Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Microvision: Protect Your Intellectual Property Part 2

Recently, IEEE Spectrum has refreshed its annual assessment of IP portfolios in different technology sectors for the year 2007… including Electronics where Microvision is cited.

Here’s the link to IEEE Spectrum Patents Scorecard…

http://www.spectrum.ieee.org/static/patentsurvey2008

[Make sure to click on “Electronics" category to get the data and read the bottom foot notes for explanation of the terms used]

In this evaluation, the Adjusted Pipeline Impact (API) score indicates how frequently a company’s patents from the previous five years were cited by other patents... after adjusting for self-citation. Microvision scored 2nd in API [at 1.71] out of the Top 20 electronics companies… in the year 2007.

What does that really mean in terms of value of these patent citations by other patents to the overall market valuation of Microvision?

Let’s check with the experts in the business…

Scholars have learned that a powerful proxy for innovative expertise is how frequently a company’s existing patents are cited in patent applications. Indeed, one-quarter of all patents receive no citations, and a mere 0.01% earn more than 100 citations, according to Bronwyn Hall, an economist at the University of California at Berkeley.

http://www.jstor.org/pss/1593752

In a study by four economists covering seven industries that generate a large number of patents, researchers found that a patent mentioned 14 times by other patents is worth, on average, 100 times as much as a patent cited only 8 times. Another estimated that “companies with widely cited patents and a track record of turning them into products outperformed the market by 1,000% over a 10-year period.”

Let me re-state…

“…companies with widely cited patents and a track record of turning them into products outperformed the market by 1,000% over a 10-year period”.

In addition to this peek through the window to Microvision future …

There is a wealth of information there [ in the IEEE Spectrum Patents Scorecard] and a further in-depth study [and some research] by an experienced professional will quickly reveal where the future infringers, challengers, claimers and “patent trolls’ of Microvision IP portfolio are at work.

Anant Goel
http://www.wealthbyoptions.com/

Microvision: Protect Your Intellectual Property Part 1

Today, as reported in the Wall Street Journal, Microvision has been ranked #43 worldwide in the electronics & instruments industry for the strength of their patent portfolio by “The Patent Board”, the leading independent provider of best practices research, tools and metrics for patent analysis and intellectual property investment.

According to The Patent Board, Microvision had a 29% increase in patenting and a 38% increase in Industry Impact™ this quarter.

Here’s the link to The WSJ/Patent Score Card from this morning…

http://online.wsj.com/mdc/public/page/2_3022-macromkt.html?mod=topnav_2_3000

Monday, September 28, 2009

Companies and private research firms are grouped by their Patent Board technology strength ranking which is based on the scale, quality, impact, and nearness to core science of a company’s patent-based intellectual property. This overall strength rating factors in both qualitative and quantitative aspects of a company’s patent portfolio.

Continue on to the Score Card…
*****
If you have been reading about the recent buzz about Pico projectors, you will know that the laser based PicoP display engine/projector market will be huge in the next few years. And sooner or later the competition will recognize that laser based Pico projection produces the most desirable and always in focus images. Laser based Pico projection is the way to go… and single MEMS will be the least expensive and scalable solution to the huge potential markets world-wide that is more the 2 billion units per year large.

With that in mind, the question comes to mind: “How well Microvision is prepared and plans to fend-off infringement to its Intellectual Property in the future… for the sake of its future?” Microvision is the only company, as of this day, that produces the RGB laser based single MEMS PicoP display engine/projector on this planet.

With the enormous size of the future Pico projector market [in terms of units & dollars] the financial rewards will certainly attract competitors that will…

Having said that…
• Blatantly infringe on Microvision patents;

• challenge the validity of Microvision patents;
• claim conferring a “negative right” upon Microvision;
• claim Microvision as “patent troll”;
• and of course develop their own portfolio of “petty” patents to “fragment” the Microvision IP portfolio.

What’s needed is proactive, relentless, ruthless and effective IP portfolio management at Microvision… something similar to what was successfully done [and continues to be] at Qualcomm. The most effective and the least expensive way to do that, is to go out there and hire a senior patent engineer from Qualcomm and appoint him/her the CPO… the Chief Patent Officer at Microvision.

Why Qualcomm you say?

Well consider this from personal experience…

“About 12 years ago, I had the opportunity of managing a semi-conductor company about three miles away from Qualcomm in San Diego. During the course of my tenure I made friends with a few Qualcomm executives and learned a few things about their patents and IP management as an asset… especially with a serious understanding of their company’s major [if not entire] business model that was based around licensing and royalty.”

“I still remember the “lobby wall” at Qualcomm with over 850 issued patents [currently over 1,200] framed and displayed proudly. Qualcomm’s patents were for CDMA technology and at the time [in 1996] they knew it would some day power billions of cell phones worldwide. Qualcomm managed their IP assets proactively, relentlessly, ruthlessly and very effectively… that is until recently before the Broadcomm debacle which cost Qualcomm $891 million dollars in IP infringement litigation and damages cost.”

The Wall Street Journal/Patent Board is the leading independent provider of best practices research, tools and metrics for patent analysis and intellectual property investment. The Patent Board’s team of experts, deep pool of knowledge and foundation in core research provides its clients with valuable insight on patent-based IP strategies. The Patent Board leadership is advancing the value of patent knowledge to both inform business strategy and to help define patent assets as the next critical financial asset class.

That’s a mouth full. The bare naked truth of all this for Microvision is…

“With the enormous size of the future Pico projector market [in terms of units & dollars] the financial rewards will certainly attract deep pocketed competitors that will infringe [and engage in all the above unscrupulous deeds] to test your resolve, create distraction, put financial burden of litigation… all in the hopes of extracting a cheap, if not free, licensing agreement.”

With that in mind, the question to ask is: “How well Microvision is prepared and how it plans to fend-off infringement to its Intellectual Property in the future… for the sake of its future?”

Anant Goel

Monday, September 28, 2009

INTEL: I made Over 14,000% Profit since 1981 by Investing in Intel Stock

I’m one of those old timers that invested in Intel during its early days as a company… in the early 80’s. I recall buying some shares for a total cost of $1,000 dollars. That was lot of money in those days and commission paid was a disgrace. Stock brokers were king of the hill and roamed the streets like God’s gift to humanity.

I had to liquidate all my position in Intel during the Dot Com bust of 2000… around May of that year. I think it was just before the last stock split the company had. However, it was not all that bad, because I managed to sell pretty close to the all time high and I remember bragging about my good fortune and fortitude to have stayed the course to make over 14,000% profit… for a net gain of over $140,000 dollars. That’s right… over $140,000 in profit including dividends and the stock splits.

I always believed in investing in companies that ride the wave of change or bring about the paradigm shift with an eye on the long term growth prospects. In the last 30 odd years that I have been investing, I had my share of good fortune and misfortune. However, what’s important is the fact that I managed to secure my financial future and live today to talk about my strategy of investing in companies that ride the wave of change or bring about a paradigm shift. Some of these companies have grown to be huge enterprises and have made their early investors, like me, over 10,000% or over since their inception. Some day, I will tell you about my other [early] investment in companies like Dell, Qualcomm, Microsoft, Cisco, Healthsouth [after the 2003 perfect storm] and most recently Microvision. And while Dell has had disappointing returns since the turn of the century, its business is still strong and investors have not even come close to losing everything.

Currently, I’m out of all the stocks except Microvision [Nasdaq: MVIS]. The past performers in my portfolio have served well. However, these companies like Intel, Dell, Qualcomm, Microsoft and Healthsouth are past their hyper growth phase and are now too big and are just slow earnings growth vehicles. No disrespect to these fine companies… it’s just that they don’t fit the “hyper growth” company model any more.

My only stock holding now, besides an options income portfolio, is Microvision. If you would like to find out why I consider Microvision to be the next 50,000% profit producer, then click on the link to my blog post and make sure to read all the related articles.

Access to my blog is free and my profile will tell you why I’m taking this time and making an effort to reach out and share information that already exists in the Internet sphere…

http://mirro7.blogspot.com/2009/09/microvision-from-here-to-picop-ubiquity.html

http://mirro7.blogspot.com/2009/09/yes-virginia-its-intel-inside-but-image.html

Anant Goel
http://www.wealthbyoptions.com/

Sunday, September 27, 2009

Creative Imagination at Work: Pricing Strategy for SHOWwx

Here’s an example of creative imagination at work. However, the solution we seek is not product or service related. Here, the creative imagination is applied to profitability issue in marketing and could be called “creative marketing”… or “gorilla marketing”… or plain old making “lemonade from lemons”.

