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Dec
11 |
Hey everyone! Check out my new podcast called The Analyst's Review on WallStRadio! http://radio.wallst.net/profile.asp?id=193 The Analyst's Review is a daily podcast hosted by WallSt.net editor, Henry Truc that airs every morning at 9 a.m. EST.The show features informative interviews with Wall Street analysts on a wide range of topics including actively traded stocks, market movers, various industries, and macro economic trends affecting the market.
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Nov
21 |
You know how on TV they always show these tech savvy kids giving their elders a hard time because they don't know what how to use a computer? Well, look out gramps, because if you're not careful, that tech savvy kid could be coming after you next. According to a story by the Associated Press, personal computers are starting to get phased out in Japan, with younger consumers choosing smartphones and multi-functional handheld devices over traditional computers.
Honestly, I don't see how computers can be completely phased out of a technologically modern society, even if it's one that is as advanced as Japan. But then again, that's probably what people said about cassette tapes and VCRs less than a decade ago. Maybe it's just me, but I don't think college or high school students can hunker down in front of a smartphone to type out a multi-paged term paper or do some meaningful research like they can an actual computer. Using handheld devices as a replacement for PCs makes sense from a consumer/leisure standpoint, but when it comes to actual work, I don't see how it trumps a computer. Yet, anyway. So, I'll have to reserve judgement until I see it done with my own eyes. Of course, the computer companies are saying that a shift toward handheld multi-media devices is not really happening.
I don't think that's the same as a shift not happening though. Just because you're replacing consumers from one market with another, doesn't mean that there isn't a change occuring and that demand for computers aren't dropping. Emerging markets are always attractive because there's always a lot of potential for growth, but there's a reason why those markets weren't tapped to begin with. To get those consumers to buy the products, you have to slash prices into their price range. How much lower can you go? PCs Losing Their Relevance in Japan (Full Article on Yahoo! Finance)
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May
08 |
Masters of the Universe are rejoicing now that 20th Century Fox has announced the return of Gordon Gekko, the fictional corporate raider of the 1987 movie Wall Street. This time around though, Gekko will be taking his "Greed is Good" mentality to the hedge funds. If you grew up dreaming of being more than a $400k a year (that's over $700k now if you factor in inflation), working Wall Street stiff, flying first-class, and being comfortable, chances are Gekko was a driving influence. Even now, after 20 years, the character is the symbol of financial success. I wonder how many quotes from Gekko and Wall Street are on everyone's MyWallSt accounts. I just hope this isn't just a way to cash in on one of the greatest movie icons of all time. I'm really interested in seeing how an updated Gekko would look like in today's financial world. "The richest one percent of this country owns half our country's wealth, five trillion dollars. One third of that comes from hard work, two thirds comes from inheritance, interest on interest accumulating to widows and idiot sons and what I do, stock and real estate speculation. It's [expletive deleted]. You got ninety percent of the American public out there with little or no net worth. I create nothing. I own." --Gordon Gekko
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Mar
27 |
See? Now this is what I'm talking about.
The NBA has launched its own section on YouTube
Hats off to the Association for bringing the fans what they want and embracing user-generated content as opposed to fighting the inevitable.
To retouch on Viacom and the NFL's decision, I can understand why Viacom would be opposed to users posting full episodes on YouTube because if it doesn't draw away viewers, it could still hurt future DVD sales or whatever plans the Company has for the footage. However, with that said, if you go to YouTube now, you can see short clips from CBS television shows that are used as commercials to help promote sitcoms or late night talk shows.
Now, isn't that what highlights are? They're little clips that can be posted on sites with added voice-overs and graphics that can help to promote a big match up, the arrival of a new season, or the playoffs.
Not only is the NBA just launching a section on Youtube, it's encouraging fans to post videos, which basically helps to direct all traffic generated by NBA videos to their page.
The NFL, as the most popular sport in the U.S., and any other sports organizations - especially those looking for more exposure (*ahem* MLS, we're looking at you. *ahem*) should take note.
The NBA has always been a step ahead of the competition in promoting its product, from developing and opening up to international markets to continually producing icons by the dozens, to spawning entire sub cultures. The Association knows exactly what they have and how to make you want it.
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Mar
27 |
With the Viacom and YouTube deal falling apart, the online-video site will have to pull down over 100,000 videos from networks like MTV, Comedy Central, and CBS.
CBS, of course, also broadcasts NFL games played by teams in the American Football Conference, as well as the Pro Bowl and occasionally the Super Bowl. On top of that, I would assume major NCAA events and any other sports broadcast will be restricted as well.
