SINGAPORE (Thomson Financial) - Oil prices were mixed in Asian trade Friday, with the market taking a hit from the escalating contagion sparked by troubles in the US subprime credit sector.There are concerns that the financial impact of US lending to borrowers with poor credit records would lead to slower economic growth in the US and elsewhere which would dampen demand for oil.At 11:55 am (0355 GMT), New York's main contract, light sweet crude for September delivery, was down one cent at 71.58 US dollars a barrel from 71.59 dollars in late US trades Thursday.Brent North Sea crude for September added seven cents to 70.28 dollars."There are concerns about the impact of the US credit woes on economic activity and hence oil demand," said Victor Shum, a Singapore-based analyst with energy consultancy Purvin and Gertz."Some investors have also moved their money out of oil to cover losses in other sectors."
The problems in the high-risk subprime home loan sector has been sending shockwaves through the markets worldwide.In the latest development, BNP Paribas Investment Partners, a unit of French bank BNP Paribas, said it had suspended three of its funds exposed to the subprime market, triggering heavy selling in equities globally.Oil prices have fallen sharply after hitting a fresh all-time high of 78.77 dollar on August 1.
"After establishing the new record high last week, the market was really vulnerable to a reversal," Shum said."All the market needed was a trigger and the market foundthat trigger in the concerns over the US subprime market."But he said there appeared to be strong support for prices at 70 dollars, with falling US energy inventories and a refusal by the OPEC cartel to raise output expected to help keep prices buoyant.
US crude inventories fell 4.1 million barrels to 340.4 million barrels for the week ended August 3, against the consensus forecast for 2.75 million barrels.US gasoline stocks dropped a surprising 1.7 million barrels against expectations for a rise of 775,000 barrels.Shum said that with the US hurricane season around the corner, "weather remains a wild card" as storms could threaten US oil production facilities in the Gulf of Mexico.
Hit Counter
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Asian Stocks, Forex Extend Global Selloff;Yen Rallies
SINGAPORE (Dow Jones)--Extending a global selloff Asian stocks plunged Friday as traders sought to shore up capital wherever possible amid renewed jitters about the impact of a liquidity crisis in U.S. credit markets. The selling also made its way to several Asian currencies and to the region's offshore bond and credit markets, though the yen was buoyed amid unwinding of the carry trade. "This is what happens in a liquidity crisis, where they have positions which can be translated back into cash quickly, they will sell them," said Khiem Do, manager of the Asia Pacific Fund and head of Asian Multi-Asset at Baring Asset Management in Hong Kong. Japan's Nikkei Stock Average was recently off 2.5% to 16746.50; Korea's Kospi index was off 4.1% to 1831.19, Singapore's Straights Times Index lost 3.3% to 3298.42, the Standard & Poor's Australia Stock Exchange 200 slid 2.9% to 5986. In Hong Kong the Hang Seng Index fell 3.1% to 21,754.04.
As with U.S. and European markets overnight, selling in Asia was broad-based. Brokerages and banks were among the worst hit. Australia's Macquarie Bank (MBL.AU), lost 6.1% to A$72.79, Korea's Samsung Securities fell 5.6% to KRW79,300, and in Singapore, DBS Group slid 4.1% to S$20.90. On Friday Citigroup cut its price target on DBS and other Singapore banks to reflect, "re-pricing of risk," that might limit what traders are willing to pay for these stocks amid credit market worries. Still, the firm, in a note to clients, retained a buy rating on the group - arguing that the recent slide is a buying opportunity and that the banks' exposure to now illiquid credit instruments is limited.
The yen-carry trades unwinding hit the Australian dollar and New Zealand dollar particularly hard. The New Zealand dollar plunged below Y88 to its lowest level since May 25. The selling began late in the trading session Thursday following word from France's BNP Paribas (13110.FR) that it suspended three of its asset-backed securities funds because of a "complete evaporation of liquidity." Also fueling the fire was a report in the Wall Street Journal that U.S. lender Countrywide Financial Corp. (CFC) is facing "unprecedented disruptions" in debt and mortgage-finance markets that could hurt earnings and the company's financial condition. Countrywide is the largest U.S. home mortgage lender in terms of loan volume. Traders said moves by the European Central Bank and U.S. Federal Reserve to inject billions of dollars of fresh funds into money markets contributed to uncertainty overnight, prompting some head scratching about how worried regulators are. Both the Bank of Japan and Reserve Bank of Australia made similar moves Friday, though Australian regulators played down the liquidity injection as routine operations
The Monetary Authority of Singapore also injected S$1.5 billion into the local money market Friday, traders said. The move came after MAS said earlier in the day that it was ready to intervene to stabilize the local market. Still, analysts expectations for further interest rate hikes were mixed. "We are still expecting the BOJ, ECB, BOE, BOC to hike rates the next few weeks, but if this panic gets worse, we may need to change that outlook," said JPMorgan Chase Bank currency strategist Tohru Sasaki. Barclays Capital's chief JGB strategist, Masuhisa Kobayashi, said the sudden supply of liquidity by the world's central banks can be interpreted either as a reaction to crisis or as a step to prevent one. "Taking the latter, more optimistic interpretation, we believe the possibility of an August rate hike should not be ruled out," he said. According to Credit Suisse, the likelihood of a rate increase by the BOJ at its meeting in late August fell to 37% from 64% the day before.
-By Mohammed Hadi, Dow Jones Newswires; 65-6415-4147; mohammed.hadi@dowjones.com. (END) Dow Jones Newswires
As with U.S. and European markets overnight, selling in Asia was broad-based. Brokerages and banks were among the worst hit. Australia's Macquarie Bank (MBL.AU), lost 6.1% to A$72.79, Korea's Samsung Securities fell 5.6% to KRW79,300, and in Singapore, DBS Group slid 4.1% to S$20.90. On Friday Citigroup cut its price target on DBS and other Singapore banks to reflect, "re-pricing of risk," that might limit what traders are willing to pay for these stocks amid credit market worries. Still, the firm, in a note to clients, retained a buy rating on the group - arguing that the recent slide is a buying opportunity and that the banks' exposure to now illiquid credit instruments is limited.
The yen-carry trades unwinding hit the Australian dollar and New Zealand dollar particularly hard. The New Zealand dollar plunged below Y88 to its lowest level since May 25. The selling began late in the trading session Thursday following word from France's BNP Paribas (13110.FR) that it suspended three of its asset-backed securities funds because of a "complete evaporation of liquidity." Also fueling the fire was a report in the Wall Street Journal that U.S. lender Countrywide Financial Corp. (CFC) is facing "unprecedented disruptions" in debt and mortgage-finance markets that could hurt earnings and the company's financial condition. Countrywide is the largest U.S. home mortgage lender in terms of loan volume. Traders said moves by the European Central Bank and U.S. Federal Reserve to inject billions of dollars of fresh funds into money markets contributed to uncertainty overnight, prompting some head scratching about how worried regulators are. Both the Bank of Japan and Reserve Bank of Australia made similar moves Friday, though Australian regulators played down the liquidity injection as routine operations
The Monetary Authority of Singapore also injected S$1.5 billion into the local money market Friday, traders said. The move came after MAS said earlier in the day that it was ready to intervene to stabilize the local market. Still, analysts expectations for further interest rate hikes were mixed. "We are still expecting the BOJ, ECB, BOE, BOC to hike rates the next few weeks, but if this panic gets worse, we may need to change that outlook," said JPMorgan Chase Bank currency strategist Tohru Sasaki. Barclays Capital's chief JGB strategist, Masuhisa Kobayashi, said the sudden supply of liquidity by the world's central banks can be interpreted either as a reaction to crisis or as a step to prevent one. "Taking the latter, more optimistic interpretation, we believe the possibility of an August rate hike should not be ruled out," he said. According to Credit Suisse, the likelihood of a rate increase by the BOJ at its meeting in late August fell to 37% from 64% the day before.
-By Mohammed Hadi, Dow Jones Newswires; 65-6415-4147; mohammed.hadi@dowjones.com. (END) Dow Jones Newswires
Philippine central bank chief sees limited impact from US subprime crisis
MANILA (Thomson Financial) - Philippine central bank chief Amando Tetangco Friday downplayed any impact from the US subprime market woes on the domestic financial system, saying local banks have no significant exposure to collateralized debt obligations (CDOs), which are at the heart of the
US credit problems.He said any impact on the Philippine economy "will be largely indirect, mainly in the form of risk aversion.""It is expected to be limited. Philippine banks are not exposed in any significant way to CDOs," he said in a mobile phone text message.CDOs are securities backed by bonds and loans and which could include US subprime mortgages."There is sufficient liquidity.
More fundamentally, the increased availability of longer-term funding in pesos has also reduced the country's vulnerability to adverse external market developments," he said.Philippine equities plunged Friday following another major slump in markets worldwide after BNP Paribas, France's biggest bank, froze withdrawals from three of its funds that had invested in subprime mortgages in the US.At 11.42 am here, the composite index was down 97.19 points or 2.9 percent at 3,288.01.The peso fell to 45.73 against the US dollar from Thursday's close of 45.36.
