Tech giants Microsoft and Yahoo reached a long-awaited partnership Wednesday in a bid to challenge Google, which holds a 65 percent market share in online search.
Under a 10-year deal, websites from both companies would use Microsoft's Bing search engine, which could now integrate Yahoo's considerable trove of search technology.
Yahoo, in turn, would handle worldwide sales of premium search-related advertising for both companies.
In exchange for becoming Yahoo's sole search provider - and gaining access to its massive traffic - Microsoft would pay its partner 88 percent of the search revenues generated on Yahoo sites.
"This agreement comes with boatloads of value for Yahoo, our users and the industry, and I believe it establishes the foundation for a new era of Internet innovation and development," said Yahoo chief executive Carol Bartz in a statement.
According to Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer, the deal will allow Microsoft to "create more innovation in search, better value for advertisers and real consumer choice in a market currently dominated by a single company".
And in a dig against online search market leader Google, the companies said in a joint statement that "advertisers no longer have to rely on one company that dominates more than 70 percent of all search".
A Yahoo-Microsoft partnership would mean about 28 percent of Internet searches would be performed on their combined platform, according to figures from ratings firm comScore Inc.
That would still be less than half of the about 65 percent market share of Google Inc., which has long dominated the search space.
Last year, Microsoft attempted to buy Yahoo for more than $45 billion, an unsolicited bid Yahoo rejected, but the Redmond, Washington-based software giant has long had Yahoo's search business at the top of its wish list, and the two had reportedly been in discussions for months.
Yahoo estimated the deal would add $500 million to its annual operating profit, as well as saving it around $275 million in expenses related to developing and maintaining its own search technology.
Showing posts with label yahoo. Show all posts
Showing posts with label yahoo. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Yahoo! India launches 'UnCANNIES'
Yahoo! India, the leading Internet company invites all creative minds to post their best work on ‘Uncannies’, an online portal designed to identify the most creative work in the field of advertising. Creative agencies as well as individuals from print, television, radio, outdoor and the online medium can post their work on the Uncannies website www.uncannies.com“An excellent creative speaks for itself. Uncannies from Yahoo! India brings together all creative minds of the industry to share their best advertising work. It’s also a great platform to discover fresh ideas and showcase top talent in advertising,” said Nitin Mathur, Director – Marketing, Yahoo! India.
In order to take part in this contest, participants must submit their individual entries directly onto the contest website www.uncannies.com. Entries close on 28th February’ 2009. All shortlisted participants will be notified via email when their entry gets featured on the site for voting. Entries can be at an individual or agency level, with a maximum of 200 entries per person.
All participant entries will be judged by an independent panel of experts from the advertising industry. Users will also get a chance to rate the shortlisted creative for the entire contest duration. However, the expert panel’s decision would be final. Top 3 winners will walk away with an Apple iPhone each, while the next top 100 participants will get interesting Yahoo! merchandise as consolation prizes.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Deepika Padukone is the most searched celebrity on Yahoo! India Search in 2008
Yahoo! India, the leading internet company announced the most popular searches, themes and trends as part of its 2008 Year-ender Special (http://in.specials.yahoo.com/new-year-2009/index.php), as told through the searches conducted by millions of users. Among the top people searches, Bollywood actress Deepika Padukone emerged a clear winner.
These most searched words in 2008 not only represents the top ten searches across categories, but also shows that users even search for information that affect their daily life including the economy, government organizations and controversies.
“Extreme proliferation of information and paucity of time is fuelling the human desire to get the right answers faster than ever before, prompting them to look for newer search experiences. People are showing a strong preference for a search experience, which integrates relevant text, images, and video content information from across the web onto a single search results page,” said Gopal Krishna, VP and Head of Audience – Emerging Markets, Yahoo!
“These search trends provide greater insight on consumer search behaviour, which in turn helps in making the right information available to people more quickly and easily," Gopal added.
Mobile users continued their online activities even when they were on-the-go. The top searches on Yahoo! oneSearch, the company’s award-winning mobile search product, was ‘Cricket’ followed by ‘Katrina Kaif’ and ‘Asin’, the lead actress of popular Bollywood film Ghajini.
“Users are increasingly searching for information on a mobile device. Yahoo! oneSearch is designed for the needs of a mobile user, intuitively returning results grouped around the user's query intent. For instance, when users search for cricket, Yahoo! oneSearch returns the latest scores, schedules, team profiles, roster, news, images and links to the cricket teams’ websites,” said Vishal Maheshwari, Senior Director – Connected Life, Yahoo! India.
Top Searches
These most searched words in 2008 not only represents the top ten searches across categories, but also shows that users even search for information that affect their daily life including the economy, government organizations and controversies.
“Extreme proliferation of information and paucity of time is fuelling the human desire to get the right answers faster than ever before, prompting them to look for newer search experiences. People are showing a strong preference for a search experience, which integrates relevant text, images, and video content information from across the web onto a single search results page,” said Gopal Krishna, VP and Head of Audience – Emerging Markets, Yahoo!
“These search trends provide greater insight on consumer search behaviour, which in turn helps in making the right information available to people more quickly and easily," Gopal added.
Mobile users continued their online activities even when they were on-the-go. The top searches on Yahoo! oneSearch, the company’s award-winning mobile search product, was ‘Cricket’ followed by ‘Katrina Kaif’ and ‘Asin’, the lead actress of popular Bollywood film Ghajini.
“Users are increasingly searching for information on a mobile device. Yahoo! oneSearch is designed for the needs of a mobile user, intuitively returning results grouped around the user's query intent. For instance, when users search for cricket, Yahoo! oneSearch returns the latest scores, schedules, team profiles, roster, news, images and links to the cricket teams’ websites,” said Vishal Maheshwari, Senior Director – Connected Life, Yahoo! India.
Top Searches
- Indian Railways
- Deepika Padukone
- Cricket
- Deepika Padukone
- Sixth Pay Commission
- Singh Is King
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Why Yahoo Shares Lost Only 15%
From Business Week
When Microsoft (MSFT) pulled its sweetened, $33-a-share offer to buy Yahoo on Saturday, May 3, shareholders of the Internet portal braced for the worst. The concern was that Yahoo's stock price, which stood at $28.67 the day before—nearly $10 higher than it was before Microsoft's unsolicited bid Feb. 1—would head for the depths again.
