Microsoft’s big bid for Yahoo

Software giant goes public with $44.6 billion bid for the Net pioneer. Will Yahoo succumb to the advances or rebuff Microsoft as it has before?

Latest coverage

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Microsoft board to address next step in bid for Yahoo

Move could come in the next several days, according to a source. That’s amid what appears to be a softening stance from the Internet search pioneer.
Ozzie opens Mix with Yahoo mention
Yahoo extends deadline for Microsoft to name opposition slate
March 5, 2008

Microsoft-Yahoo buyout bid: The road ahead

As Microsoft looks at the road ahead in its takeover bid for Yahoo, it might also want to glance at the rearview mirror to see what’s been traveled.
March 4, 2008

Microsoft-Yahoo combo could mean one fewer exit for upstarts

The two companies have acquired more than 150 companies, combined, over the last 12 years. Will the M&A spigot get turned down in a merged company?
March 3, 2008

Are Microsoft and Yahoo talking or not?

A mixed message is coming out of Redmond. Microsoft’s CFO says Yahoo hasn’t formally responded to its buyout bid, while its CEO says a “range of dialogue” is occurring.
March 3, 2008

Microsoft CFO: No one asked about Yahoo, but…

Speaking on Monday at the Morgan Stanley Technology Conference, company’s top bean counter says he’s surprised that nobody asked about Yahoo.
March 3, 2008

Backdoor approach to a Microsoft-Yahoo deal?

Annual shareholder meetings of Berkshire Hathaway and Morgan Stanley may present prime opportunities for Microsoft and Yahoo top dogs to get it together.
March 3, 2008

Yahoo to extend proxy slate deadline?

Internet pioneer has the option of extending the March 14 deadline for shareholders to nominate a slate of directors friendly to Microsoft’s buyout bid.
February 29, 2008

Yahoo says Microsoft’s bid is distracting workforce

In Yahoo’s annual report, the company blames Microsoft’s acquisition bid for creating uncertainty for Yahoo’s workforce.
February 27, 2008

Ballmer on EU, Yahoo

The Microsoft chief executive says that Wednesday’s fines are the result of past issues and says that Microsoft is fully complying with Brussels’ demands. He says Yahoo effort continues, but offers little new on Redmond’s strategy.
February 27, 2008

Microsoft recasts legal team for Yahoo bid

Company switches legal counsel for its Yahoo megamerger after the firm it hired announces a conflict with another client.
February 26, 2008

Confidence lacking in Microsoft-Yahoo merger at online ad meeting

Attendees of the Interactive Advertising Bureau annual meeting say Yahoo and Microsoft may need each other but neither really knows what to do to beat Google.
February 25, 2008

Yahoo mum on Microsoft, but hints at Digg rival

At online ad event, execs Yang and Decker dodge questions about Microsoft takeover bid, but talk up forthcoming announcement about a new feature on Yahoo’s home page.
Yahoo launches Buzz right on schedule
February 25, 2008

More Yahoo shareholders sue over Microsoft bid

Also, Windows Live boss Kevin Johnson pens a memo about the bid to Microsoft employees, though its purpose seems just as much an attempt to reassure Yahoo workers.
February 22, 2008

Yahoo, Microsoft nearing the end game

Even if Yahoo CEO Jerry Yang has a plan for life without the software giant, events are passing him by, CNET News.com’s Charles Cooper says.
Microsoft’s proxy slate profile
February 21, 2008

Gates explains why Microsoft needs Yahoo

A main driver of the takeover bid is the desire for “great engineers,” says Microsoft’s chairman. Plus: Windows 7 and other future tech.
Podcast: Behind Bill Gates’ latest call to arms
February 20, 2008

Microsoft waiting for formal rejection

Wondering why Redmond hasn’t upped its bid for Yahoo yet? The software giant may be waiting for a “Dear John” letter.
Microsoft exec confident deal will work
Yahoo outlines golden parachutes for employees
February 19, 2008

Report: Yahoo board divided over Microsoft bid

New York Post says Yahoo’s board is starting to split, with some independent directors sensing that CEO Jerry Yang is viewing the bid too emotionally.
Top Yahoo shareholders could support Microsoft
February 15, 2008

Memo to Microsoft: Yahoo’s A-list

The merger-minded software giant will likely want to keep Yahoo execs in a host of areas, including online ads, social media and Web search.
Microsoft’s acquisition track record
February 13, 2008

Microsoft may pick own services over Yahoo’s

Redmond could stick with its own ad and mobile platforms, yet choose Yahoo’s search engine, e-mail, and Web 2.0 applications.
February 12, 2008

What’s Microsoft’s next move?

