80 percent of today’s personal computers are branded with an Intel processor. However, despite its rapidly growing popularity, the company opted to stay away from mobile technology. One reason is that Intel has focused too much on the creation of powerful chips, which while effective on PCs, tend to drain batteries quickly – something smart phone makers and their consumers have little use for.

With the purchase of Infineon Technologies’ mobile chip division, Intel can finally join the mobile technology bandwagon without a hitch. The technology gained through the deal would be incorporated in Intel Core processor-based laptops, as well as Intel Aton processor-based devices such as smart phones, netbooks and tablets. With Infineon Technologies, Intel stands to become the fifth biggest suppliers of mobile phone processors.

Intel plans to further expand its influence within the mobile market by purchasing more established enterprises. It had already bought mobile software maker, Wind River Systems last summer for $884 million. Its first project is the development of Mobin software, an open-source program designed to run on mobile devices that use Intel chips.

With the rising popularity of mobile technologies comes the looming threat of mobile hackers. Intel is already thinking ahead, as it also plans to purchase anti-virus software company McAfee. With this acquisition, Intel would be able to integrate security with its chips.

Intel used to have a division that created chips for smart phones, but it was sold off several years ago to cut costs and redirect efforts toward its core business. Now that Internet use on mobile phones has boomed, and with so many companies already lunging at the opportunities it has opened up, it is high time that Intel catch up.

Managing medical data has proven to be a challenge in any place, but in China, mastering the system is a step more challenging given the current state of its data management in hospitals. In some of the hospitals in the country, patient records are still handled in paper, making it easy to create redundancies. It also makes it difficult to track patient history and discern whether Western or Chinese medicines work best.

At a group of hospitals in China’s southern Guangdong province, IBM has deployed technology to standardize patient records and use it to create statistical analyses of traditional Chinese medicine treatments. Through the technology, the company aims to provide a solution for doctors to identify treatment using both Western and Chinese medicine. This treatment would be drawn from the standardized patient records. The team behind this system, the IBM Healthcare Solutions Lab, is a finalist for the Wall Street Journal’s Asian Innovation Awards.

Using this innovative technology, IBM aims to provide evidence for the effectiveness of non-Western remedies. If the developed technology proves successful, it could be replicated in other parts of the world that still hold fast to their own form of medical treatment, such as in India.

According to Janet Chiew, an analyst for the research firm IDC, China’s healthcare IT market will see remarkable growth in five years, triggered in part by the three year healthcare reform program.

As a brand new market, the healthcare infrastructure of China poses as an area ripe for new things in the data storage and solutions industry. I believe this is a good opportunity for businesses there. Creating a system that can handle the large mass of patients daily while working with a unique set of treatment that covers both Western and traditional methods opens up a chance for innovation that can benefit healthcare infrastructures all over the world.

According to a March 2010 report from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory financed by the Energy Department, the sector devoted to energy efficiency has an estimated growth of as much as fourfold in the next decade to some 1.3 million people. Already, the federal government has poured $500 million into training for the industry. Educational institutions have picked up on this growth as well.

At community colleges, managers can look into programs to train them for the industry. Among those available are two-year degrees in environmental management and certificates for those who want to include green qualifications into their resumes. Depending on the college, these courses and other similar ones are available both on campus and online.

One such college offering training in the green industry is Lane Community College in Eugene, Oregon. Among its offerings are two year programs for associate degrees in applied sciences. These degrees include a choice of energy management, renewable energy or water conservation. The college also offers other continuing education courses that include cross-disciplinary ones such as natural resource economics, global ecology and environmental politics.

Last year, the federal government awarded grants to Lane Community College and 10 other community colleges across the country to begin or enhance their programs in energy management over a three year period.

But it isn’t only colleges in the city that are offering these training courses. Rural areas also provide training through online environmental degrees and certificates. Four year degrees directly relevant to the energy efficiency sector are also available in about two dozen colleges and universities across the country.

With the growing strength and importance being placed on environmental sustainability, I believe it is only natural that training and education has developed to follow suit and prepare managers to handle the changes that science has uncovered. Through training programs such as these, I think that today’s managers are able to adapt and begin thinking with an environmentally-conscious mindset, making it possible for industries to make the full shift to greener practices.

Contrary to what people might think, the iHome is not an original Apple product. It was invented by a small company who capitalized on an opportunity created by the popularity of the iPod. Keeping itself up to date with the latest Apple offerings, SDI has churned out its first iPad-compatible alarm clock. Despite warnings about Apple competitors, the company is not worried. “The iPad, iPhone and iPod are recession-proof,” says Ezra S. Ashkenazi, SDI’s president.

