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O2 pursues sustainable living for 20 million customers
Digital communications giant O2 has unveiled the next phase of its bold Think Big Blueprint, which will establish the company as an "agent of change", by enhancing the livelihood of 20 million customers through a sustainable technology drive.
The Think Big Blueprint, which has delivered carbon benefits equivalent to 7.5 times the networks impact since it was established in 2012, aims to utilise digital technology to help tackle climate change and promote sustainable solutions to O2 customers.
O2 will enhance customer experience by offering more sustainable choices such as developed connected devices and machine-to-machine connectivity, sim only contracts and servitisation – a concept that company is “streets ahead” on – and money exchange options through O2 Recycle.
“Doing the “right thing” is not just a nice-to-have. At O2, we’ve always believed that businesses that do good are also businesses that do better, which is why since the launch of the Blueprint in 2012 we’ve been focused on embedding sustainability across every aspect of our business,” O2’s chief executive Ronan Dunne said.
“Four years on and the pace of change in the digital world has never been quicker. O2 is uniquely placed to act as an agent of change, to not only be socially and environmentally responsible, but to help our customers, suppliers and partners realise the full potential of technology to live more sustainable lives.
“The next phase of the Blueprint seeks to do exactly that. We’ve still got some way to go and that’s exactly why we’ve set ourselves such deliberately challenging targets, taking what we’ve achieved so far and using it as a catalyst for even greater change.”
Launched in 2012 as the company’s first sustainability strategy, the Think Big Blueprint has helped more than one million young people enhance life skills through digital technology while creating more sustainable lifestyles for nearly 12 million customers. The next phase will see O2 focus on enhancing the livelihoods of a further eight million people while contributing to keeping the global average temperature increase to 1.5C as part of the Paris Agreement.
Partnering with organisations such as the NSPCC, O2 will work to improve customer online safety, while also pledging to accelerate work experience programmes established under the GoThinkBig network.
Holistic design index
The Blueprint unveiling coincides with the launch of the world’s first “holistic design index” established by O2’s owners Telefónica. The index assesses 34 countries across the globe on digital development.
The index revealed that the UK is “outperforming” in regards to global growth of digital development, but that there is room for improvement across the “fundamental metrics” of digital confidence and digital innovation and entrepreneurship. The index noted that “while London is a global financial hub, the availability of micro-scale venture capital (i.e., informal investors) could be stronger”.
In response to the index research, both Telefónica and O2 have urged the UK Government to install “fairer” public policies in order to support innovation and allow businesses to avoid a “digital divide”.
Alongside the two new sustainable landmarks, O2 recently entered the domestic energy management sphere, partnering with American firm AT&T to launch a new service that allows customers to manage their home’s energy system via a mobile app.
edie’s 2016 Responsible Retail Conference
Are current retail business models fit for purpose if we are to deliver the transformational change needed to create a low-carbon, zero-waste economy?
Taking place on 21 September in London, the edie Responsible Retail Conference equips retailers, government representatives, sustainability professionals and key stakeholders with the tools they need to achieve more efficient resource use and improve brand reputation in the process.


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If you're not quite set on the design of this new phone, the U300, then Uhans, the Chinese company that made it, isn't really that concerned. It says it has made it for the minority, and that it, "doesn't need everybody to love it."
BlackBerry's second-quarter 2016 earnings call is on September 28, and some signs point to a potential exit from the smartphone hardware business. It's a long time coming -- BlackBerry's devices command less than 1 percent of the market.
If your smartphone app collection looks like a study on minimalism, don't worry -- you're not alone. As per a new study from comScore, nearly half of American smartphone users aren't downloading apps at all. 49 percent download zero apps.
Qualcomm's new Clear Sight platform leverages dual cameras in supported smartphones to deliver pics with improved contrast, clarity, and sharpness. The chipmaker's working with manufacturers to build it into into future phones.
Europe's biggest technology showcase, IFA 2016, sets the trends for the rest of 2016. Here's what we saw on the show floor, including a flock of 2-in-1s, awesome new tablets, and tech that'll make you a master chef.
A team of researchers from Finland is pushing the smartphone even further into this realm of medicine with a new smartphone-based method to detect the dangerous and sometimes fatal heart condition of atrial fibrillation.

domain: news


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Apple's appointment of Burberry CEO highlights the meeting of technology and fashion and its importance for wearable technology.
Technology and fashion are at a crossroads. Never before has it been so important for tech to be fashionable, and conversely for fashion to be high tech.
Products like Samsung's Galaxy Gear and Google's Glass may not look like the most fashionable items in the world, but these are simply the starting point for the the wearable technology revolution which is set to sweep both industries.
Apple is seen by many as being at the forefront of design when it comes to gadgets like smartphones, laptops and tablets, but in order to convert that cachet into products like watches or glasses, it will need experience which until now Apple has not had.
With today's announcement that Burberry CEO Angela Ahrendts will be joining the company as head of its retail operations, it is clear that Apple is taking the steps necessary to bridge that gap.
"The fashion and technology industry is at an incredibly interesting crossroad never seen before - it is clear that wearable tech, mobiles and tablets are taking centre stage. Not to mention other key hires by Apple, such as the ex CEO and President of Saint-Laurent, Paul Deneve further testifying to this," said Maani Safa, global innovation director at mobile solutions company.
Deneve joined Apple in July stepping down as CEO of YSL to become as head of "special projects."
Safa, who worked with Ahrendts during her time at Burberry, believes she has the skills and experience to help Apple during this transition:
"The British fashion powerhouse Burberry has single handedly been brought back from its knees by Angela Ahrendts.
"Having worked closely with Burberry at Somo it is clear that technology is a clear part of their winning strategy which means Angela's recent move to Apple makes complete sense."
While Apple has not made any concrete announcements about wearable technology yet, in May of this year Apple CEO Tim Cook made a pretty bold statement about the subject clearly indicating Apple's interest:
"It's an area that's ripe for exploration; it's ripe for us to get excited about. Lots of companies will play in this space."
Apple will want to build on the huge success it already has experienced in the consumer technology world, having last month knocked Coca Cola off top spot in Interbrand's Best Global Brands report.
Graham Hales, CEO of Interbrand, London believe that Ahrendts experience will only increase the value of the Apple brand:
"Apple is the number one 2013 Best Global Brand because it has changed our lives - not just with its products but also with its ethos - Angela's experience at Burberry will only enhance that. During her time there, her visionary use of technology to enhance the retail experience generated excitement, loyalty and ultimately, sales."
HP or Alexander McQueen?
Whenever Apple does launch wearable technology, it is sure to draw on the experience of Ahrendts and Deneve not only for the design of the devices but also to help sell them to people yet to be convinced that technology is something you should wear.
As Safa says: "My question back to the public - would you rather wear a Google or HP product across your face, or one made by Burberry or Alexander McQueen?"


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Electronic Arts is facing a tough uphill battle. While the company is proving itself in the digital and mobile spaces, its boxed retail games -- still the bulk of its business -- are declining badly
, particularly after the commercial and critical flop from its military-based shooter, Medal of Honor: Warfighter
The performance is leading some investors and analysts to wonder if there's a future for triple-A console games. It's Riccitiello's job to convince them that there is, so during a conference call on Wednesday following his company's less-than-stellar results
, he opened up to investors and analysts asking about where game technology is headed, why EA isn't making Wii U games, and whether real-life gun violence is having an effect on game sales.
We've highlighted some choice quotes from Mr. Riccitiello's answers below.
Investing big in Durango and Orbis
As you might well expect, we know more about the roadmap, and more about what's coming in consumer electronics, in terms of the specifics of devices that will play games, than you might otherwise be exposed to. [With] the information that we have, we remain bullish. It's why we have outlined our plan to invest… in the current fiscal year $80 million in that opportunity.
We’ve signaled that we’re working on the next editions of our two biggest franchises in Battlefield
We do recognize as we moved into what we called "gen 3," i.e. PlayStation 3, Wii and Xbox 360, we started weak. We climbed forward and improved, but we lost market share coming into this transition. We've climbed back. We think Battlefield
are going to help us lead as we move into this next set of technology opportunities and platform opportunities, and continue to get bigger.
We expect [fiscal year 2014, beginning March 1, 2013] to be a point of departure -- the starting point for a new era of gaming and a growth period for the best game companies.
Why the Wii U isn't a "next gen" console…
Never count Nintendo out. They've got some of the best IP in the game industry. When their marquee titles show up, that's when you usually see the bounce. I deeply respect the achievements they've had over the last several years. And as I said, you never really count them out.
Having said that, I wouldn't say that we see a correlation between the results that Nintendo has shown
with their console debut of the Wii U and what we see coming. We see a pretty sharp distinction, and unfortunately I'm unable to go any further than that.
Don't miss: Is there a Wii U software lull?
Ours is an industry where a lot of devices come in and represent themselves as the next generation, or the next generation after that. In many ways we would argue that the what we're describing as "gen 4" is yet to come. It's that that we're excited about, and that's what we're investing in. And frankly, we've been quite consistent with that for some time, while recognizing the frustration our inability to articulate precisely why causes for you.
…and why the "Steam Box" might not be either
I am squarely in the Gabe Newell fan club. I really enjoy my conversations with him, and certainly have enjoyed a whole lot of content [Valve has] produced. At one time, and certainly even today, I'd say Portal
represents one of my all-time favorite pieces of game software that have ever been produced.
Having said that, Valve really hasn't put enough information out there to suggest whether or not they've got the wherewithal to compete in console.
Don't miss: Gabe Newell's plans to bring Steam to the living room
Large-scale success in game console usually goes with multiple billions of dollars in investment, in content development… retail relationships, online relationships, consumer marketing, chip fabrication, manufacturing, supply pipeline and the rest.
So based on what they've said so far, it could be anything from a cool niche product that appeals to, you know, Gabe and his friends and people like me, to a product that actually has the shoulders to help move our industry forward into what we're describing as "gen 4."
They need to put a few more breadcrumbs on the ground to tell us what path we're on. [They're] good people, smart people, technologically innovative people, and right now there's just not enough information out there.
Gun violence and the game industry's perception problem
There's no doubt we like you were stunned and horrified by the violence in Connecticut or Colorado and in many other places over the years. But there's been an enormous amount of research done in the entertainment field about looking for linkages between entertainment content and actual violence. And they haven't found any. I can give you long stories about how people in Denmark or the UK or Ireland or Canada consume as much or more violent games and violent media as they do in the United States, yet they have an infinitely smaller incidence of gun violence. But that's not really the point. The point is direct studies have been done, hundreds of millions of dollars of research has been done, and it has been unable to find a linkage because there isn't one.
Don't miss: Why the industry should fund even more research
Now, having said all of that -- and with all, if you will, humility about the world we live in -- we understand that while there may not be a factual problem, given all the finger-pointing going on in the press, there appears to be a perception problem. We do have to wrestle with that. Ours is an industry with an association that has risen to that call many times before, and will as we move forward. We're responsible, we're mature, we tend to be a part of the solution. Our media reaches literally every American, and that can be used as a voice for good.
And I think you'll hear more from Mike Gallagher, the head of the ESA, and other industry participants, including ourselves, over how we can be part of the solution to this perception problem, as opposed to, if you will, the butt of the joke.


