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Info graphic: Study on COVID-19 – How procurement reacts
COVID-19 has disrupted most of the world economy andcompanies are rapidly tackling the challenges caused by the corona virus themselves. The vast majority of them have already taken various measures to maintain their business activities. In our Rapid procurement survey, we asked 102 participants from 23 industries in 14 countries about sales development, supply measures and challenges in dealing with the corona crisis. Excerpts of the results can be found in the infographics.


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Imagine if you will, a large, ugly rat has eaten through insulation under the hood of your vehicle. You’re driving on I-275 at about 70 mph. Suddenly, the rat come from underneath the dashboard and scurries up your pant leg. That’s sure to cause an accident or a heart attack.
That scenario could take place if you own a Toyota or a Volvo. For years now, consumers have been complaining that rats and other rodents have been eating through the soy-based insulated wiring in Toyotas built from 2012 to 2016. Toyota says the problem isn’t make specific but the evidence demonstrates otherwise. So, what links the Toyotas and the Volvos? In cases where rats chewed through the car’s wiring, the cars were manufactured with a soy-based, environmentally friendly insulation that attracted the rodents.
Toyota dealers say the damage caused by the rats and rodents isn’t covered under the warranty so there is nothing they can do.
But there is something they can do. They should recall these vehicles and fix the problem before more people are injured and more cars are disabled by these soy loving rodents.
According to Forbes Magazine, “In September, 2016, a class-action suit was filed against Toyota for vehicles produced between 2012 and 2016 that used soy-coated wiring. Honda was also slapped with a class-action suit earlier in 2016 for vehicles produced between 2012 and 2015. The common denominator appears to be soy.” The suits claim the automakers know about the insulation coating problems, but refuse to cover the repair costs under warranty.
Soy based products in car manufacturing is part of the eco-friendly movement in the auto industry. However, no one seemed to think of the potential harm caused by using the product in cars. Rat or rodent problems can cause thousands in damage to the vehicle and in most instances the car warranty doesn’t cover the damage. And that doesn’t take into account whether or not you really want to be in a car that may be infested with rats. I know I don’t!

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Before the pandemic, Earl Stewart could count over 300 new cars sitting on the lot of his family’s Toyota dealership in South Florida on any single day. The high inventory meant customers could find the exact model and color they wanted for well below sticker price. But now, Stewart’s lot has just a fraction of the cars he had before, with inventory down to 31 as of Friday.
That’s because a global shortage of semiconductor chips supplied primarily from Southeast Asia—where COVID-19 cases are among the highest in the world—has forced automakers to cut production. Nearly 20 auto factories have stopped or reduced production in recent weeks due to supply chain issues, affecting plants across the globe. At Ford’s Kansas City assembly plant, which builds the F-150 pickup and Transit van, employees were temporarily laid off for one week as they continue to wait for back-ordered chips to become


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Tired of ties in loud patterns or boring stripes? Men in search of an updated look this fall should consider the very current monochrome look.
It's simple, really. Just wear a solid-colored tie with a solid-colored shirt from the same color family. Pair blue with blue or gray with gray, or opt for something a little less conservative in brick red or even violet.
"It's a very monochromatic look, so texture means a little bit more now. You're getting the pop not from that red tie, white shirt and blue suit, but from the fabrications of those garments," said Tim Hare, president of Riverside Men's Shop.
And the color has to be interesting and sophisticated, too. Think slate blue rather than standard Oxford blue, or sage paired with a closely related shade of tan, as in the Banana Republic outfit shown here.
What's next? Expect shirt-and-tie colors to remain sophisticated but to drift slightly apart. And rather than seeing solid colored ties, look for subtle patterns such as white diamonds to appear, Hare said.
NEW YORK FASHION
Finale for Bill Blass?
Designer Bill Blass, 77, said his spring 2000 collection will be his last. The designer, who staged his runway show during Fashion Week in New York earlier this month, began as a fashion sketcher at age 17 and launched Bill Blass Ltd. more than 25 years ago.
Through the years, his high-profile clients have included Barbara Walters, Nancy Reagan, Nancy Kissinger and scores of socialites.
"It's high time in my opinion. I've been doing it for a long time. It's time to go," Blass told the Associated Press.
Glossy lips, fresh breath
Set aside the Altoids. Now you can freshen your breath and color your lips at the same time.
Elizabeth Arden's new Lip Lip Hooray contains an ingredient called zinc citrate -- "a bad-breath zapper," says Sharon DeBernardis, Elizabeth Arden counter manager at Kaufmann's, Walden Galleria.
Dubbed a "treat-mint" for lips, the new moisturizing lipstick also contains mint flavor, menthol and wintergreen oil, so it tingles when you apply it.
The shades -- all 20 of them -- have fun names, too: Wiggle, Tumble, Swing, Hop, Skip, Flaunt and others. The price: $16 a tube.
Clothes that do more
Anyone who loves fashion has to love the new high-tech creations in the works for the next century. But it's not just designers on Seventh Avenue looking ahead, but also students and professors at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the University of Toronto and elsewhere.
For them, the future of fashion calls for "smart clothes," reports Details magazine.
How about ski boots that absorb excess body heat and store it? They're already available. Nordica's Next Exopower 9.0 ski boots feature Outlast, a fabric that absorbs excess body heat, keeps it inside microcapsules, then releases it when you need it.
Other smart clothes to look for in the future, according to the magazine:
Underwearcomp, a tank top made of synthetic fibers that has the computing power of 64 PCs. It will store your medical records.
Smart Shoes, shoes connected to a heart-rate monitor to measure pulse and pace.
Smart Sunglasses, glasses with built-in face recognition software that snaps a picture of a familiar person, matches it to his name, then posts it on a screen hidden on the lenses.
And finally ...
"You're only as good as the people you dress."
-- Halston, late fashion designer


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Looking to pump up sales of its software to mid-size companies while focusing its own sales force on larger users, SAP last week announced plans to hand off its US customers that have annual revenue of under $US500 million to an expanded reseller network.
Seven resellers currently handle sales to companies that have $200 million or less in revenue, while SAP sells directly to larger companies and their subsidiaries. But the vendor of enterprise resource planning (ERP) software and other applications said it will start relying more heavily on channel partners in the mid-market.
According to executives at SAP America in Pennsylvania, the new sales approach will take effect on January 1. SAP will gradually transfer existing customers with annual revenues below $500 million to the resellers, which will be certified to handle larger software implementations than they do now.
SAP said it also plans to sign up additional resellers for specific industries or geographic regions, with an emphasis on software developers that can offer their own packages along with its applications.
The changes will leave SAP's internal sales force free to deal with large customers and give it more time to sell the company's newer customer relationship management and supply-chain applications, said Allen Brault, senior vice president of SAP America's small and medium-size business unit.
In October, SAP lowered its sales projections and said it was accelerating cost-cutting plans, particularly in the US. But Brault said the sales restructuring wasn't prompted by the reduced forecast.
Key market for new sales
Like ERP rivals such as Oracle and California-based PeopleSoft, SAP is looking at medium-sized users as a key market for new sales. The under-$500 million category already accounts for 58 per cent of SAP's total software installations, the company said.
Even so, SAP hasn't been a big player thus far in the US mid-market, except among companies that are subsidiaries or affiliates of its top-tier users, said Joshua Greenbaum, an analyst at Enterprise Applications Consulting. SAP's resellers have been "a major weak point" in its strategy, he added.
But SAP has been working this year to beef up training programs for resellers, said Sharon Ward, an analyst at Hurwitz Group. Smaller customers should be able to get a high level of service under the new plan, Ward said.


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We previously heard some details about the Android Oreo update for the BlackBerry KeyOne smartphone, now it looks like the update is landing in Canada this week on the 5th of July.
According to a recent report the Android Oreo update will be released on Rogers Canada for the KeyOne smartphone this Thursday the 5th of July.
The Android Oreo update will bring a wide range of new features to the BlackBerry KeyOne, this will also include WiFi calling on Roger Canada.
As yet there are no details on when the update will be released with other mobile carriers and also no update on when it will land in other countries, as soon as we get some more information, we will let you guys know.
Latest Geeky Gadgets Deals
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Earlier today, General Motors announced it is withdrawing its support for the Trump administration’s legal fight to overturn California emissions standards. GM also announced its intentions to work with the incoming Biden administration, the state of California, and the broader auto industry to set a clear path forward that aligns with GM’s push to an all-electric future.
“We believe the ambitious electrification goals of the President-elect, California, and General Motors are aligned to address climate change by drastically reducing automobile emissions,” said GM CEO Mary Barra. “We are confident that the Biden administration, California, and the U.S. auto industry, which supports 10.3 million jobs, can collaboratively find the pathway that will deliver an all-electric future. To better foster the necessary dialogue, we are immediately withdrawing from the preemption litigation and inviting other automakers to join us.”
Last year, General Motors joined Toyota, Fiat Chrysler, and several other automakers in backing the Trump administration following a lawsuit filed by the Environmental Defense Fund that challenged plans to roll back fuel economy standards, curb the more stringent California emissions standards, and set a single, nationwide set of standards.
At the time, Ford, Honda, BMW, and Volkswagen sided with California, agreeing with the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to enact stricter fleet-wide fuel economy standards by 2026, countering the Trump administration’s plans to freeze the regulations.
In addition to being the most populous state in the U.S., California also accounts for roughly 12 percent of the U.S. auto market. California, as well as 22 other states, filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration back in September claiming that the federal government did not have the authority to revoke a waiver that enables a state to set its own emissions and fuel economy standards.
Although president-elect Biden has not yet detailed how he’ll modify federal regulations or if they will coincide with the stricter California emissions standards, he has indicated that his administration will prioritize electric vehicles and clean energy as a means to address climate change.