Here we go…

Currently, the competition in the Pico projector space comes from two major players, TI with its DLP technology and 3M with its LcoS technology. The competition sells its second generation Pico projector for about $395 and the quality of the image from their projectors looks like the picture on the left side below. Microvision’s PicoP projector SWOWwx, on the other hand, projects its image better than the one on the right side.

http://www.picoprojector-info.com/btendo-laser-projector-vs-lcos-projector-photo-1

If $395 was assumed as the average price for the baseline model and functionality [in-line with what the competition is asking], then Microvision could [and should] charge $599 for not only the better quality and vivid images but also some very interesting and differentiating features…

• Always-in-focus on any projected surface [projecting on curved surfaces or from an angel on flat surfaces]

• Short throw ratio 1:1 [bigger picture from short distance]

• Stunningly colorful, bright, vivid and detailed images [200% NTSC]

• Large images size [from 20” to 150” diagonal ]

• Higher image resolution (848×480) with HD pathway in future models

• Unmatched small font readability [size 8 font]

• Wide aspect ratio 16:9 [for wide screen experience]

• Fast refresh [60 Hz] to prevent motion blur when watching sports or action videos and movies

• High contrast ratio 5000:1

• Easy and simple plug and play. Single connector for TV-out [composite], VGA [RGB] and 3.5mm stereo jack─ audio pass through

• Longer battery life. Movie capable battery life when fully charged. Charges via Micro-USB

• 3 year warranty service… why not with all that MEMS reliability and exceeding drop test performance

• Headboard clamp for in-bed watching videos and movies on the ceiling

• All cables and leather case included

• Trade-in offer [worth $200 in exchange value] for any future PicoP projector.

All these features are inherent in the laser based PicoP display engine and they don’t really cost anything extra but they allow you to monetize the superior product functionality that Microvision offers. There is no reason to give it away for free…

http://www.microvision.com/pek/pico/

Since Microvision has more demand than they can supply [5:1 ratio], it only makes sense to monetize [profitably] whatever they are able to supply. It positions SHOWwx as the premium high quality PicoP Projector in the market. Interestingly, it gives you a payout even greater than the “Trifecta” on the racetracks…

• Brings superior product to the market sooner

• Creates “premium high quality” image perception from the start

• Generates profitable revenues in spite of the limited green laser delivery

• Prevents negative connotations associated with “out-of-stock” scenarios when there is more demand than supply

• Immediately engages the first movers─ that are also the center of future influence on others─ into purchasing a premium high quality product

• Keeps your potential customers engaged, interested and willing to wait for the superior product when more supply becomes available and the price has come down to with-in their affordability or price/value perception range.
[The Trifecta or triple is a bet made in horse racing to pick the first, second, and third place horses in a race. The payouts for hitting the Trifecta can be astronomical.]

This premium price strategy is what’s called “gorilla” marketing… where you choke the demand to bring it in-line with supply… all at the same time increasing your overall profitability… and keeping the competition trapped in their comfort zone of lower prices and at bay.

Apple uses this strategy all the time, why not Microvision?

Microvision can always drop the prices in the future, as the supply catches-up with demand. In the meantime, this strategy allows Microvision to convert a bad situation into profitably good strategy… like making lemonade from lemons.

This is another example of creative imagination at work… that just happened to be so appropriate and timely.

Anant Goel
http://www.wealthbyoptions.com/

Friday, September 25, 2009

Creative Imagination at Work In Product and Applications Development

Albert Einstein said, "Imagination…is more important than knowledge.  Knowledge is limited.  Imagination encircles the world."

Some folks are born with vision and have a higher degree of imagination. Others can learn to be visionary and imaginative. Here are two examples to demonstrate how creative imagination can work in coming-up with great ideas on what you can do with a laser based PicoP projector.

Here’s our imagination at work…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_HXUhShhmY

http://www.microvision.com/displayground/?p=566

However, in order to fully appreciate this creative work, it is important to first understand…

“Imagination is an experimental partition of the mind used to create theories and ideas based on functions. Taking objects from real perceptions, the imagination uses complex “IF - functions” to create new or revised ideas. This part of the mind is vital to developing better and easier ways to accomplish old and new tasks. These experimented ideas can be safely conducted inside a virtual world and then, if the idea is probable, and the function is true, the idea can be actualized in reality.”

So what is it that allowed this Intel engineer, for one example, to be visionary or imaginative in creating a PicoP display engine based application? Here’s your answer…

It’s the availability of the four enabling [and true] what IF-functions that only laser based PicoP display engine could provide:

1. Always-in-focus on any projected surface
2. Short throw ratio… meaning large projected image from short distance
3. Vivid and uniform color images from laser PicoP projector… not like the DLP or LcoS images that are brighter in the center like a flashlight.
4. And high contrast ratio… like 5000:1 with laser PicoP projector.
That’s what stoked the imagination.  Now it only stands to reason that as the list of laser PicoP display engine functions─ fast refresh rate, user adjustable throw ratio, or brighter HD images─ grows, creativity will be stoked again and brand new applications that never existed before will come to the market.

Do I hear “Image by PicoP ubiquitous, woven seamlessly into the fabric of everyday life”?

It seems that there is no shortage of great ideas on what you can do with a laser based PicoP display engine. And just when we think we’ve heard them all, blammo - out of left field, or sometimes from the right, there comes another innovative use for laser PicoP projection display technology. The innovative use of laser PicoP projector, as depicted here, is sure to un-stick your imagination… and maybe even set it on fire.

Can you imagine...

• Shopping isle infomercial projectors… in every supermarket and shopping mall.

• Infomercial projectors in office building hallways, airports, museums, art galleries, fancy restaurants and other commercial and public places.

• Safety, security and emergency guidelines, instructions and procedures video-on-demand at the airport, industrial, commercial, construction and other sites.

• Emergency kits with video-on-demand instructions for life [or a limb] saving procedures.

• Advertising outdoor displays for drive-by passenger cars… with quickly changing slides per ad, for example, or 10 ads per display, for example… as compared to one fixed ad [or may be two] per display.

• Color video projection for large classrooms, seminars, meetings and conventions.

• And the list goes on.

Now imagine that Microvision’s laser PicoP display engine is the [only] technology that makes all these wonderful [and high margin] applications possible… with no competition in sight!

Here’s why I said: “laser PicoP display engine is the [only] technology”…

“To make the above mentioned applications possible, you must have at least two differentiating and enabling functionalities: 1) always-in-focus projected images on any surface and 2) short throw ratios.”

As of this day, there is no competition from any of the DLP or LcoS based Pico projectors… because they lack always-in-focus and short throw ratio features.

Only Microvision’s laser PicoP display engine technology has the always-in-focus and short throw ratio functionality… and as such, owns this market for the foreseeable future. Not only that, there is a tremendous ad value for the laser PicoP brand name, and Image by PicoP slogan, in being seen at these high traffic places… day in and day out.

Do I hear “Image by PicoP as ubiquitous, woven seamlessly into the fabric of everyday life?

Just for the record, PicoP is the registered trade mark of Microvision… like in PicoP®

Anant Goel

Thursday, September 24, 2009

Microvision PicoP Projector SHOWwx Launch… Stroke of Genius

My information tells me that a very few SHOWwx will be sold as stand alone units… between now and middle of the year 2010. Most all, as we speak, PicoP display engines may go to at least one [of the three] OEMs for embedment into the laptop computers… soon to be followed by the “bedroom streaming projectors”.

This OEM may, as I understand, charge an additional premium [say $500] for a top-line laptop with a built-in PicoP projector. That’s where the PicoP display engines are going. Very few SHOWwx will be released to those in the “media” and others with an established following… the so called “centers of influence”. Those that signed-up as Microvision VIPs may be next, who knows, after having salivated long enough… or after having pounded the “keepers” of the DisplayLand at the company blog.

