Week in review: Windows 7 boosts Microsoft

It was a busy week for tech company earnings with Microsoft, Apple and Netflix, among others posting quarterly results.
Microsoft boasted a record fiscal third quarter on Thursday, but disappointed investors were looking for more signs that businesses were buying technology again.
The following is a roundup of my stories from Investor’s Business Daily at Investors.com and Click, IBD’s Tech Blog.

Microsoft hears one hand clapping over its Q3 earnings report. Investors sell off shares. (April 23, 2010)

Microsoft gets a lift in Q3 from Windows 7 PC sales. But investors wanted more. (April 22, 2010)

Netflix is focused on moving DVD subscribers to streaming video. (April 21, 2010)

Netflix adds record number of new subscribers in Q1, credits online streaming video service. (April 21, 2010)

Apple’s iPhone a hot product overseas, especially in China. (April 20, 2010)

Apple smashes Wall Street’s Q2 estimates on runaway iPhone and Mac sales. International sales played a big role. (April 20, 2010)

Week in review: PC sales spring back

Personal computer sales bounced back in the first quarter.
Worldwide PC shipments rose 27.4% in the first quarter to 84.3 million units, market research firm Gartner reported Wednesday. Rival research firm IDC pegged Q1 PC shipment growth at 24.2%.
Taiwan’s Acer and Asus and China’s Lenovo outperformed the overall PC market by a wide margin.
The following is a roundup of my stories from Investor’s Business Daily at Investors.com and Click, IBD’s Tech Blog.

Sony’s PlayStation 3 video game business gets some help from the gods. (April 16, 2010)

Wildly different views on Apple’s Macintosh computer sales last quarter. (April 15, 2010)

Taiwanese and Chinese PC makers outperformed the overall PC market in Q1. HP, Dell lag. Acer, Asus, Lenovo surge. (April 14, 2010)

Apple shares hit record high on iPad shortages. (April 14, 2010)

Cisco Systems debuts high-end, touch-screen Flip camcorder. (April 13, 2010)

Adobe Systems has designs on big growth with release of Creative Suite 5. (April 13, 2010)

Week in review: Apple dominates news again

Fresh from launching its iPad tablet computer, Apple continued to dominate the news this week with the next version of its iPhone software.
Apple’s iPhone OS 4 includes enhancements such as multitasking, unified e-mail, and folders for organizing apps. But the biggest news was Apple’s entry into the mobile advertising space with its iAd platform.
The following is a roundup of my stories from Investor’s Business Daily at Investors.com and Click, IBD’s Tech Blog.

“Avatar” comes out on home video April 22, but Netflix won’t make it available to subscribers until May 20. The smash hit sci-fi drama will arrive 28 days late because Netflix has agreed to delay renting new films from News Corp. and two other studios.
(April 9, 2010)

Apple gets into the advertising business with latest version of iPhone software. (April 8, 2010)

Harman International hopes to get its auto infotainment systems into more midrange vehicles, not just luxury cars. (April 7, 2010)

Social games like Zynga’s FarmVille on Facebook are changing online interaction. (April 7, 2010)

Good news for Ancestry.com: NBC renews its genealogy show “Who Do You Think You Are?” (April 6, 2010)

Another Apple product launch, another Steve Jobs magazine cover. Check out the gallery of Jobs magazine covers. (April 6, 2010)

Apple declares iPad a hit, but some analysts got a little carried away with sales estimates. (April 5, 2010)

Lots of companies are riding on Apple’s iPad coattails, including Netflix, Cisco Systems, Electronic Arts, Activision, Nuance Communications, News Corp., Time Warner and Disney. (April 5, 2010)

Week in review: New gadgets from Nintendo, Cisco Systems, Apple

It was a busy week for new gadget launches.
Nintendo released a jumbo-sized handheld video game system, the Nintendo DSi XL, on Sunday March 28.
Cisco Systems debuted a new, simple-to-deploy wireless home networking system called Valet on Wednesday March 31.
And Apple launched its iPad tablet computer today.
The following is a roundup of my stories from Investor’s Business Daily at Investors.com and Click, IBD’s Tech Blog.

