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YouTube to stream Lollapalooza, Austin City Limits (AP) : Technet |
- YouTube to stream Lollapalooza, Austin City Limits (AP)
- Microsoft 4Q profit climbs, Windows revenue dips (AP)
- Sales of new chip lift AMD to 2Q profit (AP)
- Remember that AT&T and T-Mobile merger? It’s still on track (Yahoo! News)
- How Apple’s new entry-level laptop runs circles around more serious MacBooks (Yahoo! News)
- Are You a Dexter Fan? Ask Michael C. Hall Your Social TV Questions (Mashable)
- Microsoft profit soars on record revenue (AFP)
- Microsoft deal to buy Skype to close by October: CEO (AFP)
- U.S. judge criticizes Google and Oracle at hearing (Reuters)
- Nearly 1 in 5 people drop their smartphone in the toilet (Digital Trends)
- Google+ hits 20 million users in less than a month (Digital Trends)
- US approves its first 'tablet' for federal workers (AFP)
- Sneaky times call for sneaky iPhone apps (Appolicious)
- Icahn: Motorola could split patents and handsets (Reuters)
- 200 Blockbuster stores to close (Digital Trends)
- Nokia posts loss; to speed cuts (Investor's Business Daily)
- Microsoft Windows fizzles as PC fears loom (Reuters)
- Intel posts strong results, but braces for Windows 8 (Digital Trends)
| YouTube to stream Lollapalooza, Austin City Limits (AP) Posted: 21 Jul 2011 09:20 PM PDT NEW YORK – YouTube will live stream Lollapalooza and Austin City Limits in the video site's continuing push to bring music festivals to digital screens. The Google Inc.-owned YouTube will announce Friday that it will present online coverage of the festivals, two of the summer's largest. YouTube has previously streamed festivals such as Tennessee's Bonnaroo, San Francisco's Outside Lands and, earlier this year, Southern California's Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. Lollapalooza and Austin City Limits, both produced by C3 Presents, will be presented with extensive live concert coverage from the various festival stages. Dell and Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. will sponsor the streaming. Chicago's Lollapalooza takes place Aug. 5-7 and will be promoted with a "Lollapalooza Week" on YouTube. Exactly which acts will be streamed is yet to be announced, but this year's top performers include Eminem, Foo Fighters, Coldplay, Muse and My Morning Jacket. It's the 20th anniversary for the Perry Farrell-founded event, which began as a touring festival. "For those of us who can't make it — we have YouTube," said Farrell in a statement. "Be a voyeur to this year's Lollapalooza. Watch as musicians offer their souls and the crowd devours them. You just may forget that you aren't really there." Austin City Limits, which runs from Sept. 16-18 in the Texas capital, is celebrating its 10th anniversary. Its acts include Kanye West, Stevie Wonder, Arcade Fire, Coldplay and My Morning Jacket. For YouTube, the deal represents growth toward an increasingly robust digital festival-going experience. Streaming festivals is appealing to the site because sponsors like having their names attached to the well-known events, and users typically stay longer than they might for three-minute videos. Viewing length can average nearly an hour. "This allows us to showcase multiple artists each day, which is really exciting to users," says Dana Vetter, YouTube's music marketing programs manager. "And we can hope to expect longer viewing times from people who catch one set and trickle into the next one." How many tune in will depend partly on which acts are streamed, but online audiences for festivals often number in the tens of millions and can even — over the full weekend — rival the audience YouTube attracts for live events like the royal wedding in April. About 72 million people watched YouTube's coverage of Prince William and Kate Middleton's wedding. "In the past 12 to 18 months, we've come a really long way in terms of live music," said Vetter. "There's a huge audience connected with these things. The trajectory of live music has come a long way and we hope to see it continue." There will be a primary live stream of performances as well as a secondary feed of the backstage areas and interviews. Interactivity with Facebook and Twitter will also be integrated. Videos will remain on YouTube for four weeks after the festivals. In the last few years, mega-festivals have increasingly spread into the digital space where music fans unable to make the trek (or those who simply would rather avoid mud and heat) can follow along online. Vevo, the joint venture of Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment and Abu Dhabi Media Co., streamed acts from this year's Bonnaroo. National Public Radio will webcast this year's Newport Folk Festival (July 30-31) and the Newport Jazz Festival (Aug. 6-7). ___ Online: |
