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The extended-stay product historically has been considered a “resilient” lodging model by owners and developers, particularly in traversing tough times, and the segment did not disappoint in terms of weathering the past few years of coronavirus chaos.
“Resiliency is a good way to frame it,” said STR President and CEO Amanda Hite. Indexed to 2019, she noted year-to-date revenue per available rooms for extended-stay hotels set against non-extended-stay hotels is nearly equal. This, she added, is “largely due to stronger demand for extended-stay hotels and slower rate growth than all other hotel types.” However, non-extended stay hotels have reported stronger year-over-year key performance indicators growth than extended-stay hotels.
“Over the past four years, extended-stay supply grew 17 percent, while all other hotels have only seen a 2 percent [increase]. That segment recovery remains both in line with non-extended-stay hotels and is largely driven by demand growth, which speaks to the popularity of the segment and its continued ability to absorb new supply,” Hite said.
That segment recovery may account, in part, for the relatively recent spate of extended-stay hotel brand introductions, extensions and reinventions from several of the industry’s major players, among them Choice, Extended Stay America, Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott, Sonesta and Wyndham, some of whom acknowledge they’ve been considering entering the segment for years.
Asked if the pandemic helped serve as a catalyst for advancing some players’ plans in this direction, Hite noted since extended-stay hotels did relatively better through 2020, this piqued developers’ attention.
“Anecdotally, because the length of stay is so much longer, the labor cost is lower and ultimately, profitability compares favorably to other hotel types. This is what gets investors and developers excited,” she said, adding customers also voted with their wallets and made their voices heard through their travel patterns. “I think the interest [in extended-stay hotels] comes from both sides: owners and guests.”
“Ownerships we work with are building new extended-stay hotels, from more traditional brands with Marriott and Hilton to newer concepts such as WaterWalk,” said Gregg Forde, president and COO of Florida-based Island Hospitality Management. IHM currently manages 91 properties, including many branded upscale, extended-stay hotels.
Forde noted many assets were in the pipeline prior to the onset of the pandemic, but felt the newer economy extended-stay concepts underway “definitely target the learnings from COVID, where guests were seeking a great room type and willing to sacrifice complimentary offerings and daily service in exchange for a reasonable price.”
With more than a quarter-century in the industry, Forde observed, “The segment has always thrived; it is just that the extended-stay concept outshines in difficult economic times. This brings more attention to the fundamentals of the segment that make it an area investors are keen to have in a portfolio.”
Given that, where investment capital might trend in the space (e.g., a legacy extended-stay brand versus a new “by” brand launched by a chain) might depend on a variety of factors.
“This is partially a question of owner preference and partially determined by the availability of the franchise in the market,” Hite said. “In some instances, owners and brand have long-standing relationships, and if the developers have worked with another brand in the stable of brands, both sides may be more comfortable working together. Sometimes, the new brand has already been signed and the investor must choose one of the legacy brands if they want to get into the extended-stay game.”
When it comes to legacy, Ryan Rivett knows the term well. Scion of a hospitality family with its roots in the economy sector, the executive helms My Place Hotels as president and CEO of the extended-stay brand that he co-founded with his grandfather, Ron Rivett, in 2011.
With a growing domestic portfolio of 113 owned, managed or franchised properties, the company’s sole focus had been on the segment up until 2020, when it launched Trend Hotels & Suites, a collection of midscale, upper-midscale and upscale limited-, select-service and extended-stay hotels. Rivett considers “iterations” a good characterization of what’s being put into, or proposed for, the extended-stay marketplace.
“There simply isn’t much practical basis or tangible diversification associated with the most recent crop of brand announcements,” he said. “On that basis, I’d say it’s not the developers, operators or consumers that are driving the most recent round of yet-to-be-named hotel brands. It’s really a demand for relevance in the competitive landscape of hotel branding that stimulates the creation of duplicative product.”
That said, Rivett cited a recent deal My Place did with Florida-based Rimrock Companies to franchise and develop 10 extended-stay hotels in Georgia, South Carolina and Tennessee over the next six years.
“Timing of our most recent multi-unit deal was good relative to all of the extended-stay hype in the lodging industry, but this is the second 10-unit deal we’ve closed in the last 12 months [My Place and TGC Group in Q4 2022 did a similar deal for nine hotels],” Rivett said. “Those numbers may not be significant for some of our larger competitors, but for us that’s a unit increase of 25 percent, so it’s a pretty big deal.”
Rivett tagged 2023 thus far as a “maintain your ground year” for extended-stay as the economic landscape continues to shift, but also called business “great.”
“Modest revenue growth, coupled with quickly changing booking and stay dynamics, is keeping operators on their toes. Franchisees and consumers alike are seeking balanced offerings, with quality partners and clearly defined sustainability, which pairs well with our smaller room counts, lower costs and young properties,” he said.
While it also manages select- and full-service hotels, including two independents, privately-held Island Hospitality’s long-standing focus has been on extended-stay assets ranging from the “earliest days of Residence Inn to ownership groups today,” according to Forde, who sees the segment as “holding steady.”
“We fully understand the intrinsic values of extended-stay hotels. The positives are many, from a greater personal guest experience, efficiencies in expenses and stabilized monthly revenues,” he said.
For example, said Forde, “the digitization of the reservation and check-in experience can reduce typical hotel-guest interactions, but in the extended-stay segment, there are so many more guest touch points. The hotel business remains simplistic at its core, which is ‘clean and Friendly.’ In extended-stay, you get more opportunities to make a positive impression on your guests.”
To encourage that result, Forde stressed room functionality, coupled with quality amenities such as a spacious workout facility, was key. He noted over the next 12-18 months “overall dollars are being designated for capital improvements in rooms and public spaces” at its managed properties.
With some industry players “discovering” extended-stay as the next bright, shiny profit-maker, it raises the question of how much of a good thing might become too much of a good thing over the long term, as enthusiastic investors/developers/ hoteliers/chains expand into the space via their various avenues, possibly causing the segment to saturate markets in some distant future.
“It is certainly a threat to any market that too many new rooms chase too few new guests,” Hite said. “But keep in mind that currently the U.S. supply growth stands at less than one percent and if interest rates remain elevated, new supply will continue to be curtailed. In other words, there is a theoretical threat from overbuilding and in some submarkets that threat is more than hypothetical, but in general, we do not foresee overbuilding as a cloud on the horizon.”
Both Forde and Rivett acknowledged there are general concerns about being in the space, but these are almost overshadowed by the segment’s track record as a strong performer.
“Our concerns mirror those of us all in the industry—a capping out on business travel below pre-pandemic levels, potential over-supply or demand erosion with new extended-stay offerings in the same parent brands and ongoing labor challenges,” said Forde. “The positive is that, historically, the extended-stay segment has always been best-in-class and should continue to do so among all hotel asset classes.”
Rivett also remains bullish on the segment. “We know we’re in the right space with the right product and we have great confidence in the sustainability of the markets we’re selecting. Increasing competition always presents a concern for saturation, but I think extended stay has a lot of room to grow and a good basis to grow from.”
According to Hite, at mid-year, extended-stay growth compared to 2022 had “certainly slowed,” much like that of the total U.S. hotel industry. “Demand continues to rise modestly year over year, although above-average supply growth has led to modest occupancy declines for the last three months,” she said, noting “ADR growth remains a bright spot and has helped drive YTD RevPAR up 7.1 percent year over year.”
Hite said total U.S. industry growth would continue to slow over second-half 2023 and into next year, although RevPAR is forecast to continue growing. “We expect the industry to continue normalizing and reset back into historic trends,” she said.


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RBI decided to Launch Inflation Indexed Bonds (IIBs)
The RBI (Reserve Bank of India) on 15 May 2013 decided to launch Inflation Indexed Bonds (IIBs).
The RBI (Reserve Bank of India) on 15 May 2013 decided to launch Inflation Indexed Bonds (IIBs). The first tranche of the IIBs 2013-2014 for 1000 to 2000 crore rupees will be issued on 4 June 2013. The maturity period of these bonds will be 10 years. The total issue size will be 12000 to 15000 crore rupees in 2013 to 14.
The RBI will do on monthly basis to attract household savings of up to 15000 crore rupees so as to discourage investments in gold.
After the first tranche, bonds will be issued on the last Tuesday of every month. While the first series of the bonds will be open for all class of investors, the second series issue - beginning October - will be reserved exclusively for retail investors.

domain: news


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Self-proclaimed Bitcoin creator Craig Wright has filed copyright claims to prove his authorship of the seminal Bitcoin white paper entitled, “Bitcoin: A Peer-to-Peer Electronic Cash System”, penned by the pseudonymous Satoshi Nakamoto in 2008. Wright says he invented Bitcoin while operating under the name Nakamoto.
Says Jerry Brito, director of Coin Center, the leading non-profit organization focused on cryptocurrency policy issues,
“Registering a copyright is just filing a form. The Copyright Office does not investigate the validity of the claim; they just register it. Unfortunately there is no official way to challenge a registration. If there are competing claims, the Office will just register all of them.”
“Someone else could today also register themselves as the author of the white paper, thus inviting a suit from Wright and letting a court decide on the validity of the claim.”
Wright, however, claims that the new filings end the long dispute, and establish him as the creator of Bitcoin.
According to a press release published on CoinGeek, owned by Wright supporter Calvin Ayre,
“Wright is now legally establishing that he is Bitcoin’s creator after being dismayed to see his original Bitcoin design bastardized by protocol developer groups – first by Bitcoin Core [BTC] in 2017 and then again by Bitcoin Cash [BCH] developers in 2018. Those non-Satoshi protocol changes were made by developers who disagreed about whether or how the blockchain should massively scale.”
Bitcoin SV (Satoshi Vision), launched by Wright and supported by Calvin Ayre, the owner of CoinGeek, soared to $139.31 on the announcement, more than doubling in value since yesterday when it was trading at $62.11. BSV is now trading at $94.98.[the_ad id="42537"] [the_ad id="42536"]


