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Coronavirus Updates: Quibi's Possible Ad Woes; Warner's IPO Hopes; Disney Plans to Open Florida Theme Park
Here are the latest headlines regarding how the novel coronavirus is impacting the Los Angeles startup and tech communities. Sign up for our newsletter and follow dot.LA on Twitter for the latest updates.
- Quibi may be struggling in advertising amid concerns about COVID-19 expenses
- Disney to propose the opening of Florida's Disney World, could be blueprint for California
- Are IPOs poised to make a comeback? Warner Music Group hopes so
Quibi may be struggling in advertising amid concerns about COVID-19 expenses
Quibi's struggles continue, as several major advertisers are asking to defer or extend their payment, the Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday. The requests come from Pepsi, Taco Bell, Anheuser-Busch and Walmart, and stem from the impact the coronavirus has had on the advertisers' business or concerns that the short-form video service launched in April is struggling to meet its viewer targets.
Either way, it's more bad news for the startup that previously blazed its way to $1.75 billion in funding before ever acquiring a customer. The ability of Jeffrey Katzenberg and Meg Whitman, Quibi's leaders, to charm content creators and woo advertisers was widely considered the platform's secret sauce leading up to launch.
The private, Hollywood-based company raised $150 million worth of advertising from 10 companies that were presumably excited by Quibi's attempt to turn consumers' "on-the-go" moments into viewing time. But it's been a bumpy seven weeks. Subscriber numbers have disappointed, a patent infringement lawsuit lingers, and the service's core value proposition has been effectively wiped out by the stay-at-home reality ushered in by the coronavirus. The Journal also reported that Whitman, who has told dot.LA that she is committed to playing a long game, has instituted cost-cutting measures, including slowing down hiring.
Are IPOs poised to make a comeback? Warner Music Group hopes so
Warner Music Group announced is moving forward with its IPO, selling 13.7% of the company's common stock at $23 to $26 a share. That would bring the value of the Los Angeles-based company to about $13.3 billion. The company plans to offer 70 million shares at the launch, but no date has been set yet.
The IPO would be one of the first big L.A. companies to wade into the public markets, and may represent a bit more optimism that the music industry is moving toward a streaming world — a pivot that is already paying off amid the pandemic for companies like Netflix, Amazon, and Hulu. HBO, the cable channeled owned by AT&T, launches its HBO Max service on Wednesday.
Warner Music represents hundreds of top artists, ranging from Cardi B to David Bowie, and may use the IPO to position itself in a COVID-19 world where artists aren't able to perform in arenas or stadiums. Live Nation, a Beverly Hills-based entertainment company, recently furloughed hundreds of staff as the company was unable to sell tickets to events.
Disney to propose opening Florida's Disney World, could be blueprint for California parks
The Walt Disney Co. announced that Walt Disney World Resort executives will submit a proposal Wednesday to the Orange County Economic Recovery Task Force in Florida for a phased reopening of the resort's theme parks. Jim MacPhee, Senior Vice President of Operations, will give a virtual presentation of the proposed approach during the task force's online meeting
The results could pave the way for Disney and other California theme parks closed by COVID-19 may reopen once the state hits the third stage of reopening. The state is currently on stage two, and there is no exact time frame when other non-essential business can open their doors — or turnstiles at Disneyland, Universal Studios Hollywood, Knott's Berry Farm, Six Flags Magic Mountain, SeaWorld San Diego, Legoland California.
"Theme parks are slated to open in Stage 3 if the rate of spread of COVID-19 and hospitalizations remain stable," according to California Health and Human Services Agency spokesperson Kate Folmar.
- Quibi Is Here: Will It Last? - dot.LA ›
- Los Angeles Coronavirus Updates - dot.LA ›
- Florida is Poised to Reopen Disney World and SeaWorld - dot.LA ›
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"The time for inaction is over."
Such was the through-line in dot.LA's Thursday panel discussion on "Measurably Increasing Diversity in the Workplace."
Joining dot.LA host Kelly O'Grady was Oona King, VP of diversity, equity & inclusion (DEI) at Snap and a member of the UK House of Lords, and Kobie Fuller, partner at Upfront Ventures. The conversation centered on what organizations must do to ensure that this moment of acute awareness of the societal issues around DEI does not go to waste.
"I am grateful that white people have woken up," said King, who has also worked in diversity and inclusion at the UK's Channel 4 and YouTube. "But my gratitude will turn back to rage if they go back to sleep."
Kobie Fuller, Partner, Upfront Ventures

Kobie joined Upfront in June 2016, bringing deep expertise in enterprise SaaS and emerging technologies including VR and AR. Over his career he has invested early in notable companies including Exact Target (sold to Salesforce for $2.5B) and Oculus (sold to Facebook for $2B). Prior to Upfront, Kobie was an investor at Accel and, earlier, was the chief marketing officer at L.A.-based REVOLVE, one of the largest global fashion e-commerce players. Earlier in his career, Kobie helped found OpenView Venture Partners and was an investor at Insight Venture Partners. Kobie graduated from Harvard College.

Oona King, VP of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at Snap Inc.
Oona King is the VP of diversity, equity & inclusion at Snap Inc. Previously, Oona was Google's director of diversity strategy, YouTube's director of diverse marketing, and before that chief diversity officer for British broadcaster Channel 4. Oona is a member of the House of Lords (a life-time appointment as Baroness King in January 2011), and former senior policy advisor & speechwriter to the prime minister at 10 Downing Street.

Oona became a member of the House of Commons at 29, the second woman of color, and 200th woman of any color elected to the British Parliament. She became parliamentary private secretary to the minister for e-commerce, and secretary of state for trade and industry. Oona was voted by other MPs as "the MP most likely to change society." In the Lords, Oona's front bench roles included shadow education minister, shadow minister for the digital economy, and shadow minister for equalities.

Chief Host & Correspondent and Head of Video Strategy at dot.LA
Chief Host & Correspondent and Head of Video Strategy at dot.LA
Kelly O'Grady is dot.LA's chief host & correspondent. Kelly serves as dot.LA's on-air talent, and is responsible for designing and executing all video efforts. A former management consultant for McKinsey, and TV reporter for NESN, New England's premier sports network, she also served on Disney's Corporate Strategy team, focusing on M&A and the company's direct-to-consumer streaming efforts. Kelly holds a bachelor's degree from Harvard College and an MBA from Harvard Business School. A Boston native, Kelly spent a year as Miss Massachusetts USA, and can be found supporting her beloved Patriots every Sunday come football season.

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Amazon is once again postponing Prime Day, the company's annual sales event, due to the coronavirus. Amazon informed sellers of the delay this week, according to reports from Business Insider and CNBC.
Amazon is tentatively targeting the week of Oct. 5 for the holiday.


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The move aims to level the playing field for booksellers, clothing stores and “non-essential” businesses that were forced to shut down on October 30 after a second nationwide lockdown was imposed, propelling consumers toward online sites, including Amazon.
Under the deal, large retailers agreed not to offer Black Friday sales promotions until Dec. 4 on condition the government allow small retailers – which have been waving since containment orders to reopen – to resume. their activities before that date. This would give smaller stores time to prepare to offer their own discounts when large competitors do.
[CORONAVIRUS: Click here for our complete coverage » arkansasonline.com/coronavirus]
“Open or die,” said this week Yohann Petiot, managing director of Alliance du commerce en France, a trade group for businesses.
The spectacle of one of Europe’s largest countries scrambling to protect its retailers from Amazon highlights the difficulties governments face as they attempt to strike a balance between enforcing a second series of shutdowns amid pandemic fatigue and preventing retailers that don’t have the same deep pockets as big companies from collapsing into mass bankruptcies.
In France, the episode sparked a new reaction against the American web giant. Since arriving in 2000, Amazon has become a favorite in France, capturing almost half of online spending in 2019. Sales in France have jumped almost 50% from a year ago during the last lockdown, the company said.
But rapid growth has made Amazon the symbol of a dominant multinational corporation that critics say imports unwanted American-style consumerism as well as job instability and environmental degradation into the second-largest economy. of the euro zone.
Ahead of Friday’s announcement, French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire and other politicians have urged buyers not to sell their business to Amazon.
[Video not showing up above? Click here to watch » https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ub_3Z6F38rQ]
The mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, circulated an online petition entitled “A Christmas without Amazon”. Addressed to Santa Claus, it engages the signatories of a “#ChristmasWithoutAmazon”, described as a tax evasion Grinch that destroys small businesses, jobs and the environment in France.
The virtual call to arms, however, was quickly the victim of an online hack that overloaded the website with forged signatures sent from over 200 servers, including hundreds of signatures on behalf of Jeff Bezos, managing director. from Amazon, with the comment: “Sorry, not sorry, Jeff. ”
The scramble by French politicians to appease the anger of small businesses has reopened a larger controversy over Black Friday itself, which wasn’t even an event in Europe until a few years ago, when it was inaugurated mainly by Amazon, which began to promote significant sales at the same time as those in the United States.
While American Thanksgiving is just another Thursday in Europe, Black Friday has flourished. In Britain, Spain and other countries, Amazon and other major retailers have already started offering Black Friday discounts online earlier this month.
France has been slower than other European countries to join the trend, and politicians have discouraged buyers from participating, warning of a “consumer frenzy” in which people are encouraged to buy products they don’t want to buy. do not need.
Yet Black Friday has been a crucial tool for retailers to increase sales. Last year, retailers in France achieved estimated sales of $ 7.1 billion around Black Friday.
Those sales are more crucial than ever this year as retailers have faced unprecedented losses from lockdowns linked to the pandemic. Although stores reopened from June to September, this was not enough to fully compensate for France’s first lockdown; Cumulative sales for the year are still, on average, 10% below their 2019 levels, according to an analysis by German bank Allianz.