At first, the worst fears were stoked in early trading May 5 as Yahoo (YHOO) shares plummeted as much as 22%. One analyst even set a new Yahoo target price of just $17. But as it turned out, Yahoo's stock closed at $24.37, down only about 15% on the day. And in fact, that's about a 30% premium to Yahoo's stock price back in January.
Why not a bigger rout? Possible reasons include lingering hope that Microsoft may return with another offer, the potential for a lucrative deal with Google (GOOG), and perhaps most surprisingly, recognition that Yahoo is doing better than it was when the deal came to light. The relatively muted market reaction may well give Yahoo more running room than many expected to make a go as an independent company.
In a May 5 interview with BusinessWeek, Yahoo Chief Executive Officer Jerry Yang declined to draw conclusions from the share performance, particularly as it relates to a goal of helping Yahoo reignite growth and recapture ground lost to rival Google. But he said Yahoo now has more going for it than a few months ago, and more than it has been given credit for. "We have more alternatives than we had on Jan. 31," he says.
A Deal's Still Possible
Chief among the options remains the possibility that Microsoft's decision to walk away is a high-stakes negotiating tactic intended to tank Yahoo's stock price and force Yang back to the bargaining table. Sandeep Aggarwal, an analyst with Collins Stewart, estimates that as much as $4 of Yahoo's stock price today can be attributed to investor hopes for a Microsoft deal.
Even disgruntled shareholders hold out hope for a deal. "I hope Microsoft's pulling the deal was a negotiating ploy," says Eric Jackson, a Florida management consultant who just launched a campaign to vote against Yahoo's current directors at the next annual meeting, possibly in July. "There's an expectation that Yahoo is still in play."
A source close to the matter took pains over the weekend to insist that Microsoft views the deal as dead. But the source also didn't completely rule out the possibility. For his part, Yang doesn't rule it out either, though not at Microsoft's stated price. "If Microsoft says, 'Hey, we'll come back and meet your price,' then we'll obviously have to talk," says Yang. "There's no lack of willingness for us to explore anything that maximizes shareholder value." Yahoo's board countered Microsoft's most recent terms with an offer of $37 a share.
Working with Google
That's not the only factor propping up the stock. Last week, sources indicated Yahoo might announce a deal as early as this week for Google to handle at least some search advertising for Yahoo, running its much more lucrative text ads next to Yahoo's search results. Analysts estimate the arrangement could bring in up to $1 billion in cash flow annually to Yahoo, improving its laggard profits and ultimately the value of its stock.
But that deal is double-edged. If it doesn't happen, investors may view its mention as a bluff, a negotiating ploy now moot with the Microsoft deal out of the picture. Lack of an announcement could weigh on Yahoo shares in coming days and weeks.
At the same time, a deal to outsource most or all of Yahoo's search advertising to Google, instead of the more limited partnership that's been discussed, would be a tacit admission that Yahoo's own search ad system doesn't work. Potentially, that could persuade investors Yahoo is worth even less than they thought and they could sell off the stock. What's more, even a trial that Yahoo ran with Google recently drew attention from regulators, who likely would closely review a more sweeping deal, delaying or even quashing it.
Faster Growth Predicted
Finally, Yahoo's shares may be benefiting in a small way from the company's first-quarter results, which were better than analysts had expected. "Even though it was done in an environment with a lot of overhang from Microsoft, we demonstrated a lot of good progress," Yang says. "And I feel we're doing better than before in terms of executing."
Yang and his executives predicted much faster growth in future years than today. Although most analysts discounted the forecast, they acknowledged that Yahoo is showing a little more stability. Some online ad industry executives agree. "I think there's a lot of intrinsic value in Yahoo," including valuable stakes in overseas Internet properties, says Nick Grouf, CEO of Internet ad agency Spot Runner, which helps local businesses advertise on television.
For all that, Yang's leeway remains limited. "We don't see any other near-term catalysts for the stock," says Aggarwal. So if Microsoft is serious in its insistence that the deal is off for good and doesn't return with even a downsized offer in coming weeks, even the tepid support for Yahoo shares this week may evaporate quickly.
When Microsoft (MSFT) pulled its sweetened, $33-a-share offer to buy Yahoo on Saturday, May 3, shareholders of the Internet portal braced for the worst. The concern was that Yahoo's stock price, which stood at $28.67 the day before—nearly $10 higher than it was before Microsoft's unsolicited bid Feb. 1—would head for the depths again.
At first, the worst fears were stoked in early trading May 5 as Yahoo (YHOO) shares plummeted as much as 22%. One analyst even set a new Yahoo target price of just $17. But as it turned out, Yahoo's stock closed at $24.37, down only about 15% on the day. And in fact, that's about a 30% premium to Yahoo's stock price back in January.
Why not a bigger rout? Possible reasons include lingering hope that Microsoft may return with another offer, the potential for a lucrative deal with Google (GOOG), and perhaps most surprisingly, recognition that Yahoo is doing better than it was when the deal came to light. The relatively muted market reaction may well give Yahoo more running room than many expected to make a go as an independent company.
In a May 5 interview with BusinessWeek, Yahoo Chief Executive Officer Jerry Yang declined to draw conclusions from the share performance, particularly as it relates to a goal of helping Yahoo reignite growth and recapture ground lost to rival Google. But he said Yahoo now has more going for it than a few months ago, and more than it has been given credit for. "We have more alternatives than we had on Jan. 31," he says.
A Deal's Still Possible
Chief among the options remains the possibility that Microsoft's decision to walk away is a high-stakes negotiating tactic intended to tank Yahoo's stock price and force Yang back to the bargaining table. Sandeep Aggarwal, an analyst with Collins Stewart, estimates that as much as $4 of Yahoo's stock price today can be attributed to investor hopes for a Microsoft deal.
Even disgruntled shareholders hold out hope for a deal. "I hope Microsoft's pulling the deal was a negotiating ploy," says Eric Jackson, a Florida management consultant who just launched a campaign to vote against Yahoo's current directors at the next annual meeting, possibly in July. "There's an expectation that Yahoo is still in play."
