What Made Bill Gates the USA’s Richest Man?

Bill Gates is considered one of the richest men in the world. Even though he has already stepped down from Microsoft as a CEO and Chief Software Architect, Gates is still earning enough to make him rank among the richest in the world. He is now a full time philanthropist through the Melinda and Bill Gates Foundation.

But even though he is busy spending more money than earning, why is he still one of the richest men in the world?

The reason is because of licensing and software. It’s true that Microsoft may have gathered some bad press on how it treats its competition but practically everyone is using Windows (owned by Microsoft) as their operating system. The O.S. was developed under the helm of Bill Gates and the company still earns billions every year through it.

In the early years of Microsoft, Bill Gates was an active software developer with the mind of an entrepreneur. Because of his skills in business, he was able to integrate his knowledge on computers with business which made him extremely rich. He has mainly been on executive and managerial roles for the past 20 years but he is still chief architect in software development.

To this day, Bill Gates still earns millions every year because he owns 6.4% of the common stock of Microsoft. With this share, he doesn’t have to work at his company and will consistently earn high amounts from their software sales every year. He is not just a smart programmer, he is also a very smart and cunning businessman.

Opus Energy shortlisted for Utility of the Year

Opus Energy is a provider of gas and electricity to businesses across the UK. The company has been shortlisted by The European Smart Metering Awards for the “Utility of the Year” award. The honour is given to businesses that show market leading behaviour or bring fresh ideas to their sector.

Oliver Kinross run the European Smart Metering Awards to showcase excellence in the energy sector. The awards acknowledge companies that are playing pivotal roles in moving the industry forward. The honours will be decided by a panel of judges and announced at a gala awards dinner on 26^th January 2012.

Opus Energy’s Managing Director, Charlie Crossley Cooke has stated that the company is very proud to be nominated for the award and he feels the recognition is deserved for the progress and success they have had throughout the year.

In the last year the company have launched Opus Renewables – a scheme which allows businesses generating renewable or clean energy to sell their excess power and generate extra revenue. The aim was to engage with small and medium companies and increase the amount of renewable and cleaner energy Opus provides to their customers.

Opus Energy’s competitive power purchase agreement combined with a wealth of expert market knowledge allows businesses to get the best price for their energy. Opus Energy contract power from wind, solar, anaerobic digestion and hydro generators. The business’ team of professionals guide customers through the process from the planning stages through to connection.

The organisation has also rolled out a free smart meters initiative to many more sites and seen growth in the flexible purchasing products; Opus Evolution and Extra.

The History of Santa Claus, Christmas and Coca-Cola

oca-Cola is one of the most recognisable brands in the world. Their main product, Coca-Cola or Coke soda is available anywhere in the world, even in countries where food is sparse and bread’s a luxury. Even so, Coca-Cola and their complimentary products are available in almost every country.

Since its establishment, Coca-Cola continues to create products for consumers while maintaining their original soda drink that made them one of the biggest companies in history.

But aside from the company’s impressive rise to become a leading brand name, Coca-Cola is also known for their Christmas commercials particularly their commercials that involve Santa Claus. Coca-Cola may be a soda manufacturing company but their influence in the image of Santa Claus should never be over-looked.

Santa Claus first appeared in Coca-Cola posters and commercials during Christmas season in 1920 although the current image was first introduced in 1931. The image of Santa Claus continues to this day as he is depicted as a happy man that just want to make sure everyone will have a great Christmas. Coca-Cola is very influential to the current image of Santa Claus with the red suit since they were among the very first to depict Santa Claus in the traditional suit of red. The first person to portray Santa Claus in this suit was Thomas Nast for the magazine “Harper’s Weekly”.

The image of Santa Claus as part of the Christmas advertisement of Coca-Cola has become so important that people take a careful look at this costume every year. In fact, people started writing letters to Coca-Cola asking about Mrs. Claus when they noticed that the Santa Claus did not wear his wedding ring.

Sony to Take Full Control of Sony Ericsson Mobile Company

Sony officially joins the competitive world of mobile phone manufacturing after a recent announcement of acquisition. The electronics manufacturing giant recently announced the full takeover of Sony Ericsson. The 50% ownership of Ericsson was bought by Sony for €1.05 billion or $1.5 billion. The announcement doesn’t mean immediate takeover as Sony is still in the process of completing the transition. The company, “Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB” will now be known as “Sony Mobile Communications AB”.

The full control of Sony on its former partnership can be considered as a risky yet a very bold move that should result to more innovations on the part of Sony. Before its full takeover, Sony cannot easily integrate some of their trademark devices on Sony Ericsson mobile phones.

