TRAVEL / APP SPECIAL ....................A tech-friendly holiday

A tech-friendly holiday  Need a translator in a foreign country? On a layover and looking for something to do? These apps can make a handy companion on your holiday TRANSLATE FOREIGN LANGUAGES Have you every found yourself in a foreign country where English or Hindi isn’t obviously the first language and even simple things like reading street signs and restaurant information can be a problem? Pixter Scanner, which is available across several platforms can take a photo of any text you’re confused by and then translate it for you to any chosen language. All you have to do is choose the language the text that it is written in and then select what language you’d like it to translate to. It beats out web-based translators as you don’t need to key in the words; a picture in this case, can do that job for you. WHERE TO STAY Your budget might not allow you to shack up in that Swiss chalet, but sometimes, people simply don’t feel the love for big hotels while on a vacation.     Renting a place or finding a room can be a problem if you don’t know where to find it. The Dwellable app can you help you with that task by getting a comprehensive list of properties for rent near many popular vacation destinations in North America and Europe. Many of the listings on this app will also have reservation calendars showing when properties are available, along with contact information. This way you save precious time by coming to know whether or not something is available on the dates you need to travel. So, if hotels aren’t your scene and you’re travelling to one of the spots abroad that this app supports, you cound give it a shot. MONEY EXCHANGE RATES When you travel abroad, you’ll need to convert rupees to the destination country’s currency. Being aware of current exchange rates will help you shop more efficiently and  save money. XE.com, one of the most reliable currency conversion sites out there, has a download link for the app, s u p p o r t i n g more than 180 c u r re n c i e s with up-to-theminute rates. Choose up to 10 currencies, listing them in any order. To choose a base currency, simply click on the currency and enter the amount you’d like to convert. PRICE COMPARISONS AND HOTEL BOOKINGS Among the plethora of travel apps, Kayak does offer another advantage when you’re travelling abroad and need some help on the fly. Despite originally being a price comparison and booking app, it tends to have an edge over itinerary apps when it comes to features. Of use especially when on long-haul flights abroad, user reviews note that alerts about delays, online check-in opening are always prompt. It also seems to have a pretty comprehensive database of hotels and includes an itinerary service, flight tracker, packing list, airport info and currency converter. FIND FREE WI-FI If data connectivity fees aren’t your thing, this app does exactly what its name suggests. And that is, to find Wi Fi hotspots no matter which city in the world you’re in. You can modify its search settings to not just free hotspots but also the paid ones and even the type of hotspot location, such as a coffee shop or bar. Wi-Fi     Finder then provides contact details and directions to the hotspot. Another useful feature is the option to the download and store data even when you are offline. DEALING WITH FLIGHT DELAYS If you’ve had the unpleasant experience of having your flight delayed for a ridiculously long time or have had a layover due to a cancelled flight, especially if you’re on holiday, the Layover Guide app can help alleviate your boredom and irritation with the situation. The app can provide you with a bunch of local spots to hang out in which includes pubs, restaurants and the like. It covers all budget ranges.

Reagan Gavin Rasquinha BT131219

GADGET GIZMO REVIEW ................ One Max

 GADGET GIZMO REVIEW  One Max 

 

PRICE 56,490
SPECIFICATIONS

1.7Ghz quad core, 2GB RAM, 16GB storage, 5.9-inch SLCD3 1080p screen, 4MP rear + 2.1MP front camera, FM, GPS, BT4.0, NFC, stereo speakers, IR port, 3,300 mAh battery, 217 grams
    High quality 1080p screen, excellent performance, battery life, premium finish & materials, IR port
    Too expensive, way too big and heavy, one-handed use  is impossible, old implementation of fingerprint reader