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Travellers entering the UAE can bring in gifts with a maximum value of Dh3,000, according to the Federal Customs Authority (FCA).
As part of its awareness campaign, videos in three languages — Arabic, English and Urdu — were released on its social media platforms and website to educate travellers on travel customs procedures, travellers’ rights and obligations as prescribed by GCC unified customs law.
The FCA reminded that permitted luggage includes movie projection devices, radio and CD players, digital cameras, TV and receiver (one of each), personal sports equipment, portable computers and printers, and medication for personal use, provided it complies with applicable regulations.
Importantly, the value of gifts that people can carry when entering the UAE should not exceed Dh3,000, and that cigarettes should not exceed the permissible limit of 200 cigarettes. Additionally, tobacco products and alcoholic drinks should not be carried by travellers aged below 18 years.
In regards to cash sums allowed in person, the Authority said all travellers coming to or departing from the country should disclose any currencies, negotiable instruments payable to bearer, and/or precious metals of stones valued more than Dh60,000.
Copyright © 2021 Khaleej Times. All Rights Reserved.


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“We’ve already transformed how Americans use and pay for phones, tablets and wireless service; why stop there?.” T-...
Jan 23 2014, 2:21am CST
This is the year that mobile banking will really make a dent in branch networks, according to James DeBello, CEO and...
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2013 was certainly eventful for the tech industry. Hey, Facebook made a huge comeback and Twitter finally came public...
Dec 25 2013, 10:51am CST
Strike one more blow for the cause of Internet equality. Myxer, a company that specializes in selling online ringtones...
May 10 2010, 10:42am CDT


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Floral pros who weighed in on a Society of American Florists’ economic survey indicated they feel pretty good about sales in the first and second quarter of 2019 — along with the prospect of returns still to come in the remaining months of the year.
Forty-seven percent of respondents to the SAF survey said they are “optimistic” about sales this year and another 15 percent categorized themselves as “very optimistic.” Nearly 30 percent are more cautious, calling themselves “neutral” or “uncertain.” About 8 percent said they are “pessimistic.” Remaining respondents, less than 1 percent, are “very pessimistic.”
Retailer respondents reported an average transaction of slightly more than $74 — an increase from last year’s $66.
This year’s survey was mailed to SAF members on July 20 and had a response rate of 6.8 percent. The survey includes insights from SAF members across segments.
Other highlights from the survey:
Sunny Sales Outlook
About 50 percent of respondents said business is “good”— another 12 percent classified it as “excellent.” Meanwhile, about 33 percent said business is “OK.” The rest of respondents, around 5 percent, said business is either “poor” or “terrible.”
Those results are similar to returns from the same time last year, when 48 percent of respondents to an SAF survey said business at that time was “good.”
Looking at the responses this year by segments:
- 61 percent of growers classified business as “good”; 17 percent called it “excellent.”
- 53 percent of wholesalers, suppliers and importers called business “good”; 16 percent called it “excellent.
- 49 percent of retailers said business is “good”; 12 percent, “excellent.”
About 52 percent of respondents to the survey said gross sales combined from the first and second quarter were up this year, compared to the same period last year; another 30 percent said they were “about the same.”
Among those who said gross sales were down, 62 percent said the decrease was by no more than 10 percent.
Among those who saw gross sales increase, 71 percent said the uptick was between 1 percent and 10 percent. (Questions related to net profits yielded similar results.)
Spending Predictions: Labor Continues to Challenge
The survey also delved into spending predictions and found that 49 percent of respondents expect to spend more on labor this year — even though 54 percent of respondents have no plans to add more staff in the next six months.
Other spending-related findings:
- Perishable products: 41 percent of respondents predict their spending in this category will be higher this year; 37 percent said it will likely be about the same.
- Hard goods: 37 percent of respondents predict spending in this segment will be about equal to last year; 34 percent are planning for an increase.
- Giftware: Respondents were fairly evenly divided in this area, with 21 percent predicting an increase, 26 percent planning for decreased spending and 30 percent expecting to spend about the same in 2019 as 2018.
- Capital Investments: About 36 percent of respondents said they’ll likely spend about the same this year; a quarter are planning to increase their spending.
- Energy: More than half of respondents (53 percent) predicted energy costs will be about the same this year — about a third said they think they’ll spend more.
Labor continues to be a major challenge with which industry members wrestle. Forty-five percent of respondents agree with the statement “we have a difficult time attracting non-seasonal candidates for experienced design positions.”
Last year, about 51 percent of respondents agreed with the same statement.
In addition, 41 percent of respondents to this year’s survey said they have no plans to make changes to pay, schedules, benefits or staffing levels in the next six months.
About 52 percent of respondents said they expect health care costs to have an effect on business this year; 40 percent said the same thing about tax reform, and 19 percent said immigration reform will have an effect.
Write-in responses to this section of the survey showed the breadth of issues with which many in the industry are dealing.
“[Immigration issues] start by affecting the growers the most, then the wholesales, and then the retailers. It affects the entire industry and is a real concern,” wrote one retailer in the Midwest. “Our two biggest concerns are immigration reform and the push for increased minimum wage.”
“For immigration, I worry about escalating prices from growers from lack of workers,” wrote a retailer/grower in the West. “For health care, I worry that my managerial staff will need better benefits and leave for corporate type jobs.”
“The new tax laws actually helped my business and it allowed me to add money into the company 401K program,” noted one retailer in Texas.
A retailer in the Northeast had a different experience. “Tax reform [was] not significant enough,” wrote the respondent. “Small businesses are still faced with a myriad of tax issues. With immigration reform: Who will do the work that the immigrants were doing? [And] health care is still unaffordable for many including operators of small businesses.”
Look for more coverage of the survey in an upcoming issue of Floral Management.
Mary Westbrook is the editor in chief of Floral Management.


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YunXueTang, an employee training platform announced on Tuesday that it had raised US$22 million in a series B funding led by venture capital firm SIG, with participation from Chinese investor Li Qi.
This follows the startup’s previous funding round in 2014 from China’s Everest Venture which was worth RMB 80 million (about US$11 million).
YunXueTang is a learning management system (LMS) for employees.
The platform provides a range of services from exams to learning materials for medium and large size companies, including fields from real estate, banking, insurance, and retail.
Its products also include a learning platform for companies to create their own teaching materials, in addition to a video conferencing mobile app.
The company was founded in December 2011 by Lu Ruize, operating on a BaaS (Business-as-a-Service) model which places emphasis on content and consulting services for enterprises.
At present, the company has over 1 200 lecturers providing more than 2 000 courses for over 300 000 companies. Its customers include China Mobile Ltd, Lenovo Group Ltd., and traditional Chinese pharmaceutical company TongRenTang.
The company also claims to have recorded a revenue of RMB 100 million (about US$14 million) last year.
“Currently, a dozen of European and U.S. employee training companies have issued IPOs,” said Guo Lu, a partner at SIG. “In Europe and US, the industry is well-developed and highly penetrated, but in China, despite a 15 percent annual growth rate, the industry still focuses on providing offline services while online services are in the early stage.”
The reason for this investment, Guo Lu further adds is that YunXueTang presents the opportunity to integrate online and offline resources.
It operates on a forward-looking mindset, market accumulation, as well as an elite team which makes him believes that the company has what it takes to make it in the subversive training industry.
Meanwhile, the startup plans to use the fresh capital to improve the platform’s content, enhance consultancy services and build a sales team.
“The next step for YunXueTang is to compile its own accumulated data, and to develop in the direction of high-quality knowledge content providers,” said Lu Ruize.
By Vivian Foo, Unicorn Media


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The American Wholesale Marketers Association (AWMA), National Confectioners Association (NCA)and National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) plan to map out an in-depth study on ways retailers can increase sales and profit through confection offerings.
The three trade associations met last week to discuss the study, which will be researched by industry veteran Kit Dietz, of Dietz Consulting LLC.
“I am delighted that all three associations have joined together to produce a study of this magnitude, which has the ultimate objective of helping to increase candy and gum sales in the convenience store channel,” AWMA President and CEO Scott Ramminger said. “We all stand to benefit from the product of this work.”
The study will be previewed at the AWMA Summit and Business Exchange in Lake Las Vegas next September and completed in time for the NACS Show at McCormick Place in Chicago in October.


