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For those of you who are looking to sharpen their off-road driving abilities and to take a break from the daily routine life, GM is launching its first ever Hummer DrivingAcademy event that will take place in Morocco from 7-12 November 2008. The academy will take a fleet of 14 Hummer H3s on a 1300km (about 800 miles) route which includes the SaharaDesert. Overall, there will be 14 teams consisting of a driver and co-driver. The participating SUVs will carry necessary survival equipment, desert tires and GPS satellite navigation systems, but other than that, they’re standard H3s with 3.7-liter 5-cylinder engines and automatic transmissions. -Continued
The cost of participation in the 2008 HUMMERDrivingAcademy event has been set at €3.995or $5,870 per team of two (driver and co-driver), and it includes the use of the H3 vehicles and luxury hotel accommodation but not air fares. According to GM, the Hummer DrivingAcademy event in Morocco will be followed by a series of events which will be rolled out in 2009. For more information on the event in Morocco you can visit the official site here.


text:
attach_money Best Galaxy S23 Deals
stars Popular this Weeklaunch
closeSamsung could launch a tri-fold smartphone this year
According to the latest rumors, it has been suggested that Samsung could launch a smartphone with a triple folding display.
closeThe LG V60 is finally receiving its Android 13 update
LG might be out of the smartphone game, but it looks like they haven’t completely given up on their phones just yet.
closeUpcoming Moto G Stylus (2023) specs and images leaked
According to the latest leaks, the specs and photos of the upcoming Moto G Stylus (2023) might have been revealed.
more_vertOnePlus Nod Buds 2 Revealed Online
closeOnePlus Teases Nord Buds 2 in Tweet
It looks like we’re about to get a new product in the form of new wireless earbuds, which are set to launch next month.
closeYour Android phone will no longer blind you in the dark
According to some code spotted in Android 13, it appears that Google is making some changes to how your phone’s brightness is managed.

domain: news


text:
What was once “Cheap” is now borderline chic. Cars like the Corolla used to be called “penalty boxes”. They were inexpensive, small, unrefined and generally undesirable. No more….except for the inexpensive part. Today, cars like […]
In an effort to find lighter renewable materials, Ford announced a partnership on Tuesday with Heinz to research the use of tomato fibers to make car parts.
GM CEO Mary Barra says 15 employees — many of them senior legal and engineering executives — have been forced out of the company
Good weather and a strong Memorial Day weekend helped car buyers ignore reports of recalls, pushing car and truck sales up more than ten percent in May.
You know how sometimes those childhood dreams…if and when they finally comer true later in life….never seem to live up to your expectations? Not this one. Always wanted to drive a “basic” non-turbo 911 stick […]
When Lexus arrived in the U.S. market at the end of 1989 with the 1990 model LS 400, it was clear that they were taking aim at the luxury car market. The car was roomy, […]
General Motors recalled a small number of Pontiac G6 midsize cars to fix a faulty brake light system in 2009, yet waited more than five years to call back over 2 million other cars with the same system.
Years ago…well, decades ago…Lincoln had swagger. It was a large, muscular, upscale, fat-cat-mobile. Tony Soprano probably would have driven one back in the day. Well, folks….Lincoln might be back…..largely thanks to cars like the MKZ. […]
Sometimes I wonder if people driving those higher-priced German vehicles might not actually be happier in something like this. I’m just sayin’……………. VW’s EOS is a fun and functional little car…..a hardtop convertible that can […]
The 2014 Chevrolet Impala is the only non-luxury car to earn the highest rating in tests of high-tech crash prevention systems.


text: News Beer Store location on Algonquin Blvd. to open on Labour Day SHARE ON: Wendy Gray, staff Tuesday, Aug. 27th, 2019 The Beer Store on Algonquin will be open on Labour Day (Photo supplied by Wendy Gray MyTimminsNow.com staff) It’s only Tuesday but chances are you are already planning for the long weekend. Well in Timmins you don’t have to worry about stocking up on beer ahead of time. For the first time ever, the Beer Store has announced it will open 63 Ontario stores on Labour Day. Here in the city, the outlet on Algonquin Boulevard will be open from 11 am to 5 pm.


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SPL Joinery have recently opened their new showroom. The showroom has been completed with a full fit-out including traditional wall panelling and cabinets, polished oak flooring and the latest technology to provide customers with an insight into past and present projects.
The showroom is now complete with a full set of operational samples and a meeting room.
“We are now able to provide our customers with a high profile display of our products and services” commented Shaun Holt Operations Director Of SPL
The showroom can be found at 28 Wolverhampton Road, Stafford ST17 4BY and can be contacted on 01785 620271 or www.spljoinery.co.uk


text:
Unlimited access to Small Enterprise along with 5,000+ other digital magazines and premium articles
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The world recently celebrated International Women’s Day on the 8th of March, signifying and celebrating the achievements of women from all walks of life. In light of this, there are many obstacles that we need to work on as a nation and as citizens of the world at large, to make it a better place for women to grow to their potential. But there are positive takeaways as well, especially in the entrepreneur domain. There is a growing number of plenty of mentorship programs for the same as well. According to a study done under McKinsey Global Institute, the GDP of our nation could possibly increase to anywhere between 16 and 60 percent in the next 8 years if more of its women participated in the workforce! The need of the hour is more women mentors in the domains of STEM and as heads of businesses, to inspire more young women to take the lead and drive our country forward and into the path of development. Echoing the theme of this year’s Women’s Day theme - ‘The Time is Now’, I am positive that this is certainly not a distant dream. Here’s hoping for the same and celebrating the indomitable spirit of womanhood!
The highly informative online repository for the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in India, ‘Smallenterpriseindia.com’, is dedicated to provide current news and related information from the medium-sized business economy to the SMB fraternity on a daily basis. ‘Smallenterpriseindia.com’ online business news portal facilitates direct exchange between the large networking of the Indian SMB community and other entrepreneurs in the small and medium-sized business segment, connecting them to opportunities available domestically and globally. ‘Smallenterpriseindia.com’ is a functional professional training cockpit for the entrepreneurs which expands the comprehensive audience and complement the complete package. The portal is a repository of verified reliable professional information, providing support through useful working tools as well as online campaigns, seminars, road shows and live trainings on trend issues and important reforms. We focus on in-depth coverage of the Indian small and medium businesses, success stories, case studies etc, enabling the target audience to communicate, collaborate and understand the industry, market as well as opportunities available locally and globally in a better way.


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It might appear counterintuitive at first, but launching a jewellery business during a pandemic could end up being the best time to do so. With the majority of sales now happening online, it is not surprising to see new online jewellery stores popping up.
“Companies launching now are trying to prove they can have an edge and accelerate their growth once out of recession,” says Sarah Willersdorf, Boston Consulting Group’s global head of luxury.
Even before the pandemic, the jewellery sector attracted $5.5bn of private investment in 2018, going to 286 new companies (compared with 78 new companies in 2005). Willersdorf says the pandemic has only accelerated trends already under way, such as the surge of ecommerce and brands selling directly to consumers.
The rising volume of private investment piqued the interest of serial entrepreneur Shezan Amiji, who last year teamed up with Vishal Mehta, member of a third-generation family business specialising in diamonds, to set up Once. This is an online retailer offering jewellery from established names such as Messika and Damiani and upcoming designers such as Loquet and Milamore.
“There are two determinants used to understand profitability in ecommerce: the average order value and the take rate [the percentage charged by the marketplace to match buyers and sellers], and jewellery has the highest of both,” says Amiji, explaining the attractions of an online jewellery business. Launching at a time when bricks-and-mortar stores were forced to shut helped Once quickly secure the targeted wide range of designers.
The economics of the €132bn global jewellery industry also attracted longtime friends Mie Marie Ejdrup and Caroline Chalmer, who decided to found online retailer Finematter, headquartered in Copenhagen and London. The supposed timelessness of jewellery — rather than a “newness and sales-driven drop cycle” found in other fashion products — added to the appeal, according to the former apparel executive and management consultant duo.
The platform mimics the Farfetch business model by offering designers — primarily independent ones such as Anissa Kermiche and Charlotte Chesnais — a larger reach through its logistics infrastructure. Heartcore Capital and private investors Henrik Holmark (former chief finance officer at Danish jeweller Pandora) and Nicole Vanderbilt (former managing director at online marketplace Etsy) have backed the venture with a seed investment of €1.7m. Influencer Pernille Teisbaek is also on board as a creative adviser to spread the word on social media.
Meanwhile, new London-based online vintage jewellery retailer and concierge Omnēque focuses on the burgeoning secondary market, which, according to BCG, is worth $21bn and is predicted to grow at 8 per cent a year, compared with the projected 1.1 per cent growth of the primary market, through to 2023.
“The idea of not only jewellery but also fashion and watches having a second life is not only accepted but appealing. It’s now deemed sustainable, savvy and stylish to shop this way,” says Omnēque chief executive and co-founder Amanda Zuydervelt, a former Richemont executive.
Zuydervelt felt that other vintage luxury retailers selling anything from a cardigan to a candlestick did not provide the right environment to appreciate jewellery and their pricing based on individual sellers’ evaluations was tenuous. By contrast, Omnēque’s jewellery is selected, authenticated and priced by Vivienne Becker, a jewellery writer and contributing editor to the FT’s How to Spend It magazine, as well as Joanna Hardy, gemologist and expert on the BBC’s Antiques Roadshow.
Yet the allure of seizing the moment during a time that limits social interaction is often tempered by other hurdles. Founders have said that starting a company remotely makes it difficult to create a culture, impedes the sourcing of packaging and makes organising product photo shoots difficult.
It is a climate in which adaptability is paramount, says jewellery veteran Fawaz Gruosi. After leaving De Grisogono in 2019, the jewellery company he founded, Gruosi opened a boutique on London’s Berkeley Square before Christmas to showcase his flamboyant new eponymous high jewellery creations. Originally, he had decided not to sell online, but now he says that “in the light of this global pandemic, we are seriously considering the possibility of providing digital solutions for our clientele”.
Selling online directly to consumers was not one of the first moves planned by Iris de la Villardière and Thomas Montier Leboucher, as they wished to gain initial credibility for their brand Viltier through retailers. However, when the first lockdowns in Europe cancelled all scheduled appointments with buyers — who had stopped taking on new brands — the duo was left with no other choice.
“We showed the bank our product, our business plan and the numerous messages of interested clients via Instagram,” says Montier Leboucher, who applied for a loan to open up an online store to start generating revenues. The sales exceeded his expectations: “Ninety per cent of our online clients are in the US spending between €3,000 and €10,000,” he says. A separate wholesale order placed last month by luxury ecommerce company Net-a-Porter was his most recent success.


