sleepy's Comments RSS Syndication from SeekingAlpha.com http://seekingalpha.comuser/83649/comments http://seekingalpha.com/article/173099-is-nintendo-the-apple-of-steve-jobs-eye?source=feed#comment-759288 759288 Fri, 13 Nov 2009 15:46:22 -0500 http://seekingalpha.com/article/173008-why-research-in-motion-is-a-takeover-target?source=feed#comment-758780 758780
Sorry, but it's not about devices, or even OS's (although you need both). Remember CPM/86 or OS/2? Or even the old Mac OS. They all looked like winners at one time, but were beaten from behind by a poorer product. And all those early iPhone comparisons saying something else was better, faster, cheaper or had more features. But people bought iPhones anyway.

Everybody does mobile messaging well enough now. RIM should sell to the first offer, but it's probably too late already. RIM's fallback task is to hold on to enough revenue for 5-10 years while it finds a new place. But I doubt if the management has that creativity in them, as Apple didn't before SJ's return. ]]> Fri, 13 Nov 2009 11:36:18 -0500
Sorry, but it's not about devices, or even OS's (although you need both). Remember CPM/86 or OS/2? Or even the old Mac OS. They all looked like winners at one time, but were beaten from behind by a poorer product. And all those early iPhone comparisons saying something else was better, faster, cheaper or had more features. But people bought iPhones anyway.

Everybody does mobile messaging well enough now. RIM should sell to the first offer, but it's probably too late already. RIM's fallback task is to hold on to enough revenue for 5-10 years while it finds a new place. But I doubt if the management has that creativity in them, as Apple didn't before SJ's return. ]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/167471-apple-may-find-itself-at-risk-in-legacy-core-business?source=feed#comment-721866 721866
How does this desirable "poised" state occupied by Google and Microsoft have any significance to Apple or its customers?

What exactly is "proprietary" about anything an Apple customer is tied to? Not video, audio, pictures, mail, calendar, address book. It's Microsoft that's proprietary and near universal, but Apple also takes the trouble to buy licenses and interoperate out of the box with Microsoft's proprietary Office, Exchange and and SMB. All built on an open source OS foundation.

Even the iPhone App store is open to all. But it does guarantee that the provenance of your software is traceable, and that the performance and battery life of your gadget is predictable. If you think Android is so open, how can it be that Android phones are even carrier locked at all? And wait till you see what you can and can't do with a Verizon Android phone.

These are all design decisions made by Apple, and they are proving to be the right ones.]]> Tue, 20 Oct 2009 08:52:16 -0400
How does this desirable "poised" state occupied by Google and Microsoft have any significance to Apple or its customers?

What exactly is "proprietary" about anything an Apple customer is tied to? Not video, audio, pictures, mail, calendar, address book. It's Microsoft that's proprietary and near universal, but Apple also takes the trouble to buy licenses and interoperate out of the box with Microsoft's proprietary Office, Exchange and and SMB. All built on an open source OS foundation.

Even the iPhone App store is open to all. But it does guarantee that the provenance of your software is traceable, and that the performance and battery life of your gadget is predictable. If you think Android is so open, how can it be that Android phones are even carrier locked at all? And wait till you see what you can and can't do with a Verizon Android phone.

These are all design decisions made by Apple, and they are proving to be the right ones.]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/165150-at-t-oks-voip-for-the-iphone-too-bad-google-voice-isn-t-voip?source=feed#comment-706751 706751 Wed, 07 Oct 2009 09:39:15 -0400 http://seekingalpha.com/article/164060-the-end-of-exclusive-how-apple-plans-to-grow-market-share?source=feed#comment-697000 697000
Apple have created a product in its own generic market space, which is a business proposition for a carrier very similar to a basic voice+SMS phone, except for the higher ARPU it generates. It thus offers large and immediate growth for the carriers out of the saturated voice market. Apple's largest current business is selling growth to the carriers.]]> Wed, 30 Sep 2009 12:47:09 -0400
Apple have created a product in its own generic market space, which is a business proposition for a carrier very similar to a basic voice+SMS phone, except for the higher ARPU it generates. It thus offers large and immediate growth for the carriers out of the saturated voice market. Apple's largest current business is selling growth to the carriers.]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/162313-google-releases-a-nuke-apple-wont-win-this-fight?source=feed#comment-684945 684945
If Google can show they asked Apple "can we revise and resubmit", and Apple said "no, the app is unacceptable in any form", then yes, Apple lied. Otherwise, don't take it personally, it's just business.

