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November 14, 2011 |
inflation Wholesale Price Index WPI inflation Wholesale Price Index
May 17, 2010 |
There is little hope that inflation numbers would look pretty anytime soon, with inflation now spreading to manufacturing. This is a very good reason to get tough on the fiscal deficit. Specifically, it is time to decontrol petrol prices , to reduce the subsidy burden on the fisc, to compress energy consumption and to remove the claim on loanable resources from oil companies scrounging for working capital. When savings are no longer diverted to fund a consumption subsidy, that gives the central...
August 7, 2004 |
Iron ore is the biggest contributor to inflation, accounting for 70% of the incremental inflation during the week, reports Our Mumbai Bureau With a weightage of 0.21% in the wholesale price index, the iron ore index jumped 188% in the week. Food articles, fruits and vegetables, iron & steel, basic metal alloys also contributed to the rise in inflation.
January 30, 2014 |
The Reserve Bank of India on Tuesday unexpectedly raised interest rates , repeatedly citing high consumer price inflation. The central bank has clearly indicated that it will be guided by the Consumer Price Inflation as opposed to the Wholesale Price Index ( WPI ) that had been the benchmark gauge of inflation.
June 19, 2004 |
MUMBAI: Taking a cue from the weak Asian markets, shares fell on the Indian bourses amid concern over a spurt in crude oil prices in the international market. Adding to the market's woes were fears of a further rise in inflation rates, after the government announced a hike in the prices of petroleum products and coal, brokers said. The government, on Friday, announced statistics on the wholesale price index (WPI), which seem to have...


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The deal comes as companies like Amazon (NSDQ:AMZN), which is reportedly trying to launch into the pharmacy business, are looking to change the way that consumers interact with the healthcare industry.
The chief executives of CVS and Aetna told news outlets that they plan to transform CVS’s pharmacies and clinics into community-based healthcare sites, where people can access care for a more reasonable price compared to a traditional visit to the doctor’s office.
Some critics have expressed concern that a vertical merger between the two companies could leave patients with fewer choices, especially if people with Aetna insurance are forced to go to CVS to fill a prescription or receive care.
Aetna CEO Mark Bertolini told The New York Times in an interview that the 10,000 CVS locations across the country provide a strategic advantage – they are already available and established within communities.
“CVS has the draw,” he said. “People trust their pharmacist.”
“We think of it as creating a new front door to healthcare in American” CVS Health CEO Larry Merlo told the news outlet.
CVS and Aetna have had a business relationship for seven years. According to reports, the two companies have been in talks over a merger for the last two months. Under the terms of the deal, CVS is slated to pay $207 per Aetna share. The companies expect that the merger will close in the second half of 2018, contingent upon approval by shareholders and regulators.
“If they can drive the adoption of the care delivery model, that’s a big deal,” Ana Gupte, a senior healthcare analyst for Leerink Partners, told The New York Times.

domain: news


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"The first time is like your first love, you'll never forget it!"Ettore Scardecchia
Head of Product Engineering, Avio
""She has dedicated her life to improving the situation of people with intellectual disabilities and their parents in Lithuania and elsewhere.""Angelika Hild
"The bigger problem comes if the EC’s flawed approach becomes the basis for new global rules and norms around digital trade"Nigel Cory
Information Technology and Innovation Foundation
"Savita died because religious objections were given more value than her life."Shannon Kowalski and Susan Wood
International Women’s Health Coalition
""God willing, next year we will celebrate this event again, hoping that the reconstruction of the city will have progressed.""Najim al-Jibouri
Military Commander in Mosul
"“The substance is very stable. It can be washed away by rain, it can evaporate under the sun. But it won’t decompose.""Vladimir Uglev
""If we want the best for our children, we need to want the best for all our teachers too.""Małgorzata Kulesza
Teacher in Poland
"People in Europe worry about migration for sure. But their attitudes to it are complex and open to change"Benjamin Ward
Deputy Europe and Central Asia Director, Human Rights Watch
Web Digital Stories
Ex-model Jessica Sbaraglia developed her urban gardens next to the world's most expensive apartments.
Former Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont has asked Spanish authorities to stop the sale of a brand of dry-cured ham called "Pig Demont" whose logo strikingly resembles him.
The Mondo restaurant chef won the 6th edition in Torino to win a place in the final
Australia has developed broccoli powder made of 100% broccoli in a bid to eliminate food waste and encourage good nutrition.
You need a delicate touch to make khinkali and a particular technique to eat it. But the tasty Georgian treat is well worth the effort!
Farmers in the Occitan region in the country's southeast lead the annual move, known as a 'transhumance'
Traditional pizza from Naples was over seven meters long
When eaten, the Szechuan button resembles an electric shock, with a numbing effect on the tongue and lips. And it's all the rage for many chefs in Spain.
Numbers of the stripy insects are declining every year largely due to human activity. They're the largest pollinators in the world and a third of the world's food production is estimated to be reliant on the yellow and black creatures.
A new YouGov survey found Italian food is the favourite cuisine in seven European countries while Polish dishes are among the least favourite.
Food prices in Britain could soar and supply could be throttled if Westminster fails to secure a post-Brexit free trade deal with the EU by 2020, according to a new parliamentary report.
Kim Jong-un reportedly made a joke about traditional North Korean noodles when he met his South Korean counterpart, sparking a craze in the South for the dish.
‘Vegan sausages’, ‘soya steaks’ and ‘quorn fillets’ will soon be a thing of the past in France.
The lemon which attracts big chefs around the world
The main ingredient is a microalga.
A luxury department store has teamed up with street food makers to produce technicolour toasties.
Even locally sourced EU meat could be contributing to destruction of ancient woodland.
If you have more money than you know what to do with, then read on.
Turner-Prize nominated Anthea Hamilton is the brainchild behind the new installation
Chefs in Turkey claim to have broken the Guinness World Record


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The Toyota Prius is the gold standard when it comes to fuel economy. The new Prius in Eco trim is capable of going up to 58 miles on a gallon of gas. That would have been unthinkable before Toyota married its hybrid technology to the internal combustion engine. The problem for Toyota is that it has painted itself into a corner. Improving on the Prius with its iconic Synergy Drive will be a tall order. It’s easy to make a Belchfire 5000 with a V-8 engine get 10% better gas mileage, but it’s a whole lot tougher to make a current generation Prius 10% more efficient. Nevertheless, people expect continuous improvements. What’s a poor car company to do?
According to Shoichi Kaneko, assistant chief engineer for the Prius Prime, creating the next generation Prius will be a difficult challenge. Because Toyota wants to lead the way in transitioning to a fossil fuel free transportation model, just making a better standard hybrid powertrain might not be enough. “Ultimately, PHEV may be the way to go,” Kaneko says.
Back in 2013, Toyota’s managing officer, Satoshi Ogiso, told the press, “To beat your own record becomes very difficult.” To get the current car to where it is today took a lot of small improvements. The engine is the most efficient production internal combustion engine ever built. Engineers took a little weight out here and massaged the sheet metal to get a tiny aerodynamic gain there. Now to get the next generation car up to 60 mpg or more will be incredibly difficult.
That’s why the company is thinking it may need to make plug-in hybrid technology the foundation of the 5th generation Prius when the time comes for it to debut. Making a plug-in hybrid powertrain standard equipment would allow Toyota to get to that next level. It would move the brand forward while keeping the Prius relevant.
The new Prius Prime plug-in hybrid is the proof of concept car for Toyota’s future plans. Kaneko says Toyota poured a lot of resources into making the Prime the best Prius possible. Part of that is the addition of a new double wishbone rear suspension to improve ride and handling over the old beam axle. If the Prius Prime struggles in the marketplace, that could force Toyota to reconsider its plug-in hybrid strategy.
That would be unfortunate. Purist bemoan plug-ins as a stop gap measure, but it seems clear they will be an important part of the electric car revolution, at least for the next decade or so. If the Prius Prime has a lackluster sales performance, it will probably have more to do with its polarizing styling than its plug-in hybrid powertrain. The new car, with its multitude of slashes and creases, and its ungainly front and rear treatments, is unlikely to make anyone’s Top 10 Car Designs list.


