Tomahawk, WI 7/16/12 (StreetBeat) -- Smallcap stocks are usually very volatile and can be great ways to get significant returns without allocating the capital for say an investment in big market names like Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL) or Google (Nasdaq: GOOG) that trade in the multiple hundred dollar ranges.

Genius Brands International (OTCBB: GNUS) was trading up 16 percent at $0.24 per share on heavy volume of nearly a million shares, as I write. The company only averages about 55,000 shares per day and has a market cap of around $17 million. GNUS has been putting out quite a bit of press since raising $1 million back on June 28 from the sale of its 16 percent Senior Convertible Debentures in a private placement.

Suspect Detection Systems (PINK:SDSS) was down nearly 20 percent at $0.025 per share on heavy volume of nearly 400,000 shares, as I write. The company averages about 90,000 shares traded per day and has a market cap just under $2 million. SDSS has been under a few e-mail marketing campaigns of late and has put out two press releases since releasing its financials back in April.

Preventia (OTCBB: PVTA) was down almost 10 percent at $0.46 per share on volume of more than 330,000 shares. PVTA has put out three press releases this month and has been under an e-mail marketing campaign(s).

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Smaller Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL) iPad rumors heat up

Orlando, FL 7/5/12 (StreetBeat) – A pair of reports say that Apple Inc. (Nasdaq: AAPL) will start selling a smaller tablet device in the fall, according to the Silicon Valley / San Jose Business Journal.

Unnamed sources in Asia are saying suppliers there are preparing for mass production of a tablet that will be smaller than 8 inches, according to the Wall Street Journal.

And Bloomberg says it will be a 7-inch tablet but won't have the "Retina" sharp display that has been a marketing point in the latest iPads.

Apple has an estimated 1,200 employees working at its Elk Grove campus.

Please contact www.thestreetbeat.com for interest in our latest investor relations platform the “CEO Interview Series” with its host Steve Kanaval. The package includes a one-on-one interview with a seasoned industry professional; published segment to our web site with embedded audio/video file; and a compressed file that can be easily e-mailed out to your current and/or potential investors. Please e-mail bflautt@gmail.com or call (662) 392-0740 for pricing and scheduling.

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Apple Puts Yelp (NYSE: YELP) in Maps for iOS 6

Northern, WI 7/5/12 (StreetBeat) – Apple (Nasdaq:AAPL) is planning to include Yelp (NYSE:YELP) integration in its new Maps application in iOS 6. It will enable users to check in to different locations and businesses directly using the Yelp service on the Maps application, without the need to open the Yelp app.

By being the default check-in app for Maps on iOS,Yelp could see a significant increase in engagement and check-in activity following the integration, given the massive iOS user base and the significantly higher average internet and app usage among them.

Please contact www.thestreetbeat.com for interest in our latest investor relations platform the “CEO Interview Series” with its host Steve Kanaval. The package includes a one-on-one interview with a seasoned industry professional; published segment to our web site with embedded audio/video file; and a compressed file that can be easily e-mailed out to your current and/or potential investors. Please e-mail bflautt@gmail.com or call (662) 392-0740 for pricing and scheduling.

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Apple pays $60 million to settle China iPad trademark dispute

Orlando, FL 7/2/12 (streetBeat) -- Apple Inc (Nasdaq: AAPL) has paid $60 million to Proview Technology (Shenzhen) to end a dispute over the iPad trademark in China that saw the world's most valuable technology company engaged in a protracted legal tussle with a near-bankrupt Chinese firm.

The lawsuit had hampered some sales and delayed the launch of the new iPad in China. Prior to the launch, Proview requested Chinese authorities in scores of Chinese cities to order re-sellers to take all iPads off their shelves.
The court-mediated settlement, announced on the website of the Higher People's Court of Guangdong province, will allow Apple to get on with selling its popular tablet PC in one of its most important markets, analysts said.

"The settlement is great news for Apple. It just allows them to get on with business and stop being distracted. The new iPad has been so late to the China market that if they drag it any longer, Apple will stand to lose quite a bit more," said Teck-Zhung Wong, a Beijing-based analyst with technology research firm IDC.

Apple and Proview Technology (Shenzhen), a unit of Hong Kong-listed Proview International Holdings Ltd, have been negotiating to reach a settlement since the court conducted an initial hearing in February, after Apple appealed a lower court ruling against it.

Apple had said it bought ownership of the iPad trademark in various countries from Proview, once a global monitor maker, but the Chinese company argued the U.S. firm dealt with only one unit of Proview. A Chinese court ruled that Proview Technology (Shenzhen) owned the name in China. Proview, which registered the iPad trademark in China in 2001, tried in May to sue Apple in the United States, but that case was thrown out.
An Apple spokeswoman declined to comment on Monday.

The iPad dominates China's tablet PC market with more than 70 percent market share, though Lenovo Group Ltd's Lepads and Samsung Electronics Co Ltd's Galaxy Tabs have been gaining traction.

Apple is experiencing heady growth in Greater China - China, Hong Kong and Taiwan - with second-quarter sales in the region increasing several-fold to $7.9 billion. From the launch of the iPad in the third quarter of 2010 to March this year, Apple shipped more than 6 million iPads to mainland China, according to IDC.

For Proview - which local media had said was seeking as much as 10 billion yuan ($1.57 billion) from Apple - and its creditors, the settlement should be welcomed, some lawyers said.

The $60 million will be paid into a court-designated account and used to pay Proview's creditors, said a source familiar with the situation. In March, Taiwan's Fubon Insurance, one of several Proview creditors and a unit of Fubon Financial Holding Co Ltd, applied for bankruptcy proceedings against Proview because of $8.68 million in outstanding debt.

"The settlement fee is not bad for Proview, because although Proview owns the trademark, it was Apple, not Proview, who created the brand's value," said Chen Jihong, a Beijing-based intellectual property rights lawyer at Zhong Lun Law Firm.

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Google (Nasdaq: GOOG) Tablet: Finally Some Competition for Apple’s iPad?

Atlanta, GA 6/26/12 (StreetBeat) -- Apple (Nasdaq:AAPL) has cemented its dominance in the tablet market, but that hasn't stopped competitors from trying to chip away at the iPad's market share and fight for the runner up position. The latest entrant, Microsoft's (Nasdaq:MSFT) "Surface," was introduced last week with strong fanfare. But its time in the spotlight may be short-lived as Google (Nasdaq:GOOG) is expected to unveil their own tablet, the Nexus 7during this week's I/O developer's conference.

"For Google this is certainly a big opportunity," says David Garrity of GVA Research, adding that the tech behemoth may be better positioned to beat out Microsoft due to its history across software and hardware, especially after acquiring Motorola Mobility.

