Johnnymack

Apple's iPhone vs. RIM's BlackBerry: Who Wins on Comparison?

The phone sucks? really?
What about 'fancy' functions, supposedly available for YEARS on other phones, but very hard to actually use?
CONFERENCE CALLS? very easy to do on an iPhone, or to add someone in to a discussion if they call during another call. Very crappy to do on FIXED tiny keyboards. You hang up on both people, get embarrassed, and vow never to do that again.
What about bluetooth earpieces? You know, when they're ON, but you put it in your pocket? I laugh when I see people answer the phone, hear nothing, and franticly fish through their pockets for the bluetooth earpiece! iPhone, with it's lack of fixed keyboard, is beautiful when your BT earpiece is in proximity! Three buttons come up on the display: answer phone, answer via speakerphone, or answer through Treo BT device. (yup! I had a Treo before, and the matching BT earpiece works BETTER on the iPhone than it ever did on the Treo!
Ex- Treo users are usually the biggest iPhone fans.

RIMs Latest Apple Apps Won't Catch on Well: Here's Why

OMG! Is it that bad?
Funny. I knew Apple had an advantage by just folding it into their iTunes Music (TV show/movie/audiobook) store, which already has millions of customers who bought billions of songs, etc, with accounts linked to credit cards all set to buy, from day one, and using software people already had installed and were familiar with.

The Battle Lines Are Drawn in the War for Mobile Developers

How can anyone beat Apple?
You need software for the masses, with an ability to sync effortlessly, or do firmwares updates, etc. Apple uses iTunes, which MILLIONS of people have installed TODAY. (I don't have a RIMM or Nokia data sync program on any computers in my home. Will they work easily, support what platforms, have any bugs??)
Millions of people have accounts with iTunes Music Store, tied to credit cards, etc. They've sold BILLIONs of songs since opening.
The iPhone works just like an iPod for syncing, Apps for iPhone download just like songs.
It's so rock solid I don't see anyone doing better!
I HAD a Palm (650?) and installed Palm Desktop software for OSX on my mac, to help sync data. I also needed something called a "conduit" for Palm, etc. I NEVER got it working correctly. It sucked, and that was mostly just for Contact info, not movies, music, photos, etc.

Nokia Is the Smart(phone) Bet - Barron's

< As smartphones become ever more popular among average users and emerging market customers>
...those users will likely buy a phone from a company whose devices they are already familiar with, like maybe an iPod, and whose software that syncs between the phone and their computer they ALREADY have installed on their system!

<Nokia has lost some smartphone market share to niche players Apple (AAPL) and Research in Motion (RIMM),>

which will likely continue and redefine those "niche players" as something other than "niche players".
And oh! NOK is coming out with a NEW model! wow! HOW MANY models do they produce anyway? All with different screens, keyboards, electronics, etc... all needing advertising dollars too.
See any elegance and MONEY savings over at Apple, by having one device (ok, 2 memory and 2 color configs) and also that one phone shares many parts (especially the expensive touch screen) with the iPod Touch !
Whose inventory do YOU want to be in charge of stocking parts for and tracking sales??? That's efficiency, that's economies of scale, that's MONEY

Apple: Great Company with Lofty Valuation - Due for Pullback

What's all this "payroll tax" interest? It's small change!
If someone exercises options, aren't they now dealing with stock sales, subject to Cap Gains tax, and that's it?
I guess if AAPL shares STAYED at $14, so the options were worthless, we would all be toasting to the tax payments we saved, right?
I guess every silver lining has a black cloud if you just take the time to look for it!
Also, the "3 reasons" insider sales are bad really seem like TWO reasons, as the first two are sort of redundant:
- It increases the amount of shares out there
-It dilutes the earnings per share

Do I really care how many shares are out there, except that the earnings are diluted over that number? kind of redundant, and grasping, as the author realized that "two reasons insider options are bad" just didn't have the "zing" that THREE reasons did!
So he padded the reasons.
weak.

Apple: Great Company with Lofty Valuation - Due for Pullback

junk journalism. Anything positive is already factored in the price, right? sure.
"recent strength of dollar" will hurt Apple's exports? give me a break! look at a 2 or 5 year chart of dollar vs Euro.
And I always love "Inside Seller" theories! "What do they know that we don't???" well, lots I'm sure, but if they start buying or selling based on inside information, their entire gain will be eaten up by legal fees and fines, and they will be having tea with Martha!
Hey! Look back at Ron Johnson (Officer), and his direct sale of 470,000 shares in Feb 07 ! He sold at $86 for a cool $40 million !
What did HE know??? I'm not sure, dut I guess he DIDN'T know that AAPL was going to touch $200 last Christmas!
So much for reading into Insider Trading.

iPhone Can Replace Laptops for Majority of Computer Users

It's like this.
Since the iPhone, I use my MacBook half as much, BUT I STILL need the MacBook.
It's a convenience, and can be used quickly where other solutions are cumbersome (boot up laptop, put in cellular data card, connect online to get new emails, versus get email through iphone)
New programs will only make the iPhone MORE useful and convenient.
Also , realize that there is a SAFETY, or vulnerability to the devices.
Desktop iMacs are relatively safe, especially if you back them up.
laptops are a bit more fragile and prone to damage, since they're portable, can be spilled on, or more likely stolen.
So not many people have JUST a laptop, they just use it MORE than the desktop.
Now, the iPhone has MORE vulnerability, as it's carried around all day, can be stolen, or dropped in a URINAL! haha! which probably hasn't happened to many laptops (unless it was on purpose!)
so...WAY too soon to talk about iPhones canabalizing the laptop market.