Report: Microsoft in talks with Yahoo! UPDATE

UPDATED - See Below ..

The TimesOnline (London) is reporting that, once again, Microsoft is in talks to 'buy' Yahoo!.

This latest bid is for Yahoo's search business.

Speculation of a 'new deal' began early this week as Carl Icahn, who now is on the Yahoo! board, revealed that he had purchased a larger stake in the search company.

Microsoft dominated the tech news headlines for months during 2008 as the company made two bids to buy Yahoo!.

Primary opposition came from Yahoo co-founder Jerry Yang who recently stepped down as CEO of the company as pressure continued to build from stockholders and the new Yahoo! board.

The (as yet, unconfirmed) report provides specific details of the new talks underway (and the Times has been generally reliable in breaking stories over the years).

According to the report, Microsoft will supply $5 billion in capital with an additional $5 billion from outside investors.

"The talks with Yahoo involve Microsoft obtaining a 10-year operating agreement to manage the search business. It would also receive a two-year call option to buy the search business for $20 billion. That would leave Yahoo to run its own e-mail, messaging, and content services."

Recent stats from ComScore have shown that Yahoo! had increased it's market share in the past few months and this latest chapter would give the new 'operating group' control of the search business for a fraction of the original bid made before the 'economic downturn'.

The Times story is online and can be found here.

UPDATE: 1:20 AM ET - Kara Swisher (who more often than not has an excellent inside track on this landscape and many of the people involved) just dropped a note back on Twitter and pointed me to her piece titled 'Total Fiction - There is no deal' which can be found at All Things Digital here. (with Thanks to Kara for her always prompt response and clarification!)

Hulu with a dash of CBS?

Viewers of the increasing popular video site Hulu, the joint venture of Fox and NBC are becoming fanatical, and with good reason.

As mentioned in our piece earlier this week, Hulu is, well, just GREAT.  Super-quick navigation if you missed that coveted episode of 24,  ... or House. 

What about NCIS?

Enter the now out-of-beta Sling.com which made tech headlines earlier this week.
No log-on necessary. Excellent streaming. CBS programming and LOTS of Hulu!

One stop TV over IP?

Why would the major US TV networks and others give away full length episodes?  (... and even let you embed them?).

It's not just about fan attraction or loyalty.

They found something that makes money.

You may remember them.

They're called .....


..... commercials.

Check out the new public Sling beta here.

Thanksgiving - Reach Out and Touch Someone

About a year and a half ago, I started this blog with a few goals in mind.

In all honesty, the main goal was to re-brand myself in an industry that I had been active in since the very beginning, although very much behind the scenes.

I felt things changing and I wanted to be positioned.  (Who knew??)  Like many entrepreneurs, I had had a few successes and a few failures.  Those that have been there know what I mean.  You learn A LOT.

What I didn't expect at all, came as a pleasant surprise from my activity on Friendfeed, Twitter and Facebook .... and a few other places.

Online friendships that turned to real ones.  Some in person, some on podcasts, and some on the phone.  All enjoyable and/or valuable.

In one case, someone had followed me on Friendfeed for a bit, liked some of what I had written, and recommended a client.  It turned out to be one of the most enjoyable (and fun!?) business relationships that I ever had.

If I start naming names, you might be reading this post until tomorrow.  Suffice to say that, I, for one, am grateful (and give thanks) to the entrepreneurs that brought us some of these great networking products.....

....and especially to the many, many 'electronic' friends that came through and  more often than not,  completely unexpectedly for this and other projects.

Those that know me well, know that I have always held out positive thoughts for the potential of the web, and the it's potential effect on the citizens of the world.  I still do.

There are many that have been affected by the current economic times.
In recent weeks, time permitting, I'll been doing a little of what I can to help these folks.
If you have an extra minute or two, even if it's just emotional support, try to help someone who needs it during this turbulent (insane?) financial chapter.

I take a lot of pride in what this modest blog has delivered in it's relatively short lifespan (and particularly in the many notes that I have received directly, from many of you).

