I’ve been using the new Nexus 7 since it was announced last week and, frankly, my iPad mini is starting to look a little weak by comparison.

Unlike the mini, which doesn’t use the higher resolution Retina display like the latest version of its full-sized iPad and latest iPhones, the Nexus 7 has a high definition display (1920×1200/323 pixel compared to mini’s 1024 x 768/163 pixel) screen and is capable of showing 1080p HD video. The difference is noticeable when you read or watch HD video but, I have to admit, that iPad mini is still pretty good when it comes to resolution. I used both to read parts of a book using Amazon’s Kindle app and, while both were quite clear, I could see that the text was somewhat sharper on the Nexus’ higher resolution screen.

Both have a 1.2 megapixel front and a 5 megapixel rear facing cameras. Here are the full specifications for the new Nexus 7 and here are the iPad mini specs.

As per price, the 16 GB Nexus 7 costs $229 while the mini starts at $329. That’s a $100 difference for pretty similar hardware configurations. Google GOOG -0.26% also doesn’t ding you as much for extra storage. A 32GB Nexus (WiFi only) costs $269, while Apple AAPL +0.55% charges $429 for its 32 GB model.

As per form factor, the new Nexus 7 isn’t as wide as the mini, (4.5 vs 5.3 inches, making it easier to hold in one hand though the iPad wins when it comes to depth or thickness, measuring only .28 inches compared to the Nexus 7′s slightly thicker .34 inches. The new Nexus is also slightly lighter than the iPad mini (.64 pounds vs .68).

Bottom line — because it’s not as wide,the Nexus 7,Over 400 styles of bottega wallet priced under $65. it not only fits well in the hand but takes up a bit less space in handbags and pockets. It fits pretty easily into the front pockets of my Docker khaki slacks. Of course you could argue that the mini’s extra screen real estate is a bonus compared to the Nexus more petite form factor.

Software

The biggest difference between the two tablets is Android vs iOS. This is where both reasonable and unreasonable people can argue depending on personal preference. For many of us, the best interface is the one we know so if you’re already an iOS user you’re likely to prefer the familiar iPad interface. Many Android users will likely feel the same about their operating system.

Although it’s hard to argue against Apple’s elegant U.I. and there may be even more to love about iOS 7 that comes out this fall, I have to give Google credit for — over time — improving and fine tuning Android into an excellent platform for both phones and tablets. One thing I like about the new 4.3 (which comes on the Nexus 7) is that you can create restricted accounts, which makes it a lot more family friendly for parents who want to let their kids use their tablets without being able to buy apps or make in-app purchases or visit naughty websites.

Two British expatriates are changing the face of fashion in Hong Kong with a trade show to help brands connect with the rapidly growing Asia-Pacific markets.

Peter Caplowe and Richard Hobbs are the men behind The Hub, billed as "Asia's first respected international business-to-business fashion trade show connecting globally renowned brands with influential retailers and business partners in the Asia Pacific region". The first show will be held from August 28-30 at the AsiaWorld-Expo.

"We want to put The Hub on the fashion map and get people in Hong Kong talking about fashion," says Caplowe from his showroom in Sheung Wan. "This is the first show, so everyone is watching and waiting to see how it goes."

The Hub has so far signed up 100 brands but more are expected. About 700 buyers, predominantly from Asia, have also signed up. A self-funded start up, Caplowe says they are targeting resources with the most impact. "And speaking to the brands, they're all just saying China, China, China."

The pair have cleverly struck up big China partnerships including Shanghai Mart, Asia's largest permanent international trade mart that boasts a database of more than 400,000 companies. It is bringing 300 of its buyers.Shop Wholesale bottega wallet for $9.99 or Less.

Hobbs and Caplowe are also working with the China Textiles Information Centre, a body "tasked with moving people in the manufacturing industry in China up the fashion food chain".

"The [Chinese] government is actually very supportive of this kind of thing," says Caplowe. "They are encouraging Chinese fashion companies to engage with international companies to upgrade their skills."

Brands exhibiting at The Hub are a mixture of European, US and Asian labels with a leaning towards menswear, jeans, contemporary and smaller heritage labels. The line-up includes the likes of Y-3 by Yohji Yamamoto, British outerwear label Barbour, Bailey of Hollywood, Orlebar Brown, Sunspel and Spanish brand Desigual. Ranging from British heritage to American street, the Hub has attracted labels looking for a bigger foothold in Asia.

