AAPL vs. GOOG vs. MSFT

[Insomniac]

Figure it might be time to have a thread dedicated to this war [and any other related combatants (ADBE)].

http://i49.tinypic.com/11w80hs.jpg

I think if Apple is really locked into a 5 year exclusivity deal with AT&T, they are going to be itching to get out of that deal as Android takes more and more marketshare. AT&T may be getting a very, very big check in the next year.

[cameraman]

PlaceBase? Stevie doesn't seem to have done too much since he bought that:saywhat:

[Gnam]

Axis & Allies score card:
Microsoft = USA or USSR
Apple = Nazi Germany
Google = Imperial Japan


;)

[JLMannin]

No, no, no you do not have it correct at all.

Apple = Ferengi
Google = The Borg
Microsoft = The Dominion

[Indy]

No way, man.

Microsoft = The Republic

Google = The Empire

Apple = The Rebel Alliance

[nrc]

Clever trailer for Half Life 2 coming to Mac.

zxqu51mJpyc

[chop456]

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Microsoft's dominance as the tech industry's most valuable player has ended.

On Wednesday, Apple's market capitalization edged past its longtime rival's as investors made official what consumers have long suggested: Microsoft is no longer the industry's alpha dog.

http://money.cnn.com/2010/05/26/technology/apple_microsoft/index.htm?hpt=T2

Meaningless, unless your name is William. :tony:

[Methanolandbrats]

What it means is that mutual fund managers have to own Apple. Last quarter the window dressing drove it from 220 to 260 as funds bid it up into quarter end so they would look like they knew what they were doing when they closed their books. Then it backed up, now another round of upgrades and here we go again.

[Insomniac]

http://money.cnn.com/2010/05/26/technology/apple_microsoft/index.htm?hpt=T2

Meaningless, unless your name is William. :tony:

Or probably Steve Jobs. :) He made an announcement to his employees when they passed Dell (while also noting these things change).

[Insomniac]

iPhone Data Vulnerability:


This data protection flaw exposes music, photos, videos, podcasts, voice recordings, Google safe browsing database, game contents… by in my opinion the quickest compromising read/write access discovered so far, without leaving any track record by the attacker. It’s about to imagine how many enterprises (e.g. Fortune 100) actually do rely on the expectation that their iPhone 3GS’s whole content is protected by encryption with an PIN code based authentication in place to unlock it.
http://www.zdnet.com/blog/hardware/ubuntu-lucid-lynx-1004-can-read-your-iphones-secrets/8424

[cameraman]

oops

Guess Stevie's troops don't use Ubuntu Lucid Lynx:gomer:

[dando]

iFail. :saywhat:

http://www.businessinsider.com/john-battelle-its-official-apple-kicking-google-out-of-iworld-2010-6

http://www.businessinsider.com/apples-new-developer-rules-are-terrible-for-admob-and-google-and-developers-2010-6

http://www.businessinsider.com/the-case-against-apple-2009-8

http://www.businessinsider.com/admob-officially-responds-to-apple-2010-6

:shakehead :irked:

-Kevin

[nrc]

Years and years after Microsoft's antitrust headlines, Apple is now the anti-competitive monster that Jobs rallied us against in the infamous 1984 commercial. Steve Jobs is the oppressive man on the jumbotron and the Olympian carrying the hammer is the open-source movement

[dando]

And now you have iLeak (http://gawker.com/5559346/).

:saywhat: :shakehead

-Kevin

[Steve99]

And now you have iLeak (http://gawker.com/5559346/).

:saywhat: :shakehead

-Kevin


Within the military, we saw several devices registered to the domain of DARPA, the advanced research division of the Department of Defense, along with the major service branches. To wit: One affected individual was William Eldredge, who "commands the largest operational B-1 [strategic bomber] group in the U.S. Air Force."

In government, affected accounts included a GMail user who appears to be Rahm Emanuel and staffers in the Senate, House of Representatives, Department of Justice, NASA, Department of Homeland Security, FAA, FCC, and National Institute of Health, among others. Dozens of employees of the federal court system also appeared on the list.

Why are the U.S. taxpayers buying so many of these overpriced toys for government officials? :confused:

[extramundane]

I just returned from an abbreviated trip to the MS TechEd conference. I can tell you that there's a new boogeyman in Redmond, and Apple isn't the dirty word it would have been a few years ago. Using "Google" as a verb was instant persona non grata.

BTW to whomever had the bright idea to schedule a conference in New Orleans in June: my drycleaner is going to love you. Me? Not so much. :saywhat:

[oddlycalm]

And now you have iLeak (http://gawker.com/5559346/).