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Five months after privatisation and Royal Mail finds itself on collision course with one of the unions that represents its staff.
1,300 management and head office jobs are going in an attempt to save the business £50 million. A decision the Unite union describes as "ruthless".
Royal Mail is a company trying to adapt to a world in which we are sending far fewer letters and more parcels. It is doing so at a time when an increasing number of rivals are trying to steal its business.
Royal Mail calls this process "modernisation". Change has returned the company to profitability but has come at a price: the number of people employed by Royal Mail has fallen by around 50,000 over the last decade.
Moya Greene, the chief executive, has made it pretty clear that she believes the workforce is likely to continue to shrink. The unions are well aware of the this but the scale of today's cuts seems to have taken Unite, which represents 7,000 Royal Mail managers, by surprise.
Unite is threatening strike action unless the company promises no compulsory redundancies. Royal Mail won't go beyond saying it expects most job losses to be voluntary.
It's worth noting that today's announcement does not affect so-called "frontline staff" (postmen and women). You may recall that just before Christmas the Communication Workers Union, which represents 120,000 posties (most of them, least we forget, now also shareholders), was also threatening strike action. The CWU ended up striking a deal with the company which protected the pay and working conditions (no outsourcing, no zero hour contracts) of its members.
For the moment then, the union that could cause Royal Mail the biggest headache is content. Much depends on how the business performs going forward. If, as some in the City expect, the redundancies keep coming it's a relationship that could quickly sour.


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For toymakers like Lego, where is the line between making products children love and telling kids how they should play?
Two years ago, a 7-year-old girl named Charlotte wrote a letter to the toymaker Lego with a straightforward request.
“I love Legos,” she wrote, “but I don’t like that there are more lego boy people and barely any lego girls.” The girls in the Lego universe, Charlotte had noticed, seemed preoccupied with sitting at home, going to the beach, and shopping—while the boys had jobs, saved people, and went on adventures.
Charlotte, Lego acknowledged, had a point. “It’s fair,” said Michael McNally, a Lego spokesman who says the company receives letters from kids all the time. “Why wouldn’t there be more female representation?”
Years before Charlotte sent her letter, Lego was already keenly focused on how girls perceived the brand. It was 2008 when the toymaker decided to gather global data about who buys Legos. What they found was startling. In the United States, roughly 90 percent of Lego sets being sold were intended for boys. In other words, there was a huge untapped market of girls who weren’t building with Legos.


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THQ will lose a further 120 development jobs
THQ is preparing to axe a further 120 jobs in their development base as they attempt to recover from their losses caused chiefly by the disasterous uDraw tablet.
The job losses are also caused by their inability to find a partner to fund the continued development of Warhammer 40K Dark Millennium as an MMO.
Darksiders and Dark Millennium studio, Vigil Games will shed 80 staff from their operations in Texas and Relic Entertainment in Vancouver will lose 40 staff.
The publisher has already cut over 270 jobs since December and CEO Brian Farrell has taken a temporary 50 percent pay cut in order to try and turn the business around and avoid having their shares delisted from the NASDAQ.
Thanks Develop Online.
- Hearthstone win-traders will be permanently banned says Blizzard
- Evolve Big Alpha delayed on PS4 due to issues with system update 2.0
- Your PC will need this much power under the hood to play The Crew
- LittleBigPlanet 3 will be fully backwards-compatible
- PS4 sales soar past the 13.5 million mark
- Resogun is coming to the PS Vita
- Smaller, cooler Xbox One processor in the works
- Prey 2 finally gets officially canned
- SEGA confirms the rumoured PC version Valkyria Chronicles, gives a release date


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When the chancellor announced the latest budget for the UK, it was revealed that a previous loophole allowing digital downloads to avoid tax in the UK will now be closed. As a result, when these new laws take effect, it could be that we see an increase in price for downloads from Apple’s iTunes and App Store.
The budget document read: “As announced at budget 2013, the government will legislate to change the rules for the taxation of intra-EU business to consumer supplies of telecommunications, broadcasting and e-services. From 1 January 2015 these services will be taxed in the member state in which the consumer is located, ensuring these are taxed fairly and helping to protect revenue.”
The new law will mean that downloads by UK customers will be taxed at 20%. Companies such as Apple and Amazon have been able to avoid the UK’s 20% VAT by selling their products from other countries where the tax rate is much lower, like Luxembourg for example, where it is typically 3%-15%.
Expect to see this change effect all digital downloads from January 1, 2015.
[Image via Apple]


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How Extended Producer Responsibility is on course to shake up UK recycling
By Imogen Shaw
The introduction of the new Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) due to come into force in 2023 marks the most significant reforms to the UK Packaging Waste Regulations since their introduction in 1997. It also represents a big shift in business’ future responsibilities for waste management.
It hasn’t enjoyed the media profile of several of the Government’s better known green initiatives, such as the Prime Minister’s Ten Point Plan, but EPR is on course to shift the full cost of collecting household waste from the taxpayer to producers. This means thousands of businesses are about to be subject to new reporting requirements – and potentially hit with significant additional costs.
The goal of EPR is to deliver something that looks a lot more like a ‘circular economy’ in UK packaging, where more packaging waste is recyclable and can be reprocessed into secondary products and resources.
The idea is that producers of packaging placed on the market – which usually means the relevant brand or packer/filler business – have an increased financial incentive to use packaging that is widely collected from household recycling. That should mean an increase in the amount of recycled content they use in their packaging and a reduction in unnecessary packaging material.
The proposed EPR model will see producers pay the entire cost of managing their UK packaging at end of life. For recyclable products, this means from collection right through to transport and recycling. However, it also means producers will be picking up the tab for consumer education and the appropriate treatment of non-recyclable packaging waste. Currently, local authorities pay the majority of this cost, with UK packaging producers paying only a small percentage.
Liable businesses will face new fees that can vary “according to the design or composition of the products or materials to which the regulation relates, the methods by which they are produced or any other factor”, as set out in the Environment Bill currently before Parliament.
While it may not have a high profile, the enhanced EPR system is anticipated to be popular, with a recent survey finding 64% of people in the UK support the idea that producers and manufacturers should pick up the bill for recycling their products.
The Government’s second consultation on EPR remains open until June 2021, but it has already committed to introducing the policy once the consultation has concluded. This consultation invites views and ideas on specific policy proposals for the introduction of EPR, including the scope of full net costs, the scheme’s governance and regulation, the nature of new producer obligations, and packaging waste recycling targets.
The two-year introduction timeline gives liable businesses a decent amount of time to plan for the expansion of the current producer responsibility system – and the increased fees that come with it.
However, it’s highly unlikely that EPR will stop at packaging (UK electronics, batteries and vehicles are already covered by similar legislation). As well as the provisions for expanding the so-called ‘polluter pays principle’ into the new system for packaging, the Environment Bill makes provisions for new EPR regimes covering further product and waste streams to be introduced in future.
Industry advocates of EPR champion it as a solution that has a lot more going for it than simply incentivising recycling. Visions for expanded EPR systems see them as an important tool for driving eco-friendly innovation in product design across the whole economy. So, UK businesses – especially those in retail or manufacturing – will need to take the hint and start thinking about what EPR could look like beyond 2023.


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Aberdeen beer fans are in for a treat as Fierce Beer Co has officially launched three new imperial stout small batch beers.
Food & Drink
Whisky lovers take a dram very seriously – but one shop is mixing malts with a drop of fun.
Have you been along to Aberdeen's newest steakhouse yet? Vovem, situated at 254 Union Streeet, Aberdeen, has opened its doors to customers.
Tickets for a craft beer giant’s annual meeting sold out within hours - and due to high demand, the company has released tickets for a second date w...
An Aberdeen city restaurant has closed its doors for the final time.
Ellon-based BrewDog today launched the world's first bespoke craft beer for dogs.


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The Summer of Fridays kicked off Friday, May 23, with the launch of the TGI Fridays Handcrafted America Tour, a multi-city journey through the hottest sights and sounds of the U.S.
Quaker Steak & Lube FRANCHISE FEE $40,000DEVELOPMENT FEE $20,000ROYALTY FEE 5 percentMARKETING FEE up to 4 percentMINIMUM NET WORTH $3 millionLIQUID ASSETS $500,000OVERALL INVESTMENT $1.4 to $3.7 millionAVERAGE UNIT VOLUME ...
ParTech, Inc., a subsidiary of PAR Technology Corporation, announced that Fogo de Chão recently installed PAR POS terminals at its new flagship Brazilian steakhouse in New York City. ...
Arooga’s is taking its game to New England.
First Watch announced plans to expand its presence in Ohio with the opening of a new restaurant in Macedonia.
While sustainability has recently taken hold of the restaurant industry, Ted’s Montana Grill, which operates 45 restaurants in 16 states, has been a practitioner of it since it opened its doors 12 ...
As students of all ages get ready to turn their tassels and receive their diplomas, Spaghetti Warehouse Restaurants Inc.
TGI Fridays has been sold by Carlson Restaurants Inc. to private-equity firms Sentinel Capital Partners and TriArtisan Capital Partners, according to multiple reports.
Golden Gate Capital, a private equity firm, has agreed to purchase the Red Lobster business from Darden Restaurants for $2.1 billion in cash.
Furthering expansion of its brand, Bar Louie signed a multi-unit area development agreement with new franchise partner, Windy City Restaurant Management.


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Amazon Pay gets Rs 300 crore from parent companyAmazon Pay gets Rs 300 crore from parent companyThe investment comes in the wake of increased competition from Paytm and PhonePe, along with Google whose payment product is growing quickly here. ET Bureau | Jan 12, 2019, 11:35AM IST
BENGALURU: Digital payments company Amazon Pay has received Rs 300 crore in fresh funding from its parent, ecommerce firm Amazon, according to its filings with the Register of Companies accessed by ET.
The investment comes in the wake of increased competition from homegrown payments rivals Paytm and PhonePe, along with its American competitor Google whose payment product is growing quickly here. Amazon — the only US tech giant — with a prepaid payment instrument (PPI) licence from the Reserve Bank of India, has been stepping up its wallet payments game over the past few months.
It is running against time to complete the full KYC (Know Your Customer) process in order to keep its wallet customers active. ET wrote earlier this week that Amazon was testing a product based on the Unified Payments Interface in India in partnership with Axis Bank, in a closed user group.