A source close to the matter took pains over the weekend to insist that Microsoft views the deal as dead. But the source also didn't completely rule out the possibility. For his part, Yang doesn't rule it out either, though not at Microsoft's stated price. "If Microsoft says, 'Hey, we'll come back and meet your price,' then we'll obviously have to talk," says Yang. "There's no lack of willingness for us to explore anything that maximizes shareholder value." Yahoo's board countered Microsoft's most recent terms with an offer of $37 a share.
Working with Google
That's not the only factor propping up the stock. Last week, sources indicated Yahoo might announce a deal as early as this week for Google to handle at least some search advertising for Yahoo, running its much more lucrative text ads next to Yahoo's search results. Analysts estimate the arrangement could bring in up to $1 billion in cash flow annually to Yahoo, improving its laggard profits and ultimately the value of its stock.
But that deal is double-edged. If it doesn't happen, investors may view its mention as a bluff, a negotiating ploy now moot with the Microsoft deal out of the picture. Lack of an announcement could weigh on Yahoo shares in coming days and weeks.
At the same time, a deal to outsource most or all of Yahoo's search advertising to Google, instead of the more limited partnership that's been discussed, would be a tacit admission that Yahoo's own search ad system doesn't work. Potentially, that could persuade investors Yahoo is worth even less than they thought and they could sell off the stock. What's more, even a trial that Yahoo ran with Google recently drew attention from regulators, who likely would closely review a more sweeping deal, delaying or even quashing it.
Faster Growth Predicted
Finally, Yahoo's shares may be benefiting in a small way from the company's first-quarter results, which were better than analysts had expected. "Even though it was done in an environment with a lot of overhang from Microsoft, we demonstrated a lot of good progress," Yang says. "And I feel we're doing better than before in terms of executing."
Yang and his executives predicted much faster growth in future years than today. Although most analysts discounted the forecast, they acknowledged that Yahoo is showing a little more stability. Some online ad industry executives agree. "I think there's a lot of intrinsic value in Yahoo," including valuable stakes in overseas Internet properties, says Nick Grouf, CEO of Internet ad agency Spot Runner, which helps local businesses advertise on television.
For all that, Yang's leeway remains limited. "We don't see any other near-term catalysts for the stock," says Aggarwal. So if Microsoft is serious in its insistence that the deal is off for good and doesn't return with even a downsized offer in coming weeks, even the tepid support for Yahoo shares this week may evaporate quickly.
Friday, May 2, 2008
Microsoft close to making hostile bid for Yahoo!
Microsoft Corp was expected to go for a hostile bid to acquire Yahoo Inc., with an announcement likely Friday, the Wall Street Journal has reported.
But the paper cautioned that the situation was fluid as discussions continued at Microsoft. Earlier Thursday, Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer declined to indicate the software giant's decision or when the company would announce its decision.
Price will be a key factor if Microsoft does take a hostile approach to Yahoo!, for which it made an unsolicited offer in January. Microsoft's original cash-and-stock offer, which Yahoo! has repeatedly said is inadequate, was valued at $29.48 a share as of Thursday.
Microsoft this week indicated a willingness to raise its bid to as much as $33 per Yahoo! share, but major shareholders of the internet company want a price in the range of $35 to $37 a share, the Journal said.
Going hostile would mean that Microsoft would have to put forward a price acceptable to shareholders holding the majority of Yahoo! shares.
It would also be a drawn-out process that would risk that many key Yahoo! employees would leave. Then, its board would have to be removed. A vote on the directors occurs annually at Yahoo!'s shareholder meeting, for which it hasn't announced a date but is expected to hold by July.
Ballmer said Thursday that he was confident that his company can build a competitive online-advertising business without buying Yahoo! At the same time, he outlined why he thought Microsoft could benefit from buying Yahoo!
He said Yahoo! has strong technology but not the "scale" - such as numbers of customers and advertisers - that it needs.
On alternative acquisitions to Yahoo!, Ballmer said there were very few internet companies that have the kind of size Microsoft needs to expand its business faster.
For its part, Yahoo! is awaiting Microsoft's decision, as it continues to pursue alternative deals with Google and Time Warner's AOL Internet unit, said the Journal.
Indo-Asian News Service
But the paper cautioned that the situation was fluid as discussions continued at Microsoft. Earlier Thursday, Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer declined to indicate the software giant's decision or when the company would announce its decision.
Price will be a key factor if Microsoft does take a hostile approach to Yahoo!, for which it made an unsolicited offer in January. Microsoft's original cash-and-stock offer, which Yahoo! has repeatedly said is inadequate, was valued at $29.48 a share as of Thursday.
Microsoft this week indicated a willingness to raise its bid to as much as $33 per Yahoo! share, but major shareholders of the internet company want a price in the range of $35 to $37 a share, the Journal said.
Going hostile would mean that Microsoft would have to put forward a price acceptable to shareholders holding the majority of Yahoo! shares.
It would also be a drawn-out process that would risk that many key Yahoo! employees would leave. Then, its board would have to be removed. A vote on the directors occurs annually at Yahoo!'s shareholder meeting, for which it hasn't announced a date but is expected to hold by July.
Ballmer said Thursday that he was confident that his company can build a competitive online-advertising business without buying Yahoo! At the same time, he outlined why he thought Microsoft could benefit from buying Yahoo!
He said Yahoo! has strong technology but not the "scale" - such as numbers of customers and advertisers - that it needs.
On alternative acquisitions to Yahoo!, Ballmer said there were very few internet companies that have the kind of size Microsoft needs to expand its business faster.
For its part, Yahoo! is awaiting Microsoft's decision, as it continues to pursue alternative deals with Google and Time Warner's AOL Internet unit, said the Journal.
Indo-Asian News Service
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Yahoo! close to a deal with AOL to thwart Microsoft
Yahoo! and Time Warner's AOL are close to inking a deal to combine their internet operations to thwart Microsoft's takeover bid even as the software giant is joining forces with Rupert Murdoch's News Corp for a joint bid, reports said.
The possible Yahoo!-AOL (America Online) tie-up is part of Yahoo!'s plan to present its shareholders with an alternative to Microsoft's unsolicited offer. Under the terms being discussed, Time Warner will merge its AOL unit with Yahoo! and make a cash investment in return for about 20 per cent equity in the combined entity.
