Continue reading Amazon's Long-Term Kindle Strategy: Make It Available on Any Device

Amazon's Long-Term Kindle Strategy: Make It Available on Any Device originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 06 May 2010 17:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Just when the competition between Amazon's (AMZN) Kindle device and Apple's (AAPL) iPad tablet were starting to heat up, a third and powerful entrant may throw itself into the ring next month. Google (GOOG) is tapped to start selling digital books come June.

What devices will be able to read these digital books may be a mystery (for now), but you can bet that Google's Android operating system may be behind a new device sold in consumer electronics stores, and perhaps Google's website itself.

Continue reading Google Steps Up Competition with Amazon, Starts Selling Digital Books

Google Steps Up Competition with Amazon, Starts Selling Digital Books originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 05 May 2010 12:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

When Apple, Inc. (AAPL) introduced the iPad tablet computing device earlier this month, many saw it as immediately being the e-reader device to beat. After all, there were 60,000 e-books in Apple's iBooks store, right? Lest we forget that e-tailer extraordinaire Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN) released its Kindle e-reader device in 2007 and has over 400,000 books available in the Kindle store for purchase and download. But, with the Apple brand behind it, everyone seems to have forgotten about the Kindle.

Continue reading Can Apple's iPad Really Dethrone Amazon's Kindle?

Can Apple's iPad Really Dethrone Amazon's Kindle? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 16 Apr 2010 16:00:00 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.

Taiwan's Acer became the world's second-largest PC maker in 2009 by getting very aggressive in retail with pricing and positioning its three brands across all pricing segments. The eMachines brand is entry-level, the Acer brand seems to be mid-level and Acer has positioned the Gateway brand as a premium product.

All told, Acer's might unseated Dell (DELL) and the company shows no signs of slowing down sales. It even was an early participant in the netbook category last year, helping it capture sales in that red-hot category as well.

Continue reading Acer Takes On Apple and Amazon in E-book Readers and App Downloads

Acer Takes On Apple and Amazon in E-book Readers and App Downloads originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 26 Jan 2010 12:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Amazon Seeks to Stave Off Apple and Google in E-books

Amazon Seeks to Stave Off Apple and Google in E-books originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 25 Jan 2010 16:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

A rally that began last year has already run up the prices of some stocks, creating small bubbles across the market. Some investors might be pushing prices higher ahead of their time for 62 of the stocks in the S&P 500 index. These companies now have P/E ratios of above 70, up from 23 a year ago. Says Robert Maltbie of Singular Research, "We have to temper some of this crazy bullishness." He tells USA Today that when P/E ratios approach 70, a stock can begin to have problems.

So, why are some prices being run up? As usual, any hope of rational price drivers is the domain of dreamers. Investors have found their favorites and sometimes haven't allowed reality to become a constraint on their excitement. Take a look at five reasons below:

Continue reading Five Reasons Mini-Bubbles Are Forming

Five Reasons Mini-Bubbles Are Forming originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 18 Jan 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Looking back on what became a tough end to a tough year for the retail sector, the one bright spot was the online sector. Shoppers whipped out their plastic at a record rate on Black Friday, a trend that continued throughout the season.

The Amazon (AMZN) Kindle killed the competition, reinforcing the status of the online channel as the future of the retail business. Social media, in particular, had its first real test this year, as many companies -- including Best Buy (BBY), JCPenney (JCP) and Target (TGT) -- used the likes of Twitter and Facebook to engage customers, publicize sales and generally increase revenue. The next stage in the evolution, of course, is to use shopping behavior to trigger viral results.

Continue reading Can Shopping Go Viral?

Can Shopping Go Viral? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 15 Jan 2010 12:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Retailers appear to have been rescued at the last minute, according to data from the International Council of Shopping Centers. Shoppers looking for deals the week before Christmas -- and making up for the day lost to stormy weather on the East Coast -- spent aggressively, sparing the retail sector a dismal 2008-like performance.

The healthy conclusion to the holiday season led to a positive change from November and made December one of only three months (including September and October) in which retail sales increased year-over-year.

