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Companies that do business in the furniture space have to deal with some serious competition. IKEA, Wayfair, Overstock and others are holding down the mass marketplace. That competition has also extended to high-end furniture market, which is starting to show some new activity with Crate & Barrell, CB2, West Elm and now a direct-to-consumer (D2C) Canadian brand called Article gaining momentum. Article has now lifted off from its Vancouver base and has taken its unique business model to the U.S., while the company has been forced to pivot to adjust to the COVID-19 crisis.
Article is an online furniture pure-play. Founded in 2011 as a high-end home décor brand, it turned a profit after just two years. In order to grow its delivery track record and customer satisfaction scores, the company introduced an in-house delivery program, the Article Delivery Team (ADT), to serve customers in Los Angeles, New York, Seattle, Vancouver and, most recently, Toronto.
In more “normal” times, Article delivery personnel engaged with customers in their apartments or homes to troubleshoot problems or simply answer questions. Wrong size or color? The ADT took the piece back. The program improves the customer experience while reducing average delivery times by as much as two days. With the program, the company experienced an 83 percent decrease in negative feedback from customers.
“Given the positive impact the initiative is making on the customer experience, we have plans to continue expanding our distribution network, including the ADT program, in areas of density,” said CEO Aamir Baig. “For now, we’ve focused short-term efforts on launching contactless delivery so we can maintain a safe six-foot distance during the delivery experience. With the uncertainty surrounding COVID-19, we want to make sure we can provide the same level of service to customers across the U.S. and Canada while protecting the health and safety of our team, customers and the broader community.”
That high-touch home delivery model has gained Article a solid customer base and five-year revenue growth of 24,182 percent. In September of 2019, it notched its second consecutive ranking as Canada’s fastest-growing company. As Baig noted, the company has adjusted its delivery model due to the COVID-19 crisis, as its teams now bring items to the front door, greeting the customer from a six-foot distance.
“We sent our HQ employees home in mid-March and implemented health and safety protocols in each warehouse location,” Baig noted. “A delivery experience that maintains a social distance is what people need right now. We were able to implement the policy in 24 hours because we have our own delivery infrastructure and strong final-mile partnerships, something that otherwise likely wouldn’t be possible to execute in a short window. Being online-only, and having our in-house delivery team and strong delivery partners, has made us extremely adaptable to the first round of retail challenges brought on by COVID-19.”
The company’s tagline is “helping customers create beautiful spaces,” a mission that has led to the acceleration of at least one initiative. Just last week it launched Bundles, a new offering that allows consumers to furnish entire rooms with just one click.
Article’s approach led the company to profitability so quickly that it has been able to avoid the huge debt load that straps other eCommerce companies. The firm is founder-funded, starting in 2011 with seed funding and a small raise of $5 million. Baig noted that its profitability has given the company flexibility, which is at a premium in the current environment. However, he hasn’t ruled out funding in the future.
“Obviously, COVID-19 is a major economic headwind for us and companies across the globe. It’s safe to say no one is immune to the impact of the virus. We’re adjusting our 2020 plan based on the current landscape, ensuring that we keep our team and customers safe,” he said. “What is a headwind may also be a tailwind for Article’s growth in the future. People who may have been reluctant to buy online before the pandemic are now experiencing the convenience of eCommerce for the first time. In a post-COVID-19 climate, I believe consumers may be more comfortable shopping online and will have less hesitation buying big-ticket items without touching and feeling the product first.”
In terms of the general online furniture market, Wayfair and Amazon dominate. Together, they capture 63 percent of eCommerce furniture sales, according to data analytics firm 1010data. In 2019, Wayfair took 33.4 percent of the market, with Amazon coming in second with a 29.7 percent market share. Baig is not aiming at the overall marketplace at this time, choosing to build the brand as its own entity.
“D2C brands may have some advantage given their digital-first approach, but may not be entirely immune depending on numerous factors such as the industry they’re in, their product or whether they have an omnichannel presence,” he noted. “For example, the pandemic has caused most travel, gyms and fitness studios to close, and large gatherings are banned. As a result, D2C brands that offer products directly impacted by these guidelines will likely experience a drop in demand. ‘Clicks to bricks’ has increased over the last few years, so D2Cs that have expanded to brick-and-mortar face increased financial responsibilities. Over this time, we’ll see the D2Cs that have focused on sustainable business growth to achieve profitability come to the forefront as being in the best position to weather this time.”


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We all know businesses are set to struggle in the coming months. The coronavirus, and more specifically the lockdown and self-isolation it has brought about, is going to hit companies large and small.
I believe that in most cases, the market sell-off we are seeing is an opportunity. Of course, we need to pick the companies that can and will recover. We need to be wary of the ones that were struggling even before this latest crisis.
Unfortunately, clothing store Ted Baker (LSE: TED) falls into this category. Its share price dropped more than 90% over the past 12 months, as poor sales numbers and accounting miscalculations have taken their toll.
The company today confirmed that interim CEO Rachel Osborne, who took over three months ago after Lindsay Page resigned, is named the permanent chief executive. Osborne previously worked as CFO at Debenhams, where she helped steer the company through a restructuring – something she seemingly intends to do again.
Osborne said that despite coronavirus concerns, she has “put together a clear plan to transform Ted Baker”. This seems likely to be easier said than done, however.
Previous CEO Page resigned after the company reported its fourth profit warning of the year. The company also had to carry out an operation review after identifying a £25m accounting error. This resulted in an admission that stock had been overstated by some £58m.
Accounting errors are always cause for concern – financial reports are, after all, the very basis for investors to value a company. If we can’t trust the numbers, confidence in the stock as an investment soon fades away.
To clarify, I don’t think Ted Baker’s accounts are at the stage that lack-of-confidence yet. I believe that a turnaround in the company’s fortunes would be possible – under normal circumstances. Unfortunately, of course, these are not normal circumstances.
As I see it, Ted Baker will be hit on a number of fronts because of the lockdown. Firstly, and most obviously, its stores are shut as non-essential. A company that can’t sell its products is not going to last long.
Secondly, people don’t buy new clothes to sit in the house all day. Ted Baker may be able to keep its online store open, but it won’t do it much good if nobody is shopping.
This second problem could last for longer. It is hard to tell the social consequences of this crisis, but it seems unlikely that people will rush out to shop for clothes once the government restrictions are lifted.
A company in a strong financial position might be able to withstand this kind of hardship, for a while at least. But Ted Baker was already in dire straits. It may be able to survive, but there is just far too much risk for me to invest.
Karl has no position in any of the shares mentioned. The Motley Fool UK has recommended Ted Baker. Views expressed on the companies mentioned in this article are those of the writer and therefore may differ from the official recommendations we make in our subscription services such as Share Advisor, Hidden Winners and Pro. Here at The Motley Fool we believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors.

domain: news


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SARAJEVO, May 22 (Xinhua) -- Prirodno bilje (Natural Herbs) is the first company in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) allowed to produce and export industrial hemp, the state-owned Federal News Agency (FENA) reported on Friday.
The company, based in Banja Luka, some 190 kilometers northwest of the capital Sarajevo, has received the exporting license from the Ministry of Agriculture of Republika Srpska (RS), one of BiH's two entities.
The company's owner, Nedeljko Kusturic, said he had already secured a deal with a company in Germany, which is ready to buy their future crops.
Prirodno bilje produces about 150 tons of various medical herbs and aromatic spices, mostly for the domestic market.
Marijuana and hemp are varieties of cannabis, developed due to selective breeding -- marijuana for its narcotic components and hemp for its fiber. All varieties of cannabis have been banned throughout the world since the 1960s as it was listed as dangerous drug by the United Nations (UN).
Over the past decades, several nations have recognized the industrial and medical values of hemp. To date, over 20 countries have legalized or decriminalized cannabis.
"More than 200 products are made from industrial hemp. Its seed is used in the food industry. Hemp is also used in construction as an insulation material. Pellets and briquettes for heating are also produced from it as it has more calories than wood," Kusturic explained.
BiH has recently taken the first steps towards legalizing cannabis for industrial and medical use. The decision comes as more than 27,000 jobs have been lost in the country since the COVID-19 lockdown started in mid-March.


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Christian Louboutin Archives - Inside Retail Asia
Michael Kors has been enjoying very rapid expansion and could be feeling that it has reached saturation in certain markets.
Jaeger-LeCoultre Japan has staged a grand opening for its first flagship boutique, in Tokyo.
A trio of Christian Louboutin perfume oils has been unveiled, adding a new dimension to the iconic shoe designer’s fashion cachet.
The first Carolina Herrera Vietnam store has opened, located in Saigon Center in Ho Chi Minh City.
Christian Louboutin’s latest spring/summer bag collection is being showcased in a pop-up boutique in Tokyo’s Isetan department store.
Shoe icon opens first India boutique at DLF Emporio.