But this doesn’t mean the partnership did not make any impression in the mobile market. The partnership of Sony and Ericsson is the main reason why brands such as “Cybershot” and “Walkman” still exist. The idea of high-resolution cameras on mobile phones as well as integration of quality music on mobile phones is championed by Sony Ericsson.

Since Sony is now in full control, anticipate aggressive integration of Sony to their existing devices. PS3 or PlayStation 3, PSP and Sony TV can be part of the mobile phone environment. The year 2012 should be interesting for Sony as it tries its hand on the mobile industry.

The partnership of Sony and Ericsson started in 2001. The venture combines the capability of Sony on consumer electronics with communication technology expertise of Ericsson.

Steve Jobs Dies at 56 – A Look Back at the carrer of the Late Great Apple Innovator

The world was shocked on October 5, 2011 at the news of Steve Jobs’ death. The founder of Apple and Pixar died of respiratory arrest merely months after his announcement of retirement as CEO of the world renowned computer manufacturer.

Steve Jobs rise to fame is always seen as one of the most inspiring in history. Although he did not finish college (only lasting one semester), he helped to develop one of the first personal computer in the world and aptly called it Apple Computer which eventually evolved into Macintosh.

The influence of Steve Jobs’ early computing devices is not just on the creation of the first personal computer. He was also credited to take full advantage of the mouse. Originally built by Xerox, Steve Jobs integrated the GUI system into his computer and since that day, the mouse has become an integral part of every computer.

Steve Jobs was asked to leave Apple in 1985 because of the power struggle. But his time away from Apple led him to create Pixar, which became one of the biggest animation companies with multiple awards. He also established NeXT computer which was built for educational purposes.

He returned to Apple in 1997 as an interim CEO and became its leader in 2000. During his tenure, he helped develop and introduce some of the most groundbreaking mobile devices in the modern era such as iPad, iPod and the iPhone. To this day, competitors are still introducing devices to try to compete with the devices Apple introduced.

The Advantage of Skype for Business Meetings

Skype is one of the leading VOIP providers in the world. They are well known among consumers as well as businesses because of their ability to provide clear lines of communication. Although VOIP is already common as other online companies are pushing their voice-based services, only a handful can easily compete with Skype. There are distinct advantages Skype can provide especially for businesses.

Free Skype to Skype Calls and More

Free VOIP calls are already common but only Skype is known for their clear call quality. They also have a built-in tester to ensure that your call to another Skype user will go without any problems.

The program also has VOIP with video calling. The advantage of Skype for voice with video is that it constantly detects the bandwidth so that it can determine how it should handle the line of communication. If it can’t handle voice and video, it will alert the users so that they could revert to voice only transactions.

The Capability of a Regular Telephone

Skype users can also add a regular phone number to their account. They can choose a number from different countries so that anyone can call them even if they don’t have a Skype account. Skype users can also install a voicemail system with their phone number.

Not Just on PC

Because of the increasing capabilities of mobile phones, Skype is not just on your laptops and PCs. Skype services including video calling are already available in some of the most powerful mobile phones and tablets in the world. Most of these gadgets already feature Skype out of the box so customers don’t have to set-up anything to obtain the services on their mobile phone.

Business Holiday Cards

During the Christmas period many people exchange cards, wishing each other a Merry Christmas and a good year ahead. Over the past few decades this tradition has been passed onto the business world. Many companies now send business cards to their employees or to clients, showing how they appreciate them. This is a great way to keep people motivated and recognise them as a great addition to your business. It is also a good way to keep your company in people’s minds; a Christmas card can remind a person of your existence and get could in return gain your company more work.

How to make Christmas cards

While some companies buy a box of cards and hand write them other people choose to personalise them through online sites. There are many different websites that offer business holiday cards. Many have a selection of designs and the option to create personalised cards. Some allow you to add custom words or the option to upload your own image. Online card companies are usually very competitively priced especially if you choose to create a batch of any one design. The business can also post the card straight to the client instead of your home address, saving you time and effort.

Other Business Cards

If your company isn’t currently sending business cards this could be a positive way to build a relationship with a client. Christmas cards may be the most popular form of card but there are many other options. New Year cards can be a good way of thanking people who are not part of the Christian religion. You could also send Halloween cards at the end of October or Hanukkah cards to people from the Jewish community.

Steve Jobs Leaves Apple

Steve Jobs recently announced that he’sstepping down from his position as CEO of Apple. He will be replaced by TimCook which he fervently supports in his letter of resignation. It’s importantto note that Jobs is stepping down as a CEO which means he will still be thechairman of the tech giant.

The announcement of Steve Jobs’ resignationcame as a surprise although many had expected it would happen during the nextfew years. His recent bouts with pancreatic cancer and a liver transplant havetaken their toll on his body. Everyone knows that Jobs is a hands-on CEO withvery rigorous work ethic which now leaves everyone wondering what Apple woulddo without its greatest innovator.