Although posting has become a little sporadic, rather than daily, (It's been busy!), I've been thinking more and more about moving the content more to SEO and PPC to try and help those who need it. Many small business (and people) can't borrow money. They simply can't pay for it.

Those decisions remain ahead.

I'm thankful for the health and well being of my family and friends.

....and to all of you, who I've had a little fun with on Friendfeed, and to those that have followed this blog and sent suggestions, comments and other notes.

Happy Thanksgiving All!

Charlie
posted / edited 2:50 pm et

Sun's Java Runtime 6 goes to Update 10

If you're anything like me, you might keep some 'web-aware' programs turned off (for speed and memory).

In checking the Sun Java virtual machine earlier today, I noticed that it had been upgraded to Version 6 Update 10 for General Release (for the Windows Platform running DirectX 9.0c).

You can check your system by going the the control panel and clicking on the Java icon.  It will tell you what version you have and whether or not and update is available.

Upon installing the upgrade, you will be prompted whether or not to include the Yahoo toolbar (a practice which is becoming all too common but you can opt-out), and when completed, the update will revert to the defaults.

In my case, I turn the auto-updater off and also do not cache the Java files and performance under XP3 is fine. 

You may also want to revisit 'installed programs' as the Java engine doesn't always remove the previous copy.

There are numerous changes under Update 10 including better interaction with DirectX graphics acceleration and more.  Sun's Update 10 release notes can be found here.

Notes:  Some issues have been reported with Java SE 6 and Google's Chrome Browser.  In our tests, it worked fine but depending on YOUR configuration that may not be the case.  In fact, Update 10 appears to be tuned better for Chrome (see below).  In addition, much older machines may have the original Microsoft Virtual Machine still installed. The Sun engine will replace it and (technically) the Microsoft Virtual Machine is no longer available.



Let your hardware do the work.  Because the product is delivered separately (but provided on most out-of-the-box computers), Microsoft's Windows Update will NOT update your Java engine.

In two machines here, both with hardware accelerators on-board, there was a marked improvement in graphics speed under Windows XP3 with the latest version of DirectX.

You can visit Sun's Java Website here.

Holiday Blunder - Sirius / XM - UPDATE

I talk a lot about 'early adopters' in this space, usually referring to those users that sign-up for a brand-new web-based product early, and give it the test run for everyone else.  If they like it, many become FREE evangelists spreading the word quickly across the web and tech communities.

The phrase 'early adopter' can be easy ported to almost anything.  I was an early adopter of DirecTv about two weeks after launch. I also (with a similar satellite fascination) was an early adopter of XM Radio.  (I suppose the Wankel Engine qualifies here as well as I literally couldn't help myself when the first Mazda RX-7s appeared in the early 80's.  That was one cool car :)

While many people I knew were moving to iPods and other portable devices for their mobile entertainment, I continued to use XM for my daily take on news and information.  In rural areas, the TV and Radio stations can be spotty and XM filled that void for me for several years.

Early this year, I discontinued that subscription .... and have been missing it ever since.

It's hardly a secret to investors, but XM and Sirius satellite radio got a green light from regulators to merge a few months ago.  It was apparently 'make or break financial survival'.  At the time, there was lots of talk about new radios, new price plans and more. I expected to see them before the all-important holiday selling season.

XM did come out with an a la carte pricing package which, at last check, is just $3 / month less than the full programming package?

A news and info package, or 'basic' music package could have been a hit at the $7.95 price point, maybe even $8.95.  They probably would have seen people pre-pay 6 or 12 months.  Instead they chose the issue prepaid cards for gift buyers.  Huh?

That wasn't what finally stopped me from buying a shiny new receiver yesterday.

The new receivers are few and far between in retailers.  The price point is HIGHER that when I originally subscribed and most of the less expensive units (I have no need for a color screen for XM?) are land-locked to the original price package ...... and have almost no features.

While my original receiver had remote control and a full car kit for under $50, those products apparently were held up by the merger, or possibly by the fact that Delphi appears to be gone from the hardware mix.

I realize this company has had problems but they also have an educated buying audience and this stuff is just wrong.  Subsidize the box. More importantly, get them into the stores?  The aftermarket is still HUGE.

