Online retailer Overstock.com said today it has been ranked #1 for employee satisfaction in a Glassdoor.com survey commissioned by Forbes.
The company received high ratings for its fun, relaxed work culture. CEO and Chairman Patrick M. Byrne earned a 92% employee approval rating, the highest of any retailer on this list.
"This ranking is a very nice recognition for our company culture," said Overstock.com President Jonathan Johnson.
"We focus on making Overstock.com a place that our employees look forward to coming to each day. Our motto is 'We save people money,' and we have a lot of fun doing it. It is great working at a place where people put aside office politics and just get the job done. This award is a reflection of how Patrick cultivates the Overstock.com culture from the top down."
Glassdoor.com compiled a list of the "Best Retailers to Work For" for Forbes. The survey ranked employers based on criteria such as "career opportunities," "communication," "compensation & benefits" and "employee morale." Collected from current and employee feedback since June 2008, the study ranked brands that had at least 20 reviews or more over the last 30 months.
When Eldar’s bombshell about Microsoft Nokia Windows Phone talks came online, at about 4AM here, I was about to go to sleep.Well, after reading his op-ed all the sleep was gone.
Still shaking my head and almost refusing to believe this was happening, I went on and shared it here on UV. In a rather emotional way
Now that I had some time to sleep on it and ponder what might be happening if these news about Nokia Microsoft alliance are true, I think it might not be as bad as it seemed at first glance.
So here are some random thoughts about this possible Microsoft/Nokia Windows Phone 7 deal, in no particular order.
- It’s not a short term project. Even if Windows Phone OS is much easier to port to the phone hardware then Symbian or Android, it takes some time. A smartphone is not a PC , and you can’t just slap a ready made OS on a standard component hardware and expect it to run out of the box. It will be at least 6 months after the deal is struck for the first Nokia Windows Phone 7 device to ship. And having spent 6 months of company time, a significant amount of money and resources getting new hardware to run the new Windows Phone 7 platform, Nokia will not stop making WP7 devices soon. Unless they completely fail in the market. Which is unlikely – in it’s first iteration, Windows Phone 7 is a really good OS already, and by the time the first Nokia WP7 device ships, technically WP7 will be more or less on par with competing Android and iOS platforms. So we are looking at a full line of Nokia WP7 devices in the next few years.
- Unless Nokia completely outsources the whole WP7 smartphone line to some ODM, and only provides minor tweaks, Nokia name and it’s distribution channels for the device. Which is a possibility – Nokia already tried exactly this approach with Microsoft Windows 7 on Booklet 3G. But that was testing a completely new, pretty hot market on the cheap with non-core product. The probability that Nokia will take the same approach for it’s core smartphone offering is pretty low for now. Though I must admit, just yesterday I considered the whole Nokia WP7 device idea simply ridiculous. So you never know what might happen
- Nokia/WP7 device is not a strategic project for Nokia. It’s a tactical approach, solving Nokia’s immediate problems, most likely – the access to the U.S. market. With Windows Phone 7 devices and Microsoft backing, Nokia may finally get a foothold with the main U.S. carriers. And, with WP7 smartphones Nokia can start rebuilding it’s brand in the lucrative high-end U.S. smartphone market, where it was completely obliterated these last few years. Then, building on the success of Nokia WP7 devices, Nokia can start pushing their main Meego and Symbian offerings, when/if they are finally able to make them competitive to high end Android and iOS devices.
- Nokia OVI services. Not sure how feasible it is for OVI to be ported to WP7 before the launch of first Nokia device, but if the cooperation is successful and continues, I think Microsoft and Nokia can find synergies here. App store will most likely stay with Microsoft, but OVI mail is already outsourced to Yahoo and with the dire straights Yahoo is currently in, migrating OVI mail to Hotmail platform may actually be a good idea. Bing Maps is currently the weakest part of Windows Phone 7, while OVI maps in many ways except local search is still superior to Google Maps. Allowing Nokia to take over maps&navigation will allow Microsoft concentrate on a much more strategic search&local stuff. Then there’s the whole possibility of porting Nokia’s QT to Windows Phone OS, which opens a bunch of new opportunities for them.
