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Mobile App for Tradeshows Increases Exhibitor Leads by 60%
NEW YORK — November 9, 2010— Bartizan has just announced the latest release of their first-of-its-kind iPhone Mobile App for tradeshow lead retrieval, iLeads 1.2. Winner of TSEA’s Breakthrough Award and Tradeshow Executive’s Innovation Award, iLeads has already had a quantifiable, industry – wide impact. Unlike traditional lead retrieval equipment that uses barcode technology, iLeads runs on the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad. This breakthrough to existing lead retrieval systems makes it easy to add notes, surveys, photos and qualifiers to leads collected at trade shows, making the leads more valuable for sales. iLeads does not require a bar-coded badge, saving time and money and eliminating common barcode complications.
NEW FEATURES FOR iLeads 1.2
“This release of our iLeads app is more responsive and offers faster saves and uploads,” said Ayman Ahmed, senior vice president & CTO, Bartizan Connects. “At Bartizan, we are quick to respond to changing technology and customer feedback. This feedback goes straight to our designers and drives all of our future product releases. We are proud to say that the overall enhanced performance of iLeads 1.2 makes it the world’s most advanced mobile app for tradeshow lead retrieval.”
To capture an attendee’s data, users simply enter the unique number printed on each badge – and the record is quickly and easily captured. This data is uploaded to each exhibitor’s secure LeadsLightning.com account wirelessly.
Live iLeads web demos are offered weekly, register here: http://offers.bartizan.com/register-demo-ileads-badge-scanner-app
To download the iLeads iPhone app, users of Apple’s iPhone, iPod touch and iPad may go to the Apple App Store within iTunes and search for ‘iLeads.’ To test the app and see how easy iLeads is to use, simply launch the app and enter event access code 1006. Then click on the event and enter test badge number 8188.


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Microsoft has just released the new Xbox one preview build. The latest Xbox one preview bring no new notable features. But this build speeds up Cortana in the US and UK region.
Overall, the Preview Update should push the newest version to version rs1_xbox_rel_1610.161021-1900. Here’s the complete details on what has changed and improved in this Xbox one preview build.
- Resolved an issue which could sometimes prevent the Store from launching.
- Certain elements of the Store have been streamlined for an improved user experience.
- Miscellaneous bug fixes.
- Users with consoles set to the Singapore region (zh-sg or en-sg) should now see all appropriate apps while browsing the Store.
- Resolved numerous issues with unlocalized text (strange text characters) appearing in Guide.
- This build includes updates to the console speech recognizer for US and UK users, which reduces time to recognize commands like “Pause”, “Play”, “Mute”, “Yes”, and “No”. In addition, recognition has been improved for phrases such as “Watch NBC” “Watch FOX”, “Go to Netflix”, and “Open YouTube”, and should revert to web or marketplace searches less often.
- The See-It-Say-It timeout has been extended. This means users will have more time to make selections when saying “Hey Cortana, make a selection” or “Hey Cortana, select”.
- Resolved an issue which sometimes caused the “Connect to LIVE” section to not appear on Home when no network connection is detected.
- Uninstalled games and apps should no longer display in the most recently used section on Home.
- Fixed an issue which sometimes caused Clubs you’re participating in to fail to display under “Your clubs”.
- When attempting to set an image as a Club background, recently created Clubs should no longer fail to display under “Choose a Club”.
- You should no longer encounter a “Something went wrong” or “That didn’t work” error when attempting to access invitation requests or recommendations.
Well, of course if you are wondering for new feature there is bad news for you, because the last build already bring much new feature in the dashboard.

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There is information to be cautious for cell phone customers. Now in the event you made a industrial name out of your private cell quantity, then your quantity will be blacklisted. With this, your quantity will also be closed by sending a industrial message from the first quantity. The authorities telecom firm BSNL has warned its customers about this. Apart from BSNL, personal telecom corporations have additionally suggested customers not to take action.
Telecom corporations say that customers of plans providing limitless calling will probably be blacklisted in the event that they make a industrial or advertising and marketing name from their major quantity. <! –
Telecom corporations have at all times been in opposition to giving industrial service to customers who haven’t registered for it. According to a suggestion given in TRAI's TCCCPR 2018, BSNL customers can’t make industrial calls or messages from their landline or cell quantity. While giving this info in a press launch, TRAI additionally stated that customers who accomplish that will be prevented from utilizing the quantity and blacklist the quantity if wanted.
To obtain or to not obtain industrial calls, BSNL is advising its customers to set choice. Users can determine it in accordance with the product class, day, time and mode of communication. If customers don’t need a majority of these advertising and marketing calls then they will block them.
To implement the brand new rule, BSNL has created a DLT (Distributed Ledger Technology) portal. Whoever desires to make industrial calls or SMS to telemarketing or business firm customers, it would now be obligatory to register on BSNL's DLT portal. After registering on the portal, customers will be capable of use solely particular collection numbers and SMS pipes.
Apart from BSNL, personal corporations resembling Airtel, Vodafone-Idea and Reliance Jio have additionally denied customers industrial calls. Let us know that Airtel and Vodafone-Idea supply their customers limitless calling. For the customers to not benefit from this profit wrongly, each these corporations have clearly written on their web site that the quantity will probably be blocked on the industrial use of the service.


text: General Motors Corp. and federal safety regulators announced Thursday the recall of 155,465 GM pickups and sport utility vehicles, including the Hummer H2, because of possible brake malfunctions, according to the Associated Press. Toyota announced Tuesday that it has recalled 22,228 new Tacoma pickups because the parking brake might not work, according to the Associated Press. Tacomas from the 2005 model year with automatic transmissions are involved in the recall.All of the affected GM vehicles are from the 2004 and 2005 model years and have Bosch hydro-boost brake assemblies. They are the Chevrolet Avalanche, Express, Silverado and Suburban; the GMC Savana, Sierra and Yukon XL; two commercial trucks, the GMC Topkick and Chevrolet Kodiak; and the Hummer H2, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.NHTSA said a pressure accumulator in the braking system could crack during normal driving and fragments could injure people if the hood was open. The crack also could allow hydraulic fluid to leak, which could make it harder to brake or steer and could cause a crash, the AP report said.Toyota spokesman John Hanson said the company recalled the Tacomas after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration received eight complaints. No injuries have been reported due to the defect, Hanson said in the AP story.Toyota said the lock nut on the parking brake cable may not have been properly tightened and can loosen and come off. If that happens, the vehicle could roll if it's stopped on a slope and the transmission isn't in park.Both manufacturers will notify owners of the recall next month and correct the problem for free.


