lAn economic downturn is a phase of the business cycle in which the economy as a whole is in decline.This phase basically marks the end of the period of growth in the business cycle. Economic downturns are characterized by decreased levels of consumer purchases (especially of durable goods) and, subsequently, reduced levels of production by businesses.While economic downturns are admittedly difficult, and are formidable obstacles to small businesses that are trying to survive and grow, an economic downturn can open up opportunities. A well-managed company can realize the opportunity to gain market share by taking customers away from their competitors. Resourceful entrepreneurs capture the available opportunities, from an economic downturn, by developing alternate methods of doing business that were never implemented during a prior growth period.The challenge of successfully navigating your business through an economic downturn lies in the realignment of your business with current economic realities. Specifically, you, as the business owner, need to renew a focus on your core clients/customers, reduce your operating expenses, conserve cash, and manage more proactively, rather than reactively, is paramount.Here are best practices that will help you to successfully navigate your business through an economic downturn:Goals:The primary goal of any business owner is to survive the current economic downturn and to develop a leaner, more cost-effective and more efficient operation. The secondary goal is to grow the business even during this current economic downturn.Objectives:• Conserve cash.• Protect assets.• Reduce costs.• Improve efficiencies.• Grow customer base.Required Action:• Do not panic… History shows that economic downturns do not last forever. Remain calm and act in a rational manner as you refocus your attention on resizing your company to the current economic conditions.• Focus on what YOU can control… Don’t let the media's rhetoric concerning recessions and economic slowdown deter you from achieving business success. It´s a trap! Why? Because the condition of the economy is beyond your control. Surviving economic downturns requires a focus on what you can control, i.e. your relevant business activities.• Communicate, communicate, and communicate! Beware of the pitfall of trying to do too much on your own. It is a difficult task indeed to survive and to grow your business solely with your own efforts. Solicit ideas and seek the help of other people (your employees, suppliers, lenders, customers, and advisors). Communicate honestly and consistently. Effective two-way communication is the key.• Negotiate, negotiate, and negotiate! The value of a strong negotiation skill set cannot be overstated. Negotiating better deals and contracts is an absolute must for realigning and resizing your company to the current economic conditions. The key to success is not only knowing how to develop a win-win approach in negotiations with all parties, but also keeping in mind the fact that you want a favorable outcome for yourself too.Recommended Best Practice Activities:The Nuts and Bolts… The following list of recommended best practice activities is critical for your business' survival and for its growth during an economic downturn. The actual financial health of your particular business, at the outset of the economic downturn, will dictate the priority and urgency of the implementation of the following best practice activities.1. Diligently monitor your cash flow: Forecast your cash flow monthly to ensure that expenses and planned expenditures are in line with accounts receivable. Include cash flow statements into your monthly financial reporting. Project cash requirements three-to- six months in advance. The key is to know how to monitor, protect, control, and put cash to work.2. Carefully convert your inventories: Convert excess, obsolete, and slow-moving inventory items into cash. Consider returning excess and slow-moving items back to the suppliers. Close-out or inventory reduction sales work well to resize your inventory. Also, consider narrowing your product offerings. Well-timed order placement helps to reduce excess inventory levels and occasional material shortages. The key is to reduce the amount of your inventory without losing sales.3. Timely collection of your accounts receivable: This asset should be converted to cash as quickly as possible. Offer prompt payment discounts to encourage timely payments. Make changes in the terms of sale