CASH PROFIT

Bing Bettered Yahoo! For First Time

2012-01-12T10:30:00.000-05:00

Figuring out 15.1 of the market share in December, Bing bettered the 14.5 percent share held by Yahoo by a slender margin. This is based on the report published by comScore.

Search Engines

Beyond any doubts or questions, Google is the leader with a 65% share.

Source: ComScore

Sears Kmart Store Closings

2011-12-29T17:07:00.000-05:00

Sears Holdings on Thursday released a partial list of Sears and Kmart stores that the company will close, two days after announcing that an unspecified 100 to 120 stores would be shut.

The list released Thursday contains 79 stores. Company stock was walloped when the news

broke on Tuesday, tumbling 27%, off 83% from an April 2007 high of $195.18. Company

stock was down 0.9% for the day Thursday as the closing bell approached.

Here is the partial list of store closings.

Facebook undisputed leader

2011-12-29T16:39:00.000-05:00

Facebook is still the undisputed leader the U.S. social networking market with 166 million unique visitors in November. comScore, leader in measuring digital world has published this information.

The average user spent 6.6 hours per person engaged on the site during the month, an increase of 37% in the past year. These outsized audience and engagement numbers should not be a surprise to anyone at this point.

Courtesy - comScore

Meanwhile, Twitter.com and Linkedin.com have been jockeying over the past several months for the #2 spot in audience size.

In November, Twitter eked out the second position with 35.4 million unique visitors, just slightly ahead of Linkedin with 35 million.

Myspace currently owns the #4 position with 25 million visitors, but it has seen a steady decline in audience over the past two years.

Oracle Ignites Tech Spending Fears

2011-12-21T16:02:00.001-05:00

Oracle Corporation's weak results ignites fears among the investor community on the strength of technology industry and investments the corporations are going to make in the New Year.

From the results announced later part of Tuesday, it is clear that there have been delays in customers' buying decision and a major portion of the projected revenues could not be booked during Q3.

If this technology giant is struggling with the results, medium and small technology companies should be facing the heat too. Traditional and matured products could see less take from customers. Advent of cloud services must save lot of money for customers in database,storage and web enables services which is directly going to affect the tech spending usually seen in last few years for these giant tech vendors such as Oracle.

One a 10000 feet overview, It is high time they strengthen their service offerings and product ranges for cloud space.

Microsoft Nokia and RIM company

2011-12-21T11:03:00.002-05:00

BlackBerry Bold Touch. Source: RIM

Microsoft and Nokia have been in regular talks since last few months. One of the discussions is said to be working on a joint bid for Research In Motion limited (RIM)! - as per reliable media sources in Wallstreet Journal.

On the other side RIM has reported a dismal Q3 results. They are buying time to justify and satisfy investor sentiments to improve the results. Options may be to collaborate with giants to take on the rivals and complete competion.

According to co CEO Mr. Balsillie, who said the company is "leaving no stone unturned" exploring operational changes. It is very clear that RIM will continue to explore the expansion of data handling and distribution using the network infrastructure, cloud services in partnerships with companies like Microsoft.

Next one month is going witnes some major changes, shift in operations and partnership.

Mind Reading No Longer Science Fiction

2011-12-20T18:12:00.000-05:00

As per the 5 BIG predictions of Big Blue IBM , Mind reading is one of them. Mind reading is no longer going to be a science fiction. They are unfolding the findings in this interesting video

Online Shopping Hits All-time High

2011-12-20T12:55:00.000-05:00

US online shopping has hit alltime high during last week. For the span of little over last 45 days, the total online shopping is recorded as $32 Billion ! This is 15% increase from last year. Last week's online spending itself is a huge $6.3 Billion with another $6 Billion estimated for the remainder of the year.

5 year comparison of online sales

ComScore, a leader in measuring the digital world, today released the findings from 1st November to 18th December 2011.

So called economic slowdown (not saying recession), growth in unemployment, imbalance in global economic outlook and trade balances, debate on additional taxation etc are no more reflected on the shopping spree. This looks like a positve sentiment and outlook for 2012. Organizations and individuals has reserves, improved spending capacity and well planned budget starting the New Year 2012.

Google Tablet in 6 Months (Confirmed) ?