With more than 40 years combined experience in fashion, Hobbs and Caplowe have an enviable book of contacts. The leaning towards menswear for this season is largely due to their personal networks.

Click on their website www.anmison.com for more information.

After robust back-to-school spending last year, shoppers are expected to cut back this year.

And they will be able to stretch their dollars a little further this weekend during South Carolina’s tax-free shopping period. The tax holiday – for items such as electronics, clothing and pens and paper – starts first thing Friday morning and runs through Sunday.

Shoppers statewide can save state and local taxes. In Richland County that means an 8 percent savings on back-to-school purchases, and in Lexington County, 7 percent. Many stores also offer additional sales to coincide with the tax holiday, which is the third-busiest shopping time of the year in South Carolina.

Families with school-age children are expected to spend an average of $634.78 on apparel, shoes, electronics and school supplies, down 8 percent from last year’s $688.62, according to a survey from the National Retail Federation.

That means the average family in Richland County could save about $51 and the average Lexington County family could save $44 by shopping during the state’s 14th annual tax-free weekend. Statewide, consumers are expected to save an estimated $3 million this year, according to the S.C. Department of Revenue.

Nationwide, total spending on back-to-school shopping is expected to reach $26.7 billion.

“The good news is that consumers are spending, but they are doing so with cost and practicality in mind,” Matthew Shay, federation president and CEO, said in a press release. “Having splurged on their growing children’s needs last year, parents will ask their kids to reuse what they can for the upcoming school season. As they continue to grapple with the impact of increased payroll taxes, Americans will look to cut corners where they can, but will buy what their kids need.”

That could mean shopping sales in addition to the tax holiday savings.

Back-to-school sales promotions began earlier this year than any in recent memory, retail experts have said, a reflection of an expected tough year for sales.

Wal-Mart, Target, Sears and other major retailers have bumped up their websites in preparation for this year’s sales, even as the economy continues to struggle along in its recovery.Buy Wholesale bottega purses for women and fashion accessories.

And local businesses compete, as well.

The Devine Street Association, a coalition of retailers in that area, will hold its Art Stroll Sidewalk Sale in conjunction with the tax-free weekend, running from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, spokeswoman Jennifer Suber said. Consumers can save up to 90 percent on certain items in addition to tax savings.

“It’s our annual sale. The merchants all participate and it’s a great thing for them to kinda get their summer merchandise moving and introduce people to fall lines,” Suber said. “It’s always very well attended. . . . People come there looking for bargains, and let me tell you something, you can get it. Great, great deals on things.”

One of the stores participating is Belladea at 2824 Devine St. The store will roll out a new collection by New York fashion designer and University of South Carolina graduate Jennifer Ghelardini during the weekend. Ghelardini also will be on hand to do custom dress orders, sales associate Nicole Smith said.

“She’s really amazing. She did Carolina Cup dresses and we just thought it would be really cool for her to do custom Game Day dresses through our store, because we have the space to get girls fitted. So it’s really exciting. That’s one of the biggest events that we are having in our store for the sale,” Smith said.

Belladea also has received a big shipment of Wendy Katlen and other designer merchandise for the sale during tax-free weekend.

Seventeen states will endorse tax-free sales on selected merchandise at some time this year, according to the nonpartisan Tax Foundation in Washington.

The sales tax holiday is not without its critics, however.

“Temporary rollbacks of sales taxes, despite being sold as a boon for consumers and businesses, actually impose significant costs on both groups without yielding significant benefits,” according to a new report by the Tax Foundation, which called sales tax holidays costly and poor substitutes for state tax reform.

“Political gimmicks like sales tax holidays distract policymakers and taxpayers from genuine, permanent tax relief,” said Joseph Henchman, Tax Foundation vice president for legal and state projects. “If a state has to offer a ‘holiday’ from its tax system,Up to 40% Off Cheap bottega purses, shop farfetch today!‎ it’s a sign that there’s a problem with the system itself.”

Consumers put off purchases until sales tax holidays roll around, the Tax Foundation contends, rather than go out and make additional purchases simply because of the tax exemption.

