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The topic of sustainability has never been as well known as it is today. Businesses and individuals around the world are facing how their activities are affecting the environment and how they can mitigate its impact – including the wireless industry.
The volume of eWaste generated by cell phones and other electronic products will reach 15.4 million tons by 2020 and 27.22 million tons by 2030 – an annual growth rate of ten percent.
It is estimated that there are 40 million unused devices in the UK alone. Unless more than a fraction of it is responsibly recycled, the impact of the wireless industry on the environment will only increase.
Every newly manufactured device creates carbon emissions throughout the supply chain and requires the mining of precious metals. If old mobile parts are disposed of in an unsafe manner, hazardous substances can be released into the environment.
The situation is improving, and remarkable efforts have been made to switch to renewable energy sources, promote more responsible production methods and increase recycling levels. But our industry can do even more.
Christian McBride initially viewed the wireless industry as a way to make a better life. The oldest of four children in a working-class family – his father was a mechanic and his mother a nurse – he left school at the age of 16.
“There was no silver spoon when it came to education,” he says TechRadar Pro. “I left school at the age of 16 and had a range of experiences, from working as an assistant butcher to working for a florist. I realized pretty early on that I had sales in my DNA and that I had a desire to serve people well.
“I then started my career in the wireless industry and made a name for myself in the traditional distribution sector by supplying cell phone accessories. It was all new to me, but still it was clear that these products were becoming mainstream needs. “
It was the early 2000s, and while cell phones were a common technology, they still had to evolve into handheld computers that could rule every aspect of our personal and professional lives. The first iPhone was two years away from launch and the first Android device was even further away.
By moving to a smaller company in East London, McBride was able to gain a broader range of experience and develop his entrepreneurial skills to the point where he felt confident enough to start his own mobile sales company with his brother and friend.
The origins of Genuine Solutions couldn’t be further from the startups backed by venture capital funding starting in shared workspaces in Shoreditch with foosball and beanbag chairs.
“There were three men in their twenties, in suits and ties with open laptops, gathered around my mother’s dining table!” he says TechRadar Pro. “My mother would suck around the table and tell us to go home!”
The team initially had day jobs and worked for Genuine Solutions in the evenings. They started with a storage unit for inventory and were eventually able to move from Christian’s mother’s living room to new premises.
Sustainability in the heart
Success in the early years laid the foundation and enabled Genuine Solutions to become the socially responsible company it is today. Unlike entrepreneurs who ponder how their vision will change the world from day one, McBride is honest about how the focus on sustainability went down in company history for a few years as the team pondered its purpose.
“When we launched Genuine Solutions, we were pretty selfish about it to improve the quality of life. But after we did that, we said, “So now what?” In 2009 we saw what the evolution of mobile communications would mean for our environment and we saw an opportunity to give back and add value [to the industry]. We restarted as GSUK and that gave us the opportunity to establish a brand in the market. “
The shift in focus has been phenomenally successful, both economically and environmentally. GSUK has distributed more than 60 million product units and recovered 30 million units that would otherwise have been sent to landfill. The company processes massive amounts of cell phones and accessories every day.
In the past decade, there have been nominations and wins in industry and environmental awards – including the Mobile Industry Awards. GSUK also received the prestigious Queens Award for Enterprise.
One of the awards he’s particularly proud of was being named one of the 100 best companies The Sunday Times worked for in 2017: “You can’t manipulate that.”
McBride said he was calmly confident that GSUK would be a success: “[Sustainability] is a big problem that we face. We have more than 1,000 customers in 50 countries … I know we are not trendy, but we are trendy. I don’t want to sound like I deserve anything, but we stand shoulder to shoulder with some of the biggest brands in the world. Was an SMB that did business with and worked with Samsung, O2 and Dixons Carphone. “
There are other ways GSUK is socially aware. It has donated more than £ half a million to charity – a significant number for a small business – with McBride himself completing the Three Peaks Challenge.
“We reached the top of Ben Nevis with sleet sideways!” he says.
Personal adversity has influenced McBride’s views, and he seeks to support a number of causes such as medical research, homelessness, and unemployment. GSUK has also set up a service called Recyclewise, which enables charities to generate income by recycling cell phones.
In recent years, the technology industry has made numerous commitments to become more sustainable. Mobile network operators, manufacturers and service providers have committed to lowering emissions and reducing waste. Not only is it good exercise, it’s also good PR.
McBride isn’t upset at the prospect of other, possibly larger, companies stepping on the toes of GSUK – far from it. He says that not enough is being done to address the issues at the industry level and welcomes any commitment.
“Of course we are a company and we are interested [in growth] as much as possible, but anyone who joins us on the journey to sustainability is a good thing, ”he says.
“We’ve seen other companies follow similar strategies and it’s fantastic to see bigger companies take a stand as they can make a bigger impact.
“But has our industry done enough? Not yet, but it is becoming a reality. There are some good initiatives out there, like Carbon Net Zero, but People, Profit and Planet have to be the way forward.
“I don’t think the industry was like that [environmentally] conscious enough because we are so technically hungry. These devices add so much value to our lives that it is all about finding a balance. “
“That means the world to me”
GSUK is a successful company, but McBride knows that there is more to life than the constant pursuit of profit. When he’s not at work, he can be seen cycling or his kids playing rugby. He has managed to combine his business acumen with a commitment to do the right thing and earn credit for the organization.
Now he was recognized himself.
Colleagues and partners were delighted to hear that he had won this year’s outstanding contribution to the industry award and spoke warmly about McBride and his successes. But what was the man himself thinking?
“It’s incredibly difficult to sum up,” he says. “The last 15 years have been full of ups and downs, just like with so many people. It is extremely humbling to be recognized alongside so many great people and companies.
“As an individual or as a CEO, sometimes you don’t get particularly grateful for being a leader for everyone else. It’s incredibly rewarding.
“This award means the world to me.”
Neil Robinson, Environmental and Health Security Manager, Genuine Solutions
“Chris is an inspiring leader whose main priority is the wellbeing of his team.
“I’ve been with Genuine Solutions for a while and for me there is no other company on my mind that has the Genuine Solutions team spirit that was evident when I first started at Genuine Solutions and has continued to improve over the company Years led by Chris always looking at how we can get better and better.
“I believe that Chris is undoubtedly a worthy winner of this year’s Outstanding Contribution to the Industry and would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Chris.”
“When I heard that Chris McBride was going to receive the award for outstanding contribution to the wireless communications industry, I was relieved after the initial joy that my very good friend had received this recognition had passed. Relief because so many people had finally realized the depth and breadth of the talent that Chris McBride is.
“I’ve known Chris for almost a decade. I’ve seen him work up close and have been able to remotely monitor the impact he has had on the people around him, as well as the industry he represents.
“As someone who in over 30 years has been an executive in a number of companies that have employed thousands of people and hundreds of millions of pounds in sales just never met anyone like Chris.”
NOTE THE DATE! The Mobile Industry Awards, which have been presented for more than a decade, represent the gold standard for excellence in the industry. From the boardroom to the base, attendees represent the best and smartest offerings in the UK and European wireless industry. For the 19th time we are celebrating the best manufacturers, retailers, networks, distributors and distributors June 24, 2021.


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He is perhaps France’s most famous export to Britain and the best-placed authority on the comparative strength of the two nation’s food cultures.
So when Raymond Blanc says he believes that his homeland is a fading gastronomic power, while his adopted country is in the ascendant, it is a view which carries some weight.
The chef, who moved to the UK in the 1970s, said this country’s attitude to food was changing, with a growing appreciation of the importance of quality produce. It meant that, despite all the natural factors in its favour, France was “losing its strong food culture, while Britain is gaining one”.
Blanc, owner of the two Michelin starred Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons, in Oxfordshire, added: “France has a number of advantages in food, like its climate, its geography, the knowledge and craft which has grown up over hundreds of years. It also has its history and its revolution which meant that it made food for everyone.
“Peasants were allowed to make their own food. It was inclusive. In Britain, food was traditionally class-based, and was made for the few. Then, for the last 50 years it has been reduced to nothing but a commodity, where only the value of it matters to people.
“But all that is changing now. There is a revolution here and British gastronomy is now reaping the rewards. Now we are reconnecting with food in this country. There is a fascination about it which is not superficial but cuts into the psyche of the consumer.”
He added: “France is still ahead but it is losing its food culture. Craft is being lost.”
The reverse, he said, was happening here. He cited the comment, attributed the Charles to Gaulle, about the difficulties of governing a country with 246 cheeses, pointing out that the number in the UK is now higher. According to the British Cheese Board there are as many as 700 varieties in the UK.
As well as simply food’s monetary value, he said that in Britain there was a growing acknowledgement of its impact on health, the environment and wider society.
He said a large part of Britain’s growing food culture was down to children learning more about it: its origins, how to grow it and how to prepare it.
Recent changes to improve the teaching of cooking in schools, he said, had made him “the happiest man on earth”. “Kids have to be told the value of food,” he added.
Blanc was speaking while taking part in a round table discussion among members of a panel judging The Sunday Telegraph’s Bring Home the Harvest competition.
The awards, in association with Love British Foods, were run to find this autumn’s most innovative and inclusive harvest celebration and were judged by a panel which also included Alan Titchmarsh, the broadcaster, Owen Paterson, the Environment Secretary, and Philip Clarke, the Tesco chief executive.
Blanc’s call for greater emphasis on educating children about food – its origins, how to grow and prepare it – was echoed by the other judges.
Titchmarsh said “Children are disconnected from the land. Husbandry and stewardship are words which have disappeared from our lexicon. We need to get back to those ideas and the way to do that is to get the message into schools. We are good at doing it at primary level, but at secondary level, there is still more work to be done.”
Mr Clarke said the contest had also raised a wider debate about the security of the food supply chain in the country.
He singled out one entry, a festival held in the Cheshire village of Haslington, where a debate about the food industry was staged.
Mr Clarke said the festival had “approached things differently”. “It was about food security and whether there are enough farmers in Britain – matters that should be in all our hearts,” he added.
“It took the idea of Harvest Festival that much further. It began a debate and took it on. A debate which started a decade ago and was reignited last autumn by the (horsemeat) food scandal about where food comes from.”
The event also comprised a children’s farm colouring competition, and Mr Clarke commended its inclusion of children in the discussion over food as they were “the consumers of the future”.
Mr Paterson said one way in which the Government was helping to improve education about food was by encouraging more schools – as well as other institutions like hospitals and prisons – to source their food locally.
He said it was part of a wider push by his department to reduce the amount of food imported into the UK – currently 22 per cent of what the country consumes – while at the same time, encouraging British suppliers to increase their exports.
“Our absolute priority is to promote British food and grow the rural economy,” he said. “We import 22 per cent of our food. To promote British food, regardless of EU rules, is a monster, massive priority.”
The winners of the competition will be announced in next week’s Sunday Telegraph.