Exclusive: Apple to issue paper iBags for hyperventilating fans at the iPad launch. (April 1, 2010)

Apple’s iPad a preordained hit. But it’s a third device after cell phones and PCs. So once the fanboys buy it, will it stay hot? (March 31, 2010)

Cisco Systems hopes new product does for home networking what its Flip camcorders did for home video. (March 31, 2010)

Nintendo’s new DSi XL now being sold in U.S., where one of its main rivals is Apple’s iPod Touch. (March 30, 2010)

Is Beyonce Knowles tech’s new top marketer with Nintendo and Vizio deals? (March 29, 2010)

Consumer electronics industry hoping 3-D TV and tablet computers like the iPad will spark growth. (March 29, 2010)

CEO of casual game king PopCap, maker of “Bejeweled,” now thinks IPO quite possible, he says in IBD Q&A. (March 29, 2010)

EA, Activision face challenge in trends toward social, casual games. (March 29, 2010)

Apple’s iPhone is a portable gaming powerhouse. (March 23, 2010)

Adobe Systems’ Q1 results beat expectations; New Creative Suite boosts its Q2 outlook. (March 23, 2010)

Photo: Beyonce Knowles films a commercial for Nintendo’s DS handheld video game player.

Week in review: 3-D TVs, PCs and ATMs

Last weekend’s East Coast windstorm interrupted my plans to post a week-in-review piece, so this column includes two weeks of articles.
Panasonic started selling the first high-definition 3-D-ready televisions last week. They’re 3-D “ready” because there is no 3-D content yet to watch on the sets.
Video game companies GameStop and KongZhong and PC seller Systemax reported quarterly earnings.
I also had the opportunity to chat with Donald Wetzel of Dallas – the inventor of the automated teller machine.
The following is a roundup of my stories from Investor’s Business Daily at Investors.com and Click, IBD’s Tech Blog.

National Day of Unplugging? No way after power outages from “Treemageddon” windstorm in N.Y., N.J. and Conn. last weekend. (March 19, 2010)

Video game retailer GameStop gaining market share as industry sales decline. (March 18, 2010)

KongZhong CEO says Kong is “well positioned” to be one of the leading Chinese video game companies. Chinese wireless entertainment firm up 23% Wednesday on strong earnings and guidance. (March 17, 2010)

U.S. retail video game sales down 15% in February. Microsoft and Take-Two are standouts in lackluster month. (March 11, 2010)

Once a top PC brand, Compaq now a rounding error in consumer preference survey. (March 10, 2010)

Meet the inventor of the automated teller machine: Donald Wetzel (March 9, 2010)

PC seller Systemax beats views, gets an assist from resurrected brands CompUSA, Circuit City. (March 8, 2010)

Just a year ago, OLED TVs were the hot thing. Now, it’s 3-D TVs. (March 8, 2010)

500 channels and nothing on in 3-D. Panasonic and Best Buy team to offer 3-D TV to consumers starting Wed. March 10. Panasonic 3-D TVs must be “future proof” because there’s no 3-D content available yet. (March 8, 2010)

Photo: Art from KongZhong’s massively multiplayer online role-playing game “Loong.”

Week in review: Apple iPad launch date set

The media hype surrounding Apple’s iPad tablet computer is growing again now that the company has set April 3 as the U.S. launch date for the product.
I contributed to the hype with stories and blog posts this week. Sorry.
The following is a roundup of my stories from Investor’s Business Daily at Investors.com and Click, IBD’s Tech Blog.

Apple stock hits new high on iPad launch date news. (March 5, 2010)

Ancestry.com looks to benefit from link to NBC genealogy show “Who Do You Think You Are?” (March 4, 2010)

Apple's iPad poised to dominate the e-book reader market and topple Amazon.com’s Kindle, according to survey by ChangeWave Research. (March 4, 2010)

Consumers don’t care what tech pundits think; They still want to buy Apple's iPad. (March 4, 2010)

How is Apple’s iPad like a platypus? Great quote from analyst. (March 4, 2010)

PC sales outlook improving. Mobile PCs could account for 70% of sales in 2012, up from 55% in 2009. (March 4, 2010)

Survey: Initial demand for Apple's iPad outpacing that of the iPhone before its launch three years ago. (March 4, 2010)

Apple takes legal aim at HTC, with Google in the crosshairs. (March 3, 2010)

Video game design schools flourishing thanks to rise of independent developers. Microsoft is nurturing independent developers for Xbox Live. (March 2, 2010)

Electronic Arts’ marketing for “Dante’s Inferno” video game covers all nine circles of hell. EA could use a hit. (March 1, 2010)

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)