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NEW YORK — Walmart is rolling out a grocery delivery subscription service this fall as it races to gain an advantage in the competitive fresh food business.
The move allows the nation’s largest grocer to further tap into time-starved shoppers looking for convenience at a time when Walmart is locked in an arms race with Amazon and others to expand fresh-food delivery — one of the fastest growing e-commerce sectors.
“We know this level of convenience resonates” with our customers, said Tom Ward, senior vice president of digital operations at Walmart U.S. “If you need milk, bananas and birthday presents, this is a fantastic solution.”
The grocery services will be fulfilled by local stores and require a minimum order of $30. With same-day delivery, there’s a four-hour minimum wait time between placing order and having it delivered. Walmart will also allow shoppers to order groceries online and pick them up at their local store or curbside for free. Curbside pickup is available at 3,000 stores and will expand to another 100 stores by the end of the year.
Walmart Is Facing Increasing Pressure
About 100,000 items, which include fresh food and pantry staples as well as select general merchandise like lightbulbs and basic toys, qualify for both grocery pickup and delivery. Walmart will also offer a monthly subscription option for $12.95; customers will still be able to pay a per-delivery fee of $7.95 or $9.95 for same-day delivery if they decide against the subscription service.
Walmart says it will rely on its more than 45,000 personal shoppers to pick products off store shelves to fulfill orders. It will also continue using the same patchwork of delivery services as before, including Postmates and DoorDash.
Walmart is facing increasing pressure to expand its fresh grocery delivery service amid fiercer competition in that space. About two years ago, its key rival Amazon purchased Whole Food Market Inc. and now is offering same-day grocery delivery in various cities. Meanwhile, AmazonFresh costs $14.99 a month and is available to Amazon Prime customers, who pay an annual membership fee of $119, in select cities.
Grocery delivery startup Shipt, whose store partners include Costco and Piggly Wiggly, currently charges $99 annually. Target, which bought Shipt in December 2017, announced in June a new option for Shipt shoppers to pay a per-order fee of $9.99 for the first time. It also integrated Shipt on Target.com. And last year, Instacart slashed its annual subscription fresh grocery service fee to $99 from $149.
Amazon changed consumer expectations when it launched two-day delivery for Prime members back in 2005 and forced other retailers to step up their game. But then the online behemoth needed to cut the delivery time in half to make its membership more attractive since others like Walmart offered free two-day deliveries without any membership.
This past spring, Amazon cut its two-day delivery to one day for Prime members. Soon after, Walmart began rolling out free next-day delivery for its most popular items with a minimum order requirement of $35 . It plans to roll out the service to 75% of the U.S. population by year-end.


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The first International Design Scoreboard, which ranks countries by their design capabilities, sees the UK placed fourth in absolute terms.
When the size of the economy is taken to account, the UK drops down to sixth. The US is ranked number one in absolute terms, with Singapore coming top in relative terms.
The International Design Scoreboard, which has been produced by a consortium of British universities led by the University of Cambridge and supported by the Design Council, measures countries’ design capability based on a number of factors, including public investment in design, total number of design graduates, and number of World Intellectual Patent Office design registrations.
It also looks at the number of WIPO trademark registrations, the number of consultancies in each country, the turnover of the design services sector, and levels of employment in the design sector.
It has been funded through a research grant of more than £300 000 from the joint Arts and Humanities Research Council/Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council programme Designing for the 21st Century.
Dr James Moultrie, lecturer on design and innovation at the University of Cambridge, who led the research, says it is an imperfect first attempt, which ‘provides insight while acknowledging weaknesses’.
Rankings have only been produced for 12 countries because, Moultrie says, it was impossible to gather sufficient statistics for other nations.
Furthermore, the research only looks at design consultancy services, and doesn’t take in-house design services into account.
Moultrie is in talks with the Design Council to develop the research, starting with an event planned for June to engage international representatives from around 30 countries.
He says that over the next two years he hopes to produce another International Design Scoreboard, which will provide more accurate and up-to-date information, and that an ultimate aim is for the implementation of consistent international design ratings.
David Godber, deputy chief executive of the Design Council, which provided data, facilities and funding for the research, says, ‘It’s a foundation to build on for the future. We are conscious that there will be gaps and hypotheses, but you have to start somewhere.
‘As the research is developed it can help us inform policy, define the value of design, and inform British consultancies working abroad,’ he adds.
International Design Scoreboard
Using absolute indicators:
2 South Korea
8 Hong Kong
Using relative indicators:
2 South Korea
12 Hong Kong

domain: news


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Walmart is bringing a new fulfillment center to Mississippi.
Walmart is opening a fulfillment center in Mississippi in spring 2022.
Located in Olive Branch, Miss., the 1 million-plus-sq.-ft. facility is intended to support the retailer’s increasing supply chain network and e-commerce business in the mid-South. The new center is expected to create approximately 250 full-time, permanent jobs across the region.
Unlike distribution centers, which are focused on receiving, storing and distributing product to Walmart stores, the company’s fulfillment centers are focused on storing millions of items that are picked, packed and shipped directly to customers as soon as next day.
This latest facility is part of a broader initiative to add more capacity into Walmart’s supply chain as the retailer prepares for growth. In the third quarter of fiscal 2022, Walmart U.S. e-commerce sales grew 8% for the quarter and 87% over the past two years.
The company has also begun using multi-temperature autonomous box trucks from Palo Alto, Calif.-based startup Gatik to move online grocery orders from a fulfillment-only dark store to a nearby Walmart Neighborhood Market store in its headquarters city of Bentonville, Ark. In a first for middle-mile commercial deliveries, Walmart is making the autonomous deliveries without having a human safety driver in the truck.
In addition, Walmart took a variety of steps through the second half of 2021 to ensure it could meet holiday demand in the face of widespread supply chain disruption. Some of these steps included a push for hiring 20,000 new supply chain positions to help move products through its facilities as quickly as possible, as well as adding storage capacity in its fulfillment and distribution network through new facilities.
“Walmart is proud to welcome its newest fulfillment center to the city of Olive Branch as we continue to grow our national supply chain network and e-commerce capabilities in the mid-South,” said Steve Miller, senior VP of supply chain operations, Walmart U.S. “The new facility will store millions of items from Walmart’s everyday low-priced merchandise, which will be ready to be shipped directly to customers with the great speed that they expect.”
Walmart operates three distribution centers, 86 retail stores, and employs over 25,000 associates in the state of Mississippi. In neighboring Tennessee, Walmart operates 3 distribution centers, 150 retail stores and employs over 42,000.


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source: Kemet news
MUNICH, GERMANY–(Marketwired – November 08, 2016) – KEMET Corporation (NYSE: KEM), a leading global supplier of electronic components, introduced seven new series of metal-oxide varistors that complement its existing circuit-protection solutions and can protect critical circuit components from very high-energy discharges. The new devices include dual-function varistor-capacitors that combine transient and EMI protection, and plastic-enclosed varistors for increased reliability in humid environments.
The dual-function devices integrate a capacitor to suppress interference from devices such as DC electric motors and are AEC-Q200 qualified. Compact in size, these devices are ideal for protecting sensitive automotive electronics against electric-motor noise as well as potentially damaging high-energy transients. X7R-capacitor temperature characteristics ensure stable parameters over the specified temperature range.
“The dual-function varistors provide the perfect space-saving solution for new vehicle designs, which feature increasing numbers of electrically-driven mechanisms to boost fuel efficiency as well as convenience and comfort,” said Dr. Ralf Deisenhofer, Vice President, Aluminum Electrolytic Technology.
In addition, KEMET has introduced five new surface-mount varistors, including four which are AEC-Q200 qualified. This product line features devices capable of high temperature operation for use in automotive and industrial applications, as well as plastic encapsulations that offer superior humidity resistance for use in medical instruments and equipment such as outdoor mobile-communications infrastructure and professional or consumer white goods.


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Netflix managed to hit a new milestone recently, surpassing 60 million subscribers. The surge in newcomers is largely down to the service's international expansion, hitting new countries like Australia. Although, the majority of subscribers are still from the US.
40 million Netflix subscribers reside in the US, or are at least using a VPN to make it look like they do. A further 20 million subscribers are from overseas. As you can imagine, revenue has also been climbing alongside the subscriber count.
During the latest Netflix quarterly earnings report, it was shown that the company's revenue has risen to $1.57 billion, compared to $1.27 billion during the same quarter last year. Profits did shrink though, from $53 million during this time period last year to just $23 million.
The drop in profit is likely down to Netflix's increased investment in to its own TV shows. The company has been producing a lot of shows, including the recently released Daredevil TV series. It also has four movies in the works with Adam Sandler.
If Netflix continues to crank out high quality shows like House of Cards, Orange is the New Black and Daredevil, then its subscriber count will only increase. Especially since the company is rapidly expanding outside of the US.
Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.
KitGuru Says: Netflix is doing fairly well financially, which is good to see, especially since the company is creating so much high quality original programming. I actually just got done watching Daredevil over the weekend, I would highly recommend it. Do any of you guys use Netflix? If not, what is stopping you from subscribing?


