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Lots of excitement over the new Windows Glass project...
ZwModZmOzDs
Apple workers in China get 25 per cent pay rise
Apple’s main manufacturing partner Foxconn is paying workers up to an extra 25 per cent following widespread criticism of its labour practices.
The firm makes iPads and iPhones under contract to Apple in giant factories that employ and house over a million Chinese workers. It also manufactures electronics for Dell, HP and Microsoft, among others.
The significant pay increase is the second for Foxconn workers in less than two years and means salaries will reach between £180 and £250 per month. The firm said the rise, effective from 1 February, would compensate workers for cuts in overtime, made as part of efforts to reduce overall working hours.
The first big pay boosts were announced in 2010 after a spate of worker suicides received major media interest in the West.
oh please tell us more
http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/03/16/this-american-life-retracts-episode-on-apples-suppliers-in-china/
5:23 p.m. | Updated The weekly public radio program “This American Life” said on Friday that it was retracting a critical report about Apple’s suppliers in China because the storyteller, Mike Daisey, had embellished details in the narrative.
The program’s host, Ira Glass, said in a statement that Mr. Daisey “lied” to him and to Brian Reed, a producer of the program, about details related to injured workers Mr. Daisey had described meeting at Foxconn, a factory in China where Apple products are made.
while I've enjoyed This American Life, the patent troll piece last year was bad enough, especially when we've essentially functioned as a first to file system in defense of corporate claims all this time. The system's structure's not antiquated, the USPTO and govt function is thoroughly perverted by corporatism and corruption.
this, now, is just hilariously bad
At that point, we should’ve killed the story,” Mr. Glass said Friday. “But other things Daisey told us about Apple’s operations in China checked out, and we saw no reason to doubt him. We didn’t think that he was lying to us and to audiences about the details of his story. That was a mistake.”
cameraman
04-13-12, 03:13 PM
If you're having a bad day, consider this; On this day in 1976, Apple co-founder Ronald Wayne sold his 10% stake in Apple.....for $800
cameraman
05-21-12, 06:48 PM
Apple is really turning into a evil company. They are building obsolescence into their computer products. They are demanding that all third parties distribute their software through the App store and that developers use Apple's software development kits to write the code. Apple's development tools only support the current OS (Lion) and the previous two releases (Leopard & Snow Leopard). So if your machine happens to be running OS 10.4 (Tiger) you are SOL as Apple will not allow software sold thru the app store to support 10.4. Also they have dropped PowerPC support from the new Leopard builds so even if your G5 mac is running a "supported" version of the OS, it still won't run. So what happens this summer, Apple releases OS 10.8 (Mountain Lion) and guess what all the software development kits will drop support of the 10.5 (Leopard) machines. So what's their plan introduce a new version of the OS every year and kill off software support for all machines >3 years old? Well **** that.
^^^ That is a large part of why I am typing this on a Toshiba. I got caught by a software requirement that would require me to upgrade a machine with questionable lifespan, so that machine became the family machine and I moved on to PC's for professional work.
PC's are so cheap they are almost disposable. I don't mind so much Apple being dicks as I mind paying a premium to bend over for them. :saywhat:
There's a reason I don't have iCrap in my hizzy (but I am typing this on a MacBook Pro provided by my employer). :gomer: Free toys from work == :thumbup: :thumbup: Paying for said toys on my own $.10 == :thumdown: :thumdown:
:D
-Kevin
cameraman
05-21-12, 10:09 PM
I don't mind paying for good gear. I got my 17" Macbookpro in 2006. I've used it everyday since then. I just dropped an SSD into it and it is running Lion faster than Snow Leopard ran on a 7200 rpm drive. Everything I need still works just fine. Mountain Lion won't run on it because there is a 32 bit widget in there (not the processor) but it is 6 years old and will be good for another year or two running Lion. I can see dropping 3K on a machine that holds up to everyday, all day use for 8 years. But essentially killing a $3K machine after three years for no other reason than running up their profit margin is a deal breaker.
Tifosi24
05-22-12, 07:27 AM
Apple is really turning into a evil company. They are building obsolescence into their computer products. They are demanding that all third parties distribute their software through the App store and that developers use Apple's software development kits to write the code. Apple's development tools only support the current OS (Lion) and the previous two releases (Leopard & Snow Leopard). So if your machine happens to be running OS 10.4 (Tiger) you are SOL as Apple will not allow software sold thru the app store to support 10.4. Also they have dropped PowerPC support from the new Leopard builds so even if your G5 mac is running a "supported" version of the OS, it still won't run. So what happens this summer, Apple releases OS 10.8 (Mountain Lion) and guess what all the software development kits will drop support of the 10.5 (Leopard) machines. So what's their plan introduce a new version of the OS every year and kill off software support for all machines >3 years old? Well **** that.
You are being too rational in your thought here. Remember that there is a legion of fanboi's out there that will fall all over themselves to drop 2K to 3K on a new computer every year or two. A prime example would be a friend of mine who bought a black MacBook six years ago, it had the same specs as the white, but since it was black, it cost more money.
