RealNetworks Banking On Facebook And iPhone For Growth

Seattle-based RealNetworks, Inc., (NASDAQ:RNWK) provides digital media services and software, including the popular media player RealPlayer, online radio, the music service Rhapsody and RealArcade. The company also offers the Helix Server technologies to mobile service providers and communication companies, software and services that include applications for the iPhone and Facebook, videos and music on-demand, ring tones, and so forth. >>>

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Red Hat And NetApp Beat Estimates

The strong results from storage and data management solutions provider NetApp, with annual revenue of $3.4 billion, and Red Hat, the open source giant with annual revenue of $652.6 million, reflect the improving market conditions and the fact that IT spending is easing up. >>>

Dolby Needs A 4K Solution

It is not just the great three-dimensional sound effects in “Avatar” where you will hear the Dolby effect. Dolby today is everywhere, as part of, fittingly enough, its Dolby Everywhere campaign for Web-connected TVs, Blu-ray movie players, PCs, smartphones, set-top boxes, and game consoles. Let’s take a closer look at the company’s performance. >>>

LeapFrog Positions For The Future

The global toy market was around $78.09 billion in 2008. Sixty-five percent of the toy business comes from ten countries, with North America contributing 30% and Europe 29% of global sales. Asia’s contribution was 27% in 2008. The United States is the largest market for toys with sales of $21.7 billion. The toy market is expected to continue to grow as a result of strong demand in the emerging markets like Brazil, China, Russia, and India. Market research firm NPD expects the worldwide toy sales to be approximately $80.3 billion in 2012. The major players in the industry are Mattel, JAKKS Pacific, LeapFrog and Hasbro. >>>

Accenture Sees Light At The End Of The Tunnel

The IT services and consulting space, which until mid-2009 was on a declining trend, seems to be stabilizing. Key players in the industry such as Infosys, Wipro, Cognizant, IBM, Tata Consultancy Services, and Accenture are sounding more confident going into 2010 than they were six to nine months ago. The companies are making small to mid-sized deals in application maintenance and development, infrastructure outsourcing, risk management, cost takeouts, data analytics, and business process outsourcing (BPO). A pickup in the financial services vertical is another positive for the industry. The larger players are seeing business trickling in, and the continuing need for clients to rationalize costs will ensure that the outsourcing business grows in 2010. >>>

Optics Overview: Better Time Ahead?

Last year was tough for the optical component manufacturers JDS Uniphase and Finisar as telecom operators reduced their IT spending. However, the two companies recently reported good quarters as the economy recovers. >>>

Adobe Projects Optimistic 2010

Last month, Adobe (NASDAQ:ADBE) reported its fourth quarter and fiscal year 2009 results. It swung to a loss in the quarter as it faced a $192 million tax charge relating to its recent $1.8 billion Omniture acquisition. >>>

Semiconductor Stocks See Light

The year just ended must have been one of the worst for the semiconductor sector. However, the recent strong earnings results from Infineon, Micron, and National Semi indicate that 2010 may be more promising. >>>

Changing Networking Sector Dynamics

It is not just the HP-3Com deal that is worrying Cisco, the networking Goliath. In a recent analyst meeting, Cisco CEO John Chambers conceded that over the past 12 months, Cisco has lost market share in both routing and switching, its core franchises. In the niche area of application delivery controllers (ADC), F5 overtook Cisco in the second quarter while Alcatel-Lucent is poaching market share from Cisco in the edge router market. Let’s take a closer look at the changing dynamics in the networking sector. >>>

Oracle’s Plans Beyond Sun?

Last week, Oracle (NASDAQ:ORCL) reported a strong second quarter and gave strong guidance that exceeded expectations. This year, with the economy recovering, the company made quite a few acquisitions. The biggest was Sun Microsystems for $7.8 billion, a deal that has yet to be approved by European regulators. >>>