Samsung chairman Lee Kun-hee quit

Lee Kun-hee was South Korea's most influential businessman and chairman of Samsung until few days ago when he was forced to announce his resignation as chairman of Samsung while the powerful conglomerate still shakes from charges of massive tax evasion.

The 66-year-old Lee spearheaded South Korea's most powerful family-run company for 20 years while incorporating in his figure the country's ultra-secretive management structures. Many actually believe the same structures are personified by Lee, a man once considered untouchable because of his close ties to successive governments in Seoul.

Nevertheless, many regarded the apology for to his shocked compatriots as a rare show of accountability and welcomed Lee Kun-hee’s the resignation. Others though, voiced concern that his downfall would not only damage the conglomerate's reputation but hold back attempts by South Korea's new president to repair the battered economy.

Let’s not forget Samsung group, having interests in consumer electronics, shipbuilding and construction, accounts for as much as 20% of South Korea's exports. The Republic of Samsung as called by many, has more than 250,000 employees, and its annual revenues of $160bn (£81bn) are around the size of Singapore's gross domestic product.

I don't get, why tax invade when making this silly ammounts of money?

Phorm threatens ISP privacy

It was about time for those poor conspiracy theorists to raise their voice again over a new treacherous threat spawned to doom humanity once more. Well, maybe the arrival of an online advert system called Phorm isn’t perceived so dramatically by the entire 6.7 billion people on planet earth, nevertheless it has created a sensation.

Basically, web users consider Phorm’s applications as a possible privacy invasion in regards to creating targeted ads by identifying surfing habits. What it actually does is using your private browsing history, including your web page list, as an advertisement tool, a commodity to be brokered to advertisers. Not surprisingly, the 3 first UK ISP providers Virgin Media, BT and TalkTalk refrained from announcing the ongoing tests conducting on Phorm.

Phorm’s directors and spokespeople came around to their critics well-studied, flashing back corporate privacy claims audited by Privacy International before Ernst & Young’s authorization. For the new technolgy, maintaining your IP address isn’t so important, so nothing illegal here; important though is a unique-number cookie planted on your browser. It’s a rather dynamic process utilizing “distillation” techniques and not memorizing or phishing, therefore not illegal.

Ok, considering everything went well so far on the secret plan, so Phorm has created an intelligent profile, not directly yours but your web activity’s which then bargains; by now its target market should be dead obvious… it is actually the market of online Ltds thirsty to taste the big cherry pie shared exclusively by the only big web three…

Lets see how interesting it will turn out to be, any first thoughts?

Yahoo pie share increase over Google

Yahoo! Inc. board of directors meet a couple of days ago to reconsider Microsoft Corp.'s $44.6 billion bid. Although analysts and shareholders see the takeover as the most likely outcome, Yahoo's CEO Jerry Yang is still "on the pull" for an alternate bidder or a bulkier bid, ignoring Microsoft's CEO Steve Ballmer's threat for a proxy fight in less than two weeks. Yahoo's procrastination giving into Microsoft's offer temptation is fairly confusing for the market's realists; it is common ground that Microsoft remains the most motivated and best capitalized choice for Yahoo as a Yahoo-AOL merger wouldn't provide Yahoo's shareholders equivalent to Microsoft's bid value.

Yahoo's Jerry Yang, fully acknowledging the aftermath of a possible AOL transaction, also forged an agreement this week to run some of Google's advertisements alongside Internet search results. The deal, which will include no more than 3 percent of search queries is only a two week trial and an instant attempt for Yahoo to boost revenue as an independent company.

Yesterday's data may actually indicate a potential increase in Yahoo's Web search, specifically against Google. The good news for Yahoo's board and shareholders came from a study by RBC Capital using data on ad-buying trends showing Yahoo outpacing Google in search advertising spending, ad viewership and click-through rates during the first quarter.Yahoo's first-quarter piece of the search spending pie to 23 percent of the market from historic levels of 18 percent to 19 percent and they are expected to reveal their quarterly results tomorrow.

BT CEO Ben Verwaayen goodbye

BT Group Plc., the world’s first privatised state telecom company, fair wells current CEO Ben Verwaayen. Commenting on the succession, BT Chairman Sir Mike Rake acknowledged Mr. Verwaayen as the one “who transformed BT from being a deeply troubled organisation into a thriving business with global capability and a clear strategy for the future.”

In Ben Verwaayen's rein BT expanded its Global Services division, providing improved network and IT services to international customers in a period the company was struggling with the cross-industry phenomenon of declining call revenues. Mr. Verwaayen heads BT since 2002 and will step down from the board on June 30. In this 6-year period the outgoing CEO protected BT from an upcoming regulator-caused break up by “selling off” its network to its unavoidable rivals. He seized the opportunity to enter the network IT services market and managed to double the group’s share price between 2004 and 2007while on the same time established Openreach in 2005.

