SMM
Nov 15, 06:40 PM
Just asking a question, understand. But, is there a need to have more memory as twice as many requesting sources are accessing the memory pool?
swarmster
Sep 14, 08:57 AM
This story gets buried in the blog and a story of ninja stars makes page one? No Apple bias here. :rolleyes:
Consumer Reports says "we still think the same thing" for the third time and that's first page news? Sounds more like they're fishing for free publicity.
Anyway, when a reviewing organization "doesn't recommend" what I consider the best phone I've ever owned, it sounds more like I shouldn't bother paying attention to that reviewing organization. Their taste just isn't relevant to mine.
Consumer Reports says "we still think the same thing" for the third time and that's first page news? Sounds more like they're fishing for free publicity.
Anyway, when a reviewing organization "doesn't recommend" what I consider the best phone I've ever owned, it sounds more like I shouldn't bother paying attention to that reviewing organization. Their taste just isn't relevant to mine.
Apple Corps
Jul 19, 06:42 PM
does it mean mac's desktop market share is climbing? 5%?
No - they are actually losing market share.
No - they are actually losing market share.
7thMac
Mar 22, 04:42 PM
I love the Classic. Everything doesn't need to run iOS. But there is room for improvement and when something better comes along I'll buy it. For now there doesn't seem to be any competition.
Maclver
Mar 30, 08:35 PM
Launchpad is now fixed.. Click and hold to move multiple apps (shakes like iPhone)
When launching expose dock doesn't crash any more...
Much snappier in performance
Has anyone noticed when shutting down the menu bar up top stays into the blue screen?
When launching expose dock doesn't crash any more...
Much snappier in performance
Has anyone noticed when shutting down the menu bar up top stays into the blue screen?
Reach9
Mar 20, 07:10 PM
Really, Gaddafi deserves it.
US is trying to be as coy as possible by saying that other people are taking charge of this, and bringing in UAE and Qatar on their side.
I find this great, and can't wait until the lunatic leader gets justice.
US is trying to be as coy as possible by saying that other people are taking charge of this, and bringing in UAE and Qatar on their side.
I find this great, and can't wait until the lunatic leader gets justice.
berkleeboy210
Sep 1, 12:03 PM
just checked the apple store... currently 1-2 business day shipping time for the iMac.
this could mean updates on 9/5.....
MBP's still ship w/ in 24hrs though.
this could mean updates on 9/5.....
MBP's still ship w/ in 24hrs though.
ten-oak-druid
Apr 26, 12:49 PM
I'm ambivalent on this issue. I think its just one of those things the experts at trademark law will have to iron out in or out of court. It certainly isn't as big an issue as Samsung's dishonorable blatant copy of the overall ipad design and experience.
As for Amazons names, I find the Kindle to be a strange name for an Amazon product. Burn the rain forest? That said, I opted for the kindle wifi for my tablet. I have an iphone and the kindle gives me the better reading experience for less cost. The iphone/kindle wifi combination is perfect for me. The ipad would have just been a duplication of the iphone on a larger scale for just about everything. Not that I'm knocking the ipad. I like it a lot.
The kindle app on the iphone is nice for night reading too. Another benefit of the iphone/kindle combination for me: night and day reading between the two devices.
As for Amazons names, I find the Kindle to be a strange name for an Amazon product. Burn the rain forest? That said, I opted for the kindle wifi for my tablet. I have an iphone and the kindle gives me the better reading experience for less cost. The iphone/kindle wifi combination is perfect for me. The ipad would have just been a duplication of the iphone on a larger scale for just about everything. Not that I'm knocking the ipad. I like it a lot.
