Orange Earth

Bob Snyder, Editor-in-chief of Channel Media GroupOur Keynote speaker. Thinking Outside the PC Box1

Outside

Thinking

the PC Box

An old lady who looks as if she is about to die.A friend who had once saved your life.The perfect man (or) woman you have been dreaming about.You are driving along in your car on a wild, stormy night. You pass by a bus stop, and you see three people waiting for the bus:

An old lady who looks as if she is about to die. An old friend who once saved your life. The perfect man (or) woman you have been dreaming about.

Which one would you choose to offer a ride to, knowing that there could only be one passenger in your car?4

Is the PC Dead?And how GRAVE is the situation?5PC SALES ARE DOWN

PC sales certainly haven't been good over the past year or so, but this past quarter was record-setting bad.Shipments of PCs fell 14% worldwide last quarter, according to IDC. It was the worst yearly decline since IDC began tracking the data in 1994.The drop in PC shipments was nearly twice as bad as the 7.7% decline IDC expected, and it marked the fourth consecutive quarter in which PC shipments fell year-over-year.Gartner, another technology consultancy, posted similar figures on Wednesday. The analysis firm said 79 million PCs were shipped worldwide in the first quarter -- the fewest number of shipments since the second quarter of 2009.PC industry titans have tried to innovate themselves out of their sales slump, but recent attempts have failed.Ultrabooks, super-thin notebook computers, debuted to great fanfare in 2011. But sales disappointed, and firms quickly slashed theirultrabook sales forecasts.In October 2012,Microsoft(MSFT,Fortune 500)debutedWindows 8, which received mixed reviews, andsales have been mutedcompared with past Windows launches.Bob O'Donnell, a vice president at IDC, said in the company's report that "the Windows 8 launch not only failed to provide a positive boost to the PC market, but appears to have slowed the market."He slammed WIndows 8's "radical changes" to the user interface, particularly the removal of the iconic start button, and intimated that the switch is confusing for customers."Microsoft will have to make some very tough decisions moving forward if it wants to help reinvigorate the PC market," O'Donnell said in the report.Microsoft and its rivals felt the crunch in after-hours trading. Microsoft's shares fell 1.3%, whileIntel(INTC,Fortune 500)andHewlett-Packard(HPQ,Fortune 500)were down about 1.7%.Dell(DELL,Fortune 500), which isplanning to go privateafter a dismal few quarters, remained flat.6

But not dead as a Dodo.

Remember the Netbook?7

And it is certainly true that the market is changing

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SIGNS of CHANGEThe PCs Biggest Defender is "Over the last 50 years I have studied and dealt with hundreds of companiesI have seen some awful things done to shareholders. But I have never seen a board conduct a campaign to demean the business prospects of their own company in the way Dell has during the past few weeks.

"My simple conclusion is that I believe the PC business is not going away, but the industry is changing."

Carl Icahn corporate raider or defender of stoockholders: $20 billionaire

What is Going On at Dell?10 July 2013 Marco Attard Vendor NewsBack in February 2013 Michael Dell announced a grand plan to bring a struggling Dell back on its feet--a leveraged buyout (LBO) worth $24 billion. However the past months proved complicated for Dell, as shareholdersdivisionmade efforts for Dell's privatisation difficult. But what exactly is going on within the Dell boardroom?Spearheading efforts against the buyout is one Carl Icahn. A billionaire with a 6% stake in the company, Icahn opposes the buyout. He demanded a "leveraged recapitalisation" (meaning a recalculation of the PC maker's value) back in March 2013 together with other investors, chiefly Southeastern Asset management, who argue Dell's going price ($13.65 per share) is too low."We believe management is intentionally emphasizing declining PC sales in order to justify its inadequate buyout price," a March 2013 Southeastern statement claims.Fast forward by four months, and Icahn fires another assault-- a letter with a very unsubtle title, "Why Does Dell Keep Attacking Its Own Business?""Over the last 50 years I have studied and dealt with hundreds of companies," Icahn starts. "In many cases, I have criticized boards and directors for blatant mismanagement and misdeeds. I have seen some awful things done to shareholders. But I have never seen a board conduct a campaign to demean the business prospects of their own company in the way Dell has during the past few weeks."Icahn accuses Michael Dell and his fellow Silver Lake investors of intentionally kicking Dell down, scaring shareholders to sell cheap in order to easily take total control of the company."My simple conclusion is that I believe the PC business is not going away, but the industry is changing," Icahn continues before stating Dell (and, by extension, its shareholders) can earn more by playing the patience game and reaping eventual rewards from recent investments in enterprise software and non-PC businesses.A presumably convincing (to shareholders anyway) argument, but Michael Dell also has an ace up his sleeve-- approval of the LBO from influential proxy adviser Institutional Shareholder Service (ISS)."We [...] believe rejection of [the LBO] would expose Dell and its shareholders to serious risks and uncertainties that will harm the Companys business and erode shareholder value ISS declares.ISS approval of Icahn and company would have kicked off the corporate equivalent of a Rube Goldberg machine. According to Forbes, first one would have to kick out the Dell board and its billionaire founder, and find suitable replacements. The replacements would propose a tender offer (at $14 per share) of up to 72% of Dell stock-- but an oversubscribed tender would turn into a cash-and-stock deal.No wonder it believes Dell does not have the time to deal with such complications... not for the addition of all of 35c on the per share price (even if, in the case of Icahn and his mega-shareholder ilk, so many cents would make up many, many dollars).In conclusion, what next for Dell? The board votes on the buyout later this month-- and the fate of the PC maker depends soley on which side the myriad Dell investors find most convincing. Michael Dell and Silverlake, or Icahn and Southeastern Asset Management? Someone call HBO, we're sure this corporateskulduggerymakes for excellent TV.GoWhy Does Dell Keep Attacking Its Own Business?GoLeading Proxy Advisory Firm ISS Recommends Dell Shareholders Vote "FOR" SaleGoDell Buyout Battle: Why the Icahn-Southeastern Plan Flopped at ISS (Forbes)GoCarl Icahn Steps Into Dell Buyout Fight (AllThingsD.com)

16Who's going to be in charge ofDell? What's the decision-making structure?How is Silver Lake thinking of value here -- cash in the bank, value of PC business, value of server business, value of other businesses?What role willMicrosoftplay? Will newDellget more aggressive in pricing, in R&D, in tablets/phones,etc.? Or will it pull back and just get run for cash and get less aggressive?

