lundi 2 juillet 2012
jeudi 28 juin 2012
Google pad...une scrap pour les pauvres
Google today unveiled a new Android-based tablet, the Nexus 7. The device, being produced with PC maker Asus, will have a 7-inch screen, an nvida Tegra 3 quad-core CPU, the new Android 4.1 OS – Jelly Bean! – and a price tag of $199. It ships in mid-July.
Topeka Capital analyst Brian White sees nothing for Apple to worry about here. True, the Nexus 7 will sell well below the entry level $499 price for the latest iPad, but the iPad 2 starts at $399, both with a larger 9.7-inch screen. He also thinks an Apple iPad mini is coming later this year; his guess is a fall launch and a price tag of $250-$300. White notes that the resolution of the new Google pad – 1280-by-800 – is far lower than the 2048-by-1536 on the iPad with a Retina display. And he notes that the Nexus 7 is WiFi only; you can get an iPad with 3G connectivity.
c....h..i..n..a
The New York Times is introducing a Chinese-language Web site, part of a continuing effort to expand its reach to international readers.
The site, which is called cn.nytimes.com and went live Thursday morning China time, is intended to draw readers from the country’s growing middle class, what The Times in its news release called “educated, affluent, global citizens.’’
The site will feature about 30 articles a day on national, foreign and arts topics, as well as editorials. Joseph Kahn, the paper’s foreign editor, said that about two-thirds of the content would be translated from Times articles and one-third would be written by Chinese editors and local freelance journalists.
mardi 26 juin 2012
Google tablet
Apple has cemented its dominance in the tablet market, but that hasn't stopped competitors from trying to chip away at the iPad's market share and fight for the runner up position. The latest entrant, Microsoft's "Surface," was introduced last week with strong fanfare. But its time in the spotlight may be short-lived as Google is expected to unveil their own tablet, the Nexus 7during this week's I/O developer's conference.
"For Google this is certainly a big opportunity," says David Garrity of GVA Research, adding that the tech behemoth may be better positioned to beat out Microsoft due to its history across software and hardware, especially after acquiring Motorola Mobility.
"Google I think could potentially have a product that does pose a threat. However, that said, Apple is still the name to beat in terms of the space," says Garrity. He points to Apple's unparalleled momentum and years of brand equity as primary reasons why Google and just about any other competitor will have trouble making significant dent in the tablet market.
As for Microsoft and the aforementioned Surface, Garrity suggests they may not even be competing for the same customers. He predicts the company's foray into hardware (Xbox not withstanding) will put the Surface more in line with Ultrabooks in terms of pricing rather than slightly cheaper tablets.Garrity says Microsoft won't "throw over a business model that has served them reasonably well for about the last 30 years to come out and transform wholly into an integrated provider of hardware and software." Rather, in his view the Surface is a product that will highlight the strengths ofWindows 8 and what the platform is capable of.
With Apple, Google, and Microsoft leading the tablet pack, Garrity reminds us not to discount the old guards like Dell and Hewlett Packard . He argues both have perfectly good reasons to enter the fray, but whether or not they do depends on Microsoft loyalty for Dell and whether Meg Whitman can, or even wants to, succeed in a market that her HP predecessors clearly avoided.
золото
Les banques centrales continuent à acheter massivement de l'or pour diversifier leurs réserves. D'après les derniers chiffres publiés par le Fonds monétaire international (FMI) aujourd'hui , la Russie a acquis en mai 15,5 millions de tonnes pour un montant de 790,7 millions de dollars. Cela porte ses réserves à leur plus haut niveau depuis au moins 1993. Avec un peu plus de 911 tonnes dans ses coffres, Moscou détient aujourd'hui plus de deux fois de lingots qu'il y a cinq ans.
Les réserves de la Turquie ,un pays qui a longtemps joué un rôle clef dans le marché de l'or -ont progressé de 5,7 tonnes à 245 tonnes, celles de l'Ukraine de 2,1 tonnes à 32,7 tonnes et celles du Kazakhstan de 1,8 tonne à 100 tonnes, souligne le rapport de FMI.
