All Things On My Head

This is a really exciting time for the smart phone market with so many surprising new launches. Thereâ??s Google introducing the Nexus One to the public, with the aim of finally taking down the iPhone. And now, the South Korean electronics giant LG has unveiled its latest, greatest mobile phone today â?? the LG GW990. This mobile phone definitely takes the term super phone to a whole different level.

Youâ??ll love the appearance of this phone

For most people, the first thing they consider when buying a mobile phone is the appearance. This is first in their order of priorities, even before checking out the specifications or features or other applications. In this regard, LG does not disappoint with its sleek, black design following the usual candy bar form.

Donâ??t think that the minimalist appearance of this mobile phone would not make it stand out though. After all, how many phones do you know which features a massive screen display of 4.8 inches? The touch screen on this phone is even bigger than the Nexus One and the iPhone. So if youâ??re the type who loves watching video clips or even movies on your mobile phone, then youâ??ll love this particular handset. Whatâ??s even greater is that the colour TFT touch screen boasts of a resolution of 1020 x 480 pixels, which is the best in the market today.

Youâ??ll love the specifications of this phone

However, the list of things youâ??ll love about this phone does not stop there. If you take the time to learn the specifications of this phone, youâ??ll surely be impressed. After all, the LG GW990 is powered by the widely popular Moorestown processor from Intel. This is the more energy efficient version of the Atom processor, which is used to power mini laptops and net books.

Although there is no official word yet as to the clock speed of the Moorestown, it is sure to be at the very least clocking in at 1 Ghz so that it can match Qualcommâ??s Snapdragon, which is the processor used in the Nexus One. The great thing about the Moorestown is that it promises to consume 10 times less energy than other Atom processors, so you can be sure that your battery (Li-Ion 1850 mAh) will last a lot longer than you would normally expect.

Youâ??ll love the features of this phone.

This mobile phone runs a new version of the Linux-based Moblin operating system, although the OS looks a bit similar to the S-Class UI of LG. However, what makes it really stand out in the crowd is its ability to open multiple windows or different applications all at the same time. During the CES show, where it was first introduced to the public, the representative of LG opened and used three different applications simultaneously without the mobile phone slowing down or anything.

This really impressed the audience, because it shows the superiority of the CPU. This ability to open different windows at the same time makes it ideal for multi taskers who love reading their emails while playing a 3D game, or calculating the amount of a meal while browsing through their image gallery.

Market research gives businesses essential information on customers, competitors, and market. Most businesses claim to understand the value of this research because they are using this information to sell their product to their clients.

Market research is just as important for international business. And even more so…

Your success in foreign markets will depend on your international market research. It is especially important during your business planning phase.

Reasons For International Business Planning

There are two main reasons to be very thorough when researching your international markets. During this planning phase you need to learn:

what you can hope to accomplish
what to not to do and avoid cross cultural blunders

The Difference In International Market Research

The difference between domestic and international market research is the importance of the smallest details and the differences in the smallest details can influence your success.

Different cultures respond differently to your product, your marketing, your business. This implies more than simple interest in your product. Some markets may actually use your product differently than you expect. You need to know exactly how each of your markets respond to your product, your company, your marketing.

Cross cultural communication differences will influence everything you can think of and more. If you are not intimately familiar with the cultures you are targeting plan for surprises.

Schedule More Time For International Business Planning

This is why it is essential to have a strong international market research strategy. Here is what to do:

Schedule more time researching prior to any launch.
Continue with your international market research.
Diversify your research channels.
Use web marketing to stimulate international market feedback.
Question everything possible.
… And be methodical.

Market Research For Online Businesses

International web marketing allows you to jump into sales faster than ever before. In fact, if you have an online business you might even get non-domestic sales without doing anything in particular to sell your products abroad. But don’t make the mistake of not implementing good international business practices.

You can easily set up a new market research strategy in parallel with your current business.

Once you start getting sales inquiries internationally, start researching those new markets. This will allow you to see your potential international business opportunities.

Remember, you can’t rely on analyzing your online international sales alone. Only by researching your market can give you the whole picture.

Continuous Market Research

It’s important to actively carry out your market research continuously throughout all of your online sales and marketing efforts. This is key to developing your business internationally.

Internet can be an easy solution and an essential part of your expansion plan… only if you do sufficient international market research. Don’t simply put your order page up and sit back.

Create your website to help you in your information.
Set up a good tracking tool to measure your results.
Direct your international market research based on your measurements.
Start an international market research plan.
Add a little web marketing to get more market feedback.
Continue researching all of your markets.

You will learn how to develop your markets internationally, and what to not do. That is why market research is so important and is one of the foundations for successful international business.

Are you committed to speeding up your international sales cycles?