Suck it, Oracle. (http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-57440235-93/jury-verdict-android-doesnt-infringe-oracles-patents/?tag=mncol;topStories)
:thumbup: :thumbup:
-Kevin
Spaceship Apple (or is it Biosphere II)? (http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-57438342-1/apple-details-new-futuristic-campus-plans-to-neighbors/?tag=mncol;1n)
http://asset1.cbsistatic.com/cnwk.1d/i/tim/2012/05/21/AppleSpaceshipCampus_610x312.jpg
-Kevin
Bing challenge. Compare search results between Bing and Google in a blind taste test.
http://www.bingiton.com/
Three tries - I failed to pick Bing's search results even once. Most times it was Google three times and a couple of draws. Google really is better at picking quality sites vs those with more traffic.
cameraman
09-06-12, 03:57 PM
I ran through it once with type of academic searches that I do at work all the time. A 5-0 win for Google and the results that I was given to choose from were not even close.
Insomniac
09-07-12, 01:07 PM
Bing challenge. Compare search results between Bing and Google in a blind taste test.
http://www.bingiton.com/
Three tries - I failed to pick Bing's search results even once. Most times it was Google three times and a couple of draws. Google really is better at picking quality sites vs those with more traffic.
Google wins for me, but I have to remind myself that Google isn't the only search engine out there, especially when I don't find what I want. How many people give up if Google doesn't get them what they want?
How many people give up if Google doesn't get them what they want?
Me.
I've tried a few others - I don't recall a single time where I had the "Eureka" moment and the other search engine found it.
If I use Bing, do I say I am going to Google it on Bing? ;)
cameraman
09-12-12, 02:52 PM
If I already knew how to use iTunes how exactly does Apple completely redesigning the UI to make it totally new & unfamiliar help me use the program?
Same could be said for the idiots who re-mangle Excel every two years:flame:
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-57517404-37/apple-maps-in-ios-6-what-you-need-to-know-faq/
Ruh Roh.
And maybe we should add Sammy to this thread.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-57516575-37/samsung-says-it-will-drag-iphone-5-into-legal-war/
:saywhat:
-Kevin
:saywhat:
-Kevin
Did the upgrade yesterday - it looks like my Google Maps app is still there. I only tried the Apple Maps once - just to check out the turn by turn directions. It got me home in one piece.
Not thinking I want to rely on it for the FL trip at Thanksgiving.
I'm a little surprised so many people apparently used that map app. I have Navigon on my iPhone but normally use a Garmin when we travel.
I did start the new app up and it found both my home and work locations correctly. The hybrid view is pretty slick.
Insomniac
09-21-12, 01:43 PM
http://theamazingios6maps.tumblr.com/
I'm a little surprised so many people apparently used that map app. I have Navigon on my iPhone but normally use a Garmin when we travel.
I did start the new app up and it found both my home and work locations correctly. The hybrid view is pretty slick.
Lots of peeps think the smartphone can be the end all, beat all. I've used a Tom-Tom for years, and it's maps are wonky even for construction that happened ~10 years ago. :saywhat: I ran both the Android phone and Tom-Tom side-by-side on a trip to WDW a couple of years ago and the results were mixed. Just upgraded to a phone running ICS a few weeks ago, and Google Nav was much improved. Before it would tell me to turn in 1/4 mile when I was @ the intersection already. :irked: Doesn't do that now, which may be due to the boost in processor power (IMO). However, smartphones also lose GPS connectivity much more easily. Again, one device to rule them all isn't exactly the case. :shakehead
-Kevin
http://theamazingios6maps.tumblr.com/
Oops! :gomer: APPL is beginning to make M$FT look generous, IMO. Keep in mind that I'm typing this reply on a MacBook, so I'm not ignorant to the technologies involved. I use Apple, Micro$soft and Google products each and every day. They all have their evils in some form. :shakehead
-Kevin
Last I checked, most smartphone mapping apps require a data connection for mapping. Not something you want to count on when travelling far outside the major metro areas. Hipsters rely on their smart phone to find the next bar or restaurant where they can tweet pictures of their food.
I'm a Garmin fan. The map update process is a bit unwieldy but maps, directions, and landmarks have always been good.
I'm a Garmin fan. The map update process is a bit unwieldy but maps, directions, and landmarks have always been good.
I've actually toyed with the idea of upgrading the Tom-Tom recently. Sadly, updating the maps would cost more than buying a new device. :saywhat: I've seen deals recently for various devices, but didn't pull the trigger since none of them (Magellan, Garmin, Tom-Tom) received good reviews overall. :(
-Kevin
Last I checked, most smartphone mapping apps require a data connection for mapping. Not something you want to count on when travelling far outside the major metro areas. Hipsters rely on their smart phone to find the next bar or restaurant where they can tweet pictures of their food.
I'm a Garmin fan. The map update process is a bit unwieldy but maps, directions, and landmarks have always been good.
