09/16, 3:10pm
Yahoo, MS in talks with EU over deal
European Commission antitrust regulators are involved in low-level, exploratory talks with Microsoft and Yahoo regarding their search engine deal, according to a Wednesday report. The informal discussions are not yet at a level that would challenge the union, but could lead to a formal review of possible anti-competitive factors in the deal, like Microsoft and Yahoo are facing from US regulators.
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09/11, 11:45am
Justice Department delays MS, Yahoo deal approval
The Justice Department is asking Microsoft and Yahoo for more information regarding a proposed deal between the two companies related to online online search and advertising, according to the New York Times. This indicates the Justice Department will not approve the proposed agreement quickly and will instead look into it further to check for possible anti-competitive behavior. Representatives at both Microsoft and Yahoo confirmed the request on Thursday, which was expected by Microsoft.
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09/10, 9:30am
Samsung 65-inch 650 largest ever
Samsung today held a rare single-model introduction and added a new model to its 650 series TVs at the CEDIA expo. At 65 inches across, the LN65B650 is one of the largest ever conventionally-lit LCDs from the company and sits in the middle of the lineup in features, with Internet support for Flickr, Yahoo and YouTube as well as a 120Hz panel, a 4ms pixel response time and a 100,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio.
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09/09, 5:50pm
XBR10 adds new Wireless HD, more
Sony used its turn at CEDIA to launch a raft of new home theater equipment headlined by the BRAVIA XBR10. An Americanized version of the Japanese ZX5, they have a new 60GHz Wireless HD media box that lets the TV sit completely separately from most video inputs while still playing them at full quality. It can play a 1080p picture at a full 60 frames per second without dropping frames or otherwise showing differences between this and a wired signal.
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09/09, 12:50pm
Nokia Maemo phones won't carry custom apps
Nokia will mirror Apple's approach to carrier software with all of its Maemo Linux-based smartphones, the company said on Wednesday. Rather than agree to include carrier-specific apps and modify the look of the OS to appease carriers, as it does with most of its Symbian phones, Nokia told Reuters it will insist that devices like the N900 come only with their default apps and interface. The choice is characterized as an attempt to focus on an ideal experience for the user and less an attempt to placate carriers.
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09/08, 10:55am
Simplifies browsing, submissions
Yahoo has introduced a dedicated Flickr application for the iPhone, which attempts to promote the media-sharing service and simplify its use. The app can upload both photos and videos from an Apple handheld, with the option of geotagging the former. As on the Flickr website, photos can be organized according to sets and tags.
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09/07, 1:40pm
Google pulls Euro books from online deal
Google today agreed to a truce with the European union in its deal to create an online book rights registry. The search engine firm's settlement will prevent Google from offering as public domain any European book that's still listed as commercially available in Europe. Any of those books will still be available in the US, but only if those with rights to the book agree to make it available.
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08/25, 10:15am
Yahoo enhances services
Yahoo has enhanced both its Search results page and Yahoo Messenger, and has optimized its Yahoo Mail webpage for use with the iPhone. The latest version of Yahoo Mail allows users to manage their email via HTML mobile browsers, including Safari for the iPhone. The new web application additionally features improved photo sharing capabilities, new apps and added social networking and Application Box tools.
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08/21, 3:45pm
AZon MS Yhoo Fight Google
Amazon, Microsoft and Yahoo made conscious moves to thwart Google on Friday with word all three are joining the Open Book Alliance. Created independently by the Internet Archive, the group is resisting the outcome of a copyright dispute that has resulted in Google creating a Book Rights Registry that would see it manage many digital books' rights and let it publish digital versions of books with unknown publishing rights. The Alliance claims the registry would give Google too much control over e-books and hurt literature in the future.
