text:
There's something about the simplicity of a skateboard that keeps designers coming back to revisit it... but the SoulArc board certainly seems a worthy reinvention. It's designed to make skateboarding feel more like surfing, with a huge leaf-spring mounted between its long deck and the wheels: And it's less unwieldy-looking than this previous effort. As you dig your heel in, the spring relaxes into corners, giving you more of a surfing-through-waves feeling. There's a video of the board in action after the gallery.
SoulArc Skateboard Has One Big Spring for Surf-Alike Goodness
Trending Stories Right Now
Video. We know you love it, so we're back with another monthly compilation from Dashcam Owners Australia. This Month you can watch a jet ski driving on the road, some cops not giving a shit, a pedestrian fist fight and Jim's Mowing creating a roadblock.
Because we apparently didn't have enough launches happening next month, Microsoft has decided to hold its next big event on October 2. And while Microsoft has its lips sealed on what its announcing, there's not much get excited about from the Surface series.


text:
European authorities say again trying to impose a single model of charger smartphone and tablet. While most of today’s chargers are compatible, Apple stands apart.
was once a charger capable of running on all phones and all tablets, regardless of brand or operating system. This universal charger could last for years, and would work with all new smartphones arriving home. Family piling cartons only compatible connectors with old Apple and Samsung phones are no longer an ugly memory. Forgetting the charger on holiday would not be a drama. And we no longer cry in the evening: “Who has a Nokia charger here? I have more battery!. “
sweet dream shared by many consumers, was that of the European Commission in 2009. Angry face ecological disaster engendered millions of chargers trashed soon renewed the phone, she had signed an agreement with 17 manufacturers and mobile operators to implement a universal charger in 2010. It would be based on the micro-USB connector present on many smartphones, and would automatically go into standby when the phone charged. This model would spread in every home, and builders would not be obliged to sell a charger with their phone or tablet.
Apple keeps its own connection
Four years later, the will of Brussels is partially met. The majority of phones and tablets on sale in Europe use micro-USB chargers compatible with each other: the charger Samsung Galaxy S4 gentleman may charge the Nexus 7 tablet ma’am. But however the devices continue to be sold with a dedicated charger, which does not solve the environmental problem.The connector “Lightning to micro USB”
Another downside, a manufacturer of size does not comply with the rules of the game: Apple. It swears by Lightning charger, which works with its latest devices. To comply with European legislation, American offers an adapter “Lightning to micro USB” to recharge its 4th generation iPad or the iPhone 5 with a standard cable, against 19 euros. A sleight of hand that is not to the taste of Brussels, which intends to impose its universal charger Apple.
A new text passed to the European Parliament
The European Parliament has announced on December 19 reached an agreement binding all manufacturers of smartphones and tablets use a single model charger. But it will not happen tomorrow in stores. Parliament specifies that text should be adopted by all members of the European Union during a plenary session in March 2014. Member countries will then have two years to transpose these rules into their national laws. And manufacturers will have an additional year to comply with the new rules. Clearly, the universal charger will not be out until 2017, and nothing says that Apple will comply with European legislation.
Unless the arrival of the USB “Type-C”, announced earlier this month, does not change the situation. This micro-connector, which will equip the new devices from next year, will be faster and can be connected in both directions, as Apple Lightning. The charger from the firm at the apple could become the model for the future single charger.

domain: news


text:
Unless you’ve been sleeping under a rock for the past 24 hours, you are aware that crappy Apple Maps in iOS 6 provoked a very public backlash. We told you earlier today that a Google executive hinted in a brief interview with Bloomberg TV that iPhone 5 users can go download Google Maps, an unusual wording given that a rumored native Google Maps app couldn’t be found on the App Store yet.
Adding fuel to fire, The Guardian newspaper reports that Google submitted the program and that it is now in Apple’s sole discretion to approve it. Whether or not club Cupertino greenlights the nsoftware or throws it down the toilet over duplicate functionality remains to be seen.
At any rate, a native Google Maps experience akin to the recently released YouTube app would be more than welcome given the controversial downgrade that is Apple’s in-house mapping solution in iOS 6…
UPDATE: The Loop’s Jim Dalrymple denied the claim that Google has its Maps app for review.
The Guardian has the story:
Google, I hear from roundabout sources, is enjoying the bad press Apple is suffering.
I bet they are.
It would be surprising if its mappers could resist some schadenfreude, since they are very proud of their work; having it rejected wholesale must be galling.
It’s also worth pointing out that Google has years-long expertise in building comprehensive mapping services. The company employs tons of people charged with making sure that mapping data is up to date and accurate.
And now this, emphasis mine:
The same sources say that Google is preparing a Google Maps app for iOS6, which will appear in time.
Does that mean Apple will approve it?
No official statement has been made and there will inevitably be questions over whether Apple will approve it in the App Store. Apple might not, on the basis that it “competes with existing functionality”, but would invite a further backlash if it did.
Ball is now definitely in Apple’s court.
Let’s hope it doesn’t take as long as the Google Voice app, which spent a whole year until Apple’s review team put it through purgatory.
iOS developer Steve Troughton-Smith responded to The Guardian story on Twitter with a “yep”.
Per TechCrunch, Google hopes to have iOS Maps app in the App Store “before Christmas”.
I was able to confirm independently that Google internally has had a native Maps experience for the iPhone in various stages of development. My source wasn’t able to confirm whether the version Google allegedly submitted to Apple is same as the one it’s been working on for quite some time.
Three-dimensional view of major metropolitan cities is one area where Apple’s solution beats Google’s technology.
According to TheUnderstatement.com and Apple’s website, 51 countries have no access to Transit data in iOS 6 Maps, 24 countries lost traffic data, 41 countries are without access to Street View and 20 countries don’t support turn-by-turn navigation and 3D Flyovers.
One way to get back the Google Maps experience after updating to iOS 6 entails opening maps.google.com in Safari and adding a shortcut to your home screen via the Share menu. This will create a handy home screen icon to the Google Maps web app that supports transit, directions and other features.
Of course, it’s not as smooth or pretty an experience as stock Google Maps iOS app used to be.
Think of it as a stopgap solution until Apple approves Google’s software.
We ran a little poll earlier in the week, asking you, our readers, whether or not you are looking forward to the native Google Maps experience on the iPhone. The results were a tad surprising, with a whopping 85 percent voting YES.
Apple’s mapping solution is a solid initial release, but in certain aspects leaves a lot to be desired.
It’s also possibly prone to lawsuits (I already see them coming).
An Apple spokesperson said that “we appreciate all of the customer feedback and are working hard to make the customer experience even better”, underscoring its Maps solution is a cloud-based service that gets better over time, as more people use it.
Whichever way you look at it, it’s going to take years until Apple smooths out tons of rough edges and perfects its data sets. Only then will Apple Maps be able to take on Google’s solution.
Until then, I wouldn’t use Apple Maps in iOS 6 to navigate around if I were you.


text:
Agent Provocateur unveils its luxury Soiree collection at Melrose Avenue boutique
Agent Provocateur held an intimate soiree to unveil its luxury Soirée collection on Wednesday at its Melrose Avenue boutique.
The lingerie brand handed attendees photo books featuring images from its new ad campaign featuring 57-year-old model Marie Helvin -- the muse and former wife of photographer David Bailey, who recently was a judge on "Britain's Next Top Model."
The Soirée collection features pieces influenced by classic movies -- "Barbarella" and "The Night Porter" -- that can transition to ready-to-wear, such as the fitted Billie jacket and cut-out Elysia gown (both $1,790). Agent Provocateur’s classic boudoir pieces appeared as the lacy Gardenia set (worn by Helvin), including a corset ($1,500) and waspie ($850), along with the sheer leopard-print Lalita metallic lace slip ($2,590). The "Barbarella" homage came as the Swarovski crystal-chain Fonda playsuit that includes pasties ($2,790). Charlotte Rampling circa "The Night Porter" could have carried off the black-studded leather Lisha sets, including a spiked corset called the Heloise ($4,900).
-- Max Padilla
Photo: Marie Helvin in Agent Provocateur's Gardenia set. Credit: Agent Provocateur


text:
One house was destroyed by a fire that started in the dryer vent. And another home was destroyed by a fire that started in a clothes dryer. Fire officials say lint had built up in the dryer's ducts and caught fire.
To prevent tragedies like these from happening in your home, it's essential to clean the lint from your dryer's ducts and lint trap.
Consumer Reports tested a new infomercial product called the Lint Lizard that promises to help. The Lint Lizard attaches to your vacuum cleaner. You thread the tube through the opening of a dryer's lint trap.
Bernie Deitrick with Consumer Reports checked to see how much lint it could remove from the dryer.
"The Lint Lizard worked really well. It removed more lint than any other technique that we tried," Deitrick said.
But one drawback is the Lint Lizard may not fit easily into very narrow dryer openings. And its sharp tip could damage flexible foil or plastic ductwork.
However, Consumer Reports doesn't recommend these kinds of ducts anyway.
"It can sag like this, collect lint and cause problems with venting your dryer," Deitrick said.
Consumer Reports says metal ducts are far better -- either flexible or solid. You want to clean those at least once a year. And clean your lint trap every time you use the dryer. Taking these precautions can help prevent a tragedy.
The Lint Lizard costs $10.99, plus shipping and handling at the company's website. But you can get it for less at major retailers, including Walmart, Target and Amazon.
Take ABC13 with you!
Download our free apps for iPhone, iPad, Android and Blackberry devices


text:
Sky, the UK's biggest advertiser, is set to reveal the winner of its media review shortly after Easter after completing pitches. MediaCom, the 13-year incumbent, has pitched against Zenith and Carat for the UK business. Sky's media review includes planning and buying for the UK, Ireland, Germany and Italy.
Bayer will shortlist three agencies to pitch for a new global agency of record account to handle its animal health products. The pitches are due to take place on 19th April.
New-business rankings: creative accounts
Cathay Pacific has kicked off a global advertising review after a request for information was sent to agencies last week.The main agencies currently on the company's roster are McCann, MRM, ICLP, Eight Partnership, Superunion, and Edelman.
New-business rankings: media accounts
Adam & Eve/DDB has won Camelot's £42m National Lottery advertising account after a competitive pitch. The agency defeated the 14-year incumbent and its Omnicom stablemate Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO in a three-way final shoot-out that also included Grey London. VCCP and WCRS were also included in the process, but were knocked out in an earlier round. The review was handled by Oystercatchers.
Mitsubishi has hired Critical Mass as its first global digital agency as it seeks to strengthen its presence in key growth markets and rebuild customer trust. There is no incumbent.
Swarovski has hired Publicis 133 as its global creative agency after a pitch process involving more than 20 agencies. Publicis Groupe’s specialist luxury network agency will succeed New York-based Laird & Partners.
VML Europe has been appointed by Nestlé to run its global consolidated skincare brands business. The WPP agency pitched in December against five agencies.
Recipe has won the Fuller’s Beer Company ad account following a competitive pitch. The agency will now be responsible for delivering social and digital campaigns across Fuller’s portfolio of drinks brands that include London Pride, Frontier and Cornish Orchards. The Corner is the incumbent.
Kumala, the South African wine brand, and part of the Accolade Wines portfolio, has appointed Creature as its lead creative agency following a competitive pitch. There is no incumbent.
Home has been appointed by pet food brand Harringtons to undertake a range of integrated creative including TV, digital, outdoor and press. Harringtons previously worked with Creative Race.