The Navigon App I mentioned has all the mapping data preloaded on the phone. That is why I picked that one. I consider it a backup though as we travel with Garmin.
cameraman
09-21-12, 04:34 PM
Oops! :gomer: APPL is beginning to make M$FT look generous, IMO. Keep in mind that I'm typing this reply on a MacBook, so I'm not ignorant to the technologies involved. I use Apple, Micro$soft and Google products each and every day. They all have their evils in some form. :shakehead
-Kevin
I'm a bit miffed that my 1st generation iPad is now obsolete and that this 2006 17" MacBook Pro is also at the end of the road. I'd get a new one but they don't make 17" any more and the 15" all have glossy screens which I can't stand.
I've actually toyed with the idea of upgrading the Tom-Tom recently. Sadly, updating the maps would cost more than buying a new device. :saywhat: I've seen deals recently for various devices, but didn't pull the trigger since none of them (Magellan, Garmin, Tom-Tom) received good reviews overall. :(
-Kevin
My Garmin came with lifetime maps. There is an updater program on the PC that prompts me when it is time to plug it in and update. Piece of cake.
My Garmin came with lifetime maps. There is an updater program on the PC that prompts me when it is time to plug it in and update. Piece of cake.
Yes, there are LM and LMT versions, but lots of reports/reviews about issues/crashes with the updates...making the device unusable. Might be user error, but I can't discern that from most review posts. I updated my Tom-Tom a few mos. ago, which resulted in several errors. :saywhat:
-Kevin
My Garmin came with lifetime maps. There is an updater program on the PC that prompts me when it is time to plug it in and update. Piece of cake.
I use the mac version to update our 3750. Never had any trouble with firmware or map updates. We love the 3750. :thumbup:
What the IOS 6 map controversy ignores....
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8314/8010508450_bb6e487e70_b.jpg
:gomer:
The colors in the Windows 8 interface trigger my gag reflex. Most of the time it looks like your video cable has gone bad and you're getting those funky off-purple colors. Then there are those stupid tiles. What were they thinking?
Installed Win8 a month ago in a VM on my iMac. :yuck:
I can't help think sooner or later customers will complain enough to force them to provide a way to turn the touch interface stuff off when not running on a touch device.
I will remain on Win7.
wow, Skynet really has it's **** together.
Photos inside Google data centers:
http://www.dwell.com/slideshows/a-rare-glimpse-of-googles-data-centers.html
wow, Skynet really has it's **** together.
Photos inside Google data centers:
http://www.dwell.com/slideshows/a-rare-glimpse-of-googles-data-centers.html
Meh. It's a datacenter. Been there done that. Back in the day, we used to have a room full of car batteries that was our power supply when the power went down. :eek: :saywhat:
-Kevin
Today I played with a Lenovo Yoga ultrabook with touchscreen (you can flip the screen around and use it like a tablet). I was ready to hate Windows 8, but I have to admit, it was pretty slick. Without the touchscreen, however, it is a bit of a pain in the ass, so I think I will keep 7 on my regular ultrabook.
Overall, quite the impressive machine. I was not ready to upgrade, but this one is pretty tempting. :gomer:
SurfaceUnits
11-05-12, 10:45 AM
Use mac like OS without supporting Apple's slave labor
eRELqBLHf4w
http://pearlinux.fr/
Apple's corporate tax on its wealth produced by slaves is 2%
The most horrifying thing on last night's "The Walking Dead" was all the Windows 8 ads. :yuck: I've disliked Windows for a lot of reasons over the years. But now I really can't stand looking at it.
cameraman
11-05-12, 09:39 PM
Use mac like OS without supporting Apple's slave labor.
Apple's corporate tax on its wealth produced by slaves is 2%
Hate to burst your bubble but all those competing fondleslabs are made in their own far eastern labor camps.
SurfaceUnits
11-05-12, 10:18 PM
Apple is committed to the highest standards of social responsibility
It's on their website so it has to true
chop456
11-06-12, 02:35 AM
The most horrifying thing on last night's "The Walking Dead" was all the Windows 8 ads. :yuck: I've disliked Windows for a lot of reasons over the years. But now I really can't stand looking at it.
All those click-clack Surface ads make me want to punch the first person I see using one.
Ruh Roh....so much for the predictions of a $1 trillion valuation....
http://www.cnbc.com/id/100402489
-Kevin
nissan gtp
01-24-13, 07:32 PM
Ruh Roh....so much for the predictions of a $1 trillion valuation....
http://www.cnbc.com/id/100402489
-Kevin
$13B profit in one quarter is lot of coin. That would fund Indycar for a long dang time.
Insomniac
01-25-13, 02:36 PM
Apple is being treated like a value stock now. The P/E ratio is now below 10. It would be near or above 1000 if it had the P/E ratio of a typical tech growth company (20-25 range). I think they should probably be somewhere in between. There is no basis to indicate that they will be expanding to another product line or that they will remain relatively stable in the mobile/tablet market.
