throughout the holidays.”
Walmart U.S. president Bill Simon also laid down the gauntlet when he declared that “Black Friday is our day — our Super Bowl — and we’re ready to prove once again that no one does it better.”
Indeed, the company said it had amassed its largest-ever Black Friday inventory, including twice as many tablets and 65 percent more TV SKUs than last year. Moreover, Walmart guaranteed in-stocks for one hour on 21 different items during three separate sales events on Thanksgiving and Black Friday. Doorbusters included a 32-inch, 720p off-brand LED TV for $98; 16GB Apple iPad Minis with a $100 gift card for $299; a 14-inch HP Pavilion TouchSmart laptop for $278; and a 7-inch RCA dual-core tablet for $49.
The chain raised the competitive holiday stakes still further by lowering its minimum online order for free-shipping from $50 to $35, equaling Amazon.com’s, and by matching Black Friday prices from Best Buy, Target and Toys“R”Us on select CE and toys fully 10 days before Thanksgiving. Targeted items included a 50-inch LG TV that was available for $448, down from $598, and select PlayStation 4 and Xbox One game titles for $49, down from $59.96.
In a research note titled “Walmart Has Officially Gone Cuckoo On Promotions,” analyst Strasser observed, “Walmart is going to do whatever it takes to drive a positive Q4 comp, as the company has essentially turned the entire week leading up to Thanksgiving into Black Friday … [and] stepped up the promotional cadence to an unprecedented level.”
He added, “It’s those that don’t fear the behemoth that will be sorry come Thanksgiving.”
Walmart’s warning shots weren’t lost on Best Buy, which cautioned that competitive pricing and Thanksgiving Day store openings will likely impact fourth-quarter earnings.
“As we enter the fourth quarter, we are also highly aware of the public statements that are being made by our competitors as it relates to their promotional plans for Black Friday and the fourth quarter,” said Best Buy chief financial officer Sharon Mc- Collam on a third-quarter earnings call. “We know that we will be facing an increasingly promotional environment.”
But despite an anticipated gross margin hit, McCollam was adamant that “first and foremost, we are committed to being competitive on price … it is table stakes in our transformation. So if our competition is in fact more promotional in the fourth quarter, we will be too.”
To that end, Best Buy “reaffirmed its holiday price competitiveness strategy” with its own slate of pre-Black Friday doorbusters and a limited holiday price-match guarantee. The goal, the company said, was to neutralize price and timing as a buying factor. Early deals included a 32-inch Toshiba TV for $200, a 50-inch Vizio TV for $450, and free Galaxy S3 16GB smartphones with two-year activations.
Like Walmart, Target is feeling the pinch from a cash-constrained customer. “We continue to see anxiety regarding the economy and the ability to stay within household budgets, particularly among lower and middle income consumers,” reported Kathryn Tesija, Target’s merchandising and supply chain executive VP. On an earnings call, she cited customer surveys showing that “a meaningful portion” of customers were changing their shopping behavior in light of their financial situation, and even cutting back on store visits “for fear they would be tempted to spend too much.”
“In light of this environment, we’re entering the holiday season with a cautious outlook for sales and a very liquid inventory position,” she said.
This year the promotional focus is on CE and toys, noted Target chairman, president and CEO Gregg Steinhafel, where the No. 2 discount chain is investing more merchandising and marketing resources based on last year’s results. “In particular,” he said, “given our market share in video game hardware and software, we expect to benefit this holiday season from the most meaningful platform launches in more than seven years.”
Tesija went further, projecting that gaming would be one of the biggest gifting categories of the year, and described Target’s CE business as “really strong right now,” led by “fantastic” performance in fashion headphones like Beats by Dr. Dre and wireless speaker systems like Sonos.
To encourage shoppers to spend, the chain opened an hour earlier than last Thanksgiving, at 8 p.m., “to help accommodate our guests and remain competitive in the marketplace,” she said. Hundreds of doorbuster deals included Target’s lowest prices ever on CE, she noted, such as a 40-inch Element LED TV for $270, Beats by Dre Solo HD headphones for $119, and a 16GB iPad Air Wi-Fi for $479 plus a $100 Target gift card. The company also ran 15 daily online-only deals for two weeks beginning Nov. 24.
Nearly lost in all the Black Friday hubbub was Amazon.com, the other 800-pound gorilla of retail. The e-tailer heightened the holiday creep by launching an eight-day promotional barrage the Sunday before Thanksgiving that was punctuated by machine-gun flash deals released in 10-minute intervals. CE specials included a 50-inch 1080p, 60Hz Seiki LED TV for $229; a 65-inch 1080p, 120Hz Samsung LED TV for $999; and the HTC One smartphone for 1 cent with a two-year contract. The e-tailer also created a curated CE holiday gift guide site, began limited Sunday deliveries with the U.S. Postal Service, and launched a mirror site, Smile.Amazon.com, which donates 0.5 percent of the purchase price to a charity of the buyer’s choice.
In the end, at least one popular shopping advice site, BradsDeals.com, pointed to the Big Three of CE, Best Buy, Walmart and Amazon, as the “winners” in the Black Friday wars. Based on its analyses of more than 150 Black Friday circulars, the site determined that Walmart had the most “best deals,” followed closely by Best Buy, with Amazon placing third.
Top 10 Black Friday CE/Majaps Deals
1. Apple iPad Mini: $199 ($299 plus $100 gift card), at Walmart
2. 32-inch tier-three LCD TV: $98, at Walmart
3. iPhone 5c: $45 plus a free $75 gift card, at Walmart
4. Amazon Kindle: $49, at Best Buy
5. Kenmore washer and dryer pair: $499, at Kmart
6. 13.3-inch Macbook Pro with Retina Display: $1,099, at Best Buy
7. LG 55-inch LED 1080p TV: $499, at Best Buy
8. Seiki 32-inch LED TV: $98, on Amazon.com
9. Seiki 50-inch LED TV: $229, on Amazon.com
10. Vizio 60-inch smart LCD TV: $688, at Walmart
Source:BradsDeals.com, a retail sale curating site, based on analyses of more than 150 Black Friday circulars and ads. © TWICE 2013
- 2019 TWICE Top 100: Watch List - May 23, 2019
- 2019 TWICE Top 100: Consumer-Direct Sales Dominate The Charts - May 22, 2019
- 2019 TWICE Top 100: Best Buy Keeps The CE Crown, But Barely - May 21, 2019