In my opinion, this strategy is a stroke of genius…

• Sell what you have between now and middle of 2010, at premium prices.

• Get the product in the hands of those that have discretionary income and are center of influence.

• Create the buzz to build an enormous back-log… consumer can wait a few months [I would] for a quality product.

• Keep the competition guessing and lulled into a non-threatening posture… while operating in a stealth mode a bit longer so you can get your green “ducks- in-line” for mass production.

• Channel the product where it serves a professional and productivity function in a market that is 230 million units big. In 2007, over 230 million laptops were sold… and 2009 is shaping-up to be over 280 million units.

• IDC believes that by 2009, more than 80% of notebooks will offer wide-screen displays. Portable shipments will continue to rise in that time period as well, jumping from 62.5 million units in 2005 to 114.6 million in 2009. Guess what? They all are looking for a wide screen experience and a laptop with embedded PicoP projector may just be the right answer.

• Skirt the damage that video pollution and video graffiti issues the “teeny boppers” can inflict… if the SHOWwx was to fall into their hands early on. Don’t have to deal with these “teeny boppers” running around and projecting into peoples faces.

• The next premium market to hit will be the “bedroom projector” market. Every household on this planet has at least one bedroom and the total number is a staggering 1 billion plus. Microvision PicoP display engine is the perfect because it is the only projector that has…

o Short throw from bed to the ceiling

o Vivid color HD image in wide screen format [currently WVGA at 848x480]

o Always cool to the touch

o Always in focus from any position on or around the bed. Don’t have to hold a laser PicoP projector between your legs like the ones from TI [DLP technology] or 3M [LcoS technology] .
If Microvision were to focus on these two markets alone while getting their ducks-in-line for the launch of embedded PicoP display engine for mobile devices… you and I will be very happy investors with high margin revenues flowing from the boardrooms and bedrooms of planet earth.

Microvision will be ten times a bigger company than Apple and Intel… combined.

Image by PicoP… anyone?

Right, get in the line please.

Anant Goel

PicoP Projectors and Nano Scanners Could Revolutionize the Early Detection and Surgery in the Medical Field

Now that Microvision has commercially launched the world's first laser PicoP projector and its supply chain partners, Corning and Osram, have officially made their commitment to commercialize the Green Laser for Pico projector applications...

"Pico projectors and nano scanners could revolutionize the early detection and surgery in the medical field."

In today's marketplace, endoscopes are increasingly involved in performing some of the most common surgical procedures as well as diagnosing cancer and other conditions. They're also a critical component of minimally invasive (MIVS) visualization systems.

The Key Markets:

The immediate target opportunities for Microvision are…

• Flexible endoscopes

• Rigid endoscopes

• Research confocal microscopes
Flexible Endoscope Market…

The market for flexible endoscopes is estimated at $1.2 billion a year. It is dominated by Japanese camera companies, specifically Pentax, Olympus and Fujinon.

Microvision could partner with Pentax to introduce its miniaturized confocal microscope to this market. Pentax has an extensive sales force and service infrastructure throughout Europe, Japan, USA and South East Asia. It seeks to increase its market share by gaining competitive advantage through new and exclusive technology, providing a natural alignment of goals and strategy with Microvision.

Rigid Endoscope Market…

The global rigid endoscope market is estimated to be $1 billion a year. The market is more fragmented than that for flexible endoscopes. Some of the more significant participants include leading microscope companies such as Carl Storz, Leica, Richard Wolf, Stryker, Zeiss and Olympus.

Microvision should look to establish one or more partnerships to identify the likely initial applications. This could be followed by development of clinical pilot investigations and the design of the business models that will capitalize on the market position of those partners.

Research Confocal Market…

The global market for research confocal microscopes is believed to be worth $375 million a year.

The utility provided by Microvision’s miniaturized, high resolution, scanner has the potential to expand the scientific fields that can be effectively researched with confocal microscopes. New in vivo research applications can increase demand from this significant and established market. It also has the advantage of easier entry as there is a lower regulatory threshold.

I think Microvision has full-filled on the original feasibility contract with Johnson & Johnson's Ethicon Endo-Surgery Unit. This feasibility agreement was to target Medical Visualization Applications. Now it is up to Ethicon Johnson to take it further. GE imaging may also be involved in some way or form.

This is from Microvision Year 2006 10K [annual report]…

“Working with a development partner, we have also created prototype versions of a high resolution, miniature laser camera for certain medical applications. Under the agreement, we developed prototype units that are being used in product evaluation. We have delivered the prototype units and our development partner is evaluating the units to determine a commercialization plan.”

“In 2006, 51% of revenue was derived from performance on development contracts with the United States government, 24% from performance on development contracts with commercial customers and the remainder from sales of Nomad and Flic units.”

"In 2005, 35% of revenue was derived from performance on development contracts with the United States government, 42% from performance on development contracts with commercial customers and the remainder from sales of Nomad and Flic units.”

“In 2005, Ethicon Endo-Surgery Inc. accounted for 33% of total revenue.”

Here’s the link…

http://microvision.blogspot.com/2007/03/mvis-10-k-annual-report-for-2006.html

Microvision could rock the early detection and surgery markets in the medical field [with its HD PicoP projector and nano scanner technology] in the next 3 to 5 years.

Anant Goel

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Jim Cramer the “Mad Money” Entertainer Exposed

While checking the news for Microvision stock MVIS this morning, I noticed the news heading…

“Jim Cramer Says Sell MVIS, Q and Buy GRA, AT&T”

“Wow” I said, and went looking for the video clip from the CNBC show. For those that didn’t see the show, here is the link…
http://www.cnbc.com//id/32969304

Ken Sailor posted [on Yahoo message board] this very informative piece about the Mad Money show…

This clip was at the start of the “lightning round”, the segment of the show where callers ask about a stock, and lightning quick, Cramer makes the call: buy, hold or sell. He starts each lightning round by saying that neither he nor his staff knows who the caller or the stock was ahead of time.

Watch him work. His staff hears the stock, and quickly pushes canned data onto his monitor. He’s looking at the PPS and earnings graphs, along with a few key stats, and probably a short sentence describing the company’s product or service. He digests this data (like a contestant in a hot dog eating contest) while she talks, and in about 5 seconds, he must make the call. After all, people are waiting for him, and there are many other callers to get to.

Now, snap second decision-making works for umpires and skeet shooters, but it’s no way to pick stocks. I like Cramer as an entertainer, but we must realize that there is a big difference between investment advice and entertainment.

Makes me wonder if Cramer took a second look later, after the show was over?  Wondering, “what is this stock about, and why did it make such a big jump these last few days?” He’ll find out that this company is at the tip of the spear on this “Mobile Internet tsunami” he’s talked about before. Or maybe he will just forget about it. In a few weeks, there will be a buzz about a little company making a tiny PicoP display engine, and the “Image by PicoP” projector will shock and awe the public. He’ll notice it and realize the potential, and wonder, “Where have I seen that name before?”

So today will be an interesting one. Like the bogus and self-serving blog, from a short-seller hedge fund, at Seeking Alpha that ran this stock down… which ended up costing the Seeking Alpha web site some serious credibility, this will be a day where fear overcomes logic. The weak hands may fold. The ignorant may succumb to panic. But in the end, rational thought and detailed due diligence will always prevail.

I’ve seen Jim eat crow before. I have an old recipe around here somewhere. Now where did I put that…?

[credit: Ken (I see a buying opportunity) sailor]

If you think about it, seriously, it's very simple. Jim Cramer of Mad Money show is an entertainer and when an entertainer knows nothing about a question asked of him, he deflects into the least risky and most ambiguous posture available to him and that is, in this case, not a BUY, not a SELL, but a "Don't Buy"… which is in the realm of his safe world. It clearly shows that Jim Cramer is a clown and he knows nothing about Microvision and maybe not even know the fact that Microvision just announced commercial launch of the world’s first laser PicoP projector SHOWwx. He may not even know that over the next few weeks, at last three major name OEMs will be signing purchase agreements and salivating to get their hands on to integrate PicoP display engines into mobile devices and Cell Phones… before NetFlix, Blockbuster, Hulu and others start streaming movies and other video content… especially when 4G comes into the mainstream.