| Microsoft 4Q profit climbs, Windows revenue dips (AP) Posted: 21 Jul 2011 04:24 PM PDT SAN FRANCISCO – Microsoft Corp. reported record fourth-quarter revenue Thursday, helped by strong sales of its Office software suite. Investors still seem concerned about the world's largest software maker's growth prospects, however, as consumers buy fewer computers that run its Windows software. While all of the company's other business units posted growth in the April-June period, revenue from the division that includes Microsoft's Windows operating system fell 1 percent from the same time last year — its third-straight quarter of decline. Besides indicating that consumers are buying fewer computers that use Windows, it may signify that more consumers are moving to tablet computers instead of upgrading their existing laptop and desktop computers. Microsoft's stock slipped in extended trading. Total revenue for the fiscal fourth quarter rose 8 percent from last year to $17.4 billion, higher than the $17.2 billion that analysts polled by FactSet expected. Growing Office sales helped revenue from the company's largest division climb nearly 8 percent to $5.78 billion. Microsoft said its results were also aided by higher software and server sales to businesses and the popularity of its Xbox 360 video game console and Kinect motion-sensing game control device. However, sales in the company's Windows and Windows Live division were soft, dipping to $4.74 billion from $4.78 billion. Microsoft said it would have grown were it not for the launch of Windows 7 a year ago, which made comparisons more difficult this year. Investors have been focused on this segment of the business amid concern that the increasing popularity of tablets like Apple Inc.'s iPad are cutting into sales of computers that use Microsoft's operating software. And since this unit already declined in the previous two quarters, pressure had intensified on Microsoft to show growth during the three-month period that ended in June_ especially since worldwide PC shipments rose in the range of 2.3 percent to 2.6 percent during the quarter, according to reports from research firms IDC and Gartner. With Apple's report earlier this week that iPad sales nearly doubled year over year to 9.25 million, Microsoft may have an even harder time showing that it can compete as the computing world continues to move toward tablets. The iPad's success prodded Microsoft to develop an operating system that can run on tablets, dubbed Windows 8, but that isn't expected to hit the market until next year. Revenue from Microsoft's online services unit, which includes the company's Bing search engine, climbed 17 percent to $662 million. The division's operating loss widened, however, since the company has continued to invest in a mostly fruitless effort to undercut Google Inc.'s dominance of online search and advertising. Redmond, Wash.-based Microsoft earned $5.87 billion, or 69 cents per share during the quarter, compared with $4.52 billion, or 51 cents per share, a year ago. Analysts polled by FactSet expected a profit of 59 cents per share. For the full fiscal year, Microsoft earned $23.2 billion, or $2.69 per share, on $69.94 billion in revenue. This compares with net income of $18.8 billion, or $2.10 per share, on $62.5 billion in revenue a year earlier. Microsoft shares fell 11 cents to $26.98 in extended trading. The stock finished regular trading up 4 cents at $27.09. |
| Sales of new chip lift AMD to 2Q profit (AP) Posted: 21 Jul 2011 04:21 PM PDT SAN FRANCISCO – Advanced Micro Devices Inc. has been punished so hard for unexpectedly ousting its CEO more than 6 months ago that the second-quarter profit it posted Thursday gave investors a measure of confidence about its direction. AMD shares rose 38 cents, or 5.9 percent, to $6.88 after the No. 2 maker of computer microprocessors reported its results. The stock had fallen by 30 percent since CEO Dirk Meyer was ousted in January. The numbers were a rare bright spot in an industry in tumult. They showed early signs of success for a new chip that combines general-purpose and graphics capabilities. AMD sold more than 7 million of the "accelerated processing units" in the second quarter, more than half of the total since they went on sale in November. The chips feature an innovative design that represents the kind of creative risks that allow AMD to remain a technological trendsetter despite its perpetual underdog status against Intel Corp. AMD is counting on the chips to help it gain market share against Intel, which controls 80 percent of the world's PC microprocessor market. AMD also needs the marketing buzz to help generate some excitement as the PC market flags. Recent signs have worried investors. Microsoft Corp.'s Windows business is seeing declines. Microsoft reported Thursday that revenue in the division that makes the Windows operating system, which powers the bulk of traditional PCs, fell in the latest quarter. The Redmond, Wash.-based company said revenue would have grown were it not for the launch of Windows 7 a year ago, which made comparisons tougher this year. Intel has downgraded its view of the PC market. Intel on Wednesday cut its forecast for PC unit growth in 2011 to 8 percent to 10 percent over last year. The Santa Clara, Calif.