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中国南京和美国圣塔克拉拉，2023年7月19日 --（BUSINESS WIRE）-- 益昂半导体 (www.aeonsemi.com) 是一家混合信号通信集成电路创新公司，今天宣布推出ChronoPHY™系列高性能、低延时的物理层以太网收发器。该产品适用于高速增长的宽带接入、数据中心、智能计算等应用市场。为满足现代网络的高带宽、低延时，同步性和可靠性需求，并推进实现新兴的实时协作、沉浸式增强现实和虚拟现实应用，ChronoPHY™采用了一种全新的架构设计。通过创新的DSP和时钟架构，这些收发器可以实现亚纳秒级网络同步精度和确定性，性能超过竞争解决方案的十倍以上。ChronoPHY™还集成了SyncE抖动滤波PLL功能，无需额外的外部元件，就可以使链路性能更加可靠以及信号完整性设计更加简单。
ChronoPHY™系列符合IEEE802.3和IEEE1588标准，支持 -40摄氏度至+85摄氏度的工业温度范围内，提供封装为 7mm x 7mm BGA和11mm x 11mm BGA的单端口型号。样品和评估套件现已开始预定，批量生产将于2023年九月开始。
Aeonsemi Achieves Key Milestone of Its Arcadium Silicon Oscillator Products
Santa Clara, CA and Nanjing, China, Mar 31, 2023 – Aeonsemi, a leading provider of mixed-signal communications ICs, is proud to announce a significant milestone of its silicon oscillator technology. The company has successfully shipped over 10 million units of its Arcadium™ monolithic silicon oscillator products with zero defects, demonstrating the technology’s superior quality and reliability using mainstream CMOS IC supply chain. The products were shipped to customers representing a broad range of applications including broadband access, networking, data center and industrial. The volume shipment milestone achieved with these demanding customers marks the beginning of the technology’s adoption in a segment dominated by traditional quartz technology.
The global oscillator market size is estimated to reach $4.0 billion by 2023 according to Marketsandmarkets. The current oscillator market is largely served by crystal-based oscillators, a technology that has remained stagnant for almost 100 years. Arcadium™ oscillators are pure CMOS oscillators that leverage advanced circuit innovations and compensation algorithms to achieve excellent phase jitter and frequency stability while providing greater reliability than their crystal-based counterparts. Furthermore, their wide range in frequency programmability and flexible output driver configuration allow customers to consolidate component libraries and streamline product development.
"We are seeing just the beginning of this exciting silicon oscillator technology. Our customers love our ability to respond to their needs very quickly thanks to the simplified supply chain enabled by the technology." said Yunteng Huang, CEO of Aeonsemi." We are incredibly proud of reaching this significant milestone of shipping 10 million units without a single defect. It is a testimony for the range of benefits of silicon oscillators that we believe in."
Aeonsemi's achievement of zero defects not only showcases its manufacturing capabilities but also reinforces its position as a trusted partner in the industry. Customers can rely on Aeonsemi's silicon oscillator products to provide reliable timing and synchronization, enabling the seamless operation of their critical applications.
As Aeonsemi continues to grow and expand its product offerings through continuous improvement and innovation, the company remains committed to maintaining the highest standards of quality and customer satisfaction.
Aeonsemi Closes Series B Investment Round
Santa Clara, CA, May 3, 2021 – Aeonsemi, a leading provider of mixed-signal communications ICs, has completed its Series B investment round with a $25M investment led by IDG Capital and co-led by Susquehanna International Group (SIG). The round was oversubscribed with additional investors including Sequoia Capital and existing investor Walden International.
Aeonsemi will use the newly injected capital to ramp up the production of its Arcadium™ silicon oscillators, and accelerate the development of its ChronoPHY™ technology to enter into Broadband Access and In-vehicle Networking markets.
Driven in large part by global pandemic, the broadly adopted Work-From-Home (WFH) model has fueled a multi-year cycle of enterprise and business network infrastructure upgrades. Emerging applications such as real-time collaboration, immersive reality and augmented reality have raised the bar of network synchronization, latency, and reliability.
“Aeonsemi™ is uniquely positioned to capitalize on the trend with its ChronoPHY™ technology which is architected from ground up to address the challenges to modernize the network.” said Yunteng Huang, CEO of Aeonsemi. “We are extremely excited and grateful to have received the strong endorsement from IDG, SIG and Sequoia Capital. We look forward to releasing our products in the near future to revolutionize the data network at homes, enterprises and in the cars.”
中国南京和美国硅谷，2020年10月19日 – 数模混合信号通信芯片领域的创新企业益昂半导体（Aeonsemi，以下简称益昂）今日宣布推出其Arcadium™系列高性能全硅可编程振荡器。该产品系列实现了在超宽工业温度范围内频率稳定度优于±50 ppm，能产生10 kHz至350 MHz之间任意频率且相位抖动性能达到350 fs rms的时钟信号。Arcadium™振荡器是一款适用于服务器、AI处理器、网络接口、边缘计算、汽车电子以及广泛工业应用的理想时钟源。
据市场咨询机构联合市场研究（Allied Market Research）预测，全球振荡器市场规模在2022年将达到32亿美元。边缘计算及汽车电子应用的趋势表明，高可靠性和低成本振荡器的需求正在不断增长。当前的振荡器市场主要是由具有百年历史但有多方面技术局限的石英振荡器所垄断。Arcadium™振荡器是基于纯CMOS工艺，利用自主创新的先进电路和补偿算法来实现高性能的相位稳定性和频率稳定性，同时相比基于石英的同类产品可提供更高的可靠性。石英晶振需要的真空陶瓷封装基座一直以来被日系企业垄断，而Arcadium™振荡器只需要普通的塑封工艺，从而大大提高了供应链的灵活性和安全性。此外，高度灵活的频率和输出配置可以使客户大幅简化单元器件库并通过设计归一化显著提高产品研发效率。
为适用于各种应用场景，Arcadium™系列有三种型号可供选择：1）AS5001——单频点振荡器；2）AS5002——多频点多配置振荡器，可通过控制引脚的方式从多达九组预烧录的配置中选择所需的输出频率及格式；3）AS5003——可编程频率振荡器，提供I2C接口灵活配置输出频率及格式并支持DCO模式。所有产品均支持LVDS、LVPECL、HCSL、CML、CMOS和双路CMOS等输出格式，并提供与3.2 x 2.5 mm和5.0 x 3.2 mm振荡器行业标准封装兼容的6引脚封装。
Aeonsemi Secures $10.95 Million in Series A Funding Led by Walden International and Eight Square Capital
Santa Clara, Calif., Feburary 26, 2019 – Aeonsemi Inc., a startup developing high-speed, low-latency physical interface ICs for computing networks, wireless infrastructure and automotive networking, today announced $10.95 million in an oversubscribed Series A round led by Walden International and Eight Square Capital.
Founded in August 2018 by Yunteng Huang, Colin Weltin-Wu and Xi Chen, Aeonsemi has assembled a team of industry veterans who bring in decades of experience developing high-performance, innovative integrated circuit products from conception stage to mass production in datacom, telecom, wireless and IoT space.
“The semiconductor industry has gone through a major consolidation phase in the past five years. Customers are now experiencing a slower pace in product innovation and a reduced level of engagement by chip suppliers. At the same time, exciting applications such as machine learning, automotive networking, and 5G infrastructure along with an insatiable bandwidth growth in datacenters are driving strong demand for a new breed of physical interface solutions.” said Dr. Yunteng Huang, CEO & Co-founder of Aeonsemi. “We founded our company to address the exciting opportunities in high performance mixed-signal and DSP centric products by leveraging recent advancements in electric, optical and packaging technologies.”
“Aeonsemi has gathered a great team of technologists and industry veterans who understand how to solve tough engineering problems from system level down to transistor level. As electric links experience greater challenges beyond 100Gbps, a hybrid of optical and electric solutions is the answer to next generation high speed links.” said Dr. Hing Wong, Managing Director of Walden International.
Aeonsemi will use the investment to grow its world-class team of designers, expand its operations overseas, and develop the first generation of products.


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New to Bounty?
On Wednesday, just days after announcing a ban on mass gatherings of over 500 people, Scott Morrison confirmed a ban on “non-essential” indoor gatherings “effective now as of today.”
Weddings, parties, charity events, music gigs, kids sports … all cancelled.
But perhaps, most indicative of the crazy times that we are in right now is the fact that much-adored, stalwart events like Sydney’s Royal Easter Show will not go ahead in 2020.
“This is the first time the Sydney Royal Easter Show has been cancelled because of a public health emergency since the Spanish flu pandemic in 1919,” Royal Agricultural Society (RAS) president Robert Ryan said.
Not only is this heartbreaking for the country exhibitors who make an annual pilgrimage to bring the country to the city, but for the hordes of Sydney-siders and visitors for whom the show, it’s exhibitions, rides and showbags are a childhood rite of passage.
But not all hope is lost …
Sydney’s Royal Easter Show has joined the list of major events cancelled across the nation due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
You might have to miss the wood chopping and the teeny tiny baby ducks heading down slides, but there is one element of ‘The Royal’ that you don’t have to miss out on because you can still get your favourite showbags delivered to your door!
“We know many Australians will be wondering if they can still buy their favourite showbags and how,” says co-owner of Chicane Showbags, Emily Williams.
“We are pleased to announce that we have been working furiously to prepare our warehouse to despatch showbags and our full range is now available online. You may have missed out on the Easter Show, but you can still get your showbags – delivered to direct your door!”
“While this is a huge blow for our small business, we understand the health of Australians is the most important thing.”
Events being cancelled has a huge flow-on effect to many small business owners, and Emily knows that hers will feel the pinch.
“The Sydney Easter Show is the largest event on our calendar and we have been planning for the last 12 months,” she says. “We were so excited to bring our best range of showbags ever to the show. While this is a huge blow for our small business, we understand the health of Australians is the most important thing.”
Over 65 showbags will be available online from today, Friday 20th March, and all through Easter. There are options for all ages and price points across fashion, beauty, confectionery, entertainment and kids. Chicane’s Showbag brands include the iconic Bertie Beetle showbags, as well as Roxy, Nude by Nature, Stella Athletic, Nerf, Home and Away, ACDC and The Beatles, to name just a few.
The range of showbags available also includes great options to keep kids entertained, particularly during this time of social isolation.
The Bertie Beetle Platinum Bag is available for just $5!
For just $22 you can set the kids up with everything they need for some social isolation time in the kitchen.
Fans of MKR can score all of this loot for just $25!
The Kids Creation Station showbag will set you back $28, and keep the kids occupied while they can’t leave the house.
“I know many parents are wondering what they will do with their kids if they have to be at home for long periods of time,” says Emily. “We have some great options to keep them entertained. The Kids Creation Station Showbag is a personal favourite. This deluxe art set includes a wide variety of art supplies for drawing, colouring and painting,” says Ms Williams. “There is also an excellent MKR showbag to get into some cooking at home.”
“Like many small Australian businesses, we are doing what we can to adapt to the current situation. We hope that we can still deliver a little bit of joy to Australian families over the coming weeks during these uncertain times,” finished Ms Williams.
You can find the Chicane Showbags range at www.showbagshop.com.au.


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Interest brewing in China for PNG coffee growers
Papua New Guinea's coffee growers are eyeing China as a potential export market.
PNG growers export just over a million bags of coffee beans each year, traditionally serving European countries.
Representatives from PNG are hoping to showcase their offerings at the 10th China Agriculture Trade Fair in Beijing later this year.
Julienne Leka-Maliaki from the Investment Promotion Authority in PNG says research shows China's younger generations are developing a taste for coffee, rather than tea.
"China itself is a big market and the market is not too fussed in terms of its coffee preference, unlike the Japanese market," Ms Leka Maliaki told Radio Australia's Pacific Beat program.
"I think we will be going in a big way as far as coffee is concerned."
PNG representatives will also be showcasing cocoa, spices, coconut oil and an aquarium company.
At last year's fair PNG was the only Pacific Island nation in attendance, but Ms Leka-Maliakia hopes others will attend in the future.
"It really depends on the ability to meet the export volumes of the Chinese market so I suppose its really the niche market we could be looking at."


