Google Is Looking For More Money From Small Businesses (GOOG)

Google has launched a program to make it easier for small business owners to buy search ads.

It's all part of the company's ongoing effort to earn more money from local businesses, which CEO Larry Page cited as one of his priorities on the company's last earnings call.

AdWords Express, which was tested last fall under the name Boost, offers businesses a series of simple forms to let them set up an AdWords campaign in minutes. Businesses can set a maximum budget and guide users either to their Google Places page. If they don't have a Places page Google will set one up automatically when they buy the ad.

Page named local (along with Google+) as one of the company's top investment areas this year. The company recently launched a daily deals service called Offers and is teaming up with Intuit for a big campaign to give small businesses free Web sites and AdWords credits.

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See Also:

• Here's Why The Bing-Yahoo Deal Isn't Working So Far
• Here's Why Google+ Is Banning (Some) Fake Names
• Google Is Blasting Business Profiles From Google+

Google Is Looking For More Money From Small Businesses (GOOG)

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Now Square Is Looking To Raise $50 Million At A $1 Billion Valuation

Payment processing company Square is looking to raise a new round of up to $50 million with a $1 billion valuation, multiple sources tell Mike Arrington at TechCrunch.

Square has been selling the latest version of its tiny credit card reader since last fall, and just rolled out an iPhone app called Card Case that could replace the loyalty and discount cards that merchants use, and an iPad app that could replace the cash register.

Founder Jack Dorsey recently tweeted that Square is processing more than $3 million in transactions per day. A picture of the company's dashboard back in April revealed it was pulling in about $60,000 in revenue per day on $2 million in transactions, so that means it's probably close to $100,000 per day.

See also: Jack Dorsey, Apple CEO? Probably Not.

 

 

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See Also:

• Gossip From An Evening With All The New York Tech Greats
• iPad 3 Coming For Holiday Season, Says Asian Research Firm CLSA
• Zynga's New Headquarters Will Have A Dog Run On The Roof

Now Square Is Looking To Raise $50 Million At A $1 Billion Valuation

Backlink: http://www.businessinsider.com/square-looking-to-raise-50-million-at-1-billion-valuation-2011-6

What Are IT Hiring Managers Looking For?

The people doing the hiring in the technology arena these days have a five-point wish list for candidates they hope to see. Though they may seem kind of obvious, they're a good reminder of where your head - and your resume - needs to be as you step into an interview situation. Here's Internet.com's list:

Good Communication Skills

Hiring managers want candidates for IT jobs who can speak knowledgeably with technology experts and can also explain computer issues to non-technical employees.

Problem-Solving Abilities

Computer systems are becoming more complex every day, and IT professionals need to be able to expand a system and make adjustments as needed by the company. Most computer systems are under constant attack from spammers, viruses, and even the system¿s own users. Important IT job skills include the ability to quickly identify a problem and fix it -- a company's productivity and profits often depend on this.

Flexibility

IT managers often are on call and need to be ready to help reboot or troubleshoot the computer system at night or on weekends. (Sad but true.)

Education

Computer network architects and database administrators should have a bachelor's degree in a computer-related field, although some employers prefer applicants with an MBA with a concentration in information systems. IT job candidates with courses in finance, marketing, accounting, and management, as well as database management, electronic business, and systems management and design really shine.

Personality

Companies also are looking for a person whose personality and nature fits in with their company and existing employees...One of the most important interview tips for IT professionals: show a willingness to learn - Companies are more likely to hire a candidate with less experience if he or she demonstrates the ability to learn on the job.

-- Don Willmott

What Are IT Hiring Managers Looking For?

Backlink: http://career-resources.dice.com/articles/content/entry/what_are_it_hiring_managers

Engaged and Looking For the Perfect Hudson Valley Wedding Location? Get a FREE 3 Course Meal This Saturday!

