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At last week's International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, wearable technology was supposedly the hottest new thing. A wide array of companies introduced headsets, activity monitors and smartwatches to compete with the likes of Google Glass, Fitbit and the Pebble watch. But in Australia, scientists are already releasing plenty of new wearable sensors into the wild... strapped to the backs of honey bees.
Thousands of sensors measuring 2.5mm square are being fit on to the backs of bees in Hobart, Tasmania that are then released back in to the wild. The project is being undertaken by CSIRO, Australia's national science agency, to research the drivers of bee Colony Collapse Disorder. The phenomenon has been decimating bee populations around the world, causing widespread concern, given bees' important role as a pollinator of crops.
"Using this technology, we aim to understand the bee’s relationship with its environment. This should help us understand optimal productivity conditions as well as further our knowledge of the cause of colony collapse disorder," said CSIRO's Dr. Paulo de Souza, who leads the "swarm sensing" project, in a release.
Specifically, the project will look at the impact of agricultural pesticides on the bees. The sensors used work in a manner similar to "E-Z Pass" toll-tracking mechanisms, with an RFID sensor on the bee recording when it passes a particular checkpoint. The data will then be passed to a central location, where information from all the tagged insects will be used to create a model of how the bees move through their surroundings.
"Bees are social insects that return to the same point and operate on a very predictable schedule... we'll be able to recognize very quickly when their activity shows variation and identify the cause." Dr. de Souza said.
So how to attach a tiny sensor to a small insect?
According to information from CSIRO, the answer is that the bees are literally forced to chill out. The insects are refrigerated for a short period, putting them in a rest state long enough for the sensors to be applied to their backs with adhesive. Dr. de Souza says the process is not harmful and does not affect how the bees fly or go about their regular activities.
CSIRO is already working on more wearable tech for insects. Researchers are working on 1 mm sensors that can be affixed to mosquitoes and fruit flies.


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chew on this
Posted by Dale Buss on September 27, 2013 10:52 AM
McDonald's biggest nod toward better-for-you food is already placating some critics, and there's another benefit: Helping kids and their parents eat healthier fare at its restaurants may boost chain sales results that have become tepid lately in the US market.
In cooperation with a Bill Clinton-backed nonprofit, McDonald's has announced a sweeping new commitment to better-for-you eating that includes promoting only water, milk and juice rather than soft drinks for Happy Meals on its menu boards and in advertising, emphasizing nutrition in its packaging and advertising for kids, and offering side salads and fruit to accompany its value meals.
"We think we can influence the purchase of fruits and veggies," McDonald's CEO Don Thompson told the Wall Street Journal. "We have a leadership role and we can be part of a solution. The average person eats at McDonald's three times a month."Continue reading...
chew on this
Posted by Dale Buss on July 10, 2012 11:09 AM
It's a dilemma as old as the first wild stalk of broccoli: How do you get a child to eat it? The latest twist on the ancient battle for kids' gullets is a new campaign by Birds Eye, the frozen-vegetable giant, with Nickelodeon and the Partnership for a Healthier America.
As part of an initiative that launched in May called "GenVeg" — for Generation Vegetable, of course — Bird's Eye is marketing directly to children through a cross-promotional partnership with the popular kids TV show iCarly. The centerpiece of the co-branded campaign is a contest, "iCarly Cooks with Birds Eye," in which kids visiting the Nick.com website will be encouraged to develop wacky new recipes for vegetables. The contest kicked off Monday with a video featuring Jennette McCurdy, one of the stars of the show.
"We're hoping that will add to the cachet with kids, and we're also filming a commercial with kids that will be airing on Nickelodeon," Alan Creveling, Bird's Eye brand manager, told brandchannel. "It's a very Nickelodeon way: putting kids in charge of things."Continue reading...

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While games, financial tech, mobile (apps and wearables), ad tech, and e-commerce are growing and thriving sectors in Los Angeles, this year video was a category people talked about (and I wrote about) more than anything else.
Whether it was short (and super short) form -- like Vine -- and the possibility of discovering talent there. Or teen and tween YouTube network AwesomenessTV being sold to and now exploring how to make long-form content offerings on YouTube.
Or new niche networks, like Tastemade -- exploring how food-related content could be offered to a next generation.
Or Fullscreen’s re-imagination of what a Hollywood studio could look like.
Or Maker Studios’ explosive numbers.
Or ZEFR’s technology that helps brands to better understand and harness fan-uploaded videos.
Or the future of content all together, where we discussed online video at present -- being what television was in its first few years of existence.
Overall, this signals that Los Angeles is spearheading national (and international) leadership in video -- which many tout as the future (and present state) of social media all together.
While video grows, it’s likely that we will see other sectors also get bigger in the next year as well, including mobile entertainment specifically.
The real opportunity, of course, would be for a new video distribution platform to emerge in Los Angeles. For video content to live in another place (essentially a competitor to YouTube). Though -- due to it’s massive appeal and giant scale at present -- it would take a lot of capital, time, leadership, and long-term investment for a new YouTube to be created.
But crazier things have happened in L.A.
Note: The video above courtesy of John Trefry, CEO of 4WT Media. The video presents some of Los Angeles’ video leadership.


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Los Angeles — Forever 21, one of the fastest growing fashion retailers in the world, continues its expansion of F21 RED and plans to open more than 40 new retail locations across the U.S. in 2017.
The first three F21 RED stores will open in April in key retail markets, including San Antonio; Bronx, N.Y.; and Chicago. New locations will continue to open throughout the year and will bring F21 RED total store count to more than 70 locations by year end.
"We are excited to announce that we will be growing F21 RED's presence in 2017," says Linda Chang, vice president of merchandising at Forever 21. "F21 RED expansion represents an important and exciting opportunity for our growth plan."
F21 RED launched in 2014 and aims to create a convenient shopping experience for the entire family with an assortment of fashion staples from Forever 21 and its sub-brands, including Forever 21 Men, Forever 21 Plus and Forever 21 Girls.
Forever 21, Inc., headquartered in Los Angeles, is a fashion retailer of women's, men's and kids clothing and accessories. Founded in 1984, Forever 21 operates more than 815 stores in 57 countries with retailers in the United States, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Israel, Japan, Korea, Latin America, Mexico, Philippines and United Kingdom. For more information, visit newsroom.forever21.com.
SOURCE: Forever 21


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Preparing and cooking chicken properly is the best way to for people to ensure that their poultry is safe to eat, according to The Cooperative supermarket group.
In response to the FSA-report into the bug, a spokesperson said: "No retailer can claim to be campylobacter free. However, if consumers follow the preparation and cooking guidelines they can be certain that their poultry is safe to eat."
They added: "All raw meats may contain naturally occurring food poisoning organisms and it is important that raw meat products are handled with care and thoroughly cooked as this destroys these bacteria."
They also advised that consumers wash their hands after handling raw meats and the packaging and too keep raw meats away from ready to eat foods.
More top news
Big companies will have to show that their supply chains do not use child slave labour or exploit people, David Cameron has announced.
Disneyland Paris is reportedly facing a pricing probe amid claims it charges British tourists more than its French customers.
Overworked GPs are becoming so tired they could be putting patient's safety at risk, the head of British general practitioners has warned.


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Google Assistant-enabled smart speakers have been able to make calls for a while now in countries like Australia, Canada, and the US. But the functionality was limited to outbound calls placed from the speaker itself. Now it looks like inbound call support is coming to Google's smart home products, but only on a single carrier in Australia.
The OnePlus 8T is the latest "flagship killer" from OnePlus, and unlike previous 'T' models, there's no Pro version. The phone was announced last week, and now you can buy it from T-Mobile and OnePlus' own online store.
With Hangouts on its way out, Google Fi users might have been wondering how they would access their messages on the web. We learned from a teardown back in May that Messages for Web would be getting Google Fi-specific features, and it looks like this new experience is now rolling out.
Google Fi has just launched a phone subscription plan that is actually a pretty sweet deal. For $15 a month over two years, you can get a Pixel 4a plus a device protection insurance plan. That works out to just $10 more than the current unlocked retail price, plus theft and accidental damage protection. In two years, your phone is paid off and yours to keep, but you can also keep paying that monthly fee to upgrade to a new device. But there's also an even better deal available. If you don't care about insurance, the subscription is $9 a month — that's just $216 over the two years requried and way less than $350 up-front and unlocked price.
Verizon may be pushing its 5G mmWave network hard (even if it's of doubtful utility), but it's not actually the only 5G tech on big red's roadmap. Like T-Mobile, it's pushing a lower-band "Nationwide" solution as well, and an update will soon be rolling out to select 5G phones delivering access to that more far-reaching network. Furthermore, new 5G phones on Verizon will have it at launch.
Earlier this year, Motorola launched the Motorola One 5G internationally, and we all thought it looked like a nifty phone that we'd like to see in the US. Motorola obliged and even said it would offer the device for under $500. The AT&T version launched some weeks back for $444.99, but Verizon isn't bound by Moto's promise. Big Red just unveiled the Motorola One 5G UW, and wouldn't you know it, it's priced at $550.
The OnePlus 8T was announced today, and T-Mobile is the only carrier that will sell it in the US. This time around, T-Mobile's model gets a "+" stuck to the end of the name. It turns out that the T-Mobile model will come with IP68 certification, something that the unlocked model does not boast.
Samsung kicked off this month's security patch rollout last week with the budget Galaxy A50. Within days of that release, some of its recent S Pen-clad flagships are also being bumped to the latest Android security level. Alongside their international variants, the US Note20 and Note10 series have started getting the October update, starting with the unlocked models.
Samsung has been pretty quick to update their devices with the latest security patches in the past couple of years, and it looks like not much is going to change for the month of September. The company is continuing to update its lineup of phones from the past few years, starting with the Exynos Galaxy Note9.


