Lagan Technologies, the Belfast-headquartered World leader in technologies that connect governments and citizens, is in talks with a number of local authorities in the UK about the launch of trials of its Citizens Connect iPhone application.
(read more..)A survey of the views of 8,000 Bedfordshire-based small businesses points to growing confidence about the prospects for 2010 in the county.
(read more..)Reaction to Cabinet Office announcement, 27 January 2010
(read more..)New gadget removes all risk of getting lost by putting hikers inside a detailed virtual map of their surroundings.
(read more..)Vision Express, one of the UK’s leading chains of opticians, is reintroducing the monocle following an unexpected surge in requests from customers.
(read more..)The UK’s leading Christmas cracker and wrapping paper supplier Swantex today reports a sharp increase in demand for crackers and wrapping paper, providing further evidence that consumer confidence is returning.
(read more..)A national poll of UK call centre managers by audio recording specialists Veritape has identified a potential risk to millions of credit card details, including the 3-digit security code. The routine practice of storing unedited audio recordings of calls is creating a vast reservoir of sensitive data on the servers of call centres across the UK in direct breach of global industry standards drawn up by the Payment Card Industry Data Security Council.
(read more..)John Lewis stores throughout the UK are doubling their wool stocks for what is expected to be the busiest knitting season in decades as Christmas approaches and the Make Do and Mend mindset continues its hold on the nation’s psyche. Year on year sales of wool, already up nearly 10 percent overall, are expected to rise further as Christmas approaches. Some luxury yarns, including organic wool, are up by as much as 30% year on year.
(read more..)A revised version of the wartime classic Make Do and Mend, co-authored by Partners at John Lewis, continues to top the store chain’s best-selling books list, three weeks after its release. Initial stocks have now sold out and John Lewis has issued a rush order for a new print run. The next-best selling book was Jamie Oliver’s America, which Make Do and Mend 2009 has outsold by a factor of 4 to 1.
(read more..)We are pleased to advise that Twelve Thirty Eight has won the Outstanding Small Consultancy of the Year Award for the second year in succession at the 2009 Chartered Institute of Public Relations PRIDE Awards.
(read more..)John Lewis is publishing a modern reworking of the classic war-time pamphlet, “Make Do and Mend”, with all tips provided by its own employees. Partners past and present have collaborated on the booklet, which is packed with money-saving advice. It will be available in all stores from the beginning of September. The guide is being launched as households continue to think about consumption in a new way.
(read more..)With the Met Office’s prediction of a barbecue summer looking increasingly likely, Vision Express, the leading national chain of opticians, is warning parents to protect their children’s eyes from excessive exposure to sunlight.
(read more..)Twelve Thirty Eight is launching a Twitter service today exclusively for in-house PR professionals. The service will feature short bursts of news about immediate PR opportunities in the national press and broadcast media, recent senior editorial appointments and regular “weather forecasts” to assist PR teams in maximising the timing of their announcements.
(read more..)Reevoo.com, the leading source of authentic customer reviews on the web, today announces the winners of the Reevoo Customer Choice Awards 2009. The winning products, as chosen by shoppers, represent the very best in electrical products and appliances for the kitchen, laundry, living room and on-the-move.
(read more..)St Albans Cathedral is campaigning this Easter to reclaim and rename the traditional hot cross bun. The modern British Christian tradition of the Easter bun is said to originate in St Albans, Hertfordshire, where Father Thomas Rockliffe, a 14th Century monk, developed an original recipe and distributed the bun to the local poor on Good Friday, starting in 1361.
(read more..)After a disappointing sales performance at Christmas for Blu-ray, the HD disc format may be in trouble, according to www.reevoo.com, the customer reviews website. Sales of Blu-ray players had been expected to increase rapidly after Blu-ray killed off HD DVD in February 2008 in the biggest format war since VHS killed Betamax. But over Christmas demand for DVD players outstripped Blu-ray players by a factor of 10, despite some Blu-Ray players selling for less than �100.
(read more..)Mobile phone manufacturers risk losing their customers as they race to incorporate touch-screen features into their phones in a bid to copy Apple’s success, according to feedback from shoppers collated by customer review website, www.Reevoo.com.
