<ul><li>Realme has launched the Watch S Pro in India with a price tag of ₹9,999. </li><li>It offers heart rate sensor, blood oxygen saturation (SpO2) monitor and built-in GPS, among other features. </li><li>It also comes with a round display, so if you’re a fan of traditional watch design, you will appreciate Realme’s offering. </li><li>We take a look at how the <keyword id="9884368" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="realme-watch-s-pro">Realme Watch S Pro</keyword> performs in real life. </li></ul>Realme recently expanded its wearables portfolio with the launch of the Watch S Pro. The new smartwatch from the company comes with some crucial improvements over its predecessor and takes on the likes of the Amazfit GTR 2 and the Mi Watch Revolve. The Realme Watch S Pro offers features like a heart rate monitor, built-in GPS, blood oxygen saturation measurement and more, at an affordable price point. I have been using the Realme Watch S Pro for the last two weeks and here’s my detailed review. <keyword id="10483373" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="realme-watch-s-pro-price">Realme Watch S Pro price</keyword> and availability The Realme Watch S Pro is priced at ₹9,999 and is available from Flipkart and the Realme online store. It is available with Black silicone straps and you can also purchase replaceable silicone straps for ₹499 each. You have the option to purchase the straps in Orange, Green and Blue colours. Realme Watch S Pro design and display The Realme Watch S Pro comes with a 46mm dial and thanks to its minimal bezels, the watch does not look too big on my wrist. It comes with a stainless-steel body and 22mm silicone straps that are comfortable and do not cause any irritation. <div type="image" title="Realme Watch S Pro" msid="80779991" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Realme Watch S Pro&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> It is easy to replace the straps and you can go with the straps offered by Realme or purchase any third-party 22mm strap. Coming to the display, it features a 1.39-inch circular AMOLED display with Corning Gorilla Glass protection. It comes with 450 nits brightness and is equipped with an ambient light sensor. The display is vibrant and at peak brightness is clearly visible outdoors. If you’re a fan of the traditional circular watch design, the Realme Watch S Pro is a good option. Realme Watch S Pro features The Realme Watch S Pro comes with a host of fitness features. In terms of sensors, it is equipped with a heart rate sensor, an accelerometer, a geomagnetic sensor, gyroscope and a wearing monitoring sensor. It offers 15 sports modes including cricket, swimming, basketball and yoga. It also offers sedentary and water reminders to help you stay active and hydrated. The Realme Watch S Pro allows you to monitor your heart rate, blood oxygen saturation (SpO2) levels, sleep quality and more. It offers 5ATM water resistance, allowing you to easily take it with you while swimming. The Realme Watch S Pro can be paired with the Realme Link app to easily view your health statistics and activity details. <div type="image" title="Realme Watch S Pro" msid="80779975" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;The Realme Link app shows steps, heart rate data and more.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> Realme Watch S Pro performance and battery life The Realme Watch comes with the company’s customised user interface, which is not as feature rich as WearOS. It offers a minimalistic experience and while the watch faces are not customisable, you have over 100 options to choose from. We compared the steps and distance covered on the Realme Watch S Pro with the Oppo Watch and the OnePlus Band. While the Oppo Watch and OnePlus Band displayed similar results, there was a variance of around 10% on the Realme Watch S Pro. On a positive note, sleep tracking and blood oxygen tracking was accurate on the Realme Watch S Pro. The heart rate tracking on the device is accurate as well. For verifying blood oxygen statistics, I used a certified oximeter and observed that the readings were similar. Coming to the battery life, the Realme Watch S Pro is equipped with a 390mAh battery. In our usage, we found that it offers excellent battery life and with always-on display turned on during the day, I managed to get around nine days of battery life. Verdict Realme gets plenty of things right with the Watch S Pro. The battery life is very impressive and important features like blood oxygen measurement, heart rate monitoring, and sleep tracking are accurate. Realme needs to fine-tune basics like activity and steps tracking to make this a complete package. Realme’s decision to stay away from Wear OS might be slightly surprising, but the Realme Link app works well and offers enough data points to keep a track of your fitness. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/amazfit-smartwatch-gts-2-review-feature-rich-but-theres-still-room-for-improvement/articleshow/80398998.cms">Amazfit GTS 2 review – feature-rich, but there’s still room for improvement</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/oppo-watch-review-the-best-wear-os-smartwatch-you-can-buy-right-now/articleshow/78031248.cms">Oppo Watch review – the best Wear OS smartwatch you can buy right now</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/gadgets/news/checkout-oneplus-fitness-band-review-on-price-features-and-performance/articleshow/80211717.cms">OnePlus Band review: OnePlus' first fitness band gets its features and price right but wish it had more finesse</a>

Realme Watch S Pro review – nailing the important features but the basics need more work