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Poll question: Holiday business
As Santa sails through cyberspace, whither seasonal strategies?
The holiday shopping statistics are piling up. After gaining 2.3% on Thanksgiving Day, shopper traffic at brick-and-mortar retail outlets declined 6.2% year over year on Black Friday, according to the latest data from ShopperTrak.
Meanwhile, online sales hit a record $7.4 billion on Black Friday, the traditional launch of the holiday retail season and the busiest shopping day of the year, says Adobe Analytics.
Fiserv’s SpendTrend Holiday Snapshot saw a 4.2% year-over-year growth in total Black Friday brick-and-mortar spending.
Many Cyber Monday tallies are still tabulating. But they are expected to surpass last year’s $7.9 billion in online sales – the highest-single day amount ever for online shopping.
ShopperTrak’s Brian Field, senior director of global retail consulting said: “Shopping in physical stores during the holidays continues to be an exciting annual event for consumers. With eight of the 10 predicted busiest shopping days still to come, including Super Saturday, which will fall on Dec. 21 this year, retailers are in for a successful holiday season.”
There’s a lot of money changing hands in December, bringing HBSDealer to this week’s poll question: What is your business doing differently this holiday season?
The poll is open on the right side of the page (or scroll down your mobile device.) Of course, your comments are welcome at [email protected].
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Target stock (NYSE:TGT) has been in free fall this year as the company battles with the consequences of inflation and a significant inventory adjustment to reposition shops for what customers want right now.
Following yet another market sell-off, Target stock (NYSE:TGT) is now down 33% year to date as we enter the crucial fourth-quarter shopping season.
Choose Target Stock
Despite how bad things have been, Target stock seems to be an outstanding dividend stock to purchase right now. This is why.
- A Consistent Dividend Growth Narrative in Good and Bad Times
Target has taken a beating this year. Stores had to swing to meet current demand as inflation grew significantly and customers changed their buying patterns to cope. Target chose a “rip the Band-Aid off quickly” approach to inventory changes, but the outcome was an operating profit margin of only 1.2% in Q2 2022, compared to 9.8% the previous year (more on that in a moment).
Target is a Dividend Aristocrat (a firm that has paid a dividend for at least 25 years) that has continuously increased its dividend distribution over the last half-century. Shares are now yielding 2.8% per year.
- Profits are on Their Way Up.
Returning to Target’s inventory adjustment. Target found itself with surplus merchandise, especially home goods, as inflation soared and shoppers began spending more on food and necessities. Management canceled orders and lowered pricing to eliminate the surplus and focus on the essentials that its customers want right now.
It was a difficult choice, but Target’s senior executives said it was correct. Following a 1.2% operating margin in the second quarter, the objective is to attain an operating margin of roughly 6% in the fourth quarter this year before lapping some cost headwinds from 2021 in the last quarter. What a speedy turnaround!
While Target’s profitability does not seem strong during the first half of 2022, a return in the next quarters might help the stock follow suit.
- A Smooth Transition to an e-Commerce Venture
Target isn’t the only store currently working hard to keep customers interested. Even e-commerce behemoth Amazon (AMZN -0.07%) saw its online selling empire come to a standstill. Target will have to compete with Amazon and others to keep the customer loyalty it has gained in previous years.
However, so far, so good for Target. In the spring quarter, declining profits were the focus, but visitor traffic was an unnoticed benefit. In fact, in-store comparable sales increased 1.3% in the second quarter, while digital comparable sales increased by 9%. This is the company’s 21st straight quarter of similar positive sales, fueled in part by its efforts to improve its expertise in same-day delivery and pickup services that customers seek in this age of digital shopping.
It may take many quarters for Target stock (NYSE:TGT) revitalization to be reflected in this value. If the firm does make a return this autumn, the market may reward Targe stock on the upside. Don’t forget about the dividend you’ll earn along the road.
Featured Image- Megapixl @ Lester69


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Timberland's third-quarter sales fell 21% to $473 million. (Photo: TDM Space)
VF Corp. reported a disappointing third quarter as it swung to a loss and saw its revenue drop 16%.
On its earnings call, the retailer, whose brands include The North Face, Timberland, Vans and others, said that CFO Matt Puckett, a 24-year company veteran, will step down later this year.
"He and I have agreed that it's time to make a change as part of the overall transformation efforts we're introducing across the company," Bracken Darrel, who was appointed president and CEO of VF in July, told analysts. "Matt will stay on until we appoint his successor to help ensure a smooth transition."
The company posted a loss of $0.11 per share for the quarter ended Dec. 30, compared to earnings per share of $1.31 for the year-ago period. Adjusted earnings per share came in at $0.57 versus adjusted earnings per share $1.12 for last year.
Revenue fell 16% (down 17% in constant dollars) to $3.0 billion. The quarter was negatively impacted by a shift in timing of wholesale deliveries, which was most pronounced for North Face and the EMEA region, the company said.
By brand, sales at The North Face declined 10% to $1.2 billion. Timberland’s sales were down 21% to $473 million, and Vans sales plunged 28% to $668.2 million. Dickies’ revenue declined 16% to $147.9 million. The “other brands” category, which includes Supreme, were down 6% to $479.1 million.
The company said during the quarter it continued to execute its “Reinvent” transformation program, which aims to enhance its focus on brand-building and to improve operating performance. The initial four priorities of the program are to improve North America results, deliver the Vans turnaround, reduce costs and strengthen the balance sheet. VF said it will continue to “pursue opportunities to simplify and streamline its processes and invest in the business to drive brand heat and accelerate a return to growth.”
In line with the goals of its Reinvent program, VF said it has initiated an in-depth strategic review of its portfolio “to ensure the company owns the brands that it believes create the greatest long-term value.” According to a report by WWD, the review could potentially put brands such as Timberland, Dickies and Supreme in play. VF has already been working to sell its Kipling, Eastpak and JanSport businesses, the report said.
"Our third quarter top-line performance was disappointing,” said Bracken Darrel, who was appointed president and CEO in July. “However, we are confident the actions we are implementing as part of Reinvent will enable VF to stabilize and then grow revenue and improve operational performance across brands and regions.” We have already begun to see the impact of our efforts to right-size the company’s cost structure and improve its inventory position, resulting in stronger than expected cash flow and expanded gross margin in the quarter.”
“This quarter marked the beginning of the next phase of our transformation plan: resetting the marketplace for Vans, reviewing our brand portfolio and continuing to build the organization of the future,” Darrel continued. “As we approach the end of this fiscal year, my confidence in VF’s future is rising."
On the company’s earnings call, Darrel noted that he spends more than half his time working with the Vans team. He said a “package” to fix the brand was in place.


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Yokohama Adds to UHP Tire Lineup With Advan Apex
Yokohama Tire Corp. is adding another new ultra-high performance tire to its lineup in 2019 — the Advan Apex. It's developed for the North American market, and the tire is Y-rated and available in 44 sizes for wheels ranging from 17 inches to 20 inches. The tire is available to consumers Aug. 1.
The Apex includes a 25,000-mile limited tread warranty. (Staggered fitmets are covered by a 12,500-mile limited tread warranty.)
“The Advan Apex is the latest chapter in Yokohama’s storied history,” says Duane Sampson, Yokohama product marketing manager. “It’s engineered for performance-driven enthusiasts who truly enjoy the drive.”
It comes on the heels of the launch of another UHP tire earlier this year — the Advan Fleva V701.
Yokohama says the Apex offers enhanced wet and dry performance, while providing a refined experience for a wide range of sports cars, high-end performance vehicles and American muscle cars.
The tire maker says the Advan Apex offers four benefits: Maximum grip: High-grade micro silica in a wide outside rib block devoid of lateral grooves creates near seamless contact with the road for maximum cornering performance. Plus, three inside grooves enhance wet performance while a narrow outside groove dissipates heat generated by high lateral loads for optimal dry performance.
Precision handling: An uninterrupted center rib enhances high speed stability.
Extended tread life: A micro-silica compound and rounded ribs profile optimize contact pressure with the road to reduce uneven wear.
Quiet ride: Optimized groove angles minimize road noise for a more comfortable, quiet ride.
For more information, visit www.yokohamatire.com.


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When Banks Bow Out, Credit Unions Can Ride High on Auto Loans
The economic downturn of the past two years has been tough on banks, but it has presented the best opportunity in decades for credit unions to grow by expanding their base of auto loans. When banks and finance companies severely curtailed their new and used car loans, vehicle shoppers rediscovered their neighborhood credit unions. Those credit unions that were prepared to shape their loan products to the local consumer's needs and circumstances have been able to position themselves for tremendous growth.
At Michigan First Credit Union, for example, we set records for new members every month during the downturn, and over the past two years, our auto-loan business has grown 20 to 30 percent. The reason is that we worked in a flexible partnership with auto dealers to meet the requirements of the often economically beleaguered residents of metro Detroit.


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GM is about to find out, with the addition of the Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon, if the U.S. market is interested in a small, less expensive and relatively versatile little pickup truck. Some analysts say that much will depend on the pickups' price, and depending on the customer reaction, other small truckmakers will be ready to respond. We've always thought the global Ford Ranger was a strong player, but Ford has said that the Ranger's price and sales volume wouldn't work in the U.S. and that's why it's not available here. Of course, it never hurts to be ready just in case.
This report from our spy shooters in the Rocky Mountains seems to bear that strategy out.
"We recently caught Ford engineers testing a prototype of an updated global Ford Ranger in the mountains of Colorado. The face-lifted prototype captured here gets a new front fascia and the camouflaged interior (partially revealed) shows that the interior is also getting some attention.
"The midcycle face-lift could be seen as a new chance for Ford to better tailor the Ranger for U.S. tastes — just as GM overhauled its global Colorado pickup specifically for the U.S. market. Of course, it would be very interesting to see the Ranger hit the U.S. market in light of the increased focus on smaller trucks from GM, Nissan and a new Toyota Tacoma likely in the works. But we know that's unlikely.
"With Ford's attentions and investment centered on launching the new aluminum F-150, and developing a thoroughly overhauled Super Duty lineup, it's unlikely that a U.S.-spec Ranger is very high on the priority list for Ford's U.S. product planners. Of course, if the compact pickup segment started to take off, however, one wonders how long it could continue to ignore this market segment."


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Hot air balloon flight raises interest in Eastbourne
A hot air balloon flight, an exclusive spa day, a dinner for two in a Michelin-starred restaurant and an iPad were among the big prizes on offer last month in Eastbourne in the run up to Valentine’s Day.
Interactive online business website, The Best of Eastbourne, came up with an innovative idea to advertise local businesses by running a competition with an array of prizes being donated by the businesses themselves. Different prizes could be won each day during the first two weeks of February with the big prize winners being announced at the finale on 14th February.
Called 14 Days of Love, entrants to the competition were asked to write a Valentine’s Day message to their favourite local firm in or around Eastbourne and, with the emphasis clearly on fun and romance, entries were judged according to their sentimentality.
In a press statement, a spokesman for The Best of Eastbourne said that local businesses are vital to the economy and it is essential to support independent businesses, particularly when the economy is slow.
Other recent initiatives by The Best of Eastbourne have been to extend regular local traders’ meetings by encouraging greater online networking between independent firms as well as social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter.
Local businesses which attracted numerous nominations in the competition included a family-run roofing firm and a home improvements firm, although the clear winner came out as The Pantry, who were thrilled to receive the accolade of ‘the most loved business in Eastbourne’.


