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The Auto Cad software was designed and used first by the electronics trade. Among the massive players in online game streaming at the moment are and TwitchTV. began online video game streaming in 2010, and at present, the web site gets over 4 million distinctive viewers a month for online game reside streams. In March 2011, Electronic Sports activities League (ESL), the world’s largest gaming league, broadcasted the Intel Excessive Masters occasion, which is among the many most popular gaming tournaments of the year, by way of Own3D. With $four hundred,000 as prize money, the gaming tournament drew 75,000 simultaneous stay viewers on single event days, whereas the general viewers reached several million avid gamers. June 2011 saw over 200,000 concurrent viewers watching a Dreamhack contest (which relies around League of Legends, one other in style sport) on Own3D, with about 250 GBps of visitors through the occasion.
It seems that not a day goes by without yet another Chinese phone manufacturer coming under fire. First, we had Trump’s hatred of Huawei. Then Xiaomi fell under the gavel recently for allegedly stealing customer data. Now we have Transsion, a budget smartphone company, selling Android phones that apparently come with dodgy malware apps. A […]
Laptops nowadays are often nearly as powerful as full desktop computers, so the decision-making process when buying a new computer is often “Do I need portability?” and not “Can I make do with less power?” The draw of being able to sling your computer into a bag and work from anywhere is powerful, but is […]
Just when you thought 2020 couldn’t get any worse, a damning report has emerged on Buzzfeed News slamming Facebook with excerpts of a 6,600-word memo written by a former employee of the social media network. Amongst the claims from the data scientist, Sophie Zhang, are condemnations that the platform was used to sway public opinion […]


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The rapid acceleration of digitalization that was brought on by global lockdowns is continuing apace. According to Statista, online sales as a percentage of all sales peaked at 22% in the US and over 31% in the UK during the height of the pandemic, and this growth will stay.
Tech advancements and ecommerce innovation – particularly in the social commerce space – are being announced almost every day. It’s enough to make your head spin, never mind thinking about what to prepare for in 2022. So what are the commerce trends we should look out for in the next twelve months?
Trend 1: The dawn of the Metaverse and the rise of NFTs
Facebook announced the launch of its metaverse project in 2021, and it’s going to be big, maybe even bigger, than (our) world! It's not just a virtual reality playspace; the metaverse will blend augmented reality into the experience. Augmented reality will be accessible through special glasses the Metaversian can wear whenever they want. But how are they going to monetize this?
If you haven’t heard of NFTs before, you’ll know all about them by the end of 2022. Once something of a joke - digital authenticity used to be an oxymoron – non-fungible tokens offer infinite possibilities for online or offline transactions or in metaverse environments. Opensea, the largest NFT trading marketplace, experienced a 12,000% rise in trading in August 2021 alone compared to the same period in 2020 – it traded over $3 billion in volume.
It will come as no surprise that Big Retail has seen the writing on the meta-wall and gone into the Metaverse. Soon after Adidas announced their collaboration with the fantastically successful digital collectible space and “online social club” Bored Apes Yacht Club, Nike acquired RTFKT, an NFT art studio that creates collectibles. The opportunities in the Metaverse are endless.
Buy a Rolex watch and receive its digital NFT twin at the same time, or purchase a pair of digital Asics sneakers to wear on your meta-jog. Augmented reality will guide people to offline stores where virtual assistants can serve them, or they could take the same shopping trip from home virtually. These are just some examples of the exciting new commerce developments that will open up in the digital world. It’s not just Mr. Zuckerberg’s Metaverse and Instagram that are adding NFT support, Twitter and TikTok have already begun work on integrations.
The challenge for businesses lacking the kind of innovation funds Asics, Rolex, or Nike have at their disposal, will be finding low-tech means or partners to design collections, mint the NFTs, and provide access to the wallets needed to store them – without breaking the bank.
No matter what the commerce environment is – virtual or augmented reality or traditional stores – what never changes is the age-old demand that vendors place items in front of customers in a way that appeals to them, strengthens the brand, and triggers a sale. Some aspects of consumer marketing may never change, but rethinking commerce ecosystems that can integrate the new Metaverse and its commercial opportunities will require radically different product information value chain models (PIVC).
Trend 2: Livestream shopping – Millennials rebrand home shopping
One of the most talked-about and surprising trends to emerge in 2021, was the rebranding and rebooting of good old home shopping TV. Now totally digital and renamed “livestream shopping”, Millennials and Gen Z are looking to older shopping formats as inspiration for their future retail experiences.
Don’t let the old-school formats fool you. The combination of influencers and live shopping will be huge. With social commerce enabling in-app purchases for billions of trusting and active users, the potential for conversions is off the scale. Pinterest TV and Instagram’s Live Shopping events are just two of the more significant projects recently launched. Walmart also linked up with Twitter who has been offering Livestream shopping deals in North America since November 2021.
Trend 3: Sustainable shopping shakes off its niche status
Previously, consumer demand for products sourced, manufactured, transported, and sold according to objective sustainable criteria was limited to a minority of shoppers – coffee and chocolate being two notable exceptions. This is no longer the case. The 2021 European E-Commerce Report confirmed that sustainability was high on the agenda of e-shoppers in every country in Europe.
The shift to social and mobile commerce has provided shoppers with instant visibility of supply chains, sourcing, ingredients, packaging, and delivery options. In short, everything! Crude greenwashing – thankfully – is becoming a thing of the past – and the risks to a brand’s long-term reputation now far outweigh any foreseen short-term benefits. Buyers who understand the links between environmental issues and unsustainable manufacturing and supply chains are now drivers behind the phenomenal growth of sustainable shopping.
Aware of the internet’s transparency, businesses are becoming serious about integrating their sustainable credentials into those crucial micro-moments when consumers contemplate a purchase. In a 2020 survey, IBM estimated that 75% of respondents found it either “very important” or “moderately important” that their purchases were sustainable and/or environmentally responsible. Fast forward to 2022, instant feedback loops from customers to vendors have never been so important. 3D commerce systems will be an essential tool for marketeers asserting sustainability credentials to a woke, sincere, and wary public.
There are currently myriad forms of scoring and certifying systems for sustainability. We'll witness a gradual norming of these standards and their transfer to legislation in the coming years. This, in turn, will have a huge impact on vendors and marketers as they try to market the true sustainability of their product and supply chains – end-to-end green marketing campaign agencies are already surfacing. In the meantime, expect sustainable shopping – and the hugely important value system which underpins it – to continue cementing its presence in the retail mainstream.
Trend 4: More hyper-personalization and buyer customization options
One of the great contradictions of mass digitization hasn’t been the weakening of individual consumers' identity. In fact, there’s been an increase in personalization and customer-centric thinking. The trend towards hyper-personalization and 1-to-1 consumer interaction will continue to accelerate in 2022.
Why? Because this is what consumers expect from the brands they choose to buy from. Social commerce platforms and digital marketplaces have led their consumers to expect tailored shopping experiences wherever they shop. Online shopping experiences have led to an omnichannel consumer evolution across all commerce spaces.
This thinking has transferred from ecommerce to offline retail commerce. Consider Ralph Lauren’s custom sustainable colorization for apparel available in their stores. The fashion giants are giving consumers the option to request their favorite polo shirt in the colors they want. Nike for You sneakers and personalized shoes from Adidas are just two examples of previously offline flagship products being used to grow online market share with the promise of personalization.
2022 will almost certainly see a substantial increase in customizable fashion and the hyper-personalized shopping experience required to support it. The consumer-to-vendor feedback loops empowering tailored shopping require continued expansion of 3D commerce tech, which, in turn, will enable the identification of, and implementation of new product information value chains.
Trend 5: Lines between offline and online commerce continue to blur
The pandemic-induced global lockdowns forced offline high street retailers to invest in digitalization and new business models or face extinction. The result has been an explosion in online-offline hybrid business models, which have saved many city streets and shopping malls from ruin.
As offline brands move online via click & collect, or transform their physical locations for customers to look at products before going home to purchase online (see Tesla’s Design your Model), there’s been a similar move of online marketplaces going brick-and-mortar. Apart from Amazon’s huge move toward in-person stores, smaller brands that began online are also creating an offline presence for their brands and products in real-life stores: Peloton, Warby Parker, Allbirds, Gymshark, and Hedoine are just a few examples.
It will be interesting to observe Google’s Local Inventory Ads (LIA) initiative currently being rolled out across Europe. Google’s uber-hybrid shopping model enables online shoppers to find search results of items located in stores around the corner. Buyers can then choose if they want to go to the store and see the items in person before purchasing in-store or choosing click & collect.
As the lines between online and offline continue to blur, the trend towards a seamless omnichannel commerce experience will continue in 2022. Brands are beginning to wake up to the fact that brick-and-mortar and ecommerce are not two separate entities but two aspects of what is quickly becoming the same shopping experience.
Trend 6: Brand loyalty loses out as consumers favor performance
Customers are no longer just the kings and queens of commerce. They are fast becoming unicorns, at least from the branding perspective. Where once people stuck to what they knew, the proliferation of channels is eroding brand loyalty and consumer behavior to the point where first-time buyers can be your last-time buyers. It’s now performance marketing (not branding) that’s becoming key to winning over consumer sentiment. This will be no different in 2022. I envision intense competition to develop solutions to prevent more brand atrophy or even turn the tide.
What was apparent in 2019, crystal clear in 2020, and jumping up and down in 2021, now threatens to overwhelm us all in 2022. Commerce anarchy has increased the chances that brands make mistakes - mistakes that can have immediate and severe consequences - when pushing products to consumers through the gazillion channels and marketplaces available.
Some brands are throwing in their go-it-alone hats and building collaborations with other brands to try to compete with more prominent players – just consider the news that Bed, Bath & Beyond is teaming up with Kroger. Whether teaming up with other brands to increase visibility or turning to P2C management, companies are actively searching for solutions to prevent branding disasters.
Trend 7: As social commerce grows, so do challenges for sellers!
As all the social media giants are busy rolling out or integrating in-app checkouts, social commerce will continue to see exponential growth in the coming year. TikTok, who prefers to label its commerce ecosystem community commerce, joined the social commerce club in 2021. This leaves us all with one important question: How can vendors hit all of these channels at the right time to find the right consumers, and then place perfect product information in front of them?
Because social commerce’s success relies on providing seamless experiences, brands, retailers, marketplaces, and service providers will continue to invest in product-to-consumer (P2C) management to help their products reach their customers across the complex social commerce maze.
We aren’t far from a time when brand/consumer interactions will be streamlined through a single platform. Until that happens, however, companies will need P2C management partners to maintain their market position and create sustainable success.
Trend 8: More marketplaces with fewer sellers - a commerce contradiction?
Online marketplaces are popping up left and right, with once offline commerce giants creating the biggest headlines. Most recently, Michaels announced its own new marketplace to compete with Etsy, and Europe’s big-hitting tech retailer MediaMarkt is set to do the same. The Mirakl platform specializes in making it easier for retailers to become marketplaces themselves.
This trend begs two critical questions. Is it smart for retailers to create their online marketplaces? And how will this impact brands? For the answers to these questions, we’ll just have to wait and see.
Launching a marketplace is one thing, making it work is another. Once a retailer launches a marketplace, they also need to attract sellers, with more and more marketplaces on the horizon, attracting quality sellers will be one of the biggest challenges.
This is especially true given the rate that sellers are disappearing from marketplaces. SellerX is just one example of a startup accumulating, then consolidating mid-range sellers into larger stores – using their tech solutions and investors to entice sellers to take a bow.
While SellerX has begun mopping up sellers on Amazon in Europe, OpenStore has done the same on Shopify in North America: The stores cash out, and the new owner consolidates their acquisitions into efficient super-seller stores. The big question here is if sellers are cashing out for the rewards, or if commerce anarchy is forcing these sellers to consider throwing in the towel.
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US low charge ammonia manufacturer, Azane Inc, will be sharing its innovations and years of experience in ammonia cooling systems at the Global Cold Chain Expo in Chicago from 13-15 June 2017. Azane will be exhibiting at booth 4731.
Caleb Nelson, VP business Development of Azane, will be on hand to discuss the multiple benefits of air cooled low charge ammonia technology as well as sharing knowledge and experience gained through the most recent installations of Azane’s packaged unit installations in Ohio, Tennessee, and Oregon. Discussing the company’s attendance Mr Nelson said, “This is one of the most important events on the annual calendar for the refrigeration industry, so we’re excited to be back after a successful exhibit last year. We’ll be talking to attendees about our ground-breaking low charge ammonia technology which is a safe, green and economical solution.”
As a natural refrigerant, ammonia offers zero global warming potential (GWP) and zero ozone depletion potential. Azane’s innovative cooling systems including the Azanechiller and Azanefreezer have proven to be a suitable alternative to traditional ammonia, R22 and HFC refrigeration units.
Mr Nelson added, “The only way for end users to future-proof their cooling operation is with a natural refrigerant since R-22 is finishing its phase-out in a few years and HFCs were added to the Montreal protocol last year. Azane’s pre-engineered air cooled refrigeration systems, which have been used in the industry for over 25 years, contain low charges of ammonia that have been optimized to increase efficiency without sacrificing reliability.”
Packaged low charge ammonia systems are becoming more popular due to their ability to increase safety, reduce regulatory burden on business, and simplify installation requirements for new and existing facilities.Azane cooling systems are suitable for cold storage, food and drink manufacturing and distribution and HVAC to name a few industrial and commercial applications.
Azane’s team will also be assessing event delegate’s awareness of low charge ammonia technology, the R22 phase out and the imminent restriction in the use of HFCs. Attendees visiting the Azane booth can take the survey and enter a prize draw for a chance to win an Apple Watch. Alternative, the prize draw can be entered by taking the survey online on https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/GlobalColdChainExpo2017
The Global Cold Chain Expo is expected to attract over 7,500 industry professionals and key decision makers from the cold chain sector, including processing, retail, food service and cold storage. For more information about the event and to register to attend, visit the website: http://www.globalcldchainexpo.org/welcome


