Microsoft Vs. Apple Vs. Google [Tactical Partnerships and Eternal Rivalries]

Google launches Nexus-One, a stylish touchscreen smartphone intended to compete Apple's iPhone.

Apple launches aggressive 'iMac' campaign against Microsoft's “PC”.

Google launches Google Apps, Offline Gmail and Android to make inroads in Microsoft's core businesses of enterprise applications – Microsoft Office, Outlook and Windows operating systems respectively.

Microsoft launches Bing and signs partnership with Yahoo to complete Google's core web ad business.

Apple refuses to to approve two Google apps for sale of iphone.

Apple CEO Eric Schmidt held seat on Apple's board of directors. Resigned in August 2009.
Apple to build partnership with Microsoft to replace Google as default search engine [BusinessWeek – Jan 20, 2010]

© Rohit Deshpande

Copenhagen Footprint

98 World Leaders
140 Private Jets
1,200 Limos
5,000 Journalists
15,000 Delegates
40,500 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent

Just in 12 days -- in the name of Climate Change !!!

© Rohit Deshpande

A Tale of Two Cities

CitiBank – Lost market cap; reported losses; refused to file bankruptcy; accepted billions of dollars in bailout package and  

Circuit City - Lost market cap; reported losses; filed bankruptcy and finally decided to liquidate its assets (Should I add that it did not convert into a bank-holding company to be eligible for the TARP??)

Circuit City surely sets an example and hope for free market world. But pragmatic thinkers (including me) say -at the end of the day it is CitiBank that (so far) survived!!

© Rohit Deshpande

"Please Accept Our Cash"

Another economic panic - Three-month U.S. Treasury rates reaching negative territory. With the stock market crashed, commodities sinking, housing underwater and banks starved of liquidity, it seems that investors are searching safe heaven at the US Treasury. In other words investors are ready to “pay” the US Treasury for “borrowing” their capital where they think that they can protect the values of their capital.  But that also means that borrowing becomes even more difficult with widening spreads. The only silver lining is that bailouts would look much cheaper! 

Three Month T-Bill Rate [12/9/2008] 

[The three-month T-bills rate is lowest rate since the US Treasury started auctioning the securities in great depression era according to Bloomberg.com]

© Rohit Deshpande

Financial_Crisis@harvard.edu

Global financial crisis has now reached the most prestigious and probably the richest academic institution in the world - Harvard University. 

Harvard Universit President Drew Faust said the school is preparing for ``unprecedented'' losses in its $36.9 billion endowment and will seek new sources of revenue and savings.

Another option is ask for a bailout package to avoid the potential "systemic risk" !

© Rohit Deshpande

$33 - $13.96 = ???

"To this day, I believe the best thing for Microsoft to do is to buy Yahoo" - Jerry Yang, CEO of Yahoo, just few hours after Google walked away from ad-search deal with Yahoo.

Yahoo traded as high as $28 back when Microsoft made offer of $33. Microsoft walked away since Yang insisted on $37 that time. Today Yahoo closed at $13.96.

Now that’s maximizing value for shareholders ... of course those of Microsoft!!

Green Win

Solar, Wind, Bio-Fuels, Hybrids, Recycling, Carbon Credit..  Yes, We Can !!

Green Wins !!

Congratulations ..