Thinking about buying a new phone? Are you number one fun of Apple products? Well, you should be very happy now because Apple will introduce a new product, which is the “iPhone”. The iPhone is a new phone that brings some features of the iPod, digital camera, smart phones, portable computing, and a widescreen display. The iPhone runs Mac OS X; it has full iTunes integration and can sync data with a Mac, or Internet service, including music videos from iTunes, contacts, calendars, photos, notes, bookmarks, and e-mail accounts.
The iPhone will come in two versions, a 4GB for $499 and a 8GB for $599 with a two year contract with Cingular, this models will be available for people to buy starting in June from Apple Stores and from Cingular. (Univision news)
Apple not only wants to introduce this incredible new phone to United States, Apple CEO Steve Jobs said Apple plans to bring the iPhone to Europe in 4th quarter of 2007, and to Asia in 2008. I think that Mr. I wonder what will be the impact in Asia especially in Korea and Japan since they have the greatest and highest technology built in cell phones. I can’t wait for the iPhone to be out in the Market to see how will affect competition in the telecommunication industry and what impact will have in people.
The following is a SWOT analysis for Apple based on the iPhone:
Strengths: good reputation and popularity of the iPod will help iPhone to become acceptable in the market.
Weaknesses: first time for apple to introduce a phone, and existing phone companies with products with similar if not same features of the iPhone.
Opportunities: focus on people who are loyal to Apple brand and people who are innovators meaning those who are technology enthusiasts and who appreciate changes.
Threats: existing phone companies.
There are high expectations for the iPhone among people, so let’s see if those expectations will satisfy people’s wants.
Source: Univision channel
Saturday, April 28, 2007
Sunday, April 22, 2007
The Major Threats for US Economy
A survey conducted by “WSJ.com” to 54 economic forecasters found the major threats causing US economy to grow slowly. 20 out of 54 economic forecasters responded that soft capital spending is the number one threat, and other economists responded that inflation and oil prices are the major threats (Phil Izzo and Dean Treftz). According to the article, “Economy Enemy No.1: Soft Capital Spending” by Phil Izzo and Dean Treftz, businesses such as Advanced Micro Devices Inc., Tecumseh Products Co., Ralcorp Holdings, and Auto-part makers plan to decrease their capital spending due to factors such as debts or new projects in process. In the other hand, another survey conducted by FoodProcessing.com to 26 food companies found out that six companies are also decreasing their capital spending, but the rest are increasing it. Some businesses increasing their capital spending include Wal-Mart and 3M Co. The economists that responded to the WSJ.com survey concluded that unemployment would increase from 4.5% to 4.8% due to the threats that are causing US economy to grow slowly.
Another survey conducted to 60 financial executives in manufacturing companies concluded that 55% of the financial executives expect that capital spending for this year will increase and 13% expect a decrease. A similar survey was conducted 6 months earlier to the same financial executives and at that time, 44% predicted an increase and 31% a decrease. (Economy Enemy No.1: Soft Capital Spending)
Capital spending, inflation and oil prices are causing US economy to grow slowly, but according to the article, economists alleged that another threat that is causing economy to grow slowly is consumer spending. But I think that another major threat that we should worry about is the war against Iraq and the possibility of terrorist attacks.
I think that consumer spending is the major threat for US economy because if people don’t buy, economy will go down. In the other hand, if business cut down their capital spending, we as consumers are affected. And I think that one of the reasons businesses are decreasing their capital spending is because low demand, no re-investment and low earnings.
Izzo, P. and Treftz D. (2007) Economy Enemy No.1: Soft Capital Spending. Retrieved April 14, 2007, from http://online.wsj.com.
Another survey conducted to 60 financial executives in manufacturing companies concluded that 55% of the financial executives expect that capital spending for this year will increase and 13% expect a decrease. A similar survey was conducted 6 months earlier to the same financial executives and at that time, 44% predicted an increase and 31% a decrease. (Economy Enemy No.1: Soft Capital Spending)
Capital spending, inflation and oil prices are causing US economy to grow slowly, but according to the article, economists alleged that another threat that is causing economy to grow slowly is consumer spending. But I think that another major threat that we should worry about is the war against Iraq and the possibility of terrorist attacks.
I think that consumer spending is the major threat for US economy because if people don’t buy, economy will go down. In the other hand, if business cut down their capital spending, we as consumers are affected. And I think that one of the reasons businesses are decreasing their capital spending is because low demand, no re-investment and low earnings.
Izzo, P. and Treftz D. (2007) Economy Enemy No.1: Soft Capital Spending. Retrieved April 14, 2007, from http://online.wsj.com.
Hybrid Cars
Thinking about a new car that can save you gasoline and that contributes to the environment to produce less Carbon dioxide? Well, you should consider a hybrid car if you are concern not only about gasoline prices but also about global warming. There are a lot of hybrid models out on the market, and as they become more popular, more automobile manufactures want to manufacture their own model. As today, Toyota, and Honda Civic manufacture their own model.
