Jazz

Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in black communities in the southern United States.
-While jazz is considered difficult to define, improvisation is consistently regarded as being one of its key elements.
-The stylistic origins of the genre belong to Blues-Folk-March-Ragtime.
-Its cultural origins are found in New Orleans, USA.
-Typical instruments for jazz are saxophone, clarinet, flute, vibraphone, trumpet, piano, guitar, banjo, tuba, double bass, bass guitar, trombone and drum kit.
-There are many sub-genres of jazz. Some are: Asian American, Avant-garde, Bebop, Big Band, Chamber, Continental, Cool and Free.
-Among the most influential musicians of the genre are Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, Benny Goodman, Coleman Hawkins, Count Basie and John Coltrane.

Facebook ramps up social network search power

Facebook has ramped up its search capabilities at the world's leading social network in a budding challenge to Google, LinkedIn, Yelp and other Internet firms. The "graph search" feature launched in a test version allows Facebook members to delve into the vast amount of information on Facebook, which is not available on Web search engines such as Google. Facebook worked closely with Bing on the search feature that lets people get answers to queries such as "What songs do my friends like?" along with pulling in online information from the Microsoft search engine. "We expanded our relationship with Bing," Facebook engineer Tom Stocky said during a press event at the social network's headquarters in Menlo Park, California, the first major announcement since Facebook went public in May. "We worked closely with Bing to make Web search feel more a part of Facebook." A fledgling version of graph search designed to let Facebook members do natural language searches to find places, pictures, movies and more that their friends liked began rolling out in for US English language users on Tuesday. “We look at Facebook as a big social database," Mark Zuckerberg said. "Just like any database, you should be able to query it."

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Personal computer makers, trying to beat back a tablet mania that's eating into their sales, are making what may be a last-ditch attempt to sway customers by mimicking the competition.
Many of the laptops to be unveiled around the world in coming months will be hybrids or "convertibles" - morphing easily between portable tablets and full-powered laptops with a keyboard, industry analysts say.
The wave of hybrids comes as Intel Corp and Microsoft Corp, long the twin leaders of the PC industry, prepare to report results this week and next. Wall Street is predicting flat to sluggish quarterly revenue growth for both, underscoring the plight of an industry that has struggled to innovate.
In 2013, some are hoping that will change.
With the release of Microsoft's touch-centric, re-imagined Windows 8 platform in October and more power-efficient chips from Intel, PC makers are trying to spark growth by focusing on creating slim laptops with touchscreens that convert to tablets and vice versa.
Microsoft, expanding beyond its traditional business of selling software, is expected this month to roll out a "Surface Pro" tablet compatible with legacy PC software developed over decades.
With sales of PCs falling last year for the first time since 2001, this year may usher in a renaissance in design and innovation from manufacturers who previously focused on reducing costs instead of adding new features to entice consumers.

Fujitso New Product

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Fujitsu Tab
Computer Source Limited (CSL) has brought Fujitsu Stylistic M532 Android tablet in the local market.
The M532 runs on Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) and is powered by NVIDIA Tegra Mobile quad-core processor. The tablet has an 8 MP rear-facing camera and a 2MP front-facing camera.
The display size of this Tab is 10.1-inch (1,280-by-800-pixel) and it is multi touch. It has 1GB DDR2 memory, 32GB built-in storage and HDMI, Bluetooth 3.0, docking connector, USB 2 port. It also has Wi-Fi that connects to 802.11b/g/n networks. The M532's video player supports MPEG4, H.264, and VP8 videos. For audio, the M532 supports MP3, AAC, WAV, FLAC or WMA and MIDI, VORBIS.
This Fujitsu Tab also features Google Maps, Google Mail, Google Search, Android browser, Android Market, Think-free Office Mobile as Bundle Software.
The M532 has been designed primarily for business professionals with added security features and above-average durability.
Computer Source Limited, top most ICT Product and Service Distributor in Bangladsh have introduced the M532 Tab in the local market by its country wide distributor channel along with its 37 outlet.
The M532 weighs 560G and its battery supports up to 8. 4 hours.
This Tab has a price tag of Tk 60,500 with one year warranty and Fujitsu sleeve case.
Asus Laptop
Asus' new laptop A44H-B970 is now available in the local market.
The laptop has 14-inch (1366 x 768) display. It is powered by Intel dual core 2.3 GHz processor and features Intel GMA HD Graphics, 2 GB DDR3 RAM, 500 GB hard drive, Wi-Fi(802.11b/g/n), Bluetooth with HDMI support, webcam, USB 3.0 port.
Its smudge-proof palm rest resists fingerprints and helps the laptop retain its appearance all the time. The laptop has a price tag of Tk 34,000

