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VW scraps dozens of models and focuses on the premium market
Volkswagen, the pioneer of the “Volkswagen” that embodied the auto industry’s expansionist frenzy, will eliminate dozens of internal combustion engine models and sell fewer cars overall by the end of the decade to focus on producing more profitable premium vehicles.
“The main goal is not growth,” said CFO Arno Antlitz, reversing the attitude of former VW managers.
“We are [more focused] on quality and margins instead of volume and market share.” VW will reduce its range of petrol and diesel cars – which consists of at least 100 models from several brands – in Europe by 60 percent over the next eight years, he said.
VW’s new strategy is a sign of sweeping changes across the auto sector, which for decades has been trying to boost profits by selling more cars each year, even if it has required deep discounts.
Former VW boss Martin Winterkorn, who resigned in the wake of the diesel emissions scandal, had done so made it a goal Toyota and General Motors until 2018 to beat the title “volume number one”.
In its quest for global dominance, the Wolfsburg-based group maintained a strong presence in unprofitable North and South American markets, flooding the region with new models despite suffering heavy losses.
However, a severe chip shortage caused by the coronavirus pandemic forced automakers to scale back production amid rising demand over the past year. This allowed brands like Mercedes and BMW to charge more for their models and post record profits in 2021 despite selling far fewer vehicles.
A similar strategy catapulted VW to the top of the profit table in the German Dax index and recorded more than 20 billion euros in pre-tax profit. The company prioritized higher-priced vehicles from its Audi and Porsche brands, which account for the bulk of the group’s profits.
Executives from all three automakers have stressed that this practice will remain in place even after supply chain bottlenecks subside. “I would like to expressly emphasize that we are not pursuing a volume strategy,” said BMW boss Oliver Zipse last year.
Antlitz said that even VW, which prided itself on being the world’s largest automaker before losing its “volume crown” to Toyota and whose executives were privately aiming to sell 11 million vehicles in a single year, is no longer for the sake of size expand wool .
“We have [a significantly] lower fixed cost base, so we are less volume and growth dependent,” he said, noting that VW managed to cut fixed costs by 10 percent early from €41 billion in 2019 while investing in investments in software development and new ones Units.
Even VW’s €52 billion push into electric vehicles – the largest investment package of its kind – would not add unnecessary volume, Antlitz added. “We’re not expanding capacity, we’re revising factory by factory,” he said, referring to plants in Zwickau and Emden where production lines for internal combustion engines were converted to building electric cars and workers were retrained.
However, he also acknowledged calculations that electric vehicles would soon be just as profitable for VW as models with internal combustion engines, which had been challenged by the sharp rise in raw material prices for batteries.
“[These] Nickel prices of $50,000 per ton were basically not priced in because we assume that the war will hopefully end soon and then the commodity prices will at least drop a little more,” said Antlitz.
The principle of falling costs over time remains “intact” and new battery technologies would lower prices in the long term.


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Pet Age Staff//February 28, 2018
Pet Age Staff //February 28, 2018
Dog owner lifestyle brand DOOG (Dog Owners Outdoor Gear) announced a series of important new retail and distribution partnerships, as well as two key hires to support its ongoing global development. According to Jamie and Jessica Knight, the company’s directors and co-founders, DOOG has signed on the following retail chains in the United States:
“These recent successes in the United States are the result of a great team effort to expand the footprint of the DOOG brand,” Jamie Knight said. “The momentum is building worldwide as well, with a new distributor in the UK, the recently launched www.dooguk.com e-commerce site and a partnership with one of Russia’s largest pet distributors to support customer demand in that region.”
In response to the continued growth, the company has added Cynthia Wood as manager of Operations and Andrew Naugher, manager of PR and Marketing, to its DOOG USA operations based in suburban Dallas, Texas. Wood has more than 20 years’ experience in successful management of warehouse operations, inventory, procurement and customer service. Naugher is an award-winning communications professional with nearly 30 years’ experience working with major PR agencies, global brands, and startups in retail, technology and life sciences.
“Cynthia and Andrew bring an impressive skill set and track record that match perfectly with our desires to improve our distribution and merchandising, and to build a highly visible brand that connects with our key audiences,” Jessica Knight said. “We look forward to more success in 2018 while adding vital personnel to support our partners and customers around the world.”

domain: news


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Bruce Trenery is the owner of Fantasy Junction located in Emeryville, California, a company he started with two friends in 1976. By the next year he took over the company and since then he has sold over 9,000 collector vehicles including classics, vintage race cars, and pretty much everything else. Back in the day, Bruce raced Formula Vee, Formula C, and Formula B. He continued racing with SCCA and has run in Read More
Pebble Beach Concours Still on Track
The Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance has announced that they’re optimistic about keeping their original August 16, 2020 concours date.
A post on the Pebble Beach Concours site reads, “Our event is several months into the future, and we still hope to be able to celebrate our love of cars together on August 16, 2020 — so we continue to plan accordingly.”
For more information, click here.
Keeneland Concours Cancels for Read More
RM Sotheby’s Palm Beach Auction — quickly switched to an online-only format in response to the Coronavirus pandemic — was a rousing success, with a sales total of $13.7 million and more than 900 bidders from 44 countries.
The sell-through rate was 69 percent.
The auction opened for online bids on March 20, and lots closed to bidding on a staggered schedule from March 25 through March 28.
Jakob Greisen is the Bonhams Vice President, head of their US Motoring and a Collectors Motorcar Specialist. Bonhams is a British auction house that was founded in 1793. It is one of the world’s oldest and largest auctioneers known internationally for fine art, antiques, jewelry, automobilia, motorcycles, and motorcars. The auctions are held in conjunction with some of the most renowned global motoring events including The Quail, Goodwood Revival, and many others. Read More
Keels & Wheels Reschedules
The 25th Annual Keels & Wheels is now scheduled for October 17-18, 2020.
Keels & Wheels was originally set for May 2-3, but organizers postponed the party because of the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic.
The 11th Annual Keels and Wheels Uncorked is also postponed. It will now happen on October 1, 2020.
For more information, visit www.keels-wheels.com
Chattanooga Motorcar Festival Sticking with October Date
The Chattanooga Motorcar Festival, scheduled for October 16-18, is sticking with Read More
Simon Kidston is known around the world as a multilingual classic car commentator and columnist, consultant and entrepreneur. Above all, he is recognized as a deeply knowledgeable adviser on the purchase and sale of rare classics. The company Simon founded in 2006, Kidston SA, has been responsible for the sale of some of the world’s highest-value motor cars. Simon developed this knowledge through his early working life in the auction world, co-founding Read More
The 2020 Greenbrier Concours d’Elegance has been moved to September 4-6, 2020.
The concours was originally scheduled for May 1-3.
Concours organizers said they are following guidelines to protect people during the Coronavirus Pandemic.
“With all that is happening across our nation, it was clear that it wouldn’t be prudent to hold The Greenbrier Concours d’Elegance on its original date,” said Cam Huffman, a member of the event’s Steering Committee. “We felt it was important not to cancel, but instead Read More


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RAKBANK launches Samsung Pay in partnership with Samsung Gulf Electronics
RAKBANK has announced the launch of Samsung Pay mobile payment solutions to the Bank’s customers in partnership with Samsung Gulf Electronics.
With Samsung Pay, RAKBANK customers can make secure contactless payments using their Samsung smartphones at selected outlets.
“Our customers want access to the best technology and, in addition to the completely revamped RAKBANK Digital banking platform, Samsung Pay is another example of a digital solution that offers our customers more flexibility, convenience and choice. At RAKBANK, we are constantly introducing new, alternate channels that can facilitate the customer’s banking experience through several different digital touch points,” said Peter England, CEO, RAKBANK.
Samsung Pay is a highly secure platform as it works with three levels of security—fingerprint authentication, card tokenization that secures the card number registered on the phone and Samsung’s defense-grade mobile security platform Samsung KNOX.
“The UAE is becoming a market where banking and mobile payments are a lifestyle that is increasingly being demanded. We are pleased to be partnering with RAKBANK to provide customers with a wide range of choices when it comes to making purchases, through Samsung Pay. We are committed to making Samsung users, lives easier and RAKBANK customers will be able to use our digital solution with more flexibility, convenience, and choice,” said Mohammad Gharaibeh, Head of Enterprise–Mobile Business, Samsung Gulf Electronics.


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There is bad news for those in India who are currently investing in cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin or Etherium. The 2022 budget calls for a 30 percent tax on cryptocurrencies. This time, the government said, investors could get another push.
In the 2022 budget, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that 30 per cent tax would be levied on income from cryptocurrency. This time the government is thinking of imposing 28 percent GST on crypto. It is learned that this decision may be taken at the next meeting of the GST Council.
The government is considering keeping digital currency in the same category as lotteries, casino racecourses and gambling. Although the date of the GST Council meeting has not been announced yet. A new 115BBH section has also been added to the income tax to levy tax on virtual digital assets.
The finance minister further said that imposing tax on cryptocurrency does not mean stopping it in India. GST, in addition to income tax, is also considering deducting 1 percent TDS on a certain amount of cryptocurrency transactions. Giving cryptocurrency as a gift to someone would also be tax deductible.
Read more: Mother's Day: I want you for a cup! The day begins with the first kiss of the mother with sleep-broken eyes
In early April, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman told the United States that the acceptance of cryptocurrencies around the world was growing rapidly. This requires global control. It is possible to prevent any kind of money laundering. The finance minister further said that terrorists are being financed through cryptocurrency and it needs to be stopped quickly.
(Country, World, State, Kolkata, Entertainment, Sports, Lifestyle Health, Technology Download Zee 24 Ghanta App to read latest news of Zee 24 Hour app)