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Fair goes Enviro on June 20
The Enviro Fair 2009 will take place June 20 as part of the San Diego County Fair at the Paul Ecke Jr. Flower and Garden Show.
The Enviro Fair, sponsored by Think Blue and Stand for Less, invites fairgoers to learn the importance of recycling, sustainable living, pollution prevention, conservation and buying products made of recycled content.
The Enviro Fair includes exhibitors with “green” products, an Eco-Fashion Show, Sunbelt Publications authors and speakers including HGTV’s Eric Stromer.
The Enviro Fair takes place from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. June 20.
- Del Mar Fair seeking vendors
- County Fair visitor count is second-highest ever
- Backstage pass at the County Fair’s grandstand
- WHEE: Slide into the 2009 San Diego County Fair
- Area braces for impact of fair
Short URL: http://www.delmartimes.net/?p=3563


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Made in Mount Gambier, Philadelphia is considered Australia’s number one and most popular cream cheese, with the factory producing 20,000 tonnes (equivalent to 80 million tubs) of cream cheese annually. The company, promoted as a ‘genuine’ South Australian operation, is also said to source nearly 150 million liters of fresh milk from local dairy farms each year.
On Friday, South African Prime Minister Peter Malinauskas, Primary Industries Minister Clare Scriven, past and present employees and local dairy farmers gathered at Mount Gambier to celebrate the milestone.
Mr Malinauskas says Philadelphia cream cheese is one of South Africa’s most iconic, yet humble, exports.
“Philadelphia’s Mount Gambier factory is one of South Africa’s quiet export success stories, bringing quality fresh produce from the Limestone Coast to Australia and Asia-Pacific,” he says. “The Limestone Coast is a key economic driver for South Africa and has untapped economic potential, which is why my government is investing over $130 million in the region.
“I congratulate Mondelēz International and its staff on this important milestone.”
Site Director Adam Borchers says he feels humbled and honored to work with such an iconic and beloved product in Australia and around the world.
“Philly is a shining example of how the best of South Australian dairy is presented to the world,” he says. “A third of our volumes are exported to international markets, including South Korea, Japan and Taiwan. It’s a pleasure to know that there is a taste of SA in every cheesecake and on every bagel made with our brand. »
Philadelphia says it has no plans to slow down, with the company investing $50 million over the past decade to support growth ambitions and export opportunities.
Local demand for cream cheese is said to have “increased” since Covid-19 as Australians are inspired to spend more time in the kitchen.
The cream cheese maker has also partnered with Cadbury to develop Philadelphia products inspired by Marble and Caramilk.
“We are incredibly proud of the past 50 years and look forward to continuing to be Australia’s favorite spreadable cheese for many years to come,” says Borchers.


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Android devices will no longer alert you about app updates
Expect fewer notifications.
Spam notifications about app updates have come to an end — but only for Android users.
According to Android Police, users began noting back in December that update notifications from Play Store were missing. The issue was reported to be fixed in early December before reappearing later that month. Users assumed it was a bug, but a Google spokesperson confirmed on Tuesday with Android Police that the absence of Play Notifications was intentional. Google has yet to release a public announcement about the change.
What does this mean for Android users? — Previously, Android users were able to turn off or “mute” the Play Store update notifications within Settings. Now, they no longer have the discretion to opt-in to these alerts if preferred — and some Android users aren’t too happy. While Google may see it as a no-brainer to reduce the constant phone reminders, some users saw the benefit in receiving an overview of all of their successfully updated apps.
One user noted: “Since Google is removing the ability to see what has been updated I can no longer keep automatic updates for my apps on. I will be turning the feature off and will be updating manually.”
With the absence of a formal company announcement on the change, it’s unclear if this is a temporary fix or staple for Android devices moving forward. While pointless notifications can be quite a nuisance, giving users the option seems to be the better choice.


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The American International Automobile Dealers Association has named Richmond, Ky.-based auto dealer Steve Gates as its 2021 chairman.
Gates, 69, was appointed to the position throughout the affiliation’s annual meeting Wednesday — held nearly this year due to the coronavirus pandemic. He succeeds Jason Courter, who’s CEO of Honda Auto Center of Bellevue and Honda of Kirkland in Washington.
Gates is a third-generation dealer who owns Gates Auto Family, which operates dealerships in Kentucky, Tennessee and Indiana. The dealer group sells Audi, Ford, Lincoln, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Lexus, Nissan and Toyota autos.
“Becoming chairman of AIADA is by far the biggest honor I’ve ever received,” Gates mentioned in a press release. “I can promise you that day in and day out I will do everything I can for this industry and AIADA. I’m excited and ready to go.”
As chairman, Gates mentioned he plans to concentrate on getting sellers extra concerned in AIADA — the primary commerce affiliation for sellers of imported autos — by its Dealer Visit Program, which permits sellers to attach one-on-one with members of Congress.
“My plan is to attend every meeting I can, including regional and mid-level meetings, to get more people involved in AIADA,” he mentioned. “We have so many dynamic young dealers on our board of directors, and I want to see that represented in AIADA’s overall member involvement.”
Gates has been a part of AIADA’s board of administrators since 2014 as nicely as an outspoken advocate for sellers on Capitol Hill. In 2018, for instance, he testified on behalf of the affiliation’s members on the affect of proposed Section 232 tariffs on autos and auto components throughout a Senate committee listening to.
Along with Courter — AIADA’s speedy previous chairman — Gates is joined on the board by fellow sellers John Connelly, chairman-elect, and Mike DeSilva, secretary/treasurer.


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Get ready to open your wallet. Spending on Mother’s Day gifts is increasing this year. With the average American likely spring around $120 (per RetailMeNot), it seems that mom might have a table full of gifts this year. While that 20% increase might not seem gigantic, it does show an overall gifting trend. Still, what does mom really want this year?
It goes without saying that last year’s Mother’s Day celebration might have been a little subdued. Instead of the traditional gatherings, the event was smaller. As people re-emerge from their seclusion, this year’s celebration might make be more important than ever.
Even though the study’s findings show that more than half of people are looking to celebrate at home, the reality is that mom deserves her moment to be honored. In the past year, many moms have added to their to-do lists. It isn’t just that mom is caretaker, driver, nurturer, cook, driver and jack of all trades. That title came with school teacher, therapist and a variety of other job duties.
What should you buy with that increased spending on Mother’s Day gifts?
Flowers seem to be the most popular Mother’s Day gift with almost half of Americans purchasing that gift. In addition, gift cards, chocolate and beauty products round out top gifts. While mom will always appreciate the thought behind any gift, are these tokens of gratitude what she really wants?
Apparently, mom really wants a nice dinner. Maybe at the past year of spending even more time in the kitchen, she would prefer to have that beautiful food put on her plate. At the same time, mom doesn’t want to do the work to put that food on the plate or clean up the food that is served.
Whether that nice dinner is at her favorite restaurant, ordered in or cooking at home, the reality is that mom deserves more. Granted, she will appreciate the youngest child bringing her a bowl of cereal in the morning, but wouldn’t it be nicer if someone put in the effort and made brioche French Toast?
Even though spending on Mother’s Day gifts has increased, be thoughtful with those purchases. Mom probably has told you not to waste money. Make sure that her gift is thoughtful and what she wants this year.


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News posted on: 2019/11/26 1:03:39 - by Blanche - RFIDtagworld XMINNOV RFID Tag Manufacturer
SML launches its first UK retail RFID technology centre
Technology company SML has opened a new space in the UK dedicated to showcasing its RFID tag technology and other products. A retail concept space (RIS) in Corby, Northamptonshire was added to similar sites the company opened this year in Texas, USA and Shanghai, China.
SML will use UK space to entertain retailers, talk to retailers through RFID deployments, and host "academic" seminars, which will enable interested parties to explore a variety of technologies and processes to increase their operational efficiency.
About 40% of retail stores using SML's Clarity technology are located in the UK, including the F & F apparel divisions of Matalan and Tesco, which makes brick and mortar stores in the country a viable business decision for suppliers.
In addition to demonstrating its core RFID technology, SML will also use RIS in CORby to demonstrate how its product range supports omni-channel picking, customer experience, self-checkout, and robotics deployment.
SML's RIS program is the result of Dean Frew, the company's vice president and chief technology officer, and his team. The UK headquarters is overseen by UK General Manager Shane Clarke.
"The UK market is one of the world's leading regions adopting RFID, and retailers such as Tesco and Matalan have implemented major RFID technology rollouts in hundreds of stores across the country."
"Besides France and Sweden, UK retailers are also swarming a large number of retail-based item-level RFID pilot projects, so Corby's RIS is the ideal place for SML to support customers' RFID implementation.
Frew added: "With the rapid development of item-level RFID solutions in the retail industry in Europe, particularly in the UK, the location of RIS is clearly the choice of SML."
Add: No.943, Tonglong Er Lu, Hongtang Town, Tong'an District, Xiamen( Xminnov IOT Industrial Park)