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Future Mobility, a Chinese automobile company, will build a plant in China to produce electromobiles, company's CEO, Daniel Kirchert, said in an interview to Bloomberg. The project is estimated at 11,6 billion yuan ($1,7 billion).
Initial production capacity of the facility will amount to 150,000 vehicles per year, this figure is expected to double in future. The plan is planned to be erected in the Chinese town of Nanking.
On the 20th of January, Future Mobility intends to sign a relative agreement with the city administration.
Future Mobility is a Chinese start-up, connected with Tencent telecommunication company and Hon Hai Precision (Foxconn) electronics manufacturer. There are former top managers from BMW and Nissan among the company's founders.


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By Staff Report
Aug. 25, 2011
The succession plan that Apple Inc. executives refused to disclose earlier this year became public Aug. 25 as company co-founder Steve Jobs announced that he is resigning as CEO and passing the reins to the company’s chief operating officer.
In a letter to Apple’s board of directors Jobs wrote: “I have always said if there ever came a day when I could no longer meet my duties and expectations as Apple’s CEO, I would be the first to let you know. Unfortunately, that day has come. I hereby resign as CEO of Apple. I would like to serve, if the board sees fit, as chairman of the board, director and Apple employee. As far as my successor goes, I strongly recommend that we execute our succession plan and name Tim Cook as CEO of Apple.”
Cook—who joined the Cupertino, California-based company in 1998 and took over day-to-day operations of Apple in January after Jobs went on his third leave of absence because of ongoing health problems—was widely believed to be the leading candidate for the position.
Apple has faced criticism in recent months for its refusal to disclose a succession plan for Jobs, who was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2004 and underwent a liver transplant in 2009.
Earlier this year, a group of Apple shareholders represented by the Central Laborers’ Pension Fund in Jacksonville, Florida, submitted a proposal to force the company to publicize its plan. The board rejected the measure at its annual shareholders meeting in February stating that revealing the information would put the company at a competitive disadvantage. In its proxy statement, the board stressed that a plan was in place, making the proposal unnecessary.
“I think people have been fairly critical of Apple for not releasing enough information on their succession plans, but what can you release that’s not proprietary?” says David Larcker, director of the Corporate Governance Research Program at Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business.
Larcker says that the demand for greater transparency has made shareholders more vocal about matters of corporate governance, a movement he supports. But he commends Apple leaders for executing a smooth transition.
“At some point you have to trust that the board is on top of the situation,” Larcker says. “They clearly identified Mr. Cook as the guy. You want some discussion but you don’t want to disclose everything. In our society there are privacy issues and in this case there are compassion issues. I think they did a nice job.”
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LUXEMBOURG — Starbucks won its fight on Tuesday against an EU demand to pay up to 30 million euros ($33 million) in Dutch back taxes, while Fiat Chrysler Automobiles lost its challenge against an order to stump up a similar amount to Luxembourg.
Both cases were part of European Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager’s crackdown on unlawful tax breaks offered by EU countries to multinationals, which has also extended to Apple’s Irish deal and Amazon’s Luxembourg deal, among others.
tap here to see other videos from our team.
The judgements show that the General Court, Europe’s second-highest court, in general endorses the European Commission’s methodology in its tax crackdown but stipulates the Commission must do its homework properly to prove its case – potentially a bad omen for Apple fighting a record 13-billion-euro Irish tax order.
It is an important legal victory for the Commission, said Dimitrios Kyriazis, head of Law Faculty at New College of the Humanities London.


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Caesars Entertainment, the owner of casinos, hotels and golf courses, was experiencing the challenge faced by many companies. Its marketing programme, albeit successful, needed a boost.
“We were achieving open rates on par with industry averages, but knew we could do even better. It was a matter of figuring out how,” says Chris Jenner, vice president of e-mail marketing, in a recent webinar on customer experience. To get help, he approached Persado, a fast-growing, cutting-edge cognitive content platform for marketers.
“Marketers, especially ones like Chris, who are charged with addressing millions of consumers at a time, are all looking for ways to provide personally relevant content that drives engagement, at scale,” says Lawrence Whittle, Persado’s chief revenue officer.
Persado works on the basis that emotion is key to inspiring engagement in marketing. It has the world’s largest database of more than one million tagged emotional and motivational words, phrases and images, collected over several years and scored against response data from over 40 billion impressions.
Its sophisticated software, what it calls “cognitive content generation”, uses machine learning and natural language processing, along with a vast database of marketing performance metrics, to predict which message permutations will have the highest potential for success, unique to each touchpoint, including e-mails, landing pages, social media, mobile and display advertising.
Persado’s database has a huge array of options in which to express emotions coupled with hundreds of thousands of offer and discount descriptions. The results are analysed and the system generates the best messages. It then creates a visual representation of the message performance and the most powerful content.
After working with Persado, Caesars Entertainment’s Mr Jenner saw his e-mail open rate jump by 24 per cent and his click-through rate increase by a significant 46 per cent.
“We produced a 19 per cent open rate, but Persado came in with a 30 per cent open rate. I became a believer. Besides improved e-mail open rates, our click-through rate grew as well. That’s because, as soon as we identified the right emotional language to use for each audience, recipients began to recognise our content as valuable,” says Mr Jenner.
Powered by cognitive computing technologies, the platform eliminates the random processes behind traditional message creation, while also taking brand voice into account.
Persado, whose clients include more than 80 global brands, such as American Express, Citi, eBay and Microsoft, has earned its clients a combined $1 billion in incremental revenue in 2015. Its unique technology is helping more and more companies scale their ability to engage with their customers better with relevance and speed, expand this expertise across marketing teams and have an immediate impact on their top lines.
“There are an increasing number of solutions in the marketplace that claim some kind of smart or cognitive technology”, says Mr Whittle. “When assessing the right partner, corporations should ask: how credible are these vendors in terms of proof points? How easy is the technology to implement? Are the results they deliver marginal or are uplifts significant and sustainable?
“Solutions that can help companies generate fast and substantial return on investment, but have minimal impact on resources or IT will advance the adoption of cognitive computing technology”.
For Caesars Entertainment, Persado’s cognitive content was a bet that has paid off handsomely.
For more information please visit persado.com


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TheTourAttraction.com aims to provide the latest global travel and free travel news, travel and visa policies, and flight information. We hope to provide insights into tourism market, technology and development trends with everyone by providing the latest relevant information. Despite the raging COVID-19 epidemic in 2020, we always firmly believe that mankind will overcome the disease and the tourism market will definitely recover. TheTourAttraction.com look forward to your attention and support, and witness the development of the global tourism industry with us. Looking forward to the information TheTourAttraction.com provide can help you. We will continue to follow up and obtain the latest data, and look forward to your attention and support.
The following is the [Travel News]: Fantawild begins construction of new Boonie Bears themed town from [Blooloop] recommended by TheTourAttraction.com:
The new attraction will be part of an integrated tourist destination with food and drink, accommodation, entertainment, retail and education.
Fantawild Holdings, a leading one-stop solution provider in the theme park industry, recently held a ceremony to mark the construction of a new Boonie Bears themed town at Ningobo Fantawild Tourist Resort.
Fantawild Holdings has announced that construction is now underway for the new Boonie Bears themed town.
The new attraction will celebrate Fantawild’s popular Boonie Bears animated IP, and will be part of an integrated tourist destination with food and drink, accommodation, entertainment, retail and education. Guests will be able to enjoy a Boonie Bears-themed adventure world, as well as an education camp, food plaza and a Boonie Bears hotel.
When the full Ningbo Fantawild Tourist Resort project is complete, it will be home to three other theme parks alongside the Boonie Bears town, which Fantawild refers to as the Beautiful China Trilogy.


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My favourite runway at a fashion festival is typically a student runway. Without the pressure to create something commercially viable and with more opportunity to explore, students often create garments that push the boundaries of design.
When deciding which shows to attend at the Adelaide Fashion Festival this year, the student runway was top of the list after Slow Saturday, a day dedicated to sustainable fashion. As well as showcasing the designs of second and third year fashion students, the Student Runway was produced entirely by TAFE SA students including hair, makeup, lighting, catering, styling music and graphics.
The show was broken up into five sections:
Modest Fashion by visiting Islamic Fashion Institute
Modest Fashion by TAFE SA students
Wool by TAFE SA Students
Corsets by TAFE SA Students
The Premier’s Design Award
Students were asked to design to a theme for this year’s award, which was ‘athleisure’, the fastest growing sector in the global fashion industry. Belinda Piovesan and Matthew Reith were joint winners of the prize.
A recurring theme in the speeches made by various Adelaide and South Australian officials throughout the festival highlighted the importance of investing in creative industries and the value they have in setting Adelaide apart in terms of its cultural capital. If the strength of the TAFE SA students is any indication of that investment, the Adelaide fashion industry will continue to grow.
This runway was presented by Spendless Shoes and sponsored by Finesse Models.


