text:
WASHINGTON (CBS.MW) -- If you're squeamish, you might want to avert your eyes from the economic data this coming week and focus on corporate earnings instead.
"Next week's economic numbers are not going to be kind," said Donald Ratajczak, director of the economic forecasting center at Georgia State University.
The week's data
Tuesday 10 am: Richmond Fed 12 noon: Chicago Fed Wednesday 9 am: Atlanta Fed Thursday 8:30 am: Retail sales 8:30 am: Jobless claims 10 am: Import/export prices Friday 8:30 am: PPI 8:30 am: Inventories 9:15 am: Industrial production 10 am: Consumer sentiment
It'll be a fairly busy week for number crunchers, with the demand side of the economy represented by the retail sales numbers, the inflation side by the Producer Price Index and the production side by industrial production and business inventories.
With the Federal Reserve on heightened inflation watch, the PPI will be the week's most important number.
"The PPI will be pretty ugly," said Joe Abate, an economist at Lehman Bros. "You're going to have problems," Ratajczak said.
A group of economists polled by CBS.MarketWatch.com say the PPI probably rose 0.5 percent for September, with a 0.4 percent gain when you throw out volatile food and energy prices. That would be the biggest rise in the core rate since December, when big tobacco price increases went into effect.
The same thing happened to cigarette prices again in September. "It's a tobacco story mostly," Abate said.
Look for big jumps in some other prices as well, Ratajczak said. "You've got the end of a three-month aggressive discounting of clothing and the end of price cutting by airlines," he said.
Economists look for a continuation of the higher trend in prices of crude and intermediate goods, but don't expect those increases to be passed on in finished goods, at least not yet.
"I'm not too troubled by pipeline pressures," Abate said. In fact, he sees the core Consumer Price Index falling to a 2 percent gain for 1999. The CPI for September will be reported on Oct. 19.
"The Fed will probably discount the PPI," Abate said, "but the market won't."
The week's other big number will be the retail sales figures for September. Automakers reported strong sales in the month, though not as strong as in August. Our panel of economists forecasts retail sales up 0.2 percent with a gain of 0.4 percent excluding autos.
Abate sees a slower trend in consumption, perhaps growing at a 3 percent annual pace in the fourth quarter after climbing 4.3 percent in the third and more than 6 percent in the first half of the year.
While Abate and many others notice some signs that the Fed is getting what it wants in a slower economy, "I don't see it," Ratajczak said.
"Aside from construction, everything's still strong," he said. "You've got a consumer that hasn't quit."
"Consumers feel good for two reasons, one positive and one negative," Ratajczak said. "The positive reason is they think they can get a job, but the other reason is that their 401(k)s are bulging with profits."
"We could take a relatively big hit in the stock market without cutting consumption," Ratajczak said, which is why he thinks the Fed will hike rates in November and then again early in 2000.
"The Fed has already prepared us for the next move," Ratajczak said.
Not so, said Abate: "The Fed is on hold for the rest of the year."
Maybe some of the confusion over Fed policy will be cleared up a bit when Alan Greenspan gives a speech on "Business, the Economy and the New Millennium" to the National Italian American Foundation in the Capitol at noon on Friday.


text:
Middle East not sold on TLDs
DotBrand Solutions says less that 1% of new TLD applications are form the Middle East
Less than 1% of new top-level domains (TLDs) will come from Arabic countries, according to Dubai-based domain consultancy DotBrand Solutions MENA.
The company, which helps enterprises apply for TLDs, said that unless local companies and governments start applying for their own TLDs, they will miss out on this round of TLD assignments.
The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) has now opened applications for new top-level domains with a deadline for applying of 12th April.
Cities such as New York, Paris and Berlin have already announced that they will be applying for .nyc, .paris and .berlin, as have companies like Canon and Deloitte.
Approximately 160 new top-level domain applications have so far been submitted to ICANN, with nearly 32% of those applications coming from the USA, 10% from Germany, and less than 1% from the MENA region.
"Here is yet another example of the Arab region risking missing the boat when it comes to new technical developments," said Nabil Alyoussuf, director of Dubai-based domain consultancy DotBrand Solutions MENA. "We are currently working with some companies and Governments all over the region who have grasped this opportunity to obtain better presence, security and control of the internet through their own TLDs. But most are still taking a ‘wait and see' approach while the rest of world is taking action."
The new TLDs can be in any language, such as Arabic, Chinese and Hindi.
"As the MENA region's own TLD Services supplier, we are looking to engage rapidly with businesses and governments wishing to take this opportunity to advance our language, our culture, our countries and our businesses in the next era of the internet," said Alyousuf.

domain: news


text:
Activision is jumping into the mobile-social gaming fray with a new platform called Activate.
If you play games on your mobile device then the odds are pretty good that you've at least heard of Mobage and OpenFeint. As dismissive of mobile gaming as we "core" gamers can sometimes be, it's a very lucrative field, and where the lucre is, Activision is never far behind.
So it is that the company has unveiled Activate, a new mobile-social platform that will allow gamers to log into Activision's mobile games with either their Facebook account or a separate, Activate-specific account. Activate will be used to add social features to its Skylanders mobile games, beginning with Skylanders Cloud Patrol, which came out in March, and then with two new releases, Battlegrounds and Lost Islands, both of which come out sometime next month.
Activate will offer cloud storage, allowing users to access their saved games on any iOS device at any time, as well as conventional social features like friend lists, leaderboards and achievements. "Showdowns" will present players with challenges like "shoot the most sheep in ten minutes" and award them in-game currency for ranking well, with bonuses for beating their friends, and will also allow players to issue challenges to others.
No launch date for Activate has been set, but Activision said it will be rolled out to previously released games and all new ones released in the future.
Source: Inside Mobile Apps


text:
5/2/2014 11:57:32 AM
EE reveals plans to release new smartphones as Kestrel launches
EE has suggested that it will release more own-branded smartphones after launching its Kestrel device yesterday (1 May).
The Kestrel was announced in late March, and was created to give customers a 4G option at a competitive price. The handset costs £99.99 on prepay and free from £13.99 on a 4G contract.
An EE spokesperson told Mobile: ‘This device is the first in EE’s ODM story. Consumers trust our brand and it gives us access to a new market. We will be announcing more handsets of varying spec in due course.’
The Android-powered device comes with a 1.2GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon processor and a 4.5-inch qhd screen, while CAT 4 capabilities optimise 4G usage.
EE will promote the Kestrel across print and digital advertising operations.


text:
Major telecoms company, Bharti Airtel has received the prestigious Kalahari Award 2014 as a player in the mobile money sector with the fastest growth and expansion in Africa. The award was given in recognition of the company’s contributions and commitment to mobile financial services across 15 countries in Africa through the Airtel Money.
Airtel Money is the company’s innovative mobile money platform that has proved instrumental to the success of government’s cashless economy.
Likewise, Chidi Okpala, Bharti Airtel’s director and Africa Head, Airtel Money, was honoured as the MobileMoney Kalahari “Personality of the Year” at the 4th MobileMoney Expo held in Lagos.
Receiving the Kalahari Awards on behalf of Airtel Money, Okpala thanked the organizers of the awards.
He said: “the awards testify to the impact and contributions of Airtel Money to the mobile financial sector in Africa.”
“Airtel Money is humbled by this awards which show the output, hard work and heavy lifting by Airtel Money in just 30 months. As an organisation, we remain humble for this feat and are aware of the responsibility it further imposes on us and we are challenged to do more for our teeming customers across the African market.
“It is in line with the vision of Bharti Airtel to be the leader in mobile financial services by 2015. We assure our customers that Airtel Money remains committed and will do more in terms of financial inclusion.”


text:
TAIPEI, June 9 (Reuters) – Graphics chip maker Nvidia Corp. said it expects to post strong revenue growth in its current fiscal year, boosted by a new generation of PCs and other consumer electronics using its chips.
Nvidia posted record revenue of US$2.38 billion for its latest fiscal year through Jan. 29, and is on track to generate close to US$3 billion in its current fiscal year, Rob Csongor, vice president of corporate marketing, told Reuters on Friday.
He said some of the best growth was coming from mobile products such as cellphones, as well as new computers being outfitted for 3D graphics for use with Microsoft Corp.’s new Vista operating system due out late this year.
“Our revenues are ramping up sharply,” he said in Taipei at Computex, the world’s second-largest computer show.
“We’re looking at good, healthy growth for the yearboth for our main as well as our new businesses.”
The Santa Clara, California-based company, which was established in 1994, has a 52 percent market share in the global graphics card industry, competing with Canada’s ATI Technologies Inc., which takes up 48 percent.
Csongor said that clients in the handheld device market included Motorola Inc., Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., Sony Ericsson, LG Electronics Inc. and Kyocera Corp.
Given the massive amount of video files downloaded online daily for Apple Corp.’s iPod, Csongor said there was no doubt the next new wave would be for consumers to watch TV shows and movies on handhelds.
With multimedia, high density DVD and blueray ingredients integrated into more consumer products, the past “media-rich niche market is quickly becoming mainstream”, said Csongor.
Power saving is seen as an essential factor for graphic chips, so developing smaller and longer lasting processing systems has also been an important focus for the firm.
Other markets where Nvidia sees large potential and future growth are the medical and auto industries.
“Ultrasound graphics are a huge marketPhilips has already created an ultrasound machine using Nvidia,” he said.
Csongor added that Germany’s Porsche AG was collaborating with Nvidia on integrating new technology into the company’s cars.
As for the notebook PC sector, Nvidia cooperates with top vendors such as Dell Inc., Hewlett-Packard, Sony Corp. and Taiwan’s Acer Inc.
Nvidia is expected to earn a net profit of $433.56 million in its current fiscal year, according to forecasts from 19 analysts polled by Reuters Estimates, up 43 percent from a year earlier.
Shares in Nvidia dropped 1.83 percent to $21.42 on Thursday, while the Nasdaq fell 0.3 percent. The stock has risen 17 percent so far this year.
Copyright Reuters 2007. All rights reserved. Users may download and print extracts of content from this website for their own personal and non-commercial use only. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters and the Reuters sphere logo are registered trademarks or trademarks of the Reuters group of companies around the world.


