J.D. Power and Associates Reports: Tablets Challenge Personal Computers for Top Position in Content Consumption
Posted: September 13, 2012 at 10:15 pm
WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif., Sept. 13,2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Tablets are transforming the way content is consumed and challenging the usage patterns for personal computers, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2012 U.S. Tablet Satisfaction StudySM released today.
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The inaugural Tablet Satisfaction Study finds that tablet owners spend 7.5 hours per week browsing the Internet, watching videos, listening to music, and reading books on their device, compared with spending 9.6 hours per week on a personal computer for the same activities. Overall satisfaction is 857 (on a 1,000-point scale) among owners who view three or more hours of video per week on their tablet, which is 45 points higher than among those who do not. In addition, those who spend three or more hours viewing video content are more likely to purchase another tablet from their current manufacturer in the future than are those who do not watch as much video content (90% vs. 81%, respectively).
"As tablet computing, multimedia, display, and application offerings continue to evolve, their impact on usage patterns will continue to grow," said Dr. Uma S. Jha, senior director of mobile devices at J.D. Power and Associates. "Tablets are a force in the marketplace that offer a great alternative to laptops and netbooks."
The study measures tablet owner satisfaction among those who have owned their tablet for less than two years. Satisfaction is measured across five key factors. In order of importance, they are: performance (26%), ease of operation (22%), styling and design (19%), features (17%), and price (16%).
Apple ranks highest, achieving a score of 848, and performs well in four factors: performance; ease of operation; styling and design; and features. Amazon (842) closely follows Apple in the rankings and performs particularly well in the price factor.
The study also finds the following key tablet usage patterns and purchase trends:
The 2012 U.S. Tablet Satisfaction Study is based on experiences reported by 1,985 tablet owners. The study was fielded in July 2012.
Overall Tablet Index Rankings
(Based on a 1,000-point scale)
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J.D. Power and Associates Reports: Tablets Challenge Personal Computers for Top Position in Content Consumption
Holland Hoping to Continue Run of Success
Posted: at 10:14 pm
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ST. PETERSBURG - SEPTEMBER 07: Pitcher Derek Holland #45 of the Texas Rangers pitches against the Tampa Bay Rays during the game at Tropicana Field on September 7, 2012 in St. Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by J. Meric/Getty Images)
Over his career, there hasn't been a team, other than the Boston Red Sox, that Derek Holland has owned as much as the Cleveland Indlans.
The lefty from Newark,Ohio about 130 miles from Cleveland has had some of the best starts of his career in Cleveland with his friends and family in attendance and in his five career starts against the Indians he has given up just 11 runs, which ties the Tribe with the Red Sox for the fewest runs scored off Holland in at least five career games.
He'll have a chance to keep that streak going tonight when the Texas Rangers finish off a three-game home set with the Indians, looking to pull off the three-game sweep.
Holland has pitched very well in his last four starts, including his last time out which was an 8-inning loss to Tampa Bay when he gave up just one run on two hits and had 11 strikeouts. Holland, who was one of the best pitchers in the game over the second half of last season, had a rough start to the year and a trip to the disabled list after a weird stomach virus led to him losing a bunch of weight and consequently hurting his arm. But he's starting to resemble the pitcher we saw over the second half last season, when he ended up making the best postseason start in club history in Game 4 of the World Series.
If Holland continues this trend upward, it will only give the Rangers more confidence in him heading into the postseason, where he could realistically finish anywhere from No. 2 to No. 4 in the postseason pitching rotation pecking order.
Securian IT Success with Business Process Management Earns Award
Posted: at 10:14 pm
ST. PAUL, Minn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Its called the Operations Re-engineering Initiative and its all about improving employee collaboration and productivity, resulting in a positive impact on earnings.
This was one of the projects that earned Securian and its IT department a place on the InformationWeek 500 Top Technology Innovators award for the fourteenth consecutive year.
This honor recognizes our commitment to our vision of providing innovative information technology solutions to our business units, helping them become more strategic and efficient while providing a superior customer experience, said Jean Delaney Nelson, senior vice president and CIO, Securian Financial Group.
The Operations Re-engineering Initiative implements improvements that make it easier for individual life insurance distributors to work with Securians Life Product Manufacturing (LPM) unit while growing sales and improving retention of existing life insurance business. The project yielded several intangible benefits in 2011, such as improved tracking, reduced turnaround times, and higher productivity. The tangible benefit was an 11 percent improvement in operational efficiency with the expectation of additional improvements in 2012.
