Skype Me™!

or phone us:
+ 34 93 511 5181
UK: + 44 207 193 0829
US: + 1 213 784 1015






Privacy Policy
LinkedIn

Executive Accommodation & Services

     

Android and iOS dominate smartphone market

So it’s now official: the smartphone market is actually a duopoly dominated by both Android and iOS who accounted for 91.1 percent of fourth quarter sales in 2012.

According to International Data Corporation’s (IDC) latest figures the two platforms accounted for 87.6 percent of all sales in 2012. However the main chunk of the pie belongs to Android, which pulled in 69 percent of all smartphone sales globally, while Apple devices took 19 percent of the market share. Apple’s sales proved to be highest in Western markets mostly because of lower priced iPhone 4 and 4S resulting from the introduction of the iPhone 5.

IDC put Android’s market-beating growth down to the fact that 2012 saw an explosion of Android smartphones matching nearly “any budget, taste, size and price.”

In comparison, Blackberry mobile sales fell by more than 36 percent last year and it now only holds 3.2 percent of the market share. Microsoft on the other hand managed to increase its share from 1.5 percent in 2011 to 2.5 percent last year, however the firm is still at the bottom of the smartphone platform rung.

Programme manager for IDC’s Mobile Device Trackers, Ryan Reith claimed that despite the low figures it was not all doom and gloom for Blackberry and Microsoft. “There is no question the road ahead is uphill for both Microsoft and Blackberry, but history shows us consumers are open to change. Platform diversity is something not only the consumers have asked for, but also the operators,” he said.

IDC noted that Linux-based smartphones could be more of a factor in 2013 with the launch of devices from SailFish, Tizen and Ubuntu. However, the analyst firm warned that these platforms will need time and investment to gain momentum in the market.

For more information on smartphones and their various platforms head down to next week’s Mobile World Congress 2013 in Barcelona, February 25-28. If you’re after accommodation then look no further than EAS, your friendly local travel agents. We’ll find you the best hotels and rented apartments right in the heart of Barcelona, organise all your entertainment needs and arrange transportation. Just click on this link to fill in our request form.

February 19, 2013
0 Comments Permalink ∞

Investor confidence on rise in Europe

For the first time since 2010 investor confidence is on the rise in Europe’s three largest economies Germany, France and the UK and 2013 should see an increase in investment according to a survey by Union Investment.

The study, which involved a representative survey of 165 investment decision-makers in Germany, France and the UK, also anticipates that real estate markets in Turkey, Poland and Ireland will emerge stronger in 2013.

Investors still raised caution regarding shrinking credit markets with 70 percent expecting loan rates to rise, while others highlighted higher taxes in France as an added burden.

Some 85 percent of those surveyed said the euro crisis would lead to a stronger focus on core products, such as those with long leases, central locations and high-quality assets.

In addition only 30 percent of investors now expect a Europe-wide recession. This compares with 42 percent when the survey was last conducted. While a mere 3 percent still believe that there is real possibility of the euro-zone collapsing, compared with 12 percent previously.

The news comes on the back of positive results from Europe’s commercial real estate sector. Investment volumes in European commercial real estate hit nearly €44 billion in the fourth quarter of 2012, the highest quarterly level since 2007.

Cross border investment rose by a healthy 19 percent last year and according to property consultants Cushman and Wakefield, it could rise by 6 percent to €141 billion in 2013 despite the still-fragile economic recovery in Europe.

“Cross border investment was the biggest area of growth last year, it outpaced the domestic buyers,” explained David Hutchings, head of European research at Cushman & Wakefield. “In any country in the world you will find people shopping for property in Europe.”

Property investors are still focusing on the larger markets of France, the UK and Germany, which make up 61 percent of the market share. However, the Nordics have seen their slice of the pie increase from 15.3 percent in 2011 to 17.9 percent last year.