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About the game
Mass Effect: Andromeda
Mass Effect: Andromeda's sub-par story hid behind a now-infamous buggy launch and tired eyes.
Mass Effect: Andromeda Articles
EA Access is coming to PlayStation 4 not too far in the future
EA announced that EA Access would be coming to PlayStation 4 a while ago but now it's official along with the release window. As it turns out, the subscription service is just around the corner, slated for a July 2019 release window.
BioWare's founders receive prestigious honour Order of Canada
We must admit that seeing two very familiar BioWare mugs smiling back at us after a lengthy absence from the scene is a great way to start the day but the company's co-founders Greg Zeschuk and Ray Muzyka only came for the Order of Canada.
BioWare update Mass Effect: Andromeda to be Xbox One X enhanced
BioWare are celebrating N7 day on 07 November every year, which usually involves new merchandise promotion, new content or a patch - all related to a Mass Effect game. This time it was Andromeda's turn and the game received 4K treatment.
Bioware boss dreams about the next great Mass Effect game
Mass Effect developer Bioware posted a video on their official Twitter reminding players of the N7 Day in which the game director Casey Hudson drops a small tease by stating that he's dreaming about the next great Mass Effect game.
James Ohlen leaves BioWare after 22 years with the company
Even if you're not familiar with the name of James Ohlen you know him alright, what with the man having played key roles in bringing us Baldur's Gate, Neverwinter Nights, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic and Mass Effect: Andromeda.
Mass Effect: Andromeda is getting a multiplayer patch, really
Mass Effect: Andromeda was a major disaster for both BioWare and EA but despite it all, the game sold over two million copes. Written off by everyone, it was dormant for almost two months but now it sparked some attention again with a surprise patch.
BioWare Montreal is dead and absorbed by EA Motive
One of Zombie Bioware's limbs has just been absorbed by EA Motive. BioWare Montreal's creative and technological distinctiveness will be adapted to service EA. The studio's existence, as you know it, is now over. Resistance is unprofitable.
ME: Andromeda - full game free on EA and Origin Access
EA announced that Mass Effect: Andromeda will be available via Origin and EA Access. Subscribers on PC and Xbox One will be getting a game that has been slightly improved by the post-release updates. Xbox One owners will have two additional perks.
EA vice president says Andromeda was unfairly criticised
Speaking to GamesReactor EA's Executive Vice President Patrick Söderlund said that Mass Effect could return once the miasma surrounding the latest series entry dies down. He also thinks that Andromeda was judged unfairly by fans.
Andromeda is now complete and still broken
EA and what's left of BioWare are done with trying to repair Mass Effect: Andromeda's singleplayer. During the weekend the publisher has announced that there will be no further patches or updates to the game's singleplayer, but multiplayer will remain on life support.


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Mar 2, 2021, 5:23 pm311 ptsTexas Gov. Greg Abbott on Tuesday said he planned to open the state next week "100%," roughly a year after COVID-19 spread from China… The post Texas reopens state 100%, ends mask mandate; Gov. promises ‘no more lockdowns’ appeared first on MacDailyNews.
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The day after Thanksgiving Day, a banner day for sales in every retail sector, has a name in the cannabis industry. It’s not Black Friday—it’s Green Friday, of course.
Friday is already a strong day for cannabis sales. It’s the end of the week, it’s payday, it’s the name of a cannabis-heavy movie franchise. More likely than not, the busiest time of week at the local dispensary will be Friday afternoon.
But in Washington, marijuana sales spike 13 percent higher than on a normal Friday on the day after Thanksgiving, according to Bloomberg News. And in Denver, delivery software firm Baker sees their orders “double”—and expects an even bigger workload this year, as dispensaries, delivery services and other retailers of legal cannabis prepare to greet Black Friday with their own parade of promotions.
Black Friday, however is just the dessert serving after the main meal. Apparently, America needs a spliff to even start thinking about cooking the holiday meal—let alone confronting the kitchen mess or the fridge full of leftovers.
An even bigger day for sales is the day before Thanksgiving—hereafter dubbed “Weed Wednesday,” according to Seattle-based analytics firm Headset.
Sales across the board are up 27 percent on the day before Thanksgiving, with big numbers from edibles and beverage sales providing the difference, Bloomberg found.
Headset offered two theories to explain this trend, which appears to be constant across the country where marijuana can be legally bought in a store: Either people are buying cookies and other treats that are easy to share, or they’re stocking up on inconspicuous, smoke-free delivery mechanisms in order to deal with, ah, their more challenging relatives.
“Sometimes, it’s a little stressful to see family,” said Amanda Gonzalez, CEO of Denver dispensary Kaya Cannabis, in comments to Bloomberg. “In the same way some people might pick up a bottle of wine, some people are looking to pick up recreational cannabis.”
“Maybe [cannabis will] make your slightly racist uncle a little bit more tolerable,” Gonzalez continued.
It can’t hurt to try. And, based on the data, millions of people are getting through Thanksgiving Day with a little help from THC.
Florida’s Largest Police Force Stops Detaining People Over Pot Smell
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Here's some good news this holiday season: The new smartphone that's been sitting under your tree is probably more secure out-of-the-box than you might think.
That's because, over the past few months, both Apple Inc. and Google Inc. have announced improvements to the privacy protections on each company's smartphones, tablets and computers, encrypting the data stored on users' devices by default.
Full-device or full-disk encryption does a few very important things. It means that someone who gains physical access to your device without your knowledge – say, an abusive partner or family member or ill-intentioned friend – won't be able to access the files inside without your password or passcode (say, via software floating around the Internet that once made such things possible). It also means that law enforcement or government agencies that seize your device won't be able to gain access to the file's inside either – and neither Apple or Google will be able to help them.
It wasn't always like this. In the past, Android users running version 3.0 and up had to choose to enable encryption. It wasn't enabled by default. That's changed, starting with new Android devices running version 5.0. And while iPhones and iPads have long encrypted data such as e-mail with a user's passcode by default, things such as photos, text messages, contacts and call history were not.
The thing is, full-disk encryption has been around for years. So why is it only now making its way to consumer devices as a built-in feature, enabled by default, and not something the user has to purchase, enable or add-on?
From a technical perspective, mobile processors are powerful enough now to handle the computationally intense task of encryption, and flash storage is fast enough that users won't notice the extra time it takes to read and write encrypted data behind the scenes. But advances in hardware and software alone didn't get us here.
"One thing that several [U.S.] states have done in their data breach bills is include language that essentially says that if a company loses data and the data's encrypted, it's not considered a breach, and therefore they don't have to tell anyone," said Christophe Soghoian, principal technologist for the American Civil Liberties Union. "So those data breach laws have probably done more than anything else to push businesses to encrypting data."
In other words, if you lose your company phone or laptop, as long as it's encrypted, no big deal. And because consumer and company devices are basically one in the same now, their features too have begun to overlap. That means that things such as encryption – once considered enterprise-only – are now included, and often enabled, on consumer devices by default. That's pretty cool.
Of course, the needs of business users aren't the only impetus for consumer technology companies such as Apple and Google to make it harder for attackers, criminals, and even police to gain access to a user's files. There's a great deal of value in which brand of phone consumers perceive as secure and safe. Our phones are basically digital simulacrums of our lives now, which makes them attractive targets for abuse.
"We're seeing a lot more cyberstalking and Internet partner violence using things like StealthGenie," says Morgan Marquis-Boire, a senior researcher at The Citizen Lab in the University of Toronto's Munk School of Global Affairs, and director of security at First Look Media, parent company of The Intercept.
"Full-disk encryption helps protect people from that type of worry, right? Privacy isn't just about nation state threats. It's the ability to keep your data safe from the opportunist attacker, which may be far more of a physically real threat for some people."
But in many parts of the world, threats from law enforcement and government agencies are a concern. According to the Wall Street Journal, which has been reporting on the backlash from law enforcement that Apple and Google have received in response to their encryption plans, two-thirds of Apple's revenue is generated outside of the U.S., "where it says encryption is even more important to customers concerned about snooping by their governments."
The U.S. Supreme Court only ruled in June that police require a warrant to search the contents of phone during arrest. In Canada, the Supreme Court is expected to rule on a similar case soon. In many places around the world, police still do not require a warrant to search a user's phone, making full-disk encryption one form of defence.
Whether consumers are actually demanding this stuff is hard to say – but that shouldn't be taken as an indication such features aren't necessary.
"I think that consumers are expected to be their own CIOs, their CTOs, and they're ill-equipped for the job," Mr. Soghoian says. "And so they don't know about the risks. They don't know that there are these tools or solutions that are out there. And it's again, for that reason, that responsible companies build products that are secure out-of-the-box, because they know that people are never going to invest time into tweaking these obscure, secure settings."


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Nashville Mayor John Cooper announced that the Metro Council has approved $10 million in American Rescue Plan dollars for Fisk University to establish an entrepreneurship center at Burrus Hall. This will be Nashville’s first public-private partnership with its oldest institution of higher learning.
The center, which was inspired by the late Nashville entrepreneur and business icon Darrell Freeman, will be a resource for emerging business owners to access resources, make connections to investors, and take classes. It will also help bring opportunities to communities that have not benefited from Nashville’s growth.
Mayor Cooper stated that “for too long, Nashville paid wealthy, out-of-state corporations to bring jobs here instead of creating and growing businesses by investing in local entrepreneurs already living in our city.” He added that with the creation of the entrepreneurship center at Fisk University, the city is “investing in our own residents’ futures by transforming this historic building into an innovation and entrepreneurship center to create the next generation of Nashville’s business leaders.”
Mayor Cooper expressed his gratitude to the Metro Council, the Director of Economic Growth and Small Business Development Latanya Channel, Fisk University, and everyone who has worked to make this dream a reality.