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International life science company Bayer will continue its strategic partnership with AUSVEG for a tenth year, collaborating on agriculture industry issues and ensuring Australian vegetable growers have access to information and events to effectively manage their businesses.
AUSVEG CEO James Whiteside said the two companies share the common goal of helping growers’ businesses by putting innovation at their fingertips to boost productivity.
“Bayer is a valued supporter of the Australian vegetable industry and continues to be a leader in innovative seeds, traits, biologics, and chemistry with digital tools and information that help our growers get food from the farm to local and international consumers,”Whiteside said.
“This partnership helps AUSVEG deliver advocacy and events for the Australian vegetable industry, including our policy work representing the interests of Australian growers on vital issues like getting a dedicated agriculture visa.”
Bayer also celebrates ground-breaking research undertaken in the Australian vegetable industry through its sponsorship of the annual Researcher of the Year Award.
Bayer Horticulture marketing manager Peter Sullivan said that having constructive partnerships with grower organisations is a win-win for the company and the industry.
“Bayer is pleased to extend its leading strategic partnership with AUSVEG, as we see this collaboration as a key platform to engage with the broader vegetable industry to ensure we better understand industry’s needs and continue to encourage best practice use of our products and the delivery of better solutions for all farmers,” Sullivan said.


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Robust recovery in logistics industry, summit told
A robust recovery in the logistics industry has been seen in the post-pandemic era with a significant rebound of parcel handling, a summit heard this week.
Courier company STO raised its parcel handling capacity to 60 million items daily so far from 20 million in 2020. The number of orders that STO received last year grew 16.9 percent from a year earlier with sales revenue up 33 percent.
"The company has survived the pandemic and we started seeing a sign of bottoming out in 2021," said Wang Wenbin, president of STO, during a logistics-themed summit hosted by Beijing TUC Technology Information Co Ltd earlier this week in Songjiang District.
"This year, we are eying a rebound to the top," Wang said at the summit, which brought together more than 600 experts and scholars, entrepreneurs and insiders from about 100 companies in the logistics industry.
"The logistics industry is developing toward intelligent and digital orientation and the core lies in intelligent-plus and data-driven," said Yu Zhenchao, general manager of RRS Supply Chain Technology Co Ltd.
The company has increased its technology investment in data handling, automation equipment and its distribution center.
Construction on a global aviation logistics hub for YTO Express started in Jiaxing City, Zhejiang Province, in April.
It is expected to be put into operation in 2025 and the transportation capacity of the company's cargo aircraft will be equal to 100 Boeing 737 aircraft by that time.
It has enhanced the application of big data, cloud computing, and artificial intelligence technologies, which help smart management and dispatching with real-time location, distribution routes, traffic conditions, and loading of logistics vehicles, together with the application of Beidou positioning and navigation technologies.
The logistics and transportation industry is undergoing a key transition while cargo transport quantity is fast growing in China, a white paper released during the summit showed.
A total of 1,968 companies in the field had been registered by the end of 2021, with 3.6 million vehicles in operation.
Efficiency and costs are expected to become the competitive core of logistics and transportation companies in the future, with the pursuit of efficiency replacing expansion under a specialized division of labor trend.
More individual players are joining the market and are supplementing the transportation industry of agricultural products such as hairy crabs, which are under the impact of multiple factors from the scale of cargo to seasons and regions.


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AT the start of 2015, the Junta de Andalucia aims to pass new legislation to regulate the short-term rental market, raising standards for tourists and requiring owners to register apartments and declare earnings.
Since 2012, changes to regional laws regarding residential tenancies have given rise to a legal vacuum in the holiday-home rentals market in Andalucia, leaving owners wondering about the legality of their situation and holidaymakers at risk of letting sub-standard accommodation with no straightforward right of recourse.
Now, the Junta de Andalucía is aiming to introduce new regulations by January 2015 that the regional secretary for tourism and commerce, Rafael Rodríguez, believes, “will be an important instrument to promote a large part of tourism activity that, at present, is carried out in a clandestine way, off the books.”
Hotel owners have long lobbied for such a law to fight against what they see as unfair competition from private individuals who own properties that tourists want to rent, but who do not have to meet the same standards, or pay the same taxes, as hospitality professionals.
According to data released at the end of November by the leading online holiday rental website, HomeAway, the private rentals market was worth nearly two billion euros in Andalucia over the last three years, including spending in the region’s bars, restaurants, and shops by the millions of tourists who visit every year.
Data from Spain’s National Statistics Institute showed there were almost 78,500 apartments rented for short-term periods to holidaymakers across Andalusia in 2013, 5.7% more than the previous year. Together, they accounted for over 696,000 beds and more than 6.8 million nights of stay, a 4% rise over 2012.
Adolfo Martos, a partner in the Costa del Sol law firm GAM Abogados, says the new law will affect residential properties rented to tourists for any more than 30 days in a year or that have been advertised via any means – such as website listings or through travel agents and other tourism-related businesses. However, if you solely rent to the same person for more than three months in a given year, you will not be affected by the change.
Properties used by visitors without money changing hands, for example by family members and friends, and those in rural areas (as per articles 47 and 48 of the Tourism Law of Andalusia) are exempt from the new law, while groups of three or more properties located in the same complex or building and belonging to the same owner will be regulated by separate rules governing ‘apartamentos turísticos’ (tourism apartments).
Adolfo notes that, apart from the obligation for owners to register such properties with la Junta, they will have to meet minimum standards of comfort – regarding furnishings, air-conditioning and heating, free Internet connections, and more – and will be subject to inspection by regional government inspectors. And any money earned from rentals will have to be declared as part of the owners’ income, with annual payments for residents and quarterly payments for non-residents of any taxes due.
With the risk of court orders and fines of between 2,001 and 18,000 euros for those who do not comply with the proposed legislation once it comes into force, Adolfo recommends that, if you do own property you regularly rent out to visitors, you either ensure you meet all the requirements or you avoid advertising and limit holiday rentals to no more than 30 days a year.
Erratum: In the previous version of this article, the sixth paragraph read “…residential properties rented to tourists on a regular basis (for a minimum of one calendar month and no more than three months a year) and that have been advertised via any means…” and the last paragraph read “…you either ensure you meet all the requirements or you take a break from holiday rentals for more than four weeks a year.” In response to reader comments, both paragraphs have been revised.


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Nearly half of Brits favour long-haul holidays
40 per cent opt for two-week getaways
Spain remains staple holiday destination for Brits
As we enter the New Year and spend January planning and booking our next trips, new research reveals exactly the kind of breaks that holidaymakers will be taking this year.
The research, undertaken by travel extras specialists HolidayExtras.com, shows that almost three quarters of us (73 per cent) plan to get away at least twice in 2018, with more than one in ten (13 per cent) hoping to take five or more breaks away this year. Also, nearly half of us (40 per cent) are in favour of hopping on long-haul flights and travelling further for a holiday of two weeks or more.
When looking into the types of holidays that Brits prefer, and where they will be heading, nearly a quarter (24 per cent) choose the classic favourite of ‘sun, sea and sand’ as their destination of choice. This is reflected in the top destinations chosen by holidaymakers – Spain remains a popular choice with almost one in five (18 per cent) Brits saying they plan a Spanish visit this year. Spain as a favorite was closely followed by the Canary Islands, where 14 per cent of those polled said they hoped to visit these shores 2018.
A further 22 per cent say that the cost of their holiday is a key factor when selecting their break, and another quarter of respondents reveal themselves to be in search of new cultural experiences, with ‘city, culture and cuisine’ taking 23 per cent of the vote. Only two per cent picked a more active, sporty break as their trip of choice and only three per cent making their destination based on available family attractions and days out.
Commenting on the research, Ant Clarke-Cowell at Holiday Extras said: “Our regular polls provide an interesting insight into our customers’ travel habits and preferences, allowing us to explore a range of relevant hot topics. Knowing more about where and how people prefer to travel helps us to make every trip a better trip for all of our customers.”
From airport lounges, hotels and parking to holiday insurance and destination car hire, as the UK market leader for travel extras, Holiday Extras make travel better.
For more information, please visit www.HolidayExtras.com or call 0800 1313 777.
*A series of polls completed in 2017 with 12,000 respondents.