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08/20, 4:10pm
Panasonic car BD player
Panasonic in Japan on Thursday introduced the first Blu-ray player made for cars with its CY-BB1000D along with a conventional but HD-capable counterpart, the HX-3000D. The former sports an HDMI input and 7-inch display with 1280x720 resolution that will play the Blu-ray content in HD. While the player will support Bonus View content on compatible BD media, accessing BD-Live content that requires an Internet connection isn't an option.
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08/07, 9:30am
Shatp HDTVs with BD burner
Sharp Japan on Friday announced it has added five new HDTVs as part of its AQUOS DX2 lineup, with all sporting built-in Blu-ray disc recorders that are claimed to fit seven times more recorded content on them than a traditional Blu-ray disc without sacrificing picture quality. The new LCD HDTVs are available in 26-, 32-, 40-, 46- and 52-inch sizes, with the top three models sporting 1080p, 15,000:1 contrast ratios and 3 HDMI inputs, while the 26- and 32-inch models make do with 720p resolution, 7,000:1 contrast ratios and 2 HDMI inputs each.
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08/05, 6:00pm
Moto Rival at Telus
Telus this morning became only the second North American carrier to adopt the Motorola Rival on its network. The QWERTY slider is built for messaging with quick access to e-mail, Facebook and IM across Windows Live and Yahoo. It occupies the entry- to mid-range category among non-smartphones with a 2-megapixel camera, 3G data, a 3.5mm headphone jack and microSDHC support up to 8GB.
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07/29, 8:50am
MS Yahoo Search Deal
Microsoft and Yahoo today at last announced a partnership between the two companies for both ads and search. The 10-year deal will see Microsoft's Bing search engine replace Yahoo's own in most areas and will give the Windows developer a license to Yahoo's search technology to use for itself. In return, Yahoo will sell premium ads for both companies and will collect revenue from Microsoft for traffic sent its way during the first five years. Microsoft also vows to guarantee Yahoo's revenue for the first year and a half the new arrangements take effect in a given country. It should improve Yahoo's cash flow by about $275 million per year.
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07/15, 7:30am
Samsung Highlight at T-Mo
T-Mobile this morning backed rumors and launched the Samsung Highlight. Although a full touchscreen device, it's positioned as a mid-range media phone with a non-smartphone OS but a 3-megapixel camera, media playback that includes AAC, MP3 and WMA, and a microSDHC slot that accepts 16GB cards. It also has native 3G on T-Mobile's network, assisted GPS and an emphasis on quick access to web data with both a news widget and Yahoo OneSearch.
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07/02, 4:50pm
MCS sues MS, Yahoo, Real
MCS Music America has filed a lawsuit against Real Networks, Yahoo and Microsoft over alleged music copyright infringements earlier this week. The copyright administration company claims the defendants breached copyright on several pieces of music and their artists. MCS represents a large number of other plaintiffs and says streaming music services such as Rhapsody, Zune and Yahoo Music allow users to retain the copyrighted tracks for an extended period of time, saying the defendants are required to obtain the rights for such a form of distribution.
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06/03, 10:50am
Justice Dept. Apple probe
The Justice Department is investigating the hiring strategies of some of America's largest high-tech corporations, according to the Washington Post. Companies involved in the probe include the likes of Apple, Google, Yahoo and Genentech, which are accused of making agreements to avoid recruiting from each other, thereby cementing their powerbase. Should allegations prove to be well-founded, the companies could be considered in violation of antitrust laws meant to ensure fair competition.
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05/28, 12:10pm
Microsoft Bing
Microsoft today tried to rekindle its search engine efforts through Bing (link active soon), a new service it hopes will fix problems with conventional search. The new tool is organized around common tasks like shopping or trip planning and has an Explore Pane that automatically suggests navigation and searches; it also has a "best match" to highlight what Bing thinks is the best answer and, in certain cases, shows the information the user was looking for on the page itself rather than requiring an additional click.
