Go figure, right? You get a relatively hot phone out onto more carriers, and just like that, sales increase. It ain’t rocket science, buster. As AT&T grins happily while enjoying a death grip on Apple’s cash cow here in the States, things are a lot more wide open for consumers across the pond. In both France and the UK , the iPhone has been given the all-clear to be sold on multiple carriers, and according to research from Bernstein, the “widening of the distribution has boosted Apple’s value market share to 32 percent in the latest quarter from 21 percent just three months earlier.” The notes also mention that Apple’s increase is coming at the expense of RIM, with over 600,000 iPhone handsets being sold during Q3 2009 in France alone. The point to all this madness? Oh, not much — just to tell Sir Jobs that he can count on quite a bit more dough should he decide to sell this elusive “iPhone” device on Verizon in the US of A. The end of exclusivity leading to big iPhone sales in Europe originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink ? Electronista ?|? MarketWatch ?|? Email this ?|? Comments

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The end of exclusivity leading to big iPhone sales in Europe

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Cool, arent they?

o what about Buffett the person? What’s his biggest weakness? Does anyone in his circle openly disagree with him? How does he measure his success? In part two of our three-part series, my colleague Chris Hill talks about Warren’s world with Buffett biographer Alice Schroeder, author of The Snowball: Warren Buffett and the Business of Life. More on Warren Buffett

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Warren Buffett’s Biggest Weakness: Interview With Alice Schroeder, Buffett Biographer

OCEANSIDE, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– International Stem Cell Corporation (OTCBB:ISCO), www.internationalstemcell.com announced today that it had made important strategic changes in.

Excerpt from:
International Stem Cell Corporation Announces Strategic …

It wasn’t until Benjamin Genocchio’s review of the Norman Rockwell showing at the Nassau County Museum of Art that I began to see the artist in a different, perhaps more disturbing, light. What a disappointment, since I usually find something charming in Rockwell’s work. I own a print of his Girl at the Mirror , and cannot look at it without smiling, since something about the piece touches my core. Long ago, I had the print framed, even though the reproduction has no value in the art world–a world that is foreign to me. With that in mind, I admit that I am not the best person to write about the subject and that is all the more apparent to me after having read Richard Polsky’s, i sold Andy Warhol. (too soon) –( Other Press). Besides being an entertaining writer, Polsky cofounded Acme Art and is a private dealer who refers to paintings as “real estate.” His memoir takes the reader on a wild ride about the business of buying and selling this real estate, where one must learn how to play it cool, even when millions of dollars are at stake. Early on, Polsky writes, It used to be all about the art world: visiting artists in their studios, socializing with collectors, and hanging out at art fairs with your fellow dealers. Now, it was all about the art market. Anyone who is familiar with Polsky’s story may have read his 2003 memoir, I Bought Andy Warhol , which is about his twelve-year search to buy Warhol’s Fright Wig . Twelve years is a long time and it is stunning to discover that after succeeding in his endeavor, two years later Polsky went on to sell the Warhol. For what it’s worth, while reading Polsky’s memoir, I began to pay closer attention to news stories that dealt with a world in which I have little understanding. There was a snippet in a recent New York Times about Sotheby’s not wanting to tell government regulators about the executives’ bonuses because Christie’s would then take the information to entice the executives to their auction house. And then there was the article that received attention about how Tate Modern would have to destroy about 12,000 catalogs for its exhibition because the nude photo of a young Brooke Shields was pulled from the show. I’m not sure if this would have made the papers had it not been about Brooke Shields, but it certainly created issues for the Tate. As for the Genocchio review, I couldn’t help but consider what he said about Rockwell: The artist always seems to be selling something, be it optimism during a time of hardship, patriotism in wartime, or any number of products for which he created seductive illustrations for magazine advertisements. He has a point and I wonder if Rockwell’s works were objects from an artist who sold out or was he really inspired by the times? Maybe both. The only piece of art I own that is worth anything, monetarily speaking, is a drawing that Peter Max did for me on a cloth napkin while we were having dinner together a few years ago. He also gave me a personalized, signed poster. He usually personalizes all his books and posters, refusing to give just a signature. The reason being, he sees how much they go for on eBay and figures he should be the one making the profit off his signature instead of autograph hounds. Either way, I have no intention of selling his gifts to me. As for Rockwell’s Girl at the Mirror , that too will always have special meaning, even if the artist was selling something other than inspiration. As a novice who will quite likely never raise a paddle at an auction, art is a matter of what moves me, and if I spent twelve years trying to get my hands on a work, I doubt I would let it go anytime soon, which makes Polsky’s story all that more intriguing. I suppose, though, whether it is the artist, the work, or a dealer, someone always seems to be selling or buying and, dare I say, diminishing how a piece can touch one’s very soul.

