Good morning, In case you missed it yesterday, you can now access the Daily Email on the web and through your private RSS feed. Let me know if you have any trouble getting this set up. I also sent a separate email to Access members and Annual Daily Update members asking you to resubmit yourSubscribe […]
Daily Email (2014-04-22): Microsoft, Cloud Services, and Amazon
Good morning, I’m making good progress on finding a solution to making this content readable in RSS readers and web browsers for those of you who hate email. In the meantime, if you click the “Open in Browser” link at the top, you can not only read this content in a browser, but also subscribeSubscribe […]
Microsoft’s Mobile Muddle
Saying “Microsoft missed mobile” is a bit unfair; Windows Mobile came out way back in 2000, and the whole reason Google bought Android was the fear that Microsoft would dominate mobile the way they dominated the PC era. It turned out, though, that mobile devices, with their focus on touch, simplified interfaces, and ARM foundation, […]
Google’s New Business Model
Excepting the patent and panic-driven Motorola deal, prior to yesterday’s acquisition of Nest for $3.2 billion, the previous largest deal Google’s history was DoubleClick for $3.1 billion 2006. Beyond the similar dollar figures, it’s a deal worth considering for what it says about Google then and now. With the acquisition of DoubleClick, Google solidified its […]
Overstating the Consumerization of IT
Marco Arment, in Underscore Price Dynamics: This is the real reason why Apple doesn’t care about upgrade pricing: there’s no demand from customers. The market has shown that free apps will be downloaded at least an order of magnitude more than paid-up-front apps, and smart use of in-app purchase in a free app is likely […]
Another Nokia Explanation; The Same Tragic Conclusion
While I remain convinced that Microsoft’s Nokia acquisition was largely driven by fear of losing Nokia as an OEM, either to Android or bankruptcy, there is something else curious about the timing. (The following scenario is conjecture, but not the analysis that follows) ValueAct, who is opposed to Microsoft’s push into devices, was dissuaded from […]
If Apple is Disrupted, Will We Blame Tim Cook?
I’m not predicting the following will happen, but I’m also not saying it won’t.1 September 18, 2018, Beijing, China – In a development few could have foreseen even five years ago, it’s Beijing and its global icon Xiaomi that is the star of September, the role formerly filled by the increasingly irrelevant Apple. At 10AM […]
C is for Choices
I have to admit, it was a bit of a thrill breaking the news to the western world of the latest iPhone leak: Taiwan's Apple Daily claims to have iPhones 5C and 5S: http://t.co/bAZ8F49Wzn Double flash on 5S, highly scratch-resistant plastic on 5C. — Ben Thompson (@monkbent) August 21, 2013 Still, it really wasn’t anything new […]
BlackBerry – and Nokia’s – Fundamental Failing
In December 2009, while a first-year student at Kellogg, I went to a RIM (now BlackBerry1) recruitment presentation. “Our problem,” the relatively senior fellow said, “is that when I get on a plane, everyone uses a BlackBerry until they close the door. Then they pull out their iPods. We need to make BlackBerry’s the only […]
The iPad is like the iPod, not the iPhone
Most folks seem to instinctively compare the iPad and the tablet market to the iPhone and smartphone market, and it’s easy to see why. They share the same OS, the same competitor, many of the same apps, and, of course, the same time period – the present. But in reality – and this touches on […]