TwoFingerPoi

Cell Phone Companies: Will ARPU, Multiples Fall as Users Cut Back?

Laid off and thus not traveling as much, I dropped my Blackberry data service ($30/mo) for basic voice and text. Also dropped our family plan from 1400 to 700 minutes ($20/mo) since we rarely used all those minutes. We may yet pay the ETF on two iPhones ($175/ea) and drop AT&T altogether.

Alternatives to contracts are emerging that are attractive options. $50-70/mo for unlimited voice, text and data, with improving device options. While there is some sticker shock to unsubsidized devices, they are unlocked and have some portability between carriers. An interesting MVNO is Zero1, which is using AT&T 3G wholesale, and will be offering $70/mo pre-paid unlimited plan with Google Android devices.

Why Oracle Dividends Are Good for Tech

Clearly this is a important step for the maturing technology sector. While one could argue that cash is useful to help finance acquisitions, especially when stock prices are depressed, there is a lot of cash sitting with companies like AAPL that I don't believe is required to fund acquisitions since they haven't tended to be acquisitive anyway. CSCO could and should use it's hoard of cash for acquisitions and expansion, as we're seeing with the blade server initiative. So, I would think that the Boards of some of these firms consider the potential uses of cash, including the discipline of dividends.

Gaming Outlook: Multi-Player Online, Used Games Gain in Popularity

My youngest son, 12 years old, is a big fan of WoW but spends as much time with the Nexon game, Mabinogi, which has a great business model in which the core MMO game is free with microtransactions for game enhancements. I am constantly being hounded for Nexon game cards from 7-11.

Time for Cisco to Make Some Acquisitions?

Software that expands further into new markets related to the data center. The blade server initiative in partnership with VMware and BMC is a program that is very strategic that would benefit from supporting acquisitions. I think a larger acquisition is possible to support this initiative and BMC is a likely target.

The Google Phone: It's Not Just About Google

Google continues to expand it's brand and reach. While the Android phone itself will not bring revenues to GOOG, the ability to prominently place it's brand in front of more eyeballs certainly will.

As for HTC, they have a long way to go to establish themselves as a household brand in the USA. However, Haier also was a unknown manufacturer that is making a name for itself in US consumer products, starting with small refrigerators for chilling your wine collection.