text:
AvtoVAZ may return to the European market, which it left in the spring of 2019, with a new generation Lada Niva SUV. On July 26, the president of AvtoVAZ, Nicolas More, told the Expert magazine about this.
“If we ever return to the European market, it will be a special car like the Niva. We are watching with interest how some independent companies are trying to sell a Niva car in the UK, Germany, Slovakia. This is good news and means that the name Niva still means something to European buyers, ”said Nicolas Maure.
The new generation of the Russian Lada Niva SUV will appear on the market in 2024.
Presumably, the car will receive high ground clearance and a full-fledged all-wheel drive system with a downshift range.
The new Lada Niva will be comparable to the five-door version of the current SUV. The length will be 4280 mm (40 mm more than the five-door Niva Legend). The wheelbase of the model is 2600 mm.
The car will receive a 1.8-liter gasoline engine with 122 hp, as well as a turbocharged 1.3-liter Renault unit.
On July 12, it was reported that in Togliatti, on the territory of the scientific and technical center (STC) of AvtoVAZ, a camouflaged unknown car was photographed.
The car was transported on a trailer in a special tight cover. The model cannot be identified.


text:
The Tech Trailblazers is a global online awards focused on enterprise tech startups. Enter before September 12th at www.techtrailblazers.com
With the advent of iPhone, the mobile Internet usage shot through the roof. Will the operators stop offering unlimited data plans? O2 and AT&T have already capped the
Apple's annual event WWDC was held on 7th June. The article has the notes from the key note address by Steve Jobs.

domain: news


text:
Plug Power Inc., a provider of turnkey hydrogen solutions for the global green hydrogen economy, has unveiled its HYVIA hydrogen Renault Master Van H2-TECH prototype at the 2021 Plug Power Symposium – the first time the new hydrogen fuel cell powered van is being shown in North America.
“The Renault Master Van is a true game-changer and will serve a diverse array of industries throughout our ecosystem that need powerful, clean and efficient hydrogen mobility solutions,” says Andy Marsh, CEO for Plug Power. “Powered by our hydrogen fuel cell technology, these spacious commercial vehicles produce no emissions and boast a range well over 300 miles. We’re thrilled to be working with the Renault Group and HYVIA to transform industries throughout the world with the power and promise of green hydrogen.”
The zero emission Renault Master Van is equipped with a 30 kW fuel cell engine, based on Plug Power’s ProGen technology platform. With over 12 cubic meters of cargo volume, the new commercial vans are expected to be available in 2022, have a range over 300 miles and can be refueled in just minutes. This makes them ideal for any industry needing light commercial vehicles that transport goods and packages.
“I am proud to join Andy and his team at Plug Power to unveil our first Renault Master Van hydrogen prototypes,” states David Holderbach, president of HYVIA. “These powerful commercial vehicles are tailor-made for customers throughout the ecosystem that want to hit sustainability targets, or want hydrogen powered fleets that can go farther than conventional engines and be refueled in minutes, and all of this without CO2 emissions.”
The vehicle is part of the complete HYVIA ecosystem, which includes green hydrogen production (electrolyzers) and distribution (hydrogen refueling stations), alongside a range of fuel cell-powered light commercial vehicles (van, chassis, cab and city bus), complementary to battery electric vehicles. Additional prototypes that Plug Power, Renault and HYVIA are expecting to unveil include Master Chassis Cab H2-TECH, a large van with more cargo space (19 cubic meters) and a range of 250 kilometers. The Master Citybus H2-TECH is an urban minibus that can carry up to 15 passengers, ideal for businesses, municipalities and local public services, with a range of 300 kilometers.


text:
MEXICO CITY—Violence from Mexico's drug war is slowing, the country's president said, after years of steadily growing carnage that has traumatized its society, hurt the economy and damaged the nation's international standing.
Mexico's drug-related murders fell about 12% during the first five months of this year, President Felipe Calderón said in an interview with The Wall Street Journal this week. That marks the first decline in violence in at least eight years.
50% off + free delivery on $20 orders with DoorDash promo code
20% off your next online order - Walmart coupon code
Expedia Coupon - 15% off for members
Journeys Coupon: $20 off $100 + free shipping with email sign up
20% Off Activities + Extra 25% Off Beauty & Wellness w/ Groupon Promo Code
Up to 15% off + free shipping at Wayfair


text:
Altice is pretty new identify within the USA. While it has a big presence in Europe, the corporate not too long ago purchased Cablevision — the cable TV and web supplier that serves Long Island and different areas within the New York Tri-State space. The firm even provides VOIP phone service, making it a conventional “triple play” supplier.
Today, Altice USA publicizes its intentions to enter the cellular phone service enterprise too. No, the corporate is just not placing up new cell towers or something formidable resembling that. Actually, Altice USA will develop into a cellular digital community operator (MVNO). If you are not acquainted, this basically means the corporate will promote entry to an current cell supplier’s towers — on this case, it is going to be Sprint.
“In this first of its kind agreement, Sprint will provide Altice USA with access to its full MVNO model, allowing Altice USA to connect its network to the Sprint Nationwide network and have control over the Altice USA mobile features, functionality, and customer experience. In exchange, Altice USA will leverage its network to support Sprint’s network densification efforts and establish a differentiated network operating model going forward,” says Altice USA.
Dexter Goei, Chairman and CEO, Altice USA explains, “Sprint is an ideal strategic partner for Altice USA given our shared vision around converged customer experiences. Altice is a convergent leader with more than 26 million mobile customers in countries including France, Portugal, Israel, and the Dominican Republic, and we are excited to bring our global expertise to the U.S. to enhance and strengthen our offerings. Working together we will be able to capitalize on Sprint’s vast mobile network, which fits well alongside Altice USA’s deep WiFi network, and leverage Altice’s global mobile experience to deliver greater value, more benefits and seamless connectivity for our U.S. customers.”
Whether or not this will probably be a profitable transfer stays to be seen. I imply, let’s be trustworthy, of us — Sprint has a really dangerous fame. Historically, that cell supplier has had horrible protection and even worse customer support. Altice USA should provide substantial bundle reductions to its current cable subscribers to get them to modify to this MVNO community. Even with a heavy low cost, customers which might be loyal to a supplier, resembling, say, Verizon, could possibly be laborious to transform.
Should Altice USA have partnered with the next high quality cell supplier for its MVNO efforts? Tell me within the feedback beneath.
Photo Credit: Shkljoc/Shutterstock


text:
Ford has announced that it is recalling 150,000 2005-2006 F-150 pickup trucks for airbags that may deploy without warning. The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration had originally opened an investigation into 1.3 million vehicles for the fault. Ford says that the risk of an airbag going off without cause is fairly small, though NHTSA has received notice of 238 instances of inadvertent deployment resulting in 77 injuries.
The airbags supposedly went off seconds after the vehicle was started, and in one case, the driver leapt from the vehicle while the truck was still parked in a driveway.
Ford says that it limited the number of vehicles being recalled because it discovered that the problem only reared its head on vehicles manufactured by the first shift at its Norfolk, Virginia assembly plant. The problem stems from an improperly installed wire that may cause a short-circuit, deploying the airbag in the process. The automaker says that the wiring was changed in 2006 to eliminate the potential problem. As a result, the recall only covers vehicles manufactured in Norfolk between November 2004 and June 2005.
[Source: AOL Autos]


text:
Sales at Moss Bros for the 15 weeks to 13 May increased 3.7%, driven by a strong online performance.
Total like-for-like sales were up 2.3% for the period, while like-for-like retail sales were up 5.5%.
Like-for-like hire sales on a cash taken basis were down 14.2% as expected, as a result of the reduced value of the deposit taken from customers when an order is first placed.
Hire order numbers booked during the period were down 3.8% year on year, and the total value was 1.6% lower.
Retail gross margins were 50 basis points below the previous year, following the reintroduction of a mid-season Sale in April. The menswear business said the trading environment was “much tougher” than last year.
Online sales were up 14.7% on last year and made up 11.6% of total sales for the 15 weeks compared with 10.7% for the same period last year.
A further three stores have been refitted and two new stores have opened so far this year, bringing the total number of units trading in the new format to 101 out of a total portfolio of 129.
The business said it was “confident” that it will meet market expectations for the year.
Brian Brick, chief executive, said: “We are pleased with our progress, and Moss Bros continues to trade well and in line with the board’s expectations, despite the continuing tough trading environment and a highly competitive marketplace, which has seen significantly more markdown activity than the same period last year. Retail and ecommerce sales have shown further improvement against this backdrop.
“We continue to be acutely aware of the economic headwinds we will face for the remainder of the financial year, as input cost increases come into effect. We are also mindful that zero real wage growth will impact on consumer confidence. We will remain agile in our response to these market conditions.”


text:
Microsoft is bringing a new accessibility feature to its Xbox online stores. Starting soon with the Microsoft Store and expanding to its other platforms later, the company will now display tags with accessibility information next to games so that gamers know if a game has features they want. need before you make a purchase.
Xbox offers a lot for gamers with disabilities, including a specialized adaptive controller for people with limited mobility (although this product costs more than a regular Xbox controller, which is unfortunate). The new accessibility feature responds to the frustration of disabled gamers who often have to research this information on their own.
Accessible play – Tags – from a tag for games with subtitles or commented game menus – will deploy slowly as Microsoft collects player feedback. It wants to fine tune them to meet certain criteria – for example, a game with subtitles that cannot be resized would not meet the bar to include a subtitle tag. Game publishers themselves will be able to link to their websites where they describe accessibility features in more detail.
Adaptive technology in video games has exploded in recent years, as companies hope to make their games enjoyable for everyone and no one to feel left out. It’s a noble endeavor, but as this new feature highlights, there is still a long way to go.
Microsoft is hoping the beacon system will encourage more developers to build accessibility features into their games upfront rather than modernizing them.


