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Saturday, December 31, 2011
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Friday, December 23, 2011
2012 Will Be the Year of the Android Tablet
2012 Will Be the Year of the Android Tablet
"By the end of the year Apple's enormous market share advantage will be in a precipitous dwindle. They'll still be selling a lot of iPads and who knows how compelling the iPad 3 will be, but consumers and businesses will have many reasonable alternatives. The biggest advantage for Android over iOS is that there is only one company making iOS phones and tablets, and they don't make a lot of models. There are many companies making Android devices and the magic of competition will force them to drive prices down and quality up."
"By the end of the year Apple's enormous market share advantage will be in a precipitous dwindle. They'll still be selling a lot of iPads and who knows how compelling the iPad 3 will be, but consumers and businesses will have many reasonable alternatives. The biggest advantage for Android over iOS is that there is only one company making iOS phones and tablets, and they don't make a lot of models. There are many companies making Android devices and the magic of competition will force them to drive prices down and quality up."
Thursday, December 22, 2011
RIM CEOs lied about BlackBerry 10 delay, report says
RIM CEOs lied about BlackBerry 10 delay, report says
"RIM just can't get its act together.
The company's best hope for a recovery, its next-generation BlackBerry 10 platform, has been pushed back to late next year. While executives blamed the later release of a new chip, Boy Genius Report said the real reason for the delay is the inability for RIM to get its core email and messenger services on the new platform.
"RIM is simply pushing this out as long as they can for one reason, they don't have a working product yet," the blog said, citing an anonymous source."
New iPhone? No thanks, say cash-conscious Europeans
New iPhone? No thanks, say cash-conscious Europeans
"Weakening economies and falling prices of rival smartphones are hurting sales of Apple iPhones across Europe, data from research firm Kantar Worldpanel ComTech showed on Thursday."
"Weakening economies and falling prices of rival smartphones are hurting sales of Apple iPhones across Europe, data from research firm Kantar Worldpanel ComTech showed on Thursday."
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
AppleGrandCentral: Apple's legal victory over HTC not expected to have a major effect
Apple's legal victory over HTC not expected to have a major effect
"Though the International Trade Commission has placed an injunction against HTC Android phones that infringe on Apple's intellectual property, the ruling is not expected to have a major effect on either HTC or Apple.
The ITC sided with Apple on Monday and placed an import ban on infringing HTC Android phones beginning on April 19, 2012. The ruling was based on Apple's patented invention for data detectors, which allow an operating system to recognize formatted data, like a phone number or e-mail address, within an unstructured document.
On Apple's iPhone and iPad, the invention allows users to see e-mail addresses and phone numbers as a hyperlink. Those links can be tapped to conduct a specific related action, like placing a phone call or composing an e-mail."
"Though the International Trade Commission has placed an injunction against HTC Android phones that infringe on Apple's intellectual property, the ruling is not expected to have a major effect on either HTC or Apple.
The ITC sided with Apple on Monday and placed an import ban on infringing HTC Android phones beginning on April 19, 2012. The ruling was based on Apple's patented invention for data detectors, which allow an operating system to recognize formatted data, like a phone number or e-mail address, within an unstructured document.
On Apple's iPhone and iPad, the invention allows users to see e-mail addresses and phone numbers as a hyperlink. Those links can be tapped to conduct a specific related action, like placing a phone call or composing an e-mail."
Monday, December 19, 2011
Apple supplier Pegatron hit by China PLANT BLAST
Apple supplier Pegatron hit by China PLANT BLAST
"Apple Inc supplier Pegatron Corp reported an explosion at a subsidiary's plant in Shanghai over the weekend that it said had injured 61 workers, the latest in a series of incidents that have spotlighted safety concerns at factories in China."
"Apple Inc supplier Pegatron Corp reported an explosion at a subsidiary's plant in Shanghai over the weekend that it said had injured 61 workers, the latest in a series of incidents that have spotlighted safety concerns at factories in China."
Friday, December 16, 2011
Monday, December 12, 2011
Open Access Nationwide Cell Plan Derailed By GPS Interference 75% FAILURE?
Open Access Nationwide Cell Plan Derailed By GPS Interference 75% FAILURE?
"The idea of a nationwide, open-access wireless 4G broadband network may be a great thing in theory, but in practice, it turns out that there may be one rather big problem with it–especially for anyone who uses a GPS system. Plans for a $14 billion U.S.-wide network hit a snag when testing revealed that the performance of three quarters of GPS receivers were affected negatively by the signal."
"The idea of a nationwide, open-access wireless 4G broadband network may be a great thing in theory, but in practice, it turns out that there may be one rather big problem with it–especially for anyone who uses a GPS system. Plans for a $14 billion U.S.-wide network hit a snag when testing revealed that the performance of three quarters of GPS receivers were affected negatively by the signal."
Friday, December 9, 2011
Motorola wins patent suit against Apple in Germany, iPhone/iPad sales to be BANNED
Motorola wins patent suit against Apple in Germany, iPhone/iPad sales to be BANNED
"Earlier this morning, the Mannheim Regional Court in Germany ruled that Apple did infringe on GPRS patents belonging to smartphone rival Motorola, which could see an injunction placed on iPhones and iPads.
Florian Mueller of FOSSpatents revealed the outcome between the two mobile giants, highlighting that sales of the iPhone, iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPad 3G and iPad2 3G may be impacted in Germany unless Apple is able to secure a stay until an appeal can be heard."
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Feds Falsely Censor Popular Blog For Over A Year, Deny ALL Due Process, HIDE ALL DETAILS...
Feds Falsely Censor Popular Blog For Over A Year, Deny ALL Due Process, HIDE ALL DETAILS...