for slow paying customers (i.e. changing net 30 day terms to COD). Invoicing is an important part of your cash flow management. The first rule of invoicing is to do it as soon as possible after products are shipped and/or after services are delivered. Place an emphasis on reducing billing errors. Most customers delay payments because an invoice had errors, and therefore, will not pay until they receive a corrected copy. Email or fax your invoices to save on mailing time. Post the payments that you have received and make deposits more frequently. The key is to develop an efficient collection system that generates timely payments and one that gives you advance warning of problems.4. Re-focus your attention on your existing clients/customers: Make customer satisfaction your priority. A regular review of your customers' buying history and frequency of purchases can reveal some interesting facts about your customers' buying habits. Consider signing long-term contracts with your core clients/customers which will add to your security. Offer a discount for upfront cash payments. The key is to do what it takes to keep your current customers loyal.5. Re-negotiate with your suppliers, lenders, and landlord:i) Suppliers: Always keep your negotiations on the level of need, saying that your company has reviewed its cost structure and has determined that it needs to lower supplier costs. . Tell the supplier that you value the relationship you have developed, but that you need to receive a cost reduction immediately. Ask your supplier for a lower material price, a longer payment cycle, and the elimination of finance charges. Also, see if you can buy material from them on a consignment basis. In return for their price concessions, be willing to agree to a long-term contract. Explore the idea of bartering as a form of payment.ii) Lenders: Everything in business finance is negotiable and your relationship with a bank is no exception. The first step to successful renegotiations is to convince your lenders that you can ultimately pay off the renegotiated loan. You must point out to your lenders why it would be in their best interest to agree to a new arrangement. Showing them your business plan and your action plan that includes your cost-savings initiatives, along with "the how" and "the when" of the implementation of your plan is the best way to achieve this goal. Explain to them that you will need their cooperation to insure that you can survive, as well as, grow your business during the economic downturn. Negotiated items include: the rate of interest, the required security to cover the loan, and the beginning date for repayment. A beginning date for repayment could be immediate, within several months or as long as a year. The key is to realize that your lender will work with you, but that frequent and continual communications with them is critical.iii) Landlord: Meet with your landlord. Explain your need to have them extend the term of your lease at a reduced cost. Make sure you have a clause in the lease agreement that entitles you to have the right to sublet any or all of the leased space.6. Re-evaluate your staffing requirements: This is a very critical area. Salaries/wages are a major expense of doing business. Therefore, any reduction in the hours worked through work schedule changes, short-term layoffs or permanent layoffs has an immediate cost saving benefit. Most companies ramped up hiring new employees in the good times, only to find that they are currently overstaffed due to slow sales during the economic downturn. In terms of down-sizing your staff, be very careful not to reduce your staff to a level that forces you to skimp on customer service and quality. Consider the use of part-timers or the current trend of outsourcing certain functions to independent contractors.7. Shop for better insurances rates: Get quotations from other insurance agents for comparable coverage to determine whether or not your present insurance carrier is competitive. Also, consider revising your coverage to reduce premium costs. The key is to have the right balance-to be adequately insured, but not under or over insured.8. Re-evaluate your advertising: Contrary to the other cost-cutting initiatives, evaluate the possibility of increasing your advertising expenditures. This tactic realizes the advantage of the reduced "noise" and congestion (fewer advertisers) in the marketplace. The downturn period a great opportunity to increase brand awareness and create additional