Jim Cramer just showed how shallow his knowledge and his show Mad Money is and therefore how much his recommendations should be even considered. Cramer calls Microvision a "Laser Company". Microvision does not make lasers… Corning and Osram make it. Microvision uses RGB laser lights its PicoP display engine. Granted that Microvision have not made money, as yet, from their PicoP display engines, but most of the current investors own this stock for the huge potential it represent in the next year or two. The only part that Cramer might have gotten correct was “speculative”. But if Cramer had been at the Microvision Annual Stock Holder Meeting this past week, held the SHOWwx standalone PicoP projector in his hands, and considered the possibilities, he might not have labeled it as "too speculative”… or “it isn't for me”.

If you want to know who Jim Cramer really is, read the blog post about him by Patrick Byrne from March 2008…

http://www.deepcapture.com/jim-cramer-is-a-complicated-man/

Numerous well-regarded money managers on Wall Street consider Jim’s career as a hedge fund manager was mediocre until he moved to TV. Whatever is the truth, Cramer’s primary affiliation is now with CNBC, where he has his own show, Mad Money (though Cramer continues to work as a part-time analyst and director for TheStreet.com).

“Whatever the truth is in that regard, it is clear that Jim Cramer’s investment horizon is short. Cramer believes that the market is irrational and that “buy-and-hold” is just “brainwashing that Wall Street relies upon to keep you from taking back your assets under its management.” (Jim Cramer’s Real Money, 234). In his writings he proudly describes how he trades on short-term volatility. Given Cramer’s access to both public and institutional information channels, it is plausible that he has been tempted to create the volatility upon which he trades. In recent writings, Cramer displays awareness that, as both a journalist and an investor, he is potentially conflicted.”

This blog post quotes Jim Cramer…

“I know it may look to some that I am corrupt because I praise stocks I own, even though I tell you I own them. But think about the logic of it: I champion the stocks I own because I like them enough to put my money behind them. I champion the stocks I own because I think they can make me money and you money, too. By similar logic I knock stocks I don’t own because I think they are too rich and you could lose money if you buy them. I try to explain this all of the time on radio and TV. Nevertheless, people confuse my motives and believe that I am picking on bad guys and pumping stocks I own so I can make money. If only life were that simple and if only I were that powerful!” (Jim Cramer’s Real Money, 58).

“Given the sheer size of Jim’s body of work it is difficult to know whether Jim Cramer uses his position as a public figure to manipulate prices. He has written thousands of articles and mentioned individual stocks many times over, at different times, as both a bull and a bear. Cramer’s opinions change so often that it is difficult to know what he believes. In fact, this inconsistency has become a rallying cry for critics. One well-known example is Jim’s shifting attitude towards Wharton Professor Jeremy Seigel, author of Stocks for the Long Run. In 2000, Seigel wrote an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal warning investors of excess valuations. Cramer responded in a piece on TheStreet.com as follows:

“I really have no use for theoreticians of the market. They make you no money. We are in a casino-like market and I want to game the casino. The absurdity of a Jeremy Siegel from Wharton coming out with some statement about valuation and how he thinks it’s wrong is just poppycock. Valuation is what it is. If you could sell only thousands of dollars worth of stock at these prices, then I would be wrong. But you can sell trillions of dollars worth. So what does it matter if an academic says the prices are wrong. They are the prices. That is the hand you are dealt, so figure it out or get lost.”

Most recently, on March 12th, the host of “The Dailey Show”, Jon Stewart, interviewed Jim Cramer of “Mad Money”…

http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/thu-march-12-2009/jim-cramer-pt--1

http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/thu-march-12-2009/jim-cramer-pt--2

http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/thu-march-12-2009/jim-cramer-pt--3

Jon Stewart fed Jim Cramer his words and took everything that Jim Cramer didn’t want to see or hear and finally said: “account for yourself sir” and forced Jim to defend his double speak. Jim Cramer kept talking about “shenanigans” and saying “they… they … they” trying to divert everything from himself… except to say that he wants to defend us, the investors.

So, do we really know who Jim Cramer is?

• Is this same Jim Cramer that has publicly admitted to “'gaming the system” by publicly denouncing a company while buying up its shares, or touting the company while all the while selling its shares, paying people in the press to do his bidding?

• Is this the same Jim Cramer that said buy… buy… buy stocks just before the bottom fell out last year?

• Is this the same Jim Cramer, whose record for picking stocks is less than 46% over time? A chimp throwing its “poop” at a stock page would do better!

• Is this same Jim Cramer that is little more than a shill for his hedge fund buddies?

• Is this the same Jim Cramer that cried on TV saying the Fed had to act or all the hedge funds would go tits up? Which was followed-up with Treasury Secretary Paulson [Goldman’s former CEO] manipulating and blackmailing Congress into the biggest government bailout of Wall Street in the history of mankind?
I hope it is. Because we know the spots on this leopard that wants us to believe he is an investment “guru” and has our best interest at heart… au contraire.

“Unfortunately there are many Cramer(s) on Wall Street handling investor’s money who don’t give a damn about their client’s interest but only about their personal greed!”

Anant Goel

Monday, September 21, 2009

Microvision: Will Change the Visual Experience of Future Mobile Devices

Today, the mobile devices are ubiquitous and if you were to project out the current trends another ten years…

“You will be carrying with you, on a 24x7 basis, a very powerful, always connected, functions & sensor-rich device with enhanced visual experience… called the Smartphones. And the cool thing is, so will everyone else. So what are you going to do with it that you aren't doing now?

Before we consider the possibilities, let’s first address the ubiquity of the mobile devices and extrapolate the current trends towards the mobile phones of the future for everyone on this planet. In other words, the mobile phones of to-day will pave the path to ubiquity for Smartphones of tomorrow… and that tomorrow may be here as early as the next 10 years. Consider this…

• There are currently about 3.2 billion mobile subscribers in the world, and that number is expected to grow by at least a billion in the next few years.

• Today, mobile phones are more prevalent than cars (about 800 million registered vehicles in the world) and credit cards (only 1.4 billion of those).

• While it took 100 years for landline phones to spread to more than 80% of the countries in the world, their wireless descendants did it in only 16 years.

• Fewer teens are wearing watches now because they use their phones to tell time instead. So it's safe to say that the mobile phone may be the most productive and ubiquitous consumer product ever invented.

However, have you ever considered just exactly how powerful these ubiquitous devices are and if the current trends were to be extrapolated… what future mobile device will look like? Whatever the name [or logo] on the cover, under the hood these mobile phones of the future will be the Smartphones that will be very smart [pun intended] and very powerful. Smartphones like “Blackberry” considered a business tool are now successfully targeting consumers. On the other hand, “iPhone” considered a consumer product is now targeting business customers. Some day, they may converge and pretty much offer the same power, functionality, connectivity, long battery life and ease of use etc.

As more and more consumers switch to Smartphones globally, the Blackberry and iPhone are picking up market share at the expense of foreign competitors such as Nokia.

However, the good news is that the overall Smartphones market is growing faster than ever. In 2008, a total of 1.2 billion mobile phones were sold worldwide, according to IDC, of which some 160 million were Smartphones, or 13%. In 2013, IDC predicts that 20% of the 1.4 billion mobile phones sold will be Smartphones, or 280 million.

Currently, we know what Smartphones like Blackberry and iPhone offer. What we don’t know and, therefore, can only speculate what additional functionality and features the future Smartphones may offer. Here’s a list of what the future may hold in store for the consumers…

Smart alerts:  Your mobile phone will be smart about your situation and alert you when something needs your attention. This is already happening today… eBay can text you when you've been outbid, and alert services (such as Google News) can deliver news, sports, or stock updates to you. In the future, these applications will get smarter, patiently monitoring your personalized preferences (which will be stored in the network cloud) and delivering only the information you desire. One very useful scenario: your phone knows that you are heading downtown for dinner, and alerts you of transit conditions or the best places to park.

Augmented reality:  Your mobile phone uses its arsenal of sensors to understand your situation and provide you information that might be useful. A stylish looking app, for one example, may automatically track Zagat rated restaurants, giving users food and cost scores as they move in real time bringing new dining places into view as they appear on the map.

Or perhaps, do you really want to know how much is that red dress in the window? Your phone, with its GPS and compass, knows what you are looking at, so it can tell you before you even ask. Plus, it may even suggest what purse and accessories go with the red dress?