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“Sought-after functional Apple-1 computer hand-numbered by Steve Jobs, with original hardware suite—from the collection of personal computing pioneer Roger Wagner”
What you need to know
- A super-rare Apple-1 just sold at auction.
- The lot was a working original computer made by Apple and hand-numbered by Steve Jobs.
- The Apple-1 was the first-ever computer made by Apple, cobbled together in Steve Jobs’ garage.
An ultra-rare Apple-1 computer hand-numbered by Steve Jobs has sold at auction this week for an eye-watering $375,000.
The lot at RR Auction closed Thursday at $375,000 according to the auction house’s website, a fair way shy of the $450,000 estimate.
The item was one of 50 rare ‘Byte Shop’ Apple-1 computers, named as such because Steve Jobs approached the owner of The Byte Shop in Mountain View California about selling the items in his shop. Store owner Paul Terrell agreed provided they were fully assembled.
The Apple-1 was the first-ever product made by Apple, cobbled together by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak in Jobs’ family garage. The pair made nearly 200 devices in 10 months, selling 175 of them. The computer is now incredibly rare with only a handful known to exist. Rarer still are working examples like this one, and Steve Jobs’ marking of stock number 01-0068 adds another incredibly unique touch. It also includes a replica operation manual signed by Steve Wozniak. The lot came from the personal collection of Roger Wagner, who bought the item in 2002 at California’s Vintage Computer Festival.
As per all of RR Auctions lots a buyer’s premium of 25% will be added to the cost of the sale.
The device is the second such lot to sell in the space of a few weeks. Last month the AAPl Collection listed its own Apple-1 as signed by Steve Wozniak, selling for $340,100.
The staggering price paid for a near-50-year-old computer makes Apple’s most-recent best MacBooks and desktops like the Mac Studio look like a bargain by comparison. If you are on the hunt for a new Mac over the next few weeks, then these Prime Day MacBook deals shouldn’t set you back quite so much.


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iPhone X Running On iOS 12 Beta 1 Jailbreak Teased By KeenLab
The iOS 12 is expected to be released to the masses this fall. This, however, didn’t stop one of the well-known figures in the jailbreak community, Liang Chen of KeenLab, from posting a demo video featuring an iPhone X running on iOS 12 Beta 1 jailbreak.
Chen has posted a one minute and forty-three seconds YouTube video on his Twitter account featuring an iPhone X running iOS 12 Beta 1. The video features the typical proof-of-concept steps to prove that it’s running on the said OS by going into [Settings] >> [General] >> [Software Update] >> [About].
Next, the video then shows Chen launching a proprietary KeenLab jailbreak app and taps on the “Jailbreak” button which then lets the app exploit the device and install Cydia. After that, Chen launched Cydia and demonstrated its working condition.
iOS 12 Jailbreak Public Release?
According to iDownload Blog, people shouldn’t be expecting for this iOS 12 jailbreak public release. The article explains that KeenLab usually keeps their jailbreaks to themselves for internal testing purposes only.
In fact, on Chen’s Twitter post of the demo video, it had a few people tweeting that KeenLab won’t release it. Just to list a few:
- “Lol always claim but no releases any jailbreak f*ckers”
- “Ur team never release for the public as far as I know …”
- “But he won’t Release”
There were also some who claimed that the demo is fake. Whether those people were just being internet trolls or not, it’s anybody’s guess.
But regardless of whether there will be a release or not, this demo (assuming that it’s real) nevertheless serves as proof that Apple’s newest firmware can still be jailbroken despite the efforts made by the company to thwart the jailbreak community.
So what do you guys think about KeenLab’s iOS 12 Beta 1 Jailbreak video? Is it fake? Will there be a public release? Do share your thoughts and opinions in the comment section below.


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Sony Computer Entertainment has announced that it will introduce Skype features to the new slim PSP, GamesIndustry.biz reports.
More than 246 million members are registered for the use of this communications software, which enables users to communicate with other Skype users around the world over the Internet free of charge.
PSP users worldwide will be able to start using Skype features and services through a simple system software update scheduled in late January. Services include free voice calls between Skype users, contact list management, SkypeOut - allowing users to make calls to landlines and mobile phones - and optional SkypeIn - allowing users to receive Skype calls from landlines and mobile phones for a fee.
A Memory Stick Duo, wireless Internet connection, and Skype-compatible audio input device are required to use the service.
SCEI said that it will "deploy various measures to meet users' demand and vigorously promote the expansion of the PSP platform as a handheld entertainment system to enjoy a variety of interactive digital entertainment."
No other specifics were provided, and the company did not explain how Skype will fit in with previously announced plans for the PSP's European Go! Messenger service developed in conjunction with BT.
GamesIndustry.biz sometimes phones us. We don't answer.


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Technology trends are constantly changing and evolving. Technological advances are changing business by streamlining, improving productivity, and increasing revenue. This technology trend is essential for businesses to grow in this competitive era.
Scientific convergence is generating innovation
Rapid breakthroughs are feasible and feasible because of advances in seemingly separate areas of science. This convergence is driving advances in AI materials modeling, and bio-materials. In turn, these technologies are accelerating innovations in batteries, antennas, telecommunication networks, and user interfaces. This is allowing us to develop devices https://www.hsasupport.org/ that are more than the sum of their parts.
For example, the MIT company Biological Dynamics has developed a lab-on-chip test to detect the first signs of pancreatic carcinoma. The company is currently trying to expand the testing for ovarian and lung cancer.
The Internet of Things is a growing technology trend that connects devices with the internet and allows them to exchange information. This helps companies increase security, improve efficiency and lower costs by monitoring equipment, enhancing processes and improving customer service. This technology can also assist in predicting maintenance requirements, improve patient outcomes and speed up medical care.
Cloud computing is a key technology advancement that allows businesses to store and manage their data and applications via the internet instead of on-site hardware. This can accelerate the pace of innovation and help expand global and access to critical business resources. Furthermore, this trend in technology is also reducing the cost of infrastructure and power.


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Wawa, the popular convenience store chain, is still using the “application software” status code to process applications for the applications for which it is required to process them, according to reports on Friday.
The company has been using the status code since at least 2016, when it was first approved for approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
The status code, which is currently valid for seven years, is issued to help determine the suitability of an application for approval, said Scott Jurewicz, the chief technology officer of the Washingtons Application Software Alliance (ASA).
It is not clear if Wawa will be using the current code or a future version of the status codes, Jureiches comments came after a request by Business Insider.
The FDA has been requiring Wawa to use the status coding since the early days of the smartphone era, according in part to a 2015 report by the Federal Trade Commission.
“The current software status code is not intended for applications that require the use of software to process the processing of information,” the FTC reported.
The code is still being used for many applications, including those that process a payment card.
The use of the code is in compliance with the terms of the FDA’s rules and regulations.
The agency has also stated that it will not use the code for any “software-related applications.”
The FDA had previously issued a “compliance advisory” for Wawa in 2016.
“It is important to note that while Wawa has used the status software code since its inception, it does not appear that the application software status has changed since then,” the FDA said in the advisory.
It did not comment on whether the code was still being issued to Wawa for its applications.
The latest development comes on the heels of news that Wawa is using the same software code to handle the applications that are required to handle a transaction between a friend and a Wawa employee.
“We continue to use our own software to handle all Wawa software related applications.
We have received an overwhelming number of complaints about this,” Jureich said in a statement to Business Insider on Friday morning.
The software used for applications like Wawa’s smartphone app is called “Wawa Wallet,” which allows users to pay for goods and services with a Waw app.
The app can be used by any Wawa customer, and users are able to buy and sell items online or at a store using their phones.
According to Jureickis statement, the application code is now also used by a number of other companies.
The ASA said it has also received numerous complaints from businesses that have been using Wawa Wallet for over a year.
The organization said it would be contacting all Waw customers about the status, including Wawa employees.


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Where September represents a livelier and party-filled New York Fashion Week, February returns to the basics with clothes at the core – breaking some of winter’s frost with their captivating designs. In New York City specifically, the season represents a time of heightened focus for brands to curate cohesive collections and refine their design expertise.
With this year’s calendar, a roster of designers is taking to the catwalk for their Fall/Winter 2024 collections. From names like Helmut Lang to Michael Kors and Thom Browne, there’s a range of moments to be on the lookout for featuring highlight returns, seasoned New York Fashion Week names and even a few newcomers – taking place from Friday, February 9 through Wednesday, February 14.
Last September’s NYFW, Peter Do held his first runway show as Helmut Lang’s new creative director in an attempt to return the brand to its former glory. With his signature tailored sentiments, Do brought a clean edge to the NYC-based label while maintaining its minimal stylings. Since then, Do offered up a clean collection for the Pre-Fall 2024 season, but now the designer is returning to the runway for his second show at Helmut Lang. Peter Do’s second show at Helmut Lang is set to kick off NYFW on Friday, February 9 at noon.
Edvin Thompson’s Theophilio is also back on the runway roster, marking its first show since September 2022. Culture remains at the forefront of the Jamaican-born designer’s process and each collection has seen him dive deeper into his roots. Tommy Hilfiger returns to the calendar as well, having not shown during NYFW since September 2022. If the past show was any indication – making a grand spectacle at Brookly’s Skyline Drive In – Hilfiger’s next on the runway will surely be a


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The British Veterinary Association is urging people to not buy this specific kind of dog
Pugs and bulldogs are some of the cutest, most lovable dogs out there. But the British Veterinary Association (BVA) is urging people to not buy “squashed-faced” dogs. These breeds, known as brachycephalic breeds, can suffer major health issues due to overbreeding.
Brachycephalic breeds’ squashed facial features are a major reason why people love these dogs. But this desirable appearance has pushed breeders to prioritize looks over health, resulting in severe medical issues like skin disorders, eye ulcers, and breathing difficulty.
According to the Kennel Club, the number of French bulldogs registered has shot from 692 in 2007 to 21,470 in 2016. What’s more concerning is that a BVA survey found that 75% of owners were unaware of the health risks their brachycephalic breed faced. And only 10% of owners were able to recognize health problems. Many thought their dog’s snorting was “normal,” when snorting can actually be a sign of breathing problems.
The BVA has launched a campaign called #breedtobreathe to raise awareness about the health issues brachycephalic breeds face.
"We find that our veterinary surgeons are finding increasing numbers of flat-faced dogs are coming into their practices with problems which are related to the way these animals are made," John Fishwick, president of the BVA, stated. "One of the things that is causing this increase that we have seen over the last few years appears to be celebrity endorsements and their use in advertising."
The BVA asks people to reach out to advertisers and ask them to not use flat-faced dogs in their marketing in order to reduce popularity, and ultimately, breeding. Their campaign also advocates that vets, breeders, and owners work together to ensure these breeds remain healthy.
"They are lovely breeds of dog," Fishwick continued. "The problem is a lot of them are really struggling, and we really want to make sure people understand this and encourage them to think about either going for another breed or a healthier version of these breeds — ones which have been bred to have a longer snout…or possibly even cross breeds."
This serves as a crucial reminder to always research a breed before you purchase or adopt. You can also prevent overbreeding by checking your local shelters before heading to a pet store. The more dogs we save from shelters, the less demand there will be for overbred pets!


