IPO Candidate WhiteSmoke Generates Revenue of $3.3 Million Last Quarter

Posted on GoArticles.com. See full article here

IPO Candidate WhiteSmoke Generates Revenue of $3.3 Million Last Quarter
By Katherine Belle
WhiteSmoke Inc., an English writing and translation software company seeking to go public in the U.S., published their latest numbers from quarter 1 of 2011 in the company's latest initial public offering prospectus on Monday, June 27th, 2011. The company offering is being underwritten by Rodman & Renshaw LLC and EarlyBirdCapital Inc., popular companies in the IPO scene.
WhiteSmoke has applied for Nasdaq listing under the ticker symbol “WHSM” while targeting the Education, Government and Business markets, all showing a growing demand for what this small hi-tech company offers. WhiteSmoke Inc. claims in their prospectus that though there are other companies they consider competitors in similar markets, they have yet to see anything similar to or at the level of their own solution. The Education, Government and Business markets are huge, and with the statistics in the “Industry” section of their prospectus showing the growing need for English as a common language on a worldwide scale, it seems this company has a bright future ahead of them.
The company has developed a PC solution that corrects grammar, spelling, style, punctuation and structure errors in texts as well as translates full texts and single words to and from nine languages. In addition, their product includes a Templates tab allowing the user to choose from a multitude of letter templates for instant use. A Mac version identical to their current PC version will be available by the end of this fiscal year. Also predicted to be launched by the end of this year is the WhiteSmoke Facebook application. In addition, applications for iPhone, iPad and Android are predicted to be launched by the end of 2012.
WhiteSmoke Inc., mentioned Monday that additional funding is needed to finance operations for the next 12 months. Evolution Venture Capital Fund, investors of WhiteSmoke Inc., have told the company that they are willing to provide the company with funding they require.
In addition to their flagship product, WhiteSmoke Writer, the company also offers a free trial version available for download together with toolbar applications from third-party monetization companies. Since the launch of this free product last year, it has become a huge revenue source for the company.
WhiteSmoke generated a total revenue of $3.3 million last quarter, a substantial grown from less than $1 million the year before and expect to continue to grow their operations by opening offices and hiring personnel worldwide.

Very interesting article I found on Article Base

Spain Increases English Lessons to Decrease Unemployment

Author: Katherine Belle

Spain Increases English Lessons to Decrease Unemployment

Spain currently has an unemployment rate of about 20%, which is twice as high as the European average. According to the New York Times, more and more Spaniards are searching for employment opportunities abroad. Unfortunately, many are experiencing difficulties due to poor foreign language skills, specifically their lack of knowledge of basic English. Many adults are returning to school to learn or improve their English or another foreign language.

While the current job seekers are having a hard time because of language barriers outside of Spain, education reforms are being made to ensure that future generations will not encounter such troubles. A third of Madrid's primary schools are bilingual, and by 2015 they are hoping at least half of the schools will be teaching more languages. In addition,  more and more schools have begun employing English speaking teachers.

Spain has a long way to go because in addition to struggling with vocabulary and pronunciation, even the campaign has poor grammar. The campaign to promote bilingual education boasts the slogan "Yes, we want!". Richard Vaughan, owner of Vaughn Systems, an English teaching company, estimates that less than five percent of graduates of engineering, law or business have even a working knowledge of English.

A useful tool to help improve one's English is WhiteSmoke Software. WhiteSmoke works with hi-end technology based on both statistical algorithms and NLP, or Natural Language Processing. This allows the software to actually learn how the human mind works when it comes to writing and better understand how to correct your mistakes. In addition, WhiteSmoke 2011 includes a full-text translator that allows you to translate to 9 different languages and a multilingual dictionary that translates single words and gives you usage examples of every word you translate, allowing you to see how your translated word is used in a sentence.  For those who want to improve their English, a Writing Review feature is available as well. The Writing Review gives you a detailed score of your original text with personalized improvement tips. WhiteSmoke 2011 with the WhiteSmoke Translator is a fantastic tool for those looking to improve their English.

