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BEN 23 – The End of the PC?

Business English, Business English Vocabulary, Business News, IT and Tech /

BEN 23

Learn Business English vocabulary and collocations for describing trends and technology in this Business English News lesson on the recent decline in PC sales.

It wasn’t long ago that many of us could count on a new computer every three years or so. With both hardware and software upgrades coming in leaps and bounds, consumers and businesses sought to replace obsolete machines for shiny new boxes. However, as Forbes explains, things have changed dramatically: “PC shipments are down 14% year-over-year despite the launch of Windows 8. While Microsoft and its fans might not want to admit it yet, Windows 8 is a flop. The failure to generate new sales is bad; the acceleration of the declining trend in PC shipments is downright awful.”

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BEN 22 – Telecommuting: Back to the Office

Business English, Business English Vocabulary, Business News, English Collocations /

Business English News 22 - Telecommuting

In this Business English News lesson, we look at trends in the workplace, particularly changing attitudes to telecommuting.

The question of “live to work or work to live” has been around for decades, with many employees trying to strike that perfect work-life balance. Employees around the world benefit from the use of modern technology to do their work in the comfort of their own homes.

Recently though, Yahoo’s CEO, Marissa Mayer, made some waves with her decision that all employees must work their 9 to 5s in the office.

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BEN 21 – Business Trends for 2013

Business English, Business English Vocabulary, Business News, English Collocations /

Business Trends for 2013

In this Business English News lesson, we take a look at the prospects for 2013.

As the world rang in 2013, many analysts and commentators feel that it’s time to pull out the crystal ball and try to determine what’s in store in the coming 12 months. As the OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurria explains, there’s still a lot of work to do.

The world economy is far from being out of the woods. The US ”˜debt ceiling debate’, if it materializes, could tip an already weak economy into recession, while failure to solve the euro area crisis could lead to a major financial shock and global downturn. Governments must act decisively, using all the tools at their disposal to turn confidence around and boost growth and jobs.

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BEN 20 – US-China Economic Outlook

Business English, Business English Vocabulary, Business News, Finance and Accounting /

Business English for Economics

In this Business English News lesson, we take a look at the economic prospects for the USA and China.

The relationship between the world’s two biggest economies is sure to undergo some major changes in the months ahead. With Obama set to remain in the White House for 4 more years, and Xi Jinping moving in to Zhongnanhai for the next decade, all eyes will be on how the new faces work together amid these tough economic times.

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Business English News 19 – The Patent Wars

Business English, Business English Vocabulary, Business News, Legal English /

Business English News Lesson on Apple's Patent Disputes

In this Business English News lesson, we take a look at recent courtroom battles over technology patents.

In what some have dubbed ‘The Patent Trial of the Century’, Apple and Samsung have been fighting tooth and nail in recent weeks. Samsung was found to have infringed on 7 of Apple’s patents, in what became a $1B levy.

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