-based company earlier predicted low double-digit percentage growth. The cut weighed on Intel shares despite stronger-than-expected second-quarter results. Last week market research firms IDC and Gartner reported that PC shipments worldwide are growing slower than expected, with the U.S. and European markets even contracting. AMD has also been hurt by the weakness. But investors saw encouraging signs in the latest results, despite some troubles. Revenue in its microprocessor division was flat. The division was hurt by lower revenue from server chips, suggesting losses in market share to Intel. Intel's revenue from server chips was up in the latest quarter. And AMD's revenue in its graphics chip division fell 17 percent from last year. AMD has long been a distant second to Intel and now is even further behind in the transition to smartphones and tablet computers. AMD's chips are primarily used in traditional desktop and laptop computers. The lack of a permanent CEO has weighed heavily on AMD's shares. Meyer was forced out over the board's unhappiness with AMD's growth rate and its strategy for mobile. The growth of Apple Inc.'s iPad has disrupted the traditional PC business, with some analysts predicting tens of millions of people are now buying tablets instead of laptops. Apple reported blowout results Tuesday that show the emergence of what CEO Steve Jobs calls the "post-PC era." Apple has now sold 29 million iPads since they went on sale in April 2010, and more than 128 million iPhones since they went on sale in 2007. AMD earned $61 million, or 8 cents per share, in the three months ended July 2. That compares with a loss of $43 million, or 6 cents per share, a year ago. Adjusted net income was 9 cents per share, a penny better than the average estimate of analysts polled by FactSet. Revenue fell slightly short at $1.57 billion. Analysts expected $1.58 billion, according to FactSet. AMD's third-quarter forecast calls for a sequential increase in revenue of 8 percent to 12 percent. That translates to $1.70 billion to $1.76 billion, in line with analyst forecasts for $1.71 billion. |
| Remember that AT&T and T-Mobile merger? It’s still on track (Yahoo! News) Posted: 21 Jul 2011 05:35 PM PDT |
| How Apple’s new entry-level laptop runs circles around more serious MacBooks (Yahoo! News) Posted: 21 Jul 2011 05:26 PM PDT |
| Are You a Dexter Fan? Ask Michael C. Hall Your Social TV Questions (Mashable) Posted: 20 Jul 2011 04:49 PM PDT Anyone who's watched Showtime's Dexter has likely wondered what goes on in the creepy yet charming mind of the serial killer of serial killers. Now's your chance to find out. [More from Mashable: HOW TO: Self Publish Your Book with Amazon's CreateSpace] Mashable's Jennifer Van Grove will interview Dexter actor Michael C. Hall tomorrow at Comic Con, along with fashion designer and entrepreneur Mark Ecko. They'll talk about the show and preview the Dexter social game for Facebook -- which is sure to involve a lot of bloody scenes. Though Ecko Code launched a Dexter game for iPod Touch and iPhone in 2009, the new version lets players be social by connecting and sharing with their Facebook friends. The social gaming trend continues to be popular with TV shows. HBO launched its beta of Weeds Social Club, a Facebook game based on Weeds, less than a month ago. [More from Mashable: Which TV Shows Were the Most Social in June? [INFOGRAPHIC]] The Dexter social game launches the same day as season six premieres on TV in September, and it will allow Facebook users to play as Dexter Morgan along the season six narrative. Players will watch the episode on Sunday and then play online on Monday, completing missions and finding evidence while exploring Miami. So, tell us, what questions do you have for Michael C. Hall? We'll choose the most inspired submissions to ask him and post a video of the interview on Friday. Submit your question in the comments below by Thursday, July 21 at 12 p.m. ET. Please use your real identity in the submission so that we may credit you if your response is chosen. And be sure to check back and see if your question was asked! This story originally published on Mashable here. |
| Microsoft profit soars on record revenue (AFP) Posted: 21 Jul 2011 07:15 PM PDT SAN FRANCISCO (AFP) – US technology giant Microsoft said its annual profit soared on record revenue thanks in part to hot demand for its Xbox 360 videogame console gear and online network. Microsoft on Thursday reported its net income surged 23 percent to $23.15 billion on record high revenue of $69.94 billion in the fiscal year that ended June 30. The annual results came with word that Microsoft posted profit of $5.87 billion on record revenue of $17.37 billion in the fiscal fourth quarter that ended June 30. "Throughout fiscal 2011, we delivered to market a strong lineup of products and services which translated into double-digit revenue growth, and operating margin expansion," said Microsoft chief financial officer Peter Klein. Microsoft Business Division revenue grew 16 percent for the year, with the Redmond, Washington-based company selling more than 100 million licenses for the latest version of its Office software. "We continue to see strong business demand across all our products, from small businesses all the way up to the largest global enterprises," said Microsoft chief operating officer Kevin Turner. Businesses recovering from the economic meltdown of two years ago continued to spend money replacing or upgrading computer gear, while consumer spending outside the workplace remained soft. "Basically, Office put the ball over the goal line again," said Rob Helm, managing vice president of research at private analyst firm Directions on