US credit problems.He said any impact on the Philippine economy "will be largely indirect, mainly in the form of risk aversion.""It is expected to be limited. Philippine banks are not exposed in any significant way to CDOs," he said in a mobile phone text message.CDOs are securities backed by bonds and loans and which could include US subprime mortgages."There is sufficient liquidity.
More fundamentally, the increased availability of longer-term funding in pesos has also reduced the country's vulnerability to adverse external market developments," he said.Philippine equities plunged Friday following another major slump in markets worldwide after BNP Paribas, France's biggest bank, froze withdrawals from three of its funds that had invested in subprime mortgages in the US.At 11.42 am here, the composite index was down 97.19 points or 2.9 percent at 3,288.01.The peso fell to 45.73 against the US dollar from Thursday's close of 45.36.
BOJ Official: O/N Rate Rise May Be On Subprime Woes
TOKYO -(Dow Jones)- A Bank of Japan official said Friday that the central bank injected Y1 trillion into money markets after the overnight call rate rose from the BOJ's target of 0.50% to 0.54%-0.55%. The Japanese central bank's fund injection followed similar steps overnight by the U.S. Federal Reserve and the European Central Bank, as market worries about the U.S. subprime loan crisis escalated. The BOJ official said it was "possible" that the rise was tied to the subprime crisis, but that the bank didn't know for sure. "We're not certain if that is related (to subprime) or not. It all depends on why the overnight call rate was a little bit high this morning," the official said. "We're not sure why some of the financial institutions were raising funds at a higher rate than on other days.
" The official called the step "an extension of our normal day-to-day operations," but noted that the last time the BOJ made such a large cash injection was June 29 - just as the U.S. subprime crisis flared. The injections follow French banking giant BNP Paribas' decision to freeze three funds that trade in mortgage-backed securities, saying the dramatic absence of liquidity in the market for such products as the subprime crisis spreads has made it impossible to accurately value the funds' holdings. A BOJ official said the bank acted after the overnight call rate rose to 0.54%-0.55%, above the bank's target rate of 0.5%. It is "possible" that the rise in the key rate was related to the subprime chaos, the official said, though he added that the BOJ is "not certain" of the cause. "We're not certain if that is related (to subprime) or not. It all depends on why the overnight call rate was a little bit high this morning," said the BOJ official. "We're not sure why some of the financial institutions were raising funds at a higher rate than on other days." The official described the move as "an extension of our normal day-to-day operations. The rates were a bit high, deviating a little bit away from our target, so we thought it might be necessary to inject some liquidity.
" The ECB took the almost unprecedented step of injecting nearly EUR95 billion into European money markets overnight, and the Fed funneled $24 billion into U.S. credit markets. "Suddenly, central banks have changed their tune from a wait-and-see stance on the subprime issue to a move to stabilize the financial system," Barclays Capital analyst Masuhisa Kobayashi wrote in a research note Friday. He said the start of action could either mean that the credit market and financial system have destabilized to the extent that central banks had to take action, or that the action was meant to prevent such a situation, and things should calm down going forward. He added: "The market seems to have taken the former, more pessimistic view." But the BOJ official suggested that the central banks had not coordinated their moves. "We're all responding to the situation in our domestic markets. It might mean that something common behind our domestic markets is happening, but we're not certain," he said.
-By Michael S. Arnold, Dow Jones Newswires; 81-3-5255-2929; michael.arnold@dowjones.com (END) Dow Jones NewswiresAugust 09, 2007 23:39 ET (03:39 GMT)
" The official called the step "an extension of our normal day-to-day operations," but noted that the last time the BOJ made such a large cash injection was June 29 - just as the U.S. subprime crisis flared. The injections follow French banking giant BNP Paribas' decision to freeze three funds that trade in mortgage-backed securities, saying the dramatic absence of liquidity in the market for such products as the subprime crisis spreads has made it impossible to accurately value the funds' holdings. A BOJ official said the bank acted after the overnight call rate rose to 0.54%-0.55%, above the bank's target rate of 0.5%. It is "possible" that the rise in the key rate was related to the subprime chaos, the official said, though he added that the BOJ is "not certain" of the cause. "We're not certain if that is related (to subprime) or not. It all depends on why the overnight call rate was a little bit high this morning," said the BOJ official. "We're not sure why some of the financial institutions were raising funds at a higher rate than on other days." The official described the move as "an extension of our normal day-to-day operations. The rates were a bit high, deviating a little bit away from our target, so we thought it might be necessary to inject some liquidity.
" The ECB took the almost unprecedented step of injecting nearly EUR95 billion into European money markets overnight, and the Fed funneled $24 billion into U.S. credit markets. "Suddenly, central banks have changed their tune from a wait-and-see stance on the subprime issue to a move to stabilize the financial system," Barclays Capital analyst Masuhisa Kobayashi wrote in a research note Friday. He said the start of action could either mean that the credit market and financial system have destabilized to the extent that central banks had to take action, or that the action was meant to prevent such a situation, and things should calm down going forward. He added: "The market seems to have taken the former, more pessimistic view." But the BOJ official suggested that the central banks had not coordinated their moves. "We're all responding to the situation in our domestic markets. It might mean that something common behind our domestic markets is happening, but we're not certain," he said.
-By Michael S. Arnold, Dow Jones Newswires; 81-3-5255-2929; michael.arnold@dowjones.com (END) Dow Jones NewswiresAugust 09, 2007 23:39 ET (03:39 GMT)
Yen Rallied after BNP Froze Funds
The yen rose sharply BNP Paribas, France’s biggest bank, froze three investment funds worth 1.6 billion euros, raising concern the US subprime mortgage sector woes is spreading worldwide. The ECB today injected 94.8 billion euros into the region’s banking market to meet the sudden liquidity demand. The US subprime worries prompted investors to unwind carry trades, driving the yen higher against high-yielding currencies.The euro slumped from 165 to 161.55 versus the yen, while the sterling slid from 244 to test the 239 level. The yen strengthened from 119.75 to as low as 118.20 versus the dollar. As a safe haven currency, the dollar also benefited from anti-risk trades. The euro fell off the 1.38 handle and was supported by the 1.3650 level versus the dollar. The sterling dipped from 2.04 to as low as 2.0212.
Rate Sentiment Drives FX
The dollar was mixed in the Wednesday session amid a dearth of fresh US economic news, climbing higher against the yen but falling sharply versus the sterling. The data release was limited to June wholesale inventories, which was slightly higher than expected at 0.5%, unchanged from the previous month. Interest rate expectations continue to play a key role in the FX market, with the Aussie and sterling regaining its footing on hawkish sentiment from both respective central banks.
Dollar Slipped after FOMC
The Fed kept interest rates at 5.25% unchanged as widely expected. The Fed acknowledged tightening credit conditions and slowing economy, but maintained its bias against inflationary pressure for fear that inflation may not moderate as expected. The dollar fell slightly against the euro and sterling after the post-meeting statement.The euro will face resistance at 1.3750, followed by 1.3780 and 1.38. Additional gains will target 1.3830 and 1.3850. Meanwhile, on the downside the pair will encounter support at 1.3720 followed by 1.37 and 1.3680. Subsequent floors will emerge at 1.3650, backed by 1.3620 and 1.36.
Saturday, August 11, 2007
Yahoo’s Search Assist There When you Need It
Search Engine Land takes a close look at Yahoo’s new Yahoo Search Assist tool . Unlike normal search suggestion tools, Search Assist predicts when you might need a little help with your search and then shows up.
As Danny Sullivan explains…
Ever had one of those moments when you start to type in a query, enter a word and then pause because you’re not quite sure what other words to add to it? Search Assist senses this. It notes that you’ve paused, takes that as a sign you need help and magically makes suggestions appear below the search box. Cool!
In addition, you don’t just get suggestions that contain some of the letters you initially type. Search Assist goes beyond the original word to suggest related topics.
As Danny Sullivan explains…
Ever had one of those moments when you start to type in a query, enter a word and then pause because you’re not quite sure what other words to add to it? Search Assist senses this. It notes that you’ve paused, takes that as a sign you need help and magically makes suggestions appear below the search box. Cool!
In addition, you don’t just get suggestions that contain some of the letters you initially type. Search Assist goes beyond the original word to suggest related topics.
Yahoo Fully Acquires Right Media
After investing in online advertising company Right Media, in October (and getting 20% of the company in the process), Yahoo has now shelled out $680 million to secure the remaining 80%.
In a move that many suspected and most see as an answer to Google’s acquisition of DoubleClick, Yahoo’s acquisition of Right Media will strongly boost the companies online display advertising options.
“The acquisition of Right Media will further Yahoo!’s goal to create the industry’s most open, accessible and vibrant advertising marketplace, which will help democratize the buying and selling of digitally enabled advertising,” said Terry Semel, chairman and CEO of Yahoo!, in a statement. “This acquisition is an important step in our long-term vision to build the industry’s leading advertising and publisher ecosystem. We believe that Yahoo!’s open approach is a clear differentiator from others in the industry and provides significant benefits to advertisers, publishers and Yahoo! itself.”
