Malaysian smartphone penetration increases 300% in last 2 years

More than 1 out of 3 Malaysians now own a smartphone compared to just 1 in 10 two years ago, says Google's Sajith Sivanandan, citing new study by Ipsos MediaCT.



Photo - Sajith Sivanandan, Country Manager, Google Malaysia.


According to new research announced by Google, Malaysia's smartphone penetration has increased 300 percent since 2011 - when just one in 10 Malaysians owned a smartphone - as more than one out of three now own a smartphone.

The study, conducted by Ipsos MediaCT, also shows an increased engagement with mobility with 57 percent using their smartphones on a daily basis, which is higher than both the US and the UK, while three in five Malaysians will not leave home without their phone every day.

Google Malaysia country manager Sajith Sivanandan said the increase in mobile penetration pointed out opportunities for businesses. "Malaysian consumers have embraced smartphones, but Malaysian businesses have yet to follow." "It all comes down to basics: know your customer.

The opportunity is significant, but if you can't be found on mobile, you are sending business to your competitors," said Sivanandan, adding that the majority of large advertisers in Malaysia don't yet have a mobile website.The study confirmed that business in Malaysia was being transformed by smartphones.

Nine out of 10 Malaysian smartphone owners have researched a product or service from their device while three in five who start research on smartphones go on to complete purchases on a desktop; one in two complete their purchase offline.

Products (69 percent) aren't the only thing mobile-savvy Malaysians are searching for. Other hot searches include travel (57 percent), restaurants and bars (53 percent) and even job offers (49 percent).

- See more at: http://www.computerworld.com.my/tech/mobile-and-wireless/malaysian-smartphone-penetration-increases-300-in-last-2-years-says-google/#sthash.m5e1s2qA.dpuf

Pemanduan lancar Street View Malaysia menerusi Google

Google membawa Street View ke sekitar Malaysia dan menerbitkan imej Street View istimewa beberapa kawasan untuk mewujudkan cara baru untuk mengenali Malaysia.

Hasil sokongan daripada Tourism Malaysia, Street View adalah satu ciri popular Google Maps, membolehkan orang ramai meneroka dan menyusuri hak kejiranan secara maya pada peta melalui imej panorama 360 darjah.

Bermula di Kuala Lumpur, Google kini akan memandu kereta yang dilengkapi kamera khas untuk mengumpul imej untuk Google Maps dengan Street View.

Google turut mengeluarkan imej Street View baru 18 kawasan di seluruh Malaysia, termasuk Taman Tasik Titiwangsa, Kuil Sri Subramaniam Batu Caves dan Masjid Sultan Sallahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah.

Imej telah dikumpul menggunakan Street View Trike, sebuah sistem kamera berasaskan basikal beroda tiga, yang akan membolehkan rakyat Malaysia dan penduduk dunia meneroka secara maya destinasi-destinasi indah di Malaysia melalui Google Maps.

Google juga memperkenalkan Street View Trekker, sistem kamera terbaru dalam barisan Street View, dan Street View Trolley, sistem kamera kereta sorong, ke Malaysia.

Dengan Trekker dan Trolley, Google mensasarkan untuk merakam lebih banyak kawasan di luar jalan raya di Malaysia dan menjadikannya lebih mudah dicapai untuk dinikmati orang ramai.

"Kami sentiasa menerima baik teknologi dan melalui kerjasama dengan Google ini kami berharap untuk melibatkan lebih ramai orang, sama ada di seluruh dunia dan di Malaysia, dalam menerokai dan meneroka semula warisan unik negara kita," kata Dato' Mirza Mohammad Taiyab, Ketua Pengarah Pelancongan Malaysia.

Google berusaha sedaya upaya untuk melindungi privasi dalam Google Maps dengan Street View di samping membolehkan pengguna menikmati manfaat daripada ciri ini.

Google juga telah membangunkan teknologi canggih yang dapat mengaburkan wajah manusia dan plat lesen kenderaan secara berkesan agar ia tidak dapat dikenal pasti.

"Kami amat berbesar hati untuk bekerjasama dengan Tourism Malaysia untuk memulakan pemanduan dan merakam imej Malaysia melalui Google Maps dengan Street View. Malaysia adalah sebuah negara majmuk dan sentiasa berkembang, dan dengan menyediakan maklumat peta yang lebih berguna kepada pengguna dan perniagaan, Street View juga boleh membantu mewujudkan kesan ekonomi yang berpanjangan. Kami teruja untuk berkongsi imej panorama 360 darjah jalan-jalan di Malaysia pada Google Maps apabila ia dilancarkan tidak lama lagi, "kata Sajith Sivanandan, Pengurus Negara, Google Malaysia.

Google tidak sabar untuk mengumumkan bila imej-imej yang terkumpul bagi Malaysia sedia untuk dikongsi, dan ia akan boleh didapati dimaps.google.com.my.

Sumber: Astro Awani 

Waze traffic app integrated in Google Maps

SAN FRANCISCO:  Google said Tuesday it began integrating into its online maps features from the Waze traffic app it acquired earlier this year in a deal said to be worth some $1 billion.

"No one likes getting stuck in traffic. That's why the Waze and Google Maps teams are working together to harness the power of Google technology and the passion of the Waze community to make it easier to navigate your daily life," said the tech giant's Brian McClendon in a blog post.

"Users of Google Maps for Mobile will now benefit from real time incident reports from Waze users," he added.

McClendon said "Wazers" reports on accidents, construction, road closures and other issues will appear on the Google Maps app for Android and iOS in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, France, Germany, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Switzerland, Britain and the US.

In June, Google announced plans to buy the crowd-sourced map app Waze, which was launched in Israel to help users of Apple and Android smartphones.

In addition, the Waze Map Editor now includes Google Street View and satellite imagery to make it easier to correct map errors reported.

"We've incorporated the power of Google Search to the mix," a Waze blog post said.

"Google Search joins a host of other search providers featured on Waze, from Foursquare to Yelp, making it easy to find favorite businesses, home addresses and more."

Google's upgrade of its maps comes as it ramps up efforts against Apple and other rivals to be at the heart of mobile Internet lifestyles, particularly when it comes to providing advertising or services relevant to where people are at any moment.

Satellite tracking technology commonly built into smart phones lets Waze automatically measure traffic flow while simultaneously verifying or modifying public street information in its database.

Drivers can upload comments, along with pictures, from along their routes to alert fellow "Wazers" to anything from accidents or detours, to a favorite place to grab a cup of coffee. Waze also provides users with turn-by-turn directions.

- AFP

Google programmers earn $128,336 averagely in 2012

Google doesn't seem to be a bad place to work. So, if you are programmer, you are one of the lucky ones.

Mashable wrote that Google had the highest average base salary for software engineers at $128,336. Facebook came in second with a base salary of $123,626.

According to Glassdoor, a career website, Google's base salary jumped $13,740 over 2011, while Facebook's rose $15,882, showing Facebook is eager to close the gap with Google.

By comparison, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics lists the average salary for software developers at $90,530. Glassdoor's own figure is a comparable $92,648. The followings is the list of salaries at 15 hot firms, in alphabetical order:

In addition to salary, Google offers the following financial benefits to its employees:

• Google pays $8,000 per year to any employee who will continue their education. The only condition: they must get at least a B Grade in their classes.
• If you refer another employee to Google and they stay for more than 60 days, Google pays you $2,000 as bonus.
• If you adopt a kid while working in Google, they pay you $5,000 toward legal and adoption fees.
• Based on your work experience, Google will offer you up to 25 days paid vacation a year.

Wow!!

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