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During a public celebration Sunday, St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter and City Council Member Jane Prince plan to toast an unusual comeback — a previously-condemned strip mall.
Most of the businesses at Shamrock Plaza have reopened following an unusual debacle involving a hole in the ground. The strip mall, located at 279 McKnight Road South by Lower Afton Road, was forced to shutter in early September when the strip mall owner failed to fix a broken water main and private sewer connection beneath the Superette gas station-convenience store.
By that time, a liquor store, dry cleaners, Chinese restaurant, coffee shop and other establishments had already closed their doors or spent weeks operating without running water.
The private sewer failed in late July or early August, after which a contractor discovered the broken water main.
The repairs “took more time than what was anticipated,” said property owner Naryan Agrawal, who said the first contractor he hired said he could not complete the work and walked away from the job.
Prince, who represents the neighborhood, said the area is home to a large population of East African immigrants but otherwise lacks retail and groceries within walking distance. On weekends, a gathering space at the strip mall doubles as an Islamic prayer center.
“It’s such an important community and cultural hub, and not having it was devastating to the community,” Prince said. “There were people who were pulling into the parking lot just because that’s where they meet and share news. Chili Time Coffee is a really important cultural destination. The shopping center is really a community center.”
The city lifted a condemnation order on Nov. 1, thanks in large part to the efforts of city sewer engineer Richard Ekobena, who devoted evenings and weekends to inspecting the site and discussing details with the appropriate contractors.
Work was completed from September through October, and every suite has running water and functioning sewer facilities now, said St. Paul Public Works spokeswoman Lisa Hiebert.
Customers, however, already appear to have changed their daily routines.
“We opened a couple weeks ago, but the customers are gone,” said Omar Syed, longtime proprietor of Chili Time Coffee. “The work is complete. There’s no customers.”
Hoping to spread the word that Shamrock’s is back in action, Carter and Prince plan to attend a grand re-opening celebration that will be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, featuring free store samples, food, drinks and discounts.
Makhan Singh, whose family has owned and managed Shamrock Plaza Liquors since the year 2000, said he’s feeling optimistic.
“We’re pretty excited to get back in. It was tough times, you know what I mean?” Singh said. “With the grand opening celebration, that will probably help us. Plus the holidays are coming up. We could probably get a little traction.”
Kalpesh Patel isn’t feeling as lucky. The proprietor of Woodbury Cleaners owned six dry cleaning stores throughout the metro and used Shamrock Plaza as his factory hub, the location where the actual cleaning took place. Once that was gone, he had to outsource all of his drycleaning at costs of $300 an hour or more.
“It was our plant,” said Patel on Friday. He has since shuttered or sold off all six locations at a loss, leaving him with mountains of bills.
He has retained an attorney and is contemplating filing for bankruptcy. “We went out of business,” Patel said.


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A new study has claimed that an ingredient of dark chocolate could assist in the control of severely high cholesterol levels, a major problem for those suffering from diabetes. Previous research has highlighted that chocolate which contains a high level of cocoa solids rich in polyphenols may be able to reduce the risk of heart disease, and this study, published in the journal Diabetic Medicine, saw a reduction in cholesterol for a small number of diabetics given chocolate that contained a lot of the chemical.
The researchers, from Hull University, examined 12 patients with type 2 diabetes who were given identical chocolate bars, some of which were enriched with polyphenols. The patients that consumed the enriched bars experienced a small improvement in their overall cholesterol rating, with a drop in total cholesterol while the level of good cholesterol increased.
Steve Atkin, who led the study, said “Chocolate with a high cocoa content should be included in the diet of individuals with type 2 diabetes as part of a sensible, balanced approach to diet and lifestyle.” However, the charity Diabetes UK warned that these findings may mislead people into eating too much chocolate, arguing that the high fat and sugar content probably outweighed any benefits.
Dr Iain Frame, director of research at Diabetes UK, commented “On no account should people take away the message from this study, conducted in only 12 people, that eating even a small amount of dark chocolate is going to help reduce their cholesterol levels.” He added “It would, however, be interesting to see if further research could find a way of testing whether polyphenols could be added to foods which weren’t high in sugar and saturated fat such as chocolate”.
Researchers from the University of Hull and the Hull York Medical School have found dark chocolate has a significant effect on reducing the symptoms of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS). The research, published in Nutrition Journal, found that polyphenol rich chocolate eases the condition, with subjects noting significant improvements to their well-being. Chocolate is known to increase neurotransmitters like phenyl ethylamine, serotonin, and anandamide in the brain, but this is the first time that polyphenol rich chocolate in people with CFS has been studied.
Above: Professor Steve Atkin.
Subjects with CFS having severe fatigue of at least 10 out of 11 on Chalder Fatigue Scale were enrolled on the pilot study. Participants were given one of two types of chocolate, one with a high cocoa content and the other without.
Over an eight week period the volunteers consumed one type of chocolate followed by a two week wash out period and then another eight weeks of eating the other variety. The dark chocolate contained 85% cocoa solids with the alternative containing none. Each individual bar weighed 15g with each volunteer expected to eat three per day, and also told not to consume more or make changes to their diet.
Researchers also noted the weight of subject did not significantly alter despite consuming an extra 245 calories per day for two months.
Professor Steve Atkin who led the study says: “The significance of the results is particularly surprising because of the small number of subjects in the study. A further study is needed to see what the effects would be on a larger group of people, but this is potentially very encouraging news for those who suffer from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.”
This latest finding follows recent research also carried out at the University of Hull and the Hull York Medical School where dark chocolate was found to help reduce the risk of heart attacks in people with Type 2 diabetes by increasing the amount of good cholesterol in the blood stream.


text: Bosch has won the “Gold Seal of Quality” for its customer service dedicated to the household appliances, achieving for the second consecutive year the first position in the rank “The Best in Italy – Champions in the Service”, promoted by the German Institute for Quality and Finance (Burda publishing group) and conducted according to the methodology developed by the Goethe University in Frankfurt. The “Best in Italy” survey, published in the October issue of “La Repubblica – Affari & Finanza”, examined the performances of 675 companies active in Italy and represents the largest research on the customer care quality at national level. This year, 200 companies more than in 2016 were involved, belonging to 89 different sectors. To analyze the quality of the service offered to the customers, the opinions of 133,000 final consumers were collected through an online survey where the respondents were asked if they have used the customer service in the last 3 years and what were their overall opinions. The level of customer satisfaction was calculated based on the Service Experience Score (SES): Bosch was ranked first with a score of 82.6%, up from 2016 (81.2%).


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His background includes Perry Ellis and Cockpit.
— May 21, 2015
The San Clemente, Calif.-based company said it created the new position of executive vice president of global e-commerce and tapped Paul Zaengle for the job.
— May 20, 2015
Gian Riccardo Marini is stepping down and will become chairman of the board.
In the newly created position, Lansing will work on projects concerning the entertainment industry, communications and philanthropic initiatives.
— May 11, 2015
Joins as vice president of business development.
She joins from Bottega Veneta.
— May 8, 2015
He succeeds his uncle, Albert Boscov, who continues as chairman.
Kraft joins Kering from DKSH Luxury Lifestyle North America.
— May 7, 2015
The Place Vendôme jeweler will dedicate himself full-time to his eponymous brand.
— May 6, 2015
Debbie Murtha joins Laura Geller Beauty's board of directors to further grow the brand.