text:
Bitcoin remains a big deal despite huge stability issues and various companies dropping support, like Steam. A single bitcoin, despite big drops and fluctuations, is still worth several thousands of dollars. Because of this, mining, especially bitcoin mining, is still in high demand. This is having an undesirable effect on hardware prices, particularly graphics cards.
Because of the high demand of graphics cards, which are needed to offset the high power needs of cryptocurrency mining, prices are shooting well above retail price. Even older cards are going up, something that has historically been unheard of in the PC parts market.
This of course means that if gamers can’t find or afford high end graphics cards, the PC market as a whole suffers, and game sales as well. NVIDIA obviously doesn’t want this to happen. In an interview, the PR manager for NVIDIA stressed that “gamers come first,” and that the company is trying to get its retail partners to do more to make sure gamers can get ahold of its products.
While some retailers have imposed purchase limits on cards, many sellers like Newegg are still struggling to keep stock, and third-party sellers are still using insane markups.


text:
Porsche confirms electric 718 successor
Porsche has now officially confirmed that it intends to offer its mid-engine 718 sports car exclusively in all-electric form by the middle of the decade. The sports car brand will also invest in its own HPC infrastructure.
Porsche to reinvest in Zuffenhausen plant
VW’s sports car subsidiary Porsche wants to invest around 500 million euros in its main plant in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen. The money is to be used to convert the production lines of the 718 series with Boxster and Cayman for the production of the purely electric successor generation.
Porsche considers releasing electric 718 in 2024
Porsche wanted to decide by this summer whether the next generation of the 718 series (Cayman and Boxster) would have an all-electric drive. According to media reports, the decision has now been made in favour of a purely electric 718 in 2024. However, official confirmation is still pending.
Porsche to decide on electric Boxster by Summer 2021
Porsche has not yet decided whether the next generation of the 718 series (Cayman and Boxster) will have a fully-electric drive. Actually, the decision should have been made in 2020. However, it is clear that there will be a new generation of smaller sports cars.
“We have prototypes of the 718 running in electric now.”
Porsche CEO Oliver Blume details further electric Porsche cars to follow the Taycan and says the company has “prototypes of the 718 running in electric now”. The new models will utilise the PPE platform Porsche is sharing with Audi, and hybrid models are under consideration as well.


text:
City of Heroes goes gold
NCsoft’s online superhero slugfest has gone gold and is set to take off for retail shelves.
We'll begin emailing you updates about %gameName%.
City of Heroes, NCsofts massively multiplayer role-playing game, has gone gold and should land in stores April 28. The game puts players in the customized tights of the superhero of their dreams and pits them against the most heinous villains Paragon City has to offer. Those who preorder the game will be invited to participate in the beta test, which has been ongoing since February. City of Heroes will be sold for $49.99 and requires a $14.99 monthly subscription fee.


text:
Just the chip for those super-thin servers...
Intel is planning to release a line of low-power chips for super-thin rack mounted servers at Comdex in the US later this month.
The new model is based on the chip maker's Pentium III design for laptop computers unveiled in July, which minimise power consumption and give off less heat than ordinary CPUs.
Speaking to US newswire news.com
, a source claimed Intel will also launch a duel-processor early next year designed for low-power servers.
The move hits back at Transmeta, which has launched successful low-power designs for the mobile and server markets.


text:
Chinese president Xi Jinping visits Wuhan, the center of the global coronavirus epidemic, which is the first time he visited there since the outbreak. His appearance transmitted a signal that the official believes that the situation of coronavirus has turn into better place. On Tuesday, China said it recorded 19 new infections from the coronavirus, and 17 deaths, in the past 24 hours.
While different circumstances happen in other countries. It is reported that South Korea comes out 35 coronavirus cases on Tuesday and the death rose by 3 to 54, bringing total infections to 7513. In another Asian country, Japan, over 1000 people have been infected and 16 people died. Japan implemented tougher border control measures on Monday for travelers from China and Korea, effectively banning tourists from the two countries through the end of this month to control more incomes.
In U.S., Cases of Coronavirus Cross 500, and Deaths Rise to 22. And in Italy, cases and deaths shot up over the last week, its tolls second only to China, and the entire Lombardy area has been locked down. The number of infection cases in Italy accounts for more than 7350 and death cases are up to 360.
An increase severity of coronavirus leads to more and more persuing face mask. Thousands of face masks run out in short periods, and even emergency food sold out, only obtaining after many days preorder. Facebook has banned online sale of surgical face masks, preventing unscrupulous vendors from exploiting public coronavirus panic.
Facebook’s director of product management Rob Leathern said: “We’re banning ads and commerce listings selling medical face masks. We’re monitoring Covid-19 closely and will make necessary updates to our policies if we see people trying to exploit this public health emergency. We’ll start rolling out this change in the days ahead.”
Elsewhere in the tech world, eBay and Amazon have also joined efforts to stop price gouging on selected products as panicked consumers seek to horde products ranging from toilet paper to pasta.


text:
WPP’s Xaxis has finalised its merger with 24/7 Media to form the largest programmatic buying platform.
The company will still be known as Xaxis and will be led by Brian Lesser as global CEO and David J. Moore as chairman.
Mark Grether will remain as Xaxis global chief operating officer and Christina Van Tassell will become chief financial officer. Nicolle Pangis will become the company’s chief revenue officer and Paul Dolan will continue in his role as senior vice president, global business development. Caspar Schlickum has been elevated from his position of managing director, EMEA for Xaxis to CEO, EMEA. Xaxis regional managing directors Michel de Rijk (APAC), Brian Gleason (North America) and Lucas Mentasti (Latin America) will continue to run their respective regions. Sara Hafele, vice president of human resources for Xaxis, will lead all human resource related activities for the new company.
The merged company will direct more than US$750 million of audience-targeted media buys across 32 markets in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Latin America.
Sir Martin Sorrell (pictured), chief executive officer of WPP said earlier: “We were the first parent company to make a significant investment in advertising technology and today’s deal further extends our leadership in the high growth service sector.”


text:
The appointment of a new CEO at Microsoft in the form of Satya Nadella has raised a lot of questions. How are things going to change? How will Nadella compare to Ballmer? Is there going to be a radical change of direction? With a new man at the top, it is inevitable that there will be some changes at Microsoft, but it is unlikely that things will be quite as drastic as some people have suggested.
One proposal that has been put forward more than once, including by Charles Arthur in the Guardian, is that Windows Phone should be ditched and that Microsoft should start to embrace Android. Charles’ tip to Nadella is: “stop bothering with Windows Phone. It’s a waste of money which will never pay off”.
It is true to say that Windows Phone has been a little disappointing, but the same could be said about some earlier version of Windows. Windows Me was the subject of much derision when it was released, but to suggest that Microsoft should simply give up on the operating system and instead produce software for Macs would have been rightly regarded as an insane suggestion.
Microsoft was a little late to join the mobile party
Yes, Microsoft was a little late to join the mobile party, and Windows Phone has a lot of catching up to do, but this is no reason to wave the white flag and give up. In fact there is a great deal to gain. Microsoft has shown how it is able to pick itself up and learn from its mistakes — Windows 8 is a perfect example of this. There are few people who are under the impression that Microsoft got everything right with Windows 8 first time around.
Microsoft recognized this and addressed many issues in Windows 8.1. With Update 1 even more problems and complaints are being fixed.
Something very similar is happening with Windows Phone. Windows Phone 8 smoothed out the kinks found in its predecessor, and updates have been used to take the mobile operating system further and further. Windows Phone is not an operating system that needs to be forgotten. It is struggling slightly, but great strides are being made; and, importantly, the strides are being made in the right direction.
Windows Phone 8.1 is likely just a couple of months from release, and the leaks that are starting to appear show that, again, Microsoft is listening. The article in the Guardian suggests that Nadella should “focus the efforts of Microsoft and soon-to-be subsidiary Nokia on forking Android”.
So what if Windows Phone was released a few years after iOS and Android? It does not matter in the slightest. Sure, Windows Phone has a small market share at the moment, but the only way is up. Android may be in the number one spot around the world, but this is a difficult position to maintain. Android is incredibly popular, but popularity can only increase for so long. To suggest that Microsoft should switch to Android seems counterintuitive.
Microsoft has produced Windows Phone and is proud of it
Android may be well-established, but it’s not a field that Microsoft is familiar with. Switching to Android would amount to starting from scratch, placing Microsoft in an even more delicate position in the mobile arena. Microsoft has produced Windows Phone and is proud of it. The company has the pride to stick by its mobile operating system and is taking steps to respond to the ever-changing market and give people what they are looking for.
Microsoft may have been slow in the past, but this is certainly not the case now. The tight integration that’s available between numerous Microsoft platforms — Xbox One, Windows 8.1, Windows Phone, Windows RT — is something that Apple and Google simply do not offer in the same way.
Windows Phone is a work in progress. There’s a lot to look forward to. To just drop it would be insanity.
What do you think the future holds for Windows Phone?Further reading: Microsoft, Windows Phone


