Week in review: Blockbuster obituary written; Sony PlayStation 4 launches

The following is a roundup of my stories from Investor’s Business Daily at Investors.com.

Comedians pay last respects to Blockbuster. (Nov. 15, 2013)

Gamers embrace Sony PlayStation 4 at launch. (Nov. 15, 2013)

SAP’s “credible cloud strategy” earns it an upgrade. (Nov. 15, 2013)

Applied Materials disappoints with Q1 forecast. (Nov. 15, 2013)

Yahoo kicks off auction of “treasure chest” of website domain names. (Nov. 14, 2013)

Netflix investors enthused by content deals and tech refresh. (Nov. 14, 2013)

Apple is padding its smartphone profit with accessories sales. (Nov. 14, 2013)

Apple, Samsung combine for 109% of smartphone profit. (Nov. 14, 2013)

Apple’s Bigfoot-like product could emerge next year or never. (Nov. 13, 2013)

Netflix schools cable TV services with major user interface change. (Nov. 13, 2013)

Apple iPad Mini 2 winners include Cirrus Logic and STMicro. (Nov. 13, 2013)

IRobot’s latest Roomba big leap ahead for cleaning robots. (Nov. 12, 2013)

Photos: Blockbuster video rental store; Sony PlayStation 4 video game consoles stacked for sale. 

Week in review: Twitter IPO takes off; Conan O’Brien cracks top 100 list on LinkedIn

The following is a roundup of my stories from Investor’s Business Daily at Investors.com.

The 10 funniest Twitter parody videos online. (Nov. 8, 2013)

Survey shows most Apple iPhone buyers already have an iPhone. (Nov. 8, 2013)

Priceline seen taking travel market share worldwide. (Nov. 8, 2013)

Activision Blizzard cautious on Q4 video game prospects. (Nov. 7, 2013)

Netflix inks deal with Disney for original TV shows based on C-list Marvel comic book heroes, including Daredevil. (Nov. 7, 2013)

HomeAway pay-per-booking launch powers upbeat outlook. (Nov. 7, 2013)

Microsoft stock hits 13-year high on replacement CEO rumblings. (Nov. 6, 2013)

With Blockbuster gone, could BlackBerry or Barnes & Noble be next? (Nov. 6, 2013)

Conan O’Brien cracks top 100 LinkedIn Influencers list. (Nov. 5, 2013)

Apple’s premium pricing supported by used device market. (Nov. 5, 2013)

Apple’s deal with GT Advanced Technologies for sapphire material could involve the long-rumored iWatch smartwatch. (Nov. 5, 2013)

Photos: Funny Reuters photo for Twitter IPO filing; Conan O’Brien’s profile on LinkedIn.

Week in review: Apple’s specter will haunt CES

The following is a roundup of my stories from Investor’s Business Daily at Investors.com.

Apple will loom large at the annual Consumer Electronics Show this year, even though it isn’t exhibiting, as vendors showcase products to rival Apple’s MacBook Air, iPad and rumored iTV. (Jan. 6, 2012)

Marvell says new Google TV using its processor will make people forget bad memories of first-generation Google TV flop. (Jan. 5, 2012)

Netflix writes premature obituary for video discs. (Jan. 4, 2012)

MovieStop seeks to fill vacant Blockbuster stores. Retailer uses GameStop business model with DVDs. (Jan. 4, 2012)

2012 prediction: Twitter for your toaster - the next big thing in microblogging. (Dec. 30, 2011)

The year ahead in tech includes Facebook’s IPO, possible Apple TV, Intel’s redesigned chip, Microsoft’s Windows 8 and advances in mobile, social and cloud computing. (Dec. 30, 2011)

Photos: LG Electronics booth at the 2011 CES in Las Vegas (top); MovieStop retail store in Jacksonville, Fla. (bottom).

Week in review: All about Netflix

Netflix launched its first international service on Wednesday (Sept. 22), offering streaming-only video subscriptions in Canada.
The company’s stock hit a new high on Friday, a day after rival Blockbuster announced it had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.
The following is a roundup of my recent stories from Investor’s Business Daily at Investors.com and Click, IBD’s Tech Blog.

Netflix faces challenges in expanding beyond the U.S. Its launch in Canada will test streaming-only service. (Sept. 24, 2010)

Cisco Systems accessorizes its Flip Video camcorder line. (Sept. 24, 2010)

Blockbuster files for bankruptcy protection and consumers say good riddance. (Sept. 23, 2010)

Adobe crumbles on weak Q4 guidance. Stock down 16% afterhours. (Sept. 21, 2010)

Netflix reigns supreme on the IBD 100 list of top-performing companies this week. (Sept. 20, 2010)

Week in review: Netflix on fire, Blockbuster on the ropes

It’s a tale of two video rental firms.
Netflix has taken a leading role in the industry, while one-time king Blockbuster is fading fast.
The following is a roundup of my recent stories from Investor’s Business Daily at Investors.com and Click, IBD’s Tech Blog.

