Good Time To Buy RIM?

Investing

Is it a good time to buy RIM stock? I’d say so. On September 25th, RIM stock took a nasty dive. Why? Investors weren’t happy with earnings forecast moving forward, doubting RIM’s business model. In my opinion, this dive is short term – RIM will bounce back. However, let’s talk long term investing in RIM.
RIM_Stock_Dive

Critics quickly justified RIM’s fall from grace September 25th, pegging the lower earnings forecast to a weakened and questionable business model. Goldman Sachs commented “The failure of RIM’s new products (Javelin and Tour) to drive similar growth in new subscriber adds compared to prior launches makes us doubt RIM’s ability to maintain share in North America,”. Goldman, like RIM’s other critics, are worried about RIM’s consumer business model, citing its consumer line of Blackberry’s as the future to bigger growth and earnings.

I do agree on some level that the consumer line can add more revenue to RIM’s operations. However, one cannot forget RIM’s core business model is the Corporate/ Government sector. And when the ecnomy picks up and the developing world continues building infrastracture and businesses, RIM will supply them. RIM will supply corporations and government in the long run because of security. RIM’s servers are rock solid. I don’t think an iPhone can live up to that same level of security.

Porsche Canada launches winter marketing campaign

Media

Porsche Canada wants Porsche owners to drive in the winter. “While visiting Porsche dealers around Canada, I was amazed to hear how many owners put their Porsches away for the winter,” says Joe Lawrence, President and CEO of Porsche Canada. “There is no rule against driving a Porsche in the winter! To the contrary, a Porsche performs strongly and safely whatever the season”

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The marketing campaign to get Canadian Porsche drivers driving in the winter includes “15,000 direct-mail pieces, sent to customers and distributed through dealers; an e-mail promotion campaign; and national and dealer print advertising”.

When is KFC Grilled Chicken Coming to Canada?

Random

KFC Grilled Chicken is in Canada, but only in select test markets. According to an official announcement from KFC: “beginning this summer, customers in select markets in Canada will have the opportunity to try the latest finger lickin’ good menu item – Kentucky Grilled Chicken”.

kentucky_Grilled_Chicken_in_Canada

So when will every KFC in Canada sell KFC Grilled Chicken? The official press release says it’s “expected to be rolled-out across Canada in 2009”

Have you tried Kentucky Grilled Chicken – how is it?

KFC Toonie Tuesday New Price $2.59

Random

KFC_Toonie_Tuesday
Inflation has really hurt Toonie Tuesday’s at KFC. A Toonie Tuesday now costs $2.59. But if you go to the KFC website for Toonie Tuesday you’ll see a disclaimer in small print: “*Price may vary. At participating locations”.

What will happen when the price of a Toonie Tuesday is $3 in the future – can we still call it a Toonie Tuesday? Well, whatever the price I’ll still buy – finger lickin’ good.

My Press Release: University of Waterloo Students Behind New Startup Boom

Media, Startups

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FinditOffCampus_logo
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University of Waterloo students are behind a boom in new startups launching in Waterloo, Ontario. Buddingup, Unsynced, and Findit Off Campus are the newly launched startups. It seems VeloCity, a startup incubator unveiled in 2008, has sparked renewed entrepreneurial spirit at the University of Waterloo.

Robin Speziale of Buddingup, Ted Livingston of Unsynced, and Paul Lee and Krishna Sivaranjan of Findit Off Campus represent a new generation of entrepreneurs from the University of Waterloo. And while not all entrepreneurs behind these new startups were members of VeloCity – a campus incubator for Waterloo students – they can thank VeloCity for renewed entrepreneurial spirit at the University of Waterloo.

These new student-launched startups vary in concept. Buddingup.com, a job site for students and new grads, was founded by Robin Speziale, an Honours Arts and Business student at the University of Waterloo. Speziale states he started buddingup.com to “provide students and grads a better job search experience”. Buddingup features entry level, internship and co-op job listings.

Among the VeloCity hatched startups are Unsynced and Findit Off Campus. Ted Livingston founded Unsynced.com, a music platform for the Blackberry, recently selected as one of 16 finalists in the international BlackBerry developers contest. Also, Paul Lee and Krishna Sivaranjan launched FinditOffCampus.com, a student housing site that offers an interactive map with local business search and bus route display feature to ease the housing process for students.

Buddingup, Unsynced, and Findit Off Campus were all launched by University of Waterloo students. No wonder StartupNorth writer Jevon MacDonald recently stated that “This pretty much makes Waterloo the go-to university for students serious about doing a startup”. MacDonald explains that “we have a bit of a thesis here at StartupNorth… that the biggest problem with the startup environment here in Canada isn’t that VC’s aren’t investing as much as we might like these days… but we think that the biggest issue is that there is no push that gets an early stage idea from the notepad to the web.”

