AOL: The ideal Microsoft deal-breaker for Yahoo?
Over the weekend, reports surfaced that Yahoo's new financial advisors want it to chase down a merger with AOL to counter Microsoft's multi-billion-dollar bid. But can AOL parent Time Warner afford Yahoo's financial freight?
After Yahoo gave a definite "no" to Microsoft's multibillion dollar buyout bid on Friday, indications emerged over the weekend that AOL might come to the rescue as Yahoo's fabled white knight. But after just turning in less-than-stellar fourth quarter 2007 financial results, can Time Warner, AOL's parent company under newly anointed CEO Jeff Bewkes, afford to take on Yahoo's freight?
Broadcom's Android alternative: An SoC supporting Symbian, Linux, WM6
In an attempt to blockade Google's Android platform at the big Mobile World Congress in Barcelona this week, Broadcom is putting forth a chip with some real ammunition behind it, supporting the existing big three mobile OSes all at once.
Perhaps the least likely partners you might think you'd ever see on a joint ticket together may not end up being Google and Yahoo after all. In Barcelona this morning, Broadcom -- which makes chipsets for many brands of mobile phones and smart handsets -- threw a big lasso around Symbian, mobile Linux (LiMo), and Windows Mobile, corralling them under a collective tent it calls "OpenOS."
Starbucks drops T-Mobile, offers free Wi-Fi from AT&T
Customers who buy a cup of joe using a Starbucks card will now receive 2 hours of free Wi-Fi at the ubiquitous coffee shop thanks to a new partnership with AT&T.
Starbucks is ending its six-year relationship with T-Mobile, and inking a deal with AT&T instead. Starting this spring, AT&T will be providing the Internet access at over 7,000 Starbucks locations across the United States and in the process making the Wi-Fi more attractive to customers who balked at paying T-Mobile's $10 per-day fee.
Nokia officially unveils leaked N96 handset, new services
Nokia is making a compelling presentation at the Mobile World Congress today in Barcelona, Spain, unveiling the progeny of its high-end N95, as well as the beta of its new mapping system, and launching Share on Ovi, an integrated media-sharing site.
Keeping with the leitmotif of Nokia's "portable multimedia computers", the N96 carries with it a long list of features, some of which were accidentally leaked several months ago. This slider offers W-CDMA HSDPA 900/2100 MHz connectivity with dual transfer of voice and packet data when used in a GSM/EDGE network, EGPRS/GPRS, WiFi connectivity, and even a DVB-H mobile TV tuner, perfect for use in the EU.
Netflix to cease offering HD DVD movie rentals
In a win for Blu-ray and a loss for consumer choice, Netflix said Monday it will no longer be stocking new HD DVD movies for its subscribers to rent.
The leading online movie rental company cited "a clear signal from the industry" for deciding to go Blu-ray only, noting that four of the six major Hollywood studios are backing Sony's format. Universal and Paramount are the two studios supporting HD DVD exclusively.
The answer to Microsoft is no: Yahoo holds out for more cash
Now that Yahoo is apparently in play, and talk among Wall Street Insiders touches on big names such as Google, Amazon, and AOL, Yahoo apparently feels all the talk has elevated its value high enough where it can afford to say no to Microsoft.
After its board of directors met over the weekend to discuss the takeover bid from Microsoft, Yahoo's response this morning is that Microsoft hasn't offered enough. That's not to say it won't accept another bid from Microsoft or perhaps someone else, but it's taking a big gamble that another bid is forthcoming.
Analyst: Microsoft bid is just a ploy to fend off Yahoo deal with Amazon
Believe it or not, Microsoft isn't really serious in its bid to buy Yahoo, according to one financial analyst. Trip Chowdhry of Global Equities Research has reached the unusual conclusion that Microsoft's $44.6 billion merger proposal is really just a ploy to fend off a potential deal between Yahoo and Amazon.com. Could he possibly be right? Probably not.
Chowdhry's Amazon.com theory is getting a lot of play on the Web right now, largely because the well respected analyst has been covering Yahoo closely for at least the last ten years.
Dell asserts its commitment to AMD despite reduced options
Though there may be fewer consumer notebook and desktop computers with AMD processor options available online through Dell Direct today than there were last week, an AMD spokesperson told BetaNews that Dell is not backing away.
Directly refuting a Wall Street Journal story this afternoon which featured his own quotes, AMD corporate spokesperson John Taylor told BetaNews that it is his understanding that Dell Computer is not backing away from selling AMD-based computers on its Dell Direct Web site. That said, there are indeed fewer AMD options available to consumers than just a few days ago.
Apple issues security updates to QuickTime, iPhoto
Apple quietly pushed out a new 7.4.1 QuickTime update to stop attacks through maliciously crafted Web sites.
Apple released the patch because malicious users had the ability to entice "a user to visit a maliciously crafted Web page, [where] an attacker may cause an unexpected application termination or arbitrary code execution."
Canary Wireless announces new hotspot detectors
Canary wireless has announced the HS-20, its second generation of Wi-Fi detectors.
Devices in the same family are quite commonplace, ranging from items such as the Vunex Wi-Fi Walker which is both a USB adaptor and hotspot finder, to the
HTC's Shift UMPC set to finally go on sale
Taiwanese phone manufacturer HTC will apparently start selling its Ultra-Mobile PC within a few weeks in Britain, and has apparently also signed a distribution deal with Orange.
HTC first announced the Shift back in March 2007, and had originally targeted a November launch. However, for unknown reasons, the device's debut was delayed until now. The UMPC device will first appear at online retailer Expansys for £885 ($1,720 USD) on February 19.
ARM to demo prototype Google Android phone
The British chipmaker will show off the early version of a phone based on Google's new Android mobile operating system at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona Monday.
Although neither Google nor ARM are commenting on the report, sources say the annual gathering will be a coming out party of sorts for the Mountain View, Calif. search company's mobile effort.
Mistake leaks specs of upcoming Nokia N96 phone
An apparent oversight on the company's German Web site has disclosed the specifications for the company's upcoming slider phone.
Pictures of the phone first leaked two months ago, but at the time, the list of features was not known. If the leaked information is to be believed, the N96 will satisfy the needs of a lot of loyal Nokia users.
Spanish Facebook begins next week
It will not be called "Libro de caras," but on Monday, Spanish will be the default Language for anyone connecting to Facebook from a Spanish-speaking nation.
The task of translating the approximately 40,000 English sentences in the Facebook servers was handled by 1,500 volunteers using the Translations facebook application. In under 4 weeks, enough translation was done for a complete rollout.
From Seoul comes Soul, Samsung's new handset
Samsung unveiled its newest flagship handset and member of its "Ultra Edition" family, a line which seeks to provide the slimmest phones in attractive designs: The Soul.
The standout feature of this slider is the "Magical Touch" panel, produced by DaCP. A small panel beneath the 2.2" QVGA screen changes and adapts its functions in response to which application is running. For example, while running the MP3 player, it can act as the media control interface, or while using SMS functions, it can manipulate text.
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