Getting pandas to mate couldn’t be much more difficult than getting Microsoft and Yahoo to. Mr. Softy makes a grand display, woos, is rejected; Yahoo changes heart, does a strip tease, but Mr. Softy’s pride is too wounded. The insider drama revealed in a lengthy report by the Wall Street Journal plays out like a pair of lovers flirting with disaster one way or the other.
Is Jilted Microsoft Turning Eyes Toward eBay?
Companies generally don’t comment on rumor or speculation—that’s the blogosphere/news media’s job. The speculation du jour, which seems very likely born of non-buyer’s remorse, is that Microsoft is eyeing—or should eye—an acquisition of eBay or, at least, PayPal and/or Skype.
Yahoo Punted Recent $9B Microsoft Proposal
An alternative to a full takeover of Yahoo presented the company with a Microsoft offer of a billion dollars for Yahoo’s search assets, and $8 billion to buy back stock from corporate raider Carl Icahn and other investors.
Microsoft Sets Up Digital Manners Police
If at first it seems creepy, go with that gut instinct. You’re probably right. Microsoft’s patent application for "digital manners policy" (DMP) technology is part iRobot, part destined-to-be-used-for-nefarious-purposes. Here’s how it is supposed to work: You walk into a movie theater, the movie theater sets your mobile phone to vibrate for you. You stroll into a museum, the museum disables the flash on your camera or disables your camera altogether. You get too close to the cockpit, any wireless device at risk of interfering is shut off.
Microsoft Trying Out Social Network Technology
A new social network would, at this point, need to be extremely special. The appearance of something Microsoft’s working on has been described as "strikingly similar to Facebook’s." But TownSquare does have a few unique points, and it’s going to get some spotlight time at an upcoming conference.
Microsoft Enriches ‘Search And Give’ Charitable Program
Queries performed through the Live Search program operated by Microsoft generated over $250,000 for local schools and non-profits, and the company hopes to see even greater returns this year.
Microsoft Might Need $42 For Yahoo
If Steve Ballmer decides to give in to pressure from his fellow billionaires and return to negotiations with Yahoo, the magic price per share may need to be higher than even Yahoo’s $37 demand.
Microsoft Vaguely Aware It Kinda Sucks Sometimes
Eeyore, the donkey always missing its tail, always liked to thank people for noticing him. Seems like, when it comes to search, Microsoft has the same problem. SearchEngineLand’s Danny Sullivan interviewed Microsoft’s Kevin Johnson, president of the Platform and Services division, during today’s keynote session at SMX Advanced in Seattle, and all roads led back to Google.
Yahoo Rejected $40 Per Share From Microsoft In 2007
No wonder Yahoo didn’t want this little tidbit coming unsealed in a lawsuit against Yahoo by the city of Detroit and its policemen & firefighters.
Microsoft Gets HP’s “Default Search Engine” Status
Less than two years ago, Yahoo was on a roll and had just signed a deal with computer manufacturer HP that would see its search engine as the default on all new HP computers.