What do we have to talk about today?

What do we have to talk about today? We have already moved over to March 23, 2007 and there is still no news about Nokia or Motorola buying Palm. The rumour has been on the news and blogosphere for most of this week, but nothing substantial hasn't happened. But what a week? We've been into negotiations. We got a few steps forward. But that's another case. More about it later.

I've been blogging about it, the Palm case. Yesterday's big news was the results alarm from Motorola. They are correcting their estimate for revenue growth. They miss their target with one billion dollars. The result is going to be negative. The price war with Nokia has been taking the toll.

Motorola has to change strategy or soon they need to change management. The statement of Motorola passing Nokia in market share within 1 000 days has to be changed. It might take 10 000 days? Motorola is bleeding and it's estimated that Nokia is going to gain from this. Price pressure from Motorola will decrease. What about the rising giants in Asia? Chinese manufacturers, what about their ability to play with best prices?

What if Symbian isn't the right thing in the long run? That could explain one thing that happened about a month ago. There was a company that dropped a Symbian project, but it's probably not a coincidence with this. I don't think so. But how will they get Symbian into USA? I'm so confused. There is another thing. That's about Texas. That was also related to Symbian. Is this about operating system sea change?

Nokia has said that the mobile phone will become the iPod killer. That's quite a statement for a company that has to get its act together in the US market. Apple is so much ahead, at least with the MP3 players, and about the iPod we don't know yet. Let's wait and see. At the end of the year we are going know more.

The show must go on. We are most likely going to hear things about Motorola, Palm and Nokia in the coming days. The companies have not been denying the rumours. Palm might be the big winner. The price tag 2 billion dollars for a few percentages more market share is considered high for Nokia. Palm isn't the best choice technically either. A merger and mix of Motorola and Dell might lead to a happier marriage.

Problems at Motorola

Problems. The two good years with thin razor sales booming is over. The price war is taking its toll and there is the speculation that Nokia will be the winner in the cheap phones race. Nokia nd Motorola have been tagged as the possible buyers of Palm. Technically Palm would fit better into the Motorola package. Nokia would love to get some market share boosting in US, but the price of two billion US dollars is estimated as a high price for Palm. Motorolas problems aren't over yet. They have been fighting hard. A few months ago Motorola directors promised to take over Nokia as the market leader in 1000 days. The counting hast to start from a new base line. A new strategy is emerging.

Motorola Announces Revised Guidance for First Quarter and Actions to Improve Profitability and Shareholder Value

• Greg Brown Appointed President and Chief Operating Officer
• Thomas J. Meredith Appointed Acting Chief Financial Officer
• Accelerates Repurchase of $2.0 Billion of Common Stock; Increases Existing Share Repurchase Program to $7.5 Billion

SCHAUMBURG, Ill. – 21 March 2007 – Motorola, Inc. (NYSE: MOT) today revised its previously announced first quarter 2007 guidance and provided a revised perspective on the full year. The first quarter revision was prompted by lower than anticipated sales and operating earnings at the company’s Mobile Devices business. Motorola’s Network & Enterprise and Connected Home Solutions businesses continue to perform in line with the company’s expectations.

The company also announced a series of actions designed to improve execution, drive profitable growth and enhance shareholder value. Today’s announcements include:

• Steps to strengthen the performance of the Mobile Devices business
• Appointment of Greg Brown to President and Chief Operating Officer, effective immediately
• Appointment of Thomas J. Meredith to acting Chief Financial Officer, effective April 1, and the retirement of David Devonshire
• Accelerated repurchase of $2.0 billion of common stock
• Increased existing share repurchase program to $7.5 billion

“Performance in our Mobile Devices business continues to be unacceptable, and we are committed to restoring its profitability,” said Edward J. Zander, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Motorola. “After a further review following the leadership change in our Mobile Devices business, we now recognize that returning the business to acceptable performance will take more time and greater effort.”

“The steps we are announcing today will enable Motorola to perform better for our shareholders, customers, partners and employees. I am confident Motorola has the right assets, brand and intellectual property, as well as a strong heritage of innovation and a strong balance sheet – all of which we will draw upon in the coming months.” added Zander.

“Motorola has a proven track record of returning capital to shareholders and we regularly review the company’s capital allocation strategy. Today’s announcement to accelerate $2.0 billion of share repurchases and increase the size of our current share repurchase program to $7.5 billion demonstrates our ongoing efforts to deliver superior shareholder value,” said Zander.

Motorola and Nokia

MOTOROLA

Carl C. Icahn is not afraid to shake things up at big, publicly traded companies. Mr. Icahn takes issue with private equity firms' habit of buying cash-rich companies from public shareholders, piling on debt and selling them later at a profit. Mr. Icahn appears to have at least four proxy battles on tap for this spring, including one with cellphone giant Motorola. His company is now also... looking for other opportunities.