text:
For the second instalment of ‘A Piece of Their Minds’, Charlotte Rawlings speaks to Faima Bakar, a lifestyle journalist turned freelancer and a staff writer for Journo Resources.
Long gone are the days when your Instagram feed was filled only with photos of your friend’s avocado-based brunch. Today’s Insta-crowd, which reached 800 million monthly users worldwide in September 2017, use the platform for everything from bringing about social change to serving up stand-up comedy in a couple of
Ever wondered what photos are stored in journalists’ phones and why they took them? We asked people in the industry to unlock their devices and share what they most recently snapped, regardless of whether or not it’s related to their job. Here’s XCity Plus’s preview – from technology editors to
Love them or hate them – as many prolific fashion industry professionals do – bloggers are the way of the future. Whether you think they are actual journalists is a matter of opinion, but their global influence is a force to be reckoned with and it would be foolish of


text:
DFITD Festim Halili addressed the conference “Artificial Intelligence and Human Rights: Search for the right balance between innovation and responsibility” organized by the Metamorphosis Foundation. Following the world processes and new digital trends, FITD published the first public call for a digital assistant based on artificial intelligence. The ADA is already available on the Fund’s website and provides necessary information on financial support instruments for companies and citizens.
#DFITD Halili emphasized that he is proud of the Macedonian companies that develop artificial intelligence and that, with the support of FITD, are conquering the domestic and global markets. #FITD supported this thriving industry with almost 800 thousand euros, while the companies themselves invested 370 thousand euros in the development of AI-based products and services.


text:
Japan's Canon said Tuesday that slumping demand for cameras took a bite out of its bottom line, as consumers increasingly turn to picture-taking smartphones.
The company also blamed sagging sales of its office printers in China and across Asia for a 19 percent decline in nine-month net profit to 151.3 billion yen ($127 million).
Canon cut its full-year forecast again, blaming stagnant sales of laser and ink jet printers as well as digital cameras in emerging economies in Asia.
But revenue in the latest period was 3.4 percent higher as office equipment demand in other markets held up.
The company said it now expects a net profit of 225 billion yen against its earlier estimate of 245 billion yen for the calendar year -- the second forecast cut in three months.
Canon and domestic rivals including Sony and Olympus have seen a big drop in sales of their digital imaging products as camera-equipped smartphone sales boom.
Name (required) *
E-mail (required, but will not be published) *
Notify me of follow-up comments
Edin Dzeko hit his ninth and 10th league goals of the season as Roma stayed in hot pursuit of leaders Juventus with…
The facade of the world's tallest building, the Burj Khalifa in the Gulf emirate of Dubai, was lit up in pink Thursday…
It took just seven days for "Wizard of Oz" nostalgics to raise more than $300,000 in a crowdfunding drive to restore Dorothy's…
Powered and Developed by FilmMatters
Copyright © 2016 Arabtoday


text:
Posts Tagged ‘orion’
3 CommentsPosted by Jon Martindale on February 18, 2016 under Virtual Reality
Although the big VR makers are working on hand-tracked controllers to allow us to bring our limbs into virtual worlds with us, Leap Motion has been developing a camera based solution and it's had some... more.
0 CommentsPosted by Jon Martindale on June 18, 2013 under Channel
While the shuttle project might be dead and it might be a few years yet until a new US based launch vehicle is ready to go, this hasn't stopped NASA recruiting its next generation of astronauts, picki... more.
2 CommentsPosted by Henry Butt on December 10, 2012 under Headphones, Highlights
Today we are going to look at the latest gaming headset from Asus, the Orion Pro. Like the models we’ve seen previously, this falls under the ‘Republic of Gamers’ brand. As a result, we ... more.
KitGuru FacebookLatest News
- UK politicians want to fine search engines for piracy... Filed under: Online
- Team Group now makes iPhone screen protectors and cables... Filed under: Accessories
- Integral Memory’s breakthrough SSD paves way for data centres to scale up... Filed under: SSD Drives
- Microsoft’s Win10 VR headsets bring prices down to $299... Filed under: Virtual Reality
- CM’s MasterPulse Pro offers exclusive Bass FX tech and 7.1 surround... Filed under: Headphones


text:
Amazon unveils a new Prime Air drone it says will deliver packages 'within months'
- Amazon revealed a new drone at its Re:Mars conference in Las Vegas on Wednesday.
- The new device can fly up to 15 miles, deliver packages up to five pounds, and get deliveries to customers within 30 minutes.
- Amazon says the new drone will be able to make deliveries within 30 minutes.
- First announced in 2013, Prime Air has since been developed in relative secret.
- For more stories, go to Business Insider SA.
Soon, Amazon customers may need to look to the sky to see their Amazon deliveries coming.
The company unveiled its newest drone model built for package delivery at its Re:MARS conference in Las Vegas.
The new model can fly up to 15 miles and deliver packages as heavy as five pounds. It takes off vertically, like a helicopter, but can fly like an airplane once airborne.
The drone, which does not have a name, will be piloted autonomously using an array of sensors. Customers can expect their deliveries within 30 minutes, the company said. It calls its drone delivery program Prime Air.
"With the help of our world-class fulfillment and delivery network, we expect to scale Prime Air both quickly and efficiently, delivering packages via drone to customers within months," Amazon's Jeff Wilke, Amazon's CEO of worldwide consumer, said in a blog post that accompanied the conference announcement.
Wilke also writes that sensors on the drone detect obstacles like wires, chimneys, and paragliders in real time, and, using machine learning and advanced artificial intelligence, it can avoid them.
Jeff Bezos first announced the Prime Air program in 2013, during an interview on CBS' "60 Minutes."
It had its first public test in 2016, in Cambridge, England, though Amazon's drones have gone through a few complete design overhauls in the past six years. Before Wednesday's announcement, it was not known when drone delivery would become a reality for Amazon.
UPS claimed to have beaten Amazon to the first revenue-generating drone delivery in the US in March. It is still unclear when exactly Amazon will make its first non-test, revenue-generating drone delivery in the US.
Receive a single WhatsApp every morning with all our latest news: click here.
Also from Business Insider South Africa:
- These are the 10 most expensive streets in Gauteng - and nine of them are in the same suburb
- South Africans can finally sell their stuff directly on Instagram – here’s howKFC is now selling fried chicken skin, but you'll have to go to Indonesia to get it
- South African homes keep losing value – and will keep getting cheaper in real terms for at least a couple of months
- It is now cheaper to rent a home in Gauteng and the Western Cape than a year ago – here are the average prices across SA
- FNB’s eBucks will soon give you 15% back on KFC meals - as long as you aren't too rich, or too poor


text:
This time it's personal: TelstraSuper software nudges $280m from members
Fitbit considers whether it should explore a sale
Cash counterfeiting now an online affair: Reserve Bank of Australia
Europe's top court to rule on 'right to be forgotten' Google case on September 24
Facebook suspends tens of thousands of apps in response to Cambridge Analytica scandal
Don't have an account? Register now!
Bankwest shifts to Windows 8
Big leap from XP.
Aug 19 2013 9:25AM
Why Microsoft is staying the Windows course
Opinion: Windows 8 obsession is misplaced.
Apr 25 2013 8:08AM
Review: Asus VivoTab RT
A laptop-tablet hybrid with a long battery life.
Dec 17 2012 7:00AM
Win 8 malware uses Google Docs to talk to C&C
Hits Windows Server 2012.
Nov 20 2012 10:14AM
USB stick-sploit makes anyone a Windows admin
Windows 7 affected.
Nov 13 2012 8:33AM
Samsung unveils first new Windows smartphone
Also plans new Galaxy Note.
Aug 30 2012 7:34AM
China blesses Google-Motorola marriage
Despite patent fears.
May 20 2012 7:08AM
Microsoft to drop 'free' upgrade to Windows 8
No free ride for recent Windows 7 computer buyers.
May 16 2012 6:49AM
Windows 8 RT tablets face minor market share
Expected by analysts to run distant third in huge tablet market.
May 4 2012 6:42AM
Microsoft nixes Nook tiff with Metro deal
Anti-Amazon deal paves way for international future?
May 1 2012 7:11AM
Android tablet sales skyrocket
iOS leads, Android grows, Windows 8 in the wings.
Apr 11 2012 7:00AM
Windows 8 to go on sale by October
Tablets in time for Santa.
Mar 21 2012 7:23AM
IE10 does the Metro desktop tango
Tablet devices to bring Windows 8 into the enterprise.
Mar 15 2012 7:22AM
Microsoft eyes remote access to sleepy PCs
Looks to address cloud trust deficit.
Feb 27 2012 12:59AM
Microsoft SkyDrive app to take on iCloud
DropBox doppelganger to come pre-integrated with Windows 8 apps.
Feb 21 2012 1:05PM
Microsoft details Windows on ARM
The price of power savings.
Feb 13 2012 7:02AM
Kinect for 500m Windows 7 PCs due February
Limited quantities set for Australia.
Jan 11 2012 7:51AM
Windows 8 offers picture-gesture password
More combinations and shorter length.
Dec 19 2011 1:57AM
Dell kills 7-inch Streak tablet
Vapourised by Fire.
Dec 7 2011 6:46AM
Android target puts Microsoft to regulator
Redmond's 'fair and reasonable' could be put to the test.
Nov 10 2011 6:56AM
Most popular tech stories
Millions of Australians' sensitive medical images, data left openly accessible
Google slams Aussie threat to 'directly intervene' on Android defaults
Getting bricked ... an unauthorised Lego retrospective of cyber games in Canberra
NBN Co floats "up to" gigabit speeds for $80 a month
CBA primes app for $10bn welfare payments clawback
Hey Google, why are you in bed with Telstra?
Microsoft makes major Azure price policy change
Microsoft's new service keeps Azure connections truly private
Telstra backdoors rivals with eSIM support
Oracle reveals complete partner program overhaul
How to recover deleted emails in Gmail
6 cloud accounting systems for Australian small businesses compared: MYOB, QuickBooks, Reckon, Saasu, Sage and Xero
Telstra supports eSIMs for new iPhones
How long will a UPS keep your computers on if the lights go out?
Telstra blocked 2.9 million scam calls in July
4th International Driverless Vehicle Summit to take place in Sydney next month
Melbourne to host Future Smart Mobility Summit to connect government, industry leaders
Virtual fences and cattle: how new tech could allow effective, sustainable land sharing
Fascinating IoT-related talks to see at CEBIT Australia this year
Telstra now supports eSIMs for wearables
Don't have an account? Register now!
Username / Email:
Forgot your password?