The kindle app on the iphone is nice for night reading too. Another benefit of the iphone/kindle combination for me: night and day reading between the two devices.
quagmire
Mar 1, 01:34 PM
that the US car makers still sells trucks, pickups etc. without diesel options is simply a complete lack of any common sense. diesel engines are practically made to be perfect for pulling and towing in commercial vehicles
for it's south american Amarok pick up VW simply took the 2.0 I4 TDI from the golf/jetta and set up the engine slightly different in regards to the power/torque band and ends up with an engine which was very likely cheaper to develop, cheaper to build had less weight and still achieves 400nm of torque
GM had the 4.5 liter Duramax in development for their half-ton trucks, but the economy and their situation canned that. Ford also was working on a baby Powerstroke and Cummins was working on a baby I-6 for Dodge. But, those as well have been canned.
for it's south american Amarok pick up VW simply took the 2.0 I4 TDI from the golf/jetta and set up the engine slightly different in regards to the power/torque band and ends up with an engine which was very likely cheaper to develop, cheaper to build had less weight and still achieves 400nm of torque
GM had the 4.5 liter Duramax in development for their half-ton trucks, but the economy and their situation canned that. Ford also was working on a baby Powerstroke and Cummins was working on a baby I-6 for Dodge. But, those as well have been canned.
millerb7
May 3, 06:58 AM
Okay, stupid question, sort of related.
I'm running optibay on my MBP (SSD & HDD with SSD split running my apps and OS, and then Win7, and my HDD acting as my storage drive for my media).... when I install Lion how crazy is that going to get?
I HIGHLY doubt (but do hopelessly hope [yes, I know]) that it'll be as easy as swapping my snow leopard with Lion... meaning that my Win7 will remain.... although for some reason I feel that I'll need to format the entire SSD, thus erasing my win7 install?
The only reason I ask is that it's a pita to install Win7 with this setup due to Win7 not loading from disk via USB... so I have to remove the damn optibay and put my optical drive back in.
So basically, I assume I have to re-link my OSX (as it's split now between ssd and hdd)... but do I have to erase my Win7 install as well on the SSD?
I'm running optibay on my MBP (SSD & HDD with SSD split running my apps and OS, and then Win7, and my HDD acting as my storage drive for my media).... when I install Lion how crazy is that going to get?
I HIGHLY doubt (but do hopelessly hope [yes, I know]) that it'll be as easy as swapping my snow leopard with Lion... meaning that my Win7 will remain.... although for some reason I feel that I'll need to format the entire SSD, thus erasing my win7 install?
The only reason I ask is that it's a pita to install Win7 with this setup due to Win7 not loading from disk via USB... so I have to remove the damn optibay and put my optical drive back in.
So basically, I assume I have to re-link my OSX (as it's split now between ssd and hdd)... but do I have to erase my Win7 install as well on the SSD?
sluthy
Jan 3, 07:31 PM
The C2D upgrade happened in November. The 17s actually shipped toward the last part of November. I can't understand why anyone would think that an improvement is needed in the displays on the MBP line. Some of you must have extaordinary vision if you could expect the video to be crisper or any more HD than it is. When I am viewing HD TV on this MBP, it actually blows the picture that we get on our HDTV set. And movies are really realistic looking on this screen. I perceive that anyone wanting a major upgrade to what I am seeing right here is going after "bragging rights" .... But that is just MHO
I also own a bad A$$ custom built notebook with a kick butt video card and super duper display and I actually like this Mac better. Again ... MHO
:cool:
But the screen on the 17in MBP (1680x1050) by definition can't do HD (1920x1080). I don't care how well it can scale down, scaling down is not playing at true native resolution, and with most new content heading toward 1080i (and eventually 1080p), getting anything less than that now is just heading toward a dead end media wise IMO.
I also own a bad A$$ custom built notebook with a kick butt video card and super duper display and I actually like this Mac better. Again ... MHO
:cool:
But the screen on the 17in MBP (1680x1050) by definition can't do HD (1920x1080). I don't care how well it can scale down, scaling down is not playing at true native resolution, and with most new content heading toward 1080i (and eventually 1080p), getting anything less than that now is just heading toward a dead end media wise IMO.
Goldfinger
Sep 5, 08:36 AM
Go to Apple.com and you'll see there is a blank space next to the 30 inch Cinema Display ad.
SciFrog
Nov 9, 12:33 PM
it's not supported?
Not officially. But enough people tried it to make it run nicely.
Not officially. But enough people tried it to make it run nicely.
lordonuthin
Dec 14, 06:26 PM
You are #103 cruncher for the hole project, whao!
And actually #1 and #2 are default user, not real...
Impressive.
Can't wait for Gulftown Mac Pros and SMP2 (maybe 60k PPD with one machine?).
Thanks!
