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The benefits of dogs in the workplace: they can reduce stress and contribute to a positive productivity

A team of five researchers led by professor Randolph T. Barker of Virginia Commonwealth University's business school found many benefits of dogs in the workplace, such as to increase productivity.  The benefits of dogs at work can help to reduce stress levels for their owners.  Dogs can also help to increase work satisfaction for other employees in the same workplace.  The research study is being published by the International Journal of Workplace Health Management.

The latest study was based on sample of 76 volunteers who work at Replacements Ltd., a dinnerware manufacturer located in Greensboro, North Carolina.  The size of the company is about 550 employees who were allowed to bring their dogs to their workplace.  Using a timeframe of a week, researchers conducted the study using the sample of 76 volunteers. 

Researchers divided all samples into three groups.  First group included employees who brought their dog to the workplace.  Second group included employees who owned a dog but kept the dog at home.  Third group included employees who did not own a dog.  Using saliva tests to checking stress hormone levels, the results showed that stress levels for the first group of employees who brought their dog to work fell significantly compared the second group who kept their dogs at home and the third group who did not own a dog at all.

(Image: wikipedia.org)

California medical marijuana growers are invading the capital city of America and to serve Washington, D.C. and its surrounding residents with medical needs to use pot

California-based medical marijuana growers, weGrow, opens its first store in East Coast on Friday (March 30) to the capital city of America and its surrounding residents with medical needs to use pot.  The store was founded by Dhar Mann, a California entrepreneur, who opened its first store in Sacramento, the capital city of the largest state in America, in 2011. 

The East Coast’s weGrow is located about a few miles from the White House and other government buildings.  As the capital city of America, Washington, D.C. has recently allowed its residents to use marijuana to cure certain medical needs.

Citing data from Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, usatoday.com reported that about 7% of population in America or representing 17.4 million people had used marijuana in 2010, compared to prior three years (or 2007) the percentage was 5.8% or representing 14.4 million people.

One out of two mobile phone subscribers in America is a smartphone owner in February 2012: Google Android retains its position as the number one choice, Apple iPhone maintains at the number two, while RIM BlackBerry continues to drop to the number three

The latest data from Nielsen showed that one out of two mobile phone subscribers in America is a smartphone owner.  Based on data for February 2012, the research firm noted that there were 49.7% of mobile subscribers in America now use smartphones to communicate, texting, checking email, login into social networking, and looking into photos.  Compared to one year ago, only 36% of mobile subscribers in America had used smartphones to communicate on a daily basis.

Google Android mobile operating system continued to grab the largest market share with 48% of all mobile subscribers.  About 32% of mobile subscribers in America now own a piece of Steve Jobs’s creation, as Apple iPhone remained the number two most popular smartphone in America. 

With several new products launched by the Canadian-based RIM BlackBerry such as Bold 9900, there were not many interests on the pioneer smartphone in America.  BlackBerry operating system only captured about 11.6% of all mobile subscribers during the month of February 2012, or in the ratio of 1 of 10. 

Since it was still at below 10% market share, Nielsen did not publish data for Microsoft Windows Phone operating system market share for February 2012.  With the new Nokia Lumia 900 smartphone slated for release by AT&T on April 8 with an asking price of $99, Windows Phone could see a little bit jumps on the market share in months to come.

(Image: Nielsen)

5 months and 5 million units and counting: Samsung announced record sales of its GALAXY Note in America, Asia, and Europe

South Korean-based mobile devices company announced record sales of 5 million units of GALAXY Note in 5 months period.  The large screen phone and mini tablet was released in October last year and started selling mostly in Asia and Europe countries.  AT&T brought the device to America which running on 4G LTE networks.  It has been available in America since February 19.

The key selling point of Samsung GALAXY Note is its 5.3” HD Super-AMOLED screen.  It runs on a Dual 1.4GHz microprocessor. The device has a small pen called "S-Pen" which is similar to a stylus pen.  Many users considered the device as an oversized phone but some users bought it as a mini tablet.

According to the company blog post, Samsung Electronics has captured about two thirds of mobile phone market share in its homeland South Korea.  The company also noted that Samsung mobile devices are now one of the most popular brands in China, France, Spain and several other countries.

While the device is still running on Android 2.3 (Gingerbread), the company noted that they will soon upgrade to Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich).  To get more users, the company will also add a Premium Suite of software. These upgrades will occur in Q2-2012 (April-June, 2012). 

