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Econocom enters the reconditioning market
is the headline of the news that the author of WTM News has collected this article. Stay tuned to WTM News to stay up to date with the latest news on this topic. We ask you to follow us on social networks.
Access the reconditioned market. That is the objective that Econocom has pursued with the purchase of Sofi Groupe, whose lines of business include the sale of refurbished telephones in its own factory. The firm also has the SMAAART smartphone brand, launched in 2017.
The commitment to this market is clear, since more and more consumers are fleeing from the purchase of a new device to acquire a refurbished one that complies with all the guarantees and at much lower prices. In fact, it is a market that in 2021 grew by just over 15% compared to that of new smartphones, which grew by 4%. In addition, this market has the advantage that it is committed to a model that fights against waste and favors the circular economy.
With this move, Econocom intends to respond to market growth and expand its position throughout the life cycle of fixed and mobile IT equipment. SOFI Groupe’s industrial tool and technical expertise will provide TMF with the necessary means to internalize and significantly increase the volumes of refurbished equipment, thus meeting the growing demand from public and private organizations for this type of equipment.
With the purchase of SOFI Groupe, Econocom enters fully into the refurbished market and expands its position throughout the life cycle of mobile and fixed equipment
With more than 200,000 assets processed annually by Econocom in France, SOFI Groupe will be able to significantly accelerate the development of its SMAAART brand. The Montpellier-based company will also benefit from financial support from Econocom, which has an ambitious growth plan for refurbishment activities across Europe.
Samira Draoua, CEO of TMF, explains: “We are very pleased to welcome SOFI Groupe and all its employees to Econocom. The financing activity of our group, led by the TMF entity, is a pioneer in the development of offers with a positive environmental impact. This operation aims to strengthen this leadership by equipping TMF with an industrial tool of excellence and a unique know-how ‘made in France’ to reinforce the value of our responsible offers on a European scale”.
Jean-Christophe Estoudre, Chairman and Co-Founder of SOFI Groupe, and Marlène Taurines, CEO and Co-Founder, state: “We are proud that SOFI Groupe joins Econocom, a group with which we share values in terms of social and environmental responsibility. This operation marks a new stage in the development of our company: the support provided by Econocom, an important European group specialized in digital transformation, will allow us to change scale in the coming years”.


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Apple is switching the default search engine to Google from Microsoft’s Bing for its Siri digital assistant and some other parts of its popular operating systems. Google was already the default in Apple’s Safari web browser, part of a deal that pays Apple about $3 billion a year, according to analysts.
Starting on Monday, Apple (AAPL) customers who ask Siri for information on a mobile or desktop device will get results returned from Google, news site Techcrunch reported. The new Google (GOOGL) default will also takeover results on “Search inside of iOS,” which was formerly called Spotlight, and Spotlight on Mac computers.
Microsoft’s (MSFT) Bing will maintain its default position for a few areas, including image search results in Siri, on iOS search and in Spotlight on the Mac. The change comes a few days after Apple released its updated operating system for the iPhone, iOS 11, and on the day the company released its new Mac software, called Mac OS High Sierra.
Apple made the changes in order to “allow these services to have a consistent web search experience with the default in Safari,” company said in a statement. “We have strong relationships with Google and Microsoft and remain committed to delivering the best user experience possible.”
Microsoft acknowledged the changes but noted that Bing’s search volume was still growing. “We value our relationship with Apple and look forward to continuing to partner with them in many ways, including on Bing Image Search in Siri, to provide the best experience possible for our customers,” the company said in a statement. “Bing has grown every year since its launch, now powering over a third of all the PC search volume in the U.S., and continues to grow worldwide.”
Google confirmed the changes but declined to comment further.
Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s technology newsletter.
Back in 2014, Apple integrated Bing more closely into the Spotlight search function on Mac computers. Previously, such searches had defaulted to Apple’s Safari web browser, which relies on Google search. And that was a year after Apple added Bing as the default search option for Siri.
Customers can still change the defaults if they wish, but few take the time to make a switch. Google will pay Apple about $3 billion this year in return for all the search traffic it receives from Mac, iPhone and iPad users. That represents nearly 5% of Apple’s operating profit, analysts at Bernstein Research analyst Toni Sacconaghi has estimated.
Google pays out billions to web sites, apps and other companies that send search traffic to its servers. The company paid out over $5 billion in traffic acquisition costs in the second quarter of this year, for example, accounting for 22% of its total advertising revenue.
(Updated Sept. 25 with comments from Apple, Microsoft, and Google.)

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A transportation analyst firm is expecting continued woes at YRC Worldwide Inc., predicting that costs in the first quarter rose sharply during a time of year when few people are shipping goods.
In a Friday note to clients, Ed Wolfe and Scott Group of Wolfe Trahan & Co. noted that the Overland Park-based trucker (Nasdaq: YRCW) faces much higher pension costs than a year ago and is spending money on new trucks and other capital expenses. Revenues, however, usually are lower in the first three months of the year as weather and consumer shopping habits cut demand for freight.
YRC already has said it will have to ask its lenders for more leniency because it expects it won’t meet required minimum financial thresholds for the second quarter.
The company earlier this month dealt with a report that credit-default swaps were predicting an 87 percent chance of the company defaulting on its loans. Company officials said they expected their negotiations with lenders to be successful.
The company has also reported growth in freight and revenue and is taking extensive steps to streamline operations to cut costs and boost profits.
Still, Wolfe and Group said stockholders may not be fully convinced about the company’s future.
“Combined with an expected credit breach in (the first half of 2012), we suspect some LTL investors could begin pricing in a potential YRCW bankruptcy again this year,” they said in the report.


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Hauck’s Corner (1000 Goss Ave.), a bar and restaurant on the site of a legendary Germantown business, is now open seven days a week from 11 a.m. – 2 a.m, as of yesterday.
Although Hauck’s Corner is “new,” it carries on a historic legacy: the space is a renovation of what was once Hauck’s Handy Store, a grocery store and community spot. George Hauck, who took the business over from his parents, died in September 2020 at the age of 100, but he was a neighborhood celebrity known for his friendliness and generosity. A framed photo of him now hangs near the entrance to Hauck’s Corner.
Hauck’s Handy Store was also known for hosting the Annual World Championship Dainty Contest, better known simply as “the Dainty,” every July. The competition, based on a street game popular with German-American immigrants in Louisville, requires contestants (who had to be at least 45 years old) to hit a wooden peg down the street using a broom handle.
Hauck’s Corner opened to the public this year — albeit temporarily, and with a limited menu — the weekend of this year’s Dainty.
Before the venue opened, a new ownership team worked on preserving and restoring the space for more than 18 months.
It now includes a front room with a bar, counter seats and tables; a “museum room” with a TV, VHS tapes, newspaper articles, winner plaques, and other memorabilia about the Dainty; an indoor accessibility ramp decorated with period memorabilia; a back room with a restored Coca-Cola mural; and a courtyard with bench swings, a food trailer, and lots of space for community events and get-togethers.
The menu includes bologna sandwiches (part of the original Hauck’s legacy); shareable dishes like pork rinds, fried pickles, pretzels with beer cheese, and fried cauliflower; chicken wings, salads and seventeen sauces.
The drinks menu includes plenty of cocktails, shots, drafts and more. Happy hour specials are offered from 4-6 p.m. daily.
LEO previewed the renovated space this summer. Check out our photo gallery and take a “Hauckthrough” of the venue here.
Keep Louisville interesting and support LEO Weekly by subscribing to our newsletter here. In return, you’ll receive news with an edge and the latest on where to eat, drink and hang out in Derby City.


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Samsung Australia has increased its sales by more than 36 per cent for the first time ever, mostly due to favourable sales in the consumer electronics industry, leading the way for a restructured CE sales division, according to reports from the company’s Australian subsidiary.
Determined to trump 2007’s record sales report, the company has brought on a new director of sales, Michael Richardson, who will taken over from Mark Beard who has returned to a sales role as general manager of CE sales.
Through his promotion, Michael Richardson will now be responsible for the strategic direction of the CE sales and commercial sales business, according to Samsung.
He will also be responsible for strengthening and developing relationships with key CE customer stakeholders, says the company.
“Consumer demand for CE products will increase with major events like the 2008 Beijing Olympics so this new structure will allow us to have a greater focus on our distribution networks and key national accounts. Together, the Samsung CE Sales team is looking forward to reaching new business goals,” said Richardson.
Michael has over three years experience at Samsung and over 20 years industry experience.
Taking over from Michael Richardson, Mark Beard will be responsible for managing the national sales business including all state and national account managers, says Samsung.
He will also be responsible for managing and maintaining Samsung’s national retail customer portfolio.
“I am excited by the opportunity to lead our national CE sales team into a very prosperous 2008 with both a buoyant industry and an excellent product line-up. I am confident our extremely passionate sales team will show the great commitment necessary for delivering even stronger results this year,” said Richardson.
Richardson’s knowledge and understanding of both corporate and product sales and marketing is unique and highly advantageous for Samsung’s CE business, says the company.


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Numerous functions in today’s vehicles depend on semiconductor chips, its shortage due to a pandemic-induced supply chain disruption has worried manufacturers who think that the shortage may last until 2023, but with decreased severity.
Chairman of Daimler AG’s Board of Management and Head of Mercedes-Benz Ola Källenius stated at the Munich Internationale Automobil-Ausstellung (IAA) car show that “several chip suppliers have been referring to structural problems with demand, which could influence 2022 and [the situation] may be more relaxed in 2023”.
Källenius added that Mercedes-Benz is expecting to lower its sales significantly in the third quarter due to the chip shortage. Previously, manufacturers like General Motors from the US, Toyota from Japan, and Mahindra & Mahindra from India had slashed their sales due to its scarcity. Meanwhile, the resurgence of COVID-19 in Asia’s semiconductor production hubs in South East Asia has complicated the problem.
Automobile manufacturers were forced to close down operations due to COVID-19 lockdowns and since they were lifted, the automobile industry has been in intense competition with the electronics industry to procure the chips.
Källenius said on Sunday that Daimler AG hopes its supply of semiconductor chips will improve in the fourth quarter of this year. He added that Mercedes will show several Electric Vehicles (EVs) like the Mercedes EQE at the car show in Munich as part of Daimler’s plan to make its model range electric.
Mercedes will also unveil its concept car — the Mercedes Maybach, and its fully-electric SUV called the ‘EQB’ for the European markets at the IAA car show.
Daimler AG had announced in July that it will spend more than $47.5 billion by 2030 to take on Tesla in the EV market but acknowledged that the move will lead to job cuts.
It also outlined its strategy and said that it will build eight battery plants as the production of EVs goes up by 2025.


