In a move that came as a surprise to no one expect those living under a rock, Microsoft bid $44.6 billion for Yahoo.
According to Steve Ballmer, "Today, the market is increasingly dominated by one player who is consolidating its dominance through acquisition. Together, Microsoft and Yahoo! can offer a credible alternative for consumers, advertisers, and publishers."
And while Ballmer stopped short of mentioning Google by name, this one statement highlights an important element of Microsoft's strategy. As I've mentioned before, Ballmer and company are focused on Google more than any other company and this deal with Yahoo may finally give it the leverage the company needs to capture greater influence online.
But I digress. Today, the real story surrounding the possible Yahoo acquisition has nothing to do with Google at all. Instead, today's announcement surrounds the absolute need for Yahoo to accept this acquisition to save itself.
Of course, the only problem is, nobody knows if it will.
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Amazingly, almost every product Apple has released over the past decade has performed extremely well and there's no debating the fact that the iPhone is one of them.
But unlike the computer industry or the PMP business, the cell phone industry judges success by how well a device can perform over the long-term and keep a steady revenue stream flowing for both the carrier and the manufacturer.
And while the computing industry has become quite competitive over the past few years, driving prices down and forcing companies to make more compelling products, there's no debating the fact that the cell phone industry is the most competitive and strangely unprofitable of them all. After all, who would have thought that Motorola -- one of the proven leaders in the industry -- may be getting out of the handset business for good?
Knowing this, has Apple gotten in over its head trying to play the same game it always has with its other devices without realizing that the cell phone industry is an entirely different beast altogether? Sadly, I think it has.
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Last week, I told you all why the Super Nintendo Entertainment System was the greatest console of all time. And although I caught some flak from the misinformed, it seems all too obvious now that it really was the greatest gaming device ever created.
But what about the worst console of all time? Surely, we can pick from a number of systems like the 3DO, 32X, Sega CD and a host of others, but what about major consoles? Even though these were released to the masses, the 3DO was nothing more than an overpriced proof-of-concept that never had a chance and the two Sega add-ons were a bridge to the Saturn.
And while I think there were a slew of crappy consoles that easily eclipse the Sega Saturn in pure crappiness, what other major console sucked as bad as Sega's Playstation competitor? Further, what other major console contributed so heavily to the downfall of one of the world's greatest hardware manufacturers?
As far as I'm concerned, the decision to call the Saturn the world's worst major console isn't difficult at all.
... Read moreOver the past few months, I've frequented a number of technology websites that have tried to sway public opinion by telling the world where the writer or the publication itself stands on an issue.
And while I have no problem when a technology publication informs its readers about a political issue relevant to the world of tech and subsequently tells those same readers where the politicians stand on the particular issue, I don't think it's a technology journalist's responsibility (or right) to opine on world affairs or the economy.
In fact, just as I don't talk to my readers about sports and politics because it's outside the parameters of my work, political and sports journalists shouldn't wax poetic about the world of technology.
To be quite honest, I think it's disgusting that journalists would use their pulpit as a vehicle to promote their own political views even though it has nothing to do with the industry they cover.
... Read moreEvery now and then, I come across some stories that make me cringe. Unfortunately, this is one such story. The New York Times is reporting today that Target made itself look like a fool because of the idiocy of its public relations arm.
According to the Times, a blog about the impact of marketing on children called Shaping Youth found issue with Target's latest ad campaign that showed a woman behind Target's logo. And while the site's founder Amy Jussel didn't necessarily find fault in the depiction of the woman, she was perturbed by Target's decision to place the bull's-eye directly over the woman's crotch.
Upon sending an email message to Target to get an explanation for the ad, the major retailer said that it was "unable to respond to [her] inquiry because Target does not participate with nontraditional media outlets."
Wow. What a bunch of clowns.
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Over the past few months, I decided to go back in time and relive the days of old. Instead of wasting my day doing things that just weren't productive, I decided to get all of my old consoles out (NES, Genesis, SNES, 3DO, 32X, Sega CD, Sega Saturn, Sega Dreamcast, Playstation 1 and 2 and the Nintendo 64) to finally make the decision on which console is truly the best of all-time (so far).
And while the decision was a difficult one -- it's tough to beat Duck Hunt and Super Mario Bros. -- it seemed almost too simple to declare the SNES the greatest console of all-time.
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Over the course of the past week, I decided to wait before making my final decision on whether or not I believed Apple's new MacBook Air would be a success or not. After evaluating the state of the ultraportable market historically (poor) and the specs Apple is doling out with this device, it seems almost too obvious that very few people will be willing to buy this junker.
Let's face it--the MacBook Air is nothing more than a gimmick to make people believe Apple is a trendsetter that knows the best way to bring "cool" products to the masses. But what everyone seems to forget is that this company already has a slew of "cool" products and there's no need for something that's underpowered and overpriced.
Suffice it to say, the MacBook Air is nothing more than a toy that has no promise and will flounder in stores. Why you ask? It's simple.
... Read moreAccording to a recent report from the Associated Press, the Motion Picture Association of America--Hollywood's antipiracy wing--admitted to releasing data that was not only factually incorrect, it grossly overstated the impact college students have on the movie industry's losses.
The MPAA claims its original figure citing a 44 percent loss due to college piracy was inflated by a whopping 29 percent. In fact, the MPAA admitted that the actual impact college students have on the industry's revenue loss is just 15 percent.
"The 44 percent figure was used to show that if college campuses could somehow solve this problem on this campus, then it would make a tremendous difference in the business of the motion picture industry," an expert covering the case said. The new figures prove "any solution on campus will have only a small impact on the industry itself."
So why do the MPAA and the Recording Industry Association of America focus so much of their time on college students? Is there something that these disgusting organizations aren't telling us? Are college students really that bad? Sadly, it's just another example of these organizations trying to vilify the easy target when the real violators are left to roam free.
... Read moreAlthough news of layoffs and cost cutting is never a good sign for tech companies, there are some instances when such news arrives that may actually be a sign of good things to come.
According to The New York Times, Yahoo may be preparing to lay off hundreds of people in the coming weeks and focus on three parts of its business-- becoming a "starting point" for the most consumers on the Web; extending its advertising offerings to sites across the Web; and opening up Yahoo's technology infrastructure to third-party developers and publishers.
So what does this mean for me and you? It means that Yahoo may finally be taking a step in the right direction and realizing that the Google onslaught it has been forced to endure over the past few years will only get worse if it doesn't act now.
And based on what I saw from the company at CES, there are some signs that things may turn around.
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Over the past weekend, I spent most of my time playing around with OpenSUSE and Ubuntu in an attempt to reintroduce myself into the wide world of Linux.
And while I could have been a bit happier with the support and Linux does take some getting used to after immersing yourself in a Mac and Windows world every day, it's still an ideal platform for the advanced techie who doesn't want to waste his time with things that "just work."
And although this community has built itself up to rival even the most fanatic of Apple zealots, its strength is not shown by calling in reinforcements when it's beaten up in a column, but by the immense support you receive when you run into any problem on the platform.
Simply put, Linux has some issues that shouldn't be overlooked. But with such a vast community at your disposal, now is a great time to get in on the Linux game.
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