 

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/economics-articles/spain-increases-english-lessons-to-decrease-unemployment-4898319.html

About the Author

I'm an artist - I love making Jewelry and sculpting, which is what I do for a living. Another passion of mine is writing and literature - I'm obsessed with the English language (although I must say I love speaking Italian).

The Word is Out - No More Google Translate API

People all over the world are outraged with Google's latest news informing the public that the Google Translate API will no longer be available after December. More than outraged, it seems people are nervous and are frantically searching for alternatives before this December deadline to avoid loss of sales and revenues of their business.

Google refuses to give a valid reason for this decision other than a vague statement that their service has been abused. This doesn't seem to satisfy all the affiliate marketers and app developers who relied on this API for quite some time to build their businesses. While the rumors spread of a paid version of this API or of the chances of Google reconsidering their latest decision, many begin searching for alternatives such as Microsoft and WhiteSmoke.

100-Word Vocabulary

Soccer, or as it’s known outside of America, football, is an international game. It is watched and played around the world by fans, players and managers from all over. When the coach speaks a different language than the players, a team can run into communication issues.

Fabio Capello is the Italian manager of England’s soccer team. While one need not be particularly articulate to get by in directing a team, some language skills are certainly necessary. Yet Capello says he needs a maximum of only one hundred words to manage his players. He told BBC reporters that although he struggles when trying to speak about the economy or other issues, but he has all the vocabulary he needs to discuss tactics with his team. Capello does seem to know more than just a hundred words in English, however.

Peter Howarth, deputy director of the Language Center at Leeds University, believes that only about 1,500 words are required to communicate with the simplest, most basic English. Students of English find that while the vocabulary is not difficult to grasp, the grammar rules are quite a challenge. Susie Dent, lexicographer and dictionary expert, says that an average person has about 60,000 words in their lexicon and uses about 20,000 of them actively.

People like Fabio Capello may turn to online tools to help improve their vocabulary and grammar. WhiteSmoke 2011 with the WhiteSmoke Translator is an all-in-one English language solution. In addition to correcting grammar and spelling mistakes, WhiteSmoke 2011 offers tips for writing and style improvement. The WhiteSmoke Translator supports full-text and word-to-word translations from nine languages. Between the translator and the grammar-checker, WhiteSmoke 2011 with the WhiteSmoke Translator is the ultimate tool for people looking to learn or improve their English skills. 

Growing Emphasis on English around the World

In schools all over the world the study of English is moving up the priority list. From America to Malaysia experts agree that proper grammar can make or break a graduate’s career. According to research by the British Council, people who speak English as a second language will soon outnumber native speakers.

So what can people who are struggling with English do to help them gain the advantage of fluency and boost their careers? In addition to classes and tutors, there are also many self-teaching options.

WhiteSmoke.com, for example, offers free English lessons on their website. The lessons include everything from writing tips to example texts. WhiteSmoke's software is also an incredible tool for both native and ESL speakers. It works in pretty much any text-based application, which means it can check anything from Excel spreadsheets to instant messages. WhiteSmoke 2011 finds spelling mistakes, including contextual ones such as “too” instead of “to”. It also finds errors in grammar and punctuation. These sorts of mistakes can change the meaning of a sentence, so it’s very important to make sure to use accurate grammar and punctuation.

The tool which is probably most useful to those trying to improve their English is the WhiteSmoke Translator. While WhiteSmoke 2011 offers style suggestions and helps progress the quality of the word choice, the user can just enter the word in the Translator in their native tongue. The WhiteSmoke Translator supports full-text and word-to-word translations in nine languages. 

Affiliate Group

Just an update on my "affiliate career"!
I made three sales so far and I have to say I'm really excited! All I had to do was post specialized links on my English Literature blog and voila!
I just joined the WhiteSmoke Affiliate Group on Facebook - I recommend this group to any and all affiliate marketers, regardless if you're in the WhiteSmoke Affiliate Program or not. They post free tips on affiliate marketing and you can ask them questions about how to optimize your site, what kind of content to write...etc.!
So far, very happy with my Affiliate Marketing experience. I just might try it with some more companies soon!

