Archive for July, 2011
How Netflix and Hulu subscribers watch videos
Jul. 27, ‘11: New survey results from Nielsen, via All Things D’s Peter Kafka. A few reactions: The fact that more than 10% of Netflix subscribers report watching on every major game console and even on connected Blu-ray players is great evidence of how … Continue reading →
How the social games business on mobile is different than on Facebook
Jul. 27, ‘11: Facebook’s web platform has helped social gaming companies like Zynga attract tens of millions of users and hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue. But replicating that success on mobile is a much different challenge: App development, marketing, discovery, and … Continue reading →
Amazon’s growth is its highest since 2000
Jul. 26, ‘11: Amazon’s Q2 was huge, with $9.9 billion in revenue particularly ahead of expectations. At 51% year-over-year growth, that’s Amazon’s fastest growth rate in almost 11 years — since Q3 of 2000 — UBS analysts Brian Pitz and Brian Fitzgerald point out … Continue reading →
HTML5 websites should complement apps, not aim to replace them
Jul. 26, ‘11: Kobo, the e-book startup, is making some noise today about a new HTML5 website it’s building for people to buy and read e-books on iOS devices. The news peg is that Apple has stepped up enforcement of its in-app purchase … Continue reading →
Where’s iBooks for Mac?
Jul. 26, ‘11: Apple’s OS X Lion launch has come and gone, and there’s still no iBooks e-reader app for the Mac. Today, the only mainstream way to read an e-book on the iPhone, iPad, and Mac is to use Amazon’s Kindle app. And … Continue reading →
Netflix already proves that raising DVD prices was the right move
Jul. 26, ‘11: Wall Street is punishing Netflix today for its earnings report yesterday, in which Netflix admitted that its insane growth rate would slow down a little after it changed its subscription plans and effectively raised prices on DVD rentals. But anyone … Continue reading →
Netflix: DVD shipments have likely peaked
Jul. 25, ‘11: Netflix just posted its Q2 earnings materials. Peter Kafka is breaking the numbers down at All Things D. Of note: Netflix says in its bulletin to investors (PDF) that its DVD shipments have likely peaked. And so far, since announcing … Continue reading →
Goodbye, iPad 3G data plan
Jul. 25, ‘11: Over the weekend, I canceled my iPad 3G data plan. I would have probably done it sooner, but I had been grandfathered into AT&T’s $30/month unlimited plan, so I kept it locked in. Why’d I finally get rid of it? … Continue reading →
Here’s how Apple is forcing a worse user experience on its customers
Jul. 25, ‘11: Amazon just updated its Kindle app for the iPhone and iPad to remove an important function: The link to its Kindle store where you can go to buy new e-books. Now, Apple device owners will have to figure out on … Continue reading →
Smart cover, indeed: Average iPad price including accessories is up $50
Jul. 25, ‘11: Apple’s cool and functional iPad 2 “smart cover” also seems to be doing its job for Apple’s business. During Apple’s recently reported June quarter, the iPad 2’s ASP, or average sales price — including “iPad sales, services, and Apple-branded and … Continue reading →