Wednesday, August 30, 2006

Verizon finally sees sense over Net Neutrality! Phew.

Verizon has finally seen sense over Net Neutrality - i.e. caved in to customer pressure (now there's a turn-up for telco books) and will not charge a supplier surcharge after all.

Google, Ebay, Amazon etc will not get charged/raped and we can all keep luvvin Verizon.

Now the rest of the telco's need follow suit - come on AT&T and cocky Telecom Italia (leading the dumbo Net Neutrality charge in Europe)!

Ryanair dives into mobile telephones on aircraft big time!

According to the FT today:

"The widespread use of mobile telephones on passenger aircraft could become a reality next year, after Ryanair, the European low-cost carrier, announced plans to equip its fleet with an onboard mobile service.

“If you want a quiet flight, use another airline,” said Michael O’Leary, chief executive."

Proving at least that Michael O'Leary needs a course in 'sweet talking...'

Google to merge with Apple or Schmidt stepping back from Google?

Eric Schmidt, CEO of Google has just agreed to join Apple's board.

This either means that Google and Apple want to get closer in bed (nice) or that Schmidt is looking for new roles 'cos may soon leave Google.

We'll go for option one. Could we even see a Google/Apple merger? Maybe!

Then we'll all be Gmailing on iPods, Google Videoing on iTunes, blogging with Blogger.com in iWeb and adding search to our daily jog when out with our iPod compatible Nike's. Sounds OK to me...

Monday, August 28, 2006

Google gives Microsoft a double spanking today!

Google returns to the spanking of Microsoft today with a double whammy of announcements. No wonder Billie Boy has left - this is just getting too humiliating.

First up Google announced that they now plan to aim their free applications - i.e. Gmail, Calendar, Web tools, and I guess in the not to distant future spreadsheet and word processing - at the corporate market. Youch!

And we thought Microsoft would have to bet their future on the corporate space. Poor luvvies. Google's spin, as always, will be that their bundle (Google Office? ((not!)) is cheaper, on-demand and easier to use. And it may even work as a pitch to smaller businesses.

As if this weren't enough of a headache announcement by the search pin-up boys, they then told the world that Ebay will partner with them (after all) in search based ads and click to call stuff everywhere in the world outside the US.

This means lots more lolly to Google (and Ebay) and loads more depression in Seattle. No, that's not a weather forecast.

And who said Google wouldn't do to Microsoft what Microsoft did to IBM - i.e. stuff 'em up!

Oh, and tip of the day - who's gonna buy Salesforce.com (first)? Microsoft or Google?

Thursday, August 24, 2006

Creative Technologies finally figures out how to drive revenues - sue Apple!

Creative Technologies, the poor sods that compete with Apple for MP3 players, has finally figured out how to boost revenues - sue Apple.

And its a workin' cos Apple settled with them for $100M - nice if ya can get it!

As if Apple doesn't have it tough enough (not) right now given all the complaints/industry groans /moans about their lack of juicy new iPods.

Mind you, check out businessuncut daily today for news of Apple's iPod mobile phone - and it's called the iTalk!

Wednesday, August 23, 2006

Chad Hurley, CEO of YouTube and bro of Liz Hurley (really?) wed to Paris Hilton!

Chad Hurley, CEO of YouTube, and clearly the brother of Liz Hurley (is he??) has decided that having a celebrity sis (not) is clearly not enough so he has agreed to launch the first of a raft of branded "channels" (hey did he get the idea of "channels" from us here at businessuncut?) with Time Warner promoting Paris (ooh sexy babe) Hilton.

And they're charging Time Warner up the wazzoo.

So which channel should we next expect? Yep it'll be Hugh Grant's - presumably arranged by Liz.

Is Sun Microsystems back?

Sun's sunny sun seems to be shining again. Nice timing by Schwartzy baby as his modestly short reign as CEO has already been (sun) bathed in glory with some whippin' good server sales numbers.

Sun has regained the No3 slot in worldwide server sales from poor ol' Dell and has seen revenues bounce upwards like a bungee jumper in reverse.

Now that just leaves them figuring out how in monkeys heck they make money out of Java and Open Source? Mmmm...

Microsoft slaps Google with Facebook!

Microsoft showed that they can sell ads on social networking sites too by signing up Facebook to their search based ads and banners.

The fact that Facebook only has nine million users to MySpace's trillions of users is neither here nor their cos who knows if Microsoft's ad technology works right yet.

