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The New Normal
Insurers are finding ways to reshape digital strategies and investments in the midst of a pandemic.
- Deb Smallwood
- July 2020
In what seems like the blink of an eye, the world, society and all of humanity has over the past several months been stressed and tested at every level due to the global spread of COVID-19.
Insurance has a history of successfully weathering all storms, and we are confident that insurers will weather this one too and emerge with a reshaped digital transformation strategy and plan.
As the industry moves beyond flattening the curve, a new normal is taking shape. There is uncertainty about the recovery and the impact on insurance and its ecosystem. However, it is very clear and certain that the world has flipped into a virtual vortex of digitally enabled capabilities, and there will be no turning back on the acceleration of the digitally connected world.
This pandemic has brought digital strategies and investments into sharp focus and revealed, in real time, which digital investments are delivering high value and which are not. It has also exposed our gaps and elevated capabilities that were once perceived as less important to higher levels of significance.
So, where is the property/casualty insurance industry related to digital readiness and response?
Pre-COVID-19, the industry was already in the midst of a digital transformation journey. Just about every insurer has some level of digital transformation underway. Some past and current investments are paying off, especially digital self-service sales and service capabilities, along with digital communications and payments.
P/C insurers are staying the course with their digital technology investments, according to SMA's COVID-19 Market Pulse Survey. Very few have plans to retrench or put plans on hold. But many are reshaping their priorities and, in some areas, accelerating, too. Personal lines plans appear more aggressive than commercial lines.
Disasters have a way of revealing the need for change, and the COVID-19 pandemic has had such a wide range of impact that digital plans will benefit from a reshaping.
As companies develop their digital plans for COVID-19 and other future catastrophes, they should consider the following:
Digital payments. There is a renewed urgency to transform inbound and outbound payments by moving away from physical paper checks and payments and creating digital experiences and virtual digital payment capabilities.
Digital communications. Digital interaction and delivery for most communication and content are critical and essential. This includes digital communication tools such as voice, chat, texting and document workflow management that eliminates paper and automates manual workarounds.
Digital platforms. It is essential to accelerate the digital enablement of sales and service capabilities for policyholders, agents and brokers with a modern platform and connections to core systems. These platforms enable new servicing, sales automation and straight-through processing by leveraging transformational technologies like artificial intelligence, bots, the internet of things and wearables.
Digital underwriting. Shift the priorities from new business to renewals, providing digital automatic renewals that will automate the new set of underwriting guidelines for policyholder exposure and impact. Leverage new AI tools, new sources of COVID-19 data and analytical insights for detail comparisons, coverages and exclusions.
Digital claims. Create digital experiences for most claims, from first notice of loss/first report of injury through settlement, and enable vital capabilities such as fraud detection, litigation management and recovery.
Next year may paint an entirely different picture, but for now P/C insurers are full steam ahead with their plans for digital transformation investments.
Best’s Review contributor Deb Smallwood is the CEO and founder of strategic advisory firm Strategy Meets Action. She can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.org.


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In the weeks leading up to the Mobile World Congress that just kicked off in Barcelona today, Nokia had been rumored to have an Android device in the works. Code-named ‘Normandy’, the device was supposedly a mid-range four-incher that ran a Nokia- and Microsoft services layer atop Android Open Source Project (AOSP). Today, Nokia officially unveiled its Nokia X series, which includes three mid-range smartphones that start at a sub-100 euro price.
The Nokia X is the base model, which comes with a dual-core 1GHz Snapdragon processor, 4-inch capacitive touchscreen, 4 GB storage (expandable with microSD) and 512MB of RAM, and will retail for EUR 89 (US$122). The X+ comes with more memory and will retail for EUR 99 (US$136). The XL model will come with a bigger, five-inch screen, and will retail for EUR109 (US$150). A feature popular among entry-level devices in the emerging markets, the Nokia X series will come with dual-SIM support.
The Nokia X series is expected to be a class above Nokia’s Asha series, which runs the latest version of the company’s Symbian Series 40 platform. Meanwhile, it will also be a “feeder” for the more premium Lumia line, which runs Microsoft’s Windows Phone.
The interesting twist in Nokia’s use of Android comes with its services layer. In essence, a “true” Android phone comes with two parts. First is AOSP, which is the open-source Unix-like operating system that actually runs the device. Second is the Google Mobile Services (GMS) framework, which is the collection of Google’s APIs and services. These include the Google Play Services framework, upon which apps like Google Maps, Gmail, the Play Store and other Google services rely.
Google actually requires devices to be licensed for the GMS framework, and running GMS is an indivisible setup, meaning Nokia cannot cherry-pick from among services if it decides to run GMS. This means ceding control of monetisation and content to Google.
With the Nokia X, the Finnish company has chosen to apply its own API and services framework atop AOSP, which means it will have full control over the device and its ecosystem. This is similar to how Amazon forked Android with its Kindle Fire series. Nokia X will not ship with the Google Play Store. Instead, it will come with Nokia’s own app store, where the company will curate “hundreds of thousands” of apps, and the device will also support side-loading of apps via APK. Nokia says 75 per cent of Android apps will run out of the box — those that do not specifically rely on the GMS framework. This means Nokia will have control over revenue shares, app approval, advertising, and the like.
Additionally, the user interface is decidedly Windows-like. Eschewing the usual icon- and widget-filled home screen of the typical Android device, Nokia X comes in a Metro-like tiled interface, which Windows Phone users will be familiar with. Nokia is certainly treating the X as its “feeder” device toward more premium Windows Phone smartphones, and perhaps an upcoming Windows-based tablet as well.
According to Neil Broadley, Marketing Director, Nokia mobile services division, the product line “acts as the perfect feeder to our Lumia high-end smartphone family, which is very much our premium and our flagship family.”
Is this ‘Plan B’ for Nokia and Microsoft?
Interestingly enough, this launch comes as Microsoft and Nokia are working out specifics of the the Redmond, WA firm’s acquisition of Nokia’s mobile phone division, which is expected to be completed this year. Since 2011, Nokia has been Microsoft’s primary partner in distributing Windows Phone, after Nokia switched from its own Symbian (and the Symbian-based Meego) platform, which was then on the decline. During that time, Nokia opted to switch to Windows Phone with its Lumia series, instead of Android, as the company was worried about Samsung dominating Google’s mobile OS.
Given this, there are questions regarding the sudden adoption of Android, which could signal a change in Nokia’s strategy. The question here is whether Nokia initiated the Android fork independently of Microsoft, and whether the company has Microsoft’s blessing, which will be important once the acquisition is complete.
Broadley says that Microsoft will still be front-and-center in this arrangement, and Android is simply the platform on which the new product will be built on. With Nokia X, “you’re going to be using your Microsoft cloud identity, your Microsoft login”, he said, adding that these include services such as Skype, OneDrive, Outlook and the HERE navigation service. In essence, Nokia has replaced all things Google with Microsoft’s own services.
In fact, Nokia X replaces three of Google’s core APIs, namely the location API (e.g., HERE instead of Google Maps), the in-app purchases API (e.g., Nokia’s own Android app store instead of Google Play) and the notifications API.
Has Android won the platform wars?
BlackBerry has earlier announced support for Android apps with its latest BB10 platform. In fact, while BlackBerry earlier supported Android apps through APK-to-BAR conversion, BlackBerry OS now supports direct installation of Android apps via .APK, giving BlackBerry users access to hundreds of thousands of Android apps. In BlackBerry OS 10.2.1, which powers the BlackBerry Z3, was actually found to run a stripped-down version of Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean.
Other platform makers have also started supporting Android apps, such as Jolla’s Sailfish OS, and Samsung’s Tizen. Meanwhile, other phone makers have created their own fork of Android, such as Xiaomi, with its MIUI and Baidu with its Yi, among others. With Nokia X, however, Nokia and Microsoft are likely to take advantage of the popularity of the Android app platform, in bundling its own Microsoft services and frameworks in a low-priced device.
Nokia X will be targeted at emerging markets, particularly in Asia, South America and Eastern Europe, as well as a global release. The device will not get an official release in the US, Japan, South Korea and Western European countries.
Featured Image Courtesy: The Verge

domain: news


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Vulcain remains a HODINKEE favorite, picking up today where it left off a generation ago. We've told about this mark's history with both diving alarm watches and Presidents, and Blake wrote up a great "Week On The Wrist" review of last year's Nautical Cricket. Vulcain's designs remain thoughtful, and its movements remain in-house. Above all else, Vulcain's prices remain reasonable, and today we caught wind of a new limited edition watch set to be unveiled at Basel World 2013.
The Nautical Cricket was made in many iterations. Some looked like this. Others look like this. While we've shown you the re-release of the former, today we are happy to announce the rebirth of the latter. Dubbed the Vulcain Nautical Seventies, this watch is remarkably faithful tribute to the 1970 Nautical Cricket. The case, the crowns, and the pusher are practically identical - even the finishing on the cases are the same. The new Nautical Seventies features an in-house caliber complete with a 42 hour power reserve and two barrels - one for the watch, the other for the alarm. The alarm is set to ring for an impressive 20 seconds. And, the dial features decompression tables, so if you're like our Jason Heaton and actually go diving, you know where you stand.
The Vulcain Nautical Seventies will be a limited edition of just 300 pieces, is sized at 42mm, with a depth rating of 300 meters and is set to be officially unveiled at Basel this year. You can be sure we'll bring you live pics when we can.
If you aren't that familiar with Vulcain, both old and new, we strongly encourage you to peruse our previous coverage of the brand. It's great stuff.