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05/25, 1:20pm
MS 80m anti Google Ads
A rumor today suggests Microsoft is planning to partly repeat its anti-Apple ad strategy when it launches a major new search engine. AdAge hears that Microsoft plans to spend between $80 million to $100 million advertising Bing, the final version of a radically revised search engine codenamed Kumo and meant to compete with Google, Yahoo and other top-tier search engines. At least initially, the ads created by marketing firm JWT won't target Google directly but will instead suggest something wrong with today's search engines and push Bing as the alternative.
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05/18, 10:15pm
Yahoo focuses on iPhone
Yahoo has announced it will be abandoning its mobile application development for the Blackberry on May 20th. The company plans to focus on the development of its iPhone application, says TechCrunch. Yahoo Mobile was updated for the iPhone in April, combining features such as email, mobile search, IM, social messaging streams, and personalized Yahoo content such as news, sports, stocks, and RSS feeds.
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05/11, 4:55pm
Microsoft offering bonds
The world's largest software vendor, Microsoft, is selling bonds for the first time as of today. Despite having $25 billion in cash, the company has at least enough demand for $15 billion in bonds, an investor says. According to a Monday WSJ report, the company will sell notes that mature in five, 10 or 30 years. The prospectus says net proceeds from the sale will be used for general corporate purposes such as working capital, capital expenditures and repurchases of capital stock.
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05/11, 12:05pm
Sharp AQUOS D TVs
Sharp made a push in earnest into Internet-capable TVs on Monday with the launch of the AQUOS D series in its home country of Japan. The new sets add support for a Yahoo video service that streams multiple content channels online using a built-in Ethernet link. They also bring 1080p, faster 120Hz panels and 15,000:1 dynamic contrast ratios for every set.
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04/21, 10:55am
MS and Yahoo in Hot Talks
Microsoft and Yahoo are now deeper into talks about possible ad and search deals, new tips show. All Things D understands that the initial exploratory talks are now "hot and heavy" and that an agreement could be struck "sooner than some expect." Most of the eagerness is said to be on Microsoft's side, where the company is most interested in a deal; Yahoo is receptive but more cautious.
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04/16, 12:00pm
Verizon Hub app store
The Internet-connected Verizon Hub home phone may soon get its own applications store, according to a Wednesday report. The phone, launched in the US on February 1st, already gets updates through the Internet for weather and traffic information, and users can watch videos via Verizon's V CAST service, but is now set to open to third-party software that would enable new tasks using the Internet, GPS or both. One new use for it would be to give users the ability to access Internet radio stations, for example.
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04/10, 10:35am
Yahoo and MS Talk Again
Yahoo's new CEO Carol Bartz has resumed talks with Microsoft chief Steve Ballmer about possible deals for ads, search or more, according to sources of journalist Kara Swisher. Those close to Yahoo reportedly say that Bartz, Ballmer and other officials have been investigating deals that could not only involve web ad or search partnerships but also future, broader business relationships. One example plan would have Yahoo take over display and "premium" ads while Microsoft runs search ads.
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04/09, 11:55am
Hitachi ultra-thin HDTVs
Hitachi Japan recently announced the upcoming release of no less than 11 new HDTV models in two series, including four LCDs in the Wooo UT800 series as well as four plasmas and three LCDs in the Wooo 03 range. The ultra-thin UT800 LCDs are all about 1.4 inches thick and all sport 1080p resolutions. Their thin profile is achieved thanks to the use of Ultra Wideband wireless tuner boxes, called Wooo Stations, that sit away from the HDTVs. Apart from dual tuners, the Wooo Stations also house a 250GB hard disk drive, an iVDR-S slot for removable DVR recordings and an SDHC memory card slot. They are available in 32-, 37-, 42- and 47-inch sizes.
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04/06, 2:10pm
Yahoo Music Revamp
Yahoo today unveiled a reworked, public beta version of Yahoo Music that significantly changes the company's philosophy on content. The new version serves as a central hub for third-party music services and will let users buy songs from a number of sources, including Amazon and iTunes. It likewise collects Internet radio streams from Last.fm and Pandora as well as music videos on YouTube.
