Carlos Portocarrero

The Strange Case of Dr. Kindle and Mr. Bezos

@Lincolnpark: How do you feel about yesterday's announcement of the Kindle 2? Seems like a hassle to be updating this kind of device all of the time like a cell phone, but I'm guessing there's really no need if you're happy with the original.

Top Brand Names and Stock Returns

@ED K: You make a valid point, but the whole point of the WeSeed.com is to get people buying and selling fake stock. So yeah, the idea is for them to learn regardless of their stocks doing well or not.

Hopefully they can learn from their picks that do well as much as they can from those that don't. When they're ready to go into the real world, they'll be that much more prepared.

Top Brand Names and Stock Returns

Jake, I agree that simply "investing in what you know and love" is bad advice if you don't add some meat to it. You have to know the company, the management, the books (to some extent), and you have to do your homework. I don't think anyone would disagree with you on that.

But the study makes a strong point about the influence that brands have on stocks. Of course it's impossible to know which companies would be the top brands today back in 2000, but I still think the study makes a valid argument relating brands to stocks.

If you noticed everyone wearing an iPod or using a Blackberry before Wall Street crunched the numbers on these companies, you could've gotten in early and made a good investment in these brands/companies.

Is it a surefire way of picking stocks? Of course not. Is it another tool to keep in the arsenal, especially when it comes to novice investors scared away by P/E ratios and balance sheets? I don't see why not.

My Best Buy Concern

I totally agree with billdrummer. When I bought my new TV, I was tempted to do it online, but the thought of buying a TV without seeing it in front of me was scary. I went and saw it at Best Buy then considered buying that very TV online, but I knew if there was a problem the whole shipping issue would be a hassle.

At least you're honest about not knowing. I know a lot of people would feel tons of pressure to play it off like they do know what they're talking about when they really don't.

Is Wal-Mart Trying to Lure the Rich?

Oops, the articles are indeed there! My fault! I just couldn't see the hyperlink until I hovered over the text.

My Best Buy Concern

Thanks for the feedback! Interesting to hear back from some former BB employees. I'm all for saving time when I don't want to research the heck out of something I don't quite understand, but never if I'm going to get bamboozled by the company selling me the product!

I guess there isn't anything terribly "wrong" about it, it's just a time saver for some people that don't want to get bogged down in the details. Which I can understand.

Is Wal-Mart Trying to Lure the Rich?

Tradememe, the two articles I linked to originally aren't showing up, but they discuss how everyday people (but with tons of money) are buying things at high-end stores and asking them to be wrapped in plain bags that don't say "Look, I just bought a new bag at Louis Vuitton!"

It's just interesting how things are changing so quickly. Before, people saved those bags to show off to their friends how "well off" things were.

No longer.

Is Cutting Edge Technology Always Good for Business?

Yasir, I pretty much agree with what you're saying—I'm just amused that Sony and Microsoft continued down the line of better and faster technology in their hardware despite a business model that means they lose money on each system sold.

That, to me, is sacrificing sound business principles because they didn't have the creativity or foresight to make a move like Nintendo's.

Perry Ellis: Bargain Stock

That's a valid point... what else do you think of PERY besides that off-balanced debt load?

Is Cutting Edge Technology Always Good for Business?

Here's the link:

online.wsj.com/article...

Is Cutting Edge Technology Always Good for Business?

Here's a great line from a WSJ review of a new book about the development of the chip that drives the PS3 and the XBox 360:

"The lesson, lost on Mr. Shippy and Ms. Phipps, is that technical supremacy divorced from sound strategic vision is no virtue. It can even end up in disaster."

Check out the full review here.

Is Cutting Edge Technology Always Good for Business?

Sasha, I think you said it all:

"Sony sell graphics instead of fun"

But all gamers, even the hardcore folks who demand HD graphics and photorealistic interiors, want fun. That's what gaming is all about. There are scores of games that have been made with incredible graphics and all the reviews point out that, while the graphics are top notch, the game itself doesn't stand out.

Whether or not people care about that before they buy is another story...

Obama's Infrastructure Proposal: Stimulus Package to Nowhere?

And Yahoo had yet another article yesterday on five stocks that could get a boost from Obama's spending plan. They mention ITRI, PWR, FLR, WTR, and CSCO.

Obama's Infrastructure Proposal: Stimulus Package to Nowhere?

Wired has a great article on the perils of infrastructure spending. It looks like a lot of work needs to be done, so that's good news in terms of job creation. Corruption, on the other hand, is a little scary.

Obama's Infrastructure Proposal: Stimulus Package to Nowhere?

I think the title is asking if this will work as a stimulus package or not. In other words, will it pump up the economy or not. It might and it might not. Just saw that Jim Jubak mentioned Flowserve (FLS) in his Top Stocks for 2009 column. Why? 'Cause it's all about the infrastructure.