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The conference was organized by the Party for the Animals (PvdD) from the Netherlands and its international division, Animal Politics Foundation, in cooperation with the Sarajevo-based Association for the Animal Rights and Environment ‘EVA’.
The PvdD is a political party that sets focus of its activities on the entire planet and all of its inhabitants, and it is a part of a global and growing movement committed to the interest of animals, nature and the environment in politics and public administration. It is especially active through the Animal Politics Foundation, established in late 2012.
The conference brought together a number of participants, including animal rights activists from Bosnia and Herzegovina and the entire region, along with the Netherlands, Germany, Bulgaria, and Australia, and it aimed to raise awareness about the need to preserve the planet through changing the habits and opting for more sustainable economies and ways of living.
PvdD’s representative in the Dutch Parliament Christine Teunissen delivered the main lecture of the conference entitled ‘One Single Planet’, at the opening ceremony in the Sarajevo City Hall. The lecture was open for public and it was attended by nearly 100 people, both conference participants but also other citizens interested to hear more about the topic. Teunissen elaborated on the need to make fundamental changes to people’s habits and the economic system in order to preserve the planet for the sake of securing the future of all of its inhabitants. She singled out specific examples of her political performance related to improvement of the situation and the position of animals and the environment in the Netherlands and globally, emphasizing the need to keep working on changes to legislation.
Addressing the attendees, co-founder of PvdD and Chair of the Animal Politics Foundation Elze Boshart said that it was necessary to step away from the mindset of irreversible facts. “We should stop pretending that the way in which our society is organized is a natural phenomenon instead of choice. Starting to care for animals, environment, and biodiversity leads to realizing that all of this is interconnected”, said Boshart.
In a comprehensive presentation of research on animal rights and future of the planet, Dirk-Jan Verdonk, Head of Programs of World Animal Protection (WAP) in the Netherlands, presented the correlation between the issues of agriculture, world food and water safety, climate changes, health risks, and biodiversity. “Human species are exceeding the planetary boundaries, as we use the world’s resources faster and faster than the earth can replenish”, Verdonk warned and suggested some alternative methods to prevent negative impact, some of the most effective being agro-ecology or veganism as a plant-based lifestyle.
A specific part of the conference was dedicated to issues surrounding the animal welfare policy in Bosnia and Herzegovina, where the attention was drawn to inadequate legislation for protecting the animals’ well-being in various fields. Emphasis was set on the fact that in early 2018, the Parliament of Bosnia and Herzegovina decided to postpone until 2028 the implementation of previously adopted fur farming ban, and the campaign that the country’s animal welfare activists have been carrying out to make sure that the fur farming ban sees the light of day.
Participants of the conference also had a unique opportunity to attend a promotion of healthy and organic delicacies prepared by ‘Biona & Beyond’, the country’s only fully vegetarian and vegan food brand that keeps expanding its offer of products and availability across the country for more than a decade now.
The brand has marked success in its mission to provide easy access to affordable, flavorful and nutritious food items, using ecologically sustainable methods, at all major retail stores as well as through its online store.
Speaking about the brand during the conference, ‘Biona & Beyond’ CEO and co-founder Vladimir Grabovac specified that this company produces plant-based foods and meat substitutes. “As a truly vegan brand, I can say that we are making baby steps towards making a positive impact, through producing good and tasty food”, said Grabovac.
The event ended with a screening of ‘Dominion’ - an Australian feature-length film that explores the morality and validity of dominion over animal kingdom - at the arthouse cinema ‘Kriterion’, where attendees were greeted by the executive producer Tamasin Ramsay.


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Online shopping continues to be a widespread phenomenon in Singapore as more people prefer to purchase their products on the Internet rather than in person. While that doesn’t mean brick-and-mortar stores are going away anytime soon, the increasing number of online shoppers will lead to a brighter future for the eCommerce industry in Singapore.
Singapore is considered by most countries a global hub for innovation when it comes to digital marketing, eCommerce, and online shopping, and it will continue to remain so once 2021 arrives on our calendar. But before we dive into the future, let us take a look at the state of the Singaporean eCommerce industry from start to finish in 2020.
A Year-in Review: Ecommerce Marketing In 2020
A few months ago, we discussed the state of eCommerce in 2020. In summary, the pandemic changed Singapore in many ways. For instance, it is not surprising that the number of online shoppers continues to rise as the eCommerce industry transitions from 2020 to 2021. What does the rising number of online shoppers mean for eCommerce businesses, anyway?
There are around 3.9 million online shoppers in Singapore, and those numbers will continue to rise as we get closer to the year 2021. Due to the pandemic, more people in the country have been purchasing their products online. Online businesses can benefit from this growing trend of online shopping by investing in more digital marketing assets, including SEO services.
By integrating SEO with your eCommerce website, you can take advantage of the rising number of online shoppers and gain more customers. Not to mention, utilizing SEO strategies is the perfect way to increase your search engine rankings and improve your web visibility.
When it comes to eCommerce marketing and promoting your online business, you can capitalize on a few significant trends in 2020. Some of these eCommerce marketing trends in 2020 include:
- Mobile shopping
- Quick payments
- Quality customer service
- Influencer marketing
- The best eCommerce websites
- Content marketing
2020 is about to end, and we are nearing the start of 2021 in just a few days. What does the new year have in store for the eCommerce industry, and what can you do about it to gain more customers and profits?
3 Upcoming Ecommerce Marketing Trends In 2021
1. Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Artificial intelligence or AI has always been an ongoing trend for the past few years. However, expect 2021 to be the year when AI will become a significant game-changer for online businesses. How can AI benefit your online business, anyway?
You can use AI for your eCommerce website to gain the upper hand over your competitors. For example, try using a virtual assistant to provide your customers with a user-friendly online shopping experience. How about integrating a chatbot with your website to communicate with your customers while you’re away?
There are tons of ways to utilize AI for your eCommerce business. 2021 may be the perfect time to start using AI, so give it a shot and experience its benefits for your business once the new year arrives.
2. User Experience (UX)
User experience (UX), also known as user interface design or usability, refers to the process of creating a relevant and engaging web experience for users. In 2021, UX will remain to be a vital part of eCommerce marketing, so focus on providing your customers with a high-quality website experience.
UX has always been crucial for eCommerce, but 2021 is the year when it will become even more essential for online businesses. An excellent shopping experience is what all customers need, so you have to focus on improving your UX to set a positive first impression of your business. Not to mention, most online shoppers leave a website if it lacks high-quality visuals and engaging content, which makes it more important to improve your UX.
3. Social Media Shopping
Popular social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram have their very own eCommerce set-up. In that case, why not create a social media page for your business and set up a second eCommerce platform alongside your website?
Social media shopping is going to become a huge part of eCommerce this 2021, and it might be a good time to ride along with the ongoing trend as it continues to grow. With so many people being active on social media apps or sites like Facebook and Instagram, you may want to consider launching a social media marketing campaign to drive more traffic to your website and increase your customer base.
2020 has been a rough year for most people. On the bright side, 2021 is looking brighter as 2020 comes to a close. Try to capitalize on the upcoming trends that can benefit your eCommerce business this 2021. In doing so, you can get closer to your goals, earn more money, and gain tons of new customers along the way.
Get in touch with our SEO agency in Singapore today! Contact OOm at 6391-0930 for more information.


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Some 68 percent of consumer mobile phone use takes place in the home, according to a study by AOL and BBDO.
The study, conducted by research firm InsightsNow, showed that mobile phone use isn't always when users are on the go. In addition, there are seven "mobile motivations" that relate to most mobile use.
One of these is to get accomplishments. Another is to socialize with other people. A third is to prepare for upcoming activities. The fourth is “Me Time,” which is relaxation and entertainment time. Another is to discover news and information.
Still another is to shop for a product or service. And there is expressing one’s passions and interests.
The study showed that Me Time totaled 46 percent of all smartphone app and website motivation, averaging 864 minutes per month per user. On the other hand, mobile advertising performs poorly in Me Time on ad effectiveness, the study said.
To improve mobile interactions with consumers, the study recommends that businesses “think about mobile as part of something bigger.”
“Move beyond the conventional surface view of mobile behaviors to align your messaging with the underlying motivators that propel mobile interactions,” it added.
Also, focus on Me Time, so mobile communications lets users “indulge and enjoy themselves,” the study said.
"Many in the industry tend to focus their messaging on the nature of the devices consumers are using, as opposed to the mindset they are in when using the device," Christian Kugel, vice president of Consumer Analytics and Research at AOL, advised in a company statement. "This study was designed to uncover what's going on beneath the surface so that marketers can better understand what roles smartphones actually play in the lives of consumers. That includes realizing that much of use occurs when people are on their couches, not away from home."
"In the end, it's all about helping agencies and creatives create the most compelling content,” Simon Bond, BBDO's chief marketing officer, added in a statement carried by MobilityTechzone. “And based on our findings, that compelling content should be me-based, home-based, entertainment-based, not solely geo-location based."
Additional findings will be announced at the Mobile Marketing Association's "Smarter Mobile Marketing" Conference today, October 3.
Want to learn more about today’s powerful mobile ecosystem? Don't miss the Mobility Tech Conference & Expo, collocated with ITEXPO Austin 2012 happening now in Austin, TX. Stay in touch with everything happening at Mobility Tech Conference & Expo. Follow us on Twitter.
Edited by Braden Becker