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Just days ahead of Google's annual developer conference, the long-delayed and Android-compatible Samsung Chromebook Pro is finally available for preorder.
Recent Samsung Stories
The Samsung Galaxy S8+ is unquestionably the best smartphone I've ever owned, a gorgeous and modern device with great performance and a superior camera. And I have to return it.
For the past few weeks, I've been evaluating three smartphones that represent some of the best choices available in their respective pricing categories. Here are some early recommendations.
Even for a seasoned device reviewer such as myself, the Samsung Galaxy S8+ presents such a wide range of unique capabilities that trying to understand it all up front quickly becomes overwhelming.
My Samsung Galaxy S8+ arrived this morning, and it's going to take quite a while to get up and running with this new handset. But first impressions matter. And the Galaxy S8+ is stunning.
Samsung admitted this week that the flagship handset will not include full Bixby personal digital assistant functionality in the US. Instead, its most critical feature, voice control, will come later.
Samsung has opened up preorders for its new Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ handsets. And if you act quickly, you will get a free Gear VR virtual reality headset too.
It's always news when Samsung updates its flagship handsets. But today's Galaxy S8 announcement is particularly momentous, even for the world's biggest maker of smartphones.
Samsung has updated their Notebook 9 and the 15in model is thin, light and offers a wide range of ports; coming in at 2.17 lbs, it's a device you need to hold to appreciate.
Samsung's new Chromebook has quite a few features that may attract users who traditionally would have purchased a Windows device.
Recent issues with exploding Samsung smartphones are a welcome reminder in these parts that Microsoft isn't the only tech giant that can totally muff a crisis. So thanks, Samsung. You've really raised the bar.
Samsung's attack on Google continued this week with the consumer electronics giant announcing two new fitness wearables that are based on Tizen rather than Android. But to be fair, Tizen may be better suited for the lower functional requirements of these devices than it is, say, for a full-featured smart watch.
Pulling yet another page from the Apple playbook, Samsung on Sunday announced its Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge flagship smart phones, devices that look awfully similar to its previous generation devices. But Samsung did at least address a few complaints, and the firm is pushing a broader virtual reality strategy that could bear fruit. […]
Samsung has released a new device that looks and feels like a Surface Pro but it is thinner and has its own unique foldable keyboard.
With its latest flagship smart phones, Samsung is listening to its customers and going with high-quality materials and less bloat. The result is two stunning smart phones, the Galaxy S 6 and Galaxy S 6 Edge, the latter of which features two curve-around screen edges that really differentiate this product from the competition. I have […]


text: As predicted, in Mintel’s new report Department Stores China 2014, private label is being increasingly explored by retailers both to forge an improved bottom line, and help brand differentiation amidst a crowded and competitive market. The research reveals that there is a need for department stores in China to create a stand-out identity, which reflects the lifestyles that consumers are aspiring to, offering an alluring environment both for shopping and for leisure, while increasing profitability by developing private label. And leading department store chain New World Department Stores (NWDS) is already ticking all the right boxes. The retailer plans to open LOL (“Love.Original.Life”) private label brand stores this year and next, having already launched the brand in existing stores and Shanghai K11 Art Mall. Of the 3,000 people surveyed for Mintel’s report, over half (51%) said they sought from department stores products not commonly available or which are new to the market. This shows that having innovative and new products helps keep these outlets attractive to shoppers. One of the biggest differences between department stores and shopping malls found was that malls appear more favoured as places to visit for entertainment and dining, with 46% and 45% of respondents respectively saying they had visited shopping malls for these reasons, much higher than the case for department stores. This is an area where department stores can help to improve their customer footfall by becoming more like malls, as destinations where people go for entertainment and leisure as well as only shopping. Of NWDS’ new store in Xi’an (opened in January) 20% of operating area is allocated to non-retail facilities. These include catering brands Xiao Nan Guo and Kungfu Catering, both new and exciting entrants into the Xi’an market. Mintel also found over a quarter (26%) of survey respondents wanted more events to add to the leisure and entertainment experience when department stores. Since opening in Xi’an, NDWS has held events targeting families (with festival activities); youth consumers (with a high-heel shoe painting contest and speed dating on Single’s Day) and VIP consumers (with VIP privilege days, and exclusive sales). But most interesting is NWDS’ introduction of private label LOL stores selling products ranging from beauty products to arts and craft, aimed at expressing the idea of quality of life. So far, 3 such LOL stores have opened, but the retailer plans to expand the LOL concept to 20% of its stores by the end of 2014, and 50% by end of 2015. They expect the concept will generate RMB 100 million in sales revenue this year alone. The upside for the retailer is not just a distinct image, which stands out from the offerings of their competitors, but also means it has no inventory pressure from third party suppliers; higher gross sales margins on its own products; and greater control over product and brand mix. You might also be interested in: No related posts.


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In its worst figures outside of a seasonal period for 11 months, the British Retail Consortium said October's UK retail sales were 0.
What does BRC stand for?
BRC stands for British Retail Consortium
This definition appears very frequently and is found in the following Acronym Finder categories:
- Organizations, NGOs, schools, universities, etc.
- Business, finance, etc.
See other definitions of BRC
We have 314 other meanings of BRC in our Acronym Attic
- Braconne Randos Club (French cycling group)
- Brain Resource Company (Australia)
- Bratislava Regional Center (UN Development Programme)
- Breakfast Roll Call
- Breckenridge Resort Chamber (Colorado)
- Brisbane Racing Club (Australia)
- British Rabbit Council (UK)
- British Rail Consortium
- British Rally Championship (auto racing)
- British Red Cross
Samples in periodicals archive:
Initial surveys from the British Retail Consortium and CBI suggest the occasion, which included an additional bank holiday, had a positive impact on retail sales.
Stephen Robertson, British Retail Consortium director-general, said: "While fuel and utility bills are eating up an ever-bigger proportion of household budgets, many goods sold by retailers now cost less than they did a year ago.
Scotland's oldest international supplier of traditional Scottish smoked Scottish salmon, John Ross Jr (Aberdeen), has been awarded the Grade A Global Standard for Food Safety-one of the industry's highest accolades-from the British Retail Consortium (BRC).
The British Retail Consortium revealed the biggest sales drop in its history on Monday, in a further sign that consumers' belt-tightening is hitting the high street hard.
But a British Retail Consortium spokesman said the report was "nonsense".
BUSINESS crime rose by a third during the recession, claims the British Retail Consortium (BRC), with an incident occurring nearly every minute, 24 hours a day.
Retailers enjoyed their best October sales growth for seven years last month, according to the British Retail Consortium (BRC).


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Machine Politics. George Hotz, Sony, and the Anonymous hacker wars.
In late December 2010, fail0verflow, a team of European hackers, demonstrated that the Playstation 3's security was fundamentally flawed and managed to obtain the encryption key used by the device (see previous discussion). Utilizing the techniques developed by the fail0verflow team, iPhone hacker George Hotz released the encryption key publically, which enables the execution of arbitrary code on the console. Now Sony is suing both George Hotz and members of the fail0verflow team. [more inside]
Citing security concerns, Sony has decided to release a firmware update that will disable the "OtherOS" feature on its older (non-slim) PlayStation 3 systems. This is almost certainly a response to the system finally being hacked two months ago by George "GeoHot" Hotz. To counter Sony's disabling of the feature, Hotz, who previously stated that he would not be releasing custom firmware for the PS3, now plans to do so: "The PlayStation 3 is the only product I know that loses features throughout its lifecycle. Software PS2 emulation, SACD playback, and OtherOS support are all just software switches you can flip. It's unbelievable you would go and flip one, not just on new boxes you are shipping, but on tens of millions already in the field."