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Fresh details have emerged regarding Professional Fighters League and its business in 2022.</li><li>The company has committed to broadcast deals in the US, UK, and Latin America.</li></ul>LAS VEGAS — Fresh details have emerged regarding the <a href="https://www.insider.com/category/pfl" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Professional Fighters League</a>'s plans for its upcoming season on ESPN.<keyword id="11963477" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="pfl" source="Orion">PFL</keyword> <keyword id="11922276" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="mma" source="Orion">MMA</keyword> is an outlier in the combat <keyword id="11893855" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="sports" source="Orion">sports</keyword> landscape. Traditionally, fights are standalone matches designed to propel winners up the rankings until they, eventually, challenge their division's titleholder in a championship bout.PFL differs as the structure is designed to mimic American sports leagues like the MLS, NBA, or NFL, where fighters are pooled together in a group for regular-season matches.Those who collect the most points from their wins advance to the playoffs, where the winners from those bouts then collide in end-of-season championship fights that yield $1 million checks for those who triumph.In most years so far, those end-of-season fights take place on New Year's Eve. Last year, they were held in October.PFL founder and chairman <keyword id="13249506" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="donn-davis" source="Orion">Donn Davis</keyword> told Insider this week that, in 2022, the season will begin April 20 and conclude the day after Thanksgiving.Last year, pandemic-era events were held at the Ocean Casino Resort in Atlantic City, New Jersey, before they transitioned to the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel in Hollywood, Florida.Though Davis kept this year's locations under wraps ahead of an announcement in March, he did tell us that the 2022 season will feature three host cities and locations that can hold 4,000 fans in attendance at each event.Two of those locations are new territories for PFL. "One is a place we've been to before, which has worked well for us," Davis told us.It begins a new era for PFL — one in which the company is keen to boldly claim that it is the only real rival to the Las Vegas-based UFC, a $4.2 billion fight firm that dominates this marketplace.<h2>PFL is signing broadcast partnerships and is eyeing a PPV division</h2>Davis said the broadcast deals it has agreed "around the world in 160 countries" are often with a top-three outlet in those territories, "and not usually behind a paywall."Approximately 316,000 viewers tuned in to ESPN2 for the PFL's New Year's Eve show in 2019, <a href="https://frontofficesports.com/pfl-digital-content-growth/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to Front Office Sports</a>.The company put its live event operations on hold in 2020 because of the COVID-19 disruption but returned in 2021.Though PFL insiders were hoping for aggressive year-on-year growth, the 2021 PFL championship in October drew 166,000 viewers, <a href="https://www.mixedmartialarts.com/news/2021-pfl-championship-tv-ratings/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mixed Martial Arts reported at the time</a>.That setback failed to knock the company's confidence to grow, as it points to its potential audience caption share of 10 million viewers from those 160 countries — including Fubo Sports Network, ESPN in the US, and Channel 4 in the UK.With MMA being such a young sport, Davis said it's integral that fans — and potential fans — can easily access fights, and events, on TV."MMA is only 30 years old, and the next youngest sport is basketball, which is 75 years old," said Davis."This sport, and importantly the business of this sport, is just getting started. Then, when you look at big territories like India and China, it's really only just getting started."He added that fight fans will "never see a championship fight for free from the UFC" and said the PFL wants "to keep our best product around the world easy and free to access."Regardless, the company "wants to launch a pay-per-view division" in the future."There's room to have big fights and expensive fighters in a pay-per-view division," he said. "But we will keep a vast majority of our fights in this year, but in many years to come in free access TV.<h2>PFL's new Challenger Series feeds into its full-season format</h2><div type="image" title="Donn Davis in his seat at a PFL MMA event." height="1331" width="2000" msid="89813731" hostid="261"></div>PFL aired a new product — the Challenger Series — on Fubo TV earlier this month, and it's a new concept that is exciting Davis, as well as his boardroom colleague Peter Murray.Speaking to Sporting <keyword id="11893589" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="news" source="Orion">News</keyword>, Murray described the series as "American Idol meets MMA," whereas, for Davis, it creates real-life Rocky moments where unknown commodities breakthrough and can compete on the regular circuit on April 20."The Challenger Series features next-gen, emerging pro fighters — a real-life Rocky story where celebrities pick winners, and fans pick the winners," said Davis."It's not just one person deciding what talent is," he added, in reference to Dana White's Contender Series, which is a separate entity to the UFC and designed to funnel talent into that promotion.Fighters can win in their Contender Series bouts but must do so in a manner that impresses White so much he hands out UFC contracts at the end of each show."If you win a contract in the PFL Challenger Series, you're in the PFL this year," Davis emphasized. "You don't have to go to the back of the line, never to be seen again in the UFC. So you can go from being an unknown, fighting for $5,000, to a $1 million check in the same year, this year."For the PFL's upper brass, the benefit is that it can create their own homegrown stars.Davis points to the way in which Ray Sefo, who is head of fighter operations at PFL, discovered Ray Cooper III on the local circuit, fighting for $10,000 checks.Cooper is now a two-time MMA champion and a PFL multi-millionaire. "Someone like Ray Cooper is what the PFL produces," Davis said. "Fans love him, and he's damned good. He's an earned champion, not an awarded champion. That's what the PFL is all about."<h2>Who is the next Ray Cooper?</h2><div type="image" title="Ray Cooper III is one of PFL's premium fighters." height="1000" width="1500" msid="89813732" hostid="261"></div>One of the storylines fans should look out for this year, Davis says, is who out of the more unknown athletes in the PFL roster can become the new Ray Cooper.He also said there's a clear "revenge tour" going on as big-names who failed to win the $1 million check last year will be gunning to prove they still belong at the championship level in the sport."You've got Rory MacDonald, Anthony Pettis, and Magomed Magomedkerimov — they all lost, and lost big," said Davis. "Not a little. Big. And those are three [former] champions."They've got something to prove, and something to show. They've all been working extremely hard. Rory, Pettis, Maga — on a revenge-proving tour. That's storyline one."Two, you had cinderella champions — three champions that were 10/1 odds to win. Are they flashes in the pan, or are they the real deal? We shall see."And I think you always new talent. Jeremy Stephens," who is formerly of the UFC, "and others," Davis said. "We discover new talent every year, better than anyone else. UFC doesn't like new talent coming in."It requires a lot of marketing knowledge, and they're not a meritocracy-based organization. New talent makes their name in PFL exciting in maybe two years [with the promotion]."So who is going to make their name and become the next Ray Cooper III?"Additionally, Davis highlights fan experience innovations for those who watch along at home on TV — regardless of whether that's ref cam, making the cage disappear, or seeing what a ring walk is like from the point of view of a combatant."We invented the ghost cam, which makes the cage disappear when they're grappling on the mat, so you just see contestants, fighters, not even the cage."This year we continue that with the walk-out cam where you see the fighter's view from the walk-out to the cage. We show you what it feels like for those last 60 seconds from the locker room, to when the cage door closes."For Davis, these are things "you don't see in the UFC."But only time will tell if they can close the gap on the market-leading brand.

Fresh details emerge regarding the Professional Fighters League's upcoming season on ESPN

Jalandhar, Apr 10 () With Covid-19 lockdown resulting in a complete halt of trading activities, barring some essential commodities, the over Rs 2,000-crore sports industry of Jalandhar is having a harrowing time as the current situation has forced sport goods manufacturers to defer orders. With the nationwide lockdown enforced to contain the spread of novel coronavirus, the manufacturers of sport items here are apprehensive about their future going ahead amid indications that the government might decide to further extend the lockdown in view of rising virus cases in several parts of the country. A sports goods manufacturing hub, Jalandhar produces nearly 70 per cent of total India's sports goods and is a leading name in national and international brands of cricket, hockey, football, rugby and fitness range. In terms of international market, the industry exports material to the UK, Australia, South Africa, Germany, France, Netherlands, New Zealand and others. Alarmed over the situation, the industrialists while supporting the government's move of lockdown said that losses were imminent and the industry would be hit hard. Atul Madan, the owner of century-old Sarve Prakash and Company, Jalandhar, a leading name in Rugby Export in India, said that in the wake of Covid-19, all national and international borders were sealed and it was complete slowdown now. "Our export material including footballs, bats, sports accessories for New Zealand and South Africa were lying stuck at Delhi and Bombay Ports. Similarly, not just international sports events like soccer leagues, IPL, other tournaments but those in educational institutions across the country were also staring at an uncertain future as of now," he said, adding that post Covid-19, the government should provide comfortable liquidity and package to sustain the industry operations. Nitin Mahajan, the owner of AVM Sports and the general secretary of Sports and Toys Exporters Association, said a letter has been written to Principal Secretary to PM P K Mishra and Punjab Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal to sanction GST refunds on priority and increase the percentage of Merchandise Exports from India Scheme (MEIS) licences at least for this year and provide free Export Credit Gurantee Cooperation of India (ECGC) support for import and export to keep business afloat. The association also shared concerns that because sports goods do not come under 'essential items', this particular industry is facing lots of problems. "Lack of payment to dealers, distributors, corporates would affect the ability of manufacturers to pay dues to the employees. We have requested that the payments to the manufacturers related to government tenders, orders should be expedited once lockdown ends," Mahajan, whose AVM Sports is famous for cricket bats, cricket equipment and baseballs in India, shared. He also pointed out that schools, colleges, universities have been closed and stadiums might be taken over by the government for makeshift hospitals. "As sports industry is labour oriented, we would want the state government to save local employment and industry. Waiving or deferment of local taxes and minimum electricity charges for a period till the operations start is must," he said. The traders also mentioned that the sports industry was facing around Rs 2 to 3 crore loss in business every day. However, the total loss would be ascertained after the lockdown ends, it said. Rajesh Kharbanda, the managing director of Nivia Sports under the banner of Freewill Sports, said that other than the current crisis, manufacturers were concerned about the welfare of labourers too whom they paid salaries 10-days in advance. Apart from this, he hinted at the possible changes in sports business in terms of consumer behaviour. "Community sports like tournaments, gyms, marathons would witness a change because of social distancing. There was a big possibility that now people would prefer individual gym range and sports equipment in their houses like basketball and badminton courts abroad instead of going out. Even face masks would become compulsory to wear in the times to come," he said. Rajan Kohli, the managing director of TK Sports, renowned for Hockey, IPL jerseys for Kings XI Punjab, T-20 matches and Shrey Helmets for Cricket, said that no doubt business would go down but as of now the concern is that Covid-19 comes under control. "The central government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi was taking the best decisions to counter the pandemic. Business will come and go but right now we should support our country," he said. Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh has said the ongoing lockdown to contain the spread of coronavirus should continue, while noting that predictions by health experts about the spread of the pandemic are "horrendous and frightening". VSD MKJ

Covid-19 cripples Rs 2,000-crore Jalandhar sports industry

It’s one of the world’s best Tech company, and <keyword id="10387" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Microsoft">Microsoft</keyword> proves it just beautifully with one of the most employee-friendly environment it nurtures. 
 