For more information on the health of Europe’s real estate market and construction and property news from around the world check out MIPIM 2013 held at the Palais des Festivals in Cannes, March 12-15. For all your accommodation, transportation and entertainment needs look no further than EAS, the local travel agents you can trust. Whether you’re after rooms in some of the most centrally located hotels, your own private apartment or villa, or are looking to charter a luxury yacht for upscale entertaining, we have the answers you are looking for. Click on this link to fill in our request form.

February 14, 2013
0 Comments Permalink ∞

Netflix to make acquisitions?

Netflix is looking to make acquisitions following its move to raise $400 million in new debt, the company said last week.

The online video service will use $225 million to refund $200 million of existing notes at lower interest rates. The rest will be used for corporate spending including capital expenditures, investments, working capital and potential acquisitions.

This money could also be used for more original programming if the company’s own political drama “House of Cards” proves to be successful. The series stars Kevin Spacey who plays a US Congressman bent on revenge after being passed over for the position of Secretary of State and cost a reported $100 million for two seasons. The Netflix difference, however, is that subscribers can watch all 13 episodes of the first series at once without having to suffer the usual week long suspense which comes with other network series.

In the fourth quarter of 2012, Netflix added 2.05 million streaming users in the US alone, meaning they now have 33 million streaming users worldwide. These strong results were mostly due to record numbers of consumers activating electronic devices such as tablets and smart TVs during the Christmas season.

This news led Netflix’s shares to surge to new heights two weeks ago as its stock climbed $43.60 to $146.86, the biggest single day gain since the firm went public more than a decade ago.  Despite this, Netflix’s video-licensing bills are piling up. By December 2012 the firm owed $5.6 billion during the next five years and many analysts are questioning whether such high share prices are justified.

For more information on Netflix and other leading companies in the world of entertainment content head down to MIPCOM 2013, Cannes, 7-10 October. If you’re looking for accommodation then book with EAS now. With our expert knowledge of Cannes we’ll find you the best hotels, rented apartments and even luxury yachts right in the heart of the city. We can also organise nightly entertainment, take care of your transportation needs and reserve you tables at the best restaurants. Click on this link to fill in our request form.

February 8, 2013
0 Comments Permalink ∞

Artificial island for Hong Kong?

In a further attempt to provide more housing and bring down the cost of homes, government officials in Hong Kong have revealed they are exploring the idea of building an artificial island outside Victoria Harbour.

The proposal is one of 10 new measures the government is hoping to implement as a way of increasing land supply in the crowded city by 18 percent over five years. At present the plan would reclaim six square kilometres of land outside the harbour. The government is looking at an area in the waters between Hong Kong and Lantau Islands to see if the idea is feasible.

Other measures hoping to be introduced by the government include plans to build a new satellite town in the New Territories North. In the short to medium-term 3 square kilometres of land will be made available for housing with enough space for 129,000 units. The government has also hinted at lifting building restrictions in the Pok Fu Lam district.

Hong Kong’s chief executive Chun-Ying Y Leung who is the brains behind the plans said: “To respond more flexibly to society’s needs for land the government is determined to develop new land extensively to build up an abundant land reserve that can more than meet the short-term demand. That way, the reserve can be used to meet future demand in a timely manner.”

However not everyone thinks the ambitious plans will be completed in the time frame needed. Property advisor Nicholas Brooke who regularly advises Leung sees a number of hurdles that will need to be overcome. He said: “If you look at the plan that he’s mapped out, with every site that he wants to address, it faces challenges either with infrastructure planning or modifications, so the potential for slippage is quite high. Supply could remain tight even longer than in the short or medium-term.”

House prices in Hong Kong are expected to rise by five percent this year and any correction in prices will not be seen until the supply of housing increases or interest rates go up in the US, as the Hong Kong dollar is pegged to the US dollar. That means that a correction won’t likely take place until 2015.

For more information on construction projects in Hong Kong head down to MIPIM 2013, March 12-15 at the Palais des Festivals, Cannes. Here at EAS we can promise you the best hotel rooms, the most sought-after rented apartments and even the odd luxury yacht or two. With our expert knowledge we’ll make sure your stay will be one you don’t forget. Click on this link to fill in our request form.

