Sharp plans to invest $2.4bn, next year to maintain its top spot in the liquid crystal display TV market. It seems most of the money will be spent on boosting production at its booming liquid crystal display factory, which is simply unable to keep up with surging demand for LCDs, used in flat-panel TVs, cell phones and laptops.
And Sharp expects to sell 50% more liquid crystal TV's in the next fiscal year to a total of 6M. The current total market for liquid crystal TV's stands at about 20M and is way ahead of the plasma TV market which sells about 5M units per year.
Sharp's investment should see them be able to quadruple output. Sharp clearly believes that liquid crystal TV will ultimately win out over plasma and scale to larger and larger TV sets.
Matsushita has also announced a massive new investment in liquid crystal production. It looks like the two Japanese manufacturers intend to dominate the market. It's all good news for consumers as prices are bound to keep coming down.
Wednesday, January 11, 2006
Open-source to get an upgrade
A major revamp of the General Public License (GPL) is scheduled for public release next week, a move that's expected to kick off a long and vocal debate over the key foundation of open-source programming. GPL governed software includes Linux, Samba, MySQL and thousands of other open source projects.
The Free Software Foundation will release and describe the first public draft of version 3 of the document on Jan 16, at the First International Conference on GPLv3 at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
This may not seem like the most exciting piece of tech news, particularly given the fabulous string of announcements we have had coming out of CES and Macworld, but it is none the less profound.
For this is the first time that the GPL is being updated for 15 years. And it tackles key issues such as patent infringement and management, commercialisation, integration with other (open-source) software and public servers.
Modernising GPL is important for the entire tech industry and even for world economies. Over the next decade will see open-source projects reach a state of maturity and acceptance that will make them mass market solutions and platforms. Some even challenging the dominace of Microsoft. After all, look at what Linux has achieved in the last decade.
The Free Software Foundation will release and describe the first public draft of version 3 of the document on Jan 16, at the First International Conference on GPLv3 at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
This may not seem like the most exciting piece of tech news, particularly given the fabulous string of announcements we have had coming out of CES and Macworld, but it is none the less profound.
For this is the first time that the GPL is being updated for 15 years. And it tackles key issues such as patent infringement and management, commercialisation, integration with other (open-source) software and public servers.
Modernising GPL is important for the entire tech industry and even for world economies. Over the next decade will see open-source projects reach a state of maturity and acceptance that will make them mass market solutions and platforms. Some even challenging the dominace of Microsoft. After all, look at what Linux has achieved in the last decade.
Tuesday, January 10, 2006
As Apple moves to Intel chips Dell looks set to offer AMD chips
Right as Paul Otellini, CEO of Intel, was on stage with Apple's Steve Jobs at Macworld announcing that Intel Macs and Powerbooks were ready to ship, in another part of the tech universe a banking analyst was announcing that they expect Dell to be shipping AMD powered chips in Dell computers by year and.
Dell has staunchly supported Intel until now and only offered Intel chips in their computers, but in a sign of AMD's increasing power, it looks almost certain that Dell will soon offer some computers with AMD chips. Hey, almost everyone else does!
Dell has staunchly supported Intel until now and only offered Intel chips in their computers, but in a sign of AMD's increasing power, it looks almost certain that Dell will soon offer some computers with AMD chips. Hey, almost everyone else does!
Apple launches Intel iMac and Powerbook, new iPod and bunch of software
Steve Jobs has just finished his keynote speech at MacWorld. And he has sprayed the tech universe with a buch of new goodies.
First came goodies for investors. Revenues shot up over 65% to $5.7 billion for the quarter that ended in December. Apple sold 14 million iPods in the holiday quarter. "And it still wasn't enough," Jobs said. "More iPods are on the way."
Of the 42M iPods Apple has sold since the first model was introduced, 32M were sold last year. The company has also sold 850M songs via its iTunes online music store. And they have sold 8M videos.
Then Jobs sprayed the universe with product goodies. First came the FM Tuner and TV clicker add-on for the iPod and it also looks like a new and even more powerful iPod is on its way. But no new major content deals were announced.
Then Jobs shifted to software with a bunch of updates to their portfolio. There's a new version of their O/S Tiger with Google search bar and ESPN bar also. The iLife software pack has been completely updated with lots there for movie making, podcasting, music burning etc etc. Now you can even burn CD's to play on any player.