It’s not just about easy and flexible working hours, but the company goes a lot beyond to ensure the comfort and leisure activities of the staff here. 
 You may feel jealous but how about let's just face it! Employees get 10% discount on stock, 15 paid time offs and 10 sick days, and 8 weeks of parental leave. We will give you a full list of other such provisions, but it’s important to note here that <keyword id="1057250" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Microsoft-employees">Microsoft employees</keyword> usually do not have strict professional rules to follow. They can work from office or home, schedule their meetings and plan out their day in the best possible manner. They set goals with the help of team managers and are expected to be on their own in planning how to best achieve them. There are no strict punching in or out mechanism in place therefore. Isn’t it just great? 
 
From dropping off your dry cleaning, joining in a pickup soccer, basketball or cricket game on the sports fields to playing an impromptu round of Xbox with co-workers, believe it or not, but here’s why this company has almost everyone wanting to become a part of it: 
 
Gyms and fitness: 
 
It offers paid memberships to full-service gyms or extra dollars in the pocket of employees to spend on their own fitness program. Btw, it gives free membership at its Sports PRO Club. 
 
On-campus retail shops and sports fields. 
 
Work is not just work, but work and play. Microsoft US has a in-campus social hub, The Commons, which offers a salon and mini-day spa, mail center, bank and 11 different restaurants. If you love adventure sports, imagine spending your free time browsing through retail shops for the latest bike and ski gear within the campus. 
 
Sports equipment check out. 
 
If you need a break, check out Frisbees, basketballs, soccer balls, bocce balls, footballs, volleyballs and even bicycles to enjoy the most the campus has to offer. 
 
On-campus cafes and kitchens. 
 
The Redmond campus alone has 33 cafes, 37 espresso stands and 500 kitchenettes stocked with 35 different types of free beverages. WOW!! Microsoft employees eat 35,000 meals a day, and this company is the only “3 star green” corporate dining operation in the world! 
 
Microsoft Connector shuttle and bus fleet. 
 
55 wi-fi and power-enabled coaches and shuttles transport employees from their Seattle-area homes to work and back, saving 2,00,000 car rides per year. Once on campus, the shuttles make hopping from building to building quick and easy. India is still far is getting this service from any company. 
 
l clubs. 
 
From dodgeball to photography to theater, Microsoft has probably got the social club for you. If it hasn’t, it says, start one! 
 
Discounts. 
 
Employees enjoy substantial savings on purchasing Microsoft products through their company store at throwaway prices. They can take advantage of tons of nationwide and local lifestyle discounts, like restaurants, travel, spa services, pet care, and car repair. They also get special offers and discounts for technology, arts, entertainment and sporting events. 
 
Flexibility. 
 
Whether you are an early bird or a late riser, flexible work hours allow you to work here when you are at your best. The best part is - Dress code is simple: You have your own style; we expect you to bring it – the company says. 
 
And the last one is Electric car charging stations. 
 
This is just awesome. Employees access the ChargePoint Network, an open-platform network of electric vehicle charging stations which have been laid out throughout the Redmond campus as well as all Microsoft offices around the globe.