- If Nokia Windows Phone 7 deal happens, Microsoft is a big winner here, gaining a new huge distribution channel for it’s new OS, that is not available to it’s main competitors – Android and iOS. I know that Microsoft is very strict and limiting on what it allows OEM’s to do with it’s WP7 OS. But getting the worlds #1 smartphone vendor on-board, might be enough of an enticement for Microsoft to relax it’s OEM requirements and allow Nokia’s WP7 devices to stand out from the crowd.
- Nokia is definitely having big problems with developing it’s core Symbian/Meego/QT software platforms. Buggy software, huge delays, restructurings, layoffs, etc; are probably only the surface things that we are able to see. But I do not think that these problems are the main reason for the rumored deal. As I said before – I don’t expect first Nokia WP7 device to ship before late summer or fall. And it’s really hard to believe that Nokia will not have it’s first Meego device and significantly updated Symbian devices shipping by then.
- Looks like Stephen Elop is really in charge at Nokia. When he took over as CEO, many observers wondered whether he will be able to accomplish much. With unique Finnish Culture, consensus based decision making, entrenched bureaucracies and power groups with direct ties to a largely Finnish board, Nokia is indeed very hard to turn around even for a person in CEO position. There were some signs that the new CEO is already strongly in charge when Nokia announced it’s new streamlined “All QT”strategy. At that reorg one power group that was pushing the next generation Orbit UI Framework and hampering the progress of QT was slapped down hard, and Orbit cancelled, most likely at the insistence of the new management. Now, if Microsoft Nokia deal happens – we won’t have to wonder anymore. It’s such a radical departure from previous Nokia path, it will be obvious that at least for next year or two, Elop has strong support of the board and the power to remake the company as he deems necessary.
Well, now that I had time to think about it and process my first impressions and knee jerk reaction, I’m starting to actually like this new Nokia/Microsoft development. Of course, the devil will be in the execution and they can always screw that up. It’s Nokia after all.
Still, things might be finally changing for the best under the new regime. I hope they really do
robert shumake detroit
Nike Air Max LeBron Soldier V – Upcoming Colorways | SneakerNews.com
Continue reading for a complete look at the upcoming colorways of the Air Max LeBron Soldier V and stick with Sneaker News for more updated information on all Nike LeBron shoes. via CK. Nike Air Max LeBron Soldier V – Upcoming Colorways ...
CNN's John Roberts Joining Fox <b>News</b> | John Roberts | Mediaite
CNN's John Roberts is expected to join FOX News Channel as a senior national correspondent based in Atlanta and will be reporting on major domestic and international stories for the network. Roberts came up the ranks of CBS News, ...
Opinion: Can Oprah Help Restore Civility? - AOL <b>News</b>
Oprah began her new cable television network -- OWN -- at noon on New Year's Day, a network dedicated to the total and complete absence of mean-spiritedness.
robert shumake detroit
Nike Air Max LeBron Soldier V – Upcoming Colorways | SneakerNews.com
Continue reading for a complete look at the upcoming colorways of the Air Max LeBron Soldier V and stick with Sneaker News for more updated information on all Nike LeBron shoes. via CK. Nike Air Max LeBron Soldier V – Upcoming Colorways ...
CNN's John Roberts Joining Fox <b>News</b> | John Roberts | Mediaite
CNN's John Roberts is expected to join FOX News Channel as a senior national correspondent based in Atlanta and will be reporting on major domestic and international stories for the network. Roberts came up the ranks of CBS News, ...
Opinion: Can Oprah Help Restore Civility? - AOL <b>News</b>
Oprah began her new cable television network -- OWN -- at noon on New Year's Day, a network dedicated to the total and complete absence of mean-spiritedness.
robert shumake
Online retailer Overstock.com said today it has been ranked #1 for employee satisfaction in a Glassdoor.com survey commissioned by Forbes.
The company received high ratings for its fun, relaxed work culture. CEO and Chairman Patrick M. Byrne earned a 92% employee approval rating, the highest of any retailer on this list.
"This ranking is a very nice recognition for our company culture," said Overstock.com President Jonathan Johnson.
"We focus on making Overstock.com a place that our employees look forward to coming to each day. Our motto is 'We save people money,' and we have a lot of fun doing it. It is great working at a place where people put aside office politics and just get the job done. This award is a reflection of how Patrick cultivates the Overstock.com culture from the top down."
Glassdoor.com compiled a list of the "Best Retailers to Work For" for Forbes. The survey ranked employers based on criteria such as "career opportunities," "communication," "compensation & benefits" and "employee morale." Collected from current and employee feedback since June 2008, the study ranked brands that had at least 20 reviews or more over the last 30 months.