“If politicians want to save money for consumers, then they should cut the sales tax rate year-round,” Henchman said.

Click on their website www.anmison.com for more information.

Outspoken new reality star Abbie Thompson has revealed her greatest fear . . . being compared to the cast of Geordie Shore.

Abbie, 18, appears in the new BBC Three television series Shoplife, following 10 youngsters as they work at the Metrocentre in Gateshead.

But Abbie said she fears being tarred with the same brush as the hard-partying group in the controversial MTV show.

The shop girl is shown complaining she has to use high street makeup in the first episode, airing on Thursday.

She also describes herself as a “bull in a china shop” and confesses her love of material things.

The teenager, who lives at home in Chester-le-Street, County Durham, with her mum and a guinea pig, said she is worried about how she will come across.

She said: “I would hope Shoplife is not like Geordie Shore, although it does show what it is like on a night out in Newcastle.

“That’s one thing I am frightened for because a lot of people have asked if it is going to be like Geordie Shore, blah blah blah blah, and I would hope it is not.

“I am really anxious how I will come across because the trailer for the programme has me talking about liking material things.

“But all I buy designer is handbags and shoes, I don’t wear lots of make-up, I don’t wear fake tan. I do wear hair extensions but who doesn’t in Newcastle?

“So if that is the light I am trying to be shown in, then it’s going to be complete bullcrap, and it’s not me.

“I am quite outspoken, if I have an opinion I won’t be afraid to express it, because if you don’t say anything, nothing will get done.

“Bull in a china shop is right, but it depends on how you take it. Everything I say depends on how people take it.”

The series tells the stories of staff at the Metrocentre as they try to balance their hopes with the realities of working life, the minimum wage, and nights out. They include:

Abbie, who dreams of rising through the ranks at top fashion store Van Mildert and owning a Louis Vuitton handbag.

Slacker Joey Barrows, who escapes the sack from extreme sports shop Skate Shack for being late.

Chocolate salesman Tom Whalley, who dreams of leaving shop work to stage his own musical.

Abbie is shown fretting about her shopping habits and the chances of getting promotion to supervisor at the high-end retail shop where she works for the minimum wage and 1% commission.

She tells the cameras: “I am not a materialistic person, but I like materialistic things. At the moment, I literally have no money left. I normally get Est???e Lauder makeup, but I have had to go for high street make-up. I know it sounds really, like, shallow but it’s bloody upsetting. Is this what your life is like, Abbie, is it really what’s happening?”

Abbie is filmed claiming that her month’s pay is gone within a week, adding: “At the moment this is the skintest I have ever been. Ever, ever, ever.”

Joey, 19, is shown struggling to cope with his job selling sports kit and complains about his boss Lee Elliott, who usually works from home but keeps an eye on staff by CCTV.

Joey finds a blind spot in the stock room, but is hauled over the coals for spending too long off the shop floor. He says in the show: “Coming in four minutes late – I got a warning for that. I would love to tell my boss to stick it. Who wouldn’t?” Lee tells him: “Stop giving me the ammunition to give you a bollocking.”

Co-owner Paula Elliott said: “Joey is still with us. The important thing is that the shop is shown in a good light. We want to help young people get a foot on the ladder. The CCTV is there as security.”

Tom, 23, of Whickham, said the series helped him achieve his ambition of staging a musical in his spare time after finishing work at Hotel Chocolat.

He said: “I had a meeting with someone from the BBC and a year later the filming started, so it was a long process.

“They filmed me at the shop, but the theme running through was what if my hobby and dream becomes the day job? They filmed a lot of me desperately trying to write, thinking about staging my musical, which eventually did happen.

“My favourite bit was the night at Boulevard, a cabaret venue in Newcastle, when the musical was staged. It was something I always wanted to do but never had the drive to push forward but,For understated elegance, look to handbags and purses. with the programme behind me,Shop the latest High Quality bottega purses on the world's largest fashion site. it was the push I needed.”

Click on their website www.anmison.com for more information.

Griskevicius and Wang first investigated what other women infer about a woman's relationship partner based on the luxuriousness of her possessions. "We found that a woman who is wearing luxury items and designer brands is perceived to have a more devoted partner and as a result other women are less likely to flirt with him," says Wang. "Regardless of who actually purchased the items, other women inferred that the man had something to do with it and is thus more devoted to her."