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Nasa just emailed a wrench to space. When International Space Station commander Barry Wilmore needed a wrench, Nasa knew just what to do.
They "emailed" him one. This is the first time an object has been designed on Earth and then transmitted to space for manufacture. Made In Space, the California company that designed the 3D printer aboard the ISS, overheard Wilmore mentioning the need for a ratcheting socket wrench and decided to create one. Previously, if an astronaut needed a specific tool it would have to be flown up on the next mission to the ISS, which could take months. This isn't the first 3D printed object made in space, but it is the first created to meet the needs of an astronaut. "We will use them to characterise the effects of long-term microgravity on our 3D-printing process, so that we can model and predict the performance of objects that we manufacture in space in the future," explained Mike Chen from Made in Space.
Chen also explained the process of sending hardware to space. 3D Printing Service UK. Hyrel 3D Printer Can Squirt Out Self-Setting Sugru And Even Play-Doh. The Hyrel 3D printer looks like any other single-extruder additive printer.
But thanks to a fairly unique nozzle called the HYREL Emulsifiable Extruder (EMO-25) you can use it to squirt out usual materials like Play-Doh, air-drying clay, and even Sugru, a self-setting rubber that dries into a solid, usable object. The creator, Daniel Hutchison funded his project on Kickstarter and is preparing to ship the printer in the next few months. The printer actually contains a full PC and raised $150,000 on Kickstarter. These materials are important because they can be smoothed down and, using products like Sugru, you could feasibly print rubber gaskets directly inside plastic objects using a dual-extruder system. The extruder is also good for schools and artists who may want to produce, say, stop-motion animations using clay or reusable models.
The printers start at $1,995 and go up to $3,000. 3-D printer going to space station in 2014. Made in Space Made in Space team members with their 3-D printer hang on during a Zero-G test flight.
By Mike Wall, SPACE.com A 3-D printer is slated to arrive at the International Space Station next year, where it will crank out the first parts ever manufactured off planet Earth. Made In Space Zero-G 3D Printer Going To ISS. Mars-bound astronauts will print food & tools, NASA says. NASA will transport 3D printers to space so astronauts can print tools — and potentially even food. NASA’s chief administrator Charles Bolden discussed the role of 3D printers during a recent press tour of the Ames Research Center . According to ComputerWorld , Bolden believes the technology could be “key,” particularly as the agency explores missions to Mars and beyond. “As NASA ventures further into space, whether redirecting an asteroid or sending humans to Mars, we’ll need transformative technology to reduce cargo weight and volume,” Bolden said.
“In the future, perhaps astronauts will be able to print the tools or components they need while in space.” In Tomorrow's Wars, Battles Will Be Fought With a 3-D Printer. Army Staff Sgt.
Joshua Rucinski checks his 3-D printer at Joint Base Balad, Iraq on June 8, 2011. Less than two years later, an increasing number of military officers are saying this could change the way we fight wars. Photo: U.S. Army. Why 3D Printing Is Overhyped (I Should Know, I Do It For a Living) 3D Burrito – Home page. Online marketplace '3D Burrito' for 3D printed objects - find3dprinter. An online marketplace for 3D printed designs hits the web.
Blender dives into 3D printing industry. Blender 2.67 was released last week with a 3D printing toolbox. LGW spoke to Dolf Veenvliet, Bart Veldhuizen (Shapeways, Blendernation), and Rich Borrett (Ponoko) about the new tools and the future of 3D printing. As one of the impressively fast growing industries, 3D printing is lately all the rage in the press. Let's start with the basics. What do we know about 3D printing anyway? TED 2013: 4D printed objects 'make themselves' 28 February 2013Last updated at 05:39 ET By Jane Wakefield Technology reporter Video of cube self-folding strand courtesy Self-Assembly Lab, MIT/Stratasys Many are only just getting their heads around the idea of 3D printing but scientists at MIT are already working on an upgrade: 4D printing.
At the TED conference in Los Angeles, architect and computer scientist Skylar Tibbits showed how the process allows objects to self-assemble. It could be used to install objects in hard-to-reach places such as underground water pipes, he suggested. It might also herald an age of self-assembling furniture, said experts. Here's the 3D-printing institute in Obama's State of the Union. A little over a year ago, 3D printing was a funky new technology that you might find at modestly sized booths in the basement level of the Las Vegas Convention Center at CES .
Tonight, President Obama mentioned it in the same breath as Apple and Intel during his State of the Union address, while talking about ways to create new jobs and manufacturing in the United States. Here's the passage from the transcript: After shedding jobs for more than 10 years, our manufacturers have added about 500,000 jobs over the past three. Caterpillar is bringing jobs back from Japan. Ford is bringing jobs back from Mexico. 3D Printing and Design. Will 3D printing revolutionise manufacturing?
28 July 2011Last updated at 00:09 By Peter Day Presenter, In Business.
#1 3D Printer for Direct Manufacturing. 3D Systems sPro 60 is the industry standard for direct manufacturing and durable functional prototypes.
The sPro 60 has proven to produce parts as strong as injection molded and up to 10x faster and less expensive than an FDM system. If you're looking for production parts or durable prototypes, look no further than the sPro 60 SLS system. Contact me today for more information, Mark Menninger email@example.com 803-554-3435. 3D printing helps firms make parts. 3D-printed miniaturised fluidic devices. A variety of milli- and microfluidic devices printed in polypropylene using the 3D Touch printer.
Image credit: Geoffrey J T Cooper/Lee Cronin/University of Glasgow UK scientists have developed 3D printing technology for making miniaturised fluidic reactionware devices that can be used for chemical syntheses, in just a few hours. Having recently built a 3D printer in his laboratory, Leroy Cronin and his colleagues from the University of Glasgow have now shown that intricate micro- and milli-scale reactionware can be printed. This technology offers scientists the freedom to design bespoke reactors using low cost materials, with a quick production turn-around. Initial design to a functional reactor is completed within a matter of hours and chemical reactions using the device can be completed in the same day. Cronin believes that the scope for 3D-printed milli-devices is huge and the team is currently working towards expanding the versatility of the devices. So Now There’s A 3D Printer In A Briefcase.
It seems like not a week goes by without some mention of 3D printers somewhere.
This time around, MIT students Ilan Moyer and Nadya Peek have developed Popfab, a 3D printer in a briefcase. PopFab is a multi-tool for the 21st century. At its heart is a computer-controlled motion platform and a means of attaching various toolheads. These enable PopFab to make objects from a digital plan in a variety of ways: current capabilities include 3D printing, milling, vinyl cutting, and drawing — with more on the way. PopFab has traveled the world as a carry-on item of luggage to Saudi Arabia and Germany, and within the USA to Aspen in Colorado.
There doesn’t seem to be any definite plans for commercialization but as a proof of concept, it’s pretty nifty. Suppliers of 3D Printers. Foodini is a 3D printer for everything from burgers to gnocchi. Who wants a 3D printer for just candy when you can have one that prints a five-course dinner instead?
That's the idea behind Foodini, a new 3D printer that takes fresh ingredients and turns them into a culinary masterpiece. The device can do things like make custom ravioli, your own unique crackers or cookies, or even an intricate dark chocolate vase (if you just have to print candy). Its creations are made by filling the printer's "food capsules" with fresh ingredients and then inputting a recipe for the device to create. HP Designjet 3D Printer Now On Sale, Churns Out Solid Plastic Objects From the Desktop. Remember back in January when HP announced it would bring a tabletop 3-D printer to market, at a place and time to be named later? That place and time just became a quite a bit less ambiguous. Today Stratasys, the company that is manufacturing the device for HP, announced that it has shipped the first units of the HP-branded Designjet 3D fabrication machines, which will be available in May -- but only in Europe.
The Designjet 3D is based on Stratasys's Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) technology, which turns three-dimensional CAD drawings into tangible prototypes by extruding partially molten ABS plastic in extremely fine layers one atop the other, forming the entire 3-D model in a single piece from the ground up. 3D printing. 2009 3D Printer Buyer's Guide. More design hobbyists, entrepreneurs use 3-D printing.
Matt Sullivan, a retired soldier, still has trouble explaining his right leg to strangers. The shiny chrome surface, embossed with the lightning bolt logo of his beloved San Diego Chargers, covers the calf area of his prosthetic leg, the result of a roadside bomb in Afghanistan in 2010. At the naval hospital where he was recovering from his wounds and the resulting surgery, Sullivan ran into entrepreneur Scott Summit, who suggested a solution to covering the metal rod that protruded conspicuously from his knee. Video: solar-powered 3-D printer turns sand into glass objects. The Sun-Sinter harnesses desert sand and sun to create objects like bowls and sculptures. Markus Kayser, a student at the Royal College of Art in England, has built a 3D printer that harnesses desert sand and sun to create objects like bowls and sculptures.


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There’s no doubt that shopping locally has a positive impact on the community. Not only does shopping locally give small business owners a chance to thrive, but New Yorkers support mom-and-pop shops and those who employ their workers because they represent us, our neighborhoods and our values.
A major reason why we don’t have many big-box retailers inQueensand the rest of our highly populated city is because they provide a lot of rhetoric but little substantial action. Many of these corporations pledge to provide quality, livable jobs during the development process but fail to deliver on promises once the store opens its doors for business.
The value of a good job is far more important than having discounted goods — especially when those savings come at the expense of workers, their health and safety, and our communities.
When malls and other shopping centers try to make their way into our neighborhoods, there is hesitation and resistance because large shopping malls often look to mega-retailers as anchor tenants, without regard to the impact they will have on community and job standards. Before signing off on bringing more big-box stores and low-wage jobs into our area, it is important to ensure the types of jobs created will support families and products sold are of high quality.
As of late, many companies like Walmart and fast-food chains are being spotlighted for their poor treatment of workers and unsavory working conditions that put many lives at risk. Companies with a history of irresponsible labor conditions should not have a place inQueensor anywhere else in the city.
Small business-friendly districts prosper and our communities thrive when jobs created provide opportunities for workers and their families to succeed. Therefore, it is imperative for residents and politicians to understand the importance of responsible economic development.
Every phase of the development process is crucial, and community leaders, developers and elected officials can ensure it is done responsibly. Take the Kingsbridge Armory development in theBronx, for example.
In 2009, a national developer proposed opening shops that would’ve brought 1,200 jobs to the area. Labor, community and clergy allies, along with Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr., made demands for guarantees of so-called “living wage” pay that the developer would have to get from all the retailers.
“The notion that any job is better than no job no longer applies,” said Diaz. In April, after years of contentious debate, KNIC Partners, LLC agreed to bring the world’s largest indoor ice skating facility to the Kingsbridge Armory — along with 260 permanent jobs and nearly 900 construction jobs. After negotiations with local elected officials and community leaders, the developer signed a historic community benefits agreement promising to pay a living wage to workers, hire staff locally, and provide 50,000 square feet of community space.
This is the type of relationship that should exist when developers and retailers want to enter our communities — one in which businesses, workers and residents benefit.
DowntownJamaicais currently home to a development project that will be turned into a retail strip. Now more than ever, we must count on our leaders to ensure that new developments will include decisions that benefit us all.
That means local hiring, bringing in companies that pay their workers a sustainable wage and treat them with respect, and leasing to retailers that value the impact their stores have on neighborhoods.
Anything that doesn’t keep our communities front and center should not be considered for this new retail development in downtownJamaica.
Javier Valdes is co-Executive Director of Make the Road New York, an advocacy group.
To view the original article, click here.


