Android Number One in China: 90% of Chinese Market Now Using Android Devices

Outside of North America and Europe, China represents the next frontier for profits where smartphones are concerned. The competition is fierce and just like here in the West, it seems to be an all-out slug fest.

The two biggest players are of course Android and Apple’s iOS but the clear winner so far—and by a wide margin—is Android. A new report into mobile OS composition in China has shed some light on just how fast Google has managed to embed Android into the smartphone-consciousness of the Chinese. In 2011 Google had just 58.2% of the Chinese smartphone market—by the 3^rd quarter of 2012 that figure had jumped to 83% of the market.

Now, according to data released by Analysys International, Android’s total share of the Chinese mobile market is now a staggering 90.1%–an almost complete lockout of anyone else.

Android winning the zero sum game

If Android has 90.1% of the market then it means companies like Apple are fighting over a meager 9.9% market share. The data showed that iOS saw a slight drop in its share from 6% to 4.2%. Nokia had the biggest decline, falling from 6% to a very paltry 2.4% of the overall market share. Analysts have lamented Nokia position especially given that just a few years ago, the Chinese mobile market was dominated by Nokia. But such is the changing tide and right now, companies like Nokia and Apple can only watch as the little green robot charms its way into the hearts and minds of people in China.

A lot of people might be wondering why Android is so dominant but the quick and easy answer is that its dominance is tied to its ubiquity on a broader range of devices. Anyone in China who wants to own an iOS powered device can only go to Apple; Android enthusiast can chose between HTC, Samsung—even knockoff phones, which by many accounts are all powered by Android. But it’s not just smartphones that give Android the edge, the OS is also present on tablet and this has largely helped to push use of Android devices in the last 6 months in China.

When Apple does get the iPhone 5 to go on sale over there, it might have some success in clawing back market share but it won’t be by much. If many people in the U.S. and Europe are struggling to buy the iPhone 5, then the struggle will be an even greater one in China.

For now Google is winning—even if its services are heavily filtered by the Chinese government, its hardware is still the platform upon which local mobile device sales are built. Could this a leverage point for Google in getting more access to China? Quite possibly, but so far the search giant has been reluctant to try its luck in this regard.

One thing is certain and that is the fact that at this rate of growth, Google’s Android will be the only player in the Chinese marketplace in the coming couple of years.

Source: http://www.sitetrail.com/2012/11/16/android-number-one-in-china-90-of-chinese-market-now-using-android-devices/

Apple iOS 6 Causing Massive Overages: Downloading Content Multiple Times

Oh boy, Apple is having problems again. Fresh off its recovery from iOS 6 failing terribly with its native maps application, there are reports surfacing that users are experiencing overages due to a glitch in iOS 6 and its management of downloads and content streaming.

The report which was released by Public Radio Exchange labs, cites the frequent re-firing of download and streaming sessions for a number of apps including iTunes Match, various podcasts and other apps that use some sort of streaming capability.

According to some users, each download develops a perpetual loop in which content is downloaded over and over again. This of course is terrible for people who are concerned about maxing their data limits. So far Apple hasn’t come forward to either confirm or deny the claims made by Public Radio Exchange but various patches to iOS 6 have been released—one of which was sent out just last week. But it’s not just iOS 6 users who are having problem; one report suggests that those running iOS 5 may also be affected.

Public Radio Exchange explained one instance in which an iOS 5 user experienced overages: “Because the ranges of these requests seem to overlap and the requests themselves each carry some overhead, this causes a single download of an MP3 to use significantly more bandwidth than in iOS 5. In one case, the playback of a single 30MB episode caused the transfer of over 100MB of data.”

Could this spell further stock troubles?

Apple’s stock fell to a 5-month low recently, and although that decline was based largely on sales of the iPad mini, this latest fiasco could send the stock tumbling folder. The bug seems to be eating way at iOS 6 and this of course is the latest operating system powering the iPhone 5. Considering that the iPhone 5 has been dogged with assembly and delivery problems, the last thing Apple can afford to happen is for customers to end up paying more than they should for data they use. To say that this needs to be fixed ASAP is perhaps an understatement.

In the meantime, Public Radio Exchange and some users in Apple forums have been reporting success by updating to the very latest version of iOS 6 which is 6.0.1. Not doing so with the continued streaming of podcasts could result in overages headaches.