"Google I think could potentially have a product that does pose a threat. However, that said, Apple is still the name to beat in terms of the space," says Garrity. He points to Apple's unparalleled momentum and years of brand equity as primary reasons why Google and just about any other competitor will have trouble making significant dent in the tablet market.

As for Microsoft and the aforementioned Surface, Garrity suggests they may not even be competing for the same customers. He predicts the company's foray into hardware (Xbox not withstanding) will put the Surface more in line with Ultrabooks in terms of pricing rather than slightly cheaper tablets. Garrity says Microsoft won't "throw over a business model that has served them reasonably well for about the last 30 years to come out and transform wholly into an integrated provider of hardware and software." Rather, in his view the Surface is a product that will highlight the strengths of Windows 8 and what the platform is capable of.

With Apple, Google, and Microsoft leading the tablet pack, Garrity reminds us not to discount the old guards like Dell (Nasdaq:DELL) and Hewlett Packard (NYSE:HPQ). He argues both have perfectly good reasons to enter the fray, but whether or not they do depends on Microsoft loyalty for Dell and whether Meg Whitman can, or even wants to, succeed in a market that her HP predecessors clearly avoided.

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Microsoft's (Nasdaq: MSFT) long and tortured history in tablets

Palm Beach, FL 6/19/12 (StreetBeat) -- For decades, the tablet computer was like a mirage in the technology industry: a great idea, seemingly reachable on the horizon, that disappointed as hopeful companies got closer. Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT) has experienced this cycle of hope and disappointment many times.

The device unveiled by the Redmond Wash.-based software giant on Monday —the Surface— isn't the first tablet it envisioned. Indeed, the company's engineers have been trying to reshape personal computing for as long as there's been a PC.

The first PCs had keyboards, borrowed from the typewriter. But people quickly started wondering whether pens, which are more comfortable writing tools, wouldn't be a better basis for personal computing.

Several companies worked pen-based computing in the late 1980s, and Microsoft jumped on the trend. By 1991, it released "Windows for Pen Computing," an add-on to Windows 3.1 that let the operating system accept input from an active "pen" (really a stylus). Several devices used Microsoft's software, and are recognizable as the ancestors of today's tablets: They were square, portable slabs with a screen on one side. They weren't designed to respond to finger-touches, however: the reigning paradigm was that of the notepad and pen.

The pen-computing fad subsided in the 90s. While PenWindows tablets got a lot of attention, mainstream computing remained stubbornly keyboard-based.

In 2002, Microsoft founder Bill Gates said these early tablet ventures were "almost painful to recall," but not to worry. He had something much better, a device that would fulfill "a dream that I and others have had for years and years," he said. It was Windows for XP Tablet PC Edition. This time, hardware makers like Hewlett-Packard Co. (NYSE: HPQ), Samsung Electronics, Toshiba Corp. (OTCBB: TSYY) and Acer Group played along, producing tablet PCs.

Like the earlier generation, some of these looked like today's tablets, but inside, they were really PCs. Compared to an iPad, they were expensive — at around $1,500 — heavy, and didn't last long on battery power. Buyers paid a lot for the ability to enter things on the screen with a pen.

Another problem was that the pen-based adaptations were skin-deep. Windows remained a thoroughly keyboard-and-mouse-based operating system, and many functions were simply hard to get to with a pen. Third-party applications weren't converted for pen use at all. As a backup, many of these tablets had keyboards, just like laptops.

The tablet PCs found homes in a few business settings, where a PC that could be used while standing, at least for short periods, was welcome. But they remained a niche product, and the number of manufacturers who made tablet PCs steadily shrank.

In parallel with the Tablet PC push, Microsoft prompted partners such as Fujitsu and ViewSonic to create Smart Displays. These were big tablets intended for home use, and each one was linked to a PC through Wi-Fi, making it something of an expensive monitor with short-range portability. This was supposed to be a cheaper alternative to a full-blown tablet, but the devices reached shelves at $1,000 and more in 2003. While a Smart Display was in use, the associated PC could not be used. Very few were sold, and Microsoft cancelled the project the same year.

Microsoft gave tablets another try in 2006, launching "Project Origami" with some of its partners. The idea was to make really small PCs with screens sensitive not just to pens, but to fingers. This time, fewer companies followed along. One of them was Samsung, which had high hopes for its "Q1".

But Microsoft hadn't learned much from its Tablet PC adventure. Windows was still hard to use with anything other than a keyboard. The "Ultra-Mobile PCs" were still expensive and suffered from very short battery life — the Q1 could surf the Web for about 2 hours. One thing they did get right was weight — the Q1 weighed 1.7 pounds, just a bit more than a first-generation iPad.

In 2008, reports emerged of yet another tablet computer, or rather a "booklet computer," being developed by Microsoft. Code-named "Courier," it had two screens joined by a hinge, and facing each other. It was designed for pen and finger input. Microsoft cancelled the project in 2010, saying it was just one of many projects it tests to "foster productivity and creativity."

One touch-based computer that did see the light of day in 2008 was Microsoft Surface. It was more of a table than a tablet: the computer was a big box that sat on a floor, with a big, horizontal screen on top. It was intended not for home use but for store displays and similar applications. Unusually, Microsoft didn't rely on hardware partners for this product, but made and sold it on its own. Intended as a niche product, it has remained one.

Microsoft has had one notable success in the tablet space — if you apply a broad definition to the term. Its "Pocket PC" operating system, which is distinct from Windows, ran on phone-sized hand-held "personal digital assistants" starting around 2000. The devices were powerful compared to Palm's PDAs, the market leaders of their time. The Pocket PCs supported color screens, and could recognize casual handwriting. Compaq made good use of Microsoft's Pocket PC software in its popular iPAQ line. But PDAs were a small market, and when Pocket PC moved over to smartphones and was renamed Windows Mobile, it soon found tough competition in the shape of BlackBerrys and then iPhones.

The company that finally cracked the tablet code in 2010 was Apple, not Microsoft. Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL) made the iPad a success by scaling up a phone rather than scaling down a PC, which is what Microsoft had been trying to do with the Tablet PC and Origami. Phone chips are cheap and last much longer on batteries, which meant that the iPad was both light, inexpensive and had good battery life. In addition, the iPhone software it used was designed from the ground up for touch input.

Microsoft's new strategy is similar. For Windows 8, it's borrowing design features from Windows Phone, its new smartphone system. Most importantly, one version of the software is designed to run on phone-style chips, rather than the PC-style chips that have been the mainstay of Windows since it was created in the 1980s. It remains to be seen whether Microsoft can make its tablet vision a reality, or if it will stay a mirage.

