The independent regulator for the UK communications industry, Ofcom, has conducted a survey on the knowledge and confidence of digital communication technologies among nearly 2,000 UK adults. In general, teens of 12-15 years old are the most tech-savvy respondents, while people aged 55 years old and over are losing their confidence in mastering new digital tools and devices.

LinkedIn’s Relationships @Work study provides valuable insights into the relationships between employees, and shows that good connections with co-workers can make people happier. The survey reveals that 46% of professionals worldwide think that “work friends are important to their overall happiness” because it generates positive atmosphere.

IKEA, a recognized and much-loved expert in arranging home spaces across the globe, has released a report that sheds light on contemporary morning rituals. The new report, titled “Life at Home: A World Wakes Up,” provides a sneak peek into how people wake up, have breakfast, interact with family members, and many more, in eight big capitals across the globe—Shanghai, Moscow, Berlin, Stockholm, New York, Paris, London and Mumbai.

The 2014 BrandZ Top 100 Most Valuable Global Brand ranking reveals brands that managed to reach big in the past year. The 9th consecutive annual study completed by Millward Brown proves that the recession is officially over: the brand value of the world’s most important brands has increased by 12 percent to $2.9 trillion versus last year’s 7 percent improvement. Apparently, the global economy is stepping into a new positive stage of development.

Nike has researched how the weather conditions influence the physical activity of amateur athletes. The team behind Nike FuelBand, Nike’s revolutionary bracelet that measures a person whole-body movement throughout the day, conducted a research to reveal the perfect atmospheric conditions for all sorts of athletic performances. The team used the activity patterns data collected across the USA, so the results apply to Americans only.

The London-based advertising agency isobel has conducted an online survey among 1250 UK adults in December 2013 to discover the happiest brands in the UK. As it turns out, for the British the happiest brands are digital giants, confectionary and body care labels. The ranking is topped by Cadbury, Andrex, Google, Fairy and Nivea, with a range of banks and political parties occupying the bottom of the list.