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China's largest search engine, Baidu, reported strong revenue and profit growth in the first quarter, driven by "solid traffic growth" and measures to generate more revenue from the company's sites.
Wipro, India's third largest outsourcer, said on Wednesday that its IT services business had grown by 20 percent to US$1.4 billion for the quarter ended March 31, reflecting strong demand from outside the country for offshore services.
A Who's Who of IT bellwethers including Apple, IBM, Intel and Qualcomm issued strong financial reports this week, the height of earnings season, reinforcing forecasts for a strong year for the tech sector.
AMD posted gains in both revenue and profit in the first quarter, citing lower prices but higher unit sales of microprocessors compared with a year earlier.
Verizon Communication reported revenue of US$27 billion for the first quarter of 2011, up 0.3 percent from a year earlier, with the company pointing to growth in mobile customers as a cause for optimism.
Nokia reported an increase in sales for the first quarter, but profit declined and the company expects a challenging second quarter as it bears the full brunt of component shortages resulting from the earthquake in Japan.
Indian outsourcers Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), and HCL Technologies reported this week strong revenue and profit growth for the quarter ended March 31, as outsourcing by clients to offshore locations picked up.
While Apple's iPhone is selling well across the globe, China has emerged as its fastest growing market for the device.
Apple's revenue and profit soared in its fiscal second quarter ended March 26, buoyed by strong iPhone sales, the company said Wednesday.
AT&T's revenue for the first quarter of 2011 was up 2.3 per cent and its net income rose 38.9 per cent from a year earlier, driven by mobile customer gains.
China Mobile, the world's largest mobile carrier, said its customer base exceeded 600 million on Wednesday, as the company reported an increase in profits for the first quarter of 2011.
Yahoo's revenue and profit slid significantly in the first quarter, but the company's performance was in line with Wall Street's expectations and company officials said the results reflect solid execution toward its financial goals.
Intel reported growth in revenue and income for the first quarter of 2011, driven by the addition of new products and strength in the enterprise market.
IBM on Tuesday reported quarterly sales growth across all its major divisions and raised its earnings outlook for the full year, the latest sign that business spending in the IT sector continues to recover.
Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications sales and profit dropped in the first quarter of 2011, the company reported Tuesday
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5 Chinese Tech Whizzes Named Among World's Top Young Innovators
(Beijing) — Five China-based entrepreneurs and engineers have been selected as the most promising young individuals shaping science and innovation by the MIT Technology Review.
Two high-level engineers at tech giant Alibaba and three startup founders were included in this year’s “35 Innovators under 35” list, published each year by the well-respected magazine. This year’s list features a growing presence of entrepreneurs from China turning innovations into commercially promising projects.
Former Princeton University professor Xiao Jianxiong was acknowledged for founding autonomous-driving newcomer AutoX, which uses webcams and algorithms to reduce the cost of self-driving vehicles.
Kathy Gong, 30, was included in the list for creating a Beijing-based mobile game company pivoting towards the Middle East market.
Another thinker on the list was the founder and chairman of a Shenzhen company developing and manufacturing thin flexible displays that can be rolled tightly around a pen.
Others included Alibaba’s Wang Gang, head of the company’s artificial intelligence (AI) lab, who was recognized for his push to move AI technology into commercial use.
Wang is a new poach by the e-commerce behemoth, joining the firm from a teaching position at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. His colleague, Wu Hanging, a security scientist at Alibaba, was also noted for devising a mechanism to fend off hackers.
The 2016 list featured four China-based individuals making breakthroughs, though only one was beginning a business based on his inventions. In 2015, although three scientists from China were included on the list, none had taken their work to the commercial stage.
Contact reporter April Ma (firstname.lastname@example.org)
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- 2Largest hotel group in Europe accepts UnionPay
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By: Sean Murray
Two years ago, it was easy to say that the average Merchant Cash Advance (MCA) deal was about $20,000 to $25,000. The claim used to be, funding up to $250,000! And yet very few companies would actually go that high when it came down to it. But now?
A million here, a million there… It’s all just business as usual. Nothing to see here everybody. Go on Tozzi, write another article about how MCA is for minuscule retailers that can’t get approved for a low limit credit card. Whether you call it MCA, Merchant Financing, or Merchant Lending, there’s no doubt that capital has become more accessible to businesses across the country. And the amounts being disbursed are getting BIGGER.
On October 12, 2012, Rapid Capital Funding (RCF), a mid-sized funder in Miami, FL provided $1,250,000 to a national convenience store chain. RCF published an official company announcement about it, but we actually got wind of the deal a week before it closed. The Merchant Processing Resource staff is friendly with the folks at RCF, particularly with their lead underwriter, Andrew Hernandez. Hernandez is an industry veteran, with five years of MCA underwriting experience under his belt. So while RCF hasn’t had the reputation for taking on big paper in the past, we can’t say that we’re shocked that they’re marching down that path.
Do you think we’ll be seeing more of this? Send us your comments.
- Merchant Processing Resource
Sean is the founder of Merchant Processing Resource, the co-founder of the Merchant Cash Advance forum, DailyFunder.com, the developer of the first Merchant Cash Advance industry iPhone app, and a moderator of both the Small Business and Entrepreneur communities on Google+. Learn more about his Merchant Cash Advance background on LinkedIn or follow him on Google+.
Just when we thought that Merchant Cash Advances couldn’t be any more accommodating to the small business world, one company is applying the starter advance concept to practically the entire spectrum of merchants. A starter advance, a higher risk transaction than those traditionally conducted in the industry, is a concept that was made popular by [...]
When it comes to websites, small business owners it’s common for small business owners to belong to one of three camps: You’ve got a small business website – maybe even paid a huge chunk of change to have it designed – but now you don’t have a clue, or are struggling with making any changes [...]


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FPSA Press Release
For Immediate Release
October 4, 2023
FPSA announces creation of new network FOR DESIGN BUILD FIRMS
McLean, VA – The Food Processing Suppliers Association (FPSA) today announced the creation of a new network of Design Build professionals to network with colleagues and tackle critical issues affecting the food and beverage industry. The new Design Build Network will join FPSA’s already existing groups including its Women’s Alliance Network, the Young Professionals Group, the Packaging Network, Food Safety Network and Technology Network.
“For years, FPSA members from the design build segment of the food industry have made significant contributions to the Association beginning with helping to organize the live Production Lines that are a highlight of PROCESS EXPO, participating in educational sessions at the show and the FPSA Annual Conference, as well as serving on FPSA’s industry councils and other networks,” said Brian Perkins, Chairman of the Food Processing Suppliers Association (FPSA) and President of Provisur Technologies. “By creating a network specific to Design Build, these members will have the chance to set their own agenda and address topics that they know are critical for the processor. We are confident that the substantive content that this important segment of our membership will have a ripple effect for all members, as well as the customer audience.”
“The new Design Build Network will join our other Networks which were created in 2018 and have since served to identify and address critical issues that affect all industry participants,” said David Seckman, President and CEO of FPSA. “Each Network has its own leadership which establishes the group’s mission to not just address critical issues, but perhaps more importantly to collaborate with our industry councils and networks to ensure that all parties benefit from this substantive content regardless of what segment of the industry they work in.”
The Design Build Network will hold its inaugural meeting in October at PROCESS EXPO to choose its leadership and begin discussions on the topics that it would like to begin working on as a group.
FPSA members are eligible for a seat on the Design Build Network, as well as any of the other Networks. If interested in joining or obtaining more information, please contact Elena Sierra, FPSA Director of Networks & Special Projects. (email@example.com) or (703) 663-1220).
FPSA is a trade association serving suppliers to the global food, and beverage industry. The Association’s programs and services assist its members in marketing their products and services, and in improving their business practices. Programs and services to achieve these objectives include PROCESS EXPO, electronic media marketing, education, research, and being the voice of its members in the public arena on issues such as food safety, sanitary design of equipment, and global trade.
Andy Drennan, SVP


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Nearly all of us who are part of the American economy are right now suffering from the worst inflationary spiral in many, many years.
The Federal Reserve has raised interest rates consistently for the past year, and there is the belief interest rates could go even higher. By raising the cost for money, the tendency is to rely on less money being borrowed, fewer homes being built and sold, fewer automobiles, and fewer everything being bought and money spent by consumers.
Raising interest rates also causes the job market to contract, rather than to expand. This is also perceived as a policy by the Fed to bring down inflation – that is – the cost for goods and everything else we spend and or buy.
In the post pandemic world that has gone back to work, the expansion of world economies happened so fast and so powerfully that inflation got its hold on nearly all the major and minor economies on the globe.
That expansion was at first a welcome sign that we could come back from the pandemic in a big way and expand our economies and survive.
Inflation, however, is like poison to struggling people dealing with getting by.
Locally, inflation has caused persistent food insecurity and rising rents and prices for housing that are not within the reach of working class people.
College tuitions continue to grow higher. Federal loans to college students that were placed in abeyance during the pandemic are about to be re-instituted.
What to do?
There is not much that can be done to lower the price for food and staples. Once all those prices have gone up, it is near to impossible to bring them down.
Unless you are rich and don’t care about higher prices, although from our experience during a long life, rich people care more about money than people who are struggling, inflation is a huge issue, a number one type of issue.
Who is responsible for inflation? Is it the democrats or the republicans?
It is all of us and the system we operate under.
Our economic system is somewhat out of control.
The head of General Motors made $29 million in salary last year. Striking employees at the automaking giant are seeking raises in their salary and benefits that pale by comparison.
General Motors made billions in profit last year largely on the backs of the labor provided by its employees and because of the smarts of its corporate chief, who made $29 million.
There may be no reason to pay anyone $29 million for a year of their labor when tremendous profits were made and distributed, in part, to the employees and the stock holders.
But this is America, the land of opportunity.
If you do well, you should expect to be paid well whether you are an employee, an owner or a corporate chief.
The government shouldn’t be allowed to control what an individual makes.
On the other hand, the government must have a voice in maintaining a balance for everyone involve ed in the American experiment.
Inflation is odious. It hurts everyone, rich and poor alike.
Every effort must be made to contain inflation, to beat it down and to gain a strong economic footing.
This is what the Fed is trying to do, maybe imperfectly, but at present, there are no other options on the table but for raising interest rates to douse the inflationary fire.