(Image: Samsung GALAXY Note)

Xbox era is the post-PC era: Microsoft will fight back to recapture its dominant in the technology world through the popular gaming consoles, entertainment apps, and hand-free controller features

As revenues from Microsoft's Windows operating system division continued to drop in recent quarters, so many tech watchers considered that we are now entering the post-PC era.  In contrast, Microsoft's Xbox division continues to prosper with over 66 million Xbox 360 consoles have been sold around the world.   With the launch of Kinect hand-free controller in late 2010, the software giant sold more consoles on monthly basis than its rivals.  In order to recapture its dominant in the technology world, Microsoft has found its best weapon by expanding the Xbox division.  This division is the best bet while other products are not doing well including Windows Phone and tablets. 

Citing Yusuf Mehdi, Microsoft's Xbox division top executive in the marketing and strategy department, latimes.com reported that more American families spent time playing games, watching on-demand videos and listening to music via Xbox gaming console.  Mehdi who was former Microsoft's Bing search engine top executive also noted that American families spent 84 hours per month on Xbox console.  Moreover, Mehdi mentioned that Xbox usages have increased about 30% over one year ago.  On the other hand, families spent an average of 150 hours per month by flipping television channels.

One of the advantages of Xbox gaming console is that the machine is equipped with many entertainment apps such as Netflix, ESPN, Hulu, and YouTube.  In order to please its users, early today Microsoft announced that the company will add more entertainment apps, but these new apps are designed for Xbox LIVE Gold members.  There are three new apps including Comcast XFINITY TV, HBO GO and MLB.TV.

(Image: Xbox Kinect bundle)

The return of Nokia: America’s largest 4G network announced the availability of Nokia Lumia 900 running on Windows Phone OS in AT&T stores starting April 8, priced at $99.99 with a new two-year contract

America’s largest 4G LTE network announced early today in a blog post that the anticipated Nokia Lumia 900 running on Windows Phone OS will be available starting April 8.  The new hardware is made by Finland-based Company Nokia.  It will run on Microsoft Windows Phone OS version 7.5 (code name “mango”).  The futuristic looking phone will be priced at $99.99 with a new two-year contract. 

Many tech watchers rumored in January 2012 that the new phone should be available around March 18, but with three weeks delay, it was worth the wait.

Lumia 900 was developed in conjunction with a global partnership between European phone maker Nokia and the world’s largest software maker Microsoft.  The new phone will have 4.3-inch AMOLED ClearBlack display.  It will be equipped with Carl Zeiss optics to take great pictures.

(Image: AT&T Nokia Lumia 900)

Americans will spend more time to watch movies via Internet than via DVDs or Blu-ray discs in 2012, the new trend will benefit service providers including Netflix and Apple iTunes

A research study conducted by IHS Screen Digest, a company focusing on global media markets (movie, TV, mobile, and others), found Americans will spend more time to watch at least 3.4 billion movies online in 2012.  The report believes that online services providers such as like Netflix and Apple iTunes will be the most benefited with the latest change in American audiences’ behaviors regarding the way how to watch movies.

Citing the IHS Screen Digest report (paid subscription), latimes.com later published a blog and noted that Americans will spend about $1.72 billion on watching movies online, compared to $11.1 billion via the old-way of watching movies such as buying or renting DVDs and Blu-ray discs.  Total revenues from online stores and services will be 12% of total spending.  In contrast, consumption via online will take away 57% of the total movie consumption.

America’s largest city mayor and billionaire Michael R. Bloomberg pledges $220 million to antismoking effort in developing countries

New York City mayor and billionaire Michael R. Bloomberg committed $220 million of his personal money to fight cigarette smoking around the world especially in developing countries.  The pledge was made at the 15th World Conference on Tobacco and Health in Singapore. Mr. Bloomberg has won three times elections for the top position in the largest city in America.

The money from his charity will be used to help poor and developing countries, as health experts believe that there are going to be six million people died due to cigarette smoking on an annual basis.  Most of the fund will be distributed by promoting higher cigarette taxes, generating awareness campaigns of antismoking for general public, assisting smokers to quit and asking government officials to ban smoking in public spaces.

China plans to stop organ transplants from prisoners after executions (incl. death-row inmates) within the next three to five years

One of the Great Wall nation’s most criticized human rights topics in recent year are related to the practice of transplanting organs from prisoners (incl. death-row inmates). Citing report from the China government-run Xinhua news agency which later published by AFP, Chinese officials confirmed the plans to stop such practice within the next three to five years.