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As Central Province Minister hails retail giant’s contribution to agro-sector value addition citing positive impact on economic recovery
Zambeef’s move to expand the variety of locally manufactured products in its remodelled outlets is further proof of the company’s unwavering commitment to growing Zambia’s agricultural value chain says Central Province Minister Hon. Credo Nanjuwa.
The home-grown ‘farm-to-fork’ retail brand, which is Zambia’s largest vertically integrated cold chain food products and agri-business company, has reopened its upgraded state-of-the-art macro-outlet in Kabwe as part of its aim to provide accessible, affordable, and quality products to its customers not only in Zambia but the sub-region at large.
“My ministry has worked to leverage public-private partnership investments to achieve maximum efficiency in our delivery of projects that would see development in Central Province. The innovation Zambeef has brought to its Kabwe outlet is a clear indication that this approach has motivated private businesses to supplement government’s efforts to meet the needs and demands of our citizens,” said Mr Nanjuwa in a speech read on his behalf by District Commissioner for Kabwe, Mr Lennox Shimwambwa during the Zambeef Kabwe Macro reopening ceremony.
Some of the improvements made to the Kabwe outlet include a wider shopping area that will provide pre-packaged products for easier and quicker shopping, as well as an increased number of products from local producers as part of Zambeef’s all-inclusive and all-embracing business model which would see the company increase and amplify its support for local manufacturers.
“Supporting homegrown businesses stimulates the economy through an increased production of local products, which then helps to alleviates poverty in the country as it provides employment and business opportunities for people and companies on the agro-value chain,” the minister said.
Mr Nanjuwa went on to say that he was proud to note that Zambian businesses had maintained a growth trajectory despite the challenging economic landscape in the country following the COVID-19 outbreak.
The minister added that he was confident Zambeef’s US$100m Mpongwe farms expansion plan would yield even more returns for the agro-value chain and the country.
“Zambeef’s growth plan will move in tandem with government’s goal to create business opportunities, support the local agro-industry, and viable out-grower schemes along with other activities on the value chain. This will provide Zambia with an alternative source of foreign exchange through value addition,” he added.
Meanwhile, Zambeef Chief Operations Officer Mike Lovett appealed to Zambians to take advantage of the opportunities that were presented to them in the form of investments such as the one Zambeef had made.
“It is only when the citizens of a country recognise the economic potential it has and work with other relevant stakeholders to ensure it is fully developed, can we see a positive turnaround,” Mr Lovett said.
He further said government efforts in providing a conducive environment for the private sector to conduct business motivated them to join in the quest for economic recovery.
Part of Zambeef’s expansion plan includes the upgrading of its Macro outlets, and so far, the retail giant has remodelled its Ibex, Linda and Chunga Macro outlets, and will soon move to other outlets across the country.


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Paytm denies report that Ant Group may dump its stake worth almost $5 billion as India-China tension escalates
- Paytm has outrightly denied reports that one of its majority shareholders Ant Group may sell its entire 30% stake in the startup.
- A Reuters report stated that amid growing tensions between India-China, Ant Group was mulling a possible exit from the Vijay Shekhar Sharma-led company.
- With rising border tensions between India and China, Indian startups with Chinese investments have come under a lot of scrutiny.
AdvertisementIndian digital payments leader Paytm has denied reports that one of its majority shareholders Ant Group may sell its entire 30% (worth $4.8 billion) stake in the startup.
A Reuters report citing sources stated that amid growing tensions between India-China, Ant Group was mulling a possible exit from the Vijay Shekhar Sharma-led company. The Indian government has so far banned almost 220 Chinese apps this year.
However, a Paytm spokesperson denied the report. "The information is absolutely false and misleading. There has been no discussion with any of our major shareholders ever, nor any plans, about selling their stake or becoming the controlling shareholder. Our mission is to empower half a billion Indians with digital financial services and pursue the vast opportunity presented by the digital financial revolution in our country. We are seeing a dramatic increase in revenues and acceleration of our path to breakeven,” a Paytm spokesperson told Business Insider.
The rising tension between India and China at the Ladakh border has led the government in New Delhi to crack down on foreign direct investments (FDI) from China.
Paytm had earlier faced backlash on Twitter as well for its investments from the Chinese giant.
Chinese investors have pumped in an estimated $4 billion into India’s tech startups, which includes bets on 18 out of the country’s 30 unicorns, according to a Gateway House report. The scepticism around Chinese investments in India has been rising, which affects some of the biggest startups in India like Paytm, Ola, Byju’s and more.
China’s biggest funds and their bets in India
|Tencent||Byju’s, Ola, Dream11, Flipkart, Hike, Swiggy, Udaan, Niyo, Gaana, Doubtnut, Khatabook, MX Player, Pine Labs, Pocket FM, Practo, MyGate.|
|Alibaba||Paytm, Bigbasket, Paytm Mall, Snapdeal, Zomato, Healofy, Ticketnow, Rapido, Vidooly, Xpressbees|
|Xiaomi||Hungama, Sharechat, Rapido, ZestMoney, Oye! Rickshaw, City Mall, Marsplay Internet|
Breather for Flipkart as Supreme Court stays order for CCI probe over alleged abuse of dominant position
INTERVIEW: Burger King in India isn’t competing with just Domino's or McDonald’s, the roadside chola bhatura vendor is a peer too
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- Best tech gifts for your sisters this Rakhi


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Nintendo losses expected to top $1 billion
Mario maker's first quarterly earnings since 3DS price drop reported to be worse than forecast, stock sheds more than 7% on fears.
Nintendo's last quarterly financial report was grim, with the company announcing slumping sales, cutting its full-year profit projection and slashing the price of the 3DS globally by about one-third, less than six months after the handheld launched. The Mario maker is set to release its latest quarterly results Thursday, and if a report out of Japan is accurate, the numbers are going to be worse than expected.
According to The Nikkei Business Daily (via Reuters), Nintendo is expected to post first-half results showing a loss of ¥100 billion ($1.31 billion), nearly double the ¥55 billion ($722 million) loss the company had forecast for investors. Nintendo posted a loss of ¥25.5 billion ($334 million) for the first quarter of its current fiscal year.
The Nikkei report pegged blame for the supposed shortfalls on foreign exchange losses due to a strong yen. In the wake of the news, Nintendo shares dropped more than 7 percent.
Beyond validating or contradicting the Nikkei report, Nintendo's quarterly earnings should also provide perspective on the effectiveness of the 3DS price cut. The cut was announced along with the company's last quarterly numbers, which showed 710,000 3DS systems sold worldwide between April and June. That brought the total installed base for the glasses-free 3D handheld to 4.32 million. Nintendo has already touted some improvement in 3DS sales, saying in September that the device's sales in the US more than tripled in the weeks following the price cut.
Hogwarts Legacy - Next Gen Immersion Trailer Sniper Elite 5 - Everything to Know Modern Warfare 2 Release Date Confirmed, More Info Coming | GameSpot News Catalyst Black Launch Trailer Halo Infinite | Fracture: Entrenched Launch Trailer I, The Inquisitor - Xbox Announce Trailer Genshin Impact - Character Teaser: "Yelan: Inevitable Justice" The Cycle: Frontier Launch Trailer Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II - Artwork Reveal Dislyte - Osiris: The Lone Star Character Trailer Temtem - 1.0 Release Date Trailer Destiny 2: Season of the Haunted - Solar 3.0 - Developer Insight


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Global Venture Capital Cathay Innovation Announced a third fund targeting € 1 billion ($ 1.05 billion) in a wide range of companies and technologies around the world.
Cathay Innovation is sure to begin with Fund III to become one of the largest multi-stage VC funds emerging from Europe after closure, including Series A, B, and late startups. The company said it intends to act as a lead or co-investor with investments ranging from $ 5 million to about $ 80 million.
The new fund follows $ 550 Million Second Fund in 2020It was also a multi-tiered fund — like the first fund before it.In parallel, Cathay Innovation is part of a wider range of private equity costumes known as Cathay PacificSince last month, we have also entered the industry by industry Launched a new $ 110 million fund Directed to the crypto sector.The month before that, Cathay Pacific itself Launched $ 500 Million Health Fund..
“Despite current market conditions and uncertainties, we are confident that the digital revolution will only continue to accelerate and that major tech companies will be very successful, demonstrating strong growth and pricing power.” Innovation CEO and co-founder Dennis Barrier said. TechCrunch. “In the next decade, all industries are facing major changes as modern digital infrastructure better connect products, customer needs, and a wider value chain. As a result, the market today is renewed. Companies that are well-defined and successfully deal with digital transformation will have the opportunity to lead a much larger market than before. “
The focus of Cathay Innovation is as broad as possible, covering almost every corner of the industrial sector, from fintech and mobility to retail and energy. But behind what may seem like a shotgun investment ethic at first, there is a strategy. Companies often need to build relationships with complementary companies in other industries, either as supply chain partners or as paid customers. Therefore, by investing in such a wide range of companies, Cathay can build a bridge between sectors.
“We are not only LPs (Limited Partners), but also Healthcare, Finance, Consumers, Energy, Mobility, Logistics,” Barrier explained. “This has several advantages because it allows access to valuable industry expertise and enables cross-industry fertilization. It connects startups to potential partners and key customers and scales. And it helps to drive the digital transformation efforts of our business partners while enabling innovation in the real world. “
While the central focus of the new fund will be on series A and B rounds, the company will have sufficient reserves for later growth rounds and will target investments in UN-affiliated companies. It states that. Sustainable Development GoalsIncorporate health and happiness. Decent work and economic growth; industry, innovation, infrastructure. And climate.
Cathay Innovation is by no means a location-specific fund, but its roots are firmly rooted in Europe and it opened its shop in Paris in 2015, where Barrier is currently based. More than half of Cathay Innovation’s global team (about 30 people) is also based in Europe, and more than one-third are based in Europe. That portfolio company I’m also from Europe.
“We are investing globally, but the Marquee Fund mainly covers Europe, North America and Asia, but always maintains its presence in Europe in terms of local teams, LPs and portfolio companies. “Baria said. “We have invested in many major European startups.”
Many of these startups continue to achieve notable exits, including the Spanish electric vehicle charging startup Wallbox. Currently trading on the New York Stock ExchangeAnd was the delivery company Globo Recently acquired by Delivery Hero.. In a broader sense, Cathay Innovation has invested in 120 companies, offering two IPOs, five acquisitions and 19 unicorns in the process.
However, since its inception seven years ago, Cathay Innovation has opened new offices and teams in North America, Asia and Africa, bringing VC companies into profitable markets everywhere.
“We are launching Cathay Innovation to help start-ups transforming key industries, and we believe that the best innovation comes from every corner of the world, and Fund III will continue,” Barrier said. Added.