The Gulftowns, SMP2 and GPU3 will make for an impressive bump in PPD I hope. It will be interesting to see, I'm hoping some overhead will get cleaned up as well.
I wonder what companies besides Apple will get their software ported for Grand Central/OpenCL in the next year? Lots of potential there.
And actually #1 and #2 are default user, not real...
Impressive.
Can't wait for Gulftown Mac Pros and SMP2 (maybe 60k PPD with one machine?).
Thanks!
The Gulftowns, SMP2 and GPU3 will make for an impressive bump in PPD I hope. It will be interesting to see, I'm hoping some overhead will get cleaned up as well.
I wonder what companies besides Apple will get their software ported for Grand Central/OpenCL in the next year? Lots of potential there.
Chundles
Oct 23, 08:16 AM
Don't you end up spending so much money on tax when you enter the UK again that it isn't really worth it?
Not if you open it, load some stuff onto it and take it through customs in your carry-on. Get rid of the box and nobody can say that you didn't buy it in the UK and are just coming home.
Not if you open it, load some stuff onto it and take it through customs in your carry-on. Get rid of the box and nobody can say that you didn't buy it in the UK and are just coming home.
BenRoethig
Aug 31, 03:23 PM
Ahh crippling like using inferior Gpu's like in ProMac & Mini? Both GMA950 & 7300 are bottom tier.
The 7300GT is a lot better than the name implies. It's more like a 7600 light than a regular 7300. Specs are significantly better for this card than the Radeon x1600 the iMacs use.
Are the Yonah chips being phased out now that Merom is coming on line?
I would think the same fab would produce the Merom chips...
Yes. Any yonahs around would probably be from existing stock. It's a direct replacement.
The 7300GT is a lot better than the name implies. It's more like a 7600 light than a regular 7300. Specs are significantly better for this card than the Radeon x1600 the iMacs use.
Are the Yonah chips being phased out now that Merom is coming on line?
I would think the same fab would produce the Merom chips...
Yes. Any yonahs around would probably be from existing stock. It's a direct replacement.
extrafuzzyllama
Sep 29, 11:23 PM
is that lime case tpu or silicon?
ibook30
Jul 14, 12:51 AM
What i'm worried about is if this whole format war between HD-DVD and Blu-ray turns out to be really worthless and end up with neither format winning and instead having both supplanted by further formats. it would be like trying to put betamax up against laserdisc then having DVDs come to market :rolleyes: .
There are great things coming though- future discs, future mass storage too. HDs may be on their way out soon enough for speed reasons. one thing i'm keeping an eye on is ferroelectric memory, which might also make HD-DVD/Bluray etc. partly obsolete as a storage format- useful primarily for video media only.
Excellent points, and concerns. I think the format wars will be mitigated by tech companies desire to make a dollar and the markets inability to handle too many choices and price points vs. value.
It's not impossible that the bluray/ HD DVD conflict will be supplanted by new technology - but it will become a regional issue (Asia vs Europe or N America) and/or price against value issue .. ultimately leaving the consumer with two or three choices.... no matter how fast the technology advances. "The market" is unlikely to handle more than 2 or 3 choices. (I am speaking of the consumer market - a seperate market for the technocracy will allow more choices for niche markets.... I hope)
Let's see what happens- it'll be an interesting ride.
On the 802.11n front- to deviate from the thread again - if Apple and other traditional tech companies do not get behind this - it will leave an opening for telecom/cable companies like Comcast, AT&T, and Verizon - all of whom are delivering faster and faster connection speeds to the (residential)consumer's front door .... Verizon's fiber optic system gives faster download and upload times than previous options, so they are creating a need for faster home networks.
Apple is beginning to compete with telcoms for the communication dollar (iChat AV and ventures into cell phones) - so telcoms might strike back by offering machines or networking cards that work with these advancing high speed internets. I dunno.
p.s. (Silentwave) I am reading about ferroelectric tech - and it is fascinating. Glad you mentioned it!
There are great things coming though- future discs, future mass storage too. HDs may be on their way out soon enough for speed reasons. one thing i'm keeping an eye on is ferroelectric memory, which might also make HD-DVD/Bluray etc. partly obsolete as a storage format- useful primarily for video media only.