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Primax lands Nokia Bluetooth headset orders
Jul 28, 2006
Taiwan-based Primax Electronics is likely to ship four million Bluetooth headsets in 2006, thanks to orders landed from Nokia in the third quarter, according to a Chinese-language Economic Daily News (EDN) report.
The orders are likely to contribute about NT$700 million (US$21.3 million) to the company's revenues, assuming a US$22 average selling price (ASP) for a stereo headset, according to the paper. Nokia's orders is said to be for one million units, noted the paper, adding that Primax also landed headset orders from BenQ-Siemens in April.


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- Police in Germany announced that crooks made off with 5 tons of Nutella over the weekend in the city of Niederaula, where a semi-trailer transporting the hazelnut chocolate spread was parked.
- The heist comes in the wake of other food robberies in the area, including large quantities of coffee and energy drinks in the past year.
- The total value of the Nutella was stated to be about $20,800 (which, incidentally, is quite a bit more than the weekly Nutella losses recently reported at Columbia University in New York).
From the article:
BAD HERSFELD, Germany — Thieves in Germany have made off with a truckload of Nutella, stealing five tonnes of the hazelnut chocolate spread from a parked semi-trailer, police said on Monday. ...


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With enhanced signal detection, eBay is better equipped to track and solve errors. Using innovative design concepts, SAP User Experience (UX) Design Services has helped eBay to be more efficient in its signal detection.
Opportunity: Analyzing Data and Detecting Signals
Founded by Pierre Omidyar in 1995 and headquartered in California, USA
SAP customer since 2003
Global presence in 37 markets
SAP UX Design Services benefits
Provided interaction and visual designs
Developed a new way of rendering timeline information
Design Service for User Experience – Innovation Package
Feature Article —
Change comes fast in today’s business world. Go-to-market timelines are shorter than ever. Companies in adjacent industries are emerging as direct competitors.
Driven by technologies like artificial intelligence, predictive analytics, cloud computing, and the Internet of
Feature Article — We are delighted to announce that SAP has been identified as a “Leader” in The Forrester Wave™: Big Data Warehouse, Q2 2017.
The Forrester Research report, released last week, evaluated 15 commercial big data warehouse vendors
Newsbyte — WALLDORF — SAP SE (NYSE: SAP) today announced that NTT DOCOMO Inc. has selected the SAP HANA platform as the foundation of its data needs to improve customer service.
Data, as large as 18TB, will be