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Here is the latest news roundup on greenery and curiosities news items from G&C and around the web.
How to regrow fruits and vegetables at home
Did you know you can regrow your own vegetables, fruits and herbs at home simply using the leftovers from store bought fresh produce?
Capturing Carbon with Underwater Gardening
This project, and others being developed off the coasts of Europe and the United States, is laying the groundwork for Von Herzen’s ultimate ambition: to dramatically scale up kelp arrays, eventually spanning great tracts of deep ocean where they could collectively absorb billions of tonnes of CO2 while also providing food security in the form of shellfish aquaculture and fish habitat and providing what he calls “ecosystem life support.”
10 tips for self-care in the home
Recent changes in the world will see more and more of us spending our time at home, emphasizing the importance of good self-care at home. Here are 10 tips for self-care in the home.
Why Dusty is ripping up his lawn to build a Victory garden
When coronavirus sent Tasmania into lockdown, avid gardener Dusty Moore responded by ripping up his front lawn.
He was inspired by Hobart’s Museum of Old and New Art (MONA), which transformed its lawns, usually used for markets and gigs, into growing space for the shutdown period.
Below he shares how gardening has grown more than food for him.
Hard to find: what the shortages in household items say about how we live now
In early April, fearing his hard-won shoulders would shrink into nothing over lockdown, my husband attempted to buy some weights. He spent hours searching, online and in stores, and found no heavy things to lift. Even on Gumtree, where you’d expect an enterprising soul or two to be selling home gym equipment at jacked up prices, there was nothing.
‘This is no damn hobby’: the ‘gangsta gardener’ transforming Los Angeles
“The garden seduces me,” says Ron Finley, who is known around the world as the “gangsta gardener”. “I’ll get out there at 9am and next thing I know it’s 7pm … gardening takes your mind off things. Everybody should have a garden to cultivate.”
‘The simple things come by being in the garden’: Lunch with Costa
Costa Georgiadis reckons he would shave off his beard − for the right price. The host of the ABC’s Gardening Australia is instantly recognisable for his abundant facial hair; it’s his trademark, along with an infectious, almost evangelical approach to the joys of gardening.
Sophie Thomson’s community garden grows Kangaroo Island community spirit after bushfires
The large group of volunteers celebrating with Sophie Thomson after the completion of the new community garden at Parndana. Photo Sophie Thomson Facebook page
A newly built community garden is growing not only vegetables but also community spirit on bushfire blackened Kangaroo Island.
Here’s what to grow in your Sydney garden as we head into winter
The way that people have taken up gardening during the past stay-at-home months has been a most welcome development for the team at ABC’s Gardening Australia, and not just because their ratings went up during lockdown.
If you took to growing veggies in the coronavirus pandemic, then keep it up when lockdown ends
The COVID-19 pandemic produced a run on the things people need to produce their own food at home, including vegetable seedlings, seeds and chooks.
This turn to self-provisioning was prompted in part by the high price rises for produce – including A$10 cauliflowers and broccoli for A$13 a kilo – and empty veggie shelves in some supermarkets.
Backyard gardeners around the world are helping to save Australia’s deeply ancient Wollemi pine
As bushfires blackened forests last summer, one tree species was protected by a specialist team of firefighters: the Wollemi pine.
These trees have a deeply ancient lineage dating back to when dinosaurs walked Gondwana 100 million years ago. Back then, rainforests – including Wollemi pines (or their cousins) – covered what became Australia.
So when a handful of Wollemi pines were discovered alive in 1994 on the brink of extinction, it caused a frenzy of interest that has barely died down among plant enthusiasts.


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for original article: www.nytimes.com/2015/11/08/opinion/a-seismic-shift-in-how-people-eat.html?smprod=nytcore-ipad&smid=nytcore-ipad-share&_r=0
By HANS TAPARIA and PAMELA KOCH NOV. 6, 2015
IT’S easy to make fun of people in big cities for their obsession
with gluten, or chia seeds, or cleanses.
But urbanites are not the only ones turning away from the products created by big food companies. Eating habits are changing across the country and food companies are struggling to keep up.
General Mills will drop all artificial colors and flavors from its cereals. Perdue, Tyson and Foster Farm have begun to limit the use of antibiotics in their chicken. Kraft declared it was dropping artificial dyes from its macaroni and cheese. Hershey’s will begin to move away from ingredients such as the emulsifier polyglycerol polyricinoleate to “simple and easy-to-understand ingredients” like “fresh milk from local farms, roasted California almonds, cocoa beans and sugar.”
Those announcements reflect a new reality: Consumers are walking away from America’s most iconic food brands. Big food manufacturers are reacting by cleaning up their ingredient labels, acquiring healthier brands and coming out with a prodigious array of new products. Last year, General Mills purchased the organic pasta maker Annie’s Homegrown for $820 million — a price that was over four times the company’s revenues, likening it to valuations more often seen in Silicon Valley. The company alsointroduced more than 200 new products, ranging from Cheerios Protein to Betty Crocker gluten-free cookie mix, to capitalize on the latest consumer fads.
Food companies are moving in the right direction, but it won’t be enough to save them. If they are to survive changes in eating habits, they need a fundamental shift in their approach.
The food movement over the past couple of decades has substantially altered consumer behavior and reshaped the competitive landscape. Chains like Sweetgreen, a salad purveyor, are grabbing market share from traditional fast food companies. Brands such as Amy’s Kitchen, with its organic products, and Kind bars are taking some of the space on shelves once consumed by Nestlé’s Lean Cuisine and Mars.
For the large established food companies, this is having disastrous consequences. Per capita soda sales are down 25 percent since 1998, mostly replaced by water. Orange juice, a drink once seen as an important part of a healthy breakfast, has seen per capita consumption drop 45 percent in the same period. It is now more correctly considered a serious carrier of free sugar, stripped of its natural fibers. Sales of packaged cereals, also heavily sugar-laden, are down over 25 percent since 2000, with yogurt and granola taking their place. Frozen dinner sales are down nearly 12 percent from 2007 to 2013. Sales per outlet at McDonald’s have been on a downward spiral for nearly three years, with no end in sight.
To survive, the food industry will need more than its current bag of tricks. There is a consumer shift at play that calls into question the reason packaged foods exist. There was a time when consumers used to walk through every aisle of the grocery store, but today much of their time is being spent in the perimeter of the store with its vast collection of fresh products — raw produce, meats, bakery items and fresh prepared foods. Sales of fresh prepared foods have grown nearly 30 percent since 2009, while sales of center-of-store packaged goods have started to fall. Sales of raw fruits and vegetables are also growing — among children and young adults, per capita consumption of vegetables is up 10 percent over the past five years.
The outlook for the center of the store is so glum that industry insiders have begun to refer to that space as the morgue. For consumers today, packaged goods conjure up the image of foods stripped of their nutrition and loaded with sugar. Also, decades of deceptive marketing, corporate-sponsored research and government lobbying have left large food companies with brands that are fast becoming liabilities. According to one recent survey, 42 percent of millennial consumers, ages 20 to 37, don’t trust large food companies, compared with 18 percent of non-millennial consumers who feel that way.
Food companies can’t merely tinker. Nor will acquisition-driven strategies prove sufficient, because most acquisitions are too small to shift fortunes quickly. Acquired brands such as Annie’s Homegrown, Happy Baby and Honest Tea account for 1 percent or less of their buyers’ revenues. Moreover, these brands, along with their missions and culture, tend to get quickly lost in the sales and marketing machine of big food companies. It is easy for them to get orphaned.
For legacy food companies to have any hope of survival, they will have to make bold changes in their core product offerings. Companies will have to drastically cut sugar; process less; go local and organic; use more fruits, vegetables and other whole foods; and develop fresh offerings. General Mills needs to do more than just drop the artificial ingredients from Trix. It needs to drop the sugar substantially, move to 100 percent whole grains, and increase ingredient diversity by expanding to other grains besides corn. Instead of throwing good money after bad for its lagging frozen products, Nestlé, which is investing in a new $50 million frozen research and development facility, should introduce a range of healthy, fresh prepared meals for deli counters across the country.
McDonalds needs to do more than use antibiotic-free chicken. The back of the house for its 36,000 restaurants currently looks like a mini-factory serving fried frozen patties and french fries. It needs to look more like a kitchen serving freshly prepared meals with locally sourced vegetables and grains — and it still needs to taste great and be affordable.
These changes would require a complete overhaul of their supply chains, major organizational restructuring and billions of dollars of investment, but these corporations have the resources. It may be their last chance.
Hans Taparia, an assistant professor at the New York University Stern School of Business, co-founded and partially owns an organic food business. Pamela Koch is executive director of the Laurie M. Tisch Center for Food, Education, and Policy at Teachers College, Columbia University.
A version of this op-ed appears in print on November 8, 2015, on page SR4 of the New York edition with the headline: Real Food Challenges the Food Industry
When I open the refrigerator at the end of the week, my mood can turn sweet or sour. Either I get a feeling of immense pleasure and satisfaction when I see that I have used up almost all of the food I bought the previous weekend, or I feel disappointed with myself when I toss a head of broccoli that has turned brown into the compost bin or throw out salsa that grew mold before we finished it.
Here’s how I try to keep my mood – and food – from souring. Each weekend I:
I talk to people all the time who are disgusted by the amount of food they throw out each week and feel angst about the money that quickly adds up on each trip to the grocery store.
Studies show that in the US, we waste from 25 – 40% of the food that is produced, packaged, shipped, and purchased. Food waste costs the average American family $1,365 – $2,275 each year! That’s enough money to take a vacation or beef up our kids’ college funds. The effect of all of this waste on our climate is staggering – both in terms of water wasted to produce the food and carbon dioxide emissions from transporting and disposing of food.
What if we look at using up the food we buy and only buying what we need not only as a way to save money and protect the planet, but also as a practical opportunity to teach our kids flexibility, problem solving, and delayed gratification?
5 Ways to Reduce Food Waste
What can you do this week to reduce your family’s food waste? Please make a commitment and share your ideas below.
Aviva Goldfarb struggled like many busy moms to put a nutritious dinner on the table for her family amidst the chaos of daily life. That led to her founding The Six O’Clock Scramble, an online dinner planning solution for busy parents. She is a Today Show and Washington Post contributor, author of the acclaimed Six O’Clock Scramble cookbooks, and frequently appears in major national media such as The Katie Couric Show, Real Simple, and Prevention magazine.
The Public Health Ramifications of GMOs and Herbicides
By Dr. Mercola
On August 20, 2015, Philip J. Landrigan, M.D., and Charles Benbrook, Ph.D. published a paper1,2 in the one of the most prestigious medical journals, theNew England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) on the topic of genetically modified organisms (GMOs), herbicides, and public health, noting that:
The ‘Answer’ to Herbicide Resistance Is Bound to Make Food Increasingly ToxicThe authors recount how genetically engineered (GE) herbicide-resistant crops have led to a dramatic increase in herbicide application due to mounting resistance among weeds.
They then go on to argue that the science and risk assessment of the next-generation of GE crops — touted as the “answer” to growing resistance — is... read more
and for another article:
What is so special about organic food?
If you’re reading this, than you most likely know by now that all my recipes indicate “organic” on pretty much every ingredient. Do you wonder why? Is it because I’m trying to make my recipes fancier than they are?
The answer is no. It is simply because it’s healthier and it tastes better. It’s better for us, our kids, the animals and the planet. How, you wonder?
This is a subject that is dear to my heart and I could spend several weeks talking about it (in fact, I’m sure I’ll regularly have articles talking about this, because it is a very important matter that concerns us all), but for today, I will try to keep it simple and keep this article to a minimum. My goal is not to drown everyone with information!
Here’s a drop-down-to-basic list:
The principles behind organic production are designed to promote healthy soil and biological biodiversity; to reduce pollution; and to reduce, recycle, and reuse whenever possible. Generally, banned items and processes include
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reprinted from the Vineyard Gazette: Community Groceries Program Helping Those in Need
Cronig’s Market has launched a new program to provide families in need with fresh produce and other items not commonly available in food pantries. Cronig’s has become the second market in the country to adopt the program, which started in the Berkshires last year.
The Community Groceries Program, originally developed by students at Williams College, is based on the model of “suspended coffees,” where cafe patrons can pick up the tab for future patrons in need. When checking out at either of the two main Cronig’s locations — in Vineyard Haven and West Tisbury — shoppers can ask the cashier to add one of six items to their bill. Once enough items are registered, special coupons are printed and distributed to families through Island food networks.
According to the Vineyard Committee on Hunger, more than 200 Island families require food assistance to get through the winter. Several local initiatives, including Serving Hands, a year-round food distribution service supplied by the Greater Boston Food Bank, and the Island Food Pantry, are working to address the problem.
“What we wanted to do was supplement what’s available already, with our food distribution programs, with items that were harder to come by and healthier,” said Jessica Roddy, a former Slow Food MV member who led the effort to bring community groceries to the Vineyard.
The six items are olive oil, frozen strawberries, spinach, two-percent milk, broccoli and pasta. All but the olive oil are organic. Store owner Steve Bernier said the selection will likely change over time.
Mr. Bernier said the biggest challenge is getting the word out to the community, especially amid the summer rush, when people are eager to do their shopping quickly and avoid the crowds. “Right now it’s too frantic, so we need some help with letting people know what they can do to help others,” he said. The first batch of coupons will likely go out in the fall.
Slow Food MV heard about the program shortly after its debut at Wild Oats Market in Williamstown last spring. Adopting the program for the Vineyard required a good deal of preparation, including staff training, educational materials and store displays. But Cronig’s had been receptive to the idea. “They’ve always been really generous and very much interested in doing this sort of work,” Ms. Roddy said. She hoped the program would eventually expand to other Island markets as well.
Meg Richardson, a member of Kinetic, the Williams College student group that conceived of the idea, said Cronig’s was the first market to manage the program on its own. Originally it was called Suspended Groceries. “We had been kind of pushing it in a lot of different places, but Cronig’s actually reached out to us first,” she said. “So that was really exciting.” Similar programs are now taking root in Anchorage, Alaska, and Great Barrington.
“The dream is that one day everyone will know what community groceries or suspended groceries means and it will be a part of your routine,” Ms. Richardson said. “When you go to the grocery store, you just automatically think of others who might need some groceries. . . . But we’ll keep working to implement it in as many small stores as we can."
from FoodTank.org :
We Grow Farmers: Interview with the Center for Land-Based Learning
The aging population of farmers is turning into a food security crisis. At the Center for Land-Based Learning in California, the organization is taking on this challenge by training new farmers at their California Farm Academy. Food Tank discussed the importance of new farmer training with Executive Director Mary Kimball and Program Director Jennifer Taylor.
Food Tank (FT): What was the inspiration for the California Farm Academy?
Mary Kimball (MK): Center for Land-Based Learning has been running programs for youth in sustainable agriculture, specifically for high school students, since 1993. We started working with a beginning farmer eight years ago. His name is Toby Hastings, of Free Spirit Farm. For the full article, go to Food Tank
our dialogue comes from many places
from on-line sources to guest writers to island personalities.
November: reducing food waste tips
September: What's so special about organic food?
August: helping island neighbors in need with Community Groceries