Big Questions for DELL

INSIDE DELL18

Googles Chromebook PixelChromebooks Go Touch, Premium27 February 2013 Marco Attard Laptops, Tablets, eReadersThe Chromebook Pixel has a number of firsts for Google-- it is the first to carry Google branding, together with premium industrial design and a high resolution touchscreen.Borrowing (the unkind might say "imitating") design cues from Apple's MacBooks, the Pixel features aluminium construction, black inset squared keys and a 13-inch 239 DPI touchscreen with 2560 x 1700 resolution and an unusual 3:2 display ratio Google claims is more web browsing-friendly.A 1.8 GHz Intel Core i5 CPU powers the device, together with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage (boosted by 3 years' worth of up to 1TB free Google Drive storage). Connectivity options include x2 USB ports, mini Display Port, dual-band wifi, Bluetooth 3.0 and a built-in SD/MMC card reader.Being a premium laptop, Google asks for premium pricing ($1300 for the wifi-only version), even if one has to keep in mind it still makes use of Google's cloud-powered ChromeOS. It will be available from the online Google Play store and select Best Buy stores from April 2013.GoGoogle Chromebook Pixel19

THIS IS THE CHROMEBOOK THAT IS SELLING.the under 200 range!Google's Chromebook : Acer's C7 for instance is apparently the fastest selling "laptop" on Amazon.com, no doubt helped by the $199 price point.

Chromebooks: Notebooks' Great White Hope?17 July 2013 Marco Attard Laptops, Tablets, eReadersAs the notebook market faces a dismal 2013 (following annus orribilis 2012) NPD says one device category actually shows growth-- , whose US sub-$300 notebook market share is up to 20-25% over the last 8 months.According to IHS 2013 is set to be a second consecutive year of decline for the notebook market, even the analyst says powerful yet affordable models carrying AMD (Temash) and Intel (Bay Trail) processors might "save the market." The analyst however fails to give mention of the Google-powered alternative.While we were skeptical initially, I think Chromebooks definitely have found a niche in the marketplace, NPD tells Bloomberg. The entire computing ecosystem is undergoing some radical change, and I think Google has its part in that change.The main driver behind the growth of Chromebooks is, as one can expect price-- Chromebook model (from Acer, Samsung, HP, Lenovo and Google itself) prices start at around $199 and peak at $300, making them more attractive to customer wallets than relatively overpriced ultrabooks.The only exception to the rule is theChromebook Pixel, a high-end Google-branded number featuring premium industrial design, high resolution touchscreen and $1300 price tag.Chrome OS also appears to be a draw, with regular updates and new apps allowing for increasingly PC-style functionality within the stripped down cloud-based operating system.According to Bloomberg Chromebooks even found favour at Intel, where around 1000 software engineers "spend at least some time" working on Chrome OS.Were seeing tremendous growth, without a doubt-- massive, massive growth, Chromebook head of product development Caesar Sengupta says. However Google declines to provide actual sales numbers.Has the little Google notebook that couldn't grown into a little notebook that could? With low costs, ease of transport and improving web-based services providing compromise between tablets and regular PCs, Chromebooks might turn into a bright spot within the global market after all.GoGoogle Chromebook Under $300 Defies PC Market with Growth (Bloomberg)

20Look inside Google

Whats on Googles Mind?..can only be described as Hardware Envy.

The Company That Wouldve Dropped Their PC BusinessNew CEO Meg Whitman saved it. Why?

Inside the PC/PRINTER company24Last year HP refuted Ozzies claim the market was entering a "post PC" era. Now they appear to be tapping his insight.

Post-PC Evangelist Now On HP BoardHardwarePost-PC Evangelist Ray Ozzie Joins HP's BoardJason Mick(Blog)-July 15, 2013 11:15 AM

Print7comment(s) - last bycfaalm..onJul 16at5:23 PMMove is a surprising one, given HP's relative disinterest in mobile

Hewlett-Packard Comp. (HPQ) has beenstruggling mightilyover the last couple years with stock plunging from an early 2010 high of ~$52.50 USD/share to a late 2012 value of ~$12.50 USD/share. Since that time, HP shares have more than doubled amid a general stock market surge and the steady leadership ofnew CEO Meg Whitman. However, one central problem for HP remains -- the company lacks any cohesive strategy for mobility, even as the market shifts away from the traditional personal computer.

HP has at times appeared defiant, insisting that itdoes not need mobile to survive. In that lightthe newsthat HP has addedRay Ozzie-- former chief software architect of Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) -- to its board may seem a surprising one. Just last year HP had beencountering claims by Mr. Ozziethat the market was entering a "post PC" era. Now they appear to be tapping his insight.

However the move follows recent direction changes at the personal computer giant, as HP has begun tosoften on its abandonmentof the mobile space. Afterdumping webOS in Aug. 2011, HP for a long time largely overlooked the tablet and smartphone sector. But earlier this year reports began to trickle out indicating that it waspreparing a new device campaign, leveraging Google Inc.'s (GOOG) popular mobile operating system Android.

Ray Ozzie [Image Source: Software Development Times]The first result of that new look was theSlate 7-inch Android tablet, which debuted at $170 USD in Feb. 2013. Despite that attractive price point, the tablet's much lower spec thanthe Nexus 7($199)ASUSTek Computer, Inc. (TPE:2357) has made it a slower seller than HP hoped. The tabletis #857in Amazon.com, Inc.'s (AMZN) computer device rankings, following a price cut to $144 USD.

HP is also rumored to bepreparing an Android smartphone offering.

In his new post, Mr. Ozzie will join the board's technology committee and the finance and investment committee. Under those roles he's expected to guide HP in acquisitions and R&D to make the company more mobile.

Former Microsoft exec Ozzie: 'Of course we're in a post-PC world'Speaking at the GeekWire Summit, Microsoft's former chief software architect also sheds little new light on his startup, Cocomo.byJay GreeneMarch 7, 2012 2:46 PM PST6CommentsFacebook8Twitter138Linked In30MoreRay Ozzie answers a question at the GeekWire Summit in Seattle.(Credit: Jay Greene/CNET)SEATTLE--Microsoft fights the notion that the world has entered the "post-PC era," opting instead for the more Windows-friendly "PC-plus" phrasing.But Ray Ozzie, Microsoft's former chief software architect, has little doubt that the world has moved on."Why are we arguing? Of course we're in a post-PC world," Ozzie said during a question-and-answer session atthe GeekWire Summithere.To Ozzie, though, the discussion is somewhat about semantics. Because, in the end, the market for devices that do general computation is going to continue to expand. And there's plenty of opportunity for companies that understand how to create devices consumers want.Microsoft just rolled outthe beta version of Windows 8. The operating system, expected to launch later this year, will power both personal computers andtablets. When asked what it would take for Microsoft to regain influence in technology, Ozzie said it all depends on the success of the new operating system."It's all going to be based on whether people buy the product," Ozzie said, declining to speculate on the product's prospects. "It's too soon to tell."Ozzie, who followed Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates as Microsoft's chief software architect,left the company in 2010. Prior to that, he created Lotus Notes. Gates once called Ozzie "one of the top five programmers in the universe."Earlier this year, he started totake the wraps off a new companyhe's starting, Cocomo. Ozzie has said little about it, though he's hired a handful of former colleagues who've worked with him on communications products at Microsoft and other companies.The GeekWire founders, John Cook and Todd Bishop, pressed Ozzie on his new venture, but were able to pull out only a few tidbits of new information."The thing I have done most of my career is communications," Ozzie said. "I like envisioning tools for new environments."He added that he's concentrating on mobility, and that he's focused on "cloud-based backends," as well as phones and tablets. But Ozzie offered little else about Cocomo."This company, Cocomo, is a handful of people," Ozzie said. "I'm really excited about what they are working on. But it's not time."