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The latest employee-driven Food Foundation project from Electrolux - ‘Taste & Share’ - has launched in Poland, highlighting the benefits of food sharing to raise awareness about food waste.Read more
Electrolux hosts cooking event with world-renowned chef
David Chang, founder of the momofuku restaurants in New York, has participated in an exclusive cooking event in the Swedish Culinary Team’s training facilities at Electrolux HQ in Stockholm. The session was part of the launch of the White Guide 2012.
On the theme of “urban terroir”, David Chang showed a few of his fermentation experiments. He was supported by Magnus Nilsson, who runs the much talked about restaurant Fäviken Magasinet in northern Sweden. David Chang also cooked some of his signature dishes, but using Swedish ingredients. Guests of honor at the event were chefs Mathias Dahlgren of Mathias Dahlgren and Sayan Isaksson of Esperanto.
David Chang visited Stockholm to receive this year’s White Guide Global Gastronomy Award, an award that recognizes an active food creator, role model and inspiration in contemporary gastronomy and Scandinavia. At the gala ceremony held at the Grand Hôtel Stockholm, Chang was presented the award by Electrolux newly appointed Electrolux Chief Design Officer, Stefano Marzano.
As was the case with last year’s White Guide release, a trend seminar was held on the Electrolux premises the day preceding the gala. In this year’s trend seminar, some of the leading authorities in Sweden’s gastronomy scene discussed various culinary trends.
White Guide – a comprehensive restaurant guide
White Guide was created in 2004. It is considered the leading comprehensive restaurant guide in Sweden to evaluate the Swedish restaurant scene.
Topics and categories
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Grand Cuisine, by Electrolux Professional – the first professional cooking system designed for the world’s finest homes – is now being officially introduced in the United States.Read more
The bid to slash refrigeration pollution worldwide has taken a huge step forward as North American safety standards are being revised to allow appliance makers to transition away from the greenhouse gas hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs)...Read more


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Listening to an iPod or other MP3 player via connection to a car stereo is growing in popularity. Just released information from an Arbitron/Edison Infinite Dial national survey shows that 24 percent of persons over age 12 have ever listened to an iPod, iPhone or other MP3 player while connected to a car stereo.
The results, which will be revealed in full on April 8, come from a national survey of 1753 Americans age 12 and up. Forty-four percent of respondents said they own an MP3 player, and 54 percent of those said they have connected their players for listening in the car. The study shows that most of those who listen by connecing in the car do so more than once a week.
Larry Rosin, President of Edison Research, says this is a significant development because he calls the car “a crucial battleground for people’s attention.”
The complete study, “The Infinite Dial 2010 – Digital Platforms and the Future of Audio,” will be presented in a webinar on April 8, details here.


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Saudi Telecom Company (STC) has surpassed its counterparts in the region to become the most valuable brand in the Middle East’s telecommunications sector, and the third most valuable brand in all sectors behind Aramco and ADNOC, according to the Brand Finance Global 500 2021 report.
The telecom giant is the region’s fastest-growing brand, its brand value up an impressive 14 percent to $9.2 billion and simultaneously jumping 51 positions to 189th, making STC the second fastest-growing brand among the 20 largest global telecommunications companies, and earning the company an AAA-brand ranking.
Brand Finance noted STC Group CEO Nasser Sulaiman Al-Nasser’s contribution to strengthening the company’s brand in the telecommunications sector. His efforts in supporting the company’s progress in 5G technologies to become a pioneer of digital transformation in the Kingdom and the region, in line with the objectives of Vision 2030, were specifically highlighted.
David Haigh, CEO of Brand Finance, said: “STC’s brand has evolved and grown following its successful masterbrand refresh and extension into Kuwait and Bahrain at the beginning of last year. The company continues to execute its DARE strategy successfully and has strengthened its positioning as a company that enables digital life. Its commitment to digital transformation has been shown with STC Pay, recognized as the first tech unicorn in Saudi Arabia.”
Brand Finance analyzed around 5,000 of the biggest brands around the world. Brand value is understood as the net economic benefit that a brand owner would achieve by licensing the brand in the open market.
Globally, the most valuable brand in the world was deemed to be Apple, overtaking Amazon and Google to reclaim the title for the first time since 2016.


