Sony’s Walkman beats the iPod, and the global recession is called

Good day for reliving the ’80s; Bad day for worst-case scenarios

GOOD DAY FOR: Reliving the ’80s, after Sony’s Walkman outsold Apple’s iPod in Japan last week for the first time in four years. Still, Sony’s 43 percent market share barely edged out the iPod’ 42.1 percent, and the survey didn’t count iPhones, which are counted as handsets not digital media players. (Bloomberg)

BAD DAY FOR: Worst-case scenarios, after the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development said the global recession is coming to an end faster than expected, and may already be over and stronger than previously anticipated. The OECD attributed the softer-than-forecast landing on successful fiscal and monetary stimulus measures in China, Europe, and the U.S. (Reuters)