Redmond, Wash.-based Microsoft is considering offering free versions of its Windows Phone and Windows RT to device manufacturers, according to a report from The Verge, citing sources familiar with Microsoft's plans.
USA Today was unable confirm the report. Microsoft did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Google's free Android software has stormed the world, taking a leading position while pushing Google's services and ads to rope in revenue. Microsoft, which charges device makers for its software, has remained a distant No. 3 on smartphones.
"While monetization through alternative means such as ads and app stores is an industry norm today, within Microsoft this thinking (is) outside the box," says IDC analyst Al Hilwa.
Top 10 Promising Stocks To Buy Right Now: Steamships Trading Company Ltd(PNG)
Steamships Trading Company Limited operates as a diverse trading conglomerate in Papua New Guinea. It involves in shipping, road transport, product manufacture, property, hotels, and information technology businesses. The company?s shipping business includes operation of a fleet of coastal vessels, and providing estuarine and river trades in the Gulf and Western Provinces; short and long term vessel charters, and cargo liner services using vessels ranging from 500DWT to 6000DWT; and stevedoring and shipping agency services. Its road transport business comprises general transport, fuel distribution, and long haul transport services; and customs clearance, handling equipment hire, integrated logistics, and specialist transportation services. Steamships Trading Company?s product manufacture business includes the production and distribution of food stuff comprising ice cream, vegetable oils, condiments, and seasonings; health and beauty goods; and spirits and premixed drinks , as well as involves in distributing imported wines and spirits. Its property business comprises residential, commercial, and industrial property development and leasing activities. The company?s hotel business engages in operating hotels. Its information technology business provides business-critical ICT consulting, solutions and services, IT outsourcing, business process outsourcing, Internet services, electronics and computer retail, and training and wide-ranging technical support. The company was founded in 1924 and is based in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. Steamships Trading Company Limited is a subsidiary of John Swire & Sons (PNG) Limited.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Jon C. Ogg]
Plains All American Pipeline L.P. (NYSE: PAA) was maintained as Outperform with a $64 price target (versus $51.44 current) after its announced acquisition of affiliated PAA Natural Gas Storage L.P. (NYSE: PNG) in an all-stock buyout.
- [By Aaron Levitt]
And more could be in store. PAA has just agreed to swallow its former natural gas storage spinoff PAA Natural Gas Storage (PNG) in a $1.41 billion deal that will instantly be accretive to PAA shareholders. Meanwhile, Plains continues to build new capacity and crude-by-rail services in key refining markets like California.
Top Diversified Bank Companies To Invest In Right Now: United States Gasoline Fund LP (UGA)
United States Gasoline Fund, LP (UGA) is a commodity pool that issues limited partnership interests (units). The investment objective of UGA is for the changes in percentage terms of its units��net asset value (NAV) to reflect the changes in percentage terms of the spot price of gasoline (also known as reformulated gasoline blendstock for oxygen blending (RBOB)) for delivery to the New York harbor, as measured by the changes in the price of the futures contract for gasoline traded on the New York Mercantile Exchange (the NYMEX) that is the near month contract to expire, except when the near month contract is within two weeks of expiration, in which case the futures contract will be the next month contract to expire, less UGA�� expenses. UGA seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing in a mix of Futures Contracts and Other Gasoline-Related Investments. United States Commodity Funds LLC (USCF) is the general partner of UGA and is responsible for the management of UGA.
The net assets of UGA consist primarily of investments in futures contracts for gasoline, but may also consist of investment contracts for other types of gasoline, crude oil, heating oil, natural gas and other petroleum-based fuels that are traded on the NYMEX, ICE Futures or other United States and foreign exchanges (collectively, Futures Contracts). UGA may also invest in other gasoline-related investments, such as cash-settled options on Futures Contracts, forward contracts for gasoline, cleared swap contracts and over-the-counter transactions that are based on the price of gasoline, crude oil and other petroleum-based fuels, Futures Contracts and indices based on the foregoing (collectively, Other Gasoline-Related Investments).
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Paul Ausick]
The United States Gasoline ETF (NYSEMKT: UGA) is up about 0.4%, at $60.40, in a 52-week range of $53.35 to $65.86.
