2008 October | money news blog

31 10 2008

Apple (AAPL) nears 10% marketshare in PC sales

Posted by: in Companies Competitive Strategy

Filed under: Products and services, Competitive strategy, Apple Inc (AAPL)

Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) stepped up its market share in Q3, lifting its computer sales to almost 10% of all PCs sold, according to research firm Gartner, Inc. For Apple, this is great news — it’s steadily taking sales from larger competitors Dell, Inc. (NASDAQ: DELL) and global Personal computer sales leader Hewlett-Packard Corp. (NYSE: HPQ). Its laptop Computers continue to sell like hotcakes, even with prices that are much higher than the discount prices you would normally see on Windows-based laptop Computers.

Even though Apple CEO Steve Jobs stated last week that the company won’t be getting into the “netbook” business (tiny notebook Computers with limited features), a Gartner research analyst said the company could be in trouble for not having a product to address this market. I think Apple is right here, though; just because there is a market doesn’t mean Apple needs to play in it. The laptop PC industry continues to try and find the next large niche so that product segments like fully-functional laptop Personal computers won’t see decelerating growth. When there is a lack of demand, create it; that must be the PC industry’s rallying call.

With Apple releasing quarterly earnings in just over an hour from now, my prediction is that the current quarter’s results will reflect a company that is timing its product releases, refreshes and entire product line transitions with great precision. It has shown that it can grow market share without being involved in trends that others create. Rather, it creates its own trends and gives birth to new industries as a result.

Apple (AAPL) nears 10% marketshare in Computer sales originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 21 Oct 2008 15:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

31 10 2008

Check your statements

Posted by: in Personal Finance News

By Philip Brewer

File drawer

If a bogus transaction gets posted to your bank account or credit card, you’ve nearly complete protection–just notify the bank that the transaction wasn't authorized and they have to give you the money back plus interest. The catch is that you have to notify the bank promptly–typically within 30 or 60 days–after they send the first statement that shows the error.

If you think about it, this is incredibly powerful. If it weren't true, any money that you deposited in the bank would be vulnerable to being snatched away by fraud or by error.

Unfortunately, a lot of people don't bother verifying their statements. This is kind of understandable–I've received thousands of bank and credit card statements over the years, and I have the ability to count the number of errors on one hand. Scrupulously checking every one can seem like quite a bit of effort for not much return. Still, an uncaught error can cost you hundreds or thousands of dollars pretty quickly. Worse, it's common in certain kinds of fraud cases to make a very small charge and wait to see if it's detected. If not, the fraudsters can start adding on charges with some confidence that they won't be caught.

I attribute part of my good luck in avoiding fraud and errors to careful checking of statements. It's worth the trouble.

Permalink | 7 comments | Philip Brewer“>Philip Brewer's blog | Channel: Consumer Affairs

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31 10 2008

Chrysler might turn to Renault

Posted by: in Companies Competitive Strategy

Filed under: International markets, Deals, Competitive strategy, General Motors (GM)

At this point it is not clear that GM (NYSE: GM) can get the money to merge with Chrysler. The plan would be to cut 50,000 people. That is a lot of severance. Closing plants and combining product lines can’t be done for free.

Chrysler has figured all of this out and has begun to focus on a partnership with Renault and Nissan, both of which are run by former auto whiz kid Carlos Ghosn. He has been trying to purchase into the US market for several years without success. Now, he may have his chance.

If Ghosn can set up a deal where he takes a modest equity stake in Chrysler he may expand his reach into American for a small investment. According to The Wall Street Journal, “Chrysler would have a better chance of keeping much of its operations intact in an alliance with Nissan and Renault than in a merger with GM.”

The deal would not really make any sense and may simply be a way to push GM into a merger. While putting Chrysler into a marketing and product development pact with both a Japanese and European automobile manufacturer, the savings would be modest. Since Chrysler’s problems are massive cash losses and falling sales in North American it is hard to see how anything short of an outright merger with large cost cuts does the company any good.

But, there’s sense of panic in Detroit which leads to grasping of straws. Panic clouds the mind. Chrysler could do a bad deal because it sees the options as better than no deal at all.

Douglas A. McIntyre is an editor at 247wallst.com.