Yahoo! would then use that cash and more funds to buy back several billion dollars worth of its own stock at a price somewhere in the $30-$40 a share range, The Wall Street Journal said, quoting sources familiar with the situation.
Yahoo! is also negotiating with Google about an advertising tie-up.
The benefit for Time Warner is that AOL has been struggling for many years for want of a viable strategy. It has lost most of its value since it combined with Time Warner in 2000.
For its part, Microsoft, which threatened Saturday last to take its offer directly to shareholders via a proxy fight, is in talks with Murdoch's media group about mounting a joint bid for Yahoo!
The two have yet to reach an agreement on joining forces, but their discussions are described as serious. If they succeed, they would be able to combine three of the biggest Internet properties: News Corp.'s MySpace, Microsoft's MSN and Yahoo!
Yahoo! had earlier spoken to New Corp for a tie-up to prevent acquisition by Microsoft.
Microsoft has offered Yahoo! shareholders a combination of cash and Microsoft shares currently valued at $42 billion, or $29.24 a share.
Microsoft wants to combine with Yahoo to better challenge Google.
Indo-Asian News Service
The possible Yahoo!-AOL (America Online) tie-up is part of Yahoo!'s plan to present its shareholders with an alternative to Microsoft's unsolicited offer. Under the terms being discussed, Time Warner will merge its AOL unit with Yahoo! and make a cash investment in return for about 20 per cent equity in the combined entity.
Yahoo! would then use that cash and more funds to buy back several billion dollars worth of its own stock at a price somewhere in the $30-$40 a share range, The Wall Street Journal said, quoting sources familiar with the situation.
Yahoo! is also negotiating with Google about an advertising tie-up.
The benefit for Time Warner is that AOL has been struggling for many years for want of a viable strategy. It has lost most of its value since it combined with Time Warner in 2000.
For its part, Microsoft, which threatened Saturday last to take its offer directly to shareholders via a proxy fight, is in talks with Murdoch's media group about mounting a joint bid for Yahoo!
The two have yet to reach an agreement on joining forces, but their discussions are described as serious. If they succeed, they would be able to combine three of the biggest Internet properties: News Corp.'s MySpace, Microsoft's MSN and Yahoo!
Yahoo! had earlier spoken to New Corp for a tie-up to prevent acquisition by Microsoft.
Microsoft has offered Yahoo! shareholders a combination of cash and Microsoft shares currently valued at $42 billion, or $29.24 a share.
Microsoft wants to combine with Yahoo to better challenge Google.
Indo-Asian News Service
Sunday, April 6, 2008
Microsoft threatens Yahoo! with proxy battle
Microsoft Corp. has threatened Yahoo! Inc with a hostile takeover of the company if they do not agree to the offered deal within three weeks.
Microsoft chief executive Steven A. Ballmer, in a letter Saturday to Yahoo! board, said that "by choosing not to enter into substantive negotiations with us, you have failed to give due consideration to a transaction that has tremendous benefits for Yahoo!'s shareholders and employees."
According to the letter, in case Yahoo!'s board fails to begin talks within three weeks, Microsoft would be compelled to take its offer directly to shareholders and try to replace Yahoo!'s directors through proxy fight.
After the deadline, Microsoft's offer may even be lower than the one they made Jan 31, currently valued at about $40 billion,
"If we are forced to take an offer directly to your shareholders, that action will have an undesirable impact on the value of your company from our perspective which will be reflected in the terms of our proposal," the letter said, adding that worsening economic conditions have reduced Yahoo's market value.
Yahoo!'s board is reviewing the letter, a person close to the company said, The Wall Street Journal reported Saturday. They had rejected the earlier offer saying the company was worth substantially more than what Microsoft offered.
The Redmond, Washington, based software giant's new gambit to acquire the Sunnyvale, California based internet services company came after senior executives from both companies failed to make any progress in meetings recently.
To stave off takeover by Microsoft, Yahoo! has held fruitless talks with several other parties, including Google and Time Warner's AOL unit.
Microsoft wants Yahoo! in its fold to be able to compete with Google in internet search and other services.
Indo-Asian News Service
Microsoft chief executive Steven A. Ballmer, in a letter Saturday to Yahoo! board, said that "by choosing not to enter into substantive negotiations with us, you have failed to give due consideration to a transaction that has tremendous benefits for Yahoo!'s shareholders and employees."
According to the letter, in case Yahoo!'s board fails to begin talks within three weeks, Microsoft would be compelled to take its offer directly to shareholders and try to replace Yahoo!'s directors through proxy fight.
After the deadline, Microsoft's offer may even be lower than the one they made Jan 31, currently valued at about $40 billion,
"If we are forced to take an offer directly to your shareholders, that action will have an undesirable impact on the value of your company from our perspective which will be reflected in the terms of our proposal," the letter said, adding that worsening economic conditions have reduced Yahoo's market value.
Yahoo!'s board is reviewing the letter, a person close to the company said, The Wall Street Journal reported Saturday. They had rejected the earlier offer saying the company was worth substantially more than what Microsoft offered.
The Redmond, Washington, based software giant's new gambit to acquire the Sunnyvale, California based internet services company came after senior executives from both companies failed to make any progress in meetings recently.
To stave off takeover by Microsoft, Yahoo! has held fruitless talks with several other parties, including Google and Time Warner's AOL unit.
Microsoft wants Yahoo! in its fold to be able to compete with Google in internet search and other services.
Indo-Asian News Service
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Yahoo launches voice-search via mobile
Yahoo Wednesday unveiled a powerful new version of its OneSearch technology for mobile phones that allows users to initiate searches faster using voice or text.
The new search module is believed to be the first voice-activated search available via cell phone. The company has already signed partnerships with 29 carriers around the world.
It will also make search instantly accessible on the idle screen of many phones and is seen by the company as a key plank of its strategy to make Yahoo the starting point for mobile consumers.
"With Yahoo! OneSearch 2.0, we are fundamentally changing the way consumers use the Internet on their mobile phones," said Marco Boerries, executive vice president, Connected Life, Yahoo!.
Boerries, who confirmed the world-wide partnerships with 29 companies, was speaking at CTIA 2008 - the US cell phone industry's largest annual trade show.