This initiative yielded significant business value and positioned LPM for future process improvement, such as quickly adjusting business processes with minimal impact and helping us identify opportunities to become more efficient, said Delaney Nelson.
The InformationWeek 500 has recognized the most innovative users of business technology for 24 years. The editors look for unconventional approaches to maximizing business opportunities and solving complex business problems with information technology.
Securians string of appearances on Computerworld list of the Best Places to Work in IT also remains unbroken. Securian ranked tenth in 2012 and is one of the smaller employers with 2,400 associates in St. Paul and 425 IT employees. The company has made 17 consecutive appearances on the Computerworld list.
Since 1880, Securian Financial Group and its affiliates have provided financial security for individuals and businesses in the form of insurance, investments and retirement plans. Now one of the nations largest financial services providers, it is the holding company parent of a group of companies that include Minnesota Life Insurance Company, Advantus Capital Management, Allied Solutions, Capital Financial Group, Cherokee National Life Insurance Company, CNL/Insurance America, Personal Finance Company, Securian Trust Company, Securian Financial Services, Inc., Securian Casualty Company, and Securian Life Insurance Company, both are New York admitted insurers.
DOFU 09-2012 A03491-0912
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Securian IT Success with Business Process Management Earns Award
Tools 2 SUCCEED, Inc., a Training and Development Company, Donates $2230 to The SUCCESS Foundation®
Posted: at 10:13 pm
Westlake Village, California (PRWEB) September 13, 2012
On June 11, 2012, Tools 2 SUCCEED announced that they will donate $5 of every online e-Learning package sale to The SUCCESS Foundation. In the first 3 months of this program, they have proudly donated $2230. As Tools 2 SUCCEED is gearing up for their busy fall and winter HRCI recertification season, they are looking forward to donating even more in the next 2 quarters.
Through their contributions, Tools 2 SUCCEED is helping to distribute the SUCCESS for Teens program to youth organizations and schools in communities across the U.S. Sheryl Tuchman, Founder and CEO of Tools 2 Succeed, Inc., said, "The missions of each of our organizations are very similar. We train adults to develop personal and leadership skills, and The SUCCESS Foundation helps teens to learn similar skills. We are proud to be able to help such a worthwhile cause."
About Tools 2 SUCCEED, Inc.
Tools 2 Succeed focuses on creating high-performance organizations in which every employee feels and acts like a partner in the business and is excited to contribute to its success. Services include onsite employee development training, leadership workshops, sexual harassment prevention training, outplacement services, behavioral assessments, and an extensive offering of more than 2000 e-learning courses. The company is based in Southern California and has a worldwide team of facilitators who can provide onsite training and consulting onsite or in public venues.
Tools 2 Succeed is an Approved Provider of the Human Resources Certification Institute (HRCI), offering fun and interactive public workshops, webinars, and online e-Learning courses for HRCI recertification credit.
The Tools 2 Succeed Vision Statement is: "At Tools 2 Succeed, our vision is to build brand awareness and be sought after for creating high-performance work environments in which all employees feel and act like partners in the business. We will build value by delivering innovative and enjoyable employee development training, management consulting, and coaching services. We strive to be a forward-looking company, always anticipating our clients future needs. Our vision is supported by our core values of honesty, integrity, respect, compassion and exceptional service."
For more information about Tools 2 SUCCEED, please visit http://tools2succeed.com.
About The SUCCESS Foundation
Today's teens face innumerable challenges. The SUCCESS Foundation believes our youth can better meet those challenges by using the principles of personal-development-enhancing skills like goal-setting, dream-building, self-motivation, time management, and creating high self-esteem and a sense of purpose. The SUCCESS Foundation's mission is to help teens develop these skills so they can reach their full potential.
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Tools 2 SUCCEED, Inc., a Training and Development Company, Donates $2230 to The SUCCESS Foundation®
Extra: New dashboard technology improves online education, says Khan Academy founder – Video
Posted: at 10:12 pm
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Extra: New dashboard technology improves online education, says Khan Academy founder - Video
Bisk Education Proudly Recognizes Top-Ranked University Partners
Posted: at 10:12 pm
TAMPA, Fla., Sept. 13, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Bisk Education, the leader in online education, proudly acknowledged today those university partners that received Best College 2013 honors from U.S. News & World Report. Several of the universities, which offer degree and certificate programs 100% online via Bisk's state-of-the-art technology, maintained top rankings for 2013, while others increased their positions over last year's survey results. The rankings include:
Villanova University Ranked #1 Best Regional University in the North for the 20th consecutive year.
Michigan State University Ranked #1 for Best Undergraduate Business Program for Supply Chain Management for the second year in a row.