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Since December 2016, HTC Vive users (April 2017 for Oculus Rift) have been able to explore the planet in virtual reality (VR) thanks to Google Earth VR. Now the company has released a new update that enables users to get an even closer look at the world around them using Street View.
With the addition of Street View to Google Earth VR users will be able to fly down to street level, check their controller to see if a 360-degree photo is available and dive right in. The image appears as a ball atop the controller which you just put your head inside. Street View imagery is available from 85 countries.
Google Earth VR gives you the ability to flyover the Grand Canyon, explore the streets of Tokyo, head to Paris to see the Eiffel Tower, discover the hidden gems of the Amazon rainforest and much much more. Besides being able to wander around the planet however you like, the software also provides cinematic tours and hand-picked destinations like the Manhattan skyline or Swiss Alps to provide a learning experience as much as a good view.
The Google Earth VR app is free for Oculus Rift and HTC Vive. If you happen to own Google Daydream or Cardboard then there’s always the Street View app.
For any further updates keep reading VRFocus.


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PIERRE, S.D. (KELO) — The two new leaders of the South Dakota Republican Party are the main sponsors of the governor’s proposal to exempt groceries from the state 4.5% sales tax.
The legislation was filed Tuesday. Representative Mary Fitzgerald, a St. Onge Republican, is prime sponsor of the exemption that Governor Kristi Noem proposed in her re-election campaign last fall. Senator John Wiik, a Big Stone City Republican, is the lead sponsor in the Senate.
Wiik was elected as the new chairman and Fitzgerald as the new vice-chair by the South Dakota Republican central committee on Saturday. The Wiik-Fitzgerald team had Noem’s endorsement.
Their legislation would also add cannabis and cannabis products as items that would be subject to the state sales tax. Those would join alcohol, prepared food and tobacco as items that remain subject to the state sales tax.
However, the legislation doesn’t have wording that would protect municipalities that already charge a local sales tax on groceries or might want to add one in the future.
The Legislative Research Council in a December 5, 2022, letter suggested that Dakotans For Health should change the wording of its initiative petition seeking a grocery-tax repeal.
The LRC suggested that the initiative be rewritten to state: “The retail sale of any food or food ingredient for any purpose is exempt from any tax imposed by law. The exemption provided under this section does not apply to the taxing authority of a municipality. A municipality may tax the retail sale of any food or food ingredient, as provided under chapter 10-52.”
The initiative as proposed at the time said, “Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the state may not tax the sale of anything sold for eating or drinking by humans, except alcoholic beverages and prepared food. This provision has no effect on the taxing authority of municipalities.”
The Noem-backed legislation that was filed Tuesday says, “The rate of tax imposed by this chapter on retailers upon the gross receipts of all sales of food and food ingredients as defined by § 10-45-1 is zero percent.”
By setting the state rate at zero, lawmakers said the governor’s proposal could still allow municipalities to charge local sales tax on groceries.
The LRC letter came after interim Attorney General Mark Vargo advised Dakotans for Health in a letter on November 9, 2022, regarding an earlier version of the initiative: “This initiated measure prohibits the state, or municipalities, from collecting sales or use tax on anything sold for eating or drinking by humans. The measure eliminates these sources of revenue.”
That earlier version of the initiative said, “Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the state may not tax the sale of anything sold for eating or drinking by humans, except alcoholic
beverages and prepared food.”
The House approved a grocery-tax repeal last year but the Senate refused to agree.


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The LEGO Group have been named the world’s most reputable company once again. The company has hit the top spot on the Reputation Institute’s annual RepTrak®100 list. To determine the list, RepTrak surveyed more than 230,000 individuals in numerous countries. The ranking measures how people connect to a brand or company, be it through their products or services. The LEGO Group is well known for its excellent customer service and its fanbase crosses generations, it’s also been a fixture of the rankings for a number of years now. Others on the list include Sony, Nintendo, Rolls-Royce, Rolex, Bosch, Harley-Davidson, Mercedes-Benz, Miele and Canon. Some of these companies have also previously partnered with the LEGO Group on various products.
The LEGO Group recognised as the most reputable company in the world
BILLUND, April 3, 2023: Today, the LEGO Group has been ranked as the most highly regarded company in the world in the annual Global RepTrak®100 survey released by the RepTrak Company™.
Chief Executive Officer of the LEGO Group, Niels B. Christiansen, said: “I am very honored that the LEGO Group has been named the World’s Most Reputable Company in 2023. This reflects the unwavering passion and commitment of our colleagues to help keep our promises during a year shaped by significant challenges. Children are our role models and inspire us to make choices that make their future world better. This means not only innovating LEGO® play but also constantly striving to have a positive impact on environment and society.”
The Global RepTrak® report developed by the RepTrak Company™ ranks the 100 Most Reputable Companies. The report is the world’s most comprehensive reputation study, compiled for the past 12 years using RepTrak’s in-depth analysis. RepTrak gathers data from more than 230,000 ratings surrounding perception on a variety of elements of reputation, including ESG, Workplace fairness, leadership, branding, and more.


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Walmart enjoys a market share envied by their peers in the retail industry. Most of their success comes from the product and service variety that few other retailers can even come close to replicating. Customers taking advantage of these amenities, particularly having a prescription filled by a pharmacist, can use the wait time to shop for necessities.
Growing suspicions of Walmart’s pharmaceutical practices got the attention of Texas federal law enforcement. Those agents teamed with federal prosecutors to investigate the company’s opioid dispensing practices that allegedly resulted in customers dying from overdoses.
Doing the Right Thing Falls Short
Their sources were store pharmacists from more than 30 states who began refusing to fill prescriptions from doctors known to operate “pill mills.” Their pleas of putting patients at risk to Walmart’s corporate office fell on deaf ears. Compliance officials with the mega-retailer not only ignored the problem, but they also doubled down by demanding that pharmacists keep filling prescriptions, regardless of any physician’s practices.
Their objective seemed to revolve around keeping pharmacy revenues flowing.
With first-hand accounts and other evidence, federal authorities felt confident in moving forward with an indictment against Walmart for violating the Controlled Substances Act. Twenty-four hours before Halloween 2018, they traveled to Washington to present their findings to the Department of Justice. Instead of being treated with praise over their due diligence and attention to detail, they found themselves feeling “tricked.”
Before the Texas prosecutors could file their case, however, Walmart escalated concerns to high-ranking members of the Department of Justice who intervened and ordered Texas agents to stand down. They claimed that the problem surrounded a few “rogue employees” and was anything but a nationwide problem with the retailer.
Federal authorities publicly decrying an opioid problem while looking the other way when it comes to prescription abuse is cognitive dissonance and its most dangerous. Those dealing with dependencies on this highly addictive medication could lose their lives, all due to greed.
WARNING: THIS IS A GENERAL DISCUSSION OF LAW AND IS NOT INTENDED TO BE LEGAL ADVICE. FOR ANY LEGAL QUESTIONS PLEASE CONTACT OUR OFFICE AND SPEAK TO AN ATTORNEY.


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When used wisely and efficiently, direct mail proves to be a solid marketing choice, it has been suggested.
Proper direct mail practices consistently outperform more modern forms of marketing, proving to be effective in a range of customer segments, according to industry expert Lois Brayfield, writing for MultiChannelMerchant.com.
Direct mail has a much more "active" feel to it than website marketing, she stated, as "customers may find their way to your site, but a catalog or a direct mail piece in their mailbox is an intrusive tap on the shoulder that online-only activities don't allow".
In addition, she said that direct mail marketing allows for stronger penetration than email, as electronic messages can be "overlooked in a crowded inbox [and] consumers are conditioned not to open e-mails from unknown senders for fear of viruses".
Ms Brayfield added that this "intrusiveness" allows the message of a marketing piece to better reach possible customers, as mail is much more likely to grab consumers' attention - showing that this intrusiveness is actually a positive thing for marketers.