(read more..)Reevoo, the UK’s leading publisher of genuine customer reviews, has secured the contract to provide a customer review service to the Tesco direct arm of Britain’s biggest retailer.
(read more..)Vision Express (www.visionexpress.com), the UK’s leading chain of opticians, today announces the launch of a programme of eye care initiatives for 2009 that will amount to the largest privately-funded examination of UK eye health ever undertaken. The programme is launched in conjunction with the publication of YouGov research commissioned by Vision Express that finds that 60% of a representative sample of the population has spent nothing on eye care in the last 12 months.
(read more..)A new electronic guide to the UK that pinpoints restaurants and places of interest that are perfect for kids has been launched to coincide with Autumn half term.
(read more..)After weeks of gloomy economic news, Vision Express, the leading national chain of opticians, is offering its customers a rose-tinting service for their glasses from today.
(read more..)Hot on the heels of news that a Sven-Goran Eriksson lookalike has fooled Mexico, Screwfix, the leading supplier of building materials and tools to the trade, has launched a nationwide search of building sites for tradesmen who look uncannily like famous football stars.
(read more..)Twelve Thirty Eight has been shortlisted in the outstanding small consultancy category at this year’s Chartered Institute of Public Relations PRIDE Awards.
(read more..)Vision Express, the national eyewear and eye care specialists, has seen a surge in demand for frames with plain glass, with sales currently running at up to 1,500 pairs per week. The surge has been so pronounced that the new group of wearers are being dubbed “Suspecs”.
(read more..)Screwfix, the leading supplier of building and maintenance equipment to the trade, has seen a sharp increase in the sale of domestic security equipment, reflecting increasing levels of anxiety amongst homeowners about burglary as the credit crunch bites.
(read more..)Sainsbury’s reports the emergence of new DIY trend as Britain on a budget prepares fast food at home – with dramatic savings.
(read more..)Sainsbury’s is celebrating today’s 80th anniversary of sliced bread, which first went into production on July 7th, 1928, with the publication of a series of handy hints for making the most of one of the World’s iconic foods – and to avoid waste.
(read more..)British households may soon resound to the cry: “Would you mind fetching a bag of milk while you’re out?” as a revolutionary new milk packaging system is rolled out by Sainsbury’s nationally.
(read more..)Shoppers are being urged to make better use of leftover food and improve food storage in an effort to cut the mountain of wasted food in Britain’s households and to help cash strapped customers make their budgets go further.
(read more..)A revolutionary new variety of cucumber with a translucent skin arrives in Sainsbury’s stores this week. The thin-skinned ‘c-thru-cumber’, which requires no peeling, arrives in time for summer when cucumber sandwiches are a fixture on afternoon tea and picnic menus.
(read more..)A new milk product that sits between semi-skimmed milk and skimmed milk is proving to be an enormous success with Sainsbury’s customers just a week-and-a-half after launch.
The new orange-topped 1% fat milk, which contains nearly half the fat of semi-skimmed milk, is flying off the shelves. Within ten days of launch, one in 20 Sainsbury’s milk customers had already converted to 1% milk. At current sales rates, 1% milk could account for higher sales than skimmed milk within a matter of weeks.
(read more..)Eden Ventures, a venture capital firm that invests in new software and technology businesses, is today launching a Challenge to find a next-generation software developer or team that will receive an investment of up to £1 million to fund a business based on their innovation.
(read more..)Jamie Oliver and Sainsbury’s are joining forces to put affordable, healthy, hearty meals within reach of even the most cash-strapped British families this Spring, backed by a range of start-from-scratch recipes that will feed a hungry family of four for a fiver.
(read more..)LONDRES, 7h00 GMT, le 19 mars 2008 : Reevoo, le site d’accompagnement des internautes dans leurs achats en ligne vient d’annoncer l’ouverture de son capital à Banexi Ventures Partners. Cette société de capital investissement française de premier plan est à l’origine du développement de Kelkoo, le site de comparaison de prix racheté par Yahoo pour 470 millions d’euros en 2004.