After a resounding “no” on its unsolicited buyout offer for Yahoo, Redmond will either up the ante or ready a one-two punch.
Yahoo rejects Microsoft’s bid
February 11, 2008

Bid raises more congressional eyebrows

Another House committee plans to hold a hearing on developments in the online ad world, regardless of whether the Microsoft-Yahoo deal goes through.
February 5, 2008

Flickr fans band together to fend off Microsoft

More than 1,800 users of the photo-sharing site sign up for a group opposing Microsoft’s $44.6 billion offer for Yahoo, which owns Flickr.
February 5, 2008

Ballmer: Attack Google with or without Yahoo

What happens if Microsoft’s bid for Yahoo doesn’t go through? Continue full steam ahead with Redmond’s existing plan to build its online-ad business.
February 4, 2008

Google calls Microsoft’s ‘hostile’ bid troubling

A Microsoft-Yahoo merger could threaten the openness on which the Internet is based, a Google executive says.
February 3, 2008

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The hands-free way to steal a credit card

WASHINGTON D.C.–Adam Laurie, an RFID security expert, used the Black Hat DC 2008 conference here, to demonstrate a new Python script he’s working on to read the contents of smart-chip-enabled credit cards.

As part of his presentation Wednesday, Laurie asked for someone from the audience to volunteer a smart card. Without taking the card out of the volunteer’s wallet, Laurie both read and displayed its contents on the presentation screen–the person’s name, account number, and expiration clearly visible.

Demonstrations like that show the potential misuse of RFID technology in the near future. Without touching someone, a thief could sniff the contents of an RFID-enabled credit card just in passing. The same is true for embedded RFID chips in the human body, work access badges, some public transit cards, and even the new passports in use in more than 45 countries.

As a disclaimer, Laurie said he spoke to American Express, the company that issued the volunteer’s card. Laurie said that American Express told him: “We are comfortable with the security of our product.” Laurie added that the company told him the number he displayed on the presentation screen was not the account number printed on the card, which Laurie proved by opening the wallet and comparing.

“The alias number on American Express’ ExpressPay cannot be used for online transactions,” said Molly Faust, American Express’ Public Affairs representative, in an e-mail to CNET News.com. “ExpressPay has multiple security mechanisms. As the payment host, American Express would not verify/authorize an online transaction using just the alias account number. There are several other security mechanisms that would be required in order for payment authorization to take place.”

The credit card industry has argued that use of the RFID-enabled cards will save customers time when processing payments.

An extreme example can be found in Spain. Laurie said a public beach there encourages visitors to have RFID tags injected into their bodies. The point? Merchants along the beach scan your wrist to obtain a unique ID from which they can debit your account. The advantage? You won’t have to go to the beach with your wallet, which might get stolen.

Laurie, who has an injected RFID-tag, showed how easy it was not only to read the tag, but also to re-write the tag. During his demo, he used the coding sequence reserved for animal tagging to have his RFID chip declare him an animal.

On his RFIDiot Web site, Laurie offers the Python scripts free of charge and also sells the hardware necessary to read and write to RFID tags and cards.

Microsoft makes $44.6B offer for Yahoo!

In an aggressive move by Redmond giant Microsoft, a $44.6 billion offer was made for Yahoo! after the latter reported poor 4th quarter earnings. That and the pending thousands of layoffs from the internet portal. Yahoo’s stocks dropped to about 10% after trading hours.

