Amazon's Echo Will Be Able To Adjust Nest's Thermostats

The e-commerce giant has been working hard to make its Echo more blingy and it has been doing well so far.

Amazon Echo, the retail giant’s Bluetooth speaker, with the help of its voice assistant Alexa can adjust Nest thermostats to change house temperatures. Ever since its release, the e-commerce company’s hands-free device has been performing exceptional in the market as it lets users perform various functions simply with the help of voice-commands.

With the assistance of the Bluetooth speaker, users can simply activate ‘Alexa’ by calling the name and ask her to take the necessary measures to adjust the temperature of their homes/rooms. Through the Alexa app, they can integrate their Nest Thermostat to the Echo and then it is good to go. However, if the user fails to give proper instructions to Alexa, it is likely to adjust the temperature settings automatically by two degrees.

The retailer’s aim has always to been to promote a smart-home culture as it had already allowed its customers to control their home’s smart-lights or even playback music from the e-commerce platform’s cloud platform. With its latest new features, the company is making quite an effort to arm Alexa with a wide range of capabilities.

After the introduction of Echo’s Tap and Dot, Echo inspired speakers, it hinted to support thermostats via voice-commands. Furthermore, it can be concluded that Echo is really working on its game in the digital assistant market and is directly competing with Apple Inc.’s digital assistant as this point, Siri. This move is highly appreciated by the Bluetooth speaker’s owners, as the use of digital assistant in the market is growing rapidly to navigate smart home appliances.

To ensure that all Amazon customers have an Echo device, the company is allowing its customers to create their own device for a price of $60. It’s a tutorial that the online shopping company has posted on GitHub – however to follow the step by step tutorial, a user needs a background on programming and technology. Furthermore, the Nest Thermostats can be run by voice-commands given by Dot, Fire TV, Echo and Tap. In addition to that, the company is also working on adding further new features (commands) for the future.

Amazon stock is being traded in the market for $582.95 up by 2.34%. During the trade session, the stock was seen hit a high share price of $583.55 and at a low end of $567.08 while the trade session commenced at a share price of $567.11. The market capitalization of the e-commerce giant is at $280.90 billion. Furthermore, the earnings per share were reported to be at 1.24 with a price to earnings ratio of 470.07.

IBM's Another Cloud-Based Acquisition

In order to bolsters its cloud based business the tech giant has been making prudent acquisitions

According to the most recent news, International Business Machines Corporation has acquired a UK based privately owned company Optevia. Optevia is software as a services (SaaS) systems integrator and a specialist provider of Microsoft Dynamics CRM based solutions. The firm major focus is on UK’s public sector organizations including, but not limited to health, social enterprises, housing, central government, and emergency services. The financial amount of the acquisition remains undisclosed however it is confirmed that the US based company has become the part of Big Blue’s global business services division.

Over the past fifteen quarters, the $145 billion company has been recording slumping sales. Therefore, the tech giant has decided to part from the lower-margin businesses and to shift the focus and investment on its five “strategic imperatives,” which include, analytics, cloud, social, mobile, and security services. The decision has been taken on the last year’s 10% annual growth of the abovementioned businesses premises. Additionally, the business sales accumulated to around a third of IBM full year sales. However, the abovementioned growth couldn’t offset the colossal decline of 8.5% to around $22.06 billion.

Therefore, in order to strengthen the strategic imperatives, the New York City, New York firm has been quite frantically acquiring cloud companies such as Optevia. Since the inception of the year 2016, Big Blue brought its plans in open about the buying of Ustream –the cloud-based video streaming company, Truven Health Analytics –cloud based healthcare data provider, another cybersecurity company Esilient Systems, in addition to three digital marketing companies. Additionally, in order to bolster its Watson AI and data processing platform, IBM acquired The Weather Company in the current year.

The recent acquisition of Optevia has strengthened the tech giants hold in the CRM market. According to the industry gurus, the tech giant anticipates a $23 billion opportunity from the CRM market and it further envisions that the cloud based CRM solutions can conveniently “surpass 50% of that total.” Furthermore, the tech titan believes that the acquisition of Optevia will assist Big Blue “establish itself as a premier SaaS and digital consultant and accelerate leadership in CRM solutions.”

