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As we are all well aware, Geneva is home to NGOs, Permanent missions and International Organisations, but what we are perhaps oblivious to or choose to overlook is that Geneva is also the hub of all things extravagant and luxurious. Lake Geneva and the cities and towns dotting its banks provide the perfect getaway to the uber rich and famous around the globe. Therefore, it is no surprise that one of the most expensive hotel suites in the world is here in Geneva. A stroll along the river in Bel Air or Rue du Rhone will reveal the opulent side of Geneva that mostly remains hidden from students like us.
It is here amidst the lavishness of designer boutiques, fancy hotels and restaurants that you find two of the biggest auction houses in the world, Christie’s and Sotheby’s. Recent jewelry auctions held in both the auction houses made history for being one of the largest of their kinds. At Christie’s, in an auction held a couple of weeks ago, US jewelry maker Harry Winston picked up a rare pink diamond for a whopping 50.4 million Swiss francs. This glittering rock was mined in South Africa and was previously held by the Oppenheimer family, who ran the DeBeers diamond mining company in South Africa for decades. Renamed the ‘Winston Pink Legacy’, this ‘incomparable’ diamond was sold at a price that beat all previous records.
Sotheby’s soon followed with a record breaking jewelry sale of its own. Jewels from the Bourbon-Parma royal family and ill-fated French Queen Marie Antoinette went under the hammer last week. The jewels which were put on public display at the Mandarin Oriental before being auctioned included a tiara owned by the Bourbon-Parma family and a pearl pendant that previously belonged to Marie Antoinette. The pearl pendant auctioned at an unexpected price of 36 Million Swiss Francs, setting new records. Sotheby’s director of European sales called it the ‘Marie Antoinette effect’, referring to the sway the French Queen still has over the life of the upper class. It might seem quite startling to some of us who have been exposed to the rather distressing ‘Marie Antoinette effect’.
Presented with the rare opportunity of witnessing the exhibit, while I was captivated by the magnificence and the intricacy of the jewels, I was also left pondering over the two contrasting worlds, Geneva and Switzerland has to offer to its residents and expats like us. An encounter with a homeless man, soon after stepping out of the Mandarin Oriental, only served to strengthen the thoughts I harbored about the conflicting nature of the city. A Geneva that plays host to the people and things that belong to the highest echelons of human society and the other, barely two miles away, that seeks to represent and voice the concerns of the most disadvantaged and oppressed. The straddling between the two worlds that the city, so carefully, has been able to achieve is perhaps its biggest accomplishment, or to the cynics and idealists out there, its biggest drawback.
Featured Image: Christie’s


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HEB Ends Its Sales Of Vaping And E-cigarette Products
E-Cigarettes will no longer be found on the shelves of HEB. The San Antonio based grocer stopped supplying the smoking alternative last week.
HEB spokeswoman Dya Campos said the company based its decision on the fact children and young adults were using the product.
“We share the concern of many Texas parents that the risks are too unknown at this time and we share the general public health concern in these products,” she said.
Campos added HEB will continue to sell traditional tobacco products. Last week, theCenters for Disease Control reported 805 cases of lung injury associated with the use of e-cigarette and vaping products in 46 states.
HEB joins one of its major competitors, Walmart, who made a similar decision two weeks ago.

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2018 has already been a pretty wild ride for HMD Global, leading the resurgence of the once popular Nokia brand, but the Finnish giant is ending the year with a much-awaited launch. Yes, the global variant of the Nokia X7, the Nokia 8.1, has finally gone official at the Dubai launch event today.
Nokia 8.1 Price and Availability
The base 4GB+64GB variant of the Nokia 8.1 has been priced at 399 euros or roughly Rs 31,900, though that’s unlikely to be the actual price of the phone once it is launched in India. The other two variants are a 6GB+64GB version and a 6GB+128GB version.
The smartphone is scheduled to launch in India on December 10 at a launch event in Mumbai.
Nokia 8.1 Specifications
In line with all recently launched Nokia phones, the Nokia 8.1 adopts a glass sandwich design with a notched display. The device features a 6.18-inch Full-HD+ IPS LCD screen (2246 x 1080 pixels, which is backed by the company’s PureDisplay technology that enables you to stream HDR 10 content. It offers you an 18.7:9 aspect ratio and 403 ppi density.
The Nokia 8.1 is powered by the Snapdragon 710 chipset, just like the Oppo R17 Pro, which was launched in India yesterday. It packs inside a modest 3,500mAh battery and runs Android 9 Pie out-of-the-box, under the Android One program.
Turing our attention to the cameras, the Nokia 8.1 features two Zeiss-branded lenses on the rear – as is expected from a Nokia 7 Plus successor. The smartphone packs a 12MP + 13MP dual-camera setup on the rear, along with a 20MP (f/2.0) sensor on the front. It one-ups its predecessor with the addition of OIS and dual-pixel PDAF on board.
The Nokia 8.1 includes all of your usual set of connectivity options including Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, AGPS, GLONASS, USB Type-C port and the 3.5mm headphone jack. There’s also a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor on board here.
To sum everything up, you can take a quick look at the complete specs of the Nokia 8.1 right here:
|Dimensions||154.8 x 75.76 x 7.97 mm|
|Screen Size||6.18-inch Full-HD+ IPS LCD, PureDisplay Screen|
|Internal Storage||64GB, expandable up to 400GB via microSD card|
|Rear Camera||12MP +13MP, with OIS, dual-pixel PDAF, HDR|
|Front Camera||20MP (f/2.0)|
|Operating System||Android 9 Pie, under Android One program|
|Connectivity||Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, AGPS, GLONASS, Beidou, USB Type-C, 3.5mm headphone jack|
|Sensors||rear-mounted fingerprint sensor, accelerometer, gyroscope, proximity, compass|
|Colors||Blue Silver, Steel Copper, Iron Steel|
Following the lead of Oppo R17 Pro in India, Nokia 8.1 will be the second smartphone to launch with the Snapdragon 710 chipset in the country. It seems like a fitting upgrade to the Nokia 7 Plus from earlier this year, except for maybe the huge notch but you’ll have to wait for our complete in-depth review to know better.
So, what are your thoughts on Nokia 8.1? Are you excited for its India launch next week? Let us know in the comments down below.


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Shopping malls reopen in Ukraine capital
Issued on: Modified:
Kiev (AFP) –
Shopping malls opened in the Ukrainian capital Kiev on Saturday as the ex-Soviet country gradually eases lockdown restrictions.
The reopening of malls, complete with strict social distancing protocols, is the latest in a series of measures to relax the confinement orders as President Volodymyr Zelensky bids to stimulate the economy.
Ukraine re-opened outdoor cafés, beauty salons, dental clinics and parks earlier this month. The subway re-opened on Monday.
Mall customers are required to observe social distancing and wear masks and gloves to protect themselves and others against the virus.
"I'm happy to be back," Maryna, an 18-year-old in skinny jeans, told AFP at a shopping centre in eastern Kiev.
The mall's food court and cinema that she used to frequent with her friends are still closed, however.
A guard armed with a non-contact digital thermometer stands at the mall's entrance while a sign warns customers to wear a mask.
The anti-virus restrictions introduced in mid-March had made Maryna feel "trapped", said the youngster, declining to give her last name.
"We love this place, we used to come here on weekends to do some shopping, to spend time in the food court and go to the movies," added Maryna, who arrived at the mall with two friends.
The country on Saturday reported 23,204 coronavirus cases and 696 deaths, adding that more than 9,000 people had recovered.
© 2020 AFP


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If you need a big screen smartphone with a huge battery for gaming, the Mi Max 2 is probably the best value for money phablet you can get at the moment. Originally priced at RM1,199, it was recently slashed to RM1,049. For those looking for a sweeter deal, you can get this mammoth device for less than RM1,000.
Xiaomi’s big screen phablet, the Mi Max 2 is getting a price cut in Malaysia. Initially priced at RM1,199, the 6.44″ device is now going for RM1,049.
If you don’t want to pay a premium for the Mi Max 2, it could be coming to Malaysia officially very soon. A device with the model number MDE40 has just passed SIRIM certification and this is confirmed to be Xiaomi’s new affordable large-screen phablet.
The Xiaomi Mi Max 2 is probably the best smartphone if you’re looking for a large smartphone with a huge battery. With its even larger 5,300mAh battery and a frugal Snapdragon 625 processor, Xiaomi says you can easily last 2 days on a single charge. It was launched about two weeks ago and now you can get your hands on one in Malaysia.


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Unilever to halve virgin plastic use and collect more than it sells in ambitious 2025 commitment
At the National Plastics Summit, Unilever has announced its progress on its 2025 waste-free world commitments.
Halving virgin plastic use and the collection and processing of more plastic packaging than it sells by 2025, were two key global commitments Unilever made in October last year.
The FMCG manufacturer has announced it is making progress on these targets in Australia and New Zealand. According to a release, in 2020 it will:
- generate demand and a new life for at least 380 tonnes of post-consumer Australian recycled plastic
- invest in communication, retail partnerships and clear labelling that encourages Australians to choose products with recycled plastic packaging, and
- enable recycling facilities to more easily recycle traditionally difficult packaging by extending the use of detectable black pigment innovation for HDPE plastic bottles.
Working with suppliers Visy and Pact, Unilever is using recycled content in bottles of Dove, TRESemmé, Toni and Guy, Surf and Omo bottles.
“We want to give Australians confidence that for each bottle… they are giving a new lease on life to the plastic they recycle in their yellow bins,” says Unilever ANZ CEO Clive Stiff.
“As a consumer goods company, we are acutely aware of the consequences of a linear take-make-dispose model and we want to change it,” he says. “Creating a local market and demand for all types of recycled plastic is critical and heavy lifting is needed from all players involved – suppliers, packaging converters, brand owners, policymakers, retailers, collectors, sorters and recyclers. We need a complete shift in how we think about and use resources.”
The first National Plastics Summit is being held in Canberra today. Scott Morrison’s Government, Nestlé and McDonald’s are among others revealing plans to keep plastic out of landfill.


