Google vs Amazon - The time for Google to move is now
Amazon is far from standing still in its battle to win the smart home meaning that Google really needs to pull its finger out before it suffers a defeat not unlike that suffered by Betamax at the hands of VHS.
Amazon is already miles ahead of Google when it comes to devices, with over 10m in the hands of users (compared to Google Home at we estimate, 1m), but it is not stopping there. Last week, Amazon and Conexant announced the availability of the AudioSmart 4-mic development kit. This is a piece of hardware that allows third parties to integrate both the far-field microphone technology that the Echo products use to hear the user as well as the assistant itself.
Read more...Microsoft - Windows 10 S great for schools but not for the Surface Laptop.
For the education of children, Windows 10 S makes perfect sense but for college and everything else, we can’t see why anyone would want it. Microsoft held an education event this week where it launched a new version of Windows 10 called Windows 10 S and a stunningly beautiful laptop called Surface Laptop.
Read more...Apple FQ2 17– New normal
Apple reported reasonable results and in increasing both the dividend and the share buy-back program, ushered itself squarely into a new normal of pedestrian growth.
FQ2 17A revenues / EPS were $52.9bn / $2.10 broadly in line with consensus at $52.9bn / $2.02. Gross margins were 38.9% at the high end of the guided range and slightly above consensus at 38.7% as the iPhone 7+ was a stronger contributor to the mix than anticipated, lifting profitability.
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