The United States Brent Oil ETF (NYSEMKT: BNO) is down 0.3%, at $84.68 in a 52-week range of $73.76 to $88.71.
Top Diversified Bank Companies To Invest In Right Now: Building Turbines Inc (BLDW)
Building Turbines Inc (BTI), incorporated on November 17, 1997, is engaged in the designing and manufacturing rooftop mounted wind turbines. The patented BTI�� design is ideal for commercial applications and creates reliable, cost-effective, clean and on-site renewable electricity. The Company offers a different, patented wind turbine product that can bring the dream of clean, affordable wind energy to a reality. The turbine is mounted on a steel frame, it has a low profile, low maintenance needs, and creates almost no noise or vibration.
The Company�� design possesses these exemplary and robust structural, mechanical and electrical characteristics that are particularly important when mounting a renewable energy system onto a building's roof. The turbine can help office buildings, schools, warehouses, distribution centers, airports, hotels, and a variety of other buildings offset electricity purchased from the grid by creating it on-site from the wind. The turbine creates reliable, cost-effective and clean renewable electricity with little building modification required.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Peter Graham]
Small cap green stocks Essential Innovations Technology Corp (OTCBB: ESIV), Building Turbines Inc (OTCMKTS: BLDW) and Kleangas Energy Technologies Inc (OTCMKTS: KGET) have all been getting some attention lately in various investment newsletters ��either because they were sinking, because of paid promotions or a combination of both. However, there aren�� many green stocks out there that have actually produced some green for investors in the form of profits. With that in mind, here is a quick reality check about all three green small cap stocks to help you decide whether any have the potential for long-term success:
- [By Peter Graham]
Small cap green stocks Building Turbines Inc (OTCMKTS: BLDW), Virtual Sourcing, Inc (OTCMKTS: PGCX) and Unseen Solar, Inc (OTCMKTS: PCWT) have been getting some attention lately in various investment newsletters in part because some ��reen�� is being paid out in the form of paid promotions or investor relation activity. Of course, there is nothing wrong with properly disclosed paid promotions, but you do need to remember that small cap stocks (especially those in new ��reen�� industries) already come with risk. With that in mind, here is a quick reality check about these three green small cap stocks and whether you can expect to see some green in the form of profits:
Building Turbines Inc (OTCMKTS: BLDW) Has Secured a $5 Million Line of CreditSmall cap Building Turbines Inc is focused on the design and manufacture of patented rooftop wind turbines as well as vertically integrating them into other renewable energy solutions to complete a total ��reen Energy Solution��for any urban environment. Building Turbines Inc�� subsidiary, Green City Planet, is also a premier provider of LED lighting and environmentally sound industrial solutions. On Friday, Building Turbines Inc fell 9.76% to $0.0370 for a market cap of $8.71 million plus BLDW is up 51% over the past year and down 87.2% since June 2011 according to Google Finance.
Top Diversified Bank Companies To Invest In Right Now: Westmoreland Coal Company(WLB)
Westmoreland Coal Company operates as an energy company in the United States. The company, through its subsidiaries, engages in the production and sale of sub-bituminous coal and lignite to electricity generating plants; and the ownership of power plants in North Carolina. It owns 5 surface coal mines in Montana, North Dakota, and Texas; and 2 coal-fired power generating units with a capacity of approximately 230 megawatts in Weldon, North Carolina. As of December 31, 2010, Westmoreland Coal Company had estimated proven and probable coal reserves of 389.9 million tons. The company was founded in 1854 and is headquartered in Englewood, Colorado.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By John Udovich]
Obama�� war on coal has claimed another victim as James River Coal Company (NASDAQ: JRCC) files for Chapter 11, but coal stocks Westmoreland Coal Company (NASDAQ: WLB), Alliance Resource Partners, L.P. (NASDAQ: ARLP) and Hallador Energy Co (NASDAQ: HNRG) have still managed to put in a decent performance for investors���despite the industry headwinds coming from the White House. Just consider this: By 2025, 300 of America�� coal plants will close due to EPA policies for a total of 44,000 megawatts of generating capacity in 33 states to be taken off line. Moreover, Democrats have been putting up roadblocks to stop coal exports���one potential industry bright spot as the US�has the largest coal repository in the world.
