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Facebook has Quanta Computer, Wistron set up Internet data centers in US

September 14th, 2011
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Facebook has skipped original partner Dell to commission Taiwan-based ODM Quanta Computer to set up a customized data center in Oregon and another one in North Carolina through cooperation with both Quanta and Wistron, with the former data center completed already, according to industry sources.

The sources pointed out that Facebook’s strategy of placing orders directly with upstream ODMs will create a significant threat toward first-tier server players such as Hewlett-Packard (HP), Dell and IBM.

Although the server market enjoyed a growth of 20% in the second quarter and will continue to see strong shipments in the future as demand for cloud computing increases, server brand vendors are being left out from the opportunity as Facebook and Google have turned to placing orders directly with PC ODMs.

Since HP, Dell and IBM’s datacenter products cannot meet the demand of these social networking websites, the players are turning to PC ODMs for special help. Facebook’s hardware design executive Frank Frankovsky previously pointed out that the company was unable to receive products that meet its demands from its original suppliers and will need to seek products that feature custom power supplies and PCBs to meet its needs.

In addition to the demand for hardware specifications, price is also an important factor for network site players and telecom carriers to seek support directly from upstream ODMs. Without brokers in the middle, the end clients can save at least 20% in costs.

In the past, the end clients normally would accept all the additional costs that were generated by the server brand vendors’ personnel expenses and profits, but with Facebook braking the traditional business model to significantly cut its costs and still own fully-customized machines, the ecosystem of the server industry has already started to change, the sources added.

Source:http://www.digitimes.com/news/a20110914PD214.html

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Magid on Tech: Internet on TV best done with your PC, Mac

August 3rd, 2011
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There are plenty of ways to bring Internet content to your TV, but most options have limitations on their capability.

Some content providers accessible from PCs and Macs try to block access from video game consoles, Google TV, Apple TV and other Internet-connected devices. Also, different devices run different applications — Apple TV will give access to iTunes content but not to Amazon’s library.

However, hook up a PC or Mac desktop to your TV, and the limitations disappear. The key to connecting your computer is to make sure it has an HDMI out port, standard on most computers today. The HDMI will always handle the compter’s video but may not be able to handle audio. If not, you’ll have to connect the audio via the PC’s headphones or audio out jack.

Another important piece is to get a wireless keyboard and pointing device or a remote control. There are several wireless technologies available for both PCs and Macs, starting at under $30. Ideally you should get wireless technology that uses an RF radio signal or Bluetooth rather than infrared.

Also, it’s important to be able to run your computer on Wi-Fi, unless if you want to run Ethernet cables in your living room.

You can buy a computer specifically for this purpose, but if you are upgrading to a newer PC, it could be a good way to use your old one. If your old PC doesn’t have Wi-Fi or the hardware for wireless keyboard and pointing device, you can easily add it through USB ports.

Mac Mini is a simple but expensive solution

This week Apple loaned me one of its new Mac Minis along with a Bluetooth keyboard and Bluetooth trackpad. I placed the new Mini next to my TV and connected an HDMI cable from the back of the Mac to the back of the TV — and that was it for installation. The video and audio worked fine, though I did have to adjust the Mac’s video resolution so it was suitable for my TV.

The Mini’s small size and ease of installation would make it an ideal set-top box — if it weren’t so expensive. A more economical solution would be to find a used Mini or a cheap PC as long as the device has an HDMI out port. Unlike iPads and iPhones, the Mac works fine with Flash, so all of the Internet was accessible.

And because it’s a personal computer, I was able to do other things such as check email and even write this column in Microsoft Word. Sitting on on the couch with a 55-inch computer screen isn’t exactly the most ergonomic way to write, but it does work.

So long Zediva

One of the video services I watch often on my Mac and PC is going away. Zediva, which purchased DVDs and streamed them online for as little as $1 per movie, was ordered to shut down by a federal judge after several Hollywood studios filed lawsuits.

Zediva purchased DVDs and players and streamed them to viewers the day the DVD was released, about a month ahead of Netflix’s DVD by mail service and ahead of many of the other video streaming services. Unlike Netflix, Amazon, iTunes and other services, Zediva didn’t get a license from the studios, who were upset that the service used a technology loophole to get around release schedules.