Back in the 1950s and 1960s, Realtone Electronics made a killing by manufacturing and selling transistor radios, then a must-have gadget for the era’s tech savvy. As the 1970s rolled in, however, the trend met its end and the electronics company survived the next two decades making cheap clocks that sold in drugstores. It also took an affinity toward creatively combining different devices into one. The company was the first to create a cassette tape player-clock radio, as well as the telephone-clock radio.

It was this affinity that would lead the company, now called SDI Technologies, to newfound success. In 2005, the company was grappling ideas as to how to bring itself forward into the digital age. Ashkenazi, son of one of Realtone’s founders, suggested that they could make a clock radio with an iPod dock. To increase the likelihood of generating sales, the company designed its earliest Apple accessories in the brand’s distinct sleek aesthetic. The resulting product revived the company, starting a new golden age for its business.

In keeping up with the times, the company has done it again by extending its products to become compatible with Apple’s iPad. This innovation was uniquely inspired by both something old and something new. They took the old idea of combining two gadgets with a brand new technology that they had faith in. It probably won’t be long until the next hotel you go to will have an iPad-compatible dock.

The principle behind “Natural Capital” is simply this: if we place efforts to protect our natural ecosystems, we can ensure the continuous flow of valuable natural goods or services into the future. For business enterprises, this can translate into the generation of huge profits.

The profitability of protecting biodiversity does not just stem from the conservation of valuable resources. A growing number of the world’s consumers are becoming more and more environmentally conscious. By shifting gears into a greener approach toward managing operations and delivering products and services, businesses can gain a larger consumer following. In fact, market opportunities for certified forest products, organic produce, and other conservation-grade products are estimated to grow by 200 percent, with chances of skyrocketing to 400 percent by 2020.

Integrating biodiversity and ecosystem services in business operations can also lead to substantial cost savings and new revenues. With the expenses for production cut without compromising quality control, companies can relegate the remaining budget toward improving business processes and creating more effective marketing strategies.

It seems there is nothing to lose in taking the initiative to protect our natural ecosystems. In addition to fulfilling their corporate social responsibility, companies can cut costs, earn more, and gain a vast marketability by applying more eco-friendly business practices. Business leaders from developing nations are getting into it because their economies rely heavily on their natural resources. The more businesses realize the benefits of sustaining “natural capital,” the higher our chances of saving the environment.

This line of thought was taken up by Universal, the largest of four major record companies. They believe that perhaps there is room in the Western audiences’ auditory palate for more of the spice of South Asian music. Teaming with Desi Hits!, a New York-based company promoting South Asian entertainment on its website DesiHits.com, Universal plans to create a label for musicians with South Asian roots. Through this label, the record company’s ultimate goal is to give South Asian music and its artists global exposure.

“It’s far from a vanity project for us,” said David Joseph, chief executive of Universal Music U.K. For him, South Asian pop music holds great potential as a relatively untapped art, presenting a huge amount of opportunity.

The new label, called Desi Hits! Universal, would give the music genre a “home,” a way for the music to be shared with Western audiences. According to Anjula Acharia-Bath, chief executive of Desi Hits!, after the success of the 2008 hit, “everyone saw that with some resources some of these songs really popped.”

Although mainstream western acts and Indian music have shown some mingling, the success of Desi Hits! Universal could be an excellent untapped resource for those looking for the next new sound. And, modernizing some of the more traditional South Asian music with elements from pop music can bring it to a wider audience, even within its country of origin. “Jai Ho” showed the ability of good music to transcend cultural affinities. I look forward to more endeavors that get the music of a rich culture reach out to more of the world.

It was in 2007 when the Internet search giant first started going green. To promote sustainable development and environmental awareness, the company voluntarily took efforts to reduce its carbon emissions. By the end of 2009, Google formed its own energy subsidiary, Google Energy, followed by an announcement that it was to invest $38.8 million to NextEra Energy Resources’ wind energy project in North Dakota as its first investment in large scale clean energy projects.

More recently Google announced that it has completed a 20-year green Power Purchase Agreement, and plans to sell some of its acquired wind power back to the grid for Renewable Energy Certificates. With this move, the heavy-hitting company enters the energy market, solidifying its intent to promote sustainable, environmental solutions.

This has been a long time coming for Google, as so many other entities have already decided to join and back up the race for cost-effective, utility-scale renewable energy solutions. Considering the nature of the tech industry, which depends on vast amounts of electricity to keep services up and running, I believe Google’s move to go green may have a great impact on environmental efforts.