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Human-Centered Design display
MARQUETTE – Northern Michigan University’s Human-Centered Design student work is on display this month in the Huron Mountain Club Gallery on the main floor of the Peter White Public Library.
This collection of design concepts is the work of junior and senior level students within the Human-Centered Design Program at NMU. The emphasis of the program focuses on the development of concepts for products, systems and services that we encounter on a daily basis.
Students work through a creative process to identify appropriate solutions to the problem at hand.
For more information on the NMU program, visit www.art.nmu.edu.
The exhibit is available for viewing during regular library hours through Oct. 30. For more information, call the Peter White Public Library at 226-4318 or visit www.pwpl.inf.
’31 Days of Pink’ through October
MARQUETTE – The Superior Health Foundation and Marquette Area Public Schools are teaming up during October for the 31 Days of Pink to raise money for an Upper Peninsula-wide Breast Health Fund.
During October, The Spirit Store at Marquette Senior High School is selling pink t-shirts and wristbands to raise money for the foundation.
During the month, MSHS fall athletic teams are wearing pink and selling merchandise at their games to create awareness about Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
The 31 Days of Pink will culminate with a “Pink Party” at 7 p.m. Oct. 25, when the MSHS varsity football team hosts No. 1-ranked Menominee.
That evening, pink merchandise will be sold, valuable silent auction prizes will be available, fans will have an opportunity to participate in a fun football contest for a chance to win prizes and player pink jerseys will be auctioned off. In addition, a special halftime event is being planned to honor breast cancer survivors.
For more information, visit www.superiorhealthfoundation.org or call 225-6914.


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Amazon.com Inc (NASDAQ: AMZN) mentioned on Thursday its gross sales continued to develop within the fiscal second quarter however at a slower tempo because the U.S. authorities eased COVID-19 restrictions that enabled bricks-and-mortar shops to reopen.
Amazon earned $15.12 per share within the second quarter versus the year-ago determine of $10.30 per share. Its gross sales printed at $113.1 billion – a rise from $88.9 billion final 12 months. In line with FactSet, specialists had forecast a better $115.4 billion of gross sales within the current quarter and $12.28 of EPS.
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The eCommerce giant’s Q2 results embrace gross sales from its annual Prime Day.
Gross sales from particular person enterprise segments
Very similar to Google and Fb, Amazon benefitted from a surge in digital promoting that fuelled an 83% annualised progress in its “different” income to $7.92 billion. Amazon Internet Companies famous a 37% 12 months over 12 months improve in gross sales to beat Wall Avenue estimates.
In line with Amazon, its cloud-computing section made up roughly 60% of its whole working revenue within the current quarter.
Steerage for the third quarter
Amazon warned that gross sales progress will proceed to say no sooner or later. For the fiscal third quarter, it forecasts as much as $112 billion of gross sales and $2.5 billion to $6.0 billion of working revenue. As compared, analysts are calling for $119.3 billion of internet gross sales and $8.24 billion of working revenue.
The earnings report comes a month after Bloomberg mentioned Amazon may very well be pressured to divest its logistics property.
Ed Lee’s feedback on CNBC’s “Closing Bell”
Commenting on the earnings report on Thursday, New York Instances’ Ed Lee mentioned on CNBC’s “Closing Bell”:
“AWS did rather well, and that’s the place the brand new CEO comes from. However with the core enterprise, eCommerce, you need to query is there a sure saturation level they’re hitting in North America?”
Amazon’s eCommerce gross sales jumped 22% solely regardless of the increase from Prime Day. Shares of the corporate tanked greater than 5% in after-hours buying and selling.
67% of retail CFD accounts lose cash