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PS Vita games download prices cheaper than retail versions
Sony has revealed the pricing structure for the PlayStation Vita games and it looks like the download versions will be cheaper than the retail versions.
The Japanese pricing for Uncharted: The Golden Abyss is showing the retail price at 5980 YEN with it coming in at 4900 YEN on PSN.
Hotshots Golf is showing a similar pricing scheme with it pricing at around 4980 YEN at retail and 3980 YEN on the PlayStation Store.
The PlayStation Vita launches in Japan on November the 17th and will not be region-locked meaning European and North American gamers will be able to import it if they simply must have the new handheld before the Western launch next year.
- Bungie explains their latest weapon balancing efforts in Destiny, promises more is coming
- Blizzard aiming to release Hearthstone on Android tablets by the end of the year
- Former BioWare man Casey Hudson hints at an Oculus Rift project
- Dark Souls on PC to switch from Games For Windows Live to Steam next month
- Square Enix announces details and pricing on the premium livestream of Final Fantasy XIV Fan Festival 2014
- First Challenge Mode DLC arrives next week for Alien: Isolation
- Metallica to close out this year's BlizzCon
- Free DLC adds a new skin and runes to Shadow Of Mordor
- ESL Gaming app arrives for the Xbox One


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It was the first reporter that Samsung will unpack the Galaxy S23 series in early February. Later, reports revealed that the Galaxy Unpacked February 2023 is going to be an in-person event in San Francisco, USA. Rumors also stated that the company is confused about pricing of the Galaxy S23 models, and launch could delay.
Two days ago, tipster IceUniverse claimed that the Galaxy Unpacked event for the Galaxy S23 series will be held on February 1, 2023. This surprising leak spread like fire in the industry, and more trusted sources added their inputs on the launch event.
Ice’s Galaxy S23 launch date leak was further confirmed by famous concept creator Onleaks as well as Max Jambor. Due to time zone differences, the Galaxy Unpacked event would take place on February 2 in several countries outside the United States.
To be noted, the Korean tech giant released the Galaxy S22 series on February 9 and the Galaxy S21 series on January 14. Since Apple’s appearance is gradually increasing in its home ground, Samsung is preparing for an early launch to fill the gap of cancellation of the S22 FE and A74.
@MaxWinebach has input that the Unpacked event of the Galaxy S23 series is going to be an in-person show. The Galaxy S20 was the last in-person event, after that the company managed to unveil its flagships through online events due to Covid-19 restrictions.
Yesterday, the source spotted that prep work is apparently underway behind the scenes for an in-person launch. As reported, ticketing servers have gone online, and possibly, there may be some sort of event in London alongside the San Francisco event.
Are you ready for the epic Galaxy S23 launch? This time, things are going to be better, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset will be used in all Galaxy S23 models, worldwide. Besides, the company is expected to give Galaxy Watch 5 for free to pre-reservation consumers.
Samsung Galaxy A55 to boast 32-megapixel selfie camera
Details about Samsung’s next-gen Galaxy A5x smartphone continue to appear. In a new report, it has been revealed that Samsung considering bringing a 32-megapixel selfie camera to the Galaxy A55 5G, scheduled for launch in 2024.
Starting with the Galaxy A51, Samsung utilized a 32-megapixel front camera in the Galaxy A52, Galaxy A53, and Galaxy A54. If the report is correct, it’s going to be the company’s fifth handset, bringing the same resolution front camera sensor.
Besides 50-megapixel primary and 32-megapixel selfie cameras, the Galaxy A55 5G will be equipped with a 12-megapixel ultrawide sensor, the same as its predecessor. Besides, details about the phone’s macro (third rear) camera sensor remain unknown, leaving hope for improvement.
iPhone 15 Faces Critical Issue with BMW Wireless Charging!
Apple has yet to muffle the iPhone 15’s overheating complaints, another problem pops up on the web. This time, the problem is related to the failure of NFC, causing to users have a BMW car.
According to reports on the internet, some BMW owners have complained that their iPhone 15’s NFC chip no longer works after charging with their vehicle’s wireless charging pad.
Consumers report that their iPhone 15 enters the data recovery mode with a white screen, and the NFC chip is no longer functional. Notably, the NFC chip powers features like Apple Pay and digital car keys.
Due to the NFC failure, some consumers got a replacement unit from Apple, but the replacement iPhone is then vulnerable to the same issue. Affected users receive a “Could Not Set Up Apple Pay” error message in the Wallet app.
OnePlus Strikes Back: New Foldable Hinge and Gapless Design Take on Samsung!
OnePlus is expected to introduce its first foldable smartphone in the market this month. Ahead of official unveiling, OnePlus Chief Pete Lau sat down with a well-known YouTuber to discuss their first foldable phone and show off the new foldable hinge and gapless design of an early model.
This year’s foldable phone by Samsung brings new Flex Hinge technology, which results gapless foldable. Since the Chinese phone maker confirmed to introduce OnePlus Open in the global market, the Korean tech giant may face some heat of competition, which is radically rising.
Through an exclusive interview with Unbox Therapy, OnePlus gives an official look at an early build of its upcoming foldable, showcasing the revamped hinge build and “gapless” design. Pete notes that OnePlus retains over 600 patents surrounding elements of the hinge alone.
OnePlus Open foldable phone will come with a gapless design, similar to the Oppo Find N2. Notable, the company’s forthcoming foldable brings 31 fewer components in comparison.
In the video, Pete has Lew close the Open with a piece of paper tucked inside. It looks more like a case of strong magnets laid across the outer edges of the inner display to an outside viewer.
When it’s coming?
OnePlus is expected to launch its first foldable smartphone on October 19. Tomorrow, Samsung and Google will have their epic events, with the former set to unveil a set of Fan Edition products and the latter will unveil the Pixel 8 flagship and Pixel Watch 2nd generation.


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Bright Lights festival brings more business to shops around Jackson Park
Some shops extending hours during light display
The Bright Lights Windsor display in Jackson Park is having a positive impact on area businesses, but it's also bringing challenges.
Bright Lights Windsor festival extends hours due to popularity
Tree-lighting ceremony officially opens $1.5M Bright Lights Windsor festival
The $1.5 million light display is attracting thousands of people, which is giving businesses a shot in the arm, but those visitors are also parking in lots near the park which is taking up spots needed by the businesses.
"We have rear parking which we noticed got a little bit jammed up, and our side parking here as well so we just kinda put our signage up and it helped us out," said Fabio Biafore, owner of IL Capo Barber Headquarters on Tecumseh Road East.
However, he added more people are also frequenting his barbershop, so he has started staying open later since the festival began.
Meanwhile, at the Shawarma Express at Tecumseh Road East and McDougall, manager Sass Ammar says the light display is brightening up his bottom line.
"I am having 10 to 15 per cent more business [than usual]," he said.
Bright Lights Windsor continues to January 6.


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As customers seek to outsource more logistical aspects of their business, more opportunities open up for 3PL providers to offer additional services to help customers plan the supply chain.
The September 2022 CCLI whitepaper found that more than one in ten vendors currently offer their customers insight and analytics to help them plan for future demand and supply chain.
Some respondents indicated that their cloud software automated the data they provided to their customers, others used powerful logistics reporting tools to collect and analyze data once a month, or employed customer success managers who shared internal data with customers .
“We have full transparency with all our customers and allow them to access our system via customer portals.” – Respondent, business owner, warehousing and transport operation.
“Certainly, inventory and movement is important to the customer, and the more attention to detail and transparency you can provide, the more trust and relationships you build.” – Interviewee, Operations, Warehouse.
The report shows an evolution in what it looks like to be an outsourced logistics provider as logistics companies like this one explore new and innovative services to offer their customers in order to increase revenue with more billable services and attract new customers and to and to ensure the success of their clients’ growth.
While providing customers with increased visibility, order tracking, and integrations was the most popular service currently offered to customers to help them navigate logistics options, over a third of respondents later said they felt their Company did not have the means to collect and track this data.
The report showed that many companies are looking to invest in technology over the next six months to create more efficient operations and provide better customer service.
Both the company and the customer benefit from investing in digital solutions. Integrations for tracking and order updates provide customers with more transparency and can also relieve the vendor of manual data entry – by automating data management and sending updates when certain order or delivery milestones are reached. This provides customers with transparency to see where their orders and inventory are at any given time without the need for a phone call or manual data reporting.
To streamline operations, 19% of respondents said they would invest in fleet and warehouse technology upgrades over the next six months, with another 17% prioritizing eliminating paper-based processes, 15% aiming to implement barcode scanning, and 14% would introduce automated processes Workflow optimization.
With CartonCloud, the integrated WMS and TMS software provider, you can offer your customers complete transparency by providing an online portal with up-to-date reports automatically generated by cloud-based software – so you don’t have to lift a finger.
The software company has developed its end-to-end warehouse and transportation management software together with industry members to create a solution for small and medium-sized logistics providers that enables them to compete with larger players in the industry. With out-of-the-box software integrations, automated invoicing, and automatically calculated price lists, the software takes on the heavy lifting of transportation and warehouse management so businesses can focus on growth.
Seamlessly merging industry insights with technological developments, the CartonCloud team draws on its experience in the logistics industry to provide intuitive solutions designed directly to help smaller operators tackle daily problems and grow with ease.
The CartonCloud Logistics Q3 Index (CCLI) gathered feedback and insights from over 80 members of the logistics industry to assess how industry changes are affecting businesses. The September 2022 CCLI Whitepaper will be available free of charge to all members of the logistics industry along with previous reports on the CartonCloud Logistics Index Archive. https://www.cartoncloud.com/cartoncloud-logistics-index-archive


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Handy research from Breitbart found that yesterday’s stock plummet hit Nike the hardest of every other company.
The biggest loser in the Dow, which includes 30 large U.S. companies, was Nike, whose stock fell by 6.8 percent.
Nike stock is currently up .87% today.
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Sega have released the official launch trailer for their newly released puzzle game Puyo Puyo Tetris 2.
Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 is now available for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Switch. You can view the trailer down below:
Hi, what are you looking for?
Keen Software House have released update 1.181 for their popular space game Space Engineers. This new update fixes major multithreading issues and performance optimizations....