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CINCINNATI — Recent stock market developments involving online communities of amateur investors working to thwart Wall Street hedge funds could spell a new future for the market.
"Nowadays, all the rules are out the window. There's so much momentum,” said Mark Krumbein, a local amateur investor.
He bought into Gamestop, stock that has been driven up about 1,700% in a month, and made nearly $5,000 overnight.
"This is like the Wild West of trading, or maybe like a gold rush. People are pouring into California for example, and everyone is trying to get to the gold," said Krumbein, who is also a criminal defense attorney.
But, he knows the unprecedented quick gains carry risk.
“Don't put all your money on anything,” he said. “It's too dangerous under normal times -- it might be more dangerous than ever now."
What’s happening with the stock market?
Short-selling stock, or short betting, is at the center of the most recent stock market drama. To put it simply, short bets flip the “buy low, sell high” principle of trading; instead of investing in a stock and hoping its value increases, short bets involve borrowing a stock to sell it immediately and buy it back later at a lower price.
This kind of investing has a set upside and a theoretically unlimited downside: if the stock becomes more valuable, short investors have to pay more than they spent to buy the stock back.
Recently, some Wall Street hedge funds bet that Gamestop stock would decline, but groups in online forums like Reddit caught on and decided to buy up Gamestop shares to drive up the stock’s price dramatically. They used trading apps like Robinhood, which allow users to buy and sell shares online.
Now, hedge funds could get stuck with huge losses when they buy back shares.
"All of a sudden, they have huge influence that they never had before,” Krumbein said.
‘They're all committed to not sell out’
Dylan Deters didn’t just buy into the hype of an internet trend -- he bought into the market.
"It's been a fun ride to at least feel like you're a part of the Wall Street system,” the 24-year-old said.
He bought 50 shares of AMC, the movie theater chain also targeted by internet investors that saw its stock value skyrocket.
"I have it at $15 a share. It's dropped completely today,” he said.
After Robinhood and other trading apps temporarily stopped users from buying more shares of Gamestop, AMC and other stocks due to "recent volatility," Deters said he and thousands of others are strapped in.
"The community I've been following is in a rage. But they're all committed to not sell out and sell it,” Deters said. "When the market gets pushed down, a lot of people sell quickly. It drops, then people buy in at a low price when it dips.”
“Now that the little guy has an edge into it, it’s starting to make a lot of problems," Deters said.
Sen. Sherrod Brown, an Ohio Democrat and the incoming chair of the Senate Banking and Housing Committee, has now announced a hearing on the current state of the stock market.
"People on Wall Street only care about the rules when they're the ones getting hurt," Brown said in a statement Thursday. "American workers have known for years the Wall Street system is broken -- they've been paying the price. It's time for the SEC and Congress to make the economy work for everyone, not just Wall Street."
Krumbein’s advice for getting into stock trading: if you're not tall enough to ride, don't, and if you can't afford to lose what you put in, stop.
"If 100,000 people jump on in 10 minutes, start buying shares, partial shares, things like that, it goes up," he said. "The big thing is that what goes up will also come down. That's where the danger part comes in."
But some say this type of train, one where everyday people can wield influence through online stock trading, isn't leaving the station anytime soon.
“It could be the future," he said. "I'm thinking the big boys, like the hedge fund people, will try to put the brakes on it, try to get some legislation going that makes people submit their finances to make sure they have enough money to buy and trade stocks."


text:
As good-government types know, redistricting reform in Pennsylvania is a decade-long process of pulling teeth.
And in the 11th year, alas life in Harrisburg goes on with the same rotting teeth — with partisan fangs fully intact, of course.
This year looked to be different, as a groundswell of public
"Then, COVID-19 hit. And by mid-March, a government-ordered shutdown forced dairy-buying restaurants closed, instead sending customers to clear out grocery store shelves,"
Popular News Stories
Joe Biden calls running mate’s husband ‘Kamala’s wife’ as gaffes pile up days before election (VIDEO)


text:
iFixit has published a detailed teardown of Apple’s newly redesigned M1 processor-equipped iMac, and it contains bad news about how easy the new all-in-one is to repair. Whether it’s the fans, USB ports, headphone jack, power button, or speakers, iFixit says virtually any repairs to the new desktop require battling through Apple’s adhesives.
Like the other M1 Macs, everything is soldered together now — so there’s no upgrading RAM or internal storage even if you do crack it open. The good news is if you do go through the effort of cracking it open, iFixit says most of the other internal parts (including the ports, webcam, and speakers) are relatively easy to swap out with replacements.
These problems might not matter right now while the iMacs are shiny, new, and generally excellent, but they could make a world of difference in a few years when their components start to wear out and fail. iFixit has long been critical of the repairability of Apple’s devices, but it’s arguably much more important for a device like the iMac, which tends to get replaced less often than a phone or tablet. In our review, we called it “the computer to get if you just want to buy it and not think about it for the next five to ten years.”
If you thought the new iMac looks a lot like a massive iPad on a stand, then you might not be surprised to hear that much of what makes the iPad difficult to repair has been inherited by the new iMac. iFixit has awarded the machine a total score of 2/10 for repairability.
Apple’s M1 processors haven’t even been around for a year yet, so we don’t yet know how they’re going to hold up over time. But if any issues do crop up, this design could make it harder and more expensive for users to fix the machines they’re powering.
This is far from the first time that iFixit has criticized the repairability of an iMac. In 2015, for example, it awarded Apple’s 21.5-inch iMac a low score of 1/10 for its repairability for design elements like having its RAM and CPU soldered onto the motherboard, preventing easy replacements or upgrades. Other iMacs like the 27-inch 5K iMac from 2014 or the 2018 iMac Pro fared better, thanks to their replaceable CPUs and RAM, but these are absent from the new machine.
“Apple’s newest iMac follows the other M1 machines down an interesting, but even-less-repairable path,” the teardown concludes — an expected, albeit slightly disappointing direction that Apple’s ever-thinner hardware has been trending in for years.


