AMAZON is piloting a new service that will enable people to pick up parcels from City centre lockers.
The internet firm is introducing collection points to take delivery of books, CDs and even food.
Items are brought to collection points on the same day they are ordered.
The company has already started trials in America and in London.
Shoppers order goods and the items are then delivered to 7ft high lockers, which have been placed outside office blocks. They have a touchscreen on the front and over the top is the name of the company.
Greg Buzek, president of the IHL Group, a research firm for retail technologies said: “No other online retailer has lockers, and traditional retailers should be scared too.”
Shoppers using Amazon could be given the opportunity to ask for their purchase to be sent to a locker instead of it being delivered to their home address. When the item is delivered they will receive an email and a code to access the locker.
The scheme has already been run close to London’s St Paul’s Cathedral at a shopping complex called One New Change.
The idea would reduce Amazon’s shipping expenses, which this year are about $1billion (£625m). It is predicted that they have doubled over the last 12 months.
In the future the lockers could be refrigerated so fresh food could be ordered and stored in them.
Sunday 30 October 2011
Sunday 23 October 2011
£16.5 billion profits for Apple
IT was surprising that analysts were disappointed with Apple’s annual profits of £16.5 billion, which were up 85 per cent.
In the three months to September the company sold 17.7 million iPhones. However experts had predicted it would sell 20 million.
The firm also sold 11.1 million iPads during the same time – this was an increase of 166 per cent on the year before.
Apple closed many of its stores for an hour last week to mark its founder Steve Jobs, who has recently died.
Meanwhile non-United fans will remember for a long time the expression on Sir Alex Ferguson’s face as his team conceded goal after goal at Old Trafford to Man City. He looked furious.
In the end it was 6-1 to Man City, who completely outplayed United with some fantastic goals.
This was United’s worst result at home to Manchester City since 1926.
After the game Sir Alex Ferguson said: “I can’t believe it. It’s our worst-ever day.”
You know it is the autumn and that Christmas is round the corner because a lot of CDs and books are released.
For example Coldplay are issuing their new album tomorrow, just in time to be considered as a Christmas present.
A host of celebrity autobiographies are now in the shops too.
It is a good time of the year to have a birthday as there are plenty of new books and CDs to choose from.
Finally has X Factor’s bubble burst? Viewers are switching off in droves and it is not surprising. It was unbelievable that the first studio show this year was on for about two and a half hours with less than an hour’s singing in it.
In the three months to September the company sold 17.7 million iPhones. However experts had predicted it would sell 20 million.
The firm also sold 11.1 million iPads during the same time – this was an increase of 166 per cent on the year before.
Apple closed many of its stores for an hour last week to mark its founder Steve Jobs, who has recently died.
Meanwhile non-United fans will remember for a long time the expression on Sir Alex Ferguson’s face as his team conceded goal after goal at Old Trafford to Man City. He looked furious.
In the end it was 6-1 to Man City, who completely outplayed United with some fantastic goals.
This was United’s worst result at home to Manchester City since 1926.
After the game Sir Alex Ferguson said: “I can’t believe it. It’s our worst-ever day.”
You know it is the autumn and that Christmas is round the corner because a lot of CDs and books are released.
For example Coldplay are issuing their new album tomorrow, just in time to be considered as a Christmas present.
A host of celebrity autobiographies are now in the shops too.
It is a good time of the year to have a birthday as there are plenty of new books and CDs to choose from.
Finally has X Factor’s bubble burst? Viewers are switching off in droves and it is not surprising. It was unbelievable that the first studio show this year was on for about two and a half hours with less than an hour’s singing in it.
Sunday 16 October 2011
The Open returns to St Andrews
IT has been announced that The Open is to be played at St Andrews in 2015 from July 16-19.
This will be the 29th time the old course has hosted golf’s oldest Major and it will be the 144th Championship.
The last time The Open was at the Home of Golf was in 2010. Louis Oosthuizen, from South Africa, was the winner that year by seven shots and he had a total of 16-under par, with an aggregate of 272.