In another study, Griskevicius and Wang made participants feel jealous by having them imagine that another woman was flirting with their man. Shortly afterward, the women completed a seemingly unrelated task in which they drew a luxury brand logo on a handbag. The result? When women felt jealous, they drew designer logos that were twice the size of those in the other conditions.

"The feeling that a relationship is being threatened by another woman automatically triggers women to want to flash Gucci, Chanel, and Fendi to other women," explains Wang. "A designer handbag or a pair of expensive shoes seems to work like a shield, where wielding a Fendi handbag successfully fends off romantic rivals."

Another of Griskevicius and Wang's studies revealed that when romantic relationships were threatened, women not only desired more expensive handbags, cars, cell phones, and shoes, they also spent 32 percent more of their own money for a chance to win an actual luxury spending spree.

This research highlights that luxury products serve an important function in relationships, but that men and women use conspicuous consumption for a different purpose. Past research by Griskevicius has found that men often seek expensive products to show off to the opposite sex in order to attract them as mates. The current studies reveal that women often seek expensive products to show off to the same sex in order to protect their turf.

"The fact that most women's luxury products are aimed to impress other women helps explain why men have a hard time figuring out if a woman's handbag costs $50 or $5,000," adds Griskevicius. "Women's designer products are geared to show off to other women not men."

A surprising finding in the paper was that feelings of jealousy triggered a desire for luxury products not just for women in committed relationships but also for single women. "Many single women obviously want designer products, but instead of these products saying back off my current man, the single woman is saying back off my future man,Shoes, Cheap bottega wallet and more,free shipping!‎" adds Wang. "Conspicuous consumption for women has a lot to do with subtle status within the female group."

It's official: Handbag and apparel designer Kate Spade New York is coming to Minnesota.

The Galleria in Edina confirmed the long-rumored news via Twitter on Wednesday.

The store — Spade's first in Minnesota — will carry clothing, jewelry, handbags,Over 400 styles of bottega wallet priced under $65. shoes and accessories, as well as stationery, tech accessories, fragrances and gifts. Spade is known for its colorful products and "playful sophistication," according to the company's website.

The 1,900-square-foot shop will be located next to clothing store Dugo, near the shopping center's west atrium. It will occupy part the space formerly occupied by Brass Handle, which is relocating to a lower-level spot by Len Druskin and Bang & Olufsen.

This announcement comes one month after Galleria announced that North Face will open a store there this fall.

I also recently reported that the upscale shopping center is working on plans for a major renovation and expansion.

Click on their website www.anmison.com for more information.

Purchasing designer handbags and shoes is a means for women to express their style, boost self-esteem, or even signal status. New University of Minnesota research suggests some women also seek these luxury items to prevent other women from stealing their man.

Through a series of five experiments featuring 649 women of varying ages and relationship statuses, Carlson School of Management Associate Professor Vladas Griskevicius and PhD student Yajin Wang discovered how women's luxury products often function as a signaling system directed at other women who pose a threat to their romantic relationships.For understated elegance, look to handbags and purses.

"It might seem irrational that each year Americans spend over $250 billion on women's luxury products with an average woman acquiring three new handbags a year, but conspicuous consumption is actually smart for women who want to protect their relationship," says Griskevicius, coauthor of The Rational Animal: How Evolution Made Us Smarter Than We Think. "When a woman is flaunting designer products, it says to other women 'back off my man.'"

Griskevicius and Wang first investigated what other women infer about a woman's relationship partner based on the luxuriousness of her possessions. "We found that a woman who is wearing luxury items and designer brands is perceived to have a more devoted partner and as a result other women are less likely to flirt with him," says Wang. "Regardless of who actually purchased the items, other women inferred that the man had something to do with it and is thus more devoted to her."

In another study, Griskevicius and Wang made participants feel jealous by having them imagine that another woman was flirting with their man. Shortly afterward, the women completed a seemingly unrelated task in which they drew a luxury brand logo on a handbag. The result? When women felt jealous, they drew designer logos that were twice the size of those in the other conditions.

"The feeling that a relationship is being threatened by another woman automatically triggers women to want to flash Gucci, Chanel, and Fendi to other women," explains Wang. "A designer handbag or a pair of expensive shoes seems to work like a shield, where wielding a Fendi handbag successfully fends off romantic rivals."