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WELL. April has been quite a big month for Cara Delevingne's hair.
It was just last week that the supermodel-slash-actress debuted a brand new (very adorable) pink pixie cut, seen below.
Well now, Delevingne has taken an even bigger plunge. On Sunday, Delevingne posted this photo to her Instagram story, foreshadowing the hair change to come.


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“Beyoncé Effect”: Singer’s Tour Spurs Inflation Increase in Sweden
Inflation in Sweden rose to 9.7% in May, marking the first time in six months that the indicator fell below the double-digit threshold. However, it still surpassed the expectations of experts, causing concerns within the economic landscape.
Danske Bank economists have identified an unexpected factor influencing inflation: American singer Beyoncé’s concerts. In May, Beyoncé kicked off her world tour in Stockholm, attracting fans from around the globe. This surge in visitors led to a notable increase in prices, particularly in the hotel and restaurant sectors.
Beyoncé performed two concerts in Sweden on May 10 and 11, both of which took place at the Friends Arena in Stockholm. With a capacity of 46,000, both shows sold out, further contributing to the influx of visitors to the city.
On June 14, Statistics Sweden indirectly acknowledged the impact of the singer’s performances by stating that while prices for food and energy continued to decline, the cost of a broad range of goods and services, including hotels and restaurants, experienced a significant rise.
Economists have highlighted that the magnitude of influence exerted by a single event on inflation is unprecedented. Although some experts anticipate a decline in inflation in the near future, there remains concern regarding Bruce Springsteen’s three-day concert in Sweden scheduled for June.
The “Beyoncé Effect” serves as a testament to the potential economic impact of high-profile events and celebrity performances. While the surge in tourism and increased spending can provide a short-term boost to local businesses, it also poses challenges in terms of managing inflationary pressures.
The rise in prices within the hotel and restaurant sectors demonstrates the interplay between supply and demand. The sudden influx of fans from various countries created heightened competition for accommodations and dining establishments, driving prices upward.
Economists and policymakers will closely monitor the aftermath of these events to assess the longer-term implications on inflation and economic stability. It is essential to strike a balance between leveraging the positive economic impact of such events while ensuring that price pressures remain manageable and sustainable.
As the Swedish economy continues to evolve, the lessons learned from the “Beyoncé Effect” will inform future strategies for managing the economic consequences of high-profile events. Proactive measures may be necessary to mitigate inflationary pressures associated with sudden surges in demand, ensuring a stable and sustainable economic environment for the country.


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Weak data could delay US rate hike
01:00, 03 februari 2015
· Av CMC Markets
Since the beginning of this year we’ve seen fourteen central banks cut their policy rates in response to concerns about slowing growth and falling prices.
Amongst these countries several European central banks have also adopted negative rates, with the Danish Central Bank, Swiss National Bank and the European Central Bank embarking onto the unknown path of experimental monetary policy as central bankers attempt to avert a slide into deflation.
Thus far their attempts have been pretty fruitless, but given the reasons behind the falls in prices it is unlikely that moving interest rates will help, as oil prices, along with other commodity prices continue to bear down on prices.
The fiscal adjustments in the euro area are also playing a part as the adjustment of unit labour costs between euro members states is likely to keep a lid on prices, with the worst likely to come from countries like Italy and France whose labour costs remain well above the euro average.
The key beneficiary of this rush to ease policy has been the US dollar which has risen over 17% against basket of currencies since the middle of last year.
The gains have been the highest against the commodity currencies of the Australian dollar and the Norwegian Krone with the Reuters CRB index losing 30% from its 2014 highs, peak to trough, as the slowdown in the Chinese economy, and the stagnation in Europe starts to hit demand for everything from consumer discretionary products to loans and business investment.
With the US shale revolution pushing US inventory levels to their highest since 1982, oil prices have slid back, despite the US economy appearing to stand apart from the rest of the global economy, raising expectations that the next move in US monetary policy could well be a rise in interest rates.
This divergence in central bank policy has been the main driver of US dollar gains over the past few months with the Bank of England also being forced to the sidelines after so much speculation last year, that they could be compelled to move interest rates higher as well. While expectations of a Bank of England rate rise have disappeared into the ether for this year, the same cannot be said for the Federal Reserve, with a broader market consensus remaining for a summer hike.
There is one big problem with this consensus and that is the run of recent US economic data which appears to show that the US economy is in no way as robust as markets think it is, and for this reason a rate hike this year seems unlikely.
We hear an awful lot of chatter about the US economy being a fairly closed economy compared to the rest of the world, but even allowing for that argument, and the improvement in the US unemployment rate, it doesn’t disguise that fact that inflationary pressures remain benign and wage growth remains weak.
The FOMC stated that “underutilization of labour resources continues to diminish”, which seems a rather strange thing to say given that the labour participation rate sits at 35 year lows of 62.7%, suggesting that 93 million Americans who could work have given up looking, which would appear to suggest that the amount of slack still remains quite considerable.
Furthermore despite the fact that consumer confidence appears to be at multi year highs this optimism isn’t being reflected in the hard data with retail sales for the whole of Q4 down 0.2% while durable goods have also been disappointing, down 3.2% excluding transportation in Q4.
Last week’s disappointing Q4 GDP numbers would appear to reinforce this concern of a slowing economy, though the personal consumption number showed a sharp improvement to 4.3%, which appears completely at odds with the monthly retail sales and durables data.
Consumer spending was also down in December to its lowest level since 2009, which would appear to suggest that despite the fiscal boost of falling gasoline prices, US consumers remain reluctant to spend money. This should be a concern given that consumers make up nearly 70% of the US economy.
Yet despite this Fed officials continue to talk up the prospect of a monetary tightening in the face of evidence that price pressures could well continue to ease over the coming months.
Talk of normalisation of policy is understandable, but given what happened to the ECB in 2011 when they tightened rates prematurely, you would think that Fed officials would be a little more cautious.
If deflationary or disinflationary pressures persist in the coming weeks, it would be an extremely brave central bank that tightened policy in this sort of environment.
As it is the stronger US dollar has already started to punish US companies with a strong export bias, and if we start to see a weakening of the jobs numbers in the coming days as a result of layoffs in the US oil and gas sector, then that could quickly herald a sharp change in thinking as well as a sharp drop in the US dollar, as interest rate rise expectations get pushed out.
We’ve already seen in the ISM manufacturing numbers this week, a weak prices paid component, as well as a slowdown in the employment component.
If this week’s employment report reinforces these signs of potential weakness, along with continued weak wage growth, we could well start to see an unwind in some of those US dollar long positions, and all thoughts of a summer rate rise put on hold as the consensus comes around to the prospect of no rate rise this year.
The material (whether or not it states any opinions) is for general information purposes only, and does not take into account your personal circumstances or objectives. Nothing in this material is (or should be considered to be) financial, investment or other advice on which reliance should be placed. No opinion given in the material constitutes a recommendation by CMC Markets or the author that any particular investment, security, transaction or investment strategy is suitable for any specific person


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Blue collar jobs specialist Staffline Recruitment (STAF:AIM) soars 16.3% to 898p after raising £16 million at a premium to yesterday's share price to help fund the 'significantly earnings enhancing' acquisition of Avanta, a company that helps long-time benefit claimants prepare to get back into work. Finncap upgrades its 2015 earnings per share forecast by 45% and raises its target price by 35% to £11.78. 'The acquisition of Avanta will propel Staffline from having a single contract in the UK government’s Work Programme to being the third-largest provider, with involvement in nine contracts. This puts the group in a much stronger position for bidding for future government contracts,' says Finncap analyst Guy Hewett.
After rising early on, European electricals specialist Dixons Retail (DXNS) dips 3.2% to 49.27p despite announcing its hotly-anticipated, recommended all-share merger of equals with Carphone Warehouse (CPW), off 1.9% at 321.65p. Further details can be found in this news analysis.
FTSE 100 explorer Tullow Oil (TLW) slides on a mixed Kenyan drilling update. The shares fall 2.4% to 862p as news that the Twiga-2 sidetrack appraisal well has confirmed an additional area for future development was overshadowed by an underwhelming result from the Ekunyuk-1 exploration well.
Fashion retailer French Connection (FCCN) falls 11.7% to 77.5p as news of weakness in the North American retail and wholesale businesses thwarts forecast upgrades. The FCUK brand owner's first quarter trading update is strong overall, with UK retail like-for-like sales up 5.6% aided by self-help measures and the UK/EU wholesale order book progressing.
A month after floating, formalwear tailoring provider Bagir (BAGR:AIM) collapses 68.5% to 20p on a severe profit warning, caused by a sharp drop in orders and a margin pressure from its biggest customer.
Heavy construction specialist Kier (KIE) jumps 4.6% to £17.21 as a trading update confirms that an improving environment, a strong cash position and ongoing benefits from the May Gurney acquisition mean the company remains on course to deliver results at least in line with expectations.
Marketing services group Communisis (CMS) dips 5.4% to 65.25p after saying that declining direct mail volumes mean job cuts are necessary at its Leeds facility, triggering a £1.5 million one-off charge to cover redundancy payments.
Pubs operator and brewer Marston's (MARS) rises 1.5% to 152.2p after a solid set of half-year results with underlying pre-tax profit up 9.4% to £29 million. Trading in the five weeks to 10 May sees like-for-like sales rise 4.1% in its main pubs estate.
Decontamination specialist Bioquell (BQE) falls 14.8% to 106.5p on expectations of a weak first half in its bio-contamination division, resulting in a £1 million pre-tax loss and hitting the group’s overall profits.
Shopping centre investor NewRiver Retail (NRR:AIM) improves 1.3% to 307.5p as its adjusted profits improves 80% to £9.2 million in the year to April. The real estate investment trust’s net asset value was held at 240p a share, leaving the dividend unchanged at 16p a share.


