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Time’s finally up for 45 Macy’s-owned stores.
A spokeswoman for Macy’s Inc. confirmed on Tuesday that the closures are part of the company’s previously disclosed three-year Polaris plan that called for significant closures, predominantly in tier C and D malls.
But when the coronavirus pandemic swept the nation a month later, Macy’s kept all doors open throughout 2020, and never provided any timeline for the closures except that the earmarked locations would close within 36 months.
Following the outbreak of the pandemic, some parts of the Polaris plan were put on hold, and others fine-tuned to meet new merchandising needs. Macy’s CEO Jeff Gennette has been stressing the need to shrink in order to grow, and reviewing the strategy gave the retailer time to figure out where it needed to accelerate or pull back.
The retailer in October even tested the idea of “dark stores” to fulfill digital orders for the holiday season at two locations Littleton, Colo.’s Southwest Plaza and Dover Mall in Dover, Del. There is no word on the future of these locations.
It wasn’t immediately clear which locations were set for closure. CNBC first reported the closings on Tuesday, noting that the sites will close by the middle of 2021 and that liquidation sales were already underway at some locations. Macy’s has already notified store employees, it added.
The retailer in previous earnings conference calls also has not ruled out the possibility of more store closures. Back in May when the company reported preliminary results for the first quarter, reflecting the temporary store closure period when nonessential retailers closed to help curb the progression of the virus, former chief financial officer Paula Price said the company was reevaluating the store closing plan, noting that decisions will depend on projected sales and a store’s four-wall profitability.
Retailers typically conduct those reviews in the fourth quarter to see how the stores perform during the holidays. Store closure announcements usually follow in January.


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Truck driver shortage could hurt consumers
A severe shortage of truck drivers nationwide has companies bending over backwards to attract new hires.
Without additional truck drivers, the shortage could soon lead to higher consumer prices and delivery delays.
Matt Burdette is a long haul truck driver.
"Texas, been down to the border of Mexico. I've been....everywhere!," Burdette exclaimed.
He says the adventure and pay are good, but the job can be tough on families.
Burdette added, "A lot of guys don't like being away from home...cause you're on the road for 10-11 months a year."
Add increasing rules and regulations, as well as training programs that can cost up to $6,000, and the result is a severe shortage in the field.
Some long haul companies have annual turnover rates of 100 percent. But long haulers aren't the only kind in short supply, local drivers are also increasingly hard to find.
Hahn Transportation in New Market, Maryland delivers cement and petroleum products.
"We turn away work on a daily basis because of a lack of drivers," said Barbara Windsor, the president and CEO of Hahn Transportation Company.
Windsor advertises, trains her own drivers and offers signing bonuses, but the shortage persists.
"We have maybe as many as 20 to 30 openings today," she added.
Bobby Weller's has been driving for Hahn for 39 years and says it's a hard sell in a culture driven by college degrees.
"Young people today are more oriented into doing other things," Weller explained.
The lack of new hires also affects consumers.
A driver shortage, industry experts say, will delay deliveries and drive up prices of just about everything.
Keeping the rigs running, they add, will keep America running too.

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Now slated for Oct. 1, the promotion is themed "Cash is King" and is a custom-branded game designed to make "every Whopper a Winner." The promotion will be topped off with a $1 million cash prize, along with a variety of free food and cash instant-wins.
A Burger King spokeswoman declined to comment, saying "We haven't announced anything on that."
TV spots supporting "Cash is King" are believed to be from Uniworld, New York, and are expected to break Sept. 30. Interpublic Group of Cos.' DraftWorldwide and its D.L. Blair unit, both Chicago, are handling game administration and in-store promotion. New interactive agency of record, WPP Group's VML, Kansas City, Mo., met last week with Burger King to discuss online efforts for the game (See story on Burger King's interactive strategy, P. 28). Agencies referred calls to the client.
"They have been a little wary given what happened to McDonald's, but they still plan to go ahead with [the game]," said a production executive familiar with the promotion. The executive was referring to revelations by McDonald's Corp. and the FBI that at least one staffer from the fast-feeder's promotion agency, Simon Marketing, Los Angeles, allegedly bilked consumers out of millions in prizes over several years. McDonald's fired Simon after announcing the scam, which so far has brought 21 indictments.
In August, the McDonald's situation gave pause to the Diageo unit over the planning of its own game, which had been on its marketing calendar as a late summer/ early fall promotion. "All those plans were ... cast well before McDonald's had a problem," said Dan Fitzpatrick, co-chairman of Burger King's franchisee marketing advisory committee. "After the scandal, we met with Burger King management and discussed the processes, initiatives and security steps taken to ensure we won't result in a similar fate. I'm comfortable the way we are doing it."
Despite shaken consumer confidence following the recent terrorist attacks, fast-food sales were up 2% from Sept. 10-16, according to NPD's FoodWorld SalesTrac Weekly. For Burger King, the unusual promotion is aimed at building traffic, essential as the chain preens itself for sale. "You've got new management in Miami that is willing to try stuff," said an executive close to the marketer. "There are no hard-and-fast rules right now other than, `Let's try some things.' "


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‘We’ve Been Badly Served by Banks’: the Small Firms Seeking Ethical BankingNovember 28, 2017
Many SME owners are demanding a new approach to banking after feeling sidelined by the major players – but what are the real ethical options?
The big banks want granny to put her pension in their bank so they can buy credit default swaps, but they’re not interested in lending to a window cleaner,” says Dave Fishwick, millionaire minibus business owner and, more recently, the founder of Burnley Savings and Loans.
Fishwick put millions of pounds of his own money behind the belief that there’s a demand for ethical banking now more than ever and opened Burnley Savings & Loans in Burnley town centre in 2011.
Fishwick’s model aims to link local savers with small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in need of finance, run by a locally based bank manager who makes lending decisions based on deep personal knowledge, rather than an algorithm that spits out an automatic “no” without any personal understanding of the business involved. Burnley Savings & Loans trades under its advertising slogan “Bank on Dave” and while the business is currently only authorised to lend, he is hoping to get a banking licence from City regulators next year.
“We’ve been badly served by the banks in the past and we need change. We need ethical banks – small, simple, honest banks run by the community to serve the community – that see the people they’re serving,” he says.
His business will, he believes, challenge a banking sector that “lost its way and started buying financial weapons of mass destruction,” instead of supporting the small businesses that drive the economy.
The banking sector is slowly starting to shrug off practices that have brought the established financial services industry into disrepute. But Fishwick is not the only entrant to offer customers a different, more sustainable and ethical approach.
When former financial services PR Lisa Stanley set up Good with Money – a review website comparing sustainable financial products – it was obvious to her that her own business banking would need strong ethical credentials. Stanley looked into banking with a large building society but discovered that “it was owned by a bigger bank we weren’t keen on”.


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College students are in the midst of a crisis, and they may not even be aware of it – it’s credit card debt. The Washington Post reported in an April 18 article that 13 percent of college students owe between $3,000 and $7,000 on their credit cards.
In an analysis by student loan provider Nellie Mae, 32 percent of students who apply for educational loans carry at least four cards with an average balance of $2,700. A student with such a balance can expect to pay about $7,000 in interest if he or she pays the minimum monthly payment (2 percent) in a span of about 430 months.
According to a survey conducted by Card Line for Ohio University, one in three students possess at least two credit cards. One-fifth of all college students carry a debt of at least $10,000. At least 9.8 percent of them cannot even make minimum payments, while 70 percent of them have made only minimum payments in the past three months. Thanks to this situation, more than 300 colleges and universities already have banned credit card solicitors from their campuses, and an additional 140 are expected to do so by the end of the year.
Key Marketing Systems Inc., a Pompano Beach, Fla.-based credit counseling company, revealed that every three seconds one American is falling back on his credit card payments. As if all this were not alarming enough, a study conducted by SMR Research Corp., a business research firm that studies consumer financial services, reveals that one of the major causes of bankruptcy is credit card debt.
Nationwide, one in 96 families file for bankruptcy every year.
Credit cards bills are not something new to Glendale Community College students.
“I think credit card companies believe we college students are probably ready to be on our own boss and handle [credit cards], but sometimes we can’t,” said GCC student Leslie Hernandez. “Some students don’t know what they’re actually getting themselves into.”
Vivian Lindo, a liberal studies major at GCC with two credit cards, said she feels let down. Even though she limits her spending on the credit cards and makes it a point to pay as much as she can every month, she still has to pay interest on the remaining balances. She has this advice for all new card aspirants: “Don’t sign up for a credit card without reading the fine print and asking someone to decipher it for you.”
Kevin Davidson a psychology major, said he has 12 credit cards and makes prompt payments on all of them, with a little help from his mom.
“I still have a $3,000 debt, in spite of mom and me both pitching in to pay it promptly,” Davidson said. “If not for mom, I would have been in a greater debt hole. I don’t seem to get out of it, because of the compounding of interest. But then I can’t stop spending because I know I have access to it.” Davidson is only 20 years old.
These examples summarize the problem that most students are facing today. Their experience with and knowledge of the credit industry are limited. Maybe they would be able to see through the haze if they stopped to ask themselves why someone else is willing to pay for their expenses.


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DS Smith, an FTSE100 sustainable packaging company, has announced a new senior hire and internal promotion to head up its brand and digital communications team. Reporting into Greg Dawson, Director of Corporate Affairs, these new hires mark a significant shift for the company as it focuses on developing its brand and new purpose of ‘Redefining packaging for a changing world.’
Andrew Dando joins DS Smith as Head of Digital and Brand after six years at Rolls-Royce as Head of Digital and Social Media. Andrew has been a leading expert in digital and social media communications for over a decade. At Rolls-Royce, he was responsible for transforming the offering at Rolls-Royce, launching corporate and regional social media channels and leading and advising on marketing and corporate communications campaign across the globe.
At DS Smith, Andrew will work on developing brand and digital strategies, supporting the growth of the company’s reputation and connecting the company’s stakeholders through its digital communities.
He will be joined by Sophia Al Janabi, who has been promoted to Group Brand Lead. Sophia began her career at Principality Building Society, where she managed several award-winning brand and product campaigns. She joined DS Smith in 2014, most recently serving as Head of Marketing for the Recycling and Paper Divisions, where she led her European team to win ‘Marketing Team of the Year’ at the Chartered Institute of Marketing Awards. Her new role will see her delivering brand consistency across the company’s three divisions.
Dawson said: “I am delighted to welcome both Andrew and Sophia to the Group Corporate Affairs team as we continue to enhance our expertise and communications offering with world class hires. Our brand and digital functions are key drivers in our ambition to redefine packaging and are testament to our investment in our ambitious growth and sustainability agenda. Andrew will help us take our brand and digital communication to the next level, building stronger connections with all of our stakeholders.”
These roles will be based across the UK.


