text:
Hotel business is booming on the Peninsula
Published 4:00 am, Friday, April 4, 1997
1997-04-04 04:00:00 PDT SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA -- THE DRY SPELL in the hospitality industry appears to be over on the Peninsula, with hotels and motels attracting more guests, and with those guests willing to pay higher rates than ever before.
In the late 1980s and early '90s, the hotel business slumped on the Peninsula, causing concern among hoteliers and tourist trade officials alike.
More recently, though, overnight facilities began experiencing a turnaround, with steadily rising business ever since.
LATEST SFGATE VIDEOS
- 4:20 pm on 4/20 at Hippie Hill Ted Andersen, SFGATE
- The Waldos at 4:20 p.m. on 4/20 David Downs
- Interview with the Waldos on 4/20 David Downs
- 'Blindspotting' trailer San Francisco Chronicle
- Cannabis revelers descend on Hippie Hil Paul Chinn, The Chronicle
- The real meaning of 420 Alix Martichoux / SFGATE
- Coast Guard search and rescue Ted Andersen, SFGATE
- Emeryville Police release video of robbery suspects San Francisco Chronicle
- 1906 Earthquake commemoration Douglas Zimmerman, SFGate
- Audio: Southwest Flight 1380 emergency landing via Broadcastify
"We've achieved record-setting occupancy and average daily rates. A component of that success is the success of our neighbors to the north. We're the gateway to San Francisco, the world's No. 1 tourist destination," he said.
In addition to spillover from The City, the burgeoning success of Silicon Valley also is benefitting the Peninsula.
"There's been an expansion of Silicon Valley. Today, everything immediately south of Highway 92 is referred to as "Silicon Valley North.' A rising tide will float all boats. That's a great economic metaphor for the hospitality industry," Chapdelaine said.
"Business is real strong here at the Clarion," agreed Alfred Wiles, general manager of the 442-room hotel near the San Francisco International Airport. "We're getting spillover both from downtown San Francisco and Silicon Valley. Both markets are underserved. In fact, the whole San Francisco Airport market is doing well," said Wiles, who estimates there are about 10 hotels south of the airport, six to the north. "Anyone not doing well in this market is sleeping."
"I have people from Modesto calling to say they "can't find anything in San Jose . . . Can you get me a room?' " added Ken Tehaney, general manager of the Villa Hotel in San Mateo. "We're the tail on the dog. When other industries do better, hotels do better. These are golden years."
The 40-year-old Villa on South El Camino Real was at one point destined to be transformed into a senior health care complex, but after a deal fell through, its owners decided to renovate it and keep it as a hotel instead. A third of its 300 guest rooms and suites will be renovated, in addition to the lobby and front office.
Inns are big industry
The hospitality industry, which includes hotels, motels and restaurants, is big industry in San Mateo County, second only to the floral business. It represents $1.9 billion in trade, translating to 31,000 tourist-related jobs and generating $29 million in local tax revenue.
Countywide, there are 116 hotels, including those on the Coastside, collectively offering 12,000 rooms.
"The industry first started coming back with airline contracts going to hotels like the Villa and the Dunfey. Then the conferences came back full swing and the San Mateo County Expo Center began having a record number of event days," said Anne LeClair, executive director of the San Mateo Chamber of Commerce.
"Our hotel and motel members tell us guests who are from out of town like to stay on the Peninsula, where there is less traffic, a safer environment and the weather is gorgeous. The proximity to the airport is also a big draw," LeClair said.
In addition to spillover of San Francisco visitors midweek, Peninsula hoteliers also draw from the growing number of high-tech businesses in San Mateo County that frequently bring in people from out of town for conventions.
Susan Ernst of the Novato-based Ernst & Associates is preparing an economic impact study exploring the effects of tourism, hospitality and travel on San Mateo County's economy. The study, commissioned by the Convention and Visitors' Bureau, is due out in May.
Rates have been rising
"We're finding, based on the few questionnaires we've received back, that spillover from San Francisco and Silicon Valley has had a tremendous impact on the occupancy and average daily room rate," said Ernst.
In other words, hoteliers on the Peninsula not only are filling their hotels more often but also are capturing higher room rates.
Ernst said it is typical for a hotel to charge a multitude of different room rates, depending on the season, demand and category of guest, whether it be commercial traveler, convention visitor or leisure traveler.
All of the room rates charged within a given year are averaged to come up with the average daily rate - a strong indication of the hotel's success that year.
By the end of 1996, hotels in the airport market, which includes 33 hotels, or 7,000 rooms, in the vicinity of the airport, Burlingame and Millbrae, had reached an 80.3 percent occupancy rate, compared to 77.7 percent the year before. Experts say that's 15 percent above the national average.
"They had probably not achieved that level for the previous five years," said Ernst.
In the hotel industry, most hotels begin to make money at 72 percent occupancy, depending on their debt service. During the worst of the '80s, hotel occupancy was hovering at 65 percent.
By the end of last year, the hotels' average rate was hovering at $89.94 a night, compared with an average of $78.87 the previous year, a 14 percent increase. "It's just phenomenal," said Ernst.
"We're definitely benefiting from the compression factor," said John Metz, assistant general manager of the Villa Hotel. "For years the Peninsula did not perform well due to business cycles. Now, when both Silicon Valley and San Francisco are sold out, business gets pushed to the Peninsula. It's not uncommon for someone who has come for an event in San Francisco to stay in San Mateo, 22 miles away.
"Midweek trade is strong, and that's when it's difficult to find a room," said Bruce Carlton of the Doubletree Hotel in Burlingame. He attributes the success not only to spillover, but also to the Peninsula's growing biotechnical and financial industries. "There are still plenty of hotel rooms on weekends," he added.
No-vacancy weekends on Coastside
While Bayside hotels are benefiting from midweek spillover, the Coastside is experiencing an overflow on weekends.
Currently, there are three motels, two hotels and 13 bed and breakfasts representing 331 rooms between Devil's Slide and Pescadero. The newest is The Beach House, the controversial 54-unit hotel-condo that burned to the ground last year in mid-construction. It was rebuilt and opened March 15 in Half Moon Bay.
On the Coastside, "people can get rooms up until Thursday. After that, they're sold out. Every weekend the Coastside is crawling with tourists," said McHugh.
"People who come here are looking for a relaxed, small-town atmosphere and plenty to do on the weekends. I don't think we're in competition with the Peninsula, which mostly gets midweek bookings, although we are trying to fill in that weekday market."
The Pacifica Chamber of Commerce, which operates the only seven-day-a-week visitors center in the county, noted that the weekend hotel trade is also strong in that community, particularly during the weekends.
Loyle Mueller, executive vice president of the Pacifica Chamber, said people who come to San Francisco often choose Pacifica because of its coastal environment and 20-minute proximity to the city.
"There's no doubt that after the Loma Prieta earthquake and during the economic downturn of the 1980s, tourism was down, but everything is clear now," said Mueller.
Well aware of the growing boom in the hotel industry, Pacifica's Community and Economic Development Director Tim Molinare has put together a strategy that calls for building 500 to 1,000 new overnight accommodations there in the next few years. Already there are several hotel projects on tap and one approved expansion.
"We've identified (that) our best hope for large-scale economic development is building hotels, not just Holiday Inn, but everything from Hilton Luxury suites to a bedroll under the stars," said Molinare, whose plan has the endorsement of the chamber and Pacifica City Council.
"It's obvious we have an advantage being part of a golden triangle - The City, the airport and Pacifica. This is our anchor," said Molinare, noting Pacifica is touting its natural coastal beauty as a tourist draw. "This is the market we're all chasing."
According to the Building & Construction Trades Council of San Mateo County, several hotels are being built or planned from East Palo Alto to the San Francisco border.
On the drawing board are hotels in Belmont, Foster City, Half Moon Bay, Millbrae, Pacifica, San Carlos and San Mateo. Already under construction are hotels in San Carlos and Foster City.
In addition, older areas of the Peninsula, such as Bayshore Boulevard in San Mateo, have substantially upgraded since the early 1990s, replacing older, 1940s-built motels with higher quality offerings like Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express (the no-frills version - sans restaurant) and Super 8.
"One hotel manager on the Peninsula told me that a couple of years ago business customers were going to the fancier hotels in The City because of discounted room rates. Now with the economic upswing those rooms are no longer discounted so these customers are back, but have different expectations," said Michael Sieverts of Sieverts Associates in Berkeley, also working on the Visitors' Bureau study.
"Peninsula hotels are getting customers who expect a fitness center, voice mail and other features available in the fancier hotels," Sieverts said.
"They're investing in their rooms and lobbies. Everyone is renovating their properties."
"We're redoing the exterior of the hotel to give it curb appeal. We're also working on a complete interior renovation that will commence next year," said Doubletree Manager Bruce Carlton. In addition, the 291-room Burlingame hotel last year opened a business center with secretarial services for the business traveler, as well as a concierge desk.
Likewise, the 1960s-vintage Clarion remodeled its lobby with a modern atrium and marble floor.
"Everyone was a little concerned in the early '90s, but we had faith," said the San Mateo Chamber's LeClair.
"Our hotel and motel members are telling us they're doing the best they have in years." <