Whatever you think is going on, sooner or later a stake will be driven through the heart of the mobile voice cartels, and both Google and Apple will be big winners when it happens.]]> Mon, 21 Sep 2009 11:41:41 -0400
If Google can show they asked Apple "can we revise and resubmit", and Apple said "no, the app is unacceptable in any form", then yes, Apple lied. Otherwise, don't take it personally, it's just business.

Whatever you think is going on, sooner or later a stake will be driven through the heart of the mobile voice cartels, and both Google and Apple will be big winners when it happens.]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/162313-google-releases-a-nuke-apple-wont-win-this-fight?source=feed#comment-684914 684914
Secondly, it doesn't matter if Apple's process included a flat out rejection. Their openly published FCC plainly told Google and us that revision and resubmission (like any other developer) is what Apple expects, with some prospect of being successful.

Thirdly, this isn't a serious dispute between the two; it's artificial. They want to goad the regulator into swiftly diminishing the power to veto applications exercised by carriers and devolved to Apple by AT&T in the case of iPhone. If the regulator forces Apple to accept Google's app, that would be equally applicable to all carriers, and both Google and Apple are ready to jump in to voice services with both feet if that happens.]]> Mon, 21 Sep 2009 11:19:43 -0400
Secondly, it doesn't matter if Apple's process included a flat out rejection. Their openly published FCC plainly told Google and us that revision and resubmission (like any other developer) is what Apple expects, with some prospect of being successful.

Thirdly, this isn't a serious dispute between the two; it's artificial. They want to goad the regulator into swiftly diminishing the power to veto applications exercised by carriers and devolved to Apple by AT&T in the case of iPhone. If the regulator forces Apple to accept Google's app, that would be equally applicable to all carriers, and both Google and Apple are ready to jump in to voice services with both feet if that happens.]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/161470-bing-s-phenomenal-new-visual-search?source=feed#comment-677111 677111
Like Wolfram Alpha, it's impressive, but it doesn't remotely replace Google. And Microsoft is astroturfing again by hijacking and bending the word "search", just as they did with "windows", and "word". It's not search, it's a dog and pony show to draw you in to Bing and SIlverlight. Don't let them mess with your mind yet again.

Seems to have this writer fooled that it's search. It's not, even if it is pretty.]]> Tue, 15 Sep 2009 08:40:24 -0400
Like Wolfram Alpha, it's impressive, but it doesn't remotely replace Google. And Microsoft is astroturfing again by hijacking and bending the word "search", just as they did with "windows", and "word". It's not search, it's a dog and pony show to draw you in to Bing and SIlverlight. Don't let them mess with your mind yet again.

Seems to have this writer fooled that it's search. It's not, even if it is pretty.]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/160996-buying-apple-today-like-buying-microsoft-in-1998?source=feed#comment-673187 673187
Apple knows full well that the market is more powerful than itself (unlike Microsoft, although Microsoft may finally be learning). So Apple can't rush off into the distance with innovation; to move the whole market they have to keep their innovation bottled up and let the competition get close enough to keep up. Some read this as risk from competition and falling margins but it's simply Apple playing its unbeatable hand for maximum long term gain.]]> Sat, 12 Sep 2009 04:46:58 -0400
Apple knows full well that the market is more powerful than itself (unlike Microsoft, although Microsoft may finally be learning). So Apple can't rush off into the distance with innovation; to move the whole market they have to keep their innovation bottled up and let the competition get close enough to keep up. Some read this as risk from competition and falling margins but it's simply Apple playing its unbeatable hand for maximum long term gain.]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/157723-whats-really-going-on-with-apple-google-at-t-and-the-fcc?source=feed#comment-641820 641820
I am sure Apple is ready and waiting for regulators to take over this unacknowledged public service, so Apple can move forward itself with internet based voice services. Equally I am sure Apple does not want to be holding the door open for Google and others while still pinned down by these exclusive carrier contracts. Regulation on this would mandate that third party internet based voice services must be permitted on any mobile data contract, and that's a tough rule for the lazy carriers to swallow. All the players (Apple, Google, FCC, AT&T) must know this is what underlies the public role-playing.