Another of Griskevicius and Wang's studies revealed that when romantic relationships were threatened, women not only desired more expensive handbags, cars, cell phones,Shop the latest High Quality bottega purses on the world's largest fashion site. and shoes, they also spent 32 percent more of their own money for a chance to win an actual luxury spending spree.

This research highlights that luxury products serve an important function in relationships, but that men and women use conspicuous consumption for a different purpose. Past research by Griskevicius has found that men often seek expensive products to show off to the opposite sex in order to attract them as mates. The current studies reveal that women often seek expensive products to show off to the same sex in order to protect their turf.

"The fact that most women's luxury products are aimed to impress other women helps explain why men have a hard time figuring out if a woman's handbag costs $50 or $5,000," adds Griskevicius. "Women's designer products are geared to show off to other women not men."

A surprising finding in the paper was that feelings of jealousy triggered a desire for luxury products not just for women in committed relationships but also for single women. "Many single women obviously want designer products, but instead of these products saying back off my current man, the single woman is saying back off my future man," adds Wang. "Conspicuous consumption for women has a lot to do with subtle status within the female group."

Click on their website www.anmison.com for more information.

As upscale brands seek to enter or expand their outlet businesses and even produce merchandise specifically for that channel, they face an age-old dilemma: sales growth vs. brand exclusivity.

At Coach Inc., its North American outlet business has grown to 60% of its retail sales in the region from about 30% in fiscal 2006, according to Cowen & Co. analyst Faye Landes. The number of items sold at its outlets has jumped to 73% of its North American retail business from an estimated 38% during the same period,For understated elegance, look to handbags and purses. Ms. Landes said. (Wall Street estimates that Coach's North America retail sales account for about two-thirds of its overall sales.)

The outlet channel also has become more productive for Coach, generating over $2,000 per square foot, compared with less than $1,400 per square foot at its full-price locations, a reversal from fiscal 2006, she said.

"Consumers may increasingly perceive Coach as an off-price brand, which, if valid, could challenge [Coach's] efforts to elevate and transform the brand," Ms. Landes said in a report this week, adding that while most of the retailer's outlet products are made for that channel, they are still easily identifiable as Coach.

"Our findings raise a concern of possible over-democratization of the brand which may counter efforts to appeal to aspirational shoppers and build a sense of exclusivity and cachet."

Ahead of Coach's earnings report next week,Shop the latest High Quality bottega purses on the world's largest fashion site. the analyst said she continues to see demand waning among young female shoppers—a key target market —as well as among shoppers who purchase two or three bags a year.

Even though it is hard to "definitively attribute" Coach's recent lagging performance against its rivals, including Michael Kors and Fifth & Pacific's Kate Spade, the analyst said Coach's significant outlet presence could become a "hurdle," especially given the stated intent of incoming CEO Victor Luis and newly appointed creative director Stuart Vevers to make the company more of a luxury player.

Coach declined to comment, citing the quiet period ahead of earnings.

Analysts, on average, estimate that Coach's fiscal fourth-quarter profit will increase 11% to 89 cents a share from 80 cents a year earlier, with sales rising 5% to $1.24 billion from $1.18 billion, FactSet data showed.

The company has said in the past that its outlet shopper is very different from its regular-price shopper. While the outlet shoppers tend to be older, are price conscious and is willing to wait for styles, its regular-price shopper wants what's hot now.

It also has said that about 85% of what is sold in its factory outlets are products made for that channel alone. The remaining 15% is made up of discontinued products from past seasons that are no longer available in its regular priced stores. The outlets are usually located far away from regular priced shops. For instance, the closest Coach outlet to New York City is about 50 miles away.

Coach has traditionally pitched itself as a so-called accessible luxury brand that targets aspirational shoppers, setting itself apart from such ultraluxury brands as Louis Vuitton and Gucci, whose products are much more expensive.

But the outlets and competition aside, those who are bullish on Coach still believe the brand has plenty of growth potential. Coach has added categories beyond its bread-and-butter handbags and accessories and has expanded in online sales, men's collections and overseas.

"Coach has numerous opportunities to grow," according to William Blair & Co. analyst Amy Noblin.

Click on their website www.anmison.com for more information.