Cette tendance n'est pas nouvelle. Les banques centrales, principalement d'Asie et des pays émergents, ont nettement accru leurs achats d'or ces dernières années. Au cours du premier trimestre de 2012, le Mexique avait récupéré à lui seul près de 17 tonnes.
Depuis un mois et demi, l'once d'or oscille autour de 1.600 dollars. Le prix du métal précieux a certes baissé depuis son pic historique à 1.900 dollars en septembre 2011, mais il reste l'une des rares matières premières en progression depuis le début de l'année (+1,1%), après onze années consécutives de hausse.
1972-2012
Since 1973, the four companies in the table have traded at an average premium of 51% to U.S. stocks. Today, the premium is just 22%.
This is a historically tiny "spread" over the regular names. I expect this spread will widen again – and that someone will make a lot of money when it does. Now is a time to buy the expensive stock. Now is a time to buy the "Cokes" of the world.
1972 P/E 2012
Coke
46.4 19.5
Johnson & Johnson
57.1 13.3
Disney
71.2 17.3
McDonald's
71.0 16.5
US home prices rose an average of 1.3% in April according to the latest S&P Case-Shiller home price index. Prices rose in both the 10-city and 20-city indexes after seven consecutive months of decline.
On a monthly basis, only Detroit of the 20 metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) saw prices decline, and 18 of 20 MSAs enjoyed a better annualized rate of return. Only New York and Detroit showed lower rates.jeudi 21 juin 2012
Japon ; c'est fini le nucléaire ! ...ah oui?
Last week, Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda ended Japan's month-long freeze on nuclear power. On June 16, after the Prime Minister met with three Cabinet ministers sharing nuclear approval authority, he stated that two reactors at Kansai Electric Power's Ohi nuclear plant could be put into operation. The Ohi plant serves the second-largest urban region within Japan, and Kansai immediately began working towards starting the reactors, estimating that the first should be up running in early July and the second by mid-July.
Japan will slowly reopen most of the nuclear plants that provided almost one-third of the nation's energy, before being shut down after the meltdowns at Tokyo Electric Power's Fukushima station in March of 2011. The decision to restart nuclear power usage follows a deal between political parties that also included a consumption tax increase. The nuclear power restart is still unpopular with many Japanese people, but many industrial businesses have claimed they require the power.
This could be the start of something in the potential turnaround for uranium miners. Japan was formerly one of the largest users of nuclear power, and its moratorium on the use had a significant reduction in the overall demand for the commodity. The last year was exceptionally negative for uranium miners and the radioactive element itself. Beyond Japan's actions, Germany added that it planned to phase out nuclear power production. Japan's ramping up of its sizable nuclear power development should help buoy demand for uranium, and also help stabilize or increase its price.
After a serious surge to start off the year, where several uranium producers appreciated by more than 60% in January, most have since been stuck in their state of gradual decline that accelerated when the broader equity commodity markets also began to decline.
Emerging market demand trends for uranium look strong, with both China and India announcing multi-year plans to develop nuclear power infrastructure. China plans to increase its nuclear capacity eight-fold by the end of the decade and India plans to increase its production thirteen-fold. Other nations within Asia and Southeast Asia could follow their lead. If this were to happen, emerging market demand would likely replace and even surpass current first-world demand for uranium. Natural gas is not a cheap option in Asia.
Le numéro deux mondial du hamburger, Burger King, est revenu en Bourse hier..... un an et demi seulement après avoir été retiré de la bourse , à la faveur d'un énième changement de composition de son capital alors qu'il cherche toujours un nouvel élan.
La chaîne de restauration rapide, désormais cotée sous le symbole BKW pour Burger King Worldwide a clôturé en hausse de 3,52% à 15,01 dollars.
