[APPLe list] general internet news - February 15

[David Goldstein <goldstein_david@yahoo.com.au>]

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Sponsored by the Singapore Internet Research Centre
Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
http://www.ntu.edu.sg/sci/sirc/

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Don't forget to check out my website - http://technewsreview.com.au/ - for daily updates in between postings.


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Vodafone: 'mobile internet must improve or perish'
http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/article3357194.ece

Russia becomes 'spam superpower': survey [AFP]
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/02/12/2160296.htm

Spam, spam, and more spam [AAP]
http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2008/02/13/1202760372360.html

Technology and development: The limits of leapfrogging-The spread of new technologies often depends on the availability of older ones
http://www.economist.com/opinion/displaystory.cfm?story_id=10650775

Technology in emerging economies: Of internet cafés and power cuts-Emerging economies are better at adopting new technologies than at putting them into widespread use
http://www.economist.com/science/displaystory.cfm?story_id=10640716

Australian cybercrime goes under the microscope
http://www.zdnet.com.au/news/security/soa/Australian-cybercrime-goes-under-the-microscope/0,130061744,339285903,00.htm

China launches new internet purge
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/feb/12/china.censorship

Mobile phone operators join forces to block child sexual abuse websites
http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/telecoms/article3346151.ece

Online sex predators prefer IM, chat rooms to social networks
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20080206-online-sex-predators-prefer-im-chat-rooms-to-social-networks.html

Safer Internet Day highlights web risks
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7239395.stm

British internet users could be banned over illegal downloads
http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/the_web/article3353387.ece
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2008/feb/12/piracy.politics

Comcast Defends Role As Internet Traffic Cop
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/12/AR2008021202778.html

Murdoch rescue bid for Yahoo sets up showdown with Gates
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2008/feb/14/newscorporation.yahoo

News Corp 'in secret Yahoo talks'
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7244178.stm

Little Room for Yahoo to Maneuver
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/14/technology/14yahoo.html


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INTERNET USE
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Vodafone: 'mobile internet must improve or perish'
Vodafone issued a stern warning to the world´s mobile operators today, saying that they had to improve dramatically the experience of using the internet on phones or risk losing out to the likes of Google and Facebook.
http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/article3357194.ece

Film star sex scandal causes internet storm in China
An unlikely coalition of pop idols, communist censors, Hong Kong police and a Catholic bishop are fighting to stifle the biggest celebrity sex scandal in the history of the Chinese internet.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/feb/12/china.internet

Arrests over sex videos fuel Internet debate in Hong Kong
A series of arrests of Internet users in Hong Kong, for posting photos and videos of what appear to be some of Asia's best-known singers engaged in sex acts, has triggered a debate over free speech and whether the police here are selectively enforcing anti-pornography laws.
http://iht.com/articles/2008/02/12/asia/hong.php
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/13/business/worldbusiness/13internet.html

Russia to become No2 in number of internet users in Europe
By 2008 end the number of internet users in Russia might exceed 40 mln, the new study of the eMarketer research company reads. Thus, Russia might become the second in Europe by the size of its internet audience being inferior only to Germany.
http://eng.cnews.ru/news/top/indexEn.shtml?2008/02/11/287595

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SOCIAL NETWORKING
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How Sticky Is Membership on Facebook? Just Try Breaking Free
Are you a member of Facebook.com? You may have a lifetime contract. Some users have discovered that it is nearly impossible to remove themselves entirely from Facebook, setting off a fresh round of concern over the popular social network’s use of personal data.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/11/technology/11facebook.html

BBC warns staff over internet pictures
BBC editorial staff have been told to be cautious over the use of photos from social networking websites, saying the practice raises a number of legal and ethical issues.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2008/feb/11/bbc.medialaw

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NEW TECHNOLOGIES
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Pocket battleships v pipes in the air: mobile players vie for $600bn prize
After a decade of promises, the mobile internet has arrived. So too have the giants of online business, which see the coming of reliable internet on the move as a lucrative mass consumer market that cannot be left to the mobile phone operators. The mobile industry is worth £300bn a year and with more than half the world's population now owning a mobile phone, that figure will only grow.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2008/feb/11/mobilephones.telecoms

Nokia cements its lead, leaving rivals far behind
The Finnish cellphone leader dominates the market, but an expensive foray into mobile services could pose a challenge ahead.
http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/02/12/technology/handsets.php