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Global brand Harley-Davidson is celebrating its 110th anniversary this year. It’s a milestone that speaks to the strength of the relationships it has forged with its customers and devotees over the years and the strength of its messaging.
“A big part of our success starts with knowing that the consumer owns the brand — it’s the customer experience that defines brand,” says Brad Jandrew, marketing director of Concord, Ontario-basedDeeley Harley-Davidson Canada, the exclusive distributor of Harley-Davidson motorcycles in Canada. “Starting with the customer and operating as we do from a brand framework that flows from the U.S. — one brand, one company, one direction — allows us to integrate all aspects of marketing when we put a campaign together so that we have a universal message across all those channels. Being integrated is vital.”
Mitch Joel, president of digital marketing agency Twist Image, offers a quick breakdown of messaging 101 and a glimpse into the future: “Marketing is the engine by which a brand figures out the best price, product/service, place and promotion for that product or service. Within a marketing/communications program are tactics such as advertising, public relations and now social or digital media to help get a message out to help people connect to, talk about and buy your product.”
The world has changed a lot and an integrated approach in making sure you have the right balance in terms of media and how you are using it is important
That’s the backdrop. And for many companies, as imperatives grew, the tactics returning the best results were often given more weight. He points to the broadcast boom when advertising became very powerful in the marketing sphere and advertising agencies were created to tap that boom and reach. Certainly, TV ad spots are still powerful tools — witness the $4-million price tag for 30-second spots during the Super Bowl. But that kind of power also has the potential to lead to the various subsets of marketing operating independently, which can lead to inefficiency and mixed messages.
“The world has changed a lot and an integrated approach in making sure you have the right balance in terms of media and how you are using it is important,” says Mr. Joel. “The big wins come from understanding the brand narrative, the real story, and the myriad ways to share it.”
Brands have an opportunity to leverage the power of digital technology — and its ability to allow consumers to become active participants in message development — give themselves a competitive advantage, adds Mr. Joel.
“Today we can do marketing optimization in an iterative fashion because we live in a real-time feedback loop,” says Mr. Joel. “The opportunity for brands, especially small and medium-sized brands, is to learn from consumers, test theories and grow by leveraging real-time information to optimize on the fly. I think we are going to see brands creating that unique fingerprint for themselves.”
We came to the realization that over the past year or two, which in the digital world is a long time, our retail sales were strained as we let our fountaintire.com experience fall behind our competitors
That’s exactly what Edmonton-based Fountain Tire is doing to great effect. About a year ago, the national tire retailer and auto service provider decided to beef up its digital presence after its longtime advertising agency was purchased by a digital agency. The move gave the company time to re-examine its overall marketing program and to fully integrate its efforts.
“To that time, we were probably 70% of the way there, says Brent Hesje, CEO of Fountain Tire. “We came to the realization that over the past year or two, which in the digital world is a long time, our retail sales were strained as we let our fountaintire.com experience fall behind our competitors. We are taking steps to refresh and integrate it with the rest of our brand properties. We’ve done a good job in TV and radio with the branding so it became easy to rest on our laurels. There has been a real awakening for us to continue to use those mediums but not in isolation. There are too many risks to do that.”
For example, if advertising and digital are working independently, it’s easy for groups to take conflicting approaches that could lead to inefficiency and mixed messages. “This can be expensive and cause confusion both to the consumers and the operators in the field,” says Mr. Hesje. “We have to work at making sure the people that interface with the customer are aware of all the ways we are trying to drive demand into their stores. We can’t have the people at the counter or the service truck operators surprised with any of the media, branding or offers our customers have received. We started to see the consequences of working in isolation and had they played out longer, it would have led to poor service delivery, slower execution, customer irritation, higher marketing costs and lower margins. I don’t see any upside to having marketing functions operate independently.”
Fountain Tire is already enjoying improved results by taking a more harmonized approach to marketing. “Integrating print, social, mobile, TV, web and PR has created a higher level of scrutiny on whether they are returning the results we expect, which reinforces the need to collaborate and innovate. As we learn more about each segment we can measure and quantify ROI on a digital offering versus the value of PR. We can see which customer segment represents the higher rate of users of coupons and that allows us to be more targeted. Integrating allows us to prioritize.”


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Digital TV News: SeaChange
SeaChange powers Univer Video's relaunched OTT service
Nov 14, 2023 – SeaChange (OTCPK: SEAC) and Univer Video have announced the relaunch of Univer's global streaming service with SeaChange's streaming enablement platform, StreamVid.
News categories: SeaChange, Univer Video, Justin Murphy, Paulo Cezar Mendes, Brazil, Content Distribution, Digital TV, Streaming, Worldwide
FOX Sports Mexico and SeaChange show live sport with Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos
Oct 31, 2023 – SeaChange, with FOX Sports Mexico and Dolby Labs, is showing live sports on the FOX Sports Mexico streaming app, enhanced with Dolby Vision HDR and Dolby Atmos immersive sound, at Nextv Miami.
News categories: SeaChange, FOX Sports, Dolby, Apps, Digital TV, Mexico, Streaming, UX
SeaChange powers 'VIDAA Free' ad-supported video streaming hub
Feb 7, 2023 – VIDAA USA has launched VIDAA Free, a streaming hub of free ad-supported video available on TVs powered by the VIDAA smart TV OS. VIDAA Free is based on Xstream technology from SeaChange (NASDAQ: SEAC).
News categories: SeaChange, VIDAA, Chris Klimmer, Yaniv Gruenwald, Advertising, Digital TV, Smart TV, Streaming, TV OS, USA
SeaChange launches content monetization platform for Connected TVs
Jan 4, 2023 – SeaChange (NASDAQ: SEAC) has announced the launch of the SeaChange Xstream platform, a cloud-based content monetization platform helping OEMs and content owners maximize advertising revenue on Connected TVs.
News categories: SeaChange, Chris Klimmer, Advertising, Content Distribution, Digital TV, Streaming, Worldwide
SeaChange to power streaming for FOX Sports Mexico
Dec 6, 2022 – SeaChange (NASDAQ: SEAC) has been selected by FOX Sports Mexico to power their next generation streaming service. SeaChange's StreamVid streaming enablement platform will support FOX Sports Mexico’s deployment.
News categories: SeaChange, FOX Sports Mexico, Chris Klimmer, Israel Gomez, Content Distribution, Digital TV, Mexico, Streaming
SeaChange to power FIFA World Cup streaming for Grupo TVCable
Sep 20, 2022 – SeaChange has expanded its services to Grupo TVCable in Ecuador to include the streaming of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. The SeaChange platform will support bringing games to viewers through Grupo TVCable's Xtrim streaming service.
News categories: SeaChange, Grupo TVCable, Chris Klimmer, Daniel Coronel, Cable TV, Content Distribution, Digital TV, Ecuador, TV Everywhere
DISH Media partners with SeaChange and Beachfront on linear programmatic
Sep 12, 2022 – DISH Media (NASDAQ: DISH) has announced a solution enabling advertisers to access linear TV inventory through a real-time, programmatic buying model. National Linear Programmatic (NLP) will work across DISH TV's 7+ million households in the US.
News categories: DISH Media, Beachfront, SeaChange, Viant, Kevin Arrix, Chris Maccaro, Chris Klimmer, Jonathan Ahuna, Advertising, Digital TV, USA
SeaChange Advanced Advertising Platform selected by Armstrong and BEAM
Jun 27, 2022 – SeaChange (NASDAQ:SEAC) has announced that it will deploy its latest Advanced Advertising Platform for two partners in North America, enabling new and incremental video ad revenues both for Linear TV and streaming services.
News categories: SeaChange, Armstrong, BEAM, Robert Rozycki, Mike Giobbi, Jason Rang, Advertising, Cable TV, Digital TV, USA
VIDAA and SeaChange partner on ad insertion for VIDAA tv
Apr 4, 2022 – VIDAA USA and SeaChange International (NASDAQ: SEAC) have partnered to jointly develop a streaming and ad insertion solution to accelerate the expansion of free ad-supported content on VIDAA tv globally.
News categories: SeaChange, VIDAA, Chris Klimmer, Guy Edri, Advertising, Content Distribution, Digital TV, Smart TV, Streaming, Worldwide
- NxTV brings FAST channels to Brazil with Broadpeak
- Rakuten TV VOD now available via Zattoo on 1&1 in Germany
- Tele Columbus goes live with PŸUR TV STB featuring 3SS UX
- Two more Miami TV stations launch NEXTGEN TV
- Gracenote launches automotive infotainment metadata platform
- YMEDIA launches tokenized AI Smart TV ad network
- Barb awards metadata, interim overnight programme and commercial logs contracts
- FreeWheel and OrkaTV bring FAST channel access to advertisers
- América Móvil increases shareholding in Telekom Austria
- Tele Columbus taps Simply.TV for advanced metadata
- AOMedia offers spatial audio specification under royalty-free license
- TheViewPoint integrates with FreeWheel
- Australia to introduce 'prominence framework' for local broadcast services
- Telecom and pay-TV revenue in Hong Kong to grow at 1.1% CAGR
- Proximus optimises delivery of Pickx with Velocix Analytics
- Traditional US pay-TV services face continued decline
- Edgio adds player-independent video performance reports
- Flat panel display oversupply to continue into 2024
- Japan SVOD service revenue to reach $6 billion in 2027
- Ateme powers NT's sports video contribution in Asia and beyond


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It looks like we haven’t seen the last of the controversy surrounding Jimin and that shirt he wore a year ago!
The sudden cancellation of BTS’s performance on “Music Station” was explained by their side that it was because of the shirt Jimin wore and the controversy it created. The shirt commemorates the day Korea was liberated from Japanese rule in 1945. The T-Shirt includes graphics of Korean celebrating the liberation as well as an atomic bomb detonating in Japan, the atomic bomb contributed to the surrender of Japan and thus Korea’s liberation.
In light of the news making headlines again, the CEO of the company that created the shirt Lee Kwang Jae of LJ Company, sat down for an interview and explained what he meant with the t-shirt design and talked about BTS.
“It was not a design to mock Japan or for the anti-Japanese sentiment.”
“Back then when I started the brand, Fashion Street was the trend. I personally was interested in that theme so I made the t-shirt, thinking that if I put a scene of history into what young people wore, they might become interested in history.”
About the atomic bomb image, he said,
“It wasn’t to mock Japan. I did it to express the historical truth and the timing after the bomb detonated and how it contributed to the surrender of Japan which led to independence.”
He also talked about BTS’s canceled appearance on “Music Station” and how the company explained it was because of the t-shirt, he said,
“When I found out, I was flustered and apologetic. I had no intention to promote anti-Japanese sentiment and I am so sorry towards BTS.”
On the other hand, Big Hit Entertainment told Sports DongA,
“There are no major changes to BTS’s promotion in Japan.”
What do you think of this?


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Honda in America came into being at Marysville Auto Plant, which has for 32 years been contributing profitably towards American sales volume, especially with the Accord line up. A Performance Manufacturing Centre is under construction in the same place, which will be the exclusive global production location for the next generation Acura NSX.
Honda’s engine manufacturing facility in Lincoln, Ala. and Anna, Ohio, and the automatic transmissions production in Russells Point, Ohio, and Tallapoosa, Ga. have produced 23.77 million automobile engines and 18.64 million transmissions in the United States.
Almost 95% of the Honda and Acura automobiles sold in the U.S. in 2013 were produced in North America at East Liberty, Ohio, Lincoln, Ala., and Greensburg, Ind. Investments to the tune of about $1.6 billion have been made in Honda US plants in the past 3 years to further production.
“We are deeply aware that our ability to reach this milestone results from the trust that 20 million customers have placed in our products, and we appreciate their support over the past three decades,” said Hidenobu Iwata, president and CEO of Honda of America Mfg. and head of Honda’s North American manufacturing. “We also value the commitment made by tens of thousands of associates at Honda and our hundreds of suppliers in the U.S. who build products of the highest quality for our customers.”