Continue reading Retailers Post Solid December, but Consumer Still Strapped

Retailers Post Solid December, but Consumer Still Strapped originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 08 Jan 2010 10:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

For a company that hasn't even admitted to a new product, expectations are awfully high. The word is out that Apple (AAPL) will be unveiling a tablet computer at a major product launch this month.

Former Google (GOOG) exec Lee Kai-fu put out on his blog that he knows its coming, citing an anonymous source, and that the device would sell for less than $1,000. It's going to have a 10.1-inch screen and three-dimensional graphics, he continued, according to a Bloomberg News report, saying it would look like a large iPhone.

Continue reading Apple's Tablet Target: 10 Million in 2010

Apple's Tablet Target: 10 Million in 2010 originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 02 Jan 2010 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

While much of the Midwestern United States was reeling from a record winter blizzard on Saturday, web e-tailer Amazon.com (AMZN) announced that the Kindle e-book reader (and much more) had become the most-gifted product in its history over the Christmas holiday. Although specific numbers were not available, Amazon.com also indicated that more electronic books for the kindle were sold than physical books -- another first.

Is Amazon's version of the transition from physical media to electronic media happening faster than it imagined? Maybe we can't go that far yet -- and the electronic restrictions will keep many away (including this writer), but Amazon clearly has a hit product here.

Continue reading Amazon.com's Kindle Most-Gifted Item Ever at E-tailer

Amazon.com's Kindle Most-Gifted Item Ever at E-tailer originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 28 Dec 2009 13:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Five of the largest companies in the print business are testing the digital waters together. Rather than yield their content to alien formats, Time Inc. (TWX), News Corp. (NWS), Conde Nast, Hearst and Meredith Corp. have announced plans to develop a digital content format of their own. This new product would compete with the newly released Nook from Barnes & Noble (BKS), as well as one from Sony (SNE) and the industry-leading Kindle from Amazon (AMZN). The new e-reader content will come in color and in a format that would work across several devices.

The five media companies are equal partners in this joint venture, which will allow publishers to set their own prices for their content -- an obvious response to what they see as unfavorable revenue share deals offered by Amazon earlier this year. Rupert Murdoch has been particularly vocal on this issue, particularly about the fact that News Corp. only receives a little more than a third of the $14.99 a month it costs to subscribe to the Wall Street Journal on a Kindle. He says of the device that it's "a fantastic invention for reading books. It is not much of an experience for newspapers."

Continue reading Time, News Corp, Hearst, and others to compete with Kindle

Time, News Corp, Hearst, and others to compete with Kindle originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 09 Dec 2009 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Black Friday's online sales were up 35% year over year, and early reports for Cyber Monday put the gain at 19.6%. Amazon (AMZN), as an online pure-play, has felt a lift from both these factors, but its execution in the e-reader category can't be ignored. While Sony (SNE) and Barnes & Noble (BKS) have already sold out of their respective devices, effectively taking them out of the game until early next year, Amazon's Kindle continues to fly off the shelves.

So, what's the prize for effective forecasting and a supply chain that can delivery on it? A new record!

Amazon had its best Kindle month yet in 2009, though it wouldn't reveal how many of the devices it has moved or the revenue it's pulled in from these sales. All it would say is that some buyers were buying more than one Kindle at a time, and businesses and organizations were picking them up in volume for employees or clients.

Continue reading Amazon wins on strategy and execution -- decisively

Amazon wins on strategy and execution -- decisively originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 01 Dec 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The next month is the one that matters most to the retail sector. It will dominate the conversation when Q4 and full-year financials are reported. A strong Black Friday brought with it concerns that momentum will fade, but opportunity is not dispensed equally. Some retailers will come through the season better than others, and industry experts have already chosen their favorites.

Michael Dart, senior partner at Kurt Salmon Associates, says, "We are seeing a paradigm shift in the way consumer interprets value and what they are looking for." The winners will do more than pitch deep discounts to convince consumers to part with their hard-earned cash.

