President Obama, we need short term lending!

I watched President Obamas address to congress lastnight very closely, with optimism that we will begin our upward journey. Some things were positive, some were not. He is an encouraging figure no doubt but I keep wondering where all this bailout money is coming from?

Then I follow up with 2 more customers this morning that want GPS services for their fleet but do not have the cash flow to invest in a technology that will return savings to them. Now what is wrong with that picture?

Ask or work with enough small businesses and you will hear it from all of them. The banks are not lending. You know the $750 billion dollars that all of us taxpayers approved to bail them out so they could supposedly start lending again? Yeah those banks that President Obama knows we are all so frustrated with because they kept our bailout money for their own agenda. Why would we consider another dollar of bailout for them, the transparency of the original $750 billion has not been disclosed. He acknowledged that "he gets it" Yet he may want to bail them out even further. The solutions that are in the stimulus bill are long term in scope. But I ask myself where are the short term solutions to these lending issues? The fact remains as I speak to my clients, if the lending does not start and start soon, the results will not change. If our small business community does not have the means to invest in technology to reduce their expenses, or hire their staff back, how will they operate at all? How will they flourish?

A note to the banks- Lend that money that we gave you now, develop your own layoff agenda, thin out and stop the golden parachute dilemma. Families and small business have had to stop spending, reduce expenses, so should our bailout recipients and our Government.

Please President Obama, congress, tell me again, do you get it? The taxpayers demand a better solution, a short term solution.

Welcome to the Future
Mike

Blackberry versus I-phone market share

Well, the data is hot off the press: Smartphone purchases in the US shot up 68% in 2008. We now buy smartphones in greater quantities than our Western European counterparts. It is not just a phone anymore, it is mobile e-mail, mobile web, mobile applications for data, navigation, synchronization with Outlook, calendars, contacts, notes, QWERTY keyboard for text. There are endless features that present themselves in the form of a smartphone.

Research in Motion still holds a convincing 46% market share while Apple and its I-phone hold an impressive 21%. Palm, Samsung, and Nokia are on the radar for market share but it is clear that RIM and Apple are our leaders. RIM has agreements with all the major domestic carriers, even ATT. The Apple I-phone on the other hand is sold exclusively through ATT. It is impressive that Apple is on this list like this in such a short time. But I believe this exclusive agreement will prevent ATT from expanding its market share much more dramatically. The fact is, ATT is not known for its network. If the professional consumer (who predominantly is purchasing these smartphones) does not have adequate choice or coverage, ATT will struggle to overcome RIM. Make no mistake, both of these devices have brought a win win to the consumer and the carriers. The consumer has a more intelligent advantage to do business and work while the carriers are collecting the data fees from month to month. I believe though that RIM and Apple will have a hard time sustaining growth and demand for smartphones like we saw from 07 to 08.

I find it promising to see another American company pick up the slack for sluggish Motorola and compete with this giant from Canada (RIM)and the likes of Korean international vendors such as Samsung or LG. I just hope on the next I-Phone generation that Apple will unlock its technology away from an exclusive arrangement with ATT. Verizon which has now merged with Alltel, and Sprint Nextel are powerful domestic partners to grow their share with.

Welcome to the Future.

Mike

Congrats to The 2008-9 Cardinals

I posted a blog a week back about how excited I was about the Arizona Cardinals being in the Superbowl. They did not dissapoint me at all! No they did not win, the Steelers made a heroic finish, but I could not be any more proud of my guys. A team I had followed for years. Terrible losses, years of football agony, all thrown to the wayside by this current roster. They showed the true courage that it takes to be a champion in any capacity. The few fans that stuck by their side, now rewarded beyond belief. There is a hope that miracles, great things can happen, but only through optimism and hard work. What does this have to do with technology, nothing! But my life does not only encompass technology.

Welcome to The Future!

Mike