Yahoo said that its voice-enabled search technology allows consumers to search for anything simply by speaking the search term. The technology learns your voice and accent the more you use it, and is not limited to a specific list of words.
The new search system allows publishers to integrate content into search results in a move that Yahoo says will yield more effective answers. Boerries said this would provide "instant answers to any query, not just web links".
For example a search for "New York" could yield subway schedules, or a search for local sushi restaurants could bring up available reservations.
The search assist feature includes predictive text completion that takes the pain out of typing search queries on mobile phones.
The new programs are Yahoo's latest tactic in its battle with Google and others to dominate the mobile web, which is seen as increasingly important as cellular networks increase their speed and mobile handsets increasingly take on some of the functions of PCs.
DPA
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Yahoo Is Joining an Alliance That Has Google as Leader
Yahoo said Tuesday that it would joining an alliance to be led by Google, its principal rival, that will try to make it easier for programmers to write software that can run on the pages of many social networks and other Web sites.
Google announced on Tuesday that it would give up control of the alliance and turn it over to a nonprofit foundation. Google, Yahoo and MySpace, another member of the group, will be among founding members of the group, the OpenSocial Foundation.
The addition of Yahoo broadens the potential reach of the foundation. The group is working on standards that will let developers create programs that can run on any social network or Web site that embraces them. Such programs might, for example, allow users to let friends know the music or movies they enjoy.
The creation of the OpenSocial alliance last fall was widely seen as a response by Google and others to the growing power of Facebook, which has persuaded thousands of outside developers to build applications for its site. Those applications have helped bolster Facebook’s popularity.
The creators of many of the most popular Facebook applications have since said they plan to adapt their programs to be compatible with OpenSocial.
Although Google is not a major force in social networking, its rivalry with Facebook appears to be intensifying. Facebook, for instance, has signed an advertising partnership with Microsoft and has recruited several prominent programmers and executives from Google, including Sheryl Sandberg, who became Facebook’s chief operating officer.
A Facebook spokeswoman, Brandee Barker, said it would not be part of OpenSocial. “Facebook is not joining this foundation, but the company remains focused on advancing Facebook Platform to benefit the developer community and help users communicate and share information more efficiently,” Ms. Barker said.
Yahoo considered joining the alliance for months, according to a person with direct knowledge of its plans. But Yahoo executives worried that Google might exert too much control over the evolution of the alliance and over any intellectual property it created, that person said.
In a conference call with reporters, Google and Yahoo executives dismissed the idea that the decision to put OpenSocial in the hands of a foundation was a response to Yahoo’s concerns.
Joe Kraus, director of product management at Google, said the foundation represented “more an evolution of where OpenSocial is heading” than a response to concerns raised by any one member. And Wade Chambers, vice president for platforms at Yahoo, praised Google’s stewardship of the standard so far.
The foundation, to be created within 90 days, will “ensure the neutrality and longevity of OpenSocial as an open, community-governed specification for building social applications across the Web,” the companies said.
Yahoo gave no details on when or how it would adopt the OpenSocial standards. So far, only MySpace and Orkut, Google’s social network, have introduced OpenSocial, Mr. Kraus said.
Google announced on Tuesday that it would give up control of the alliance and turn it over to a nonprofit foundation. Google, Yahoo and MySpace, another member of the group, will be among founding members of the group, the OpenSocial Foundation.
The addition of Yahoo broadens the potential reach of the foundation. The group is working on standards that will let developers create programs that can run on any social network or Web site that embraces them. Such programs might, for example, allow users to let friends know the music or movies they enjoy.
The creation of the OpenSocial alliance last fall was widely seen as a response by Google and others to the growing power of Facebook, which has persuaded thousands of outside developers to build applications for its site. Those applications have helped bolster Facebook’s popularity.
The creators of many of the most popular Facebook applications have since said they plan to adapt their programs to be compatible with OpenSocial.
Although Google is not a major force in social networking, its rivalry with Facebook appears to be intensifying. Facebook, for instance, has signed an advertising partnership with Microsoft and has recruited several prominent programmers and executives from Google, including Sheryl Sandberg, who became Facebook’s chief operating officer.
A Facebook spokeswoman, Brandee Barker, said it would not be part of OpenSocial. “Facebook is not joining this foundation, but the company remains focused on advancing Facebook Platform to benefit the developer community and help users communicate and share information more efficiently,” Ms. Barker said.
Yahoo considered joining the alliance for months, according to a person with direct knowledge of its plans. But Yahoo executives worried that Google might exert too much control over the evolution of the alliance and over any intellectual property it created, that person said.
In a conference call with reporters, Google and Yahoo executives dismissed the idea that the decision to put OpenSocial in the hands of a foundation was a response to Yahoo’s concerns.
Joe Kraus, director of product management at Google, said the foundation represented “more an evolution of where OpenSocial is heading” than a response to concerns raised by any one member. And Wade Chambers, vice president for platforms at Yahoo, praised Google’s stewardship of the standard so far.
The foundation, to be created within 90 days, will “ensure the neutrality and longevity of OpenSocial as an open, community-governed specification for building social applications across the Web,” the companies said.
Yahoo gave no details on when or how it would adopt the OpenSocial standards. So far, only MySpace and Orkut, Google’s social network, have introduced OpenSocial, Mr. Kraus said.
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Yahoo! paints rosy picture, partner thinks Microsoft will prevail
Yahoo! Inc looked to a bright future over the next three years to bolster its argument that it is worth more than what Microsoft Corp offered, but the moves by its Chinese partner underscore investor doubts that the web portal can stay independent.
Yahoo! forecast released in a regulatory filing was intended to convince investors that it has a bright future as an independent company, despite a series of recent struggles.
But unconvinced analysts are concluding that the report was merely a tactic to get Microsoft to raise its bid, initially valued at $44.6 billion or $31 a share.
Yahoo!'s executives are meeting major shareholders this week to show strong revenue and cash flow projections. The company expects operating cash flow to nearly double during the next three years to $3.7 billion, and revenue, excluding commissions on advertisements, to reach $8.8 billion in 2010, a 72 percent gain from last year.