demand for your product/service offerings.9. Seek the help of outside advisors: The use of an advisory board comprised of your CPA, attorney, and business consultant offers you objectivity and provides you with professional advice and guidance. Their collective experience in working with similar situations in past economic downturns is invaluable.10. Review your other expenses: Target an across-the-board cost-cutting initiative of 10-15%. Attempt to eliminate unnecessary expenses. Tightening your belt in order to weather the downturn makes practical, financial sense.Proactively managing your business through an economic downturn is an enormous challenge and is critical for your survival. However, through well-planned initiatives, an economic downturn can create tremendous opportunity for your company to gain greater market share. In order to take advantage of this growth opportunity, you must act quickly to implement the above best business practices to continue realigning and resizing your company to the current economic conditions.Copyright © 2008 Terry H. HillYou may reprint this article free of charge in your newsletter, magazine, or on your website, provided that the article is unedited, and that the copyright, author's bio, and contact information below appears with each article. Articles appearing on the web must provide a hyperlink to the author's web site, http://www.legacyai.comTerry H. Hill is the founder and managing partner of Legacy Associates, Inc, a business consulting and advisory services firm. A veteran chief executive, Terry works directly with business owners of privately held companies on the issues and challenges that they face in each stage of their business life cycle. To find out how he can help you take your business to the next levelHow to Successfully Navigate Your Business through an Economic Downturn by Terry H Hill
Monday, October 20, 2008
How to Successfully Navigate Your Business through an Economic Downturn by Terry H Hill
Daftar Media dan Email Redaksi seluruh Indonesia
Daftar Media dan Email Redaksi seluruh Indonesia
sumber. http://www.geocities.com/arsip_nasional/media/media.htm
Media Ibukota
| No | Nama Media | Website | Email Redaksi |
| 1 | Republika | sekretariat@republika.co.id | |
| 2 | Kompas | opini@kompas.com | |
| 3 | Kompas Online | kcm@kompas.com | |
| 4 | Sinar Harapan | redaksi@sinarharapan.co.id | |
| 5 | Koran Tempo | fgaban@yahoo.com | |
| 6 | Suara Pembaruan | koransp@suarapembaruan.com | |
| 7 | Media Indonesia | redaksi@mediaindonesia.co.id | |
| 8 | GATRA | redaksi@gatra.com | |
| 9 | TEMPO | red@tempo.co.id | |
| 10 | GAMMA | gamma@gamma.co.id | |
| 11 | Detik | redaksi@detik.com | |
| 12 | Tajuk | redaksi@tajuk.com | |
| 13 | Forum | redaksi@forum.co.id | |
| 14 | Transparansi | mti@centrin.net.id | |
| 15 | The Jakarta Post | editorial@thejakartapost.com | |
| 16 | Antara | antara@rad.net.id | |
| 17 | Indonesia Observer | - | |
| 18 | Bahana | redaksi@bahana-magazine.com | |
| 19 | Berita Iptek | artikel@beritaiptek.com | |
| 20 | Infeksi | info@infeksi.com | |
| 21 | Kawula Muda | redaksi@kawula-muda.com | |
| 22 | Suara Publik | redaksi@suarapublik.org | |
| 23 | Adil Indonesia | redaksi@adilindonesia.com | |
| 24 | Intisari | intisari@gramedia-majalah.com | |
| 25 | Suara Karya | redaksi@suarakarya-online.com | |
| 26 | Pos Kota | - | |
| 27 | Kontan | - | |
| 28 | Berita Buana | redaksi@beritabuana.co.id | |
| 29 | MATRA | redaksi@matra.co.id | |
| 30 | MEDIKA | - | medikagp@idola.net.id |
Media Jawa
| No | Nama Media | Website | Email Redaksi |
| 1 | Bernas | bernas@indomedia.com | |
| 2 | Suara Merdeka | redaksi@suaramer.famili.com | |
| 3 | Pikiran Rakyat | dwipr@pikiran-rakyat.com | |
| 4 | Jawa Pos | editor@jawapos.co.id | |
| 5 | Jawa Pos Online | online@jawapos.co.id | |
| 6 | Surabaya Post | sbypost@surabayapost.co.id | |
| 7 | Surya | surya1@rad.net.id | |
| 8 | Duta Masyarakat | dumas@sby.centrin.net.id | |
| 9 | Kedaulatan Rakyat | redaksi@kr.co.id | |
| 10 | Solo Pos | solopos@bumi.net.id |
Media Sumatera
| No | Nama Media | Website | Email Redaksi |
| 1 | Waspada | waspada@waspada.co.id | |
| 2 | Harian SIB | redaksi@hariansib.com | |
| 3 | Riau Pos | redaksi@riauposonline.com | |
| 4 | Serambi Indonesia | serambi_indonesia@yahoo.com | |
| 5 | Sriwijaya Pos | sripo@mdp.net.id | |
| 6 | Sijori Pos | redaksi@sijoripos.com | |
| 7 | Bangka Pos | - | |
| 8 | Berita Sore | - | |
| 9 | Analisa | - | |
| 10 | Singgalang | redaksi@singgalang.co.id | |