text:
NetOne is optimistic its OneMoney, a recently launched mobile money service, will fare much better than its predecessor OneWallet. The mobile network operator hopes to broaden its value-added services. This week, Zimbabwe Independent business reporter Tinashe Kairiza (TK) interviewed NetOne MD Brian Mutandiro. Below are excerpts:
TK: This year you launched a number of initiatives cutting across from mobile money to insurance and, from the look of it, NetOne is literally becoming the face of mobile services. Can you give an insight into the drivers behind these initiatives and the future of NetOne?
BM: The market is evolving and requires the company to be innovative and offer customers a diversified product offering that cuts across all their needs through one platform. In line with our tagline — The World In One — which is the key driver in our vision to provide sustainable communications solutions delivered with an edge, NetOne will continue to explore value-added services that will enhance the unique experiences of our customers and offer them an array of services through the mobile phone and at the click of a button. NetOne belongs to the people hence our products are affordable.
TK: You recently launched OneMoney which replaced OneWallet. How certain are you that you will make it riding on this platform given the failure of its predecessor OneWallet?
BM: As NetOne we have confidence that OneMoney will be indeed more successful than its predecessor OneWallet owing to our investment in a robust and highly scalable system that has been used successfully within the region i.e. The M-Pesa product. This platform is more stable and has the capacity to support high volumes of transactions seamlessly, therefore we are optimistic that OneMoney, coupled with its affordable tariffs, will not only carve a dent in the market, but is a solution that offers our customers value for their money. The usage has already increased and thousands of people are registering.
TK: Last year you indicated that plans were on course to launch a mobile money international platform in October. Give us an update on this and the challenges that have resulted in the delay of this product.
BM: As with any new initiative, it is prudent to test it on the local market first and harness its full potential locally before spreading our wings beyond our borders, whilst at the same time conducting the necessary due diligence in the targeted international markets to ensure that all critical issues, e.g. aligning to the various laws and compliance issues within the respective countries are finalised before extending our product internationally, so we are currently concentrating at home.
TK: There has been talk by government encouraging mobile telecommunications players to share infrastructure, does NetOne have any appetite for this initiative?
BM: In any industry you must abide by regulators hence we have no problem with that. NetOne has embraced this initiative and we have already made inroads towards this through synergies with other telecoms players and will continue to explore other areas of synergy moving forward.
TK: You recently slashed service tariffs. In light of this new development, do you think NetOne will remain competitive or will incur losses in the long run?
BM: We will remain competitive, our tariffs, along with other costs will continue to be reviewed in order to balance the need to offer affordable packages to our customers, whilst creating sustainable value for our stakeholders and driving business continuity.
TK: What is your outlook in terms of your subscriber base growth?
BM: As NetOne, growth in subscribers remains a critical focus area for us as we are yet to reach market saturation, and there are so many untapped opportunities which will come from unlocking underserved areas. Zimbabweans are migrating to our network and we are confident this will continue to rise exponentially.
TK: Do you have plans to launch new products in the short-term?
BM: We have launched a significant number of products over the past few months, and will continue to analyse the market for areas which we can plug, new trends etc, which will inform new product development as well as the enhancement of existing products. As I said during the beginning of the year, there is more to come — watch the space.
TK: Is NetOne in a position to meet the licensing regulations set by the regulator, particularly the licensing fee?
BM: NetOne takes regulatory issues seriously; therefore we will work towards complying with the requirements.
TK: What is your general comment on the mobile industry in Zimbabwe in light of the current economic situation?
BM: Generally, the mobile penetration in Zimbabwe has greatly improved over the years and the market at large has embraced mobile technology as well as its value-added services, which trend we should continue to see moving forward. Data usage has increased and One Fusion has played a significant role to this.
TK: There has been fierce competition in the sector among various service providers. Would you say the competition has been fair and healthy, and do you think that the regulator has done enough to ensure a level playing field?
BM: The regulator is doing well in creating a level playing field. We are happy that there is healthy completion as this encourages value addition through innovation and in the end it is the customer who benefits.
Fact File: Brian Mutandiro
— An economist by profession;
— Been the acting chief executive officer for NetOne since March 2016;
— Was appointed NetOne’s chief operating officer in early 2016;
— Appointed managing director of Almin Metal Industries in 2012;
— In 2006 he was the managing director of Chemco Holdings;
— In 2004, he was the business director of Delta Corporation (soft drinks division)
— Became strategic managing director of Innscor Africa (franchising division);
— Appointed managing director of Innscor Africa (franchising division) 2002;
— Planning manager for Coca-Cola Central Africa in 1996; and
— Appointed chief exectuive officer of the Postal and Telecommunications Corporation in 1999.