Which country is this? What happened to private property and due process?
Which country is this? What happened to private property and due process?
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Apple negotiated 'UNIQUE' bargain for Grand Central store lease
Apple negotiated 'UNIQUE' bargain for Grand Central store lease
"The terms of the deal were disclosed on Wednesday by the New York Post, which revealed that Apple is paying $60 per square foot for the property. That's said to be well below what other tenants are paying, such as a Shake Shack restaurant that pays more than $200 per square foot.
"That's a sign that Apple drove a hard bargain with the MTA -- Despite the fact that the public agency's budget squeezes are pushing fares up for subway straphangers and suburban commuters across the region," the report said."
"The terms of the deal were disclosed on Wednesday by the New York Post, which revealed that Apple is paying $60 per square foot for the property. That's said to be well below what other tenants are paying, such as a Shake Shack restaurant that pays more than $200 per square foot.
"That's a sign that Apple drove a hard bargain with the MTA -- Despite the fact that the public agency's budget squeezes are pushing fares up for subway straphangers and suburban commuters across the region," the report said."
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Apple, Book Publishers Face European Antitrust Probe
Apple, Book Publishers Face European Antitrust Probe
"Apple’s entry into the ebook business hasn’t been a huge success, but it has still registered with European antitrust regulators. They’ve started a formal investigation that’s supposed to determine whether the company and five major publishers “engaged in anti-competitive practices”.
"Apple’s entry into the ebook business hasn’t been a huge success, but it has still registered with European antitrust regulators. They’ve started a formal investigation that’s supposed to determine whether the company and five major publishers “engaged in anti-competitive practices”.
Apple research ADMITS Samsung no threat!
Apple research ADMITS Samsung no threat!
"A poorly redacted copy of the Apple/Samsung US preliminary injunction ruling has revealed that Apple’s own market research shows buyers of iPhone, iPad and its other devices are unlikely to jump ship to a rival manufacturer, and in fact Samsung’s rise comes primarily at the cost of other Android devices"
"A poorly redacted copy of the Apple/Samsung US preliminary injunction ruling has revealed that Apple’s own market research shows buyers of iPhone, iPad and its other devices are unlikely to jump ship to a rival manufacturer, and in fact Samsung’s rise comes primarily at the cost of other Android devices"
Thursday, November 24, 2011
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Friday, November 11, 2011
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Microsoft is demanding Android patent licenses from Huawei
Huawei confirms that Microsoft is chasing it for Android patent licence
"
"
The Chinese telecoms giant Huawei has confirmed that Microsoft is demanding royalty payments from it over products using Androidsoftware.
Victor Xu, chief marketing officer for Huawei Devices, confirmed to the Guardian on Monday evening that "negotiations are in progress" over licensing certain Microsoft patents which the American software giant claims are infringed by hardware implementations of Android.
"Yes, Microsoft has come to us," Xu said on Monday as the company launched a new smartphone and 7in tablet for the UK market. "We always respect the intellectual property of companies. But we have 65,000 patents worldwide too. We have enough to protect our interests. We are a very important stakeholder in Android."
Microsoft has already extracted per-device royalty agreements for Android products from at least 10 companies, including Samsung, the world's largest smartphone maker, HTC, Compal Electronics (whose customers include Dell, HP and Toshiba), Quanta Computer, Wistron, General Dynamics Itronix, Velocity Micro, Onkyo, Acer, and Viewsonic. In a blogpost in October Microsoft's Brad Smith said that the licence agreement with Compal meant that "companies accounting for more than half of all Android devices have now entered into patent licence agreements with Microsoft"."
Thursday, October 20, 2011
BlackBerry maker accused of infringing BBX trademark
BlackBerry maker accused of infringing BBX trademark
"BBX, the operating system that Research In Motion is counting on to revive its floundering BlackBerry franchise, has run into trouble even before the company could install the system in its smartphone line.
"BBX, the operating system that Research In Motion is counting on to revive its floundering BlackBerry franchise, has run into trouble even before the company could install the system in its smartphone line.
A New Mexico firm claims the "BBX" name is protected by trademarks it holds and is threatening to take legal action against RIM unless it stops using the moniker."
AT&T sees slowdown in iPhone activations
AT&T sees slowdown in iPhone activations
"The country's largest telecommunications company said it activated 2.7 million iPhones in the third quarter, the lowest number in a year and a half. A new iPhone model the 4S, was launched just after the end of the quarter.
"The country's largest telecommunications company said it activated 2.7 million iPhones in the third quarter, the lowest number in a year and a half. A new iPhone model the 4S, was launched just after the end of the quarter.
On Tuesday, Apple Inc. surprised investors with global iPhone sales figures that were below lofty expectations. But sales of the 4S were very strong in the first three days in stores, so AT&T may already have made up for a slow third quarter."
Samsung and Google unveil Galaxy Nexus smartphone
Samsung and Google unveil Galaxy Nexus smartphone
"Samsung Electronics unveiled its newest Galaxy Nexus smartphone Wednesday, the first to use the latest version of Google's Android operating system.
"Samsung Electronics unveiled its newest Galaxy Nexus smartphone Wednesday, the first to use the latest version of Google's Android operating system.
The new phone is seen as the Samsung-Google partnership's answer to Apple's iPhone 4S, which in less than a week on the market has already sold more than 4 million units.
At a glitzy unveiling in Hong Kong, Google executive Andy Rubin said Android's latest "Ice Cream Sandwich" operating system demonstrates innovation "that works on phones and tablets and everything in between."