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These types of hotels are the most attended for tourism in Turkey in the presence of Corona
Tourism in Turkey in the first 4 months of this year 2020 was the most affected sector by the effects of the Corona pandemic in the world, where Turkey as a tourist country and the tourism sector has witnessed a record decline, after Turkey received more than 50 million tourists from various countries last year, to enjoy the best tourist places in Istanbul and the most beautiful tourist areas in Turkey as a whole, such as Antalya, Trabzon and Bursa.
The decline in Turkey has not stabilized for long, as the relevant authorities rushed to establish a special program for the 2020 holiday in Turkey that guarantees safe tourism for local and foreign visitors, and re-breathes a sector that is pivotal in the Turkish economy, relying mainly on the rules of social distancing and measures to prevent Coronavirus.
The authorities responsible for tourism in Turkey were not satisfied with the safe tourism program only, so,an alternative was created for hotels to spend the 2020 holiday in Turkey, such as caravans adjacent to the beaches and distributed in various green spaces and also resort to accommodation on board the yachts which have become a great demand by individuals and families .
The destinations of tourism in Turkey 2020 also changed in order to find safe places that would balance between the unbridled desire to visit the most beautiful places in Istanbul and the prevention of coronavirus and not being infected. In this regard, the demand grew about a different version of hotels, which are "villa hotels" that received many visitors in Turkey, as soon as life begins to return to normal, coinciding with the retreat of the Corona virus and the resumption of activities in many Turkish tourist facilities after a pause that lasted from mid-March 2020 to early June.
What are "villa hotels" and how did they welcome tourists in Turkey 2020?
Within the villas hotels in Turkey, each hotel is built in the form of separate villas within one region that is often built in the arms of nature, such as tourist hotels in Sakarya in the northwest of Turkey.
The hotels of villas in Sakarya state were known for the double turnout, especially in the areas near Lake Sapanca due to its picturesque location in the arms of virgin nature, as it is one of the best tourist places in Turkey and the most suitable for relaxation amid calm and greenery.
And most of the tourist places in Sakarya, which have returned to activity after a 3-month shutdown, providing services to tourists in dozens of villas and separate homes to satisfy the desires of families and individuals who want to spend their holidays in isolation without crowding and mixing with a guarantee of enjoying the fresh air and wonderful views, of the sea and green areas.
And most of the tourism establishments in Turkey took advantage of the long closing period, to carry out the largest sterilization of all service facilities used by tourists during their tours and also in the rehabilitation of old facilities or those that need to be renewed, and that According to the preventive rules issued by the Turkish Ministry of Health and sent to various tourist establishments in Turkey.
The hotel villas came on top of Turkish tourism establishments that adhered to the basics of sterilization, in addition to regular hotels that were re-adapted according to the rules of social separation as common spaces.
Hotel villas, one of the best secluded holiday spaces, have received many reservations requests as soon as the gradual return to normal life begins, mostly Turkish and foreign tourists in each of Istanbul, Ankara and Kocaeli provinces.
Each of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the Ministry of Health in Turkey obligated all tourism institutions to operate only 50% of their operating capabilities, such as hotel owners exploiting 50% of the rooms to ensure the spacing in the residence of tourists and avoid any possibility of transmission of Corona infection in the event that one of the tourists was infected without knowing and showed symptoms during his stay.
In general, the general taste of tourists in the world and in Turkey in particular has changed towards every tourist establishment that provides the most isolation and distance such as hotel villas, caravans, country houses, tourist apartments with pools and hotels with special services.
The speed of finding and creating alternative ways of tourism in Turkey that differs from the time before Corona, and also the great demand for tourists to various service facilities directly with the return of life to their nature, highlight once again the place of tourism in Turkey, which advances every year more in the global ranking and attracts thousands of people to tourist places in Istanbul, Antalya and other vital cities in the sector.


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EU investment controls would offer no added value for industry
23.03.2018 The mechanical engineering industry benefits from investment from abroad. VDMA therefore rejects the proposal to expand European investment controls that is currently under discussion by the European Parliament.
European sales law must be restricted to consumer agreements
23.02.2018 The EU is working on a uniform European sales law, but the mechanical engineering industry will probably remain largely unaffected.
VDMA’s office in Brussels bridges the gap between business and politics. The association informs its member companies about political developments that affect mechanical engineering. For policymakers in Brussels, the European Office (EurO) is a reliable point of contact with in-depth knowledge about the mechanical engineering industry to ensure that lawmaking does not happen in isolation from the real world in which companies operate.


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Don’t scroll past
latest bit of melodrama.
On Wednesday, the Federal Trade Commission and 46 states sued the social-media company over anticompetitive practices, seeking to force the world’s largest social network to unwind its acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp. Facebook arguably has been in lawmakers’ sights since the contentious 2016 presidential election, and the Cambridge Analytica scandal in 2018 certainly didn’t help matters. After years of threats, investors seemed to view the main event as almost anticlimactic, skeptical that such lawsuits will amount to any material change in the near term. Shares of Facebook were down less than 2%, on pace with a selloff affecting big tech peers on Wednesday, with an even more muted drop on Thursday.
While all large tech companies face pressure from regulators, Facebook seems to be the easiest target given its structure as three distinct apps. But investors’ doubts about the feasibility of a breakup certainly have merit. Both of Facebook’s acquisitions, for instance, were approved by the FTC itself, and proving that competitors and consumers were harmed, as the suits say, won’t be easy. If anything, the cases will likely take years to resolve.
But that doesn’t mean Facebook will skate by in the meantime. The company, which has made its fortune by spending big money to make big money, needs to prove out a fresh strategy to keep growing.
Facebook’s advertising business, which still accounted for nearly 99% of its overall revenue in the third quarter, appears to be reaching a saturation point. Ads served on its platform have been increasing by a quarterly average of almost 30% year on year for at least the last five years. Filling its acquired Instagram with them has contributed to that growth, first on the main feed and more recently in the app’s Stories feature. In some cases, users are seeing more ads than the new content they came to the app for. With other social platforms such as Tik Tok, Snapchat and
gaining traction, Facebook already walks a fine line between engaging its users and annoying them.
Facebook has been working to change that, hoping to make their platforms destinations for shopping as much as for sharing. That certainly seems to be the plan for WhatsApp, for which Facebook paid an eye-popping $19 billion in 2014, even though the nature of its encrypted communication seems directly at odds with advertising. The company’s most recent plans to purchase customer-service platform Kustomer suggests Facebook will seek to monetize WhatsApp instead through tools for merchants to communicate with Facebook’s customers.
Suddenly, Facebook’s plans for WhatsApp seem all the more critical. Even if lawsuits against the company do little to change its current structure, it seems abundantly clear that growth through acquisition is no longer an option.
Facebook has historically been a bet that advertisers would keep boosting its share of their budgets. Now it needs to coax its users to open their wallets. Pulling off that shift while under the government’s microscope will be difficult to say the least.
Write to Laura Forman at firstname.lastname@example.org
Copyright ©2020 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 87990cbe856818d5eddac44c7b1cdeb8
Appeared in the December 11, 2020, print edition as ‘Facebook’s Profile Will Be Altered, Win or Lose.’