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The organizers of the European Outdoor Forum have announced that its third annual session will take place again in Annecy, France, next Oct. 16 and 17
A number of snow sports brands have come together to organize a new physical edition of the traditional Annecy Days . Scheduled for Jan. 11-12, the French trade show will be patterned after ASAP but be limited to B2B dealings at the brands’ permanent or temporary showrooms in the ...
The three top executives of Messe München charged with Ispo ’s development and digital transformation – Tobias Gröber, Jeanettee Loos and Markus Hefter – gave a few details about the format of the next Ispo Munich and OutDoor by Ispo shows at the end of ...
+++ Skipass 2020 , the Italian consumer-oriented tourism and winter sports exhibition that was supposed to take place in Modena from Oct. 29 to Nov. 1st, has been cancelled due to the reinforced coronavirus-related measures that have followed the approval of a new ministerial decree (DPCM) on Oct. 25 +++ ...
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Volkswagen is teasing yet another SUV model that will debut in concept form at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show.
The German automaker is delivering on its promise to offer numerous new crossover and SUV models and will show off a concept that “will liven up the compact car class in the form of a trendy, affordable SUV,” it said in a press release. The company added that this concept can be seen as the beginning of a broad SUV offensive and with this vehicle, Volkswagen will give a realistic perspective on a completely new model series.
Although the teaser doesn’t reveal much more than its front end, Volkswagen did say that the concept will feature hardly any switches inside and will serve as a conceptual bridge to the BUDD-e that made its debut earlier this year at the 2016 Consumer Electronics Show (CES). The concept could also preview what a new Tiguan could look like.
SEE ALSO: 2016 Geneva Motor Show Coverage
Joining the SUV concept at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show will be the new Volkswagen up! city car that is not sold in the U.S.
Follow AutoGuide.com for live coverage of the 2016 Geneva Motor Show when it open its doors to the media starting March 1. We will be reporting live from the show floor in Switzerland and you can bet Volkswagen’s SUV concept is on our list of things to check out.
Discuss this story on our Volkswagen Forum


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Feb 17, 2012 Listen to an extended conversation with Ford CEO Alan Mulally, where he discusses whether consumers will want larger or smaller cars 20 years from now and the importance of emerging markets like China to the carmaker.
Feb 17, 2012 Effort to curb distracted driving
Feb 6, 2012 Chevy snubs Ford pick-up in 'apocalypse' commercial while Clint Eastwood boasts Detroit's comeback with inspirational "second half" speech
Jan 17, 2012 Experts see bright days ahead for the auto industry as Americans look to replace their clunkers in droves.
Jan 11, 2012 Will a wired up car make you safer or more at-risk?
Jan 10, 2012 Face forward. Hands on the 10 and 2.
Jan 6, 2012 Chrysler announced plans to add 1,100 of them at its assembly plant in Detroit. The new workers will build a diesel version of the Jeep Cherokee. It's the latest of many U.S. automaker announcements for diesel cars and trucks.


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Recent events in France, following Danone’s announcement that plans to rationalise its business will necessitate the closure of certain manufacturing facilities, show how quickly public sentiment can turn against a previously well-regarded company.
To this day, Danone’s website proclaims that it is “the preferred brand of the French people”, a fact echoed in a recently published survey by the brand consultancy Geodys, for which fieldwork was conducted last year. More up-to-date research from Ipsos, however, shows the difference between the proportion of respondents believing Danone’s corporate image to be “good”, compared with those who perceive its image to be “bad”, to have slid from an index figure of +78 to one of -32 over the first three months of this year alone.
For Danone’s marketers it appears that whatever the degree of trust and confidence the company has built up over the years, its biggest fault now is simply that – in the eyes of its critics – it has become too big and insensitive. Ironic, then, that it is soon to face renewed competition from a smaller rival, Chambourcy, which has been through its own big-company woes in recent years.
Chambourcy was bought by Nestlé in 1986 with the intention of using the company’s brand heritage to attack Danone head on in its home market. But by the mid-Nineties the name Chambourcy had been supplanted by Nestlé branding on all yogurt products and relegated to a supporting role on certain desserts. Then, in 1997, Nestlé decided to abandon its assault on its bigger rivals and to close its Cardon-Blanc dairy production facilities. The decision led to protests from unions and the public alike, similar to those Danone faces now, and marked the effective disappearance of the Chambourcy brand from mainstream retail distribution.
If asked to list the top global marketing companies, the chances are most of us would include Nestlé in our selection. The Swiss-based company is a shrewd and organised operator with a carefully structured brand architecture comprising “global”, “regional” and “local” brands.
One might have imagined, therefore, that in Nestlé, Chambourcy had found the perfect owner – one that knew the power of brands and which possessed sufficient market muscle to support and build its franchise. In Chambourcy, it owned a brand of such saliency that – as recently as December 1999, and despite the brand having received no advertising support for three years – 90 per cent of French shoppers showed spontaneous awareness of its name.
Alas, it was not to be. In 1998, the Chambourcy brand was sold to Jean-Luc Aubagnac, who agreed to supply certain products to Nestlé and to supermarkets while sitting out a period of non-competition in core dairy markets such as yogurt. Eight months from now, however, as Aubagnac told the business newspaper “La Tribune” recently: “Chambourcy will be all ours, in 88 countries!” As one brand consultant commented in the same article, Aubagnac’s deal may yet turn out to be the “sale of the century”.
John Shannon is president of Grey International


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Gaming Realms Launches Britain’s Got Talent Mobile Casino
Developer of on the web gaming content for mobile phones Gaming Realms PLC announced today the launch of its gaming product that is newest the Britain’s Got Talent gaming website. Your website is aimed at celebrating the TV that is extremely popular and it is part of Gaming Realms’ three-year partnership agreement with Uk manufacturing business are online casinos rigged FremantleMedia.
The video gaming developer said that the BGTGames mobile casino brand went live just ahead of this 12 months’s edition of Britainhas got Talent, which kicked off on Saturday evening.
The launch follows the creation associated with the X Factor gaming website. The latter casino that is mobile developed last us online casinos year, with Slingo regarded as typically the most popular and extremely favored game among gambling customers.
Commenting in the latest launch, Patrick Southon, CEO of Gaming Realms, said that in an exceedingly little while of time his business managed to ink partnership agreements with two of the most extremely popular shows to be broadcast on British best online casinos for canadians tv. Mr. Southon further noted that the latest partnership will start the designer of real money and social gaming content for mobile phones up to https://online-casinos-vip.com/ a considerable brand new market. The executive further noted that their Slingo structure will most positively turn into successful among Britain’s Got Talent fans.
Gaming Realms has signed as many as three partnership agreements for the creation of dedicated mobile casino web sites and other associated products with television producing businesses FremantleMedia and Endemol, as well as with popular producer of social games Zynga. Читати далі…


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Philadelphia Distilling is known for its Bluecoat Gin but it has been dabbling in whiskey production with its occasional Tough Broad Whiskey made in collaboration with Yards Brewing Co.
But in a recent newsletter, the Philadelphia distiller has made note that the first quarter of 2020 is going to be about whiskey production. Philadelphia Distilling will be using 100% local grains for their malt and rye whiskeys.
Be patient though, the whiskey won’t be ready till 2025.
Litiz, PA distiller Stoll & Wolfe has just announced a lottery to purchase the first 60 bottles of its Rosen Rye. The first PA produced Rosen Rye to be released in nearly three decades.
Rosen Rye is a heritage grain that had fallen out of use but was once a staple at the old Michter’s Distillery in Pennsylvania. Master distiller Dick Stoll may have been the last man to distill from the grain from before Michters closed its distillery in 1990. Now with the help of Laura Fields and her SeedSpark Campaign, the grain has found its way into Stoll & Wolfe’s latest whiskey.
Continue reading “Stoll & Wolfe Brings Rosen Rye Back from the Brink”
Groundhog Day is Sunday, February 2nd and Wigle Whiskey is celebrating by releasing Phil’s Shadow Maple Barrel Finished Pennsylvania Rye Whiskey.
It’s the third year in a row that the Pittsburgh distillery is coming together with the Punxsutawney Groundhog’s Club to celebrate Groundhog’s Day. The Whiskey is Wigle’s organic Pennsylvania Rye Whiskey finished in maple syrup barrels for 16 months.
Continue reading “Wigle Celebrates Groundhog Day”
The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Craig LaBan lists Dad’s Hat’s Straight Rye and Manatawny’s Bottled in Bond in his list of the best whiskeys to buy this holiday season.
LaBan notes that age is helping both distilleries out, noting Dad’s Hat has recently bumped its Straight Rye from three to four years of age. He also notes that in Manatawny’s case, “[t]ime in a barrel is paying off for this rising distillery from Pottstown. “
Continue reading “Inquirer’s Craig LaBan Lists PA Spirits Among His Holiday Choices”
Wigle Whiskey continues to crank out whiskey releases. As if two single barrel releases last week weren’t enough, this weekend the Pittsburgh distillery will be offering two whiskeys closely tied to breweries.
Continue reading “Two Holiday Whiskeys from Wigle”
Philadelphia Distilling and Yards Brewing are releasing the fourth iteration of their collaborative whiskey. Bottles will be available on Sunday, December 8th. Bottles can be reserved online.
The whiskey begins as a malt forward brew of a recipe similar to Yards Thomas Jefferson Tavern Ale and then sent over to Philadelphia Distilling for distillation and aging.
Continue reading “4th Run Of Yards/Philadelphia Distilling Whiskey Now Available for Pre-Order”
Hidden Still Spirits is debuting a new look. The Lebanon, PA based distillery is fancying up its David E. line of whiskeys. The look comes complete with new graphics and and bottle shape.
Continue reading “Hidden Still Sporting a New Look”
With the holiday season kicking off Thanksgiving, many distilleries are preparing special releases for Thanksgiving weekend.
Continue reading “Manatawny Releases First Bottled in Bond Whiskey”
Liberty Pole Spirits of Washington, PA doesn’t do too many special releases but they do have one scheduled for Saturday, November 16th
The distillery’s Spice Flavored Whiskey is going on sale on site and at Pittsburgh’s Pennsylvania Libations the Aged Liberty Pole Rye has all-spice, cinnamon, orange peel and brown sugar blended in for a holiday treat.
This isn’t the only news out of Liberty Pole, earlier this month, the three-and-a-half year old distillery prepped its first straight (two-year aged) whiskey for bottling. Till now, the older whiskey had been blended with newer runs before bottling.
This Saturday, Pottstown, PA’s Manatawny Still Works is releasing the latest in its Small Batch Whiskey Series. The series allows the distillery to play around with its mash bills, time aging and in this case, finishing the whiskey in port barrels from California’s Gandona Estate Winery.
This is the 13th release in the series and will only be available at the distillery and at select accounts that regularly carry Manatawny Still Works.
Continue reading “Manatawny Still Works Launches Latest in Small Batch Whiskey Series”


