Five years old, Twitter changing the world

SAN FRANCISCO (AFP) ― At five years old, Twitter is just starting to change the world.Jack Dorsey fired off the first tweets on March 21, 2006, an automated “just setting up my twttr” message which he followed with the first “human” tweet ― “inviting coworkers.”It was Dorsey who proposed the idea for Twitter while working with Biz Stone and Evan Williams at podcasting company Odeo.Since then, Twit

TechnologyMarch 15, 2011

Next 3-D war to be about content

Developing content will be key to success of new television setsWhat’s the use of having a high-fangled 3D TV or a smart TV if there is nothing to watch? This is a question that 30-year-old bride-to-be Kim Eun-jung keeps asking herself as she shops for appliances ahead of her wedding. Her concerns seem universal, as netizens are busily asking similar questions in online communities about whether t

TechnologyMarch 15, 2011

Facebook launching Groupon-style service

Facebook Inc. plans to test a Groupon-inspired service that will sell discount offers, an effort to use its 500 million-plus members to capitalize on the surging online-deal market.The service will get started in San Francisco, San Diego, Dallas, Atlanta, and Austin, Texas, the company said last week in a statement. It will be part of Facebook’s existing Deals program, which lets businesses offer

IndustryMarch 15, 2011

Toyota output may fall by 40,000 cars on power shortage

Toyota Motor Corp., the world’s largest carmaker, may lose output of at least 40,000 vehicles after Japan’s strongest earthquake damaged factories and crippled nuclear power plants, causing electricity shortages. Toyota closed 12 plants in the nation through Wednesday, Shiori Hashimoto, a spokeswoman for the company, said by phone Monday. The manufacturer’s profit will be cut by 6 billion yen ($72

IndustryMarch 15, 2011

Japan quake may push up fuel imports

Economists uncertain how Japan disaster will affect oil demand, though imports likely to riseNEW YORK (AP) ― The earthquake and tsunami in Japan took some steam out of the rally in oil prices by reducing the country’s oil imports. That won’t last long.Japan consumes about 4.4 million barrels of oil per day, most of it imported. Only the U.S. and China consume more. With steel plants, auto manufact

IndustryMarch 15, 2011

Online sites top newspapers for Americans: report

 WASHINGTON (AFP) - More Americans are getting their news from the Internet than from print newspapers for the first time as audience figures for cable news programs fall, according to a report released on Monday.The State of the News Media 2011 report by the Pew Project for Excellence in Journalism said that in another first, online advertising revenue topped that of print newspapers last year.Fo

TechnologyMarch 15, 2011

Groupon aims for slice of Korean social commerce market

Groupon Korea on Monday punctuated its launch on the Korean market with a monthly sales target of 10 billion won ($880 million) during the first half of this year.The goal falls behind the annual 200 billion won targeted by Ticket Monster, the nation’s top social commerce operator, but Groupon brushed aside concerns, saying its initial goal would be to create a healthy social commerce environment

IndustryMarch 14, 2011

Korean economy little affected by Japanese quake

But experts say prolonged disaster may pose threat to Korea’s exports, financial marketsThe earthquake in Japan has caused minimal impact on South Korean firms and exports though damage will inevitably escalate should the Japanese economy take longer to recover than expected, the government said Monday. The 9.0-magnitude temblor which occurred on the northeastern coast of the island nation Friday

March 14, 2011

iPad 2 sales may have reached 500,000: analyst

Apple Inc. may have sold as many as 500,000 iPad 2 computers after retail outlets ran out of the tablet-style device on its debut weekend, said Piper Jaffray Cos. analyst Gene Munster. Stores run by Apple, Target Corp. and Best Buy Co. contacted by Munster’s team had sold out of the device, he said in a research note Sunday. Online orders via Apple’s website are taking up to a month for delivery,

IndustryMarch 14, 2011

China arrests 3,001 for product piracy

Authorities tackle black market for fake medicines, liquor, phones and other goodsBEIJING (AP) ― Chinese authorities have arrested 3,001 people in their latest crackdown on rampant product piracy and seized fake or counterfeit medicines, liquor, mobile phones and other goods, officials said Sunday.The campaign launched in October comes as Beijing faces pressure from the United States and other tra

IndustryMarch 14, 2011

Tokyo shares plunge 6.18%

TOKYO (AFP) - Tokyo shares plummeted more than six percent Monday as investors reacted to the biggest earthquake in Japan's history, a devastating tsunami and an unfolding nuclear emergency.Shares tumbled below as the key index fell below the 10,000 point mark. The day's plunge in the Nikkei-225 was the biggest since October 2008.The Nikkei index closed down 6.18 percent, or 633.94 points, at 9,62

March 14, 2011

Quake may cost insurers $34 billion; tsunami toll yet to come

(Bloomberg) -- Japanese insurers and global reinsurance companies that backstop their policies may face claims of as much as 2.8 trillion yen ($34 billion) tied to last week’s earthquake, AIR Worldwide said.The top-of-range preliminary estimate, which AIR disclosed yesterday in a statement, doesn’t include damage caused by the tsunami that followed the March 11 temblor. AIR is working to quantify

March 14, 2011