Re: Handhelds G&K Game
Jill,
I'm a bit confused about the range included in your post, however. Qualcomm is definitely selling its handset division, and it's so imminent (Jacobs promised by end of this month) that I'm not sure why they'd be included.
One of goals for setting up the Game is to follow the handhelds G&K development. If the Game were a real money portfolio, one probably would wait until the dust is settled before buying Qualcomm or the new owner of its smart phone unit. But, as I said, one advantage of paper trade is that there's no tax consequences. So the Game will include Qualcomm now to keep track its smart phone business, and adjust accordingly once the Qualcomm sale is finalized.
I was also a bit confused about the definition of handhelds. I assumed PDA type devices, and maybe later very smart phones that start to include more than voice. However, that hybrid does raise the question: when is a phone a handheld?
Good question. But I guess by then there'll be a better name than handheld. If we're still playing the Game then, we'll adopt the new name.
Also, I have to suggest including MSFT's windows device even though it's stumbling...or at least look at it, and what it's attempting to do. Major advertising this season, I see. Probably can't ever catch up to PALM.
This brings up another goal of playing the Game: to beat the market. The Game selects potential G&K companies so it has the best chance to outperform the general stock market. Since Windows CE is stumbling now, it is excluded from the Game selection. But, like other players in handhelds field, it'll be watched. Once it shows sign of growth, the game can then decide to include it. The Game can change its selection to reflect the development of handhelds business.
Also, does one include in handhelds those MP3 type devices, where you download music off the internet? They're very popular, probably more among teens and early 20s, but nonetheless, it's a big market, and increasingly so. I guess it comes back to: how does one define handheld? I see it as a device that fits in your hand, stores data, and can pull data off the computer/internet.
I'm not familiar with the MP3 device business. Maybe it belongs to application part of handhelds. If someone can educate me on this, I'll see how it can fit into the Game.
Thanks, Jill. Hope I've made the Game a little clear for you.
John |