Please contact www.thestreetbeat.com for interest in our latest investor relations platform the “CEO Interview Series” with its host Steve Kanaval. The package includes a one-on-one interview with a seasoned industry professional; published segment to our web site with embedded audio/video file; and a compressed file that can be easily e-mailed out to your current and/or potential investors. Please e-mail bflautt@gmail.com or call (662) 392-0740 for pricing and scheduling.

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J.C. Penney (NYSE: JCP) sinks after president leaves following short tenure

Atlanta, GA 6/19/12 (StreetBeat) -- JC Penney (NYSE: JCP) just kicked its president — Michael Francis — to the curb in the wake of dismal sales and what appears to be a failed turnaround attempt, but the retailer is still kicking. This rebranding effort is still young and if leadership stays the course, it could still be the most interesting retailer of 2012.

Heck, it still is, it’s just not yet successful. When CEO Ron Johnson climbed on board, jcpenney was already a sinking ship. For all those screaming that Johnson is to blame for the retailer’s financial losses need only look at the declining trends of the past few years. Recession or no, jcpenney had to do something.

What Johnson did was among the most daring moves in retail history. Eliminating the constant and confusing sales, streamlining the employee base, revamping marketing collateral and embarking on an effort to turn stores into a main street — a mini-mall if you will — that would showcase new and unique merchandise from various partners was epic.

But it hasn’t been an epic fail, as fellow Forbes contributor Steve Olenski writes. Not yet. Jcpenney is certainly teetering on the brink, it could back off this strategy and try something else, but what?

Does Johnson have a choice? What else can jcpenney be?

It doesn’t want to be Macy’s (NYSE: M), with its constant sales. There’s no room for two such department stores. Macy’ doesn’t really have room for two either, juggling and differentiating Macy’s from Bloomingdales is no small task.

Nor can jcpenney be Kohl’s (NYSE: KSS), a more direct competitor than Macy’s. Former management tried that and newer jcpenney stores look so much like a Kohl’s only the lack of sale signs distinguish the two chains. These photos were taken at jcpenney and Kohl’s stores withing a mile of each other in Valporaiso, IN.

Being the same isn’t what Johnson is about. He’s about being different, something he learned at Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL).

But jcpenney is a publicly traded company and he may not have much time. Differentiating is a monumental task. If Johnson and team could have developed the merchandise plan, signed on the partners and unveiled its main street concept in sync with a new marketing plan, advertising and spokesperson, it might have worked.

It still can, but Francis’ departure doesn’t bode well for jcpenney’s ability to stay the course.

Please contact www.thestreetbeat.com for interest in our latest investor relations platform the “CEO Interview Series” with its host Steve Kanaval. The package includes a one-on-one interview with a seasoned industry professional; published segment to our web site with embedded audio/video file; and a compressed file that can be easily e-mailed out to your current and/or potential investors. Please e-mail bflautt@gmail.com or call (662) 392-0740 for pricing and scheduling.

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Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL) Wins Trademark Case With Beatles

Northern, WI 6/14/12 (StreetBeat) – Apple Computer (Nasdaq: AAPL) won today the right to keep its logo on the iTunes digital music store when a British judge rejected a claim by Apple Corps, guardian of the Beatles' musical interests, over the use of the bitten-apple symbol.

Justice Edward Mann of the High Court said Apple Corps had failed to prove that the use of Apple Computer's rainbow-colored logo on iTunes infringed on a 1991 agreement with Apple Corps in which the two companies agreed to stay out of each other's respective businesses.

Apple Corps, which represents Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Yoko Ono and the estate of George Harrison, had argued that by putting its logo on iTunes, Apple Computer was moving into proscribed areas. In particular, Apple Corps said that Apple Computer had taken on some characteristics of a record company by offering exclusive material and repacked musical compilations on iTunes.

Apple Computer's "use of the mark remains a use on or in connection with its service, and so far as it becomes associated with these additional factors I do not consider it goes beyond a proper, fair and reasonable use in connection with the mark and trespasses beyond it," Justice Mann wrote in his decision.

The decision is the latest development in a long-running trademark dispute between the two Apples, and it may not be the last. Apple Corps, which uses a logo resembling a Granny Smith Apple, said it would appeal.

The two companies also continue to fight over legal fees. Lawyers for Apple Corps had said that if they won they would seek undisclosed damages from Apple Computer.

"We felt that during the course of the trial we clearly demonstrated just how extensively Apple Computer had broken the agreement," said Neil Aspinall, manager of Apple Corps.

The decision today failed to resolve one important sidebar to the case: whether the Beatles' recordings, one of the few high-profile bodies of musical work that is unavailable via legitimate digital sites, like iTunes, will soon be made available. In the trial, a colorful spectacle in which the court was given demonstrations of the workings of iTunes on large computer screens, as well as playbacks of musical recordings like the disco classic "Le Freak" by Chic, Mr. Aspinall said the Beatles' entire collection was being digitally remastered. Steve Jobs, chief executive of Apple Computer, said in an e-mailed statement that he hoped the Beatles' songs would be available soon.

"We are glad to put this disagreement behind us," he said. "We have always loved the Beatles, and hopefully we can now work together to get them on the iTunes Music Store."

More than 1 billion tracks have been downloaded from iTunes, far and away the market leader in digital music, which accounts for at least 6 percent of overall music industry revenue, according to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry.

But in 1991, when the two Apples resolved a previous round of litigation, the Internet and digital music had yet to develop into viable consumer propositions.

The judge, who acknowledged in the trial that he owned an iPod, one of Apple Computer's portable music devices, wrote that his decision hinged in part on a proviso to the 1991 agreement, preventing Apple Computer from using the trademark "on or in connection with physical media delivering pre-recorded content."

"It would require a serious distortion of fairly plain notions to say that files delivered by ITMS and stored somehow in digital form, and/or the hard disk which stores them, amount to 'physical media' which 'deliver' pre-recorded content," Justice Mann said, referring to the acronym for the iTunes Music Store. "It is true that physical things are involved —servers, communication equipment, wires and hard disks, to name but some, but they do not, in any form of ordinary parlance, amount to "physical media delivering pre-recorded content."

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Nokia (NYSE: NOK) to cut 10,000 jobs as Q2 weak

Northern, WI 6/14/12 (StreetBeat) – Nokia (NYSE:NOK) plans to cut one in five jobs at its global cellphone business as it loses market share to rivals Apple (Nasdaq:AAPL) and Samsung (OTCBB:SSNLF) and burns through cash, raising new fears over its future.

In a second profit warning in nine weeks, Nokia said on Thursday that its phone business would post a deeper-than-expected loss in the second quarter due to tougher competition.

Once the world's dominant mobile phone provider, Nokia was wrongfooted by the rise of smartphones and is struggling to keep up with Apple, Samsumg and Google (Nasdaq: GOOG). It is also losing market share in cheaper, more basic phones.