February 6, 2013
0 Comments Permalink ∞

Tablets and smartphones break Christmas record

Christmas Day 2012 was a bonanza day for the mobile industry as more smartphones, tablets and Kindle-type mobile devices were activated than on any other day in history.

A report from Flurry Analytics claims that activations on 25th December rose to more than 17.4 million, a 332 percent increase from the former December baseline of 4 million per day and 2.5 times greater than Christmas 2011 figures.

This was the first year in which tablet activations outstripped smartphones, at a rate of 51 percent to 49 percent.

“The big winners were Apple iPads, Apple iPad Minis and Amazon Kindle Fire HD 7-in tablets,” the Flurry report stated. “In particular, Amazon had a very strong performance in the tablet category, growing by several thousand percent over its baseline of tablet activations over the earlier part of December.”

The volume of devices activated on Christmas Day had an impact on app downloads also. In total 328 million apps were downloaded on the day with 1.76 billion apps bought from Google Play and Apple during the Christmas week. This was up 65 percent on the weekly average for December 2012.

According to Flurry’s vice president, Peter Farago, one billion app downloads a week will become the norm in 2013. He said: “Following a year where Google and Apple drove unprecedented adoption of mobile devices, Facebook declared itself a “mobile” company, and Amazon and Microsoft both made significant investments into mobile computing, we look forward to continued record-breaking adoption of smart devices and applications.”

For more information on the global mobile industry don’t miss out on your chance to attend the GSMA Mobile World Congress 2013, February 25-28 in Barcelona. For the best in accommodation, arranged transportation, restaurant recommendations, and anything else you can think of to make your stay in Barcelona one to remember, look no further than EAS, the travel agent you can trust. With our expert local knowledge we can source rooms in the best hotels, find you the most centrally located apartments, organise airport transfers and other transportation needs, and even arrange yacht and aircraft charters. Click on this link for more information.

February 5, 2013
0 Comments Permalink ∞

Huawei set for more releases at Mobile World Congress

Huawei will be attempting to outdo the competition at this year’s Mobile World Congress with the release of two new smartphones. The move follows on from the unveiling of three new smartphones from the company’s Ascend series at last week’s International CES in Las Vegas.

After wowing the public with the Ascend D2 and the Ascend Mate, the latter with its whopping 6.1-inch display, Richard Yu, head of the company’s consumer business group, said the Chinese firm was planning an even more inspired showing at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona next month.

“Huawei will be launching two new products at the Mobile World Congress that are more innovative than these two phones,” Yu explained, clearly underlining the fact that the company is saving the best for the Barcelona event.

One of the phones, according to Yu, will be the successor to the Ascend P1 S, the phone that once held the title of world’s thinnest. Alcatel’s One Touch Idol Ultra now holds that crown with measurements of 6.45 mm, but it looks likely that Huawei’s new phone will reclaim the top spot.

It’s still not clear what the second release will be, although Yu did say to expect the release of an eight-core processor sometime this year as well.

Whatever the releases its clear that Huawei is out to make an impact. To see for yourself the latest offerings from the Chinese firm head down to the Mobile World Congress 2013 in Barcelona, February 25-28. If you’re after accommodation then look no further than EAS, your friendly local travel agents. We’ll find you the best hotels and rented apartments right in the heart of Barcelona, organise all your entertainment needs and arrange transportation. Just click on this link to fill in our request form.

January 18, 2013
0 Comments Permalink ∞

US residential property market set for 2013 growth

Yet more good news for the US housing and construction industries as home building, prices and sales all trended upwards during 2012 according to a market report by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.

The institution has also predicted a rise of 5 percent in the value of homes in 2013 and believes that both new home and existing home sales will continue to trend upwards in 2013. Over the past year new home sales have risen 17 percent and home building is sitting at its highest level since the middle of 2008.

The report also highlights a 3 percent annual growth in home prices up to October 2012. This is significant as it is the first annual gain post recession. However, it is important to note that the recovery is highly fragmented with some cities seeing rising prices whilst others continue to see declines.