Converting customers in the digital age

The recently concluded E-Commerce Week, organised by BASIS, was a clear indication that the digital revolution in Bangladesh is underway and rapidly gaining momentum. The series of events held during the week covered topics ranging from payments and logistics to how businesses can set up e-commerce ventures. There was much needed evangelisation and education around the opportunity for building Bangladesh's digital economy.
G&R Ad Network, one of the participants at the E-Commerce Week shared THE knowledge and best practices on one of the most fundamental aspects of commerce in this new, digital age �" conversions.
What is a Conversion?
For any website owner, the most important task is to clearly determine what the objective of the site is. When a website visitor completes that objective, it is known as a conversion. Similar to creating a business plan for an offline business where you set goals and forecasts, your online business is no different and measurable targets should be put in place. Typically, an online conversion will fall into one of the 4 areas listed below.
1) Sales: How much revenue did I make? 2) Leads: How many leads did I generate? 3) Information: Did users find what they were looking for? How long did it take? 4) Ad Revenue: How many pages did the users visit? Did they interact with the content and advertising?
The “Conversion Funnel”
Their presentation at E-Commerce Week focused on the online conversion “funnel” and the need for website owners to optimise performance to this model.
Step 1: Drive Awareness
In order to acquire customers, the first step is to make them aware of who you are. For an internet business, online marketing channels �" both paid and unpaid �" can be an excellent way to publicize your brand, communicate to your prospective customers, and ultimately drive traffic to your website.
Recommendation: Launch online ad campaigns and measure everything. Focus on attribution i.e. understanding which sources drive the most return on investment.
Step 2: Generate Interest
Interest can definitely be influenced by your advertising campaigns - this is done by having a compelling offer or value proposition within your ad. Beyond the ad, however, it is your website that engages the user and offers them further information on your business. Similar to an in-store experience, the design and usability of your site determine how long the user wants hang out. As they stay on your site longer, they move further down the conversion funnel from being aware of your offering to being actually interested in learning more and potentially purchasing.
Recommendation: Communicate your brand's message or product/service information clearly and keep it consistent between marketing campaigns and the website. For instance, if you are promoting a discount in an online ad campaign, make sure it is available on the site
Step 3: Activate Desire
At this stage the user has already gone through most of the consideration stages and is actively interested in what you have to offer. Here, your website's features and functionality must ensure you give the user what they want so that interest converts into a desire for the product or service you are looking to sell.
Recommendation: Make your homepage useful and allow for easy navigation and discovery of information. Provide FAQs and other useful content that would address any user concerns not only about the product they're looking at, but also your business in general.
Step 4: Take Action
The final step in the conversion process refers to closing the deal. Interestingly, this step is one where many potential online customers tend to drop out and not complete the sale. Once the user wants your product or service, the steps to make a purchase or complete the intended action must be simple and straightforward.
Recommendation: Minimize steps - count the number of clicks it takes for user to complete purchase and the number of form fields they have to fill out. Reduce these as much as possible. Do not ask for additional information unless you really need it.
Measuring Conversions
Importantly, you should use web analytics software (e.g. Google Analytics) to measure the effectiveness of your online presence and how users convert, moving down each stage of the funnel. We have seen many local examples where simple design errors such as an unwieldy contact form, or lack of visibility of the “submit” button have led to conversions falling out. Analysing how users behave on your on site will help establish where gaps and/or issues may be occurring and also help in identifying opportunities for growth. For instance, it may be that a certain online ad campaign is driving traffic that will convert to sales at a higher rate than other activity. Maybe users from Bangladeshi newspaper sites convert better than users coming from Facebook. Such insight is useful and can support making key decisions such as how to allocate marketing budget.
For a website owner, one of the key benefits of e-commerce is that it is very measurable. Data is generated for every kind of activity and this ensures that marketing campaigns, website performance, billing systems and so are accountable. It is this kind of data-generated insight that should be the primary influencer for decision making in the digital age.

Asus' all-in-one PC series

Asus has introduced its ET2013 series of all-in-one PCs in the local market.
The Asus All-in-One PC ET2013 series is powered by the Intel Pentium dual core 2.9 GHz processor for responsive multitasking performance and energy efficiency. The 20” 16:9 HD+ LED backlighting gives crystal-clear images on screen while helping to reduce power consumption.
Its ultra-slim space-saving design makes easy to setup and use. The PC comes with 2GB DDR-3 RAM, 500GB Hard Disk, Intel HD graphics, built-in speakers, Wi-Fi (802.11b/g/n), Gigabit LAN, Webcam, 2 USB 3.0 ports, 3 USB 2.0 ports, USB keyboard and mouse.

Financing depends on panel’s assessment: Goldstein

World Bank Country Director Ellen Goldstein on Tuesday said the decisions by the global lender regarding future project financing in Bangladesh depend on the outcome of its external panel's assessment.
“World Bank’s panel of internationally-recognised anti-corruption experts will issue a report assessing the adequacy of the Anti-Corruption Commission's investigation once they have had an opportunity to fully review and discuss the First Information Report (FIR)," she said.
"Decisions by the World Bank regarding future project financing and implementation would depend on the outcome of the external panel's assessment," said Goldstein.
Earlier on Monday, the ACC after a year-long inquiry into the allegation over Padma bridge project sued seven people for allegedly conspiring to indulge in bribery.
The accused include former secretary of the Bridges Division Mosharraf Hossain Bhuiyan, but the anti-graft body did not include in the case former communications minister Syed Abul Hossain and former state minister for foreign affairs Abul Hasan Chowdhury