(read more..)LONDON, 7.00AM GMT, 19 MARCH, 2008: Reevoo, the online business that helps shoppers decide what to buy, has secured investment from Banexi Ventures Partners, the French leading venture capital firm that backed Kelkoo, the price comparison site sold to Yahoo for Euro 470 million in 2004.
(read more..)Sainsbury’s scored another first with the arrival of the first British strawberry crop of the season at its Hull store this morning. The first tray of punnets arrived from the East End Nursery at Keyingham, fifteen miles from the store, at 8.00am.
(read more..)Sainsbury’s managers will temporarily shift their focus from the nation’s dinner tables to the table tennis table as they provide support to the British Table Tennis Federation (BTTF) as part of the FTSE – British Olympic Association Initiative.
(read more..)Britain’s earliest ever asparagus crop is being hand delivered to Sainsbury’s on March 14. New growing techniques and improved varieties have brought forward the traditional eight-week season by a staggering six weeks versus 2006 – guaranteeing a huge boost for the entire British asparagus industry. This is the second year in a row that the British asparagus crop has arrived at record time at Sainsbury’s stores. Last year, the crop was one month earlier than the previous record.
(read more..)Sainsbury’s store throughout the UK are reporting the first signs of the anticipated “Delia Effect” as Britain enters the first weekend of food retail sales after the launch of Britain’s most famous cook’s latest book. Extra Sainsbury’s “Delia-ivery” vans are on stand-by to transport additional stocks of ingredients endorsed by Delia Smith.
(read more..)Speaking at the launch of this year’s Sainsbury’s Active Kids programme today, Olympic champion Dame Kelly Holmes will urge kids to get off the sofa and spend more time exercising in order to improve their health, enhance their confidence and safeguard the future of British sport.
(read more..)DSG international plc becomes the first electrical retailer to terminate all purchases of analogue televisions and move to a 100% digital television range. No further orders will be placed for analogue televisions once existing commitments are fulfilled.
The Group�s chains Currys, PC World and Dixons.co.uk will begin to transition television ranges to digital-only with immediate effect.
DSG international is the market leader in the sale of televisions in the UK. In the last twelve months, the Group has sold approaching 2 million televisions through its Currys, PC World and Dixons brands in the UK. DVD recorders featuring analogue tuners will also be removed from the range.
PC World, the UK’s leading computing retailer and e-tailer announces its best in show awards from the Consumer Electronics show in Las Vegas. Senior buyers from PC World have been at the conference this week, meeting with manufacturers and viewing the latest developments in consumer electronics.
(read more..)Waistlines are not the only things that are feeling bloated this January, according to data from the TechGuys. The UK�s digital support service has seen a dramatic rise in the number of PC and laptop owners who are reporting sluggishness on the part of their IT equipment after the festive break. More than 70% of callers to the TechGuys� helplines this January have indicated that their PC is running slowly, something that the TechGuys are attributing to an over-indulgence in downloads.
(read more..)The Nintendo Wii was judged the most popular of the big three consoles in 2007, despite extreme shortages of the console in the lead-up to Christmas, according to reviews from genuine purchasers collated by independent review publishers, Reevoo.
(read more..)A selection of coverage generated by Twelve Thirty Eight for the launch of RoadTour, the World’s first satellite navigation audio tour guide.
(read more..)As Britain embarks on a major festive food shop this weekend, a study of our eating patterns this Christmas reveals a nation largely committed to tradition, local sourcing and luxuries. However, there’s a marked difference between the older and younger generations’ preferred menus.
(read more..)More than a quarter (27%) of UK adults confidently predict that they will receive a battery or mains powered electrical product this Christmas, reveals a national study by the TechGuys, the UK�s leading national digital support service for homes. However, when asked whether they were more likely to tremble with excitement or frustration when setting up their technology on Christmas day, a quarter of women and nearly one in five adults admitted that they�ll probably be gnashing their teeth because they can�t make it work.