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The headline on a U-T story last week proffered a burning civic question – Is Mayor Filner holding things up, or making sure business is done fairly? When it comes to tourism, we’re getting the worst of both worlds: unfair delay.
Last fall, the City Council voted to renew the contract of the city’s Tourism Marketing District (TMD) for 40 years, and turn over the money so the TMD can do its job of driving the tourism economy that supports more than 160,000 local jobs. The only requirement for releasing those funds is the signature of the mayor. But funding has been frozen since Jan. 1, because the mayor hasn’t signed. And now he says he won’t until his new demands are met.
It’s worth spending a moment on why we even have a TMD. For many years, San Diego’s tourism marketing was paid for through the voter-approved Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) that visitors pay on their hotel and motel bills. Today, that tax rate is 10.5 percent. Over the years, the portion of TOT allocated to marketing San Diego as a destination kept dwindling as other demands for funding increased. Not only did our tourism officials have to work with a shrinking pie, the uncertainty of the amount each year rendered much of their effort ineffective.
In 2007, the tourism sector created a plan to assess itself an additional 2 percent, relinquish any claim it had to the 10.5 percent, and dedicate this new amount to marketing San Diego as a tourist destination. This freed up the entire TOT for the city’s general fund to use on public safety, libraries, art and anything else it wished. And it ensured a steady, reliable stream of funding for tourism, one of our city’s top-three economic engines.
San Diego competes mightily with other markets for tourists and their dollars. And with outsiders like Texas Gov. Rick Perry trying to lure away our businesses, we can’t afford to let them steal our tourists. San Diego might seem an easy sell, but it costs money to spread the word about our top-flight hotels, restaurants and attractions in an extremely competitive market. Because of TMD funding, the Tourism Authority was able to invest more than $12 million to advertise our city as a destination last year. This year, it has already canceled planned media buys from February through May. And it fears the loss of millions in revenues. Staff layoffs also are imminent.
The TMD is about creating and preserving thousands of jobs and businesses. This year, with the city facing a $40 million deficit, tourism was projected to generate more than 7 percent of the city’s general fund revenue, used to repair roads, hire police, clean beaches and balance the budget.
Tourism Authority President and CEO Joe Terzi says our tourist industry has an economic impact of $18.3 billion, more than 10 percent of San Diego’s total economy. And, for every job tourism creates, 1.5 additional jobs are created in local services. The Tourism Authority’s programs, funded by the TMD, generate almost 4 million hotel room nights and more than $550 million in hotel revenues, delivering $150 million in TOT to the city. In addition, the TMD helps promote such annual events as the Holiday and Poinsettia Bowls, the Rock and Roll Marathon and Crew Classic, all of which attract overnight visitors who dine in our city’s restaurants.
SeaWorld President John Reilly says the TMD-funded marketing efforts through the Tourism Authority are so successful that SeaWorld supplements the authority’s destination advertising with significant contributions. Sadly, he adds, “With 2013 TMD funds in limbo, our current investment is on hold.”
On Sunday, after six weeks of inaction, Mayor Filner offered a list of political trade-offs he would accept in return for something he’s legally bound to do, while trying to convince the public San Diego’s tourism industry is not doing its fair share. The trade-offs were made several years ago when the TMD was created and the lion’s share of revenue collected from tourists was given to the mayor and City Council to dispense with as it desires.
Not surprisingly, other mayors in other California cities have tried to stop contracts by refusing to sign. The courts have ruled against those mayors and will likely do so here. But litigation is costly and time-consuming. We are hopeful the mayor will work with us to resolve this matter expeditiously so we can all go back to selling San Diego as the great destination it is.


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Wednesday, April 16 2014 10:54 PM EDT2014-04-17 02:54:16 GMT
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) --The Rangers are the Army's most elite soldiers who are put into some of the most dangerous situations in Afghanistan. In a story you'll only see on WDRB we got a rare look atMore >>
The Army Rangers choose Fort Knox as the location to prepare for the 3rd Battalion's 20th deployment to Afghanistan.More >>
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LOUISVILLE, KY. (WDRB) -- A spokesperson for the Unique Thrift Store on Carter Street near Portland Avenue says it will close after business on February 16th.
It offers discounted items like clothing, household goods, and electronics.
Store officials say the lease has ended and they have not found a new location to open in the area. Some of the 45 employees are being placed in open positions in the area, including at another thrift store location on Preston Highway.


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Regenerative rancher Will Harris wants the CEO of Impossible Foods, Pat Brown, to pay a visit to his farm in Georgia. Harris said so publicly, in this article published in Civil Eats this week:
“Dr. Brown, please come see me. “It’ll be an opportunity for both of us to adjust our worldviews.”
Want to help encourage Brown to visit Harris’ ranch? Tweet this!
Why is Harris so keen to get the folks who make the Impossible Burger down on the farm?
Because the makers of the lab-grown GMO fake meat seem to think they know more about farming than Harris, a fourth-generation hands-on farmer. And instead of attacking the industrial factory farm beef producers, Impossible Foods is taking pot shots at regenerative grazers.
Last week our sister organization, Regeneration International, responded to statements by Impossible Foods claiming that its fake meat is the way of the future. The impossibly silly claims followed the company’s announcement that it was switching to GMO soy for its fake meat, out of a “commitment to consumers and our planet.”
Hogwash, we said.
And so began a debate, carried out in the media, which included this article by Vandana Shiva where she writes:
Food is not a commodity, it is not “stuff” put together mechanically and artificially in labs and factories. Food is life.
And this article, in Civil Eats, where Harris, owner of White Oak Pastures, counters Impossible Foods’ claim that regenerative grazing and ranching can’t be scaled up to feed the world:
“White Oak Pastures will never be a multinational corporation. There will never be a truly regenerative, humane, fair farm that will scale to a national level—much less multinational. Instead, every rural county in all 50 states should have a White Oak Pastures or two. That’s the way it used to be.”


