CompUSA RIP?

Engadget has a blurb about an internal email over at Best Buy that points to unconfirmed information that CompUSA may be pushing daisies by Easter.

Rumor: CompUSA going out of business in January - Engadget

store-restocking shipments are not being scheduled past February, and additional liquidators are being called in to help manage closure of the 103 remaining stores.

Published in: on December 6, 2007 at 7:02 pm Comments (1)

Google’s Auction Strategy

There is a thoughtful piece over at The Street
that says Google can win the wireless auction by bidding the
bare minimum ($4.6 billion) to make sure the open access clause is attached to the 700 MHz spectrum. 

If that is their plan, Verizon’s recent moves to accept Android and open its own network may be calculated to make sure that Google really does bid no more than the bare minimum.  It could save Verizon a couple billion in the long run.

Google Shrewdly Plays Wireless Bid - News & Analysis - Tech Stock Update - VZ - T

Over the summer, Google had successfully lobbied the FCC to include provisions in the auction that would force the winner to open access to applications and devices. But if those stipulations deterred bidders from putting in a bid of at least $4.6 billion, the spectrum would go back on sale 30 days later without the provisions.

With that floor in place, the two elements most crucial to Google aren’t removed from the process.

Above that level, Google can simply drop out of the bidding process

Published in: on at 6:57 pm Comments (0)

WiMax a GO for Sprint

I guess having it up and running would make it easier to sell

Sprint soft launching XOHM in “the next few days” - Engadget

Despite rumor and conjecture to the contrary, Sprint’s XOHM-branded WiMax service plans are alive and well. Well enough to soft-launch anyway. The Chicago, Washington D.C., and Baltimore pipes will all go live “in the next few days,”

Published in: on at 2:29 pm Comments (0)

Undocumented Code in Leopard to run Windows Apps.


Rumor: Windows Apps Running Native on Your Mac | Compiler from Wired.com

Will Mac OS X one day run Windows apps without the need for dual booting or virtual machines? That’s the question/rumor currently making the rounds after Wine developer Steven Edwards discovered Leopard contains an undocumented loader for Portable Executables, a filetype used in Windows applications.

Published in: on December 5, 2007 at 4:47 pm Comments (0)

LinkedIn not in bed with News Corp.

They were just talking….

News Corp, LinkedIn not in takeover talks: source | Technology | Internet | Reuters

Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp is not holding takeover discussions with LinkedIn, a fast-growing online social network for professionals, a source familiar with the matter said on Monday.

The source shot down British media reports that the two were discussing a deal worth about $1 billion. The two companies had been in talks for possible future partnerships, the source added.

Published in: on at 4:26 pm Comments (0)

Verizon Totally Caves: adopts Android

First Verizon opens their network.  Then Google insists they will bid for the 700 MHz spectrum, regardless. 

Now Verizon decides to adopt Android. What will Google do to maintain their business differentiation this time? Offer phones for free?  Or connectivity for free?

 

Verizon Embraces Google’s Android

In yet another sudden shift, Verizon Wireless plans to support Google’s (GOOG) new software platform for cell phones and other mobile devices. Verizon Wireless had been one of several large cellular carriers withholding support from the Android initiative Google launched in early November.

Published in: on December 4, 2007 at 8:33 pm Comments (0)

JotSpot will punch up Google Pages

This post also contains some insight about some outstanding Google Apps questions: GrandCentral, video chat, pivot tables, offline (Gears) support for calendar and mail.

Your Search Advisor - Google Apps Presentation in Ann Arbor

Google Sites: Scheduled to be launched sometime next year (2008), Google Sites will expand upon the Google Page Creator already offered within Apps. Based on JotSpot collaboration tools, Sites will allow business to set up intranets, project management tracking, customer extranets, and any number of custom sites based on multi-user collaboration.

Published in: on December 2, 2007 at 5:24 pm Comments (0)