Excellent points, and concerns. I think the format wars will be mitigated by tech companies desire to make a dollar and the markets inability to handle too many choices and price points vs. value.
It's not impossible that the bluray/ HD DVD conflict will be supplanted by new technology - but it will become a regional issue (Asia vs Europe or N America) and/or price against value issue .. ultimately leaving the consumer with two or three choices.... no matter how fast the technology advances. "The market" is unlikely to handle more than 2 or 3 choices. (I am speaking of the consumer market - a seperate market for the technocracy will allow more choices for niche markets.... I hope)
Let's see what happens- it'll be an interesting ride.
On the 802.11n front- to deviate from the thread again - if Apple and other traditional tech companies do not get behind this - it will leave an opening for telecom/cable companies like Comcast, AT&T, and Verizon - all of whom are delivering faster and faster connection speeds to the (residential)consumer's front door .... Verizon's fiber optic system gives faster download and upload times than previous options, so they are creating a need for faster home networks.
Apple is beginning to compete with telcoms for the communication dollar (iChat AV and ventures into cell phones) - so telcoms might strike back by offering machines or networking cards that work with these advancing high speed internets. I dunno.
p.s. (Silentwave) I am reading about ferroelectric tech - and it is fascinating. Glad you mentioned it!
SaMaster14
Jan 11, 10:44 PM
I was intending on getting a 335i coupe and decided to take the 135i for a spin for kicks (it was the year they came out). While they run about the same speed, the 135i just felt quicker. I ended up with the 135i vert ( pic in old thread). I have had two 3 series before, so this was just a change of pace.
For those that think it is too tall, keep in mind that it gives it a much roomier feel inside. I am 6'4 and I could not fit in a miata sized car. When I get in a 3 series, even it feels less roomy in the cockpit.
I also like the fact that the 1series is much more rare, around here anyway, than the 3. I still love the 3, though.
Both the 1 series and the 3 series are really common where I live (Los Angeles, CA). I'm not a big guy, so the inside of a car being small has never bothered me at all. Personally, I didn't get the 335i coupe because my parents didn't want me have a coupe for a first car, and the G37S sedan was nicer looking, $10,000 less and about 95% of what the 3 series would give me. (plus, since I'm obviously not going to keep my first car for that long, I wanted something to look forward to when I upgrade... hopefully a 335iS coupe or something along that price range).
For those that think it is too tall, keep in mind that it gives it a much roomier feel inside. I am 6'4 and I could not fit in a miata sized car. When I get in a 3 series, even it feels less roomy in the cockpit.
I also like the fact that the 1series is much more rare, around here anyway, than the 3. I still love the 3, though.
Both the 1 series and the 3 series are really common where I live (Los Angeles, CA). I'm not a big guy, so the inside of a car being small has never bothered me at all. Personally, I didn't get the 335i coupe because my parents didn't want me have a coupe for a first car, and the G37S sedan was nicer looking, $10,000 less and about 95% of what the 3 series would give me. (plus, since I'm obviously not going to keep my first car for that long, I wanted something to look forward to when I upgrade... hopefully a 335iS coupe or something along that price range).
SeaFox
Dec 28, 02:23 AM
Here is your quote SeaFox.
You are an condescending individual and take my post out of context.
You can't please all of the people all of the time.
"I wouldn't hold my breath on the word processing and web surfing. WebTV showed surfing the internet on a TV sucked because trying to read normal-sized text from six feet away was hard, and bumping the text size up would goof up the page layout generally. Same reason word processing would be silly."
I stand by the statement. WebTV failed because at the time everyone had CRT TVs, which are much blurrier than a computer monitor. Even if you are using a new plasma screen set you have to account for how you use your device. One sits in front of their monitor by a couple feet. This makes 12 point text readable. Now, step back from this thread about six feet or so, however far you usually sit from your TV, and you'll see why. Even if you're viewing the screen at the real resolution of the HD set (1920x1080 for the real nice sets) you're still not going to be wanting to read long passages to text from your TV. Kinda like people don't like reading books in their entirety one screen at a time in Acrobat.
When you ask a home entertainment device to perform the functions of a regular computer you're adding all sorts of complexity and starting down a slippery slope. Let's say Apple added the ability to view Word files to the iTV. Someone would complain that they couldn't edit them. Same with iMovie files. Now you have to add that functionality. Then someone would say "well, what about image files? I can already watch my iPhoto library, why can't I do color and brightness/contrast correction?"