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Written evidence submitted by Which? (AAS0049)
Issues with the private Covid testing market and
government changes to travel restrictions
Current issues with PCR testing for travel
Which? has been raising concerns about the private testing for the travel market and ahead of the reopening of international travel in Spring 2021. Persistent issues in the market have included a lack of reliable information for consumers, a big variance in prices for tests and significant problems with quality and reliability of service.
Our research and investigations found that the private travel testing market has been flooded with rogue providers, which has led to travellers being left out of pocket and unable to travel, and a flawed accreditation system has made it too easy for firms to provide testing services and appear on the government’s list.
Therefore in September, Which? fully supported the recommendations of the Competition and Markets Authority’s (CMA) rapid review of the market and shared its concerns that the market risks becoming “a race to the bottom”. Worryingly, these recommendations are yet to be implemented and we have seen little meaningful improvement to the list of providers on the GOV.UK site, despite the reintroduction of the PCR testing requirements for travellers in November 2021.
The situation today is extremely confusing for consumers, who are having to navigate a market with a wide range of pricing, and with confusing information from the Government. Many of those travelling over the Christmas period will be visiting family in the UK and abroad, and will be facing difficult decisions, and potentially hefty costs, when choosing a test provider in anticipation of the expected postal service disruption.
Firstly, there are currently 443 providers on the GOV.UK Day-2 PCR test list with prices ranging from £15 to £399 and the list gives no indication or information with regards to quality of service. Concerningly, the practice of “bait pricing” is extremely prevalent at the lower cost end of the GOV.UK site. Recent reports have stated that of the top 30 cheapest providers on the GOV.UK site, just four are available at the advertised price - with costs sometimes tripling for “available” tests from the other 26 providers. Similarly, earlier in December some providers were advertising tests for as little as 30p that turned out to be unavailable just to get to the top of the GOV.UK list.
Secondly, information from the Government has added further confusion regarding testing costs. On 7 December, the Department of Health and Social Care was reported to say that the average price for Day 2 PCR tests were £45, with many available for £20. However, our analysis of the list on 13 December 2021 shows that less than one in five tests on the GOV.UK list are advertised for less than £45 and only five providers advertise tests for £20. Moreover, drip-pricing practices continue. Currently there are 20 firms quoting tests for ‘self swab at home’ for less than £30 - some as little as £15. However, by the time the delivery charges are added, the total bill can go up in some cases to £80.
Finally, Which? has heard that some Covid test providers have stopped selling tests over the Christmas period as they are struggling to deal with demand and cannot guarantee fast test results during this busy period due to expected disruption to the postal network. Many travellers will be forced to purchase expensive tests that are provided at the airport or in a clinic or from firms that offer their own courier services. Those who can’t afford these extra costs, which can easily exceed the costs of flight tickets, will face the tough decision of cancelling holidays or their plans to visit family and friends abroad and will be left at the mercy of their travel company’s booking terms and conditions.
Which? has continued to support consumers to navigate this complex market with more trustworthyinformation and advice, including publishing a guide to testing providers However, if there is acontinued requirement for consumers to engage with the private PCR testing market in order to travel, it is critical that the Government, particularly the UKHSA, ensures there is stronger regulation in place supported by effective monitoring and swift enforcement.
Case study: Expert Medicals
In November Which? reported on Expert Medicals, a PCR testing provider who failed to deliver good customer service to consumers with regard to day 2 and day 8 PCR tests, a requirement of all passengers at the time:
When Patricia Baker didn’t receive the Covid tests that she had purchased from Expert Medicals, she told us that the most galling thing was having to fall back on the NHS to be able to leave her house. When the day eight test she’d bought from Expert Medicals didn’t arrive and, like so many others, she ended up calling 119 to ask the government to step in. Patricia didn’t want to leave the house until she had been given the all-clear.
‘I was so cross that the NHS had to come to my rescue after I’d spent all that money. And we’ll all end up paying for it again through our taxes.’
The CMA opened an investigation into Expert Medicals for potential breach of consumer law in September 2021 and the provider was removed from the GOV.UK PCR provider list. Despite this, Expert Medicals later appeared on the Rapid Lateral Flow Testing GOV.UK provider list after restrictions changed to allow for this type of testing. This case raises concerns about the lack of vetting and enforcement from the government with regards the providers on the GOV.UK list, which consumers are turning to for information to best navigate the market and identify providers.
Handling of announcements and policy on new ‘variants of concern’
Consumers must have confidence in the information they are provided with in order to make better informed decisions, particularly in a market which is experiencing constant change. However we strongly believe that they have been woefully neglected by the government in its handling of travel restrictions announcements.
While consumers will understand the need to introduce public health measures at short notice, it is crucial the government considers the impact, both financial and emotional, that constantly changing rules at the last minute will have on travellers. People intending to travel must be properly informed of changes that would strongly affect their plans, such as the requirement to take a pre-departure test before returning to England which might lead to quarantine while abroad if testing positive.
Government must ensure it properly communicates upcoming changes to travel restrictions with timely and reliable information. As part of this, we urge the government to review its plans and preparedness when dealing with new emerging variants and set out a strategy to ensure there is no repeat of the chaos travellers have been facing over the last couple of weeks.
Which? recommendations on testing for travel:
The Government and UKHSA must:
1. Implement the CMA recommendations immediately to set high standards on quality of service, consumer protections and a benchmark of price for providers in the market; and ensure only good providers are listed on GOV.UK.
2. Improve the quality of information on the GOV.UK provider list, which includes information held on timeliness of delivering test kits and processing results on time, and quality of customer service.
3. Ensure that all future announcements on changes to travel restrictions will be communicated in a clear and timely manner to consumers, and work with the travel industry to limit the impact on consumers whose travel plans may be affected.
4. Publish its strategy for dealing with new ‘variants of concern’ and thresholds for changes in travel restrictions.
In the meantime, Which? advises those travelling not to solely rely on the GOV.UK list to find testing providers due to the ongoing concerns about the reliability of the information shown. Which? has reviewed a number of PCR test firms, and social media is also a good place to check for the experience customers are having with test providers.
CAA powers and access to redress
The pandemic has been a litmus test for consumer protections in the Aviation Sector, highlighting regulatory gaps in consumer protection.
In the space of six weeks at the beginning of the pandemic, Which? received 14,000 complaints from passengers who had not received refunds for cancelled flights. The 12,602 we analysed were worth a total of £5.8 million to consumers in the U.K. Those who reported their complaints to Which? were on average out of pocket by £446 and had collectively spent 52,000 hours (nearly six years) on the phone chasing their money. In February 2021 Which? reported that an estimated 3.2 million people were still waiting for refunds for flights they could not legally take during the pandemic.
Through our investigations and research, we have demonstrated that the lack of administrative fining powers has undermined the ability of the CAA to enforce consumer law legislation and secure routine compliance, leaving travellers exposed to unfair business practices.
The need for regulatory reform has been clear for years through other significant events like the failure of Thomas Cook which required taxpayers intervention, the Icelandic ash cloud that grounded planes and passengers for days with no recourse to refunds, Ryanair workers’ industrial action in 2018 that saw passengers refunds refused and the airline ignore CAA and ADR scheme rulings, and the long term small claims court backlog costing both individual consumers and the taxpayer.
The lack of accountability in the sector has allowed unlawful behaviour to persist, with businesses facing no consequences and consumers left to shoulder the bill. These systemic issues are particularly evident in the regulators’ failed attempts at enforcing consumer protection law during the pandemic.
There should be a quick and effective route for consumers to enforce their rights directly, but the current system of ADR in aviation fails many passengers. Given the significance of the sector and the scale of consumer detriment, ADR should be mandated to ensure all passengers in the UK have access to redress without having to resort to court action through the small claims court.
Finally, as the government consults on Consumer Policy in Aviation, in a bid to establish additional tools for enforcing consumer rights, it is crucial that passenger rights are safeguarded and enhanced by reducing inconsistencies between air travel and package holiday regulations.
Our calls to the Government on consumer rights reform:
1. The CAA must be given stronger enforcement powers, including fining powers, for breaches of consumer law to prevent operators from acting with impunity.
2. An effective ADR system with mandatory membership should be established, with the introduction of a single statutory-backed ombudsman for the aviation sector
3. The Government must commit to safeguarding consumer protections in travel post-Brexit and reduce inconsistencies between air travel and package holiday regulations, bringing greater clarity and protection to consumers.
The Committee’s upcoming evidence session
We would welcome the Committee raising these key issues with the UKHSA and Government ministers in its upcoming session.
Suggested questions to UKHSA on overseeing the private testing market:
1. What is the UKHSA’s progress and ongoing timetable for implementing the CMA recommendations?
2. How many providers has the UKHSA assessed and found issues with on the GOV.UK list since it took over responsibility? And how many have been removed from the list as a result?
3. PCR testing has recently changed hands from DHSC to UKHSA, and it appears DfT no longer has any say - can the panel clarify how the departments work together and where accountability sits?
4. When private testing firms are removed from one government list for customer service failings, what process or checks are undertaken before they are able to reappear on a GOV.UK list to provider private testing services again?
5. Are firms able to appear on the gov.uk list when under investigation by the CMA (as above)?
Suggested questions to the Government
On the private testing market:
1. Many people will be travelling to see family and relatives over the Christmas period, however private test providers are experiencing high demand and pausing sales over the Christmas holidays due to expected postal network disruption. What is the government doing to ensure consumers will have access to affordable and reliable tests during this period?
2. The next review of travel restrictions is expected on 20th December, by which point it will be too late for most people to adjust their plans. Therefore:
a. What is the Government doing to limit undue disruption, stress and financial strain during the holidays as a result of further changes to travel restrictions?
b. What discussions is the Government having with the travel industry to support consumers who may not be able to continue with their travel plans over the upcoming period?
3. In addition to implementing the CMA’s recommendations, would the Government now consider introducing a price cap on testing services to reduce prices and support regulation of the testing market?
On the CAA powers and enforcement:
1. Given the scale of the refunds crisis and that the sector has faced no enforcement action despite repeated consumer law violations, what is the government’s view on whether consumer protections in aviation are fit for purpose?
2. What role should the regulator play to better protect consumers from unlawful practices and breaches of consumer law by the aviation industry, and what is the Government’s plan to rebuild consumer trust in this sector?
3. Why has the government decided it will re-consult on proposals regarding CAA powers and ADR reform in the Aviation Consumer Policy Strategy when BEIS consulted on these issues earlier this year and could deliver changes more efficiently through the forthcoming consumer enforcement reforms?
4. Is the government committed to clarify the law on flight refunds rights for those people who cannot travel due to Government advice or imposed restrictions?
Which? is the UK’s consumer champion. As an organisation we’re not for profit - a powerful force for good, here to make life simpler, fairer and safer for everyone. We’re the independent consumer voice that provides impartial advice, investigates, holds businesses to account and works with policymakers to make change happen. We fund our work mainly through member subscriptions, we’re not influenced by third parties and we buy all the products that we test.
The CMA’s recommendations from the rapid review of the private PCR testing market
● Creating a one-stop shop list of quality, approved test providers by significantly improving the basic standards to qualify for inclusion and remaining on the GOV.UK list.
● Introducing a comprehensive monitoring and enforcement programme to ensure providers on the GOV.UK list meet these basic standards and rules, and swiftly removing and sanctioning those firms that don’t.
● Improving the provider listings on GOV.UK so consumers get the information they need to compare providers properly and find the best deals for them.
● Developing the NHS Test and Trace travel test as a benchmark for quality and price to drive higher standards and more competition across the sector.
● Monitoring prices and costs on an ongoing basis, in case price reductions are not seen on the back of other measures and consider introducing a price cap if necessary.
 www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/pcr-test-rip-off-slammed-25672811 [Accessed: 13 Dec 2021]
 www.thetimes.co.uk/article/sajid-javid-urged-to-crack-down-on-the-testing-firms-conning-customers-tms5fqdlf [Accessed: 13 Dec 2021]
 https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/covid-19-downing-street-vows-to-strike-off-exploitative-pcr-test-firms-r5tng6czp [Accessed:13 Dec 2021]