The Benefits and Perks of Working with Microsoft

Welcome to Finance Insider, Business Insider's summary of the top stories of the past 24 hours.When Valeant Pharmaceuticals' secret relationship with a pharmacy that sold its drugs directly to consumers was exposed last year, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/leaked-valeant-documents-show-philidor-strategy-2016-11">the company first tried to downplay its importance</a>.It turns out that Valeant had a sales plan dubbed the "Philidor strategy" to use the pharmacy and increase the volume of shipments for two of its drugs. The strategy is detailed in an internal Valeant presentation obtained by Business Insider, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/leaked-valeant-documents-show-philidor-strategy-2016-11">and the l</a><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/leaked-valeant-documents-show-philidor-strategy-2016-11">eaked documents shed light on the defunct pharmacy that brought Valeant to its knees</a>.According to the documents, Valeant <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/valeant-solodyn-sales-show-how-drugmakers-interact-with-middlemen-2016-11">used a simple strategy to get insurers to pay for a $1,000 drug with $100 alternatives</a>. On Tuesday, the stock was <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/valeant-pharmaceuticals-q3-2016-earnings-2016-11">getting decimated after a weak earnings report</a>. Judging by the analyst call, Valeant is still <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/valeant-pays-high-rebates-to-sell-drugs-2016-11">using some of the pages from the Philidor playbook</a>.Heading back to election news:<ul><li><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/electoral-college-projection-clinton-trump-2016-11">It could be a nail-biter, but Clinton's ahead in the last day</a></li><li><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/election-day-could-trump-win-clinton-2016-11">The Trump phenomenon, the biggest story of the campaign, comes to a dramatic conclusion</a></li><li><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/trump-booed-polling-place-nyc-2016-11">Trump was booed upon arriving at his polling place in New York City</a></li><li><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/final-thoughts-on-the-2016-electoin-2016-11">BARRO: The core question of the 2016 election is stupidly simple</a></li><li><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/market-update-november-8-2016-2016-11">Markets are jumping on Election Day</a></li><li><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/mexican-peso-and-japanese-yen-during-us-presidential-election-2016-11">The Mexican peso is climbing and the yen is tumbling</a></li><li><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/wall-street-bracing-for-brexit-style-trading-after-us-election-2016-11">The big banks are boosting staff in preparation for Brexit-style tumult in markets after the election</a></li><li><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/r-banks-warn-clients-to-brace-for-fx-volatility-after-us-vote-2016-11">Banks have warned clients to brace for FX volatility after the election</a></li><li><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/real-vision-tv-harald-malmgren-2016-11">MALMGREN: "We're going to have a period of chaos and gridlock"</a></li><li><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/biggest-company-stock-winners-from-trump-clinton-election-victory-2016-11">The companies that could be the biggest winners from a Trump or Clinton victory</a></li><li><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/prop-61-california-drug-prices-pharmaceutical-industry-2016-11">The most expensive ballot measure in California is coming down to the wire</a></li><li><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/jolts-job-openings-and-labor-turnover-survey-september-2016-2016-11">The rate of layoffs in America is at a record low</a></li><li><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/wage-pressure-concern-for-markets-outside-election-2016-11">There's a huge concern for the stock market - and it's not the election</a></li><li><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/donald-trump-boeing-757-airliner-trump-force-one-private-jet-2016-11">Check out Donald Trump's $100 million personal Boeing airliner</a></li></ul>Elsewhere, rental car giant <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/hertz-global-holdings-q3-2016-earnings-stock-tanking-2016-11">Hertz crashed almost 50% after disastrous earnings</a>. CVS plunged 16% after <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/cvs-reports-q3-earnings-cuts-guidance-2016-11">cutting its guidance and citing "slowing prescription growth."</a> And Tesla is <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/tesla-is-buying-a-german-engineering-company-to-automate-its-factories-2016-11">buying a German engineering company to automate factories</a>.On Wall Street, a whole bunch of <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/goldman-sachs-partners-what-it-means-2016-11">Goldman Sachs' top staff are nervously hoping for a call from CEO Lloyd Blankfein</a>. There's only one <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/the-us-vs-europe-for-bankers-2016-11">place in the world to be an investment banker</a>. And <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/r-moves-credit-suisse-hires-software-investment-banker-memo-2016-11">Credit Suisse has hired a new software banker</a>.Lastly, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/warriors-announcer-predicts-stephen-curry-record-2016-11">Stephen Curry is pretty good at basketball</a>. Here are the top Wall Street headlines at midday<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/real-vision-tv-tl-tsim-the-enemy-for-china-is-within-2016-11">The enemy for China is within</a> - For one of Hong Kong's leading political commentators - with an insider's perspective of China's rich history - it's not the currency, capital flight or a peasant uprising that's keeping him awake at night.<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/deutsche-bank-research-on-reaching-peak-globalisation-2016-11">DEUTSCHE BANK: 'Bye, bye globalisation'</a> - Globalisation has reached its peak and we're about to witness an unwinding of the trend that has dominated economics and trade for decades, according to one of Deutsche Bank's best-known strategists.<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/why-teslas-model-3-could-change-the-auto-industry-2016-11">Here's how the Tesla Model 3 could change the auto industry forever</a> - There have been effectively two massive innovations in the auto industry.<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/r-british-banker-found-guilty-in-hong-kong-double-murder-trial-2016-11">British banker found guilty in Hong Kong double murder trial</a> - A Hong Kong jury on Tuesday found Cambridge-educated British banker Rurik Jutting guilty of murdering two Indonesian women that he confessed to killing in his luxury apartment two years ago.<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/chinas-trade-performance-remained-weak-in-october-2016-11">China's trade performance remained weak in October</a> - Chinese trade data missed to the downside in October with the value of exports and imports both undershooting expectations, at least in US dollar terms.<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/india-ending-500-and-1000-rupee-bills-to-fight-corruption-2016-11">India is withdrawing all of its 500 and 1000 rupee bills to fight 'black money and corruption'</a> - Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday announced that 500 and 1000 rupee banknotes would be withdrawn from the financial system at midnight, saying it was part of a crackdown on rampant corruption.<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/real-vision-tv-doug-noland-on-central-bank-bubble-2016-11">NOLAND: 'It's a global bubble. And the markets believe they'll do anything to keep it going'</a> - The global bubble that central banks have kept afloat for the past eight years, based on sovereign and government debt, as well as central bank credit, runs right to the heart of the monetary system.<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/sallie-krawcheck-bad-money-advice-money-mistake-2016-11">The 'bad' money advice people need to stop taking, according to former Wall Street executive Sallie Krawcheck</a> - From <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-tell-if-you-can-afford-to-buy-a-house-2016-11" target="_blank">home-buying affordability</a> guides to <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/most-important-money-strategy-before-getting-married-2016-11" target="_blank">pre-wedding financial wisdom</a>, there's a ton of money advice out there. And while much of it is helpful, some tips can be detrimental.

What you need to know on Wall Street right now

How do VCs answer the question-“Should I invest in this Startup?” 
 Before I get to that, I’ll quickly digress to share the story of a remarkable sporting achievement that gave more impetus to a hitherto, underused method for evaluation of <keyword id="6362513" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="Startups">startups</keyword>. 
 
Back in 2002, the Oakland Athletics baseball team created history by finishing first in their division. 
 
No mean feat, especially when you are an underdog, with severe financial limitations and having lost 3 of your best players to the elite teams. And then to top it all, going on to set an American League record for the longest win streak with 20 consecutive wins. 
 
More interestingly, the way in which the Oakland A’s achieved all of this was so incredible and unique at the same time, that it inspired a <a href="http://www.amazon.in/Moneyball-Art-Winning-Unfair-Game/dp/0393324818">book</a> (which went on to become a bestseller) and a Hollywood <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1210166/">movie</a> starring <keyword id="3557" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Brad-Pitt">Brad Pitt</keyword> that received 6 Academy Award nominations including one for Best Picture. The movie’s screenplay, was written by no less than <keyword id="377733" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Aaron-Sorkin">Aaron Sorkin</keyword> (of The Social Network and Steve Jobs fame). 
 The book details how <keyword id="784180" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Billy-Beane">Billy Beane</keyword>, Oakland Athletics’ General Manager, and the brain behind what came to be known as the ‘<keyword id="248886" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="100" keywordseo="Moneyball">Moneyball</keyword>’ strategy catapulted them to unprecedented success with 4 more division crowns. 
 
Moneyball in a nutshell 
In sports, the Moneyball model is about finding undervalued (or under-the-radar) players and buying them on the cheap to put together a competitive team. 
 
It gets you the maximum bang for your buck using data and detailed analysis to identify value, which your non-moneyball competitors are yet to spot. They do this by measuring in-game activity of players to make cost-effective purchase decisions through comparison and heavy use of statistics. 
 
It has been used extensively in baseball, basketball and football, with remarkable success. 
 
Moneyball and Consensus 
In his recent article titled, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/The-Selection-Dilemma/articleshow/55028022.cms">The Selection Dilemma</a>, Kae Capital’s Shubhankar Bhattacharya, talks about Indian skipper, MS Dhoni, getting selected into national team despite non-consensus amongst selectors (such scenes play out quite often in the movie Moneyball as well). 
 
In the context of Dhoni’s selection, it could be argued that it might not have been entirely, an emotional decision. Perhaps, those selectors who pushed his case for inclusion were playing Moneyball in their heads. 
 
Let me elaborate… 
 
Although conventional wisdom suggests relying on batting averages or runs scored to determine who the better batsmen is, the Moneyball approach would not consider it to be an effective metric at all. Depending on the format of the game (test/ ODI/ T20), it would consider other, more effective metrics, given the team’s requirement or objective for a particular position. In this case, that happened to align with the stated reason by then captain Sourav Ganguly for Dhoni’s inclusion over fellow wicketkeeper-batman, Dinesh Karthik (who had scored more runs than Dhoni in domestic matches that season). 
 
Ganguly mentioned that he needed a batsmen who could perform under pressure on a bigger stage. In Moneyball terms, that probably maps to higher strike rate, runs scored and partnerships stands specifically in the slog/ death overs or while batting second in internationals. Did Dhoni’s stats better Karthik’s in that regard? Unfortunately, I do not have the data. But, his inclusion was justified when he consistently finished tight games for the national side, filling in a precise requirement. 
 
The Game VCs play – Selection or Moneyball? 
Coming back to the article, Shubhankar, goes on to elaborate on how the job of a VC is akin to that of the selector, in identifying promising startups that have been overlooked or misunderstood and hence passed on by other investors. He further illustrates via a 2x2 matrix on how the most successful bets come from non-consensus investments that are not necessarily backed by data or even common sense. 
 