2011-12-19T17:39:00.000-05:00

Is Google planning to release the highest quality tablet in next six months? That is what it looks like. A TIME quote gives more information on this. It will be interesting to watch the competition and consolidation shaping up. Android based tablets do not enjoy market leadership at the moment. More providers joining this side of the Operating system opposite to iOs or iPad will certainly improve the service quality and price levels.

Tablet Giants

Google says their tablet will be of highest quality available in the market. Six months window is something to think about. Is it going to coincide with the launch of iPad 3? Time will tell us more about this. One thing is sure. Tablet will lead the tech news in coming months!

READ MORE

Google gets patent for Robot Car

2011-12-15T18:55:00.003-05:00

Google gets a patent for switching from human-driven vehicles to autonomous mode and then taking instructions from the Web over a wireless network on where to drive.

Source: Google / New York Times

How cool it is going to be!! An autonomous car. A car which can take instructions and drive autonomously without human intervention to a specified destination. Subscribe the innovation !!!

READ MORE...

Smart Phone Prices Slashed

2011-12-15T18:47:00.000-05:00

Samsung Galaxy Nexus 4G Android price has been slashed!

READ MORE...

Android Apps Usage

2011-12-14T18:13:00.000-05:00

Source: Nielsen

Hot Menu Picks for Healthy Living

2011-12-14T17:34:00.000-05:00

This is another interesting finding on Hot restaurant menu for 2012. Health conciousness is growing among all sections of customers as it is reflected in this survey finding from NRA, where they surveyed over 1800 Chefs across the country.

Source: NRA

It is a welcome trend for increased attention to nutrition especially when it comes to children's choices of food. Information is helpful to parents and guardians.

Here is the list of favorite menu items:

1. Locally sourced meats and seafood

2. Locally grown produce
3. Healthful kids' meals
4. Hyper-local items (e.g. restaurant gardens)
5. Sustainability
6. Children's nutrition
7. Gluten-free/food allergy-conscious
8. Locally produced wine and beer
9. Sustainable seafood
10. Whole grain items in kids' meals

This video from NRA is informative. People who consider healthy living as a New Year resolution may have a look at it and choose the right one from menu!

100 Million Dining Out

2011-12-14T17:10:00.002-05:00

2011 is going be history in next 16 days! Yeah it went too fast right? You probably are having rich memories of last year's New Year party!

It looks like over 100 million Americans are expected to spend the New Year this year at various restaurants, bars and such.

Majority going to be spending the time there and a good number planning to enjoy it home while food being ordered as takeouts from their favorite food joints!

National Restaurant Association (NRA) has just released this interesting finding and forecast.

Dining out plans with families and friends are going to start as early as this week and going to last for next few weeks to mark the holiday season. This survey report suggests.

There is increase in purchase of Festive clothes in both categories of ready-made and custom orders. READ MORE

Newsmaker of India 2011

2011-12-12T18:17:00.004-05:00

It seems glamour is taking a backseat and corruption and politics have become the most sought after topics for netizens, as anti-corruption activist Anna Hazare has emerged as top newsmaker this year on search engine Yahoo India.

In an year-in-review conducted by entertainment portal Yahoo! India, Anna emerged clear winner in the newsmaker category for 2011 followed by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamta Banerjee and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa.

READ MORE....

TWELP - How did they build their million base?

2011-12-09T15:41:00.001-05:00

TWELP - How did they build their million base?

We all know the 140 word micro blogging has become so popular and a standard communication code, especially over the last 3 years. We have witnessed how some of the leading media companies and celebrities enjoy multi million base of followers.

There are two different sides to having this volume of followers.

One. Attention required in customer services especially in retail is so huge in number. A retail customer who tries to communicate through twitter with companies and if the customer gets immediate responses, it boosts the brand loyalty my many leaps.

Two. On the other side, a customer can use this medium and tag to complain about services and products too. So the perfect balancing is called for to have desired results.

It is interesting to read these pieces of fact on how these three giant companies built their base and being able to communicate with customers directly in the fiercily competitive retail world! Some of their most pain handling situations and how they turned it to their advantage by making the customer a winner, ultimately! READ MORE....

Houston leads in Mobile Shopping

2011-12-09T13:34:00.001-05:00

The most mobile savvy shoppers in the United

States hail from Houston, Texas, according to a new report compiled from The Interactive Advertising Bureau and its Mobile Marketing Center of Excellence.