| 11 | Neraca | - | neraca@rad.net.id |
Media Kalimantan
| No | Nama Media | Website | Email Redaksi |
| 1 | Banjarmasin Pos | bpost@bjm.mega.net.id | |
| 2 | Kaltim Post | redaksi@radarbanjar.com | |
| 3 | Kapuas Post | redaksi@kapuaspost.com | |
| 4 | Metro Banjar | - | |
| 5 | Pontianak Post | - | |
| 6 | Akcaya | - | editor@pontianak.wasantara.net.id |
Media Sulawesi
| No | Nama Media | Website | Email Redaksi |
| 1 | Manado Post | mdopost@mdo.mega.net.id | |
| 2 | fajar@upg.mega.net.id | ||
| 3 | Manuntung | - | manuntung@bpp.mega.net.id |
Media Bali, NTT, NTB
| No | Nama Media | Website | Email Redaksi |
| 1 | Bali Post | balipost@indo.net.id | |
| 2 | Pos Kupang | poskpg@kupang.wasantara.net.id | |
| 3 | Timika Pos | - | |
| 4 | Nusa | - |
Media Islam
| No | Nama Media | Website | Email Redaksi |
| 1 | Suara Hidayatullah | editor@hidayatullah.com | |
| 2 | Sabili | redaksi@sabili.co.id | |
| 3 | Tazkia Online | redaksi@tazkiaonline.com | |
| 4 | Al Islam | info@alislam.or.id | |
| 5 | Asy-Syariah | redaksi@majalahsyariah.com | |
| 6 | Pesantren | redaksi@pesantren.net | |
| 7 | Islam Liberal | redaksi@islamlib.com | |
| 8 | Pesantren Virtual | - | |
| 9 | Sajadah | - | sajadahkoe@yahoo.com |
| 10 | El Fata | - | redaksielfata@plasa.com |
| 11 | Majalah Nikah | naskah@nikah-online.com | |
| 12 | Suara Muhammadiyah | - | |
| 13 | Pesantren Online | - | |
| 14 | Panjimas | panjimas@indo.net.id | |
| 15 | Era Muslim | - | |
| 16 | UMMI | ummi@ummigroup.co.id | |
| 17 | Media Dakwah | - | mediadakwah@yahoo.com |
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Forget oil, the new global crisis is food
A new crisis is emerging, a global food catastrophe that will reach further and be more crippling than anything the world has ever seen. The credit crunch and the reverberations of soaring oil prices around the world will pale in comparison to what is about to transpire, Donald Coxe, global portfolio strategist at BMO Financial Group said at the Empire Club's 14th annual investment outlook in Toronto on Thursday.
"It's not a matter of if, but when," he warned investors. "It's going to hit this year hard."
Mr. Coxe said the sharp rise in raw food prices in the past year will intensify in the next few years amid increased demand for meat and dairy products from the growing middle classes of countries such as China and India as well as heavy demand from the biofuels industry.
"The greatest challenge to the world is not US$100 oil; it's getting enough food so that the new middle class can eat the way our middle class does, and that means we've got to expand food output dramatically," he said.
The impact of tighter food supply is already evident in raw food prices, which have risen 22% in the past year.
Mr. Coxe said in an interview that this surge would begin to show in the prices of consumer foods in the next six months. Consumers already paid 6.5% more for food in the past year.
Wheat prices alone have risen 92% in the past year, and yesterday closed at US$9.45 a bushel on the Chicago Board of Trade.
At the centre of the imminent food catastrophe is corn - the main staple of the ethanol industry. The price of corn has risen about 44% over the past 15 months, closing at US$4.66 a bushel on the CBOT yesterday - its best finish since June 1996.
This not only impacts the price of food products made using grains, but also the price of meat, with feed prices for livestock also increasing.
"You're going to have real problems in countries that are food short, because we're already getting embargoes on food exports from countries, who were trying desperately to sell their stuff before, but now they're embargoing exports," he said, citing Russia and India as examples.
"Those who have food are going to have a big edge."
With 54% of the world's corn supply grown in America's mid-west, the U.S. is one of those countries with an edge.
But Mr. Coxe warned U.S. corn exports were in danger of seizing up in about three years if the country continues to subsidize ethanol production. Biofuels are expected to eat up about a third of America's grain harvest in 2007.
The amount of U.S. grain currently stored for following seasons was the lowest on record, relative to consumption, he said.
"You should be there for it fully-hedged by having access to those stocks that benefit from rising food prices."
He said there are about two dozen stocks in the world that are going to redefine the world's food supplies, and "those stocks will have a precious value as we move forward."