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Hank Green has partnered with a global technology company to help bring engaging STEM education online.
Everything you need to know to make the most of your Facebook Live broadcasts.
Readers on smartphones spent about twice as much time with longer articles than they did with shorter stories, according to a new study from the Pew Research Center.
A tribute from one rock royal to another.
"I will be back in one second."
He will not rest until Tesla hits its goals. Literally.
Hint: Nobody likes bullet points.
The search for Satoshi Nakamoto continues.
If Julie doesn't like nuts, you don't use nuts.
You might be lucky, but not for long.
Mashable's latest #BizChats Twitter chat dove into the good, bad and down-right unknown of entrepreneurship and what it takes to stay afloat in a sea of competitors.
“The most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or touched. They are felt with the heart.”
Now that's luxury travel!
Can we take facial recognition technology at face value?
It was a cogent deceit.
Just in time for summer.
Here's how you can make sure you're going about making critical decisions the right way.
It will let you do things without ever touching your phone.
Google is making its presentation tool more interactive.
It's about time.
Labrador retrievers may be genetically hard-wired to love food, a new study finds.
Keep on spoonin'
Just in time for Mother's Day!
Proof that there's plenty of awesome people out there.
She's totally fine!
Here are the best and worst tweets from May the Fourth.
Spoiler: They sing 'We Are the Champions' and nothing will ever be as awesome.
R2-D2 and a handful of stormtroopers were invited.
If you've ever had an extended conversation on the Internet, there's a very good chance that you or your ideas have been compared to Adolph Hitler or Nazis.


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After the European Union started to regulate searches ever more closely, it has been on a ‘censor spree’, imposing stricter regulations on companies like Google and Facebook. After an EU ruling found Google violating particular anti-trust laws in the eyes of the EU, Google is taking some measures to make things right.
Google’s ‘Right-To-Be-Forgotten’ (RTBF) policy is being altered to cover all Google worldwide websites for European users. This means that even if a person physically present in Europe accesses Google worldwide domains, they will still not be able to see the RTBF links.
The RTBF policy was enforced by the European Court of Justice in May 2014, stating that all people in Europe had the right to remove irrelevant information from search engines like Google and Bing.
Google complied with this ruling and introduced the RTBF section only for European sites, arguing that removing the search results from the entire network of Google sites would hurt the concept of free flow of information. In September 2015, CNIL (French data protection authority) threatened to fine Google a sum of $169,000, asking for the RTBF requests to be removed from all Google editions.
Let’s understand this in a better way. Under Google’s RTBF policy, a European user can request the removal of search results which are harmful or violate privacy laws on particular keywords. Users can specify which links are to be removed for particular search terms, and if accepted, Google will remove those search results for those specific search terms.
For example, if a company was entangled in a lawsuit and the lawsuit was dropped 10 years ago, the information is probably not relevant anymore and would be harmful for the company’s future. If the company files a RTBF request, the link will be removed from the search results for the company’s specified search term [company name]. However, the results for the term [Lawsuits against companies 10 years ago] will not be dropped.
Previously, only the search results in the European sites were removed. All a user had to do was visit the Google’s American or Canadian version to see the original search results, even if residing in Europe.
Now, Google has changed its RTBF policy by enabling a geographical constraint. If a user is physically present in the country of the originating RTBF request, he/she will not be able to view the RTBF links on worldwide editions of Google as well.
Continuing with our example, if the company mentioned is a French company and filed a RTBF request from France, the RTBF links would not be available in Google France or any other Google edition for a user residing in France. However, a person residing in Germany would be able to view the links, as of now.
Till now, Google has granted over 1.4 million URLs, with an acceptance rate of 43%. Just recently, Facebook was asked by CNIL to stop tracking users and sending data to the U.S.


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When San Francisco lawmakers revealed a controversial redevelopment effort in the blighted Mid-Market neighborhood, Supervisor Jane Kim promised economic development and jobs. And now, it looks like the plan is working.
On Tuesday, audio giant Dolby Laboratories announced it would be moving its headquarters from the ritzy SOMA neighborhood to the heart of Mid-Market.
(SCROLL DOWN FOR PHOTOS)
According to a press release, the 354,000-square-foot building is at 1275 Market Street near the intersection of 9th Street.
"San Francisco-based Dolby is an important employer and business leader here in the innovation capital of the world, and we appreciate the company's continued commitment to job creation in our city," said Mayor Ed Lee in the release.
"Companies like Dolby are transforming the Central Market neighborhood into a vibrant hub for entertainment, culture and innovation and are proving that our economic strategy for companies to start here, grow here and stay here is working," he continued.
According to the San Francisco Chronicle, the purchase price for the new building was $110 million.
Dolby is certainly in good company: the building is just a few hundred feet from Twitter's recently unveiled new headquarters.
Earlier this month, Twitter opened the doors to its new HQ, revealing a rooftop garden, a Skee Ball arcade and a micro health kitchen. Will Dolby house the same luxe trappings? We can't wait to find out.
Check out our slideshow below for a few other thriving Mid-Market businesses and destinations:


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The Philadelphia 76ers are looking to be active at the NBA trade deadline this week, but it appears they are playing favorites when it comes to which trade chip they’re comfortable with giving up and the one they want to hold ransom. According to Sean Deveney from Sporting News, the 76ers are asking the highest price for Thaddeus Young when it comes to the three players they’ve been shopping at the deadline.
Most notable among them is Evan Turner, the No. 2 pick in the 2010 draft, who is slated to be a restricted free agent this summer and has been given no indication that he fits into Philly’s long-term plans.
Another free agent, center Spencer Hawes, is on the block, too, and though the Sixers are asking a higher price for forward Thaddeus Young, he, too, can be had.
This isn’t too surprising as the Sixers have started to come around the Young more and more the longer he’s been playing well. Still, all three players can be had at the deadline but if one of them is the most likely to stay, that now distinctly appears to be Young.
Tags: Philadelphia 76ers


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As Downloads Double, Overall Sales Still Down
January 17, 2007 at 5:49 AM (PT)
BLOOMBERG reports that a surge in downloaded songs and mobile-phone ringtones failed to make up for declines in sales of compact discs last year. Music downloads almost doubled to about $2 billion last year, accounting for about 10% of the industry's global sales, the INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHIC INDUSTRY said in a statement. While that's up from 5.5% in 2005, it's still not enough to offset the revenue lost due to piracy and declining sales of physical media such as CDs.
"I would like to be announcing that a fall in CD sales is being compensated for by an equal or greater increase in online and mobile revenues," said IFPI CEO JOHN KENNEDY. "But that is not yet happening on a global basis."
The four biggest music companies, VIVENDI SA's UNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP, SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT, EMI GROUP PLC and WARNER MUSIC GROUP, are counting on rising sales of downloads. The IFPI repeated its forecast that downloads will account for at least 25% of industry sales by 2010.


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Twitter Getting Popular?
In an ever developing technology world, Twitter has been working on implementing a feature into it’s service involving the most popular tweets turning up in it’s search service.
“The Search team is working on a beta project that returns the most popular tweets for a query, rather than only the most recent tweets. This is a beta project, but an important first step to surface the most popular tweets for users searching Twitter..
Until the popular tweet feature all search results have been sorted chronologically, most recent results at the top. If a search query has any popular results, those will be returned at the top, even if they are older than the other results.”
The methodology to implement the service is outlined in detail for developers, but just how the ranking scheme for the tweets is handled, is unknown. The Thought of making the popular results available at search.twitter.com and not just via it’s API was also inferred in the post. But as for an implementation date or time, Singletary was noncommittal.
It’s an interesting idea that is, in a way, a shift in movement for Twitter in it’s core. Twitter, touted as a real time search results source, changing things to bring a user popular/relevant results over it’s real time results?


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From Google: We are committed to providing you with a consistent and reliable payout experience while we introduce new forms of payment to better serve your users and create more revenue opportunities for you. In order to do so, we are shifting our payout date to 15 days after the month’s end. Starting in February… Read more »
What does it take to get an app approved by an app store? Sometimes a very dubious process where developers have little insight. BlackBerry App World however, just published their vetting criteria. Take a look!
Everyone who develops for Android knows about the Google Play store. Slightly more sophisticated publishers go beyond Google Play and feature in the Amazon Appstore, Samsung Apps or possibly even Getjar. In report after report the number one thing developers look for when choosing a platform is reach. Naturally this also extends to the app… Read more »
From Amazon App Store: As part of our ongoing effort to help our developers reach new customers, you can now submit your apps for distribution later this year in Japan. In addition, we are only a few weeks away from launching the Kindle Fire family of tablets in the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, and… Read more »
Reading about the massive fragmentation issue that exists in Android today in a recent TechCrunch article is really an eye opener. The amount of devices games developer Animoca had available to test was a flashback to the old days of J2ME (insert shivering here). This is not news to industry insiders, and industry experts like… Read more »


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Habia receives 2021 Forbes Diamond Award
Habia Cable Poland has been listed as one of companies that will receive a Forbes Diamond Award 2021.
Brexit and our business, update February 2021
On the 30 December, 2020, the EU and the United Kingdom officially signed a Trade and Cooperation Agreement which regulates trade between the two parties.
Covid-19 update, January 2021
Despite increasing restrictions in many countries and regions, the Covid-19 pandemic currently has a very limited negative impact on our ability to supply our customers.