Napoleon
01-25-13, 02:42 PM
Apple is being treated like a value stock now. The P/E ratio is now below 10. It would be near or above 1000 if it had the P/E ratio of a typical tech growth company (20-25 range). I think they should probably be somewhere in between. There is no basis to indicate that they will be expanding to another product line or that they will remain relatively stable in the mobile/tablet market.
They have been treated that way for sometime. On top of it, if memory serves, they are sitting on a ton of cash on hand that if you distributed it that would be a nice chunk of your stock value and you would still own the stock and it would be just as good of a company after the distribution then it was before.
This is very much like M$FT several years ago. Their product line matured and they couldn't grow the business w/o new, innovative products. They were sitting on ~$32B and ended up distributing it via dividend to shareholders. This happens to most mature businesses...if you can't innovate, the high multiples can't be met. I just love the fact that Apple was being touted just a few mos. ago by the talking heads with a prive target of $1K/share and the first trillion $ company. The only way I can see them attaining that kind of P/E is a killer Apple TV product, which has been rumored for some time. Samsung is eating into the cell market share the iPhone had. I just switched phones (again) to a Sammy GS2, and it is a very slick handset...much better than the HTC Evo I bought back in August, but recently started spontaneously rebooting. The HTC also has memory issues since it only has 1GB of RAM, so updating apps was resulting in memory failures despite having a 32GB mSD card and moving the apps to the external card. Nice phone and I liked the Sense overlay, but it was crippled by the lack of internal memory. The GS2 has a form factor of the iPhone (thin, light and great display @ 4.5"). Not retina display quality, but who really needs that anyway on a phone? The only issue I have with it is the flavor of ICS Sammy installed, so it doesn't work like the HTC running ICS. For example, I had to download an app to create new ringtones from my MP3 library. :saywhat: I also used to be able to drag icons onto each other to create folders. Now I have to create a folder (usually meaning that I have to remove some icons from the screens) and create a folder to organize multiple apps. :irked: And yes I'm an app pack rat. ;) That's the good/bad news with Android...the mfgs can customize it, but the user experience is altered across mfgs. And I've had 3 Android-based phone the past three years, as well as two Android tablets. I've used Froyo, Honeycomb, Gingerbread and ICS through all of this. One can only wonder what kind of fun Jelly Bean will be. :saywhat: I'm getting too old to keep up with this shizzle. :(
-Kevin
Ok, questions for yooze guys:
I am over my bitching about Apple, as I have now spent a couple years with MS products and all the associated bugs, flaws, slowness, malware, etc., and my old Mac world seems rather nice in retrospect, and probably even worth the additional cost. So if I am about to invest in Apple products again, what is the long run looking like in terms of new products? Do you have any experience with MacBook Airs? I need to have a home computer with high HD capacity and something to carry daily. If I buy something today, am I going to regret it when they premiere a new technology this spring? Do any of you have any Apple gear you need to unload?
Thanks in advance!
The impending upgrade for the Air is Retina display. We just bought the current one for my wife and the display is fine for most things. If you are really into watching video on a laptop you might want to wait.
The current crop of Airs do not have an HD. They have flash storage, either 128GB or 256GB or 512GB. Screaming fast. If you need more you will need an external drive.
Insomniac
01-26-13, 02:03 PM
The current crop of Airs do not have an HD. They have flash storage, either 128GB or 256GB or 512GB. Screaming fast. If you need more you will need an external drive.
Also very expensive compared to the drives in the MBP.
Hard to tell what is on the horizon with Apple on notebooks. It's not exactly their top priority. They've been making incremental changes for a while. I'm personally disappointed in the resolution for their 13" notebook being only 1280x800 while the air has a 1440x900 screen.
If you don't need the HD capacity to be portable you could combine an Air with external storage you leave at home. This is what my photographer friends do because they want SSD speed but need a lot of storage.
Indy, Apple is so secretive, no one really knows what's coming next in the pipeline (unless a drunk Apple employee leaves a prototype phone in a bar). Apple TV has been rumored for some time now. Most of the talking heads have laptops giving way to tablets over the next couple of years. If you want an Apple product 'cheap' I suggest checking out the Apple.com store, and check the Deals area in the left column. They sell refurbs for MacBooks, Airs, iPods, iPads, etc. there. Savings are minimum, but a couple hundy is better than nothing. I just don't see how they can innovate as in the past. There is only so many tweaks you can make to the existing products. Apple TV has to be their next big product.
-Kevin
nissan gtp
01-26-13, 04:20 PM
Ok, questions for yooze guys:
I am over my bitching about Apple, as I have now spent a couple years with MS products and all the associated bugs, flaws, slowness, malware, etc., and my old Mac world seems rather nice in retrospect, and probably even worth the additional cost. So if I am about to invest in Apple products again, what is the long run looking like in terms of new products? Do you have any experience with MacBook Airs? I need to have a home computer with high HD capacity and something to carry daily. If I buy something today, am I going to regret it when they premiere a new technology this spring? Do any of you have any Apple gear you need to unload?