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Features, analysis, and case studies on supply chain financial systems for management, procurement and asset planning including banking, credit, insurance, payment and auditing.
Posted 03/15 · 09:22 AM · SCMR Editorial
Express Freight Finance is launching with an initial capital base of more than $30 million and is backed by Adelphi Capital, a merchant bank with a strong track record of equity investment in factoring and other financial services for transportation companies in the United States.
Posted 03/10 · 05:24 PM · LM Editorial
Express Freight Finance, an independent factoring company specializing in transportation clients, has recently launched its freight-bill factoring services for truck fleets, owner-operators, and freight brokers nation-wide.
Posted 03/04 · 09:15 AM · MMH Editorial
Now is the time to start planning for the impacts, challenges and opportunities of new accounting rules in advance of their 2019 implementation.
Posted 03/01 · 01:39 PM · MMH Editorial
Customers demand lease agreements that allow for change, reduce or eliminate penalties, and prevent surprises during or at the end of the term. Finance partners have responded by offering unprecedented flexibility and risk mitigation.
Posted 02/09 · 09:29 AM · SCMR Editorial
Once retailers win the “click,” managing what happens post-click will be a game-changer in 2016.
Posted 12/17 · 11:26 AM · SCMR Editorial
In a recent interview, SCMR dug a bit deeper into the recently released 2015 Return on Supply Management Assets (ROSMA) Performance Check Study, “Building a Bolder Legacy: The Procurement Mission is Under Way.
Here are insights shared by Joe Raudabaugh, an A.T. Kearney partner.
Posted 04/20 · 03:50 PM · MMH Editorial
Packaging and packaging savings nearly 10 times what was initially projected.
Posted 04/01 · 11:14 AM · MMH Editorial
Fleet costs don’t stop at the purchase price, and expanded collaboration between fleet managers, dealers and finance partners is changing the way fleet costs are managed over time.
Posted 03/26 · 09:09 AM · SCMR Editorial
Many Republicans and Democrats avidly support the work of Ex-Im Bank. But this time, a group of Tea Party conservatives and the Heritage Foundation are fighting against reauthorization, citing ideological concerns over government interference in a free market economy.
Posted 01/22 · 03:25 PM · MMH Editorial
New retail, rental fleet and floor plan financing solutions available in U.S. first before rolling out to Canada, Mexico, Brazil and Chile.


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7th July 2022
Android users in the US could soon start to see content, apps and ads on their phone lock screens in the coming months, following a trend that has already gained traction in Asian markets.
Phone lock screens are the hottest new tech real estate. Last month Apple said that it will be revamping the lock screen on iOS with widgets, real-time info and other personalisation features. But while Apple talked about clock fonts and color-matched wallpapers, it also gave a glimpse of a world in which the lock screen is not just a security measure; but another surface on which companies can put information, apps, and even ads.
Now Glance, an India based start-up backed by Google and Indian operator Jio, is in talks to launch its lock screen platform on Android phones in the US (and looking to expand globally in the coming years) which would see it push news headlines, videos, games and photos every time a user picks up their handset.
Glance personalises the content feed on the lock screen based on users’ interests and is pre-installed on more than 400 million phones around Asia where it works with manufacturers to enhance the economics of cheaper but feature-packed low-end and mid-range devices. The company is now building a “premium offering” for the US where people have higher propensity to pay for digital services and is engaging with US carriers for partnerships as it prepares to launch on several smartphone models next month. This will be a different business model for Glance which has direct relationships with Android makers in Asia, whereas it is the carriers that control most smartphone sales in the US, with handsets bundled with mobile data plans.
The logic behind such lock screen features seems to make sense on the surface. Instead of having to actively interact with apps, users can easily see a range of information when they pick up their phone without even unlocking it. But, while Apple has emphasised the privacy features of its platform, Glance would potentially look to monetize the lock screen by encouraging users to download particular apps or interact with certain content. Amazon uses these principles with cheaper models of its Kindle e-reader.
The competition for eyeballs and attention has already come out of apps and onto your homescreen through widgets and notifications. Now, it looks like it’s headed one step further. Whether consumers will respond well to this proposition remains to be seen.


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The Tick, Jean-Claude Van Johnson and I Love Dick have received full series orders by Amazon, after the pilots for all three comedies performed well during their trial run for Prime subscribers last month.
Announced via a press release today, Amazon has revealed that the trio of upcoming shows will premiere exclusively through the company's Prime Video service sometime next year for those in the United States and the U.K., as well as in Germany, Austria, and Japan.
Amazon's aforementioned trial run in August proved to be incredibly successful, serving as the company's most-watched season for comedy pilots in the history of Prime Video.
"These pilots were vast in scope, disruptive in tone, challenging in story and sometimes even funny," Amazon Studios Half-Hour Series head Joe Lewis said in a statement accompanying the announcement. "It’s rewarding to see customers embrace them in such a huge way."
The pilots for all three series are currently available for Amazon Prime subscribers to check out. Be sure to read IGN's review of The Tick pilot and the Jean-Claude Van Johnson pilot for our thoughts on Amazon's slate of upcoming shows.
Alex Osborn is a freelance writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter.


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Even though no one has reportedly gotten sick from these products, Mann Packing is issuing a voluntary recall when one of their packages tested positive for listeria. These veggies made easy products were sold throughout the United States and Canada in Trader Joe's, Walmart and Safeway.
The“best if used by” dates from October 11 to October 20 listed on the front of the packaging. To get a full comprehensive list of the veggies that are being voluntarily recalled,
We may have purchased these products at Trader Joe's. If you have one of the recalled products, the company says you should either throw them out or take it back to the store where it was purchased.
For more information about the recall through the FDA, click here.


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COLUMBUS, OHIO — The Women’s Small Business Accelerator (WSBA) today announced the launch of the WSBA Business Crisis Team. Comprised of experienced business owners and professionals, the team provides coaching, reassurance and support to women business owners, in Central Ohio, facing challenges created by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Business owners in need are hand-matched with the Business Crisis Team mentor best suited to help with their specific concerns and issues. Mentoring discussions take place online or by phone and business owners can use this resource free of charge.
“This is a scary time for business owners who are facing layoffs and having their revenue abruptly stopped.” said Mary McCarthy, WSBA’s President and CEO. “For a business in crisis, not only do we want them to know they are not alone, but we want to help them find something to look forward to on the other side of this pandemic.“
Business owners that wish to engage the WSBA Business Crisis Team can request assistance at WSBAOhio.org/BusinessCrisisTeam. Business leaders that want to help other business owners can become a volunteer mentor at the same site.


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Google finalizes $1.1B acquisition deal with HTC
Back in September Google and HTC announced a $1.1 billion deal. The phone manufacturer is receiving the money in exchange for some of its employees and access to its intellectual property. The agreement was approved by the Taiwanese Investment Commission in December, and today Google officially welcomed the new members of its team.
The deal includes about 2000 engineers who were already working on the Google Pixel 2 smartphone and its upcoming successors. They will remain based in Taiwan and Taipei will become the largest Google engineering site in the Asia-Pacific region.
Rick Osterloh, Hardware Senior VP at Google, commented that the hardware business is entering its third year and the company will keep building and investing for the long run. The company will create “radically helpful experiences for people around the world” with the new teammates, by combining Google’s AI, software and hardware.
- 02 Feb 2018
Htc will be more succesful and sells more phone just like motorola with their hotcakes phone
- 01 Feb 2018
Well maybe but under Lenovo a 2 new motomods are created every year. I hope and i believe that they will come with something new we have just to patiently wait. I have my Moto X4 and X5 appart from CPU and GPU improvement slightly better camera...
- 01 Feb 2018
Dude, my point was, Motorola under Lenovo is trash because they can't make anything new. Right now they basically capitalize on niche markets. I don't care how durable their screens are, I care that they aren't likely to create some new features beca...


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Brown & Brown Inc. has realigned its of retail agency division into a more decentralized operating model with an eye toward increasing organic growth.
Brown & Brown’s retail agency division will continue to operate as one division but, effective immediately, it will have six regions under the direction of J. Powell Brown, president and chief executive officer.
As part of the new alignment, Richard A. Knudson Jr., Thomas K. Huval, Anthony M. Grippa, Steve Denton and P. Barrett Brown, all of whom currently serve as senior vice presidents in the retail division, will become regional presidents along with Charles H. Lydecker, who previously served as president of the retail division.
These regional presidents will have oversight responsibility for the newly-created regions.
In his new role as regional president, Lydecker will continue to report directly to Powell Brown and will retain primary responsibility for the retail division’s offices throughout Florida and the west coast of the United States. Lydecker will also continue his work in recruitment and development of sales producers throughout the retail division.
The retail division writes business in all 50 states and includes about 3,700 employees in 34 states, the Cayman Islands and Bermuda.
The retail division represents 51 percent of Brown & Brown’s revenues. Total company revenue for 2014 was $1,575.8 million, compared with total revenue for 2013 of $1,363.2 million, an increase of 15.6 percent. Retail-generated organic revenues increased by 3.5 percent in 2014.
Noting that Brown & Brown started 75 years ago as a retail insurance agency in Daytona Beach, CEO Powell Brown said the retail agency operation remains at the core of the firm’s “identity and our overall business strategy.”
In addition to operating retail agencies, Brown & Brown has divisions offering wholesale insurance (15 percent of revenue), claims and other customer services (9 percent of revenue) and national insurance programs (25 percent of revenue).
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Tickets for K Pop sensation BTS are offered for as much as £12,000 just minutes after going on sale online
- The seven-piece boyband from South Korea have sold out both nights at the O2
- Thousands of fans complained they couldn't get tickets, selling out in minutes
- Tickets have now appeared on resale sites for thousands, causing fan outrage
Fans of K-Pop group BTS were outraged yesterday as tickets for UK dates during their world tour were unavailable, appearing online shortly after for as much as £12,000.
When logging on to attempt to buy tickets, fans were confronted with a message: 'Wow! Loads of people have turned up today. As so many people are trying to book tickets, we’ve started a queue. Don’t refresh this page as you may lose your place in the queue.’
BTS accepts the Top Social Artist award onstage during the 2018 Billboard Music Awards
Seven-piece K-pop grou BTS attends the 2018 Billboard Music Awards
The tickets, which have a face value of £62.50-£160 plus booking fee, sold out in less than 10 minutes.
Within minutes they appeared on resale sites such as GetMeIn, Viagog, and StubHub for up to 150 times the face value.
Fans, known as the ARMY, took to Twitter to plead with the O2 and Ticketmaster for help.
BTS, who are made up of V, Jimin, RM, Suga, Jin, J-Hope and Jungkook, recently became the first ever K-Pop group to take the top spot on the Billboard Artist 100 Chart with their record 'Love Yourself'.
Many also complained about O2 not selling any priority tickets to the event.
The mobile network, that also own the concert venue, said in a statement: 'We know so many of you are excited about BTS and eager to buy tickets. To clarify there is no O2 presale on Wednesday 30th May. We'll share more details as soon as we can.
They later tweeted: 'Tickets for the BTS shows are now sold out. We understand your disappointment and are sorry for those of you who have missed out, but the demand for these UK dates have been incredibly high. We remind you to only use verified ticketing agents for all purchases.
BTS performs onstage during the 2018 Billboard Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 20
BTS super-fan Angela Lee told the Metro: ‘The tickets went on sale at 8.59am, if I wasn’t already online then I wouldn’t have even realised, and what makes it worse is that by the time it was 9.01am all the tickets were apparently sold out with tout sites marking these up to £1,000+.
‘What makes the situation even worse is that I’ve been with O2 for over 10 years but then they decided to take off the priority sale at the eleventh hour.’
Others took to Twitter to bemoan the situation.
Fans took to Twitter saying the resale prices were 'outrageous' and accused the O2 of taking 'disgusting advantage of fans'.
Some speculated that the O2 arena would be empty as the tickets have been bought up by bots.
Some even launched a Change.org petition, asking the band's record label to prohibit resale tickets, which more than 2,500 signed.
Some fans launched a petition, asking the band's record label to prohibit resale tickets
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Microsoft has responded to Polytron's statement that re-submitting a title update to Fez would have been too expensive to be viable for the indie studio.
As a result, the Montreal-based developer chose to re-issue a patch that corrupts save files for less than one per cent of users, while it elevates the experience in nearly every other capacity for everyone else.
Microsoft claimed that it offered to work with Fez investor Trapdoor on a more reasonably priced solution.
"While we do not disclose the cost of Title Updates, we did offer to work with Trapdoor to make sure that wasn't a blocking issue," said Microsoft in a statement to Kotaku.
Still, the Redmond-based company supports Polytron's decision to refuse to pay. "Polytron and their investor, Trapdoor, made the decision not to work on an additional title update for Fez. Microsoft Studios chose to support this decision based on the belief that Polytron/Trapdoor were in the best position to determine what the acceptable quality level is for their game."
"We remain huge fans of Fez," it concluded.
As were several of us at Eurogamer who giddily spent many moons deciphering its arcane riddles.