Next up was web services. Jobs announed that .Mac now has 1 million users and that they're launching a new web site building tool for dummies called iWeb, which allows you to build blogsites too.
But for the finale came the all important Intel Mac's and Powerbooks. The big news is that their available for order today!!! It will take a while before software gets upgraded for better uniformity, but the Apple translation package will act as a vital bridge.
OK, so we didn't get the Apple iPod mobile phone or the Apple wide screen TV, or even iTunes content deals with Hollywood studios. But, given that this is a Macworld event investors and customers alike should be delighted that Intel Macs are hear and much earlier than anyone expected.
So Mac fans are left yelping and investors too as Apple's shares jumped to new highs! Nice one mr Jobs.
First came goodies for investors. Revenues shot up over 65% to $5.7 billion for the quarter that ended in December. Apple sold 14 million iPods in the holiday quarter. "And it still wasn't enough," Jobs said. "More iPods are on the way."
Of the 42M iPods Apple has sold since the first model was introduced, 32M were sold last year. The company has also sold 850M songs via its iTunes online music store. And they have sold 8M videos.
Then Jobs sprayed the universe with product goodies. First came the FM Tuner and TV clicker add-on for the iPod and it also looks like a new and even more powerful iPod is on its way. But no new major content deals were announced.
Then Jobs shifted to software with a bunch of updates to their portfolio. There's a new version of their O/S Tiger with Google search bar and ESPN bar also. The iLife software pack has been completely updated with lots there for movie making, podcasting, music burning etc etc. Now you can even burn CD's to play on any player.
Next up was web services. Jobs announed that .Mac now has 1 million users and that they're launching a new web site building tool for dummies called iWeb, which allows you to build blogsites too.
But for the finale came the all important Intel Mac's and Powerbooks. The big news is that their available for order today!!! It will take a while before software gets upgraded for better uniformity, but the Apple translation package will act as a vital bridge.
OK, so we didn't get the Apple iPod mobile phone or the Apple wide screen TV, or even iTunes content deals with Hollywood studios. But, given that this is a Macworld event investors and customers alike should be delighted that Intel Macs are hear and much earlier than anyone expected.
So Mac fans are left yelping and investors too as Apple's shares jumped to new highs! Nice one mr Jobs.
BSkyB launches broadband and mobile download services
BSkyB, the UK's leading satellite operator has today launched a broadband movie and sports service and a bundle of news, reviews, gossip and sports scores for mobile phones. The services are free to Sky Digital subscribers.
Sky by broadband is a new service exclusive to Sky digital customers. It allows you them enjoy hundreds of films on their PC, including a mix of Hollywood blockbusters and classic movie titles available on Sky Movies.
Subscribers with at least Windows XP PC's and 1mb broadband connections will get a couple of Sky movie channels and a couple of Sky Sports channels.
Sky by mobile is another brand new service exclusive to Sky digital and Sky Bet customers. It allows them to enjoy sports, news and entertainment headlines and videos on the move.
When they sign up sunbscribers can catch the following on their mobile at no extra cost:
- The latest news stories and videos from Sky Sports and Sky News
- Live scoreboards, tables, fixtures and results of key sports events
- Weather forecasts from the Sky News Weather team
- Daily round-ups from the celebrity world, plus exclusive interviews, reviews and previews from Sky One and Sky Movies
- Check odds, place bets and manage your Sky Bet account.
Customers need to check that they have compatible GPRS or 3G handsets.
This is a big move by Sky and one we believe they have been building towards for a couple of years. Does this make cable competitor NTL need Virgin Mobile even more? It should do!
Sky by broadband is a new service exclusive to Sky digital customers. It allows you them enjoy hundreds of films on their PC, including a mix of Hollywood blockbusters and classic movie titles available on Sky Movies.
Subscribers with at least Windows XP PC's and 1mb broadband connections will get a couple of Sky movie channels and a couple of Sky Sports channels.
Sky by mobile is another brand new service exclusive to Sky digital and Sky Bet customers. It allows them to enjoy sports, news and entertainment headlines and videos on the move.