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All Auto Websites In One Place
Here you can follow 68 auto websites just by visiting us. Check the auto categories you like by clicking "popular" link at the top menu bar or our other editions such as DesignPLX, FoodiePLX at the bottom menu bar. Once you sign up, you can add more websites, categories you like and remove the ones you don't.
Learn more about MultiPLX or signup for personalized experience.
We just recently compared the new BMW 8 Series Concept with the Aston Martin DB11. Both cars are sporty and luxurious grant tourers, cars that can cross continents in speed, comfort and style.
Now that BMW has presented us with its latest 8 Series Concept, the Bavarian brand finally has a proper Grand Tourer.
Just hours after the big debut of the BMW 8 Series Concept Coupe, we get to see the new car up close and personal in this new video from Autobild.
Just the other day we showed you a drag race between a BMW M2 and an Audi RS3 and the discussions and debates it started were definitely not anticipated by us.
BMW is using this year’s Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este to unveil the BMW Concept 8 Series, the rebirth of an icon and the successor of the current 6 Series family.
Up until now, BMW enthusiasts have been impatiently waiting for the Bavarian brand to reveal the long-awaited second-generation BMW 8 Series.
Few reviewers have been running for nearly as long as the guys from MotorWeek and if you don’t believe me, all you need to do is just listen to the voice of John Davis which sounds like it came straight from a ‘50s radio show.
When the i3 first came out, its distinctive design made a lot of people scratch their head, yet it has won several awards.
With all the black/white builds going strong these days, it’s a real refreshment to have a bright color like Melbourne Red adorning a vehicle like the BMW 3 Series Sedan.
Hildegard Wortmann, Senior Vice President Brand BMW, will be among the speakers at the Automotive News Europe Congress in Barcelona on June 21.
Most BMW fans have been waiting with anticipation for the upcoming BMW 8 Series. After we learned that the 6 Series Coupe would be no more, we found out that the 8 Series Coupe would be taking its place and acting as a possible flagship for the brand.
BMW M has a long history of having great color options for its cars. Over the years, there’s been such iconic colors as Laguna Seca Blue, Dakar Yellow and Imola Red.
On May 23, BMW M held an event in Belgium, celebrating the launch of the BMW M League, which is a loyalty program for BMW M customers.
BMW Motorsport Director Jens Marquardt, together with Dirk Adorf, who was heavily involved in the testing of the car as development driver, launched the sales phase of the new BMW M4 GT4 during an exclusive customer event at the Nürburgring.
Back in 2016 BMW launched a special edition M3 to celebrate the anniversary of 30 years since the original came out.
Over the past few weeks we’ve seen all sorts of comparisons between the BMW M2 and its rival from Audi, the RS3.
If you thought prices in the US were astronomical when it came to M cars you might want to reconsider that thought.
The outgoing F10-generation BMW M5 is on its way out. With the new F90-generation M5 about to make its official debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show, the F10 M5 will soon be old news.
ALPINAs have always had a special place in the hearts of BMW enthusiasts. While anyone with a bit of money can go to their nearest BMW dealer and buy an M car, it take some serious knowledge and searching to get an ALPINA.
BMW will be dominating this weekend’s Nurburgring 24hr endurance race with over 40 BMW race cars being registered to take part in the event, spread across all classes.


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Flipkart, one of India’s biggest online stores has just released an interesting teaser on Twitter. It has to do with a new Motorola device that the retailer simply refers to as a “Moto beast”. Now this could refer to a lot of smartphones, but thankfully the included banner clears the smoke and almost definitely point in a single direction.
It reads “Accelerated performance. Ballistic Nylon Fairing. Revving in soon.” Whole this sounds like a lot of gibberish to ramp up the hype it most likely describes the Motorola Moto Maxx. The phone is essentially a global variant of the Droid Turbo and comes with a unique back panel, dubbed “Ballistic Nylon” so Flipkart is most certainly talking about the Maxx.
The Moto Maxx comes equipped with a formidable Snapdragon 805 SoC with four Krait 450 cores, clocked at 2.7GHz. The GPU is an equally impressive Adreno 420 and the setup is backed up by 3GB of RAM and 64GB of onboard storage. Cameras also do not disappoint. Motorola has invested heftily in the primary shooter, which is a 21 MP, f/2.0, dual-LED model, capable of 2160p video at 24fps.
There’s a Moto beast coming your way… exclusively on Flipkart. Stay tuned for more details. #MotoOnFlipkart pic.twitter.com/9FHIoJOEZH— Flipkart (@Flipkart) February 19, 2015
Another important aspect of the phone is its extremely spacious 3,900 mAh battery pack, ensuring maximum endurance. And if this is not tantalizing enough, Motorola also promises that its own turbo charger can restore up to 8 hours of battery life in the phone for a mere 15 minutes of charging.
There is still no word on pricing for the device or when it is going to be up for sale, but it looks like it will be hitting Flipkart really soon. So if you are in the market for a high-end device, be sure to check out the Moto Maxx in all its “turbocharged”…


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Volvo’s electric SUV flagship will make its journey Down Under in late 2024, but it’s not clear if the facelifted version of the petrol-powered XC90 that will accompany it around the world will be next to it.
The updated XC90 has not yet been unveiled. When it launches, it will offer Volvo a petrol alternative to the EX90 in markets not yet ready for pure electric powertrains as it prepares to phase out internal combustion engines globally by 2030.
In Australia, however, the brand has committed to going all-electric by 2026.
For more driving news and videos, visit Driving >>
MORE: Volvo EX90 electric SUV unveiled
“The EX90 comes with a reskin [of the XC90]but I prefer not to take everything,” Stephen Connor, Managing Director of Volvo Car Australia, recently told the media.
Mr Connor said there may be an overlap between the last examples of the current XC90 to be sold in Australia and the first of the EX90, depending on how production ramps up.
By 2024, the current XC90 will be eight years old. When it comes to the end of Volvo’s internal combustion engine production in 2030, the bones of the petrol and plug-in hybrid XC90 will be 14 years old.
That’s a long time compared to the average luxury car, but not unusual for Volvo. The first-generation XC90 also lived 14 years, gaining a cult following among family buyers in the process.
His death in Australia will come sooner than in the rest of the world as the brand plans to sell only electric cars Down Under by 2026.
Although newcomers like Tesla, BYD and its corporate peers at Polestar are already all-electric, Volvo plans to be the first brand to go fully electric in Australia, having previously made petrol, diesel and plug-in hybrids -Options offered locally.
“We will not wait until 2030, we will not wait for the global strategy to come out. I made a proposal to Gothenburg the other day and we will be fully electric in Australia by 2026,” Mr Connor said.
MORE: Volvo Australia plans to be all-electric by 2026: full details
https://7news.com.au/lifestyle/motoring/2024-volvo-ex90-coming-to-australia-xc90-facelift-unconfirmed-c-8810168 2024 Volvo EX90 coming to Australia, XC90 facelift unconfirmed


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Thousands to attend Western Sydney’s biggest design show
04 Nov 2013
More than 3,000 people are expected to attend Western Sydney’s biggest free interior design show this summer, starting from when it opens to the public on Saturday 7 December 2013 at the Armory Gallery in Sydney Olympic Park.
The third annual “Designing Your Future” exhibition will be the region’s biggest showcase of the latest trends in interior design, including furniture, lighting, commercial carpet design, wallpaper design and decorating.
“Designing Your Future” is delivered by TAFE NSW – South Western Sydney’s (SWSi’s) interior design school located at Lidcombe College and celebrates the work of the 2013 graduating class.
The exhibition brings together works suitable for residential, commercial interiors and institutional interiors including, well-being centres and restaurants.
Event organiser and TAFE SWSi Senior Head Teacher in Design, Kathy Marshall expects the third annual “Designing Your Future” show to be a record-breaking exhibition.
“Designing Your Future” is on track to become the biggest ever showcase of interior design in the Western Sydney region,” said Ms Marshall.
“We are anticipating record-breaking crowds this year as we unveil the next generation in interior design.
“This year’s exhibition will provide members of the public and the design industry with a glimpse into the future direction of Australian design, revealing how the spaces we inhabit everyday will be radically changed.”
The “Design Your Future” exhibition will run every weekend until Sunday 2 February 2014 and showcases the works of more than 75 graduates students from TAFE SWSi’s design school based at Lidcombe.
TAFE SWSi’s design school offers students the opportunity to study a range of creative disciplines such as, interior design, interior decoration, product design, furniture design and design fundamentals.
Over the duration of their course, students studying with the TAFE SWSi’s design school also have a chance to work with leading international companies such as IKEA, Graphisoft, Intercad, Designer Rugs and Hettich.


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Vail Resorts has purchased Vermont’s Stowe Resort for $41 million, according to an article on DenverPost.com.
Stowe – one of the best-known and priciest ski resorts in Vermont – is Vail’s first resort on the East Coast.
The sale means big savings for Northeast skiers and snowboarders. Stowe will be included on Vail’s 2017-18 winter EPIC pass, a $859 pass that offers access to 45 resorts around the world. Last season, a Stowe season pass cost $2,000.