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The iconic instrument manufacturer Fender has revealed their new cutting-edge Player Plus Series, with help from futuristic artists such as Nova Twins and Blu De Tiger.
The series features modern takes on and brand new versions of seven of Fender’s most important guitar and bass models that have been designed to “match the unique characteristics of today’s players and creators”.
In a statement about the new range, Fender CMO, Evan Jonas said: “Artists will always be at the heart of what drives us to create and innovate.” He then explained the thought process behind the new range, adding: “For us, this means listening closely to their needs, studying the evolving music landscape and delivering tools that will help them move and inspire fans.”
Jones continued: “Inspired by the continued emergence of new artists who are taking the guitar into new spaces and putting their own stamp on musical traditions of the past, the Player Plus series is built for artists who want to transmit a bold aesthetic and are unapologetic in their approach to their craft. Our hope is that working artists & emerging players will be attracted to the undeniable style, feel, energy and of course Fender tone that has and will continue to inspire generations of creators.”
Justin Norvell, of EVP Fender Products, added: “We designed the Player Plus series to match the unique characteristics of today’s players and creators”.
He explained how the company are building on where their ‘Player Series’ left off, adding: “When we first launched the Player Series in 2018, we set a new standard for what an entry-point Fender could be. Now, the Player Plus series offers a next-level playing experience to help a new generation share their passion and distinct perspective.”
The new range comes with a whole host of technical innovations, including noiseless pickups and rolled edges on the necks for increased player accessibility. In addition to this, the colour schemes that they come in are brilliant, and the bright, eye-catching ‘gradient burst’ finish is clearly a standout. Via the new range, the manufacturer wants to “exemplify Fender’s ethos” by “honouring our past while looking to the future”.
In addition to this brilliant new line of instruments, Nova Twins have also explained that they feel rock and punk are making a resurgence, and that the number of bands that featured at this year’s festivals is a clear indication that rock is “having its moment again”.
Explore the new Fender range, below.


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Though it won’t be selling medical marijuana until December, an Andersonville medical marijuana dispensary opened Monday morning with a ribbon-cutting ceremony to welcome the public to come check out their operation, which likely will be the first in Chicago to dispense weed.
Zachary Zises, a co-owner of Dispensary 33, 5001 N. Clark St., expects to receive state licensing by Thursday and to begin selling medical marijuana to patients by the first week of December.
Kristie Zises, Zachary’s sister-in-law and CFO, said Dispensary 33 would be the first in Chicago to actually dispense marijuana.
A store in Logan Square, Modern Cannabis, is not far behind. Danny Marks, co-owner of that dispensary, 2874 W. Fullerton Ave., hopes to begin selling marijuana by the first week of January.
Monday’s ribbon cutting came seven days after medical marijuana went on sale in Illinois with the opening of five dispensaries — mostly in the Chicago area. Dozens of happy customers left with cannabis in hand.
“Our space is more customer friendly. There’s a more fortress-like mentality at other places,” said Zises, who worked at the…


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SANTA FE, N.M. — The Super Bowl is over. So is the Souper Bowl — Santa Fe’s signature late January fundraiser for northern New Mexico’s food bank, the Food Depot. This year’s Souper Bowl raised $80,000 for the organization.
That’s stunning for a town the size of Santa Fe. But there are a couple of compelling reasons for continuing to keep this nonprofit on your list of deserving charities in the near future.
One, of course, is the increased need for food to help the folks on the lower rungs of the economic ladder make ends meet. The Food Depot has seen a 30 percent increase in the need for extra food since the beginning of the economic turndown.
The other reason is more cheerful: The Food Depot has received a $1 million challenge grant that will enable it to build more warehouse space — including its own refrigerated storage that will make it possible for the nonprofit to accept and distribute significantly more fresh food to needy families.
Because the $1 million was given in the form of a challenge, the Food Depot needs to match the amount through donations from other sources. If successful, the organization will have $2 million — enough, say administrators, to double the amount of food the Food Depot distributes each year.
Enough, too, to significantly reduce its overhead. Simply by having its own cold storage facilities, for example, the nonprofit can save around $3,000 a month, money it now spends to rent short-term cold storage. Adequate storage space, especially for fresh produce and fruits, also means healthier choices for the families the Food Depot serves.
The Food Depot serves nine northern New Mexico counties and provides food to more than a hundred other nonprofits, including homeless shelters, shelters for victims of domestic violence, hot meal programs and smaller food banks. The Food Depot’s goal is to end hunger in our region.
Let’s help them achieve that goal.


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Top performers within the Considerate Constructors Scheme ready to celebrate UK’s most considerate companies and suppliers of 2016.
The winners of this years Considerate Constructors scheme 2016 are soon to be announced, with top performing registered companies and suppliers ready to celebrate success at this years event.
The scheme works to change negative preconceptions that come within the construction industry.
Construction sites, companies and suppliers voluntarily register with the scheme and agree to abide by the code of practice, which includes caring about appearance, respecting the community, protecting the environment, ensuring safety and valuing the workforce.
Around 900 companies and suppliers have registered for the scheme in the last 12 months. Supplier Registration was introduced in 2014 and this year’s awards mark the first year that suppliers will be eligible to win a National Award.
The Scheme will be hosting the 2016 National Awards on 10th and 11th November, at the Four Seasons hotel on Park Lane.
Richard Beresford, Chief Executive of the National Federation of Builders, and Liz Male, Chairman of TrustMark will be announcing whether each winning company has received a Bronze, Silver or Gold Award for their achievements. There will also be Runner-up Awards and winners for the coveted ‘Most Considerate Company’ and ‘Most Considerate Supplier’ Awards.
Considerate Constructors Scheme Executive Chairman Isabel Martinson said: “The Awards celebrate the phenomenal efforts being made to improve the image of the industry for the benefit of the public, the workforce and the environment.
“It is particularly exciting this year to be awarding, for the first time, the significant contribution that suppliers are making. As the industry knows, suppliers perform a vital role in the construction process, and have a significant responsibility to behave in a considerate manner at all times to ensure they portray a positive image of the industry they represent.”
If you would like to read more articles like this then please click here


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The use of increasingly sophisticated digital demographics to target specific audiences is hardly news. Is it creepy and unsettling? Of course; I think most people are concerned about “big brother” knowing so much about them, but it doesn’t stop most of us from living online.
What I find more appalling are the hate ads and false advertising these days. It amazes me the stuff they’re allowed to put out there. I thought campaign and advertising laws used to be tougher, but maybe everybody has just lost interest in enforcing them. Personally, I’d like ad laws to prohibit covering one’s opponent at all, leaving any negative info for the media to cover; this would also eliminate the “co-called voter suppression” advertising discussed here. Obviously politicians aren’t ever going to introduce such a law.
FYI for what it’s worth, Facebook was accused by a number of former employees this spring of a liberal bias in their news feed. I know Moskowitz is a Democrat and I believe Zuckerberg is, as well.