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Dropbox CEO Turned Down Nine-Figure Buyout From Steve Jobs in 2009
Dropbox CEO Turned Down Nine-Figure Buyout From Steve Jobs in 2009
"According to an article in Forbes, Dropbox founder Drew Houston and his business partner met with Steve Jobs in Cupertino in 2009. The purpose of the meeting? Jobs wanted to buy Dropbox for a reportedly nine-figure sum. The outcome of the meeting? Houston essentially said thanks but no thanks; Dropbox wasn’t for sale.
Jobs probably had meetings like this every week, where he hosted some whip-smart startup founders and tried to buy their company, either to remove them from competing with Apple products or to use their technology to build or improve an Apple product."
"According to an article in Forbes, Dropbox founder Drew Houston and his business partner met with Steve Jobs in Cupertino in 2009. The purpose of the meeting? Jobs wanted to buy Dropbox for a reportedly nine-figure sum. The outcome of the meeting? Houston essentially said thanks but no thanks; Dropbox wasn’t for sale.
Jobs probably had meetings like this every week, where he hosted some whip-smart startup founders and tried to buy their company, either to remove them from competing with Apple products or to use their technology to build or improve an Apple product."
Friday, September 9, 2011
Thursday, September 8, 2011
We're HIRING: Senior C++ Trading Systems Engineer (Prop Trading Firm/NYC)
Call or text 203-29-QUANT 203.297.8268 if you have any questions and are
qualified for this role or others posted.
Please speak clearly if leaving a voicemail, and let me know the role you are
applying for and if you have sent a resume or not. You may call or text at any time. All discussions and messages are fully confidential...
If QUALIFIED &AUTHORIZED FOR USA WORK, email resume onto QuantRec
@gmail.com & Quant at QuantRec dot com.
Goto http://www.QuantRec.com for updates on jobs,
bookmark it! you can fax in resume to 206-202-7703 as well.
PLEASE BE SURE TO INCLUDE your salary requirements (2010 base/bonus), location
preferences, and for my notes where you have been interviewing or been submitted to in the past 6 months (as there are multiple opportunities if you are a solid techie).
Must currently be in USA and be Green CARD/US CITIZEN/h1b with enough years left
on visa (at least 3 years). Also include the best times to reach you over the near term.
Candidates MEETING MOST OF the SPEC below will be contacted
PROMPTLY.
-----------
Senior C++ Trading Systems Engineer
Prop Trading Firm / NYC
Description
The role is a full-time position in our IT team. Working in C++ on Linux, the team develops our general trading logic, execution algorithms, core infrastructure, and market data handling, the most challenging and performance critical aspects of our trading system. The job is technically demanding and professionally rewarding. We are looking for a senior technician to take major role in extending our trading functionality on our new platform. Responsibilities include:
Developing systems for new markets, new products and new trading opportunities
Integrating new trading algorithms and strategies into the trading platform
Improving the speed and scalability of our trading systems
Qualifications
Qualified candidates should hold at least an undergraduate degree in Computer Science or Engineering. You should be able to demonstrate skill in C/C++ application development and competence with software development tools.
This is a hands-on development role. Candidates must have experience of C/C++ development on Linux, and of developing and deploying high-performance low-latency distributed systems. In addition, candidates must have experience of at least some of the following:
Developing financial exchange connectivity
Simulating financial trading; replaying market-data
Understanding of TCP/UDP/IP and the networking stack
Focus on software performance; experience of profiling and optimizing
Developing with a template-based C++ library, ideally Boost
Designing infrastructures for robustness, easy monitoring and support, smooth upgrades and deployments
Candidates must have strong interpersonal skills:
Team orientation
Ability to present information clearly and succinctly
Drive and commitment to resolve problems
Build good relations with clients
Show attention to detail
Enthusiastic self-starter who takes initiative with minimal supervision.
Flexible team player who effectively prioritizes and juggles multiple concurrent projects.
qualified for this role or others posted.
Please speak clearly if leaving a voicemail, and let me know the role you are
applying for and if you have sent a resume or not. You may call or text at any time. All discussions and messages are fully confidential...
If QUALIFIED &AUTHORIZED FOR USA WORK, email resume onto QuantRec
@gmail.com & Quant at QuantRec dot com.
Goto http://www.QuantRec.com for updates on jobs,
bookmark it! you can fax in resume to 206-202-7703 as well.
PLEASE BE SURE TO INCLUDE your salary requirements (2010 base/bonus), location
preferences, and for my notes where you have been interviewing or been submitted to in the past 6 months (as there are multiple opportunities if you are a solid techie).
Must currently be in USA and be Green CARD/US CITIZEN/h1b with enough years left
on visa (at least 3 years). Also include the best times to reach you over the near term.
Candidates MEETING MOST OF the SPEC below will be contacted
PROMPTLY.
-----------
Senior C++ Trading Systems Engineer
Prop Trading Firm / NYC
Description
The role is a full-time position in our IT team. Working in C++ on Linux, the team develops our general trading logic, execution algorithms, core infrastructure, and market data handling, the most challenging and performance critical aspects of our trading system. The job is technically demanding and professionally rewarding. We are looking for a senior technician to take major role in extending our trading functionality on our new platform. Responsibilities include:
Developing systems for new markets, new products and new trading opportunities
Integrating new trading algorithms and strategies into the trading platform
Improving the speed and scalability of our trading systems
Qualifications
Qualified candidates should hold at least an undergraduate degree in Computer Science or Engineering. You should be able to demonstrate skill in C/C++ application development and competence with software development tools.