I find Mr Arrington's take on it superficial and unnecessarily offensive to Apple.]]> Sun, 23 Aug 2009 11:45:07 -0400
I am sure Apple is ready and waiting for regulators to take over this unacknowledged public service, so Apple can move forward itself with internet based voice services. Equally I am sure Apple does not want to be holding the door open for Google and others while still pinned down by these exclusive carrier contracts. Regulation on this would mandate that third party internet based voice services must be permitted on any mobile data contract, and that's a tough rule for the lazy carriers to swallow. All the players (Apple, Google, FCC, AT&T) must know this is what underlies the public role-playing.

I find Mr Arrington's take on it superficial and unnecessarily offensive to Apple.]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/155640-what-will-the-next-ipod-touch-offer?source=feed#comment-626433 626433
It's true that the back to school promotion helps clear inventory of the current iPod model, but there's no rigid link synchronizing iPod transition; could be before or after.

You can play your iPod touch through external stereo speakers several ways: wired from the headphone socket; wired from the dock connector or wirelessly via bluetooth. Most dock solutions also recharge the iPod.

App approval isn't arbitrary. Here's a kind-of-obvious starter for what you can't have: apps that replace Apple-designed core functions (eg email and iPhone telephony); apps that are illegal (eg stolen content); encourage illegal activity (eg unlicensed music broadcasting); may be offensive (but now there's a rating system).

Anyone desperate to do any of these things can write a Palm Pre style web app to run under Safari - there are no Apple controls over that. These days web apps are pretty powerful.

Not keeping your main copy of your music in iTunes is perverse in the extreme. The way normal humans play their music at home using their iPod touch is to use the free Remote app to stream it from iTunes to (multiple) external speakers. Also check out Simplify on the App store.]]> Wed, 12 Aug 2009 09:34:48 -0400
It's true that the back to school promotion helps clear inventory of the current iPod model, but there's no rigid link synchronizing iPod transition; could be before or after.

You can play your iPod touch through external stereo speakers several ways: wired from the headphone socket; wired from the dock connector or wirelessly via bluetooth. Most dock solutions also recharge the iPod.

App approval isn't arbitrary. Here's a kind-of-obvious starter for what you can't have: apps that replace Apple-designed core functions (eg email and iPhone telephony); apps that are illegal (eg stolen content); encourage illegal activity (eg unlicensed music broadcasting); may be offensive (but now there's a rating system).

Anyone desperate to do any of these things can write a Palm Pre style web app to run under Safari - there are no Apple controls over that. These days web apps are pretty powerful.

Not keeping your main copy of your music in iTunes is perverse in the extreme. The way normal humans play their music at home using their iPod touch is to use the free Remote app to stream it from iTunes to (multiple) external speakers. Also check out Simplify on the App store.]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/155015-blackberrys-26-advantages-over-iphone?source=feed#comment-623672 623672
Apple, immensely strong in market, hugely bigger margins, in tight control of their platform and carrier relationship going forward, can go wherever they like, including picking off any of your "disadvantages" that are real, whenever they want.]]> Mon, 10 Aug 2009 14:33:13 -0400
Apple, immensely strong in market, hugely bigger margins, in tight control of their platform and carrier relationship going forward, can go wherever they like, including picking off any of your "disadvantages" that are real, whenever they want.]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/153167-it-s-time-to-build-a-real-mobile-web?source=feed#comment-611836 611836 Sun, 02 Aug 2009 14:22:49 -0400 http://seekingalpha.com/article/153030-why-the-fcc-wants-to-smash-open-the-iphone?source=feed#comment-611395 611395
Looking at it another way, the voice network will inevitably be subsumed into the internet, but that would cripple carrier revenues today. Apple and others have to continue working with the carriers for a few years more, because of the way politicians have set up mobile communications licensing.]]> Sun, 02 Aug 2009 10:02:00 -0400
Looking at it another way, the voice network will inevitably be subsumed into the internet, but that would cripple carrier revenues today. Apple and others have to continue working with the carriers for a few years more, because of the way politicians have set up mobile communications licensing.]]> http://seekingalpha.com/instablog/206059-valuecruncher/17987-running-the-numbers-why-microsoft-msft-is-a-buy?source=feed#comment-597530 597530 Wed, 22 Jul 2009 01:01:19 -0400 http://seekingalpha.com/article/148763-dell-aims-to-diversify-away-from-pcs-but-how?source=feed#comment-589008 589008
Bean-counter-in-denial speak for "we don't actually know why anyone buys anything from us, and it's beginning to look like we're going bust".]]> Wed, 15 Jul 2009 10:47:16 -0400
Bean-counter-in-denial speak for "we don't actually know why anyone buys anything from us, and it's beginning to look like we're going bust".]]> http://seekingalpha.com/instablog/200447-anton-wahlman/10584-the-eu-sticks-a-knife-into-apple?source=feed#comment-568010 568010
Contrary to many people's ideas, Apple supports standardisation and relies on innovation and design skills to create its place in the market and on ADDITIONAL proprietary IP to protect that place. The iPhone already charges via USB, and iPod and iPhone chargers have delivered their power from a USB connector for years.

