Author Archives: Scalper1

Amazon Debuts First Live-Streaming TV Show, On Fashion, Beauty

Amazon.com ( AMZN ) is debuting a live television show that focuses on the latest trends in fashion and beauty — and viewers will be able to shop on Amazon.com as they watch. Separately, there are hints that Amazon also has virtual reality video in the works. Named “Style Code Live,” the 30-minute show will debut online Tuesday at 9 P.M. ET and then repeat every day at the same time. The free offering is the first Amazon foray into live television and potentially takes aim at the likes of  CBS ( CBS ), NBC owner  Comcast ( CMCSA ) and ABC owner  Walt Disney ( DIS ). Time Warner ( TWX )-owned HBO offers shows on its streaming platform at the same time as it first airs them on its cable network, but it does not have live streaming offerings at the moment. The new live show adds to Amazon’s growing lineup of original video streaming content that takes aim at leader  Netflix ( NFLX ), which does not currently offer live television streaming. The new live TV show is also part of a broader effort to establish Amazon as a fashion brand, which hasn’t been an Amazon strength. This year, it quietly launched several lines of Amazon brand clothing. The show itself will offer interactive features such as a live chat for viewers and will feature “fashion hacks,” guest experts, celebrities and viewer tips, according to the company’s  press release . Amazon.com stock was up a fraction in afternoon trading on the stock market today . Shares are up 20% since touching a six-month low of 474 in early February. The company has an IBD Composite Rating of 80, where 99 is the highest. Video Virtual Reality Meanwhile, as virtual reality slowly lurches into the mainstream, CEO Jeff Bezos has been quietly growing Amazon’s secretive VR division. Virtual reality and augmented reality blog Upload VR  spotted a job posting for a senior software developer to lead Amazon’s VR team, which some say suggests that Amazon Video might soon include VR options. Competing streaming services such as Netflix and Hulu have already demonstrated interest  in the much-hyped VR business. Despite the interest, Netflix CEO Reed Hastings has  dismissed VR for streaming video , suggesting that it was more practical for video games. The Facebook ( FB ) virtual reality Oculus Rift headset is expected to ship this July. It costs $599 and requires top-notch PC hardware to use.

Apple Making The Perfect Smartphone For Donald Trump

For people with big hands — or who claim to have them, like Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump — Apple ( AAPL ) is working on a 5.8-inch smartphone. It’s “yuge,” as Trump would say. The Motley Fool and other news websites, citing a prepublication note from Taiwan-based tech publication DigiTimes, said that Apple plans to launch the 5.8-inch iPhone as early as next year, but more likely 2018. Apple currently sells iPhones in screen sizes of 4, 4.7 and 5.5 inches. The largest model is designated as Plus, with the iPhone 6S Plus being the latest handset in that class. The jumbo-screen iPhone would use an AMOLED (active-matrix organic light-emitting diode) display, which allows for thinner, more power-efficient displays than current LCD screens. AMOLED screens also boast more vivid colors, deeper blacks, better contrast and higher color saturation. Possible suppliers of the AMOLED screen include Samsung Display, LG Display ( LPL ) and Japan Display, DigiTimes said. If Apple launches the AMOLED screen smartphone in 2018, it would likely be called the iPhone 8, given the company’s naming pattern. Apple’s use of AMOLED displays would benefit Coherent ( COHR ), a maker of laser systems used in the manufacturing of technology including flat-panel displays, says Stifel Nicolaus analyst Patrick Newton. On Tuesday, Newton reiterated his buy rating on Coherent and raised his price target to 100 from 82 on the expected rise in demand for organic light-emitting diode, or OLED, displays in smartphones and other devices, Barron’s reported . Another likely beneficiary of Apple’s use of AMOLED displays would be Universal Display ( OLED ), which develops OLED technology. No word on what the 5.8-inch iPhone would be called. But to interest Trump — who defended the size of his hands on the campaign trail after taking a jab on that, of all topics, from rival candidate Marco Rubio — the new monster iPhone might have to come in gold. RELATED: Apple iPhone Demand ‘Soft’; Stock Gets Price Target Cut Apple Working On Dual-Camera iPhone 7 Plus Smartphone: Analyst .  

Facebook, Alphabet To Benefit As Digital Ads Overtake TV In 2017

EMarketer expects 2017 to be a watershed year for U.S. digital ad spending. The research firm says that in that year, digital will overtake spending on TV ads for the first time. Digital ad leaders Facebook ( FB ), Alphabet ( GOOGL ) subsidiary Google and Yahoo ( YHOO ) are poised to benefit. In 2016, total digital ad spending is expected to reach 35.8% of all U.S. ad spending, trailing TV ad spending’s 36.8% share, eMarketer said. But next year, digital ad spending will rise to 38.4% of total U.S. ad spending, some $77.37 billion, while TV ad spending will comprise 35.8% of total media ad spending, or $72.01 billion, says eMarketer. “We still expect positive growth for TV ad spend, driven by political advertising and the summer Olympics,” said eMarketer senior forecasting analyst Martin Utreras. “However, we see more ad dollars flowing to digital as a way of optimizing spending in what may be a challenging economic year.” Mobile is continuing to drive growth within overall digital ad spending. Mobile ad spending in the U.S. will rise 38% this year to $43.6 billion, according to the eMarketer report. Mobile will represent 63.4% of total digital ad spending in the U.S. this year, it says. “As consumers continue to increase engagement with mobile devices for daily activities and content consumption, marketers will further integrate all marketing activities — including advertising — to the mobile category,” said Utreras. Video will also gain, with spending on digital video advertising expected to rise 19% to $11.72 billion in 2017 and another 14%, to $13.39 billion, in 2018, eMarketer said. This year, market leader Google is expected to win 38.7% of all digital ad spending in the U.S., eMarketer said. Facebook will come in at No. 2 with a 15% share, while Microsoft ( MSFT ) will control 3.8% of the market. Yahoo will have 3.4% of digital ad spending this year, while Twitter ( TWTR ) will hold 2.4%, according to eMarketer. Among ad buyers committed to start buying advertising on social media sites, eMarketer said that 22% will begin advertising on Snapchat for the first time this year. eMarketer added that 12% planned to start advertising on Pinterest or Facebook’s Instagram, while 10% of respondents planned to begin advertising on Yahoo-owned Tumblr. In January, investment bank Cowen & Co. said that it expects U.S. digital advertising to overtake spending on TV advertising in 2016, a full year ahead of its prior forecast. It based its forecast on its survey of 50 senior U.S. ad buyers. Image provided by Shutterstock .