Before the acquisition, Yahoo’s display advertising had been mostly confined to its own network of properties. With Right Media’s open exchange model, Yahoo will combine its content with many other third-party offerings, providing an expansive network for publishers and advertisers to buy and sell online ad placements in a real time auction system.
Here’s what Yahoo is promising will come from the acquisition:
*Advertisers will have greater inventory and audience options from Yahoo! and other participants in this exchange, as well as increased control and visibility into the buying process.
Publishers will be able to bundle their own ad inventory with Yahoo!’s inventory and the exchange’s inventory - thereby boosting demand and generating the highest returns for each ad placement.
*Advertising networks will reap the same benefits as advertisers and publishers, and additionally, the exchange will benefit those ad networks with unique value propositions, giving them an opportunity to compete with the largest players, thanks to reduced friction and increased transparency.
*For Yahoo!, this more open approach will allow the company to increase liquidity, allow advertisers to more efficiently ascertain the true value of display ad inventory, and generate greater returns for Yahoo!’s own display inventory. It will give Yahoo! a new channel and inventory for excess demand and provide an opportunity to derive more value from non-premium inventory.
The deal is a mixture of stock and cash and is expected to close within 3 months.
In a move that many suspected and most see as an answer to Google’s acquisition of DoubleClick, Yahoo’s acquisition of Right Media will strongly boost the companies online display advertising options.
“The acquisition of Right Media will further Yahoo!’s goal to create the industry’s most open, accessible and vibrant advertising marketplace, which will help democratize the buying and selling of digitally enabled advertising,” said Terry Semel, chairman and CEO of Yahoo!, in a statement. “This acquisition is an important step in our long-term vision to build the industry’s leading advertising and publisher ecosystem. We believe that Yahoo!’s open approach is a clear differentiator from others in the industry and provides significant benefits to advertisers, publishers and Yahoo! itself.”
Before the acquisition, Yahoo’s display advertising had been mostly confined to its own network of properties. With Right Media’s open exchange model, Yahoo will combine its content with many other third-party offerings, providing an expansive network for publishers and advertisers to buy and sell online ad placements in a real time auction system.
Here’s what Yahoo is promising will come from the acquisition:
*Advertisers will have greater inventory and audience options from Yahoo! and other participants in this exchange, as well as increased control and visibility into the buying process.
Publishers will be able to bundle their own ad inventory with Yahoo!’s inventory and the exchange’s inventory - thereby boosting demand and generating the highest returns for each ad placement.
*Advertising networks will reap the same benefits as advertisers and publishers, and additionally, the exchange will benefit those ad networks with unique value propositions, giving them an opportunity to compete with the largest players, thanks to reduced friction and increased transparency.
*For Yahoo!, this more open approach will allow the company to increase liquidity, allow advertisers to more efficiently ascertain the true value of display ad inventory, and generate greater returns for Yahoo!’s own display inventory. It will give Yahoo! a new channel and inventory for excess demand and provide an opportunity to derive more value from non-premium inventory.
The deal is a mixture of stock and cash and is expected to close within 3 months.
Yahoo Buyout Rumors Echoing Loudly
The good news of increased revenue received a splash of cold water as investors also digested Yahoo's drop in earnings for the recent fiscal quarter. Wall Street pummeled the stock overnight, leading to an open of $26.07 that has been largely unchanged through the day after Yahoo's earnings report.
It has reopened talk that the company rests at the cusp of being taken over, with the only questions being how soon and for how much. Microsoft has long been discussed as a new corporate master for the Sunnyvale-based portal.
A Bloomberg report cited analyst Clayton Moran of Stanford Group in discussing the latest wave of rumors that Yahoo will soon find a home within the Microsoft arcology:
"Given a seemingly increasing disconnect between management commentary and operating results, a sale of Yahoo seems more likely," Moran wrote in a note to clients. "In the near-term, we believe this stock will linger in the mid-$20s, unless a suitor arises."
Steve Ballmer and company could make that deal, and plenty of banks would be more than willing to help Microsoft take on some debt to acquire Yahoo. If one can accept Precursor president Scott Cleland's assertion that Yahoo simply cannot make up ground against Google in online advertising, a takeover may be inevitable.
It has reopened talk that the company rests at the cusp of being taken over, with the only questions being how soon and for how much. Microsoft has long been discussed as a new corporate master for the Sunnyvale-based portal.
A Bloomberg report cited analyst Clayton Moran of Stanford Group in discussing the latest wave of rumors that Yahoo will soon find a home within the Microsoft arcology:
"Given a seemingly increasing disconnect between management commentary and operating results, a sale of Yahoo seems more likely," Moran wrote in a note to clients. "In the near-term, we believe this stock will linger in the mid-$20s, unless a suitor arises."
Steve Ballmer and company could make that deal, and plenty of banks would be more than willing to help Microsoft take on some debt to acquire Yahoo. If one can accept Precursor president Scott Cleland's assertion that Yahoo simply cannot make up ground against Google in online advertising, a takeover may be inevitable.
Microsoft Buying Yahoo: Rumors Reappear
A pairing in the spirit of a superhero teamup could happen if the latest chatter about Yahoo and Microsoft proves true. Once again, a potential merger is being considered, as neither company has made gains against Google's search and advertising dominance.
The Wall Street Journal said last year's talks have become this year's discussions. Both Yahoo and Microsoft have been rejiggering their online advertising products, but have not been able to eat into Google's lead.
"Short of a wholesale merger, Microsoft could spin its online group into a separately-run Yahoo, in return for a Yahoo stake," the WSJ said. "Though a person familiar with the matter says Microsoft would likely want to acquire Yahoo."
Microsoft would have to take on some debt to do that, despite its massive pile of cash and equivalents. Yahoo is up to a market cap of over $38 billion, thanks to rumors of the Microsoft talks that began in the New York Post.
The Post carried a story earlier in the week that claimed Microsoft was ready to purchase 24/7 Real Media, in order to offset Google's DoubleClick deal as well as Yahoo's Right Media purchase. A Microsoft spokesperson would not comment on the story to WebProNews, citing the article as rumors and speculation.
If Microsoft were to make a deal with Yahoo, the WSJ thinks there could be some massive upheaval in Yahoo's executive ranks. Considering Yahoo's performance for shareholders over the past couple of years, it's hard to think of that as a negative here.
The Wall Street Journal said last year's talks have become this year's discussions. Both Yahoo and Microsoft have been rejiggering their online advertising products, but have not been able to eat into Google's lead.
"Short of a wholesale merger, Microsoft could spin its online group into a separately-run Yahoo, in return for a Yahoo stake," the WSJ said. "Though a person familiar with the matter says Microsoft would likely want to acquire Yahoo."
Microsoft would have to take on some debt to do that, despite its massive pile of cash and equivalents. Yahoo is up to a market cap of over $38 billion, thanks to rumors of the Microsoft talks that began in the New York Post.
The Post carried a story earlier in the week that claimed Microsoft was ready to purchase 24/7 Real Media, in order to offset Google's DoubleClick deal as well as Yahoo's Right Media purchase. A Microsoft spokesperson would not comment on the story to WebProNews, citing the article as rumors and speculation.
If Microsoft were to make a deal with Yahoo, the WSJ thinks there could be some massive upheaval in Yahoo's executive ranks. Considering Yahoo's performance for shareholders over the past couple of years, it's hard to think of that as a negative here.
Yahoo Again Linked To Partner Click Fraud
In April 2006, spyware researcher Ben Edelman implicated Yahoo in click fraud problems stemming from the company's arrangements with a trio of third parties delivering phantom clicks on ads. Those clicks cost legitimate advertisers money, while Yahoo and the company enabling that click profit each time.
BusinessWeek's recent expos of click fraud provided more ammunition for critics of search advertising companies like Yahoo and Google. Greater calls for transparency of how those businesses protect against fake clicks will be a hot topic this fall.
Part of the BusinessWeek report focused on the saga of advertiser MostChoice.com. That website's CEO, Martin Fleischmann, claimed click fraud cost his firm a significant sum, and blamed Oemji for this:
(I)n the past year, Yahoo charged the online financial-information provider an estimated $10,300 for 2,690 clicks from visitors to Oemji. Ninety percent of the clicks came from such places as Mongolia, Vietnam, and Honduras, where MostChoice does no business. Only eight clicks, less than 0.3%, turned into sales, compared with 30% or more from clicks on ads on Yahoo's own Web site.
Oemji's parent firm, Oemtec, may be receiving more scrutiny from Yahoo. The article cited Yahoo's Joshua Meyers, a senior director of the search engine's publisher network group, in noting the company would review its connection to Oemji.
Oemtec contested accusations of illicit activity that would be counter to its partnership agreement with Yahoo:
Oemtec calls the negative ratings of its products "patently and demonstrably false." Oemji Bar is similar to toolbars distributed by major online companies, and SpySpotter "is a legitimate and effective anti-spyware application," Craig Marcus, an attorney for the company, said in a Sept. 8 letter to BusinessWeek. Denying any involvement in click fraud, Marcus wrote: "Every single Oemji-generated click to MostChoice.com, and every other Web site, was and remains legitimate and genuine."