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The Reorganization of MicrosoftMicrosoft Overhauls, the Apple WayFrom left: Jeff Chiu/AP; Microsoft; Stuart Isett for The NYT; Kevin P. Casey for The NYT; Noah Berger for The NYTAmong the executives named at Microsoft in the reorganization of the company are, from left; Julie Larson-Green, Terry Myerson, Qi Lu, Satya Nadella and Tony Bates.ByNICK WINGFIELDPublished: July 11, 2013FACEBOOKTWITTERGOOGLE+SAVEE-MAILSHAREPRINTREPRINTSSEATTLE A couple of years ago,a satirical setof diagrams depicting the organization of Amazon, Apple, Facebook and other technology companies made the rounds on the Internet. The chart for Microsoft showed several isolated pyramids representing its divisions, each with a cartoon pistol aimed at the other.RelatedNews Analysis: The Challenge of Creating a Unified Organizational Strategy(July 12, 2013)More Tech CoverageNews from the technology industry, including start-ups, the Internet, enterprise and gadgets.On Twitter:@nytimesbits.Enlarge This ImageJustin Sullivan/Getty ImagesTo execute, weve got to move from multiple Microsofts to one Microsoft, Steven A. Ballmer, the longtime chief executive, said of the new arrangement.Its divisions will war no more, Microsoft said on Thursday.The company saidit would dissolveits eight product divisions in favor of four new ones arranged around broader functional themes, a change meant to encourage a tighter marriage among technologies as competitors like Apple and Google outflank it in the mobile and Internet markets.To execute, weve got to move from multiple Microsofts to one Microsoft, Steven A. Ballmer, the longtime chief executive, said in an interview.The notion of organizing the company around the trinity of modern technology products software, hardware and services is most famously used by Apple. It is yet another sign of how deeply Apples way of doing things has seeped into every pore of the technology industry.And in the process, some of the biggest technology companies are starting to look much more alike organizationally. The goal is to get thousands of employees to collaborate more closely, to avoid some duplication and, as a result, to build their products to work more harmoniously together.The current model is obviously Apple, given how phenomenally successful they have been, said Kevin Werbach, an associate professor of business at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. What Apple has been great at is creating these experiences.The changes at Microsoft, a giant in the tech industry for decades that has stalled in the last few years, echo similar moves at its biggest rivals, including some tweaking at Apple. Craig Federighi, who led the development of Apples operating system for computers, was also given oversight of much of the operating system for iPhones and iPads. Jonathan Ive, the industrial designer behind the slick look of Apple hardware, took charge of the interface of Apple software. At Google, the development of operating systems for mobile devices and computers was put into the hands of a single executive, Sundar Pichai, rather than two.Microsoft said on Thursday that it, too, would consolidate its major operating systems, including Windows, Windows Phone and the software that powers the Xbox, under Terry Myerson, who handled engineering only for Windows Phone before. The underlying goal is to create software with tighter linkages to power an array of devices, making it easier for people to use their smartphones, tablets and game consoles as adjuncts to one another.But Microsofts charges are far more sweeping and involve many more people. This is, in my mind, the biggest thing weve ever done, said Lisa Brummel, a 24-year Microsoft veteran who leads its human resources department, noting that the company has nearly 100,000 employees.It remains to be seen whether more cohesive teamwork, if that is what results from all the movement, will offer the spark that has been missing recently from so many of Microsofts products. The company remains one of the most lucrative enterprises on the planet, with nearly $17 billion in profit during its last fiscal year on $73.7 billion in revenue. But it has been widely faulted for being late with compelling products in two lucrative categories, smartphones and tablets. Its Bing search engine is a distant second to Google and loses billions of dollars a year for Microsoft.Rivalries among the Microsoft divisions have built up over time, sometimes resulting in needless duplication of efforts. Microsoft managers often grumble privately that one of the most dreaded circumstances at the company is having to take a dependency on another group for a piece of software, placing them at the mercy of someone elses development schedule.Product development groups will sometimes go to great lengths to avoid this, creating software like e-mail programs that duplicate the functions of other products at Microsoft. While its old divisions all had their own finance and marketing organizations, Microsoft is now centralizing those functions.Bill Whyman, an analyst at the ISI Group, said Microsofts promise to make all of its technologies work better together would be challenging given the sheer breadth of its product portfolio, which covers corporate and consumer products.That sounds right but its really, really hard to do, Mr. Whyman said. Maybe Apple does it with the iPhone ecosystem. Microsoft is proposing to do it over a much broader set of customer applications and uses.Amazon has already been trying. It has become a major player in devices, with its Kindle family of e-readers and tablets. Google tiptoed into hardware production with products like the Chromebook Pixel laptop and Google Glass, as well as the failed Nexus Q for streaming media. And Googles boldest and riskiest move in hardware was spending $12.5 billion to buy Motorola Mobility.The focus on the full suite of offerings has led several companies to rethink how they are organized. When Larry Page, Google co-founder, took over as chief executive in 2011, he shook things up at the search company, whose structure had become bloated and labyrinthine. To help the company move faster, Mr. Page centralized decision-making power with him, eliminating Googles former triumvirate of equal decision makers at the top.Michael A. Cusumano, a professor at the Sloan School of Management at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, said revamping an organizations structure tended to provide only temporary remedies.I never take these reorganizations too seriously, said Mr. Cusumano. Almost any reorganization is designed to solve current problems people see. Over time, other problems come up.Perhaps the most pressing issue facing Microsoft now is the decline of personal computers. Most of the companys revenue rests on the personal computer business, in one form or another, and that market is mired in a brutal slump one that Windows 8, the new tablet-friendly operating system Microsoft released last year, failed to reverse. This week, Gartner, the research firm, said second-quarter PC shipments fell 10.9 percent from a year before.This organization does not answer the following question: What happens to Microsoft if PC shipments continue to go down? asked Jean-Louis Gasse, a venture capitalist and former Apple executive, referring to Microsofts new structure.Other maturing technology companies have successfully responded to challenges in their businesses. In 2004, I.B.M. made a pivotal decision to exit the personal computer business to focus on corporate technology services. With its revamping, Microsoft did not announce plans to leave any businesses.One of Microsofts biggest changes is the creation of the devices and studio group, headed by Julie Larson-Green, which will oversee the development of Xbox hardware, the Surface family of tablet computers, hardware accessories and games.Mr. Ballmer did not say what other devices Microsoft might make in the future, but he hinted in an interview conducted over Skype that Microsoft could play a role in the development of technologies that make videoconferencing feel more natural, allowing participants to make eye contact.It takes evolution in the physical form factors. It takes evolution in the software, in the services, Mr. Ballmer said.Qi Lu, the head of Bing and Microsofts other Internet initiatives, will take over a new applications group and oversee the companys lucrative Office franchise and Skype. Satya Nadella, as the head of the new cloud and enterprise group, will manage the network of data centers that power all of Microsofts online services, in addition to Windows Azure, the cloud service he has been running for some time.Its not like our old structure didnt allow us to do some of this, Mr. Nadella said. The question is whether you can amplify.Claire Cain Miller contributed reporting from San Francisco.