The purchase of Optevia which deploys Dynamics for its clients can effectively help Big Blue and Microsoft Corp. in their CRM market shares expansion against Salesforce. According to the data purported by the research company, Gartner, Salesforce massively holds 18.4% of the global CRM market while Big Blue and Microsoft respective holdings in the market is mere 3.8% and 6.2%. The acquisition is also likely to boost the global business services revenue of IBM which, last quarter, slumped down by around 10% annually. The global business services make up around 20% of the company’s top line.

Standalone, the deal with the UK based company is likely to cultivate humungous growth for the tech giant’s global business services or strategic imperatives.  

IBM is trading fairly well in the market and on Thursday the stock closed at $147.98. $117 to $176 makes up stock’s 52 weeks range.

Netflix Inc. Is Up Against Piracy Websites Who Are Stealing its Content

The streaming media service has made a call to Google, requesting it to take down these links that are infringing its copyrighted content.

Earlier in 2016, the streaming media leader, Netflix Inc. announced that it will be banning the use of virtual private network and proxies that customers uses to gain access to libraries from other regions of the world. With the help of these VPNs and proxies, users are able to fake their locations so they can be able to watch shows and movies that have not been made available in their countries.

In addition, to stop these customers from ‘stealing’ from Netflix, the streaming media giant has now started to approach Google to take down sites that pursue uploading pirated Netflix original content series and movies. This is the first time ever that the video streaming company is going an extra mile to protect its copyrighted property.

Not more than three years ago, the CEO of Netflix, Reed Hastings had announced that the company is not interested in going after people who pirate its content and allow customers to streaming and download it via their website. However, now it seems that most of these websites that host pirated content are taking away customers from the organization that is not even close to accept on the streaming media provider’s front.

At that time, the CEO had also started that there is some kind of torrenting going on in the world and it happens all across the globe and through that the company just gets to know what is in demand and what the customers are watching most. It is taking alternate routes to stop customers from going onto using those shady avenues and instead become a paying customer for it.

Netflix wants you to follow the system, become a paying customer and allow yourself to watch series and movies through the official service. TorrentFreak reported that Netflix has started to report thousands of websites that allow users to stream and download its content. In partnership with anti-piracy company, Vobile, the streaming media service provider has issued to take down more than 72,000 such websites that are infringing copyrights of the official service provider.

However, the company has focused on taking down a number of its top shows which include Narcos, House of Cards and Orange is the New Black. This act by the streaming media organization had only just begun in December 2015 and since then it has managed to issue thousands of notices. Its prime focus is on piracy websites which include vodlocker.com, putlocker.com and uploaded.net.

These moves by the organization has caused a mass outrage among users, however the company does not plan to stop. It’s simply at a point where it says ‘either you buy the service and watch the show or you don’t watch it at all’ which makes sense on its part since its spending millions of dollars of these original content shows. Even though it will not be able to take down all the pirated content from these piracy sites but it does believe that its increased efforts in this aspect might just help the service gain a number of new customers.

Amazon Pushing Hard To Start Its Drone Delivery Service

The e-commerce giant's first priority right now is to make the use of its drones commercial and get packages delivered as fast as the company can.

Jeff Bezos quest of providing his customers with cheap and quick deliveries takes a new turn every time; however he never disdains the essence of his business.

Ever since the beginning of Amazon, it has been popular for its low priced and fast deliveries. The company has become a retail giant in the industry and has now become obsessed with building its own fleet of drones to make these deliveries more convenient. The retailer’s aim is to delivery packages to customers within 20 minutes of order placement.

In Washington, the e-commerce giant has become one of the most ‘outspoken’ players in the tech industry as it has been spending millions of dollars pushing its business towards the logistics and delivery powerhouse. It has been the only company that has been religiously meeting with lawmakers as well as the regulators.

 It is probably the only business in the industry that has been pushing regulators to make the use of drones commercial, furthermore it is also encouraging them to improve bridges and roads to ensure safe and smooth deliveries of their packages. These plans are all still in their initial stages however the company is making an additional effort speed up its drone efforts.