Learn how to combine cross-cultural marketing tools and international sales strategies for faster sales.

Join us on the International Sales Road Map.

Would you like to develop your international business?
Are you a beginner at international sales and marketing?
Read the Beginners Guide Discover Your International Business.

With so many advocates screaming product benefits so loudly, it’s difficult to get an accurate, balanced look at what each of the smartphones on the market have to offer.

We’ve taken a close look at three of the most popular ones that offer a myriad of features.  We’ll give you the pros and cons of each, so that you can make an informed choice (without all of the hype!).

We’ll be discussing Google’s new mobile phone, the Nexus One; BlackBerry’s latest, the Storm2, and Apple’s iPhone 3GS.

The Nexus One, from Google

While BlackBerry and iPhone have been in the market for a few years now, the Nexus One is brand new, and seems to be receiving the most hype in recent weeks.

Here’s our balance of the pros and cons of the new kid on the block:

Pros:

* The Nexus One sports a sleek design, and has one of the best-quality screens on the market.  It has to be seen to be believed!

* Many reviewers have commented on the immense speed of the phone, citing it as one of the fastest on the market today due to an extremely quick processor — a Qualcomm Snapdragon 1GHz processors. Programs open quickly, and web scrolling is very responsive.

* A 5 megapixel built-in camera takes very impressive-quality photos, and can record up to 30 minutes of video.

* Google Voice: a free Google service that allows voicemail access via email, customized voicemail boxes based on callers, and transcription of voicemail into email format.

Cons:

* Many reviewers have commented on the keyboard, and it is easily the most-heard complaint for this phone.  Reviewers note that it’s difficult to type on, and many wish for a physical keyboard.  It should be noted that there is an application released that altars the keyboard to be more “iPhone-like” in function, which many reviewers prefer.  It is called “Better Keyboard”, and is available in the Android Marketplace.

* Business users may feel left out with the lack of Outlook syncing capabilities.

* If apps are your thing, you may be disappointed by the Android offerings of 20,000 apps, as opposed to Apple’s more than 100,000.

iPhone 3GS:

The iPhone has become a well-regarded phone with consumers, however business-users have been slower to adopt it, concerned that iPhone’s benefits are more oriented towards recreation than business. We’ll take a look at the pros and cons of the iPhone, as it relates to the business user.

Pros:

* Easy-to-use interface makes using a smart phone a breeze (if you’ve resisted purchasing one of these versatile tools for your business for this long, the iPhone can be a great way to get into the market).

* The large screen and easy zooming capabilities make reading emails, documents and webpages much easier than on many other types of competitors’ phones.

* Multimedia device: this is one of the big selling features for recreational users, but this also has a number of applications for business users.  Viewing news-based YouTube clips, or listening to audio podcasts is very easy with the 3GS.

* Apple offers over 100,000 apps in their app store. Think apps are just for recreational users? Think again, as you can get apps for reading your favorite newspapers or magazines, language applications if you have to go on a business trip and need a quick-reference guide to helpful phrases, and much more.

Cons:

* iPhone does not have a physical keyboard.  While it does allow the keyboard to be used in portrait or landscape — allowing for flexibility that physical keyboards don’t – many users prefer the tactile nature of physical keyboards.

* 3GS does not offer the same level of security that the BlackBerry does at a business level.

BlackBerry Storm2:

The BlackBerry Storm1 was positioned to be a competitor for the iPhone, and left many users wishing for more.  Now that the newer version, Storm2 has hit the market, BlackBerry fans are looking to have the features they’ve longed for.

Pros:

* The interface3 and processor is boasted to be much faster, addressing one of the biggest concerns about the first generation of the Storm.

* Redesigned look gives it a much sleeker first impression.

* Although there is no physical keyboard like the other BlackBerry cousins, it does offer “SurePress” technology, which takes the typing on screen concept a bit closer to a physical keyboard, with the need to press down on the screen to select a button.

* Wi-Fi capabilities and larger memory are big improvements over its predecessor.

Cons:

* The web browser is, by the accounts of almost all reviewers, not on a par with the Apple iPhone (though it has been improved from the first generation).

* The absence of a physical keyboard may deter some long-time avid users of this latest version of smart phone.

Jobs within the entertainment industry vary greatly; the sectors are diverse and offer prospective employees options through a variety of mediums. Many see jobs in entertainment as limited to acting and presenting, what is often forgotten is the great deal of work that goes into production. Entertainment jobs therefore could fall into a number of categories such as finance, management and technical expertise.

Often when looking for entertainment jobs prospective employees will be forced into beginning their career on the bottom rung. Internships offer applicants the best way for beginning a career in the entertainment industry.

Internships can be found with some major players in the industry, the big movie production houses such as Warner or music industry giants such as Universal all offer internships. These internships however are often poorly paid and in many cases are not paid at all.