:saywhat: :shakehead
AT&T as sole carrier is a decision that is like a tapeworm lodged in Apples intestine. :shakehead

oc

[KLang]

Lots of Apple Hate on the web this week. Guess they must be doing something right. ;)

[cameraman]

AT&T as sole carrier is a decision that is like a tapeworm lodged in Apples intestine. :shakehead

oc

Yep, it looks like it is a Droid Incredible for me as no one can make or receive a phone call with any ATT phone on the east side of the many of the buildings in the Medical Center. I'm not buying an iPhone if I can't use it to make a phone call.:shakehead

And that particular security breach is 100% ATT. Apple does enough idiotic things without piling on ATT's screwups too.

[Insomniac]

More Antitrust Concerns


US antitrust regulators plan to investigate whether Apple is unfairly restricting rivals such as Google and Microsoft in the market for advertisements carried on the iPhone, iPad and iPod, people familiar with the move said on Wednesday.
Click the First Result (http://news.google.com/news/search?q=Antitrust+probe+looms+for+Apple+on+mobile +ads)

[oddlycalm]

More Antitrust Concerns

After the industry consolidations of the last 10yrs this is what wakes up the antitrust warriors...? :laugh:

[Napoleon]

After the industry consolidations of the last 10yrs this is what wakes up the antitrust warriors...? :laugh:

Amazingly I happen to recall back to my antitrust class in law school 25 years ago that there was a Supreme Court case back from the days newspapers were king that is very similar, and I also managed to recall the name of the case since it is a paper in the next county over, Lorain Journal v. US. (http://supreme.justia.com/us/342/143/)

At first blush it seems to me what Apple is doing is very similar.

[nrc]

...

No, we're not starting that.

[dando]

No, we're not starting that.

But dad..... ;)

-Kevin

[Ankf00]

SBC swallows ATT and other regionals. Chevron Texaco, Exxon Mobil, United Continental, BAC + Merrill, JPM + WM + BS, Oracle + Sun. Clear Channel. News Corp.


Apple's out to destroy the world!

[High Sided]

if only my iphone had balls :saywhat:

http://phoneballs.com/

[SteveH]

Hey, they work for this guy

http://jalopnik.com/assets/resources/2008/04/hootersballs-thumb.jpg

[cameraman]

It seems the folks at Foxconn who make all of Apple's toys are tired of the problems they have been having with their mainland China operations. They will shutter all operations in China and move everything to Taiwan, India & Vietnam. That means laying off 800,000 workers in China:eek::eek::eek:

[Indy]

The anti-trust ship has sailed. No teeth, no will. The corporations have captured the government, and they are not going to give it back.

And I am an Apple fan. :gomer:

[KLang]

I don't want to see advertising on my iPhone. I hope that crap is tied up in the court for decades. :)

[cameraman]

Sorry Steve,

I just bought a Droid Incredible because even though I have been accused of being an Apple fanboi I'm not buying an iPhone 4.0 if I can't receive or make a phone call with it. When you finally get around to allowing Verizon to sell an iPhone I'll buy one. In the meantime Verizon/HTC/Google gets me money.

Signed an annoyed fanboi. :rolleyes:

[Gnam]

You're either with Steve, or you are against him. [/lava planet] :p

[cameraman]

You're either with Steve, or you are against him. [/lava planet] :p

I hate cultural references that go screaming over my head. :flame:
What is [lava planet] from?:gomer:

[cameraman]

Hey, they work for this guy

http://jalopnik.com/assets/resources/2008/04/hootersballs-thumb.jpg

Anybody notice the Hooter's Girls made good ad during the race this weekend? Who exactly are they aiming that for anyway?

[SteveH]

Anybody notice the Hooter's Girls made good ad during the race this weekend? Who exactly are they aiming that for anyway?

I saw that. Kind of puzzled/amused at that, myself.

[Gnam]

I hate cultural references that go screaming over my head. :flame:
What is [lava planet] from?:gomer:

It's actually a twofer:
* In the climax of the film Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, Anakin Skywalker says to Obi-Wan Kenobi, "If you're not with me, then you're my enemy." At the time it was taken a veiled reference to President George W. Bush, who, in an address to a joint session of Congress on September 20, 2001 said, "Either you are with us, or you are with the terrorists."

*It is also a Jimmy Fallon bit: http://www.myvideo.de/watch/6660641/Lava_Planet

[dando]

Anybody notice the Hooter's Girls made good ad during the race this weekend? Who exactly are they aiming that for anyway?

Oh, did they say something? :gomer: ;)

-Kevin

[Insomniac]

Various blogs are reporting that it appears some iTunes customer accounts have been hacked and that funds from those accounts may have been used to purchase apps in the iTunes App Store.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-20009658-37.html

[WickerBill]

Is Apple really going to have to issue two mea culpas in two weeks?? Or will the Apple fanboys just proclaim "It was good that my information was hacked. Mother Apple and Father Jobs know that it was in my best interest."