Chief Executive Stephen Elop is placing hopes of a turnaround on a new range of smartphones called Lumia, which use largely untried Microsoft Corp (Nasdaq: MSFT) software. But Lumia sales have so far been slow, disappointing investors.

"The job cuts and profit warning underline the seriousness of the challenges Nokia is facing, particularly in light of the eye-watering competition from Apple and Samsung," said Ben Wood, head of research at CCS Insight.

Nokia, whose cash position is increasingly scrutinized by investors, also said restructuring-related cash outflows would be around 650 million euros in the remaining three quarters of 2012 and around 600 million in 2013.

Shares in Finland-based Nokia were down 10.5 percent to 1.99 euros, below the psychologically important 2 euros mark last, not seen since 1996. The stock has crashed more than 70 percent since it announced the switch to Microsoft's software in February 2011.

Analysts have said that even with the dramatic fall in the share price, the worsening outlook made it hard to judge how much lower the shares could go.

"I won't comment on the stock price anymore, since it's been seen over and over, that there is no definitive bottom," said Evli analyst Mikko Ervasti.

"People are worried over Lumia sales. I think expectations for the third quarter will be cut," said Nordea analyst Sami Sarkamies.

The job cuts, which include the closure of Nokia's only plant in Finland, bring total planned cuts at the group since Elop took over as chief executive in 2010 to more than 40,000.

The move will result in additional restructuring charges of around 1 billion euros by the end of 2013.

The company said it expects its operating margin in the second quarter to be below the negative 3 percent level reported in the first quarter. It previously forecast it would be similar to or below that level.

Nokia also said it would sell luxury phone business Vertu to venture firm EQT and revamp its management team.

Please contact www.thestreetbeat.com for interest in our latest investor relations platform the “CEO Interview Series” with its host Steve Kanaval. The package includes a one-on-one interview with a seasoned industry professional; published segment to our web site with embedded audio/video file; and a compressed file that can be easily e-mailed out to your current and/or potential investors. Please e-mail bflautt@gmail.com or call (662) 392-0740 for pricing and scheduling.

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Amazon (Nasdaq: AMZN), Google (Nasdaq: GOOG) lead rush for new Web real estate

Northern, WI 6/13/12 (StreetBeat) -- An unprecedented land grab for new Web addresses began in earnest on Wednesday with fierce competition for new internet real estate including .app, .blog and .web from applicants hoping to break the near-monopoly of the .com top-level domain.

The ambitious plan to liberalise internet addresses attracted 1,930 applications, almost half of them from north America, with Web giants Amazon (Nasdaq: AMZN) and Google (Nasdaq: GOOG) applying for dozens of domains including .cloud, .buy and .book.

The liberalisation of top-level domains beyond the fewer than two dozen in existence - dominated by .com, .org and .net - is intended to stimulate competition and innovation by giving organisations more control over their Web presence.

Critics say the new suffixes are unlikely to catch on, and some trademark owners have complained that the move is causing them unnecessary expense - at $185,000 per application plus running costs - to defend their online turf.

Previous small-scale experiments in liberalising domains led to low take-up of suffixes such as museum, .jobs and .travel.

"At the highest level, this is all about creating competition to .com," said Jonathan Robinson, non-executive director of internet registry services company Afilias, which has applied for more than 100 new domains on behalf of clients.

"That's where short, memorable, distinctive three-letter type terms become very interesting," said Robinson, whose organisation already provides key infrastructure for .org, .info and .mobi.

Competing applications were received for 231 domain names. The most popular were .app with 13 bids, .home with 11, and .inc with 12.

Technology giant Apple's (Nasdaq: AAPL) claim to .apple was uncontested by the Apple music label or anyone else.

"The big names of the Internet have either invested massively or not at all," said Stuart Durham, European sales director for Melbourne IT, which has handled 150 applications on behalf of clients.

"There appear to be no applications from Facebook (Nasdaq: FB) or Twitter. There are different strategies in play here and some big gambles."

Just 17 applications were received from Africa, and 116 for names in non-Latin alphabets. Expanding the Internet beyond the Latin alphabet was one of the original reasons behind the liberalisation drive, which began seven years ago.

ICANN will now spend the rest of the year assessing the applications, with contested domains going to auction where more than one party has a legitimate claim. The first new domains are likely to come online in the first half of 2013.

Some critics, including senior figures at Google, have warned that the liberalisation risks effectively privatising the Internet by giving already powerful Web players more scope to control portions of it.

"Our concern is that this could lead to more Facebook-style walled gardens as big brands seek to keep you in their own areas of the Internet," said Stephen Ewart, marketing manager for Names.co.uk, a British domain-name registrar.

"Make no mistake, this change to the domain name world will lead to more competition and consumer choice, but it could also be viewed as a silent privatisation of the Web - for better or worse," he said.

The project is a key test for U.S. non-profit organisation the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), whose authority to administer the Web's naming systems is being challenged by emerging nations who say it is too U.S.-centric.

"The plan we have delivered is solid and fair," ICANN Chief Executive Rod Beckstrom told journalists at a news conference in London. "It is our fundamental obligation to increase innovation and consumer choice."

Nations including China, Russia and Brazil are pushing for ICANN's functions to be transferred to a body such as the United Nations, in which governments would have more control.

ICANN is set to net some $350 million from the liberalisation project - about five times its annual budget.

Beckstrom said the organization had priced the applications to cover its costs and that the use of any surplus would be decided by its community - which includes Internet companies, governments and ordinary citizens.

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Harman (NYSE: HAR) shares fall on Apple's car navigation plans

Palm Beach, FL 6/12/12 (StreetBeat) – Shares of Harman International Industries Inc (NYSE:HAR) fell as much as 10 percent on Tuesday after Apple Inc (Nasdaq:AAPL) announced plans to tie-up with automakers to offer real-time traffic updates and turn-by-turn navigation.

Harman, known for its audio devices, also makes car navigation products for luxury car makers such as Volkswagen AG's Audi and Daimler's Mercedes. Both Harman and car navigation system maker Garmin Inc (Nasdaq:GRMN) were down in trading on Monday, following Apple's announcement.

On Monday, Apple said it will enter the auto navigation space by integrating its Siri voice application into the car entertainment systems.

In January, J D Power and Associates ranked Harman as the top supplier of auto navigation systems among companies which provide factory installed systems.

Harman shares were down 6 percent on Tuesday on the New York Stock Exchange, adding to its 5 percent fall on Monday. Garmin, which fell 9 percent on Monday, were up 3 percent on Tuesday on the Nasdaq.

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Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL) Signs Map Licensing Deal With TomTom

Atlanta, GA 6/12/12 (StreetBeat) -- In what might be the world’s shortest press release ever written, the GPS and mapping information company TomTom (AEX: TOM2) announced that it has signed a deal with Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL) to license maps and other related data. No terms of the deal were disclosed.