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Swedish plant-based milk brand Oatly is to begin production from its first UK factory in early 2023, creating at least 200 new jobs and supporting British oat farmers.
The new factory, located in Peterborough, is expected to begin functioning in Q1 2023 and the brand says sustainability has been ‘at the heart of the planning process’. It is expected to produce 300 million litres of oat drink per year at point of launch, with capacity set to increase to 450 million litres, positioning it as one of the world’s largest plant-based factories.
“Oatly is working to ensure the new factory brings value to people and the planet without recklessly taxing the planet’s resources,” says the brand in a statement. “The new factory will continue Oatly’s drive to create a systemic shift in society and the food system towards plant-based.”
The new factory will continue Oatly’s drive to create a systemic shift in society
This move to manufacture in the UK comes as part of a wider initiative from the brand to ‘build factories fit for the future’, using resources efficiently and causing ‘minimal negative impact on the planet’. Oatly aims to use 100% renewable energy and to decrease its water consumption and waste output by 75% by 2029 at each of its manufacturing sites.
According to CarbonCloud data, Oatly Barista Edition retailed in the UK generates approximately 70% less CO2 emissions than British cow’s milk; the brand hopes that increased UK production of Oatly will mean plant-based dairy becomes ‘more accessible for people to switch to, helping them reduce their climate impact’.
Oatly confirms the oats used for its products will be sourced domestically across the UK and that the new Peterborough factory will supply the UK market.
Employing some 200 additional UK workers, the company says health and safety of staff will ‘be placed at the forefront’, adhering to Oatly’s global standards ‘to ensure people feel safe, valued and empowered whilst working to help protect the planet’.
The UK is a really important driver of the global plant-based movement
Ishen Paran, general manager, Oatly UK, says: “Questions about a potential UK factory have been circulating for a while, and we’re really excited to finally announce the news of its arrival in 2023. The UK is a really important driver of the global plant-based movement, with a growing demand for Oatly across the country, and we’re excited to supply this increased demand.”
Johan Rabe, chief supply chain officer, adds: “We look forward to supplying the UK with more oat drink – we’re even more excited to do it in a sustainable way. Like everything we do at Oatly, we’ve ensured that sustainability is core to our factory planning. Everything, from the sourcing of our oats, to the production of our product range specifically designed for humans, has sustainability at the heart of it. Even as we strive to grow one of the biggest plant-based dairy factories to its full capacity, this will still be our top priority.”


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FOSHAN, Guangdong: Police are investigating the death of Zhang Shuhong, the boss of a local toy company, whom they suspect committed suicide over the weekend because of the pressure he faced in connection with a recent massive product recall in the US.
"The case is still under investigation, and we can't tell you more about it," an officer surnamed Chen with the Foshan public security bureau's Nanhai branch told China Daily yesterday.
Zhang, the boss of Lee Der Industrial Co Ltd in the city's Nanhai District, was found hanging by himself in the corner of one of his warehouses at about 3pm on Saturday.
His death followed a decision by the General Administration for Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine to ban his toy export business last week after 967,000 of the toys it had made were recalled in the US.
An employee, who would only identify himself by his surname Liu, said the recall, which came at the request of the US toy giant Mattel Inc because of excessive amounts of lead in the paint on the toys, would cost Lee Der about $30 million.
"The losses will be difficult for our firm to bear," Liu said.
The plastic toys to be recalled are from the Fisher-Price brand, which is aimed at preschool age children. The recalled toys include Big Bird, Elmo, Dora and Diego dolls, which are very popular in the US.
"The paint was supplied by a so-called bosom friend of our boss. His surname is Liang," Liu said. "Most of us believe that Liang is to blame."
Liang, whose business was said to have relied on business from the toy firm in the past decade, was not available yesterday.
(China Daily 08/14/2007 page3)


