Sharp is back on track as it hikes forecasts and plots fundraising September 18, 2013 JAPANESE electronics group Sharp said yesterday it will raise more than £1bn in share sales, marking a step forward in the TV and display maker’s turnaround. The company also raised its business forecasts as a reviving stock market aided its revival. The supplier of panels for Apple’s smartphones is clawing its way back to health [...]
Business of the year September 16, 2013 There’s been some really first-rate performances from some of the nation’s kargest and best known companies this year, making choosing a winner exceptionally hard. The most surprising entrant perhaps is Ocado, since many in the City had written the internet grocer off after its share listing. Thomas Cook is in there because in 2013 it [...]
Plastic fantastic: Apple hopes iPhone 5C will crack international markets September 11, 2013 APPLE CEO Tim Cook told the audience at Apple’s live-streamed launch that the company was thriving and looking forward to shipping their 700 millionth iOS device next month. But South Korea’s Samsung is leading the way with around 30 per cent of the market share worldwide. Apple is lagging behind in second with around 18 [...]
Analysts think Apple has gone rotten: Three banks downgrade to neutral September 11, 2013 A disappointing reveal from tech giant Apple last night has seen analysts downgrade their buy recommendations in the company's stock to neutral. No surprises last night despite promises from chief executive officer Tim Cook in May last year that security was being ramped up. Crucially, Apple's budget iPhone 5C turned out to not be that [...]
Apple squares up with new phones September 10, 2013 APPLE last night unleashed its latest salvo in the smartphone war with the launch of the updated iPhone 5s and a lower-cost, brightly coloured iPhone 5c, making its first move into the competitive mid-range market. Despite Apple’s senior vice president Phil Schiller dubbing the iPhone 5s “the most forward-thinking phone perhaps anyone has ever made,” [...]
Dyson claims Samsung cleaner ripped off its vacuum technology September 10, 2013 DYSON, the British manufacturer, is suing Samsung for allegedly ripping off the technology in its vacuum cleaners. Samsung revealed the Motion Sync vacuum cleaner at Berlin’s consumer trade exhibition IFA last week. Dyson founder Sir James Dyson yesterday labelled Samsung’s vacuum “a cynical rip-off”. The dispute centers around Dyson’s patent on a steering mechanism for [...]
CNBC Comment: Banks face an IT Wonga challenge September 9, 2013 The market may not be factoring in the cost of new technologies THERE is a shadow looming over the world’s retail banks, which many believe the market is not factoring in. For much of the past few years, the focus has been on the fallout from the higher-stakes poker games played before the financial crisis. [...]
Mobile devices and wearables take centre stage in Berlin show September 4, 2013 NEW MOBILE products from Sony and Samsung were the stars of the show yesterday at Berlin’s IFA, Europe’s biggest consumer electronics show, as the two technology giants unveiled their lineup of devices to compete with Apple’s offerings next week. Samsung showed off its entry into so-called wearables with the Galaxy Gear smartwatch. The smartwatch works [...]
Swift Key secures new funding round led by Index Ventures September 4, 2013 LONDON-BASED startup SwiftKey, creators of an alternative keyboard app for Android, has raised £11.3m in a funding round led by Index Ventures. “Index Ventures has an incredible track record of backing exciting, innovative businesses so we are pleased to have their team alongside us as we take our business through the next phase of growth,” [...]
Gizmos to get the brain in gear September 4, 2013 The kids suffering from end of summer blues? Alex Dymoke chooses eight gadgets to help ease in the new academic year Seagate ultra-portable external hard drive 500GB £145.00 Losing unsaved work is every student’s worst nightmare. Take no chances with this usefully pocket-sized external hard drive from Seagate. amazon.co.uk Samsung Chromebook £229.00 If the Macbook [...]