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Our iPhone Slim Case combines premium protection with brilliant design. The slim profile keeps your tech looking sleek, while guarding against scuffs and scratches. Just snap it onto the case and you’re good to go.Extremely slim profile, One-piece build: flexible plastic hard case, Open button form for direct access to device features, Impact resistant, Easy snap on and off, iPhone 8, 8 Plus, and X cases support QI wireless charging (case doesn’t need to be removed).
But several of the commissioners expressed their reservations about this tack SOLAR SYSTEM iPhone Case. I am reluctant..to level accusations as grave as are implied by these reports without first subjecting the underlying facts and analysis to outside scrutiny, which we have yet to do, wrote commissioner Michael Powell in a statement accompanying the reports. We simply do not have enough information to endorse fully and take action on the reports’ conclusions at this time. . If the FCC, or state commissions acting on the FCC’s information, ultimately decide that the Bells have overstated their investment in equipment, they could force the companies to lower some of their telephone rates..
What’s fascinating is the expansion beyond this service into the medical field. Parent company Myca is working on two other services (DoctorPhone and BabyPhone) aimed at helping people get medical advice using their camera phones. In theory, you’d be able to call and ask a question, or take a picture of something you’re concerned about (use your imagination on that one), and get hooked up to a nurse or doctor to talk you through it. According to an article by Business 2.0 Magazine, Myca is working with the insurance industry to get these services covered by people’s pre-existing health plans, which is fairly attractive assuming your current health-care provider doesn’t have good phone-nursing services SOLAR SYSTEM iPhone Case.
The test bed for innovation is going to be there; these phones are cheap, and you can justify the purchase because of these other functions, which are pretty damn interesting, Gutowitz said SOLAR SYSTEM iPhone Case. While only between 3 percent and 6 percent of all Americans have chosen to exclusively use cell phones, analysts say that number is likely to go as high as 10 percent. Aurica Yen, an analyst with The Yankee Group, said that means that in 2006, there will be as many long-distance calls made on cellular telephones as there are on home phones. Currently, the two totals are billions of minutes apart..
Read: AirPower: All we know about Apple’s wireless charging pad. AirPower was announced back in September of 2017, but has yet to appear. CNET will have complete coverage of WWDC, including live coverage of the event from San Jose and plenty of follow-up analysis, too. Stay tuned SOLAR SYSTEM iPhone Case. Watch CNET’s live coverage of WWDC 2018: Live blog and livestream commentary. WWDC 2018: Complete coverage of Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference. This story was originally published on May 21, and is updated periodically with additional news..
In order to keep the outer shell design as sleek as possible, Motorola has included only one connector — a mini-USB type for both charging and sharing data with a PC. The side buttons, of which there are three, have no markings to indicate their functions — they’d detract from the look. So you’re going to have to remember what they are for. There is a tall, thin outer screen whose colouring has been kept strictly two-tone so that it does not shout out from the blackness surrounding it. It sits on a rounded — of course — strip of shinier material that also houses the lens for the built-in camera and a large Motorola icon SOLAR SYSTEM iPhone Case.


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Iconic rock singer Meat Loaf has pledged to go plant-based for Veganuary.
The Bat Out Of Hell star has teamed up with Italian-American food chain Frankie & Benny’s to promote its new vegan menu, which features eight new entries including Vegan Loaded Skins, Vegan Hot Dog, and the Calzone Vegano.
‘A huge difference’
“When Frankie & Benny’s first approached me to rebrand to Veg Loaf I said no way in hell – I won’t do that,” Meat Loaf, real name Marvin Lee Aday, said in an interview with the Daily Star.
“But, I’d do anything for our planet and dropping meat for veg, even for just one day a week, can make a huge difference.”
Frankie & Benny’s Director of Strategy and Brand, Elise Ash, said: “We wanted to encourage diners to swap Meat for Veg this January, so who better to sign up than one of the most recognized artists on the planet.
“While we couldn’t convince him to rebrand to Veg Loaf, we’re just delighted he’s the headline act for our new vegan menu and helping spread the word on the benefits of tucking into our meat-free dishes.”
You can sign up or find out more about Veganuary here


