Mobile broadband and smart phones headline Barcelona conference,
Associated Press Feb 11, 08 10:51 AM CST
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More than 50,000 players in the global wireless industry gather today at the world's largest telecommunications conference in Barcelona to stake out their next moves toward the future of wireless technology. Likely to be an especially hot topic at this year's Mobile World Congress is mobile broadband, already taking off in some European countries, AP reports.
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No counterproposal on the table
Bloomberg Feb 11, 08 9:53 AM CST
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Yahoo officially rejected Microsoft’s $31-per-share takeover offer today, saying the bid, which represents a 62% premium, “substantially undervalues” the company, Bloomberg reports. The statement didn’t specify a counteroffer, but Yahoo is seeking $40 a share, the Wall Street Journal reports. “Yahoo thinks they’re worth more because of the plans they’ve implemented that have yet to come to fruition,” explained one analyst.
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Software giant deciding between very dirty tricks and somewhat dirty tricks
New York Times Feb 11, 08 8:37 AM CST
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Just how hostile Microsoft’s takeover bid for Yahoo becomes is up to one man: Christopher Liddell, the mostly anonymous former banker masterminding the deal, the New York Times reports. Microsoft could simply raise its offer, or it could try some old-fashioned Wall Street strong-arming. “You have to be disciplined and ruthless,” Liddell says. “You have to be willing to walk away.”
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Web giant says unsolicited bid 'massively undervalues' worth
Wall Street Journal Feb 9, 08 11:56 AM CST
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Yahoo's board will reject Microsoft's $44.6 billion bid to acquire the company because it "massively undervalues" Yahoo, the Wall Street Journal reports. The board will spell out its objections in a letter to Microsoft on Monday. Yahoo says the $31-per-share offer isn't high enough and worries about entering a deal that could eventually be overturned by regulators.
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Yahoo up in the air as giants look to feds to deny competitor
MarketWatch Feb 8, 08 6:00 PM CST
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Microsoft isn’t sitting still as rumors spread that Yahoo will try to outflank a hostile takeover by allying with Google: The Redmond company is drawing up an antitrust argument it hopes will be at least as good as Google’s. The younger colossus is already claiming that Microsoft’s unsolicited $44.6 billion bid is anti-competitive, but the PC software king says a Google-Yahoo partnership is even more troublesome.
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PC leader aims only to block a Yahoo-Amazon alliance, analyst says
MarketWatch Feb 7, 08 7:26 PM CST
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One possible reason for Microsoft’s massive bid for Yahoo: It’s a ploy to block a Yahoo-Amazon team-up, one analyst says. The $44.6 billion offer will never make it past regulators, Trip Chowdhry explains to MarketWatch. But Microsoft insists otherwise: Chowdhry’s report “is completely incorrect,” said a spokeswoman. The move, she says, offers Yahoo employees and shareholders big opportunities.
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Company would like to stay independent, but the odds look bad
Wall Street Journal Feb 6, 08 12:05 PM CST
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Yahoo is struggling to find shareholder-pleasing alternatives to Microsoft's buyout bid, reports the Wall Street Journal . Selling Yahoo Japan is one possibility. An outsourcing deal with Google for its search ads that could boost revenue 25% is another, yet would raise regulatory issues. And shareholders would need to be convinced any moves outweighed Microsoft’s $31-per-share offer, a 62% premium on recent prices.
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Networking, video-sharing users
not prime marketing targets
Wall Street Journal Feb 5, 08 3:15 PM CST
(Newser)
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Facebook and YouTube are runaway success stories when it comes to attracting Internet users, but they lag in attracting ad dollars, the Wall Street Journal reports. Advertising on social networking and video-sharing sites is relatively new, and therefore most vulnerable if economic worries lead to advertising cutbacks. Firms also worry about their ads appearing next to unsuitable content.
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Computer giant says it may combine cash and credit for $44.6B offer
Reuters Feb 5, 08 8:09 AM CST
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Microsoft is likely to borrow for the first time to finance its $44.6 billion bid for Yahoo, the company's CFO said yesterday, rather than drawing down its reserves to fund the half-cash, half-stock offer. After spending $31 billion on stock buybacks and dividend payouts in 2007, Microsoft has $21 billion cash on hand, Reuters reports. Meanwhile, Yahoo is said to be considering an alliance with rival Google in an effort to thwart Microsoft’s takeover try.
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Media mogul won't trade bids with Microsoft over Internet behemoth
CNN Feb 5, 08 5:05 AM CST
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News Corp. CEO Rupert Murdoch won't be following Microsoft's lead to place a bid for ailing Internet giant Yahoo, CNNMoney reports. Murdoch also dispelled rumors today that his company was interested in purchasing AOL, or in making any other major acquisitions. His remarks follow on the heels of Microsoft's unsolicited $45 billion bid to buy the tail-dragging Google-competitor.
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Combo may not aid companies' recruiting image
New York Times Feb 4, 08 2:52 PM CST
(Newser)
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Among the many uncertainties about a Microsoft-Yahoo marriage is whether the combined company would gain any sex appeal in the Silicon Valley recruiting market, reports the New York Times . If both are washed up compared to job fair belles like Google and Facebook, would joining help them prevail in the more-competitive-than-ever race for talent?
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Web giant steps in, offers to help Yahoo rebuff rival's advances
Wall Street Journal Feb 3, 08 9:00 PM CST
(Newser)
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Google is offering to help Yahoo thwart Microsoft’s attempts at a hostile takeover, the Wall Street Journal reports. After Microsoft announced its $44.6-billion bid, Google’s CEO Eric Schmidt called Yahoo’s Jerry Yang on Friday to bolster talk of an ad search alliance, support Yahoo’s efforts to find a higher bidder, or help the struggling search giant remain independent.
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Is bigger better, or just bigger problems?
NPR Feb 3, 08 5:30 PM CST
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A Microsoft/Yahoo combination would pose a greater challenge to Google, but it's not at all clear the search engine behemoth would be greatly affected, NPR reports. Google owns about 60% of the search market—three times that of Microsoft and Yahoo combined. And, perhaps more to the point, it is a household word. "Google has become a verb," notes one analyst.
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Obama leads Silicon Valley donations; Seattle giant's workers skew toward Clinton
Reuters Feb 2, 08 5:00 PM CST
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Barack Obama leads presidential hopefuls in Silicon Valley donations, but Hillary is tops among Microsoft employees, Reuters reports. Residents of the valley that Google, Yahoo, and Apple call home are interested in change, one analyst said: "It is absolutely the case that Obama is seen as different, and therefore appealing to Silicon Valley." Computer-industry workers have sent $940,459 to Obama, compared to $883,125 for HIllary.
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