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03/19, 12:20pm
MS on Win Mobile and Yahoo
Microsoft chief Steve Ballmer in an interview Thursday revealed the company's current approach to competing with rivals, particularly Apple. The executive noted he believes that Apple may have difficulties as smartphones gain market share as the iPhone is relatively expensive to make. Where Ballmer estimated that an iPhone costs about $500 before factoring in carrier subsidies, he saw the "sweet spot" as being phones that have a pure cost between $150 and $200, which are more likely to include Windows Mobile.
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03/18, 5:00pm
Users want free web access
A survey of web surfers in Europe paid for by Google, Yahoo and Skype showed 90 percent of those polled want their Internet service providers to allow unrestricted access to the Internet, says a Wednesday report. The survey polled 944 consumers in France, Germany and the United Kingdom and was conducted by market research firm Synovate, and coincides with the ongoing process of the European Parliament and the EU's to invoke an Internet freedom law.
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03/02, 10:40pm
Sony BRAVIA W5100
Uncharacteristically launching TVs outside of CES, Sony on Monday night unveiled the BRAVIA W5100 series. The refresh is a deliberately lower-cost option that brings the same Internet features as the Z5100 and XBR9 but without the expensive panel technology. Any W5100 set can access Flickr and news widgets through Yahoo's industry-wide interface when connected over Ethernet. They can also tap into Amazon VOD, YouTube or Sony's internal movie and music services to stream video.
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02/24, 12:55pm
No Office 14 until 2010
Presenting today in a "Strategic Update Meeting" mainly intended for financial analysts, Microsoft has additionally revealed that Office 14, the next anticipated version of its productivity suite, will not ship this year. Rumors had suggested that the software would launch by the end of 2009, in keeping with an accelerated launch for Windows 7. A single release candidate for Windows 7 is scheduled for April 10th, which may foretell a summer ship date instead of one in late 2009 or early 2010. A simultaneous Office release could help spur corporate upgrades.
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02/17, 3:55pm
Yahoo Mobile app coming
Yahoo on Tuesday announced at Mobile World Congress in Spain that it will soon release the Yahoo Mobile app for devices that include Apple's iPhone as well as feature phones and smartphones from Samsung, Nokia, RIM, Sony Ericsson and Motorola. Other phones that run on Windows Mobile will also be compatible with the new application. Among other things, Yahoo Mobile will let users search the Internet through its own engine and access new map tools.
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01/27, 5:50pm
Yahoo posts Q4 loss
Amid the flurry of financial disclosures this week, Yahoo has posted a net loss of $300 million for the fourth quarter of 2008, compared to a $205 million profit for the same quarter in 2007. The company achieved revenue of $1.81 billion through Q4, marking a drop of one percent from the same period a year earlier. International sales seem to have been hit harder, with a revenue drop of 10 percent, while domestic revenue was up 2 percent. Despite the effects of the weakened economy, revenues rose 3 percent to $7.21 billion for the whole year, while net income surpassed $424 million.
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01/19, 5:05pm
Palm Pre Calendar GPS
Palm's Pre will try to claim an edge over its rivals by using its built-in GPS to provide relevance to the calendar and contacts, company investor and Elevation Partners co-founder Roger McNamee tells Yahoo. The inaugural webOS smartphone can directly compare a user's schedule against the location of an event, warning owners that they will be late if the drive time is too long. The Pre can optionally e-mail affected contacts automatically instead of prompting the user.
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01/13, 7:30pm
Yahoo gets new CEO
Yahoo has announced that Former Autodesk CEO Carol Bartz will serve as the new CEO, replacing the company founder Jerry Yang who acknowledged his departure several months ago. The transition could bolster fresh negotiations with Microsoft, given that Yang was heavily criticized for killing the original acquisition deal. Interestingly enough, Microsoft recently hired a Yahoo former executive, Qi Lu, to run its Online Services Group. Lu will direct the software giant's online search and advertising projects relating to Windows Live.