"L'entreprise a énormément bénéficié de sa reprise par" le fonds 3G, qui l'avait rachetée en septembre 2010 pour 4 milliards de dollars et l'avait alors sortie de la cote.
Le bénéfice net hors éléments exceptionnels du groupe a progressé de 22% entre 2010 et 2011.
Fonctionner en tant qu'entreprise cotée va permettre de capitaliser sur une dynamique positive. 2011 a été une année pivot et Burger King Worldwide est bien positionné pour une croissance de long terme sur le marché international.
En avril, 3G a cédé 29% du fabricant du Whopper à un fonds britannique, Justice Holdings, pour 1,4 milliard de dollars en numéraire, ce qui valorise Burger King à 4,8 milliards de dollars, nettement plus que les 4 milliards investis.
Justice Holdings est une entité d'investissement ad hoc créée spécialement pour cette opération et qui comprenait trois investisseurs, Bill Ackman, Nicholas Berggruen et Martin Franklin.
Justice doit fusionner avec Burger King, rebaptisé Burger King Worldwide et dont le siège va être déplacé de la Floride vers le Delaware . Ce rapprochement devrait être achevé début juillet.
Burger King a été distancé ces dernières années par le numéro un du hamburger, McDonald's, dans le renouvellement de son offre et la rénovation de ses restaurants.
Le 1er avril, il avait annoncé un nouveau menu ressemblant à celui de son rival, avec plus d'options saines comme les smoothies aux fruits et les salades, alors que les fast-foods sont régulièrement accusés d'être responsable de l'épidémie d'obésité aux Etats-Unis.
A l'issue de l'opération boursière de mercredi, 3G détient 71% de Burger King, les trois actionnaires de Justice détiennent 13% collectivement, et 16% sont désormais cotés.
"L'équipe de direction à la tête de l'entreprise depuis 2010 reste en place"
mardi 19 juin 2012
NEW 5.06% Stake in Cooper \ Mandel est à "watcher"
In a filing on Cooper Cos. (NYSE: COO), Stephen Mandel's hedge fund Lone pine Capital disclosed a 5.06%, or 2,435,937 share, stake in the company. The firm did not hold shares at the end of the latest quarter ending March 31, 2012.
The Cooper Companies, Inc. engages in the provision of medical devices for healthcare professionals worldwide. It offers spherical lenses that correct near and farsightedness; toric multifocal lenses, which correct near and farsightedness, as well as address various complex visual defects, such as astigmatism and presbyopia; and aspherical, toric, and multifocal lens products. The company also develops, manufactures, and markets medical devices, diagnostic products, and surgical instruments and accessories that improve healthcare delivery to women in various clinical settings. It markets its products through sales representatives, independent agents, and distributors. The Cooper Companies, Inc. was founded in 1980 and is based in Pleasanton, California.
The Cooper Companies, Inc. engages in the provision of medical devices for healthcare professionals worldwide. It offers spherical lenses that correct near and farsightedness; toric multifocal lenses, which correct near and farsightedness, as well as address various complex visual defects, such as astigmatism and presbyopia; and aspherical, toric, and multifocal lens products. The company also develops, manufactures, and markets medical devices, diagnostic products, and surgical instruments and accessories that improve healthcare delivery to women in various clinical settings. It markets its products through sales representatives, independent agents, and distributors. The Cooper Companies, Inc. was founded in 1980 and is based in Pleasanton, California.
MSFT
Microsoft unveiled today at its event in Hollywood Surface: PCs, showing two Windows tablets. Conceived, designed and engineered entirely by Microsoft employees, Surface represents a unique vision for the seamless expression of entertainment and creativity, Microsoft said.
Two models of Surface will be available: one running an ARM (ARMH) processor featuring Windows RT, and one with a third-generation Intel (INTC) Core processor featuring Windows 8 Pro. Both will be sold in the Microsoft Store locations in the U.S. and available through select online Microsoft Stores. Surface sports a full-sized USB port and a 16:9 aspect ratio and a uouch cover. Suggested retail pricing will be announced closer to availability and is expected to be competitive with a comparable ARM tablet or Intel Ultrabook-class PC. OEMs will have cost and feature parity on Windows 8 and Windows RT.