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A fast-paced interview at HICAP in Hong Kong reveals InterContinental Hotels Group CEO Keith Barr’s thoughts on a variety of topics, including his desire to accelerate the company’s growth, industry consolidation and the importance of Asian travelers to the global hotel industry.
HONG KONG—Keith Barr, CEO of InterContinental Hotels Group, sees a lot of opportunity to bring IHG’s brands to the Asia/Pacific region and capitalize on one of the fastest-growing travel segments in the world.
Barr discussed consolidation, growing IHG’s boutique Kimpton brand and more in an eight-minute interview with Hotel News Now as part of the Hotel Investment Conference Asia Pacific Program. Designed to be a fast-paced, high-level interview, the eight-minute session was a prelude to a later town hall session featuring Barr being interviewed by Christopher Hur, chief investment officer for Lodgis Hospitality.
Following is the transcript of the session, which was held at The Kerry Hotel. The text was edited for brevity and clarity.
Q: What is it about the hotel industry that is attractive to you in your role as CEO?
Barr: “If I didn’t go into the hotel industry, I would have been a lawyer, and I think I’m a better chief executive than I would have been a lawyer. Being a CEO is a lot more fun.”
Q: What’s the most fun thing about being a CEO?
Barr: “The global nature of this business. It’s extraordinary. I flew into Hong Kong on Tuesday and caught up with so many friends across the Asia/Pacific (region) and just the dynamic nature of the growth. It’s an extraordinary industry compared to many others.”
Q: You spent a lot of time in China in your role at IHG, and (STR’s) Jesper Palmqvist just showed us the tremendous growth that’s going on here. Does that surprise you at all?
Barr: “I lived in Shanghai for four-and-a-half years. Today we have 350 hotels open (in China), 450 in the pipeline. It’s our fastest-growing market globally—we’re about 15% increase year-over year. It doesn’t surprise me. What does surprise me is the pace of change. You would think it’s going to slow down, but you think about Shanghai today versus five years ago, 10 years ago, 15 years ago … it’s just fundamentally different. It’s spreading across China, particularly out west.”
Q: You’ve been in the role of CEO at IHG for almost a year and half, you’ve made some pretty sweeping changes, particularly in this region. Can you talk about that, why the changes, what they’ve meant to IHG and how they changed the company?
Barr: “My focus when I became CEO was how to become more agile, how do we move faster, how do we accelerate our growth and how to put more resources close to our customers and close to our owners to drive performance. We’ve put a lot more resources into the market, so we’ve scaled up in Australia, Japan, southern Asia, the Middle East … put more boots on the ground to drive performance there, and it’s paying dividends. You look at the first half of this year, it was our best signings and best openings in over 10 years.”
Q: You’ve launched a number of brands, including some specific to this region. Can you talk about why it’s important for brand launches in this kind of environment?
Barr: “We want to make sure we’ve got the right products on the shelf for our guests and for our owners. When we have a gap, we want to fill that gap as best we can. We’ll do mainstream brands, upscale brands organically, which we’ve done with Avid hotels in the U.S. as we launched last year and have already signed 130 in the first half (of 2018). We’ve taken that now to Mexico, Canada, and we’ve just announced that we’re taking it to Germany. We just launched the Voco hotel brand—we’ve already signed three in Australia and a number in Europe to play in the upscale space. I’m here this week focusing on the Regent brand, which many of you know has a special place in many of our hearts in this part of the world.”
Q: Kimpton is growing fast. Talk a little about that brand and that boutique/lifestyle segment.
Barr: “What a great brand. Incredibly (successful) in the U.S. Now we have pipeline in Taipei, Bali, Tokyo … looking at places in Sydney right now, Frankfort, Barcelona. We did the Principal hotel deal in the U.K. with Starwood Capital which provides us with four Kimptons in the U.K. So just great momentum in that space because it offers a product that guests love with a restaurant offering and a bar offering, but it also brings that creativity and that flexibility to our owners that they really want.”
Q: So, here’s the tough question … you knew it was coming. Whenever consolidation is mentioned in the industry worldwide, IHG is always a part of that conversation. Sometimes it’s as the buyer, sometimes it being bought. What’s your take on consolidation—how is that affecting you at the moment?
Barr: “The big five hotel companies have 25% of existing room stock but 60% of the pipeline. So the big hotel companies are fundamentally going to get bigger by either organic or inorganic means in terms of acquiring brands. If you’re a small, niche brand, you can exist for a period of time, but people that are in the middle will always be challenged going forward because of the investment in technology, the investment of enterprise capability and so forth. You still will see consolidation take place in the industry. You have to make sure you’re getting better, not just bigger, because any company can get bigger today—deals can be done. But you can be disruptive to shareholder value, and you can be pretty disruptive to your brand portfolio, your composition. I think consolidation will happen, it’s natural in this industry. We’ve acquired Regent, we’ve acquired Kimpton, and we’ll continue to do things selectively.”
Q: It sounds like you’re a man in it for the long run.
Q: The importance of Asian consumers in the market. How important is that to you and the industry in general?
Barr: “Asia/Pacific in general is incredibly important. It has some of the fastest-growing markets in the world, some of the fastest-growing economies in the world. You’re seeing the rising affluence, the outbound travel from China and other markets as well. It’s incredibly important that we’ve got a great portfolio of brands here and showing enterprise contribution in the markets we focus on. Customers are going to continue to grow at a pace that’s almost unlike anywhere else in the world, and we want to be part of that. We focus so much on China … we want to make sure we have great distribution there, a great brand portfolio so we can maximize that outbound travel principally in Asia. About 80% of the outbound travel is in Asia/Pacific. That’s why I want to make sure we’ve got a great footprint here.”
Q: What’s the biggest opportunity for IHG?
Barr: “To continue to scale up in certain markets where we don’t have our full brand portfolio. We’ve had some markets where we haven’t brought a full array of brands and now that they’ve matured, we’re really penetrating the markets.”
Q: How about the biggest challenge that you face?
Barr: “It’s the pace of technology changes. How do you invest in technology, invest in your enterprise to stay competitive in an industry that historically has moved very slow? You have to find ways to it fun fundamentally different than we’ve done it in the past.”


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An Indian teen whose face was left disfigured by an acid attack walked in New York Fashion Week, ABC reports.
According to ABC, 19-year-old Reshma Quereshi is modeling for two prominent Indian designers during New York Fashion Week this week, proving that beauty isn’t just about looks.
When Reshma was 17, her sister’s estranged husband mistakenly threw acid at her face as she walked to school in a brutal attack. He meant to hit her sister, People reports. The acid burned Reshma’s face, severely scarring her and causing her to lose her left eye.
Acid attacks are all too common in India and South Asia. Make Love Not Scars, an organization working to end acid attacks, notes there are as many as 1,000 acid attacks each year in India alone, though the BBC points out acid attacks are believed to be under-reported. Between 2012 and 2014, attacks increased by 250%, according to the organization, even though the country passed laws to control the sale of the types of chemicals attackers use.
According to the Huffington Post, 85% of acid attack victims are women like Reshma. To bring awareness to acid attacks like the one she suffered, Reshma started video blogging about makeup in 2015, according to People. The videos called attention to how terrible and scary acid attacks are by contrasting the subject with makeup- something light and fun. Now she’s hitting the biggest fashion stage in the world as a model.
ABC reports Reshma’s walk is part of fashion production firm FTL Moda’s #TakeBeautyBack, a campaign that is attempting to end acid attacks. FTL Moda president Llaria Niccolini told ABC the goal is to both bring diversity to the fashion industry and show everyone the reality of acid attacks in India. Reshma is walking for Indian designers Archana Kochhar and Vaishali Couture.Reshma’s inclusion in Fashion Week will raise awareness about acid attacks, and will no doubt make an important statement about beauty.


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Ikea confirms 10% price hike in UK stores due to Covid
Flatpack furniture specialist Ikea has confirmed it has increased the average price of products in its UK stores by 10% due to rising supply chain costs.
(C) PA Wire Ikea price rises
The retailer said it has been forced to increase prices in the UK by more than the global 9% average due to “local market conditions”, including increased HGV and logistics costs. However, analysis by the Daily Mail has found that some beds, wardrobes and desks have spiked in price by as much as 50%. A Malm chest of drawers has gone up from GBP99 in mid-December to GBP150 today – a jump of 52% – a Hemnes daybed frame has increased from GBP215 to GBP279, and a Klippan two-seater sofa has risen from GBP199 to GBP229 – 15% more.
The issue was first raised by customers online, who noticed the sharp increases after Christmas, with some questioning why prices had not fallen as part of Boxing Day sales. Ikea responded in a tweet: “Unfortunately, there has been a significant increase in costs across the supply chain, including in raw materials, transport and logistics. As this is still ongoing it is necessary to increase prices across many of our products.”
Since the start of the pandemic, Ikea has managed to absorb the significant cost increases experienced across the supply chain while keeping prices as low and stable as we possibly can. Now, like many other retailers, we have had to raise our prices to mitigate the impact on our business A spokesman said: “The effects of Covid-19 continue to evolve and impact industries all over the world.
“Since the start of the pandemic, Ikea has managed to absorb the significant cost increases experienced across the supply chain while keeping prices as low and stable as we possibly can. “Now, like many other retailers, we have had to raise our prices to mitigate the impact on our business. “As prices are influenced not only by the raw material prices but also by transportation, logistical costs and local market conditions, price adjustments differ from country to country.
“Whilst individual price increases vary, the average increase is 10% in the UK, in line with the global average of 9%.” Households are facing a cost-of-living crisis in 2022, with each home set for a GBP1,200 increase in bills next year as energy prices soar. Retailers have been increasing prices in response to the pandemic and supply chain issues, which have seen shipping and raw material costs rise significantly.
Inflation is now running at more than 5% and there are also concerns for jobs as the latest wave of Covid-19 hits the hospitality sector hard. New post-Brexit rules due to come into force from January 1 could also cause delays to shipments as the amount of paperwork required increases. Register now for one of the Evening Standard’s newsletters.
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Entries in 'ios' (62)
Creative agency Leo Burnett and developer Millipede Creative have banded together to create a game for the Aus Bureau of Statistics.
It's happening more and more that local talent is making a go of creating games for themselves - here's one such story.
Sydney-based developer See Through Studios has released a new iOS title, thankfully without the world ending too severely.
In news that will surprise, alarm and outrage most likely no one, Real Racing 3 has been heavily promoted in the App Store.
The be all and end all of train simulators in iOS has received a price drop, courtesy of Brisbane-based developer N3V Games.
EA and Firemonkeys have just finished hosting a large media event to celebrate the Australian-ness of Real Racing 3.
The Melbourne-based creator of Train Conductor and Train Conductor 2 has finally released its sophomore title: Puzzle Retreat.
Australia's cultural contribution to the world of mobile gaming is vital, as this cat kick-a-thon proves.
New Zealand developer Dave Frampton is no stranger to success (following Chopper and Chopper 2), but he's just found another 1 million strong audience.
Melbourne-based developer Millipede Creative Development has partnered with Tennis Australia to grow brand awareness for Hot Shots.
Another Aussie-developers iOS game has hit the App Store today: Blast Points from Melbourne-based developer Pub Games.
OpenFeint, the first real equivalent of Xbox Live on smartphone, is to be closed on December 14th.
Yet another release from the booming world of Australian indie mobile development today, as Missile Control drops for mobile.
Sidhe's mobile arm PikPok has been busy, today dropping Rise of the Guardians: Drop n Dash for iOS.
Well, the home console may still be the one you rush to see, but Firemonkeys have held nothing back in creating Most Wanted for mobile.
Ian Livingstone (Life President of Eidos) has written another Fighting Fantasy book, and it's being brought to life by Tin Man Games.
Now here's a unique twist - a platformer where your aim is to get from top to bottom, in a new Aussie indie game called Freedom Fall.
Sydney developer Alex Vlaskin has released the first two episodes of Bebee the Bee, an iOS kids' arcade title.
Wellington-based developer Sidhe's mobile division PikPok has been busy of late, today launching two new titles for iOS.
EA hosted a Need for Speed: Most Wanted preview event in Sydney this week, bringing in talent from Criterion and Firemonkeys.
PikPok, Sidhe's mobile arm, has today released a quirky action-puzzler for iOS developed by Conix.
Saito Games, a Sydney-based indie developer, has today launched Treasure Submarine, bringing a twist to the classic game of Battleship.