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General Motors is touting the Chevrolet Volt as a technological tour-de-force, so it's only natural that the range-extended electric vehicle is getting its own phone app.
The General joins Mercedes-Benz and other automakers in tapping the power of smartphones to connect people with their cars and a suite of services. We knew GM was working on an app for the Volt -- OnStar prez Walt Dorfstatter said so when we talked to him about OnStar's push into China -- but it wouldn't say much about it before unveiling it at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. What it's come up with is pretty cool.
OnStar's Mobile Application will let Chevrolet Volt owners use their phones to start charging the car, lock the doors and even turn on the air conditioner at any time even from miles away. The program provides real-time updates on how much juice is in the battery via text message or email, and will even tell you how much gas you're using when the engine kicks in. GM says the feature will give owners unprecedented control of, and information about, their car.
"The Chevrolet Volt ushers in a new era of automotive technology and calls for a new level of connectivity and control," Dorfstatter said.
GM says it will help drivers "maximize the environmental benefits of owning a Volt" by allowing them to schedule exactly when the car is drawing power from the grid. That will allow people to charge the cars when rates are lowest. Other features include:
- Real-time info about the car's fuel economy when the gasoline engine is driving the generator when the battery goes flat.
- Remote starting of the vehicle.
- Remote locking and unlocking of the doors.
- Remote starting of the air conditioner while the car while plugged into the wall to preserve battery range.
GM says Volt owners also can receive a monthly diagnostic report and maintenance reports on their cars, along with the standard safety features available through OnStar. The application works on the Apple iPhone, the Motorola Droid and the Blackberry Storm, and GM says it also will be available on a mobile browser for other smartphones.
The Volt is slated to roll off an assembly line in Detroit by the end of the year.
Photo: General Motors


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A battle is brewing in California, and it may just be too much for many residents. Since a 1986 state law went into effect, anything that is deemed to contain cancer-causing agents are required to be labeled for consumer protection. Instead of getting rid of any of these risks, the warnings have become so routine that most ignore them. A fight to get warnings placed on a new group of products often starts with a massive lawsuit, and that is what is happening in court today. This time coffee businesses like Starbucks, Keurig, and 7-Eleven are facing millions of dollars in fines.
A group of lawyers in court have your morning coffee up for debate. A few years ago researchers discovered trace amount of a chemical that in larger doses may cause cancer. Acrylamide is found in coffee as it is produced naturally is the roasting process. It also appears on a list of 900 chemicals that the state of California has determined to cause cancer, even if trace amounts of the substances are not a risk. The idea that they can sue giants like Starbucks has brought leftist lawsuits out of the woodwork, and now judges in California will need to figure them out.
In 1986, California passed the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act by a vote of 63%. This was passed to force companies to inform consumers about dangerous chemicals being released into the water, air, and food. The by-product of the act was to allow private citizens to sue companies that do not follow the law.
These lawsuits have become big business for lawyers in the state. They seem to look for the next suit and the next big payday. Now they have their eyes on the deep pockets of your favorite coffee chain. Lawyers contend that any place that sells coffee should already have the required warnings.
In 2017, there were 681 settlements tied to this law and $25.6 million in awards. Lawyers fees make up 75% of these awards, even though the consumers are the face of the court battles. This is not a law to protect consumers but to make a profit for lawyers.
While 7-Eleven is named in the larger court case over coffee, they have already agreed to settle. Their coffee sales ended in $900,000 cash payment and new warning labels for all coffee products. Starbucks has posted limited amounts of signs warning of the risks at their stores but has not started to label as widespread as the courts would demand. Their current labels cover the coffee prep station where customers can add sugar to their cups since sugar is also on the list of cancer-causing products.
At the center of this court case is the fact that the law does have some built-in exemptions. Because the amounts of acrylamide are trace and are something that is produced during the roasting process, it may, in fact, be beyond the scope of the required warnings. The law does have a small window that allows some products to avoid labels if the cancer-causing chemical is produced in the manufacturing process and not something that can be removed.
The fact that the levels of acrylamide are trace also helps to support this argument. Starbucks has been at the center of this case since 2010. They have lost two rounds in court and are currently fighting in the highest state court.
Coffee is not the only product that scientists have found to contain acrylamide. This is only one of the list of 900 chemicals in the crosshairs of lawyers in the state. This one compound has lead to labels being forced upon random snack products like french fries and potato chips.
The chemical was discovered in things like coffee dating back to 2002. This was not a part of the original 1986 act because it was not known at the time. It seems unfair to enforce a law that coffee sellers and other retailers had no way to know they needed to comply in the first place. The state continues to add chemicals to the list and fuel lawyers to find new and creative ways to sue larger chains.
While the lawyers argue these type of labels save lives, many in California are fed up with the abuses of the law. The tags are popping up everywhere, and for the most part, consumers ignore them. According to a report about the overuse of the law:
“Under a state law, cancer warnings already follow Californians when they enter the lobby of apartment buildings, drive into parking garages and sit down at restaurants. They also pop up on products including kitty litter, ceramic plates and black licorice.”


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Health authorities inspecting plants distributing nuts, spices, after salmonella scare.
The California Department of Public Health is investigating
a California supplier of recalled
pistachios and has recommended that consumers avoid eating spices manufactured
by Union International Food Company in the Bay Area community of Union
State and federal investigators are inspecting Setton Farms
in Terra Bella, south of Porterville,
as a result of a recall of Kraft Back To Nature Nantucket Blend Trail Mix
manufactured by Georgia Nut Company. Georgia Nut Company has also recalled bulk
and bagged pistachios, which may or may not have been distributed in California.
Additionally, the Kroger Company has voluntarily recalled
its Private Selection Shelled Pistachios sold in 10-ounce containers. Stores
included in this recall are Kroger, Ralphs, Fred Meyer, Fry’s King Sooperes,
Smith,s Dillons, QFC, City Market, Foods Co.,Jay C. Scott’s, Owen’s, Baker’s,
Gerbes, Hilander and Pay Less. Customers should not consume pistachio products
with a “sell by” date of DEC-13-09 and DEC-14-09 with the UPC Code of 11110
It has not been confirmed if the pistachios recalled by
Kroger Company are linked to Setton Farms. A full list of recalled pistachio
products is available at www.fda.gov/opacom/7alerts.html.
The recall was initiated by salmonella found in roasted pistachios used in the trail
An outbreak of salmonella has sickened 42 people in four states,
including 33 in California associated
with white and black pepper products from Union International Food Company’s Union
No deaths have been reported, but the illnesses among California
residents have occurred in 15 counties in Central and Northern
California and the latest known onset of illness is March 13. A
high proportion of those who have become sick had eaten at Asian restaurants
which had been found by health specialists to have used the peppers.
The products recalled do not bear lot codes and were sold
primarily to distributors and restaurants in California
and Oregon. The products are packaged
under the Lian How brand name (red label) in various large-sized containers.
The following products are included in the recall: white
pepper, black pepper, cayenne pepper, paprika, chopped onion, onion powder,
garlic (chopped, minced, powder and granulated), whole white pepper, whole
black pepper, curry powder, mustard powder and wasabi powder.
Consumers can go to the California Department of Public
Health website at www.cdph.ca.gov for
additional recall information.


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FDA: Say NO to hidden aspartame chemicals in milk & other dairy products
This petition had 23,280 supporters
Unless we speak up now, the milk we drink could be legally laced with aspartame and other chemical sweeteners that are known to cause health problems. The dairy industry's most powerful trade associations, The International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) and National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF), have just asked the government for permission to add chemical sweeteners to milk and 16 other dairy products -- without telling consumers.
If the FDA allows this, aspartame and other other chemical sweeteners that have been linked to serious health issues for some people would be added to our food -- and we wouldn't even know it. These industry groups want to add this to our food without having to identify it on the ingredients label.
Aspartame is a known excitotoxin that causes nerve damage or destruction from overstimulation of neurotransmitters. It has been linked to migraines, seizures, slurred speech, autoimmune disorders, and stroke. While the FDA no longer tracks complaints specific to aspartame, it was estimated that prior to 1992 between 75-85% of the complaints the FDA received were linked to aspartame.
As a parent and a student of nutrition and health, I can't believe this is even being considered. I believe people should have a choice when it comes to putting chemicals in our bodies. It is unacceptable to think the dairy industry could start adding these chemicals into their products without telling the public. We all deserve a choice, and the industry wants to take that away.
Labeling laws were designed to protect & empower consumers, arming them with the information necessary to make choices to protect themselves and their families. Hidden ingredients of any kind put sensitive individuals at risk and violate all individual's rights to make fundamental personal choices regarding their own food supply.
The FDA is inviting the public's comments on this important issue. We have just 90 days to speak out against this.
NOW is the time to tell them NO to hidden ingredients.
Today: Shannon is counting on you
Shannon Rose needs your help with “FDA: Say NO to hidden aspartame chemicals in milk & other dairy products”. Join Shannon and 23,279 supporters today.