The key to entering the entertainment industry and finding reasonably well paid jobs is to build up large amount of contacts. Frequently in entertainment it is not what you know but who you know. That said it is vital when attempting to secure a position, either as an intern or fully fledged employee to have a real desire to work within that industry sector. Enthusiasm is a fundamental part of the entertainment industry and those who hold jobs all have a love for what they do.

The music industry falls under the more general term of entertainment. Jobs within this sector are fiercely sought and being an outstanding candidate is not easy. Whether trying to become a record producer or even a PA, lower level jobs are once again usually poorly paid.

These entry level jobs however are just a means to an end; while working as a junior it is important to impress everyone you meet, the contacts you make during the early stages of your career could be vital in securing future jobs.

The film industry is renowned for employing low level workers who amount to little more than dogsbodies. The term ‘runner’ is often included in jobs within the film industry; the job role is much like it sounds and doing errands makes up a large portion of these types of jobs. They do however offer real chances of career progression and are often seen as a ‘foot in the door’ of the entertainment industry.

Television production is an extremely laborious task and hence the jobs on offer are high in number. Financiers can often find work with television companies while those with artistic flare may be lucky enough to enter the writing or production field. For those who would like to enter the world of journalism, local TV offer the best chance of opportunity as local news offices regularly employ junior reporters.

Many get into the entertainment industry to become famous, or at least appear on TV. This however is rarely an advisable course to follow as numbers of those performing in front of the cameras are small. On the other hand there are success stories of those who have slaved away behind the scenes for years and eventually been allowed to present or act. Competition for acting and presenting positions is high, factors such as your charisma and aesthetic worth will be instrumental in your chances to appear in front of the camera.

There is no doubt that jobs within the entertainment industry are available, however getting into positions is difficult and requires a lot of perseverance. In an industry that is famed for treating its junior employees badly it is a career path that must be stuck to despite the many setbacks. Often success in this industry relies on a lucky break or having the right contacts. While jobs may be sparse the best way to enter the entertainment industry is to take a low paid internship and strive to cement your place before the internship ends.

Google has announced its much hyped â??superphone,â?? called Nexus One in the first week of January. The mobile handset is powered by its own Android 2.1 operating system and is said to be the powerful device that will compete with Appleâ??s iPhone 3G S.

The Google Nexus One is available directly from Google with a price tag of $529 (unlocked). Also, consumers can buy the device from T-Mobile at $179 with a two-year contract. Google added that the device will also be available through Verizon Wireless in the US and Vodafone in the UK in due course.

Nexus One to affect sales of other Android based mobile phones

Meanwhile, it is suggested that the new device from Google will hold the sales of other Android based smartphones and therefore, various mobile vendors like Sony Ericsson, Motorola, etc would prefer other mobile platform for their new devices. This will create an enigma for the search giant to use its platform on its own devices against already existing Android based phones.

Nexus Oneâ??s networking problem

Nexus One, which runs on Android OS and HTC’s hardware was built to work at 3G speeds in the US on the AWS 1700/2100 MHz frequency band. In contrast, Verizon, AT&T and Sprint all use the 1900 MHz band for their 3G networks, hence the Google phone is incompatible with this band. But, AT&T and the Google phone share a 2G frequency — 850 MHz via GSM, which allows voice calls but quashes its data transfer feature.

According to a leading analytics firm, the Google sold only 20,000 units of Nexus One in its first week of sales. It is pretty disappointing number compared to Appleâ??s iPhone first week sales numbers. Further, the device is facing number of complaints about its 3G connectivity.

The Nexus One has already received and the news isnâ??t good for Google right not. Things will certainly get better for Android, but the Nexus One had so many expectations based on the amazing specs of the phone.

Other missing features in the Nexus One

No VoIP: It was reported that the search giant will introduce VoIP-only plan with its device and will be a game changer to other vendors. It will provide free calls to its consumers in the country. But, the rumor turned out to be false and the device is the same as other handsets, while making calls.

Android 2.1 OS: It is reported that the company will also introduce new Android software besides Nexus One. But, the company launched the device with same Android 2.1 OS in the superphone, which was already appeared in Motorola Droid.

Multitouch missing: Playing 3D games or pinching to zoom in Google Maps (like in iPhone) are missing in the Nexus One. The Nexus Oneâ??s hardware is able to handle input from more than one finger at a time, but the software does not support it.

Music Player App is not upto the mark: People have complained about the app and said that the Android based music player has never upto the quality compared with iPhone.

Third-party applications: Apple has about 100,000 third-party applications in its App Store for the iPhone and iPod Touch, whereas Google Nexus One and other Android platform offer about 18,000 apps only.