Steve Jobs role in Apple from 1997 to 2011 allowedApple to become one of the tech world’s most innovative companies. The releasesof the iPod, iPhone and iPad have practically changed the way every consumerinteracts with their gadgets. Every time Steve Jobs steps onto the stage with ahighly anticipated product, every tech company takes careful notes on what itdoes so that they could ride its popularity. Apples products may not be thefirst devices of their kind to hit the market but when they change the game andforce other companies to try to catch up with Jobs’ innovations.

The biggest question surrounding Apple nowis its future without Steve Jobs. Many are confident that it will continue tobe consumer specific with innovations instilled by Jobs for more than a decade.Of course, only time will tell if the effects of Jobs’ departure from Apple willaffect the company.

The Chemistry Club's Master Classes

The Chemistry Club is an organisation that works with the technology sector. The Chemistry Club's CEO, Mark Simon, founded the business in 1999. It holds master classes, special briefings, and nine events throughout each year.

The company’s master classes are full one day sessions aimed at senior executives. Networking has become a vital skill within business and nearly anybody can benefit from training in this key area. The Chemistry Club’s sessions are for senior executives and managers who wish to further their networking abilities. During the past eleven years The Chemistry Club has been able to build a great deal of knowledge in the field. The master classes have taken this experience and have been created with specialist leading trainers. The sessions have been formed to hone attendee’s skills and provide methodologies for following up. All of the businesses classes are fully Continuing Professional Development (CPD) accredited.

The Chemistry Club’s master classes allow individuals to learn all aspect of face-to-face networking. The classes cover a broad range of topics including; how to feel at ease immediately, the best ways to prepare for business events, and good tips for remembering names. The classes also cover; the basics of reading body language, how to engage and disengage effectively in conversations, and how to develop proactive listening skills. The classes give members an improved understanding of how networking should be achieved and give a large toolbox of skills.

The Chemistry Club currently hosts nine Central London based business networking evenings each year. The forums give members a time efficient way to talk with other individuals in the industry. The organisation states that the events are work gatherings. Despite the evenings being fairly active attendees can move around at their own pace and meet as few or as many people as they choose. Individuals can meet people they haven’t met before as well as those that they have previously spoken to. It is entirely by mutual consent as to who speaks with whom at the events. Senior executives generally discuss a range of business topics including; best practice, innovation, industry trends, cost reduction, and benchmarking.

The company’s forums usually contain an interesting presenter who is followed by a question and answer session. The discussion is usually topical and brings up several thought provoking questions.

The Chemistry Club’s events are attended by a wide range of groups including; directors from venture capital and private equity firms, public sector members, senior executives from media companies, executive managers from big businesses, and global IT suppliers.

To encourage more debate at the events the business also invites; marketing directors, chief executives, security and risk directors, heads of procurement, operations directors, and academics.

To find our more about The Chemistry Club and their services read our past article:

http://news.directory-direct.com/2010/05/chemistry-clubs-events.html

Opus Energy Ltd - B2B Power Supplier

Opus Energy Ltd is an independent supplier of electricity and gas to businesses across the UK. The company was established in 2002 and currently supplies over 100,000 properties with power. Many of Opus Energy’s customers are medium and small sized businesses that enjoy the savings the company can offer them on their energy. Opus also offers flexible and accurate billing for their clients.

Opus Energy has a power supply agreement with International Power PLC, one of the company’s major shareholders. The agreement allows Opus to provide customers with a reliable low cost supply of power.

Opus currently offers their corporate customers the choice of three energy products;

Opus Evolution offers customers a flexible power purchasing solution for businesses that purchase over 5GWhs of electricity. Opus Evolution allows customers to have full control over their energy spending budget by giving them direct access to the wholesale market and take advantage of power price fluctuations. The product is a web based solution that gives customers more information at their fingertips.

Opus Fixed is a traditional electricity product that combines cheap business electricity with the company’s first class key account service.

Opus Extra is for businesses that use between ½ GWh and 5 GWh. This option gives customers a flexible purchasing option, direct access to the wholesale market and an online power purchasing platform.

Opus Energy Ltd supplies power to the government sector, retail industry, and housing associations across the UK. Several of Opus’ clients are household names including; Halfords, FirstGroup and Stagecoach. Opus Energy was awarded the “Independent energy suppliers of the year” in 2010 by the energy excellence awards. The company was also placed in the Times Top Track 250 listing 2011 for the UK’s top mid-market private companies.

Opus Energy has obtained 70% of its power during the past 2 years from renewable or cleaner energy supplies. 37% of the energy was supplied from low carbon, Combined Heat and Power generators. The other 33% was supplied from renewable generators.