Geek Squad rivals: Bring em on!

by Jessica Shambora Watch out, geeks. You’ve got company. Yes, Best Buy’s (BBY) Geek Squad, whose “agents” drive those Volkswagen Beetles to the homes of customers in technology distress, has competition to contend with: digital troubleshooters who aid consumers via the Internet. Even as these forces are expanding, it’s hard to detect them. For instance, the “solution engineers” of Support.com (SPRT)’s are almost impossible to spot since they work via remote-access subterfuge. Once a troubled tech user downloads Support.com’s software, an engineer can access the computer via the Internet to diagnose and fix problems. Ever stealthy, Support.com’s engineers even go undercover as technicians for companies like Staples (SPLS) and Sony. You’ve seen Office Depot (ODP)’s Tech Depot Services? These friendly folks are actually Support.com’s hired guns. Perhaps you’re lucky enough to never have needed consumer tech support. (If that’s the case, either you don’t own a computer, or you own a Mac). But there’s no escaping that our lives are getting more digital every day. And even as we become more tech-savvy and as tech providers improve design and user interfaces, there will always be bugs, malfunctions, spyware and viruses. There will be updates and upgrades. New platforms and devices to install. Compatibility issues to iron out. Who ya gonna call? For hardware problems, you can go to your device manufacturer. But let’s face it, these days it’s all about operating systems, platforms and software: Google’s (...
Click here to read the whole Article (external link)

Dell Adds Renewable Bamboo to Its Product Packaging Portfolio

ROUND ROCK, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dell announced today it is shipping its Dell Inspiron Mini 10 and Mini 10v netbooks in packaging made from bamboo, a highly renewable material that serves as a great alternative to molded paper pulp, foams and corrugate often used in packaging. Dell is using the material for the product cushions cradling the Mini inside an outer box made from 25 percent post-consumer materials. The company plans to expand its use of bamboo packaging to more products in early 2010.This innovation is the latest expression of Dell’s commitment to minimizing its impact on the planet and making it easy for customers to do the same.Why Bamboo?Ensuring SustainabilityDell is working with bamboo packaging supplier Unisource Global Solutions (UGS) to ensure all processes associated with the bamboo’s production meet the highest standards. The company sources its raw bamboo from a forest that follows Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) principles and criteria. The bamboo forest is located in China’s Jiangxi Province – far away from pandas’ known habitats. Dell is also working with UGS to secure FSC-certification for the bamboo’s full chain of custody, from the forest to the manufacturing facilities.Dell, Georgia Pacific, UGS and Environmental Packagi...
Click here to read the whole Article (external link)

Expect Stocks to Rise 15-20% by Mid-2010: Chief Investor

Markets declined on Tuesday, led by retailers. Where should investors be putting their money? Robert Carey, CIO of First Trust Advisors, shared his market insight and favorite sector plays. “Stocks are not overvalued,” Carey told CNBC. “When you take into consideration where earnings estimates are today versus where they were a month ago, two months ago, even six months ago, this market advanced and has been driven by an increase in earnings expectations.” Carey said stocks have another 15 to 20 percent rise by the middle of 2010. “We love the tech sector…the guidance coming out of earnings reporting season was the best in technology across the board, and that sector will continue to outperform,” he said. “If investors have a contrarian streak to them, then health care stocks offer the best valuations in this market right now.” ______________________________ More Market Opinions: ______________________________ CNBC Data Pages: ______________________________ CNBC Slideshows:______________________________ ______________________________...
Click here to read the whole Article (external link)

Dell and London School of Economics Unveil First Results of Global Multi-Year Research Study on Drivers of Enterprise Efficiency

ROUND ROCK, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--A new global study of Chief Information Officers (CIOs) and IT decision makers reveals hidden insights into the practices and technologies that are unlocking efficiency and innovation in large businesses worldwide. As a part of Dell’s Efficient Enterprise strategy, the company began research collaboration with the London School of Economics (LSE) to engage global CIOs in a multi-year study to track the practices and perceptions of some of the world’s leading IT decision-makers as they work to create enterprise efficiency. The initial results in the first of three planned surveys underscore that the key tenets of the Efficient Enterprise - standardization, simplification and automation – can help CIOs and IT decision makers drive innovation and productivity, two key goals of an organization’s IT strategy, according to the survey.Key findings include: Dell Perspective: Using accepted industry standards are a primary way to drive out the cost and inefficiencies that come with proprietary architectures. While the study highlights the need to remove IT waste from enterprises, it also suggests that CIOs should focus on changing the balance of IT spending. By investing significant resources in existing systems and silos, companies can get mired in day-to-day maintenance rather than diverting spend to new, innovative projects that can improve business performance. Dell believes the optimal ratio of spend for efficiency to be just 50 percent of IT budgets on day to day running of the business, in part, by standardizing IT infrastructures. Dell Perspective: This was one ...
Click here to read the whole Article (external link)

Earnings Preview: Dell slips even as PCs rebound

SEATTLE (AP) -- Computer maker Dell Inc. is scheduled to report its fiscal third-quarter results after the market closes Thursday. The following is a summary of key developments and analyst opinion about the period. OVERVIEW: Research groups IDC and Gartner Inc. said PC shipments in July through September edged up after six months of decline.But Round Rock, Texas-based Dell slipped in the researchers' rankings, ending the quarter as the world's third-largest PC maker by shipments. Hewlett-Packard Co. remained No. 1, and Taiwan's Acer Inc. moved into the No. 2 spot, helped by its prominence in retail stores and its early jump on the netbook category.In September, Dell agreed to buy technology services company Perot Systems Corp. for about $3.9 billion, a move that will help it expand beyond the core PC business and compete better with HP, which bulked up its own services business with a $13.9 billion takeover of Electronic Data Systems Corp.The acquisition will bring Dell more than 1,000 customers in a wide range of sectors, from government to manufacturing and financial services. About 48 percent of Perot Systems' revenue comes from the health care industry and 25 percent from government.HP hasn't yet reported earnings for the three months that ended in October, but released preliminary results last week that were better than Wall Street was expecting and upped its guidance for 2010.Also during the quarter, Dell agreed to pay $4 million to settle a lawsuit in New York state over deceptive advertising of promotional credit financing and warranties. Dell acknowledged no wrongdoing in the settlement.BY THE NUMBERS: Analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters expect Dell to post a profit of 28 cents per share on $13.1 billion in revenue.ANALYST TAKE: Broadpoint AmTech analyst Dinesh Moorjani wrote in a research not...
Click here to read the whole Article (external link)