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This week, I head for L.A. (at least mentally) and check in on Twitter Spaces.
Last Wednesday, L’Oréal, the No. 1 cosmetics company in the world, announced its second company headquarters for L’Oréal USA in El Segundo, California outside of Los Angeles. The 100,000-square-foot indoor and outdoor office space is expected to open in early 2022, and will be the home of the company’s first West Coast L’Oréal Professional Products Academy. With the move, the company’s California brands, NYX Professional Makeup, Urban Decay and Pulp Riot, will receive unprecedented new attention. The announcement obviously gives L’Oréal USA more access to celebrities, influencers and cultural events in L.A. and California. But beyond the internal ramifications, it underscores L.A.’s growing importance to the global beauty market.
“As the worldwide beauty leader and the USA leader, to be the first company to set foot in this very important region of the United States [with a headquarters] shows the commitments that we have to a consumer ecosystem — to trends, to new behaviors, to new innovation and that great creativity that’s coming from California,” Stephane Rinderknech, president and CEO of L’Oréal USA, told me over a video call last week.
The beauty customer is certainly there. According to Rakuten Intelligence, of the 116 million people that made beauty purchases online during the pandemic, 6.3 million were from Los Angeles, Riverside and Orange counties, up 27%…


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LOS ANGELES - Head of Post Ambrosio Brian F. Enciso III led the Philippine Consulate General in Los Angeles in celebrating with Filipino food company, Leelin Bakery and Cafe its 3rd anniversary at its flagship store in Cerritos, California on January 27.
The Leelin family business was founded by Manuel and Teresa Leelin. The Leelin family has been in the food business for more than 40 years, specializing in Filipino cuisine. Their products are widely distributed in California, New York and Chicago. END
Source: Republic of Philippines Department Of Foreign Affairs


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Published October 20th, 2014 at 4:25 PM1 minute read
Tickets to watch the Kansas City Royals play the San Francisco Giants in this year’s World Series are being called the second most expensive World Series tickets in recent years. But how do you even get your hands on them?
The Royals ran a lottery for the general public to buy World Series tickets from Oct. 7–10. Season ticket holders were given the opportunity to purchase all post-season tickets earlier. Now, tickets are still being sold on secondary resale markets like Stubhub and TicketsNow.
Jon Greenberg is the executive editor at Team Marketing Report, a sports marketing publishing company based in Chicago. He says making it to the World Series presents a huge opportunity for Major League Baseball teams to sell more season tickets in the following year.
“Going to the World Series is more than just this one year for the Royals. This could really change the franchise as long as they follow this up with more good seasons,” he said.
Because season ticket holders get first dibs on all post-season tickets, Greenberg thinks more people will invest in season tickets for next year, in case the Royals make it this far again. For a $250 deposit, Royals fans can reserve a season ticket for next year.
Of course, the huge demand for World Series tickets this year is in part because the Royals are making history. The team hasn’t even made the playoffs since 1985. The San Francisco Giants, on the other hand, have played in two World Championships just since 2010. Greenberg said that’s the difference between Royals fans and Giants fans looking to buy tickets right now, and why Royals fans might be willing to pay more.
“People in San Francisco have seen this, and you haven’t seen this in Kansas City since 1985. This is probably the biggest sporting event in Kansas City since 1985,” he said.
But it isn’t just post-season tickets that are more expensive. In March, this report from Team Marketing Report showed that Royals ticket prices have gone up almost 25 percent in the last year and have almost reached the MLB average.
“The Royals have been bumping up prices,” Greenberg said. “And they picked the right year.”
Prices for game 1 of the series in Kansas City have gone down since last Friday, Oct. 17. Standing-room-only tickets that were selling for more than $700 on Stubhub are now close to $540.