text:
Tmobile black friday 2014
Site search.T-Mobile Black Friday deals: The best offers from last year and what to expect in | Allconnect
Amazing Black Friday deals on the latest Apple, Samsung, Google phones, watches, tablets, and accessories at T-Mobile. Be sure to check all deals on November 27, T-Mobile Black Friday T-Mobile has great everyday savings and web-exclusive deals year round, but the best deals of the year on the hottest devices and accessories are available during Black Friday deals week, usually starting the week before Black Friday. In addition to amazing savings, T-Mobile also offers fantastic unlimited wireless /5(). Unlimited 5G. Free 5G phone. Switch to an unlimited plan at T-Mobile —with access to our full 5G network—for the same or better price as a Verizon or AT&T limited plan. Plus, trade in any working cell phone and get this Samsung Galaxy for FREE via 24 monthly bill credits.
Tmobile black friday 2014.The best Black Friday deals at Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, and T-Mobile – The Verge
Nov 19, · The Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G usually retails for $, but T-Mobile is offering it for just $99 this Black Friday when you open a new unlimited line. If you do have a device to trade in, you can also get $ off most of the latest Samsung Galaxy models through T-Mobile. Shop T-Mobile Black Friday deals. May 20, · T-Mobile Black Friday Deals. Attention: These deals are from and is intended for your reference only. Stay tuned for deals! Get 2 iPhone 12 . Nov 03, · Walmart Pre Black Friday Sales. Walmart is selling a select few items at Black Friday prices, but much earlier! In fact the sales begin on the 21st at 3am ET/12am PT. .
T-Mobile Black Friday deals: The best offers from last year and what to expect in 2020
Sorry, this deal has expired. Here are some other Holidays deals:
T-Mobile Early Black Friday Deals: Samsung Galaxy S5, Galaxy Note 3 Discounts Start Nov. 21
T-Mobile Early Black Friday 2014 Deals: Samsung Galaxy S5, Galaxy Note 3 Discounts Start Nov. 21
Follow The Verge online:
T-Mobile’s Black Friday deals in full – TmoNews
Ultra-Pocket VGA: the new version of the ultra-thin camera from SMaL Camera
SMaL Camera Technologies has announced a new version of its Ultra-Pocket digital camera, which has entered the Guinness Book of Records as the thinnest (8 mm thick) and lightest camera in the world. Ultra-Pocket VGA Reference Design Now Featuring 1.3 Megapixel Autobrite Sensor And New Proprietary ASIC Controller.
As a reminder, eleven months ago FujiFilm announced its Ultra-Pocket camera based on the reference design of SMaL Camera Technologies. Reported that over 500,000 Ultra-Pocket have been sold over the past year.

domain: news


text:
The streaming giant argues that this drop is due in particular to the suspension of its service in Russia.
For the first time in more than 10 years, the Netflix streaming platform lost more than 200,000 subscribers in the first three months of the year. Its stock market rating therefore fell by 25%. And the worst has not yet happened: Netflix still expects a subscriber leak of up to 2 million before the end of June. And this despite the dissemination ofAdam through time and season 2 of Bridgerton.
The streaming service previously forecast 2.5 million paid net additions in the first quarter, while Wall Street analysts expected it to add 2.8 million new subscribers in the first quarter, down from 3.98 million the previous year, according to FactSet. It was therefore obvious that Netflix’s performance would be poor.
Adam Through Time Scores 3rd Best Netflix Movie Debut
If the confinement made the fortune of the site, the slowdown in the number of new subscribers was inevitable. Faced with the violence of this decline, the platform justified itself:
“First, it is increasingly clear that the pace of growth in our underlying addressable market (broadband homes) is partly dependent on factors beyond our direct control, such as the adoption of connected TVs (as the majority of our viewing is on TVs), adoption of on-demand entertainment and data costs.”
“Second, in addition to our 222 million paying households, we estimate that Netflix is shared with over 100 million additional households, including over 30 million in the UCAN region.”
“Third, competition for viewing with linear TV as well as YouTube, Amazon and Hulu has been robust over the past 15 years. However, over the past three years, traditional entertainment companies have come to realize that streaming is the future, many new streaming services have also been launched.”
“Fourth, macroeconomic factors including anemic economic growth, rising inflation, geopolitical events such as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and some ongoing COVID disruptions are likely having an impact as well.”
Season 2 of The Bridgerton Chronicle breaks audience records on Netflix


text:
Just two years ago, Google failed with first smart device nevertheless, it is trying again. The search giant will release a new 7-inch tablet sometime during late summer and will co-brand with Asustek Computer from Taiwan.
It seems like light years since Google, along with HTC, released its premier Android device named the Nexus One in January of 2010. That was Google’s first attempt at challenging the iPhone from Apple. That particular device failed. Verizon walked away and decided to stay with Apple and the iPhone and sometime later, with other phones using the Android platform.
One reason many feel the Nexus One failed was due to it only being available online and not at any retail stores. Many people want to look at a device, feel it, touch it and see how it fits into their hands. Without it being available at retail outlets, that was impossible. Because of that, many users returned the device to Google or HTC because they did not think it lived up to its lofty promises.
Now just about two and a half years following the failed Nexus One, Google has decided to give the consumer device market another shot. Last December, Eric Schmidt, the CEO of Google said the company would launch a tablet in six months. It was originally scheduled to release the new tablet in May but pushed the release back because the new device was starting to be too expensive.
Design changes had to be made to bring the price in line with competition. The original price was $249 but now they are trying to bring it down by at least $50 to compete with the Kindle Fire, which is also 7-inches. The new device will have a Tegra 3 processor that is quad-core with an Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich OS.


text:
By: Carol Elizabeth Owens
More than 1,200 grants of up to $20,000 each are available for eligible small businesses in Monroe County through the ‘Fast Forward Monroe 2.0’ (FFM 2.0). The deadline for applying for the money is Fri., Oct. 29, 2021 at 5 p.m.
Interested local small business owners may obtain additional information and apply at www.monroecounty.gov/fastforwardmonroe.
The initial FFM 2.0 grant contract was signed by Monroe County Executive Adam Bello on Oct. 26, 2021.
“I want our local small business owners to know help is still available to recover from losses related to the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Bello. “Fast Forward Monroe 2.0 is here to help entrepreneurs who suffered financial losses through no fault of their own. I encourage all our business owners to apply.”
Bello also expressed gratitude to a few of his Democratic colleagues. “[I] thank Congressman Joe Morelle, Sen. Charles Schumer and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand for their help in securing CARES Act funding for this program,” he said.
The program is funded with an additional $20 million in CARES Act money, to be distributed by the end of 2021. Some FFM 2.0 contracts are being executed and those funds are on the way; the remainder of qualifying applicants will get their grants by the end of the year. Businesses that got grants during the first round of the program are still eligible to receive funds through FFM 2.0.
Businesses that did not receive funding in the first version of the program are given priority under Fast Forward 2.0.
The initial Fast Forward program, which was launched in October 2020, helped more than 1,500 local small businesses survive the pandemic with $20.4 million in CARES Act funding.
At that time, Monroe County joined with community organizations including the Urban League of Rochester (ULR), PathStone Enterprise Center (PathStone) and the Ibero-American Action League (IBERO) to make the Fast Forward 2.0 program more accessible. They collaborated to assist minority-owned small businesses in recognition that those were some of the ventures hardest-hit by the pandemic. Organizations such as ULR, PathStone and IBERO give business owners comprehensive help with their applications and assist individuals with limited English proficiency.
Chantz Miles, division director of business development for the ULR said the Business Development Division is excited to partner with Monroe County. “The hurdles that small business owners, specifically minority owned businesses have to jump to sustain their businesses are both intimidating and difficult. The fast forward program will help our business owners sustain, strengthen and grow their businesses,” Miles said. “ULR is committed and dedicated to being a key role player in rebuilding and sustaining our small business community here in Monroe County.”
Local businesses eligible for FFM 2.0 funding can receive grants of either $10,000, $15,000, or $20,000 depending on their number of full-time employees. The money can be used for rent, payroll, operating expenditures, or COVID-related business expenses and other funding shortfalls.
“We need to ensure these businesses have the support they need to navigate these challenging times—which is why I’m proud to have helped secure funding through the CARES Act for the Fast Forward Monroe program that is helping so many local entrepreneurs make ends meet,” said Morelle.
“I’m grateful to County Executive Bello for his partnership and steadfast leadership to ensure our community recovers from this crisis stronger than ever.”


text:
By Bryan Smith on December 17, 2014 at 12:57pm
The release date for the Wii U version of "Shantae and the Pirate's Curse" has been revealed. According to the WayForward's website, the game will be coming out digitally on Christmas Day in North America with the European/Japanese to be announced later. The Wii U version will have HD and will support the Classic Controller Pro and the Wii U Pro Controller.
"Shantae and the Pirate's Curse" is also available on the Nintendo 3DS. A fourth installment in the "Shantae" series is already in development called "Shantae: Half-Genie Hero," which started out on Kickstarter and will be coming to PC, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, Wii U, Xbox 360, and Xbox One.
WayForward's Official Website