But, if data can really provide actionable decisions, then why do VCs still largely rely on their ‘gut feeling’ or go by their ‘instinct’ before investing? 
 
The Moneyball Dilemma 
That’s because you cannot solely rely on statistics to tell you everything about a startup. Some things cannot be measured statistically or accurately — like a founder’s grit, or for that matter, the craziness of an idea! 
 
Just like sometimes, the only way a coach/ manager/ selector can assess certain qualities of a player, is to watch him/her play, VCs like to assess founders too, over several months and many meetings before they take a bet. 
 
Data scientists, however, would argue that everything can be measured — if you can see it and discriminate it based on those values, a stat can be made for it. According to them, a stat being unavailable only means that the stat doesn’t exist, yet! 
 
They might have a point. 
 
Given the massive advances in machine learning, the Moneyball approach can not only throw data points, but also help find the narrative in that data and its impact (there’s already <a href="http://www.theaivc.com/">AIVC</a> — the world’s first Venture Capital fund powered entirely by Artificial Intelligence). 
 
Coming back to the first question… 
How does a VC answer the question, “Should I invest in this Startup” 
 
I believe the answer will always be a mix of the emotional and the rational. 
 
The emotional ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ determines the faith the VC has in the team and the idea; and the rational will always be a percentage that goes something like, 
 
“There’s a 72.8% chance that the startup will attract follow-on funding” 
 
or 
 
“a 48.2% probability that this startup gets acquired” 
 
or 
 
“a 12.9% chance this startup will list publicly in the next 8 years.” 
 
The latter, in fact, is based more on the evaluation of business models and traction gained. And in that, it aligns with those startups in the [Successful + Consensus] quadrant, which will almost always give less than ideal or maximum returns. The reason is because investors make a beeline to invest in those companies that seem to have everything going right. Thus providing diminishing returns as their value is driven up. 
 
Having said that, investors and founders alike, need to move towards an increasingly advanced set of statistics and make it a bigger part of public discussion when it comes to determining performance of startups. That would mean the media would need to play an active role in the process by not glorifying vanity metrics such as GMV or number of app downloads or number of items sold. A case in point being the recent <a href="http://qz.com/274278/the-real-reason-why-indias-shopping-websites-are-at-each-others-throats-this-week/">war</a> <a href="http://www.livemint.com/Companies/BhnTNmAinnOChvZLwMe86M/Indias-ecommerce-war.html">of</a> <a href="http://www.indiatimes.com/news/india/now-flipkart-and-amazon-fight-over-no-1-spot-in-terms-of-diwali-sales-264705.html">words</a> between the CEOs of Flipkart and Amazon India over Dussera and Diwali sales figures. 
 
Such efforts can also help reign in valuation bubbles. Overvaluing and over-investing, in startups or business models, that are fundamentally broken or flawed, can be thus controlled when the industry moves towards a ‘gold standard' for evaluation via metrics. 
 
Also, such complex metrics would also help overcome the conundrum posed by <a href="http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/Goodharts-law.html">Goodhart’s Law</a>, as these metrics will be hard to game. 
 
Final thoughts 
In the end, both approaches try to find value where it is not immediately apparent. However, many questions remain to be answered as one system cannot completely replace the other. To choose one, would be ill-advised and plain foolish. 
 
Perhaps, if VCs can evaluate their bets in retrospect and share the data, it could merit a follow-up article. If you had like to reach out in that regard (or even otherwise), I’m on <a href="https://twitter.com/prajaret">Twitter</a> and <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/praveenrajaretnam">LinkedIn</a>.

Playing Moneyball with Startups — the Metrics Dilemma

'One Billion Americans' author Matt Yglesias on increasing immigration, encouraging larger families, and why he signed the 'infamous Harper's letter'

AirAsia is the world's best low-cost airline, according to the aviation ratings agency Skytrax. The airline's long-haul subsidiary AirAsiaX also finished second on the list. 
Now gaining negative attention worldwide after the disappearance of AirAsia flight 8501, AirAsia has in fact topped the Skytrax ratings six years in a row. 
That's quite an achievement for an airline that was on the brink failure little more than a decade ago.&#xa0;
The man at the heart of the airline's spectacular rise is its charismatic CEO Tony Fernandes.&#xa0;
Before AirAsia became a multibillion-dollar aviation juggernaut, it was a small, struggling airline owned by the Malaysian Government.
It consisted of nothing more than two aging Boeing 737 jets, 250 employees, and one route. Not to mention $40 million of debt.&#xa0;
Together with several partners, Fernandes took control of AirAsia from the Malaysian government in December 2001. He paid 29 cents and assumed the airline's massive liabilities.
Fernandes, then a 37-year-old music executive, had absolutely no aviation experience to speak of, but he did understand entrepreneurship and the leisure and entertainment market in Southeast Asia.
Born in Malaysia and educated at the London School of Economics, Fernandes began his career at Richard Branson's Virgin Communications in the mid-1980s. He rose to the position of financial controller before moving to Warner Music International's London operation in 1989. Fernandes was chosen to lead Warner's operation in Malaysia as its managing director before being put in charge of its whole Southeast Asia division.&#xa0;

Taking a cue from Southwest Airlines, Fernandes built his airline on cheap fares, quality service, and quick turnarounds for its planes.
The airline quickly <a href="http://www.airasia.com/my/en/about-us/ir-annual-reports.page" target="_blank">reached profitability</a>&#xa0;and remained in the black.&#xa0;
The Kuala Lumpur-based AirAsia - together with its subsidiaries in Indonesia, India, Thailand, and the Philippines - now operates a fleet of more than 160 Airbus A320 and A330 series jets transporting more than 230 million passengers per year.
The airline had fewer than 300 employees in 2001. It now has more than 15,000.
Fernandes didn't stop with AirAsia. The airline is just one piece of his sprawling Tune Group, which includes a line of trendy no-frills hotels in Asia and the UK, along with investments in professional basketball and the Caterham Formula One racing team.&#xa0;
"What does the market want? Nine times out of 10, when you go for what the market wants, it's something that's different," <a href="http://knowledge.insead.edu/leadership-management/strategy/ceo-view-tony-fernandes-of-airasia-2108" target="_blank">Fernandes told INSEAD Business School's Knowledge publication</a>&#xa0;in 2007. "But we weren't the first to invent low-cost travel, we weren't the first to invent a low-cost hotel."
"We've taken it to another level, but we've been a bit Japanese in taking it, and adapting it, and making it better for our part of the world," Fernandes added.
AirAsia may have adapted an existing business model, but it has revolutionized the way people travel in Southeast Asia. 
In a marketplace traditionally dominated by regional powers like Singapore, Thai, and Malaysia Airlines, AirAsia's rise to prominence has left the aviation establishment scrambling to compete in the short-haul business. &#xa0;
While all three national airlines have remained highly rated for their service, their financial stability has been shaken by an influx of low-cost upstarts, led by AirAsia. 
Singapore has taken a proactive approach by launching budget subsidiaries: SilkAir and Scoot.&#xa0;
Malaysia Airlines may be AirAsia's biggest victim. Even before the tragic disappearance of MH370 and shooting down of MH17 this year, Malaysia Airlines has been struggling. The airline's regional business has been decimated; the national airline's more traditional business structure hasn't been able to cope with AirAsia's lean, mean strategy.
With the disappearance of AirAsia flight 8501, the airline and its charismatic leader will face their greatest challenge to date. The probable tragic loss of the flight may be a turning point in the airline's story. But given Fernandes' track record, AirAsia should be up to the task.