See ya!

Since When Is Txt-Spk Acceptable in Real Life?

It is fairly common for people to respond to complaints of poor grammar on the internet with indifference. Many think that because communication via internet and text message is informal, proper language is not necessary. While in some situations that might be true, people have become less weary of crossing the barrier between formal and informal communication. There are all too many reports of embarrassing predicaments caused by inappropriate use of “text-speak”. Text slang has been known to pop up everywhere from school papers to job applications.

The problem extends beyond lack of capitalization. Columbian.com reported that students use shortcuts in their work such as “ur” instead of “you’re”. They write “luv” in place of “love”, and they often neglect to capitalize i’ s and the beginning of new sentences. Students even utilize “LOL” and “OMG” in their assignments. Teachers have come to accept that they will see these informal usages in their students’ work and learned the best way to deal with it is have the students turn in rough drafts. They circle the informal spelling and grammar and the students correct it before handing in the final assignment.

A far less forgiving arena in which text-speak has been spotted is business communication. Laura Wiegert wrote about such an occurrence in the Herald Times Reporter. A college graduate ended her cover letter by informing her potential employer that she was “looking 4ward to working 4 U”. Writing “there” instead of “their” is enough to get a resume trashed, so needless to say this candidate was not hired. 

Using the same shortcuts one uses for informal communication for school or business reflects poorly on the person and institution they represent. If you are prone to using text-speak without realizing it, it may be worth investing in a grammar checking software like WhiteSmoke 2011. In addition to checking grammar and spelling, WhiteSmoke also offers suggestions for style improvement. WhiteSmoke Translator, a feature of the program, is a really useful tool to help people who are less fluent in English express accurately and properly what they want to say. 

Being a WhiteSmoke Affiliate

My mom always told me that the best way to choose a career is to “find something you enjoy doing and figure out how to get paid for it”. Well, I like staying home all day and surfing the web. Don’t get me wrong, I’m totally a people person; I just prefer pajamas to suits. After much research, I found the perfect solution- online marketing. I get to interact with people through the internet, but from the comfort of my home.

I contacted Zach, WhiteSmoke’s business development manager, about their affiliate program. I told him I was just beginning, and he was so helpful! I checked out their Facebook page, and it looked pretty cool. WhiteSmoke provides its affiliates with marketing material, but he also took the time to give me some tips.

I love being able to make my own hours and be my own boss. The more sales I make, the more money I earn. Let me tell you, seeing direct results like that can be very rewarding and motivational.

Additionally, I think WhiteSmoke is a great product. I use it before publishing anything to make sure that my texts are flawless. I mean, how silly would it look to try and sell grammar-checking software with incorrectly written marketing material? It’s always easy to sell something you believe in.

I’m new to this whole affiliate world, but so far I’m really enjoying working with WhiteSmoke and selling their products.

This article was of course checked with WhiteSmoke 2011.  Get WhiteSmoke now!

age errors in business interactions can mean the difference between a successful business deal and ruined ones. 

Business Translations

As businesses become globalized, and writing takes over as the main method of communication, translations have taken on a new importance. Communication can be a delicate issue, and one must be careful, especially in business, to be clear and flawless.

According to WhiteSmoke News, some cultures prefer that a new business partner speaks in their own language instead of trying unsuccessfully to express themselves in a foreign language. Depending on the culture, it might be considered a sign of respect to struggle to honor the new language, while for others the smallest mistake could be the largest insult.

It is important to study the culture of a new potential business partner to make sure that one is properly honoring their traditions. A great way to prepare is through using online translation tools. WhiteSmoke Translator, for example, offers both full-text and word-to-word translations. A user can translate a full email, or just quickly look up words before a phone conversation. WhiteSmoke Translator also offers a human translation service, which partners with native speakers at onehourtranslation.com to ensure the most accurate translations possible.