Here is the entire text of the press release:

TomTom has signed a global agreement with Apple for maps and related information. No further details of the agreement will be provided.

At yesterday’s keynote at the 2012 Worldwide Developers Conference, Apple’s new global mapping application took center stage. The new app for iOS6 devices will include nifty features like turn-by-turn directions and crowd-sourced trafic information, as well as routing updated to avoid traffic jams and other hazards, Siri voice integration and information on more than 100 million businesses.

In trading in Amsterdam, TomTom shares this morning have spiked 11.7%.

Apple shares this morning are up $2.02, or 0.4%, to $573.19.

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Arrow Electronics, Syms Metal and E-Waste Systems Cleaning-Up the Electronics Disposal Business

Palm Beach, FL 6/8/12 (StreetBeat) -- Garbage. Most people take it for granted that when they take the bins to the curb every week that their used or unwanted items magically disappear without thoughts about where the waste is going or how it is impacting the earth. The fact is that garbage in general is literally piling up and e-waste, discarded electrical or electronic devices (sometimes called “e-scrap”), is a rapidly emerging problem across the planet.

Today’s electronic world moves lightning-fast with industry providing a steady stream of “the latest and greatest” which makes models that are only a couple years old seem antiquated or obsolete to the hundreds of millions of consumers that have to have the newest of products. The first rule of electronics is “newer is better.” Just a sampling of evidence: In October 2011, Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) said that it sold more than four million iPhone 4S smartphones in its first three days – the most ever for any phone and more than twice the number of the iPhone 4 phones that were sold in its first three days on the market (1.7 million only 16 months earlier in June 2010).

The old phones add to the millions of cubic feet that are amassed each year in e-waste to either hit a landfill, incinerator or, in some cases, get recycled. The passage of the Electronic Waste Recycling Act of 2003 sets forth policy for disposal of e-waste and most states have additional legislation regulating proper disposal as the majority of tech products have dangerous pollutants, such as lead, cadmium, beryllium, or brominated flame retardants, enveloped in their hardware, so simply burning or burying are not viable – or legal - options. When buried or burned, the toxic chemicals in electronics can leach into the land or be released into the atmosphere with a potentially devastating impact on communities and the environment. It is pertinent to note, however, that a clear definition of e-waste remains a topic of debate as to which products exactly fall into the category and that in many cases, improper disposal is still a commonality.

According to a 2009 article at cbsnews.com, Americans throw away about 130,000 computers every day and more than 100 million cell phones each year.

Boulder, Colorado-based clean technology research firm Pike Research estimates that the 676 million cubic feet and 6 million tons of e-waste generated in 2010 is going to escalate to 1,465 million cubic feet and 14.9 million tons by 2025. The industry expert warns that there is a difference between “e-scrap” (the total of “end-of-life” units) and “e-waste” (the portion of e-scrap that is discarded irresponsibly). Pike estimates that e-waste levels will rise from 4 million tons in 2010 to 6.1 million tons by 2025.

In the investment community, the question “Which industry offers a substantial opportunity for growth?” is often heard. Management of end-of-life electronics provides a solid answer as a burgeoning industry that is still highly fragmented with no clear leader in the space. As Robert Landmesser, chairman of New Jersey-based AERC Recycling Solutions, noted in a recent interview with the Environmental Business Journal “[the] size of the U.S. e-waste management market has been estimated, roughly, at anywhere from $4 billion to $6 billion annually…‘No one has a material position. There’s no one at $300 million, or $200 million, or even $100 million in sales, So (sic) there’s still no dominant market leader that we’ve seen, and we’re in the top ten based on volume.’”

Jerry Powell, executive editor of Resource Recycling magazine, added, “[the] end game has not been found—who will win, who will lose, who grows and who doesn’t, and what their business model will be.”

Arrow Electronics (NYSE: ARW), a global provider of products, services and solutions to industrial and commercial users of electronic components and enterprise computing solutions with 2011 sales of $21.4 billion, has entered the space through a series of acquisitions, including snagging Asset Recovery Corporation in February 2012 and TechTurn, Ltd in January 2012. According to their website, TechTurn, an ISO 9001-, ISO 14001- and OHSAS 18001-certified company, follows a strict zero landfill policy. Already being in the electronics industry and seeing the great need for solutions to electronics disposal, the $34 per share company is aggressively trying to grow its footprint in the e-waste business.

Global metal recycler Sims Metal Management Ltd. (NYSE: SMS) has taken a proactive approach to e-waste disposal by partnering with Goodwill Industries to offer electronic waste collection and recycling services across Goodwill’s Southeastern Wisconsin and Metropolitan Chicago’s 49 stores. Sims Recycling Solutions is now actively collecting and processing televisions and other assorted peripherals dropped-off at the locations. Last month, Sims reported that it collected nearly 473,000 pounds of electronics from more than 1,300 people at 25 events in honor of Earth Day during the month of April. Trading around $10 per share, Sims has a market cap of $1.98 billion and generated $9.4 billion in revenue in 2011.

A junior that is expanding its presence in the e-waste management arena is the aptly-named E-Waste Systems Inc. (OTCBB: EWSI). In mid-2011, the Ohio-based company transitioned from a shell to an operating outfit that during its first few months generated $125K in sales at 56% gross margin from its acquisition of Tech Disposal, Inc., while the full year showed $575K in sales and was profitable on an operating basis.

In 2012, E-Waste has partnered with Santa Clara, California’s Zak Enterprises of Santa Clara, CA, a company that is among the longest serving businesses in the end of life electronics industry. Product has already begun flowing from Zak customers in Europe through EWSI's network with more expected to follow, according to a EWSI corporate statement. Expanding its business to the east, E-Waste joined forces with CR Electronics, another established e-waste operator, to grow its geographic and technical coverage for the New York/New England area in February 2012.

Additionally, E-Waste has recently expanded its free e-waste recycling services in the greater Columbus, Ohio area and partnered with Tech Columbus as their preferred e-waste recycler. In just a few hours at an event during Earth Week, the company collected nearly 5,000 pounds of e-waste. Bolstering its collection efforts, E-Waste has agreed to make monthly weekend collection events an integral part of its services and to complement that with free drop-off at its e-waste plant every weekday.

The bottom line is that innovations in technology are going to continually ramp upward with non-linear growth patterns and with that comes a great deal of electronic waste in dire need of proper disposal and recycling. In the public domain, there are a very limited number of companies for which investors can capitalize on the mushrooming industry, with Arrow, Sims and E-Waste aggressively making strategic acquisitions and moves that could put them at the forefront as companies jockey for leadership positions and maximum market capture in the valuable e-waste industry. The upside for a smaller outfit such as E-Waste could be substantial given that it comes at a price tag of only 35 cents per share and does not carry the large overhead that can limit gains in their larger peers. The upside for the environment is that these companies are cleaning-up the garbage business and helping to protect the Earth. Talk about a win-win.