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SPAM
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Russia emerges as spam superpower, as Asia and Europe overtake North America Sophos details dirty dozen spam-relaying countries for Q4 2007 [news release]
IT security and control firm Sophos has published its latest report on the top twelve spam-relaying countries over the final quarter of 2007. Experts at SophosLabs scanned all spam messages received in the company's global network of spam traps, and have revealed a dramatic rise in the proportion of the world's spam messages being sent from compromised Russian computers. The country has stormed into second place, accounting for 8.3% of the world's spam, or one in twelve junk mails seen in inboxes. Russia's rise is echoed in Sophos's research into which continents make the greatest contribution to the spam problem - with Asia and Europe overtaking North America.
http://sophos.com/pressoffice/news/articles/2008/02/dirtydozfeb08.html

Russia becomes 'spam superpower': survey [AFP]
Russia has become a a "superpower" of spam email, becoming the second most prolific country after the United States in producing junk emails, a computer security firm says.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/02/12/2160296.htm

Spam, spam, and more spam [AAP]
Spammers appear to be more concerned about our health than our wealth, as the number of spam emails continue to rise, according to a recent report. Internet security provider Marshal has released the findings of its latest Threat Research and Content Engineering report for the second half of 2007, which found that the total volume of spam increased by more than 50 per cent.
http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2008/02/13/1202760372360.html
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2008/02/13/1202760372360.html

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DIGITAL DIVIDE
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Technology and development: The limits of leapfrogging-The spread of new technologies often depends on the availability of older ones
Mobile phones are frequently held up as a good example of technology's ability to transform the fortunes of people in the developing world. In places with bad roads, few trains and parlous land lines, mobile phones substitute for travel, allow price data to be distributed more quickly and easily, enable traders to reach wider markets and generally make it easier to do business. The mobile phone is also a wonderful example of a “leapfrog” technology: it has enabled developing countries to skip the fixed-line technology of the 20th century and move straight to the mobile technology of the 21st. Surely other technologies can do the same?
http://www.economist.com/opinion/displaystory.cfm?story_id=10650775

Technology in emerging economies: Of internet cafés and power cuts-Emerging economies are better at adopting new technologies than at putting them into widespread use
Within a few months China will overtake America as the country with the world's largest number of internet users. Even when you factor in China's size and its astonishing rate of GDP growth, this will be a remarkable achievement for what remains a poor economy. For the past three years China has also been the world's largest exporter of information and communications technology (ICT). It already has the same number of mobile-phone users (500m) as the whole of Europe.
http://www.economist.com/science/displaystory.cfm?story_id=10640716

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ONLINE CRIME, SECURITY & LEGAL
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E.U. Regulators Raid Intel Offices [AP]
Antitrust regulators raided the Munich office of Intel Corp. searching for evidence that the company may have broken cartel or monopoly rules, the European Commission said.
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/technology/AP-EU-Intel.html

Spanish police detain 76 in major Internet fraud probe
Police in Spain have detained 76 people acrosss the country as part of what they described Sunday as their biggest-ever probe into Internet fraud. The suspects defrauded their victions of over three million euros (four million US US dollars), police said in a statement.
http://news.smh.com.au/spanish-police-detain-76-in-major-internet-fraud-probe/20080211-1rex.html

Australian cybercrime goes under the microscope
The Australian Institute of Criminology (AIC) has launched a new study into the effects of cybercrime on Australian commerce by commissioning a survey of more than 10,000 businesses across the country, seeking information about their experiences with online transgressions and what is being done to prevent them.
http://www.zdnet.com.au/news/security/soa/Australian-cybercrime-goes-under-the-microscope/0,130061744,339285903,00.htm

Cyveillance Reports Over 100 Percent Increase in New Phishing Targets in 2007 [news release]
Cyveillance, the world leader in cyber intelligence, today announced its latest “Online Financial Fraud and Identity Theft Report,” highlighting the latest changes in phishing scams and the shift in malware attacks increasingly targeting users outside the United States. Specifically, Cyveillance’s intelligence indicates that in 2007, over 900 new brands were first time targets of phishing attacks, representing a more than 100 percent increase in new phishing targets compared to 2005 and 2006 combined. The report also identified the global expansion of malware attacks targeting previously untapped economically developed international countries.
http://cyveillance.com/web/news/press_rel/2008/2008-02-11.asp

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PRIVACY
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Database tracking British students causes privacy concerns
The government has devised an electronic database to track every teenager from the age of 14, recording their personal details, every exam result and exclusions.
http://education.guardian.co.uk/schools/story/0,,2256044,00.html