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At the time, new CEO Akio Toyota publicly proclaimed his company would focus more on quality and less on growth. Three years later the growth has come back, in part because the quality has as well.
Few in the auto industry are surprised, but the question now is whether Toyota can stay on top of its game. On that topic analysts, consultants, and executives in the industry are split.
Most agree Toyota's renewed focus on quality (the brand was tops in the latest initial quality report, with Lexus also in the top five) will keep the Japanese automaker from having major recalls of the magnitude we saw in '09 and '10. Toyota's commitment to better quality is a sincere effort.
Where most disagree is whether Toyota can stay on top in terms of sales. Globally, Volkswagen is charging hard—especially in China where Toyota has issues relating to China/Japan relations. And here in the U.S. many believe Toyota's gains are close to a limit.
The competition from refreshed GM, Ford and Honda models will make it tough for Toyota to surge past Ford into 2nd place. If the economy perks up, so will truck sales and Ford should further strengthen its 15.5% market share.
There's no doubt Toyota is back. The question is whether this time Toyota can stay on top of its game.
Click on Company to Track Corporate News:
- General Motors
- Ford Motor
- Toyota Motor
- Honda Motor
Questions? Comments? BehindTheWheel@cnbc.com and Follow me on Twitter @LeBeauCarNews


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Downtown Springfield is losing yet another of its dining draws — this time to a relocation.
Owners for VELE ITALIAN RESTAURANT announced Wednesday that the coastal Italian establishment is moving west into the former AMERICAN HARVEST home at 3241 W. Iles Ave.
"This is certainly bittersweet for us as we love our space downtown and being a part of the downtown revitalization," management posted on the restaurant’s website Wednesday.
"Our team has worked very hard in making VELE one of the top dining destinations in the area, despite some of our building obstacles . . . The pandemic issues and lack of downtown foot traffic have not helped our situation either.
"We will miss being downtown. However we feel the only way to save VELE is to move it."
VELE joins a growing list of downtown departures in 2020, which include AUGIE’S FRONT BURNER, THE FEED STORE and ROBBIE’S RESTAURANT. These longtime staples of the downtown dining scene all closed after owners announced retirement plans on the heels of a statewide dine-in ban this spring aimed at curbing the spread of the novel coronavirus.
DEL’S POPCORN SHOP also shuttered its downtown location, shifting its entire focus to its Parkway Pointe store on the west side, just shy of its 40th anniversary.
VELE’s tenure downtown was much shorter, opening in the shuttered CAFE BRIO spot in the Ferguson Building in late 2017.
Its arrival, however, was hoped by many downtown proponents to be a wind of change following several losses to the business district.
VELE’s last day of operation at 524 E. Monroe St. is Sept. 26.
An October reopening is the goal for the new west side address.
The new location offers VELE twice the square footage as its original home, allowing for a much requested private dining room. The online post also said menu and staff will remain the same with the addition of some scratch-made pastas joining the lineup.
Owners Chef Justin Richardson and Dan and Nichole Sperry also own CURATE, which opened at 2930 Plaza Drive last November. And, for a while during the pandemic, customers could pick up orders from both establishments at The Gables’ westside address.
Celebrity chef Rick Bayless is headlining THE ILLINOIS STEWARDSHIP ALLIANCE’s premier online storytelling event, "The Dish."
"It’s no secret Rick’s a big supporter of local food producers," Alliance executive director Liz Moran Stelk said, following the announcement this week. "Rick knows just how good, and valuable, local foods are in not only a great restaurant, but (also in) building strong and resilient economies."
"The Dish" — being promoted as a "virtual story slam" featuring live and recorded stories of real-life accounts from Illinois’ local food scene — debuts from 4 to 5 p.m. Oct. 4 at www.ilstewards.org/event/the-dish/. The free streaming event — fashioned off public radio’s "The Moth" series — was announced last month after the Alliance had to cancel its annual Harvest Celebration due to COVID-19 restrictions on gathering sizes.
No speakers, however, had been identified until Bayless was announced this week.
Stelk said the event also will feature WBEZ’s Curious City Reporter Monica Eng as host, as well as four farmers, who have yet to be named and a goat cam. Eng covers food, health, culture and environmental issues for the Chicago metro area-based public radio station.
Bayless is widely known for his long-running PBS series "Mexico: One Plate at a Time" and a slate of Mexican-inspired restaurants that specialize in modern interpretations of traditional Mexican cuisine. The majority of his establishments are based in the Windy City, including FRONTERA GRILL and TOPOLOBAMPO.
He won the Top Chef Masters title in 2009 in the Bravo series’ premier year and penned nine cookbooks. Other accolades include winning seven James Beard Awards and the Julia Child Foundation Award.
But Bayless’ reputation extends beyond the kitchen and the television cameras.
He is a founding member of the CHEFS COLLABORATIVE that promotes environmentally sound agricultural practices and he created the FRONTERA FARMER FOUNDATION that has given more than $400,000 in capital improvement grants to local farmers since it formed in 2003.
The Alliance also will hold a silent, online auction the week leading up to the event’s airing.
THE SALTED LEMON MARKET & CREAMERY opens Wednesday in Montvale Junction in the former CHERRYBERRY site.
The new tenant at 2671 Chatham Road also is serving up frozen treats, but with a twist. Operator Emily Lewis is blending KILGUS FARMSTEAD soft serve ice cream with the unique flavor combinations for which she has built a reputation.
Eight flavors will be served daily with vanilla bean, malted chocolate milk and salted lemon being fixed offerings. Five additional flavors will rotate with special seasonal items added throughout the year like the pumpkin spice blend available opening day.
The soft serve is sold by the cup or in scratch-made cones. It can also be blended in milk shakes or added to floats. Top it all off with made-from-scratch toppings, ranging from edible cookie dough to cookie crumble, chocolate ganache to toasted marshmallow fluff.
Hours are 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday.
On site seating will be limited to outdoor options for now, although in-door seating is planned.
Husband-wife team Tim and Emily Lewis — who own neighboring BISCUITS & BRUNCH and THREE TWIGS BAKERY — are opening the creamery with partner Clayton Rotherham.
This is an introduction of Kilgus Farmstead’s soft serve to the Springfield market. Currently, it is only sold at the country store located on the third-generation dairy farm that has operated on the outskirts of Fairbury since the 1950s.
The Kilgus name, however, is no newcomer. Their milk and other dairy products have been a staple on the shelves at FOOD FANTASIES for years.
Normally, THE CORKSCREW celebrates its anniversary with a fundraiser fete. This year, however, the Montvale Junction business is getting a new address.
Owners Dave and Danielle Anderson announced this week that the wine shop will move one door down in the same strip mall to 2625 Chatham Road.
The projected opening date at the new address is Oct. 15. Operations are expected to continue in the current site at 2613 Chatham Road through Oct. 10.
Neighboring Illinois National Bank will be expanding into The Corkscrew’s current footprint while the wine shop fills the space vacated last year by PIZZA HUT and the long vacant Edward Jones spot.
Dave Anderson said the move leaves The Corkscrew with essentially the same square footage, but a chance for a fresh, new look.
The Corkscrew opened in 1994 on Montvale Drive, but has operated from its current address in Montvale Junction since the early 2000s.
Anderson — who purchased the business in 2016 from founder Geoff Bland — said the 26th anniversary customer appreciation day had to be scrapped this year due to COVID-19 capacity limitations. The celebration is usually marked with a wine tasting, appetizers and live music all geared toward raising funds for a local not-for-profit.
The A La Carte column highlights restaurant openings, closing, renovations and relocations, as well as personnel changes and business news. Natalie Morris can be reached at 737-7254 or by email at firstname.lastname@example.org.


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Panasonic has announced a new mid-range 16 megapixel camera with NFC and Wi-Fi functionality. Like the recently announced Lumix DMC-GF6, the Lumix DMC-G6 can be easily paired to a smartphone or tablet via NFC, allowing photos and videos to be quickly moved to another device using the camera’s Instant Transfer function. The G6 snaps photos at 7fps in burst mode and can also record 1080p HD video.
- Android Pay to launch in Korea in May?
- Nordea Bank: PSD2 will require banks to adopt a ‘totally new way of viewing their customer base’
- UK consumers want more biometric security options for online banking
- Apple Pay struggles in China in the face of tough competition
- Study reveals US attitudes to authentication methods


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Thousands of people flocked to acquire a â€œ.xyzâ€ website name this week following the surprise news that Google is folding itself into Alphabet, a new holding company that has ABC.xyz as its website. These registrants, for the most part, appear to have bought their â€œxyzâ€ name in good faith. But a few of the new website owners could be up to no good.
Consider the arrival of just-minted domain names like â€œgooglecars.xyz,â€ â€œgooglefiber.xyz,â€ â€œgoogledocs.xyzâ€ and â€œalphebetventure.xyz.â€ These websites and dozens more like them, spotted by The Domains, have anything to do with Google
Instead, the websites appear to belong to squatters. These people, who have long occupied a parasitic presence on the internet, snap up website names that suggest familiar brands â€“ either through a lesser known web suffix (i.e. Disney.xyz) or a close misspelling (i.e. Disny.com).
Once a squatter buys a site, he can engage in a variety of tactics ranging from annoying to unethical to criminal. For instance, the new owner of Googlecars.xyz could simply sit on it in the hope Google will pay him. Or he can plaster the site with cheap ads in an effort to make money. Or, in the worst case, he could set up a website resembling Googleâ€™s in the hopes of defrauding people online.
For now, though, itâ€™s unclear what will become of Googlecars.xyz, which WHOIS records show was registered by Anil Annepu of Austin, Texas. In response to an email query, Annepu wrote â€œDomain buying is my hobby, there is no particular plans at this time.â€
Google, meanwhile, may dispatch its lawyers to seek title to the names through ICANNâ€™s domain name dispute process. This is how companies ordinarily reclaim names, though some like Verizon have turned to federal court to confront â€œserial cyber-squattersâ€ with trademark claims.
Overall, the episode reflects the risk and opportunities that the recent plethora of new â€œtop level domainsâ€ represents for brand owners. There are now hundreds of these â€œTLDâ€™s,â€ which are for sale on sites like GoDaddy alongside longtime web stalwarts like â€œ.comâ€ and â€œ.orgâ€ and .â€gov.â€
Among these recent additions, the most popular so far is â€œ.xyz.â€ According to the website nTLDStats, the name far eclipses other english language options such as â€œ.scienceâ€ (the 3rd most popular), â€œ.websiteâ€ (#11) or â€œ.todayâ€ (#25). This popularity reportedly stems in part from the nameâ€™s cachet with millennials and Silicon Valley types.
In a final quirk to the story, the owner of theâ€.xyzâ€ domain is not Google, which controls dozens of TLDs, including â€œ.hiphopâ€ and â€œ.meme,â€ but a young entrepreneur from Beverly Hills. And if youâ€™re wondering, Alphabet.com is taken.
Article source: http://fortune.com/2015/08/13/google-alphabet-xzy-urls/