Continue reading Nine (and then some) retail stocks to watch this holiday season

Nine (and then some) retail stocks to watch this holiday season originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 30 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Online retail sales are expected to increase 3% to $28.8 billion for this year's holiday season. The analysts at comScore include traditional retailers, like Macy's (M) in this estimate, but don't count auction sites like eBay (EBAY), travel or corporate sales. The estimate compares favorably against the National Retail Federation's forecast of a 1% year-over-year drop for all retail sales and exceeds the industry's most aggressive holiday season sales estimates of 2%.

Last year, online retail sales fell 3% for the holiday season, the first decline since the industry started keeping score in 2001. Even if we don't hit the 3% growth level this year, 2009 is still expected to be better than 2008, now that the economy has stabilized (at least relative to last year).

Continue reading Online sales to be darling of holiday season

Online sales to be darling of holiday season originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 28 Nov 2009 17:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Take the Nook off your Christmas list. The new e-reader from Barnes & Noble (BKS) has already sold out, and more won't be available until after the holiday has passed. The next batch will be available, at best, by January 4, 2010.

In a statement, the company said, "While we increased production based on the high consumer interest, we've sold out of our initial Nook allotment available for delivery before the holidays." If you still want to give the device as a holiday gift, Barnes & Noble will give you a gift certificate to tide the recipient over until the device itself comes around.

Continue reading No more Nookie 'til next year, says Barnes & Noble

No more Nookie 'til next year, says Barnes & Noble originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 21 Nov 2009 12:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Every day, it's becoming clearer that e-readers will be the hot holiday gifts of 2009. Amazon (AMZN) is obviously in the game with its Kindle, with which it took an early lead in the industry. Barnes & Noble (BKS) has made a play with its new Nook reader, applying some pressure to what was once a wide open space.

Even though we're still short of Black Friday, the weeding process has begun. Sony (SNE), which is also in the e-reader market, has revealed that it makes no guarantees about delivery by Christmas.

Continue reading No guarantees: Sony loses e-reader edge

No guarantees: Sony loses e-reader edge originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 19 Nov 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

If Amazon (AMZN) was comfortable with its spot atop the e-reader market, it just got a wakeup call from Barnes & Noble (BKS). The brick-and-mortar book retailer's e-reader, the Nook, which hasn't even hit stores yet, is in pre-order nirvana right now. The first run for the Nook occurred at the end of October (the product was introduced on October 20). These buyers were told the reader would ship on November 30. High demand resulted in backorders, so the next wave of pre-orders was scheduled to ship on December 7. Now, a third group will have to wait until December 11.

This product is on fire, and it still isn't even on shelves yet.

Mary Ellen Keating, a spokeswoman for Barnes & Noble wouldn't reveal how many of these devices have been pre-ordered, but she did say, "Demand for the product in our stores and online has surpassed our expectations." She also noted, "We are working hard to meet demand for the holidays."

Continue reading Barnes & Noble's Nook already makes a splash

Barnes & Noble's Nook already makes a splash originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 09 Nov 2009 08:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Barnes & Noble Inc. (NYSE: BKS) recently announced an electronic e-reader to compete with the likes of the Amazon.com's (NASDAQ: AMZN) Kindle and Sony Corp.'s (NYSE: SNE) Reader.

In perfect holiday fashion, the e-reader is set to become the "must have" gadget for the gift-giving season almost upon us. The newer Nook device has a small color screen that allows easier content locating (but no keyboard), the ability to "lend" digital books to a friend and built-in wireless internet.

Continue reading An Apple e-reader could overshadow Amazon's Kindle and B&N's Nook

An Apple e-reader could overshadow Amazon's Kindle and B&N's Nook originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 26 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

As expected, Barnes & Noble (NYSE: BKS) has announced its entry into the e-reader market. The top bookseller, with green stores all over the country (and, for that matter, my neighborhood) is eager to get a taste of of the success Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) has realized with the Kindle.

The Barnes & Noble e-reader, which will be called the Nook, will be available at the company's more than 750 locations in the United States at a price of $259. Essentially, it's coming in at the same spot as the Kindle, which currently owns 60% of the U.S. market.

Continue reading Barnes & Noble reveals e-reader plans

Barnes & Noble reveals e-reader plans originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 21 Oct 2009 12:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.