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White House Completes Review for Black Boxes in Automobiles
December 7, 2012 12:29 PM
comment(s) - last by
The NHTSA is now preparing to finalize the regulation
The White House has finished its review of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) proposal to
mandate event data recorders
(EDR) in all new vehicles.
Now that the White House Office of Management Budget has completed the review, the NHTSA is preparing to finalize the regulation. The proposal suggests increasing the number of new vehicles with EDRs from 91.6 percent today to 100 percent of light-duty cars and trucks.
Event data recorders, also known as "black boxes," collect driver data such as speed, use of a seatbelt, whether brakes were applied, etc. before and after a vehicle crash. The idea behind them is to deploy better safety measures for vehicles as well as better overall vehicle design.
The NHTSA originally said it'd create a proposal for the White House concerning EDR regulation by the end of 2011. After doing so, the White House Office of Management Budget delayed comment or review for a year.
Back in August of this year, the NHTSA
rejected the White House's request
for further delay of the black box standards.
Some automakers already place EDRs in all of their vehicles, such as Ford, General Motors Mazda and Toyota.
The road to EDR regulation hasn't been all smooth, though. The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, which includes Toyota, Volkswagen AG and Detroit's Big Three, had issues with both driver privacy and the
cost of these black boxes
The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers complained in May 2010 that the black boxes suggested by the government were too expensive to deploy in all vehicles. Further, it stated that EDRs could potentially be abused by the government.
"Event data recorders help our engineers understand how cars perform in the real world but looking forward, we need to make sure we preserve privacy," said Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers spokeswoman Gloria Bergquist. "Automakers do not access EDR data without consumer permission, and any government requirements to install EDRs on all vehicles must include steps to protect consumer privacy."
In April of this year, the U.S. Senate passed a highway bill called the "Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act", also known as MAP21. The bill aimed to require all new 2015 model year vehicles to have black boxes for record vehicle data.
The Detroit News
This article is over a month old, voting and posting comments is disabled
12/7/2012 2:58:47 PM
I used to work in the auto industry (Oldsmobile). Trust me, they know full well when they screw up. Like that V6 sparkplug issue you mention, most don't show up until it's too close to production to fix. Thanks to the EPA requirements, the lead time on automobile design is longer than you might think. The design must be final before EPA testing starts, the test cars must drive 50,000 miles before the design can be approved by the EPA, and the EPA must approve the design before production can begin.
They also buy used cars on the open market, as you suggest.
If it's a good idea, chances are you're not the first person to think of it. That goes for bad ideas, too :-)
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text: 2. Economic fragility. The recent data indicate that the domestic economy is growing moderately but steadily, but job growth is weak in quality, retail sales seem to be stalling, automobile sales have essentially flatlined since November 2012, and housing appears to be pausing (as measured by lower purchase applications, slowing traffic, reduced order books and rising cancelations). I challenge anyone (excluding the economic perma-bulls) to say (with confidence) that the U.S. economy is at escape velocity. I don't believe it is self-sustaining without the benefit of continued quantitative easing. As expressed earlier, any further increase in interest rates will be a headwind to growth. 3. The economic prospects for China, the straw that stirs the drink of global growth, are uncertain. I am not only suspect of publicly stated China growth rates but I am increasingly concerned with the rapid pace of credit growth, which has been increasingly sourced from the more risky and less transparent Chinese shadow banking sector. China's credit growth relative to its GDP growth has been too rapid, so the country's leadership is committed to slowing credit. This raises the risk of a banking crisis and subpar (5% or less) real economic growth. This downturn in growth will likely have a systemic financial impact on China's banking industry (which could feed into non-Chinese banks), global economic growth and on the pricing of risk assets. (Note: I would recommend both Goldman Sachs' recent "Top of Mind" and Hedgeye's Moshe Silver's column in this week's Fortune for lengthier discussions of this issue.) 4. An expected 2013 tapering is likely a policy mistake. I anticipate a September tapering despite the economy still growing at less than its potential. In listening to the Fed fiesta over the past month, it appears that most Fed members want out of quantitative easing for two basic reasons: 1. It is increasingly clear that QE is having a reduced or more marginal impact on growth; and 2. it is also clear that some feel exiting a $4 trillion balance sheet will be a challenge. This could be a policy error, especially if consensus and Fed economic projections are wrong-footed, as I think they are. If I am right, investors will begin to see tapering as premature relative to economic activity. Though tapering has been well-telegraphed and should start moderately -- let's say a $15-billion-per-month reduction from $85 billion -- if I have to quantify, I would guess that the S&P falls maybe up to 50 points in anticipation of it. I recognize that though tapering lies ahead, tightening does not. That said, corrections can occur anytime, despite quantitative easing and despite zero interest rates as far as the eyes can see. Look at the weakness in the Nikkei. The hedge fund community's favorite regional stock market is almost 10% off its high despite even more expansive quantitative easing than in the U.S.


text:
RESIDENTS of Maseru are set to experience water supply disruptions from Tuesday to Friday this week due to scheduled Water and Sewerage Company (WASCO) maintenance work.
WASCO Chief Executive Officer, Lehlohonolo Manamolela, yesterday told the Sunday Express that most parts of the capital would be affected.
He said the disruptions were due to scheduled maintenance which entails welding at the inlet of the Mpilo reservoirs.
“To minimize the impact of water shortage, water shall be rationed in line with the work days’ schedules. All customers are advised to store enough water before this time and use it efficiently,” he said.
“It is arranged that water supply will be relaxed after every three hours as per schedule so that the public can be able to access water.”
Mr Manamolela also indicated that Maseru’s central business district would also be affected including government offices, schools and business premises.
“However, areas supplied by the Maseru Water Supply and Tikoe Thetsane will not be affected by these service disruptions. These include Thetsane and Khubetsoana.
“All customers are advised to store enough water before this time and use it efficiently.”
Normal water supply, he said, was expected to return by Monday 14 August 2017 as the works would have been completed.


text:
Leading Fast-Casual Concept Inks New Eight Unit Development Agreement to Introduce the Brand to LA County, California
WICHITA, Kan., July 20, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Fast-casual restaurant concept Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers® announced today its strong start to Q3, signing a franchise development agreement led by new franchisee, Ellis Choi, to debut eight new restaurants in LA County, California, a key target market in the U.S. for the brand. This announcement comes on the heels of a remarkable two quarters of growth, ending the first half of the year with more than 480 locations across 36 states. Freddy’s has set its sights on reaching 500 units later this year.
“As we build upon a momentous first half of the year, we are thrilled to kick off a new quarter with an exciting development agreement that will introduce the Freddy’s brand to a highly desirable target market in California and further fuel our growth trajectory,” said Chris Dull, Chief Executive Officer at Freddy’s. “Our rapid expansion and increased brand exposure in Q1 and Q2 are a direct result of the strong partnerships we have cultivated with our franchisees. We recognize the immense value of these relationships in ensuring our continued growth and solidifying our position as an industry leader in the fast-casual restaurant segment. We look forward to leveraging our recent success and strategic initiatives to drive further growth throughout the remainder of the year.”
The Freddy’s franchisees leading the brand’s latest developments include:
- JRI, the brand’s largest franchisee, which currently operates more than 70 Freddy’s locations in several states, signed a deal that will bring four additional units to Utah County, UT.
- AOM, LLC will be opening two Freddy’s units in Alexandra, Louisiana.
- TX Fred, LLC has plans to open three new Freddy’s locations in Leona, Livingston, and Cleveland Texas.
- Additionally, Charleston Custard is expanding with two new units in Beaufort and Colleton Counties, SC.
- Ken and Samantha Weaver are set to open seven new locations in northern Indiana and Kalamazoo County, Michigan.
- Lastly, Ram-Z has signed a development agreement for four new Freddy’s restaurants in Rogers, Tulsa, and Creek counties in Oklahoma.
These deals are the latest additions to Freddy’s franchise development efforts, with more than 150 units in its current pipeline within target markets, which include Arkansas, Texas, Florida, Mississippi, South Carolina, Indiana, and Michigan, among others. In addition to this significant development momentum, Freddy’s recently celebrated the opening of a corporate-owned restaurant location in Belleville, Illinois featuring its newest restaurant prototype, as well as the brand’s non-traditional expansion and MLB stadium debut into St. Louis Cardinals’ Busch Stadium.
Freddy’s wide variety of traditional and non-traditional restaurants has consistently earned the brand recognition as a leading fast-casual concept and franchise system. Most recently, the brand ranked #70 on Entrepreneur Magazine’s highly competitive Franchise 500 ranking of the top franchise brands, QSR Magazine’s esteemed QSR 50 list at #46, as well as being awarded North America’s Best New National Brand Concept by Airports Council International for the opening of Freddy’s first airport location in 2021 in Oklahoma City’s Will Rogers World Airport.
Franchise opportunities remain in nine of Canada’s provinces, excluding Quebec, and in the U.S. including the Northeast, Upper Midwest, California, Florida, Oregon, and Washington, and large metro areas such as Pittsburgh. For more information about development opportunities, contact Mary Coots, Vice President of Franchise Development, at [email protected] or 316-719-7854; or contact Gregg Most and Jim Werschler at [email protected] for Canadian inquiries. Prospective franchisees can also visit freddysfranchising.com for the latest information regarding available opportunities.
Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers is a leading fast-casual franchise concept with more than 480 locations across 36 states nationwide. Founded in Wichita, Kansas, in 2002, the brand offers a unique combination of cooked-to-order steakburgers, all-beef hot dogs, shoestring fries and other savory items along with freshly churned frozen custard treats. Known for operating the Freddy’s Way, Guests experience genuine hospitality and food prepared fresh with premium ingredients. This signature approach has fueled Freddy’s ongoing growth throughout the U.S. and garnered national recognition from industry-leading rankings, including being named No. 23 on Fast Casual’s Top 100 Movers + Shakers and No. 70 on Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500. For more on Freddy’s, visit the Newsroom and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. For more information about development opportunities, visit https://freddysfranchising.com/.
Anna Lake, Fish Consulting
[email protected] | 954-893-9150
SOURCE Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers
Originally published at https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/freddys-frozen-custard–steakburgers-closes-first-half-of-the-year-with-31-new-locations-added-to-growth-pipeline-301881673.html
Images courtesy of https://pixabay.com