Microsoft. Microsoft said its online services unit saw revenue climb 15 percent during the year, primarily driven by gains in income from Internet search. Bing's share of the US search market had grown to 14.4 percent by the end of June, according to the company. Revenue from Microsoft's Entertainment & Devices Division leaped 45 percent for the year due to "ongoing momentum" of the Xbox 360, Kinect gesture-sensing controllers for the consoles and the Xbox Live network that connects consoles to online games, films and other digital offerings. Xbox Live membership has reached 35 million, according to Klein. While the business division remains "the bright spot" at the company, sales of Windows operating software and licenses was being hurt by a shift from personal computers to smart mobile devices such as tablets, according to Helm. "We are not expecting a Microsoft tablet solution to show up for at least a year," the analyst said. "The tablet problem is going to be chewing away throughout fiscal year 2012." Another challenge facing Microsoft is that demand for personal computers is growing most in emerging markets where prices are lower and software piracy prevalent. More than half of personal computers shipped in the past year went to emerging markets, according to Microsoft executives who predicted that meant lower average selling prices and higher piracy rates in the coming year. "The economies doing best are in countries where they are reluctant for pay for software," Helm said. Microsoft saw companies embracing Office 365, which offers business software as services in the Internet "cloud." Microsoft said it remains committed to its deal to power Internet search at Yahoo! websites and the companies are working together to "uncover and address gaps and inefficiencies" in the merged technology platform. "We are totally aligned with Yahoo!," Klein said. "The collaboration is fantastic and we will have this turned around by the end of this calendar year." The price of Microsoft stock slipped less than a percent to $26.98 per share in trading that followed release of the earnings results. |
| Microsoft deal to buy Skype to close by October: CEO (AFP) Posted: 21 Jul 2011 06:05 PM PDT ASPEN, Colorado (AFP) – Skype chief executive Tony Bates said he expects Microsoft's purchase of the Internet voice and video leader to close by October, once it gets the green light from European regulators. "We already got through the US side of it," Bates said at the Fortune Brainstorm Tech conference in Aspen, Colorado. "We still have Europe so it's anyone's guess, but I would say we've got a couple of months more here," he said. "Maybe sort of an October timeframe would be my guess." Microsoft announced in May that it was buying Skype for $8.5 billion in a move seen as aimed at boosting its presence in an online arena dominated by Google and Facebook. Bates said Skype would constitute its own division at Microsoft, a move that he called "unprecedented" for an acquisition by the US software giant. "I'm a peer president to the other five presidents that run the businesses," he said, reporting to Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer. Bates said he does not expect any re-branding of Skype once it is owned by Microsoft. Microsoft is getting "one of the greatest brands in the consumer Internet space," he said. "It is a verb. People talk about it in that way. They say Skype me. "So, you can expect no change," he continued. "You can expect strong commitment to the brand." Bates also raised the possibility of in-call advertising during calls on Skype but did not provide much detail. "We obviously think that there's a very rich long-term advertising play" as Skype looks for more ways to make money, he said. "The one I will just tease for everyone to think about is, we actually think there is a big play in in-call advertising," Bates said. "Watch this space. We think this is going to be a very exciting area for us." The 43-year-old, who left a senior position at Cisco in August to join Skype, also said becoming the chief executive at Skype fulfilled a goal he set for himself four years ago. "I'm very goal driven and my wife and I write down goals every year," he said. "One of the two goals I wrote down was I wanted to be a CEO before I was 45... And I wrote down four companies, and one of those companies was Skype." |
| U.S. judge criticizes Google and Oracle at hearing (Reuters) Posted: 21 Jul 2011 07:29 PM PDT SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) – Both Oracle Corp and Google Inc have taken unreasonable positions on the scale of damages involved in a high stakes patent battle over the Android operating system, a U.S. judge said in court. "You're both asking for the moon and you should be more reasonable," U.S. District Judge William Alsup said in a testy hearing on Thursday. Oracle sued Google last year, claiming the Web search company's Android mobile operating technology infringes Oracle's Java patents. Oracle bought the Java programing language through its acquisition of Sun Microsystems in 2010. The case is part of a wider web of litigation among phone makers and software firms over who owns the patents used in smartphones and tablets, as rivals aggressively rush into a market in which Apple