This is a hands-on development role. Candidates must have experience of C/C++ development on Linux, and of developing and deploying high-performance low-latency distributed systems. In addition, candidates must have experience of at least some of the following:
Developing financial exchange connectivity
Simulating financial trading; replaying market-data
Understanding of TCP/UDP/IP and the networking stack
Focus on software performance; experience of profiling and optimizing
Developing with a template-based C++ library, ideally Boost
Designing infrastructures for robustness, easy monitoring and support, smooth upgrades and deployments
Candidates must have strong interpersonal skills:
Team orientation
Ability to present information clearly and succinctly
Drive and commitment to resolve problems
Build good relations with clients
Show attention to detail
Enthusiastic self-starter who takes initiative with minimal supervision.
Flexible team player who effectively prioritizes and juggles multiple concurrent projects.
We're HIRING: Sr C#/WPF Developer (Prop Trading Firm, NYC)
Call or text 203-29-QUANT 203.297.8268 if you have any questions and are
qualified for this role or others posted.
Please speak clearly if leaving a voicemail, and let me know the role you are
applying for and if you have sent a resume or not. You may call or text at any time. All discussions and messages are fully confidential...
If QUALIFIED &AUTHORIZED FOR USA WORK, email resume onto QuantRec
@gmail.com & Quant at QuantRec dot com.
Goto http://www.QuantRec.com for updates on jobs,
bookmark it! you can fax in resume to 206-202-7703 as well.
PLEASE BE SURE TO INCLUDE your salary requirements (2010 base/bonus), location
preferences, and for my notes where you have been interviewing or been submitted to in the past 6 months (as there are multiple opportunities if you are a solid techie).
Must currently be in USA and be Green CARD/US CITIZEN/h1b with enough years left
on visa (at least 3 years). Also include the best times to reach you over the near term.
Candidates MEETING MOST OF the SPEC below will be contacted
PROMPTLY.
-----------
qualified for this role or others posted.
Please speak clearly if leaving a voicemail, and let me know the role you are
applying for and if you have sent a resume or not. You may call or text at any time. All discussions and messages are fully confidential...
If QUALIFIED &AUTHORIZED FOR USA WORK, email resume onto QuantRec
@gmail.com & Quant at QuantRec dot com.
Goto http://www.QuantRec.com for updates on jobs,
bookmark it! you can fax in resume to 206-202-7703 as well.
PLEASE BE SURE TO INCLUDE your salary requirements (2010 base/bonus), location
preferences, and for my notes where you have been interviewing or been submitted to in the past 6 months (as there are multiple opportunities if you are a solid techie).
Must currently be in USA and be Green CARD/US CITIZEN/h1b with enough years left
on visa (at least 3 years). Also include the best times to reach you over the near term.
Candidates MEETING MOST OF the SPEC below will be contacted
PROMPTLY.
-----------
Sr C# GUI Developer (WPF)
Prop Trading Company/ NYC
Description
The role is a full-time position in our IT team. Working primarily in C#, and secondly in C++ on Linux, the candidate would take over responsibility for all aspects of the front end of the system, including the servers that assemble and distribute the data to the traders' desktop.. The job is technically demanding and professionally rewarding. We are looking for a senior technician to take major role in extending our trading functionality on our new platform. Responsibilities include:
- Developing systems for new markets, new products and new trading opportunities
- Designing new ways to display data and allow traders to control the system
- Improving the scalability and performance of our interfaces
Qualifications
Qualified candidates should hold at least an undergraduate degree. You should be able to demonstrate skill in C# and familiarity with C/C++ application development. This is a hands-on development role. Candidates must have experience of developing user interfaces for large-scale fast-moving data sets. In addition, candidates must have experience of at least some of the following:
- Displaying real-time financial market-data
- Creating server-side caches of displayable data
- Understanding of TCP/UDP/IP and the networking stack
- .NET WCF and WPF
- Python scripting
Candidates must have strong interpersonal skills:
- Team orientation
- Ability to present information clearly and succinctly
- Drive and commitment to resolve problems
- Build good relations with clients
- Show attention to detail
- Enthusiastic self-starter who takes initiative with minimal supervision.
- Flexible team player who effectively prioritizes and juggles multiple concurrent projects.
Apple 'All Alone' In Front of Tablet Race
Apple 'All Alone' In Front of Tablet Race
"A hardware analyst for J.P. Morgan lifted his sales forecast for the tablet market today, but added that the field remains dominated by the iPad and so far lacks a strong rival.
In a note to clients, Mark Moskowitz boosted his unit sales forecast for the market by nearly 13% to 51.9 million units for this year. He expects Apple to account for more than 70% of those sales, as tablets based on other operating systems such as Google’s Android platform have so far failed to make a sizable dent in the marketplace."
"A hardware analyst for J.P. Morgan lifted his sales forecast for the tablet market today, but added that the field remains dominated by the iPad and so far lacks a strong rival.
In a note to clients, Mark Moskowitz boosted his unit sales forecast for the market by nearly 13% to 51.9 million units for this year. He expects Apple to account for more than 70% of those sales, as tablets based on other operating systems such as Google’s Android platform have so far failed to make a sizable dent in the marketplace."
Google Acquires Zagat To Become Leader In 'Local Reviews'
Google Acquires Zagat To Become Leader In 'Local Reviews'
"Google has acquired Zagat, one of the most well-known names in restaurant reviews. Zagat is best known for its small guidebooks (the dead-tree sort) that offer reviews and recommendations on restaurants around the world. Terms of the deal weren’t disclosed."
"Google has acquired Zagat, one of the most well-known names in restaurant reviews. Zagat is best known for its small guidebooks (the dead-tree sort) that offer reviews and recommendations on restaurants around the world. Terms of the deal weren’t disclosed."