Source:http://www.mercurynews.com/opinion/ci_18603607?nclick_check=1

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Jefferies Expands Global Technology, Internet, Media and Telecommunications Equity Research

July 26th, 2011
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In a further expansion of the firm’s global equity research effort, Jefferies announced today the addition of Jason Kupferberg, Mark Lipacis, David Reynolds and Robert Lea, who join the firm as Senior Equity Research Analysts. Mr. Kupferberg will cover the Computer Services and IT Consulting sectors and is based in New York, Mr. Lipacis will cover the Semiconductor industry and is based in San Francisco, Mr. Reynolds will cover the Internet sector and is based in London, and Mr. Lea will cover the Semiconductor industry and is based in Hong Kong.

“We are extremely pleased to increase our research commitment within the broader Technology, Internet, Media and Telecommunications sectors,” commented Steven R. Black, Global Head of Equity Research at Jefferies. “Jason, Mark, David and Robert are established analysts and we are excited to welcome them to our team as part of the strategic build-out of this dynamic and opportunity-rich industry.”

Jefferies’ broader Technology, Internet, Media and Telecom (TIMT) Equity Research team is comprised of 25 senior analysts in New York, San Francisco, London, Hong Kong and Tokyo covering the Computer Services & IT Consulting, Data Networking and Wireless Equipment, Internet, Media, Software, Technology Hardware, Telecom Equipment / Wireless, and Telecommunications Services sectors.

Jefferies’ global equities business provides full-service research, sales and execution services across cash equities, electronic trading, equity derivatives, exchange traded funds, convertibles, prime brokerage and securities finance. The group is comprised of over 700 professionals in research, sales, and trading, including over 250 research professionals covering over 1,200 companies globally.

Mr. Kupferberg joins Jefferies from UBS, where he spent 10 years and was a Senior Equity Research Analyst covering Computer Services and IT Consulting companies. In 2010, he was a Runner Up in the Institutional Investor analyst survey, and was ranked #3 in 2009. Previously, he worked for Ernst & Young Consulting (now Capgemini). He received an MBA from the Stern School of Business at New York University and a BS from The George Washington University.

Mr. Lipacis joins Jefferies from Morgan Stanley, where he spent four years and was a Managing Director and Senior Semiconductor Analyst. In 2010, he was a Runner Up in the Institutional Investor analyst survey, ranked #3 in the Greenwich Associates poll, and ranked highly in previous Wall Street Journal and StarMine polls where he was recognized as the #1 Semiconductor stock picker by StarMine in 2009. Previously, he was a First Vice President and Senior Semiconductor Analyst at Prudential, and prior to that a Director and Lead Communications Semiconductor Analyst at Merrill Lynch. He received a MBA from the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia and a MS and BS in Electrical Engineering from Drexel University.

Mr. Reynolds brings to Jefferies more than ten years of industry experience and was most recently a Senior Vice President in Equity Research at JP Morgan, where he spent four years and led European Technology coverage and was a Runner Up in the Institutional Investor analyst survey. Previously, he spent four years at Dresdner Kleinwort Benson, where he was a Director in Equity Research covering Technology companies. Prior to that, he spent three years at KPMG after serving as a Royal Marines Officer. He received a BSc from University College Swansea and is a Chartered Accountant (ACA).

Mr. Lea has 15 years of industry experience and joins Jefferies from UBS, where he was most recently a Portfolio Manager investing in the Asia Technology sector in that firm’s Fundamental Investment Group. Previously, he was Global Head of Memory Semiconductor Equity Research at UBS and led coverage of the Korean and Taiwan Semiconductor sectors. Prior to that, he covered UK Technology companies at UBS in London. Mr. Lea has been consistently highly ranked in the Institutional Investor, StarMine and Extel analyst surveys in both Asia and Europe. He received a BEng in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from Imperial College, London and is a Chartered Accountant (ACA).

Jefferies Group, Inc. JEF -1.22% , a global securities and investment banking firm, has served companies and investors for nearly 50 years.

Source:http://www.marketwatch.com/story/jefferies-expands-global-technology-internet-media-and-telecommunications-equity-research-2011-07-26?reflink=MW_news_stmp

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Logitech Shares Fall on Weak Guidance (LOGI)

April 6th, 2011
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Shares of computer accessory manufacturer Logitech (LOGI: Charts, News, Offers) slumped at the beginning of April as it lowered its guidance for fiscal 2011 due to weakening demand for its products in European, Middle Eastern and African markets.

The company, which produces navigation, Internet, music, multimedia and gaming peripherals for Wintel PCs, now expects its sales to range between $2.35 to $2.37 billion, lower than its previous guidance of $2.4 to $2.42 billion.

It also forecasts lower operating income between $140 to $150 million, a reduction from its previous guidance between $170 to $180 billion.

