Business Updates

For those unfamiliar, gamification has little to do with game design.

A term called gamification has taken UX by storm over the past few years, a trend likely spurred by Foursquare's success with badges. Whether they understand it or not, app designers desire to create a gamified experience, a supposedly sure route to the elusive engagement that makes free apps valuable. Even in the news business there is a hunger for gamification.

Read more at: http://mashable.com/2013/05/17/gamification-buzzword/

Berkshire Hathaway Chief Executive Warren Buffett has surrounded himself with a handful of close advisers over the years - one of whom may take over the company one day.

Read more at: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324266904578460992186342564.html

If you're disposing of old documents such as bank statements and tax forms, security experts recommend shredding the paperwork so it can't be used by identity thieves.

It's a practice everyone should be familiar with, since it may be the top recommendation for preventing identity theft.

However, many consumers and organizations are turning to a paperless world, and records once held in filing cabinets are now stored on computer hard drives.

But computers eventually get replaced, and old computers are donated, recycled, handed down or refurbished — often with personally identifiable information (PII) still on the machine.

Read more at: http://mashable.com/2013/04/26/how-to-erase-data/

Tumblr has introduced mobile ads, in the form of sponsored posts, for the first time.

Sure, it may not feel like it just yet, but spring is here. As you tackle spring cleaning in your home, take a closer look at your LinkedIn profile as well.

Remembering to clean up your LinkedIn profile on a regular basis, whether you’re job searching or not, will help you stay prepared for any professional changes, expected or otherwise, that may be headed your way.

 Read more at: http://mashable.com/2013/04/13/linkedin-profile-tips/

If you had invested $1,000 in Bitcoin just two months ago and sold it yesterday, you would have made about $9,000 in profit.

Once reserved to the darkest corners of the Internet, Bitcoin is a digital crypto-currency that’s quickly gaining favor internationally, due in part to attention on Cyprus’s banking emergency, its inclusion in the American financial regulatory framework, and increasing press coverage.

Read more at: http://mashable.com/2013/04/09/why-invest-in-bitcoin/

Tech giant's new service, unveiled at Google I/O developer conference, will be available for $9.99 a month in US.

Revealing the music service, Chris Yerga, Google's engineering director, said users would be able to stream from a vast library on any device, using the Android operating system. "This is radio without rules. It's as 'leanback' as you want to, or as interactive as you want to," said Yerga. Users will be able to search for an artist and add tracks to their library. A "listen now" feature will create a mix of favourite artists or genres based on previously listened-to songs.

Read more at: http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2013/may/15/google-launches-music-streaming-io-developer-conference

If you feel that you have a talent and idea for business that would be immediately successful if only you had the skills to put your concepts into practice, you may find it worthwhile exploring the option of undertaking an entrepreneurship training online or on campus.

Enrolling in an entrepreneurship degree can provide you with skills and knowledge you require in launching your own business.

Read more at: http://onlineanddistancelearning.com/entrepreneurship-degree

A business analyst looks at the structure of the organization, assesses the way in which the departments and units interact, and especially looks at the way in which technology is used to assist the organization to operate whilst conducting its business. 

Find out how a business analyst degree enables you to assist organizations to become more efficient and more effective in their operations.

Read more at: http://onlineanddistancelearning.com/business-analyst-degree

Long term investments sometimes turn out bad and leave the investors feeling devastated and at a loss. However with the correct information and knowledge on how to go about such businesses, it is much easier to make wiser investment decisions.

This page helps you find out more about a securities course, what the course is about, where you can take them, and what you can expect to earn ...

Read more at: http://onlineanddistancelearning.com/securities-course

What's the best way to teach kids about money? One parent helps develop good habits using online money management.

It wasn't until they each turned 13 and my wife was able to open student accounts for them at PayPal that we found a system that worked for us. Saturday mornings arrived with an announcement at breakfast: We're offering $20 for anyone who's willing to dust and vacuum the downstairs; better act now, because the price is dropping to $10 tomorrow. We'll pay $30 for someone to ..... And then they'd compete for the best-paying work.

When the job is done, I take out my phone, launch the PayPal app, and text or email them the money. It shows up in their accounts instantly.

This page helps you find out more about finance degree programs, what the courses are, where you can take them, and what you can expect to earn ...

Some of the different fields that relate to this are accounting, credit analysis, financial planning and financial analysis.

Read more at: http://onlineanddistancelearning.com/finance-degree

Facebook has dropped its first ad for Home, which it is calling a "whole new experience for your phone."

The 60-second ad takes a page from Apple's playbook and presents Home as an un-scary technology that puts people first. Voiceover: "We carry our phones wherever we go. They're with us almost every second of the day. We reach for them when we have a free moment or we're curious. More than anything we use our phones to connect to the people we care about. From the moment you turn on your phone, you see what your friends are sharing. Your latest messages, calls and updates are right upfront. And you can keep chatting from any app, so no matter what you're doing, your friends are always right there with you. Home. A whole new experience for your phone."

Read more at: http://mashable.com/2013/04/04/watch-facebooks-first-ad-for-home/