Friday, September 2, 2011
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
"Steve Jobs' Father REGRETS Adoption, Hasn't Met Apple Founder"
"Steve Jobs' Father REGRETS Adoption, Hasn't Met Apple Founder"
"Abdulfattah John Jandali, a Syrian immigrant who now works as a vice-president at a casino in a Reno, Nev., was quoted by the New York Post as saying he didn't know until just a fewyears ago that the baby he and his ex-wife, Joanne Simpson, gave up grew to be Apple's CEO. Jandali has emailed his son a few times, he said, but did not call Jobs for fear that he would think Jandali was after his fortune."
"Abdulfattah John Jandali, a Syrian immigrant who now works as a vice-president at a casino in a Reno, Nev., was quoted by the New York Post as saying he didn't know until just a fewyears ago that the baby he and his ex-wife, Joanne Simpson, gave up grew to be Apple's CEO. Jandali has emailed his son a few times, he said, but did not call Jobs for fear that he would think Jandali was after his fortune."
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Friday, August 26, 2011
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Friday, August 19, 2011
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
AppleGrandCentral.com - Apple Could Be at MORE RISK Than Anticipated if Recession Lies Ahead
Apple Could Be at MORE RISK Than Anticipated if Recession Lies Ahead
"
"
If we do enter into a strong economic recession or even a period of lack luster spending, then Apple will likely face growth hurdles; which would lead to declines in the stock. A repeat of the 2008 and 2009 market declines would mean a likely 50-60% decline in share price or $228 per share, or Apple shares at roughly $152.
The one good thing is that Apple's January 2013 puts are not that much more expensive compared to the SPY puts. January 2013 $380 puts cost $61.75 or 16.25% of the stock price while January 2013 $119 puts SPY cost $15.79 or 13.26% of the stock price. Comparable puts in Amazon cost 18.54%.
Since Apple puts do not cost that much more in premium than SPY puts it is much less complicated to simply buy Apple puts versus trying to hedge and correlate. The one added benefit of buying Apple puts versus SPY puts is that you get protection if Apple starts to fall out of favor.
Some things that could cause Apple to fall out of favor are: Steve Jobs abruptly leaving the company, a highly touted product fails upon launch, growth slows down in existing products with no new highly touted products to boost results or a combination of all three."
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Sunday, August 14, 2011
Friday, August 12, 2011
"The only thing achieved in life without effort is failure."
"The only thing achieved in life without effort is failure."
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Saturday, August 6, 2011
AppleGrandCentral.com - Apple Will Have Huge Presence On World's Largest Cell Network (ChinaMobile)
AppleGrandCentral.com - Apple Will Have Huge Presence On World's Largest Cell Network (ChinaMobile)
"Apple COO Tim Cook was reportedly seen visiting the wireless operator's headquarters last month, fueling rumors that the two companies are nearing a deal. Apple's growth in China has been an important piece of the company's business in recent months, amounting to $9 billion alone this year. That trend is expected to continue upward, with China's smartphone market estimated to be worth $70 billion total." |
AppleGrandCentral.com - Needham: Apple Stock Target: $540!
AppleGrandCentral.com - Needham: Apple Stock Target: $540!
"Investment firm Needham & Company on Friday upped its price target for Apple stock to $540, with projected sales of 54 million iPads and 108 million iPhones in 2012.
Analyst Charlie Wolf provides semi-annual updates on his AAPL 12-month price target. Friday, he increased that projection from $450, originally set in February, to $540, but for different reasons than price target raises in the past.
In Wolf's latest projection, the iPhone only contributed modestly to his increased price target. Instead, he has increased his models for Mac and iTunes revenue.
Wolf breaks down Apple's projected value per share with a dollar amount assigned to each of the company's major product categories. In the latest numbers, iTunes saw the largest percentage increase in value, up 82.3 percent, to represent what he called "explosive growth in iOS applications sales."
In addition, he expects the iPad to capture a larger share of the tablet market going forward than was previously anticipated. In Wolf's model, the iPad accounts for 12.2 percent, or $65.62, of the $540 price target."
"Investment firm Needham & Company on Friday upped its price target for Apple stock to $540, with projected sales of 54 million iPads and 108 million iPhones in 2012.
Analyst Charlie Wolf provides semi-annual updates on his AAPL 12-month price target. Friday, he increased that projection from $450, originally set in February, to $540, but for different reasons than price target raises in the past.
In Wolf's latest projection, the iPhone only contributed modestly to his increased price target. Instead, he has increased his models for Mac and iTunes revenue.
Wolf breaks down Apple's projected value per share with a dollar amount assigned to each of the company's major product categories. In the latest numbers, iTunes saw the largest percentage increase in value, up 82.3 percent, to represent what he called "explosive growth in iOS applications sales."
In addition, he expects the iPad to capture a larger share of the tablet market going forward than was previously anticipated. In Wolf's model, the iPad accounts for 12.2 percent, or $65.62, of the $540 price target."
AppleGrandCentral.com - Samsung Galaxy Tab, HP TouchPad Push iPad-Conquering Strategies
AppleGrandCentral.com - Samsung Galaxy Tab, HP TouchPad Push iPad-Conquering Strategies
"Apple will seize some 61 percent of the tablet market this year, according to a newDigiTimes report.
"Apple will seize some 61 percent of the tablet market this year, according to a newDigiTimes report.
That prediction comes just as Apple’s rivals seem to be scrambling for any sort of competitive leverage against the iPad juggernaut. DigiTimes also expects Apple to ship some 25.5 million iPads in the second half of 2011, which would represent a 76 percent rise from the first six months of the year.
One of those rivals, Hewlett-Packard, is busy slashing the price of its recently released TouchPad. First, it took $50 off the sticker price, and for this weekend only, the tablets are selling with an additional $100 rebate. Earlier in August, HP pushed an over-the-air software update to the TouchPad designed to tweak many of the issues cited by reviewers upon its initial release. But actual sales of the tablet, which runs the company’s proprietary webOS, remain in question."