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Motorola has launched another device in the E series of its smartphone lineup. The Moto E5 Plus is priced at Rs. 11,999and is expected to go on sale via Amazon on 11th July at midnight. This smartphone will be competing against the likes of Asus Zenfone Max Pro and the Realme 1.
After releasing the Moto G6 Play, the Moto E5 Plus also targets the same price segment. The factors setting the E5 Plus apart are a bigger battery and a slightly bigger screen at 6 inch display compared to the 5.7 inch display of the G6 Play.Inside the box of the Moto E5 Plus Moto E5 Plus Documentation Sim Ejector Tool Wall Charger Micro USB Cable Earphones Clear Case
Asus has launched its new flagship smartphone, the Asus Zenfone 5Z in India. Astonishingly enough, the smartphone will retail for a starting price of Rs 29999, which is considerably cheaper than the OnePlus 6. The Zenfone 5Z has all the features for a 2018 flagship smartphone and will go on sale in India via Flipkart on 9th July. It is worth noting that there is a flat Rs 3000 discount upon using an ICICI Credit/Debit card, bringing the price down to Rs 26999 for the base model.
Asus recently launched the Zenfone Max Pro, a budget smartphone which runs on the Snapdragon 636 chipset. The smartphone has done well in India and the company would expect the same from its [...]
OnePlus has launched the OnePlus 6 Red Edition in India. The new limited edition colour variant will only be available in the 8GB RAM/128GB storage model and retail for Rs 39999. This essentially means that consumers won’t have to pay extra money for the swanky new red colour. The device will go on sale on 16th July via Amazon and OnePlus.in.
This is not the first time that OnePlus has launched a new “limited edition” colour variant of a flagship smartphone. The company launched a Soft Gold OnePlus 5 in August 2017. A few days after launching the OnePlus 5T, the company unveiled the OnePlus 5T Lava Red which went was sold worldwide as well. The new OnePlus 6 [...]
OnePlus launched its first-ever Bluetooth earbuds along with the OnePlus 6 in May. Just like its smartphones, OnePlus claims that its Bullets Wireless earbuds will be a value for money proposition for consumers across the world. Priced at US$ 69 or Rs 3990, the OnePlus Bullets Wireless earbuds will go on sale in India on June 19th via the company’s official online store.
Let’s unbox the new earbuds and see what all we get inside the retail unit!OnePlus Bullets Wireless USB Type C Cable Carrying Case Documentation 3 x Earplugs 3 x Fins
The OnePlus Bullets Wireless earphones are not truly wireless earbuds like the AirPods. The left and the right [...]


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04 January 2018
‘If a game doesn't hit in the first two weeks, it's done, and you move on,’ says exec at mega-publisher
The booming number of new games hitting the tabletop has led to promising titles being suffocated by the oversaturation of the market, an executive from mega-publisher Asmodee has suggested.
Speaking to ICv2, Asmodee CMO Steve Hovarth estimated that 3,500 new games were released during 2016 – or around ten releases a day on average – resulting in quality titles struggling to find an audience as they end up under the radar.
“Nobody can absorb that,” he said. “Everything gets lost in the shuffle. Games that would have been successful two years ago are being completely forgotten today.”
Hovarth added that the intense competition and shortened lifecycle of new releases had caused a ‘boom and bust mentality’, with games having only a matter of days to prove their popularity before being consigned to apparent obscurity.
“A game comes out. If it doesn't hit in the first two weeks, it's done, and you move on,” he explained. “Where in years past, games had a little bit more time to find their feet, and take root with an audience.”
However, Asmodee North America CEO Christian Petersen said that Asmodee – which includes divisions such as Fantasy Flight, Catan Studios, Z-Man, Space Cowboys and Days of Wonder under its umbrella – wasn’t itself putting out any more games than in previous years, with the exception of Dead of Winter and Mice & Mystics outlet Plaid Hat, which the group picked up in late 2016 and subsequently invested in.
“Before, Plaid Hat was either too small or may not have gotten funded to the extent that they were desiring,” he said. “We've tried to unleash them so they can really express themselves and innovate beautiful and fun games. I love what the Plaid Hat team is cooking. Results will take a little while to see the market, though; the best fruit do not grow overnight.”
One reason for the glut of new releases could be the growing number of creators bringing their projects to crowdfunding sites. Kickstarter recently revealed that 2017 had been the biggest year on record for games, with more tabletop campaigns successfully funded than ever before – a total of 2,997 games. In March 2016, the site announced that more than 6,000 tabletop projects had been funded through its platform since it launched.
Petersen also took the opportunity to discuss players’ criticism of Asmodee’s often controversial acquisition of other publishers, recently including F2Z Entertainment – owner of studios Z-Man, Plaid Hat, Pretzel and Filosofia Editions – and European firms Heidelberger Spieleverlag, Edge Entertainment and Millenium, as well as the rights to storytelling series Rory’s Story Cubes.
“It’s interesting that, in the public, when Asmodee has acquired a company or a game, and then three months later, something happens (or doesn’t happen) to that acquired studio or game, then this is all attributed to Asmodee’s influence,” he laughed. “Most games probably take about a year, year and a half, to actually plans and make (or longer). Any influence from Asmodee, good or bad, is going to take a year or two to show itself. Of course, we think the influence will be positive and good!”


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More than 600,000 animals in the United States were spared from the food system in 2021 as a consequence of big fast-food companies offering plant-based choices. According to estimates from animal-rights organization World Animal Protection (WAP), the surge in plant-based products from companies like Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods at major fast-food restaurants saved around 211,000 pigs, 77,000 cows, and 350,000 chickens last year.
Plant-based goods gained center stage again last year, with back-to-back releases of plant-based chicken from Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods, after the introduction of plant-based burgers at select fast-food outlets in 2019 and 2020. Beyond Chicken Tenders first appeared on the menus of nearly 400 restaurants across the country, including traditional wing shops, pubs, and pizzerias, and have since expanded to over two dozen fast-food chains, including an expanded offering of Beyond The Original Orange Chicken at Panda Express and Beyond Fried Chicken at KFC. The Impossible Chicken Nuggets were then trialed in a few Burger King locations, where the Impossible Whopper has been sold since 2019 and is now accessible at various additional restaurants around the country.
WAP used data from Carl’s Jr. to estimate the amount of plant-based foods sold at major fast-food restaurants in order to quantify the animal effect of these new offers. The company has consistently sold 30 Beyond burgers every day since debuting the item in 2019. WAP used the same sales rate for all of the firms it evaluated. WAP also assumed that stores are open 365 days a year and that customers are likely not eating more food as a result of the new plant-based foods, but rather substituting the Beyond or Impossible menu choice for the meat.
1 Million Animals Saved by Vegan Fast Food
Because WAP’s assessment does not account for the full plant-based product market, such as those sold in grocery stores, menu items that feature other plant-based brands or those made in-house, or Beyond and Impossible products offered at other types of restaurants, the actual number of animals saved is likely much higher.
Impossible Foods, for example, moved from selling its products in 150 outlets to 20,000 grocery stores in 2021. In addition, Taco Bell tried their exclusive plant-based beef mix in a few locations, while Little Caesars chose Field Roast pepperoni for its new Planteroni pizza trial, which took place in hundreds of locations.
On its website, WAP stated, “It’s fair to say that the true impact to animals from the growing plant-based meat market was likely more than a million animals saved.” However, the group points out that, while that figure appears large, it represents a small portion of the 9.5 billion animals grown and slaughtered for food in the United States each year.
This year has also witnessed an equally spectacular development of plant-based options in more fast-food outlets, implying that more animals’ lives will be rescued from the food system in the coming years. Chipotle made its homemade plant-based chorizo available at all of its more than 2,700 locations nationwide last month, KFC expanded its Beyond Fried Chicken nationwide for a limited time, Panda Express also expanded its partnership with Beyond Meat by testing two more dishes made with Beyond’s vegan beef.
Source: “PLANT-BASED OPTIONS AT FAST-FOOD CHAINS SAVED MORE THAN 600,000 ANIMALS IN 2021” by VegNews


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BOSTON (CBS) - Retailers are trying to get into customers' brains and they now have the technology to do it. It's called consumer neuroscience and companies are getting valuable shopper intel that can shape the shopping experience.
To get a firsthand look we went shopping at Betsy Jenney on Newbury Street with Dr. Carl Marci of Boston-based Innerscope Research. I was given glasses with a special camera to track my eye movements and sensors were attached to my fingers to keep tabs on the electricity in my skin.
"What we are collecting here are things we are not very good at articulating with words," explains Dr. Marci. Things a shopper doesn't even realize are happening subliminally and subconsciously.
In the seconds before we knowingly decide to buy our brains react. If retailers can tap into those few seconds of subconscious they can use the information to make crucial decisions on how to sell stuff. "If we present that stuff in an engaging and fun way then people have a better experience and sometimes they buy more," says professor of neuromarketing, Paul Zak.
"There is no buy button in the brain and we are not talking about manipulation. We are talking about using tools to help create a better retail experience," says Dr. Marci.
And that's why many companies are now hiring research firms to help with store strategy. Like moving a sale sign from the ceiling to eye level, deciding which outfits to put on the mannequin, or placing marked down items next to the full price rack.
At Betsy Jenney one-on-one customer service is key. But, for bigger stores neuroscience could be the new norm. "As the digital world is taking off more competition in traditional brick and mortar stores they have to do something to compete," says Dr. Marci. And the new playing field is our own subconscious.
MORE LOCAL NEWS FROM CBS BOSTON