University of Notre Dame, Florida Institute of Technology (Florida Tech), University of Florida, University of South Florida, University of San Francisco and University of St. Thomas Minnesota All improved rankings over last year in the Best National Universities category.
Dominican University Improved its ranking over last year in the Best Regional Universities in the Midwest.
Widely recognized as the most trusted source for college and university rankings, U.S. News uses survey data and trends in higher education to ensure that the rankings offer prospective students the best analysis available when choosing a university.
"Bisk Education commends our university partners for continually achieving such high marks from U.S. News & World Report. We are proud that these universities have selected Bisk to deliver online learning services," said Nathan Bisk, Chairman and CEO of Bisk Education. "We remain committed to upholding the highest academic standards of our university partners and transforming the lives of their students."
Bisk creates highly scalable online learning solutions for universities that seek to advance their academic mission by offering programs to students around the world, 24/7. All Bisk partners are traditional, regionally accredited universities. Its University Alliance division facilitates the promotion and online delivery of degree and certificate programs from these universities, providing a high-quality education to adult students who wish to advance their knowledge and careers. Bisk's technology, which includes a proprietary Learning Management System with instructor-led video lectures and interactive classroom activities, ensures that every student receives a unique learning experience.
To learn about the Best Colleges 2013 rankings from U.S. News & World Report, visit http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges.
To learn more about Bisk Education, its strategic partnerships with top-ranked universities, and Bisk's approach to scalable online learning, visit http://www.Bisk.com.
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Bisk Education Proudly Recognizes Top-Ranked University Partners
China eases pressure on its future sports stars
Posted: at 8:21 am
China's status as a sporting superpower was achieved on the back of punishing state-led training in schools, but a softer approach has enabled today's students to seek a life beyond the gym, they say.
China's Soviet-style sports system has been criticised in the past for its methods in grooming children for sporting success from an early age at the expense of basic education and the conventional comforts of childhood -- simply because they have been identified as having future potential.
But sporting authorities in China have embarked on a period of soul-searching in recent years, which has led to a more relaxed training environment for the country's next generation of sports stars.
Eight-year-old Yu Zhengyang is one of thousands of youngsters in China who is motivated by his own sporting dreams rather than the demands of the state.
He said the decision to leave his family home in northern China to devote five hours a day to table tennis training at a school hundreds of miles away was an easy one.
"I want to go to the Olympics. I can play table tennis well so this is my dream. I can win the gold medal," Yu, now ten years old and two years into his training at Shichahai Sports School in Beijing, told AFP.
"I believe in myself that I can play well. I came here to practise more," adds the recently crowned champion of a major under-12s tournament in China, with one eye on the 2020 Olympics.
Yu's first year at Shichahai was spent in a school dormitory. But he left the school grounds when his mother and father arrived in Beijing from Shaanxi last year.
"I like it more now, living with my parents," he said.
"And at the weekends when I have finished my homework, I have time to relax and watch television."
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China eases pressure on its future sports stars
Source: UConn coach retiring
Posted: at 8:21 am
Jim Calhoun has spent more than half his life as a head basketball coach, never venturing far from the New England area where he was born.
Between coaching stints at Northeastern and Connecticut, he racked up 873 wins 625 of them coming at his beloved UConn, where he ran the mens program for 26 years and won three national titles.
Recently, though, the 70-year-old Hall of Famer has struggled with health problems, including a fractured hip last month that put him on crutches. On Thursday, he planned to announce his retirement, a person familiar with the decision told The Associated Press.
The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because Calhouns move had not yet been made public. WVIT-TV in Hartford first reported the expected announcement.
Assistant coach Kevin Ollie was expected to replace Calhoun, the person who spoke to the AP said. The school scheduled a 2 p.m. news conference to address the future of the mens basketball program.
Ollie will take over a Huskies team that is ineligible for the 2013 NCAA tournament because of its failure to meet national academic standards, one of several off-court problems that hit UConn late in Calhouns tenure.
The Huskies will open this year with just five players who saw significant playing time last season.
Before fracturing his hip, Calhoun fought off cancer three times and missed eight games last season while suffering from a painful spinal condition. He returned just four days after having back surgery to coach the Huskies in their regular-season finale and the postseason.
UConn finished the year 20-14, losing to Iowa State in the first-round of the NCAA tournament.
In addition to his medical leave, Calhoun served a three-game suspension at the start of the Big East season last winter for failing to maintain an atmosphere of compliance in his program with NCAA rules, an issue that dated back to recruiting violations in 2008.
