Wall Street cheered AOL’s deal to sell $1 billion worth of patents to Microsoft, sending the onetime Internet pioneer’s stock soaring over 40% Monday to levels not seen in nearly two years. For Microsoft, the deal highlights the …
Technology & Media
Grading Google’s CEO Larry Page: A First Year Report Card
In the year since Larry Page took over as Google CEO, the company co-founder has streamlined management ranks, jettisoned non-essential product lines, and worked to increase Google’s competitive metabolism with “the passion and …
I Just Sold My Phone Number to Google for the Price of a Latte
I feel so cheap. After years of turning down Google’s request for my number, I handed it over today for a lousy $5.
It must have been the promise of coffee that made me do it. In case you missed it, Google Offers had a deal …
The JOBS Act Signing: A Giant Step for Entrepreneurship in America
At the White House yesterday, I had the pleasure of watching one of the most forward-thinking pieces of pro-business bipartisan legislation to date signed into law by President Obama: the Jumpstart Our Business Startups (JOBS) …
Federal Court Revives Landmark $1 Billion Viacom vs. YouTube Case
In a potentially costly setback for Google, a federal appeals court on Thursday ruled that its YouTube video site must once again defend itself from a $1 billion copyright infringement lawsuit filed by Hollywood giant Viacom. The …
Will the JOBS Act Live Up to Its Name?
President Obama just affixed his signature to the JOBS Act in a public signing ceremony you may have caught on CNN. The Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act, which passed both houses with bipartisan support, sounds like a win for …
As Yahoo Cuts Jobs, Proxy Battle, Facebook Patent War Heat Up
Struggling Internet giant Yahoo announced 2,000 layoffs Wednesday as it mapped out its latest plan to reverse a years-long slump that has seen the web pioneer become eclipsed by younger rivals. But new CEO Scott Thompson faces …
How Facebook Search Could Be a Gift to Google
Facebook’s reported move into search may one day prove a mortal threat to Google’s advertising business. But in the short run, the social network’s new project comes at an opportune time for the search giant.
For Google, …
Sex on the Internet: Sizing Up the Online Smut Economy
When the news broke that Goldman Sachs had rid itself of its investment in Village Voice Media due to the company’s connection with Backpage.com, a website known mostly for its advertisements for “escorts” and certain kinds …
As Scandal Swirls, News Corp. Shareholders Call For Reduced Murdoch Influence
James Murdoch’s resignation as chairman of British satellite giant BSkyB is just the latest development in a slow-moving saga that continues to roil one of the most powerful media companies in the world. Now, ahead of a …
Research: Over 1 Million U.S. Cable Subscribers Cut Cord in 2011
Cable and satellite TV subscription growth slowed down more than had been previously reported, and cord-cutting was a primary factor. But don’t worry about it — a revolution that will re-create the current multi-channel …
Why Groupon’s Fuzzy Math Should Worry Investors
What is it with daily-deals website Groupon and accounting? The latest snafu came Friday when the company restated earnings to reflect a larger fourth-quarter loss after failing to set aside enough money to account for customer …