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01/08, 6:40pm
Sony BRAVIAs at CES 2009
Sony has based its BRAVIA introductions at CES around three core series that each promise a different focus. The company's attention centers on the VE5, a new line that pushes low power consumption above all. A new hot cathode fluorescent lamp, or HCFL, lets Sony illuminate the screen but consume 40 percent less power on average than a cold cathode lamp TV. The screen also has a true power-off switch to avoid draining energy on standby and has both motion and light sensors to automatically dim the screen when no one is watching or night allows a darker picture.
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01/07, 9:30pm
Samsung TVs at CES 2009
Samsung on Wednesday overhauled its TV range with both altogether new models as well as updates to existing sets. At the top, the new 6000, 7000 and 8000 series LCD sets are all dependent on LED backlights and so have much higher contrast ratios than fluorescent-lit TVs; Samsung hasn't published numbers but in previous generations has managed 1,000,000:1. They all also have built-in Internet access and, on the 7000 and 8000 models, use the new Internet@TV service to access content news and media from Yahoo, including Flickr, as well as YouTube streaming videos. 6000 models get Samsung's InfoLink service that supplies news through RSS feeds.
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01/07, 1:45pm
LG TVs at CES 2009
LG today made its 2009 HDTV range known and is centering its advances both on sheer image quality and on turning its TVs into full-fledged media hubs. The 55LHX is LG's thinnest TV ever and uses a combination of a breakout box and LED backlighting to reduce the set to just one inch thick. The illumination on the set is also advanced even compared to other LED-lit sets and produces a 2,000,000:1 claimed contrast ratio. It equally delivers a fast 240Hz panel that should eliminate motion jitter and holds four HDMI ports with Deep Color as well as a USB port for viewing content from external storage.
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01/05, 3:20pm
TV Widgets dates confirmed
Samsung announced on Monday that certain HDTVs in its 2009 line-up will feature the Internet@TV content service first introduced this past summer. The service will be made possible thanks to the Yahoo Widget Engine, an applications platform in its fifth-generation that will bring Internet connectivity to users' living rooms via a number of what the company calls "TV Widgets." Initially, users will be able to check their stocks and news headlines and also browse Internet-based videos and photos as well as interacting with friends.
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12/16, 4:25pm
Widget Channel gear at CES
Computer chipmaker Intel announced on Monday that it will show devices at the CES show that will bring Internet-connected applications to users' TVs, according to a Monday report. The prototypes may come in the form of digital set-top boxes and will allow users to chat with friends or buy advertised products. The gadgets will work in conjunction with the previously announced Widget Channel software Intel is developing together with Yahoo.
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12/05, 3:50pm
MS Yahoo Deal Sooner
Microsoft chief Steve Ballmer today rekindled talk of a possible deal between his company and Yahoo in an interview today with the Wall Street Journal (membership required). While Microsoft has repeatedly downplayed any possibility of deals since breaking off talks with Yahoo in the spring, Ballmer now says it would be beneficial for both companies if a deal for a search ad union was struck "sooner than later" and says the main requirement is receptiveness to such a deal from Yahoo, which has lately insisted on either a full takeover or no deal at all.
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12/05, 1:10pm
MS hires ex-Yahoo exec
Microsoft has hired an ex-Yahoo executive to run its Online Services Group, the company has announced. Qi Lu -- who until recently was the executive VP of engineering for the Search and Advertising Technology Group at Yahoo -- will assume his new role on January 5th, where he will report directly to CEO Steve Ballmer. His responsibilities should involve directing Microsoft's efforts in online search and advertising, which are centered around Windows Live.
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11/20, 4:45pm
Clearwire Sprint deal a go
A merger between telecommunications companies Sprint and Clearwire announced back in May could be completed before year's end, as Clearwire's shareholders have approved the deal today, according to a Thursday report. Earlier this month, the FCC approved the merger as well, bringing the $14.6 billion venture one step closer to completion. The new company, also called Clearwire, will work on developing a mobile network based on WiMAX technology that promises wireless data transfer rates faster than any current network, approaching wired broadband speeds.
