Hypothesis Identification Article Analysis - Essay Example t nearly nine in 10 respondents are in debt, with car payments, credit card balances, home equity loans, lines of credit and student loans as the most common debt types. Greenwald’s research was also used to emphasize that Americans are in “debt denial†wherein certain sectors would not consider home equity lines of credit, borrowing money from a family member, late bills and credit card balances as debts. In light of these, the article highlighted the American reliance in debt. McGuire, then went on citing Kerry Geurkink’s statement that stressed the failed efforts at educating Americans on properly handling their finances. The point made was that, Americans are entangled in debt because most think that it is within their control while a growing number acknowledged “irresponsibility†as a factor. This argument further explored how Americans confuse, consciously and subconsciously, “wants†from “needs.†This, for McGuire, touched base with the attitudes of entitlements that force people to consider things such as the internet and cable TV as necessities. There is a stinging criticism in the final words of the article that said: “People seem to be unsatisfied… although people have more.†In line with the acceptance of the hypothesis that was previously put forward, McGuire admonished her readers that people should stop thinking in monthly payments and that they should make intelligent decisions with their purchases, expenditures and debt acquisition. She also agreed with Geurkink that people should save and pay off debt at the same time as retirement now lasts for decades and that Americans are expected to foot more of the bill amid a rise in the “cost of higher education, medical care and, until recently, housing – far outpacing inflation. All in all, this article is a report more than a first-hand study. It perused other studies in order to present the points that the author wanted to convey. Nonetheless, there is the hypothesis
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Instance of Innovation Essay The throngs of Apple fans who crowded into the Moscone convention centre in San Francisco to hear Steve Jobs give his annual MacWorld keynote address went into the room with high expectations. Judging by their response their expectations were more than met. The unveiling of the iPhone, Apples long-awaited entry into the mobile handset market, was greeted by rapturous applause, gasps of disbelief, and occasional whoops of joy from the Apple faithful. Six years after Apple transformed the market for digital music players with the introduction of the iPod, the company had attempted a repeat performance in the market for mobile handsets with the iPhone a slim, sleek handset that relies on an innovative touch- screen interface. This thing is amazing, says Van Baker, an analyst at Gartner, who had a chance to try the iPhone himself during an analyst briefing by Apple. Its the biggest home run for them Ive seen yet. Apple is far from the first company to try to crack the so- called smartphone market. Microsoft, Apples arch-rival, has been talking about such devices for years, but its mobile windows effort has slumped in part because mobile carriers were wary of Microsoft and kept out. Just 6m smart phones were sold in the US last year, compared with more than 1bn mobile handsets sold worldwide. Two million of them operated on Windows software, with the rest of the market split between Research In Motion, makers of the Blackberry; Palm, maker of the Treo handset; and a handful of others. Shares of RIM fell 7. 9 per cent yesterday while Palm stock fell 5. 7 per cent. Charles Golvin, analyst at Forrester, cautions that, even with Apples impressive device, the market for phones that integrate voice calls, e-mail, web browsing and music will remain a small part of the overall handset market. Miro Kazakoff, senior associate at Compete, an industry analyst group, says his research shows that its unlikely that any phone, no matter how good, is going to get people to pay a high price and up to Dollars 200 in early termination fees on their current contract. Wireless shoppers are hooked on free phones as carriers have subsidized better and better devices over the years. Apple is betting that the iPhones unique user interface the result of years of research will reinvent the entire smartphone category, just as the Macintosh redefined computers and just as the iPod redefined what customers came to expect from their digital music players. Apple is going to reinvent the phone, was Mr Jobs bold pronouncement at MacWorld. The early signs are encouraging. Ralph Simon, MEF Americas Chairman Emeritus of the Mobile Entertainment Forum, says that the iPhone represents a quantum leap in innovation for the entertainment industry. You cant overlook the strides already made by competitors like Nokia and Motorola, but the seamless marriage of the iPods kudos to the mobile phone is a key step evolution of the mobile to becoming an all-round entertainment device, says Mr Simon. With the least expensive iPhone models priced at Dollars 499, price remains a concern. How many people will be out there willing to pay that kind of premium? Mr Golvin asks. However, he says there are some encouraging signs in Motorolas recent experience with the Razr, its ultra-thin premium mobile phone. The Razr is now several years old they were able to keep their premium prices for quite a while, Mr Golvin says. Mr Jobs was keen to signal Apples intention to become a leading player in consumer electronics yesterday. At the close of his MacWorld speech, he announced the company had decided to drop the word computer from its name now that its brand has spread well beyond the Macintosh to include other devices. Even the most jaded observers would be hard pressed to deny that, with the iPhone, the newly christened Apple is off to a great start.
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