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Apple and Oprah Winfrey just inked a production partnership for the former’s subscription video service, although neither gave specifics of the kind of programming they intend to create. As competition heats up in the media content space, traditional media companies find themselves vying with Silicon Valley firms for the talent needed to create blockbuster programming; in fact, Amazon also was in talks with Winfrey. Netflix, meanwhile, has signed Shonda Rhimes and Ryan Murphy, and Warner Bros. retained Greg Berlanti.
The Wall Street Journal reports that Apple has committed to spend $1 billion on content, versus Netflix’s $8 billion, and $3 billion each at Hulu and HBO. At AT&T, which now owns HBO and Warner Bros., executive John Stankey said, “I have no trepidation about making sure we maintain those relationships with the very top talent going forward.”
Apple has also inked deals with actors Reese Witherspoon and Kristen Wiig, and directors J.J. Abrams and M. Night Shyamalan. Apple hasn’t described its programming or distribution plans, but “is expected to create a subscription offering that bundles access to the programming with iCloud storage and potentially other services like magazine subscriptions,” said sources.
The video subscription plan would contribute to Apple’s goal of generating about $50 billion in revenue from services in 2020, up from $29 billion in its latest fiscal year. A year ago, Apple hired Hollywood execs such as Jamie Erlicht and Zack Van Amburg. Apple senior vice president Eddy Cue “recently reorganized his team and gave former Time Warner Cable executive Peter Stern responsibility for overseeing business operations for services.”
Bloomberg reports that, according to sources, Apple is also nearing a deal for “the rights to an animated movie” from Cartoon Saloon in Ireland, which made three Academy Award-nominated animated films — “Secret of Kells,” “The Breadwinner” and “Song of the Sea” — and the Emmy-nominated preschool series “Puffin Rock.”
Apple is negotiating distribution rights for the U.S. and some other countries for the movie, which “has yet to be made and is more than a year from release.” Apple hasn’t yet said how the movie will be released but a theatrical release is possible, said a source. Because Apple is “aiming for broad appeal … an animated movie would fit that mold.”
Apple has some history in animation already: In 1985, Apple founder Steve Jobs bought the computer division of Lucasfilm, establishing it as Pixar, and “led the new studio to the 1995 release of the world’s first fully computer animated feature ‘Toy Story’.”


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With the introduction during the past year of TC Electronic’s PowerCore FireWire and Element and the announcement of several new third-party developers, PowerCore and its related plug-ins reportedly now account for almost 90 percent of the company’s computer recording revenue. Because of this, the company announced a shift in corporate strategy to focus more resources on its PowerCore platform. As a result, the company will be discontinuing further development of Spark and Native Bundle as of the current versions (Spark 2.8.2 and Native Bundle 3.1).
“PowerCore has been very successful for us, and with growing support from software developers like Sony and Access, users can expect more great things to come,” said Uffe Kjems Hansen, VP of product management at TC Electronic. “With such great momentum behind PowerCore, we’ve made the difficult decision to discontinue development on Spark and Native Bundle so we can give PowerCore the resources it deserves.”
TC Electronic will continue to provide support to users of both products through TC Support Interactive (www.tcsupport.tc).


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File your taxes by hand, we dare you
April 09, 2019
The tax-filing process is supposed to be simpler than ever, but most filers pay for software or an accountant to help. Today, we look at how fear, history and very effective marketing have kept Americans from going DIY on their tax returns. But first: The International Monetary Fund cut its outlook for global economic growth to the lowest it’s been since the financial crisis. Plus: Would requiring prices in pharmaceutical ads make drugs cheaper?


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Only a couple of hours into his new job as First Data's CEO, Frank Bisignano was already plotting a strategy to deal with the historic impact of mobile technology on the payments industry.
"Mobile is the future and we're already in it," says Bisignano, who was announced as First Data's CEO on April 28. Bisignano, previously JPMorgan Chase's co-COO, plans to meet with First Data's customers and employees to develop a path forward for mobile technology and other initiatives.
"We're a tech firm and will invest in tech and spend a lot of time with customers finding out what they need," he says.
Bisignano's professional background in financial IT at JPMorgan Chase, and previously at Citigroup, will also be helpful as payments processing as a core business becomes more commoditized, says Philip Philliou, a payments consultant.
"It's very difficult for processors to differentiate themselves, the differentiation will come from data analytics…and new technology such as mobile and cloud-based solutions that take advantage of advanced data," Philliou says. "Bisignano's skillset appears to be managing exactly this type of business. [First Data] needs somebody to push the envelope on the mobile wallet. How do you integrate marketing with merchants and processing?"
In addition to the technology challenges, First Data must also manage its corporate culture and how it approaches the 'make, buy or partner' technology decisions within the company, says Richard Crone, a payments consultant.
Mobile will further challenge the core processing infrastructure of First Data because authentication and access to account credentials can be done directly with core processors via products like FIS' PayNet solution—which poses a challenge to First Data's market position, Crone says.
First Data will also have to upgrade its mobile wallet strategy, Crone says. Whereas many companies are looking at software-based approaches to mobile payments, First Data has largely supported Near Field Communication and trusted service manager technology and models companies such as Isis and Google, he says.
"[First Data] has completely missed the opportunity to bolster First Data's most important stakeholders …namely credit and debit card issuers and retailers—that have their own mobile wallets," Crone says. "Even though First Data runs the largest 'cloud' in the payment processing business, it has done nothing to support cloud-based mobile payments driven directly from the mobile banking apps of their processed financial institutions or retailers in their own mobile shopping apps."
Bisignano did not reveal specific details about how First Data will adapt its mobile wallet strategy. He also would not address how it plans to manage its relationships with independent sales organizations and other partners, but said the company would "think about those kinds of details" in the coming months.
"The biggest opportunity relates to the integration of payments and marketing into a single solution," says Rick Olglesby, a senior analyst at Aite Group.
Acquirers and processors have an opportunity to deliver broader and more valuable offerings to merchants via mobile, such as enhanced in-store servicing, customer acquisition and customer loyalty services, he says. First Data has already entered into a partnership with Foursquare to combine marketing and payments.
"On the challenge side [for First Data], there's a lot of infrastructural updates that need to be made, and there are many potential solutions. And there is no guarantee that merchants or consumers will adopt any of them," Oglesby says. "So while sitting and waiting could cause acquirers and processors to miss out on large potential opportunities, moving too aggressively could also cause them to lose a bunch of money by investing in the wrong technologies."
First Data has advantages from its scale and presence in the market, Oglesby says. "As the largest player in the acquiring and processing space, the decisions that they make will in turn influence the decisions that other make, so they are in a position to lead the market in a particular direction."
First Data's prior CEO is staying with the company. Ed Labry has been serving a dual role as both president of Retail and Alliance Services and interim CEO since Jan. 28, 2013. Labry will continue in his role as president of Retail and Alliance Services.
"[Labry] runs the 'partner' part of the growth strategy. Ed's focus has been on powering new entries and third party intermediaries," Crone says, adding that 'third party' focus has caused angst in the merchant and bank communities.
"In my view Ed has done an incredible job over the past 90 days galvanizing this place, we will work shoulder to shoulder," Bisignano says. "I spoke with him this weekend and started talking about operations…we will be better off the two of us doing this together."


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Lawmakers in Maryland have passed a bill (S.B. 374) requiring the Office of the Attorney General to assemble and direct a workgroup to explore issues relating to the protection of children’s online privacy. The legislation requires that the workgroup include state government representatives, industry leaders, children’s online privacy experts, and consumer and children’s health advocates.
Among other things, the workgroup will examine (i) the nature and extent of data collected about children through Internet–based and mobile application– based advertising; (ii) “current and forthcoming federal and state regulation of children’s online privacy and online advertising and associated data collection”; (iii) the effects on children of online advertising; and (iv) best practices to protect children’s online privacy. The law takes effect on June 1, 2013, and requires that the Attorney General’s Office report findings and recommendations to the Senate Finance Committee and House Economic Matters Committee by December 31.