text:
This year’s Christmas will be a very different affair to normal, notably in the sense that there will be far fewer gatherings, and those that go ahead will be smaller and mostly in the family home.
The on-trade will be much more affected by this than the off trade; as a result, independent retailers can look forward to predicably robust sales of both alcoholic and soft drinks, as well as indulgent food and snacks, as people under various levels of lockdown try to treat themselves and enjoy as best they can the festive period indoors.
This year, more than ever, it is both the duty and the opportunity of the independent store-owner to communicate through display, range and merchandising, that Christmas can still be magical and memorable, despite the ravages of the pandemic on the nation’s social and family life.
During Christmas, sales of beer, wine and spirits always increase. Soft drinks also do well as they can be used as mixers, not to mention the increasing number of people who don’t drink alcohol at all and will happily consume soft drinks.
We temporarily forget waistline worries and indulge in delicious food and snacks at this time of the year – comfort-eating exists for a reason, and Christmas is permission to enjoy life’s little luxuries. This year, with money tight for many and recession on the horizon, purchases will be more of small but indulgent treats.
“When times are bad, consumers seek out luxuries, and speciality food certainly falls into this category. In light of recent events, this has certainly been true, and I would expect to see this trend continue throughout the year. In fact, I would expect some great spending on food at Christmas as consumers will have not been able to shop for a significant part of the year,” says Hargreaves of independent wholesaler Cotswold Fayre.
This is good news for independents, who can plot to take sales away from the supermarkets under the present conditions, which are overwhelmingly favourable to local shopping.
“It’s important for retailers to plan ahead and consider the type of products to stock for this year’s festivities. As retailers reap the benefits of new customers visiting their stores, they should look to maximise this footfall by seeking repeat purchase and consider stocking new and unusual festive products that consumers can’t find in supermarkets,” he adds.
Local retailers are this year’s shop-window on Christmas, and they should do their best to turn their stores into grottoes of cheer – colourful and welcoming, with offers and enticements:
“My advice,” Hargreaves concludes, “would be to create big, bold Christmas displays, think about complementary products and ranges, and get them on shelf nice and early to maximise sales! In recent years retailers stocking larger volumes of fewer lines seems to have resulted in better sales.”
Wine is fine, fizz is the biz
The Christmas period is incredibly valuable to wine sales, and it’s a huge opportunity for retailers to make the most of. Brands still remain important and are key to attracting people to the category, offering familiarity and trust.
“We see 1.5x more wine sales and a 2.75x increase in fizz sales during Christmas compared to the rest of the year– as well as new customers entering the category. We also see shoppers pay a premium for quality wine at Christmas with average price per litre four per cent higher than normal,” says Norbert Jozsa, Head of Category and Insight – Europe, at Accolade Wines who own Hardys and Jam Shed, among other best-selling brands.
“What’s more, still wine is the favourite drink to have with Christmas dinner and its therefore vital retailers look out for the latest promotions to amplify these in-store,” he adds.
So confident is Accolade of Yuletide promise and the quality of its own product, that it has announced a money-back guarantee running from 1 October to 31 December across all 75cl SKUs, with the offer advertised across 6.5m neck tags in the grocery, convenience, and wholesale channels.
The neck tags will make it clear the promotion is run by Hardys, not by the retailer and will also be supported by in-store POS, out-of-home advertising and social media. It demonstrates the sort of brand confidence the supplier is certain will boost consumer confidence in trying its products.
Ben Blake, Head of Marketing – Europe, at Treasury Wine Estates (TWE) is also certain of about “the brand effect” this year. “As we move into the winter months and the festive season commences, it is likely that consumers will want to connect more than ever with brands, particularly those that are adapting well to the new normal,” he says, and explains how the TWE Living Wine Labels app can drive consumer engagement.
“The app leverages augmented reality (AR) which, through the use of a smart phone, allows wine labels to come to life to tell the story of a brand. Currently, here in the UK the Living Wine Labels experiences include 19 Crimes, Wolf Blass, Matua, Squealing Pig, Lindeman’s Bins and Lindeman’s Gentleman’s Collection.”
The 19 Crimes brand has recently been augmented with “Sauv Block” and a new 1.5 ltr bag-in-box format that is proving incredibly popular, especially with youthful shoppers: “The bag-in-box category has recruited 40% more shoppers (+890K) than it has lost in the last two years, with new shoppers being much younger than those who have left.”
Leading wine producer and Chilean specialist Concha Y Toro, meanwhile, notes just how much extra wine is being consumed at home due to the pandemic. “Category volumes in July were estimated at 6.4 Million x 9 ltrcases ahead of where they would’ve been expected to be without the pandemic,” says Alex Price, Category and Insights Controller at CyT UK. “This unforecasted growth, if it continues, could potentially add up to another 4.9 million x 9 ltr cases by year end.”
“We are launching two festive bottles – Merry Malbec from Trivento, and Pinot Noel from Cono Sur,” announces Price. “These are the same market-leading wines (Trivento Reserve Malbec – the country’s best-selling Malbec, and Cono Sur Bicicleta Pinot Noir which is the best-selling Pinot Noir) but in fun festive packaging. Merry Malbec was hugely popular in last year’s festive season and we expect to see an even stronger uptake this year – in fact we have doubled the amount of festive bottles produced.”
And keeping in the Christmas spirit, Jam Shed – the UK’s fastest growing top-50 wine brand –is bringing back its mulled wine recipe neck tags, available on its Shiraz product in grocery, convenience, and wholesale.
“Last year’s campaign was a huge success and we’ll be supporting again this year with instore and digital activity, including online recipe videos to follow at home,” says Jozsa.
Speaking of keeping in the Christmas spirit, retailers can expects the sales of liquor – and especially premium liquor – to raise the height of the roof this festive season. Whether as gifts or self-medication, spirits are an affordable luxury that coincides perfectly with Christmas giving, and thinking what to get Dad (or Mum).
In addition, this year has been a festival of cocktail-making, as workers from home apparently decided to become experts in the comfort of their own kitchens while the pubs and bars were shut. Charlotte Rann, Director of Impulse & RTM, UK & Ireland at Bacardi, points out that Total Spirits is worth £1.8bn in the UK convenience channel, and is growing+15 per cent, due in no small part to the coronavirus crisis.
It is expected that sales of ingredients will remain buoyant over the festive season as new skills are practiced to impress.
Paul Hargreaves sees big sales ahead for niche liqueurs and premium spirit products: “I’ve long been a believer that the gin bubble is ready to burst,and we’ve seen signs of this in 2020 as sales start to slow,” he says.“For this Christmas I expect Rum to continue to drive sales, and more unusual spirits and flavours to enter the market. Take for example Penningtons range featuring flavoured liqueurs including Gingerbread, Bakewell Gin and Kendal Mint, Keepr’s Honey Rum or Espresso Vodka, and Aluna Coconut Rum.”
His argument is for discovering profit and margin in having a wider range than perhaps would be usual, as consumers are in the mood to try out new tastes – always remembering that during the pandemic we have discovered more than ever that that brand is king.
“There’s a massive untapped opportunity for independent retailers when it comes to Christmas drinks – this year, more than ever before,” says Rann. “We believe people will be thinking about Christmas earlier than ever and looking to treat themselves and their loved ones to premium spirits like Grey Goose and Bombay Sapphire.”
She also believes that RTDs are going to be a big thing this year. “Interestingly, we’ve also seen ready-to-drinks experience a real leap in convenience and independent retailers in the last year 90 per cent of RTDs are currently purchased to enjoy at home as people look for convenient, hygienic ways to serve cocktails for guests, it’s a definite must-stock for the festive season and beyond,” she concludes.
Bacardi is surfing both the gin and rum waves: “Bombay Bramble is one of our newest launches, and a key focus for us as we enter the gifting and holiday season,” says Rann. “We’ve also recently launched Bacardí Spiced in the UK. Warming spiced flavours are always really popular during the festive period, so it’s perfectly positioned to tap into this trend.”
Over at Campari UK, Marketing Director Nick Williamson says they are expecting shoppers to want to treat themselves to help make Christmas specially special this year. “Demand for premium seasonal options can begin as early as mid-October,” he says, “meaning retailers should look to stock up now to capitalise on shoppers looking to prepare for the festive season.”
Aperol has been on of the big hits of the cocktail craze and Williamson’s tip is to stock accordingly for a citrus-flavoured Yule: “There is huge potential for impulse purchases of both Aperol and prosecco by displaying the ingredients together – with further opportunity to boost spend if merchandised alongside soda and oranges,” he advises, pointing out that 42 per cent of shoppers look to be inspired by recipe ideas in-store.
Beer of good cheer
Jess Markowski, who is Convenience Sales Director at Budweiser Brewing Group UK&I, knows more than most people what beer sells when in the independent channel. She says the Christmas period is consistently one of the key sales periods for the beer category in the Off-Trade – with sales over indexing in the last two weeks of 2019, compared to the year before. Imagine what it will be like this year.
“Optimising beer selection should therefore be a particular festive focus for retailers,” Markowski says. “Stella Artois is consistently the number one alcohol brand at Christmas, making it a stand-out choice for independents when stocking up during the festive season. The Artois Brewery crafted this festive beer in 1926 as a Christmas gift to the people of Leuven. That special batch was the first to officially include the name “Stella” – meaning star in Latin – and the brand now continues to pay homage to its Christmas heritage with the iconic star design on each bottle.” Who knew that it was the original Christmas brew?
2019 was a win for World Beer, too, she says, “Retailers can expect a similar trend this year.Corona is the number one world lager in the Off-Trade by value, growing 11 per cent YOY, so is a great premium choice for stores looking to tap into this category.”
Nigel McNally, MD of Brookfield drinks, agrees: “World beer is one of the star performers within the beer category, growing at +14 per cent YOY. In 2019, World Beer grew by £112m, driven by shoppers buying more world beer or adding world beer on top of their existing beer repertoire.” Brookfield distributes Super Bock, the no.1 best-selling Portuguese beer, which is guaranteed to gift retailer’s maximum sales this Christmas, says McNally.
The alcohol category grew almost four per cent over the festive period last year, and Markowski says that aligning cross-category products in-store helps inspire consumers to pick up items that may not have been on their shopping list. That fits perfectly with the self-treating and luxury picking element of Christmas spending, and can be encouraged through in-store display: “For example, pairing Stella Artois alongside buffet favourites such as charcuterie and cheese that complement its Belgian heritage.”
As well as bigger sales, bigger pack sizes are in demand over the festive season and mid-large packs see strong gains, with sales of bulk packs rising four per cent and mid-sized formats by 10 per cent. “Single and smaller beer formats, however, start to over index straight after New Year celebrations last year,” says Markowski – not so much a sign of sore heads as a signal that the get-togethers have been and gone.
But now is the time to stock more and bigger: The pint cans format has been growing in popularity with 60 per cent of consumers now only buying 4x568ml can format, with sales of the 4x568ml format growing by £36 million last year. “To help retailers make the most of the value opportunity this brings, we have moved away from 500ml cans to focus on the 568ml format.” (Super Bock is a best-seller in the even bigger 660 ml format.) And don’t forget No and Low alcohol, or “NabLab” as it is becoming known.
Brookfield’s’s Kestrel lager and Diamond Cider are also set to be Christmas favourites; their extended and special brewing processes and special ingredients – Kestrel has a 9-stage brewing process and longer-than-usual 7-day fermentation period, and Diamond is triple-filtered, just like the best vodkas are – recommends them as special purchases suitable to the season, alongside its value offerings of Black Star and White Star cider – the latter of which is enjoying 7.4 per cent YoY sales growth.
McNally also recommends pairings as an aid to sales: “In terms of craft beers such as Kestrel, the perfect pairing would be items such as nuts, crisps, cheese, or ready meals such as curry. These are also hugely popular items which people will be looking to purchase around the festive season.
Christmas cider is truly a thing: Brothers Drinks are showing a marvellous originality with their premium, seasonally flavoured and spiced winter offerings. Senior Marketing Manager Nicola Randall notes that “Consumers have already adapted to creating occasions and quality experiences at, so the alcohol they purchase this Christmas is likely to be more premium to reflect that trend.”
Brothers has a range of warm mulled recipes on its website, such as the Spiced Toffee Apple Winter Warmer, made with Brothers Toffee Apple variant. Retailers can use this and encourage additional purchases by displaying ingredients for mulled recipes together in-store.
Festive soft drink winners
Either as mixers for the cocktail crowd or as refreshing drinks in their own right for both adults and children, no independent retailer will need to be told about the importance of stocking the right soft drinks year-round – and especially at Christmas.
Amy Burgess, Senior Trade Communications Manager at Coca-Cola European Partners (CCEP), says that soft drinks sales grew by nearly four per cent over the Christmas period last year and, “With an estimated 6.1 million people now choosing not to consume alcohol, it’s more important than ever for retailers to ensure they invest in their soft drinks offering.”
In a sense Coca-Cola captured Christmas when it first gave Santa a bottle of Coke back in the 1930s. “As we do every year, Coca-Cola will have a strong Christmas plan in 2020, consisting of limited editions, on-pack festive graphics and consumer marketing, to support retailers and help give the nation a well-deserved, special Christmas to remember,” says Burgess.
With nearly one in five people – especially the younger generations – now eschewing alcohol, it is vitally important to get the soft drinks option straight. “Key segments at Christmas include Cola, Mixers and premium Adult Soft Drinks,” she says. “This includes the Coca-Cola range – Coca-Cola zero sugar, Coca-Cola original taste and Diet Coke – which has long-been synonymous with Christmas.”
Adult soft drinks such as Appletiser can offer a sophisticated non-alcoholic refreshment option, when others may be having beer, wine or cocktails. “Adult soft drinks are particularly popular with consumers around this time of year, and Appletiser is no exception, increasing in value by just over 11 per cent during December 2019,” says Burgess.
’Tis the season for snacking
With all the drinking going on, there is also a need for snacks. As PepsiCo’s Wholesale Trading Director, Matt Goddard, says, “Christmas presents a huge opportunity for retailers to increase basket spend in-store, especially within the savoury snacks category, as crisps are a popular convenient option for shoppers to enjoy.
Matt’s analysis is that the prospect of selling more snacks through convenience than multiples this season is very good, for reasons that have emerged through the pandemic period.
“The traditional basket of a convenience retailer has changed. Single serve products are in decline, but sharing and multi-packs are increasing. This change in behaviour has helped drive growth within the convenience channel, with sales up by eight per cent this year,” he says. “As Christmas approaches, we believe it’s likely that shoppers will continue to shop for their favourite snacks at their local stores.”
He says there is a great opportunity for retailers to offer families extra excitement with new formats and big flavours, that can bring plenty of enjoyment to their Christmas. He especially recommends the new Doritos Stax in light of its recent big launch: “Shoppers want to be excited when purchasing from the savoury snacks category, so it is important that retailers offer new formats and flavours, such as Doritos Stax, to their existing savoury snacks offering.
They’re available in three flavours: Ultimate Cheese, Sour Cream & Onion, Mexican Chilli Salsa, and all come a recyclable triangular tube. Likewise look out for the new Wotsits flavours of Flamin’ Hot and Sizzling Steak, which have already proven popular, showing £4.1 Million RSV growth since their launch this year.
And don’t forget the Bombay Mix! To help retailers get the most out of the festive period, Cofresh now offers a wide range of “taste adventure” snacks including its traditional Asian Mixes and potato-based “Grills” ranges. Latest flavours include the new Khatta Meetha and Chilli & Lemon Bombay Mix, the ever-popular Corn Crackers and Peri Peri, Chilli & Cheese and Sweet Chilli Grills, all of which go so well with Christmas drinks.
Cofresh is taking Christmas very seriously, and its snacks are now available in a range of pack sizes, including share bags, while extensive retailer support such as distinctive SRPs, FSDUs, gondola ends, POS material and instore promotional activity, help drive footfall to the fixtures.
But savoury snacks are just part of the Christmas sideboard offering. Burton’s Biscuit Company’s marketing director, Kate Needham, reminds us that seasonal biscuits are also a major opportunity for convenience retailers. Traditional Christmas packs of shortbread biscuits, such as Burton’s-owned Paterson’s Shortbread are a sure bet for retail success. Paterson’s is the nation’s favourite shortbread brand with an impressive 51.4 per cent brand share, and a must stock for retailers this Christmas.
Things get even sweeter when we move onto cake offerings – another indispensable aspect of Christmas fare. Claire Hooper, Head of Marketing – Cake, at pladis UK&I, tells us that “Seasonal events with mass appeal are a great way to inject some novelty in store and encourage shoppers to make impulse purchases. This is particularly important for cake, as it is a more impulsive buy than other sweet snacks.”
Perhaps the ultimate self-treat (even if the excuse is that everybody will share them) cakes are a great sales opportunity as the festive season approaches, and pladis is aiming straight at it.
“This Christmas, we’re excited to be launching McVitie’s Jaffa Cakes Festive Orange Yule Logs, inspired by the festive season and driven by the popularity of the nation’s favourite cake bar, McVitie’s Jaffa Cake Bars – now worth £7 million,” says Hooper. “As Britain’s biggest Cake Bar brand, this seasonal offer from McVitie’s will offer shoppers some familiarity, whilst helping independent retailers add some novelty to their in-store range.”
She believes that the traditional Christmas indulgence will find even more justification this year after all the country has been through.
“McVitie’s Moments Brownies – our most luxurious launch yet – is particularly well-suited to the indulgence trend. As the category’s first fully enrobed chocolate brownie, McVitie’s Moments Brownies provide retailers with an opportunity to maximise sales during the festive period.”
There is also the ultimate secret weapon: “We’ve launched McVitie’s Santa Snacks Chocolate Cake Bars with fun, festive packaging – which poses the question: ‘Who will you leave one out for?’ – and a novelty on-pack design which offers shoppers ‘One for Santa’, ‘One for Rudolph’ and ‘One for the Elf’, we’re confident that McVitie’s Santa Snacks Chocolate Cake Bars will drive excitement among the young, and young-at-heart, nationwide.”
Christmas dinner of course takes care of itself, but for the many other eating occasions surrounding the main festive event, all involving drinks and snacks, the hot dishes and cheese boards with bread are also a great source of sales for independents – again, more so this year than before, with the combination of impulse and local shopping up across the channel at the expense of the larger supermarkets.
“With Christmas being a time of year when people host family and friends, retailers need to offer a range of seasonal treats,” says St Pierre Groupe founder Paul Baker.“It is a time for food and treating ourselves, and one category that always performs well during this period is bread and bakery.”
He reminds us that running out of bread at any time of year is a concern for many households, but it’s even more important at Christmas when shoppers will have to plan for the family. “The Baker Street fresher-for-longer range meets the needs of these consumers who want to be sure they don’t run out of bread at a critical time but are also worried about food waste,” says Baker.
Baker Street’s extensive bread and bakery range guarantees a minimum life of 35 days from delivery to depot and helps retailers ensure on-shelf availability whilst reducing wastage, maximising further sales. Likewise the aroma of fresh bread is irresistible, especially with the family gathered for Christmas: The Paul Hollywood Ready to Bake range offers consumers the opportunity to enjoy premium, freshly baked bread conveniently, straight from the cupboard. The range includes Crusty Rolls, Rustic Rolls and Multi-Seed Rolls.
Baker points out that with restaurants and cafes subject to lockdowns and curfews, having such items at home as long-like All Butter Croissants for breakfast and St Pierre brioches is a great advantage, as well as being “an ideal base for a gourmet leftover turkey bap to enjoy on Boxing Day.”
Cheese and wine go together like – well, cheese and wine, and one of the best, no doubt spread on the freshly-baked Paul Hollywood rolls, is Boursin, a great Christmas favourite.
“With particularly strong affinity with the cheeseboard occasion at Christmas, worth £3.3m in the month of December alone, Boursin is a must-stock brand that will attract incremental as well as loyal customers to the cheese fixture through the festive period and beyond,” says Celina Leroyer, Senior Brand Manager.
Boursin has a big new Christmas campaign that will build on the great success Boursin has enjoyed during the lockdown period, when shoppers increasingly turned to it as a convenience-bought take-home snack, which has seen brand growth accelerating almost 30 per cent, making Boursin, the No.1 Indulgence cheese brand.
Other cheeseboard essentials include the Président brand by Lactalis. “Premium cheeses, like Président Brie and Président Camembert, are must-stocks during the Christmas period as consumers often look to upgrade from their usual purchases and opt for products that offer simple indulgence,” saysHeloise Le Norcy-Trott, Group Marketing & Category Director for Lactalis UK & Ireland.
Ideal for cheese boards, these products were best-sellers throughout the festive season last year, growing by + 69 per cent and + 121 per cent.
Le Norcy-Trott also brings attention to the trend for baking cheeses, into which crudites (or even Doritos) may be tastily dipped. The sector is currently enjoying outrageous growth of 176 per cent – perhaps because hot cheese bridges the gap between snacks and a formal, sit-down meal, allowing the party atmosphere to linger while also taking in some serious nutrition.
It is good times for cheese, which, as Le Norcy-Trott points out, have benefitted from lockdown as consumers started seeking out small yet affordable luxuries.
Added to cheese delights might be a perfect basket of McCain French Fries or Home Chips to go along with the beer and cocktails.
And when finally Christmas dinner is served, McCain can again be on the centre of the plate. Convenience stores have seen an upsurge in frozen sales and McCain’s Roasts are the ultimate fluffy roast potato – bound to be in big demand this festive season.
“McCain pride themselves on offering the perfect roasts whether it’s for a Sunday roast, Christmas dinner or special family celebration during the winter months,” says Naomi Tinkler, McCain Category Controller.“With more consumers spending more time at home and cooking meals this creates more opportunities for shoppers to cook a full roast dinner with all the trimmings, especially at Christmas.”
She says McCain baste their Roasts just like consumers do at home, rather than batter them, which tends to be the industry norm,and this allows McCain Roasts to have the authentic homemade taste. It also perhaps helps to explain the four per cent rise in independent sales of Roasts this year. (Plus, of course, they are a great shortcut that shoppers can be sure will turn out perfectly every time.)
No matter how hard the year has been, there is a lot to look forward to this Christmas. Being present with those close to us will feel more precious than ever, and with such a great range of food, drinks and snacks to help the occasion along, the country will perhaps finally begin to feel that things are getting back to normal again.


