No go AGAIN! Microsoft-Yahoo deadline passes with no deal

Microsoft-Yahoo deadline passes with no deal

Yahoo failed to agree to an acquisition deal with Microsoft by Saturday, the deadline Microsoft had set for wrapping up negotiations.

(Via Macworld.)

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Vista Will Collapse – Yahoo Deal Must Happen

Gartner Says Vista Will Collapse. And That’s Why The Yahoo Deal Must Happen

Gartner analysts Michael Silver and Neil MacDonald told a conference audience yesterday that Microsoft’s Windows product is collapsing and must make radical changes to its operating system or risk becoming a has-been.

They specifically pointed out the slow adoption rate by businesses – just 6% to date – and the fact that the Vista code base is so large. That means changes take years, and only high end computers can really take advantage of it anyway.

For most early adopters (and all Mac users), the browser is increasingly the only operating system that matters anyway. Windows isn’t really that relevant any more just because of the increasing utility of online applications like Google Docs, which competes with Microsoft Office. Vista could be perfect and it still wouldn’t matter. The fact that it is flawed only makes the situation worse.

Microsoft makes a ton of revenue on sales of software that sit on the computer. $15 billion a year for Windows alone, and another $16 billion for Office and Exchange Server in 2007. That’s 60% of Microsoft’s total revenue, and profits from those groups float the rest of the company. Microsoft isn’t a viable company without their consumer and business desktop software profits.

The real question isn’t “What can Microsoft do to fix their Windows product?” but rather “Even If Windows and Office were perfect, would it be enough to keep Microsoft relevant in the medium term?” I think the answer to that latter question might be “nope.” And that, of course, is why they want Yahoo so badly. Online advertising revenue is their only real hope of long term survival.

Crunch Network: CrunchGear

(Via TechCrunch.)

Microsoft and News Corp. BFF, look out Yahoo!

Microsoft and News Corp. lock arms for Yahoo bid?
Microsoft and News Corp. are in “serious talks” about a joint bid for Yahoo, according to published reports.”

(Via CNET News.com.)

Yahoo to Microsoft – we ain’t your Beeach!!!

Yahoo rejects Microsoft ultimatum
Yahoo on Monday morning published a letter rebuffing Microsoft’s imposed three-week deadline to accept a takeover bid, dismissing many of the claims made in the original argument. The formal rejection again states that Microsoft’s $31 per share bid.

(Via Electronista.)

Microsoft to Yahoo – we gonna get you sucka!

Microsoft CEO gives Yahoo Board Deadline for Deal

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) – Microsoft Corp. has set a three-week deadline for
Yahoo Inc to accept its current $31 a share cash and stock offer or Microsoft
will take its case to Yahoo shareholders, Microsoft said on Saturday.

(Via I4U News.)

Microsoft: If you can’t buy em, beat em

Microsoft: If you can’t buy em, beat em

Microsoft is apparently taking the next steps in its bid to buy Yahoo! A few weeks ago the Yahoo! board of directors rejected Microsoft’s $31 per share bid, saying that it undervalued Yahoo! at $44.6 billion. The general consensus was that Yahoo! would be plenty happy to be taken over by Microsoft — for a higher price. But Microsoft instead has taken a different approach: Try to replace Yahoo!’s board of directors.

Microsoft is expected to spend between $20 and $30 million to nominate a new board of directors and try to convince Yahoo! shareholders to elect the group. While that might seem like a lot of money, it’s a lot cheaper than raising the bid price.

On the other hand, with both Microsoft and Yahoo! stock falling, the original bid’s value has already dropped a few billion. Maybe Microsoft just needs to wait until Yahoo! stock hits bargain basement prices before making another offer

(Via Download Squad.)

aGEEKspot #6

Breaking News – Apple just updated their operating system Leopard to 10.5.2. It’s a big download with some nice new features. So, go get that download! Hey, it’s free (if you have Leopard that is).Hey Photogs! Aperture 2 has just been released today for the low, low price of $199 (previously$299). Upgrades from the previous version are just $99. The updated Aperture page has all the details.

News – Yahoo says “no thank you” to Microsoft’s bid. In a statement regarding the potential merger, Microsoft said it’s “unfortunate” that Yahoo “has not embraced” its proposal to combine the two companies. Microsoft also hinted that it may take the offer directly to Yahoo’s shareholders, a move that could result in a hostile takeover. (Cue the scary music – dunt, dunt, duaaahhhh).