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Uber announced this week that it won’t put a fleet of driverless trucks on the road, at least for now. Instead, the rideshare giant is choosing to concentrate on self-drive automobile technology. Gildshire wanted to learn more. Roadshow by Cnet helped with the research.
“We recently took the important step of returning to public roads in Pittsburgh, and as we look to continue that momentum, we believe having our entire team’s energy and expertise focused on this effort is the best path forward,” Eric Meyhofer, head of Uber Advanced Technologies Group, said in a statement.
Uber, as you know, is largely known as a ride-hailing service that matches drivers with passengers through a linked smartphone app. Over the last 2-3 years, it has ventured into the realm of driverless vehicles.
To give some context to the trucking plan, Uber’s idea was to employ transfer hubs all over the country, connecting automated long-haul traffic with drivers who specialize in local trips. Results have been positive. The company tested the self-drive trucks in Arizona and had started to employ its autonomous fleet as a freight hauler for multiple customers all across the Grand Canyon State.
The self-drive trucking effort was borne from Uber’s 2016 purchase of Otto, a self-driving trucking company founded by star Google engineer Anthony Levandowski. But the Otto acquisition would prove to lead to difficulties. The startup entered into a legal struggle with Google’s self-driving car arm, known as Waymo. Levandowski was accused of pilfering 14,000 files that were labeled “highly confidential” upon his departure from the company.
In February, Otto and Waymo surprised observers by announcing a settlement that would involve Uber paying Waymo almost $245 million. Waymo had litigated for $1.8 billion in compensatory and punitive damages.
All looked like it was going well, until March of this year. That’s when an Uber self-driving car plowed into a pedestrian, resulting in the death of the walker. All of this prompted Arizona’s governor to suspend the testing of Uber’s self-drive cars along state roads.
The decision has no effect on Uber Freight, which is an app platform similar to Uber’s ride-hailing app, letting trucking companies and their affiliated drivers make smartphone connections with shippers. This app is already in use for the trucking industry all over the country. Uber’s autonomous semis will be available on this platform.


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Symmetry Partners LLC lowered its position in shares of Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL – Get Rating) by 21.4% during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The fund owned 157,530 shares of the iPhone maker’s stock after selling 42,971 shares during the quarter. Apple makes up approximately 1.2% of Symmetry Partners LLC’s holdings, making the stock its 23rd biggest holding. Symmetry Partners LLC’s holdings in Apple were worth $20,468,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.
A number of other hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of AAPL. Wealthspire Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Apple by 42.8% in the 2nd quarter. Wealthspire Advisors LLC now owns 299,829 shares of the iPhone maker’s stock valued at $40,993,000 after purchasing an additional 89,865 shares during the last quarter. Eagle Bay Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Apple by 35.7% in the 2nd quarter. Eagle Bay Advisors LLC now owns 25,608 shares of the iPhone maker’s stock valued at $3,501,000 after purchasing an additional 6,735 shares during the last quarter. Callan Capital LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Apple by 1.6% in the 2nd quarter. Callan Capital LLC now owns 85,226 shares of the iPhone maker’s stock valued at $11,652,000 after purchasing an additional 1,322 shares during the last quarter. Bennett Selby Investments LP boosted its holdings in shares of Apple by 0.3% in the 3rd quarter. Bennett Selby Investments LP now owns 151,793 shares of the iPhone maker’s stock valued at $20,978,000 after purchasing an additional 450 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Blueshift Asset Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Apple in the 3rd quarter valued at $563,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 57.60% of the company’s stock.
Apple Price Performance
Shares of NASDAQ:AAPL opened at $155.00 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.89, a current ratio of 0.94 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.76. Apple Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $124.17 and a fifty-two week high of $179.61. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $146.64 and a 200 day simple moving average of $145.32. The company has a market cap of $2.45 trillion, a PE ratio of 26.32, a P/E/G ratio of 2.03 and a beta of 1.30.
Apple Increases Dividend
The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, February 16th. Shareholders of record on Monday, February 13th were paid a dividend of $0.23 per share. This represents a $0.92 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.59%. This is a positive change from Apple’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.17. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, February 10th. Apple’s payout ratio is presently 15.62%.
Wall Street Analyst Weigh In
Several research firms recently weighed in on AAPL. Barclays lifted their target price on shares of Apple from $133.00 to $145.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a report on Friday, February 3rd. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft set a $160.00 target price on shares of Apple in a report on Friday, February 3rd. Oppenheimer reduced their target price on shares of Apple from $190.00 to $170.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a report on Monday, December 12th. Jefferies Financial Group restated a “buy” rating and set a $195.00 target price on shares of Apple in a report on Thursday, March 2nd. Finally, Piper Sandler restated an “overweight” rating and set a $195.00 target price on shares of Apple in a report on Friday, February 3rd. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, five have given a hold rating and twenty-six have assigned a buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $168.24.
Apple, Inc engages in the design, manufacture, and sale of smartphones, personal computers, tablets, wearables and accessories, and other varieties of related services. It operates through the following geographical segments: Americas, Europe, Greater China, Japan, and Rest of Asia Pacific. The Americas segment includes North and South America.
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Investors know what's working and what's not. Jim Cramer says these stocks could power higher through the end of the year.
VIDEO ON MSN MONEY
Want to know why the company had such a spectacular rise and fall? Blame management, but also blame the short-selling process.
The answer lies in short sellers and the flawed process of betting against stocks.
These shares meet the legendary investor's criteria.
Benjamin Graham, known as "the father of value investing", inspired a number of famous "sons" -- Mario Gabelli, John Neff, John Templeton, and, most famously, Warren Buffett.
Born in England in 1894, Graham built his reputation -- and fortune -- by using an extremely conservative, low-risk approach to investing. To him, preserving one's original capital was every bit as important as netting big gains.
Don't be reeled in by the lure of these big-name blue chips.
There's a lot of focus on low-risk blue-chip investments right now. That type of investing strategy is a good one for volatile times, and taking shelter in big-name companies with global operations and a good dividend can provide stability to your portfolio.
But don't be fooled into thinking that all the big boys are the same. Even in the vaunted Dow Jones Industrial Average, there are a number of big-name stocks that are big-time disappointments. These dead Dow stocks have caused investors more stress at a time when they are looking for stability.
If you're considering blue chips right now, make sure your shopping list steers away from these toxic investments. Here are five dead Dow stocks you can live without right now:
Amazon disappoints Wall Street with weaker-than-expected quarterly results. Sprint reports a smaller-than-expected loss.
By Andrea Tse, TheStreet
Amazon (AMZN) was falling Wednesday after the online retailer reported disappointing third-quarter results Tuesday.
Amazon posted earnings of $63 million, or 14 cents a share, on sales of $10.88 billion. The average estimate was for earnings of 24 cents on revenue of $10.95 billion. For the fourth quarter, Amazon said it could post an operating loss of as much $200 million or a profit of as much as $250 million with sales ranging from $16.45 billion to $18.65 billion. Analysts had expected net income of about $394 million, or 85 cents, on sales of $18.15 billion.
Millions of Americans love the seasonal sandwich, so should the fast-food giant make it a full-time product?
McDonalds (MCD) has developed an almost cult-like following around its popular McRib sandwich.
Legions of fans call for the sandwich to return to the restaurant's menu every year, and are appeased when it appears for a month or so. Given its extreme popularity, would McDonald's benefit from adding the McRib to its menu full-time?
The company is poised to benefit most from the expected jump in mobile advertising -- but its costs are also escalating.
Google (GOOG) as a brand is so strong that its name has become a verb. Further, Google’s core business — selling targeted advertising through its popular Internet search engine — is as robust as the brand. Indeed, more than 65% of online searches in the U.S. use Google.
And industry researcher eMarketer expects spending on mobile advertising to jump 65% to $1.2 billion this year and approach $4.4 billion by 2015.
The company is spending heavily on infrastructure and to develop its Kindle Fire tablet, which it will likely sell at a loss.
Shares of Amazon (AMZN) were slumping Wednesday after the company missed Wall Street expectations on profit and revenue for the third quarter.
The company has been on a spending spree all year, building up its infrastructure for the holiday season and for the launch of its new line of Kindle devices. And generally investors have been fine with that.
The company didn't give a reason for why Rob Gillette left his post.
That's what's happening to First Solar (FSLR) Tuesday after chief executive Rob Gillette left the company effective immediately. Shares of the solar company fell more than 25% to close at $43.27.
The company didn't give a reason for Gillette's departure. Its chairman and founder, Mike Ahearn, will take over the chief executive duties until a search committee can find a permanent replacement.
The shipping company is optimistic about the country's economic future. Now if only its customers were as well.
You can tell from executives' comments that they see a recovery within reach. We're so close, and they're enthusiastic. But there is still too much uncertainty, too many question marks blocking the way.
"Over the last month or so, we are starting to see better economic numbers, so there is more optimism out there, and that could turn things around," chief executive Scott Davis told analysts on the company's earnings call Tuesday. "We are still expecting a slow-growth economy, but I don't think it is as negative as people were thinking two and three months ago."
The group-buying site lowers its target.
What is Groupon really worth? We may know more this week. The group-buying specialist is scheduled to meet with investors and bankers for the purpose of ratcheting its proposed IPO valuation down from more than $20 billion to $12 billion or less, The Wall Street Journal reports.
Color me unsurprised. Not only is Groupon unprofitable, but there's also no telling what management will have to spend to grow the business as outrageously as it has.
For its part, Groupon wants us to believe it has achieved massive economies of scale. Just look at how the company describes the economics of acquiring customers in its latest prospectus. On page 81, management gives the example of a "Q2 2010 cohort" group of 3.7 million subscribers acquired with $18 million in online marketing spending that went on to produce $92.8 million in revenue on 9.4 million Groupons sold over six quarters. The implication? Marketing is a minimal one-time cost that produces generous revenues downstream.
Certain characteristics of the company may make it attractive to buyers.
Taleo Corporation (TLEO) is a head-hunting company that uses computer programs to streamline the recruitment process. Recently, rumors have circulated that Taleo might be acquired by another company, which led its stock to rally of more than 7.5% on Monday. However, is there any truth to these rumors?
The largest publicly traded US operator earns S&P's highest 5-star buy rating.
With a market cap of $34.9 billion, Enterprise Products Partners (EPD) is the largest publicly traded pipeline limited partnership in the U.S.
We view EPD as a core master limited partnership holding, given its integrated assets that connect energy supply sources to end markets, its large geographic footprint and what we consider the sustainability of its cash distributions.
Recent quarterly reports showing strong demand from emerging markets have boosted investor optimism in this sector.
By Don Dion, TheStreet
The aerospace and defense industry will be of particular interest during the middle and latter half of this heavy earnings week. Names on tap include Boeing (BA), Lockheed Martin (LMT), Raytheon (RTN), General Dynamics (GD), and Precision Castparts (PCP).
So far this month, insider selling is averaging $178 million worth of transactions per day, according to TrimTabs.
By Michael Baron, TheStreet
October has seen plenty of insiders selling and very few buying, according to data from research firm TrimTabs, which tracks asset flows and market liquidity.
So far this month, insider selling is averaging $178 million worth of transactions per day, the firm said. That's more than double September's daily average of $76 million. Meanwhile, insider buying has been almost nonexistent, TrimTabs notes, coming in at just $8 million per day, less than a third of the year-to-date average of $30 million.
These stocks are showing signs of bottom formations and could rally sharply to close out the year.
By Tom Aspray, MoneyShow.com
It has been a rough year for the financial sector, and the widely watched Select Sector SPDR Financial (XLF) traded as high as $17.20 in February, but as low as $10.95 in early October. The big money-center banks like Bank of America (BAC) and Citigroup (C) have gotten much of the attention, though smaller regional banks have also been under selling pressure.
Many of these smaller banks do not face the challenges or overseas exposure of the big banks, and technically, several of these banks have completed daily bottom formations. The SPDR KBW Bank ETF (KBE) has already broken through resistance that goes back to August.
MORE ON MSN MONEY
Copyright © 2014 Microsoft. All rights reserved.
Jeremy Siegel is still optimistic about stocks, saying the US economy is the best in the world. Still, he says, we're getting closer to fair values.
Top Stocks provides analysis about the most noteworthy stocks in the market each day, combining some of the best content from around the MSN Money site and the rest of the Web.
Contributors include professional investors and journalists affiliated with MSN Money.
Follow us on Twitter @topstocksmsn.
[BRIEFING.COM] The stock market continues to struggle to find direction. The major indices are mixed with the Nasdaq drawing its main sponsorship from Apple (AAPL 103.16, +0.66), which is trading right through reports its iCloud service was hacked.
Otherwise, today's prominent price action has been reserved for the commodity and Treasury markets, both of which have looked weak since the get go and neither of which have shown any effort to reverse the negative pricing tide ... More
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Home Tags Streaming
Netflix has a pattern — and so far it's working in emerging markets with wild success.
Halloween is almost here, so it's time to check out great scary movies you can stream on Netflix, from "The Babadook" to "Children of the Corn."
In this prolific week for new music, Beck, St. Vincent, Robert Plant of Led Zeppelin, the Wu-Tang Clan, and English phenom King Krule all released new albums.
Netflix has more 'pricing power' now, and it's great news for its stock price, a Morgan Stanley analyst finds.
The company is raising prices while still adding subscribers. “How many businesses can you name that have done that?" one research firm asks.
The younger generation loves to binge-watch. Their parents, not so much.
Higher Netflix prices means higher revenues, and with a full library of quality content Netflix is not likely to lose subscribers.
This week, Sam Smith collaborated with Timbaland on a new single, and Canadian rapper Belly teamed with Pusha T on a track.
Netflix shares reached a record high on Thursday, following the company's decision to raise its prices for US subscribers.
Even without hits like "Stranger Things" airing this quarter, UBS still expects Netflix to crush earnings and subscriber growth.


