Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Strategies & Market Trends : Rande Is . . . HOME -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: ALTERN8 who wrote (18433)	1/11/2000 12:15:00 PM
From: Rande Is	Read Replies (3) \| Respond to of 57584

Altern8, LQID should have cut more deals with major record companies. They have had every opportunity. They had a 2 1/2 year lead on their competition at one point. . .but did not capitalize on it. Now, they have perhaps just a years lead in their watermarked/encoded technology. And since RNWKs signed a deal with Seagrams UMG music, they hold all the marbles. UMG [Universal Music Group owned by Seagrams NYSE:VO] is by far the largest record company in the world. Sony pales by comparison. It is the A.T. & T. of the music industry. As UMG goes, so goes the record industry. So that deal that Real Networks signed last week put the nails into LQID's coffin. I love LQID. . .I like their products. . .their website. . their technology. . .and most everything I know about the company. . .including the many executives I have met there. But I am a stock trader and have VERY strict rules about stocks and marriage. You never do it. Marry a stock and you go down with the ship. So I had to finally decide that enough was enough. . .and that LQID has slowly been turning itself into a "me too" company. That is not what a leader does. They just released their Walkman type personal music player made by none other than Sony. . . yet the stock sold off. That was a last gasp, in my opinion.. . for attention and to show the world that they were serious. But it SHOULD have been sold for Christmas. . and it didn't. That bothered me. Diamond's Rio and second generation Rio's with copy protection and encoding technology were selling like hotcakes this Christmas. . then after the first of the year Liquid announces their "me too" product. I like Liquid Audio at this point, due to their embracing of Independent record labels. . .which is a growing segment that is taking an ever larger portion of market share. But that also makes Liquid a second fiddle player. Their Liquid Video has likewise taken too long to get any support from the industry. . . .while Real Audio and Real Video. . . inferior as they are to Liquid's formats. . .gets the deals cut. So at this point, I still like LQID as a takeover target. . and perhaps LDIG would still be interested. . . HOWEVER, I am not one to play takeover targets in this market. . . .when the premiums are less than the percentage than your average volatile stock will trade up on a single day. . . there is just no advantage in playing takeovers. . . the markets are just too hot. As for HEAR. . . all lights are green and they keep signing deals. . .have next to zero competition. . .and have Yahoo under their belts. Imagine when a salesmen comes calling. .. "who have you done before?" says the prospect. "Yahoo", replies the HEAR salesman. "Where do I sign?" Rande Is