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Just a quick update to mention that Mischa’s handbag collection has gone on sale on ASOS.com. The sale will last only one week and I think a few days have already passed so get in quick!
After taking in the Temperley London show on Monday, Mischa Barton kicked back at the designer’s after-party at trendy members club Bungalow 8.”I’m taking a bit of time out being in London seeing friends and family,”she said. Having just finished her second line of handbags and headbands for her collection with accessories designer Stacey Lapidus, Barton said she would start shooting a new film in November titled “Nepal” opposite actor Charlie Sheen. “I will be filming in India, which will be exciting,” she said.
Via WWD Fashion
Handbag update to mention that ASOS.com has added a few new styles from Mischa’s collection and also re-stocked a few styles that sold out back in the first week of sales. They currently have a selection of 14 styles to choose from. Debenhams also has some varied styles for sale.
Both ASOS and Debenhams have launched 3 new styles of Mischa’s bag collection (6 in total). ASOS features the exclusive line of 100% leather bags from the collection. While Debenhams features the more affordable polyurethane collection.
Debenhams began selling the line last week and featured 10 bags at launch. 2 styles sold out but they’ve since added an additional 3 new styles to their catalogue. Debenhams now has 11 styles for sale.
Debenhams (a British retailer) has now added some of Mischa’s handbag collection to their online store. By the way, the range Debenhams features is different to the selection available at ASOS. And speaking of ASOS, a fifth style has sold out on their website so now only two bags remain for sale. Debenhams currently features 10 styles.
Just a small update on the status of Mischa’s bag collection that launched July 2nd. ASOS.com had a selection of 7 bags for sale via their website that were highlighted in our gallery last week. Out of the 7 bags available, 3 styles sold out yesterday and a fourth sold out earlier today. We’ve had no official word on the status of the bags but from these results it appears that they’ve hit the market quite successfully. Hopefully ASOS re-stocks soon and adds additional styles for purchase. And remember, the bags are also sold in store at John Lewis and Debenhams. Currently the three remaining styles are:
Some new media surrounding the UK launch of Mischa’s handbag collection this week has been uploaded to the gallery. The update includes several images of the collection, a press clipping (thanks to Cosmo Girl), model advertisements and a couple of shots of Mischa herself modeling the bags. The line features around 30 bags so these pages will be updated as the full collection surfaces online.
The bags showcased in this update are available for purchase online via ASOS. Alternatively, people in the UK can head to John Lewis and Debenhams to check out the range in store.
Mischa shows off her ‘Sophia’ bag
We informed you of Mischa’s bag launch a few weeks back and now we’ve got a sneak preview of the bags that are landing in stores this week.
The O.C. star has arrived in England for the launch of her new handbag range.
With the hottest bags in her wardrobe and designer friends at her beckon, it’s no surprise to us that Mischa has designed such a gorgeous bag line.


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The entity in charge of the Internet's addressing system is declaring victory over an abusive trend in registering domain names.
Internet policymakers are forging ahead with a controversial plan to introduce hundreds of generic top-level domains -- such as .nyc, .sport and .food -- next year.
Plans to introduce new top-level Internet domains will not force trademark owners to make defensive registrations to protect their brands, according to two reports published by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) on Saturd...
Viviane Reding, the European commissioner for Internet-related issues, called Monday for a new multilateral approach to Internet governance once the current system expires at the end of September.
Web sites written in Russian, Korean and other non-ASCII characters soon will be able to have their addresses displayed in the same language.
The overseer of the Internet's addressing system is soliciting ideas for how to fix a problem that is enabling spammers and fraudulent Web sites to flourish.
Some Internet-based businesses in the US would support the splitting of the domain-name governance system instead of allowing an agreement between the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) and the US government to end later this...
A controversial proposal to create hundreds of new generic top-level domains is generating harsh criticism as corporations and individuals question the need for additional competition in the domain name marketplace and expense for businesses.
The overseer of the Internet's addressing system said on Wednesday it will delay shutting down a dodgy Estonian domain registrar pending a review.
ICANN is seeking comments on a proposal that would open up the market for generic top-level domains (TLDs) on the Internet, basically allowing anyone with US$185,000 to buy a new TLD.
The US government is soliciting input on a way to make the Internet's addressing system less susceptible to tampering by hackers.
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First impression on unpacking the Q702 test unit was the solid feel and clean, minimalist styling.


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We’ve all heard of the Go to Travel campaign, which provides discounts of up to 50 percent on domestic trips to encourage people to visit Japan’s hotels, shops and tourist attractions – while also giving the country’s overworked residents a much needed vacation. The campaign has stirred up plenty of controversy, particularly in Tokyo, which is currently excluded from the promotion due to its high number of Covid-19 coronavirus cases.
Let’s hope Tokyoites have better luck with the government’s new initiative. Get ready for the Go to Eat campaign, a similar nationwide promotion designed to benefit local restaurants. Run by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF), the campaign will provide vouchers offering up to 25 percent off food and drinks at registered restaurants. There will also be a new reward points system for online reservations, which provides gift certificates worth up to ¥1,000 per person. To keep things safe, businesses will have to take thorough preventative measures against infection in order to participate.
MAFF is accepting applications from businesses looking to participate in the campaign until August 7, after postponing the application process due to the increasing number of coronavirus cases in Japan. Details are still being confirmed, including whether or not the campaign will apply to takeout, delivery or just in-house dining. The Japan Times reports that the government hopes to launch the campaign as early as end-August.
We’ll keep you updated on this story as more information becomes available.
Heading out to eat? Remember to read our guide on how to go out safely in Tokyo.


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Video: JBF Award Winner Sherry Yard's Favorite Sandwich
JBF EditorsJBF Editors
August 11, 2014
After weeks of intensive sandwich study for National Sandwich Month, we considered ourselves to be pretty well-versed on this quintessentially American food. But when we asked James Beard Award–winning pastry chef Sherry Yard for her favorite sandwich, she came at us with a pick that was completely new to us. To find out what it was, you'll have to watch the above video! Stay tuned for more sandwich-related video content, as we continue to tap renowned chefs for their favorite versions.
Yard is also traveling to Phoenix next month for the first weekend of James Beard Foundation's Taste America®, our ten-city epicurean tour of exclusive dining events, cooking demos, artisanal tastings, and more. Get details about Taste America and buy tickets here. Follow the festivities on Twitter with #JBFTasteAmerica. You can also follow the adventures of #bittybeard, our portable homage to James Beard, as he travels around the country.


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Los Angeles skin care expert Peter Lamas
Published November 22, 2005
Los Angeles skin care expert Peter Lamas launched a book series entitled, “Peter Lamas Living Beauty Library” with tips for hairstyling, anti-aging, sun exposure, harmful cosmetic ingredients and more. The books are sold on www.lamasbeauty.com and in certain natural food stores.
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Flourishing adult colouring book industry could be facing a bill for millions in VAT payments
THE adult colouring book industry, which is worth an estimated £20m a year to the economy, could soon be paying millions in VAT as HMRC looks to apply a 20% to the popular adult pastime.
Both adult and children’s colouring books are currently exempt from VAT, and that will continue to be the rule of thumb for children’s books, but the government department has confirmed it’s in talks with adult publishers over charging a 20% rate in the future.
“There’s been no change to the rules. Children’s colouring books are entirely free of VAT and there are no plans to change that. We are meeting with publishing representatives shortly to discuss the VAT treatment of adult colouring books,” said a HMRC spokesperson.
Last month, HMRC came under fire from the Association of Taxation Technicians for having “flaws” in its guidance over its VAT flat rate scheme.
Diaries, stamp albums and address books are already subject to VAT, but literary and reference books are currently exempt. More than three million adult colouring books were sold in Britain last year, pulling in just over £20m.
David Scott, tax partner at law firm Harbottle & Lewis, revealed that HMRC is closing in on a range of books which currently are exempt from paying VAT.
“Among those they are querying are about 10 different types of books, I believe. Publishers are keen for HMRC to clarify the issue and define the nature of a book,” said Scott.
James Daunt, managing director of book retailer Waterstones, fears that a 20% VAT rating could have a big effect upon booksellers.
“There needs to be clarity from HMRC around the issue on the definition of books which are VAT-exempt because there is lot of confusion at the moment.
“Retailers will be affected and will owe VAT on their margin of the sale, along with publishers, and if it is confirmed we owe HMRC that it will certainly be a sizeable chunk of money,” continued Daunt, adding that Waterstones has “provisioned” to pay for it.
Last week HMRC won a lengthy VAT battle with Mexican food outlet Chilango, just days after the department surprisingly decided to no longer oppose outstanding VAT reclaim appeals by NHS trusts, with some of those claims dating back as far as 1973.