AirAsia CEO Tony Fernandes Turned A 29-Cent Investment Into A Billion-Dollar Empire

When you're on vacation, some hotels will make you feel like royalty - and others will treat you like it.
These 21 opulent hotel suites are guaranteed to do just that.
Most are accompanied by a lofty price tag, but when they include personal butlers, pillow service, and once-in-a-lifetime views, you should make sure they get onto your bucket list.
<h3>The two-bedroom Plateau Villa, Laucala Island Resort, Fiji</h3>
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Nightly rate: <a href="https://www.yourreservation.net/tb3/index.cfm?bf=HLLW2850&amp;plprun=1&amp;_=1373959546685">From about $7,900</a>
Imagine waking up, stepping out onto the yoga deck, and enjoying coffee or tea while looking out over Laucala Island's coconut plantations. It's not a bad way to live. More than 1,800 square feet of living space, plus an outdoor garden, bathing area, and dining pavilions allows guests to live in luxury the entirety of their stay. The Hilltop Estate is even more over-the-top , but available to stay by invite or application only - and will run you <a href="http://www.cntraveler.com/galleries/2014-12-12/the-most-expensive-hotel-suites-in-the-world/5">about $40,000 a night</a>.
<h3>The Bridge Suite at Atlantis Paradise Island, Bahamas</h3>
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Nightly rate: <a href="http://www.mandatory.com/2012/10/12/12-of-the-most-expensive-hotel-rooms-in-the-world/7" target="_blank">About $25,000</a>
Suspended between Atlantis' Royal Towers 16 stories off the ground, the <a href="http://www.atlantis.com/accommodations/royaltowers/bridgesuite.aspx" target="_blank">Bridge Suite</a> is the most opulent accommodation at the Bahamas' premiere luxury resort destination. Take in the views of Paradise Island from the 12-foot, floor-to-ceiling windows, and indulge in the suite's unique amenities,like the piano in the living room, twin entertainment centers, a 24-karat gold chandelier, and a dedicated wait staff of seven.
<h3>Finch Hatton's Suite at Giraffe Manor, Kenya</h3>
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Nightly rate: <a href="http://www.thesafaricollection.resrequest.com/reservation.php?20+++++WB5+">From $1,130</a>
Built in 1932 and modeled on a Scottish hunting lodge, Kenya's <a href="http://www.tamimiea.com/giraffe-manor/giraffe-manor-accommodation.html#rooms" target="_blank">Giraffe Manor</a> offers luxury bedrooms with antique furnishings, striking art decor, and just-outside-the-window access to a giraffe sanctuary. Other safari animals wander the 140-acre property, too - if you're so inclined, stop by the David Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage and sponsor a baby elephant before returning home.
<h3>The Presidential Suite, Hotel Principe Di Savoia, Milan</h3>
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Nightly rate: <a href="http://www.dorchestercollection.com/en/104/milan-italy/hotel-principe-di-savoia/room/presidential-suite/">From about $12,700</a>
The three-bedroom suite doesn't just have a to-die-for bathroom - it has a to-die-for, Pompeian-styled spa, complete with a swimming pool, whirlpool, jacuzzi, sauna, and Turkish bath. While you stay, you can entertain guests in the formal dining room, make a drink at the bar, and cozy up by the real working fireplace.
<h3>Provocateur Suite at the Hard Rock Hotel, Las Vegas</h3>
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Nightly rate: <a href="http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2012/oct/15/strip-villa-rents-40000-night-includes-private-gla/">From $3,500</a>
Designed to evoke a sexy, fetish-oriented environment, the <a href="http://www.hardrockhotel.com/las-vegas-hotel/suite-tower/provocateur-suite" target="_blank">Provocateur Suite</a> sets the stage for guests to play out their most intimate fantasies. Claret red and shiny black decorative accents complement the custom-made furniture and dominatrix accessories throughout the suite - making this Sin City destination a thrill for even the most hardcore "50 Shades of Gray" fans.
<h3>The Towers, The Waldorf Astoria, New York</h3>
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Nightly rate: <a href="http://www.waldorfnewyork.com/the-towers.html">From $499</a>
The Waldorf Astoria considers the suites at the Towers to be their <a href="http://www.waldorfnewyork.com/the-towers.html">"hotel atop a hotel."</a> More exclusive than its downstairs neighbors, it features a private entrance off East 50th Street and delicate, Victorian-style suites. Guests have their own dedicated concierge and daily breakfast in the Astoria Lounge. During your stay, make sure you take advantage of the Waldorf Astoria Spa between the twice-daily maid service - by the time you return your bed will have been turned down for pleasant dreams.
<h3>Villa La Cupola Suite, Westin Excelsior, Rome</h3>
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Nightly rate: <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2011/09/01/travel/expensive-hotel-suites-cnngo/">$30,000</a>
For a mere $30,000 per night, stay in this two-story suite overlooking Rome's Via Veneto. The domed living room has a fresco inspired by Rome's Renaissance-era art, as well as a private kitchen, wine cellar, private elevator, and fitness room. Guests can also request a personal chauffeur, shopper, private tours of Rome's historical locations, and helicopter transfers.
<h3>Stone Canyon Suite at Hotel Bel-Air, California</h3>
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Nightly rate: <a href="https://gc.synxis.com/rez.aspx?Chain=5310&amp;hotel=60023&amp;locale=en-us&amp;__utma=239222038.984470404.1388689973.1388689973.1388689973.1&amp;__utmb=239222038.9.10.1388689973&amp;__utmc=239222038&amp;__utmx=-&amp;__utmz=239222038.1388689973.1.1.utmcsr%3d(direct)%7cutmccn%3d(direct)%7cutmcmd%3d(none)&amp;__utmv=-&amp;__utmk=261037134" target="_blank">$725 - $1,700</a>
Located just off Sunset Boulevard, the <a href="http://www.dorchestercollection.com/en/los-angeles/hotel-bel-air/hotel-suites-rooms/stone-canyon-suite/" target="_blank">Hotel Bel-Air</a> has a fleet of Mercedes cars that will shuttle you in comfort and luxury, anywhere within a three-mile radius of the hotel. But you may never want to leave the room, given the in-room iPad's room service ordering capability, spa tub with built in TV, heated limestone floors, and private garden patio.
<h3>The Royal Suite, The Toren, Amsterdam</h3>
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Nightly rate: <a href="http://www.thetoren.nl/en/rooms/top-rooms/royal-suite/">From $480</a>
The split-level Royal Suite has a dark and sultry ambience, decked out in warm colors and fabrics. The lower level of the suite is where you can access the bathroom, an en suite bathing den with a whirlpool bath, high quality toiletries, robe, and slippers. The suite is also equipped with a Nespresso pod coffee maker, one of the best on the market.
<h3>Suite del Virrey at the Hotel Casa San Agustin, Colombia</h3>
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Nightly rate: <a href="http://www.johansens.com/south-america/colombia/cartagena-de-indias/casa-san-agustin">From $500</a>
<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/hottest-new-hotels-from-tripadvisor-2013-10">Named The World's Hottest New Hotel in 2013</a> by TripAdvisor, the Hotel Casa San Agustin's Suite del Virrey is evidence that the title is well-earned. The Suite del Virrey is two rooms, each with its own balcony and high, wooden beam-inlaid ceilings. Don't forget the private jacuzzi which sits, yes, out on the balcony. There on business? Just ask the concierge for an iPad.
<h3>Deluxesvit at Ice Hotel, Sweden</h3>