As of this month, the report noted Yahoo still has its partnership with Oemtec in force, and delivers advertising to the Oemji product.
BusinessWeek's recent expos of click fraud provided more ammunition for critics of search advertising companies like Yahoo and Google. Greater calls for transparency of how those businesses protect against fake clicks will be a hot topic this fall.
Part of the BusinessWeek report focused on the saga of advertiser MostChoice.com. That website's CEO, Martin Fleischmann, claimed click fraud cost his firm a significant sum, and blamed Oemji for this:
(I)n the past year, Yahoo charged the online financial-information provider an estimated $10,300 for 2,690 clicks from visitors to Oemji. Ninety percent of the clicks came from such places as Mongolia, Vietnam, and Honduras, where MostChoice does no business. Only eight clicks, less than 0.3%, turned into sales, compared with 30% or more from clicks on ads on Yahoo's own Web site.
Oemji's parent firm, Oemtec, may be receiving more scrutiny from Yahoo. The article cited Yahoo's Joshua Meyers, a senior director of the search engine's publisher network group, in noting the company would review its connection to Oemji.
Oemtec contested accusations of illicit activity that would be counter to its partnership agreement with Yahoo:
Oemtec calls the negative ratings of its products "patently and demonstrably false." Oemji Bar is similar to toolbars distributed by major online companies, and SpySpotter "is a legitimate and effective anti-spyware application," Craig Marcus, an attorney for the company, said in a Sept. 8 letter to BusinessWeek. Denying any involvement in click fraud, Marcus wrote: "Every single Oemji-generated click to MostChoice.com, and every other Web site, was and remains legitimate and genuine."
As of this month, the report noted Yahoo still has its partnership with Oemtec in force, and delivers advertising to the Oemji product.
Yahoo Opens Traffic Quality Center
Yahoo touted its proprietary Click Protection System as the most stringent in the industry, in their humble opinion. If it is that, VP Reggie Davis and the development team have been really busy.
Some of their efforts receive a little publicity on the Traffic Quality Center, recently opened at Yahoo Search Marketing. The company provided some insights into the ways they protect advertising customers.
They also offered a peak at what is to come with their search marketing platform. On quality based pricing:
Later in 2007, we plan to apply quality-based pricing to a broader group of keywords.
There's nothing you need to do to take advantage of quality-based pricing. Discounts are applied automatically based on Yahoo!'s Quality Based Pricing technology.
On domain blocking:
While quality-based pricing provides discounts based on traffic performance, you might identify certain domains that you don't want to receive traffic from due to branding considerations or other reasons. To help meet this need, we plan to launch a product that will provide our advertisers with the controls and tools to block their ads from appearing on certain domains.
Advertisers who want to report possible click fraud but aren't familiar with the procedure can view a walkthrough of the process on the Traffic Quality Center website. Yahoo said they will contact the submitter within 48 hours, and will try to resolve the issue within ten business days.
Some of their efforts receive a little publicity on the Traffic Quality Center, recently opened at Yahoo Search Marketing. The company provided some insights into the ways they protect advertising customers.
They also offered a peak at what is to come with their search marketing platform. On quality based pricing:
Later in 2007, we plan to apply quality-based pricing to a broader group of keywords.
There's nothing you need to do to take advantage of quality-based pricing. Discounts are applied automatically based on Yahoo!'s Quality Based Pricing technology.
On domain blocking:
While quality-based pricing provides discounts based on traffic performance, you might identify certain domains that you don't want to receive traffic from due to branding considerations or other reasons. To help meet this need, we plan to launch a product that will provide our advertisers with the controls and tools to block their ads from appearing on certain domains.
Advertisers who want to report possible click fraud but aren't familiar with the procedure can view a walkthrough of the process on the Traffic Quality Center website. Yahoo said they will contact the submitter within 48 hours, and will try to resolve the issue within ten business days.
The agency that oversees Internet domain names has asked VeriSign to voluntarily suspend a new service that redirects Web surfers to VeriSign's site w
The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) on Friday posted a notice on its Web site with its response to the so-called wildcard service, which launched Sept. 15. The wildcard service sends people to a VeriSign page with search results, including links to paid advertisements. Until now, Web surfers would have gotten an error message. VeriSign runs the registry for the .com and .net domains--among the most widely used top-level domains on the Web. The wildcard service is for .com and .net domains.
ICANN said it is investigating complaints about the wildcard service and asked VeriSign to pull it, pending further study.
"Recognizing the concerns about the wildcard service, ICANN has called upon VeriSign to voluntarily suspend the service until the various reviews now under way are completed," the agency wrote in a notice posted on its Web site.
On Saturday, the Internet Architecture Board also weighed in on the controversy with an analysis of domain name system (DNS) wildcards. The group recommended that "DNS wildcards should not be used in a zone unless the zone operator has a clear understanding of the risks, and that they should not be used without the informed consent of those entities which have been delegated below the zone."
Criticism has been growing over Mountain View, Calif.-based VeriSign's surprise decision to take control of unassigned .com and .net domain names, which has confused antispam utilities and drawn angry denunciations of the company's business practices from frustrated network administrators.
Verisign could not immediately be reached late Sunday.
Last week, the company stood by its new service.
"There is a lot of fiction about the actual technology and the service," VeriSign spokesman Brian O'Shaughnessy had said. "What we are doing is trying to determine fact and fiction, and we're doing so by reaching out to the technology community and helping them to understand exactly what is fact and fiction."
VeriSign is not alone in seeking to replace DNS errors. Microsoft has also directed people who use its Internet Explorer Web browser to a Microsoft search page when they mistype certain domain names in the browser's URL bar.
ICANN said it is investigating complaints about the wildcard service and asked VeriSign to pull it, pending further study.
"Recognizing the concerns about the wildcard service, ICANN has called upon VeriSign to voluntarily suspend the service until the various reviews now under way are completed," the agency wrote in a notice posted on its Web site.
On Saturday, the Internet Architecture Board also weighed in on the controversy with an analysis of domain name system (DNS) wildcards. The group recommended that "DNS wildcards should not be used in a zone unless the zone operator has a clear understanding of the risks, and that they should not be used without the informed consent of those entities which have been delegated below the zone."
Criticism has been growing over Mountain View, Calif.-based VeriSign's surprise decision to take control of unassigned .com and .net domain names, which has confused antispam utilities and drawn angry denunciations of the company's business practices from frustrated network administrators.
Verisign could not immediately be reached late Sunday.
Last week, the company stood by its new service.
"There is a lot of fiction about the actual technology and the service," VeriSign spokesman Brian O'Shaughnessy had said. "What we are doing is trying to determine fact and fiction, and we're doing so by reaching out to the technology community and helping them to understand exactly what is fact and fiction."
VeriSign is not alone in seeking to replace DNS errors. Microsoft has also directed people who use its Internet Explorer Web browser to a Microsoft search page when they mistype certain domain names in the browser's URL bar.
Wednesday, August 8, 2007
Cisco beats Q4 earnings expectations
Cisco surpassed analyst expectations again when it posted fourth-quarter earnings of $2.3 billion on sales of $9.4 billion.
The results exceeded analyst estimates of $9.29 billion in revenue and earnings of $2.24 billion.
Earnings do not include expenses and other items. Including those items, Cisco recorded a profit of $1.9 billion for the fourth quarter ended July 28.
Revenue was up 18% over last year’s fourth quarter, and earnings for the same period were up 21.2%.For the 2007 fiscal year, Cisco recorded sales of $34.9 billion and earnings – excluding expenses and other items – of $8.4 billion. Revenue was up 22.6% over fiscal 2006 and earnings increased 21.6% over the last fiscal year.
Scientific-Atlanta, acquired in February 2006, contributed $2.8 billion to net sales for fiscal 2007, compared with $989 million for fiscal 2006. Fiscal 2007 results again exceeded analyst expectations, which were $34.78 billion in revenue and earnings of $8.34 billion.
At $1.9 billion, routing revenue was up 14% in the quarter from the fourth quarter of FY 2006. Orders for high-end routers grew in excess of 30% from the fourth quarter of 2006.
Switching revenue was $3.3 billion, up 18%.
Revenue from Advanced Technologies -- unified communications, storage, security, and others -- was $2.2 billion, up 24% from last year's fourth quarter, and services revenue, $1.5 billion, was up 19%. U.S. business improved in the quarter after two soft quarters in the enterprise market in Q2 and Q3. In U.S. business overall, average growth was in the upper teens, "the best we've seen in a number of quarters," said Cisco CEO John Chambers. In enterprise specifically -- excluding federal government business -- orders grew 12% in Q4, vs. mid single digit order growth in the second and third quarters.
Federal orders grew 40% over the fourth quarter of FY 2006, and U.S. service provider orders grew 30% over the same period.Cisco's new video-based TelePresence virtual meeting system is relied upon by the company to drive enterprise demand. Orders for that system in Q4 grew 400% over the third quarter of fiscal year, and Cisco has deployed 110 systems since its introduction last fall.