text:
BIS official confirms business secretary will outline fresh details on the £3bn bank
Vince Cable will later today set out the long-awaited parameters governing the proposed £3bn Green Investment Bank. A spokeswoman for the department of Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) confirmed...
Tech giant quadruples number of locations for US customers to hand in old iPhones as part of recycling and reuse drive
GreenBiz releases its latest update on soaring renewables demand from US corporates
Record amount of future new wind capacity will be financed from last year's investment, according to WindEurope
Nation known for its natural beauty is under pressure with extinctions, polluted rivers and blighted lakes


text:
For months, conservative media outlets have assailed the light bulb efficiency standards signed into law by President Bush in 2007 and scheduled to take effect in 2012, falsely claiming that the legislation banned incandescent bulbs or that consumers would be forced to buy compact fluorescent lamps.
Today the New York Times reports on widespread confusion among consumers about the phase-out of traditional incandescents and notes the role that conservative media outlets have played in spreading misconceptions. The article also quotes Joseph Higbee, a spokesman for the National Electrical Manufacturers Association, who says "misinformation has been promoted by a number of media outlets":
For years, Glenn Beck, among other conservative pundits and personalities, has proclaimed the death of the incandescent light bulb as a casualty of the "nanny state" (never mind that the light bulb legislation is a Bush-era act), and he has been exhorting his listeners to hoard 100-watt light bulbs (along with gold and canned food). This year, conservative politicians took a leaf from his playbook, introducing bills like the Light Bulb Freedom of Choice Act, courtesy of Michele Bachmann, the Minnesota congresswoman, that would repeal the 2007 legislation.
The hubbub has been deeply irritating to light bulb manufacturers and retailers, which have been explaining the law, over and over again, to whomever will listen.
Joseph Higbee, a spokesman for the electrical manufacturers association, offered his take on the situation: "Unfortunately people do not yet understand this lighting transition, and mistakenly think they won't be able to buy incandescent light bulbs. This misinformation has been promoted by a number of media outlets. Incandescent light bulbs are not being banned, and the new federal energy-efficiency standards for light bulbs do not mandate the use of CFLs. My hope is that the media can help the American people understand the energy-efficient lighting options available, as opposed to furthering misconceptions."


text:
How Android outshines iOS in first quarter?
Notwithstanding Apple cell phone deals staying solid and high expectation for the iPhone 6 release, iOS is as yet falling behind Android in the OS war.
An ongoing report by ABI Research uncovered that Android held 44% of piece of the pie in the main quarter of 2014, with a little more than 240 million cell phones running on Android being dispatched during that time. Despite the fact that this is a 1% misfortune from Q4 of 2013, it denotes a huge 24% year-on-year development.
Numerous current cell phone clients are choosing Android gadgets on account of its wide determination of decision and a more noteworthy spotlight on gaming, with more controllers, application titles and highlights for access to online destinations like Euro Palace. Notwithstanding, Android are additionally demonstrating fruitful in catching new cell phone clients as well.
“Strikingly, essential cell phones lost 5% piece of the overall industry and Android got practically these clients, recommending Android is set to pick up practically the entirety of the billions of portable supporters despite everything moving up to cell phones,” said ABI’s Senior Practice Director of Mobile Devices, Nick Spencer.
“Positively, Android looks set to totally rule the high development creating markets and increment its piece of the overall industry even more.”
Apple is as yet staying well known in specific markets, particularly across US regions, however the remainder of the world gives off an impression of being settling on its greatest opponent. ABI takes note of that “Apple’s iOS likewise accomplished consistent advancement with 17% year-on-year development”, yet that this development is “without a doubt smoothing and the iPhone 5c has done little to support deal volumes.”
In spite of this, investigators are staying sure that Apple will turn out to be progressively serious available. Diminish King, the Director of Tablets at research firm Strategy Analytics, noticed that the frustrating exhibition from the get-go in 2014 is because of Apple’s adjustment in item release cycle.
“iOS will probably lose share throughout the following a while to invigorated Android items, however we trust Apple will win back important very good quality piece of the pie during the last a long time of the schedule year,” he finished up.
This isn’t the first occasion when that Android has overwhelmed Apple in the cell phone showcase. A year ago, the OS’s tablets outflanked the iPad on a worldwide scale, however with enormous lead release in Apple’s sights, Android should stay creative to remain serious.


text:
It has been reported in Electronics Weekly.com that Sharp have put up their Copier business for sale. Sharp entered photocopier market in 1972 and have grown to be a significant player in the printer/copier field
David Manners of Electronics Weekly.com reports that Sharp has been bailed out by the banks to the tune of $4.6bn and that Sharp has debts of $12.76bn. To secure the loans Sharp has put up its Osaka HQ building and its stake in Pioneer as collateral, it also plans to lay off 10,000 employees.
How this will affect Sharp Copier’s in the UK is yet to be seen, but it must make for an uncertain future.
Could Sharp go the way of Panasonic?


text:
There’s truth in the adage, “an apple a day keeps the doctor away.” You can boost your immunity with apples—including apple products such as 100% apple juice, cider and apple sauce.
According to the U.S. Apple Association, recent research suggests that apples might be the key to achieving a stronger immune system and better gut health (the reason many people consume foods enhanced with probiotic bacteria).
A study published in Denmark’s January 2010 issue of BMC Microbiology found that long-term consumption of apples may promote growth of these “friendly bacteria” in your stomach, potentially leading to a stronger immune system.
Apple-balsamic salmon. Get the recipe. Photo courtesy USApple.org.
The findings point to the benefits of apple pectin—a type of dietary fiber found in apples—working in tandem with the abundance of antioxidants in apples.
So, work an apple a day into your diet and see if it makes you feel better. A one-cup portion of fresh apple is 65 calories, with 3g dietary fiber, 13g sugars and 10% daily value of Vitamin C.
Apples are grown in every state in the continental United States. Top-producing states include Washington, New York, Michigan, Pennsylvania, California and Virginia.
An estimated 7,500 U.S. apple growers manage orchards covering 379,000 acres, trailing only oranges and grapes in the amount of U.S. acreage committed to fruit production.
In 2008, the average U.S. consumer ate an estimated 16.4 pounds of fresh-market apples and 33.3 pounds of processed apples, for a total of 49.8 pounds of fresh apples and apple products.
Almost 65% of the 2008 U.S. apple crop was eaten as fresh fruit, while 34.5% was processed into apple products (1% was not marketed). Of the 34.5% that was processed, 15.7% went into juice and cider, 12.2% was canned, 2.1% was dried, 2.1% was frozen and 1.1% was sold as fresh slices. Other uses include the making of baby food, apple butter or jelly and apple cider vinegar.


text:
UPDATE, Oct. 11, 4:50 p.m. ET: Someone claiming to be the perpetrator posted on 4chan that no photos would be released. However, the post is anonymous.
Celebrities were the targets of the iCloud security breach, but rumors are spreading on Friday of a far more widespread hack of Snapchat accounts. Bloggers and anonymous 4chan users say 200,000 Snapchat accounts may have been compromised, with photos stolen from a third-party Snapchat app called Snap Save.
Snapchat says that its servers "were not the source of these leaks," and says its users "were victimized by their use of third-party apps." But there's also growing evidence that whatever photos are being leaked are probably old photos that were collected over time.
Whatever the case, this latest security scare has already been dubbed "The Snappening." It comes in the wake of "The Fappening" ("Fap" is Internet-speak for masturbation), in which hundreds of personal photographs of celebrities were apparently stolen from iCloud and posted to websites such as Reddit, 4chan and AnonIb.
Blogger Kenny Withers was the first to report on the alleged Snapchat breach, based on conversations held on the anonymous forum-based website 4chan, although the original threads are no longer on the site.
— Kenny Withers (@Kenny_Withers) October 10, 2014
According to Withers, a 4chan user claimed to have accessed the accounts of 200,000 users of the app Snap Save, a third-party application that allows Snapchat users to save photos sent to them via Snapchat without the sender's knowledge.
There are multiple apps carrying variations of the name "Snap Save" or "SnapSave" available in both the Google Play Store and Apple App Store. Mashable reached out to the owner of the more popular "Snap Save," who told us: "My app do[es]n’t save users’s snaps on our server, Snap Save just save[s] snapchats on user’s phone." It is unclear whether other third-party apps store photos on their own servers.
In addition, others are claiming the that the leak is fake and the photos that were being spread on 4chan were previous images that had leaked online, a trend that is not uncommon. Multiple websites and subreddits are based upon sharing "saved" snapchatted photographs.
Independent security and privacy researcher Ashkan Soltani performed a reverse image search on some of the photos included in the alleged leak. Most of the searches pointed back to the same photos already posted on other websites, proving that these photos were previously released.
— ashkan soltani (@ashk4n) October 10, 2014
Redditors were also skeptical of the alleged breach.
Snapchat was quick to wash its hands of the potential hacking, releasing the following statement to Mashable. However, the company's statement does hint that the privacy of Snapchat users can be compromised with the use of third-party applications.
The statement implies users themselves are to blame, an unfortunate choice of words that borders on victim-blaming. Anyone using the official Snapchat app could still have their photos harvested by a third-party app — the sharer has no way of knowing if the receiver is using the real Snapchat app or not. Snapchat's statement implies that as long as you don't use a third-party app, you're fine, which simply isn't the case.
In any case, it's Snapchat's responsibility to make sure that users aren't able to take advantage of security flaws. In May, Snapchat settled with the FTC over its misleading claims that messages "delete forever."
Your Snapchat photos can be saved without your knowledge
We downloaded Snap Save, and were able to save photos without the sender's knowledge. (In Snapchat itself, the sender is notified if the recipient tries to save the photo.)
So even if the leak in question is not comprised of new photos, the fact remains that photos sent via Snapchat can be saved by the receiver without the sender's knowledge.


