Insight Community

A financial services firm is looking to obtain fresh Insights from alternative research. One of its potential interests is the online video market, and it is looking at Netflix and Apple as possible leaders in this arena. Given this background, Insights that cover strengths/weaknesses/oppportunities/threats (SWOT) are useful, but the Sponsor is also open to alternative forms of analysis that would enhance its existing quantitative assessment of the impact of downloadable video services on Netflix (NFLX) and Apple (AAPL). The Sponsor is particularly interested in gauging the initial growth rates of these competing services over the next year -- and how these services' adoption may impact each other.

A financial services firm is looking to obtain fresh Insights from alternative research. Recently, Apple introduced a new MacBook product, and the MacBook Air has met with some mixed reviews. Will the MacBook Air flop like other Ultra-Mobile PC (UMPC) attempts? Or will the overall mini-laptop market get a second wind? Is the MacBook Air a niche product that appeals to a small number of consumers, or will it actually suit more widespread tastes and fill demand for more portable computing? Please support your assertions on the viability of the MacBook Air with market survey data, historical evidence or reasonable trends.

Now that CES has ended, what lessons from the show are there for Wall Street? What investment opportunities (either long or short) should Wall Street be paying attention to within or related to the consumer electronics space? While a few more obvious names are okay, we're really looking for something beyond the big, obvious names or the big, obvious trends. Think a few levels deep about how the events at CES will come to impact other (perhaps less obvious) markets.

The wireless technology landscape is rapidly changing in the US. Verizon Wireless is opening up and moving to LTE. Google is bidding on spectrum and invading the mobile OS business. Apple has become a massive player in the device space. Sprint is searching for a strategy. There are a lot of big changes happening.

Everyone's talking about how this will impact these big players, but we're interested in how this will filter through down the line from a financial perspective. Which suppliers/vendors/customers/retailers/partners are likely to benefit from these changes and how? We're looking for concrete examples (i.e., Lucent will benefit because everyone will need its equipment or Wal-Mart will benefit because it will be able to squeeze even more margins) with backed up explanations.

When the subprime crunch hit the mortgage industry, there were some who felt that it would be a good thing for tech stocks, as investors would start to park their money in the tech world again. Everyone knew it could still directly impact some firms that had financial exposure, such as the troubles E*Trade is now experiencing. However, it certainly comes as a surprise to many to hear that EchoStar, provider of the DISH Network satellite TV service, is facing increasing churn due to the subprime mess. Since EchoStar often targeted the low end of the market, the feeling is that its customers may be disproportionately hit by foreclosures and subprime-related issues.

This could serve as a proxy for other "hidden" subprime problem tech companies. Are there other publicly traded companies who most people wouldn't normally associate with mortgages who may be impacted by the trouble in the mortgage industry? For each company you name, please describe why you think they're likely to be impacted by the troubles in the mortgage industry.

The markets are turbulent right now, and many are suggesting that there's a rush to tech stocks as other sectors of the market are facing a crunch. At the same time, there are some fears of a new bubble in the tech space. Given that, what tech companies are ripe for a financial beating in the coming year and why?

Widespread rumors suggest that Google has been working on a software package for the "gPhone," which would be built by handset manufacturers, and which can then be sold on a variety of mobile networks. While it's not a direct competitor to the iPhone, there are some serious questions about how this will impact the marketplace. Assuming the rumors are true, how will this impact other players in the space and the overall industry? What will it mean for Nokia, Motorola, Samsung and others -- especially from a financial standpoint? How will it impact Apple? What will it mean for the mobile operators in the US market? Finally, how will it impact Yahoo and Microsoft?

Update: Just want to highlight that this is for a firm looking to understand the financial impact of the gPhone on the market.  That is, the more detail on how it reflects on the bottom line of the types of players listed, the better.  A general description of "it will be big" or "it will force more openness" isn't as useful without the corresponding explanation of how that plays back into the financial picture.  Thanks!