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The report by the Fitch Group company added that with imports having become expensive, the share of domestic newsprint in the total consumption is likely to increase. This would improve the overall capacity utilisation of domestic newsprint producers. The import duty, however, could negatively impact the EBITDA margins of domestic print media companies, particularly the English language dailies that rely heavily on the imported newsprint.
India imported newsprint at an average price of Rs 43,000/mt in April 2019, down 14% from the FY19 average of Rs 50,000/mt; domestic players cut prices by 10%-15% over the same period.
Read Also: Digital media to reach $5.1 billion, overtake print by 2021: Report
Domestic producers to benefit
The report said an increase in import prices would create a favourable environment for domestic players to hike their prices by 4%-6% while still remaining competitive. Also, the imposition of the duty might encourage print media companies to reduce their imports, and this could help improve the capacity utilisations of domestic players, bolstering their cost efficiency.
Consequently, the share of domestic manufacturers in the total consumption could witness an increase. The pace of the shift towards domestic newsprint would, however, depend on the availability of quality newsprint that is compatible with the machines of print media companies.
The fall in international newsprint prices since Q4FY19 had forced domestic players to reduce prices, and they had been set to witness a decline in their EBITDA margins in FY20. However, with the above-mentioned likelihood of a hike in prices and greater capacity utilisation, the EBITDA margins of domestic newsprint players might record an improvement. Moreover, in the absence of any significant capex plan, cash flows generated through higher realisations will provide support to the credit metrics of domestic newsprint companies.
Read Also: Are we ready to bid adieu to social media for data privacy?
Negative for print media companies
The import duty on newsprint is likely to have an adverse impact on the profitability of print media companies, particularly the English dailies, since they import 70%-80% of the newsprint requirement, the report added. In fact, the machines of most of these companies are suited for imported newsprint. Furthermore, the ability of these companies to pass on any increase in newsprint prices is limited; this is evident from the fact that the margins of these companies declined in FY19 when newsprint prices had increased.
Moreover, regional newspapers use a higher proportion of domestic newsprint in their mix. However, despite the imposition of import duty, prices of both import and domestic newsprint are likely to dip on a yoy basis in FY20 due to weakened global demand and increased supply. This should provide some relief to print media companies.
Higher prices had led to fall in newsprint imports in FY19:
Domestic newsprint demand increased at only 1% yoy over FY16-FY19 owing to the impact of growing digitisation. Moreover, the industry has been heavily dependent on imports due to the cost-competitiveness of imported newsprint; imports accounted for 52%-62% of the demand during FY13-FY18. India imported 1.37 million tonnes (mnt) of newsprint in FY19 against a total demand of approximately 2.6mnt.
Read Also: How newsprint duty will hurt our democracy
However, since the beginning of Q4FY19, international newsprint prices have declined due to weakened demand and higher supplies, forcing domestic producers to reduce prices.


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After taking a bite out of Willow Lawn and with a downtown location already in the works, a salad-centered restaurant chain is expanding to Short Pump.
Chopt Creative Salad Co. is opening its third metro Richmond location in the Trader Joe’s-anchored Short Pump Station retail center at 11301 W. Broad St., Suite 109.
Thalhimer broker Jim Ashby, who is representing Chopt during its regional expansion, confirmed the deal.
The chain signed a lease for the 3,500-square-foot space late last month, Ashby said, with plans to open by spring 2020. The storefront formerly was occupied by Verizon, which vacated a few years ago after opening a new store in the nearby Cabela’s-anchored West Broad Marketplace development.
Chopt could not immediately be reached for comment Tuesday afternoon. It signed the lease with Short Pump Station owner AmCap Inc. out of Connecticut.
Chopt currently operates a store in the Shops at Willow Lawn at 1601 Willow Lawn Drive, and is planning an early 2020 opening for another in the James Center downtown.
The chain will join several other national restaurants and retailers at Short Pump Station, including Jimmy John’s, Longhorn Steakhouse, Ulta, Petco and Five Below.
Founded in New York City in 2001, Chopt is a fast-casual restaurant that serves a variety of made-to-order salad bowls and wraps.
Each salad is prepared in an assembly line divided into two groups: assemblers that take your order and collect your ingredients, and choppers that chop the salad.
The restaurant has been steadily growing its presence throughout the mid-Atlantic and Virginia, with locations in Charlottesville and three stores in Northern Virginia, according to its website.
Ashby said he’s working with the restaurant to carve out more territory in the region with a focus on the Southside – specifically Chesterfield.
“We’re looking to line up a deal in Midlothian and along the Hull Street (Road) corridor,” Ashby said.


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Microsoft is exploring multiple cosmetic improvements to Windows 10. Besides refining the aesthetics of the five-year-old operating system, Microsoft is also tweaking the apps available in Microsoft Store. The redesign is aimed at streamlining and synchronizing the appearance of the OS with the apps.
Microsoft has finally realized there’s a big cosmetic mismatch between Windows 10 operating systems visuals. Essentially, the powerful and capable operating system doesn’t quite work well visually or cosmetically with existing web and mobile apps. Hence, the company has embarked on the much-desired journey of offering a visually pleasing and symmetrical experience within Windows 10.
Microsoft to take Windows 10 redesign beyond the Fluent Design philosophy:
Microsoft Windows 10 is more than five years old. The capable desktop operating systems has received several critical and security-related updates. However, despite adding multiple new functionalities, the aesthetics of the OS has remained largely unchanged.
Microsoft takes the redesign of Windows 10 seriously and is now after on improvements. In future Windows 10, there may be round windows, buttons, toggles, sliders, dialog boxes.#Windows #Microsoft https://t.co/ETjKDiA9MU pic.twitter.com/pM5lgAhmwe
— Mavi Ekran Verdi (@maviekranverdi_) January 3, 2021
Microsoft did revamp Windows 10 with the Fluent Design philosophy. Moreover, there have been multiple minor tweaks with app icons and the Start Menu. However, Microsoft is now getting serious about a major cosmetic revamp of Windows 10.
In addition to the system-wide improvements, Microsoft will also introduce new User Interface visual tweaks to the XAML apps. Available under Microsoft’s Open Specification Promise, the Extensible Application Markup Language (XAML) is a declarative XML-based programming language that the company developed.
Fluent Design meets Fluid Design philosophy?
Microsoft reportedly wants to implement rounded corners for items. These include the selection checkbox in multi-select mode, toggle switch, rating bar, hover effect, and more.
According to new documentation published by Microsoft, the new design will bring XAML Windows apps on par with existing web and mobile apps while “looking familiar on Windows”. Essentially, the software giant wants to ensure the UI elements in the OS, and those present in the apps appear consistent.
Needless to mention, the current XAML controls in Windows 10 appear significantly inconsistent with web and mobile apps. In other words, the UI elements of the OS seem to be evolving rather slowly.
To address this inconsistency, Microsoft intends to modify and renovate the default appearance of the toggle switch, slider, and rating controls. Additionally, the company could change the default appearance of various button controls inside Windows 10.
There are several platforms the developers are working on. There are the Progressive Web Apps (PWA), Universal Windows Platform (UWP), and several Windows Store Apps.
Although not yet confirmed, Microsoft appears to be focused on offering rounded windows, buttons, toggles, sliders, dialog boxes, ListView, GridView, selection menu, etc. across all the multiple platforms and apps. Additionally, there are multiple other Fluent Design effects when selected, hovered, or in any other non-rest state.
It is important to note that Microsoft has merely offered a proposal. These changes are not in the development or testing stage. Hence it is highly unlikely that Microsoft will introduce these new design elements in the upcoming Cumulative Update for Windows 10.


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A couple of days ago, we had reported that Apple was really close to purchasing half a block of land to expand the presence of its existing Reno Technology Park. And today, the Cupertino giant’s plans to build their newest data center in downtown Reno have been approved by the City Council. This land purchase makes it eligible for several tax benefits from the state.
Speaking about the expansion plans, an Apple representative said,
We’re excited to announce today that Apple will be increasing our investment in northern Nevada by an additional $1 billion creating hundreds of jobs in both operation and construction.
A planned investment of $1 billion, coupled with at least 100 new job opportunities, will increase the size of its data center facilities two-fold towards the east. The construction of this facility is also expected to generate an additional 300 construction jobs later this very year. The new facility is located in Washoe County’s Tessera Tourism district and is about half a city block large. The facility has been named Evans Avenue Warehouse in the special use permit filed by the company, reports local publication KTVN.
At the council meeting, an Apple representative stated that the company had been interested in the said location for a very long time. Earlier, it was interested in leasing half a block to build their shipping and receiving warehouse in this district. But, an amendment to the leasing laws has enabled them to directly purchase the plot — even though council members voted against the decision. They were purporting that unfair tax deals shouldn’t be handed down to powerful, well-known organizations.
Commenting on Apple’s participation in further economic development of Nevada, Governor Brian Sandoval said,
Apple was the first major economic development success in Northern Nevada and helped place this region on the technology and innovation map. Apple’s decision to increase their local investment by $1 billion is a testament to our successful partnership and a demonstration that the best companies in the world are coming to Nevada, creating hundreds of jobs, investing in our communities and making our state their permanent home.
As mentioned in earlier reports, this data center has actually been under discussion since 2012. Now, Apple would build a $4 million warehouse covering an area of 373,893-square foot at the purchased location in Nevada. This adds to Cupertino’s mission to generate more jobs within the States, especially when President Trump is pressuring local tech giants to employ local talent. The iPhone maker has recently not only touted its massive workforce in the U.S but also committed an additional $1 billion to create manufacturing jobs within the country itself.


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Mrs Hinch's Instagram story leads to boost in sales for Ketton-based Baby Nails business
A family business has seen 'sales go through the roof' after its baby product was ‘hinched’.
Rebecca and Mark Saker's wearable baby nail file was recently featured on influencer Mrs Hinch's Instagram story, after using it for her young son Ronnie.
Being inspired after the birth of their son, the Ketton couple created a safer way to care for his nails after finding baby nail clippers difficult to use.
They claim that their unique design 'Thumble' allows people to 'feed, cuddle and read' to their baby as they file to keep them content.
Rebecca, from Ketton, said: “One Wednesday morning last month Mark noticed there had been a sudden and continuous rise in sales.
"After scratching our heads we discovered that Mrs Hinch had shared on her Instagram story that she had just finished doing her baby son Ronnie’s nails using our product."
Mrs Hinch - known on Instagram as Sophie Hinchliffe or '@mrshinchhome' - is a social media influencer with more than 3.1 million followers.
On her story she said she had bought the product on her mum's recommendation, rather than having it 'gifted' and described the product as "perfect".
After the post, Baby Nails' products went completely out of stock on Amazon so all orders had to be done through its website.
Rebecca said: "We worked day and night to hand pack thousands of orders which we then sent out through our local post office in Ketton.
“It’s been a mad but brilliant month!
"Sales were at a record high for days and we are still seeing a lasting effect from Mrs Hinch’s recommendation.
"We want to thank everyone for their purchases."
Rebecca added: “We are eternally grateful to Sophie and Ronnie for our little shout out.
"Yes, the sales have been phenomenal but you can't put a price on brand awareness.”
Baby Nails also won the Best New Start-up Award at the 2018 Mercury Business Awards.


text: The RBI has revised the gold import rules enabling seven more private agencies to import the precious metal. This will lead to increase in gold imports immediately, said market experts. This would also help global prices, which slumped 28% last year, partly due to India’s import curbs. India had in 2013 imposed a record high duty of 10% on overseas purchases of gold, the second-biggest item in its import bill, and introduced a rule tying import quantities to export levels. The new amendment to the rule allows certain private jewellery exporters which had been barred from importing gold since July 2013, to resume imports, with immediate effect. More than 20 entities, including state-run banks, private banks and agencies will now be allowed to import the metal.