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Source: UConn coach retiring
Wexford University Accepts Transfer Credits from NESTA and Spencer Institute for Associate’s Degree in Fitness …
Posted: at 8:20 am
Wexford University Accepts Transfer Credits from NESTA and Spencer Institute for Associates Degree in Fitness Training Online Program
Wexford University now accepts transfer credits from both NESTA and the Spencer Institute for its associates degree in Fitness Training. The online university offers health, exercise, sports and fitness degree programs of all levels to both U.S. and international students.
Specific transfer credits will be determined by the Wexford University admissions office. In addition, Wexford also accepts transfer credits from both U.S. and international schools for students interested in pursuing an online education in fitness, wellness or nutrition. Winter classes begin January 2013 at http://wexford.edu/.
Wexford is all about world-class education in the latest health and fitness topics, making it a perfect complement to a variety of NESTA and Spencer Institute certifications, said Jack Bauerle, Chancellor of Wexford University. These transfer credits will make it easier for students interested in pursuing a fitness degree to combine their current passion and lifestyle with a diploma that they can use for a lifetime.
In addition to the associates degree in Fitness Training, Wexford University also offers the following degree programs: a bachelor of science degree in Health and Fitness, a master of science degree in Nutrition and Exercise, a master of arts in Applied Sports Psychology and a doctorate degree in Applied Sports Psychology.
To earn admission to Wexford University, students must be 18 years of age or older, complete an online admissions form and send official transcripts from previous educational institutions, if applicable. A 10 percent discount is available when tuition is paid in full upfront, and military personnel can also receive an additional 15 percent discount on tuition.
About Wexford University Wexford University is dedicated to providing world-class education through cutting-edge technology, offering direct application degree programs in an accelerated format with 100 percent online learning to save time and money. Programs include an associate of arts degree in Fitness Training, bachelors degree in Health and Fitness, masters degree in Nutrition and Exercise as well as masters degree and doctorate degree in Applied Sport Psychology. Wexford University is the higher education division of NESTA (National Exercise & Sports Trainers Association). For more information, please visit http://wexford.edu/.
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Wexford University Accepts Transfer Credits from NESTA and Spencer Institute for Associate’s Degree in Fitness ...
Brad Jurica Named Department Chair for Graduate Programs in Applied Sport Psychology and Professor for Wexford …
Posted: at 8:20 am
Rancho Santa Margarita, CA (PRWEB) September 13, 2012
Former Division 1 college athlete, international presenter, author and consultant for elite and professional athletes around the world, Brad Jurica was recently selected as department chair for graduate programs in Applied Sport Psychology as well as professor for Wexford University. Wexford, a 100 percent online university, offers a variety of degrees in health, fitness, exercise, sports and nutrition.
In addition, Jurica is co-owner of Mental Training, Inc., a performance enhancement-based consulting firm that helps athletes, executives and performers strengthen their mental skills and access their performance zone.
Brads extensive teaching experience in psychology and sport psychology and his dedication to his students are second to none, said John Spencer Ellis, founder of the National Exercise & Sports Trainers Association (NESTA), which includes Wexford University as its higher education division. And as a longtime member of the Surfrider Foundation and passionate surfer, Brad really knows how to calmly ride the waves with discipline and poise, making him the perfect person to work with both faculty and students at Wexford.
Jurica has a masters degree in Psychology from San Diego State University and has worked with a variety of Olympic, professional and elite athletes training in Southern California. He is one of the leading sport psychology consultants in the country and his mission is to educate students on the power of the mind by increasing self-awareness, facilitating cognitive and emotional growth, and being a positive agent for change as he helps each student achieve his/her personal and professional goals.
Further, Jurica is a published author in a variety of peer-reviewed journals throughout the country as well as a member of Division 47 (Sport and Exercise Psychology) of the American Psychological Association and has served in various leadership positions within the Association of Applied Sport Psychology since 2002.
Wexford University offers degree programs including an associate of arts degree in Fitness Training, a bachelor of science degree in Health and Fitness, a master of science degree in Nutrition and Exercise, a master of arts in Applied Sports Psychology and a doctorate degree in Applied Sports Psychology.
Wexford University is dedicated to providing world-class education through cutting-edge technology, offering direct application degree programs in an accelerated format with 100 percent online learning to save time and money. Programs include an associate of arts degree in Fitness Training, bachelors degree in Health and Fitness, masters degree in Nutrition and Exercise as well as masters degree and doctorate degree in Applied Sport Psychology. Wexford University is the higher education division of NESTA (National Exercise & Sports Trainers Association). For more information, please visit http://wexford.edu/.