Yahoo is reportedly in talks with both AOL and Google to try to avoid being acquired by Microsoft.Speaking of Microsoft, since they didn’t get Yahoo it looks like they had some extra $ laying around and decided to get “more” into the mobile phone biz, so they acquired Danger Inc., maker of the technology behind T-Mobile’s Sidekick. Hmmm..can’t you just see it: Ring ring..hey, buddy, your ZUNE phone is ringing?!?!

Starbucks Corp. is teaming up with AT&T Inc. and will start offering a mix of free and paid wireless Internet service in many of its U.S. coffee shops beginning this spring. Java and Wi-Fi, just like bread and Vegemite …yum!

Netflix says bye-bye to HD-DVD. Is this the final blow for HD DVD? Netflix says that, as of now, it will purchase only Blu-ray discs and will phase out HD DVD by the end of 2008 (roughly). Now I have to find a place for my HD-DVD player in the closet next to my 8-Track tape deck.

Rumor – Did you finally get that “new” 16gb iPhone? Well, the word on the street is the price for the iPhones will drop real soon (sound familiar?) and an even newer 3G version is to be released right around the corner. Also heard at the geek cooler, Apple is holding a “special event” during the last week of February…for what? Let the guessing begin.

Gadget of the week – I love digital photography, you can snap pictures like crazy and delete the ones you don’t like. For the ones you DO like or maybe even LOVE, you want a “hard copy”. A real picture, if you will, to have and to hold, to share and to give. Well a cool new mobile digital printer is coming from the original creators of pics on the go, Polaroid.Smudge proof, 2” x 3” borderless, sticky-back prints in about 60 seconds. By USB or Bluetooth. Fun for the whole family, or just me.

Tip – got dups? To get rid of those pesky duplicate songs in iTunes, just go to the View menu and choose “Show Duplicates” then a list will appear before you, do what you will….If you have any techy, geeky, nerdy, or gadgety news, reviews, tips or tricks – Let us know and we can share them with the world. Send them to: aGEEKspot at gmail dot com.

aGEEKspot #5

Breaking News – Today Apple updated the iPhones memory to 16GB and the iPod Touch memory to 32GB. Both are selling for $499.

 

News – Amazon.com trumps iTunes and starts to sell NBC TV shows. So was it all a big lie when Apple reported that NBC wanted to raise their ($1.99 per episode) TV show prices?

Curious that soon after, all NBC material was pulled from iTunes, but then showed up a few months later on Amazon for, get this, ten cents cheaper! ($1.89 per episode -TV Pass Price). What gives????

So it’s good news for all you fans of The Office, Heroes, House and the nerd’s favorite, Chuck. But ONLY if you are downloading to a PC. That’s right – all you MAC fans are out of luck…..or maybe not. Reviews of the service report a number of negatives including long downloads and no Mac, iPod, Apple TV or Zune compatibility. I say why bother….

 

So, even if you can’t get that movie from Amazon on your iPod, at least you can still rent a movie from iTunes and watch it on your trusty old video iPod…….Whatttttt, you can’t???

Wired News reports that some relatively late-model iPod owners are discovering that their devices don’t work with Apple’s newly-launched iTunes video rentals — even though those iPod models have a video playback feature. Looks like if you want to rent a movie, you have to upgrade!

 

What starts with a ‘Yah’ and ends with a ‘oo’ and is worth $44.6 Billion dollars? Yahoo, of course! That’s billion with a B – no wonder their commercial screams YYYYYAAAAHHHHOOOOO! According to: NEW YORK (Reuters) – Technology giant Microsoft Corp said on Friday that it had offered to acquire Internet media company Yahoo Inc for $44.6 billion in cash and stock. Look out Google, big bad Microsoft is coming to get ya – (hoo)!

 

Rumor – Not so fast, Mr. Gates! The rumor is: Apple, InterActiveCorp, and Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp are believed to be considering rival bids for Yahoo as well.

 

The Gadget of the Week – Sharing is caring. Straight from their website:miShare is a smart little gadget for sharing files and playlists between iPods. No computer or cable is needed, and it’s super easy to use. Just attach the source and target iPods and press miShare’s big button to start the transfer. It’s nice to share. 🙂

 

Tip – Do you have a Mac and your PC buddies keep sending you WMV files that you can’t watch? Suffer no more, my friends. Check out flip4mac.com for a free download and now you too can watch that skateboarding dog through your Quicktime player! It also lets you play Windows media using the Safari web browser. There are a few upgrades that can be purchased if needed.

 

If you have any techy, geeky, nerdy, or gadgety news, reviews, tips or tricks – Let us know and we can share them with the world. Send them to: aGEEKspot at Gmail dot com