Mark Hibben

All Posts

BlackBerry Hangs Tough

By Mark Hibben - May 17, 2013 | Tickers: BBRY, MSFT

BlackBerry (NASDAQ: BBRY) held onto the number three position in worldwide smartphone sales to end users in Q1 2013, according to a report by Gartner Research issued on May 14. At 6.22 million units, BlackBerry just edged out Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) at 5.99 million. BlackBerry has proven a tough competitor to Microsoft, which has mounted a full court press to gain the number three position.

Still shedding users more »
Apple's 4K Television Opportunity

By Mark Hibben - May 10, 2013 | Tickers: AAPL, SNE |

This month Sony (NYSE: SNE) will begin shipping its first 4K televisions that have screens with a massive 3840 x 2160 pixels, exactly 4 times the pixels of 1080p HD. What can you watch in the 4K or Ultra HD (UHD) format? Not much. The race is now on to develop and deliver 4K content, and this will challenge traditional content distribution approaches as well as provide Apple's (NASDAQ: AAPL more »)
Google's Motorola Acquisition: The Anniversary Assessment

By Mark Hibben - May 8, 2013 | Tickers: GOOG, MSFT

May 22 will mark the one year anniversary of Google's (NASDAQ: GOOG) purchase of Motorola Mobility for approximately $12.5 billion in cash. Already we're beginning to hear rumbles in the business/tech media that Google paid too much for Motorola. In this article, I'll discuss Motorola's value to Google, its continuing problems, and the path forward.

A mobile phone business for free

At the time more »
The Case for Lower Apple Margins

By Mark Hibben - April 28, 2013 | Tickers: AAPL, GOOG, MSFT |

Apple's (NASDAQ: AAPL) latest earnings report, filed April 23, left investors and analysts yearning for the halcyon days of one year ago, when gross margin was over 47%. But even though gross margin now stands at 37.5%, I believe it needs to come down further still in order to compete effectively with Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) and Google (NASDAQ: GOOG).

Apple stereotype

There's a certain stereotype of Apple more »
Intel's Soft Landing – at AMD's Expense

By Mark Hibben - April 23, 2013 | Tickers: AMD, INTC, MSFT

Despite gloomy reports from IDC and Gartner that PC shipments had declined drastically in the first quarter of the year, Intel (NASDAQ: INTC) managed to keep the damage to a minimum. AMD (NYSE: AMD) wasn't so lucky.

Intel expands

After the IDC and Gartner 2013 Q1 PC shipment data came out, I was prepared for roughly equivalent drops in Intel revenue for the PC Client Group (PCCG). IDC's more »
Nokia Earnings Smackdown

By Mark Hibben - April 20, 2013 | Tickers: MSFT, NOK

Nokia's 2013 Q1 earnings report offered only another harsh reality check for its investors. Although the bad news in the 2012 Q4 report was largely denied by Nokia (NYSE: NOK) and Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) fans hoping for a comeback, this time it was undeniable. As of this writing, Nokia is down 11%.

A case of cannibalization

Judging by the comments I've received in previous posts about Nokia, Microsoft more »
Can Game Consoles Save AMD?

By Mark Hibben - April 18, 2013 | Tickers: AMD, INTC, MSFT, SNE

Amidst mounting losses and debt, Advanced Micro Devices (NYSE: AMD) appears to be all but finished, but big wins for AMD processors on future gaming consoles from Sony (NYSE: SNE) and Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) may turn things around.

The bear case for AMD

Many, including fellow Motley Fool blogger Leo Sun, have presented the bear case for AMD, so I won't belabor it. Suffice it to say that just more »
Can Game Consoles Save AMD?

By Mark Hibben - April 16, 2013 | Tickers: AMD, INTC, MSFT, SNE

Amidst mounting losses and debt, Advanced Micro Devices (NYSE: AMD) appears to be all but finished, but big wins for AMD processors on future gaming consoles from Sony (NYSE: SNE) and Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) may turn things around.

The bear case for AMD

Many, including fellow Motley Fool blogger Leo Sun have presented the bear case for AMD, so I won't belabor it. Suffice it to say that just more »
Microsoft's Windows Blue(s)

By Mark Hibben - April 15, 2013 | Tickers: AAPL, INTC, MSFT

The reports out of IDC and Gartner on Apr. 10 that worldwide personal computer shipments sharply declined in the first quarter of the year have shocked the markets and produced sell-offs in major PC makers as well as Intel (NASDAQ: INTC), Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) and even Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL). IDC estimates that PC sales fell by about 14% year-over-year to 76 million units, while Gartner estimates the decline to be more »
Why the TV Networks Hate Aereo

By Mark Hibben - April 10, 2013 | Tickers: CBS, CMCSA, IACI, NWSA, DIS

Aereo is a small startup funded in part by Barry Diller's IAC/Interactive (NASDAQ: IACI) that provides a unique service to its subscribers in the greater New York City area by streaming local television programs over the internet. Claiming copyright infringement, the parent companies of the major networks, News Corporation (NASDAQ: NWSA), Disney (NYSE: DIS), Comcast (NASDAQ: CMCSA) and CBS (NYSE: CBS), have sued Aereo in what may become more »
Google's Chromebook Strategy