Several months ago, the Wall Street Journal reported that the sales of the new Samsung Galaxy Tab, a product similar to Apple’s iPad, were “quite small”. In fact, what the vice president of Samsung had said, although in Japanese, was that sales were “quite smooth”. Apple CEO, Steve Jobs, repeated the WSJ’s error when introducing the iPad2. The Wall Street Journal’s mistranslation was more than just a small mistake. It ended up being ammunition for competing companies.

Although translators can help one get acquainted with a new language, one must be careful to learn about the nuances and secondary meanings of words to communicate effectively and avoid insult. Language errors in business interactions can mean the difference between a successful business deal and ruined ones. 

Cool Writing Technology

In the past, if one wanted to write anything, it required paper, pen and creativity. Today, one merely needs a computer. With more writing software available than ever before and a blogosphere full of opportunity, anyone can be a writer. There are constantly new technological inventions and advancements that make reading and writing easier.

There are online dictionaries and translation tools available at the push of a button. A really great program for people looking to improve their English is WhiteSmoke 2011 with the WhiteSmoke Translator. The WhiteSmoke Translator is a great tool for translating, as it supports at least 9 languages and does both word-to-word and full text translations using statistical machine translation (SMT) technology. WhiteSmoke 2011 scans texts from nearly any application for grammar and spelling mistakes, as well as offers suggestions to improve style and word choice. WhiteSmoke even offers free online tips and English lessons.

Pearson has recently developed new apps aimed at helping kids improve their vocabulary and grammar. They showcased this new technology at the National Science Teachers Association's (NSTA) annual conference last week. The applications for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch, which cover subjects of both science and English, will be available in schools for grades 3-8 starting in the 2011-2012 school year.

One no longer needs to be a literary genius to compose a play or novel. Websites such as rawscrpts.com provide free online screenwriting software. There are so many novel-writing programs that include templates and outlines to help would-be authors complete their works.  Imagine what Shakespeare could have come up with if he had such technology available to him!

From WhiteSmoke Translator to apps for kids to novel and screenplay writing programs, it has been getting easier and easier to write in English. Check out some of this cool technology today!

Communication

Most communication in today’s world is done through writing in English. Whether it is through email, instant messaging, blogging, or the media, flawless English is vital to represent one’s self and one’s business. For people who have a lesser command of the language, there are numerous solutions of how to succeed. There are classes, tutors, books, online tools, and so much more.

My personal belief is that the best way that a non-native speaker can improve their writing is by using grammar-checking tools to scan for mistakes and see what parts of speech and grammar they need to work on. The ideal tool for this is WhiteSmoke 2011 with the WhiteSmoke Translator Tab. This software supports full-text and word-to-word translations of at least nine languages. The program then has the capability of scanning the text for any grammar mistakes. The user can send his or her email with full confidence, knowing that they have successfully communicated their message without any embarrassing errors.

To be honest, WhiteSmoke is useful even for native English speakers to pick up on little mistakes that we so often simply miss in our hasty proofreading of our writing. How often do we notice misplaced commas or misspelled words only too late? We have become complacent with communicating using instant-messaging shortcuts such as “LOL” or “Thx”. While these may be acceptable if you are fifteen-years-old and texting your friend, they make a very bad impression on a potential business partner. So save your reputation and proofread before you hit send, or better yet scan with WhiteSmoke. 

Boxer Ridiculed on Twitter for Having Poor Grammar

Manny Pacquiao, a Filipino professional boxer, has been taking a lot of flak for the poor grammar on his Twitter page. According to abs-cbnNEWS.com, Pacquiao opened a Twitter account last week to keep his fans updated, but received so much negative feedback for his English mistakes that he has decided to delete his account. He is reported to have Tweeted “I think I have to delete my account and stop it I know I can't pls. Everybody thanks everyone”.

These unassuming punctuation mistakes can be easily avoided by running the text through a simple grammar check. Instead of closing his account, perhaps Pacquiao would be better off looking into a Grammar-Checker such as WhiteSmoke 2011. The Grammar-Checker is compatible with most text-based programs. It can check text in Facebook, Twitter, email, Instant-Messenger applications, any Office program and so many more. Pacquiao and others like him could also benefit from the WhiteSmoke Translator. Although the WhiteSmoke Translator does not currently support Filipino, they are constantly working on updating and adding languages.