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Is recovery of German economy dependent on subsidizing profitable automakers?
German Chancellor Angela Merkel will seek to broker a compromise Tuesday on a second stimulus package to help Europe’s biggest economy recover from the deep recession caused by the coronavirus.
Merkel’s government launched an initial shot of stimulus and guarantees in March to cushion consumers and businesses from the impact of the outbreak. Officials are now focusing on trying to bring the economy back from a contraction expected to exceed 6% this year, the deepest since the aftermath of World War II.
Merkel will host officials from the ruling coalition of her Christian Democratic-led bloc and the Social Democrats in Berlin from 2 p.m. local time. They’ll attempt to thrash out a deal on a plan worth between 50 billion euros ($56 billion) and 100 billion euros, a person with knowledge of the matter told Bloomberg last week.
Also check these Vehicles
Possible measures range from debt relief for struggling municipalities to cash bonuses to stimulate car sales and aid for families with children. Finance Minister Olaf Scholz also wants to extend a state wage-support program, known in German as Kurzarbeit, Bild newspaper reported Sunday.
The Social Democrats are pushing for spending closer to 100 billion euros, while Merkel’s group is keen to limit the amount of new debt, according to the person familiar. Merkel’s CDU also wants additional bridge loans worth 25 billion euros to help small and mid-sized companies weather the downturn, according to a party official with knowledge of the sticking points.
Both sides will have to narrow the gap on how to finance the package and on how to bail out communities struggling with evaporating tax revenue, the official said.
The total volume of the measures will be between 75 billion euros and 80 billion euros, with the federal government providing “significantly more than 60 billion" and regional governments the rest, Bild reported, citing unidentified government sources.
Here’s a closer look at a range of measures being considered, based on discussions with officials and lawmakers:
Cash for Clunkers
One of the most contentious issues is a possible sales bonus for the car industry. While neither Merkel’s bloc nor the SPD have much appetite for subsidizing profitable automakers, Economy Minister Peter Altmaier argues that the economy can only return to pre-crisis growth levels if the government helps this key sector.
The government is looking to introduce a sales bonus which encourages drivers to choose less-polluting vehicles, including low-emission diesel cars, a person familiar with the discussion said.
Altmaier, a member of Merkel’s bloc, is proposing bonuses for buyers of electric vehicles and conventionally powered cars which would expire at the end of the year, Reuters reported Sunday.
Under the plan, buyers would get a bonus of 2,500 euros per vehicle, with an extra 500 euros for fuel-efficient cars. Existing incentive programs would be increased by 1,500 euros for electric cars and 750 euros for hybrids.
“It is essential that governments act fast if incentives for new car purchase are to be introduced," said Calum MacRae, an analyst at GlobalData PLC., a U.K.-based research firm. “If there is delay, the risk is that consumers adopt a wait-and-see position, further weakening an already depleted car market."
German auto shares rallied on Tuesday, in part on better-than-expected May sales.
Scholz, a Social Democrat who is also vice chancellor, has proposed a rescue fund of 57 billion euros to compensate municipalities for declining corporate tax revenue and to help them pay off debt. The facility would be financed by German states and the federal government, which would each pledge about 28.5 billion euros.
Altmaier is also proposing measures to allow companies to write off investments from their tax bills. While Scholz agrees in principle, he doesn’t want companies to deduct losses accumulated during the current crisis against past years’ profits, fearing a massive revenue shortfall if they are allowed to claim back previous tax payments.
Scholz wants to increase a family subsidy from the current amount of about 204 euros per child to 300 euros, boosting consumer spending power by as much as 6 billion euros. Merkel’s bloc isn’t opposed, but wants to link the subsidy to income tax, so low-income earners are the main beneficiaries.


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This week has seen Queensland Parliament try to pass the R18+ legislation it failed to pass in the last Parliamentary sitting year. Today the bill finally hit the floor of the house for discussion. Moments later, a media release was issued saying the law was passed without a vote even taking place. The reason? Somebody pressed send before it was time. Whoops. All the while, gamers are still being told to wander down into New South Wales to pick up copies of R18+ titles to smuggle them back across the border. Read the full facepalm on Kotaku Australia. [Kotaku]
Queensland Jumps The Gun On R18+ Legislation By Accidentally Announcing That It Passed
Trending Stories Right Now
During its special media event today, Apple announced it is partnering with rival LG Electronics to launch a new high-resolution 5K display. The monitor is designed specifically to work with the new USB-C port included on all of the newest MacBook Pro models.
The MacBook Air is likely dead. Despite being Apple's most popular current computer device, and used by programmers, bloggers and coffee shop patrons everywhere, the MacBook Air appears to have been put to pasture. It's never going to get a super high resolution Retina display or a super thin bezel. Instead according to Tim Cook, MacBook Air fans should go with the tiny MacBook Apple announced last year.


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As budgets get cut, raises get frozen and layoffs dot the landscape, employers hoping to boost morale and retention of key staff are looking to innovate ways of helping their employees, according to a recently released study.
The 2009 Guide to Bold New Ideas for Making Work Work, just published by the Families and Work Institute (FWI), reveals new trends that show employers are finding new ways of putting their employees first that are still compatible with austerity programs being imposed by budget cutters.
According to the study, some of the approaches being offered include programs on how to manage job stress and overwork, welcome a new baby, or cope when a spouse loses a job.
“What is key (and perhaps surprising) is that these strategies help these companies achieve business results and respond to fluctuations in the economy,” the study said. “They help companies create effective and flexible workplaces, where work ‘works’ for both the employer and employees.”
One key program that is experiencing an upward trend is the use of employee purchase programs.
“Employers that are strapped for cash can’t offer raises or bonuses, so their challenge is to find a way to increase their employees’ quality of life without decreasing their cash reserves,” said Charlie Kim, CEO of Next Jump, Inc., a leading provider of employee purchase programs, servicing more than 84% of Fortune 100, and nearly 60% of Fortune 500 companies, covering more than 25 million employees. “Employee purchase programs afford employers an inexpensive way of effectively putting money in their employees’ pockets by making huge discounts on consumer products and services available to them as a byproduct of their employment with the company. It’s tantamount to getting a raise every time they shop.”
Next Jump’s program (http://www.corporateperks.com) is delivered as a massive online store that offers employee-only pricing at more than 28,000 different retailers and manufacturers.
“At the end of the day, employers are becoming more imaginative and innovative with their thinking,” Kim added. “They understand three key things that companies like ours recognize and respect: Their company’s power rests within its people, employees need to take home more than just a paycheck and retention resides within a company’s desire and ability to increase their employees’ quality of lives. Companies that let us help them do that will always experience higher retention rates and a generally more stable staff roster.”
(Tony Panaccio is a staff writer for News & Experts Syndicate.)
About Charlie Kim
Charlie Kim is the Founder & CEO of Next Jump, Inc. (NxJ), the premier provider of internet-based corporate employee purchasing programs and customer rewards and loyalty programs worldwide. Established in 1994 and privately held, Next Jump utilizes its proprietary technology platform and data advantage to provide dynamic and relevant merchant-funded rewards programs, bringing together thousands of merchants and millions of consumers. Next Jump is headquartered in New York City. Kim holds a dual degree in Computer Science and Quantitative Economics from Tufts University.


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Full profile →'">
The author is a Forbes contributor. The opinions expressed are those of the writer.
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The service is designed for people to give coaching from managers, progress reports towards goals, recognition of jobs well done or other real-time feedback says Daniel Debow, co-CEO of Rypple. In software development, companies have moved to "agile development," or constant small software updates instead of infrequent major updates. The same applies for Rypple, where people can get immediate feedback and adjust their work accordingly, Debow says.
Rypple is a bit of a cross between the social interaction of Facebook and the badges and achievements of Foursquare. It's in the realm of other companies such as Jive Software and Yammer that are bringing social networking into enterprises. Most employees and managers hate traditional performance management software, says Debow, but Rypple is designed to be lightweight and simple to use, in the way that consumer services such as Facebook are. If end of year evaluations are used, managers can look back at the record of employees on Rypple for a quick review.
The feedback and evaluation of employees can be made public in the whole company or just sent as private messages. Most people make them public if they are positive messages, says Debow. Rypple is not designed to change people's existing behaviors, Debow says. "It's about taking that latent behavior and amplifying it," Debow says. Instead of sending a "thank you" email to a colleague, people can send that on Rypple. That recognition can then be surfaced instead of hidden, Debow says. Now on the TV screens, it can be surfaced even more.


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Inaugurating auto show, FinMin stresses on lesser vehicle imports
September 11, 2018 03:24 PM NPT
Photo: Sujan Shrestha
KATHMANDU, Sept 11: The Minister of Finance, Dr. Yubraj Khatiwada's speech while inaugurating the 2018 NADA Auto Show caught everyone off guard. Inaugurating the NADA Auto Show, a yearly exhibition of vehicles, including new ones, Khatiwada not just urged every one to reduce vehicle imports, he also had a tip to potential buyers: Don't buy vehicles by auto loans.
Arguing that escalating vehicle imports could affect the national economy in the long run, he urged businessmen to establish assembly industries for vehicles. "We are willing provide necessary subsidy for those willing to bring assembly lines in the country," Khatiwada said. "Doing so will help to create employment in the country and strengthen the country's economy. The government is promoting the sector," he added.
Khatiwada opined that neither the vehicle owner, nor the country would benefit by buying cars on installments. Chairperson of Federation of Nepali Chamber of Commerce and Industries (FNCCI), Bhawani Rana urged the government to address pressing issues of private sectors for economic development.
Likewise, Shambu Prasad Dahal, chairperson of NADA accused the government of not 'respecting' the automobiles industry. "Automobile industries provide more than Rs. 100 billion as tax. It is the backbone of the country's economy and should be promoted accordingly," he said.