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Traditional payment systems are witnessing heightened competition from digital and mobile payments because they present a convenient proposition to pay for goods and services. While these mobile payment systems appear promising, unsecure wallets are bridled with potential risks that can threaten the future of the industry.
Image credit: Shutterstock
Smartphones facilitating the growth of mobile payments
While credit card penetration in the country continues to be low, the overall concept of mobile payments has begun to bridge the gap of digital penetration –– whether it is through NFC, contact-less payments, mobile wallets or super wallets. While introduced for convenience, mobile payments have spawned into a huge industry, thanks to India being the second largest global market, with nearly 239 million smartphone users. A Cisco report said that smartphone adoption would grow to nearly 651 million between 2014 and 2019. But while smartphones display promise in terms of overall mobile payments, mobile wallets may continue to face hurdles.
Mobile wallets steeped in innumerable challenges
A big problem plaguing mobile wallets today is huge investments in marketing and advertising to stand out and reach out to more customers. For startups, cashback options and large marketing budgets burn money, leaving many of them financially strapped.
Financially-strapped mobile wallets are quickly facing the pressure of their deep prior discounts. They are now reducing discounts and no longer offering cashbacks because investors are clamping down on these activities. With National Payments Council of India (NPCI) launching the new payment infrastructure known as Unified Payments Interface (UPI), users can transfer money between two parties without the hassle of going through wallet passwords and other details that could make mobile wallets irrelevant very soon.
The use of mobile wallets renders physical debit cards or credit cards unnecessary. Money is prepaid into these wallets, but the lack of interest and loss of surplus money presents a large challenge on its own. This can be especially challenging for poorer sections that rely on this monetary interest for their livelihoods.
Mobile wallets usually don’t need identification documents to register accounts for money stored up to Rs 10,000. This lack of KYC documents has made it increasingly difficult to identify scammers who store money in these digital wallets. KYC verification is only necessary when the amount exceeds this sum. In order to win new customers amid aggressive competition, most wallets ignore consumer quality and basic KYC checks, leading eventually to frauds. While the cyber crime cell has asked the RBI to make KYC mandatory for wallet users, this long-stemmed problem continues to plague the industry.
Apart from problems related to lack of interest, surplus money, lack of KYC and huge marketing investments, the issue of security remains a fundamental challenge for mobile wallets, leaving the industry flummoxed. Malicious cyber criminals can get their hands on sensitive information and consumer data. Lack of security protocols means that fraudulent transactions are bound to take place if hackers are able to get into accounts. Recent reports indicate that seven hackers were held for stealing cash worth Rs 25 lakh by hacking the wallet apps of leading banks.
The number of fraud causes through mobile wallets is expected to rise from one percent to two percent in a few years. Positive steps must be taken to enhance consumer awareness about the growing need for security measures, but this is still at a very early stage and has proven challenging in an economically and culturally-diverse country like India. More robust security models, like two-factor authentication, are crucial for reducing fraud potential in the country.
Why two-factor authentication is vital
Security is intrinsic to any digital payment because of the sensitivity of the information involved. While wallets make payments through biometrics and tokenisation, there is significant room for improvement in security to prevent fraudulent transactions from taking place.
Most wallets offer a ‘One Touch’ or ‘Alternative to OTP’ option for facilitating transactions, but more advanced malware can easily bypass these security protocols by intercepting them as they are used, while creating an alternative browser window to log the hacker into the account. With standard security measures requiring simple passwords and usernames, it is easy for cyber criminals to gain access to private data. This is where two-factor authentication can make a real difference.
The two-factor authentication platform offers greater security levels over passwords and PINs. This makes it resolutely harder to overcome two very different factors to access payments through the device. A two-factor authentication process lowers the number of identity thefts and phishing via email cases because hackers would need more than just passwords and usernames.
The RBI has stipulated that all transactions using cards in India for payments should follow a two-factor authentication requirement. While there are no specific stipulations in place for mobile wallet payments, it’s prudent for the industry to consider this if they want to prevent frauds. With so many hurdles troubling the incumbent mobile wallet industry, an opportunity for super wallets arises because of enhanced convenience and security.
Data proves that since the advent of two-factor authentication, consumer confidence in using cards both online and at offline stores has gone up tremendously. Two-factor authentication has also been instrumental in reducing the number of card frauds and data cloning. Even now there are a few instances of such frauds surfacing but most of them can be attributed to gullible customers letting their passwords out.
How super wallets can transform the payments industry in India
With the amount of security and money laundering risks still rooted in mobile wallets, we are probably better off using our credit and debit cards to pay more securely for online transactions.
New 'super wallet' products are being introduced as a solution to the threats of cyber frauds. By linking existing bank accounts, credit cards and debit cards on a single platform, users have a choice to decide how they want to pay for goods and services. Super Wallets store bank account information and not money, which means that users don’t lose out on interest in the mean time. Super wallets bring together different platforms, devices and channels to make the process of payments as seamless as possible.
The human race is continuously on the cusp of evolving to the next level. On this backdrop, Super Wallets can be considered as the next leap towards advancement in the new-age digital payments ecosystem. The need-gap analysis left unaddressed by mobile wallets, particularly from cyber security perspective, is perfectly overcome by the value proposition offered by super wallets. Super wallets will certainly help tide over the cyber fear.
(Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of YourStory.)
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- Mobile Payment
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‘Tis the season for one of my favorite holiday traditions: selecting and decorating a Christmas tree. This annual holiday festivity became popular and widely adopted worldwide in the late 18th century as people started displaying ornately decorated evergreen conifer species (i.e. pines, spruces, firs) in their homes. Although the Christmas tree tradition now includes fake or artificial trees, data from the Natural Christmas Tree Association show that business in the Christmas tree industry is booming. In 2015, U.S. consumers spent over $2 billion on natural and fake Christmas trees. The data also suggest that most folks, myself included, prefer natural or real Christmas trees; the number of real trees purchased in 2015 doubled that of fake trees!
However, Christmas tree farmers will receive something extra in their stockings this year – drought. States from across the country, including our neighbors Tennessee and North Carolina, have been experiencing severe drought conditions over the past few years which have resulted in damaged or destroyed crops, including our coveted Christmas trees.
Christmas trees are the most vulnerable to drought during their seedling years (~1-3 year-olds). Much like other babies, these young trees cannot fend for themselves. They have not developed the extensive root systems that allow them to access water reserves deep underground, which would help alleviate drought stress. One farm in Massachusetts actually reported a 100% failure rate of establishment, or complete death, of its Christmas tree seedlings because of drought this year.
Unfortunately, the effects of drought on Christmas trees reach far beyond the seedling lifestage. Stressed or dead Christmas tree seedlings means there will be fewer mature Christmas trees available for decorating down the line, a fact now making itself apparent for the natural Christmas tree industry. In 2016, U.S. Christmas tree farms in Alabama, Tennessee and Massachusetts were unable to open, or delayed opening for the winter season, due to drought. Without sufficient rain, Christmas trees experienced slower growth, leaving many farmers without a product to sell. Farmers also reported clear signs of drought stress on the majority of their trees, such as stunted growth and needles easily falling off the branches, invoking images of the classic “Charlie Brown” Christmas tree.
While these recent drought events are temporary, it likely won’t be the last drought these Christmas tree farms will experience. As with other forest types nationwide, natural Christmas tree farms are under threat of changing climate conditions. Forest scientists anticipate warmer temperatures, changes in rainfall patterns, and increases in the frequency and duration of drought events for forests nationwide. So the natural Christmas tree industry is facing an uncertain future, and Christmas tree farmers are starting to worry about how future drought events will impact the longevity of their trees.
Another factor sapping the holiday cheer from Christmas tree farmers this year is growing pressure from their main business competitor: the fake or artificial Christmas tree. In an effort to stay ahead in the Christmas tree business, the natural Christmas tree industry has a special committee whose sole purpose is to advertise and promote the benefits of real Christmas trees. This year, Christmas tree farmers are banding together behind the simple yet effective advertising slogan – “It’s Christmas. Keep it Real” – which speaks directly to the competition felt between real and fake Christmas trees.
Despite the threats of climate change and competition from fake Christmas tree manufacturers, all hope is not lost for the natural Christmas tree industry. Many farmers are starting to consider adaptation strategies in order to maintain their product for years to come, such as planting more drought-resistant tree species, installing irrigation systems and assisted migration. Of course, consumer support goes a very long way too. So for those of you that also partake in the Christmas tree tradition, I hope you will consider making locally-harvested natural Christmas trees a part of your holiday festivities.
About the Author:
|Kelly Kerr is a research assistant in the Plant Biology department at UGA investigating stress physiology in sunflowers. Her research interests include forest ecophysiology, and she is passionate about maintaining resilient forest ecosystems under climate change. She enjoys nearly all forms of outdoor recreation, so you’ll probably find her around town trail running, mountain biking or at the climbing gym. Get in touch with Kelly at firstname.lastname@example.org. More from Kelly Kerr.|


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Despite the release date for the hugely anticipated shooter, Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare
edging ever closer, you might be forgiven for thinking it has been a little quiet recently. In fact, it has almost been a full month since the last trailer
However, the team over at Activision has decided to make amends and have released a new clip showing off yet more of the incredibly intense and frantic multiplayer action that is the trademark of the franchise. As ever, the game continues to look stunning as it inches closer to release.
Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare
remains on target for an Xbox One and Xbox 360 release on November 4th. Those wishing to join the mayhem can purchase the Day Zero Edition of the entitling early access to the game on November 3rd.