Crowd sourcing:  Your mobile phone is your omnipresent window to the world, a way to publish pictures, emails, texts, Twitters, streaming videos and blog entries. When everyone else is doing the same, you have a world where people from every corner of the planet are covering their experiences in real-time. That massive amount of content gets archived, sorted, and re-deployed to other people in new and interesting ways. Ask the web for the most interesting sites in your vicinity, and your phone shows you reviews and pictures that people have uploaded of nearby attractions. Like what you see? It will send you directions on how to get there.

Sensors everywhere:  Your mobile phone knows a lot about the world around you. If you take that intelligence and combine it in the cloud with that of every other phone, we have an incredible snapshot of what is going on in the world right now.

Tool for development:  Your mobile phone may be more than just a convenience; it may be your livelihood. Already, this is true for people in many parts of the world: in southern India, fishermen use text messaging to find the best markets for their daily catch, in South Africa, sugar farmers can receive text messages advising them on how much to irrigate their crops, and throughout sub-Saharan Africa entrepreneurs with mobile phones become phone operators, bringing communications to their villages. These innovations will only increase in the future, as mobile phones become the linchpin for greater economic development.

The future-proof device:  Your mobile phone will open up, as the Internet already has, so it will be easy for developers to create or improve applications and content. The ones that you care about get automatically installed on your phone. Let's say you have a piece of software on your phone to improve power management (and therefore battery life). Let's say a developer makes an improvement to the software. The update gets automatically installed on your phone, without you lifting a finger. Your phone actually gets better over time.

Safer software through trust and verification:  Your mobile phone will provide tools and information to empower you to decide what to download, what to see, and what to share. Trust is the most important currency in the always connected world, and your phone will help you stay in control of your information. You may choose to share nothing at all (default mode), or just share certain things with certain people─ your circle of trusted friends and family. You'll make these decisions based on information you get from the service and software providers and the collective ratings of the community as well. Your phone is like your trusted valet: it knows a lot about you, and won't disclose an iota of it without your permission.

Enhanced Visual Experience:  Not too long ago, a mobile phone offered only a one-to-one viewing experience with little room for personalization and lacking the cool factor. Soon Microvision’s PicoP display engine technology will change the DNA of the phone, making it more visual, interactive and unique to the user. Taking this a step further, your cell phone will become a “one-to-many” tool, allowing us to share mobile content with groups of friends, family and colleagues. In the not-too-distant future, road warriors will be showing presentations to a room full of colleagues via a projector accessory [SHOWwx} for their mobile phones. We have only begun to unleash the mobile visual experience.

Microvision Will Change Your Visual Experience, Wirelessly:

With the increasing number and variety of visual applications on mobile phones, Microvision’s PicoP display engine technology will deliver the mobile experience consumers have come to expect. Consumers will be able to use their mobile phones to capture and store high-quality content, including digital movies and console-quality video games, and then watch the content with others via a connection to mobile, palm-sized, full-featured SHOWwx PicoP projector, which are expected to be available in the summer of 2009.

Professional and amateur film makers can already use their mobile phones to show-off high-quality samples of their creations to producers using video clips taken on their handset. Soon, they [and you] will be able to share your video creation or the latest funny video from YouTube with a room full of people, in DVD quality (848 x 480) resolution, the same clarity you receive from your DVD player at home. Parents will be able to send DVD quality videos of their children learning how to ride a bike to family members, who may then show a room full of their friends.

In conjunction with third party technology for processing HD video and graphics content, Microvision’s PicoP projector will allow [in 2010] integration into a mobile phone, further enhancing display options in mobile devices. Microvision’s Pico projector is creating a new standard by extending beyond the limitations of the physical screen on mobile phones and allowing consumers to share content with friends and family.

From viewing video content on a 2-inch LCD screen on your mobile phone to being able to watch DVD-quality video in widescreen TV format projected to the closest wall, the wireless experience will never be the same.

Quality of image, rich & vivid colors and always-in-focus feature is important when projecting from your Mobile devices. For comparison, look at the quality and size of the Microvision’s PicoP projection and compare it to the [static] images from the Optoma DLP Pico projector and the 3M LcoS Pico projector…

First, the link to the Optoma DLP Pico projector video…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMeQBF4LNws

Next, the link to 3M LcoS Pico projector video…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4NNMHYgpGO4

Now look at Microvision laser PicoP projector SHOWwx video…

http://www.microvision.com/displayground/?m=200908

Note: Make sure to click on the video play button

Now tell me, if I need to write a thousand words to explain the difference between the three?

Microvision Will Change Your Visual Experience, Wirelessly!

Anant Goel

[Credit: Andy Rubin, Engineering Director at Google]

Thursday, September 17, 2009

Report: Microvision Held Their Annual Shareholder Meeting on September 15, 2009 (Addendum)

Report Addendum:

There are a few more tit bits of information that I have gathered from the various participants. These are essentially answers to one-on-one questions by the individual participants [and not part of the general presentation] and as such may account for inconsistency of some of the answers.

Financing:

Alex said there will most likely be another round of financing at some point.

Past Delays:

The past delays were not the fault of Microvision… but they were in securing the supply pipeline. Also, the move from prototype to mass production unit had some speed bumps…and that is not unexpected.

Embedded PicoP:

Considering the past delays and progress made to-date, an embedded PicoP projector for cell phones by this Christmas won’t happen… next Christmas, maybe! But, what is real is that this thing will move forward, on its own timetable, and it will succeed. However, there are many other embedded solutions [like in laptops] that will happen lot sooner. Expect to see embedded projectors in 2010, and eyewear is slated for 2011.

Product Launch:

The product launch strategy in the near term consists of three parts:

1. Private label marketing by third parties… where Microvision supplies the final product like SWOWwx to the OEMs and they slap on their own logo and use their own packaging. In such a scenario, the OEMs are expected to do their own warranty, service and support.

2. International distribution… presents a stronger market at present, as Asian and European countries take up new technology faster, and at better premiums prices than in the US. Also, the weak dollar makes American goods a compelling bargain to the foreigners.

3. Microvision sells from their website… The motivating factor here seems to be the margins and more importantly… to prove to the large OEM players that Microvision has its supply chain in place and can mass produce a reliable product for the humongous market.

Unique Color Controls:

There are 3 settings on the SHOWwx. One is “Inverse” for Power Point presentations, the second is “Natural” and the third is “Vibrant”…and my god is it vibrant! I couldn't take my eyes off the screen… it was like candy to the eyes. It is a color saturation that I haven't seen on even a TV. It is surreal. Its like the next dimension in color…you've got to see it. [A well deserved credit here to EarthKarma for his post]

Major Player in the Imaging Market Place:

“Laser steering projector is the bread and butter of Microvision for the foreseeable future and we are going to focus on the embedded PicoP to make the company profitable.” Believed to be the words of Alex Tokman?

“Microvision is positioning itself thru patents and IP to be a major player in the image community. He (Alex) said: “Microvision is not going to be a small component provider that can be marginalized by bigger players.”

Alex sees the company as an INTEL type company. He is going to make the company a player in the image industry. That explains the “Image by PicoP” as the slogan chosen for the world’s first laser based PicoP projector SHOWwx. Please read my post on…

Yes Virginia: “Its Intel Inside… but Image by PicoP.”
Here’s the link…
Alex mentioned a few things as to why he believes the product [PicoP display engine] is going to be successful…

• Uniqueness: nobody has lasers… nobody is doing what we are doing.

• Thin Form Factor: nobody has our size and nobody can do HD images without getting bigger.

• Longer Battery life: up to 2 hours currently vs. 45 minutes for the competition.

• Infinite focus: nobody else has it.

• Larger screen experience: from 12” to 150” diagonal under certain ambient light conditions.

• Superior small font readability: we are the only one that has 10 pt readable font.

• Uniformity of brightness: Images are uniformly bright from edge to edge, unlike some other competitors.

• No rainbow effect.

• Twice the color gamut (range) of NTSC

• WVGA resolution with sharper image detail
Corning and Osram [the two supply chain partners] are not only improving the laser light technology, but performance and price as well.  The next generation of Green Laser and PicoP display engine will bear this out.