Wind power as a sustainable source of energy is by no means a new technology. Since men started putting sails on their ships, wind power has already been used. Typically, it is used in large scale wind farms to provide electricity to rural areas and other remote or far reaching locations. Several countries, such as Denmark, Spain, India and Portugal have already achieved high levels of wind power penetration.

Wind energy is touted as one of the most viable alternatives for energy resources because it is cheap, widely distributed and infinitely abundant. Utilizing wind energy will also significantly reduce our dependence on fossil fuels and help reduce carbon emissions.

Starting late next week, early iPhone 4 owners can go to Apple’s website to sign up for a free case. Since the company cannot make enough of its $29 “Bumper” cases, it will allow users to choose from a selection of different case styles.

Ever since the latest iPhone model’s release in the US three weeks ago, many users have complained that they would lose their wireless network coverage when they happen to cover a certain spot on the smartphone with their bare hand. Critics say this is due to a faulty antenna. While the company denied the iPhone 4 has an antenna problem that needs fixing and attributed the problem to a software glitch, Steve Jobs apologized to the people who are less than satisfied with their new phones.

Apple Inc. is a company known for its high regard for customer satisfaction. It has been shown that having a protective case can effectively prevent the occurrence of any reception problems. The company will also release a software update that will allow the device to more accurately display signal strength in an area. In addition, if users are still not happy with their iPhone, they can bring it back and receive a full refund within the next 30 days. There will be no restocking fee.

In a time like this, what stands out most is that the company is taking excellent steps to resolve its issues. For a giant such as Apple to act fast and provide immediate solutions, Steve Jobs and his company are worthy of praise.

In the search for the next bright idea towards a greener earth, together with some of the best-known venture capital firms, GE’s Ecomagination Challenge opens the floor for people to send in their innovative ideas for a smarter power grid. The contest is open to all businesses, innovators, entrepreneurs and students who can brew ideas for harnessing energy in a more efficient manner. GE and its partnerships have allocated $200 million for the innovations they choose to fund.

Ultimately, breakthrough ideas from the Ecomagination Challenge will be put to use to creating a cleaner, more efficient and economically viable power grid. Also, this would take grid technology a step closer towards a digital upgrade, as the system has long been aging and analog. Selected participants from the Ecomagination Challenge will be offered an opportunity to develop a commercial relationship with GE through investments for promising start-ups and ideas and other benefits in connection with the company. Those who intend to participate in the challenge can enter as many ideas as they wish in three categories: Renewables, Grid Efficiency and Eco Homes/Eco Buildings.

Already, ideas have been flowing in not only from all over the nation, but from around the world as well. The ideas from the challenge will also be open for the general public to vote on for the first round, although ultimately, the final say is with the company and the panel of judges.

With the urging of a company as big as GE, I think that this challenge goes beyond solving a problem of the present. Perhaps it’s also a challenge to all of us to realize that just about anyone can make a difference with innovative ideas and a passion for the environment.

A recent survey by Harris Interactive showed that online coupon use has increased dramatically among an unexpected demographic. Oddly enough, according to the survey, it’s well-to-do families with household incomes over $100,000 who are using more coupons. Four out of 10 people from families within this income bracket say that use online coupons – nearly twice the number of respondents with an annual income of $35,000 or less.

They make use of sites like Coupons.com, which offers free coupons that can be printed out or used with a savings card, Foursquare, which offers specials to users who frequent a certain location, or Groupon.com, which lets users take advantage of group discounts of up to 90% on local products or services.

The users of these services are well-to-do and tech-savvy, and live in urban areas. It’s not just a matter of discounts for them. Groupon.com encourages users to go to places they’ve never been to before in order to take advantage of the excellent discounts. Foursquare provides an entire mobile online community where people can find out where their friends have been, and what they think about a particular place.

It makes sense that these products cater to the well-appointed who have the gadgets and services needed to best take advantage of them. Gowalla, for example, uses a Google Map-like application and works best if you’re constantly online while on the go.

“The holy grail is, ‘how can we make e-commerce social?’” says Andrew Mason, CEO of Groupon.com. “Usually, [a coupon] is a pretty solitary, one-to-one experience. But we’re helping consumers discover things.”

Services such as these constitute a new age in how we experience commercial settings. If social media sites help to foster social interaction among users, then services like these can help to push economic activity, as users are encouraged to try out new products and services offered by small, little-known, local businesses.