Oh my is Sony making a come back? Last week’s research done by electronics research firm BCN shows that Sony’s Walkman digital music player outsold Apple’s iPod in Japan for the first time in more than four years.
Why not check out the article where Sony walkman beats Apple’s iPod in Japan
According to the New York Times, eBay will announce the deal about it sell Skype to an investment group. So much for IPOing Skype.
Check it out eBay to sell Skype, Deal to be Announced.
Employees of Microsoft arent having a good start for 2009. There is a rumor that Microsoft is going to cut back on 17% of its workforce. The report states that most of the staff to be lay off would come mainly from MSN and EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa).
The timing of this cant be at a worst time, where most of the global economies are suffering from major recessions. Now it seems like might Microsoft is also affected by the financial meltdown or is it a fat cutting exercise?
Read more – Microsoft getting ready to lay off 17% of staff
Its reported that Apple has started selling unlocked 3G iPhones in Hongkong. This move is a change in strategy from an earlier strategy where the Iphone is locked to 1 service provider. I guess Apple realizes that Asia is going to be a tough when it comes to operator log, as its pretty much unheard off. Also locking subscribers to 1 mobile operator really sucks and limits the market potential.
“Apple has started selling unlocked models of its popular iPhone 3G in Hong Kong which allow users the freedom to select the telecoms provider of their choice.” – The Age Apple Sells unlocked iPhones in Hong Kong
News was out that the EU fined Microsoft 899 million euros for failure to comply with European regulators’ demands to end allegedly anti-competitive business practices.
Oh guess this is really bad news for Microsoft, especially with their stock prices going down due to the proposed buy out of Yahoo. Hmm wonder would this be a move to stop them from trying to buy Yahoo, as they are 1 billion dollars poorer.
Source – Microsoft Gets Fine
Nokia announces it would integrate Google’s search engine into its search application. This search application is used globally by Nokia phone users, which would offer fast and easy search queries via their mobile devices.
Other mobile device users should be able to access the search via Nokia’s mobile portal nokia.mobi which has a huge number of pageviews across countries where the broadband isnt that advance. The alliance increases Google’s exposure in to the mobile arena via Nokia’s network with 100 million monthly visits from 120 countries.
Now thats quite alot of users to sell mobile ads too.
Sources – Read more, Nokia Ad Business
Here’s another classic case of how technology can kill an industry. Polaroid a leader and innovator of its time, has decided to stop manufacturing and selling instant film by 2009. In recent years, the adoption of digital cameras have pushed demand for Polariod cameras down to the brink of it becoming nearly obsolete.
Now this has lead to the closure of several film factories in Massachusetts, Mexico and the Netherlands and cutting of 450 jobs. The company would now focus on Polaroid-branded digital cameras, portable mobile printers and many more.
The ironic part of this, according to Wikipedia Polaroid was an early manafucturer of digital cameras, with the PDC-2000 in 1996. Now what happened here? Lack of foresight, due to its success in instant films? It’s pretty sad, but that’s the price one has to pay for being caught pants down.
Facts of Polaroid
- Company Website: www.polaroid.com
- Founded in 1937
- Marketed Instant Film Cameras in 1948
- Where to buy Polaroid Cameras and films – Used Polaroid Image Spectra Instant Camera,Image Instant Film
Sources – Polaroid Pulls the Plug – The Age and Wikipedia Polaroid
Japan’s NTT DoCoMo is going to tie up with Google, offering its users the search engines power. Now NTT DoCoMo mobile users can enter search queries wherever they are. Google is going to benefit from this, as it tries to break into the Japanese market with the mobile leader. NTT DoCoMo controls over half of Japan’s mobile market, however it has been losing market share amid a fierce price war and hopes this deal would provide added features to its mobile subscribers.
Article Abstract
The move marks a strategic shift for Japan’s largest wireless operator by seeking a partner, as the firm has been lagging behind much smaller rivals in luring new subscribers in recent months.
For Google, the alliance will provide access to DoCoMo’s 48 million users of “i-mode” mobile phone Internet service as it tries to expand its presence in Japan, where Yahoo Japan Corp (4689.T: Quote, Profile, Research) leads the Web search market.
Source – Google Ties up with NTT DoCoMo
Soon to hit the world….
A world without the need for ink cartridges or ribbons replacement for your office printer, your photo printer at home….
Imagine printing from your mobile phone….
Imagine printing from your laptop….
Imagine printing from your desktop….
Imagine printing from your digital picture frame….
Imagine printing from your TVs….
Imagine printing from your digital camera….
All without a printer.
How is it possible ?
ZINK‚Ñ¢ (also stands for zero ink)….
Makes the impossible possible….
All you need is a special paper produced by ZINK‚Ñ¢ Paper, and zero ink printing becomes possible this coming festive season, when ZINK‚Ñ¢ begin selling the mobile printers.
Not only is it less costly to print your photos,it is also durable and it allows you to print as when you require. No more dumping the used ink cartridges or ribbons and worrying about causing environmental pollution.
Let the impossible become REAL….
and lastly a tagline from ZINK‚Ñ¢….
“Take away the limits – Zero Ink. Zero Boundaries‚Ñ¢.”
Ready for the possible ?
Please share your views, perspectives, critique via the comments. Thanks.
How are you spending it ?
Or are not you spending at all ?
According to McKinsey’s global marketing survey, 31% percent of the companies are spending on email as their digital advertising vehicle while 33% percent of the companies are spending on display ads as their digital advertising vehicle.
So how much are you spending your digital dollars ? If not, how much are you deciding to spend on it ? How are you spending it ? and spending it wisely ? Are you spending it for brand building, brand consideration or customer retention for your firm ?
Why are some firm slow in adapting in the use of digital-advertising or marketing vehicles or why are some firm not adapting in at all ? According to the McKinsey’s global marketing survey, 52% of the users reported the reason being having insufficient metrics to measure impact on their business through the usage of the digital tools. While 41% of the users report the insufficient capabilities of the firm in adapting being the main barrier. So are your firm not utilizing the digital vehicles because of these reasons or otherwise ? Is it because of fear of brand reputation on hand ? or ? If so, how are you planning to implement any changes ? If not, how can you overcome the other barriers in your firm such as structure, people, system or the corporate culture ?
With accordance to the survey, by 2010 the Web will play a key role in consumer purchase behavior, especially with 70% of the respondents stating they will be using the digital tools for building product awareness among consumers and 83% using it on the consumers’ needs for information search. The move will have an impact on every company regardless whether they adapt or not. Are your firm prepared for the move ? If not, what must your firm work on or change ? Change or extinct ?