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If you’re lucky enough to be a fan of one of the teams going to the Super Bowl, you’re just a week away from cheering your boys to victory. If you’re like the rest of us, we can’t wait for the world’s biggest brands to roll out their best campaigns of the year.
But for these brands, the game doesn’t start and end on Sunday night. A great campaign can continue its success for months—even years—on social media. In fact, YouTube claims that in the first six weeks of 2015, its users watched more than 7 million hours of Super Bowl ads and teasers. So, which brands won the Super Bowl last year? Here are our top 5 picks, and how you can take a page out of their playbooks.
1 Budweiser “Puppy Love”
How could you resist a sweet, lost Labrador? Featuring a cute canine might not seem terribly strategic, but it actually proved highly successful among viewers of all demographics. This year, TiVo conducted a poll to determine the top Super Bowl commercials of the past 50 years. Budweiser’s “Lost Dog” (2015) and its prequel “Puppy Love” (2014) ranked the highest for both men and women, and across three different age groups. Outside of these top two, commercials that featured animals or children delivered the strongest likability across genders and age demographics. “Puppy Love” ended up being one of the most-watched Super Bowl ads on YouTube during the week of the game. YouTube isn’t the only act in town, however. During this same timeframe, more than half of the video’s 57 million online views came from Facebook. They say every dog has its day, and for Budweiser, that day was Super Bowl Sunday.
2 Always (Procter & Gamble) “Like A Girl”
For the 2015 Super Bowl, P&G brand Always released its renewed #LikeAGirl campaign, bringing awareness to the drop in self-confidence young women experience during their pre-teen years. Viewers watched the commercial nearly 3 million times on the Always YouTube channel. Brands often forget that a large percentage of Super Bowl viewers are women. Data from a Nielson report published in Adweek shows the Super Bowl viewing audience is largely female— comprising 46 percent of total viewership. In fact, the same report shows that more women tune in to the game than the Oscars, Grammys and Emmys combined. P&G not only takes special care to advertise a product for women during the Super Bowl, but to empower them with a strong message. It’s no wonder this campaign was one of the most widely tweeted-about commercials of the night
3 Supercell: “Clash of Clans: Revenge”
While Supercell’s “Clash of Clans” commercial wasn’t one of the more anticipated spots in the 2015 Super Bowl, it was the most successful by a landslide. It featured Liam Neeson spoofing the very popular “I will find you, and I will kill you” line from his 2008 movie “Taken”, but with his anger instead focused on a “Clash of Clans” adversary. Not only was the commercial the most-watched Super Bowl ad on YouTube with more than 30 million views, it also topped the charts as the second most-watched YouTube video of 2015. Supercell stands as a shining example that a smart Super Bowl campaign can continue to be successful long after the big game. It was also $9 million well spent.
4 Nissan “With Dad”
Big car brands never miss the opportunity to advertise during the Super Bowl. One of 2015’s most-viewed commercials was Nissan’s “With Dad” commercial, which tells the story of a hard-working family striving for togetherness over the years. The unifying factor? A Nissan, of course. At nearly 23 million views on YouTube, “With Dad” strikes an emotional chord in the hearts of the Super Bowl audience, which is largely comprised of families. According to a survey conducted by the National Retail Federation, 47 percent of Super Bowl viewers said that the actual game is the most important part of Super Bowl Sunday, while 41.3 percent of those surveyed said that commercials and spending time with family are the most important parts of the day. Nissan’s “With Dad” campaign tugs at the heartstrings, and smartly showcases the brand throughout. To compliment the familial theme of the campaign, Nissan donated $1 million to organizations that support other hard working families, like those featured in the commercial.
5 Doritos “Middle Seat”
Frito Lay brought back its popular “Crash the Super Bowl” contest, where Doritos lovers everywhere create their own commercial, and compete to win $1 million. The contest has been held since 2006, and is currently the largest online video contest in the world. Last year, the winning video, “Middle Seat” featured that guy you never want to get stuck sitting next to on the plane. He’s flossing, he’s cutting his toenails, he’s…just disgusting. When a beautiful blonde boards the plane, he changes his tune and tries to lure her to his aisle with a bag or Doritos. Not only did the video have more than 2 million views on YouTube, but strong interaction on Twitter from fans imitating the “middle seat” struggle. Best of all, other submissions for the “Crash the Super Bowl” commercials could also be viewed on YouTube. Doritos enjoyed all the perks of free advertising, while viewers were given the opportunity to interact with the brand. Win-win. The Doritos “Crash the Super Bowl” campaign reiterates the importance of actively engaging the Super Bowl’s 115 million viewers, and giving them a chance to take the field.
The Super Bowl is TV’s biggest night, but for these advertisers, the game didn’t end after the fourth quarter. Great advertising campaigns can be iconic and forever associated with a brand. No pressure. Approach your Super Bowl campaign on your A-game, whether your brand has a big TV-spot or is strictly on social. Who knows? Maybe you’ll make this year’s list.