REUTERS/Robert GalbraithMicrosoft CEO Steve BallmerSteve Ballmer isreportedly going to announce his plansfor a massive reorganization of Microsoft's corporate structure on Thursday.This reorg will shape the remaining years of Ballmer's tenure as CEO.In the past, he's told executives at Microsofthe plans to stay on as chief until his youngest child is in college, which would be around 2017, or 2018. Assuming he hasn't changed his mind, this reorg will probably be his last big structural change to Microsoft's org chart before he leaves.Drips of information have leaked on what Ballmer's planning, but much of the change is still unknown, since this is Ballmer's plan and he's keeping it fairly private.However, you don't need an inside source to figure out his priorities.Ballmer told the world what he's planning for Microsoftin a letter to shareholderslast year.Steve Ballmer wants to transform Microsoft from a company of multiple business groups working in relative silos to a truly collaborative company focused on "devices and services".That last bit is very big inside Microsoft. I was at Microsoft's headquarters a few weeks ago meeting with company execs and getting a tour of the place.The phrase "devices and services" popped up regularly.So, what does devices and services mean?First, let's explain what itdoesn'tmean.It doesn't mean copying Apple and becoming a vertically integrated company that controls everything from top to bottom.Sure, Microsoft released the Surface. And it has the Xbox. And it will do more hardware in the future.But that doesn't mean it's going down Apple's route.Microsoft wants to do a half-way Apple.It wants its partners to build top-notch devices that run Microsoft's services flawlessly out of the box. To do this, Microsoft wants to work more closely with its hardware partners, and give them a tight set of parameters for manufacturing Windows-based devices.In this way, it gets a variation in devices like Google has with Android, but with less fragmentation and bad user experiences.Here's Ballmer's explanation of what devices and services means from his shareholder letter:We will continue to work with a vast ecosystem of partners to deliver a broad spectrum of Windows PCs, tablets and phones. We do this because our customers want great choices and we believe there is no way one size suits over 1.3 billion Windows users around the world. There will be times when we build specific devices for specific purposes, as we have chosen to do with Xbox and the recently announced Microsoft Surface. In all our work with partners and on our own devices, we will focus relentlessly on delivering delightful, seamless experiences across hardware, software and services. This means as we, with our partners, develop new Windows devices we'll build in services people want. Further, as we develop and update our consumer services, we'll do so in ways that take full advantage of hardware advances, that complement one another and that unify all the devices people use daily. So right out of the box, a customer will get a stunning device that is connected to unique communications, productivity and entertainment services from Microsoft as well as access to great services and applications from our partners and developers around the world.If you glossed over that paragraph, stop right now, and re-read it. It's Ballmer's manifesto for how he wants Microsoft to operate in the next five years.Over the years, investors, analysts, and pundits have called for Microsoft to break up. Even today, one of the most respected Microsoft analysts, Rick Sherlund at Nomura, believesMicrosoft should be broken up. He thinks the Xbox division should be spun out, Bing should be sold off, and headcount should be reduced.Ballmer, clearly, doesn't agree.If anything, now, more than ever, Microsoft can use its multiple business groups to deliver high-quality computing experiences that rival Apple and Google.Microsoft's suite of services are probably the best in tech right now: Office, Skype, SkyDrive, Bing, and Xbox Live can go head-t0-head with anything Apple or Google offer.But, Microsoft is falling behind those companies because it hasn't successfully married those services with good devices.There are a few reasons Microsoft failed to combine its services with good devices.First, it's still suffering a hangover from when the Justice Department blocked it from bundling its services. That had a big impact on how Microsoft operated, and it's just getting over it.Second, it didn't have Windows Phone, or Windows 8, which are platforms that allow for all its services to be delivered in one unified experience.With Windows 8 in place, Ballmer can fit all the pieces of Microsoft together into the devices and services company he envisions.That's what his reorg should do. It should realign the company around his vision of creating high-quality devices seamlessly operating Microsoft's software and services.As for the particulars of the reorg, we'll find out soon enough.

Read more:http://www.businessinsider.com/why-steve-ballmer-is-reorganizing-microsoft-2013-7#ixzz2Z9wu4oWT