When Eldar’s bombshell about Microsoft Nokia Windows Phone talks came online, at about 4AM here, I was about to go to sleep.Well, after reading his op-ed all the sleep was gone.
Still shaking my head and almost refusing to believe this was happening, I went on and shared it here on UV. In a rather emotional way
Now that I had some time to sleep on it and ponder what might be happening if these news about Nokia Microsoft alliance are true, I think it might not be as bad as it seemed at first glance.
So here are some random thoughts about this possible Microsoft/Nokia Windows Phone 7 deal, in no particular order.
- It’s not a short term project. Even if Windows Phone OS is much easier to port to the phone hardware then Symbian or Android, it takes some time. A smartphone is not a PC , and you can’t just slap a ready made OS on a standard component hardware and expect it to run out of the box. It will be at least 6 months after the deal is struck for the first Nokia Windows Phone 7 device to ship. And having spent 6 months of company time, a significant amount of money and resources getting new hardware to run the new Windows Phone 7 platform, Nokia will not stop making WP7 devices soon. Unless they completely fail in the market. Which is unlikely – in it’s first iteration, Windows Phone 7 is a really good OS already, and by the time the first Nokia WP7 device ships, technically WP7 will be more or less on par with competing Android and iOS platforms. So we are looking at a full line of Nokia WP7 devices in the next few years.
- Unless Nokia completely outsources the whole WP7 smartphone line to some ODM, and only provides minor tweaks, Nokia name and it’s distribution channels for the device. Which is a possibility – Nokia already tried exactly this approach with Microsoft Windows 7 on Booklet 3G. But that was testing a completely new, pretty hot market on the cheap with non-core product. The probability that Nokia will take the same approach for it’s core smartphone offering is pretty low for now. Though I must admit, just yesterday I considered the whole Nokia WP7 device idea simply ridiculous. So you never know what might happen
- Nokia/WP7 device is not a strategic project for Nokia. It’s a tactical approach, solving Nokia’s immediate problems, most likely – the access to the U.S. market. With Windows Phone 7 devices and Microsoft backing, Nokia may finally get a foothold with the main U.S. carriers. And, with WP7 smartphones Nokia can start rebuilding it’s brand in the lucrative high-end U.S. smartphone market, where it was completely obliterated these last few years. Then, building on the success of Nokia WP7 devices, Nokia can start pushing their main Meego and Symbian offerings, when/if they are finally able to make them competitive to high end Android and iOS devices.
- Nokia OVI services. Not sure how feasible it is for OVI to be ported to WP7 before the launch of first Nokia device, but if the cooperation is successful and continues, I think Microsoft and Nokia can find synergies here. App store will most likely stay with Microsoft, but OVI mail is already outsourced to Yahoo and with the dire straights Yahoo is currently in, migrating OVI mail to Hotmail platform may actually be a good idea. Bing Maps is currently the weakest part of Windows Phone 7, while OVI maps in many ways except local search is still superior to Google Maps. Allowing Nokia to take over maps&navigation will allow Microsoft concentrate on a much more strategic search&local stuff. Then there’s the whole possibility of porting Nokia’s QT to Windows Phone OS, which opens a bunch of new opportunities for them.
- If Nokia Windows Phone 7 deal happens, Microsoft is a big winner here, gaining a new huge distribution channel for it’s new OS, that is not available to it’s main competitors – Android and iOS. I know that Microsoft is very strict and limiting on what it allows OEM’s to do with it’s WP7 OS. But getting the worlds #1 smartphone vendor on-board, might be enough of an enticement for Microsoft to relax it’s OEM requirements and allow Nokia’s WP7 devices to stand out from the crowd.
- Nokia is definitely having big problems with developing it’s core Symbian/Meego/QT software platforms. Buggy software, huge delays, restructurings, layoffs, etc; are probably only the surface things that we are able to see. But I do not think that these problems are the main reason for the rumored deal. As I said before – I don’t expect first Nokia WP7 device to ship before late summer or fall. And it’s really hard to believe that Nokia will not have it’s first Meego device and significantly updated Symbian devices shipping by then.
