Only about half of Americans are prepared for a prolonged power outage, according to a new survey by Harris Interactive. …read more
Power Outages Are Bad, Portable Generators Are Worse
Tag Archives: Harris Interactive
"Game of Thrones" Will Never Beat "Mad Men" — Here's Why
By Tim Beyers, The Motley Fool
Filed under: Investing
So far, Game of Thrones is beating Mad Men in the ratings war. The second episode of the fantasy epic based on author George R.R. Martin’s “A Song of Fire and Ice” books drew in 4.3 million viewers, versus 3.4 million for the Mad Men premiere.
As far as I’m concerned, both shows are well written and worth watching. Yet if HBO were spun off from Time Warner as an independent company, I’d still rather own shares of Mad Men distributor AMC Networks .
Sources: HBO, YouTube.
Why? Accessibility. By bundling its content with cable providers, HBO makes it unnecessarily difficult to cater to the increasing number of viewers who are just as comfortable watching via tablet as they are on TV.
Consider how Comcast‘s obtuse Xfinity service handles streamed HBO content. Watching on my Mac requires a log-in to comcast.net and then navigating to a “watch TV” tab, where I can look up episodes and movies. Once I’ve done that, starting or picking up an episode works great — just so long as I haven’t changed devices. The Comcast Web experience is self-contained.
So is the iPad experience, where HBO GO is available. Logging in there with my Comcast credentials gets access to episodes but no viewing history, making it a poor substitute for Netflix and Apple‘s iTunes, both of which bookmark video content across devices.
But where Xfinity really fails is in the living room. Prior seasons of Game of Thrones simply aren’t available through Xfinity On Demand. Interested catch-up viewers are instead pushed to the Web to experience Comcast’s streaming weaknesses live and in living color.
Meanwhile, synchronized viewing is only going to get more important. According to IDC, tablets are on track to outsell desktop PCs this year and will outsell laptops come 2014. Hundreds of millions of mini-TVs are out in the wild, waiting to be fed. Hundreds of millions more are coming.
Separately, a recent survey conducted by Belkin and Harris Interactive found that roughly 30% of viewers surveyed said they were at least somewhat interested in replacing traditional cable with digital services such as Netflix. It’s a good bet a number of these rule-breaking TV fans already are, or are about to be, tablet owners.
Liberty Media‘s John Malone, a cable industry insider, may have said it best when he questioned the long-term veracity of cable network efforts to bundle content in order to preserve profits.
Cable network operators “have to face reality that maybe you need to segregate your market like everybody else,” Malone said in an interview with CNBC’s David Faber.
Malone is right: Bundling doesn’t make sense anymore. Time Warner is only limiting HBO‘s options — and devaluing its content — by sticking with the dinosaurs that insist upon it.
For further analysis of how Netflix is changing entertainment, tune into our newest premium research report, in which we take you inside Netflix’s entertainment empire and tell you
From: http://www.dailyfinance.com/2013/04/14/game-of-thrones-will-never-beat-mad-men-heres-why/
Stressed Out at Work? It's Getting Worse, Study Shows
Some 83% of American workers say they feel stressed out by their jobs, up from 73% a year ago, according to a new study by Harris Interactive for Everest College. The No. 1 reason workers feel stressed, according to the survey: low pay. This is the third year of the survey and the third year that less- than-adequate paychecks were the top stressor for workers. The study was conducted by phone among 1,000 adults between Feb. 21 and March 3. …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at Forbes Latest
Will Wal-Mart Be the Death of Near-Field Communications?
By Rich Duprey, The Motley Fool
Filed under: Investing
According to a recent Harris Interactive survey, most consumers feel smartphone payments will eventually replace credit and debit cards and cash for most purchases but it’s likely not going to happen within the next five years.
That bodes well for the long-term outlook for chip makers like NXP Semiconductors and Skyworks Solutions , which are leaders in the field of near-field communications, or NFC. That’s the technology that allows mobile devices to securely communicate with a payment terminal. Wave your NFC-enabled smartphone in front of an NFC-enabled terminal and you can easily make a payment.