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MUMBAI: Indian two wheeler manufacturer Mahindra has concluded the first ever Mojo – ‘Mountain Trail’ which was flagged off on July 24, 2016 from Delhi and concluded on August 7, 2016 in Chandigarh.
The Mountain Trail involved Mojo owners riding the motorcycle through some of the most challenging terrains in India over a period of 15 days. The participants rode over 3000 kms covering mountains, valleys and streams to reach Khardung La.
Mahindra Two Wheelers’ Sr. General Manager, Marketing & Product Planning, Naveen Malhotra said, “The Mojo stands for The Joy of Riding & Brotherhood, with Trails being at the core of the brand. The recently concluded Mountain Trail is just another example of why Mojo is the perfect companion for the modern day biker who is looking to explore new terrains.”
Deepak Varde, Tribesman - Mojo Tribe and participant at the ‘Mountain trail’ said, “This trail was an ideal mix of treacherous terrains which tested my riding capability and reinforced my belief that the Mojo is an ultimate touring bike. This is an experience I will strongly recommend to all my fellow bike enthusiasts and I cannot wait for the next trail to begin.”
Mahindra Two Wheelers, through the ‘Mojo Tribe’, is providing a platform to bring together owners of the Mahindra Mojo plus bike enthusiast and facilitate memorable experiences with the Mojo through four mega trails in a calendar year – Jungle Trail, Mountain Trail, Desert Trail and Coastal Trail.
The automotive sector is one of the largest industries contributing about 7.1% to India’s GDP and generating huge direct and indirect employment. In the Union Budget FY24, the industry has got major boost towards electric vehicle manufacturing, hydrogen fuel adoption and the changing technology mix. However, there were certain misses with regards to the GST reduction.
Satinder Bajwa, senior vice president and Head of Sales and customer care, and Harish Lalchandani, VP, Marketing, Mahindra Automotive, have quit the organisation, three people aware of the matter informed ETAuto on condition of anonymity.


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One of Saskatoon’s favourite art parties returns next month — with a few changes since last time.
The seventh annual LUGO, previously held at the Mendel Art Gallery, takes place April 16 at O’Brians Event Centre on Second Avenue North. “Movement” is this year’s theme, fitting for an event that was without a home when the Mendel closed to make way for the under-construction Remai Modern art gallery.
tap here to see other videos from our team.
Tickets for the 19+ event are $40. A limited amount of $150 VIP packages, which include a pre-party with exclusive food, drinks and performances, are also available. Regular tickets go on sale April 4 through Picatic. VIP packages are already on sale.
“LUGO embodies many of the aspirations of Remai Modern,” said gallery executive director and CEO Gregory Burke in a news release.
The event will move to the Remai Modern after it opens in 2017, Burke added.
The popular LUGO photo booth also returns and attendees are encouraged to wear black and/or white clothing “for optimum effects” in the booth, according to a news release.
More information is available at RemaiModern.org.


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Rambus scored a victory over Nvidia at the International Trade Commission. But what will it mean?
The parties involved behaved predictably after the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) ordered a ban the importation and sale of Nvidia Corp. graphics processors, subject to review by U.S. President Barack Obama: Nvidia immediately said the ruling would not impact customers, while Rambus Inc. loudly trumpeted victory.
Analysts who cover Nvidia were generally unmoved by the decision. Some analysts did cut estimates for Nvidia Tuesday (July 27), though they cited other reasons such as sluggish traction for the company's Tegra product line and lukewarm reviews for its Fermi products.
But analysts don't believe the ITC ruling will result in an actual ban on the importation or sale of Nvidia products, and neither does anyone else.
"At the end of the day, it is not in Rambus' best interest to stop Nvidia's products from shipping as the company is seeking royalty income for related memory IP," wrote Doug Freedman, an analyst at Gleacher & Co., in a report circulated Tuesday.
Nvidia already has a strategy in place to bypass the ITC's limited exclusion order, and it's pretty foolproof. Assuming that U.S. President Barack Obama doesn't set aside the ruling during the 60-day review period (it's unlikely he will do so), Nvidia will simply take a the five-year license on the Rambus technology that Rambus was required to offer under the terms of a 2009 settlement with the European Commission, the regulatory arm of the European Union.
This--or something similar to it--is what Rambus has wanted all along. As Freedman notes, Rambus has no interest in blocking the sale of Nvidia chips. The company simply wants a piece of the action that it believes it is entitled to by virtue of its patent position. Nvidia and others have been reluctant to pay up, but Rambus hopes the ITC decision will change that.
Sharon Holt, senior vice president of licensing and marketing at Rambus, noted in an analyst conference Tuesday that the ITC decision found Nvidia's products infringe on the so-called Barth patents, as opposed to the company's original Farmwald-Horowitz obtained by the company's founders.
"It is very positive for us to have some of the newer patents in the portfolio affirmed in this way," Holt said. "And I think existing and potential licensees will take note of that."
Holt went on to note that while Rambus has been successful in obtaining licensing agreements for its technology among memory vendors (often through litigation), the Nvidia decision could open up more potential licensing revenue among companies that sell processors with integrated memory controllers, a much larger pool of potential licensees.
"We certainly hope that other potential licensees that are sitting on the sidelines will take notice," she said.