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Baidu’s sensor-packed DuBike smart bicycle gets dedicated website
China’s Baidu has revealed more information about its upcoming smart bicycle called the DuBike. A new official site shows off the bike and its accompanying app in action, along with a slew of new design photos and some of the features the bike will offer when it hits the market.
According to Techweb, the DuBike could be available as early as the end of this year. The bike will be equipped with multiple sensors and a self-developed operation system that will track and store data for all sorts of health metrics. DuBike’s sensors are capable of collecting the rider’s data on pedalling frequency, foot pressure, heart rate, velocity and seating pressure. The data collected is then synced with an app on mobile devices which are then analysed to provide suggestions for the rider.
In addition to allowing riders to set up their own social network via the OS, which will let you do things like share and rate bike routes and set meet up locations, it also features route guidance installed and a system on the handlebars which will indicate the rider which way they need to turn, eliminating the need of peeking at small smartphone screens during their ride.
All the electronics onboard are charged by transforming kinetic energy to electricity when you ride. The DuBike also includes brake lights and real-time location tracking for security. The sample bike is designed through a joint effort of the Institute of Deep Learning (IDL), a research arm of Baidu, and the Artistic and Industrial Design departments of Tsinghua University which is based in Beijing.
With the bike estimated to become available by the end of the year, we hope that it arrives in the west sometime soon – as if it lives up to its name, it will sure stir up a craze within the large biking community.


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Taking the city by Storm! Ronan Keating attends Brooks Brothers store opening in Sydney with girlfriend Storm Uechtritz
They’ve become one of Sydney’s most popular couples, and are often seen enjoying outdoor exercise sessions together.
But Ronan Keating and Storm Uechtritz had swapped workout gear for some finer threads when they appeared at the opening of Sydney’s flagship Brooks Brothers store in Martin Place on Thursday night.
The super-fit couple showed off the figures they’re known to work so hard for, with leggy television presenter Storm pairing a sheer sleeveless blouse with white pants and heels.
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Couple dressing: Ronan Keating's outfit complemented his girlfriend Storm Uechtritz's when the pair attended the grand opening of Sydney's flagship Brooks Brothers store on Thursday night
Because we're happy! The couple smiled widely as they posed for the cameras, with the blonde television producer showing off her toned arms in a sheer sleeveless blouse
The X Factor Australia judge Ronan looked smart in a tailored navy suit jacket, and like his blonde girlfriend wore light-coloured pants.
The attractive couple with pearly white smiles found some competition in former The Bachelor couple Tim Robards and Anna Heinrich.
Anna and Tim were also dressed to impress, with chiropractor Robards showing off his bulky physique in a navy blue blazer, light blue shirt and dark denim jeans.
Looking good: Storm went for an all-white ensemble in a sheer sleeveless blouse, matching pants and heels, meanwhile Ronan looked smart in a tailored suit jacket and cream pants
Meanwhile his beautiful blonde partner, who no doubt came straight from work as a criminal lawyer, was the epitome of chic in a floaty black top and dress pants, with a cream coat thrown nonchalantly across her shoulders.
The 27-year-old revealed her top had a rather sexy back, posing for a behind shot posted to her Instagram page after the event.
The down-to-earth beauty revealed she and Tim didn’t worry about a limo and caught the train home after the event.
Look out, Ronan and Storm! Former The Bachelor Australia couple Tim Robards and Anna Heinrich were equally as glamorous, sporting chic outfits and glowing skin
Bringing sexy back! Criminal lawyer Anna revealed her top had an open back in an Instagram photo posted after she and Tim left the event. She revealed the couple didn't bother with a limo and took the train home
Smile! The couple gave their best pearly-white grins with another guest inside the event
Another head turning couple was television icon Kerri-Ann Kennerly and her husband, John Kennerly.
The pair were close to matching in tan blazers, with Kerri pairing hers with tight black leather pants.
Fashion blogger Tanja Gacic went for a feminine look in a floral print dress and strappy black heels, meanwhile singer Steve Clisby looked suave in a black blazer and a flat cap.
The cocktail party was a celebration of the iconic American label opening its flagship store in Sydney’s Martin Place.
Matchy matchy! Television icon Kerri-Ann Kennerly and her husband John Kennerly looked very similar, both dressed in tan blazers
Fun and flirty: Fashion blogger Tanja Gacic wore a floral print dress and strappy black heels
Jazz hands: Singer Steve Clisby didn't mind striking a pose. The former The Voice Australia contestant looked suave in a blazer and flatcap
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This ban includes the sale of newly made fur coats, wraps, stoles, capes, muffs, and any other animal fur item. The city will allow retailers to sell the fur stock that they already have. However, once 2022 starts, the ordinance will take effect, and retailers can only lawfully sell used fur goods. Anyone found selling new fur items will be fined up to $500 per violation.
The ban stated, “Animals that are slaughtered for their fur endure tremendous suffering. Animals raised on fur farms typically spend their entire lives in cramped, unsanitary cages. Animals raised on fur farms are inhumanely killed by suffocation, electrocution, gassing, and neck-breaking.”
Citing a recent event where a taxidermist was infected with a mutation of the coronavirus that was also found in infected mink, the ban also explained how fur farms are “reservoirs and transmission vectors for dangerous zoonotic diseases” and acknowledged the environmental impact of the industry.
Michigan state director for the Humane Society of the United States Molly Tamulevich said in a statement, “Ann Arbor has now become the Midwest leader in the fight against the fur industry. It’s clear the people of Ann Arbor care about animals and want nothing to do with fur.”
This is a huge victory for animal rights activists everywhere because it marks the start of a brighter future for animals.
Sign this petition to demand that Parliament end all fur trapping in the U.K.
- Canada Goose Goes Fur-Free
- Biden Urged to Ban Fur Farming Ahead of G7 Summit
- UK Government Announces Inquiry into Fur Import and Sale
- 10 Cute Minks That Will Convince You to Go Fur-Free!
- Millions of Mink to be Killed in Denmark Amid Covid Fears
For more Animal, Earth, Life, Vegan Food, Health, and Recipe content published daily. Subscribe to the One Green Planet Newsletter! Lastly, being publicly funded gives us a greater chance to continue providing you with high-quality content. Please consider supporting us by donating!


text: The Toro Company (NYSE: TTC) today announced it will release its fiscal 2013 third quarter results on Thursday, August 22, 2013, at approximately 7:30 a.m. (CDT). The company also will hold an earnings conference call at 10 a.m. (CDT) that day. The full text of Toro’s earnings release will be available at www.thetorocompany.com at approximately 8 a.m. (CDT). Click on “Investor Information” to view the most recent news. A live, listen-only webcast of the earnings conference call will be available at www.thetorocompany.com. Visitors are advised to go to the website at least 15 minutes in advance of the 10 a.m. (CDT) call to register, download and install any necessary audio software. For those unable to listen to the live broadcast, a replay will be available at www.thetorocompany.com. There is no charge to access the webcast. About The Toro CompanyThe Toro Company (NYSE: TTC) is a leading worldwide provider of innovative turf, landscape, rental and construction equipment, and irrigation and outdoor lighting solutions. With sales of more than $1.9 billion in fiscal 2012, Toro’s global presence extends to more than 90 countries through strong relationships built on integrity and trust, constant innovation, and a commitment to helping customers enrich the beauty, productivity and sustainability of the land. Since 1914, the company has built a tradition of excellence around a number of strong brands to help customers care for golf courses, sports fields, public green spaces, commercial and residential properties, and agricultural fields. More information is available at www.thetorocompany.com.


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Semiconductor companies will start their quarterly reporting starting from January 23. Lam Research (LRCX) will be one of them in this group that will be reporting its December quarter financial results on Wednesday, January 23 after the bell. Wall Street analysts estimate Lam Research to post earnings of $3.67 per share on revenue of $2.50 billion for its second quarter of 2019.
For the second quarter of 2019, the company had guided revenue to touch $2.5 billion (plus or minus $150 million) and earnings per share to be $3.65 (plus or minus 20 cents).
For the first quarter of 2019, Lam exceeded Street’s predictions. However, earnings dropped 3% to $3.36 per share and revenue declined 6% to $2.33 billion year-over-year.
According to SEMI, the global sales of new semiconductor manufacturing equipment are projected to increase by 9.7% to $62 billion in 2018, exceeding the historic high of $56.6 billion set in 2017. The equipment market is expected to contract 4% in 2019 but grow 20.7% to reach $71.9 billion, an all-time high.
Apart from Lam Research, other chipmakers that will be reporting their quarterly results on January 23 include Texas Instruments (TXN) and Xilinx (XLNX). These three companies’ quarterly results and their outlook, as well as their discussion on the China impact, will throw some light on other semiconductor stocks’ recently ended quarterly performance and their future.
With the chipmakers facing extreme pressure in 2018 forcing most of the chip stocks to bottom out, market experts hope that the recent rallies would hold momentum in the future. However, Apple (AAPL) cutting its forecast citing the Chinese economy considered to be a headwind for the semiconductor industry.
Shares of the Fremont, California-based chipmaker hit a 52-week low ($122.64) on December 26, 2018. Lam Research stock, which lost about 28% in the last 52-weeks period, rose about 5% during Friday’s mid-day trading session.
Shares of Lyft Inc. (NASDAQ: LYFT) were up 8% in afternoon hours on Wednesday. The stock has gained 53% over the past 12 months and 25% since the beginning of
Department store chain Target Corp. (NYSE: TGT), which has been thriving on the pandemic-driven shopping boom since early last year, maintained its strong performance during the holiday season and entered
Dollar Tree (NYSE: DLTR) reported fourth-quarter financial results before the opening bell on Wednesday. The discount store reported a 7% increase in Q4 net sales to $6.7 billion. The company