This is exactly the same thing that comes up about the iPod and the Apple Phone. Yeah, the iPod has no built-in FM tuner, no voice memo ability, no built in recording ability, built in FM transmitter for the car, ect. And adding these features would make the interface more complicated, when one of the things that makes the iPod such a hit is it's simplicity. Why do current music playing phones suck? Because the player functionality is hidden under a bunch of unintuitive menus, just like most of the other bells and whistles that may have influenced you to buy the phone to begin with. It's the current state of overly complicated interface design that gets people excited about Apple entering the cell phone market.
Edit: Also, one last point. If you put too much functionality into the iTV that is normally relegated to a regular Mac, then charge less for the iTV, you're going to eat into sales of the Mac Mini. Apple wouldn't do this, and this is the main reason I don't think you'll see the ability to open Word files or surf the Net with the iTV, that and it just sounds like a weird feature to have in a set top box.
If you've got your Mini hooked up to your TV and its working good for you I applaud you. The iTV is clearly not aiming for your type of consumer. I've read articles about setting up Minis as PVR's with HD sets, and invariably the indivdulal has some difficulty finding a monitor resolution and refresh rate the HD set will play along with at first, and actual use of the device is hobbled by needing a wireless keyboard or similar. Apple is aiming for the average TV watching consumer with the iTV, who I can tell you from personal experience are not nearly as smart.
You are an condescending individual and take my post out of context.
You can't please all of the people all of the time.
"I wouldn't hold my breath on the word processing and web surfing. WebTV showed surfing the internet on a TV sucked because trying to read normal-sized text from six feet away was hard, and bumping the text size up would goof up the page layout generally. Same reason word processing would be silly."
I stand by the statement. WebTV failed because at the time everyone had CRT TVs, which are much blurrier than a computer monitor. Even if you are using a new plasma screen set you have to account for how you use your device. One sits in front of their monitor by a couple feet. This makes 12 point text readable. Now, step back from this thread about six feet or so, however far you usually sit from your TV, and you'll see why. Even if you're viewing the screen at the real resolution of the HD set (1920x1080 for the real nice sets) you're still not going to be wanting to read long passages to text from your TV. Kinda like people don't like reading books in their entirety one screen at a time in Acrobat.
When you ask a home entertainment device to perform the functions of a regular computer you're adding all sorts of complexity and starting down a slippery slope. Let's say Apple added the ability to view Word files to the iTV. Someone would complain that they couldn't edit them. Same with iMovie files. Now you have to add that functionality. Then someone would say "well, what about image files? I can already watch my iPhoto library, why can't I do color and brightness/contrast correction?"
This is exactly the same thing that comes up about the iPod and the Apple Phone. Yeah, the iPod has no built-in FM tuner, no voice memo ability, no built in recording ability, built in FM transmitter for the car, ect. And adding these features would make the interface more complicated, when one of the things that makes the iPod such a hit is it's simplicity. Why do current music playing phones suck? Because the player functionality is hidden under a bunch of unintuitive menus, just like most of the other bells and whistles that may have influenced you to buy the phone to begin with. It's the current state of overly complicated interface design that gets people excited about Apple entering the cell phone market.
Edit: Also, one last point. If you put too much functionality into the iTV that is normally relegated to a regular Mac, then charge less for the iTV, you're going to eat into sales of the Mac Mini. Apple wouldn't do this, and this is the main reason I don't think you'll see the ability to open Word files or surf the Net with the iTV, that and it just sounds like a weird feature to have in a set top box.