text:
Voluntary organisations are being given the chance to use eight former JJB Sports stores free of charge as short-term shops or offices.
3Space, a charity that provides temporary access to empty commercial premises, has taken over stores in Ashton-under-Lyne, Harlow, Manchester, Reading, Swansea, Walsall, Warrington and Watford.
It pays JJB Sport's business rates, which are reduced during periods of charity occupation, and manages the legal and administrative processes so charities can focus on providing services. When the retailer finds new tenants, the charities must leave.
Previous properties provided by 3Space have been used as pop-up shops and drop-in centres.
Andrew Cribb, co-founder of 3Space, said: "Temporary use is perfectly suited to charities and community groups, allowing organisations to expand their operations, increase their profiles and reach new audiences, all with minimal financial commitments."
The chocolate company Thorntons announced last week that it is to close up to 180 stores. The carpet retailer Carpetright also said it expects closures.
Cribb added that the continuing bad news from the high street was likely to create more opportunities for charities to take temporary access of closed sites.


text:
Research In Motion (RIM) has big plans for its next-generation platform, BlackBerry 10, expected for release later this year. However, in order to compete with market leaders iOS and Android, the company will need strong support from the mobile application development community.
To do that, the company has reportedly offered a bounty. It’s promised that new apps will earn at least US$10,000 in revenue, offering to make up the difference out of its own pocket for apps that don’t reach that milestone. Certain restrictions apply.
Apps are the lifeblood of mobile platforms, and the offer could be enticing to some developers. To others, though, it could indicate RIM is having trouble attracting devs, who may be concerned about the company’s lagging position in the global smartphone market and the poor showing of its PlayBook tablet.
RIM promised that BlackBerry 10 apps will earn $10,000 in the first year they are available on its App World app market. If app sales don’t hit that figure, RIM will make up the difference.
“That report about the offer seems to be accurate,” Maribel Lopez, principal analyst at Lopez Research, told TechNewsWorld. “BlackBerry developers make more money than devs creating Android and other apps.”
There’s been “lots of interest in BlackBerry 10 and where it’s going, from the global audience, including Latin America and India,” said Lopez, who attended RIM’s BlackBerry World conference this week in Florida.
We’ll Pay You, but …
The bounty offered by RIM will apparently only apply to certified BlackBerry 10 apps. However, there’s little indication so far of how certification is earned. RIM will reportedly publish the criteria for this later in the year.
In order to qualify for the bounty, apps will also have to earn at least $1,000 on their own. That will rule out free apps and apps that nobody wants.
If an app earns between $1,000 and $9,999 RIM will cut the developer a check for the difference between that sum and $10,000.
Why RIM’s Offering Loot
The BlackBerry 10 platform “offers quite a bit of promise” for developers creating HTML5 apps, Aditya Bansod, senior director of product management at Sencha, told TechNewsWorld. “We’ve done a lot of work on the platform, especially the browser, which is first-class.”
Further, RIM claims that more than 300,000 devs have signed up for the BlackBerry App World vendor portal. If even half of them created one BlackBerry 10 app each, that would give RIM 150,000 apps. So why is RIM offering to shell out cash to guarantee an income of $10,000 in the first year?
“Uncertainty and opportunity cost are the main issues,” Peter Farago, vice president of marketing at Flurry Analytics, told TechNewsWorld.
For an app to succeed, the installed base of BB 10 devices needs to be large enough that app downloads on that platform make it worth developers’ while, Farago explained. “This is an unknown, and with BlackBerry device sales declining precipitously, it would be somewhat of an act of faith for developers to commit resources against the platform.”
Mobile platform vendors “are in a war for developers and developers are motivated by money, so you want to convince them that apps on BlackBerry 10 will make money,” Lopez Research’s Lopez suggested.
Fighting Off Other Players
The competition might also be a factor. Top apps on iOS can earn over $100,000 a day, Farago said. “Contrast this to the possible revenue a developer on BlackBerry 10 can earn, and it becomes harder to commit resources.”
Android’s rapid growth, with a concomitant increase in the number of apps for that platform, could also make it difficult for RIM to lure app devs to BlackBerry 10.
However, that may not work against RIM entirely. For example, there were 500,000 apps in the iTunes app store back in May of 2011, according to Apple. The downside to this is that new apps tend to disappear in the crowd.
As for Android, BlackBerry 10 has a Runtime for Android utility that it has just expanded with new features.
The runtime “is just a bridge to let people have Android apps that aren’t on BlackBerries,” Lopez Research’s Lopez said.
RIM did not respond to our request for comment for this story.


text:
While health and wellness was already a key trend ahead of the pandemic, COVID-19 drove it to the forefront of consumers’ minds and retailers’ strategies more than ever. FMI–The Food Industry Association explores this movement in the third edition of its Power of Health and Well-Being in the Food Industry report, which leverages insights from its Food Retailing Industry Speaks and U.S. Grocery Shopper Trends surveys and other pieces from the association.
The report notes that 49% of shoppers are putting more/somewhat more effort into selecting nutritious and healthy options due to the pandemic. And still, many consumers (58%) say they could be somewhat or a lot healthier.
“Consumers report phases of ‘unhealthy’ eating early in the pandemic, often driven by a combination of disrupted schedules, routines and habits; tumultuous food shopping landscapes; and stress and anxiety and a heightened need for comfort,” according to FMI’s Trends 2021 survey. “While every person had [their] own internal threshold for how unhealthy was too unhealthy, at some point consumers realized they had veered too far off course and needed to get back on track (or find a new path) toward healthier, more balanced eating.”
And shoppers are increasingly turning to supermarkets to help them with their health and well-being goals—a role the industry is embracing by “leveraging everything from meal solutions to e-commerce innovations,” Leslie Sarasin, president and CEO of FMI, said in the report’s forward.
“The time is right to highlight the supermarket as the destination for health and well-being, mindful of the many valuable contributors across the entire industry who bring actionable ideas to the marketplace, from suppliers and manufacturers to executives and merchants to community partners and local healthcare systems to retail pharmacists and registered dietitians,” she continued.
Shoppers rate food stores relatively high as being on their side when it comes to helping them stay healthy, the Power of Health and Well-Being report concludes. About 48% of consumers who responded to the 2021 Trends survey say their primary food store is on their side; 45% say the same for food stores, in general. That rating is higher than for drug stores (42%), online-centric grocery providers (35%) and manufacturers/food processors (31%).
The Retailer Connection
Measures retailers took to support their customers’ health and wellness needs amid the pandemic included providing transparency around cleaning and sanitation protocols; expanding e-commerce services; offering meal solutions that embrace health; pivoting in-person dietitian services and classes to online; and, of course, administering COVID-19 vaccines.
Transparency in food retailing typically correlates to products and ingredients, the report notes, but during the pandemic, retailers focused on being transparent about store safety measures to ensure a safe shopping experience. These efforts came at a cost—pandemic-related expenses
For consumers who didn’t feel safe shopping in-store, they turned in droves to pickup and delivery. Retailers enhanced these services, as well as online search tools, which FMI found consumers are increasingly using to find products that support their health goals. Seventy-five percent of consumers are using online tools to help identify product details, while 63% are using the filter feature to search for specific attributes.
What’s more, shoppers embraced buying fresh foods through e-commerce, FMI notes, with fresh food moving into the top 10 list of categories purchased through online shopping by mid-April 2020.
And as consumers experienced cooking fatigue from preparing more meals at home as restaurants, offices and schools closed, they turned to retailers for meal ideas and solutions. This will remain important as 41% of consumers expect to cook more at home in the future than they did during the pandemic, the report notes.
In addition to supporting its customers, retailers also showed an interest in their employees’ health and well-being. About 35% of retailers operated employee wellness programs as a hiring and retention strategy during the COVID-19 pandemic, FMI found.


