– AMZN will deliver a set-top-box for the Holidays, leveraging 10M+ Prime customers, a slick interface and content from other on-line partners – AAPL updated its TV software, added content, and is expected to offer new hardware with a faster
All of the major smartphone players face big questions in 4Q. Media types gushed over the new iPhones and existing customers stood in line to buy them in record numbers, but by resolutely ignoring the global consumer’s preference for larger
– Ebay’s deal for Braintree fills a hole for PayPal, giving it a well-regarded one-touch payments API solution for apps that has been adopted by trend setters Uber, AirBnB and Open Table. – Braintree also enables “auto-fill” of payment
The Surface 2 boosts performance, battery life and display vs. the disappointing Surface RT. $449 is pricey, but free Office, SkyDrive storage and Skype calls sweeten the deal. Surface Pro 2 moves to “Haswell” and gets faster processing and 75%
– Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) has big advantages for mobile payments – 160 ft range, low power, 1Mbps speed, device ubiquity, low cost, no SIM requirement – beating NFC on every spec. – While Samsung and other Android licensees have
– As everyone expected, Apple’s big event introduced an incremental update to its high end iPhone, the 5S, and a slightly cheaper plastic alternative, the 5C – The 5S adds a beefed up 64 bit processor, an improved camera,
– The Street will hate the MSFT/NOK deal, but it smells like the result of an ultimatum – without NOK, Windows Phone would be dead and both companies knew it. – At least MSFT got a better deal than did
– BBRY is years too late in deciding to explore a sale of the company. Its messaging franchise and device platform have been overrun by competition – a turnaround may be impossible. – Much of the $2.8 in cash would
– MSFT’s well-conceived reorganization focuses resources toward opportunities in the cloud, SaaS applications, the Windows platform, and the consumer market while streamlining decision making. – This formalizes a clear shift in strategic priorities, reiterating the importance of Office365 and
– Intel’s audacious TV play aims to redefine the living room TV experience but carries massive execution risks with a very poor track record on its previous diversification initiatives – The plan is to deliver a next-gen set-top with a
