Goldman Sachs invests in bitcoin start-up Circle Internet Financial
Circle Internet Financial, a bitcoin start-up led by Internet entrepreneur Jeremy Allaire, said it raised $50 million from investors including Goldman Sachs Group Inc., giving the virtual currency a jolt of credibility even as it struggles to gain consumer acceptance. Circle said the new group of investors included a major Chinese investment firm, IDG […]
Google Fiber, Comcast’s nightmare come to life
What’s every incumbent ISP’s worst nightmare? If we had to guess, it looks something like the filing that Google just made with the Federal Communications Commission. As The Wall Street Journal reports, Google this week told the FCC that reclassifying broadband providers under Title II of the Telecommunications Act would have a big side benefit […]
New boss, old tune: Yahoo’s Marissa Mayer reviewing strategy
In an SEC filing, Yahoo’s newly-appointed CEO hints at a restructuring and a new plan for the billions it expects from the company’s stake in Alibaba. Yahoo’s new CEO, Marissa Mayer, says in an SEC filing that she might restructure the business and, as a result, might not give back to shareholders the billions in […]
Apple releases OS X Mountain Lion system upgrade
OS X Mountain Lion makes it easier to share material to social networks and also introduces a notification panel similar to that found on many smartphones. The news was revealed in the company’s third quarter earnings release. Mac sales were 2% up on the year, but the results fell short of many analysts’ forecasts. The […]
Apple Q3 earnings: $35B in revenue, 26M iPhones, 17M iPads
iPhones and iPads once again led the way in a record quarter for Apple, but the results were less than what Wall Street expected. During its third fiscal quarter, which ran through June 30, Apple reported revenue of $35 billion and earnings of $8.8 billion, or $9.32 per share. That was up from the $28.57 […]
Google’s Marissa Mayer becomes Yahoo CEO
Google’s longtime executive to begin her new job leading the struggling iconic Web company tomorrow. Yahoo has named Marissa Mayer, one of Google’s top execs, as its next CEO, ending a hunt that began after Scott Thompson was forced out in May for padding his resume. Ross Levinsohn, who has been the interim CEO, had […]
As Tablet Race Heats Up, Apple May Try Smaller Device
The tech companies are at it again — trying to catch the blockbuster iPad in a race to win the tablet market. Google on Friday began shipping its Nexus 7, which is smaller and less expensive than Apple’s iPad, and is meant to compete with both that device and Amazon’s Kindle Fire. This summer, Microsoft […]
Retailers report tepid sales for June
Shoppers, worried about jobs and the overall economy, pulled back on spending in June, resulting in tepid sales for many retailers. The results raise concerns about Americans’ ability to spend during the back-to-school season, which is the second-biggest shopping period of the year and starts later this month. As merchants reported their sales early Thursday, […]
Consumer confidence rebounds in Florida
Consumers felt better about the economy in May, probably thanks to a decline in both gas prices and unemployment, according to a University of Florida survey. As economic prognosticators get more anxious, Floridians feel more optimistic. Consumer confidence improved across the state this month, the University of Florida reported Tuesday, even as a national survey […]
While others struggle, 1st United Bank of Boca Raton thrives
While many Florida banks have struggled or failed, Boca Raton-based 1st United Bank is thriving. It’s buying other state banks, has plenty of capital and is known for strong, experienced management. Since the financial crisis hit in 2008, 1st United has raised money twice on Wall Street and bought four small Florida banks, including Anderen […]
New Yahoo CEO sweeps out 2,000 employees in purge
Yahoo’s turnaround attempt is going to be messy. In his first three months on the job, CEO Scott Thompson has imposed the largest layoffs in the company’s 17-year history, reshaped the board of directors, picked a potentially disruptive fight with a major shareholder and sued Facebook for patent infringement. He says there’s even more upheaval […]
How South Florida’s top 1 percent live
The top 1 percent have a household income north of $400,000 a year — $401,600 in Broward County, $456,206 in Palm Beach County and $413,372 in Miami-Dade, according to a national survey of household incomes by Washington-based Sentier Research. In the membership are some big names like LeBron James, who makes $44 million a year; […]
I.B.M.: Big Data, Bigger Patterns
It’s not just about Big Data. For the big players in enterprise technology algorithms, it’s about finding big patterns beyond the data itself. The explosion of on-line lifestyles and inexpensive pc hardware have made it possible to retailer large quantities of unstructured data, like e-mails or web clickstreams, then search the stored information to seek […]
Google Shares Plunge 9% After Results Disappoint Wall Street
Internet search titan Google startled Wall Street with weaker-than-expected fourth-quarter earnings results, sending the company’s shares down as much as 9% after the numbers were released. The results were driven primarily by an unexpected decline in the fees that Google receives each time a user clicks one of its search ads. That metric, which the […]