Plants. That’s going to be the secret weapon for Amazon if they get their way in Seattle as their plans (pdf) include three massive biodomes in the front yard of their proposed skyscraper offices in the downtown area at 7th Avenue and Westlake. In essence, it would be their own miniature version of an Amazon rain forest, only the rain would be left on the outside of the domes. According to the proposal which is being reviewed by the Design Review Board, “In addition to a variety of workplace environments, the facility will incorporate dining, meeting and lounge spaces, as well as a variety of botanical…

This isn’t a big deal. It’s nothing new from a retail perspective and most will wonder what took Google so long to take advantage of their size and reach to take business from formerly-non-competitor Amazon and other online sales and delivery services. What most won’t realize is that this is another step towards world domination that should have investors betting even higher on Google and that should tell everyone that Google’s ownership of the world wide web is moving into ownership of the world wide real word. Google is now testing Google Shopping Express in the San Francisco area. Beta testers…

The good news for tech companies is that America seems to like them the best. Amazon topped the list, followed by Apple at #2 and Google at #4. The bad news for all American corporations is that nearly of Americans feel that corporate America in general is “poor” or “terrible” while two-thirds of Americans think that corporate America is “fair” at best. Only 9% perceive corporate America as “excellent/very good”. What does this mean? It says that tech companies are easier to trust, to like, and to do business with, likely because most of the interactions with them are online. Once face-to-face or…

In 2011, we wrote about how Groupon must fail to save the internet. At the time, there were already some fishy things happening in the Daily Deals segment of eCommerce and more fishiness continues to pop up even today. What happened to the promising future of Groupon and its biggest competitor, LivingSocial? With Amazon revealing that LivingSocial lost $650 million in 2012, it’s clear that both of the daily deals juggernauts are slipping. It seems like yesterday that Google was getting their $6 billion offer rejected by Groupon. What has changed? Why is the industry failing? To answer that, we…

The French were not able to maintain their 75% tax on the super rich, so now they’re aiming for the super, super, super rich by going after companies like Google, Facebook, and Amazon. Their latest scheme: an Internet tax that will affect those collecting personal data from French citizens. This concept emerged late last week in a report commissioned by President François Hollande that details the unfair ways that large American internet-based companies are able to circumvent the French tax system and still remain relevant to its citizens. According to the report, personal data is the “raw…

It’s the end of an era for Amazon and Wal Mart as the two giants sever their relationship over the Kindle e-Reader. According to Reuters: Wal-Mart Stores Inc will no longer sell Amazon.com Inc’s Kindle eReaders and tablets, severing its relationship with a major competitor and placing a bet that consumers are more interested in Apple’s iPad and other gadgets….

The competition has been getting stronger. Despite continued domination by Apple in the tablet market with their single-size offering, rumors are spreading that they are considering a smaller version of the iPad to compete with the Amazon, Google, and Microsoft amongst others going after the cheaper tablet marketing. This would be a mistake. Instead of taking on the Google Nexus 7 (which started shipping last week), the Amazon Kindle Fire (with a new version expected in the 4th quarter this year), and other offerings with Android and Microsoft software, an “iPad mini” would do more to cannibalize…

During the first quarter, Amazon (AMZN) reported a significant loss in income—thirty-five percent.  But even given that bleak outlook, Amazon stock fared relatively well.  The online giant reported twenty-eight cents per share in the most recent quarter, making the overall profit close to one hundred and thirty million dollars. These numbers are less than Amazon’s profits this time last year, but the loss is nowhere near as great as expected, given the recent income reports.  In contrast with the low income, overall sales are up thirty-four percent from last year. The new Kindle…

The company that many blame in part for the downfall of many large and small retail stores around the world is going to try its hand at the very thing they helped to weaken: retail store chains. Within the next few months, Amazon plans to launch retail store in their home town of Seattle that will focus on their emerging Amazon Exclusives like of books as well as tablets and other e-readers. This isn’t the first rumor that has circulated about Amazon hitting the brick-and-mortar path and the report is still unconfirmed, but it stays in line with their recent strategies. The eCommerce giant has shown…

First and foremost, RIM is dying. Anyone with knowledge of their situation knows that they have already lost the war against Apple, Google, and even Microsoft when it comes to being a player in the mobile device industry even if they still have a substantial chunk of the market. Recent reports indicate that they were approached by Amazon and others to help them get back on track but passed on the offers. “They have had approaches from folks who have wanted to have discussions,” said one head of technology investment banking at a Wall Street bank. “The issue is it is hard to find a value that makes sense…