In order to polish China’s image as the world’s new superpower, health experts have urged government to create a state-run organ-donation system and to abolish organ donations from prisoners.  For many years China has used executed prisoners as their main source of organ transplants while many of those organs could have benefited affluence citizens.

McDonald’s Corp. elects Don Thompson as the first black CEO to run the world’s largest fast-food chain and will take the top executive seat starting on July 1, 2012

After working for McDonald’s Corporation for 22 years, Don Thompson has been elected by the boards to run the world’s largest fast-food chain.  The first black CEO will take the top executive seat starting on July 1, 2012.   According to the fast-food company press release, Thompson started his career as an electrical engineer in 1990.  Thompson is the current president and operating chief where he took the position in January 2010.  Thompson was graduated from Purdue University and is a Trustee for this higher education institution which is located in Indiana.   Thompson will replace the current CEO James A. Skinner.  Skinner will retire after serving the fast-food company as CEO for over seven years. 

Multiple beverages corporation: Starbucks introduces a new category of energy drink called Starbucks Refreshers

Forget to carry a can of Red Bull?  No worry, just hop into one of the world’s well-known chain of cafes, as the Seattle based company will start selling a new category of energy drink called Starbucks Refreshers. The new ready-to-drink beverage inside a can will come in several flavors such as raspberry pomegranate, orange melon, and strawberry lemonade.  The main ingredients of the Refreshers include fruit juice combined with the extract of natural green coffee beans.  Each can carry about 12-fluid-ounce with total 60 calories.

According to Starbucks press release, energy drink is one of the fastest selling products as the total revenue from this category of drink has hit about $8 billion worldwide and market has increased about 16% on annual basis. 

With the new energy drink launch, Starbucks is now a multiple beverages corporation.  Last January the company announced to start selling beers and wines in several cafes in Atlanta and Southern California (including the Greater Los Angeles Area). 

During the annual shareholder meeting, Starbucks’s top executives promised to add more jobs with the new energy drink launch.  Starbucks also noted that energy drinkers can buy the new beverages at over 160,000 points of distribution in America by the end of April.

(Image: Starbucks Refreshers)

Hot vs hot: Apple new iPad is selling hot in the electronic stores but the new device is also hot in customers’ hands, as an independent tester found the temperature of the new iPad could reach as high as 116 degrees Fahrenheit (46.67 degrees Celsius)

On Monday (March 19) the largest mobile devices company announced that they had sold over 3 million units of the new iPad during the first three days since launched on Friday, March 16.  Apple sales and marketing team have considered the new iPad as the best-selling product in the planet.  Aside of being the hottest product, tech watchers in America also found the temperature of the new iPad is hotter than the previous versions (iPad 2).

One of the most reliable independent testers in America, Consumer Reports, has found that the temperature of the new iPad could reach as high as 116 degrees Fahrenheit or 46.67 degrees Celsius.  According to the report, the new iPad reached high temperature when running an action game or doing download. 

Several loyal customers have posted their complaints online via Apple's feedback website.  The first post was published on March 16, this was the date the new iPad was officially launched in America. 

The texters generation: America’s teens continue to send more texts on a daily basis, on the average, the volume of texting increased from 50 texts per day in 2009 to 60 texts per day in 2011

A latest study conducted by Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project, found America’s teens continued to sending more texts on a daily basis.  The volume of texts has increased from 50 texts per day in 2009 to 60 texts per day in 2011.  The study noted that the highest usages were among teens at age group of 14 to 17 years.  This group of users sent only 60 texts per day in 2009, but had increased to 100 texts per day in 2011.

There were a slightly differences in term of texting usage among boys and girls.  The Pew’s study found that boys sent or received more texts than girls.   Boys sent and received about an average of 30 texts per day in 2009, but the volume had increased to 50 texts per day in 2011.

Other interesting findings of Pew’s latest research include smartphone ownership among teens in America.  Pew’s study noted that during a phone interview, 23% of teens in age group of 12 to 17 years to have a smartphone.   Off all smartphone users, age group of 14 to 17 years had the highest smartphone ownerships with 31%, while only 8% of age group of 12 to 13 years has a smartphone.

Click here to download the full report (in .pdf format).

