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A Hundred Billion Reasons to Invest in Robotics Technology

January 23, 2012

By Michael A. Robinson, Defense and Technology Specialist, Money Morning

Here's a 100 billion reasons why space technology should be on your radar screen -especially if you're interested in robotics.

According to the journal Nature, the Milky Way Galaxy alone contains at least 100 billion planets.

Now forgive me if I sound excited…but that is huge.

After all, just 20 years ago, astronomers still widel y believed that our own tiny solar system contained allof the major planets.

So when I talk about how we are entering an Era of Radical Change, this is exactly what I'm talking about.

It's not about tiny incremental changes but gigantic shifts in thought.

And here is something else to ponder…

With all of this new data, scientists now believe the universe may contain more than 150 billion galaxies. The math is enough to make your head spin.

How Nuclear-Powered Robots Are Winning the New Space Race

All this brings to mind one key point: The odds that we are alone in the universe grow smaller and smaller every day.

That puts us on the cusp of a New Space Race – one that will undoubtedly favor robots.

That's why I think NASA's new Spidernaut is such an important piece of technology. It's an eight-legged robot that looks like it crawled right out of a sci-fi movie.

NASA plans to use these robots to help construct a new generation of space-science platforms that are so large and fragile they'll have to be built in orbit.

As it turns out, spiders are really nimble creatures. NASA designed the prototype arachnid robot to have the grace and weight distribution of real spiders.

If the technology works as planned, these giant spider robots would crawl across a "web" of space tethers so as not to damage delicate equipment.

Now how cool is that?…

It all goes to show you that despite the soft global economy and budget cuts, we've actually never had more interest in space exploration.

But this time it's not just the United States and Russia. Indeed, China, India and Japan are also funding major programs.

To continue reading, please click here…

Seven Reasons the Apple iPad Will Remain King of the Tablets

March 2, 2011

By David Zeiler, Associate Editor, Money Morning

Apple Inc. (Nasdaq: AAPL) today (Wednesday) is expected to launch the iPad 2 – the latest iteration of a tablet device that has revolutionized the mobile computing segment.

Indeed, while most of its competitors have yet to release even their first tablet attempt, Apple is already at work on its third, which shows just how entrenched Apple's lead is in this relatively new and fast growing market.

The debut of the iPad last year ignited a tablet market that had languished for nearly a decade. Apple sold 3 million iPads in the three months following the device's April release, compared to just 2 million total tablets sold in all of 2009.

As with the iPod and iPhone before it, the iPad transformed its market and established Apple as its trendsetter.

Research firm IHS iSuppli (NYSE: IHS) expects sales of media tablets like the iPad to skyrocket from 17.4 million units worldwide in 2010 to 202 million in 2015. It sees the overall tablet market (which includes "PC-type" tablets with more robust computer abilities) to grow from 19.7 million in 2010 to 242.3 million in 2015.

With so much potential in this relatively new market, competitors – such as Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. (PINK: SSNHY), Hewlett-Packard Company (NYSE:HPQ) and Research in Motion Limited (Nasdaq: RIMM) – are releasing tablets of their own.

However, the iPad's competitors, even those using Google Inc.'s (Nasdaq: GOOG) Android operating system, face an uphill battle in their quest to knock Apple from its early dominant position in the tablet segment of mobile computing.

It's true that the iPad's share of the tablet market dropped to 75% in the fourth quarter of 2010 from an unsustainable 95.5% in the third quarter. But it's likely that iPad sales will stabilize at a high level, with Apple holding at least 50% of the market for years to come.

Here are seven reasons why…

Policymakers Panicked as China Rare Earth Ban Extends to the West

October 28, 2010

By Jason Simpkins, Managing Editor, Money Morning

China for months has blocked shipments of rare earth metals intended for Japan in retaliation for a regional dispute. Now, China appears to have expanded its rare earth embargo to include Western countries – a move that has U.S. and European authorities scrambling to formulate a backup plan.

Rare earth metals are essential to the production of high-tech devices like computers, display screens, smart bombs, and hybrid-car batteries. And despite their name, rare earth metals aren't particularly rare. However, they are difficult to produce and many rare earth production companies have moved their operations to China to capitalize on cheaper extraction costs and the nation's commitment to growing its alternative energy sector.

China, which has one-third of the world's rare earth deposits, accounted for 97% of global production last year. Of course, the near-total monopoly China wields over the sector wasn't a major concern until just a few months ago when the country cut its production and export quotas.

Hot Stocks: Windows Phone 7 Will Give Microsoft a Boost

October 26, 2010

By Don Miller, Contributing Writer, Money Morning

Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq: MSFT) has unveiled a lineup of smartphones that use its revamped Windows Phone 7 mobile-operating system in its boldest move yet to return to prominence in the mobile business.

The new operating system, which it spent two years developing, is the software giant's latest assault on the crowded smartphone market, where it has struggled to gain a foothold.