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Mobile CRM strategy
- January 07, 2019
High Velocity Sales includes Salesforce tools, such as Einstein Lead Scoring, Lightning Email, Sales Cadences and Work Queues, with more features expected in later 2019 releases.
- September 26, 2018
Salesforce users to benefit from new and extended partnerships with Apple, AWS and IBM, the upcoming Customer 360 integration tool and Einstein Voice.
- April 19, 2018
While the new Field Service Lightning features will help Salesforce users connect customers to their service needs, it lacks any of that Einstein touch of other Salesforce products.
- February 05, 2018
Quip receives back-end capabilities with open source database after Salesforce purchase of Attic Labs.
- December 04, 2017
Daniel Krauss, founder and CIO of FlixBus, discusses how his vision for cloud brand management helped unify many of Europe's numerous regional bus companies.
- January 06, 2017
After buying 10 companies in 2016, analysts are watching for Salesforce's next step -- whether it be more acquisitions or more integration.
- December 21, 2016
Dufl and Kone are both on the move with their operations and are trying to create a solid customer experience by combining data from various back-office systems.
- November 09, 2016
KUKA Robotics is using IoT technologies to automate assembly line manufacturing and usher in customization.
- October 19, 2016
Salesforce IoT Cloud will get a boost from Einstein features, including machine learning, to make predictions, which could help companies prevent product failures.
- August 11, 2016
With Salesforce Field Service Lightning, one security system provider scrapped paper contracts in favor of a digital system and quickly increased sales. Here's how.
- August 04, 2016
With the addition of Quip, Salesforce users can perform word processing tasks without leaving the CRM provider's platform -- which may spell bad news for Microsoft.
- July 05, 2016
SteelBrick's technology gives Salesforce users the ability to generate quotes on the go, which they say has increased efficiency and forecasting accuracy.
- May 26, 2016
Service Cloud Lightning Snap-ins and two-way video are recent enhancements designed to give customers a better experience and agents a more complete view of customers.
- March 11, 2016
This week, Salesforce rolled out Outlook integration with SalesforceIQ Inbox, a sales productivity add-on to its CRM, targeting longtime woes for sales reps.
- February 24, 2016
Companies use analytics apps to derive meaningful data insights, but survey results indicate they are discontented with their BI tools. Can Salesforce Analytics Cloud fill the void?


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Although the variety and quantity of different Android-based devices continues to grow rapidly, fragmentation has been an issue for app developers who can’t be sure their apps will work across all the devices.
Google’s own stats show that less than 7% of all Android devices run the most recent “Jelly Bean” version of Android (v4.1 and 4.2 combined) while another 27.5% run the Ice Cream Sandwich version released late last year (v4.03 and 4.04 combined)
The relatively ancient Gingerbread version of Android is still present on the majority (50.8%) of Android devices.
Schmidt told the WSJ (subscription required) that compatibility has been issue “Because some of the phones are down the road. But if everybody's at [version] 4.0 or 4.1, it is in fact compatible.”
Another key issue is that developers generally earn more with apps published at Apple’s App Store than at Google Play. Schmidt said part of the reason for that is that Google Play is just now starting to hit its stride.
“Google Play and the monetization just started working well in the last year, maybe the last six months,” said Schmidt. “The volume is indisputable, and with the volume comes the opportunity and the luxury of time.”
Puzzled by Apple's moves
Apple is involved in several high profile patent disputes with some of Google's Android partners, notably Samsung.
Schmidt said Google's relationship with Apple has "always been on and off."
"Obviously, we would have preferred them to use our maps. They threw YouTube off the home screen [of iPhones and iPads]. I'm not quite sure why they did that," he said.
Competing with its own Android partners
Several years ago Google released its first branded Nexus phone and followed that up this year with the release of its first tablet, the Nexus 7. The search giant also bought Motorola Mobility raising questions as to whether its hardware partners should be worried about its software supplier being more of a competitor.
Schmidt conceded Google is now a competitor to partners in some ways, but in other ways its not.
“When we bought Motorola, I personally flew to Samsung, who's the number-one partner of Android by volume,” Schmidt said. “I told them that the [Android] ecosystem has to be favored at all costs…the Motorola products can't be unduly favored, unless you're also unduly favoring Samsung. If it looks unfair, and then the ecosystem unravels, then it's a terrible mistake.”


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Google to join forces with Walmart to aid Flipkart acquisition bid
Google's parent company Alphabet is reported to be set join forces with Walmart in India to aid Walmart's efforts to buy a majority stake in Indian e-commerce platform Flipkart.
Google to reportedly join forces with Walmart to aid its Flipkart acquisition / Flipkart
As part of the deal, Alphabet might pick up minority stakes in Flipkart by investing $1-2 bn after the Walmart acquisition according to Economic Times.
Google and Walmart already joined forces last year in the US to allow consumers to order hundreds of thousands of products by voice with Google Assistant on Google Home or the Google Express website or app.
Previous to this proposed partnership, Walmart's Flipkart plans were put on hold by eBay.
Meanwhile, according to Reuters, Walmart plans to invest around $12bn to acquire 51% stake in Flipkart to combat rival Amazon in the Indian market.
However, Flipkart reported a loss of Rs 8,771 crore ($1.4bn) for the financial year ending March 2017 in its latest regulatory filing shows which has forced Walmart to think about a deal with eBay and Alphabet.
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Status Quo on Amazon Cryptocurrency Development
In July 2021, the US internet sales behemoth Amazon shook the crypto market after letting out a blockchain and cryptocurrency lead job advertisement.
The ad specified that the company wanted someone to develop the case for crypto, drive the vision and product strategy, and gain leadership buy-in and investment.
According to sources, the directive for this advertisement came from the headman - Jeff Bezos himself - and it meant more than merely looking into options. Allegedly, Bezos was (and still is) interested in implementing cryptocurrencies into Amazon's business, particularly Bitcoin, Ethereum, Cardano, and Bitcoin Cash. After that, according to reports, the company would develop its native token as well.
Still, even though there were plenty of rumors, they were never officially confirmed. Amazon did, however, hint that it plans to jump into the creation of Amazon cryptocurrency, and the year 2022 was on everybody's mouth.
Who will be Amazon’s Crypto Head?
According to the job ad, the company searched for "an experienced product leader" to develop a roadmap for Amazon blockchain and cryptocurrency strategy.
It stated that the successful candidate would leverage expertise in blockchain, distributed ledger, central bank digital currencies, and cryptocurrency to drive the concept forward.
This step seems logical since other big fintech companies, such as Facebook, Visa, and Google, also recruited whole teams of experts charged with creating a new blockchain and crypto-related workspace.
When Could Amazon Launch?
As we already mentioned, there were no official details on Amazon's possible launch date. However, 2022 was the year everyone mentioned when discussing the digital currency that would be standing shoulder to shoulder with Bitcoin and Ethereum.
There is already something called Amazon Coin; a virtual currency that can be bought on Amazon's website and then be used to purchase apps, games, and in-app items from the Amazon Appstore. Each Amazon Coin is worth $0.01 and can be bought in cheaper stacks on the Appstore app, Fire tablets, and the Amazon website. Still, it is not an Amazon cryptocurrency, per se, since these coins are non-refundable after purchase.
In the case of the actual company's cryptocurrency, the users should use it to shop on the Amazon website, trade with it, and, eventually, exchange it for other tokens.
Nowadays, the global finance industry deals with trillions of dollars daily, serving billions of users. However, the whole sector has problems with bureaucracy, high costs, frequent fraud, and constant delays. Third parties such as payment networks, stock exchanges, and money transfer services deal with crime daily. Therefore, the costs of regulation are rising as end-users ultimately bear the burden.
Amazon to Sell NFTs Soon
Amazon admitted mulling similar projects in the past, even though these projects were rather understated than the one which wraps the Amazon cryptocurrency nowadays.
Amazon already has 'Amazon Managed Blockchain' service that, according to its webpage, "makes it easy to join public networks or create and manage scalable private networks using the popular open-source frameworks Hyperledger Fabric and Ethereum”.
However, the most recent reports show that Amazon is not even near adding cryptocurrencies as the payment option for its retail services but is interested in the Web3 space. Recently, company Chief Executive Officer Andy Jassy commented that even though developing an Amazon coin is not planned for the near future, there is a possibility for the company to sell non-fungible tokens (NFTs) on its e-commerce platform.
Author: Teuta Franjkovic
A sincere writer with a strong will to share knowledge on all things blockchain, crypto, metaverse and DeFi. Starting out as a writer with Cosmopolitan, Teuta has risen through the ranks of business journalism, editing newspapers and websites within the fintech industry for over 15 years. She holds a double MA in Public Politics and Entrepreneurship.