The dock connector isn't going away; USB connectors will be replaced by a micro connector. Apple will comply with the standard, and the solution will be well designed.

Non-iPhone users might be buying Apple chargers if they are better designed or made, but more likely there will still be scope for proprietary fast-charge algorithms that make a matching charger a better choice. Let's wait and see.]]> Tue, 30 Jun 2009 05:40:54 -0400
Contrary to many people's ideas, Apple supports standardisation and relies on innovation and design skills to create its place in the market and on ADDITIONAL proprietary IP to protect that place. The iPhone already charges via USB, and iPod and iPhone chargers have delivered their power from a USB connector for years.

The dock connector isn't going away; USB connectors will be replaced by a micro connector. Apple will comply with the standard, and the solution will be well designed.

Non-iPhone users might be buying Apple chargers if they are better designed or made, but more likely there will still be scope for proprietary fast-charge algorithms that make a matching charger a better choice. Let's wait and see.]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/144711-if-you-think-steve-jobs-health-is-not-a-material-event?source=feed#comment-558992 558992
This is drivel. It has been handled perfectly. His medical records are a private matter. Any likely impact of ill-health on the company's operation has to be disclosed. It was: The company disclosed the expectation of a 6 month absence, confirmed it after the operation, and he's back at work now. What more can a shareholder expect?

rrtmzd: Where is your evidence that there is any "denial of mortality", that SJ did not accept the original diagnosis, that the cancer is terminal, that that the original surgery was merely "palliative". You're the one living in a make-believe world, not Steve Jobs, who by my reckoning is frighteningly logical in everything he does, including the handling of his cancer.]]> Tue, 23 Jun 2009 11:05:13 -0400
This is drivel. It has been handled perfectly. His medical records are a private matter. Any likely impact of ill-health on the company's operation has to be disclosed. It was: The company disclosed the expectation of a 6 month absence, confirmed it after the operation, and he's back at work now. What more can a shareholder expect?

