FINANCE, BUSINESS & LEGAL
18
EWN www.euroweeklynews.es
24 - 30 January 2013 Mallorca
Be clever about Smartphone use and save more than just cents NOWADAYS a lot of people own a Smartphone. But despite the device’s ego-boasting title, are we actually using our Smartphones smartly? Rather than just snapping and sharing photos or trawling the internet, remember that there are many tricks to cutting down on mobile costs, too. One smart way to use your Smartphone is to sign up to cost-saving apps including WhatsApp and Viber, so as to cut down on the price of individual text messages or phone calls. As a ‘guiri’ living in Spain, I used to rack up a hefty bill for international texts and calls, but now, as many of my family and friends abroad also have Smartphones, we speak and message, free, over various mobile applications. My monthly phone bill has more than halved.
Loose change A look at finance for females Jane Plunkett jane.plunkett@euroweeklynews. com
Also with more competition on the market, it’s wise to try and not get tied into a strict contract. There are many providers now offering excellent deals without making you sign on the dotted line to remain a customer for a minimum of two years. Being able to change provider at will is always a smart move.
STAY SMART: Use your mobile phone to cut costs and monitor spending. Just yesterday I downloaded a free daily budget application for my Smartphone (iXpenselt
Lite). In the past I had to check my online banking to see my balance, but now with this new app it’s available at the touch of a button. The app allows you to record your monthly earnings and deduct the usual costs like mortgage, bills and standing orders. What you’re left with is the balance and every time you have a coffee or buy an item, you record it on the app and it keeps tabs on how much is left to spend in the month. It really makes such a difference to see where your money is going and how much is left. The app also provides great visual graphics to show you where you are spending most your money. Take control of your spending by being smart with your Smartphone.
The changing face of the Android logo
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USINESS IZ
Job losses THE Spanish division of Vodafone plans to initiate voluntary redundancy programmes that will affect around 1,000 employees, almost 25 per cent of the 4,300 people the company employs in Spain.
Sorry sales ONLY 8 per cent of Mallorca retailers have sold more at the start of the sales this year than in 2012. Twenty-four per cent have sold similar amounts to last year, while 68 per cent say sales have fallen.
Phone woes THIS year Vodafone has received more consumer complaints than any other phone company, according to consumer group FACUA. Thirty-three per cent of users claim to have suffered fraud and other problems.
Tax evaders ITALIAN IT expert and former HBSC employee Herve Daniel Falcini has promised the names of 700 Spanish tax evaders who will be investigated by the AntiCorruption Prosecutor.
Loss-making Above: Current Android logo. Right: The original ‘Dandroid’ design. THE cute Android logo is based on drafts by Google engineer Dan Morril, which have very little resemblance to the design finally chosen. Morril designed four colourful robots in 2007, he recounts, when Google first decided to
launch its Smartphones. The originals were called ‘Dandroids’ by the team and were used within the company until professional artist Irina Blok was called in and created the well-known green ‘bugdroid’ which is used today.
SIXTY per cent of Spanish businesses are losing money, according to an estimate by the president of the Spanish Confederation of Employers Organisation. Joan Rosell added that companies in Spain are ‘hyper-regulated’ and need to cut expenses to survive.