Alphabet Rakes in Increased Cash; Foxconn-Coronavirus ‘Fairly Small Impact’; Toyota & Panasonic Partner on EV Batteries; Cards Against Humanity Buys ClickHole

Google parent Alphabet blew past earnings estimates this week. Zdnet.com reports the tech giant pulled in $15.35 a share, up 17% over the previous year. Analysts had expected $12.59 a share. Google Cloud passed $10 billion in annual income for the first time. YouTube was already over $15 billion. Advertising continues to be the big cash cow, with $37.9 billion raked in 4th quarter, and $134.8 billion for the 2019 fiscal year. My Dad used to say with big numbers ‘It’s not very much if you say it real fast.’ I don’t care how fast you say it, $134 billion is a hell of a lot of cash!

Foxconn, which builds the lion’s share of iPhones and other devices for Apple, says they have seen a ‘fairly small impact’ from the coronavirus thus far. According to macrumors.com, Foxconn has warned that there could be a ‘big impact’ to iPhone production if the government of China forces factories to stay closed for another week or more. Foxconn has stopped ‘almost all’ its production in China through February 9th as commanded by the government, but has been able to cover the lost production with their facilities in Vietnam, India, and Mexico so far. A continued closure of Chinese facilities might impact the start of the new cheaper iPhone SE 2 or 9 or whatever it’s called. Apple will probably keep their schedule anyway, but there may be shortages of the cheaper phone for a while.

Toyota and Panasonic have partnered to develop and manufacture batteries for EVs. Engadget.com says the new entity will be called Prime Planet Energy and Solutions, and will begin building square-shaped prismatic cells by April 1st. Toyota will hold 51% of the battery operation, and they will employ around 5100 people at the start. The entity will make batteries for other carmakers besides Toyota, and they plan to develop new types of power cells moving forward…including ones that are more environmentally friendly.

Cards Against Humanity has bought Clickhole from G/O Media, owner of The Onion, Gizmodo, and Deadspin. According to cnet.com, Cards will turn majority ownership of ClickHole.com over to its employees. The site will continue to function independently, and employees there won’t be writing any of the game companies famous (or infamous to some) cards.

I’m Clark Reid