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The COVID-19 pandemic has seen classification societies around the world adapting their services to cope with global travel restrictions, allowing inspections to be conducted remotely and for more services to be available online. For the Korean Register, increasing digitalisation and embracing new technologies has been a long-held strategy and the society quickly adapted its services to support customer’s business operations in these challenging times.
KR’s remote survey service was launched over a year ago and is well established, conducted via bi-directional communication with a vessel, by sharing photographs, video contents and digital images from the ship. It can be completed effectively and confidently anywhere in the world without requiring a surveyor’s attendance on board.
Travel restrictions as a result of COVID-19 have prevented KR from conducting some physical surveys and the need for social distancing has made it impossible to send surveyors on board ships. In these cases, KR has been granting extensions for one month or the period of a voyage to the next port, whichever is longer, in close consultation with the relevant flag administrations. In addition, KR has been using a range of remote survey techniques which have been undertaken with the authorization of the respective flag administrations.
Since the global pandemic was declared on 11 March 2020, KR has conducted a range of surveys remotely including; continuous machinery survey (CMS), 3-month extension of shaft survey, 3-month extension of boiler survey, minor damage survey, Outstanding Condition of Class (COC) or confirmation of repairs done for deficiencies or corrective actions. Overall, the number of remote surveys conducted by KR since the beginning of the pandemic has increased tenfold. KR is now working to include the inventory of hazardous materials (IHM) surveys for ships in service as well as all occasional surveys in its remote survey range.
KR has – where needed – granted force majeure extensions for vessels scheduled to dry-dock for repairs or renewal surveys in the areas acutely affected by COVID-19. In these instances, KR has liaised with the relevant flag administration to seek their agreement on the extension of the relevant statutory certificates.
The global pandemic is accelerating the pace of change in classification, with digitalization offering new opportunities and the means to adapt in this changing environment. As a result, KR is investing in technology to support the further digitalization of its classification services and has diversified its business portfolio to include third-party certification in the ASME and MED sectors and has increased its naval services to cover a wide range of technical applications ranging from patrol vessels to submarines.
Since 2014, KR has been developing its range of VR (virtual reality) based application systems. These now include a ship inspection training simulator and a ship crew safety training simulator both of which use digital 3D replicas of the relevant ships, and KR has further applications in development.
KR has been prioritizing the development and application of innovative information and ICT systems for the maritime industry for some time, such as the use of drones to conduct ship surveys, ship cyber security certification, KR’s 3D based drawing approval, e-certificates and condition-based maintenance (CBM).
Traditionally, design approval of a ship by a classification society has been a paper-based process, involving the exchange of numerous large-format drawings between the shipyard and the classification society. However, KR has developed and launched a 3D model-based (paperless) design approval system which provides a more accurate and intuitive review of ship structure.
E-certificates are already widely used as they offer a more secure way of reducing the risk of falsification. KR is authorized by many flag state administrations to issue e-certificates on their behalf, but KR expects this to increase even more moving forward.
As the shipping industry becomes more and more digitalized, so the number of cyberattacks on shipping companies and ships have increased too. An effective response and comprehensive cyber security protection measures are now essential for any maritime organization.
The classification society has provided cyber security certification services for companies and ships since 2018, and cyber security type approval services for ship networks and automated systems in compliance with IEC 62443 4-2 and IEC 61162-460 standards since 2019.
In 2021, the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) Resolution MSC.428 (98) enters into force, which will further increase demand for company and ship cyber risk management services. As a result,
KR has established a cyber security certification process which is in line with the international security standards – ISO 27001, IEC 62443, the NIST Framework, the IMO and BIMCO cyber security guidelines.
KR’s expert cyber security team is now expanding its technology services to cover the cyber certification of newbuilds and the assessment of software conformity for ships, so its customers can respond quickly and effectively to any cyber security challenge as it arises.
Looking ahead, KR expects that, as a result of the global pandemic, there will be a significant drop in global trade which will affect cargo carried. This will lead to over-capacity in the market which will lead to an increasing number of lay-ups and scrapings – all of which will affect the work handled by KR.
But with the global population continuing to grow, it’s expected that long term growth will return. During this time, KR will continue to increase the level of digitalisation across its organisation and services and will apply new technologies to support customers businesses no matter what the challenges.
Source: By Mr Hyung-chul Lee, Chairman and CEO of Korean Register, arranged on behalf of Hellenic Shipping News Worldwide (www.hellenicshippingnews.com)


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Yesterday was a very busy day so I did not catch up on which companies were reporting until late into the night. I tend to cull all positions going into earnings, but Akamai Technologies (NASDAQ:AKAM) was only a 1.3% exposure so at that weighting I'm not sure I would have done much to the position.
Much like Netflix (NASDAQ:NFLX), I found the Akamai report quite good, but with high valuation and a stock full of renters rather than owners. Expectations got too high and the stock was punished. In this case AKAM fell about 9% early in after hours trading last night but rallied later in the evening to fall 5%.
Looking at the chart, we see support right around where it closed the AH session at just under $42. To avoid the Netflix fate we do not want to see more than 1-2 days of closes below this 50-day moving average. (Click to enlarge)
If indeed it can hold this level AND the S&P 500 holds 1100 (because almost all stocks now move in monolith) a good buying opportunity may present itself. If it cannot hold this level and the S&P 500 breaks 1100 than the student body will run left and most likely near term hope will be lost. Simple as that.
I would not read too much into the "guide down" as I expect this is the typical game of set the bar low, so ti can be beat and we can all clap like seals that the company 'beat expectations' (that it set) in 90 days.
Via Reuters: (my comments in parenthesis)
- Akamai Technologies Inc's business outlook disappointed investors who expected greater profit from the growing popularity of online entertainment, sending the shares down 5% after-hours on Wednesday. Higher costs also worried some analysts, although the company said the investment was crucial to support growing demand for online entertainment like high-definition movie downloads and real-time streaming of sports events. (this is the push pull between the Street's demands that a company only look at its business in 90-day periods and run a business to "the estimates," versus any company who makes longer term investments which might hurt near term profits but actyally benefit the company in the long run.)
- Second-quarter net profit rose to $38 million from $36 million a year earlier. Earnings excluding special items was 34 cents a share, matching expectations. Quarterly revenue rose 20% from a year earlier to $245 million, it said. That was also roughly in line with the average analyst forecast of $243 million.
- Akamai, which helps media companies deliver online entertainment by navigating less-congested routes over the Web, said it expects earnings in the current quarter, excluding items, to be about 32 cents to 34 cents. Analysts on average expected profit excluding items of 34 cents.
- The company also raised its capital spending forecast for the full year to 17% of revenue from a previous range of 13 to 16%, after reporting higher costs in the second quarter.
- Some analysts said the sell-off was overdone considering second-quarter results were solid, albeit in line with expectations.
- "They were a little higher than expected on expenses and capex. But we're also getting into this situation where dreams are always better than reality. We've seen this with other companies that have reported this quarter, where no matter how good the numbers, people are selling on the news," said Donna Jaegers, analyst at D.A. Davidson & Co. "I would expect the shares to bounce back tomorrow," she said. "I thought the second-quarter numbers were very, very strong."
- It also said pricing had stabilized, soothing concerns that increasing competition from rivals like Limelight Networks Inc (NASDAQ:LLNW) and Level 3 Communications Inc (NASDAQ:LVLT) could hurt its profitability. (this concern has been hanging over the head of AKAM for a good decade - we even wrote about it in 2007!) [Oct 5, 2007: News Flow Just Never Gets Better for Akamai Technologies]
"Telecom giant Level 3 Communications is looking to boost its position in the content delivery network (CDN) industry by undercutting competitors."
The above quote was from 2007, not 2010. It will be the same quote used in 2013.
Disclosure: Long Akamai Technologies in fund; no personal position


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Christmas in 2018 was the worst of times for Delta, the country’s biggest beverage company.
A shortage of foreign currency forced the company to shut down its soft drinks plant, losing money during a period that, traditionally, serves up the best sales.
With the big player struggling, this was just the right time for Delta’s rival, Varun, to make its move.
Varun had entered the market in 2018 with one goal in mind, to knock Delta off its perch. Varun at the time announced an ambitious plan to grab up to 35% of the market share within five years, and then command the market within ten years.
Commissioning the Varun plant in 2018, Varun chairman and founder Ravi Jaipuria said he was “not too concerned about profits at this stage”. He was after market share.
Varun put its money where its mouth was. It commissioned a US$30 million plant in Harare in 2018, and set aside at least US$150 million in investments over the next five years.
The market entry strategy was simple; Zimbabweans go for bargains. Varun came in bearing them. Its “dollar for two” discounts undercut Delta’s more rigid pricing.
While Delta’s products were off the market, Varun was doubling production.
In little time, Varun announced to investors back in India that Zimbabwe was one of the fastest growing markets for its Pepsi products. Next to Morocco, Zimbabwe was seeing the highest growth, Varun director Raj Pal Gandhi told an investors’ conference call.
In 2020, Varun’s Zimbabwe sales volumes went up by 40%, and the company kept investing more in increasing capacity.
It also helped that Varun had Special Economic Zone status. This meant that, for the five years from 2018, it would enjoy tax breaks that its rival did not have. This included zero-rated corporate tax for the first five years, plus importing raw materials and equipment duty-free.
At RBZ’s foreign currency auction, Varun has often been at the front of the queue for forex. In November last year, Delta complained about “skewed forex allocations to certain market players” which it said had “distorted pricing” and was “creating an uneven playing field”. The dig was barely hidden.
Delta’s market share fell to as low as 35% in 2019, according to analysts at Morgan & Co.
But Delta says it has now begun clawing back its market share. It is dominating again. According to its latest results, the company estimates that it now holds 59% of the soft drinks market.
The price advantage that Varun held in the “dollar for two” days has waned, Delta managed to restore soft drinks production, and made a deal that gave it access to a large swathe of the Zimbabwean market that it did not previously control.
In November 2020, Delta announced that it was buying Mutare Bottling Company (MBC) from Econet Wireless. This meant that Delta could now hold Manicaland’s soft drinks market, which had been controlled by MBC before.
The results were quick; drinks sales volumes rose 205% in quarter up to June 2021, the first period under which MBC was under Delta’s control. The year to March 2022 is the first full year that MBC has been part of Delta.
“The Manicaland territory has been fully integrated, allowing the optimization of the returnable glass production capacity,” Delta reports.
According to Delta, volumes of sparkling beverages went up by 65% last year.
Says the company: “The business has responded positively to the ongoing initiatives to recover market share through competitive pricing, focused market execution and consistent supply of brands, flavours and packs.”
Having seen its market share slip because it could not supply the market when its rivals were expanding, Delta is leaving nothing to chance. The company is putting more money into the business to increase capacity and improve how it serves the market.
“The Group is undertaking an ambitious recapitalisation programme to address the capacity gaps and improve customer service,” Delta says.
Varun: ‘Monopolies aren’t good’
But Varun isn’t sleeping either.
Varun took on Delta by taking its battle for market share to the streets, rolling out vendor pushcarts that pushed products right into the faces of urban consumers. It even gave vendors free ice.
Now, Varun is looking to take on Delta in the rural areas.
“Varun beverages has plans to set up outlets in rural Zimbabwe with solar panels fixed on it. These outlets will be distributed free of cost to the poor families to create employment in rural Zimbabwe,” says Varun CEO Vijay Bahl.
“This will be done besides distribution of additional 1500 push carts by Varun in the year 2022.”
Varun has built a new production line that bumped up output from 58 million bottles and cans per month to 76 million.
Bahl has his own dig at Delta, saying: “Monopolies are not good for the economy. They slow down innovation.”