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Shiny Everything During RazerCon 2023, Razer announced major upgrades to Razer Synapse and Razer Chroma, and revealed its new Aether line of lighting products.
Laptop The Surface Laptop Go 3 is just one of many devices unveiled today by Microsoft. The small laptop runs on a 12th Gen CPU, which is a year old.
It's Faster Razer and Automobili Lamborghini have joined forces to create a custom, limited edition Razer Blade 16 with a unique, Lamborghini inspired design.
All coming together Microsoft just announced Copilot, which will be available on Windows, Edge, and Microsoft 365.
Mesh Comfort During RazerCon 2023, Razer announced the new Fujin Pro, a high-end mesh chair with an ergonomic, premium design, coming later this year.
Gold! Forza Motorsport is ready for its October 10 launch after having gone gold. To celebrate, Turn 10 Studios has shared the game's achievements as preloads go live.
No live stream Microsoft will not live stream its Surface and AI event today, but we'll cover all the news right as it happens and you can watch a recording of the presentation.
Ultimate Control During RazerCon 2023, Razer announced the Huntsman V3 Pro line of gaming keyboards, which are high-end, esports-focused peripherals with unique features.
DALL-E 3 😍😍 Microsoft is integrating OpenAI's DALL-E 3 into Bing Image Creator. The company indicates that the technology will help users generate detailed and engaging images.
All the latest news, reviews, and guides for Windows and Xbox diehards.
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A SECOND online panel discussion organised by the newly-launched Highland Food & Drink Club (HFDC) is due to take place on Thursday at 2pm on Zoom.
John Murray, who launched the HFDC in April, said this week’s session for Highland food producers will include a look at new markets, shopping trends and recovery planning.
This week’s panellists are: Jamie Buchanan, membership consultant at the Scottish Grocers’ Federation; Tom Fender, development director at The Wholesale Company; and Antony Begley, editor of Scottish Local Retailer magazine.
Last week’s panel session focussed on the food services industry and attracted 20 participants.
Panellists last week included: Mac & Wild restaurants founder Andy Waugh; Norman Macdonald, owner of Cafe 1 in Inverness; and Ken Loades, operations director at Cru Holdings.
Murray said: “It’s in times like these that we have to show courage and confidence that we will get through – we have to lead the way and come together to remain positive.
“Recently I have seen many leaders pivoting and showcasing true Highland spirit and completely changing their service offering to not only survive but to support the local consumer.
“Our session panellists showcase how agile you can be if you are open to change – they have been very innovative throughout lockdown with their individual businesses providing home delivered meals, cocktail delivery and preparing meals from recipe boxes, which all in turn keep their own spirits high as they feel like they are making a difference.”
Read more news and reviews on Scottish Field’s food and drink pages.


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City Hall officials on fact-finding mission in Stratford
Politicians will visit Stratford on Friday to quiz traders on the worrying rise in empty shop units.
The London Assembly’s economy committee will descend on Broadway at 11.30am as part of its inquiry into an increase in collapsed businesses in the capital.
Figures released by the Local Data Company last week show vacancy rates have continued to rise after the recession.
Evidence gathered on the visits will be debated at two public hearings at City Hall.


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Is your circuit board cracked? Soldered joints giving you problems? Is the glass coating on your varistor broken? If so, you’re not alone.
More than 1,000 complaints have been filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) about the 2005-2007 Toyota Corolla and Matrix models. The problem is that the engine can stall at any speed, without warning, and not restart. Failure to start, the check engine light on and “harsh shifting” are also listed as “symptoms” of the problem.
Woopsee…. Another Toyota safety and quality problem and yes, another reluctant recall. This issue has been floating out there for almost five years. Toyota says the problem rests with an electronic control module (ECM), a tiny circuit board that controls the operation of the engine. This time, it seems the source of the problem is clear and relatively easy to remedy.
The new recall announced by Toyota on August 26, 2010 covers 1.1 million Corolla and Matrix vehicles for model years 2005-2008 with the 1ZZ-FE engine and two-wheel drive. On the same day, GM announced a recall of 200,000 Pontiac Vibes (a mechanical twin to the Matrix) for the same model years. All the vehicles were made at the GM-Toyota joint venture, New United Motor Manufacturing, Inc. in Freemont, California.
In total, 1.3 million Toyota Corollas, Matrixes and Pontiac Vibes are potentially affected by this problem. Previously, Toyota had issued four (yes, four) Technical Service Bulletins (TSBs) addressing the issue and instructing dealers to replace the ECM to solve the problem; so it’s clear Toyota has known about it for some time now.
The NHTSA says that there have been six crashes reported with no injuries or deaths. Toyota says it knows of three unconfirmed accidents and one minor injury. Maybe there are more?
Toyota North America’s regulatory affairs manager Chris Santucci said, before the recall, that the company did not believe the alleged defect “creates an unreasonable risk to motor vehicle safety.”
Huh? So I’m cruising in traffic and suddenly my engine shuts down. I lose power assist for steering and brakes and the car stops. In my experience, a sudden loss of critical functions can easily create a dangerous situation that could lead to a serious accident.
I would classify this kind of systemic failure while driving as an “unreasonable risk to motor vehicle safety” – just to borrow a phrase.
There was more pre-recall spin from Toyota: “We understand that some customers have been inconvenienced by engine ECM failure and some have reported engine stalling.” Just an “inconvenience,” huh? Oh yes, now it is considered a safety defect.
Ah, but how things change in just a couple weeks. Toyota’s chief quality officer (love the new title) for North America, Steve St. Angelo, has the revised corporate spin: “Our goal [of the recall] is to help ensure that Toyota drivers are completely confident in the safety and reliability of their vehicles.” Don’t you feel better now about your Toyota? I don’t.
The potential defect was just recently highlighted by the New York Times and Consumer Reports. In an August 23, 2010 article, “Stalling Problems Could Affect 1.2 Million Toyotas,” The Times quotes one NHTSA complaint: “I was driving 60 mph on the freeway and was almost hit from behind [when the engine stalled]. Another time I was turning left at an intersection and just made it through, but cars were honking and almost hit me.”
The Times also reported that some customers were forced to pay $1,000 to have the ECM replaced if their car had passed the 80,000 mile mark on their powertrain warranty. Toyota says that the recall letter to owners will give instructions for “reimbursement consideration instructions.”
I’m not comforted by Toyota’s endless assurances about their dedication to customer safety and satisfaction. With 12.3 million cars under recall, it’s hard to keep track of which car has which problems. Is it the floor mats or the throttle body module or both? Maybe its a steering shaft or a spare tire falling out of the bottom of a minivan. The 2001-2003 RAV4 had problems with its ECM that caused rough shifting and transmission damage. Is this déjà vu?
I’m sure there are more Toyota recalls, and if you’re concerned about your car, Toyota has a web page and an large portion of its website dedicated to listing and the details of its recalls: Toyota.com/recall
Just like any other brand of cars, there are whole user groups, blogs and Quixotic crusaders who have problems with Toyota, whether it’s hardware or software. Not everything is well in Toyota City. I think Toyota has lost its shiny, happy, rock-solid image permanently. The quest to be the biggest cost them their once-deserved reputation for quality and reliability. It certainly cost them any design flair too. With heated competition from all its competitors, it seems that the once unstoppable Toyota juggernaut is finally dead in the water.
Have you noticed the desperate commercials trying to get rid of the current inventory of terminally-boring vehicles? I’m hard-pressed to find any compelling products from Toyota. And I feel like a zombie from the endless commercials filled with zeros: Zero down, zero percent financing, zero drive-offs, zero security deposits, blah, blah, blah.
Those kinds of ads used used to be the domain of GM, Ford or Chrysler. These days, although Toyota is still the largest brand in the US market, customers seem more willing than ever to give Ford, GM and the Korean Twins (sorry Chrysler) a chance. Toyota isn’t giving up its US crown without a fight, but it’s going to take some stellar, trouble-free products to lure customers back. Don’t hold your breath.


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Multi-media production audioWAV has partnered with David’s Salon for its in-store radio.
The international company, who has also helped set and image Red Ribbon Radio, Greenwhich Radio and Robinson’s Radio to name a few, announced the new deal last July 29, 2012.
“I think audio marketing is like TV marketing, putting on billboards, adverts on newspapers. (With David’s Salon Radio) clients hear our music, all of the time, they hear our jingles all of the time, they hear my little spiels every now and then, and I think it works really well.” says David Charlton, CEO of David’s Salon on his thoughts about in-store radio.
In-store radio has been employed by many establishments already in the country. The idea is that instead of relaying and broadcasting live terrestrial FM stations by businesses such as department stores, beauty shops and restaurants to their customers, they build their own custom radio station, thus, strengthening the brand.
For more details about this service log on to http://www.audiowav.com
audioWAV is a global company and is the Asian leader and choice partner in non-traditional cutting-edge advertising and marketing services.


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October 28, 2020
Warmdaddy’s, the popular soul food restaurant and live music venue, has officially found a new home in Philly.
The eatery will reopen next month at a new location in the Fairmount neighborhood of the city, the Bynum Hospitality Group announced on Monday.
The restaurant will be moving into the former Green Soul space on N. Broad St., located next door to South Restaurant and Jazz Club.
Warmdaddy’s new location will feature a “more modern design that will appeal to a broad cross-section of restaurant goers,” according to the eatery’s owners. The menu will consist of lighter items from Green Soul to go along with the restaurant’s trademark Southern food.
Also owned by Robert and Ben Bynum, Green Soul was a healthy fast-casual concept that relocated from Chestnut Hill in 2018. The Bynum Hospitality Group also operates the aforementioned South Restaurant.
Warmdaddy’s, which has become famous for its Sunday jazz brunches, closed its Pennsport storefront this summer due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, the restaurant has been on the hunt for a new location after exiting Columbus Boulevard and Reed Street.
“After 15 successful years on Delaware Ave., we are excited about Warmdaddy’s next chapter. It was time to breathe new life into an establishment that means so much to so many people,” Robert Bynum said.
“Our customers have been very supportive of all of our businesses during these times and while we hate to see Green Soul go, we know that this new location is just what we needed to reenergize the Warmdaddy’s brand. Green Soul is a concept that we believe in and we plan to bring it back in the near future as well.”
More information on the official opening date in November, scheduled performances, and the menu will be unveiled soon, the restaurant said.
Warmdaddy’s first opened in 1995 and is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. It originally operated in Old City before moving to South Philly in 2005.
The menu has featured favorites from spicy jambalaya to chicken and waffles, deep-fried crab cakes and all night braised turkey wings.


