research

things I read yesterday … 06/05/2008

Colin Henderson

Gates’ last act: frees IE 8 and Silverlight second betas | The Register tags: microsoft, IE, browsers Gates noted his company had “a renewed effort to invest in Internet Explorer”. “We are hard at work on a new version of that: IE 8 – a very creative name we came up with,” he said. He also talked up Microsoft’s plans for Oslo, which will feature a new modeling language, repository, storage mechanism and way to manipulate models. A Community Technology Preview (CTP) is due this fall. The next edition of Visual Studio, meanwhile, will support the Object Management Group’s Unified … Continue reading things I read yesterday … 06/05/2008

research1 Comment

things I read yesterday … 06/04/2008

Colin Henderson

FT.com / Companies / Financial services – Higher capital requirement could reshape banking model tags: banking model, utility, bank strategy Whether we are talking of investment banking or commercial banking, returns will undoubtedly be lower in future. The only question is how much lower. There is a possibility, if the politicians are in the mood for such a move, that the banking system might even revert to the role of a utility, which is the way things were before the great deregulatory tide began in the 1970s. Not a cheerful prospect for risk-hungry bankers. Continue reading things I read yesterday … 06/04/2008

AI

Obama captures the internet high ground

Colin Henderson

Jeremiah analyses Obama’s internet success that I’ve blogged about before.  No question he has grasped the internet high ground …. new vs old.  Lessons to be learned here. Web Strategy ….  data using free social media tools, that look at keywords on twitter, as well as ‘traffic’ to websites of the runners. I rarely place much weight in any single use of these tools, but there is a clear trend towards Obama getting a great deal of activity. Is this telltale to the future? I’m not sure. Continue reading Obama captures the internet high ground

research

things I read yesterday … 06/03/2008

Colin Henderson

Deloitte Targets Shortcomings of Online Lending – 06.01.2008 – American Banker Article Despite overwhelming satisfaction with the convenience and speed of online loan applications, a significant portion of bank customers still harbor doubts whether they gain any true advantages from the process. Some 41 percent say they’re still more comfortable with traditional in-branch or call-center applications, according to a new report from Deloitte LLP. tags: deloitte, online lending, consumer trends Despite overwhelming satisfaction with the convenience and speed of online loan applications, a significant portion of bank customers still harbor doubts whether they gain any true advantages from the process. … Continue reading things I read yesterday … 06/03/2008

research

things I read yesterday … 06/01/2008

Colin Henderson

Gartner Identifies Top Ten Disruptive Technologies for 2008 to 2012 tags: disruptive, gartner, 2012 Gartner’s top 10 disruptive technologies 2008-2012: Multicore and hybrid processors Virtualisation and fabric computing Social networks and social software Cloud computing and cloud/Web platforms Web mashups User Interface Ubiquitous computing Contextual computing Augmented reality Semantics FT.com / Capital markets – Libor calculation to remain unchanged tags: libor, BBA “Now that there is less reason to think the BBA will tinker with how Libor is set, the market will focus on the underlying issue: why are unsecured rates so high compared with the Fed funds rate,” said … Continue reading things I read yesterday … 06/01/2008

Profitability

US banks likely to fail as bad loans soar | ft.com

Colin Henderson

FDIC predicts more Bank failures in the US. FT.com / In depth – US banks likely to fail as bad loans soar Meanwhile, the FDIC said the number of “problem” banks rose in the first quarter from 76 to 90, with combined assets of $26.3bn. Three US banks have failed this year, compared with three for the whole of last year and none in 2005 and 2006. Ms Bair said she expected more bank failures but emphasised that the number of problem institutions remained well below the record levels of the savings and loan crisis of the 1980s and 1990s … Continue reading US banks likely to fail as bad loans soar | ft.com

Social Lending, Social Media1 Comment

When will web 2.0 meet reality?

Colin Henderson

This is an important article in todays FT, that is summarised well in this first paragraph. FT.com / Companies / Media & internet – Web 2.0 fails to produce cash Many members of the Web 2.0 generation of internet companies have so far produced little in the way of revenue, despite bringing about some significant changes in online behaviour, according to some of the entrepreneurs and financiers behind the movement. The idea of web 2.0 germinated shortly after the dot.com crash that happened in 1999 / 2000. Three things have happened since then, at the macro level: the rise of … Continue reading When will web 2.0 meet reality?

research

things I read yesterday … 05/26/2008

Colin Henderson

Loic Le Meur Blog: PR secrets? bull@#$% “The best person to represent the company is not a PR person and even less an external one. It is YOU. You, the founder, you the CEO. Look at Steve Jobs, Mark Zuckerberg, Richard Branson, they are the PR machines.” tags: loic le meur, PR I hate the term “PR secrets”. It only PR for PR companies trying to sell their expensive consulting to the poor startup CEOs. Continue reading things I read yesterday … 05/26/2008

Profitability

HSBC directors attack executive bonuses

Colin Henderson

In the first of what I expect we will see more of, HSBC directors are attacking the bonuses of senior executive. The general thinking with regard to bonuses, especially those in investment banking, is that they are so large, you would have to be crazy not to take excessive risks. FT.com / Companies / Financial services – Showdown looms over HSBC bonuses Directors at HSBC are heading for a potentially bitter showdown with shareholders over a remuneration package that could reward the bank’s most senior executives with more than £100m over the next three years. The scheme, made up of … Continue reading HSBC directors attack executive bonuses