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Tech 2.0 for Thursday, March 20, 2014
Are you smart when it comes to protecting what's on your smart phone? It seems everywhere you go people are talking, texting, emailing, Googling or taking pictures. What would happen if you suddenly lost everything on your smart phone? Nearly half of the people Avast talked to in a recent US.S. poll said they did not back up their data or didn't know if they did. Nearly one in ten said they lost their phone or it was stolen in the last 12 months. Avast also found more than one third don't have any anti-theft or anti-virus security on their smart phones.
Some of the country's biggest tech companies want to help President Obama spread the word on climate change. Microsoft and Google will join the effort to show Americans how it will impact their communities. Mister Obama pledged to renew his efforts on climate change during his second term and said he would use executive actions to bypass congress. So far, the President has introduced new regulations on truck emissions and created "climate hubs" to help businesses prepare for the effects of climate change.
And are you a gadget hoarder? That is, do you keep old devices long after you stop using them? A Usell.com survey found 68-percent of Americans say they have old cell phones, tablets and other devices that they haven't used in two years or more. Letting your gadgets collect dust can be costly. You can sell your old cell phones and tablets through websites like Usell, Amazon, Gazelle and many others. Retailers like Staples, Best Buy and your wireless carrier might give you a credit for your phone. Apple has a trade-in program too.
Tech 2.0 extra: Beginning next month, you can use a mobile app to pay for your food at more than 7,000 Burger King locations. The fast food chain will also offer food discounts on the app. The company will eventually offer other features like the ability to pre-order food.


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In a surprising move, Binance, one of the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchanges, has declared its departure from the Dutch market. The announcement came as a shock to many investors and traders who have come to rely on the platform for their digital currency transactions. The decision was met with disappointment from Dutch cryptocurrency enthusiasts who have praised the exchange for its user-friendly interface and a wide range of offerings.
Binance cited regulatory concerns as the primary reason behind this move. The company expressed its intention to ensure compliance with local laws and regulations and claimed that it had attempted to establish constructive dialogue with Dutch authorities. However, the lack of clarity in the regulatory environment appears to have pushed the exchange to exit the market.
The Netherlands has been known for its progressive stance towards cryptocurrencies, with the Dutch Central Bank implementing strict regulations in an effort to combat money laundering and increase transparency. Despite these efforts, the environment remains volatile and uncertain, with ongoing debates surrounding the legal framework for cryptocurrencies.
Binance had experienced significant growth in the Dutch market, attracting a considerable number of users with its diverse selection of cryptocurrencies, competitive trading fees, and easy-to-use platform. The announcement of its withdrawal leaves many traders grappling with the question of where to turn next. While there are alternative exchanges available, none have quite matched the convenience and reputation of Binance.
Cryptocurrency experts speculate that this decision may trigger a domino effect, with other major exchanges reassessing their participation in the Dutch market. The lack of regulatory clarity could prompt these platforms to reconsider their business strategies and potentially follow Binance’s footsteps.
However, some industry insiders and enthusiasts remain hopeful that the Dutch government will take swift action to address the concerns raised by Binance and offer clearer guidelines for cryptocurrency exchanges. They argue that embracing the digital economy can provide numerous benefits to the country’s financial landscape, fostering innovation and attracting global investments.
Meanwhile, Binance users in the Netherlands must withdraw their funds from the platform within a specified timeframe. The exchange reassured its customers that it would provide sufficient support during this transition period, ensuring a seamless process for all withdrawals.
With Binance’s exit from the Dutch market, the landscape of cryptocurrency exchanges in the country is bound to change. The absence of such a prominent player raises concerns about potential reduced competition and limited choices for users. Consequently, users may need to adapt to alternative platforms, which may not offer the same level of convenience and versatility.
The aftermath of Binance’s departure from the Netherlands will likely fuel discussions surrounding the regulatory landscape within the country. Policymakers and regulators will undoubtedly face pressure to clarify the legal environment for cryptocurrency exchanges and foster an environment that encourages innovation while protecting consumer interests.
For now, the Dutch cryptocurrency market faces a period of uncertainty as it grapples with the repercussions of Binance’s departure. As the dust settles, time will tell how the Netherlands responds to the challenges posed by this loss and whether it can navigate the delicate balance between regulation and innovation in the cryptocurrency space.


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Forbes recently ran an article featuring a study by the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. According to the study, smart phones can cause lines and creases in the face. Wrinkles, in other words.
“Lines and creases may develop if you spend an excessive amount of time texting and checking e-mail on your smartphone. The constant use may be causing some individuals to experience more lines and creases on their neck than would naturally appear. Even if your face maintains its youthful volume signs of aging on your neck can give you away.”
Of course, you’re probably not going to give up your smartphone. Indeed, the warning sounds like most other smartphone hysteria, in which people claim the devices will render us incapable of human relationships or turn us less intelligent.
It’s also possible that any lines that are occurring, on your neck or otherwise, are just the result of stress, and are not necessarily linked to the smart phone per se.
But the article does highlight the need to spread your wrinkle control regimen to other areas of your body, and not just your face. The healthy diet, exercise, and sleep routines that you put into place to keep your face young will help your neck too.
And you should also be sure that you’re using moisturizer all over your body, and not just on your face. Skin is skin, and a moisturizer like Derma Elastics will feed the skin what it needs no matter where it’s located.
Not that anyone couldn’t stand to spend a little less time playing Angry Birds!


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Data from the recent SME Landscape report demonstrates the significant contribution SMEs make to our national economy. According to the report, 29% of employment in South Africa is generated by local SMEs. And when you bear in mind the potential for further job creation as small businesses mature and grow, the overwhelmingly positive impact they have in a country where unemployment rates continue to climb becomes clear.
While there’s no denying small businesses are vital to our economy, unfortunately many struggle to survive those first tricky years. Even when they are up and running most SMEs struggle to grow as quickly as they would like. This is often due to difficulty accessing sufficient working capital to take advantage of the opportunities that come their way.
Small businesses could, and should, be our nation’s economic success story. For this to become reality more support for SMEs in critical areas, such as access to funding, is required.
Lulalend helps make business growth possible
Lulalend is very aware that this lack of real time access to funding is a critical issue that needs a solution. Lulalend was founded with the goal of making it easy and fast for SMEs to access the working capital they need to grow. Their unique online solution allows SMEs to secure short term funding of up to R1m within 24 hours. They believe that enabling business owners like yourself to quickly access funds will not only help you to achieve your goals, but also help drive the overall economic growth of the nation.
The Lulalend experience is designed to cut through the insurmountable paperwork traditional lenders require, while also eradicating the long queues and weeks (sometimes months) of waiting for an answer only to be turned down by the banks.
Lulalend have developed an 8-minute online application process that only requires three months bank statements to be provided. Once submitted, there is a turnaround time of one business day for a decision, with funding made available within 24 hours. Being specifically focused on serving SMEs, approval rates are also significantly higher than the traditional banks.
The ease and speed at which small business owners can now access finance solves one of the biggest challenges for SMEs, and is what makes Lulalend different to banks and other traditional lenders.
Lulalend has provided access to critical funding to thousands of local businesses across the country, covering all sectors of the economy. They have been recognised by FNB as one of the most innovative financial companies in South Africa and partner with the likes of the NSBC (National Small Business Chamber).
To find out more about how Lulalend can help you, apply here in eight short minutes and receive your FREE quote, or contact them on email@example.com or call 087 943 2381. To apply, a business must have been trading for at least 1 year and have a minimum annual turnover of R500,000.
For more information visit: www.lulalend.co.za.


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Despite the fallout from the recent Bangkok blast, The Tourism Council of Thailand has revised up its expected forecast from 28.8 million to 30 million inbound tourists this year.
TCT president Ittirit Kinglake said 8.1 million international tourists are expected to visit in the fourth quarter, a rise of 9% from the same period last year.
“The bomb blast at the Erawan Shrine in Bangkok, last month, hit the sector, but only for a short time. This will not affect the industry during the coming high season,”
A series of recent reports released this week point to Thailand exceeding all previous tourism arrival predictions despite the recent bomb in its capital city.
The official target of 28.8 million inbound tourists this year is expected to exceed 30 million – a record.
CBRE reported in their Hotel Trends Q2 2015, that Thailand saw strong demand for hotels from local and foreign buyers. With a weaker baht, the report claims that the tourism market continued to recover strongly with total arrivals up 30% on LY.
Arrivals from China the report said, are growing significantly and tourists from this market now account for 28% of total visitors. Bangkok is benefiting in particular from more short-break and independent visitors from China.
The report suggests strong increases in visitor arrivals have continued to push up occupancy in Bangkok to 70% in Q2 2015, a huge improvement on the 50% recorded in the same period last year. ADR and RevPAR grew slightly, the report stated.
Reports show that since the downturn in Russian tourists due to the weakened ruble, the China market has edged even further ahead as the dominant tourist market in Thailand. Eight million Chinese visitors are expected this year.
TAT cut estimate for tourism arrivals to 33 million in 2020
Thailand’s previously-robust tourism industry may lose between 6 to 10 million visitors in 2020 due to Covid-19 slowdown
Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) cut its estimate for international arrivals to 33 million in 2020, while tourism businesses have been knocked hard by the Covid-19 spreading around the world.(more…)
Tourist arrivals plunge 43% on Chinese travel drought
Coronavirus crisis is keeping Thailand’s top vacation spenders away with a 85% decline in Chinese visitors in the first week of February.
Thailand’s tourism at risk with China virus
Chinese holidaymakers spent almost $18 billion in Thailand last year, more than a quarter of all foreign tourism receipts, government data show.
Foreign tourist arrivals hit a record 39.8 million last year after a rise of 7% to 38.2 million in 2018, but the 41 million target set by the TAT may be difficult to reach as mainland China tours are now prohibited from selling trips abroad.(more…)
APRIL International Care opens up TeleHEALTH service to address Coronavirus worries
The TeleHEALTH service means policyholders do not have to leave their home or workplace to “see” a doctor, with a...
Thailand rolls out New Investment Measures to Boost Economy
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Thailand among top five countries for salary hikes
Thailand is among the top five economies in the world to see real salary increases and is likely to see...