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AutoGuide News Blog
The AutoGuide News Blog is your source for breaking stories from the auto industry. Delivering news immediately, the AutoGuide Blog is constantly updated with the latest information, photos and video from manufacturers, auto shows, the aftermarket and professional racing.
Toyota has announced the final 25 winners in the 100 Cars for Good program. The program gave away 100 free Toyota vehicles to charitable organizations to assist them in their selfless work. Continue Reading…
Applications opened at noon Eastern Standard Time, today for Toyota’s 100 Cars for Good campaign that donates the aforementioned number of cars to 100 non-profit organizations over a period of 100 days.
Last month we reported that the program would enter its sophomore year, which began today. Applications are being accepted until March 26 at 11:59 Pacific Standard Time or until 5000 applications are received. That number will then be narrowed down to 500 total organizations and divided into groups of five. One group of five will be voted on by Facebook users every day for the contest duration.
Runners up will reviece a $1000 grant from Toyota, while winners will be eligible for one of six vehicles including a Camry Hybrid, Highlander SUV, Prius v hybrid, Sienna minivan, Sienna Mobility or Tundra full-sized pickup. Each vehicle will also be backed by a six-year, 100,000-mile powertrain warranty.
Each one of the finalists will submit a video and explanation of how a car will help further its work. Toyota will also provide a digital video camera training toolkit and advertising credits to encourage a better advertised campaign.
“Toyota’s donation was a game changer for us, making it possible to significantly expand our food programs at a time of extraordinary need. This ability to serve more people and to bring greater awareness to our mission simply wouldn’t have happened without Toyota,” said Teresa Connolly, executive director of New Jersey’s Community Soup Kitchen, which received a Sienna last year.
The program will run over the course of 100 days, with Toyota awarding 100 vehicles to 100 non profit organizations in the US. In order to determine which non profits receive the cars, Toyota has organized a public voting pole on its corporate Facebook page, with the winners selected based on the highest number of votes.
Non profits interested in participating in the program can register online, beginning March 12, with the enrollment process lasting for two weeks or until 5,000 applications have been received. From these, an independent judging panel, whose members specialize in the fields of philanthropy and social responsibility will select 500 finalists. These finalists are then invited to submit videos showing how the addition of a new vehicle would help them in their work. Each of the videos will be posted on the Toyota 100 cars website. From there, beginning in May, voters will then select the 100 winners over the course of 100 days.
“At Toyota, we appreciate what a big difference a new car can make for organizations working to improve lives and strengthen communities across the country,” remarked Michael Rouse, Toyota’s vice president of philanthropy and community affairs. “Over the last 20 years, Toyota has contributed more than half a billion dollars to nonprofits throughout the U.S. and 100 Cars for Good allows us to build on that commitment in important, new ways by making the public an integral part of these efforts and harnessing the power of social media to expand awareness and galvanize support for organizations that are having such a tremendous impact in neighborhoods nationwide.”
It seems to be an emerging trend amongst Japanese automakers, one of transferring critical aspects of operations to locations outside of Japan. Nissan has already done it by opening a new HQ in Hong Kong, now Lexus is looking to shift key units, notably it’s global marketing operations, from the Japan to the US.
Executive vice president Yukitoshi Funo says that the move is part of a plan to make the brand seem less Japan-centric and reinforce it’s image as a global powerhouse. In some respects it’s perhaps a bit ironic since Japan was one of the later markets where Lexus, as a brand was introduced (many JDM versions of Lexus cars and SUVs being labeled as high zoot Toyotas for many years).
With the move of global marketing operations, there are also rumors circulating that Lexus could move its actual global headquarters overseas, though as yet such reports are unfounded. If such a scenario were to materialize, many say that the US would be a logical choice, as the brand has been established the longest here.
Whether that happens or not, the shifting of marketing responsibilities Stateside indicates that a new mentality is taking hold at Toyota, reinforced by one company executive during a Tokyo Motor Show reception who elected not to use chopsticks while eating. “We [as a company] don’t want to be blatantly Japanese,” he said.
[Source: Automotive News]
At least in Japan. In Toyota‘s home market, the automaker announced that it will retail the Prius Plug-in Hybrid Vehicle (PHV) for some 3.2 million Yen (equivalent to some $41,000 US) and has begun taking customer orders.
The sticker price is a bit more than Toyota originally envisaged, but in Japan, still undercuts the all-electric Nissan LEAF which sells for some 3.6 million yen.
Furthermore with Japanese government rebates, the price of the PHV drops to about 2.76 million yen (roughly $35,000). That’s less than projected European pricing for the car when it goes on sale (estimates place MSRP in Europe to be around the equivalent of some $37,000 US), though above projected Stateside pricing ($32,000).
The question is, at those levels, will the PHV achieve a similar level of success enjoyed by the regular Prius in the US? Difficult to say at this point, but given the Prius’ somewhat celebrated status among the “green set”, greater flexibility and lower price point than all-electric vehicles, there’s a distinct possibility. Any bets on the PHV winning Green Car of the Year next time out?
Continuing with a look at some of the “themed” pickup trucks on display at this year’s SEMA show, we bring you the Toyota Oakley Surf Tacoma.
This one, as you might imagine was done in conjunction with famed surfing company Oakley and to quote Toyota’s official press release “has the ability to live at the beach and go anywhere in search of mega waves; from the coast of Baja to the cold water of Santa Cruz, California.”
Features include a purpose-built racking system for storing surfboards, bags and other equipment, plus a modified pickup bed with storage for wetsuits, plus an ice chest and barbeque grill. There’s even a retractable canopy so you and a few of your surfing friends can enjoy a cold drink and a hot meal in the shade, while a built in shower system means you can get rid of all that salt from wave riding before chowing down.
Inside, the cab boasts Wet Okole Hawaii seat covers with custom embroidery, plus Topstitch on the door panels, carpet and headliner. There’s also a thumping Kicker Audio system and of course a signature Oakely icon.
While the Tacoma’s stock V6 is a decently potent engine, for a SEMA show truck, a little excess was called for and Toyota engineers bolted on a supercharger kit from the company’s TRD parts catalog, resulting in 304 hp. Other performance mods include a Flowmaster free flowing stainless exhaust, plus suspension upgrades in the shape of an Icon Stage 3 lift kit; Billet front upper control arms, special coil over front springs and new leaf springs out back. Wheels are black finished Walker Evans 17 x 8-inch bead lock units mounted on BF Goodrich 285/75-17 all-terrain tires.
Outside, the truck is finished in menacing black with contrasting white Oakley graphics and logs, plus Vision X front driving lights, a custom front bumper incorporating a winch and under vehicle skid plates.
Once it’s duties at SEMA is over, the Oakley Surf Tacoma will begin a new lease of live, being taken to each and every Oakley Surfing competition in the land; not a bad idea by all accounts.
GALLERY: Oakley Surf Tacoma
If sales continue to grow steadily in emerging markets, then it looks very likely that by the end of this year, Volkswagen AG will overtake Toyota as the world’s biggest volume producer of automobiles.
VW’s sales, which ranked third in 2010 are expected to rise by some 13 percent this year, resulting in a total of 8.1 million vehicles finding owners across the globe, according to projections from three different auto analysts, surveyed by Bloomberg.
The surge is expected to come primarily from China, where gains are expected to be around 20 percent for VW and also India, where the automaker’s volume is forecast to more than double.
According to Jenny Gu, a senior market analyst for J.D. Power & Associates, based in Shanghai, “Emerging markets are at a stage of car-adoption by consumers and there is still a large space for sales to grow. VW realized this and put a lot of effort on emerging markets.”
Toyota, by contrast, is still struggling in the wake of the March 11 natural disaster in Japan. In addition, the company also had to suspend operations in Thailand recently due to heavy floods, though analysts at IHS Automotive believe that Toyota has every chance of recovering and nudging VW out of the lead as the largest vehicle producer next year, provided its recovery remains on track. Current estimates from IHS peg Toyota selling some 8.4 million vehicles next year, about 500,000 more than Volkswagen.
Whether that happens or not, one thing’s certain; emerging markets are seen as key to growth in the automotive sector, as sales in developed countries slow. Volkswagen plans to invest a record 62.4 billion Euros (approximately $87 billion US) next year, plus another 14 billion Euros on its joint venture operations in China.
VW was the first western automaker to set up shop in China and has been selling cars there for around three decades. And it looks like its goal of becoming and remaining the world’s biggest automaker in terms of volume is likely to bear fruit, for in addition to VW products, it’s also seen demand for its Audi brand vehicles grow significantly.
In terms of global sales, Audi nudged past Mercedes-Benz this year to become the second volume seller of premium branded cars and SUVs in the world, behind BMW. In addition, Audi plans to build another factory in China in order to cope with growing demand – sales in that country are projected to reach some 700,000 units annually by 2015, according to Dietmar Voggenreiter, head of Audi’s Chinese operations.
However potential obstacles to achieving number one status still loom on the horizon. The ongoing dispute between VW and Suzuki over their intended alliance is likely to cause possible road blocks, especially in India where Maruti-Suzuki is by far the most dominant player in the automotive market, as is the situation at home between VW and Porsche AG, where a planned merger is experiencing significant delays.
[Source: Automotive News]
It was inevitable. With much of the full-size, body-on-the-frame competition adopting standard Trailer Sway Control, Toyota has now added it to the 2012 Sequoia SUV.
Another feature, new on the big truck for 2012, is a blind spot monitoring system, offered on top-level Platinum trim rigs, designed to reduce the risk of Sequoia drivers pulling out in front of other motorists.
Otherwise, things are much as before, three trim levels, SR5, Limited and the previously mentioned Platinum, two engines (a standard 4.6-liter V8 with 310 hp and a 5.7-liter iForce unit with 381 hp), six-speed automatic transmission with tow/haul mode, four-wheel independent suspension, a choice of two or four-wheel drive (the latter with a two-speed electronically activated transfer case and locking Torsen center diff), second and third row split folding seats, plus a 7400 lb max towing capacity.
All 2012 Sequoias come with Toyota’s standard 3-year, 36,000 mile warranty, while powertrain defects are covered for up to 60,000 miles and body corrosion for 5 years. Given the lack of change and rumors circulating that there probably won’t be a next generation Sequoia (at least one like this), if you’re in the market for such a vehicle, it’s probably best to try and get one while you still can.
Now this is one subject that’s likely to polarize opinion, the fact that a Toyota Camry, will pace the 2012 Daytona 500 in February.
A generation ago, the very notion that a Japanese car would be leading the field during a NASCAR race was almost unthinkable, now, it appears to be a reality. However there is some logic to this. The Camry has, for the last 13 out of 14 years, been the best selling car in America and since 1986, all of those sold here, have also been built here, at Toyota’s Georgetown, Kentucky assembly plant.
As the car has woven its way into the heart of America’s psyche it’s started popping up everywhere and it seems to have been greeted with a growing amount of enthusiasm, even amongst stock car racing insiders.
“NASCAR and Daytona International Speedway provide a uniquely American platform for manufacturers to display their technology, innovation and overall automotive excellence,” remarked Joie Chitwood III; President of Daytona International Speedway. “After nearly eight years of competing at NASCAR’s highest level, I’m pleased to have the 2012 Toyota Camry pace the DAYTONA 500.”
Toyota has been competing in NASCAR since 2004, beginning with Tundra pickup based stockers in the World Truck series. It has won five consecutive manufacturer’s titles in that series, while propelling drivers to the championship on three separate occasions (Jeff Bodine 2006 and 2010; Johnny Benson 2008).
In 2007 Toyota began running Camrys in the Nationwide Series and has since claimed 60 wins and three manufacturer’s cups as well as propelling Kyle Busch to the driver’s title in 2009.
Getting back to pace cars, Toyota has already used Camrys at the following NASCAR tracks: Auto Club Speedway of Southern California, Charlotte Motor Speedway, Chicagoland Speedway, Dover International Speedway in Delaware, California’s Infineon Raceway, Kansas Speedway, Martinsville Speedway in Virginia, Nashville Superspeedway, New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Phoenix International Raceway, Richmond International Raceway; Wisconsin’s Road America and Watkins Glen International.
So, the very notion of a Camry pacing the Daytona isn’t perhaps too much of a stretch, though Toyota could perhaps use this opportunity to try and make the pacer at least a little bit exciting.
Click here to read AutoGuide’s 2012 Toyota Camry Review or watch the video review after the jump:
According to a number of Toyota dealers, who recently got a sneak peak at the next generation Avalon, the company’s full-size cruiser will reportedly be transformed into a sleek, Euro inspired car, in the mold of the Audi A7 or Jaguar XJ.
This represents an about turn for the Japanese Buick, though inside sources report that the car will continue to be front-drive and powered by a 3.5-liter V6 engine, so even though Toyota says handling will also be improved, don’t expect it to be able to keep up with an A7 or XJ in the curves.
The revamped Avalon is just one of several bread and butter Toyotas undergoing a makeover, the 2012 Yaris and Corolla having received quite significant styling tweaks, designed to give them a bit more flair.
According to a statement issued by Toyota, North American production is expected to reach full capacity by September.
At present, since the first week of June, eight of Toyota’s 12 North American plants are now running at 100 percent capacity and the progress so far means that it’s likely full production will resume quicker than originally thought.
Reflecting the somewhat buoyant mood at Toyota, Steve St. Angelo, executive vice president of Toyota Engineering and Manufacturing North America, said “our team members and suppliers here and in Japan have worked tirelessly to get us back to 100 percent, overcoming many challenges. The effort in Japan has been incredible, especially in the midst of such tragedy and devastation.”
He also stated that ” after September we will focus on making up lost production as much as possible.”
His sentiments were echoed by Bob Carter, group vice president and division general manger, Toyota Motor Sales USA.
“Thanks to the efforts [of our manufacturing team members], our dealers have a healthy supply of cars and trucks available to sell, with more arriving every day, along with competitive lease and APR programs for our customers.”
Seems like, after months of taking it on the chin amid recalls, quality issues, falling market share and production issues, Toyota; finally has something to celebrate.
When most people think Toyota and hybrid, the Prius naturally comes to mind. Indeed, Japan’s largest automaker has been capitalizing on the car’s brand equity, expanding the range to include the A/V wagon and plug-in variants.
But cars aren’t the only thing on Toyota’s mind when it comes to hybrids. In fact, for it’s next major thrust into the North American market, the company is literally thinking bigger when it comes to internal combustion/electric powered vehicles, in this case, commercial trucks.
In the last two decades, Japanese light and medium-duty trucks have made sizable inroads in the North American market and now Toyota, through it’s heavy truck division Hino, is hoping that it can add hybrids to the mix.
In Japan, Hino has developed a diesel/electric version of it’s light and middle weight Dutro cab-over-engine truck. Compared to it’s diesel only predecessor, the latest Dutro is said to boast an improvement in fuel economy by around 50 percent, making it particularly attractive for fleet customers, especially those that use trucks for local delivery work in urban areas.
Introducing a variant of the Dutro hybrid to North America is part of Hino’s goal to quadruple sales in our market, to approximately 140,000 units annually by 2015.
For US consumption, the Hino hybrid will be available in either 14,500 lb or heavier-duty 19,500 lb configurations (called 155h and 195h respectively) and will feature an Aisin six-speed automatic transmission. The battery system is reportedly the same as that used in the Lexus LS hybrid and the battery packs themselves will be sourced from Primearth Electric Vehicle Energy Co., another Toyota subsidiary.
Given the current cost of fuel prices and commercial truck operators looking to save fuel any way they can (look at all the trailer fairings appearing on large over-the-road rigs to help reduce wind resistance and improve mileage), the announcement of the Hino hybrid will no doubt be good news , especially as many Japanese commercial trucks currently offered in the US are largely employed as urban delivery vehicles, where frequent stop-start driving is the norm.
However, for those that aren’t quite ready to take the plunge, Hino has said it will offer conventional diesel versions of the truck alongside the hybrid models, with deliveries slated to begin in August.
[Source: Automotive News]
Still struggling in the wake of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami in Japan, which severely disrupted production, Toyota Motor Co has said that it expects it’s full-year profit for 2011 to fall some 31 percent short of original projections.
Net income is expected to decline to some 280 billion yen ($3.5 billion) for the 12 month period ending in March, versus income of some 480 billion yen ($6 billion) for the same period a year earlier. Global vehicle sales are predicted to shrink to some 7.24 million units, versus 7.31 million last year. A strengthening yen is also eating into the company’s revenue.
Nevertheless, Toyota is trying to be optimistic about the future. In Tokyo today, the company’s Chief Financial Officer, Satoshi Ozawa, said “Toyota will do it’s best to recover from the delays in delivery.”
However, there still remain some significant obstacles on the way to recovery. The high value of the yen, almost reaching post World War II levels, is making Japanese industry less competitive against South Korean and European rivals; not helping matters is the fact that Toyota boasts a greater ratio of vehicle manufacturing in Japan than it’s main competitors such as Honda and Nissan.
[Source: Automotive News]
In what’s being billed as an industry first in the United Kingdom, Toyota‘s manufacturing plant in Derbyshire, England, where it builds European market Avensis models as well as the Auris and Auris hybrid, is having a large scale solar panel array installed, in an effort to generate energy while reducing the plant’s carbon footprint.
The solar array consists of some 17,000 individual panels on an area of land within the plant perimeter that covers some 90,000 square meters (roughly 968,752 square feet or the size of almost four and half soccer fields). The project will cost some £10 million (approximately $16.5 million) and will be installed and paid for by UK utility British Gas.
It is believed that once operational, the solar panel array will save up to 2000 metric tonnes of Co2 emissions and 4,600,000 kilowatts of energy on a yearly basis, while at the same time generating enough to cover the production of 7,000 cars per year.
The project has already been started and it’s expected that the array will begin supplying power to the plant sometime next month.
They’ve been problematic ever since the Feds mandated them back in 2007. Now, the Toyota Tundra is the latest to join the list for Tire Pressure Monitoring System woes.
A recall has been issued for a number of 2007-11 model year Tundras because they may have incorrectly calibrated TPMS systems, preventing warning lights from operating when tire pressures are low. Around 1,697 trucks are affected, all of which were originally sold in the South Eastern United States.
Owners of the affected trucks will be notified by Toyota and dealers will fix the problem free of charge.
It’s almost a perfect storm. The aftermath of the deadly earthquake in Japan, combined with a dramatic increase in oil prices fueled by the ongoing crisis in Libya and the reduction in domestic stockpiles is pushing up the price of new automobiles in a manner not seen in years.
Already Toyota, Ford and GM have announced price increases for their vehicles, with others set to follow suit. But an interesting trend is the price of small cars. Compared with a year ago, the average price for these vehicles has increased by some 4.2 percent, in the subcompact segment it’s even more – 6.3 percent – according to website TrueCar.com.
Although, given the global nature of the auto business today, companies across the world are facing disruptions, those that are most affected remain Japanese brands. So far, Nippon based companies have delayed the introduction of some 500,000 vehicles because of supply issues resulting from last month’s quake and one industry analyst predicts that amount will grow to some 3.6 million vehicles worldwide by August.
However, this current set of circumstances might provide an opportunity, particularly for Detroit car makers, who’ve been struggling in recent years. In particular, demand for such models as the Ford Fiesta and Chevrolet Cruze, both of which have been well received, could result in some buyers shifting their allegiance from Japanese brands, which have dominated the market for small cars for so long. The situation is likely to exacerbated by the fact that some models, particularly those imported from Japan such as the Toyota Prius, are currently in short supply, a scenario that isn’t likely to change anytime soon.
Nevertheless, although many automakers are rethinking their supply chains as a result of the issues in Japan, it’s unlikely there will be a major realignment in the way parts distribution and production are configured, at least in the short term.
However, given the current economic environment, the auto sector is becoming less of a buyer’s market by the day, particularly for small cars. As a result those consumers in the market for a new vehicle, are likely better off to take the plunge now, while there’s still good deals to be had, rather than sitting on the fence and waiting.
[Source: Detroit Free Press]
Originally intended primarily for the U.S. market, when it was launched for the 1990 model year, Lexus has since grown to become a world wide brand, but it’s the global aspect that’s causing headaches for parent company Toyota.
According to Karl Schlicht, general manager of Global Lexus marketing and product planning, “it’s very simple when you’ve got one market,” but “you have multiple regions now – like Europe wanting one direction, Japan another and China coming on, that gets complicated.”
Schlicht’s solution to this problem is what he sees as a type of progressive luxury, where social responsibility counts just as much as power and exclusivity, factors that can likely help the brand connect with a greater number of buyers in different parts of the world. To that end, future Lexus models will adopt more expressive styling, greater use of hybrid driveline technologies and onboard telematics.
In addition, Lexus will broaden the range of sport packages, offering them on the RX and new entry-level CT models as well as the IS sedan. These sport packages will incorporate different suspension and chassis tuning and where applicable, more performance oriented driveline features.
Also in the works is a new coupe, to replace the previous SC, along with some new SUVs, but while those are some of the things we can expect down the road, in the meantime and particularly here in the U.S., Lexus has it’s eye on the number 1 luxury sales spot again for 2011, though Schlicht says that moving forward, they’ll be less of an emphasis on the heavy incentives to move metal off the lots, though so far, it’s been these very incentives that have enabled the brand to hold onto that coveted market position, ahead of BMW.
[Source: Automotive News]