[dando]

Is Apple really going to have to issue two mea culpas in two weeks?? Or will the Apple fanboys just proclaim "It was good that my information was hacked. Mother Apple and Father Jobs know that it was in my best interest."

No it's your fault. You're holding your phone wrong. Oh, and these aren't the droids you're looking for. :gomer:

-Kevin

[extramundane]

Who needs an iPhone when you can get an eyePhone?

PZwUsA0WV4E

[Insomniac]

Is Apple really going to have to issue two mea culpas in two weeks?? Or will the Apple fanboys just proclaim "It was good that my information was hacked. Mother Apple and Father Jobs know that it was in my best interest."

What is interesting is that it seems that they made the purchases for the sole purpose of ensuring these are reported. The hackers really gained nothing from buying music and apps. It makes me wonder if they found a vulnerability and alerted Apple and Apple did nothing so they did this.

[TravelGal]

What is interesting is that it seems that they made the purchases for the sole purpose of ensuring these are reported. The hackers really gained nothing from buying music and apps. It makes me wonder if they found a vulnerability and alerted Apple and Apple did nothing so they did this.

Could be.

BTW, how many bars are you getting for your reception?

[nrc]

Kin One and Kin Two never had these problems.

:gomer:

[dando]

Kin

Kin == Bob :gomer: :shakehead

-Kevin

[Insomniac]

Could be.

BTW, how many bars are you getting for your reception?

I have 5, but I have T-Mobile. :)

There was a really good explanation about how the bars are "calculated" on iPhones here (http://www.anandtech.com/show/3794/the-iphone-4-review/2).

[cameraman]

It's nice to see someone come up with some hard data about how this all works. I've got to say that the sliding scale Apple chose for defining bars is just plain nuts. If they had it to do all over again perhaps Apple would have put a coating on the exposed surface of the antennas. Oh well...

[Insomniac]

It's nice to see someone come up with some hard data about how this all works. I've got to say that the sliding scale Apple chose for defining bars is just plain nuts. If they had it to do all over again perhaps Apple would have put a coating on the exposed surface of the antennas. Oh well...

They are at least doing the software algorithm all over:

Upon investigation, we were stunned to find that the formula we use to calculate how many bars of signal strength to display is totally wrong. Our formula, in many instances, mistakenly displays 2 more bars than it should for a given signal strength. For example, we sometimes display 4 bars when we should be displaying as few as 2 bars. Users observing a drop of several bars when they grip their iPhone in a certain way are most likely in an area with very weak signal strength, but they don’t know it because we are erroneously displaying 4 or 5 bars. Their big drop in bars is because their high bars were never real in the first place.
http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2010/07/02appleletter.html

I could still see them making some manufacturing adjustments to the iPhone 4 like they did with past issues with MacBooks.

[Gnam]

No it's your fault. You're holding your phone wrong. Oh, and these aren't the droids you're looking for.

-Kevin
Apple is trying to turn everyone into a southpaw. :p

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/techchron/detail?entry_id=67264&tsp=1

[nrc]

Wow. Oracle has just torpedoed decades of Java progress by launching a patent suit against Google for using Java - a language that was supposedly open sourced.

http://www.zdnet.com/blog/microsoft/microsoft-could-be-a-winner-in-oracles-patent-attack-over-java/7088

I've sometimes wondered whether Oracle might be an even more horrible company than MS and this pretty much confirms it.

We've been fortunate that Oracle has been pretty irrelevant to that average consumer over the years. Now they're in control of millions of man hours put into supposedly open source technology and they've demonstrated that none of that can be trusted.

[dando]

Wow. Oracle has just torpedoed decades of Java progress by launching a patent suit against Google for using Java - a language that was supposedly open sourced.

http://www.zdnet.com/blog/microsoft/microsoft-could-be-a-winner-in-oracles-patent-attack-over-java/7088

I've sometimes wondered whether Oracle might be an even more horrible company than MS and this pretty much confirms it.

We've been fortunate that Oracle has been pretty irrelevant to that average consumer over the years. Now they're in control of millions of man hours put into supposedly open source technology and they've demonstrated that none of that can be trusted.

Yeah, Oracle acquiring Sun was not a good thing. :saywhat:

-Kevin

[cameraman]

Autodesk plans to announce on Tuesday that it is bringing its flagship AutoCAD design and engineering software to the Mac for the first time in nearly two decades. The Mac version will cost $3,995, the same as the PC version, and will be released in October. AutoDesk will soon introduce a free mobile version of the software that will run on the iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch.

That will make some gnomes quite happy.