Top Gun to be released in 3D in 2013

A 3D version of Top Gun, starring Tom Cruise, will be released in selected Imax cinemas on 8 February next year. Paramount announced on Tuesday that the 1986 classic had been re-mastered from high-resolution original negative scans. The painstaking conversion of the movie, which has earned more than $350m worldwide, was overseen by Tony Scott. The late director, who died in August, had been looking into a Top Gun sequel with Cruise and Paramount. Together with Jerry Bruckheimer, they were scouting locations for Top Gun 2 before Scott's suicide. According to a report in the New York Times, plans have since been shelved. Top Gun in 3D will run in cinemas for six days ahead of the film's debut on Blu-ray.

Britney Spears is highest paid female musician of 2012

Although she didn't release any new music or go on tour this year, the 31-year-old made an estimated $58m (£36m) in the 12 months to May 2012.
In second place, Swift brought in around $57m thanks to her tour - which made more than $1m (£62,000) a night.
Lady Gaga, 2011's top earner, slipped to fourth with $52m (£32m).
A substantial part of Spears' income came from her stint as a judge on US X Factor, which was reportedly worth $15m (£9.3m).
Forbes magazine said the bulk of her earnings came from her 2011 album, Femme Fatale, which went Platinum in the US, and receipts from her world tour, which ran between June and December 2011.
Endorsements The pop star also earned a substantial amount from her popular perfume line with Elizabeth Arden and her endorsement deals.
However, the star does not have personal control of her finances, which have been managed by her father since 2008.
Jamie Spears was appointed the singer's conservator after she underwent psychiatric treatment in hospital, following a very public period of personal turmoil. He now shares the conservatorship with her fiance, Jason Trawick, although he has no say in her finances.
Forbes compiled the list after estimating income before tax, based on record sales, touring information merchandise sales and interviews with concert promoters, solicitors and managers.
Elsewhere in the list, 24-year-old R&B singer Rihanna moved up two places to number three, earning an estimated $53m from her Loud tour, hits such as We Found Love as well as a perfume line and lucrative endorsements.
Rounding off the top five was Katy Perry, 28, with an estimated $45m in earnings, helped by her California Dreams Tour which grossed nearly $60m, according to Forbes.
"What all these girls have in common is that they have smashes under their belts," marketing guru Steve Stoute told Forbes.
"Gaga [is] a pop culture icon because of her sensibilities. I think Rihanna has found the very thin space of being the alter ego of the good girl.
Along with Katy Perry, "they've completely dominated the charts in the past three years," he added.
Madonna, 54, scraped into the list in ninth place bringing in an estimated $30 million, which did not account for profits from her latest tour as it fell outside the time period Forbes considered for the ranking.
Despite their huge incomes, only eight of the top-earning women featured in Forbes list of the 25 best-paid musicians, partly due to family considerations, and partly because of how they are perceived within the industry as they get older.
Hip-hop mogul Dr Dre topped the overall list, earning $100 million (£62.3m), largely thanks to his lucrative range of high-end headphones.
Spears came seventh, and was the only woman to feature in the top 10.

"Phones" 96% Indians check their phones regularly: Survey

MUMBAI: A report by internet gear giant Cisco has revealed what we always suspected. An ever-networked Gen Y is practically making phones an intrinsic part of its daily routine. They wake up to check their updates -- often before brushing their teeth -- and fall asleep only after logging in to keep their status messages current. As phones become cheaper and mobile broadband proliferates, smartphone usage looks set to blur all previous boundaries.

Ninety percent of respondents to the Cisco Connected World 2012 report released earlier today check their phones as a matter of routine -- in India its even higher at 96%, according to this study. What's more, through the day, they continued to be glued to their handsets, with 60% of respondents admitting that they checked their phones through their work day, with a higher percentage of women (85%) being online practically all the time. Besides being an instrument of communication, smartphone owners have almost become permanently welded to their phones -- 45% said they would suffer withdrawal symptoms if they couldn't log on periodically. This facet seems aggravated in India -- some 70% said they compulsively check their phones for updates and 42% of them admitted to feeling anxious when disconnected.

This constant need to stay connected could be a problem. According to this survey, 29% of respondents check their phones so often they lose count, 40% of IT professionals check them once in ten minutes and 75% of them check their phones in bed. In India, personal and professional boundaries are clearing blurring -- a full 84% of respondents said they checked their phones in the bedroom and a higher percentage (56% compared to 46% globally) checked while out for a meal.

What's more, Gen Y in India and everywhere is going out of its way to access phones and the content on it. According to Cisco's survey, two-fifth of global respondents (41% in India) say their employers forbid them from using their handsets for personal browsing, but many of them take this edict lightly -- globally 71% break the rule, compared to over half in India. With this urge to have access at all times, users are spending an alarming amount of time online -- 40% said they spend more time online with friends than socialising in person (56% in India). What's more, 81% of them believe they need to have separate offline and online personas.