Mr. Coxe said crop yields around the world need to increase to something close to what is achieved in the state of Illinois, which produces over 200 corn bushes an acre compared with an average 30 bushes an acre in the rest of the world.
"That will be done with more fertilizer, with genetically modified seeds, and with advanced machinery and technology," he said.
"It's not a matter of if, but when," he warned investors. "It's going to hit this year hard."
Mr. Coxe said the sharp rise in raw food prices in the past year will intensify in the next few years amid increased demand for meat and dairy products from the growing middle classes of countries such as China and India as well as heavy demand from the biofuels industry.
"The greatest challenge to the world is not US$100 oil; it's getting enough food so that the new middle class can eat the way our middle class does, and that means we've got to expand food output dramatically," he said.
The impact of tighter food supply is already evident in raw food prices, which have risen 22% in the past year.
Mr. Coxe said in an interview that this surge would begin to show in the prices of consumer foods in the next six months. Consumers already paid 6.5% more for food in the past year.
Wheat prices alone have risen 92% in the past year, and yesterday closed at US$9.45 a bushel on the Chicago Board of Trade.
At the centre of the imminent food catastrophe is corn - the main staple of the ethanol industry. The price of corn has risen about 44% over the past 15 months, closing at US$4.66 a bushel on the CBOT yesterday - its best finish since June 1996.
This not only impacts the price of food products made using grains, but also the price of meat, with feed prices for livestock also increasing.
"You're going to have real problems in countries that are food short, because we're already getting embargoes on food exports from countries, who were trying desperately to sell their stuff before, but now they're embargoing exports," he said, citing Russia and India as examples.
"Those who have food are going to have a big edge."
With 54% of the world's corn supply grown in America's mid-west, the U.S. is one of those countries with an edge.
But Mr. Coxe warned U.S. corn exports were in danger of seizing up in about three years if the country continues to subsidize ethanol production. Biofuels are expected to eat up about a third of America's grain harvest in 2007.
The amount of U.S. grain currently stored for following seasons was the lowest on record, relative to consumption, he said.
"You should be there for it fully-hedged by having access to those stocks that benefit from rising food prices."
He said there are about two dozen stocks in the world that are going to redefine the world's food supplies, and "those stocks will have a precious value as we move forward."
Mr. Coxe said crop yields around the world need to increase to something close to what is achieved in the state of Illinois, which produces over 200 corn bushes an acre compared with an average 30 bushes an acre in the rest of the world.
"That will be done with more fertilizer, with genetically modified seeds, and with advanced machinery and technology," he said.
Blogged with the Flock Browser
Do you have enough army kit insurance?
Oliver, a 23-year-old soldier was outraged when he realized how much he would have to part with in order to replace kit that had been damaged during routine training exercises. “There was no way I could afford to replace the army kit and feed my family”. Luckily, Oliver had extensive army kit insurance.When you are out in the field, the last thing you want to worry about is the cost of replacing costly army kit. Insurance companies are starting to understand the value of a comprehensive insurance plan for soldiers and military personnel who are forced to sign for responsibility for costly equipment they cannot afford to replace. This is where a good insurance plan can give immense peace of mind.Standard issue army kits around the worldThere are some common elements to the different army kits around the world; they are all a mixture of costly equipment to keep you safe. Weapons, bulletproof clothing and even survival basics are all items that can be an expensive ordeal to replace.Standard issue army kits can cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars and considering the high-risk situations you might find yourself in, it can be exceptionally difficult to go your entire army career without having to replace various items in your army kit. Insurance is often seen as an optional extra, but in truth, the potential long run savings outweigh the small monthly costs to keep your army insurance up to date.There are many other kinds of insurance plans that are essential for a soldier on active duty. There is little argument about the importance of a good life insurance plan. Because of the high risk factor in general army life, you will need an insurance plan that pays out generously. You will need to work out