AppleGrandCentral.com - Inside iCloud: Apple's new Documents & Data cloud service
Inside iCloud: Apple's new Documents & Data cloud service
"In place of the simple cloud storage and web hosting services in today's MobileMe, including iDisk, iWeb and Gallery, Apple is preparing an innovative new cloud-based Documents & Data service. Here's how it works.
The road to iCloud: the host without the most
Beginning over ten years ago with iTools, Apple's online services for Mac users have morphed through a variety of incarnations, perpetually being a mixed bag of success and failure. After a false start as a variety of general purpose web apps ranging from iCards for postcards and iReview for discussing other websites, the most successful aspects of Apple's online efforts have turned out to be email and messaging services."
"In place of the simple cloud storage and web hosting services in today's MobileMe, including iDisk, iWeb and Gallery, Apple is preparing an innovative new cloud-based Documents & Data service. Here's how it works.
The road to iCloud: the host without the most
Beginning over ten years ago with iTools, Apple's online services for Mac users have morphed through a variety of incarnations, perpetually being a mixed bag of success and failure. After a false start as a variety of general purpose web apps ranging from iCards for postcards and iReview for discussing other websites, the most successful aspects of Apple's online efforts have turned out to be email and messaging services."
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
AppleGrandCentral.com - In China, Apple Is "Like The Communist Party"
AppleGrandCentral.com - In China, Apple Is "Like The Communist Party"
Apple's secrecy means people get hurt. Foreign Policy tells the heart-rending story of a worker at an Apple supplier, Wintek, who has neurological damage because of a chemical used on iPhone screens. He says he can't work, and has to pay his medical expenses out of pocket even though Apple says it is making sure affected workers recover. The broader problem is that Apple's opaqueness about its supply chain makes it sure that problems happen. For example, it's near impossible for NGOs to check that it's doing what it says it's doing in terms of working standards. And it's not an extravagant claim: Chinese suppliers cut corners all the time and many Western companies agree it's in their own interests to have third parties check up on them. Siemens, for example, provides a database of its suppliers to NGOs so they can check up on them. The story quotes a supply chain consultant as saying Apple is the only company with billions in cash that "[continues to work] with suppliers who have a clear record of failure to comply with Apple's own codes of conduct."
Apple's secrecy means people get hurt. Foreign Policy tells the heart-rending story of a worker at an Apple supplier, Wintek, who has neurological damage because of a chemical used on iPhone screens. He says he can't work, and has to pay his medical expenses out of pocket even though Apple says it is making sure affected workers recover. The broader problem is that Apple's opaqueness about its supply chain makes it sure that problems happen. For example, it's near impossible for NGOs to check that it's doing what it says it's doing in terms of working standards. And it's not an extravagant claim: Chinese suppliers cut corners all the time and many Western companies agree it's in their own interests to have third parties check up on them. Siemens, for example, provides a database of its suppliers to NGOs so they can check up on them. The story quotes a supply chain consultant as saying Apple is the only company with billions in cash that "[continues to work] with suppliers who have a clear record of failure to comply with Apple's own codes of conduct."
Monday, August 1, 2011
AppleGrandCentral.com - Apple generated 57% of handset operating profits in the second quarter with only 5.4% of market share
Apple generated 57% of handset operating profits in the second quarter with only 5.4% of market share http://on.wsj.com/qBJ1Vg
Monday, July 25, 2011
"Grand Central Terminal’s iconic main concourse, with its ceiling of glittering stars, will likely welcome another icon later this year: a single, glowing white apple."
"Grand Central Terminal’s iconic main concourse, with its ceiling of glittering stars, will likely welcome another icon later this year: a single, glowing white apple."
"During his presentation, MTA Real Estate Director Jeffrey Rosen announced both the Apple store and a new Shake Shack for the terminal.
"During his presentation, MTA Real Estate Director Jeffrey Rosen announced both the Apple store and a new Shake Shack for the terminal.
“I can’t imagine why any kid in Westchester would want to do anything other than go into Grand Central and shop at Apple and eat at Shake Shack,” Rosen said.
Board members wryly noted that Penn Station, Grand Central’s less glamorous sister across town, will not be offering such sleek retail any time soon.
“Kids from Long Island and Jersey can take the 1 and 2 and then the shuttle” to buy iPads and Shackburgers, said Pat Foye, the board member from Nassau County.
The board member from Suffolk, Mitchell Pally, followed his lead:
“It makes the Penn Station customers no longer second-class citizens,” he said. “It makes them third-class citizens.”
"First Glimpse of Apple’s Plans for Grand Central Terminal"
"First Glimpse of Apple’s Plans for Grand Central Terminal"
"Metropolitan Transportation Authority officials offered a glimpse Monday morning at the Apple store proposed for the train station, near the terminal’s east staircase. Apple plans to start building the gadget shop immediately, should the agency’s board give its approval Wednesday. Construction is expected to take about four months.
"Metropolitan Transportation Authority officials offered a glimpse Monday morning at the Apple store proposed for the train station, near the terminal’s east staircase. Apple plans to start building the gadget shop immediately, should the agency’s board give its approval Wednesday. Construction is expected to take about four months.
Apple is paying Charlie Palmer’s Metrazur restaurant $5 million to vacate its space on the terminal’s east balcony more than eight years before its lease expires. The MTA will get significantly higher annual rent: $1.1 million from Apple vs. $263,997 from Metrazur.
In addition to the space currently occupied by Metrazur, Apple will move into an adjacent, currently vacant balcony on the northeast side of the terminal."
Thursday, July 21, 2011
LivingSocial Sales Up Close: Deals Sites Are Bubbles In For A Major Correction!!
