This is the page (below) that the QR code in the 2 page ad in new Foreign Affairs takes you to. QR is the most mis-used, most misunderstood import from Japan ever! The use in Japan takes you to an offer or coupon designed for your phone. By definition you have to be on a phone to use it. So why are North American marketers using it to link to their desktop format website? Then of course at least get the URL right. This should not be hard for one of the top technology companies in the world. Continue reading QR code errors from Boeing demonstrates misunderstanding of the format by marketers

The numbers speak for themselves.  Apple is on fire right now.  The 4S and no 5 was such a poor decision Apple is now $70Bn larger than Exxon in market cap. Continue reading Apple stock grows 25% in 3 months

The Next Web details a Forrester report on smartphones and tablets that quantifies what we are all seeing;  mobile is the future of computing.  There are some interesting takeaways after the graphic. Relevance to Bankwatch: Blackberry:  “Business users will factor heavily into these numbers, with some 350M employees using smartphones.” – this translates into very bad news for Research in Motion.  While that might be a statement of the obvious, RIM surely have just fallen off a cliff and don’t know it. Security:  Banks really need to develop a strategy beyond having an app.  More and more I find myself … Continue reading The rapidly evolving mobile market is still for banks to lose

Whomever was responsible for the killing of the Iranian nuclear scientists, the result is that the Iranians hold the Israelis responsible and the triple attempts on Israeli diplomats today represent a significant and dangerous escalation. There does not portend well for middle east stability, and may well translate into oil production disruption at some point.     Israel vows to strike back at Iran over twin attacks on diplomats The wife of an Israeli Defence Ministry attaché was seriously hurt when a hitman on a motorbike attached a magnetic bomb to her car as her driver was taking her to … Continue reading A dangerous escalation in Israel / Iran tensions

The situation in Europe just received another jolt with Moodys placing UK and France on downgrade alert.  This is a first for the UK but no surprise.  It is some sign though that medium term interest rates are not sustainable at current levels.  The situation has a long way to play out.     Moody’s shifts outlook for UK and France Moody’s put the UK, France and Austria on negative outlook late on Monday night, raising the prospect that the three countries would lose their triple A ratings due to exposure to the eurozone debt crisis. Moody’s places UK credit … Continue reading Europe: UK and others on downgrade watch

We are all watching the situation in Greece.  At what cost will the country remain in the Eurozone? Athens ablaze as MPs vote to save the euro | The Times Rioters set Athens ablaze last night as Greek MPs approved a harsh new austerity package aimed at keeping their country in the euro. Tens of thousands of demonstrators besieged Parliament while MPs neared the historic vote, which opens the way for a €130 billion bailout by the EU and the IMF. Anarchists in crash helmets and black balaclavas smashed marble balustrades and threw rocks and petrol bombs at police. Riot … Continue reading What is happening in Europe–do we really understand the undercurrents