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Michelin scraps Mexico plant plan due slowdown
Michelin of France on Friday scrapped plans for a second plant in Mexico due to slow demand in North America.
Carmakers are battling with slowing demand in the mature markets of the United States, Europe and Japan. Toyota Motor Corp, on Thursday cut its 2009 vehicle sales forecast by nearly 7%.
Michelin, one of the largest tire makers in the world, has already embarked upon a cost savings program to offset slowing economies, lower dollar prices and a rise in the cost of rubber and steel. It said in August 2007 it would build a plant in the Mexican state of Guanajuato to supply the North American market. Michelin said productivity gains and additional investment in existing North American facilities would enable it to respond to continued strong demand for high-performance and large-diameter tires. All of Michelin’s other investment projects in North America will continue, the company said.
According to data on the Michelin website, total sales of passenger tires to carmakers were down 14.9% in June compared with a year ago in North America while the market for replacement tires there was up 1.1%. Year to date, passenger car tires were down 12.2% and replacement tires 1.7%.
On July 30, Michelin reported a bigger-than-expected decline in H1 operating income and reduced its 2008 profit target on an expected greater impact from raw material prices, but kept its 2010 objectives. Michelin said it has a market share of 17.2%, equal to Bridgestone and ahead of Goodyear’s 16.0%.
It did not give the market share of Continental, which is also active in other car parts and which has accepted a a takeover approach by private ball-bearings group Schaeffler.
Michelin is also suffering from exchange rates which depressed first half group sales by 5.9% in the H1 due to a low dollar, pound sterling and Mexican peso versus the euro. Michelin shares have lost 43.3% this year and the company has a market capitalization of $9.3 billion versus $13.3 billion for Bridgestone. The top Japanese tire maker last month posted a worse-than-expected 18% drop in H1 operating profit. (Reuters)
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Motorola India has today announced the launch of Moto Z2 Play in India for Rs. 27,999. Just a couple of days ago, it was announced globally starting with Brazil and today the device has landed in India. The Moto Z2 Play would be Flipkart.com exclusive as we had reported and pre-orders have already begun.
Motorola India today has announced the official launch of Moto C in India. The Moto C was announced last month along with Moto C Plus but only the Moto C has been launched in India as of now. Moto C is priced at Rs. 5,999 and would be available across all offline retailers across 100 […]
Motorola has finally officially announced the Moto Z2 Play via blog post yesterday. Moto Z2 Play packs the features of a mid ranger from Moto and at today exchange rate, its price in INR would be around Rs. 32,000 for the basic variant.
It seems that Motorola has decided to clear its stock of Android devices in India as we have just now spotted the ertswhile Moto Flagship, the Razr selling for just Rs. 21,999 and the other really good handset, the Motorola Atrix 2 retailing for just Rs.17,999 only. At these prices, both the handsets are looks […]
After much delays Motorola has finally unvieled the Atrix HD. As of now the phone is being launched in the US and Canada only and there is no information available about its launch in Europe and Asia etc. Just like Galaxy Nexus, Atrix HD also do not have any physical button but has On Screen […]
Motorola has launched a new Android Smart phone under its famous Defy Series with Full QWERTY Keypad, the Defy PRO. Motorola Defy PRO is the first rugged QWERTY smart phone from the company featuring 2.7 Inch Capacitive touch display with Corning Gorilla Glass.


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Each day, Ron Vokoun sets aside time to read e-mail newsletters and news feeds to stay on top of trends in the data center business. Vokoun, a 27-year veteran of the construction industry, has been doing this for years, and sees his daily diet of news as an essential part of working in technology. He soon found that this practice was boosting his profile in unexpected ways.
In 2009, Vokoun began sharing articles on LinkedIn and Twitter, and later on Google+. As he shared links and connected with professionals around the country, Vokoun found himself being invited to write articles for leading data center publications and speak on panels at industry conferences. Earlier this month, Vokoun started a new position as Director, Mission Critical Design at Denver-based RK Mechanical.
“If it were not for social media, I would still be toiling in anonymity,” said Vokoun, who has amassed 4,000 followers on LinkedIn and another 3,800 on Twitter. “Social media helps you amplify your message, whatever it is. My whole approach is to talk about thought leadership. It’s definitely helped me gain exposure, especially as a speaker at conferences.”
While the data center industry has been on the cutting edge in providing infrastructure to drive the back-end of the social media revolution, the front-end has been a different story. After a slow start, leading players in the data center business have stepped up their social game over the past two years. Most service providers now have blogs, share content on major social networks, and are using social channels to generate leads and win customers.
At Data Center Frontier, our Social Business Channel will help our readers master social media as a powerful tool to drive the growth of the data center industry. We’ll talk with social media thought leaders to gain insights on best practices in social for data center professionals, offer case studies on how IT firms are leveraging social tools, and offer specific tips to help you make the most of networks like LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.
The first key step is understanding the value of social media, and how it can build your brand and revenue. Today we share the experience of three industry veterans who have been on the front lines of the social scene for data centers and cloud computing.
It takes more than just activity to succeed in social networking, as Vokoun can attest. “I read everything I could to become a student of the game,” said Vokoun, who has focused his efforts on the three largest networks for data center professionals – LinkedIn, Twitter and Google+. Much of the content he shares is related to energy efficiency and “green” approaches to data center design.
“I find LinkedIn groups useful for sharing content that I’ve created or find interesting,” he said.
Twitter offers a number of strategies. “A lot of people are there just to check out links and monitor news,” said Vokoun. “I try to consistently share quality content. Most of what I share is out there for anyone to find and share. But there are other data center thought leaders on Twitter that are really having fun, fast-paced discussions.”
A Voice to the Cloud
Bill Kleyman has been an early and enthusiastic adopter of social media. Kleyman, the Vice President of Strategy and Innovation at MTM Technologies, has steadily built an audience of more than 3,000 connections on LinkedIn and 2,500 followers on Twitter. Kleyman is passionate about evangelizing cloud technologies, and social sharing has brought his content to new audiences through his social networks, as well as freelance writing gigs for industry portals including Data Center Knowledge, Tech Target and Information Week.
Kleyman believes social media plays an important role in connecting different segments of the industry. “Social media has given the data center a voice to the cloud,” said Kleyman. “We tie tech and IT to the business. It’s raised awareness of data centers and their role.”
Between his freelance work and blog items, Kleyman publishes eight to 14 articles per month, in addition to webinars and white papers. As they are published, he shares them across his social footprint, especially LinkedIn, where he’ll share content on his personal feed as well as MTM’s company page and LinkedIn Group. On LinkedIn, content focused on specific industry verticals “can be socialized really rapidly,” Kleyman says. On Twitter, he adds relevant hashtags to each Tweet to help them be found amid the noise.
For Kleyman, the key to building a following is simple. “It’s got to be great content and insightful,” he said. “It cannot be BS. Anything that simplifies complex concepts really works well. Look at the hot market trends, and seek out use cases and real-life scenarios. Show me a ‘day in the life’ of someone solving a common problem. That’s when you take the conversation to the next level.”
Like many social mavens, Kleyman automates some of his activity using HootSuite, an application which brings together many social streams in a single interface. “I can see all my social networks, schedule posts, and see interactions to posts we’re published,” said Kleyman.
But that doesn’t mean he uses “copy and paste” methods. “Each post will be unique to the platform where it’s being published,” said Kleyman. “It takes a little bit of work to customize the summaries and fine-tune the hashtags.”
Finding What Resonates
There’s no question social media can extend the reach of your marketing message. But what about sales? Can posting on Twitter and LinkedIn actually help sell technology products and services?
The answer is yes, says Robert Schmidt, a Data Center Solution Sales specialist at Future Facilities. One day Schmidt shared an article on LinkedIn, which prompted a conversation in the reader comments. That led to an e-mail exchange and phone conversations in which the commenter gained a deeper understanding of the product’s capabilities, and that led to the reader becoming a customer.
“On social media, I think that external selling is really about educating and sharing knowledge,” said Schmidt. “If you can use videos and infographics and something outside the traditional white paper, it can be really effective. You can ask the industry: what do you want to see? What works? What resonates? I’m trying to interact with the article, and the people who comment on it.”
Which social network works best for data center professionals? “My favorite is LinkedIn because it’s driven by business,” said Schmidt, who has about 5,000 followers on his LinkedIn profile. “Technology evolves at a rapid pace. It’s critical to anticipate business drivers and be prepared to articulate solutions to them in a short, concise medium. I’m consistently plugged in to make sure I’m aware and ready to help.”
While LinkedIn is his favorite, Schmidt has been prolific in sharing content across a wide spectrum of social channels, including Twitter, Google+, and even visual social platforms like Pinterest and Flipboard.
“I try to use every single platform,” he said. “I started on Pinterest as soon as it launched. I’ve always been a visual learner. I’m reading so much that I’ve used these (visual) tools to post articles easily.”
Being a social media ambassador is not only about external communication. Schmidt believes that organizations have to think broadly about being involved in social business. “Executives have to understand why we do it,” said Schmidt. “It’s about educating, sharing case studies, and about getting partners and vendors together. As sales people, we wear many different hats now. You have to know social media and marketing. You have to collaborate within the company. I’m learning every day.”
Are you a data center professional with insight on social business? We’re looking for tips on how data center professionals can use social media to boost their personal brands and help their companies succeed. Get in touch with us at [email protected] if you’re interested in participating in future coverage.


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General Motors knows how much today's car drivers crave the latest gadgets, which is why it launched a new smartphone app for Opel Astra OPC owners that displays preselected data from the CAN bus (Controller Area Network). GM becomes the first automaker to offer this technology.
Up to 60 different data, including engine boost pressure, throttle position, lateral acceleration and engine torque, are readily available in real time and can also be stored and later compared with friends. The app costs just 0.79 Euros ($1.02) and promises hours of fun for technophiles.
The new Opel Astra OPC is the most powerful compact in the brand's lineup. Unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show, it will hit the European market this summer with a 2.0L turbocharged gasoline engine that produces 280 horsepower and 295 pounds-feet of torque – good for a top speed of 250 km/h.