Chrysler may turn to Renault originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 21 Oct 2008 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

30 10 2008

Selling the Apple iPhone is AT&T’s problem

Posted by: in Companies Competitive Strategy

Filed under: Earnings reports, Analyst reports, Competitive strategy, Apple Inc (AAPL), AT and T (T)

The Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) iPhone was supposed to help AT&T (NYSE: T) get wireless market share from its competition. That might be working, but AT&T is paying a price. As other carriers introduce new handsets of their own, AT&T has to keep significant subsidies for the Steve Jobs product.

According to Reuters, “The derivative effect is lower profitability in wireless for all the carriers,” stated UBS analyst John Hodulik, adding that the iPhone is selling faster than he expected, which is actually bad for AT&T’s profitability in the short term.

Counter-intuitive but true. The iPhone was supposed to be a big financial help to AT&T but no one seemed to think about margins. The question is whether the financial strain of marketing the handset will hurt is sales longer term. If it becomes too much of a burden on AT&T and overseas carriers who market the new 3G version, some might make the decision to go to competing products which are more profitable.

Apple’s business philosophy, which has worked until now, is it introduce extraordinarily good products and charge a significant premium for them. Let the customer demand Apple’s products and let the middle man whether that is the retailer or cell carrier bear the burden. Jobs ends up keeping what may be more than his fair share.

Pushing for most of the profit might work in an expanding economy, but if Apple wants to push that model in tough times, the company might find it has fewer friends.

Douglas A. McIntyre is an editor at 247wallst.com.

Selling the Apple iPhone is AT&T’s problem originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 21 Oct 2008 03:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

30 10 2008

Dunkin Donuts beats Starbucks with superior tasting coffee … again

Posted by: in Companies Competitive Strategy

Filed under: Competitive strategy, Starbucks (SBUX)

In a climate of disappearing disposable income on one hand, and a contingent of consumers that are always seeking out better and more sustainably-grown and traded coffee beans on the other hand, Starbucks (NASDAQ: SBUX) is losing in all fronts. Today, Dunkin Donuts announced that its coffee had beaten Starbucks’ brew in independent taste tests across the country; 476 adults in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Dallas, Detroit, Los Angeles, Miami, New York City, and Seattle participated in a double-blind taste test, comparing Dunkin Donuts Original Blend against Starbucks House Blend. Exact numbers were not released, but the research firm stated the customers “clearly indicated a preference” for the Dunkin.

This isn’t the only blow against Starbucks in the media this week; last week, a story about the new Juan Valdez Cafe chain highlighted the pressure from the other end of the competition spectrum: quality and sustainability. Coffee sold at the 101 stores across Colombia and in New York, Seattle, Philadelphia, Spain, and Santiago, Chile is grown by 22,000 shareholders who are looking to market their beans; according to this article, they’re not hoping to profit from the cafe enterprise, even though the collective plans to open 500 more stores across the U.S., Latin America and Europe in the next two years. What’s more, coffee is slightly cheaper at Juan Valdez Cafe than at Starbucks in New York City.

Starbucks is being squeezed into an uncomfortable middle ground between the low-price, blue collar product on one end (Dunkin Donuts) and the eco-friendly, high-quality product on the other end (Juan Valdez). The only thing it has going to keep its profits from splattering all over the wall is customer loyalty … and oatmeal. Will it survive?

Dunkin Donuts beats Starbucks with better tasting coffee … again originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 20 Oct 2008 13:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Continue reading I’m not giving up on eBay, yet

29 10 2008

I’m not giving up on eBay, yet

Posted by: in Companies Competitive Strategy

Filed under: Products and services, World wide web, Competitive strategy, eBay (EBAY)

logo Let me declare right from the begin, that I currently hold no position in eBay Inc. (NASDAQ: EBAY). However, if I did have the money to invest, I’d be buying into eBay right now as it goes down. I see eBay shares as a serious bargain right now. I was already thinking that when it ’s share price hit $16. I know that I’m going against the grain again, but heck, that’s what works ideal for me.

The company is making moves to keep its books churning numbers in the black. Never mind that I think some of those moves are totally rotten to the core. eBay payroll reductions have begun, and I believe that the company intends to cut about 1,000 heads total. It’s a classic black ink move, tailor made to provide a positive performance facade to cover shrinking growth. Additionally, the company is slicing off the practice of allowing it’s sellers to accept checks and money orders. It’s a move which has angered a massive number of sellers, but the bottom line is that the change should give PayPal a boost.