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Smiths Falls council discussed the possibility of adding charging stations for electric vehicles in town at a committee of the whole meeting on Monday, Sept. 9.
CAO Malcolm Morris recommends that council authorize staff to write a letter to the Ontario Power Generation to partner with the town as an incentive for federal government funding. This would allow for the installation of up to three level two charging stations in town.
The federal governments promise to have 100 per cent of vehicles be electrically operated by 2040. $130 million of the federal budget will go towards building charging stations across the country.
“It would be irresponsible for us to not, as car manufacturers are going towards electric vehicles,” Councillor Wendy Alford said. “It’s the way of the future.”
Currently Smiths Falls has one charging station at Scotia Bank on Lombard Street.
“I’d like to see them as central to downtown as possible” Counc. Dwyer
The cost of leasing one charging station per year is between $1100 and $1200, while buying the charging station outright would be $15,000 to $20,000.
Council sees charging stations as a great tourist opportunity.
“When you’re charging (your vehicle) it’s time you’ve got to kill and we want people spending money and eating downtown”- Counc. Allen
More parking spaces are needed to accommodate specific charging stations.
“Every where you put a charge station you dedicate a parking stall that’s not to be used by a fossil fuel vehicle,” Morris said. “Leasing offers the option to be ahead of redundancy.”


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Vino Vault, a fine wine storage company with locations on both coasts, announced on Thursday that it will be acquiring La Cave Warehouse in Dallas. This will be Vino Vault’s first purchase in Texas and their fifth location in the United States.
Established in 1977, La Cave Warehouse was purchased from its owner in 2013 by married couple Rhonda and Kirk Chandler. Shortly after, the two moved La Cave to a 10,000-square-foot, temperature-controlled location with a custom build out. Today, La Cave Warehouse is one of Texas’s leading private wine storage facilities.
The Chandlers have said that the thing they love most about owning La Cave is the personal connections they have made through the warehouse over the years. “We’re confident that the Vino Vault team is going to take great care of our customers,” the couple said. “Their team has been on top of everything, making the entire process smooth, transparent, and simple.”
La Cave customers will have access to additional amenities under Vino Vault’s ownership, including concierge full-service wine storage, expert inventory organization, collection analysis, and turnkey auction management services.
“La Cave is a wonderful addition to Vino Vault’s growing network,” said Jeff Anthony, CEO of Vino Vault. “This is an award-winning facility that has been voted ‘best of’ several times by the local community. The Chandlers have developed a relationship-first business with their clients, and we look forward to building on that foundation.”
Currently, Vino Vault has locations in Los Angeles, New York, and now one in Dallas. The company’s main goal is to make wine collecting simple, enjoyable, and hassle-free. According to their website, Vino Vault was specifically created to offer a worldwide platform of storage services to better serve wine collectors, while maintaining the personal service that collectors have come to expect.
“We’re incredibly pleased that we have been able to create a collection of top-notch wine storage facilities for our clients across both coasts and in the south,” Anthony said. “Our goal is to continue expanding our service network across the U.S. and Europe.”


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- Strong demand/ low supply: It appears that the decline in values has bottomed out: median prices and average dollars per square foot are beginning to climb (though it’s too soon to know if it’s the start of a longer term trend)
- Interest rates continue to be incredibly low.
- Rents in San Francisco have been rising for the past year. When rents rise, the financials of home-buying improve.
- High-paying high-technology employment is soaring in the Bay Area and many of those people want to live in the city, whether their company is in SF or outside of SF. And then there is the beginning of the surge in new high-tech IPO-enriched employees.
- SF has always had a low foreclosure rate and distressed-home percentage when compared to the rest of the Bay Area, state and country, and now that market appears to be declining in the city. (Again, it’s too soon to be absolutely sure that the decline in distressed home listings and sales in the city is the beginning of a longer term trend.)
- New-development home inventory – mostly condos, since the city has very limited space for new home construction — has been steadily declining and probably won’t significantly increase anytime soon because of the multi-year time-cycle for large development projects in SF. This will further constrain supply in the face of buyer demand.
- General improvement in consumer confidence and optimism regarding the direction of the economy.
- The recent run up in the stock market has improved the financial condition of the affluent more than that of the general population. Because of our prices, our buyers are almost always at the upper end of affluence.
Why the SF Market may be finally turning upward:


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G-7 Nations Sign Agreement to Make Tech Giants Pay Fair TaxesThe world's richest countries signed a landmark agreement Saturday committing them to confronting corporate tax avoidance and making sure that giant tech companies pay their fair share, Britain's treasury chief said.
Silicon Valley Internet Trailblazer Yahoo Sold To Private Equity FirmSilicon Valley trailblazer Yahoo and AOL will be merged under a $5 billion deal reached between Apollo Global Management and Verizon.
Advocacy Group Fights India Caste System Discrimination in Silicon ValleySanta Clara County's Human Rights Commission is tackling the thorny issue of caste discrimination in education and on the job in Silicon Valley.
Digital Imaging Pioneer Charles Geshke, Co-Founder of Adobe, Dies at Age 81Charles “Chuck” Geschke, co-founder with John Warnock of Adobe Inc. who helped develop Portable Document Format (PDF) technology, died Friday at his home in Los Altos.
COVID Reopening: Uber Expects Employees At The Office At Least 3 Days A WeekAs offices reopen, Uber says its employees can work from home if they choose — but only for two days a week.
Elon Musk's Latest Venture -- Bluetooth-Enabled Implantable Chips For The BrainSilicon Valley high tech guru Elon Musk has tackled many future looking ventures -- electric cars, space travel, commuter tunnels and solar power storage. Now, he's added Bluetooth-enabled implantable chips for the brain.
US Supreme Court Sides With Google In $8 Billion Copyright Fight With OracleThe Supreme Court sided Monday with Google in an $8 billion copyright dispute with Oracle over the internet company’s creation of the Android operating system used on most smartphones worldwide.
Big Tech, Repair Shops Clash Over 'Right To Repair' Bill In NevadaTrade groups representing big tech companies faced off with independent repair shop owners in the Nevada Legislature over a proposal that would require manufacturers to give repair shops the ability to fix devices.
'F--- This Place' - Southwest Pilot Launches Expletive-Filled Tirade Against 'Liberal' Bay Area On Hot MicA Southwest Airlines pilot departing Mineta San Jose International Airport has been caught on an open mic delivering an expletive-filled rant against the liberal Bay Area population.
Google to Invest $1 Billion in California in 2021; $7 Billion Total Across U.S.Google said Thursday it plans to invest more than $7 billion in offices and data centers in the United States and create at least 10,000 additional full-time jobs this year with more than $1 billion targeted at California locations.
Facebook, Google Sued by West Virginia Newspaper PublisherA West Virginia newspaper publisher has filed an antitrust suit against Google and Facebook, which together receive roughly half of all digital ad dollars in the U.S. and are facing antitrust charges from federal and state authorities.
Google Workers Vote To Form Company's First-Ever Union; Will Workers At Other Silicon Valley Tech Giants Follow?Hundreds of employees at Google and its parent, Alphabet, have launched a union, a step that has sent shutters through the Silicon Valley tech giants that also represents the biggest and most organized challenge yet to the company's executive leadership.
COVID Becomes 3rd Leading Cause Of Death In Santa Clara County; 'Do Not Gather' Officials BegSince tech worker Patricia Dowd died of coronavirus in early February, the virus has taken a grim toll in Santa Clara County, growing into the third leading cause of death this year in Silicon Valley, health officials announced Wednesday.
Google Antitrust Lawsuit: Judge Sets 2023 Trial Date For Landmark CaseThe U.S. government's attempt to prove Google has been using its dominance of online search to stifle competition and innovation at the expense of consumers and advertisers won't go to trial for nearly three years.
Silicon Valley Exit: Oracle CEO Larry Ellison Moves To Hawaiian Island While Company Moves HQ To TexasWhile software giant Oracle announced it would move its headquarters to Texas, becoming the latest Silicon Valley firm to leave the region, CEO Larry Ellison has reportedly moved to his Hawaiian island.


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Whispers relating to the fabled Apple iTV set have been so few and far between in recent months we were starting to think there were no more grapes growing on that particular vine.
However, one of the tech world's most intriguing subjects reemerged with a vengeance today, with reports claiming the device is not only still in the works, but will now be Ultra HD-ready.
We have a dumpster truck full of salt ready to douse these reports, but the often sketchy DigiTimes site claimed the company is in talks with LG to buy up a stack of 55- and 65-inch 4K panels.
Citing "rumours" rather than direct info from the usual supply chain sources, the report claimed no deal has been finalised, with Sharp listed as another potential supplier being considered by Apple.
The 4K resolution?
For what it's worth, another DigiTimes report from March indicated that Apple was indeed looking to equip its TV boxes with 4K screens, with a launch pegged by the end of the year.
Talk of the iTV has been relatively quiet since then, and perhaps Apple has spent time thinking how it future-proof the device with a screen resolution four times greater than current HD sets.
While this would make the Apple iTV a more intriguing proposition from a technological standpoint, it would surely, depending on the launch timeframe, bump the price tag up considerably.
That could limit Apple's ability to make a sales splash with much of its existing user base, who may be used to paying a little extra for phones, tablets and computers, but are less likely to shell out several thousands on a TV.
- Ok, so it hasn't been that quiet on the Apple iTV front. Just this week it was rumoured the company was looking to buy the firm behind the first Kinect device.


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Skype 5.5 beta for Windows goes social with Facebook
A new Windows beta of its Skype's popular instant messaging and voice and video mail client is now available. If you're one of the 92 percent of online social networkers using Facebook (according to Pew Internet), this release could be for you. Skype for Windows 5.5 Beta big new benefit is deeper integration with Facebook.
These closer ties include the ability to take part in instant chats with Facebook contacts, plus access Facebook news feed within Skype itself. Skype 5.5 also makes it possible to both Like and comment on Facebook statuses. All of this extra integration is rounded off by a new dedicated Facebook tab, which gives users access to all of their Facebook friends.
Skype for Windows 5.5 also sees the debut of a new, resigned Call Control Toolbar, which pops up during voice and video calls. There are also visual improvements when leaving calls on hold, plus an improved experience when saving a phone number in the Call Phones section of the program.
Version 5.5 Beta released three days after the Federal Trade Commission approved Microsoft's $8.5 billion acquisition of Skype, which was the companies announced last month.
Skype for Windows 5.5 Beta is a free download for Windows users only, and it is recommended for early adopters and developers only. Average users should stick to the final release (currently at version 5.3) instead.