LivingSocial Sales Up Close: Deals Sites Are Bubbles In For A Major Correction!!
"Are you going out and talking to merchants and are they over it?
The not so nice people say "you're the 12th F-in guy that's called me today!" and I'm always the 12th guy that's called that day.
"Are you going out and talking to merchants and are they over it?
The not so nice people say "you're the 12th F-in guy that's called me today!" and I'm always the 12th guy that's called that day.
When you started hearing things like that, you start thinking "Wow, this is going to correct soon and this cannot last."
So what do you, as a guy that has to find these deals, how do you do it? Do you make twice or ten times as many calls? How do you end up getting your quota?
Actually no. I'm a firm believer in that book "Cold Calling Is A Waste Of Time," which states that a smart contact is how you make the most money, not the most contacts. Fortunately, I've established so many contacts from the business that I did last year that it's easy for me to call them and say "Hey, it's me," and because I did right by them, I can get in the door easily and they'll hear what I have to say.
You could say "let's do it again."
Yeah, but you can't do that anymore because doing it again means doing the exact same thing that they did the last time, and a lot of these guys are savvy to how you need to control the way you structure a deal in order for it to really make sense for you to get the exposure and for you to not lose your shirt on the revenue side.
So what do you, as a guy that has to find these deals, how do you do it? Do you make twice or ten times as many calls? How do you end up getting your quota?
Actually no. I'm a firm believer in that book "Cold Calling Is A Waste Of Time," which states that a smart contact is how you make the most money, not the most contacts. Fortunately, I've established so many contacts from the business that I did last year that it's easy for me to call them and say "Hey, it's me," and because I did right by them, I can get in the door easily and they'll hear what I have to say.
You could say "let's do it again."
Yeah, but you can't do that anymore because doing it again means doing the exact same thing that they did the last time, and a lot of these guys are savvy to how you need to control the way you structure a deal in order for it to really make sense for you to get the exposure and for you to not lose your shirt on the revenue side.
What I'm finding is that people want a million and one restrictions. They just won't run a deal. In order to get the business, you have to confine the deal to certain parameters, like instead of "$20 for $40 of food," you say "tasting menu of wings and a beer" so that it's only limited to that product. That's how you're able to work with merchants now."
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
AppleGrandCentral.com: Apple expected to deliver $25B quarter on 16.5M iPhones
Earnings preview: Apple expected to deliver $25B quarter on 16.5M iPhones
"On average, analysts expect Apple to report sales of around 16.5 million iPhones, according to StreetAccount data relayed by Piper Jaffray. That would be nearly double the 8.4 million iPhones the company sold in the same quarter a year ago.
Analysts are also calling for Apple to sell a record 4.2 million Macs in the June quarter. That sum would best the 4.1 million Macs Apple sold in the holiday quarter of 2010.
It's also projected to be a record quarter for iPad sales, as Wall Street anticipates the company announcing sales of 7.8 million units of its hot-selling touchscreen tablet. That would be a half-million units more than the previous high of 7.3 million sold in holiday 2010.
Apple tipped its hand on iPad sales in early June, when the company announced at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference that total sales of the device had topped 25 million. At that pace, Apple was on track to sell more than 8 million iPads in the June quarter, though overall analyst predictions are slightly lower."
"On average, analysts expect Apple to report sales of around 16.5 million iPhones, according to StreetAccount data relayed by Piper Jaffray. That would be nearly double the 8.4 million iPhones the company sold in the same quarter a year ago.
Analysts are also calling for Apple to sell a record 4.2 million Macs in the June quarter. That sum would best the 4.1 million Macs Apple sold in the holiday quarter of 2010.
It's also projected to be a record quarter for iPad sales, as Wall Street anticipates the company announcing sales of 7.8 million units of its hot-selling touchscreen tablet. That would be a half-million units more than the previous high of 7.3 million sold in holiday 2010.
Apple tipped its hand on iPad sales in early June, when the company announced at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference that total sales of the device had topped 25 million. At that pace, Apple was on track to sell more than 8 million iPads in the June quarter, though overall analyst predictions are slightly lower."
Why No One Should Believe Apple's Earnings Guidance?
Why No One Should Believe Apple's Earnings Guidance?
"Ultimately, Apple’s tendency to low-ball its guidance and analysts’ willingness to play along with the charade tends to harm shareholders who are left with an inaccurate picture of the company’s true financial standing and a stock that may be leaving value on the table.
"Ultimately, Apple’s tendency to low-ball its guidance and analysts’ willingness to play along with the charade tends to harm shareholders who are left with an inaccurate picture of the company’s true financial standing and a stock that may be leaving value on the table.
‘Mutual Self-Deception’
In any case, it’s hard to place all the blame on Apple as it’s clear the analyst community has gone along with the game. Rather than sharply ratcheting up their EPS and sales projections to account for the fact that Apple low-balls its guidance, analysts tend to hike them just moderately. That results in deceptively-low consensus estimates that the markets compare the results with.
“If analysts accept the low-balled guidance and accept the quarterly results that consistently exceed the estimates, then they’re both playing in a game of mutual self-deception,” said Stevenson, who led the IR and communications departments of Kraft (KFT: 35.42, +0.24, +0.68%) and R.J. Reynolds. “The ultimate loser is the investor who can’t count on either one of these two pieces of information.”
Monday, July 18, 2011
India Government’s Use of Hotmail, Gmail ‘Recipe for Disaster’ - REALLY???
India Government’s Use of Hotmail, Gmail ‘Recipe for Disaster’ - REALLY???
"After a triple bombing in Mumbai killed 21 people last week, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s office issued a statement condemning the terrorist attacks -- from a Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) Hotmail address.