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SEAT is celebrating a double success at the 2011 Scottish Car of the Year awards as versions of its smallest and largest models currently on sale in the UK each triumphed in their categories.
The Ibiza E Ecomotive took home the Eco Award and the Alhambra was named MPV of the Year at the awards ceremony in Glasgow on Friday 14 October.
The judging panel of the respected national awards, which are presented by the Association of Scottish Motoring Writers (ASMW), heaped praise on the SEAT duo for their frugality and functionality.
President of the ASMW, John Murdoch, said of Scotland’s Eco Award winner: “Saving fuel and saving the planet don’t mean saving on quality, comfort or driving pleasure.
“All of our contenders for the Eco Award more than satisfy with their economy and tax-busting emissions, but one car – the SEAT Ibiza E Ecomotive – stands out for us as 2011’s best environmentally aware machine.
“It’s a car that just keeps on cutting the cost of driving, which always appeals to our Scottish hearts and wallets!”
The ultra-frugal Ibiza – powered by a 75 PS, 1.2-litre, three cylinder, turbodiesel engine – is good for as much as 91.1 mpg on the extra urban cycle. It produces just 92 g/km of CO2, making it exempt from road tax, and has a theoretical range between fill-ups of more than 900 miles.
At the other end of the size scale is the multi-award winning seven-seat Alhambra, which took the title of Scottish MPV of the Year – its sixth major UK ‘gong’.
“2011 has seen a profusion of brilliant MPVs, cars that can fulfil many and varied roles in the lives of their owners,” said John Murdoch. “More than most, Scottish buyers need a car that can cope with the rigours of life while delivering a great drive and fine fuel economy.
“Our winner does all this and more, thanks to its classy and adaptable seating. It’s a truly multi-talented MPV and deserved winner.”
The double-award win coincides with a strong surge in SEAT sales in Scotland: registrations are up 15.9 per cent so far this year (to the end of September), with sales of Ibiza, Alhambra and Exeo models all growing significantly in a market that’s down by more than six per cent during the same period (source: SMMT regional new car registration figures).
“Scottish drivers are, clearly, turning to SEAT’s mix of style, quality, dynamic ability and great value in rapidly increasing numbers,” said SEAT UK Managing Director, Peter Wyhinny.
“That two of our most successful models have been honoured by the Association of Scottish Motoring Writers only serves to underline how important Scotland is to the success of SEAT in the UK.”


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Hamilton Beach recalls thousands of toasters
Toasters recalled due to fire hazard
DETROIT – Hamilton Beach has recalled nearly 14,000 toasters due to a fire hazard.
The company said when the toaster is first plugged in the heating element can be charged despite the toaster's lifter being in the "up" or "off" position.
This can pose a fire hazard if the toaster is placed near flammable items.
Model No. 22602 is being recalled.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has joined in the recall.
For more information on the recall, go to Hamilton's website: www.HamiltonBeach.com
Copyright 2011 by ClickOnDetroit.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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India Silver futures may trade volatile; US Silver bearish
NEW DELHI-INDIA (Aug 6) Silver prices declined on Tuesday and is seen trading bearish tracking the bearish trend in gold supported by weak international cues. The white metal is likely continue with the trend as there are no major data releases are scheduled for the day.
Silver for September delivery on Globex platform of Comex was seen trading down by 0.32% at $19.625 per troy ounce as of 05.47 PM IST on Tuesday.
The trend in silver futures for September delivery on India's Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX) is seen trading slightly up and is expected to trade volatile during intra-day trade, according to our analyst at Commodity Online.
“For intra-day, resistance for the commodity is seen at 42200 and 42800 levels while support is seen at 41000 level. Traders are advised to remain cautious while taking positions for the day,” said Tarang Parmar, Research Analyst at Commodity Online.
MCX silver for September delivery was seen trading up by 0.11% at Rs.41807 per kilogram as of 05.39 PM IST on Tuesday.


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One of the benefits of working regionally is the ability to connect the dots which may have gone unnoticed. While traveling around the region it became clear that the textile industry is alive and well. One of the topics the Merrimack Valley Planning Commission is looking is the textile industry in the region and how that industry is growing/realigning within the larger state and national trends. Small startups like 1620 Workwear and 99 Degrees Custom are popping up alongside more legacy companies like Southwick. Folks may think that the textiles is an industry that went away a long time ago, but the reality is otherwise – textiles companies are here and many are growing in the Merrimack Valley.
Mass Innovation Nights are well known through Massachusetts. They highlight products from local and regional companies and give them a platform. It seemed like a perfect fit for IndusPAD, an industrial sized coworking and scale up space on the Lawrence/Methuen line. Mass Innovation Night hosted its 123rd event at the Lawrence industrial startup incubator in conjunction with the Lawrence Partnership and the Merrimack Valley Planning Commission. The companies featured were CathWear, Hope Sews, IG MODA, Southwick, Magnomer, gunaPAJAMA, Keysie, Terracea, Acadia Deerskin Chukka Boot, and Laced Boston. Having these small businesses and entrepreneurs pitching their products alongside textile titans like Southwick demonstrated synergy in the regions textile cluster. Working together with municipal and industry stakeholders helps the entire region galvanize around emerging industries and strengthens long term resiliency.


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China inflation: PPI surge "a notable increase in potential pipeline pressures"
Yesterday we got Chinese inflation data for December, CPI and PPI
CPI 2.1% y/y
- expected 2.2%
- prior 2.3%
PPI 5.5% y/y
- expected 4.7%
- prior 3.3%
Yes, you read that right, a huge jump in PPI.
Says Daiwa in London on the data (in brief and bolding mine):
- Having risen to a seven-month high in November, Chinese consumer price inflation in December came in a touch weaker than expected
- The decline on the month was principally due to a drop in vegetable inflation
- Non-food inflation rose 0.2ppt to 2.0%Y/Y
- Core inflation excluding food and energy prices remained unchanged at 1.9%Y/Y
- More striking, however, were the latest factory price data, which flagged a notable increase in potential pipeline pressures
- Chinese PPI jumped the most in five years
- Prices of raw materials up almost 10%Y/Y, producer prices of manufactured items up a little more than 5%Y/Y, but producer prices of consumer goods up a more modest 0.8%Y/Y
And, Macquarie highlight the new switch in focus for Chian data ...
- In January 2016 the common fear was deflation and hard landing
- Now the concerns are inflation and financial risks
As I said in the Asia wrap yesterday ... while the ongoing producer price increases have not trickled into consumer level prices the pressure is not quite on yet for the PBOC to tighten monetary policy, but a lean toward a move conservative policy may nevertheless come as debt build-up continues. AUD traders take note.


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Lithium-sulfur batteries could theoretically store an order of magnitude more energy by weight than today’s lithium-ion batteries because sulfur can incorporate more lithium ions than the standard electrode materials. This could extend the range of electric vehicles and the battery life of portable electronics without adding weight—and sulfur is abundant and cheap. Now, a team of researchers has designed a cathode for such batteries that holds up to 10 times as much sulfur as other designs without a drop in performance (ACS Energy Lett. 2016, DOI: 10.1021/acsenergylett.6b00104). A test battery made with the cathode had eightfold higher energy capacity than a typical cellphone battery.
Putting sulfur in battery cathodes presents many engineering challenges. Because sulfur has low electrical conductivity, engineers usually compensate by adding conductive, carbon-based compounds to the cathode. But these materials reduce the amount of sulfur that can fit in the battery, lowering the energy density. “We want to increase the sulfur loading while maintaining good performance so that lithium-sulfur batteries can compete,” says Arumugam Manthiram of the University of Texas, Austin.
He, Yang-Kook Sun of Hanyang University, and their colleagues combined two complementary carbon materials to boost the electrode’s conductivity: acetylene black and multiwalled carbon nanotubes. The careful mix of these materials creates a balance between mechanical strength and high conductivity per volume, allowing more incorporation of elemental sulfur without decreasing the conductivity or total energy storage. Other batteries of this type have relied on sulfur compounds, lowering the total sulfur loading.
In their design, the researchers made sure to address another known issue with lithium-sulfur batteries: Sulfur reacts with lithium ions to form lithium polysulfides that can migrate out of the cathode, removing lithium from operation. Using UV-Vis spectroscopy, the researchers confirmed that when the carbon materials were doped with nitrogen, the materials bound to the polysulfides and kept them from escaping. To further help with this, the researchers used chitosan, a polysaccharide found in crustacean shells, as a binder.
To make the cathode, the researchers spread a slurry of the nitrogen-doped carbon materials, chitosan binder, and elemental sulfur on aluminum foil and topped it with a net made of nanotubes to act as a final barrier to keep polysulfides from escaping. “The production cost of our system should be low compared to others,” Sun says. “Our materials are cheap, and we are using existing manufacturing technology.”
The completed cathode contains 10 mg of sulfur per cm2—much more than the typical 1 or 2 mg/cm2, Manthiram says. When the researchers paired the cathode with a lithium-metal anode to form a battery, the device had an initial capacity of 1,332 milliamp-hours per gram. A typical cell phone battery has a capacity of about 170 mA-hr/g, Manthiram says. After discharging and charging 50 times, the new design maintains 91% of that storage capacity. After further charge cycles, the anode would start to break down; the limited lifetime of lithium-metal electrodes is another engineering challenge.
Yuegang Zhang, a battery chemist at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, says it’s significant that the researchers were able to get more sulfur in the battery. But Zhang says they need to figure out how to boost the sulfur content even further to compete with commercial technology.


text: Lyle E. Dodge writes "According to this article at Yahoo.com Symbol Technologies announced (on Tax Day of all days) that in 2004 UPS would deploy 70,000 handheld delivery computers based on Symbol's Fourth Generation hardware. Color screens, 128 megs of RAM, and uber-connected (GPS, GPRS, CDMA, WiFi, Bluetooth, Infrared, Analog modem), and, of course, the familiar barcode scanner. The obvious /. question is: Can we run Linux on Brown? Maybe UPS can fund an OSS startup, "BrownHat"? We'll see..."