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AAPEX 2017: Meeting The Demands of Tomorrow’s Aftermarket
AAPEX 2017 took place at the Sands Expo in Las Vegas, from October 31 to November 2. (Photos: Huw Evans)
This year’s Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo emphasized changing technology the need for the industry to adapt.
Held at the Sands Expo and Convention Center, this year’s event drew approximately 158,000 automotive aftermarket professionals and featured over 2,200 exhibitors, plus more than 50 AAPEXedu sessions.
As in past years, there were a number of keynote sessions, Let’s Tech workshops as well as a new Mobility Park exhibit. Located outdoors, adjacent to the Sands Expo, this featured a range of demonstrations on the latest scan tools as well as diagnostic procedures—all designed to help keep automotive industry professionals “ahead of the curve.” CarCare Business attended AAPEX 2017 and brings you some highlights.
Alex Ragucci (left) and Monika Laprette from CRP Automotive, with some of the company’s new products, including an electric power steering rack, belts and gaskets.
Hugh Charvat, CEO, APC Automotive Technologies addresses attendees at a company press conference on October 31 at AAPEX 2017.
Paco Agrafojo (left) and Keith Nelson of ITW Global Brands; were showcasing a range of new Permatex sealants and adhesives.
The Transbec booth was a hub of activity during AAPEX 2017.
Mevotech was showcasing its popular TTX line at AAPEX. (Let to right) Derek Chinn, Charles Touchette, Mike Duggan and Mike Caron.
Cardone Industries had this impressive display highlighting the various components it supplies for automobiles.
Dayco was showcasing a new line of water pumps. (Left to right) Dan Sheehan, Joe Greco, Nick Orlando, Danny Infusion and Bob Rosen.
Dominik Jedrzejak (left) and Jason Vandeboom were on hand for product demonstrations at the Bosch booth including brake pads, alternators and starters.
A number of Let’s Tech workshops took place this year, adjacent to the main trade show hall.
Tenneco’s Denise Hanefeld with some of Walker’s newest emissions control and exhaust components.
Spectra Premium’s display included the NASCAR Pinty’s Series Dodge Challenger Racer driven by J-P Dumoulin.
Pico Canada’s Marc Alary, had a variety of new electrical components on display.
Schaeffler featured an interactive display, allowing customers a close up look at some of its newest products.


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A common worry among potential electric vehicle owners is the possibility of a fire. But the fear appears to be overblown, according to new research.
Turns out, hybrids lead the way when it comes to the risk of catching fire — electrics are least at risk.
Electric vehicles catching fire and being recalled for such risk grab headlines — stories about Teslas catching fire without warning came up last summer; Chevrolet recalled its electric Bolt over concerns about the cars spontaneously combusting while parked and charging.
But insurance aggregator AutoInsuranceEZ.com recently examined statistics from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board, Bureau of Transportation Statistics and recall data around fires for gasoline, hybrid and electric vehicles.
It found that hybrid vehicles reported 3,475.5 fires per 100,000 sold. Gas vehicles accounted for 1,529.9 fires for every 100,000 sold. Electrics saw just 25.1 fires at the same rate.
In the fall, Hyundai recalled 130,000 2017 Tucson and Sonata hybrids in Canada and the U.S. This came months after 390,000 other Hyundais were recalled for two problems that could cause a fire in the engine.
For both hybrid and electric vehicles, all recalls were related to battery issues. Compare that to gas-powered vehicles where issues around fuel leaks, electrical shorts, and anti-lock braking systems (ABS) led to recalls.
When an EV or hybrid catches fire, though, it can be more difficult to deal with than one in a gas vehicle.
“Electric automobiles catch fire less frequently than gasoline-powered cars, but the duration and intensity of the fires can make them considerably more difficult to put out due to the use of lithium-ion battery packs,” explained Axel Hernborg, CEO of Tripplo, a South Africa-based software module company. “Lithium-ion batteries are notoriously difficult to keep cool. Even after appearing to be turned off for 24 hours, the batteries can generate enough heat to re-ignite.”
This seems a tad misleading. Hybrid can be somewhat grouped in with electric. considering the stark contrast in ratio between gas to electric / hybrid vehicles, it seems like a problem that electric / hybrid represent more than twice the amount of incidents.
Nonsense. Hybrid and electric are distinct and separate classes of vehicles. The NTSB is not going to mistakenly classify a hybrid as an electric, nor vise-versa.


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Amazon Launches Prime in Australia Offering Free Delivery in as Fast as Two Days for Nearly 90 Per Cent of Australians
Prime launches in Australia with the most extensive suite of benefits for any Prime launch ever, including free
delivery on millions of local and international items, Prime Video, Prime Reading, Twitch Prime, discounted Priority
delivery and exclusive deals
Customers can try Prime today with a free 30-day trial then join Prime for AUD$6.99 a month or AUD$59 a year.
Until 31 January 2019, customers can take advantage of an introductory offer of AUD$4.99 a month
SYDNEY – 19 June, 2018 – Today, Amazon announced the launch of Amazon Prime in Australia, offering free two business day delivery to nearly 90 per cent of Australians. Prime is Amazon’s membership program enjoyed by more than 100 million paid members around the world, offering free delivery on eligible items with an unparalleled combination of shopping and entertainment benefits tailored to each country. Everyone can try Prime and enjoy all of the benefits by signing up for a free 30-day trial at www.amazon.com.au/prime.
Prime members in Australia will have access to the widest selection of Prime benefits at launch for any country ever—free delivery on millions of local and international items, access to exclusive and award-winning Prime Original series and other popular movies and TV shows with Prime Video, access to over 1,000 e-books with Prime Reading, benefits for gamers with Twitch Prime, access to discounted priority delivery and more. Customers in Australia can try Prime with Amazon’s 30-day free trial, and then join Prime for AUD$6.99 a month, or save 30 per cent with an annual payment of AUD$59. Until 31 January 2019, Australians can take advantage of an introductory promotional price of AUD$4.99 a month.
“We hope that Australians will love free two business day delivery on products from Amazon Australia and free international delivery on products from Amazon U.S., all available to customers on Amazon.com.au,” says Jamil Ghani, Vice President, Prime International, Amazon. “We are really proud to bring Australians the most extensive set of Prime benefits at launch for any country – ever. This is just the beginning for Prime in Australia, as we will keep making Prime better, adding even more selection and benefits.”
Prime members will enjoy free expedited delivery with no minimum purchase on Amazon’s ever-expanding domestic selection of Prime-eligible products. Prime Expedited Delivery reaches nearly 90 per cent of Australians in two business days, with more cities, towns and suburbs being added over time. Free two business day delivery is available to customers in Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, Hobart, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney and regional cities such as Albury-Wodonga, Bendigo, Gold Coast, Gosford, Newcastle, Shepparton–Mooroopna, Toowoomba, Wagga Wagga and more. Prime members in more remote or rural locations will receive free expedited shipping in as fast as four or five days.
Prime members in Australia will have access to more than 4 million products from Amazon U.S. sold directly on Amazon.com.au and will benefit from Prime free international delivery on orders over AUD$49. Customers can check delivery speeds for domestic and international products for their location by visiting www.amazon.com.au/prime.
Prime-eligible products span all 23 shopping categories currently available on amazon.com.au, including clothing & accessories, electronics, books, toys, consumables, and beauty. At launch, brands eligible for two business day delivery include favourites such as Blackmores, Bonds, Sol-Sana, Breville, Bose, L’Oreal, Tommy Hilfiger, Nintendo, Disney, Universal Sony Pictures Home Entertainment and Huggies.
“We are thrilled to bring Prime, our premium membership program and its many benefits, to Australia, little more than six months after the launch of our Marketplace and Retail offering,” said Rocco Braeuniger, Country Manager of Amazon Australia. “We have been working hard to expand selection, ensure customers get great value, and improve the Amazon shopping experience for Australians. With the addition of Prime, customers can now enjoy the most convenient way to shop and take advantage of new and expanding benefits from Amazon.”
Along with free delivery on millions of local and international products, Prime gives Australian members access to a constantly growing suite of benefits at no extra cost, including:
- Amazon Prime Video: Prime members can stream or download popular and award-winning Prime Original series like The Grand Tour, Golden Globe winner The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Emmy winner The Man in the High Castle, American Gods, and the highly anticipated Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan starring John Krasinski, which will premiere on 31 August 2018. Prime members can watch anytime, anywhere via the Prime Video app on mobile phones, tablets, select Smart TVs, game consoles, Fire TV stick and more
- Amazon Prime Reading: Members enjoy access to more than 1,000 e-books, short reads, comics, travel guides, children’s books and more – including best sellers like Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone and The Fourth Friend, Australian classics from Miles Franklin and Marcus Clarke, as well as nonfiction like Up From the Mission and Dane Swan’s autobiography. Members can start reading now by downloading the free Kindle reading app for mobile phones and tablets or by using any Kindle e-reader and Fire Tablet.
- Twitch Prime: Prime members enjoy a selection of free games every month, access to free in-game loot for some of the world’s biggest games, like Fortnite, Call of Duty WWII, and Heroes of the Storm, a Twitch channel subscription every 30 days, an expanded set of chat emotes and colours, an exclusive chat badge, and more.
- Exclusive Deals: Prime members will have exclusive access to special shopping deals from Australia’s and the world’s most popular brands. Australian Prime members will be able to shop the site on Prime Day, Amazon’s deal-shopping event exclusively for Prime members.
- Discounted Priority Delivery: Prime members can save money on all Prime eligible Priority deliveries, receiving deliveries in as fast as one day.
- Alexa Shopping: Prime members will now be able to shop via voice on Alexa enabled devices.
- Free Release Date Delivery: Nearly 90% of Australians will be able to pre-order Prime-eligible products including video games like Red Dead Redemption II, Avengers Infinity War and Call of Duty Black Ops 4, and have them delivered on release date
To sign up for a free 30-day trial, customers can visit www.amazon.com.au/prime.
Every Day Made Better with Prime
Amazon Prime is now available in 17 countries, including Australia. More than 100 million paid members around the world enjoy the most convenient way to shop and experience new and expanding innovations from Amazon. Since 2005, Prime has been focused on making customers’ lives better every day.
Amazon is guided by four principles: customer obsession rather than competitor focus, passion for invention, commitment to operational excellence, and long-term thinking. Customer reviews, 1-Click shopping, personalised recommendations, Prime, Fulfilment by Amazon, AWS, Kindle Direct Publishing, Kindle, Fire tablets, Fire TV, Amazon Echo and Alexa are some of the products and services pioneered by Amazon.