Some users have also reported success with contacting their carriers and requesting adjustments to their data use; presumably if you can show that the overage is directly connected with the bug, carriers will honor such requests.

Apple’s silence on the matter is of course very conspicuous, not least because right now customers aren’t happy across a range of its products. The recent high profile dismal of one of its executives also does not augur well for the company growing forward. The Christmas shopping season has been taking shape in the last few weeks and Apple can ill-afford to not be ready for hungry buyers.

Do you think Apple is finally feeling the effects of losing Steve Jobs? Share your thoughts below.

Source: http://www.sitetrail.com/2012/11/16/apple-ios-6-causing-massive-overages-downloading-content-multiple-times/

Publishers CTR: More clicks from Opera and Safari Users

Your browsing habits say so much about you, but the browser that you use also gives some powerful insights into who you are a person. Firefox users for instance, are heavy customizers and like to make things their own; Internet Explorer users are very parochial and stuck in their ways; Chrome users are lovers of simplicity—I could go on but I am sure you get the point.

Advertisers tap into these idiosyncrasies in order to make money and the latest findings into how much the different browser user clicks on ads will some fuel to the debate over browser CTR and ad-efficiency. Online advertising network, Chitika compiled some handy which gave some surmising insights into which browser gives advertisers the most clicks for their buck when targeting both mobile and regular users.

The big surprise

If you had to guess which browser was most efficient at delivering clicks, you’d probably go with Internet Explorer or Google Chrome on the strength of their tremendous market share. But you’d be wrong—very wrong. According to the data compiled by Chitika, the most efficient browser for delivering ad-clicks is Opera.

According to Chitika, hundreds of millions of impressions were looked at for US and Canadian users and from every perspective, Opera led the field with a 2.12% CTR. It was followed closely by Safari mobile with a CTR of 1.54%. Third was Internet Explorer (1.14%); followed by Android browser in fourth place with 0.81%. Safari figured twice in the compilation and showed up again in fifth position with a CTR of 0.80%. Perhaps the biggest surprises on the list were Firefox and Chrome which took 6^th and 7^th position respectively with CTRs of 0.68% and 0.54%.

Safari browser users have a penchant for the complex

I say ‘complex’ because Chitika also took a look at the average query length—i.e. the number of keywords that made up a search. On average Safari users typed in 5.08 words per query WPQ); this number went up even further for Safari mobile with an average query length of 5.17. Safari’s closest competitor in this regard was Firefox with an average query length of 5.05 WPQ; it was followed closely by Chrome on iOS with a query length of 4.84.

The larger question here I suppose is why despite having such a small share of the browser market, does Opera have such high CTRs? The answer is not straightforward or scientific, but one suggestion is that the fact that Opera has fewer integrated ad-blockers, more and more advertising is able to get through. One other possible explanation being bandied about is screen size; some people believe that users are more likely to ‘accidentally’ click on a banner or text ad on their smartphone as opposed to their desktop computer.

Whatever the explanation, the Chitika study will almost certainly anchor the efforts of advertisers and web developers. Opera and Safari are in a way, niche browsers but more and more they are becoming mainstream. Developers and advertisers therefore will ride the wave of use until they become too cluttered and inefficient—much like the large mainstream browsers.

Do you click on ads depending on the browser you are using at the time? Share your thoughts on the Chitika findings using the comments below.

http://www.sitetrail.com/2012/11/12/chitika-more-clicks-opera-safari-ctr-publisher/

Bringing the World of Web Closer to You with PositiveProjections

Every company needs web presence. Whether you are selling a service, a product, or are an avid blogger, your website is your vehicle for “getting out there.” This means not only does your site need good content, visual appeal, and have ease of use, but it should remain meaningful to you while distinguishing you from your competitor. In a day and age where nearly everyone turns to the Internet to find out more, you do not want to remain obscure or hidden from your viewers.

For over 17 years, PositiveProjections.com has been helping people—individuals, small business owners, not for profit organizations—establish their web identity using successful web design. There are a several elements of Positive Projections’ approach to web design that clients have come to appreciate. For example, by “matching” the site to the industry or type of business, visitors can more easily relate. A restauranteur’s website will have a different look and feel to that for a hardware store. An entrepreneur will require a different approach than a charitable foundation. Making it personable is an important part of the design process.