"After a triple bombing in Mumbai killed 21 people last week, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s office issued a statement condemning the terrorist attacks -- from a Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) Hotmail address.
Singh’s staff’s use of a free e-mail account is typical of most government workers, who log into Hotmail, Google Inc. (GOOG)’s Gmail and Yahoo! Inc.’s e-mail to conduct official business. They also list those addresses on agency websites and business cards.
Bureaucrats avoid the government system because it covers only 10 percent of federal employees, doesn’t include the latest security patches and can’t be accessed via India’s 840 million mobile-phone connections. That preference for free e-mail accounts threatens the safety and veracity of government information because the data is moving through computer servers outside India, cybersecurity experts said.
“It’s a recipe for disaster,” said Pawan Duggal, a New Delhi lawyer who argues information-technology cases before India’s Supreme Court. “It’s really quite amazing that, as a nation, we haven’t yet woken up to the idea that sensitive government information should be shared through secure channels, not Hotmail or Yahoo.”
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Monday, July 11, 2011
Thursday, July 7, 2011
How A Notorious Banker (Incompetent & Responsible for part of Indonesian Financial Crisis) Left Intellectual Ventures With A Poorly Performing Fund
How A Notorious Banker (Incompetent & Responsible for part of Indonesian Financial Crisis) Left Intellectual Ventures With A Poorly Performing Fund
"According to the public records of one of its investors, the University of Texas Investment Management Co., Invention Development Fund has not returned a single penny to investors in four years and posted an internal rate of return of -74.01% as of the end of May. UTIMCO has committed $50 million to this fund and handed over $18.3 million–an investment currently valued at $3.86 million. UTIMCO records suggest the fund raised $590 million."
"According to the public records of one of its investors, the University of Texas Investment Management Co., Invention Development Fund has not returned a single penny to investors in four years and posted an internal rate of return of -74.01% as of the end of May. UTIMCO has committed $50 million to this fund and handed over $18.3 million–an investment currently valued at $3.86 million. UTIMCO records suggest the fund raised $590 million."
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Monday, July 4, 2011
Friday, July 1, 2011
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Monday, June 27, 2011
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Monday, June 20, 2011
(Through) Apple Cloud Storage Finally 'Comes of Age'
(Through) Apple Cloud Storage Finally 'Comes of Age'
"So what does iCloud mean for the enterprise? If past behavior is any indication, Apple doesn’t have an enterprise bone in its iBody, and with the introduction of iCloud, the man who brought us Toy Story seems no closer to serving businesses than before. The requirements of enterprises are often asymmetric to the vision of Apple. Deep investments in security, management, scalability and enterprise-grade functionality simply don’t jive with Apple’s renegade, play by our rules or don’t buy at all, mentality."
"So what does iCloud mean for the enterprise? If past behavior is any indication, Apple doesn’t have an enterprise bone in its iBody, and with the introduction of iCloud, the man who brought us Toy Story seems no closer to serving businesses than before. The requirements of enterprises are often asymmetric to the vision of Apple. Deep investments in security, management, scalability and enterprise-grade functionality simply don’t jive with Apple’s renegade, play by our rules or don’t buy at all, mentality."
German Giant Says US Workers Lack Skills
German Giant Says US Workers Lack Skills
"A mismatch in the US labour market between the skills of unemployed people and the jobs available is making it hard for some companies to find the right staff despite an unemployment rate of more than 9 percent, one of the country’s largest manufacturing employers has warned."
"A mismatch in the US labour market between the skills of unemployed people and the jobs available is making it hard for some companies to find the right staff despite an unemployment rate of more than 9 percent, one of the country’s largest manufacturing employers has warned."
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Is Apple Spaceship Plan A SELL SIGNAL?
Is Apple Spaceship Plan A SELL SIGNAL?
"Apple CEO Steve Jobs himself presented the plan to Cupertino's city council. According to Jobs, the building looks "a little like a spaceship landed" and said "It's a pretty amazing building." Based on the artist's rendering, I agree. The circular four-story glass building is a futuristic head-turner. Though not yet approved by the city, it's already being hailed as an architectural icon for Silicon Valley and part of Jobs' design legacy. Cupertino's smiling mayor referred to the design as "the mother ship."
The plan sounds aesthetically pleasing -- and expensive. Jobs bragged that there's not a straight piece of glass in the building and noted that Apple plans to replace much of the surface parking with landscaping and trees. The company also intends to add an underground parking garage, a rarity in Silicon Valley."
Monday, June 13, 2011
Friday, June 3, 2011
'Dropping out of school to prove your genius and getting paid'
'Dropping out of school to prove your genius and getting paid'
Can you name ANY ground-breaking, innovative, cool, and NOW 'big business' that was NOT started in a dorm room, garage, small apartment, or basement? :)
Can you name ANY ground-breaking, innovative, cool, and NOW 'big business' that was NOT started in a dorm room, garage, small apartment, or basement? :)
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Acer Tumbles After Audit Finds ‘Abnormalities’ in Inventory, Receivables
Acer Tumbles After Audit Finds ‘Abnormalities’ in Inventory, Receivables
"The world’s second-largest maker of laptops, tumbled the most in more than 13 years in Taipei trading after the company said an audit found abnormalities in its inventory and account receivables.
The shares fell by the daily limit of 7 percent to NT$51.90, pushing the stock past Lead Data Inc. (2443) as the worst performer on the island’s benchmark index this year.
The findings, which will result in a $150 million one-time charge, further undermined investor confidence in a company that had cut its sales forecast twice and ousted its chief executive officer since late March. Last quarter, Acer posted its lowest profit in six years after the company lost sales to Apple Inc. (AAPL)’s iPads and HTC Corp. (2498)"
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