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FASHION fans spend thousands of dollarsâ¦ for clothes that only exist online. Digital togs can be used to dress up cartoon versions of participants in virtual worlds.
A Â£ 9,000 golf outfit is just one of the items available online, and a matching Tam O’Shanter hat will set you back another Â£ 2,300.
For Â£ 9,000 you can also get a tracksuit covered with the Decentraland Games logo, which can be worn in Decentraland – one of the most developed virtual worlds on the internet.
Valuable designer brands are also embracing the mind-boggling new trend, with Dolce & Gabbana, Nike and Adidas all producing clobber for the virtual world.
Each item of clothing is sold as an NFT – or non-fungible token – which can be bought and sold in real life like a painting or other valuable item.
An industry source said, âReal-world fashion can seem crazy at times with some of the outfits going for ridiculous money, but it’s a whole new realm.
âWe’re talking about people paying thousands of dollars for something that only exists as pixels on a screen. It’s incredible.”
So far, D&G has auctioned nine digital designer pieces for a whopping Â£ 4.2million.
The lots included The Glass Suit – a green and silver outfit that sold for Â£ 740,000, alongside an actual version of the costume.
In March, the first Virtual Fashion Week will take place – in the real world. And virtual sportswear is also expected to become a big business.
Nike bought tech company RTFKT, recently valued at Â£ 25million, to help them create and sell virtual trainers.
And Adidas has partnered with two companies to bring their Originals line to cyberspace.
Renewed Interest in NFTs Comes After Facebook Founder
There, users can play games, shop, interact with friends, and even hold business meetings while wearing virtual reality glasses, if they wish.
Decentraland, which has its own cryptocurrency, recently made headlines when ‘real estate’ land sold for Â£ 1.7million.
But the real criminals also benefit.
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AZ on these digital NFTs
Non-fungible tokens, or NFTs, are one of the world’s biggest internet follies.
While some pundits believe they are the future of the art and fashion world, others believe investors will lose out heavily, echoing the plight of those who collapsed during the dot-com boom. com 20 years ago.
An NFT is a single unit of computer data stored in a piece of code called a blockchain. It can be associated with a digital asset such as a video, a photo, a quote or even an outfit. The fact that each one has a unique signature means that it is finished and can be bought and sold as a work of art or real collectibles.
A blockchain allows cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin to exist because it records in a digital ledger proof that a token has changed hands.
While each cryptocurrency token has the same value – like a Â£ 1 coin – NFTs all have different values. What they’re worth depends on how much people are willing to spend, much like paintings or antiques.
The first known NFT was a digital graphic called Quantum, designed in 2014 by the artist
Niche technology became more mainstream last year following a series of high-profile sales. In March, the artist


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"The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild" is finally finished. However, issues are reported such as the link being flawed and the Epona matter as well.
It appears that "The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild" after its announcement, finally finished development, and its release is right around the corner and even though the game's release is less than a month away, and learning new information about the game such as the latest bit of news revealing that Link may not be able to ride his trusty steed Epona, according to Game Rant.
Shortly after Nintendo released "The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild's" epic story and release date trailer last month, Aonuma teased to the press that Epona is indeed in the game in some capacity, but Aonuma refused to elaborate on Epona's role resulting in speculation that she may play a role other than simply being a horse for Link to ride through Hyrule, as noted by the same post.
— Legend of Zelda (@legendofzeldaa_) June 16, 2016
Meanwhile, in a different note, "The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild" game will also likely get a day one patch, which is standard procedure these days, but that's unknown and Nintendo doesn't always release day one patches, and a future update could have HD rumble or other new features, IGN relayed.
The Legend of Zelda - Breath of the Wild will be released in 22 Days! pic.twitter.com/fiWSaH3Jal — Days to Zelda BOTW (@DaysTilZelda) February 9, 2017
It also implied that a disc pressing for the Wii U and loading the game onto memory cards for the Nintendo Switch might be a possibility for "The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild" platform, the report added.


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In addition to wine, Del Vino serves a few microbrew
choices and a light menu with items like Margherita pizza, Bavarian pretzels and an artisan meat and cheese platter.
And a headache the next morning from drinking an expensive microbrew
feels no different from a budget six-pack hangover.
"We thought the microbrew
market would get just 10% of the market, but it quickly blew past that and now has more than 15% market share.
It's home to industry pioneers in wine, microbrew
, art, music, and green living.
A Bentonville couple seeking to ride the microbrew
wave has signed on as franchisees with Growler USA, a 2-year-old craft brew franchise that calls itself "America's Microbrew
22 April 2016 - US-based microbrew
pub Growler USA has purchased fast-casual concept US-based restaurant Smiling Moose Rocky Mountain Deli, the company said.
Entertaining the crowd at KLCC's Microbrew
Fest are My Brothers and I on Friday and Goldfoot on Saturday.
The American craft and microbrew
industry is growing at the astonishing rate of 18 percent a year, according to the Brewer's Association.
movement taking hold in many countries, showing drinkers that a pint can mean more than bland lager, has been embraced in Israel as well.
BrauBeviale will host a "European MicroBrew
Symposium," the day before BrauBeviale opens.
drinkers are more risky when it comes to love: 31% of men who prefer microbrews
say they're looking for a fun date, but nothing long-term; they're also the most likely to have had a one-night stand.
"Part of our mission has always been to connect our audience with great Northern Michigan events and now it is even easier for people to attend and enjoy this year's Microbrew
& Music Festival,” says MyNorth Media president and founder of Traverse Magazine, Deborah Wyatt Fellows.


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Piyush Goyal To Lead Indian Delegation For G-20 Meet On Trade In Japan
Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal will discuss the global trade scenario, World Trade Organization matters and digital trade during a two-day G-20 ministerial meeting beginning Saturday in Tsukuba city, Japan, an official release said.
Goyal, who is leading the Indian delegation on trade and digital economy, will also hold dialogue with other participating trade ministers on current international trade and investments, said the release of the commerce ministry.
"The G-20 Trade Ministers deliberations will form part of the G-20 Summit Leaders agenda in the formal discussions and will also be a part of the Summit Declaration," it added.
Ever since G-20 was formed India has been actively participating in the meetings. Although there are no binding commitments in G-20, it sets the agenda for multilateral trade relations.
The G-20 members represent two-thirds of the world's population and 85 percent of its economy.
G-20 is made up of 19 countries and the European Union. The 19 countries are —Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, the U.K. and the U.S.
In his first visit abroad after assuming charge, Goyal will take this opportunity to interact with various trade ministers of participating countries, including host Japan, the release said.
The commerce minister will hold bilateral meetings on the sidelines of G-20 in order to sensitise India's core interests in trade and investment issues and build coalition with like-minded countries for defending the interests of developing countries.
Over 50 trade and digital economy ministers will get together for the first time in G-20 history in Tsukuba to discuss how their economies can promote trade and investment and maximise benefits from the development of the digital economy and technologies to ensure sustainable growth of the global economy.
Digitalisation is expected to continue to create benefits for our economies and societies as a whole and help achieve the inclusive, innovative and human-centred future society — 'Society 5.0'.
"For the first time Ministers of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and Commerce will participate in a joint session on Digital Economy at the G-20 Ministerial Meeting," the statement said.
The global economic and social system faces considerable challenges. Rapid globalisation has led some to believe that they are not benefiting sufficiently and are discontent.
"It is hoped that the G-20 Ministerial Meeting being held in Japan will play a positive role in fostering economic opportunity and addressing challenges in the global landscape,” the ministry added.
"Trade and investment have been important drivers of the unprecedented global economic growth and poverty reduction enjoyed in recent times."