That's right, you can attend a free "Mock Wedding" at the Links at Union Vale this Saturday, November 13th.
It's just like a wedding with all the trappings...except for a bride and groom. Instead, it will be you and 49 other lucky nearly-wed couple

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Comment on MetroPCS: This Isn’t the LTE Network You’re Looking For by Fulaman

That's so true Tom, I as a MetroPCS customer want the latest Android 2.2 phone or Windows Phone 7 phone or even a Blackberry OS 6 phone. Metro has no clue what they are talking about.

Post originale: http://gigaom.com/2010/09/21/metropcs-this-isnt-the-lte-network-youre-looking-for/#comment-493433

THE APPLE INVESTOR: Apple's Mysterious NC Data Center Nearly Operational And Already Looking To Expand (AAPL)

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AAPL Rises With Market
Stocks are rising after world finance leaders pledged to better balance global trade. Shares of AAPL are up about 1% in early trading. Upcoming catalysts include monthly NPD data (Mac / iPod business); holiday iPhone and iPad sales updates and carrier expansion; new content revenue streams such as video, books and social (Ping); and the uptake of refreshed Apple TV. AAPL trades at 14x Enterprise Value / Trailing Twelve Months Free Cash Flow (incl. long-term marketable securities).

Five Catalysts To Drive The Stock In This Next Leg Of Growth (Seeking Alpha)

As Apple's stock price hovers above 300, what products and trends will drive the next leg of company and share price growth? Let's peer into Apple's future to find future catalysts for stock price appreciation: 1) iPad sales; 2) The white iPhone; 3) An Apple Branded TV (not Apple TV); 4) The Verizon iPhone; and 5) The halo effect.

Apple's Not About To Buy A Social Network Still Figuring Out Monetization (Fortune)

Speculation last week swirled as Steve Jobs told investors he was keeping his $51 billion in cash for "strategic opportunities." Firstly, Jobs does not necessarily mean mergers and acquisitions. He might be talking about building something, like expansion of the North Carolina data center. Second, if he were to buy a company, it would not be Facebook (a name that came up again over the weekend). Social network companies that know nothing about building products and are figuring out how to monetize what they do have are not the kind of enterprise that Apple buys.

Apple Data Center Nearly Operational And Looking To Double (GigaOM)
Apple’s mysterious North Carolina data center facility is ready to go online potentially within days, and the company is apparently already considering doubling the facility’s size. The current building covers some 500,000 square feet, as will the reported second building. Most obviously, Apple just announced that it sold 250,000 Apple TVs in that device’s first three months on market. Since the new Apple TV is a streaming only product, that should translate into a much greater strain on Apple’s servers.

Apple Gearing For The Cloud With Data Center And MacBook Air (All Things Digital)

Steve Jobs says the MacBook Air is the future. If that’s to be the case, the machine and ecosystem needs to evolve a bit more. That evolution is likely already well under way and perhaps being engineered at the company’s massive North Carolina data center. And what better use to put it to than the cloud services that might completely eliminate the need for high-capacity hard drives and give the Air storage to match its performance characteristics. Were Apple to create the cloud-based version of iTunes and were it to bolster MobileMe’s iDisk and Gallery services with more-robust storage, even the 64GB Air might seem an attractive option. The data center may well make both those things possible.

Daily Trader: Implied Volatility For AAPL Options Got Wind Sucked Out Of Them (Seeking Alpha)

A look at the prices as of the October 19 close shows how the weekly options (that expire October 22) behaved compared to some of the longer term expirations. The stock was down $8.51 to 309.49, yet the October 310 puts lost a lot of value anyway. The November 310 puts were down slightly and the January 310 puts were up slightly. That’s not unusual. It’s often what happens when unknowns (how traders will react to news) become known. Apple’s overall implied volatility across most strikes and expirations soared as the earnings date loomed, then fell significantly on Tuesday, but the near term options had more volatility baked into them.

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See Also:

• THE APPLE INVESTOR: Apple Losing Investors Because It Won't Pay Dividends, Says Analyst
• THE APPLE INVESTOR: Mac Enterprise Market Share To Increase 57%
• THE APPLE INVESTOR: How To Trade The Stock Going Into Tonight's Earnings

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