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Dell's board gave company founder Michael Dell and his associates, Silver Lake Partners, a setback in their fight with investor Carl Icahn to take the PC maker private.
Thumb-drive sized Android PC is a cost-effective tool for virtualized, cloud-connected companies.
The takeover bout for Dell resumed on Monday. Shareholders vote on Aug. 2.
Dell has started shipping its thumb-size PC called Project Ophelia to beta testers and is preparing to ship the final product in the coming months.
A decision to raise the offer to take Dell private by Michael Dell and his Silver Lake partners is a concession that rival Carl Icahn and affiliated parties may have an upper hand in the wrangling, observers say.
Michael Dell has raised his offer to take Dell private by US$0.10 per share, to about $24.7 billion, after the company was forced to delay a vote because stockholders seemed inclined to reject the bid.
Dell has delayed a shareholder vote of a proposed buyout deal in which founder Michael Dell and Silver Lake Partners would take the company private.
Dell sacrifices a little practicality for the sake of beauty, but this AIO is so terrific most people won't care.
With a shareholder vote scheduled for July 18, the battle over Dell's $24.4 billion plan to go private intensified Friday as investor Carl Icahn and his affiliates issued an enhanced offer for the company.
Prominent shareholder advisory group Institutional Shareholder Services has given a stamp of approval to Dell founder Michael Dell's bid to take the company private.


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Mobile Advertising Platform Delivers Real Leads AdLeads lets companies launch geo-tagged campaigns that sidestep the cost-per-click model, in favor of sign-ups.
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
Here's a reality check: Nearly half the clicks on ads in mobile apps or games are made by mistake, according to a survey by Harris Interactive. Merely an inconvenience for consumers, wayward clicks present a costly problem for marketers who are billed for every tap.
"All the existing mobile ad models were designed for enterprise companies that can absorb the cost of accidental clicks," says Zephrin Lasker, co-founder and CEO of Brooklyn, N.Y.-based startup Pontiflex. "There's never been an easy way for small businesses to get into mobile advertising without throwing money away."


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In 2020, the esports market is set to reach a value of $1.1 billion (source:
). This massive revenue growth of 15.7 percent, year-over-year – driven predominantly by sponsorships, brand extensions, media rights and partnerships – has placed this growing industry as the top revenue growth opportunity for brands tapping into both gaming and sports markets (source:
The growing global audience of esports players, streamers and viewers is changing the culture of gaming and challenging our perception of the entertainment business. What’s more, business opportunities are growing parallel to the industry as global brands sign exclusive partnerships to get in on the action. Activision Blizzard named YouTube its official streaming platform partner. Leading esports player and streamer Ninja has signed deals with Nerf and Adidas. Coca Cola is sponsoring the Pittsburgh Knights esports team and L.O.L. Surprise! is fronting the Girlgamer Esports Finals. This activity has taken place in the first quarter of 2020 alone.
With games such as “Counter Strike,” “Call of Duty: Modern Warfare,” “Fortnite,” “Super Smash Bros.” and “Overwatch” leading the charge among an army of titles, this nascent arm of the global gaming culture is offering new platforms for developers to introduce new competitive elements to new Triple A titles, creating a new consumer culture and acting as a fascinating case study for brand growth done right.
Merging gaming, sports and consumer culture, License Global takes an in-depth look into the world of esports and how brands can navigate the exciting new market through licensing, products, partnerships and beyond.


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FedEx Freight kicks off beta testing for LNG-powered tractors
Company officials said that the pre-production engine used in these tractors is expected to be released in 2013.
in the NewsHoneywell rebrands Intelligrated business in latest step of integration process Sharpen Your Competitive Edge with B2B Managed Services Ports address climate change Ship & Shore Environmental launches “Keeping Up with EPA” campaign for packaging industry Port of San Francisco brings new talent to cargo management More News
FedEx Freight, the less-than-truckload subsidiary of FedEx said earlier this month that it has kicked off beta testing for two new tractors powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG)-only engines. Company officials said that the pre-production engine used in these tractors is expected to be released in 2013, adding that it is the only all natural gas engine that begins to meet the size and power needs of Class 8 trucks.
FedEx Freight also noted that the tractors are at its Dallas-based service center and will be used as part of its linehaul operations and are expected to log about 1,000 miles per day, with this usage enabling FedEx Freight to test the engine’s ability to meet daily operational needs.
“FedEx continuously monitors and tests new technology to make our fleet more efficient,” a spokesperson told LM. “The debut of these two all-LNG powered tractors is an effort that has been two years in the making.”
When asked what drove the need for these tractors, the spokesperson explained that bringing these all-LNG powered tractors into the FedEx Freight fleet has been a long-term effort. She said the company’s goal is to provide excellent service to its customers while being conscious of its resources, including fuel, with the testing of these all-LNG engines is one example of that commitment.
The spokesperson also highlighted benefits that this effort brings to shippers.
“FedEx is committed to providing sustainable solutions for our customers,” she said. “Natural gas produces significantly lower amounts of emissions than traditional diesel, therefore it is a cleaner fuel option. And since natural gas is produced domestically, it reduces our reliance on imported petroleum fuels. Additionally, FedEx works closely with our vehicle manufacturers and utilities to bring more efficient and alternative fuel technologies to commercial reality, which can lead to further adoption of these technologies in the marketplace.”
In terms of next LNG-related steps for FedEx Freight, the spokesperson said that with such a large and diverse fleet, it is important that the company puts the right vehicles in the right places. And once it tests the all-LNG engines, it will have a better idea of whether they meet the needs of its operation, which she said will allow FedEx Freight to look at the benefits of investing further in this technology for its fleet.
A noted green supply chain expert said that this effort is a positive on multiple fronts.
“The announcement by FedEx regarding the testing of LNG powered tractors reinforces the fact that due to the availability of plentiful natural gas supplies within the U.S., well-led corporations are realizing that LNG is a game changer and they’re positioning their companies to reap the rewards,” said Brittain Ladd, global supply chain consultant for CapGemini Consulting. “I do not believe it is hyperbole to state that natural gas will usher in a sea change across the nation over the next 15 years that we haven’t witnessed since the discovery of oil. Just as petroleum was the impetus for the U.S. to become an industrial power so too will natural gas become the impetus for driving the U.S. to become the leader in the use of natural gas to power vehicles and power plants as well become the leader in exporting natural gas across the globe.”
About the AuthorJeff Berman, Group News Editor Jeff Berman is Group News Editor for Logistics Management, Modern Materials Handling, and Supply Chain Management Review. Jeff works and lives in Cape Elizabeth, Maine, where he covers all aspects of the supply chain, logistics, freight transportation, and materials handling sectors on a daily basis. Contact Jeff Berman
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2013 is a big year for Western Star Australia, the 30 year anniversary of the brand taking Australian trucking by storm!
When distribution rights were acquired in the tight economic times of 1983, in already over-saturated truck market, it seemed like a risk doomed for failure to introduce a new, arguably niche brand to the Australian market. But Western Star Trucks Australia was confident that this product would overcome the slump in trucking at the time. It was the perfect brand for the Australian trucking market.
They were right. The first year saw 53 Western Stars sold and on the road. By the end of this year, that number will top 1,500!
So, to say thank you, Western Star Australia has pulled out all the stops and produced 60 limited edition 4900FXT trucks (30 in blue and 30 in slate gray) complete with top-of-the-line 560hp Detroit DD15 engines and an array of special, one-time commemorative features on the trucks.
“The trucks are beautifully presented and are sure to attract a lot of attention throughout the country,” says Dough Shand, the general manager at Western Star Trucks Australia.
The trucks are currently en route to various points in the Western Star Australia dealer network and will be available for purchase in the near future. They will also come with a top secret bundle of driver goodies by RM Williams for those who manage to get one.
If you’re not in the market for a brand new truck, no worries.
You can still partake of the anniversary. The 2013 commemorative calendar has been released to celebrate the trucks themselves and the loyal customer base. You can grab yours here.
We think it’s fair to say that the Western Star brand has forever changed the face of Australian trucking. If you don’t believe us, just stop by the Brisbane Trucking Show in May and take a look at the enthusiasm behind the brand. And they’re nowhere near at the end of their upward climb. 2013 will see the launch of the brand new 4700SB, a variety of trucking shows, and the growth of the brand new (and may we just say – super handy) Truckie’s Mate App.
Thirty years is a great milestone. But we feel pretty confident that this is only the beginning.