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Kia reports that its global vehicle sales in April decreased by 5.8% year-over-year to 238,538 units. During the first four months of 2022, the company sold 924,277 vehicles (down 2.0%).
At the same time, Kia notes solid all-electric car sales results, although we must be aware that the output is most likely heavily constrained by supply.
Last month, the Kia EV6 wholesale sales (closely related to production) amounted to 7,233 (not far from the record of 7,667 in March), including 2,976 in South Korea (new record) and 4,257 exported.
Kia reports wholesale sales (on the manufacturer level or plant sales), unaudited and on a preliminary basis.
A stable output shown below suggests that the Kia EV6 is limited on the production side rather than the demand. So far this year, Kia EV6 volume exceeded 28,000, so we can maintain the forecast that at least 80,000-100,000 is possible during 2022 (at the current rate).
Cumulatively, the company produced more than 57,000 EV6. Most (some 39,000) were exported.
Kia EV6 electric car sales (wholesale sales) – April 2022
The manufacturer reports also 5,572 retail sales of the Kia EV6 outside of South Korea in April - including 2,700 in Europe (EU+EFTA) and 2,632 in the US. 122 units were sold in Canada and over 100 in other global markets, according to Kia.
Retail sales of the Soul EV and Niro EV outside of South Korea amounted to respectively 571 and 4,272 (we don't have numbers for Kia's home market).
Overall, retail sales of Kia electric cars tripled year-over-year in April and there is a big chance that the positive trend will be maintained over the course of 2022:
Kia BEV sales last month:
- EV6: 5,572 retails sales outside South Korea
(7,233 wholesale - 2,976 in South Korea and 4,257 exported)
- Niro EV: 4,272 retails sales outside South Korea
- Soul EV: 571 retails sales outside South Korea
- Total*: at least 13,391 (up 176% year-over-year) or 5.6% of the total volume
Unfortunately, Kia does not report PHEV numbers.


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In terms of annual volumes, that makes 2013 the worst year since 1995 (when the European Union consisted of 15 countries), and the worst ever since ACEA began the series in 2003 with the enlarged European Union (which now encompasses 28 nations).
The group said that results differed significantly across European markets over the last 12 months. While the U.K. recorded double-digit growth in new car sales of 10.8 percent and Spain posted a more moderate upturn of 3.3 percent, countries like Germany and France posted declines of 4.2 percent and 5.7 percent respectively.
(Read More: Why the UK's auto industry remains crisis free)
Overall, the EU market recorded a total of 11,850, 905 new cars or 1.7 percent less than in 2012.
Carlos Da Silva, manager for European vehicle sales forecasts at IHS Global Insight, told CNBC that although the December sales increase was "quite an achievement" given the overall economic and social climate in Europe, "one must also realize how low, in absolute terms, these volumes are: the lowest since 1995 the ACEA says."
"The misunderstanding would be to consider that, from now on, after four months of continuous growth, the EU market is out of the woods and back on track as if nothing had happened," he told CNBC on Thursday.
"The recent good results have been welcome but were they so good actually? After years of collapsing sales, pent-up demand has definitely started releasing in 2013 but there was also a fair share of artificially-fed demand," he said, citing U.K. market sales growth as being " due to very good bargaining conditions" or Spanish growth thanks to the country's car-scrapping program.
"In 2014, the EU market is set to make its come back…But, at the same time, we caution that the recovery road might be very slow and staggered. As evidenced by the fact that we expect car sales volumes to pass 2008 volumes again only by the next decade," he warned.
- By CNBC's Holly Ellyatt, follow her on Twitter @HollyEllyatt.


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High inflation disproportionately hurts low-income households
January 10, 2023
Families have grappled with surging prices over the past 18 months, as the cost of meeting basic needs rose. Consumer prices were 7.1 percent higher in November 2022 than a year earlier.
Although inflation may have peaked, prices remain elevated, with food costs up 10.6 percent, gasoline rising 10.1 percent, rent increasing 7.9 percent and medical care services up 4.4 percent (Chart 1). “The burdens of high inflation fall heaviest on those who are least able to bear them,” Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell recently stated, and the Fed is intent on tackling inflation head on.
Drawing upon recent household survey data, we show that high inflation is disproportionately hurting low-income households, including Black and Hispanic households and renters. It is noteworthy that the survey results do not support the recent suggestion of Nobel laureate economist Paul Krugman that low-income families “have actually been hurt less by inflation than families with higher incomes” because the wages of low-income households rose faster.
Nearly half of Americans report feeling ‘very stressed’ by inflation
People experience different inflation rates and different levels of inflation stress based on household composition and income, housing tenure and other factors. The Census Bureau’s Household Pulse Survey asked people how inflation has affected them. The Census Bureau launched the periodic survey in April 2020 to quickly gather information on key economic indicators—employment, food, housing and child care—during the pandemic. More than 154,000 people responded to questionnaires in the periods ended Sept. 28, Oct. 17 and Nov. 14, 2022 (waves 49 to 51).
Nearly all respondents, 97 percent, reported that prices were increasing, and almost half of those individuals—47 percent—felt very stressed by inflation (Chart 2). More than 60 percent were very concerned about future, short-term inflation.
We explore the impact of high inflation on different groups by tabulating the incidence of high inflation stress by level of household income, race and ethnicity, housing tenure and other dimensions.
Since these factors are correlated—lower-income households are also more likely to rent, for example—we also present logit model estimates (a way to consider the probability of an event given the relationships of explanatory variables). Specifically, these estimates consider the incidence of high inflation stress given respondents’ income, race and ethnicity, housing tenure and other factors.
The resulting “marginal effects” of income, for example, provide an estimate of how the incidence of high inflation stress varies as income changes, holding factors such as household size, housing tenure, and race and ethnicity constant.
Low-income households most stressed by inflation
Prior research suggests that inflation hits low-income households hardest for several reasons. They spend more of their income on necessities such as food, gas and rent—categories with greater-than-average inflation rates—leaving few ways to reduce spending . When prices rise, middle-income households may react by consuming cheaper goods and buying more generic brands. Low-income households do not have the same flexibility; in many cases, they are already consuming the cheapest products.
Additionally, many low-income households lack the ability of higher-income households to stock up when prices are discounted, buy in bulk and save, delay purchases if there is an opportunity to save in the future or buy more cheaply online. Low-income households are also likely to have smaller cash buffers to tide them over a period of high inflation.
The recent Household Pulse Survey data confirm these tendencies. Households with incomes ranging from $25,000 to $35,000 in 2021 were about 19.3 percentage points more likely to be very stressed by inflation than households with incomes in the $75,000 to $100,000 range (Chart 3).
By contrast, households earning $250,000 or more last year were over 25 percentage points less likely to find recent inflation very stressful.
The large effects of income on the incidence of high inflation stress in Chart 3 could be overstated if income is correlated with other factors that also generate high inflation stress. However, the estimated marginal effects of income on the incidence of high inflation stress are only a little smaller, holding constant other factors such as household size and composition, marital status and housing tenure (Chart 4).
This finding that high inflation is disproportionately hurting low-income households may surprise some commentators since tight labor markets have compressed wages. Although lower-wage earners are currently experiencing higher wage growth than middle- and higher-wage and salary earners, the Household Pulse Survey results clearly indicate this has not been sufficient to offset the impact of high inflation.
Differences by race and ethnicity
The incidence of high inflation stress is a good deal greater for Black and Hispanic individuals than for others; 57.2 percent of Hispanics reported inflation stress, 53.7 percent of Blacks, 43.6 percent of whites and 38.6 percent of Asians.
However, differences between the groups mainly reflect income differences. Relative to a white respondent in the survey, the marginal effect of being Hispanic is only 3.8 percentage points, while the marginal effects of being Black or Asian are not significantly different from zero from a statistical standpoint.
Greater inflationary pressures on renters
Because rents have been one of the largest drivers of inflation, renters are more vulnerable to shelter inflation than owner occupants with a mortgage since most have low fixed-rate mortgages and are not affected by rising mortgage rates. By contrast, the majority of renters face annual or more frequent rent reviews and have experienced quite large cost increases over the past year.
We find that 56.5 percent of those paying rent were very stressed by high inflation as opposed to 43.4 percent of homeowners with a mortgage and 39.3 percent of owners without a mortgage.
Renters generally have lower incomes than homeowners, so we looked at the marginal effects of renting versus owning. They suggest that, holding other factors constant, renters are on average 3.1 percentage points more likely to feel very stressed by inflation than owner occupants with a mortgage; homeowners without a mortgage were 3.3 percentage points less likely than renters to be very stressed by inflation.
Other factors associated with high inflation stress
Although couples can live more cheaply than single people, high inflation is more stressful for couples, especially ones with children. At the margin, an extra adult increases the chances of high inflation stress by 2 percentage points, and an extra child raises that stress by 4.2 percentage points.
Age plays a role as well—other things being equal—as younger (under age 25) and older individuals (age 65-plus) are not as stressed by high inflation.
Underscoring the importance of price stability
Inflation is far too high and is particularly stressful for lower-income households—including many Black and Hispanic families, families with children and renters.
As Fed Chair Powell noted: “Without price stability, the economy does not work for anyone. In particular, without price stability, we will not achieve a sustained period of strong labor market conditions that benefit all.” This is why it is important to tackle high inflation by raising interest rates, tightening financial conditions and curbing excess demand.


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REUTERS: Apple Inc said the WeChat messaging app and car-hailing app DiDi Taxi were among the 25 most popular apps found to be infected with malicious software, the first-ever large-scale attack on its App Store.
Apple on Sunday said it was cleaning up its App Store after several cybersecurity firms reported that unknown hackers had embedded a malware, dubbed XcodeGhost, in hundreds, possibly thousands, of Chinese apps. “We have no information to suggest that the malware has been used to do anything malicious,” Apple said in its XcodeGhost Q&A Web page.
The company did not previously disclose which apps had been affected, although many had been identified by third parties. Infected apps include Baidu Inc’s Baidu Music app, the 58 Classified-Job, Used Cars, Rent, and a music app from Internet portal NetEase Inc.
Tencent Holdings Ltd is the owner of WeChat. This is the first reported case of large number of malicious software programs making their way past Apple’s stringent app review process.
Prior to this attack, a total of just five malicious apps had ever been found in the App Store, according to cyber security firm Palo Alto Networks Inc. Apple said it was working with developers to get the apps back on the App Store and was blocking new apps that contained the malware. The company also said some of the affected apps could be fixed through updates.
The hackers targeted the App Store using a counterfeit version of Xcode “toolkit”, Apple’s app-building software. Many Chinese app developers downloaded the tainted software kit instead of the original one because of the slow download speeds from Apple’s official servers located overseas.
Apple said it is working to make Xcode faster for Chinese developers to download.