text:
|With new trademarks, Ivanka Trump's business grows alongside political influence|
Added: 20.04.2017 20:52 | 4 views | 0 comments
As the leader of an international business and close adviser to the president, some have speculated and raised concerns that Ivanka Trump could become the most powerful first daughter in US history. Ms. Trump, the founder of a fashion line that bears her name, has carefully constructed a global empire that is designed to draw attention.
More in www.yahoo.com »


text:
Macquarie Telecom (ASX:MAQ) has announced plans to invest $60 million in building a new data centre following its recent purchase of an existing building and a block of land in North Ryde, Sydney.
Stories by Diana Nguyen
Ubuntu is breaking out from the Linux community into wider mainstream use in Australia, with schools and government agencies leading the charge, according to the Sydney Linux Users Group (SLUG).
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) and the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) have jointly issued warnings to consumers following a spike in the number of complaints both regulators have received in the past two months about phone scammers.
The release of the latest Australian Mobile Phone Lifestyle Index (AMPLI) has brought welcoming news for mobile application developers.
Melbourne Museum has unveiled a new museum iPad application, claimed to be the first of its kind in the world.
GNOME’s foray into developing a free integrated Web and desktop software stack has taken a step backwards with the news that the release of the alpha of Tomboy Online has been delayed by up to four weeks.


text:
Nanaimo North Town Centre has shot up the ranks of the city’s top taxpayers, securing the No. 2 spot in 2013.
The Nanaimo shopping centre became the second-highest paying property owner in the Harbour City last year, with $1.8 million in total taxes, according to the 2013 draft Annual Municipal Report. It’s a big change from the last half-decade, which saw the mall maintain a sixth-place spot.
Most of the other top 10 properties saw little or no movement.
Woodgrove Centre, for example, has been No. 1 since 2008, with $4.4 million in taxes paid last year while Nanaimo Forest Products was bumped one spot down to No. 3 in 2013 with total taxes of $1.44 million.
According to Brenda Truong, spokeswoman for Shape Properties, an owner in Nanaimo North Town Centre, the increase in taxes is mainly because of the new 125,000-square foot Canadian Tire store, as well as new buildings like Tim Hortons and Umai Sushi.
“In this particular case, we’re paying more taxes because we’ve done more leasing,” Truong wrote in an e-mail. “It’s an example of a win-win; good for the shopping centre and good for the City of Nanaimo.”
Nanaimo’s major shopping centres are all among the highest paying property owners in the city. Seven of the top 10 are retailers.
The numbers are no surprise to Jason Winton, vice-president and managing broker of Colliers International Nanaimo.
Property taxes are based on assessed values, which take into account previous transactions and over the past five years a great majority of the shopping centres in Nanaimo have sold for benchmark high prices, he said. “What that does of course is continually raise the bar as far as values go.”
There’s also a lot of interested buyers when it comes to retail, according to Winton, who says malls are the most valuable real estate.
“People look at a huge piece of oceanfront and they see that as having a lot of value. The problem with that is it’s not an investment,” he said. “When it comes to income-producing properties, retail is at the top of the chain and the largest malls are at the top of that.”


text:
It’s no secret that brick and mortar retailers have been playing catch up to their online counterparts. The surprise may just be that retailers acknowledge they are still doing so 18 years after Amazon.com went live.
Online commerce has been a data-driven exercise since its inception. Now, with new analytics tools and technologies, and powerful ways to analyze customer behavior and measure relationships with retail and consumer brands, the shop owners have new ways of fighting back.
Below, find highlights from Data Informed’s recent coverage of the retail industry and companies’ efforts to use analytics to drive results.
The best retail analytics projects guide business decisions by providing compelling insights into consumer behavior. But because these projects are so strategic—and so challenging—experts in the field say it pays to follow these best practices. The benefits outweigh the costs—and should lead to profitable gains. Read more.
Attracting new customers is much more expensive than retaining them. Yet, customer loyalty is becoming harder to win. The Web is making it easier than ever to compare deals and experiences, and lower prices and negative chatter can make an otherwise faithful customer stray. Jersey Mike’s Subs is an example of a company that revamped its loyalty program, offering rewards for customers and collecting data that can help improve sales. Read more.
In a service aimed at retailers battling online rivals, Dynamite Data’s proprietary technology serves up pricing and inventory information from millions of online “buy” pages–giving merchants a chance to combat the dynamic of consumers visiting a physical store to check out a product and then buy it online. Read more.
Industry leaders at the National Retail Federation conference in January 2013 said they are striving to create “omni-channel” experiences for consumers in person, at home and via mobile devices, all informed by data analytics. Executives acknowledge they have a lot of work to do to achieve the vision. Read more.
Starbucks executives say their latest major expansion plan to add hundreds of stores globally will make better use of location analytics than an earlier effort begun before the 2008 recession. The profitable results of the past two years show its latest effort is working, the company asserts. Read more.
Last holiday season, the La Jolla Group, a firm that manages surfing brands O’Neill and Rusty, and motocross brand Metal Mulisha, ran online sweepstakes to capture social graph data about its online customers. It turned out to be too much data too fast. This year will be different: much more focused on programs that yield tangible results. It’s a lesson other retailers exploring big data must learn. Read more.
As for many retailers, gathering customer data isn’t a problem for Tuesday Morning. The company has access to information from sources like its new loyalty program, its new e-commerce platform, and social networks like Facebook and Pinterest. But Grant Anderson, the company’s vice president of IT merchandising systems, said that converging all this data is the next big challenge for the deep discount, off-price retailer. Read more.
Among the strengths of the spreadsheet: many business users already know how to interpret numbers on one. 1010data takes this idea and expands it exponentially. And Dollar General is using the capability to track the contents of shopping baskets to analyze correlations among customer choices. Read more.
Individualized pricing methods once primarily associated with buying airline tickets have come to the supermarket aisles, as well as to the shelves of brick-and-mortar and online retail stores. Understanding the product preferences of individual shoppers allows retailers to create prices and special offers tailored to that specific consumer’s purchase patterns. Read more.
Payments made from digital wallets carry a rich electronic signature: who you are, where you are, when you are making a transaction, and more promising rich analytics opportunities to connect retailers and consumers. But as a growing list of players—Starbucks, PayPal, Google, Discover, Wal-Mart—strive to make smartphones as good as cash, experts say there are several challenges industry must overcome to make digital wallets work. Read more.
IBM researchers are developing an “augmented reality” mobile shopping application that displays product information to shoppers on their smartphones. Read more.


text:
- Sony announces a new $185M fund to invest in tech startups
Sony is doubling down on the world of startup investment. The Japanese tech giant announced a new fund that is aiming to raise 20 billion JPY (around $185 million) to invest in companies within “key high-growth industries,” through their Sony Innovation Fund.
- Media-tech platform Toch raises Pre-Series A funding
Toch funding led by investors from Hyderabad Angels, Mumbai Angels and other high net worth individuals including former Zee Entertainment CFO Mihir Modi and Swastik Bihani, Head of Products & GM, India at PayPal.
- IBM's Watson Marketing breaks off into separate company
ZDNet reports, on its first day as a standalone business, CEO Mark Simpson says of the new company, AI Powered Marketer says it's mature yet agile enough to take on major competitors like Adobe, Oracle, and Salesforce.
- The most popular social media platforms with Gen Z
For social media, members of Gen Z gravitate toward Instagram, Snapchat, and Youtube, according to a survey by Business Insider.
- VidMob raises $25M for its Video Advertising Tools
BuildGroup announced that it was leading a $25M Series B round for the New York-based video advertising startup VidMob.
- Crowdsourcing Web Imagery Through AI To Understand Television News
Deep learning has revolutionized our ability to understand the visual world. Machines can now readily sift through billions of images a day and catalog the objects and activities they depict, scan them for violence or nudity, identify text, estimate their location and any number of other capabilities using libraries of pre-trained models.
- Warner Music Group's Digital Chief Ole Obermann Exits Label
Warner Music Group's chief digital officer, Ole Obermann, is leaving the company, Billboard has confirmed. The New York-based executive's departure comes as a surprise; according to sources who spoke with the online publication, Obermann decided not to renew his contract.


text:
With today's fast-paced life, almost everything, even eating, has become more of an obligation rather than a pleasurable activity.
In response to the growing demands of the world, Slow Food began 30 years ago in Italy as an alternative to fast food, which changed the way of eating.
The movement aims to prevent the disappearance of local food cultures and traditions, counteract the rise of fast life and promote interest in food choices, its sources and ways to prepare it.
Organic farming advocate Karla Delgado said the movement advocates for fresh, organic and chemical-free food and traditional ways of preparing food.
"It promotes eating not in a rushed way and that eating is something to be savored," Delgado said.
Amena Bal, also an organic farming advocates, said working with nature and food is something sacred, which is why finding harmony and balance in food is important.
"Food production really begins with our connection to the land and to the elements," she said.
The movement urges the public to support sustainable farming and artisanal producers since it cultivates healthy soil for food sources.
Slow Food also believes food is tied to many other aspects of life, including health, culture, agriculture and the environment.
The advocates noted that through food choices, consumers can greatly influence food producers collectively.
On December 10, Slow Food will celebrate Terra Madre Day, an annual celebration that promotes diverse food traditions and healthier choices that are close to nature.