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The merger of two leading producers of modified food starches, a staple ingredient of nearly every processed food product, is being investigated by antitrust enforcers at the Department of Justice.
Ingredion Inc. (INGR) - Get Ingredion Incorporated Report and Penford Corp. (PENX) said Monday the DOJ has issued a second request for information regarding their $340 million deal, which was announced Oct. 15.
The companies are among six of the major global players in the modified starch business. The others are Cargill Inc., Archer Daniels Midland Co. (ADM) - Get Archer-Daniels-Midland Company Report , Tate & Lyle plc and Roquette Frères SA. Ingredion, Penford, Cargil and ADM are U.S.-based. Tate & Lyle and Roquette are based in the U.K. and France, respectively, although both have operations in the U.S.
The starch industry is highly competitive and the primary products are essentially commodities that are viewed as interchangeable from one manufacturer to another. Customers for the products include manufacturers of food and beverages, brewing, pharmaceuticals, animal nutrition and paper and corrugated products.
In fact, companies in the business compete so directly that Ingredion has included noncompete clauses in the employment contracts of Chairman and CEO Ilene Gordon and other top executives.
Despite the intense competition, the companies and their lawyers during merger negotiations considered the possibility that antitrust officials would require divestitures. On October 6 the parties discussed whether the merger agreement should include a requirement that Ingredion divest assets or otherwise agree to any business restrictions in the context of antitrust approvals. The topic was addressed again three days later. Ultimately, the parties concluded that all necessary regulatory approvals could be obtained without the imposition of unacceptable conditions. However, Ingredion secured language that shielded it from any obligation to divest its assets or to agree to any conditions affecting its operations or to defend against a DOJ lawsuit challenging the merger. It also is not required to divest any Penford asset if the spinoff would "materially diminish the expected benefits of the transaction."
The agreement does not carve out any specific assets that Ingredion must be willing to divest nor is Penford entitled to a reverse termination fee if the deal is called off because of antitrust considerations.
The parties filed their merger application with U.S. antitrust officials on Oct. 27. Ingredion subsequently withdrew its notification on Nov. 25 and refiled it on Nov. 26. Pulling and refiling merger notification documents is a standard tactic when parties are trying to avoid a more burdensome second request. Nevertheless the DOJ issued its request for additional information on Dec. 24.
Ingredion is represented before the DOJ by Sidley Austin LLP antitrust partner David Giardina.
Ingredion is known primarily for producing corn syrup and corn starch whereas Penford is known for potato-derived products. However, both companies are investing heavily in new products aimed at the growing market for more nutritious, gluten-free and sustainably produced ingredients.
"This will nicely round out our product portfolio with complementary specialty ingredient solutions," Gordon told analysts during the company's third quarter earnings call on Oct. 30. "Additionally, it builds our presence in nature-based hydrocolloid ingredients and brings other capabilities which will enhance our efforts to delivering new ingredient solutions to the marketplace."
Hydrocolloids are essentially gums and include additives such as gelatin, agar, pectin, xanthan and carrageenan.
Gordon said the deal also will produce at least $20 million in annual synergies, primarily from eliminating redundant public company costs, procurement and supply chain efficiencies and savings and other general and administrative areas. "There is a real opportunity to drive operating and supply chain efficiencies as we leverage the combined manufacturing network in the U.S.," she said.
The starch industry is growing rapidly because rising disposable incomes globally are creating demand for more processed foods and other products and because of technological developments in the business.
In foods and beverages starch derivatives are used as texture agents and stabilizers. For instance, they are used as thickeners in yogurts and soups. Cracker makers use them to control the crunchiness of their products. They also allow vitamin C to be added to beverages without having it clump at the bottom of the bottle.
They also are used as tablet binders in pharmaceuticals, as emulsifiers in cosmetics and fiber additives in animal feed. In other products they provide PH and acidic stability, adhesiveness and film-forming properties.
The starch business is expected to grow worldwide at a rate of 6.2% annually over the next seven years to $58.2 billion by 2019.
The major players are developing specialty starches because of the growing consumer demand that food and beverage companies reformulate products to address concerns about obesity, nutrition and labeling. They also offer higher margins.
Already specialty products account for 15% of Ingredion's sales, according to a report issued by Credit Suisse analyst Robert Moskow when he initiated coverage of the company in April. Specialty starches are growing at double-digit rates and have high barriers to entry because of the capital investment and R&D required.
"The consumer trends are really growing in the area of gluten-free to non-GMO, the whole area of texture and sustainability," said Ingredion's Gordon, noting that Penford has extensive capability in R&D and product development. "So for us it was a great opportunity to expand our portfolio of high-value specialty products. And then having the manufacturing capability along with that and the ability to formulate really made it very timely."
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The new year brought new optimism for the five private firms profiled in the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal’s Fast 50 Diary.
But with almost two months over, reality is sinking in: These are tough times and the recession is showing no signs of ending.
So they’re adjusting their expectations. There’s the bank executive who’s looking forward to growth — next year. There’s the marketing firm partner who would rather keep “momentum” than slow down and risk the consequences.
A chemical company executive still thinks there are opportunities, but is acknowledging that business has slowed down.
Those were but some of the sentiments expressed in this month’s roundup.
It’s been said flat is the new up this year, and that certainly is the case at Signature Bank.
Executive Vice President Leif Syverson said the goal for 2009 is to match the roughly $11 million in revenue the Minnetonka-based bank earned in ’08, and in ’07. The bank also is looking forward to doing something it wasn’t able to last year while interest rates were falling into the basement and it was marking down the foreclosed homes on its books: Turn a profit.
“That was kind of the thought for ’08: Let’s make sure we identify all these issues, get them behind us and move forward,” Syverson said.
A smaller bank serving businesses around the Twin Cities, Signature was lucky not to be involved with the subprime mortgages and other questionable financial instruments that have caused trouble for larger institutions.
It’s also set to sell off four of the 15 foreclosed single-family homes and townhouse units on its books.
Still, capital is capital. So Signature has applied for $3 million to $5 million in government bailout money — an amount that could increase the bank’s equity by 15 to 25 percent.
“It’s not just about profitability. It’s about who’s well-capitalized, who has the highest level of equity to weather the storm,” Syverson said.
Dyvig, Driver, Devine Inc.
At marketing firm Dyvig, Driver, Devine Inc., the good news is that the firm continues to bring on new clients, including a large bank it’s been trying to sign up for years. The bad news is that clients aren’t buying as many services.
The firm, which does business as d.trio marketing group, receives much of its revenue from financial institutions seeking direct-mail advertising, and there isn’t as much.
Partner Fred Driver said clients aren’t buying as many marketing services as they were at this point a year ago.
“It’s hard to guess the bottom and guess when the recovery is going to come, but you have to be sure that it’s going to come, because if you start to making decisions on, ‘What if it doesn’t,’ then you’re making some bad choices,” said Driver, a partner along with Maureen Dyvig and Megan Devine.
He views the recession like a sporting event. “You can see how momentum can take a team that isn’t supposed to win and carry them through, and vise versa,” he said.
Seacole-CRC’s CEO Gregg Elliott says he’s still optimistic about his company’s business prospects. But even he sees orders slowing down at the specialty chemical maker.
Much of the decline comes from companies tied to an automobile industry that’s on taxpayer-funded life support. The electronics business also is hurting. Elliott said he hasn’t heard a lot of worries from his employees about the economy, but he can tell they’re concerned.
“But we don’t dwell on it. We try to dwell more on the optimistic side and the opportunities that are there and the growth potential, and that great companies are made in tough times,” he said.
The recession means that companies are more interested in shopping around for chemicals, creating opportunities for new business.
Seacole-CRC recently increased business with a large railroad (which Elliott declined to name), providing chemicals needed to maintain locomotive engines. It’s also gotten business from airlines, which need to keep maintaining their planes.
“Our real strength is that we’re diversified as a company. We have markets that our certainly soft, but we also have markets that are doing quite well,” Elliott said.
Anytime Fitness Inc.
Hastings-based Anytime Fitness Inc. is coming to a realization about the recession: It’s actually boosting business.
The recession has only made the company’s club memberships more attractive to price-conscious consumers, because at about $30 a month, they’re about half the price of memberships at bigger clubs like LA Fitness.
“People consider exercise like changing the oil in their car. They have to do it. So we’re a good price alternative,” said CEO Jeff Klinger.
There’s a slight slowdown in new franchisees signing up, but the business is still growing at a fast clip: On average, new franchise owners are signing up once a day.
Klinger says Anytime’s clubs are relatively small, a trait that allows them to move into convenient locations and keep overhead low.
Anytime opened its 1,000th store in January. It has about 2,300 franchises sold and is expanding into Brazil, India and Germany.
A’viands Food & Services Management
Perry Rynders, CEO of A’viands Food & Services Management, is interviewing to fill three new vice president posts at his Roseville headquarters.
A’viands has grown large enough that Rynders wants executives to handle each of the types of institutions to which it provides food services: corrections, health care and education.
“When we’re advertising for these three new VP positions, we’re extremely impressed with the talent it’s attracting. In part, it’s because of the economy that there are people who have lost their jobs who are very talented people,” Rynders said.
January profits for A’viands were higher than what they were in January 2008, and the company is signing up new institutions.
Rynders said the business has enjoyed success because schools, hospitals and jails are able to save money by outsourcing their food services.
“It actually at times provides us more opportunities,” he said.


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Twice a year, Halo creator Bungie holds internal competitions called pentathlons where teams play Bungie video game titles, as well as offline game classics like Pictionary and Hacky Sack. Bungie calls it a "celebration of gaming" for Bungie employees.
On Wednesday, Bungie wrote a blog post discussing this year's Winter Pentathlon. Included with all the other titles participants will play, the company included the latest installment in the Halo franchise Halo Reach, which is scheduled to hit store shelves later in the year.
Typically, a mention of an upcoming release in a Bungie pentathlon wouldn't matter. … Read more


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Under EU data privacy laws under consideration, companies like Google and Microsoft will be hit with fines that could top $1 billion USD.
The proposed laws follow a series of negligible fines received by both companies that Viviane Reding, the EU’s justice commissioner, dismissed as “pocket money.”
Indeed I have said as much in this space.
Earlier this month, Google was fined $204,000 USD for data-privacy violations (see A $204,000 data-privacy violation fine against a company worth $381 billion!) and in March of 2013, Microsoft was slapped with a $731 million fine (see EU Commission fines Microsoft $731 million, but does it really matter?).
For both tech outfits, sums like that are considered the cost of doing business. The fines needed to be such that they have an impact.
The goal of the proposed laws?:
- To create a strong data protection laws for Europe’s 500 million citizens
- Includes a clause to prevent European data being shared with another country in response to Edward Snowden’s allegations
- Sets out ways that citizens can erase their personal data – the so-called right to be forgotten
- Seeks to limit user profiling, requiring companies to explain their use of personal data and seek prior consent
- In order to comply, most businesses would need to have designated data-protection officers
According to a BBC News report, the “new proposals, currently under debate in the European parliament, aim to create a single EU regulator, which would be able to issue fines on behalf of all national watchdogs” and “would introduce fines of up to 5% of the global annual turnover of a company for data breaches.”
Those sound like good ideas to me. You may read the complete report here.