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The Tata Group-backed online grocery unicorn, BigBasket, has forayed into physical retail by opening a new technology-driven, self-service store 'Fresho' at Basaveshwar Nagar in Bengaluru. The store was inaugurated by three farmers who are a part of BigBasket's 'Farmer Connect' programme.
The launch is part of the company's vision to open 200 physical outlets pan India by 2023 and 800 stores by 2026. BigBasket said that the stores will offer high-quality products at extremely competitive prices.
The announcement also puts the Tata Group close in competition with Reliance, which has a strong presence in the offline retail grocery through Reliance Fresh as well as a proposed acquisition of Big Bazaar outlets, currently owned by Future Retail.
BigBasket, which is a digital-first brand, has adopted a channel-agnostic approach to connect with customers. With Fresho stores, customers can now handpick fresh fruits and vegetables as well as daily essentials like bread and eggs which are stocked at the store. For accessing the company's entire range of 50,000+ products, they will have to place the order online and collect it from Fresho stores at their convenience.
BigBasket aspires to provide its customers every convenient option for buying products at competitive prices and also cater to the next 500 million users who have not transacted online, according to an official handout.
"BigBasket has always striven to adopt a customer-first approach. This is where the 'Fresho' stores will be gamechangers in terms of making the buying of fruits, vegetables and groceries as seamless as cash transactions at ATMs," Hari Menon, co-founder and CEO of BigBasket, said.
The stores will give access to the next 500 million customers who have not yet started buying grocery online and create a new significant growth opportunity for BigBasket, he added.
"The produce stocked at the stores is backed by our extensive 'Farmer Connect' programme where we partner with over 30,000 farmers across the country to source fruits and vegetables directly. There is complete traceability for all fresh produce built in our supply chain which allows us to communicate details of the farmer for each product to our customers," Menon said.
The Fresho stores, as per the online grocery start-up, are aimed at merging the best of technology such as 'self-billing counters' integrated with video AI tools that enable customers to pick items of their choice and weigh them at the counter through automatic computer vision that can identify the items and generate bills accordingly. Thus, there will be a complete seamless, convenient shopping experience for the buyers at the store.
With this expansion, the company also aims to bring a close connect between farmers and consumers through the farm-to-fork initiative, thereby also informing the customers of the farmers supplying the respective produces, which BigBasket claims is an industry first endeavour.
Copyright©2021 Living Media India Limited. For reprint rights: Syndications Today


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Social Media News Round Up: Pinterest Shop, Facebook ad costs, & more
Social media platforms are constantly evolving and updating with newer features to increase relevance and stickiness for users, brands, and businesses. Here is our weekly roundup of Social Media News this week.
Social Samosa brings you all the latest Social media news, platform updates and trends dominating the digital ecosystem.
Social media news this week was dominated by Pinterest launching the new collection to support small businesses manufacturing sustainable products, Facebook cutting down ad costs to cope with decreased ad spends and much more.
Pinterest launches new collection to support small businesses
Pinterest Shop will now feature a collection of sustainable products by small businesses, in an attempt to help them get through the crisis. Read more here.
YouTube launches UPI for online payment
YouTube has launched UPI as a new form of payment for both YouTube and YouTube Music. Read more here.
Instagram revamps IGTV app, adds Discover tab
IGTV app gets a Discover tab, a hand-free recording option and a redesigned homepage with a focus on creators and personalization. Read more here.
Facebook cuts down ad costs amidst reducing ad spends
Reportedly, Facebook has initiated discounted ad costs, in response to the declining ad spends due to the pandemic. Read more here.
Facebook launches resources for educators to continue teaching online
In partnership with UNESCO, Facebook is trying to ensure learners and educators stay connected despite the lockdown. Read more here.
Now watch Instagram Live, send DMs on Desktop
With a spike in Instagram usage, the platform has rolled out two updates, allowing users to watch Live videos and access DMs on desktop. Read more here.
COVID-19: Instagram introduces Thank You Hour & Dhanyavad stickers
Instagram launched a ‘Thank you hour’ sticker on Instagram Stories, so people can show gratitude towards those helping them through these difficult times. Read more here.
Snapchat India celebrates onset of spring with special localized lenses
Celebrating India’s cultural diversity and our rich heritage, Snapchat India has introduced localized lenses to mark the onset of Spring and Harvest season across the country. Read more here.
Snapchat launches a COVID-19 Business Resource Center
To aid partners with real-time information and insights about user behavior and industry updates, Snapchat rolled out a dedicated COVID-19 Business Resource Center. Read more here.


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A Belarus-based startup has launched a tokenized securities trading platform enabling investors to buy into traditional markets with bitcoin and ethereum.
Blockchain tech company Currency.com has announced the launch of its trading platform for tokenized securities.
The Belarus-based platform is intended to enable investors to trade and invest in common financial instruments such as equities, commodities, and indices directly, without having to convert their cryptocurrencies in fiat.
According to Tut.by, Victor Prokopenia (VP Capital) and Said Gutseriev (Larnabel Ventures) are investors to the project.
According to the official release, Currency.com, will eventually issue over 10,000 tokenized securities but will start with over 150, including everything from popular stocks to silver, oil and natural gas.
Users will be able to purchase tokens, which mirror the performance of certain conventional assets such as Apple shares listed on NASDAQ. It will cost the same price as an actual Apple share and can be bought with BTC or ETH.
Currency.com is the very first blockchain-based business licensed by Belarus’ High Technology Park (HTP) under the country’s Decree No. 8 “On The Development of a Digital Economy.”
Apart from being compliant with legislation of Belarus, the platform imposes strict KYC and AML requirements aided by blockchain intelligence services such as Elliptic, Chainanalysis, and Coinfirm. In other words, blockchain tracking software will be used to monitor transactions.
Additionally, Currency.com is going to use its FCA and CySEC regulated sister platform to offer access to the tokenized versions of a contract for the exchange of a specific index, commodity or equity.


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Microsoft is reportedly developing a new lineup of Surface tablets, including a 7-inch version expected to go into mass production later this year, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the company's plans.
Although Microsoft declined to comment to the Wall Street Journal, the company's move would make sense as it could help the company
keep pace with the growing popularity of smaller tablets like Google's 7-inch Nexus, the 7.9-inch iPad Mini and the Samsung Galaxy Note 8.
Last month, Microsoft made changes to its Windows 8 certification requirement, clarifying that it would allow devices with screen resolution lower than 1024 x 768 pixels. The lower resolution would allow for Windows 8 and Windows RT tablets with smaller screens.
Microsoft is also ready to allow development of Windows 8 smartphones with screens supporting the 1080p resolution. Currently, the Windows Phone 8 operating system supports a maximum resolution of 720p, which could limit the use of larger screens as the tiled UI could not look so good. Microsoft is ser to change this with the release of the General Distribution Release 3 (GT3) Windows Phone 8 update. GDR3 will add support for up to 6-inch devices with 1080p support. Along with the higher resolution, GDR3 also could include changes in the start screen and core Windows Phone 8 apps.
GDR3 is expected to be the last Windows Phone 8 OS update Microsoft releases before it introduces Windows Phone Blue. Windows Phone Blue is expected to arrive a number of months after Windows Blue, (Windows 8.1), possibly in early 2014.


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A group of Trump supporters have gathered outside Walter Reed National Military Medical Center with signs, flags and balloons.
Coins commemorating President Trump surviving COVID-19 are already available for pre-order at an online gift shop.
The $100 “Trump defeats COVID” coins are for sale on the website of The White House Gift Shop, which is not affiliated with the White House.
The coin is part of a series designed by Anthony Giannini, who is also chairman of the White House Gift Shop. He described the COVID-19 coin as the last coin in the series illustrating “President Trump’s ascendance over and defeat of the deadly COVID pandemic virus.”
Trump says he’ll leave hospital: ‘Don’t be afraid of COVID’ as U.S. poised to record 210,000th death
Melania Trump staying at White House: Thankful for ‘prayers & support’
“When we heard the sad news of President Trump’s positive COVID test,
Talk about premature congratulations.
The White House Gift Shop is already selling coins that commemorate US President Donald Trump defeating COVID-19 — and winning the election.
The gift shop was set up in 1950 but is not the official gift shop of the seat of the Whitehouse.
The coin, which is available for pre-order, is called “President Donald J. Trump Defeats COVID” and is the “final commemorative coin for President Trump’s first term”.
Coin designer and series creator Anthony Gianni said its design was “informed by superhero graphic art”.
“Surrounding President Donald J. Trump is a mythos never before seen in a United States president, a mythos not unlike the Epic of Gilgamesh,” he wrote on The White House Gift Shop site.
“Thus I am pleased to announce a new commemorative that vividly shows President Trump’s historic presidential candidacy win, itself, from his descent on the elevator in Trump Tower,
A gift shop is cashing in on Donald Trump’s COVID-19 diagnosis by pre-emptively selling commemorative coins marking the US president defeating the deadly virus.
The limited edition coin, titled “President Donald J. Trump Defeats COVID”, is available to pre-order from the White House Gift Shop website, with the item priced at $100 ($A139) a piece.
The White House Gift Shop is not the official gift shop of the White House and the commemorative coins being sold on the website are not officially approved or sanctioned by the US government.
Trump is currently still being treated for COVID-19 at the Walter Reed military hospital in Maryland where he was flown on Friday night after his symptoms worsened.
Despite the president still needing medical care, the White House Gift Shop had decided to pre-emptively mark his return to full health with an expensive commemorative coin.
RELATED: Follow our live coronavirus coverage