text:
Sept 26 (Reuters) - The following bids, mergers, acquisitions and disposals were reported by 2000 GMT on Wednesday:
** The billionaires who own half of Russian oil firm TNK-BP plan to make a cash offer for BP’s 50 percent stake, raising the prospect of a bid contest with state-backed Rosneft that would start at around $20 billion.
** Turkish energy company Zorlu Enerji is planning investments of some $1 billion in Turkey’s energy sector in the next two years and could issue stock or make a disposal to finance the plan, its general manager said.
** Woongjin Holdings said the sale of water purifier maker Woongjin Coway to local private equity fund MBK Partners was “halted” after the holding company filed for court receivership earlier on Wednesday, throwing the $1.1 billion deal into question.
** Canadian private equity giant Onex Corp said it will buy German plastics machinery maker KraussMaffei AG for 568 million euros ($736.27 million).
** Columbia Banking System Inc said it would buy West Coast Bancorp for about $506 million to expand its footprint in Washington and Oregon, the latest in a slew of deals in the community bank sector.
** SK Telecom Co Ltd, South Korea’s top mobile operator, said on Wednesday that it will sell part of its stake in steelmaker POSCO for 437.3 billion Korean won ($390.66 million), leaving it with a 1.42 percent stake after the sale.
** General Electric Co sold about a quarter of its stake in Bank of Ayudhya under a global plan to shed non-core assets, after the value of its five-year investment in Thailand’s most profitable bank more than doubled.
** Poland will launch the initial public offer of its 50-percent stake in ZE PAK, the country’s No.5 electricity producer, in the fourth quarter as part of a $3 billion privatization plan, the company said on Wednesday.
** Ericsson , the world’s leading mobile telecoms equipment maker, bought Canadian telecommunications software provider ConceptWave Software Inc.
** Allianz SE and Volkswagen Financial Services AG are forming a joint venture to sell car insurance to VW customers that the two companies plan to roll out worldwide, they said on Wednesday.
** Ameriprise Financial Inc is in advanced talks to buy most of ING Group’s asset management business in Asia, Bloomberg reported, citing two people with knowledge of the matter.
** The billionaire quartet that owns half of Anglo-Russian oil firm TNK-BP is interested in buying out BP’s 50 percent stake, and will make a binding all-cash offer by mid-October, a source familiar with the matter said on Wednesday.
** J.P. Morgan Chase and Blakeney Management have invested over $20 million in a Dubai-based e-commerce firm which sells designer clothing, a sign that global investors are interested in the Middle East’s nascent online shopping sector.
** Bulgaria aims to raise at least 53.3 million levs ($35.33 million) from the sale of 33 percent stakes in two power distribution companies controlled by Czech utility Energo Pro, the manager of the offering said on Wednesday.
** Singapore state investor Temasek Holdings has priced its block deal to sell 400 million shares in Singapore Telecommunications Ltd at S$3.20 ($2.61) per share, a term sheet of the sale seen by Reuters showed on Wednesday.
** Ally Financial Inc’s international operations have drawn interest from more than 15 bidders, including banks and General Motors Co, according to a source familiar with the matter.
** The South Korean government plans to begin choosing advisers in October to review selling a stake of up to 1.63 trillion won ($1.46 billion) in Korea Life Insurance Co Ltd , a source with direct knowledge of the matter said Wednesday.
** American Greetings Corp received a go-private offer from a group led by its chief executive and other members of the founding family, valuing the company at about $580 million.
** Chinese economy hotel chain 7 Days Group Holdings Ltd said a group led by its co-chairmen has proposed to take it private in a deal valued at $634.7 million.
** Qatar Holding, the investment arm of the Gulf state’s sovereign fund, denied on Wednesday that it was in talks to buy a minority stake in Brazilian billionaire Eike Batista’s gold company AUX.
** South Korea’s CJ Korea Express said on Wednesday it has decided not to pursue a bid for U.S. freight forwarder Phoenix International, citing differences in terms.
** Reliance Industries Ltd is likely to bid for mobile telephone spectrum in the upcoming auction to complement its wireless broadband services with voice call facility, Economic Times reported. ()
** Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd, India’s biggest power-equipment maker, may buy a European provider to metro-rail technology for as much as $500 million to help revive profit growth from a three-year low, Bloomberg reported. ()
** Bosnian utility EPRS and RWE Innogy, a unit of Germany’s second-largest utility RWE, signed a joint venture deal on Wednesday to build four hydro power plants on Bosnia’s Drina river with a combined capacity of 210 megawatts.
** Cairo-based Ridge Islamic Capital is seeking to buy a local brokerage as part of its expansion plan, so that it can offer a full range of sharia-compliant financial services in the country, a company official told Reuters.
** Dean Foods Co is seeking a buyer for its Morningstar dairy division, which is expected to fetch more than $1 billion in a sale, according to several people familiar with the matter.


text:
AMERICAN EAGLE OUTFITTERS
Jessi Combs, fastest woman on four wheels, tries to break her own record; dies in a car crash
Combs' land-speed four-wheel record was 393 mph. It is 398 mph.
Gold hovers near 2 week lows as dollar gains on upbeat US data
Spot gold was up 0.1 per cent at $1,314.35 per ounce as of 0129 GMT.
Gold holds firm on struggling dollar, equity selloff
The bullion has gained about 1.9 per cent so far this week.
Gold prices recover from 3-week low on softer US dollar
US gold futures rose 0.2 per cent to $1,217.8 an ounce.
Aditya Birla Fashion in talks with American Eagle Outfitters, looking to sell its products in India
NYSE-listed American Eagle operates around 1,000 stores in the US, Canada, Mexico, the UK, China, Japan and several countries in the Middle East.
US company drags Pantaloons to court over infringement row
Sujata Chaudhri, a lawyer representing Retail Royalty, declined to comment on the matter, saying the case is currently sub judice.
US retailers' sales rise in December, but discounts slam margins
US retailers had to ramp up promotions last month as shoppers continued to watch their spending during the holiday season, hitting profits.
Zara's hot polka dot dress beats big data
A $69.90 polka dot dress from Zara has become the fashion hit of the summer.
Why Victoria's Secret fashion show may not be broadcast on TV any more
The annual fashion show has been a major marketing event for the brand.
Jeans maker Levi Strauss files for stock market comeback
Levi's faces rapid changes in consumer tastes as people shop for cheaper store brands.
Future Group's FBB fashions a top 10 show for FY19
Future Group’s CEO Kishore Biyani said FBB should enter the league of world’s top ten apparel retailers by selling 320-350 million pieces of garments this fiscal year.
Abercrombie & Fitch planning to enter Indian market
Abercrombie & Fitch is in talks with a host of Indian companies, including Myntra.com, to open standalone outlets of Abercrombie & Fitch and Hollister.
Global retailers bet big on Dubai's soaring consumer confidence
Limited Brands and American Eagle Outfitters are among global retailers seeking a foothold in Dubai as consumer confidence in the emirate reaches a seven-year high.
US teens cut the frills as jobs vanish, prices rise
The souring job market and rising costs of the usual teenage indulgences - a slice of pizza, a drive to the mall, the hottest new jeans - are causing teens in the US to do something they rarely do: be thrifty.
Oil rebounds to $43 after rise in inventories
Oil prices rebounded to around $43 a barrel on Thursday, helped by a recovery in equity markets and after an unexpected rise in US crude inventories-suggesting demand remains poor-sparked a big drop in prices overnight.


text:
Lives put at risk by fake equipment warns DuPont
Company receives favourable court decision on counterfeit Nomex goods
DuPont, the multi-national products and services company, has warned that counterfeit protective equipment bearing the company’s Nomex brand and being distributed in the GCC, is putting lives at risk, according to a statement released by the company.
The safety garment manufacturer recently received a provisional decision against a group of textile manufacturers for infringing its trademark rights by distributing Nomex branded garments that did not actually contain genuine Nomex fibers.
The recent decision from The Hague District Court includes provisional orders to immediately cease and desist from infringing DuPont trademarks rights, or penalties from $12,128 (EUR 10,000 to $1.2m (EUR 1m) will be imposed.
“Manufacturers and employers have a responsibility to keep workforces safe at work and in order to stay vigilant, certified goods are of paramount importance,” said Amr El-Moniem, regional manager, MENA, DuPont Protection Technologies.
“DuPont continuously works in collaboration with its partners to ensure the ever-changing needs of the end-user are met and the most up-to-date and customer-focused offering is made available to them.
“The DuPont Nomex label represents how we affirm our status as a provider of quality protective products whilst empowering reputable suppliers do the same and provide genuine, legal goods to the workforce.
“Such initiatives raise the profile of safety in the workplace, which will in turn assist with the demise of counterfeit products,” he added.
According to DuPont, counterfeited products in the Middle East continue to be problem, not only causing economic damage but also posing serious risks to lives and property.
Dubai alone seized $10.9m (AED 40m) worth of fake goods in 2011, involving more than 500 cases, the statement added.
The company also said that concerns over the influx of fake protective equipment are particularly strong as such products could spell the difference between life and death to emergency responders.
Fire-prone regions such as the Middle East have been uncovering the sale of counterfeit items such as gloves, high-visibility vests and heat-resistant clothing, which can be hard to detect by the untrained eye, it added.
DuPont said that certified Nomex fabrics are visible to the end-user through the distinctive Nomex label, which DuPont actively encourages end-users to look out for to ensure compliance, performance and quality of their products.
Nomex garments are designed for use by firefighters and industrial workers, and are highly resistant to UV rays and abrasion.


text:
Several references to ‘oc-dev’ have been found in the Android 8.0 source, which might be an abbreviation of Oatmeal Cookie
Want to modernise your banking loan application?
Build an application that analyses credit risk with #IBMCloud Pak for Data on #RedHat #OpenShift
Click here to know moreAdvertisements
With the official release of Android O getting closer, it is that time once again where we try and guess the official name of the next version of Google’s mobile OS. While many believe that Android O will end up being called Oreo, a report by Myce seems to suggest that might not be the case. The website has found several references to ‘oc-dev’ in Android 8.0 Source, which the website believes could be an abbreviation for Oatmeal Cookie. Several people have also posted images of the slides Google showed at I/O suggesting that Android O may indeed be called Oatmeal Cookie.
Guessing the name of the next version of Android has always been a fun game, with even Google getting into the action. Last year, Google announced that it was going to crowdsource the name for Android N and even the Kerala government got into the action. Through its Twitter handle, it encouraged users to vote for Neyappam, a South Indian dessert. The SVP of Android even tried misleading people into thinking that Android N would be called Nutella.
Regardless of what the final name of Android O will be, you can be pretty sure that it will come pre installed in the next generation of Google’s Pixel devices. Rumours suggest that the company was working on three Pixel branded devices under the codename Walleye, Muskie, and Taimen. Walleye and Muskie were tipped to be direct successors to the Pixel and Pixel XL, with the Taimen is tipped to be device with a large display. However, recent reports suggest that the company may have cancelled the Muskie device in favour of the Taimen, which is said to be manufactured by LG.
Oatmeal Cookie appears at I/O as (presumably) the internal codename for O, so I'm still hopeful for a release name of Android Oreo :) pic.twitter.com/LRHihJvtNs— WhiteTiger (@WhiteTigerAE) May 19, 2017
Popular Mobile PhonesView All
Hot DealsView All
Digit caters to the largest community of tech buyers, users and enthusiasts in India. The all new Digit in continues the legacy of Thinkdigit.com as one of the largest portals in India committed to technology users and buyers. Digit is also one of the most trusted names when it comes to technology reviews and buying advice and is home to the Digit Test Lab, India's most proficient center for testing and reviewing technology products.
We are about leadership-the 9.9 kind! Building a leading media company out of India.And,grooming new leaders for this promising industry.