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Romtelecom announced that it simplified its brand and adopted a new visual identity, as well as launching a new package for residential clients.
While in past years, the two spin-off brands of the company Clicknet and Dolce supported the development of internet and TV services, Romtelecom decided to redirect all its communication efforts into consolidating the Romtelecom brand as a supplier of packages. At this point, over 50 percent of Romtelecom’s clients now use at least two services from the company.
“Romtelecom started last year a process for simplifying its brand and changing the visual identity. Consequently, after a successful evolution of the two sub-brands Dolce and Clicknet, we decided that it is time to re-orient our attention and direct our resources to increase the image capital of the mother brand, Romtelecom. Thus, the two sub-brands will no longer be promoted from now on in the company’s portfolio of services. However, since Dolce is acknowledged as a very valuable brand which supplies quality TV services, this brand will continue to support all the platforms of content of Romtelecom, such as Dolce Sport TV and the portal dolcetv.ro,” according to Ovidiu Ghiman, executive director for strategy and commercial residential in Romtelecom.
The new visual identity was launched via a new communication platform under the slogan “the Romtelecom Studios present the FilmOffer.”
Romtelecom’s service packages combine TV, internet and telephony services, including premium channels HBO and HBO Comedy, as well as two exclusive channels Shorts TV and Comedy Central Extra during the two year contract period with the client. The prices of the new packages start at RON 49 per month, VAT included, for the first 3 months, after which the price of the package will go to RON 59 per month, VAT included.
Romtelecom’s clients benefit from HBO and HBO Comedy free of charge until March 31. After this date, the clients who wish to keep them can do that for a tariff of RON 10/month, including VAT.


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ECONOMY – experts have anticipated the trend for a long time, but it is still a hard shot symbolic to Apple. In announcing its quarterly results, apple confirms a decline in its turnover and profit year-on-year. For the first time since the launch of the iPod in 2001.
The iPhone sales have declined again over the quarter ending at the end of September, once again dragging in their wake the financial results of Apple, but the it group of the us, has hinted on Tuesday 25 October, a return to growth in the important holiday period.
The company had spent $ 45.5 million of iPhone between early July and late September, the fourth quarter of its fiscal year offset, which is 5% lower than a year earlier. The loss of speed of the star product of the group has continued to have an impact on its financial performance.
The revenue is down for the third consecutive quarter (-9% to 46.9 billion dollars), and even saves its first annual drop in fifteen years: it has decreased by 8%, to 215,6 billion over the year as a whole. The net income is also in decline both on the quarter (-19% to $ 9 billion) on the year as a whole (-14% to 45.7 billion).
sales in free fall in China
For this quarter, Tim Cook highlighted the growth of the iPhone in Europe and Canada, but it is mainly the 30% decline in sales in China compared to last year which marked, a precise Quartz.
If the decline in iPhone sales and revenue for the fourth quarter are broadly in line with the expectations of analysts, the forecasts supplied by the group for the quarter started at the beginning of October, however, are more optimistic.
in this quarter, where sales of the new iPhone 7 released mid-September will have their full effect, Apple said, in effect, aim for 76 to 78 billion dollars of sales, when analysts were focused up to now on average only $ 75 billion. It must be said that the gigantic failure of Samsung with the batteries explosive of its Galaxy Note 7 at the end of August could be of benefit to Apple.
In the longer term, the company will, of course, the highly anticipated iPhone 8, which rumors evoke a lot of new features for September 2017. Side new product, however, between the Apple Watch that can’t take off and his car project, which seems to have been virtually abandoned, the future is rather cloudy for the brand to the apple.
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• How to Samsung has exploded in front of the finish line after having overtaken Apple
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The 13th annual outdoor game will be held at Target Field.
A local non-profit hosts an off-season scare attraction as it prepares to seek a new location for 2020.
Is 2021 the year the state finally attracts the NHL's signature game?
Filling the location vacated in 2017 by JCPenney, the new facility features an athletic resort, indoor soccer fields, coworking space, spa, and cafe.
The sports website is thriving against strong local competition.
The Minnesota Vikings-linked Call of Duty esports team will begin competing in January 2020.
Why a New York producer chose St. Paul for a pre-Broadway run of “Six.”
The deal follows a recent partnership with TV provider Dish.
The most expensive Life Time ever built in Minnesota will include indoor soccer fields and other firsts.
Sportradar has clinched a number of similar deals over the last few months.
Investors claim Seppala and two other men stole more than $12 million in funds intended for various film projects.
The hospital will provide emergency services during events.
Duluth resident Nick Turinetti talks about how his team is building a dinosaur video game that’s more accurate than Jurassic Park.
Sportradar believes it can provide America’s largest media outlets with “next-gen data” that would cater to the age of big data.
The study notes that fans driving to the stadium in hopes of finding parking are almost assuredly going to find themselves out of luck.
Data shows there is one boat in Minnesota for every 2.8 households.
Separately, the state’s Film and TV Board is set to have its budget quadrupled pending Governor Dayton’s approval.
With Spinning Man set to shoot starting June 8, the state could see an economic boost as local talent is utilized in the film’s production.
As casino-operating tribes diversify to sustain their income base, the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux continue to place most of their chips on Mystic Lake Casino.
Yet the powersports vehicle maker said its motorcycle division posted strong sales growth.
The company’s news station in Washington, D.C. made more last year than other news and music stations from Los Angeles, New York City and Chicago.
Both breweries produce more than 130,000 barrels of beer annually.
Mayor Chris Coleman says the stadium will be a “catalyst” for the area. So why does the city need to provide public dollars to spur further development?
The restaurant aims to highlight independent breweries that are “as local as possible.”
Both were chosen for offering unusual on-site perks and benefits.
The bold patterns and colors of Marimekko will be featured in Target stores on a number of items, such as paddle boards, dinnerware and bocce ball sets.
The sports apparel and memorabilia store builds buzz by getting players to show up.
The Timberwolves are the first local pro franchise to eliminate the paper ticket.
Four Daughters was featured at Sundance.
The smartphone app is on a 90-day charge to raise $2 million to $5 million to broaden its reach outside of Minnesota.