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Jeep plans to install EV charging stations at US off-road trailheads over the next year
Jeep will install EV charging stations at off-road trailheads across the US as part of a partnership with Electrify America, the company announced. Chargers on the Jeep 4xe Charging Network will either be solar powered or connected to a power grid.
The first of the stations will open this spring in Moab, Utah; the Rubicon Trail in Pollock Pines, California; and Big Bear, California. The chargers will have Level 2 (240 volt) charging, which Jeep notes will fully recharge the 17-kWh battery pack in its Wrangler 4xe in about two hours and provide 49 MPGe and 21 miles of electric range. The chargers will be available free to Jeep 4xe owners via a mobile app, and will be compatible with its future EVs.
Over the next year, additional…


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Store will carry Padres, Chargers and Aztecs apparel for women
The lingerie leader's collection especially for women 15 to 24 years old sells underwear, sleepwear, college and athletic team-themed lounge clothes, beauty products and accessories.
Soft Opening: Friday, July 12
Grand Opening: 10 a.m. Saturday, July 13
Address: 3030 Plaza Bonita Road, National City
Typically carried in Victoria's Secret stores, the line was launched in 2002 to introduce teens and college students to the company's brand and eventually drive them to its more mature lines.
Plaza Bonita is home to the company's top-selling Victoria's Secret store nationwide right now, said Anne Fovargue, the manager charged with opening the new Pink store two doors down.
The Pink store will absorb that location's Pink-brand merchandise, allowing the Victoria's Secret store to carry a wider selection of its core lingerie and beauty lines.
"They were up for a remodel, and because Pink, the lifestyle and the brand is growing so much that it's been hard for the company to grow that brand while still focusing on its bra and lingerie mission," Fovargue explained.
The freestanding store will carry Padres and Chargers apparel, and in January will add a San Diego State University line.
This Pink location will be one of the company's larger ones, Fovargue said, with a 3,200 square-foot sales floor. She has a team of six managers and is hiring 15 associates, with plans to hire more as the store gains traction.
The Plaza Bonita store is having its soft opening July 12 (Friday), with a grand opening scheduled for July 13 (Saturday) at 10 a.m.
The new stand-alone store will be the company's 12th in San Diego County.
Victoria's Secret is owned by Limited Brands, which also owns Bath and Body Works and Henri Bendel.
Victoria's Secret Facts
Net sales (millions): $4,981
Comparable store sales: 7 percent
Number of stores (U.S): 1,019
Selling square feet (U.S.): 6,153,000
*As of Feb.2, 2013. Source: Victoria's Secret


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Here are this week’s news and highlights for China:
How to Sell Your Products Into China: A slew of Chinese companies have recently been seeking to become distributors of foreign products via joint ventures, a structure that rarely makes sense for the foreign company. Sage advice on structural arrangements with distributors from China Law Blog.
How a US-China Trade War Would Hurt Us All: Trade barriers would not only damage China and the US, but would also disrupt global supply chains, raising prices for consumers worldwide. Subsequent rounds of tit-for-tat between Washington and Beijing is likely to see European producers of aircraft, telecoms equipment and whiskey benefit at the expense of their American cousins, which is reflected in stock prices on both sides of the Atlantic.
Opinion: Marketing to Women in China Is a Massive Brand Fail: After some successful and resonant Women’s Day marketing campaigns last year, and supporting developments in the 12 months that followed, 2018 Women’s Day campaigns in China took a step backwards promoting old fashioned values and the concept of feminist power being a Western concept.
Chinese Sperm Donors Now Have To Swear Loyalty to the Communist Party: Would-be donors in sperm banks in Beijing must be over 20 years old and show no obvious signs of hair loss, colour blindness or weight problems, as well as loyalty to the party. Donors who pass the test are immediately paid ¥200 yuan ($31.74), to be followed by another ¥5,500 ($873) for those who successfully donate. Less than 20% of sperm donated is considered suitable for use.
China’s Blockchain Ambitions are Revealed in the Sheer Number of Patent Applications: How hot is blockchain in China? “Even vendor aunties selling vegetables are talking about blockchain” is a saying spreading widely on social media. Last year more than half of the world’s approximately 400 blockchain-related patent applications were from China.
A Deal to Buy a Chinese Bike-Sharing Giant Will Accelerate the Rivalry for Consumer Movement Data: Chinese food-delivery/entertainment/dining app giant Meituan-Dianping is buying loss-making bike sharing firm Mobike, for a reported value of $2.7 billion. The news comes shortly after Meituan’s entry into the ride-sharing market to compete with Didi, which Uber failed at. This month, Ctrip also announced it would enter the ride-sharing market to tap into their traveller user base.
Walmart Brings its Partnership with JD.com into the Food Business: JD.com’s online and Walmart’s offline supply chains will extend to groceries. Beginning with a Shenzhen Walmart store, 8,000 items ranging from fresh fruit to seafood will be available for online orders through JD.com, with customers in a 3km radius able to get their food delivered within 30 minutes.
Anheuser-Busch InBev and the Fight for China Craft Brewing: “The way it’s going about it will inhibit the development of brewer diversity, localization, and personalization,” says Carl Setzer of Beijing’s Great Leap Brewing . “What’s best for Chinese craft beer development is for local, independent Chinese craft breweries to work together for the next five to 10 years, whether we like each other or not, and agree that ABI is not good for our industry… if you want to see Great Leap, Slow Boat, and guys here locally continue to thrive, then support us. Do not go to [AB InBev] breweries.”
Chinese Firms ‘Misled Customers Over Olive Oil in Products’: A CCTV report has identified three firms in Fujian province selling blended oil with a third or half the percentage of olive oil in products advertised.
Three Ways Destinations Can Cash in on the Chinese Tourism Boom: 67% of Chinese consumers who travelled overseas in 2017 went to Asian countries due to simpler visa procedures, more affordability compared to destinations outside of Asia, and convenient transportation. Chinese consumers spent an average of $762 on shopping during their most recent overseas trip, which is 1.5 times more than their non-Chinese counterparts according to Nielsen. Providing a familiar shopping experience; enhancing operations to provide a frictionless experience; and offering the right products at the right price will also help capitalise on Chinese visitors according to Alipay.
Alibaba’s Alisports Gets $191 Million At $1.3 Billion Valuation, Buys Fitness App Ledongli: Jack Ma’s Yunfeng Capital has led Alisport’s funding round of $191 million, announced at a similar to time to the acquisition of online fitness app and wearables company Ledongli which has more than 55 million users in China. Alisports hopes to use fitness as the entry point for “new sports retail” combining online and offline retail assets.
Tencent to Stream Major League Baseball in China as it Expands its Global Sport Offerings: Tencent has signed a three-year agreement with MLB which gives it the exclusive rights to stream 125 games. It follows Tencent’s similar deals with NFL, NHL and the $500 million 5-year deal with the NBA, as Baidu, Alibaba and Tencent are all investing heavily in digital content as they seek to carve out a slice of the growing subscription-based entertainment market in China.
Chinese Consumers Worried about Plastic Waste: 83% of Chinese consumers are worried about the environment because of plastic waste, with 63% convinced that avoiding waste is a task that concerns every consumer. However, just under one in three citizens is convinced that too much waste is produced in their own household according to a Messe München survey. It is a yet another survey that would indicate Chinese consumers are overwhelmingly conscious of environmentally-responsible consumption and individual accountability, whereas in reality, excessive packaging remains everywhere in China and services such as food delivery – with its many packages – continues its runaway popularity.
More Wealthy Chinese Shell Out for UK ‘Golden Visas’: Mainland Chinese took 116 of the 355 “investor visas” last year, having invested at least £2 million ($2.8 million) for residency. The number was up 56% from 2016 – outnumbering the second-placed Russian’s 250%. When the China figures included Hong Kong and Macau, 146 received them, 82.5% up on last year. Total Chinese investment into the UK reached $20.8 billion in 2017, up from $9.2 billion in 2016. Brexit appears to be having no impact on applications. Chinese currently make up 80% of America’s equivalent EB-5 visa scheme.
Can Digitalisation and Millennial Shoppers Sustain Luxury Market’s Rebound?: China’s millennials are a formidable force driving growth in China’s retail market, and have helped turn luxury brands’ fortunes in recent times. Millennials spend 50% more time online shopping – 6 hours a week – than older generations, yet online channels account for just 9% of China’s luxury sales according to Bain. This is expected to grow to 25% by 2025. 40 leading luxury brands in China have official WeChat accounts.


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The Future According to GM
GM's $15 million car.
With emissions of nothing more than water vapor, hydrogen fuel cells eliminate carbon fuels altogether. That is, they eliminate them from the vehicle. Instead, the debate over the types of energy used to generate hydrogen shifts from GM and other carmakers to the natural resources and power industries.
The new Chevy Volt, an electric car with a little engine to recharge the battery, continues to sell poorly despite a nearly $8,000 government incentive.
GM sold 321 of the new plug-in hybrid electric vehicles in January and 281 in February. The numbers were released shortly after GM announced plans to make the Volt available nationwide by the end of the year.


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Leading global electrochemical and water technology company, De Nora, recently revealed its newly expanded and upgraded factory in Suzhou Industrial Park, Jiangsu, China.
The investment, which amounted to more than US$10 million, will allow the company to meet the growing demand for its electrode and water technology products in China as well as throughout the Asia Pacific (APAC) region, increasing production capacity by over 50 per cent annually.
“This investment is part of our commitment to meet the growing demand for high quality electrochemical technologies across China and the region,” CEO of De Nora, Paolo Dellachà, said. “Not only is our expansion and upgrade tapping into China’s thriving manufacturing industry, it is also proof of our continuous efforts to deliver from our Suzhou plant high quality products to customers across Asia.”
The expansion includes a new assembly area for the production of De Nora’s major Electrodes and Water Technologies applications, such as BALPURE® Ballast Water Treatment, SANILEC®, SEACLOR® Seawater Electrochlorination, and ClorTec® On-site Sodium Hypochlorite Generators. It has also been ergonomically designed to help deliver greater efficiencies throughout the assembly process ensuring a step by step quality control.
As part of De Nora’s dedication to achieving high quality production, the state-of-the-art workshop was equipped with a dedicated quarantine area for the manufacturing of solutions designed for the disinfection of drinking water, ensuring strict hygiene conditions throughout the entire production process as required by the Chinese regulations on drinking water apparatus.
The factory’s existing coating workshop also underwent a significant upgrade, of both proprietary process equipment and supporting utilities. The structural modifications along with the introduction of air scrubbing towers and air extractors maintain a high air change ratio throughout the building to help stabilize the highly-sensitive operation of electrode-coating. The changes will double the workshop’s annual coating output, further boosting the factory’s productivity levels and the quality of the electrodes.
Alberto Cominelli, who oversaw the entire project, stated that the factory saw many upgrades over the last year that had greatly improved the plant’s overall environment, health, and safety (EHS).
“In order for us to continue our legacy of leading industry innovation, we are focused on investing in local infrastructure and technology, our products and our people. I am confident that these developments for our Suzhou plant will drive our growth to greater heights,” Cominelli said.
The company’s Regional Chief Officer Asia, Danilo Parini, added that the plant plays a crucial role in De Nora’s plans for the Asian market.
“China plays a strategic role for our business in Asia, with manufacturing facilities here in Suzhou as well as Jinan,” he said. “This investment will see us improve the current capacity at our Suzhou plant, ensuring we continue to meet best practice manufacturing standards across our electrochemical and water technologies applications.”