- Looks like Stephen Elop is really in charge at Nokia. When he took over as CEO, many observers wondered whether he will be able to accomplish much. With unique Finnish Culture, consensus based decision making, entrenched bureaucracies and power groups with direct ties to a largely Finnish board, Nokia is indeed very hard to turn around even for a person in CEO position. There were some signs that the new CEO is already strongly in charge when Nokia announced it’s new streamlined “All QT”strategy. At that reorg one power group that was pushing the next generation Orbit UI Framework and hampering the progress of QT was slapped down hard, and Orbit cancelled, most likely at the insistence of the new management. Now, if Microsoft Nokia deal happens – we won’t have to wonder anymore. It’s such a radical departure from previous Nokia path, it will be obvious that at least for next year or two, Elop has strong support of the board and the power to remake the company as he deems necessary.
Well, now that I had time to think about it and process my first impressions and knee jerk reaction, I’m starting to actually like this new Nokia/Microsoft development. Of course, the devil will be in the execution and they can always screw that up. It’s Nokia after all.
Still, things might be finally changing for the best under the new regime. I hope they really do
robert shumake detroit
robert shumake
Nike Air Max LeBron Soldier V – Upcoming Colorways | SneakerNews.com
Continue reading for a complete look at the upcoming colorways of the Air Max LeBron Soldier V and stick with Sneaker News for more updated information on all Nike LeBron shoes. via CK. Nike Air Max LeBron Soldier V – Upcoming Colorways ...
CNN's John Roberts Joining Fox <b>News</b> | John Roberts | Mediaite
CNN's John Roberts is expected to join FOX News Channel as a senior national correspondent based in Atlanta and will be reporting on major domestic and international stories for the network. Roberts came up the ranks of CBS News, ...
Opinion: Can Oprah Help Restore Civility? - AOL <b>News</b>
Oprah began her new cable television network -- OWN -- at noon on New Year's Day, a network dedicated to the total and complete absence of mean-spiritedness.
robert shumake
Nike Air Max LeBron Soldier V – Upcoming Colorways | SneakerNews.com
Continue reading for a complete look at the upcoming colorways of the Air Max LeBron Soldier V and stick with Sneaker News for more updated information on all Nike LeBron shoes. via CK. Nike Air Max LeBron Soldier V – Upcoming Colorways ...
CNN's John Roberts Joining Fox <b>News</b> | John Roberts | Mediaite
CNN's John Roberts is expected to join FOX News Channel as a senior national correspondent based in Atlanta and will be reporting on major domestic and international stories for the network. Roberts came up the ranks of CBS News, ...
Opinion: Can Oprah Help Restore Civility? - AOL <b>News</b>
Oprah began her new cable television network -- OWN -- at noon on New Year's Day, a network dedicated to the total and complete absence of mean-spiritedness.
robert shumake detroit
So many people want to work online from the comfort of their home but the scammers keep getting richer and we keep getting poorer trying to avoid the landmines and traps of the Internet.
But, I've done a lot of research on this subject from the online paid surveys, to mystery shopping to trying to see if there's a real website you can just hook up with to generate some real cash and the answer is - nope. No matter what you want to do nothing is going to be easier. There just is no easy money online!
With that in mind, if you did or are planning to join any online money making website try to understand it might not have been a mistake and you might still be able to salvage something from your money and your time. The likelihood is slim, but you'll just have to follow their instructions and work like a madman to make it work. ( I would just cut the tie and invest the time in myself!)
Here's the biggest thing I've noticed about online money making websites which say they are online business opportunities - first, they are usually in the same format where there's a real long page with a lot of ridiculous touting of - you have to trust me - because if you don't trust me, it will never work. And no - I don't trust you. The other thing is they keep saying it's all free, blah, blah, blah or for a limited time only they are offering something at a ridiculously low price just to make sure the program falls into the right hands. At the end, it's the same credit card info and then they charge you. There's always a charge and that stinks especially after saying it's free with nothing out of pocket. A penny is out of pocket even if it is just one cent!
Here's the bottom line - the truth is you are the one who has to put together a money making website and with some tweaks, a little elbow grease and a shove in the right direction, there are a few legitimate places you can go for help.
My real boost came when I went to the The Keywords Academy site which gave me some valuable tools. I knew I would have to write articles. That's just a given and if you don't get that through your head now, you're done. No need to read the rest of this article.