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Can electric bikes take the uphill struggle out of cycling to work?
Jessica Shankleman of Business Green examines the pros and cons of Justebikes Dutch and German e-bikes:
Efforts to get more people to cycle to work in order to help ease road congestion, cut carbon emissions, and make people healthier, have been hailed a resounding success in recent years.
Experts believe about 200,000 people will have got back in the saddle in 2011 as a result of the government’s cycle-to-work initiative, through which employers can loan bikes to staff as a tax-free benefit.
But some people need more than a tax break to convince them to don their helmets and start pedaling, and a growing number of commentators believe a new generation of electric bikes could prove the perfect solution for those amongst us who cannot bear the thought of getting tired and sweaty cycling into the office of a morning.
Admittedly e-bikes are not quite as green as push bikes because the battery requires electricity, which at the moment is likely to have been produced by a fossil fueled power plant. But, like all electric vehicles, they emit nothing and have a much smaller impact on the environment than traditional combustion engine cars.
James FitzGerald at Justebikes estimates e-bikes re-charged from the grid are responsible for 0.0036kg of carbon dioxide equivilant per mile, which is still around 100 times less than the average passenger car.
He believes the UK could save 3.9 million tonnes of CO2 each year if everyone living less than five miles from work commuted on an e-bike instead of in a car, which is about the same as the four million tonnes of carbon which our forests and woodlands remove from the atmosphere every year.
The e-bike market is booming globally with Europe one of the fastest growing markets, but so far the UK appears to have failed to be convinced of the merits of electric bikes.
According to Frank Jamerson’s Electric Bikes Worldwide Report, annual production of e-bikes in China reached 27 million in 2010 up from just 58,000 in 1998. In the Netherlands, the leading market for e-bikes, sales jumped 40 per cent in 2009.
However, the UK market is slower. Jamerson estimates around 40,000 e-bikes will be sold in the UK this year compared to 215,000 in the Netherlands and 316,000 in Germany.
Nevertheless, he predicts UK sales could reach 100,000 in the UK by 2013, which could create new green jobs in an emerging industry at the same time as cutting emissions.
So what is different about the UK which makes us averse to a helping hand (or foot) when cycling? Jamerson reckons attitude is a major factor, arguing many Brits are reluctant to try something new.
He told BusinessGreen the answer to that question was “very simple”.
“Just as in the USA, the UK is a car driven society and people do not like to change from the comfort and convenience of today’s cars. That is my view of why electric bike sales are low in the UK and USA,” he said.
He also maintained that our bike dealers have yet to realise the market potential. “The bike dealers in Europe have learned they make much more profit from selling electric bikes, that have higher price points, so they push them. Very simple.”
FitzGerald appears to be one of the few bike dealers who has realised the market potential which Jamerson outlines. He spent last summer conducting a major media marketing campaign, has carried out his own research into the benefits of e-bikes, and has lobbied the government to support the emerging technology.
In a straw poll I conducted of cyclists’ attitudes to e-bikes, most turned their nose up at the thought of an e-bike, believing it would rob them of their daily exercise. Earlier this year, FitzGerald lent me two new e-bikes to test out for a month: Bosch’s astonishingly sexy Haibike mountain bike and the Koga E-Comfort town bike.
As a keen cyclist, I found that far from doing less exercise, I did more, simply because I got tired less quickly so could travel further. I even found local pubs were more than willing to let me charge up my battery while I had a drink, especially when I told them it only cost two pence per charge.
FitzGerald argues it is a mistake to target cyclists, given that they are already converted to pedal power. He believes the market for e-bikes lies with fleet operators, early adopters, and the Baby-boomer generation.
He said there were a growing number of women over 50 using e-bikes, many of whom are experiencing a sense freedom from the decades of transporting young families or bags of supermarket shopping across town.
He also argues that construction companies should use e-bikes instead of electric cars for travelling around building sites, because they are cheaper and nippier.
His research has found that if the 22 per cent of people who live within five miles of their workplace but commute by car used an e-bike, it would save £17bn a year for the state, companies, and their employees, by improving air pollution, saving carbon taxes for businesses, and fuel and parking costs.
But like most green technologies, cost is a major drawback. I was hugely tempted to swap my rusty old Raleigh mountain bike for a sparkly new Koga. Unlike some hefty older e-bike models, it is part of a new generation that uses lighter and more reliable lithium ion batteries.
It is glorious to ride – comfortable, fast, simple to operate and secure to park in a city like London that is brimming with bike thieves. Perhaps it would be even better in a hilly city like Sheffield, where commuters could really do with the extra push.
But at £2,500 it would take me two years to pay back the cost, and only then if I spent next-to-nothing on public transport. So I decided to stick with my old faithful.
Some experts believe VAT on e-bikes is unfair, and the government could help reduce the cost and boost sales by removing it altogether.
FitzGerald also argues the Department for Transport should make e-bikes eligible for the plug-in-car grant, which gives buyers a grant to cover 25 per cent of the cost of a plug-in electric car, up to £5,000.
It might make sense given that uptake of the grants has been rather slow. The most recent figures showed that just 786 vehicles registered for the scheme by the third quarter of this year against a possible budget for 2011 that covers grants for 8,600 cars.
The government says the PIC grant is only available for passenger cars at present because they are the biggest source of emissions from road transport, forming almost 60 per cent of total UK domestic CO2 transport emissions.
However, a DfT spokeswoman told BusinessGreen that it would consider including other vehicles.
“We will of course consider any evidence for other vehicles to be included in the scheme as part of the current Plug-In Car Grant review process,” she said, adding that its Office for Low Emissions Vehicles is in regular contact with the The e-Motorcycle Industry Association and the British Electric Bicycle association.
In the mean time, a trend towards cheaper e-bikes is also emerging.
This year, Giant and Raleigh launched ebikes below £1,000, which is the point when bikes become eligible for tax breaks from one of the most popular cycle to work providers Cyclescheme.
This could allow more employers to become aware of the e-bikes and perhaps consider including them in fleets, which could help boost the market without further government support.
Click here to read original article


text: The Legend of Zelda could be coming to mobile devices soon, and that's huge news. If the insider sources The Wall Street Journal has been in contact with is to be believed, Nintendo is currently hard at work on a new mobile game based in the series, which could launch as early as 2018. This could certainly fit in with the strategy that Nintendo has touted before, as the company has announced it would be bringing several of its larger franchises to mobile devices. Currently there are only reports of a Zelda mobile game coming to fruition, but as always it could just be one announcement away before becoming a reality. Here are three things to know about a possible Legend of Zelda smartphone game.


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A new report from McKinsey provides further evidence of a strong positive correlation between digital maturity and subsequent financial performance.
In an era of rapid digital change and digital disruption, the report concludes that “bold, tightly integrated digital strategies will be the biggest differentiator between companies that win and companies that don’t”. The biggest payouts will go to companies that initiate digital disruptions.
Fast-followers with operational excellence and superior organisational health won’t be far behind.
Based on detailed research, the report lists the distinguishing characteristics of ‘digital winners’.
Please visit the Bridgeall blog for a more detailed summary of the main research findings together with links to the full report.
As always, comment and feedback are most welcome.


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LVMH reported a 21 percent hike in 2005 profits to $1.79 billion, led by sales of Louis Vuitton denim handbags and Dom Perignon champagne.
A brief look at some of the day’s stories.
Dark, somber looks aren’t the only game in town.
Darker tones were making news, of course, but there were still plenty of touches of color and shine.
“I’m a Lady Who Lunches now,” Courtney Love said at Stella McCartney Thursday morning.
The presidents of seven U.S. business trade and lobbying groups are worried about a backlash against U.S. investment abroad because of attempts by Congress to block, or have final approval over, a proposed takeover of operations at major U.S. ports by…
Elle has long lagged behind Vogue in the online arena but it’s finally starting to play some catch-up.
Bvlgari's Jean-Christophe Babin describes diversity and inclusion as an ethos embedded into the renowned brand.


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John Gallagher Exits Greater Media/Detroit
July 12, 2010 at 1:14 PM (PT)
GREATER MEDIA/DETROIT Market Manager JOHN GALLAGHER has announced that he will be leaving the company. In a statement, VP/Corporate Communication HEIDI RAPHAEL wrote, "We are grateful for JOHN’s dedication and many contributions to the cluster, and we wish him the very best."
GREATER MEDIA/PHILADELPHIA VP/Market Manager JOHN FULLAM will serve as the interim Market Manager until a successor is named.


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This week we’re going to talk about Instagram’s latest updates, how to increase engagement on your Instagram Stories, and give you a daily checklist to level up your LinkedIn game.
This week we’ll be talking about Instagram’s biggest 2018 updates, lowering bounce rate on Instagram Stories, and social media mistakes that could be hurting your business.
Every day is a new opportunity to engage: WE tv social media gurus share their top tips for Instagram Stories success.
A weekly roundup of updates from our industry new junkies.
A weekly roundup of updates from our industry news junkies.


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Booking an Airbnb without any reviews can be a gamble, but for one guest, he wasn’t sure just how much of a surprise he was going to get.
David Holtz, a professor at UC Berkeley, went viral on Monday after he posted a picture on Twitter of his stay in London — which is minimalist, to say the least.
“[That feeling when] you arrive at your Airbnb and realize that the whole space is essentially just a large-ish bathroom that the host put a bed into,” Holtz added alongside the photo.
The tweet, which has been viewed nearly 14 million times, has garnered attention from others joining in on the joke.
“Looks like an upgraded prison cell. On the bright side you still have your freedom,” one user commented. “Don’t forget to close the toilet seat for your nightstand functionalities,” another added.
Hotel app Safara even chimed in to say it would cover a night at a hotel for him.
It’s unclear how much of this jarring bed-bath situation was a surprise to the professor, but Holtz replied to one user saying the stay had no reviews at the time he booked.
It “has some now,” he added.
Entrepreneur has reached out to Holtz for comment, however, in a tweet on Monday evening, Holtz said that as several outlets have reached out to him, he has nothing to say on the matter of Airbnb, but rather, the “small brush of fame” that may get the attention of the Survivor casting department.
“After sleeping for 2 nights one foot away from a toilet, I’m ready to sleep for 26 nights in the jungles of Fiji,” Holtz wrote in a separate tweet, tagging Survivor and host of the reality show, Jeff Probst.
Still, the viral fame may have been too much for the California professor: They’ve since made their Twitter private.