The WhiteSmoke Translator uses Statistical Machine Translation (SMT) technology to produce high quality translations. This tool is incredibly useful to people who speak English as a Second Language. Writing is the main form of communication, and that includes Social Media Networking. WhiteSmoke can really make a difference in how the world perceives such international stars as Manny Pacquiao by helping them correct their English.

If you would like to see WhiteSmoke Translator add more languages, post on the WhiteSmoke Facebook page.  

WhiteSmoke vs. Ginger

There are several spelling and grammar-checking programs currently available. After making the decision to purchase one, I had no idea how to choose the best product. Fortunately, Ginger and WhiteSmoke 2011 with the WhiteSmoke Translator both offer free trials. This review will look at the download/installation process, the user interface, accuracy and additional features of each program.

Download/Installation Process:

Both the Ginger and WhiteSmoke websites were easy to navigate. The installation for both products went smoothly. Although I had heard rumors of viruses and malware coming with free trial versions of things, my anti-virus scanner found both to be clean.

User Interface:

Ginger will scan text from any Office application. WhiteSmoke 2011 has slightly more flexibility, as it can scan from nearly any text-based application. Aside from Office, it can scan from Firefox, Google Chrome and Internet Explorer, which means you can check emails, chats, blog posts and pretty much anything you will ever write.

For both WhiteSmoke 2011 with the WhiteSmoke Translator and Ginger, all you have to do to check your text is press F2. The WhiteSmoke window opens, with the selected text inside. It highlights spelling, grammar and style errors and even suggests style improvements. WhiteSmoke 2011 also rates your writing and identifies your common mistakes, so you can know where to improve. Ginger scans the text directly in the word processor and makes suggestions. Both programs allow the user to opt out of a suggested change. 

Another usage point to note is that both programs have alternatives to the F2 button. They both have floating buttons, hovering unobtrusively in the corner. WhiteSmoke, in addition to the floating button, allows the user to change the setting to several options of buttons.

Accuracy:

I ran a number of texts through each program in turn to test for accuracy. The best way to describe the results is to say that WhiteSmoke picked up everything that Ginger picked up, but Ginger didn’t pick up nearly as many errors as WhiteSmoke. Ginger caught all the spelling mistakes, including errors such as “two” instead of “to”, but missed many of the grammar mistakes. It did not pick up on misplaced commas, for example. WhiteSmoke also missed a few things, but all in all, the texts were far more improved after a scan with WhiteSmoke than with Ginger.

Additional Features:

As far as the free trial was concerned, Ginger didn’t include any features aside from the spell-check. WhiteSmoke, however, includes a dictionary, hundreds of templates and best of all, the WhiteSmoke Translator. The WhiteSmoke Translator supports nine languages. The WhiteSmoke Translator provides accurate translations and then allows you to check the text for grammar mistakes.

Conclusion:

I was impressed by both Ginger and WhiteSmoke 2011 with the WhiteSmoke Translator. At the end of the day, you’ll choose the one that best suits your needs. For me, WhiteSmoke was the better option because I know I overuse commas and Ginger wasn’t so helpful with that. The WhiteSmoke all-in-one solution is truly a complete solution, and I certainly recommend it.

This review was scanned with WhiteSmoke 2011.

Upgrading Can Bring Worthwhile Change

I have a dear friend who is fond of saying “Google rules the world”. Said friend believes that humanity would be incapable of surviving without Google. So much more than a search engine, the Google Empire includes gmail, youtube.com, google-docs, maps, calendar, blogs, photo albums, and a whole lot more. But even Google, with all its vast powers, is not immune to error. Ben Treynor, VP Engineering and Site Reliability Czar, reported on Google’s blog that on February 27, 2011 when Google released a software update, the contents of about 20,000 email accounts was deleted by an unexpected bug. While this is merely .02% of Google’s users, it certainly caused a fright. The good news is that Google has everything backed up, and though it took a bit longer than expected, they have been able to restore the contents of the emptied inboxes.