Websites created by Positive Projections are also self-manageable, empowering the site owners to update the text and images easily. To ensure this ease of use, the company includes training screencasts with an optional support follow-up service.

It is also essential to design the sites to be user friendly. Visitors to a Positive Projections’ website find the site easily through the company’s strategic “ranking” method with search engines. Once there, navigation is simple and sensible. For the smartphone users, the sites feature a mobile web function. To remain sociable, Facebook and Twitter sharing is established, and to further engage visitors, site owners can also consider YouTube.com or Vimeo.com additions.

What if you already have a website, but it’s time for a facelift? Change is good. Change can inspire not only the site owner, but visitors too. This is why Positive Projections assess websites to determine possible improvements. It could be one or two minor areas, or perhaps an entire overhaul. Areas of considerations include:

• how attractive is the site?
• is it easy for visitors to use?
• is the site organized efficiently?
• has the site’s outcome(s) met its purpose(s)?

Positive Projections also evaluates the site’s SEO techniques to asses whether or not optimal ranking is achieved.

Website remodeling also considers the speed of the web host. Inefficiency here can drive visitors away. To ensure reliable and efficient web hosting, Positive Projections also established its own web hosting service. For more than a decade, the company’s own websites, along with clients’, run off a server of optimal performance. The reliability is something clients have come to depend on. A server hosting 300 sites as compared to the same server hosting 2,000 means not only do the sites maintain expected operation, but security benefits are in place.

Bringing personalized service and dependable results has allowed Positive Projections to build an impressive portfolio of web design and web remodeling projects. For this company success is about helping you find your place in the world of web

http://www.sitetrail.com/2012/11/13/web-hosting-positive-projections-news/

Google Earns $100 Million a Day from Selling Ads

No matter how you slice it, Google is still the one to beat online when it comes to how you divvy up online ad spending. The search giant’s early technical investment in simplicity has ensured that million of users trust it, and it alone to find what they want online. The result has been an all-conquering assault on the online ad spending pie.

A new report from WordStream, the popular search marketing software provider has helped to shed some light on just how much money Google makes per day from online ads. According to WordStream, Google makes an head-scratching $100 million each and every day from online ads. It does this via a whopping 5.6 billion daily impressions through its search network and an even more impressive 24.2 billion impressions through its Google Display Network.

237.9 million people click on Google ads every day

For all this talk about social media being the new leader in town, search and display advertising still continues to be the preference for advertisers looking to attract customers online. Google’s 63% share of the online search market means that it can attract a very large pool of users. Whilst many will not click on ads, the sheer volume of people searching means that on any given day more than 237 million people click on at least ad.

This means that even in a slow economy (where advertisers still press on for sales), Google can still add to its bottom line. The search giant made $14.10 billion from its ad-selling business in Q3 this year.

What on earth are people clicking on?

Finance and Travel are number one and two in terms of overall share of impressions and clicks. The finance category sees a whopping 617 million daily impressions in search and 5.32 billion impressions on the display network. People in this vertical it seems have strong motivations because the daily click through rate (CTR) is a solid 3.67% in search; it’s considerably lower on the display network where the daily CTR is just 0.10%. Still, these visitors convert well into buyers and the finance vertical sees a staggering 1.39 million sales a day. One can just imagine what these people make, although it is important to note that the finance vertical also has the highest cost per click (CPC).

The third and fourth verticals with the highest number of impressions and clicks are shopping and jobs & education. The latter interestingly has the most daily ad impressions with a whopping 660 million. The biggest advertiser in this vertical is the University of Phoenix and if you’ve done any browsing at all in the last year or so you would most certainly have come across one of their banners.

Google’s ever expanding sphere of influence

The influx of tablets and smartphones and Google’s strategic placement of Android means that the search giant will also dominate the mobile ads space in the coming years. Although companies like Apple and Microsoft have made some inroads, Google continues to be the online opiate of the masses and 2013 will no doubt read much the same as it did this year—a Google whitewash.

Do you think Google’s dominance of online advertising is good for the marketplace? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Source: http://www.sitetrail.com/2012/11/01/google-earns-100-million-a-day-from-selling-ads/

Google Kills Off Adsense For Feeds And Other Services

The last few weeks have been very irritating for people who use Feedburner to handle the distribution of their RSS feeds. Google took note and it looks like the search giant is using the Feedburner-troubles to clean house.