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Following on from the successful rise of her food-photography & networking event known as London Kitchen Social, founder Majella O’Connell has taken her original concept to her home town of Manchester.
Launched at Noones Fresh, the event saw seven chefs and bakers from the region produce a variety of dishes featuring ingredients from producers QSM Beef and Lamb, R
The food-photography focused networking event was open to chefs and bakers from across the region and was fully booked two weeks prior to its launch date.
The event encourages cooking professionals to produce three dishes alongside their peers, artisan producers, writers, photographers and filmmakers. The dishes are then professionally photographed by Majella O’Connell at the events with the images then becoming available to the chefs and those involved for use across social, web, digital and print.
On the day, Bakers, chefs and guests included The Baking Nanna, Rob C Allen, Eddie Kilty, Maya Blacklock, Director chef of Bumbu Kitchen, Thom White, owner of
The event was filmed by Coolbox video who
Dan Barber, development chef and business development manager of Noones, says: “Manchester Kitchen Social was one of the best,
The launch of Manchester Kitchen Social comes on the back of a successful year of Culina Socialis owner Majella O’Connell hosting six sold-out London Kitchen Social events in 2018 alongside taking the concept live with two sold-out interactive dining events, which saw seven chefs deliver a tasting menu in front of an audience at #LKSLIVE.


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Hyundai I20 2020 Official Launch Date In India
All new generation of the hyundai i20 premium hatchback will be launched in india by october 2020 just ahead of the diwali 2020 festive season.
Hyundai i20 2020 official launch date in india. Call 1800 11 4645 to book a test drive for elite i20. According to reports the hatchback should make it to indian shores by june 2020. Welcome hyundai motor india website. Hyundai has started testing the 2020 i20 destined for india apr 15 2020 by team zigwheels we finally have a glimpse at a more aggressive i20 variant in spy shots.
Check out price specification new features. Hyundai elite i20 2020 hyundai tucson 2022 and hyundai sonata are launching soon in india at an estimated price of rs. While we were expecting the i20 to make its global debut in geneva motor show this month it did not happen. Hyundai elite i20 a premium hatchback with avn autolink.
The upcoming i20 is expected to be introduced in the indian market during. Hyundai is thus yet to fixate upon a new date for the global debut of the i20. View the latest cars including new hyundai vehicles download a brochure find your dealer and book a test drive offers. Hyundai is expected to launch 17 cars in the year 2020 2021.
A top level hyundai official has confirmed that the launch of the next gen i20 in india hasn t been delayed. Hyundai new i20 2020 bs6 launch date in india 1 0 litre petrol engine and diesel price 2020 elite i20 2020 features mileage interior images skip to content wednesday september 2 2020. New hyundai i20 india launch on schedule and will not be affected due to the on going covid 19 pandemic in the country. The fully new hyundai i20 2020 that broke cover in february is right on schedule.
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2014 hasn't been exactly kind to shares of worldwide e-tailer extraordinaire Amazon.com (NASDAQ:AMZN). Amazon stock has plunged around 11% so far this year, while shares of its streaming opponent Netflix (NASDAQ:NFLX) have soared over 20%.
Along with other tech titans like Apple and Microsoft, Amazon.com earnings will be released on July 24. And if some of the early signals are any indication, Amazon's earnings might prove frustrating for its investors.
Amazon.com earnings: Big growth, no profits
To those familiar with Amazon.com, the subhead above probably doesn't come as much of a shock. In fact, it quickly crystalizes Amazon.com's longtime attitude about short-term profits versus reinvesting for the long-term.
Amazon's operations are more varied today than ever, with its moving into once seemingly disparate fields like cloud computing and streaming entertainment. However, as it goes toe-to-toe against powerful competitors in these spaces (like Netflix), Amazon still loves to aggressively offer low prices or reinvest profits into its various business lines in order to consolidate long-term market share. A key example of this is Amazon.com's ongoing spending on new original content to combat the huge success of Netflix's own original programming.
Trying to match the likes of Netflix in spending can have deleterious effects on quarterly performance, part of why analysts are forecasting a widening loss this quarter. However, it's also a tried-and-true tactic that has proven hugely successful over Amazon.com's storied rise. In the video below, tech and telecom specialist Andrew Tonner breaks down exactly what investors should watch for when Amazon.com earnings are announced later this week.


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NEW YORK – Christie’s first-ever Asian Art Week Online totaled $8,952,625, establishing the highest total achieved for Asian art online-only sales with global participation from 22 countries.
NEW YORK – Sotheby’s reports year-to-date sales total in 2020 of $2.5 billion and a more than 30 percent increase in new bidders & buyers across all sales.
LOS ANGELES – Julien’s Auctions has announced that NASCAR star Darrell “Bubba” Wallace Jr.’s 2018 Daytona 500 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 will join the winners circle of items to be sold at the MusiCares Auction, taking place Wednesday, Sept. 9, live in Beverly Hills, Calif., and online.
CRAWFORDSVILLE, Ind. – Kevin and Jill Parker, owners of Route 32 Auctions in Crawfordsville, Indiana, have announced the purchase of Showtime Auctions in Ann Arbor, Mich., from Mike and Lori Eckles. This merger will bring together two prominent and successful auction companies. This will open up a new and vast field of antiques and collectibles to the public.
NEW YORK – The first dated printing of The Star-Spangled Banner achieved $325,000 in a Christie’s online auction that concluded June 18. This rare newspaper printing was the first to appear at auction and was offered as part of the Open Book: Fine Travel, Americana, Literature and History in Print and Manuscript auction during Christie’s Classic Week series of sales. The sale set a world auction record for a 19th-century newspaper. View the fully illustrated catalog on LiveAuctioneers.
ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – Three times a year Rock Island Auction Co. transforms its preview hall into a pop-up museum filled with the history, artistry and notable names of the objects offered to collectors. The recently held June Premier Firearms Auction was no exception, sparing no expense to ensure guests were both supremely impressed and safe. With such a star-studded celebration, it should come as no surprise that it was the highest-grossing event of its kind, reaching $21.1 million dollars in the three-day span.
BIRMINGHAM, UK – An incredible Hermès Endless Road Birkin HAC handbag is set to sell for upwards of £30,000 ($37,800) at Fellows Auctioneers, in Birmingham, England. The beautifully crafted handbag is Lot 141 in Fellows’ Designer Collection auction, which is open for bidding and ends on Monday, June 8. It has an estimate of £22,000-£28,000.
DALLAS – Heritage Auctions has moved its global headquarters into a new state-of-the-art, 160,000-square-foot facility and multipurpose campus, befitting its status as the largest auction house founded in America. As of June 1, Heritage Auctions’ global headquarters is now located at 2801 W. Airport Freeway, Dallas, TX 75261, which is adjacent to Dallas Fort Worth International Airport and in its foreign trade zone.
NEW YORK – Christie’s Andy Warhol: Better Days online auction, which concluded May 6, totaled $272,125. The top lots were Andy Warhol’s Self-Portrait (above) which sold for $37,500; Flowers, which realized $16,250, against a low estimate of $3,000; and Andy Warhol and Henry Geldzahler, which realized $15,000.


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The bad news: Nintendo took a sizeable loss in the second quarter of 2011. The good news: it wasn’t as bad as they initially thought.
Second quarter numbers are in and Nintendo has taken a $924 Million (70.2 billion yen) loss, a far cry from the $1.32 Billion that analysts were initially expecting. There’s a wealth of factors that Nintendo is contributing to this loss, most notably the strength of the yen versus the dollar and the 3DS price drop, making it not yet time for panic.
Since, as Nintendo points out, almost 80% of Nintendo’s come from overseas markets, where currency typically isn’t as strong as the yen, it does keep Nintendo from posting substantial gains from those sales. Add on top of that a price drop that was meant to counteract to a lack of interest in a gimmick-heavy console, and Nintendo was left with the feeling things might take a turn for the worse.
It’s not all doom and gloom for Nintendo, they do have a very strong fall season with the highly anticipated Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword releasing, as well as a few flagship franchises hitting the 3DS. And, as it turns out, the 3DS has sold better than the DS did during its initial launch. Of course, that launch wasn’t followed closely by a price drop, but still that bodes well for the publisher.
Gamers might have scoffed at the idea of Nintendo's 3DS earlier in the year, especially at the lackluster launch line-up for the handheld, but as always is the case, they begin to come around. In fact, Nintendo is projecting that Christmas time sales numbers should see a profit of around 35 billion yen. Don’t think about pushing the panic button just yet, but keep your finger pretty close.
Do you think that with the high profile franchises releasing before year’s end, Nintendo will be able to post a profit? Are you interested in picking up a 3DS or Nintendo title this winter season?


