Posts tagged with "connect"

Smartphone Subscriptions

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Smartphone Subscriptions Have More Than Doubled In 5 Years – 11% CAGR from 2016-2020

Smartphones have become abundant in today’s society, giving us the ability to control many aspects of our lives with just our fingertips. Today’s smartphones act as a portal to our everyday needs and desires; from banking to shopping, from work to leisure, from hobbies to passions, our smartphone allows us to connect with the world more than ever before. According to data presented by BuyShares, smartphone subscriptions in 2020 has more doubled since 2015 to 6.1B units globally, growing at a CAGR of 10.54% in the 5-year period from 2016-2020.

Smartphone Subscriptions Have Doubled From 2015 to 2020 – 6.1B in 2020

The title of the very first smartphone belongs to the Simon Personal Communicator (SPC) which was produced and launched by IBM in 1994. A few of the SPC’s main features still remain as staples of modern-day smartphones, but the SPC would be unrecognizable as a smartphone among today’s generation of devices.

The iPhone’s launch in 2007 is what many consider the first version of the smartphone as we know it today. It was the first phone to offer access to the internet in its entirety and not a scaled-down version of it. For the first time ever, you could browse the internet just like you would on your desktop computer or laptop.

Smartphones became mainstream soon after the iPhone’s launch and are now ubiquitous in today’s society. Swedish telecommunications company, Ericsson, estimates there to be 6.1B smartphone subscriptions in the world in 2020, over 101% more than 2015’s smartphone subscriptions. In the 5-year period from 2016-2020, smartphone subscriptions grew at a CAGR of 10.54%.

In the year that the first iPhone was released, it is estimated that 122M units of smartphones were sold to end-users. In 2018 that figure ballooned to a record 1.56B smartphones sold. 2019 posted similar numbers to 2018 but experienced a 10.5% YoY decrease in the pandemic ravaged year of 2020. The number of smartphones sold to end-users is projected to bounce back and increase by 11.4% YoY in 2021.

China Has the Most Smartphone Users with Almost 1 Billion

China has an estimated 912M smartphone user in 2020, the most in the world. China’s smartphone penetration rate in 2020 stood at 63.4% which is the 8th highest in the world. Of the top 20 countries with the most smartphone users, the USA had the highest penetration rate of 81.6%. 15 other countries from the top 20 list, posted smartphone penetration rates of above 50%.

As of 2020, Newszoo estimates that there are 3.6B smartphone users worldwide. The same estimates project smartphone users to rise by almost 20% by 2023 to 4.3B. The smartphone penetration rate globally in 2020, stood at 46.45% compared to just 33.5% in 2016.

You can read more about the story with more statistics and information here.

Diwali 2020

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By: Elle Grant

Over the course of mid-November, the annual five-day festival, Diwali, took place from November 12^th to November 16^th. Known as the festival of lights, for those who follow Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism, major religions in South Asia, this is one of the most important religious festivals of the year. It lasts the aforementioned five days, from the 13th day of the dark half of the lunar month Ashvina to the second day of the light half of the lunar month Karttika. (the corresponding dates in the Gregorian calendar usually fall in late October and November).

Diwali as a festival has deep meaning within the communities it is celebrated. Its name comes from the Sanskrit term dipavali, meaning “row of lights.” In turn, the lighting of Diwali candles is an essential part of the celebration. The festival generally symbolizes the victory of light over darkness. In this context, light symbolizes knowledge and wisdom, while darkness is a symbol for all negative forces including wickedness, destruction, violence, lust, envy, injustice, greed, oppression and suffering. The third day of Diwali is celebrated on Saturday, November 14, 2020. While it is widely celebrated by a vast proportion of the world’s population, precisely how Diwali is celebrated varies by culture.

Across, South Asia, different regions celebrate different deities first and foremost with the festival. Among Hindus the most widespread custom is the lighting of diyas (small earthenware lamps filled with oil) on the night of the new moon to invite the presence of Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth. In Bengal the goddess Kali is worshipped with the event. In North India the festival additionally celebrates the royal homecoming of Rama to the city of Ayodhya after defeating Ravana, the 10-headed king of the demons, thus connecting the festival with the holiday of Dussehra. In South India the festival marks Krishna’s defeat of the demon Narakasura. The celebration of Diwali offers just a glimpse into how culture varies across South Asia.