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Indonesia’s biodiesel consumption is likely to soar this year after the government introduced a new blending regulation, an industry group said on Monday.
Southeast Asia’s biggest economy and the world’s top producer of palm oil introduced a new regulation in August, aimed at burning more palm-based biodiesel and cutting its oil import bill.
Analysts have been skeptical that it could be fully implemented due to logistical hurdles in more remote provinces, but even a partial success has the potential to lift palm prices and narrow Indonesia’s current account deficit.
Paulus Tjakrawan, chairman of the Indonesian Biofuel Producers Association (APROBI), however, is optimistic.
“Domestic biodiesel sales may jump to 3 million kilolitres this year, up from 1.006 million kilolitres last year,” Tjakrawan told reporters.


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You won’t have to wait long to enjoy one of the best role-playing adventures: The Witcher 3 in the Game Pass.
A few weeks after confirming the name of dozens of new games for Xbox Game Pass, Microsoft has announced the release date of the great The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt in its subscription service for Xbox One. And you won’t have to wait long ! On December 19, the Game RPG opens one of the best RPGs in recent years, making the catalogue of this platform more attractive.
The premiere of The Witcher 3 Xbox Game Pass will take only one day before the release of the expected series of The Witcher Netflix, which only last a few days surprised with a spectacular new trailer.
In recent weeks, games such as My Friend Pedro and Naruto to Boruto: Shinobi Striker have been released on Xbox Game Pass, but there are many more novelties that will delight video game fans.


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The grocer brings online shopping to the Los Angeles area in yet another move by a traditional chain to fill the void left by its dot-com predecessors.
Albertson's said the company now delivers groceries ordered online to about 400 neighborhoods in Los Angeles, Riverside and Orange counties. The Albertson's Internet unit already operates in the San Diego and Seattle areas.
Grocery titans like Boise, Idaho-based Albertson's and rival Safeway are attempting to fill the void left by companies such as Webvan, HomeGrocer, ShopLink.com and Kozmo, all of which have shut their doors during the past two years. Safeway launched Internet operations in Oregon and Washington state last month and is testing the online service in the San Francisco Bay Area.
A year ago, analysts predicted that brick-and-mortar grocers' scores of customers and multitude of stores--Albertson's has 2,400 in 33 states--would help them sweep into the business of selling groceries online. But when the dot-com supermarkets began to flop after burning through huge sums of cash, the traditional chains grew cautious and slowed the growth of their Internet units.
Only now do the large grocery chains appear to be ready to test the Internet waters. Besides Safeway and Albertson's, Publix Supermarkets last year introduced its Internet unit, PublixDirect.com, to areas of South Florida, and Dutch grocer Ahold has begun making home deliveries from its Stop & Shop stores.
Albertson's, which sees more than $37 billion in annual revenue, offers Web customers the choice of picking up orders from their local store or having the company deliver their groceries. Albertson's said it will charge a $9.95 service fee for delivery and $5.95 for in-store pick up. The company also operates stores under the brands Acme, Max Foods and Super Saver.


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Bacon Bros to open restaurant in Chch CBD
Bacon Brothers has been supplying Christchurch with tasty, locally-sourced bacon sandwiches for several years. Now, owner Troy Bilbrough is throwing away his job and his savings to open the first Bacon Brothers' Burger Bar in the city centre early next year.
A familiar name to many around Christchurch, Bacon Brothers has been making bacon sandwiches "with a side of happiness" for around four years.
A staple of the Christchurch Farmers' Market at Riccarton House and Bush, Bacon Brothers will be taking the plunge opening its first restaurant in the CBD in February.
"We will be right in the heart of Christchurch," said owner Troy Bilbrough.
"I'm pretty excited about the move."
The smell of crispy bacon, the locally-sourced ingredients, "the banter" and the welcoming smiles of the Bacon Brothers workers were key to their success, Troy said.
The small company has a loyal local following throughout the city, with almost 4000 likes on their Facebook page.
"Our customers always seem to come back. They love the family environment and the customer service, and we love it too."
Troy said with the growing popularity of their speciality bacon burgers, opening a restaurant made their one-of-a-kind burgers available more than just once a week.
The new restaurant will cost around $120,000 – funded from Troy's own pocket and his Pledge Me page, which has raised $3000 so far.
Troy, an ANZ banker, will leave his job next month and pick up "bacon duties" full-time, manning the restaurant, continuing the stall and offering catering.
"This is my life savings.
"It's a big risk but it's the chance of a lifetime," he said.
Troy said once the restaurant opens the Bacon Brothers' stall will still remain at the farmers' market, the company's starting point.
"We'll always be here. I'll be here til I'm 110-years-old – that guy making bacon sandwiches."
One of the Bilbrough brother's friends Ellis Lawrence, "the first non-brother", started working for Bacon Brothers around three years ago and said customers came back for the local, friendly, family-feel of the company.
"It's not just the food, it's the experience.
"We're about making people happy," he said.
Originally from Waikuku, Troy founded Bacon Brothers with his brothers Luke, Jai and Troy while they were studying at the University of Canterbury.
Luke, based in Auckland, also plans to open another Bacon Brothers' burger bar in Auckland in the new year.
The Bacon Brothers' Burger Bar featuring its range of bacon burgers, vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options and beers on tap will open at 181 High St on February 15, open 7am-late, seven days a week.


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Today Apple insider has reported via KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo that iPhone 2017 lineup may come with major design and display overhaul. According to the reports, iPhone 7S Plus is coming with a 5.8-inch OLED display & curved Glass casing in 2017. The analysts also claims that the 5.8-inch model will pak new features like wireless charging, and Iris Scanners that are available on flagships from Android and Windows 10 platforms.
According to KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo:
We expect the 2017 new iPhone model to adopt a structural design similar to that of iPhone 4/ 4s, meaning it will be equipped with glass on both the front and back sides, and a metal frame surrounded the edges. The difference is that the new model will likely come with a curved screen and curved glass casing, with other important features including a 5.8-inch AMOLED display, wireless charging, and more biometric recognitions (facial or iris). Given the curved design, the new model may look smaller than an existing 5.5-inch iPhone.
Kuo also has mentioned some scenarios for the display production. According to the kuo if suppliers for AMOLED displays are sufficient than Apple Would launch 5.8-inch AMOLED iPhone model as a replacement for the current 5.5-inch TFT-LCD model. But if demand is large and suppliers are unable to catch with demand than Apple Will launch this 5.7-inch model as a top-end add-on to the 2017 iPhone line.
So what do you think about Future (2017) iPhone? Comments below!


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We still saw gains nearly across the board, but most were a fraction of a percent as opposed to the high single and sometimes double-digit increases we have become accustomed to.
The challenges our industry is facing has started to garner more and more national attention, with United States Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo pledging to resolve lumber shortage/pricing challenges:
“The residential construction industry is facing serious challenges because of supply chain constraints and the impact on home building, especially with respect to affordable housing. Today was a productive, positive conversation to begin to address these challenges,” Secretary Raimondo noted. “We take these issues seriously, and my staff and I are committed to continuing to work with all stakeholders, including reviewing relevant data and conducting analysis to identify targeted actions the government or industry can take to address supply chain constraints.”
Click HERE link to the entire article from lbmjournal.com
CNBC produced an excellent 12-minute video diving into the reasons why we’re dealing with such a housing shortage, one of the biggest factors in rising material costs. It’s very informational and helps us understand what we’re seeing across the country and how we’re feeling the effects.
Watch the video by clicking HERE
There have been talks of an increase on tariffs for Canadian softwoods, however, it seems that resistance within the government is mounting, as most are seeing it as throwing more gasoline on a commodity market that is already on fire. I am optimistic that we won’t see the additional tariff, but it’s too soon to know for sure.
The other trend that we’re continuing to see is shortages of various materials, from finished goods to raw goods, it seems they are all open season. The most recent challenge we are experiencing is in rebar. Currently, we have adequate inventory to serve our customers, but new stock is seeing a price spike, and several of our normal suppliers are either not quoting materials or only offering limited quantities. Again, we believe that we can continue to service our customers, so the sky certainly isn’t falling, but we want to keep you abreast of the challenges we face.
As always, this e-mail content is not financial advice. Simply data to help you be better prepared. Our goal is to create more informed builders and homeowners to properly price and budget for future jobs and projects.
We will continue to update you on changes in the commodity market. Displayed above are the latest graphs.
Angeles Millwork and Hartnagel Building Supply see our customers as business partners, and their success is, in turn, ours. That is why every month, we will publish a commodity pricing chart on our Facebook page and in our monthly newsletter. The chart will represent a correlation of average pricing trends over the past year of Douglas Fir 2×4, Pressure Treated 2×4 Lumber, 7/16” OSB, and ½” CDX.