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Google is planning multiple core algorithm updates this summer. This is unprecedented from Google. Usually, core updates are few and far between. Google frequently makes small tweaks to their algorithm throughout the year, but large core updates happen infrequently and with a decent amount of lead-up time. However, this summer, Google is pulling out all of the stops to update its search algorithm in multiple waves. In May we saw a new algorithm update fixated on website performance with a focus on website speed. So what can we expect with these next few updates?
When Is Google Updating Their Core Algorithm?
Google has already launched one of two major updates that they planned for this summer. Their June update launched in the first week of the month. They plan to send out an additional core update in July. This is the first time Google has had two major updates this close together. Generally, Google makes one large update, and then there is a decent amount of time for companies to adjust their SEO strategies before the next update.
What Can I Expect With Google’s Algorithm Updates?
Whenever Google updates its algorithm there is often a lot of fluctuation in how you rank for certain keywords. Some websites will see a boost in traffic while others will see a decrease. However, with these two updates happening so close together any gains or losses a business has in June should be taken with a grain of salt. It is very possible that a business might see a spike in traffic (either up or down) in June, and then have that reversed in July.
What Do I Need To Do To Rank Better On Google?
The key to these two algorithm updates is to continue best SEO practices. These algorithm updates are designed to uplift companies that are doing everything right and penalize those that are “gaming” the system. Black hat strategies like link buying, thin/duplicate content and other cheat methods for boosting ranking are likely to be penalized. Additionally, creating strong content that is authoritative and trustworthy will continue to help businesses improve their ranking. The core web vitals updated was aimed at businesses that have slow websites or websites that are not easy to use on mobile devices.
Get Help With Your SEO Strategy
If you want to rank better for your services on Google and Bing, please contact Boston Web Marketing. Our team stays up to date on all of Google’s algorithm updates to ensure that our clients are able to get the best out of each update and both improve and maintain their search rankings.


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There’s never been a better time to be an emoji user — and it’s about to get even better. Two-hundred and thirty new emojis are set to roll out to users in 2019, which will make it not only easier to express ideas, but will also be more inclusive.
The emojis will likely roll out to users in September or October and are part of the Emoji 12.0 release, which essentially means that they’re new emojis approved by the Unicode Consortium.
For starters, there is a range of emojis aimed at being more inclusive of disabled people — including wheelchairs, canes, hearing aids, and prosthetic limbs. That’s something that Apple has been lobbying for — the company wrote in a proposal for the emojis that “one in seven people around the world has some form of disability” and that “adding emoji emblematic to users’ life experiences helps foster a diverse culture that is inclusive of disability.”
There is also a ton more emojis devoted to being inclusive of different kinds of couples. The “people holding hands” emoji will now be available in different skin tones and genders, making for 171 possible combinations. And, there’s a new drop of blood emoji aimed at symbolizing women’s periods.
Other emojis are less important to include, but still interesting additions. For example, there are a few new emojis dedicated to food — including garlic, a waffle, an onion, butter, and a juice box. There’s also new clothing emojis, like a one-piece swimsuit, a sari, ballet shoes, and a safety vest. Perhaps you’re more interested in animals; in that case, you’ll get a sloth, otter, flamingo, skunk, and orangutan. Other random emojis include a ringed planet emoji, a yo-yo emoji, and a pinched hand emoji.
In general, there has been a big push to add more inclusive emojis, and while the range of emojis has advanced in leaps and bounds, many still feel that the Unicode Consortium could do more. For example, while there are a number of skin tones, many feel that none of the skin tones on offer actually represent them — and that’s likely something that Unicode Consortium is working to address.
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- Pinterest makeup searches can soon be customized by skin tone
- The best iOS 12 features
- Samsung Galaxy S10 to launch February 20: Here’s everything we know


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What you need to know
- Microsoft took the number one spot in a poll of Americans to rank how companies perform on issues that matter to them.
- Microsoft topped a list of 922 total companies, and beat out 51 other companies in the software industry.
- Companies were ranked on issues related to workers, customers, communities, the environment, and shareholders.
Americans see Microsoft as the most ethical company on issues that matter to them, according to the results of a poll released by non-profit group Just Capital today (via CNN). Overall, Microsoft topped a list of 922 total companies and beat out 51 other companies in the software industry.
Just Capital polled 4,000 Americans on how they rated companies based on a number of factors, including how they treat their workers and customers, support their communities, reduce their environmental impact, and deliver value to their shareholders. Each category is broken up into several questions, with each weighted differently to influence the total ranking.
Overall, Microsoft scored highly in all categories when compared to the total pool of companies. The company was viewed as doing particularly well in terms of its environmental impact, its support for communities, and its treatment of workers. That's largely due to programs like AI for Earth, donations of billions to nonprofits, and efforts to improve diversity among its workers and offer childcare services.
As for the rest of the list, Microsoft competitors like Apple, Amazon, and Google, took 3rd, 75th, and 6th, respectively, among the total list of companies. Apple and Alphabet took the number one spots in their industries of technology and internet companies. Amazon ranked second among all retail companies.
Dan Thorp-Lancaster is the Editor in Chief for Windows Central. He began working with Windows Central as a news writer in 2014 and is obsessed with tech of all sorts. You can follow Dan on Twitter @DthorpL and Instagram @heyitsdtl. Got a hot tip? Send it to email@example.com.
Did 4000 respondents really wade through 900+ companies, seriously consider all their corporate responsibility initiatives, and rank them? I'd take this one with a huge grain of salt. It's just a promotional effort for Just Capital.
Google 6th, clearly you're right
Do some research.
I found this on Just Capital “ Just Capital pulls from public reports, company surveys and crowd-sourced repositories. This year, the number of data points collected jumped from 110,000 to 368,000 in 2019 ” If you work with Microsoft at a business level (as opposed to raging keyword consumer warriors) they do come across as very ethical. Licensing is painful, they are pushing (forcing) a subscription mode and out of the box support is terrible [Premier now overpriced required]l - but apart from that, their direction, products, supply chain are all very well managed.
It certainly wasn't scroogle.
Wait... what? How did I end up on The Onion site? I thought this was Windows Central.
I'd hate to think who the runner-up was.
c'mon.... i realize over here at Windows Central you are obligated to sling hash for Microsoft on occasion, but good grief.... I'm reading this and I'm reminded of Boar Hunts by Nicolae Ceaușescu (Romanian Dictator).... ergo crazy propaganda. I'm with everyone else who doubts that 4000 respondents, selected to serve as a representative cross section of 330 million Americans (read... not much into reading... not much of an attention span), analyzed 922 companies via multiple criteria to make this determination. Good grief Dan, how can you even regurgitate this fluff?
Microsoft will regret this attention. There’s a huge scandal brewing. Big Tech media collusion and manipulation will be the story of 2020.
Uh I think for the majority of consumers this is just a contest of who has the most recognizable name. MS has a very well known name and a vastly better reputation than say, Amazon.
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Over the last decade, bitcoin has gained more critics than cheerleaders and continues to hit the headlines daily. But after a turbulent few years, bitcoin is starting to mature and is at last heading into a long-awaited period of stability.
The 18-month Long Crypto Coaster
Lots of people are sceptical about bitcoin, and question whether it has any fundamental value. The debate is vicious and bitcoin has variously been labelled an ‘ideology’ built on ‘crank assumptions’; or conversely, lauded as the saviour of the world economy.
General bitcoin scepticism has been made a lot worse by the huge volatility over the past 18 months; with bitcoin seesawing up and down in price very quickly. But the last year had not covered the cryptocurrency in glory either.
Bitcoin dropped and then jumped wildly throughout 2017, soaring from below $1,000 to $20,000 on the CoinDesk Bitcoin Price Index (BPI), before falling back. Some commentators predict that bitcoin could reach as high as $50,000 this year, from the current levels of around $7,500.
Concern over these rapid swings is understandable and exacerbated by the fact that these movements don’t seem to be linked to anything fundamental – except for the emotions of people on the day.
A Period of Maturity and Stability
But I believe we are now moving into a period of maturity in the market, and that shifts in price won’t be so radical and extreme. Why? First, transaction batching is becoming more prevalent, and while this lowers the amount of activity, it is a strong sign that bitcoin is starting to gain real-world traction.
Secondly, the adoption of robust scaling solutions is rising, including SegWit, and Lightning Network has launched. But possibly the most encouraging sign is the take-up of bitcoin by retailers, which will drive transaction volumes, adding stability and confidence.
In addition, big players are starting to enter the market as institutional investors take another look at the possibilities, and like what they see. Investors such as Goldman Sachs and George Soros have recently entered the market, changing the bitcoin narrative away from risk and towards reward.
Fundamentals and Price
As the market matures there is going to be a tighter link between price and the fundamentals. So savvy investors should start looking more closely at pricing fundamentals. But what are those pricing fundamentals?
Governments are getting involved in bitcoin regulation. While for the bitcoin purists, the introduction of regulation by the establishment goes against the currency’s entire ethos, government involvement is a positive step towards bitcoin’s acceptance as a real, general usage currency. Regulation has the effect of removing fear and building trust. Both of which need to be addressed in the bitcoin market.
Demand and Supply of Bitcoin
The laws of supply and demand apply to bitcoin in a very obvious way. While demand is high and supply low, and commentators obsess about its value, the currency will continue to swing wildly. But as demand moderates and levels out the currency will begin to perform in a more traditional way on the markets. It is likely that recent moderations combined with the entrance of big-player investors will achieve that balance of supply and demand.
More companies and retailers are starting to gain confidence in bitcoin. They can see the value of the coin and are starting to give clients and customers the option to pay for real-world products and services using bitcoin. This is the biggest opportunity of all for bitcoin. The more businesses use it, the more institutions will invest. This will guarantee a measure of stability that has not been seen to date and will quash much of the hype, both positive and negative.
This year bitcoin may well come of age, grow up, and be recognised as an acceptable alternative to traditional money. There may finally be a period of bitcoin stability.
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Grocers Must Assert Leadership During Crisis
We know our readers have been unusually busy in recent days, as folks fearing quarantine due to COVID-19 cleared supermarket shelves of essentials.
In the time since these initial salvos, retailers have restocked and regrouped as the crisis continues to unfold. Limits on items like sanitizers and toilet paper, and adjustments to operating hours, to allow associates to properly cleanse and refresh their stores, should restore a sense of normalcy as the public adjusts to its new temporary normal, however long that ultimately may be.
Time and time again, grocers have proven themselves to be essential to life during a crisis, the epitome of community partner and grace under pressure. Whether storms, floods, fires or pandemics, grocery retailers always step up for people in need.
Retailers are well equipped for crisis leadership. The federal government is talking with key players about setting up COVID-19 testing sites in parking lots at strategic store locations. Additionally, the government is lifting truck-driving limits to expedite the supply chain.
This past weekend, Illinois, Ohio and other states ordered all dine-in restaurants closed until at least the end of March to prevent the virus from spreading. Additionally, crisis-shaken consumers are saying they feel safer eating food from grocery stores than restaurants, a significant shift since spending on food consumed away from home recently passed food eaten at home.
Grocers can serve their communities in their hour of need by doing what they do best: helping consumers feed their families.
Recipe ideas. Cooking guidance. Strategic cross-merchandising. Bundle deals. Meal kits. Grab and go. Heat and eat. Those with in-store restaurants impacted by the dine-in ban, offer meals to go, by delivery and curbside pickup, still allowed under the emergency restrictions.
Leslie Sarasin, president and CEO of FMI – The Food Industry Association, was absolutely right when she said late last week, “Our industry has proven itself time after time in periods of emergency, as evidenced by its strength and confidence in the ability to meet the needs of the communities it serves, no matter the circumstance.”
Plenty of folks are going to be worried, frustrated and on edge in the coming days. Your commitment to their needs as grocers and solution providers will be essential not only to securing continued sales and loyalty, but to the preservation of the community and its successful emergence from this crisis.
Delivering solutions is in every grocer’s DNA. When people need you most, it’s your time to shine.