Stop! Before we move on - I want to tell you why those "money making websites" and "online business opportunities" don't work. They market to so many people who will fail because of no follow through the only person making money is the site owner who makes the initial fee and moves to the next sucker. The other reason they don't work is because so many people have saturated the market with the same exact products it's just ridiculous. EBay is a perfect example of a saturated market for people who are "resellers" of the same old thing. They join a website, think they've got great products for drop shipping to customers only to find out some other pathetic loser lowered the prices, raised the shipping and now they can't compete at all.
Drop shipping businesses are not a good investment at all if they are a pre-set model. Just like Pre-Paid Legal Services, Amway and other money making ideas, there are just too many people trying to do the same thing.
With that being said, it is possible to use the model of some successful business and plug in your own twist. For example - there are literally millions of blogs and websites geared towards any one subject at any given time. The difference for some is their ability to get to the top and get noticed. They get the traffic which turns into cash.
If you understand how to get to the top with your own interest - you're very own interest - not your brother's or your friend's interest - you're very own - then you can make money for real. Back to the subject -
That's what The Keyword Academy did for me. First of all, they didn't ask me for money upfront. They didn't even lie to me and tell me - Hey - there's no money out of your pocket to us - you just have to pay $9.95 for shipping or whatever else they try to say to you. They really didn't have any upfront money costs. I could read what I wanted, see if it worked a little and then if I liked what I see, I could join their group. And I say group, because it's not really a site. It's a learning group with personal ability to tweak your own site according to personalized help. That's what I appreciated - the personalization and ability to ask real questions and get immediate answers (they promise within 24 hours or so, but the answers were faster.)
Next, they were realistic with what they said. They said it won't be overnight and nothing's easy, but they did give me the direction and tools to make my site useful and tailor it to the needs of my readers.
The point is - if you want any real money making websites, you need to build them yourself and take control of your own destiny and your income.
But - for those of you who think you're going to get rich fast by filling out online surveys and opinion polls, let me tell you - a penny for reading an email is great if you don't have anything else to do, but how many emails do you have to read to supplement your $1200 a month income ( and that's low, but hey - a lot of people make less than that!)
Do those calculations and it's a ton of emails to read with little return.
The best way I've found to actually take control of my own destiny and use any real online business opportunities is to write articles which I post on Associated Content and on my own site. Then post those links in Best Reviewer, Ezine Articles and other sites which could potentially earn money. I like Associated Content the best because it gives me money every day and as long as the Internet is alive and well, I will always make money.
I figure for a regular income, a person needs to have about 600 articles posted to the site with excellent content which can withstand the test of time and that will give you a good living. That would take about 2 years or so if you're dedicated. And so what if it does? It's a lot faster to put one article per day posted to the site than none at all and procrastinate.
I don't have that many articles online right now, but I can sure tell you the difference between this year and last year is significant as far as the volume of readers I have. I've got the statistics daily for each of my articles, all the sites they are posted on and I can monitor which subjects make more money. I write about things that are particularly interesting to myself and to those I think need the help.
The other tool I really like at The Keywords Academy which is their very own tool and more than any other reason for joining their "club" is the NicheRefinery tool they have. This tool saves me so much time I can't even begin to tell you how many hours I would have to spend just looking up effective keywords for my sites and articles. With this tool alone, it makes everything I do worth being a member of the site.
Here's how I use it - I get a thought in my head and then I want to look up Google Keywords through the AdWords site. So I get a whole bunch of keywords in about 10 minutes or so and I load them into the NicheRefinery tool. Then in a while (sometimes a couple days depending on the amount of words and the site load) it spits out a report on how much money that keyword is worth to me. Then, I can write articles which will attract attention picking up traffic to my articles and my site which in turn, make money online without having to redo the same thing over and over again.
Traffic + Keywords = $$ and that's a fact Jack!
Let's go back to joining some of these online business opportunities. Do you know how hard some of those folks work just to get traffic to their sites? The top guys are the ones who are usually real go getters and they recruit, recruit, recruit to get other people to work for them, but they are so used to working, they keep recruiting, recruiting, recruiting. They generate cash for a while, but the top people are the ones making all the money. It's just an MLM without saying it's an MLM.
So - my advice is to build your own little money making niche and work for yourself.
Just for your reference, there are also no "free money making websites" unless you count the free classifieds like Craigslist. That is the real true site for listing things and getting them sold. Another similar site is BackPage.com. They also have categories just like Craigslist.