(Chart: Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project)

Atlanta-based United Parcel Service (UPS) to acquire Netherlands-based TNT Express to connect the express delivery business across the Atlantic Ocean

Atlanta-based United Parcel Service (UPS) and also the world’s largest company handling package-delivery have decided to expand its business across the Atlantic Ocean.  Citing several news sources on Sunday night, the parcel and logistics giant with a brown color truck company will acquire Netherlands-based TNT Express for about 5.16 billion euros or converted into American’s dollar for amount of $6.8 billion.

Netherlands-based TNT Express is now the second largest delivery company in Europe just a little bit behind the number one Deutsche Post AG (DPW)’s DHL express delivery company.

UPS had previously tried to acquire TNT Express, however, their offers were considered low by the seller.  In the meantime during the negotiation between the two continents, the Holland-based company continues to lose money in term of operating cost.

The side effects of eating white rice on daily basis include high risk for developing type 2 diabetes and also causing obesity

A team of researchers led by Qi Sun, MD, at the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, found eating white rice on daily basis could boost high risk for developing type 2 diabetes and also causing obesity. Dr. Sun and the team of researchers at Harvard applied data from four different studies to determine their findings across the Pacific Ocean countries.  The study is being published in the journal BMJ.

The first two studies were taken from Asian countries include China and Japan.  The second set of two studies were taken from Western countries include America and Australia. All samples on those four studies were diabetes-free when the studies started. 

Overall, researchers analyzed 13,284 incident cases of type 2 diabetes.  Total samples include 352,384 participants.  Researchers had conducted follow-up periods that range from 4 years to 22 years.

Researchers found individuals in Asian countries consumed about three to four servings of white rice per day.  Compared to people in Western countries, they only consumed about one to two servings per week. Researchers believe by increase the amount of servings of white rice per person per day will also increase the diabetes risk by 10%. 

Researchers advised Chinese and Japanese and other Asian populations to consider eating less white rice.  Aside of white rice, researchers also warned other type of white color carbohydrates could also have side effects for developing type 2 diabetes.  Those “white color” foods include white bread, white pasta, rice noodles, ramen, and white potatoes.

Blame it on imported fish and spices from Asia: disease outbreaks linked to imported foods is on the rise in America

Fish and foreign spices are two most common foods causing outbreaks in recent years in America as presented by Hannah Gould, Ph.D., during a submit titled “International Conference on Emerging Infectious Diseases,” from March 11 to March 14, in Atlanta, Georgia.  

Imported foods from Asia accounted for almost half of the outbreaks, exactly 45% of all foodborne Illness.

A team of researchers led by Gould found imported foods caused 39 outbreaks and 2,348 illnesses from 2005 to 2010.  Researchers also pointed out that almost 50% of the 39 outbreaks occurred during the last two years of the study. 

(Image: cdc.gov/iceid)

eBay’s online payment subsidiary launches “PayPal Here” to help small businesses to collect payment thru a small device as a credit card reader that attached into a smartphone, only available in America, Canada, Australia and Hong Kong

In the Internet era there are not many people carrying cash around, so collecting payments would be an issue for small businesses.  Businesses that are located in a remote area and still rely on using a traditional cash register would be benefited from the new innovation from PayPal.   By using a small device as a credit card reader that can be attached into a smartphone, small businesses can charge buyers credit cards easily.  The new product from PayPal is called “PayPal Here.”

Of course, PayPal Here will charge a fee for the transaction.  During the introduction period, the eBay’s payment subsidiary will charge a flat rate of 2.7% for card swipes.  But, PayPal warned merchants that they actually paying 1.7% as the Silicon Valley-based company will offer a business debit card  with 1% cash back.  During the intro period, PayPal Here will only serve four countries including America, Canada, Australia and Hong Kong.

 

(Click here to watch a video)

Car dealer service facilities ratings in America: Toyota's Lexus tops among luxury brands, while Mini tops among mass market brands

Car owners give the service departments of the Toyota’s Lexus the highest ratings among luxury brands in customer service index (CSI) study, as per the latest data from J.D. Power and Associates.  Japanese car maker Toyota’s luxury division received a total CSI score of 861 points.  Other top five luxury brands include GM’s luxury division Cadillac (852 points), Jaguar (849 points), Honda’s luxury division Acura (838 points), and Porsche (836 points).