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A new study into the media consumption habits of Australians has found that we prefer to listen to the radio in the morning and it’s definitely TV at night.
The study, by Roy Morgan Research, found that Australians’ overall media consumption is higher after dinner compared to breakfast time with 88 per cent of Australians consuming media after dinner compared to 75 per cent at breakfast time.
In the morning the clear breakfast favourite is radio with 27.9 per cent of Australians saying they prefer to listen to radio at breakfast. The other media preferred at breakfast time is reading a print or online newspaper – 16.1 per cent of Australians read a newspaper at breakfast while only 2.5 per cent do so after dinner. Interestingly, 13.8 per cent of Australians read print newspapers which are preferred to online newspapers read by 9.4 per cent of Australians.
Australian Weekday Media Preferences – Breakfast v After Dinner
When it came to evenings, TV viewing was preferred by 58.2 per cent of Australians compared to 21.9 per cent at breakfast time;
Online activity is preferred by 38.5 per cent of Australians after dinner compared to 24.7 per cent of Australians who like to go online at breakfast. While 21 per cent of Australians like to read a book after dinner but only 5.2 per cent do so at breakfast;
Playing games on a console, computer, mobile phone or tablet is much more strongly preferred after dinner with 18.1 per cent of Australians compared to 6.2 per cent at breakfast time.
The new research on media preferences by time of day also provides deep insights with how different demographic groups are similar or different in what media they prefer to consume and when they prefer to consume it. It shows clear momentum of the internet with the younger generation.
Overall consumption of media at breakfast time declines in younger generations born after 1960. Over 80 per cent of Pre-Boomers and Baby Boomers consume media at breakfast time compared to 77 per cent of Generation X, 72 per cent of Generation Y and just under 70 per cent of Generation Z.
Commenting on the study, Roy Morgan CEO, Michele Levine, said understanding how diverse consumer groups engage with media at different times of the day is vital to properly targeting advertising to reach consumers in a cost-effective way.
“These sorts of analyses give valuable insights into media receptivity similarities and differences both within and between selected target markets,” Levine said.
“Exploring media preferences in detail is an essential input for developing effective media strategies to reach existing and potential customers.
“It’s so easy to assume the ‘traditional media’ belong in the past. This new research, that specifically focuses on social media and new digital media within the total media context shows clearly that TV is still the preferred media after dinner; radio rules at breakfast. However the overall trends are all foreshadowing a move to a more digital media world.”
Please login with linkedin to commentRoy Morgan
ASICS Australia has released the world’s first cricket shoe, specifically designed for females – developed locally in conjunction with Cricket Australia’s (CA) Women’s Team Physiotherapists and Athletes. In recognition of the incredible growth of women’s cricket in Australia, ASICS has launched the 350 NOT OUT FF to the market alongside a fresh ‘Made For Me’ […]
Tourism Tropical North Queensland has appointed Marketing Manager Lani Strathearn to spearhead the rollout of the Cairns & Great Barrier Reef brand. TTNQ Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Mark Olsen said Ms Strathearn had a solid career in tourism marketing having worked in agencies in Melbourne and Adelaide for the past four years with clients including […]
Resolution Digital has been awarded the Australia’s Agency of the Quarter award in the prestigious Google Honours program. The Honours program for 2020 recognises the achievements of the very best performance marketing agencies and providers across Australia and New Zealand. The program consists of 3 quarters, 43 agencies and over 500 individuals; measured on account […]
SCA today announced that its award-winning Research & Insights and Strategy & Insights divisions have come together to form SCA iQ, one of Australia’s largest media research and insights offerings. SCA iQ fuses the research, insights and strategy functions together, to better power insightful solutions for SCA’s Sales and Content teams and advertising partners and is underpinned […]
German carmaker Audi has been forced to pull its latest campaign and issue the usual round of apologies after a rather tone-deaf launch over the weekend. On Saturday, the carmaker shared an ad for its snazzy looking Audi RS4 with the caption “Lets your heart beat faster – in every aspect”. The ad featured a […]
World Out of Home industry leaders from Australia, the UK, US and Germany have revealed that audiences are returning to public spaces despite ongoing challenges from COVID-19, and that they anticipate improved market fundamentals in coming months. In an interview for a podcast being released today, leaders including oOh!media CEO Brendon Cook, President of the […]
Firefly has brought on six major new clients as it continues to expand, adding new media planning and buying arm to its business. Managing Director Andrew Mathwin (pictured) said the independent agency, known for clients such as Air New Zealand, Buy West Eat Best, West Coast Eagles and Mrs Mac’s Pies, had a strong year […]
Boutique communications agency, Media33, have made two senior appointments with Ashlee Crawford appointed to General Manager and Mick Bradley appointed to Agency Director. Both Ashlee & Mick have been part of the management team at Media33 since it was launched in early 2013 and have played a key role in the agencies ongoing cultural strength […]
In possibly a first for the category, independent brewer Wingman decided to cancel all sales of Wingman beer during the month of July, in support of Dry July. This bold initiative went live at midnight June 30 and ran throughout July. Wingman Beer’s general manager Will Chambers explained: “We have noticed a dramatic spike in […]
The sale of Australian Associated Press (AAP) to a consortium of impact investors and philanthropists has been formally completed, ending 85 years of ownership by Australia’s major publishing groups. The national news agency will continue to provide a trusted breaking news service with a team of journalists and photographers, most of whom have joined the […]
Aussie retail payments platform Afterpay has launched a new global look, feel and positioning with a fresh brand identity. Founded out of Bondi, Sydney, Australia five years ago, Afterpay has skyrocketed to infinite heights, with almost 10 million customers and 55,000-plus merchants now using the platform globally across Australia, US, UK (where it is called […]
How Communications’ China marketing director, Doris Li, believes ad-land professionals must be courageous enough “to be abnormal”, and listen to their hearts, to be fearless in times of change. During this year’s B&T Women in Media Awards, presented by Bauer Media, we’ll be recognising exceptional people who have achieved success in their professional arenas, celebrating […]
The holding companies might be losing as much as 23 per cent of their revenue year-on-year, but new business has remained relatively resilient through 2020, the lastest research from R3 has revealed. In the first half of 2020 total new business revenue decreased 10 per cent globally – but creative agencies are having to find […]
Independent communications consultancy The Mint Partners has bolstered its integrated client roster and signed a number of premium lifestyle brands to kick start the new financial year. With an array of new products, services, and a focus on insight-led and creative integrated communications, MINT has enjoyed recent success with an expanded portfolio across new categories including fintech, […]
A feature length documentary on the extraordinary racing career of Australia’s first Formula 1 champion, Sir Jack Brabham, co-produced by design, animation and visual effects house Heckler, will be available on Stan exclusively from this Friday – 7 August. Directed by Ákos Armont (Aurora Films) in association with Heckler, whose co-founder Will Alexander served as […]


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H&M, Hennes & Mauritz AB, the international retailer known for fashion and quality at the best price in a sustainable way will open its first store in Kolkata at Woodburn Central Mall. Spread across more than 18,000 sq.ft. and extending over two floors the store will open on Saturday, September 23 at 11:00 am.
Presenting a wide selection of latest trends and timeless classics, H&M will offer women’s, men’s, teenagers and children’s apparels and accessories, footwear and lingerie.
“We are delighted to open our first store in Kolkata just in time for the festivities. We look forward to exceed customer expectations with our varied range of inspiring fashion that lets them explore their personal style” said Country Manager, H&M India, Janne Einola.
Those in queue before 11:00 am on the opening day can expect fun surprises and foot tapping music. The first three fashionistas will be rewarded with H&M gift cards worth Rs 10,000 Rs 7,000 and Rs 5,000 respectively, while the next 300 fashion lovers in queue will receive gift cards worth Rs 500.
H&M currently operates 17 stores across India, the store at Woodburn Central Mall marks the brands entry in East India and will be one of the 9 new stores planned for Autumn 2017. The brand has also announced its shop online launch for 2018.


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A 3D copy of Michelangelo's David, one of the world's most famous marble sculptures, reached Dubai and will be fitted in the Italian pavilion at the Expo site on Thursday.
It took months of precise planning and painstaking work by artists, architects and tech experts to recreate a digital version of the Renaissance masterpiece that draws millions of visitors to the Academy Gallery in Florence.
Large crates carrying the 450kg model and the 150kg podium on which it will stand were transported in a cargo plane from Italy that landed in Dubai on Tuesday.
The team behind the project told The National about the exhaustive research and 40 hours in January it took to scan the original in the museum.
'The most accurate' digital copy of famous masterpiece yet produced
"We wanted to capture not just the form but also to reproduce the texture," Grazia Tucci, associate professor in geomatics at the University of Florence, told The National.
"At the beginning I was a little bit scared because Michelangelo's David is one of the most important masterpieces in the history of art. It represents the victory of good over evil and has such symbolic value.
“It is probably the most reproduced icon all over the world so the accuracy and quality of this piece was really important to me.”
Prof Tucci described it as "the most accurate digital copy of David" because of the lengths the team went to capture the 16th-century sculpture.
Because of the shutdown of public spaces in Italy to stem the spread of coronavirus, digital experts were able to spend two weeks in an empty museum without crowds milling around.
Laser scanners normally used in the industrial sector for the highest resolution were mounted on a specially-built tripod to photograph and measure each section of the towering statue.
Tech experts climbed scaffolding and ladders to reach the highest portions of the statue and photograph all the details.
“We had to move the scanners with the tripod close to all the surfaces so we could have all the detail in the digital file that would be used as input for the 3D printer,” she said.
“The most difficult were the veins, hair curls, fingers, hands and feet.”
No stone unturned in search for perfection
The scans took measurements of more than 100,000 points of the statue's surface.
These were combined to produce a digital twin of David over three weeks of 3D printing.
It then took artists two months for the aging process when they manually reconstructed the rough and smooth curves of the sculpture.
Restorers in Florence covered the acrylic resin model with layers of marble powder mixed with glue to mirror chisel marks, cracks and erosion.
“This was the most demanding because it was done by hand to make it really look like marble with its defects and similar to the original,” Prof Tucci said.
Paola Carniglia, sales director of OTIM, the freight forwarders who handled the transport, said the model was among the most unusual parcels the company has handled.
Plastic-based blocks anchored the head, chest, hands and legs to secure the statue inside the crate.
The piece was lifted by crane into a truck and out of the historical centre of Florence.
“The statue is fragile so we had to be very careful and listen to every single creak and sound to understand if something wrong was going on inside,” she said.
Stunning centrepiece of Italy pavilion set to make a big impression
“Moving it from a vertical position to laying it down was the most difficult.
“It is a very large piece so we had to make sure it was anchored and did not move. The streets of Florence are narrow so we worked at night."
The statue will take eight hours to set up inside the Italian pavilion at the Expo Dubai South site on Thursday morning.
Metal brackets are ready to hold the 1.8-metre podium on which the 5.2-metre statue will be placed.
Isabella Colangelo, an architect with Dubai’s A2Z architectural engineering company, is on site to co-ordinate with the design and installation teams.
“It will be a milli-metric operation But we have prepared everything to welcome this piece of Italian culture in Dubai,” she said.
A portion of the pavilion along with the statue will be unveiled next week.
When the Expo opens in October, visitors will enter at ground level where they can look up at the statue and also view it from the first floor exhibition area.
The aim of the pavilion is to merge history with the technology of the future.
The exhibition space will display sustainability solutions and connect entrepreneurs, business and academicians.