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The number of people taking part in London Cocktail Week this year has soared by around 30%, with at least half a million pounds spent in the bar trade through its Cocktail Tours alone.
Organiser ABV Global has announced that the festival, now in its fifth year, attracted more than 22,000 attendees, up from last year’s figures of 17,000.
The event, which takes place across the whole of London, welcomes a mix of consumers and trade, with the 2014 breakdown at 18,422 consumers and 3,816 trade.
Early feedback figures show that more than 95% of attendees liked or loved the festival, and more than 80% will definitely return next year.
An unprecedented 250 bars and other venues were officially part of the Cocktail Tours which saw each of them serve a cocktail for just £4 to people wearing London Cocktail Week wristbands. The venues were all mapped out in a guidebook given to each attendee.
Initial figures show that about 125,000 of the £4 serves were sold throughout London Cocktail Week which ran from October 6 to 12, equal to at least £500,000 in revenue generated for London’s bars.
There were also a record number of pop-up bars set up officially for London Cocktail Week, with 25 across London from Covent Garden to Shoreditch.
The main hub of the festival continued to be in the Seven Dials area of Covent Garden where the Ketel One Hub saw about 9,500 wristband collections and served around 5,000 drinks over the seven days.
This year, there were three additional collection points, each a hive of activity throughout the week: the Tanqueray Hub at Hixter Spitalfields, the Cointreau Hub at Bluebird Chelsea, and the Nikka Whisky Hub at The Whisky Exchange at Vinopolis at London Bridge.
This year also saw an upturn in social media activity around the festival, creating 33million impressions across the campaign. London Cocktail Week now has more than 10,000 Twitter followers and more than 7,000 Facebook likes.
Festival director Siobhan Payne said: “We are really thrilled about the incredible response we’ve had to London Cocktail Week yet again.
“Each year the festival continues to get better and better, and our attendance stats get bigger and bigger – further proof that consumers in the capital are actively keen to try bars and drinks they’ve not experienced before, and, of course, that London’s bar and cocktail scene really is among the best in the world.”
It is one of three festivals owned and run by ABV Global, which is headed by London Cocktail Week founder Hannah Sharman-Cox. The inaugural London Wine Week in June 2014 was a huge success, with more than 7,000 attendees. February sees the company launch the first-ever London Beer Week in conjunction with beer festival Craft Beer Rising.


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Earlier this year, SimpleHuman launched a stainless steel, wifi-enabled Sensor Mirror Pro Wide-View, which featured side panels and retailed for $400. Now, HiMirror has upped the game by launching a product that can offer personalized skin care analysis based on a user's skin condition over time. It can also offer feedback based on weather conditions and other expernal factors.
As shown on the brand side, beauty is getting more connected.
The steep price tag ($259) means that HiMirror won't exactly become ubiquitous, but it portends the impact of the smart home movement on personal appearance and grooming.
HiMirror measures approximately 11" x 16.5", is humidity-resistant and is intended to be affixed to bathroom mirrors, closedts or walls.
The mirror "sees" with a high resolution camera that can analyze makeup-free photos of users and produce what it calls a Skin Index Synthesis repport focused on firmness, brightness, texture, clarity and other aspects. The facial recognition tech can recognize multiple people, meaning it can be a family resource.
It can also detect dark spots, red spots, dark eye circles, wrinkles, pores, fine lines and other complexion elements.
The mirror is WiFi-connected and Bluetooth-enabled and can be synced with weather sites, a Google Calendar and Spotify.
"We are excited to bring to market the first-ever smart beauty mirror, truly revolutionizing the modern beauty routine," said Simon Shen, CEO of Taipei-based New Kinpo Group. "HiMirror is a technology-driven tool that will become indispensable for consumers – an essential part of their daily beauty routine helping them evaluate their skin and what works for their individual skincare needs."


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Information on FindanLMS, the new learning system search platform from Craig Weiss. Discover. Connect. Engage.
The forecasts for 2018. See what is going to be hot, mid-growth and other.
Many vendors pitch themselves as next generation but lack the feature sets to truly be.
Review of the new “in learning” by Linkedin learning platform. Had high hopes, came away disheartened.
New categories, new sections and a customized version option for the 2017 Top 50 LMS Report from Craig Weiss
This week, we identify the top two gamification LMSs, novel ideas for the space and the latest marketing spin
There are far too many myths out there and real data is hard to find. Until now.
I’m not going to stand up on my crate today and rant and rave about the travesties that are happening
It’s nearly here. In a little over two months, my 2016 Top 50 LMS Report will be available for purchase.
Product review of the Adobe Captivate Prime LMS


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More U.S. beef is recalled because of possible salmonella contamination
More U.S. beef is being recalled because it may be contaminated with salmonella.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture said Tuesday that a unit of Brazil’s JBS is now recalling a total of more than 12 million pounds of raw beef that was shipped around the United States.
JBS Tolleson in Arizona already recalled about 7 million pounds of beef in October.
Health officials say their investigation identified additional products with the USDA inspection number “EST. 267.”
The products were packaged from late July to September. The USDA says any of those products still in people’s freezers should be thrown away. It said 246 illnesses have been reported.
The USDA said salmonella is prevalent in raw poultry and meat and is reminding people to properly cook and handle meat. Cooking can kill salmonella.
Common symptoms of salmonella infection begin after 12 to 72 hours and include abdominal cramps, diarrhea and fever. They usually last four to seven days. People experiencing severe diarrhea may need to be hospitalized, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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Three Connecticut names, led by General Electric, are among the world's 100 most valuable brands, an annual listing by Interbrand that came out Monday.
Apple passed Coca-Cola as the most valuable consumer name, charging ahead by 28 percent from 2012 to $98 billion. Google also passed Coke for the No. 2 spot.
Fairfield-based GE holds its spot as No. 6, valued at $47 billion, up 7 percent.
Smirnoff, the vodka developed in Hartford by the old Heublein Co., slipped to No. 95 from No. 90, even though its value increased by 5 percent to $4.3 billion. It's now owned by London-based Diageo, which has its North American headquarters in Fairfield County.
And the third Connecticut brand: Otis elevator, perhaps, or Carrier air conditioners? Both of those United Technologies Corp. brands have about $12 billion in sales. Nope, they're not direct-to-consumer enough for Interbrand, apparently.
How about Travelers, Aetna or Stanley? No, no and no.
Yale University would easily crack the list but only for-profit brands were considered.
It's Duracell, the battery company based in Bethel, which has a long Connecticut history and is now owned by Procter & Gamble. Duracell joins the list for the first time at No. 85, ahead of Chevrolet, Heineken, Starbucks and MasterCard, among other household names. Duracell comes in at $4.6 billion.
The values assigned by Interbrand are for the brands, not the companies behind the brands.
Here's the Top 10, with values in billions:
1. Apple, $98
2. Google, $93
3. Coca-Cola, $79
4. IBM, $79
5. Microsoft, $60
6. GE, $47
7. McDonald's, $42
8. Samsung, $40
9. Intel, $37
10. Toyota, $35


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Rapture Dodge Challenger on Forgeline RB3C Concave Wheels
Parked toSEMA Show 2014
Here is a quick look at one of the new builds that we'll be tracking down at SEMA in 2 weeks. The "Rapture" 2015 Dodge Challenger 392 Scat Pack features the 6.4L HEMI and is being built by Vintage Race Rentals. It will be on Forgeline RB3C Concave wheels and on display in the AMSOIL INC. booth.


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With green in mind, experts seek color trends
Published 10:00 pm, Sunday, September 9, 2007
ALEXANDRIA, Va. -- You will find it aesthetically pleasing when blue is paired with silver and gray. You will feel that blues paired with browns are played out. You just don't know it yet.
So say the color prognosticators at the Color Marketing Group, based in Alexandria. The 1,000-member industry association group has for decades sought to forecast color trends years in advance, giving its members a better chance to get their production schedules in sync with consumer tastes.
Its members include representatives from General Motors, Kimberly-Clark -- which puts a lot of thought into the color schemes for its Kleenex boxes -- and independent designers who do work for consumer giants such as Procter & Gamble.
A similar group, the Color Association of the United States, based in New York, has been forecasting color trends since 1915.
Forecasting color trends is serious business, the trade groups say. For one, it's important that various industries can coordinate, so the offerings from a paint manufacturer don't clash with those produced by furniture makers, for example. In addition, designers cite multiple studies that show that color selection is playing an increasing role in consumer purchases.
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"It's a more sophisticated, design-aware consumer today," said Christopher Webb, color trend designer for GM North America. Webb said 40 percent of consumers will walk out of a dealership and choose a different brand if the color choices aren't acceptable.
Doty Horn, a CMG member and director of color and design for Benjamin Moore Paints, said the ubiquity of home makeover shows on TV has increased awareness among consumers about their remodeling options and color choices.
The groups claim a strong track record, though they admit to a certain extent that their forecasts can become something of a self-fulfilling prophecy. Still, they are sensitive to the notion of a secretive color cabal dictating selections to the masses.
Color Marketing Group's president, Jack Bredenfoerder, said the forecasts pick up on recognizable trends that would advance regardless of whether Color Marketing Group had identified them.
Christine Chow, the color association's membership director, said the trend forecasts have to make sense to the designers, or they wouldn't rely on them.
"They don't have to do what we suggest unless it makes sense to them," Chow said. "And we're not sitting in our offices tossing at dart boards" to make our predictions.
On a recent window-shopping trip in Tysons Corner, Va., consumer Celia Coughlin of Fairfax said you can't help but notice the color trends as they come and go from the marketplace, but she is generally not swayed.
"I look at what would fit with what's already in my home" rather than hopping on the latest color trend, she said.
Still, she said she can use the cycles to her advantage -- particularly in fashion, where colors change more frequently.
"I know I can get what I want a few months down the road" in clearance and overstock sales once retailers swap out one color for another, she said.
Both color groups predict a continued dominance of blues in the next year or so, with a surge in metallic colors such as silver and gold displacing some of the browns. And the Beijing Olympics next year could spark a trend in reds and yellows, traditional Chinese colors.