When they sign up sunbscribers can catch the following on their mobile at no extra cost:
- The latest news stories and videos from Sky Sports and Sky News
- Live scoreboards, tables, fixtures and results of key sports events
- Weather forecasts from the Sky News Weather team
- Daily round-ups from the celebrity world, plus exclusive interviews, reviews and previews from Sky One and Sky Movies
- Check odds, place bets and manage your Sky Bet account.
Customers need to check that they have compatible GPRS or 3G handsets.
This is a big move by Sky and one we believe they have been building towards for a couple of years. Does this make cable competitor NTL need Virgin Mobile even more? It should do!
Yahoo buys Webjay
Yahoo has announced the acquisition of Webjay, a Web site that allows people to publish music playlists online.
Webjay is a tool that helps you listen to and publish web playlists. MP3 players like WinAmp, iTunes, RealOne, and Windows Media Player can be given a list of songs to play. Most of the time the songs are on your computer, but they can also be on the web. Webjay is all about playlists of songs on the web.
Webjay users you can email a small playlist file to a friend, post it on their web site, or take it with them to work.
This latest small acquisition adds to the arsenal of social newtorking websites that Yahoo is building. Social Networking is fast becoming one of their biggest bets. Given the success of sites such as MySpace I'm not surprised.
Webjay is a tool that helps you listen to and publish web playlists. MP3 players like WinAmp, iTunes, RealOne, and Windows Media Player can be given a list of songs to play. Most of the time the songs are on your computer, but they can also be on the web. Webjay is all about playlists of songs on the web.
Webjay users you can email a small playlist file to a friend, post it on their web site, or take it with them to work.
This latest small acquisition adds to the arsenal of social newtorking websites that Yahoo is building. Social Networking is fast becoming one of their biggest bets. Given the success of sites such as MySpace I'm not surprised.
Further evidence of tech bull - Silicon Valley hirings way up
Further evidence of the tech bull market widening is evident as the overall slump in tech hirings in Silicon Valley since the .com crash seems to have well and truly ended. Ok, so things are not back to the madness of 1999, thank goodness, but they are impressive.
Yahoo said it hired 880 employees in the 3rd quarter, bringing its work force to 9,660 employees. That's up 38% from the 7,022 employees on the company's payroll in the same period a year earlier. This has been the busiest hiring year in the company's history!
And we all know that the likes of Google and Apple have been hiring too. But, yet to be revealed is that 2006 will see numerous start-ups and early stage private tech companies hiring more aggresssively as they get more money and leeway from their VC's and as they go after market share rather than profits in this rising market.
Yahoo said it hired 880 employees in the 3rd quarter, bringing its work force to 9,660 employees. That's up 38% from the 7,022 employees on the company's payroll in the same period a year earlier. This has been the busiest hiring year in the company's history!
And we all know that the likes of Google and Apple have been hiring too. But, yet to be revealed is that 2006 will see numerous start-ups and early stage private tech companies hiring more aggresssively as they get more money and leeway from their VC's and as they go after market share rather than profits in this rising market.
Sage to buys payments company
Sage, the UK’s largest public software company, has just announced that it will expand its US business beyond accounting products with the acquisition of payment processor Verus Financial Management.
Sage, which sells accounting and back office software and services to small companies, says it has bought Verus, based in Nashville, Tennessee, for $325m in cash from privately-owned Financial Technology Ventures.
This move looks designed to keep Sage ahead of the game versus the growing threat from Microsoft in fiancial management systems for small and medium sized businesses. Sage has always seemed a little slow to grow their franchise both in terms of products and disribution (i.e. internet services).
If Sage don't do more they could well feel greater competitive heat from both Microsoft, Salesforce.com and maybe even Oracle and SAP one day.
Sage, which sells accounting and back office software and services to small companies, says it has bought Verus, based in Nashville, Tennessee, for $325m in cash from privately-owned Financial Technology Ventures.
This move looks designed to keep Sage ahead of the game versus the growing threat from Microsoft in fiancial management systems for small and medium sized businesses. Sage has always seemed a little slow to grow their franchise both in terms of products and disribution (i.e. internet services).
If Sage don't do more they could well feel greater competitive heat from both Microsoft, Salesforce.com and maybe even Oracle and SAP one day.
Apple to sell Saturday Night Live skits for iPod
Well this could be the first little tit bit from Apple's arsenal of announcments to come cascading out of Steve Jobs today as he opens Macworld in San Fran.
