As a result, The PC industry is bleeding badly. Look at these numbers:

• February revenue from PC makers in Taiwan is down 20%. The number is significant because Taiwan manufacturers 90% of all PCs.
• Hon Hai (HNHAF), which makes Apple products and PCs for Dell (DELL), saw shipments down 18% in February, as reported in Financial Times.
• Gartner, a research consultancy, lowered PC shipments by 5% to 387.8 million units this month.

Continue reading Acer Losing Market Share to Smartphones and Tablets

Acer Losing Market Share to Smartphones and Tablets originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 01 Apr 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

ARM Holdings (ARMH) is far away from Silicon Valley. Its headquarters are on the campus of Cambridge University in England. ARM holdings has carved out a unique niche in the computer chip market.

It is a different kind of chip maker. Its core business is licensing chip designs to larger companies like Apple (AAPL), Samsung (SSNLF) and Qualcomm (QCOM.), as reported in the New York Times.

Continue reading ARM Holdings Licenses Chip Makers

ARM Holdings Licenses Chip Makers originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 04 Mar 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Mobile chips leader Qualcomm (QCOM) is planning to launch a variety of 'augmented reality' software for use in different consumer applications, according to Bloomberg/Businessweek.

Qualcomm wants to drive demand for its powerful processors that can handle high speed computing tasks for mobile devices. To do that, it intends to promote processor intensive augmented reality applications. Augmented reality aims to aid consumers with what they see. By pointing the phone's camera to objects and scanning them, the application can then identify them in the database, and find relevant material.

Continue reading Qualcomm to Launch 'Augmented Reality' Software Applications

Qualcomm to Launch 'Augmented Reality' Software Applications originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 04 Mar 2011 10:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Alcatel-Lucent Launches Tiny New Cell Phone Antenna System

Alcatel-Lucent Launches Tiny New Cell Phone Antenna System originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 03 Mar 2011 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

This is probably one of the most interesting stories of the Internet revolution. Microsoft (MSFT) jumped out the starting gate with its Windows operating system and took the world by storm. Then for some unknown reason, Microsoft missed the entire search engine revolution and Google (GOOG) raced to first place. Now Microsoft has again missed the next leg -- the iPhone and iPad revolution, and Apple (AAPL) holds first place in this segment.

Nokia (NOK) was a pioneer in the smartphone revolution, but with Apple's drive to the top, Nokia lost its momentum. Once Nokia had 50% of the handset market. Now that share has fallen to just 29%. It's hard to believe but Microsoft has only 2% of the global phone software market.

Continue reading Microsoft and Nokia Join to Build a New Smartphone

Microsoft and Nokia Join to Build a New Smartphone originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 13 Feb 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Yesterday marked a pretty big day for Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ), as customers could finally walk into a Verizon store and pick up an iPhone. Some analysts had expected to see some long lines, but they did not materialize, creating the impression that the launch was less than successful, but looks can be deceiving.

It is easy to understand where the confusion comes from. In the past, whenever Apple released a new iPhone we saw long lines and often not even supply to cover the launch date demand, resulting in long waits for eager iPhone fanatics to get their hands on the new smartphone.

Continue reading Small Lines for Verizon's iPhone Launch Could Be Deceiving

Small Lines for Verizon's iPhone Launch Could Be Deceiving originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 11 Feb 2011 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

First we had the iPhone revolution. Now, The Financial Times reports that Apple (AAPL) is planning to expand the iPhone to handle mobile commerce, giving the company access to the multibillion-dollar transaction industry.

You are probably wondering what and how this will be done. The iPhone 5, due out this year, likely will incorporate technology called Near Field Communication (NFC). NFC incorporates financial account information and ties the data to specific devices.

Continue reading Apple Expected to Include 'Wave & Pay' with iPhone 5

Apple Expected to Include 'Wave & Pay' with iPhone 5 originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 05 Feb 2011 13:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

"Before the iPhone, Motorola's RAZR was the world's must-have handset. But the company failed to come up with a successor and has been bleeding market share ever since," notes Nathan Slaughter.

The editor of Street Authority Market Advisor explains, "Now, Motorola Mobility (MMI) is back. After being lost in the woods for a few years, this former leader has found its way.

"By last summer, Motorola clung to just a 3% sliver of the global mobile phone market and had slipped into 8th place. But the tide began to turn shortly thereafter -- and I am expecting a big comeback in 2011.

Continue reading Motorola Mobility (MMI): Atrix to Xoom

Motorola Mobility (MMI): Atrix to Xoom originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 03 Feb 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Research In Motion Is on the Mend

Research In Motion Is on the Mend originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 24 Jan 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

It's not enough to be on every metropolitan street corner; now Starbucks (SBUX) is trying to be even bigger (in one sense of the word) -- and faster, too. Thirsty folks longing for a Big Gulp­-style coffee beverage are in luck as the Seattle-based coffee chain is set to roll out its new "Trenta" size for iced drinks.