"Yahoo! is positioned for accelerated financial growth - we have a powerful consumer brand, a huge global audience and a highly profitable operating model," Jerry Yang, Yahoo! chief executive, said in a statement.
The firm said that investments in Asia, particularly in Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group, which are not reflected on its balance sheet, add a great deal to its overall value.
Alibaba, however, is talking to investors to finance purchase of Yahoo!'s 39 percent stake in it in a bid to expand its management independence, should Microsoft's bid prevail.
The talks signal Alibaba's belief that Microsoft could still succeed in acquiring Yahoo!, the Wall Street Journal said Wednesday.
Riding on speculation that Alibaba's management will seek to defend its independence against Microsoft, its shares surged 14 percent to HK$13.86 at the end of trading in Hong Kong Wednesday, the second-biggest advance since the stock began trading in November.
Back in the US, Yahoo! outlook's release helped its shares to close at $27.66, up seven percent. Microsoft's stock was up $1.12 to $29.42, a four percent gain. IANS
Yahoo! forecast released in a regulatory filing was intended to convince investors that it has a bright future as an independent company, despite a series of recent struggles.
But unconvinced analysts are concluding that the report was merely a tactic to get Microsoft to raise its bid, initially valued at $44.6 billion or $31 a share.
Yahoo!'s executives are meeting major shareholders this week to show strong revenue and cash flow projections. The company expects operating cash flow to nearly double during the next three years to $3.7 billion, and revenue, excluding commissions on advertisements, to reach $8.8 billion in 2010, a 72 percent gain from last year.
"Yahoo! is positioned for accelerated financial growth - we have a powerful consumer brand, a huge global audience and a highly profitable operating model," Jerry Yang, Yahoo! chief executive, said in a statement.
The firm said that investments in Asia, particularly in Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group, which are not reflected on its balance sheet, add a great deal to its overall value.
Alibaba, however, is talking to investors to finance purchase of Yahoo!'s 39 percent stake in it in a bid to expand its management independence, should Microsoft's bid prevail.
The talks signal Alibaba's belief that Microsoft could still succeed in acquiring Yahoo!, the Wall Street Journal said Wednesday.
Riding on speculation that Alibaba's management will seek to defend its independence against Microsoft, its shares surged 14 percent to HK$13.86 at the end of trading in Hong Kong Wednesday, the second-biggest advance since the stock began trading in November.
Back in the US, Yahoo! outlook's release helped its shares to close at $27.66, up seven percent. Microsoft's stock was up $1.12 to $29.42, a four percent gain. IANS
Sunday, March 9, 2008
Yahoo's Decker, Callahan get increased bonuses - MarketWatch
Despite a troubled year that helped expose Yahoo Inc. to a hostile acquisition bid from Microsoft Corp., the company said Friday that it's giving its president and general counsel increased annual bonuses.
In a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, Yahoo disclosed that President Sue Decker is receiving $1.1 million bonus for 2007. That compares to a 2006 target bonus of $850,000 for Decker, when she was still serving as the company's chief financial officer.
Decker became Yahoo's president last summer, alongside the ascension of company founder Jerry Yang to the role of chief executive. That followed the resignation of former CEO Terry Semel.
Yahoo's shares fell nearly 10% during 2007 to $23.26, and proceeded to fall as low as $18.58 before Microsoft made its unsolicited acquisition bid for the company at the end of January. That bid was then valued at $44.6 billion.
Yahoo has since countered that Microsoft's offer undervalues the company, and it has sought alternatives to the proposed merger.
Yahoo's general counsel, Michael Callahan, is receiving a 2007 bonus of $225,000, according to the company's regulatory filing Friday. That compares to a 2006 bonus of $200,000, according to previous filings.
Testimony given by Callahan was the focus of an embarrassing hearing before the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee in November. At the hearing, Yang was grilled by former committee Chairman Tom Lantos about the veracity of Callahan's 2006 testimony concerning Yahoo's role in the jailing of Chinese political dissidents.
Yahoo is expected to disclose justification for Decker's and Callahan's bonuses in a filing announcing the company's 2008 annual shareholder meeting.
That filing was expected soon, but Yahoo recently delayed the scheduling of its annual meeting in order to "to enable our board to continue to explore all of its strategic alternatives" to the Microsoft bid, according to a recent email from Yang filed with the SEC.
In a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, Yahoo disclosed that President Sue Decker is receiving $1.1 million bonus for 2007. That compares to a 2006 target bonus of $850,000 for Decker, when she was still serving as the company's chief financial officer.
Decker became Yahoo's president last summer, alongside the ascension of company founder Jerry Yang to the role of chief executive. That followed the resignation of former CEO Terry Semel.
Yahoo's shares fell nearly 10% during 2007 to $23.26, and proceeded to fall as low as $18.58 before Microsoft made its unsolicited acquisition bid for the company at the end of January. That bid was then valued at $44.6 billion.
Yahoo has since countered that Microsoft's offer undervalues the company, and it has sought alternatives to the proposed merger.
Yahoo's general counsel, Michael Callahan, is receiving a 2007 bonus of $225,000, according to the company's regulatory filing Friday. That compares to a 2006 bonus of $200,000, according to previous filings.
Testimony given by Callahan was the focus of an embarrassing hearing before the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee in November. At the hearing, Yang was grilled by former committee Chairman Tom Lantos about the veracity of Callahan's 2006 testimony concerning Yahoo's role in the jailing of Chinese political dissidents.
Yahoo is expected to disclose justification for Decker's and Callahan's bonuses in a filing announcing the company's 2008 annual shareholder meeting.
That filing was expected soon, but Yahoo recently delayed the scheduling of its annual meeting in order to "to enable our board to continue to explore all of its strategic alternatives" to the Microsoft bid, according to a recent email from Yang filed with the SEC.
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Yahoo! Launches New Lab in Bangalore, India
Yahoo! Inc. (NASDAQ:YHOO), a leading global Internet company, today announced the expansion of its India R&D operations with the launch of Yahoo! Labs - Bangalore, its first in India. Dr. Rajeev Rastogi has been appointed as vice president and head of the new lab.