If you've got your Mini hooked up to your TV and its working good for you I applaud you. The iTV is clearly not aiming for your type of consumer. I've read articles about setting up Minis as PVR's with HD sets, and invariably the indivdulal has some difficulty finding a monitor resolution and refresh rate the HD set will play along with at first, and actual use of the device is hobbled by needing a wireless keyboard or similar. Apple is aiming for the average TV watching consumer with the iTV, who I can tell you from personal experience are not nearly as smart.
thejedipunk
Jan 7, 09:22 PM
ITV is a private independant TV channel in the UK so Apple may run into trouble with that name for it's home media centre.
iTV is just Apple's in house development/prototype codename for the device. Jobs-san already said it was going to be given an official name.
iTV is just Apple's in house development/prototype codename for the device. Jobs-san already said it was going to be given an official name.
h'biki
Apr 16, 03:21 AM
when marketshare is almost 0 % you are close to dying, look a 1 % of all new machines built is not giving me any confidence in the platform. sure we have 10 % in a installed platform but are loosing everywhere( thank you motorola for holding up the ass end. Fact is Pcs are running away from Mac and when a 500 dollar machine kicks a new $2000 Imac its time to say so long to Jobs and his croonies. Supported you guys way to long at my expense.
Layman's version:
When you CEASE TO MAKE A PROFIT then you are dying*. Until then, it doesn't matter what your market share is.
If 1% of the world's population gave me a dollar, I'd be very rich. If 50% of the world's population gave you 1 cent, you'd also be rich, but not as rich as me... even though you have a greater market share. Its all about margins!
For those who are actually interested in understanding the world of business:
*Well, possibly dying... You have to continue to lose money and do it over a period of time before you are dying. Even then, that may be a result of mismanagement, rather than the company itself being dead -- there may still be the potential for money to be made. Really, the only time a company is dead is when its bankrupt and/or when its taken over and its assets stripped (because its been mis-valued).
To give two recent examples. Gateway has been losing money for some time. It has gone from a all time high in 1997 of $61 per share to its current price of around $6 (which it has been at for over the last year). In other words, its been devalued by a magnitude of 10. (They may have refinanced during that time and devalued the price per share, while increasing their overall market value... but I can't remember them doing that. Gateway may have greater marker share, but Apple is valued at around $28 per share. Just to make the comparison properly fair, Gateway has a market value of $1,999 Million, while Apple's market value is around $10,000 million. In other words, Apple is worth ten times as much as Gateway, despite their smaller market share. (Admittely, Apple's share price flucates like crazy, but thats arguably a result of the FUD of uninformed gits, like those at C|Net). Nonetheless, Gateway is likely to be around for some time. Until it continues to burn through money and its share price drops even lower, and it becomes the target of a hostile takeover... which will result in (1) a merger/total buyout/absortion; (2) a massive corporate governance change because the hostile company thinks there's money to be made; and (3) its bought out, its assets stripped and resold.
Example 2 is Media 100. They were also burning through money. Unlike Gateway, however, they weren't generating much gross revenue. Their technology was good, but not that good, and their management was baaad. They weren't generating much gross revenue, which is why no one was really interested in buying them or giving them a loan. They just didn't seem capable of even making a profit (and thats what matters). They were a dying company (unlike Gateway, which is just troubled). So they were forced to file for bankruptcy. Now their assets are being bought by Optibase -- when that deal is complete, they will be dead.
Point is, corporate finance is a very convuluted world. They're like stars. The bigger they are, the longer it usually takes them to die. Sometimes there are corporate "supernovas" (like Enron or HIH or OneTel) in which the whole corporate structure implodes, but thats because of criminal negligence, lack of transparency, and dodgy account practices. (All of which render the mechanisms of the market for corporate control to be rather useless. Noone wants to touch a company when you don't want to know what you're buying).
The most important thing to the world of corporate finance -- the one in which a company lives or dies -- is profit per share, then revenue. Both of which Apple has. Thus it is healthy. Oh, and its debt free. This is a good thing, because it signals to potentially future creditors that it pays off it loans... thus they're likely to bail it out, if it finds itself in trouble again. (Of course, there are mitigating factors there, but thats true of anything).
The only reason that Apple's market share is an issue is because uninformed gits in the IT press (tautology that) scream about it being an issue. This creates information asynchronicity (imnsho) and distorts the market (both the share market and the IT market). Personally I reckon that if people didn't think market share was an issue, Apple would actually be increasing its marketshare. Of course, thats exactly the reason companies like C|NET do scream about it, so it becomes a quasi self-fulfililng prophercy.
Here endeth the lesson on "Introduction to Corporate Financing 101"
Layman's version:
When you CEASE TO MAKE A PROFIT then you are dying*. Until then, it doesn't matter what your market share is.