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May 28, 2021 | When Leslie Valdivia and Joanna Rosario-Rocha started Vive Cosmetics, the beauty industry was overdue for change. What has grown into an acclaimed national brand with a wide range of lip products began as a problem the pair knew they could solve: the need for authentic representation of the diverse Latina and Latinx communities that constitute the make-up industry’s largest consumer demographic. Now, as their influence grows, the founders are using a loan from California Capital’s Lending Center to expand their reach and continue effecting change.
ENTREPRENEURSHIP INSPIRED BY WOMEN
Leslie and Joanna met through their partners—now husbands—, who have been friends since high school. The two became friends, but did not have designs to enter into business together—until 2016,
when Joanna accompanied Leslie to BlogHer, an annual conference for Latina business owners, bloggers, and social media influencers.
“There was a lot of energy around creating digital content and being online at that time,” says Leslie, who was working in social media and attended the conference every year. “There was innovation happening, and Joanna was interested in learning more.”
During a session where entrepreneurs pitched their business ideas, the pair shared an “aha moment”. Participants framed their businesses as solutions to problems they had yet to see anyone tackle, and one entrepreneur in particular stood out. She preferred to dress conservatively because of her religious faith, and was frustrated by the lack of options that were both cute and modest.
“At one point she said, ‘Why should I have to compromise?’,” explains Leslie. “That’s when it clicked. Joanna and I looked at each other and said, ‘We have to do something’.”
A NEED FOR BEAUTY CON CULTURA
They immediately began to brainstorm around their shared passions, and quickly landed on make-up: Leslie has been a beauty enthusiast since middle school, and Joanna even had a make-up tutorial channel during the early days of YouTube.
From there, a vexing question naturally presented itself: Latinx beauty shoppers outspend other demographic groups by nearly 30%, so why was it so difficult to find Latinx representation in the industry? Why aren’t their cultures celebrated authentically?
What Joanna and Leslie saw the more they researched the industry they had supported for so long was a system that relied on stereotypical and narrow depictions of Latinas to make a profit, ignoring the differences in ethnicity, skintone, gender, and shape that exist amongst Latinx beauty aficionados. What’s more, they struggled to find cosmetic or beauty brands that were founded, owned, or operated by Latinx entrepreneurs. It was clear that the industry could do better—Leslie and Joanna were no longer willing to compromise. They would create a brand to speak to and represent the Latinx beauty community as a whole.
VIVE COSMETICS: A LABOR OF LOVE
Joanna and Leslie got to work quickly, researching all elements of what it takes to develop, produce, and sell high quality beauty products. They worked with a California Capital Women’s Business Center Business Counselor to develop a business plan, all while maintaining their full time jobs.
Initially, the learning curve was steep. Neither founder had a background in beauty, retail, or even e-commerce—they were starting from scratch in a $62 billion industry.
“The biggest challenge was finding a manufacturer,” says Leslie. “It’s extremely difficult for small brands to even get a response most of the time, because so much is based on having the right contacts to get traction.”
Eventually, they connected with a manufacturer from New York, and continued to leverage resources
for business development available in the Sacramento community. They put their business plan into action, and received a start-up loan from the U.S. Small Business Administration via Opening Doors, a Sacramento-based nonprofit. With their first line of product ready, Vive Cosmetics was officially launched in 2017.
BUSINESS AND COMMUNITY: GROWING TOGETHER
Vive Cosmetics launched as an e-Commerce shop with a website and social media presence to live up to its mission of beauty con cultura—and beauty shoppers responded. To this day, the company has not invested in paid advertising or public relations campaigns, but their Instagram profile has grown to have over 40,000 followers—and was even highlighted by Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez last fall. As a result of this organic online success, Vive Cosmetics has been featured in Teen Vogue, The Huffington Post, and “O” The Oprah Magazine, among other national publications.
“We are built for community, by community,” Leslie explains, reflecting the role that social media, and Instagram in particular, has played for them over the past four years. “The way folks have responded to
what we’ve offered has made us realize that it’s going to work. We’re doing the right thing.”
Vive Cosmetic’s digital presence, which now includes growing YouTube and TikTok profiles, has become central to the brand’s existential project of honoring Latinx communities and building equity in the beauty industry. Followers and online shoppers are able to see lip products modeled by Latinx talent that represents a range of skin tones, body types, and ethnicities, and browse lines that are “created with inclusivity in mind” . Moreover, they are invited to participate in the process of inclusivity.
“We find so many of the models, photographers, and creative directors we work with through Instagram,” Leslie says. “We’ll put a call out to our community when we’re working on a campaign and need talent, and we will get hundreds of people tagging their friends or reaching out themselves.” That’s one way, says Leslie, that Vive is working to increase opportunities for BIPOC beauty professionals on all sides of the industry. “Representation does not just mean on camera or in campaigns.”
NEW PRODUCTS, SAME PURPOSE
Thanks to their quick success since the 2017 launch, Leslie and Joanna were able to pay off the start-up loan. Now, their ever-increasing fan base is eager for new products. But the nature of product-based businesses means that new offerings must be formulated and developed before they can be
sold, so any hopes for expansion would require a good deal of up-front investment. Still, explains Leslie, innovation is crucial.
“Looking at our metrics, we understand that when we launch new products, our customers come back,” she says. “We need to do new things. That will in turn help us grow our revenue and expand the company.”
Luckily, they had stayed in touch with California Capital, often having their Business Counselor review their applications for grants or pitch competitions—so they knew where to look when the company was ready for a larger capital infusion. They worked with California Capital’s Lending Center to apply for a sizable loan, and were approved for the full amount in February of 2021.
“It was a thorough and intense process, which is understandable given the amount we were applying for,” Leslie explains. “We had to create financial projections for the next three years, which was tough in the middle of a pandemic. But when we applied, our sales were growing, so we were confident that it was the right time.”
Collaboration Over Competition
Now, with capital to work with and a clear picture of their financial goals, the founders are busy expanding and planning for the future. Leslie now works for the company full-time, and they are working with a product development consultant who is providing valuable guidance as they create new products and reformulate some of their traditional offerings. They have already launched a new line of tinted lip balms, and collaborated with Brujita Skincare, a Latina-owned skincare company out of Los Angeles, to create a Rosewood Hibiscus Facial Mist.
As they seek to continue innovating their products to meet the changing needs of customers—including a foray into product lines beyond lipstick, and revamping their packaging to make it more sustainable—, synergy with other Latinx beauty companies will remain a priority. Since 2017, they have seen a shift in how many Latinx-owned companies are around, and that has come with different types of representation and different stories being told.
As they seek to uplift the Latinx community as a whole, the focus will be on collaboration rather than competition—staying true to their passion for beauty con cultura.
LISTEN: LESLIE AND JOANNA SHARE THEIR STORY ON LA RANCHERA SUPERSTATION (IN SPANISH, ORIGINAL AIR DATE AUGUST 8, 2021)


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The recent announcement that US outsourcer StarTek is buying Accent Marketing Services is the latest in a spate of acquisitions in the front-office BPO space but is also a good strategic move. It will help StarTek shore up its scale of business, give it the benefit of Accent’s customer experience background, and expand the company’s capacity in the all-important American nearshore.
Revenue boost helps StarTek in competitive environment
By taking on Accent Marketing Services, StarTek is increasing its scale in the North American contact center services space. Based on 2014 figures, StarTek will grow its own turnover by roughly a quarter. With recent Ovum research suggesting that enterprises see vendor financial stability as a key factor in their choice of outsourcing partner, this will serve as a point of differentiation for StarTek as it aims to win over prospects and retain existing contracts. This is in addition to StarTek’s improved revenue performance over the past several quarters, which has been pronounced.
Customer experience capabilities are an acquisition benefit
In its statement announcing the acquisition, StarTek highlighted the customer experience capabilities that would come as part of the deal. Indeed, the analytical background that Accent has cultivated with its Customer Engagement Agency model should serve StarTek well, given the intense focus so many enterprises are placing on both strong front-line delivery and data gathering around these interactions. It will be essential for StarTek’s executives to identify complementary elements to their own customer experience program, and to integrate them as quickly as possible.
Jamaica lets StarTek solidify its nearshore positioning
With the Accent purchase, StarTek is also gaining new capacity in Jamaica, which is currently one of the more popular nearshore CRM delivery markets among enterprise contact center managers. StarTek has already established a nearshore beachhead in Honduras (with sites in San Pedro Sula and Tegucigalpa) for Spanish-speaking and bilingual delivery. With Jamaica now one of its delivery options, a pool of North American-savvy English speaking agents will be important for winning more price-sensitive deals in the competitive US and Canadian markets. Nearshore delivery alternatives are proving to be more popular and important than ever in front-office BPO (a point highlighted in Ovum’s recently published 2015 CRM Outsourcing Business Trends Survey); by growing its own presence in this region, StarTek is increasing its ability to win deals.
Peter Ryan, Principal Analyst, IT Services


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Social TV continues to become a global phenomenon. Back in December, Loyalize (since acquired by Viggle) launched a partnership with Yahoo!7 in Australia to create FANGO, a social TV app that includes check-in and polling capabilities for the country’s TV market. Today FANGO is announcing 500,000 app downloads and over one million check-ins for their platform as social TV grows in Australia.
– Over half of the Australian population now owns a smartphone and this is expected to rise to nearly two-thirds by next year.
– Tablet use is growing even more quickly with 18% of households now owning a tablet and this is expected to more than double to nearly 40% within a year.
– Multiscreen behavior is becoming the norm in Australia with 60% of people accessing the internet while watching television, a large proportion of these people doing so daily. (According to, Nielsen The Australian Online Consumer Landscape, March 2012)
– In June 2012, 59,699 FANGO polls were completed, 91,795 trivia questions were answered and over 10,000 badges were awarded to fans based on their levels of interaction