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The decision, which ends one of the most closely watched reviews
in recent years, means that Publicis' Leo Burnett Co., which has worked
with McDonald's for 35 years, will no
longer be on the U.S. roster. However, Publicis will still have
some business for the fast-feeder outside the country.
"Publicis as a whole has been a great partner and we continue to
value the relationship," Ms. Wahl said.
"While this news is certainly very disappointing, we're
extremely proud of the Power of One thinking we brought to
McDonald's," Leo Burnett said in a statement. "The work we've done
over the years for McDonald's has been nothing short of
spectacular, and we can be particularly proud of having been
partners throughout their business turnaround. We wish them
The review began in late April and included Omnicom Group,
Publicis Groupe and WPP, which dropped out of the process this
When WPP dropped out of the race for the McDonald's account, some suggested
it was because the chain was asking the companies to work at cost.
"That was not from us at all," Ms. Wahl said. "It wasn't about a
cost exercise or not paying anything to the agency. The purpose is
to look, again, in this new world where the level of storytelling
and creative is so exponential, how do you do that in a way that
makes sense and that you can afford to do."
Still, McDonald's is "adding a
pay-for-performance aspect to it," Ms. Wahl said, based on metrics
that will be a mutually agreed upon mix of more classic marketing
metrics and brand health, along with items such as restaurant sales
and traffic, or the number of visits. She declined to be more
For McDonald's, a key factor in its
choice was this new agency model, which Ms. Wahl said should enable
the brand to be faster and more flexible and allow the agency to
handle an increasing number of assignments.
"It's poised to deliver the caliber and certainly the volume of
storytelling that's needed to support our business today which,
frankly, has increased exponentially and we think that trend is
going to continue," Ms. Wahl said. She stressed that digital and
data will be at the core of the new agency and should help the
massive brand personalize its consumer engagement.
"Exactly 18 weeks ago today, we received a dream brief from one
of the most iconic brands in the world... to create 'the agency of
the future,'" said DDB's Ms. Clark. "The best and the brightest
talent across multiple Omnicom agencies came together over the last
four months to create, operationalize and deliver on that brief.
The result is a customized agency built with intelligence at the
core, to fuel brilliant creative work, that's delivered at the
speed of the marketplace at an efficient cost. We are thrilled and
honored to be selected and excited about immediately creating
impact for McDonalds business."
McDonald's was the 28th largest advertiser in the United States
in 2015, spending $1.43 billion, according to the Ad Age
The review only covered the U.S. creative account. Omnicom Media
Group's OMD Worldwide, McDonald's existing media
agency, was not involved in the pitch at all in order to keep the
process "extremely equitable," Ms. Wahl said. Neither was DDB's Alma, which does some of McDonald's
McDonald's is the latest big win
for Omnicom. Earlier this month, AT&T consolidated its
creative, digital and media accounts with the holding company.


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People who fancy their plant protein with a beef or bacon flavour will soon be able to sample new products that start-up company Sunfed Meats is planning.
The Auckland-based company that turns peas into chicken chunks is looking for investors to help it scale up so that it can manufacture for export.
Chief executive and founder Shama Lee said her company had been overwhelmed with interest from the United States, United Kingdom and Australia.
“Western markets are just screaming for this so those are the ones we are aiming at. We are hoping to ramp up production 100-fold, which will give us the capacity to export.”
“We’ve got a good problem, which is that we can’t meet demand. It’s the best time to scale up.”
Lee would not say how much she was seeking to raise, but only to say she was seeking strategic investor partners.
Sunfed chicken-free chicken was launched in July and now the company was planning to release two new products: Sunfed beef and Sunfed bacon.
While the chicken is made from yellow peas imported from Canada, Lee would not divulge the key ingredient in the beef and bacon products.
She said there was no other product like it on the market.
“We’ve invented a clean water-based process by which pea protein cooks, feels and tastes exactly like chicken.
“There’s a stigma about meat alternatives, and we are the only ones with this amount of taste and texture. We have a 4.5 health star rating, double the protein of chicken, triple the iron in beef. It’s very versatile, we don’t hide behind
She compared it favourably to the Impossible Foods burger which used a larger number of ingredients including wheat containing gluten, and was made using genetic modification.
Lee said her aim was to create plant-based products that were healthier for humans, had much less environmental impact and were cheaper to produce.
The pulses used were one of the most sustainable crops in the world, requiring minimal to no fertiliser, irrigation and pesticides. She hoped to source the peas from New Zealand but said they were not yet available.
Foodstuffs head of external relations Antoinette Laird said the “chicken” was stocked in a limited number of its stores, and was selling well, albeit from a very small base.
“In terms of volume the total sales of Sunfed product remains small compared to other proteins including chicken – but this is not unexpected for a new product. Both Foodstuffs and our customers see a bright future for plant-based meat replacement products.”