your monthly budget carefully before adding any extra insurance to your expenses. Once you have calculated what you can comfortably afford, make an appointment for a free consultation with a reputable insurance company.Insurance scams are rife, and nothing can be worse than forking out a substantial sum every month, only to find that due to small print, there is little or no real coverage when you need it most. Spot insurance scams by paying careful attention to the attitude of the insurance agent. If you are feeling great pressure to sign off quickly, it’s likely that something is amiss.About Abacus insurance:Abacus insurance has been providing comprehensive military kit insurance since 1988. We take military insurance seriously and aim to provide the best military kit insurance, and military life insurance plans to suit your needs. If you have any needs specific to army insurance, abacus has you covered! It was thanks to the comprehensive insurance plan from Abacus; Oliver was able to replace his army kit immediately.You are a good husband, father and son to the different people in your life, it’s time to be a good soldier and organize a comprehensive army kit insurance plan for yourself.Do you have enough army kit insurance? | Free Articles - Free Article Submission
Blogged with the Flock Browser
LG's secret, a secret no more | The Jakarta Post
LG's secret, a secret no moreZatni Arbi , Contributor , Jakarta | Mon, 08/04/2008 12:51 PM | Sci-TechThe KT610 is a 3.5G Symbian smartphone that is soon to be introduced in the Indonesian market. With looks similar to the Nokia Communicator, it touts a bright and sharp display, and a QWERTY keypad in a compact size. (JP/Zatni Arbi)The KT610 is a 3.5G Symbian smartphone that is soon to be introduced in the Indonesian market. With looks similar to the Nokia Communicator, it touts a bright and sharp display, and a QWERTY keypad in a compact size. (JP/Zatni Arbi)One of the products highlighted during this year's CommunicAsia in Singapore was the "Secret" from LG Mobile -- a cell phone in the fashion category that boasted brawn over brain.At a glance, its appearance is not much different to that of its predecessors in LG's Black Label Series. Upon closer inspection though, some great improvements can be seen.For starters, the touch-sensitive screen uses tempered glass, which increases the phone's sturdiness. (Other touch screens use a plastic surface.) You have to press your fingertip a bit harder to select items on the touch display: In a way, it helps prevent accidental dialing when the cell phone is pressed against other objects inside your pocket or bag.It also has all the impressive capabilities of the Viewty's 5 megapixel camera, such as the 120-frames-per-second video recording.All the capabilities are packed into a thinner carbon fiber housing: And unlike many of the company's midrange offerings, the Secret is a slider. Also, if you send a lot of text messages, the keypad is still much more user-friendly than the touch screen.It also has a built-in accelerometer. Functioning as a motion sensor, it automatically shifts the screen orientation from portrait to landscape as it is rotated. The accelerometer is also used in one of the games: To catch a virtual fish -- much like fishing in the real world -- you have to swing the cell phone up and down quite fast. Just be careful not to let it slip from your palm, though.There is a set of icons that can be touched to start, pause and stop music playback, take pictures or display photos, play M-Toy, select a radio station, etc. But, the Media Touch button on the right side must be pressed first. (When I took it through its paces, its music reproduction was fairly satisfying, and the voice was pretty clear.)Why is it called "Secret"? According to John Halim, LG Indonesia's product marketing manager, this cell phone has a lot of hidden features. Gadget lovers will enjoy hours of discovering those secrets on their own.Interestingly, while it still has yet to be officially launched in Indonesia, the Secret, which is also known as the KF750, is already on the market here -- although in a limited volume. If you're lucky, you can snap one up for a little over Rp 4 million.The second model, which may be launched soon, is the KF600. The designers focused on user interface when working on this cell phone. The result is quite impressive: Another slider cell phone, this model boasts two LCD screens. The lower screen, which LG calls the InteractPad, shows the menu buttons that change depending on what you are doing. This user interface is meant to make it as easy as possible for a new user to access the features. LG has made considerable strides in this direction.As the "F" in the model name indicates, this is another fashion mobile phone from LG.However, if you are looking for a smartphone, then you should wait for the LG KT610 -- a clamshell phone with a QWERTY keypad, much like the trendsetting Nokia Communicators. The KT610 is a 3.5G mobile phone with a Symbian 60 operating system.LG's secret, a secret no more | The Jakarta Post