text:
(CNN) – What’s going on back there?
How much longer do I have to wait for this fast food?
If you’re at a Chick-fil-A drive-thru, quite some time, according to a new study.
The popular restaurant came in dead last on QSR magazine’s drive-thru performance study, which measures how long it takes to get food after you first approach an order window.
The average wait time at Chick-fil-A clocked in at almost five and half minutes.
And the winner?
It didn’t take much time to make the donuts at Dunkin’ Donuts. The chain served customers in an average of less than four minutes.
Wendy’s, Carl’s Junior, and Burger King also performed well.
McDonald’s, Hardees, and Arby’s were some of the slowest.
Arby’s says high quality food from a menu that offers more choices just takes longer to prepare.
No matter where you go, you’ll wait the least amount of time for breakfast and the most time in the late afternoon.
- Small pharmacies in Miami Valley wait to receive vaccines
- Lady Gaga’s dogs recovered safely
- Oath Keeper charged in Capitol riot renounces group, but judge says she’s too dangerous for release
- 1 injured after crashing into pole in Dayton
- Woman wins over $302K playing slot machine at Las Vegas airport


text:
US companies began complying Monday with a White House order to curb sales to Chinese telecom giant Huawei, sending US technology stocks sharply lower and signalling what's likely to be widespread fallout that will hurt not just one of China's most important companies but US suppliers and consumers across the globe.
With $105 billion in global sales last year, Huawei has a vast web of customers and suppliers around the world. The company is the world's largest provider of equipment used in 5G telecom networks, and it's the second largest seller of cellphones. Last week, Huawei said it spends more than $1 out of every $7 of its annual $70 billion procurement budget buying equipment from US companies.
Google said it would restrict Huawei's access to future updates of its Android operating software, which powers many of Huawei's phones. Other US manufacturers also began suspending business dealings with the Chinese firm.
The markets punished many of those suppliers Monday, including Intel, Broadcom and Qualcomm, as well as Micron and semiconductor manufacturer Cypress. Chipmakers Qualcomm and Broadcom fell 6 per cent. Intel declined nearly 3 per cent, and Lumentum Holdings shares fell more than 4 per cent after the company said it would stop selling to Huawei.
The US said last week that it was adding Huawei to a trade blacklist because the company "is engaged in activities that are contrary to US national security or foreign policy interest." That punishment means US firms aren't allowed to sell to Huawei unless they get special approval from the government.
On Monday, the Commerce Department slightly eased the timing of the restrictions, saying it would allow some transactions to continue for 90 days, to facilitate "certain activities necessary to the continued operations of existing networks and to support existing mobile services." The temporary reprieve will allow Huawei to receive US equipment to service existing Huawei mobile phones and rural broadband networks.
The US views Huawei as a security risk because it believes the company has close ties to the Chinese government, which Huawei has denied. US officials have said Huawei could potentially tap into and monitor sensitive US communications through its network technology.
"Huawei has made substantial contributions to the development and growth of Android around the world," Huawei said in an emailed statement addressing Google's move. "As one of Android's key global partners, we have worked closely with their open-source platform to develop an ecosystem that has benefitted both users and the industry. Huawei will continue to provide security updates and after-sales services to all existing Huawei and Honor smartphone and tablet products, covering those that have been sold and that are still in stock globally."
Tech and security experts were divided on how quickly and severely the ban could hurt Huawei.
Some said Huawei is bigger and better prepared for the blockade than its Chinese competitor ZTE was last year when the Trump administration restricted ZTE from doing business with US firms. The US later eased ZTE's punishment.
Unlike ZTE, Huawei makes some of its own semiconductor chips, and Huawei can tap alternative, non-US suppliers for some parts and technology, analysts said. "There are very few (parts) they can't just buy from Japan or Korea or France today," said Dave Burstein, a telecom analyst for STL Partners who recently began publishing Huawei Report & News.
Huawei also has about $38 billion in cash and short-term securities it can use to weather the storm, Burstein noted. And recent quarterly earnings reports from some US tech firms have suggested that Huawei may have been stockpiling parts before the White House ban, in anticipation of a possible blockade, Burstein said.
Other analysts took a dimmer view of Huawei's prospects. "They are still heavily, heavily dependent on US-based companies for multiple different technologies," said Geoff Blaber, vice president of research at CCS Insight.
Among the US products Huawei most relies on, analysts said, is a semiconductor device called a Field Programmable Gate Array, or FPGA, which Huawei uses to build 5G telecom equipment. Huawei also relies on a type of US-made software used to design high-end semiconductor chips, analysts said.
Google said it would restrict Huawei's access to future updates of its Android operating software. However, Huawei can still update Android itself because the software is open-sourced, meaning the source code is publicly available and can be accessed freely.
Existing Huawei devices that have Google apps and services should generally work normally, according to a person familiar with the matter, and updates will still be provided.
"While we are complying with all US government requirements, services like Google Play (and others) will keep functioning on your existing Huawei device," Google said in a statement on its Twitter account.
However, Google is suspending licensing agreements with Huawei for access to its Play app store, meaning future Huawei customers won't have popular Google apps like Gmail, the Chrome browser and even YouTube. That would make future Huawei handsets very unattractive with rival devices offering the full set of Google apps.
"A smartphone without an app store is a paperweight," said Roger Entner, an analyst with Recon Analytics, who focuses on wireless tech. "Huawei is extremely popular around the world, but there are many other options for consumers, so the choice to go with another handset should be easy."
Huawei has indicated that it has a proprietary operating system it could use to replace Android, which by some estimates commands nearly 70 per cent of the market for mobile operating systems globally. But Huawei would also need to persuade app developers to produce versions that would work on Huawei's proprietary system.
Huawei sold about 200 million phones last year and was on pace this year to overtake South Korea's Samsung as the world's largest seller of mobile phones. That possibility would seem more remote, however, if the most popular Google apps remain unavailable to new Huawei customers. According to data released before the US government listing, Huawei claimed 19% of the global smartphone market, research firm IDC said, trailing only Samsung's 23.1%, which was on the decline.
One former Huawei executive, who asked not to be named to discuss internal company matters, said Huawei has spent years planning for a possible US technology blockade. "When I was there, there were a lot of concerns about this throughout the company," the former executive said. "They were trying to take steps to buffer this kind of existential threat."
In addition to attempting to develop their own phone operating system to replace Android, Huawei invested heavily to design and manufacture more of its own chips, the former executive said.
Still, the US ban could be "catastrophic" for Huawei, the former executive said. "I just don't think you can properly prepare."
- Washington Post


text:
Brits are wasting £2.7 billion a year by paying over the odds for broadband.
That is according to a new study by comparison site uSwitch, which revealed consumers are paying an average of £140 too much for their internet services.
This is because prices are now as low as £2.99 a month, but too few consumers shop around to take advantage of that fact, the study said.
It went on to reveal that 12 million consumers have not changed their broadband provider for at least 12 months, while five million customers have never switched provider.
Currently, there are six providers offering deals for £10 or less a month, but the average annual broadband bill has climbed 5 per cent this year to £176.
Ernest Doku, technology expert at uSwitch.com, commented: "If you are coming to the end of your contract, now is the time to take a look at your broadband. Consumers need to [take] note of how much they are actually spending each month spending and look closely at the incredibly competitive deals currently on the market."
Use the Myfinances.co.uk comparison tables to find the best deal on homephone and broadband
Save money on your gas and electricity bills
Compare all energy prices with uSwitch and save up to £400.
Twitter: My Finances
Join the conversation at #news_myfinances


text:
WASHINGTON — In a sign that the economy may slowly be rebounding, total factory shipments of six core major-appliance categories — including washers and dryers — rose 5% in February over the year-ago period.
According to the latest monthly wholesale shipment data compiled by the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM), gains in the so-called AHAM 6, which also includes dishwashers, refrigerators, ranges and ovens, helped offset unit declines in the compactor, home comfort and microwave-oven categories.
Home laundry saw a more moderate 2.8% increase, which was driven by a 6.7% gain in electric-dryer sales that helped counter flat activity in washers.
AHAM’s monthly major-appliance report is compiled from manufacturer-supplied shipment data for the U.S. market and includes imported and domestically produced products. The current report covers the four weeks between Jan. 31 and Feb. 27.


text:
“After rescheduling its fiscal fourth-quarter earnings report earlier this month due to a ‘scheduling conflict,’ many wondered if Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) was planning a product event,” Daniel Sparks writes for The Motley Fool. “Sure enough, the tech giant is set to launch new Macs on Oct. 27, according to a report from Recode on Monday evening.”
“Assuming Apple can begin shipping any announced products soon after its event, an Oct. 27 product event would be well timed. New Macs launching shortly after the event would give Apple a fresh new lineup as it heads into the important holiday season,” Sparks writes. “Further, this would mean Apple would get to show off new Mac products to customers visiting the Apple store to upgrade to the new iPhone 7 and 7 Plus, which were announced in September.”
“It’s difficult to overstate the importance of Apple’s holiday quarter. It is historically the company’s biggest. In Apple’s first fiscal quarter of 2016, for instance, the company posted a record $75.9 billion in quarterly revenue — up 47% from the fiscal fourth quarter of 2015,” Sparks writes. “On average, analysts currently expect revenue during the holiday quarter of $74.6 billion, up a whopping 76% sequentially but down 1.7% year over year. Could hot, new Macs be what Apple needs to push total revenue into year-over-year growth for the quarter?”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: New Macs will likely spur YOY revenue growth for Apple.
All-new MacBook Pro, refreshed MacBook Air and iMac, and more coming at Apple’s October 27th special event – October 19, 2016
Apple plans to launch new Macs at special event on October 27th – October 18, 2016
Long overdue. The 27th can’t come soon enough.
I’m getting ready and I’m sure some of these new Macs will please many. I just don’t think this will be the pro Mac event some of us are looking for. Man I hope we don’t have to wait and drag this out until the next WWDC. Yikes!
Is it really that hard for them to design and build a new Pro MAC?
What, they are offended people expect them to design a box?!!
Heaven forbid! A BOX?!! Are you crazy? A box where the side drops down for easy access, allowing the user to add and subtract components as he or she desires? NONSENSE! That is madness. We have our standards, and those standards preclude us from designing anything where the user might modify what for us is a work of art!
Keep pushing this crazy BOX idea and you will suffer the consequences! “No soup for you!”
Hmm yeah I think this crazy upgradeable box idea (WHO would EVER want to do that??) was used, uh, er..umm.., in the 2012 Mac Pro I believe. Funny, it’s been sitting right there under their noses all along. We need something less Ive-y League as Captain Obvious might say.
Tim Cook has nothing but contempt for pro users. You can see that both in hardware AND software. Tim Cook sh!ts all over power users.
But he speaks well of you.
…Don’t believe words are enough, though… 😛
Actually, there’s no contempt. I don’t think he thinks about pro users at all.
Prepare to wait, or be sorely disappointed with regard to a new Mac Pro.
All these posts are assumptions. Apple has made no announcement as of yet.
The internet is dumb.
If it’s on the internet it must be true
This rumor from recode came Monday night and nothing else has changed since then. Now that that same rumor from the same source has been retold in 5 articles it’s fact.
I see /s
All I’ll say is they better be some serious hardware updates, not piddly little ones.
I agree! I will just go blow $5000 on a PC instead if Apple won’t give me the horsepower I need.
That’s just dumb. Besides, with IBM buying tons of new Macs, Apparently there’s a big market for them.
Build yourself a Hackintosh without any hacked drivers.
This is what I’m doing very shortly. I’m tired of waiting for Apple to give me a “headless” Mac that I can expand to my liking.
Yes, but you violate the user agreement, which is a legal agreement. If too many people do this, Apple will start shutting it down.
Tp punish Apple is to punish myself.
I did not wanted to go 100% PC so I split my budget and spent on a newer iMac and added a top graphic card to my PC. Of course I would preferred to spend all my money in just one Mac.