On a global basis, enterprise orders -- including public sector -- grew in the mid-teens. Service provider orders grew in the low 20% range. Q4 was the sixth consecutive quarter of record revenue and net income, excluding expenses, for Cisco. The company has grown earnings an average of 22% on a yearly basis for the past 16 quarters, CFO Dennis Powell said during a conference call on the fourth quarter results.
With that momentum, Cisco is raising its long-term guidance to grow 12% to 17% annually, from previous targets of 10% to 15%. For the first quarter of fiscal 2008, Cisco expects revenue of $9.45 billion to $9.55 billion, a hike of 13% to 16% from the first quarter of 2007.
The results exceeded analyst estimates of $9.29 billion in revenue and earnings of $2.24 billion.
Earnings do not include expenses and other items. Including those items, Cisco recorded a profit of $1.9 billion for the fourth quarter ended July 28.
Revenue was up 18% over last year’s fourth quarter, and earnings for the same period were up 21.2%.For the 2007 fiscal year, Cisco recorded sales of $34.9 billion and earnings – excluding expenses and other items – of $8.4 billion. Revenue was up 22.6% over fiscal 2006 and earnings increased 21.6% over the last fiscal year.
Scientific-Atlanta, acquired in February 2006, contributed $2.8 billion to net sales for fiscal 2007, compared with $989 million for fiscal 2006. Fiscal 2007 results again exceeded analyst expectations, which were $34.78 billion in revenue and earnings of $8.34 billion.
At $1.9 billion, routing revenue was up 14% in the quarter from the fourth quarter of FY 2006. Orders for high-end routers grew in excess of 30% from the fourth quarter of 2006.
Switching revenue was $3.3 billion, up 18%.
Revenue from Advanced Technologies -- unified communications, storage, security, and others -- was $2.2 billion, up 24% from last year's fourth quarter, and services revenue, $1.5 billion, was up 19%. U.S. business improved in the quarter after two soft quarters in the enterprise market in Q2 and Q3. In U.S. business overall, average growth was in the upper teens, "the best we've seen in a number of quarters," said Cisco CEO John Chambers. In enterprise specifically -- excluding federal government business -- orders grew 12% in Q4, vs. mid single digit order growth in the second and third quarters.
Federal orders grew 40% over the fourth quarter of FY 2006, and U.S. service provider orders grew 30% over the same period.Cisco's new video-based TelePresence virtual meeting system is relied upon by the company to drive enterprise demand. Orders for that system in Q4 grew 400% over the third quarter of fiscal year, and Cisco has deployed 110 systems since its introduction last fall.
On a global basis, enterprise orders -- including public sector -- grew in the mid-teens. Service provider orders grew in the low 20% range. Q4 was the sixth consecutive quarter of record revenue and net income, excluding expenses, for Cisco. The company has grown earnings an average of 22% on a yearly basis for the past 16 quarters, CFO Dennis Powell said during a conference call on the fourth quarter results.
With that momentum, Cisco is raising its long-term guidance to grow 12% to 17% annually, from previous targets of 10% to 15%. For the first quarter of fiscal 2008, Cisco expects revenue of $9.45 billion to $9.55 billion, a hike of 13% to 16% from the first quarter of 2007.
Has Cisco founder Bosack again unveiled the Next Big Thing?
Twenty-three years ago, the husband and wife team of Stanford University computer support staffers Len Bosack and Sandy Lerner founded the most powerful and valuable company in networking: Cisco Systems. This week, Bosack rolls out what he believes is another breakthrough product for enterprise networks that may make as much of an impact as Cisco routers. He shared some thoughts on his new product, the DXM optical transport system, and 16-year-old company, XKL LLC, with Network World Managing Editor Jim Duffy.
The IT Manager's Toolbox: Microsoft Virtual Server & Virtual PC
A critical component of the IT manager’s toolkit should be virtualization software.
In our mostly heterogeneous Windows™ server and client environments, we use Microsoft’s Virtual PC and Virtual Server products.
In fact, virtual machines (VMs) containing server images and default client desktops for each client are part of the tools out technical consultants take with them on site visits. For service and technical support, the ability to roll back a server, or client for that matter, to an earlier, more stable image is a blessing.
In x64, R2 SP1 form, Virtual Server is capable of running 512 virtual machines and supporting up to 256 GB of memory when operated on Windows Server 2003 x64. Yes, not a typo! 256 GB of memory! 512 virtual machines! Talk about taking advantage of the performance allowed by 64-bit addressing!
Microsoft Virtual Server 2005 R2 SP1 can be downloaded from here, and Microsoft Virtual PC download is here. Microsoft has also made available a library of ready-to-use virtual hard disks, or VHDs, containing time-bombed OS installs. These VHDs cover almost the entire gamut of Microsoft offerings.
In our mostly heterogeneous Windows™ server and client environments, we use Microsoft’s Virtual PC and Virtual Server products.
In fact, virtual machines (VMs) containing server images and default client desktops for each client are part of the tools out technical consultants take with them on site visits. For service and technical support, the ability to roll back a server, or client for that matter, to an earlier, more stable image is a blessing.
In x64, R2 SP1 form, Virtual Server is capable of running 512 virtual machines and supporting up to 256 GB of memory when operated on Windows Server 2003 x64. Yes, not a typo! 256 GB of memory! 512 virtual machines! Talk about taking advantage of the performance allowed by 64-bit addressing!
Microsoft Virtual Server 2005 R2 SP1 can be downloaded from here, and Microsoft Virtual PC download is here. Microsoft has also made available a library of ready-to-use virtual hard disks, or VHDs, containing time-bombed OS installs. These VHDs cover almost the entire gamut of Microsoft offerings.
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Microsoft Aims to Launch New Windows by 2010
InformationWeek.com - With Windows Vista out the door and its first service pack on the way, Microsoft has begun to focus on the road map for the future of its flagship operating system. The details are still extremely skimpy, but the company is beginning to discuss Windows 7, which is Microsoft's internal code name for the next version of the Windows client, with select customers and partners.
Since Vista's release, Microsoft has been saying that the next version of Windows would appear significantly quicker than Vista did after XP's release. To that end, Microsoft is still on track. "Microsoft is scoping Windows 7 development to a three-year time frame, and then the specific release date will ultimately be determined by meeting the quality bar," the company said in a statement. However, earlier statements by Microsoft execs had put Windows 7 on track for release in 2009, while doing the math on the latest statement puts Windows 7 more in the 2010 time frame.
Since Vista's release, Microsoft has been saying that the next version of Windows would appear significantly quicker than Vista did after XP's release. To that end, Microsoft is still on track. "Microsoft is scoping Windows 7 development to a three-year time frame, and then the specific release date will ultimately be determined by meeting the quality bar," the company said in a statement. However, earlier statements by Microsoft execs had put Windows 7 on track for release in 2009, while doing the math on the latest statement puts Windows 7 more in the 2010 time frame.
Surf the Internet Wirelessly at 15GB/s in the Future
ScienceMode.com - Scientists at the Georgia Electronic Design Center (GEDC) announced a new research which investigates the use of extremely high radio frequencies (RF) to achieve broad bandwidth and high data transmission rates over short distances. This means that tangled wires under desks and in data centers will be a thing of the pas, scientists say.
Within three years, this “multi-gigabit wireless” approach could result in a bevy of personal area network (PAN) applications, including next generation home multimedia and wireless data connections able to transfer an entire DVD in seconds.
The research focuses on RF frequencies around 60 gigahertz (GHz), which are currently unlicensed — free for anyone to use — in the United States. GEDC researchers have already achieved wireless data-transfer rates of 15 gigabits per second (Gbps) at a distance of 1 meter, 10 Gbps at 2 meters and 5 Gbps at 5 meters.
Within three years, this “multi-gigabit wireless” approach could result in a bevy of personal area network (PAN) applications, including next generation home multimedia and wireless data connections able to transfer an entire DVD in seconds.
The research focuses on RF frequencies around 60 gigahertz (GHz), which are currently unlicensed — free for anyone to use — in the United States. GEDC researchers have already achieved wireless data-transfer rates of 15 gigabits per second (Gbps) at a distance of 1 meter, 10 Gbps at 2 meters and 5 Gbps at 5 meters.
OvisLink Introduces Wireless Hard Disk (Enclosure)
Manila, Philippines -- OvisLink Corp. introduced the AirLive WMM-6500FS, a 3.5" Wireless AP storage that is designed for 3.5” IDE and serial-ATA(SATA) hard disk drive use. The additional advantage is its 3.5-inch hard disk that allows you to share information and storage capacity via either a wireless or a wired network.
AirLive WMU-6500FS is an ideal device for small-medium companies and home users who need to backup and share files more efficiently and easily anytime and anywhere. It provides a complete SOHO solution for Internet surfing, and is easy to configure and operate even for non-technical users. You can use this device as a BitTorrent Agent to download and upload files via the BitTorrent protocol. It also has an iTune File Server function that lets you share your video, music and or files wirelessly. The AirLive-6500FS offers WLAN mobility for home user and business people to maintain continuous network connectivity. Via its AP function, home users can stay connected to the network anywhere in a building without pulling along a LAN cable.
