Singaporeans go for Google, dig social networking big time
New survey provides insights into the social behaviour of Singaporeans By Zafar Anjum
14 Dec 2010
SINGAPORE, 14 DECEMBER 2010 – What do Singaporeans like better: Google or Yahoo? Where do they spend most of their time online? Are forums still relevant for Singaporean net users?
Questions like these and more have been answered by Experian Hitwise, a leading online competitive intelligence service, which has released an analysis of Web searches by Singapore Internet users in the past six months.
According to the survey findings, social networking continues to be popular among Singaporeans, with Facebook taking almost 17 per cent share of visits compared to search engines like Google Singapore, which held on to second place with almost 14 per cent share of visits.
Also, Singaporeans preferred Google over Yahoo, with Google Singapore and Google.com taking the top two spots and holding over three quarters of total share of visits to the top five search engines.
It seems forums don’t cut it for Singaporeans any more. The survey reveals social networking leading the way and Facebook, YouTube and Twitter taking a combined total share of visits of 66 per cent in the top 10 sites for social networking and forums.
Among social networking sites, Facebook continues to maintain its social networking dominance as the top search term driving traffic to the computers and Internet category.
Key social insights from Experian’s inaugural half-year online analysis in other areas are as follows:
Automotive
• Interactive platforms that offer different types of motoring information are king of automotive resources, with SGCarMart.com and MyCarForum holding a one-two lead over other websites in the list of top 10 automotive websites.
• Singaporeans showed a preference for continental car brands over Asian car brands, with Audi, Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen outranking Toyota and Honda 3-to-2 in the top five manufacturer rankings.
• In a country governed by speed limits, Singaporeans seem to have a taste for speed online, with F1-related websites taking five of the top 10 websites for motorsport.
• SGCarMart.com, a local motoring resource was the top search term driving traffic to the automotive category, accounting for almost four per cent of total search clicks
Entertainment
• Singaporeans love anything visual with the top five entertainment sites searched for including Razor TV, xinmsn Entertainment, Channel NewsAsia and Tudou.com, with YouTube leading the pack with 22 per cent of total share of visits.
• Singaporeans showed great interest in Japanese comics, with the top 10 animation and comics sites all being popular sites for Japanese manga. The top four sites; Manga Fox, MangaStream, AnimeCrazy.net and Mangareader together held 41 per cent of total share of visits.
• Asian-made games experienced continued popularity among Singaporeans, with Maple Story, MapleSEA, Asiasoft Forums and Warriors of the 3 Kingdoms being some of the most popular gaming websites searched.
• A preference for movies at Golden Village (GV) over Cathay Cineplexes was revealed, with GV taking almost 10 per cent of total share of visits and Cathay claiming only five per cent of total share of visits.
• YouTube took top spot as the most searched for term driving traffic to the entertainment category, claiming almost three per cent of search clicks.
Lifestyle
• Beauty talk among Singaporeans was high on the agenda at the CozyCot (25 per cent) and Flowerpod (24 per cent) forums, with both websites taking first and second in rankings for most popular beauty websites.
• Singaporeans shopped everywhere for good fashion online, with local brands like Forever 21 and ASUS popping up alongside international brands like Kate Spade, Coach, Louis Vuitton and Victoria’s Secret in a top 10 ranking of fashion websites.
• The local homosexual community showered favouritism on Trevvy.com, which took 31 per cent of total share of visits, with Blowing Wind Gay Forum and fridae.com taking second and third places.
• The Temasek Review, an Internet newspaper which reported on socio-political affairs in Singapore, was the top term driving traffic to the lifestyle category over the last six months.
Sports
• Singaporeans love soccer more than any other sport locally with soccer-related sites like ESPN Soccernet, LiveScore.com, AsianBookie.com, Goal.com and Footytube collectively taking almost 30 per cent of total share of visits among the top 10 listed sports sites.
• Singaporeans showed their love for betting online, particularly on horse races, exploring not just local sites like the Singapore Turf Club, but also searching for regional websites including The Hong Kong Jockey Club, Pan Malaysia Pools, Sky Racing and TAB Racing NSW and Victoria.
• Liverpool seems to have earned itself more fans than Manchester United, ranking fifth in the list of most popular soccer websites while Manchester United took sixth place.
• Soccernet by ESPN was the top search term driving traffic to the sports category, accounting for 2.3 per cent of search clicks.
Tags: Social networking
- wong chee tat :)
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
S'pore ranks 4th in expatriate corporate assignments
S'pore ranks 4th in expatriate corporate assignments
By Jo-ann Huang | Posted: 14 December 2010 2018 hrs
SINGAPORE : Singapore ranks fourth in the world for expatriate corporate assignments, after the United States, the United Kingdom and China, according to the latest survey by global human resources consultant, ECA International.
ECA attributed this to Singapore's position as an Asian services hub.
There are 1.3 million non-residents living in Singapore, according to government data.
The year-end ECA survey also highlighted that Singapore is the 8th most expensive place for expatriates to live in Asia, catching up with both Hong Kong and Guangzhou.