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Nightly rate: <a href="http://www.icehotel.com/wp-content/uploads/Accommodation-2013-14.pdf" target="_blank">About $1,153</a>
In a small village 200 kilometers above the Arctic Circle, guests at the famous Ice Hotel sleep comfortably in <a href="http://www.icehotel.com/accommodation/winter/" target="_blank">-5 degree</a> temperatures. Each room is unique, furnished with a large bed and seating area made of ice and snow, and decorated with hand-carved art installations by artists selected from around the world. The <a href="http://www.icehotel.com/accommodation/winter/deluxesuit/" target="_blank">Deluxesvit</a> also boasts an ensuite sauna and toilet.
<h3>The Royal Suite, Hôtel Plaza Athénée, Paris</h3>
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Nightly rate: <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/real-estate/paris-expensive-hotel-suite-article-1.1172275">About $26,000</a>
Another Dorchester Collection hotel, the Hôtel Plaza Athénée is center stage in the City of Lights on Avenue Montaigne. Its Royal Suite is on the fifth floor, and offers quite a lot for being <a href="http://www.dorchestercollection.com/en/125/paris-france/hotel-plaza-athenee/room/royal-suite/">the largest</a>, and most expensive, suite in Paris: four bathrooms, antique French regency furniture, two security lobbies with a fingerprint scanner and, of course, location, location, location.
<h3>Royal Suite, The Burj al-Arab, Dubai</h3>
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Nightly rate: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/burj-al-arab-royal-suite-2012-3">$23,000</a>
The largest suite in what is considered to be the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/burj-al-arab-hotel-in-dubai-2013-5">most luxurious hotel in the world</a>, the Royal Suite at the Burj al-Arab is completely over the top in every way. It includes two bedrooms, a private dining room and cinema, and private escalator to whisk you to the 780-square-meter paradise in complete seclusion.
<h3>The Imperial Suite, Park Hyatt Vendôme, France</h3>
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Nightly rate: <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/01/19/most-expensive-hotel-suit_n_426882.html">$20,000</a>
At $20,000 a night, the Imperial Suite at the Park Hyatt Vendôme in Paris may just be the most romantic place in the world's most romantic city. The 230-square-meter suite features a massive living room and dining area, three bedrooms, three bathrooms and a private spa. Plus, it's impeccably decorated with contemporary art.
<h3>Jewel Suite, New York Palace, New York</h3>
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Nightly rate: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/new-york-palace-jewel-suite-photos-2013-12">Starting at $25,000</a>
The <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/new-york-palace-jewel-suite-photos-2013-12">Jewel Suite</a>, located in the newly renovated Towers section of the Palace, is a 5,000-square-foot triplex designed by jeweler Martin Katz. Ultra-glamorous amenities include private Maybach car service, complimentary champagne, and Michel Richard white chocolate diamond truffles in the grand parlor. And no need to go souvenir shopping - Jewel Suite guests will consult with Katz and receive a diamond ring designed by him.
<h3>Manta Resort Room at Manta Resort, Tanzania</h3>
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Nightly rate: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/africas-first-underwater-hotel-room-2013-11" target="_blank">$900 - $1,500</a>
The world's second underwater hotel room sits 13 feet beneath the surface of the Indian Ocean, off the coast of Tanzania. <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/africas-first-underwater-hotel-room-2013-11" target="_blank">Designed by Swedish artist Mikael Genberg</a>, the three-tiered suite includes a roof deck, a landing deck at sea level with a lounge and bathroom, and bedroom windows that afford a nearly 360-degree view of a nearby coral reef and dozens of species of fish.
<h3>The Luxury Tent, The Rock Petra, Jordan</h3>
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Nightly rate: <a href="http://www.expedia.com/Petra-Hotels-The-Rock-Camp.h4969035.Hotel-Information">From $65</a>
The Rock Petra offers the ultimate in desert glamping. <a href="http://www.therockpetra.com/">Luxury tents</a> accommodate up to four people with plush, comfortable beds and jeweled Bedouin-style decor. The camp is circled by a gorge of beautiful, ancient rock formations that date back to 7,000 B.C. Steep yourself in the Bedouin way of life with authentic and hearty communal dinners, and music and dancing around the campfire.
<h3>The Royal Penthouse Suite, Hotel President Wilson, Geneva</h3>
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Nightly rate: <a href="http://www.hotelpresidentwilson.com/en/rooms/royal-penthouse">About $69,000</a>
If you've got CHF60,000 to spare - or just over US$69,000 - The Royal Penthouse Suite at the <a href="http://www.hotelpresidentwilson.com/">Hotel President Wilson</a> in Geneva, Switzerland, will make a lovely place to stay. The private terrace sits up against bulletproof glass windows, and the bedrooms and living areas put state-of-the-art Bang &amp; Olufsen technology front and center. The 12-bed, 12-bath suite says it sleeps six, but we have a feeling you could squeeze a few more in there.
<h3>Chairman Suite at Marina Bay Sands, Singapore</h3>
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Nightly rate: <a href="http://www.complex.com/city-guide/2011/09/the-25-most-ridiculous-hotels-in-the-world/hotels-20">About $17,000</a>
The <a href="http://www.marinabaysands.com/hotel/rooms-suites/chairman-suite.html">Chairman Suite</a>, which comes in your choice of black-and-granite or gold-and-earth colors, offers unobstructed views of the striking Singapore city skyline and lush Gardens by the Bay from three balconies. The massive suite includes a master bedroom with His and Her closets and bathrooms, an exercise room with steam and sauna, and a game room with pool table and bar. A dedicated team of butlers and pillow menu - it's exactly what you think it is - will make you feel right at home.
<h3>Hardwood Suite, Palms Casino, Las Vegas</h3>
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Nightly rate: <a href="http://www.bestofvegas.com/hotels/Palms-Las-Vegas-Hotel-Resort-and-Casino/Fantasy-Suites-Palms-Hotel-and-Casino/">$25,000</a>
The Hardwood suite, named for its private, indoor basketball court, <a href="http://www.palms.com/luxe-collection/hardwood-suite#__">covers 10,000 square feet</a> over two floors. It also has a professional locker room and "NBA-sized" beds. The suite sleeps an entire basketball team, but has a capacity for 350 people in case of post-game after-parties. It's not limited to players, though; non-basketball <a href="http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2007/pf/0705/gallery.las_vegas_suites/4.html">celebs like Russell Simmons and Paris Hilton</a> have also taken full advantage of the lavish bar, dance floor and lounge, and 24-hour butler service here.
<h3>Maharajah's Pavilion, Raj Palace, India</h3>
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Nightly rate: <a href="http://www.rajpalace.com/raj-palace-rooms-rates.html">$15,000</a>
<a href="http://www.rajpalace.com/maharajahs-pavilion.html">The Maharajah's Pavilion</a> is a four-story monster of a suite, with a private entrance, library, bar and lounge, pool, and spa, not to mention a dining room and kitchen. If the Maharajah's Pavilion is booked when you're looking to stay, not to worry: The hotel has a second presidential suite, the <a href="http://www.rajpalace.com/shahi-mahal-suite.html">Shahi Mahal</a>, which offers equally extravagant amenities.