Mass production of laser lights and PicoP display engine is expected to be in 2010.

That pretty much covers what I see in my notes. If I find something else, I’ll get back to you.  Please feel free to comment.

Anant Goel

http://www.wealthbyoptions.com/

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Report: Microvision Held their Annual Shareholders Meeting on September 15th, 2009.

I wasn’t there at the Annual Shareholders Meeting.  However, there were some folks that I know who attended the ASM meeting.  In a summary form and after having resolved the contradicting statements of these participants, this is what they had to say in essence…

• Actually it was quite a good annual meeting and was well attended.

• We were impressed with the PicoP projectors on display. The image has really been cleaned up substantially and looked quite good….very much a real product.

• They had units connected to a variety of things like iPods, iPhones and some laptops… each demonstrating the ease of use, direct downloads from the internet etc. There were some questions about Apple. Our take on Alex T’s answer was something like: “Apple World loves us and we have to be ready… I just ask you that you be patient.” In all probability, Microvision is in talks with “Apple”, however, there isn’t enough unit volume of PicoP display engines for Apple’s appetite at this time to be engaged officially.

• Finally an annual meeting with some smiles all around. Was that due to the very funny and light hearted video being projected… hard to differentiate. However, the mood was very upbeat and reassuring.

• PicoP display engine units will begin shipping about, as Alex said, in the next few weeks and the three (3) customers they have contracts with will be announced in something like the same time period, plus or minus.

• Obviously units between now and the end of this year are going to be scarce and how they are allocated is still being worked out.

• They [Microvision] tried hard to get names [of the 3 customers] for the press release but it just wasn’t possible to make the deadline. But the names should be decent.

• All in all, you have to call it a very constructive meeting and somebody else must have thought so too… given the action of the stock and the volume today.

• We are sure there are lots of comments out there and maybe some different opinions, but we think the ship is moving and finally leaving the port for uncharted waters of PicoP Ubiquity. It will take a while to pick up speed, because of shortage of light sources, but we should see improving news going forward on a reasonably regular basis.

There were a whole lot of other comments with different flavoring to the less critical questions and the following is my take on that…

• Much of what used to be called speckle in the image turned out to be electronic interference and has been eliminated with the latest version of the chips.

• Image quality is much better than what it was before…

http://www.microvision.com/displayground...
• The news from ASM is good… but tempered by the fact that GL light source supply [from both Corning and Osram] is still a very big issue and Microvision will not really get a handle on that until some time in November or so.

• The Press Release from this morning states…

“Microvision Announces Commercial Launch of SHOW WX Laser Pico Projector”

Here’s the link…

http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20090915006111&newsLang=en
There are two tit bits of information in the Press Release that we have not seen before. The first: “Microvision expects to begin product shipments in the next several weeks.” And the second: “Depending on the ambient light, the projected images range in size from 12” to 150”.”

• Is it good news or bad news? In our opinion, this news is good.  How great the news? That is debatable based on who is looking at it… and what investment horizon they have in their mind?

• Finally, after years of waiting for Green Lasers from its supply chain partners, Microvison today announced the long waited laser PicoP Projector for a market that consists of over 2 billion digital devices yearly as potential candidates for adoption.

• To those in the know, it means the Green Laser from Corning and Osram have reached the phase 2 optimum level of 100mw or higher, ASICs are functioning beyond the design expectations in reducing noise and speckle… there are no technological issues with the Green Lasers… and production is ramping-up nicely

• “Depending on the ambient light, the projected images range in size from 12” to 150”.”  To us, this means the brightness of the images has improved to higher levels where 150” diagonal image projection is now possible in certain ambient light condition?  If that is indeed the case, as I suspect it is, then it certainly makes it more appealing to the consumer that is looking for HD image experience in large screen format… and at miniscule energy consumption of a laser based projection technology that is always in focus.

• “Microvision expects to begin product shipments in the next several weeks.”  Some may consider this announcement as another delay and will be disappointed. But the truth is, and perhaps a revelation of these folks ignorance, that a high-tech product is much more complex and requires two steps to a successful “product launch”… just like Corning did with their Green Laser G-1000.  Corning launched their Green Laser G-1000 in May 2008… but did not sign an agreement with Microvision until May 2009.

• What was announced to-day is called “initial product launch”?  Microvision has just finished the first part [product development] of a eight part high-tech product marketing and product launch strategy. Launching a high-tech product like SHOWwx is more complex and requires many a “ducks” to get in line… as compared to launching a mass produced consumer product like a “cereal” or “energy drink”.

Just because the product─ PicoP display engine and the SWOWwx─ is ready doesn’t mean there are no more challenges and hurdles that need resolving. Here’s the list of challenges still facing this company and that’s what, in my humble opinion, may still take a few weeks at least to resolve...

Intellectual Property: You must file your patents and secure your invention records [as proof] to protect your intellectual property. Once the product is launched and is in the hands of your competitors [and pirates] you are sure to invite those who will reverse engineer [and infringe upon your rights] to copy your product… and steal your best employees.

Product: This is the most important part of your entire marketing campaign. Without a great product you don't really have much to work with. For this reason you have to make sure that you have got your market research right. It is very important to make sure that you have met all the requirements that a consumer would want in the product you are offering. You need to make sure that all your products are of great quality and that can be relied on as well… and achieve the trust of your customers. The product you are offering will be the so called first impression on your company's reputation. For this reason it is very important that you get everything right. The main goal in terms of your products is to meet or exceed your customer's expectations.

Supply Chain: Most high-tech products have several supply chain partners. In case of a mass produced product, such as PicoP display engine, all supply chain “ducks” must fall in-line, and kept in-line, to assure volume production and consistent quality over long periods of time… day-in day-out.

Product Price: This is also quite an important factor in more terms that one. Seeing that you will be competing against other competitors, you have to make sure that you offer a price that will make customers want to come and buy your product instead. Don't just price your product out of thin air. Make sure you do your market research and based on the quality and benefits of your product, price your product [both OEM or branded] accordingly. When the production volumes are low, as is the case with PicoP display engines right now, consider offering differentiated value for premium prices.

Packaging: The packaging of your product is also like the first impression of what you have to offer. You need to make sure that your packaging is both attractive and safe. Safe in the sense that it provides adequate protection to the product it is holding. Unless you have an attractive packaging, you won't be able to attract possible customers.

Sales Channels: This is one of the most important factors when it comes to the actual launch of the product. You need to decide on the perfect location, or distribution channel, or a combination that will allow you to maximize the possible customers, maximize margins, optimize sales channel cost, and leverage & network human and financial resources.

The Company plans to distribute its accessory pico projector product through three sales channels: OEM branded products, Microvision branded products sold through international distributors and Microvision direct sales through its on-line store. Microvision has signed several marketing and distribution agreements with international distributors in Asia and Europe to launch Microvision branded and private labeled versions of the laser pico projector.

Warranty, Service & Support: Offer realistic warranty that leverages the reliability features of your product as differentiated value and have the “service & support” infrastructure in-place before launching your product.

Promotion: This has a key role in advertising and the launch of the product itself. You need to carefully decide on the approach that you will promote your product in comparison to your other competitors.

Intel has become one of the world's most recognizable computer brands following its long-running “Intel Inside” campaign. The campaign, which started in 1991, was created by Intel marketing manager Dennis Carter. The five-note jingle was introduced the following year and by its tenth anniversary was being heard in 130 countries around the world.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intel_Corporation#Logos
“Image by PicoP” is, or so it seems at this early stages of Microvision’s marketing campaign, the slogan [or the champion theme] for its line of laser based PicoP Display Engines. With the commercial launch of SHOWwx today─ the world’s first laser based Accessory PicoP projector─ the Microvision company has laid the foundation for its future marketing campaign by embracing “Image by PicoP” as its champion theme.
http://www.microvision.com/
“Intel Inside” campaign is considered as the most suceesful and key component of Intel’s marketing strategy responsible for the ubiquitous status of its CPUs in the personal computer market place.