Blogged with the Flock Browser
Nokia's E71 smartphone offers more, then some | The Jakarta Post
Nokia's E71 smartphone offers more, then someMon, 10/13/2008 11:36 AM | Sci-Tech(JP/Zatni Arbi)(JP/Zatni Arbi)If you ask around for advice on purchasing a new smartphone, people will talk excitedly about the iPhone 3G, BlackBerry Bold, Samsung Omnia, LG KT 610 and perhaps a handful of others.Imagine a smartphone with a complete and fairly comfortable QWERTY keypad, a very slender body with a stylish design, a 320 by 240 screen that remains viewable even under a bright light, all sorts of connectivity options including quad band GSM, 3G, 3.5G HSDPA, 802.11g Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, assisted GPS and even the old Infra-Red!Add to these features dozens of applications for both business and personal purposes. Best of all, this smartphone is very simple to use thanks to a feature that allows us to switch from "business" mode to "personal" mode by clicking a single screen icon.By now you might have guessed which smartphone this is; a model that is quite popular today. Yes, that is right. It's the Nokia E71, which has been around since the middle of the year.One of the E71's best features is its ability to retrieve email messages without having to subscribe to a push email service plan, as is required with a BlackBerry.To be able to retrieve and send email messages using this smartphone, all you have to do is enter your email address and password. The application will add a new item, such as "CBN", under the Messaging menu. (Configuring the smartphone for my CBN mail account took me less than two minutes.)In places where an HSDPA service is available, the mail box can be accessed and one only needs to pay for the data traffic; no additional monthly subscription is necessary.In places where there is a hotspot, Wi-Fi can be used. With the E71, push email from the Microsoft Exchange Server as well as from widely used free email services such as Yahoo and Gmail can be received.Another admirable feat is the long battery life. (During my test, I left the unit powered up with the WLAN connection active. The battery still lasted more than three days.)Establishing connection with a WLAN access point is very quick, too.Apart from these features, there are several more that other smartphone makers should copy. One of them is the inclusion of location information in the photo file, so that many years later you can still tell where the pictures were taken: Nokia intelligently linked the GPS with the camera's function, embedding the GPS data in each of the photo files.A map can be captured on the screen and sent via email or SMS to a friend. This can be very useful when you need to inform someone of your meeting point, for example.Impressive as it is, the Nokia E71 is not a perfect creation. It has a less-than-stunning camera capability, despite its 3.2 megapixel specification. Video capture, music playback and the radio receiver are best regarded as bonuses rather than key features.Despite these shortcomings, the E71 is a compelling choice. It is priced at almost half that of a BlackBerry Bold, which is regarded as its closest competitor. Yet it provides business people with everything they need and more.-- Zatni ArbiNokia's E71 smartphone offers more, then some | The Jakarta Post
Blogged with the Flock Browser
NASA to launch probe to map solar system's edge | The Jakarta Post
NASA to launch probe to map solar system's edgeAlicia Chang , The Associated Press , Los Angeles | Sat, 10/18/2008 1:08 PM | Sci-TechThis artist rendering released by NASA shows the Interstellar Boundary Explorer or IBEX spacecraft in space. (AP/NASA, Goddard Space Flight Center, Walt Feimer)This artist rendering released by NASA shows the Interstellar Boundary Explorer or IBEX spacecraft in space. (AP/NASA, Goddard Space Flight Center, Walt Feimer)A small NASA spacecraft embarks on a two-year mission this weekend to give scientists their first view of the happenings at the edge of the solar system. The Ibex probe, short for Interstellar Boundary Explorer, will study a chaotic region in space where the solar wind from the sun clashes with cold gases from interstellar space.The solar wind, a stream of charged particles spewing from the sun at 1 million miles per hour, carves out a protective bubble around the solar system. This bubble known as the heliosphere shields against most dangerous cosmic radiation that would otherwise interfere with human spaceflight.Scientists recently discovered that the solar wind pressure is at its weakest level in 50 years, although the exact reason remains a mystery. Ibex could help confirm whether the heliosphere is shrinking.Observations from Ibex should help researchers in "unlocking the secrets of this important interaction between the sun and the galaxy," said David McComas of the Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio. He is chief