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US midfielder Clint Dempsey has been revealed as the North American cover star for FIFA 15, joining international cover athlete Lionel Messi.
Dempsey will grace the cover of every version of FIFA 15, but the eagle-eyed amongst us should be able to spot one significant difference between the Xbox and PlayStation covers.
While his Xbox-sponsored Seattle Sounders shirt is pictured on the Xbox cover...
It's been switched for the US international shirt on the PlayStation box.
"It's an amazing opportunity in my career to be on the cover for FIFA 15, a game that has played a big role in growing the popularity of the sport in America," said Dempsey. "To join the class of other elite athletes who have appeared on previous covers is very humbling and I am extremely grateful for this honor."
The North American cover is the first localised box to be revealed following last week's announcement of international star Messi, with additional territories to be announced in the coming weeks.
FIFA 15 launches in the UK on September 26.


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Anyone who needs stamps might want to head outside and grab them before the U.S. Postal Service's latest price hikes go into effect this weekend.
The cost of a lifetime stamp for first-class mail is now up from 63 cents Sunday to 66 cents, part of the increased mailing prices approved by the Postal Regulatory Commission earlier this year. The USPS said it needed more money in part because of high inflation.
As operating expenses fueled by inflation continue to rise and the effects of a previously defective pricing model are still being felt, these price adjustments are needed to provide the Postal Service with much needed revenue to achieve the financial stability sought by its Delivering for America 10-year plan, the USPS said in a press release in April.
Under the price changes, the value of sending a metered letter will rise from 60 to 63 cents, and sending postcards will also set customers back a little more. The cost of sending a domestic postcard is up from 48 cents to 51 cents, and the cost of sending international postcards and letters is up from $1.45 a piece to $1.50.
The USPS has raised stamp prices by 32% since early 2019 in an effort to boost its revenue as mail volume decreases. Last year, the first-class mail volume fell to its lowest level in 50 years, and it is down by more than 50% since 2006.
In April 2022, President Biden signed a bill that gave USPS about $50 billion in financial relief over a decade. Since 2007, USPS has reported a net loss of more than $90 billion.
Congress also forgave a $110 billion COVID-19 U.S. Treasury loan made to AmericanPS in 2020 and awarded USPS $3 billion last year to finance electric vehicle purchases and charging infrastructure.


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343 Industries has spoken out to say that Halo 5: Guardians will not be coming to PC following a leak from the Nvidia GeForce Now database that recommended it may very well be a chance.
The leak earlier this week uncovered potential listings for a lot of seemingly unannounced PC video games, together with a number of PlayStation exclusives and, in fact, the much-desired Halo 5.
In an announcement to Wccftech, Nvidia confirmed the leak however mentioned that "released and/or speculative titles" on the listing had been “used only for internal tracking and testing” and that “inclusion on the list is neither confirmation nor an announcement of any game.”
This didn’t cease hopeful Halo followers from speculating that Halo 5 would possibly lastly be making its method to PC. Nonetheless, Halo Group Director Brian Jarrard has now spoken out to say that won't be the case.
Responding to posts concerning the matter on Twitter, Jarrard mentioned that the itemizing was “maybe...for H5: Forge” however added there are “no plans” for a Halo 5 PC port. Jarrard acknowledged fan demand for the port however mentioned “the studio is fully focused on Infinite and MCC [Master Chief Collection]”.
Jarrard was cautious to say “never say never” however it seems to be like there’s positively nothing in improvement in the meanwhile, nor will there be within the close to future.
Perhaps this was for "H5:Forge" however I can verify there aren't any plans to convey H5 to PC. We all know there's some demand for it, however as we have acknowledged earlier than, not within the playing cards because the studio is absolutely targeted on Infinite and MCC. Won't ever say by no means, however nothing underway presentlySeptember 13, 2021
This isn’t the primary time that 343 Industries has needed to deny plans to convey Halo 5 to PC. It was solely final yr that Halo neighborhood supervisor John Junyszek confirmed throughout a stream to have a good time the sport’s fifth anniversary that the sport wouldn’t be coming to PC, at the same time as a part of the Grasp Chief Assortment.
Opinion: Finest to be cautious
Halo 5 most likely received’t be the final sport on the leaked Nvidia listing the existence of which a developer or writer should step ahead and deny. The truth is, this early denial might be a fairly good signal that we should always take the listing with a large vat of salt, even when it’s a title that looks as if it might be a practical candidate for a PC port.
Admittedly, there have been some fairly questionable and even outdated gadgets on the listing however there have been additionally some listings that weren’t completely outlandish. Halo 5 was certainly one of them and a few ports of unique PlayStation video games had been others.
Sony has mentioned that it’s planning to convey more of its video games to PC which lends credence to their look on the listing however that doesn’t imply we will make certain that the precise video games that had been a part of the leak—Returnal and Demon’s Souls amongst others—will certainly come to PC and/or Nvidia’s streaming service.
As Nvidia mentioned in its assertion, many listings had been “speculative” and, as Jarrard’s assertion has proven, it’s most likely most secure to attend for an official announcement earlier than feeling too hopeful about any of them.
So, Halo 5 nonetheless isn’t coming to PC, then. Nonetheless, Halo Infinite is. The subsequent Halo sport is coming to PC and Xbox very quickly, in reality, with its launch date lastly confirmed to be December 8. 343 Industries has promised that Halo Infinite might be a “first class” expertise on PC and that “it’s not a port, it’s built with PC in mind.”


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The lights are on
New Xbox head says that the company needs to put games front and center, but will that happen?
This list includes a cartoon of a former Soviet Union
leader, aliens in the Wild West, and the United States president in a suit of
In this video interview, Batman: Arkham Knight's game director talks about leaving Batman behind and we get to the bottom of a persistent rumor.
Valve's documentary humanizes the competitive gaming scene with a heartfelt documentary that focuses on a trio of aspiring Dota 2 players.
After the seemingly endless wait, it's finally time for the editors to take the gloves off and get to fighting.
You've met this year's batch of contestants. Now find out who's going head-to-head in the first round of the tournament.
Nintendo wasn't the only publisher that made awesome games for the Game Boy Advance.
This week we brush the space dust off a wonderful Sonic Team platformer on Genesis.
Associate editor Kyle Hilliard has spent time with World of
Tanks: Xbox 360 Edition, and has a few tips to offer so you can learn
from his mistakes.
We take a look at the Zelda- and Yoshi-themed levels of the latest Sonic game – a sentence our younger selves never believed would be spoken.
Join Game Informer's resident headline expert as he adds a little pizzazz to some old reviews.
Update: Recently there have been a surprising number of noteworthy video game developers who have left their positions.


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Robbers drag safe from coffee shop at Springwood, lose it doing U-turn
- From: The Courier-Mail
- June 14, 2010
TWO hapless criminals have tried to tow away a safe from a shop at Springwood, only to lose it after doing a u-turn.
About 2am, the offenders kicked in the windows of the Coffee Club in the Home Centre on Springwood and dragged a hefty safe out of the store.
Police believe they used ropes to hook the safe up to their vehicle and then drove off, dragging the safe behind them.
But the plans came unstuck when the car performed a u-turn and the safe ``flicked'' into a culvert.
Despite attempting to hide it with cardboard and some old tyre, a passer-by noticed the safe before the baddies could return and reported it to police.
Police said the safe was knocked around quite a bit, but was still intact.
Detectives will examine CCTV footage today in the hope of identifying the culprits.


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Apple made an announcement that it will ask apps to send a one-time pop-up message for permission from its users. After this announcement, Google said that it will now stop using the Apple tool in its apps like YouTube and Maps. It allows the users to personalise their advertisements.
The new Apple warning (pop up) tells its users when their browsing gets tracked. This announcement was made by the Alphabet unit in a Wednesday blog post. Apple has its own unique identifier named IDFA which it supplies to the apps. It is an essential code as it helps to track whom to send an advertisement.
But now according to its new tracking transparency rules it will ask for the consent of its users to get their IDFA through a one-time pop-up message as said by Apple early this year. This has become a concern for social media networks like Facebook as this new policy will discourage the online advertisement sales which will be great to loss to all such apps like Facebook.
Google has a tracking alternative to IDFA. Google’s apps are already logged in so its advertisement sales will not be much affected by the changes made by Apple. But advertisers and publishers depending on mobile advertisement will witness weaker results due to controlled or no IDFA access. The alternative for this is not yet ready by Google.
Even apps that do not use IDFA have to seek user permission before sending advertisements or accessing their browsing data as per the new policy by Apple. This did not sit well with Google who announced it will be not be using the Apple Tool anymore.