How well the “Image by PicoP” campaign will work for Microvision’s PicoP Display Engines remains to be seen as its just the beginning of the journey to achieving the ubiquitous status in the Pico projection market place… that consists of over 2 billion digital devices as potential candidates for adoption.  Here's an article on Image by PicoP & Ubiquity worth reading...
http://mirro7.blogspot.com/2009/09/microvision-from-here-to-picop-ubiquity.html

A good number of Microvision investors continue to demonstrate that they have no clue as to what it takes to bring a disruptive high-tech product to the consumer. As early as this morning, there were those who were throwing temper tantrums because their “self created” company milestones were not met. Someone very eloquently said: “Alex is not some used car salesman trying to rip people off.” He’s the real deal.  Based on his (Alex Tokman - CEO) comments and the way he expressed himself, he sincerely believed that December 2008 stretch goal could have been met… if Corning did not get ahead of itself in projecting green laser availability.

Alex T seems to have learned from this and is being very careful about sharing his expectations for HUD, Eyewear, HD PicoP display engine, and future volume projections to the investor community. He said the final targets will really depend on the manufacturer’s [OEMs] timeframe and would probably occur in the late 2010 to 2011 timeframe. It’s difficult to say since all of their resources are primarily being focused on SHOWwx.

At any rate, I’m fully comfortable with Microvision shipping the pre-launched products in “the next several weeks”.   Microvision ship is leaving port and moving into uncharted waters of "Image by PicoP" ubiquity and the next five years will be very interesting for sure.

Anant Goel
http://www.wealthbyoptions.com/

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Microvision Announces Commercial Launch of SHOW WX Laser Pico Projector

Here’s the link to this news release from this morning…

Microvision Announces Commercial Launch of SHOW WX Laser Pico Projector

http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20090915006111&newsLang=en

****
REDMOND, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Microvision, Inc. (Nasdaq:MVIS), a global leader in innovative ultra-miniature projection display and image capture products for mobility applications announced the commercial introduction of the world’s first laser-based pico projector, called SHOW WX™, based on its proprietary PicoP® display engine technology.

The Company plans to distribute its accessory pico projector product through three sales channels: OEM branded products, Microvision branded products sold through international distributors and Microvision direct sales through its on-line store. Microvision has signed several marketing and distribution agreements with international distributors in Asia and Europe to launch Microvision branded and private labeled versions of the laser pico projector. Microvision expects to begin product shipments in the next several weeks.

The Microvision pico projector uses the revolutionary laser-based PicoP display engine that delivers large, colorful, bright, and vivid images that are always in focus, regardless of projection distance. The accessory product is a simple plug-n-play pico projector for people on-the-go who want to spontaneously view and share mobile TV, movies, photos, presentations and more. Users can take the pocket-sized projector anywhere, plug it into their portable media players, mobile phones, notebooks and other portable mobile media devices with TV-Out or VGA functionality and share a big screen experience with friends, family or business associates. Depending on the ambient light, the projected images range in size from 12” to 150”.

****
Finally, after years of waiting for Green Lasers from its supply chain partners, Microvison today announced the long waited laser PicoP Projector for a market that consists of over 2 billion digital devices as potential candidates for adoption.

There is also some new and interesting tit bit of information in the press release that we have not seen before. According to the press release…

“Depending on the ambient light, the projected images range in size from 12” to 150”.”

Now, does this mean the brightness of the images has improved to higher levels where 150” image projection is now possible in certain ambient light condition? If that is the case, then it certainly makes it more appealing to the consumer that is looking for HD image experience in large screen format… and at miniscule energy consumption of a laser based projection technology that is always in focus.

Anant Goel
http://www.wealthbyoptions.com/

Yes Virginia: “Its Intel Inside… but Image by PicoP.”

Intel has become one of the world's most recognizable computer brands following its long-running “Intel Inside” campaign. The campaign, which started in 1991, was created by Intel marketing manager Dennis Carter. The five-note jingle was introduced the following year and by its tenth anniversary was being heard in 130 countries around the world.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intel_Corporation#Logos

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSuaVfpKa7s

Image by PicoP” is, or so it seems at this early stages of Microvision’s marketing campaign, the slogan [or the champion theme] for its line of laser based PicoP Display Engines. With the commercial launch of SHOWwx today─ the world’s first laser based Accessory PicoP projector─ the Microvision company has laid the foundation for its future marketing campaign by embracing “Image by PicoP” as its champion theme.

http://www.microvision.com/

Intel Inside” campaign is considered as the most suceesful and key component of Intel’s marketing strategy responsible for the ubiquitous status of its CPUs in the personal computer market place.

How well the “Image by PicoP” campaign will work for Microvision’s PicoP Display Engines remains to be seen as its just the beginning of the journey to achieving the ubiquitous status in the Pico projection market place… that consists of over 2 billion digital devices as potential candidates for adoption.

http://mirro7.blogspot.com/2009/09/microvision-from-here-to-picop-ubiquity.html

According to Wikipedia…

“An advertising campaign is a series of advertising messages that share a single idea and theme which make up an Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC). The critical part of making an advertising campaign is determining a champion theme, as it sets the tone for the individual advertisements and other forms of marketing communications that will be used. The campaign theme is the central message that will be communicated in the promotional activities. The campaign themes are usually developed with the intention of being used for a substantial period but many of them are short lived due to factors such as being ineffective or market conditions and/or competition in the marketplace and marketing mix.”

Anant Goel
http://www.WealthByOptions.com/

Saturday, September 12, 2009

Microvision: From Here to PicoP Ubiquity

Microvision is a publicly traded company [NASDAQ: MVIS] and has “killer apps”.

It’s the “disruptive technology” called: “Laser based PicoP display engine.” It can bring about massive shifts in “technology paradigm” and “social paradigm”. And if you can ride this technology/social paradigm for long enough [like Intel did with computing], you have a very high probability of being “ubiquitous” [if not out-right industry standard] in the Pico projection space [like Intel is with its “Intel-inside” for CPUs].

In simple terms, paradigm shift is defined as: “A complete change in thinking or belief systems that allow the creation of a new condition previously thought impossible or unacceptable.” Just to make sure we're all on the same page, here's a clear definition of the phrase, which was coined by Thomas Kuhn in his ground-breaking 1962 book, The Structure of Scientific Revolutions:

"Think of a Paradigm Shift as a change from one way of thinking to another. It's a revolution, a transformation, a sort of metamorphosis. It does not just 'happen', but rather it is driven by agents of change."

Most of us understand the definition well. However, we tend to miss the true meaning of the statement: “It does not just ‘happen’, but rather it is driven by agents of change”. If you read carefully and do some research you will see: “those agents of change can cause micro level paradigm shifts with-in a macro level paradigm over a period of time. And in order for your product to become ubiquitous [or an industry standard], you must plan and manage for such constantly changing micro level paradigms [with-in a major paradigm] on an on-going basis over an extended period of time. I know it’s a mouthful, so let’s see what all that means first and then we will apply it to PicoP display technology…

One big example is “The Computing Paradigm Shift” that started in early 1980 when the Personal Computer was first introduced. Few years later, in 1993, John Quarterman of Texas Internet Consulting wrote in the Journal of Organizational computing…

“Over the last five years, there has been a shift from centralized to distributed computing. Timesharing and batch systems still have uses, but the large mainframe is no longer the only way to do computing. Networks have spread computing power, access, and costs beyond centralized computer centers. Personal computers have made computing accessible to many new users. Distributed computing attempts to bring the manageability of mainframe computing together with the accessibility of networked computing and the transparency of personal computing.”

According to the definition of paradigm shift, personal computing represents the macro level paradigm shift. Intel rode this major paradigm for a long time and managed it so well that AMD could not catch-up with Intel for over 20 years. And that gave Intel enough time to become ubiquitous with its CPUs in-side all of the major PC manufacturer’s product line. However, by year 2000, AMD caught-up with Intel and that’s when another paradigm shifts [call it micro paradigm] took place with-in the personal computing paradigm. For example, changes taking place within the PC paradigm were so visible…

“At the Intel Developer Forum, fall of 2005, in San Francisco, there were very few individual products or product groups that represented any new breakthrough relevant to silent computing.

But when you consider the entire range of changes in focus, product development, and marketing messages at Intel over the past year, especially as they culminated at the fall 2005 IDF, it does not seem farfetched to speak of a major paradigm shift.”