See original here:
Carol Hoenig: The Buying and Selling of Andy Warhol

I’m speaking at the Maria Shriver Women’s Conference in LA this week. Very exciting. I am honored to have been invited again. For those who won’t be attending, I wanted to share what I am going to be speaking about. Here are top tips on how to start a business and create change. 1) You must do something you love. It must be your passion, what you most want to do, the thing that tugs at your heart, no matter what. This is the only necessity, your reason why you want to start a business. Your intention is what will guide your business. It cannot be about ego, significance, money or something else. It must originate in your heart, in the part of you that knows this is what you must do. Starting a business will reveal so much to you about yourself, life, other people and give you good days and really tough days. And yet the most important factor that will guide you, get you off the couch, put you back on the path is the underlying reason why you wanted to start this business. 2) Find a way to serve, contribute, help other people. Nowadays, businesses that are sincerely helping others, that have that as one of their core reasons for being, are thriving. Find a way to take away some type of pain from people’s lives. You can do that with any type of business. If you are starting a business to make money, to be a success, to get freedom, know that the bigger driver not only of success but also fulfillment is always including others in your journey. Power moves through those who serve. You will never feel weak or overwhelmed or a failure if you know without a doubt, that you are making a difference with what you do and who you are. 3) Know how your business makes money. We need to be clear on what the path is to revenue. It doesn’t mean the business is going to make money on Day One. But you do need to know who your customers are, how you are going to rise above the noise and how people will know you exist. If you need to distribute something, know who is the best at doing that, and so on. Also, allow yourself to be flexible. Your business can’t just rely on one source of money, or one big customer or one success factor. Many small businesses find other ways to make money as they get going. Yours can, too. 4) Negotiate everything. We live in a time where everything is up for discussion. Barter, trade, exchange services, ask for discounts, do whatever it takes to get started or tow maintain. It’s cheaper to start a business now than ever before. Everyone needs some business, so whether it’s a logo, legal advice, PR, web design, go with 50% of the quotes people are offering you. Do not fall into the trap of thinking it costs money to get going. Everything is going for cheap now. Make the most of it. And if you don’t have money, look at what you do have and what you can trade. For instance, if you need a web site done, perhaps you can offer for trade editorial or copy help if that’s your skill. 5) Know what to expect. a) Time. Plan for your business adventure to take at least twice as long as you’d thought. Yes, we all think it’s going to be an easy ride. But it really will take longer than you planned b) Teamwork. You really are not supposed to know most things. It’s OK and necessary to ask for help and to do so early on. Don;t try to go it alone. There’s no shame in asking any and every question along the way. c) Mistakes. You are going to make them, tons of them. It’s part of your journey. Fellow entrepreneurs can tell you things, but starting a business is purely experience. You get your own ticket to the party and learn along the way what you need. d) Friends/Family. Do not ask their permission and do not expect their approval. Very often, pursuing this kind of a change is disruptive for the people around you. They worry. They face their own fears. They don’t relate to you, your choices or your days anymore. Just know this upfront. Continue to love them, of course. Brand new people are coming into your life who are fellow business leaders, dreamers and agents of change. e) Be a woodpecker. Pick your tree–your idea–and just get up everyday and peck away. Other people may laugh or disapprove. Your beak will hurt at the end of the day and you will never know when your tree will fall. But it does and it will. Stay clear and committed to that tree. It’s each little action, each little chip that makes your business grow. And I can tell you, the days when a tree falls are great days. And they will surprise you. Many times they happen when you want to give up, you’re tired, other people are telling you you’re crazy. And when one tree falls, pick the next one to focus on. Yes, one little bird can make a giant tree fall. One brave woman–and of course man–can change anything in the world. Anything!!

Originally posted here:
Ariane de Bonvoisin: So You Want to Start a Business? Here’s How

George Soros is going to put a billion dollars of his business fortune into clean energy. But will the cash go to change the political attitude toward global warming or is it offset by recent figures that seem to suggest evidence of Global Cooling? Speaking at a recent meeting on climate issues, Soros suggested the reasons for his cash infusion were twofold: His investments in clean tech firms …

Read more:
Soros Invests $1 Billion in Clean Energy as New Study Fuels Global Warming Skepticism (Fast Company Magazine)