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A digest of important news from sources selected by our local editors. Delivered weekday mornings.
Although Office Depot struck a deal with OfficeMax to combine their companies, activist shareholder Starboard Value says there's still business the Depot has to settle.
Office Depot's largest shareholder – at 14.8 percent – asked the board to immediately seek OfficeMax's approval to sell the company's half of Office Depot de Mexico.
On Feb. 15, Boca Raton-based Office Depot received an offer from joint venture partner Grupo Gigante to purchase the Depot's half of the Mexican unit for $690.5 million. Under the agreement with OfficeMax, the office supply retailer has to receive the approval of its merger partner to sell the unit.
Gigante's offer expires Thursday.
The office supply retailer entered into the joint venture with Grupo Gigante in 1994 and has since expanded to 200 stores. The duo also operates in Colombia and Central America and may be valued at $700 million.
If Office Depot company does sell its half of Office Depot de Mexico, it would be the second time in recent months that the company has moved to shed its international ventures. In December, the company said it would sell its Hungary business.
Shares of Office Depot (NYSE: ODP) were up 3 cents, or 0.63 percent, to $4.01 in Wednesday afternoon trading. The stock was trading at a volume of 3.7 million shares, down from its three-month average of 9.7 million shares. ODP reached its 52-week high of $6.10 earlier this month after the company announced its merger with OfficeMax (NYSE: OMX).
Shaun Bevan covers tourism, hospitality, retail and restaurants.
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When I usually get pitches from the next Google killer my eyes usually glaze over. Show me a search engine that can do something Google can't.
Latest from Larry Dignan
Updated: Does Verizon Wireless finally have a date to roll out the Blackberry Storm?In a conversation with Verizon's helpdesk on an unrelated issue, a customer rep spilled the beans that the release date is Nov.
Adobe's MAX 2008 conference kicks off Monday and the shindig's theme is pretty simple: Extend its Flash platform into every software nook and cranny that it can by enlisting developers everywhere.Adobe's goal of reaching everyone with Flash isn't new, but the company every year makes more progress reaching its target--except for Apple's iPhone of course.
Palm moved a lot of smartphones--1,029,000 to be exact--and revenue was well ahead of expectations, but the company's turnaround is still a work in progress.The company, which has been living off the $99 Centro, is hoping to raise margins with its new Treo Pro, which currently doesn't have a carrier.
It didn't take long for Motorola's Droid to make a big splash in the browsing statistics, according to mobile ad firm AdMob.
Apple CEO, Steve Jobs introduces iPhone 4 at the company¹s World Wide Developers Conference in San Francisco. Features include a new glass and steel design, a built in antenna and a higher resolution screen.
Sprint, which caters to customers with lower credit quality, may get more mileage out of offering a cheap iPhone 4 than the iPhone 5.
Yup folks. There aren't a lot of original ideas left in the smartphone market. So let's go all Converse Chuck Taylor retro and see what sticks. Welcome back Nokia and BlackBerry.
AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson said the launch of Verizon's iPhone may mean a "rocky" and "volatile" first half of 2011, but a bevy of Android devices can pick up the slack.
Apple's update to its 4-inch version of the iPhone addresses a few key strategic holes in emerging markets, but the iPhone SE could serve as a handy secondary device too.


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Nas' Daughter, Destiny Jones is launching a new makeup line called "Illmatic".
In 1994, we got the seminal hip hop classic, Illmatic, 20 years later we have lip gloss' answer to the record, Lipmatic. That's right, a new makeup line has launched with a name inspired by Nas' debut record, and it's none other than Nas' own daughter behind it.
Nas took to Instagram today to promote the launch of Destiny's new company, adding that "it's great to watch her plans unfold".
Will Lipmatic have the same influence on the makeup game as Illmatic did on the rap game? Only time will tell. As for what we'll hear from Esco next, the NY legend unveiled a new J. Dilla-produced track last month, so hopefully he's got something planned soon.
Check out Nas' post and caption below.


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Value of customer loyalty? GM comes up with a number
The value of loyalty is maths that many people struggle with. General Motors has given it a concrete value.
According to this US auto company, the value of loyalty is $700 million for every percentage point of improvement in customer retention rates.
GM currently keeps about 52% of its customers for repurchases, which is roughly the auto industry’s average retention rate, says Alicia Boler-Davis, GM’s new vice president for global quality and US customer experience.
The best in the auto industry, Toyota keeps about 58% of its customers returning to their car showrooms when they trade in a vehicle, she says.
At GM’s scale, adding a percentage point to the customer retention score is worth $700 million, Ms. Boler-Davis says. That reflects in part the high cost of winning a new customer out of a rival brand.
Using the Boler-Davis’s figures, GM could add $4.2 billion in annual revenue if it matched Toyota’s customer retention rates in the US alone, which makes it a very impressive equation indeed.


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Suits & Sayings: Digital start-up’s open house gets Covid bug; finance honcho’s TV gig hits a wrong note
Delhi-based realtor realised recently the hard way, several of his jet-setting millionaire clients have a conscience too.
Prices of TV and appliances likely to go up by around 10% from January
"We expect the increase in commodity prices to impact our product pric...
Centre's initiatives open up new business opportunities for local electronic brands
Panasonic India has started manufacturing for Lloyd, Moto...
Consumers increasingly move to SmartTVs as new manufacturers undercut regular pricing
Xiaomi is looking well poised to similarly grab marketshare in India’s Rs 79,000 crore television market. When Mi TVs (Xiaomi’s consumer brand in India) were launched in India in February 2018, smart TVs accounted for 12–15% of the total market. It is now 50%, according to industry estimates.
Shopping pain: Prices of smartphone, TV going up; retailers to reduce discount
These hikes come at a time when most of the brands are battling a shortage of products in the market.
Lockdown helps to revive TV market after two years; 2-3 times surge in demand for large screen
After two years of declining sales, overall television sales has grown over 35-50% since last month when markets opened up, with the large screen models reporting 2-3 times growth. This is as compared to both sequential pre-Covid periods of January-February and over same period last year, senior industry executives said.
Coronavirus outbreak: China shutdowns hit Indian electronics companies
Production cuts & launch delays likely owing to disruption in component supplies due to coronavirus outbreak.
Amazon, Flipkart bring Diwali spirit to Republic Day sales
There will be no change in pricing and discount strategy of cos despite Goyal’s recent remarks. Discounts during the ongoing Republic Day and Great Indian sales on Flipkart and Amazon, respectively, will be similar to that last year
Samsung signs agreement with Dixon to manufacture TV sets in India
ET had reported last year November about Samsung and Dixon entering into an agreement for local production of television sets in the country. This was after the government scrapped 5% import duty on open cell TV panels last September.
Chinese invaders giving a tough competitive call to Indian TV players
As per regulatory filings made by the company to Registrar of Companies (RoC) and accessed through business intelligence platform Veratech Intelligence, the Korean firm reported a drop in television sales by 8.6% to Rs 3,444.98 crore in 2018-19.
Samsung may switch on TV production in India
Samsung is about to sign a deal with homegrown contract manufacturer Dixon Technologies to manufacture television sets up to 55 inches in screen size, sources said. These account for more than 85% of the Indian market. The company is evaluating options with other contract manufacturers to further expand local TV production in India, they added.
'Zero duty on open cell TV panels only till September 2020'
India imports finished open cell panels, which are used in making the LED panels, since there is no panel manufacturing facility in the country.
TV companies may stop making in India, turn to zero-duty FTA imports
Import of finished TV sets from countries with which India has FTA leads to net savings of around 5%.
Kodak 43UHDX Smart TV review: Cheapest 4k 43-inch TV, great picture quality
Audio quality from the TV’s dual speakers is great.
Kodak to raise television prices by up to 11 per cent
The government has recently imposed 20% duty on completely built televisions (CBU) sets and 15% duty on finished LED panels for televisions assembled locally.


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Hemp and cannabis are getting ready to disrupt one of the biggest industries in the world: beauty and skincare.
Here to tell us about it is Melissa Jochim of High Beauty, a cannabis-infused cosmetics brand that’s hitting shelves in stores across the world, including the multinational beauty chain Sephora.
Use promo code “Insider” for a discount on your purchase at https://highbeauty.com
- Melissa’s background in cannabis and how she came to start High Beauty
- An inside look at High Beauty and its mission to make canna-beauty products mainstream
- Current perceptions surrounding cannabis in the beauty and skincare space
- How hemp benefits the health and appearance of our skin
- The different products High Beauty now has to offer from masks to moisturizers
- A breakdown of the chemistry involved in creating cannabis-infused cosmetics
- Where High Beauty is available for purchase, including Sephora and Macy’s
- How Melissa sees the canna-beauty market evolving over the next few years


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Meizu has launched the company’s latest smartphone in M series – Meizu M5 in India at a price tag of Rs. 10,499. The smartphone comes in Champanage Gold & Sapphire Blue color and the smartphone available exclusively on Tatacliq.com. Originally, the smartphone introduced in China back in October last year.
Meizu M5 Specifications And Features:
Display, Processor, Operating System, and Memory:
Meizu M5 features 5.2-inch HD 2.5D curved glass display with a resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels and it is powered by 1.5GHz Octa-Core 64-bit MediaTek MT6750 processor which is paired with Mali T860 GPU & 3GB LPDDR3 RAM. The smartphone runs on Android 6.0 Marshmallow operating system with Flyme Os on top of it and it has 32GB internal storage which can be expanded further up to 128GB via microSD card.
The Meizu M5 features 13MP rear-camera with dual-tone LED flash, PDAF, f/2.2 aperture, 5P lens and 5MP front-facing camera, f/2.0 aperture, 4P lens for selfie & video-calling.
SIM Support, Connectivity, and Sensors:
The Meizu M5 has Hybrid SIM card slot and comes with connectivity features like 4G LTE, WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n (2.4GHz/5GHz), Bluetooth 4.0 LE, GPS / GLONASS. The smartphone comes with a number of sensors like infrared, accelerometer, ambient light sensor, proximity sensor, gyroscope, and a magnetometer.
Dimensions, and Weigh
The Meizu M5 measures 147.28 × 72.8 × 8.15mm and weighs 138g.
The Meizu M5 comes with mTouch 2.1 fingerprint sensor which is embedded into the home button and it can unlock your phone in just 0.2 seconds. The smartphone has polycarbonate body with anodized metal frame.
The Meizu M5 packs 3070mAh battery which offers up to 66 hours of music playback, 37 hours of talk-time, 9 hours of gaming, and 5 hours of photography.
Commenting on the launch, Leon Zhang, Meizu Marketing Head, South Asia said:
“We had launched M5 in China market a few months ago and within a short span of time, this particular model bought various accolades for Meizu’s M series. This overwhelming response further inspired us to introduce this device in Indian market which evidently is one of the key markets for Meizu.”
“With this launch, we have added another channel partner that you can buy Meizu m5 from – Tataclique.com. This association is a significant effort of Meizu to reach out more consumers through partnering with India’s one of most trustworthy online sales platforms. Besides, the unprecedented growth of Tata Cliq of tapping almost every section of target audience has motivated us a lot and this partnership would definitely empower us to break in grounds in terms of gaining market share and generating revenues. It will also be a seamless shopping experience for Meizu fans.”
Commenting on the exclusive tie-up, Mr. Vikas Purohit, COO, TataCLiQ.com said:
“We are happy to partner with Meizu for the launch of one of their most awaited smartphones in India. With features like flyme, mback, blue light filter to reduce strain on human eye – Meizu has been the front runner to deliver a simple, elegant and high performing human experience through its products. This partnership echoes with our commitment of providing our consumers a brand forward experience.”


