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Fusion-io IPO filing discloses list of prestigious clients, led by Facebook
Before last week, we'd gone well over a year without discussing solid state storage purveyors Fusion-io -- and their extremely expensive and expeditious flash drives -- but things seem to have been ticking along just fine behind the scenes. While the company's unlikely to have sold many ioDrives to good old Joe Consumer, its upcoming IPO application features an impressive list of corporate clients, highlighted by Facebook, its biggest customer, IBM, HP, and Credit Suisse -- the latter using Fusion-io technology to speed up the mathematical alchemy of making money where there was none before. Taken together with strategic investments from Samsung and Dell, these deals paint a rosy outlook for the Woz-employing startup, however it's worth noting that profitability is still a decent way away. Fusion-io's rapid growth is costing it more than it's making at the moment, which is most likely to have catalyzed its current decision to go public and collect its biggest round of investments yet. Let's hope the investor prospectus includes a forecast for when things like the ioXtreme might actually become affordable to non-millionaires, eh?
Bloom Electrons' pay-what-you-consume service thinks outside the Box
Bloom Energy's aptly-titled Bloom Box made a splash last year with much hooplah, bringing the likes of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Colin Powell to its unveiling. But while the promise of efficient fuel cell technology is great for the eco-minded and even the long-term penny-pincher, the mid-to-high six-figure upfront cost limits the potential customer base to only the upper echelon of the environmentally conscious. Cue Bloom Electrons -- instead of paying for the Bloom Boxes and owning them outright, you can lease a 2MW installation for no money down and pay only for the electrons you use. A 10-year contract is required, which yes does put your smartphone commitment to shame, but Bloom hopes this Credit Suisse / Silicon Valley Bank-backed plan opens the door for educational institutions and non-profits to join in on the fun. Press release after the break.
Motorola planning 4G devices for Verizon, 7- and 10-inch tablets early next year
It looks like this CES could be a hot one for Motorola. Can you believe it was only a bit more than a year ago that Motorola introduced the Droid? Now it has a whole lineup of incredibly hot phones, and CES seems like a perfect time for the beating of chests in front of an industry. Motorola CEO Sanjay Jha just went on record during a keynote at the Credit Suisse 2010 Technology Conference, saying Motorola will be entering the tablet space 'in the near future.' He also said that he sees both 7-inch and 10-inch tablets as viable sizes -- something that seems perfectly logical to us, and might jibe with how we initially heard of Motorola's "Stingray" tablet as a smaller device, but later heard it was a full 10-incher upgradeable to LTE. This all follow's on Sanjay's statement in September that Motorola wouldn't be joining in on the tablet space until next year, a year which is rapidly approaching. Meanwhile, Sanjay also confirmed that Motorola would have 4G devices "early" next year, which also sounds like a CES hint to us, though it might just be 4G modems and hotspots at the outset. Still, bring it on.
Nintendo comments on Wii manufacturing costs, not planning price cut
Following Credit Suisse analyst Koya Tabata's estimation that Wii manufacturing costs are down 45 percent, Nintendo has come out from its corner swinging, ready to put down any and all speculation that a price cut for the console is due soon. In speaking to Edge, Nintendo said the depreciation of the U.S. dollar and British pound is also a factor, as from "launch in December 2006 to December 2008, the value of the pound fell by 43 percent against the yen," and, in the same period of time, the U.S. dollar and euro fell against the pound 22 and 18 percent, respectively.Ed Barton, analyst for Screen Digest, thinks that if Nintendo is to cut the console's price, it could first happen in Japan if "supply has truly equaled demand." Barton points to Nintendo's next financial earnings report, where any and all reduction in manufacturing costs should be evidenced in the company's operating profits. Though trying to gauge an improvement in Nintendo profits is kind of like finding a giant needle in a stack full of giant needles.
Analyst says Wii manufacturing costs down 45% since launch
Since the Wii released in November of 2006, it's progressively become a more profitable venture for Nintendo. Not just because it has been constantly flying off retail shelves, but because Nintendo has managed to drastically cut down manufacturing costs during its life, Koya Tabata of Credit Suisse suspects. In fact, Tabata says costs are down a whopping 45%, which could mean Nintendo is banking much more than the previously reported $6.Of course, any talk of reduced manufacturing costs is inevitably going to lead to talk of a price cut, which Tabata says is a real possibility. Emerging markets could be the first to see a price cut, Tabata commented. With Sony hoping to take market share away from Wii with its $99 PS2, it might be the right time for Nintendo to trim some fat.[Via Eurogamer]
Downgraded investment rating causes Sony stock fall
Sony stock fell 5.9 percent in Japan today as two analysts downgraded their investment rating of the company, "citing a loss of competitiveness." Credit Suisse reduced its rating of Sony from "neutral" to "underperform," believing "fundamental changes" are needed to get Sony back on track. The Credit Suisse analyst cut its share-price estimate of the company by 59 percent, to 1000 yen. He predicts Sony's net loss for this fiscal year will be 150 billion yen ($1.66 billion).Deutsche Bank AG also cut its recommendation from "buy" to "hold," as it lowered its share-price estimate by 49 percent, blaming Sony's "high level of operating costs." It appears drastic measures, and further layoffs, will be necessary to restore investors' faith in Sony Corporation.[Via GI.biz]
iPod expansion still in early phase
Credit Suisse thinks that Apple can expand their iPod business by 20% a quarter for the foreseeable future. Sure, there are those who think that the iPod craze is cooling off but Credit Suisse brings the numbers to back up their 'out perform' rating for Apple stock. It seems that only about 10% of PC users have an iPod, and the people that do own an iPod are replacing them sooner (every 1.5 years as opposed to 2 years previously). They also point to the fact that Apple really hasn't been concentrating on the European market, so there are lots of potential customers out there.iPods in our cars, on our shelves, and in our shoes? We live in amazing times, people.