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Solar Stocks on the Run: ASTI, FSLR, WEST

Palm Beach, FL 6/6/12 (StreetBeat) --Investorideas.com, a leader in renewable energy stock research for independent investors, issues an investor alert for solar stocks for trading June 6th. Solar stocks are showing gains for the second day as a sector.

Ascent Solar Technologies, Inc. (NasdaqGM :ASTI) is a leader in the sector percentage wise, gaining $ 0.3189 or (54.98%) to trade at $.8989 as of 10:57AM EDT on over 2.2 Million shares.

The Company shares spiked on news today it has launched a charger for the Apple® (AAPL) iPhone® * 4/4S smart phone featuring Ascent’s ultra light CIGS technology. Branded under Ascent’s new EnerPlexTM line of consumer products, the charger incorporates the company’s solar cells into a sleek, protective iPhone 4/4S case, along with a thin battery. The charger adds minimal weight and size to an iPhone smart phone, yet provides significantly improved battery life by harnessing sunlight for electric power.

First Solar, Inc. (NasdaqGS: FSLR) is trading up at $13.49, gaining 0.84 or (6.68%) as of 10:51AM EDT on volume of over 1.4 Millions shares with a morning high of $13.59.

Westinghouse Solar, Inc. (NasdaqCM: WEST) is up 0.03(13.86%) to trade at $0.23 as of 10:32AM EDT on just over 160,000 shares. Yesterday the Company reported with CBD Energy Ltd. (ASX: CBD), a diversified renewable energy company, plans to begin distributing Westinghouse Solar Power Systems in Australia. This follows last week's announcement of the settlement of all disputes between Westinghouse Solar and Zep Solar.

Research more solar stocks on global stock exchanges –and up to 1300 renewable energy stocks at Investorideas.com http://www.investorideas.com/Companies/RenewableEnergy/Stock_List.asp

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Options Reveal a Bullish Case for Facebook (Nasdaq: FB): Najarian

Atlanta, GA 6/1/12 (StreetBeat) -- In the off chance Facebook (Nasdaq:FB) shares didn't give you enough bang-for-the-buck in terms of risk, you can now play Facebook via the options market. To help ponder the idea of trading options on a stock that does nothing but fall Breakout welcomed the OptionMonster himself, Jon Najarian.

Like most other market watchers, Najarian is baffled by CEO Mark Zuckerberg and his company going radio-silent after the IPO debacle. The stock has lost 1/3 its value in 10 trading days and Facebook has yet to issue a public statement of any sort, which actually may be for the best.

In that light, FB options are relatively cheap at a volatility of 60. By comparison Facebooks options' vol is about 3x that of Apple (Nasdaq:AAPL) and 2x Google (Nasdaq:GOOG). Another stock with options volatility near that of FB is Research in Motion (Nasdaq:RIMM); a fact certain to irritate fans of either stock.

Whatever the vol, Najarian says $25 strike puts can be had for a whopping $2, meaning they would have no intrinsic value until FB dropped under $23, a full $5 below where the stock was trading at the time of our conversation. "Not a lot of people are betting on the upside right now for Facebook," he deadpans.

There is a bullish case to be made for the shares and Najarian is willing to make it, albeit with atypical caution. With huge trading volumes as the stock fell, outsized demand for puts and other signs of longs getting flushed out "maybe you're getting to some sort of place where finally it's oversold."

If and when such a bounce happens, Najarian says Facebook could make its way back into the $30s by July options expiration. Assuming, of course, the company deigns to grace the market with some sort of comment regarding a revenue plan for mobile and Mr. Zuckerberg returns to the office.

It's not much for the bulls to cling to but given the way FB has traded in its brief history anyone still long should welcome anyone willing to stick their neck out on behalf of the shares.

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Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL) Gears Up for New Products

Palm Beach, FL 5/30/12 (StreetBeat) -- Apple Inc. (Nasdaq: AAPL) chief executive Tim Cook teed up big expectations for the world's largest technology company, saying in an interview that the company is preparing to release some "incredible" new products.

But, pressed about possibilities such as whether Apple would develop a smaller iPhone or a television, he gave no details, vowing to "double down" on product secrecy.

During his remarks during the Tuesday evening opening interview at the D: All Things Digital conference—his first appearance at the annual event—Mr. Cook stressed continuity with his predecessor, Steve Jobs, who handed him the reins in August. Mr. Jobs died in October.

Mr. Cook said that Apple would continue to innovate and hinted at big things ahead. "The juices are flowing," he said. "We have some incredible things coming out."

But the 51-year-old Apple veteran also provided a rare hint of how he is doing things differently than his predecessor Steve Jobs, whose legacy include a culture that prized secrecy.

He said Apple would be more transparent about issues related to social change, he added, including labor rights in China, where Apple has faced continue scrutiny.

Mr. Cook said he hoped more components for Apple products would be made in the U.S. Noting that iPhone's processor and glass covering are made in the U.S., he said: "We will do as many of these as we can."

He also said he spends less time on design and marketing than Mr. Jobs, who had a particular passion and reputation for micromanaging those functions.

The Apple leader had little to say about one issue the tech and media worlds are on pins and needles about: whether the technology company plans to build a television or create a new type of television content service.

Mr. Cook dodged the question as he has in the past, highlighting the growth of Apple's existing $99 Apple TV box. Mr. Cook called the device, which is still relatively a niche product, "an area of intense interest for us."

"We are going to keep pulling this string and see where it takes us," he said.

He said Apple would consider issues like whether the company could "control the key technology" in assessing whether to do more. But he also refused to address whether the company would do so.

When pressed about whether Apple would release different versions of the iPhone and iPad in different sizes, Mr. Cook said, "There is not a policy or commandment that thou shalt have one. If we find we can do more, great."

He did identify one priority—Siri the voice-response technology Apple delivered with its latest iPhone, which has received some criticism for not working consistently.

"There is more that it can do," Mr. Cook said. "I think you'll be really pleased with some things you will see over the coming months."

Mr. Cook told the audience to "stay tuned" on the question of whether Apple would strike a partnership with Facebook Inc., the social-networking juggernaut that still isn't integrated into the iPhone in a meaningful way. The relationship between the technology powerhouses is a topic of persistent gossip in Silicon Valley, particularly as Apple has struck such a deal with social service Twitter. "I think we can do more with them," he said.

Mr. Cook also addresses his frustration with the company's proliferating patent battles with Samsung Electronics Co. and other smartphone rivals. While defending Apple's action against other companies for copying what he regards as Apple's creative works, he reiterated his views it is unfair for Samsung and others to sue Apple for infringing patents that are considered essential to building phones compatible with industrywide technology standards.