The Craigslist money machine is one I've used several times. In fact, when I bought a storage unit, I used it to get rid of some items which made the expense of buying the stuff - free. Now that's a good deal!
Now, if you're looking for money making websites for sale - there are several sites which sell prebuilt websites which are real money making websites. Deal-A-Site.com, SecondWindMarketplace.com and Flippa.com are all sites where people buy, sell and auction their money making websites. They tell you how much money per month these site bring in and you can also look to see what sites just sold for. This will give you some idea of what your site might be worth should you choose to build one instead of buy a money making website.
No matter which way you decide to go with your sites, you'll just need to remember fresh content with good information with links that really work are the best way to make sure your online business opportunities are created by you and keep generating a nice income for you and your family.
April LaJune is the author AprilPedia.com a website which discusses money making ideas, best ways to save money and working from home as well as jobs and job scams.
robert shumake
Nike Air Max LeBron Soldier V – Upcoming Colorways | SneakerNews.com
Continue reading for a complete look at the upcoming colorways of the Air Max LeBron Soldier V and stick with Sneaker News for more updated information on all Nike LeBron shoes. via CK. Nike Air Max LeBron Soldier V – Upcoming Colorways ...
CNN's John Roberts Joining Fox <b>News</b> | John Roberts | Mediaite
CNN's John Roberts is expected to join FOX News Channel as a senior national correspondent based in Atlanta and will be reporting on major domestic and international stories for the network. Roberts came up the ranks of CBS News, ...
Opinion: Can Oprah Help Restore Civility? - AOL <b>News</b>
Oprah began her new cable television network -- OWN -- at noon on New Year's Day, a network dedicated to the total and complete absence of mean-spiritedness.
robert shumake
robert shumake detroit
Online retailer Overstock.com said today it has been ranked #1 for employee satisfaction in a Glassdoor.com survey commissioned by Forbes.
The company received high ratings for its fun, relaxed work culture. CEO and Chairman Patrick M. Byrne earned a 92% employee approval rating, the highest of any retailer on this list.
"This ranking is a very nice recognition for our company culture," said Overstock.com President Jonathan Johnson.
"We focus on making Overstock.com a place that our employees look forward to coming to each day. Our motto is 'We save people money,' and we have a lot of fun doing it. It is great working at a place where people put aside office politics and just get the job done. This award is a reflection of how Patrick cultivates the Overstock.com culture from the top down."
Glassdoor.com compiled a list of the "Best Retailers to Work For" for Forbes. The survey ranked employers based on criteria such as "career opportunities," "communication," "compensation & benefits" and "employee morale." Collected from current and employee feedback since June 2008, the study ranked brands that had at least 20 reviews or more over the last 30 months.
When Eldar’s bombshell about Microsoft Nokia Windows Phone talks came online, at about 4AM here, I was about to go to sleep.Well, after reading his op-ed all the sleep was gone.
Still shaking my head and almost refusing to believe this was happening, I went on and shared it here on UV. In a rather emotional way
Now that I had some time to sleep on it and ponder what might be happening if these news about Nokia Microsoft alliance are true, I think it might not be as bad as it seemed at first glance.
So here are some random thoughts about this possible Microsoft/Nokia Windows Phone 7 deal, in no particular order.
- It’s not a short term project. Even if Windows Phone OS is much easier to port to the phone hardware then Symbian or Android, it takes some time. A smartphone is not a PC , and you can’t just slap a ready made OS on a standard component hardware and expect it to run out of the box. It will be at least 6 months after the deal is struck for the first Nokia Windows Phone 7 device to ship. And having spent 6 months of company time, a significant amount of money and resources getting new hardware to run the new Windows Phone 7 platform, Nokia will not stop making WP7 devices soon. Unless they completely fail in the market. Which is unlikely – in it’s first iteration, Windows Phone 7 is a really good OS already, and by the time the first Nokia WP7 device ships, technically WP7 will be more or less on par with competing Android and iOS platforms. So we are looking at a full line of Nokia WP7 devices in the next few years.