Yahoo! Labs - Bangalore will be a center of excellence for next generation search and advertising technologies, focused on making the Web more relevant and simple for users and advertisers. As a demonstration of Yahoo!'s commitment to recruiting world-class talent in India, Rastogi was appointed to assemble a world-class team of scientists and engineers to focus on new approaches to information extraction and machine learning, multimedia and query processing.
"Yahoo! Labs - Bangalore intends to build its world-class team, which is focused on delivering the most valuable insights and leading edge technologies to delight all of our customers worldwide," said Dr. Prabhakar Raghavan, SVP and Head of Yahoo! Research. "Rajeev's background and expertise in product development, as well as his deep experience in research will strengthen our leadership in international research and technology and leverage knowledge from across the region."
Prior to joining Yahoo!, Rastogi was the founding director of Bell Labs India. He was a Bell Labs Fellow and Distinguished Member of its Technical Staff. Currently, he sits on the editorial board of Communications for the Association for Computing Machinery (CACM). Rastogi has published over 125 papers on database systems and information storage and management and holds over 40 patents.
"Yahoo! is focused on pioneering research and technology to delight hundreds of millions of users each day on the Web," said Rastogi. "I'm delighted to be joining Yahoo! and plan to draw on my experiences in the areas of database systems, data mining and network management to help the team tackle some of the toughest problems on the Web."
"We are excited to have a scientist of Dr. Rajeev Rastogi's stature establish Y! Labs - Bangalore, in India. Yahoo! India R&D contributes significantly to the success of Yahoo! globally and Y! Labs - Bangalore will further leverage this momentum in India. We believe Yahoo! Labs - Bangalore will play a critical role in driving the next wave of innovation on the Internet," said Sharad Sharma, CEO Yahoo! India R&D.
As part of Yahoo!'s thought leadership efforts, Rastogi will be instrumental in continuing the success of Yahoo! Big Thinkers India, a series of quarterly public lectures on science, technology and the Internet. The 2008 India series kicks off tomorrow with Dr. Preston McAfee, Research Fellow and VP, Microeconomics, Yahoo! This series brings together academia, scientists, industry and media, and will feature international subject matter experts from within Yahoo!. The speakers bring with them their expertise and a global perspective of the constantly changing world of technology, online products & communities and the Internet industry.
About Yahoo! Inc.
Yahoo! Inc. is a leading global Internet brand and one of the most trafficked Internet destinations worldwide. Yahoo! is focused on powering its communities of users, advertisers, publishers, and developers by creating indispensable experiences built on trust. Yahoo! is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California.
Yahoo! Labs - Bangalore will be a center of excellence for next generation search and advertising technologies, focused on making the Web more relevant and simple for users and advertisers. As a demonstration of Yahoo!'s commitment to recruiting world-class talent in India, Rastogi was appointed to assemble a world-class team of scientists and engineers to focus on new approaches to information extraction and machine learning, multimedia and query processing.
"Yahoo! Labs - Bangalore intends to build its world-class team, which is focused on delivering the most valuable insights and leading edge technologies to delight all of our customers worldwide," said Dr. Prabhakar Raghavan, SVP and Head of Yahoo! Research. "Rajeev's background and expertise in product development, as well as his deep experience in research will strengthen our leadership in international research and technology and leverage knowledge from across the region."
Prior to joining Yahoo!, Rastogi was the founding director of Bell Labs India. He was a Bell Labs Fellow and Distinguished Member of its Technical Staff. Currently, he sits on the editorial board of Communications for the Association for Computing Machinery (CACM). Rastogi has published over 125 papers on database systems and information storage and management and holds over 40 patents.
"Yahoo! is focused on pioneering research and technology to delight hundreds of millions of users each day on the Web," said Rastogi. "I'm delighted to be joining Yahoo! and plan to draw on my experiences in the areas of database systems, data mining and network management to help the team tackle some of the toughest problems on the Web."
"We are excited to have a scientist of Dr. Rajeev Rastogi's stature establish Y! Labs - Bangalore, in India. Yahoo! India R&D contributes significantly to the success of Yahoo! globally and Y! Labs - Bangalore will further leverage this momentum in India. We believe Yahoo! Labs - Bangalore will play a critical role in driving the next wave of innovation on the Internet," said Sharad Sharma, CEO Yahoo! India R&D.
As part of Yahoo!'s thought leadership efforts, Rastogi will be instrumental in continuing the success of Yahoo! Big Thinkers India, a series of quarterly public lectures on science, technology and the Internet. The 2008 India series kicks off tomorrow with Dr. Preston McAfee, Research Fellow and VP, Microeconomics, Yahoo! This series brings together academia, scientists, industry and media, and will feature international subject matter experts from within Yahoo!. The speakers bring with them their expertise and a global perspective of the constantly changing world of technology, online products & communities and the Internet industry.
About Yahoo! Inc.
Yahoo! Inc. is a leading global Internet brand and one of the most trafficked Internet destinations worldwide. Yahoo! is focused on powering its communities of users, advertisers, publishers, and developers by creating indispensable experiences built on trust. Yahoo! is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Yahoo's must-keep stars: Star No 2
Caterina Fake:
Co-founder of Flickr and head of Yahoo's technology development group
Co-founder of Flickr and head of Yahoo's technology development group
Let's face it, Microsoft isn't exactly known for being hip. Its lack of social media-savvy in particular is why sources say Fake, who started a hit photo-sharing site (Flickr, which Yahoo bought in 2005) under her belt, could be an asset for Redmond. As head of Yahoo's technology development group, Fake is now in charge of finding the next Flickr and would bring her deep understanding of online communities to Microsoft.
Yahoo's must-keep stars
What's behind Microsoft's $44.6 billion hostile bid for Yahoo? If you ask Microsoft, it's the talent. Here are five Yahoos at the center of the takeover battle.
Star No 5:
Star No 5:
Susan Decker:
President
Since joining Yahoo in 2000, Decker, a former Wall Street analyst, has earned respect for her candor. She's also credited with transforming Yahoo from a seller of advertising on its own site to an ad player across the web and driving Yahoo's acquisition of Right Media, an online marketplace for advertisers. Assuming Microsoft could persuade her to stay, Greg Sterling of technology research firm Sterling Market Intelligence, says it would be a good move for the Redmond-based company to retain Decker.