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by theTrefis TeamVALUATION HIGHLIGHTSMicrosoft Office constitutes 39% of the Trefis price estimate for Microsoft's stock.Windows Server & SQL Server constitutes 20% of the Trefis price estimate for Microsoft's stock.Windows Operating System constitutes 15% of the Trefis price estimate for Microsoft's stock.POTENTIAL UPSIDE & DOWNSIDE TO TREFIS PRICEBelow are key drivers of Microsoft's value that present opportunities for upside or downside to the current Trefis price estimate for Microsoft:Windows Operating SystemMicrosoft's Market Share of PCs: We currently forecast Microsoft's market share of PCsto decrease slightly to approximately 73% by the end of the Trefis forecast period. We believe that the new version of Windows - Windows 8 - will see at least as many license sales as Windows 7. There could be a downside of more than 5% to the Trefis price estimate if our forecasts fail to materialize, and Windows market share declines to 53% by the end of our forecast period. Other factors that could contribute to a decline would be the popularity of competing OS's such as Apple's Mac OS X, Google's Chrome OS, and Linux.Global Notebook & Netbook market: We conservatively forecast global notebook and netbook market to increase from around 221 million in 2012 to 290 million by the end of the Trefis forecast period, an average growth rate of around 4%. This growth is much less than the average growth of 24% achieved in the past few years. We believe the primary reason for this slow growth will be the advent of tablets, which could cannibalize sales of low cost notebooks and netbooks. However, there could be an upside of more than 10% to the Trefis price estimate if the notebooks & netbooks market grows to 550 million by the end of our forecast period.Windows OSOperating Margin: We currently forecast Windows OS operating margin to decline from about 59% in 2012 to nearly 54% by the end of the Trefis forecast period. Although the growth in netbook sales has increased Windows license sales, it has lowered the average license pricing, as netbook OS licenses are typically much cheaper than notebook or desktop licenses. This has caused margin declines in the past. However, the increasing popularity of premium ultrabooks could boost the average Windows license pricing, and thus its margins. There could be an upside of 5% to Trefis price estimate if it is able to maintain its margins at around 64% in future.Microsoft OfficeMicrosoft Share of Productivity Software market: We currently forecast Microsoft's market share of Productivity software to decline from about 94% in 2012 to 92% by the end of the Trefis forecast period. We believe that increasing competition from cloud computing players like Google could cause market share declines. However, Microsoft has released Office 365, a web-based version of its Office productivity suite to better compete with Google. There could be an upside of more than 1% to the Trefis price estimate if Microsoft is able to maintain its market share throughout. However, if Google is able to capture large market share at the expense of Microsoft, there could be a downside of 2% to the Trefis price if Microsoft's market share declines to 85% by the end of Trefis forecast period.Microsoft Office Operating Margin: We currently forecast Microsoft Office operating margin to decline from about 66% in 2012 to nearly 60% by the end of the Trefis forecast period. The margin decline is primarily due to the introduction of lower priced Office 365, as well as the increased cost of operating it. There could be a downside of approximately 10% to the Trefis price estimate if its margins decline to around 40% by the end of Trefis forecast period.BUSINESS SUMMARYMicrosoft makes money primarily through the sale of business productivity and operating system software. Microsoft's business productivity software suite, known as MS Office, is used for word processing, spreadsheet preparation, presentations and email. MS Office is sold primarily to businesses worldwide. Microsoft's operating system software, known as Windows, is sold primarily to PC manufacturers (such as Dell, HP, Acer), which sell Windows-based PCs to consumers and businesses.In May 2011, Microsoft agreed to acquire Skype Global for $8.5 billion in cash. This acquisition is the largest ever done by Microsoft. Skype is an internet phone company that enables phone calls to be made through internet for free or for a nominal charge. We believe Microsoft can use Skype to strengthen its enterprise, search and mobile businesses.Microsoft could make use of Skype by integrating its voice, video and sharing capabilities with Microsoft Office, as a way for businesses to improve collaboration. We think that Microsoft could leverage the large Skype user base to promote its search advertising business, Bing. Microsoft will also benefit from the integration of Skype into its own mobile operating system - Windows Phone 8.SOURCES OF VALUEWe believe Microsoft Office and Windows Operating System are the most valuable segments of Microsoft for the following reasons:MS Office Has High Market ShareMicrosoft Office has higher market share in the productivity market compared to the market share Windows OS has in the PC market. Even if users use Mac OS X over the Windows OS for their personal computing needs, Microsoft's Office Suite is still one of the best available productivity suites on the platform. Even as more competition enters the productivity software industry, we still think that Office is substantially better than competing products.Windows Pricing To DecreaseDue to the large number of operating systems in the industry, along with the advent of tablets computers, we think that Windows pricing for PC makers will decline from $55 to $48 per license over our forecast period. While Microsoft Office also faces stiff competition, we think that the overall growth in the global productivity software market will keep the MS Office revenues stable despite falling prices.KEY TRENDSThreat of Google Docs to Eat Into Office MarginsMicrosoft Office operating margins were around 66% in 2012.Microsoft released Office 365, a cloud-based software, to compete with Google Apps.Under the cloud-computing model, Microsoft would store Office programs on its own servers and deliver them to customers online. Although this is more cost effective for its customers, cloud-based Office software will cost Microsoft more when compared to supplying software that is installed on the computers and servers of customers. If Microsoft willingly ends up cannibalizing some of its own business productivity products, it could be due to fears that competition and mobile apps are a serious threat to its business long-term and would pressure margins anyway.Microsoft faces headwinds in tablet marketMicrosoft launched the next version of Windows - Windows 8 - in 2012 which works on notebooks as well as tablets. The company's new release, the Surface tablet has been hit with negative reviews. Since the competitive tablet industry has already established products such as the Apple's iPad and Google's Android tablets, Windows 8 faces strong headwinds as it tries to increase market penetration.Nokia partnership could benefit MicrosoftMicrosoft announced a strategic partnership with Nokia in 2011 in which Nokia will adopt Windows Phone 8 as the main operating system for its smartphones. In this arrangement, Microsoft is paying approximately $250 million per quarter to Nokia to carry its Windows OS.The deal also stipulates that Microsoft's Bing search will power Nokias smartphones and Nokias app store will be integrated with Microsoft marketplace. Nokia has a large presence in emerging markets, which is also attractive to Microsoft.Through the Nokia partnership, Microsoft not only stands to gain licensing revenues for its operating system, but also search advertising market share.Windows Pricing / Market Share Threat from Emergence of Netbooks, Cheaper Laptops and TabletsNetbooks and cheaper laptops took shape as a phenomenon in 2008 and have started to account for a increasingly larger proportion of the PC market since their launch. Netbooks are targeted towards price-conscious consumers and areused to primarily run web-centric applications like email and the Internet, where the OS requirements arelight. This has lead PC OEMs to be more willing tolook at lower- priced, reasonably capable alternatives to Windows, such as Linux. If cheaper laptops continue to be a bigger part of the PC mix, that trend will dilute either Microsoft's market share or its pricing and margins.Microsoft will also target tablets with Windows 8. The license price for Windows 8 for tablets will likely be lower than the average Windows license pricing. This could lead to a further decline in Microsoft's Windows license pricing.Growing Threat from Google AppsWe expect that Microsoft's Office suite will continue to experience challenges from hosted solutions like Google Apps, as well as open source alternatives, such as Star Office.Increased Marketing of Microsoft's New Bing Search EngineIn June 2009, Microsoft unveiled its newly-positioned search engine called Bing. Microsoft is believed to have spent hundreds of millions of dollars on marketing and promoting Bing, which is primarily why its Online Services division continues to be in the red.Piracy Remains an IssuePiracy is an important issue for Microsoft as software piracy in emerging markets is particularly problematic. The problem is grave in China, as some of its biggest organizations (and some segments within government itself) use a large proportion of pirated software. For example, Microsoft estimates that 84% of the Office software and 97% of Windows server software used at China Railway Construction Inc. is pirated.If the Chinese government fails to crackdown on these piracy issues, Microsoft will be left out of a lucrative Chinese market.SOURCESInformation sources include annual reports, quarterly filings, and quarterly earnings transcripts. Company filings are available fromthe SEC.