jump-started with iPhone and iPad. In a separate order on Thursday, U.S. Magistrate Judge Donna Ryu granted Oracle's request to question Google Chief Executive Larry Page under oath. Google casts Oracle's damages calculations as between $1.4 and $6.1 billion and asked Alsup to disallow Oracle's estimates. At a hearing on Thursday in a San Francisco federal courtroom, Alsup sharply questioned Oracle attorney Steven Holtzman about Oracle's damages estimate, noting the expert who crafted it was paid $700 an hour by Oracle and came up with a figure topping $6 billion. Google maintains that Oracle deserves no damages. "Zero is ridiculous," said Alsup, who rejected Google's argument that its ad sales should not be included in estimating damages from the Android system. "They're totally wrong on that," Alsup said. The judge did not rule from the bench on Thursday, but said he would issue an opinion "soon." At one point, Holtzman directed Alsup to an internal email sent to Google Android chief Andy Rubin from a Google engineer. Under the direction of Google co-founders Page and Sergey Brin, Google engineers explored alternatives to using Java technology, but ultimately concluded they "all suck," the email said. Google should license Java technology, according to the email, which Alsup read aloud in court. Google attorney Robert Van Nest responded that the email was sent after Oracle had threatened Google with litigation last year -- not when Android was first launched in 2007. Alsup warned Google it could suffer drastic penalties if Oracle is able to prove Google willfully infringed Oracle's patents. A Google spokesman declined to comment. At one point, the judge expressed frustration when Holtzman appeared hesitant to discuss certain details of the case openly in court. "This is public proceeding. You lawyers and companies are not going to handcuff the court," Alsup said, adding: "This is not a wholly owned subsidiary of Oracle Corp." An Oracle spokeswoman declined to comment. Oracle will be allowed to depose Page for two hours, wrote Ryu, the magistrate. Google is also planning to take Oracle Chief Executive Larry Ellison's deposition. The case in U.S. District Court, Northern District of California, is Oracle America, Inc v. Google Inc, 10-3561. (Editing by Andre Grenon) |
| Nearly 1 in 5 people drop their smartphone in the toilet (Digital Trends) Posted: 21 Jul 2011 08:32 PM PDT
Based off a new study from Plaxo, 19 percent of people drop their smartphone in the toilet and are forced to spend money on a costly replacement. Plaxo is in the business of protecting data as its service provides contact syncing across a variety of devices. This data corresponds with another study from Google that stated nearly four out of every ten people bring the phone into the bathroom for use. Of the 19 percent, more than half state that the biggest hassle in replacing a mobile phone is restoring the contact database. With 25 percent of Americans preferring to browse the Internet with a smartphone instead of a PC, it's no surprise that people are using smartphones more often and putting them at greater risk of accidents. Forty percent of the respondents expect to rely more on the cloud over the next two years. People that routinely backed up data from computers were far more likely to backup their phone data as well. Specific to smartphone owners, 72 percent routinely back up their data from the phone and 68 percent backed up data on home computers. For anyone that does drop a mobile phone into the toilet, placing the phone in dry rice is a popular home remedy. The rice soaks up the moisture inside the phone. |
| Google+ hits 20 million users in less than a month (Digital Trends) Posted: 21 Jul 2011 09:00 PM PDT
The new service allows members to create a variety of groups, called "circles," enabling them to share information and content with only the people they choose. One circle could be made up of co-workers, while another might consist entirely of family members. The statistics, reported by the Wall Street Journal on Thursday, come from web analytics company comScore, who based its results on a "global measurement panel" of two million Internet users. Speaking about the findings, vice president of industry analysis at comScore, Andrew Lipsman, commented: "I've never seen anything grow this quickly. The only other site that has accumulated as many new visitors in a short period of time is Twitter in 2009, but that happened over several months." What makes the figures all the more remarkable is that the new social networking service is currently open only to those who receive invites. "Right now, we're testing with a small number of people," the Google+ homepage says, "but it won't be long before the Google+ project is ready for everyone." We can safely assume that the line on the graph will go through the roof when the doors open to all. The long-term plan for Google+ is to integrate it with other Google services such as YouTube and Gmail. When that happens, it'll become a service to be reckoned with and will likely begin to make big gains on competitors such as Facebook and Twitter. |