text:
Squire Sanders lawyers Simon Garbett and Emma Birch have authored “Location, Location, Location: Growing the European Automotive Supply Chain”, an article published in Supply Chain Europe in April 2013.
While the automotive supply chain in Europe has undoubtedly suffered in the economic downturn, the last 12 months have seen considerable investment in plants across the continent, from the UK through Emerging Europe to Russia, and there is clear indication from Original Equipment Manufacturers of a willingness to bring their sourcing closer to home. This trend brings huge potential for further investment, job growth and expansion of the supply chain.
The authors look at lessons from the past and good business practice, including effective contracts, to suggest how manufacturers might build more sustainable supply chains and take advantage of growth opportunities.
The article is available to read online.
This article was published with the permission of Supply Chain Europe.


text:
Apple loves to enter new markets with something different and iOS 6 might be doing just that with a foray into travel, which could potentially change the way you check in at an airport if Apple ends up having their way.
Apple’s iPhone 5 event is due to start on Wednesday, but we have already heard of another major reveal that will be part of Apple’s iOS 6 presentation. A new feature called Passbook is on the way and it will allow you to utilize NFC technology that will be equipped on the iPhone 5, to bring up boarding passes on your phone, eliminating the need for paper e-ticket searching forever.
Furthermore, Passbook is going to be set up in a way that it will be time and location sensitive as well, meaning that you’ll get on screen notifications if a gate time changes for example, or if a flight is delayed so you can make alternative arrangements straight away.
Passbook won’t be limited to just flights though, as we’re hearing that Apple is going to partner with major movie outlets as well so you can use passbook to bring up your movie tickets straight away and walk straight to your seat without any hassle. There’s one thing introducing a new feature for consumers, but another if you already have the backing of major companies who have already lended their support.
Information revealed by 9to5Mac suggests that United Airlines and Virgin Australia have already put their weight behind Apple’s new Passbook system, and if Apple have their way – we could see a new level of domination akin to what Apple achieved in the music industry with the iPod.
It would be fantastic if these airlines already have plans to set up separate lines in place for those that plan to scan their way through checking systems using Passbook with iOS 6. We can definitely see this being a hit with consumers and with deep integration with NFC, it could end up working with a variety of other digital services as well.
Do you like the sound of Passbook for the iPhone 5? We have a feeling that Apple may make this an iPhone 5 exclusive feature like they did with Siri for the 4S at launch, but that wouldn’t be a problem for you right? It’s yet another new feature that has been exposed prior to Apple’s event, but we can’t wait to see what Passbook can do nevertheless. Not long to go now folks.
*Identifying Monetised Links - outgoing links that we monetise are marked with an '*' symbol.