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According to Nielsen Online report for UK net ratings in 2007
UK consumers are flocking to BeatThatQuote.com at such a rate that the price comparison site has seen off internet giant Facebook in the battle for the UK’s fastest growing website.
The award winning website has been given the accolade in a report* by independent measurement and analysis company, Nielsen Online.
The report reveals that BeatThatQuote.com grew its monthly audience of unique visitors by 1,165% from December 2006 to December 2007. Facebook came second in percentage terms with an increase of just 781% in comparison.
Commenting on the news, Founder and Managing Director John Paleomylites said, “Our numbers for January are already 300% up on December at just under 1million unique visitors. There’s still plenty more growth that we are on target to achieve. Clearly, consumers love what we’re doing and are coming to us rather than other price comparison sites.”
Alex Burmaster, Internet Analyst, Nielsen Online commented, “Many will be surprised to see that Facebook wasn’t the fastest growing site of the year, this honour went to price comparison site, BeatThatQuote.com – a reminder that the Internet provides valuable services other than virtually poking friends and acquaintances.”
Notes to Editors
*Source: Nielsen Online, UK NetView, home & work data, including applications, Dec 2006 – Dec 2007. Nielsen Online is the new name for services previously marketed under the Nielsen/NetRatings and Nielsen BuzzMetrics brands).
BeatThatQuote.com is price comparison web site that helps people find the very best deals on a range of financial products and services that includes mortgages, credit cards, loans, home and car insurance, annuities and investments.
BeatThatQuote.com is an independent company owned by the people who work there. In 2006 it won the Growing Business Awards ‘Young Company of the Year’ award as well as being the NatWest Startups ‘Business of the Year’ and ‘Online Business of the Year’ winner. BeatThatQuote.com also reached the national finals in the Orange National Business Awards, and the HSBC Start-Up Stars awards.
For further information please contact
the BTQ press office:
Narda Shirley +44 (0)7770 888318
This press release was distributed by ResponseSource Press Release Wire on behalf of Gong Communications in the following categories: Consumer Technology, Personal Finance, for more information visit https://pressreleasewire.responsesource.com/about.


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WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) — The U.S. trade deficit jumped almost 18% in October as imports rose to the highest level in 14 months.
The nation’s trade gap climbed to a four-month high of $42.6 billion from a revised $36.2 billion in September, the government said Tuesday. That was in line with Wall Street’s forecast.
Economists surveyed by MarketWatch had expected the deficit to increase sharply in October after it sunk in the early fall to the lowest level in several years.
The size of the trade deficit from August to October averaged $39.8 billion a month, smaller than the $42.4 billion gap in the same three-month period in 2015.
The deficit is unlikely to continue to decline, though, given a strong dollar that’s weighing on exports and an improved U.S. economy that’s boosting demand for imports. A higher trade deficit reduces the official score card for the economy known as gross domestic product.
October imports increased 1.3% to $229 billion, marking the highest level since August 2015. The U.S. imported more drugs, computer accessories, cell phones and other consumer goods.
Exports, meanwhile, slipped 1.8% to $186.4 billion in October. That’s the smallest amount in three months.
The decline in exports was largely related to fewer shipments of farm products such as soybeans and corn as well as petroleum and other industrial supplies.
Exports of soybeans had soared toward the end of summer after a subpar crop yield in South America, but now they are returning to more normal levels.
Exports of aircraft, a category that fluctuates sharply from month to month, and artwork and antiques also fell sharply in October.
American exports to China climbed to a nearly three-year high to narrow the U.S. trade gap with the Asian giant to $31.1 billion.


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The man originally responsible for the Toyota Prius’ development has predicted the company’s global market share for hybrids will soon increase from 13-14 percent to 20 percent.
“I foresee hybrid models pretty soon reaching 20 percent of global sales from about 13 percent to 14 percent now,” said Toyota Chairman Takeshi Uchiyamada in an article by Automotive News Europe.
Toyota has been extremely bullish on hybrids even as the hybrid market has cooled off in general, and Prius Liftback sales flattened out last year in particular.
The Liftback by itself commands 25 percent of the U.S. market and it and other Toyotas have seen slowing of late.
Undeterred, the view from Toyota in Japan is worldwide plans to proliferate more and more Toyota and Lexus hybrids will continue.
This, Uchiyamada said despite the meager market share hybrids have in Europe where diesels outsell them, being in cases less expensive with comparable fuel economy.
The “take rate” in Europe is less than 2 percent, and total volume of all hybrid makes and models there is less than the Prius family enjoyed last year.
The U.S. on the other hand are the strongest markets. Toyota’s products enjoy solid loyalty in its home country and here as well, they combined hold about 60 percent of the U.S. hybrid market share.
Automotive News (subscription req’d)


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The brand spankin' new M2 MacBook Air is hitting store shelves in July starting at $1,199, but if a larger model with beefier internals piques your interest, you may want to wait a few months. According to a Bloomberg report, Apple is working on launching a novel 15-inch MacBook Air. If this is true, it'd be the first MacBook Air to break from the 13.3-inch display size in the line's 14-year history.
That's not all. Apple is also reportedly rolling out a 12-inch laptop — a form factor Apple abandoned in 2019 when it discontinued the MacBook. Both will feature next-generation, custom-made chips, giving Apple an edge over other OEMs that continue to partner with Intel, AMD or Qualcomm.
- Apple WWDC: M2 MacBook Air and MacBook Pro
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Everything we know about the alleged 15-inch MacBook Air
Apple unveiled the M2-equipped MacBook Air at its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) on Monday. It's packed with a 13.6-inch Retina display, and according to the Bloomberg report, Apple planned on releasing a 15-inch variant too, but decided against it to focus its efforts on the 13.6-inch model.
The 15-inch MacBook Air is, of course, wider than its 13-inch counterpart. Citing an unnamed source, Bloomberg added that Apple plans to release it in spring 2023. As mentioned, the laptops will sport the tech giant's latest, in-house processors. After Apple announced its dissolved partnership with Intel and began refreshing its devices with custom-made ARM CPUs, the Cupertino-based tech giant experienced a "resurgence for the Mac lineup," Bloomberg said, due to the chips' industry-leading performance.
As of this writing, Apple has only captured 9% of the laptop market. Dell currently holds 18%, HP has 20%, and Lenovo leads the pack at 24%. The MacBook maker, according to Bloomberg, is hoping these figures change in its favor, thanks to its zippier processors.
As mentioned, Apple is also working on a 12-inch laptop that is poised for a late 2023 or early 2024 release. It would be the company's tiniest laptop since the 12-inch MacBook, which launched in 2015; Apple discontinued it in 2019. Bloomberg said it doesn't have any information on whether the 12-inch laptop is a MacBook Pro or part of a lower-end Mac family.
I'm not too gung-ho about a 12-inch laptop — that's smaller than the 12.9-inch iPad Pro. However, perhaps Apple can prove us wrong and roll out a spectacular laptop in a tiny package. An ultralight laptop with the power and battery life of the MacBook Air could be awfully tempting as a business laptop or college laptop.
Stay in the know with Laptop Mag
Get our in-depth reviews, helpful tips, great deals, and the biggest news stories delivered to your inbox.
Kimberly Gedeon, holding a Master's degree in International Journalism, launched her career as a journalist for MadameNoire's business beat in 2013. She loved translating stuffy stories about the economy, personal finance and investing into digestible, easy-to-understand, entertaining stories for young women of color. During her time on the business beat, she discovered her passion for tech as she dove into articles about tech entrepreneurship, the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) and the latest tablets. After eight years of freelancing, dabbling in a myriad of beats, she's finally found a home at Laptop Mag that accepts her as the crypto-addicted, virtual reality-loving, investing-focused, tech-fascinated nerd she is. Woot!


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You have searched for "wanita umno"
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KUALA LUMPUR: Following is a list of events in Malaysia as well as news company-related and market news which could have an influence on the Malaysian market.
KUALA LUMPUR: Following is a list of events in Malaysia as well as news company-related and market news which could have an influence on the local market.
Those in the private sector should act fast to grab the opportunities under the new European Union Generalised System of Preferences (EU GSP) to boost Malaysian exports to the European market, International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Rafidah Aziz said.
PETALING JAYA: Loss-making conglomerate Boustead Holdings Bhd has appointed Federal Territories Wanita Umno chief and a former high-ranking civil servant as its two new non-executive directors.
KANGAR: Mara has allocated RM50 million for its Dana Nita programme, specially for women who want to become entrepreneurs or start business this year.


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Plaid is denying that it has used TD Bank‘s logo to dupe customers into sending information it could monetize, a report from The Globe and Mail says.
Plaid said it’s also disappointed that TD Bank has filed a lawsuit against it in the case, saying Plaid’s role in transactions is “made clear” to customers.
Plaid’s software includes helping popular apps like Venmo, Coinbase, Square and Stripe access bank and credit card info, and the company says they “have been working with TD for quite some time, and are disappointed that they resorted to litigation and false allegations.”
“Plaid is publicly known for never selling or renting consumers’ personal information,” the company said, according to The Globe and Mail.
Plaid faced a civil suit on Wednesday (Oct. 14) in a New Jersey court that accused the company of making a user interface for financial services applications that infringed on TD Bank’s logo, trademark and green color scheme.
In court, TD Bank said Plaid’s actions “tricked” customers into thinking they were entering personal information into the bank’s platform. Plaid, the allegations went, had worked to monetize the data. U.S. subsidiary president Greg Braca, according to The Globe and Mail, said in a statement that Plaid’s “intentional, unauthorized use of TD’s name and branding is deceptive.”
Plaid has seen a number of class action lawsuits accusing it of selling information obtained from logins from millions of customers, without the practice being disclosed. One of them, PYMNTS reports, said the California-based company has been engaging in such practices for years and has affected upwards of 200 million individual accounts.
While the company’s modus operandi states that it intends to power digital finance and FinTech issues from its own digital network, criticisms have come in over the years that the company has made a habit of taking the information for itself and selling or misusing it without that information being disclosed.


