Google, Inc. (GOOG) has pretty much conquered the PC as the default search and information service for the majority of internet users. It's also taking on Apple, Inc. (AAPL), as it wants to become the provider of the next-best-thing wireless platform from the iPhone (a fight that's just now getting started). It's YouTube internet video service is being embedded in millions of new Blu-ray disc players and internet-enabled televisions. Where else does Google has aspirations? How about actual Google TV?

Continue reading Will Google Deliver a 'Google TV' with Intel and Sony?

Will Google Deliver a 'Google TV' with Intel and Sony? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 18 Mar 2010 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Even though the consumer electronics industry wants to have some company -- any company deliver an Apple (AAPL) iPhone killer, that company won't be Google (GOOG). Google, on the other hand, has become Apple's Microsoft (MSFT) from the late 1980s. What's that, you say?

Microsoft took the personal computer market by storm by not tightly controlling every piece of hardware and software that was used with its now-ubiquitous Windows operating system. Apple, on the other hard, guaranteed a solid user experience by tying its excellently-designed hardware with only its own operating system software. It's been said that Microsoft, more than any other company, enabled the PC era by not controlling the hardware it's software rode on top of. Google has the same goal in the mobile space, which is where the future of consumer computing is headed.

Continue reading Why Won't Google Deliver an Apple iPhone Killer?

Why Won't Google Deliver an Apple iPhone Killer? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 18 Mar 2010 14:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Google's (GOOG) problems in China have been well-publicized in recent years. The world's most populous country and its own Baidu.com search engine have managed to stave off Google to a minority market share. At the same time, the Chinese government has been no friend of the world's leading search engine, requesting censored results in comparison to Google's "all information is free" stance. So, Google stands prepared to leave China for good.

Continue reading If Google Closes Shop in China, Microsoft Should Pounce on Baidu

If Google Closes Shop in China, Microsoft Should Pounce on Baidu originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 17 Mar 2010 13:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Is Yahoo!'s grip on the internet slipping? No sooner does this writer tackle that ongoing question than the company's top moneymaker announces she's resigning.

Yahoo!'s Joanne Bradford has announced that she's leaving the stagnant internet company for Demand Media. Seeing as though Bradford was going to be a key player in Yahoo!'s burgeoning partnership with Microsoft (MSFT), this leaves yet another gaping hole in Yahoo!'s revenue strategy.

Continue reading Yahoo!'s Top Ad Executive Leaving for Demand Media

Yahoo!'s Top Ad Executive Leaving for Demand Media originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 17 Mar 2010 12:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Dell's (DELL) is about to start thinking that it's newer Mini 5 hybrid device will be an Apple (AAPL) iPad competitor. Each device has not even been released yet, and there are competitive stirrings already afoot. The Dell unit, which looks like a large smartphone but not quite as large as a tablet computer, will bring a ton of Amazon (AMZN) services to bear in order to try and compete with the Apple content ecosystem that will surely blow all others away once the iPad starts shipping next month. Can an Amazon Kindle e-reader application pre-loaded on Dell's device really give an iPad a run for its money?

Continue reading Dell's New Mini 5 Tablet Will Include Amazon Kindle Reader. Will Apple Care?

Dell's New Mini 5 Tablet Will Include Amazon Kindle Reader. Will Apple Care? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 15 Mar 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Ford's (F) Alan Mulally believes that the U.S. automaker stands to gain more market share in the U.S. at the expense of Japan's Toyota, which is in the midst of a huge product recall and public relations nightmare. Mulally's statement sounds pretty obvious, but it's true. It's already happening.

Continue reading Ford to Gain More U.S. Market Share as Toyota's Mishaps Continue, Says CEO

Ford to Gain More U.S. Market Share as Toyota's Mishaps Continue, Says CEO originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 15 Mar 2010 14:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Google, Inc. (GOOG) has been referenced by more than a handful of journalists in recent years as the company most closely competing with Microsoft Corporation (MSFT). In reality, that's not very true: Google derives almost all of its revenue from internet advertising while Microsoft gets its cash buckets from operating system and productivity software. The lines are blurring, but even in 2010 there are way more closer competitors to Microsoft than Google.

