Palm cuts outlook on weak sales February 25, 2010 Palm has slashed its revenue targets on weak demand for its smartphones, renewing concerns about its ability to compete against rivals like Apple and sending shares down 16 per cent. The warning came only weeks after Verizon Wireless began to sell Palm’s Pre and Pixi phones, suggesting that the addition of the sales partner was [...]
Wall St rocked by weak labour data February 25, 2010 US stocks recovered most of their losses but ended lower yesterday after weak employment and durable goods data added to recent worries about the strength of the economic recovery. Trading started on a sour note, but rumors of a 4-for-1 stock split planned by Apple coincided with a late-day rebound in stocks. A spokesman said [...]
Microsoft bags the top spot in brand contest February 24, 2010 Microsoft pulled off a rare coup against its deadly rival Google yesterday when it was named the strongest business brand. Google finished fifth after a surprise fall in the rankings, behind Rolls-Royce, and BlackBerry, in the Business Superbrand Top 500 survey. The internet giant held the top spot in 2008 and 2009. Microsoft came second [...]
Eurostar on rollercoaster ride as brand flags February 23, 2010 EUROSTAR’S BrandIndex scores dropped dramatically when five trains broke down on 18 December 2009, leaving 2,500 people trapped in trains and over 100,000 stranded due to disrupted travel plans. Continuous press coverage only compounded the brand’s problems. Eurostar’s overall “Index” score plummeted from +22 on 16 December 2009 to -3 on 1 January 2010. BrandIndex’s [...]
Business models now matter more than sales February 22, 2010 When I was in my late twenties, I had a baptism of fire while trying to establish the Power PC chip as a new industry standard. In early 1992, IBM, Apple and Motorola announced that they would be developing a new microprocessor – to be called the PowerPC – to power the Apple Macintosh and [...]
TIMELINE | ABBEY ROAD STUDIO – A HISTORY February 22, 2010 THE BEGINNINGS The 19th Century town house at 3 Abbey Road, St John’s Wood, was purchased by EMI in 1929 with a view to transforming it into the world’s first custom-built recording studios. British classical music composer Sir Edward Elgar, opened the studios in a ceremony on 12 November 1931. Elgar can be seen in [...]
Apple leads the way on mobile phone design February 17, 2010 Apple is casting a long shadow over this year’s Mobile World Congress. The iPhone maker isn’t in attendance – it is far too cool for an annual trade fair – but its name is still on everyone’s lips. For a firm that has just 2.5 per cent of the mobile handset market, its ability to [...]
WHAT THE OTHER PAPERS SAY THIS MORNING February 15, 2010 FINANCIAL TIMES UNITED REMAINS KEEN TO COURT RIVAL CONTINENTAL The head of United Airlines has hinted at the benefits of renewing merger talks with Continental Airlines, saying the market had judged in favour of rival Delta’s takeover of Northwest. “The market capitalisation of Delta is approximately twice the combined market capitalisation of United and Continental,” [...]
Missing the mark in museum land February 15, 2010 AUBREY, the restaurant of The Kensington Hotel, is named after Aubrey de Vere, who I’m sure you don’t need me to tell you was a middle-ranking medieval baron and chum of William the Conqueror. He netted himself the estate of Kensington after the Norman Conquest, according to the Domesday book. Back then, the estate was [...]
THREE OTHER KENSINGTON RESTAURANTS February 15, 2010 BABYLON Sitting seven floors up atop the Kensington Roof Gardens, Babylon has some pretty splendid views out over West London – and indeed over the gardens’ flamingo pond – to distract you from its stonkingly expensive menu. There’s jazz on Thursday evenings. The Roof Gardens, 99 Kensington High Street, W8 5ED. www.roofgardens.virgin.com. CASA BRINDISA There’s [...]