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If you’re looking to get an Apple Watch, you might want to consider walking to the nearest Best Buy (BBY) store from Aug. 7 onwards.
A month after the launch of Apple’s (AAPL) wearable product in the company’s stores, Best Buy will become the first national retailer besides Apple to stock the Apple Watch. It will be available in more than 100 Best Buy stores and on BestBuy.com. By the time holiday season arrives, an additional 200 stores will feature the Watch.
“The Apple Watch is a big addition to our stores and website, and we know our customers want it,” Jason Bonfig, senior category officer at Best Buy, said in a statement.
The aluminum Apple Watch Sport and the more expensive stainless steel Watch lines will be among the 16 models available at the outlets, and both will come in their 38mm and 42mm sizes. You can also choose to accessorize your newly-minted Watch with numerous third-party add-ons at Best Buy. However, those looking to outfit themselves with the gold Apple Watch Edition — which would cost you at least $10,000 — will not find the models at Best Buy outlets.
Sales of the Apple Watch have been a much-sought after number among investors, and the company has refused to make available specific details of how well (or poorly) the Apple Watch has been doing. In the recent third-quarter earnings call, revenues from the Watch were bundled into an “Other” category. “Sales of the Watch did exceed our expectations and they did so despite supply still trailing demand at the end of the quarter,” CEO Tim Cook told analysts, adding that sales of the Apple Watch during its launch period were higher than the original iPhone, or iPad.
That hasn’t stopped analysts from gleaning some insight into the numbers. In a check by Fortune, Wall Street revised their estimates down from 4 million Watches sold to around 2.53 million, a show of disappointment that surely added to Apple’s subsequent beating in the stock market.


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GE rolls back breadth of future ambitions
JOHN Flannery, the new chief of General Electric, is backing away from the ambitious designs of his predecessors, who steered the corporate giant and its conglomerate-style empire building for over three decades. Flannery, who became chief executive in August, left no doubt on Monday that the conglomerate era is long gone. The new GE, he declared in his first detailed presentation on its future, will be a smaller company. The operations up for sale include businesses that reach back to the days of GE’s founder Thomas Edison, like light bulbs and railroad locomotives. More than $20 billion in assets are earmarked for sale.


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The sorting options present in Facebook’s redesigned News Feed for desktop have made their way to the iOS application. Many iOS users have seen a prompt on their main screen to see more feeds. Below that is a News Feed button they can tap, giving them options similar to the right-hand side of the desktop feed.
Facebook for iOS
If you looked at Facebook’s introduction of stickers for messaging (snuck into the latest iOS update) and wondered why they’re on your phone, you’re probably not the target demographic. Stickers, which are essentially supersized emoticons, have been a popular feature in Asian messaging applications such as Line and KakaoTalk. Not only do people use stickers, they pay for them. Stickers have been a major revenue source for Line, and it appears that Facebook may try to enter that market.
Although Apple will likely not cede the iPhone’s home screen for Facebook Home, iOS users Tuesday will get access to Chat Heads capability. Facebook announced that iPhone and iPad users will have this update sometime Tuesday and be able to use the company’s newest messaging feature. Additionally, iPad owners will be switched over to the redesigned News Feed with this update.
Even a casual Facebook user can see that the site has changed dramatically over the past year. On Thursday, Facebook’s developers team took some time to reflect on some of the highlights that made the social network what it is today.
Facebook’s Android application wasn’t the only one to receive a facelift Thursday. The social network also announced that its native iOS app received a slight upgrade, as Facebook improved the speed and offered users the ability to choose an album when uploading photos from their iPhone or iPad.
In September, Facebook tested Photo Sync for Android, allowing users the choice of instantly uploading photos to Facebook (but to an album only they can see) when they are taken. TechCrunch reported Monday that the social network is bringing Photo Sync to Apple devices.


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Not too long ago, Droid 4 owners could take part in a small soak test for a possible Jelly Bean update. Well, about a week later, it looks like Verizon is ready to push out that Jelly Bean update to the masses starting tomorrow, March 19th. The update will begin rolling out in phases, but it’s definitely good news for Droid 4 owners.
The update will contain the regular Jelly Bean goodness, including Project Butter and Google Now, but it’ll also feature a handful of device specific fixes and improvements, such as improved data connection and removal of some preloaded apps. No complaints there. So keep an eye out for that notification tomorrow, and let us know in the comments if your device gets the update.
Amazon’s App Store is celebrating a birthday this week. It’ll be two years on March 22nd since Amazon brought their little creation into this world, and what better way to celebrate than by discounting piles of apps and games? Amazon will be running sales on certain apps through this weekend, discounting some stuff over 50% off. And there’s still the famous Free App of the Day, like always, so you’ll have plenty to pick from.
Right now, there’s some pretty big apps like Angry Birds, Cut The Rope, and OfficeSuite Professional 7, all of which are at least 50% off. So if you frequently use the Amazon App Store or own a Kindle Fire, you’re probably going to pick up a few extra apps and games this week.
Google’s recently stepped up their advertising game to try to draw some attention to their Nexus lineup, and the latest really hits home. The small story focuses on a couple trying to decide how to handle having their first child, and it goes through the beginning expecting stages all the way through the couple trying to decide on a name. The video of course showcases the cool things the Nexus 10 can do in a relateable way, like multi-user support for both parents’ schedule, and Google Now for making that tough naming decision.
It’s definitely a memorable commercial that’s bound to drum up a bit of interest for the 10-inch tab. Hopefully we’ll see a few more showcasing the other features Google stuffed into their devices. Hit the break below to check out the commercial for yourself.
Google has been working hard to unify their products. Their latest project, combines its currently fragmented messaging platforms under one powerful and effective service. The new initiative, affectionately called “Babble”, will do just that. Currently, Google is maintaining Google Talk, Hangout, Voice, Messenger, Chat for Drive collaboration, and the pseudo Google Talk for G+. The only two that work even fairly well together are Google Talk for Gmail and G+ and even they can evoke frustration with users from time-to-time.
The Babble cross-platform solution could enable Google to dominate chat services such as iMessage and BlackBerry Messenger. Google is building Babble from the ground up, which may or may not be a blessing depending on how you look at it. On one hand, they will be working from a clean slate and there will be no boundaries as to what they can make the app do. On the other hand, Google will be pushing out another Beta product based on past experiences that may have more bugs than a Louisiana bayou on a hot summer afternoon. We will just have to hope the geeks at Google push out a well polished, well oiled, version of the app on Beta release.
Gmail for Android received a new update today and users can now reply to or archive emails directly from the notifications bar. However, the feature isn’t available on just any Android device. On the Official Gmail Blog, it mentions for Android users running 4.1 and up since more in-depth notifications are supported in Jelly Bean. Users can also combine the feature with the ability to customize which emails they receive notifications for under settings in the Gmail app. Aside from this new feature, both online or offline search in the Gmail Android app has been made faster with bug fixes and performance improvements as per usual.
Play Store Download Link
Web conferencing users will be glad to know they have a new option available to them in iMeet, a platform that had previously been available only for iOS devices. iMeet developer Premiere Global Services, Inc., says the conferencing app is intuitive, easy-to-use, and will unchain you from your desk when you need to participate in a web conference. The iMeet service is available on computers, smartphones and tablets and can transition between the devices during a conference.
As Apple and Samsung continue to bounce the crown for best-selling smartphone between each other, analysts at Nomura say the latest Galaxy device will push Samsung back to the top spot. Nomura was not impressed with the latest device in Samsung’s Galaxy line, the Samsung Galaxy S 4. Nevertheless, the changes that they describe as “evolutionary” as opposed to “revolutionary” should be enough to propel Samsung to the top spot.
During the fourth quarter of 2012 Apple sold around 27.4 million iPhone 5 devices versus 15.4 million Samsung Galaxy S III units to retake the title. Nomura’s analysts think Samsung’s Galaxy S 4 and the Samsung Galaxy Note II will combine for sales in the range of 35 to 40 million units per quarter during 2013. The analysts also expect a shift to occur during the upcoming sales quarters as both Apple and Samsung will have to start working on stealing users from each other rather than the smaller players in the smartphone market. Besides ratcheting up the acrimony that already exists between the two companies, this will probably result in more price-based competition. Such a situation will be good news for consumers but it will impact margins for Samsung and Apple and it will make life difficult for other manufacturers trying to capitalize on the market.
The Samsung Galaxy S 4 will always be able to charge the traditional way, but if you’re wanting to charge it wirelessly, Qi charging accessories will be coming soon. Qi issued an official press release today announcing their work on wireless charging accessories for the S 4. They didn’t mention a release date or price, but with the latest flagship Samsung smartphone coming out towards the end of April, it wouldn’t be unreasonable to expect the accessories available around then. Currently, Qi is used in products by Motorola, LG, Sony, Toshiba, Nokia, HTC, and many more.
Source: Business Wire
Last week we got word of a new Motorola device with the model number XT912A. We have heard that the Motorola “X” phone refers to more than one phone, so this could be just one variant. It showed up in the GLBenchmark database with the codename “Ghost”, and it will be a mid-range device with a 720p display and a 1.7GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro. This one is rumored to be headed to all four major U.S. carriers, Verizon Wireless, AT&T, T-Mobile, and Sprint. It could wind up in the Google Play Store as well, but that’s just a hunch. Yes, this one is mid-range, but more than enough for the average consumer. If they can price this one right as in $199 to $249 off contract, it could be a hit.
Samsung Orb will allow users to take 360 degree panorama photos, and is rumored to be introduced on the Galaxy S 4 when Android 5.0 is released. According to an insider, the decision to delay Orb until the Android 5.0 update isn’t finalized yet, but is expected to be. Orb is very similar to Photo Sphere which is part of the Nexus 4 experience. This will be a nice value add for photo taking S 4 owners, however, Android 5.0 won’t make its way to select Galaxy devices until after Google I/O in June when a Key Lime Pie announcement is anticipated.
Owner’s of a Samsung Galaxy Note II on the T-Mobile network may notice an update is available for their device. The update is probably one you will want to grab as it enables a connection to T-Mobile’s new 4G LTE service. T-Mobile indicates the service should be available in Las Vegas and Kansas City by the end of this month. At some point this summer the new service should be lit up in enough areas to reach 100 million people and by the end of the year it should reach 200 million people. For comparison, the Verizon 4G LTE network reaches 275 million people.
In some testing that was conducted using a Galaxy Note II, speeds were found to be in the 59 Mbps down, 25 Mbps up range. Granted, there were probably no other users accessing the signal. As fast as the 4G LTE connection is, T-Mobile customers will also benefit from HSPA+ 4G when they find themselves in an area with no 4G LTE coverage.
Around the summer of 2010, my contract was coming to an end and the HTC EVO 4G on Sprint was very appealing. Touted as “America’s first 4G phone”, it featured a large display and great specs at the time. I desperately wanted this phone and every Sprint store, Radioshack, or online store, was out of stock for four to six weeks. With my contract ending in just a couple weeks, the options were simple: Either buy the EVO 4G for full price and then some due to demand, or just grab a Blackberry. Unfortunately, an outdated BlackBerry Curve it was.
Since ASUS is already working with Intel on the FonePad, it’s no surprise that they could be prepping an Intel-powered smartphone for June. According to DigiTimes, it will sport the Intel Atom Z2580 processor (Clover Trail+), which has a 2GHz dual-core CPU. This one will compete with the Lenovo K900 as it will sport a display around 5 to 5.5-inches.
DigiTimes also mentioned that ASUS would have an updated Nexus 7 tablet for Google I/O, which further confirms what we heard in January.
We already know that Samsung is committed to bringing the best support possible for its legacy devices, but it appears that Samsung is certainly on its way to becoming the next Google when it comes to software updates of its devices. Let me explain— a “pre-list” has recently surfaced indicating which Samsung devices will be qualified for some major updates on the way in the near-future. According to the list, many 2012 or pre-2012 devices such as the Galaxy S Advance, Galaxy S II and original Galaxy Note smartphones are slated to receive the Android 4.2.2 update. Additionally, a handful of devices such as the Galaxy Note II, Galaxy Note 8.0, Galaxy 10.1, Galaxy S III and Galaxy S 4 are eligible for the not-yet-announced Key Lime Pie update. Moreover— while many of the mid-range devices may not qualify for the Android 5.0 update, Samsung is working on some sort of “value pack” update, which gives the older legacy devices some addtional functionality that other devices won’t have.
If you’re an owner of a Sammy device, it’s pretty exciting to know that Samsung is likely continuing to show some much-needed love to your old toy, isn’t it?
As we get closer and closer to the Galaxy S 4’s imminent release in a little over a month’s time, various retail outlets are coming out with coveted pricing details for customers, starting with Unlocked Mobiles. Considering the device will feature some topline specs and some amazing features, Unlocked Mobiles will offer the Galaxy S 4 for £529.98 including VAT or £441.65 excluding VAT, so those of you out here in the States can expect to pay upwards of $700 or $800 to ship the device to your front door. Sure the smartphone is probably going to cost you a king’s ransom, but hey— other devices like the Xperia Z are priced similarly, so it doesn’t sound too unreasonable really.
The device is expected to ship to prospective owners on or around April 26th.
source: Android Central