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Ballmers reorganization aims to deal with this.

Intel Appoints New Leadership; Sets New PrioritiesMobile is the new priorityIntel CEOBrian Krzanichand PresidentRenee James

Look Inside INTELby theTrefis TeamVALUATION HIGHLIGHTSNotebook Processors constitute 33% of the Trefis price estimate for Intel's stock.Server Processors constitute 28% of the Trefis price estimate for Intel's stock.Desktop Processors constitute 16% of the Trefis price estimate for Intel's stock.POTENTIAL UPSIDE & DOWNSIDE TO TREFIS PRICEBelow are key drivers of Intel's value that present opportunities for upside or downside to the current Trefis price estimate for Intel:Notebook ProcessorsNotebook Processor Average Pricing: Currently we forecast this figure to decline from an estimated $112 in 2012 to around $98 by end of our forecast period resulting from increased competition from AMD & ARM-based players in the future. However, if innovations such as Sandy Bridge can improve the average price for Intel's notebook processors to about $130 by end of our forecast period, there can be more than 10% upside to our price estimate. On the other hand, there could be an over 5% downside if the average price were to dip down to as low as $73 by end of our forecast period.Server ProcessorsIntel's Server Processor Market Share: We estimate that this figure will decline from an estimated 95.6% in 2012 to 85.5% by end of our forecast period. However, if Intel's server processor share goes down to historical levels of 75% seen in 2007, there can be a mild downside. On the other hand, there can be slight upside if Intel can maintain its current market share for the next few years.For additional details, select a driver above or select a division from the interactive Trefis split for Intel at the top of the page.31

Ultrabooks: An Idea Whose Price/Time Has Not ComeYet!Price drives the pace of how some things will happen, says Steve Dallman, VP Intels Sales and Marketing Group & GM of Worldwide Reseller Channel Organization.

Intel Wants to Stimulate Massive PC RefreshMarch 21st, 2013 | Author: Larry Walsh

To listen to Intel, the PC markets decline isnt so much a lack of demand, but rather a lack of innovation.

During the recession, businesses and consumers held back on purchasing new desktops and laptops to save money; they stretched their operational service life of their existing machines well beyond the traditional three-year refresh. The result: more than %00 million PCs that are between 4 and 6 years old, many of which running Windows XP.

At the 15th annual Intel Solutions Summit, executives of the market-leading chipmaker says theyre continuing to push new chipsets, form-factors and features such as adding touch-screen interfaces and voice-command prompts to more devices to stimulate PC vendors and white box builders to bring new product to market that are sold through the channel.

We have to wake up the buyers and make them aware of all this innovation, said CJ Bruno, vice president and general manager of Intel Americas.

The Intel Solution Summit is typically an event where the next-generation of computing components, designs and processor-integrated applications are showcased to the vendor, white box and reseller communities. This years event, held in Los Angeles, was more like an extension of the previous years conference in New Orleans, as there are few new products but more talk of Intel driving great expansion in ultrabooks, tablets, smartphones, and desktops and portable all-in-one PCs.

Of particular interest to Intel is the emerging two-in-one PCs, which are tablets with integrated docking stations that make them fully functional clamshell notebook computers. Already Samsung and Lenovo have two-in-ones on the market with more units coming; Intel says more than 16 vendors are preparing to launch new products in this emerging category.

With innovations such as the higher performance and thinner form-factor of the forthcoming fourth-generation Core processor, Intel believes PC manufacturers will start to produce more touch-screen devices running Windows 8, and Google Android and Chrome that will stimulate PC sales. Moreover, Intel believes two-in-one convertible computers will eliminate the 10-inch tablet market, driving greater adoption of tablets in the 7- to 8-inch range.

Were injecting innovation into personal computers and developing a new vocabulary to describe these products, Bruno said.

The PC market could use stimulation, as first quarter sales are estimated to slide at least another 8 percent. In 2012, conventional PC sales fell by as much as 16 percent as businesses delayed adoption of Windows 8 and consumers migrated to tablets and smartphones.

Ultrabooks, which appeared on the market two years ago, were expected to drive the PC refresh. However, their high prices most carry an average price of $1,299 have stymied sales. Intel believes a flood of new ultrabooks will hit the market this year, bringing average prices between $699 and $799. There may even be touch-interface PCs selling for as low as $299.

These things are going to happen. Price drives the pace of how some things will happen, said Steve Dallman, vice president of Intels Sales and Marketing Group and General Manager of Worldwide Reseller Channel Organization.

Of critical importance to Intel is the notion of a first-time buyer, a person or business that has never bought a PC. Intel believes there are millions of people in the market for a desktop or next-generation notebook computer to complement their tablets and smartphones; theyre just waiting for the right features and performance.

While Intel points to its innovations as steadily driving market acceptance of touch-enabled devices, it acknowledges that its taking time to raise awareness and get people to understand the potential of ultrabooks, all-in-ones and adaptive computing devices. The chipmaker believes new models and enhanced features in PCs coming out in 2013 will finally open the floodgates for a PC revolution.32

The Man Who Would be KingTim CookApple CEO

inherited his Throne.