scientist for the $165 million mission.Ibex, the size of a bus tire, will be launched aboard a Pegasus rocket that will be dropped from an aircraft over a Pacific atoll on Sunday.The rocket will lift Ibex 130 miles above Earth and put it into orbit. The spacecraft will then fire its solid rocket motor to loft itself even higher, eventually to 200,000 miles above Earth.Ibex will build on the discoveries of the long-running twin Voyager spacecraft launched in 1977 to explore the outer planets. The deep-space, manmade probes have since sailed past the outer planets and are headed out of the solar system.Unlike the Voyager craft, Ibex will not barrel through space, but instead will do its job from high-Earth orbit. The probe carries two sensors that will collect information about the solar wind's mass and energy from all directions.NASA to launch probe to map solar system's edge | The Jakarta Post
Blogged with the Flock Browser
Tempointeraktif.com - Police Raids Pertamina Headquarters
Police Raids Pertamina HeadquartersFriday, 17 October, 2008 | 23:50 WIBTEMPO Interactive, Jakarta:The police yesterday came to the head office of state-owned oil company PT Pertamina and confiscated documents linked with an alleged corruption case involving Zatapi crude oil imports.Around 61 documents and software were taken away by the Corruption Crimes Directorate of the National Police. "The confiscated documents include auction papers, winner company profile, and a decree," reported Brig. Gen Jose Rizal, Corruption Crime director last night.Rizal said the search was carried out following the authorization from the Central Jakarta District Court. The police are confident they will identify possible parties involved in the Zatapi oil procurement from the confiscated documents. "There may be new suspects," Rizal said.The search was done on the 15th and 17th floor of the Pertamina headquarters at 1-A, Merdeka Timur Street, Central Jakarta. The investigators, wearing black jackets and vests with the words 'Corruption Crime Investigator' on it, arrived at 3PM.Tempointeraktif.com - Police Raids Pertamina Headquarters
Blogged with the Flock Browser
Tempointeraktif.com - World Bank Increases Loan to Indonesia
World Bank Increases Loan to IndonesiaFriday, 17 October, 2008 | 23:55 WIBTEMPO Interactive, Jakarta:Indonesia will receive an additional US$ 500 million loan from the World Bank next year, making a total of US$ 1,9 billion from the previous US$ 1,4 billion."The loan will be used for refinancing and ongoing programs such as infrastructure, education and health, " announced State Minister of National Development Planning/National Development Planning Board chairman Paskah Suzetta yesterday.The World Bank is also ready to provide a standby loan of US$ 2 billion.Paskah explained that the standby loan will only be disbursed if Indonesia's economic growth is less than six percent next year.Tempointeraktif.com - World Bank Increases Loan to Indonesia
Blogged with the Flock Browser
Tempointeraktif.com - Greenpeace Discovers Illegal Logging in Nabire
Greenpeace Discovers Illegal Logging in NabireTempointeraktif.com - Greenpeace Discovers Illegal Logging in Nabire
TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta:Greenpeace announced it had found evidence of illegal logging activities in Kaimana, West Papua, carried out by two companies whose licenses had been suspended. "We found evidence that the operation was in progress. These activities are illegal," said Greenpeace forestry campaign person for Southeast Asia, Bustar Maitar in a press release.The finding was a result of monitoring by Greenpeace from their ship, the MV Esperanza, which arrived in Papua on October 7 for the "Forests for Climate" campaigns. Esperanza is observing the impact of deforestation towards global climate change, decline in biological diversity and destruction in sources of revenue for people dependent on forest products. The ship is currently on its way from Jayapura to Manokwari in West Papua, and will continue their activities in Indonesia until November 15.According to Bustar, by monitor from the air over Nabire last Monday, Greenpeace found that logging companies PT Kaltim Hutama dan PT Centrico were still operating at the log pond in Nabire. Some of their heavy machinery was seen carrying timber and trucks were seen lining up around their wood storage site. "The company's Forestry Concession Right is for the Kaimana area, but their log pond is located in Nabire," Bustar said.Greenpeace has called on the Indonesian government to conduct a comprehensive evaluation on logging companies causing serious damage to forests in Papua and other parts of Indonesia. He also asked the company to cease their operations temporarily pending the results of the government's assessment. "The company is undergoing a legal process," Bustar Maitar told Tempo, who joined the MV Esperanza when it sailed last Monday.
Blogged with the Flock Browser
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