rrtmzd: Where is your evidence that there is any "denial of mortality", that SJ did not accept the original diagnosis, that the cancer is terminal, that that the original surgery was merely "palliative". You're the one living in a make-believe world, not Steve Jobs, who by my reckoning is frighteningly logical in everything he does, including the handling of his cancer.]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/144021-apple-is-the-iphone-os-upgrade-too-good?source=feed#comment-552402 552402 Thu, 18 Jun 2009 14:18:51 -0400 http://seekingalpha.com/article/143775-apple-sours-analysts-doubtful-of-iphone-s-prospects?source=feed#comment-550613 550613
Handset features had been hijacked by the government-mandated carrier cartels, and Apple is in the process of breaking that down. Expect major fluctuations in iPhone shipments as Apple moves from phase to phase of its plan. The fluctuations aren't relevant and are expected, so Apple has deliberately invoked subscription accounting over 2 years so these fluctuations aren't reflected in quarterly earnings.]]> Wed, 17 Jun 2009 13:48:27 -0400
Handset features had been hijacked by the government-mandated carrier cartels, and Apple is in the process of breaking that down. Expect major fluctuations in iPhone shipments as Apple moves from phase to phase of its plan. The fluctuations aren't relevant and are expected, so Apple has deliberately invoked subscription accounting over 2 years so these fluctuations aren't reflected in quarterly earnings.]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/135357-twitter-acquisition-mania-google-rebuffed-is-apple-trying-now?source=feed#comment-491602 491602 Wed, 06 May 2009 08:46:14 -0400 http://seekingalpha.com/article/135279-rim-grabs-more-smartphone-share-from-apple?source=feed#comment-489945 489945
Apple's hugely greater margins are driven by technical leadership. I find it unlikely that Apple will repeat Sculley's mistakes with the Mac, or that the market will remain static.]]> Tue, 05 May 2009 08:57:35 -0400
Apple's hugely greater margins are driven by technical leadership. I find it unlikely that Apple will repeat Sculley's mistakes with the Mac, or that the market will remain static.]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/133710-can-dell-succeed-in-smartphones?source=feed#comment-483013 483013 Wed, 29 Apr 2009 15:08:50 -0400 http://seekingalpha.com/article/133481-jobs-integrity-a-reason-to-buy-apple?source=feed#comment-480844 480844 Tue, 28 Apr 2009 10:58:54 -0400 http://seekingalpha.com/article/130535-why-apple-belongs-in-every-portfolio?source=feed#comment-460596 460596 Sun, 12 Apr 2009 12:50:37 -0400 http://seekingalpha.com/article/130422-amazon-gaining-share-on-itunes?source=feed#comment-458806 458806 Fri, 10 Apr 2009 10:20:02 -0400 http://seekingalpha.com/article/129742-opti-up-on-favorable-patent-ruling-against-apple?source=feed#comment-453879 453879
For those blinded by jargon, here's a real world analogy for “Predictive Snooping of Cache Memory for Master-Initiated Accesses”:

Preparing for your turn at the cash machine, having spontaneously decided to get some cash ("master initiated access"), by looking at ("snooping") the queue ("cache memory") to see how many are in front of you, and taking the card out of your bag just before ("predictive") you're at the machine, instead of just after, thus saving a few seconds.

Maybe there's something miraculously clever about the implementation, but probably not.]]> Mon, 06 Apr 2009 15:46:59 -0400
For those blinded by jargon, here's a real world analogy for “Predictive Snooping of Cache Memory for Master-Initiated Accesses”:

Preparing for your turn at the cash machine, having spontaneously decided to get some cash ("master initiated access"), by looking at ("snooping") the queue ("cache memory") to see how many are in front of you, and taking the card out of your bag just before ("predictive") you're at the machine, instead of just after, thus saving a few seconds.

Maybe there's something miraculously clever about the implementation, but probably not.]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/127358-palm-dead-company-walking?source=feed#comment-437787 437787
If you think Pre's performance is due to superior software - you're wrong. It's due to having a CPU 3 times as fast as current iPhones. That's an option available for the next iPhone, out around the same time as Pre, probably.

Pre effectively doesn't have native apps; they're all just web apps. iPhone has web apps. With the latest CPU and javascript engines, this year's iPhone will probably be at least as fast as Pre for web apps, and much faster than Pre for native apps, which Pre lacks.

Pre is a very nice product, but as Apple and Next learned over the past twenty years, that's not the first consideration of the market.

We also don't know the price for Pre. Does Sprint have deep pockets to subsidize it? I'm not sure.

This article is spot on. Palm make great products. They don't make money.


]]> Tue, 24 Mar 2009 07:30:24 -0400
If you think Pre's performance is due to superior software - you're wrong. It's due to having a CPU 3 times as fast as current iPhones. That's an option available for the next iPhone, out around the same time as Pre, probably.

Pre effectively doesn't have native apps; they're all just web apps. iPhone has web apps. With the latest CPU and javascript engines, this year's iPhone will probably be at least as fast as Pre for web apps, and much faster than Pre for native apps, which Pre lacks.

Pre is a very nice product, but as Apple and Next learned over the past twenty years, that's not the first consideration of the market.

We also don't know the price for Pre. Does Sprint have deep pockets to subsidize it? I'm not sure.

This article is spot on. Palm make great products. They don't make money.


]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/127303-is-the-iphone-sdk-3-0-really-all-that?source=feed#comment-436578 436578 Mon, 23 Mar 2009 11:01:39 -0400 http://seekingalpha.com/article/125490-apple-s-proprietary-tendencies-on-display-again?source=feed#comment-422879 422879 Thu, 12 Mar 2009 08:36:56 -0400