By Mark Hibben - April 10, 2013 | Tickers: AAPL, GOOG, MSFT

Google's (NASDAQ: GOOG) Chromebooks haven't exactly taken the computing world by storm. According to Digitimes about 500,000 Chromebooks have been sold since they went on the market 21 months ago. In contrast, Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) sold about 5.5 million Macs (mostly laptops) and HP sold about 8 million laptops in their most recent quarters. With Google's Chromebook Pixel, Google's Chrome OS may rise to more »
Apple Supply Chain Rumors Point to New Products

By Mark Hibben - April 8, 2013 | Tickers: AAPL, GOOG

Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) CEO Tim Cook has offered some sage advice to analysts: even if a supply chain rumor is accurate, it's impossible to interpret accurately what it means for the overall business. This hasn't stopped analysts from trying, however. In a survey of Apple supply chain rumors going back more than a year, I found that they were a very poor predictor of financial performance for any more »
Google's Chromebook Strategy

By Mark Hibben - April 7, 2013 | Tickers: AAPL, GOOG, MSFT

Google's (NASDAQ: GOOG) Chromebooks haven't exactly taken the computing world by storm. According to Digitimes about 500,000 Chromebooks have been sold since they went on the market 21 months ago. In contrast, Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) sold about 5.5 million Macs (mostly laptops) and HP sold about 8 million laptops in their most recent quarters. With Google's Chromebook Pixel, Google's Chrome OS may rise to more »
Apple Supply Chain Rumors Point to New Products

By Mark Hibben - April 3, 2013 | Tickers: AAPL, GOOG

Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) CEO Tim Cook has offered some sage advice to analysts: even if a supply chain rumor is accurate, it's impossible to interpret accurately what it means for the overall business. This hasn't stopped analysts from trying, however. In a survey of Apple supply chain rumors going back more than a year, I found that they were a very poor predictor of financial performance for any more »
Chinese/American CyberWar: Cisco Wins and Apple Loses

By Mark Hibben - April 2, 2013 | Tickers: AAPL, CSCO

Last week, Congress passed new regulations making it much more difficult for Chinese telecommunication equipment makers to sell to the U.S. government. The Chinese have declared the move protectionist, while the U.S. maintains that it is justified for reasons of National Security. Cisco Systems (NASDAQ: CSCO) lobbied for the new rules and stands to gain from them, while Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) bears the brunt of Chinese ire.

Security more »
Don't Write Off BlackBerry Yet

By Mark Hibben - March 29, 2013 | Tickers: BBRY, MSFT, NOK |

The Blackberry (NASDAQ: BBRY) Z10 had barely hit store shelves in the U.S. when the launch was decried by analysts as “disappointing” and “lackluster,” apparently due to the lack of a glossy advertising campaign such as Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) put on for Windows Phone 8. Then BlackBerry released its earnings report for its fiscal year, and, surprise! The obituaries for BlackBerry had been premature.

Surprising resilience

I'll admit more »
The Coming Revolution in Digital Content Reselling

By Mark Hibben - March 27, 2013 | Tickers: AMZN, AAPL, GOOG

Digital content reselling may seem like an oxymoron, but technology and legal developments may soon make the reselling of digital content of all types, audio, video and apps, easier than putting something on eBay. Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) and Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) have both filed patents for the digital swap meets of the future.

Creative license

Most of the digital content we download to our electronic devices cannot be legally sold more »
Why IQE isn't the Next ARM, or Qualcomm

By Mark Hibben - March 27, 2013 | Tickers: ARMH, QCOM

Fellow Foolish blogger Dana Blankenhorn posed an interesting question recently about a small British company called IQE in his article “Is IQE the Next ARM?” In this article I'll try to answer his question and explain why it isn't.

Very different businesses

In posing the question, I'm sure that Mr. Blankenhorn didn't mean to imply that he thought IQE was like ARM Holdings (NASDAQ: ARMH), but more »
Electronic Arts vs. Activision/Blizzard: a Difference of Profitability

By Mark Hibben - March 25, 2013 | Tickers: ATVI, EA

The sudden departure of Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: EA) CEO John Riccitiello occasioned Motley Fool's own Rick Munarriz to offer the observation that EA's problems were endemic to the video game industry as a whole. True, Electronic Arts has suffered along with the rest of the industry, but a closer comparison with EA's principal rival Activision Blizzard (NASDAQ: ATVI) reveals that EA's essential problem is both simpler more »
Does Apple's Transparency Breed Contempt?

By Mark Hibben - March 22, 2013 | Tickers: AAPL, GOOG, MSFT

Quarter after quarter, Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) publishes exact numbers for device unit sales and revenue, unlike its more cunning adversaries in the mobile Internet wars, Google (NASDAQ: GOOG) and Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT). Apparently Apple's management naively believe that their greater transparency will earn them respect for corporate responsibility. When will they ever learn?

An opportunity to look bad

Apple's openness about device sales doesn't even have the more »

Page 1 of 3
»