text:
Sony apologizes for PS5 preorders mess, promises more stock over ‘next few days’
- “We truly apologize for that.” Preorders for the new PS5 console began on Wednesday, a day earlier than Sony had said retailers would take orders.
- Amazon also started warning customers yesterday that some of its PS5 preorders might arrive after launch day, most likely because the retailer doesn’t know exactly how many units it will receive.
- Eric Lempel, PlayStation worldwide marketing head, had also previously promised “it’s safe to say, we’ll let you know when pre-orders will happen.
- It’s not going to happen with a minute’s notice.” Sony tweeted on Wednesday that preorders were starting on Thursday, and then two hours later Walmart kicked off its PS5 preorders.
- We’ll share PS5 preorder details as soon as we get them from retailers, but if you’re interested in ordering Sony’s next-gen console then we’ve rounded up links to the PS5 at all of the US retailers right here.
Judge throws out defamation case against Tesla by former employee
- A judge in Nevada has dismissed a defamation case by a former Tesla employee, who claimed the company spread a false rumor about him after he admitted leaking internal company information to a reporter in 2018.
- Tesla argues in court documents that former employee Martin Tripp violated trade secrets and computer crimes laws when he told a Business Insider reporter that Tesla was wasting a significant amount of raw materials during production of its Model 3.
- He was fired, and Tesla filed a lawsuit claiming he had “unlawfully hacked the company’s confidential and trade secret information.” Tesla CEO Elon Musk emailed Tesla staff telling them an employee had tried to “sabotage” company operations.
- Musk then reportedly emailed a reporter at The Guardian telling them a tipster had contacted Tesla to say that Tripp might “come back and shoot people,” at the Nevada Gigafactory.
Texas police officer indicted in shooting death of woman struck when he fired shots at an unrestrained dog
- The Tarrant County grand jury indicted former Arlington, Texas, police officer Ravinder Singh on Wednesday on a charge of criminally negligent homicide for the shooting death of Margarita Brooks in August of 2019, according to a press release from the Criminal District Attorney's Office for Tarrant County.
- The fatal shooting occurred on August 1, 2019, when Singh responded to a call for an unconscious woman, later identified as Margarita Brooks, and an off-leash dog approached him, according to previously issued press releases from Arlington Police.
- In a press release issued on the same day as the shooting, Arlington Police said that the woman was transported to a local hospital where she was later pronounced deceased.
- In November of 2019, Singh resigned from the Arlington Police Department, a press release from the department said.
Pelosi says lawmakers 'very close' to stop-gap funding deal, but key sticking points remain
- Washington (CNN) - House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said on Friday that lawmakers are "very close" to a stop-gap funding announcement to avert a government shutdown.
- But, behind the scenes, bipartisan discussions are at an impasse as disagreements over the length of the spending bill as well as partisan fights over election security money, the census and funding for a farm loan program remain key sticking points.
- GOP and Democratic aides familiar with negotiations said it is still possible that a bipartisan deal could still come together later Friday, but noted that it would be a heavy lift at this point.
- One option is that House Democrats could introduce their own continuing resolution later today, but a Democratic aide cautioned that the goal at this point is to still iron out a bipartisan deal.
US plans to restrict access to TikTok and WeChat on Sunday
- Washington (CNN Business) - The Commerce Department plans to restrict access to TikTok and WeChat on Sunday as the Trump administration's executive orders against the two apps are set to take effect.
- The Department said Friday that as of Sunday, any moves to distribute or maintain WeChat or TikTok on an app store will be prohibited.
- In addition, the Department said, it will be illegal to host or transfer internet traffic associated with WeChat beginning Sunday.
- The same will be true for TikTok as of Nov. 12, it said.
- Further restrictions could still be announced later, including against other apps if they are seen to be used as workarounds.
Nintendo Direct Mini. the biggest announcements and trailers
- Nintendo recently revealed a huge slate of Mario games coming to the Switch (and one Zelda spinoff), but today, the company put the focus on some of the third-party titles that will help fill out the console’s lineup.
- The event included some big-name publishers like Capcom and Square Enix, though many of the games won’t hit the Switch until next year.
- The gorgeous 2D platformer Ori and the Will of the Wisps is coming to the Switch — and it’ll be available later today.
- Capcom announced a pair of brand-new Monster Hunter games.
- It will, of course, have lots of new monsters, and it’s coming to the Switch on March 26th, 2021.
- The Rune Factory series is essentially a cross between farming games like Harvest Moon or Stardew Valley, with an action roleplaying game filled with magic and monsters.
He Invented the Rubik’s Cube. He’s Still Learning From It
- When Rubik finally did it, after weeks of frustration, he was overcome by “a great sense of accomplishment and utter relief.” Looking back, he realizes the new generation of “speedcubers” — Yusheng Du of China set the world record of 3.47 seconds in 2018 — might not be impressed.
- He sat in his living room, in a home he designed himself, in front of a bookshelf full of science fiction titles — his favorites include works by Isaac Asimov and the Polish writer Stanisław Lem. He speaks about the cube as if it’s his child.
- Rubik got a contract at an American company, Ideal Toy, which wanted one million cubes to sell overseas.
- Rubik started his own design studio in Hungary and began to work on new projects and revive abandoned ones, including puzzles called the Snake and Rubik’s Tangle.
Emily Ratajkowski on Reclaiming Her Own Image
- The gallerist said we might want to take a look at its upcoming show of Richard Prince’s “Instagram Paintings.” The “paintings” were actually just images of Instagram posts, on which the artist had commented from his account, printed on oversize canvases.
- Still, I make my living off posing for photographs, and it felt strange that a big-time, fancy artist worth a lot more money than I am should be able to snatch one of my Instagram posts and sell it as his own.
- It seemed strange to me that he or I should have to buy back a picture of myself — especially one I had posted on Instagram, which up until then had felt like the only place where I could control how I present myself to the world, a shrine to my autonomy.
The cryptocurrency moment
- What if we used digital tokens and blockchain technology to force government officials to automatically act on campaign promises under certain pre-agreed conditions?
- One potentially important proposal is to enable companies and individuals to transform carbon credits into digital tokens that can be traded on an exchange or converted into cryptocurrency, or to help homeowners sell their excess solar power without the cumbersome paperwork involved in dealing with their local utility.
- Besides citizen services, intellectual property, and tackling climate change, digital tokens with both use and exchange value could provide a system for tracing guns, protecting endangered species and certifying the origin of diamonds, among many other applications.
- For digital tokens to become widely used, people need to receive some immediate benefit (like ease of use or a reduced cost per transaction) in addition to the long-term benefit to everyone in society (a reduction in carbon emissions).
National Museum buys Trevor Kennedy's 'epic' Australiana collection
- Sydney businessman Trevor Kennedy's eclectic collection of Australiana art and artefacts – once almost shipped to a Singaporean collector who was prepared to pay $20 million for it – is considered one of, if not the most important private holding of its kind.
- Now, the bulk of this precious assemblage of 5000 or so pieces is safely ensconced at Canberra's National Museum of Australia, with the remainder of his collection due to go under the auctioneer's hammer later this year.
- The deal also closes a 10-year conversation that the NMA had been having with Kennedy (now aged 78) about ensuring his collection was placed in protected hands, to be enjoyed by the general public for decades to come.
- Kangaroos from Trevor Kennedy's collection will be on display at the National Museum of Australia.


text:
By Michael Keller
Bitcoin’s astronomical surge in valuation was one of the defining digital trends of 2020. Valued at around $8,500 at the beginning of March of last year, the cryptocurrency is now, as of March 9, 2021, trading above $50,000. Its market capitalization—which, in the crypto space, is calculated by multiplying coins in circulation by their constituent valuation—has recently surpassed $1 trillion for the second time.
The meteoric rise of Bitcoin has captured the fascination of retail and institutional investors alike. More and more individuals are opening up trading accounts on a number of different crypto exchanges. Institutional investors are also increasingly drawn to this digital asset. For example, more than three Bitcoin-centric exchange-traded funds have been announced in recent months. Perhaps more notably, Tesla purchased $1.5 billion worth of Bitcoin in January of this year, and the company plans on using the technology as a medium of exchange at some indefinite point in the future. And Bitcoin’s success is hardly an anomaly. If anything, it serves as a bellwether for the continued impact that cryptocurrency and the underlying blockchain technology will have on the global financial landscape.
The potential benefits of cryptocurrency are undeniable: decentralization, confidentiality, financial autonomy, accessibility, low transactional friction, and so on. This developing technology is not without its drawbacks, however. Among the most frequent criticisms is that cryptocurrency (as an asset class) is extremely speculative and is therefore subject to a high degree of volatility. Thefts, hacks, and frauds also remain a significant issue in the crypto space. Critics point out that these problems undermine its utility as an alternative or reserve currency.
There are also a number of negative externalities associated with the technology. For example, the environmental impact of Bitcoin mining is staggering. Total power consumption, according to one index, is comparable to that of Chile. On the criminal front, it has, to a certain extent, facilitated organized crime and money laundering.
Regardless of its perceived advantages and disadvantages, it appears that, for now, cryptocurrency has entered the mainstream. Yet, the proliferation and growing ubiquity of this digital asset has created a regulatory headache for governments. Cryptocurrency’s unique characteristics make effective, comprehensive regulation a difficult task. The inconsistent and fragmented regulatory regimes around the world highlight the extent to which governments have struggled with this task.
In recent years, many have speculated as to how the Russian government may try to regulate this technology, especially given the staggering volume of cryptocurrency trading in the country. With the passage of Federal Law No. 259-FZ on Digital Financial Assets and Digital Currencies in July of last year, the Russian government clarified its stance—at least in part—on digital currencies. The law, which went into effect on January 1, 2021, essentially regulates the “issuance, recording, and circulation of digital financial assets (DFAs).”
While the new law effectively legalizes cryptocurrency, it also sharply circumscribes its functionality. For one, Russian citizens are not able to receive cryptocurrency as payment for goods, work, or service. Cryptocurrency is also not considered to be legal tender in Russia, and is therefore not recognized as a monetary unit by the government.
In addition to these restrictions on use, the law also makes clear that Russian banks and exchanges must register with the Bank of Russia to become an exchange operator of digital financial assets. New digital currencies can also be issued by these exchange operators, but, again, only with the consent of the Bank of Russia.
It appears that this law was a mere overture, as additional regulations appear to be forthcoming. One bill currently being considered—Bill No. 1065710-7—would amend the Russian tax code to incorporate the DFAs. The bill provides that cryptocurrencies would be treated as property for tax purposes. Users of cryptocurrencies will be required to file a declaration if cryptocurrency transactions exceed 600,000 rubles a year (roughly $8,100). Failure to declare receipts or pay property taxes can result in fines.
Despite these restrictions, the decision to legalize cryptocurrency came as a surprise to some observers, especially in light of past rhetoric from the Bank of Russia. As recently as last year, bank officials warned of a potential ban on its use, citing fears of financial instability and criminal activity. It appears, however, that the allure of cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology overcame these initial trepidations.
One has to wonder what the underlying rationale was for this legislation. On the one hand, there are—in a broad sense—some very legitimate reasons for enacting legislation of this nature. The bank officials’ fears about crime and financial instability are undoubtedly warranted. Providing comprehensive legislation for managing and regulating this technology is certainly one way to address these fears. It also goes without saying that cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology are revolutionizing the financial industry. This new legislative framework will likely help the Russian government manage crypto-related developments in the country.
On the other hand, it is certainly possible that more nefarious motivations drove the effort to pass sweeping cryptocurrency regulation. When read in combination with the Russia Sovereign Internet Law, it seems like another blatant attempt tighten its grip on digital activity within the country. Cryptocurrency has also proven to be a boon to Russian opposition, as it allows them to operate outside the ambit of state control. This is particularly apparent in the case of Alexei Navalny, whose assets have been repeatedly frozen by Russian authorities. An enhanced monitoring regime may ultimately limit the utility of cryptocurrency as a viable workaround.
With that said, the reality is that this legislation was likely motivated by an amalgam of different concerns and interests. Regardless, the new monitoring and enforcement regime may reduce the appeal of cryptocurrencies in Russia, especially given the technology’s emphasis on privacy and decentralization.
It is unclear exactly how the Russian government plans on amending and updating the legislation in the coming months and years. It is even more unclear how the technology will develop under the new legislative framework. What is clear, however, is that this law represents yet another heavy-handed attempt by the government to exert its control on the digital world.
 Bitcoin Price Index and Live Chart, Coindesk, https://www.coindesk.com/price/bitcoin.
 See Isabelle Lee, Bitcoin Reclaims $1 Trillion Market Cap As Support for the Cryptocurrency Builds Among Major Players, Business Insider, https://www.businessinsider.com/bitcoin-price-market-cap-reclaims-1-trillion-ether-cryptocurrency-2021-3.
 Harry Robertson, The Estimated Number of Global Crypto Users Has Passed 100 Million, Business Insider, https://markets.businessinsider.com/currencies/news/crypto-users-pass-100-million-boomers-gen-x-bitcoin-btc-ethereum-2021-2-1030122720.
 Kevin Helms, 3 Bitcoin ETFs Have Been Approved in North America, Bitcoin.com, https://news.bitcoin.com/3-bitcoin-etfs-approved-north-america/.
 Steve Kovach, Tesla Buys $1.5 Billion in Bitcoin, Plans to Accept It As Payment, CNBC, https://www.cnbc.com/2021/02/08/tesla-buys-1point5-billion-in-bitcoin.html.
 See, e.g., Nathan Reiff, What Are the Advantages of Paying with Bitcoin, Investopedia, https://www.investopedia.com/ask/answers/100314/what-are-advantages-paying-bitcoin.asp; Advantages of Cryptocurrency, Finjan Cybersecurity, https://blog.finjan.com/advantages-of-cryptocurrency/.
 Sofiane Boukhalifa, What Are the Disadvantages of Cryptocurrencies?, Prescouter, https://www.prescouter.com/2019/11/disadvantages-of-cryptocurrencies/.
 See id.
 See Cryptocurrency Crime and Anti-Money Laundering Report, February 2021, CipherTrace, [hereinafter Cryptocurrency Report], https://ciphertrace.com/2020-year-end-cryptocurrency-crime-and-anti-money-laundering-report/.
 Andrew Singer, Bitcoin As A Last Resort? Murmurs of Crypto As Reserve Currency Abound, Cointelegraph, https://cointelegraph.com/news/bitcoin-as-a-last-resort-murmurs-of-crypto-as-reserve-currency-abound.
 Bitcoin Energy Consumption Index, Digiconomist, https://digiconomist.net/bitcoin-energy-consumption.
 See Cryptocurrency Report, supra note 9.
 Bitcoin Trading Volume on Online Exchanges in Various Countries Worldwide in 2020, Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1195753/bitcoin-trading-selected-countries/.
 Iana Fremer, Russian Federation: New Bill Defines Cryptocurrency, Proposes Tax Regulations, Global Legal Monitor, https://www.loc.gov/law/foreign-news/article/russian-federation-new-bill-defines-cryptocurrency-proposes-tax-regulations/#:~:text=The%20law%20prohibits%20exchange%20operations,in%20accordance%20with%20this%20law.
 Roger Huang, Russia Backs Away from Total Cryptocurrency Ban, Forbes, https://www.forbes.com/sites/rogerhuang/2020/08/10/russia-backs-away-from-total-cryptocurrency-ban/?sh=4fe089787520.
 Jamie Crawley, Russia’s Crypto Tax Bill Passes First Reading at State Duma, Coindesk, https://www.coindesk.com/russia-lower-house-approves-crypto-taxation-bill-in-first-reading.
 Billy Bambrough, Blow to Bitcoin As Russia Moves to Effectively Ban Crypto, Forbes, https://www.forbes.com/sites/billybambrough/2020/03/21/blow-to-bitcoin-as-russia-moves-to-effectively-ban-crypto/?sh=5f572f9b5c63.
 See Huang, supra note 17.
 Catherine Belton & Anton Zverev, Bitcoin Donations Surge to Jailed Kremlin Critic Navalny’s Cause: Data, Reuters, https://www.reuters.com/article/us-russia-politics-navalny-crypto-curren/bitcoin-donations-surge-to-jailed-kremlin-critic-navalnys-cause-data-idUSKBN2AB2GR.