Homes of those who celebrate reflect the importance of the day. Many begin the holiday with a deep cleaning of their home, from top to bottom. Floors inside and out are covered with rangoli, consisting of elaborate designs made of colored rice, sand, or flower petals. The doors and windows of houses are kept open in the hope that Lakshmi will find her way inside and bless the residents with wealth and success. Other ways Diwali is celebrated include visiting loved ones, exchanging gifts, wearing new clothes, feasting, feeding the poor, and setting off fireworks. Delicious food is a large part of the celebration. Yet how this holiday is specifically celebrated this year has been affected by the ongoing global pandemic caused by the spread of COVID-19.

Before Diwali even took place, experts warned of the danger of gathering for the event, in the vein of warnings being made for the coming holidays of Christmas and Hannukah for Christian and Jewish populations of the world. International lockdowns in places like Europe have put a damper on the plans of many. Yet many are finding ways around the restriction of movement and celebration; many are planning calls with families across different continents, in which there will be singing, games, and tasty foods shared through screens. Some say it has even brought them closer as a family.

Like many holidays, Diwali assuredly looks different this year. Yet the resilience displayed by those celebrating, to find a way to connect with family and friends during this special spiritual time, again reflects some of the best of human ingenuity during the coronavirus pandemic.

Ending Suicide This National Suicide Prevention Month

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By Vinay Saranga M.D.

National Suicide Prevention Month is this September, with Suicide Prevention Week being recognized Sunday, Sep. 8, 2019 – Saturday, Sep. 14, 2019. Suicide is a growing issue in America, with an estimated 44,965 Americans ending their own lives each year, or roughly 123 each day. Think about that for a moment: 123 people each day saying they’ve had enough.

Suicide is the worst possible outcome there is not just for the individual, but for the family he or she leaves behind. Quite often this involves parents and grandparents, children, siblings and friends who are left wondering why. Why did he do it? Why didn’t I see the signs? Could I have done more? Is this somehow partially my fault? Was I not nice to him or her?

As mental health professionals, it hurts us too. If the person didn’t get help, why not? Was he or she denied access to mental health benefits? If he or she was under our care, where did we go wrong? Did we not see the signs or prescribe the wrong course of treatment?

When it comes to suicide, there are no straightforward answers. In fact, most of the time, we never get answers unless the person left behind a note, and even then, we are still often left scratching our heads in disbelief and dismay.

That’s why initiatives like National Suicide Prevention Month and Suicide Prevention Week are so important. It helps us shine the light on the pain of suicide, even if for a short period of time. The reality is, we need to have open conversations about suicide, depression and overall mental health all the time, 365 days a year. We need to end the stigma surrounding mental illness immediately or unfortunately, suicide will continue to needlessly end the lives of so many around us.

The only bit of good news is that suicide is preventable, but an intervention must take place. The driving force behind a suicide must be properly dealt with before it spirals out of control, whether this is a mental illness, nasty divorce, job loss or anything else.

We can provide hope and support by starting a conversation. Reach out to help normalize the topic. Don’t hesitate to seek treatment for mental illnesses. It is not a sign of weakness. Someone suffering from heart disease wouldn’t hesitate to seek help for their heart condition. The same normalization needs to be visible in the mental health community. If you suspect someone might be suicidal, here are some things you can do to help.

Talk

Again, help normalize the topic by conversation. Simply asking someone if they are thinking about suicide is a good step. Never promise to keep their suicidal thoughts a secret. Be open and non-judgmental. Encourage immediate professional intervention through the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. It is available 24-hours a day.

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Professional help is essential. Don’t just suggest it because they might be unlikely to follow through. Do it for them. Someone who might be suicidal could be suffering from deep depression, mania and other conditions that sometimes prevent clarity. Do the research and help get them set up with an appointment with a mental health professional like a clinical psychologist, psychiatrist or licensed counselor.

