Mac-centric News & Notes from All Around
| by Joe Leo, Columnist | December 28, 2006 |
continued... from: previous page
Will 2007 be the Year of the Mac?
Arstechnica.com, better known as "Infinite Loop.com" reports that more PC buyers will be going Mac in the next year. Their sources show Apple in third place, with HP in second, and Dell in first.
As far as notebook computers go, Apple is at second place, with Dell again in first.
They quote analyst Sam Bhavnani who says, "People are considering Apple (computers) a lot more than they had in the past."
Interestingly enough, MacNewsWorld.com is reporting that Mac sales are growing faster than PC sales are as the 2006 year ends, but there is no immediate explanation for the cause.
Their headline says it all: "Report: Mac Sales Boom as PCs Flatline." (Enough said).
On a related note, ZDNet.com's Jason D. O'Grady, in his Apple Core blog reports that Apple is, "the new king of retail." Most notably is the information he presents that shows "the company (Apple) hauls in more annual revenue per square foot than any other retailer" even topping #1 electronics store retail chain, Best Buy!
2007 Tech and Business Forecast (and Apple's Role)
In technology, the hottest thing to watch out for in the coming year, as mentioned on CNBC's "Squawk Box" earlier today is "P-RAM"-- no, not that kind of PRAM.
The new technology, called "Phase-Change RAM"--which is expected to roll out in late 2007--works like rewritable CDs and DVDs and is faster and lasts 10x longer than the current flash memory, according to Glenn Derene, Senior Tech Editor for Popular Mechanics.
Flash memory has a limited lifespan and will eventually expire.
Why this matters to Apple or at least, the world of Apple is the rumored "ultra-compact" portable that the Mac-maker could potentially create, which would utilize flash memory as its component.
If Apple decides to forgo traditional flash memory and incorporate this new technology before others do--which Apple is famous for--into this rumored "ultra-compact" portable, they could have a winner on their hands.
Especially since Derene mentions that Samsung will be the leading supplier, along with IBM and? ...Intel.
As you may know, two of those companies have dealt with Apple in the past, while the latter is currently on the same side of the fence with Apple.
(You heard it mentioned here first. This new "P-RAM" technology being the core of a new "ultra-compact" portable computer from Apple-- see related article on this site).
Speaking of Intel?
Also on CNBC's "Squawk Box" this morning, the #1 stock to watch in the coming year will be Intel, according to their guest analyst on the program.
He states that Intel will be the number one stock to have in 2007 due to its huge growth just this past year with all the technology they rolled out in the chip world, and because of its deal with Apple, which he labels as having had a "positive" effect.
Ironically, CNBC reports that Intel was one of the worst stock performers in 2006.
SOURCES:
**all sources in this article are credited within each "news brief" via embedded links
(CNBC sources from notes taken while viewing broadcasts on the air / recorded segments).