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Cotton Incorporated has unveiled its advanced TransDRY™ moisture management technology, an innovative new system that enables the production of quick-drying, engineered fabrics for performance apparel.
Cotton fabrics made with TransDRY technology offer cotton’s familiar comfort and softness while staying dry, keeping the wearer cooler and more comfortable. That’s because they’re engineered to transfer moisture in one direction, away from the skin to the outside of the fabric, where moisture can evaporate.
The TransDRY™ brand, named for its unique ability to quickly transfer moisture away from the skin and dry faster, raises the bar for cotton performance and will set a new standard of high-performance moisture management.
”Many synthetic fabrics in the market claim to have the ability to move moisture away from the body to the outside of the fabric,” says David Earley, Cotton Incorporated’s Director of Supply Chain Marketing. “But most do nothing more than absorb perspiration into the fabric, staying as wet on the inside of the garment as they are on the outside.”
Earley says because of the lack of standardized test procedures, it’s easy to make exaggerated claims of moisture management in today’s performance fabric market. It has resulted in marketing claims that don’t reflect the actual performance of many of today’s fabrics.
Cotton Incorporated has spent the past year conducting groundbreaking moisture management testing to gauge the performance advantage of TransDRY technology, utilizing testing equipment, called the MMT Tester, from SDL Atlas in the United Kingdom. Originally developed by Hong Kong Polytechnic University, the MMT Tester has the ability to measure the differential wetness of both sides of a performance fabric and calculate a one-way moisture transfer index.
“Fabrics engineered to have one-way transfer performance beat any synthetic product we’ve tested in head-to-head comparisons – it’s not even close,” says Earley. “We think this is an incredible breakthrough for cotton in the world of performance apparel that will help us compete head-to-head with synthetics.”
Cotton Incorporated approached the development of this breakthrough technology for cotton with the environment in mind. Instead of applying chemistry to the entire fabric, it’s used selectively in lower amounts on certain areas of fabrics to engineer to right level of performance. The result is responsible and more sustainable production.
Cotton Incorporated has partnered with several firms in the supply chain to bring the TransDRY technology to market. Longworth Industries, Inc., an American manufacturer of high-tech performance apparel and base-layer garments, will be the first to bring a TransDRY product to market under its new PolarMax Naturals brand. Longworth has been field testing prototype garments with branches of the military to gauge performance and acceptability of the TransDRY technology.
Trey Harris, Longworth’s senior director of business development, government and military, comments, “The military has always aspired to have moisture-management and anti-microbial components in its uniforms,” adding that the consumers are the next logical market for the TransDRY technology.
“At the end of the day, people just like wearing cotton, and with the moisture-management factor of TransDRY, there’s a real advantage,” he adds. Initially, Harris was met with skepticism about using cotton in performance apparel. He’s since been personally testing all-cotton TransDRY garments, addressing the factors of cling and chafing. “It’s the best no-cling product out there,” he notes.
The concept of TransDRY and cotton “is phenomenal for Longworth,” Harris says. “The cotton is sustainably grown in the U.S., and it addresses a core consciousness among consumers against petroleum-based products. A lot of companies are embracing this.” He points out that Longworth’s cotton double-knit has advantages over man-made fiber products. “With untreated cotton on the outside of the fabric and treated cotton against the skin, moisture finds its way through better than our synthetics.”
Spectrum Yarns, Inc., and Buhler Quality Yarns Corp. initially will be the providers in the Western hemisphere of cotton yarn treated with the TransDRY technology; Spectrum and Buhler have aligned themselves with several knitting mills and full-package garment makers to provide performance fabrics and yarns.
Mike Carter, director of business development for Spectrum Yarns, Inc., notes,
“TransDRY will forever change the way consumers view cotton. The superior wicking performance of TransDRY will further launch the fiber into fabrics for performance apparel. Spectrum Yarns is pleased be a licensee and to participate in the introduction of TransDRY.”
Cotton Incorporated will be working selectively with strategic partners to bring TransDRY technology to golf, ski, running, tennis and other performance apparel categories. The company will meet with firms interested in TransDRY by appointment at booth 155-211 at the Outdoor Retailer show.
Cotton Incorporated, funded by U.S. growers of upland cotton and importers of cotton and cotton textile products, is the research and marketing company representing upland cotton. The Program is designed and operated to improve the demand for and profitability of cotton.


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FFPress advises that pre-orders of The Legend from Bruce Rock: The Wally Foreman Story for delivery by release day are now closed.
The Legend from Bruce Rock will be released next Saturday, 29 July 2017, and will be launched at an event at ABC Perth, which will be broadcast on Sports Talk (720AM on the radio band) during the second half of the program from 11am.
FFPress received an overwhelming response to pre-orders, with close to a hundred copies sold and stock exhausted of the hardcover edition.
Orders can still be placed with FFPress ahead of on-sale, but cannot be guaranteed for delivery by the release date and customers are encouraged to purchase through regular retail channels.
FFPress encourages people interested in purchasing a copy of The Legend from Bruce Rock to enquire at their local retailer as to whether it will be stocked. Please read this as to why these enquiries are so important.
FFPress has compiled a list of some of the stores it is aware is stocking The Legend from Bruce Rock, which can be found here. Please be advised that this is not an exhaustive list.


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TEL AVIV (MarketWatch) -- Sodexo, SDXAY, +1.01% fr:012122 the Paris provider of food and facilities-management services, reported fiscal first-quarter revenue rose 5.6% and organic growth -- revenue excluding acquisitions and currency fluctuations -- of 3.2%. For the quarter ended Nov. 30, revenue reached 3.98 billion euros ($5.37 billion) from 3.76 billion in the year-earlier period. The company said the result was in line with its expectations and it affirmed the targets that it set out in November. Organic growth for revenue in North America rose 5.6%, "but the impact of the economic crisis begins to weigh on corporate services," the company said in a statement on Wednesday. In the UK and Ireland revenue fell 23%, because of an unfavorable comparison from a year earlier, which reflected the Rugby World Cup hospitality contract. Excluding that accord, revenue grew 9.1% in the UK and Ireland.
Sodexo first-quarter revenue up 5.6%; organic up 3.2%


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Seasoned high street shoppers will now be well-versed in the fact that Primark is on top of its game when it comes to offering designer dupes for a fraction of the high-end price.
In the past the retailer has released designer dupes for shoes, accessories and coats, and more often than not they're a huge hit with shoppers.
And the retailer's latest designer dupe is no exception, as shoppers are already chomping at the bit to get their hands on one.
Primark is selling £10 handbags, which come in black and beige colours.
But according to the ECHO, what you might not have realised is that at £10, these Primark handbags are an amazing deal when compared to a similar Bottega Veneta Shoulder Pouch bag priced at 210 times the price.
The £2,100 shoulder bag is made from Nappa Calf leather has a single compartment lined in shiny calf and comes in a total of 13 different colours.
Shoppers are already loving Primark's version.
One shopper said: "Can I have both?" while another said: "Love this bag! Too many temptations!!!"
Another wrote: "Omg you don't even realise how much I need the black one!" while another user said: "These bags are lovely."
One shopper recalled having something similar when she was young: "Remember these being in fashion when we was like 14."
And another said: "At this point I literally have a mini Primark store in my closet please give my bank account a break."


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links for 2010-09-29
Sep 29, 2010
"And the latest installment of “email-is-dead” stupidity comes from Holiday Brokers, a firm that is abandoning email marketing in favor of social media, according to Travel Weekly."
"They’re switching from a proven channel that delivers the highest ROI in marketing to one that people still haven’t figured out how to measure."
"Consider this: According to a Hotmail representative at the Email Insider Summit in April, a recent survey of Hotmail users revealed that for the first time, managing commercial relationships is the No. 1 reason people have their accounts."
Need help optimizing your email marketing results? Get in touch!


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We’ve known that Electronic Arts and Respawn Entertainment’s Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order is a single-player experience since it was announced. But what wasn’t clear is whether some multiplayer elements or live-service features would be sprinkled into the mix. Further, it was even less clear whether there would be microtransactions in the game or not. That said, now we have answers to both of these questions is. And the answer to each is: no.
The news comes way of producer on the project, Blair Brown, who confirmed the abscene of both gameplay elements on Twitter.
So happy to be working on a single player story focused game again, no multiplayer and no MTX for #JediFallenOrder pic.twitter.com/UIJDjfErLo
— Blair Brown (@BlairBroon) April 12, 2019
Of course, this news has many fans excited, who were worried that while the game would be primarily a single-player, narrative-driven experience, EA would inject some type of way to make additional cash on it. And this may happen with post-launch DLC or expansion packs, but it won’t be via microtransactions. And given that there will be no multiplayer suggests EA isn’t worried about players playing the game months down the road and making money on them in the long-term. Perhaps this is a sign it’s changing its development motto?
With that settled all that remains is gameplay. It seems like EA is letting Respawn Entertainment create the game it wants, but can the Apex Legends and Titanfall developer pay it back with a killer gameplay experience? Who knows. A leak surfaced earlier this week though that claimed the game would have Dark Souls-like combat that will focus on parrying like Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice does. Of course, this also got fans excited. A single-player, story-driven Star Wars game with planet exploration and Dark Souls combat reads like a dream on paper. Hopefully it looks as good as it sounds when EA and Respawn Entertainment reveal it to the world tomorrow. And fingers crossed we will also find out when the adventure is coming to PS4, Xbox One, and PC.


