BUSINESS

What makes an ideal workplace environment? As far as the findings issued this week by Business Review Weekly (BRW) are concerned, the general happiness and contentment of workers greatly depend on the culture being espoused by their employers.

After the price war on fresh produce between supermarket giants Coles and Woolworths, industry observers are anticipating another price battle, this time on hardware items. The price war could be the result of Metcash's purchase of Mitre 10.

It's the epic battle between Apple and Microsoft and this time, it's all about the tablets as Microsoft finally joined the tablet market with the release of "Surface", Microsoft's own Windows 8 tablet. This release leads to inevitable question of: Which is the Best? Microsoft's Windows 8 tablet (Surface) or Apple's New iPad?

Microsoft said on Wednesday that upcoming Windows Phones, which will run on the soon-to-be launched Windows 8, will give seamless mobile computing experience to global consumers, effectively unifying market platforms that the software maker has spent billions in the past years to break into.

Property owners and those looking to buy property are encouraged to take steps now to maximise their tax refund, according to Australia's largest independently-operated mortgage broker, Mortgage Choice.

Last month Fairfax launched some nifty technology that allows users to scan images in the Sydney Morning Herald and then view further images or videos in relation to the article. This means for a property advertised in the SMH readers could scan the property image and then perform a virtual open inspection through their mobile. I’m not yet aware that this is the case but I’m sure it’s something they will release shortly.

Gina Rinehart has asked for three board seats at Fairfax. Her accumulation of shares in the company has led Fairfax reporters to fret about editorial independence and the integrity of the Fairfax brand. But let's suck the emotion right out of it and boil it down to business.

You gotta love this Great Correction. It's gotten so much bad press. And so many people trying to stop it. But it just keeps going...doing its work in the US housing and mortgage market. From Barry Ritholtz.

Unfortunately the Great Correction is not correcting the sector that needs correction most. The financial sector. Why? The feds protect it.

By Greg PeelThe Dow closed down 12 points or 0.1% while the S&P lost 0.2% to 1355 and the Nasdaq finished flat.

The country's farm exports is forecast to go down 5 per cent for 2012-13 to $34.4 billion from $36 billion. The Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES) issued the downgrade on Tuesday in its March forecast.

PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) announced on Tuesday that the 31 remaining All GAME stores in Australia would be closed after failure to find a buyer. PwC was appointed administrator of the video games retailer after All GAME's British parent company collapsed and placed into administration.

Motorola Droid Razr and Droid Razr Maxx are slated to receive their Android 4.0 or Android ICS update based on the recent announcement made by Motoroloa. Even if Motorola has not disclosed any specific date, the smartphone manufacturer revealed that the update is already rolled out but on the hands of their beta testers.

Nintendo recently unveiled new Nintendo 3DS games that will be launched for 2012. Nintendo have listed down the most anticipated games for the console as well as the updated downloadable content available in the Nintendo eShop. The games were first unveiled during the E3 2012 event held at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

Local stocks are staging a rebound today on the back of positive moves on offshore markets. US shares rose on hopes of further stimulus from the Federal Reserve while European markets rallied to a one month high. Mid-session, the All Ordinaries Index (XAO) is firmer by 21.6pts or 0.5pct to 4189.

Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt is convinced that digital connection has yet to reach its full potential, declaring on Tuesday that "the World Wide Web has yet to live up to its name."

Mining billionaire Clive Palmer is apparently dead-serious in resurrecting one of modern history's most iconic figures - the Titanic, disclosing on Tuesday that definite plans were underway for the passenger ship's maiden voyage in 2016.

DC Universe Online and Sony Entertainment LLC had just revealed "The Last Laugh" which is the fourth downloadable content (DLC) pack for DC Universe Online. This downloadable content is more focused on the online multiplayer feature of the game.

A new version of Ubuntu has been released in the market (Ubuntu 12.04) and it has received a lot of positive reviews ever since it was revealed to the public. Some people even go further by calling it the best Ubuntu version.

The thought of battling out a lawsuit from Australia's richest woman has apparently struck fear in the hearts of Fairfax Media directors. Before they would allow Georgina Rinehart, the largest stakeholder in the company, a board seat, the directors are said to be seeking immunity from a Rinehart lawsuit, The Australian reports.

Microsoft finally unveiled the reason behind the "secret event" that they revealed a few days ago as the company revealed a new Windows 8 tablet in the market. This is Microsoft's first forray in the tablet market.

Microsoft has just released Windows 8 beta version to the public which has been getting mixed reviews. Microsoft is also reported to release their own Windows 8 tablet which would rival Apple's iPad. Is this the latest effort of Microsoft to redeem its place in the technological market?

By Greg PeelThe Dow closed up 95 points or 0.8% while the S&P rose 1.0% to 1357 and the Nasdaq gained 1.

Foreign currency trading can be confusing and nerve-wracking as you go about checking your investments on a daily basis.

"Travel - its very motion - ought to suggest hope. Despair is the armchair; it is indifference and glazed, incurious eyes. I think travelers are essentially optimists, or else they would never go anywhere."

The Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) created to look into the safety of the highly disputed $200-million rare earths processing plant of Lynas Corp. in Malaysia has concluded that the facility is safe and has strongly urged for the immediate release of the temporary operating license (TOL) to finally start the plant's delayed operations.

Upon formally assuming office Monday this week, new Samsung Chief Executive Kwon Oh-hyun immediately disclosed that he intends to pour a great deal of time and resources for the giant South Korean tech firm to further develop its software division.

Chevron sold on Tuesday its 10 per cent stake in the Wheatstone liquefied natural gas (LNG) project in Western Australia to Tokyo Electric Power Company (Tepco) of Japan for $4 billion.

Cyprus property prices continue to decline, the house price boom having halted in late 2008. At end-2011, Cyprus house prices were 14.5% down on their Q3 2008 peak (-20.5% in real terms), according to the Central Bank of Cyprus (CBC). This year the housing market is expected to suffer yet more, due to the recession.