Objects are closer than they appear
The interest expressed in the survey is part of the reason behind why NXP feels 2013 is the year that NFC technology takes off. Google has been in the forefront of the issue through its Wallet mobile payment system and Android smartphones like Samsung’s Galaxy have been equipped with NFC chips to take advantage of it wherever it’s available. Indeed, Samsung recently partnered with Visa to provide an NFC platform that financial institutions can trust.
Banks will be able to load payment account information to a secure chip embedded in Samsung devices using Visa’s mobile provisioning service linked to Samsung’s service that creates secure data storage domains for card issuers.
Notably, however, Apple has yet to jump into the fray. Although many watchers had anticipated the iPhone 5 to include an NFC chip, it was not to be, even though it had acquired such capabilities through its AuthenTec acquisition last year. And with Skyworks already a chip supplier for the iPhone, should Apple decide it needs to be a part of the NFC revolution, it has ready access to a key player in the field.
Scanning the horizon
Yet retail king Wal-Mart may be leading the way in killing off the chances of NFC gaining a real foothold. Rather than investing in the expensive new terminal upgrades that would be required to make NFC in its stores a reality, it’s rolling out an iPhone app called Scan & Go that allows consumers to scan and bag their purchases while shopping and simply scan a quick-response pixilated QR code square at the checkout terminal to complete the purchase.
While that may be a means for it to ultimately save money on cashier salaries, it could provide the pathway for other retailers to follow. Wal-Mart is expanding the test program to 200 stores in 14 markets, and though the app is only available for the iPhone, it’s easy to see that (depending upon its success) it could eventually roll out to all 14,000 stores and be available across all smartphone platforms.
Stop & Shop supermarkets have offered a similar app for both iPhones and Android devices for several years, but Wal-Mart’s entry could be the thing that brings it mainstream. Because near-field communications has taken longer than expected to get up and running, just as widespread adoption looks to be within …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance
Survey: 53% of Office Computer Users Say 'No Thanks' To Professional IT Help When Fixing Computer Pr
By Business Wirevia The Motley Fool
Filed under: Investing
Survey: 53% of Office Computer Users Say ‘No Thanks’ To Professional IT Help When Fixing Computer Problems At Work
Nearly One-Third of U.S. Office Computer Users Say Computer Problems are the Top Reason for Decreased Productivity
BOISE, Idaho–(BUSINESS WIRE)– In an era when the performance of office computers can help achieve success in a fast-paced business world, new research reveals that a majority of office workers with computers (53%) are opting to either fix their own computer problems or ask a co-worker/someone else for help instead of relying on an IT professional/helpdesk.
The nationwide survey (2,144 U.S. adults), conducted online in March 2013 by Harris Interactive on behalf of Crucial.comand in conjunction with the recently launched search for America’s next great office computer superstar (www.crucialsuperstar.com), also revealed that 29% of office computer users cite computer problems (lost files, slowness, crashes, etc.) as the top reason for reduced productivity in the office. Office computer problems trumped co-workers (25%), workload (22%), management (22%) and customers/clients/vendors (15%) when it comes to negatively affecting worker productivity in the office.
“It is interesting that while computers play such a pivotal role in the flow of an office’s workload, many employees are choosing to remedy their computer issues without the assistance of a trained IT professional,” says Roddy McLean, marketing director, Crucial.com. “As the modern office worker is more reliant on the performance of their computer, they have also become more adept at finding a do-it-yourself solution when a computer crisis strikes.”
The survey results come in support of the launch of a national contest that seeks to recognize those everyday office workers who come to the aid of co-workers that have fallen victim to everyday office computer chaos. The contest encourages people to nominate their own unsung office heroes at www.CrucialSuperstar.com for a chance to reward their office superstar with $5,000 cash, a $5,000 BestBuy.com gift certificate for the office, and the title of America’s Official Unofficial Office Computer Go-To Superstar.