text:
Radar on Drug Benefits
New Starts of Psychotropic Medications Dropped During COVID-19
New starts of antidepressants declined by 7.5%, anxiolytics by 5.6%, and antipsychotics by 2.6% compared with forecast levels during the first five months of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new study published in Health Affairs. For all medications, declines in new starts were particularly dramatic during the initial stay-at-home order period from March to May 2020. Though there was a significant rebound in new prescription starts after mid-May, the numbers remained below 2019 levels. There were substantial drops in new starts for patients younger than 18, across all medication classes, with a 34.6% decline in antidepressants, 27.3% in anxiolytics and 22.2% in antipsychotics compared with the expected levels.
Moody’s Is Bullish on Pharma Industry for Next 18 Months
The pharmaceutical industry should continue to enjoy strong financial results in the next 12 to 18 months, according to a new report from Moody’s Investors Service. The credit ratings firm projects 4% to 6% growth in annual earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization over that period.
The authors predict that growth will be driven by increased uptake of oncology, immunology and diabetes drugs; COVID-19 vaccines and boosters; and a low number of patents set to expire. However, the report does project some headwinds for pharmaceutical firms, namely potential drug pricing legislation and increased biosimilar development. The report also predicted that “pharmaceutical spending will continue to rise globally, across almost all regions.”
Experts Predict Home Delivery Of Rx Drugs Will Increase
Mail-order pharmacies garnered a larger-than-ever share of the prescription drug business due to the pandemic. Though data varies, some insiders say the shift away from retail to mail order is durable, and experts say prescription delivery could become a dominant channel, especially for maintenance medications.
The move toward delivered prescriptions also builds on a trend that emerged from payer-PBM rollups in recent years, which has led the merged firms to try to tempt members into mail-order fills. The combined firms, such as Cigna Corp./Express Scripts, have a strong incentive to bypass retail pharmacies. Doing so allows the firms to retain more rebate revenue and avoid coupons at the point of sale. Meanwhile, prescription delivery originating at a retail pharmacy has drawn some of the same gig economy players that have competed for restaurant takeout and grocery delivery, such as Uber Inc.
Blues-Funded Startup Aims to Boost Value-Based Drug Pacts
In a move that signals Blue Cross Blue Shield plans are getting increasingly serious about driving down the cost of prescription drugs, five major Blues affiliates on June 22 launched a startup company that aims to “offer innovative medication solutions to patients, providers and customers.”
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, Blue Shield of California, Highmark Inc. and Independence Blue Cross are all providing “significant funding” to support the launch of Evio, which they characterize as an “independent pharmacy solutions startup.”
✦ HHS said on June 9 that the U.S. government will procure approximately 1.7 million courses of Merck & Co.’s investigational antiviral treatment for COVID-19, molnupiravir (MK-4482), pending emergency use authorization or approval from the FDA. The treatment — which is designed to induce viral genome copying errors to prevent the virus from replicating in the human body — is currently being studied in a Phase III trial for its potential to reduce the risk of hospitalization or death in patients who have COVID-19 symptoms for five days or less and are at high risk for severe illness. It has also “demonstrated broad-spectrum activity against other viruses such as influenza, Ebola, and Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis virus,” HHS said.
✦ The White House, HHS and the FDA on June 8 released a report containing several policy recommendations to address “vulnerabilities in U.S. pharmaceutical supply chains” that the COVID-19 pandemic revealed. For its part, HHS will make an initial commitment of about $60 million, sourced from the Defense Production Act appropriation in the American Rescue Plan, “to develop novel platform technologies to increase domestic manufacturing capacity for API [active pharmaceutical ingredients].” The report’s overall policy recommendations, meanwhile, are based on four main themes: boosting local production and fostering international cooperation; promoting research and development that establishes innovative manufacturing processes and production technologies to strengthen supply chain resilience; creating robust quality management maturity to ensure consistent and reliable drug manufacturing and quality performance; and leveraging data to improve supply chain resilience.
Meet Our Reporters
Meet Our Reporters


text:
Telecom industry charting a new path during COVID-19
"There should be absolute clarity in creating an enabling environment for the sector which is the digital spine of ‘connected India’. The right thrust will help in shaping the future - for a digital and well-connected India - empowering us to remain competitive on the global stage," suggests Prashant Singhal, EY Emerging Markets Technology, Media & Entertainment and Telecommunications (TMT) Sector Leader.
Focus on continued connectivity
Over 95% of people in India are prepaid users. Nearly 2.2 million recharges are dispensed daily, out of which 40% are online. 60% of Indians still recharge offline through a retail store. Given this construct, telcos have been taking a number of measures to alleviate difficulties of offline recharge. They extended validity for continuation of services and provided additional talk time benefits to feature phone subscribers and vulnerable segments to ensure people remain connected. For prepaid recharges, apart from digital means, top-ups at grocery stores, pharmacies, bank ATMs are being made available. In addition, incentives are being given to customers doing recharges for others digitally through their apps. It is the telecom sector, in red for a long time, marred under debts and heavy levies, that is rising-up to keep ‘India connected’.
Innovating on customer service
Entire customer onboarding, KYC and SIM issuance process has been disrupted due to store closures and limited mobility. As a work-around, telcos started home delivery of SIM cards to facilitate new connections for customers. It is an OTP based system, where the verification process is carried out at the customer premises. In future, the sector regulator may consider providing alternative end-to-end digital KYC norms. In addition, telcos are offering a gamut of services at the doorstep right from installation of broadband/DTH and supplying mobile mi-fi devices, adhering to contactless protocols. This has the potential to alter the customer service experience through an on-demand omni-channel customer touchpoint.
Focus on augmenting network capacity and continued expansion
The telecoms field force has been working relentlessly to ensure uninterrupted service access for all. They are the ‘Corona warriors’ to keep us connected during isolation. A close coordination with various government agencies was needed to ensure networks function smoothly. For instance, telcos engaged with relevant authorities to curtail fibre cuts and obtained necessary permissions for laying Optical Fiber Cable (OFC). Another key step was to request local authorities for de-sealing of towers across India. It helped to cater to increased demand and enabled provision of seamless services. Further, telcos continued network expansion. According to industry estimates, approximately 1,455 new towers were added by telcos in two months between March and May 2020.
Supporting exponential growth in content consumption and enabling work-from-home
Since March 2020, mobile data consumption has increased 20%-25% and time spent on smartphones has gone up 27% to average 4.3 hours per day. Indians are spending 40% more-time streaming video. The changing consumption patterns are shaping a new normal toward a more digital way of life. On top of this, there is a surge in remote working.
All this has put increasing pressure on the telecoms network. The good thing is that networks are designed for higher peaks. Telcos undertook prudent network management measures to optimize network bandwidth. For example, they coordinated with video streaming platforms to move from HD to SD streaming. It helped to ease pressure on network infrastructure so that it can cope with any sudden surge in data. In addition, telcos coordinated with the government to ensure that all the Network Operations Centres (NOCs) remain open.
Ensuring supply chain resiliency
The Indian telco supply chain has been resilient. Contingency plans were put in place to address short-term supply chain disruptions. Continuity of telecom equipment manufacturing units was necessary to ensure minimum disruption to networks. Prudent planning and necessary permissions were sought to ensure supply of essential material for telecom equipment production and finished goods transportation to points of installation. To cater to increased demand for equipments using unlicensed spectrum for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth capabilities, telcos coordinated with the government to clear pending Equipment Type Approval (ETA) for import of equipment.
A sound business continuity planning (BCP) was the need of the hour
Telcos worked in close coordination with OEMs and other partners to develop a BCP plan, incorporating key learnings from other geographies faced with a similar experience. This included addressing all critical issues, checking possible points of failure, building redundancies, ensuring availability of key network components and spares, developing escalation procedures, and ensuring availability of key personnel. To deal with natural calamities, telcos worked closely with the Department of Telecom (DoT) to put in place measures to counter imminent disruptions. Key steps included identification of diesel locations for speedy and priority access to fuel, setting up of war rooms in the impacted zones and close liaising with local TERM cells.
Telecoms sector is empowering societies
Among other things, the current crisis has accelerated digitalization of industries and telcos are playing a crucial role to fuel it. Take for instance the healthcare industry. Hospitals have facilitated video calling between COVID patients with their family members, which is a very humane gesture. As people are reluctant to visit, hospitals and healthcare organizations are conducting consultations through video conferencing. Hospitals are relying on a robust communications infrastructure to manage the crisis at hand.
Strengthening the ‘digital spine’ through collaboration
India’s digital economy is at an inflection point. 50% of our population is still offline and country wide investments to get them on broadband highways has the potential to bear unprecedented benefits. For India to operate in a new normal, continued collaboration between various stakeholders is required. Now more than ever, a collective effort from the Government, Regulator, businesses and people will help to turn the tide. Forward looking regulatory measures and a clear 5-7-year roadmap needs to be adopted to support accelerated growth in future, so that there are no accidental bumps in the journey. There is a need to rationalise levies and taxes currently imposed on sector to improve financial health. There should be absolute clarity in creating an enabling environment for the sector which is the digital spine of ‘connected India’. The right thrust will help in shaping the future - for a digital and well-connected India - empowering us to remain competitive on the global stage.