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Chris Gallant, the co-founder of New York-based The Bronx Brewery, will step down this year as his family prepares for a move to California, the company announced today.
Gallant, who launched the company in 2011 with head brewer, Damian Brown, will maintain an ownership stake in the business and a seat on the company’s board. However, he will no longer be active in its day-to-day operations.
“I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve accomplished and optimistic for what the future holds,” Gallant, who oversaw sales and marketing, said via a release. “I’m confident that Bronx will continue to thrive under Damian’s leadership.”
Brown will takeover as the sole president, assuming much of the “general management” responsibilities, Gallant told Brewbound.
Steven Miller, the head of corporate development and finance for Tenth Avenue Holdings, a family office that owns a minority stake in Bronx Brewery, will also join the company as the vice president of finance and operations.
“He will be joining us full-time, and I will be here to help us transition for the next two months,” Gallant said, noting that he would continue to advise on the “strategic direction” of the company.
Gallant’s departure coincides with a number of other changes at Bronx Brewery, including expanded distribution into Pennsylvania as well as the introduction of new products and revamped packaging.
The company has signed distribution agreements with Banko Beverage and LT Verrastro Inc. for coverage in eastern Pennsylvania, Brown told Brewbound. Shipments of No Resolutions IPA in kegs are underway and a full launch is planned for March, he added.
The company is also eyeing expanded distribution in Western Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C., Brown said.
“Successfully launching the brand in several new domestic markets is one of our priorities this year,” he said.
Bronx, which grew 30 percent last year on its way to producing approximately 14,000 barrels at its own facility and via a contract brewing arrangement with Shmaltz Brewing, has also retooled its portfolio to maintain a focus on fewer year-round products while simultaneously offering retailers a selection of more limited brews.
The company has pared down its year-round offerings from six to four, and will offer just three seasonal beers – Summer Pale Ale, Crystal Whipped IPA and Boom Boom IPA.
It has also launched six rotational brands under the “Up & Comers” label, which will roll out in pairs, three times per year.
“With this new structure, we are looking to be very agile and flexible,” Brown said. “If we see an Up & Comer take off, the portfolio is structured so that we can take advantage of that and bump it up into the seasonal or year-round tiers.”
Bronx has also partnered with Baldor Specialty Foods, which will give the company access to a “crazy diversity of fruits and vegetables” for use in its B-Tracks series of specialty beers, Brown said.
Bronx currently has 17 full-time employees and, despite the planned market expansions, does not plan to hire more than one additional salesperson.
A press release with additional details is below.
Exciting New Changes at The Bronx Brewery
New brands, new markets, new packaging; Co-founder Chris Gallant to step down from day-to-day operations while Damian Brown assumes sole President role
NEW YORK (January 17, 2018) – The Bronx Brewery announced today an assortment of exciting new changes to kick off 2018.
Brands – Starting this week, the company launched a new tier of rotational brands under the “Up & Comers” label. 6 unique brands will rotate through the Up & Comers tier during the year. Some of them – like Holy Mother of Citrus, an IPA brewed with real tangerines – will be familiar to consumers while others – like Well Earned Pilsner, the company’s first lager – are brand new to the market. Though the clear focus of the Up & Comers tier is innovation, Head Brewer Damian Brown stressed that “as with everything we do here, we’ll follow a No-Nonsense approach. Balance and drinkability are paramount to us.”
Markets – The company has also announced plans to begin expanding its distribution footprint beyond its traditional core Tri-State market. “The Bronx itself is such a universally recognizable brand – nationally and even internationally – so it was always our ambition to eventually expand beyond the core NYC market. The time is now and we’re ready to kick that expansion into high gear” says VP of Sales Rob Goodyear. The brewery will begin draft shipments of its No Resolutions IPA to two new distribution partners in eastern Pennsylvania by the end of the month with a full launch in early March.
Packaging – The company also completely revamped its packaging to provide a cleaner, more consistent look. The brewery’s expansion plans – combined with the NYC market’s traditional emphasis on bars and restaurants – means the growing industry trend toward greater off-premise focus will become even more apparent at The Bronx Brewery in 2018. “With our continued focus on the off-premise, it is important for us to ensure we have visual consistency on the shelf while upholding the No-Nonsense attitude of The Bronx Brewery brand” says VP of Marketing Patrick Libonate.
Leadership – And finally, the company announced today that Chris Gallant, Co-founder and co-President, will step down early this year from day-to-day operations. Gallant will retain an ownership stake and a role on the board. Co-President and Head Brewer Damian Brown will assume the role of President. Gallant cited family reasons and a move to the West Coast as the main driver in his decision.
“I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve accomplished and optimistic for what the future holds,” says Gallant. “I’m confident that Bronx will continue to thrive under Damian’s leadership.” Says Brown “It’s been quite a journey with Chris over the last eight years from our early roots ‘gypsy brewing’ up in CT and hand-delivering kegs out of an old Red Bull truck around the city to being a “real” company with employees, distribution and a fantastic brewery to call home. He’s been an incredible partner and friend for me personally, and a strong leader for this company. I look forward to continuing to work with him on the Board and as a shareholder. We wish him and his family the best in their future endeavors and look forward to sharing many beers together over the coming years.”


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The ad firm at the center of a heated conflict with the National Rifle Association has said NRA chief Wayne LaPierre charged the vendor hundreds of thousands of dollars for foreign travel and expensive suits, the Wall Street Journal reports.
The expenses — allegedly incurred by Oklahoma City advertising firm Ackerman McQueen — supposedly covered more than $240,000 in trips to Hungary, Italy, the Bahamas, and elsewhere, according to a letter Ackerman sent to the NRA asking for documentation.
The NRA sued its longtime ad firm last month, alleging that the company was withholding information the gun rights lobby needed to conduct a full audit of the pair’s financial relationship.
The Journal separately reported that LaPierre received $200,000 in suits paid for by Ackerman, many of which supposedly came from a Beverly Hills vendor of menswear from Italian luxury brand Ermenegildo Zegna.
The newspaper reported that the transactions raised questions about whether LaPierre was channelling his personal expenses through Ackerman — an NRA vendor — to conceal them from the gun rights group’s board, which has a legal obligation to review related-party transactions.
The New York State attorney general’s office is investigating the NRA, in part over allegations of related-party transactions.


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2013's Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag became the turning point for future Assassin's Creed games. In particular, Ubisoft used its naval battles as the base mechanic for an entirely new game. Ubisoft later introduced Skull and Bones at E3 2021 with Ubisoft Singapore in the lead. The game, which was originally planned to be a live-service title, would end up being stuck in development limbo.
To date, Skull and Bones remain in development. Unfortunately, it's been revealed that the game will have to move forward without one of its key personnel.
Is Skull and Bones ever going to be released?
Back in May 2021, Ubisoft broke the unfortunate but expected news about Skull and Bones being delayed to 2022. A few months later, Ubisoft confirmed that the game had finally reached the alpha stage after all these years. However, just when you thought that the handful of fans still left rooting for Skull and Bones would start hearing more good news, eagle-eyed observers spot the departure of Antoine Henry.
Henry first confirmed his departure on his Linkedin account before going on Twitter to break the news to a wider audience.
Goodbye Ubisoft! After nearly 15 years, today was my last day.
I'm thankful for the people I've met and what they brought me professionally and personally. Hopefully I was able to give back a little bit.
On to new exciting adventures very soon! pic.twitter.com/XT7PWwhOGB
— Antoine Henry (@bob2356) December 23, 2021
Skull and Bones' development has been rocky at best. Over the years, several reports of lack of direction and budget issues, along with management problems as well as discrimination and misconduct, have all derailed any significant progress. To make matters worse, Ubisoft has been mired in controversy lately, with the latest news being that the publisher is bleeding talent at an alarming rate.
Because of Henry's departure, many now believe that Skull and Bones is dead in the water. If it is true, then it would be a great shame.
If it's any consolation, the naval battles planned for Skull and Bones remain an integral part of current Assassin's Creed games except for Assassin's Creed: Valhalla. The publisher decided to cut ship-to-ship battles from its latest game. But, then again, who knows? Ubisoft has committed to supporting Valhalla beyond its second year. After confirming Dawn of Ragnarok before 2021 ended, Ubisoft might bring back naval battles in the form of a new DLC.
In other Ubisoft news, the big-time publisher is now working together with Microsoft to bring Ubisoft+ to Xbox consoles. Unfortunately, Ubisoft declined to comment about its plans to bring the same subscription service to PlayStation and other consoles.


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Klei Entertainment’s hungry PlayStation 4 indie adventure Don’t Starve is set to go in pursuit of even more sustenance this August, as the Shank developer has teased a brand new add-on pack for the digital exclusive. Dubbed the ‘Reign of Giants’, the teaser trailer hints at the appearance of some seriously sizeable foes, but sadly stops short of providing any additional information.
Available as a PlayStation Plus freebie at the time of writing, we took a liking to the gothic outdoor excursion. Our resourceful reviewer Joey Thurmond pointed out that while the title's crushing difficulty may turn some off, those that take the time to stomach its complex systems will find a dish well worth tucking into. Is your tummy roaring for a little more content? Eat up in the comments section below.


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Small businesses will reap big savings on tax and power bills as the government encourages them to increase investment in new technologies.
The new measures saving small business owners thousands
Businesses struggling to make ends meet will be able to claim tens of thousands of dollars in tax incentives to drive down power bills and boost productivity.
Small business minister Julie Collins says they are “the lifeblood of our economy” and hopes the new measures will provide them with targeted, responsible support without adding to inflation.
Energy bill relief and tax asset write-offs will help tackle immediate challenges while investments in cyber security and cutting red tape aim to set up small businesses in the long term, she says.
In terms of immediate relief, one million small businesses will be eligible for up to $650 in power bill rebates from July, as part of a $3 billion relief package split with the states and territories.


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With the start of fall, apples are showing up in the produce aisle in a big way. Sweetie, an intensely sweet and crunchy new apple variety from FirstFruits of Washington, will be making an appearance at retail this month.
First planted in New Zealand, Sweetie is now grown in Washington State by Broetje Orchards and is sold by FirstFruits Marketing. Sweetie combines the best attributes of two parents—Gala’s excellent sugars alongside the firm-crisp texture of Braeburn, but with a unique flavor of its own. Characteristic with its name, Sweetie leads the pack of varieties when it comes to sweetness, according to a news release.
True to the Broetje growing philosophy, Sweetie stands next to Opal as an example of new variety innovation and top standards for flavor. It was first planted as a 30-acre test block in Prescott, Wash. Over the past two years, additional blocks have been planted as trees have been determined to yield good quality fruit and consumer response for the variety has been positive.
Similar to Opal, Sweetie was released in limited markets where consumer response could be measured. Initial response has been favorable, especially amongst consumers of Gala or Fuji, whose palate tends to like a sweeter apple.
“We are always looking for new varieties that will resonate with consumers to bring to our customers. After our huge success with Opal we knew we would have to follow with something great, and I think we have found it in Sweetie,” said Andy Tudor, marketing manager at FirstFruits of Washington.
“Launching a new variety is a very complex process,” he added. “The fruit needs to be grower friendly, have a good shelf life and appearance, and have some kind of unique quality to get people to try it. Sweetie has all of those characteristics and I believe we have a winner once again.”
These apples are full of flavor, highlighted by an intense sweet taste and crunchy texture. It’s not just their great taste, but Sweeties’ beautiful red blush on a golden-green skin, which makes them stand out from other varieties, the news release says.
Sweetie was granted its own PLU No. 3628 and will be featured in the new product showcase at the Fresh Summit Convention and Expo in October. FirstFruits Marketing will be available for inquires at booth No. 743.
Where in Portland will Sweetie apples be available this fall?