According to a few drone makers, the e-commerce organization have been pushing a little too hard and fast to make this happen. Furthermore, pilots and airlines have also argued that opening the skies for the commercial use of these aerial vehicles could results in safety issues. It is a major concern as the regulators will need to establish specific air controlled regulations for these commercial drones which would include specific air routes that will need to be followed.

A senior analyst at Robert W. Baird, Colin Sebastian stated that the retailer is disrupting all these industries one by one, first with its retailing, then with Amazon cloud platform and now its aiming at ruining the transportation industry which include major market leader UPS and FedEx.

Amazon is not the only tech business that has taken an interest in the drone technology; Google and Facebook are also taking a keen interest in the technology. These two companies however are more interested in making communication in several regions easier for the masses and furthermore to make deliveries of packages easier and faster. Co Mayo is a company that is aiming at becoming a ‘center of commercial drone development’ for these tech businesses.

As per a consultation document some companies are likely to begin the use of drones by next year. This report was compiled by Mayo County Council’s enterprise and investment unit and was concluded in January 2016 – however the document is yet to be launched officially. As the drone technology becomes a reality, this document has sited some of the sites that are suitable for the use of these delivery drones.

Verizon Digital Media Services Welcomes Volicon

The telecommunication giant's digital media services business acquires Volicon which is a leading provider of braodcasting monitoring services as well as content archival.

Verizon Communication Inc.’s cloud video and advertising division, Verizon Digital Media Services announced on Wednesday that it has entered into an agreement to acquire Volicon, a leading provider of video capturing, broadcasting monitor and content archival.

Volicon stated that the company provides products which are used for compliance monitoring, competitive analysis, making videos for the social media as well as the web. On the other hand, Verizon’s Digital Media division is under the umbrella of AOL and this acquisition of Volicon suggests that the telecommunication giant is hoping to help broadcasters showcase their already existing videos and feeds on other online platforms.

Additionally, this acquisition is likely to serve as a beckon for Verizon as well since it will help the organization become the leading provider of technology and media service in the media broadcasting as well as online-video industry. The specific segment of the telecom organization allows users to share their content anywhere and at any time to any audience on a secure platform.

Bob Toohey, Verizon Digital Media Division President stated that in today’s world everything has started to move to mobile, digital and videos and most important job of the company is to keep pace with that and provide its users with the best platform to securely share their content on the Internet with the highest possible quality.

The media services division currently provides service to over 1,200 broadcasters, publishers and video operators all across the globe and has its fair share of experience in competitive analysis and video monitoring as well. By collaborating with Volicon, the media management company is likely to improve its visibility; quality as well as transparency that the company already provides to its users as it is able to share their content and advertisements anywhere in the world.

With Volicon’s technology along with Verizon’s Video Lifecycle Solution, both the companies in partnership with each other will be able to provide its customers with seamless options to take their existing content and broadcast feeds to another level through cloud-based delivery modes. Both the companies, at this point, have a video background and the necessary tools to help broadcasters create content including highlights, clips that they can share with the world.

The financial terms of the deal have not been disclosed as yet. Volicon was founded back in 2005 by Julius Peri, Yehuda Brand and Eli Warsawski. The CEO, Eli Warsawski shared his views on the acquisition, stating that he is quite pleased to be a part of the Verizon family and he sees that both the company share a similar vision. He added that this acquisition has opened more opportunities for the organization and as their products will grow through this takeover, the customers are likely to benefit greatly from it as well.

Tesla Shares Soared Followed By Analyst Bullish Stance

After closely monitoring the stock, the analyst believes that the stock has the potential to go up

Over the past, the stock of the automaker giant had slumped. However, most recently the shares had gain a subtle momentum which has led an analyst to think that from now on, the shares will accelerate.

After the Wisconsin based investment banking institution Baird’s analyst Ben Kallo elevated his rating on Tesla’s stock from “neutral” to “outperform,” the shares of the luxury electric car maker went up by 2.2% at the market operating on Monday and stood at $212.03. Moreover, the analyst also upgraded the price target to $300 –earlier the price target set on the stock was $230. Furthermore, the new price target set is almost 41% above to what the shares have currently been traded at.