In an announcement on the company’s blog, the impending demise of several services brought the sort of news Google product users have grown accustomed to in the last couple of years.

Top of Google’s kill list is AdsSense for Feeds, a service which allowed publishers to make money from their RSS feeds. Since Feedburner has become buggy, many believe this prompted the retirement of this service. Publishers will still be able to sue Feedburner URLs powered by Google but the writing is on the wall—soon these will be dead too.

As of October 16, the Classic Plus feature which allowed users to customize their Google.com background will go into early retirement. Google plans to turn off the service for good come November. Users who take advantage of free storage across Picasa and Google Drive will suffer when the two platforms are merged. Google Places Directory Android app has been removed from Google Play (the app store) and the site will be taken down later this year.

As usual there’s isn’t much by way of an explanation for many of the discontinued services. Users have become accustomed to the capricious nature of Google and its products and since many of the announced kill-offs aren’t hugely popular, I don’t expect to see much uproar.

Will you be losing any of your favorite Google products in the latest round of house-cleaning? Let us know below.

Work4 Labs Raises $10 Million In Funding

The Facebook profile is not something you’d expect employers to use when recruiting, but if Work4Labs.com gets its way, it may very well become the new standard in job search and recruitment.

Work4 Labs has just raised $10 in Series A funding in order to help spread the word and attract interest from some of the biggest employers in the US. The funding round was led by Matrix Partners with input from former Monster.com president Steve Pogorzelski, and Hearsay Social co-founder and CEO Clara Shih.

The company is staking its success on its simplicity and the viral nature of Facebook. Companies that partner with Work4 Labs will be able to get notifications of ideal matches for positions that they advertise. Most of this matchmaking will be built on Facebook’s own viral recommendation engine and already big-name employers like SAP, General Motors, UPS and Anheuser-Busch have signed up.

What’s perhaps good for Work4 Labs is that the company has seen steady growth since the early part of the year. Since April 60 employees have been added to cater to the growth in customers (now 17,000, up from 6,000).

The only caveat with an offering like this is the fact that for more detailed recruiting, nothing beats looking directly at a person’s resume. For this many are speculating that LinkedIn may outdo Work4 Labs. For now though, the concept seems to be working and the company has $10 million with which to use and grow the concept.

Source: http://www.sitetrail.com/2012/09/25/work4-labs-raises-10-million-in-funding/

BitRhymes On Target To Make $45 Million From Virtual Bingo

Bingo is one of those games that has a huge following, but the idea that a company could make good money from the game online is something many would question. Yet this is precisely what Indian start-up, BitRhymes has done.

Launched back in 2008 and with just $1 million in funding so far, the company has made Bingo hip and cool again, thanks in large part to its US iPad app, Bingo Bash. The app which is near the top of the highest growing list in the Apple App Store has been making waves and many are pleasantly surprised that such time-honored game can hold such sway on modern devices like the iPad.

And it’s not your typical 60-something grandma that is playing either; BitRhymes CEO Sumit Gupta says that a large chunk of its demographic are young people. The one thing that hasn’t changed is the fact that the majority of users are women.
It looks like BitRhymes has plans to push further into the social gaming space and Gupta and the company’s lead investor, Tandem Capital believe that the transition into real-money casino play is definitely in the cards.

For now though, the company is pressing to increase the number of people who play Bingo Bash. The game is present not only on the iPad but the iPhone, Facebook and Android devices. There are an estimated 1.8 million monthly active users and this number is expected to grow by year end.

Source: http://www.sitetrail.com/2012/09/25/bitrhymes-on-target-to-make-45-million-from-virtual-bingo/

Pick1 Raises $1 Million In Funding

The open graph is that space on the web where content and privacy seem to have careless flirt but more and more companies are using the concept of the open graph to drive engagement and speed up growth.

Joining the fray is Pick1, a company which brings a unique twist to the open graph with its database of opinions. The company which also provides automated marketing research services has just raised $1 million in funding to help with overall growth and promotion.

Contributors to the ‘bridge funding’ round include Oliver Flogel, former CEO of Telefonica Chile; Wilson Pais, head of innovation of Microsoft; Jordi Ferrer, former head of digital at TNS Global; and Gonzalo Begazo, former Finance Manager of Google. All big names with big associations so there should be no shortage of inputs that can potentially help Pick1 scale its offerings.