text:
To help cheer on Team Canada at the upcoming London 2012 Olympic Games, Pampers, the iconic baby care brand, has teamed up with Canadian Olympic Games Bronze medalist and new mother, Priscilla Lopes-Schliep and her baby Nataliya to launch “O Canada, Baby” – the first version of the national anthem performed entirely by little athletes – babies. “I’m excited to be working with Pampers to rally Canadian babies (and parents) to create the first version of O Canada performed by babies,” said Canadian Olympic Games hurdler, Priscilla Lopes-Schliep. “It’s as simple as parents recording footage of their babies making typical sounds and uploading them to www.facebook.com/PampersCanada to celebrate the upcoming Olympic Games and their baby’s spirit of play.” A 15 second sneak peek of “O Canada, Baby” is now available on the Pampers Canada Facebook page. Individual cuts of the video will appear on Facebook on an ongoing basis and will be showcased at public events across the country on Canada Day on July 1st, 2012. To engage Canadian Twitter users at public events, an official #OCanadaBaby hashtag will be created for consumer discussion. The final “O Canada, Baby” video will be revealed during the Olympic Games to cheer on Team Canada. “Balancing family and career is never easy but my message for Canadian moms is that you can do it with focus and the right support system in place,” said Priscilla. “As I gear up for the games, my circle of support is so important and it feels great to know that Canadian families are cheering on Team Canada through this great initiative.” To further cheer on Team Canada, new Limited Edition “Go Canada Go!” Pampers Olympic Games packaging is available featuring 2x Gifts to Grow points. Parents can redeem Pampers Gifts to Grow points for HBC Team Canada baby gear to get their babies ready for the Olympic Games. The Pampers Canada partnership is an extension of P&G’s global sponsorship of the London 2012 Olympic Games.
ABOUT PAMPERSPampers is Procter & Gamble’s (NYSE:PG) largest global brand and the world’s top-selling diaper brand. For more than 50 years, Pampers has been helping to improve life for babies, toddlers and the parents who care for them. For more information on Pampers diapers and the Pampers Parenting Network, visit http://www.Pampers.ca. ABOUT PROCTER & GAMBLE P&G serves approximately 4.4 billion people around the world with its brands. The Company has one of the strongest portfolios of trusted, quality, leadership brands, including Pampers®, Tide®, Ariel®, Always®, Whisper®, Pantene®, Mach3®, Bounty®, Dawn®, Gain®, Pringles®, Charmin®, Downy®, Iams®, Crest®, Oral-B®, Duracell®, Olay®, Head & Shoulders®, Wella®, Gillette®, Braun®, Fusion®, Ace®, Febreze®, and Ambi Pur®. The P&G community includes operations in about 80 countries worldwide. Please visit http://www.pg.com for the latest news and in-depth information about P&G and its brands.


text:
Digital technology will continue to provide new connections, revenue streams and communications channels for brands, consumers, charities and businesses, according to leading global media agency network, Mindshare.
Norm Johnston, chief digital officer at Mindshare Worldwide, is an expert in marketing and believes that next year will see a number of unexpected developments.
“At Mindshare, we believe that everything begins and ends with media, and that is underlined by the hugely ambitious projects global organisations are working on to launch in the next 12 months. Companies have to get more and more creative in order to capture the attention of consumers. That means they will try to find new touchpoints, technology and strategies to capture the imagination of increasingly discerning audiences,” he says.
Here are the top trends that Mindshare claims will dominate in 2014:
1. The rise of the sharing ephemeral
Next year we will see an increase in the popularity of apps, such as Snapchat and Wickr, that enable users to establish multimedia conversations that erase themselves after a given period of time. The flirtatious and secretive nature of these apps is driving adoption and you can expect plenty more companies to take advantage of this technology.
2. Adaptive government
Governments and political parties are beginning to switch on to the fact that they need to embrace technology to remain relevant. In 2014, we’re going to see more tech-led initiatives to engage with voters everywhere in the world. Already in the UK, prime minister David Cameron and some of his cabinet announce new initiatives over Twitter and in Germany the police use an app that detects Neo-Nazi lyrics in music.
3. The internet of weird things
Wearable technologies – particularly health-related devices – have finally become affordable, accurate and accessible, but that is just the tip of the iceberg. Sony has filed a patent for the ‘smart wig’, which will be able to process data and communicate wirelessly with other external devices, while Microsoft has developed a ‘smart bra’ with sensors that monitor heart and skin activity to provide an indication of mood levels. Expect 2014 to be the year when the internet of things gets pretty weird.
4. Sound takes centre stage
In 2014, we will see companies rediscovering the power of sound, and not just through radio. Consumers will receive more messages by BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) with companies, as Sonic Notify and Apple are already leveraging ambient sound to reach consumers at the key purchase decision-making times. Meanwhile, Mindshare and Shazam have also launched AUDIO+ – a partnership to allow brands to leverage their investment in sound.
5. Fitness + Charity + Technology + Fashion = Money
Charities will also benefit from technology, with apps such as Charity Miles, where consumers earn money for their favourite causes by tracking their fitness. Consumers like something for nothing, so interacting with brands and getting a value in return will become important – and a great way for charities to raise cash.
6. Google, Facebook and Twitter…beware
There’s no doubt that 2013 was the year of the social and search giants, record revenues, IPOs and future predictions of huge growth. Watch out, as 2014 will be the year of the guys who actually sell stuff. Amazon and Alibaba lead the field, and e-commerce in China alone is worth $1.4 trillion. Alibaba, fuelled by Taobao and T-Mall, has become the world’s largest online retailer, selling more than $170 billion in goods in 2012, which is more than eBay and Amazon combined. These guys will look at leveraging their huge scale and reaching into the world of digital advertising – and when they get it right, Google better watch out.


text:
Video: Why Macy’s May Be Missing Out
Women's apparel pricing at Macy's is such a turnoff to consumers that they'd rather shop for clothes at lower-priced department stores, recent data suggest. Nearly 40 percent of Macy's shoppers who go to the department store and buy home goods, for example, tend to make an extra trip to Kohl's to buy women's clothes, according to a recent report from Prosper Insights & Analytics. "Macy's has a lot of women's clothing shoppers. It's our No. 3 women's clothing store, but we do see this cross-shopping, which we call lost opportunity," said Pam Goodfellow, an analyst at Prosper.


text:
Dunelm homeware chain boss set to hand over reins
The boss of homeware chain Dunelm has announced plans to give up day-to-day running of the firm his parents started from a market stall in 1979.
Will Adderley will remain on the board of Dunelm, which has four stores in Northern Ireland, to work on specific aspects of the business after his 15-year spell as chief executive helped grow the company's annual revenues to almost £500m.
The move, which will take place in February, was announced as Dunelm reported a rise of 46% in pre-tax profits to £76.8m in the year to July 3.
Mr Adderley said the out-of-town chain continued to grow its share of the homeware market after it opened more stores and benefited from its position as a value-for-money retailer.
He will hand over to Nick Wharton, who is currently finance director of Halfords, and has been a Dunelm director since 2009.
News of his departure follows healthy results over the year ending July 2010. Sales are up 18.2% to £492.8m, including a like-for-like increase of 8%, and the gross margin is up 190 basis points to 46.8% compared to 44.9% in 2009.
Mr Adderley, who owns 35% of the company, said his family remained "totally committed, both emotionally and financially" to Dunelm for the long term. His parents Bill and Jean still own a 24% holding.
From a Leicester curtain stall in 1979, the family has grown the business into the third largest firm in the £12bn UK homewares market, with 106 stores. It joined the London stock market in 2006, and is valued at just under £800m.


text:
Leveraged and inverse ETFs were once poster children for ETF risks, but the market has learned to embrace these ETF bad boys--with limits.
Obama may steer away from what's really important to Americans in his State of the Union speech, says political strategist Sara Fagen. Here's why.
After Apple's disappointing outlook and iPhone sales, a debate is heating up over where the consumer electronics giant's share price is headed.
Shares of China's Sina have lagged Twitter's dramatically. But with similar growth profiles, Sina is the real bargain.
Talk of a such a crisis is on the rise, leaving many investors in the U.S. and elsewhere wondering what it means exactly.
Billionaire hedge fund manager Paul Singer feels for the poor but thinks increasing minimum wages is a terrible idea.
Forget the passing yards and points, the real Super Bowl numbers may be how many people watch the game. Here are some numbers for comparison.
Activist investor Carl Icahn bought more Apple shares Tuesday, as the stock plunged after an iPhone sales number that disappointed Wall Street.
Turkey has slipped alarmingly quickly from emerging market darling to market danger zone, and there seems to be no halting the investor exodus.
There's a collectible market for sex-filled timepieces, both old and new. They're called "erotic" watches, or what some would call "pocket porn."
For the price of a Super Bowl ticket, you could end up with a top-of-the-line set that'll last several NFL seasons.
This is a link to a Bankrate.com story.
Here’s a five-point reality check for why people need to stop bashing Davos as an irrelevant gathering of the elite. By the executive director of Wharton's Risk Management Center.
The U.K.'s Royal Household has mismanaged its finances and could do more to pay its own way, according to the British Parliament's finance watchdog.
From "Magic Kitten" to "Energetic Bear," these are the names of some of the world's most active hacker groups, according to security firm CrowdStrike.
Consumers grew more optimistic about both business conditions and the job market, a new report showed.
Orders for long-lasting U.S. manufactured goods unexpectedly plunged in December, which could cast a shadow on the economic outlook.
The Commerce Department said new orders fell 4.3 percent in December, a huge disappointment (economists expected orders to rise 1.5 percent).
U.S. home prices fell slightly in November as colder weather slowed buying, but prices surged for much of 2013.
A new NBC-News/Wall Street Journal poll shows a 51 percent majority of the public disapprove Obama's job performance.


text:
STOCKTON — The trial for Mariza Ruelas came to a close Friday as the court ruled on her illegal distribution of homemade ceviche.
The single mother of six will need to serve 80 hours of community service for her participation in the Facebook page 209 Food Spot. Along with around a dozen other people, Ruelas was charged for selling homemade dishes through social media.
The District Attorney’s terms and conditions, reached at Stockton Superior Court, also stated that Ruelas must not continue to sell, trade or barter any food via social media without the proper permits.
Much of the concern from the DA came out of fear of possible foodborn illnesses resulting from improper food safety practices.