- Unless Nokia completely outsources the whole WP7 smartphone line to some ODM, and only provides minor tweaks, Nokia name and it’s distribution channels for the device. Which is a possibility – Nokia already tried exactly this approach with Microsoft Windows 7 on Booklet 3G. But that was testing a completely new, pretty hot market on the cheap with non-core product. The probability that Nokia will take the same approach for it’s core smartphone offering is pretty low for now. Though I must admit, just yesterday I considered the whole Nokia WP7 device idea simply ridiculous. So you never know what might happen
- Nokia/WP7 device is not a strategic project for Nokia. It’s a tactical approach, solving Nokia’s immediate problems, most likely – the access to the U.S. market. With Windows Phone 7 devices and Microsoft backing, Nokia may finally get a foothold with the main U.S. carriers. And, with WP7 smartphones Nokia can start rebuilding it’s brand in the lucrative high-end U.S. smartphone market, where it was completely obliterated these last few years. Then, building on the success of Nokia WP7 devices, Nokia can start pushing their main Meego and Symbian offerings, when/if they are finally able to make them competitive to high end Android and iOS devices.
- Nokia OVI services. Not sure how feasible it is for OVI to be ported to WP7 before the launch of first Nokia device, but if the cooperation is successful and continues, I think Microsoft and Nokia can find synergies here. App store will most likely stay with Microsoft, but OVI mail is already outsourced to Yahoo and with the dire straights Yahoo is currently in, migrating OVI mail to Hotmail platform may actually be a good idea. Bing Maps is currently the weakest part of Windows Phone 7, while OVI maps in many ways except local search is still superior to Google Maps. Allowing Nokia to take over maps&navigation will allow Microsoft concentrate on a much more strategic search&local stuff. Then there’s the whole possibility of porting Nokia’s QT to Windows Phone OS, which opens a bunch of new opportunities for them.
- If Nokia Windows Phone 7 deal happens, Microsoft is a big winner here, gaining a new huge distribution channel for it’s new OS, that is not available to it’s main competitors – Android and iOS. I know that Microsoft is very strict and limiting on what it allows OEM’s to do with it’s WP7 OS. But getting the worlds #1 smartphone vendor on-board, might be enough of an enticement for Microsoft to relax it’s OEM requirements and allow Nokia’s WP7 devices to stand out from the crowd.
- Nokia is definitely having big problems with developing it’s core Symbian/Meego/QT software platforms. Buggy software, huge delays, restructurings, layoffs, etc; are probably only the surface things that we are able to see. But I do not think that these problems are the main reason for the rumored deal. As I said before – I don’t expect first Nokia WP7 device to ship before late summer or fall. And it’s really hard to believe that Nokia will not have it’s first Meego device and significantly updated Symbian devices shipping by then.
- Looks like Stephen Elop is really in charge at Nokia. When he took over as CEO, many observers wondered whether he will be able to accomplish much. With unique Finnish Culture, consensus based decision making, entrenched bureaucracies and power groups with direct ties to a largely Finnish board, Nokia is indeed very hard to turn around even for a person in CEO position. There were some signs that the new CEO is already strongly in charge when Nokia announced it’s new streamlined “All QT”strategy. At that reorg one power group that was pushing the next generation Orbit UI Framework and hampering the progress of QT was slapped down hard, and Orbit cancelled, most likely at the insistence of the new management. Now, if Microsoft Nokia deal happens – we won’t have to wonder anymore. It’s such a radical departure from previous Nokia path, it will be obvious that at least for next year or two, Elop has strong support of the board and the power to remake the company as he deems necessary.
Well, now that I had time to think about it and process my first impressions and knee jerk reaction, I’m starting to actually like this new Nokia/Microsoft development. Of course, the devil will be in the execution and they can always screw that up. It’s Nokia after all.
Still, things might be finally changing for the best under the new regime. I hope they really do
robert shumake detroit
Nike Air Max LeBron Soldier V – Upcoming Colorways | SneakerNews.com
Continue reading for a complete look at the upcoming colorways of the Air Max LeBron Soldier V and stick with Sneaker News for more updated information on all Nike LeBron shoes. via CK. Nike Air Max LeBron Soldier V – Upcoming Colorways ...
CNN's John Roberts Joining Fox <b>News</b> | John Roberts | Mediaite
CNN's John Roberts is expected to join FOX News Channel as a senior national correspondent based in Atlanta and will be reporting on major domestic and international stories for the network. Roberts came up the ranks of CBS News, ...
Opinion: Can Oprah Help Restore Civility? - AOL <b>News</b>
Oprah began her new cable television network -- OWN -- at noon on New Year's Day, a network dedicated to the total and complete absence of mean-spiritedness.
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