ClearWire is clear for…

A smackdown…

… I know people who use Clearwire Corporation [[CLWR]] and I guess it works for them. I can’t stand it. Too slow. And I find it offensive when people plug that thing in an outlet at StarBucks or Borders… pretty soon I’m going to have to bring a powerbar to power my laptop, shaver, cellphone, PSP, house phone, iPod touch, and guitar amp. 

CLWR is not just creating a new culture of annoying consumers, but they set the example themselves.  They have little kiosks advertising around the mall. They even took over the kiosk that sold fake Ray Ban aviators for $10.  Grrrrr.  But I think with greater number of free wireless internet access points growing, the future of CLWR is beginning to look grim. I’m just waiting for those greedy phone companies to cut the price on their internet adapters in half, which would send CLWR down hard. If you haven’t yet noticed, NetBooks are beginning to pop up everywhere (those little $300 7 inch laptops), and are creating a stronger demand for wireless internet connection in a new demographic (cheap consumers).  It’s good and bad for CLWR, but I think its more bad because it increases the chances that they will get undercut by either established wireless access points, or by mobile phone internet deals.  Ironically, I think if any company were to buy out CLWR, it would take a giant mobile phone company to do it. But for now, the chances of that happening are small because its just too expensive. Yes, this stock is too expensive for a trendy technology.

Note:  PPT Hybrid score for CLWR is 1.77, “strong sell”