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The Buzz: Quiet retail picture starts to slowly come back to life, but with caution
National stores are slowly reopening here following two months of lock-up during the safer-at-home order.
But the financial impact of the pandemic closures has pushed some already struggling retailers to the brink.
Some will close stores permanently in the future, but have have yet to publish lists of locations on the chopping block.
Here’s what was known as of Friday morning:
Preparing to reopen shortly
Reopening Monday: Macy’s in the Fox River Mall, Marshalls and HomeGoods in Darboy and T.J. Maxx and HomeGoods in Grand Chute.
While Macy’s at the Fox River Mall reopens Monday, it faces larger issues. The company warned investors a week ago that it anticipates a $1 billion loss in the first quarter because of pandemic-related closures.
In February, prior to the outbreak, Macy’s had announced its plan to close 125 stores over three years. The Fox River Mall store has not appeared on closure lists to date and remains in operation.
J.C. Penney at the Fox River Mall has not yet publicized its reopening date. It was dark Thursday and its website still lists it as temporarily closed because of the pandemic.
The company has reopened a total of 304 stores around the country, but none in Wisconsin as of Thursday.
It will reopen more unspecified locations this upcoming week, a store spokesperson said in an email.
"We’ll make another announcement next week, when we’re scheduled to bring the total number of reopened stores up to 500 from approximately 300 this week," spokeswoman Kristen Bennett told The Post-Crescent.
Penney’s filed for bankruptcy May 15 and said it will permanently close 242 of its 846 stores, about 29%, in fiscal 2020 and 2021. The company’s lawyers expect to identify those locations in a court filing next Thursday.
Pier 1 Imports
Pier 1 Imports filed for bankruptcy in February. Last week it said it will close all of its remaining stores, including the Grand Chute location at 4717 W. Michaels Drive.
As of Thursday, the store had not yet reopened following its pandemic shutdown and still had Easter merchandise in its windows. Information was not available on when it might start its going-out-of-business sale.
While off-price store Tuesday Morning closed its Appleton store five years ago, it kept its branch open on W. Mason St. in Green Bay. Now that store will also close, according to the company’s bankruptcy filing Wednesday.


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Customers can enjoy unlimited rice and hot soup with their meal.
Amid rising food prices, a small business owner in Shah Alam has caught the attention of netizens by offering an affordable set of meals.
Ajann Rosman, the operator of an Indonesian spice fried chicken shop in Seksyen 7, Shah Alam, provides customers with a fried chicken set meal and drinks for only RM9.90.
Salam kawan kawan internet, dah nak masuk tiga bulan aku buka kedai ayam penyet dekat Seksyen 7 Shah Alam ni. Alhamdullilah, sambutan so far okay okay la. Jom la layan thread aku jap😆 pic.twitter.com/dcjoKkOC4H— Fauzan (@AjannRosman) November 7, 2023
What’s more, customers can enjoy unlimited rice and hot soup with their meal.
The store’s concept is simple – customers can order the dishes they want, such as chicken or fish, and have as much rice and soup as they desire.
However, Ajann emphasizes the importance of not taking more than necessary not to neglect the people waiting behind.
Ajann’s affordable offerings have been well-received by customers seeking budget-friendly options.
While the store’s target audience is students, these affordable prices are available to everyone, including non-students.
His dedication to his craft and willingness to adapt to market demands are commendable traits that contribute to his success.
Ni antara review yang aku dapat dari student uitm shah alam, happy je aku baca feedback dia🏻 pic.twitter.com/DMu4kV0nNb— Fauzan (@AjannRosman) November 7, 2023
Commitment to Affordable Meals and Customer Satisfaction
The menu includes various set meals, such as fried chicken, fried fish, tempeh, and meatballs, with prices starting as low as RM8.90.
Despite concerns about profitability due to the low prices, Ajann’s primary focus is customer satisfaction.
He believes seeing his customers enjoy their meals is more important than maximizing profits.
At just 25 years old, he sees this venture as an opportunity to learn and grow.
Despite this, he remains worried about the unpredictable weather and the need for a significant customer base to reach the breakeven point.
Cuma aku post ni sebab aku risau sekarang cuaca tak menentu, aku perlukan volume customer yang besar untuk aku lepas breakeven. Untuk student UiTM Shah Alam dgn Unisel atau korang yang nak makan murah boleh la datang kedai aku. Inshallah aku korang puas hati, itu janji aku💪 pic.twitter.com/EP0PNiRADR— Fauzan (@AjannRosman) November 7, 2023
Netizens Praise Azam’s Affordable Meal Initiative Amid Rising Food Prices
Azam’s post about his affordable set of meals has gained significant attention on social media, with over 8,000 retweets and numerous positive comments from netizens.
Many praised the low prices and even mentioned that the portion of fried chicken was generous enough to feed two people.
This initiative comes when food prices have been on the rise in Malaysia.
Way klang still so cheap? In KL Chinese mixed rice memang more expensive than nasi kandar already, excluding the big brands nasi kandar la like pelita, kayu etc. You go normal mamak, rice, chicken thigh/drumstick and vege around Rm8-10. Same thing at Chinese shop Rm10 above.— ModerateOutcast (@SnappyCraps) November 1, 2023
According to a report by the Straits Times, the country has witnessed an increase in food prices due to various factors such as inflation and supply chain disruptions.
It is worth noting that Azam’s initiative is not the only effort to address the issue of rising food prices in Malaysia.
The government has introduced programs like the Rahmah Menu, which offers meals at affordable prices to help the lower-income group cope with the cost of living.
These initiatives ensure Malaysians access affordable and nutritious meals during these challenging times.


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US-based specialty pharmaceutical firm Alvogen has launched a biosimilar monoclonal antibody (mAb) therapy ‘Inflectra (Infliximab)’ in Central and Eastern Europe.
Inflectra is a biosimilar medicine to the reference medicinal product ‘Remicade (Infliximab)’. It is the first monoclonal antibody (mAb) to be approved through the European Medicines Agency (EMA) biosimilars regulatory pathway.
The drug has been approved to treat inflammatory conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis (RA), ankylosing spondylitis, Crohn’s disease (CD), ulcerative colitis (UC), psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and psoriasis.
Alvogen and Hospira have marketed biosimilar drugs throughout Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) since establishing their partnership in 2011, which also allows them to provide increased access to the newest biosimilar drugs with best technology.
The product will be marketed by Alvogen in Bulgaria, Croatia, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, and Romania.
Alvogen executive vice-president in the CEE region Petar Vazharov said: "This product represents a major milestone for our biosimilar portfolio, which has been making great progress since its launch in partnership with Hospira in 2011.
"Biosimilars offer a huge opportunity for our business in Eastern Europe and with Inflectra we demonstrate the continued growth we are achieving in this important portfolio.
"Inflectra offers a more affordable, but equally effective, treatment option for sufferers of inflammatory conditions, offering compelling cost-saving opportunities within the European Union."
The vast improvements in the efficient treatment of conditions such as RA and IBD (inflammatory bowel disease) are because of the use of biologic medicines, but these drugs also account for some of the highest medicinal costs in many countries.
If the biosimilar mAbs are introduced in Europe they are expected to deliver savings of up to €20.4bn by 2020.
Hospira corporate vice-president and chief medical officer Stan Bukofzer said: "For over a decade, biologic medicines have been pivotal in treating a range of inflammatory conditions, so the launch in Europe of Inflectra as a biosimilar alternative represents a huge step towards the affordability of future biologic therapies."
Biosimilar portfolio of Hospira comprises of Inflectra and two other marketed products in nephrology and oncology.
In addition, Hospira intends to launch a number of new biosimilar monoclonal antibodies, with one currently in late-stage development.
Image: High-magnification micrograph of Crohn’s disease. Photo: courtesy of Nephron.


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11 Dec Q4 Social Media Updates
Now that all the turkeys have been carved and the Black Friday shopping has ended, brands and marketers are in their final Q4 push and are . Catch up on the latest news from the social media world in with our Q4 social media updates.
Q4 Social Media Updates
Instagram Expands Shopping
In September, Instagram rolled out product stickers in stories and the shopping channel in Explore. In the latest rollout, they have introduced three new ways to shop in the app.
- Shopping collection, which is similar to the current collections feature, allows users to save products they’d like to eventually purchase through the product tag on a brand’s photo.
- The ‘Shop’ tab on a business profile allows interested buyers to purchase products directly from the page.
- Audiences can now shop in videos on their feed. When users see a video from a brand they follow, they can see highlighted products by tapping the video.
Users prefer a seamless experience while shopping and it seems Instagram continues to figure out how to best execute this process.
LinkedIn Gets a New Look
LinkedIn has redesigned business pages to improve the experience for their communities. Admins of business profiles can now categorize their own page with hashtags in order to monitor relevant posts coming from their audience and others within their industry. This gives these admins the opportunity to track industry trends and topics so their business can be involved in conversations. Additionally, companies now have the ability to re-share employee’s posts, which can ultimately help with recruitment and positive conversations around the brand. Most notably, businesses can now share public documents via LinkedIn. Powerpoints, PDFs and other formats are now supported so that brands, employers and recruiters can tell their audience a more detailed story about their companies.
Facebook Tests Keyword Blocking
Facebook users have gotten increasingly more selective about what they want to see in their feeds. Now, Facebook is testing a way to cater to their users. The company is exploring a feature that allows its users to block unwanted words from their personal feeds. This will help users weed out content that they don’t want to have in their feeds. A key feature is that the original poster will not know that someone has blocked their post. Facebook Pages, Instagram and Twitter do currently offer these features. This has not been officially announced by Facebook, but has been discovered by eagle-eyed users on their personal pages.
Want to say in the loop on all things social? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter, Social You Should Know, below. Need help implementing any of these new Q4 social media updates?


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This article is part of a series highlighting the Top 10 Global Consumer Trends 2021 report.
Consumers are Craving Convenience of the pre-pandemic world, longing for the ease taken for granted before daily habits were upended. Businesses are under pressure to rapidly adapt their operations to develop a resilient customer experience while maintaining convenience. Companies must preserve the swift and seamless shopping journey across all channels.
Recapturing lost in-store experiences
Consumer expenditure is expected to shrink alongside an economic downturn, so convenience will play a pivotal role in purchasing decisions. Consumers will be Craving Convenience and seeking businesses that best prioritise safety while minimising changes in established preferences and shopping patterns. Coronavirus (COVID-19) serves as a trial period. High-touch and relationship-driven businesses have an opportunity to test self-serve, touchless or unattended operations.
Source: Euromonitor International Digital Consumer Survey, fielded March to April 2020
Companies are challenged to cultivate a resilient customer experience while upholding what made their business convenient in the first place. New methods, such as QR codes on social distancing ground markers, allow consumers to browse menus or search products while queuing to enter or pay. The goal is to offset COVID-related inconveniences and recapture an experience that feels normal. Solution-based products and services that cater to new consumer routines will drive Craving Convenience forward.
Download the full Top 10 Global Consumer Trends 2021 report to learn more about emerging and fast-moving trends that are expected to gain traction in the year ahead.