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The US House of Representatives yesterday approved a bill that could put hackers in the slammer for life.
Yesterday's vote, carried by an overwhelming 385 to three, indicated that the Cyber Security Enhancement Act, written up before the crackdown on terrorism began last September, will be rubber stamped all the way.
The bill must go before the Senate to become law, but it is expected to meet with little, if any, opposition. However, as the holiday period for senators includes all of August, the legislation may not be passed until October.
It is not clear how far reaching the bill will be with regard to hackers, as the life imprisonment sentence is for those who put lives at risk through electronic means. Whether this includes minor hacking felonies remains to be seen.
The legislation also grants powers to the US police to tap phone lines and monitor internet traffic without a warrant. Such actions are limited to situations which pose a threat to national security.
The bill is designed to complement the US Patriot Act, brought into force some years ago.
The approval of the Cyber Security Enhancement Act has been criticised by civil liberties groups.
Latest Tesla news: Tesla stock price tanks amid reports of 'widening probe' by SEC and claims the base Model 3 loses money
SEC 'probe' takes its toll on Tesla as new research suggests that Tesla loses $6,000 on every $35,000 Model 3
10nm Cannon Lake Core i3-8121U CPUs make a rare outing with Intel's NUC mini PC
'Notorious' Australian child hacker thought he had executed 'flawless' hack
The former employee says that Tesla fired him for bringing the accusations to management internally


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As esports grew during the pandemic, the leadership of many companies in the sector underwent notable changes. Below are five of the most impactful executive moves in 2020 and the effect they could have in 2021 and beyond.
■ Prior role: Chief revenue officer, NASCAR
■ New role: Chief commercial officer, Immortals Gaming Club
■ Date announced: March 23
■ Early Returns: Recently, IGC made a surprising move by selling its spot in the Call of Duty League and announcing a shift in strategy to focus on online gaming. The company could also be looking to sell its Overwatch League franchise. Moving out of city-based esports takes IGC away from Tuck’s most direct experience in selling to nonendemic brands, but the organization is still a well-liked brand within one of North America’s biggest esports leagues — Riot Games’ LCS. Tuck has brought with him relationships and experience bringing nonendemic brands to NASCAR that will no doubt translate well to the L.A.-based esports team.
■ Prior role: Managing director, Nielsen Esports
■ New role: Global sector head of esports and gaming, YouGov
■ Date announced: June 15
■ Early Returns: Since Pike’s appointment at YouGov, the company has begun to expand its presence in esports, signing a partnership with Nordic team North Esports in October. She was at the forefront of streamlining esports viewership measurement during her time at Nielsen. Her relationship with all the big-name players in the industry, such as Riot Games and Activision Blizzard, will help push YouGov to the front of the esports analytics space.
■ Prior role: MLB deputy commissioner of business and media
■ New role: President of sports and entertainment, Activision Blizzard
■ Date announced: Aug. 10
■ Early Returns: While no specifics have come to light, sources told Sports Business Journal last month that Petitti has already greenlighted “one project that had been on the back burner for more than a year.” He has a big job in front of him, guiding the leagues built on live home events out of a pandemic that crippled what was supposed to be their breakout year. With Activision Blizzard already locked into an exclusive media deal with YouTube, Petitti will have to look elsewhere to grow revenue for both Activision Blizzard and its partner teams.
■ Prior role: Senior merchandising director, Cirque Du Soleil
■ New role: Merchandising director, Panda Global
■ Date announced: Sept. 1
■ Early Returns: Panda Global recently unveiled a full brand redesign complete with a new product line and ecommerce shop, allowing Turner to lend his experience to revitalizing a long-standing esports brand. Esports merchandise has often been something of an afterthought for teams, but Turner has developed merchandise for varied brands including Hershey Entertainment, and can help turn Panda Global into a leader and innovator in the space.
■ Prior role: CEO, ESL North America
■ New role: Vice president of partnerships and sponsorships, Verizon
■ Date announced: Oct. 5
■ Early Returns: This month, Verizon became one of the first nonendemic brands to jump into official Valorant esports sponsorship, expanding its deal with Riot Games. Under Martinez-Rea, ESL signed a major deal with AT&T that included a significant focus on mobile esports. With Riot Games’ new mobile title coming to the U.S. next year, she has the opportunity to take learnings from that deal and push Verizon to become a leader in the growing mobile space.
For more coverage of the business of esports, visit our partners, esportsobserver.com.


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Super Junior’s ballad prince Kyuhyun will be making his long-awaited debut in Japan this coming May!
According to Super Junior’s Japanese official website, Kyuhyun will be releasing his first Japanese single album “Celebration～君に架ける橋～” on May 25th, 2016. The single album includes his brand new title track “Celebration～君に架ける橋～”, and two other songs titled “Lost My Way” and “Beautiful”. The CD+DVD version will come with one out of three photocards, and the E.L.F-Japan version will come with one out of two photocards.
In addition Kyuhyun will also be kicking off his first Japan tour “SUPER JUNIOR KYUHYUN JAPAN TOUR 2016 ～Knick Knack～” on April 11th, 2016 in Fukuoka, and will wrap up in Aichi on May 27th, 2016.
Are you ready for a new release from Kyuhyun?


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Baby Formula Shortage Is Hitting State Of Emergency — New Months-Long Crisis
(ReliableNews.org) – Although the baby formula shortage has taken a backseat to other news in the United States as of late, the food supply to feed babies is still very limited. In response, the White House set in motion a plan to fly formula into the US from other countries, known as Operation Fly Formula. In fact, dozens of food-filled planes have brought the needed nourishment to hungry babies in America, but on June 28, experts said it will take months for the supply to catch up to the demand.
The US Is Still Short
According to Information Resources Incorporated (IRI), over 21% of liquid, ready-to-drink, and powder formula products were out of stock from June 12 through June 19. The shortage is despite the fact the federal government is set to bring in about 40 million 8-ounce bottles of food for babies.
White House Spokesperson Kevin Munoz recently stated the administration’s goal is to increase the supply of formula and fill grocery store shelves for families. However, the current deliveries only cover a few days of retail sales to feed US babies.
Part of the reason the supply isn’t meeting the demand is consumers are overbuying out of fear they won’t have enough formula to feed their babies. However, while experts believe hoarding will continue, some stores like Target, Walgreens, and CVS are responding by putting a cap on the amount of formula customers can purchase.
Underlying these problems are continuing supply chain issues at production plants even though many are working at full capacity.
Alternatives to Formula
Despite the setbacks and fear over baby formula shortages, the fact remains families still need to feed their children. Fortunately, there are some alternatives to try, but experts caution against parents trying homemade recipes or diluting formulas to make it stretch.
Instead, it’s recommended families in need try changing formula brands while they wait for their regular one to stabilize its supply or turn to a breast milk donation bank. Experts say these are the two best solutions for now. Also, experts suggest contacting the baby’s pediatrician and requesting baby formula samples. They likely have a supply. Although there are some picky babies that may not easily take to different brands, Doctor Victoria Regan from a children’s hospital in Texas said the infant’s appetite will typically bounce back within a week.
Parents can also use the power of the internet to order formulas from overseas, but they should only use reliable brands from known retailers. The Clean Label Project can help identify the best and worst products.
For those children over six months old, the CDC suggests introducing solids to supplement their nutrition.
When in doubt, call your pediatrician for advice.
Copyright 2022, ReliableNews.org


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PHOENIX – May 4, 2017 – SelfStorageAuction.com recently made a significant financial donation to the California Self Storage Association (CSSA) in support of its lobbying efforts on two state legislation reform bills that deal with the advertisement of lien laws and requirements under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
Contributing to the successful passage of legislation that helps self storage operators and managers is a priority for SelfStorageAuction.com, an online auction platform that provides bidders with a centralized place to bid online for self storage auctions.
The first reform bill is AB1108, which is a lien law that would alter parts of the original California Self- Service Storage Facility Act to allow self storage facilities to use email as well as regular mail to contact renters who cannot pay their bills. This bill also would require the advertisement of lien auctions to be published either in newspapers or in any other media that is responsibility calculated to provide notice to potential buyers and the general public or both.
“When I first came up with the concept of combining Storage Auctions with an Ebay platform online in 2011, most people discounted the idea,” said SelfStorageAuction.com Founder Jim Grant. “The CSSA was always very supportive in my efforts by giving me suggestions and advice. SelfStorageAuction.com offers free automated online advertising for facilities to post their lien sales, and I know that this will be embraced by the California storage industry. We are honored and very fortunate to be a member of the CSSA and be able to help continue their future efforts for the self storage industry.”
The second legislation reform bill is AB1148, which is called the ADA Commercial Code 1938 Cleanup. This bill redefines commercial property “for the purposes of that provision as property that is offered for sale or lease to persons operating, or intending to operate, a place of public accommodation or facility to which the general public is invited at those premises.” Basically, this bill would allow self storage to be excluded from some of the obligations it currently falls under, relieving facilities of a significant burden.
“The CSSA is very grateful for the support from SelfStorageAuction.com,” said Erin King, CSSA’s executive director. “We are very proud of our legislative efforts as we believe they truly benefit the facility owners and the tenants.”
The CSSA estimates that the proposed changes to the law will help self storage operators save approximately $1,500 minimum each year.
Grant, who is the original conceptualizer and founder of online storage auctions, created the former online auction site Storage Battles in 2012 and merged it with the web site Storage Treasures in 2015. Grant recently launched SelfStorageAuction.com, a state-of-the-art platform that promotes online and live onsite auctions of delinquent storage units across the country. The mobile-friendly website combines the simplicity, reliability and exceptional customer service of the original platform with new features that ensure stability and are more user friendly.
SelfStorageAuction.com is a free website that makes it easy and convenient to find online or live on-site auctions at participating self-storage facilities in North America, Canada and soon the UK and Australia. It provides self-storage facilities and auction bidders a full range of services in one convenient location. For more information, please go to www.selfstorageauction.com.
Founded in 2003 by independent storage operators, the CSSA has grown rapidly now serving over 500 storage owners, operators and vendors and totaling more than 3,000 storage locations. The CSSA also serves not only its members but the larger community as a whole through its philanthropic initiatives. Most notably CSSA’s charitable efforts go towards raising money for the 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization Kure It Cancer Research. To date, the CSSA has raised over $200K for ground breaking cancer research programs within world class institutions such as UC San Francisco in 2015. Additional information is available at www.californiaselfstorage.org


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NEW YORK — Summer is winding down as parents and students scramble to get their last-minute school supplies.
Parents spend an estimated $122 on notebooks, pencils and other essentials, according to a survey by the National Retail Federation. That amount doesn’t include clothes and technology.
Smart shopper Trae Bodge has tips to help you save on school supplies.
Click here to view the full post on PIX11.com.
Click here for my top 10 ways to save on back to school!