It looks like Apple is to make select episodes of Saturday Night Live available at the iTunes store for download to a PC and iPod. I gues they'll choose the ones that Mr Jobs likes most?!
It looks like Apple is to make select episodes of Saturday Night Live available at the iTunes store for download to a PC and iPod. I gues they'll choose the ones that Mr Jobs likes most?!
AOL buys video search company
AOL has acquired the video search company Truveo as it seeks to make online video offerings easier to find.
The acquisition announced today underscores the importance of video in drawing visitors to AOL's ad-supported sites, an important component in AOL's year-old strategy of emphasizing free content over its declining access subscription business.
Yep, everyone's piling into online video right now. It sure will prove to be the killer application for 2006!
The acquisition announced today underscores the importance of video in drawing visitors to AOL's ad-supported sites, an important component in AOL's year-old strategy of emphasizing free content over its declining access subscription business.
Yep, everyone's piling into online video right now. It sure will prove to be the killer application for 2006!
Monday, January 09, 2006
DirecTV to enter wirless market
Rupert Murdoch, chairman and CEO of News Corp, has announced the group’s DirecTV satellite television arm is close to deciding a strategy on how to enter the wireless high-speed internet market, with a plan due within two months.
And it looks like they are willing to bet big and spend over $1bn to lay the infrastructure. They'll need to and fast or they'll bleed customers even quicker to nimble cable companies and fibre optic telco's offering triple plays.
It looks like DirecTV may even be one of the early players to bet on Wimax. It could be a shrewd move. Wow, News Corp and Murdoch are really getting aggressive about the internet. And so they should!
And it looks like they are willing to bet big and spend over $1bn to lay the infrastructure. They'll need to and fast or they'll bleed customers even quicker to nimble cable companies and fibre optic telco's offering triple plays.
It looks like DirecTV may even be one of the early players to bet on Wimax. It could be a shrewd move. Wow, News Corp and Murdoch are really getting aggressive about the internet. And so they should!
Samsung to take on Apple with hybrid devices
Samsung has come out of the blocks in 2006 saying that they plan to hit Apple hard. And they are throwing an ad campaign worth tens of millions of dollars to try and become the leading digital music player company by end 2007. That's one tall order and highly unlikely to be met.
But, Sanmsung believe they have a secret weapon: hybrid devices. So they are launching music players that also have satellite radio. Other products will combine a portable TV with a music player.
Samsung will also try to jumpstart the portable video market this year. Some portable video devices will be primarily video players, while others will be phones or MP3 players first.
They believe that video will be this years killer application. And they may well be right. So, added to Apples long list of company's coming after them (see sister channel BigTrends today for the iPod versus mobile phones), is Samsung, who is worth over $100bn. Steve Jobs had better have a lot under his sleeve for tomorrow at Macworld.
But, Sanmsung believe they have a secret weapon: hybrid devices. So they are launching music players that also have satellite radio. Other products will combine a portable TV with a music player.
Samsung will also try to jumpstart the portable video market this year. Some portable video devices will be primarily video players, while others will be phones or MP3 players first.
They believe that video will be this years killer application. And they may well be right. So, added to Apples long list of company's coming after them (see sister channel BigTrends today for the iPod versus mobile phones), is Samsung, who is worth over $100bn. Steve Jobs had better have a lot under his sleeve for tomorrow at Macworld.
Texas Instruments sells business unit to Bain Capital
Texas Instruments today announced it will sell its sensors and controls business to Bain Capital for $3 billion in cash.
Texas Instruments has been quick to state that they have done this so that they can focus more heavily on the much faster growing semiconductor business. It makes you wonder why Bain bought it.
Oh well, usual reason. Nice, predictable and stable niche, easy to wring out profits, bulk up and then go flog it to GE etc. That's the model (zzzzzzzzzzz).
I think we'll stick with watching Texas Instruments. Global semiconductors, now there's an industry full of risk, cutthroat competition, roller coaster trends and economic ups and downs. Wow, now I know why Bain bought the boring part!
Texas Instruments has been quick to state that they have done this so that they can focus more heavily on the much faster growing semiconductor business. It makes you wonder why Bain bought it.
Oh well, usual reason. Nice, predictable and stable niche, easy to wring out profits, bulk up and then go flog it to GE etc. That's the model (zzzzzzzzzzz).