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Entries in 'gamesaid' (83)
Think you know your football? Prove it and help raise money for charity in the process.
GamesAid has released its annual video talking to the charities it has supported with the help of games industry donations.
Guests and sponsors of this year's MCV Awards have contributed over £4,000 to the games industry charity.
The games industry charity is hoping that as many people as possible will contribute to its 'Gamesaid Tenner' campaign at the MCV Awards today - via online as well as on the ...
GamesAid will once again be asking attendees at this year’s MCV Awards to donate just £10.
Time is running out if you want to secure a place on the GamesAid team for its charity football match against the Chelsea Old Boys.
The Guildford Games Night Challenge is a charity event for developers, fans and supporters to compete to be the best at FIFA 12 and Rock Band
Want to show off your prowess on the pitch against former professional footballers? Koch Media has just the thing.
Time is running out if you want to sign up for this year's GamesAid Golf & Spa Day.
A new industry five-a-side football tournament is set to raise over £2,000 for GamesAid.
Calling all industry cricket fans – the third annual Sega GamesAid Challenge Cup will be held this summer.
UK industry charity GamesAid has released a compilation of indie-developed downloadable titles.
Gamers will be able to download a five-game pack for charity this month – and pay what they like for it.
Namco Bandai and Capcom's Xmas Industry Fight Club takes place tonight (December 2nd).
UK games industry charity GamesAid has announced its popular Gem Golf & Spa Day event raised an impressive £62,607.56 this year.
UK games industry charity GamesAid has announced a date and venue for its next Darts Night.
UK video games charity GamesAid has named the six charities nominated for official support by the organisation’s membership.
The clock is ticking and the deadline to choose which charity you’d like GamesAid to support in the year ahead is rapidly approaching.
Industry body GamesAid is asking members to vote for the charities it will support this year.
Ubisoft is raising money for GamesAid via exclusive t-shirts sold at the Eurogamer Expo.
UK charity GamesAid is inviting members of the games industry to take place in its latest sweepstakes competition.
UK games industry charity GamesAid will hold a charity pool tournament on September 1st.
UK games charity GamesAid has joined forces with publisher Sega to host the second annual Cricket Challenge Cup.
The Develop Awards and a charity poker tournament raised £6,380 for GamesAid at Develop in Brighton this week.
Codemasters has announced that from tonight its popular racing title GRID will be available on Valve’s digital retail portal Steam at a discounted price for charity.


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Tourism Industry Aotearoa’s Board of Directors has appointed a new independent chair, Gráinne Troute.
Ms Troute is a professional director with many years’ experience of operating customer focused businesses in highly competitive sectors including tourism, hospitality and retail. She is a director of Tourism Holdings Ltd, Summerset Holdings Ltd and Investore Property.
In her executive career she was most recently General Manager, Corporate Services for SkyCity Entertainment Group. Prior to that she was Managing Director of McDonald’s Restaurants (NZ) Ltd and has also held executive roles with consultancy firm Right Management and with Coopers & Lybrand (now PWC).
She has also spent many years as a trustee and chair in the not-for-profit sector, including having been the Chair of Ronald McDonald House Charities (NZ) for five years. She is a Chartered Member of the Institute of Directors.
TIA Acting Chair Grant Webster says TIA is fortunate to have attracted a new chair of Ms Troute’s calibre, especially at this incredibly challenging time for New Zealand’s entire tourism industry.
“The Board is confident that her leadership experience of tourism and other industries will add value as we navigate these unprecedented times.”


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Meredosia board OKs cannabis tax
Meredosia village board members have approved a cannabis tax.
Ordinance 701 imposes a 2.5% tax on gross receipts from cannabis sales in the village.
Municipalities must file their cannabis ordinance with the Illinois Department of Revenue by April 1 for the tax to be administered and enforced beginning July 1.
Public Acts 101-27 and 101-363 authorize municipalities to impose a tax of not more than 3% of gross receipts on people engaged in the business of selling non-medical cannabis in a retail setting. To impose the tax, a municipality must first have an ordinance in place.
In other business, board member Eric Taylor told the board that the Riverfest committee met and discussed prices, activities, bands and vendors for the event, which will be Aug. 7-8.


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Beaded bracelets, metallic necklaces and colorful earrings lay scattered on long tables covered with a black tablecloth. Patterned clothes and handbags hung nearby. For an afternoon, a section of the Holiday Inn Express in Dorchester was transformed into a vibrant fashion boutique.
Tribe of Dumo, an African-inspired fashion brand, hosted the pop-up on Saturday, April 13. Originally launched in Houston in 2015, the shop has made several stops along the East Coast and has more planned for cities such as Pittsburgh and Washington, D.C.
The line, originally known as Afro Kouture, features African-inspired fashion and accessories such as Tribe of Dumo’s signature Nzinga Dress, which were on sale for browse and purchase at the pop-up shop on Saturday.
A wide array of accessories from earrings and purses to traditional African headpieces and necklaces were also on sale and placed sporadically around the pop-up shop.
Tribe of Dumo is the brainchild of sisters and co-founders Ijeoma Odumodu and Chioma Osibodu. Inspired by their cultural roots, Odumodu and Osibodu said they created Tribe of Dumo as a platform to honor and share their heritage with the rest of the world.
Both sisters said they were inspired by their mother to pursue the fashion industry. As they grew up, they followed different paths — with Osibodu pursuing health and medicine as a nurse practitioner and Odumodu heading into the world of arts and fashion.
It wasn’t until after college and several years of living in the United States that the sisters decided to team up and form their now widely recognized fashion line, Odumodu said.
“I’d say we never really planned it,” Odumodu said. “We had worked on several business ideas in the past. Once I migrated to the USA to complete my bachelor’s in arts, we had the conversation again, and we both realized we were each other’s missing piece.”
“Dumo,” derived from the family’s West African last name, translates literally to “lion” and symbolically to “strength,” according to the brand’s website. Odumodu said the sisters envisioned their fashion company as a medium to promote female empowerment and strength.
Osibodu said her vision for Tribe of Dumo is to empower women in everything from business to education.
The fashion line features pieces with bright, bold patterns that often have names inspired by powerful women, Odumodu said. The brand’s statement clothing and accessories are visual representations of the two sisters, she said, and embody their support of female empowerment.
Odumodu specifically pointed out what she said is the line’s most popular and most loved piece — the Nzinga Dress.
“It was the piece that catapulted us into the fashion industry. … It was daring, bold and bright,” Odumodu said. “Queen Nzinga [was] a very powerful, Angolan queen whom we all aspire to be.”
The sisters said they view Tribe of Dumo as an outlier, a set of products that stray away from mainstream fashion. That distinction is an asset, Osibodu said, which further diversifies the ever-evolving fashion industry and society.
“I’d say Tribe of Dumo is here to showcase the beauty in color and print emanating from Africa,” Osibodu said. “We are simply breaking into a totally new category in the fashion industry.”
Both sisters said they hope to be a role model for other entrepreneurs and immigrants who dream of succeeding in the United States. As immigrants from Nigeria, both sisters said they know and understand first-hand the rigors of not only coming to America, but fulfilling their goals in the business arena.
“I wanted to be that example of success — an immigrant who migrated to the U.S. 16 years ago and was able to accomplish my goals and my dreams,” Osibodu said.
Osibodu said the sisters’ end goal is to further expand Tribe of Dumo and one day take the fashion line international. They are also the co-owners of Bosses in Heels LLC, a for-profit entity that focuses on women’s empowerment in the areas of business, education and mentorship.
Through both of these platforms, Osibodu said they are able to promote this message of empowerment.
“We believe in the power of giving back to the society who raised us and the ones who continue to uplift us,” Odumodu said.
Chelsea Akubo, a freshman in Boston University’s Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences and a member of the African Student Organization, wrote in a text message she hopes “Tribe of Dumo” is an indicator for the future of the fashion industry.
“African-inspired fashion is honestly the most beautiful forms of fashion I’ve seen,” Akubo wrote. “I truly believe African-inspired fashion is the future, that is, if it isn’t the present already.”


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This month, the FDA notified the New England Confectionery Co., better known as NECCO, of serious violations of “Current Good Manufacturing Practice, Hazard Analysis and Risk-Based Preventative Controls for Human Food” regulations at its manufacturing plant in Revere, Massachusetts. The violations included significant evidence of rodent activity and “insanitary conditions” throughout the facility collected during an FDA inspection from Nov. 13 through Dec. 4, 2017. NECCO was given 15 days to respond to the FDA in writing following the receipt of the letter with steps it has taken to correct the violations.
The full letter, which outlines the poor conditions at the facility, is available to the public here.
The news comes on the heels of the sale of NECCO’s assets at auction. Spangler Candy Co. placed the winning bid of $18.83 million.
NECCO filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in April, and a U.S. Bankruptcy Court auction was held May 23 in Boston. The company is best known for its NECCO Wafers and Sweetheart Valentine’s Day candy hearts. NECCO has been manufacturing candy in the Boston area since 1847, making it the oldest candy company in North America. Its other brands include Skybar, Clark, Mary Jane and Mighty Malts.
“Spangler Candy is happy to acquire the assets of NECCO,” said Kirk Vashaw, Spangler Candy chairman and CEO. “NECCO candy products have been around for more than 150 years and share important historical significance with Dum-Dums, candy canes and other Spangler Candy products.”
Vashaw said long-term plans for NECCO’s production equipment are still undecided.
Spangler Candy has been family owned and operated in Bryan, Ohio, since 1906. It is one of the largest lollipop producers in the world and the only major candy cane producer in the U.S., the company says. Other Spangler products include Saf-T-Pops and Spangler Circus Peanuts. The company operates a 500,000-s.f. manufacturing facility in its home state, as well as a co-manufacturing facility in Juarez, Mexico, for the production of a portion of candy canes.
Board members C. Gregory Spangler and Dean L. Spangler are third-generation descendants of the founders. Chairman and CEO Kirkland Vashaw is a fourth-generation descendant.
Three other companies expressed interest in acquiring NECCO’s assets, including Gordon Brothers, Round Hill Investments and Kgbdeals Shopping Inc. The opening bid started at $15.25 million.
Operations at NECCO headquarters are expected to continue until the fall when the current lease expires.