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Chicago, IL – The bottles of hand sanitizer the Chicago Police Department (CPD) doled out to officers on Wednesday are over a decade old.
The officers were provided with the Safetec-brand solution during roll calls in an effort to help curb the spread of COVID-19, WGN reported.
Concerned officers said they believed the product’s labeling appeared old, so they contacted the company to learn more.
That’s when a Safetec sales manager told them that the product had been discontinued in 2012, WGN reported.
Lab tests indicate that the solution may only be effective for three years after it was produced. As a result, the bottles the officers were provided with have all been expired for at least five years.
“Our hand sanitizer does not have an expiration date because it is an [over-the-counter] product without a dosage limit,” Safetec said in a statement, according to WBBM. “That being said we only have 3 years of stability testing so we cannot guarantee the hand sanitizer’s effectiveness past 3 years.”
“That product was discontinued and last produced in 2012 so we cannot guarantee its effectiveness,” the company confirmed.
When questioned by WBBM, the department said that the expired hand sanitizer was all that was available due to a nationwide shortage.
“The health of our officers is of the utmost importance, and we are doing everything we can to get additional supplies,” the CPD told the news outlet in a statement. “The hand sanitizer distributed to officers was the only supply that was made available to CPD.”
The department acknowledged that the situation is not “ideal,” and said that it has placed orders for additional supplies.
Another city spokesperson insisted that the sanitizing solution is perfectly fine as long as the bottles remained sealed after they were manufactured, WGN reported.
Chicago Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) Vice President Patrick Murray said that the CPD is placing officers at risk.
“I got an email stating this hand sanitizer is five years old, it’s no good,” Murray told WGN. “These coppers are putting their hands on people, making arrests, and using hand sanitizer that doesn’t work. I think it’s a terrible response by the City of Chicago. They’re not looking out for the best interests of officers who are responding to these calls.”


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- Persistently high airfares, which are not expected to ease, are eating into travel budgets
- Travellers looking for savings by joining small group tours, downgrading accommodation
- Heightened price watch does not come at the expense of destination experiences
Having quenched their thirst for travel in 2022 and exhuasted previously unused travel budgets, travellers are now scrutinising their travel plans and spend for 2023.
A recent Skyscanner travel and tourism outlook report found that while global travellers plan to spend on average 31 per cent more on travel in 2023 compared to 2022, they are also looking to make their money go further this year as the rising cost of living impacts trip decisions.
When thinking about where they would go and how they would spend during their trip, 36 per cent of respondents would pick a destination where their currency goes further, 32 per cent would seek savings from hotel accommodation, and 32 per cent would cut general expenditure.
Travel and tourism sellers told TTG Asia that since airfares – which have continued to trend high despite improving capacity – are an unavoidable travel expense, adjustments can only be made to land components to help travellers afford holidays this year.
While industry watchers have said pricey airfares would ease with the return of usual flight routes and capacity, airline representatives now say airfares are not slated to decrease any time soon due to surging fuel surcharges and taxes.
Ngai Hoang, deputy director of Vietnam-based Vietravel, which operates Vietravel Airlines, said despite a “boom” in demand since the end of the pandemic, with the airline operating at 80 to 85 per cent capacity, airfares will remain high.
“I think fares will continue to increase,” he said. “This is due to high fuel surcharges, which are out of our control.”
Echoing Ngai, Marion Karsten, key account executive at Thai Airways, said: “Fuel surcharges remain very high, and this is an issue all airlines currently face.”
Karsten noted that fuel surcharges combined with taxes currently sit at between US$400 and US$500.
Despite Thai Airways’ capacity returning to pre-Covid levels at almost 100 per cent, Karsten said until fuel prices drop, airfares will continue to rise. Yet, dips in fuel prices will unlikely move airfares much, as “these fuel surcharges are always increasing and even if fuel gets cheaper”, she remarked.
Karsten believes that a slight reprieve may come as overall flight capacity into Asia increases, driven by Middle Eastern carriers such as Qatar Airways and Emirates adding more services to the region.
Le Thi Thu Thuong, deputy general manager of Hanoi-headquartered IndochinaTravelland, told TTG Asia that airfares are a “big problem” for travellers, particularly for those travelling from far away to Asia and to destinations without many direct flight access.
“Airfares can make up about 30 per cent of a traveller’s total budget,” said Le.
Spreading budget out
To maximise available holiday budget, travellers are spending smarter.
Dai Nguyen, marketing manager with boutique travel agency Saffron Travel, which has operations in Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar, said travellers who used to favour private tours before are now happy to join others to share the cost of a good escorted programme. As a result, Saffron Travel is doing brisk business with small group tours of no more than 10 travellers.
Similarly, Laurent Granier, co-founder & general manager of Laos Mood Travel, has observed a growing awareness among consumers that travelling in larger groups can attract “substantial savings”.
“People (realise that rates) decrease when the travel party is bigger. So, they talk about their plans to their relatives, friends and colleagues, and sometimes the confirmed party is bigger than the original request,” said Granier.
Granier also sees customers taking only English-speaking guides, which are cheaper than guides leading in other languages.
Similar to Skyscanner’s findings, Le said travellers are turning to more affordable hotel options for savings instead of cutting back on tours and activities.
Indeed, Lufti Pristiawan, director of sales with Courtyard by Marriott Bali Seminyak Resort in Indonesia, said his mid-range hotel has done very well among value-conscious travellers.
To earn amid cost pressures and price scrutiny, sellers say volume and duration are critical.
“We cannot raise the price of tours, neither can we switch experiences for cheaper ones. So, to make sure that the itinerary remains affordable while allowing us and our partners to make money, we have to drive greater volume,” said Le.
IndochinaTravelland has committed to retaining pre-pandemic prices for trade partners who had signed up with them before the Covid-19 disruption and are looking to materialise their trips this year. Doing so has helped to bring in much needed volume. However, Le said maintaining these prices for 2024 programmes would be a tough stretch.
To entice travellers to stay on longer, Courtyard by Marriott Bali Seminyak Resort runs a popular long-stay promotion where a minimum six-night stay gives the guest access to special room rates plus add-ons like complimentary laundry and one-time dinner.
However, the heightened price watch does not come at the expense of destination experiences, find industry players.
“Value is all about the perception of what your money can get you,” said Granier.
“When travellers are ‘forced’ to spend more on what is perceived as ‘not valuable’, like air tickets, which is an unavoidable travel expense, then they certainly want to make sure that what they do in the destination will be worth it,” he reflected.
DMCs themselves are doing their part to build programmes reflective of the times and current concerns.
Laos Mood Travel has “lightened up on some inclusions” – meals are recommended, not included, for example, unless the dining experience is an essential element of the activity. Such cases would be a Laos cooking class, meals at homestays, and picnics during hikes or treks.
“We also carefully plan itineraries that balance escorted content with a guide and free time”, he shared, adding that bicycles and trains are also used to get around, which adds flavour to the experience.
Granier believes that tours that “go slow” are meaningful and of great value to travellers today. By avoiding tours that “check-in and check-out every day just so people can see as much as possible of the country”, travellers get a more immersive experience of the destination.
At Saffron Travel, the team prioritises business with close partners who are happy to extend special rates as well as small-and-medium-sized local suppliers that “tend to charge slightly lower fees than the big boys”, revealed Nguyen.
Supporting small local business owners also allows Saffron Travel to feature homegrown ideas and operators while channelling earnings into the pockets of local people – something travellers today value.
Dominic Ong, general manager, Tour East Singapore emphasised that value-focused travellers are not simply looking for cheap deals. To present Singapore as a destination worth travellers’ time and money, Ong’s company is pushing for longer stays in the same hotel, which will grant travellers better hotel offers, and provide at least two unique activities per itinerary that offer a deeper look into the country.
Singapore Tourism Board’s new SingapoRewards programme, launched globally on March 7 at ITB Berlin 2023, is a timely initiative that answers to the value scrutiny. The programme provides international visitors with a chance to try one of nearly 40 new or undiscovered experiences for free.
The experiences are curated across various precincts and categories – Novelty and excitement; Food and dining; Sustainability; and Wellness.
Examples of what international visitors can expect include discovering the origins of Singapore Dry Gin at the Brass Lion Distillery Tour, and taking a behind-the-scenes tour of Changi Airport and Jewel.
The range of featured experiences will expand, as STB evaluates and approves more programmes for SingapoRewards, STB CEO Keith Tan told TTG Asia.
STB will fund the programme and reimburse experience operators for their participation.
Tan expects these experiences to offer new perspectives of Singapore, even to returning visitors who are familiar with the city-state.
To qualify for SingapoRewards, the visitor must be a short-term visitor arriving by flight and redeeming for the first time. Redemption is a fuss-free process via the programme’s microsite or VisitSingapore app. – Additional reporting by Marissa Carruthers