The R&A’s chief executive Peter Dawson said: “We are delighted to announce that The Open will be returning to St Andrews and the historic old course in 2015.
“St Andrews has proved time and again that it is perfectly equipped to host The Open and I am certain we will yet again see a worthy winner lift the Claret Jug.
“Players, spectators and officials alike will welcome a return to the game’s spiritual home and I fully expect that we will witness another thrilling championship.”
Tiger Woods won at St Andrews in 2000 and 2005, by eight and five shots. Other winners at St Andrews are: JH Taylor (1895, 1900), James Braid (1905, 10), Bobby Jones (1927), Peter Thomson (1955), Bobby Locke (1957), Jack Nicklaus (1970, 78), Seve Ballesteros (1984), Sir Nick Faldo (1990) and John Daly (1995).
In recent years The Open has returned to St Andrews every five years.
The R&A, who organise The Open, have said independent research they commissioned with Event Scotland showed that the Open Championship in 2010 brought a £100m benefit to Scotland, and of this £40.1m entered the local economy.
This will be the 29th time the old course has hosted golf’s oldest Major and it will be the 144th Championship.
The last time The Open was at the Home of Golf was in 2010. Louis Oosthuizen, from South Africa, was the winner that year by seven shots and he had a total of 16-under par, with an aggregate of 272.
The R&A’s chief executive Peter Dawson said: “We are delighted to announce that The Open will be returning to St Andrews and the historic old course in 2015.
“St Andrews has proved time and again that it is perfectly equipped to host The Open and I am certain we will yet again see a worthy winner lift the Claret Jug.
“Players, spectators and officials alike will welcome a return to the game’s spiritual home and I fully expect that we will witness another thrilling championship.”
Tiger Woods won at St Andrews in 2000 and 2005, by eight and five shots. Other winners at St Andrews are: JH Taylor (1895, 1900), James Braid (1905, 10), Bobby Jones (1927), Peter Thomson (1955), Bobby Locke (1957), Jack Nicklaus (1970, 78), Seve Ballesteros (1984), Sir Nick Faldo (1990) and John Daly (1995).
In recent years The Open has returned to St Andrews every five years.
The R&A, who organise The Open, have said independent research they commissioned with Event Scotland showed that the Open Championship in 2010 brought a £100m benefit to Scotland, and of this £40.1m entered the local economy.
Sunday 9 October 2011
£101m EuroMillions prize claimed
LAST Friday’s EuroMillions winner has come forward to collect the £101m jackpot.
The prize has been won by someone in Britain and they will collect the third biggest prize in the UK.
A national lottery spokesman has said: “This is amazing news – we are absolutely delighted for the winner.
“We’ve got the champagne on ice and look forward to welcoming the ticket-holder into the National Lottery millionaires’ club.”
Camelot, who run the Lottery, said that they are not yet able to say if the winning ticket holder is part of a syndicate.
The biggest-ever Euro Millions win went to Colin and Chris Weir, from Scotland. They collected £161m in the first part of 2011.
The second biggest prize was collected by one ticket-holder in October 2010. The lucky winner won £113m and has stayed anonymous.
The winners of Friday’s draw are now £1m richer than David Bowie, who is Britain’s 703rd richest person.
They could now buy 600 of the most expensive sports cars – the Ferrari 458 Italia, which has a price tag of £140,000.
Or if they wanted to they could have a party and invite Rihanna to sing at it. She charges £500,000 a performance.
Meanwhile, the best way to watch the X-Factor is to record it, so that you can fast forward all the adverts. It was on for a mind numbing two and a half hours on Saturday and then a further hour tonight (Sunday).
There seemed to be endless adverts during its slot. But I suppose it gives you a chance to make a brew.
You know when the studio programmes start that Christmas is not far away.
The prize has been won by someone in Britain and they will collect the third biggest prize in the UK.
A national lottery spokesman has said: “This is amazing news – we are absolutely delighted for the winner.