Look Inside APPLEby theTrefis TeamVALUATION HIGHLIGHTSiPhone constitutes 48% of the Trefis price estimate for Apple's stock.iPad constitutes 13% of the Trefis price estimate for Apple's stock.Macintosh (Desktops, Notebooks, Software & Services, Peripherals) constitutes 10% of the Trefis price estimate for Apple's stock.POTENTIAL UPSIDE & DOWNSIDE TO TREFIS PRICEBelow are key drivers of Apple's value that present opportunities for upside or downside to the current Trefis price estimate for Apple:iPhoneiPhone market share:Apple's iPhone market share has increased at a fast rate from around 0.3% in 2007 to 8% in 2012, as per our estimates. Going forward, we expect it to continue to increase steadily to around 15% by the end of Trefis forecast period. The iPhones unique touch screen interface, and the intuitive and user friendly features are some of the factors behind its success. Also, the updated iOS boasts many new features including the much touted voice recognition software, Siri, the iCloud, Apple's new Maps feature and the iMessage. Apple launched the iPhone 5 in September 2012 and saw record orders. It seems very likely that the latest in the iPhone series will turn out to be Apple's best-selling iPhone yet. In case one out of five mobile phones is an iPhone in the long term, or in other words, iPhone's market share increases to 20% by the end of Trefis forecast period, there could be an upside of 25% to our estimate for Apple stock. On the other hand, if Apple iPhone market share increases slowly to 10% by the end of Trefis forecast period, there could be a downside of around 11% to theTrefis price estimate for Apple stock.iPhone gross margins:Apple's iPhone gross margins have declined in the past from 62% in 2007 to around 51% in 2010. However, Apple managed to improve its margins in 2011 to 55%, as per our estimates. Fierce competition with Android-based smartphones from Samsung, Motorola and HTC, as well as RIM, Nokia, etc, may have led to a discounting of older iPhones but component costs moved sharply in its favor to help Apple stem the decline in 2011. However, iPhone's margins seem to have resumed their declining trend by falling slightly to 53% in 2012 and we expect it to continue doing so gradually to around 34% by the end of Trefis forecast period. In case iPhone margins decline more rapidly to around 25% by the end of Trefis forecast period, there could be a downside of around 10% to our estimate for Apple stock. On the other hand, if iPhone margins decline to only around 45% over the Trefis forecast period, there could be an upside of 10% to our price estimate.For additional details, select a driver above or select a division from the interactive Trefis split for Apple at the top of the page.

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10 Years Ago We Wouldve Called This an Oxymoron

The Cisco Strategy36

Sometimes You Still End Up Back in a Boxthe Struggle for Control of the Living RoomMicrosoft Takes on Games, STBs with Xbox One29 May 2013 Marco Attard Multimedia - Home ServersMicrosoft unveils the successor to the Xbox 360 (released 2005), the Xbox One-- and positions the device less as a games console and more an all-in-one living room entertainment hub.That leaves the hardcore gamers feeling a little nervous but leaves the industry wondering: Can this Xbox One be "The One," the one device that pulls it altogether in the home?A sharp angled two-tone (half gloss, half matte) black box with industrial design reminiscent of a 1980's VCR, according to Microsoft Interactive Entertainment Business president Don Mattrick the Xbox One is, "where all of your entertainment comes alive in one place." And just as well, seeing how the launch presentation focused mainly on connectivity with TV STBs and media deals with the likes of the NFL (no details on a similar, more Euro-centric deal are yet available) and Steven Spielberg (who is working a TV show based on the Halo franchise).The box itself carries 8GB RAM, 8-core 64-bit CPU, 500GB built-in HDD, Blu-ray drive, 802.11n wifi x2 USB 3.0 ports, x2 HDMI, toslink audio (for legacy surround systems) and IR blaster. Spec-wise it all sounds fairly similar to the Playstation 4 (up to and including a PC-style processor made by no other than AMD), even if the XBox One offers a unique addition-- HDMI passthrough allowing the direct connection of cable/satellite/DVR STBs to the console.The package includes an upgrade on the Kinect peripheral, now with 1080p RGB camera and a CMOS sensor Microsoft claims is sensitive enough to measure heart rates just by checking blood flow around the viewer's face. Like the previous model, the new Kinect allows voice control (saying "Xbox on" turns on the an entire living room setup) and handles obligatory social duties.A Windows 8-style "Snap Mode" multitasking interface allows simultaneous Skype chatting and TV watching/game playing.Also on the receiving end of various improvements is a controller featuring "HD" rumble (adds force feedback to the triggers) and a 15% reduction in input latency.With Sony and Microsoft finally showing off the big guns, which company will win the hearts (and wallets) of the gamer and living room entertainment market? No one can tell yet, but we should learn more on both devices come E3 2013...GoXbox One

38More Technologies

Worlds First Immersive Gigapixel Resolution Display

The Reality Deck: a supercomputer-driven 1.5 billion pixel resolution immersive display with a 416-screen virtual reality four-walled surround-view theater.Worlds First Immersive Gigapixel Resolution DisplayMonday, 01 July 2013 02:59|Roger DouglasUnveiled late last year and now in full swing, Americas Stony Brook University in New York runs aThe Reality Deck: a super-computer driven 1.5 billion pixel resolution immersive display with a 416-screen virtual reality four-walled surround-view theater.The University claims it is the largest resolution immersive display ever built to be driven by a graphic supercomputer: not only the first to break the 1 billion pixel mark but also with a resolution 5X greater than the second-largest in the world.The entire United States population could each have their photo taken by satellite, and "there would be enough resolution for each person to be depicted in five pixels in color demonstrating the super-high resolution of the facility."Or you can just wow your clients by showing large gigapixel panoramic images like a 45 gigapixel photograph of Dubai or a 6 gigapixel Infrared telescope view of the Milky Way. The Reality Deck provides 20/20 vision (so traditional panning or zooming motions become unnecessary and obsolete) where users simply approach the display to see more detail and walk further back to appreciate the overview.The Reality Deck offers an "infinite canvas" where the user can walk around the Reality Decks 360-degree smart screen, never seeing the same image twice, exploring Big Data by walking through it.How do you build this Reality Deck?Take a $1.4 million National Science Foundation (NSF) grant and a $600,000 match from Stony Brook University. Then add416 high-resolution displaysAn immersive 4-wall layout in a 33'x19'x10' room with a tiled-display doorThe 20-node visualization clusterAt least 240 CPU cores -- 2.3 TFLOPs performance, 1.2 TB distributed memory80 GPUs for a 220 TFLOPs performance, with 320 GB distributed memory visualization applicationsSome large architectural models so you can work with a 40 million polygon model visualized at interactive frame rates22 speakers and four subwoofers in a high-performance sound system"This technology will be used for visualizing and analyzing big data, such as advanced medical imaging, protein visualization, nanotechnology, astronomical exploration, micro tomography, architectural design, reconnaissance, satellite imaging, security, defense, detecting suspicious persons in a crowd, news and blog analyses, climate and weather modeling, as well as storm surge mapping to fight flood disasters, such as Superstorm Sandy and global warming," says the University.It hopes The Reality Deck will make medical breakthroughs, discover groundbreaking new technologies and stimulate greater partnerships with industry that need the academic cooperation. And you dont need to figure out the Big Data on a high resolution screen to see that would mean a lot of new money for University researchThe director of this University facility was a pioneer in developing 3-D Virtual Colonoscopy systems: that proves that to go forward you sometimes need to look behind you.GoThe Reality DeckWatchThe Video of The Reality Deck in Action40