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Thai Union-backed aquaculture technology company HydroNeo is partnering with Thailand-based novel feed startup Full Circle Biotechnology.
Full Circle will provide HydroNeo with its shrimp feed additive, as well as share technical knowledge and innovation.
Full Circle has developed a new system to produce low-carbon, high-protein ingredients for aquaculture feed. The company's system uses agricultural waste, insect larvae and microbes to create feed it says could replace soy and fishmeal, key ingredients in aquaculture feed.
“Performance data is key to us, and HydroNeo has the capability to give us high-quality anonymized performance data, which is difficult to get from farms in developing countries,” Full Circle Biotechnology Managing Director and founder Felix Collins told IntraFish.


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On the Tuesday before the Presidents Cup at the posh Fenway Golf Club in Scarsdale, N.Y., TaylorMade announced it has partnered with Samsung (...)
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Black Eyed Peas front man will.i.am got political again this week, weighing in on why he and his group will be performing in China despite recent [unofficial] requests for artists to boycott the nation based on its relations with Tibet and an alleged link to the genocide in Darfur, Sudan. According to the BBC, will.i.am said it’s not appropriate to “punish a whole country.” “They have all this Chinese boycott stuff – they want to boycott the [2008 Olympic] games but do the people get punished when they have nothing to do with what's going on? …If you boycott China, when do they boycott America for what we're doing in Iraq?”
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|By Le Williams | 2 years ago|
Nikon reveals two mirrorless cameras, positioned for the photography market this summer. According to the company website, the new photo technology devices will be unveiled July 23, with scheduled shipment availability in August.
As reported by Nikon Rumors, the assumption exists towards both models containing full frames, though the insider reports could not confirm the extended features.
One model will reportedly be 24–25 MP while the other will be 45-48 MP. The body will be similar to Sony’s a7 camera, but Nikon is focusing on better ergonomics and a better grip for these devices. They will boast 5-axis in-body stabilization, 9 fps, and a new 55mm mirrorless mount, that will allow for f/0.95 lenses.
The cameras will accept both XQD and CF Express memory cards. There will be three lenses right off the line: 24–70mm, 35mm, and 50mm. The premium 45 MP model will be around $4,000/€4,000 and will come with the 24–70mm kit lens. The 25 MP camera will be in the $3,000 USD range, and will also come with a lens.
Nikon Rumors explains that numerous specs may not be precisely correct while offering photography enthusiasts and interested buyers a concept of the coming devices.
Nikon is scheduled to confirm and identify the full frame cameras by end of July.


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SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Intel Corp said on Wednesday it plans to sell up to 10 million shares of wireless service provider Clearwire Corp to book certain tax benefits.
The sale of the shares would not impact any contracts between Intel and Clearwire, the company said in a Securities and Exchange Commission filing.
Intel owns 102,404,811 Clearwire shares, or 32.8 percent of the outstanding shares.
Clearwire’s Class A common stock will be sold through Intel’s venture arm Intel Capital in public open market, beginning on or about Friday,.
Clearwire, the first U.S. operator to offer services using the latest in high speed wireless technology, needs new funding as it continues to burn through cash because of the cost of building a new network. It is majority owned by Sprint Nextel Corp.
Reporting by Poornima Gupta; Editing by Tim Dobbyn


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It has been clear for some time that the Switch is doing very well. Especially when compared to it’s ill-named and almost Nintendo-destroying predecessor, the WiiU. In fact, just last week the Switch had already outsold its older brother. However, few would argue that despite its obvious limitations, the WiiU had a surprisingly strong library of games. Hence, the obvious reasoning of porting these successful games to the new console – hello Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and the upcoming Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze for starters.
However, a comprehensive and rather interesting study conducted by Kotaku UK has shown that not only does the Switch have three times the amount of games available in its library that the WiiU (and the Wii) had at the same time in its life cycle, but it also has more ‘good’ games.
The study found that, at the time of the conducted research, the Switch had 191 games available, a number only reached by the WiiU almost two and half years later. Also, using data collected from Metacritic, the Switch had well over 40 games with scores of 80% or more. At that same time, the WiiU had less than 20 and only reached the 40+ mark near the end of the period of investigation.
Seems that more and more, Nintendo is proving to be the Rocky Balboa of the console arena. The WiiU hit them hard, yet they keep moving forward, and with the Switch they may just be the unlikely new heavyweight champion.


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Berkshire Hathaway has increased its workforce by 12,000 employees and even recovered some jobs lost during the Covid pandemic.
Reuters reports the insurance and investment company, based in Omaha, Nebraska, says its employment numbers at the dozens of businesses it owns now told around 372,000.
This is a rise from 360,174 at the end of 2020.
READ MORE: SAMSUNG POSTS RECORD REVENUE BUT REVEALS PROFIT DECLINE FOR LAST QUARTER OF 2021
The company owns units with large workforces like Fruit of the Loom underwear, McLane food delivery, Clayton Homes, and a number of energy businesses.
Billionaire owner Warren Buffett is set to reveal more about the firm’s performance at the end of February, when the company releases its end-of-year results.
Experts believe the full-year operating profit will be larger than the $24.8 billion high of 2018.
Profit in 2020 was $21.9 billion.
Stock image from Business photo created by pressfoto – www.freepik.com
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Toys R Us are set to reopen stores - but, unfortunately for Black Country folk, not in the UK.
The future for the Oldbury site of the collapsed retailer remains unclear - but there might be new hope.
It closed 75 shops across the country last year, including stores in Solihull, Merry Hill, Oldbury and Coventry.
The closures followed 25 branches that were shut in March 2018 after administrators failed to find a buyer for the struggling business.
The toy chain collapsed in February last year and around 3,000 employees were made redundant.
Now, it has emerged the chain may reopen in time for Christmas - but only in the USA.
The brand behind the company - Tru Kids - wants to reopened 12 stores in the US by the end of the year.
Former executive of the retailer, Richard Barry, is due to pitch the plans at an industry conference later this week, Bloomberg reported.
A spokesperson for Tru Kids told Bloomberg that the company isn't ready to make the plans public yet.
Electronics retailer Maplin went into administration on the same day, putting a further 2,500 retail jobs in doubt.
Maplin is also clearing stock, and administrators at PwC have been forced to make staff at the retailer's head office redundant.
Meanwhile, New Look and Carpetright have both announced plans to shut stores as part of restructuring plans.
This morning, Carpetright said it was seeking agreement from landlords to close 81 stores , while slashing rents on a further 113 outlets.
High street retailers such as Toys R Us have been battling against a combination of rising costs and a fall in consumer confidence.
Many retailers have also struggled to keep up with the rise of online retailing and a change in shopping habits.
Developers are keen to use the land to create several new shopping outlets.
The proposed retail development, will also take up some of the old Toys R Us car park.
Walsall Council leader and member of the WMCA investment board, Councillor Mike Bird, said: “We have been approached by a private developer which wants to redevelop the site, bringing in jobs into the town and regenerate a disused area.
“They wanted our backing, and I was happy to give mine.”
The store closed in April and was the last Toys R Us in the Midlands to close. It had been open since the 1990s.
Previously, 25 branches shut in March after administrators failed to find a buyer for the struggling toy chain.
The branch at St Andrew's Retail Park in Small Heath was replaced by a B&M Bargains .
Members of the West Midlands Combined Authority were approached over the new retail development proposal earlier this month.
To keep up with the latest shopping news, visit our what's on pages here .