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THOUSANDS of struggling households could get their hands on FREE cash to spend on food at the supermarket.
It comes as prices on store shelves rocket to all time highs, and shoppers grapple with a cost of living crisis.
Rising inflation means the price of everything is going up, so plenty of consumers are left worrying about how they'll cough up funds for the next bill through the door, or to get food on the table.
The government pilled extra money into the Household Support Fund this year though, to help ease the pressure for some bill-payers, whose wallets are already stretched.
Another £500 million was added to the pot so more families and low income households could benefit.
And plenty of councils have started to part with the cash they have been given.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
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One of those is Southampton City, offering struggling residents a branch of support in the trying times.
Exactly how much you can get could depend on your circumstances though.
Southampton Council hasn't revealed just how much its residents can claim but it has announced it is offering e-vouchers that can be used in most of the major and local supermarkets.
That includes Tesco’s, Morrisons, Sainsbury's, Asda and Aldi.
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Plenty of other councils have announced a blanket amount for anyone eligible for their own criteria – the local authorities get to dish out the cash however they please, after all.
For example, Reading Council is giving pensioners energy vouchers worth £98, and families a sum of £49 to help cover similar costs.
Meanwhile, eligible residents Norfolk can get £120 in food vouchers to cover meals for kids, with the council's latest hand-out.
Plus there's a chance to claim up to £180 in support for those living in Cornwall, and parents in Brighton and Hove could get £105 to cover essentials over the school breaks coming up this year.
Southampton residents, for now, will just have to get their applications in if they think they need the support.
You can apply online or speak to the council on 023 9401 6642 for more assistance.
And you should get a response on the outcome of your application in no time at all – as the council has explained it will make a decision within 10 days.
If you don't live in the area though, you don't need to miss out either.
The Household Support Fund is rolling out nationwide until September this year.
Money from the fund has been dished out to local councils, whose decision it is to allocate help to those that need it most.
Each council offers up something different, and eligibility rules can vary too.
It's best to check in with your own local authority to find out what may be up for grabs as well as how you can apply.
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If you're still strapped for cash to spend on feeding hungry mouths you can apply for up to £442 help with Healthy Start Vouchers too.
And we reveal five ways to get emergency cash worth hundreds of pounds as you start to see all your bills stack up.
We pay for your stories!
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Source: Read Full Article


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OHO OPENS FLAGSHIP STORE IN NEWPORT
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
OLD HARBOR OUTFITTERS OPENS FLAGSHIP STORE IN NEWPORT, R.I.
Stratford, Conn. (April 11, 2012) -- On Friday, April 13, 2012, Old Harbor Outfitters will open their new flagship store in downtown Newport, RI. The store, located at 227 Goddard Row at the Brick Market Place, will offer a variety of sport fishing gear and fishing apparel for men, women and kids.
“Opening our retail store in Newport is truly a bold step in the company's development,” said Steve Tempini, CEO of Old Harbor Outfitters. “Newport’s long maritime history and large boating community is the perfect home for our technical sport fishing brand. If you are in the neighborhood of the new store, come by and say hello and share some of your fish tales with our friendly staff.”
The fishing-themed Newport store will feature antique fishing pictures, old tackle artifacts and pelagic fish mounts reinforcing the company’s long sport fishing history. The products sold in the store include the latest innovations in sport fishing apparel and gear including a large lifestyle assortment for men, women and kids.
ABOUT OLD HARBOR OUTFITTERS
Founded in 2006, Old Harbor Outfitters develops high performance technical products for today's serious fishermen, including apparel, sunglasses, bags, and fishing gear. The company is committed to bringing only the highest quality items to market, and tests all its products aboard some of today's most successful sport fishing boats to ensure that Old Harbor Outfitters' products provides fishermen with optimal performance on both land and sea.
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Quallion Selects California For New Lithium Ion Battery Manufacturing Facility
Quallion LLC, a developer of customized lithium ion batteries, announced that it has selected Palmdale, California, as the location for its new state-of-the-art battery manufacturing plant. More than $10.6 million in incentives have been offered to Quallion by the City of Palmdale for the development of its new facility. Proposed incentives include tax credits, fee waivers and the sale of 9.65 acres of land in the Fairway Business Park for the price of $1. The City of Palmdale’s proposal further supports Quallion’s application for funding to build this plant under the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Recovery Act – Electric Drive Vehicle Battery and Component Manufacturing Initiative.
The announcement follows the endorsement of California’s Congressional Delegation and the California Energy Commission’s announcement that it will provide up to $9 million in cost sharing for Quallion’s new manufacturing facility if the company receives a funding award from the DOE.
"We are continuing to move aggressively at the local level as we await a decision from the DOE in anticipation of a positive outcome," said Paul Beach, Quallion President. "Our latest efforts have led to securing approximately $20 million from the City of Palmdale and the California Energy Commission to make this new facility a reality. We have game changing technology at hand and this plant can create as many as 400 jobs in California immediately, with even more jobs possible in the near future. Bringing this project to fruition will have a dramatic impact on the local and state-wide economy, and we’re very excited about this prospect."
If its DOE and California Energy Commission bids are granted, Quallion will begin construction of its new lithium ion battery manufacturing facility immediately, with the facility slated to be complete in 2012. More than 400 construction jobs will be created in Palmdale and more than 2,350 long-term skilled manufacturing and installation jobs will be created in California and across the country. Quallion’s plant will significantly increase America’s influence in the Asian dominated lithium ion battery industry and will help to renew America’s manufacturing job market.
"We are very excited that Quallion selected Palmdale as the location to build their new facility," said Palmdale Mayor Jim Ledford. "In addition to the huge economic and job creation upside that their presence brings, the fact that they chose Palmdale says volumes about our community. Palmdale continues to be a City that provides the kind of quality of life that employers seek for their employees and their families – a safe environment, excellent retail shops and restaurants, the finest recreational amenities and activities for people of all ages."
Quallion currently produces high volume medical and military batteries as well as custom-designed aerospace batteries. Cell designs range from what is described as the world’s smallest conventional lithium ion cell (a cylindrical 1.8mAh cell) for medical implants to large 15 and 72Ah prismatic cells. Quallion also has extensive experience with the commercialization of its module type battery configurations using its proprietary Matrix™ technology that will enable scalable battery designs that can be quickly and cost effectively reconfigured for use in a variety of vehicles from heavy duty trucks to passenger cars.


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Microsoft has confirmed (via MCV) that the Xbox 360 has sold more units in its first 3 years of business than the original Xbox did during its life. According to the report, 25 million big-fat-black Xboxs were shipped between Nov 2001 and May 2005. That means the sleeker, sexier 360 is a full year in front of its predecessor.
Xbox 360 sales were originally projected to eclipse those of the previous generation by January, and more recently by the end of the month. But a massive marketing campaign and the September price cuts have lead to sales exceeding expectations. Furthermore, Microsoft believes this is only the beginning, as most consoles ship three quarters of their lifetime sales once they hit the Xbox 360 Arcade’s current price of $199.


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WeMakeThings’ Eclat label has debuted what it says “puts to bed” the debate on the market’s strongest BMX fork.
Historically a title competed for among the market’s big names, Eclat’s Storm fork has been put out to third party testing in order to verify the claim and despite using a welded dropout over an investment cast as many others have, has allegedly come out on top.
“Most people break the fork at the steerer, so we’ve made sure that there’s no breaking this one,” said WeMakeThings Dave Paterson.
It’s a theme that runs throughout the 2017 line, with the brand’s approach to four piece bars centering around a beefed up 25.4mm clamp diameter. This, says Paterson, is tapered at the points where the four-piece has traditionally been vulnerable and has come out weighing less than most other in this style on the market.
On to the WeThePeople brand and the new Battleship for the first time brings a hydroformed top and down tube into the range, offering modern street geometry and “the shortest chainstay of any we’re aware of,” says Paterson. A signature colourway on this model has also been handed to sponsored rider Jordan Godwin, who borrows graphics inspiration from rap icon MF Doom.
One complaint of those using freecoaster hubs thus far has been the difficulty in doing crankflips, something which WeMakeThings designers say they’ve eliminated in their latest piece for those fond of going backwards.
Finally, another development on the hubs is the news that the Cortex hubs, among others, will come boxed with free plastic hub guards with no significant cost increase.
Distributors and partners around the globe for the WeMakeThings portfolio are soon to be sent a 20th anniversary 100-piece only sprocket to celebrate the BMX expert’s longevity in the market.


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Amazon’s quietly launched its prime video in Australia on Wednesday. Amazon already have its services available over 200 countries and Australia is also one of them now. Currently, the ecommerce giant launched the introductory offer in Australia but the company not yet confirmed that when it will introduce its full subscription to the Australians.
The latest rolled out Amazon video is available at PrimeVideo.com and people can watch it by installing its prime video app over their Android and iOS phones as well as over tablets. This is about watching the video online, but if one wants to watch the video offline then it is also possible by simply downloading the content.
You can enjoy lot many videos over prime video, such as, Jeremy Clarkson’s new mid-life crisis, Transparent and Mozart in the jungle etc. Moreover, Amazon said that Prime Video doesn’t currently have the latest season of either shows in Australia.
But for more attention, the company must have to add some bonuses for making the delivery more faster to the user’s. Amazon revealed that cost for the Prime Video service will be $2.99 per month, which is just its introductory price which will get turn into $5.99 per month after six months.
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The industrial real estate market is showing signs of slowing after a period of unprecedented expansion, according to a recent NAIOP Industrial Space Demand Forecast.
The commercial real estate development association says that “amid lower pressure on global supply chains, increasing inventory carrying costs, a cooling economy and a decrease in the rate of ecommerce expansion, retailers and logistics firms have slowed the rate at which they acquired additional industrial space this year.”
It reports that net absorption of industrial space in the first two quarters of 2022 was 151.2 million sq. ft., down sharply from 2021’s record pace but still notably higher than in prior years.
According to NAIOP’s projections, the still-hot industrial market will cool and the net absorption rate will continue to decline until it returns to the pre-pandemic trend.
Total net absorption of industrial space in the second half of 2022 is forecast to be 112.4 million sq. ft., and full-year absorption in 2023 is forecast to be 209.4 million sq. ft.
“On balance, there may be a leveling off in the industrial real estate sector that is a healthy rebalancing of where things should be when viewed through a long-term historical perspective,” said NAIOP President Marc Selvitelli.
“The sector saw unprecedented growth that was accelerated by the pandemic and related supply chain issues. As those two situations unwind, we will see a more natural course of growth.”
Because supply chain congestion eased in the first half of 2022, retailers and logistics firms have shown less interest in leasing or buying industrial space before it is needed, the trend that contributed to higher absorption in 2021, NAIOP observes.
However, the association says demand for new space still has the markets out of equilibrium, a trend likely to continue for at least several quarters.