While among mass market brands, car owners and drivers give the service departments of Mini the highest ratings.  Mini collected 809 points. Other top five brands in the mass market cars include GM’s Buick (805 points), GMC (803 points), Chevrolet (801 points) and South Korean-based Hyundai (791 points).

The research team at J.D. Power and Associates utilized many types of measurements to determine the winners including service initiation, service facility, service quality, service advisor, and vehicle pick-up.  Lexus is doing good jobs in service initiation, service facility and service quality.  While Mini is doing great jobs in service quality, service advisor, service facility and vehicle pick-up.

Top 10 metropolitans and cities to live in America include Provo-Orem (Utah), Lafayette (Louisiana), Raleigh-Cary (North Carolina), Huntsville (Alabama), Greenville-Mauldin-Easley (South Carolina), and few others

Using a random sample of 353,492 adults who live in 50 states in America during the year of 2011, Gallup poll found several top cities and communities to live in America.  The study was based on telephone interviews and was conducted from January 2 to December 29, 2011.  

The study shows Provo-Orem (Utah) is the number one metropolitan area with the highest scores for being optimism about the best place to live in America.  Then, it followed by Lafayette (Louisiana), Raleigh-Cary (North Carolina), Huntsville (Alabama), Greenville-Mauldin-Easley (South Carolina), and few others.

The report also shows community satisfaction level among 190 cities in America.  The number one city was Lancaster (Pennsylvania).  It followed by cities such as San Luis Obispo (California), Provo (Utah), Barnstable Town (Massachusetts), Des Moines (Iowa), and few others.

(Tables: gallup.com)

America’s Department of Justice says okay to Rockstar Consortium (incl. Microsoft, Apple, Research In Motion, Ericsson and Sony) to purchase Nortel Networks 4,000 patent assets

A group of conglomerates led by Apple, Microsoft, Research In Motion, Ericsson and Sony, received great news from America’s Department of Justice (DoJ) on Monday, March 12, 2012.  After paying $4.5 billion acquisition fees, the group which is also known as Rockstar Consortium, will soon manage 4,000 patent assets that were owned by a bankrupt Canadian-based company Nortel Networks.  In a press release, Rockstar Consortium stated very clearly that the group is “set to implement its plans to pursue licensing agreements with companies that are harnessing its intellectual property.”

The consortium was in fight to grab those 4,000 patents with another bidder, Google, in summer 2011.  Many tech watchers saw that the world’s largest search engine was very close to get an upper hand on Nortel Networks patent portfolio, but at the end Google lost its bid due to the price tag.  Those intellectual properties are mostly related to networking, communications, internet, and mobile technologies.  After the lost to buy Nortel, Google decided to acquire Motorola Mobility company and its patent portfolio for $12.5 billion.
 
(Image: Rockstar Consortium logo)

The benefits of a drink a day: light-to-moderate alcohol consumption may lower stroke risk in women

Using samples of 83,578 women, a team of researchers led by Monik Jimenez ScD at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston found some benefits of light-to-moderate alcohol consumption and lowering risk of stroke in women. 

All samples in the study were collected for duration from 1980 to 2006 with data updated every 4 years.  Researchers applied data collected from the long-running women's health and lifestyle study which is also known as Nurses’ Health Study.  The study is mostly federally funded. 

Researchers believe that women who consumed moderate amounts of alcohol each day had a lower risk of stroke than women who never drank alcohol.  The study is being published by Stroke via online edition, a journal of the American Heart Association (AHA).

America’s living room today: more Americans play video games on multiple gaming consoles, personal computers, mobile devices, smartphones, and tablet computers

A latest study by Nielsen found that more American video gamers play games in multiple platforms and screens in their living room today. The research firm’s 2011 data showed 24% of gamers play on at least two types of gaming consoles, personal computers, mobile devices, smartphones, and tablet computers.  Compared to 2009, there were only 17% of gamers.  This was an increase of 7% within the two years span.

Traditional gaming consoles include Nintendo Wii, Microsoft Xbox 360 and Sony PlayStation 3. With the launch of Kinect hand-free controller during the holiday season shopping in 2010, Xbox 360 is now the top seller gaming console in America.

With over 100 million smartphone subscribers in America today, there are only two popular smartphones and tablets gaming platforms, include Apple iOS and Google Android. 