Top Diversified Bank Companies To Invest In Right Now: Paramount Gold and Silver Corp. (PZG)
Paramount Gold and Silver Corp., an exploration stage company, acquires, explores, and develops gold, silver, and precious metal properties in the United States and Mexico. It owns a 100% interest in the San Miguel property located in southwestern Chihuahua, northern Mexico. The company�s projects also include the Sleeper Gold project located in Humboldt County; the Mill Creek property located to the south of Battle Mountain; and the Spring Valley property located in the Spring Valley area in Pershing County, Nevada. The company was founded in 2005 and is headquartered in Winnemucca, Nevada.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By MONEYMORNING.COM]
And one of our favorite "juniors" - meaning, by definition, it's a speculative company - is the Winnemucca, Nev.-based Paramount Gold and Silver Corp. (NYSEMKT: PZG). It's an exploration-stage miner with projects in northern Nevada and Chihuahua, Mexico.
Top Diversified Bank Companies To Invest In Right Now: NTN Buzztime Inc (NTN)
NTN Buzztime, Inc. (Buzztime), incorporated in 1984, is an interactive entertainment network. The Company provides media, advertising and consumer marketing services. The Company's games, as of December 31, 2011, were available in over 3,900 locations in the United States and Canada, where they are shown on approximately 20,000 screens daily. The Company has over 2.4 million registered users and over 52 million games is played each year. The Company generates revenues by charging subscription fees for its service to its Network Subscribers and also from the sale of advertising aired on in-venue screens, as well as in conjunction with customized games. Approximately 34% of the Company's Network Subscriber venues, as of December 31, 2011, were related to national and regional restaurants and includes Wild Wings, Black Angus, Hooters, Native New Yorker and Old Chicago. In October 2011, the Company acquired the Stump! Trivia hosted live trivia business.
The Company's Buzztime Network system uses a 900 mega hertz (MHz) wireless Playmaker, a hand-held radio frequency device with a monochrome liquid crystal display (LCD) display and sealed keypad that players use to enter choices and selections. The Playmakers have been manufactured primarily by a non-affiliated manufacturer in Taiwan and are a rugged combination of hardware and firmware optimized for hospitality environments. The Company also offers the Buzztime Mobile Playmaker, an application that allows its players to interact in-venue with its game content using iPhones, iPod Touches and Android phones. The Company's primary product is the distribution of a variety of multi-player interactive games that entertain and challenge a player's skill and knowledge while prompting the customer of the hospitality venue.
The Company provides premium trivia competitions during evening hours, particularly in the restaurants and sports bars. In addition to game interaction, other consumer features available on the Playmaker include player ! chat and real-time sports scores transmitted directly to the units.
The Company has developed and produced a number of interactive sports games, including predicts the Play sports games. Predict the Play sports games call for participants to predict the outcome of events before they happen, primarily in an intensive play-by-play method. One such game in this category is QB1, a live, play-along football game. In addition to the Company's Predict the Play games, the Company offers a series of pre-event prediction games. Race Day consists of two game play components: one predictive before the race and one trivia during the race.
The Company offers a suite of Playmaker only games. This suite of games is independent of the Buzztime Network and they are played directly on the Company's wireless Playmakers rather than on one of the television screens in the hospitality venue. As of December 31, 2011, the Company has Playmaker Poker, Acey Duecey, Crystal Ball and Shark Attack Playmaker only games.
The Company competes with Touchtunes Interactive Networks, The Answer Is . . . Productions Inc. and Livewire/Incredible Technologies, Inc.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By abirk]
On March 6, 2014, Buffalo Wild Wings announced its partnership with NTN Buzztime Inc. (NTN) to bring the company's BEOND tablet-based entertainment platform to all of their North America restaurant locations by the end of 2015. Buzztime's BEOND tablet lets Buffalo Wild Wings Guests order food, request songs and television programming, play games (both multi-player and arcade-style), and pay the bill.
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