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MSC Cruises, the world’s third-largest cruise line, has announced that two-thirds of its ships are now equipped with Starlink, the satellite internet service provided by SpaceX. The fleet rollout programme will be completed by May 2024, making MSC Cruises one of the first cruise lines to offer this cutting-edge technology to its guests and crew.
Starlink, which uses a constellation of low earth orbit satellites, currently provides faster internet speeds, improved wi-fi in cabins and public spaces, reduced latency levels and lower operational costs for 15 of the line’s fleet of 22 ships. The first of MSC Cruises’ vessels to be equipped with Starlink was MSC Magnifica in December 2022, following bandwidth and data traffic trials earlier that year.
MSC Cruises has seen onboard bandwidth consumption continue to rise, driven by both the increase in the number of connected devices and the number of apps that guests like to use. Starlink will provide MSC Cruises with enough capacity to keep up with the future requirements of its guests and crew and the technical requirements of its fleet of vessels.
MSC Cruises’ ships currently equipped with Starlink are MSC Divina, MSC Euribia, MSC Fantasia, MSC Grandiosa, MSC Lirica, MSC Magnifica, MSC Meraviglia, MSC Orchestra, MSC Poesia, MSC Preziosa, MSC Seascape, MSC Seashore, MSC Seaside, MSC Seaview and MSC Virtuosa. MSC Opera and MSC World Europa will be added this month, and the line’s other five ships set for enhanced connectivity ahead of the summer 2024 season are MSC Armonia, MSC Bellissima, MSC Musica, MSC Sinfonia and MSC Splendida.
EXPLORA I, the first of six luxury ships of MSC Cruises’ sister company Explora Journeys, is also equipped with Starlink. EXPLORA II will be fitted with enhanced connectivity when she first sets sail in August 2024.
MSC Cruises offers a ‘Browse Internet Cruise Package’ and a ‘Browse & Stream Cruise Package’ onboard its fleet tailored for its guests to cover the connection and number of devices needed during a sailing. These packages allow guests unlimited internet access, social media, video streaming, gaming, and more.
MSC Cruises’ chief executive officer Gianni Onorato said: “We are delighted to partner with SpaceX to bring Starlink onboard our ships. This is a game-changer for the cruise industry and a significant step forward in enhancing our guests’ experience and satisfaction. Starlink will enable us to offer our guests and crew a fast, reliable and seamless internet service, no matter where they are.”


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Apple could face an even bigger fine if the Dutch competition authority doesn’t agree to its recent proposal to meet its demands to allow dating apps to use alternative payment formats. The Dutch Consumers and Markets Authority (ACM) has fined Apple up to 50 million euros (about $55 million) for failing to comply with its order, and Monday’s fine marks Apple’s 10th fine.
Apple’s new proposal, filed on the 27th, is currently under review by the ACM, which could potentially force Apple to pay another round of fines “with potentially higher penalties.” The Dutch regulator has raised its fines in weekly increments of 5 million euros (~5.5 million USD), but the ACM makes it clear that this amount can be increased. If the new proposal results in “final terms” for dating apps, the ACM says it will release them to developers for evaluation. From there, the ACM will give Apple its final decision on whether or not the company will comply with the regulations.
On Sunday, March 27, Apple adjusted its proposal to comply with the Dutch Consumer and Markets Authority (ACM) requirements under Dutch and European competition rules. ACM welcomes Apple’s recent move. The amended proposal aims to result in definitive terms for dating app providers wishing to use the App Store. Once the proposal for the final terms is received, ACM will submit it to market participants for consultation. ACM will then make its determination as soon as possible as to whether Apple will comply with ACM’s request that alternative payment methods be available on dating apps in implementing these final terms.
As of last weekend, Apple still hadn’t met ACM’s requirements. Therefore, it has to pay a tenth fine, which means that Apple has to pay the maximum fine of 50 million euros. If ACM determines that Apple is not in compliance, ACM may issue another penalty payment order (this time with potentially higher penalties) to compel Apple to comply with the order.
There are no details on what is included in Apple’s new proposal, but the company hasn’t been the most flexible when it comes to complying with the ACM’s orders. In January, Apple said dating apps will offer alternative payment options, but only if developers create and upload a separate version of their apps specifically for the Netherlands. It would then charge the apps a barely discounted commission of 27 percent – instead of 30 percent – on all purchases from other payment providers.
“Only a monopolist would pay 50 million euros in fines rather than directly complying with the rule of law,” said Rick VanMeter, executive director of the Coalition for App Fairness. “We support the ACM’s persistence in holding Apple accountable over the past 10 weeks.” The CAF is made up of a group of companies committed to promoting competition and accountability for app stores, with founding members Epic Games, Spotify and Tile belong.
Apple’s decision to block developers from integrating alternative payment options has long drawn criticism from a number of tech companies, including Spotify, Tinder parent company Match Group, and most notably Epic Games. Google, which takes a 15 or 30 percent commission from apps in the Play Store, announced last week that it will test allowing Android developers to use other payment options, with Spotify as the first topic.
The edge reached out to Apple for comment, but didn’t immediately receive a response.


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The typical apr, or APR, on credit cards is 16.15per cent from will 12, based on CreditCards, although rate billed to folks with poorer fico scores are generally higher.
No matter what, the APRs on cards become notably over other kinds of loans. The common interest for a express payday loans Carrollton GA 30-year fixed-rate financial by will 13 was only 2.94%, reported on Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation FMCC, +3.39per cent .
So if anyone racks all the way up merely $1,000 in credit-card credit and only makes the minimum paying each charging action, it would bring them much more than three years to settle the total amount in the event that cards carries a twenty percent APR. An individual as rankings could probably get increased credit-utilization ratio — a measure of the of their available credit they’ve put that used inside the calculations of credit scores. “That by itself could drag-down your credit rating,” believed Ted Rossman, older sector specialist at CreditCards.
Greater choice may currently are present
Many organisations have waded into the fray to offer you credit card bills to consumers with woeful credit these days.
The Petal credit Card, which gotten assistance from PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel, focuses providing to individuals with newer or restricted loan. The Petal cards even offers benefits, that your providers set out promoting in 2019.
Likewise, the Tomo charge card is definitely geared to teenagers, kids and immigrants, and doesn’t call for a credit history often. The Tomo credit also will not cost attention or fees. Tomo utilizes savings account details to figure out a job candidate borrowing limit. Cards cases may not be allowed to hold a balance. Repayments are actually rather automatically subtracted from a bank account to cover the balance, and if it is really not paid-in full the card is definitely frozen.
Various other stores and economic employers have additionally manufactured splashy debuts with poster directed at individuals who are more modern to financing, contains Amazon.co.uk AMZN, -1.37% , Apple AAPL, -1.48percent and Venmo PYPL, -0.34% .
“We’re watching debit playing cards and buying these days, shell out later on treatments — such Affirm and Afterpay — having business from credit card bills. I think that an important part of the reasons why credit card providers are earning an attempt to draw in customers, contains financing invisibles,” Rossman mentioned.
Agencies like Amazon, orchard apple tree and Venmo has rolled out charge cards aiimed at folks who are latest to loan these days.
While banking companies will want to split the forex market that other companies tends to be catching, the timing of the brand new credit-card pilot regimen raises issues. A lot of people get were able to reduce his or her credit-card credit during the entire pandemic, but banking institutions have actually stayed reluctant to run latest financial loans considering the good possibility of monetary hurt as jobless is still high.
“Most card providers continue to be somewhat more careful nowadays than these people were pre-COVID,” Rossman explained. Banking institutions have but to secrete here is how the fresh new credit card bills will work fine, including how higher the connected finance interest rates and charges is going to be. Subsequently, the new playing cards may well not turn out to be aggressive with those already offered.
“ ‘Secured playing cards are ideal for the consumer because they’re much easier to become, and also the lower debt limits mean you’re not just likely to get also outrageous using.’ ”
— Matt Schulz, chief industry analyst at LendingTree
Plus, people can change with, potentially fewer financially unsafe choice being not even close to unique. Established bank cards may be a significantly better choice. With the bank cards, a consumer tosses all the way down a deposit that functionally turns out to be their borrowing limit. They are able to invest as many as that amount, and must pay money straight back whenever they want to cost additional to the cards.
“Secured business are ideal for the customer because they’re more straightforward to have, along with reduced credit limitations imply you’re maybe not likely become too outrageous using,” Schulz explained. Extreme credit-utilization rates are a danger with one of these playing cards, because consumers generally render modest build ups, nevertheless. The playing cards additionally dont take returns, and can accompany charges that’ll get them to little attractive.
But users usually can improve from a secure credit within annually moments, Rossman stated, permitting them to gain access to much better credit programming.


