NewsTrust - Microsoft - Most Recent Stories: News (Mainstream)

Forecast for Microsoft: Partly Cloudy

Sun, 18 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0700

New York Times - By Ashlee Vance - Oct. 18 (Special Report) - These days, however, Microsoft has legions of doubters. While it still commands a prominent and profitable position in computing, brand experts say consumers stumble when trying to define what the company stands for and whether it can create a grander technological future.

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Former Microsoft exec grows global literacy effort

Fri, 06 Feb 2009 00:00:00 -0800

KING5.com - By Charlotte Starck - Feb. 06 (News Report) - This morning, 250 million children around the world didn't go to school. And that's something that must change says the one time director of Microsoft's Business Development for Greater China, John Wood. Room To Read brings philanthropists, business and even students attending a "Students Helping Students" breakfast event together to put a dent in illiteracy in seven different countries, including Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Laos, Nepal, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Vietnam and Zambia.

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Microsoft cutting 1,400 jobs today; up to 5,000 in next 18 months as recession hits harder

Thu, 22 Jan 2009 00:00:00 -0800

Seattle Times - By Benjamin J. Romano - Jan. 22 (News Report) - In a press release issued moments ago, Microsoft announced that it is cutting up to 5,000 jobs in research and development, marketing, sales, finance, legal, human resources and IT in the next 18 months, starting with 1,400 today. It marks the first company-wide layoff in Microsoft's history and comes as the company reports fiscal second-quarter earnings that missed the low-end of its own guidance for sales and earnings per share. It's Windows business declined 8 percent as PC sales growth ground to a virtual halt in the quarter ended Dec. 31. "While we are not immune to the effects of the economy, I am confident in the strength of our product portfolio and soundness of our approach," CEO Steve Ballmer said in a statement. "We will continue to manage expenses and invest in long-term opportunities to deliver value to customers and shareholders, and we will emerge an even stronger industry leader than we are today."

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European standoff over search engine data

Sun, 05 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0700

International Herald Tribune - By Kevin J. O'Brien - Oct. 05 (News Report) - Now, as the U.S. titans Google, Microsoft and Yahoo continue to retain personal data beyond the six-month time limit established this year by the European Commission, regulators say their patience is running thin.

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The Many (Geeky) Faces of Bill Gates

Sat, 28 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Wired - By Betsy Schiffman - Jun. 28 (Special Report) - In reality, Gates is a smooth operator who, despite his uncombed hair, baby face and disheveled appearance, knew exactly what he was doing every step of the way. He successfully transitioned from cocky college dropout to brass-knuckle negotiator to seasoned captain of industry, eventually becoming the richest man in the world and a model philanthropist.

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Yahoo urges rejection of proxy slate

Fri, 23 May 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Bizjournals.com - May. 23 (News Report) - Yahoo Inc. on Friday asked shareholders to reject a slate of directors that billionaire investor Carl Icahn is proposing. Sunnyvale-based Yahoo (NASDAQ:YHOO), in a preliminary proxy statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, ...

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Microsoft Revives Yahoo Fight Considers More Limited Deal

Mon, 19 May 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Wall Street Journal - By Robert A. Guth, Kevin J. Delaney, Matthew Karnitschnig - May. 19 (Special Report) - The move by Microsoft appears to be an attempt to stop Google from entering a search-related deal with Yahoo that's now under discussion and could be announced in coming days.

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Is Microsoft stalking Powerset's search technology?

Sat, 10 May 2008 00:00:00 -0700

CNET News - By Dan Farber - May. 10 (News Report) - Powerset raises the bar on search based on a preview that I had of the service last month. Powerset differs from the Google in that it extracts and indexes concepts, relationships, and meaning, rather than keywords. It's able to create connections and pivot in some cases in ways that elude Google's proficient engine, which favors more of a statistical approach.