Thanks in advance!
I have an Air (Mid-2011, 13", 256GB). It's a great little system, fast and amazingly light, but feels sturdy. Runs a long time on a charge. If you need more storage, get a Thunderbolt or USB3 (cheaper but slower) external.
New tech is always on the way. Best place to get a general idea is to look here http://buyersguide.macrumors.com . Most likely is newer Intel processors. I don't expect Retina for Air due to power use and cost (but who knows?).
Good place to find deals is the re-furb store http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/specialdeals/mac. The systems from there have a great reputation for being as good or better than new.
WickerBill
01-26-13, 05:12 PM
I hope Apple isn't out of ideas when they finally hit the end of the "thinner is better" rainbow. The new MBPro is barely over half the thickness of the old one, and it makes the form factor incredible and cannibalizes some of the Air market.
There is also a limited percentage of people who will pay extra for more pixels.
The final frontier for content creation machines (in other words, laptops/desktops vs. "content consumption" -- tablets and phones) is folding or rolling of the system to create a much smaller footprint when not in use than when in use. To accomplish this, the screen has to fold or roll. I would love to carry a 14" laptop with full keyboard in my jacket pocket...
Insomniac
01-29-13, 05:39 PM
I just don't see how they can innovate as in the past. There is only so many tweaks you can make to the existing products. Apple TV has to be their next big product.
Wearable computing.
Cable companies/content owners (which are increasingly becoming one and the same) make TV very, very difficult.
Insomniac
01-29-13, 05:41 PM
There is also a limited percentage of people who will pay extra for more pixels.
And for me, I'd pay more for higher resolution than retina on my laptop.
Wearable computing.
Not a buyer. I've read about it, but I'm not buying into it. I have seen stories about peeps that have attached Nanos to their wrists via surgical transplants. :saywhat: :shakehead
-Kevin
Insomniac
01-30-13, 09:30 AM
Not a buyer. I've read about it, but I'm not buying into it. I have seen stories about peeps that have attached Nanos to their wrists via surgical transplants. :saywhat: :shakehead
-Kevin
Heh, I was thinking more along the lines of Google Glass, watches or SixthSense.
Heh, I was thinking more along the lines of Google Glass, watches or SixthSense.
I've read about those as well. I saw a piece about an idiot that had magnets implanted in his arm so he could attach a Nano like a watch. :saywhat: I just don't this hitting the mainstream yet.
http://blog.laptopmag.com/epson-and-meta-augmented-reality-glasses-take-on-google-glass
-Kevin
cameraman
01-30-13, 02:21 PM
Wow... starting Tuesday for only $929 you'll be able to get a 128GB Wi-Fi + Cellular iPad.
Wow... starting Tuesday for only $929 you'll be able to get a 128GB Wi-Fi + Cellular iPad.
That's nuts. I just steered the 'rents to a deal on Woot for a 10.1" 32GB Android Xoom for $219 that does WiFi + LTE through VZON. Also allows mSD expansion for another 32GB, which they will never use.
-Kevin
Insomniac
01-30-13, 05:52 PM
I've read about those as well. I saw a piece about an idiot that had magnets implanted in his arm so he could attach a Nano like a watch. :saywhat: I just don't this hitting the mainstream yet.
http://blog.laptopmag.com/epson-and-meta-augmented-reality-glasses-take-on-google-glass
-Kevin
I think we're a bit away still, but I think besides TV, that's an area where Apple can grow and make an impact in terms of fit and function.
Microsoft Surface sales fail to make a dent. At fewer than 1 million tablets sold how much have they spent per sale in marketing? :p
http://www.theverge.com/2013/1/31/3936080/idc-tablet-report-apple-samsung-lead-the-market
Dell going private. :eek:
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1001_3-57567644-92/its-official-dells-going-private-in-$24.4b-deal/
-Kevin
Insomniac
02-06-13, 01:40 PM
Dell going private. :eek:
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1001_3-57567644-92/its-official-dells-going-private-in-$24.4b-deal/
-Kevin
Can someone explain this in English (besides giant tax loop hole): http://www.slate.com/articles/business/moneybox/2013/02/dell_goes_private_leveraged_buyout_will_help_dell_ pay_investors_while_minimizing.html
the tax loophole is the crux of the article.
the company's still printing money despite being in a shrinking, commoditized space. that (in addition to the offshore cash in the article) can be used for debt service
dell's M&A the past few years has been an attempt into pivoting into a mid-market IBM/HP w/ services. They're in the middle of their re-structuring cycle, the LBO pulls them out of the public markets, so Dell can concentrate on taking the short-term hits to facilitate long-term growth rather than the immediate SEC filing. (it took IBM 10 years, 90+ acquisitions, and the smartest guys in the room to pull off their pivot, good luck to Dell...). They might sell off some units, but they're not just stripping the carcass and pocketing the cash.