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Speaking at a TechCrunch program Tuesday, the Microsoft co-founder & billionaire described cryptocurrencies and NFTs as something that’s “100% based on greater fool theory”. This was Bill Gates’s response to the idea that cryptoassets, which he considers overvalued, will increase in price as long as there are enough investors willing to pay more for these cryptoassets.
Obviously referring to the Bored Ape Yacht Club NFT collection, Bill Gates, jokingly, wondered how “expensive digital images of monkeys” would “improve the world immensely”. As far as Bill Gates is concerned, these are overhyped images.
The Greater Fool Theory is the idea that during a market bubble one can profit from buying overvalued assets and selling them at higher prices. This is based on the belief that it will always be possible to get a person who is willing to pay a higher price for the asset. A greater fool does not consider the fundamental value of the asset but speculates. But when the bubble eventually bursts, the overvalued asset declines significantly in a large sell-oﬀ. Consequently, getting a buyer becomes difficult—the greater fool ends up being the holder of the asset.
“I’m used to asset classes … like a farm where they have output, or like a company where they make products,” Gates said. Microsoft makes products. Crypto does not.
As for crypto, “I’m not involved in that,” Gates added. “I’m not long or short any of those things.”
Bill Gates isn’t alone. Last month, another billionaire, Chairman & CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, Warren Buffet, described bitcoin as stupid, evil, and that it makes you look bad. As long as bitcoin is neither productive nor valuable, Warren Buffet said if bitcoin were offered to him for $25, he won’t take it. So like Bill Gates, Warren Buffet is not long or short on crypto and NFTs.
Michael Clark, a global digital innovation and technology leader, agreeing with another commenter on Linkedin who disagreed with Bill Gates, responded as follows:
Micheal Lark then points out that “[i]n terms of the actual value, [he] sense[s] this is our .com moment. And we will see the hype protocols burst, reset and then protocols that emerge will be the fabric and infrastructure of web 3.0.” Talk about the real thing after the bubble.
Currently, the crypto market is experiencing a bloodbath, with cryptocurrencies and other virtual assets, including bitcoin, dropping massively. At the time of writing, bitcoin price is about $20,219 and Ethereum is about 1,087 (both down by about 29% and about 37% in 7 days, respectively. According to CoinMarketCap, global crypto market capitalization is currently $899.03 billion, crashing below $1 trillion for the first time since January 2021.
Perhaps if more project developers in the crypto and NFT space focus on use cases of blockchain technology that help to create value and not hype and money doubling, Bill Gates and Warren Buffet may start seeing that crypto and NFTs are not all overhyped. For example, Bitcoin solved the double-spend problem that electronic transactions have faced for years. Same with NFTs, enabling creators to protect and monetize their unique works. Merely longing and shorting may, not for long, shorten the lifespan of an otherwise vibrant industry.
Regulation (and self-regulation) is also critical.


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Microsoft informs users of its plans to reduce free OneDrive storage from 15GB to 5GB on July 27
Microsoft had started emailing users of its OneDrive cloud storage service who didn’t opt-in to Microsoft’s previous OneDrive offer that the reduction from 15GB to just 5GB of free space will occur on July 27. The Redmond giant will also eliminate the 15GB free camera roll bonus on OneDrive accounts on that same date.
Here’s what Microsoft is sending out to OneDrive users in an email notifying them of the impending changes:
“We want to let you know about some upcoming changes to OneDrive. On July 27, 2016, the amount of storage that comes with OneDrive will change from 15GB to 5GB. We are also discontinuing the 15GB camera roll bonus.
We realize these are big changes to a service you rely on. We want to apologize for any inconvenience these changes may have caused you. We’ve made a difficult decision, but it’s one that will let us sustainably operate OneDrive into the future.”
Last November, Microsoft took its customers by surprise by announcing that it was removing the unlimited OneDrive storage it had promised to Office 365 subscribers, reducing their allowance to 1TB. Non-subscribers were affected too; the company said that it would reduce its free storage allowance for all other OneDrive users by two-thirds – from 15GB to just 5GB – and the free 15GB ‘camera roll bonus’ for photo back-up would also be discontinued.
However, these announcements caused a massive backlash from its users, and in December, Microsoft apologized for its clumsy handling, and offered some concessions, allowing those who wanted to retain the 15GB of free storage and the 15GB camera roll bonus if they went to a special page and clicked on a big blue “Keep your free storage” button by January 31, 2016.
It had also earlier promised a free one-year Office 365 Personal subscription to some customers who were using huge amounts of storage, to give them time to transfer their data – an assurance that it honoured earlier this week.
However, despite those concessions, Microsoft said it would go ahead with its planned changes, and have started emailing those remaining customers who missed its deadline to retain the larger storage amounts.
If you have not made this change, and if your free file storage on OneDrive is over 5GB, you will either have to make some changes or pay Microsoft to increase your cloud storage space. So, if you’re looking to get more than 5GB of storage, then you need to pay $1.99 for 50GB of storage.


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Convergent TV Summit returns March 21-22. Hear timely insights from TV industry experts virtually or in person in NYC. Register now to secure your early bird pass.
Branding veteran Remi Kent is going from steering the identities of Post-it Notes and Scotch tape to managing a stable of customer service characters as CMO of Progressive Insurance.
Kent’s official start date is Nov. 1. She takes over the role from Jeff Charney, who announced in March that he planned to retire by January 2022 pending finding a replacement and facilitating the transition.
Kent comes to Progressive after eight years with 3M, where she’s held several leadership roles including senior vice president and global chief marketing officer of consumer business.


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According to the latest stats Facebook is world’s most popular social networking site, with the active monthly 2.38 billion users and the Facebook users getting increase. But it seems that Google’s video and social networking site YouTube getting more popularity, therefore YouTube users has crossed 2 billion figure, which is alarming situation for Facebook.
The number of YouTube users / subscribers logged on YouTube has exceeded 2 billion and thus YouTube is now on 2nd position with 2 billion active users. Google Chief Executive Sundar Pichai said on Thursday that during the last quarter, the number of users who used YouTube at least once in the month increased by 200 million, and consequently the number of YouTube users are crossed figure of 2 billion users.
However, YouTube has achieved this milestone at the time when it faces multiple disputes while uploading dangerous content on YouTube, and therefore has multiple companies removed its ads from YouTube. Sundar Pichai told with the announcement that YouTube is now proving educational hub for people and here people do not just come for fun but also find information.
Well, the biggest threat to the popularity of Facebook and YouTube i.e. WhatsApp, the number of users exceeded by 1.50 billion in February last year and the use of this messaging application is increasing day by day. Since then, Facebook did not release number of WhatsApp active users, but it might be expected to be around 2 billion.
Remember, Facebook purchase WhatsApp for $19 billion in 2014 with 450 million users, but after 5 years now WhatsApp is the most popular messaging app for smartphones, according to OnDevice Research with almost 1.90 billion users. Now, Facebook is finally getting serious about monetizing WhatsApp with the recent launch of the WhatsApp for Business app.


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Blog article or ad? Is anything finance-related really free?
Blog post by Ken Lin, founder and CEO, CreditKarma.com
The South Carolina Revenue Department announced a major cyber-attack at the end of October possibly affecting 3.6 million taxpayers dating back to 1998.
The state says an international hacker took unencrypted social security numbers and 387,000 credit and debit card numbers.
New information also shows the breach affected 657,000 businesses in the state. South Carolina is offering anyone affected by the cyber-attack free credit monitoring on protectmyid.com with a validation code, but this will only check your Experian report.
Earlier in October, although on a much smaller scale Barnes & Noble also had a breach of some of their store's credit and debit card terminals. Security breaches like these two aren't going away and are only getting more sophisticated.
Here are some steps that consumers can use to protect themselves.
Take Action Quickly
In both incidents it took time to notify those affected. The South Carolina government became aware of the data breaches on Oct. 10 and didn't inform taxpayers until Oct. 27. Barnes and Noble took more than a month to let their customers know. That means, for some people, their information could have already been used in a malicious way.
Don't wait until you hear of a data breach, be proactive about protecting your identity.
Monitor Your Credit
A good first step is to monitor for new, fraudulent accounts and activity on your credit report, by signing up for a credit monitoring service like the free service offered by Credit Karma.
It will monitor your TransUnion credit report daily and alert you to any important changes, such as a new account opened in your name. As security breaches become more frequent, monitoring your credit is a good action for all consumers to take.
Place a Fraud Alert on Your Credit Report
If you are notified you are part of data breach, placing an initial fraud alert on your reports is a good extra level of protection.
The alert tells lenders and creditors that they must verify your identification by contacting you before opening credit or a loan in your name. The alert will last for 90 days and can be extended if you find you do become a victim of identity theft.
To initiate a fraud alert, contact one of the three credit bureaus; that bureau will be required to notify the other two credit bureaus to place an alert on your file. You will not be charged for placing an initial fraud alert on your credit report.
Cancel Your Credit Card and Reset Your Passwords
A fraud alert won't protect accounts and credit cards already active. If account information is exposed in a data breach, cancel the card and change any passwords or pins that may be tied to it immediately.
Alert all companies that have your card on file for automatic monthly billing because your now canceled card can't be charged. Not alerting those companies results in your bills going unpaid, causing even more problems like mounting debt and the potential for your credit score to suffer.
Remember: No one can completely protect themselves from identity theft, but taking these steps can help you catch red flags before there is major damage to your credit and finances.
Ken Lin is the founder and CEO of CreditKarma.com, a free credit management website that helps more than nine million people access their credit score for free.