But ya can bet they paid Facebook loads a money - or was it Microsoft buy-back shares?

Sony buys Grouper making YouTube worth gazillions!

Sony has just bought video download site Grouper for $65M and will take the amateur video joint into the big league by streaming Sony movies/shows on it too. And I thought Sony movies were en peu passe!

This looks good for Grouper, average for Sony and MARVELLOUS for YouTube who must now be worth gazillions. Which means only Google will be able to afford them.

Microsoft is clearly out of the bidding - they only buy their own stock!

Monday, August 21, 2006

Google hits out with Web based Word Processor!

Google has gone fully live with their online Word Processor - aptly named Writely. The battle to offer free web based consumer apps hots up and Writely ain't bad!

Google users can expect further free apps over the coming years and Microsoft should be concerned. GMail and Google Calendar are already flying.

Google Writely and Spreadsheet are now hot on their heels.

My advice to any consumer is go get an Apple, buy Microsoft Office for Macs and use Google apps - then you have it all!!

Wednesday, August 09, 2006

Google on deal making high!

Google must be dizzy after their deal making week - and Yahoo and Microsoft sicker than ever.

For Google have paid News Corp just short of $1bn (loose change if you're Google) so that they can dominate search and related ads at MySpace and other News Corp sites.

Given the rockin' popularity of MySpace the deal makes sense - even though the last laugh goes to Murdoch who only paid $500M odd for MySpace in the first place!!

But Google as always stole the show this week as they have also done a deal with Viacom whereby they will serve their video stuff/gunk on Google. Nice one as long as it doesn't clutter up Google Video much more!

Nokia buys Loudeye - should Apple care?

Nokia has agreed to buy Loudeye - the provider of bespoke music download stores for mobile phone operators. Could this prove to be the latest challenge to Apple's iTunes. After all, they have Microsoft's Zune (what a God awful name!) to contend with - not!

Is Nokia gonna use Loudeye technology to launch their own branded music service? After all they flog over 40M music phones to rival iPods per annum - ooh!

Na, fear not Apple - Nokia has always been a disaster at launching their own branded mobile Internet services - and they would be equally awful at trying to rival iTunes.

Only Microsoft remains mug enough/rich enough to take on Apple in the music space. Chill out Stevie baby!

Thursday, August 03, 2006

(i)Tunes in your car!

(i)Tunes are gonna be ringing in your car (as well as your Nike sneaker)!

Ford (yep that 'ol stuffed car company), GM (the other one) and Mazda (who?) have all agreed to link iPods to their in-car stereos in most models starting 2007.

You'll stuff your iPod in the glove compartent and change tracks from the in-car system. Lovely!

iPod continue their relentless drive to ubiquity and we prove we can use long sounding business words/jargon/gobbledy gook!!

Will ths announcement sell any more Fords, GM's or Mazda's (who??)? - I doubt it. But, if you drive a GM SUV, wear iPod connected Nike sneakers and put the pedal to the metal - God knows what extra terrestial experience your gonna enjoy!

AOL continue their endless decline!

Hello the end of the beginning for AOL! (Or is it the beginning of the end?!)

Within a couple of days they have announced that their Internet access business will wither on the vine, slaughtered by the oh so viscious telco broadband offerings or 'the Cloud' in Europe.

As a result they will sell their access business in Europe, all but close shop in the US and offer everything for free in their all singing and not so dancing portal business at AOL.com. Oh, plus they're gonna dump 25% of their global workforce!!

The problem is that AOL as a free portal will always be a me-too runner up to Yahoo, Google and probably MySpace so the future is not so bright for the once Internet titan. It'll suit Time Warner and a slimmed down AOL may prove more affordable for them to hang onto even if it is the almighty end to the most extraordinary overvauluation of the old AOL business.

Plus if you've ever used AOL Mail you understand why they have to offer everything for free now.

Shame Time Warner, good luck to ya free AOL!

Sprint Nextel up the pooper!

Sprint Nextel didn't exactly shine today as they announced that revenues, earnings and subscriber numbers were an entirely disappointing bundle and as a result they are clearly hemorrhaging market share.

It looks like being number 3 isn't quite what it should be and as always major mergers are as disappointing as watching the UK/US play in the World Cup.

Where do they go from here - how about yet another merger with another stuffed player - Vodafone! Now that would be more amusing than any Rooney tackle!

Smile on Cingular and Verizon.