The launch of a new book signals the culmination of an intense period of work–one punctuated by the deadlines, disappointments, delays, and other landmines that are all too common along the road to publication. For an author, a book’s publication also marks the end of the long period of solitude during which time an author has been thinking, writing, mulling, editing, and revising–over and over and over again. Writing a book is tedious and lonely, especially if (like most writers) you’re obsessive. Thus, the book launch offers an excellent excuse to pause, breathe a sigh of relief, and throw a party, almost like the christening of a new ship before its maiden voyage. So when Overlook Press released my book Best Friends Forever: Surviving a Breakup with Your Best Friend last month, I was ecstatic to tack in another direction. My immediate breakout plan was twofold: to get the word out about the book and to resurrect old friendships that had admittedly become somewhat frayed by neglect. My book extols the benefits of face-to-face friendships, but it was no secret to everyone who knew me that I had been glued to my laptop for what seemed like forever. I know I’m not the only author who feels a little desperate at the end to show her family and friends how much their patience and support has meant along the way. Launch parties aren’t only for authors! Although many people were surprised before I explained why, deciding to have my launch party at Donna Hair Design in Chappaqua was a no-brainer (and let’s face it, I was fairly brain dead at that point). For one thing, the salon is right next door to the vacant storefront that once housed Second Story Books, the indie bookstore my town lost last spring. That was the place where Bill and Hillary had their book-signings and where I might have had the party. But independent bookstores are dwindling in number. According to the American Booksellers Association , as of April 2009, there were only 1401 indies nationwide, compared to 1524 the year before, and Second Story Books was, unfortunately, one of those casualties. Aside from my lost bookstore nostalgia, though, there were other reasons Donna Hair Design was the perfect place for my book launch. Hair salons are some of the last bastions where women can literally let their hair down to “tend and befriend” in a unisex environment. Donna’s is a grand salon in the broader sense of the word, an inviting living room where women gather to support one another. While, ostensibly, its raison d’tre is focused on appearances, it provides busy multi-tasking women with a much-needed respite from responsibility: a place where women come to be pampered and nurtured, and reciprocate in kind. Women go for “cut and color” as they celebrate the passages in their lives and milestones for their loved ones–sweet sixteens, graduations, weddings, bar mitzvahs, and other special occasions. Salons also offer women unfettered time to talk about politics, books, movies, health and relationships as they wait their turns or for their hair dye to take root. If you’re fortunate enough (as I am), the stylist herself is part of the draw. A special bond develops between her and the client in her chair. It’s intimate, trusting, and involves the laying on of hands, almost like a relationship with a family doctor. A good hairdresser is a good listener; she comes to know our innermost thoughts and secrets and instinctively knows how to make us feel better about ourselves. For Donna and me, the boundaries between a professional relationship and a friendship have long since blurred. She’s one of my BFFs and the salon staff have become like an extended family. For the launch, the entire team was mobilized and emerged as highly talented, motivated, and creative event planners, taking on responsibility for the invitations, menu, wine, flowers, Tiffany-blue color theme (to match my book cover), music, photography, and coordination of book sales with the staff of Borders in Mount Kisco. The pice de rsistance: Donna’s sister, Mary, baked heart-shaped cookies iced in blue with a yellow crack down the center, depicting fractured friendships. What a wonderful day it was! The date of the book launch coincided with National Women’s Friendship Day and the weather was glorious–perhaps the most beautiful day of the year. I was overwhelmed when more than 150 celebrants (including my editor and agent) began piling in the door. The room was filled with well-wishers from every slice of my life: college friends, neighbors, relatives, colleagues who had morphed into real friends, my son’s first babysitter, the realtor who sold us our house–well, you get the drift. It was awesome to be together with them all in one place that celebrates women’s friendships every day–the perfect setting for a book launch. Every author deserves a launch party that feels as perfect to him or her as mine felt to me. Here are a few tips to help authors achieve that goal: Keep it local – Plan your gala in your own neighborhood. That’s where you’ll find your strongest cheerleaders and best be able to tap local resources including the media. Find a theme – Whether it is the topic of your book or the color of its cover, carry through with invitations, decorations, and refreshments that complement the theme. It will become your brand that people will remember. Partner creatively – Find ways to help someone else promote their business as they promote your book. At my party, the salon opened on a Sunday afternoon and all the salon’s clients were invited to drop in. Everyone loved the swag bags with donated hair products. Make it fun – Don’t forget it’s a party, not a signing. It’s your time to celebrate with everyone who helped bring you to this day. Immediate book sales are secondary to building friendships and long-term word-of-mouth interest in your book. Irene S. Levine, PhD is a freelance journalist and author. She holds an appointment as a professor of psychiatry at the New York University School of Medicine. Her new book about female friendships, Best Friends Forever: Surviving a Breakup with Your Best Friend was recently published by Overlook Press . She also blogs about female friendships at The Friendship Blog and at PsychologyToday.com .

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Dr. Irene S. Levine: Why I held my book launch party in a hair salon

“The future of news.” Such an incredibly loaded phrase, soaked with history, imprisoned by its own myths and misconceptions, usually the subject of much doom-saying, finger-wagging, ” look-at-what-the-Internet-and-technology-has-done! ” tone.

Excerpt from:
Jose Antonio Vargas: The Future of News — Connection, Conversation, Community