The paradigm shift I refer to is being driven by Intel in response to technological, competitive and market forces, and it has three major aspects:
  •  End of the processor clock race, replaced by multi-core processor development.
  • A focus on performance-per-watt and power efficiency.
  • New ways of assessing and ranking performance.
Intel is managing this micro paradigm shift well and has been able to still maintain its leadership in the CPUs product space. However, for a while, during the 1996 thru 2002, Intel got too comfortable with its successes with Pentium 4 and it did not see the micro level paradigm shift coming. During this micro paradigm shift from “clock speed” to “multi-core”─ with-in the personal computing paradigm─ AMD made major progress [against Intel] in capturing market share and almost ran away with the keys to the chicken farm.

Another example is: “the change in thinking created by Just-in-Time that views inventory as a liability, not an asset.”

Now let’s talk about PicoP display technology…

Microvision’s PicoP display engine technology can cause major shift in “technology paradigm” and “social paradigm”. Example of technology paradigm shift would be:
  • Your 2”x 2” screen [on cell phone, smartphone, iPod, iPhone, Blackberry, etc.] now projects to up to 100” high definition quality images [pictures, movies or streaming videos] on any surface… on the fly… always in-focus… and at miniscule power drain on your battery.
  • Your 2”x 2” screen [on digital camera, camcorder] now projects up to 100” HD quality image on any surface… on the fly… always in-focus… and at miniscule power drain on your battery.
  • Your Laptop comes with built-in projector for up to 100” HD quality image on any surface… on the fly… always in-focus… and at miniscule power drain on your battery.
  • High Definition Mobile Projector/ TV that could provide large screen HD TV experience to a billion people in energy starved China and India. In the U.S. and Europe, it could easily replace millions of power hungry LCD/Plasma TVs in every room.
  • High Definition Mobile Projector/ TV that could provide large screen HD TV experience on the ceiling for late night video or movie watching from the comfort of your bed.  In the U.S. and Europe, it could easily replace millions of power hungry LCD/Plasma TVs in every bedroom.
Example of social paradigm shift would be: “the dramatic changes in the way, and how often, we view and share multi-media information at work and at play, and network [and collaborate] with associates, friends and family.”

Since the beginning of 2007, Microvision has accomplished quite a few major milestones on its way to becoming a well managed and financially sound company with a technologically feasible product line. Microvision has now partnered with some world class technology companies [including Motorola and Corning] to commercially bring the most disruptive [and paradigm shifting] product line to the market that consists of billions of potential users worldwide.

That’s a mouthful, so let’s break it up in order to make some logical sense and explain where I am going with this…

Microvision’s core PicoP technology is weaved into five product offerings…
  1. Vehicle Displays: for better driving experience and safety in automobiles. http://www.microvision.com/vehicle_displays/index.html
  2. PicoP Projector Displays: brings big screen to small devices. Project up to 80” HD color projection for applications such as streaming video, movies, digital TV, high resolution photographs, and surfing the net. http://www.microvision.com/pico_projector_displays/index.html
  3. Wearable Displays: a see-through, high-resolution display platform that enables lightweight and fashionable eyewear displays for mobile devices. Color Eyewear platform allows mobile users to access their personal content and services while keeping their vision of the outside world free and clear, letting mobile users stay on the move. http://www.microvision.com/wearable_displays/mobile.html
  4. Military Displays: is used across various branches of the U.S. Military including the U.S. Army, Air Force, and U.S. Army Reserve. http://www.microvision.com/wearable_displays/military.html
  5. Barcode Scanners: features a patent-pending, low-cost, shock-resistant, silicon MEMS scanning mirror engine. http://www.microvision.com/barcode/index.html
As the saying goes on Wall Street: “Always Do Your Homework before Investing in the Latest Technology”!

The second rule [first being “killer apps”] to investing in emerging technology is simple: “Do your homework and your own due diligence. Before you invest, analyze the entire industry and the company carefully—and don’t buy the stock just because it’s the next big thing.”

The PicoP display engine can be embedded in hundreds of different products representing a huge market share for entire product line-up. It has the potential of adding billions of new dollars to Microvision—expanding what I like to call the “halo effect” from the PicoP display modules to the rest of Microvision product line. That’s why I’m so excited about the PicoP Projector code named SHOWwx that is getting ready for release in 2009…and that it will have a major ripple effect for the rest of Microvision products.

In summary…

Microvision has “killer apps”.

Each of the five commercial products that Microvision is offering [or will be offering soon] use at its core the PicoP display engine technology that has the potential to cause massive paradigm shift in its own space of product applications.

Anant Goel
http://www.wealthbyoptions.com/

Real Time Investor Relations

©Anant Goel
August 21, 2007

Communications has always been an important part of any successful person or business, and ways to communicate have certainly progressed over the past 100 years: from postal mail to e-mail, from telegraph to the telephone, and from fax broadcast to the web-cast.

And as our world becomes increasingly Internet-driven, it is becoming more and more important for a business, for example, to reach its customers, business partners and investors in a fast, efficient and cost effective manner. Companies that recognize the need to communicate frequently, efficiently and fast with its customers, partners and investors will prosper and be the leaders in their industry. Those that are slow to adapt will ultimately lose their competitive edge and disappear…or just be a laggard in their sector at best.

What a difference a few strands of fiber and a prism of light can make to change the destiny of human race, and your business, in the new millennium.

With Internet users doubling every 200 days, it is only a matter of time when the investors of publicly traded companies would demand “real time” information about the company’s business affairs. Most active investors have Internet access and they prefer to do their own due diligence. This, by the very nature of the need for real time information, makes me believe: “The days of “canned” Press Releases are over. And the progressive, dynamic, and visionary companies will embrace the Internet for disseminating real time business information to their investors.”

I don’t know about you, but I feel that most public companies need to come out of the dark ages of faxes, voice-on-demand, and “canned” Press Releases. Companies that web-cast, for example, have taken a giant step ahead, but I still feel that the corporate management still needs to move ahead to embrace us, the individual minority investors, in the open forum of Internet with trust and truth?

The studies indicate that by the end of year 2007, there will be over 1 billion Internet users. That means, most all of the educated population of the world, will be globally connected by the Internet. And the boundaries of time and space will disappear. People will gather in public forums of their common interests, stock message board at YAHOO, to network and share information. These people will be the investors, customers, vendors, friends, enemies, management, or employees of the public companies. In a public forum like this, that allows us to maintain our anonymity, there will be no place to hide for the incompetent or the unscrupulous.

Those companies that recognize the evolution of Internet, and have the vision to recognize its far-reaching impact on traditional business models, can capitalize from the revolution and not be its victim. Companies that fail to embrace the Real Time nature of globally connected New World Economy of the Internet will slowly disappear… cut down to nothing by the competition… or be acquired. Massive changes are taking place in the way business is done and investments are made today. You can embrace the changes and go with the flow, to capitalize and gain from it, or be a victim of the change itself. Choices are simple but the impact will be massive. The real time information, traveling at the speed of light to billion(s) of informed and educated potential investors and customers around the globe, can very quickly take your company to higher levels of financial success or, on the flip side, simply cut it down to size forever.

Two years ago I came to Microvision (NASDAQ: MVIS) message board at YAHOO looking for investor/user feedback to Microvision technology, products and services. What I noticed was a total lack of factual information and lots of BS posts by unscrupulous characters. Some of us took the risk and devoted our time to research, review, and write the facts about Microvision and articulated the investment opportunities offered by MVIS stock. It takes lot of time and energy to do that. And lately it really got harder and harder to gather useful information, because Microvision was firing on many different fronts and that information would easily get mixed-up to make any sense.

Microvision has made lots of progress over the last two years. But Microvision is not fully appreciated, or recognized, by the investment community. May be that’s because of the antiquated dark-age communications media that the management [of the past] chose to get the message out. However, that could be changing and may be now the minority investors, for example, can realize the true value of their undervalued asset in MVIS stock. Microvision management took a giant step when they held the first web cast [investor conference call] almost two years ago and recently started to open-up and communicate with the investors, employees, customers and vendors in real time. And we hope that is the beginning of openness and sharing of the truth with integrity and trust. Openness and sharing truth with integrity are important to investors, both large and small.

In summary: “please keep up the good work on your business execution and on active investor relations. However, embrace the Internet—more aggressively and frequently— to communicate with your minority investors in real time”.

Anant Goel