Samsung And Motorola Help Android Beat iOS

According to research firm IDC, Android has leapt to the number three position in the operating system (OS) market with 16.3%, overtaking iOS with 14.7%. A number of smartphone vendors including HTC, Samsung and Motorola (NYSE:MOT) have launched many successful devices based on the Android OS and helped it to gain market share. Let’s take a closer look. >>>

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Tablet Sales Could Double; ARM Needs To Watch Intel

ARM Holdings (NASDAQ:ARMH) recently reported strong third quarter results driven by demand for its processor-based chips. ARM licenses its processors for most smartphones and tablets, including the iPhone and iPad, as well as for televisions and electrical gadgets. It shipped about 1.5 billion chips, with 900 million for smartphones and tablets. Intel, the world’s largest chipmaker, which has been slow to enter the ARM-dominated smartphone and tablet market, is expected to release a chip aimed at tablets in early 2011. Let’s take a closer look.
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Interactive Media And Digital Content Sources Of Strength For Time Warner And Disney

A report by the Convergence Consulting Group found that in the past two years, over 800,000 U.S. households dropped their cable subscriptions, or as is known, “cut the cord.” Of these, a whopping 600,000 cords were cut last year. The report estimates that in the recent quarter more than 500,000 cable subscribers cut their connections. The competition for the cable TV companies continues to get stronger with the growing catalogue of online streaming players like Netflix and Hulu and new entrants like Google TV and Apple TV, now known as iIV, making it easier for users to view online content on their television sets.

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Despite Weak Outlook, Cisco Will Continue Hiring And Acquiring

Cisco (NASDAQ:CSCO) this week reported first quarter results that beat estimates, but its outlook missed estimates. Though it has been the norm for Cisco to provide a conservative outlook, this quarter the outlook is much grimmer and far short of analyst estimates. Despite the poor outlook, the company still expects to add jobs. Let’s take a closer look. >>>

Acquisitions And A Site Revamp As Holiday Season Approaches For Amazon, eBay

According to analysts, online sales in the U.S. for November and December will increase 16% over the year to $52 billion. In the same period, the National Retail Federation puts overall retail sales growth at a mere 2.3% to $447.1 billion, an indicator that e-commerce continues to steal brick-and-mortar store sale shares. This is obviously good news for e-tailers Amazon and eBay. >>>

Cognizant And Genpact Deliver As Outsourcing Again Takes Center Stage

It’s been a high-profile week for outsourcing: President Obama was in India to discuss, among other issues, bilateral trade, and his trip included a meeting with the Indian prime minister, Manmohan Singh. During the trip, Obama seemed to soften his stance on outsourcing, saying “Trade between our countries is not just a one-way street of American jobs and companies moving to India. It is a dynamic two-way relationship that is creating jobs, growth and higher standards in both our countries.” At the same time, many Indian industry leaders are upset that the United States is taking protectionist measures, such as raising visa fees. In the face of almost 10% unemployment in the United States, a negative perception of the outsourcing industry persists. But Indian outsourcing players are reporting strong results, and the trend is continuing with U.S.-based players as well. Obama should offer incentives for Indian outsourcers to expand their operations in America to help lower unemployment levels and leverage the pool of highly skilled engineers and other workers, because (and others have made the same point) Obama is right; outsourcing does benefit both countries.
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Mobile Devices A Boon for QCOM, BRCM

Energy Recovery Looks Out On Massive Global Water Shortage

A recent report from Global Water Intelligence pegs the contracted desalination capacity in 2009 at 68 million cubic meters/day. Capacity is expected to grow to 130 million cubic meters/day in 2016, taking the market value to $30 billion a year in the next six years. The top five markets for desalination technology are projected to be Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, the United States, China, and Israel. But, despite positive market projections, Energy Recovery Inc. (NASDAQ: ERII) has failed to deliver quarterly results that meet the market’s projections primarily due to the macroeconomic uncertainty and credit crunch impacting large scale infrastructure projects. >>>

Outsourcers Look To China, As Obama Goes To India

Currency volatility, rising costs, growing near-shore demand, increasing rural outsourcing capacity, and political and protectionist measures are troubling the Indian outsourcing sector. The Indian rupee has been one of the best performing currencies this year and has appreciated over 5.6% with the dollar since January. The U.S Senate may have vetoed the outsourcing bill, but the country which accounts for over 70 percent of Indian outsourcing revenues has levied higher visa costs which amount to an additional spending of an estimated $200 million by Indian IT outsourcers. A state ban by Ohio passed to stop outsourcing of government work has added to protectionist policies. Yet amid such pressures, the leading players in the sector continued to deliver strong quarterly results. >>>

ADP’s and Paychex’s Results Improve

Payroll companies ADP (NASDAQ:ADP) and Paychex (NASDAQ:PAYX) recently reported better than expected results. Their results reflect a modest improvement in economic conditions, but the companies remain cautious in their outlook. Let’s take a closer look. >>>