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Driving an electric vehicle (EV) is a marvelous experience. Apple’s CEO, Tim Cook said so this week. There’s no need to take my word for it. The chief executive added his voice to the chorus of EV excitement seen over the last few days. This week had no shortage of activity surging through the electric car scene. Focus landed particularly on the rise of autonomous driving projects. Tesla’s reputation in the industry was bolstered yet again while the Elon Musk auto business gears up for its next big electric car. However, how long can the Tesla brand remain synonymous with “great electric cars”?
If dominance in the electric car market comes down to price, then Tesla Inc is no match for this Chinese company. CHJ Automotive plans to dive deep into the affordable car market, much further than GM or Tesla’s $35,000 Model 3. The start-up wants to roll out a compact vehicle sometime in 2018. It will be 2.5 meters in length and 1 meter wide. Better yet, the incoming CHJ Automotive vehicle will only sell for around $7,800. This was confirmed the Kevin Shen, the Chinese corporation’s CEO.
The “ultra-compact” vehicle will be powered by two batteries. Both batteries will be replaceable, which means it won’t need to be docked for too long at charging stations either. Interestingly enough, the software run on the CHJ Automotive car will be Google’s Android Auto.
Google’s name grows closely associated with self-driving cars, too. The prospect of building the auto industry’s future motivates the best tech companies out there. Google’s parent company, Alphabet Inc, sent is Waymo business to partner Lyft and Fiat Chrysler. The venture will help all three companies expand their vehicle automation expertise in order to get innovative products and services out onto the market.
Apple and Google’s parent want car market fame, too.
Tim Cook admitted that Apple Inc is also working on self-driving car projects. This has long been apparent, though it was not until recently that the tech firm confirmed its intentions. In an interview with Bloomberg, the CEO confessed that Apple is getting ready to enter the electric and autonomous car market. The focus is on “autonomous systems” right now, he reported. “It’s a core technology that we view as very important.”
The automation and electrification of transport continues to grow in popularity. Most major tech corporations and automakers pour resources into making a name for themselves in both these emerging markets. They have good reasons for this too, profitable reasons. A study endorsed by Intel Corporation calls this market the “Passenger Economy”. It will rake in several trillions per year in decades to come.
Google and Apple are playing on the same field for now and won’t pose much of a direct threat to Tesla in the near to mid-term. Apple was initially set on building its own Apple Car, cook admitted. Yet sometime into the project the firm diverted its prospects a bit. Now the makers of the iPhone seek to be the best producers of the software and technology needed in the electric cars market. The same goes for BlackBerry, Intel, Qualcomm, NVidia, and a host of other tech giants. Even auto industry legends like BMW and General Motors have work spaces set up in Silicon Valley. These offices seek to recruit promising autonomous vehicle start-ups.
Is Tesla also ready thethePassenger Passenger Economy?
Uber, Lyft and other ride-sharing companies like them are securing more appeal worldwide. The widespread adoption of these services points at an incoming generational shift in how people and businesses view transportation. It is also ironic that many carmakers have resorted to offering competitive car-sharing services to boost utilization rates. Intel’s commissioned research claims that urbanization, costs and time efficiency will push people and corporations towards the conveniences offered by the Passenger Economy.
Tesla staying at the fore of autonomous driving
Tesla Inc is best recognized for making headway in the realm of electric and autonomous vehicles, as well. Not only has the company secured effective and widespread infrastructure to support long-distance travel, it breaks new ground in autonomous driving innovations time and time again. Tesla made news of its latest autopilot update this week. The luxury car maker’s Enhanced Autopilot software went out this weekend. There is no need to take your Tesla in for servicing, though. The company will deliver the upgrade to drivers via an over-the-air service.
Drivers are offered a host of new safety and detection features with the upgrade. These include Auto Lane Change, Parallel and Perpendicular Autopark, Summon Autosteer and Traffic-Aware Cruise Control. Features like Forward and Side Collision Warning, “and more advanced safety features” also come standard with the upgrade


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It’s that time of year again: Apple is expected to release a new iPhone model, as well as updates to numerous other products, including the Apple Watch and AirPods, according to numerous reports. The company is holding an event on Wednesday from their Cupertino headquarters, where the company is expected to debut the first look at the updated iPhone X.
Earlier this year, Apple announced a major upgrade for their phone operating system at the Worldwide Developers Conference. (WWDC). Some of the iOS 12 updates included faster apps, a new “Do Not Disturb” mode, new emojis, updated photo features, new notifications, and more personalized phone features.
Rumors have been flying around the internet about what Apple might debut at the event. We put together all the important stuff you need to know for Wednesday.
Here’s a look at what Apple is up to:
iPhone X Upgrades
Been looking to upgrade your iPhone? This is the perfect time to do it—or during the holiday season as your next big gift. Apple is reportedly set to debut two new types of iPhone X models, the Phone XS and iPhone XS Max, both of which will include software upgrades and new features, including a faster processor and an updated camera, according to CNet.com. The iPhone XS Max is expected to have an expanded screen, which would make it the biggest iPhone yet.
But that’s not all. Apple is also expected to debut a more affordable version of the iPhone X, which is run on slightly lesser powerful components, but with many of the same features, according to CNN. The new device is expected to come in multiple colors and have features like Face ID and an edge-to-edge screen.
The Apple Watch has helped people keep track of everything with just a few taps on their wrist, and Apple is expected to announce hardware upgrades and software improvements for the device. The watch faces may get an upgrade with larger screens, including edge-to-edge displays, as well as new accessories and application features, according to 9to5Mac.
If you’re like us, you haven’t stopped wearing your AirPods since they became available. We’ve taken ours on our commutes to work, cycling, or on our runs. And they just might be getting an upgrade of their own. Some possible upgrades to the hardware include a longer duration of battery life, hands free features, voice-command upgrades, and potential waterproof headphones, according to CNN.
The Apple event on Wednesday, September 12 will start at 10 a.m. PST at the Steve Jobs Theater in Cupertino, California.
For access to exclusive gear videos, celebrity interviews, and more, subscribe on YouTube!


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Sony has released an update for the PS4 that allows games to run without a CMOS battery and connect to the Internet. Previously, one of them was a requirement, which could be a problem if the battery is down and PS4 services are not available online.
Previously, when starting each game, the game console’s operating system would check the PS4’s internal clock, or the Internet, to check the completion date. Awards to sign up. For the internal clock, the device relied on the built-in CMOS battery. If the Internet connection and the CMOS battery fail, the games will not start at all.
The newly released firmware version 9.0.0 ensures that the PS4 can continue to play games even if the built-in CMOS battery is defective, empty or absent and the console has no internet connection. That was, among other things I mentioned on Twitter It was then confirmed by YouTuber Modern Vintage Gamer, who tested the notifications himself. The date is reset to 1969, but the games will work without the battery. Awards are also reset, due to its strong association with Sony’s online services.
If Sony doesn’t fix this dependence on the CMOS battery and PS4 online services, it could become a major problem in the future. It is already known that Sony has launched its online services It doesn’t last forever. It’s also clear that a CMOS battery doesn’t last forever. This combination could have resulted in countless ruined future consoles. The issue was already resolved in March of this year lift By some users on Twitter.
“Lifelong zombie fanatic. Hardcore web practitioner. Thinker. Music expert. Unapologetic pop culture scholar.”


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It’s The Summer of The Supermodel For H&M
When you think of H&M, chances are you don’t think of supermodels. In fact, scratch that: when you think of H&M, you 100% don’t think of supermodels. However, all of that’s about to change. For their upcoming summer 2015 campaign, the affordable fashion house H&M is bringing out the big guns: Joan Smalls, Natasha Poly, Doutzen Kroes, and Adriana Lima. According to the company’s press release, the supermodels will pose as “action heroes with a mission to get to the shore and celebrate the best of summer.” Naturally.
While even the superest of models can’t do anything to make cheap fabrics look expensive, don’t worry, the task to elevate the line won’t rest entirely on their shoulders as the commercial for the campaign will also exclusively feature the track “Sun Is Shining” by ex-Swedish House Mafia members, Axwell and Sebastian Ingrosso.
While the content of H&M’s summer collection hardly seems revelatory (tropical leaf prints, lace-front tunics, kaleidoscopic sundresses, tie-side bikinis), we can’t wait until the campaign is revealed online on April 30th to see if H&M’s gamble actually pays off. While it’s always nice to be right, the only thing more pleasurable is to be pleasantly surprised.