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Is this the time for the “digital push?”
Published on April 7, 2020 in Fleet Management by André Clusen | 2 minute read
Table of contents
Read about the impact of COVID-19 on Germany and digitalization in the transportation and logistics industry.
In times of the coronavirus pandemic and economic uncertainty, we have to face reality. The consequences for the economy will be as challenging as the current health crisis. Only a few things will remain as they were.
A clear sense of and respect for the current reality is essential, but looking ahead is just as important. Large industry, small businesses, public administration, not-for-profits and others have an opportunity to position themselves for the time after the crisis — not only in their own interest, but also in the interest of the society that they serve.
Digitalization after COVID-19 — also in the transport and logistics industry
One of the most important areas that need new thinking is digitalization. Working from home (WFH) is an obvious example of the need for new ways of thinking and working and this change has been implemented at high speed by companies and public authorities. This is where we must embrace the chance. Not only IT experts, but a large number of politicians, futurologists, business people and private individuals see a great opportunity in digitalization in Germany and throughout Europe.
This insight is also gaining ground in the transport and logistics industry. Germany’s Federal Minister of Transport and Digital Infrastructure Andreas Scheuer recently stated that he expects a "digitalization push" after the crisis. In his view, companies that use the latest telematics solutions for route optimization or order management, are in a more advantageous position, as orders can be processed more efficiently and contact points can be avoided during deliveries.
Futurologist and political scientist Daniel Dettling predicts similar developments: “Digitalization has been perceived as a threat in Germany up to now. Corona is giving the Internet a major boost. A digital boost is going through Germany. At last!”
“The Corona crisis clearly demonstrates the importance of digital technologies for the economy, administration and society. The crisis is a wake-up call to push digitalization massively,” said Bitkom President Achim Berg. "In the past, we took too much time to kick off the digitalization. Now it is time to build digital infrastructure, extensively digitalize business processes and develop new digital business models."
Dr. Béla Waldhauser, spokeswoman for the “Alliance to Strengthen Digital Infrastructure in Germany” said as early as mid-March that “The Corona pandemic shows the importance of digitalization in times of such crisis. Companies throughout Europe now need high-performance and reliable digital infrastructures. (...) Politics and business should, therefore, pursue the common goal of strengthening digital infrastructures in Germany and Europe in the long term. We must not wait for the next crisis!”
Even if COVID-19 is very likely to lead to further considerations regarding digitalization in companies, the strategies on this topic should be pursued regardless of the current crisis. Of course, as a global telematics provider, Geotab wants to promote the responsible digitalization of fleets and the entire industry.
We are there for you — from our home offices. Maybe you have time for a cup of coffee and we'll be happy to explain the options. We want to do our part so that we can all move forward as best we can and hopefully make progress along the way. We at Geotab support you in fleet innovation. Contact us and stay healthy!
If you liked this post, let us know!
André Clusen is a Partner Account Manager (Nordics, Central and Eastern Europe) for Geotab.
Geotab's blog posts are intended to provide information and encourage discussion on topics of interest to the telematics community at large. Geotab is not providing technical, professional or legal advice through these blog posts. While every effort has been made to ensure the information in this blog post is timely and accurate, errors and omissions may occur, and the information presented here may become out-of-date with the passage of time.
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Cigarette filters have pig's blood? (Getty Images)
Page 1 of 4
Cigarette filters may have traces of pig's blood, an Australian professor has said, adding the devout may find this "very offensive".
Simon Chapman, a professor at the University of Sydney, said a recent Dutch research had identified 185 industrial uses of a pig - including the use of haemoglobin in cigarette filters.
"I think that there would be some particularly devout groups who would find the idea that there were pig products in cigarettes to be very offensive," Chapman was qouted as saying by Australian AAP news agency.
"The Jewish community certainly takes these matters extremely seriously and the Islamic community certainly do as well, as (so) would many vegetarians.
"It just puts into hard relief the problem that the tobacco industry is not required to declare the ingredients of cigarettes ... they say 'that's our business' and a trade secret."
The research found pig haemoglobin was being used to make cigarette filters more effective in blocking harmful chemicals before it entered a smoker's lungs.
The professor said that one cigarette brand sold in Greece was confirmed to be using pig haemoglobin in its processes, Chapman said.


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Get in the KNOW
on LA Startups & TechX
This is the web version of dot.LA’s daily newsletter. Sign up to get the latest news on Southern California’s tech, startup and venture capital scene.
Earlier this week, West Hollywood-based startup Pearl announced that its Second Opinion product had become the first AI-enabled device cleared by the Food and Drug Administration to read dental x-rays. Using the power of artificial intelligence, Second Opinion is meant to help dentists find maladies they’d otherwise miss through the eye test.
Getting FDA clearance is not easy, especially because Pearl had to prove its device could detect a variety of dental conditions (most medical devices have to prove only one capability). Pearl’s CEO, Ophir Tanz, said it was a multi-year undertaking that entailed a 4,000-page clinical trial report.
There’s a stark juxtaposition between a fast-paced tech world, where investors strive for needle-moving investments and a painstakingly slow regulatory process required to greenlight such technologies. Perhaps things would be easier if the FDA only regulated food and drugs; instead, it’s in charge of overseeing an ever-growing universe of devices and apps that blur the line between consumer technology and medical equipment.
This is especially true as the pandemic has ushered in a new wave of health startups trying to address inefficiencies in the current system—from mental health apps built as a supplement or alternative to antidepressants and therapy, like Santa Monica-based Headspace Health, to virtual reality tools meant to provide at-home treatment for chronic conditions, like Van Nuys-based AppliedVR. (Both of those startups have received FDA approval for their products.)
By its own admission, the FDA isn’t fully equipped to regulate some newfangled technologies, as that would require a clear understanding of how the technology works and a set of guidelines governing them. In 2018, then-FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb announced that that agency would begin creating better frameworks to address some of these shortcomings—but by all indications, progress is slow.
As a result, even if those technologies make it to market, it’s difficult to ask clinicians to adopt them. What happens if they rely too heavily on a relatively unproven platform, and its faults get them sued for malpractice? What if a doctor disagrees with a piece of technology?
That’s not to say the FDA should adopt the for-profit tech world’s fast-and-loose style. After all, there’s a reason regulatory processes are exceptionally deliberate and thorough. In a world where social media platforms can be used to meddle with democracies, imagine what a piece of health technology can do to the human body if not fully vetted and allowed to go awry. — Keerthi Vedantam
The investment is part of Culver City-based Scopely’s plan to expand its “ecosystem” of studios that it has built, bought or backed around the world. The goal is to grow Scopely’s portfolio by pairing its expertise with specialized teams from internal and external studios.
After raising a $40 million fund in December, the Los Angeles-based venture capital firm has launched a crypto-focused incubator called Chapter One Studios. The six-month program starts in April and will provide three startups with a $1 million investment and the option to work out of Chapter One’s L.A. office.
Social media giant TikTok has turned little-known musicians into mainstream stars. Now, the Culver City-based company is giving artists a new way to monetize their music through the video-sharing app.
The El Segundo-based space data and analytics startup has expanded its Series A round to help grow its team and continue work on its flagship product, a collision avoidance system for space vehicles called Slingshot Beacon.
The Amazon-backed, Irvine-based electric automaker saw its stock slump as much as 13% in after-hours trading Thursday after the company announced it had missed earnings expectations—by a lot.
Many startups that have established a strong foothold begin with narrow markets and then have to decide if and when the time is right to broaden their product and expand their market. So, how do you know when, and how, to make that move? Zillow co-founder and dot.LA Chairman Spencer Rascoff offers some advice.
On this episode of the LA Venture podcast, angel investor Joanne Wilson discusses her journey from department store management into cannabis investing.
What We're Reading Elsewhere...
- Pacific Palisades-based low-carbon fuel maker WasteFuel partners with Maersk.
- Hawthorne-based Astrolab unveils its lunar rover design.
- Disney becomes the latest U.S. company to pull out of Russia.
- L.A.-based entertainment rights and finance platform Rightsline acquires IP management software company REAL Software Systems.
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- Investors and Health Tech on the Front Lines of the Pandemic - dot.LA ›
- New Technology for Seniors Is Allowing Them to Age at Home - dot.LA ›
- AppliedVR's Virtual Pain Therapy Platform Gets FDA Approval - dot.LA ›
- Dental Startup Pearl Gets FDA Clearance for AI-Powered X-Ray ... ›
- Startups Can’t Cure America’s Preventative Health Care Failings - dot.LA ›
Sign up for dot.LA’s daily newsletter for the latest news on Southern California’s tech, startup and venture capital scene.
A West Hollywood-based startup has received Food and Drug Administration clearance for what it calls the first artificial intelligence-enabled product that can read dental x-rays and identify cavities, plaque and other dental conditions.
Second Opinion is an AI detection platform created by Pearl, a dentistry startup founded in 2019 to leverage machine learning and AI to help dentists detect problems in otherwise healthy teeth. The startup raised $11 million in Series A funding in 2019 from Craft Ventures and Santa Monica-based Crosscut Ventures.
To develop Second Opinion, Pearl gathered over 100 million dental x-rays from dental practices and academic institutions. The AI platform points out discrepancies found in an x-ray and also serves as a patient communication tool, allowing dentists to show different models of a patient’s teeth and point out problem areas.
“I do think that this is going to become very fundamental to the category [of dentistry] very quickly, and therefore will actually serve as a model for the rest of medicine—for how to infuse and deploy a AI widely at scale, with the ultimate benefit and potential of really elevating the standard of care in a provable way,” Pearl founder and CEO Ophir Tanz told dot.LA.
Pearl’s AI program examine teeth.Courtesy of Pearl
The FDA’s clearance comes amid ongoing skepticism from some within the medical community about the effectiveness of AI applications. A presentation made by the American College of Radiology to the FDA in 2020 reported that 95% of clinicians thought AI was too inconsistent or inaccurate to be used by medical practices. Though the FDA is the largest regulatory body in health care, it has no consistent framework for signing off on a piece of AI that can guide diagnostics, such as the number of reference images used, the diversity of its dataset or its accuracy rate. This has slowed down the clinical adoption rate of such technologies—and while the FDA has proposed a framework to address some of these challenges, nothing has been implemented yet.
Second Opinion’s journey to receiving FDA clearance involved a multi-year process to test every single use case that the platform is trained to do—such as identifying tooth decay, plaque, bone lesions around a tooth and a handful of other discrepancies in otherwise-healthy teeth. Receiving FDA clearance entails a separate and different process than receiving FDA approval; while the former indicates that a product is as good as existing alternatives already on the market, the latter requires a different set of processes for more novel or riskier products to prove that their benefits outweigh potential drawbacks. Tanz noted that the FDA sought only clearance for Second Opinion, and neither required nor asked for approval to allow the product to be marketed in the U.S.
A patient goes under the lights in the dentist’s office.Courtesy of Pearl
Though some critics claim that AI can’t pick up on certain nuances that a human dentist might, Pearl contends that those critics often fail to account for the counter-argument of human error. Through the nonprofit Dental AI Council, the startup commissioned a study that found when presenting a panel of 136 dentists with an X-ray to review, roughly half of them found a cavity, while the other half found none.
Tanz said he is not interested in expanding Pearl’s services into radiology at large, and acknowledged that bottlenecks in the FDA process make it harder to develop, clear and adopt similar technology. Already, the startup has received regulatory approvals from Canada, Australia, the U.K., the European Union and the United Arab Emirates, and is working with roughly 4,000 dental organizations and radiograph manufacturers.
“We think of this as a utility, kind of like water or power,” Tanz said. “You're not going to have any dental practice where this is not going to be powering the radiographic side of things… We really do believe that this will be integrated into every practice in the world in a relatively short period of time.”
Update, March 10: This article has been updated to clarify the difference between FDA clearance and FDA approval, and to specify that Pearl's Second Opinion product did not require FDA approval to be marketed in the U.S.
- The future of dentistry, powered by AI. - Pearl ›
- Health Tech Is Struggling to Navigate the FDA - dot.LA ›


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Analysts and the media apparently weren’t the only ones caught off guard by the record 9 million new iPhones sold this weekend. So was Apple.
Basically, Apple sold so many more units of the new iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c this weekend that it caused a material change in its business prospects for the current quarter that ends Sept. 28. The company is going to make more money than it had anticipated.
According to the filing: “Apple expects total company revenue for the fourth fiscal quarter to be near the high end of the previously provided range of $34 billion to $37 billion, and expects gross margin to be near the high end of the previously provided range of 36% to 37%."