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I've read a rash of articles lately on “greenwashing,” accusing big business, including big hotel chains, of promoting themselves as being far more environmentally responsible than they really are.
We all chafe at disingenous marketing campaigns. My blood pressure goes up every time my bank offers to send me my statements and bills via e-mail “at no extra cost to you, our valued customer!”
But focusing solely on where environmental initiatives aren't perfect ignores opportunities to show where more good could be done.
A Harris Poll from last year reports that two-thirds of Americans say they recycle aluminum and metal cans. Three in five recycle paper, 57 percent recycle plastic and about half recycle glass. But when it comes to recycling just about everything else, the numbers drop sharply.
Only 2 percent recycle “batteries, motor oil and other hazardous ma-terials,” and only 1 percent recycle out-of-date electronics, the poll says. This stuff isn't just trash, it's toxic. Where I live, the city regularly holds hazardous materials drop-offs. And if you won't drive to those, several charities will pick up your old electronics, and one big supermarket chain offers bins for your dead batteries. It's not really that hard.
While recycling is good, source reduction — never creating trash in the first place — is even better. My office is only a block from the beach, so you might think everyone in the neighborhood is keenly aware about staying on the good side of Mother Nature. But in a Hurley Poll conducted last week while I was thinking about this column, I found myself the only person in line at the nearby supermarket who brought her own bags to tote groceries home. Everyone else had the checkers pack it up in plastic.
Bogus marketing claims are clearly wrong. But it's hard for me to criticize green efforts that aren't entirely perfect when so many of us aren't taking the first steps. It won't be the mega hotel chains that lead our world out of the global warming soup. It will be all of us and the little decisions we make every day.
Besides, why criticize something worthwhile because it isn't perfect? If you want perfection, then don't produce a special event, don't get married and, for heaven's sake, don't raise children.
The best things in life are rarely perfect and almost always take a lot of work. Articles in this issue show how event professionals overcame obstacles to create something wonderful. Quoting poet Robert Browning, “A man's reach should exceed his grasp — or what's a heaven for?”


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Cloudflare brought various data center and major cloud computing companies together in a new group of industry dubbed as the ‘Bandwidth Alliance‘. The aim of the alliance is to waive off the fees of cloud customers which they pay for outbound networking services. Bandwidth Alliance include cloud giant companies such as Google, IBM, Microsoft, Backblaze, and Digital Ocean, which will officially be announced at the celebration of the company’s eighth anniversary that has been delayed for more than two weeks.
The group intends to bring about changes especially in the technology and accounting of its business practices allowing the customers of Cloudflare to either enjoy the service free of cost or at a discounted price. The provision, however, would be available to the customers who experience traffic passing through the locations of the network that are connected to the content delivery of Cloudflare and anti-DDoS services via a private network connection.
Matthew Prince, the CEO of Cloudflare mentioned that Amazon Web Services was approached to become an integral part of the group, in spite of the fact that the representatives of Cloudflare Public-Relations always emphasized the Bandwidth Alliance to come together against the market power of AWS. Prince had doubted AWS participation and has even predicted that either it would join the group or follow its leads in the near future for discounted networking services. These services give a feel like that of Hotel California which you will never feel like leaving once you use the services, stated Prince.
Expanding the internet globally is quite an expensive project. Major cloud services providers already have established their private networks to change the movement of traffic across the world. It is quite expensive to build such networks, maintain, as well as upgrade them on regular basis. To cover the expenses, these companies charge their customers for availing the services. Although Prince did not condemn the companies for charging the customers, he said that the networking fees belong to higher-margin services that cloud company’s offer. The same is true for Cloudflare services where data center regions and cloud providers are directly linked. In short, traffic gathered by any website, for instance, GeekWire websites first passes through the services provided by companies like Cloudflare and Microsoft Azure.
Cloudflare is likely to amend the way it has been providing the services. This means its customers will no longer have to go through the expensive network of cloud services providers. Cloudflare has the capability to replace the networks of the cloud services providers. It has a peer-to-peer connectivity with some of the major cloud providers in almost all the regions in which data centers are operational. The Bandwidth Alliance, in fact, is focused on establishing peer-to-peer connectivity on places where the connectivity is poor.
Cloudflare and Google have been working on this project from the past few years, according to a statement by Prince. Recently, they entered a deal through Cloudflare’s CDN internet program. As part of the Bandwidth Alliance, Google and Cloudflare customers will pay 75% lesser cost, as compared to the list price, for transferring outbound data.


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Computer-generated human faces usually look plastic and unconvincing on the silver screen; one of the biggest problems is getting simulated light to bounce off the skin just right. Now computer scientists Henrik Wann Jensen of the University of California, San Diego, and Pat Hanrahan of Stanford University have written software that renders virtual skin in a more realistic way. A graphic artist defines the shape and color of the face, the lighting conditions, and the translucency of the skin; the software then uses physics to calculate how light is absorbed and scattered beneath the surface of the simulated skin. That gives the skin a softer, more diffuse, and more natural look than previous computer models did. What’s more, the technique requires no more time to render each frame of animation than existing methods, thanks to mathematical shortcuts. Studios and effects companies including Pixar, ILM, and Disney are starting to use the technique, says Jensen.
Anti-aging drugs are being tested as a way to treat covid
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Perovskites are promising, but real-world conditions have held them back.
The baby formula shortage has birthed a shady online marketplace
Desperate parents just want to feed their babies. They’re having to contend with misinformation, price gouging, and scams along the way.
I tried to buy an Olive Garden NFT. All I got was heartburn.
Our newest issue spells out what you need to know about the dizzying world of digital money.
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In its pursoot to introduce their new football gear, Nike Football has unveiled its new skin tight sports gear. In 2012, Nike is replacing Reebok as the new official maker of NFL uniforms. Players will wear these under their uniforms during colder game days. They call these the Nike Hyperwarm Shield.
Follow-up on Nike’s P.K Subban storytelling: http://bit.ly/pnLCCY


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A recent report has revealed just how many times people check their personal screens in one day and the results are quite shocking. On average we check our phones about 5,400 times per day. You might think that’s fairly normal. But wait because the report also shows we spend 23 days a year looking at our screens. That’s again the average so there will be people spending a month each year looking at their phone. And at least a few years of their whole life staring at a screen. You might think this is an incredible waste of time. But you have to remember that these screens have a wide range of different uses. So it almost makes sense that we spend forty minutes looking at tablets and over four hundred minutes a day looking at other screens. Here’s why.
Social Media Importance
Social media is used for everything these days from meetings in the office to staying in touch with loved ones. Rather than heading out for a coffee with a friend, you might just catch them online. And boy, doesn’t time fly when you’re using something like Facebook. Don’t worry if you spend hours scrolling through Facebook, it’s due to the way it’s designed. Using a mobile device like a tablet, you have infinite scrolling. That means there’s always new information to look at and when there’s always new information, there’s no reason to stop. It’s one of the reasons why social media is so addictive these days. But it’s not just about the tech or how it’s displayed. There’s also the problem with how information is released. News stories can be found repeated from different stories told from various angles. So rather than spending two minutes reading one article, you spend ten reading several.
If you have apps on your tablet, you’re probably using something like the Google Play app download. This allows you to get as many game apps as you like on your tablet and play them whenever you want. From Quizup to Go, there’s a lot of fun addictive apps available for tablets and mobiles. Is it any wonder we just can’t put these screens down. Don’t forget last year, Pokemon Go made well over one billion in profits. That means there was a lot of people running around staring at their phone screen outdoors.
Hey Cortana, Hey Siri, Hey Google…
Finally, tech is becoming more intelligent and lifelike with every passing day. Now that tech responds to your voice it almost feels like your conferring and interacting with a real person. So, you will ask them what the weather is going to be like or use them to access fresh information. You might even start interacting with them daily as it becomes an accepted part of your routine. In a few years, we might even be woken up with AI telling us information that it knows we’ll want the answer to. As smart devices become even more intelligent, they’re going to become a greater part of our lives. So, you might think that four hundred minutes per day is a scary stat. But really, it’s just the beginning.


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Monday, May 2, 2011
BlackBerry announces touch screen phones
BlackBerry has officially announced the touch screen enabled Bold 9900
and Bold 9930, ending speculation over the existence of these devices.
The 9900 will be the US version of the device while the 9930 is expected
to be launched the world over.Both devices will come loaded
with BlackBerry's latest operating system the BlackBerry OS 7.
BlackBerry OS 7 will integrate BlackBerry Balance,
Posted by ndeladap at 10:03 PM


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One of the longest running and most influential independent wrestling promotions in history, Combat Zone Wrestling, will begin streaming live on IWTV starting with their 21st Anniversary Show on Saturday night, February 8.
The addition of CZW to the IWTV live streaming schedule builds on the hundreds of hours of CZW archives already available on the service which are released regularly as part of the Smart Mark Video, Throwback Thursday collection. This extensive archive will continue to expand throughout 2020, with more recent CZW titles being added into the mix for on demand viewing.
Additionally, CZW's sister promotion, Women's Superstars United (WSU), will begin uploading new shows to IWTV starting in February.
You can watch CZW's IWTV debut live on Saturday, February 8 at 8pm EST.