Michael Dell is going from 16 to 25% ownership with this deal as well. Take a 6% cost of capital, 4.7% growth rate, share price,etc. and the amount of leverage of the deal and the rate of return goes from 7% (all equity) to 28% (given the leverage stated) in a simplified model. Thus some of the interest of Silverlake in the deal.
Napoleon
02-06-13, 02:09 PM
Can someone explain this in English (besides giant tax loop hole0
Basically the transaction causes Dell to, in essence, change a flow of (or pot of) cash from profit (which gets taxed) into a flow of (or pot of) cash which is used to cover expenses, and therefore is not taxed. It more or less is an accounting gimmick.
Basically the transaction causes Dell to, in essence, change a flow of (or pot of) cash from profit (which gets taxed) into a flow of (or pot of) cash which is used to cover expenses, and therefore is not taxed. It more or less is an accounting gimmick.
Yup. Essentially what Nationwide Insurance did a few years ago.
-Kevin
It's certainly more than just an accounting gimmick. It frees you of a whole raft of SEC regulations and any need to please Wall Street.
It's certainly more than just an accounting gimmick. It frees you of a whole raft of SEC regulations and any need to please Wall Street.
Yes, but most of that is accounting related. I've had a seat in the boardroom when capitalization of projects was discussed. It isn't pretty, and projects we worked on ~10 years ago and were capitalized were investigated. Not fun. Think rubber glove. :saywhat:
-Kevin
Yes, but most of that is accounting related.
sure, not being required to file quarterly reports is accounting related.
an LBO, and in particular Dell's move to enable it to complete it's multi-year pivot is not about accounting, it's about corporate governance as nrc points out.
sure, not being required to file quarterly reports is accounting related.
an LBO, and in particular Dell's move to enable it to complete it's multi-year pivot is not about accounting, it's about corporate governance as nrc points out.
F00, I'm disputing what nrc stated, now saying that nappy is 100% correct. Like I previously posted, I've had a seat @ the boardroom when matters like this were discussed. @ the time I was managing development for a $50m product, and we were in discussions to go private or be acquired. It's a mix of both accounting games and corporate governance/government oversite. There are benefits on both sides. I'm not an expert, but I know enough to be dangerous (as I always tell my developers :)). I been around the block on this a few times the past 20+ years and several mergers, acquisitions, and more BS than you can imagine. :)
-Kevin
A public company in Dell's position can easily enter a death spiral due to short run decision-making inspired by the stock market. Taking it public with the founder as one of the investors signals an intent to make big changes and long term investments. I wish I could have a piece of it.
Insomniac
02-06-13, 11:46 PM
What I was trying to understand was how the tax benefit works in private vs. public. Seems interesting (and odd) that by doing the same thing either as a private company or a public company has great financial consequence. Wondering how that works. Wouldn't they have had the expenses regardless? Repatriation and paying dividends are separate. They are in no way required to pay dividends.
What I was trying to understand was how the tax benefit works in private vs. public. Seems interesting (and odd) that by doing the same thing either as a private company or a public company has great financial consequence. Wondering how that works. Wouldn't they have had the expenses regardless? Repatriation and paying dividends are separate. They are in no way required to pay dividends.
you are correct. the debt service can be paid w/ repatriated funds, but that debt service doesn't exist without the LBO...
i think what the article's getting at is the shareholders make a premium (reflecting the cash+short-term assets) which wouldn't be possible to make for the shareholders sans LBO. the "a ha!" the writer's trying to point out is pretty dumb though, imo.
http://mobile.bloomberg.com/news/2013-02-06/dell-s-mr-denali-talks-said-to-break-up-a-few-times-over-price.html
Meanwhile, the board had hired Boston Consulting Group Inc. to consider alternatives, according to people familiar with the matter. One idea discussed by BCG and Dell executives: Break the company in two, splitting off the personal computer business from units that focused on data-center hardware and software, the people said. maximizing LT value, how does it work?
Insomniac
02-07-13, 10:35 AM
you are correct. the debt service can be paid w/ repatriated funds, but that debt service doesn't exist without the LBO...
i think what the article's getting at is the shareholders make a premium (reflecting the cash+short-term assets) which wouldn't be possible to make for the shareholders sans LBO. the "a ha!" the writer's trying to point out is pretty dumb though, imo.
http://mobile.bloomberg.com/news/2013-02-06/dell-s-mr-denali-talks-said-to-break-up-a-few-times-over-price.html
maximizing LT value, how does it work?
Reading the article more carefully, I see what you mean.
Whose LT value? I think the shareholders had their ST value maximized. But it seems like LT you let the company restructure. They should put that to a vote. LBO or allow long term restructuring. Let shareholders decide if they want equity in the private company or bought out. :)
LT value being the total profits/revenues Dell's pulling in over time, but predicting the future is what that really amounts to.
How effective will the business model be? What growth the company will realize? All of that is subjective (and the writer touches slightly on the growth & stock price bit).
That difference in POV of Dell Inc. value (what value shareholders place on Dell Inc. vs management/private equity's valuation of Dell) is the discrepancy between shareholders & ceo/board/etc.
