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The as yet still unscheduled premiere of iPhone 2.0 is getting closer and the frenzy is building.  With it, the rumors and speculation are picking up pace.  Two new iPhone whispers and one iTunes story have been passing down the AppleVine to start this week.

1. iPhone 3G Debut Date
Throughout April, iPhone product shortages fueled speculation Apple was thinning inventory in anticipation of the next iPhone product.  For the most part, the consensus was this channel inventory adjustments would build through June.  At that point, likely at Apple’s developer conference, the iPhone 3G would be introduced.   Occasionally, a whisper here or a rumor there has suggested an earlier (or later) delivery date could be the D (delivery) -Day too.

This weekend, news reports that Apple was no longer taking iPhone orders at their online US and UK stores brought the whispers of a possible day in May delivery Click to Read More

When you talk about, even think about, digital content stores, Apple’s iTunes is the natural selection.   It’s the dominant, mainstream store in the market.  Amazon’s MP3 and video store pops up as second mention.  Amazon being synonymous with retail.   Microsoft is hoping to change that, or at least join the party.

The “Xbox Live” environment for gamers has been growing steadily.  Microsoft has put money into original content and licensing. Still, that’s a niche market.  In October, they went more mainstream and begin selling videos in their Zune Marketplace. The offerings at the time, however, were limited. Now, the Zune Marketplace is expanding a little more. 

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In efforts to turn around the long struggling company, Blockbuster, under the leadership of Jim Keyes, has gotten experimental.   They’ve been testing rental kiosks, exploring cellular downloads, and evaluating concept stores.  They’ve added managerial transparency.  The company has even gone public with an ill received interest in acquiring Circuit City to create a new hybrid rental retail chain.   Now, in the latest move from Keyes’ Frankenstein lab, Blockbuster is reportedly eyeing TV distribution too.

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Unlike rivals NBC (part of GE), ABC (part of Disney), or Fox (part of News Corp), TV Network CBS lacks the insurance and financial cover that comes from being part of a larger, more diversified conglomerate.   As a standalone network, nearly two thirds of the company’s revenues come from advertising.

This morning CBS reported their earnings.  Despite the exposure to a fluctuating ad industry, and despite challenges levied by the writers’ strike, the numbers proved mostly positive.   Total quarterly revenues were up 14% to $3.65 billion during the first quarter.   Overall, earnings came in at $244.3m or 36cents per share, a positive gain over 28cents per share earned during the same period last year.  On an adjusted basis, the EPS were 40 cents.

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After the compensation information revealed in Friday’s proxy filings, Monday morning coffee talk and water cooler conversations might well have been peppered with gossip about hefty executive pay packages at Viacom in 2007. Instead, an oddly timed Sunday announcement marrying Paramount, MGM and Lions Gate in joint venture to launch a cable TV channel of their own played the trump card.  The bigger headline than pay: New Channel coming 2009, news at 11.

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Recently published data from the National Venture Capital Association showed fewer venture funds have been out raising capital (57 in Q1 2008 versus 83 in 2007 and 75 and 2006) but there’s no shortage of funding.  So far this year, about the same amount of money has been raised for new funds (compared to the same period last year) despite the smaller group of fund partnerships with their hands out.  The cumulative cash raised in 2007 was also high, insuring plenty of capital waiting to be deployed.  But if that’s not evidence enough, then recent investment rounds should be; three companies, Move Networks, Visible World and Realtime Worlds have all raised more than $25m in new rounds just announced.

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The revolving doors of corporate suites are always turning. New hires coming in, new executives restocking teams with teams of their own choosing, people moving to new challenges or to pasture.  It’s a constant.  This past week, however, has seen enough executive staff shifting to keep any HR team busy.  From Motorola to AMD, from the BBC to NBC and CBS, from the Washington Post to the Wall Street Journal, the corporate trees got a good shake.  Here’s the recap of who’s in and who’s out: Click to Read More