Investors were not impressed by Logitech’s pessimism, and the company’s shares plunged nearly 19% on April 1st.

Logitech is a member of an increasingly fragmented market of computer accessories with low barriers to entry. Will Logitech get swept away as desktop sales – on which the company is reliant – continue to decline and tablet and netbook sales continue to increase?

Source:http://www.investorguide.com/article/8218/logitech-shares-fall-on-weak-guidance-logi/

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Arab world embraces the mobile Internet

February 2nd, 2011
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A significant number of Internet users across the Middle East and North Africa are accessing the Internet using their mobile devices and using mobile applications. The finding comes from a new survey published by online marketing intelligence company Effective Measure and Spot On Public Relations. The survey of over 12,700 internet users across the Middle East and North Africa found that half of all Internet users in the UAE used mobiles to access the Internet, with over 71% of mobile internet users in the region ranking email as their biggest mobile internet activity.

“People are increasingly using mobiles as Internet access devices in the Middle East and are starting to access social networks as well as news, sport and other information services using their mobiles. The primary application for mobiles is still email, but over 85% of users have downloaded mobile applications for their devices and the spread of services being accessed is very wide,” said Brendon Ogilvy, VP Digital Insights of Effective Measure. “Social networking, in particular, is a strong and growing trend, with 40% of women who use the mobile Internet doing so to access social networks.”

The survey showed some interesting differences in the way men and women in the region use their mobiles. Women were more active on social networking sites using their mobiles (40% of women do, compared to 33% of men) and were more interested in photo & video sharing and information on hobbies, while men were more interested in news and weather information. Women were also more likely to use online games than men.

“With a new generation of smart mobile devices coming to the market, more people are expanding the ways in which they access Internet based applications and services,” said Carrington Malin, Managing Director of Spot On Public Relations. “The growing popularity of mobile applications that access internet services will create significant new market opportunities for not only hardware vendors, but also for Internet publishers, service providers and marketing organisations across the region.”

47% of Internet users surveyed said they intended to buy a tablet device in the coming quarter, while more of those already using the mobile Internet, 57%, having the same plan. 22% of all Internet users surveyed planned to buy an Apple iPad.

One of the key factors that has been inhibiting uptake of mobile Internet in the MENA region is cost. While 26% of people who choose not to use mobile Internet cite cost as the primary factor, only 5% say that not knowing how to access the Internet is stopping them. With smart phones using high amounts of data, it’s hardly a surprise that something like 41% of users in the GCC have unlimited data packages.

The Effective Measure | Spot On PR survey was carried out between November 20th and December 5th 2010 across over 300 websites in the Middle East and North Africa using Effective Measure’s survey technology to select a random sample using intercept invitations. The total sample was 12,754.

Source:http://www.zawya.com/story.cfm/sidZAWYA20110202090203

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Internet Explorer 9 Beta erreicht 20 Mio.

January 2nd, 2011
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Obwohl die neunte Version des Internet Explorers von Microsoft noch in der Beta-Phase steckt wurde das Programm bereits 20 Millionen Mal heruntergeladen. Das ist zwar sicherlich nicht rekordverdächtig, aber dennoch eine Bestätigung von Microsofts Anstrengungen zum “Wiederbeleben” des Internet Explorers.

Am 15. September erschien die erste Beta des Internet Explorer 9. Seitdem wurde diese Beta-Version bereits über 20 Millionen Mal heruntergeladen. Microsoft gab dies in einem Blog-Eintrag bekannt und nutzte die Gelegenheit außerdem um ein paar aktuelle Statistiken in Sachen Marktanteil zu veröffentlichen.

Im Jahr 2009 hatten Microsofts veraltete Browser-Versionen 6 und 7 einen Marktanteil von 38,51%, wohingegen die Version 8 einen Marktanteil von 24,15% verbuchen konnte. Die alten Browser-Versionen verloren im vergangenen Jahr immenes Marktanteile und liegen nun nurnoch bei 22,98%, wohingegen die beiden neuen Versionen 8 und 9 einen kombinierten Marktanteil von 34,07% aufweisen. In Anbetracht der absoluten Anteile des IE9 von nur 0,46% bedeutet dies gleichzeitig eine signifikante Steigerung bei den Anteilen des Internet Explorer 8.

Die 20 Millionen Downloads des IE9 korrekt zu bewerten fällt relativ schwer. Immerhin handelt es sich um eine Beta-Version und keinesfalls um eine fertiges Programm. Seinerzeit brachte es der fertige Firefox-Browser auf 8 Millionen Downloads binnen 24 Stunden, jedoch handelte es sich dabei um einen forcierten Rekordversuch und keinesfalls um reguläres Download-Verhalten.