Netflix stock hits new high; rival Blockbuster on the ropes. (Aug. 13, 2010)

U.S. video game sales fall for fourth straight month. PC game sales hopping with Activision’s hit “StarCraft II.” (Aug. 12, 2010)

Coinstar invests in mobile phone recycling kiosks. (Aug. 11, 2010)

Netflix shares approaching record high on streaming video deal with Epix. (Aug. 10, 2010)

Netflix says its streaming service is a plus for premium cable channels (Aug. 10, 2010)

Disney, Google among big players lining up to play the social-networking games game (Aug. 9, 2010)

Coinstar’s Redbox expanding to CVS stores. Deal will add 7,000 DVD rental kiosks to Redbox’s current 23,000. (Aug. 5, 2010)

More than a third of iPhone 4 owners say they’ve had a problem with reception. And 7% call it a “very big problem.” (Aug. 4, 2010)

Netflix is leading a revolution in television called “over-the-top TV,” which could upend the pay TV business. (Aug. 4, 2010)

Sonic Solutions, maker of DVD burning software, is in no rush to offer DVD ripping app, despite copyright rules change. (Aug. 4, 2010)

Apple iPhone 4 users very satisfied, despite antenna issue. (Aug. 4, 2010)

Nuance Communications pitches dictation software as back-to-school item. (Aug. 3, 2010)

Week in review: Top 10 tech rivalries today

The technology industry has seen a lot of fierce rivalries over the years and some big ones are raging right now.
Investor’s Business Daily just published its list of the top 10 tech rivalries today. At No. 1 is Apple vs. Google, followed by HP vs. Cisco and Apple vs. Adobe Systems.
The following is a roundup of my stories from Investor’s Business Daily at Investors.com and Click, IBD’s Tech Blog.

Top 10 tech company grudge matches today: Apple vs. Google, HP vs. Cisco, etc. See who makes the list. (April 30, 2010)

Activision counters EA move by snagging “Halo” developers. (April 30, 2010)

Dolby earnings sound sweet to investors. Shares up on Q2 sales and earnings beat. (April 30, 2010)

Ancestry.com, iRobot and LogMeIn jump on upbeat earnings reports. (April 29, 2010)

Apple’s iPad 3G launch is a big test for the tablet computer and its emerging usage model. Is the iPad mostly for use at home or on the go? (April 29, 2010)

Redbox takes home video market share from fading Blockbuster. (April 29, 2010)

Dolby Laboratories likes the sound of the PC sales rebound. (April 26, 2010)

Photo: Because of Apple’s rivalry with Adobe, Adobe’s Flash video and animation software is not supported on Apple’s iPhone, iPod Touch and the iPad. Web surfers on those devices see blank spaces with blue Lego bricks where Flash was supposed to be.
The website, The Blue Lego: The World Without Flash, has posted a series of images with the blue Lego superimposed to show something missing. The above photo of Apple CEO Steve Jobs with a blue Lego is a good example.

Week in review: Rosetta Stone’s earnings; Microsoft sparks EU antitrust probe of Google

As quarterly earnings season winds down, Rosetta Stone, maker of language-learning software, provided a nice surprise for investors.
The Arlington, Va.-based company posted fourth quarter results that easily beat Wall Street’s estimates. The stock rose 27% on Friday to close at 22.
Another big story this week was the European Union opening a preliminary antitrust investigation into Internet search giant Google’s business practices. Microsoft played a significant role in prodding the EU to act.
The following is a roundup of my stories from Investor’s Business Daily at Investors.com and Click, IBD’s Tech Blog.

Rosetta Stone, maker of language-learning software, trounces Wall Street estimates. Unveils new products. (Feb. 25, 2010)

Blockbuster has one advantage over Netflix and Redbox. (Feb. 25, 2010)

Microsoft plays big role in EU's antitrust investigation of Google. Turnabout is fair play. (Feb. 24, 2010)

Week in review: Apple tablet buzz intensifies; Blockbuster disappoints again

Apple dominated tech business headlines this week with invitations to its Jan. 27 press event, where it’s expected to unveil a tablet computer. Apple also made headlines for its negotiations with Microsoft to make the software giant’s Bing search engine the default on Apple iPhones and Macintosh computers.
The loser of the week was Blockbuster. It warned investors about disappointing fourth quarter sales and earnings.

The following is a roundup of my stories from Investor’s Business Daily on Investors.com and from Click, IBD’s Tech Blog.

Logitech Has High Hopes For LifeSize Acquisition. (Jan. 22, 2010)

Blockbuster Starring In Its Own Disaster Movie. (Jan. 21, 2010)

Peripherals Maker Logitech Beats Views In “Turning Point” Quarter. (Jan. 20, 2010)

Soap Opera All-Star Cast: Apple, Google, Microsoft. (Jan. 20, 2010)

Open Source, VMware Seen As Big Cloud Computing Winners. (Jan. 20, 2010)

Apple News Junkies Try To Decode Latest Event Invite. (Jan. 19, 2010)

Video Game Console Makers Put Their Spin On Sales Stats. (Jan. 15, 2010)

Nintendo, Activision Dominate December Video Game Sales. (Jan. 14, 2010)

Blockbuster Rises; Are People Renting Movies From Stores Again? (No.) (Jan. 14, 2010)

Global PC Market Roars Back In Q4. (Jan. 13, 2010)

Best Buddies HP And Microsoft Team Up On Cloud Computing. (Jan. 13, 2010)

Weeeee! Netflix To Stream Movies On Nintendo’s Wii. (Jan. 13, 2010)

Another Day, Another Video Game Firm Lowers Guidance. (Jan. 13, 2010)

Beleaguered EA Stuck In The Rough. (Jan. 12, 2010)

Will Plethora Of E-Reader Choices Help The Kindle? (Jan. 11, 2010)

Techies Go Gaga Over CES. (Jan. 11, 2010)

Art: Apple’s invitation to its Jan. 27 press event in San Francisco.