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Caution rules … spending on discretionary items is down.Consumers are cutting back on debt and increasing their use of debit cards as they become more cautious about spending and borrowing, a survey has found.
Expectations for household debt were at 18 per cent for the March quarter, a fall from 22 and 26 per cent for the last two quarters, the Dun & Bradstreet’s Consumer Credit Expectations Survey, released today, found.
The national Newspoll survey of about 1200 people this month is reflected in recent economic data, which has seen Australians adopt a “balance sheet repair” mentality of paying off debt, increasing savings and paring down on discretionary spending.
“Overall, we’ve witnessed a sizeable shift in the spending behaviour of the Australian consumer. There is a greater degree of consideration being applied to each spending decision and a greater focus on spending within our means,” Dun & Bradstreet’s chief executive Gareth Jones said in a statement.
“This attitude towards spending, especially on discretionary items, can have a negative knock-on effect for Australian businesses. … The upside to this ongoing mood of consumer conservatism is that we may see an improvement in the levels of personal debt and delinquency, which should help those households experiencing financial stress.”
The survey found that the number of people with debit cards were at their highest point in more than three years, at 77 per cent, while slightly less than half were concerned about their financial situation, down from 59 per cent in the September quarter.
Fifty-five per cent of those surveyed said they did not expected to have difficulty meeting their financial demands in the next three months, up from 48 per cent in the September quarter.
Economist Stephen Koukoulas, who advises Dun & Bradstreet, said consumers’ moves to pay down their debt would make them more secure in the medium term if there was a slowdown in the Australian economy.
“If there is no slowdown in the next year or two the current financial circumstances of consumers suggests they will be well placed to underpin ongoing strong growth in consumption and other spending,” Mr Koukoulas said.
Commonwealth Bank credit card data for the holiday period, which was released in mid-January, found that consumer spending rose only modestly from the year before.
The average credit card balance had fallen by a record 2.3 per cent over the year to November, according to Reserve Bank data released around the same time.
At the same time, economists said the national household savings rate was near 10 per cent, the highest in three decades.
The original release of this article first appeared on the website of Hangzhou Night Net.


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Viacom International Media Networks is set to launch its global anchor brand Paramount Channel in Thailand, heralding the network's entry into Asia. VIMN has signed its first distribution deal with Thai Pay-TV operator CTH (Cable Thai Holding) in order to make its entry into the market.
Paramount, the HD 24-hour movie channel, will launch in the country in May. The deal with CTH includes a new licensing contract for MTV Thailand which came into effect on 15 January.
"The introduction of Paramount Channel in Asia is a key, strategic step in deepening our presence both in Thailand and in Asia, while expanding our portfolio of adult-targeted brands," Mark Whitehead, executive vice-president and managing director for VIMN Asia, said of the deal. "We're thrilled CTH has come on board for this highly anticipated launch in Asia and look forward to seeing Paramount Channel expand further in the coming months."
As part of the contract, CTH along with VIMN Asia will handle advertising sales for both Paramount Channel and MTV Thailand.
"We're proud to be the first to offer Paramount Channel in Asia and to make it the first 24-hour movie channel available to our subscribers across multiple screens," said CTH CEO Amarit Sukhavanij.
Paras Sharma, SVP of MTV, Comedy Central & Paramount Brands and Digital Media, VIMN Asia, will lead the new channel. No financial details of the deal have been disclosed as yet.
Paramount Channel will also make its entry into Italy by the month-end. It is already present in France, Russia, Romania, Hungary and Latin America since its inception in 2012.


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NetMotion Wireless announces Mobility 10.10, the latest version of its mobile VPN software that enables downloads 300% faster than its closest competitor while operating on the Windows 8.1 platform and providing enhanced Android support.
As the Internet of Things becomes reality, Verizon launches a cloud-based security suite that is designed to address many of the inherent challenges, including scale, convenience and the ability to thwart increasingly sophisticated attacks.
Ireland-based Multipath Networks this month is introducing its bandwidth-aggregation technology–used by first responders and enterprises in Europe–to U.S. consumers and enterprises. The solution is expected to be commercially available early next year.
Erik Wallace of TeleCommunication Systems (TCS) talks about a cybersecurity offering for the public-safety sector that has spun out of its work in the government and enterprise sectors, at the Association of Public Safety Communications Officials (APCO) conference in Anaheim, Calif.


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Television and digital ratings for the National Football League’s regular-season games jumped 10% compared with last season and were the league’s best numbers since 2015, according to Nielsen data.
The average audience for regular-season games was 17.1 million viewers, compared with 15.6 million in the 2020 regular season. Last season was marred by the Covid-19 pandemic, leading to empty stadiums and many rescheduled games as players contracted the coronavirus. In addition, coverage of the 2020 presidential election led to strong ratings competition from cable-news networks.
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Sunday, Aug. 23, 2020 | 2 a.m.
If ever-improving technology couldn’t make coin slot machines extinct in Las Vegas, a pandemic wasn’t going to either.
Because of a nationwide coin shortage brought on by business closures out of COVID-19 concerns, casinos with the coin-play machines have had to scramble to secure enough coins in circulation for their machines to operate.
A staple of the vintage Las Vegas experience from years gone by, the machines — and the trademark ching-ching-ching coin falling sound — remain in operation only at a handful of casino properties, including El Cortez in downtown.
Before the pandemic hit, El Cortez general manager Adam Wiesberg said the casino had about $120,000 in nickels, quarters, 50-cent pieces and dollar coins on hand for its arsenal of about 100 coin-operated machines.
But after Gov. Steve Sisolak ordered casinos closed in mid-March, El Cortez deposited most of that in the bank, only saving $30,000 in coins, Wiesberg said.
Trying to get the coins back has proven to be impossible.
“Our first coin order that we did after reopening, in July, we ordered $30,000 in quarters,” Wiesberg said. “When the Brinks people came, they brought us just $500 in quarters. That’s when we realized firsthand that there was a coin issue. We’re fortunate we kept that $30,000.”
Across the country, quarters, dimes and nickels aren’t circulating as freely as they normally do because many businesses have been closed in recent months. Consumers aren’t spending as much now, and health-conscious shoppers aren’t wanting to touch paper money and coins as much for fear of spreading or contracting COVID-19. It’s also common to see stores ask consumer to pay with exact change.
Under normal circumstances, according to a July news release from the U.S. Mint, retail transactions and “coin recyclers” return a significant amount of coins to circulation on a daily basis, though that flow is now reduced.
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and others have urged Americans to use coins or turn them into banks, though the supply chain is expected to gradually normalize in the coming months as the economy continues to reopen.
At the El Cortez, the casino has removed a 5% fee that had been collected whenever a patron used one of its coin-counting machines (the machine counts change, then prints off a ticket that can be cashed at the casino), which adds to the coin recycling effort.
“People can come to El Cortez and change out your piggy banks for free, which has helped increase the amount of coin we’re bringing in,” Wiesberg said. “We used to empty those machines much less frequently, but now we’re emptying them every day. For a weekend, those machines will have $75,000 in coins if we wait until Monday to empty them.”
A casino that prides itself on its vintage feel and gambler-centric offerings, El Cortez has many regulars who have been playing coin slot machines for years. Dale Vigil, who has been coming to the casino since the early 1950s, is one such regular.
Early Wednesday afternoon, Vigil played a coin poker machine, one of about 20 players using coin machines in one area of the casino. The machines used to be lined up right next to each other in rows with players almost shoulder-to-shoulder at times. Nowadays, the machines can be found in circular clusters, which spaces the players appropriately under social distancing guidelines.
“I don’t think they’ll get rid of the coin machines,” Vigil said. “Not in my lifetime, at least.”
Wiesberg confirmed Vigil’s hunch, saying the casino had no plans to take the old machines off the floor, though he did say it’s sometimes a complicated matter to fix machines in need of service. Manufacturers aren’t making them any longer, and parts can be tough to find.
In Henderson, Skyline general manager Sam Kiki said his staff had run into the same types of issues. Skyline still has 88 coin-operated machines on its casino floor.
After he realized there was a coin shortage, Kiki said he was forced to buy a coin-sorting machine so the casino could start to recycle its own coins. It cost about $10,000, he said.
“If you try to get coins from the bank right now, it’s very limited,” Kiki said. “We would usually order coins every day or every other day. Right now, we can’t get them more than once per week. The coin machines, people love them. They love to hear the money coming out of them, especially the old-timers.”
The California, also in downtown, has about three-dozen coin-operated machines in operation, Boyd Gaming spokesman David Strow said.
“We currently have enough supply of coins at (Boyd’s) downtown properties, so we don’t foresee any issues with keeping those machines going,” Strow said. “The bigger issue, though, is with ticket redemption kiosks.”
It’s been tricky at times, Strow said, to keep enough coins in the company’s self-serve kiosks so that players redeeming their ticket can get exact change.
Like the El Cortez, Boyd is offering the public the chance to cash in their coins at most company casinos around Las Vegas free of charge.
“It’s been very successful,” Strow said. “We’ve been able to secure enough coins, we’ve been able to continue offering customers the full amount when they use our kiosks. If you go to a grocery store or someplace where you can cash coins, they’ll charge a fee. People can bring us as many coins as they want right now and we’ll happily take them.”
The U.S. Mint produced nearly 1.6 billion coins in June, according to a new release. For the remainder of 2020, it’s on pace to mint 1.65 billion per month. In 2019, the mint said it produced on average 1 billion coins per month. That means the coin shortage is likely a temporary problem for casinos and other businesses.
Whether that comes to pass, patrons will still be hearing the familiar ching-ching-ching sound from their favorite machines at the El Cortez, California and Skyline and other casinos with coin slots.
“At any other time in our history, this coin shortage would be a big deal for us,” Wiesberg said. “The (COVID-19) adjustments we’ve had to make have been extensive. We have regulars who have been coming here for decades, it’s like a social club for them. When we closed down (in March), one of the first things we did was think about how we could make our coin machines safe for those customers. These people are like family to use.”