Credits: CNN
Yahoo's must-keep stars: Star No 4
Usama Fayyad:
Chief data officer
Chief data officer
Sure, an acquisition will give Microsoft access to Yahoo's extensive user database. But if they need someone to make sense of those numbers, then they'll want to keep Fayyad, a former rocket scientist who now oversees Yahoo's data strategy. Data mining is also key to using behavioral targeting in advertising. Fayyad is no stranger to Microsoft though -- he did a five-year stint leading the company's data mining research group way before coming to Yahoo. But it's not clear whether he's eager to work for the software giant again.
Yahoo's must-keep stars: Star No 3
David Filo:
Co-founder
Co-founder
Yahoo employees say Filo is both well-liked and respected within the company. Filo acted as interim CTO last year before Aristotle Balogh was hired for the job. His value to Microsoft is his longstanding relationship with Yahoo's engineers -- which Microsoft needs. "I think Filo is really not given enough credit for how much the engineers love him," says Eric Jackson, a Yahoo activist shareholder. That said, keeping a billionaire founder around won't be easy for Microsoft.
Yahoo's must-keep stars: Star No 3
David Filo:
Co-founder
Co-founder
Yahoo employees say Filo is both well-liked and respected within the company. Filo acted as interim CTO last year before Aristotle Balogh was hired for the job. His value to Microsoft is his longstanding relationship with Yahoo's engineers -- which Microsoft needs. "I think Filo is really not given enough credit for how much the engineers love him," says Eric Jackson, a Yahoo activist shareholder. That said, keeping a billionaire founder around won't be easy for Microsoft.
Yahoo's must-keep stars: Star No 1
Jeff Weiner:
Executive vice president, network division
Executive vice president, network division
Yahoo lags when it comes to search ads, but it's still ahead of Google on one count: Traffic. According to the most recent comScore data, Yahoo sites are the most popular, with 138 million visitors a month (Google has about 135 million).
As head of Yahoo's consumer products - Yahoo Mail and Messenger, and the company's finance and news sites - Weiner oversees Yahoo's "front door," a valuable asset to Microsoft. Under Weiner, Yahoo recently reopened its main site to third-party developers in hopes of expanding its reach even further. The rising star, hired on by former CEO Terry Semel, also led Yahoo's efforts to revamp its online ad system, called Panama, before taking on his current post.
Yahoo facing seven shareholder lawsuits
Yahoo Inc. is facing seven shareholder lawsuits alleging the slumping Internet pioneer bungled its response to Microsoft Corp.'s unsolicited takeover bid.
The Sunnyvale-based company provided a breakdown of the suits in an annual report filed Wednesday with the Securities and Exchange. The documents didn't provide any new information about Yahoo's attempts to shoo away Microsoft, which is threatening to pursue a hostile takeover unless a friendly deal can be negotiated.
Yahoo's board believes Microsoft's offer, originally valued at $44.6 billion, is insufficient. Microsoft, though, has stood firm and is now preparing to overthrow Yahoo's 10-member board, which includes the company's co-founder and chief executive, Jerry Yang. Microsoft faces a March 14 deadline to nominate an alternate slate of directors.
The impasse has triggered four shareholder suits in California's Santa Clara County Superior Court. Three other complaints have been filed in Delaware by pension funds that own Yahoo's stock.
Five of the suits allege Yahoo's board breached its duty by spurning Microsoft without trying to negotiate a better deal, according to the annual report. The two other suits allege Yahoo unfairly favored Microsoft's "inadequate" bid even though the board eventually turned down the original cash-and-stock offer of $31 per share.
Because Microsoft's stock price has declined by 13 percent since the pursuit of Yahoo began, the bid is now worth $28.94 per share, or about $40 billion.
Since its Feb. 11 rebuff of Microsoft, Yahoo has been exploring other options that would provide its shareholders with a better payoff than Microsoft's proposed takeover.
The other possibilities have included combining forces with News Corp.'s online hangout MySpace.com, or forming an advertising alliance with Internet search leader Google Inc., whose success spurred Microsoft's takeover bid.
Most analysts still believe Microsoft will end up buying Yahoo.
While trying to escape Microsoft, Yahoo also has been laying off workers in an effort to boosts its sliding profits. The annual report didn't provide any further specifics about the purge, which began Feb. 11. Management has previously estimated Yahoo will eliminate 1,000 jobs, or about 7 percent of its work force.
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press
The Sunnyvale-based company provided a breakdown of the suits in an annual report filed Wednesday with the Securities and Exchange. The documents didn't provide any new information about Yahoo's attempts to shoo away Microsoft, which is threatening to pursue a hostile takeover unless a friendly deal can be negotiated.
Yahoo's board believes Microsoft's offer, originally valued at $44.6 billion, is insufficient. Microsoft, though, has stood firm and is now preparing to overthrow Yahoo's 10-member board, which includes the company's co-founder and chief executive, Jerry Yang. Microsoft faces a March 14 deadline to nominate an alternate slate of directors.
The impasse has triggered four shareholder suits in California's Santa Clara County Superior Court. Three other complaints have been filed in Delaware by pension funds that own Yahoo's stock.
Five of the suits allege Yahoo's board breached its duty by spurning Microsoft without trying to negotiate a better deal, according to the annual report. The two other suits allege Yahoo unfairly favored Microsoft's "inadequate" bid even though the board eventually turned down the original cash-and-stock offer of $31 per share.
Because Microsoft's stock price has declined by 13 percent since the pursuit of Yahoo began, the bid is now worth $28.94 per share, or about $40 billion.
Since its Feb. 11 rebuff of Microsoft, Yahoo has been exploring other options that would provide its shareholders with a better payoff than Microsoft's proposed takeover.
The other possibilities have included combining forces with News Corp.'s online hangout MySpace.com, or forming an advertising alliance with Internet search leader Google Inc., whose success spurred Microsoft's takeover bid.
Most analysts still believe Microsoft will end up buying Yahoo.
While trying to escape Microsoft, Yahoo also has been laying off workers in an effort to boosts its sliding profits. The annual report didn't provide any further specifics about the purge, which began Feb. 11. Management has previously estimated Yahoo will eliminate 1,000 jobs, or about 7 percent of its work force.
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press
Monday, February 4, 2008
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