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Those waiting for the Volkswagen Polo GTI in India will have to hold on for a little longer. Our sources confirm that the 177bhp hot hatch will be launched in India only in the 11th or 12th week of the 2016 calendar year.
The Polo GTI will be powered by the 1.8-litre turbocharged TSI petrol engine producing 177bhp and 250Nm of torque. This is the same engine that is currently used in the Skoda Octavia and the Audi A3. While globally the car is available with the option of both the manual and automatic transmissions, we in India will only get the seven-speed DSGP automatic powering the front wheels.
There are a lot of changes to the Polo GTI compared to the standard hatchback. The chassis of the GTI will be imported, along with the suspension from the global car. The body, compared to the one made in India, is a lot stronger and offers better rigidity to handle all the extra power. The company is already importing the same drivetrain for Audi and Skoda, and that will later be plonked under the hood. Only the interior and the cosmetic components of the car will be made in India.
Volkswagen Polo GTI will be classified as a CKD and the prices are expected to be around Rs 14 lakh. Volkswagen has big plans for the next few months, the Beetle will be launched in the next few weeks while the new compact sedan will debut at the 2016 Auto Expo.


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California Attorney General Rob Bonta on Monday announced a statewide lawsuit against Walmart for environmental violations, including illegal dumping of hazardous waste products at local landfills.
Bonta announced the lawsuit during a virtual news conference.
Over the past six years, Walmart allegedly disposed of alkaline and lithium batteries, insect killer sprays and other pesticides, aerosol cans, toxic cleaning supplies, electronic waste, latex paints and LED lightbulbs. The landfills are ill-equipped to handle all of those items, Bonta said.
Results from Walmart’s own inspections revealed the company unlawfully disposes of about 159,600 pounds, or more than 1 million items, of hazardous waste in California each year, the Attorney General's Office said.
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"These products may seep into the state’s drinking water as toxic pollutants or into the air as dangerous gases," Bonta said in a statement. "When one person throws out a battery or half-empty hairspray bottle, we may think that it's no big deal. But when we’re talking about tens of thousands of batteries, cleaning supplies and other hazardous waste, the impact to our environment and our communities can be huge."
Twelve district attorneys across the state have joined the lawsuit, including Alameda County DA Nancy O'Malley.


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Life sciences companies in the Tri-Counties are stepping up with treatments for COVID-19, led by leaders in inhalable drug technologies. Westlake Village-based MannKind said it expects $4.9 million in forgivable loan relief as part of the CARES Act, passed in March, as it explores four potential anti-infective and antiviral therapies. Separately, aerosolized drug delivery company Read More →
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How does last year’s Nexus shape up against this year’s entry-level champion?
Motorola’s latest entry-level handset, the Moto G, has been turning heads thanks to its relatively low price point and compelling specs and feature set. It’s a step below the Nexus 5 — the device it tied with in the “best value” category of our most recent Android phone roundup. But what of the Nexus 4, no longer available on Google Play, but relatively easy to track down from other online vendors.
If you’ve got a Nexus 4, is the Moto G a valid upgrade path? And if you’ve got around $200 to spend on a smartphone, which is worth your money? We’ll take a look at both devices in more detail after the break.