Relying on car manufacturers and built-ins (that may not get renewed), isn't enough.

While buyers in the FOUR stores I visited were lined up 10 and 20 deep for the Verizon Storm (which was sold out at all), the XM / Sirius areas were empty.  So were the shelves.  Maybe I'm missing something here but ....

Where's the buzz ??

Correction and Update November 27:  Delphi IS still manufacturing numerous units for XM.  Since we first posted this piece, numerous discounts and rebates for the holiday selling season have been posted online and by numerous Sirius and XM retailers.

YouTube fights back. I didn't watch.

Last night after weeks of 'quiet hype' on the YouTube blog and elsewhere, Google launched YouTube Live.

There are already some lessons to be learned, as the reviews (mostly bad), continue to roll-in.

Prior to the launch, there had been numerous articles on how people were adopting Hulu in large numbers.  I've written about Hulu here since the private beta, and I am still a die-hard Hulu fan.

Why?

I spend some (much more lately) of my time in the 'real world'.  I occasionally miss a TV show that I enjoy  and I can sit back with my wife anytime and watch that missed episode.  It's really that simple.  Hulu's easy and simple interface is great .... and we usually discover something else after.

Web video is still in transition.  MOST people simply don't have the time to watch blog videos at anywhere near the level they are being produced.

A good example would be Robert Scoble.  Scoble, who recently returned from China (and at last check on Friendfeed was editing gobs of footage for Fast Company), had been pounced on more than a few times for hyping the trip in Twitter and Friendfeed, while here at home, many were thinking about one thing ... their jobs. 

I DID view some of Scoble's China photos on Flickr which I found to be not only thought provoking and even somewhat fascinating, but also amazing 'clear', thanks to his state-of-the-art camera equipment and the recent hyper advances in photo technology.

Will I watch the Fast Company video ?  The honest answer is maybe.

Like so many others, I still watch 'most' video on TV and when I'm here on the web, it's usually TV programming.

YouTube is a different animal.  I took to the platform a few months ago with my wife and it was fun.  It wasn't a promotional video. It was a family video congratulating our daughter on her engagement.  The one thing I can say is that YouTube positively made it easy.  It wasn't 'production quality'. It wasn't meant to be.  YouTube converted the uploaded format in seconds.  Most other video platforms limit the format you can use.

YouTube Live made mistakes.

Perhaps the biggest boo-boo was launching it on a huge night for American College Football.  Techies and others that embrace YouTube may not talk about it online often but a LARGE number are football fans.  YouTube lost me briefly last night.  I honestly forgot all about it.  (Penn State vs YouTube is simply a no-brainer :)

Looking at the launch this morning, I found one redeeming quality.

While the are literally tens of thousands of people trying to get that one viral video out there and stake their claim in Internet video fame, YouTube Live has provided a new vehicle.

There's a real good chance that a few people I noticed on the front page will achieve that status over a short period of time.  The challenge of course, will be keeping it that way in an increasingly crowded field.

I'm tempted to think that with smartphones now everywhere and bloggers doing almost anything they can to remain at the forefront, the tech community is sometimes forgetting that the larger part of the population still lives MOSTLY in the 'real world', and part-time on the web and / or tethered to a smartphone.

Yahoo's recent marketing change is a great example.  Less huge signs in major tech centers and MUCH more radio advertising.  People still listen to the radio in their cars and that's not going to change any time soon.  ComScore's recent numbers on Yahoo show an INCREASE (mostly overlooked in the press).  Whether or not they can pull a turn-around is another story entirely.

There's only so much time in a day and whether or not people embrace online video (and where) is still, very much, an open question ..... and a tremendous challenge for those producing it.

Have a GREAT weekend all
Charlie

Google's SearchWiki - Can it work ?

Last night, Google turned on a new feature within their flagship product, Google Search.

Those logged in with a Google account can now change the search results for any given search phrase and / or comment on a particular result.

The 'changes' will only be visible to the account holder however the comments are PUBLIC.

Google has used this approach before in other offerings.  In Google News, those mentioned in a news story have the option of commenting or reacting to the story.  In Google's image search, volunteers can use Image Labeler to correct the location or content of photos.