| US approves its first 'tablet' for federal workers (AFP) Posted: 21 Jul 2011 06:15 PM PDT MONTREAL (AFP) – Blackberry's PlayBook electronic tablet has been approved for use in all US federal government agencies, becoming the first tablet to get certified, developer Research in Motion said. The Waterloo, Canada-based RIM said its PlayBook, which has an 18-centimeter (seven-inch) high definition screen, received Federal Information Processing Standard certification, which is delivered by the National Institute of Standards and Technology. Under the Federal Information Security Management Act, which was passed shortly after the September 11 attacks, all computer tools used by the federal government must meet federal certification standards. "This certification demonstrates our continued commitment to meeting the needs of security-conscious organizations and enables the US federal government to buy with confidence knowing that the PlayBook meets their computing policy requirements for protecting sensitive information," said Scott Totzke, who runs Blackberry's security division at RIM. The Playbook, which has a camera on the front and back, is an alternative to Apple's iPad. It has been sold in the United States and Canada since mid-April. The certification provides a needed lift to the company, which announced in June that it would face an unspecified downsizing during the current quarter. RIM's most famous product, the Blackberry, is already well-established in the US government. President Barack Obama is a big fan, and uses a version modified to meet his security requirements. |
| Sneaky times call for sneaky iPhone apps (Appolicious) Posted: 21 Jul 2011 03:30 PM PDT |
| Icahn: Motorola could split patents and handsets (Reuters) Posted: 21 Jul 2011 05:21 PM PDT NEW YORK (Reuters) – Activist investor Carl Icahn urged Motorola to consider splitting off its patent portfolio to cash in on surging interest in wireless technology from companies like Google Inc and Apple Inc. Shares of Motorola Mobility Holdings Inc rose as much as 23 percent on Thursday as investors bet that Icahn's activism could result in a high valuation for the patents, after a hotly contested Nortel patent auction recently fetched $4.5 billion. Icahn, Motorola's biggest shareholder with an 11.36 percent stake, told Reuters there are many ways the company could make more money out of its patents while still retaining support for its cellphone and set-top box businesses. "One way might be to split off the operating company," the billionaire investor said, adding the handset and set-top box businesses could still have free use of the patents after such a move. "In any event we shouldn't let the tail wag the dog," said Icahn. "The patent portfolio may be the company's most valuable asset." Companies with strong patent holdings can force rivals to pay fees for using their technology or to form cross-licensing agreements. The recent Nortel auction, and the announcement that InterDigital Inc and Eastman Kodak were shopping around their patents, underscores strong interest. Icahn estimated that Motorola could be worth as much as $44 per share, or $13 billion, in a sum of its parts valuation. That is far above the $25.19 that Motorola shares closed at on Thursday, giving it a market value of $7.4 billion. His estimate assumes a $4 billion valuation for the patent portfolio, $2.5 billion for the set-top box business, $3 billion for the handset business, and $3.5 billion in cash. ThinkEquity analyst Mark McKechnie said Motorola deserves a higher valuation because of its wireless patents but his $27 price target for the stock is well below Icahn's estimate. Google, which has a weak IP portfolio, is expected to be interested in buying wireless patents after losing the Nortel auction. Google could strike a deal with Motorola to use the handset maker's patent portfolio to protect Android phone makers from lawsuits from rivals, analysts said. Apple has sued Android phone makers Samsung Electronics Co and HTC Corp for patent infringement. Some analysts were skeptical about the wisdom of Motorola selling its patents, saying the company would then be just a hardware maker and its licensing expenses would go up. "They're likely already receiving a lot of revenue from their patents," said Morgan Keegan analyst Tavis McCourt. "It's unclear what they can do to create more value from the patent portfolio ... without just selling the company." ANOTHER SPLIT Icahn became an investor in Motorola Inc after the company's business started to go downhill in 2006 as its phones became less popular. He criticized management at the time and pushed for a breakup of the company to improve its valuation. He succeeded in getting Motorola to split in two in the first quarter this year to form Motorola Mobility and Motorola Solutions Inc. Another split would decimate the one time global wireless powerhouse that invented the cellphone. Icahn went to Motorola to discuss its options after InterDigital, another big wireless patent holder, said it would consider putting itself up for sale on Tuesday. That news drove InterDigital shares up nearly 80 percent. On Wednesday, Kodak said it was shopping around its patents for digital imaging, sending shares higher. Icahn said in a regulatory filing that Motorola's patent portfolio is substantially larger than the 6,000 patents Nortel sold to a group including Apple, Microsoft and Research in Motion Ltd that outbid Google. In response to the filing, Motorola said it always reviews its options, but declined to give specifics. The company, which holds 17,000 approved patents and has another 7,500 pending approval, said its ability to develop innovative products and grow revenue is in part attributed to its strong patent portfolio. One analyst questioned whether a large patent sale made sense for Motorola, despite Icahn's move. "He'll be in management's ear," Avian Securities analyst Matthew Thornton said. "It's good news. It draws attention to a valuable asset." (Editing by Richard Chang, Tiffany Wu and Robert MacMillan) |
