Motorola ramps up Android team to 350 employees originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 30 Sep 2008 15:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Google earnings preview: Is there a chink in the armor?

Google earnings preview: Is there a chink in the armor? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 17 Apr 2008 12:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Google (NASDAQ: GOOG) launched its new Android cellphone software with a big PR blitz. The new system would allow thousands of developers to write applications for handsets. The operating system would open up a closed system that had allowed cellular carriers to dominate what features people could get on their phones.

The plan may have run into a wall. There appear to be a number of bugs in the developer software for Android, which are driving developers trying to build applications for it crazy. According to The Wall Street Journal, "Google said the software kit it released last month amounts to an 'early look' designed specifically to get developers started as soon as possible and to elicit their feedback."

The feedback is ugly. Google says it is cleaning the software up.

Continue reading Harsh feedback on Google's Android phone developer kit

Harsh feedback on Google's Android phone developer kit originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 19 Dec 2007 09:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

• Smart phone are on fire: "the percentage of smartphones sold during the third quarter increased from 4% of all phone sales in the third quarter of 2006 to 11% during the same timeframe in 2007 - an increase of 163% year over year."
• Convergence of musical devices with phones: "Fifty percent of new phones were able to play music in the third quarter of 2007 (double the prior year) and 11 percent were smartphones."

Smart phones getting smarter originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 21 Nov 2007 07:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

MAJOR PAPERS:

• Google Inc (NASDAQ: GOOG) may have plans for a gPhone, but their real objective is to run their own mobile network, reported the Wall Street Journal. The company is reportedly looking at a $4.6B wireless network bid.
• Abu Dhabi's Mubadala Development may look to take a 9%, or approximately $700M, stake in Advanced Micro Devices Inc (NYSE: AMD), the Financial Times' Alphaville blog noted. An investment may draw the attention of the U.S. committee on foreign investment.

• According to Business Week's "Inside Wall Street" column, the patent Biodel Inc (NASDAQ: BIOD) was granted in September for its VIAdel technology was "key," as it opens up markets for products estimated at $2.3B.
• Glass container maker Owens-Illinois Inc (NYSE: OI) is defying the current market tumble due to earnings momentum, reported Business Week's "Inside Wall Street" column.
• According to BW's "Inside Wall Street" column, some money professionals are "snapping up" shares of retailer Staples Inc (NASDAQ: SPLS) despite the housing slump, credit crunch and rising gas prices.

Newspaper wrap-up: Google aims to run its own mobile network originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 16 Nov 2007 08:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Google is obviously trying to get as many quality developers on the Android platform as possible right from the start so that it can compete better with established platforms like Microsoft Corp.'s (NASDAQ: MSFT) Windows Mobile operating system. Although Google says it's not competing with any established platform -- but merely offering an open-source alternative -- that's the company's strategic mantra. After all, the "non-competition" it always claims is a ruse. Google is one of the most competitive companies on the technology landscape today.

The developer rewards program -- dubbed Android Developer Challenge -- is not something out of a sci-fi novel and will feature cash prizes ranging from $25,000 to $275,000. That is enough to encourage any developer to get on board. With Google having set aside $10 million just for the prize pot, and with many software developers preferring the open-source idea in the first place, Google may score another hit on the way to recruiting some fantastic programs to launch Android with next year.

Google to goose Android developers with cash awards originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 14 Nov 2007 13:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

While Google Inc. (Nasdaq: GOOG) is the undisputed leader in Internet search, the company hasn't done much on the wireless front. Then again, it's a tough market to crack (and, by the way, many companies have failed in the effort).

As a result, Google has had to take an innovative strategy - that is, building an open software platform known as Android. In fact, today the company released the software development kit (SDK). There is even a promotion for $10 million in prizes for developers.

To get some perspective on things, I had a chance to interview Frank Dickson, who is a principal at MultiMedia
Intelligence.

As expected, the Google plan has received a lot of attention. But how important is this?

Although Apple, Inc. (Nasdaq: AAPL)'s iPhone has been in vogue, the Google announcement is the most significant announcement in the wireless industry of the year. It is bringing an open platform to the handset to allow for a global ecosystem of development of applications for handsets. These applications are not only client centric applications, but also network centric applications, allowing the handset to essentially become a thin client for some applications.

Let's also not underestimate the advertising possibilities to allow for the replication of many viable Internet business models on the handset.

Mobile can be a tough space to crack. What are the challenges for Google?

Building critical mass is the most significant issue. Metcalfe's law states that the value of a network is proportional to the square of the number of users of the system. The principle applies here. The ecosystem approach
adds value only if the number of users is significant enough to justify development. If it Google does create critical mass, the Gphone would as significant as ISDN.

What might this mean for other software players in the mobile space?