text:
In an interview with CarAdvice, Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance senior vice president for after sales, Kent O'Hara, revealed that Nissan is learning some insightful details from Mitsubishi to improve the cost and refine their Navara pick up for the next generation. In October 2016, Nissan had acquired a 34% equity stake in Mitsubishi to became the largest shareholder and consume the brand into its alliance with Renault.
Mr O'Hara was quoted as saying:
We’ve learned some very insightful things on the Triton pickup that I think has already been useful back into the Nissan activities, on figuring out some different improvements to improve cost and design of certain items that we have.
According to reports, the platform for the next gen Nissan Navara and Mitsubishi Triton pickups will be an evolution of the current Nissan Navara's ladder-frame architecture. Analysts predict that the two next-gen pick ups from Nissan and Mitsubishi will arrive in 2023. Despite the same platform, like the Renault Koleos and its platform twin, the Nissan X-Trail, the next-gen Navara pick up will continue to maintain a distinct identity from Mitsubishi's next-gen version of the Triton/L200.
Also Read: Nissan e-Power technology will go to Thailand before it reaches India – Report
In the meantime, the Mitsubishi Triton and Nissan Navara models will begin to receive a facelift. The Triton will receive its facelift later this year. Spy shots from Australia have revealed what we can expect. It will feature the front fascia from the latest Mitsubishi models like the Mitsubishi Xpander and Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross. As for the Navara, a major facelift is expected in 2020, according to the same report that predicted the arrival of the next generation pickups.


text:
Top strategist elaborates on Unilever's plan to double its digital spend this year.
Cannes, France-- Unilever CMO Keith Weed said today the CPG giant will double its digital budgets this year.
Afterward, ClickZ spoke with Babs Rangaiah, the company's VP of global communication planning. Rangaiah is one of Unilever's top marketing strategists and an interactive vet, having worked at Agency.com from 1999 to 2002. He was with a group of Unilever execs that toured the West Coast earlier this year, meeting with Yahoo, MSN, Amazon, Google, Facebook, and Apple. In the video below, he talks about global spending priorities, technology partnerships, and mobile's place in the mix.
Follow Zachary Rodgers on Twitter at @zachrodgers.
Want to learn more? Join us at ClickZ Live New York 2015
[ALERT] Super Saver Rates Expire January 30. With over 15 years of experience delivering industry leading events, ClickZ Live brings together over 50 expert speakers to deliver an action-packed, educationally-focused agenda covering all aspects of digital marketing. Quick! - Register today to secure your place at the best rate.
Until March 2012, Zach Rodgers was managing editor of ClickZ's award-winning coverage of news and trends in digital marketing. He reported on the rise of web companies, data markets, ad technologies, and government Internet policy, among other subjects.
Hong Kong, 20-21 January
Singapore, 5-6 March
Google My Business Listings Demystified
To help brands control how they appear online, Google has developed a new offering: Google My Business Locations. This whitepaper helps marketers understand how to use this powerful new tool.
5 Ways to Personalize Beyond the Subject Line
82 percent of shoppers say they would buy more items from a brand if the emails they sent were more personalized. This white paper offer five tactics that will personalize your email beyond the subject line and drive real business growth.
January 29, 2015
1:00pm ET/10:00am PT


text:
According to industry giant Apple, the company will launch a cheap iPhone SE 2 this year. It was also discussed that this device could be marketed under the name iPhone SE 2, but not under the name iPhone 9. This smartphone must be released in March but has been delayed due to the corona virus. At the same time, the report found that users don’t have to wait longer for the iPhone 9 or iPhone SE 2.
Jon Prosser, a twitter user, has shared information related to iPhone 9 in his post. In which it has been told that the company has held an internal meeting regarding the iPhone 9 and according to that the company is planning to launch the iPhone 9 on April 15. After which the cell phone will start on 22 April. However, no other information was provided other than this.
But according to the leaks revealed so far, the iPhone 9 can have a 4.7-inch LCD display. For this, features like Touch ID and Face Unlock will be available for a security. The company can launch it in a single storage variant, which will be given 3GB RAM and 64GB storage. The phone can be offered on the A13 Bionic chipset. Talking about camera features, a 12MP primary rear camera, and 8MP front camera can be given in it.
The leaks that have been revealed so far have also been informed about the price of the upcoming iPhone 9 or iPhone SE 2. According to which the company will launch it at a lower price under the entry-level segment. This device can launch at a price of $ 399


text:
Heineken has announced the launch of the Heineken City Shapers Festival, a new and exciting event which will be held in Melbourne on 4 August. I will should expect the unexpected as they are taken on a worldly adventure through some of the most unique experiences the world’s most vibrant cities have to offer.
Editor from Rogue Homme (@roguehomme) and I (amongst Heineken fans) are invited on a special journey alongside some familiar Australian faces, starting at an iconic Melbourne train station. Guests will board an exclusive Heineken train before being transported to a secret location, where Heineken will transform an unassuming venue into a dynamic festival space, full of intrigue and worldly discovery. There will be a number of unique experiences at the event, from the vibe of bustling Asian cities to a trendy jazz club in New York and dazzling performances. It will be an epic night as Heineken finishes with a performance from a surprise international act.
In addition to the Heineken City Shapers Festival in Melbourne, Heineken will also be hosting a number of exclusive events in Sydney, Brisbane and Perth. To celebrate the vibrant cities of the world Heineken is also releasing 18 special City edition bottles, available nationally throughout July. The range of bottles will include global trendsetting cities such as Amsterdam, London, Rio, New York, Johannesburg, Seoul and Berlin.
Heineken are supporting the launch of the festival in style by collaborating with innovative Melbourne street artists, Apparition Media. They will inspire consumers to open their world through a series of striking murals designed to shape the way cities look, evoking more emotion into their environments. There will also be light displays in each of the four cities where events will be taking place. Fans can keep up to date with the Heineken City Shapers Festival by following @Heineken_au and the hashtags .