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10 interesting digital marketing stats we’ve seen this month
Here are some interesting digital marketing stats we’ve seen this month.
Stats include ecommerce in the Middle East, multiscreening, online spending in China, email marketing, mobile in emerging markets and digital budgets in APAC.
Multiscreening in the home
- New data from Kantar Media’s syndicated study, futurePROOF, reveals that nearly one-quarter of the British population (23%) has access to four screens at home (TV, computer, smartphone and tablet) compared to only 11% six months ago.
- Seven in ten of those with access to a tablet said these devices are shared by two or more adults in the household and 79% of tablet users with children said their offspring also use them.
- Just 7% of those with a tablet at home say they use it out-of-home on a daily basis, compared with 49% who claim to use the device at home every day.
- In contrast, smartphones are used when on the go. 53% of smartphone users claim to have used their device to search for information on a product or service whilst in-store, compared with only 26% of tablet users.
Chinese spending boom
- Chinese shoppers spent 352 billion Yuan online in Q1 2013, a 17% decline from the same period in 2012, according to iResearch Consulting Group.
- However annual sales in 2013 are still expected to exceed those in 2012 at a total of 1.85tr Yuan and Q2 sales could reach 425 million Yuan.
Ecommerce’s popularity in the Middle East
- The updated version of Internet Statistics Compendium includes new data looking at ecommerce in the UAE, Kuwait, KSA, Lebanon and Egypt.
- While the actual purchase of items is seemingly low in markets where penetration is highest, making bookings online (for things like airline tickets) are proving popular in the UAE and Kuwait, and the popularity of e-banking throughout these countries signals increasing trust with money-handling online and ample opportunity for growth.
- Currently, clothing is the most popular product bought online in the UAE (24%), Kuwait (63%), KSA (14%), Lebanon (38%) and Egypt (69%).
- Marketplace-style sites, including Amazon and Alibaba are popular with consumers on the look-out for the latest bargains in fashion and other popular products.
Just 14% of businesses say their CMS gives a complete view of engagement across channels
- Two of the major digital trends of 2013 have been content and inbound marketing, both of which rely to an extent on having an effective content management system (CMS).
- New research from Econsultancy and Adobe shows that although organisations are very aware that their ability to implement an effective content strategy is tied to the integration of their CMS with the other technologies, the promise of the technology far outstrips their current reality.
- The data shows that 94% of businesses believe that it’s “quite” or “very important” to tie content management together with the ability to measure its performance on site (i.e. web / mobile analytics).
- Digital asset management (91%) and personalisation (88%) are also seen as key areas that need to be integrated with the business’ CMS.
- But despite these results, only 14% of responding businesses say that their “CMS enables them to have a complete view of engagement across all channels.”
How important is seamless integration of CMS with the following types of digital marketing platforms or technology?
Business apps are going mobile according to CIOs
- A survey by Vanson Bourne of more than 590 global CIOs has found that while CIOs are predicting a 50% increase in the number of business apps moving to mobile in the next three years, their mobile app development teams are struggling to deliver the goods.
- CIOs describe their teams as sluggish, middling or outpaced and it’s taking an average of five months to deliver new versions of mobile applications for existing mobile device updates.
- The research also uncovered that CIOs made a clear choice to back Android as their mobile operating system, with 78% of organisations developing their mobile apps for this system today. Apple iOS came second, with 65% developing for it, and Windows Phone third at 52%.
APAC invests in digital
- Chief marketing officers in the Asia Pacific region are increasing their digital budgets and most (84%) are confident that they are well-prepared to meet their marketing objectives with the right people, tools and resources.
- The CMO Insights Survey interviewed senior executives across ten APAC countries and found that 41% of Asian CMOs allocate a quarter of their budget to digital versus the global figure of 47%.
Australia’s tech startup ecosystem worth more than $100bn
- Google and PricewaterhouseCoopers are predicting that Australian tech businesses will be worth $109 billion by 2023, employing 500,000 people and contributing as much to the Australian economy as the retail and education sectors.
- The new report, Startup Economy, examines the current state of Australia’s technology sector and looks at how this can be nourished to build a strong tech industry for the country, an area that’s increasingly under scrutiny due to the positive effects it can bring.
- The technology sector in Australia currently accounts for 0.01% of the national economy and employs 9,500 people.
- There are around 500 tech startups, 64% in Sydney and 24% in Melbourne, putting the country ahead of both Israel and the UK when it comes to the preferred location to launch a technology-based business.
More than half of businesses achieve 10% of sales through email marketing
- The new Econsultancy/Adestra Email Marketing Census highlights the importance of email as a sales channel, as just over half (55%) of all company respondents could attribute more than 10% of their total sales to the email marketing channel, with 18% of respondents stating that email accounted for over 30%.
Approximately what proportion of your total sales can you attribute to the email marketing channel?
- The survey also asked respondents how much their businesses are spending on email marketing each year.
- Just under two-thirds of companies (62%) are spending more than £5,000 per year on email marketing. This is exactly the same figure as in 2012, representing a significant drop from the figures of 75% and 70% in 2011 and 2010 respectively.
- A further 30% of companies are spending at least £25,000 annually, although this has also been declining since 2011. The proportion of respondents spending more than £100,000 on email marketing has declined by 4% from 14% in 2012 to 10% in 2013.
Attitudes to mobile in emerging markets
- A consumer survey carried out in Brazil, India, Nigeria and Saudi Arabia by Upstream found that mobile use surpassed the time spent on laptops (29%), tablets (7%) or desktop PCs (17%).
- Samsung is the brand of choice over the four emerging markets polled (32%). Nokia came in second place (22%) and Apple in third (21%) – a very different story to the UK/US with Apple being the frontrunner (32%).
- 60% of consumers surveyed are prepared to spend up to $5 a month on mobile applications, while in Brazil, 14% of consumers would pay $10 or above.
- 70% of consumers would like access to social networks, 60% want access to news, 54% entertainment and 56% photo/video applications.
UK tech jobs
- Research from Adzuna shows that tech hubs around the UK, including London’s TechCity, are hiring for 3,229 positions, up 22% since 2012.
- London leads the startup job market with 34% of all current open positions found in the UK, followed by Cambridge with 27%, Brighton with 11% and Bristol 8%.
- The figures also revealed which sectors of the tech startup market are experiencing growth and an increased need for talented employees. Software as a service (SaaS) came in top with 15% of the total demand, followed by travel and holiday, retail and ecommerce and music with 11% each.
- Developers are in hot demand with 1,122 jobs currently on offer, with marketing roles second at 924 and product at 759.
- In comparison to the wider UK tech market, startups are eager for ruby developers with 14% of startups hiring, compared to just 2% across the broader tech industry.


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The deadline for pharmacies to comply with federal track and trace requirements under the Drug Supply Chain Security Act (DSCSA) has been extended by an additional four months, Regulatory Affairs Professionals Society (RAPS) reports. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is giving drug dispensers until November 1, 2015 as opposed to July 1, 2015 to comply with the new regulations.
The DSCSA is part of the Drug Quality and Security Act (DQSA), which was signed into law in 2013. The main purpose of DSCA is to implement a “track and trace” system among pharmacies nationwide.
The law requires drug packages to have a unique serial number, making it easier to detect and trace any problems and prevent counterfeits. The package is to be tracked by every entity in the supply chain so that the FDA can find the source of a problem if it arises.
Drug dispensers, however, say that the deadline has approached too quickly for them to implement the new system. The National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) wrote a June 22nd letter to the FDA asking for an extension on the July 1st deadline to “forestall potential disruptions in the pharmaceutical supply chain.”
In their letter, NCPA said “about half” of its members were unsure of information would be transferred between parties.
The FDA has granted an additional four months to comply with DSCSA
The FDA has granted an additional four months to comply with DSCSA regulations and said it would use its “enforcement discretion” to give pharmacies more time, even though the statutory date of compliance has not changed.
The agency stated that “FDA does not intend to take action against dispensers who, prior to November 1, 2015, accept ownership of product without receiving the product tracing information, as required by [the DSCSA],”
“Although the DSCSA allows product tracing information to be exchanged through paper in certain circumstances, FDA understands that many dispensers intend to utilize electronic systems to capture and maintain product tracing information,” the FDA said in its guidance.
“Thus, FDA recognizes that some dispensers may need additional time beyond July 1, 2015, to work with trading partners to ensure that the product tracing information required by section 582 is captured and maintained by dispensers.”


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The plan is to bring the feature to Saudi Arabia, where talks are underway to gain regulatory clearance. This process is complete in Pakistan. “In all, we will introduce the digital wallet in five of the 13 markets in which we operate,” said Madiha Sattar, vice president of Careem Pay.
To receive the shell, the recipient must have downloaded a Careem application on the smartphone. Even if the sender and receiver are overseas, payments can be made. (A unique KYC detail must be entered.)
Recently, autonomous fintechs have been testing P2P services, especially for enterprises or SMEs. According to Madiha, the ubiquity of Careem apps could make them the benchmark for such instant payments. “One in three people have this app in the UAE, which ensures an ultra-seamless experience,” she said. “The features were developed in-house and the only third-party presence is on the vendor side, for example, on projection.
We believe that many users would prefer not to send these transfers through their bank accounts. There’s the hassle of having to register (the recipient’s) account and waiting up to 24 hours for the transaction.
– Madiha Sattar, Vice President of Careem Pay
Careem has added to its portfolio of in-app services beyond running. It now expands to 12 mini-services, including food and grocery shopping calls, for customers in Dubai. This is all part of the transition to a “super-app”, where the original service provided by the is overlaid by several others and serves the same usage base.
The digital wallet can be used to pay for goods and services on the app and “soon to be usable for goods and services beyond”. Careem Pay will soon issue physical and virtual Careem cards for use at ATMs and merchants, and introduce international money transfer solutions for customers and “captains” (Careem drivers).
P2P payments, in many ways, are more widely used by younger users. In the UAE, Careem believes a smooth experience would also entice an older population to get in on the act.
With 30% coverage of the UAE population, Careem’s P2P chances are well on the way.