The rankings published Wednesday were determined by surveying more than 20,000 consumers.

The survey looked at four key data points: ownership of a mobile device, propensity to be influenced by mobile coupons, ownership of a mobile retail-app on a handset or tablet, and ownership of a mobile social media app.

The study also found that the majority of mobile shoppers have higher incomes than the average mobile user.

Following Houston was New York. Atlanta took the third spot. The remaining top ten in order include Los Angeles, Dallas/Fort Worth, Tampa, Chicago, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., and Seattle/Tacoma.

Smart Retailers Young Shoppers and Deal Values

2011-12-05T12:55:00.001-05:00

Black Friday and Cyber Monday this 2011 season has opened eyes of retailers, marketing companies and young shoppers. Surge in sales year over year is due to that with economy and buying power not changing much.

According to The NPD Group, Best Buy was the fourth most frequently shopped retailer behind full-line merchants Walmart, Target and Amazon, which sell a much wider variety of products. Best Buy also enjoyed the highest conversion rate, with more than 58 percent of shoppers actually making purchases, compared with just 38 percent last year, representing the largest gain among the four rivals.

Some of the smart retailers put their efforts on internet medium, attract the new and young buyers and made it appear that these deals exist only for few days around now. However most of the deals are continuing even after a week. It is smart thinking from the retailers.

Independant buying decisions from young shoppers facilitated further. Percentage of young people getting employed (ages between 17 and 24) has gone up this year. Mobile as a medium of marketing is right on to target this group. They are seeing future value with these purchases. 'Big surge in purchases through small devices' - many report this.

Some of the giant companies such as Apple, Amazon, eBay offering discounts and deals such as free shipping have influenced the finicky customers in their favor.

ComScore has published this informative report, very interesting facts:

*2011 Holiday Season To Date vs. Corresponding Days in 2010 Non-Travel (Retail) Spending Excludes Auctions and Large Corporate Purchases Total U.S. – Home & Work Locations Source: comScore, Inc.**
	Millions ($)
	2010	2011	Percent Change
November 1 – December 2	$16,257	$18,697	15%
Thanksgiving Day (Nov. 24)	$407	$479	18%
Black Friday (Nov. 25)	$648	$816	26%
Thanksgiving Weekend (Nov. 26-27)	$886	$1,031	16%
Cyber Monday (Nov. 28)	$1,028	$1,251	22%
Week Ending Dec. 2	$5,164	$5,959	15%

*Corresponding days based on corresponding shopping days (November 2 thru December 3, 2010)

*Weekly Holiday Free Shipping Analysis vs. Corresponding Weeks in 2010 Non-Travel (Retail) Spending Excludes Auctions and Large Corporate Purchases Total U.S. – Home & Work Locations Source: comScore, Inc.**
Week Ending	Percentage of Transactions with Free Shipping
Week Ending	2010	2011	Point Change
11/6/2011	41.8%	52.2%	+10.4
11/13/2011	44.7%	51.2%	+6.5
11/20/2011	50.2%	56.0%	+5.8
11/27/2011	55.0%	64.4%	+9.4
12/4/2011**	52.2%	63.2%	+11.0

*Corresponding weeks based on corresponding shopping days (November 2 thru December 5, 2010)
**Data based on partial week of data thru Dec. 2, 2011
.

Q: “When making a purchase online this holiday season, which of the following statements best describes how important free shipping is to you?” November 29-December 1, 2011, n=1,013 Total U.S. – Home & Work Locations Source: comScore 2011 Holiday Survey
Response	Percentage of Respondents
Very important – I will not make a purchase without it	36%
Somewhat important – I actively seek out free shipping deals	42%
Neither important nor unimportant – I would like to find it, but do not require it	12%
Somewhat unimportant – free shipping has very little effect on my purchase decision	1%
Very unimportant – I will make my purchase regardless of shipping costs	2%
Don’t know/not sure	6%

Cyber Monday Deals

2011-11-28T11:25:00.001-05:00

There are plenty of great deals open for Cyber Monday. As opportunities are huge so is the need to be cautious as experts advice.

Here are some of the best ones:

Five great Cyber Monday deals
Cyber Monday's top deals

Be Cautious!