21 insanely lavish hotel suites to stay in before you die

Silicon Valley parents are raising their kids tech-free - and it should be a red flag

<keyword id="1737805" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="Social-Media-Insights">Social Media Insights</keyword> is a daily newsletter from Business Insider that collects and delivers the top <keyword id="6354632" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Social-media">social media</keyword> news first thing every morning. You can <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/newsletter">sign up</a> to receive Social Media Insights <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/newsletter">here</a> or at the bottom of this post.

<a href="http://www.business2community.com/social-media/facebook-and-twitter-are-no-longer-leading-the-innovation-pack-so-whats-taking-their-place-0434523">Facebook And Twitter No Longer Leading Innovation</a> (Business 2 Community) Each year, the business and technology-focused publication Fast Company releases a <a href="http://www.fastcompany.com/section/most-innovative-companies-2013">Most Innovative Companies</a> list. <keyword id="6354576" type="CITY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Facebook">Facebook</keyword> and <keyword id="6354616" type="CITY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Twitter">Twitter</keyword> failed to make the cut this year because both failed to focus on their long-term visions in favor of short-term projects and goals, a misstep that has frustrated their users and investors alike. In contrast, the companies that did make the "Most Innovative" list have a consistent thread through their efforts: a combination of forward thinking and customer-centric service. So who has replaced them? Companies like <keyword id="939877" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Pinterest">Pinterest</keyword>, <a href="http://www.modcloth.com/">ModCloth</a>, <a href="http://www.birchbox.com/">Birchbox</a> and <keyword id="86061" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Yelp">Yelp</keyword>. Facebook and Twitter held that spotlight for a while, but it looks like they’ll have to up the ante.
<div class="image-container float_right" style="width:400px"><div class="image"></div>Nielsen</div><a href="http://www.marketingcharts.com/wp/television/twitter-buzz-and-tv-ratings-found-correlated-27978/">Correlation Between Twitter Buzz And TV Ratings</a> (Marketing Charts) An increase in Twitter volume about live TV correlates with an increase in TV ratings across varying age groups, finds Nielsen in a study conducted with SocialGuide. Examining the results, Nielsen reveals that for 18-34-year-olds, an 8.5 percent rise in Twitter volume corresponds with a 1 percent increase in TV ratings for premiere episodes. By midseason, the relationship is stronger, with a 4.2 percent gain in Twitter volume corresponding with a 1 percent rise in TV ratings. For the 35-49 age group, a 14 percent increase in Twitter volume corresponded with a 1 percent rise in ratings for premiere episodes, while for midseason episodes, the associated Twitter volume increase was 8.4 percent. <a href="http://www.marketingcharts.com/wp/television/twitter-buzz-and-tv-ratings-found-correlated-27978/">Read &gt;&gt;</a>
<a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/timworstall/2013/03/20/why-you-might-not-want-to-start-your-business-as-a-facebook-app/">Why You Might Not Start Your Business As A Facebook App</a> (Forbes) There’s a problem with basing oneself on Facebook: which is that it is indeed a platform. And they’re trying to monetize that platform just as fast as you are. The more successful your app is in appealing to that customer base the more likely it is that you’ll find Facebook itself competing with you with their own service. Or buying you of course. It sounds very strange but it is possible that the best approach to that Facebook platform would be to hope for being a niche success: successful enough that you do very well, of course, but not so successful that you get Facebook itself competing with you. <a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/timworstall/2013/03/20/why-you-might-not-want-to-start-your-business-as-a-facebook-app/">Read &gt;&gt;</a>
<a href="http://venturebeat.com/2013/03/20/youtube-joins-facebook-in-the-very-exclusive-billion-monthly-user-club/">YouTube Joins Facebook In The Billion Monthly User Club</a> (VentureBeat) Google announced that <keyword id="10879" type="CITY" weightage="60" keywordseo="YouTube">YouTube</keyword> now has over a billion unique visitors every single month. Which means that Google and Facebook have something very rare in common: both have a billion-person social network. What does that look like? Google says that:
<ul>
<li>Nearly one out of every two people on the Internet visits YouTube</li>
<li>YouTube’s monthly viewership is the equivalent of ten Super Bowl audiences</li>
<li>If YouTube was a country, it would be the third-largest in the world, after China and India</li>
</ul>
Google+ is officially Google’s social network, but though it has an estimated 343 million monthly active users, that’s just a third of YouTube. And with YouTube’s built-in sharing, commenting, and content creation tools, it’s often considered to be a social network in its own right. <a href="http://venturebeat.com/2013/03/20/youtube-joins-facebook-in-the-very-exclusive-billion-monthly-user-club/">Read &gt;&gt;</a>
<a href="http://techcrunch.com/2013/03/20/pinterest-acquires-livestar-the-mobile-recommendation-startup-founded-by-fritz-lanman/">Pinterest Acquires Livestar, The Mobile Recommendations Startup</a> (TechCrunch) Pinterest acquired Livestar, the mobile recommendations app founded by Microsoft alum Fritz Lanman. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed, but this seems to be an engineering acquihire situation. Livestar was founded in 2011 and launched at TechCrunch Disrupt this past fall. The service was meant to provide personalized recommendations from your friends and authoritative sources from around the Web, and was aiming at disrupting the likes of Foursquare, Yelp, and Rotten Tomatoes. <a href="http://techcrunch.com/2013/03/20/pinterest-acquires-livestar-the-mobile-recommendation-startup-founded-by-fritz-lanman/">Read &gt;&gt;</a>
<div class="image-container float_right" style="width:400px"><div class="image"></div>SportStream</div><a href="http://mashable.com/2013/03/20/ncaa-teams-twitter-facebook/">March Madness Teams Disappoint On Social</a> (Mashable) It might sound hard to believe, but only 29 out of 64 basketball teams in this year's NCAA "<keyword id="952232" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="March-Madness">March Madness</keyword>" competition have both a Facebook and Twitter presence. According to SportStream, which provides a social second-screen experience for sports fans and teams, about 45 percent of tourney teams have team-specific accounts on both Twitter and Facebook. "School athletic departments all have a Facebook and Twitter presence, but when you drill down to dedicated, team-specific accounts, many schools are not yet connecting with fans on a meaningful level," says Bob Morgan, CEO and co-founder of SportStream. Click <a href="http://mashable.com/2013/03/20/ncaa-teams-twitter-facebook/">here</a> for the full infographic. <a href="http://mashable.com/2013/03/20/ncaa-teams-twitter-facebook/">Read &gt;&gt;</a>
<a href="http://blogs.salesforce.com/company/2013/03/7-marketing-tips-for-a-social-world-infographic.html">Marketing Tips For Success In A Social World</a> (salesforce) Listening to your customers via social media is just one step in the evolution marketers are making to succeed in a social world. The Data.com team has brought together experts to share with you 7 tips to help you succeed in this social world. <a href="http://blogs.salesforce.com/company/2013/03/7-marketing-tips-for-a-social-world-infographic.html">Read &gt;&gt;</a>
<div class="image-container center" style="width:500px"><div class="image"></div><a href="http://blogs.salesforce.com/company/2013/03/7-marketing-tips-for-a-social-world-infographic.html">salesforce</a></div>

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