| 200 Blockbuster stores to close (Digital Trends) Posted: 21 Jul 2011 07:10 PM PDT
Speaking to The Wrap on Thursday, Dish Network spokesman Marc Lumpkin said that more than 15,000 people working at Blockbuster stores will remain in position, while those working at stores being shuttered will have the opportunity to take up posts at other Blockbuster locations. Lumpkin said that many of the closures have come about because of problems with renewing leases on the stores. Back in April, a period of 90 days was given by the bankruptcy judge to negotiate with landlords. He told The Wrap: "For the most part, the ones that have closed are as a result of the landlords choosing not to renew the leases." He added: "We'll continue to look for opportunities to expand, to open more stores, particularly in those areas where we wanted to keep stores open but the landlords didn't renew leases." Blockbuster has suffered significantly in recent times at the hands of companies like Netflix, the popular DVD rental and video streaming service. Last week, however, Blockbuster had an opportunity to capitalize on the news that Netflix would be raising its rates. Lumpkin commented on the price rise: "We said, 'If you're a Netflix customer, give us proof and we'll give you a new low price on Blockbuster's by-mail service." Looking at the Blockbuster news positively, 15,000 jobs remain, as do 90 percent of its store locations. Speaking to Hollywood reporter, Blockbuster president Michael Kelly said: "By lowering pricing and offering competitive summer promotions, we've brought millions of customers back into Blockbuster stores in the last three months to experience the best in convenience, choice and value." Image: Stu Pendousmat
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| Nokia posts loss; to speed cuts (Investor's Business Daily) Posted: 21 Jul 2011 04:12 PM PDT The mobile phone giant swung to a Q2 loss of $523 mil, as it continued to lose share to high-end smartphone rivals like Apple's iPhone and low-end Asian producers. Revenue fell 7% to $13.3 bil. Nokia (NYSE:NOK - News) was recently passed by Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL - News) as the top smartphone maker. It remains the overall No. 1 cell phone maker, but Q2 shipments fell 20% to 88.5 mil. Nokia plans to speed a cost-cutting program. Shares rose 5.9%. |
| Microsoft Windows fizzles as PC fears loom (Reuters) Posted: 21 Jul 2011 05:02 PM PDT SEATTLE (Reuters) – Sales of Microsoft Corp's flagship Windows software disappointed for the third straight quarter, taking the gloss off better-than-expected earnings that were aided by an unusually low tax rate. The results failed to excite a market already wary about growth prospects for the company and PC industry as netbook sales give way to tablets. The stock was flat in after-hours trading. "All eyes are on Windows and how they are ultimately going to extend this franchise in the future, as the PC business continues to lose share to the tablets," said Josh Olson, technology analyst at money manager Edward Jones. "Microsoft is really a show-me story in terms of its ability to extend its core flagship products to these new growth platforms." On Wednesday, chipmaker Intel Corp warned that PC sales will not be as strong as it had expected this year. Microsoft is expected to enter the tablet market in earnest next year with the launch of its next operating system -- code-named Windows 8 -- which will be compatible with the low-power chips designed by ARM Holdings favored by tablet and mobile phone makers. Despite the Windows dip, Microsoft managed to ease past Wall Street's earnings estimates, helped by strong sales of its Office software and Xbox game console, as well as a dramatic drop in its tax bill. The world's largest software maker follows Google Inc, Apple Inc and International Business Machines Corp in reporting surprisingly good results as technology spending holds up relatively well in an uncertain economy. BIG BEAT The Redmond, Washington-based company on Thursday posted net profit of $5.87 billion, or 69 cents per share, up from $4.52 billion, or 51 cents per share, in the year-ago quarter. That easily beat Wall Street's average estimate of 58 cents, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S. Microsoft has beaten the average profit estimate for each of the last nine quarters. Microsoft was helped by an unusually low tax rate of 7 percent in the quarter, which cut its tax bill by more than $1 billion from the year before, to $445 million. The company, which gets most of its revenue from overseas, said the savings were due