The German city of Bielefeld has bred a lot of young, ambitious Internet entrepreneurs. The Dreyer brothers were craving to leave for southern Europe when their father suggested Shanghai instead, because of an article titled “Shanghai-The City of the Future” in a newspaper.

To the day five years ago, the Dreyer brothers booked their tickets to China. Today, David, Julius, and Robert, 28, 26, and 24 respectively are millionaires. The NetCircle is their Shanghai-based company which Read more…

Popularity: 1% [?]

center, China, city, country, economy, entrepreneurs, internet

According to the Australian government last month, a plan that place a mandatory filter on the Web to shield children in particular from accessing illegal and inappropriate material will begin this month.

Actually the plan of a filter system which aims to filter harmful information from the Internet met the opposition of Internet user groups, the pornography industry and others. Because they thought some legitimate websites would be blocked Read more…

Popularity: 2% [?]

Australia, China, economy, government, information, internet, material

A top information official said last Friday that China and the United States should expand exchanges and cooperation to ensure effective communication between their Internet authorities. Cai Mingzhao, vice-minister of the State Council Information Office said in a speech at the Second US-China Industry Forum (UCIIF), “International cooperation is essential for promoting the health and orderly development of the Internet industry because of its global nature.” He also added that China and the US should engage in mutually beneficial cooperation in the Internet industry while increasing exchange between professional Internet institutes to combat spam, viruses and pornography to guarantee security and credibility.

According to Craig Mundle, Microsoft’s chief research and strategy officer, a Read more…

Popularity: 1% [?]

China, cooperation, expand, internet, U.S.

China Internet Network Information Centre (CNNIC) reported on Jul 24th that 253 million Chinese log on the Internet regularly making the country the largest web-user market. To put it another way, China has overtaken the US in terms of the number of netizens in the first half of this year, according to the semi-official organization, the most authoritative source of statistics on the country’s Internet users.

According to www.internetworldstats.com, there were 218 million net-users in the US till December 31, 2007, while China, 210 million. CNNIC estimated the number could have reached 230 million by the end of June based on the growth in the US.

Based on the interview with 16,000 people across China and an unspecified umber of people on the Net in the 22nd CNNIC study since 1998, Liu Bing, the chief writer of the CNNIC semi-annual report, wrote Read more…

Popularity: 1% [?]

China, group, internet, netizen, network

(CNN) — The Internet has revolutionized many business sectors and has single-handedly created one — virtual assistance.

In recent years, thousands have switched their corporate jobs to work as virtual assistants for new bosses they may never actually meet. As independent contractors, they are engaged in all kinds of work ranging from bookkeeping, travel arrangements via phone, e-mail or fax, data entry, tax advice, accountancy to technology support. In spite of the fact that some bosses are only just coming to realize that administrative support can easily be done virtually, virtual assistance is in vogue.

Virtual assistance services have sprung up in such countries as the US, Australia, Canada and the UK. And the industry is now so popular that trade groups and websites begin to assist virtual assistants and try to attract potential clients.

The popularity of virtual assistance is attributable to the following two factors.

First of all, it is cost-effective. Employers are exempt from paying for extra office space, furniture, equipment or software, as well as additional cost for training, pensions or work insurance.

Secondly, virtual assistance sometimes can help employers make full use of time differences to meet deadlines.

http://edition.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/europe/12/19/globaloffice.virtual.assistant/

Popularity: 1% [?]

China, internet, Outsourcing, virtual assistance

Software giant Microsoft announced its plan to invest $280 million to build a research and development center in Beijing and significantly expand its research team in the country.

Microsoft started its first R&D center in China as early as 1995. And the company now has research facilities in Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen.

Last year, Microsoft invested about $280 million in its R&D activities in China and recruited 1,000 new employees to its China R&D Group.

At present, the company has 3,000 research staff in the country, with 1,500 full-time employees and another 1,500 working on a project basis. And it will double the number of its full-time research employees in China to 3,000 in the next three years.

The new R&D campus will be able to accommodate 5,000 employees, making it Microsoft’s largest research center outside the US when it is completed in 2010.