(read more..)A new SatNav tour guide that alerts motorists to Britain’s greatest historical sites as they drive near them is set to spark fresh interest in our heritage. Invented by history buff Daniel Taylor, the RoadTour software works with satellite navigation equipment to trigger audio commentary and pictures of 600 key attractions, including castles, stately homes and battlefields.
(read more..)Local produce is back and is fashionable, according to a new report from Sainsbury’s. A resurgence in seasonal awareness is taking place amongst the 18-34 age group, who are now the consumers with the highest awareness of what fruit and vegetables are in and out of season and what aren’t, according to a national study of more than 7,000 consumers by Sainsbury’s.
(read more..)A new generation of energy-efficient flat screen monitors and televisions has seen off the classic CRT monitor, saving acres of spare room desk space in the process. Today, increasing numbers of buyers are selecting a flat screen monitor or are plugging their PCs into their new flat screen televisions and engaging in teleputing as new connected home technologies become a reality. Owners are taking advantage of their new HD-ready flat screens to play games, films or show photographs.
(read more..)British shoppers are being warned to watch out for bogus customer reviews this Christmas. The warning comes as new research from YouGov reveals that customer reviews are five times more likely to influence online shoppers to part with their cash than advertising.
(read more..)Nature programmes will never look as good as they do on the new range of Tree-Vs from Currys and Dixons.co.uk. These exclusive models are from Swedish manufacturer, Swedx, and are built with natural Ash, Sapele or Beech wood from sustainable forest sources. High definition pictures will enable viewers to see every detail in the grain. The Tree-Vs will be coming to Currys stores and online to Dixons.co.uk just in time for Christmas, but can be reserved online now.
(read more..)British shoppers are being warned to watch out for bogus customer reviews this Christmas. The warning comes as new research from YouGov reveals that customer reviews are five times more likely to influence online shoppers to part with their cash than advertising.
(read more..)The TechGuys, the nationwide provider of technical help and support to homes, have identified the time in the week when the volume of technical problems with PCs peaks. Based on more than a year spent gathering data from millions of customers, the TechGuys have pinpointed 4pm – 5pm on Mondays as the time in the week when the most problems occur with home computers.
(read more..)The hand is proving mightier than the fork, the knife and the spoon when it comes to eating meals, according to nationwide research commissioned by Sainsbury’s.
(read more..)The fax machine, one of the icons of the eighties and nineties office, is staging a comeback as homes look for new ways to offset the impact of the current wave of industrial action at the Royal Mail. Sales of fax machines have been tracking as much as 25% above expectations as industrial action at the Post Office has caused homeowners to find alternative methods of getting their messages through.
(read more..)Hundreds of thousands of UK homes are being advised today that their video and DVD recorders may not work effectively within a year as the digital switchover process begins. The TechGuys advise that whilst excellent progress is being made on equipping the country’s homes with technology to receive digital programmes, many homes risk falling short if they don’t upgrade their recording technology.
(read more..)A summary of recent news and announcements from DSG international plc, the specialist electrical retailing group.
(read more..)The TechGuys, the UK’s first and only truly national digital support service, celebrates its first birthday this week. The service today employs 500 field engineers, 1,500 call centre technicians, 40 product evaluation specialists and 450 in-store engineers, with plans to add new recruits to the national team in the coming year. One hundred and sixty in-store TechGuys service centres have been opened during the year. The TechGuys deal with a customer request for assistance on average every six seconds.
(read more..)PC World, the UK’s leading chain of computing superstores, will announce today that it will offer a mandatory child security set-up for all PCs and laptops that it sells as part of the retailer’s commitment to improving the online safety of the first truly digital generation. All parents buying computers will be offered the service free at the point of purchase. The service will restrict the amount of time that children can access the PC and will restrict their access to potentially harmful content online. Limits will be imposed in consultation with parents.
(read more..)Reevoo, the UK’s leading independent publisher of genuine customer reviews, today announces the appointment of Charles Delamain as Commercial Director. Charles joins Reevoo from Orange, where he was Director of Partner Solutions. He will be responsible for establishing retail partnerships in new sectors, accelerating consumer adoption of the Reevoo service and developing the network to provide high quality traffic to retail partners.