Retail success of Apple

2011-11-22T14:13:00.000-05:00

As the former vice president of retail at Apple, Ron Johnson partnered with Steve Jobs to plan the first Apple store. Now the CEO of J.C. Penney, Johnson reveals why Apple stores work.

Writing about his efforts in fashioning the Apple store in a Harvard Business Review guest post, Johnson explained that a store has to do more than just offer products for sale. It has to create an experience--something that turns it into more than just a store.

"Any store has to provide products people want to buy," Johnson wrote. "That's a given. But if Apple products were the key to the stores' success, how do you explain the fact that people flock to the stores to buy Apple products at full price, when Wal-Mart, Best-Buy, and Target carry most of them, often discounted in various ways, and Amazon carries them all--and doesn't charge sales tax!"

The secret?

READ MORE....

It is iPad then Kindle Fire

2011-11-21T11:13:00.002-05:00

Among future tablet buyers, 65 percent of respondents said that they are planning to purchase Apple's iPad, a ChangeWave Research study found. In no time at all, Amazon's Kindle Fire has been able to attract 22 percent of future tablet buyers. The Samsung Galaxy Tab line, which has been available for over a year, was only able to muster 4 percent demand among consumers looking to buy a tablet in the coming months. According to ChangeWave, no other tablet vendor was able to secure just 1 percent demand among consumers.

What tablets do consumers want to buy over the next 90 days?

(Credit: ChangeWave Research)

"The launch of the Amazon Kindle Fire represents a shot across the bow at Apple, who until now has almost completely dominated the tablet space," ChangeWave said today in a statement. "But the most immediate impact of the Amazon device is on the rest of the competition, where the survey shows it wreaking a devastating blow to a range of second-tier tablet manufacturers, including Motorola, RIM, Dell, HTC, HP and Toshiba."

Android Malware Leaps

2011-11-21T11:06:00.000-05:00

Malware targeted toward Android devices continues to surge, says a new report from McAfee, pushing 2011 to become the busiest year in history for both mobile and general malware.

The amount of malware infecting Android devices during the third quarter grew almost 37 percent from the second quarter, according to McAfee's Third-Quarter Threats Report (PDF). Android's growing demand among consumers has made it an increasingly ripe and inviting target for cybercriminals.

Smart meters Wi-Fi router traffic and beyond!

2011-11-21T10:40:00.001-05:00

"Smart meters use electronic data recording and two-way communication technology and, in the near future, will provide you with more detailed information about energy usage and enhanced services". As you know, Wi-Fi is common network source for domestic uses at most homes. Now, there is lot of discussion about the bandwidth issues and there two networks co-existing. There need to be some fix to address and fix this problem as implementation of Smart meters in Smart Grid systems are leaping by thousands every day.

Smart Meter in Smart Grid

Amazon is on tiny loss selling Kindle Fire

2011-11-18T11:01:00.001-05:00

Tiny Short term loss. Huge Long term Profit? Time has the answer...

Amazon.com takes a hit with the sale of each Kindle Fire, but the loss isn't as bad as initially thought. A look at the build of materials and manufacturing costs concluded that Amazon spends $201.70 on each Kindle Fire, only slightly above its $199 retail price, according to research firm IHS iSuppli. The cost is lower than the nearly $210 estimate the firm initially placed on the device.

As previously reported, Texas Instruments was a major contributor to the tablet.The Kindle Fire uses a TI application processor, as well as the power management device and audio codec.

The most expensive component in the Kindle Fire is the display and touch screen, IHS iSuppli said, noting that it cost $87, or nearly half the build of material cost. The display comes from LG Display and E Ink Holdings.

Read more...

Fresh $155M Fund for India in mobile, enterprise, and more

2011-11-16T10:36:00.000-05:00

Showing that there’s plenty of untapped potential in the Indian startup scene, Silicon Valley venture capital firm Accel Partners announced its $155 million Accel India III fund today for seed and early-stage investments in the country.

Accel, which already has 34 companies in its portfolio in India, said the fund would be focused on hot topics opportunities like mobile, digital media, enterprise and software-as-a-service companies, and Internet services. The firm already manages $80 million in India across two earlier funds — this latest addition brings its total amount of funds in India to $235 million.