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Some screenshots of the controversial now-deleted advert are available on social media. Photograph:( Twitter )
Seoul Milk said that they are accepting the matter seriously and will conduct an internal review. They also promised to take extra care to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future
A South Korean dairy giant, Seoul Milk, has apologised over a controversial advert that went viral on social media forums, with a group of users slamming the advertisement for being sexist. Instead of being creative, the ad faced backlash for rather being bizarre.
The firm also informed that they will conduct an internal review.
In the advertisement, a man was seen secretly filming a group of women portrayed as dairy cows. As per a report by The Korea Herald, the ad was uploaded on Seoul Milk's YouTube channel on November 29 and was removed on December 8.
Critics have pointed out two crucial aspects of the ad that appeared problematic to them. First, the portrayal of women as dairy cows. Second, the promotion of a crime known as "molka". It means men secretly filming women without their consent, which is quite a big issue in South Korea.
Taking to its official website, Seoul Milk's parent company Seoul Dairy Cooperative said as quoted by The Korea Herald: "We sincerely apologise to everyone who may have felt uncomfortable due to the milk advertisement video uploaded to the official YouTube channel of Seoul Milk on the 29th of last month."
The statement added: "We are accepting this matter seriously and will conduct an internal review, and take extra care to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future. We bow our heads in apology."
Some screenshots of the controversial now-deleted advert are available on social media. In the ad, it was shown that a man is in the countryside, said to be in Cheorwon-gun, Gangwon province. He has a camera in his hand. The voiceover in the ad can be heard saying: "We finally succeeded in capturing their images in a place where nature has been kept clean."
In another scene, the man is at a stream, where the women clad in white dresses are drinking the water. The narrator then said that "we decided to approach them [the women] cautiously, who're drinking clean water from clean nature, eating organic diet, and living peacefully in a pleasant environment."
The ad further showed that when the man tried to get closer to the women, who transformed into cows after the man accidentally stepped on a twig.
"This isn't the first time a Seoul Milk has made headlines for the wrong reasons. In 2003, the company staged a performance in which nude models sprayed yoghurt at each other."— Jon Hancock (@BigJackBrass) December 15, 2021
Screen capture from Seoul Milk's questionable advert— Rafi yousafzai (@Rafiyousafzai6) December 15, 2021
South Korea's greatest dairy brand has been compelled to apologize over an advert portraying ladies as cows.
The video by Seoul Milk shows a man covertly recording a gathering of ladies in a field,https://t.co/eV4aUEWsoS pic.twitter.com/nB0uFWbwkQ


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Sony Online Entertainment has released another video featuring gameplay from PlanetSide 2 players, this time with a spotlight on Outfit Azure Twilight.
The video showcases in-game footage submitted by the group. Players interested in being featured can send videos to fanspam@PlanetSide2.com.
PlanetSide 2 is currently in beta. It's slated for PC release on Nov. 20, followed by a Mac release at a later date.
- Street Fighter: The Movie — What went wrong
- How indie devs are finding success, and publicity, in toys and merch
- Tales from the Borderlands stars two lying, greedy Pandorians (update)
- BBC launches update of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy text adventure
- The final years of Irrational Games, according to those who were there


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Mitsubishi Electric fined $13.4M by Ontario court for car parts bid rigging
Competition Bureau rules the auto parts manufacturer entered illegal agreements with a competing Japanese manufacturer.
Manufacturer cited with safety violations after robotic machine kills woman
The 20-year old woman had entered a robotic station to clear a sensor fault after the assembly line had stopped.
Magna to acquire BOCO Group
Deal increases its capacity to make automotive latches, hinges and other closure components.
Wynne affirms Ontario commitments to auto, environment
Ontario premier headlines annual Auto Parts Manufacturers Association gathering.
Johnson Controls spending $245M on North American battery plants
Investment largely will be in the US and will add jobs at multiple locations.
Magna to buy Stadco metal stamping business for Cosma division
Stadco produces steel and aluminum stampings as well as complex vehicle assemblies; value of deal not disclosed.
Magna to buy Getrag transmission group for $2.5B
German company supplies transmissions to automakers including Ford, BMW, Daimler and Volvo.
Canada’s auto industry driving towards increased profits
Production expected to grow by 2.5%; weaker loonie will increase profits to $2.3 billion this year.
Auto suppliers have work to do to keep pace globally
Pressure from Mexico, Southern US and CAFE requirements provide growth potential for auto parts manufacturers, conference hears.
Martinrea posts record $30.4M Q1 profit
Increase driven by North America and Europe operating segments.
Q&A with Don Walker: Magna CEO heads CAPC and the drive for auto investment
While there’s been some good work to ensure auto investment grows, the government must do more to ensure the industry thrives.
Magna’s PureView window wins 2015 PACE Award
Seamless rear unit debuts on 2015 Ford F150 pick-up truck.
Uni-Select sells US auto parts business to Icahn Enterprises for US$340M
Sale includes 39 distribution centres and 240 corporate stores that employ nearly 3,000 people.
Linamar gets $101M in federal, Ontario funds for $507M expansion
Auto parts manufacturer has promised to create 1,200 jobs at its Guelph, Ont. plant over the next 10 years.
Martinrea Q3 profit drops to $19.4M
Revenues hit a record $859.5M, up from $767.9 million.
When motors fail
Camtac sends in the ASG team.
Martinrea names auto industry veteran Pat D’Eramo new CEO
D’Eramo most recently was been president of Dana Corp’s commercial vehicle technology group.
Magna chief seeks further improvements in European operations
Canadian autoparts manufacturer expects to close and consolidate some of its facilities in Europe.
Magna International plans US$1.4 billion in capital spending
The automaker’s sales projections are in line with company and analyst estimates for last year’s revenue.
New directions for Ontario auto industry
Ontario automotive alliance promoting increased trade


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Travel & hospitality brands have a Gen Z problem: 62% of U.S. adults said they trust the industry, compared with only 50% of Gen Z adults. Travel & hospitality is the fourth most trusted industry among U.S. adults but is tied for sixth among Gen Z.
Gen Zers face myriad barriers when it comes to building trust with travel brands. A lack of engagement due to the COVID-19 pandemic means members of this cohort have spent several years of their early adulthood without being able to travel easily. This should be seen as a major roadblock, given that some of the most impactful travel experiences happen early in life. The pandemic has also hampered Gen Z’s ability to establish financial stability, with travel being at times a significant discretionary expense that many can’t afford.
Airbnb sheds light on how to win over Gen Z travelers
Despite its growing market share, Airbnb remains squarely outside Morning Consult’s list of the most trusted travel & hospitality brands. But the vacation rental platform is actually the most trusted travel brand among Gen Z adults.
U.S. adults on average have higher trust in the top 5 hotels and the top 5 airlines than they do in Airbnb — but with Gen Z, we see the opposite response.
Airbnb’s high net trust with the youngest adult generation can be understood in several ways. Gen Z grew up seeing companies like Airbnb as a normal feature of the sharing economy, and the platform succeeds at being a digitally native brand that offers diverse accommodation options at prices Gen Zers can afford. Moreover, its well-integrated Airbnb Experiences offers Gen Zers the kind of unique, local and less commercialized activities that this cohort seeks when they travel, as the company mentions in its own research.
Major competitors are already positioning sub-brands that appeal to younger generations, like Moxy by Marriott, Tru by Hilton and Hyatt Centric, all of which aim to win over millennial and Gen Z travelers. Other players hoping to build trust with younger travelers, and Gen Z in particular, should offer a tech-first approach and think of brand engagement as experiential, similar to the way Airbnb has found its success.


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As revolutionary as the mobile ecosystem is, it’s the interactions of more-intelligent connected devices with people outside the context of phones or computers that will drive more innovation, says Mark Rolston, the chief creative officer at Frog Design. Rolston, speaking at the Mobile Future Forward conference on Monday in Seattle described a future where devices become more contextually aware, thanks to embedded and connected sensors.
Instead of thinking about the buttons on a phone or a laptop, manufacturers and designers need to think about what will happen when computers are embedded in everything and connected all the time. Instead of computing’s being confined in a box on a desk or in the hand, computers will be everywhere, pulling data from a variety of places. Understanding how those computers will pull information about their environment, relay that data to users and then interpret what users want them to do creates a web of interaction that will require new ways of thinking and design.
In fact, user interaction might be a very minimal part of the overall design. For example, Rolston described a wearable glucose monitor that has elements embedded in the body, a monitor interpreting the data from the user’s bloodstream and a wearable screen for the patient to interact with. Of those three elements, the patient input screen is likely gathering the least important information and must convey complicated information simply.
In a conversation after his panel, Rolston explained that the challenges inherent in designing interfaces in such a world will come from devices trying to understand a user’s intent, as we build out new ways to interact with them, such as motion. How will a machine know when someone waving their hands while they talk to a friend becomes someone trying to tell a computer to do something? Of course, when a device can watch us and interpret our movements and commands effectively, it essentially gives computers the illusion of humanity. That’s the illusion Rolston apparently is trying to create.