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"We as a council were elected to make decisions for Bella Vista now and in the future, so we have to look and see what's best," said Alderman Doug Farner.
The Bella Vista City Council approved rezoning land at Oldham Drive and Highway 71 from residential to commercial. The final vote at Monday night's meeting was 5-1.
Alderman Farner said the Planning Commission will now look at any proposed plans for the area.
"I think the right decision will be made down the road."
Chris Neeley, Director of Public Affairs and Government Relations for Walmart, said the retailer is planning on moving in to town.
"Walmart will work with the city to develop a Walmart Neighborhood Market that is aesthetically pleasing to everyone in the community and will offer the everyday low prices that they always expect."
Some folks living in Bella Vista are worried about traffic at the proposed location.
"We don't need any large businesses in that area," said John Gilbert.
"It's such a mess in the mornings and evenings, and it'll just make it worse," said Grace Bender.
But Neeley said they heard the concerns, and brought solutions to the table.
"We included in our plans from the very beginning a traffic light, turning lanes to alleviate any traffic concerns."
Several folks are glad a Walmart Neighborhood Market might be on the horizon.
"I think it's going to be good for the economy, and it's going to create jobs, which are not very abundant in Bella Vista," said Mark Kendall.
"We would really like to be able to keep the money here in Bella Vista," said Mary Kendall.
Others folks, however, are still not fans of the idea.
But, Farner said these are just the beginning stages of a long process.
"There are a lot of steps that Walmart has to go through."
And Neeley believes teamwork will be the key to success.
"We can all work together to build and develop communities, especially communities like Bella Vista."


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Everybody’s favorite little roadster is receiving a few new options for the 2018 model year. The current Brembo/BBS package for the Mazda MX-5 Club trim was already nice, but now you’ll have the option of ticking the box on a Brembo/BBS Recaro package. This nets you some heated Recaro sport seats in addition to the previously available Brembo brakes
Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca will receive a name change as the automaker ends its naming rights agreement with the race track. The change takes effect April 1, 2018. In a statement, Mazda said, “After 17 seasons as the title sponsor for Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, Mazda has chosen to end its naming rights agreement with the storied race
We don't know what is Mazda are up to when it comes to a new RX-branded sports vehicle, but the Japanese producerer hasn't been shy about patenting some interesting things.Mazda most recently patented Aston Martin-like doors, for example. They open in a similar swan fashion as Aston Martins—15 degrees to be exact, per the patent's description.


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Crunchyroll aims for one-stop anime service
Plus: Kadokawa finds anime success from light novel portfolio; MANGA Plus debuts at NY Comic Con; Anime personnel face harassment on social media; and more
This is the weekly newsletter of Animenomics, covering the business of anime and manga. Today is Wednesday, October 18, 2023.
In case you missed it: A new Dragon Ball anime was announced at New York Comic Con, to be released on the original manga’s 40th anniversary next year.
Japanese media reported last month that Dragon Ball’s former editor Akio Iyoku was in negotiations with Shueisha to take over some intellectual property rights for the franchise.
Crunchyroll aims to become one-stop shop for anime
In a wide-ranging two-part interview, Crunchyroll’s incoming chief operating officer Gita Rebbapragada told Japanese technology news outlet ASCII that the company aims to become a trusted service for “all things related to anime”.
Why it matters: Although Crunchyroll is best known for its streaming video on demand platform, ownership by the Sony Group has allowed company to expand theatrical distribution, events, and merchandising.
Catch up quick: Rebbapragada, who was previously chief marketing officer, took up her new role this month after the departure of predecessor Brady McCollum.
McCollum, who was at Crunchyroll for 15 years, is credited with leading the streamer’s international expansion prior to and during its acquisition by Sony.
Driving the story: Central to the company’s goal is the expansion of Crunchyroll Store and integration of the Right Stuf retail brand in the United States, which it acquired last year.
Crunchyroll signed a licensing agreement with Sunrise, Fla., based toy company Jazwares in June to bring merchandise from 18 anime titles to stores in summer of 2024.
Zoom out: Crunchyroll’s licensed merchandise approach fills an unmet need for official goods overseas because direct sales outlets like Jump Shop and Premium Bandai don’t have physical outlets outside Japan.
One big thing: The streamer lowered the subscription price for its service in 100 territories last year in a bid to gain more adoption in emerging markets like India.
Correction: An earlier version of this story suggested Crunchyroll’s non-streaming lines of business began under Sony ownership. Some, like Crunchyroll Manga, were created years prior to acquisition by Sony.
For Kadokawa, anime success comes from light novels
Among Japan’s three largest publishing conglomerates, Kadokawa is the only one that doesn’t have a dedicated manga label, yet the company’s financials remain strong amid the publishing industry’s struggles in non-manga categories.
Why it matters: Kadokawa’s success comes from its focus on text-based content with low production costs, says chief executive officer Takeshi Natsuno.
By the numbers: Kadokawa is Japan’s largest publisher of light novels, serial novels that incorporate anime-style illustrations, capturing 50 percent of that market in 2021.
Driving the story: Natsuno’s comments were made in a podcast conversation with tech entrepreneur Takafumi Horie, where the two discussed Kadokawa’s recent financial success.
Zoom in: Kadokawa currently publishes about 5,500 light novel works a year, and it’s turning the best titles into successful anime, film, and video game properties.
Kadokawa’s publishing segment recorded an operating profit decline of 24.3 percent last fiscal year, but profits in the video segment grew 61.8 percent. Game segment profits grew 173 percent, thanks to the success of Elden Ring.
Yes, but: Natsuno admits that Japanese publishers need to find a way to create a pricing structure that is attractive to convert international manga and light novel readers to digital platforms.
He points out that while the Japanese market has reached a 50–50 ratio in print and digital sales, the manga and light novel markets in Europe and North America are still more than 90 percent print.
This week, Kadokawa’s digital light novel platform J-Novel Club launched a new subsidiary to publish works in French and German for the European market.
Clippings: MANGA Plus debuts at New York Comic Con
Shueisha’s MANGA Plus made its exhibition debut at New York Comic Con last weekend, where the digital manga service previewed the publisher’s biggest manga titles and drove new readership with QR codes. (The Beat)
Manga readers in Japan prefer to read digital publications over print, but only if they are free, says a new survey of nearly 2,000 men and women ages 15–69. About 45 percent of respondents read for free digitally, 42 percent buy paper comics, and 26 percent buy digital comics. (Appliv Topics)
One in four voice actors and announcers have experienced sexual harassment in the workplace, according to the latest annual Japanese government white paper on measures to prevent death from overwork. (The Japan Times)
As reported by Animenomics, voice actors interviewed by Weekly Toyo Keizai earlier this year told the business magazine that it isn’t uncommon for them to endure sexual harassment to curry favor with producers.
Bones at 25: Producing quality anime on schedule
“At the time, animators were people who could draw everything, you know? Today, it’s very genre-restricted: some are good at robots, some at action, some at character animation… But back then, everybody could draw characters, robots, dogs, or plants indiscriminately.”
— Masahiko Minami, anime studio Bones co-founder and president
Context: Minami reflects on 25 years of Bones producing anime in an interview with Ludovic Joyet for Full Frontal. Originally founded by members of Sunrise’s number two studio, Bones has grown to five separate studio teams, each with its own producer.
One of the company’s strengths is production planning, which comes from its adherence to defined production schedules, allowing studios to complete work on time and with good quality.
“Time is very limited, so if you start getting late on the schedule, it will inevitably become a burden to all the staff that come after you, and the quality will drop accordingly,” Minami says.
Anime personnel face social media harassment, threats
Four years after an arson attack on a Kyoto Animation studio building shocked the anime industry, industry figures like director Kunihiko Ikuhara are worried of increasing harassment from social media users on the Internet.
Why it matters: Social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram created more opportunities for industry personnel to interact directly with fans, but those channels are becoming avenues for harassment, The Mainichi reports.
Driving the story: A woman who describes herself as a voice actor and illustrator contacted Ikuhara on X in April 2022, claiming that Ikuhara had plagiarized her work for an anime character.
Ikuhara rejected the claim after evaluating comparisons, but the woman escalated the allegations by contacting publishers, record companies, anime companies, talent agencies, and other illustrators who worked with him.
Police patrolled his house twice a day after he reported the incidents, and he was forced to cancel a concert by a band he was a member of.
Rewind: The suspect in the Kyoto Animation arson attack, who is currently standing trial, alleges that the the studio had plagiarized his work for past anime productions.
Three months after that arson, police arrested a different man in Okayama after he threatened arson on a video production company for allegedly stealing the copyright of an anime work from him.
What’s happening: Ikuhara filed a defamation lawsuit against the woman in June of last year, seeking ¥4.4 million (US$29,000) in damages. A verdict is scheduled in December.
“Many of my colleagues are paying close attention to the outcome of this trial. [Similar acts of nuisance] still occur frequently,” Ikuhara told The Mainichi. “I hope for a strict judgment.”
Animenomics is an independently-run and reader-supported publication. If you enjoy this newsletter, consider sharing it with others.