For most application developers, it provides a common and ubiquitous platform that will greatly increase their total available market. It may be unnerving to many of the existing incumbents. However, the Google Android platform does not necessarily imply that smart phone OS is unnecessary. It will be important for the incumbent OS players to integrate the Android functionality while continuing to add value with handset client features.

Tom Taulli is the author of various books, including The Complete M&A Handbook and The Edgar Online Guide to Decoding Financial Statements. He also operates DealProfiles.com.

BloggingStocks Interview: Google jolts the mobile industry with Android originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 13 Nov 2007 17:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Google headed to $1,000?

Google headed to $1,000? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 12 Nov 2007 12:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Android: Google's answer to open source mobile (GOOG) originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 08 Nov 2007 16:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

In the world of Google Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG), each passing day brings more news about some added feature, idea, business partnership or gadget, and today it is no exception. Despite much hype that Google would be announcing the "gPhone" today, instead: "Google along with 33 other companies are announcing Android, the first truly integrated mobile operating system." What's particularly notable is that it's available under a mobile open source license.

This is becoming very Google-esque -- a major partnership announcement! Google watchers (and shareholders) can appreciate that Google does not want to be in the hardware business, at least not right now. The company is in the partnering business. It has made the very wise decision to create as many partnerships as it can, attractive to both parties given that partners will make money by working with Google, without a new cost. Its selling point to Internet users: we are the nice guys and we bring you so many features that make your life easier and fun (sounds like Apple Inc (NASDAQ: AAPL)). How can someone resist that?

Google hopes to create not 'a' new platform for cell phones, but 'the' new platform for cell phones. In doing so the company will be expanding the Google universe.

Continue reading Google news: It's about Androids, not gPhones

Google news: It's about Androids, not gPhones originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 05 Nov 2007 14:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

If you haven't heard of the GPhone, listen up! That's because TechDaily reports Google Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG) is shipping 50,000 of them.

The GPhone is supposedly being made by a company in Taiwan. A UBS analyst has confirmed that Taiwanese handset manufacturer HTC will ship about 50,000 cell phones running on a mobile operating system made by Google by the end of 2007.

Benjamin Schachter, one of the analysts who worked on the report, said that these 50,000 Gphones will not be sold to the public -- instead they're going to be available for developers only to understand how the software works. Shachter thinks Google will offer more details at an October 24th analyst event.

I wonder whether an Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) representative will attend that event...

Peter Cohan is president of Peter S. Cohan & Associates. He also teaches management at Babson College and edits The Cohan Letter. He has no financial interest in the securities mentioned.

Apple iPhone watch out: Google to ship 50,000 GPhones originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 16 Oct 2007 11:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Google's (GOOG) 'gPhone' not a handset, but a software platform originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 09 Oct 2007 16:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Google Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG) recently trading up $15.29 to $609.20.

GOOG is expected to report earnings per share (EPS) on October 18th. GOOG October at the money 580 straddle is priced at $32.10. GOOG October option implied volatility of 38 is above its 26-week average of 27 according to Track Data, suggesting larger risk.

The Gap Inc. (NYSE: GPS) CEO Glenn Murphy hosted a meeting with analysts on October 5th.

Smith Barney says "Mr. Murphy is focused on making the company gets an adequate return on its investments. This includes a focus on the expense of the business. We suspect there will be continued focus on moderating the cost structure and assessing various cost components, including marketing. We think the real estate portfolio is under review." GPS over all option implied volatility of 31 is near its 26-week average according to Track Data, suggesting flat price risk.

Daily options Update is provided by Stock Specialist Paul Foster of theflyonthewall.com.

Option update: GOOG straddle suggests risk into earnings per share as GOOG at record originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 08 Oct 2007 16:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Apple, Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) was recently up $3.60 cents to $157.11.

AAPL is expected to report earnings per share (EPS) in mid-October. AAPL October option implied volatility is at 31 and November is at 39, below its 26-week average of 42 according to Track Data, suggesting decreasing price risk.

Google Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG) was recently trading up $13.64 to $580.74.

GOOG is expected to report EPS on October 18th. GOOG October at the money 580 straddle is priced at $33.10. GOOG October option implied volatility of 31 is above its 26-week average of 27 according to Track Data, suggesting larger risk.

Volatility Index S&P 500 Options:

VIX decreased as Dow Industrials got above 14,000, down .59 to 17.39. The 10-day moving average was 18.78 according to Track Data.

Daily options Update is provided by Stock Specialist Paul Foster of theflyonthewall.com.

Option update 10-1-07: Volatility as Apple (AAPL), Google (GOOG) and DOW rally to records originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 01 Oct 2007 16:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Google (GOOG) -- To 3G or not to 3G originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 19 Sep 2007 17:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Google (GOOG) gPhone: we're all waiting originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 07 Sep 2007 17:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.