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11/20, 4:10pm
T-Mobile intros web2go
T-Mobile on Thursday announced the introduction of its web2go mobile Internet service for the provider's data-connected phones. Web2go is said to enhance web browsing and improve web searches via the use of Yahoo! oneSearch and a customizable home page that makes access to favorite locations on the web quicker. Online shopping and downloading are also said to be improved. The new interface is meant to improve the web browsing experience especially on non-smartphone devices. It will make viewing and navigating web pages easier.
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11/18, 12:00am
Yang steps down as CEO
A somewhat predicted conclusion to Yahoo's recent rough ride sees company co-founder Jerry Yang leaving his post as CEO after a suitable replacement is found to take Yahoo to "the next level." CNN Money reveals that chairman Roy Bostock is conducting interviews internally and externally, which will then place Yang back in his former position of "Chief Yahoo," remaining on the company's board of directors.
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11/05, 11:10am
Google and Yahoo Back Off
Google and Yahoo on Wednesday said they would end their controversial ad agreement and go their separate ways. The move is friendly but leaves Yahoo without a major third-party to show ads on certain search results, potentially cutting into Yahoo's overal results. Google describes the departure as being on amicable terms but also as the result of pressure from US government officials, which had forced revisions after concerns that it would create an unfair web monopoly.
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11/04, 12:45am
Revised Google-Yahoo deal
Google and Yahoo have backed down off their previous alliance proposal in order to clear potential issues from the Dept of Justice Department and other companies such as Microsoft. Amidst growing executive uncertainty at Yahoo, the new report indicates that a revised version of the companies' original search agreement was submitted over the weekend to avoid a potential lawsuit by regulators. The Wall Street Journal report says that the revised agreement limits the amount of revenue Yahoo! can earn from the deal and also shortens the term of agreement substantially.
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10/29, 11:50am
New anti-censorship group
Google, Microsoft and Yahoo are among the founding members of a new anti-censorship group called the Global Network Initiative, reports indicate. The organization also has the backing of investor, human rights and press freedom groups, such as the Center for Democracy and Technology. The GNI is specifically aimed at forming a consistent approach to dealing with countries that block free speech on the Internet, such as China. Many governments around the world filter search results, or simply prevent citizens from accessing certain websites.
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10/16, 1:30pm
Ballmer on Win 7, Yahoo
(Updated with official statement on Yahoo) It is alright if corporate buyers choose to skip Windows Vista and wait for Windows 7, claims Microsoft's Steve Ballmer. The CEO made the statement at the Gartner Symposium ITxpo in Orlando, shedding Microsoft's typical position of insisting on the value of Vista. The OS has received considerable criticism from businesses and the public, mainly over issues such as driver compatibility and User Account Control. Ballmer suggests that the OS is nevertheless doing well, with an adoption rate twice that of Windows XP despite being available for just two years.
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10/10, 9:30am
Wal-Mart DRM Servers Stay
Wal-Mart issued a last-minute reprieve to customers potentially affected by its DRM server shutdown. Citing feedback from customers, the retailer now says it will keep alive the servers that hand out licenses for its now-obsolete Windows Media protected music rather than close them down. The move had originally been scheduled for Thursday but has been postponed indefinitely; the servers will stay up for "the present time," according to Wal-Mart. This will also include support for any problems with the files themselves.
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10/07, 4:45pm
Investor on MS Distraction
Microsoft has distracted itself to where it's no longer a viable investment, Greenlight Capital investor David Einhorn says in a comment on the results of his company's summer quarter. He accuses the Windows developer of an "overaggressive and almost panicky" approach to competing with Google, at first launching an attempt to buy Yahoo only to overcompensate for its unsuccessful deal by spending large amounts of money on its own efforts to compete with Google in search and web ads.
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