The One Max is HTC’s attempt at rekindling some of the interest that the One drummed up. We weren't surprised when the HTC One was universally praised for fantastic design, attention to detail (in workmanship) and the premium aluminium unibody design. HTC’s approach has been to stretch the same design into this 5.9-inch device. This doesn’t work for a couple of reasons. For starters, it’s way too big and heavy. Even if you’re used to large phones like Samsung’s Note series — the One Max seems unwieldy. It’s larger and heavier by a very noticeable amount. While someone with large hands may still be able to use a Galaxy Note with one hand, that seems impossible with the One Max. Second, HTC’s Sense UI, which works really well on the HTC One, has been carried over without modifications. For instance, the app drawer has a grid size of 4 x 4 (showing 16 apps on one screen). This is plain silly because on a gigantic 5.9-inch screen, even 30 apps will comfortably fit on one screen. Of course, you could switch to another launcher like Nova, but you lose the nice features that Sense offers. Like the iPhone 5S, it has a fingerprint reader. In the new iPhone, you only need to place a finger on the home button. Here, you need to swipe which is too old school. While the performance, call quality and battery life are excellent, the camera is a weak point. The 56,490 price is, in fact, the market price (sticker price is a whopping 61,490). Straight off the bat, Samsung’s Galaxy Note 3 is a much, much better buy at 47,900 (with various gadget portals selling it for as low as 43,000). It’s better in almost every way that matters — with the added advantage of a huge accessory ecosystem and the excellent pressure sensitive stylus. If you’re a fan of giant screens, we even recommend the 26,000 Huawei Ascend Mate over this.

ALSO SEE Samsung Galaxy Note 3 47,900
Octa core (1.9Ghz quad + 1.3Ghz quad) processor, 3GB RAM, 32GB + micro SD, 5.7-inch Super Amoled 1080p screen, 13MP BSI rear + 2MP front cam, IR port, 3,200mAh battery, 168 grams

HITESH RAJ BHAGAT ET131216

FOOD/ HEALTH SPECIAL .....................Keep the peel on

Keep the peel on  Eating various foods without their skin causes you to miss out on essential nutrients     The next time you start peeling that apple before eating, think twice. If experts are to be believed, eating certain fruits and vegetables with the peel is far healthier.     Says clinical nutritionist Ishi Khosla, “People tend to overlook basic nu t r i t i o u s facts about the foods they prepare. The trend of eating various foods without their skin causes one to miss out on the beneficial effects of e s s e n t i a l nutrients. For e x a m p l e, almond skin is a good source of antioxidants. The flavonoids in almond skin team up with the vitamin E in the nut, thus doubling the antioxidant punch. Almond skin c o n t a i n s polyphenols as well, which helps reduce the risk of card i ova s c u l a r diseases and prevents LDL (bad cholesterol) from oxidation, which causes damage to the arteries. Almonds are also high in fibre, protein, fatty acids, vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients.”     Adds dietician Dr R a j n i s h Ve r m a , “Eating the skin of certain fruits and vegetables can boost your v i t a m i n i n t a ke, increase energy levels and even combat cancer. The outer layer of fruits is rich in Potassium and h e a l t hy Sodium. These provide the roughage to scrub out the i n t e s t i n a l tract.”     “Orange and lemon peels can be added to cakes and p a s t r i e s. Orange peel not only enhances the taste, but also provides four times more fibre than the fruit. Unpeeled cucumber also contains many vital nutrients. It is a major source of Vitamin K (essential for blood clotting), Vitamin C and Magnesium,” says Khosla.  Zeenia F Baria   Fruit Peels Banana: The outer layer of banana is rich in Serotonin, which is said to be an anti-depressant. Citrus fruits: Lemon and grapefruit peels have powerful flavonoids like Limonene and Rutin. They are known to reduce bad cholesterol. Apple: Apples are a rich source of antioxidants like flavonoids as well as Potassium and fibre. Apple skin has more than twice the antioxidants of the fruit. Kiwi: The hairy skin of this fruit is high in antioxidants. It’s believed to have anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties. Pineapple: Its peel contains Bromelain, which breaks the dead human tissues, thus protecting the layers of the stomach and intestines. Vegetable Peels Broccoli: Rich in Calcium, vitamin C, soluble fibres, proteins and antioxidants.  Potatoes: Peel contains a lot of soluble fibres, Potassium, Iron, Phosphorus and vitamin C. Tomato: The peel is rich in Lycopene — a powerful antioxidant, which also has anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties. It also boosts the immune system. Garlic: The antioxidants in its peel prevent ageing and even protect the heart.     — Dr Rajnish Verma BT131219