In addition, the survey also found that in the office, male computer users (46%) are significantly more likely than female computer users (25%) to fix their own computer problems at work, and young men, aged 18-34, are 61% more likely to do so.
Founded on the concept of making upgrades easy for the everyday computer user, Crucial.com has been serving customers for nearly 15 years, while providing the knowledge and tools needed to …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance
Economic Outlook Brightens for American Workers
By Business Wirevia The Motley Fool
Filed under: Investing
Economic Outlook Brightens for American Workers
Despite increasing optimism, many holding off on long-term financial commitments
DES MOINES, Iowa–(BUSINESS WIRE)– More American workers feel secure about the country’s overall economic outlook, according to new research from the Principal Financial Well-Being IndexSM: American Workers. More than a third of workers (35 percent) describe their economic outlook as optimistic, up from just 21 percent in the third quarter of 2012, the last time workers were asked their views on the overall economy.
Despite an increasingly positive view of the economy, American workers remain cautious when assessing their expectations for the next year. While 40 percent of workers think the economy will improve throughout 2013, a majority of workers (60 percent) still believe the economy will stay the same or worsen. Additionally, 44 percent of employees are holding off from making long-term financial commitments, such as buying a home or a car, due to the current state of the economy.
The Principal Financial Well-Being IndexSM: American Workers, surveys employees at small- and mid-sized businesses with 10 to 1,000 workers, and is part of a series on the financial well-being of American workers released quarterly by the Principal Financial Group®. The survey was conducted online by Harris Interactive® in 1Q 2013 among 1,100 employees.
“When you look at the full scope of the data, it’s clear people are feeling better about the financial environment the further we get from the financial crisis,” said Luke Vandermillen, vice president of retirement and investor services at The Principal®. “But the long-term effect of the crisis is workers’ expectations remain muted; they are still uncertain that this is a sustainable recovery.”
Making Plans
With the increase in economic optimism, workers feel encouraged to step up their savings. The survey shows that more Americans are planning for their retirement. Only 28 percent said they have not yet planned for financial security in retirement, down from 32 percent last quarter. Those working with a financial advisor are more prepared. Seventy-five percent of workers who use a financial professional are planning for retirement security, compared to only 49 percent of workers who do not use a financial professional.
“Regardless of whether you are optimistic or cautious about the economy, it is important to continue to focus on taking concrete steps towards building …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance
Keurig Named "Coffee Maker Brand of the Year" in 2013 Harris Poll EquiTrend Equity Study
By Business Wirevia The Motley Fool
Filed under: Investing
Keurig Named “Coffee Maker Brand of the Year” in 2013 Harris Poll EquiTrend Equity Study
READING, Mass.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc., (GMCR) (NAS: GMCR) , a leader in specialty coffee and coffee makers, today announces its Keurig® single cup system has been recognized as the “Brand of the Year” in the coffee maker category in the 2013 Harris Poll EquiTrend® Equity Study. For the second consecutive year, the Keurig® system has received the highest ranking in the coffee maker category based on consumers’ perceptions of familiarity, quality and purchase consideration, a selection of several qualifying elements evaluated.
The Keurig(R) Vue(R) V700 brewer, part of the Keurig(R) single cup system that has been recognized as the “Brand of the Year” in the coffee maker category in the 2013 Harris Poll EquiTrend(R) Equity Study. (Photo: Business Wire)
The Keurig® single cup platform received the highest numerical Equity Score among coffee maker brands included in the 2013 Harris Poll EquiTrend® Study, which is an annual brand health assessment that surveys thousands of U.S. consumers online about their brand perceptions, measuring key touchstones, such as emotional connection, functional attributes, brand awareness, influence and familiarity, that are integral in effective and compelling brand development. Harris Interactive defines a brand as a set of persuasive promises about a product, service, or organization that differentiates it from others in a universally positive, contextually relevant and personally compelling way.