Phoenix, which was one of the cities hardest hit by the recession, has recorded 20 percent gains, while cities that saw less extreme price declines such as New York and Chicago are, as yet struggling to record any significant price growth.

“We are cautiously optimistic about the state of the housing market. Indeed, encouraging signs are emerging such as rising home values, construction activity and sales. Demand is being supported by sustained, albeit modest, job growth and record affordability, and reflects increasing consumer confidence and household spending,” the report says.

There are, however, still headwinds that the housing market in the US must overcome the report adds. Home values are still almost a third lower than their pre-recession peak. The number of households whose mortgage is greater in value than their home now stands at 10.8 million, while home sales, existing and new, remain 30 percent and 70 percent below their pre-recession peaks respectively.

Other downsides include weak credit growth and the fragile labour market, which are the largest obstacles to a sustainable recovery. “Although the housing market has ploughed along in spite of the weak macro environment, this can only be sustained for so long without support from stronger job growth and improved lending conditions,” the report adds.

To see the actual state of the US housing and construction markets as well as other global markets and the latest international construction projects head down to MIPIM 2013, Cannes, 12-15 March. For the city’s best hotels, rented apartments and villas look no further than EAS, the local travel agent you can rely on. We have rooms in the most centrally located hotels, beach apartments with sea views, penthouses and even luxury loft apartments. We also offer yacht charters for those after something a little bit different and can organise all your transportation, dining and entertainment needs. Click on this link to fill in our request form.

January 15, 2013
0 Comments Permalink ∞

Al Jazeera increases its presence in US

Qatar-based news network Al Jazeera, which has struggled to gain a foothold in the US cable market has bought Current TV, the left-leaning political channel owned by former US vice-president Al Gore.

Al Jazeera’s international English language channel can currently only be viewed in a few large US metropolitan areas such as New York and Washington DC, where 4.7 million homes have access to the network. The new move will give Al Jazeera greater reach boosting its penetration to around 40 million households, 40 percent of the total number with cable or satellite services.

Current TV will close to make way for a new network, Al Jazeera America, which will add five new US bureaus beyond the five it already has, as well as add a host of new journalists to its workforce. The new channel will provide national and international news for its US audience.

However, it won’t be all plane sailing for Al Jazeera, which has faced hurdles with US distributers and viewers in the past. Distributor Time Warner Cable, which would have accounted for 12 million homes, has already revealed that it will be terminating its carriage deal with Current following Al Jazeera’s purchase.

Back in 2010 the network’s managing director, Tony Burman, blamed overly aggressive hostility from the Bush administration for reluctance among cable and satellite companies to show the network.

Gore deflected criticism from many quarters about selling Current TV to an Arab buyer, saying: “Current Media was built based on a few key goals: To give voice to those who are not typically heard; to speak truth to power; to provide independent and diverse points of view; and to tell the stories that no one else is telling. Al Jazeera, like Current, believes that facts and truth lead to a better understanding of the world around us.”

Founded in 2005, Current TV is expected to post $114 million in revenue in 2013, according to research firm SNL Kagan.

For more information on large network purchases such as this don’t miss out on the chance to participate in next year’s MIPCOM, held at the Palais des Festivals, Cannes, October 7-10. If you’re looking for accommodation, then book through EAS now. With our expert knowledge of Cannes we’ll find you the best hotels, rented apartments and even luxury yachts right in the heart of the city. We can also organise nightly entertainment, take care of your transportation needs and reserve you tables at the best restaurants. Click on this link to fill in our request form.

January 8, 2013
0 Comments Permalink ∞

Hong Kong to build yet more properties

In a bid to curb record property price rises Hong Kong’s government has announced it will supply land for the construction of 3,000 new apartments in the coming quarter.

Asia’s financial powerhouse has seen house prices explode in 2012, with record rises of 20 percent over the last 12 months. Earlier this week the government revealed plans to tender six plots of residential land for the creation of 3,000 apartments.