Out of the Box with CloudCLOUD41

Running with Monthly Reoccurring RevenueBe a Managed Services Provider42

Consumer ElectronicsSeiki sets a new low with a 50 Ultra HD edge-lit LED LCD TV at $1500 retail compared to $5000 for a Sony.Price Disruption: $1500 Price For 50 Ultra HDMonday, 22 April 2013 02:47|Bob Snyder|Residential Systems and Digital

In USA, Seiki sets a new low with a 50 Ultra HD edge-lit LED LCD TV at $1500 suggested retail.That may trigger a mass market for 4K Ultra High-Definition TV but Seiki Digital but it also adds pressure on TV makers trying to come-back from a few years of terrible losses.Seikis 50-inch is one of the smallest offering native 4K by 2K (3840 by 2160) resolution.Westinghouse Digital also has announced plans for a 55Ultra HD model at $3000 and a 65-inch version at $3995.Compare that to Sony in USA who just announced on April 7th their low cost bid: a 55 4K Ultra at a $5000 suggested retail, a 65 at $7000, and a $25,000 Ultra HD 84.This is the first such set to be introduced in the USA by Seiki. In an ironic twist, the Seiki push on low cost TVs is fueled by patent acquisition fromVizio, the American market leader in low cost LCD TV. Without the Vizio success, other low cost TV sellers might not have a role model (and therefore investors!) to face up against incumbent international YV brands.

43Digital Video Security

Hopefully with better brand name than this Chinese company44

WearablesHere's a brief overview of the wearable computing market:Market sizing estimates vary:According toIMS Research, thewearables market is poised to grow from 14 million devices shipped in 2011 to as many as 171 million units shipped by 2016.In amore recent estimate, ABI Research pegs the wearables market at 485 millionannual device shipments by 2018. We believe this number is too high because of the uncertainty surrounding eyewear and smartwatches.We see global annual wearable device unit shipments crossing the 100 million milestone in 2014, and reaching 300 million units five years from now.

Bracelets:Right now, driven by their aptness for fitness and medical uses, bracelets dominate the wearables market.Even if wearable computing doesn't go mainstream, smart bracelets will always have a place in the burgeoning industry for smart medical devices, according toIMS Research.We believe fitness and medical wearables, taken together, will account for roughly 60% of the wearables market this year, and even a larger share in the future.Smartwatches:Like fitness bands, they are employingwireless links invariably, Bluetooth to link up with a smartphone.But instead of collecting information, like most fitness bands, watches will display it.Promoters of smartwatches also highlight the fact that users will no longer have to constantlyreach into their pockets for a smartphone an action becoming more awkward as phone screen sizes grow.But we see the advantages of a smartwatch display over a smartphone screen as minimal.Eyewear:In contrast to virtual reality,augmented reality lets you see ambient information while interacting with the real world.The most ambitious wearableproductaimed at the consumer mainstream isGoogleGlass.Marketers see greatpotentialin Google Glass.They are already familiar with augmented reality since they have experimented withprint materials that are readable by smartphone applications and can create complementary ad experiences on-screen.

Read more:http://www.businessinsider.com/wearable-computing-new-mobile-markets-2013-7#ixzz2ZKehLF7Z45

Google Glass Never Saw This ComingGlassUp costs $399 to Google Glass at $1500. From Italy.Google Wants To Nip This Cheap Italian Alternative To Google Glass In The BudMEGAN ROSE DICKEY JUL. 17, 2013, 8:43 AM2,977iGlassUpSee AlsoGoogle Is Getting Closer To Releasing A SmartwatchWhat It's Like To See Through Google GlassThese Are The Most Compelling Google Glass Concepts We've Seen So FarItalian startup GlassUpjust launched a $150,000 IndieGogo campaigntoraise moneyfor its new augmented reality glasses.But it's reportedly stirring up some controversy with Google.In March of this year, a Google trademark lawyer reportedly asked GlassUp to change both the company and the product's name, claiming that consumers might get confused, the company says.That's a possibility, given that when I first read "GlassUp", I envisioned it as some Google alternative to the current version of Google Glass.In June 2012, Google filed trademark applications worldwide for "Glass," as it pertains to computer hardware, computer peripherals, wearable computer peripherals, and much more.But GlassUp doesn't seem to be too worried."We all know that augmented reality is expected to be big in the near future; we will have AR glasses, jackets, hats, whatever,"GlassUp wrote to CNET in an email. "You cannot own those words. If we develop a glove that sends to a PC the movements of my fingers (it's being done, as you know), we can't be inhibited from calling it a Glove, even if it's singular," Giartosio wrote in an e-mail. "Here is even a better example: we have read in the news that Google is developing a technological shoe. Do you really think that you will own the word Shoe for tech shoes from now on?"We have reached out to Google and will update this story if we hear back.In the same vein as Google Glass, GlassUp serves as a second-screen to your iOS or Android smartphone. It displaystext messages, emails, notifications, and more.But there are a few things that set GlassUp apart from Google Glass.For one, it's cheaper. It costs $399 compared to $1,500 for Google Glass. Though, the commercial version of Glass will likely be much more affordable than the current cost of its developers version.GlassUpSecond of all, they actually look like glasses, providing the wearer with a more discreet experience. The glasses also display the information closer to the center of your field of a view, as opposed to near the top right of your field of vision.Another big advantage isbattery life. GlassUp will be able to last for 150 hours on standby and for eight hours with constant use. Glass, on the other hand,has been reported to only last two to five hours. That variesdepending on how much video you record.Finally, GlassUp doesn't have a camera. That could be a good thing or a bad thing, depending on how you look at it. You won't be able to capture your life as seamlessly real-time, but at least the general public won't have to worry about you recording them every time you have the glasses on.You can pre-order the device for $399. At the time of publication, GlassUp has currently raised $21,206 of its $150,00 goal.

Read more:http://www.businessinsider.com/google-glass-competitor-glassup-2013-7#ixzz2ZKf0J5Ej46

The Process of Change48

Move too fast and without deliberation

Move too slow and without deliberation

BACK to the BUS STOPThe candidate who was hired (out of 200 applicants) had no trouble coming up with his answer.

He simply answered: "I would give the car keys to my old friend, and let him take the lady to the hospital. I would stay behind and wait for the bus with the woman of my dreams."

MORALE of the BUS STOP STORY

Think outside the Box. You dont need to sacrifice old friends or give up on family in order to grab hold of your future. In business as in life

Thanks for Listening!

Read our channel articles at:www.ConsumerIT.euwww.On-CE.euwww.IT-SP.euwww.MobileChannels.euwww.iChannels.eu

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