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The plastic shoe trend has been embraced by plenty of celebrities this spring. Those clear, foot-revealing styles have appeared on everyone from Rihanna to Kim Kardashian West (who often wears Yeezy heels designed by her husband, Kanye West). But before the movement really took off this season, one unexpected public figure had already been wearing them: Queen Letizia of Spain.
Last year, Her Majesty wore, on multiple occasions, PVC-strap mules by Steve Madden that cost less than $100. Visiting the CaixaForum in Madrid today, the Queen wore the style yet again. She switched up her favorite black colorway in favor of a lighter blush for spring, and then matched the rest of her ensemble to it with monochromatic pieces: a tweed vest, simple tank top, and breezy trousers, which were cropped to show off the shoes. In her hands, she also carried a discreet white clutch.
So, while the plastic accessory may not be new territory for the Spanish Queen, her latest venture serves as a reminder that she was one of the first do it. Will Kate Middleton or Meghan Markle soon follow suit? Only time will tell—but for now, the former seems pretty devoted to her yummy-mummy boots.


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Farmington Hills, Michigan – Plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs) draw mixed reviews from consumers as they consider cost, convenience and ecological issues, according to a new study by U.S. research firm Morpace.
The study, Morpace Powertrain Acceptance and Consumer Engagement, shows that 33 per cent are willing to consider PHEV technology for their next vehicle, 33 per cent are unwilling, and 34 per cent are undecided.
While improved fuel economy is the top reason cited for considering a PHEV, lower operating costs and positive environmental impact also contribute to interest. “With gasoline hovering around $2.00 per gallon, there is no real economic case for plug-in hybrids right now,” said Bryan Krulikowski, vice-president of Morpace. “Those interested in plug-ins are also considering the non-economic benefits provided by the technology.”
Krulikowski said that it’s “not surprising” that consideration is strongest among luxury car owners, given the technology’s high up-front purchase cost, but those driving midsize cars and minivans also tend to be more interested in PHEVs.
Among those not interested, the primary concern is limited range during all-electric operation. “Consumers expect to drive more than 40 miles (64 km) using only the electric motor,” Krulikowski said. “Further, the lack of infrastructure to support recharging these vehicles weighs on consumers’ minds.”
Being able to recharge the vehicle at home is important to 90 per cent of consumers, and among all study respondents, 67 per cent indicated having access to an outlet at the location where they park overnight, leaving a significant number of consumers who must rely on recharging locations other than their homes. On average, consumers said they would pay $5.70 per hour to recharge a PHEV at a public location.


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Google Parent Alphabet Says No To Internet-Beaming Drones
More than 50 people were part of Alphabet’s Titan Internet drone project, according to the tech publication 9to5 Google, which first reported the news. A spokesperson for X, Alphabet’s (GOOG) research arm in charge of drone projects, told Fortune that many of those workers have moved to other X projects like its drone delivery initiative and Project Loon, which is focused on using huge solar-powered balloons to beam the Internet people below.
“The team from Titan was brought into X in late 2015,” the spokesperson said in an email. “We ended our exploration of high altitude UAVs for Internet access shortly after. By comparison, at this stage the economics and technical feasibility of Project Loon present a much more promising way to connect rural and remote parts of the world.“
Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s technology newsletter.
The roots of the Titan project stem from Google’s 2014 acquisition of drone maker Titan Aerospace for an undisclosed amount. The project’s goal was to provide Internet access in places where web connectivity is scant or non-existent worldwide, particularly in rural and poor areas.
Ultimately, Facebook (FB) bought a similar U.K.-based company Ascenta and incorporated its technology and staff into a competing drone-powered Internet-delivery project. Over the summer, Facebook’s project suffered a setback when one of its test flights crash-landed in the Arizona desert, leading to a National Transportation Safety Board investigation.
That accident echoed a similar one in May 2015 involving one of X’s Titan drones that crashed in New Mexico during a test flight.
With X shuttering its Internet-beaming drone project, Project Loon appears to be Alphabet’s main push to provide Internet access from the air. But even that project has experienced some difficulties.
In June, Space Data Corporation, an Arizona-based technology company, sued Alphabet over allegations that it stole Space Data’s trade secrets related to using giant balloons to deliver Internet access. Space Data seeks an unspecified amount of money in the case and wants the court to stop Alphabet from using what Space Data claims is its “confidential and trade secret information.”
For more about Google, watch:
The 9to5 Google report Alphabet ending the Titan Internet drone project comes as Alphabet also cuts back on its Project Wing drone delivery initiative. The company has cut staff and implemented a hiring freeze amid the departures of two top leaders, according to reports by Bloomberg News and The Wall Street Journal.


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STUTTGART -- Mercedes-Benz plans to use the Maybach brand name that it axed in 2012 for a top-end, long-wheelbase version of its new S-class sedan.
Company sources say the Mercedes-Benz Maybach could debut late this year in the United States, competing with the Bentley Mulsanne and Rolls-Royce Phantom at a price expected to range from $250,000 to $300,000.
But this time Maybach will be a model, not a brand. It could evolve into a subbrand similar to Mercedes' AMG unit, which builds high-performance derivatives.
The Maybach will be distinguished from other S-class models by a high level of equipment and unique styling elements.
It will be positioned well above the Mercedes-Benz S600, a 12-cylinder version of the S class that is expected to debut this week at the Detroit auto show.
The historic Maybach brand name was revived in 2002 for the 2003 model year. The slow-selling Maybach 57 and 62 were loosely based on the 1990 W140 S class, and were badly outdated by the time they were yanked from the market.
A coupe concept, the Exelero, never came close to series production.
-- Jens Meiners


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After revealing For Honor at last year’s E3, Ubisoft has demonstrated the first gameplay of the knights-samurai-vikings 3rd person fight’em-up at E3 2016.
The gameplay demonstrated was for the game’s ostensible single-player campaign, featuring a raiding crew of vikings (lead by a man known as “The Raider”) attempting to siege a samurai stronghold.
The game’s mechanics revolve around light/strong-attack melee combat with mobs of easily dispatched mooks, along with more involved combat against stronger enemies and bosses, featuring a directional blocking system, environmental kills, and a focus on feinting and guard-breaking.
The level concluded with a boss fight between The Raider and a samurai leader, in a rain-slick courtyard.
For Honor will release February 14, 2017–just in time for Valentine’s Day–and will be an alpha leading up to launch.


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|Day Low/High||10.72 / 11.28|
|52 Wk Low/High||10.64 / 17.66|
The debuts of Robinhood, Krispy Kreme and Dole were less than stellar, but one of the trio might be worth a good look right now.
Though people tend to associate startups with millennials, new research shows that most entrepreneurs are actually baby boomers.
Lulu's Lemon, Two-Faced Fannie and Booz Springs Leak highlight Gregg Greenberg's list of the 5 Dumbest Things on Wall Street this week.
Bank of Japan isn't playing nice with the market causing stocks to sell off this morning. Lululemon's CEO steps down as Dole's CEO steps up.
Nicole Urken and Scott Redler, chief strategic officer at T3Live.com, reveal how to trade stocks ahead of earnings season: retail, banks, tech.
Dole started as a pineapple company, but has sold the canned pineapple business to Japanese trading firm Itochu.
A look at the day's most searched trends on the Web, including FedEx as the company cuts its full-year profit outlook on reduced demand for shipping services.
Consumers want to eat more fresh fruit, but that doesn't translate into great stock performance.
This kind of analysis tends to be sorely overlooked, but it can be crucial.


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Ars Technica brings news of a new LiveUSB Linux distro aimed at classrooms.
Sugar Labs has announced the first official release of Sugar on a Stick, a Linux-based learning environment that can boot from a USB memory stick. The Sugar platform, which originally emerged from the One Laptop Per Child project, could soon arrive in classrooms.
One Reply to “Sugar on a Stick brings sweet taste of Linux to classrooms”
Yes it is a fantastic, the one with Fedora 13.
I have used Blueberry and strawberry too.
Hope they will upgrade to Fedora 14!
Comments are closed.


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2010 NAIAS Official poster
Last year's North American International Auto Show (NAIAS), or Detroit Auto Show as it's more commonly known, was something of a somber affair, faced as it was by the bleak prospects of the industry in late 2008 and early 2009. That sense of foreboding--accurate as it was--also hamstrung the show, causing many manufacturers and exhibitors to pull their displays. Things may be different this year.
Things are looking better, even if they're not completely healed, with 55 exhibitors signed up already exceeding the 50 that showed last year. The slight resurgence in exhibitions could be an indication that the Detroit show isn't as dead as some of the more pessimistic pundits had it last year, and that it will continue to have relevance to the industry for at least the near future.
Not that the NAIAS show nor the industry thinks that the tought times are over. "No one is naïve enough to think the industry does not have challenges moving forward," said Doug Fox, chairman of the 2010 NAIAS. He went on to say, "Certainly we are encouraged by the growth but, in the larger picture, these companies year after year validate the view that if one is going to showcase product and plans, Detroit is a major draw and a necessary stop on the international circuit."
So far, manufacturers confirmed for the 2010 NAIAS show floor include Acura, Audi, BMW, Bentley, Jaguar, Tesla, Subaru, all GM, Chrysler and Ford brands, Maserati, Toyota's full stable, and returning to the show this year is Nissan, though they're over in an area of the floor among the Chinese carmakers and X Prize contestants along with Mitsubishi.
The 2009 Los Angeles Auto Show is just over, but already we're gearing up for our coverage of the 2010 Detroit Auto Show, so as always, stay tuned for the latest from our people on the show floor and the unveilings from the manufacturers as soon as they happen.