But there are challenges. At the moment Pick1 depends on Facebook and Twitter to create its own open graph database of opinions. The trouble is that the data itself is largely untapped which leaves many to question whether the data is valuable in the first place.

What’s more, Pick1 is looking to compete in the analytics space which is not only crowded but hyper competitive. $1 million is a good start in terms of funding but with the company’s ambition; it will need a lot more than that in the longer term.

Source: http://www.sitetrail.com/2012/09/24/pick1-raises-1-million-in-funding/

Yahoo Japan Acquires Community Factory For $12.8 Million

Yahoo Japan may only be a subsidiary of Yahoo’s main business but news that it has acquired mobile content provider, Community Factory for a whopping $12.8 million may sound a positive bell stateside.

The deal is considered quite rare in that part of the world because big-company acquisitions don’t happen often. Yahoo Japan will reportedly get its hands on Decopic, an Asian version of Instagram which has around 7 million iOS and Android users. It will also get exclusive access to the 6 million+ users of Mixi, the Japanese version of Facebook.

Yahoo Inc. of course operates in a completely different environment from Yahoo Japan, but this doesn’t stop people from looking at the fortunes of both through the same spectacles. The appointment recently of former Google executive Marisa Mayer has left many feeling that things may start turning round for the former giant of Silicon Valley.

Her counterpart in the Pacific, newly appointed CEO Manabu Miyasaka, seems to be catching all the breaks. Yahoo Japan is enjoying immense sure in popularity thanks in large part to its web portal—the most visited site courtesy of Alexa and its rankings. The acquisition of Community Factory will no doubt add more horsepower to the Yahoo Japan media machine.

Mayer and her team stateside should take note. Growth in today’s competitive tech space is being anchored more and more by mobile assets.

Source: http://www.sitetrail.com/2012/09/23/yahoo-japan-acquires-community-factory-for-12.8-million/

GlobalCareer.com Domain Name Sold For $29,600

Afternic.com is a well known and successful domain name selling company. They are always being noted for their big domain name sales and this week, ending August 5tth, 2012, is no different. This week the biggest domain name sale for Afternic was GlobalCareer.com which sold for just under $30,000 at $29,600. This domain name was previously owned and operated by Buydomains.com. This was the same for the 2nd highest domain name sale which was gobstopper.com that sold for over $16,000.

Here is the list of domain name sales that occurred through Afternic this week, ending August 5th,  for $2,000 and up:

.com Sales
globalcareer.com	$29,600.00
gobstopper.com	$16,500.00
tuk.com	$10,000.00
thinkperformance.com	$9,777.00
iplayed.com	$9,777.00
smilerewards.com	$9,500.00
homeidol.com	$9,500.00
rochesternewyork.com	$7,500.00
WHOME.com	$6,500.00
floridahunting.com	$6,000.00
motocrosshelmets.com	$5,000.00
JobGator.com	$5,000.00
saveeasy.com	$5,000.00
PAXA.com	$4,995.00
nowork.com	$4,700.00
pureconnect.com	$4,500.00
nationallogistics.com	$4,500.00
churchproject.com	$4,488.00
paymentworks.com	$4,400.00
mercuryinc.com	$4,388.00
affiliatesupport.com	$4,250.00
popcast.com	$4,250.00
totek.com	$4,000.00
aceboots.com	$3,950.00
artisanmarkets.com	$3,788.00
59seconds.com	$3,750.00
coatto.com	$3,688.00
findadvisors.com	$3,500.00
smallclaim.com	$3,500.00
thinkbody.com	$3,500.00
playedit.com	$3,500.00
stthomasonline.com	$3,500.00
myanswertocancer.com	$3,500.00
thepositive.com	$3,488.00
rangerdesign.com	$3,477.00
websiteexpress.com	$3,466.00
thelegacynetwork.com	$3,388.00
phoenix-technologies.com	$3,388.00
justcameras.com	$3,346.00
4du.com	$3,300.00
movedata.com	$3,300.00
thepurge.com	$3,288.00
classpad.com	$3,250.00
appliedthermal.com	$3,200.00
OceanFinancial.com	$3,200.00
kredo.com	$3,150.00
giftsender.com	$3,140.00
scriptshop.com	$3,000.00
trueassets.com	$3,000.00
urbansandbox.com	$3,000.00
shortsaleauctions.com	$3,000.00
appvideo.com	$3,000.00
gripcase.com	$3,000.00
rangerequipment.com	$2,877.00
yourlocalagent.com	$2,800.00
wfilms.com	$2,777.00
termitesolutions.com	$2,691.00
BetterMeasures.com	$2,595.00
organsdonation.com	$2,578.00
ymtl.com	$2,500.00
petideas.com	$2,500.00
murdok.com	$2,500.00
prellc.com	$2,500.00
simplygardens.com	$2,500.00
ssom.com	$2,500.00
keytalk.com	$2,500.00
Drug123.com	$2,500.00
lumeo.com	$2,500.00
loanon.com	$2,500.00
dallasroofingcontractors.com	$2,488.00
fenixx.com	$2,488.00
hostcities.com	$2,440.00
thecarpetwarehouse.com	$2,432.00
rxchat.com	$2,400.00
EmeraldOrganic.com	$2,395.00
TalentIc.com	$2,395.00
fatburningexercises.com	$2,388.00
rehabmedical.com	$2,388.00
securedataservices.com	$2,388.00
hautdegamme.com	$2,346.00
snapcap.com	$2,266.00
communitysale.com	$2,252.00
chromaflex.com	$2,200.00
TheBluesHouse.com	$2,195.00
easycuts.com	$2,188.00
industrialshredder.com	$2,100.00
hypnosistv.com	$2,100.00
USPERMIT.com	$2,100.00
parentlab.com	$2,095.00
qualitytoystore.com	$2,088.00
academyoflife.com	$2,088.00
ranchauctions.com	$2,088.00
learnteach.com	$2,088.00
zcure.com	$2,088.00
autotrivia.com	$2,088.00
teachem.com	$2,044.00
bule.com	$2,000.00
persuadir.com	$2,000.00
noursat.com	$2,000.00
foundryweb.com	$2,000.00
luxuryholidayhouses.com	$2,000.00
centerground.com	$2,000.00
scholarshipsolutions.com	$2,000.00
experiencemichigan.com	$2,000.00
findroommate.com	$2,000.00
winnerclick.com	$2,000.00
africanhaircare.com	$2,000.00
lovebuddy.com	$2,000.00
cremls.com	$2,000.00

Domain names can be pretty expensive, costing some companies 6 figure amounts, while others are more affordable and cost only a couple hundred dollars. However despite the cost, the domain name would eventually pay for itself if the company has a successful and growing business.

There were many other domain names that sold through Afternic this week, so if you are on a budget Afternic is a very affordable choice to purchase a domain name from. Check them out at Afternic.com and you will not regret doing business with this company!

Source : http://www.sitetrail.com/2012/09/08/globalcareer.com-domain-name-sold-for-29600/

Hoteles.es Domain Name Sold For $340,000

There are a variety of businesses that sell domain names to different companies and individuals seeking to move their business to the world wide web for advertisement purposes, or to keep up with the times, etc. No matter the reason, it is a wise business decision to purchase a domain name for a company since a lot of business is being done online in today’s time.

Sedo.com is a very popular and successful domain name selling company on the internet. They are constantly being noted for their big sales and this week is no different. Recently Sedo sold the domain name Hoteles.es for the whopping 6 figure amount of $340,000. This domain name is in Spanish and really says a lot about the variety of business that Sedo does. They are successful in this country but also internationally as well.

Domain names can be pretty expensive, costing some companies 6 figure amounts, while others are more affordable and cost only a couple hundred dollars. However despite the cost, the domain name would eventually pay for itself if the company has a successful and growing business.

Though it is obvious from the above sale that domain names can be quite pricey sometimes, depending on who they are purchased from and the URL itself, it is a wise decision for businesses of all kinds and sizes to consider moving their business online and purchasing a domain name. So many companies are doing business online nowadays and the domain name would more than likely pay for itself in the near future.

Check Sedo out at Sedo.com and don’t let big sales like this one deter you from doing business with them if you are on a budget. They have many affordable domain names available as well and just because those are less heard about does not mean they do not do business with people who aren’t rolling in the dough!