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BBB warnings unfounded, iJango execs contend
- Mike Sunnucks
A Texas marketing firm says its getting a bum rap from the Better Business Bureau
The BBB’s Phoenix, Texas and national offices issued consumer warnings earlier this month warning that Austin-based iJango Network could be a pyramid scheme.
Angela Hale, a spokeswoman for iJango, disputes that contention, saying the Internet marketing company has a legitimate business model. She also said the BBB is misleading the media and consumers as to how many complaints have been filed against the company.
A BBB news release earlier this month said it had received 3,400 inquiries about iJango. Hale said inquiries are not the same as formal complaints, which she contends number in the half-dozen range and have been resolved.
Ed Burbach, an attorney for iJango Network, also denies the BBB’s accusations against the company.
“A considerable amount of investor money, computer programming, time, resources and sweat equity has been invested into iJango Network, which is a startup internet company. We believe the Central Texas Better Business Bureau mistakenly mischaracterized the company in a news release and in a reliability report. IJango adamantly denies the allegations,” Burbach said in a prepared statement.
“The company is following a proven network marketing business model based on the success of Excel Communications, which became the fourth-largest long-distance company in the country. With any startup, there are a few glitches with an initial launch, but there have only been a few complaints filed against the company at the BBB. The company has resolved the complaints and refunded the money to consumers,” Burbach’s statement continued.
The company has held sales presentations in Phoenix, the BBB said. Sales agents are told they can make money by marketing and bringing Web traffic to iJango.biz and get commissions for the traffic generated. The agents pay up-front fees of at least $50 plus monthly fees of $19.95 to be part of the company’s marketing effort, according to the BBB.
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Transitions are never fun: maybe you’re looking to buy a new home in this growing real estate market, or you’re fixing to enroll in school for another degree. Changing jobs maybe? What with the fluctuating economy, whatever decision you’re going to make is about the equivalent of stirring up a hornet’s nest. Such is the case with this massive yellow jacket of a transition: chip-enabled credit card technology, also known as EMV. And as of this past October, guess what — you’ll very soon be forced to use these new type of credit cards.
Fear Not, Though, and Don’t Be Frightened — Chip-Enabled
Credit Card Technology Won’t Sting
Aside from the fact that the U.S. is at the moment the last country on the planet to use the old-fashioned magnetic strips you find on credit cards (Europe and other countries utilize EMV religiously, along with PIN identification for further prevention of ID theft and credit card fraud), you have three reasons to believe that everything should be okay as the commercial industry, specifically regarding credit cards, will do just fine with this new chip-enabled credit card technology:
- Go Ahead and Keep Your Mag Strip Credit Card for the Time Being — You’re going to need it for a long while, and here’s why.
- We Already Mentioned That EMV Protects From Fraud a Whole Lot Better — The question is this: how?
- Businesses Are Going to Need to Convert Anyway — In a way, businesses have to be much more nervous about this new transition than you, as the consumer. Here’s why.
And that’s just the start. There will be numerous other benefits associated with chip-enabled credit card technology as EMV continues to flourish and dominate the spectrum.
The Best You Can Do Is Be Prepared
Those credit card companies won’t spring the new cards on you while you’re not looking, just so you know. It will be a transition, not a big surprise. But a good transition at that.
The post 3 Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Worry About Your New Chip-Enabled Credit Card appeared first on OWNWITHHOPE.


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Chrysler’s parent company, Stellantis, recently announced that it intended to let off some 400 paid employees in the US. The decision is made at a time when the automotive sector is dealing with previously unseen issues, such as delays in the supply chain, difficulties in the world economy, and changes in customer preferences. This action is a reflection of the continued difficulties manufacturers face in trying to adjust to shifting market conditions.
Global Uncertainty’ Effect on the Automobile Industry:
Recent years have seen several difficulties for the automobile sector, including shortages of electronic components, international tensions, and shifting economic conditions. These elements have had a major effect on production schedules, which has caused supply chains and inventory management for automakers all over the world to become disrupted. The workforce decrease choice made by Stellantis highlights the necessity for businesses to optimize their processes and react to changing market conditions.
Automakers are working in a risky environment because of the ongoing worldwide risks, which include trade wars, geopolitical crises, and financial crises in important countries. Companies were forced to reconsider their cost structures and production schedules due to supply chain restrictions and changing consumer demand. Stellantis’ layoffs are a result of a shift in strategy meant to maximize resources and improve operational effectiveness in the face of these difficulties.
Stellantis’s Attempts to Handle Industry Difficulties:
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) and PSA Group merged to establish Stellantis, which has been aggressively pursuing measures to solve market challenges and react to emerging opportunities. The business has made a point of showcasing its commitment to electricity and environmentally friendly transportation by making investments in EV technology and growing its selection of hybrid and electric vehicles under brands including Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, and Ram.
Stellantis and other automakers still have to contend with issues including growing input costs, disruptions in the supply chain, and unstable markets despite these measures. Stellantis, who choice to cut back on its salaried staff in the United States as part of an effort to optimize costs and streamline processes in the face of difficult market conditions. While navigating external risks, the company’s continued focus is on sustaining competition and promoting innovation across its product lineup.
Industry-wide Adjustment to Shifting Conditions:
The environment of the car industry is changing dramatically due to a combination of consumer preferences, regulatory reforms, and technology improvements. In response to changing consumer needs, automakers are putting more of an emphasis on creating electric and driverless cars, making investments in digital platforms, and improving connectivity features.
During the midst of these changes, businesses such as Stellantis are also rethinking their workforce strategy to conform to changing market conditions. The transition to the digital age and electric transportation has an impact on workers’ requirements in the industry, production processes, and product development. In a constantly shifting market, automakers are experimenting with new connections, business strategies, and technological advancements to maintain their market share.
Stellantis’ decision to fire 400 paid employees in the United States is indicative of the larger difficulties the car industry is facing in the face of unprecedently high levels of uncertainty. The company is undergoing a shift in strategy and changing market dynamics, which includes measures to optimize costs and streamline operations. To survive in a fiercely competitive and ever-changing market, automakers need to stay adaptable and creative as the industry advances with electric power, digital transformation, and connection.


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It’s General Onsale Time!
Here’s a quick update about the on sale dates and times for The Celebration Tour. Today is the day for the general onsale of tickets for the remaining shows and some of the recently announced extra dates. Also today, the presale starts for the new shows in New York and Los Angeles. Read More


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Samsung Mobile, is reportedly working on new smartphones dubbed as the Samsung Galaxy C10. the highlight feature of the device will be its Dual Rear Camera setup, along with a dedicated Bixby button and will be the first device from the company to sports Dual Camera setup.
The Galaxy C10 was leaked earlier in a 360 degree CAD render thanks to renowed leakstar @Onleaks, the device is leaked yet again in what seems to be the real photos of the Galaxy C10 smartphone which highlights the device with a Rear Camera setup placed horizontally vertically at the centre on the back panel with LED flash and antenna lines on the top and bottom. there’s also a dedicated Bixby button placed below the volume rocker.
Coming to the specifications, The Galaxy C10 is rumoured to sport a 6-inch Full-HD ( 1080 x 1920 p) Display and is expected to powered by a Snapdragon 660 processor in the United States and in-house chipset Exynos 7872 in other markets paired with 6GB of RAM. on the storage front the device is expected to packed with 64GB/128GB on-board storage backed by a 4000mAh battery.
On the optics front, it is rumoured that the Dual Camera setup would be a combination of wide-angle + telephoto lens. The device is expected to price at CNY 3,499 (roughly $515) for the 64 GB variant.
These are just rumoured specifications and should always be taken with a pinch of salt.
If you like our report please share your support by subscribing to our community on Facebook, Twitter, Telegram or Flipboard. you can also join our support group Smartphone Assistant for any queries related to your devices


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“Having heard great things about the event in recent years, it was difficult to ignore for 2020,” said Lewis Allen, Product Development Director at Hacche Retail.
“Our experience at last year’s Mojo Pitch was very satisfying, thanks to great organisation and a very good conversion rate in terms of concepts reviewed and agreed upon,” said Entertoyment director Josep Pastor.
We caught up with Gilbert to learn more about where the idea came from for his Rubik’s card game, and whether the constraints of our Design Challenge event helped (or hindered) his creative process.
“Rubik’s remains hot going into 2019 and retailers are crying out for new Rubik’s products,” said Rubik’s’ Hayely Woodward
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A half-day workshop to discuss on the trending issue in the digital age, including rights and tips for consumers in the digital age, was held yesterday at Voilà Hotel in Bagatelle in the context of the World Consumers Rights Day 2017. The theme this year is 'Consumer rights in the digital age'. The Minister of Industry, Commerce and Consumer Protection, Mr Ashit Gungah, was present at the opening.
Organised by the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Consumer Protection, the workshop gave participants the opportunity to share each other's views on how trading partners, stakeholders, and institutions will be able to adapt to changes in the digital age.
In his address, Minister Gungah underlined that we are in an era where technology dominates the world and has invaded almost every field which in turn affects practically all our daily activities. According to him, globalisation and the development of technology have allowed a rapid advance in the field of commerce on the net. One of the important aspects of digital commerce, he added, which directly affects consumers, concerns online shopping and which a large number of Mauritians are adopting.
The Minister cautioned consumers not to blindly trust such technologies and to be aware of the impact of online services on them. It is therefore important for consumers to ask questions pertaining to the quality, financial transaction security, and other risks, he said.
Referring to the computerisation of services of his Ministry which aims to facilitate commercial transactions, Mr Gungah pointed out that at the trade division the Single-window platform has been installed for online processing, approval and issue of import and export permits. Furthermore, at the Price Fixing Unit, the submission of data and documents by importers as well as the communication of the approved prices to them will be made online.
World Consumer Rights Day
The World Consumer Rights Day is observed on 15 March every year. It is geared towards raising awareness on the rights of consumers. This year the focus is on the use of modern day technology.
The use of internet, mobile phones and other digital technologies is spreading widely around the world. There are benefits which comes with challenges as well as consumer abuses.