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February 27, 2012
Black history was put on display, in McDonough, during an African-American Fashion Show, Friday, at the Heritage Senior Center. The event featured more than 30 individuals in African garb, and also included African cuisine.
Stories this photo appears in:
The Heritage Senior Center, at 1050 Florence McGarity Blvd., in McDonough, hosted its third annual African-American Fashion Show. The event featured more than 30 men and women, modeling their best African garb.


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Marketwatch.com Plans IPO
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Online financial publisher Marketwatch.Com Inc. hopes to raise $34.5 million in an initial public offering.
The company on Tuesday filed papers with the Securities and Exchange Commission to float an IPO, although the company did not disclose how many shares it would offer or what their initial price would be. Marketwatch produces the CBS Marketwatch Web site.
Marketwatch said it will use $5 million of the offering for advertising and marketing efforts over 1998-99 and will also repay all debts owed to Data Broadcasting Corp. DBC and CBS Inc. formed the company in 1997 and are two of its largest stockholders. The remaining money is to be used for general operating expenses.
BT Alex. Brown and Salomon Smith Barney will be the lead underwriters for the offering.
Marketwatch said its traffic grew to 2 million visitors and more than 45 million page views during September compared to 785,000 visitors and 38 million page views in March.
Despite its growing traffic, the company warned that several obstacles lie ahead. The company said its revenues have yet to grow to significant levels and cautioned that revenue prospects in the future are still uncertain. Costs associated with building brand awareness and content continue to grow and the company said that will cause operating losses to keep mounting for the foreseeable future.


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The decision to venture into the gambling sector comes as no surprise, considering the significant growth and revenue witnessed by the industry in recent years. Multichoice aims to tap into this market by providing a comprehensive gaming platform that combines cutting-edge technology, a user-friendly interface, and a wide range of betting options.
SuperSportBET to Accompany SuperSport
The newly unveiled Multichoice gaming platform, named SuperSportBET, promises to revolutionise online gambling in South Africa. With an extensive selection of sports betting opportunities and experiences, the platform will cater to a diverse audience, like its broadcasting counterpart.
Possibly complementing its venture into the gambling industry, Multichoice has also introduced an innovative payment platform, Moment. This payment platform is designed to streamline transactions in South Africa. This state-of-the-art payment system prioritises user convenience, offering seamless and secure transactions for both deposits and withdrawals. Online gambling payment methods are something every South African considers before creating an account to place sports bets.
Multichoice Acquired KingMakers
KingMakers has been hugely successful in Nigeria's iGaming and sports betting industry. Multichoice acquired a 49% stake in KingMakers in 2022. With KingMakers’ past experience in the sports betting industry, it’s almost guaranteed that SuperSportBET is going to be a great experience for fans of sports betting.
Add to this the fact that SuperSportBET will be able to get exposure to the SuperSport audience, and the potential is massive. If SuperSportBET offers betting on the same sheer amount of sports that is broadcast on SuperSport, there is going to be betting options for everyone.
What Sports Will SuperSportBET Offer Bets On?
SuperSportBET has not said what sports you will be able to bet on through their platform. But based on what we’ve seen in the sports betting industry over the past five years, we predict these sports will be on offer:
And probably a whole lot more.
Not everyone is confident that Multichoice will be able to handle a sports betting platform:
“Multichoice will find a way to mess it up... Gambling is very competitive and cut throat, neither market condition is something multichoice knows how to operate in.” said one user on the MyBroadband Forums.
Top Sports Betting Platforms in South Africa