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CENSORSHIP
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China launches new internet purge
China has started another official crackdown on online games, pornography and internet cafes as part of a campaign against juvenile crime, a state news agency said today.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/feb/12/china.censorship

China Targets Internet in Crime Sweep [AP]
Seeking to ferret out online games considered overly violent or unhealthy, China has targeted illegal Web sites, computer markets and Internet cafes as part of a campaign to rein in juvenile crime.
http://news.smh.com.au/china-targets-internet-in-crime-sweep/20080212-1rt1.html
http://news.theage.com.au/china-targets-internet-in-crime-sweep/20080212-1rt1.html

au: Underbelly ban 'useless' online
VICTORIAN internet users won't have to wait long to see illegal versions of the Nine Network's new crime TV series Underbelly, despite a court order banning its showing in the state.
http://www.australianit.news.com.au/story/0,24897,23202284-16123,00.html

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CHILD PROTECTION, FILTERING & CONTENT REGULATION
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Let's listen to children: They know how to make the Internet a safer place! [news release]
On 12 February, 100 organisations in over 50 countries worldwide celebrate Safer Internet Day. In Brussels a first ever pan-European Youth Forum on Safer Internet is organised by the European Commission with the participation of Meglena Kuneva, the EU's Consumer Commissioner. The purpose is to increase dialogue between children and decision makers on safer Internet issues and to raise awareness of the best ways for protecting minors online. Safer Internet Day is organised under the patronage of the EU's Information Society and Media Commissioner Viviane Reding.
http://www.europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/08/207&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en

Mobile phone operators join forces to block child sexual abuse websites
Europe's mobile phone operators are joining forces to obstruct access to child sexual abuse websites. Leading operators, including Vodafone, Orange and 3, will announce plans today to install technology in their networks that will bar access to thousands of blacklisted sites.
http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/telecoms/article3346151.ece

Mobile firms to block child porn
Mobile firms from across the world have launched a new alliance which aims to block paedophiles using phones to send or receive child sexual abuse images.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7238739.stm

Mobile operators team up against child abuse
Mobile operators across Europe are teaming up against the use of mobile internet services to distribute child pornography images. The GSM Association is launching "the Mobile Alliance against Child Sexual Abuse Content" made up of most of the major operators including Orange, Telecom Italia, Telefonica O2, TeliaSonera, T-Mobile, Vodafone and dotMobi.
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/02/11/mobile_alliance_content/

GSMA Launches Mobile Alliance Against Child Sexual Abuse [news release]
The GSM Association, the global trade association for mobile operators, has launched the Mobile Alliance against Child Sexual Abuse Content to obstruct the use of the mobile environment by individuals or organisations wishing to consume or profit from child sexual abuse content. While the vast majority of child sexual abuse content is today accessed through conventional connections to the Internet, there is a danger that the broadband networks now being rolled out by mobile operators could be misused in the same way.
http://gsmworld.com/news/press_2008/press08_09.shtml
http://mobileworldcongress.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=43&item=199

Online sex predators prefer IM, chat rooms to social networks
Quick, picture an Internet sex predator. If you're like many members of the public, you probably pictured a middle-aged man clicking away on social networking sites like Facebook and MySpace as he lies to kids he meets about his age and intentions. Such a picture doesn't survive an encounter with data, though; social networking sites are actually safer than chat rooms and instant messaging, while most perpetrators are upfront about both their ages and desires.
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20080206-online-sex-predators-prefer-im-chat-rooms-to-social-networks.html

Porn studio wants Google, Yahoo to help protect kids
The world's leading adult film studio is calling on internet giants Google and Yahoo to "erect stronger barriers" to keep children from viewing online pornography. Vivid Entertainment co-founder Steven Hirsch said he planned to make his case publicly during a lecture at Yale's School of Management on February 16, during the Ivy League university's "Sex Week."
http://www.zdnet.com.au/news/software/soa/Porn-studio-wants-Google-Yahoo-to-help-protect-kids/0,130061733,339285963,00.htm

NYC may ban sex predators from online social sites [Reuters]
New York City prosecutors on Tuesday endorsed the United States' first proposed law to ban registered sex offenders from social networking sites like Facebook and MySpace, officials said.
http://uk.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idUKN1225336020080212

nz: Netsafe is launching an initiative against cyber bullying and harassment, to mark Internet Safety Day
To help mark Internet Safety Day today, the group Netsafe is launching an initiative to help teachers in the war against cyber bullying and harassment.
http://home.nzcity.co.nz/news/article.aspx?id=81623