text:
S.C. brewers seek less restrictive regulatory environment
Breweries in South Carolina are once again pushing for more lenient regulations across the state, hoping to bolster the state’s craft beer boom.
Other big legislative pushes by the guild include the 2007 “pop the cap” law, which allowed beer above 5% alcohol by weight to be brewed in the state and the 2013 “pint law” allowing breweries to sell beer for on-site consumption.
“Those were huge bills in themselves and extremely important to everything that we did,” Brown said. “But this is probably the most things that we’ve asked for or that we’re going after.”
Brook Bristow, executive director of the S.C. Brewers Guild, said the legislative agenda is the result of research and discussions within the industry over the past few years, and a lot of the proposed regulatory changes are a result of the industry’s growth
“A lot might seem like small changes, little tweaks to the laws, but in the end, they’re going to be very beneficial to the membership and to the industry at large” he said.
The agenda asks the state to allow for standalone brewery taprooms, removing the requirement that a brewery must brew beer at any facility it serves its product; allowing for breweries to transfer beer between multiple locations; allowing consumers to purchase more to-go beer from breweries, eliminating the 288-ounce cap; and lowering the beer excise tax to the national average of 28.8 cents per gallon.


text:
- Subscribe NowLimited Time Offer
Sign Up for the San Francisco Business Times Afternoon Edition Newsletter
Send this story to a friend
Nexavar sales push Onyx to first profitable year
- Ron Leuty
Onyx Pharmaceuticals Inc. earned $1.9 million last year — the Emeryville company’s first profit — as sales of its cancer-fighting drug Nexavar soared 82 percent to $678 million.
Onyx (NASDAQ:ONXX) shares, which closed Monday down 5 cents, climbed $1.98 in after-hours trading to $30.03.
In addition, Onyx’s fourth-quarter loss of $30.2 million, or 53 cents per share, was less than the consensus analyst projection of a loss of 57 cents per share, according to Thomson Reuters. The company reported fourth-quarter revenue of more than $49.6 million; analysts expected $25.9 million in revenue.
In the same period of 2007, Onyx lost $11.7 million, or 21 cents per share.
Onyx’s 2008 profit amounted to 3 cents per share. It lost $34.2 million, or 67 cents per share, in 2007.
The results were tempered by research and development costs, which more than doubled in the three-month period, to $59.9 million from $27.2 million a year earlier. For the full year, R&D costs were $123.7 million, up from $83.3 million.
“We’ve leveraged our successes to invest strategically in the long-term growth potential of the company,” Onyx President and CEO Dr. N. Anthony Coles said in a news release.
Global net sales of Nexavar — approved in more than 70 countries to fight advanced kidney cancer and in more than 60 countries for liver cancer — grew to $677.8 million last year. That included 41 percent fourth-quarter growth, to $176.5 million.
Onyx markets Nexavar with Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals Inc., with Bayer recognizing all revenue from Nexavar sales. Onyx reported revenue of $194.3 million for 2008 from the Bayer collaboration, including $90.4 million in 2007.
Email Ron Leuty at firstname.lastname@example.org / (415) 288-4939
- Most popular
- Five-alarm fire destroys half of BRE's Mission Bay apartment complex
- Developers to kick off Brooklyn Basin: Oakland's answer to Mission Bay
- Three big developers vie for mega Transbay site
- San Francisco urged to legalize thousands of illegal in-law units
- Mission Bay Fire could spell delays for housing developments
- Ad mogul Chahal appears in court on domestic violence charges
- Philz brews up its first cafe outside the Bay Area
- Tesla battery plant courted by Arizona, California ruled out
- Firefighters monitor Mission Bay site amid winds
- UCSF closes in on deal to buy part of Salesforce's Mission Bay site
- Director of Preconstruction & Estimating Services GLY Construction | Bellevue, WA
- COMMERCIAL SALES MANAGER - Bay Area Pep Boys | Union City, CA
- Data Entry Rose International | San Francisco, CA
- Retail Team Leader Adidas | San Francisco, CA
- Residential Advisor Treasure Island Job Corps Center | San Francisco, CA


text:
Rear camera offers trio of settings, including a 120-degree view.
Commentary: I hate myself for writing this, but I really want the next Halo game to have a Battle Royale mode. Hear me out here…
He shoots, he scores! LeBron James has enlisted the Marvel director to work on the long-awaited comedy follow-up.
Ice, ice, baby volcano? New research on the dwarf planet shows that it is definitely not Vanilla.
Galaxy Quest and The Nightmare Before Christmas are coming to Hulu.
HTC starts filling in the details of its so-called blockchain smartphone, expected to launch later this year.
There could be a 10-year plan on the way for even more Walking Dead adventures.


text:
What the X8 could mean for Android
In the wake of the new Droids, it’s reasonable to suspect the much-anticipated Moto X will also be running the X8 ARM chip. For all the talk about Google and Motorola being run separately, it looks like the Moto X is going to be a very Google-focused device. Google has access to all the intellectual property Motorola is leveraging in its new custom silicon, so it definitely has an interest in using those features to improve the core Google Now product.
On any currently available Android phone, even Nexus devices, your voice interaction with Google Now requires you to hit a button or perform a gesture. The data it uses to bring you all those predictive search cards mostly comes from the text you’re inputting through Gmail, Search, and other services. Always-on audio has the potential to make Google Now much more powerful.
In fact, most of the voice recognition activities happening on Android are taking place in the cloud. Being able to dedicate hardware to the task locally could make Google Now faster and open a completely new new avenue for always-on features. Additionally, some Android phones have battery life issues, so the hardware processing could help conserve juice.
Imagine that a Motorola device running the X8 is sitting in your pocket. It’s listening to the outside world with that low-power, always-on language processor. When it hears the trigger phrase, it will spring into action, but what about if it hears something else? The device could just as easily be listening for the word “pizza” in conversation at the same time. Then if you pop open Google Now, the phone suggests a local pizza place. This could be the next step in the predictive search that has made Google Now so interesting. A little creepy? Sure, but also maybe worth it.
So far, there is just this one chip with the always-on L-NLP technology, but it’s grafted onto a modified Snapdragon. There’s no reason it couldn’t be built into a different product later. In the short term, this is definitely a Motorola/Google differentiating feature, but the company could license the always-on silicon to fundamentally change the way more Android devices work. Completely ignoring the privacy concerns for a moment, a phone that is always listening and making the experience more personal fits perfectly with the direction Android is already going.
- « Previous
- 2 of 2


text:
Global food giant Nestle said in a Thursday press release it will invest up to CHF 2 billion ($2 billion) to accelerate a 2018 pledge to focus on sustainable packaging solutions.
Nestle announced in 2018 it hopes to make 100% of its packaging recyclable or reusable by 2025. The majority of plastics used in food packaging are difficult to recycle and the supply of food-grade recycled plastics is limited.
Nestle is announcing it will commit to purchase up to 2 million metric tons of food-grade recycled plastics to help encourage new supply sources. The company will also allocate more than CHF 1.5 billion to pay a premium price for these materials through 2025.
To balance the higher cost of materials, the company expects to find operational efficiencies so there will be no impact on earnings, the company said. In addition, Nestle will create a CHF 250 million sustainable packaging venture fund that will seek out and invest in start-up companies that focus on food-safe plastic products.
Why It's Important
Nestle CEO Mark Schneider said in the press release created a new market for recycled plastics that are also food safe is an "enormous challenge" for the food industry. The company hopes to also find a solution to "close the loop" and make more plastics infinitely recyclable.
"We are taking bold steps to create a wider market for food-grade recycled plastics and boost innovation in the packaging industry," the CEO said. "We welcome others to join us on this journey."
Nestle's Thursday announcement fits in with its broader and more ambitious goal to achieve zero net greenhouse gas emissions by the middle of the century, the company said. The company plans on keeping the public informed on its progress through regular updates.


text:
TVCatchup (www.tvcatchup.com) has released an app for Windows Phone 8. We previously looked at the app a few days ago and AAWP stated that it would only be a matter of days until consumers would be able to download and enjoy streaming television on Windows Phone - sure enough, it's now available for download.
To quickly recap on what TVCatchup is all about, it's not a catch up service despite the name. The app only offers streaming of television shows that are currently on air. As well as actually viewing shows, users are also able to check out what's coming up on Freeview channels with the interactive guide.
Live Tiles can be pinned to the start screen for individual channels, with support for multiple sizes. It's a nice complementary app, which will help waste time on those long journeys. There's also an app available for Windows 8 / RT as well as the web client on the official website.
Update 6: Microsoft wants all of TikTok, but Trump's order may interfere
The Financial Times reports that as part of negotiations, Microsoft is now inquiring whether it can buy all of TikTok, instead of just the business in the US., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. This new plan would include India and Europe (and excluding China).
Apple responds to Project xCloud iOS block, Microsoft kicks back
With Microsoft's Project xCloud streaming platform locked out from iOS devices, Apple doubles down on App Store restrictions.
'The Nether Update' for Minecraft: The 1.16.2 update, and everything new you need to know
The Nether Update is the latest major release for Minecraft, and it changes everything about the fiery Nether. Here's everything you need to know.
10 must-have apps for any new PC
You just purchased a new PC and set it up, and now you're looking for some great apps. Look no further. These are the best apps for your new Windows 10 PC.


text:
We can't seem to decide if we want them to replace all of our devices or only a few of them.
No, 'we' haven't shown any confusion on the matter.
The tablet fills the niche of folks who needed 'good enough' compute power in a no-muss, low weight form factor. Analysts and tech media got caught up in the adoption rate by the large untapped market and assumed such a huge surge in sales *surely* meant it was going to supersede personal computers.
Fast forward to today, tablet sales have flatlined because the 'good enough' market has gotten their devices and there's not much of a drive to upgrade constantly. Phones got a bit of a boost by manipulative service plans 'subsidizing' the cost of a phone every two years, but now that's faltering as carriers move away from that, as people *mostly* weren't upgrading for latest and greatest function, but because they were getting one 'for free' every couple of years and 'hey why not' in that scenario.
Meanwhile PC sales have certainly faltered, but not as severely. That market is still driven to some extent by upgrades, at least moreso than the tablet market.
Note that this is bad news for hardware makers and suggests large investments won't pay off in that space, but it does not mean a software developer should ignore the install base.
Personally, I have a desktop, a 12" windows tablet (lenovo x1 tablet) and a 10" android tablet (yoga tab 3 pro). My desktop is for games that can make use of the high wattage components. My windows tablet is basically general laptop usage, with the option to occasionally rip off the keyboard. My android tablet is the best for reading various media (in part because there is a lack of touch friendly windows applications for reading, in part because the hardware form factor with the smaller screen and the bigger battery oriented in a convient way make it better for holding to read).