text:
ATLANTA, Sept. 28, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Aaron's, Inc., (NYSE: AAN), a leader in the sales and lease ownership and specialty retailing of furniture, consumer electronics, home appliances and accessories, is partnering with Univision Network's "Despierta America," the happiest home on Hispanic television, for its first "Despierta En Tu Nuevo Hogar" (Wake Up in Your New Home) contest that includes a grand prize package which will fill the winner's home full of furniture, electronics and appliances valued at more than $24,000.
One winner will be awarded a complete home furniture makeover that includes a master bedroom, living room, kitchen, dining and laundry, and two children's bedrooms provided by Aaron's. In addition, three winners will each be awarded a $1,000 Aaron's store shopping spree. Viewers can enter to win by submitting their information online at www.DespiertaAmerica.com/nuevohogar through Sunday, October 11, 2015, at 11:00 a.m. ET. See Official Rules for details, including prize descriptions and ARV for prizes at www.DespiertaAmerica.com/nuevohogar.
"We are very excited about our partnership with Despierta America and showing their viewers how easy it is to own the life you want through Aaron's lease ownership program," said Andrea Freeman, Aaron's Vice President of Marketing. "We're thrilled to be able to change a family's life by giving them enough furniture to fill an entire home just before the holiday season."
"We are proud to have partnered with Aaron's on this campaign," said Steve Mandala, executive vice president of Advertising Sales, Univision Communications Inc. "Our show is the number one morning show for Hispanics in the U.S. and partners like Aaron's recognize our connection to the community."
As the number one Hispanic morning show, Despierta America offers the same empowering message that Aaron's offers, helping their viewers to "own the life you want." The vivacious Spanish language morning television show treats every day as a celebration and celebrates Hispanic culture with the cast's upbeat nature. With the hosts' friendly, relatable and lively personalities adding energy and spark to the morning, viewers are treated to a variety of segments that give them everything they need to know to get their day started.
Aaron's makes owning easy through lease ownership and the complete home makeover will enable the deserving winners to own the life they want.
The Grand Prize winner will be announced on air during a surprise visit to his/her home on a Despierta America segment on October 26, 2015. The available prize packages includes:
Master Bedroom Suite: Ian Master Bedroom Group; Simmons Beautyrest® Mattress; Samsung® 50" Smart LED TV; 54" TV Stand; Dell® 15.6" Inspiron Laptop
Living Room Suite: Woodhaven® Central Park Collection Living Room Group; Frosty Fridge Rocker Recliner; RCA® 65" Smart LED TV; 65" TV Stand; Philips® 1000 Watt 3D Blu Ray Smart WiFi Tower; HP® Pavilion x360 Convertible 2-in-1 Laptop; Samsung® 2500W Giga System
Dining Room, Kitchen and Laundry Room: San Paulo Dining Room Group; Maytag® 22 cu. ft. French Door Stainless Steel Refrigerator; Frigidaire® Stainless Steel Range (Electric or Gas); Samsung® Top Load Washer and Dryer pair
Two Kids' Bedrooms: The first kid's room features a twin/full folding bunkbed; Woodhaven® Full Mattress; Woodhaven® twin Mattress; Philips® 32" Smart LED TV; HP® 15.6" Laptop; The second kid's room includes the Aurora Bedroom Group; Two Woodhaven® Twin Mattresses; Philips® 32" Smart LED TV; HP® 23" Desktop
About Aaron's, Inc. Aaron's, Inc. (NYSE: AAN), a leader in the sales and lease ownership and specialty retailing of furniture, consumer electronics, home appliances and accessories, has more than 2,000 Company-operated and franchised stores in 48 states, the District of Columbia, and Canada. Aaron's was founded in 1955, is headquartered in Atlanta, and has been publicly traded since 1982. Progressive, a leading virtual lease-to-own company and a wholly-owned subsidiary, provides lease-purchase solutions through more than 16,000 retail locations in 46 states. Aaron's, Inc. includes the Aarons.com, ShopHomeSmart.com, and ProgLeasing.com brands. For more information, visit www.aarons.com.
About Univision Communications Inc. Univision Communications Inc. (UCI) is the leading media company serving Hispanic America. The Company, a leading content creator in the U.S., includes Univision Network, one of the top five networks in the U.S. regardless of language and the most-watched Spanish-language broadcast television network in the country available in approximately 93% of U.S. Hispanic television households; UniMas, a leading Spanish-language broadcast television network available in approximately 87% of U.S. Hispanic television households; Univision Cable Networks, including Galavision, the most-watched U.S. Spanish-language cable network, as well as UDN (Univision Deportes Network), the most-watched U.S. Spanish-language sports network, Univision tlnovelas, a 24-hour cable network dedicated to telenovelas, ForoTV, a 24-hour Spanish-language cable network dedicated to international news, and an additional suite of cable offerings - De Pelicula, De Pelicula Clasico, Bandamax, Ritmoson and Telehit; Univision Television Group, which owns 59 television stations in major U.S. Hispanic markets and Puerto Rico; digital properties consisting of online and mobile websites and apps, including Univision.com, the most visited Spanish-language website among U.S. Hispanics, UVideos, a bilingual digital video network and Uforia, a music application featuring multimedia music content; and Univision Radio, the leading Spanish-language radio group in the U.S. which owns and operates 67 radio stations including stations in 16 of the top 25 U.S. Hispanic markets and Puerto Rico. UCI's assets also include a minority stake in El Rey Network, a 24-hour English-language general entertainment cable network and a joint venture with Disney/ABC Television Network for Fusion, a 24-hour English-language news and lifestyle TV and digital network. Headquartered in New York City, UCI has television network operations in Miami and television and radio stations and sales offices in major cities throughout the United States. For more information, please visit Univision.net.


