T-Mobile Adds Over 1 Million Customers

Good sign for T-Mobile.

http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/08/08/daily-report-t-mobile-us-expands-its-customer-base/?_r=0

Small Businesses Going More and More Mobile

When it comes to technology, small businesses continue to ratchet up their use of emerging wireless solutions, including tablet computers, 4G devices, and GPS navigation mobile apps. This according to the just-released 2012 AT&T* Small Business Technology Poll**. More specifically, the national survey of small businesses revealed the following:

Nearly all small businesses (96%) surveyed use wireless technologies in their operations, with almost two-thirds (63%) indicating that they could not survive -- or it would be a major challenge to survive -- without wireless technologies.

More than four in 10 (43%) small businesses surveyed report all of their employees use wireless devices or technologies to work away from the office, a nearly 80% jump from three years ago.
Despite being a relatively new technology, two-thirds (67%) of small businesses surveyed indicate that they use tablet computers, up from 57% a year ago.

By end of 2012, some 50% of small businesses surveyed expect to have all their employees using wireless technologies to work away from the office.

When it comes to smartphones the numbers get more interesting.

85% of small businesses reported using smartphones for their operations, up from 80% last year and more than double the usage five years ago (42%).

4G Devices:

One third of smartphones used by small businesses for business purposes are 4G.
Nearly nine in 10 (86%) of the businesses using 4G smartphones are satisfied with the speed.
Of those who don't have 4G devices, more than one-third (35%) report that they expect to purchase 4G smartphones within the next year, and more than half (54%) within the next two years.

Mobile apps are here to stay.

Almost one-third (30%) of small businesses surveyed use mobile apps for their business, with key reasons being to save time, increase productivity and reduce costs.

Mobile apps are gaining in importance for small businesses that use them, with half (50%) saying they could not survive - or it would be a major challenge to survive - without mobile apps, a 31% jump over the past year.

Of small businesses using mobile apps, GPS navigation and mapping are by far the most popular with 80% of business owners using them, followed by location-based services (44%) and social media marketing (42%).

Regional Variations: Based on responses to questions regarding four factors - perceived importance of wireless, use of wireless technology, use of mobile apps, and percentage of employees using wireless to work remotely - a Wireless Quotient, or "WiQ," was calculated for each of the 12 markets surveyed.

"More than ever, we're seeing small businesses leverage the benefits afforded by wireless technologies, whether they be smartphones, tablets, mobile apps, or 4G speeds," said Ebrahim Keshavarz, AT&T vice president of Small Business Product Management. "There's no doubt that with 'virtual offices' and remote workforces becoming more and more prevalent, AT&T will remain committed to offering innovative and affordable mobility solutions, helping small businesses reduce costs and increase productivity over both the short- and long-term."

Samsung Galaxy Note Super Bowl Commercial

Surprising, but the new Samsung Galaxy Note commerical that was played during the Super Bowl is getting a lot of talk.

Angry Birds Rio Coming in March

Good news for the millions of Angry Birds fans out there.

20th Century Fox struck a deal to bring the domesticated macaw and other feathered characters from its upcoming big-screen animated film, "Rio," to one of the most popular mobile game applications for the small screen, Angry Birds.

The Finnish creators of Angry Birds will release a version of the game -- Angry Birds Rio -- to coincide with the film's March 22 world premiere in Rio. The movie opens in theaters April 15.

On Friday, Fox Filmed Entertainment co-Chairman Jim Gianopulos announced the partnership with game developer Rovio in a press event on the Fox studio lot in Century City under a tent with giant beach balls and a lot of optimism.  The studio also screened 26 minutes of footage, introduced by director Carlos Saldanha and voice stars Jamie Foxx, Anne Hathaway and George Lopez.

Fox hopes to tap into the pop-culture phenomenon that is Angry Birds (downloaded some 75 million times and still counting) to build awareness for its latest animated project from Blue Sky Studios, creators of the "Ice Age" blockbusters.

Rovio, meanwhile, gets to introduce a new version of the game (using Blue Sky's intellectual property), and capitalize on the marketing blitz that is planned for the theatrical release.

Looks like a win-win for both companies, not that they needed any help selling their content and products.  Get ready to be invaded by Angrey Birds.

New Year's Eve "Drops"

New Year's Eve.  A time to reflect on the year that passed and to make those resolutions for the next one. 

It's also a time for cities across the country to copy New York City and have a "drop" of some type to ring in the beginning of the new year.

We all know about New York City dropping the crystal ball, and here in Atlanta they of course drop a giant peach.  Now take a gander at what some other cities across the good ole USA are dropping.

Fayetteville, AR - A hog

Key West, FL - A conch shell

Miami and Orlando, FL - An orange

Eastport, Maine - A sardine

Raleigh, NC - An acorn

Beavertown, PA - A beaver, of course

Hershey, PA - A giant Hershey Kiss

Nashville, TN - A guitar

Plymouth, WI - An 80-pound decorated cheese wedge

Mobile, AL - A giant electric Moon Pie is raised

and Panama Ciy, FL - A giant beach ball

Update on Friday, December 31, 2010 at 8:23PM by Rick C.Limpert

How's this for cool.  A reader sent me a picture of the cheese drop from 2010 in Plymouth, WI.