text:
The importance of India in South Korea’s foreign policy has risen in recent years. South Korean President Moon Jae-in’s “New Southern Policy” (NSP) attached primacy to strengthening the country’s economic and strategic relations with India, as well as the countries of Southeast Asia.
It is the first time that South Korea has clearly designed a foreign policy initiative for India and officially documented it. Immediately after President Moon assumed office in May 2017, he sent a special envoy to India; it is an unprecedented move that highlights his government’s desire to shape a new paradigm in Seoul-New Delhi relations. Since then, a number of high-level official delegations have visited India.
The South Korean government has also adopted an action-oriented approach to upgrade its engagement with India. For example, it has set up a state-run research centre on India and the ASEAN countries under the Korea National Diplomatic Academy (KNDA), which is tasked with laying a theoretical foundation for the Moon administration’s policy vision to diversify its strategic partnerships across Asia.
Moreover, South Korean trade officials are implementing strategies to strengthen engagement with India’s market. There are ongoing efforts to create a New Trade Order Strategy Office in the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy to intensify trade partnerships with India and the ASEAN countries.
President Moon’s four-day visit to India in July 2018 – the longest by any leader of the two countries – demonstrates this crucial shift in Seoul’s conduct of diplomacy. During that visit, President Moon emphasised that India was the main partner of his NSP and that his government will take all the necessary steps to deepen the strategic partnership.
There is a growing perception in South Korea that China’s rise as an economic power is a ‘threat’ to it, rather than an opportunity.
China emerged as South Korea’s biggest economic partner as their relations normalised after the end of the Cold War. South Korea’s trade and investment relations with China have increased manifold due to its economic liberalisation and the rise of China’s economy. At the same time, its relations with the US and Japan—once the backbone of its economic growth during the Cold War – have declined because of the rise of American protectionism and the stagnation of the Japanese economy. In the early 1990s, South Korea’s exports to the US and Japan constituted more than 55 percent of the total, while that to China was less than one percent.
Indeed, the equations have changed over the past two-and-half decades. China has now emerged as South Korea’s top export destination. It made up 26.6 percent of South Korea’s total exports in the first half of 2018, higher than the 16.5 percent accounted for by the US and Japan combined. If its exports to Hong Kong are included, China’s exports from South Korea rise to 34.4 percent. South Korea is the world’s seventh largest exporter, with its economic growth depending heavily on export activities. China is also South Korea’s top investment destination.
Such economic dependence was not a security concern for Seoul’s policymakers until China began its path of “peaceful rise”. The change began in the late 2000s with the controversy over the origins and legacy of the Koguryo dynasty.
South Korea’s policymakers, and the people themselves, came to believe that Beijing’s claim to a territory which was part of the ancient Korean kingdom reflected China’s imperialist mindset.
Fuelling the dissatisfaction towards China was its stance on the 2010 Cheonan and Yeonpyeong incidents in which many South Koreans were killed by North Korea, and a few years later China’s declaration of a new Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ) in 2013 which partly overlapped South Korea and Japan.
Note: -According to a survey conducted in 2006, 58.8 percent of South Koreans viewed China’s economic rise as more of an opportunity, while about 41 percent considered it as a threat. By 2018, the situation had changed, with 71.9 percent of South Koreans viewing China’s rise as a threat and only 18 percent seeing it as a positive development
The negative perception about China worsened when it targeted South Korea’s business interests over the deployment of the US missile system THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defence) in its territory. China tried to exert pressure on Seoul to not allow such deployment and refused to believe that this was in its security interest vis-a-vis North Korea.
South Korean businesses in China were attacked and exports to China were curtailed. This made Seoul realise the need to diversify its trade destinations and look towards other partners such as India and the ASEAN countries.
South Korea’s choice for India is best explained in the words of Trade Minister Kim hyun-chong who said, “India is a country that has no sensitive issues with us geopolitically, so has little risk of its economic cooperation wavering due to external factors. China, for example, created serious problems for our country over the THAAD issue, but with India there are no such variables.”
In 2017, the country’s trade with India stood at US$20 billion, while that with China was 14 times higher at US$281 billion. During President Moon’s 2018 visit to India, he urged the business communities of both sides to raise the trade volume to US$50 billion in the next 10 years.
The South Korean companies in India, such as Samsung, LG Electronics and Hyundai Motor, are undertaking expansion activities. During President Moon’s visit, he and Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated Samsung’s refurbished factory in Noida which is expected to be the company’s largest mobile phone production unit anywhere in the world.
The LG Electronics, which has two manufacturing units in India, also wants to make India its export hub.
Other measures being taken by the Moon administration include setting up a New Trade Order Strategy Office, as well as pushing the conclusion of the emerging regional trade mechanism called Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement in which India is a member.
The India-South Korea Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), signed in 2009, is being revived and the Ministry of Trade has held a number of meetings with their Indian counterparts to review its progress. The Moon-Modi summit of July 2018 finalised the ‘Early Harvest Package’ that would lead to an upgrade of the CEPA engagement.
In addition, the Moon administration has decided to establish the Korea-India Future Strategy Group and the India-Korea Centre for Research and Innovation Cooperation (IKCRI). The latter is expected to provide an institutional framework for cooperation based on research, innovation and entrepreneurship
For its part, the Indian government is taking measures to enhance South Korean investment. It has created, for example, a ‘Korea Plus’ mechanism under the Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion (DIPP) to boost the presence of South Korean companies in India.
Several new initiatives are being taken to foster closer people-to-people ties through youth exchange programmes, internships, and facilitation of tourism and business through simplified visa procedures.
India’s significance for South Korea is growing primarily because of the latter’s deepening strategic dilemma with China – its largest economic partner. South Korea’s shifting perception about its economic engagement with China has influenced Seoul’s strategy towards other Asian powers. Against this background, policymakers in Seoul see India as a crucial partner and their government is taking various steps to upgrade ties under their new policy framework called the NPS.
India needs to take advantage of this opportunity. South Korea can be a major economic partner in India’s economic growth. After all, South Korea, which is Asia’s fourth largest economy, has become one of the fastest growing economies in the world in recent years. South Korean companies are expanding and looking for new investment opportunities in emerging economies. They consider a rising India a good destination for their investment-related activities. Whereas existing South Korean companies in India are expanding their businesses, a large number of new companies are seeking to enter the India market as soon as possible. India must use this opportunity to enhance the presence of South Korean companies in India.
India should also pay particular attention to developing its strategic relations with South Korea. Such engagement with Seoul will also enhance New Delhi’s strategic leverage, especially in the Indo-Pacific region. As India is facing pressure from China in South Asia due to the ‘string of pearls’ strategy, India should design a similar type of strategy in East Asia. In this regard, New Delhi must nurture its relations with Seoul just as it has done with Tokyo in recent years. India and South Korea, two leading democracies in Asia, are natural partners and should closely work together to foster peace and stability in the region.


text:
Xiaomi, a company well known for making smartphones at affordable prices at the CES 2017 first announced the Xiaomi Mi TV 4A series consisting of the 65”, 43”, 49”, 55” models, which was then followed by the 32″ model. Now, about a year after its initial release, the company has announced the Mi TV 4A 50″ model.
The new Mi TV 4A 50 will be available for pre-order registration from 19th of January, while the actual sale is expected to begin from 23rd. It is priced at ¥2399 (~$372) but isn’t immediately clear if same will be the available outside of China.
Besides the difference in display sizes, the Xiaomi Mi TV 4A shares same design and specs with other variants of the TV. The TV has a 4K UHD (3840 x 2160) resolution and a 60HZ refresh rate with support for HDR10+ HLG and is packed with a quad-core 64-bit high-performance Amlogic T962 clocked at 1.5GHz with Mali 450 750MHz GPU coupled with 2GB DDR4 of RAM and 8GB eMMC5 flash memory.
The TV is equipped with Dolby and DTS-HD audio and it also comes with a voice supported remote that allows you search for your favorite shows, control playback, ask questions, and even control other Xiaomi smart products connected to the same network as the TV.
Gizchina News of the week
On the connectivity part, the Xiaomi Mi TV 4A 50” has 3 HDMI ports, 2 USB ports, AV input, an ethernet port, and a S/PDIF audio output port.
You should be able to buy the device less of ¥100 (~$16) courtesy of Xiaomi sale discount.


text:
Spotify said on Monday (July 24) it is raising the price of its premium individual plan by $1 in North and South America, Europe and Asia amid widespread calls from investors and the music industry to join other streaming platforms that have raised prices.
“The market landscape has continued to evolve since we launched,” Spotify said in an emailed statement. “So that we can keep innovating, we are changing our Premium prices across a number of markets around the world. These updates will help us continue delivering value to fans and artists on our platform.”
Starting on Monday, Spotify’s premium individual plan in the United States will cost $10.99 a month, while the premium duo plan will cost $14.99 a month, the premium family plan will cost $16.99 a month and the premium student plan will cost $5.99 a month. News of the price increases was first reported by the Wall Street Journal on Friday.
While the price of the individual subscription price has held steady at $9.99 per month in the U.S. for a dozen years, Spotify did increase the price of its family plan from $14.99 to $15.99 and raised subscription prices in other markets, primarily on student, Duo — an account for two subscribers — and family plans.
Many investors and Wall Street analysts have advocated for price hikes to boost top-line revenues and improve music gross margins. JPMorgan Chase analysts said in a March 8 report that a Spotify price increase for U.S. individual plans would create incremental annual revenue of about $200 million.
Music company executives have also called on Spotify to raise its prices, saying that keeping prices low undervalues popular music and hurts license holders.
Several of Spotify’s competitors, including Apple, Amazon, and more recently Block-owned music streaming service Tidal have raised the price on their individual and group plans, saying customer churn was barely affected.
The price increases will go into effect from Monday in more than 50 markets worldwide.