Source:-http://www.pc-max.de/news/software/internet-explorer-9-beta-erreicht-20-mio-downloads

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Where Is Internet TV Heading In 2011?

January 1st, 2011
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2010 has been a big year, in fact the biggest yet for internet tv. Amongst all the launches, new developments and other shenanigans, the year has ended with some winners and some losers. Many that have had major blips would never have been predicted in a million years, yes i am talking about you Google TV. On the flip side, some companies getting a stronger foothold were surprising too, for example the Roku set-top box.

So to see where we are heading in 2011, we need a recap of 2010. The year was dominated by hardware that let viewers access online content on the big screen tv. The reasoning being that most viewers do not want complicated computers and loading software to watch tv, they want to press a button on the remote and watch tv shows and movies on demand.

One of the biggest players in internet tv hardware were led by Steve Jobs with the revamped Apple TV product. With a low $99 pricepoint and access to the massive iTunes library guaranteeing it’s success. The downside is of course that users are stuck with iTunes and the closed architecture means no other companies can get in unless approved by Apple. This domination puts many people off, but also would endear Apple to content providers.

Internet connected television Most big name tv manufacturers launched television sets that were internet connected from the box. Allowing viewers to access web content on the big screen tv. Services such as Youtube, Netflix and social networking were on offer from Sony, Samsung amongst others.

Other set top box creators are booming with hardware that basically adds Netflix, Amazon and other services straight to the tv set. Roku, have seen a doubling of sales this year, and D-link with their Boxee, launched a revamped product that was cheaper than Google TV and available Internationally.

Clampdown on online Piracy

Many websites were shut down in 2010 in a rash of takedowns by the Government. Many sites that are re-broadcasting content are in the middle of legal battles with the tv networks. Amongst them are FilmOn, Ivi TV and TVCatchup. All these companies are pleading innocence, but will they be able to win a battle with the tv companies?

Tablet Computers and Mobile Devices

Tablets really took off in 2010. dominated by Apple’s iPad. Many copycat tablets are being released including probably best of the bunch, the Samsung Tab which is a real rival to iPad running off the Android OS. It has been commented by many that the iPad was built for watching TV and it’s owners more likely to cut the cord.

TV On Demand

Netflix has had a great year, wrapping up new content deals on a regular basis, Hulu has had a tougher time and been criticised for their subscription service. But they are now making money and have a great online platform.

Losers in 2010

Google promised to seamlessly marry the tv with a web browser, but a high price point and negative reviews were followed by the TV networks blocking online tv streaming to the Google enabled TV set. It has got to the point where Google are asking manufacturers to hold off releasing Google TV hardware until it updates the software.

Yahoo were one of the earliest adopters of the internet tv concept but seemed to lose their way with the Yahoo! widget concept. The idea of tv sets running Yahoo software has been superceeded by the apps setup on most connected tv’s. Howeverhere are over 70 models that support it from makers such as Samsung, Sony, LG, Vizio and Toshiba. They recently agreed a deal with Europes largest TV manufacturer Vestel, to distribute Yahoo powered tv sets into Europe.

Meanwhile, Netflix has been gathering up its own hoard of TV content to continue and expand its offering. It’s run into some roadblocks from certain Hollywood studios, but is still seeing more success than stumbling.

Internet TV the future

Online tv streaming is firmly established and will continue to grow, albeit behind paywalls and possibly hardware restricted (If Apple gets their way). Apple TV will continue to grow its user base, already this year they managed to shift one million Apple TV boxes.

Viewers time will increasingly be taken up by online activities. Netflix and Hulu will continue to ‘slug it out’ and one will end up on top.

Google will get their Google TV act together and with updated software will probably tie up deals with tv networks allowing for pay tv streaming on the system. They will also roll out the hardware on the International stage. There will also be lots more Android powered devices all capable of streaming tv and movies.

The TV Networks will finally sort out an online strategy. Currently blocking any streaming to the big screen, they will

Expect to see lots more tv on lots more devices, and expect to see shows when you want. Expect to discuss what your watching with friends and the worldwide community via social networking. Expect to be able to call up any details about the show or movie your watching in a seamless experience of tv watching and web browsing. Expect internet and the tv to finally merge as one in 2011.

Source:-http://www.worldtvpc.com/blog/internet-tv-heading-2011/

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