Aussies reminded to play it safe online
Australians are being reminded to make their internet experience safe and not become a victim of online crime.
http://news.sbs.com.au/worldnewsaustralia/aussies_reminded_to_play_it_safe_online_540242
http://www.thewest.com.au/aapstory.aspx?StoryName=458765
http://news.smh.com.au/aussies-reminded-to-play-it-safe-online/20080212-1rp6.html
http://news.theage.com.au/aussies-reminded-to-play-it-safe-online/20080212-1rp6.html

au: The internet is another area for police to patrol
The Australian Federal Police (AFP) encourages the public to exercise the same precautions on the Internet as they do in the ‘real world’ on Safer Internet Day today.
http://www.australia.to/story/0,25197,23040466-721,00,00.html

Safer Internet Day [12 Feb 08]: Online risks to children on the increase across Europe, evidence shows
Evidence that more children across Europe are being exposed to risks online and are increasingly distressed by them was revealed this week by EU Kids Online to mark Safer Internet Day.
http://www.publictechnology.net/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=14131

Safer Internet Day highlights web risks
Safer Internet Day is being marked around Europe with events to educate children and parents about net dangers. Themed events will reveal the risks of sharing too much personal data and warn children that their virtual friends may not be who they say they are.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7239395.stm

Half of UK kids have seen Internet porn
More British children who have been on the internet have seen porn there, according to figures released by EU Kids Online, a survey of the London School of Economics.
http://www.theinquirer.net/gb/inquirer/news/2008/02/11/uk-kids-love-bit-porn

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GOVERNMENT & PUBLIC POLICY
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au: New government, new year, new promises
Why government Internet filtering raises more questions than it answers. What better way to kick off the new year as Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy than to equate freedom of speech with watching child pornography, as did freshly appointed Federal Broadband Minister, Stephen Conroy.
http://www.itnews.com.au/Feature/4207,new-government-new-year-new-promises.aspx

eu: Price of texting from abroad set to fall
The cost of sending a text message from abroad is poised to plummet after the European telecoms commissioner, Viviane Reding, today warned she would impose regulations if mobile phone companies do not cut their prices by the summer. ... Reding added that the cost of using the mobile internet while abroad was also too high.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2008/feb/11/mobileworldcongressbusiness.mobilephones1

us: Senate Passes Bill to Expand U.S. Spying Powers
After more than a year of heated political wrangling, the Senate handed the White House a major victory Tuesday by voting to broaden the government’s spy powers after giving legal protection to phone companies that cooperated in President Bush’s warrantless eavesdropping program. The Senate rejected a series of amendments that would have restricted the government’s surveillance powers and eliminated immunity for the phone carriers, and it voted in convincing fashion — 69 to 29 — to end debate and bring the issue to a final vote. That vote on the overall billwas an almost identical 68 to 29.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/12/washington/12cnd-fisa.html

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FILE SHARING
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British internet users could be banned over illegal downloads
People who illegally download films and music will be cut off from the internet under new legislative proposals to be unveiled next week. ISPs will be legally required to take action against users who access pirated material, The Times has learnt.
http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/the_web/article3353387.ece

Internet users could face disconnection for illegal downloads
Internet users who illegally download music and films could lose their access to the web under legislation aimed at cracking down on those who flout piracy laws. Powers being drafted by the government will compel internet service providers to take action against customers who access pirated material.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2008/feb/12/piracy.politics

Internet body opposes policing role
The body representing internet service providers has cast doubt on the viability of government proposals to make them responsible for identifying and punishing illegal music and video downloaders.
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/6d0480ae-d9c0-11dc-bd4d-0000779fd2ac.html

The sound of (free) music
People who illegally download films and music are apparently to be cut off from access to the internet under the terms of a green paper to be published next week. Well that's a change of heart for Britain's music industry. At first they started suing customers who indulged in excessive downloads. Now they seem to have persuaded the government make ISPs - who are merely the conduit for all this traffic - into police who monitor offenders on a "three strikes and out" basis. According to the story in the Times, a warning email would be sent for the first offence, followed by suspension from the service and finally termination of the internet contract. What an interesting idea. Maybe the government should have thought of that during the Great Train Robbery and made British Rail responsible. After all it happened on their tracks.
http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/victor_keegan/2008/02/the_sound_of_free_music.html