If 1% of the world's population gave me a dollar, I'd be very rich. If 50% of the world's population gave you 1 cent, you'd also be rich, but not as rich as me... even though you have a greater market share. Its all about margins!
For those who are actually interested in understanding the world of business:
*Well, possibly dying... You have to continue to lose money and do it over a period of time before you are dying. Even then, that may be a result of mismanagement, rather than the company itself being dead -- there may still be the potential for money to be made. Really, the only time a company is dead is when its bankrupt and/or when its taken over and its assets stripped (because its been mis-valued).
To give two recent examples. Gateway has been losing money for some time. It has gone from a all time high in 1997 of $61 per share to its current price of around $6 (which it has been at for over the last year). In other words, its been devalued by a magnitude of 10. (They may have refinanced during that time and devalued the price per share, while increasing their overall market value... but I can't remember them doing that. Gateway may have greater marker share, but Apple is valued at around $28 per share. Just to make the comparison properly fair, Gateway has a market value of $1,999 Million, while Apple's market value is around $10,000 million. In other words, Apple is worth ten times as much as Gateway, despite their smaller market share. (Admittely, Apple's share price flucates like crazy, but thats arguably a result of the FUD of uninformed gits, like those at C|Net). Nonetheless, Gateway is likely to be around for some time. Until it continues to burn through money and its share price drops even lower, and it becomes the target of a hostile takeover... which will result in (1) a merger/total buyout/absortion; (2) a massive corporate governance change because the hostile company thinks there's money to be made; and (3) its bought out, its assets stripped and resold.
Example 2 is Media 100. They were also burning through money. Unlike Gateway, however, they weren't generating much gross revenue. Their technology was good, but not that good, and their management was baaad. They weren't generating much gross revenue, which is why no one was really interested in buying them or giving them a loan. They just didn't seem capable of even making a profit (and thats what matters). They were a dying company (unlike Gateway, which is just troubled). So they were forced to file for bankruptcy. Now their assets are being bought by Optibase -- when that deal is complete, they will be dead.
Point is, corporate finance is a very convuluted world. They're like stars. The bigger they are, the longer it usually takes them to die. Sometimes there are corporate "supernovas" (like Enron or HIH or OneTel) in which the whole corporate structure implodes, but thats because of criminal negligence, lack of transparency, and dodgy account practices. (All of which render the mechanisms of the market for corporate control to be rather useless. Noone wants to touch a company when you don't want to know what you're buying).
The most important thing to the world of corporate finance -- the one in which a company lives or dies -- is profit per share, then revenue. Both of which Apple has. Thus it is healthy. Oh, and its debt free. This is a good thing, because it signals to potentially future creditors that it pays off it loans... thus they're likely to bail it out, if it finds itself in trouble again. (Of course, there are mitigating factors there, but thats true of anything).
The only reason that Apple's market share is an issue is because uninformed gits in the IT press (tautology that) scream about it being an issue. This creates information asynchronicity (imnsho) and distorts the market (both the share market and the IT market). Personally I reckon that if people didn't think market share was an issue, Apple would actually be increasing its marketshare. Of course, thats exactly the reason companies like C|NET do scream about it, so it becomes a quasi self-fulfililng prophercy.
Here endeth the lesson on "Introduction to Corporate Financing 101"
eawmp1
Apr 9, 09:35 PM
I drive manuals although I won't buy them any longer as there is just too much traffic and local, stop and go driving in my routine.
This.
I learned on a manual, and drove 20 years before acquiescing to the realities of commuting in stop and go traffic. Besides, knee on wheel, drink in one hand, and cell phone in other hand makes driving a manual impossible.
I kid.
This.
I learned on a manual, and drove 20 years before acquiescing to the realities of commuting in stop and go traffic. Besides, knee on wheel, drink in one hand, and cell phone in other hand makes driving a manual impossible.
I kid.
PowerFullMac
Jan 12, 09:07 AM
I think that "Air" is a good name and it really could be the name, think of the iPhone, no one thought that would be the actual name, but it is was and is! So we shall see in a few days...
And the reason its not "Lite" or "Light" is because they have been used a million times, and Apple thinks different :)
And the reason its not "Lite" or "Light" is because they have been used a million times, and Apple thinks different :)