text:
Distributor Westcon has revealed a business process outsourcing (BPO) firm with operations in Romania will take charge of some of its EMEA finance and operations functions. Parent company Datatec announced yesterday that 300 of Westcon's 1,900 EMEA staff would be affected by a "BPO transformation" of its EMEA operations.
Westcon senior vice president David Grant revealed a phased migration of the functions in question will occur between now and mid-2017 and insisted service levels for resellers would not be affected. Although Grant was not in a position to divulge Westcon's BPO partner, he described it as a global outfit "in the top-right of the Gartner Magic Quadrant". "We separated our activities into those we see as transactional and those that add value to the customers and vendors," he said. "Anything that is very transactional we have decided to outsource to another organisation as it gives us scale and efficiency."
The outsourcing project will run alongside Westcon's impending European implementation of a global SAP project, Grant said, adding that affected employees may be offered other roles in the organisation. "It is not a case of everything changing on day one," he said. "Where roles are affected we will give people significant advance notice, as it's the responsible thing to do. We are growing, and while some transactional roles will be eliminated from the business, some new opportunities will be created so we will take as much time as we can to retrain and redeploy staff where it is appropriate to us."
Westcon, which operates through the Comstor and Westcon brands, has order-processing staff in 42 countries in EMEA, Grant said, adding that any staff whose roles are displaced will be offered the choice of staying on to help with the migration. Employee and other fees associated with the migration will cost parent Datatec about €11.5m in its current financial year.
Rival distributor Ingram Micro centralised more EMEA back-office functions to Sofia in Bulgaria last year.
Grant said it made more sense for Cisco, Avaya, Polycom, Juniper and Check Point partner Westcon to partner with a BPO outfit with knowledge of the region. "We have chosen an organisation where it is their core business to provide business processes and support," he said. "We are not experts in sourcing a facility or finding local language specialists and training them on what we do."
Romania, which is where the BPO firm in question will carry out Westcon's transactional work, was ranked fourth in an index of the top global BPO locations this year carried out by Cushman & Wakefield, behind Vietnam, the Philippines and Bulgaria. Grant emphasised that Westcon's "core value-add" will be retained in-house and claimed that neither customer service levels nor its ability to execute would be affected by the move. "Our top 10 vendor partners have all offered to make sure there is good knowledge transfer and are helping to train our BPO staff," he said. "If you think about it, most of our major vendors have some part of their organisation that is outsourced so are completely familiar with what support they can give us."
Graeme Watt, EMEA president at rival distributor Avnet Technology Solutions, confirmed his company has also made some steps towards centralising transactional functions, "but nothing like on the scale we are seeing with Westcon". "It is fair to say that everybody is looking to see how much of that non-technical, more run-rate, transactional operations they can centralise," he said. "We have been talking about it for a while and we will centralise functions and operations where we think it makes sense and keep things local where we think it makes sense." (source: Channelweb United Kingdom).
Another acquisition for Ingram Micro
After Canai, Clarity, Aptec, Armada, Anovo and most recently DOCdata, the American giant broadliner continues its acquisition spree with Brazilian network and security VAD AÇÃO, which ought to become its local Advanced Solutions division. In addition to a portfolio of higher value products, including those from strategic vendors such as IBM, Oracle, Red Hat, EMC and VMware, AÇÃO also provides integration services, sales support and financial services, with operations in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Uruguay. AÇÃO key leadership has agreed to join Ingram Micro upon close of the transaction to assist in the integration and help drive continued growth and expanding profitability across the combined business thereafter. The transaction, which is subject to customary regulatory and other closing conditions, is expected to close late in the 2015 fourth quarter. AÇÃO is expected to contribute in excess of €270m in annual value-add solutions revenue to Ingram Micro and be modestly accretive to 2016 full year non-GAAP earnings per share.
Ingram Micro CEO Alain Monié commented, "As evidenced by a history of strong operating margin contribution, Ingram Micro has been extremely successful in rapidly expanding our high value business in Latin America, particularly in Brazil, where we are already established as one of the leading overall technology distributors and have enjoyed strong double digit growth rates in local currency for many quarters. AÇÃO's position as a key solutions value-added distributor is a perfect complement to our rapidly growing higher margin business in the region. The company has a long history of strong business fundamentals, and brings experienced management in an emerging geography that remains attractive for Ingram Micro over the long-term. We expect to realize meaningful vendor cross-selling opportunities in the countries we share, as together we will have a significantly expanded portfolio of high value offerings to better serve our customers. We look forward to AÇÃO joining Ingram Micro and we are confident the addition will enable us to build further on the region's revenue and profitability contribution."
Enio Issa, Grupo AÇÃO president, added, "Ingram Micro is the perfect partner for AÇÃO to help us continue to drive our established and fast growing high value business in Latin America and I am confident that together we can further accelerate the strong performance our individual companies have provided for our customers. Ingram Micro understands how to successfully conduct business in the region and we are excited to join such a globally recognized world class organization.".
The American broadliner Ingram Micro has entered into a definitive agreement under which it will acquire DOCdata Nederland and DOCdata International, e-commerce fulfillment businesses of publically-traded, Netherlands-based, DOCdata for approximately €157m. Docdata is a major European provider of order fulfilment, returns logistics and online payment services, providing critical commerce solutions to major retailers, brands and promising start-ups. Docdata currently handles between 125,000 and 250,000 orders on a daily basis, with major operations in Germany, Netherlands and the United Kingdom. The company is expected to contribute in excess of €135m in annual services revenue to Ingram Micro and to contribute 5 to 7 cents to 2016 non-GAAP earnings per share.
Docdata will operate as a wholly owned subsidiary of Ingram Micro. Docdata CEO Michiel Alting von Geusau will continue to lead the company, reporting directly to Ken Beyer, Ingram Micro executive vice president commerce and fulfillment solutions. In addition to customary regulatory and other closing conditions, the transaction requires approval of a majority of outstanding shares at a special meeting of DOCdata shareholders, which is expected to take place toward the end of the 2015 fourth quarter.
Ingram Micro CEO Alain Monié commented, "Adding Docdata's broad-based suite of commerce solutions to our existing portfolio of global services will bring critical mass to our commerce and fulfillment solutions business in Europe. Docdata is a well-established e-commerce fulfillment company and is highly respected by brands and retailers for its ability to deliver a timely and cost-effective buyer experience. Docdata's solutions are an excellent complement to our existing commerce and fulfillment offerings, including our rapidly expanding Shipwire service delivery platform. This acquisition is fully aligned with our strategic objective to leverage Ingram Micro's broad geographic reach and world class vendor and customer relationships, and we expect to accelerate Docdata's ability to drive rapid expansion of its services offerings across the continent and beyond. The Ingram Micro team and I look forward to the opportunity to work closely with Michiel and his world-class team."
Alting von Geusau added, "We are excited to partner with Ingram Micro and believe this transaction delivers significant value to our shareholders. I strongly believe Ingram Micro is the best partner for our clients and employees going forward and I am excited at the prospect of Docdata becoming a part of such a globally recognized and respected company."
A Newstar for Ingram Micro
After Germany, broadliner Ingram Micro has opened a new physical security BU as part of its Specialty Solutions division in Spain. This new BU is managed by Manuel Méndez. A first, specific distribution deal has been signed with IP camera vendor Axis Communications. The BU portfolio also includes IP cams from D-Link and TrendNet, NAS from Buffalo, Netgear, Qnap, Seagate, Synology and Western Digital, cabling and connectivity from Startech.com and UPS from APC, Eaton and Riello.
Ingram Micro España, división Specialty Solutions
Ingram Micro España, división Specialty Solutions
Division director or manager :
Creation year :
Minimum delivery time


text:
Apple grabs No. 5 spot in growing Chinese smartphone market
At three times the size of the U.S. market, China has become one of the most important battlegrounds in the smartphone industry, and Apple's iPhone is now the fifth-largest smartphone seller in the country.
Apple's next iPhone grabbed eight percent of the Chinese market in the first quarter.
In the first quarter of 2013, Apple's iPhone sales were enough to garner 8 percent of China's smartphone market, according to a new analysis from Canalys (via Computerworld). Apple had fallen to sixth place in China for the third and fourth quarter of last year, but increasingly aggressive pricing tactics in the market grew sales last quarter.
Apple still trails chief rival Samsung by a large margin in the country. Samsung strengthened its already strong position in China last quarter, increasing its share from 17.7 percent to 20 percent.
Yulong Computer, Huawei, and Lenovo were the smartphone manufacturers ahead of Apple but trailing Samsung. Apple and its South Korean rival were the only two foreign companies to make the top 10 Chinese smartphone vendors. Domestic producers accounted for roughly 68 percent of Chinese smartphone sales.
With 82 million smartphones sold in the quarter, China is now by far the world's largest market for the devices. In terms of sheer numbers, China's market is more than thrice the size of the U.S., which saw 27 million units shipped in the quarter. The comparative weakness in terms of purchasing power of the average Chinese consumer, though, means that the market is most open to lower cost handsets.
Given its penchant for offering a wide array of phones from low-level to premium, Samsung is particularly suited to address the Chinese market, as evidenced by its strong position there in spite of its foreigner status.
Apple, meanwhile, has seen increasingly strong quarters in the market, despite some cultural obstacles along the way. Apple is thought to be preparing to debut its iPhone on the country's largest carrier. Many observers are uncertain of how successful the iPhone maker can be in the country, though, without a cheaper version of its smartphone to offer consumers.
China's smartphone market grew 156 percent in a year-over-year quarterly comparison. Each of the last five quarters has seen the Chinese market expanding at more than 100 percent year-over-year. China passed the U.S. in terms of active iOS and Android devices in February.


text:
‘Starfield’ leak that turned out to be fake doesn’t stop speculations of looming release date announcement
‘Kingdom Hearts 4’ possible release date, plot: How long before the next game could be released?
With the “Kingdom Hearts 3” DLC already released this year, fans will most likely turn their attention to the still-unannounced “Kingdom Hearts 4” very soon. Knowing video game fans, their first question would most likely be about the next game’s development and launch timeline.
‘Kingdom Hearts 4’ release date speculations
It is obviously still too early for Square Enix to announce “Kingdom Hearts 4,” so there is no way of officially knowing yet whether or not the game is already in development. But it is also understandable if some fans are already wondering about the next game’s launch.
It took almost a decade from the announcement in 2013 of “Kingdom Hearts 3” to its official release in January 2019. Soon, video game fans will be asking if they have to wait that long for “Kingdom Hearts 4” as well. Again, everything to be discussed about “Kingdom Hearts 4” is still speculative. But it would not hurt to draw clues from the franchise’s history to arrive at an educated guess.
Shortly before the release of the latest installment, developers reveal that one of the main reasons for its delay was the change in the development engine they used. The decision to switch to Unreal Engine 4 was first mentioned in 2014. In early 2019, co-director Tai Yasue explained to Newsweek, “Because there was a change in technology and workflows, it took some time for the team to adapt and adjust.”
Now, some reports suggest that “Kingdom Hearts 4” could be released as early as 2023. However, considering the release of next-generation consoles from Sony and Microsoft later this year, fans better prepare for a longer waiting period for the next game.
‘Kingdom Hearts 4’ plot
There was also a little bit of confusion when “Kingdom Hearts 3” was announced as many thought it was going to be the final installment of the entire series. However, it has been clarified that it is only the conclusion to Sora’s journey in the Dark Seeker saga, aka Xehanort saga.
This means “Kingdom Hearts 4” is most likely in the pipeline for Square Enix. Additionally, this makes the next game a series milestone as it opens a new saga for the series.