Things in BT aren’t so bright lately though. Past six months saw the shares taking a 30% dive trading not far from the 2002 levels. Although BT has 4.3 million users it isn’t used to steep competition from the likes of BskyB and Carphone Warehouse, which developed their own networks affecting BT Wholesale’s line rental income.

Ian Livingston, BT Head or Retail, takes over the command in very sensitive period when BT considers a complex and costly network upgrade. Market analysts, although still a bit concerned since 7 months ago BT welcomed a new chairman, maintain a strong belief in Livingston’s skills. The new CEO is expected to focus on a much expected detailed delivery of BT's new strategy, why don't we give him some time to prove himself?

Internet Stars Wars

The current unprecedented dogfight between software giant Microsoft against search giant Google over Yahoo Inc. is really admirable. It shows perhaps that this is more than just an agressive acquisition attempt as the stakes are very high.

When looking into this from a top level perspective Microsoft and Google are fighting over domination of the web. A deal between Microsoft and Yahoo will give the software company a considerable chunk of the search market, up to 30%. This means that there will be a valid contender in the search field.

Another area that will change the landscape is the domination of the email services market. Microsoft and Yahoo will cover 80% of the free email market. This is really significant in terms of advertising revenue.

But this is not all. There are many more areas where Microsoft can directly compete with Google even taking a shot at it's most popular services.

The online marketing agency community watches from the sidelines and secretly hopes for a deal to bring more competition in the space. Internet users are split, but Microsoft critics (and there are many) do not want to see the company trying to dominate yet another space with it's corporate approach. After all Google is giving out a lot more useful services, adding value. Would Microsoft do the same or would they try to charge for everything in the same way they do for their software?

Competition tends to drive prices down and give more negotiation powers to advertisers.
Given the past of Microsoft is this good news or bad omens?

New Savings Account with WaMu

Washington Mutual, or better known as WaMu, is a USA based bank which recently launched a new online Savings Account aiming to reduce operational costs and maximize customers' benefits.

Wamu includes in its very attractive package free Online Banking backed up by free electronic statements. The suggested interest fee is amongst the most competitive in the U.S. market and stands at 3.25%, while allowing the convenience to customers of starting up an account with as little as $1. WaMu endows its customers with no monthly service charge, when the account is opened and handled through its free online checking. Customers can also link their new online account to an existing active WaMu checking account, as long as checking relationship is maintained.

Although there aren’t any hidden costs, there is a monthly service charge amount of $4.00 which can be easily avoided if the minimum balance is maintained above $300.00 on any given time throughout the month.

Additional features included the potential sign up for an overdraft transfer service and available funds will be conveniently transferred from your linked Online Savings Account to your checking account to prevent overdrafts or other NSF transactions like bounced checks (subject to transaction limits and funds availability). Direct access to funds by ATM can prove very useful, though again transaction limitations do apply to online savings accounts and access is subject to funds availability.

Concluding, WaMu Free Checking™ proves itself as a useful and transparent online service providing customers with the Relationship Interest Rate/APY. The online savings account comes with free bank checks and money orders.

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Yahoo! Vs Microsoft

The online battle between Yahoo! and Microsoft seems to be never-ending. On one hand Yahoo! struggles to unearth any possible alternative to being bought by Microsoft Corp. while on the other hand the software giant answers back with a threat to lower its $42.4 billion bid. Insiders revealed news regarding intensified negotiations between Yahoo and Time Warner’s AOL division about an alliance. Yahoo!’s alternative plan involving News Corp has been left aside.

Microsoft Chief Executive Steve Ballmer didn’t take the news lightly. Quite on the contrary actually, he reacted by giving Yahoo!’s board a three-week ultimatum inviting them to come to a deal or else Microsoft will change course, cut its bid and start a proxy campaign against Yahoo's board.

Market analysts portrayed Yahoo!’s two obvious solutions; either creating a strategic alliance which will demonstrate its value as an independent corporation or stagger humanity with strong figures in its quarterly results. Microsoft proposal stands at $31 per share valued at $42.2 billion in total, an amount not cherished by Yahoo!'s board which disregarded it stating that it clearly undervalues Yahoo!, thus they seek alternatives.

The deadline falls on April 26, four and two days after Yahoo! and Microsoft reports quarterly results respectively. It wouldn’t come as a surprise if Yahoo! released its first-quarter results earlier than planned in a try to make clear that besides the turmoil they stand in good stead. Unfortunately it is highly probable that Microsoft’s bid constitutes a big distraction element to business the past two months as sales teams, developers and advertising customers wonder what the future holds.

