South Koreans will soon join the millions of others worldwide as its government on Wednesday approved the sale of the iPhone there.(Credit: Apple)For years, the Korea Communications Commission used technical rules to stifle competition, allowing homegrown companies like Samsung and LG to take over the market, according to a Wall Street Journal report.With an estimated 93 percent of South Korea’s population subscribing to a mobile service, Apple should be able to overcome one of the biggest barriers to smartphone success in South Korea–applications. Apple has been able to entice developers worldwide to build apps for the iPhone, with 75,000 apps…
Business
South Korea welcomes the iPhone
Business
Car insurance premiums `rising at fastest rate for a decade`
The average car insurance premium is rising at its fastest rate for nearly a decade, according to the latest AA British Insurance Premium Index.The AA said that for the year ending June 2009, car insurance premiums rose by more than 11%, and increased by more than 1% per month over the past quarter.An insurance expert for Think Money said that the AA`s findings highlight the importance of searching the market thoroughly for the most appropriate deal before taking out an insurance policy.”The price of insurance policies can vary greatly between providers, so it`s always worth searching around to be sure…
Business
Insurance premiums `will continue to rise`
Experts have highlighted the importance of shopping around for insurance, warning that insurance premiums are rising and will continue to do so in the future. Lovemoney.com said that due to increasing risks in various areas, for example floods and storms, insurance providers are raising their prices. It cited recent statistics from the AA which suggested that comprehensive car insurance prices had risen by an average of 11% over the past year.An insurance expert for Think Money commented: “Research appears to suggest that average insurance costs have risen over the past year, but people could still save money by shopping around…
Business
Bike theft figures highlight importance of insurance
A new survey has found that almost a quarter of student cyclists at UK universities have been a victim of bike theft.The survey, carried out by M&S home insurance, found that 22% of student cyclists had had a bike stolen, while 14% had been burgled while at university. Despite this, only 16% of students responding to the survey had taken out insurance to cover their possessions while living in student accommodation. M&S added that many students would not need to do this, however, as they may be covered by their parents` own insurance policies.An insurance expert for Think Money said:…
Business
Rising car sales highlight need for the right car insurance
The rise in new car registrations in August, as reported by the SMMT (Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders), highlights the importance of finding the best car insurance deal.There are many costs associated with buying a car – including car finance (if you choose to make a purchase this way), road tax and car insurance.The amount that motorists pay for car insurance is not set in stone. Insurance providers are always looking to compete, and there are different prices on offer for different policies at any given time.An insurance expert for Think Money says: “It`s well worth taking the time…
Business
Home loans for first-time buyers `up by £2bn`
Home loans for first-time buyers increased by £2bn in the second quarter of 2009, compared with the previous quarter, according to new figures.The FSA (Financial Services Authority) reported that lenders provided first-time buyers with £5bn in new loans for home purchase in the second quarter of 2009, compared with around £3bn in the first quarter.Many first-time buyers have had trouble getting a home loan recently, with lenders remaining cautious about their lending. But recent developments suggest that lenders may be becoming more confident.A loans expert for Think Money said: “There are a number of signs that lenders are becoming more…
Business
Bank charges are a factor in choosing bank account
The recent news surrounding overdraft fees and other bank charges has highlighted the fact that choosing the right bank account is just as important as choosing the cheapest energy or insurance deal.Last week, RBS (Royal Bank of Scotland) and NatWest cut their overdraft charges and unpaid item fees, ahead of a court ruling on the fairness of such charges.However, an overdraft is not an essential feature of a current account – and customers should decide whether they need an overdraft before they open an account.A spokesperson for Think Banking said: “There is a lot of choice on offer when it…
Business
Unsecured lenders increase loan rates for new customers
According to a recent press release from uSwitch.com, since the start of September, several unsecured lenders have increased the rates they charge on loans for new customers. The increase in rates could see the interest paid on a typical loan of £10,000 jump by £322.There are currently just 36 personal loans available to consumers, compared with 57 this time last year (a fall of 37%), while the average loan rate has moved from 9.04% to 9.08%.Louise Bond, personal finance expert at uSwitch.com, said: “As consumers struggle to make ends meet and manage their finances, loan providers are looking to offer…
Business
MacDonald joins Yeovil on loan
Swansea City midfielder Shaun MacDonald has joined League One side Yeovil Town on a three-month loan deal. It will be the 21-year-old’s second spell at Huish Park after a successful one-month loan stay last season which saw the local product score twice in four league starts. The Welsh Under-21 international was looking forward to the return where he will link up again with Yeovil’s former Swans midfielder Darren Way.
Business
States to meet FM to finalise GST list
NEW DELHI: States will meet finance minister Pranab Mukherjee next month to finalise the list of items to be included in the proposed Goods and Services Tax, which will become the basis for rates in new indirect tax regime and decide the fate of the Centre’s fiscal stimulus. “We will meet the finance minister on October 8 and then finalise the list,” chairman of Empowered group of State finance minsters Asim Dasgupta said. The states have decided that there will be two basic rates in their GST structure — one standard rate and the other lower rate for essential items.…
Facebook
Virtual Protests Erupt In YoVille
YoVille, one of the largest virtual worlds on Facebook, recently experienced a relatively large protest against a major change yesterday which modified the way users can earn virtual currency. Previously, users entered a widget factory from where they could earn coins. While users can still earn coins there is a new process in which users must spend money to make money (as is typical in the real world). A number of users are furious and in the past few hours I’ve received numerous users frustrated with the change.
The position of the users was that less money was being generated…
Tech Support
Armored Camera is Tough Enough For The Job
If you have put a lot of effort into your business, the last thing that you want is to see your hard earned assets stolen by a criminal. Business owners tend to choose surveillance systems to help them.
If you are thinking about installing surveillance cameras, the law generally dictates that you have to inform people that they are being watched in this way and therefore cannot have the element of surprise by hiding cameras from the view of criminals. However, to make sure that they cannot damage them easily and disarm them, armored cameras are now becoming very useful.…
