Monday, 28 October 2013

I-Cahn Cook up a Gross Mexican Standoff

Corporate Raider Carl Icahn wants Apple to increase its share buyback program but Bill Gross insists Icahn should do something more for the people and not just himself. The two are now duking it out on Twitter


Apple is currently sitting on a cash stockpile of $146.6 billion, the largest liquidity reserve of any company in the world. Some shareholders – Carl Icahn in particular – are unhappy and say that this cash should be put to good use. Read more

Friday, 4 October 2013

Is There any Season for BlackBerry?

After selling itself out, will BlackBerry be limited to enterprise services only?

BlackBerry Limited (BBRY) has been in shambles for some time now. The reason: they jumped too late on the consumer-oriented smartphone bandwagon. The smartphone revolution was started by the iPhone, and it was successful precisely because it was easier to use, and was not focused towards corporate professionals only.

Amusingly, when the first iPhone was launched in 2007, Jim Balsillie, the CEO of BlackBerry back then, commented that the iPhone is “kind of one more entrant into an already very busy space with lots of choice for consumers … But in terms of a sort of a sea-change for BlackBerry, I would think that’s overstating it.”1 If only Balsillie knew that the iPhone would soon be hailed as revolutionary, and that BlackBerry would suffer financial losses, leading to an eventual buyout at a depressed valuation. BlackBerry’s stock price trend shows how the company, once renowned for its smartphones, has slipped almost into oblivion. From a peak of $144.45 on 18th July 2008, the company is currently trading below $10. Read more

The Smartphone Industry – Is it Getting Any Smarter?

The Smartphone Industry


Cellphones, once considered a luxury, are now a necessity for almost everyone. They have evolved from big, bulky, basic phones to highly sophisticated communication and entertainment devices. They are now capable of helping users make sophisticated decisions with the help of the cutting-edge technology embedded in them.

Apple Inc. (AAPL), more specifically the late Steve Jobs, is heralded as the pioneer of smartphones. Apple’s iPhone was introduced in 2007, and it revolutionized the cell phone industry and the world. The iPhone, with its completely touch- and gesture-based user interface, transformed the entire smartphone ecosystem. Read more