text:
It’s been impossible to log onto a computer lately without seeing talk about the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) – an independent agency of the United States government created to regulate communications by radio, television, wire, satellite, and cable – December vote to repeal existing net neutrality legislations. Most recently, the New York Times published a report that state legislatures are pushing back on the net neutrality repeal ruling. As we wait to see if the repeal will go into effect, many retailers still don’t understand if this would be good or bad news for their existing business. The FCC’s net neutrality legislation stands to impact the daily lives of retailers and customers alike. But what does this really mean?
Whether the net neutrality repeal would mean the end of the internet is debatable, but it would most certainly signal the end to online retailing as we know it. As a result, you need to have a solid grasp on how the repeal might affect broadband service so that you can prepare your company for multiple potential changes to the online marketplace. Additionally, as (and if) the FCC’s repeal is enacted, you may need to modify how you operate your business to continue making a profit in a drastically different e-commerce environment.
With no more ado, here’s how the net neutrality repeal – as it stands – might impact both online and brick and mortar retailers.
The End of Search Equality
First of all, the repeal would make it easier for large e-commerce platforms to buy increased visibility and faster connection speeds. Business Insider explains, “Under the new proposal, companies would be able to block, slow, or provide fast lanes to particular sites or services.” This would enable large e-commerce platforms like Amazon to purchase better connection speeds and online visibility. Furthermore, the repeal would prevent the federal government from regulating broadband platforms, enabling companies to charge more for certain websites to keep their connection up-to-speed. Since the broadband provider would be able to choose which retailer sites to feature, online visibility would inevitably come down to which company is able to pay the highest premium.
Less Potential for Growth
Under the FCC’s repeal, small businesses and startups would be faced with the same large tolls as big box retailers to continue receiving adequate online visibility. As a result, there would be fewer opportunities for small to mid-sized online retailers to build their customer base. As of right now, many retailers start out online – whether selling through Amazon or selling through their own website with platforms like Squarespace – but if the repeal is enacted there will be less potential for indie retailers to gain a foothold or to find their audience online. As Amy Spitalnick told WWD, “If a company is blocked or throttled by an ISP, its customers would see much slower access — making it harder and much more frustrating to browse the site or complete a purchase. And if an ISP wants to block a site altogether, its customers would not even be able to browse in the first place.” Retailers who are just starting out won’t be able to afford to pay for a decent connection speeds, meaning it would be difficult for customers to find and navigate the websites of indie retailers.
A Boon for Physical Retail
The repeal would make it much easier for big box stores to gain a monopoly over online markets. President Barack Obama is quoted in The New York Times saying, “There are no toll roads on the information superhighway.” Although having so much about the way we do business up in the air can be scary, there is a silver lining to every looming, ominous cloud: the proposed net neutrality repeal may drive customers to do more of their shopping with brick and mortar retailers. After all, today’s customers take a major interest in shopping local – young consumer demographics in particular are apt to rebel against Big Internet restricting their browsing autonomy online. This means that if the repeal goes into effect there will be a big opportunity for physical retailers to pander to customer’s disenchantment over online monopolies, and an even greater opportunity to promote local and ethically-sourced products.
At this stage, it’s impossible to understand how every aspect of the proposed net neutrality repeal would impact your retail business. However, by reading up on the repeal and staying abreast of new developments, you can ensure you’re not blind sighted if and when these changes begin to take effect.
Take advantage of ASD Market Week’s 90+ free retail strategy sessions this March 11-14, 2018 in Las Vegas.
By Jasmine Glasheen, RetailMinded.com


text:
PJSC Ukrgazvydobuvannya on the additional auction for sale of LPG sold all 10 444 tons resource. It is reported by OilNews correspondent, who observed the course of trading on the "Ukrainian Universal Exchange" (UUE).
Unlike the previous auction on December 10, at today's auction there was a stir: traders were actively buying the resource, and the UGD were forced to agree to lower prices.
So, with LPG shipment in tank trucks (5 544 tons) was sold on 8300-8900 UAH/t. Train party "Bazylevshchyna" went for prices 8900-9000 UAH/t, "Yablunivka" gas was sold at 8100-8300 UAH/t.
Note that the starting price for gas was set at 12 152 UAH/t.
Ukrgazvydobuvannya was forced to sell the resource at a reduced price in view of the upcoming Christmas and New Year holidays and large stocks that have accumulated in the vaults of the company. Recall that at the auction on December 10, UGD has only sold 1 260 tons from exhibited 9 to 576 tons of LPG at 9000-9500 UAH/t.
However, market participants do not predict a sharp decline in prices of gas stations in the near future, even despite the falling prices in wholesale during the last month. "Autogas will depreciate, but slowly – 5-10 kopecks per liter, as now," said one of the bidders.
The reluctance to significantly reduce the price market participants attributed the presence of the resource, purchased in November by 14500-15000 UAH/t.


text:
Coldwater says CFO resigns
today Nov 18, 2009
Nov 17 (Reuters) - Women's apparel retailer Coldwater Creek Inc (CWTR.O) on Tuesday 17 November announced the resignation of its chief financial officer, two months after its chief executive departed.
The company said Tim Martin resigned as CFO, effective Nov. 25, to join another company in the same role.
In September, CEO Daniel Griesemer resigned, with at least one analyst saying that the management change was essentially to bring about a difference in the pace of recovery in Coldwater's business.
The Sandpoint, Idaho-based company has lagged rivals Chico's FAS Inc (CHS.N) and Anntaylor Stores Corp (ANN.N) in the fight against falling sales and weak consumer spending.
The company, which caters to mature women, named senior vice president and general counsel John Hayes as its interim CFO.
Coldwater shares closed at $5.81 Tuesday 17 November on Nasdaq. (Reporting by Nivedita Bhattacharjee in Bangalore; Editing by Deepak Kannan)
© Thomson Reuters 2019 All rights reserved.


text:
Home Tags Kristina Keneally
Tag: Kristina Keneally
The company wants to interrupt payment in the restaurant with QR codes that guests can use to pay faster.
Kristina Keneally has accused Peter Dutton of "canceling" her trip to Christmas Island at the last minute in a series of angry tweets, describing the move as "pathetic". Labor Senator Ms. Keneally said Mr Dutton canceled her trip to...


text:
They've conquered the football world, now the unbeaten Packers are cleaning up online. Green Bay leads all National Football League teams in merchandise sold on NFLShop.com, with Aaron Rodgers' name on the top-selling jersey. The Vikings? They're not in the top five for team sales or individual jersey sales.
Jags' Ramsey rips a bunch of NFL QBs, praises Kirk Cousins
Ramsey is as brash as they come, and his interview with GQ was exactly that.


text:
View Here : 2014 Chevy Diesel
I recently had the opportunity to interview two chief GM engineers directly responsible for the Chevrolet Cruze Diesel during the 2013 Chicago Auto Show on media day.
2014 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel vs 2015 Nissan Titan Diesel. 2014 is expected to be a big year for diesel-equipped pickups, and two of the most talked-about vehicles right now are the 2014 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel and the 2015 Nissan Titan Diesel, both of which are set to be released within the next couple of months.
My 2014 Cruze diesel was bought New with no miles on it. Check engine light came on within the 2nd week of ownership. Car has been in the shop 3 times and still no fix.
The Chevrolet Cruze is a compact car that has been made by the Chevrolet division of General Motors since 2008. The nameplate has been used previously in Japan, for a version of a subcompact hatchback car produced under a joint venture with Suzuki from 2001 to 2007, and was based on the Suzuki Ignis.. Since 2009, the Cruze nameplate has designated a globally developed, designed, and ...
2014+ Chevy Cruze diesel forum and club Chevrolet Chevy Cruze diesel forum, mpg, reviews, and tuning
New for 2014. The Chevrolet Impala has been completely redesigned for the 2014 model year, with an all-new interior and exterior, active noise cancellation, and — a first for Chevy — full ...
Check out the 800hp 2014 Chevy Silverado 1500 Mallet Super10 that adds classic Chevy truck touches to a modern 6.2L powered Chevy half-ton pickup.
Chevrolet has been producing diesel engines for decades and the Duramax ® Diesel has become synonymous with the heavy-duty horsepower and torque that drives Silverado HD. Now with the addition of Cruze, Equinox and Colorado, the Chevrolet diesel family is more than big trucks.
The Chevrolet Silverado, and its mechanically identical cousin, the GMC Sierra, are a series of full-size and heavy-duty pickup trucks manufactured by General Motors and introduced in 1998 as the successor to the long-running Chevrolet C/K line. The Silverado name was taken from a trim level previously used on its predecessor, the Chevrolet C/K pickup truck from 1975 through 1998.
Get up-to-the-minute environmentally-friendly (or egregiously unfriendly) car news, reviews, high-quality photos and commentary about living green.


text:
- Jan 17, 2010
- Reaction score
The iPad is a very popular tablet, but somehow recent sales estimations have made even the most optimistic Apple fans raise an eyebrow. The Cupertino-based giant could sell as many as 14 million iPad 2 tablets in the third quarter of 2011, research firm CLSA informs. Most analysts expect the iPad 2 to sell between 10 to 12 million units in Q3, but CLSA checked the sales data available from Display Search and came up with this surprising conclusion.
The market can absorb 14 million iPad 2 units in just one quarter, there is no doubt about it. But the real question is : Can Apple supply enough tablets to meet demand? The company has had production issues before which lead to stock shortages, and maybe 14 million iPad 2 units is just too high a figure to reach.
Not to mention the fact that Apple needs to increase or divert its manufacturing capacity so as to produce the upcoming iPhone 5.
Apple could sell 50 million iPad tablets this year, provided that sales level does not drop. The second most popular tablet, which is manufactured by Asus, is expected to sell only two million units by the end of 2011.
It is worth mentioning that previous predictions related to the iPad’s sales level have been rather inaccurate in the past. ”Keep in mind that AAPL has missed iPad consensus in 2 out of the last 3 quarters, even when supply chain forecasts were higher,” CLSA’s reports warns. As for the iPad 2’s successor, it is very likely that the next-gen tablet integrates a better SoC and offers a resolution three times higher than the current iPad resolution.
By Radu Tyrsina


text:
Client: eBay (San Jose, CA)
PR agency: Edelman (New York/Los Angeles)
Duration: November 7 to present
Budget: About $200,000
Amanda Miller, eBay's senior manager of consumer communications, had her "aha!" moment when Justin Bieber's hair was up for bid - earning $40,000 for charity - and searches for Bieber-related items rose 107%.
"Consumers are looking to connect with celebrities," she explains, "but not everyone has $150,000 to spend on lunch with Bill Clinton."
In 2011, eBay raised more than $51 million during charitable auctions, but lacked a way to organize the events, causing scattered consumer engagement.
Miller wanted to pull all celebrity-related auctions into a single space "to connect consumers to the stars and causes that matter most to them with a goal of increasing funds raised."
After a year of construction, Celebrity.eBay.com launched on November 7. Participating celebrities are given their own profile to display their charity and items for auction, as well as related memorabilia up for bid, recent tweets, and eBay search habits.
Edelman, which has handled all media relations for the company since 2009, pitched the AP an exclusive, leading to national coverage. Celebrities promoted auctions to fans through outlets including Facebook and Twitter.
The initial wave drew coverage in outlets such as The Hollywood Reporter and Mashable. A charcoal drawing of a naked Lady Gaga by Tony Bennett got $30,000. In its first month, eBay Celebrity raised $125,000.
Cultural relevance is key, so eBay and Edelman are working with Bonnaroo to create an auction page for the music festival. By the end of Q1, eBay will integrate a StubHub button on each star's page, a geo-targeted function allowing consumers to see events related to that person.