(Chart: Nielsen)

Apple plans a Texas-size investment in the Lone Star State with $304 million facilities in Austin and will create 3,600 new jobs

Former president candidate from the Republican Party and current governor of Texas Rick Perry is the happiest person this morning as he announced that the world’s largest mobile device company and also the world’s richest company will put some of its fortune into the Lone Star State.  The size of the investment is about $304 million for a new campus in Austin.  The new facilities will create over 3,600 new jobs.  According to the governor’s press release, in order to please Apple's investment in Texas, the state has presented Apple by upgrading the Austin’s facilities for the next ten years as the total cost of $21 million will be taken from the Texas Enterprise Fund (TEF).

Apple’s new campus is not too far from the location of its chip maker partner Samsung.  The South Korean-based company is now the major supplier for iPhones and iPads microprocessors including the most current version called A5 processor.  Those new chips are now manufactured in Austin, Texas.  As reported in December 2011, Samsung built a new facility in Austin and had a price tag of $3.6 billion.

Apple's new campus will be used to house its customer support team and some administrative, sales and accounting departments.  Due to its proximity with Samsung’s facilities, the campus will also place some top engineering team to design the future chip.

The Post-PC Era: tablets and smartphones are now disrupting the growth of global PC shipment as research firm Gartner predicts PC shipments will grow only 4.4% in 2012

Research firm Gartner has predicted a slow grow for global PC shipment in 2012 due to several factors.  But, the main cause is the increasing use of mobile devices including smartphones and tablets.  Gartner decided to cut its forecast for 2012 as the research firm is now predicting only a 4.4% increase in PC shipment growth from 2011 to about 368 million units shipped in 2012.  Gartner also remains a little bit positive on the growth of PC shipments, as Microsoft’s new operating system Windows 8 could help a higher growth by the end of 2013.  The research firm believes that the total shipments could hit over 400 million units by the end of 2013.

More setbacks occurred in the PC world as America and the whole world is now entering the post-PC era.  comScore reported yesterday that over 100 million smartphone subscribers in America as of January 2012.  Also, on the same day the world largest mobile device company Apple introduced a new iPad or the third generation tablet which continues to taking market share from PC industry.  Apple’s new iPad will be available on March 16, 2012, with the cheapest unit starts at $499 for 16GB WiFi model.

Just call it the New iPad: Apple CEO Tim Cook unveiled the third generation tablet computer with a Retina Display, faster chip A5X, camera 5 megapixels, 1080p HD video recording, and 4G LTE wireless support

Tech bloggers around the world were super busy this morning to publish post after post via live blogging with up to every minute detail from San Francisco.  The biggest event of the day was about Apple's new product, as the most valuable company in the world announced a new iPad. 

During the announcement, CEO Tim Cook just called the third generation of tablet computer “The New iPad.”  Many tech watchers and analysts had speculated for weeks that the new product will be called “iPad 3″ or “iPad HD.”

In term of product specifications, the New iPad will be equipped with the following upgrades, such as a Retina Display, faster chip A5X, camera 5 megapixels, 1080p HD video recording, and 4G LTE wireless support. 

There are only two models, WiFi and 4G LTE.  The WiFi basic model with 16GB will cost $499, while the basic model with 4G LTE will cost $629.  Apple website is now taking pre-orders and the New iPad will arrive in front of customer’s door on Friday, March 16, 2012.

(Image: Apple’s New iPad)

Twitter gathered 13,000 volunteers from around the world to help the micro-blogging engine to create tools to understand four new languages including Arabic, Farsi, Hebrew and India Urdu

The Silicon Valley-based company thanks its 13,000 volunteers from around the world to help the micro-blogging engine to create several tools to serve more users.  The company has added four new popular languages including Arabic, Farsi, Hebrew and India Urdu.  In total, Twitter is now serving 28 different languages worldwide.

In its latest effort, Twitter asked its users to donate their time and language skills to help its engineering team to understand how to manipulate right-to-left languages and translate them into more common way in English from left-to-right direction.  According to Twitter blog, the company was able to assemble a group of users to solve translation issues that include a top blogger from Saudi Arabia, some college students and translators from Egypt, Iran, and Pakistan.  Twitter also noted that some of the volunteers were located in certain countries where they were prohibited to access Twitter website.