Michael Dell and Silverlake think the stock is a) undervalued and b) shareholders won't allow for what's necessary, thus the offer to take it private.
Re: LBO
the shareholders do get to vote (thus the 22%? premium of the offer price, originally Dell & Silverlake were aiming for $12 I believe, the board drove it up to $13.64?), there'll be 2 votes. First will be all shareholders: need majority. Second will be majority of minority: all the shareholders (exc. Michael Dell b/c he's part of the deal team, if mgmt was part of the deal, then all mgmt w/ shares would be excluded) will vote again. removes conflict of interest, keeps deal team from buying the company shares to unduly influence the buyout vote
Both votes need to pass, then the board can approve the deal on behalf of the shareholders.
So shareholders do get their say, and the premium above market price is what they get for giving up their shares.
Insomniac
02-08-13, 01:17 AM
LT value being the total profits/revenues Dell's pulling in over time, but predicting the future is what that really amounts to.
How effective will the business model be? What growth the company will realize? All of that is subjective (and the writer touches slightly on the growth & stock price bit).
That difference in POV of Dell Inc. value (what value shareholders place on Dell Inc. vs management/private equity's valuation of Dell) is the discrepancy between shareholders & ceo/board/etc.
Michael Dell and Silverlake think the stock is a) undervalued and b) shareholders won't allow for what's necessary, thus the offer to take it private.
Re: LBO
the shareholders do get to vote (thus the 22%? premium of the offer price, originally Dell & Silverlake were aiming for $12 I believe, the board drove it up to $13.64?), there'll be 2 votes. First will be all shareholders: need majority. Second will be majority of minority: all the shareholders (exc. Michael Dell b/c he's part of the deal team, if mgmt was part of the deal, then all mgmt w/ shares would be excluded) will vote again. removes conflict of interest, keeps deal team from buying the company shares to unduly influence the buyout vote
Both votes need to pass, then the board can approve the deal on behalf of the shareholders.
So shareholders do get their say, and the premium above market price is what they get for giving up their shares.
They get their say on the options given to them. I'd think another option to essentially forfeit your stock for equity in the new Dell would be considered. So yes they get a premium over the current price, but their options are take a premium or go against what the company believes is the best direction. This would probably never happen as it would allow common shareholders to participate in a "startup". They can wait to try and buy in at the street price of the IPO,
Google Glass...opposition grows.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-57574607-93/google-glass-the-opposition-grows/
Like I've stated previously, I don't see happening. Fart in church.
-Kevin
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-57575224-37/adobe-cto-kevin-lynch-resigns-headed-for-apple/
:saywhat:
-Kevin
I suspected this might be the case...
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/07/technology/personaltech/google-glass-picks-up-early-signal-keep-out.html
I saw a demo of Glass the other day on The Today Show, and this is just plain silly. :saywhat:
-Kevin
We are the Big Brother we've been waiting for.
All your communication are belong to NSA.
:laugh::shakehead:(
Insomniac
06-08-13, 03:11 PM
All your communication are belong to NSA.
:laugh::shakehead:(
I assumed this to be the case when they said the NSA had tapped AT&T's network back in 2005.
Barnes and Noble's e-reader business is tanking and that doesn't bode well for the company.
http://money.cnn.com/2013/06/25/technology/mobile/barnes-and-noble-nook/
They're looking for a partner to help with their device business. The trouble is that they've already aligned themselves with Microsoft which is like the blinder leading the blind.
Bookstores are somewhat more viable than CD stores or DVD rental places for the time being but B&N is in clear danger of being crushed between Amazon's online bookstore and ebook sales from Amazon, Google, and everyone else.
Wow. Jeff Bezos is personally buying the Washington Post.
http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory/amazon-founder-bezos-buy-washington-post-19875859
This really interesting because most folks in "new media" (ie, redistributing old media at a fraction of the cost) wouldn't give you a nickel for an "old media" company (ie, creators of content).
TKGAngel
08-06-13, 09:55 AM
Wow. Jeff Bezos is personally buying the Washington Post.
http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory/amazon-founder-bezos-buy-washington-post-19875859
This really interesting because most folks in "new media" (ie, redistributing old media at a fraction of the cost) wouldn't give you a nickel for an "old media" company (ie, creators of content).
One story I read about this deal said that this is just the latest in a trend of wealthy people buying newspapers because they value a quality journalistic product. Warren Buffett owns several papers and John Henry just bought the Boston Globe & Boston Herald. I'm intrigued by the latter, as the perception of "state run media" when it comes to sports coverage is going to be a really hard one for the papers to shake.
cameraman
08-06-13, 12:30 PM
The simple joys of leading the market...
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Insomniac
08-06-13, 08:04 PM
One story I read about this deal said that this is just the latest in a trend of wealthy people buying newspapers because they value a quality journalistic product. Warren Buffett owns several papers and John Henry just bought the Boston Globe & Boston Herald. I'm intrigued by the latter, as the perception of "state run media" when it comes to sports coverage is going to be a really hard one for the papers to shake.