Continue reading Google Apps Marketplace Opens; Another Bow Shot Across Microsoft's Headquarters

Google Apps Marketplace Opens; Another Bow Shot Across Microsoft's Headquarters originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 12 Mar 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Yahoo!'s Competitive Strength Weakening; Is Bartz's Plan Not Working?

Yahoo!'s Competitive Strength Weakening; Is Bartz's Plan Not Working? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 12 Mar 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Sprint Nextel (S) has done many things in the last few years: improved its customer service, procured some of the better and leading-edge smartphones (at least in 2009) and it has gained gobs of prepaid wireless subscribers while narrowing losses of contract wireless customers. Still, it is losing customers to the competition, and that hasn't stopped. What can be done?

Sprint CFO Bob Brust indicated this week that revenue declines will show up this year and will turn into revenue growth at least a few quarters out. That statement alone sent Sprint shares up 5% yesterday. But it's the same old stuff: Brust referenced narrowing losses in the contract customer base and rising revenue growth from its prepaid customer base. This isn't anything new, so why the spike in share price? Good question.

Continue reading Sprint Shares Rise on CFO Comments About Rising Revenue Levels in 2010

Sprint Shares Rise on CFO Comments About Rising Revenue Levels in 2010 originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 17:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Google And Dish Network Testing Android-Based Satellite TV: TiVo Cringes

Google And Dish Network Testing Android-Based Satellite TV: TiVo Cringes originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 16:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

U.S. consumer electronics behemoth Best Buy Co. Inc. (BBY) will be joining Japan's Panasonic Corp. to unveil and heavily promote newer 3D television sets this quarter. As flat panel televisions continue selling at a decent but middling pace, the "next big thing" in home entertainment is ready to roll off shelves. Best Buy believes it will be 3DTV, apparently.

Panasonic will discount the prices of the rollout models by 50% as it creates demand for the new category using pricing as its primary weapon. But will customers care? Just because Panasonic is trying to reverse losses in its television operating doesn't mean customers will soon adopt a new television technology that is surely to have very limited content. If Panasonic needs a 3D ecosystem of content to push these new televisions, that could be years off.

Continue reading Best Buy, Panasonic to Unleash 3D Televisions with 50% Off Pricing

Best Buy, Panasonic to Unleash 3D Televisions with 50% Off Pricing originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 08 Mar 2010 17:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Google Inc. (GOOG) has been on a mobile tear recently with its Android mobile operating system, and the Android Market may become a more potent competitor to Apple Inc.'s (AAPL) App Store if a new "business market" is introduced. Whereas most of Apple's App Store for the iPhone is filled with consumer-level applications, Google may have ambitions to take its Android platform higher than Apple's lofty perch here.

Continue reading Google to Launch Business App Market for Android?

Google to Launch Business App Market for Android? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 08 Mar 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Best Buy (BBY) will be joining Vudu -- which was recently bought by Walmart (WMT) -- Netflix (NFLX), Roxio's CinemaNow, Amazon.com (AMZN) On Demand, and others in streaming video content directly over the Internet to your favorite television set. Details are sketchy so far, but the large question is this: do we need another one of these services? The market is already saturated. What's the benefit?

For one, Best Buy's Reward Zone Premier Solver members will receive one free video rental per month. That's quite a benefit for a customer that spends $2,500 per year at the largest consumer electronics chain in the U.S. -- not. You need to throw a bigger bone to these customers, Best Buy. That's like giving a dime back for every few hundred dollars spent. Not impressive.

Continue reading Best Buy to Unleash Yet Another Online Video Streaming Service

Best Buy to Unleash Yet Another Online Video Streaming Service originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 05 Mar 2010 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Apple (AAPL) has shown that a locked-down, incredibly easy-to-use wireless handset like the iPhone is precisely what customers want. Even with all the limitations the iPhone seemingly has, it "just works" -- and that's what tech-overwhelmed consumers want. Is Apple so fearful of its secrets and products under development that its suppliers are acting Orwellian? Sure.

This Reuters article is as accurate as anything that's turned up recently about how Apple's super secrets are kept until a product is announced on launch day. Suppliers and outsourcers are kept in the dark in many ways, employees are treated like spies and even mild violence can occur sometimes. For all the good press Apple receives, is this the way its suppliers are told to operate -- like clandestine nuclear arms operators? To protect all things Apple, apparently so.