Plundering the pirates
The government has taken the first steps toward enforcing a ban on illegal internet downloads - with the prospect of cutting broadband services for persistent offenders. Owen Gibson asks whether such a move is practically enforcable
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2008/feb/12/piracy.politics1

Illegal downloaders 'face UK ban'
People in the UK who go online and illegally download music and films may have their internet access cut under plans the government is considering.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7240234.stm

US might stop ISPs blocking content - by law
Legislation designed to prevent broadband internet providers from unreasonable interference with subscribers' access to content was introduced by a senior US lawmaker.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=10492451

Inside Net Neutrality: Is Your ISP Filtering Content?
Your ISP acts as a gateway between you and the Internet. It's the pipeline that allows you to access everything from your e-mail to remote file servers where you back up your important data--not to mention browsing the Web. But what happens if, instead of a pipeline, your ISP instead acts as a filter? In some cases, that scenario is beginning to play out as ISPs increasingly seem to be moving toward favoring some types of traffic over others.
http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,142474-c,broadband/article.html

Comcast Defends Role As Internet Traffic Cop
Comcast said yesterday that it purposely slows down some traffic on its network, including some music and movie downloads, an admission that sparked more controversy in the debate over how much control network operators should have over the Internet.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/12/AR2008021202778.html

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COMMENT, MICROSOFT & DEVELOPMENTS
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Murdoch rescue bid for Yahoo sets up showdown with Gates
Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation is negotiating to rescue the embattled internet company Yahoo through an alliance that could set up a heavyweight business showdown between the Australian-born media mogul and Microsoft's Bill Gates.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2008/feb/14/newscorporation.yahoo

News Corp 'in secret Yahoo talks'
Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation is reportedly in talks with Yahoo about a possible deal that would stave off an approach from Microsoft. The Wall Street Journal said that News Corp was eyeing a move that would see MySpace and other of Murdoch's web interests merge with Yahoo.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7244178.stm

Yahoo seen in News Corp. talks, but analysts dubious [Reuters]
Yahoo is in talks on a possible deal with News Corp., but analysts said an alternative was unlikely to emerge to rival Microsoft's bid for Yahoo, now valued at $42.1 billion.
http://www.news.com/2100-1030_3-6230534.html

Is Yahoo Flirting With News Corp. to Make Microsoft Jealous?
Yahoo has held talks with Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. about a partnership, merger or similar arrangement, according to reports. Such a deal would help fend off Microsoft's unsolicited $44.6 billion bid to take over the portal and create an Internet force capable of rivaling Google. News Corp. would offer significant benefit to Yahoo, most notably in the form of the MySpace social networking site.
http://ecommercetimes.com/story/Is-Yahoo-Flirting-With-News-Corp-to-Make-Microsoft-Jealous-61677.html

News Corp and Yahoo: how a tie-up could work
Last week Rupert Murdoch was keeping his options open when asked about swapping some of News Corporation's online properties for a stake in Yahoo. "I think that day has passed, but you never know," the News Corporation chairman said.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2008/feb/14/yahoo.yahoo

Little Room for Yahoo to Maneuver
Can Yahoo avoid being gobbled up by Microsoft? Many analysts say it is increasingly unlikely.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/14/technology/14yahoo.html

Yahoo Chief Explains Rejection of Microsoft Bid
Jerry Yang, the chief executive of Yahoo, explained his company’s rejection of Microsoft’s buyout offer in a letter to shareholders late Wednesday outlining why he believed the bid, initially valued at $44.6 billion, was too low.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/14/technology/14cnd-yahoo.html

Microsoft Vs. Google: Who's Got More Antitrust Issues?
In the fall of 1997, I was interviewing Bill Gates at a conference in Scottsdale, Ariz. Suddenly the door to the boardroom we were using sprung open, and Bill Neukom, then Microsoft's general counsel, rushed up to Gates and pulled him from the room.
http://www.forbes.com/technology/2008/02/14/antitrust-microsoft-yahoo-tech-enter-cx_sl_0214antitrust.html

Office Killers
Microsoft's all-out effort to acquire struggling Web portal Yahoo! isn't about selling banner ads. Sure, short term, the Redmond software giant wants the Sunnyvale, Calif., Internet company so that it can finally get a grip on the booming online advertising business. Long term, however, Microsoft wants Yahoo! so that it doesn't lose its hold on the far more lucrative market for desktop applications.
http://www.forbes.com/technology/2008/02/14/microsoft-yahoo-google-tech-intel-cx_bc_0214office.html