The offer boils down to about $31 per share in cash and stock. Rumors of the possible offer dates back to May 2007 when a potential $50 billion offer was being floated and that’s not even the first time. This time around, Microsoft is serious. As AP reports:

It’s the year 2010. Microsoft owns Yahoo and has just changed the name of Flickr to Microsoft Flickr Live Photo-Sharing Service for Digital Camera Enthusiasts. The service is still free, but Windows Vista users will have to validate their copy of Vista as “genuine” first to use it. What has Microsoft wrought?That’s just one of the nightmares we can foresee from a Microsoft-Yahoo merger. But some good things could ensue for computer users too. Here’s what we’d love - and hate - to see happen.

Love: Sending a Wake-Up Call to Google

Google has been untouchable in many aspects when it comes to search, Web innovations, and free cool services such as Google Maps. But perhaps Google has grown too complacent. While we are waiting to see what becomes of Google’s mobile strategy, we’re less enthralled by services such as Knol. We want to see the combined force of Microsoft and Yahoo give Google an honest run for its money when it comes to innovative online services.

Hate: Goodbye, Beloved Services

The shuttering of Yahoo or MSN services is something we’d hate to see (actually, we wouldn’t shed any tears over Windows Live), but it’s inevitable some will get the axe, given the overlapping services owned by Microsoft and Yahoo. The merged company would simply create too many redundant services and the odds are some of our beloved services would be killed. Branded services such as Yahoo Mail and Hotmail would survive, but there is a good chance they’d share one development team. Over time the services would become virtually identical, sharing features, functions, bugs, and limitations. Microsoft’s instant messaging system sneezes, for example, and Yahoo Messenger catches a cold.

Love: Yahoo Boosts Microsoft Live

We think both behemoths could learn a lot from the other especially when it comes to the look, feel, and usability of Web pages and services. We’d like to see Windows Live integrated into simpler interfaces. Right now there is Windows Live and Microsoft Office Live Small Business. Both are not tied to directly either to the Windows OS or Microsoft Office. Both Microsoft Live sites seem so disconnected.

Yahoo was best in the early days at keeping the interface simple on services such as Yahoo Travel. Today’s Yahoo can’t match the minimalism of many Google offerings, but it still has designs that are simpler and easier to use than many counterparts at Microsoft.

Hate: Microsoft Yahoo Chaos

Combining the two giants will create confusion. Could you use your MSN Messenger ID to login to Yahoo Mail? Will your Passport be accepted at Yahoo’s border?

CALLING ALL HACKERS!

	Welcome to HackaCon 2008 – An International IT Security Convention, Exhibition and Training, the only conference dedicated entirely to keep data safe, secure, and private, will be held on August 8 – 10, 2008 at the SM Mega Trade Hall 1, Mandaluyong City, Philippines.

Produced by GlobalBusiness Inc, the HackaCon 2008 program will emphasize a unique experience where the academe, industry, government, professionals, decision makers and independent experts will come together to share knowledge and showcase new emerging technologies and security threats. This 3 day event includes tutorials, workshops, paper and panel sessions, keynotes, contest and exhibits.

“Today all organizations are exposed to security threats and are now aware that they are responsible for protecting their assets and privacy of their customers. We need to re-educate them and this is the best way,” said Ederlindo Cojuangco II, Chairman of Hackacon 2008 and former organizer of 1st Cebu Security summit held on April 11 and 12, 2007 at SM Cebu Function Hall.

A contest dubbed as “1st Open Hack Challenge” will be open to all participants and attendees, and will be judged by a panel of security experts. Winners will be announced and prizes awarded on May 20, 2008.

At the HackaCon 2008, Information Officers, IT / IS Managers, Network Engineers, Ethical Hackers, Security Managers, International Delegates and other security professionals will have an opportunity to learn the state-of-the-art security protection technology. There is no better place to meet key industry experts, ask questions, see the latest products, and participate in important discussions.

About GlobalBusiness Inc.

GlobalBusiness is a full-service professional conference company that provides extensive capabilities in all aspects of technical conference management. GlobalBusiness develops and produces events both on its own, and in partnership with associations, corporations, and publishers. The skill sets of the company’s employees and contractors enables GlobalBusiness to offer clients a choice of services, ranging from assistance with a single aspect of a conference to the complete development and administration of a full-fledge “turnkey” event. For more information about GlobalBusiness Inc, contact globalbusiness@hackacon.com.

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