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Shares of Internet radio purveyors Pandora Media (P) are down $1.51, or 11%, at $11.93, and for a moment dropped as much as 20%, in late trading, while the Street awaits word of what will be the new structure for rates for licensing content, something that could come any moment now.
The U.S. Library of Congress’s Copyright Royalty Board, or CRB, was supposed to hand down new rate rules to Pandora and others in industry. Pandora had scheduled a conference call to discuss the rates at 4:30 pm, eastern time, this afternoon, but then canceled it at the last minute, saying it was awning the publication of the rate decision by the CRB.
Update: Something is definitely up. The stock is now rocketing up by $1.81, or almost 14%, to $15.25. Still no word.
Update 2: The CRB has snow posted its update.
FBR & Co. analyst Daniel Ives this morning reflects on reports by Bloomberg and others that Apple (AAPL) has shelved an effort to create a streaming live television service for its Apple TV set-top box.
Ives cites articles such as the one written late Tuesday afternoon by Bloomberg’s Adam Satariano and Lucas Shaw stating that the company has “suspended plans to offer a live Internet-based television service,”
Shares of Apple (AAPL) are up $3.06, or 2.7%, at $116.75, after Goldman Sachs’s Simona Jankowski reiterated a Buy rating on the shares and a $163 price target, and added the stock to the firm’s “Conviction Buy List,” arguing the stock’s going to undergo a shift in how investors view it in 2016, being seen more as a company with recurring revenue streams, less as a hardware vendor.
Writes Jankowski, “We see a significant multi-year opportunity for Apple to increase monetization Americas Technology Peer Group Average through (1) increased attach of services such as TV, Music, and Pay, and (2) increased attach of additional hardware such as Mac, iPad and Watch.”
That’s based on her conviction that “The smartphone battleground is shifting from unit land grab to user monetization.”
Jankowski models each Apple customer producing an “average revenue per user,” or ARPU, a metric often used in subscription businesses such as cable and publishing. That metric is initially $42 per user, she estimates, but can rise to $153 per month, assuming an iPhone user buys all other Apple hardware products.
Jankowski arrives at the $42 by taking the average installment plan payment per month for various hardware products, including iPhone, for 24-month installment periods. For example, the ARPU for an iPhone purchasing customer is $27.94, using an “entry-level” iPhone as a basic assumption.
After totaling up all hardware ARPU, she adds $3.50 in ARPU for purchase of music, apps and other content from Apple’s iTunes business.
The $153 hypothetical value, Jankowski stresses, is not something she’s assuming, but rather her way of illustrating “the multi-year upside available to the company.”
For the sake of argument, at that $153 ARPU, a customer would be spending $32.45 per month on the iPhone, additional amounts on all other hardware items, for a total of $93.43 per month in hardware spend; and an average of $59.99 per month in content and other services and software.
On the way to all that, it’s possible to hit a mark of around $82 if Apple customers just had an iPhone, the Apple Music monthly subscription, and perhaps paid $40 per month for what she expects is a forthcoming streaming television service from Apple.
There are certain other assumptions underlying all this: One, Jankowski assumes Apple’s iPhone installed base will rise to 700 million by 2017, from half a billion today; and that Apple continues to garner 100% of smartphone profits despite having just 16% to 17% market share of units shipped in the industry.
Shares of satellite TV provider Dish Network (DISH) are down 73 cents, or 1%, at $63.02, as the Street contemplates the company’s report this morning of lower-than-expected Q3 revenue and a bottom-line beat.
The company reported revenue of $3.73 billion and EPS of 42 cents, versus consensus for $3.79 billion and 40 cents.
Dish reported a net gain of 23,000 subscribers. Craig Moffett with Moffett Nathanson estimates, after digging through the company’s churn and subscriber marketing costs, that the net gain includes a decline of 178,000 subs for the traditional TV business, offset by 155,000 new subscribers for the company’s Sling TV streaming Internet television set-top.
Moffett writes that the numbers show he was “too negative” on the Sling product, while being “too generous” to the company’s traditional TV business. He estimates the company has 394,000 subs now for Sling.
The more-severe drop in TV subs is “extraordinary” he writes, versus the calm and measured tone the company has taken toward the “winnowing of the core business.”
Likewise, Citigroup’s telecom analyst Jason Bazinet, who has a Buy rating on the shares, and a $94 price target, writes that the subscriber acquisition cost — or “SAC” — of $736 was lower than the $791 he’d been modeling, suggesting that Sling TV subs made up “a higher percentage of gross adds.”
Citi’s David Phipps, who covers the credit side of the house, thinks that despite ambivalence in the company’s commentary, Dish will participate in a big auction for 600 megahertz of spectrum next year, the so-called broadcast airwaves auction. That will require another couple of billion in new funding, causing him to reiterate his Underweight rating on Dish bonds:
On February 1, 2016, $1,500 million senior notes mature February 1, 2016 and based on our model, we believe DISH needs to raise at least $1,000 million. DISH remains uncertain whether they will participate in the 600MHz auction; how they could potentially fund spectrum; whether they will keep their spectrum and the DBS business together. DISH acknowledged they are unlikely to enter a spectrum deal or partnership before the January 2016 600MHz auction bid-entry deadline. We expect DISH to participate in the 600MHz auction and expect at least $2 billion funding to support their bids. We maintain our UNDERWEIGHT weighting owing anticipated $1 billion refinancing for February bond maturity, at least $2 billion 600 MHz auction funding, potential $1 billion “true-up” payment for the AWS-3 re- auction, and potential credit structure uncertainty.
Shares of Internet radio purveyors Pandora Media (P) are down $3.69, or 19%, at $15.50, in late trading, after the company this afternoon slightly missed analysts’ expectations, and delivered profit in line with consensus, and forecast revenue this quarter substantially below Street expectations, and said it reached an agreement with several record labels to accept a $90 million settlement for past use of their music by Pandora.
Revenue in the three months ended in September rose 30%, year over year, to $311.6 million, yielding EPS of 10 cents, excluding some costs.
ANalysts had been modeling $313 million and 10 cents.
Results included $254.7 million in advertising revenue, up 31%.
Pandora’s total active listeners rose by almost 2 million to 78.1 million.
Pandora CEO Brian McAndrews called the results “strong,” saying the company had “held its own” in the midst of the arrival of Apple (AAPL) as the latest challenger in the streaming music business.
Total “Advertising RPMs” for the quarter were $56.84, up from $44.35 a year earlier.
Tonight’s settlement includes payment to Capitol Records, Sony Music Entertainment, and Warner Music Group.
McAndrews said the settlement,
“Pandora is excited to have found resolution with these record labels,” said Brian McAndrews, Chief Executive Officer at Pandora. “Together we share a common objective to grow the music industry and support artists. We pursued this settlement in order to move the conversation forward and continue to foster a better, collaborative relationship with the labels.”
The Recording Industry Association’s CEO, Cary Sherman, remarked,
Major settlements with SiriusXM and now Pandora means that an iconic generation of artists and the labels that supported them will be paid for the use of their creative works. That is a significant milestone and a big win for the music community. We appreciate the collaborative and constructive approach of Pandora’s team in resolving this longstanding issue for artists and labels.
For the current quarter, Pandora projected $325 million to $330 million in revenue, and Ebitda of $25 million to $30 million. That is below the average estimate for $352 million and $28.9 million, respectively.
Shares of Apple (AAPL) are up $1.47, or 1.3%, at $113.19, after CEO Tim Cook said during the “WSJDLive” conference in Laguna Beach, California, that its streaming music offering, Apple Music, has garnered 15 million users, including 6.5 million paying users, since its debut in June, as related by The Journal’s Daisuke Wakabayashi in a piece this morning.
Another 8.5 million people are on an 8-month trial, Cook said. Apple music costs $9.99 a month. Wakabayashi calculates, using prior comments from Apple Music impresario Eddie Cue, that about 60% of people who tried the service converted to paying subscribers.
Streaming pioneer Spotify, by contrast, has 20 million subscribers, Wakabayashi notes.
Cook said Apple’s new version of its “Apple TV” set-top will ship at the end of next week.
FBR & Co.’s Daniel Ives, who has an Outperform rating on Apple shares, took a moment to reflect on the news this morning. Ives thinks it represents a “solid start” for the service.
He also thinks it presages the much-rumored streaming television offering from Apple, by next year.
We believe this is just the first step before Cook & Co. unveil a streaming TV service in 2016. As we were estimating 5M paid Apple Music subscribers by the end of October, we would characterize this initial stage of the launch as a “triple” in the streaming ballgame. Now the goal is for Apple to further spread the gospel to/convert more trial customers over the next three to six months while adding unique content and services. For comparison: The leader in streaming music, Spotify, has 20M paid customers and 55M free customers; but, importantly, we note that the company has been doing this since 2008. We now believe that Apple is laser-focused on gaining significant market share on this front over the coming year.
Netflix (NFLX) shares have gone green suddenly, after trading down most of the session, after the company a short while ago revealed it will raise the price of one of its streaming subscription plans by $1, to $9.99 per month, starting with new customer sign-ups in November.
On its Web site, the company offers no explanation, but simply lists the new price for the subscription that allows two computers to watch Netflix simultaneously.
The price increase was noted a short while ago in an article by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw.
Netflix shares are up $2.24, or 2%, at $110.34.
Update: R.W. Baird‘s William Power, who has an Outperform rating on Netflix shares, and a $120 price target, writes in a brief note this afternoon that it is the “second price increase in the past year, and should be very incremental.”
It will be a test of the “price elasticity” of Netflix’s service, he notes: “The risk is that churn could increase, though we suspect most customers will still find strong value in a $9.99 price point given higher pricing for HBO Now and Hulu.”
“We would expect the ARPU lift to more than offset any churn impact,” concludes Power.
Here are some things going on today in your world of tech:
Puts and takes today for T-Mobile US (TMUS). David Phipps with Citigroup cut his rating on the bonds of T-Mobile, roughly $22 billion outstanding, after concluding the company will need to raise $6 billion in fresh debt to spend on next year’s 600 megahertz spectrum auctions in the U.S.
“As a creditor we have concerns near-term financing could pressure existing TMUS credit pricing,” writes Phipps.
Shares of DRAM and NAND flash maker Micron Technology (MU) are up 54 cents, or almost 4%, at $15.35, following a report this morning by The Korea Times saying that Samsung Electronics (005930KS) is planning to cut spending in 2016 by as much as 20%, much of it in DRAM manufacturing.
That cut in spending signals to some less intense DRAM production which would presumably be good for prices and, hence, good for Micron. However, there’s some debate today over how much Samsung will actually cut spending.
Another name getting a lift is chip equipment maker KLA-Tencor (KLAC), relatively little exposed to memory manufacturing, up 7 cents at $47.96, while competitor maker Lam Research (LRCX) is down 37 cents, or 0.6%, at $63.32.
Analysts are starting to try to put some numbers to the speculation about Apple planning to sell a car of its own by 2019. Jefferies & Co.’s Sundeep Bajikar and colleagues offered up a model for a car costing $55,000. If Apple were to sell 200,000 units by by 2019, at a 20% operating profit margin, it would produce 32 cents annually in new profit per share.
Shares of data storage equipment upstart Nimble Storage (NMBL) are up 83 cents, or 3.5%, at $24.47, after Longbow Research’s Joe Wittine this morning raised his rating on the shares to Buy from Neutral, and introduced a $32 price target, based on “confidence that NMBL can sustain its current growth trajectory (i.e. add >$100M sales annually).”
Further, Wittine thinks the stock has pulled back unreasonably of late given that “largely disassociated with today’s concerns over China and macro IT budgets.”
Not having as easy a time today are shares of Twitter (TWTR), down 54 cents, or 2%, at $26.25, after Citigroup’s Mark May reiterated a Neutral rating and cut his price target to $30 from $37, writing that “our and consensus estimates, particularly with respect to U.S. ad revenue in CY16, may be too high as they implicitly assume meaningful increases in monetization that may prove difficult to realize.”
In the same note, May raised his price target on Google (GOOGL), which he rates a Buy, to $781 from $730, based on his expectations for greater transparency in the company’s finances when it re-organizes in January as the holding company Alphabet.
Google shares are down 40 cents at $652.89.
And shares of Netflix (NFLX) are up $3.95, or 4%, at $102.02, defying negative remarks this morning by Evercore ISI‘s Ken Sena, who reiterated a Sell rating on the shares, writing that content providers who make money from Netflix’s streaming are going to demand higher rates at some point down the line.
Sena also thinks content providers may increasingly go directly to viewers, limiting the importance of Netflix as an aggregator of traffic. Sena appeared on CNBC to articulate his concerns.
Shares of Netflix (NFLX) are up 58 cents, or 0.6%, at $98.6, bucking the broader market’s decline, despite a negative piece from Evercore ISI’s Ken Sena, who reiterate a Sell rating on the shares, writing that content providers who make money from Netflix’s streaming are going to demand more money at some point, raising costs for the service.
“Recent media industry comments and the growth in streaming choices seem to indicate that more than ever content providers are driving a harder bargain when it comes to selling their streaming rights,” writes Sena.
Sena’s back-of-the-envelope math is that Netflix is getting a substantial discount to what other outlets pay for content, on a per-subscriber basis:
While Netflix does not tend to disclose their user engagement, the company did state in 1Q15 that their users streamed 10 billion hours of content in the quarter. In the context of their $750 million in total 1Q15 content amortization, this would imply just $0.07 in content cost per hour streamed in the quarter. By our calculation, this represents a significant discount to the monetization earned by broader network TV, which, using data from Nielsen and Magna Global, we estimate generates roughly $0.26 per hour watched. Even if we were to add NFLX Additions to Streaming Content Library (a cash flow item) to their P&L content amortization, the delta is still rather significant as it would imply just $0.16 in content cost per hour for Netflix. Note that this analysis assumes a 50/50 ratio of advertising / affiliate fees as a percentage of revenue for the content providers, consistent with the average across Evercore ISI’s Media coverage, though varying.
Here’s the breakdown of Sena’s math (click on the image to see it larger):
Sena concludes this probably can’t hold indefinitely, and that at some point Netflix will have to pay up:
For simplicity, if we estimate that this $13.14 can be split evenly between the two components mentioned (i.e. the missing networks and Netflix’s scale), this would imply that Netflix is effectively underpaying by about $6.57 per sub relative to what content providers would be earning through their distributor agreements. To date, this has afforded Netflix the ability to maintain their relatively low subscription fee (currently $8.99). Over time though, we believe content providers will continue to seek better monetization of their content, restricting what they are willing to give to SVOD services and at what price.
Sena was a guest on CNBC’s “Fast Money: Halftime Report” this afternoon with Scott Wapner and the team. Sena discussed how he believes content creators will increasingly go direct to the viewer, as well as forming partnerships with Netflix competitors:
Generally, for content owners, they’re going to find it easier to get closer to their audience, to monitor that engagement, and to monetize that engagement. For Netflix, they are having to go out and create original content, but I think at the end, they become a channel, they don’t become your home page to find all content. So I’m just trying to find a degree of balance here.
Sena told the program that it’s important to parse the subscriber numbers:
Yes, you could look at the subs and say, yes, subs look find. But when you look at the last quarter, 70% of that upside was form free, based on what they disclosed. What will promote that over time is the ability for them to get content from their partners, and as they move more into a competitive position with them, that’s going to become more difficult. The valuation is not giving credit to these other producers, how much more seamless it’s going to be for them to get closer to their audiences.
He also doesn’t see the vast Chinese market as a savior, because many other parties, such as Apple (AAPL), can play in that market as well:
Apple, Google, Facebook — a lot of these platforms are going to be in places like China, and they are going to be able to be partners for content creators. As they [Netflix] move into international markets with more diverse content needs, we don’t see the margin leverage. We take them [Netflix] at their word they will be break-even ultimately, but we don’t see massive margin expansion beyond that.
Here are some things going on today in your world of tech:
Shares of Linux and other open source software vendor Red Hat (RHT) are up 41.78, or 2.5%, at $72.84, ahead of the company’s fiscal Q2 report this afternoon, after the closing bell.
Analysts are modeling $495 million in revenue and 44 cents EPS.
Apple (AAPL) shares are up $1.51, or 1.4%, at $114.96, after The Wall Street Journal’s Daisuke Wakabayashi this afternoon reported the company intends to ship its own car by 2019, citing multiple unnamed sources.
Tesla Motors (TSLA) shares slipped on Journal’s report, but have recovered and are up $1.02 at $261.64.
Apple was also in the news today because of reports it sustained the first-ever crack of its App Store, with some Chinese programs such as WeChat showing up with malicious code thanks to nefarious instructions circulated through a version of the company’s software development kit.
However, the stock also got a vote of confidence from Canaccord Genuity‘s Mike Walkley, who reiterated a Buy rating and raised his price target to $160 from $155 after concluding that “Apple will maintain very strong share of the premium tier smartphone market” with its recently released iPhone 6s and 6s Plus, which go on sale at retail this Friday.
Shares of Netflix (NFLX) are down $2.25, or 2%, at $100.37, as Wall Street digested a weaker showing at the Emmy awards yesterday, with the company receiving just 4 awards compared to 43 awards in total, and even Amazon.com (AMZN) racking up one more than Netflix.
PayPal (PYPL) shares are up up $1.28, or almost 4%, at $34.21,after Stifel Nicolaus’s Scott Devitt raised his rating on the shares to Buy from Hold, with a $40 price target, writing that a new feature of the payments service, “One Touch,” could propel the company’s growth.
Shares of microcontroller maker Atmel (ATML) are up 94 cents, or almost 13%, at $8.21, after the company agreed to a buyout yesterday by Germany’s Dialog Semiconductor (DLG) for $10.42 per share, or $4.6 billion in cash and stock. Analysts generally saw slim prospects for a higher bid.
Yahoo! (YHOO) stock is up 49 cents, or 1.6%, at $31.23, after FBR & Co.’s William Bird this morning reiterated an Outperform rating, writing that the company’s gotten some partial breathing room from Internal Revenue Service regulations regarding the taxes on its planned spin of Alibaba Group Holdings (BABA).
Shares of Pandora Media (P), purveyors of the Internet radio service of the same name, were halted twice this morning, just minutes apart, and are now up $1.25, over 6%, at $20.95, after the company said it got a favorable opinion from the U.S. Copyright office, which may have positive implications for a content licensing rate debate with the industry.
However, analyst Barton Crockett with FBR, who has an Underperform rating on Pandora stock, writes this afternoon that the jump “to us looks misplaced as language in the decision is actually cautionary for Pandora.”
“We read the statement of sympathy as suggesting a bias to be sympathetic to the SoundExchange argument that these deals should have little weight.”
GoPro (GPRO) shares are down $2.99, or almost 9%, at $32.16, after my colleague Alex Eule wrote in this week’s Barron’s print edition that the shares could fall to $25 from rising competition, including from Apple. (Barron’s print articles require a magazine subscription to read.)
Speaking of hot gadgets FitBit (FIT) shares are down $2.52, or over 6%, at $38.20, dropping sharply from a higher opening this morning. There’s no immediate negative news on the name out there.
Correction: A prior version of this post erroneously referenced an upgrade on FitBit stock by Barclays. Barclays did not change its rating, which still stands at Equal Weight. My apologies for any confusion caused by the error.
Tech Trader Daily is a blog on technology investing written by Barron’s veteran Tiernan Ray. The blog provides news, analysis and original reporting on events important to investors in software, hardware, the Internet, telecommunications and related fields. Comments and tips can be sent to: email@example.com.


