Continue reading Fluor (FLR) knows there's plenty of work to be done in the U.S.

Fluor (FLR) knows there's plenty of work to be done in the U.S. originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 17 Feb 2009 08:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Ad executive: "Guys, guys! I got an idea about how we can change the market's perception of our company and move Xerox (NYSE: XRX) into the 21st century."

CEO: "How exciting! A new product? An innovative marketing campaign?

Ad executive: Even better. A new logo.

The new logo (shown at right) marks the first time that Xerox has identified itself with an image rather than just "XEROX." And what a creative image it is: a circle with a little "X" and now "xerox" is written in lowercase! I shudder to think about how much was spent on Madison Avenue PR firms for that bit of marketing genius.

The move is part of a plan to update Xerox's stodgy image -- the stock hasn't been cool since the 1970s.

But according to The New York Times, "But Michael Watras, president of the brand consultancy Straightline International, said nothing short of a name change would wrest Xerox from the grasp of its copier reputation. 'They should have kept the Xerox brand on some products, but renamed the company.' he said. 'Without that, this is money poorly spent. If I were a shareholder, I'd be outraged.'"

I'm inclined to agree with Mr. Watras. When your name is used as a verb meaning to copy, it's hard to get past the image as a copy company with a simple logo change.

Xerox has the solution to a lagging stock price: A new logo! originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 08 Jan 2008 09:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Depending on who is counting, Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) has 5% or 6% of the U.S. computer market. That number may have spiked in December. Now the PC companies are in a mad rush to build products that look like Macs.

According to The Wall Street Journal, "Spurred in part by the success of Apple Inc.'s innovative products, as well as a consumer shift toward notebook computers, PC makers have begun a radical overhaul of their machines' appearance." That means thinner notebooks, more colorful housings, better keyboards, and improved processing power.

Hewlett-Packard (NYSE: HPQ) and Dell (NASDAQ: DELL) have already launched upgraded machines and are likely to come out with more as the year passes.

But will being "Mac-like" be enough? Probably not. The Apple machine has a sort of aura from being associated with the iPod and iPhone company. Very few people consider Dell a sexy brand.

So, what do the PC companies do? Probably add lower prices to new features. Macs are expensive. A recession is probably coming. "Cool" may be nice, but not when a consumer can't afford it.

Douglas A. McIntyre is an editor at 247wallst.com.

To keep market share, PC makers aping Apple originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 04 Jan 2008 08:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Lenovo, the Chinese PC company, is known for producing good laptops for businesses. But with Mac sales moving up sharply, going after Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) seems too hard to resist.

According to The Wall Street Journal, "As with many of its competitors, Lenovo is emphasizing design and style, and trying to turn notebooks into fashion accessories that reflect individual personality." Dell (NASDAQ: DELL) and HP (NYSE: HPQ) are also coming out with fancy, feature-full PCs.

The problem, of course, is that the field for Mac-like computers will become crowded very quickly. That leads to the question of whether the PCs will be able to get some market share from the Mac or actually just compete with one another.

The success of the new computers will depend on several things. One is whether consumers are willing to use Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) Vista over the Apple OS, which has gotten very good reviews. Another is whether the new PCs can match most of the attractive design features of the Mac.

But the most important factor may be price. If PC manufacturers can bring most of the Mac's features to market for several hundred dollars less per machine, then they have a chance.

Douglas A. McIntyre is an editor at 247wallst.com.

Lenovo joins PC makers in fashionable catfight with Apple originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 03 Jan 2008 10:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

You don't have to be a fashionista to know that French fashion has a reputation for being uppity and tres expensive. They don't call it haute couture for nothing.

But according to the Wall Street Journal, "With the euro reaching new records against the dollar, U.S. shoppers are finding European designer labels even more expensive than in past years. But a young crop of French designers is now trying to prove that style doesn't have to be so costly."

Unlike the traditional fashion houses selling $1,000 bags, less expensive French labels are outsourcing manufacturing to keep costs down -- a big no-no in traditional fashion circles, where local production is considered key to retaining cachet. Some are also taking the hit on the euro's rise, rather than passing the expense on to American consumers.

Paul & Joe is even -- gasp -- designing a collection for Target (NYSE: TGT).

Will Wal-Mart (NYSE: WMT) be able to capitalize on the trend toward more affordable French fashions, as it struggles with its efforts to sell more upscale clothing? Doubtful. If outsourcing production in France hurts cachet, designing clothes for Wal-Mart, the international symbol of corporate avarice and apathy toward people, would be fashion suicide.

French designers get dollar-conscious originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 02 Dec 2007 09:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Early this week, I met with Michael Gregoire, who is the CEO of Taleo Corp. (NASDAQ: TLEO). His company is a leader in HR software.

Instead of talking about the fine points of his industry or tech gobbledygook, he spent most of his time talking about the look-and-feel of his software and website. "If you go to Google (NASDAQ: GOOG) or Amazon.com (NASDAQ: AMZN), do you need a user manual?" he asked. "Of course not. It's natural. The technology doesn't get in the way."

In fact, over the past year, Gregoire has had a laser focus on improving his software's usability, and based on what I've seen so far, it's been well worth it. Interestingly enough, the system has the feel of Apple's (NASDAQ: AAPL) iPod, not a boring HR application. "We think design and usability will be a key differentiator going forward and very important for growth," said Gregoire.

So how can a small business make sure its products showcase good design and ease of use? Some entrepreneur's I've interviewed recently told me how they have been able to follow what I would call 'the iPod way.'

Continue reading Entrepreneur's Journal: The iPod Way -- how killer designs can boost your business

Entrepreneur's Journal: The iPod Way -- how killer designs can boost your business originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 16 Sep 2007 19:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Cramer gets even more bullish on Crocs originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 04 May 2007 16:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.