Yahoo! To Shareholders: Trust Us
In letter, CEO Jerry Yang says management has investors' best interests in mind in rejecting Microsoft.
http://www.forbes.com/technology/2008/02/13/yahoo-shareholder-letter-tech-cx_wt_0213techyahoo.html

After Rejection by Yahoo, Microsoft Hints at a Fight
The war of words between Yahoo and Microsoft has begun. Hours after Yahoo officially rejected Microsoft's takeover offer on Monday, calling it too low, Microsoft described Yahoo's response as "unfortunate" and said its own proposal was "full and fair."
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/12/technology/12yahoo.html

What Microsoft Should Do While Yahoo! Dithers
Yahoo! may be dithering over its future, but Microsoft is not. Microsoft announced Monday that it had bought cellphone vendor Danger, presumably to strengthen its mobile position and counter the Android agenda of Google. Chances are Microsoft will make other moves while waiting for Yahoo! to surrender. At the top of Chief Executive Steve Ballmer's list should be a different sort of deal: acquiring Facebook.
http://www.forbes.com/technology/2008/02/11/mitra-yahoo-microsoft-tech-intel-cx_sm_0212facebook.html

After Spurning Microsoft, Yahoo Reaches Out to AOL
Now that Yahoo has formally rejected Microsoft's unsolicited $44 billion buyout bid, the Internet company has set its sights on its own deal with AOL. Yahoo reached out to AOL to gauge the Internet pioneer's interest in some sort of deal, according to someone familiar with the situation who spoke on condition of anonymity because the talks are private. Yahoo is contacting a number of possible partners, the source said, and it is unclear whether the company seeks a buyout or partnership with AOL.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/11/AR2008021100785.html

Yahoo Officially Rejects Offer
Yahoo officially rejected Microsoft’s $44.6 billion takeover offer on Monday, calling the bid too low. “After careful evaluation, the board believes that Microsoft’s proposal substantially undervalues Yahoo including our global brand, large worldwide audience, significant recent investments in advertising platforms and future growth prospects, free cash flow and earnings potential, as well as our substantial unconsolidated investments,” the company said in a statement. The company said it would continue to evaluate all its options.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/11/technology/11cnd-yahoo.html

Yahoo rejects Microsoft takeover bid
Yahoo formally rejected Microsoft's unsolicited $31-a-share takeover bid today, claiming the offer - which values it at around $41bn (£21bn) - was too low.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2008/feb/11/microsoft.technology

Yahoo! sparks $45bn bid fight with Microsoft
Yahoo! formally rejected Microsoft's hostile $45 billion (£23 billion) bid today, claiming that despite the 62 per cent premium offered by the software giant, the bid "substantially undervalues" the world's No 2 search engine.
http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/media/article3350858.ece

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TELECOMMUNICATIONS
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ACMA tells Dodo to clean up its act or face penalties
The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has told telecommunications provider Dodo to comply with industry codes of practice or face penalties, after receiving an unusually high number of complaints from the ISP’s customers.
http://www.itnews.com.au/News/NewsStory.aspx?story=70124
http://www.computerworld.com.au/index.php/id;862920958;fp;2;fpid;1
http://www.cio.com.au/index.php/id;862920958
http://www.smarthousenews.com.au/Computing/Broadband_And_Web_Hosting?Article=/Computing/Broadband%20And%20Web%20Hosting/F9L4T6K5

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MOBILE/WIRELESS
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Battle lines are drawn for the future of 4G
A key battle that could determine the shape of next- generation 4G wireless broadband networks across the globe is playing out behind the scenes at the World Mobile Congress in Barcelona this week where the backers of competing standards including WiMax and LTE (Long Term Evolution) are rallying supporters.
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/399b1508-d9d8-11dc-bd4d-0000779fd2ac.html

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ARRESTS/COURT CASES FOR CHILD PORN
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ca: Ontario police crack down on child pornography
The Ontario Provincial Police on Tuesday laid 73 criminal charges in a massive child pornography sweep that led to the arrest of 22 people in Ontario, including the apprehension of one youth.
http://www.canada.com/globaltv/national/story.html?id=392a7d0f-e5dc-4e5b-b163-ef34711a9994&k=79268

ca: 23 nabbed in child porn bust
A massive child porn sweep that netted 23 people across the province this week is just the tip of the iceberg and a harbinger of many more arrests to come, police say.
http://www.thestar.com/News/GTA/article/303118


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(c) David Goldstein 2007
 
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David Goldstein
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