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Google completely revamped its iPhone app. For starters, instead of being called Google Mobile, it is being called Google Search for iPhone. The interface is very much like Google.com's and the app also has quick access to Google Goggles and Voice Search. Another new feature is the addition of a toolbar that also is very similar to Google.com. The toolbar can be accessed by swiping left or right on the screen and allows you to select your search results by images, news, shopping, video, blog, discussion, social and place search.
It's got a new look, new features and a new name
Another feature of the app is the ability to pick up from where you left off. If in the middle of your search, you have to take a phone call, you can go back to where you were in your search by tapping the lower half of your screen. The app also includes Google's list of mobile apps like Gmail and Google Earth. The app also promises to be faster and more intuitive and is a huge improvement on its previous version.
Published Date: Mar 16, 2011 10:08 am | Updated Date: Mar 16, 2011 10:08 am


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By Kelly Heitz
Riiing! Buzzz! Click! Beep! Screeeech!
The sounds of our modern world are harsh. The constant jarring noise of technology and the stress that comes with it is something people are constantly fighting through daily.
According to the American Psychological Association’s ongoing study Stress in America, more than four out of five adults in the U.S. (86 percent) report that they constantly or often check their email, texts and social media accounts. The survey also found that stress levels run higher in the individuals that report the high consistency of daily technology use.
“Technology has brought us many great advances,” said Jeremy McCarthy, Group Director of Spa and Wellness at Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, which recently launched a Global Digital Detox Initiative in all its spas worldwide. “But the expectations for instant communication and the increasing pace of change in the world can have a negative impact on our wellbeing.”
Requiring guests to unplug at the spa gives them permission to stop the noise and truly destress.
Why Your Guests Should Unplug
The same survey by the APA found that almost two-thirds of Americans (65 percent) somewhat or strongly agree that periodically “unplugging” or taking a “digital detox” is important for their mental health. Spa customers are already at an advantage because they are aware that the spa helps them unwind from the stress of their daily lives. They are already searching for an oasis, so it’s the spa’s responsibility to give it to them.
“You might say that old adage that ‘silence is golden’ takes on a special spa meaning here at Sundara,” says Chris Scheel, general manager at Sundara Inn & Spa in Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin. “Guests find that, when the distractions of the real world are set aside, they can focus in earnest on their own wellness and the health of their relationships. Some use it as quality time to heal from a loss, others embrace it as a way to come to a major life decision. Each guest benefits from it in their own unique way.”
Barry Shingle, director of guest relations and programming at Rancho La Puerta in Tecate, Mexico, agrees by adding, “Happiness is found in the present moment. It is almost impossible to be present when digitally connected. By being quiet and with yourself you can discover who you are, otherwise we are just reacting to distractions and what’s on the outside.”
You know that AMA report? Interestingly, even though the report found that 65 percent agree that a periodic digital detox will benefit them, only 28 percent of those who say this actually report doing so.
It can be scary to put away our connection to the world. People have become addicted to the buzz of their phones. They’re afraid if they miss a text or email or fail to like a post on Facebook, their world will fall apart. Even though we know this to be untrue, our anxieties feel differently, which can make forced unplugging feel like torture.
“It is difficult for our guests to digitally disconnect,” notes Shingle. “In theory, most of them think it is a good idea, but technology addiction is powerful.”
If guests are getting anxious and more stressed from being away from their devices, the relaxing treatments they’ve come to the spa for will be ineffective. You don’t want your guests to be wondering what they’re missing; you want them to remain present in their treatment.
Encouraging Guests to Disconnect
It takes some education and encouragement to ween people off their phones. Forcing the spa-goer to drop their phone in a basket at the reception desk is not going to put they're mind at ease. It’s important to educate each guest on the benefits they’ll gain from putting their device away.
“When I escort new guests to our communal bathing experience, I tell them I am giving them the best gift I could for the next couple of hours: I am allowing them to turn off all cellular devices and not respond for now,” notes Kathy Nelson, spa director at Kabuki Springs & Spa in San Francisco, California. “I try to make it really positive rather than a ‘no cell phones’ harsh enforcement concept. We also have signs inside every locker and at the front desk that say, ‘Power down; you and all electronics. Relaxation in progress.”
Subtle reminders like Nelson’s allow guests to know the benefits of losing the phone without feeling like their being forced into something. Her tactics also rely heavily on staff engagement. “I try to train the staff to communicate to our guests that this is a gift, not a punishment.”
Allowing one area to remain openly cell phone friendly, can make it obvious to guests that they’re not allowed elsewhere in the spa. At Fusions Spa & Wellness in Sylva, North Carolina, co-owner Jeanine Sowers has found that setting up charging stations in the locker rooms along with signage saying phones aren’t allowed elsewhere in the spa allows the spa to remain sensitive to guests’ technology needs, while still enforcing a silent spa experience.
Mandarin Oriental’s digital detox initiative encourages guests to surrender their phones upon entering the spa. To combat the urge to seek out their phones, Mandarin’s spas provide a full range of mindfulness activities such as journaling, note card writing, coloring, and meditation to help guests unwind and forget about their devices.
Idle hands and minds will be the first to reach for their phones, so this tactic of keeping guests busy has become popular. Says Shingle, “Most guests have cell phone reception on property, so we provide as many opportunities to see what it feels like to not be digitally connected, even if just for a few hours a day. We remind guests that not that long ago, life existed without constant digital connection. We encourage our guests to take baby steps by going one day at a time without digitally connecting to their devices. At The Ranch each day is packed with activities; from hikes to fitness classes to spa treatments. Many guests find that there is so much to do—whether socializing with new friends, curling up with a good book in a hammock, or learning a new pose in a yoga class—that with each passing day it gets easier to remain unplugged.”
Marketing Your Digital Detox
As more and more spa-goers get used to the idea of unwinding from their digital lives at the spa, it’s important to market your silent offerings and show guests the positive experience they’ll gain from opting out of technology for a day—or longer—at the spa.
“We have a ‘Peace & Quiet Policy’ that speaks to our mission to be a ‘sanctuary from stress,’” says Scheel. “We tell this story through social media and in all our marketing and PR materials.” Sundara Inn & Spa has also recently added “unplug” pouches for storing electronics and “unplug” tee shirts for purchase in the boutique to promote their mission as well as spread the message even further.
Fusions Spa & Wellness chooses to inform guests of their silent policies before they even book an appointment. “Our website and brochure mention that we are an unplugged facility,” says Sowers. “It is in all caps and bold font in our membership agreement, and we have recently required an “I am unplugging” agreement to be signed and agreed to when arriving for an appointment.” These measures allow guests the knowledge upfront that when booking an appointment, they’ll be fully immersed in a digital detox.
And that’s what guests are seeking when they come to the spa: a detox for their body and mind. The spa is a chance to relax, refresh, and renew, and by offering the chance to forget about all the buzzes and beeps that come with modern technology, you’re giving them an experience that can’t be experienced anywhere else. Implementing a policy that encourages guests to unplug helps allows them the opportunity to find the peace and serenity they’re looking for in the spa.
CHRIS SCHEEL, General Manager, Sundara Inn & Spa, WISCONSIN DELLS, WISCONSIN
KATHY NELSON, Spa Director, Kabuki Springs & Spa, SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA
JEREMY MCCARTHY, Group Director of Spa and Wellness, Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, HONG KONG
BARRY SHINGLE, Director of Guest Relations and Programming, RANCHO LA PUERTA, MEXICO
JEANNINE SOWER, Co-Owner, Fusions Spa & Wellness, SYLVA, NORTH CAROLINA


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The annual day celebrating everything chocolate-hazelnut is on February 5 and at least one Toronto bakery is already counting down the days.
The Rolling Pin, in the Yonge and Lawrence area, has already established itself as one of Toronto’s top destinations for treating yo’self. Regardless of the season or occasion, this place goes big and known to offer ever-changing assortment of on-theme sweets.
Nutella Day is no exception. Owner Vanessa Baudanza shared her plans for the big day with Daily Hive and not only do they include free mini jars of Nutella for the first 50 people through the doors, but also the entire incoming menu featuring 30 different baked goods all prominently featuring Nutella.


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The EU's new clean air law and hesitant consumers are causing German carmakers to scramble to equip diesel cars with soot filters as several German cities have reached pollution levels that require driving bans.
The EU law places limits on cancer-causing pollutants
The filters became necessary after a new EU law took effect on Jan. 1. It places limits on the air levels of nitrogen oxides and other cancer-causing pollutants, such as soot particles emitted by diesel vehicles. German cities have to control their air quality and take countermeasures, such as driving bans, if the pollution levels are too high.
While most carmakers had said last year they would include filters by 2008 or 2009, most major producers have now pushed the date forward: According to Munich-based daily Süddeutsche Zeitung, Mercedes-Benz diesel cars will come with the filter by the summer. BMW has also announced that customers will be able to order their cars with filters in a few months, although they still have to pay extra for them in smaller models. While Audi and Volkswagen will also charge for filters, Ford still hasn't announced their plans, the paper reported. Opel already offers filters for its diesel cars.
Car industry analysts believe that as many as 30,000 Germans are holding off on buying a new car because manufacturers have failed to offer filters so far.
"Customers will either wait or buy foreign cars," car industry expert Ferdinand Düdenhöffer told Welt am Sonntag newspaper. French car producers such as Peugeot or Citroen already offer their Diesel cars with the filters. But several carmakers said that part of the problem was that filters were hard to come by at the moment.
German Environment Minister Jürgen Trittin has criticized carmakers for failing to introduce filters more swiftly. But the federal government is also still embroiled in a fight with German states over who will pay for tax rebates meant as incentives to convince people to buy cars with filters. States claim they will lose up to 1.5 billion euros ($1.94 billion) in taxes as a result and are calling on the federal government to compensate them.
Carmakers meanwhile also said they felt unfairly targeted, adding that diesel cars were only one of several pollutants.
The pollution levels have already been exceeded in Stuttgart and Munich, causing residents of the two cities to file lawsuits calling on courts to order the municipal governments to take action against the pollution.
But officials for the Federation of German Cities said they didn't believe the lawsuits would be successful as claimants had to prove a concrete and not an abstract threat to their health, according to dpa news service. EU commission officials meanwhile said they would take action against Germany for violating EU law should environmental groups call on Brussels to do so.