But aren’t we all, though? Any predictions are welcome.

BT and Ofcom save Broadband users

It was about time BT, UK's largest broadband supplier, to demand more transparency regarding advertised broadband speeds. The move was inspired from piled up customers’ reports, expressing deep disappointed by the mismatch between advertised and actual speeds. An independent survey found that only 15% of people who bought 8 megabit per second packages actually got the speed! This is a sad and ridiculously low percent creating an imperative need for regulators to agree rules about how broadband speeds could be sold to the public.

Guy Bradshaw of BT said "The industry needs to join together with Ofcom to agree a set of principles as to how these messages should be communicated and advertised so that the understanding with the consumer is as accurate as it can be."

BT’s response comes in a bit late. The issue was raised long ago by Gadget Show, a TV show on Channel 5. On a respectable try to enlighten and educate users, Gadget Show offered a free service through their website, giving you the exact upload and download speed of your system at any given time. The move was part of a campaign to identify which suppliers contradicted their advertised speeds.

The explanation of the phenomenon lies simply on the fact that actual speeds vary from user to user. There is a big difference between the line speed and the actual downloading/uploading speed.

Millions of UK customers use BT's DSL Max, yet only a 35% of them achieve an 8mbps speed while the rest suffer reduced speed by factors such as distance from the exchange, poor equipment, and interference from electrical appliances.

Ofcom is currently reviewing the way broadband is marketed to consumers, but it is up to us to raise our voice and demand if not optimal speeds at least some honesty.

Forex Currency Exhange

Fab Forex is a guide to online Forex Currency Trading. Fab Forex allows you to invest in foreign currency from the comfort of your home on your PC. Investors already use the service extensively around the world but it is the informed ones who make good money from the profit opportunities created. That is because Forex trading isn’t risk free; the same rules are applied here like for every other trading system. Thus, buying and selling with the template doesn’t eliminate risk, but it gives you the necessary artillery to educate yourself and go for an intelligent and well-calculated move. With adequate research and involvement the potential profits made on Forex market are literally big.

Although not an investor myself, I found articles like the “An overview of speculative demand in real estate” and “Pivot Points in Forex: Mapping your time frame” very intuitive. The information provided is communicated effectively and the site addresses the average user as well as the proficient one. There is a diversity of subjects covered, on an attempt to extend through out many aspects of Fab Forex operations. Fabforex.com provides also a few affiliate sites covering again the same or different aspects of currency trading, making it a round service giving a valuable insight for successful and profitable currency exhange.

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Marketing company with a twist

It is an amazingly ever increasing number of marketing and branding companies in the market, who offer to bust up your company from a branding point of view and increase its marketing activity. Nevertheless, there aren’t many out there who actually deliver exactly what they promise with transparency and not too much fuss. And Brandidentityguru.com is a Marketing Company which distributes everything mentioned above and they actually enjoy it.

The company is using various methods to promote your business, from very simple to quite sophisticated. One of the most cost efficient and result oriented methods is the Search Engine Optimization service – SEO – and those guys seem like they know what they are doing. Few of their suggested techniques, include key word penetration and page rank evaluation, both of them being well known branding solutions.

What many companies will find very interesting is the “Pump up your Brand workshop” which is actually held by the CEO of the company and aiming to give an instant two hour lift up to your brand through an intense and definitely mind engaging workshop. The workshop targets both senior level directors and key employees who will definitely see a lot of practical and educational value in it.

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DIY PC Kits

DIY refers to various tasks people can do in the comfort of their house and without the discomfort of paying a professional to do it for you. The term sprung of early in the 20th century but it wasn’t until the 1950’s that spread like wildfire in the US.

Essentially, DIY products offer more than idealizing the honest craftsman taking personal pride in his achievement. By eliminating the needs both of a skilled assembly professional and the industrial process relevant to it, affects the final cost of the product. So, think out of the box, you can actually save a bundle by assembling your own new or upgraded PC with easy to use PC Kits for instance.

Easyasmypc.com offers various PC Kits for the wanna-be engineers who want to save money and invest it in probably a better system. The company offers through its elaborate and user friendly site 3 set DIY PC Kits for standard, gaming or business use.

The kits come complete, including everything you need to build your own computer in plain English instructions and with lots of practical illustrations. The PC components are brand new coming from a range of top brands. They are designed in a way to save time even to the inexperienced user. They are very user friendly requiring just a screwdriver making the process easy and quick.


So, in just a few hours you can upgrade or make your new PC, saving you between 30-40% to high street retail prices. No reason to delay it since the PC Kits come with full manufacturer warranties and free ground shipping. Happy assembly!

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