This is mainly due to the 8 per cent gain in the Singapore dollar against the US currency this year.
Lee Quane, regional director, Asia ECA International, said: "Looking at the comparison between Singapore and Hong Kong, two years ago, Singapore was about 15 per cent cheaper based on our cost of living study, which looks at things such as a person's day-to-day personal consumption. However now, it is only 2 per cent."
- CNA/al
- wong chee tat :)
By Jo-ann Huang | Posted: 14 December 2010 2018 hrs
SINGAPORE : Singapore ranks fourth in the world for expatriate corporate assignments, after the United States, the United Kingdom and China, according to the latest survey by global human resources consultant, ECA International.
ECA attributed this to Singapore's position as an Asian services hub.
There are 1.3 million non-residents living in Singapore, according to government data.
The year-end ECA survey also highlighted that Singapore is the 8th most expensive place for expatriates to live in Asia, catching up with both Hong Kong and Guangzhou.
This is mainly due to the 8 per cent gain in the Singapore dollar against the US currency this year.
Lee Quane, regional director, Asia ECA International, said: "Looking at the comparison between Singapore and Hong Kong, two years ago, Singapore was about 15 per cent cheaper based on our cost of living study, which looks at things such as a person's day-to-day personal consumption. However now, it is only 2 per cent."
- CNA/al
- wong chee tat :)
Fewer people intend to pursue further studies: survey
Fewer people intend to pursue further studies: survey
By Saifulbahri Ismail | Posted: 14 December 2010 1419 hrs
SINGAPORE: With an improving economy, it seems job seekers now have the upper hand when it comes to looking for work.
Employment portal JobsCentral said with less of an immediate need to upgrade themselves, its online survey of 5,001 respondents showed that fewer people in Singapore are intending to pursue further education.
71.4 per cent of the respondents indicated that they would continue with further studies, compared with 79.3 per cent last year.
JobsCentral said this is likely due to changing priorities on the part of working professionals in Singapore.
It added that the strong economic recovery has reduced unemployment and it is increasingly becoming a jobseeker's market.
As such, working professionals no longer feel an immediate need to upgrade themselves. They are also less willing to spend on getting that extra certificate.
Among those who intend to pursue a bachelor's degree, 60.1 per cent are willing to pay S$20,000 or more, down from last year's 64.8 per cent.
JobsCentral also attributed this to the strong economy and tight employment where workers feel more confident in their professional future.
The JobsCentral Learning Survey was conducted online from August 23 to September 13.
- CNA/ac/al
- wong chee tat :)
By Saifulbahri Ismail | Posted: 14 December 2010 1419 hrs
SINGAPORE: With an improving economy, it seems job seekers now have the upper hand when it comes to looking for work.
Employment portal JobsCentral said with less of an immediate need to upgrade themselves, its online survey of 5,001 respondents showed that fewer people in Singapore are intending to pursue further education.
71.4 per cent of the respondents indicated that they would continue with further studies, compared with 79.3 per cent last year.
JobsCentral said this is likely due to changing priorities on the part of working professionals in Singapore.
It added that the strong economic recovery has reduced unemployment and it is increasingly becoming a jobseeker's market.
As such, working professionals no longer feel an immediate need to upgrade themselves. They are also less willing to spend on getting that extra certificate.
Among those who intend to pursue a bachelor's degree, 60.1 per cent are willing to pay S$20,000 or more, down from last year's 64.8 per cent.
JobsCentral also attributed this to the strong economy and tight employment where workers feel more confident in their professional future.
The JobsCentral Learning Survey was conducted online from August 23 to September 13.
- CNA/ac/al
- wong chee tat :)
HDB flats could be completely powered by sunlight in future
HDB flats could be completely powered by sunlight in future
By Liang Kaixin | Posted: 14 December 2010 2049 hrs
SINGAPORE : HDB flats throughout Singapore could be completely powered by sunlight in future.
With the first phase of HDB's largest solar power project finally complete, three neighbourhoods can now rely on the sun for 80 per cent of their electricity. And HDB hopes to improve that figure to 100 per cent.
Some HDB blocks in Bukit Panjang have each been installed with 30 to 35 kilowatt peak solar panels.
From September to November, similar panels were installed at Tampines and Marine Parade.
The effectiveness of these panels will be monitored over a year, where they power various common services like corridor lights and lifts.
Currently, most solar energy devices are used in colder regions like Germany and Japan.
Ng Bingrong, a senior executive engineer at HDB, said: "Unlike most overseas installations, Singapore's weather conditions are a bit different. We are hotter, wetter, and we have higher humidity. So these various climatic conditions can affect solar power generations. So these are some of the things we want to study, how we can acclimatise the system to perform better in our context."
The solar panels can last some 20 years.
Two years ago, the HDB successfully carried out smaller-scale experiments in Serangoon North and Sembawang - achieving some 40 per cent energy savings.
HDB said that by 2015, 30 precincts will have such solar panels installed under a S$31 million programme.