[Insomniac]

h5iZyN7Ir3Q

This is exactly how the Engadget live blog of the Apple event last week read.

nrc: Could you fix the title so APPL is AAPL. I mistyped the ticker symbol and couldn't find the thread with the search.

[WickerBill]

Ooh, ooh, I can do that!

I'm useful!

[indyfan31]

That will make some gnomes quite happy.

Saw it working on an iPhone. Not bad, a very small subset of tools, but there's not a lot you can really expect to do with your fingers on a touchscreen. On the positive side, there's great value in having access to the latest plans and CAD drawings in the field. Not a bad idea. Oh, and it's FREE.

Waiting for Microstation to follow suit . . . I'm not holding my breath.

[indyfan31]

This is exactly how the Engadget live blog of the Apple event last week read.

nrc: Could you fix the title so APPL is AAPL. I mistyped the ticker symbol and couldn't find the thread with the search.

Hey, look at the bright side, he only said COOL once. :cool:

[Insomniac]

Ooh, ooh, I can do that!

I'm useful!

Thanks!

[dando]

Hey, look at the bright side, he only said COOL once. :cool:

Amazing. ;)

-Kevin

[Insomniac]

Jobs interview from 1985 which I thought was a real interesting read. Content is safe for work, but the URL isn't.

http://www.playboy.co.uk/print/print-article/item77251/

(If you didn't read it for the articles, maybe you should've. ;))

[nrc]

It's over. Apple is has taken the lead in mobile computing devices even excluding the iPhone. Windows hegemony is at an end. The need for Windows applications is no longer creating the lock-in that it once did. This trend is likely to continue as the next generation relies more and more on mobile devices with their data in the cloud and available where-ever they go.

Right now MS has no answer. They don't have a winning mobile OS and they don't have a winning cloud strategy. I'm not saying that they're doomed by any means, but they're not going to command the market the way they once did.

http://www.precentral.net/massive-ipad-sales-vault-apple-top-mobile-computer-market-underscore-why-hp-bought-palm

[cameraman]

I don't know. Apple has been annoying me of late. I 'm not so sure how this 30% margin to Apple on any content that is purchased through an app is going to work out. All of this app and cloud ******** but they can't manage to make their stupid email program usable. There isn't any mail program for the Mac that doesn't simply suck.

[KLang]

I'm surprised the competition is so far behind Apple on pad devices. Major misstep by the other vendors. Apple will have iPad V2 out before most other vendors first devices hit the market.

I do think the government will probably make them tweak the subscription stuff though.

[dando]

It's over. Apple is has taken the lead in mobile computing devices even excluding the iPhone. Windows hegemony is at an end. The need for Windows applications is no longer creating the lock-in that it once did. This trend is likely to continue as the next generation relies more and more on mobile devices with their data in the cloud and available where-ever they go.

Right now MS has no answer. They don't have a winning mobile OS and they don't have a winning cloud strategy. I'm not saying that they're doomed by any means, but they're not going to command the market the way they once did.

http://www.precentral.net/massive-ipad-sales-vault-apple-top-mobile-computer-market-underscore-why-hp-bought-palm

The big question is what will APPL do when Jobs is done? And I'm guessing that will be sooner than later. While I agree M$FT will not dominate like they did in the past, I don't see a clear winner yet. Android is gaining control of the smart phone market, the iPhone is underwhelming on VZON so far (http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2011/02/iphone-speedtest/), WebOS looks promising with a revitalized HP (and Dell going nowhere), and M$FT partnering with Nokia. Unfortunately GOOG, etc. are clueless on the iPad killer front so far. :saywhat:

-Kevin

[Indy]

I am also a long time Mac guy increasingly frustrated with Apple.

I suppose it is sort of like the old NASCAR fans and the new pseudo-fans. :gomer:

[RusH]

It's over. Apple is has taken the lead in mobile computing devices even excluding the iPhone. Windows hegemony is at an end. The need for Windows applications is no longer creating the lock-in that it once did. This trend is likely to continue as the next generation relies more and more on mobile devices with their data in the cloud and available where-ever they go.

Right now MS has no answer. They don't have a winning mobile OS and they don't have a winning cloud strategy. I'm not saying that they're doomed by any means, but they're not going to command the market the way they once did.

http://www.precentral.net/massive-ipad-sales-vault-apple-top-mobile-computer-market-underscore-why-hp-bought-palm

no matter what happens, I`m never going computing with a "cloud"...I`m officially old now.:\

[nrc]

no matter what happens, I`m never going computing with a "cloud"...I`m officially old now.:\

Except that "cloud" can mean just about anything or pretty much nothing. So in some sense you're already using the "cloud" right now. :D

[indyfan31]

I am also a long time Mac guy increasingly frustrated with Apple.

