Charting the Sprint & Clearwire Deal

Business pieces are often filled with jargon or information a surprising amount of Americans do not understand. Terminology about shares, profits and acquisitions are explained as carefully as possible, but the concise and brief nature of news prevents the author from providing a fuller understanding for those who are not business-savvy.

Enter The Chart

Charts are arguably one of the most helpful tools available to readers. I've been reading charts from a very young age. We spend most of our elementary to middle school careers analyzing or making our own charts that varied in difficulty and amount of information.

The bottom line is obvious: charts tell stories in clear, visual terms.

Moreover, charts show and demonstrate change over time in a way that words cannot. The LA Times' recent article about Sprint in its'"Tech Now" section is a great example of how including a chart can help the reader understand exactly what the article is saying.

As usual, the headline makes it very clear what the piece is about. "Sprint to pay $2.2 billion to acquire the rest of Clearwire."

As a reader who hasn't heard about Sprint since the age of Nextel popularity, I am prompted to ask "so what? Aren't they a non-factor in the US mobile industry nowadays?" Reading the article, I am given a slightly better clue as to how Sprint is actually still the third-largest service carrier. Really!? Cool. I then get a few quotes on how Sprint's shares and competitive position have improved. Well, that's nice I guess. Finally, at the very bottom, I see this:

Now why didn't you show me that in the first place!? This chart shows a dramatic change in the Sprint corporation over a mere seven months. Now that's a visual that leaves an impression and makes me think "Wow, Sprint must really be stepping up their game and becoming a force to be reckoned with. Maybe I should find out more info." A chart is universal and easy to understand. More journalists should be including them in their online media, especially reporters covering tech and business.

Do you think charts effectively explain concepts and facts?

Holiday Shopping? There's an App for That

It is officially T-15 days before Christmas!

Online news outlets have been amping up their holiday news coverage, particularly articles involving shopping trends, gift guides and creative ideas for our friends and family members that may have a specific niche interest. In the spirit of online, multimedia and tech, I checked out the LA Times' round up of fun and helpful mobile apps.

Irene Virbila, a Times' reporter, compiled a list titled "Upgrade your cooking skills? There's an app for that." I believe that most of these apps could be great gifts to any food or cooking enthusiast, as well as a helpful tool for anybody getting ready for endless company and numerous holiday dinners or pot lucks. Here's a list of some of my favorites in the article:

1. Easy as Pie featuring Evan Kleiman For me, nothing says "Happy Holidays" like a warm baked pie. Unfortunately, nothing says "Caution: Difficult to pull off" like a fresh, homemade pie crust. My mother, daunted by the challenge of whipping out her rolling pin, believes that the best way to serve a pie is either purchased from the bakery or purchased frozen. Perhaps this app would give her some cooking confidence!

2. Bread Baking Basics with Michael Ruhlman Have a friend who loves experimenting with recipes and new foodie challenges? Know a blogger searching for a new project? Want to encourage your spouse to wake you up to the tantalizing scent of freshly baked bread? This app seems like a great gift for all of the above.

3. Speakeasy Cocktails Now this is a tool for any 21+ friend, colleague or family member. Who doesn't want to learn how to mix specialty cocktails right in their own home? New Years Eve is just around the corner from Christmas and I'm sure any party guests would appreciate a drink more interesting than a flute of champagne. This app will give its owner the chance to take a chic yet out-of-the-box approach to their evening's libations.

Although a great, comprehensive gift guide, I do think the author took a few short cuts that made this article a little less functional or useful to the reader. Links to where the App was available, a demo of the app or even a screenshot of the featured chef or App graphics would help the reader choose which mobile app is the most appropriate for whatever purpose they're hoping to serve. However, I did like how the author included important information such as the price, publisher and a detailed description.

Would you ever purchase a mobile app as a holiday gift?