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Ever do a “Meatless Monday”? Millions of Americans — including myself — have tried it, and going one day without beef, chicken, pork, lamb, buffalo, emu — whatever your protein of choice — is not as bad as it seems. After a weekend of burgers, pepperoni pizza and restaurant appetizers, it's almost a pleasure to sit down to a dinner of legumes, grains, tofu and vegetable.
The idea first appeared in 2003 as a non-profit effort partially funded by animal welfare groups, with assistance from the Johns Hopkins' Bloomberg School of Public Health. Since then, going meatless periodically garners attention as new initiatives are launched in which vegetarianism is a component.
That's what's happening right now. Ingrid Newkirk, the president of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, wrote to the White House to ask whether President Obama and his family would consider participating (that would put First Lady Michelle Obama's organic garden out back to good use, now, wouldn't it?).
In her letter, Newkirk noted that going meatless has a long history and is as American as, well, apple pie:
“On October 5, 1947, in the first televised White House address, President Truman asked Americans to refrain from eating meat on Tuesdays and poultry on Thursdays to help stockpile grain for starving people in Europe,” she wrote.
There is also a perennial effort, which peaks every August just as the back-to-school bells start ringing, to reform school lunches as offered under the Child Nutrition Act. Some public health and food advocacy groups want the government to overhaul the menu to include more meatless options beyond the Friday fishcake.
Are supermarket retailers seeing any kind of shift in their aisles? Going meatless for at least one day a week seems to be catching on. Some Americans are doing it out of necessity — they just can't afford animal proteins right now. Others are concerned about the nutritional profile of today's food animals growing up with added hormones, antibiotics and the like.
Still others avoid meat because of their belief in animal rights. Such vegetarians and vegans obviously go way beyond the Monday suggestion and make every day meatless.
Now, store dietitians and in-store chefs have a prime opportunity to steer their shoppers to non-meat choices. Stores in college towns probably already experience higher-than-average sales of produce and grains, as numerous studies note increases in the number of college students asking for vegetarian options in their meal plans. Stores that host cooking classes or demos can probably combine two trends — vegetarian and ethnic — to stir up some excitement and interest.
Best of all, retailers don't have to take an ethnical or political stance in merchandising non-meat dinner ideas, though they may have some explaining to do to the folks in the meat and seafood department.
Respond to SN's Viewpoints online at supermarketnews.com


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Recent reports about draconian taxes soon to be introduced on boats visiting Thailand have proved a little misleading, but only a little
Recent reports from Asia have hinted that cruising Thailand for any longer than three months would attract a swingeing new import tax.
In fact, foreign-flagged vessels may stay in Thai waters for six months before attracting the tax, but the tax is a toothy beast. Here’s how it breaks down in relation to the value of the vessel:
- 35 percent import tax
- 50 percent excise duty
- 10 percent luxury tax
As these taxes are cumulative, the final bill may well end up costing you more than your boat.
Thai Customs and Excise have decreed that foreigners with legal resident status in Thailand, those conducting commercial charter operations, or those staying longer than six months, should legally import their boats, as any Thai would be bound to do.
The conditions for the tax are not deemed unreasonable, but their level has been the subject of intensive lobbying. As a result of that, an amendment from the Thai Finance Minister is currently under consideration by the Thai Prime Minister, recommending taxes be lowered and the ‘temporary stay’ limit extended from 6 to twelve months.
More on this story as it emerges?


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U-verse with AT&T Gigapower Launches Today in Durham
Durham Residents to Receive U-verse Internet, TV and Voice
for the First Time
DURHAM, N.C. July 20, 2015 – As part of an agreement with the North Carolina Next Generation Network (NCNGN) initiative, AT&T* launched U-verse® with AT&T GigaPowerSM to residential and small business locations in parts of Durham.** Today also marks the initial launch of U-verse Internet, TV and Voice services in the City of Durham, giving customers a new choice for connectivity and entertainment.
“It’s exciting for Durham to be joining the select group of cities served by ultra-high-speed Internet,” said Mayor Bill Bell. “It is even more exciting to think about what residents and small businesses will be able to do over the AT&T GigaPower network and how that will help us continue to grow and to move forward.”
“Advanced technology, like what AT&T is delivering, will help drive economic growth by enabling a new wave of innovation in many areas that touch all of our lives, including education and health care,” said state Rep. Larry Hall (D-Durham). “This announcement is a great example of why I support policies that encourage private investment in new technologies.”
The AT&T GigaPower network offers ultra-fast Internet speeds up to 1 gigabit per second to improve the customer experience for consumers and small businesses connecting to the cloud, videoconferencing, online gaming and more. Customers can also download 25 songs in less than a second or their favorite HD movie in less than 36 seconds.***
“AT&T has played a critical role in bringing high-speed connectivity to the Research Triangle,” said Tracy Futhey, vice president for Information Technology at Duke University and chair of the North Carolina Next Generation Network Steering Committee. “We look forward to continuing to work with AT&T to bring new entertainment and connectivity options to area residents and businesses.”
The launch of AT&T GigaPower in Durham marks a significant milestone in delivering service to all six NCNGN communities. The service previously launched in Cary, Carrboro, Chapel Hill, Raleigh and Winston-Salem.
“Our engineers and technicians have been hard at work for many months designing and building a new 100-percent-fiber network in Durham,” said Venessa Harrison, President of AT&T North Carolina. “We are thrilled that their efforts begin to pay off today for customers and the community as we launch AT&T GigaPower in Durham.”
U-verse with AT&T GigaPower customers also get high-speed Internet with 99.9 percent reliability and the fastest, most powerful Wi-Fi signal. Enhancements are made available through an upgraded residential gateway that takes advantage of the latest in Wi-Fi technology. The new gateway connects more devices over Wi-Fi with faster speeds from nearly anywhere in the home or business.
Customers who subscribe to U-verse with AT&T GigaPower will continue to have access to award-winning U-verse TV and Voice services. For example, they can watch and record up to six HD programs at the same time. AT&T GigaPower subscribers will also be able to record and store more of their favorite shows--up to 900 hours of SD or 330 hours of HD programming. Customers can access the AT&T U-verse App on smartphones and tablets to watch more than 240 live TV channels in their home, and more than 200 live TV channels while on the go -- that’s more than twice as many live TV channels on the go than cable. Customers can also stream video on demand, schedule DVR recordings, and access other features from the U-verse app.
Consumers in eligible areas can choose from a variety of plans. AT&T offers single, double and triple play bundles, so customers can select a combination of services to fit their needs. The packages below include a three-year price guarantee and waivers of equipment, installation and activation fees.
- U-verse High Speed Internet Premier: Internet speeds up to 1Gbps starting as low as $70 a month.*****
- U-verse High Speed Internet Premier + TV: Internet speeds up to 1Gbps and qualifying TV service starting as low as $120 a month.
- U-verse High Speed Internet Premier + TV + Voice: Internet speeds up to 1Gbps with qualifying TV service and Unlimited U-verse Voice starting as low as $150 a month.
The success of the first AT&T GigaPower market in Austin led to a major expansion beginning in 2014. AT&T plans to expand its 100 percent fiber network in up to 25 markets. U-verse with AT&T GigaPower has officially launched in 15 markets, and plans have been announced to launch AT&T GigaPower in parts of the Jacksonville, St. Louis and San Antonio markets.
U-verse with AT&T GigaPower also launched today in parts of Greensboro. Other communities in North Carolina where AT&T GigaPower is available include Apex, Carrboro, Cary, Chapel Hill, Charlotte, Morrisville, Raleigh and Winston-Salem.
Additionally, AT&T has committed that upon approval of its proposed acquisition of DIRECTV, the company will expand the AT&T GigaPower network to an additional 2 million customer locations. All of these 2 million locations are over and above what the company announced in 2014.
Frost & Sullivan recently recognized AT&T for its leadership in high-speed Internet services, awarding the company the 2015 North American Competitive Strategy and Innovation Leadership of the Year Award for Broadband. The analyst firm praised AT&T for its “aggressive pursuit of higher bandwidth access” for customers through its AT&T GigaPower network initiative.
AT&T has invested in North Carolina communications networks, people and local communities for 136 years. Between 2012 through 2014, AT&T invested more than $1.6 billion in its best-in-class wireless and wired networks in North Carolina, driving a wide range of upgrades to enhance reliability, coverage, speed and performance for residents and business customers. AT&T employs more than 6,700 people across the state.
For more information on U-verse with AT&T GigaPower, or to check availability, please visit att.com/gigapower.
* AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc.
** Initial availability limited to select areas. May not be available in your area.
*** Speed/time examples are estimates. Internet speed claims represent maximum network service capability speeds. Actual customer speeds may vary and are not guaranteed. Actual speeds vary based on factors including site traffic, content provider server capacity, internal network management factors, customer device capabilities and use of other U-verse services. Max speeds may not be realized if 2 or more HD shows viewed at same time. For more info, go to www.att.com/speed101
**** U-verse with AT&T GigaPower Premier offer is available with agreement from customer to participate in AT&T Internet Preferences. Other equipment fees may apply. AT&T may use Web browsing information, like the search terms entered and the Web pages visited, to provide customers with relevant offers and ads tailored to their interests.
AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) helps millions of people and businesses around the globe stay connected through leading wireless, high-speed Internet, voice and cloud-based services. We’re helping people mobilize their worlds with state-of-the-art communications, entertainment services and amazing innovations like connected cars and devices for homes, offices and points in between. Our U.S. wireless network offers customers the nation’s strongest LTE signal and the nation’s most reliable 4G LTE network. We offer the best global wireless coverage.* We’re improving how our customers stay entertained and informed with AT&T U-verse® TV and High Speed Internet services. And businesses worldwide are serving their customers better with AT&T’s mobility and highly secure cloud solutions.
Additional information about AT&T products and services is available at http://about.att.com. Follow our news on Twitter at @ATT, on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/att and YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/att.
© 2015 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved. AT&T, the Globe logo and other marks are trademarks and service marks of AT&T Intellectual Property and/or AT&T affiliated companies. All other marks contained herein are the property of their respective owners.
Reliability and signal strength claims based on nationwide carriers’ LTE. Signal strength claim based ONLY on avg. LTE signal strength. LTE not available everywhere.
*Global coverage claim based on offering voice and data roaming in more countries than any other U.S. based carrier, and offering the most wireless smartphones and tablets that work in the most countries.