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This Week In Gaming – March 25th to 31st 2013
Happy Easter! And yes, the chocolate is calling; but first, let’s talk games…
Ubisoft announced more details of Assassin’s Creed 4′s release later this year, releasing a new video of gameplay elements and the contents of numerous collector’s edition packs. While seeming to move more and more away from the subtlety encouraged in the first games, and a very short release schedule (AC3 wasn’t released that long ago, and still has pending DLC content), the game still looks to move in an interesting – and hopefully fun – direction. The game is due for release on November 1st.
Also revealing video of upcoming game content, EA and DICE released a 17 minute gameplay video of Battlefield 4 last week. While the series overall is best known for being a multiplayer experience, the teaser showed an extract from the campaign – a squad of American soldiers fighting Russians in China, perhaps predictable but less controversial than Battlefield 3′s fighting in Iran. As expected, many things are destroyed – the video is a demonstration of the game engine as much as the game – and we even get some Bonnie Tyler.
As a multi-dimensional Metroidvania-brawler platformer, you cannot accuse Guacamelee! of lacking ambition. Controlling hero Juan Aguacate [aguacate = avocado = guacamole... yes, that did take me a moment to realise] you brawl your way through various dimension to save the mayor’s daughter – and the world.Developed by Drinkbox, the Mexican-inspired indie game has already won a lot of awards – and this is before the PS3 and PSV title is even released (April 10th, btw).
Rockstar, having delayed the release of GTA 5, have instead whetted fans’ appetites by releasing some delicious screen shots for us to savour. Showing all the usual hobbies you’ve come to expect in the series – shooting things, driving dangerously, stopping for a look at a romantic sunset – the game looks to be shaping into something fans of the series will love. Whether some of the more tedious elements criticised in GTA 4 will be refined or removed will become clear when the game is released in September.
If one Batman doesn’t seem enough, how does playing a game with numerous Batmen sound? Warner Bros released a trailer for Infinite Crisis last week, an multiplayer online battle arena game controlling various DC characters (and alternate universe versions) created by Lord of the Rings Online developer Turbine. Promised as a free-to-play game due for release later this year, you can apply to play the closed beta by signing up at the official website.
However, if you’d sooner play for the other side, that’s an option too – no, I don’t mean the villains, I mean Marvel. Also planned as a free-to-play title, the MMO action-RPG Marvel Heroes lets you play as various Marvel heroes against several of their iconic villains. The game is promised for release on June 4th – although players who purchase the game’s foundation pack can start playing from May 28th.
Third person MMO shooter APB had a rocky start – struggling as a subscription title, before being resurrected as a free-to-play – but seems to have found itself on stronger ground, as GamersFirst announce plans for a spin-off title. Entitled APB Vendetta, the title announced last week would be an online arena based shooter, with an emphasis on John Woo movie style bullet time combat. How this may work in practice remains to be seen, but the game’s proposed model of being modable by the community may be appealing to current APB players looking for a change.
And finally, a little phrase we may need to remember – “Adam was right”. Last December he posted here on the site various reasons why the trailer for an unknown game shown at the VGA awards might actually be a sneaky Metal Gear Solid preview – that game being called The Phantom Pain, and now confirmed as the new subtitle to Metal Gear Solid 5. Konami released a trailer for the game at GDC last week, using much of the same footage as the earlier video… as well as new footage which increases the already high “wtf?!” quota, though adds no further information about a potential release date.
Updates and DLCs
Jagex, the publishers of browser-based MMORPG RuneScape, have announced that this summer RuneScape 3 will go live. Upgrading the existing client to HTML5, adding an orchestral soundtrack, and various other technical improvements, as well as advancing the game-world plotwise as it “enters the Sixth Age”. As a new engine rather than a new game, existing characters will continue as they were (which is perhaps a relief to the players of the game’s 200 million accounts) – and there is a promise that players with older PCs can continue to use the existing Java client.
EVE Online is to get its 19th expansion soon, with Odyssey due for release on 4th June. With the announcement focusing on updates to exploration, the game’s Senior Producer Andie Nordgren is quoted in the press release as saying “[i]t brings changes that will wake the wanderlust and taste for adventure in both new and veteran pilots.” Wider changes are also suggested, including ship rebalancing, new star base improvements, and “a few surprises to be unveiled”.
Sticking with the universe of EVE, and DUST 514 is also going to be receiving a content update on May 6th. Titled Uprising, the expansion for the free-to-play massively multiplayer FPS – which is technically still in beta – promises basic improvements such as graphical updates and new equipment, as well as unspecified updates for the occupation of planets (which affects control in EVE Online as well). A new trailer was also released, showing content from both games working together.