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Radio Calypso 101.8 has registered a record increase in its online audience. The data, which is gathered in an independent manner by Voscast, showed that during July and August 2019 Calypso Radio has increased its online audience by over 12,000 hours.
This new record was established thanks to an ever-increasing audience following the station through its new online services, both within the Maltese Islands and abroad.
The station has invested heavily in its streaming services, which resulted in an improved quality of sound and overall service. Various listeners tune in to the station from all over the world. Data shows that the station is followed mostly in Malta but also registered thousands of hours by listeners residing in Australia, Canada, United States and United Kingdom.
For more information and to follow Radio Calypso online kindly visit www.calypsomalta.com


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It’s been challenging to stay optimistic during the pandemic and accompanying recession, but the experts say the ad market will grow 5.8% next year. The rest of 2020 holds a few bright spots for your clients. Here are the details.
The Worst is Behind Us
In the U.S., reports Standard Media Index, the ad market experienced declines during the worst of the pandemic as follows:
- March (-28.8%)
- April (-33.6%)
- May (-18.5%)
Overall, researchers measured a 28% drop in advertising in March, April and May in “sophisticated media advertising markets.” This figure includes the U.S. While advertising demand in the travel sector plunged 78% in those three months, pharmaceutical was the sole bright vertical with marketers buying more TV advertising in the U.S.
In addition, the U.S. ad market likely experienced only a 20% drop in June when compared to the same period a year earlier. While this percentage sounds drastic, the general trend is headed in the right direction: up.
For the year, the expected revenue decrease by format breaks out as follows:
- TV (-11%)
- Radio (-12%)
- Out-of-home (-25%)
- Cinema (-51%)
- Print (-20%)
- Digital (-2%)
The Power of Politics
Zenith Media analysts are predicting only a 7% drop in total ad revenue in 2020 in the U.S. This loss is slightly better than other ‘sophisticated markets.’ They believe continued spending on political issues and elections will drive ad spending through early November.
The Ad Market Will Grow as Shift to Digital Continues
While political advertising may be one source of revenue for you, don’t overlook the shift to digital. Your clients must be prepared for their digital future. Many of us fixated on our TVs during the early days of the pandemic. Time spent with TV has dropped somewhat recently, but experts believe consumers will continue to stay highly engaged with TV and digital media. That extra time spent with digital is translating to more marketer spending on the format.
On a global basis, marketers will likely spend 51% of their ad budgets on digital formats this year. By 2022, that figure will rise to 54.6%. We’ve seen the shift to digital happen gradually over the past decade. The pandemic has prompted consumers to more quickly change their purchasing habits. They’ve grown comfortable buying some products online and some of these new purchasing habits are here to stay. The best way for your clients to be more visible to customers is to advertise online.
Give them a snapshot of their digital presence. You can run a Digital Audit on their business at AdMall by SalesFuel. As we move into the second half of 2020, help your clients make the most of their ad budgets by suggesting a revised digital media mix.


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Indian High Commissioner, Harsh Vardhan Shringla revealed the high potential of cross-border trade between India and Bangladesh in sectors such as agriculture, horticulture and food processing at a buyers and sellers meet in Dhaka recently.
According to Shringla, Bangladesh can import agricultural and horticultural products from India for their extensive use in the food processing industry. Moreover, other investment opportunities for Bangladesh also lie in exporting finished goods to the Indian market, particularly in Northeastern part. During his speech, he talked about the successful ventures of Pran Group from Bangladesh in the Northeastern state of Tripura as an example of profitable cross-border cooperation.
The event regarding agricultural, horticultural and food processing industries was arranged by the Indian Chamber of Commerce in association together with the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce & Industry, FBCCI, and the India- Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce & Industry. During the event over 250 Bangladesh traders and enterprises got the chance to interact with participants from the related industries which included 50 traders and companies from various parts of India.
The test certificates issued by the Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution for 21 food items have also started receiving much acceptance from the Indian Authorities.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on her visit to India in April, signed 13 agreements which would bring around $10 billion Indian investment for Bangladesh in sectors such as power, energy, logistics, medical and education.
Shringla further mentioned that another good example of such cross-border cooperation is the Meghalaya-Bangladesh border where limestone is imported by Lafarge Surma Cement from Meghalaya.


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Plan to Buy Out Liquor Licenses / Berkeley wants to reduce alcohol sales in poor areas
2000-03-30 04:00:00 PDT BERKELEY -- In a new approach to solving a festering urban problem, Berkeley is considering closing down liquor stores in poor neighborhoods by buying out their state-issued alcohol licenses.
While other cities charge liquor store owners extra fees or fine them for creating public nuisances in neighborhoods, Berkeley wants to pay 36 alcohol retailers to clear their shelves of booze.
The approach could be costly. Store owners pay at least $100,000 for a permit, and the value of current permits in Alameda County could be as high as $200,000 because the state Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control has not issued a new license in five years, said agency representative Monica Chan.
Many store owners said they would have to see a thick wad of cash before they would surrender their licenses.
"They'd have to compensate me for one year's alcohol sales," said Anwar Al-Ariemy, whose family bought AZ Market on Alcatraz Avenue three years ago.
Beer and wine sales account for about 20 percent of the store's $300,000 annual revenue, Al-Ariemy said, meaning the city would have to pony up $60,000 for his license.
Berkeley's proposal also would grant loans to business owners willing to convert their liquor stores to more healthful retail uses or provide funds to build housing.
The proposal is a "creative" approach to shutting alcohol outlets that has been discussed by other cities, including Oakland, but never adopted, said Joan Kiley, coordinator of the Alcohol Policy Network of Alameda County.
"It makes economic sense, and it makes public safety sense," said Kiley. "Once liquor stores have got a land-use permit to be there, it's hard to get them out because once one owner leaves, another comes in."
While some Bay Area cities have restricted new liquor stores by denying zoning permits and enforcing nuisance laws, others have tried to reduce the effects of existing alcohol outlets.
Oakland collects a $600 annual fee from bars and liquor stores to defray the cost of fighting crime around those businesses. Alcohol retailers that contribute to public drunkenness, loitering and litter can also be fined under Oakland law.
The Berkeley City Council voted unanimously Tuesday night to create a fund to buy liquor permits. City Manager Jim Keene is to return to the council within a few months with a strategy for reducing the number of liquor permits and a plan to pay for it.
Berkeley's plan would reduce the number of stores that sell cheap malt liquor and fortified wines in south and west Berkeley, where a large concentration of the outlets opened years ago because of a previous law that prohibited them within a mile of the University of California campus.
Currently, there is one liquor store for every 642 residents in the neighborhoods west of Martin Luther King Jr. Way and south of University Avenue, even though city policy allows for no more than one store for every 1,295 residents.
Of the 99 liquor stores in the city, 36 are located in southwest Berkeley.
"We've got too many stores," said Jamal Makeba, who has lived in the neighborhood surrounding Alcatraz Avenue and Adeline Street for 10 years. "There's one on every block."
Critics argue the stores serve as magnets for drug dealing and other criminal activity. Their preponderance also is blamed for lowering property values and discouraging economic revitalization.
The Berkeley plan was proposed by council members Margaret Breland and Maudelle Shirek, whose districts are saturated with liquor stores. While there is already a moratorium on new liquor outlets on San Pablo Avenue, Sacramento Street and other streets, they want to reduce the number already in business.
"It's a safety issue," said Breland. "The more liquor stores we have, the more crime we have. People are afraid to walk down the streets."
But some neighborhood residents think the city is aiming at the wrong target.
"The liquor stores aren't the problem," said Harold Stiller, who has cut hair since 1962 at Jesse L. Porter Barber Shop on Adeline Street. "The problem is not enough parks, not enough recreation opportunities for kids. They have nothing to do, so they hang out in front of the liquor stores."
The idea of buying out liquor owners was originally floated by attorney Don Jelinek during his unsuccessful 1998 mayoral campaign.
"The life of the citizens in south and west Berkeley would dramatically improve if there were fewer retail liquor stores," Jelinek said.
Some residents were skeptical that liquor store owners would sacrifice profits for civic improvement.
"It's a great idea, but it won't work," said Al Tan, who delivers Coca-Cola to retailers in Berkeley and Emeryville. "There's just too much money going in and out of those businesses."


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Microsoft has confirmed that Murdered: Soul Suspect is in development for Xbox One.
The Square Enix detective thriller title was previously only confirmed for Xbox 360, PS3 and PC. The game was first unveiled in February 2013, and scheduled for release 'after March 2014'. A PS4 version is yet to be announced.
Microsoft has also released a new Murdered: Soul Suspect video featuring new gameplay footage and comments from the development team on its intriguing plot:
In Murdered: Soul Suspect the main protagonist is murdered by an unknown perpetrator, and players must work to investigate their own murder from the afterlife.
In our E3 Murdered: Soul Suspect preview, we described the title as "a classic point-and-click adventure in disguise".
Check out more footage of the game through here.


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A modest Fiat 500 previously owned by David Cameron is expected to fetch around £10,000 when it’s sold at auction.
The Prime Minister currently travels around the UK in a top-of-the-range chauffeur-driven Jaguar XJ.
But in 1998 as a humble Tory MP, Cameron bought this 1971 Fiat 500 as a surprise birthday present for wife Samantha.
The couple held onto the pint-sized car for ten years, racking up just 1,000 miles as they used it to pootle around the idyllic Cotswolds in.
Fiat built the 500 between 1957 and 1975 with the humble vehicle one the most iconic and unmistakable cars of the 20th century.
With a tiny 479 cc two-cylinder, air-cooled engine, the Fiat 500 epitomises chic, working class motoring.
This original right-hand drive Fiat 500 L was first registered on 20th August 1971 in Warwickshire and has covered what is believed to be a genuine 13,000 miles from new.
It is being sold by Silverstones Auctions on November 17 at the Footman James Classic Motor Show at the NEC.
Silverstones is expecting the car to fetch between £8,000 and £12,000 when it goes under the hammer.
Nick Whale, managing director, Silverstone Auctions, said: “No matter what your political persuasion, this is one cool car and we are delighted to be able to offer it for auction at our sale in November as part of the Footman James Classic Motor Show weekend.
“After all, it’s not everyday that you get the chance to bid for a car that was once owned by a global figure.”
Will Smith, a specialist at the auction house, added: “It was bought as a birthday present and it really was a thoughtful gift.
“The Fiat 500 is a trendle little car and would have been the perfect car for the Camerons to drive to the shops in.
“It is in pristine condition and has been restored beautifully. Not only is it ideal as a weekend car but it is also perfect as a city runaround.”
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