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Normally, one of the highlights of any tradeshow, particularly those with an automotive angle, is seeing the products that are announced at that event in person. But with CES an online-only affair this year due to the pandemic, brands have had to get creative. In trying to replicate a traditional showcase, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles will create a virtual world where CES attendees and later consumers will get a chance to see what the automaker has been working on these past few months.
The experience will include a virtual brand ambassador that will guide you through the showcase — thankfully, you can opt for a self-guided tour at any point. In total, they’ll be 12 vehicles to see in 3D, including the Jeep Grand Wagoneer Concept Fiat Chrysler announced in September. Additionally, they’ll be videos, hosted by some of the automaker’s engineers and designers, that will detail the work and tech that went into those cars.
The company has also partnered with Google to create an augmented reality model of the Jeep Wrangler 4xe ahead of its release later this year. The experience will allow you to see the interior of the SUV. Naturally, you can also use your phone to get a sense of the size of the plug-in hybrid by placing the 3D model in your driveway. After CES, Fiat Chrysler says the experience will be available through Google Search.
While the experience won’t replicate seeing a brand new car in person, it does have its advantages. You don’t need to travel to a crowded convention center, and you can check out the experience on your own schedule. That’s a pretty good trade-off if you ask us.


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Scotland unveil new 'classic reborn' kit
August 1, 2013
The Scottish Rugby Union has launched its new home shirt for the forthcoming season with the kit sporting a design they label "classic reborn".
Supporters will get a chance to see the new kit, shown by Tim Visser and Stuart Hogg above, when Scotland run out against Japan in the first of their three autumn internationals on November 9. The shirt, made by Macron, was crafted by supporter Stuart Gray after he responded to a SRU competition asking fans to design the new kit for the national team.
"We're delighted to unveil our flagship shirt today, the first product of our biggest ever sponsorship deal," SRU CEO Mark Dodson said. "We have been blown away with the engagement from our fans with over 200 entries coming in since February. We believe this will be a very popular jersey with its modern design technology underpinned by traditional influences.
"I personally cannot wait to see the team and the fans wearing it for the first time at our game against Japan in November at Murrayfield."
Scotland and British & Irish Lions fullback, Stuart Hogg added: "I'm really looking forward to playing in the new shirt and I really like the traditional design that Macron and Stuart [Gray] have gone for. I remember when I was growing up seeing footage of Scotland's greats playing in a navy shirt with white collar, so it's going to be quite a thrill pulling this jersey on for the first time."
© ESPN Sports Media Ltd
"These little deft touches, the nuances O'Driscoll has perfected are what Ireland will miss most." Tom Hamilton on Brian O'Driscoll's final Test in Dublin
Last year's thrashing at the hands of Wales was not the first time England have fallen to their rivals. Scrum Sevens looks at whether they have bounced back the following year
With just two rounds left in the 2014 championship, the intensity cranks up a notch at Twickenham. Tom Hamilton previews the weekend's action
"I had a perfect record against England as did a few other Welshmen. England always seemed to bring the best out of us." John Taylor on the age-old rivalry


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MobileKnowledge again at the Mobile World Congress 2023
MobileKnowledge will once again take part in the biggest technological event in Spain, the Mobile World Congress. It will be held from the 27th of February to the 2nd of March 2023 in Barcelona.
Discover how UWB is set to become the next big technology shift in the Industry 4.0, with use cases ranging from asset tracking and access control to precise, real-time indoor navigation systems.
We are proud to announce that we will be joining MWC21 in Barcelona (Spain) on Monday, June 28 – Thursday, July 1.
Evaluate how NXP TrimensionTM technology interacts with UWB-enabled Apple® products
MobileKnowledge is pleased to announce the release of the new MK UWB Kit SR150/SR040, a set of hardware, software tools and documentation to prototype your UWB – based solution(s) and accelerate the time to market. Leverage on UWB technology advanced functionalities and benefit from NXP TrimensionTM SR150 and SR040 UWB IC capabilities.
This training program, organized in 13 modules, allows program managers, HW engineers, SW engineers and system engineers to learn more about safety according to their role, position or technical background
The new challenges that our world is facing because of covid-19 disease prompt new waves to securely store person’s health related information without compromising individual’s privacy. The MK101 positions as the ideal solution for users and third parties to securely link person’s identity to health status while protecting the privacy and rights of citizens.
MobileKnowledge is pleased to announce the release of the MK UWB Kit, a set of hardware, software tools and documentation to prototype your idea and accelerate the time to market of your new UWB-based solution.
MobileKnowledge launches its Payment Everywhere vision: turn your NFC product, wearable or personal accessory, into a contactless payment device.
MobileKnowledge will be present at Smart City Expo World Congress in Barcelona next week, from November 19th until the 21st, 2019.
MobileKnowledge will be present at IoT Solutions World Congress in Barcelona (Spain) this week, from October 29th, until the 31st, 2019.
MobileKnowledge is pleased to announce the release of the MKPS Solution, a set of pre-tested, state-of-the art solutions and connected know-how that tackle most common challenges with the integration of a simple payment card into a wearable accessory
MobileKnowledge is proud to announce that it will be joining MWC’19 in Los Angeles (USA) on October 22, 23 annd 24, 2019.


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Adobe CS3 will be officially launched in New York City on March 27, 2007. This is according to a blog posting on Adobeâ€™s website. The launch will mark the largest software release in the 25-year history of Adobe Systems, Inc.
Adobe CS3 is a major overhaul of the companyâ€™s publishing applications that currently includes Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, GoLive, Acrobat Pro and Version Cue software in Adobe CS2.
Full features and suite configurations will be revealed by the company during the launch which will be beamed live via webcast beginning at 3:30pm ET.
Adobe Creative Suite 3 will ship later this spring.


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Charity fireworks event returns to shopping centre
WATERFRONT firework displays and live performances will all be a part of Gunwharf Quays' fireworks extravaganza in partnership with children's charity Barnado's.
The shopping centre is asking those attending the free event on Thursday, November 8Â to donate just 50p to help reach their fundraising target.Â
General manager Colin WildingÂ said: '˜The annual fireworks extravaganza is one of the biggest events in our calendar and we are delighted to be hosting this year's event with our charity partner Barnardo's.'
For more information visit gunwharf-quays.com


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Crete, the legendary birthplace of the Greek god Zeus, is a top-five pick by Tripadvisor users for 2020. The island is a world within itself.
The Archaeological Museum of Pella has been awarded the 2020 Traveler’s Choice Award by the international travel site Tripadvisor.
Tripadvisor has released the “Best of the Best” hotels based on pre-pandemic traveler reviews. Greece hotels feature prominently on the list.
A BBC story the other day has cast a bigger shadow on the world’s most trusted travel review entity, TripAdvisor. The lead in to BBC’s coverage begins with “TripAdvisor has hit back at allegations that it is failing to stop a flood of fake reviews that artificially boost hotel ratings.” Here’s a dissenting view the […]
TripAdvisor® has published its first-ever Review Transparency Report showing over 1m fake reviews being blocked from the site in 2018.


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Tag Archive: Woodinville Whiskey Co.
Yesterday, SND exclusively reported that luxury giant Moët Hennessy has acquired Washington state craft distiller Woodinville Whiskey Co. for an undisclosed sum, the latest in a string of craft whiskey purchases by major multinational companies. Continue reading →Posted in News on July 13, 2017
Moët Hennessy has purchased Washington state craft whiskey distiller Woodinville Whiskey Co., SND has learned. Continue reading →Posted in News on July 12, 2017
•Louisville, Kentucky-based Copper & Kings American Brandy Company is releasing its first aged apple brandy expression this fall. Continue reading →Posted in News on September 10, 2015


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Macy's is getting more serious about China and other potential overseas ventures.
— March 24, 2015
Foster, who joined Penney’s board in August 1998, is the former chairman of Ingram Micro Inc.
— March 18, 2015
In its second installment, Holt Renfrew’s H Project is back with a continent’s worth of craft and culture to uncrate — that of Africa.
— March 17, 2015
Elie Tahari has set up shop across the pond, opening a leased shop-in-shop at Harrods in London.
— March 12, 2015
The Neiman Marcus Group likes the look of European fashion and is hoping for a much-needed lift in ready-to-wear sales.
— March 11, 2015
Marks & Spencer is to offer its army of private investors a gift card instead of a dividend payment as the British retailer rethinks the way it rewards shareholders.
— March 9, 2015
Department stores trim payrolls.
— March 6, 2015
Thai mall operator Robinson Department Store PCL said it aimed for 2015 sales growth of 15 percent.
— March 5, 2015
The department store’s president is focused on digital growth.
— March 4, 2015


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My latest concern, likely in response to some incessant commercials on the subject, is the existence of disgusting, invisible dust mites that camp out in our mattresses, living off our skin flakes (yuck!) and generally up to no good.
Think the flame retardant Tris is a thing of the past? Think again. Last week the Washington Toxics Coalition and Safer States released a study that found 80 percent of new baby and children's products tested positive for chlorinated Tris (TDCPP).
It's clear that we need to keep mold from growing in our homes and that prevention is the easiest solution. But when you're stuck with some nasty black fungus in your tile grout, it doesn't have to involve caustic chemicals.
The good news is that several states have taken the lead and banned BPA. California has just followed suit this week with legislation requiring the elimination of BPA in baby bottles and sippy cups made or sold after July 1, 2013.
It turns out that the pollution inside our homes is worse than outside. Your home may smell clean and feel safe when it's actually filled with toxins from cleaners, paint, tap water, furniture and more.


