Year: 2010

Morgan Stanley analyst Katy Huberty, in a note to clients, has raised her Apple price target from US$275 to $310 per share (from $275), and upped her 2011 iPhone sales estimates to 61.5 million units. She also says Verizon users really want an iPhone.

Huberty told clients — as reported by “Fortune” (http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2010/05/24/morgan-stanley-ups-aapl-target-to-310) — that:

Apple’s run of “incredible products (and growth) has been achieved with a staggeringly low R&D spend,” reports “Silicon Alley Insider” (http://www.businessinsider.com/apple-and-efficiently-growing-its-future-2010-5). The article says Apple only spent US$4.6 billion on R&D over the past four years, while revenues soared from $25 billion to $43 billion.

In contrast, Microsoft spent 700% that amount on R&D during the same period: $31 billion. Likewise Cisco and Intel spent about 400% as much as Apple on R&D — $19 billion and  $23 billion respectively.

Streaming Networks has released iRecord Music PMR-300 (http://www.irecord.com), an US$79.99, one-touch personal audio recorder that can directly record music and audio to portable media players (PMP), including all iPhone and iPod devices. The recorded files appear in the PMP’s playlist for immediate playback.

The Reputation Institute (http://www.reputationinstitute.com), an international organization devoted to advancing knowledge about corporate reputations, has released a list of the most reputable companies in the world. Apple ranks number six on the list.

The study provides a first ever assessment of the global reputation landscape — the companies that are most liked, trusted, and respected by the general public across 24 countries, says Dr. Charles Fobrun, chairman of the Reputation Institution. Data collection was powered by Survey Sampling International.

Virtual Programming is publishing Heir to the Throne (http://www.vpltd.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=253), the third expansion pack for Europa Universalis III. It costs US$19.95 and works with Mac OS X 10.5.8 or higher.