Dell and EMC announced today that they have reached a deal to combine, taking EMC private and retaining control of VMware. But this transaction is complicated by EMC's 80% stake in VMware. Let's consider the value of that substantial and important holding and what it means for the Dell offer. How Analysts Value EMC Stock According to TREFIS, EMC's value is split between … [Read more...] about Doodling on the Value of EMC, VMware, and Dell’s Offer
Dell
VMware’s Hardware Partner Strategy: Heads I Win, Tales You Lose
VMware is in an enviable but tricky situation: The company must work closely with hardware partners, keeping these prime sales and promotional channels happy and supportive. But VMware must also innovate around proprietary OEMs, subverting their products with integrated software before a rival steps up with an integrated alternative. This two-prong "coopetition" strategy has … [Read more...] about VMware’s Hardware Partner Strategy: Heads I Win, Tales You Lose
Microsoft: Kill the Craptops Before They Destroy Windows!
Release after release, Microsoft pushes Windows forward. Yet the operating system is continually undermined by the "value-focused" low-end machines pushed by the majority of OEMs. This race to the bottom has tarnished Windows for a decade and now threatens to derail Windows 8. Microsoft must do something to stop the crap before it's too late! Attack of the Craptops The … [Read more...] about Microsoft: Kill the Craptops Before They Destroy Windows!
How Will Cisco Recover From The Consumer Strategy Blunder?
Cisco made a massive strategic blunder in the last decade, aggressively moving into consumer devices rather than focusing on their core enterprise and service provider markets. It seems that Cisco is now in the process of rectifying this mistake, but charting a path to growth is an entirely different matter! Cisco's Consumer Blunder Cisco is not HP, Dell, or IBM. Cisco is … [Read more...] about How Will Cisco Recover From The Consumer Strategy Blunder?
Dell World 2012: A Retrospective
Dell invited me to attend their Dell World conference in Austin, Texas last week, and it was an enlightening experience. Introducing Dell World Overall, the event was well attended, with many end-users and Dell personnel crawling the convention center. It was perhaps a little better than similar IT company conferences I have attended, though certainly not up to the high … [Read more...] about Dell World 2012: A Retrospective