These investments are said to have helped Microsoft win support from the Chinese government and boosted sales in the Chinese market. Fortune Magazine estimated last year that its revenue from China would exceed $700 million last year, about 1.5 percent of Microsoft’s global sales.

China also has the world’s largest number of Internet and mobile phone users, offering what is believed to be huge opportunities for IT companies.

With the rapid development of the internet, BPOVIA Ltd based in China is always glad to offer our virtual assistant services to businessmen around the world looking for opportunities in the Chinese market.

Popularity: 1% [?]

Beijing, BPOVIA, China, internet, investment, Microsoft, R&D

Online clothing retailer PPG said it has plans to list in the US toward the end of this year or in early 2009, either on the New York Stock Exchange or the NASDAQ.

Relying on the Internet and call centers, the company applies an e-commerce and traditional retail business model, which helped PPG to save the cost of maintaining retail outlets and attract $80 million in investment from TDF, JAFCO Asia, KPCB, and San Shan Capital Partners. Like Dell in the computer industry, its strong point lies in direct sales and 80% of its orders are over 250 yuan.

PPG’s biggest expense is advertising. The retailer spent 230 million yuan on advertising last year—about a third of its 700 million yuan in sales revenue. Its advertisement covers almost every possible channel—newspapers, TV, magazine and direct mail. Last year its ad budget shrank when management deemed market recognition was satisfactory.

“Now, we’re focusing our marketing strategy on branding,” said David Lee, its chairman. “We want to be another Gap.”
Instead of opening retail outlets, the company will strive to expand its business to second-and-third-tier cities through an intensive ad campaign in those markets. “We want to reach most cities across the nation in the next two years,” said Lee.

Besides, PPG is also looking for opportunities to explore the overseas market. It has set up a US subsidiary in late March and next stop will be Europe and beyond.

Like PPG, BPOVIA Ltd based in China also works through the internet and opens its door to all those who are looking for virtual assistants to tap the Chinese market.

Popularity: 1% [?]

advertising, BPOVIA, China, clothing, e-commerce, internet, PPG, retail

Planning to expand wireless Internet coverage in the city ahead of 2010 World Expo, Shanghai is on the way becoming China’s first “wireless city”.

The city’s first wireless hotspots created last year has now expanded to cover about 100 hotels and restaurants. According to Shanghai official’s plan, about 2000 extra network access points in the city’s public areas and wireless broadband and service will be completed in the busy commercial districts of Xujiahui, Jiading and Pudong.

The first practice of the plan has recently been carried out in the Nanjing Pedestrian Mall area. The whole wireless areas will be ready for use in 2008.

Wireless broadband network has gradually become an essential part of a city’s infrastructure and Shanghai is not the first city to become wireless. Last year, about 300 cities all over the world were trying to establish wireless broadband services. In China, Beijing, Tianjin, Wuhan, Hangzhou and Shenzhen are competing to become the first “wireless city”.

Popularity: 1% [?]

Expo 2010, internet, Shanghai, wireless broadband network, wireless city

According to the Ministry of Industry and Information , by the end of February the number of netizens in the country has reached 221 million, overtaking the US and coming to rank the first in the world. A year earlier the figure was 210 million.

This year will not only see the internet come into full play but also its development environment consistently be improved. The country endeavors to improve its fundamental guarantee work on internet management, establish a management mechanism integrating internet development and security guarantee and solve problems regarding intranet management among core networks.

Currently, the emergence of new technologies and new services such as VOIP, P2P, IPTV, Instant Messaging and search engines, has placed harsher demands on internet management.

Given the current situation, James Huang, founder and CEO of BPOVIA Ltd based in China, expects a robust potential market for his business. “With the number of internet users increasing in China, we are in a position to get an easier access to our clients, old and new alike, and offer our personalized services to them.” At present, about 40% of BPOVIA’s clients are seeking help with their personal to-do lists. Among the more common requests are ordering supplies, groceries, online shopping, comparing prices and planning vacations.

Popularity: 1% [?]

BPOVIA, China Business, internet