IndoPost.com Breaking News and Opinion

Smartphones buyer trend in May 2011: Apple iOS captured more shares, Google Android stalled, and RIM BlackBerry dropped among recent Americans subscribers

As per the latest data from Nielsen, Google Android mobile operating system market share has stalled among recent Americans subscribers.  Android remained stable at 38% market share in May 2011.

Steve Jobs’ company operating system iOS continued to gain market share as per Nielsen.  During the Spring 2011, Apple Company launched iPad 2 to attract new generation of tablet users in America and the world.  Apple performed well due to its popular hardware such as iPhones, iPads, and iPods.  Apple iOS now has 27% market share in May 2011.

RIM BlackBerry is no longer the favorite operating system among recent Americans subscribers.  BlackBerry OS dropped to 21% market share in May 2011.

(Chart: Nielsen)

Justin Timberlake (actor-singer) partners with Specific Media (online advertising targeting firm) to buy MySpace social network for $35 Million

Justin Timberlake (the movie star and pop music icon) partnered with Specific Media (the advertising targeting firm) to purchase MySpace social network for $35 million.  The former owner of MySpace was Rupert Murdoch's News Corp.  The Fox Network company’s owner previously bought MySpace for $580 million in 2005.   With the sale, the current market value for the struggling social network has dropped about 94% from its original price tag.

MySpace was one of the most popular social networking in America until around 2008.  After losing fans and its web traffic continued to drop, MySpace was no longer as a dominant player in America. Ever since, many users have moved to Facebook.  Facebook is now the world’s most popular social network with over 700 million users.  Facebook has over 150 million users in America alone.

(Left image: Justin Timberlake “Justified” music album, right image: specificmedia.com)

The giant search engine introduces Google+ project to compete with world’s number one social networking Facebook

 

Google invited several testers on Tuesday morning (June 28) to try its social products.  Technology bloggers have anticipated for a long time that Google will soon launch its social networking service to compete with popular Facebook.  

The new Google+ project will have many features which also known as Circles, Sparks, Hangouts and Mobile.  Google+ project features will help users to share social info, updates, and activities online. 

In order to save face, Google invited only few trusted testers as Google blog wrote “We’re beginning in Field Trial, so you may find some rough edges, and the project is by invitation only.”  It may have disappointed many loyal users as they must wait for few more days or months to get an invitation from the giant search engine company.

(Video via YouTube)

347 million and counting: world’s total adults with diabetes have doubled since 1980, with top countries include China and India, while the lowest in the Netherlands, Austria and France

There are 347 million people in the world with diabetes today.  The total count has doubled since 1980.  The latest study was conducted by two researchers, Majid Ezzati of Britain's Imperial College London and Goodarz Danaei of America’s Harvard School of Public Health.   The study is being published in The Lancet journal which in partnership with The World Health Organization (WHO).   The publication was also in conjunction with the 71th Scientific Sessions of the American Diabetes Association in San Diego which started since June 24, 2011.

According to the study as reported by reuters.com, among developed countries, America has the highest level of people with diabetes with a total of 36 million with the disease.  Other top countries include Greenland, Malta, New Zealand and Spain.  For countries with the lowest number of people with diabetes include Holland, Austria and France.  Asian countries also experienced very high numbers of people with diabetes, include China and India which both has a total count of 138 million with the disease.

(Logo:  diabetes.org)

Unhealthy Google: the giant search engine will discontinue services for personal health and wellness information, as stored data will be deleted after January 1, 2013

The giant search engine has decided to discontinue its unpopular service for personal health and wellness information.  As the official blog post wrote “we’ve observed that Google Health is not having the broad impact that we hoped it would.”

Google Health service will sunset on January 1, 2012.  Users will be given 365 days to take care of their stored data.  They will be allowed to download their personal data up to January 1, 2013.

The lefty’s health concern, as driving during summer time in America may contribute to more left-sided skin cancer cases

Based on samples of 82,587 people with malignant melanoma and 2,384 people with Merkel cell carcinoma, a team of researchers at the University of Washington, Seattle, found skin cancer cases are mostly hit on the left side of the face, arm, or leg.   The study was published online in April by the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.  It is now being published in July’s issue of Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology (see Volume 65, Issue 1, Pages 35-39, July 2011).