Support

If someone in your life is contemplating suicide, constantly remind them that there is hope. There are many successful treatments which can help turn how their feeling around. Life is worth living. Continue to support and communicate with them. You can increase their feelings of connectedness and share your ongoing support. There is evidence that even a simple form of reaching out, like sending a card or email, can potentially reduce their risk for suicide. Remember, loneliness is a major cause of depression.

This National Suicide Prevention Month, let’s put an end to this horrific epidemic once and for all. The more we continue the conversation and bring attention to it, the more people we will reach and save.

Vinay Saranga M.D. is a psychiatrist and founder of Saranga Comprehensive Psychiatry. http://www.sarangapsychiatry.com/

Next Big Thing Arriving from HueTrition

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Get ready because HueTrition has yet another exciting health and wellness program in an app form called HueTracker.

The release date for the app is set at July 2019 and will include additional features by January 2020. The additional features include access to medical professionals, dietitians, chefs, health coaches, and personal trainers.

Not only will the app make it easier for users to track their water intake, but it will count your calories, track your exercises, count your protein intake as well as keeping track of vegetable consumption.

With HueTracker, you can easily set, track, and accomplish your health and wellness goals–it’s great and fun for people of all ages! Whether you are trying to lead to a healthier lifestyle or doing the plant-based thing, HueTracker is for everyone and they need YOUR help to make sure everyone has access to it!

They are asking for $48,000 to reach their goal and create another successful health and wellness resource by HueTrition.

To pledge, click on this link to make a difference.

By promoting social well-being, working with major strategic brand partners such as Whole Foods, Amazon, Dole, and NutriBullet, HueTrition has been featured on USA Today Media Planet–they also have an E-book that has been featured on Times Square!

If you don’t know much about this amazing wellness program, their vision is to foster a balanced, active, and healthy lifestyle that includes a daily variety of colorful fruits and vegetables, hence the name “Hue” Trition.

So, why are they awesome? How are they different? It is because of their philosophy. They envision food as the fuel to color your WORLD. Natural, colorful, filling half of your plate with fruits and vegetables and fresh and simple ingredients!

With the amazing help and determination from their founder, Monica H. San Miguel Sokolovskiy, the program’s mission is to create a grassroots movement and nourishing community that serves as the go-to-well-being resource, encouraging joint life-long consumption of colorful fruits and vegetables, physical activity, and a balanced lifestyle.

If you wish to see them in action, they have a successful and growing HueTube channel where you can reference for healthy tips, fun ideas, and live vlogs of where to get the most colorful food to spice up your life!

Remember, HueTracker not only makes it easy to track your water, calories, exercise, protein, but also your colorful intake of fruits and veggies! What is different about their mobile app is that it gives you a companion named Huey who helps and encourages you to reach and maintain your goals, as well as access to experts! You can also have access to it from your mobile or on your desktop as well!

Don’t forget to follow them on social media! Click on the hyperlinks below to connect with them digitally:

The Mayumi: All-Inclusive Residential Stay

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The Mayumi, a new residential concept by HQ Development, is set to open April 2018 in Los Angeles. Located in the epicenter of Culver City, California, this new space has been fashioned into a remarkable 35-unit flexible-stay residence catering to long-term visitors looking for a monthly all-inclusive residential stay alternative and creative space.

Mayumi provides the best of both worlds – a private haven and social hub. Created to provide an unparalleled living experience crafted on a foundation of design, flexibility and community, Mayumi members can enjoy luxurious private rooms and common areas to connect with others.

Each member is provided their own unit, with an ensuite private restroom featuring a soft water system and rain shower. An in-room touchscreen managing lights, shades and thermostat provides full control of the environment right at the member’s fingertips, as well as a 50-inch Smart TV with DirectTV service.

The innovative concept is a natural fit for HQ Development, whose projects throughout Culver City, Hollywood and Santa Monica have attracted heavyweight companies in creative industries as its tenants. With the opening of Mayumi, HQ Development will mark its entry into the residential market and similarly endow the surrounding neighborhoods with a thriving energy. As Robert Herscu remarks, “Our intent is to make Mayumi synonymous with luxury, flexibility and comfort. Our drive to create a distinctive living experience is as fierce as our residents’ passion to make their mark in LA.”

Additional flexible stay locations are currently in development, with expected availability in 2019.

For more information :

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