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The Indian beauty industry is changing rapidly with innovation happening across different product categories. Besides, the rise of social media and increasing disposable income has led to the growing awareness of skin health among Indian consumers.
This heightened awareness has led to an increase in demand for holistic skincare in India. Here, we look at three key global trends that companies and brands in India can take inspiration from to develop their innovation pipeline.
Addressing the issue of water scarcity with haircare
Mintel’s 2025 Global Beauty and Personal Care Trend ‘Water: The New Luxury’ explains that water is a dwindling resource that is set to become a precious commodity as consumption outstrips supply.
Water is driving innovation in the beauty and personal care market, and the development of waterless products, or those that use less water, is seeing a rise in popularity, especially in the haircare segment. Mintel research reveals that one in five Indian adults aged 18-34 have used dry shampoos; meanwhile, younger adults tend to be more experimental and open to newer formats.
Companies and brands in India can take cues from these sentiments and look at developing new products which can help in saving water.
Protecting the skin from modern day issues
A growing number of consumers are recognising the dangers of air pollution and are looking for ways to protect themselves. Mintel research reveals that almost half of Indian consumers agree that pollution impacts the appearance of facial skin.
This creates space for the beauty industry to step in with solutions to address the issue of pollution. Mintel predicts that there will be a vibrant market in the future thanks to a large number of new anti-pollution ingredients coming our way.
Furthermore, as ownership of digital devices in India increases, so too does consumers’ reliance on them, particularly smartphones and tablets. This has resulted in high ownership of digital devices and as a result, younger consumers being exposed to blue light daily. The massive exposure is said to accelerate pigmentation and add more fine lines and wrinkles.
As consumers become aware of the potential damage caused by exposure to blue light, younger generations will be driven to purchase products that offer additional protection against blue light. Brands have an opportunity to rewrite the traditional anti-ageing narrative and advocate a new set of pro-health skin solutions that centre on blue light protection.
Delivering creative format innovations
All over the world, there has recently been an increase in brands across the beauty and personal care industry innovating with new formats that increase the engagement and interaction levels with younger generations.
Format innovations are essential to extending any category to add an element of fun and engagement, and it is also pivotal that beauty brands cater to the on-the-go lifestyle needs of India’s emerging demographic segments. For example, facial cleansers that are available in stick formats allow for efficient and more targeted cleansing. They can be applied strategically onto problem areas of the body, require very little water to rinse, and are less likely to strip the skin of microflora. On-the-go formats have a multitude of benefits for travel; these include products that come in all sizes, are spill-proof, and finally, support an active lifestyle.
The fact that they support an active lifestyle aligns with Mintel’s 2017 Global Beauty and Personal Care Trend ‘Active Beauty’ which recognises how consumers are seeking products that fit in with their active lifestyles.
Apart from packaging and formats, innovation can also come from adding some fun elements to sunscreen products. For instance, US-based Bare Republic launched colourful sunscreen sticks which can be used in public sports activities like The Color Run—where runners are showered with coloured powder made of food-grade corn starch at stations along the run.
Source ASIAN BEAUTY BIZ: By Rimpie Panjwani, Senior Beauty and Personal Care Analyst, India, Mintel
Rimpie Panjwani specialises in analysing and providing insights on India’s beauty and personal care market. She has a Master’s Degree in Management, specialising in Marketing, and has over seven years of experience working in various roles across consumer research, claim substantiation and marketing in the beauty and personal care industry.
Mintel is the world’s leading market intelligence agency. For over 40 years, Mintel’s expert analysis of the highest quality data and market research has directly impacted on client success. With offices in London, Chicago, Shanghai, Belfast, Düsseldorf, Kuala Lumpur, Mumbai, Munich, New York, São Paulo, Seoul, Singapore, Sydney, Tokyo, and Toronto, Mintel has forged a unique reputation as a world-renowned business brand. For more information on Mintel, please visit www.mintel.com.


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After the show today, Leo will be flying to Las Vegas for what may be his last journey to the Consumer Electronics Show. While it's fun to see all the new gadgets, with over 150,000 dealers and press going, Leo says the bloom is definitely off the rose. In today's Internet dominated news cycle, Leo wonders why it's even necessary anymore, except for the social aspects. You'll see a lot of stuff announced at CES that ends up being vaporware since they will never see the light of a showroom floor. Witness the 55" OLED HDTVs, which were announced last year and weren't shipped and may not make it anywhere but Japan this Spring.
Apple and Microsoft have both left CES (this will be the first year that Steve Ballmer won't be delivering the Keynote address). Ford isn't even giving a keynote this year either. So, it's only a matter of time before the main manufacturers will pick up on this trend, save the money, and stay home.
We will see some interesting TV announcements, probably having to do with 4K (4 times the high definition we have today).


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Apple is preparing to start production of the iPhone 13, a recent report indicating that the company has reached out to suppliers to order components for future models.
Digitimes reports that several companies, including Cyntec, Quartz, and TXC expect a massive increase in revenue from its contract with Apple, especially as industry experts predict a substantial increase in smartphone sales this year.
Overall, Apple could therefore increase its orders for the iPhone 13, although, for the moment, no real figures are available.
Apple should launch four iPhone models as part of the iPhone 13 generation, and all are the successors of current models already on the market. In other words, Apple will unveil a new iPhone mini, but also improved versions of the iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro, and iPhone 12 Pro Max.
However, the only model that is still uncertain is the 5.4-inch form factor, as Apple has reportedly stopped production of the iPhone 12 mini due to slow sales. So, given that the mini didn’t perform exactly as expected, it will be interesting to see if the company still wants to release an upgraded model or not.
The latest generation of the “mini”?
Those with knowledge of the issue have previously stated that the iPhone 13 will be the last generation of the mini, although given this production adjustment, there’s a chance Apple will drop that size a bit sooner.
The biggest change coming to this year’s iPhones is a smaller notch, although for now it’s likely to happen exclusively on the Pro and Pro Max models. Other than that, the new iPhones would be visually analogous to models already on the market, with an emphasis on under the hood upgrades including a new processor and better cameras.


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June 7, 1992
General Motors is re-calling 1990-`91 Oldsmobile Silhouette and Pontiac Trans Sport vans to replace glove box doors that may not stay closed in a crash, GM said. Owners are being notified by mail.
July 5, 1994
Mini-van recall: General Motors Corp. said it is recalling 5,600 Chevrolet Lumina, Pontiac Trans Sport and Oldsmobile Silhouette mini-vans to fix a defect that could prevent a rear seat belt from retracting. The recall affects 1993 and 1994 models equipped with power sliding rear doors and built-in child safety seats in the position closest to the sliding door.
March 15, 1996
The biggest General Motors Corp. strike since 1970 has shuttered 23 of the firm's 29 North American assembly plants and idled 111,550 GM workers. The company closed its Tarrytown, N.Y., plant, laying off 1,500 workers who make the Oldsmobile Silhouette and Pontiac Trans Sport mini-vans. Meanwhile, GM hardened its stance with the United Auto Workers, saying it would seek to deny state unemployment benefits for workers idled by the strike at its Ohio brake plants.
October 28, 2001
- GM is recalling 1997 to 2001 Chevrolet Venture, Pontiac TransSport, Pontiac Montana and Oldsmobile Silhouette minivans for a second time to fix the power sliding doors. Poorly made welds could prevent the doors from latching properly, although GM has no reports of accidents or injuries. The action affects about 314,000 minivans. GM fixed welds in 276,000 of the same models in an April recall, but has since discovered that the new welds are also faulty. GM is recalling all those minivans plus about 38,000 made since the initial recall, which also have the new welds.
May 16, 1993
Here are the recommended car buys from Consumer Reports: Small cars: Acura Integra; Ford Escort/Mercury Tracer; Geo Prizm/Toyota Corolla; Honda Civic; Mazda Protege/323; Nissan Sentra; Saturn. Sports/Sporty cars: Dodge Stealth/Mitsubishi 3000GT; Ford Probe GT/Mazda MX-6; Honda Prelude; Mazda MX-3; Mazda MX-5 Miata; Mazda RX-7; Nissan NX 1600-2000; Nissan 240SX; Nissan 300ZX; Saturn SC2; Subaru SVX; Toyota Celica. Compact cars: BMW 325i; Honda Accord; Infiniti G20; Mazda 626; Mercedes-Benz 190E; Mitsubishi Galant; Subaru Legacy; Volvo 240 Series.
December 29, 2002
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration: - Has upgraded an investigation of the 1997-2001 Chevrolet Corvette on complaints that the steering column locks up at speeds up to 65 m.p.h. There have been 344 complaints, 25 crashes and 10 injuries. The probe affects 131,981 cars. - Has upgraded an investigation of the 1997-1998 Pontiac Trans Sport, Oldsmobile Silhouette and Chevrolet Venture, affecting about 330,000 vans. Eighty-four owners have complained that a seat belt in the middle row failed to latch or stay latched, resulting in minor injuries to two children.
February 4, 2001
A 9-year-old boy was killed and a 23-year-old man critically injured when they were hit by vehicles in two separate incidents, police said. On Friday, Brian Williams died after running into the street near his South Side home and being struck by a 1998 Pontiac Trans Sport, according to police spokesman Edward Alonzo. The boy ran into the street from between two parked cars in the 8000 block of South Vincennes Avenue, Alonzo said. The driver of the Pontiac, Felicia C. Morgan, 40, of the 8100 block of South Campbell Avenue, was cited with failing to yield the right of way to a pedestrian, authorities said.
February 8, 1998
Toyota has joined the compact-van battle in earnest with the new 1998 Sienna, its first front-wheel-drive entry that synthesizes most of the best features of its domestic competitors. General Motors' compact vans--the Chevrolet Venture, Pontiac Trans Sport and Oldsmobile Silhouette--enter their second year with a series of improvements intended to pull them closer to the segment-leading Chrysler models. Ford is trying to buy time until model year 1999, when the Villager and the Windstar will be remade and fitted with four doors.