Microsoft's earlier mobile software was based on the design and interface of Windows desktop operating system. Although those phones showed early promise, the system's growth slowed dramatically as the company was upstaged by competitors like Apple Inc.'s (Nasdaq: AAPL) iPhone and Google Inc.'s (Nasdaq: GOOG) Android software.

Buy, Sell or Hold: Intel Corp. (Nasdaq: INTC) Offers the Security and Profit Potential that Few Other Investments Can

October 25, 2010

By Jack Barnes, Global Macro Trends Specialist, Money Morning

It's not easy to find a safe investment these days. The rulebook has been thrown out and mercantilism reigns supreme between nation states. The world is experiencing significant and rapid changes in currency exchange rates, as policymakers around the world take a beggar thy neighbor approach toward economic security.

There are very few multi-national companies that are not being seriously impacted by these changes.

However, there is one company that should be a safe beacon in these stormy market conditions: Intel Corp. (Nasdaq: INTC).

Intel Corp. Invests $8 Billion to Lead the Next Generation of the Semiconductor Industry

October 20, 2010

By Kerri Shannon, Associate Editor, Money Morning

Intel Corp. (Nasdaq: INTC) announced Tuesday that it would invest up to $8 billion in U.S. manufacturing with the goal of keeping its position as a semiconductor industry trailblazer and beat rivals in creating the next generation of silicon chips.

The world's biggest chipmaker will build a new factory in Oregon and upgrade four existing plants in Arizona and Oregon. The move emphasizes Intel's position as the biggest manufacturer of microprocessors and its ability to keep up with the semiconductor world's rapid and expensive pace.

The upgraded Intel plants will produce the company's most technologically advanced chips and support its move to 22-nanometer production. This next generation of chip production reduces the line widths on circuits, which lowers costs and improves capability. Currently chips are made with a 32-nanometer process.

Japanese Economy Threatened by China Rare Earth Metals Ban

September 29, 2010

By Jason Simpkins, Managing Editor, Money Morning

Japanese authorities last Friday released from detention the captain of a Chinese fishing boat that was found in disputed waters. However, China continues to withhold exports of rare earth metals to its island neighbor.

Rare earth metals are crucial to Japan's high-tech industry, and the ban on shipments from China, which has been in place since Tuesday of last week, could cripple the country's economy.

There are 15 different types of rare earth metals, which are used in high-tech devices like computer display screens, smart bombs, and hybrid-car batteries. However, the metals are scattered across the globe and very difficult to extract. They are in increasingly short supply as world demand surges, with industry officials predicting a global shortfall of 30,000 to 50,000 metric tons by 2012.

Five Ways to Play a Rebound in Semiconductor Stocks

September 27, 2010

By Larry D. Spears, Contributing Writer, Money Morning

What a difference a year makes – or, for that matter, even a mere quarter.

Back in September 2009, most analysts were anticipating a surge in 2010 semiconductor sales that would reflect the upcoming economic recovery. After all, semiconductors are used in virtually every device consumers deem essential these days – from smart phones and notebook computers to coffee makers and gaming consoles. Yet the industry had been mired in a three-year slump that saw global semiconductor sales plunge 9.6% in 2009 alone.

By April of this year, the numbers seemed to confirm those expectations. First-quarter worldwide sales had soared 58.3% to $69.2 billion from the prior year quarter's $43.7 billion, according to the Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA), the sector's leading U.S. trade group.

Hot Stocks: Adobe Systems Inc. Drives Investors Away With Weak Forecast and Disappointing Growth Outlook

September 23, 2010

By Kerri Shannon, Associate Editor, Money Morning

Adobe Systems Inc. (Nasdaq: ADBE) stock yesterday (Wednesday) plunged the most in eight years after forecasting a disappointing fourth quarter, triggering a slew of analyst downgrades and recommendations for investors to move to Adobe's tech rivals.

The software maker fell as much as 21% Wednesday, at one point hitting a new 52-week low of $25.81. It closed at $26.67, a 19.03% drop.

The company on Tuesday announced that it's predicting a flatter fourth quarter than investors and analysts had hoped due to fewer than expected sales of its core Creative Suite 5 software. The CS5 package includes popular Photoshop, Illustrator and Dreamweaver programs. The stock had already slipped 10% so far this year before Wednesday's trading.

The Bright Future for Cloud Computing is Becoming Much Clearer

September 23, 2010

By Jason Simpkins, Managing Editor, Money Morning

The cloud computing industry has yet to fully take off, but for an indication of its potential, look at the players getting involved.

Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq: MSFT), Hewlett-Packard Co. (NYSE: HPQ), Oracle Corp. (Nasdaq: ORCL), Google Inc. (Nasdaq: GOOG), and Amazon.com Inc. (Nasdaq: AMZN) – the biggest names in the tech sector – are all racing to take the lead in this burgeoning industry.

So what's all of the excitement about?

Show me