Owners of so-called standards essential patents agree to license them on fair, reasonable and nondiscriminatory terms. "There is some of this that is maddening," Mr. Cook said.

The conference, like The Wall Street Journal, is owned by News Corp.

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Facebook (Nasdaq: FB) Tries, Tries Again on a Smartphone

Northern, WI 5/29/12 (StreetBeat) -- Can a software company build its own smartphone? We may find out soon.

This past week, Google (Nasdaq: GOOG) completed its acquisition of the hardware maker Motorola Mobility for $12.5 billion, which could lead to the search giant's making its own smartphone. But another software titan might be getting into the hardware game as well: Facebook (Nasdaq: FB).

Employees of Facebook and several engineers who have been sought out by recruiters there, as well as people briefed on Facebook's plans, say the company hopes to release its own smartphone by next year. These people spoke only on the condition of anonymity for fear of jeopardizing their employment or relationships with Facebook.

The company has already hired more than half a dozen former Apple software and hardware engineers who worked on the iPhone, and one who worked on the iPad, the employees and those briefed on the plans said.

This would be Facebook's third effort at building a smartphone, said one person briefed on the plans and one who was recruited. In 2010, the blog TechCrunch reported that Facebook was working on a smartphone. The project crumbled after the company realized the difficulties involved, according to people who had worked on it. The Web site AllThingsD reported last year that Facebook and HTC had entered a partnership to create a smartphone, code-named "Buffy," which is still in the works.

Now, the company has been going deeper into the process, by expanding the group working on Buffy, and exploring other smartphone projects too, creating a team of seasoned hardware engineers who have built the devices before.

One engineer who formerly worked at Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL) and worked on the iPhone said he had met with Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook's chief executive, who then peppered him with questions about the inner workings of smartphones. It did not sound like idle intellectual curiosity, the engineer said; Mr. Zuckerberg asked about intricate details, including the types of chips used, he said. Another former Apple hardware engineer was recruited by a Facebook executive and was told about the company's hardware explorations.

When asked Friday, Facebook did not deny or confirm that a project to build a smartphone existed, but pointed to a previous statement it gave to AllThingsD last year that said in part, "We're working across the entire mobile industry; with operators, hardware manufacturers, OS providers, and application developers."

For Facebook, the motivation is clear; as a newly public company, it must find new sources of revenue, and it fears being left behind in mobile, one of the most promising areas for growth.

"Mark is worried that if he doesn't create a mobile phone in the near future that Facebook will simply become an app on other mobile platforms," a Facebook employee said.

Facebook is going to great lengths to keep the phone project a secret, specifically not posting job listings on the company's job Web site, but instead going door-to-door to find the right talent for the project.

But can a company that is wired as a social network learn how to build hardware? Mixing the cultures of hardware and software designers is akin to mixing oil and water. With the rare exception of Apple, other phone makers aren't very good at this.

The biggest names in consumer electronics have struggled with phone hardware. Hewlett-Packard tried and failed. So did Dell. Sony has never done very well making phones.

"Building isn't something you can just jump into," explained Hugo Fiennes, a former Apple hardware manager for the first four iPhones who has since left Apple and is starting a new hardware company,Electric Imp. "You change the smallest thing on a smartphone and you can completely change how all the antennas work. You don't learn this unless you've been doing it for a while."

He added, "Going into the phone business is incredibly complex."

Facebook also faces hurdles, often of its own making, on mobile. Twitter, for example, is fully integrated into the Apple iPhone and allows people to seamlessly send Twitter messages with photos or article links. Facebook, which has had a contentious relationship with Apple, is still not integrated into iOS.

One Facebook employee said the phone project had been rebooted several times because Facebook originally thought it could figure out hardware on its own. The company has since learned that it needed to bring in people with phone-making experience, several people said. So it is hiring hardware engineers to work with a phone manufacturer and design the shape, style and inner workings of a Facebook phone.

Despite the difficulties, Facebook seems well positioned in certain ways to enter the smartphone market. It already has an entire operating system complete with messaging, calendar, contacts and video, and an immense app store is on its way with thousands of highly popular apps. There's also that billion-dollar camera app, in the form of Instagram.

If Facebook fails with its own team of engineers, it could buy a smartphone maker. The company took in $16 billion from its bumpy I.P.O. It could easily scoop up an infirm company like Research in Motion, which is valued at less than $6 billion, and drop a beautifully designed Facebook operating system on top of RIM's phones. HTC, which is upset with Google for buying Motorola, is worth about $11.8 billion and becoming cheaper by the day.

Facebook would not necessarily challenge Apple if it entered the smartphone marketplace. Instead, it could be Facebook vs. Google, which makes the Android operating system, with both companies going after a huge number of buyers of lower-priced smartphones.

"When you offer an advertising-based phone, you're targeting all the users on prepay that are budget-conscious of their communications costs," said Carolina Milanesi, a vice president and analyst for the Gartner Group.

Ms. Milanesi said that at a mass market level, both companies could take the same approach as Amazon, offering low-cost hardware, like the Kindle, and subsidizing some of the costs through advertising.

After all, both Facebook and Google make their money through advertising. If the companies have the opportunity to continually put ads in front of people on a smartphone screen, you would think the only question left would be to pick the right ringtone that makes that ka-ching sound.

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Samsung's (Pinksheets: SSNLF) Galaxy S3 gets head start on rival iPhone

Atlanta, GA 5/29/12 (StreetBeat) -- Samsung Electronics (Pinksheets: SSNLF) launched its top-of-the-range Galaxy S3 smartphone in Europe on Tuesday, aiming to outsell the previous model that helped the South Korean company topple Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL) s the world's largest smartphone maker.

The Galaxy S3, which tracks the user's eye movements to keep the screen from dimming or turning off while in use, hits stores in 28 European and Middle East countries, including Germany and Britain, as Samsung aims to widen the gap with Apple months ahead of its rival's new iPhone, expected in the third quarter.

In the kind of anticipation that has become the norm for Apple gadget releases, about 50 customers queued outside the BASE mobile phone shop in Berlin on Monday night eager to be the first to lay their hands on the S3.

The smartphone, running on Google's (Nasdaq: GOOG) Android operating system, boasts a 4.8-inch screen, one of the largest on smartphones ever, and much bigger than the 3.5-inch display on the iPhone 4S.

Top global carriers - from Britain's Vodafone to Singapore's SingTel - have started to aggressively promote the S3, fuelling speculation the smartphone could top its predecessor, the GalaxyS2's 20 million sales worldwide.