AirLive WMU-6500FS is an ideal device for small-medium companies and home users who need to backup and share files more efficiently and easily anytime and anywhere. It provides a complete SOHO solution for Internet surfing, and is easy to configure and operate even for non-technical users. You can use this device as a BitTorrent Agent to download and upload files via the BitTorrent protocol. It also has an iTune File Server function that lets you share your video, music and or files wirelessly. The AirLive-6500FS offers WLAN mobility for home user and business people to maintain continuous network connectivity. Via its AP function, home users can stay connected to the network anywhere in a building without pulling along a LAN cable.
Features :
> 3.5" Wireless Hard Drive Enclosure
> BitTorrent Download Agent
> 125Mbps Turbo-G Wireless
> Build your wireless network or integrate into existing WLAN networks
> iTune File Server function for iPOD music download
> Share your video, music, and or files wirelessly
For further information, please visit www.ovislink.com
Sunday, July 22, 2007
Shanling MC-30 Music Center for iPod
The latest peripheral for the iPod is the MC-30 Music Center from Shanling. MC-30 is basically a hi-fi CD player, tuner, iPod dock with tube power amplifier. Keeping with the smooth design, the input selector is concealed and the volume control is positioned at the top of the front feet. The single-ended tube amplifier section pumps 3 watts per channel to the speakers. You can control the entire unit with the (included) Remote Control.
iPhones Knocks Out Wi-Fi System
One of the big selling points of Apple's iPhone is the ability to connect to the Internet via Wi-Fi, but I.T. pros at Duke University might say otherwise. The iPhones on campus are flooding the school's wireless LAN with as many as 18,000 access requests per second, temporarily knocking out access points for 10 to 15 minutes at a time, according to Kevin Miller, Duke's assistant director of communications infrastructure .
The iPhones are requesting a router address that's not valid on Duke's network. When there's no answer, the iPhones keep asking, a process that essentially amounts to a distributed denial-of-service attack, knocking out access points and keeping Duke's I.T. staff scrambling.
Miller said there are about 150 iPhones on campus causing the issue, but noted that "because of the time of year for us, it's not a severe problem." When school starts full sessions in late August, "this would be devastating," he said.
Saturday, July 14, 2007
ASUS EN8600GT Silent 256MB GDDR3 (GeForce 8600 GT)
Now that ATI's mainstream DirectX 10 graphics cards have been officially launched, the low-end and mid-range segments are looking increasingly crowded, with NVIDIA having up to four different SKUs, each with variable configurations for memory type and size. ATI too has three major SKUs for its Radeon HD 2400 and 2600 series altogether, with comparable leeway for vendors to customize their products. Throw in the fact that ATI has generally priced its products a notch lower than competing NVIDIA SKUs to compensate for their lower performance and it seems that there could be quite the dilemma for consumers looking for a new mainstream graphics card.
It is however a welcome dilemma as having more choice is almost always better for consumers, provided they do their research of course, and not rely solely on brand names or hastily formed first impressions. The crowded field also means that vendors have greater incentive to distinguish its products by adding more features and inevitably, the list of the usual methods include having overclocked versions, non-standard coolers, and in case of some, like the recent XFX GeForce 8600 GT Fatal1ty we saw , both. For those who have no use for these frills, there's always the reliable way of falling back on price as the decisive factor.
ASUS is one of these vendors who have chosen to issue a silent, passively cooled version of the GeForce 8600 GT - the ASUS EN8600GT Silent. Equipped with a custom heatpipe based cooler, ASUS claims this card runs cooler than generic boards by an average of seven degrees Celsius. Our first though was this: a passively cooled graphics card running cooler than a fan-based one? Now that's something we have to see for ourselves, though we aren't too sure if the generic boards that ASUS is referring to here are the reference models or an equivalent passively cooled card. Does it live up to the marketing? Well, we'll show you how it does after the usual specifications below, which show that this ASUS is a standard clocked GeForce 8600 GT with 256MB of DDR3 memory.
Computex Taipei 2007
The HWZ online team flew down to cover the world's second largest IT show - Computex 2007. The event was so grand; it featured 30,000 overseas buyers and 130,000 visitors and generated about US$12.5 billion. Find out which product made the cut for Best Choice of Computex Taipei 2007 Award and meet our silent-but-deadly online team, while you?re at it.
Sunday, July 8, 2007
Sapphire Radeon HD 2600 XT 256MB GDDR4
Much has already been said and written regarding ATI's new mainstream DirectX 10 graphics cards, the Radeon HD 2600 and 2400 series. To sum up our outlook on these products so far - if you are hoping that these cards will be the saviors that some ATI fans have been fervently praying for, look away. Despite the initial optimism generated by news that these cards were using 65nm cores, 3D performance has turned out to be rather disappointing. Instead, what these cards bring to the table are other, less talked about, though perhaps equally important aspects of a modern graphics card, like its dedicated universal video decoder (UVD) engine and significantly lower numbers for noise, heat and power consumption compared to previous ATI GPUs. Whether that is enough for consumers remains to be seen.
Together with competitive prices that place these Radeon HD cards into lower price brackets compared with NVIDIA's corresponding products (though it could be argued that there is no longer any direct comparison between the two since the ATI cards have looked to be slower in benchmarks), ATI could yet do reasonably well in the mainstream segment where 3DMark scores are not the most important criteria. Since we have already looked at the budget Radeon HD 2400 XT and an overclocked Radeon HD 2600 PRO , it was about time to give some attention to the top model of ATI's new mainstream contingent, the Radeon HD 2600 XT.
As the highest clocked member of the Radeon HD 2600 family, the XT comes with GDDR3 or GDDR4 flavored memory with a maximum rated speed of 2200MHz DDR. The GDDR4 version we're taking a look today comes with Samsung chips that are rated at 0.9ns that allow them to handle the high speeds and at the same time be more power efficient. Meanwhile, the same RV630 core present on all the Radeon HD 2600 cards, along with the exact same number of stream processors, texture units and other graphics hardware, are all found on this card. In short, everything should be identical to the Radeon HD 2600 PRO that we had covered previously, but with vastly higher clock speeds and the use of GDDR4 memory. How would this leading Radeon HD 2600 card stack up against NVIDIA's GeForce 8600 series?
Xbox 360 Elite coming to Japan in October
TOKYO, Japan (Reuters) -- Microsoft Corp. said on Thursday it would launch the advanced version of its Xbox 360 game console, Xbox 360 Elite, on October 11 in Japan, a country where sales of its game gear trail far behind rival machines from Nintendo Co. Ltd. and Sony Corp.
The Elite's 120-gigabyte hard drive, six times bigger than the regular Xbox 360's hard drive and twice as big as that of Sony's PlayStation 3 console, can store thousands of songs as well as a library of high-definition TV shows, movies and arcade games.
It will sell for 47,800 yen ($390), compared with 29,800 yen for the most basic version of the Xbox 360.
Although popular in the United States, the Xbox 360 has seen slow sales in Japan. Microsoft sold 122,565 of the consoles in the first half of this year in Japan, the home turf of Sony and Nintendo, according to data from game magazine publisher Enterbrain.
It will sell for 47,800 yen ($390), compared with 29,800 yen for the most basic version of the Xbox 360.
Although popular in the United States, the Xbox 360 has seen slow sales in Japan. Microsoft sold 122,565 of the consoles in the first half of this year in Japan, the home turf of Sony and Nintendo, according to data from game magazine publisher Enterbrain.
Nintendo sold 1.78 million units of its Wii and Sony sold 503,554 of its PS3 consoles during the same period.
The basic model of the PS3 sells for 49,980 yen in Japan, while the Wii sells for half that.
The Xbox 360 Elite is already sold in North America for $480
The basic model of the PS3 sells for 49,980 yen in Japan, while the Wii sells for half that.
The Xbox 360 Elite is already sold in North America for $480
Friday, July 6, 2007
Microsoft's Billion-Dollar Fix
In the quest for supremacy in next-generation gaming consoles, Microsoft (MSFT) had a big advantage by releasing the Xbox 360 a full year ahead of competing devices from Sony (SNE) and Nintendo (NTDOY). But hardware failures on the device are forcing Microsoft to cede some of its hard-won ground.
After months of reports about unusually high hardware failures for the Xbox 360, the Redmond (Wash.) software giant on July 5 said it will take a $1.05 billion to $1.15 billion charge to extend warranty coverage on repairs and replacements. The company said a months-long investigation into an "unacceptable number of repairs" to Xbox 360 consoles has helped it identify several flaws that caused the system to crash—indicated by three flashing red lights on the front dubbed the "Red Ring of Death" by gamers.
Robbie Bach, president of Microsoft's entertainment and devices division, declined in an interview to say what specifically caused the failures or how high the failure rate has been.
But the disclosure follows weeks of online chatter about a high retail return rate for the console. While the normal console return rate is between 3% and 5%, online news site
Stalled Momentum
Microsoft will record the expenses in the quarter that ended June 30, compounding losses at a division that has yet to become profitable. Fallout from the admission won't end there. The hardware problems could undermine Microsoft's credibility with the hard-core gamers it has fought hard to court in recent years. The company is belatedly owning up to flaws that reach back to the November, 2005, Xbox 360 launch. Users complained then that the console scratched game discs and rendered them unusable. It took nearly a full year for Microsoft to admit that the original batch of shipments was failing at an unusually high rate. Last September, the company extended its 90-day warranty to a full year. This spring, it offered free shipping on returns.