Analyzing all samples, researchers found 52% of melanoma cases occurred on the left side.  With the same samples, researchers also found 53% of Merkel cell carcinoma cases occurred on the left side. 

Researchers believe driving rule in America and ultraviolet exposure with the window open could have contributed to high number of left-sided skin cancer cases.

Men's health issues: smokers face higher death risk from prostate cancer recurrence than non-smokers

A study based on samples of 5,366 American men’s health records carrying prostate cancer between 1986 and 2006 found that smokers face higher death risk from prostate cancer recurrence than non-smokers.  The study was conducted by researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health and University of California, San Francisco, and is being published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Prostate cancer is one of the top killers among American men.  According to AFP, the ratio of men with prostate cancer is one for every six men in America.

Researchers at both universities found men who were smokers and had diagnosed with prostate cancer will have 61 percent higher death risk.  While at the same time majority smokers will likely face another round of cancer returning in their lifetimes.

Kids with Food Allergies: large percentage children under age 18 are allergic prone to at least one type of food include nuts, egg, fish, strawberry, wheat, and soy

Based on sample of 38,000 children, a research study at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago found eight percent children under age 18 are allergic prone to at least one type of food include nuts, egg, fish, strawberry, wheat, and soy.  The study was conducted by a team of researchers led by Ruchi S. Gupta, MD, MPH.   Health experts mostly agreed with the study, as it is being published in the Journal Pediatrics.

The highest occurrences for food allergies hit among toddlers and preschoolers at age 3 to 5 years, as reported by webmd.com.

Based on the study's samples, peanuts are the number one cause for food allergies.  Milk is number two.  Then, shellfish allergies are the number three cause.   Based on the findings, researchers warned that food allergies in kids could cause life-threatening and fatal death.

Miniature, nano, bug-sized, unmanned drones: America’s military to use new generation of micro-drones to fight war in unknown territories

America’s military continues to develop new type of unmanned drones.  The new technology is almost similar to the nano size of robotic bug sold for $7 a piece at local RadioShack stores.  Those miniature toys are manufactured by HEXBUG Nano.

Early this week at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, military researchers and engineers showed several miniature unmanned drones that could one-day will be very critical weapons for carry out espionage or kill the enemies and terrorists.  Each bug-sized drone is equipped with highly sophisticated sensors and tiny cameras to detect the movement on the ground and finding enemies.

According to nytimes.com, the cost of drones continue to increase on yearly basis, as Pentagon recently requested America’s Congress to provide nearly $5 billion for making and operating drones for 2012 fiscal year.

(Image: HEXBUG Nano)

The Big One: Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce urged Southern California business owners and companies to get ready for big earthquake

Based on report provided by America’s Bureau of Labor Statistics, Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce urged Southern California business employers and workers to get ready for a big earthquake.  Citing Gary Toebben, president and CEO of the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce, myfoxla.com wrote “It's impossible for us to know for sure ... but it is possible for us to prepare.”  Local leaders believe that a big earthquake would kill thousands people while many jobs will disappear.

According to the report, a big earthquake with a magnitude-7.8 quake could have a huge impact and damaging Southern California economy with projected loss of $213 billion.  Citing data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, myfoxla.com reported that major counties in the Southern California region include Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, and San Bernardino, are the economy motors for over 621,000 businesses, firms, and manufacturers.   The region has over 6.3 million workers with a total annual payroll of $303.3 billion.

Dot Greedy: the world’s top body for domain-name management (ICANN) voted to increase the number of web addresses endings or also known as generic top-level domains (gTLDs)

During a meeting in Singapore early Monday (June 20), the world’s sole body for domain-name management ICANN and its Board members voted to add more web-addresses endings, or also known as generic top-level domains (gTLDs).  According to icann.org, the final tally for counting votes was 13 approving, 1 opposed, and 2 abstaining.  There are about 22 types of legitimate web addresses endings in today's system, include .com, .org, .net, .info, .biz, .travel, and others.  After the final votes were counted, the world’s body will now allow more domain names using any type of combination of letters, numbers, and non-Latin characters.

Starting January 2012, any company with extra cash of $185,000 can submit their proposals to register as a TLD (top-level domain) registrar, such as .store, .live, .love, .music, etc.  If their proposals are approved by ICANN, they can start selling those web addresses to general public.  