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You need help Texas Rangers jersey in this league. Back in the day, that’s what made the league. Guys were winning championships, making their team better by themselves. They had pieces and they had a lot of help. But the league was spread out.
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The act is meaningless. It’s not the same symbol champion nba jerseys ebay of hate it was seven years ago. If people want to set hundreds of dollars on fire because of something they best china nfl jersey saw on , so be it. For now, it’s no longer worth spending any amount of time on.


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Apple CEO Tim Cook attends the China Development Forum (CDF) 2018 annual session held at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, China, on March 26, 2018.
Jason Lee | Reuters
Apple shares fell more than 2% in pre-market trading on Tuesday after Barclays downgraded the stock to underweight and lowered its price target slightly to $160 from $161.
Barclays analyst Tim Long said in a note to clients on Tuesday that the current “lackluster” sales of the iPhone 15, particularly in China, predict that sales of the iPhone 16 will be similarly weak. I wrote that I am doing it. Long expects this downturn to apply to Apple’s hardware sales overall.
“iPhone unit sales and mix continue to show weakness, with no recovery seen for Macs, iPads, or wearables,” Long wrote. Analysts and investors have been pointing out that iPhone sales in China have been sluggish since October.
Bloomberg previously reported that the Chinese government had issued informal guidance banning state employees from using iPhones. The Chinese government denies providing such guidance.
Mr. Long also expects growth in Apple’s lucrative services business to slow due to regulatory scrutiny. Gross margins from Apple’s services business are about twice the profits the company earns on all its hardware products, and Apple CEO Tim Cook said on a previous investor conference call that the division’s gross margins were “better than expected.” ” emphasized growth.
But Barclays doesn’t necessarily think growth is certain over the long term.
“We should get an initial decision on the Google TAC in 2024, and some app store investigations may be strengthened,” Long wrote, noting that Google may not want Apple to maintain its default search status. mentioned the payments made to.
Google CEO Sundar Pichai previously admitted that the company pays Apple 36% of its Safari search revenue. Regulators are scrutinizing the default search status and Apple and Google themselves.
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PEABODY (CBS) — It’s a television you can’t buy in a store anymore and you probably couldn’t even give it away for free. But, a retail giant has been billing a Peabody senior citizen for an extended warranty on the TV for the last 15 years. That’s when his loyal neighbor reached out to the I-Team’s Call 4 Action.
“Joe’s been my next door neighbor for the last 24 years,” said Linda Hebert. She is the definition of a good neighbor. Linda checks in on Joe Pinto every day and the 86-year-old even leave messages for her in his window that she can see from her house. “He’s part of my family.”
Linda happened to be visiting with Joe recently when the phone rang, “Joe cannot answer the telephone since he is hard of hearing so I answered it,” Linda explained. “It was Sears calling, they were looking for Joe to renew his extended warranty.” That extended warranty was for a TV Joe bought in 2002.
“Well, my blood was boiling because I realized that TV is extremely old. You would not be able to replace that TV and he has spent a lot of money every year for an extended warranty.”
Receipts show that when Joe paid $289.99 for the 27″ Panasonic tube TV he also bought a 3-year warranty for $119.99. When that first warranty expired in 2005, Joe got a new bill and he paid it. “No questions asked,” Joe told us. That cost him $160 for another 3 years.
“They’re robbing the elderly people because they don’t know, they don’t understand, that they don’t have to pay that, ” Linda told us.
In, 2008 Joe continued to pay for the warranty but switched to a one-year plan. He paid every year until Linda happened to pick up that call from Sears.
So, over the past 15 years, as flat screens have taken over the market, Joe estimates he has spent almost $1,000 on extended warranties. That’s more than 3 times the original cost of the outdated TV. And it’s a service Joe has never needed.
Linda called Sears to complain about the bills and the calls, but she said Sears told her that extended warranties are non-refundable. “Then, I said ‘you’re not done with me yet,'” Linda explained with a laugh and she decided to reach out to WBZ.
When the I-Team’s Call 4 Action contacted Sears the company decided to refund Joe $200. In a statement, Sears told us “At Sears, our top priority is the satisfaction of our members. Our member solutions team has resolved Mr. Pinto’s situation. He will be refunded the last three renewal periods for his Repair Protection Agreement. The check should arrive in one to two weeks. We hope he remains a loyal Sears customer and Shop Your Way member.”
Linda isn’t so sure the issue is resolved, “to think about what he has spent and what they were offering to do… I’m still not too happy. Joe’s not too happy.”
Joe told us he hopes other people will now think twice when that bill automatically shows up in the mail, “I thought maybe this could help other people not to get in the same trouble as I am.”
WBZ asked Sears if they have a policy on ending extended warranties on outdated technology, like Joe’s TV, and the company did not respond.


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On January 18th, 2022, news broke that Microsoft was in the process of acquiring Activision Blizzard for Rs 5 Lakh Crore. The gaming world was rocked by this announcement & many questions were raised. This article will explore the details of the acquisition, the implications for the gaming industry, & what it means for gamers.
What is Activision Blizzard?
Activision Blizzard is a video game holding company based in California, USA. They are the parent company of many well-known game developers such as Blizzard Entertainment, King, & Treyarch. Some of their most popular games include Call of Duty, World of Warcraft, & Candy Crush Saga. Activision Blizzard is one of the largest gaming companies in the world, with over 9,500 employees & a market capitalization of over $70 billion.
Microsoft has announced that they will be acquiring Activision Blizzard for Rs 5 Lakh Crore. This acquisition will make Microsoft one of the largest gaming companies in the world, with a market capitalization of over $300 billion. The deal is expected to close in the second half of 2022, subject to regulatory approvals!
Why is Microsoft Acquiring Activision Blizzard?
Microsoft has been investing heavily in its gaming division over the past few years. They have been expanding their Xbox Game Studios & have recently acquired several game development companies such as ZeniMax Media & Obsidian Entertainment. The acquisition of Activision Blizzard will further strengthen Microsoft’s position in the gaming industry & provide them with a portfolio of popular games & franchises!
Implications for the Gaming Industry
The acquisition of Activision Blizzard by Microsoft has many implications for the gaming industry. One of the most significant implications is the consolidation of the industry. With Microsoft acquiring several game development companies, they are becoming a major player in the gaming industry. This consolidation may lead to fewer independent game developers & less competition in the industry!
Another implication is the potential impact on game exclusivity. Microsoft has already stated that they will honor existing contractual agreements for games on other platforms. However, they may choose to make future games exclusive to Microsoft platforms. This could potentially limit consumer choice & raise concerns about antitrust laws.
What Does This Mean for Gamers?
For gamers, the acquisition of Activision Blizzard by Microsoft has both positive & negative implications. On the positive side, Microsoft will have access to many popular games & franchises, which could lead to new & exciting game releases. Additionally, Microsoft’s investment in gaming could lead to better gaming experiences & improved technology.
On the negative side, the potential for game exclusivity could limit consumer choice. Gamers who do not own Microsoft platforms may be unable to play future games from Activision Blizzard. Additionally, the consolidation of the industry could lead to less competition & fewer opportunities for independent game developers.
The acquisition of Activision Blizzard by Microsoft is a significant event in the gaming industry. The deal will make Microsoft one of the largest gaming companies in the world, with access to many popular games & franchises. However, there are potential negative implications, such as the consolidation of the industry & the potential for game exclusivity. Only time will tell how this acquisition will impact the gaming industry & gamers.


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China's social networking and Internet financial company Renren announced plans to separate its newly established subsidiary named SpinCo.
SpinCo will reportedly own Renren's existing video social platform Woxiu.com as well as Renren's minority investments in unlisted companies.
Commenting on the separation, Renren said that it would reduce Renren's total investments in non-consolidated reporting subsidiaries on its report, so as to help the company minimize the risk of being defined as an "investment company" based on U.S. Investment Company Act of 1940.
In addition, by separating the video social business from Renren's social networking and Internet financial businesses, the company would be able to release the independent investment potential of its social video business.
After the separation, the new company will become a private holding company. It does not need to meet the reporting requirements for listed companies and its shares will not be traded at any exchanges. Meanwhile, Renren will remain as a company listed on New York Stock Exchange.
Based on Renren's amended and restated company policies, this separation is still subject to the approvals of Renren shareholders and SB Pan Pacific Corporation, an affiliate of Softbank Group.