The purpose to manufacture a hybrid car is to increase mileage and reduce the emissions of gas to produce less pollution than regular cars. According to scientists a regular car produces a lot of Carbon dioxide (CO2), and CO2 contributes to global warming so hybrid cars will be a good idea to help free the air of CO2. Hybrid cars produce almost no pollution, which helps the air to be cleaner; the only disadvantage is that hybrid cars are slow. The parts that composes a hybrid car are the following:
§ Gasoline engine: the difference between a gasoline engine from a normal car and the one from a hybrid is that on a hybrid car the gasoline engine is designed to reduce emissions that causes pollution.
§ Fuel Tank: which is used to store energy.
§ Electric Motor: decides when to get energy from the batteries and when to return back the energy.
§ Generator: produces electrical power
§ Batteries: stores the energy needed for the electric motor to make the car run.
§ Transmission: similar from a regular car.
In a hybrid car, and electric engine helps to power the vehicle, although not all hybrid cars work the same way. A parallel hybrid can run on just the gasoline engine, batteries or both. There is a computer that decides which power source is best to use based on how the engine is working. For example, if you stop at a red light, the gasoline engine can be turn off and rely on the batteries, then once it starts running again it will rely on the gasoline engine. Turning the gasoline engine helps to save mileage and makes the hybrid cars more effective and efficient.
Another type of hybrid car is an assist hybrid, which relies on the gasoline engine most of the times. The reason is called an assist hybrid is because the battery engine assists the gasoline engine to improve gas mileage.
Another type of hybrid cars is the one that relies on electric power source. The hybrid car requires the owner to plug the battery into a power source to be charged. Although, these types of hybrid cars not only run on electric power, they can also run on a gas engine. The owner can choose whether to run on electric power or on a gas engine.
Hybrid cars can be more efficient than the regular cars because hybrid cars have smaller engines that uses less energy, less fuel is require by each of the cylinders, and they produce less pollution. One of the disadvantages of electric hybrid cars is that they can only go 50 to 100 miles between charges and they are slower than the regular cars.
I’m glad that there is interest in the automobile industry to produce and manufacture cars that produce less pollution and helps our environment. I just hope that the automobile industry make the hybrid cars more affordable for us to buy so more people contribute to have a healthier environment. What I like about hybrid cars besides the advantages that I already mentioned is that if you drive by yourself, you can use the carpool at any time and you don’t get a ticket. Is in it cool? I think it’s great specially me that I get a lot of traffic every morning in my way to school.
Source: Global Warming. Retrieved April 22, 2007, from http://geocities.com/shawn_kwek2002/h-cars.html
The purpose to manufacture a hybrid car is to increase mileage and reduce the emissions of gas to produce less pollution than regular cars. According to scientists a regular car produces a lot of Carbon dioxide (CO2), and CO2 contributes to global warming so hybrid cars will be a good idea to help free the air of CO2. Hybrid cars produce almost no pollution, which helps the air to be cleaner; the only disadvantage is that hybrid cars are slow. The parts that composes a hybrid car are the following:
§ Gasoline engine: the difference between a gasoline engine from a normal car and the one from a hybrid is that on a hybrid car the gasoline engine is designed to reduce emissions that causes pollution.
§ Fuel Tank: which is used to store energy.
§ Electric Motor: decides when to get energy from the batteries and when to return back the energy.
§ Generator: produces electrical power
§ Batteries: stores the energy needed for the electric motor to make the car run.
§ Transmission: similar from a regular car.
In a hybrid car, and electric engine helps to power the vehicle, although not all hybrid cars work the same way. A parallel hybrid can run on just the gasoline engine, batteries or both. There is a computer that decides which power source is best to use based on how the engine is working. For example, if you stop at a red light, the gasoline engine can be turn off and rely on the batteries, then once it starts running again it will rely on the gasoline engine. Turning the gasoline engine helps to save mileage and makes the hybrid cars more effective and efficient.
Another type of hybrid car is an assist hybrid, which relies on the gasoline engine most of the times. The reason is called an assist hybrid is because the battery engine assists the gasoline engine to improve gas mileage.
Another type of hybrid cars is the one that relies on electric power source. The hybrid car requires the owner to plug the battery into a power source to be charged. Although, these types of hybrid cars not only run on electric power, they can also run on a gas engine. The owner can choose whether to run on electric power or on a gas engine.
Hybrid cars can be more efficient than the regular cars because hybrid cars have smaller engines that uses less energy, less fuel is require by each of the cylinders, and they produce less pollution. One of the disadvantages of electric hybrid cars is that they can only go 50 to 100 miles between charges and they are slower than the regular cars.
I’m glad that there is interest in the automobile industry to produce and manufacture cars that produce less pollution and helps our environment. I just hope that the automobile industry make the hybrid cars more affordable for us to buy so more people contribute to have a healthier environment. What I like about hybrid cars besides the advantages that I already mentioned is that if you drive by yourself, you can use the carpool at any time and you don’t get a ticket. Is in it cool? I think it’s great specially me that I get a lot of traffic every morning in my way to school.
Source: Global Warming. Retrieved April 22, 2007, from http://geocities.com/shawn_kwek2002/h-cars.html
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