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Mercedes' loaded S-Class limo again sets new luxury and technology benchmarks.
Developers hope housing shortages will help shrug off the woes of 2009, writes Carolyn Cummins.
Eli Greenblat The third retailer in a week has upgraded its trading forecast following the crucial Christmas trading period, lifting hopes the retail sector is gaining strength without the benefit of last year's...
A slight drop in NSW's jobless rate is another good sign the state's economy is moving out of difficult times, Acting Premier Carmel Tebbutt says.
Jessica Irvine Economic collapse was meant to persuade us to change our ways. But the economy didn't collapse and there's too little evidence of change, writes Jessica Irvine.
The world's second-largest economy is recovering but Japan still faces tough challenges posed by deflation and unemployment, the finance minister said.
Chinese authorities have instructed major banks to halt lending after a burst of credit in the past weeks, putting pressure on local shares and the dollar.
Stephen Johnson An interest rate rise in February is looking more likely as consumers shrug off recent rate increases.
China easily beat its 2009 growth target after a blistering performance in the fourth quarter, putting the country on track to overtake Japan this year as the world's second-largest economy.
Michael Pascoe Investor concerns about China easing off the accelerator a touch – an accelerator that had been flat to the metal – are simply absurd.
German business confidence rose for a 10th consecutive month in January as Europe's biggest economy recovers steadily from a sharp recession, a survey showed.
Woolworths Ltd has reported a 4.2 per cent increase in first half sales and says it expects second half sales to be affected by low price inflation.
Elizabeth Knight When retailers were reporting reasonably solid first-half profits this time last year, most played down the impact of Kevin Rudd's stimulus hand-outs.
Ian McIlwraith INVESTORS have ignored Woolworths' ''never mind the width, feel the quality'' argument for its reduced first-half sales, stripping more than $800 million from the value of its shares.
Roy Masters The chatter in a corporate suite at Skilled Stadium on the Gold Coast during Saturday night's NRL All Stars v Indigenous All Stars game focused on a meeting over the previous couple of weeks between...
Wesfarmers Ltd has unveiled a one per cent rise in first half net profit, exceeding market expectations, after continuing strong growth in its retail business.
Lema Samandar Womenswear retailer Noni B Ltd says it remains cautious about customer demand in coming months as sales since Christmas are down on the same period last year.
Coles owner Wesfarmers has unveiled a 1% rise in first-half net profit, prompting a sharp turnaround in the fortunes of its stock.
Kim Christian A fall in new vehicle sales in January was due largely to the expiry of the federal government's stimulus package, economists say.
Business investment looks set to be a major plank of economic growth with data showing capital expenditure plans reaching over $100 billion this financial year.
Woolworths increased first-half profit 11.4 per cent as Australia's biggest supermarket increased sales and removed costs by streamlining internal processes.


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January 9, 2007
iPhone is here
Jobs unveiled the iPhone to the public on January 9, 2007, at the Macworld 2007 convention at the Moscone Center in San Francisco. The two initial models, a 4 GB model priced at US$499 and an 8 GB model at US$599 (both requiring a 2-year contract), went on sale in the United States on June 29, 2007, at 6:00 pm local time, while hundreds of customers lined up outside the stores nationwide.
In the US, the iPhone holds the largest share of the smartphone market. As of late 2015, the iPhone had a 43.6% market share, followed by Samsung (27.6%), LG (9.4%), and Motorola (4.8%).
The iPhone’s commercial success has been credited with reshaping the smartphone industry and helping to make Apple one of the world’s most valuable publicly traded companies by 2011. The original iPhone was one of the first phones to use a design featuring a slate format with a touchscreen interface. Almost all modern smartphones have replicated this style of design.


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Invitations Go Out For Apple's September 10th IPhone 5S, IPhone 5C Event
By Grab Media, a blinkx company
The wait is almost over ? for real this time. Apple sent invitations to the media for a press conference in Cupertino on September 10th. At the event, Apple is expected to end months upon months of leaks, rumors and speculation by finally unveiling the flagship iPhone 5S and the brand new iPhone 5C. It will seemingly be available in two new colors: champagne gold and a new lighter gray color.
|Invitations Go Out For Apple's September 10th IPhone 5S, IPhone 5C Event|


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ALICE and Hydrogen Europe will hold the launch event of the ALICE logistics platform and Hydrogen Europe collaboration on the potential of hydrogen technologies in road logistics transport on 4 March from 9.00 to 11.00 CET.
This event marks this collaboration’s launch to prepare the ground and explain what is at stake, how the different hydrogen-based technologies fit into the big picture of decarbonisation. Presentations from well-known consultancies will illustrate this.
By accepting this clause you grant permission for the session to be recorded on both video and audio recordings and made them available as decided by ALICE and/or Hydrogen Europe. In case your personal audio/or video recordings can not be disclosed, we urge you to contact the organizers at email@example.com (ALICE) or firstname.lastname@example.org (Hydrogen Europe) before the event takes place.


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LG to launch webOS 3.0 with mobile connection for smart TVs
LG Electronics to unveil new version of popular smart TV platform at CES 2016.
Once upon a time, webOS powered a smartphone called the Palm Pre that was all set to battle it out with the iPhone and HTC Dream/G1 for dominance in the smartphone market.ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, N.J., Dec. 21, 2015 /satPRnews.com/ — With the popularity and demand for advanced smart TV capabilities continuing to dominate home entertainment, LG will unveil its 2016 Smart TV lineup featuring the updated webOS 3.0 Smart TV platform in two weeks at CES® 2016.LG is no stranger to the consumer electronics market in addition to their strong mobile offerings, which include a number of different things from appliances like washers and dryers to TV’s.Operating systems like Android, iOS, Windows, Windows Phone, OS X, and Linux might be familiar to many of you guys, but let’s not forget that at one time HP tried to make webOS popular by launching tablets powered by it.
CES 2016 is coming up in the next couple of weeks where it’s expected that many of the top brands in consumer electronics will be showing off their collection of products for the new year, and for LG this likely includes a new line of TV’s powered by WebOS. Since its introduction in 2014, LG webOS has been praised as one of the most versatile smart TV platforms by most major industry experts and publications. What’s more though, is that LG has officially announced today that they will have a new version of the WebOS software platform to unveil at the event. Rather, webOS 3.0 packs in features designed to try and modernize LG devices, especially now that cheaper set-top boxes have become more powerful and popular than standard TV software. With Magic Mobile Connection, users can easily connect a mobile phone to their LG Smart TV via the LG TV Plus App to dISPlay mobile apps on the big screen.
With enhanced options and more content, webOS 3.0 continues to offer the key features that made webOS so loved while introducing new innovations to appeal to a wider audience. LG describes webOS 3.0 as a “major update” that offers a trio of “magic smart features.” First is Magic Zoom, which lets the user zoom into objects and images without degrading image quality. The upgraded Magic Remote is designed to make controlling set-top boxes (STB) easier with the addition of set-top box “power” and “menu” buttons as well as the ability to control DVR functions, further integrating its Universal Remote capability and ensuring consumers can control their home entertainment set up with a single remote. Channel Plus offers a unified channel list that combines OTT content with linear broadcast TV channels, enabling users to watch OTT content by surfing through channels in the same manner they normally would. With this new and improved feature, users will be able to more easily control their set-top boxes, and LG state that they have redesigned the remote to provide a simpler user interface for better interaction.
The goal of Channel Plus is to make accessing that over-the-top content easier by building it into your channel list and surfing through all of the channels just like you’re used to doing. Also new in WebOS 3.0 is a feature called Channel Plus, which LG says is developed to provide users with a consolidated and more streamlined viewing experience. We’re excited that Xumo and LG’s joint efforts have come to fruition in Channel Plus.” LG’s 2016 lineup of Smart TVs featuring webOS 3.0 will be on display in LG’s booth (LVCC Central Hall, #8204) at CES 2016 from Jan. 6-9 in Las Vegas. *Wireless Internet connection & certain subscriptions required and sold separately. Because webOS seems to be doing alright for LG’s TV business, though, it looks like the platform will continue to stick around in some capacity for a while.
Channel Plus will mix in broadcast channels with over-the-top streaming into a unified list, to help remove barriers to how viewers consume live and cable TV versus streaming services like Netflix. The LG Electronics Home Entertainment Company is a global leader in television, audio video systems, monitors, personal computers, digital signage and commercial displays. The company opened a new era of innovation in the TV market, pioneering the use of OLED technology in home theater displays and implementing an intuitive operating system to allow customers to experience the full benefits of smart TV technology. LG is committed to improving customers’ lives with innovative home entertainment products led by its award-winning 4K OLED TVs, ULTRA HD TVs and webOS TVs.
The company said at the time “these changes will not negatively impact LG’s webOS development efforts in any way,” and it seems to have held true given what we know now about LG’s newest upgrade. Following the layoffs last week, a source close to the situation told The Verge it would be difficult for LG’s webOS team to improve the software with its reduced resources. “They’re going to have a tough time of it,” the source said.
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We take a look at some of the most-viewed and most-shared videos on the web. This week features hoverboard heartbreak, a Hollywood adaptation of a viral sensation, a special thank you for Brian O’Driscoll, and more.
Dublin: 10.03.2014 02.26AM
Car sales website CarsIreland.ie has brought its mobile app to the Android platform after initially launching it for the iPhone.
The CarsIreland.ie app features more than 30,000 used cars for sale and stock from more than 600 dealers across Ireland.
Users can search for cars by several options, including make, model, year, price and county. They can save their search criteria and their best results to view them offline.
Users can also share car ads with friends through email, Facebook and Twitter from the app.
The app also lets users write and store their own notes on any car and offers directions to each dealer’s premises from the user's location.
The CarsIreland.ie app is available now for Android, as well as iOS devices.