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Higher Offer by Microsoft Brings Yahoo to Table

Sat, 03 May 2008 00:00:00 -0700

New York Times - By Andrew Ross Sorking, Miguel Helft - May. 03 (News Report) - After a three-month standoff, Microsoft was in active merger talks with Yahoo on Friday, several people involved in the discussions said. Microsoft, which had threatened to abandon its bid or initiate an attempt to oust Yahoo's board, has increased its offer "by several dollars," one of the people said. But a deal was still far from certain. A person involved in the discussions said the chances of a friendly deal being reached were "still no better than 50-50."

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Murdoch's Role in Yahoo Fight

Sat, 12 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Portfolio - By Jeff Bercovici - Apr. 12 (Special Report) - ...when Murdoch took control of New York magazine, muscling out founder Clay Felker in a move that drew national attention. Felker, who owned about 10 percent of New York's parent company, considered Murdoch a friend and ally, and appealed to him for help when his board starting leaning on him to improve profits. Recognizing opportunity, Murdoch instead went behind Felker's back and bought up more than half the company's shares. Felker, one of the magazine industry's towering figures, soon resigned.

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Major Yahoo holder boosts stake as board meets to discuss options.

Sat, 12 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0700

MarketWatch - By Benjamin Pimentel - Apr. 12 (News Report) - The move [to double holdings to 10% of shares] made Capital World Yahoo's largest institutional shareholder...it will also likely give the fund an even more powerful voice in the merger battle...Capital World [is]... the second largest institutional shareholder of Microsoft, with control of about 3% of the company's shares outstanding as of Dec. 31. "That was smart," analyst David Hilal of Friedman, Billings, Ramsey & Co....I'm still of the belief that Microsoft is going to buy Yahoo and they're going to raise their bid. And I'm assuming they're making the same bet over there [at Capital World]."

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Gaming the 'net

Fri, 11 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0700

New York Post - By Peter Lauria, Zachery Kouwe - Apr. 11 (News Analysis) - Battle lines are being drawn over control of the Internet, with Microsoft on one side, Google on the other and Yahoo!, Time Warner's AOL, and News Corp. racing to align with one or the other.

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News Corp., AOL Pursue Yahoo Deals

Thu, 10 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Wall Street Journal - By Matthew Karnitschnig, Kevin J. Delaney, Merissa Marr - Apr. 10 (News Report) - Yahoo Inc. and Time Warner Inc.'s AOL are closing in on a deal to combine their Internet operations, a move aimed at thwarting Microsoft Corp.'s effort to acquire Yahoo, people familiar with the matter said Wednesday.

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Microsoft Combined With Intel For A Vista Logo Disaster

Fri, 29 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0800

InformationWeek - By Dave Methvin - Feb. 29 (News Report) - Earlier, I said Microsoft, OEMs, and retailers all deserved blame in the logo disaster, but these insider e-mails have changed my opinion on apportioning blame. Many OEMs and retailers tried to do the right thing, but were both ignored and double-crossed by Microsoft's final Vista logo program so that Intel would be happy and make more money.

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Web Surfer, Heal Thyself

Sat, 23 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0800

Newsweek - By Steven Levy - Feb. 23 (News Analysis) - Marc Rotenberg, head of the Electronic Privacy Information Center, says that companies like Google and Microsoft should not start their services until Congress extends the HIPAA protections to cover such businesses.,,,Both firms also vow that the customers will have total control over their records--no releases without explicit permission. But the very existence of a detailed health dossier accessible in an instant can make control difficult. What if the government subpoenas the records? What if a potential insurer demands to see all the records, telling you that you can't get a policy if you don't provide them? What if your spouse--or even someone you're dating--demands to see all your records?

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Yahoo's Rejection Pressures Microsoft To Mull a New Bid

Mon, 11 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0800

Wall Street Journal - By Robert A. Guth, Kevin J. Delaney, Matthew Karnitschnig - Feb. 11 (News Report) - The decision to reject the offer, reported Saturday, signals that Yahoo's board is digging in for what could be a long battle. The directors have been considering various other scenarios to avoid selling to Microsoft, including outsourcing its search advertising to Google Inc. to boost revenue and provide greater latitude to try to remain independent, say people familiar with the matter.