I suppose it is sort of like the old NASCAR fans and the new pseudo-fans. :gomer:

Same here, I'm hoping the departure of Jobs will lead Apple to be less "Microsoft-like" in their obsession to control their customers. I looked at the iPhone and the stranglehold Apple places on the users, then bought a Droid.

[nrc]

The big question is what will APPL do when Jobs is done? And I'm guessing that will be sooner than later.

Not an issue. Apple is already working on a succession plan involving an AI construct with Jobs' neural patterns embedded.

http://dvice.com/assets_c/2009/10/jobs1984-thumb-550xauto-26766.jpg



Android is gaining control of the smart phone market, the iPhone is underwhelming on VZON so far (http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2011/02/iphone-speedtest/), WebOS looks promising with a revitalized HP (and Dell going nowhere), and M$FT partnering with Nokia. Unfortunately GOOG, etc. are clueless on the iPad killer front so far. :saywhat:

I wouldn't read too much into the less than gangbusters response the the iPhone on VZW. Lots of current iPhone4 owners are between contracts and would have really have a compelling reason to switch right now with the iPhone5 assumed to be in the wings.

MSFT and Nokia hooking up is like two drowning men trying to save one another. :gomer:

I finally bit the bullet and picked up a smartphone and the Pre2 was my choice. HP may have over-payed for Palm, but they did get a sweet little embedded OS in the deal. If HP can do a good job of leveraging it across their entire line of consumer devices then they could be a player even though they're practically out of the race right now.

[dando]

I was very impressed with the TouchPad and Pre 3 announcement last week...as opposed to Dell's non-functioning Android tablet demo the week before. :saywhat: :shakehead GOOG has seriously missed the mark in the tablet space, and APPL is still pricey and a wall garden...opening the door for HP and WebOS. Hmmm....what's old is new again. Funny thing is that I ran across my old Palm IIIxe just last week. :D

Oh, and I predict VZON will have even more network issues once the tidal wave of switchers ensues.

-Kevin

[SteveH]

good article

Why Nobody Can Match the iPad’s Price (http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2011/02/ipad-price/)

Thinking about pulling the trigger on an iPad2 once it is released rather than wait/pay more for XOOM and the HP. Both look great but for $100 more? And to wait for a few more months?

The corporate world is beginning to embrace the iPad. I was at a meeting last month and more people were checking email on their iPad and with smartphones. And that is why I am interested in one.

[dando]

good article

Why Nobody Can Match the iPad’s Price (http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2011/02/ipad-price/)

Thinking about pulling the trigger on an iPad2 once it is released rather than wait/pay more for XOOM and the HP. Both look great but for $100 more? And to wait for a few more months?

The corporate world is beginning to embrace the iPad. I was at a meeting last month and more people were checking email on their iPad and with smartphones. And that is why I am interested in one.

It's the Gillette model...cheap razors, more profit from blades in the long term.

-Kevin

[WickerBill]

no matter what happens, I`m never going computing with a "cloud"...I`m officially old now.:\

Yes you will. You're basically saying "no matter what happens, I'm never going on the internet", just twelve years later. You won't have much of an option.

The formal definition of "the cloud" is:

"Cloud computing is a model for enabling convenient, on-demand network access to a shared pool of configurable computing resources (e.g., networks, servers, storage, applications, and services) that can be rapidly provisioned and released with minimal management effort or service provider interaction."


So basically, Microsoft's horrific "to the cloud" ads -- especially the one about watching TV -- do not fit the cloud definition. But if you think about the truth of the definition, just about any time compute cycles are occuring on your behalf on equipment that you do not own (e.g. GMail, SalesForce.com, Bing, Mozy, etc.), it fits the definition of cloud in some way.

Now, to be fair, the full definition is incredibly complex, but to be faithful to the cloud definition, there are also criteria that must be met on the service provider's end -- self service, rapid provision/deprovision of resources, etc....


/taking on the role of "cloud architect" at my company

[KLang]

I looked at the iPhone and the stranglehold Apple places on the users, then bought a Droid.

How does Apple have iPhone users in a 'stranglehold'?

[dando]

How does Apple have iPhone users in a 'stranglehold'?

Stranglehold is probably a bit strong, but the iOS platform is a walled garden. Lack of Flash support is a good example, and there are a number of other restrictions. There are some work arounds, but unless you know what you are doing, you could end up bricking your phone. Android isn't all that much better depending on your provider. AT&T restricts what software I can install on my Android Captivate, but that didn't keep me from installing Froyo. :gomer:

-Kevin

[RusH]

Boss, I`m just saying from Leo Laporte`s podcast..the way I understand it...in this "cloud" all my "stuff" will reside...making computing brainless on my part. Something,somewhere will manage all my info....in the cloud.

I don`t like that concept. If that`s what a cloud is. That Google OS is not appealing either.

