If you're feeling good about the market, you're not alone. Take my hand as we go over some of this week's more uplifting headlines.
1. Saluting the General, again
General Motors
Last week I applauded the automaker for teaming up with RelayRides to make the peer-to-peer carsharing service easier for GM vehicle owners to use with its OnStar system.
Now GM is catching up to its competitors when it comes to infotainment. The auto giant's Cadillac line unveiled CUE -- short for Cadillac User Experience -- this week, fueled by an eight-inch multi-touch screen that provides smartphone owners with satellite weather reports, 3-D mapping, and seamless access to Pandora
Oh, it also raises the bar by doubling as an actual Internet browser.
CUE will roll out in select Caddy models starting next year. Make sure you keep your eyes on the road while you check those fantasy football scores.
2. Leading the charge
GM isn't just tweaking dashboard entertainment systems. The bailed-out automaker is also innovating under the hood.
Shares of A123 Systems
3. Big numbers for Big G
Google
Adjusted earnings climbed 27% to $9.72 a share, as revenue before traffic acquisition costs soared 37% to $7.51 billion. Wall Street was only banking on a profit of $8.74 a share on $7.21 billion in revenue.
Everything seems to be going right at Google, as paid clicks rose 28% with advertisers willing to pay 5% more per lead. Even social networking -- something that Google has fumbled in the past -- is working at Big G. Google+ has only been live for a couple of months, but it's already up to 40 million registered users.
4. The Qwikster and the dead
After three weeks of public ridicule and subscriber rants, Netflix
The move to separate its DVD and streaming services was never popular with subscribers, and understandably so. Netflix still has more atoning to do before couch potatoes trust CEO Reed Hastings again. However, this was at least one step in the right direction.
Another step in the atonement process is to beef up its streaming service, making something that was included at no additional cost to DVD subscribers until last month worth paying for. Signing an exclusive streaming deal with The CW yesterday was a good move in that direction.
5. It's Comcastic!
Multiplex owners finally knocked some sense into Comcast
Several theater chains threatened to boycott the Eddie Murphy flick if Comcast stuck to its plan, and the cable giant blinked. Comcast will no longer test these super-premium rentals next month.
It was a bad idea from the start. It took a boycott threat -- and not sound business sense -- to lead Comcast into doing the right thing, but the world isn't ready for $60 video rentals just weeks into a theatrical run.
If you want to see if these companies continue to do the smart thing, track them through My Watchlist.
- Add Netflix to My Watchlist.
- Add Google to My Watchlist.
- Add General Motors to My Watchlist.
- Add Comcast to My Watchlist.
- Add A123 Systems to My Watchlist.