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Microsoft, the sleeping giant, wakes again

Sat, 09 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0800

Los Angeles Times - By Jim Puzzanghera, Jessica Guynn - Feb. 09 (News Report) - Bill Gates worried that something like Google would come along before it even existed. In 1995, the Microsoft leader recognized how a powerful Internet player could topple his company from the high-tech pyramid and launched an attack on all potential threats. Netscape, Sun Microsystems and other competitors paid the price.

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Darwinian tech world makes lagging Yahoo ripe for harvesting

Mon, 04 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0800

San Jose Mercury News - By John Boudreau, Mike Antonucci - Feb. 04 (News Analysis) - After just 14 years in which it helped launch the Internet age, Yahoo has hit "middle age" and faces the fate of many other iconic Silicon Valley companies, becoming takeover bait.

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Microsoft Investors Don't See Gains From Yahoo Deal

Sat, 02 Feb 2008 09:20:45 -0800

Bloomberg - By Dina Bass - Feb. 02 (News Report) - Some Microsoft Corp. shareholders say the software maker's $44.6 billion bid for Yahoo! Inc. may backfire and reduce its ability to compete with Google Inc. in Internet consumer services and advertising.

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Microsoft-Yahoo Deal Would Face Tough Scrutiny

Fri, 01 Feb 2008 15:25:51 -0800

Wall Street Journal - By Charles Forelle, John R. Wilke - Feb. 01 (News Report) - Microsoft Corp.'s $44.6 billion bid for Yahoo Inc. is expected to get a hard look from European and US antitrust enforcers and lawmakers, possibly delaying a completed deal for six months or more.

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DOJ 'interested' in antitrust issues raised by Microsoft bid

Fri, 01 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0800

San Francisco Chronicle - By Dan Caterinicchia - Feb. 01 (News Report) - The Justice Department on Friday said it is "interested" in reviewing antitrust issues associated with Microsoft Corp.'s nearly $45 billion unsolicited bid for Yahoo Inc.

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Microsoft bids $44.6 billion for Yahoo

Fri, 01 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0800

CNET News - By Ina Fried - Feb. 01 (News Report) - The move would be by far the largest acquisition ever for Microsoft. Its largest prior deal, also in the online-advertising space, was last year's $6 billion deal to acquire Aquantive. Asked on the conference call why Microsoft still needs Yahoo after buying Aquantive, Ballmer pointed to Yahoo's reach with consumers.

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Microsoft makes unsolicited $44.6 billion bid to buy Yahoo

Fri, 01 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0800

San Francisco Chronicle - By Verne Kopytoff - Feb. 01 (News Report) - Microsoft Corp. has made an aggressive bid to buy struggling Internet behemoth Yahoo Inc. for $44.6 billion, in hopes that the combined forces would create a formidable competitor to industry leader Google Inc.

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Unintended victims of Gates Foundation generosity

Sun, 16 Dec 2007 00:00:00 -0800

Los Angeles Times - By Charles Piller, Doug Smith - Dec. 16 (Special Report) - A neighbor shaved Matsepang Nyoba's head with an antiquated razor. Blood beaded on her scalp. Tears trickled down her cheeks, but not because of the pain. She was in mourning, and this was a ritual. Two days earlier, her newborn baby girl had died in the roach-infested maternity ward of Queen Elizabeth II, a crumbling sprawl that is the largest hospital in Lesotho, a mountainous nation of 2.1 million people surrounded by South Africa.

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Google Gets Ready to Rumble With Microsoft

Sun, 16 Dec 2007 00:00:00 -0800

New York Times - By Steve Lohr, Miguel Helft - Dec. 16 (News Report) - The growing confrontation between Google and Microsoft promises to be an epic business battle. It is likely to shape the prosperity and progress of both companies, and also inform how consumers and corporations work, shop, communicate and go about their digital lives. Google sees all of this happening on remote servers in faraway data centers, accessible over the Web by an array of wired and wireless devices -- a setup known as cloud computing. Microsoft sees a Web future as well, but one whose center of gravity remains firmly tethered to its desktop PC software. Therein lies the conflict.

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