[WickerBill]

RusH, agree that it does sound/is unappealing. And while I can't see the future, the world is ripe for a massive pendulum swing back to centralized computing. Heck, even Office, Microsoft's golden goose, it's cash cow, is going toward non-local compute. I believe we aren't far from a time where zero or very very few applications run locally and no data is stored locally, meaning you can (and will) run your apps off of any web-enabled device you have at your fingertips... tablet, PC, phone, refrigerator, but you won't have the "unplug" autonomy you have today.

Proponents will say "you don't need a USB flash drive anymore, everything you save is available everywhere!", while critics will say "exactly -- everything is available everywhere, and potentially to anyone"

[dando]

RusH, agree that it does sound/is unappealing. And while I can't see the future, the world is ripe for a massive pendulum swing back to centralized computing. Heck, even Office, Microsoft's golden goose, it's cash cow, is going toward non-local compute. I believe we aren't far from a time where zero or very very few applications run locally and no data is stored locally, meaning you can (and will) run your apps off of any web-enabled device you have at your fingertips... tablet, PC, phone, refrigerator, but you won't have the "unplug" autonomy you have today.

Proponents will say "you don't need a USB flash drive anymore, everything you save is available everywhere!", while critics will say "exactly -- everything is available everywhere, and potentially to anyone"

Yup. Good news is that it's available everywhere, bad news is that it's available everywhere. :\

-Kevin

[Insomniac]

It's the Gillette model...cheap razors, more profit from blades in the long term.

-Kevin

Apple doesn't work that way. I don't see any way that an iPad has more expensive parts in it than an iPhone does. The iPad is another high margin product for Apple and all the content money is an added bonus.

The iPad was 17% of sales last quarter vs. 5% for all iTunes/App Store sales. Their earnings have jumped significantly since the release of the iPad (iPad sales since inception are 9.6B vs. 6.4B for iTunes/App Store (this includes sales during the time from October 1, 2009 until the iPad was released in April 2010).

[Insomniac]

At first, I thought MSFT bought Nokia for $0, but it looks like money is heading to Nokia for the switch. It doesn't fully help MSFT in the smart phone arena, but I think it will help immensely in emerging markets. Nokia is a huge international brand and MSFT will begin to scale Windows Phone 8 downwards to replace Symbian. Apple isn't going after that market in any way.

Also, I wouldn't rule Samsung out of this war. They make SoCs for so many people (including Apple), they make displays and memory as well. They can make very good hardware cheaper than anyone. The main key would be Android's proliferation (or maybe Samsung decides to make their own ecosystem with Android as a base). We could soon see Andorid OS in Samsung TVs, Blu-Ray players, etc.

Apple has a long way to go to win this battle.

The recent subscription road block they put up will be an interesting thing to see. I'm watching Amazon to see what they do with the Kindle App. Books aren't exactly high margin. Are they willing to raise prices for everyone to support an iOS App, eat the 30% that Apple gets as a payment processor, remove all capabilities to purchase books from the App or do they pull their App from the platform all together?

I also think Google will be launching a cloud music service in the 2nd quarter that could make people consider an alternative to Apple/iTunes.

[KLang]

Maybe I'm missing some nuance but couldn't Amazon just turn off purchasing in the Kindle app? I wonder how many people actually purchase through the app vs. buying on Amazon's website. Every purchase for my Kindle has been through their website.

[cameraman]

Maybe I'm missing some nuance but couldn't Amazon just turn off purchasing in the Kindle app? I wonder how many people actually purchase through the app vs. buying on Amazon's website. Every purchase for my Kindle has been through their website.

You can't buy through the Kindle app, you never could. It switches you to Safari and you buy through the web site. Same for Nook.

[KLang]

You're correct, I had never selected the store button before.

I do think the feds are going to reign them in on this stuff.

Edit: Another take. (http://dvice.com/archives/2011/02/opinion-reports.php) Probably not an issue for the Kindle app.

[Ankf00]

MSFT and Nokia hooking up is like two drowning men trying to save one another. :gomer:

I finally bit the bullet and picked up a smartphone and the Pre2 was my choice. HP may have over-payed for Palm, but they did get a sweet little embedded OS in the deal. If HP can do a good job of leveraging it across their entire line of consumer devices then they could be a player even though they're practically out of the race right now.
HP's strategy for mobile devices also involves leveraging their enterprise IT/cloud services as a complete package.


I was very impressed with the TouchPad and Pre 3 announcement last week...as opposed to Dell's non-functioning Android tablet demo the week before. :saywhat: :shakehead GOOG has seriously missed the mark in the tablet space, and APPL is still pricey and a wall garden...opening the door for HP and WebOS. Hmmm....what's old is new again. Funny thing is that I ran across my old Palm IIIxe just last week. :D

Oh, and I predict VZON will have even more network issues once the tidal wave of switchers ensues.