What's more, Microsoft's pronouncement could further slow the momentum the company had built with its year-long lead over Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii. Since January, the Wii has stolen the spotlight—and gamer dollars—from rival systems. Microsoft shipped 10 million units through 2006, but has sold only 1.6 million additional units since then. The company failed to reach its forecast of shipping 12 million units through June.
In June, the Wii outsold the Xbox 360 by a 2-to-1 margin and it outstripped PlayStation 3 sales nearly 4 to 1, according to product tracker NPD Group. Nintendo President Satoru Iwata predicts the company will sell more than 14 million units in its current fiscal year.
Design Issue
Microsoft said little about the causes of the hardware woes. It relies on two contract manufacturers to make the Xbox 360—Flextronics International (
Despite adding to the continuing losses for the entertainment and devices division, Microsoft executives pointed to a silver lining: "Most customers are going to look at it and say, 'Great, Microsoft stands behind the product,'" Bach says. "Ultimately, it becomes a positive thought in people's minds."
Game Releases Planned
Like other makers of consumer electronics, Microsoft is willing to accept losses on gaming consoles in hopes of recouping revenue through game software. And Microsoft plans to release some blockbusters later this year. Along with others in the games industry, it is expected to showcase many of those products at this month's annual E3 games expo held in Los Angeles. Microsoft is betting its core Halo franchise will give it a boost later this year with the release of Halo 3. The company also has stolen a march on Sony, getting Take-Two Interactive Software (
Bach says there's another reason to cheer: Company surveys show 90% of current Xbox 360 customers would recommend the console to a friend. As all three console makers turn up the heat on their battle for supremacy, Microsoft will need as much of that word-of-mouth support as it can get.
Thursday, July 5, 2007
Canon SELPHY ES-1 Photo Printer "Printing Photos the Easy Way"
We are a generation that grew up with cameras; most of us probably have tons of albums at home, waiting to be shared with relatives and guests. And while technology now allows us to take hundreds of photos effortlessly, not everyone bothers to have these photos developed. Instead, one probably stores them on the PC, only burning it onto a blank disc when the hard drive is full. This is what Canon is planning to change with its new portable SELPHY ES-1 printer, which aims to bring the photo lab to every home and make printing photos a breeze.
Portable Developing Lab
The first thing you'll notice about the SELPHY ES-1 is its form factor. This printer is not only compact, but is also sleek with a white and silver finish and has a backlit SELPHY logo. Another notable feature of the SELPHY is the 2.5-inch LCD that can be tilted up and can be used for editing photos or for displaying important information. The menus and buttons are quite intuitive, making it easy for anyone to use the unit without having to read the manual. What makes SELPHY unique from other printers out there is the fact that both the paper and inks come in one cartridge, thanks to its dye-sublimation print technology. The ink runs out as soon as the paper in the tray runs out, saving the need to purchase separate inks. Moreover, with the optional accessories available, the SELPHY can be further improved to be a truly wireless printer. For instance, with a Bluetooth adaptor, users can print photos from mobile phones and other Bluetooth compliant devices.
If that's not enough, an optional battery pack can be purchased so that you can bring your SELPHY anywhere and instantly print photos on the spot. Of course, the SELPHY ES-1 can also be connected to a PC for photo adjustments with Canon's software utilities, making this a well-rounded photo printer.
The Perfect Photo Output 24/7
Providing quality photos is what the Canon SELPHY ES-1 is all about, thanks to its DIGIC II processor. With this technology, it is now possible to reproduce the color qualities that are found on compact cameras and DSLRs without the aid of a PC. What's more, the SELPHY can also correct the ever annoying red eye and exposure problems in the captured photos. During our tests, we found the ES-1 to produce excellent prints that were slightly darker than the original. The preset options like vivid and vivid red/green/blue allow a user to adjust the color settings, but these adjustments obviously pale in comparison to dedicated photo editing software. Furthermore, the SELPHY also has preset creative menus to create albums, calendars, multi-layout prints and even speech bubbles.
Final Thoughts
The Canon SELPHY ES-1 does a great job with the printouts displaying consistent color and saturation throughout the tests, with printing speeds averaging around 73 seconds for a 4R print. Not only that, the SELPHY also comes with various preset options and intuitive menus, making the SELPHY ES-1 a fun and easy photo printer for those captivating moments.
Product Specifications
-Print Technology: Dye-sublimation thermal transfer (with overcoating)
-Resolution: 300 x 600 dpi, 300 x 300 dpi
-Gradation: 128 gradations/color (300 x 600 dpi), 256 gradations/color (300 x 300 dpi)
-Supported Paper Sizes: Postcard size (100 x 148mm), L size (89 x 119mm),
-Card size (54 x 86mm) Supported Memory Cards: SD, SDHC, CompactFlash (CF), Microdrive, Memory Stick, Memory Stick PRO, Multimedia Card Interface: USB,
-Infra-red (IrDA), wireless LAN (when connected with via a PictBridge compatible wireless LAN adapter),
-Bluetooth (when connected via a Bluetooth Unit BU-20, sold separately) Dimensions: 199 x 176.7 x 113.3mm
-Weight: 2055g.
Portable Developing Lab
The first thing you'll notice about the SELPHY ES-1 is its form factor. This printer is not only compact, but is also sleek with a white and silver finish and has a backlit SELPHY logo. Another notable feature of the SELPHY is the 2.5-inch LCD that can be tilted up and can be used for editing photos or for displaying important information. The menus and buttons are quite intuitive, making it easy for anyone to use the unit without having to read the manual. What makes SELPHY unique from other printers out there is the fact that both the paper and inks come in one cartridge, thanks to its dye-sublimation print technology. The ink runs out as soon as the paper in the tray runs out, saving the need to purchase separate inks. Moreover, with the optional accessories available, the SELPHY can be further improved to be a truly wireless printer. For instance, with a Bluetooth adaptor, users can print photos from mobile phones and other Bluetooth compliant devices.
If that's not enough, an optional battery pack can be purchased so that you can bring your SELPHY anywhere and instantly print photos on the spot. Of course, the SELPHY ES-1 can also be connected to a PC for photo adjustments with Canon's software utilities, making this a well-rounded photo printer.
The Perfect Photo Output 24/7
Providing quality photos is what the Canon SELPHY ES-1 is all about, thanks to its DIGIC II processor. With this technology, it is now possible to reproduce the color qualities that are found on compact cameras and DSLRs without the aid of a PC. What's more, the SELPHY can also correct the ever annoying red eye and exposure problems in the captured photos. During our tests, we found the ES-1 to produce excellent prints that were slightly darker than the original. The preset options like vivid and vivid red/green/blue allow a user to adjust the color settings, but these adjustments obviously pale in comparison to dedicated photo editing software. Furthermore, the SELPHY also has preset creative menus to create albums, calendars, multi-layout prints and even speech bubbles.
Final Thoughts
The Canon SELPHY ES-1 does a great job with the printouts displaying consistent color and saturation throughout the tests, with printing speeds averaging around 73 seconds for a 4R print. Not only that, the SELPHY also comes with various preset options and intuitive menus, making the SELPHY ES-1 a fun and easy photo printer for those captivating moments.
Product Specifications
-Print Technology: Dye-sublimation thermal transfer (with overcoating)
-Resolution: 300 x 600 dpi, 300 x 300 dpi
-Gradation: 128 gradations/color (300 x 600 dpi), 256 gradations/color (300 x 300 dpi)
-Supported Paper Sizes: Postcard size (100 x 148mm), L size (89 x 119mm),
-Card size (54 x 86mm) Supported Memory Cards: SD, SDHC, CompactFlash (CF), Microdrive, Memory Stick, Memory Stick PRO, Multimedia Card Interface: USB,
-Infra-red (IrDA), wireless LAN (when connected with via a PictBridge compatible wireless LAN adapter),
-Bluetooth (when connected via a Bluetooth Unit BU-20, sold separately) Dimensions: 199 x 176.7 x 113.3mm
-Weight: 2055g.
Canon’s new PowerShot S5 IS offers superior features found mainly in high-end PowerShot cameras
Singapore, – Canon offers photo enthusiasts a high performance mini SLR with powerful SLR-like functions, high zoom and full fledge movie-recording functions with the launch of the PowerShot S5 IS digital camera. The new model adds a dash of technical advancements including optical image stabalisation, face detection technology, in-camera red eye correction and 8-megapixel resolution to ensure that those precious memories and moments are vibrantly and vividly saved for years to come.
Other key advancements include a larger, higher resolution 2.5” vari-angle LCD, additional shooting modes and extended video recording. The compact design also incorporates a new hot shoe that provides compatibility with selected Canon EX Speedlite external flashes, adding to an accessory list that includes Wide, Tele and Close up converter lenses.
