Apple envy runs deep at tech extravaganza 9 Jan 2008 Everyone huddling in Vegas for the world's biggest consumer electronics show, from VCs to tech groups like HP wants to mimic Apple's success and high margins by selling gadgets and digital content to run on them. It's easier said than done.
Nintendo could pay for Wii buzz 21 Dec 2007 The Japanese group s game console is still sold out in most US stores 13 months after its debut. Whether manufactured or not, the shortage keeps the Wii buzz and game console s price up. The cost is lower margins.
Perry shows activism can succeed in Japan – sort of 19 Dec 2007 Japan can be a frustrating place for investors, as Perry Capital's struggle with NEC shows. But Perry hasn't failed. It got the chipmaker to accelerate its costcutting efforts. This small success offers other investors a faint glimmer of hope.
Tech can’t escape slowing US capex 8 Nov 2007 Cisco, like its tech brethren, has had a hot year thanks to a falling dollar, heady sales to developing countries and rising investment in the US. But Cisco s results suggest corporate America's capital expenditure wheel has fallen off and other tech groups could be hit.
Apple set to keep on rolling 22 Oct 2007 The iPod maker has unveiled another spotless quarter. And Apple notorious for sandbagging its prospects said Wall Street estimates were too conservative. With a new operating system rolling out and the iPhone just getting started, it has several quarters of growth ahead. Apple s $160bn market cap may not be so batty after all.
Intel and AMD face slower future 4 Oct 2007 Overcapacity has hurt both chip groups. There s little chance pricing pressure will abate given AMD s need to maximise cash flow. The longterm could be worse. Total microprocessor revenues have steadily shrunk since 2003 when chip speeds suddenly plateaued.
Freescale may be private equity bellwether 19 Sep 2007 The private equity bubble of the 80s sputtered when financing deals became difficult. A wave of subsequent defaults caused real pain. LBOs have now ground to a halt. Falling debt prices in chip maker Freescale could be a sign of another step down.
NBC takes on Apple, ignores pirates 31 Aug 2007 The media conglomerate thinks Apple sells videos cheaply, with few controls to push hardware sales. So NBC won t renew its iTunes contract. This looks like brinksmanship. If content providers push too hard, there s a chance video piracy will be the winner.
What’s your porn star name? 17 Aug 2007 Been bitten by a zombie? Received a buttery nipple? No? Then you haven t been one of the Facebook users downloading 80m such applications. As frivolous as it sounds, VCs and bankers have been crawling all over the website for investment and M&A ideas with good reason.
Questions linger in Dell accounting scandal 17 Aug 2007 Investors breathed a sigh of relief after the computer group's internal probe revealed smaller than expected restatements. Yet Dell admits unnamed senior executives participated in fraud. Ongoing SEC and Justice Department probes may shed more light.
Amazon and Netflix make a nice pair 7 Jun 2007 Cramming together the internet DVD rental company and the online retailer would generate lots of synergies. But time may be of the essence. The biggest stumbling block is Netflix s toppy valuation. Fortunately, Amazon has its own overvalued stock as a currency.
Dell’s deal with Wal-Mart looks like bad idea 24 May 2007 The PC giant s business model is broken. Selling computers at the world s largest retailer might sound like a great way to boost sales. But Dell is entering a highlycompetitive, low margin market where its had a bad experience. That s a recipe for burning capital.
Microsoft could pay through the nose for Yahoo 4 May 2007 Combining the software giant and the internet company might generate enough value to justify Microsoft paying a $11bn premium. The hard part is rationalising the valuation attached to Yahoo even before news of talks between the two.
Microsoft would give Yahoo boss an escape hatch 4 May 2007 The software behemoth is said to have reignited talks to buy the internet group led by former Hollywood boss Terry Semel. For nigh on a year, Yahoo has been in trouble and Semel s leadership questionable. A sale would allow him to save face.
Should Microsoft buy DoubleClick? 28 Mar 2007 Snapping up the online ad broker looks like a smart way for the software giant to leapfrog Google in a potentially lucrative business. But it s no sure thing. At $2bn, DoubleClick looks expensive. And Google is building its own system, which might work better.
Google faces heightened political risk 12 Feb 2007 Its stance on copyright is creating animosity in the media world. This is reminiscent of Microsoft's antitrust woes a decade ago. There are vital differences, of course. But a growing backlash from ornery rivals and legislators is a looming problem.
Jobs running out of options 9 Feb 2007 Links between Apple s boss and options backdating are becoming difficult to ignore he negotiated and signed a suspicious Pixar contract. Apple s claim that Jobs neither benefited, nor appreciated the accounting implications, is not good enough. He ll need a better explanation.
Michael Dell tries a Steve Jobs 1 Feb 2007 Jobs brought innovation and design flair back to the firm. Dell s great invention lowcost manufacturing has been copied by rivals. Investors hoping the return of the founder to his computer firm s CEO slot will herald a turnaround like Jobs at Apple may be disappointed.
Time Warner in a quandary over AOL 31 Jan 2007 The media titan has already reaped the easy money from AOL's shift to a free addriven service through cost cuts and onetime asset sales. But profits from these moves have masked AOL s underlying problems, notably declining usage. That's a dangerous sign.
Google turns volatility into compensation 15 Dec 2006 The search engine s plan to allow employees to sell vested options is neither free lunch nor an outrageous executive perk. It cleverly capitalizes on investors who may be willing to pay something for stock options that employees may not value at all.