 

CEO SPECIAL......................... INTERACTION WITH COCA-COLA CEO MUHTAR KENT

INTERACTION WITH COCA-COLA CEO MUHTAR KENT  Being Constructively Discontent  Kent advises his team to shed hubris because the brand is so pervasive that it’s easy for people to become arrogant      Capitalism, in the form we know it, is passé. And none other than Muhtar Kent, the high priest of the definitive company of capitalism, Coca-Cola, acknowledges that. In an exclusive interview to ET, the 61-year-old chairman and CEO of The Coca-Cola Company argued it is necessary to remain constructively discontent, talked about how he transformed Coke’s senior leadership by empowering women, and shared the India view from the beverage company’s headquarters in Atlanta. Armed with an MBA from Cass Business School, London, the Turkish-American Muhtar Kent started out in the $48-billion Coca-Cola back in 1978 as a delivery hand on trucks across Georgia, Texas, Massachusetts and California. That proved invaluable during his rise to the top. “To start a career from the very first step is always an advantage as it ensures you know and understand those all-important places where money changes hands billions of times each day for our products,” says Kent. What separates Kent from a slew of his predecessors after the iconic Roberto Goizueta’s tenure (1981-1997), is his long-term approach on a range of issues. After coming to the helm in 2008, he was taken aback by the global beverage major’s insularity and lack of vision. As a first measure, he drew up the ‘2020 Vision’ for the company and its bottling partners, which chalks out a roadmap for doubling Coke’s business in 10 years. “It’s not something for the fainthearted, but something clearly do-able. It has made us stronger and, frankly, a more focused competitor,” admits Kent. Besides, he has championed women’s empowerment to such an extent that today nearly 30% of Coca-Cola’s senior leadership are women. His logic that women are pillars of his business is unquestionable since “they control $20 trillion in spending worldwide, representing an economic impact larger than the US, China and India combined”. In 2007, The Coca-Cola Company created the Global Women’s Initiative — a strategic plan with the primary objective of accelerating the development and movement of female talent into roles of increasing responsibility and influence within the Coca-Cola system. Additionally, the ‘5by20’ initiative aims to economically empower 5 million women across Coca-Cola’s supply chain worldwide by the year 2020 through business skills training and financial services. “This programme works because we know if you economically empower women, you lift the livelihood of an entire community.” Empowerment of women aside, Kent’s mantra for his people is to remain “constructively discontent” and shed the hubris that comes with a brand sporting a 128-year legacy. “Coca-Cola is the only business in the world where no matter which country or town or village you are in, if someone asks what do you do and you say you work for Coca-Cola, you never have to answer the question, ‘What is that?’ Our brand is so pervasive that it’s easy for people to become arrogant because there’s an aura around it,” he explains. Kent’s restless energy rubs off online as well, especially on social media. In 2006, social media was a mere 3% of Coke’s total media spend and today, it is upward of 30%. “The social media scene is exploding and gone are the days when you simply needed to create impressions about your brands with consumers… Now it’s all about expressions — communicating in a dialogue with consumers to meet their expectations,” says Kent, taking pride in the Coca-Cola Facebook page, which has more than 76 million ‘likes’. “Consumers no longer want only a great product — they want to buy products from companies that align with their own character and values.” Does such pro-consumerism sound the death-knell for capitalism? It’s time the economic system reinvented itself, contends Kent, who believes the “golden triangle” of business, government and civil society must address deep social, economic and environmental issues. “This model is the way forward for capitalism — the greatest economic force the world has ever known — a system whose greatest days are still ahead.” Can Kent create his golden triangle in an environment where people are consuming less soda, the mainstay of his empire? Pat comes the reply—“Approximately half of the world’s population has not consumed a Coke in the past 30 days and a quarter of the population hasn’t consumed a Coke in the last year.” Clearly, it is the potential where Kent sees opportunity. “While some markets — like India — will consistently show high levels of growth, developed markets like the United States and Europe also are able to support growth, albeit at slower rates… It is important that we continue to grow our beverage portfolio in a balanced way — both in terms of geographic markets and in terms of still and sparkling beverages,” he elaborates. Talk of India and Kent connects with the subcontinent’s diaspora working throughout the Coca-Cola system. “Many of our senior executives in marketing, strategy, finance, operations and other functions are from India and the Indian intellect and global perspective are things we value greatly at Coca-Cola.” Last year, Kent went on record saying the world’s largest beverage maker will invest $5 billion in India over eight years to expand capacity and improve distribution network, following which rival PepsiCo’s Indra Nooyi declared in November her company would pump in $5.5 billion to India by 2020.  MOINAK MITRA ET13129