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Monster Energy has added a 6’6”, 265 lb. behemoth to its stable of brand ambassadors: Rob Gronkowski. ESPN is reporting that the New England Patriots tight end has signed a multi-year endorsement deal with the energy drink giant, one that will see the end of Gronkowski’s days as a representative for Body Armor; he’s been an endorser as well as an investor in the sports drink brand since 2012. While no longer an outward face of Body Armor, Gronkowski will reportedly keep his shares in the company.
“I feel like this deal was the ultimate deal for me,” Gronkowski told ESPN.com. “Monster Energy just fits my personality. The brand is great and just like the Monster [brand], I like beautiful girls, too.”
“Rob perfectly fits into our strategy of signing unique, elite athletes,” added Monster’s vice president of sports marketing Mitch Covington. “We love what he does in the game, but we also love that he likes to party.”
The addition of Gronkowski to the Monster family arrives as the latest in a series of high profile endorsement deal signings for the company, which bet big on Triple Crown winner American Pharoah ahead of this year’s Belmont Stakes. Monster followed that with the signing of UFC star Ronda Rousey, which got off to a less than stellar start. Rousey had been the undefeated UFC Women’s Bantamweight champion, but less than two weeks after Monster announced its partnership deal with the mixed martial artist, she suffered her first loss.


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Livestreaming from your smartphone or webcam is fine as long as you're happy with low-quality video. It's easy, but doesn't scream professionalism -- for evidence just look at most Justin-TV video streams.
For professional-looking video streams, you usually need a high-end camera attached to a computer that handles the processor-heavy tasks of encoding and uploading. But now LiveStream hopes to combine the ease of smartphone streaming with the high quality of prosumer video-capture systems.
LiveStream's new Broadcaster box provides users with the ability to change the focus and exposure of their fancy video cameras with a turn-key, on-the-go encoding box that also uploads video. The system replaces the PC usually needed to encode and upload high-quality video with a small orange box that can be mounted atop a camera.
The Broadcaster box can be used as an in-studio solution to stream multi-camera setups to the LiveStream service via Ethernet. But perhaps even more intriguingly, the system can stream live video from the field via Wi-Fi or a 3G/4G hotspot attached to the device via USB.
For power, the Broadcaster can be plugged into the wall, but also runs off of three AA batteries when you need to stream remotely. LiveStream says the encoder will last three hours on one set of batteries.
The all-in-one box encodes h.264 video with AAC audio at 480i, 720p and 1080i at a rate of up to 2.3 Mbps. The Broadcaster accepts HDMI as well as an audio mini-plug input, and thus can be connected to most digital video cameras on the market, including high-end solutions like the Canon 5D Mark III and the new RED Epic X. The Broadcaster can be controlled and configured via an iOS app, or from the LiveStream site.
LiveStream CEO Max Haot told Wired that setting up a high-quality livestreaming solution has been too complicated in the past. Hardware and software pieces have been difficult to pair and configure, leaving consumers unsure of what to purchase. But the Broadcaster box, he says, is "the Apple of livestreams, not the Microsoft."
The Broadcaster will begin shipping in May for $500.


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Welcome to another edition of The Friday 5 with Steve Greenfield, Founder and CEO of Automotive Ventures, an auto technology advisory firm that helps entrepreneurs raise money and maximize the value of their companies.
We’re in the middle of the Q3 earnings season, and the strong performance from automotive stocks continues to illustrate just how resilient the auto industry and dealer operations have been.
Thin inventory and strong demand sent Q3 gross profits soaring on both new and used vehicles for AutoNation, Penske Automotive Group, and Lithia Motors; all of which reported record results with bottom-line increases topping 80 percent.
AutoNation CEO Mike Jackson noted that they haven’t had sufficient new or used inventory to meet demand, so they’ve been able to hold prices AND gross margins. Hopefully, healthy demand and profits continue for dealers into Q4.
Strong interest in the automotive space from investors continues. A strong stock market, Carvana’s $35 billion dollar market cap, and the ease of going public through special purpose acquisition corporations, or SPACs, is adding fuel to the fire.
This week it was announced that CarLotz, an online consignment store for used cars, has agreed to conduct a reverse merger with SPAC Acamar Partners Acquisition Corporation. The deal values Carlotz at $827 million dollars, similar to where SHIFT Technologies is currently trading. A group of investors that includes Fidelity Management, KAR Global, former GM CEO Rick Wagoner and TRP Capital Partners has also committed to a $125 million investment into the combined company.
As part of the deal, CarLotz will receive an injection of up to $321 million dollars, which it plans to use to expand beyond its current eight locations.
It’s very interesting to see KAR Global, the parent company of the second largest physical auction company ADESA, invest in a physical dealership. CarLotz would be the third major U.S. online car seller to go public this year after Vroom and Shift Technologies.
While selling nearly three times the number of units, CarMax’s market capitalization at $14 billion dollars, is less than half that of Carvana’s. But the country’s largest retailer of used cars is not sitting still, having recently announced that they’ve rolled out their Omni-channel customer experience to 100% of their stores.
CarMax hiring aggressively
In a strong signal this week, CarMax is aggressively hiring in preparation for growth. CarMax announced plans to hire more than 3,500 positions companywide by the end of the year.
These positions include more than 1,300 Auto Technicians, Detailers, Painters and Inventory Associates; More than 900 Store Sales and Business Office Associates; More than 600 Customer Experience Consultants; and more than 100 Digital Technology, Product and Data Science employees.
The automotive retailers are feeling confident, and AutoNation announced plans to nearly double its combined new- and used-vehicle sales to 1 million annually, and to add at least 95 used-only AutoNation USA stores to help reach that goal.
The company did not specify when it aims to reach 1 million sales, which would be up from almost 529,000 last year, beyond calling it a “long-term” target.
AutoNation, which has only five standalone AutoNation USA stores today, said it will add five more by the end of next year, grow to 30 by the end of 2023 and to at least 55 by the end of 2025. The nation’s largest new-vehicle retailer wants to have at least 100 AutoNation USA used-car stores by 2030.
Scott Painter, the founder and former CEO of online car leasing startup Fair.com, is exploring a bid to acquire the company from SoftBank’s Vision Fund and other investors. Painter, who stepped down from Fair last year, is in conversation with one or more SPACs to potentially make a bid.
In late 2019, Painter resigned as CEO of Fair, but stayed on as chairman. Painter founded Fair in 2016 after leaving TrueCar the previous year. Fair grew to over 700 employees and acquired
Uber’s leasing company Xchange Leasing in 2017, and Ford’s Canvas subscription platform late last year. At that time, Fair claimed it would be adding Canvas’ customers to an existing base of about 45,000 monthly users in the US.
SoftBank led a $385 million dollar investment into Fair at the end of 2018, pushing the startup’s valuation to about $1.2 billion dollars. Fair has raised close to $700 million dollars in total from investors.
Flexdrive was launched by Cox Enterprises in 2014, and in 2017, Cox and Holman Enterprises announced a joint venture to hold Flexdrive. In February of this year, it was announced that Lyft acquired Flexdrive for just $20 million dollars.
Founded in 2014, Clutch was a similar vehicle subscription service launched by Cox Enterprises. Clutch was then acquired by Cox in 2018, and is now a wholly-owned subsidiary of Cox Automotive. Clutch powers a number of OEM subscription services, including the Mercedes Benz Collection and the Porsche Drive program. Clutch claims to work with three-quarters of OEMs, and over 400 dealerships.
Companies to Watch
We continue to highlight interesting companies in the automotive technology space to keep an eye on. If you read my monthly newsletter, I showcase a few companies each month, and we take the opportunity here on the Friday Five to share some of those companies each week with you.
Today, we’ll look at three very interesting automotive technology companies, Motive Retail, Darwin Automotive, and Spiffy.
First up is Motive Retail, a software company founded in 2008 by partners Kim Campassi and Dan Seats, and based in Louisville, Colorado.
Motive Retail provides innovative and dynamic system integration solutions to auto manufacturers and dealer software systems.
Motive Retail provides a suite of solutions that help businesses integrate faster, better, and with more partners. You can kind of think of them as the API layer between dealers, OEMs and software vendors.
Working with third parties on complex integrations typically introduces variables in the process you can’t control, and results you can’t predict. You’re often left with bad data, heavy support costs, and frustrated customers.
Motive Retail reduces the cost, time and pain of integrating software systems.
The second company we’re showcasing this week is Darwin Automotive, founded in 2014 by CEO Phil Battista, and based in Boca Raton, Florida.
Darwin’s mission is to connect consumers’ desire for a seamless, transparent, shopping experience with dealers’ desire to provide them with this experience, while increasing profitability.
Darwin currently has over 7,000 dealers across their three business lines, which are Digital Retailing, F&I Software and Consumer Direct.
Darwin’s Digital Retailing solution allows consumers the option to handle more of the car buying process on-line.
Darwin Automotive has become the leader for F&I presentation software, providing more than just The industry standard F&I Menu. Their patented technology evaluates the overall car deal for each individual customer, to determine the ideal presentation which is proven to increase sales and decrease chargebacks.
Finally, their Darwin Service product provides dealers with the technology and training to sell declined F&I products to customers that didn’t buy them at the time of purchase.
Darwin claims to be the fastest-growing software in the F&I space.
Finally, this week we showcase Spiffy, an on-demand car wash and detailing business, founded in 2014 by Scot Wingo, and located in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Wingo is a serial Entrepreneur who successfully started four startups, most recently exiting ChannelAdvisor, which IPO’d in 2013, and is listed on the New York Stock Exchange.
Spiffy is a technology-enabled on-demand service that allows consumers to request and schedule vehicle service and repair through a mobile app. Spiffy offers on-demand car wash, detailing and mobile oil changes.
Spiffy’s goal is to provide truly convenient and environmentally-friendly car care for individuals and fleets across the country. With the Spiffy app, consumers can schedule, track, and pay for mobile oil changes, car washes, and other maintenance services at a time and date that fits their schedule.
Did you miss last week’s episode of The Friday 5? Watch it here now! And don’t forget to share your questions and comments with Jim Fitzpatrick at email@example.com.