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The next-gen Hyundai Creta and Tata’s upcoming H2X-based micro SUV are expected to be revealed at the 2020 Auto Expo
The dates for India’s biggest auto spectacle are out. The 2020 Auto Expo will be held from 7-12 February 2020. The 15th edition of the exhibition will be held at the India Expo Mart in Greater Noida just like in 2016 and 2018.
While the dates have been released, it is still early days for manufacturers to confirm their participation. As we have seen in previous years, major manufacturers sometimes tend to ditch the Auto Expo in favour of holding a standalone event. The slowdown in the automobile industry due to new norms and regulations could lead to some manufacturers giving India’s biggest auto spectacle a miss this time around.
Tata Motors is likely to showcase its upcoming H2X-based micro SUV at the Expo, while Hyundai is expected to take the wraps off the next-gen Creta at the six-day event. Volkswagen Group India led by Skoda will showcase its MQB-A0-based compact SUV concept. Meanwhile, MG and Kia are likely to showcase their future products for India.
The general public can visit the exhibition on all days and business hours will be from 10AM to 1PM on three days (7,10 and 11 February).
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This might explain why LCD Soundsystem couldn't book a show at New York's Madison Square Garden on April 1st! It's because The Strokes already had a hold on the room. Well, now it's all official, The Strokes will be headlining the big room on April Fools Day and tickets go on sale February 25th.
Additionally, it's been announced that The Strokes will be the music guest on Saturday Night Live on March 5th. Miley Cyrus will host.
And yesterday, it was also announced that The Strokes will be participants in this summer's Bonnaroo festival.


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Costa are set to open a drive-thru in Fife
Plans have been submitted to create a new coffee shop at a retail park in Dalgety Bay.
The £4m redevelopment of Dalgety Bay Gateway started almost a year ago, and will see big names such as Aldi move in.
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Costa will have both an in-store cafe and drive thru lane, with 44 parking spaces around the store.
Domino’s takeaway, Screwfix Direct, Coral bookmakers and a Greggs bakery shop are also part of the mix for the new retail site.
Plans for the new Costa will come before councillors in due course


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NEX Group, formerly known as ICAP, is relocating its New York and London offices as CEO Michael Spencer takes the recently streamlined financial technology company into its next era.
NEX will relocate to offices at 4 Times Square, formerly known as the Condé Nast Building, at end-April, according to an emailed statement on April 19. The move will bring all of its New York business under the same roof for the first time.
In London, the company is in “advanced negotiations” to lease space at the London Fruit and Wool Exchange. The move is planned to take place in early 2019.
NEX was created from Tullett Prebon’s purchase of ICAP’s voice-broker business last year. ICAP sold its name to Tullett, now known as TP ICAP, as part of the deal and became NEX.
NEX, which focuses on electronic markets and post-trade services, has operated in London’s Broadgate area for 13 years.
“NEX is a financial technology business so we are really excited to be moving closer to a technology and commercial hub which aligns more closely with the brand,” Jenny Knott, CEO of NEX Optimisation, said in the statement.


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TravelPerk is launching new program to help customers offset carbon emissions
TravelPerk launches GreenPerk to help business travellers offset their carbon
TravelPerk has launched GreenPerk, a new product that allows corporate travellers and companies the ability to offset their travel-related CO2 footprint directly.
Demands for eco-friendly travel are increasing as the modern workforce grows more concerned about its impact on the environment, said the online travel management platform.
TravelPerk says it found current products in the market only provide data on carbon impact and do not provide solutions.
It hopes that through GreenPerk companies will realise their carbon output and select a solution that aligns with their sustainability strategy at the click of a button.
TravelPerk customers that choose to opt in to GreenPerk will pay €27 for every tonne of CO2 emitted by their flights, hotel stays, train journeys or car rentals.
The firm says this amount is typically 4% of the cost of a business trip, and the money paid through GreenPerk will go towards carbon mitigation projects supported by the UN.
To complement GreenPerk’s launch, TravelPerk claims it is also committing to offsetting 100% of its own carbon expenditure from employee travel.
It has partnered with non-profit Atmosfair to deliver GreenPerk’s carbon offsetting which combine climate action with sustainable development.
Projects that will be supported by GreenPerk reportedly include the construction of household biogas plants in rural Nepal to replace firewood for cooking; the Solar Home System project in Ethiopia that replaces inefficient household kerosene lamps with solar-powered ones; and the construction of biomass plants in India that use crop residues to generate electricity.
Dr. Dietrich Brockhagen, chief executive at Atmosfair, said: “Companies now have the option of offsetting all of their carbon directly at booking and make climate a factor for their travel choices.”
GreenPerk will also provide customers with data and actionable insights to help them modify and potentially improve their future travel behaviour to reduce their carbon footprint over time.
Avi Meir, chief executive and co-founder of TravelPerk, said: “The environmental impact of business travel is a critically important issue and something that everyone in our industry has a duty to engage with seriously.”
“Businesses will always need their employees to travel in order to meet customers, prospects and colleagues in-person but, increasingly, they also want to be able to manage their business travel in a responsible, sustainable way.”
“At TravelPerk, this is something that we care deeply about so we wanted to do more than just provide surface-level solutions. Giving customers insights and data is helpful but we wanted to go a step further and offer a credible and simple option that would allow businesses to actually take action themselves.”
“Through the launch of GreenPerk and our partnership with Atmosfair, we believe we can help businesses make long-term sustainable changes in how they travel.”
“We are very proud of this offering, which marks another crucial step in our long-term ambition to build a world-class platform that sets new standards for business travel, across all areas of the industry.”


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Today in fashion news from around the world wide web: Apparently, Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton will be required to have at least five outfits in the hopper and ready to go on Christmas day. Retailers are expected to slash prices even further before the holidays roll around. What happens on the pages of Ikea when no one's looking? Here's a cool video. Speedo introduces a new-technology suit, cap, and goggles that lets super-swimmers like Michael Phelps swim even faster. And more! All the gory details after the jump.
Queen Elizabeth II makes her first Christmas broadcast at Sandringham House in 1952
SANDRINGHAM HOUSE— Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton has a big Christmas planned—according to Grazia—including five outfit changes, all in one day. ""Kate will need a casual outfit for breakfast, a smart outfit—and a hat—for the morning church service, a dress for lunch, a cocktail dress for early evening drinks and a full-length dress for the evening meal," a royal expert said. "The golden rule is nothing too short, too revealing or too gaudy."
MYANMAR— Here is a photo of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton wearing a scrunchie. She was in Myanmar today talking about recent governmental reforms and the country's ties to North Korea. It's amazing to think that Clinton is probably the most important scrunchie-wearer in the history of scrunchie-wearers.
2012— I don't know about you, but I'm really excited about the 2012 Olympic games in London. So is Speedo, too, apparently. The swimwear company has announced its new Fastskin3 Racing System, a cap, goggle, and suit set that "offers a 16.1 percent reduction in passive drag, an 11 percent improvement in oxygen economy and a 5.2 percent reduction in full body active drag." Look for the Fastskin3 system on Olympic swimmers like Ryan Locke and Michael Phelps next summer.
EVERYWHERE— Each year since 1994, fashion house Maison Martin Margiela issues a new AIDS awareness T-shirt in a different colorway or language, of which all sales proceeds go to charity or research. This year, the company has asked celebrities, including Peaches, Michael Stipe, Lou Doillon, and Allison Goldfrapp, to pose in archive shirts. Check out some of the photos here.
THE INTERNET— I love these vintage ads that encourage women (and men) to gain weight.
SWEDEN— Ever wonder what happens on the pages of Ikea when no one's looking? A soap opera, apparently:__
__YOUR LOCAL MALL— According to a CNN report, Black Friday and Cyber Monday aren't going to be the only deals you'll see before the end of the year—retailers are expected to slash prices even further. You know what that means? Procrastinating will finally pay off.


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Many consumers like to browse online before they buy. Some go straight to their smartphone, others enjoy visiting a store. Because consumers’ shopping behavior is so varied, omnichannel is currently the top priority for consumer goods manufacturers and retailers.
Nearly half of all consumers complain about discrepancies in the look and “feel” of online versus store offerings, according to analysts at Vantiv Research. They also found that online checkouts tend to be plagued by technical difficulties. However, according to Forrester market researchers, the problem runs deeper: Providers need to ensure that transactions are booked reliably, that complaints are handled swiftly, and that recurring payments can be made smoothly.
Consumer goods manufacturers are currently placing a mixture of virtual and physical purchases at the top of their business agendas. Vantiv Research’s analysis differentiates between Internet savvy consumers who look up products and order them online (55%), consumers who compare products online and purchase them in stores (46%), consumers who make all their purchases offline (46%), and consumers who view products in a store before ordering them online.
Consumer Goods Industry: Digital Transformation Through Omnichannel Strategies
One thing is certain: Customers expect a seamless customer experience across all channels. This makes it essential for consumer goods manufacturers and retailers to invest in omnichannel technology and strategies.
More and more customers are comparing the pricing of competitor offerings online before then buying products in a store. In a 2014 study titled Global Consumer Executive Top of Mind Survey, consultants at KPMG found supply chain to be the most heavily invested business area of 2015. Of the 469 decision makers that were surveyed worldwide, 42 percent listed supply chain as their top priority for this year.
Also of note: The top five investment areas include three themes that are highly relevant to the digital transformation. Data analytics (28%) and digital strategies (28%) are very important for 2015. When asked which business areas are vital for the company to stay competitive, three IT topics came out on top: data analytics (56%), omnichannel strategy (54%), as well as data security and privacy (47%).
A study by Oxford Economics from 2013 demonstrated how much pent-up demand for these topics exists. In this study, only 15 percent of retailers and 18 percent of consumer goods manufacturers had completed their digital transformation. Of the envisioned technology projects, 40 percent for retailers and 49 percent for consumer goods manufacturers have now been realized. However, a rift between those companies that are well-prepared for a digital, omnichannel future and those who aren’t quite there yet remains.
Omnichannel Showcase at CeBIT 2015
As SAP’s showcase at CeBIT 2015 demonstrates, omnichannel concepts hold enormous potential. Analysts at IDC found that new channels are motivating more and more consumers to make purchases. According to the report, consumers who shop across several channels spend three-and-a-half times more money. This could be because it’s so quick and easy to shop from your tablet while lounging on the sofa, or because users of different digital devices generally spend more money. Within two years, the department store Galeries Lafayette achieved a fourfold increase in its number of users: 11 million to 40 million. It’s very obvious that revenue increases with the number of channels that a provider uses to sell his products.
This is due to the opportunities that omnichannel strategies open up for shops as well as consumers. Both parties, for example, can gain insight into shipping processes. Consumer satisfaction is therefore increased, because they now know exactly when their orders will be delivered. Vendors are also happier because they can focus more on in-store sales, rather than spending all their time on the phone with suppliers. Together, apps and mobile-optimized webpages are making it easier and easier for consumers to place orders when they have a few minutes of free time, or while on the go.
Ominchannel does, of course, also mean that consumers will leave behind a history of their shopping habits and interests. This gives vendors a chance to create individualized offerings, but also bears the risk of alienating customers who prefer not to be analyzed in detail. According to a study by the Winterberry Group, four out of five companies want to invest in omnichannel technology. Fifty percent of companies even see omichannel strategy as mission critical.
At the end of the day, what really counts is sensitivity on the vendors’ behalf. Vendors do not want to “spy” on their customers, but they do want to provide them with discrete, well-targeted product deals based on data gleaned from a range of channels.