With more than 80 per cent of Singaporeans living in HDB estates, residents hope these solar panels can eventually reduce their electricity bill.
- CNA/ms
- wong chee tat :)
By Liang Kaixin | Posted: 14 December 2010 2049 hrs
SINGAPORE : HDB flats throughout Singapore could be completely powered by sunlight in future.
With the first phase of HDB's largest solar power project finally complete, three neighbourhoods can now rely on the sun for 80 per cent of their electricity. And HDB hopes to improve that figure to 100 per cent.
Some HDB blocks in Bukit Panjang have each been installed with 30 to 35 kilowatt peak solar panels.
From September to November, similar panels were installed at Tampines and Marine Parade.
The effectiveness of these panels will be monitored over a year, where they power various common services like corridor lights and lifts.
Currently, most solar energy devices are used in colder regions like Germany and Japan.
Ng Bingrong, a senior executive engineer at HDB, said: "Unlike most overseas installations, Singapore's weather conditions are a bit different. We are hotter, wetter, and we have higher humidity. So these various climatic conditions can affect solar power generations. So these are some of the things we want to study, how we can acclimatise the system to perform better in our context."
The solar panels can last some 20 years.
Two years ago, the HDB successfully carried out smaller-scale experiments in Serangoon North and Sembawang - achieving some 40 per cent energy savings.
HDB said that by 2015, 30 precincts will have such solar panels installed under a S$31 million programme.
With more than 80 per cent of Singaporeans living in HDB estates, residents hope these solar panels can eventually reduce their electricity bill.
- CNA/ms
- wong chee tat :)
Hearty Christmas tree sets record
Hearty Christmas tree sets record
By Evelyn Choo | Posted: 11 December 2010 2057 hrs
SINGAPORE: A local beauty company is having a hearty Christmas and setting a new Singapore record while at it.
Estetica organised a fundraiser and collected 30,000 paper hearts which were used to make the tallest Christmas tree in Singapore, eight metres to be exact.
Collected over three weeks, each paper heart represents a $2 donation.
The $60,000 proceeds will go to MILK (Mainly I Love Kids) fund for disadvantaged children.
The Christmas tree is standing at Plaza Singapura on Orchard Road.
- CNA/ir
- wong chee tat :)
By Evelyn Choo | Posted: 11 December 2010 2057 hrs
SINGAPORE: A local beauty company is having a hearty Christmas and setting a new Singapore record while at it.
Estetica organised a fundraiser and collected 30,000 paper hearts which were used to make the tallest Christmas tree in Singapore, eight metres to be exact.
Collected over three weeks, each paper heart represents a $2 donation.
The $60,000 proceeds will go to MILK (Mainly I Love Kids) fund for disadvantaged children.
The Christmas tree is standing at Plaza Singapura on Orchard Road.
- CNA/ir
- wong chee tat :)
School bus operators set to raise fees next year
School bus operators set to raise fees next year
By Seet Sok Hwee | Posted: 13 December 2010 2057 hrs
SINGAPORE : The increase in oil and rubber prices, as well as insurance premiums, has hit school bus operators hard.
As a result, many have decided to increase their fees by between 10 and 20 per cent next year.
Operators say diesel prices have increased by up to 35 per cent since last year, hitting S$1.46 per litre.
Insurance premiums for a small 11-seater bus have more than doubled to about S$2,000. For bigger buses, the increase has been between 35 and 50 per cent over the last year.
Operators say tyre prices have also increased by about 40 per cent over the last year, and are expected to go up further.
The Singapore School Transport Association (SSTA) says given that school bus fees have been maintained at almost the same rate for about three years, it is reasonable to expect operators to raise prices.
Wong Ann Lin, chairman, SSTA, said: "Presently, you can see our neighbourhood charge is only, maybe, about 40-50 dollars, so I think still below cost. For the longer (trips) ... we are charging ... about $150. I think we are still considered as very practical."
- CNA/al
- wong chee tat :)
By Seet Sok Hwee | Posted: 13 December 2010 2057 hrs
SINGAPORE : The increase in oil and rubber prices, as well as insurance premiums, has hit school bus operators hard.
As a result, many have decided to increase their fees by between 10 and 20 per cent next year.
Operators say diesel prices have increased by up to 35 per cent since last year, hitting S$1.46 per litre.
Insurance premiums for a small 11-seater bus have more than doubled to about S$2,000. For bigger buses, the increase has been between 35 and 50 per cent over the last year.
Operators say tyre prices have also increased by about 40 per cent over the last year, and are expected to go up further.
The Singapore School Transport Association (SSTA) says given that school bus fees have been maintained at almost the same rate for about three years, it is reasonable to expect operators to raise prices.
Wong Ann Lin, chairman, SSTA, said: "Presently, you can see our neighbourhood charge is only, maybe, about 40-50 dollars, so I think still below cost. For the longer (trips) ... we are charging ... about $150. I think we are still considered as very practical."
- CNA/al
- wong chee tat :)
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