bluebox

Time to Start Buying Dips in the Technology Sector

From your keyboard to the big institutional elephant's ears.

Unfortunately, I don't think they'll be listening any time soon.

How Steve Jobs Lost Over $4 Billion

Matt,

Sheesh. I don't usually reply to posts like this, but when I see the Assumption That Someone Is A Cult Of Mac Person thread in your "reasoning", it becomes apparent that you've lost all objectivity.

1) Jobs is essential to Apple's success, like him or not, as well as to share<em>holders... (like me), and even options traders (apparently like you). If he recognized something was not right about the options grant and exchanged them for restricted stock, and was still able to avoid problems, so much the better. Shareholders were not harmed.

2) I don't care <em>what</em&... it was that caused Jobs to relinquish the options, conscience or otherwise, but <em>the fact that he did potentially kept him out of hot water</em>, enough so that he retained his position. Shareholders certainly benefit from this.

3) I never said anything about how "OSX can do this and Windows can't" or anything of the sort. You're the one who brought up the Apple vs Microsoft b.s., not me. Your insecurities regarding what OS you think is best is not a part of my discussion. I only care that my investments remain viable, and Apple has been that many times over. Let me say it one more time; Computer Platforms Are Not Religions.

4) Last, I have to ask you (and Mr. Wollney); Just how did Jobs "lose" 4 billion <em><b>tha... he never had in the first place</b></em... Stocks (and Options on them) are Pieces Of Paper. Worthless until converted into cash. Likewise, if you are handed Stock or Options, you've invested nothing of your own money, and therefore lose nothing if you don't sell or exercise them; you simply lose the opportunity.

So tell me, O Genius Options Traders Matt And Ray, please explain again, just how did Jobs "Lose Over 4 Billion"?

(Yeah, I have several Macs, a Windows and an Ubuntu Linux box. See, I do web development and don't have any Church at my workplace or home.)

How Steve Jobs Lost Over $4 Billion

1) He was a billionaire before this "trade".

2) He is a very successful multi-billionaire now.

3) Spending a billion dollars (as opposed to "losing" a billion) takes a very, very long time and isn't easy. (Even I know that, and I'm a pauper.)

4) Considering those options are a part of the ones involved in the past year's "scandal", relinquishing them for restricted stock helped him keep his job (and current shareholder value) intact.

The last point alone probably makes it the <b><em>bes... options trade ever.

So, your point is...?

Cramer's Bad Call On Dendreon: Real World vs. Television

Derek,
Your "Buy! Sell! Shout! Moan!" article, reproduced here as "Cramer's Bad Call...", is disingenuous at best. I've been watching his show for a year now, and once you get past the "entertainment factor", his approach makes more sense than anyone else's has in years. Many of his rules are not new, some are "controversial", but his overall portfolio record bears his successes out.

Arguing against his thinking on DNDN, BCRX, BCTE, or whatever is fair game. Picking out one of his "bad" calls and leveling the attack of "picking stocks based on listening to Jim Cramer yell about them is a fool's game" is just wrong-headed. He's not always going to be right, but he's been right more than most, perhaps you, even. It's his methods that you need to listen to, not necessarily his picks. Anyone who buys a stock the day he mentions it instead of waiting for a good entry point (unless he says otherwise), and then doesn't do the homework to figure out why it's a trade or investment is just asking for trouble.

I've learned more useful things from Cramer in the past year (and have made more money) than from any other source in my 44 years of life. Yes, he <em>will</em&... get many calls wrong, but he will get many more right because of the way he approaches trades and investments. I have profits from following his advice to prove it, but I guess you'd dispute that as well.

The Secret Behind Apple's Loyal Customer Base

Another well-thought article by Mr. Howe.

I proved Carl's point by recently purchasing a Mac Pro to replace my 6 year old dual G4 (good ol' machine), and really had no need to go beyond the $2499 "standard configuration" Apple offers. Excellent performance for the price, choice made, go home, be happy. Then, just for kicks, I went to Dell's and HP's site to configure as similar a workstation as possible; not easy. The Dell Precision 690 was $3183; $3857 for the HP xw6400. <em>Very</em&... happy now! (Actually, Dell's total was $3412 which included their flat panel monitor, which you <em>cannot</e... remove from the order!? HP's did <em>not</em&g... include a monitor!)

The confusing myriad of models on the Dell and HP sites exemplify the Paradox of Choice. You'd wonder if you made all the right decisions, let a lone the right configuration choices!

Jobs addressed this problem at Apple upon his return; something like 15 models of Centris, Performa, Quadra, PowerMac -- too much! If Dell and HP followed that example, they would become more profitable -- and retain happier customers. At least until their Windows system clabbers up... in four months. ;)

PC Purchasing Trends: A Snapshot of the Biggest Winners and Losers

Yep, agreed -- anticipated updates to the desktops, a bump from buyers waiting for Adobe CS3, Leopard on the horizon... all good reasons for the slight pullback in sales. (They'll still beat the Q2 numbers easily.)

I'd wait until July/August to see more realistic numbers, including the back-to-school ramp-up. I doubt Gateway is on many students' radar anyway.