I’m not giving up on eBay, yet originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 17 Oct 2008 14:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Continue reading BlackBerry Partners Fund announce first funded companies

29 10 2008

BlackBerry Partners Fund announce first funded companies

Posted by: in Services

Filed under: Features, News, Web services, BlackBerry, web 2.0, Mobile

After several false starts, it finally looks like mobile application development has real momentum. Although the iPhone and Android have received a lot of attention in regards to third-party applications, they aren’t the only game in town. Approximately 19 million people have BlackBerry devices and as more and more consumers continue to adopt BlackBerry based smartphones, this is certainly a market with plenty of untapped potential. Back in Might, JLA Ventures and RBC Venture Partners announced the creation of the BlackBerry Partners Fund — a $150 million venture capital fund focussed on applications and services for the BlackBerry platform. This day, the BlackBerry Partners Fund is announcing its first three investments.

The companies receiving funding are buzzd, Digby and WorldMate. I had the opportunity to talk with Kevin Talbot, the Co-Managing Partner of the fund and Nihal Mehta, the CEO of buzzd earlier this week, and both are really excited abut the future of BlackBerry’s role in the mobile application space and the opportunities the Fund can help propel.

BlackBerry Partners Fund announce first funded companies originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 29 Oct 2008 00:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading NuConomy: Next-gen web analytics

29 10 2008

NuConomy: Next-gen web analytics

Posted by: in Services

Filed under: Developer, Web services, web 2.0

Web analytics is an increasingly important metric for web publishers. It used to just be about tracking how many visitors you get and how many pages they view. Technology has improved so that you can now track site entry points, popular keywords, specific post metrics, out-bound clicks, nationality of your visitors and more. The problem is, to actually get that data into something useful, you usually have to dedicate a bunch of time analyzing statistics or you have to pay for an pricey commericial analytics package. Today, NuConomy is officially launching its free web analytics platform, NuConomy Studio, designed to meet both of those challenges.

The platform that NuConomy will most likely be compared to is Google Analytics, because both are free and both offer easy integration into various web platforms. In its scope, however, NuConomy Studio is much more akin to Omniture, but without the hefty licensing fee that pretty much excludes all but the biggest sites from taking advantage of its enhanced metrics.

For instance, most analytics programs can’t monitor interaction with JavaScript (AJAX) or Flash elements. So you can’t get a metric on how frequently that YouTube video is played (or which video is most popular). NuConomy can track AJAX, Flash and Silverlight and then show you what elements (or videos) were most popular. With YouTube videos, you can even find out how visitors are watching the videos before stopping or going to another page. So if you’re a VBlogger, you can superior pinpoint what’s working and what isn’t.

NuConomy: Next-gen web analytics originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 28 Oct 2008 14:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

28 10 2008

Toyota (TM), the strongest of the strong, goes with “no interest” loans

Posted by: in Companies Competitive Strategy

Filed under: Competitive strategy, General Motors (GM), Toyota Motor Corp. (TM)

Toyota (NYSE: TM) is the world’s largest vehicle company. It makes the most money and has the strongest balance sheet. Over the last decade it has picked up market share in each region of the world and laid waste to The Massive Three in their home market. By most calculations, Toyota is the No.2 car seller in the U.S., behind only GM (NYSE: GM) The Japanese auto company has 15% of the American market.

Based on sales though September of this year, Toyota is hurting in the U.S., but is still doing better than most of its competition. Its Prius hybrid is one of the hottest cars on the market. But, with annual automobiles sales in the U.S. dropping to under 14 million units for the year, even Toyota cannot stand the heat.

The massive Japanese company has given in to one of the most desperate moves any vehicle company can make. It is giving out “interest free” loans.

The reasoning behind the move seems a bit contrived. According to The Wall Street Journal, “The campaign is aimed at boosting the auto maker’s market share at the expense of its struggling Detroit-based rivals.” That sounds bogus. If Toyota was doing especially well, it wouldn’t need incentives to pick up share.

In reality, Toyota is bleeding in the U.S., along with its rivals.

Douglas A. McIntyre is an editor at 247wallst.com.

Toyota (TM), the strongest of the strong, goes with “no interest” loans originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 17 Oct 2008 12:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.