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For a country that has the world's lowest rate of car ownership, a blessing has come upon Ethiopia through the plans of Volkswagen to establish a local car assembly in the country.
Volkswagen signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the government of the Ethiopia which will see the German car manufacturer building a car assembly plant using locally manufactured components for the development of an automotive industry in the country.
It is a move by the car giant to increase its market in sub-Saharan Africa while at the same time ensuring the locals in Ethiopia benefit from this.
The deal was signed by Abebe Abebayehu, Commissioner of Ethiopia’s Investment Commission (EIC) and Thomas Schaefer, Head of Volkswagen in the Sub-Saharan region. It was signed in the presence of the German president, Frank-Walter Steinmeier.
Volkswagen is keen on the development of the automotive industry in the East African country. Ethiopia currently has the world's lowest rate of car ownership with only two cars per 1,000 inhabitants, according to a 2014 Deloitte report. High import taxes make it a remote possibility for the majority of Ethiopians to own a car.
Hence, the development of the automotive industry in Ethiopia will be hinged on four key areas - the establishment of a vehicle assembly facility; localization of automotive components; introduction of mobility concepts, such as app-based car sharing and ride hailing, as well as the opening of a local skills development training centre.
This means that VW will have to work hand in hand with Ethiopia's tertiary institutions for skills development and capacity building in local people.
“Ethiopia is in a remarkable economic, political and social transformation that puts inclusive, sustainable growth and private sector development at its heart,” said Abebayehu, the Commissioner of Ethiopia’s Investment Commission.
“This MoU signing with Volkswagen is yet another testimony that Ethiopia is open for business. Through this partnership, we hope to advance a joint vision for the development of a competitive, vertically integrated and sustainable automotive industry,” he added.
Ethiopia's fast-growing economy is providing room for VW to come and invest in the country.
Schaefer, Head of Volkswagen in the Sub-Saharan region, said that Ethiopia being “one of the fastest growing economies, and with the second highest population on the continent, is an ideal country to advance our sub-Saharan Africa development strategy. Additionally, Volkswagen intends on tapping into existing expertise and strategic resources in Ethiopia to establish a thriving automotive components industry.”
So, VW's focus on investing into new and upcoming markets such as Africa will see Ethiopia housing a plant for the German car manufacturer.
Political reforms coupled with real industrial structural reforms in Ethiopia are boosting travel numbers to the country. The earth-shaking reforms ha…
Header image credit: GBC Ghana Online


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Turkey increases alcohol tax by over 17 percent
Turkey on Monday raised consumption taxes on alcoholic beverages by 17.07 percent, Birgün newspaper reported, hours after the announcement of a rise in the consumer price inflation rate.
An average 70 cc bottle of the anise-flavored traditional alcoholic drink rakı will be subject to326.99 liras($ 44.55) in taxes, up from the previous 279.29 liras, it said.
Meanwhile, the tax on a 50 cc can of beer has increased from 2.04 to 2.39 liras ($ 0.32).
Taxes on wines containing 18 percent or less alcohol have been increased from 81.38 to 95.29 liras ($12.85) while wines containing 22 percent or more alcohol will see a tax hike from 279.29 to 326.99 liras. ($ 44.14)
The tax hike arrives as Turkey’s consumer price inflation rate, announced earlier on Monday, rose to 14.6 percent in December, exceeding economists’ estimates with a third consecutive month of increase.
Turkey implements tax hikes in alcoholic beverages twice a year in line with its share in the domestic producer price index.
Rising alcohol prices in Turkey, caused largely by higher taxes, have pushed Turks to produce and consume more counterfeit spirits in recent years. This has caused a rise in alcohol poisoning cases as more people turned to black market alternatives.
On Saturday, the chairman of the Confederation of Turkish Tradesmen and Craftsmen (TESK) urged the government to shelve tax hikes on alcoholic beverages in 2021 in bid to stem the increasing number of bootleg alcohol deaths across the country.
Since October, over 90 people in Turkey have died of poisoning from bootleg alcohol.


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Elephone, one of the smartphone manufacturers in China has announced several upcoming phones on their website this year. We are waiting to catch a glimpse of the reality of the technical specifications and features the firm has put forward. Elephone will be showcasing its entire portfolio of devices in Hong Kong at the Global sources Mobile Electronics Exhibition in Hall 1 (Booth 1K26).
ELEPHONE brochures for the upcoming Hong Kong Global source Mobile Electronics Exhibition is under making, you may find something interests you. We’ll be waiting for you in Hall 1, booth No.1K26 on October 18. Elephone PX, A5, A6, U2, and other which are the company’s upcoming Smartphones might launch during the Hong Kong Global sources Mobile Electronics Exhibition.
Brochures Pictures are showing, for example, the Elephone U2 and Elephone PX models with slide up cameras, which are already teased on their main website, but also some totally new models like Elephone U2 Pro sporting Snapdragon 845, AMOLED display and other Details.
Some of the products:
- Motor Pop-up camera smartphone with a large screen-to-body ratio.
- Waterdrop screen smartphone. Now only tens of dollars, you can have the minimum cost waterdrop screen smartphone!
- Notch screen smartphone. Equipped with MTK P60 processor, AI rears triple-cameras and glass gradient back cover.
- Glasses-free 3D smartphone.
- Rugged phone, with IP68 rating protection, 5000mAh large battery, and 128GB large memory capacity.
There will be apparently quite some news coming from the Elephone brand, like for example some new smartwatch model with a circular display. Anyway let’s wait and see, the event is just a week away and Remember, The Hong Kong Global sources Mobile Electronics Exhibition (Asia World Expo) is scheduled to hold between October 18 and October 21, just in case you would be in the area, make sure to stop by the Elephone booth in Hall 1, booth no. 1K26. Learn more about Elephone and their products on the company’s official website.


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Everybody, it seems, wants to be a winemaker.
In just the past two years, the number of wineries in the United States has increased by 26 percent to 5,645. That’s as of November 2006. Given their rabbit-like reproduction, there likely are a few dozen more by now.
The total does not include mead makers, nor wineries that produce fruit wines to the exclusion of grape wines.


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Meet The Producer: Alvarez Farm
Hilario “Larry” Alvarez is a jolly rancher who grows 155 kinds of peppers on his farm in Mabton, Washington. He has grown all his peppers organically since he started Alvarez Farm in 1992, and credits organic farming with making his business successful. About 25 of Alvarez’s peppers (which sell for $1.99 to $10 per pound, depending on the variety) don’t even have names, and 20 are not found anywhere else in the United States, partly due to natural cross-pollination. “Sometimes a red pepper plant and a yellow pepper plant are planted across from each other and they mix and you get a new pepper that’s a different color and shape,” he explains. Son Eddie Alvarez, who brings the peppers to Seattle area farmers’ markets, says he believes Alvarez Farm is the only organic pepper farm in the state.
This month, keep an eye out for Alvarez’s red Padrón peppers, which took serious foodies by storm last year. Often used in Spanish tapas, they are “very juicy, sweet and hot,” says Hilario, who notes that about one in 10 Padróns—named for the region in Spain where they originated—will be muy caliente. The fully grown peppers, about the size of bell peppers, are ripe from mid-July until first frost. They preserve easily and freeze well. You’ll find them from July through November at the Pike Place Market, and also at the Ballard, Broadway, Columbia City, Magnolia, Lake City and Lake Forest Park farmers’ markets. Prices vary, but will generally be around $2 a pound. The farm in Mabton—between Yakima and the Tri-Cities—offers U-pick peppers on weekdays from September through October (509.837.2381).
Originally published in July 2010


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October 1, 2003
Norwegian Salmon Exports See Huge Gains
Norway's dispatch of 11,543 tonnes of salmon last week set the year's best on record for salmon exports, registering an impressive increase of 46.3 per cent compared with the same week last year. To top it off, record volumes were match with price increases.
"We've been in a period of complex rates of exchange, but the prices have continued to rise. This is great, and just what everyone needed," said Purchaser John Hodnefjell of the salmon exporting company Coast Seafood in Western Norway, adding that he believes salmon prices will continue onwards and upwards.
The advice to fish farmers now is to delay selling, said Mr. Hodnefjell, adding that prices are likely to go up even further in the coming autumn.
According to the Norwegian Seafood Export Council, the most profitable period for salmon was in December, where export volumes for 2002 were highest at 14,334 tonnes. This year's September export volume is almost parallel to an early Christmas boost. However, the continued high export volumes throughout autumn could mean a shortage in supply of fish.


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HPE CEO Antonio Neri On GreenLake Growth, A ‘New Beginning’ And The Decision To Halt Shipments To Russia
HPE CEO Antonio Neri sounds off on the channel’s 115 percent GreenLake sales growth, a new era of edge to cloud innovation and the decision to halt shipments to Russia.
What is the impact on the business side?
First of all, in Ukraine we don’t go direct. We don’t have a legal entity. We work through distribution and partners. So we are working with the partners and figuring out how we can support customers. Right now they are in crisis mode.
Regarding Russia, on the other hand, we stopped all shipments into Russia 48 hours ago.
It is very heartbreaking. We are doing what we need to do. I was reflecting in the last four years how many crises we have had to manage. Of course you think about cybersecurity, supply chain disruption and all the regions impacted. You need to think about Russia employees. We cannot pay them now because the whole banking system has been halted.
It is a disaster. But you have to step up and do what you need to do. More than ever we need to stand united as humanity against these things. We can’t go backwards here. We can only go forward. What is happening there is simply unacceptable and we need to take a stance.


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But is the
Industries that depend on energy as an input such as chemical manufacturers, factories or smelters will enjoy higher profit margins or have more money available to invest in new equipment or give long awaited pay raises. Homeowners have similar benefits. Lower energy bills are like a pay raise and a tax cut, giving us more money in our pockets that we can use to pay for elaborate summer trips..
Chen’s medical record, dated cheap jerseys Feb. 14, 2007, advises that she be removed from a job of “working with organic chemicals.” A manager from Chen’s workshop, Du Masheng, said toxins are not wholesale jerseys china used anymore. In addition, auditors typically have been more concerned with fair wages than worker safety.
As I passed a multimillion dollar waterfront home in Annapolis last week, I saw a beautiful Tesla electric car out front. Of all the electric cars on the market, the Tesla pegs the cool o meter. The S model is fast (zero to 60 miles per hour in 5.9 seconds) and stylish..
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The family’s father wanted the lights in his office, bedroom, and main room. But his wife successfully argued instead for a light in the room where she cooked dinner, a light outside for security, and a light for her chicken coop. After all, chickens lay more eggs when they have more light..
Still, the theaters that have managed to make the conversions are experiencing healthy crowds in some cases. Part of that is because many like the Twin show double features of first run films for cheap. Webb also pointed to the nostalgic experience of coming to a drive in, which she says is motivating millennials eager for the experience..
Arrange the kielbasa slices and fry until crispy on each side, about 3 minutes per side. It’ll smell like bacon, confusing your dog. Set aside (the kielbasa, not your dog) on paper towels to drain.. A renovation of the building would cost $46 million. The cost comes from adding a wholesale jerseys 75,600 sq. Ft.