text:
DARYL GURNEY is aiming for a bigger slice of success in 2019 thanks to the extended backing of Four Star Pizza.
The World No.5 admits he’s delighted that the top topping firm are back on board with him as they announced the deal in Dublin.
Former Grand Prix champion and current Players Championship title winner Superchin next faces Rob Cross in the Unibet Premier League in Exeter on Thursday.”
He revealed: “I’m over the moon to confirm the new deal with Four Star Pizza. I’ve always had great support from their customers and I’m really looking forward to meeting more of them in 2019 and helping to bring the wonderful sport of darts to an even bigger audience across Ireland.
“The aim is always to win more and more titles, and hopefully with the added support of Four Star Pizza I can have a slice of even greater success in 2019 and make it my best year yet on the professional circuit.“
Four Star Pizza, who earlier this month announced plans to expand their number of stores in Ireland to a total of 65 outlets across the island, creating up to an additional 200 new jobs, will have its logo displayed on Daryl’s playing shirt for all of his 2019 fixtures.
In addition, they have secured a number of exclusive customer and media engagement opportunities with Daryl, one of the rising stars of the sport.
Four Star Pizza Director, Brian Clarke, welcomed the news, saying: “We’re thrilled to announce that we are extending our sponsorship with Daryl, and look forward to cheering him on in what we hope will be another successful season.
“We know that an increasing number of our customers support Daryl as he takes on the best players in the world.
“With his fan-base growing all the time, we expect his support, particularly in Ireland, to grow. We’re looking forward to plenty of 180s from the SuperChin in 2019 and he can count on Four Star Pizza for top flight support.”
Established in 1986, Four Star Pizza employs more than 1,000 people across the island of Ireland. Last year, the company sold approximately 4.5 MILLION pizzas, using almost 60 MILLION pepperoni slices, more than 500 TONNES of cheese and 1000 TONNES of flour in the process.
The first Four Star Pizza store in Ireland opened in Crumlin, Dublin, in 1986. Since then, the company has opened locations across Dublin, Cork, Galway, Kerry, Wicklow, Donegal, Kildare, Kilkenny, Limerick, Louth, Meath, Wateford, Westmeath, and Wexford.
In Northern Ireland, the company opened its first store in Belfast in 1999 and other locations now include Bangor, Carrickfergus, Newry, Drumahoe, Derry, Armagh, Newtownabbey, Coleraine and, most recently, Lisburn which opened its doors in December last year.
By Phil Lanning


text:
London, Jan 4 (IANS) Ever thought why drinking white wine leaves some women upset and depressed at times?
Experts suggest it could be due to its ingredients as the white wine contains more sulphites than the red wine.
Sulphites have been linked with “drinking blues” and depression as well as a host of other ailments from allergies to headaches.
While sulphites are naturally found in grapes, small amounts of sulphur are added prior to fermentation, as a preservative, to keep the freshness and remove unwanted yeasts and bacteria, Daily Mail reported.
White wine also contains up to 10 times more sugar than red, according to Britain’s Food Standards Agency.
“Women also react more quickly to alcohol,” found Sarah Jarvis, the medical adviser to the charity Drinkaware, adding that this may be the reason behind women tending to suffer worse hangovers.
According to researchers at the University of Missouri – Columbia, not only did women turn drunk faster, but their hangover symptoms were more severe — even though they drank the same amount as men did.


text:
In recent years, LED lighting has emerged to offer workplaces and residences an alternative to traditional fluorescent lighting. Having said that, LED lighting also promises to radically change the high-speed data communications sector. LiFi, which uses light waves rather than radio waves, will enable many users to transmit data at speeds exceeding current WiFi, usingRead more
This week, Philips announced that its LiFi, or Light Fidelity, tech is currently being tested at the offices of Icade, a French real estate investment company. LiFi provides broadband internet through lights, using LEDs to transmit a high-speed connection of up to 30 Mb per second through light waves. Read more at Engadget.
Lucibel , an expert in LED lighting and one of the pioneers of LiFi , and Barrisol, the world leader in stretch ceilings , announce the conclusion of a strategic and commercial partnership to design and offer innovative technological solutions for professional interior design. Read more at VIPress.net
APEX Insight: An alternative power source for cabin electronics is coming to light. “Wireless data from every light.” That’s how Professor Harald Haas of the University of Edinburgh describes Li-Fi, the term he coined for bidirectional visible light communication. Li-Fi uses light waves to transmit data, encoded in changes in brightness too fast to beRead more
LiFi solutions manufacturer Firefly LiFi is utilizing LED technology to introduce low cost 5G wireless bridges to smart city networks offering the best security and high data capacity for indoor and Wireless To The Home (WTTH) outdoor backhaul applications. Read more at Telecoms.
Philips Lighting (Signify) is the First Global Lighting Company to offer LiFi-enabled Luminaires from its Existing Office Lighting Portfolio
Philips is now offering Light Fidelity (LiFi), a technology in which LED lighting provides a broadband Internet connection through light waves. As the lighting company for the Internet of Things, Philips Lighting is the first global lighting company to offer LiFi-enabled luminaires from its existing office lighting portfolio. “LiFi has enormous potential for today’s digital age,” said Olivia Qiu,Read more
In the future, data could flow out of your $400 West Elm sconce like water out of a showerhead at speeds 100 times faster than WiFi. That is, if you’re using a technology called LiFi. “Li-Fi” stands for light fidelity and it’s likely to be the next stage in the natural evolution of in-home wireless internet technology. Before youRead more
So you’ve heard of Wi-Fi. You might even be on Wi-Fi right now. But what if you hate Wi-Fi? What if you are just really, morally opposed to and personally offended by Wi-Fi, but still want wireless internet? Then finally, you have an answer: Li-Fi — internet delivered via infrared light. Li-Fi is not exactlyRead more


text:
Samsung released the Galaxy A32 5G smartphone in January this year. According to recent reports, this smartphone will undergo a name change this year. The company will relaunch this device as Samsung Galaxy Jump. The latest report shows that the company has already reapplied for Bluetooth SIG certification.
In the re-application, this device comes with the codename SM-A326K. Unfortunately, the Bluetooth certification does not reveal the exact details of this smartphone. Nevertheless, there are reports that this phone will be very similar to the Samsung Galaxy A32. If there will be any changes, they will be minimal changes.
Recall that back in January, Samsung released a smartphone which became the company’s cheapest 5G smartphone. This is the Samsung Galaxy A32 5G. This device comes with a MediaTek Dimensity 720 processor and 4GB RAM. The mobile phone adopts a full-screen solution with a water screen and a resolution of 1600 × 720. Under the hood, this smartphone boasts a huge 5000 mAh battery that supports 15W fast charging.
Gizchina News of the week
In terms of cameras, the A32 5G is equipped with a 48-megapixel main camera, an 8-megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera, a 2-megapixel depth-sensing camera, and the necessary 5-megapixel macro camera. The front camera is a 13-megapixel sensor.
The Samsung Galaxy A32 5G is already abvailable globally. We do not know the exact plans that the company has for the Samsung Galaxy Jump. This is the first Samsng device that will come with the “Jump” name. It could be a lineup that will be available for a specific market. With the application for Bluetooth certification, the company will probably launch this device pretty soon.
Samsung Galaxy A32 5G specifications
- 6.5-inch HD+ Infinity-V TFT display
- Octa Core MediaTek Dimensity 720 7nm processor (Dual 2GHz Cortex-A76 + Hexa 2GHz Cortex-A55 CPUs) with Mali-G57 MC3 GPU
- 4GB / 6GB / 8GB LPDDR4x RAM, 64GB / 128GB (UFS 2.1) Storage, expandable up to 1TB via micro SD card
- Android 10 with One UI
- Dual SIM
- 48MP rear camera with f/1.8 aperture LED flash, 8MP ultra-wide angle camera with f/2.2 aperture, 2MP depth sensor and 5MP macro sensor with f/2.4 aperture
- 13MP front camera with f/2.2 aperture
- Side-mounted fingerprint sensor
- 3.5mm audio jack, Dolby Atmos
- Dimensions: 76.1 x 164.2 x 9.1mm; Weight: 205g
- 5G SA/NSA, Dual 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 ac, Bluetooth 5.1, GPS/ GLONASS/ Beidou, USB Type-C
- 5000mAh battery with 15W Fast Charging


