michael

The 404 1,224: Where we get in bed with the Sleep Doctor (podcast)

Leaked from today's 404 episode:

- Let's talk about Modafinil, the sleep-aid "smart drug" that inspired the movie "Limitless."

- Daylight saving time may cost America $434 million from lost sleep.

- Study: Women more affected by sleep deprivation.

- Sleeping stoned, the debate rolls on.

- We didn't answer your question? Sorry, there's only so much time in an episode, but why not follow Dr. Breus on Twitter and ask him yourself?

- Check out more information on Dr. Breus's exclusive line of signature mattresses on his Web site. Don't forget to sign up for his newsletter too!… Read more

Dell responds to Icahn's criticism of going private

A Dell committee, made up of four board members charged with deciding whether going private is the right move, has responded to Dell investor Carl Icahn, who says it isn't.

In a February 5 letter, Icahn said that he and others do not "believe that [the Going Private Transaction] is in the best interests of Dell's shareholders and substantially undervalues the company." Instead of going private, Icahn would like to see Dell issue a special dividend of $9 per share. That should result, he said, in a stock price increase to $13.81, which, added to … Read more

Bill Gates still world's second richest person

Bill Gates is now worth $67 billion. But he's still only No. 2 among the world's wealthiest people.

Released today, Forbes' ranking of the richest people on the planet found Gates' fortune up $6 billion this year. The increase came not so much from Microsoft stock, which has shown little sign of life recently, but from other financial holdings and private investments.

More importantly, Forbes dubbed Gates the world's most generous person. Microsoft's chairman continues to devote a large amount of his fortune to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation with the goal of wiping out … Read more

Teen iOS app developers hit download lottery

You wouldn't expect two 16-year-olds to spend their summer break working for free. But, that's exactly what Ryan Orbuch and Michael Hansen did when they created the anti-procrastination iOS app called Finish, which launched January 16.

And, it's paid off. Literally.

As of today, Finish has been downloaded 16,500 times in a little more than a month, according to Orbuch. At 99 cents a pop -- that means more than $16,000 in one month, which isn't bad for two teenagers. The Denver Post was first to talk to Orbuch and Hansen about their work … Read more

A Monty Python sci-fi movie? With Robin Williams? What?

Have you ever had the kind of feeling where, after hearing a piece of news, your mind-body continuum is so confused that you don't know how to react?

This is largely how I felt on hearing there will be a new Monty Python movie. A new Monty Python sci-fi movie. A new Monty Python sci-fi movie in which Robin Williams will have a role.

It is nowhere near April 1.

So I have to take Forbes' word for it that this may actually come to pass.

It seems that the storyline will revolve around the original Python members involved … Read more

Why going private is a good thing for Dell

In October 2011, I managed to annoy Michael Dell.

It was shortly after Steve Jobs died, and I sat with Dell for a 30-minute talk at the company's home in Round Rock, Texas. I was a reporter for Dow Jones at the time.

The interview had nearly ended, and Dell was on his way out the door when I asked the question, "Michael, is there anything you learned from Steve Jobs and his time at Apple that you can apply to Dell?"

He paused thoughtfully and then said that he'd met Jobs while in college and … Read more

Dell board said to be meeting tonight to vote on buyout deal

Rumors of a Dell buyout deal have been swirling for the past few weeks and now word is that Dell's board plans to vote tonight on whether to take the company private, according to Bloomberg.

The deal would offer Dell shares at $13.50 to $13.75 each, which totals around $24 billion, sources familiar with the negotiations told Bloomberg. The buyout could be announced as early as tomorrow morning.

Reportedly Microsoft, private equity firm Silver Lake Management, and company CEO Michael Dell will all contribute sizable investments in the deal. Michael Dell is expected to contribute $700 million, … Read more

Michael Dell to use own money to seek majority control -- report

Just weeks after reports surfaced that Dell was looking to go private, the company's founder appears willing to put his personal funds where his mouth is.

Michael Dell may kick in equity financing of $500 million to $1 billion combined with his 15.7 percent stake in the company to seek majority control of the company, according to Bloomberg. That would push his ownership stake past 50 percent.

With the investment, Dell would be contributing more than half of the total $8 billion to $9 billion equity check. The remainder of the takeover would be financed by debt and &… Read more

What gear would you take on a 5-year, 9,000-mile walk?

OK, let's just say you decide to walk the length of Europe and Asia and bring all your social-media peeps along for the journey. What devices would you bring with you to keep in touch and document your epic stroll?

These aren't questions most of us will ever be faced with, but Michael Lee Johnson is thinking very hard about the answers right now as he prepares to embark on a half-decade long sojourn by foot from Beijing to London later this year.

A developer from England who has also worked in social media (he had a moment of notoriety when Facebook nixed the 1-cent ad he purchased to promote his Google+ account), marketing and a few startups, Johnson tells me he's treating his trip as a sort of startup of its own.

In fact, the idea for a major overland trip was originally conceived as a marketing stunt for a startup. The startup is no more, but Johnson's dream of sharing the near-entirety of an epic personal journey lives on.… Read more