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Investment committee member Paul Meeks explains why he is not buying Microsoft shares on CNBC's Squawk Box. Paul explains whether it is a good time Read More
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Independent Solutions Wealth Management's Paul Meeks, CFA, CAIA is on CNBC to discuss the stock market changes. Watch here for details!
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As the coronavirus pandemic escalates, Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos has a message for his employees: “This isn’t business as usual, and it’s a time of great stress and uncertainty.”
“Across the world, people are feeling the economic effects of this crisis, and I’m sad to tell you I predict things are going to get worse before they get better,” Bezos wrote in a memo posted to the Amazon site.
Amid this challenging time, Bezos noted, the work of Amazon employees is at “its most critical.”
The coronavirus crisis has caused a surge in demand for Amazon products. The company is preparing to hire 100,000 new delivery and warehouse workers to keep up and is spending $350 million to hike pay by $2 an hour for U.S. and Canadian employees through April 2. It is implementing similar pay raises internationally. In addition, the e-tailer has changed its logistics, transportation, supply chain, purchasing and third-party seller processes to prioritize stocking and delivering essential items, including cleaning and medical supplies as well as household staples and medical supplies.
As Amazon employees such as warehouse workers and delivery drivers are being asked to come into work as others are advised to stay home, the company has added a number of preventative health measures, including increasing the “frequency and intensity of cleaning” and “adjusting our practices in fulfillment centers to ensure the recommended social-distancing guidelines,” according to Bezos.
The entrepreneur noted that the company has also purchased millions of face masks that it hopes to give to employees who are still coming into work. However, due to the international shortage of N95 masks, medical workers are being prioritized, and few orders have been filled at this time.
While Amazon remains open for business, the e-commerce giant has worked through the members of its own ranks being diagnosed with the coronavirus, which causes the disease COVID-19. Last week, Amazon temporarily shut down a Queens, N.Y., warehouse after an employee tested positive for the virus; operations resumed after a deep cleaning took place and workers were paid for a full day. According to a report from Spanish news site La Información, Amazon declined to shutter two warehouses last week in Spain, near Madrid and Barcelona, despite employees at each testing positive for the virus.


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Thailand’s economy shrank in the third quarter, official data yesterday showed, but hopes for a gradual recovery are picking up after the kingdom’s reopening to foreign tourists this month.
The country last year experienced its worst performance since the Asian financial crisis of 1997, with a 6.1 percent economic contraction.
GDP shrank 0.3 percent year-on-year in the third quarter, the Office of the National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC) said, blaming the showing on COVID-19 restrictions.
“The measures to control the outbreak affected the economic activities,” NESCD secretary-general Danucha Pichayanan said yesterday during a news conference.
A COVID-19 outbreak in April this year saw the emergence of the highly contagious Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2, which led to reimposing tough restrictions on services and restaurants.
NESDC data showed that the food service and accommodation sector shrank 18.6 percent from July to September because of “a decrease in domestic tourism and household spending.”
In Bangkok — a hotspot during the Delta wave — restrictions only began to ease in the past few weeks, with the government allowing certain restaurants to reopen and serve alcohol.
The relaxation of restrictions and a gradual return of vaccinated foreign tourists since Nov. 1 are giving officials hope for growth of 1.2 percent this year.
The country also expects 5 million tourists to return next year, bringing revenues of up to US$13.44 billion, NESDC said.
Pandemic travel restrictions sent Thailand’s visitor numbers plummeting from 40 million in 2019 to just 73,000 in the first eight months of this year.
Danucha said that the growth forecast for next year is between 3.5 and 4.5 percent as Thailand slowly recovers from the pandemic.
China was the source of most of Thailand’s foreign travelers before the pandemic, but with the country continuing to restrict outbound travel, Thailand’s cash-cow industry is unlikely to fully recover before 2024, experts have said.
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電), the world’s biggest contract chipmaker, has decided to slow down its 3-nanometer chip production as Intel Corp, one of its major customers, plans to push back the launch of its new Meteor Lake tGPU chipsets to the end of next year, market researcher TrendForce Corp (集邦科技) said yesterday. That means Intel has canceled almost all of the 3-nanometer capacity booked for next year, with only a small amount of wafer input remaining for engineering verification, the Taipei-based researcher said in a report. Based on Intel’s original schedule, TSMC was to start producing the new chipsets in
DATA SHOW DOWNTURN: Manufacturing in Taiwan contracted as production and demand slumped, while growth in chip exports last month eased in South Korea World chip sales growth has decelerated for six straight months in another sign that the global economy is straining under the weight of rising interest rates and mounting geopolitical risks. Semiconductor sales rose 13.3 percent in June from a year earlier, down from 18 percent in May, data from the global peak industry body showed. The slowdown is the longest since the US-China trade dispute in 2018. The three-month moving average in chip sales has correlated with the global economy’s performance in the past few decades. The latest weakness comes as concern about a worldwide recession has prompted chipmakers such as Samsung
‘NO NEED TO WORRY’: The central bank governor said foreign selling on the TAIEX is normal for this time of year and that the nation has ample forex reserves Taiwan would emerge unscathed from China’s retaliatory actions to protest US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taipei, top monetary and financial officials said yesterday. Central bank Governor Yang Chin-long (楊金龍) shrugged off unease over potential instability in the foreign exchange and stock markets after foreign portfolio funds trimmed their holdings of local shares for two straight days amid Beijing’s threats of retaliation. “There is no need to worry,” Yang said on the sidelines of an event to celebrate the first anniversary of the opening of Central American Bank for Economic Integration’s (CABEI) Taipei office and the 30th anniversary of
Italy is close to clinching a deal initially worth US$5 billion with Intel Corp to build an advanced semiconductor packaging and assembly plant in the country, two sources briefed on discussions said yesterday. Intel’s investment in Italy is part of a wider plan announced by the US chipmaker earlier this year to invest US$88 billion in building capacity across Europe, which is striving to cut its reliance on Asian chip imports and ease a supply crunch that has curbed output in the region’s strategic auto sector. Asking not to be named due to the sensitivity of the matter, the sources said the


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SINGAPORE: Singapore’s core inflation rose to a 10-year high of 2.9 per cent year-on-year in March, up from 2.2 per cent in February, official data released on Monday (Apr 25) showed.
The last time core inflation was at 2.9 per cent year-on-year was in March 2012.
The increase was driven by higher inflation for food and services, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) and the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) said in a joint release.
March's headline consumer price index, or overall inflation, came in at 5.4 per cent year-on-year, up from 4.3 per cent in February.
In addition to the pick up in core inflation, private transport and accommodation inflation also came in higher.
Core inflation excludes accommodation and private transport costs. These items are excluded as they tend to be significantly influenced by supply-side administrative policies and are volatile.
"External inflationary pressures have intensified amid sharp increases in global commodity prices and renewed supply chain disruptions driven by both the Russia‐Ukraine conflict and the regional pandemic situation," said MAS and MTI.
"In the near term, heightened geopolitical risks and tight supply conditions will keep crude oil prices elevated. Supply‐demand mismatches in other commodity markets, as well as bottlenecks in global transportation and regional supply chains, are also likely to persist."
PRICES INCREASE FOR FOOD AND SERVICES
Food inflation rose to 3.3 per cent in March compared to 2.3 per cent in February as the prices of both non-cooked food and food services increased at a faster pace.
Services inflation went up to 2.6 per cent in March, compared to 2 per cent in February.
"Services inflation was higher primarily due to a larger increase in the cost of other transport services and holiday expenses," said MAS and MTI.
"At the same time, the costs of recreational and cultural services and point‐to‐point transport services also picked up more strongly."
With the introduction of vaccinated travel lanes, actual air and sea travel costs are being progressively incorporated into the consumer price index, compared to the previous approach of imputing them when travel was limited due to COVID‐19, said MAS and MTI.
The consumer price index for other transport services, which includes both airfares and sea fares, rose more steeply in March, reflecting in part the inclusion of the costs of travel‐related mandatory COVID‐19 tests.
Private transport inflation rose to 21.5 per cent in March from 17.2 per cent the preceding month, on the back of a larger increase in car and petrol prices.
Accommodation inflation rose slightly to 3.5 per cent in March from 3.3 per cent in February, alongside a larger increase in housing rent.
Retail and other goods inflation ticked up to 0.4 per cent in March from 0.2 per cent the preceding month, as the cost of telecommunication equipment and personal care products went up.
Prices of recreational and cultural goods, as well as alcoholic drinks and tobacco, also recorded steeper increases.
Electricity and gas inflatino increased to 17.8 per cent in March, up from 16.7 per cent in February. Prices rose at a faster pace as the average electricity prices paid by households under the Open Electricity Market saw a larger increase, against the backdrop of higher global oil prices.
CORE INFLATION FORECAST TO GO UP FURTHER
Domestically, the labour market is expected to remain tight and support a firm pace of wage increases over the year, MAS and MTI said.
“Amid improving demand, greater pass‐through of accumulating business costs to consumer prices is likely to occur, keeping core inflation significantly above its historical average through the year,” they added.
Core inflation is forecast to pick up further in the coming months before moderating towards the end of the year as “some of the external inflationary pressures recede”, said MAS and MTI.
"However, there remain upside risks to inflation from the recent geopolitical and pandemic‐related shocks," they added.
“Meanwhile, with private transport and accommodation inflation expected to stay firm in the near term, headline inflation will pick up by more than core inflation this year."
Core inflation is projected to average 2.5 per cent to 3.5 per cent for the year as a whole, while overall inflation is forecast to come in between 4.5 per cent and 5.5 per cent.