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Knotty Alder Cabinets Gives Back in 2018
Knotty Alder Cabinets, a leader in ready-to-assemble cabinets, honored its commitment to community in the year of 2018 by donating to several charitable causes.
SALT LAKE CITY - Jan. 18, 2019 - PRLog -- Knotty Alder Cabinets continued its history of community involvement in 2018 by donating ready-to-assemble bathroom and kitchen cabinets to charitable causes. Recipients of RTA cabinets included Habitat for Humanity and Builders Without Borders Utah. Additionally, the company donated thousands of dollars to Scera Park Elementary School and the Utah Elks Veterans' Fund.
With a 10-year history of community involvement and giving back, Knotty Alder Cabinets upheld its tradition of philanthropy in 2018 by donating money and ready-to-assemble cabinets to several charitable causes. Throughout the years, the company has given to organizations including Habitat for Humanity, Hand in Hand Outdoors, and Kids on the Move.
Habitat for Humanity Utah County was among the recipients of new RTA cabinets this year. Knotty Alder donated more than $10,000 in products for the nonprofit to sell in its ReStores, including these:
Builders Without Borders of Utah was another recipient of product donations in 2018. Over the last three years, Knotty Alder Cabinets has donated more than $10,000 in RTA kitchen cabinets to the nonprofit. Builders Without Borders uses the cabinets for its efforts to help under-served families in Mexico.
Beyond donating cabinets and other products, Knotty Alder gifted thousands of dollars in cash to deserving causes this year. Among these causes was the Utah Elks Veterans' Committee's "Helping Little Warriors and Veterans" fund. Knotty Alder donated $10,000 to support a summer camp for children who have lost parents killed in action or to suicide from mental illness after war.
In 2018, Knotty Alder also donated $3,000 to Scera Park Elementary School in Orem, UT. The funds are intended for use toward t-shirts for all students attending the school. This contribution matches their donation of $3,000 to the school in 2017.
In addition to its long-standing history of community involvement, Knotty Alder Cabinets is known for its dedication to quality design and craftsmanship at affordable prices. The company looks forward to continuing its philanthropic endeavors and supporting more local organizations and causes in 2019. For more information on products and services, visit www.knottyaldercabinets.com.
About Knotty Alder Cabinets
McCoy's Flooring and Cabinets, the principle owner of KnottyAlderCabinets.com, is a kitchen and bathroom factory direct distributor offering the widest selection of top-quality knotty alder cabinets. The company has been in the business for 25 years and continues to expand its cabinetry solutions for clients. By offering ready to assemble cabinets, customers are able to save money on labor and building costs. Knotty Alder Cabinets offers up to 50 percent off standard retail prices and great shipping rates to locations all over the country. The company is dedicated to outstanding customer service and is available to assist customers with troubleshooting over the phone. To learn more, visit: www.knottyaldercabinets.com.


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CNM Short Takes
News | 09/02/2005 4:00 am EDT
Musicrypt edges toward profitability
Toronto digital music distribution firm Musicrypt Inc. recently released its financial statement for the first half of 2005, ending June 30. The firm is still in the red with a net loss of nearly $800,000, but that’s a considerable improvement on the $1.4 million loss it reported last year during the same six-month period. Revenue grew during the half as well, soaring more than 300% from a paltry $32,000 in 2004 to $150,000 this year. Musicrypt’s service is used for secure delivery of digital audio content by radio stations, music studios and other entertainment and broadcasting industry applications.


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SoundCloud has signed a licensing deal with Sony Music, giving it deals with all three major labels and paving the way for the subscription service it's slated to launch later this year, according to sources with knowledge of the situation. Sony Music will also get equity from SoundCloud in the deal. The agreement gives SoundCloud access to Sony Music artists including Beyoncé, The Weeknd, Future, Calvin Harris, Bruce Springsteen, Miguel, Foo Fighters, and Justin Timberlake.
The streaming music service is planning on launching a paid subscription plan, and a source close to the situation said the deals SoundCloud struck with the majors does allow it to build a full on-demand service similar to Spotify or Apple Music.
SoundCloud had already struck deals with Warner Music Group, Universal Music Group, and Merlin, a network of independent labels; Sony Music was the last holdout. But getting a deal done with Sony Music has been a bit more challenging. The label pulled its music off SoundCloud last year, after reports surfaced that Sony Music wasn't happy with the "lack of monetization opportunities," according to Billboard.
Early discussions have SoundCloud offering a $10 a month service later this year
Now that the deal is done and SoundCloud has gotten the music industry's blessing, it must figure out how to monetize the service without alienating its 175 million users who are largely used to using it for free. But sources say the company is serious about monetizing the service, with one industry source telling The Verge "they have to make this work if SoundCloud has a long term future."
Early discussions have SoundCloud's paid offering coming in at $10 a month when it launches later this year, and there have also been talks of a mid-tier service priced lower than that. Combined with the plethora of songs that live solely on SoundCloud already could, SoundCloud could give have a slight advantage over competing streaming services, which largely offer the same music catalog.
SoundCloud declined to "comment on rumors." Sony Music did not respond to a request for comment.
Update: March 18th 4:10PM: SoundCloud has confirmed its deal with Sony Music.


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SAN BERNARDINO, CALIF. – Country Archer Provisions, formerly known as Country Archer Jerky Co., recently announced a partnership with Chef Will Horowitz of Ducks Eatery on a month-long bacon project. The initiative, called #BringHomeTheBacon, brings together a group of 16 local restaurants and executive chefs working together to support small businesses and hospitality employees that have suffered in New York City during the COVID-19 pandemic. #BringHomeTheBacon will run between Sept. 12 and Oct. 10.
Country Archer plans to donate over 19,000 lbs of bacon and grass-fed beef to the participating eateries. The bacon will be used in dishes available for local orders.
“After working closely with Chef Will Horowitz to bring our line of Zero Sugar Jerky to life, we had the opportunity to learn more about the incredible chefs and restaurants that are part of his culinary family in the city,” said Eugene Kang, chief executive officer and co-founder of Country Archer Provisions. “At Country Archer our mission is to craft real food to craft a better world, and we wanted to keep up our end of the bargain by helping to preserve the diversity and spirit that these restaurants bring to the city.”
New Yorkers can order bacon-inspired dishes at participating restaurants, throughout the New York boroughs. The restaurants participating in the initiative include:
- Meat-centric and heritage technique focused Ducks Eatery
- Top Chef contestant Leah Cohen’s Filipino-Thai-inspired Pig & Khao
- East Village pierogi restaurant Veselka
- Chinatown’s Nom-Wah Tea Parlor
- La Palapa
- Cheeky Sandwich
- Sunday in Brooklyn
- Goodnight Sonny
- Ivan Ramen
- Ops Pizza
- Rethink NYC
- Boulton & Watt
- Bar Primi.
Offerings will include pizza, brunch, cocktails and dishes like the grilled thick-cut 5-spice bacon tacos that will be available exclusively at Chef Horowitz’s Ducks Eatery.
Customers who order throughout the campaign are encouraged to spread the word and help show their support by sharing a picture of their dish using the hashtag #BringHomeTheBacon.


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Holy Mob Scene, Batman! Fans and collectors pushed and shoved their way to the shelves in South Florida comic book stores on Thursday to get their copy of a new issue that is already the largest-selling comic in history.
"It's really crazy," said Michael Goldstein, manager of Tropic Comics in Plantation.
All these fans and collectors wanted X-Men issue number one. Marvel Comics sold more than 7.5 million copies of the new title to stores, more than doubling the previous record of 3.6 million copies, company spokeswoman Pamela Rutt said. That record was set in June by a different X-Men title, this one called X-Factor.
Spiderman, which sold only 2.9 million, is a distant third.
The heroes -- er, mutant superheroes -- are the X-Men. The most popular is Wolverine, who can't be killed, and the team's archenemy is the evil Magneto, who controls magnetism and has taken over some nuclear missiles.
X-Men have been around since 1963, but this is a new title. The mutants already star in titles called The Uncanny X-Men, Wolverine and X-Factor.
"When you take a popular bunch of characters and add to that the attraction of starting a new series with those characters, it becomes even more appealing to the collectors," said Maggie Thompson, co-editor of Comics Buyers' Guide.
In the first 20 minutes that Comics USA in Pompano Beach was open on Thursday, 15 people called looking for the new issue, store owner Keith Mallow said. He had to tell them to wait until 6:30 p.m. when the comics came in.
At 5:50 p.m., 25 people milled about the store waiting to hand over $1.50 for that first 48-page issue.
"This is big; this is real big," fan Lee Lopez, of Fort Lauderdale, said. "It's the biggest thing I've ever heard of."
Lopez, 19, headed to the Pompano Beach comic shop at 2 p.m. -- four and a half hours before the shipment would hit the shelves. He said he didn't mind the wait.
At 6:30 p.m., Mallow put the comic books on the shelves and people started shoving and pushing to get them.
"They went bananas," store employee Harold Wesley said.
"It could be our biggest week in comics so far," said Mark Gallo, owner of Past Present Future Comics, in Lantana and Palm Beach Gardens. Gallo ordered 2,000 copies of the first five editions of X-Men.
John Dichtl, a science teacher from West Palm Beach, was among those waiting to see the new X-Men on Thursday. Dichtl, 27, describes himself as more of a comic book fan than investor.
"I've been collecting comics since I was in eighth grade," Dichtl said. "When I first started, X-Men was the hottest title."
Curt Bourque, owner of The Book Exchange/Comic Shop in North Palm Beach, expects to receive his shipment at 2 p.m. today. It will be the busiest day of the year for his store, Bourque said.
The comic book plays on what adolescents are feeling, said Marvel X Editor Bob Harras.
"Here you have a bunch of people who are hated and feared, but they still try to do right," Harras said. "Basically, the theme is: It's OK to be different."
---- Staff Writer Eric Conrad contributed to this report.