to a one-time tax gain and more business flowing through its regional centers in the low-tax jurisdictions of Ireland, Singapore and Puerto Rico. Sales rose 8 percent to $17.37 billion, ahead of analysts' average estimate of $17.23 billion, boosted chiefly by sales of Office, Xbox and server software behind Microsoft's push into Internet-centric, or "cloud" computing. Microsoft shares fluctuated after the results were announced in after-hours trading, settling close to their closing price of $27.09 on Nasdaq. The stock is up 8 percent over the past 12 months, compared to a 30 percent rise in the Nasdaq composite index. The shares are stuck at a level first hit in 1998, adjusted for stock splits. "These numbers are good. The question is, what will make Microsoft break this range in which it is stuck, between $25 and $28?" said Trip Chowdhry, managing director at Global Equities Research. "I don't see these numbers giving an indication that the stock is going to break away." OFFICE, XBOX STAR Spending by businesses on technology has generally outstripped cash-strapped consumers since the worldwide economic downturn. Microsoft's business division, which last month rolled out online versions of its popular Office suite of programs such as Outlook, SharePoint and Excel, was the company's biggest seller in the quarter, racking up a 7 percent increase in sales to $5.8 billion. The server and tools business, which sells software used by datacenters -- an essential building block of cloud computing -- posted a 12 percent increase in sales to $4.6 billion. The entertainment and devices unit, which sells the company's video game and phone products, posted a 30 percent increase in sales to $1.5 billion, mostly due to the popularity of the Xbox and the new hands-free gaming Kinect add-on. Sales at the Windows unit fell 0.8 percent to $4.7 billion. PC sales grew only 2.3 percent in the second quarter, according to tech research firm Gartner, well below earlier projections, as economic uncertainty hangs over consumers and Apple's iPad and other tablets eat into the market. Microsoft's perennial money-losing online services unit, which runs the Bing search engine and MSN Internet portal, posted a 16.5 percent increase in sales to $662 million, but its loss widened to $728 million from a loss of $688 million a year ago, as Microsoft continues to pour money into attacking Google. The unit has now lost almost $6.5 billion in the last three fiscal years. (Additional reporting by Alexei Oreskovic in San Francisco and Liana Baker in New York; Editing by Richard Chang) |
| Intel posts strong results, but braces for Windows 8 (Digital Trends) Posted: 21 Jul 2011 11:41 AM PDT
Chipmaking giant Intel posted financial results for its second fiscal quarter of 2011, showing double-digit growth across all its business segments and revenue of some $13 billion dollars. The company pulled in some $3.9 billion in operating profit, and while that's a slight increase over the same quarter a year ago, the company also saw its gross margins contract by 6.6 percent. Intel's revenue success was largely based on broad adoption of its Sandy Bridge line of CPUs—after a recall stung the company's balance sheet earlier this year—as well as strong sales to enterprise and emerging markets. "We achieved a significant new milestone in the second quarter, surpassing $13 billion in revenue for the first time," said Intel president and CEO Paul Otellini, in a statement. "Strong corporate demand for our most advanced technology, the surge of mobile devices and Internet traffic fueling data center growth, and the rapid rise of computing in emerging markets drove record results." However, Intel is already facing questions about how it will deal with tablets and other devices based on ARM processors running Microsoft's forthcoming Windows 8 operating system. Apple's iPad—which sold a staggering 9.25 million in the last quarter alone—is based on an ARM architecture, and industry watchers believe ARM-based designs will be very competitive for tablets and lightweight notebook computers running Windows 8—ARM delivers enough performance for everyday computing, and is very battery-friendly, making it an appealing choice for tablets and portable devices. In Intel's earning call' Otellini said Intel aims to be "hyper-competitive" with ARM on the WIndows 8 mobile and portable device front. Industry watchers note that Intel has been steadily refining its Atom-based offering to aim at portable devices—although the company has attempted to enter the smartphone market for years…and consistently failed. Otellini also hinted Windows 8 users may be dissatisfied with ARM-based devices, noting Intel processors will have an edge in terms of backward compatibility. Otellini's comments echo controversial remarks from the head of Intel's software business unit last May that ARM-based devices wouldn't run existing Windows software. Microsoft characterized the statement as "factually inaccurate" without actually saying ARM-based devices running Windows 8 would be able to run existing Windows software. Industry analysis firm IHS recent forecast that nearly a quarter of all notebook PCs shipped in 2015 will use ARM processors. |
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