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Midway Games Ltd, a subsidiary of Midway Games Inc., today announced the release of LA RUSH for the PSP (PlayStation Portable) system. For the first time ever, players can feel the rush as they attempt mad jumps, high-flying stunts, and arcade-style racing, all in the palm of their hands.
“With LA RUSH, players can now experience the popular arcade racing franchise on-the-go,” said Al King, European Marketing Director of Midway Games Ltd. “Players will even have the opportunity to go head-to-head with a friend in a street race or cruise mission using wireless functionality.”
Exclusive to the PSP system are several new modes including; Stunt Arena, a huge environment packed with ramps, tracks and other obstacles where gamers can show off their mad stunt skills, and Battle Race, a mode where players go head-to-head in a wireless race riddled with power-ups designed to boost performance or derail an opponent’s progress. Also featured in LA RUSH, are all-new money cruise and multiplayer missions.
About LA RUSH
For the first time on PSP (PlayStation Portable) system, attempt mad jumps, high-flying stunts and arcade-style racing from the newest entry in the RUSH franchise. Go head-to-head with a friend in a street race or cruise mission using wireless functionality, or experience Story Mode which allows you to race through five Los Angeles city re-creations while finding treacherous shortcuts and surviving death-defying jumps! Exclusive to the PSP system is an all-new Stunt Arena, where players can fly over ramps and perform stunts in the air and drive the loop-de-loop to gain massive bursts of speed, all the while collecting golden tokens to unlock extra content. Feel the rush as you race more than 36 licensed rides including muscles, tuner and exotic vehicles!
[tags]LA Rush, PSP, Midway, Al King, stunt[/tags]


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Sony’s mobile business is struggling, to say the least. In the United States, Sony smartphones are essentially non starters at this point. Even abroad, the company’s phones are struggling to compete against higher profile devices from the likes of Samsung. The company’s smartphone unit lost billions in 2014, and rumors suggest the company is considering an exit from the smartphone business so it can focus on more profitable units.
While its own smartphones are causing nothing but headaches at Sony right now, there is one smartphone that Sony absolutely adores: Apple’s iPhone 6.
You know that bump on the back of the iPhone 6? The one that some people whined about constantly when the phone was first announced? When Sony looks at that bump, it doesn’t see a design compromise or an eyesore, it sees dollar signs.
According to a report from The Wall Street Journal, the iPhone 6 has not one but two camera sensors manufactured by Sony — one on the front and one on the back. As a result, unnamed analysts cited in the report say that Sony makes as much as $20 per iPhone 6 unit sold.
In other words, while Sony’s own smartphone business is bleeding billions of dollars, the iPhone 6 is a cash cow for the company. Better yet, Apple is rumored to be prepping an even better camera for the upcoming iPhone 6s, which could mean a new, improved and even more expensive sensor from Sony.


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At the latest Youth Marketing Strategy (YMS) NYC show, youth culture experts spoke about the importance of experiences, authenticity and community-driven campaigns to the new consumer.
While adding augmented reality to print media might feel like a push away from tradition, is it doing it any favours in the long run?
How will women thrive in a changing world?
With youth-focused airlines taking off this year, brands need...
There is a growing belief that the blood of young people can be harnessed to restore youth, despite little evidence to back up the claim.
Misogyny, racism and transphobia all have one root cause.
In our luxury focuses we examine how brands are recognising...


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For restaurateurs, one of the trickiest dayparts to nail can be lunch. As consumers look to save money and eat healthier, and with other segments such as grocery stores upping their lunch games, operators have to give consumers a good reason to dine out during lunch.
Boosting lunch sales requires offering creative menu options in step with the food trends that parade across the foodservice industry. At the same time, operators have to appeal to consumers’ evolving wants for speed of service, convenience, value and healthfulness at lunch.
Many consumers, schooled by food media, travel and the restaurant boom of recent years, have a knowledge base about food that operators should keep in mind when creating lunch menus. “People talk about food very knowledgably today,” says Trip Kadey, director of culinary for The French's Food Company. “It has really become a fashionable subject for discussion.” These savvy foodies know what’s good and want more of it, especially the lively mashups of global flavors that are energizing the food scene.
A case in point is the lunch menu at Bartaco, a taqueria chain with a menu approach billed as “upscale street food with a coastal vibe.” Bartaco’s signature fare zigzags across the globe from a Middle Eastern falafel taco with Greek tzatziki to a Vietnamese-inspired shrimp banh mi taco to a cauliflower taco with Spanish romesco sauce.
“Tacos traditionally have a Hispanic orientation, but those go much further, drawing on ingredients from Asia and many other places,” notes Kadey.
Lunch consumers also bring a specific mindset to the midday meal. In an urban setting such as the Chicago Loop, where legions of workers descend on nearby lunch spots, speed of service and convenience are paramount. But these consumers may be more willing to indulge their curiosity about unusual flavors, ingredients and applications at lunch than they are when running up a dinner check.
“You have a $10 price point rather than a $40 one, which may make people more open to experimenting,” says Kadey. That should encourage operators to offer some bolder flavors and forward-looking items for adventurous lunch patrons. Kadey also notes that bold doesn’t necessarily mean spicy, so operators should feel free to think outside the box. “Flavor exploration is key,” he says.
Although the flavors may be big at lunch, the portions often are relatively small, says Kadey. Many consumers are replacing one or more of the traditional three square meals with light bites when hunger strikes. Today’s flexible lunch menus cater to those impulses with half-portions, small plates and snacks.
Consumers, particularly millennials, also expect restaurants to follow sustainability practices and take advantage of locally sourced food. In general, they increasingly expect restaurants to offer healthy menu options and use products with real ingredients and clean labels, free of artificial flavors, colors, preservatives and high-fructose corn syrup. According to 2014 Lunch Consumer Trend Report by Technomic, 49 percent of consumers said health influences where they purchase lunch during the week.
This post is sponsored by The French's Food Company


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The new U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) report looks at trade deals approved since 1984, including the North American Free Trade Agreement in 1994, the World Trade Organization in 1995, and a series of bilateral and regional trade agreements over the past 20 years. It also examined the one-year-old U.S.-Canada-Mexico Agreement, which replaced the original NAFTA.
Congress ordered the report as part of the 2015 Trade Promotion Authority law, which expires on Thursday.
The Trade Promotion Authority law facilitates the approval of trade agreements by allowing the president to submit them to Congress for a straight up-or-down vote without any amendments.
Using 2017 as its base year, the ITC estimated the trade deals had increased U.S. economic output by $88.8 billion or 0.5%.
The trade pacts increased overall U.S. employment by 485,000 full-time equivalent jobs or 0.3%, based on a model that assumes the economy is at its long-run full employment level.


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Major Security Issues with Cloud Computing Being Ignored
Businesses are completely ignoring a growing problem facing their organisations as cyber criminals look to target increased security flaws as operations move to the cloud.
Cloud computing was one of the buzzwords of 2012, gaining widespread adoption among individuals, SMEs and major corporations all around the world. It is going to make our lives easier while saving us millions of pounds at the same time.
However, one issue which is being ignored by the vast majority of organisation is security, with a Pricewaterhouse Coopers survey from last year showing that more than three quarters of respondents across a range of companies believed cloud computing did not increase their security risk. A belief shattered by a report published this week by security firm Imperva which highlights just how easy it is for even one of the world's largest online companies to be hacked and have sensitive consumer data stolen.


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Glen Cove has one less pizzeria to choose from with the shuttering of Tuscani Brick Oven Pizza and Restaurant.
Two "For Rent" signs appeared in the Forest Ave. shop's windows this week. Its owner was reached by phone and confirmed the closing. He declined to discuss the circumstances.
"I'm not surprised, with all the competition right there," said Glen Cove Chamber of Commerce executive director Phyllis Gorham. Forest Pizza occupies a larger, more visible building across the street, and Amalfi Pizza gets a steady amount of traffic in the Stop & Shop shopping center across Walnut Rd. A number of other pizza places dot the city, Gorham noted.
Tuscani opened in 2011. One of the signs in its window advertises the rental as a pizza restaurant.