“The PowerShot S5 IS digital camera meets the demands of active family photographers who enjoy the convenience of both movie recording and still image shooting in a camera.” says Andrew Koh, Director and General Manager of the Consumer Imaging and Information Division at Canon Singapore. “With a broad range of features and a powerful ultra-zoom lens, the PowerShot S5 IS evokes the sense of a lightweight SLR and will also cater to professional photographers who demand a powerful, reliable camera as a back-up camera.”
HP Photosmart R937 digital camera flaunts its 3.6-inch touchscreen
HP has just unveiled nine new digital cameras for the summer season, with the pick of the bunch being the Photosmart R937. It's an eight-megapixel cam with 3x optical zoom and a whopping 3.6-inch touchscreen.
The screen is important, too. HP says its size means you can easily edit and organise your photos on the camera, without needing to transfer them to a PC for tweaking. The idea is that you can then stroll into a shop with your memory card to get prints (or print them off on an HP printer, of course)
The screen is important, too. HP says its size means you can easily edit and organise your photos on the camera, without needing to transfer them to a PC for tweaking. The idea is that you can then stroll into a shop with your memory card to get prints (or print them off on an HP printer, of course)
There's also a pop-up virtual keyboard on the screen that can be used to add email addresses and tags to photos. There's a couple of leftfield editing features too. Pet-eye fix removes the red eyes that make your dog look Satanic in photographs (unless he really is the devil's hellhound, in which case you're stuck with 'em). Meanwhile, the slimming feature claims to make your subjects look more svelte.
There's 32MB of internal memory too, so you can start snapping away before even putting a memory card in. The R937 goes on sale in the US this August at an expected price of $299.99 (about £150).
HP website
There's 32MB of internal memory too, so you can start snapping away before even putting a memory card in. The R937 goes on sale in the US this August at an expected price of $299.99 (about £150).
HP website
iPhones almost sold out; Smash AT&T's, Motorola's RAZR records
How did the iPhone do over the weekend? We stand corrected; not 500,000 but 700,000 iPhones have been sold over the weekend. Phenomenal sums it up in one word. They ran out of supplies in more than half the stores across U.S. In the 10 states, 95 of 164 stores claim that they are sold out of the stocks. Apple's stores in Hawaii, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, Utah and Washington have no phones left in their stocks to sell to the AT&T customers!
The overwhelming response has toppled the records set by Motorola's RAZR, which sold as many phones in a month that this one has sold in just three days! Unbelievable but true!
Most Wanted: Top 5 mobile phones coming later in 2007
It's all about the upgrades, innit. Your mum might still be clinging on to the mobile phone she bought six years ago, but if you're a proper geek like us, you'll get itchy fingers when your phone's approaching its first birthday.With that in mind two-inch widescreen display, two-megapixel camera and Bluetooth audio only add to its appeal., here's a guide to seven of the most keenly-anticipated mobiles coming our way later in the year (obviously, for anyone outside the US, Apple's iPhone is the eighth). Which one will be giving your credit-card a bashing?
1. LG's Chocolate Google phone Or, as it's known to its retailers, the KU-580. There are two things to know about this phone. First, it's basically the next generation of LG's iconic Chocolate handset. But secondly, it's the first to benefit from a deal with Google that means Google Search, Gmail and Google Maps will all be preloaded on it. The two-inch widescreen display, two-megapixel camera and Bluetooth audio only add to its appeal.
2. O2 Cocoon. A sleek white clamshell phone that's due out in August, it's aimed firmly at music fans, with 2GB of memory to store tracks, plus the ability to play DRM-free iTunes Plus files, and an FM tuner. Londoners get an extra bonus too – if you walk into The O2 Arena venue for a gig, Cocoon will automatically detect the location and offer up all manner of content.
3. Sony Ericsson W960 Is it an iPhone killer? Well, it has a touch-screen, 8GB of internal memory, and promises up to 27 hours of battery life for music. What it's got above Apple's handset is 3G, of course, while the built-in Wi-Fi will also come in handy for high-speed surfing. All this, plus a 3.2-megapixel camera and Bluetooth audio.
4. BlackBerry Pearl 2 RIM got some of its mojo back with the BlackBerry Pearl, so it's no surprise the follow-up is hotly anticipated. Sadly, most of the buzz around its features is highly made up speculative – apparently it'll have a 3.2-megapixel camera, Flash, 6x digital zoom, a 3.5mm headset jack, Wi-Fi and stereo Bluetooth. Oh, and you can email on it. Obviously.
5. Motorola RAZR 2 The original RAZR phone was a huge attention-grabber – so much so that Motorola proceeded to run with the design for several other handsets. Now the proper sequel is here, and it's even slimmer (albeit by just 2mm), has a bunch of music features and a two-megapixel camera. In truth, the specs aren't super-impressive, but it's the design that'll tempt the millions of RAZR owners thinking about an upgrade.
Panasonic to launch DMC-FX100 12.2 Megapixel wide-angle compact digital camera
Panasonic has announced their DMC-FX100, the latest addition to their Lumix range of compact digital cameras.
It boasts a 12.2 megapixel CCD and is equipped with a specially designed 28mm wide-angle LEICA DC VARIO ELMARIT lens featuring f/2.8 brightness and a 3.6x optical zoom. It features seven elements in six groups, including an extra-high refractive index aspherical lens. and four lenses with five aspherical surfaces to generate high optical performance.
The zoom ratio can be extended up to 7x in 3-megapixel resolution mode with minimal deterioration thanks to the Extra Optical Zoom.
It boasts a 12.2 megapixel CCD and is equipped with a specially designed 28mm wide-angle LEICA DC VARIO ELMARIT lens featuring f/2.8 brightness and a 3.6x optical zoom. It features seven elements in six groups, including an extra-high refractive index aspherical lens. and four lenses with five aspherical surfaces to generate high optical performance.
The zoom ratio can be extended up to 7x in 3-megapixel resolution mode with minimal deterioration thanks to the Extra Optical Zoom.
The 12.2 megapixel sensor means that images up to A2 size can be printed.
Like Panasonic's other Lumix offerings, the camera features Intelligent Image Stabilisation, intelligent ISO control, and the Venus Engine III advanced image-processing engine.
The DMC-FX100 features a 0.009 second shutter release time lag, and shutter interval as short as 0.9 seconds. It can also shoot at two frames per second in burst mode. It can also be used to shoot 1280 x 720 high definition content at 15fps.
Unusually for a compact, it features some advanced auto-focus metering, including 1-point, 3-point, 9-point, and spot.
It comes with 27MB of built-in memory, a 2.5 inch LCD, styled in either silver or black.
The camera will be launched from July, price to be confirmed.
It will be interesting to see how well this camera performs with all those extra megapixels, because simply upping that count doesn't necessarily produce a better camera, and while some of the specs sound good on paper, I've a feeling consumers who merely look at that big "12 megapixels" label on the camera's shiny body could be disappointed.
Like Panasonic's other Lumix offerings, the camera features Intelligent Image Stabilisation, intelligent ISO control, and the Venus Engine III advanced image-processing engine.
The DMC-FX100 features a 0.009 second shutter release time lag, and shutter interval as short as 0.9 seconds. It can also shoot at two frames per second in burst mode. It can also be used to shoot 1280 x 720 high definition content at 15fps.
Unusually for a compact, it features some advanced auto-focus metering, including 1-point, 3-point, 9-point, and spot.
It comes with 27MB of built-in memory, a 2.5 inch LCD, styled in either silver or black.
The camera will be launched from July, price to be confirmed.
It will be interesting to see how well this camera performs with all those extra megapixels, because simply upping that count doesn't necessarily produce a better camera, and while some of the specs sound good on paper, I've a feeling consumers who merely look at that big "12 megapixels" label on the camera's shiny body could be disappointed.
Creative Releases National Day-themed ZEN Stone
Singapore National Day is coming up soon and we have the latest tech gadgets that will fit right in our nation’s colourful celebrations. The Creative ZEN Stone Plus and Creative ZEN Stone MP3 players! Look out for our special National Day promotions!
Creative ZEN Stone Plus, a feature-rich MP3 player comes with a vibrant screen, FM radio, clock, stopwatch, voice recording and holds up to 1,000 songs with a 2GB memory and is available at the suggested retail price of S$99.00.
Creative ZEN Stone Plus, a feature-rich MP3 player comes with a vibrant screen, FM radio, clock, stopwatch, voice recording and holds up to 1,000 songs with a 2GB memory and is available at the suggested retail price of S$99.00.
Creative ZEN Stone, a superior quality MP3 player, is so simple to use. Just skip through tracks or albums containing favourite artists or playlists while on the go or simply play all the songs randomly in the shuffle mode. It holds up to 500 songs with a 1GB memory and is available at the suggested retail price of S$69.00.
Upping the fun quotient are the cool accessories like colourful skins with clips, sporty armbands with skins and fashionable keychains with cases that make great companions for the players.
The Creative ZEN Stone series come in six high-gloss colours including our national colours of Red and White, and you can match them with the cute Creative TravelSound ZEN Stone speaker system (in Black or White) for a blast!
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