As predicted....

clipped from www.businessweek.com Google TV: Still a Tough Sell As Google pulls out of the newspaper and radio ad business, it seems loyal to its TV efforts, but several shortcomings are holding it back In the past two months, Google (GOOG) has abandoned its efforts to sell newspaper and radio advertising. Will it pull the plug on its initiative to sell TV ads, too? Given the coming convergence of TV and the Internet as well as advertisers' hunger for Web-style measurements for their TV commercials, chances are good that Google will stay the course. But it faces a tough slog. A range of companies are also developing technologies that do a better job of allowing advertisers to target TV viewers. Then there is traditional media's deep-rooted suspicion of Google. "They're the pretty new girl in high school," says a senior ad sales executive. "We hate them for that."

Números que impressionam....

clipped from ultimahora.publico.clix.pt HP, Toshiba e JP Sá Couto lideram o mercado dos computadores Vendas de portáteis em Portugal dispararam 85,6 por cento  12.02.2009 - 15h34 Ana Rita Faria A crise parece estar a passar ao lado do mercado dos computadores, pelo menos em Portugal. As vendas gerais de computadores (incluindo portáteis e “desktops”) aumentaram 58,8 por cento no ano passado, mas foram sobretudo impulsionadas pelas vendas de portáteis, que dispararam 85,6 por cento.

clipped from news.bbc.co.uk

US retail sales unexpectedly rise

Hard up shoppers appear to have been tempted by bargains US retail sales unexpectedly increased by 1% in January, which economists suggest is due to New Year discounting. The rise was the first monthly gain in seven months, and followed a revised 3% fall in December. Analysts had expected a 0.8% decline last month. Excluding car and auto parts, sales in January rose by 0.9%. Petrol sales rose 2.6% as prices continued to fall.