“It’s an honor to be named coffee maker ‘Brand of the Year’ for the second consecutive year,” says Michelle Stacy, president of GMCR’s Keurig business unit. “What’s clear from the study is that the Keurig® single cup brewing system has generated extraordinary appeal among consumers. We know from our own consumer satisfaction research, once a consumer experiences a Keurig® brewer, they become passionate about its simplicity, convenience and quality of brew.”
Celebrating 15 years of innovation in 2013, the Keurig® single cup system has revolutionized the way people brew their beverages both at home and at the office. The technology behind the Keurig® single cup brand has disrupted consumer behavior and made quality coffee and other specialty beverages a staple option. According to January 2013 NPD data, Keurig® was the top-ranked brand in the Coffee/Espresso Maker category based on dollar share for 29 consecutive months and had the top four brewers in the Coffee/Espresso Maker category based on dollar sales. In addition, the Keurig® Vue® single cup system has been named a 2013 Award Finalist by the internationally …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance
Colonial Life survey says workers want better benefits communication
By Business Wirevia The Motley Fool
Filed under: Investing
Colonial Life survey says workers want better benefits communication
New research shows employees value good benefits education
COLUMBIA, S.C.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– American workers say understanding their benefits is very important — and there’s a lot their employers could do to improve benefits communication. That’s according to new research commissioned by Colonial Life & Accident Insurance Company and conducted online by Harris Interactive® in late February.
The survey queried 2,111 U.S. adults age 18 and older employed full or part time about the benefits education available to them at work. Individuals whose employers offer benefits are nearly unanimous at 98 percent in saying it’s at least somewhat important to understand the benefits provided to them by their employer, and a strong majority — 73 percent — say it’s very important.
Employees also feel strongly about making sure they have enough financial protection for themselves and their families: 97 percent say it’s at least somewhat important, and 67 percent say it’s very important. Other factors employees ranked highly in the survey included:
- Having choices to customize the benefits package — 95 percent say it’s at least somewhat important; 59 percent say it’s very important.
- Receiving regular information updates from their employer about the benefits program — 95 percent say it’s at least somewhat important; 53 percent say it’s very important.
- Having convenient access to a benefits expert to talk with face-to-face — 90 percent say it’s at least somewhat important; 46 percent say it’s very important.
“Clearly, employees want access to information and understand the importance of their employer-provided benefits in protecting their families’ financial well-being,” said Steve Bygott, assistant vice president of marketing analysis and programs at Colonial Life. “These survey results don’t surprise us, but they send an important message employers need to hear if they want to get the most out of their costly benefits investment.”
Employer benefits communication often ineffective
…read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance
The Dairy Queen® System Launches Value Lunch
By Business Wirevia The Motley Fool
Filed under: Investing
The Dairy Queen ® System Launches Value Lunch
$5 Buck Lunch includes a signature
DQ ®
MINNEAPOLIS–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Rising gas prices, increases in the federal payroll tax and overall economic uncertainty have left consumers yearning for more value for their take-home dollar, particularly when eating out.
According to an online survey conducted by Harris Interactive in March 2013 and commissioned by the Dairy Queen® system, which is a Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK.A and BRK.B) company, price is an important consideration in choosing where to go for lunch. The survey results were announced as part of the April 1 launch of DQ® $5 Buck Lunch.
“Our $5 Buck Lunch is really big news for the Dairy Queen system. In this current economic climate, consumers are looking for value, particularly at lunch,” said Barry Westrum, executive vice president of Marketing for American Dairy Queen Corporation (ADQ). “According to our survey, we also hit the mark by offering a lunch that includes, at no extra cost, choice of a sundae.”
According to the survey, 93 percent of American adults that dine out for lunch said that price is important when choosing their destination. In addition, more than half (51 percent) of millennials (aged 18-34) are more likely to make a complete meal choice for lunch if it includes a dessert. When asked about favorite toppings for a sundae, more than two thirds (65 percent) of those who eat ice cream sundaes said hot fudge was their favorite.