text:
126th Canton Fair held opening reception
Author: Will Wei
[PHOTO BY CHEN SUILIN]
The Canton Fair is expected to be more international, specialized, market-oriented and better equipped with information technology, according to Ren Hongbin, Vice President of Canton Fair and Assistant Minister of Commerce.
Ren made this remark at the opening reception of the 126th Canton Fair on October 14th in Guangzhou, the capital city of Guangdong province. He said that China has contributed over 30% of world economic growth over the past years. In the face of the uncertainty and instability of world economic growth, the Chinese government has always firmly maintained the multilateral trading system and resolutely opposed various forms of both protectionism and unilateralism.
Ouyang Weimin, Vice Governor of Guangdong, said that the 126th Canton Fair will continue to serve as an integrated platform to provide better services through smart, green and safe exhibitions. Ouyang added that Guangdong will make full use of Canton Fair to embrace international cooperation and exchange especially through the Greater Bay Area project between Hong Kong, Macao and Guangdong.
Ouyang said, over the past 63 years, the Canton Fair has become a world-renowned brand with international influence and achieved ever-increasing transaction results. This can't have been done without the support from all parties, especially the traders in both China and abroad.


text:
Xbox One Snap and Guide features are getting an update
The next big Xbox One update will completely revitalise the Guide menu and potentially remove the Snap feature, according to new reports.
Windows Central sources suggest that Microsoft will remove Snap mode completely, and replace it with a picture-in-picture multitasking tool that will hover on the corner of your game.
This would prevent the archaic Snap mode app from taking up so much of the screen.
Likewise, Microsoft wants to make Guide even easier to use and add more features and functionality.
The new Guide will display your pins, and will let users customise what apps and games appear in the menu.
In terms of access, the double tap will be replaced by a single tap if the report is to be believed.
There's no word on a release date for the upcoming Microsoft updates, but changes to Snap mode are likely to take longer.
It's believed the Microsoft updates are getting things ready for Xbox One Scorpio, which will feature the same interface.
The Xbox One Scorpio is being touted as the most powerful console ever created. It boasts 6 teraflops of GPU, which will deliver 4K gaming and support virtual reality.
It's so powerful that Microsoft recently had a dig at Sony's PS4 Pro console, telling one site the device won't be able to handle true 4K and that the Xbox One Scorpio is aiming higher.
"I think there are a lot of caveats they're giving customers right now around 4K. They're talking about checkerboard rendering and up-scaling and things like that.
"They're going to be able to decide to take that six teraflops of power and do what they think is best for their game. But I know that 4.2 teraflops is not enough to do true 4K."
Xbox One Scorpio price details have been revealed ahead of the 2017 release date.
Microsoft has confirmed that the Xbox One Scorpio will definitely cost more than the Xbox One S, which is currently priced at £250.
Interestingly, on the subject of price, Microsoft recently said that the Scorpio was like a high-end PC worth thousands of dollars.
Without revealing full Xbox One Scorpio specs, Microsoft's Aaron Greenberg described it as the "most powerful console you've ever seen".


text:
GoFundMe Campaign to Benefit Boris Johnson
A British woman has started a GoFundMe campaign to raise money to get Prime Minister Boris Johnson a proper haircut.
“I don’t know who cuts his hair now, but it's been terrible for many years,” said Dorothy Jones, 42, of Sheffield. “Even the Prime Minister’s dog, Dilyn, gets better grooming. Finally I said to myself, enough is enough. I’m going to do something about it.”
Donations have poured in from all corners of Great Britain, bringing the total contribution so far to 23 pounds, 58 pence.
“It may not seem like much,” Jones said, “but it’ll be enough to get the Prime Minister not just a good haircut, but a really nice comb.”
But can’t Boris Johnson afford to pay for a good haircut himself?
“Of course he can,” Jones said. “But why hasn’t he then? I know the answer. Sometimes we don’t like to spend money on ourselves, especially when we think it’s not absolutely needed. When I met my hubby, he never trimmed his nose hair. He could afford an electric trimmer, but he couldn’t be bothered to go shopping for it. So I bought him one for Christmas and now he trims his nose hair, his ear hair and sometimes even his back hair.”
Several of Jones’ friends have contributed to the GoFundMe campaign, including one who called Jones a national hero.
“When there’s a disaster, most people just stand around and watch,” said Mabel Wilson. “But she’s trying to do something about it.”
She noted that Jones had also started a petition for the British throne to be passed to Prince WIlliam, skipping the heir apparent, Prince Charles.
“She wants the British people to be proud,” Wilson said. “And right now, we have two similar concerns: bad heir and bad hair.”
Another contributor to the campaign, Oliver Taylor of Birmingham, went so far as to call Johnson’s hair a “national embarrassment.”
“If he can’t get his hair in order,” Taylor said, “how can we expect him to get our country in order?”
But many other Brits seem to appreciate Johnson’s hair, and want him to cut a lot of other things before he gets around to his hair.
“Cutting his hair can wait,” said 60-year-old Rupert Robinson of Leeds. “First he needs to cut taxes, cut prices and cut waiting times for colonoscopies.”
Eighteen-year-old Noah Walker, who will be attending Cambridge University this September, described Johnson’s hair as “very uplifting.”
“I recently tried to save money by getting my mum to cut my hair,” Walker said. “It was probably the worst haircut I’ve ever had and I was teased relentlessly in school. But my mum showed me dozens of photos of Prime Minister Johnson and now I don’t feel so bad about it. In fact, when I applied for university, I listed it on my application under ‘leadership qualities.’”
Twenty-year-old David Green, a diehard Chelsea fan, said he and other football fans love Johnson’s hair. “His hair is just like us,” Green said. “Unruly.”
Max Turner, a strawberry farmer in Norfork, also expressed his support for Johnson, even putting posters of the Prime Minister all over his property just before Johnson survived a non-confidence vote in his party.
"I wanted to show my utmost support for him," Turner said, "but it also helps with the birds.”
The critics need to remember that other great people in history, including Albert Einstein, were not well-coiffed, Turner said. "People remember Einstein for being a genius, not for his crazy hair.”
But Dorothy Jones scoffed at the comparison and pointed out a double standard.
“Can a woman get elected looking like that? No, she has to spend hours in a beauty shop. She has to look prim and proper, like Margaret Thatcher. But a man -- he can look like a chimpanzee, a rather smart and well-trained one, gave him a haircut at the zoo.”
Double standard or not, many Brits love Boris Johnson’s hair just the way it is.
“Thanks to him, our country is much cleaner,” said Julia Edwards of Birmingham, noting that ever since Johnson came to power, a British company called Floorshine has used Johnson’s hair in its advertisements to sell mops.
“Every time people see him on the telly, they are reminded, ‘It’s time to get the mop out.’”


text:
The phone market is slowing, and Apple knows it. So it is no longer going to reveal iPhone sales figures. As for the inflation-busting price increases on all its hardware? For that we've only got ourselves to blame
Unified Communications and Collaborations | Market 2018 Analysis (Amateur, Edifier, Apple) and more…
Unified Communications and Collaborations Industry research report is a meticulous investigation of the current scenario of the market, which covers several Unified Communications and Collaborations industry market dynamics. The Market Report also ...
Indians baulk at high prices for the iPhone, driven by trade tariffs and a weak rupee.
Coinciding with the launch of its latest iPad Pros, Apple has released a new iOS update that brings Group Facetime, as well as some fun new emoji.
Share this article. Facebook · Twitter · Email; Print. When Steve Jobs took a swipe at Amazon.com's Kindle in 2009, he pointed to the online retailer's decision not to report unit sales of its reading device as evidence it wasn't selling many. Nearly a ...
Apple is combining facial recognition software, smaller bezels and a crisp liquid retina display into what it calls "the ultimate iPad".
The first 5G smartphones should arrive in 2019, but don't expect Apple to rush to join them. A Fast Company source claims Apple intends to use an Intel 5G modem, the 8161, in its 2020 batch of iPhones. Apple is reportedly using a precursor 8060 chip for prototyping, but has "heat dissipation issues" (due to the sheer demand needed for millimeter-wave signals) that would both raise the temperature and hurt battery life. The issue isn't enough to send Apple running back into the arms of Qualcomm, but it's supposedly "unhappy" with Intel for this reason.
Infrastructure for next-generation 5G phone networks is only in the very early stages of being established, but that isn't going to stop phone makers building 5G capabilities into their handsets (and making a lot of noise about it) as soon as they possibly can. According to a new report, Apple is going to join the party in 2020.
The long wait for an update to the MacBook Air is over. Apple is adding a Touch ID fingerprint login, a bigger trackpad and louder audio, as well as what it says the most requested feature from users.


