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Cool topics that relate to media and technology trends.
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Microsoft is Cooler than Yahoo Anyway

May 11, 2008 By: Sekou (Koe) Murphy Category: General, Tech 5 Comments →

David Lazarus over at the LA Times wrote a piece on the failed buyout of Yahoo by Microsoft. 

 

The piece was fascinating because David polled high schoolers at Loyola High School (Los Angeles) on the deal.  Specifically, the students said that Microsoft (and Google) was, indeed, cooler than Yahoo. 

 

Hold on a sec!  Microsoft > Yahoo???

 

Why?

 

In a word…Xbox.  Yes, their platform, along with the Xbox-only mega game, Halo, is what propels a so-called “evil” corporation into a cool corporation.

 

Some of the students also mentioned that that there’s nothing wrong with being profitable…meaning, just because a multi-billion dollar corporation is profitable isn’t, in and of itself, wrong. 

 

That’s hot. 

  Also, they didn’t have problems with some advertising, but just didn’t want website properties to be overloaded with them.  Interesting. 

Anyway, the problem with Yahoo is that there’s not much resonating with these students.  They don’t use Yahoo for search…they use Google. 

 

I don’t really use Google.  In fact, I consistently prefer Yahoo because of the depth of content (Finance and Movies as examples).  I use Yahoo search because of the convenience.  I actively use Gmail, though, but I have an old Yahoo email account. 

 

My point, is that I wonder what other teenagers would say about Microsoft > Yahoo.

 

Anyway, check out the article.  It’s pretty interesting. 

Video Games, Netflix, Amazon…Recession Proof???

April 28, 2008 By: Sekou (Koe) Murphy Category: Business, Tech, Video Games 6 Comments →

Who’d a thought that any Nintendo console, generally considered last of the 3 consoles (after the either Sony’s PS or Microsoft’s Xbox), would be this mega huge?  Nintendo’s revenues jumped by 73%, driven largely by sales of its Wii.  Funny, since the typically 3rd placed console maker, handily outsold the PS3 (over 24 units since inception to 14 million units) and Xbox (19 million units).

 

Damn! 

 

What’s fascinating is that video games don’t seem to be as affected by recessionary factors than other entertainment activities (or many other disposable income worthy activities).

 

According to Satoru Iwata, Nintendo’s president, in tight economic times, people tend to stay at home and play video games, rather than go out. 

 

So it made me think, if that’s true, what other “tech” companies could be recession proof (or less affected).

 

Netflix – here’s a company that is the epitome of “stay at home” entertainment.  Queue up the movies online, wait for them to come and then pop the red envelops in your mail box for pick up by Mr. Mailman.  I know a number of people who got rid of cable (at $50/mo) in favor of Netflix (at $19.99/mo)…including me.  It’s subscriber base grew by 21% year over year through Q1 ’08.

 

Amazon – another company for the do-it-from-home crowd.  In a time when businesses are squeezing more productivity from the work force - in 4th quarter of 2007, productivity increased by 2.9% from 2006 for nonfarm businesses.  What that means is people need convenience in buying stuff at Target rates.  Thus, Amazon’s revenue grew a freaking 37% in Q1 ’08!!!

 

These aren’t the usual suspects…usually, it’s big pharma like Johnson & Johnson and Pfizer.  This is the new age, though.