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Why is no one talking about Sangulani (Maxwell) Chikumbutso?
Typically, any talk of renewable energy, breaking the laws of physics, and especially new drones is world-class news. The big networks such as CNN, ABC, NBC, and CBS slip clips into every spare second available. But since 1999, Chikumbutso’s accomplishments remained largely silenced and ignored by the media, the scientific community, and financial institutions – until now.
Sangulani (Maxwell) Chikumbutso, inventor and owner of Saith Technologies, Zimbabwe Photo by TechZim
TechZim’s biographical article on Sangulani (Maxwell) Chikumbutso founder of Saith Technologies calls Chikumbutso “a Zimbabwean born serial inventor with the typical I dropped out of school, but I am a genius story, synonymous with some of the successful people we know today.” He has been compared to Mark Zuckerburg and Bill Gates because of his similar academic backstory.
Zimbabwean inventor Sangulani Chikumbutso defied at least three laws of physics with his invention of a “self powered generator” reports Malcolm Meja of Zimbabwe’s Business Connect. You would think such an achievement would gain him world acclaim. This is not the first of Chikumbutso’s inventions. This high school, form 2, dropout invented a radio broadcasting transmitter back in 1999 despite the impoverished state that caused him to leave school.
“Saith Holdings was registered under the companies Act in 2013. After years of struggling as Chikumbutso could not secure funding to kick start his projects as no one shared the same vision as him perhaps because his projects especially his Greener Power Machine a self powered generator,” writes Meja. “The world is now, after years of discrediting Chikumbutso machine, embracing the ingenious innovations. Saith Holdings has secured contracts with Brazil and Angola to provide electricity using The Greener Machine.“…
This is Africa reports:
Yes, Sangulani Chikumbutso was on Monday launching some of his company’s products which included a hybrid engine-powered helicopter, an electric car, a magnetic converter, a ‘green’ power generator and a special drone.
With this launch, he has established himself as the first Zimbabwean to design and make an electric-powered vehicle and a hybrid helicopter:
Below Chikumbutso demonstrates his drone invention.
Global fashion designers like Yves Saint Laurent took inspiration from Africa decades ago and more recently brands like Burberry, Louis Vuitton and Christian Dior have embraced the continent’s style and broadened its appeal. But consumers now want products made by Africans, not replicas produced by Western clothing chains, according to Bethlehem Tilahun Alemu, who owns Ethiopian shoe company, soleRebels, which has a dozen stores from Singapore to Greece.
“The global consumer today is hyper-aware. They want authentic and innovative ideas delivered from the authors of those ideas,” Bethlehem said. “We have always had incredible design and production talent here, but it was invisible. That is changing.”
When Kiera Butler went to Ghana to research what the farm education program 4-H was doing there, she found that it was working with the American seed company DuPont Pioneer to teach small farmers how to use high-yielding hybrid seeds. That’s part of her book, Raise: What 4-H Teaches Seven Million Kids and How Its Lessons Could Change Food and Farming Forever, and she published a story about it in Mother Jones titled: How America’s Favorite Baby-Goat Club Is Helping Big Ag Take Over Farming in Africa.
Africa is transforming from a continent in need of assistance to a continent of opportunity. Its economic growth is today second only to the East Asia region, which includes China,1 and Africa was home to 8 of the world’s 15 fastest-growing economies between 2000 and 2013. Indeed, the continent’s GDP of more than $2 trillion in 2013 is now larger than India’s.
The 15-year-old budding entrepreneur first started his Island business at the tender age of eight. He supplied greeting cards to customers, the whole process of which, including the graphic designs, he did all by himself. The only help along the way for his business was a small capital outlay from his parents to get him started. He became successful and attained international customers.After his success in the greeting card company, young Warren turned his hand to making investments in hedge funds, private equity, and real estate, all by the time he had reached the age of 13. His company, the Abella Group, now has around 50 to 60 clients worldwide for whom he designs and maintains websites.
Buy Black Economics has grown stealthy over the past year. Their scope has broadened and their determination, strong. Become a supporter. List your business among those ready to support you. Do not buy from those who would not hire you. That is the mantra; that is the scope.
BBNOMICS A Crowdfunding Site
BBNomics is giving a tour of Ghana on October 29 – November 11, 2014, more details to come…
How do BBNOMICS Crowdfunding works for all of us?
When the music changes so does the dance. – African Proverb
This week’s interview features Micheal Adeyemi, a Business and IT Consultant who moved back home during particularly challenging times and now has a positive and interesting story to tell. He discusses his experiences so far and shares a few tips he’s learned along the way. We hope you enjoy his story.


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Once again, the dynamic of bitcoin price and its volatility is grabbing the attention. Over the previous 10 days, the cryptocurrency climbed up above $9,000 only to rapidly fall below $7,500. Then, again, the price rose above 8,000 and the new gains seem just around the corner. As many analysts have decided again explaining what fuels these changes, it might seem that the shifts are random and enigmatic as they often are.
However, others are pointing to the fact that there might be a small but strong push for the cryptocurrency, like many others in the crypto top tier – the Facebook cryptocurrency. This digital currency, now called Gobalcoin and in some other references, Libra will see its white paper published in a few days time. Some are certain it is a serious validation of the concept of digital currency, coming from one true giant of the modern IT scene. Could the Facebook token and other corporate coins that are inbound actually make one of the biggest services to bitcoin since its creation in 2009?
Facebook Crypto Explained
For over a year, the crypto space has been actively discussing how will Facebook define and present its digital currency ecosystem. In 2018, the company revealed that it was operating a fully dedicated blockchain team. David Marcus, the executive from PayPal and Instagram was behind its helm. But, thanks to strong NDAs, there was almost no other word about the type of project it is pursuing.
This changes recently when Facebook decided to share some of its goals and other information about the project. Globalcoin is supposed to be a cryptocurrency in its own right, which will function as stablecoin that would be backed not just be USD, but a basket of additional currencies. The same move is likely related to the idea of keeping Globalcoin so stable that it will not sway or move because of the tremors in single fiat currency, no matter how big it might be.
When it comes to its use, the coin will be used as a medium of exchange for the waste Facebook ecosystem. It will be available through automated, but physical tellers, online exchanges and even through a defined reward system. Besides this, not much is know. But, with over 100 staff including many dedicated developers, the Globalcoin will surely be a big deal. That is why people are already wondering in what way will the toke impact the crypto economy but especially bitcoin’s adoption and price volatility.
Driving BTC Price Higher
Initially, most voices in the community were from the detractors who pointed to the ability of Facebook to basically take away from bitcoin. This would take place if Facebook would use bitcoin as a counterpoint to its coin’s value. It would offer a centralized and organized mechanism of value exchange while bitcoin is decentralized and of unknown origin. But, many believe that this will not take place.
Some, including Caitlin Long, who previously worked as an executive at Morgan Stanley, believe that Globalcoin will bolster the adoption rates of bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. This might not happen immediately, but she sees the same occurring eventually as it accelerates the pace of adoption among non-crypto users. Facebook will definitely undertake huge efforts in the domain of educating its users about the principles of crypto assets. All of these presumably will apply not just to Globalcoin but also many other cryptocurrencies, including bitcoin.
Once they get accustomed to owning digital currency, they will try their hand at BTC for one simple reason, Long believes. Globalcoin will not be regulated or finite as bitcoin is. Sure, it will function as a strong stablecoin, but the appeal of BTC is clear – it is a possible long-term investment that pays off almost certainly for those who are not under pressure to sell when the time is bad.
The Casual Investor
The driving force behind this mentality is that of the so-called casual investor. The mindset involves people with otherwise limited or even no investment experience, like middle-class young professionals, taking a small amount of money and using it to buy bitcoin. The act of investment is more akin to a game or esports because the investor is doing it for fun, expecting nothing in return.
Some even compared this with the first-time casino visit by those who neither gamble nor plan to make this into a new habit. However, there is a crucial difference with cryptocurrency investment – the casual investors make their digital wallets and get the funds to the same location. Once there, they become full-fledged cryptocurrency users. Naturally, a big chunk of the same users never does anything with the crypto token, but others do.
Some might use the opportunity of the next price hike and sell, only to brag how they made $140 from $90 or something like that. Others might go a step further and use a piece of the same BTC fund to buy a pizza once again, only to brag. In this process the Globalcoin could be that catalyst that puts more people into this kind of a position, allowing for the expansion of the bitcoin adoption funnel.
There are many other crypto tokens (more or less crypto) that are looking to make a grand entrance to the global audience. In this regard, Globalcoin might be only the most famous one. Will all of them provide the same possibility for bitcoin. It is hard to say. The certain this is only this – all of them provide legitimacy to the blockchain principles that prop up any digital currency.
Furthermore, they do back bitcoin to a point as well, showing those who do not know anything about the crypto tech that this is not some kind of crackpot venture that will only day disappear when someone hits the off button. But, it would be idealistic to think that these corpo coins will open the eyes of millions to bitcoin. Instead, the same cryptocurrency will remain the outlying candidate. Yet, the appearance of things like Globalcoin will still move BTC it a bit towards the center nonetheless.


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Samsung's One UI is possibly the hottest update the company has issued for its devices. Owners of the S9, S9+, and Note9 have enjoyed it for a while, and so have those who bought the new S10/S10+/S10e, but users who have the older generation of flagships from 2017 have had to wait a little longer. After a few months in beta, the S8 and S8+'s update began rolling out in Europe and is now crossing the Atlantic to the US. Read More
US carriers will begin selling the LG G8 ThinQ from April 11, but AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon will each have their pre-order start dates — a couple of them as early as tomorrow, and there are some appealing early bird discounts to go along with the whole party. Read More
AT&T has a bunch of Samsung wireless accessories on sale right now at 25% off. One of those products happens to be those fancy-schmancy Galaxy Buds we liked so much, now back at their lowest price to date.
You might recall that AT&T had sold the Galaxy Buds at $97.49 earlier this month, but that offer was short-lived. Since then, there hadn't been much movement off of the original $129.99 MSRP, so we're very happy to see a similar discount return. Read More
Samsung's latest Galaxy S10 series went from pre-order to regular-order today, eliminating the wait associated with picking one up. Sadly, you'll also lose out on pre-order Galaxy Buds freebie. Several existing offers through US carriers have persisted, though, and we've checked the details on the different promotions currently available and compiled them here. Read More
If you've got $1,000 burning a hole in your pocket, you're in luck. Samsung's latest smartphones are launching today. You can mosey down to your local carrier store or electronics retailer and buy a Samsung Galaxy S10e, S10, or S10+. You can also order them online for shipping in (probably) a couple of days. Read More
Samsung promised it would start rolling out Pie updates in the US this month, and it's technically living up to that. However, only a few phones have gotten the new version so far, including Verizon and Sprint's Galaxy S9s. Today, AT&T becomes the first carrier to deploy a Note 9 Pie update. You'll have to find some WiFi to get started. Read More
LG announced its two flagships for 2019 earlier today — the G8 ThinQ and V50 5G ThinQ. Both devices have their share of interesting features, and if you're wondering where to buy them in the United States, all four major carriers have announced which devices they will offer. Read More
Samsung started rolling Android 9 Pie out to some variants of the Galaxy S9 across the globe this month, but scant few phones in the US have the update. That changes today with the Verizon variant, which is getting a taste of Pie as we speak. Read More
Although there have now been three successors to the LG V30 — V30S, V35, and V40 — the phone has only been out for a bit over a year. Thus, it's pretty surprising that an AT&T unlocked version can now be had for $249.99 new, which is a lot more appealing than its $799.99 MSRP.
On the heels of AT&T and other carriers promising (again) to stop proving location data to data aggregation companies, many customers of AT&T its MNVO Cricket have received an interesting text message. They were informed that they had consented to sharing "phone location or other subscriber, account, and device data" with third parties, without actually having consented. Read More