text:
Economy shrank much more than predicted in 1st quarter
The economy had its worst performance since the Great Recession in the first three months of the year, contracting at an annual rate of 2.9 percent as severe weather took a heavier toll than initially thought, the Commerce Department said Wednesday.
Starbucks chair co-writing book on military vets
Starbucks chairman Howard Schultz is collaborating on a book about veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Barnes & Noble to split bookstore, Nook unit
Faced with dropping e-reader sales, Barnes & Noble Inc. said Wednesday that it is spinning off its Nook business as a separate public company in an effort to boost shareholder value.
Eyes on you: Experts reveal police hacking methods
Law enforcement agencies across the globe are taking a page out of the hacker's handbook, using targets' own phones and computers to spy on them with methods traditionally associated with cybercriminals, two computer security groups said Tuesday.
Energy boom fuels economic growth in Midwest states
While the national business outlook remains tepid, the energy sector is driving fast economic growth in some states.
US weighs lawsuits on alleged insurance kickbacks
The government is considering whether to sue banks and other mortgage servicers to recover its losses from alleged insurance kickbacks that may have cost government-controlled mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac hundreds of millions of dollars, according to an internal report.
E-cigarette chain MadVapes hitches a ride on industry’s success
Starting a multimillion-dollar company wasn’t what Mark Hoogendoorn intended. He just wanted to quit smoking.
Ask the Mompreneur: 5 tips for marketing to mothers
This week’s “Ask the Mompreneur” features an interview with Samantha Kurtzman-Counter, president and co-founder of The Mother Co., which specializes in safety and social skills media for kids.
Google shows off watches, cars and TVs using Android software
Google Inc. touted new models of smart watches, connected cars and Internet-enabled TVs on Wednesday, all based on the company’s Android software, as the giant tech company showed its determination to extend its services into just about every corner of modern life.
Good news for workers: Survey shows bonuses are back
For employees hoping to receive a fatter paycheck, the recession and its aftermath were bleak times. Companies pulled back on bonuses and lavish perks. Budgets for payroll increases were slim, meaning raises were often slight and hard to come by.
- More Business Headlines
- Economy shrank much more than predicted in 1st quarter


text:
Germany’s Mahle Behr, Japan’s Denso and four other car part makers have been fined a total of 155 million euros ($163.6 million) by the European Union’s competition authorities for having operated cartels in a number of their markets.
The ruling by the European Commission is the sixth to be made since it started investigating the automotive components industry several years ago. The four cartels identified on Wednesday related to air conditioning and engine cooling systems which operated until 2009 and started as early as 2004.
Mahle Behr was fined 62.1 million euros while Japan’s Sanden has to pay 64.6 million euros and Denso 322,000 euros.
The penalty imposed on French company Valeo is 26.7 million euros and Calsonic must pay 1.7 million euros. Panasonic avoided a fine as it alerted the Commmission to one of the cartels. All the companies admitted wrongdoing in return for a 10 percent reduction in their fines.
The cartels affected carmakers Volkswagen, BMW, Daimler brand Mercedes, Geely-owned Volvo, Suzuki, Nissan, Renault and Jaguar Land Rover.
“Today’s decision underlines that we do not accept cartels that affect the European market, wherever and however they may be organized, “European Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager said.
Full Content: EurActiv
Want more news? Subscribe to CPI’s free daily newsletter for more headlines and updates on antitrust developments around the world.


text:
Taiwan seen to import more food and feed products from US
Taiwan is seen to import more food and feed products from the United States moving forward but the US government must put in place a strategy to brave stiffer competition.
“Taiwan’s formidable food processing industry offers numerous opportunities for U.S. ingredient exporters. In 2016, the U.S. exports of food preparation ingredients to Taiwan reached US$210 million, with further growth expected in the food retail and food service sectors,” US Department of Agriculture (USDA) said in its latest report.
Given Taiwan’s relatively small agricultural sector, its dependence on food and feed imports is expected to continue to grow, USDA said.
According to Taiwan’s Council of Agriculture, Taiwan imported US$3.33 billion of food and agricultural products (including edible fishery and forestry products) from the United States in 2016.
Meanwhile, US food preparation ingredients exports reached $210 million last year.
“However, the US faces significant price competition from New Zealand, especially in the dairy products,” it added.
For instance, New Zealand’s price advantage results from a free-trade pact signed with Taiwan in 2013. The pact eliminates tariffs over a 12 year implementation period.
Also, Taiwan’s food processing sector faces stricter food safety regulations and labor policies that have led to an increase in production costs.
As a result, food processors have becomes more conservative in new product development and plant investment. New product development focuses more on streamlining product composition and incorporating healthier ingredients.


text:
EVERY year, about 100 billion pieces of clothing are made, of which 30% are not sold and up to 85% of textiles end up in landfills.
As if that’s not alarming enough, when we wash clothes, 500,000 tonnes of microfibres are released into the ocean annually – an equivalent of 50 billion plastic bottles, according to Taylor’s University deputy vice-chancellor and chief academic officer Prof Dr Pradeep Nair.
As such, to raise awareness of and advocate for ethical and environmentally friendly fashion, the varsity recently held a fashion show to highlight the production of sustainable garments.
Themed “Love, Earth”, the event dubbed “The Show” focused on sustainability and featured a ready-to-wear collection of some 60 garments designed by 24 fashion design technology programme students.
Bachelor of Fashion Design Technology first-year student Dania Mefiana Putri Ong, who created a collection of zero waste fashion for the event, said she did not know what sustainable fashion entailed prior to her participation in “The Show”.
“Once we were informed that the theme of the show revolved around sustainability, we began learning about it. I also did my own research to understand the topic better to help me create my designs.
“This experience has made me want to get into sustainable fashion – particularly zero waste – more seriously, because not a single piece of clothing is wasted during the design process,” said Dania, who hails from Indonesia.
Malaysian fashion designer Hatta Dolmat, who mentored the students for 14 weeks, described the students as “impressive and inspiring” due to their knowledge of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) and the way they presented their fashion designs.
Producing sustainable fashion in Malaysia is still a struggle, he said, as most fashion designers view it as a burden due to their lack of knowledge of the topic.
“The students showed that they have a clear objective and direction as aspiring designers and are not merely creating glamorous outfits that do not benefit nature,” he told the media.
The event was held at the varsity’s Subang Jaya campus on July 15.
Prof Pradeep said the daunting number of clothes that are wasted annually is a wake-up call for consumers, the fashion industry and education providers to equip future fashion designers with the knowledge, agility and creativity to tackle such complex problems.
“We continue to address current market needs and to help the nation’s social and economic development by pushing the envelope in pedagogy and by aligning our students to social causes and concerns with the Taylor’sphere ecosystem.
“Recycled raw materials such as T-shirts and plastics were used by our interior architecture and fashion design technology students to create art and texture braided pieces for ‘The Show’,” he said, adding that the fashion design technology programme incorporates technology-enabled learning and impact-based approach so that students graduate with skills to design apparels with a purpose and to leverage technology.
“The Show” was a joint collaboration between the varsity, Kuala Lumpur Fashion Week, Life Line Clothing Malaysia, FashinFidelity, and Hatta.
Divided into three segments, it unveiled the experimental art-to-wear collection from recycled denim and clothing trims, the zero waste fashion collection using Taylor’s Innovative Pattern Drafting Technique that utilises every part of the textile, and the fashion revolution collection to support the UN SDGs by repurposing and reusing textiles from waste materials.


text:
Organised radio cab service provider Meru Cabs plans to start economy passenger service in Hyderabad in the next two months. It would roll out 250-300 small cars on a pilot basis under this and is evaluating prospects of a deal with car manufacturers for adding new fleet.
The company plans to target the mass market, which is predominantly held by unorganised players like auto-rickshaws and private taxi service providers. The service, first-of-kind for Meru, would be priced at a discount of 20 per cent in comparison with its existing fares.
Full report here Business Standard


text:
Snapchat decided to run the first ads on its mobile app over the weekend, far earlier than expected.
The first advertisement is for a trailer for the upcoming horror movie Ouija, and it started showing up in people’s Recent Updates section in the Snapchat app.
Here’s what it looked like:
— Gregory Littley (@littleylittley) October 18, 2014
Viewing the ad is optional for users, and once they’ve viewed it, it disappears, much like any other Snapchat message.
So far, the response has been mostly positive, with people appreciating how forthright Snapchat was in communicating its need for revenue in a blog post on Friday:
Understandably, a lot of folks want to know why we’re introducing advertisements to our service. The answer is probably unsurprising – we need to make money. Advertising allows us to support our service while delivering neat content to Snapchatters.
In addition, the ads themselves were pretty unobtrusive, especially compared to Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, who received plenty of vitriol once they started monetizing their space. In contrast, people praised Snapchat for not invading their personal feeds and making the ads optional.
Snapchat is doing a very smart thing with their ads. They’re making money and in no way are the ads intrusive or even mandatory
— Adam Warren (@AdamJSmoove) October 18, 2014
The fact that I don’t HAVE to watch snapchat ads makes me want to watch them #brilliant
— Mickey Ward (@Mickdub29) October 18, 2014
What’s less clear is how much engagement these ads are getting, or how much value they are giving back to the advertisers. Snapchat has yet to release any projected figures for clicks or views but now that it’s had a successful first run, we can expect to see those figures show up in ad pitches pretty soon.


