Channon

Is Microsoft About to Multi-Touch a Nerve with Apple?

Jimbot, you can delete "shipping", and your comment has merit. For MSFT, the issue is the thing actually working!

Google: 3Q Results Reveal Chinks in the Armor

Offgrid, I totally agree. And a profit that comes from sales during normal course of business. No leverage, no debt.

When the economy turns, Google should do very well. First in the US, then globally.

10 Ways the Financial Meltdown Impacts Tech

Regarding point #9, consumers cutting back on spending, this will remain a true statement in the aggregate, but may not extend to all aspects of consumer spending. As consumer spending has exploded this past decade, it has almost become a self-medicated antidepressant. Will "gadgets" suffer? Perhaps, but it was after 9/11 and during that recession that the iPod exploded in popularity, a nice little "pick-me-up" for depressed Americans.

How does this relate to this article? Smart investors know that missed opportunities are a lot better than being short and wrong. Be more careful about betting on the list of "negative impacts" than the list of "positives". Some of these stocks are already off more than 50%, a sizable haircut. There's more to gain by looking for the companies that are oversold than by betting on more downside. Long term, we all would probably agree that Google will eventually trade above $386, and Apple surely above $97.

Is Apple a Better Stock Than Google?

Past growth comparison is silly; Apple was significantly undervalued at a time when many thought it wouldn't be a going concern. Why not compare that period of Apple to Google when it was just Brin/Page's paper at Stanford. From an idea to $500/share is infinite growth, which it doesn't take a mathematician to tell you is a lot more impressive than 10-fold growth.

Looking forward, they both have tremendous growth potential internationally, hence the high P/E. Perhaps Google has less growth potential, but it also has less competition and better margins. Google has a more attractive PEG ratio.

Instead of this inane debate, why not own both stocks? There are not many companies right now that even have foreseeable growth potential!

Response to Larry Dignan’s 'Will Google Play Spoiler and Bid Also?'

I have been amazed at how few people weighing in on this offer truly understand ecommerce and the revenue structures of these companies.

The MSFT offer is a great deal for YHOO shareholders.

It's a terrible deal for MSFT shareholders.

I am the CEO of an ecommerce company. MSFT's problem the past 5+ years is a lack of vision and creativity. Buying a company that hasn't had a new idea in the same 5+ years does nothing to address that company. YHOO should JUMP at this opportunity before MSFT shareholders wake up and force Ballmer out. MSFT should spend 1% of that $46B to actually innovate.

(No direct position in MSFT, YHOO, or GOOG, but all owned long through index funds. And, I agree with your opinion that GOOG is a buying opportunity. Our PPC expenditures at GOOG are up significantly in 2008 YTD. And, we view that as a good thing.)