text:
This major producer of heavy machinery is based in Peoria, Ill., but sees a lot of room to grow in China.
And why wouldn't it? The construction and mining industries are booming there.
Caterpillar announced earlier this month that it plans to build a new factory in Xuzhou. Once it's fully operational, the factory will employ about 400 people.
The company first started doing business in China in 1978 and since, has built 16 factories and various offices there, now employing about 8,500 people.
Company executives are quick to point out that Caterpillar's growth in China doesn't come at the expense of American workers. Caterpillar has been building new factories in the United States, and in the last 18 months alone, the company hired about 11,000 new workers in its home country.
More than half the amount you spend on Chinese-made goods actually stays in the U.S.
|How I went from middle class to homeless|
|In 'Game of Thrones' twist, Jon Snow is...|
|CVS blames sales drop on cigarette ban|
|Unstereotyped: Meet the white valedictorian of a historically black college|
|Biggest lottery jackpots in U.S. history|


text:
MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- Montgomery residents will get the chance to sample treats from the fall menu of Gigi’s Cupcakes while raising funds for the Montgomery March of Dimes next Thursday during GiGi's Fall Debut Party.
The event will showcase 11 new fall flavors, including pumpkin white chocolate, mochachino, snickerdoodle, peppermint patty, blackberry cobbler, grasshopper, peanut butter cup, chocolate hazelnut, coconut macaroon, orange cranberry walnut and sticky bun.
25 percent of sales during the Fall Debut Party, which runs from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m., will benefit the Montgomery March of Dimes.
Cupcakes will be sold for $3.25 each. Gigi’s Cupcakes is located at 7918 Vaughn Road.


text:
Best Buy is hosting a midnight sale for last-minute holiday shopping, but some consumers are complaining their Black Friday orders are still unfulfilled, having been cancelled or still never shipped out just days before Christmas.
The midnight sale will be Thursday only beginning at 12 a.m. ET (9 p.m. PT) online only, when the special sale prices will be officially revealed. Once the sale prices are announced at midnight, shoppers can indulge in the special deals until Friday at 8 a.m. ET (5 a.m. PT).
So far, Best Buy has announced seven early price reveals, which include: An RCA 42 Class Plasma HDTV for $399.99, an HP laptop for $379.99, a Kobo Touch for $69.99, free smartphones, an LG HEPA Vacuum $299.99, a Sony In-Dash CD Deck for $54.99 and Christmas music albums for $7.99 each.
However, the same comes just days after consumers complained that Best Buy, the U.S.'s biggest electronics retailer, had not fulfilled their orders placed online as far back as Black Friday. According to Best Buy, some orders were cancelled in the days before Christmas because of overwhelming demand.
Due to overwhelming demand of hot product offerings on BestBuy.com during the November and December time period, we have encountered a situation that has affected redemption of some of our customers' online orders, Best Buy said in an emailed statement to FOX 9 News. We are very sorry for the inconvenience this has caused and we have notified the affected customers.
A Best Buy official told the Financial Times that certain manufacturers never delivered products in a timely fashion, which means there was no inventory for consumers demanding in high volumes. The incident comes the same year Best Buy altered its online strategy to compete with online retail heavy-hitters like Amazon.
Best Buy shoppers have taken to a forum to complain about their orders which were cancelled days before Christmas.
One user, JD37857, complained about a Nintendo DSI CL which was expected to be delivered by Dec. 13. The users was told by a customer service representative that Best Buy was out of stock of the item and they should drive to another store, where it turns out was not in stock there either.
Just today, Community Connecter for Best Buy Corporate representative Brendan responded to JD37857's complaint, along with countless others, personally on the discussion board.
I am really sorry about all the trouble you have had with your order here. I can honestly say I am disappointed in the service you received, Brendan wrote. I can see a case has already been created here at the corporate office and dispatched to the store management. I can also see that your order has been refunded and sent back to the card of purchase. We take these situations very seriously so this should be addressed at the store level with all the parties involved. Again, I am sorry about all the trouble.
Best Buy has not made an official statement of how many customers were affected or had Black Friday orders still unfulfilled. The company, however, reported online revenues up 20 percent from 2012 in its earnings report following the end of the quarter on the day after Black Friday.


text:
Many online retailers were frustrated at the end of the 2013 holiday season when a combination of ecommerce growth and bad weather led to many consumers not receiving purchases in time for Christmas. But Amazon.com Inc. did more than gnash its teeth—it set out to establish its own delivery network to ensure that its customers would not be disappointed.
Since 2014, Amazon has spent $39 billion to build out a massive delivery network, according to Bank of America Global Research, a unit of big U.S. financial institution Bank of America Corp. And that investment soars to $60 billion when including capital leases for such items as warehouses and aircraft, the report says. (Amazon leased 97% of its fulfillment and data center space in 2019, the retailer said in its annual report.)
“Amazon is approaching a truly vertically integrated logistics network on par with the largest delivery companies in the world,” the report says.
That massive investment enabled Amazon, No. 1 in the 2020 Digital Commerce 360 Top 1000, to deliver 2.3 billion of the 4.5 billion parcels, or 58%, it shipped to U.S. consumers in 2019, the report says. Plus, that represented 22% of the 10.6 million online retailer parcel deliveries last year in the U.S. and made Amazon the fourth-largest U.S. shipping service, the Bank of America report says.
Internationally, Amazon handled 48% of its own deliveries—1.2 billion of the 2.5 billion packages it shipped outside of the U.S. in 2019, according to the Bank of America study.
What’s more, Amazon may compete more aggressively in the years ahead with its Amazon Shipping service to deliver orders for other online retailers, including those that do not sell on Amazon’s online marketplace. By 2025, Amazon could deliver between 7.5 billion and 9.7 billion packages in the U.S., including its own orders and those of other retailers. That would represent between 38% and 49% of the what Bank of America projects will be 19.5 billion U.S. online order deliveries that year.
However, the report notes retail competitors may hesitate to hand over fulfillment to Amazon now that it is a major rival in many merchandise categories: “Other B2C [business-to-consumer] retailers may not want to ship with Amazon, so Amazon may have to look to the B2B [business-to-business] market to grow its non-Amazon shipping business.”
Amazon announced in April plans to temporarily suspend its shipping service starting in June because of the pressure on its fulfillment network from increased demand since the COVID-19 outbreak.
Amazon spends more on shipping packages
Besides investing in fixed assets like warehouses, robots and delivery vans, Amazon is steadily increasing its variable expenses for shipping, including fees paid to carriers, employee salaries and vehicle fuel and maintenance. Those shipping expenses more than doubled from $16 billion in 2016 to $38 billion in 2019, and will reach $117 billion by 2025 as Amazon spends more on next-day shipping and online grocery delivery, Bank of America says.
Free next-day delivery for Amazon Prime members, which Amazon introduced last year, cost the retailer $1.5 billion in 2019, the report says. But Amazon is reaping rewards by offering free shipping: A Bank of America consumer survey found that shipping cost is the second-most important consideration for online shoppers after the price of the merchandise itself.
And Amazon Prime members are noticing that orders are arriving faster. A recent Bank of America consumer survey found 42% of Prime members said Amazon orders have arrived more quickly over the past year compared with only 19% of Amazon customers who are not members of Prime.
Amazon’s growing warehouse and delivery center network
Amazon now operates nearly 500 logistics facilities in the U.S. covering 173 million square feet and another 1,100 globally that cover 262 million square feet, the report says, referencing data from logistics consulting firm MWPVL.
Here is a brief description of the facilities Amazon operates, as described in the Bank of America report:
- 10 receiving centers, often located near major seaports, take in products in bulk. These facilities average about 600,000 square feet.
- Receiving centers ship merchandise to 170 fulfillment centers, the giant warehouses near major highways that average 773,000 square feet and employ thousands of workers. There are “sortable” receiving centers, some for large items and others for small products, where workers pick and pack orders for delivery to consumers. More than 200,000 robots assist employees at 50 of these sortable centers.
Fulfillment centers for non-sortable items range up to 1 million square feet in size and ship large items such as rugs and patio furniture.
- Packages destined for consumers outside of a fulfillment center’s region are sent to one of 20 air hubs where cargo planes fly parcels around the country. Amazon is spending $1.5 billion to expand its air hub in Hebron, Kentucky, which is near Cincinnati, to serve as the center of its U.S. hub-and-spoke air cargo system. It plans to complete that project in 2021. Amazon operates 40 cargo planes and plans to expand to 70 planes by 2023.
- Whether from an air hub or a fulfillment center, packages go to one of 49 U.S. sortation centers, each averaging 340,000 square feet, where 100 to 300 workers per facility sort packages by ZIP code, putting them on pallets for shipment by truck.
- Last-mile delivery is handled by delivery stations—Amazon has about 200 delivery stations in the U.S. and plans to open another 84 in 2020, according to MWPVL. These facilities typically average 129,000 square feet, employ 200-300 workers and are located near airports of major cities. Drivers pick up packages at these delivery stations to cover the last mile to consumer’s homes.
Who delivers packages for Amazon?
Deliveries to shoppers are handled by two types of drivers—those hired by Amazon’s Delivery Service Partners, companies that deliver exclusively for Amazon, and independent couriers who pick up Amazon packages when Amazon needs them as part of a program called Flex.
Amazon launched the Delivery Service Program in 2018, offering applicants willing to invest about $10,000 discounts on delivery vans, insurance, mobile devices and uniforms. There now are about 800 companies operating under this program with some 75,000 delivery drivers, according to the Bank of America report.
For this program, Amazon has acquired 20,000 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter vans. In September 2019, Amazon announced it would purchase 100,000 electric-powered delivery vans from a startup called Rivian for delivery from 2021 to 2030.
The Flex program began in 2015 and now employs couriers in about 90 U.S. cities, Bank of America says. Amazon provides auto insurance for Flex couriers, except in New York, and says those drivers can earn $18-$25 per hour.