SOCIAL MEDIA SPECIAL......................... 5 surprising social media stats, trends and ideas of 2013

5 surprising social media stats, trends and ideas of 2013 

In order to provide clients with a social strategy that’s optimized for engaging and generating leads, Brafton’s social media team consistently ingrains themselves in industry updates and the latest trends.

Whether learning first hand from client experiences or gaining insights shared by industry leaders online and at this fall’s Social Media Week, here’s a look at what some of Brafton’s social media experts consider to be the most important takeaways of 2013:

1. Social media is the new “ask a friend”

A Google+ study said 57 percent of people have more conversations online than in person. That is something for every business to think about when deciding what to invest in with their marketing budgeting. Content marketing is clearly the “yellow brick road” to success in terms of validating your company as an industry leader. And social media is the perfect way to reach your online audience to share and show your expertise. Rachel Dobinski

2. Social rants with a grain of salt: The customer isn’t always right

During a “Confessions of a Community Manager” presentation at Social Media Week in Chicago, the panel brought up  the concept that when dealing with customer complaints on social media, it’s important to remember that “the customer isn’t always right.” This is super interesting because it goes against traditional wisdom. While it’s critical to provide customer support to people who reach out, sometimes using humors or gifs to diffuse the situation instead of accepting defeat can be more beneficial. I think the reason that this is so significant is because when dealing with upset customers over social media, everyone can see how you respond. Being able to publicly make light of situations where customers might be unhappy definitely takes guts, but still demonstrates your company is responsive! Kendra Bissonnette

3. The customer can be your biggest brand advocate

Fifty-three percent of users recommend products or companies in their Tweets according to a study from ODM Group. One of the go-to lines for clients asking about social ROI and benefit goes something like: “Social media builds a loyal audience of brand advocates.” People will defend you and recommend you if your brand (and your messages) resonate with them. This statistic just goes to show how powerful good social media management can be – there are oodles of non-corporate billboards and advertisements out there in your Twitter followers, and you can harness them to get your message out. Max Adagio

4. Microtargeting prospects wherever, whenever

As a member of the social media team I always wonder what the future holds for social media and the digital industry. A Google+ study indicates that one in five searches are local, which relates to the popular concept of  SoLoMo (Social Location and Mobile). This applies to the integration of one’s social media platforms and physical location with one’s mobile device, and with data about local being so prevalent, it drives home the idea that businesses should micro-target prospects and consumers wherever and whenever, with contextually-relevant content. Sharing the right content with the right people at the right time will be key to maximizing your social reach. Sumit Sharma

5. Data overload without insights

One of the biggest challenges brands face when social media marketing is that they have too much data, but not enough insights. It’s critical that companies align their monthly metrics with leads, sales and conversions, and then compare those with social analytics. They need to strike the right balance with monitoring engagement and analysis that ties those findings to bottom-line results. Lauren Kaye

Social media strategy is a top priority for marketers in the upcoming year (and our industry analysts’ have reported that social budgets will get a bump in 2014). Learn more about how Brafton’s social professionals keep up with innovative sharing platforms to help you maximize and measure the social currency of your brand.

by Molly Buccini

http://www.brafton.com/blog/5-surprising-social-media-stats-trends-ideas-2013-ex