(Image: Twitter)

Google Android mobile operating system naming convention: after Android “Jelly Bean,” the next version will be called “Key Lime Pie” (KLP) and then could be "Lychee juice / Lychee cup" to target Asian smartphones and tablets market



Back in September of last year thisismynext.com (now theverge.com) reported the next version of Google Android mobile operating system after “Ice Cream Sandwich” (ICS) will be called “Jelly Bean” (version 5.0).  Today, the same tech blogger reported that the next version after Jelly Bean will be called “Key Lime Pie” (KLP). Many tech watchers had speculated that the letter “K” could have been called “Kettle Corn” (popcorn).

While Jelly Bean candy is made in California near the city of Sacramento, key lime pie is the most popular pie in the state of Florida.  Google Android is now serving both coasts.

Up to today, Google’s naming convention is very consistent by using food-related or desert-related naming.  Here is a list of Google Android OS version naming convention since the original version:

• Android version 1.5: Cupcake
• Android version 1.6: Donut
• Android version 2.0: Éclair
• Android version 2.2: Frozen Yogurt (Froyo)
• Android version 2.3: Gingerbread
• Android version 3.0: Honeycomb
• Android version 4.0: Ice Cream Sandwich
• Android version 5.0: Jelly Bean
• Android version 6.0: “Key Lime Pie” (KLP)
• Android version 7.0: "Lychee juice / Lychee cup" (tentatively)

While Google will continue to create new naming for the next version of Android OS, the company also keeps an eye on growing Asian market.  The best suitable name for letter “L” should be Lychee juice or Lychee jelly cup, the exotic Asian fruit.  This will help Google to target the Far East regions including China, Taiwan, South Korea, and Japan easily.  And, the name will also help Google to targeting the South East Asian nations, including Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam.

10% of total: the world’s largest airlines manufacturer Boeing delivered its 1,000th 777 aircraft to Emirates after 17 years producing the first one in 1995

The first Boeing 777 aircraft was produced and delivered to America’s United Airlines in 1995.  Then, 17 years later, the world’s largest airlines maker Boeing delivered its 1,000th 777 aircraft to Emirates on Friday, March 2, 2012.

Emirates is the world’s largest airlines company that utilizes Boeing 777 and serving major cities around the world.  The company currently own over 100 Boeing 777 aircrafts, representing almost 10% of total productions.

A big ceremony to celebrate the 1,000th Boeing 777 occurred at Boeing’s plant in Everett, Washington State.   Over 5,000 people attended the event included the aircraft manufacturer’s executives and employees, suppliers, and government officials from America and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

(Image: emirates.com)

Apple’s App Store reached 25,000,000,000 (25 billion) downloads as promotion to give away a $10,000 Apple Store Gift Card redeemable in its iTunes Store has ended on March 2, 2012

The world’s largest mobile device company has ended its promotion to give away a $10,000 gift card redeemable in its iTunes Store on March 2, 2012.  The Silicon Valley-based company has finally reached 25 billion downloads from the App Store on Friday.  The promotion for countdown to 25,000,000,000 apps was initially started on February 13, 2012, as Apple marketing team urged users to keep downloading apps until the store hit the record number. 

Many tech watchers and tech bloggers tried to predict the precise date for Apple to reach 25 billion apps.  Two weeks ago tech bloggers such as thenextweb.com predicted that the average download was about 48.6 million apps per day.  The tech site has finally predicted correctly to get the 25 billion apps by March 2.

There is no official press release from Apple as the company is busy preparing the iPad 3 launch next week.  Apple’s homepage shows a banner of record breaking and thanks its loyal customers.  The website also noted that one winner will be picked soon to receive the $10,000 Apple Store Gift Card.   With this huge gift card, one lucky winner can purchase 20 units of basic model of iPads version 3.

(Image: Apple homepage)

Facebook monetizes its exit traffics via logout page advertising and grabs its first client by partnering with Microsoft’s Bing search engine

The world’s largest social networking is working hard to squeeze as much as advertising revenues before going public (IPO) in the next few weeks.  With almost 1 billion users worldwide, many users will login into their accounts while they will also logout later.  Internet analysts estimated that over 37 million users logout of the social networking site on a daily basis. 

To make money of Facebook exit visitors, the networking site launched a logout page ad unit a couple of days ago.  In the introduction week, Facebook has received commitment from its longtime partner and also one of its top investors to buy some airtime on the logout page.  Microsoft’s Bing search engine is now the first advertiser to utilize the logout page ad unit.  The current logout page shows a very large Bing search box which also includes a photo of Bing’s homepage background. 

(Image: Facebook logout page ad unit showing Bing search box)