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Ivivi Technologies, Inc. and Grupo Venta Internacional, S.A. de C.V. Sign an Agreement to Market the SofPulse(r) in Mexico
2/5/2009 8:47:00 AM
MONTVALE, N.J., Feb. 5, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ivivi Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq:IVVI), a leader in non-invasive, electrotherapy systems, and Grupo Venta Internacional, S.A. de C.V. (GVI), a Mexican company dedicated to providing surgical equipment and cutting edge technology, today announced that they have signed a definitive agreement granting GVI the exclusive right to sell certain of Ivivi's targeted pulsed electromagnetic field (tPEMF(tm)) products in Mexico into the plastic and reconstructive surgery, maxillofacial surgery and cosmetic surgery markets as well as to ear/nose/throat specialties, obstetric/gynecology specialties and hospitals. The agreement was effective January 1, 2009.
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Editor’s Note: The following is user generated
On Wednesday, the Kohl’s Cares® Scholarship Program recognized more than 2,200 young volunteers nationwide who have made a positive impact in their communities through volunteerism. Out of the 2,200, 102 are from New York. Those youths will receive a $50 gift card and recognition certificate from Kohl’s to honor their community service efforts. This is the 12th year of the Cares program
From Rockland there are two New City residents who are part of the 102 qualifiers:
- Corrine Quirk, 17
- Kasey Kemmer 12
These winners also qualify for the chance to receive a $1,000 regional scholarship for post-secondary education, which Kohl’s will award in July. Out of the 200+ regional winners, 10 national winners will each receive a total of $10,000 in scholarships and Kohl’s will donate $1,000 to a nonprofit organization on each national winner’s behalf.
To total it up, Kohl’s will recognize more than 2,200 young volunteers with more than $420,000 in scholarships and prizes.
“Kohl’s is thrilled to recognize more than 2,200 young volunteers who have dedicated their time and energy to bettering the communities in which we live,” said Julie Gardner, Kohl’s executive vice president and chief marketing officer. “Every effort, large or small, makes a difference. Through the Kohl’s Cares Scholarship Program, we strive to not only recognize these efforts but also encourage outstanding youth to improve their communities through volunteerism.”
A list of all winners from New York is available at www.kohlskids.com.
About Kohl’s Cares
Since the program began in 2001, Kohl’s has recognized more than 17,000 kids, including the 2012 winners, with nearly $3.5 million in scholarships and prizes. The Kohl’s Cares Scholarship Program is part of Kohl’s Cares, Kohl’s philanthropic program focused on improving the lives of children. Kohl’s Cares benefits children’s health and education initiatives nationwide through its merchandise program, featuring special books and plush toys where 100 percent of net profit benefits children’s initiatives; fundraising gift cards for schools and youth serving organizations and the Associates in Action associate volunteer program. For more information on the Kohl’s Cares Scholarship Program, visit www.kohlskids.com.
Based in Menomonee Falls, Wis., Kohl’s (NYSE: KSS) is a family-focused, value-oriented specialty department store offering moderately priced, exclusive and national brand apparel, shoes, accessories, beauty and home products in an exciting shopping environment. With a commitment to environmental leadership, Kohl’s operates 1,134 stores in 49 states. In support of the communities it serves, Kohl’s has raised more than $208 million for children’s initiatives nationwide through its Kohl’s Caresâ cause merchandise program, which operates under Kohl's Cares, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Kohl's Department Stores, Inc. For a list of store locations and information, or for the added convenience of shopping online, visit www.Kohls.com, or join the discussion on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/kohls or Twitter http://twitter.com/Kohls.


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Creative agency MKG, part of Acceleration Community of Companies, is expanding its leadership team with two promotions.
Lauren Austin is upped from executive creative director to become the shop’s first Chief Creative Officer. She’ll set the agency’s creative “vision” with responsibility for all creative client work.
In her new role, Austin will also assume responsibility for the design and integrated production teams at the agency in addition to leading creative strategy.
Concurrently, Christine Capone, former managing director, account and business development lead, is elevated to president and will be responsible for driving the overall growth and direction of the agency in partnership with Austin. Capone will also set the strategy for client development and new business priorities as well as oversee agency operations, finances, and the development of agency talent. She replaces Tracy Bussan who left MKG in June for Diageo.
The expansion of its C-suite talent follows significant business growth over the past few months, including MKG winning a five-year contract with the United States Marine Corps Community Services. This year, the shop also has developed lululemon’s Pride campaign, helped strategize the launch of Martha Stewart’s CBD line, and created digital experiences for Maui Moisture at Curlfest and Afropunk.
This client activity also coincides with the agency’s new positioning to incorporate advocacy messaging into its traditional brand actions including live activations, digital and virtual experiences, and employee engagements. Brands are increasingly seeking “meaningful” connections in addition to selling products.
“As consumers ourselves, we choose brands who value actions before ads. We are excited to create meaningful actions with some of the world’s best brands,” says Capone.