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The numbers are in for the most popular jersey in the NBA and it’s no surprise that King James is on the top of the list. LeBron’s MVP season, first championship victory, and Olympic gold medal all had a large deal to do with his jump to the top spot.
LeBron said these words to Yahoo! Sports about becoming number 1:
“It’s an honor to be No. 1,” said James, who last had the league’s best-selling jersey in April 2011.
“I give all of the credit to the fans,” said James, whose Cleveland jersey topped the league sales charts in 2004. “I would also like to thank all of my supporters and the Miami Heat organization. Let’s keep it going.”
Yahoo! Sports went on to discuss the leaders in team jersey sales:
In the team sales rankings, the Knicks were one spot ahead of the Heat. New York was No. 2 in the April rankings, with Miami then at No. 4.
The Lakers are No. 3 on the new list, followed by Chicago (which was No. 1 in April), Boston, Oklahoma City, Brooklyn, the Clippers, San Antonio and Dallas.
The Top 15 selling NBA jerseys are listed below:
- LeBron James
- Kevin Durant
- Kobe Bryant
- Carmelo Anthony
- Derrick Rose
- Rajon Rondo
- Dwayne Wade
- Blake Griffin
- Dwight Howard
- Chris Paul
- Deron Williams
- Russell Westbrook
- Steve Nash
- Paul Pierce
- Dirk Nowitzki


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Holiday business Thomas Cook has issued a profit warning after it reported huge loses in the first half of the financial year. A report showed the firm suffered la £1.5 billion half-year loss as Brexit uncertainty has put Britons off booking holidays.
Thomas Cook Boss Peter Fankhauser said there was “now little doubt” that Brexit had caused UK holidaymakers to postpone their summer travel plans. He also said there had been no pick-up since the EU withdrawal deadline was pushed back to October.
The cash-strapped holiday group has received “multiple” bids for its airline, which was put up for sale in February to help shore up its finances.
What will happen to Thomas Cook?
Thomas Cook is taking urgent money-saving measures which include:
- Axing 150 roles from its head office in Peterborough
- Possible further store closures, having already announced plans in March to shut 21 stores and axe 320 retail roles
Thomas Cook latest: Is your holiday in trouble amid Thomas Cook results - Can you still book a holid
The debt-laden company has struggled recently, as a fall in demand for package holidays and intense online competition resulted in a string of profit warnings.
The firm has sold 57 percent of its summer holidays, while tour operator bookings are down 12 percent for the summer season.
Is my holiday safe?
Holidaymakers will be pleased to hear that they won’t lose out in the unlikely event of Thomas Cook’s closure.
That’s because Thomas Cook holidays are ATOL (Air Travel Organiser’s Licence) protected
UK travel companies which sell package holidays and flights have to ATOL protect them.
This means customers who have booked holidays with the firm are protected and can’t get stranded abroad or be left out of pocket.
So if you have already booked a holiday with Thomas Cook, it will be safe.
Can you still book a Thomas Cook holiday?
Thomas Cook will continue to operate holiday sales despite stark profit warnings.
The company hopes business will pick up as Brexit draws nearer.
The group confirmed it had secured a new additional £300 million financing deal with its lenders to help boost its balance sheet.


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UK – Tate & Lyle PLC (Tate & Lyle), a leading global provider of food and beverage ingredients and solutions, has appointed Lauren von Stackelberg as its new Chief Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) Officer, effective 19 April 2021.
In her new role, Lauren will lead the development of Tate & Lyle’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) strategy, policies, and programs aimed at creating a truly inclusive and diverse culture and workforce.
According to a statement from Tate & Lyle, Lauren has a strong track record of leading and delivering transformational change across a range of sectors including technology, travel, and financial services.
She most recently served as Global Head of Inclusion & Diversity for Expedia Group. She is also founder of a Micro-Fund in Ghana and a member of a steering committee of a consortium for pay equity.
Nick Hampton, Chief Executive, said: “I am very excited to welcome Lauren to Tate & Lyle. She is a proven and compassionate leader of change, and I look forward to working with her to build a culture where all people, regardless of their backgrounds, can be themselves and reach their full potential.”
Tate & Lyle’s Stabiliser University
Lauren’s appointment follows a recent launch of a stabilizer training platform to help food formulators solve challenges relating to taste, texture, mouthfeel, processing and labelling which are often encountered when creating new and reformulated food products.
Called the Stabiliser University™, the new platform is an online modular course designed to help formulators and food scientists solve even the toughest stabiliser formulation challenges.
The first module – entitled “Stabiliser Fundamentals” – has been scheduled for 9 am (CDT) on Tuesday, 13 April 2021 and will cover the basic principles of formulating with stabilisers.
It will also cover the challenges stabilisers can solve in food and beverage formulations, and how manufacturing and processing can impact formulation choices.
This online course is designed to help formulators address these issues and to provide a forum for them to learn about and discuss the latest science and trends relating to the stabilisation of food and beverages, said Tate & Lyle.
Darrin Peterson, Global Head of Stabilisation & Functional Systems at Tate & Lyle, said: “This is an opportunity for our customers to gain better insights into and understanding of the complex nature of stabilisation, and for Tate & Lyle to demonstrate our industry-leading knowledge of this essential functionality in the food industry.”
The launch of Tate & Lyle’s Stabiliser University™ follows the success of three other curriculums – Texture University™, Sweetener University™ and Fibre University™ – which have attracted many thousands of attendees worldwide.
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Government efforts aim to reduce impact of global crisis, accelerate pace of recovery of economic sectors and provide necessary means to ensure business continuity
Dubai on Wednesday rolled out the latest Dh315 million tranche of its economic stimulus package, boosting the total value of government incentives to help businesses brave the pandemic challenges to Dh7.1 billion.
Unveiling the new stimulus, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Executive Council of Dubai, said the package extends the validity of some of the initiatives announced earlier for another six months, starting from January 2021 until June 2021.
Sheikh Hamdan said the government's efforts to reduce the impact of the global crisis, accelerate the pace of recovery of economic sectors and provide necessary means to ensure business continuity, are in line with the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.
"Despite the challenges imposed by the pandemic worldwide, our economy is steadily recovering. We have the capabilities and resources that enable us to achieve economic excellence and accelerate the recovery of our various business sectors. We are confident the next phase will bring new opportunities for entrepreneurs and investors," Sheikh Hamdan said.
"The Dubai Government continues to assess the current global economic situation and the various developments amid these exceptional circumstances in an effort to develop practical strategies that will enable us to efficiently mitigate the repercussions of the global pandemic on the economy."
Dubai's latest round of incentives is in addition to a host of fiscal stimulus measures introduced across the nation by the Central Bank of the UAE and the Federal Government and various emirates to help economic sectors navigate the turbulence caused by the pandemic.
The central bank's Dh100 billion Targeted Economic Support Scheme fund has directly impacted more than 321,000 beneficiaries including 310,000 distressed residents, 1,500 companies and 10,000 small and medium enterprises till November 2020. Besides, the UAE Cabinet has approved a Dh16 billion economic stimulus package as part of the Federal Government's additional measures to support the national economy, ensure businesses continuity, and mitigate the coronavirus impact.
The decision to launch the new stimulus measures is based on the recommendations of the Dubai Economy Support Committee, chaired by Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Second Deputy Chairman of The Executive Council, President of the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Chairman of Emirates airline and Chief Executive of the Emirates Group, to continue supporting all economic and business sectors in Dubai.
The initiatives included in the stimulus package include exempting commercial establishments and hotels that did not benefit from the reduction in previous packages launched in 2020 from one-time market fees in 2021. Non-beach hotels and their restaurants will be refunded 50 per cent from the hotel sales fee as well as the Tourism Dirham Fee, a Dubai Government Media Office statement said.
In the tourism, entertainment and events sector, the exemption from the fees charged for postponement and cancellation of recreational and sports events and activities, including conferences and exhibitions, has been extended. The new package also extends the freeze on fees charged for ticket sales, issuing permits and other government fees imposed on entertainment and business events, said the statement.
In line with the initiatives, commercial licences can still be renewed without mandatory renewal of lease contracts. The package also includes extending the cancellation of the 25 per cent down payment requirement for accepting installments of licensing fees and licence renewal on a monthly basis. Additionally, nurseries leasing land lots from the Knowledge Fund Establishment will continue to benefit from the 50 per cent reduction in land rent, the Media Office said.
"Yet another remarkable and praise-worthy step from the leadership of Dubai, which continues to be vigilant in assessing global situations and doing its best to mitigate the effects it would have on our local economy. We very fortunate to be in a city where the leadership always puts the goodwill of its people first," Kamal Vachani, group director of Al Maya Group, said in reaction to the new stimulus.
"Surely, this latest stimulus package will be another step in ensuring business and societal continuity, in order to keep Dubai's status as a people-friendly place, a solid trade hub and a pillar of strength in the region."