For licensing purposes and maximizing monetary potential for traffic, I can understand why Viacom and the NFL would make the demand.
However, my question is, why hasn't the NFL, or any other major sports league, or organization, or even ESPN and ABC, developed its own version of YouTube dedicated solely to sports?
It's not that there isn't a demand for it, afterall Sportscenter was built on the foundation of highlights. Now, imagine highlights on demand, from any game of any era. What sports fan wouldn't pay for that?
Remember the melee in Auburn Hills? Who wouldn't search that? Highlights of the 2000 dunk contest? NFL Greatest Hits? Web gems? Knockouts?
You're telling me that wouldn't interest sports fans? If its a big enough market to develop a cell phone service for, then in my opinion, an online video service is warranted.
It doesn't even have to be free. I'm willing to bet that a membership fee or some sort of pricing plan is more than acceptable to gain access to such extensive libraries of highlights.
Over three years ago, IBM and the NFL announced a deal that allowed the business giant to categorize all NFL footage. However, I haven't heard much about it since.
In the mean time, I think it's a bad idea for any sports organization to limit fan access to any of its highlights or footage. Exposure generates interest.
While I can understand why the NFL would not grant YouTube the rights to its footage, the league needs to develop its own product with similar capabilities.
It shouldn't be completely unfeasible to imagine them adding a new feature to its flagship site NFL.com and spin it with the league's television network and brand it NFL Network Online or something.
With the sensory overload in sports and the all-access, all-the-time mentality, wouldn't this be the logical next step?
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Mar
27 |
Just a little over a week after Microsoft launched Windows Vista - the software giant's next line of operating system - the questions are already being asked.
Will it be able to keep up?
Now that chip-maker Intel Corp. just announced that it has a created a microprocessor capable of making more than a trillion calculations per second, also known as a teraflop. Duh. Anyway, if you thought the Core 2 Duo processors were advanced, well ...
The brightside for Microsoft, and Apple, Red Hat and other operating system developers for that matter, is that the chip may not be ready for another five years.
According to Businessweek, the chip, which is about the size of a fingernail and uses only 62 watts of energy, could revolutionize the way consumers compute.
The 80 core chip is also smaller than Intel's current line of microprocessors also. Here's a blueprint of sorts for the chip.
For software makers, the challenge is to create applications for hardware that vastly improves the microprocessors that are available now. Imagine jumping from two cores to 80 cores!
For the near future, the obstacle for software developers is to find a way to create software that can utilize the chips capabilities without having anything on the market that is remotely close. As for rival chip makers, now that Intel as set its timeline, can anyone beat it?
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Mar
27 |
Congratulations on being named Time Magazine's Person of the Year! You've probably heard that joke a million times in the last few days since the December issue hit newsstands, but 2006 was a truly a breakout year for Web 2.0 and the people behind it.
Headlines were filled with stories about YouTube, MySpace, Facebook, blogs, vlogs, clogs, and basically any letter with a subsequent "log" attached. More importantly, these public forums not only became news, they became news sources as well.
Social networking sites and content sharing Web sites were driving so much traffic that MySpacing and YouTubing became common terms. Personal access to the sharing community allowed everyday people to broadcast and express themselves to a community that had no barriers or borderlines. One of the biggest bands of 2006, the Artic Monkeys based their initial campaign solely on fan-based online file-sharing. And does anyone remember LonelyGirl15?
TMZ.com, the celebrity gossip "news" blog became a bonafide media source, breaking stories like Mel Gibson's drunken rant.
And of course, who can forget about Wikipedia, the gift that truly keeps on giving.
I know what you might be thinking, but Web 2.0 isn't limited to pop culture anymore.
Business and financial blogs like Cramerwatch.org or The Buffett Blog have become must-reads in the investing community. Businesses are increasingly incorporating open-source software and adopting what is called Work 2.0 into their strategies.
Web 2.0 isn’t a hot new trend anymore. It’s here and it’s established itself as a growing force. The information age is moving forward, and it's not slowing down for anyone.
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Jan
15 |
Updated 2007-01-15 16:43:54
Updated 2007-01-15 13:58:46
Though Apple's unveiling of the iPhone at last week's MacWorld Expo and Convention garnered most of the attention, the number of consumer electronics introduced there and at CES are enough to keep techies foaming at the mouth for at least another few months.