Continue reading Is Apple Too Secretive About Its Products?

Is Apple Too Secretive About Its Products? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 05 Mar 2010 11:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Apple, Inc. (AAPL) has a vision for where it feeds you your digital video and audio content: the web. Instead of iPods, iPhones and iPads having storage devices like flash memory, hard drives or memory cards, wouldn't it be great to have all that zapped to your Apple device of choice anywhere there would be a wireless WiFi or 3G signal? Sure it would!

Continue reading Apple Wants to Store All Your Media on the Internet

Apple Wants to Store All Your Media on the Internet originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 04 Mar 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

TiVo Inc. (TIVO) hinted about a new product a week ago, and this week it was introduced. The digital video recorder pioneer announced a new set-top box that will combine over-the-air/cable/satellite viewing and recording along with web-based video content sources such as Netflix and YouTube. Need to browse for previews on prime-time shows from Amazon on Demand before you DVR it from the local cable company -- right from the same device and interface? No problem.

Continue reading TiVo Unveils New Box to Aggregate Broadcast TV and Internet Video

TiVo Unveils New Box to Aggregate Broadcast TV and Internet Video originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 04 Mar 2010 16:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

eBay's (EBAY) purchase of Skype for over a billion dollars years ago was seen by many as obtuse and strange. Did eBay really expect its auction buyers and sellers to want to speak over the Internet (or video conference, for that matter)? Part of the allure of online auctions is the relative anonymity both sellers and buyers have. No "meeting in the parking lot" Cragislist-ish type of meetings in most cases.

But Skype has not paid off like eBay would have hoped. While the purchase of PayPal was the best acquisition eBay ever made, the planned synergies never materialized with Skype. While still a popular voice and video service around the world (ultra-cheap as well), Skype may be posed to bring voice and video calling direct to flat-panel television sets near you soon. The "videophone" concept has never really been that popular, mostly due to the kludgy ways past products have been designed and marketed.

Continue reading Ebay's Skype Coming to a Television Near You?

Ebay's Skype Coming to a Television Near You? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 03 Mar 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Ford Motor (F) is currently riding a wave of positivity. The lone automaker not to be bailed out by the U.S. government in 2009 said Tuesday that February vehicle sales soared 43% over the prior February, with the automaker also picking up 3% more market share in the U.S. (bringing its total to 17%). With the near-collapse of GM and Chrysler, and with Toyota's (TM) current product malfunction and recall nightmare, Ford is poised to continue winning more and more sales.

Is Ford the next Toyota? Could be -- it's making all the right moves, is winning product accolades and is making the best cars it has in decades. Not only did Ford sales rise 43% from the same 2009 period, they were up 22% over the January period, the exact same time as Toyota's carpet started slipping out from under its own feet. For February, Ford surpassed GM in U.S. sales (possibly short-lived; possibly not). The total was not large, but it happened.

Continue reading Ford Sales Rise 43% in February; U.S. Market Share Up to 17%

Ford Sales Rise 43% in February; U.S. Market Share Up to 17% originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 03 Mar 2010 12:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Walmart (WMT) has created an initiative it's calling "Global.com" that will try to standardize the online and brick-and-mortar interactions customers have in the global markets where it operates.

Walmart Vice Chairman Eduardo Castro-Wright said "now that we have a well-defined blueprint to continue to grow our online business, it's time to leverage our size and global footprint to take advantage of this evolving customer trend." Evolving customer trend? What is this, 2004? It's no longer a trend, Mr. Castro-Wright; it's an absolute customer requirement. Right now.

Continue reading Walmart Creates New Global E-commerce Division

Walmart Creates New Global E-commerce Division originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 02 Mar 2010 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Sprint Nextel (S) will again be using its CEO to try and explain to potential customers why they should choose the beleaguered telecom provider for their wireless calling and data needs. Using the marketing catchphrase "Our $69.99 is worth more than their $69.99," Sprint CEO Dan Hesse will be featured in a new advertising campaign to explain why Sprint offers so much more value for each customer's money than its two larger competitors, AT&T (T) and Verizon Wireless.

Continue reading Sprint's Hesse to Be Back on TV Screens Touting Value

Sprint's Hesse to Be Back on TV Screens Touting Value originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 02 Mar 2010 17:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.