Hong Kong has done much over the past couple of years to curb its red-hot property market, which has outpriced many local residents. Measures have included increasing stamp duty for short-term transactions, taxing international buyers and increasing land supply.

Paul Chan, Hong Kong’s secretary for development stressed the government’s desire to increase the supply of housing saying that it had already sold 18 sites for 5,100 apartments in the first three quarters of the current fiscal year.

The latest move by the Hong Kong government follows stern advice from the International Monetary Fund that Hong Kong could be in the midst of a property bubble and needs to do more to calm the situation. The fund noted that half of the outstanding loans in the city are currently from the property sector, but added that the probability of a price correction large enough to generate major macroeconomic and financial consequences is “fairly low” in the short term.

Two of the six plots, which are to be supplied in the final quarter, are to be reserved for the apartments of local residents. “Given that land resources is a scarce commodity in Hong Kong, the priority is to always give the top priority to Hong Kong citizens,” Chan said.

For more information on the world’s real estate markets make sure you don’t miss out on the chance to mix with the movers and shakers of the global property and construction industries at MIPIM 2013 in Cannes. If you’re after the best hotel rooms, rented apartments and even luxury, private yachts in the heart of the city, look to EAS for all your accommodation needs. We can also help you with restaurant bookings, nightly entertainment and will organise all your transportation requirements. Click on this link to fill in our request form.

January 2, 2013
0 Comments Permalink ∞

Brits are biggest users of mobile internet

The UK is now the world leader when it comes to mobile web use according to a new report by the country’s media regulator Ofcom. Brits now watch more television online, spend more on internet shopping and use tablets to access the web more than any other population.

The report, which compared data from 17 of the world’s leading economies, showed the UK leapfrogging Japan at the top of the list thanks to an obsession with Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and online music services. The amount of data Brits download per month on tablets and mobiles now stands at 424 megabytes, more than 60 percent up on a year ago. In total, 16 percent of all website traffic in the UK comes from mobile devices.

“Our research reveals that the UK leads the way in using the internet on the move. Increasingly, it’s mobile devices like smartphones and tablets that are driving this growing demand for data – and in the UK it seems to be social networking sites that are behind this in particular,” stated Ofcom’s director of research James Thickett.

British 18-24-year-olds are the world’s top mobile social networkers with 62 percent accessing their profiles from smartphones and tablets, a larger proportion than any other country surveyed.

Internet shopping in the UK also topped the charts with consumers now spending an average of ÂŁ1,083 online, almost ÂŁ250 more per person than second placed Australia. A total of 23 percent of Brits have visited a retail website on their mobile phones, the highest percentage in Europe.

According to Ofcom a cultural habit of catalogue shopping, high credit card take-up and the early arrival in the UK of internet giants such as Amazon and eBay are reasons behind the high level of internet shopping in the country.

The Ofcom report, known as the International Communications Market Report, is an annual survey, which compares data across 17 countries including the UK, France, Germany, Spain, USA, Italy, Australia, Japan, Brazil and China.

For more information on the use of mobile internet worldwide head down to the GSMA Mobile World Congress 2013, February 25-28 at the Fira Gran Via in Barcelona. For the best hotels, rented apartments and other accommodation choices contact EAS, your local travel agents. With our expert knowledge and experience we’ll make sure you have an unforgettable stay. And we’ll even organise your transportation and nightly entertainment too. Click on this link to fill in our request form.

December 18, 2012
0 Comments Permalink ∞
Previous Posts Next Posts

2013 Events

Cannes Film Festival
May 15-26, 2013

Cannes Lions
June 16-22, 2013

World Entertainment Content Market
October 7-10, 2013

TaxFree World Association
October 20-25, 2103

International Retail Property Market
November 13-15, 2013

2014 Events

World Music Market
January 25-28, 2014

Mobile World Congress
February 23-27, 2014

World Property Market
March 11-14, 2014

World TV Market and Creative Forum
April 7-10, 2014

RSS

Subscribe to our rss