Article summary
Summary
The American Airline has experienced many challenges over the past years. But now, these challenges could be seen diminishing with the new arrival of Boeing’s 777-300ER, the most flourishing two-engine plane in the world. The ground breaking launch will be a flight from Dallas to Sao Paolo. This measure will create an opportunity for American Airline to “re-earn its once legendary wings”.
Among the passengers on board during the launch to Sao Paolo was Chris Sloan who is an aviation writer. According to Sloan, the past few years have been profitable to the American Airline. This is due to the fact that the American Airlines has experienced constraints such as disastrous crash, bankruptcy and also becoming unbolted. With the arrival of Boeing 777-300ER, with capacity of 304 passengers, six cabin configuration and four-class aircrafts, the American Airline is aiming to thrive in the industry. As Sloan concludes this step is all about “the re-birth of a proud American institution that happens to bear the name of our country”.
Reflection
This is an opportunity to the American Airlines to increase its efficiency as well as profitability. This is because the cost of Boeing 777-300ER is relatively cheap; fuel consumption is 30 percent less than its rival while the maintaining cost will be cut by 40 percent. The cost reduction will go in hand with increased revenue hence profitability of the institution. The plane is more efficient and the management can utilize this advantage to reduce disastrous crushes. This seems to be an opportunity for the airline to regain its consumer loyalty.
Intel plans big splash for Mobile World Congress
Summary
Currently Intel has introduced new Smartphone technologies at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. During the congress, the company announced that it will introduce new dual graphics platform and new dual core. With regard to the handsets using the android, the company is aiming to introduce its Atom Z2420 platform, a low cost and low powered chip for the emerging Smartphone.
Intel Company has not been excelling in the mobile processor market for the past years. ARM is the company than have been dominating he mobile processor market. ARM creates chip architecture that is widely used by various companies. However, Intel has aggressively entered in the market and has been making various strategic measures to achieve its goal. Additionally, in the Consumer Electronic Show, Intel announced its plans for both desktops and mobile space throughout the year. The company has referred to year 2013 as “game changing year”.
Reflection
With the introduction of new Smartphone technology in the mobile space, Intel has strategically made an effective push towards achieving its goal. Atom Z2420 platform will reduce one of the main challenge faced by the android based handsets. The ability of the platform to consume low power will enhance the efficiency and reliability of the Smartphone. The Smartphone technologies in the existing market are high power consumer, a constraint that has reduced consumer loyalty in the android market.
Microsoft's tablet blip versus Android's boom
Summary
The emergency of the Android tablet in the market has been a challenge to Microsoft, a company that is currently attempting to gain success in the market. The Android tablet shipments such as Amazon’s Kindle Fire have increased their popularity in the tablet market just the time when Microsoft is trying to pave way into the market. In the fourth quarter the android tablet deliveries has amounted to 30 million and an aggregate of 50 million with inclusive of Apple’s iPad. There is no doubt that the involvement of Microsoft in this market is a competition for a long drag.
The Android dominate the tablet market as it enjoys more revenue from the sales compared to Microsoft. For instance, Amazon shipment amounted to 4.7 million Kindle Fire Tablets in the 2011 fourth quarter. Android tablet is not only excelling in the market but also wearing down the shares of Apple in the market. This leaves Microsoft behind the booming android. For Microsoft to success in the market, they may probably reduce the prices in the market to tap in the potential customers. This indeed could be a long haul since the consumers in the long-run may end up believing that high-end computing tablets, that are installed with desktop operating systems worth higher value than others.
Reflection
It is clear that the race for the success by Microsoft is actually a tough task to handle. Therefore, the company needs to introduce more strategic features and innovations to convince the potential customers that their products are efficient. Microsoft will not only be needed to reduces their product prices but also enhance security, portability and speed of their devices. For instance Surface RT is more of computer and the price charges are relatively higher to the average users of the tablets.
Facebook: Teens might be so over us
Summary
A new and potentially challenging problem has invaded Facebook. The leading social network has lost its loyalty to their young users as they have become totally anxious with the services and apps offered by the website. The teen users of the Facebook are shifting to other social networks that have better applications. Facebook team has released report that they are aware of social network migration by the younger users and engage in other products and services, for instance Instagram.
However, Facebook is still optimistic of the Generation Y appeal. Facebook stated that, “we also believe that younger users have higher levels of engagement with the web and mobile devices in general and with Facebook specifically”. In order to attain the senior level of the social network industry, it has to keep generation Y by their side by providing services and products that will keep them locked. Failure to do this, Facebook will definitely lose it relevance as the leading social networking company. Insagram is identified as one of the main obstacles, to Facebook, where majority of modern youths are migrating to.
Reflection
It is clear that Facebook has grown to a social fatigue where high percentage of the posts is absurd. The Facebook users are now updating useless information such as political shouts, food spotting, new parents showing-off their newly born kids and others. This might be the main reason why the youths are migrating to better social networks such as LinkedIn, Insagram and Google+ among others. If there will no effort engaged by Facebook Inc, the brand loyalty will definitely diminish and emerging social occupations will take this advantage to establish their success in the market.
Senators aim to extend ban on Internet access tax
Summary
A couple of senators in Washington are currently fighting hard for the people in the U.S to stop paying taxes for internet access. In 1998, the local, state, and federal governments were prevented from collecting taxes from sales related to the use of e-mail and other types of internet access. That bill is expected to expire by November, next year. Republican Sens. Dean Heller and Kelly Ayotte introduced a new legislation on January, 30th early this year which is intended to broaden the ban indefinitely.
Heller stated that, “The Internet Tax Freedom Act will ensure a long-standing federal policy that prevents the government from raising taxes, and preserves the internet as a tool for education and innovation for all Nevadans and Americans to access the internet without penalties from the federal government.” The bill is designed to avoid the abuse of taxes on online products, either discriminatory or multiple taxes on such products. Although in some states have gone ahead imposing taxes on sales of certain online retailers, the Congress has not enacted any related national legislations.
Reflection
With the exclusion of taxes on the online access is not only a United State issue but also the whole world issue. As the government job opportunity diminishes, youths and other internet users will be able to create job opportunity through internet hence enhance job security. However, the removal of taxes from internet products will consequently reduce the government revenue. In my point of view, instead of removing the tax on the internet materials, the government should reduce the tax to an affordable rate. This revenue collected from tax should then be used to improve in Information and Communication Technology sector.