Big companies can apply their own combo of any letters of non-Latin characters to market their brands, such as .canon, .coke, and others.  Companies  can use their new TLDs as a company’s brand or moniker or membership domain names.

Approved: America's Department of Justice (DOJ) and Federal Trade Commission (FTC) lets Microsoft to buy Skype voice-over-Internet-protocol (VOIP) services for $8.5 billion

America’s Department of Justice (DOJ) announced via Federal Trade Commission (FTC) website that the top regulator has approved Microsoft to purchase Skype voice-over-Internet-protocol (VOIP) services, reuters.com.  The DOJ is considered using an express-lane to give their two thumbs up on the deal.

The giant software company announced in May that it will pay Skype stock holders for $8.5 billion.  With its 145 million active users, Skype connects small businesses and individuals around the world.

Microsoft has very high interest to merge the popular Skype service with the company’s popular productivities software (such as Windows OS and Office), Xbox gaming system, Windows Phone, and Bing decision engine.   Microsoft could also use Skype to sweetening its relationship with Facebook social networking site.

High school students soda drinkers continue to drop significantly, today’s ratio 1:4 per day, compared to ratio 3:4 per day in the 1990s, as today’s youngsters prefer to drink water, milk, and fruit juices

Today, there are more high school students drink water, milk and fruit juices than in the past.  During the 1990s, the ratio of youngsters drink soda per day was every three out of four high school students. But, the ratio drops to only one per four students who drink soda per day. As reported by AP, researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) were very pleased to see the latest changing behavior by American youngsters.

CDC data was based on a 2010’s survey of more than 11,000 high school students in America. The America federal agency just released their report via Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

Health experts argued that one can of soda (20-ounce) usually contains about 200-240 calories.  High consumption of sodas could lead to high cost of public health as sugary drinks could also increase the number of childhood obesity in America.

Mobile commerce booming: sales via smartphones and mobile devices will grow 40 percent per year for the next five years, capturing $31 billion by 2016 (or, 7 percent of all online sales)

More consumers buy stuffs via their smartphones and mobile devices year-over-year.  According to Forrester research firm as per a blog post by analyst Sucharita Mulpuru, mobile commerce accounted $6 billion in sales for 2011 (or, 2 percent of all online sales).  The research firm projected mobile commerce will reach $31billion by 2016 (or, 7 percent of all online sales).  Its annual grow averaging 40 percent per year for the next five years.

E-commerce companies, such as Amazon, Nordstrom, continue to invest more people and money to optimize their stores to target mobile users.  However, the research firm believes that wireless security and mobile payment system is one of several top reasons buyers don't use their mobile devices to making purchases.

As per Mulpuru’s post, today’s mobile users are still using their devices to checking news, connect to social networking, and do other things such as playing games.  Limitation of mobile hardware chipset, speed, and connectivity could hamper consumers’ shopping activities via mobile devices.  Today’s consumers prefer to use desktop or laptop to conduct and compare online shopping. 

(Image: Forrester, repro via techflash.com, a full report will cost $499)

Social networking statistics: over 50% of Facebook users and over 30% Twitter users check their statuses on daily basis, while majority MySpace and LinkedIn users do not use their accounts

Only one percent of Facebook's 700 million users never login into their account and update their status.  Compared to other social networking sites, almost one-third of MySpace users never login and checked their accounts, while about 10% of LinkedIn users never login, and close to 20% of Twitter users never login and use their accounts, as reported by pewinternet.org.

In term of share of daily visits, users of Facebook and Twitter are more frequently checking their statuses on daily basis.  52% of Facebook users login on daily basis. 33% of Twitter users use their platform daily.  On the other hand, only 8% of MySpace users login on daily basis, while about 6% of LinkedIn users do the same. 

 
(Table: Pew Research Center, click here for a full report in .pdf format)

Unequal life expectancy in lots of counties in America: for men ranged from 65.9 to 81.1 years and for women ranged from 73.5 to 86.0 years

A new study from the University of Washington showed that life expectancy in all counties in America was substantial lagged behind the international standard.  Based on population data collected from 2000 to 2007, the study with a subject title “Falling behind: life expectancy in US counties from 2000 to 2007 in an international context” was conducted by a team of researchers in the University of Washington's Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation in Seattle, include Sandeep C Kulkarni, Alison Levin-Rector, Majid Ezzati and Christopher JL Murray.  The study is being published in the journal Population Health Metrics. Click here for a full report in .pdf file.