-Kevin
GOOG's not as focused on the device end as dell & hp as evidenced by their google phone cycle. Apple's more focused on the device end, as Insomniac pointed out, and Dell and HP are focused on the devices to the extent of marrying it to their new enterprise strategies with SaaS, Hardware-aaS, etc.-aaS.


good article

Why Nobody Can Match the iPad’s Price (http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2011/02/ipad-price/)

Thinking about pulling the trigger on an iPad2 once it is released rather than wait/pay more for XOOM and the HP. Both look great but for $100 more? And to wait for a few more months?

The corporate world is beginning to embrace the iPad. I was at a meeting last month and more people were checking email on their iPad and with smartphones. And that is why I am interested in one.
KLA-Tencor gave all their employees an iPad last year, mofo's. wish I worked there :D

[nrc]

Proponents will say "you don't need a USB flash drive anymore, everything you save is available everywhere!", while critics will say "exactly -- everything is available everywhere, and potentially to anyone"

I imagine that in the not too distant future "I don't want my information in the cloud" will sound about as quaint as "I don't want my money in a bank".

I'm sure there will be bumps and bruises along the way, but even major bank meltdowns weren't enough to dissuade people from letting someone else take care of their money. Of course, regulation that followed those meltdowns played a big part in getting people comfortable with that model. I suspect that we'll see some of that as well.

[Insomniac]

You can't buy through the Kindle app, you never could. It switches you to Safari and you buy through the web site. Same for Nook.

And Apple is saying that will no longer be allowed unless they also offer in-app purchases for the same price.

[KLang]

And Apple is saying that will no longer be allowed unless they also offer in-app purchases for the same price.

But doesn't that rule just apply to subscriptions?

[Insomniac]

But doesn't that rule just apply to subscriptions?

Looks like I was wrong. It is only for subscriptions, and I'd think books wouldn't be a subscription, unless they broaden subscriptions to be down to 1 time publication length.

I thought I had seen a quote from an Apple spokesperson that said that if an app allowed purchases, it had to offer the same purchase through Apple. But they do say otherwise as you noticed. That is good news in general that it's not as bad as it seemed.

[cameraman]

What I want to know is how this will effect Zinio. I have a few magazine subscriptions through them and one of the main points is they are cross platform. I can read them on my iPad and on my Mac and on a Windows 7 machine. Zinio has a reader app for the iPad but you don't buy things via the app. So how does this work? You buy the subscription on the web, using any kind of computer.

Why does Apple think it deserves 30% of content that is neither sold nor served by Apple?

[dando]

Apple doesn't work that way. I don't see any way that an iPad has more expensive parts in it than an iPhone does. The iPad is another high margin product for Apple and all the content money is an added bonus.

The iPad was 17% of sales last quarter vs. 5% for all iTunes/App Store sales. Their earnings have jumped significantly since the release of the iPad (iPad sales since inception are 9.6B vs. 6.4B for iTunes/App Store (this includes sales during the time from October 1, 2009 until the iPad was released in April 2010).

Like I stated previously...long term. The hardware will make up the bulk of revs for a period, but it will soon diminish. Time will tell....

-Kevin

[nrc]

HP's strategy for mobile devices also involves leveraging their enterprise IT/cloud services as a complete package.

Yes, it will be interesting to see how that develops. While HP has a lot of experience on the Enterprise side, their experience providing consumer services is pretty thin. Until recently even something as fundamental as their web presence was a total disaster. Now it's a thin layer of cool over a vast pile of suck.

WebOS is very sweet and HP has something to offer by focusing on back-end stuff, but they need to approach the consumer facing services with caution. Nobody wants to be locked into a service that is less than what their cool friends have.

[dando]

GOOG's not as focused on the device end as dell & hp as evidenced by their google phone cycle. Apple's more focused on the device end, as Insomniac pointed out, and Dell and HP are focused on the devices to the extent of marrying it to their new enterprise strategies with SaaS, Hardware-aaS, etc.-aaS.


Part and parcel...the fact that GOOG is not in control of the hardware is the root of the failure here. Dell is clueless @ this point. APPL controls the hardware and software, and until recently the provider. And there are now rumors that a lighter iPhone will be available for other providers. :laugh: In any case, this has a long way to play out.

-Kevin

[WickerBill]

It's AAPL :gomer:

[Insomniac]

Like I stated previously...long term. The hardware will make up the bulk of revs for a period, but it will soon diminish. Time will tell....

-Kevin

But that's not the Gillette/Razor model. Apple is a hardware company first. That is where they make their most money. A shift to reliance on the App Store or iTunes would be a fundamental change for them.