The DQ® $5 Buck Lunch is available daily from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at participating locations. Fans have a choice for their $5 Buck Lunch of a ¼ lb. GrillBurger™ with cheese, 3-piece Chicken Strip Lunch or a Chili Cheese Dog, which are all served with fries, a beverage and choice of a sundae. For just $1 more, fans also will have the option to upgrade their small sundae to a small Blizzard® Treat, including Choco Covered Pretzel, the featured Blizzard Treat of the Month for April.
“Only at Dairy Queen restaurants can you enjoy a $5 Buck Lunch that comes with a treat,” said Westrum. “Since hot fudge was the number one topping choice for a sundae, we’ll make sure we have enough to satisfy that craving. Our $5 Buck Lunch offer is an irresistible every day reward for our fans.”
Offer may vary …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance
Less Than One Quarter of Taxpayers Very Concerned about Identity Theft when Filing Returns
By Business Wirevia The Motley Fool
Filed under: Investing
Less Than One Quarter of Taxpayers Very Concerned about Identity Theft when Filing Returns
LifeLock Study Shows Consumers Need Education on Identity Theft
TEMPE, Ariz.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Despite recent reports showing increases in identity theft, consumers’ knowledge on identity theft is not keeping pace with the crime. According to the new 2013 LifeLock Tax Fraud Survey, conducted online by Harris Interactive on behalf of LifeLock in February, among 2,090 U.S. adults age 18 and older, less than one quarter (24 percent) of taxpayers selected the top 2 points of concern on a 5 point scale about identity theft when filing their returns. Additionally, 70 percent of Americans think it is possible for a fraudster to use their name and Social Security Number (SSN) to file a return before they do, blocking the actual taxpayer’s refund from the IRS. Yet despite this concern, 38% of those who have previous years’ returns saved on their computer do not have password protection for these files.
In February 2013 the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) released their annual “Consumer Sentinel Network Data Book” that looked at consumer complaints from January 1 through December 21, 2012. Identity theft was the number one complaint category in the Consumer Sentinel Network, and of those more than 369,000 complaints, Government Documents and Benefits fraud accounted for 46% of all complaints. As noted by the FTC, identity theft related to Government Documents and Benefits includes Tax or Wage Related Fraud, accounting for 43% of the complaints.
“As a company that sees identity theft threats 24/7, we are concerned about the large disconnect between this growing threat and consumer education. This is really playing into the hands of identity thieves,” said LifeLock President Hilary Schneider.
The survey examined Americans’ identity fraud concerns and tax return filing behavior for tax season.
The 2013 LifeLock Tax Fraud Survey highlights include:
- No Password = No Protection – Nearly three in ten (29 percent) Americans keep copies of previous years’ tax returns on their computer, but 38 percent of this group do not protect their returns with a password. This makes these returns more vulnerable to criminals through peer-to-peer file sharing programs or lost devices.
You're Under Too Much Job Stress, Especially If You're A Woman
After reviewing Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg’s new book, Lean In, about the the need for women to try to become leaders in the face of persistent sexism, I was struck by the American Psychological Association’s new Work and Well-Being Survey, published yesterday. More than a third of American workers experience chronic stress related to their jobs, according to the survey of 1,501 workers by Harris Interactive, conducted from January 9-21. Of that group, women feel worse than men on almost every gauge. …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at Forbes Latest
And the Most Reputable Company in America Is…
By Mark Russell 
Source: FULL ARTICLE at Newser – Home
Teacher Survey Shows Record Low Job Satisfaction In 2012
By The Huffington Post News Editors
As school districts continued to cut budgets, increase class sizes, and implement teacher performance evaluations, teachers’ job satisfaction plummeted in 2012, reaching an all-time low, according to a survey released Thursday.
“We’ve seen a continuous decline in teacher satisfaction,” said Dana Markow, vice president of youth and education research for pollster Harris Interactive, which conducted the poll for the MetLife Survey of the American Teacher.
Teachers’ job satisfaction has declined 23 percentage points in the five years since 2008, according to the long-running survey of educators and principals. Only 39 percent of teachers reported they were very satisfied, the least since 1987, the survey showed. The percentage of teachers who said they were very satisfied dropped five percentage points in 2012.
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