Gadgets continue to get cheaper. Sears Holdings
Technology has a way of getting cheaper as early adopters give way to the masses. Amazon introduced the Kindle less than three years ago at $399 a pop, and the cheapest iPad tablets hit the market less than four months ago at $499 apiece.
Consumers naturally benefit from cheaper prices. Everything from video game consoles to flat-screen televisions cost a lot less than they did a holiday season or two ago. As long as component makers find a way to turn a profit -- or create the means for lucrative secondary streams of income as in Amazon using the Kindle to move more e-books -- everybody wins.
Well, except for folks like me who are left wondering why we paid $359 for an inferior Kindle two summers ago.
Briefly in the news
And now let's take a quick look at some of the other stories that shaped our week.
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Target
(NYSE: TGT) is making inroads into densely populated metropolitan markets, opening its first store in Manhattan's East Harlem. -
Akamai
(Nasdaq: AKAM) shares took a hit Thursday, after the content-delivery network posted disappointing quarterly results. Revenue and profits on a normalized basis inched higher, but operating cash flow took a hit. -
E*TRADE
(Nasdaq: ETFC) received a credit upgrade from Moody's. Go figure! The discount broker delivers its first quarterly profit in three years, and now everyone wants an autograph. -
Apple
(Nasdaq: AAPL) refreshed its Mac line, going exclusively with AMD(NYSE: AMD) graphics chips. Yes, Apple still makes computers, silly.
Until next week, I remain,
Rick Munarriz