Upgrading software can be scary. They often mean changes to the look, feel and user interface of a product. While there are those who welcome change, it’s fairly common to shy away from it. I myself am often hesitant to accept an upgrade in software, if only because I like what I have and see no reason to change.

Change, however, can often bring improvements. I recently upgraded my WhiteSmoke Software from the 2010 version to WhiteSmoke 2011. WhiteSmoke is a fantastic tool which scans texts from nearly any application and checks it for spelling, grammar, and stylistic errors. When I saw there was a “new and improved” version, I was extremely hesitant to upgrade. It turns out that was one of the most worthwhile upgrades I’ve ever gone through with. The new WhiteSmoke, in addition to being faster and looking nicer, also includes templates which make writing a breeze. The best part, though, is the WhiteSmoke Translator tab. The WhiteSmoke Translator supports full-text translations into 9 different languages.

So the next time I see an opportunity to upgrade, although the Google snafu will be in the back of my mind, I will recall WhiteSmoke 2011 with the Translator tab and say “Yes!” to change. 

What Can a Spelling or Grammar Error Cost You?

You can never proof-read a written piece too many times before submission. English grammar rules are complicated enough without having to worry about simple misspellings. With writing being the main means of communication, grammar checking software such as WhiteSmoke's all-in-one writing solution can be a huge help to everyone from students and professors to doctors and professionals.  

Errors in spelling or grammar can be costly. Aside from causing embarrassment, a misplaced comma or apostrophe can change the meaning of a sentence. Even the slightest mistake on a job application can cost a candidate his/her job. Several years ago, a lawyer lost $31,350 when the judge ruled that he should not be paid in full due to overabundant typos. It’s certainly worth taking the extra moment to read over your work, or even better to scan it with a grammar checker.

However, the importance of good grammar extends beyond just paper and pen. Since The King’s Speech has been at the forefront of award season, there have been several articles published on the significance of grammar and stuttering. The movie focuses on King George VI and his stuttering problem. Having a screenwriter with a stutter, it accurately portrays many of the symptoms and difficulties of stuttering. According to an article by Pam Belluck in the New York Times, research has shown that there is a connection between stuttering and the complexity of language. In a study conducted by Dr. Anne Smith of Purdue University, children with stutters responded normally to contextual errors in speech, but did not pick up on grammatical errors.

Whether written or spoken, language can be a very powerful thing. As they say, “the pen is mightier than the sword”. Inaccuracy can cost money, jobs and speech. A spelling and grammar check is always worth it. 

Cool Translation Tools

There are constantly new and amazing applications being developed for cell phones. Some of them are simple games for entertainment, while others are incredibly practical. Among the useful apps there exist many profoundly helpful language apps. Whether your needs lie in translation or spellchecking, there’s an app for that. Technology never ceases to impress.

One of my favorite apps is the WhiteSmoke Blackberry App. This application checks the spelling and grammar in your Blackberry email compositions. We’ve all read about embarrassing and job-threatening mistakes caused by not taking the time to proofread properly. For example, in December an Australian teacher emailed a progress report to the parents of a student riddled with abundant spelling mistakes. She told them that their daughter is “a good role modal” although her “attenance is low”, among many other atrocious errors. Obviously this reflected poorly not only on the teacher, but on the school as well. The WhiteSmoke Grammar Checker scans for content related errors in addition to simple spell-checking. Given how easy it is to slip up when typing on a cell phone, the WhiteSmoke Blackberry App is definitely a must.

Another cool new app for the iPhone is Word Lens. This fascinating application scans text and translates it from Spanish to English (and vice-versa). The app uses the iPhone’s camera lens to scan the text, and translates it instantaneously, no internet connection necessary. Translation software such as WhiteSmoke Translator is great, but is only for computers. Maybe one day they will expand to the iPhone as well.