text:
Throughout the pandemic, US tech stocks thrived. As other sectors declined, investors turned their heads towards the seemingly-pandemic-proof digital world. Take the NASDAQ Composite, a tech heavy index. Its share value has doubled in the last 12 months.
However, a rise in US bond yields has caused a large-scale tech stock sell-off. Rising yields are a key indicator of inflation, which erodes the future value of company earnings.
Though this may cause concern for investors, I’m taking advantage of cheaper share prices to top up on three US tech stocks I already hold.
#1. Palantir Technologies: data analytics
Palantir Technologies (NYSE: PLTR) specialises in data gathering and analytics. Its share price peaked at $39 in January 2021, up from $9 in October 2020.
The company offers three different data services, Gotham for governments, Foundry for corporate firms, and Apollo, which manages the two. Its Gotham government contracts provide a stable long-term income. In 2020 the company saw 47% revenue growth to $1.1bn, with 2021 forecasts expecting a similar figure.
However, the current price-to-book (P/B) ratio is around 28, signalling this stock could be overvalued. This is a risk for any investor buying now. For context US tech stock Microsoft trades on of P/B ratio of around 13. However, data collection is only going to accelerate in coming years, as the world increasingly shifts towards technological dependence. Therefore, I expect this stock to have a strong future and will buy more.
#2. NIO: Chinese electric travel
NIO (NYSE: NIO) is a Chinese electric car manufacturer. Its share price surged over 1,100% in 2020. Though the shares are down, this US-listed tech stock does boast some encouraging numbers. One example is the 113% year-on-year increase in production in 2020. It also has a much lower P/B ratio of 13.4, compared to industry leader Tesla’s 28.3. This indicates the current share price could be undervalued comparative to the industry giant.
However, if this US tech stock wants to become a front runner in the electric vehicle industry it will have to fend off some fierce competition, which is a risk that can’t be ignored. Ford has pledged $11bn for electric vehicle research from 2018-2022 and General Motors has set aside as even larger $27bn.
However, as a current investor I’m bullish about this US tech stock’s future growth. I’ll be buying more shares for my portfolio.
#3. Jumia Technologies: African e-commerce
Often referred to as “the Amazon of Africa”, Jumia Technologies (NYSE: JMIA) is a Nigerian e-commerce company. After its IPO in April 2019, this stock suffered some huge cash flow issues with operating losses exceeding revenues. However, throughout 2020 its share price exploded from just under $3, to peak at $65 per share in early February 2021.
With Africa’s lack of infrastructure, e-commerce has been largely overlooked as a viable business plan. Google owner Alphabet and Facebook are two US tech stocks that have announced plans to provide all of Sub-Saharan Africa with internet connections. If these projects are successful, I feel it would put Jumia in a great spot. Jumia’s conservative $4bn market cap also offers room for encouraging upside potential. I’m bullish about this US tech stock’s potential and, again, I’m going to add to my existing holding.
Markets around the world are reeling from the coronavirus pandemic…
And with so many great companies trading at what look to be ‘discount-bin’ prices, now could be the time for savvy investors to snap up some potential bargains.
But whether you’re a newbie investor or a seasoned pro, deciding which stocks to add to your shopping list can be daunting prospect during such unprecedented times.
Fortunately, The Motley Fool is here to help: our UK Chief Investment Officer and his analyst team have short-listed five companies that they believe STILL boast significant long-term growth prospects despite the global lock-down…
You see, here at The Motley Fool we don’t believe “over-trading” is the right path to financial freedom in retirement; instead, we advocate buying and holding (for AT LEAST three to five years) 15 or more quality companies, with shareholder-focused management teams at the helm.
That’s why we’re sharing the names of all five of these companies in a special investing report that you can download today for FREE. If you’re 50 or over, we believe these stocks could be a great fit for any well-diversified portfolio, and that you can consider building a position in all five right away.
Dylan Hood owns shares in Jumia Technologies, Palantir Technologies, and NIO. Suzanne Frey, an executive at Alphabet, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. Randi Zuckerberg, a former director of market development and spokeswoman for Facebook and sister to its CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, is a member of The Motley Fool's board of directors. The Motley Fool UK owns shares of and has recommended Alphabet (A shares), Facebook, and NIO Inc. The Motley Fool UK owns shares of Palantir Technologies Inc. Views expressed on the companies mentioned in this article are those of the writer and therefore may differ from the official recommendations we make in our subscription services such as Share Advisor, Hidden Winners and Pro. Here at The Motley Fool we believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors.


text:
WhatsApp drops subscription fee, it’s now a free app.
Category “App Store”
Are you a fan of Futurama? Then you’ll enjoy their new game that just launched in Canada.
Lifeline is Apple’s free App of the Week.
Super Hexagon is the latest freebie from Apple’s App of the Week.
RBC Wallet has launched in the App Store as a standalone app.
Shaw has officially announced its FreeRange TV app, bringing live television to iOS users.
If you need more filters, Colorburn has more than enough with 1000 filters.
If you haven’t downloaded Amazon’s Kindle iOS app, now’s the time to do so.
Microsoft has launched a new app to help you improve your selfies.
Apple’s Free App of the Week is Harmony 3.
Whistler Blackcomb Mobile has now gained support for WB+.
Kim Kardashian’s new emoji app launched yesterday is now the number 1 app in Canada.


text:
Debunking the war on savers
Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke has taken a lot of heat for keeping interest rates near zero and pumping money into an anemic economy.
James SurowieckiThe New Yorker
The so-called “war on savers” is a myth, said James Surowiecki. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke has taken a lot of heat for keeping interest rates near zero and pumping money into an anemic economy. The idea is to spur growth by “encouraging businesses to invest and hire and by making it easier for people to buy homes.” But it also means you get almost no interest on your savings. That’s inspired Bernanke’s critics to see him as “one of history’s great thieves,” responsible for “fleecing people, especially retirees, of hundreds of billions of dollars that they could have earned in interest.” I have nothing against saving, but I can’t muster too much sympathy for this particularly skewed vision of a saver. The fact is that few people live entirely off of interest income or savings; most savers “are also workers or homeowners or stock-market investors—groups that need a growing economy to prosper.” With the economy still weak, raising interest rates prematurely to beef up savings accounts could be a recipe for a double-dip recession. “It may be hard for people to live off their savings these days, but the far more urgent problem is that it’s even harder for people who don’t have jobs, or whose wages are stagnant, to save anything at all.”


text:
MacAddict magazine, Brisbane, CA, reported a 10 percent climb in circulation from January to June and a combined increase of 18 percent over the 12-month period starting July 1999. In total, MacAddict is now reaching nearly 200,000 readers, up from 180,000 at the beginning of the BPA International's ranking period.
“MacAddict has always been a very strong book for us,” said Kate Bailey, group subscription director for Imagine Media Inc., MacAddict's parent company. “Not only has MacAddict shown consistent growth overall but the magazine's bonus circulation numbers are always above average.”
Despite the recent growth, MacAddict trails far behind the Mac community's leading editorial vehicle, Macworld. Jointly published by Ziff Davis Media and IDG, Macworld's circulation pushes over 700,000, while the magazine claims a readership level of twice that amount. But whereas Macworld is geared toward a more technological, product-oriented coverage, MacAddict focuses on the Macintosh culture and community.
MacAddict says its reader are enthusiasts and hard-core followers of Macintosh computer systems. Each month, the issue provides its readers with a CD featuring samples of the latest Macintosh software programs.
MacAddict's associate publisher, Don Kimenker, said the combination of avid Mac readers and increasing circulation numbers is attracting more advertisers. “As we grow, advertisers CPM decreases as we reach more and more quality Mac-savvy readers each month,” he said.
Imagine Media, which publishes MacAddict, also owns several other second- and third-tier magazines such as Maximum PC, Business 2.0, PC Gamer, Games Business and others. The monthly combined circulation for all of its issues tops 1.8 million.


text:
Patriot Rail expands rail capacity at the Kingman (Ariz.) Industrial Park. Also, Savage, a Utah-based global infrastructure and supply chain services company, sells its EnviroServe business.
Savage, a Utah-based global infrastructure and supply chain services company, is planning a multi-commodity transload facility in its home state, northwest of Cedar City. It will be served by Union Pacific (UP).
A grand opening was held earlier this month for the Savage Gulf Rail Facility, which supports the plastics manufacturing joint venture of ExxonMobil and SABIC in San Patricio County, Tex.
Railroad Software hired a short line railroad veteran as Vice President of Business Development. In addition, a former Mexican Ambassador to the United States joined the Savage Board of Directors; HDR made two executive appointments; and WSP USA named a National Transit and Rail Deputy Market Sector Leader.
Intermodal service provider Tiger Cool Express will develop a logistics center at the former Union Pacific Cold Connect warehouse in Wallula, Wash. In addition, CSX has designated a third Tennessee property as a CSX Select Site; Bartlett, a Savage Company, will build a $325 million soybean crushing facility in Kansas, to be served by Watco; and the U.S. Economic Development Administration is awarding CARES Act Recovery Assistance grants for the construction of a new industrial rail spur in Arkansas and improvements to the Lubbock Rail Port in Texas.
Diane K. Duren, a former Union Pacific executive, is now on the Savage Board of Directors.
Sasser Family Companies (Sasser) is acquiring Singapore-based global container lessor Falcon Lease Holdings Pte. Ltd. and its group of companies. In addition, Savage has opened Idaho’s first intermodal rail terminal.
Savage has completed construction of its CPT Chicago Transload terminal for lumber and building materials at Canadian Pacific’s Bensenville, Ill., rail yard.
Savage, a Utah-based global infrastructure and supply chain services company, is teaming with Kansas City Southern (KCS) to build a multi-commodity railport for transloading and storage in Mossville, La.
Savage, a Utah-based global infrastructure and supply chain services company, has opened a multi-commodity transload terminal in San Joaquin County, Calif., near Stockton.


text:
To introduce its new Denny’s Special Blend Coffee, the casual chain is offering one free cup of coffee to visitors to any Denny’s restaurant in the nation (dine in or to-go; no food purchase necessary).
The promotion is in effect for 24 hours, from midnight until 11:59:59 p.m. Tuesday (4/16). The 54-year-old chain, which serves 2 million cups of coffee weekly, also will be pouring free coffee at high-traffic post offices in Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, Miami and Pittsburgh on Tuesday, the deadline to have tax returns postmarked.
Also on Tuesday, Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream will give a free cone to all visitors to its shops from noon to 2 p.m. as part of its annual Free Cone Day. Two area shops are participating: one on Lark Street in Albany, the other on the RPI campus in Troy.
Locations of area Denny’s are after the jump.
Denny’s restaurants in the greater Capital Region:
- 126 TROY ROAD, EAST GREENBUSH
- 114 WOLF ROAD, COLONIE
- 24 LOUDEN BLVD. SARATOGA SPRINGS
- 248 QUAKER ROAD, QUEENSBURY


text:
Back in mid-May Apple was attempting to add the GALAXY S 4 to the ongoing patent suit with Samsung and it looks like a decision has recently been returned. In short, Apple is not permitted to add the GALAXY S 4 to the list of devices that are said to be infringing patents. The decision was returned by US Magistrate Judge Paul S. Grewal who happened to have some interesting comments on the topic.
Judge Grewal spoke about how adding another product to the list would be a “tax on the court’s resources.” He also went on to talk about how these extra court room appearances are taking time and resources away from other parities that are “entitled” to attention from the court.
“Each time these parties appear in the courtroom, they consume considerable amounts of the court’s time and energy, which takes time way from other parties who also require and are entitled to the court’s attention.”
While this seems to be a logical argument from Grewal, it doesn’t appear as if Apple is quite ready to accept the ruling. Apple lawyer Josh Krevitt hinted that an entirely new lawsuit would be necessary based on the ruling. Krevitt told Grewall that by not allowing them to add the GALAXY S 4 to the list of allegedly infringing devices, that “would require Apple to file a new lawsuit.”
According to Krevitt, this new lawsuit would be needed because many of the devices on the current list would be outdated by the time the trial arrives next year. For those wondering, this trial is expected to resume in March 2014. Additionally, both Apple and Samsung have until February 6, 2014 to narrow the list of patent claims.
While this case is still ongoing, many will remember the earlier case with the rather large number. That number was $1.05 billion, which was awarded to Apple because Samsung was found to have infringed upon six patents. This decision was later adjusted and the damages were dropped to just shy of $640 million. Of course, Samsung and Apple will be back in court this November regarding that settlement.