“We’ve got the champagne on ice and look forward to welcoming the ticket-holder into the National Lottery millionaires’ club.”
Camelot, who run the Lottery, said that they are not yet able to say if the winning ticket holder is part of a syndicate.
The biggest-ever Euro Millions win went to Colin and Chris Weir, from Scotland. They collected £161m in the first part of 2011.
The second biggest prize was collected by one ticket-holder in October 2010. The lucky winner won £113m and has stayed anonymous.
The winners of Friday’s draw are now £1m richer than David Bowie, who is Britain’s 703rd richest person.
They could now buy 600 of the most expensive sports cars – the Ferrari 458 Italia, which has a price tag of £140,000.
Or if they wanted to they could have a party and invite Rihanna to sing at it. She charges £500,000 a performance.
Meanwhile, the best way to watch the X-Factor is to record it, so that you can fast forward all the adverts. It was on for a mind numbing two and a half hours on Saturday and then a further hour tonight (Sunday).
There seemed to be endless adverts during its slot. But I suppose it gives you a chance to make a brew.
You know when the studio programmes start that Christmas is not far away.
Saturday 8 October 2011
Never write Tiger Woods off
WAS Rory McIlroy premature to write Tiger Woods off?
He said: “We saw the best of Tiger in 2000 and 2001. I don’t think golf can be played any better than that.
“He didn’t even need to play that well to win tournaments – he won the US Open by 15 shots, the Open by eight – so I think we’ve seen the best of him, but that’s not to say he won’t win again.”
I’m not sure you can say that about Tiger. Although he has not won for two years, and is now ranked 49th in the world rankings, he still has the potential to turn his situation around.
He is only 35 and could reach Jack Nicklaus’s tally of 18 major titles. At the moment Tiger has 14 majors.
When he was on form and leading a competition other players used to be fearful of challenging him. Players were also fearful of when he made a charge up the leaderboard. In recent years, I think the fear factor has disappeared, maybe due to all the lurid headlines, which could have burst his invincibility bubble.
For golf viewers there is nothing greater than watching Tiger on form, and it must not be forgotten that Jack Nicklaus won the Masters in 1986 at the age of 46. While Tom Watson was 59 when he came so close to winning The Open at Turnberry in 2009.
If Tiger can sort out his injuries, then he can win again and secure more majors.
One of his worst injuries was in June 2008, which he won despite having to limp for most of the 72 holes of competition.
After that event he had surgery on his left knee and missed the rest of the season, including the 2008 Open Championship.
McIlroy made his comments after signing with Santander.
He won The US Open this year in June, his first major, and also came very close to taking The Masters, at the start of the year.
He said: “We saw the best of Tiger in 2000 and 2001. I don’t think golf can be played any better than that.
“He didn’t even need to play that well to win tournaments – he won the US Open by 15 shots, the Open by eight – so I think we’ve seen the best of him, but that’s not to say he won’t win again.”
I’m not sure you can say that about Tiger. Although he has not won for two years, and is now ranked 49th in the world rankings, he still has the potential to turn his situation around.
He is only 35 and could reach Jack Nicklaus’s tally of 18 major titles. At the moment Tiger has 14 majors.
When he was on form and leading a competition other players used to be fearful of challenging him. Players were also fearful of when he made a charge up the leaderboard. In recent years, I think the fear factor has disappeared, maybe due to all the lurid headlines, which could have burst his invincibility bubble.
For golf viewers there is nothing greater than watching Tiger on form, and it must not be forgotten that Jack Nicklaus won the Masters in 1986 at the age of 46. While Tom Watson was 59 when he came so close to winning The Open at Turnberry in 2009.
If Tiger can sort out his injuries, then he can win again and secure more majors.
One of his worst injuries was in June 2008, which he won despite having to limp for most of the 72 holes of competition.
After that event he had surgery on his left knee and missed the rest of the season, including the 2008 Open Championship.
McIlroy made his comments after signing with Santander.
He won The US Open this year in June, his first major, and also came very close to taking The Masters, at the start of the year.
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