Today’s electronics deals, courtesy of The Consumerist:
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Americans took on more credit card debt during the 2011 holiday season without going overboard, according to statistics from Experian and the Federal Reserve. Government officials announced figures from November that show a $20 billion spike in consumer spending, the biggest holiday rebound in over a decade.
Though auto sales played a major part in the holiday spending surge, researchers say a combination of favorable weather and deep discounts encouraged many Americans to float at least some of their purchases on credit cards. Retail credit cards and zero percent APR credit cards helped inspire a 4 percent boost in consumer goods sales.
The Federal Reserve’s announcement echoes results from a new consumer study commissioned by credit reporting bureau Equifax. Americans’ overall credit card balances still represent a sharp drop from their all-time highs in the fall of 2008, according to Equifax’s latest National Credit Trends Report.
Indian based companies Genpact and World Network Services are currently scoping back office roles at Suncorp/AAMI which includes claims, distribution, recoveries, settlements, administration and finance. There have been reports in the Financial Press that as a result of the current scoping, thousands of Australian Suncorp jobs may be offshored.
In 2006 active FSU members stopped almost 500 back office jobs at Westpac from being offshored to India. It took a strong political, community and workplace campaign to achieve that result. And together we can do it again!
The FSU has contacted State and Federal politicians calling for them to support Australian Suncorp workers whose jobs are being threatened by offshoring plans.
Queensland Labor Senator Claire Moore wrote directly to Patrick Snowball and called on Suncorp to discard any plans to offshore jobs.
Failure shouldn’t be a dirty word for entrepreneurs.
That’s one of several new findings by Babson College, in collaboration with The Business Innovation Factory, a nonprofit research group, as part of an in-depth look at American entrepreneurs and their attitudes toward business.
“We found that entrepreneurship is just a series of failures,” said Heidi Neck, an associate professor of entrepreneurship and director of the Entrepreneur Experience Lab at the Boston area college, which is known for entrepreneurial studies.
“You need to prepare for failure, you need to tolerate failure and you need to learn from failure,” she said. “Maybe we n
When HP discontinued its fledgling Touchpad tablet computer, and offered it at the bargain basement price of $99 earlier this year, the electronic pads were gone in a flash. If you missed that fire-sale opportunity, get ready for another limited chance starting online this weekend.
According to website TechCrunch, HP plans to sell refurbished 16 GB Touchpad tablet computers for $99 on its eBay online store. Higher capacity 32 GB models will also be available for $149 as well as a $79 bundle of accessoriesa case, charging dock, and wireless keyboard.
An internal HP memo obtained by TechCrunch says the online sales will start for HP employees this Sunday, Dec.
The credit card industry is enjoying its own version of the holiday giving season, with credit card rewards offers and cash back deals popping up everywhere like nuts in a fruitcake. But the season of giving is apparently also the season of taking. PNC Bank recently released a study that showed that the number of reported lost or stolen credit cards jumps an average of 19 percent during the holiday months of November and December when compared to the rest of the year.
PNC based its conclusion on an analysis of its customer reports from 2008 to 2010. The increase is partly attributable to card holders using their cards more frequently.


Blog No.1 – 3 May 2011
Blog No.2 – 17 May 2011
Blog No.3 – 10 June 2011
Blog No.4 - 21 June 2011
Blog No.5 - 7 July 2011
Blog No.6 – 22 July 2011
Blog No.7 – 23 August 2011
Blog No.8 – 12 September 2011
Blog No.9 – 24 October 2011