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A new report claims that RealID, on behalf of Microsoft, mistakenly asked Google to remove web pages owned by Microsoft from Google's search results due to copyright violations.
A week of Windows 10, holograms and Exploding Kittens on Mars
Office 2016 launching this year, touch apps coming soon
Microsoft reveals the next version of Windows 10
Introducing Windows 10 for phones
Hands on with HoloLens
Download: Windows 10 build 9926
Google faces allegations of anti-competitive behaviour yet again, as a UK mapping company says its products are now "harder to find" due to Google's "cynical manipulation of search results".
Microsoft has released a list of the top searches on Bing for 2012, with the iPhone 5 on top of the list for the most searched news stories and Kim Kardashian on top of the most searched person.
Google seems to have introduced some new functionality for their main search engine, adding additional clarification to famous names and what they are most primarily celebrated for.
Google has announced that, starting next week, it will push down websites that have received high amounts of removal notices for copyright infringements in its search results.


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Viagra is one of the world’s best known pharmaceutical blockbuster brands. Yet, the profitability of big brands tend to collapse after patents expire and generic ‘knock offs’ flood into market. Faced with early patent expiry in NZ Pfizer NZ launched their own generic ‘Avigra’ to retain customers by migrating them to a quality Pfizer alternative.
A successful launch would prevent generic competitors establishing in the erectile dis-function (ED) market and stop Viagra users switching to competitor brand alternatives. This strategy had never been tired before so the strategic and creative challenge was to transfer the positive brand equity from Viagra and link it to a second brand offering a more affordable price point for men.
Avigra launched in May 2011 and by July 2011 achieved dominant 55.3% market share. Avigra sales have significantly exceeded Pfizer NZ expectations, +277% over budget. Since Viagra’s patent expiry in July, the total NZ ED market has also grown by 40% in tablets. Combined Viagra/Avigra volume is now 63%, growth of 176% over the same period in 2010.
This NZ originated retention strategy is being examined by Pfizer Globally as a best practice case study into combating the damage cause by generics to the business.


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The Daily Crunch is TechCrunch’s roundup of our biggest and most important stories. If you’d like to get this delivered to your inbox every day at around 9am Pacific, you can subscribe here.
1. AT&T’s new streaming service HBO Max arrives in 2020, will be the exclusive home of ‘Friends’
Hooray, we don’t have to call it the Untitled WarnerMediastreaming service anymore! Instead, it’s going to be named HBO Max, and it will launch next spring with more than 10,000 hours of content available to subscribers.
The service won’t be limited to HBOcontent — hence the availability of “Friends” — but the naming indicates how important HBO as a TV brand is to consumers and to parent company AT&T.
2. Visa funds $40M for no-password crypto vault Anchorage
Visa and Andreessen Horowitz are betting even bigger on cryptocurrency, funding a big round for fellow Facebook Libra Associa
Be the first to write a comment.


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Travel management company Planet Pursuits is urging suppliers to follow its lead in cutting back on the use of plastics.
The Wiltshire-based firm has been single-use-plastic free for six weeks as part of a commitment to go plastic free.
The company is refusing plastic promotional gifts from suppliers and has revised its stationary policy and purchased new kitchen facilities to encourage team lunches that do away with packaging.
Suppliers who wish to bring a gift to the office are being requested to make a donation to nominated charity, the Rainbow Trust for Children, instead.
This is in addition to providing water bottles and a bag for life for each employee.
Planet Pursuits is also working with its supply chain to reduce the use of one-use plastic beyond its office.
The brand works with a range of hospitality businesses and has already influenced some of its largest suppliers to consider their plastic use.
The TMC’s environmental co-ordinator, Millie Goodinson, said: “Even though we are a small, growing business, it’s important to be aware of the environment and our footprint.
“As well as taking steps to limit the amount of plastic used at Planet Pursuits, we are doing our best to influence suppliers and clients too.
“As an agile company, we have the ability to be proactive and make positive changes quickly, leading to our plastic use dropping rapidly since the initiative began.
“Single use plastic is becoming an increasing concern for consumers and businesses alike. We hope that our initiative gives our partners and clients the confidence to know they’re working with a company that cares and takes positive environmental action or even inspire them to make a plastic commitment themselves.”
By leading the way on cutting plastic use, the team at Planet Pursuits hopes that travel and hotel suppliers will think about the unnecessary and wasteful materials used from promotional and marketing purposes, turning to environmentally friendly alternatives instead.
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All post are the individual views of the respective commenter and are not the expressed views of Travel Weekly.
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Don’t touch that dial! Anniversary Bash 25 was a big hit, but there’s still Sunday, May 7th coming up, the 25th anniversary of the retail release of Jazz Jackrabbit 2 across mainland Europe, the first time people got to finally buy and play the game. In 2018 we celebrated the 20th anniversary of May 7th with the Birthday Hullabaloo event: now it’s time for Birthday Hullabatwo!
Expect the (Zeal-hosted) server to kick off this Friday and run at least through the weekend. The level list won’t be 40 levels long, nor 120, but around 680: every level from every bash ever!
Anything else? You’ll have to wait and see…
You need to log in to post comments on this newspost.
Eat your lima beans, Johnny.


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The need to plan peak season logistics in advance is nothing new. But with the COVID-19 reshaping the economy and customer buying habits, this time will be radically different. In fact, some studies suggest it may be the strongest in recent history. Others express fear over how shutdowns and lacking stimulus legislation may cause. Since the uncertainty remains, it’s best to err on the side of caution by knowing a few things about what’s happening.
So, let’s give you 5 things, real Fast!


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Nike CEO Mark Parker apologized to employees for permitting a workplace culture where some felt excluded and management didn’t take complaints seriously, according to a copy of his speech obtained by CNBC.
In an all-staff meeting, Parker addressed issues that have come into light in recent months. He apologized to employees who felt excluded and like they didn’t have anyone to go to with their concerns.
Multiple executives have left Nike because of reports of inappropriate behavior and poor workplace conduct. Fed up with the corporate culture at the Oregon-based company, a group of women started a small revolt.
Parker told employees someone recently told him they didn’t feel they fit the Nike profile, according to a copy of his prepared remarks. He said it hurt him to hear that because “there is no Nike profile.”
“I want everyone at Nike to know that their voices do matter … and your bravery is making us better,” Parker said, according to a transcript of his prepared remarks.
The Wall Street Journal was the first to report on Parker’s speech.
Parker outlined steps Nike is taking to change its corporate culture, including shifting the company’s vision and behaviors it expects. One example is moving from the mindset of Nike being a place where the loudest voices carry the conversation to a place where every voice is heard.
He told employees he can lead the change but he can’t do it alone, and it’s going to take everyone. He asked them to support each other, be energetic, engaged, constructive and passionate, yet respectful, open and humble.
“Let’s move towards that future,” Parker said. “I’m in 100 (percent), and I’m counting on you to be all-in too.”
—CNBC’s Sara Eisen contributed to this report


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We are already having accessories coming up of HTC EVO 3D even before the launch. Evo 3D case in the market is a clear indication that the phone is on its way to us. Those were taking this as a mere rumor, this is a good evidence to believe.
The case is just a simple one , either a smooth silicone skin and does not reveal anything new about the phone.I don’t think sprint gives the accessory very far in advance so it seems like EVO 3D is only a few weeks away from us.
You may like reading : HTC EVO 3D Advertisement
[Via : androidcentral ]