Two models of Surface will be available: one running an ARM (ARMH) processor featuring Windows RT, and one with a third-generation Intel (INTC) Core processor featuring Windows 8 Pro. Both will be sold in the Microsoft Store locations in the U.S. and available through select online Microsoft Stores. Surface sports a full-sized USB port and a 16:9 aspect ratio and a uouch cover. Suggested retail pricing will be announced closer to availability and is expected to be competitive with a comparable ARM tablet or Intel Ultrabook-class PC. OEMs will have cost and feature parity on Windows 8 and Windows RT.
lundi 18 juin 2012
Galaxy 3 ....
Samsung a fait savoir qu’il retarderait la sortie duGalaxy S III au Canada en raison d’une « demande sans précédent ». On ne sait pas si les difficultés de production de la version bleue du châssis sont aussi en partie responsables de ce retard.
Les pré-commandes de Galaxy S III avaient atteint 9 millions au mois de mai dernier. Le lancement du nouveau terminal est donc un succès, malgré un retard sur le modèle bleu qui souffre de décolorations.
Les retards ne sont pas seulement au Canada, puisque Verizon aux États-Unis et Clove au Royaume-Uni ont aussi dû commercialiser le téléphone plus tard que prévu. Samsung ne communique pas sur le nombre de téléphones vendus, mais selon les premières informations en provenance des opérateurs, il semble y avoir une demande forte depuis la mise sur le marché du téléphone en mai dernier ...... Cela s’explique en partie par le fait que son soc exynox 4 quad et son autonomie le place parmi les smartphones les plus performants du moment.
Zynga has nothing to announce at this time....MAIS ?
Despite Zynga's recent sharp share price decline, the company is "rolling the dice" on its future: online gambling.
The San Francisco-based social gaming company is exploring the potential online gaming market, according to Mike Gupta, Zynga's vice president of finance and treasurer.
Online gambling is still illegal in the United States, but it's legal in other countries, including Britain. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) has tried to push forward online gambling legislation, only to see it fail. Zynga may be poised to capitalize on any such legislation
Zynga recently launched its own Zynga.com platform, and has partnerships withGooglePlus, Tencent and a recent announcement with Sina Weibo to bring Draw Something to the Chinese social network.
The San Francisco-based social gaming company is exploring the potential online gaming market, according to Mike Gupta, Zynga's vice president of finance and treasurer.
Online gambling is still illegal in the United States, but it's legal in other countries, including Britain. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) has tried to push forward online gambling legislation, only to see it fail. Zynga may be poised to capitalize on any such legislation
Zynga recently launched its own Zynga.com platform, and has partnerships withGooglePlus, Tencent and a recent announcement with Sina Weibo to bring Draw Something to the Chinese social network.
Potential partners include casino operators such as Wynn Casinos, Caesar's Entertainment and others.
The continued expansion of gambling in the United States will most certainly happen, as the federal government seeks to generate additional revenue to help pay down the federal deficit. New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has already said that he will push forward with his state's decision to allow sports gambling. The federal government, however, still has not approved sports gambling outside of Nevada, Oregon, Montana and Delaware.
mardi 12 juin 2012
Le groupe de photographie Eastman Kodak, qui joue sa survie dans un processus de redressement judiciaire, a lancé un processus crucial de vente d'un portefeuille de plus de mille brevets dans la photo numérique.
Ce pionnier des appareils photo a indiqué dans un communiqué qu'il avait demandé au tribunal des faillites devant lequel il a déposé le bilan en janvier d'approuver la procédure d'enchères de "plus de 1.100 brevets qui concernent la capture, la manipulation et le partage d'images numériques"
lundi 11 juin 2012
FB
Facebook's member and usage growth is slowing sharply in the U.S., data from comScore shows, although that's partly because it's the most dominant site: Facebook has 71% of Internet users and draws them in for six hours a month. The main areas of expansion are mobile and overseas, although neither has yet proved as lucrative as Facebook's main business.
