dsrtwriter

Verizon: iDon’t Not Want the iPhone

Verizon should stop the "there's a map for that" ads. Obviously a slam at the iPhone and usually negativity does not work.

The fact that they are mimicking the "app for that" phrase means that they want the iphone. It would be a win/win for Verizon and Apple.
Hopefully they will see it that way. I have not traded up my three year old LG Verizon flip phone and I won't until Verizon gets the iphone.

How Apple's Market Share Will Propel Stock to $500, Part 1

Really what we are seeing is Apple's move in the past few years from a computer company to an information lifestyle company which seeks real breakthroughs in technology, but more importantly pays homage to the Industrial Design of Raymond Loewy.

Jobs knows that the "look and feel" of a product is critical. Of course consumers expect breakthrough innovation from Apple.

But is the "experience" of the product that builds the brand loyalty.
Consumers learn to trust Apple, to take the leap to a new offering, and rather than be disappointed, the consumer is usually seen to be rapidly trading up as Apple follows on the initial product launch with improvements.

Steve Jobs has in many ways returned to the industrial design roots of the thirties and mid fifties, taking the "edges" off of the computer boxes, the Ipods,the Iphones and laptops.

Who ,three years ago, would have ever thought that Apple, with no experience in the cell phone business, could create a product superior to most phones built by the titans such as Nokia?

So who knows what the future price will be, and who cares. The reality is that Apple has learned from failures such as the Lisa computer and the Newton, built upon them, and tests boundaries.
That will lead to a long growth curve, and moreover, if you look at the laptops the young people are carrying, with Ipods plugged in to earphones, the future of Apple is very secure in all economic cycles.

Should Starbucks Have Been More Cost Conscious During the Boom?

I certainly believe that Starbucks has leverage here with landlords and should use it. A Starbucks is a traffic driver to any upscale strip shopping area, and should command a lower rent than its neighbors.
The one positive Starbucks has usually done is to insist on attractive architectural design for the stores it develops. If I were them I would insist on a 25% cut or else leave a location.

With real estate down, Starbucks should consider actually purchasing premium locations. Maybe even buying out a location from a strapped landlord.

Dell's Perplexing Strategy

In our government institution, we use Dell Optiplex 745's at our workstations. We call them "disposable Dells" since we are always replacing them every six months after they slow down or crash.

We literally sometimes have pallet loads of these computers at the loading dock. Dell workstations have become the Bic pens of our era.

Apple Downgraded: Despite Recent Rally, Headwinds Loom

Too many Kool Aid drinkers on this one. Great company, but be careful,buyers.

A Good Time to Buy Apple

Apple will be a buy at $55. $30 for the cash and $25 for the company.

It is a tough market, and Apple, though great, is not immune.

I would buy a netbook right now but.......they don't have one.

Netbooks Hardly Mean Doomsday for Apple

A stylish netbook is going to be a new big winner for Apple. We will buy Macbooks and Macnetbooks, not just one.

Will Apple End Up Selling a Netbook?

I only wish Apple were more proactive and got into netbooks now. Many people who are "net oriented" and do not plan to carry around a laptop are going to the netbooks.

Apple is missing the fact that, like the iPod, a "Mcnetbook" could be tapping this market right now, introducing former PC users to the Mac experience at the netbook level, which in fact might indeed lead many of them to switch over to Mac for their home use.

the current availability of PC only netbooks only reinforces Windows/PC use, and even forces some of us Mac people to get a PC netbook.

So I think Apple is being far too cautious.When you worry that a new hot market will cannibalize an established market, that is a retrograde viewpoint that always loses.

Come on, Steve Jobs, get the Macnetbooks out now, give those PC people a taste of MAC industrial design and software, and odds are you will win more people over permanently to Apple.

As for the iphone, it is a different niche. Personally, I want an almost full sized keyboard, similar to what HP has in its netbook. The i phone may be complementary, but is not a substitute for a Mac netbook.

Consumer Spending Outlook Is 'Grim'

One problem with the consumer driven economy has been that it is not based upon a healthy manufacturing sector foundation.Those consumers whose incomes have been based upon service industries or government have for years flocked to low priced imports.A quick bonus for the consumer with long term pain for the country.

The fact is that companies like HP and Apple generate a relatively few decent jobs in this country. We have not yet realized that much of our work force needs assembly jobs which have been lost to Asia. Our transition to a service economy has in reality been a downmarket shift to second world status. It just takes a few years to realize it, and now we are seeing it.

That is not going to happen until we reconsider so called "free trade" policies to factor in how we are going to incentivize companies not to ship work overseas.

Cramer's Mad Money - Cramer's Lovin' McDonald's (1/26/09)

"McDonalds is even creaming Starbucks" . Come on. Sure Starbucks has its problems,primarily overexpansion and was probably overly generous offering health care coverage to even part time employees, and I get tired of Starbucks obsession with all things Africa, from music CDs to novels.

But having said that, I go to McDonalds sometimes to get a burger and fries and bring it home. I don't enjoy the plastic furniture, the kids and their single moms in the "playplace". Their food is a good value as take out.

For coffee, you are not going to find me or many other Starbucks customers fleeing to the horrid atmosphere of a McDonalds. I like to get some reading done; the price of an espresso at Starbucks is a good deal for me, since I truly use Starbucks as the "third place" to spend a little wind down time.

As usual, Cramer overhypes and exaggerates.

Apple and Google: Changing My Mind

I will give Apple a $20 dollar premium over its cash holdings, which would put a buy price in the $45-48 range.In this declining economy, I think that is as generous a premium as you can give.

Chinese Market Annihilated - Cramer's Lightning Round (9/24/08)

He doesn't like the business model for NYX, but he loved it when the price was in the 90s over a year ago-again he feels "bad" about it.

I use him now as a contrarian indicator.Maybe NYX is not a "buy" right now, but I hold some an at these values and might as well keep holding it. Nice try Cramer.
the NYSE and Euro exchanges are not going away.

How Would Lehman's Liquidation Affect Its Top Holdings?

Nice partisan try, willking. Probably a good reason for SA comments to stay away from party stuff. This is a bipartisan reaming of the investor.
As you may know and ignore, the biggest obstacle to auditing and oversight of Fannie Mae and Freddy Mac was the Democrat powerful in Congress controlling the committees- Barney Frank ,Chris Dodd and others. They fought any attempts in the past to scrutinize these failed institutions.

And as you choose to ignore, Fanny Mae was a major contributor to Obama. Obama is just another articulate and attractive face on the old Chicago political machine. To expect him to "lead us into prosperity and allow the nation to shine again" ranks right along with Oprah's coronation of Barry as the "chosen one".

Failing societies always look for a Messiah, and we have descended to that level.

Let's get back pertinent investor comments. The election will happen,one way or another.

June '08: A Stock Picker's Environment

the market is usually right. When you have that much money parked at three percent, the concern is not the 6 percent inflation but the potential of a 10-20 percent drop in the price of equities.Sure,POT and other favorites which are now totally discovered are buys at some price, but at what price? That is the question so difficult to assess.

The market is parking money for a reason; it is telling us that the future may not be so rosy for some time, and ready cash for purchasing discounted equities beats riding the hot names downward.