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Use of only green crackers to be allowed for a very short duration on Diwali, Gurpurab, Christmas, and New Year: Meet Hayer
Ban on no e-commerce websites to accept any online orders and effect online sales of crackers within Punjab-
Punjab government led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, will strictly allow use of only green crackers for a very short duration on Diwali, Gurpurab, Christmas and New Year.
Divulging more details, the Enviornment Minister Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer said that in compliance of various directions by Hon’ble Supreme Court, National Green Tribunal (NGT), Punjab & Haryana High Court and Ministry of Environment Forest & Climate Change (MoEF&CC), the state government is encouraging use of green crackers. He said that as the festive season of Diwali, Gurupurab, Christmas and New Year Eve is approaching during which the lScience, Technology and environment department will allow only green crackers that do not use barium salt or compounds of antimony, lithium, mercury, arsenic, lead or strontium chromate. Meet Hayer said that only green crackers can busted on Diwali (from 8:00 pm to 10:00 pm), Gurpurab (from 4:00 am to 05:00 am and from 9:00 pm to 10:00 pm), Christmas eve (from 11:55 pm till 12:30 am) and New Year Eve (from 11:55 pm till 12:30 am).
The Minister said that the manufacture, stock, distribute, sale and use of joined fire crackers (series crackers or laries) is banned in the State. He said that it has also been directed that the sale shall be through licensed traders for the permitted fire crackers only. Meet Hayer said that no e-commerce websites including Flipkart, Amazon and others shall accept any online orders and effect online sales within the State of Punjab.
The Minister said that the Punjab Pollution Control Board has been directed to carry out short term monitoring in the selected cities of the State. He said that the police authorities shall ensure the sale and use of allowed green fire crackers during the permitted time and at designated places adding that any violation of the directions will invite immediate penal action.
Meet Hayer also appealed the general public to encourage community fire cracking at pre-identified areas/fields designated by the concerned authorities.


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World | Agence France-Presse | Tuesday July 29, 2014
Internet entrepreneur Pierre Omidyar is shifting the focus of his online news operation, says he wants to "incubate" to improve journalism with new technology.
Indo-Asian News Service | Tuesday July 29, 2014
The song, which marks the singer-actress' first foray into music in seven years, is a radio-friendly, pure pop tune with a 1990s-early 2000s feel
Indo-Asian News Service | Saturday July 26, 2014
The original source of the pirated copy is unclear
India | Indo-Asian News Service | Wednesday July 23, 2014
Indians travelling to Bahrain will be able to apply for electronic visas from October this year under new visa rules and regulations announced in the Gulf country.
Thursday July 24, 2014
Interested customers can now book the Zest on Tata's official website by paying a token amount of Rs 21,000, which can be paid via different modes of online payment.
Press Trust of India | Friday July 18, 2014
There were more than 2.1 billion tournament-related searches on Google during the course of the FIFA World Cup in Brazil.
Wednesday July 16, 2014
Switzerland-based Trafigura has launched an online store in India to sell aluminium, copper and other metals, seeking a slice of the $8 billion market and becoming the first big commodities trader to cater to hordes of small manufacturers dotting the...
Wednesday July 16, 2014
In what analysts see as a bold move by Yahoo chief Marissa Mayer, the faded Internet search pioneer is betting on live music as part of its shift to premier online content, which has also included recruiting news, music and television stars for onlin...
Indo-Asian News Service | Tuesday July 15, 2014
Singer Beyonce Knowles and rapper-husband Jay-Z have reportedly been undertaking online marriage counselling sessions with a therapist.
World | Indo-Asian News Service | Tuesday July 15, 2014
If you are one of those long distance lovers who always wish that your lover was around, instead of being online, your prayers have been answered!
Indo-Asian News Service | Thursday July 10, 2014
Angelina has been open about her past battles with drugs before she turned her life around and became a Hollywood superstar
World | Agence-France Presse | Sunday July 6, 2014
Nine out of 10 people identified in a large cache of online conversations intercepted by the National Security Agency were ordinary Internet users and not foreign surveillance targets, a news report says.
World | Indo-Asian News Service | Saturday July 5, 2014
The team behind At The Pool has launched Yeti, a new mobile application that can connect the user with information about the place where he or she happens to be at any given time, something of a personalised version of the online urban guide and busi...
Friday July 4, 2014
Auction website eBay has refused to list a World War II-era Mercedes Benz once owned Hermann Goering, a Nazi leader who commanded the German air force, citing a policy prohibiting the sale of offensive items.
Indo-Asian News Service | Thursday July 3, 2014
Actress Deepika Padukone has been voted the sexiest woman in the world in a poll conducted by the FHM magazine.
Indo Asian News Service | Monday June 30, 2014
New research claims Facebook users won't recommend products online because they are afraid of social censorship.
World | Indo-Asian News Service | Monday June 30, 2014
How often have you recommended a product to your friends and acquaintances on Facebook? Most likely, not very often. And what stopped you is a fear of social censorship, claims a new research.
Monday June 30, 2014
Xinhuanet Co Ltd, which plans to list in Shanghai, is aiming to raise about 1.5 billion yuan ($240 million) by selling 51.9 million shares, it said in its prospectus posted on the China Securities Regulatory Commission website on Friday.
Indo Asian News Service | Friday June 27, 2014
"We are trying to create a method for a robot to seek help from the whole world when it is puzzled by something."
AgenceFrance-Presse | Wednesday June 25, 2014
Charged by FIFA for allegedly biting Italy's Giorgio Chiellini, Luis Suarez's commercial relationship with an online gambling firm is being reconsidered by the portal.


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Google is most likely to unveil the latest Android OS 4.4 Kitkat along with the new Nexus 5 and Nexus 10 but there might be another device under the hood that they might be unveiling in the upcoming event – a smartwatch.
Codenamed ‘Gem’, this rumored smartwatch might be launched alongside the other devices on a massive event that is supposed to be scheduled for October 31st.
So, where did we receive this information?
Artem Russakovskii, founder of Android Police, posted in his Google Plus profile regarding the potential Google Smartwatch codenamed Gem and he feels ‘relatively confident’ about this information that he received. Since he doesn’t have any visual evidence regarding the rumored smartwatch, he would be posting updates from his Google profile.
If Google Gem indeed gets unveiled, this would definitely turn out to be a great launch as everyone is expecting a new niche to enter the market. There are reasons to believe that this rumor might turn out to be true because it aligns well with the much talked about, Motorola xWatch. It was supposed to be unveiled in the Moto X launch event however, Google seemed to have changed their mind and decided that it was worth releasing from their own brand.
On the other hand, Samsung Galaxy Gear watch initially created a hype but as time passed by, it started receiving a bunch of negative reviews mainly due to its short battery life. What is the use of a watch if it doesn’t have enough juice to run for a long time? Since this is an entry-level device, we can still be hopeful to see better smartwatches from Samsung in the future.
Coming back to Google’s version, we cannot be sure about the device as no information regarding it has been leaked out but we would love to see it having a long battery life. Maybe have a solar cell so that it can be powered up in broad daylight?
This would be Google’s second wearable technology device after the Google Glass. As this is a rumor, there’s a high possibility of getting more information regarding this topic. Till then, all we need to do is wait and keep our eyes open for any new info.


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Danaher's offer of $127.20 per share represents a premium of 28 percent to Pall Corp.'s close on Monday.
Danaher, which has a market value of about $60 billion, is an aggressive deal-maker, striking at least four deals since September when veteran company executive Thomas Joyce Jr took over as chief executive.
Just two weeks after Joyce's appointment, Danaher said it would buy Switzerland's Nobel Biocare to become the biggest player in the dental implants market.
"An acquisition of Pall has been the 'next Danaher deal' for the last decade," Nigel Coe, an analyst with Morgan Stanley wrote in a note on Tuesday, a day after The Wall Street Journal reported Pall Corp. was for sale.
"The core filtration business is a logical complement to DHR's life sciences and environmental franchises."
Danaher said it would split into a science and technology company and an industrial company through a tax-free separation.
The company retaining the Danaher name will comprise Pall Corp. as well as Danaher's life sciences and diagnostics, dental, water quality and product identification businesses.
The other will make test and measurement products, retail fuel pumps, and telematics and automation products.
Joyce will remain CEO of the new Danaher. James Lico, who leads Danaher's retail fuel and test and measurement businesses, will lead the other company.
Danaher said it expects to complete the deal by the end of the year and the split by the end of 2016.
The company said it would finance the deal mainly with available cash and new debt.
Goldman Sachs served as Pall Corp.'s financial adviser, while Shearman & Sterling served as legal adviser.


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The exit polls indicating a poor show by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has kicked up a debate within the party on its faulty strategies.
The move is prompted by faulty air bags that have been blamed for the recall of millions of cars in recent years, including those made by BMW, Chrysler, Ford, Honda, Mazda and Toyota.
There has been surplus availability of ore since 2004-05, the Federation of Indian Mineral Industries said in a recent presentation to the Commerce Ministry.
'Pooch-O', developed by Delhi Integrated Multi-Model Transit System (DIMTS), was launched on July 11 by Lt Governor Najeeb Jung.
General Motors Co is recalling 140,067 Chevrolet Malibu sedans in the United States for a potential faulty braking issue, according to reports.
According to auto industry data, around 609,676 vehicles, including cars have been recalled by various manufacturers in the Indian mkt since July 2012.
Citizens of south and west Delhi can now register complaints about power-related cases in their areas through a new round-the-clock toll-free helpline.
The defective ignition switches in older model Chevrolet Cobalts, Saturn Ions and other GM models have been linked to at least 13 deaths.


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The popularity of Toyota took another blow last week as the company announced another in what seems to be a regular series of recalls.
Apparently there have been issues with stalling engines in the 2005 through 2008 Matrix Hatchbacks and Corolla Sedans. This particular recall encompasses over one million cars sold in the United States and Canada.
The repercussions of the ongoing recalls can be clearly seen in the value of the stock for Toyota, and a widespread wave of negative feedback from Toyota owners. Sales of Toyota vehicles have dropped considerably this year on a nationwide level.
If you own one of these models, Toyota has announced that you will be receiving a notification of the recall sometime during the month of September. If you do not receive a notification, visit the dealership that sold you the car for further action.