Apple MAP
When Apple Inc kicks off its annual conference for software developers on Monday, all the power players in the Apple universe will be on hand, save the one that is in many ways driving the agenda: Google Inc.
More than ever, the consumer electronics juggernaut finds itself in a pitched battle with the online search giant - in smartphones, cloud computing and the never-ending competition for the hearts and minds of the best software developers.
Apple on Monday is expected to announce its own mapping application, challenging the position of Google Maps as one of the most-valued features on the iPhone. It will unveil closer integration of its iPhone apps and iCloud storage service with all its devices, the latest riposte in its battle with Google's Android smartphone software.
It may promote the latest in Siri, the voice interface that the company thinks can continue to set the iPhone and the iPad apart from the Android pack.
And there will likely be a new line of Macintosh laptops too - underscoring the leverage that a full line of hardware products can bring to what is mainly a software war with Google.
Apple is looking to differentiate its mobile devices from Google's Android by further enticing consumers deeper into its app ecosystem, said Carolina Milanesi, analyst at Gartner Research.
"It's all about loyalty and basically leveraging the opportunity of selling more to them," she said. "I don't think the consumers in the mass market are necessarily tied into the Android ecosystem in the same way that consumers on the Apple side are."
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MACBOOK REDESIGN IN THE WORKS
Where Apple has the upper hand is in its hardware - groundbreaking in design, vastly popular with consumers for its ease of use.
The redesigned MacBook laptops to hit the stage next week are expected to include high-definition screens and Intel Corp's Ivy Bridge cutting-edge processors. Some even expect the iPad's "retina" display to show up on the MacBook line.
This would be Apple's first big redesign of the MacBook Pro since mid-2009. With the new lineup, it hopes to fend off budding competition from rival manufacturers who are pushing a spate of new, thinner laptops called "Ultrabooks."
Windows 8, a new version of Microsoft's flagship operating system that runs on tablet computers as well as PCs, will bolster PC makers' ability to offer premier computers rivaling Apple's MacBook line.
Already, about 20 touch-enabled ultrabook designs with various styles of foldable, detachable or sliding keyboards running the new Windows 8 system are in the pipeline.
The MacBook line generated 13 percent, or about $5 billion, of Apple's fiscal second-quarter revenue. Unit sales of the aging lineup were up 7 percent from the previous year but were down 23 percent sequentially.
Whatever the case, Apple fans and partners can look forward to a fairly action-packed week.
"Apple is very serious about getting far in front of Windows 8 and Ultrabooks," said Barclays analyst Ben Reitzes.
selon le Nobel d'économie Joseph Stiglitz .....
Le plan de sauvetage des banques espagnoles risque de ne pas permettre à l'Espagne de sortir durablement de la crise de la dette car l'Etat et les banques vont s'installer dans un cercle vicieux sans fin où chacun finance les déficits de l'autre, estime Joseph Stiglitz.
« Le système fait que le gouvernement espagnol renfloue les banques et que les banques renflouent le gouvernement », souligne le lauréat du prix Nobel d'économie.
Les ministres des Finances de la zone euro ont convenu samedi de prêter jusqu'à 100 milliards d'euros à l'Espagne afin de lui permettre de renflouer ses banques en difficulté, Madrid s'engageant à préciser le montant de ses besoins dès que seront connus les résultats d'audits indépendants en cours sur son système bancaire.
Si l'Espagne devait solliciter la totalité de la somme, cela accroîtrait encore de 10% son ratio dette-PIB, qui devrait déjà atteindre 80% fin 2012 alors qu'il était de 68,5% fin 2011. Et cela rendrait d'autant plus problématique et coûteux pour le gouvernement espagnol d'émettre des obligations souveraines sur les marchés internationaux.
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