Hype of Apple’s iPad is better than the reality February 2, 2010 The launch of the Apple iPad at the end of last week led to a strong increase in the buzz score for the general Apple brand as measured by BrandIndex. That might have been expected, but graph one shows a more mixed story: at the start of 2010, with excited consumer chatter about the imminent [...]
Exxon and factories light up Wall Street February 1, 2010 US stocks rose yesterday as better-than-expected data on the manufacturing sector and earnings from ExxonMobil revived bullish sentiment after stocks closed out their worst month in almost a year. Exxon’s stock gained 2.7 per cent to end at $66.18 after the largest US oil company reported natural gas products boosted results at its exploration arm. [...]
WHERE ACROBATS ARE SERVED WITH STEAK February 1, 2010 OVER the past two years, there’s been much talk from restaurateurs of “adding value” in order to entice cash-stripped punters. Great meal deals, the chance to eat at Michelin-starred restaurants without breaking the bank, free choccies at the end – that sort of thing. But recently, the value added concept has been geared up a [...]
Amazon battle over web prices January 31, 2010 AMAZON.COM has removed all e-books published by Macmillan from its website after a dispute over pricing, according to media reports. Amazon’s website, as well as the site for its Kindle e-reader, yesterday showed titles published by Macmillan available only through third parties. Publishers are widely seen to be demanding more control over prices of their [...]
Markets likely to fall as uncertainty prevails January 31, 2010 European stock markets are headed for a major tumble this morning, as a sell-off on US markets gathered steam on Friday evening. GFT is forecasting the UK’s FTSE 100 to open down a hefty 90 points from Friday’s close, around 5,212. The German DAX is expected to open down 105 points at 5,590 and the French CAC 40 [...]
Amazon profits soar thanks to book reader January 29, 2010 AMAZON profits surged by 71 per cent in the final three months of 2009. The online bookseller said its Kindle electronic book reader had driven the sales boom. The device – Amazon’s bestselling product – will face competition from Apple’s new iPad, which was unveiled this week. Overall sales at Amazon – which now offers [...]
Trademark claim for Apple’s iPad January 28, 2010 APPLE could face a legal battle over its decision to name its new tablet computer; the iPad. Europe’s largest chipmaker STMicroelectronics trademarked the name for its proprietary semiconductor technology almost a decade ago, and has been using the name since. STMicro said yesterday it was “looking into the situation.” The news came as it emerged [...]
Toshiba on the comeback trail January 28, 2010 JAPAN’S largest chip maker Toshiba has said it made a smaller-than-expected loss in the final three months of last year due to a recovery in its electronic components business. The company made a net loss of 10.6bn yen (£72.7m) compared with 121.1bn yen a year earlier. Toshiba’s chip business was hit last year but is [...]
Apple surprises with $499 iPad January 27, 2010 APPLE last night unveiled the iPad – a gadget it said would revolutionise the way that consumers surf the internet, watch movies and TV, and read books and magazines. After months of hype, Steve Jobs, Apple chief executive, launched the tablet computer that sports a high-resolution 9.7 inch, full-colour touch screen in a conference hall [...]
No wonder there is no British Apple January 27, 2010 WHY isn’t there a British Apple? The sight of Steve Jobs standing up again on stage last night to unveil yet another blockbuster – this time, the iPad – is a stark reminder of how bad we have become at creating world-beating corporate giants. We’re still able to create a steady stream of small, successful [...]