This latest offering is a little different and certainly has some positives and negatives.

Google will no doubt pick up some additional GMail and other Google accounts as you need a free Google account to use it.  Assuming they monitor the comments, deletions, and push-up's, Google will have some direct user interaction to utilyze.

The public comments are somewhat different and could potentially open a whole new chapter of  'abuse'.  That remains to be seen, but the potential is certainly there.

Perhaps Google was testing us this morning when I typed in 'Search Engine' and got this in the No. 1 position:

(click to enlarge)

Comments anyone? :) 

On the other hand, please, buy all means, feel free :

 For the most part, the features will be invisible to those not logged in.

User interaction, whether it be comments on blogs (and /or offsite comments on Disqus or even Friendfeed) has gone mainstream in many spaces on the web.

The announcement of Google Search Wiki was made on the 'Official Google Blog' and can be found here.

Before You Buy That Cool New Cellphone

With the Verizon Storm release tomorrow, there are a host of reviews hitting the web today.

I pumped the phone here as well.  Having had the chance to 'play' with one, initial impressions were just well, very cool.  (Contrary to some of the more in-depth reviews, my only complaint was the lack of a qwerty keyboard which is bound to drive a few previous Blackberry users crazy...).

This article isn't about the Storm.

It's about something that's been going on for years and still seems to be one of the best kept secrets in America.  Even the people at Verizon or AT&T stores don't know what I'm talking about when I bring it up.

Thinking about a cellphone as a gift?  Read on.

Unlike most of the rest of the world which started off on GSM cell frequencies, there are NUMEROUS frequency bands in use in the US by all of the major cellphone carriers.  You would think this is 'a good thing'.  The problem is that not all cellphones can access those frequencies.

Personally, because I live and travel in rural areas, I have used dual-mode, tri-mode and even quad-mode phones .... to try and get 'solid' coverage.

It's not always enough.

If I'm counting right (including roaming on other carriers), Verizon is now up to at least 6 bands (probably more).

A quick look through their current phone offerings this morning shows everything from single band EV-DO phone, to dual band CDMA, and many, many others.

The latest tip off to this mess is that the EDGE coverage (and 3G) where I spend most of my time is great.  It a complete dead area for the still more prevalent CDMA phones!  The cell tower roll out money is being spent on high-speed.  That may be great for techies and others that like video and web browsing (and, of course, Friendfeed :), but it's not so hot for someone looking to use a basic cellphone to make a phonecall?

Verizon should do a better job listing the exact frequencies their phone offerings work on.  'Digital Only' doesn't cut it.

The 30-day test drive.  Use it or lose it. .... and bookmark it.  You may need it.

ALL of the major carriers have a 30-day test drive. It's not 'something nice' that was put out there.  It came as a result of this hodge podge cellphone roll-out in the US, in the form of federal regulation.

If you can, try that new phone in every place you plan to be regularly within the first 30 days.  While major cities should be A-OK for most, you may get a surprise in the 'remote suburbs'.  The online coverage maps, although MUCH better than in years past, still aren't 100%.

Example?  The spot that I'm typing this right now shows 3G and CDMA for both Verizon and AT&T.
As they say in the commercial, "It's a dead zone"

.... unless, of course, I climb up on the roof ....

Things will improve over time.  It's become pretty obvious that Verizon and AT&T are out to squoosh Sprint / Nextel and T-Mobile.  This is one case where a couple of mergers 'could' actually help the consumer.

We'll see.

1cast is Live in Private Beta

Earlier today, privately held 1Cast went live in private beta.

The new service allows you to customize news feeds from a variety of sources and have them streamed to your desktop or smartphone.

The initial line-up includes feeds from AP, AFP, Reuters, CNBC and CBC.

Streaming quality was near excellent on both high-speed and DSL connections and the variety, although somewhat limited, provided a good overview of the 'morning news' around the world.

Founded in 2006, Kirkland WA based 1Cast recently completed a funding round led by Eagle River Holdings, LLC.

You can check out 1Cast by signing up for an invite here.