(read more..)The TechGuys, the UK’s leading national digital support service, will make a landmark contribution to the nation’s digital health from Tuesday 14th August with the launch of trials of the UK’s first free national technical support clinic for households.
(read more..)Reacting to today’s launch of the BBC iPlayer, Niall O’Keeffe, marketing director of PC World said:
“Today’s launch of the iPlayer is a major cultural and broadcasting shift and further evidence of the impending marriage of the TV and the PC. Already more than eight in 10 PCs that we sell come with a remote control, which reflects the increasingly common practice of connecting PCs to TVs. The BBC’s move into downloadable programming will accelerate the PC’s move from the spare room to the very heart of the digital home. The days of the beige box whirring in the study are well and truly over.”
In the last 12 months, sales of entertainment PCs, configured to connect to televisions and other audio visual technology, have risen by 300% percent at PC World.
A combination of potential power savings in the region of £40 million, unnecessary wear and tear on equipment and the risk of thunderstorm-related power surges have led the TechGuys to issue a Code Orange Tech Alert ahead of the start of the holiday season this weekend.
(read more..)PC World, the UK’s leading chain of computing superstores, is launching a groundbreaking deal for new broadband customers this week. Customers who sign up to a two-year broadband connection with Orange at PC World from this Thursday, will be given a new laptop worth over £300. Customers must sign up for the Orange broadband contract at one of over 150 PC World stores nationwide. Tens of thousands of laptops are being made available to support the promotion.
(read more..)PC World, the UK’s leading chain of computing superstores, today announces that it will open its first store within a store devoted exclusively to the sale of robots. The decision to open Roboshops follows several years of intensive research and development in the field of robotics by leading global manufacturers. The PC World robot range will include a range of models to suit every budget.
(read more..)The 20th century stereotype of dads as lawn mowing, DIY enthusiasts is rapidly becoming a thing of the past. For the first time ever, “fixing” the home PC and attempting to remove viruses are now more common for dads than traditional requests to put up shelves or mow the lawn, according to research carried out for the TechGuys, the UK’s national digital support service for UK homes.
(read more..)DSG international plc, Europe’s leading specialist electrical retailer, announces today the appointment of Tom Barry as Managing Director of the Tech Guys, the UK’s first national digital support service for UK homes.
(read more..)In a speech to its international supplier conference in London later today (June 12, 2007), DSG international chief executive John Clare will call on global manufacturers of consumer electronics to focus their energies on supporting the international green agenda.
(read more..)PC World, the UK’s leading chain of computing superstores, announces today that it is launching a project to develop the world’s most energy-efficient and environmentally friendly PC. Whilst PC World recognises that carbon neutrality cannot be entirely achieved using existing manufacturing processes, PC World will purchase top-up carbon offsets for the new product to cover any residual environmental impact.
(read more..)The TechGuys, the UK’s national digital support service, is warning households about the rapid emergence of a new suburban scourge, the “Bandwidth Bandit”, as increasingly high tech thieves hack in home wireless networks to access the internet and download data. The cleverest bandits are also able to access files from home PCs, raising risks of data theft.
(read more..)PC World, Europe’s leading chain of computing superstores announces today that it will no longer stock floppy disks once existing stock has been sold. The floppy disk, capable of storing 1.44 megabytes of data, is now no longer adequate for most day to day computing requirements, PC World states.
(read more..)First it was Karaoke, now it is international broadcasting. The growth in Britons’ interest in self-expression and performance is rising dramatically, according to PC World. Sales of web cams, video editing software and the growth of broadband connections are creating millions of potential broadcasters in UK homes.
(read more..)Six months on from its launch in the UK , the TechGuys, the UK ‘s only national digital support service for UK homes, offers the following insight into the technical support needs of UK households:
(read more..)
Banksy beware: New mobile app from Lagan Technologies set to clean up Britain's streets
Federation of Small Businesses poll points to increased business confidence and better job prospects
REACTION FROM LAGAN TECHNOLOGIES TO NEW STRATEGY FOR UK GOVERNMENT IT PROCUREMENT
Black and Decker“Customers want holes, not drills.”
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