I think we'll stick with watching Texas Instruments. Global semiconductors, now there's an industry full of risk, cutthroat competition, roller coaster trends and economic ups and downs. Wow, now I know why Bain bought the boring part!
Oh no, TDC offer hits snag!
TDC, the leading Ductch telecom company hogged much of the business press completely unnecessarily last year as they were the subject of a major buy out by a couple of groups of high profile private equity dudes. Finally at the end of last year it looked like one of the groups, led by Apax, had won and was to buy TDC. Thank God, we could get on with reading about genuinly interesting tech and telecom news again.
But, oh no, today the FT reports that the TDC deal seems to have hit a snag. Their largest shareholder, ATP, has thrown their toys out of the pram and has decided that the canny private equity dudes are being too cute and their (TDC's) management too generous. So, they've stated that the price isn't rich enough and the group should pursue an IPO instead. Oops!
Oh no, please agree folks, the thought of TDC hogging more press for an IPO in 2006 is almost too much. Mind you, to watch Apax etc just do the same in a couple of years could be even more painful for everyone involved. Perhaps a white knight might turn up after all. Shame, Swisscom would have done nicely.
But, oh no, today the FT reports that the TDC deal seems to have hit a snag. Their largest shareholder, ATP, has thrown their toys out of the pram and has decided that the canny private equity dudes are being too cute and their (TDC's) management too generous. So, they've stated that the price isn't rich enough and the group should pursue an IPO instead. Oops!
Oh no, please agree folks, the thought of TDC hogging more press for an IPO in 2006 is almost too much. Mind you, to watch Apax etc just do the same in a couple of years could be even more painful for everyone involved. Perhaps a white knight might turn up after all. Shame, Swisscom would have done nicely.
Vodafone and Sony launch new music service
Vodafone, the worlds largest mobile phone operator by sales is set to to launch the worlds latest online music service. And as Apple readys for their big announcements tomorrow at Macworld, they have to face up to yet another giant mobile competitor to their iTunes and iPods. This one may hurt even more than others as Vodafone have partnered up with Sony.
For Vodafone has just announced that it has joined hands with Sony NetServices for the Vodafone Radio DJ service that will offer personalised radio channels streamed to customers' 3G mobile phones and computers.
And the service will instantly offer hundreds of thousands of songs from major labels to smaller independent labels, sold via a monthly subscription.
But, it seems their real USP is personalization, which will allow customers to customise radio channels to their personal tastes by pressing a button to indicate "like" or "dislike" while listening to a song. If a customer presses dislike, the music skips to the next song, and Sony's classification will ensure that subsequent radio channels would avoid songs similar to those rejected.
Whether these personalization features are more gimmick than value, only time will tell. But Apple have just gained another monstrous competitor in the online music market. Vodafone will launch in the next couple of months to 6 major European markets and then roll out across 20 regions worldwide.
These mobile operator music services will serve to grow the overall legal download music market for everyone, but they also put enormous pressure on Apple to make big announcements tomorrow (perhaps even announcing a mobile phone iPod) and to keep innovating and leading through 2006. Even if just to keep ahead of a resurgant and more dangerous looking Sony.
For Vodafone has just announced that it has joined hands with Sony NetServices for the Vodafone Radio DJ service that will offer personalised radio channels streamed to customers' 3G mobile phones and computers.
And the service will instantly offer hundreds of thousands of songs from major labels to smaller independent labels, sold via a monthly subscription.
But, it seems their real USP is personalization, which will allow customers to customise radio channels to their personal tastes by pressing a button to indicate "like" or "dislike" while listening to a song. If a customer presses dislike, the music skips to the next song, and Sony's classification will ensure that subsequent radio channels would avoid songs similar to those rejected.
Whether these personalization features are more gimmick than value, only time will tell. But Apple have just gained another monstrous competitor in the online music market. Vodafone will launch in the next couple of months to 6 major European markets and then roll out across 20 regions worldwide.
These mobile operator music services will serve to grow the overall legal download music market for everyone, but they also put enormous pressure on Apple to make big announcements tomorrow (perhaps even announcing a mobile phone iPod) and to keep innovating and leading through 2006. Even if just to keep ahead of a resurgant and more dangerous looking Sony.
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