In all counties in America, life expectancy for men in 2007 ranged from 65.9 to 81.1 years, while for women ranged from 73.5 to 86.0 years.  The study insisted that life expectancy for black men ranged from 59.4 to 77.2 years, while for black women ranged from 69.6 to 82.6 years.

Men and women who live in Mississippi have the lowest life expectancies among all states in America.  For women, the best place to gain long life is Collier, Florida, with a life span at 86.0 years.  For men, the best place is Fairfax County, Virginia, with a life span at 81.1 years.

Apple Company starts selling unlocked iPhone 4 in America, supporting GSM carrier worldwide with price at $649 for 16GB Black/White and $749 for 32GB Black/White

American smartphone users can now purchase unlocked iPhone 4 supporting GSM carrier worldwide. The cheapest unlocked iPhone is at $649 for 16GB Black/White, while with extra hard drive space at $749 for 32GB Black/White.  The unlocked iPhone has all features of the “regular” iPhone 4 include FaceTime for showing video while calling to another iPhone 4, retina display, and record a short HD video.

Smartphone users who subscribed to AT&T and Verizon usually pay only $199 for iPhone 4 with a minimum two years contract.

The unlocked iPhone reduces the need to sign up a long term service contract with phone providers.  The unlocked phone can be very useful for travelers to foreign countries.

Jumbo check for checking bags and changing reservations: America’s airlines collected $5.7 billion in fees for checking bags and changing travel plans

Major airlines in America made more money in 2010 by collecting baggage fees and changing travel plans fees (incl. ticket cancellation).  Airlines’ revenues for 2010 from checking bags and changing reservations increased 24% from 2009.   America’s Department of Transportation reported that airlines collected $3.4 billion from baggage fees.  They also generated $2.3 billion from travelers changing reservation fees.

According to data provided by the Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), Delta received a jumbo check in 2010 by collecting fees of a total of $952.2 million from checking bags and changing travel plans.  Other top-5 money makers include: American $580.6 million, US Airways $513.6 million, Continental $341.6 million, and United $313.2 million.

Italian fashion designer Prada targets Asian countries for its luxury products by going public (IPO) on the Hong Kong stock exchange, and to raise $3 billion USD with trading open on June 24, 2011

Instead of selling in its home country, Italian family-owned fashion company Prada decided to sell its stocks on the Hong Kong stock exchange.  Among luxury brands such as Louis Vuitton, Gucci, and others, Prada is also one of the popular brands for its high-quality leather handbags and footwear for women and men.

While America and Europe are still recovering from economy turmoil, economy booming and high demand for luxury products remains stable in Asia.  Countries such as China, India, Singapore, Korea, Thailand, Taiwan, Indonesia, and Middle-Eastern countries, are the most fertile for luxury products.  Citing Prada’s CEO Patrizio Bertelli, AFP wrote that Asian fashion sense as "far more contemporary" and "younger." 

With over 300 stores have already been operating worldwide, Prada company is now planning to open at least 80 new stores per year around the world.  This is a three years plan, reported AFP.  New stores will mainly target Asian markets with majority stores to be opened in mainland China.

America’s Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) added styrene and formaldehyde, the basic ingredient to manufacture foam for coffee cups and food containers, as high risk for cancer

America’s top agency, Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), added eight substances that highly possible to cause cancer in a new publication with a title as “12th Report on Carcinogen.”  The report was mandated by America's lawmakers using scientific methods and analyzing data from public health.   Click here to request a copy of the report.

As per HHS press release wrote “The industrial chemical formaldehyde and a botanical known as aristolochic acids are listed as known human carcinogens. Six other substances — captafol, cobalt-tungsten carbide (in powder or hard metal form), certain inhalable glass wool fibers, o-nitrotoluene, riddelliine, and styrene — are added as substances that are reasonably anticipated to be human carcinogens.”

The two substances styrene and formaldehyde is the basic ingredient to manufacture foam for coffee cups and food containers.  Aside for producing foam related products, Styrene is mainly used in producing plastic packaging, thermal layer for buildings, and fiberglass.