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DUSIT INTERNATIONAL is in the midst of a major expansion with the launch of their new premium hotel brand Dusit Devarana, the rapid development of its next generation DusitD2 brand, and the announcement of 18 upcoming properties, with another 20 in the planning and development stage throughout the Middle East, Asia, the Americas and Europe.
The company will outline its plans at the upcoming Arabian Travel Market (ATM), attended by David Shackleton, COO of Dusit International.
Founded in 1948 by Honorary Chairperson Thanpuying Chanut Piyaoui, whose first hotel was the Princess on Bangkok’s New Road, Dusit International has since acquired a unique portfolio of distinctive hotels, building upon Thai culture and tradition to create a personalized welcome for all guests made distinctive under the Dusit International brand promise – “the delivery of an experience that enlivens the individual spirit, no matter the journey”.
Dusit International currently has 13 hotels in Thailand, five in the Middle East with a sixth to open in Qatar shortly, plus Dusit Thani Hotels in The Maldives and Philippines, and the recently launched Dusit Devarana New Delhi in India.
The 2013 alliance between Dusit International and China-based real estate developer Changzhou Qiao Yu Group resulted in the establishment of Dusit Fudu Hotels & Resorts, which has yielded 19 upcoming hotels in China alone. The joint venture is well on track to reach its target of 30 properties in China by 2016.
Dusit International has expanded its international reach into the U.S., Singapore, Tunisia, Turkey and Myanmar, and is currently in negotiations for projects in Europe.
Dusit Devarana properties are premium hotels to be located in both leisure and urban destinations, providing a sanctuary of cultured refinement for those who seek a balance of tranquility, convenience and excellence. The brand complements the Dusit brand family with its unique perspective on the resort experience, marrying the very best of gracious Thai hospitality and destination appeal.
The first hotel to open its doors under the new brand is Dusit Devarana New Delhi, a 50-room urban boutique resort nestled between India’s capital city and the corporate hub of Gurgaon.
Ensconced amidst a thousand mature trees with amenities such as round-the-clock-personal butler service and the first Indian outpost of London’s Michelin-starred Kai Restaurant, Dusit Devarana
New Delhi was most recently named to Travel + Leisure USA’s It List: The Best New Hotels of the Year 2014. It features amongst Asia’s top 12 properties and India’s only two hotels chosen for the honor.
Upcoming properties to bear the Dusit Devarana brand name include: Dusit Devarana Baoting Hainan, China (2014); Dusit Devarana Dianchi Lake, Kunming, China (2016) and Dusit Devarana Hot Springs & Spa, Conghua, Guangzhou, China (2015).
The brand expansion news continues for Dusit with nine hotels in the pipeline for its next generation DusitD2 brand, including strategic locations in the Middle East. DusitD2 Hotels and Resorts offer a distinctive combination of chic design, forward-thinking technology, convenience, comfort and smart service.
In April 2014, the brand welcomed another DusitD2 in Thailand, this time on Phuket Island. The DusitD2 Phuket Resort is only steps away from popular Patong Beach, also the island’s entertainment and shopping district.
Additional DusitD2 Hotels and Resorts are planned for: the Aerocity complex in New Delhi, India; Khao Yai in Thailand; the Gurgaon business district in India; Hongmei in China and Davao in the Philippines.
“The DusitD2 brand offers a great opportunity for developers who would like to with us,” says Rustom Vickers. group director of development, “that reflect the travel needs of today’s middle class in emerging markets. DusitD2 allows us to meet market demand where a traditional Dusit Thani or luxurious Dusit Devarana may not be the right fit.”


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Groupon price target lowered to $4 from $7 at Benchmark Co. Benchmark Co. says Groupon reported weak Q3 results due to sequential declines in the Daily Deals or third-party business. The firm believes Groupon has re-entered a prolonged investment phase and keeps a Hold rating on shares with a lowered price target.
Groupon jumps 5% after positive mention by Leon Cooperman Shares of Groupon are trading higher after Leon Cooperman of Omega Advisors said on CNBC that his firm believes shares are worth 40%-50% more than current trading levels. Cooperman added that the provider of coupons is not a large holding for Omega. Groupon shares are up 5%, or 32c, to $7.15 in afternoon trading.


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Tag : John Lewis & Partners
Meet Edgar the Dragon, star of the John Lewis Christmas adVideoSubscription
In the first-ever joint Christmas ad campaign between John Lewis & Partners and sister supermarket Waitrose & Partners, the retailer sprinkles a heavy dose of festive magic with the help of an excitable dragon.
John Lewis seeks landlord discountsSubscription
John Lewis is reportedly seeking discounts from landlords, as it seeks to cut further costs from across the business.
The high street's hot-ticket denim heroesSubscription
Leading buyers and designers reveal their top-performing denim styles from the season so far and give their thoughts on what is coming for spring 20.
New brand and own-brand development helped fashion sales withstand an otherwise disappointing set of results for the partnership, managing director of John Lewis & Partners Paula Nickolds has told Drapers.
John Lewis blamed a 4.9% dip in fashion sales for the week to 7 September on the annivesary of the launch of John Lewis & Partners womenswear collection, which resulted in a spike in sales last year.
John Lewis poised to reveal lossesSubscription
The John Lewis Partnership is expected to unveil a loss this week, as it reports its results for the first half-year of 2019.
John Lewis looks for water sourceSubscription
John Lewis & Partners is attempting to become the first UK retailer to supply its own water.
Fashion sales drop at John Lewis Subscription
John Lewis fashion sales fell for the first time in seven weeks last week, dipping 1.2% compared with last year.
Summer clearance boosts sales at John LewisSubscription
In its final week of summer clearance, John Lewis had a 3.8% uplift in fashion sales.
Own-brand fashion boosts sales at John Lewis Subscription
John Lewis had a 7.2% uplift in total fashion sales for the week ended 13 July, as sales of its own-brand labels jumped 6.6% year-on-year.


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Aston Martin losses accelerate amid high borrowing costs but sales to dealers surge as online sales drive up demand
- Aston Martin's loss for the third quarter rose amid higher financing costs
- But third quarter sales to dealers surged by 104%, fresh figures show
Aston Martin Lagonda third quarter losses exceeded those seen in the same time last year, as higher borrowing costs weighed on the luxury car maker.
Pre-tax loss for the third quarter came in at £97.9million, against a loss of £80.5million for the same period a year ago.
While borrowing costs increased, the group still saw third quarter sales to dealers surge by 104 per cent.
Quarterly loss: Aston Martin Lagonda has posted a bigger loss for the third quarter than it did over the same period last year
The company, which had four cars featured in the latest James Bond 'No Time to Die' movie, said its online car configuration tool had trebled sales leads to dealers.
In total, the group sold 1,349 cars to dealers over the period, and it has seen sales bolstered by the popularity of its DBX model.
The group said it expected to deliver its first steps towards improved profitability this year as it undergoes a transformation plan.
It maintained its guidance of full-year sales of around 6,000 cars as it scales up production of its Valkyrie model, with deliveries beginning this quarter.
The group said its net debt stood at £809million, against £727million a year ago. Its cash stash stands at around £495million, against £489million a year ago.
Last October, the group took on £1.1billion worth of high-interest debt as part of a refinancing scheme aimed at giving the business a major cash boost.
Between August and October this year, the group's financing costs increased to £133million, against £79million in the previous period.
Excluding sizeable financing costs, the company's operating loss came in at £30.2million for the quarter, against an operating loss of £69.8million by the same point a year ago.
Executive Chairman Lawrence Stroll, said: 'Through the first nine months of this year we have successfully built on the foundations we put in place for the company's success in 2020.
'Not only do we have low dealer inventory, but it is also healthy and fresh - a testament to our shift to ultra-luxury positioning.'
Iconic: Aston Martin cars play their part in the latest James Bond movie 'No Time to Die'
Shares in Aston Martin are currently up 2 per cent or 35.00p to 1,787.00p. A year ago the share price was 1,787.00p.
Nicholas Hyett, an equity analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, said: 'Demand for Aston Martins is clearly strong – demonstrated not only by increased sales but also by increased sales prices across its three core models. Increased marketing spend, not least on events associated with the recently launched F1 team and new Bond film, are clearly pounds well spent.'
He added: 'However, despite the progress Aston Martin has a long way to go before it’s ticking over nicely.
'The group remains loss making and while it just about scraped into positive free cash flow during the third quarter, that’s highly dependent on the timing of spending and customer deposits.
'Living hand to mouth like this is not a good look for a super-luxury brand. As a result net debt has ticked up substantially in the year, bringing with it an increased financial burden.'


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- Contact Us
Spotlight your best-sellers and staple products at the 2015 SEMA Show, regardless of release date, through Featured Product Category of the New Products Showcase.
Exhibitor news and updates, including the advance rate for New Products Showcase entries and key October deadlines.
Each year, hundreds of new companies attend the SEMA Show for the first time, providing buyers with access to more companies and products to meet the demands of their customers.
After all the hard work of developing innovative new performance products, how do you legally get them into the market?
Jamie Notter will speak at the 2015 SEMA Show in a conference session that will include a discussion among a panel of young people and give attendees some actionable strategies on how to both manage them in the workplace and make them your best customers.