Who better than a Wal-Mart executive to negotiate with the studio heads – especially one who has dealt with them before? Smart. Another Rob Johnson in the making?
Archive for February 4th, 2008
Yahoo MusicMatch
February 4, 2008Well, this answers that question:
Yahoo (NSDQ: YHOO), which has officially closed down its premium online music service Yahoo Unlimited (we reported on it first here), has sold the service to RealNetworks (NSDQ: RNWK) and MTV JV company Rhapsody America, and will now direct its (probably small number of) customers to Rhapsody music service. Financial details were undisclosed. As part of the deal, Yahoo will promote Rhapsody on its site. The shift of subscribers will happen sometime in the first half of this year, reports AP.
Of course, if the Microsoft (NSDQ: MSFT) buyout happens, this may change again with Zune’s music service…there may be a change-of-control out-clause in this music deal. Or that Microsoft-Yahoo won’t care and start all over again. More after the jump..
Did I mention, subscription services suck? Watch for Real to buy Napster soon.
Microsoft’s obsession with Google
February 4, 2008It used to be that companies were obsessed with beating Microsoft and used to take on onerous obligations and pursue questionable actions to “attack” Microsoft”. Novell, Borland, Oracle, and Sun come to mind. One has to wonder if Microsoft is experiencing a similar disorder with Google. Paul Kedrosky notes:
The reason why Google is a market leader is not because they have products. They’re the leader because they’re the leader in one product area, called search.
— Steve Ballmer, quoted in WSJ (02/04/08)
Oh yeah! Oh yeah!? I have no idea what this means, but it sure sounds like an attempt at smack-talking to me.
Tech tax havens
February 4, 2008This is something to keep in mind everytime any firm requests tax breaks:
Microsoft makes products in Washington but records software sales to PC makers and high-volume customers through an operation in Nevada, where there is no corporate tax. So Washington has missed out on more than half a billion in taxes; revenue it could use for badly needed infrastructure needs — such as the needed replacement of the 520 bridge which connects Seattle … to Microsoft. Reported by Slashdot in 2004, the numbers have increased with the company’s growth to approx. $76M in savings last year alone. The author questions the legality of the practice given Microsoft’s 35,500+ employees and 11.2 million square feet of real estate in Washington state.”
Of course, this is not just a Microsoft issue – the famous one is Halliburton moving to the middle east, Bearing Point (or was is some other firm?) establishing a Cayman Island hq, and numerous others creating an entity in Ireland to escape taxes. Cutting the corporate tax rate doesn’t help because these firms do not want to pay any taxes!
Scotman: Yahoo welcomes Apple bailout
February 4, 2008GLOBAL giants including Apple and Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp are believed to be considering rival bids for the internet company Yahoo, which has received a $44.6bn (£22.6bn) offer from Microsoft.
BS!
1. The Scotman wants us to believe that a company that can’t fix/expand .Mac (a relatively meager web attempt) is ready to undertake the impossible mission of corraling all of Yahoo’s properties? Unless Apple convinces Yahoo of unbundling Flickr for purchase, this rumor is total bull.
2. The Scotman wants us to believe that a company that is incredibly conservative with merger activities is willing to spend upwards of $45 billion on a firm that’s not really all that hot. Rrright.
Mark Hulbert: Apple reported disappointing earnings
February 4, 2008Hmm.
I can find no news story that would explain the dismal January performance of the stock of Manitowoc. But Apple’s stock made it onto the list of the S&P 500’s 25-worst performing January stocks by virtue of its disappointing earnings report in late January. It’s worth noting that none of the top performing newsletters downgraded its opinion of Apple in the wake of that report, however.
No. Apple issued earnings forecast that disappointed some. Their earnings report handily beat everyone’s estimates.