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MILAN – The year 2016 closed with a dual record for Italian exports: 417 billion euros in total trade and 51.6 billion in positive balance. ISTAT notes that in addition to design, fashion and food, there are medium-high intensity technological sectors that are progressively winning over the foreign markets.
OAK BROOK, IL, U.S. – Four industry experts leading the discussion surrounding compostable food packaging do some myth-busting while pointing to the technical and commercial realities in this recent webinar. Myth-busting is a two-step process: First identify a mistruth about an assumption and then present the reality.
Since the first issues, Comunicaffe International acquired an extended audience of operators of the sector. We provide fresh and accurate news concerning the industry of coffee, cocoa and tea, turning on the debate and developing the critical sense. Comunicaffe is also a daily newsletter sent to 25,000 professionals in Italy and more than 85,000 all over the world. Follow us.
Contact us: email@example.com


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Tesla plans to open up its Supercharger network to other automaker’s electric vehicles, Elon Musk has confirmed, a huge change in strategy that risks infuriating owners of Tesla cars. The decision to make more broadly available what has, so far, been exclusive to Tesla drivers reflects the significant changes electric automakers face, particularly in the face of new subsidies and incentives.
Building the Supercharger network – a series of high-power electric vehicle chargers that use Tesla’s proprietary connector – was a necessary evil back when the automaker began operations. When the first locations opened in September 2012, public infrastructure for EV charging was effectively non-existent.
Given Tesla wanted to pitch its vehicles as replacements for internal combustion cars, capable of long-distance travel, it took building out that infrastructure into its own hands. Supercharging also allowed for a motivating incentive to get drivers into early Tesla vehicles, such as the Model S and Model X. By offering free charging – a perk it gradually discontinued as demand rose and EV prices dropped – the automaker built a cohort of early-adopters whose vocal enthusiasm for the brand helped spur its success.
Now, though, with other automakers finally taking EVs seriously, what has so far been an exclusive perk for Tesla drivers may be something they soon have to share. Elon Musk confirmed on Twitter that the Supercharger network will see its biggest change yet in 2021. According to Musk, “we’re making our Supercharger network open to other EVs later this year.”
It’s an announcement that leaves plenty of questions, of course. For a start, Superchargers – and Tesla Destination Chargers, which offer Level 2 charging at local destinations such as hotels, restaurants, and similar venues – rely on Tesla’s own plug, which Musk points out was designed because at the time there was no single standard for connectors. “It’s one fairly slim connector for both low & high power charging,” he points out.
Problem is, no other EV supports that: most in the US rely on the CCS connector for DC fast charging, though some use the CHAdeMO connector. Tesla drivers can use an adapter to plug a CCS charger into their EV, but there’s currently no equivalent to go in the opposite direction. That might mean owners of other EVs would need to carry a Supercharger adapter if they wanted to use Tesla’s network.
Utilizing the charging points would also need some work. When Tesla owners plug in, their car and the Supercharger does all the handshaking and account authorization in the background, automatically. Other EVs would presumably need some sort of app to handle that manually, since they’re not part of Tesla’s wireless network, and Superchargers don’t rely on the Plug & Charge standard that other chargers use for the same sort of functionality.
The technical challenges, though, are small fry compared to the potential for unhappy Tesla owners. Supercharging has long been seen as a coveted privilege among EV drivers, and the idea of sharing that with third-party electric vehicles has rankled some already. Plenty of the replies to Musk’s tweet about the prospect are frustrated at the idea of having to make room for Porsche Taycan, Audi e-tron, Chevrolet Bolt EV, and other electric cars at what so far have been Tesla-exclusive chargers.
There’s also the question of whether, without Supercharging as an alluring carrot, some of the overall appeal of Tesla vehicles could be diluted. While various charging networks – including ChargePoint, EVgo, Electrify America, and others – have spread considerably in the intervening years since Supercharger deployment began, it can still be a frustrating user experience trying to navigate the different providers. Some Tesla owners have undoubtedly made the decision to go with a Model S, Model X, Model 3, or Model Y in no small part because of access to Superchargers that they wouldn’t get with other EVs.
As for why this change in approach, and why now, evolving incentives for electric vehicles and the networks of support they require could be partly to blame. Tesla has already sold too many vehicles to qualify any longer for the US federal tax incentive for EV purchases, though it would seemingly benefit from a proposed rebooted version of that scheme. However, with the Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework suggested by the White House looking to invest $7.5 billion in electric vehicle charging stations, it seems likely that Superchargers would need to be more broadly available in order to qualify for government spending.
At the same time, Tesla’s regular income from other automakers – which have been purchasing its EV credits in order to offset their own shortfall in electric vehicle production, and thus who cannot meet regulatory requirements for fleet-averaged emissions – will be increasingly under threat. Though they may have taken a while to get up to speed, rival car companies are finally putting more aggressive electrification plans into action. Eventually, they won’t require Tesla’s regulatory credits in order to meet those standards.
In Q1 2021, for example, those sales were worth $518 million in revenue for Tesla. Stellantis – the automotive behemoth formed from Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and PSA Group – has traditionally been a big customer for the credits, purchasing billions of dollars worth over the last few years. Yet looking ahead, Stellantis says it’s now confident it can meet emissions targets with its new EV roadmap, and without requiring those purchases any more.
Selling Supercharger access instead could replace that income stream for Tesla. We’ve seen Electrify American lead the way in that model, with the Volkswagen-funded charging network building out DC fast chargers in North America and then inking deals with different car companies for bundled access. Only this week, in fact, Volvo announced that it would be including a quantity of Electrify America charging for buyers of its 2022 XC40 Recharge and C40 Recharge electric crossovers, as well as access to the charging network’s membership program that offers subsidized rates. Electrify America announced earlier this month its ambitious plans to more than double its network by 2025.


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A number of car manufacturers have made electric, hybrid and low-CO2 emitting vehicles over the past few years, including the likes of Fiat, Honda and Citroen, as well as more niche brands like Tesla Motors.
Most people see these cars as brilliant ideas, but they’re often considered a bit too pricey or high maintenance, so reserve a space in the idea of the perfect world we’d all love to live in, where there’s also global peace, no diseases and calorie-free cake.
Well now it seems that the mayor of London, Boris Johnson, wants to make that dream a reality after he unveiled ambitious plans to ensure all taxis in the city are electric in ten years, a project he’s dubbed Source London. Wow that guy loves transport doesn’t he?!
The announcement was made at EcoVelocity, a huge motor show specialising in electric and low-carbon motors. The show will be running at Battersea power station this weekend and looks like it’ll be interesting to lovers of design, green tech AND fancy cars.[Via Metro]


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Financial advisers will no longer be able to offer AMP life insurance policies to clients after the insurer confirmed its risk book would eventually be closed to new business as a result of its sale to Resolution Life (see: AMP New Zealand Sold).
An investor presentation released by AMP stated its wealth protection business would transition to specialist in-force management, and that new AMP customers and advisers within its advice channels “…would have access to a range of life insurance products available in the market”.
AMP confirmed with RiskinfoNZ that the transition to specialist in-force management would result in no change to its risk product range currently on offer, but that a phased closure to new business would be introduced in both New Zealand and Australia.
…a phased closure to new business would be introduced
The life insurer also confirmed that Resolution Life would not be releasing any of its own products into the market as its only focus was on existing AMP policy holders.
Resolution Life is a UK-based insurance and reinsurance group that specialises in purchasing legacy life insurance businesses and currently has ownership or involvement in 27 life insurance companies across the world.
Commenting on the sale agreement, Resolution Life Executive Chair, Sir Clive Cowdery said that as part of its acquisition of 27 life insurance companies “…Resolution has developed an operating model which puts delivering policyholder benefits to existing customers at the centre of our business”.
AMP also confirmed its brand would be retained on its life insurance products until at least 2020 under a brand agreement, but was likely to change after that date.


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Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) and SAP SE (ADR) (NYSE:SAP) have developed a new cloud platform for developing business software, according to a report from 9to5 Mac.
The new cloud platform, SAP Cloud Platform SDK, is designed to make business software development easier for developers. Apple formed an enterprise-focused partnership with SAP SE (ADR) (NYSE:SAP) last year.
On its developer blog, the Cupertino-based tech giant said that the SAP Cloud Platform SDK is now available to developers.
“Apple and SAP are working together to make it easier than ever to reinvent business processes and workflows everywhere. With the new SAP Cloud Platform SDK for iOS, you can build powerful native iOS apps that integrate seamlessly with the SAP Cloud Platform.”
Susan Prescott, vice president of product marketing at Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL), said that the new tools will allow developers to “transform their businesses” and combine the secure iOS with innovation.
“When we set out on this partnership with SAP, we knew we had an incredible opportunity to transform how people around the world work by combining the innovation and security of iOS with SAP’s leadership in enterprise software,” Prescott said.
“We’re already seeing the impact that the combination of iOS and SAP brings to businesses to enable better, more efficient and effective processes across industries. Now even more developers will be able to take advantage of the new SDK, and we can’t wait to see how they transform their businesses,” Prescott added.
More details about the new SAP Cloud Platform SDK are available on Apple’s website.
Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) shares have been performing well so far this year. The stock is up more than 24% year-to-date. The stock has gained 36% during the last 12 months.
Shares of SAP SE (ADR) (NYSE:SAP) closed down 0.54% on Thursday. Shares of the software and service provider are up 13.28% for the year.