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Dissident shareholder Geoffrey Raynor is stepping up his assault on Citadel Broadcasting’s board of directors to force them to negotiate a takeover by Cumulus Media. Now he’s enlisted the New York Times to pressure the board and CEO Farid Suleman.
The article published Sunday recounts the rejection out of hand of the $31 per share (cash and stock) offer by Cumulus CEO Lew Dickey.
And it also retells the story of how Suleman and other top managers and directors were awarded nearly $100 million in restricted stock, until Raynor and other shareholders asked a US Bankruptcy Court to void the grants as violating the terms of Citadel’s plan that brought it out of Chapter 11 reorganization. The stock grants were voluntarily rescinded and replaced by options.
More recently, the story says, more than a dozen shareholders have written to board Chair Jack Sander demanding that the board open talks with Cumulus.
Raynor’s R2 Investments had led the charge, but is now being joined by other former creditors now holding Citadel stock who claim that the board is looking out for its own interests rather than those of the company’s shareholders.
RBR-TVBR Note: What would a merged Cumulus-Citadel look like? See our exclusive analysis: RBR-TVBR recently crunched the numbers
RBR-TVBR observation: Look for this dispute to heat up, not cool down. The vulture capital firms who bought Citadel’s debt on the cheap as it headed into Chapter 11 want profits sooner, not later.


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Apple has extended an historically rare invitation to XR media outlets, including Road to VR, for the upcoming WWDC keynote. This move comes amidst many reports indicating that Apple will be revealing their first foray into the XR space during this highly anticipated event on June 5th. Much speculation in regards to whether they’ll be leaning most into AR, VR, or MR exists and keen industry watchers are hopeful that Apple’s entrance into the market could bring much needed usability advances which have historically held XR back from more mainstream usage. We’ll just have to wait until we are there ourselves to find out what secrets Apple holds!
Read more about this here: https://www.roadtovr.com/apple-invites-xr-media-outlets-wwdc-keynote/


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Econo Lodge Wins Gold Hospitality Award
The Econo Lodge Inn & Suites hotel, of Southern Pines, was recently announced as a recipient of a prestigious 2010 Gold Hospitality Award from global lodging leader Choice Hotels International Inc.
"The Econo Lodge Inn & Suites award-winning hotel represents not only the best of the best, but also the tremendous value that a Choice brand hotel can offer to today's travelers," said Steve Joyce, president and CEO of Choice Hotels. "We're very proud to have the Econo Lodge Inn & Suites hotel as part of our Choice family and I congratulate the property on receiving this distinguished award."
As a top performing property among the company's more than 4,800 U.S. franchised hotels, the Econo Lodge Inn & Suites hotel is among the top 10 percent of properties within the Econo Lodge brand, and one of 13 hotels within the state of N.C. and one out of 45 hotels within the 844-strong Econo Lodge brand to receive "Gold Award" status, a news release said.
As one of the company's top franchised hotels operating under the Econo Lodge flag, the hotel has demonstrated an exceptional focus on guest satisfaction and dedication to providing superior service. Additional award criteria are evaluated by Choice Hotels through its official annual property ranking report.
More like this story


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MultiChoice Malawi has announced that it has introduced the next generation HD decoder – the DStv HD5.
Chimwemwe Nyirenda, MultiChoice Malawi sales and marketing manager , said the HD5 decoder is the 5S and 5U models and is replacing the current models (4S and 4U) which will no longer be available on the market.
According to Nyirenda, the new decoder offers the same entertainment package experience.
“The biggest difference is that it is our first decoder that will not make use of a smartcard. The number used when adding this decoder to your DStv account, or calling us for support is the IUC number which you will find on the sticker underneath the decoder.
“This decoder supports SD video via AV out and HD video via HDMI. Dolby Digital/Surround Sound is via HDMI only,” said Nyirenda.
The new HD decoder has a DStv B6 remote which can be used to switch on and off your television; hence, no need to have two remote controls.
The new DStv HD5 is selling at recommended price of K18 999 which includes one month DStv family package.
Multichoice Malawi said the new decoder is available at the usual selling pointsFollow and Subscribe Nyasa TV :


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Sky Glass will have to cut a dash to attract ‘cord-nevers’
Promise of ‘no dish, no box’ means more to generations familiar with dishes and boxes
Sky Group chief executive Dana Strong unveiled Sky Glass in London this week. Photograph: Matt Crossick/PA
“No dish, no box and no fuss” was how Sky chief executive Dana Strong described Sky Glass, its new streaming television set, at its official launch in London this week. But is its fancy new hardware – available in the UK later this month, with other markets to follow in 2022 – a no-risk move for the pay-TV and broadcasting group?
A swift comparison of the price of its new smart TV compared with incumbent manufacturers suggests Sky Glass won’t be for everybody – but then Sky’s hope is clearly that instead of paying £649 (€765) or more for its set up-front, customers will be tempted to do so via an add-on cost (starting at £13 a month) to their existing subscription.
The appeal of Sky Glass to people who are already Sky customers is clear: no dish, no box, as Strong put it. With the finicky and aesthetically dubious phenomenon of household satellite dishes long seeming outdated in the age of high-speed broadband, the opportunity to drop the dish is something that Sky, owned since 2018 by US cable company Comcast, has been flagging for about five years.
Although most of its subscribers across Europe still require a dish, Sky does already deliver a service via broadband in Italy, and through a version of its Sky Q set-top box in Germany. Sky Glass, a range of 4K TV sets with Sky Q built in, means many more can join the dish-free party.
The question now is whether the company’s offer of “the only TV in the world with Sky inside” is perceived as a meaningful one by the generation of households that hasn’t ever signed up to a traditional pay-TV package in the first place.
Eschewing the need for a set-top box should give Sky Glass the edge over its rivals in the eyes of early tech adopters and people who hate electronic clutter. But there will be other consumers – the group dubbed the “cord-nevers” – who simply look upon the concept of a pay-TV package in some bafflement, however snazzy the delivery. After all, they can already access the aspects of Sky’s content they want through Now TV, an app that sits on their smart televisions or indeed their laptops, in the same way that they watch Netflix, Disney Plus and other streamers.
Sky Glass is an innovative, high-tech product, but it’s an innovative, high-tech product in a market that some viewers have happily remained outside of up to now.


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As the nation’s number two domestic shipper of potatoes, Colorado potato farmers want more of their crop sold in Mexico. In March, Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper and Agriculture Commissioner John Salazar led a trade delegation to Mexico to explore new trade agreements that would boost agriculture exports.
“We want to get access into the interior,” Commissioner Salazar says. Currently, Colorado potato exports are limited to a 16-mile region along the border. “(Mexico’s) Deputy Minister of Agriculture Cruz told us they would be willing to listen to our proposal and we’re excited.”


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The UK government has published new terms for the Statutory Scheme for branded medicines, which controls the prices of medicines paid by the NHS.
The announcement follows the agreement in mid-November of a new Voluntary Scheme for Pricing, Access and Growth (VPAG), a negotiated alternative scheme which companies can opt into over the Statutory Scheme.
Despite a consultation on the proposals that saw a large number of objections from the industry, the UK government said it has decided to continue to operate the Statutory Scheme in a way that is “broadly commercially equivalent to the Voluntary Scheme”.
It intends to set amended payment percentages for 2024 to 2026 based on an allowed growth rate that has been increased to 2%. This means that companies will pay a rebate on the sales of branded medicines to the NHS of 21.9% in 2024, 24% in 2025 and 26.8% in 2026.
Exemptions from payment will be implemented for medicines containing a new active substance, exceptional central procurements and centrally procured vaccines.
While the published rates are down on the record 27.5% rebate in 2023, they remain well above the historical average of 10.6% before this year, according to the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI).
They are also significantly higher than other similar mechanisms operated by other countries – for example, 12% in Germany, 7.5% in Spain and 8.25% in Ireland.
The industry has responded that these sales rebate levels have damaged the UK’s international standing with global life science companies and are likely to continue to negatively impact UK life sciences and NHS patients’ access to medicines.
Life cycle adjustment
A life cycle adjustment will not be introduced, which has been welcomed by the industry. The government statement added: “We intend to consult on alternative proposals to maintain broad equivalence with the terms agreed in the 2024 voluntary scheme for branded medicines pricing, access and growth for setting statutory scheme payment percentages in a way that distinguishes between medicines at different stages in the product life cycle”.
The proposed adjustment had been criticised as unworkable and likely to result in low-margin branded medicines being withdrawn from the UK market.
Richard Torbett, Chief Executive of the ABPI, said: “This announcement sends a very confusing message to global life science investors. The new Voluntary Scheme agreement shows that the government realises that capping the UK medicines market below its natural growth is unsustainable – yet this Statutory Scheme continues to do so, resulting in damaging headline rebate rates which undermine the UK in the eyes of investors.
“The government has consistently said it wants to support the international competitiveness of UK-based life sciences. To really make a difference, they should use next year’s consultation to unlock the constraints on growth which are impeding inward investment.”
Criticism from the pharma industry
In October, over 20 pharma companies rejected the proposed changes to the Statutory Scheme.
The main concern was an arbitrary cap on growth in the UK branded medicines market, which has led to revenue clawbacks in the UK rising from around 5% to 27% in just three years.
Pharma companies and associations that are based or operate in the UK collectively rejected the plans, including Janssen, Lilly UK, Merck UK, Novartis, Pfizer, Roche Products and Sanofi, saying they will discourage innovation and investment in the UK.
These companies are now required to join either the Voluntary Scheme or else be in the Statutory Scheme, and must choose which to be a member of for the following year before the end of December 2023.
Diana Spencer, Senior Digital Content Editor, DDW