text:
The so-called digital wallet made important strides in 2011, sometimes eliminating the logistical need for paper vouchers, mobile apps, QR codes, and even cell phones.
At times this transition seems to be sneaking up on us. Earlier this month, thousands of merchants nationwide didn’t know they had gained foot traffic and sales thanks to American Express and Foursquare. Amex rewarded consumers who synced their credit cards with their Foursquare accounts with $10 back if they spent the same at local businesses after checking in with the geo-social app. That effort followed up a successful post-Black Friday stint dubbed “Small Business Saturday,” when Amex users checking in on Foursquare could get a $25 credit if they spent $25 with a local merchant.
Jake Furst, a business development director at New York-based Foursquare, said there was little to no organizational outreach to local businesses. “The merchants didn’t necessarily know what was happening as we drove customers to their locations,” he explained. “Small Business Saturday was a huge success. We got a ton of interest from Foursquare users and Amex card holders that didn’t know about Foursquare yet.”
While the aforementioned offers have expired, merchants can set up new Foursquare check-in deals via Amex’s “Go Social” self-service center for SMBs.
Here’s how the Amex-Foursquare marriage works for consumers:
- Sync Amex card with Foursquare account online.
- Check in at a location.
- Tap a “redeem offer” button.
- Pay with Amex card.
- Get a Foursquare push notification about the money-back reward (see image) within moments after the card is swiped by the merchant.
SMB Program Dismisses Need for Vouchers, Apps, and Cell Phones
Swipely has begun working with 150 merchants in Boston, its launch market. The start-up offers consumers the chance to sync a credit card to its loyalty program. From there, whenever they spend money at a participating merchant, they can receive a reward or discount. Swipely supplies local businesses with point-of-sale signage and materials to promote the program.
Angus Davis, Swipely CEO, said his product should attract consumers and businesses alike because of its usability. There’s no need for a smartphone app, much less a printed voucher, he said, in order for shoppers to get rewarded for retail store visits.
“Consumers don’t have to change the way they behave in order to check in,” Davis said. “Nor do they have to change the way they pay by scanning a QR code [or] using newfangled technology. Our program employs technology that everyone already has and uses.”
He added, “For the local merchant, the program doesn’t require any changes in the store. They don’t have to upgrade hardware, install software, implement any special cards, or re-train their staff.”
The 33-year-old CEO said his company would expand to New York, San Francisco, and other major cities in the first half of the upcoming year. “I do think that 2012 is a very ripe time for disruption,” Davis said, “especially as the payment space interacts with Main Street merchants.”
Other noteworthy developments as digital wallets came into focus during 2011:
- March/April:Groupon and LivingSocial launch “GrouponNow” and “Instant Deals”, respectively, which allow consumers to buy time-sensitive offers with one click on their smart phones. To use the mobile commerce feature, users need to input their credit cards into their daily deals accounts.
- May 9: Scvngr struck a partnership with American Express to make redeeming LevelUp deals easier for consumers. Amex members who buy the deals need only use their cards while making a purchase to get the discount. As is the case with Swipely, it’s not necessary to show the store clerk a paper voucher, barcode, or message on a mobile screen.
- May 26: Google introduced Google Wallet, which lets consumers pay for Google Offers and other items through their Google account. The Wallet mobile app works with credit card users for Citi, MasterCard, and First Data.
- Aug. 1: Verizon partnered with Amex to serve as the mobile carrier’s digital wallet platform. The telecom was one of the first in its competitive space to create its own digital wallet.
According to Matt Hoggatt, CEO of mobile audience network ReachMobi, there are rich opportunities in the realm of mobile web, if only mobile companies knew how to realize the platform’s potential. We caught up with Matt for a glimpse into the future of mobile web, and to find out what web push notifications have to offer marketers.
Last week, a panel of ecommerce and mobile experts joined together for a webinar to discuss key topics surrounding the mobile app ... read more
As we have learned from the previous columns in this series, images are the major contributor to bloated, slow-loading mobile pages.
27-year-old Swede Felix Kjellberg, who goes by the name PewDiePie on YouTube, has found himself at the center of a firestorm.


text:
Is “Downgrade Windows 10” the new “have you tried turning it off and on again?” Call the HP or Dell phone-support lines and you might end up thinking so.
Sure, calling customer service is less-than-helpful at the best of times, but if you’ve upgraded your PC to Windows 10 you can expect some extra un-helpfulness – like being told to downgrade your operating system.
Microsoft is offering Windows 10 as a free upgrade, meaning many users are upgrading Windows 10 on devices that came with another operating system. This has probably lead to all sorts of complications for tech support agents, but some of them may be leaning on that a little too much.
LaptopMag.com has been calling tech support about various minor issues after updating to Windows 10 – the site calls tech support lines every year to compare response call times and more. They were surprised with how frequently they were told to downgrade their operating system, even in cases where that’s clearly not necessary.
For example, one call to a Dell service agent was about something completely straight-forward: switching the scrolling direction on the touchpad. Regardless of whether you’re using Windows 8.1 or Windows 10, this only requires the user to right-click an option in the system tray and change a setting.
Sounds simple, right? But one agent recommended uninstalling Windows 10 to solve the problem.
“There are a lot of glitches in Windows 10”, the Dell support agent told them, before transferring them to another rep. That rep, happily, managed to solve the problem without replacing the entire operating system.
A 57-minute call to HP, about getting their CoolSense temperature control application working after an OS upgrade, prompted an agent to give the same advice: downgrade Windows 10. In this case there seemingly wasn’t another fix – the Windows 10 version of the app on the HP website didn’t work.
“At the end of the day, the person’s job is to get the PC running,” HP VP Mike Nash told LaptopMag, after being told about this situation. “Given the scenario, it might have been the most expeditious thing to get them back to a known good space.”
While phone agents weren’t helpful, LaptopMag.com reports that web-based chat and Twitter often yields better results. In multiple cases they were able to get helpful information this way that they couldn’t get over the phone.
“Even if you’re still on Windows 7 or 8, calling for support should be your last resort,” the article concludes. That’s probably good advice.
- Dell XPS 13 Plus buying guide: How to configure before you buy
- The Dell XPS 13 Plus has the M2 MacBook Air beat in this one important way
- Top 10 Windows shortcuts everyone should know
- Be honest. Your next laptop doesn’t need a headphone jack
- Dell could be working on the same charging tech Apple has been developing


text:
Interview with Mario Pi, Founder,The National Chocolate Show
The National Chocolate Show, the first trade show dedicated solely to chocolate in the United States, will be held in Chicago from Nov. 16 through Nov. 18. Show founder Mario Pi spoke with Food Manufacturing about the benefits the show will offer to food manufacturers and the overall chocolate industry.
Q: What can attendees expect at the show’s debut?
A: Attendees can expect to interact with some of the top chocolate companies in the United States in everything from manufacturing to packaging. We wanted to create the preeminent chocolate event at the epicenter of the chocolate industry in Chicago. There was an unmet need for a trade show dedicated solely to chocolate in the United States, and we are coupling The National Chocolate Show trade show with our consumer chocolate show, Chicago Fine Chocolate Show, to create the only dual concept trade and consumer show dedicated to chocolate.
We strive to create a forum for advancement in the chocolate industry through live demonstrations and unique conference programming as well giving attendees the opportunity to have an open conversation with our exhibitors, the leaders in chocolate product, supplies, ingredients, equipment, packaging, point of purchase, displays, apparel and uniform, and more.
Q: What types of educational programming will be offered at the show?
A: With the help of the Fine Chocolate Industry Association, we’ve assembled an amazing group of industry leaders to speak on a number of topics important to our industry. For example, on Saturday, November 17, Blommer Chocolate Company will be talking about trends in chocolate and how food industry news translates into the chocolate and confectionary industry. Zara Khaleeli and Laura Shumow of The National Confectioners Association will talk about basic food safety for chocolate and cocoa as well as nuts and other major ingredients used in chocolate products on Friday and Sunday.
Q: What are some considerations food manufacturers should make when developing new products featuring chocolate?
A: I think food manufacturers really need to be on top of the trends and be at the forefront of where the industry is going — sometimes looking to artisan chocolatiers to see what’s hot — interesting flavor profiles, art and chocolate, and thinking outside of the box. I also believe chocolate manufacturers, even the larger companies, are paying closer attention to sustainability and social responsibility. I’m seeing the buzz words of organic, natural and transparency about cocoa farmers and the production of the chocolate.
Q: What issues or challenges are top-of-mind in the chocolate industry today?
A: Through programs such as the FCIA Heirloom Cacao Preservation Initiative, industry leaders are working to preserve certain varieties of cacao trees. These sustainability efforts protect unique varieties of cacao to preserve the future of really fine chocolate. The National Confectioners Association even created a Chocolate Council to help with the education efforts so that consumers can understand about the natural origins of chocolate and build a better understanding of this unique and special food. Another important consideration to the industry is the support of cocoa farmers. Practices are being put in place to improve their lifestyle and business sustainability. I’m also seeing a focus on dedication to ingredients and the importance of natural ingredients in chocolate.
Q: What are some trends you’re noticing in the chocolate industry?
A: I definitely think the trend across the board, from large chocolate companies to artisan chocolatiers, is a move to focus on fine chocolate — thinking of chocolate as a culinary medium for everything from cooking to pairings with a number of different beverages. Our experts have a great tip about identifying the trends in chocolate: Look at the hot new ingredients on salads, and you’ll see those transcend to chocolate. I have seen this in everything from pomegranate to pumpkin seeds. All companies involved in the chocolate industry are pushing the envelope and creating unique flavor profiles and beautiful packaging to elevate the art of chocolate, which makes it a very exciting time to host The National Chocolate Show.
To register for The National Chocolate Show, please visit http://www.thenationalchocolateshow.com/. Tickets are $25 for the trade show. The National Chocolate Show will be held at Chicago’s Navy Pier (600 East Grand Avenue) from Friday, November 16 through Sunday, November 18 from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Attendees must also individually register for conferences of interest (for no additional fee) at http://www.thenationalchocolateshow.com/schedule.html.


text:
Vestavia Hills Local Business
Local business in Vestavia Hills, AL
Monday Mar 3 | via Alabama Live
State Sen. Jabo Waggoner, R-Vestavia Hills, is offering a compromise that he hopes will quell controversy over legislation to revamp the Birmingham Water Works Board and implement new operating rules. Comment?
Thursday Feb 27 | via WSFA-TV Montgomery
The grocery store chain Winn-Dixie is hosting a job fair from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 27 at their store in Vestavia Hills. Comment?
Tuesday Feb 25 | via Alabama Live
The bill would expand the board from five members to nine, with one member each from Shelby, Blount, St. Clair and Walker counties. Comment?
Monday Feb 24 | via WIAT-TV Birmingham
The clean up to remove toxic chemicals from soil in North Birmingham yards is underway. Comment?
Jan 14, 2014 | via Alabama Live
A bill from Sen. Jabo Waggoner, R-Vestavia Hills, made it to the Alabama State Senate floor today, but was carried over to another agenda following debate between Waggoner and Sen. Rodger Smitherman, D-Birmingham. Comment?