[Insomniac]

What I want to know is how this will effect Zinio. I have a few magazine subscriptions through them and one of the main points is they are cross platform. I can read them on my iPad and on my Mac and on a Windows 7 machine. Zinio has a reader app for the iPad but you don't buy things via the app. So how does this work? You buy the subscription on the web, using any kind of computer.

Why does Apple think it deserves 30% of content that is neither sold nor served by Apple?

From the latest information and what you describe, I think that App is fine. Apple doesn't want you to be able to buy stuff using the App as a catalyst unless one option is to purchase through them.

Apple's reasoning for 30% is they are providing the platform through which the user is buying something.

[Insomniac]

Part and parcel...the fact that GOOG is not in control of the hardware is the root of the failure here. Dell is clueless @ this point. APPL controls the hardware and software, and until recently the provider. And there are now rumors that a lighter iPhone will be available for other providers. :laugh: In any case, this has a long way to play out.

-Kevin

You mean "failure" right? Android is doing pretty good. I'd think Google decided hardware isn't quite their domain and they are sticking to the platform side. This makes sense to me, especially with all the cloud talk. Google has immense experience in this area and have countless services.

Apple is no longer leaps and bounds ahead of everyone (it's hard to remember now, but when the iPhone first came out, there was no App Store). This is going to become a battle of ecosystems.

I think it's going to be fascinating to watch. Apple is hardware driven, Google is focusing on the platform and Microsoft is trying to become relevant. It's also interesting that in all this, Blackberry has a large market share but the least thought about.

[Ankf00]

Part and parcel...the fact that GOOG is not in control of the hardware is the root of the failure here. Dell is clueless @ this point. APPL controls the hardware and software, and until recently the provider. And there are now rumors that a lighter iPhone will be available for other providers. :laugh: In any case, this has a long way to play out.

-Kevin

I don't know, google's acheived their aims of mobile OS share, hardware or no. Dell's not as clueless as they were 5 years ago when they were buying back stock since they had cash laying around, but 0 strategy beyond that. HP and Dell are playing pretty much the same exact strategy right now, horizonally integrated etc.-aaS where they not only offer the IT consulting but also all the hardware needs (data centers, machines, data storage, network devices, etc.) even trying to aquire the same tech firms (eg 3PAR data storage, possibly Brocade in the future). Dell's just starting from the most disadvantaged position since unlike HP, IBM, MS, they didn't have a large IT consulting presense.

Now please excuse me while I shoot myself in the face for knowing this much about IT/tech. :yuck:

[Ankf00]

It's AAPL :gomer:
forget it, he's on a roll :D


I think it's going to be fascinating to watch. Apple is hardware driven, Google is focusing on the platform and Microsoft is trying to become relevant. It's also interesting that in all this, Blackberry has a large market share but the least thought about.
going back to nrc's last post, HP's more focused on trying to hack away at RIM market share, business users are an easier game for HP with their position in the IT market, offer webOS products that are integrated with all their other services, and that is exactly what Dell and HP aim to do, offer complete services & hardware for enterprise needs.

iphone is a great study in proper market research, iphone was never designed to compete w/ RIM's target market, all the comparisons to blackberry & knocks on exchange servers, etc. were meaningless, iphone sales surge primarily came from the motorola razr market, which is what it was intended to do. I'm not sure of Dell's aims, I think they're more consumer focused on the device end than HP is

[racer2c]

I just got 3 stars in all of ham em high!!!!

iPad rocks. :thumbup:

[dando]

I don't know, google's acheived their aims of mobile OS share, hardware or no. Dell's not as clueless as they were 5 years ago when they were buying back stock since they had cash laying around, but 0 strategy beyond that. HP and Dell are playing pretty much the same exact strategy right now, horizonally integrated etc.-aaS where they not only offer the IT consulting but also all the hardware needs (data centers, machines, data storage, network devices, etc.) even trying to aquire the same tech firms (eg 3PAR data storage, possibly Brocade in the future). Dell's just starting from the most disadvantaged position since unlike HP, IBM, MS, they didn't have a large IT consulting presense.

Now please excuse me while I shoot myself in the face for knowing this much about IT/tech. :yuck:

Compare the demos from the past two weeks for tablets. HP > Dell by far A number of corps I have contacts in (including ours) are switching to HP over Dell despite being Dell shops for eons. I also have inside contacts @ Dell. Not pretty right now.

-Kevin

[dando]

But that's not the Gillette/Razor model. Apple is a hardware company first. That is where they make their most money. A shift to reliance on the App Store or iTunes would be a fundamental change for them.

Things change. They are diversifying. As has been predicted, the desktop/laptop market is being cannibalized by the cheaper tablets. I fully expect that hard drives will likely go the way of the floppy drive in the next 5 years.

-Kevin