NOKIA PRESS RELEASE

Notification under Chapter 2, Section 10 of the Finnish Securities Market Act: holdings of The Capital Group Companies, Inc. in Nokia Corporation exceeded 10%, February 22, 2007

Espoo, Finland - According to information received by Nokia Corporation, the holdings of The Capital Group Companies, Inc. have exceeded 10% of the share capital of Nokia.

The Capital Group Companies, Inc. is a holding company for several subsidiary companies engaged in investment management activities. As of February 16, 2007, The Capital Group Companies, Inc. and its subsidiaries hold through their clients the total of 410 577 704 Nokia shares consisting of both ADRs and ordinary shares. The holdings correspond to approximately 10.03% of the share capital of Nokia.

Media Enquiries:

Nokia
Communications
Tel. +358 7180 34900
E-mail: press.office@nokia.com

The iPod presentation

There isn't anything new in this video clip. I just take it here to have the information in one place for future needs. The presentation is smooth. Nothing too complex. Everyone can understand. The product looks good on the stage. The multiple touch screen seems to work. Moving through the files seems to be easy. Jobs says, "This is a revolutionary product."

The rest of the industry is not going to wait for the new device to hit the market without counter action. There is four months to the introduction. We'll see how people vote with their wallets. Apple has a group of enthusiastic followers. The company isn't going for the global market, yet.

US will be a test marketing area for six months. The iPhone will be available in Europe before the Christmas sales. The price is high. There are millions of questions. But there is certainly a market for this device. I guess, 3G will be available soon, maybe already at the end of this year. Apple didn't tell all there is. This is a first run. Edition one.

The impact on traditional phone design and manufacturing is going to show up soon. Lots of old-style projects will be cancelled. We're going to see a re-organization of phone design. LG has already told about its cooperation with the Prada Design house. That happened only a few days after the Mac World congress.

Nokia is welcoming Apple. It's not going to shake the global leader on a short term basis. But Apple can hurt Motorola in US. The home market is important for Motorola. Nokia's home markets are China and India. US is still a big question mark for Nokia. The real challenge is: what should Nokia do in US? What is the killer product for the US market? Let's wait and see.

9:34 am - MWSF Steve Jobs Keynote introducing Apple IPhone (01/2007)

"MWSF Steve Jobs Keynote introducing Apple IPhone (01/2007)" on Google Video
"iPhone is a revolutionary and magical product that is literally five years ahead of any other mobile phone," said Steve Jobs, Apple's CEO. "We are all born with the ultimate pointing device—our fingers—and iPhone uses them to create the most revolutionary user interface since the mouse."

iPhone is a Revolutionary Mobile Phone

iPhone is a revolutionary new mobile phone that allows users to make calls by simply pointing at a name or number. iPhone syncs all of your contacts from your PC, Mac or Internet service such as Yahoo!, so that you always have your full list of up-to-date contacts with you. In addition, you can easily construct a favorites list for your most frequently made calls, and easily merge calls together to create conference calls.

iPhone's pioneering Visual Voicemail, an industry first, lets users look at a listing of their voicemails, decide which messages to listen to, then go directly to those messages without listening to the prior messages. Just like email, iPhone's Visual Voicemail enables users to immediately randomly access those messages that interest them most.

[...]

iPhone features a 2 megapixel camera and a photo management application that is far beyond anything on a phone today. Users can browse their photo library, which can be easily synced from their PC or Mac, with just a flick of a finger and easily choose a photo for their wallpaper or to include in an email.

[...]

iPhone is a Widescreen iPod

iPhone is a widescreen iPod with touch controls that lets music lovers 'touch' their music by easily scrolling through entire lists of songs, artists, albums and playlists with just a flick of a finger. Album artwork is stunningly presented on iPhone’s large and vibrant display.

[...]

[Description By Apple Inc. Press service.]

Big RFID News: Motorola Symbol Marriage

Big RFID and mobiel news about Motorola and Symbol marriage: Sept. 21, 2006. Editor’s Note: "Hello Moto, Hello RFID. Motorola and Symbol Technologies announced yesterday that the cell-phone giant will purchase Symbol for $3.9 billion. Symbol is a major supplier of handheld and mobile computers and auto-identification devices to retailers and consumer product goods manufacturers. How will this affect Symbol's customers, especially those that buy its RFID interrogators and tags? Only time will tell for sure.

Although Symbol is among the largest suppliers of RFID hardware, RFID tags and interrogators account for only 1.9 percent of its total revenue, according to recent SEC filings. Some observers suggest Motorola’s motivation to buy Symbol stems, in part, from an appreciation of RFID's long-term potential growth. If that's true—which seems likely—then Moto's purchase of Symbol should be seen as a sign that the future looks bright for RFID, and for one of the technology's major players. "

This might be a challenge to Nokia as well. Motorola is taking steps towards the huge potentials within the RFID applications jungle. Some very futuristic applications might be available for businesses and the general public within a few years time. This deal will take mobile phones into very new application areas. The future shop is looming behind the corner.