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The games industry’s most hotly-anticipated annual event is less than a month away and you know what that means – a deluge of leaks and rumors inbound. Like clockwork, the usual round of unverified claims have begun circulating the internet to precede E3, some plausible; others not. It’s often the case that headline-grabbing announcements hit the public’s ears long before they’re meant to, but if there’s any truth to this latest purported leak, it’s likely to send the entire internet into meltdown.
Despite Rockstar’s critically-acclaimed Red Dead Redemption 2 still far from being 12 months old, fans of the developer’s work have already started looking further afield for potential future releases. One of those, of course, is Grand Theft Auto 6. Though the sequel has yet to be officially announced, it’s generally accepted, given the franchise’s continued dominance, that work on GTA V‘s successor is already well underway and according to one supposed whistleblower, such a reveal could come as soon as June.
In discussing Rockstar’s future plans over on Reddit, one user claiming to be a Take-Two employee chimes in with a particularly bold claim. “Let’s just say that E3 2019 will completely blindside you with one of Rockstar’s announcements,” read ThirdeyeReddit’s initial comment, clearly hinting at the imminent announcement of something massive.
Despite being asked to verify the lofty assertion, the individual dodges any attempts to do so by claiming to be a low-level employee. “I don’t know anything too detailed as I’m lower on the food chain but we are building a landing page for Take-Two right now for something unannounced.”
Is it possible that the anonymous comments hold any truth? Absolutely, though I’m inclined to assume the complete opposite. Rumors from unverified sources have ultimately turned out to be accurate in the past, but in this case, the ‘evidence’ is much too vague. Besides that, never in E3’s nearly 30-year history has Rockstar ever attended the exhibition, preferring instead, to make big reveals on its own terms, so it’s incredibly unlikely.
Regardless, the truth will reveal itself come June 11th. In the meantime, you can find everything we currently know about Grand Theft Auto 6 over here.


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Which OS can beat Android and iOS?
None of the new mobile operating systems look like they’ll vanquish the iOS-Droid kingdom, for now.brunch Updated: Jul 27, 2013 17:49 IST
Are you bored of the fact that almost every phone released and every buying choice is restricted to either Android or iOS? Are you excited about the news that is flooding in about brand new mobile phone operating systems that will take on these two and bring in a breath of fresh air into the fairly mundane smartphone market? Well, control that growing ebullience for a while and let’s first get our facts right.
More than 90 per cent of smartphones around the world run on Android and iOS.
Android has about 75 per cent of the market share and sells about 60 million smartphones every month.
Apple’s iOS has about 18 per cent of the market share and sells about 13 million smartphones every month.
As you can see from these numbers, the dominance of the top two is formidable and for a new OS to take on the mighty twins isn’t going to be a walk in the park. Here’s a quick report card on the new OSes on the horizon and the chances each have to pull off a bit of a coup.
What: A towering beast born of incestuous relationships and strange bedfellows. A full-blown operating system that is the bastard child of MeeGo (the abandoned Nokia-Intel OS), LiMo, Bada and a few other alphabet soup OSes.
Has some serious backing now with Samsung announcing a few phones and the Linux association along with a few more brands making a lot of noise. It will run on multiple device categories including tablets and in-car entertainment systems. It will run any app that is HTML5 compliant. It has Intel backing it and it has service providers understandably excited.
Chinks: It’s been brewing for way too long and doesn’t have much to show for it. It has predominantly Samsung backing it and that is a big issue.
Chances to pull off a coup: It brings up the classic question - would you kill the goose that lays the golden egg? Would Samsung really go the whole hog and truly cannibalise its Android phone cash-generating machine? And Samsung’s track record on any OS other than Android has always been pretty shaky (think Bada, Windows).
What: The giant slayer and the one generating the most excitement. Ubuntu is an excellent Linux-based desktop operating system and has a serious user base and fan following. Think of the Touch as a desktop OS ported to a mobile phone.
Arsenal: Clean interface. It has Edge Magic, which is a button-less gesture and swipe-based way of doing everything on your phone. It will have lots of apps right from the start, is HTML5-ready so almost any website can work like an app. It will work on tablets, desktops and phones seamlessly.
Chinks: No major backing from the big hardware giants. It had to crowdsource $32 million. The first device – the Ubuntu Edge (nice looking, dual-boots Android) seems expensive ($600 - $830).
Chances to pull off a coup: Slim to none. It will need to get at least two big mobile brands to announce a Ubuntu Touch phone. It must start with a under-$200 phone to gain some momentum.
What: Robin Hood-like saviour of the poor. It is the all-new economy smartphone king. Basically a web browser that runs like a mobile phone OS. It is the smartphone OS for the rest of us.
Arsenal: It will run on low-end, ultra-cheap hardware. The first phones are all under $100 and one rumoured to be under $40. It has some great backing by service providers who want to break the duopoly of Android and iOS. It’s got easy-to-build apps, fully HTML5 ready. And the first phone is almost out.
It looks and feels sucky. Hardware, especially the screen display, looks weak for a smartphone. Taking on Android in the low-end market is not easy. OS is not geared for high-end phones.
Chances to pull off a coup: It will happen when pigs fly! They can’t win this on just price. With the constant fall in prices of hardware and processors, Android finally doesn’t feel like a torture test on low-end phones. Apple is also rumoured to be working on cheap versions. Firefox is two years too late.
Jolla Sailfish OS
What: The jolly giant with an amazing heart-warming story. An OS that will rise from the ashes of the brutally slain MeeGo. It has ex-Nokia employees who revived it as they truly believed in the OS.
Arsenal: Powerful interface with well-thought-out features. The most complete OS of the lot. MeeGo has a huge fan base already. It can do HTML5 and is compatible with Android apps. It’s the first smartphone up for pre-order. There’s a passionate group of people behind it.
Chinks: It needs a lot of money to reach its potential. It has no major backers other than the group itself. They will be manufacturing their own phones as of now, so scaling to become a world giant is tough. It is slightly similar to Tizen.
Chances to pull off a coup: If romantic and endearing stories of passion and perseverance always paid off, this would be a prime candidate. Unfortunately for every one story of success, there are 99 that have fallen by the way side. Do the math!
So am I saying that not one new OS can take on the awesome twosome? Let me put it another way. A new OS today has to be able to cover the whole gamut (economy and top-of-the-line), must be backed by service providers and multiple manufacturers and has to have killer differentiator features that get customers and users really excited.
Most of these new OSes can tick mark just one from the critical three. The first one to cover the gap and embrace all three could be the one to take on and vanquish the iOS-Droid kingdom. Don’t hold your breath, yet!
Rajiv Makhni is managing editor, Technology, NDTV and the anchor of Gadget Guru, Cell Guru and Newsnet 3
From HT Brunch, July 28
Follow us on twitter.com/HTBrunch
Connect with us on facebook.com/hindustantimesbrunch
First Published: Jul 26, 2013 16:16 IST


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Samsung’s 2022 TV lineup. (Image credit: Samsung)
Samsung announced on Monday that it has partnered with international ODM (Original Development Manufacturing) companies such as Atmaca, HKC, and Tempo, which’ll let non-Samsung smart TVs use the Tizen OS. The new Tizen-powered TVs will be available in Australia, Italy, New Zealand, Spain, Turkey and the United Kingdom.
The company’s Samsung Tizen TV Platform Licensing scheme, which lets other TV brands take advantage of the Tizen OS, was announced during the 2021 Samsung Developer Conference (SDC). This is the first time that Tizen OS licence deals have been revealed since it was announced last year.
“2022 has been a memorable year for Tizen OS as we celebrate its 10th anniversary and the very first Tizen-powered smart TVs available from other brands,” said Yongjae Kim, Executive Vice-President of Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics. “Starting with these new Tizen-powered smart TVs, we will continue to expand the licensing program and introduce Tizen OS and its ecosystem to more products and brands around the world.”
Tizen OS includes features such as Samsung TV Plus, Universal Guide, and the Bixby voice assistant which works like the Google Assistant to search content and do a variety of other tasks. With the inclusion of non-Samsung TV brands, the Tizen OS’s worldwide reach is likely to expand, and the company looks forward to introduce more Tizen-enabled products in the future.