The new size, seven ounces bigger than the Venti, will be 31 ounces. Trenta, by the way, means "thirty" in Italian. It's also a valley in Slovenia and a small town in the Italian province of Cosenza. This new size trumps Dunkin Donuts, which offers its iced beverages in 24-ounce serving sizes.

Continue reading Starbucks: New Size, New Payment Method

Starbucks: New Size, New Payment Method originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 19 Jan 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

"Telefonica SA (TEF) is a member of our model portfolio; it meets 100% of the criteria we use in our James P. O'Shanghnessy growth and value model," notes John Reese.

The editor of Validea explains, "The company operates in three business areas: Telefonica Spain, Telefonica Latin America and Telefonica Europe."

He continues, "The O'Shanghnessy approach -- called the Cornerstone Value Strategy -- looks for large, well known companies whose market cap is greater than $1 billion.

Continue reading Telefonica (TEF) Calls Up Growth and Value

Telefonica (TEF) Calls Up Growth and Value originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 17 Jan 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

There is quiet revolution taking place in communication. It's PC telephony. It's been around for years, but is catching the imagination of users around the world. The key driver of PC telephony is cost. Skype offers free online phone calls to any receiver who also has Skype.

Such calls require a microphone and desktop speakers. In a business setting where cubicles are adjacent to one another, the noise can be distracting.

Continue reading Are Headsets Displacing the Office Phone?

Are Headsets Displacing the Office Phone? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 16 Jan 2011 10:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The wireless communication world is about to receive a new entrant, as the country's third-largest cable company will start a cellular network in three areas today. The company? Cox Communications.

Before you think that this wireless network will be available across the U.S., Cox's wireless offerings will be available in Orange County, California; Omaha, Nebraska; and Hampton Roads, Virginia. These three locales are where Cox is the local cable company, and they hold roughly 1.5 million residents.

Continue reading Cox Communications Launches Cell Phone Service

Cox Communications Launches Cell Phone Service originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 19 Nov 2010 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

"Research In Motion (RIMM) is clearly undervalued at 9.7 times forward EPS; investor's concerns regarding the intense competition in the smart phone market have caused the stock price to decline 26% during the past seven months," says value investor J. Royden Ward.

The editor of Cabot Benjamin Graham Value Letter explains, "We believe exciting new product introductions will boost sales and earnings growth more than expected during the next couple of years.

Continue reading Research In Motion (RIMM): A 'Ben Graham' Value Buy

Research In Motion (RIMM): A 'Ben Graham' Value Buy originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 17 Nov 2010 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Apple iPad to Face Tough Competition from Android Tablets

Apple iPad to Face Tough Competition from Android Tablets originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 12 Oct 2010 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Once a top player in the fast-growing mobile phone industry, Nokia (NOK) has turned into a has-been. This is certainly common in the tech world as top players usually cannot make transitions to the next big thing. Of course, one of the few companies that has been able to do this is Apple (AAPL).

But finding a "Steve Jobs" to run Nokia is impossible. Yet it looks like Nokia was still able to find a capable CEO: Stephen Elop. He ran Microsoft's (MSFT) Business Division (which includes the Office Suite). And before this, he was an executive at Juniper Networks, Macromedia and even Boston Chicken.

Continue reading Nokia Calls Up a New CEO

Nokia Calls Up a New CEO originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 10 Sep 2010 12:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Google to Launch TV Platform Globally in 2011

Google to Launch TV Platform Globally in 2011 originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 07 Sep 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Dell Launches Its First Smartphone in the U.S.

Dell Launches Its First Smartphone in the U.S. originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 24 Aug 2010 16:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

As the smartphone industry continues to soar, investors are trying to figure out the best plays. Of course, the obvious winner has been Apple (AAPL).

But as with any dynamic space, the change can be disruptive. In fact, it looks like Google (GOOG) is gaining ground in the smartphone space because of its Android mobile operating system.

Continue reading Is Google Winning the Smartphone War?

Is Google Winning the Smartphone War? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 03 Aug 2010 13:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

I found a rather interesting article on Bloomberg, one discussing the potential of smartphones to replace credit cards. Supposedly, both AT&T (T), Verizon (VZ), and perhaps T-Mobile, may work with Discover Financial Services (DFS) and Barclays (BCS) in Atlanta and three other cities to test a system allowing consumers to pay with the "wave of a smartphone." This move would be the largest effort to attempt mobile payments in America and could serve to cut into credit card use.

Crone Consulting, a credit card consultant, noted that such a move could be a "game-changer" as far as credit cards are concerned. Think of how much such a move could cut into the market share for credit cards. According to the article, Visa (V) and MasterCard (MA) handled 82% of U.S. consumer spending a year ago (that is $2.45 trillion). Now imagine that smartphone users have the ability to simply pass their phone over a reader in order to pay for their purchases.

Continue reading Discover Takes On Rivals with Pay-by-Smartphone System

Discover Takes On Rivals with Pay-by-Smartphone System originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 02 Aug 2010 12:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.