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O.A. Cleveland, professor emeritus at Mississippi State University, will be the featured speaker at the next Ag Market Network cotton market teleconference at 7:30 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 10. Also speaking will be the Network’s panel of cotton experts.
Dr. Cleveland is one of the best-known cotton marketing specialists in the world. In addition to covering the latest U.S.D.A. Crop Production and Supply & Demand reports, he will discuss why he feels negative about the cotton market.
That’s a turnaround for Dr. Cleveland, who until recently has been considered one of the more bullish experts on Intercontinental Exchange or ICE cotton futures. Callers into the conference will hear what’s changed in Cleveland’s opinion and what cotton producers should do about those changes.
Also joining Cleveland will be the marketing panel, including Dr. John Robinson, professor and Extension specialist/cotton marketing at Texas A & M University, H.W. “Kip” Butts, senior cotton analyst and director of energy services with Informa Economics, Jarral Neeper, president, Calcot, Ltd. and Patrick McClatchy, executive director, Ag Market Network.
To listen live, call 1-712-775-7085 and enter code 969119, Listen to an archived recording at www.AgMarketNetwork.net. During the program, questions may be submitted via Facebook (AgMarketNetwork) or Twitter (@AgMarketNetwork).
The Ag Market Network provides outstanding, free agriculture market news, analysis and advice to all those involved in the ag community.
For more on the network, visit www.AgMarketNetwork.net.


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BMW wasn't alone. Hopefully a trend is afoot.
Look for metallics and matte finishes.
White remains the most popular color choice for car shoppers across the globe for the second straight year, according to an annual survey released Wednesday. But its stay at the top may be ending soon.
Paint is not all that exciting, hence the phrase, "like watching paint dry." This means that automotive paint suppliers don't usually have much to talk about, outside of the annual silver-is-the-most-popular-car-color press releases that get picked up by every media outlet on Earth. This one, however, is a bit different.
Ford has released a study it conducted across Europe to determine which of its colors are most popular in each country. The results reveal that white, black and silver remain the most popular colors, edging out the company's bolder hues.
For a long time now green has been the unofficial color of environmentalists. Anything environmentally friendly has been considered green. But that may be about to change. Advertising agency JWT (formerly known as J Walter Thompson) is predicting a shift from green to blue in 2008. If that happens they will be following the likes Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen. Those two companies use the BlueTec and BlueMotion branding on their clean diesels and most efficient models, respectively. As VW spokesma
Silver has been the most popular color on cars for the past six years, and the godfathers of paint at PPG predict it will remain the king for quite some time. This fact doesn't stop these connoisseurs of color from searching for the next contender of silver's throne. On Thursday, PPG showed off its official color palette of 110 concept colors at its studio in Troy, MI, and revealed it expects more natural colors like brown, green, blue and gold will become popular by the end of the decade, when
Hot Rod magazine is bemoaning the lack of interesting paint colors and schemes on today's street machines, and who can blame them? It was just last week that we had the same conversation with some local gearheads. Sure, we love the subtle silver and grey of Joe Rogan's Sick Fish 'Cuda, but it seems as if the majority of custom vehicles have pulled back just a bit too far


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The Reserve Bank is open to looking at increasing the limit on international e-commerce transactions currently set at $3,000, a top official said today.
"If the system wants the limit to be enhanced, that is something that we are positively inclined to look at," Reserve Bank executive director G Padmanabhan said on the sidelines of a CII event.
Padmanabhan said the limit was set in consultation with PayPal, a major player among the international payment gateways, and added that as many as 99 percent of the e-commerce transactions fall under the limit of $3,000.
Giving rationale for setting the limit (there are no limits for domestic e-commerce transaction) he said it is needed in a country like India which has exchange controls.
To a question on extending trading hours in the forex market beyond 1700 hrs, the RBI official said it is difficult to relax as "we do not have full capital account convertibility".
"Most of the currency markets which work beyond a reasonable time are the markets which are capital account convertible, where in case there is a liquidity concern, you can source the money from some other country or currency," he said.
"As long as we have certain capital account controls, or as long as we think liquidity has to be provided within the system, then we have to work within certain time limits," he said, adding considering the needs of trade, the RBI is conscious of the fact that there is a need to relook at it.
When asked about the volatility in the rupee and how domestic businesses, especially the smaller ones should cope with it, Padmanabhan said we have to learn to live with the fluctuations and opined that the only way it can be handled is through hedging of cash flows.
Updated Date: Dec 20, 2014 12:34 PM


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CEO Tim Cook hosted the Apple Worldwide Developer Conference in June.
Apple Bets More Cameras Can Keep iPhone Humming
| le 9 September 2019
Trio of smartphones is expected alongside a new smartwatch and subscription services designed to diversify Apple’s business
AppleInc.AAPL -0.01% ’s iPhone is expected to remain the star of the company’s annual publicity showcase this week, as it has been for the past dozen years. But the spotlight is turning toward a younger cast of products that Apple needs to galvanize growth.
On Tuesday, Apple plans to reveal a trio of new iPhones with additional rear cameras and enhanced capabilities for low-light photos, according to people familiar with the plans. Analysts expect the phones to also feature faster processors, new exterior colors such as green and purple, and wireless charging for other devices such as AirPods wireless earbuds.
The expected updates aren’t exactly inspiring Wall Street, with some analysts and investors predicting the forthcoming iPhones will be boring. With sales of its long-in-the-tooth phones flagging, Apple is beefing up its portfolio of connected, high-price products, including the Apple Watch, AirPods and subscription services for TV shows and videogames.
“They’re treading water now, just trying to keep the iPhone afloat,” said Dan Morgan, a senior portfolio manager who focuses on tech at Synovus Trust Co., which counts Apple among its largest holdings. He is optimistic that this year’s phones will have enough new features “to put extra legs on a very mature product and keep the train going.”
The just-enough attitude speaks to the challenge confronting Apple since the release of its first iPhone in 2007. The iPhone contributes more than half of Apple’s total sales, putting the company in the awkward position of sustaining a core product while needing to become less dependent on it.
Recent iPhone advances such as facial-recognition technology haven’t resonated with some customers, who tend to view Apple’s products as less unique and its brand as less aspirational than in years past, according to UBS’s annual global survey of 8,000 smartphone customers released in May. Many people are holding on to their devices longer and aren’t compelled to upgrade to new iPhones that have an average price of $949.
The company needs to sell enough iPhones over the next year to avoid a repeat of the disappointing results that dogged it after the release of the XR and XS models last September. Weak sales of those devices forced the company in January to slash guidance for the first time in more than 15 years.
Apple is forecast to sell about 70 million units of the new iPhones before the end of the year—nearly 30% fewer than its peak of 98 million units of its newest models in 2014, according to trading firm Susquehanna International Group.
The modest projections for 2019 have investors looking ahead to 2020, when Apple is expected to release its first iPhone with 5G, a fifth generation of cellular networking that is supposed to improve wireless speeds.
Apple’s transition from iPhone to post-iPhone will assume new energy in coming weeks: The company, in addition to unveiling new smartphones this week, is expected to reveal a fifth version of its smartwatch that analysts say will have new casing and improved battery life, and be further liberated from the iPhone with a full App Store.
The new smartwatch is expected to add more health features, including the ability to track sleep patterns, analysts say.
The addition of those features would deepen Apple’s foray into health, a category that Chief Executive Tim Cook said would redefine the company. The fourth-generation Apple Watch, released in 2018, was equipped with electrodes and sensors that turned it into an electrocardiogram able to measure a heart’s electrical activity and detect potentially dangerous disorders.
Health capabilities helped Apple increase its smartwatch shipments to 5.7 million in the most recent quarter, a 50% increase from a year earlier, according to Strategy Analytics. And smartwatch sales have helped lift Apple’s wearables and accessories business, including AirPods, by 35% to nearly $18 billion through the first three quarters of this fiscal year.
Apple also is on the cusp of releasing new subscription services for TV shows and videogames announced in March. The company could announce pricing and availability for those services, known as TV+ and Arcade, as soon as this week, analysts say.
The combination of wearables and services will be key for Apple to move past the iPhone, said Neil Mawston of Strategy Analytics. He said the last mobile phone giant, Nokia Corp. , struggled when it attempted to make a similar transition with its business.


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Skechers settles suit over Shape-up sneakers
from Everyday Health
The fitness benefits of Skechers' Shape-up sneakers, which the company says build muscle by keeping the wearer off balance, may be based on shaky science. Buyers of Skechers Shape-ups or the brand's other toning shoes will be eligible for a partial refund from a $40 million settlement that the company made with the Federal Trade Commission and 42 states recently.
7701 Las Colinas Blvd., Ste. 800, Irving, TX 75063