"In the two years that we've been offering pre-orders, it's the most pre-ordered Android device we've had in our line-up," said a spokesman for Vodafone UK, declining to disclose exact numbers. "It's on track to meet, if not exceed, the level of pre-orders we expected by the time it actually launches."

Samsung itself has said it expects the new flagship model to outsell its predecessor.

Samsung introduced its first Galaxy in 2010, three years after the iPhone's debut, to counter Apple's roaring success in smartphones at a time when the demise of bigger rivals Nokia and BlackBerry maker Research In Motion had started.

Samsung sold 44.5 million smartphones in January-March - equal to nearly 21,000 every hour - giving it 30.6 percent market share. Apple sold 35.1 million iPhones, taking 24.1 percent market share.

"The Galaxy S3 is a real challenger to the upcoming iPhone," said Francisco Jeronimo, an IDC analyst based in London. "This is likely be one of the most sold smartphones this year, though the real test will come when the next iPhone is launched."

The race for global smartphone supremacy comes as Apple has accused Samsung of copying some of its products. The South Korean company counter-claims that Apple has infringed its patents. Both have denied the allegations, and a long-running court saga continues.

Apple plans to use a larger screen on the next iPhone, according to people familiar with the situation. The current iPhone 4S model was introduced last October.

Samsung launched its own music service on the Galaxy S3, putting itself head-to-head with Apple. It has previously rebranded existing music and video services.

"Samsung is not known for our content services; we make good hardware products but we haven't done much in the content space but that's changing," T.J. Kang, senior vice president of Samsung Electronics' Media Solution Center, said.

"We are doing it to create a better experience for our users. There are things we could do better if we have complete control over all of the service."

MORE ROUNDED

In a departure from its predecessor, whose look and feel became the main subject of the legal dispute with Apple, the latest Galaxy has a more rounded outline. It also has voice recognition, dubbed S Voice, which will inevitably be compared with Apple's Siri, and image recognition software that can tag and share photographs.

Prices vary depending on the contract. A model with 16 gigabytes of memory costs up to 189 pounds ($300) under a 12-month contract with Vodafone. A similar package for the iPhone 4s costs 159 pounds, but comes with a more expensive monthly data plan.

Samsung said it will release the S3 via 296 carriers in 145 countries by July.

Profit from Samsung's mobile division nearly tripled in January-March to $3.6 billion, accounting for 73 percent of operating profit.

Samsung - whose shares have gained 82 percent since late-August, beating Apple's 58 percent rise - is now banking on an aggressive marketing campaign ahead of the summer London Olympics to further drive sales. It has said its mobile market share in China doubled after the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

"The S3 is supported by an unprecedented promotional campaign," said Geoff Blaber, an analyst at CCS Insight in London. "Samsung's timing with the Galaxy S3 is perfect."

($1 = 0.6396 British pounds)
($1 = 1185.3500 Korean won)

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Morning Movers: Facebook and Lowe’s Stumble BIG, Apple in Favor

Orlando, FL 5/21/12 (StreetBeat) -- After a lackluster debut on Friday, shares of Facebook(NASDAQ:FB) fell as much as 13 percent after the opening bell. The social-media giant is now below its initial public offering price of $38 per share, trading in the $33 range this morning.

Krispy Kreme Doughnuts Inc. (NYSE:KKD) shares jumped over 8 percent in morning trading. The company reported adjusted net income of 14 cents per share for the first-quarter. By that measure, the company beat the mean estimate of 8 cents per share. Revenue also increased 3.7 percent to $108.5 million. Chief Executive Officer James H. Morgan commented: “We got off to a good start in fiscal 2013 as operating income rose 11 percent on a 4 percent increase in revenues. All four of our business segments reported improved operating results compared to last year.”

Shares of Lowe’s Companies Inc. (NYSE:LOW) fell 9 percent in morning trading. The home improvement company reported that first-quarter income increased 14.3 percent to $527 million (43 cents per share), compared to $461 million (34 cents per share) a year earlier. However, the company downgraded its full outlook for the year. It now expects to earn $1.73 to $1.83 a share, down from $1.75 to $1.85.

Campbell Soup Co. (NYSE:CPB) shares declined 2 percent early Monday. The company reported that fiscal third-quarter earnings fell 5.3 percent to $177 million (55 cents per share), compared to $187 million (57 cents per share) a year earlier. The company has now seen net income fall in each of the last four quarters.

Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) shares surged 3 percent higher in morning trading. An analyst from Piper Jaffray explains that Apple is still on track for an October launch of the iPhone 5. Gene Munster explains, “We believe there is an 80 percent chance Apple will be able to meet our 49 million estimate given the constrained supply. We expect Apple is likely to get favorable treatment in terms of access to 28 nm inventory. Net- net, the worst case scenario is that Apple is unable to meet demand in the short term following iPhone 5 launch and units would shift from the December quarter into the March quarter as we don’t believe consumers would simply purchase another phone in most cases if they wanted the iPhone 5 and it was not available.”

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No Worm in this Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL)

Atlanta, GA 4/25/12 (StreetBeat) -- There was before, and there was after ... Apple.

The tech sector has been under pressure the past five days, with the Nasdaq losing 2.7% in that time, while Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL) shares have given up 7.4%. The declines came to a shrieking halt this morning. Futures are poised to open higher, with the Nasdaq indicating a 50 point jump at the start.

Investors are thanking Apple. The world's most valuable company posted its best March quarter ever with sales of $39.2 billion, crushing analyst expectations by all measures.

Apple sold 11.8 million iPads during the quarter, making the iPad its fastest selling device yet. With the third edition of the iPad now on store shelves and the iPad 2 dropping in price, Apple's revenue per iPad dropped to $558 in the quarter, which was down from $593 in the previous quarter. Still, Apple's overall margins were strong at 47.4%.

It sold 35 million iPhones, 7.7 million iPods, and some 4 million Mac computers.

Apple shares are up 10%, topping $614 in the pre market. shy of the all-time high of $644.

Investors will also be looking to the Federal Reserve for direction. The Fed will release a statement after its interest rate- and policy-setting meeting at 12:30pm ET. Interest rates have been parked near zero since December of 2008 and are expected to stay there through 2014.

But investors will be looking for anything the Fed says about further monetary stimulus. If there is concern that high unemployment and/or the weak housing market will inhibit the recovery, Fed officials may find it necessary to keep pumping up the economy through monetary injections.

After today's announcement, the Fed will release its forecasts at 2:00 p.m. ET, and Chairman Ben Bernanke will hold a press conference explaining those forecasts 15 minutes later.

Overseas, the UK economy has officially double-dipped into recession. British GDP contracted 0.2% in the first quarter after shrinking by 0.3% in the previous quarter. It is the first double-dip recession since the 1970s for Britain.

U.S. GDP estimates for the first quarter are due out Friday. Economists are looking for growth of 2.5%.

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