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Byline: Rebecca Moore
Summary paragraph: Americans report poor financial habits
Americans admit they are guilty of some bad financial habits, with neglecting to save topping the list. Nearly one-third (30%) of people surveyed by Allianz Life said "not saving any money" was their worst financial habit in 2012. Twenty-four percent said they saved some money but admitted they could have saved more.
Aside from saving in general, 5% of survey respondents indicated they did not contribute to their employer-sponsored retirement plan. Three percent said their worst financial habit was "contributing to my employer-sponsored retirement plan but not taking full advantage of my employer match."
Other "worst" financial habits of 2012 cited by respondents included:
* Spending too much money on things I don't need-30%;
* Not having a household budget-18%;
* Spending more than I make-18%;
* Not educating myself about financial planning-15%;
* Paying bills late-12%;
* Making only the minimum payment on credit cards-10%;
* Playing the lottery/gambling-9%; and
* Failing to seek professional help with my finances-9%.


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A lost love for letters means posties will cut back deliveries to most households to every second day, although parcels will still be dropped off daily.
After recording a $200 million loss, Australia Post is shifting its priorities to packages, with half a billion parcels delivered to people in the last financial year.
Postal workers were able to deliver 20 per cent more parcels during a trial of the skipped letter rounds.
Under changes announced on Wednesday, an extra delivery day will be added for letter deliveries to make up for the change. Priority mail delivery – which makes up 8 per cent of addressed letters – will also be revamped so they are delivered faster.
One postie will remain allocated to one round rather than needing to cover several routes, which is currently the case.
Australians receive an average of two addressed letters a week.
Communications Minister Michelle Rowland said Australia Post needed to adapt to the changing digital environment.
“These new processes will mean Australia Post continues to deliver the high-quality letter service many Australians rely on while also growing its booming parcel business,” she said.
“Modernising Australia Post will put it on a surer footing so it can deliver the essential community services Australians need.”
Letters were blamed for Australia Post’s eye-watering loss – only its second since 1989 – announced earlier this year. The government-owned enterprise’s losses on letters were up more than 50 per cent to $384 million in the past financial year.
It was enough to drag down the performance of the flagship parcels business, which had sales rise to $7.3 billion amid ongoing investments in faster deliveries across major capital cities.
Finance Minister Katy Gallagher said the organisation needed to save money so it didn’t go bust.
“The fiscal sustainability of Australia Post is vital to the government’s ongoing commitment to provide high-quality postal services to Australians,” she said.
Australia Post had pushed strongly for the letter delivery change. In August, Paul Alexander, an associate professor at Curtin University, said Australia Post was “lobbying like crazy” for changes to its letter business – particularly reductions in delivery frequency and raising prices.
“To run at a loss because it’s a social service is a false economy,” he said.
“You get unprofitable services being supported by profitable ones.”
Australia Post’s proposal to jack up the price of stamps for standard letters from $1.20 to $1.50 from early next year is being reviewed by the consumer watchdog.
Prices for concession card holders will remain at 60 cents and Christmas stamps will still be able to be picked up for 65 cents.


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Ford unveils F-150 Tremor sport truck
Amanda Bayhi | July 5, 2013
Ford last week unveiled its 2014 F-150 Tremor, the automaker’s first sport truck powered by its EcoBoost V-6 engine, according to our sister site, Equipment World.
The pickup has a regular cab and a short-wheelbase design and features Ford’s FX Appearance Package with flat-black accents, 20-inch wheels, stylized bodyside graphics and black badges with red lettering.
A 3.5-liter, twin-turbo EcoBoost V-6 engine powers the pickup, delivers 365 horsepower and producing 420 pound-feet of torque. The V-6 is paired with a six-speed transmission.
The F-150 Tremor also has a 4.10:1 rear axle and an electronic locking rear differential.
Interior features include a flow-through center console, black leather bucket seats with red piping, brushed-metal accents and a red-stitched steering wheel.
For more details, or to view a gallery of photos, check out the full story at EquipmentWorld.com.
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One-day hiring blitz offers over 600 jobs in British Columbia
VANCOUVER, Sept. 9, 2013 /CNW/ - On September 13, McDonald's and its franchisees in British Columbia will host the second consecutive West Hiring Day, where McDonald's plans to hire over 600 new employees across the province.
West Hiring Day is a one-day hiring event held at participating restaurants in BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Job-seekers are invited to apply in-restaurant for crew and manager positions. Applications will be taken in-person at participating restaurants across BC where interested candidates will learn more about local restaurant opportunities and possibly even be interviewed on the spot by a member of the restaurant management team. Those unable to apply in-person can go to www.worksforme.ca to submit their applications.
West Hiring Day began in 2012, following the establishment of a National Hiring Day by McDonald's Canada in 2011. National Hiring Day has been a tremendous success, with approximately 5,700 people being hired as a result of the event in 2013. 1,153 people were hired during West Hiring Day in 2012, including 393 from BC.
"We want to build upon the great team we already have at our McDonald's restaurants in Vancouver and West Hiring Day helps us attract new talent," said Andy Bates, McDonald's Vancouver Owner/Operator. "This is a fantastic opportunity to get in front of potential applicants and show them that working at McDonald's is more than just a job - it's an opportunity for young people to grow and develop their skills."
Over the past decade, McDonald's Canada has been consistently ranked among Canada's 50 Best Employers by creating a fun and dynamic work environment, particularly important to young people who are getting their first jobs. In fact, almost 65 per cent of employees are aged 15-24, and teenagers account for approximately 42 per cent of the work force.
McDonald's has a long history of building bright futures for young people from the ground up; 90 per cent of restaurant managers and 50 per cent of franchisees began as entry-level crew members. As one of Canada's largest employers of youth, the company is committed to hiring young people and provides world-class professional training and development that help give employees important life skills such as teamwork and time management. McDonald's also offers, competitive wages, comprehensive benefits and flexible schedules that can help youth achieve their best inside and outside of the restaurant.
About McDonald's Canada
McDonald's is the leading foodservice company in the world. McDonald's Restaurants of Canada Limited and its Canadian franchisees own and operate more than 1,400 restaurants and employ more than 80,000 Canadians coast-to-coast. Approximately 80 per cent of McDonald's Canadian restaurants are locally owned and operated by independent entrepreneurs. For more information about McDonald's Canada, visit www.mcdonalds.ca or follow us on Twitter (@McD_Canada) and Facebook (Facebook.com/McDonaldscanada) for updates on our business, promotions and menu items.
SOURCE: McDonald's Restaurants of Canada Ltd.
For further information:


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Woman left stunned after she found mould on her Burger King bun on two separate visits - and was given replacement burgers ALSO covered in mould
- Christchurch, New Zealand woman Maggie Lawson sold mouldy burgers
- She received Burger King burgers with mouldy buns on three occasions
- Lawson complained to authorities about the fast food retailer
- Authorities said they had asked the restaurant to investigate
A woman was left revolted after a Burger King restaurant served her burgers with mouldy buns on three different occasions.
Maggie Lawson, from Christchurch, New Zealand, called the region's health board after the third instance of mould from Burger King Shirley.
Ms Lawson claimed the first mouldy bun was served up to her daughter on Boxing Day, the second time occurred on New Year's Eve, and the third, later that day, when a compensation meal came with mould on three of the four burgers' buns, Stuff.co.nz reported.
One of the burgers with mouldy buns that were served to Maggie Lawson at a Burger King in Shirley, an area of Christchurch, New Zealand
Another image of a different bun sold to Maggie Lawson also showing mould
Her 21-year-old daughter, Allora, was the recipient of the first burger, and thought it might be a one-off.
'I thought "fair enough", it's Christmas break and they might be between deliveries at the very least,' Lawson told Stuff.co.nz.
But the second time, she called the restaurant to complain and was told the issue had been resolved.
After the replacement meal also came with mouldy buns, the restaurant manager told her the buns came from unexpired stock.
Burger King in Shirley, Christchurch, where the mouldy buns were sold
Maggie Lawson (pictured) received mouldy buns with her meals from Burger King three times between Christmas and New Year
'To me that is an even bigger warning sign. It's not just over-looking an expiry date, they're not actually using a process that keeps the food fresh and stops it from spoiling. If they're doing that with the buns, what about the meat. What about stuff that can make you really really sick?,' she told Stuff.co.nz.
After calling the Canterbury District Health Board to report the buns, she was referred to the New Zealand governments Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI).
She was told that the cases would be recorded, but no action taken.
An MPI spokesperson told Stuff.co.nz the food supplier had been asked to investigate and report back - but there was no formal time limit for a response.
Burger King New Zealand marketing manager Chet Patel said such issues were taken 'very seriously' and the outlet had been told to monitor its buns.
He believed it was an isolated incident.
Ms Lawson was not the only person who said they had been served a mouldy bun.
A Facebook user called Maria Henderson posted on the Burger King Shirley Facebook page with an image of a mouldy burger bun and the caption: 'No I wouldn't like mold [sic] with my burger but thanks Burger King Shirley'.
Ms Lawson's daughter has been given 'burger bucks' by a representative for Burger King.
Maggie Lawson left this complaint on the Burger King Shirley Facebook page complaining about the quality of the food
This image was posted on the Burger King Shirley Facebook page by a woman called Maria Henderson who said she had also received a burger with a mouldy bun
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Ottawa-based Farm Boy said Tuesday it plans to open eight new stores in southern Ontario over the next two years as it continues its bid to expand beyond its traditional market base in the National Capital Region.
The grocery chain known for its fresh baked goods also said it plans to relocate its Ottawa Train Yards store from its current home at 665 Industrial Ave. to 830 Belfast Rd., about a block farther north. The new 38,000-square-foot store is slated to open next year.
In addition, Farm Boy confirmed that its new 28,000-square-foot location in the base of a condo tower at 193 Metcalfe St. will open next spring. The store was previously a Sobeys Urban Fresh supermarket.
Building a backyard coach house is easier thanks to Bill 23, and Ottawa General Contractors are helping home owners make it happen.
The chain’s southern Ontario expansion includes five stores in Toronto, along with others in Burlington, Newmarket and St. Catharines, where Farm Boy will open its first location in the Niagara region. The locations range from 12,000 to 34,000 square feet, with opening dates in 2020 and 2021, the company said in a news release.
The new additions will bring Farm Boy’s total store count to 37.
“Farm Boy is entering an exciting phase of our growth plans as we expand our presence in the GTA and Ottawa, while also entering new markets like the Niagara region,” Farm Boy co-CEO Jeff York said in a statement.
Sobeys parent company Empire Co. acquired Farm Boy in an $800-million deal last year. When the acquisition was first announced, Farm Boy co-CEO Jeff York moved to reassure customers that the brand wouldn’t change under new ownership. Since then, Farm Boy outlets have become some of the company’s best-performing stores, according to CEO Micheal Medline.
This summer, Farm Boy made headlines when it purchased the Rideau Bakery after the venerable family business announced it was closing its doors for good. The acquisition was named the city’s retail deal of the year at the Best Ottawa Business Awards last month.


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2017 saw the return of the popular, free to enter, ‘Where are the Kingswood snowmen?’ competition.
The competition again offered entrants who found the names of the snowmen hidden inside or in the windows of the participating shops the chance to win a chocolate bar or healthy snack.
However, there was also a free draw, with prizes including a Lidl hamper, a cake firework in the shape of a snowman and an adoption package from Horseworld.
The event started on Small Business Saturday, Saturday 2nd December 2017 and ended at 4pm on Saturday 23rd December.
The Kingswood snowman drew the names of prize-winners at 4:30pm on 23rd December 2017 in front of the Christmas tree in the Kings Chase Shopping Centre.
This event is organised by the Kingswood Business Association (KBA), which is dedicated to helping Kingswood businesses prosper.
Whether you are a single tradesperson or a large high street store you are welcome to become a member.
For further details see www.mykingswood.co.uk/kba or contact the South Gloucestershire Council business engagement team on 01454 864950 or email .
The photo shows KBA Chair Gareth Manson with fellow councillor April Begley and the friendly snowman!


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Gemini’s Cameron Winklevoss Issues 3-day Ultimatum to DCG CEO
Summary: Gemini's co-founder and president, Cameron Winklevoss, has issued a 3-day conditional ultimatum to Barry Silbert, CEO of Digital Currency Group (DCG), if they don't accept the revised offer by July 6, 2023, then they have to face legal action. He accused Silbert of encouraging a dishonest culture and not addressing false claims made to creditors.
In yet another open letter, Cameron Winklevoss, co-founder and president of crypto exchange Gemini, issued a 3-day conditional ultimatum to Barry Silbert, creator and CEO of struggling crypto giant Digital Currency Group (the parent firm of insolvent crypto lender Genesis). If Silbert and DCG don’t accept the revised offer by 4 pm ET on July 6, 2023, Gemini’s president has warned of legal action.
Accused of Playing the Victim
In an open letter published on July 3, Winklevoss accused Silbert of attempting to play the victim after DCG’s illegal actions locked up more than $1.2 billion in assets belonging to Gemini Earn customers in Genesis. According to him, Silbert encouraged a dishonest culture that is well-documented at this point, and he still hasn’t addressed the false claims made to creditors.
“You offer no apology to creditors and Earn users for holding their money hostage during the holiday season. No apology for the stress, anxiety, and pain you have caused them and their families. And no apology for the burned bridges and value destruction you have caused our entire industry. No contrition or acknowledgment whatsoever.”
FTX Founder SBF Better Claim
Even Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF), the founder and former CEO of defunct crypto exchange FTX, was not capable of such folly, according to the president of Gemini. After seeing his acts had caused harm to others, he said, SBF at least made an effort to make amends.
No Intentions of Reaching an Amicable Settlement
Silbert was accused of misusing the mediation process and deliberately creating delays to purchase time, among other things, in Winklevoss’ letter. Winklevoss claimed that Silbert has no intention of reaching an amicable settlement with creditors and Gemini Earn customers ever since Genesis suspended withdrawal services.
Winklevoss will also submit a turnover motion, which would require the immediate payment of $630 million to Gemini Earn users and creditors. Together with the Genesis Special Committee, they will adopt a non-consensual strategy that gives cash right away to creditors and Earn users.
To further probe intercompany loans and transactions between DCG and Genesis businesses, the president of Gemini will request the Unsecured Creditors Committee (UCC) to initiate appropriate legal action.


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‘They are so dangerous’ - Shops stop selling ring frisbees amid seal injury concerns
- Credit: Archant
Two shops have stopped selling frisbee rings over concerns of injuries to seals.
The Yacht Shop in Gorleston and the Rock Shop in Hemsby will no longer sell the hollow plastic discs, which can become embedded in a seal's neck and cause infection, after discussions with a local environmental group.
Gorleston Beach Clean approached the shops' owners, Jane and Alan Johnson, after seeing pictures of injured seals.
"They are so dangerous to seals and it's shocking to see the damage they do when caught around a seal's neck," Melanie Ruse, spokesperson for the group, said.
The group bought the shops' surplus stock of 255 frisbee rings at a discount price of £100.
Ms Ruse said: "If we can help small businesses become environmentally friendly with this kind of assistance, it's worthwhile.
"We are now looking at ways to help with the disposal of plastic netting."
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Jane Johnson said: "We are pleased to do our bit to help.
"We had decided not to buy any more ring frisbees because of the pictures of the seals in the local press and our conversations with Melanie Ruse and Councillor Barbara Wright.
"When the Gorleston Community Beach Clean offered to buy our surplus stock, we were happy to help.
"This means we can replace the stock with the standard solid frisbees which are not a danger to wildlife in the same way.
"One of other our problems is that everything comes pre-packaged in netting so until the manufacturers do something, it's difficult for us.
"If we stop buying things like ring frisbees, we hope they will get the message," Ms Johnson said.
The frisbees are being donated to youth groups, schools or organisations on the understanding they are strictly for inland use only.
Councillor Barbara Wright from the Environment Committee and said: "The topic has been raised at committee and we are delighted to hear that independent shops are taking a stand.
"I hope that businesses like these will encourage all the shops to stop selling them.
"We commend any business that takes a look at their stock and sees where changes can be made."


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The deal GameStop (NYSE: GME) negotiated with Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) last week is apparently better than many people thought.
While shares of the video game retailer got a big boost from the original announcement, which focused heavily on GameStop using the software giant's back-end solutions to better meet customer needs in the digital gaming era, largely unnoticed was a sentence saying both companies will "benefit from the customer acquisition and lifetime revenue value of each gamer brought into the Xbox ecosystem."
Image source: Getty Images.
That apparently intrigued Domo Capital Management enough to dig further. According to website Ars Technica, the private equity firm spoke with GameStop directly, which confirmed the retailer "will receive a portion of the downstream revenue from any device we will bring into the Xbox ecosystem."
What that means is GameStop will get a cut of any digital game download, downloadable content, microtransaction, or paid subscription made through each digital gaming console it sells.
A new opportunity to participate
That's a significant development even if the actual percentage GameStop receives doesn't really amount to much, as some analysts suspect.
The video game retailer is now incentivized to sell Microsoft's all-digital consoles as well as those which still use physical media. It has also set itself up to receive a revenue stream from digital and online gaming that it was previously closed off from.
Although analysts don't GameStop will receive all that much money because Microsoft isn't incentivized to give away much money -- it would sell its consoles regardless of whether GameStop did or not -- it helps keep the retailer engaged and a part of the gaming community.
When the deal was announced, Microsoft said it viewed GameStop as an important component of its gaming ecosystem and it was "pleased to elevate our partnership." Now that looks to mean financially, as well as through back-office support.
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Teresa Kersten, an employee of LinkedIn, a Microsoft subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fool's board of directors. Rich Duprey has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Microsoft. The Motley Fool recommends GameStop and recommends the following options: long January 2021 $85 calls on Microsoft and short January 2021 $115 calls on Microsoft. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
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