Venkat's Weblog

Yahoo in line with Google

Yahoo is following in footsteps of Google. If you are thinking in terms of 'search engine' then you are mistaken, Yahoo is following Google in its footsteps of online advertisements. Yahoo is trying to woo the media network by coaxing them to sell major part of their primetime shows on onlin-video which would help them to increase their reach as well as their revenues. At present the online ad spending is small but is growing at an enormous number and is sure to meet its. Now the media network are beginning to see how video advertisement can help their business and Yahoo is trying to woo these potential advertisers. Let us see if Yahoo makes a mark and succees like Google as far as online advertisements are concerned.

Foes Become Partners

You people must have heard the news about Microsoft and Novell joining hands together to provide the optimum Customer service. Well as far as I can understand it is coming together of properitory Operating System and Open Source code to provide the optimum benefit for both the Microsoft users and that of Suse Linux. Ballmer and Hovespian (CEO of MS and Novell resp.) have reiterated the fact that the coming togther of two different type of software was to help the customer to have a better choice.

If you ask me it brings advantages in the form of expanding research facilities, using each others technical expertise, cutting down cost, and of course to create a large niche market for both the products.

The Software giants seems to have made their goal to reach compatiability with each others products, apart from research on virtualisation and web services.

I feel this is one strategic move where both the software giants have come together to achieve a common goal of expanding each other markets and to bring down the overall cost. Well I think when the goal is the same foes eventually turn into friends.

IBM takes over ISS

Guess you must know about this takeover, but let me give some details, The entire deal cost IBM about 1.3 million dollars. ISS and IBM have been working together since 1999 and the decision about the merger came on August 23 this year. ISS also known as the Internet Security System is incharge of internet security systems and also undertakes early detection and monitoring.

IBM is all prepared to merge both product of IBM and that of the internet security system. Now guess what, as consumers we would have the dual advantage of enjoying the IBM product as well as the security services of ISS. My guess is that IBM is taking advantage of this scenario is bound to come up with products which would be a merger of high resolution and impeccable security system too. Now that is what we are waiting for. Well let us see what this merger does for IBM market!

Oracle realises importance of Partners.

Oracle is now all set to bring an all round revamped website which would promote third party applications. As well as other offerings from its partners. This effort is to straighten its relationship with its partners, which have not been very smooth in the previous years. This strategy was already adopted by IBM and Microsoft to strengthen their relationship with their partners. Needless to say that Oracle earns about 44% of its revenue from its partners.

Oracle will also try to include its partners into more of its activity. One example is the 'Oracle's world OpenWorld conference which will see more of Oracle partners participating in the event.

Casual Labourers

We have heard about flexi working hours, but anyone heard of casual working. Well those are the new breed of enterpreuners. They are know to do odds and ends of internet jobs and guess what they are paid instant cash through debit cards. This innovative new technique is done by a company called chacha search. Chacha search employs laboureres who are specialist in particular topics. The wages earned by chacha are instantly dumped in a debit card, which can be tracked and accessed by the workers and who can use the cash immediately. This is a new innovative technique for all those stay at home or freelance specialist. Chacha search charimat Scott A jones think this new innovative technique helps people to work and earn howmuch ever they want or are their requirement. Guess the mantra for this new technique would be " you work, you earn"

Once Bitten, Twice Shy

If you are thinking that everything looks quite peaceful at the Microsoft front then you are quite wrong. Microsoft is all disturbed at being delayed in the launch of the new Vista version. The European Union Regulatory board has found some flaws in the security part of the Vista range of software and feel that the consumer’s are not given enough of advantage due to the security features in the software. Anyways the EU feel that they cannot be blamed for delaying the release, as they have provided a detailed list of ‘areas of concern’ to Microsoft in early July itself. Well Microsoft has already been bit by the anti monopoly campaign and was fined as much as €497 million. Well this time MS is not taking anychances and wants to do everything according to the ‘book’ even if it means delayed release of its new version of Vista. Well it is quite apt to say here that ‘Once Bitten, Twice Shy’

Alliance between Intel and Google

If you people out there are thinking, that there is no much news about alliances, then here is the news. Eric. E. Schmidt might be joining Apple Board. Apart from the similarity that both the companies are forerunners in Silicon Valley, Eric E. Schmidt and Steven P. Jobs, Co Founder of Apple have one more thing in common, that is their rival Microsoft. If sources are to be believed then, Schmidt is interested in developing ‘web based’ technology, which could prove to be a stiff competition to Microsoft. Apple Macintosh recent alliance with Intel goes to show that it is trying to build a better market than Microsoft. One has to see what the alliance between (if it happens) Apple and Google might spark…so people get ready for more fireworks from Google.

IBM has acquired ISS

IBM has acquired Internet Security System Inc. by spending about $1.3bn. IBM is on a drive to spend about $3.6bn to acquire new services and infrastructure, which may revive its ongoing ‘slump’ in growth. ISS in other words may help IBM to had ‘security management’ as on of its various branches of services. By acquiring ISS, IBM has joined the competing array of Symantec Corp, CA Inc., and EMC Corp. Such an acquisition only goes on to show that IBM is trying to stabilise its growth by branching itself into various products and services. And Security Management is one of the critical area, where most of the large companies are at the movement concentrating. Security Management has become an area of concern and importance. Large players to create a niche in the market for themselves are absorbing many of the smaller players. Well one needs to wait and watch, as to how this new acquisition will help the growth graph of IBM?

Buyback time at MS

Well Microsoft closed down its tender offer on Friday, after it had offered a buyback option to its shareholders, by pricing the share at $24.75. But the die hard Microsoft supporters refused to part with their shares, arguing that Microsoft would eventually do well and that the price then would be much higher than that offered by MS. True to their word, the share price of Microsoft was that of $ 25.79. Microsoft had opted for the buy back offer when its software business failed to provide the expected returns and after its heavy investments in online services. But shareholders are optimistic and vouch that MS would eventually reap what they had sowed in the form of online investments, well that is what is called as shareholders support. But with all these going on, Microsoft has started paying dividends to its shareholders (this is the first time they are doing so!). Well after Bill gates stepping down from the active day to day operation of MS, and heavy investments in advertisement and online services have led to a drop in the companies performance, but many are optimistic that MS would soon rise stronger than ever after their various investments pay off. Well I guess all the MS shareholders are keeping their fingers and toes crossed, and hope that the going goes good for MS. WE SURE HOPE SO TOO!

Microsoft to reshuffle.

Well to most of you who are thinking about Microsoft’s corporate front here is some news. There has been a series of reshuffling happening in Microsoft, in keeping with Microsoft’s mantra about serving customers better, there has been some reshuffling inside the corporate and would come into effect once Vista is released. By the way the new version of windows is all set to release in early 2007. As far as reshuffling is concerned, Valentine Senior Vice President of the Core Operating System Division will be transferred to another area of the company, while Jon DeVaan would lead windows operating system. Gary Flake and his team who has been serving the Windows live labs would move up to the Platform division and would report to Ray Ozzie. Amitabh Srivastava corporate Vice President of COSD will directly work under Ray Ozzie.

Good luck everyone, we would have to wait till the release of Vista to find out how these changes help Microsoft to serve better, and what new strategies would come into play to make Microsoft as a company stronger and to boost the confidence level of the shareholders.