text:
Rally HealthSM is pleased to announce the appointment of Shawn Mobley as its chief revenue officer, overseeing strategic partnerships, sales and revenue management. Additionally, the company has hired Jim Baer as vice president of data to manage analytics strategies and ongoing product innovation.
Mobley has more than 20 years of experience in the health care industry, giving him extensive knowledge of business development, strategic planning, marketing and client management.
Baer served as the head of data science at LinkedIn where he was responsible for both business analytics and data-powered product development. He also helped establish one of the top analytics departments at Zynga, a leader in the social gaming industry.
"We are experiencing significant demand for our consumer health engagement platform from consumers who want more tools to help them make better, healthier decisions," said David Ko, Rally Health's president and chief operating officer. "Shawn and Jim both bring specific expertise and proven track records that will boost our capabilities to grow and deepen our strategic customer relationships and serve them with a consistent pipeline of innovative products."
The entities and logos identified on this page may have trademarks and those trademarks are owned by the respective entity.


text:
The I-PRAC team recently exhibited at the inaugural Short Stay Show, a unique show dedicated to the fastest-growing trend in the hospitality and tourism sectors: the short-term holiday rental industry. As sponsors, we were able to speak with delegates and take part in keynote presentations and discussions, gaining and sharing invaluable insight into this growing industry. It also provided our team with the perfect opportunity to showcase our innovative solution to the ever-growing problem of holiday rental fraud.
The Short Stay Show 2019
The first of its kind, the Short Stay Show 2019 took place on Thursday 14 March at the ExCeL London. It is the only show available for owners, managers and investors to meet with innovators and discuss insights into the industry and its future. The show will take place annually to bring together the best and brightest in the industry, and plans are already in motion for 2020.
With over 1400 visitors, more than 50 exhibitors and 100+ speakers across one day, the show was a success for all involved, and hosted industry experts, housing companies, associations and government representatives from across housing and tourism all under one roof. Many businesses and brands were also in attendance, including title sponsors HomeAway, Booking.com and Airbnb, as well as representatives from organisations such as Rightmove and UCL.
Throughout the day, delegates had access to:
- Premium conferences for industry stakeholders and influencers wanting to hear from keynote speakers
- A marketplace with innovative rental products and services on display from across the sector
- Two seminar stages with hosts discussing the latest trends and areas for improvement
- A central networking area designed for delegates to converse with peers
There is a lot to assess when it comes to the future and preservation of the short-term holiday rental industry. Here are our key takeaways from the Short Stay Show 2019 based upon our discussions with delegates, keynote speakers and seminars:
Tourism is the third largest sector in the world, and short-term holiday rental solutions are providing holidaymakers and property owners alike with much more flexibility. More so now than ever, customers have a wealth of choice when it comes to short-term options through individuals and agencies, and property owners are able to maximise profits without restrictions surrounding length of stay.
But with holiday rental fraud on the increase since 2011 – and an average of over £6.7 million lost to holiday fraud in 2017 (an increase of 25% year on year) – it came as no surprise that one of the focus topics for the day was the verification of holiday property owners and their listings.
As a verification membership platform for legitimate property owners and rental agents within the short-term rental industry, I-PRAC made the perfect partner for the Short Stay Show 2019. Our Managing Director Emma Mills and the team provided invaluable insight to delegates throughout the day on our online verification application, and the future of verification in the industry. The team were also able to make valuable contacts and partnerships with individuals and organisations, and saw a substantial increase in applications for I-PRAC verification in the weeks following the event.
Emma Mills, Managing Director of I-PRAC, said:
“We are so pleased to have attended as exhibitors and sponsors of the Short Stay Show 2019, and to have had the opportunity to launch and share with delegates the new I-PRAC members online profile; supporting a stable future for the industry through regulation and verification. Throughout the day our team were met with exceptionally positive feedback when it came to our innovative solution, and we look forward to sharing further insights throughout the year and as sponsors of the Short Stay Show 2020.”
You can find out more about I-PRAC and our time at the Short Stay Show 2019 by watching the video below:
The Future of the Industry
The growth of the short-term rental industry is helping boost local and national economies, so it’s imperative that all individuals, agents and businesses become verified and I-PRAC approved in anticipation of new regulations. These new regulations are earmarked for 2022, and will see certain countries only allow verified members the ability to list their properties on booking platforms.
However, the pace of the online revolution means providers must not simply wait for regulations to be introduced, and should act fast when it comes to doing all they can to verify their listings. This was supported by Lord Bourne of the Ministry of Housing, who stated during his keynote speech that regulation is in the interest of both property owners and travellers across the world.
Global travel and hospitality influencer and CEO of AJL Consulting, Simon Lehmann, also shared valuable insights on the huge impact of technology on the industry, and how it has the potential to transform how the sector as a whole is managed and marketed in the future.
For more information on becoming an I-PRAC verified member, or how best to identify verification, contact a member of our team. Alternatively, why not apply today using our simple application process?
To register your interest and stay up to date on all the latest news for the event in 2020, visit the official Short Stay Show website.


text:
NEW YORK (CNN/Money) -
Yahoo! Wednesday reported higher first-quarter earnings that topped Wall Street forecasts and raised its forecasts for sales and pretax earnings for 2003.
The Internet media company said it earned $46.7 million, or 8 cents a share, on sales of $283 million for the quarter. Wall Street was expecting earnings of 6 cents a share and revenue of $274 million, according to First Call. The company reported a profit of $10.5 million, or 2 cents a share, excluding a charge from an accounting change, on sales of $193 million a year earlier.
Yahoo!, along with many other Internet stocks, has performed extremely well this year due to expectations of strong earnings and sales growth. Shares of Yahoo! (YHOO: Research, Estimates) are up nearly 40 percent year-to-date.
The stock sank 3.9 percent ahead of the earnings report Wednesday but gained more than 3.5 percent in after-hours trading, according to Island ECN.
Strong gains across the board
The company demonstrated strong results throughout its businesses. Advertising revenue jumped 38 percent from a year earlier on strength in sponsored searches (i.e., advertisers paying for higher placement in search results) and other forms of Internet advertising such as banners and pop-ups.
To that end, Yahoo! CEO Terry Semel said during a conference call Wednesday that traditional ad sales, those not from sponsored searches, also rose more than 10 percent from a year earlier.
Ad revenue accounted for more than two-thirds of Yahoo!'s revenue in the first quarter and the company has been renewing its focus on ad-dependent business, such as its searching capabilities, as the ad market continues to recover. Yahoo! unveiled improvements to its search engine on Monday.
Fees from services such as a DSL partnership with SBC Communications and premium e-mail products rose 61 percent, and revenue from listings, mainly through Yahoo!'s HotJobs.com site, soared 89 percent.
But Safa Rashtchy, an analyst with US Bancorp Piper Jaffray, said that fee-based revenues, which only increased 3 percent from the fourth quarter of 2002, were a bit weaker than he expected.
Looking ahead, Yahoo! said sales for the second quarter should $295 million to $315 million, above analysts' average forecast of $292 million. For the full year, Yahoo! gave revenue guidance of $1.22 billion to $1.28 billion, ahead of the consensus forecast of $1.21 billion.
The company did not provide earnings-per-share targets but said earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization -- watched by many investors -- would be about $85 million to $95 million for the second quarter and between $350 million and $380 million for the full year. The company's previous full-year EBITDA estimate was $295 million to $330 million.
During the conference call, Yahoo! Chief Financial Officer Susan Decker said that barring a big slump in the global economy, the company should be able to hit the higher end of its sales and EBITDA targets.
What about valuation?
But is this solid performance already priced into Yahoo!'s stock?
Rashtchy thinks that the shares have more upside because analysts will likely raise their earnings estimates for the year due to the company's upbeat outlook. The current consensus is 30 cents a share. Rashtchy does not own the stock and his firm has no investment banking relationship with it.
Still, Yahoo! trades at 76 times 2003 earnings estimates. Derek Brown, an analyst with Pacific Growth Equities, thinks this is a bit rich, even though the company is doing extremely well.
"The new guidance makes the valuation a bit more palatable, but it is still a bit stretched right now," he said. Brown does not own the stock and Pacific Growth Equities does no investment banking for Yahoo!