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Thayer, Mo. -- Advanced Animal Nutrition recalled its Dog Power Dog Food products manufactured from Jan. 4, 2011 through Nov. 18, 2011, due to high aflatoxin levels.
— Advanced Animal Nutrition recalled its Dog Power Dog Food products manufactured from Jan. 4, 2011 through Nov. 18, 2011, due to high aflatoxin levels.
This is the third recall due to high aflatoxin levels in the last week, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Affected products include Dog Power Adult Maintenance Formula 21-12 Dog Food, 50-pound bags; Dog Power Hunters Formula 27-14 Dog Food, 50-pound bags; Dog Power Hi-Pro Performance Formula26-18 Dog Food, 50-pound bags.
The recall only applies to those products listed with the following Packaging Date Codes (lot numbers): 4K10004 through 4K1322. Affected products were distributed in Missouri, Arkansas and Louisiana.
No illnesses have been reported, but stores have already been instructed to remove the recalled products from shelves, and consumers are urged to return opened or unopened packages to their place of purchase for a full refund.
Call Advanced Animal Products at (866) 648-7646 for more information about this recall.
Aflatoxin is a naturally occurring mold byproduct, according to FDA. Symptoms include sluggishness or lethargy combined with a reluctance to eat, vomiting, yellowish tint to the eyes or gums, or diarrhea. If pets exhibit these signs, they should be examined by a veterinarian, FDA says.


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USA – The Dairy Farmers of America, a national milk marketing cooperative in the US, has withdrawn its membership from the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA), a body that represents the nation’s dairy manufacturing and marketing industry.
According to DFA, the decision to withdraw following a proposal from IDFA, which initially focused on changing how ‘make allowances’, an estimate of the cost for dairy producers to process milk into dairy products, are configured.
In a statement announcing its decision to withdraw, DFA appreciated the significant value that IDFA provides in supporting the dairy processing and manufacturing sector.
However, it described IDFA’s milk pricing proposal to the USDA as “divisive” and a “critical exception” to its generally neutral position on policies lacking full membership consensus.
“This has placed DFA in the untenable position of being represented as supporting a policy position, which contradicts what we believe to be in the best interests of our farmer-owners and the dairy industry,” DFA added.
“Following requests to return to a neutral policy position until a consensus position could be reached, DFA made the difficult decision to submit notice to withdraw from IDFA membership”.
On the other hand, a spokesman from IDFA said that efforts relating to federal order updates have been ongoing for more than a year, including engaging in an “extensive process” working with members across all segments of the industry.
In March, the company met twice with leadership from the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) to seek consensus on priorities for Federal Order reform, but this was not achieved.
The IDFA spokesperson said that the organisation “cares deeply” about the industry’s future and ensuring its stability.
He added that the organization understands the pressure cooperatives are under relating to the challenge of balancing the interests of farmer-owners with their processing objectives.
“IDFA is a critical part of a growing dairy industry that is responding to rising demand from consumers here and abroad,” the spokesperson commented.
“We need to keep our eye on the ball and continue to deliver value for our full membership by supporting and cultivating that continued growth.”
He added that due to the diversity of IDFA’s membership, disagreements are expected and the organisation’s job is to be inclusive and balance diverse interests.
“We have been here before on federal order reform, and we are confident that we will come out of this stronger. We are confident that we are taking a balanced, inclusive approach that is in the best interest of the full dairy supply chain.” the spokesman said.


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Now that July is winding down, the official back-to-school shopping season is in full swing.
The National Retail Federation projects that American families will spend an average of $674 on back-to-school items like clothes, shoes, supplies and electronics, up from $630 last year.
In an effort to help American families meet their back-to-school shopping needs without breaking the bank, some states offer sales tax holidays, when select items — typically clothing, footwear and school supplies — can be purchased tax-free.
Each of the 17 states offering sales tax holidays during the back-to-school shopping season has its own criteria for qualifying purchases, as well as maximum purchase limits, so make sure you click on your state’s link below to find specific information for your state before you shop.
These states are holding back-to-school tax-free weekends:
- Alabama: Aug. 5-7
- Arkansas: Aug. 6-7
- Connecticut: Aug. 21-27
- Florida: Aug. 5-7
- Georgia: July 30-31
- Iowa: Aug. 5-6
- Louisiana: Aug. 5-6
- Maryland: Aug. 14-20
- Mississippi: July 29-30
- Missouri: Aug. 5-7
- New Mexico: Aug. 5-7
- Ohio: Aug. 5-7
- Oklahoma: Aug. 5-7
- South Carolina: Aug. 5-7
- Tennessee: July 29-31
- Texas: Aug. 5-7
- Virginia: Aug. 5-7
Although Massachusetts typically offers a back-to-school tax-free holiday weekend, lawmakers there decided to skip it this year, citing the state’s financial woes.
“We were running short on the revenue estimate in the last several months in the last fiscal year and we predict that we’ll be at least $600 million short on revenues,” said State Rep. Randy Hunt, R-Sandwich.
The effectiveness of the annual tax holidays as a policy tool is debatable. A recent report from the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy determined that these tax-free periods are “poorly targeted and too temporary to meaningfully change the regressive nature of a state’s tax system.” But they are still an opportunity to stretch your dollar further on back-to-school supplies.
I’m lucky to live in Montana, where every shopping trip is sales tax free. Montana is one of a handful of states without a sales tax.
Do you take advantage of tax-free weekends? What kind of savings have you experienced? Share your comments below or on our Facebook page.