Since opening in fall 2008, University of Waterloo’s VeloCity has been a welcome solution to Canada’s startup problem. Sean Van Koughnett, director of VeloCity, recently stated in Imprint – University of Waterloo’s official campus newspaper – that VeloCity has “largely met or exceeded the expectations of students, partners, and administrators”. “For students, it[VeloCity] has provided them with an opportunity to develop ideas they feel passionate about, to work and live with like-minded students, and to build professional networks.”

Indeed, the University of Waterloo is fostering a new generation of startups and the entrepreneurs behind them. For soon-to-be graduating high school students looking to join the new startup boom in Waterloo, Ontario – the University of Waterloo is a great place to start.

Canadian Cell Phone Providers Uncompetitive

Investing

Walk into Bell, Telus and Rogers and the prices just hit you. Why should we pay $699 (no contract) for a Blackberry Storm? Well, I called Bell today and asked that question. The ‘customer care’ rep had no answer.

Hold on, Blackberry’s are made in Canada and we pay more to hold one than our friends to the South? But, don’t blame it on RIM, blame it on our fat, overweight, greedy cell providers… oh and the government – but that’s a different story.

Financial Post has done some recent digging and it can be safely said, the telecom industry in this country is at an appalling state. “Canada’s wireless industry is one of the weakest in the developed world”. And thats not even the kicker. Merrill Lynch ranks current Canadian wireless penetration at 65% – just ahead of Indonesia and Iraq. Just ahead of Indonesia and Iraq? Wow.

So, what this means it that we’re getting screwed. Among developed nations Canada ranks dead last in penetration, meaning that competition is extremely low in this country. And we pay a higher price because of this fact.

So what does this mean for Bell, Telus and Rogers stocks? Well, for now they are riding high but at the same time shaking in their boots. Why? Because a group of new wireless providers are ready to crash their party.

Soon you’ll be seeing ads for Globealive, Shaw, Quebecor selling phones to you. Take a peak at Globealive’s Wind Mobile website – they actually want to treat us as PARTNERS, not lowly, desperate customers. rim-blackberry-bold .

In 2008, Canada held a spectrum auction, meaning the federal Government put wireless space up for sale. So, companies jumped on the opportunity, bid on wireless regions in Canada, some coming out as nation- wide wireless providers and others not.

I have a long term sell on Bell, Telus and Rogers. At the moment they’ll suck as much money out of us until the party ends. Wireless Intelligence indicated that as of the end of Q1 2009, profit margins for Canadian wireless providers were amongst the highest in the developed world – about 44%. Theres no stopping them from selling us $699 Blackberry’s… until the new kids in town arrive. Look forward to healthy competition, lower prices, better phones in the near future.

Analysts will put an axe through Rogers, Telus and Bell, once profit margins on wireless divisions are squeezed due to increased competition. But analysts aside, we – consumers – will determine the fall of these behemoths.

My Wikipedia Page Was Deleted

Startups

Today, I made my Wikipedia page. And today, my Wikipedia Page was deleted. Those Wiki editors are fast. I thought that after reading blogs and articles on boosting your personal brand by creating a page on Wikipedia, I would give it a try.

At 12:10 PM today I submitted my Wikipedia page. And at 12:15 PM I received a deletion notice. Apparently, Wikipedia wants notable people on Wikipedia. MC hammer, Vanilla ice and other people are apparently notable, which leads me to ask: Who is a notable person?

Below is a screenshot of my Wikipedia page minutes before it was deleted. Did Wikipedia delete your page? Comment about it.

Robin_Speziale_Wikipedia_Page_deleted

Must See: Axe Toronto Summer Job

Jobs

axe_job_opportunity

Axe Canada is hiring in Toronto for Summer 2010. According to the Axe Consumer consultant job description:

– A guy and girl will be hired
– $10,000 salary for 2 months
– Free apartment for job duration

But get this. “Work both individually and as a team to conduct in-depth field research on the Canadian dating landscape. In other words, date and tell.” Sounds crazy? fun?

Apply here

Review – Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2

Media

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The following review of Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2 was written by great friend and Technical Consultant for Buddingup, Edward Lau:

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Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2 is awesome! It’s an enjoyable game with a good story. It also doesn’t get too RPGy, which some people complain about, since the last few Ultimate Alliance games had more RPG elements. However in my opinion, I found this to be better, since this means that there aren’t useless powers to accidentally give points to. And seriously, its a superhero game – we want the action.

its a superhero game – we want the action.

Overall, Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2 a good experience, both single player and multiplayer (by that I mean offline co-op, I haven’t tried online yet). The only complaint I have are the loading times, but its not that bad. Loading times are only around half a minute or so… which is far better than Star Wars: The Force Unleashed.

it strikes a good balance between being easy and too hard

I’m quite happy that I preordered Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2, since it looks like they were sold out very quickly, and I got Juggernaut! While Juggernaut isn’t one of my favourite characters, he’s actually quite fun to use, so that’s good. And I’m pleased with how the developers included some of the lesser known heroes instead of only the popular ones. Plus, its not an easy game either, but it strikes a good balance between being easy and too hard. You should definitely try out the game.

Check back for more reviews by Edward Lau in the future.