In a note to clients forwarded by Mr. Kallo on Monday, the analyst expressed that although the analysts were skeptical when the slow production of Model X deliveries slumped down its delivery rate. However, the most recent data stipulates that the production of the prestigious vehicle is indeed going up which is more likely to drive the “deliveries and margin expansion throughout 2016.” He added further, “Additionally, we believe [Tesla] is ahead of expectations on reducing battery costs, and continues to have a significant lead on competing [electric vehicles].”

In the last five weeks, the Palo Alto, Calif. firm’s shares went up around 50%, and this is why Mr. Kallo upgraded his initial ratings of the stock. Back in the second week of February, just before the automaker unveiled its fourth quarter earnings, the shares of the company had hit the bottom.

Although the stock has climbed up the ladder however the pessimist of the investors is not going away easily. Both the investors and the analysts are apprehensive regarding the company’s cash burn, the impending production delays of Model X, and the potential further delivery disruption. According to data provider Markit, around 26% of Tesla outstanding shares were on loan, as of the Friday’s close. Moreover, by the end of February the record had shown that around 27% of the outstanding shares were on loan.

Mr. Kallo expressed: “High short interest sets up [the] stock for potential catalysts of [Model 3] introduction and [first quarter] deliveries announcement.”

By the end of the current month, the luxury electric maker is all set to debut its highly anticipated and moderately affordable newest electric vehicle; Model 3. It is still too soon to predict whether the launch of the new car will turn out to be the positive catalyst for the electric car maker however Mr. Kallo envisions that the initial reservations are most likely to exceed the expectations which collaterally be positive for the shares.

Moreover, most recently, the unofficial sources had proposed that the automaker giant has been increasing the price of its most popular Mode S sedan. That move is likely to help the company in coherently maintaining its free cash flow position too and subsequently halt the slumping of the shares.

Although, the Californian tech titan’s shares have regained a decent amount of momentum which had helped it to cover up its losses however, the analysts are not unanimously bullish on the stock. 

Boeing 727 Takes Off For Its Last Flight

The museum of flight has received another addition; Boeing's bestselling airplane, 727, which took off for its last flight.

Boeing Corporation’s bestselling product, 727, is heading to the Museum of Flight, which has been in the market for over 50 years now. The aircraft maker first 727 will be taking off for its last flight on March 1, Tuesday, if the weather agrees, for display at the Museum.

The first Boeing Co. 727 was made in 1962 on November 27, when it took off for its first flight ever, from Renton Field to Paine on February 9, 1963. This product worked as a test plane for almost a year and ended when United Airlines got the delivery of 727 on October 6, 1964, where it was used till 1991. The airlines utilized the plane for 27 years giving the company 64,495 working hours.

The aerospace company 727 went through numerous renovations every now and then. These renovations never proved easy, as the plane parts were hard to find. Even after the parts were found, the entire process consumes ample amount of time. While United Airlines were using the plane, it provided travel to 3 million passengers.

The leader of renovation informed the public that many people thought the plane would never be able to fly again because of the difficulties in its making. However, the company managed to prove many people wrong, and the plane is now flying to its final destination.

Boeing’s ancient product is going to travel a journey of 35 miles, which is going to be a high priority moment in the industry of aviation. The planes consisted of three engines with a T designed tail, making it significantly different and unique from other airplanes when it was launched. It changed the shape of traditional wings, which had triple slot flaps coming from the back of the edge of the plane and the lead coming out in front of the wings. The plane was able to fly 600MPH faster than other planes at that time.

727 was initially made for small locations and airports, which had shorter runways for landing and taking off. It even went for international travelling. It was sold till 1984 with deliveries as much as 1,832.

This was the first commercial airplane that managed to make and break the sales record by selling 1000 planes according to the aerospace business. FedEx used this product immensely for shipment purposes in 1990s. Even the famous Donald Trump used this specific plane for his personal usage.