A new player will be entering the mobile market space to help other phone manufacturers compete with Apple and BlackBerry. Google's mobile platform, called Android, is building upon some of the strength's of Apple's iPhone. Some features such as the 'slide to unlock' capabilities have been copied and enhanced allowing users to unlock their screen using a preset pattern as opposed to a left-to-right swipe. More significantly, it appears Google is establishing its' own Application Store modeled after Apple's imminent release of their own iPhone App store. The concept is that people can go to a secure, trusted place to download and install software for their phone. Some software will be free while others will cost users to download. The Apple model provides 70% of proceeds to go directly to the developer while 30% covers the hosting, purchasing, marketing and download bandwidth costs that Apple will incur. Google is expected to adopt a similar cost structure. Google's Android operating … [Read more...]
Microsoft and Yahoo! On Again or Off Again?
Well, the saga continues. Looks like Microsoft is re-strategizing and making another play to gain some of Yahoo!'s assets to help compete better with Google. Looks like they want to purchase a significant piece of Yahoo! but still allow a portion of Yahoo! to exist independently. REDMOND, Wash. — May 18, 2008 — Microsoft Corp. today issued the following statement: “In light of developments since the withdrawal of the Microsoft proposal to acquire Yahoo! Inc., Microsoft announced that it is continuing to explore and pursue its alternatives to improve and expand its online services and advertising business. Microsoft is considering and has raised with Yahoo! an alternative that would involve a transaction with Yahoo! but not an acquisition of all of Yahoo! Microsoft is not proposing to make a new bid to acquire all of Yahoo! at this time, but reserves the right to reconsider that alternative depending on future developments and discussions that may take … [Read more...]
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