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With reference to classmate Wilfred Loh‘s blog post about HTC (here),

“Having good hardware is no longer a point of difference, but a point of parity for any top smartphone company.”

I think that’s really true, especially in the mobile phone industry where competition is so tight. Each brand has to create a niche area for itself in order for it to stand out. HTC is lacking in that aspect, it’s a jack of all trades but master of none. Apple is known for its top-notch performance and reliability in the smartphone industry, simply because its (arguably) the most established company among all phone brands. Samsung is known for its “phablet” (phone+tablet) phones with its huge retina display.

Even Blackberry is launching its new BlackBerry 10 next year (read here) and has looked into innovative ways for it to re-enter the industry as a major threat. The new BlackBerry 10 will come with both a touch-screen version and a QWERTY keypad version. On top of that, one of the more groundbreaking changes is the multi-tasking function that allows users to simultaneously use the Internet and check their e-mail. It’s something that rivals don’t have and this will be BlackBerry’s point of difference.

HTC really has to step up its game in order to regain its foothold in the smartphone industry.

We had the privilege to have James Tansey in class today and I did learn a lot about sustainability and corporate social responsibility. An activity in class got me thinking about the various sustainable initiatives we have on campus and looking back, I do think UBC is really sustainable.

There is a culture of recycling here, especially at the cafeteria where we’d have various bins to dispose recyclable materials, compost and general waste. And people here actually bother to sort out their waste though it may be a little more time-consuming that simply thrashing everything into ‘waste’ compartment. Also, there is an extra 35 cent charge on disposable take-out containers. Instead, students are encouraged to use plastic containers provided by the cafeteria for a small one-time fee.

There are several green buildings on campus, one of them being Sauder (SAUDER PRIDE :D). And of course, CIRS- which, may I add, is one of North America’s greenest buildings. The two new residences in Totem Park are green too. We have light sensors in the rooms, such that when there’s nobody in the room, it will automatically be turned off. It will also get switched off if natural light is detected. Currently, both Totem Park and Place Vanier have an initiative called “Do It in the Dark”, which basically is a competition to see which house conserves the most energy. This is really an ingenious way to get students involved in energy-saving as I know of people who to go great lengths just to do their part, like showering in the dark, for instance.

How does Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Sustainability link to business? Well I think it is important to note that ‘business’ is never a standalone field. It is always related to other fields, whether we know it or not, and one of them is CSR. It all boils down to ethics again, and on top of that, its benefits are manifold- like creating a better reputation for the brand, higher efficiency -> higher profits etc.

In short, CSR and Sustainability are really important in our everyday lives and we all should do our part in making the environment we live and interact in more sustainable. It is essential that we also note how CSR/sustainability relates to Business in order to be more ethical in our dealings in the future. 🙂

I really enjoyed today’s COMM101 class today and it was refreshing to gain insight from both entrepreneurs. Wade Larson talked about URTHECAST, the world’s first high-definition video platform of Earth captured from space on the International Space Station.

First HQ video from space- hello San Francisco!

It initially occurred to me that this was no different from the current Google Earth or Google Maps which also allows people to zoom into different places on Earth and also makes use of satellite technology. However, this is vastly different and there’s so much more to UrtheCast than meets the eye.

Besides being fascinated by how HD-quality videos can be seen of various locations on Earth in real time, UrtheCast also has YouTube like search functions where you can press play and pause at various points in the video. Also, there’s a social media dimension to it, like how people’s tweets and locations can be viewed.

I think UrtheCast has an effective business model because of the low costs required and also, the high returns in the future. The significant reduction in costs lies in how UrtheCast makes use of Russian space satellites instead of sending their own into space, hence reducing costs quite substantially. Another advantage it has lies in the fact that it provides high-definition video quality, a point of difference that makes UrtheCast stand out among other competitors.

Can’t wait to hear more from UrtheCast!

In the past, most of us would associate Greece with sandy beaches, clear blue waters, magnificent structures, greek gods etc.

Unfortunately, most of us would just think of the debt crisis now whenever Greece comes to mind. 🙁

This question was posed during class on tuesday: should Greece exit the eurozone?

There are both sides to the coin, but I’d say NO. Leaving the eurozone would bring on a host of other problems and it might worsen their current financial and economic situation. One of the features of being in the eurozone is the common currency they have. If Greece leaves the eurozone, the currency would have to be converted to Drachmas, which is of much lower value. Greek banks will face hoards of people running to banks to pull their money out before their money gets converted to Drachmas. With the current economic state Greece is in, I highly doubt the government would have sufficient capital to fund the banks in order to absorb their losses, hence leading to bank bankruptcy. Other problems will surface too like higher import costs and also, social problems when people start noticing their increased cost of living.

Kicking Greece out of the eurozone would not help solve anything. Their debt will still remain. In fact, I think it’ll bring a chain reaction of even more problems. Instead, I think Greece should undertake austerity measures by cutting down their expenses, which includes pensions and benefits that the Greeks currently enjoy.