text:
Glimmers Of Hope Ahead For Downtown Retail Markets Still Struggling To Recover From Pandemic
It has been a long slog back to normalcy for retailers located in U.S. central business districts, as the coronavirus pandemic kicked off low office occupancy rates in March 2020 that have yet to recover. As business dried up, many downtown retail shops — especially independents — closed.
While survivors are still struggling, there are glimmers of hope across the nation for retailers as vaccines continue to roll out, confidence is on the rise and offices lease back up.
Provided the coronavirus doesn't throw any more curveballs, it's only up from here, experts say.
"The vaccine, and the reduction in infections from the most recent peak this summer, are supporting the increase in [pedestrian] traffic, but there's still a long way to go before a full recovery for downtown retail," Springboard Marketing and Insights Director Diane Wehrle said.
The pain hasn't been spread evenly.
Retailers in residential neighborhoods have been recovering faster than those in CBDs worldwide, according to an analysis from the Mastercard Economics Institute, as reported by Bloomberg. Small and midsized retailers in residential areas enjoyed an 8% increase in sales this year compared to 2019, the report notes, but in CBDs, comparable sales were down 33%.
Pedestrian traffic in U.S. downtowns during the workweek, which has traditionally been a mainstay for retail in those markets, remains much lower than it was before the pandemic, according to the most recent Downtown Pedestrian Traffic Report by retail data specialist Springboard.
Still, downtown pedestrian traffic has been increasing recently, albeit slowly. In September, workweek traffic strengthened to 40.7% below its 2019 level, up from 44.7% below in August and 44.1% below in July, according to Springboard, which uses sensors to monitor pedestrian traffic in the densest part of a number of U.S. central business districts, including New York, Chicago and Los Angeles, and a selection of secondary downtowns, such as in Oklahoma City.
The most successful retailers are, unsurprisingly, those with a strong online presence, Wehrle said. As for physical stores, part of getting through the remainder of the slump will be a matter of holding the line on costs — but not by keeping stores closed.
"Shutting down completely isn't going to help retail recover," she said. "You have to be open to do business. There is a long list of other strategies that downtown retailers undertook last year, and which they are still doing as foot traffic is depressed."
That includes staffing cuts, carrying less stock, working out deals with suppliers, or putting a pause on remodeling and expansion plans, Wehrle said.
New York City, especially Manhattan, is a special case when it comes to CBD retail strength since residential density is so high in the city. Even so, the pandemic hit NYC retail hard, with pedestrian traffic in NYC CBDs still 45.5% below the 2019 level, according to Springboard.
"New York CBD retail definitely took a punch in the gut, but we're also definitely past that period, though it might not seem that way," said Eric Menkes, co-chair of the leasing practice at real estate law firm Duval & Stachenfeld in Manhattan and a specialist in retail leasing.
While rents and leasing activity around Times Square are still declining, SoHo neighborhood retail, he said, is vibrant right now, and Bleecker Street is coming back to life.
"I did some walking this weekend, and in literally half the vacant storefronts on Bleecker Street, I saw 'coming soon' signs or building permits in the window, which of course is a sign of work going on inside," Menkes said. "So I'm confident in both of those neighborhoods, but the revival of retail in the city is much broader than that."
More fundamentally, the pandemic has changed the way retailers and their landlords approach leasing in New York, Menkes said.
"We're seeing a lot more shorter-term deals," he said. "That was a trend that began before the pandemic, but it has accelerated significantly. We're also seeing a lot of pop-ups. In the Meatpacking District, for instance, Gucci did a pop-up that did very well, and I believe Tiffany's just signed a lease for a pop-up in the West Village."
Not everyone is optimistic about the prospects for New York retail, however. A report by the Real Estate Board of New York found that about a third of storefronts in the Grand Central and Midtown East districts were vacant this summer. Historically, these corridors have seen a 10% to 15% retail vacancy rate.
"The public and private sectors need to focus on measures that continue to increase vaccination rates and safely draw office workers back to the central business districts to ensure the storefronts and retail businesses that constitute the fabric of our city experience a strong and full recovery,” REBNY President James Whelan said in a statement.
On the other side of the country, Downtown Los Angeles retail is still struggling, though some neighborhoods, such as Arts District and Little Tokyo, are recovering better than others, partly because their walkability and smaller-scale streets give off a more welcoming vibe.
Downtown LA's population growth has also helped to offset some of the retail losses caused by missing workers, CBRE Senior Vice President Derrick Moore told Bisnow. In 2011, the area had around 45,000 residents. Now there are at least 80,000 residents, and city planners are anticipating more growth in the area over the next two decades.
In other parts of the country, population and business growth are also buoying retail prospects, even as workers prove slower than expected to return to offices.
Strong population growth in Austin, for example, has bolstered optimism about the not-too-distant future for downtown retail.
Office space occupancy in the Austin CBD is around 85% as of Q3 2021, while overall retail occupancy in the CBD stands at a tight 96.3%, according to NAI Partners data. Local hotels are back up to 60% occupancy.
Leasing signs are strong, according to CBRE First Vice President John Heffington.
"We're seeing deals consummated at rents higher than prior to the pandemic," Heffington said. "Also, we're seeing an increase in the number and quality of tenants who are looking to open locations in Downtown Austin."
Even so, the market isn't quite out of the woods, local experts say.
"Recovery has been patchy in the Downtown Austin retail real estate market for current tenants," Heffington said. "Restaurants with a strong nighttime component are reporting sales that are better than their pre-pandemic numbers, but other tenants have yet to see sales reach pre-pandemic numbers and probably won't until we see a more robust return to the office by employees."
The area in Downtown Austin seeing the strongest retail rebound is the area south of Fourth Street, "where more residential properties exist and support the restaurants and retailers," said NAI Partners Retail Services Senior Vice President Kevin Murphy, who is based in Austin.
The firm has noticed an uptick of interest in properties along Congress Avenue between Sixth Street and the capitol, "but until the office market and state facilities come back in full force, retailers are cautious about investing in the area north of Sixth Street," Murphy said.
"Still, potential tenants are preparing for the gates to open, and any good vacancy will be backfilled promptly."
In Miami — another growth market until the pandemic hit — some retail properties were able to weather the worst of things by revamping their marketing strategies.
After Brickell City Centre, a mixed-use shopping and entertainment hub in the city, closed in March 2020, the property shifted its marketing strategy to amplify its brands across digital channels, not only to continue to sell goods, but to keep the center in the minds of shoppers by the time it reopened in May of that year, Brickell City Centre Director of Retail Marketing Michael Sneed said. The center also provided resources to tenants during the pandemic, like advertising delivery options for restaurants.
The property is one of only a few Miami shopping destinations that saw foot traffic rise in the first half of 2021 versus the same period in 2019, according to Sneed. Though Brickell City Centre is a CBD retail property, it has never been wholly dependent on office worker traffic. As residents venture out more, and tourists continue to return to Miami, Sneed expects those foot traffic figures to improve.
"Even with the current staffing shortages, retailers who offer personalized service — which usually cannot be found online — will come out on top, as shoppers may have to look harder for gifts this year," Sneed said. "Supply chain and worker challenges continue to be a reality, however, so we expect shoppers will start early."
Elsewhere in the country, even as many shops closed, other retailers employed various strategies to stay in business, waiting for the time when people would be more willing to shop.
Such pivoting took various forms. In Fort Wayne, Indiana, Creative Women of the World boutique upped promoting its products via social media, and since clothing sales dropped, the shop began stocking more food products and other items that sold better during the pandemic, WPTA reported.
In Colorado Springs, a beleaguered independent clothier is moving to a smaller space to focus on alterations, tailoring and custom-designed clothing, CPR News reports, and in Pittsburgh, the Downtown Partnership gave away $100 vouchers for people to spend in Downtown shops, $80 at restaurants and $20 at retailers, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
Retail operators not dependent on workers filling office space arguably fared best during the pandemic.
Downtown Oakland, which even in better times didn't attract a mass of workers, is still lacking much foot traffic even on weekdays. But enough people live in the area now to keep demand for retail strong, operators say.
Quane Woods, whose restaurant in Downtown Oakland, Gus's World Famous Fried Chicken, opened shortly before the pandemic, said she was able to pivot to a takeout model without too much trouble, because the storefront the restaurant occupies isn't that large.
Downtown Oakland has seen its residential population grow over the past two decades The ZIP code 94612, which covers much of the city's CBD, had 11,700 residents in 2000 and 14,300 in 2010, according to the Census Bureau. By 2019, the population was more than 15,700.
"Our business fluctuated during the lockdowns, but we always attracted enough customers to stay open," Woods said. "As an independent, we don't just serve food, but bring something unique to the neighborhood."


text:
Tesla’s CEO Elon Musk will chat with Twitter’s CEO Jack Dorsey during the Bitcoin event.
Both agreed to hold a meeting during a Twitter chat that began with a tweet from Dorsey promoting the event.
The discussion will focus on the outlook for Bitcoin (BTC/USD), the world’s most valuable cryptocurrency. The Bitcoin event is called the “B Word”, which was launched as an educational initiative for the adoption and promotion of Bitcoin and other crypto assets.
Bitcoin Event will host influential speakers
Two billionaires, both Bitcoin enthusiasts, sometimes have different views on Bitcoin mining and the future of cryptocurrencies. Although they have agreed to chat about Bitcoin, it is unclear whether they intend to hold the meeting virtually or in person.
The B Word event will be sponsored by ARK Invest and will kick off on July 21.
Among the prominent speakers of the event are the director of Brink John Newberry; Michael Morell, former deputy director of the CIA; Blockstream founder Adam Back; Jack Dorsey and Ark Invest’s Cathie Wood.
A meeting between Bitcoin enthusiasts with the biggest impact
Musk has a huge influence on the Bitcoin price. It contributed to the Bitcoin price surge after Tesla announced in March that it had purchased $15 billion worth of Bitcoin. The company has also started accepting cryptocurrencies as a payment method for Tesla products.
In May, however, Tesla announced again that it had stopped accepting Bitcoin for payment, citing environmental concerns surrounding Bitcoin mining. He said that Bitcoin mining uses too much fossil fuel, which goes against the company’s ethics.
Since making such statements about Bitcoin, the crypto community has taken action to enable Bitcoin and crypto mining to use more renewable energy.
Twitter’s Dorsey is also a staunch supporter of Bitcoin and sees a future where the cryptocurrency will be fully accepted by the mainstream.


text:
(PCM) Nearly all of us at one point or another have had to deal with a long and tedious flight, especially one that is headed cross-country. You are dealing with issues such as screaming children, lack of food, zero leg room and of course obnoxious seatmates.
Virgin America has decided to poke a little fun, as well as, make a statement about just how long and boring cross-country travel can become with their new ad campaign. The campaign also reminds individuals that there is indeed a better way to fly!
The new ad campaign features an over five hour long video that shows us the pains associated with flying cross-country on the humorusly titled “BLAH Airlines” through the eyes of a mannequin who is stuck on the flight.
Adweek recently featured the campaign and obviously the mannequins represent actual passengers who are often time forced to suffer on these long and grueling flights. The point of the lengthy ad is to bore individuals into flying with Virgin America to avoid the “BLAH Airlines”.
According to Virgin themselves, “Just trying to watch the video is downright painful—and that’s the point. If you wouldn’t sit through the entire film, why would you pay money to experience it in real life?” We can’t see anyone actually sitting down to watch the entire five hour and forty-six minute ad. If you would like to give it a shot, the entire five plus hour ad can be viewed below:


text:
Enlarge / Uh, Mario, that thing you’re so proudly presenting doesn’t exist anymore, dude.
For nearly three years now, creators who wanted to make money from videos that included footage of Nintendo games had to go through the onerous approval and content requirements of the Nintendo Creators Program, which also gave Nintendo a 30 percent cut of any ad revenues. Today, Nintendo announced it would be halting that program at the end of the year, in favor of a new set of “basic rules” for video creators. If those rules are followed, Nintendo now says, “we will not object to your use of gameplay footage and/or screenshots captured from games for which Nintendo owns the copyright.”
The guidelines, as written, encourage creators to use Nintendo content in videos with “that include your creative input and commentary.” Direct, unedited videos of Nintendo game footage without such additional content “are not permitted,” Nintendo says, unless they are shared through “system features, such as the Capture Button on Nintendo Switch.”
That’s a requirement that could impact the popular genre of YouTube longplays, which capture hours of direct gameplay footage for countless games.