Auto insurance for teen drivers

Teenagers can't hide their excitement when the time comes and they are old enough to drive their own cars and have their own driver's license. What should a parent expect when the time comes and the teen gets behind the wheel? This is the question that bothers most parents. There's no secret that teen drivers are the hardest to control and they tend to take a lot of risk due to their overconfidence and the desire to show off in front of their colleagues or friends. And there are a lot of accidents with young drivers being involved. With all that in mind a typical parent becomes very agitated and tries to find the best insurance solution for their young car owner. However, due to the trends linked to young drivers, teenager auto coverage is rarely a cheap service as compared to standard insurance policies. Most insurance companies charge higher rates for teen drivers, and if your young car owner chose a sports vehicle as his or her first car, expect to pay a lot for the insurance.

Teen drivers sure get quite unhappy because of such situation, however there are certain reasons for this that just can't be overlooked by insurance companies. The statistics are objective, showing that the number of teen drivers getting involved in accidents each year is greater than with older drivers. That it often caused by the lack of practical driving experience and the general risk-taking attitude most teen drivers share. No surprise that insurance companies are setting higher rates for young drivers, as they need to assess their risks correspondingly. It may seem that there's no way to get cheap car insurance for a young driver but it is not so. There are simple tips on how to minimize teen insurance rates and here are some of them.

First of all, make the teen forget about a stylish sports car that roars with speed and power with the slightest push over the gas pedal. Don't buy a small car too. The best choice for young inexperienced driver will be a larger car, preferably a sedan that will be both big enough to survive a serious crash and safe enough to keep your teen protected. Whether used or new, the car should carry all the necessary safety feature and be just as fast as needed, not over the top or too slow.

A used car is better for a young driver, first of all because it will be cheaper to insure and because sooner or later your teen will have an accident. And it's cheaper repairing an old car than wasting your nerves and money on trying to fix an expensive new ride. This may be not the cheapest car insurance option, but it sure will save you a lot of cash before your teen gets older.

And don't forget about discounts. First of all, you should teach your young driver how to maintain a good driving record. The cleaner it is, the lower will be his or her premiums, so you should convince your teen to drive safely. Good students can opt for discounts too. Most insurance companies offer discounts to students with an average of B and above, so that should be a good kick for better marks too.

Tips on saving money with insurance

They are estimates of what insurers will charge you for a certain coverage package. Car insurance quotes take the major factors used to determine rates, feed them into an algorithm, and give you a pretty good idea of what you will be charged by any given company.

Owning a car is a very pleasant and comfortable think. These days it's even hard to imagine your everyday routing without driving a car, as for millions of Americans it has become a necessity just like having a place o live in. However, besides the comfort of being mobile there are certain responsibilities you have to meet in order to be able to operate a vehicle legally. One of these responsibilities is vehicle insurance and most of us will agree that this is one of the most irritating aspects of owning a car. The main problem for most drivers is that insurance rapidly becomes too expensive. If you're one of those who has to pay a lot for keeping a car insured here are some tips on making insurance cheaper:

Review your policy

One of the most common causes for insuring becoming too costly is that the car owner doesn't really understand what his or her policy actually carries. Quite often insurance policies include more types of coverage, some of which you may not need at all, and the more options and the higher amounts of coverage are included the more expensive your policy becomes. So the first thing to do when you want to cut your rates is reviewing your policy in order to adjust coverage amounts according to your needs and exclude those options that you don't really require. Just make sure that your policy carries enough coverage to cover a serious accident when doing so, otherwise you risk becoming under insured.

Adjust the deductible

Deductibles are the amount of money you have to pay from your pocket before the coverage kicks in. Each coverage type may have a separate deductible that you can set individually. The higher is the amount of deductible the lower your premiums get. Usually deductibles are set between $100 and $250, and by increasing them to $500 you can get a 10-15% cut off your premiums. You can set it even higher. However, be cautious when adjusting the deductible as the amount should correspond to your financial abilities. Otherwise you risk being unable to use your own auto insurance coverage simply because you can't met the deductible.

Get discounts

Discounts are everywhere even if you may think that your insurer doesn't offer them. Most auto insurance providers have a set of discounts to award specific groups of drivers. Some of the most common discounts include good driver, loyal customer, multiple car, multiple policy, low mileage, good student, senior citizen and other types of discounts. You only have to ask around and apply for the one that you eligible to.

Shop around

Shopping around for auto insurance is a must because it's probably the best method of getting competitive rates on your vehicle right from the start. Because each company uses its own method of calculating quotes the rates tend to fluctuate from company to company for the same kind of policy. So when you shop around you get the chance to find an adequate policy for a really competitive price. Isn't that exactly what most auto owners want?