So, let's take a quick look at the Apple's iPhone, which is basically a MacBook in an iPod's body. The touch screen "phone" provides e-mail, web browsing, maps, and Google and Yahoo! search capabilities. The device also plays movies and music like an iPod.
Personally, at first glance the iPhone was, of course, very impressive. The sleek appearance is sweet on the eyes, much like anything that Apple produces. However, priced at $499 for the 4GB and at $599 for the 8GB, I wondered who exactly Apple was targeting with this product.
As this Crave article from CNET.com points out, the iPhone still has a few kinks to be worked out.
The price itself isn't completely outrageous, given that Palm's Treo line carries around the same price tag, but I don't know if Apple's products are that appealing in the business world. Apple markets itself as an everyday-people's company that develops easy-to-use products.
The main "business" draw that Apple has is the ability to run Windows on it's Mac OS software. I don't know how appealing the iPhone is going to be for executives, who are the ones that can fork over the cash for the phone and its "revolutionary" services.
The average consumer probably doesn't need the extra features that come with the iPhone, at least not at that price. Also, given that most of Apple's fans already own an iPod or media player of some sort, having to hand held media playing devices can be a bit redundant.
In my opinion, the iPhone is probably most comparable with T-Mobile's Sidekick 3, which runs about $350, but with promotions and specials can be anywhere from $200 and lower. The SideKick 3 is essentially a smartphone for the younger generation, and that's how I see the iPhone, for now at least.
The biggest appeal the iPhone has isn't the new Internet technology or the music or video players, or even the touch screen, so much as it is the Apple name. The iPhone would be nice for average consumers, but at such a steep price, it isn't a necessity for those who can't afford it.
Now, as with the SK3, it comes down to the promotional deals that the service provider is willing to, um, provide. Apple's history for sales and discounts leads me to believe that the iPhone isn't going to drop unless Cingular is willing to offer some major deals.
On top of that, the way maintstream media accepts the iPhones, ie. celebrities sporting the Apple device at hot spots and what have you should not be underestimated. Celebrity influence is still at dizzying heights in consumer America, and how often the iPhone is seen on the hands of the Lindsay Lohans and Paris Hiltons will have a direct relation to how widely accepted the iPhone will be.
Also, as newer versions of the iPhone are launched and introduced in the future, it will be interesting to see what Apple does to accomodate its consumers, or will it continue to expect its consumers to accomodate to it.
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Jan
12 |
As the wave of next generation game consoles continues to grow and the competition heats up between the XBox 360, Wii and PlayStation 3, Sony is playing it smart by keeping the PS2 around for back up.
By maintaining the PS2 line of products and game titles, Sony protects itself from fans of the brand and potential customers defecting to the competition.
Though the PS3 remains in high demand, the list of concerns may be enough to give the majority of consumers a reason to look elsewhere. And while gamers wait for the steep price to fall, the temptations of a more cost-friendly game console just might be too much to resist.
The PS2 buys Sony some crucial time as Microsoft and Nintendo are starting to catch up. It also helps that the PS2 is still a very popular console, with shipments reaching well over 100 million units this year and licensing revenue expected to be around $1.4 billion, including PSOne titles as well.
Game makers are still developing new titles for the console, providing a lifeline to the PS2 but also making backward compatibility that much more important on the PS3.
With consoles going for $130 each and prices for game titles likely going down, the PS2 is an appealing option for gamers not ready to make the jump, as well as for general consumers.
Having said that, the future for Sony is obviously the PS3, and even if the PS2 can remain popular for the next few years, it's the success of the next generation console that matters now.
With graphics and gameplay on the PS2 already becoming noticeably dated, Sony will have to recover from these early PS3 slip ups swiftly if it wants to maintain, if not build on, the considerable head start it acquired with the previous PlayStations.
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Dec
18 |
Hey! Come check out my podcast every week at WallSt.net!
Every Monday, host Henry Truc discusses emerging technology trends with experts, executives and analysts on Techonomics 101. The podcast features lively discussions about trends you need to know about, and the companies that are driving them. Don’t know the difference between a microprocessor and a microwave? When you hear the letters PDA, do you think “public display of affection?” Is the timer on your VCR still blinking 12:00 a.m.? If the answer to any of these questions is “yes,” then this is the class for you.
http://www.wallst.net/podcasts/wallst_henry/henry.asp
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male, 24 y/o Business Writer Irvine, CA United States 
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VonSlash commented on:
New Podcast: The Analyst's Review! -
Hak commented on:
PS2 still leads Sony's transition game
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