John Henry didn't buy the Boston Herald. I also don't think any wealthy person would buy a newspaper for journalistic reasons. Bezos is very smart and he has a long term plan for WaPo.
Steve Ballmer announces retirement, MSFT soars.
http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/About/General/2013/8/23/1377279461336/Steve-Ballmer-010.jpg
It will be interesting to see if someone else can transform them. Wall Street has been critical of Ballmer but they're kind of trapped by the success that they've had operating the same way for decades. It's not clear that they even understand why their competitors have been so successful this past decade.
I've heard Paul Martiz, former MSFT-EMC-VMware exec mooted (there's that word again) as an option but I don't think he's the guy. He help VMware realize maybe 75% of their potential under his watch. He missed some critical emerging trends and sent the company down a few costly dead ends. Maritz might do well at leveraging MSFT's existing strengths, but I don't think he's the guy for a transformation.
Of course barring taking control and open sourcing the whole thing I'm hoping for someone who will steer it straight into the ground. Maybe Leo Apotheker or Carly Fiorina would be interested.
Insomniac
08-27-13, 01:59 PM
Steve Ballmer announces retirement, MSFT soars.
http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/About/General/2013/8/23/1377279461336/Steve-Ballmer-010.jpg
It will be interesting to see if someone else can transform them. Wall Street has been critical of Ballmer but they're kind of trapped by the success that they've had operating the same way for decades. It's not clear that they even understand why their competitors have been so successful this past decade.
I've heard Paul Martiz, former MSFT-EMC-VMware exec mooted (there's that word again) as an option but I don't think he's the guy. He help VMware realize maybe 75% of their potential under his watch. He missed some critical emerging trends and sent the company down a few costly dead ends. Maritz might do well at leveraging MSFT's existing strengths, but I don't think he's the guy for a transformation.
Of course barring taking control and open sourcing the whole thing I'm hoping for someone who will steer it straight into the ground. Maybe Leo Apotheker or Carly Fiorina would be interested.
Please come back Bill. :)
Microsoft has bought Nokia's handset business outright for 7.2 billion dollars.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2013/09/03/microsoft-buys-nokia-handset/2756653/
That will ensure that someone will be selling their mobile OS, but as a business proposition it's kind of shaky with feature phone sales dropping and Windows 8 mobile battling RIM for the bottom share of the smartphone market.
WickerBill
09-03-13, 10:32 AM
I think they've won third place, personally. What blows my mind is that Skype was more expensive than Nokia, who had a 20% sales increase last quarter and generally seemed to be on the uptick.
Napoleon
09-03-13, 10:43 AM
What blows my mind is that Skype was more expensive than Nokia, who had a 20% sales increase last quarter and generally seemed to be on the uptick.
Sorry, don't have a link, but somewhere this morning I read something along the lines of part of the deal involves making something like $1.5B available immediately as a loan. They may have a serious cash flow/lender issue (or maybe not, just speculating).
Insomniac
09-03-13, 05:24 PM
I think they've won third place, personally. What blows my mind is that Skype was more expensive than Nokia, who had a 20% sales increase last quarter and generally seemed to be on the uptick.
And that seems to be their goal. 15% smart phone market share by 2018. They also bring Elop back in house who immediately becomes a better candidate to replace Ballmer.
Another benefit (like Skype) is they can make the entire purchase with their offshore cash.
pfc_m_drake
09-03-13, 08:08 PM
I think they've won third place, personally. What blows my mind is that Skype was more expensive than Nokia, who had a 20% sales increase last quarter and generally seemed to be on the uptick.
One of (IMO) Microsoft's many missteps was dumping Windows Mobile backward compatibility when they rolled Windows Phone 7. I personally *loved* Windows Mobile and actually ran it until November of last year (albeit on an HTC TP2 which I dual-booted Android, but nonetheless).
Ironic to think that Skype and server side mobile browser rendering (implemented first in Skyfire then Opera Mini/Dolphin Mini) trace their origins to Windows Mobile.
SurfaceUnits
09-11-13, 08:23 PM
Hold off on that new iPhone
EXPERTS: Thieves may mutilate your fingers to get access to new iPhones...
Chromecast up and running. Certain Google/Anroid haters here should take notice. :gomer: ;)
chop456
09-13-13, 01:56 AM
Sweet! It's just like Apple TV, but smaller. And 6 years later. :D
Hold off on that new iPhone
Thoughts in iOS7? Should I be downloading today? :confused:
How long before "downloading" goes the way of the floppy disc and all software and files are available instantly from any location?
Thoughts in iOS7? Should I be downloading today? :confused:
I'm going to update my iPhone 5 in a little bit. I've seen recommendations several places to hold off on the iPad update so I'm waiting on that one.
Thoughts in iOS7? Should I be downloading today? :confused:
I'm debating on the update as well. I would wait for a bit to see what comes out in the wash. Or just go Android. :p
I see reports of some folks having trouble downloading but mine was pretty painless. Now to which apps are broke.
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