Internet

Net neutrality is really just a fight over money

12 Aug 2010

Set aside ideology and consider the math. The top four US telecom firms the Pipes have about $140 bln of debt. The biggest beneficiaries of Web access the Swipes have that much cash. But they depend on the Pipes. Symbiotically growing the profit pie looks unavoidable.

Skype IPO may add dose of healthy hype to Valley

9 Aug 2010

The web firm s $100 mln float should be hot. There have been several tech offerings this year, but investor reception has been uneven. A bit of justified excitement over Skype s growth and its backers gains is just what Silicon Valley s capitalists and entrepreneurs need.

India’s peripatetic middle powers MakeMyTrip IPO

30 Jul 2010

The online travel agent downsized the deal, the first IPO for an Indian firm in the U.S. since 2006. But it has half India s web travelagency bookings, and is growing much faster than the market. Add changes to boost profits and MakeMyTrip shouldn t struggle to get its $70 mln.

Russian Internet octopus poses IPO quandary

29 Jul 2010

Digital Sky Technologies, best known for taking stakes in Facebook and hot games company Zynga, may go public in 2011. But DST's tangled web of similar firms with the odd crossholding in some ways echoes the Japanese keiretsu. It may not be easy to define or value.

Betfair can shorten the odds on a successful IPO

26 Jul 2010

Going public is dangerous for tech companies. Ocado blew it. Interactive whiteboardmaker Promethean is far below its issue price. Now another child of the internet, Betfair, is looming. Like the betting exchange's customers, the vendors will only win if they are not too greedy.

Amazon investors have only themselves to blame

23 Jul 2010

The online retailer's shares fell 13 percent after it reported sparkling growth. Shareholders grumbled about costs and margins but investing heavily in the business makes sense. What doesn't is the overly generous multiple the market attached to the stock.

YouTube justice shakes up Russia

21 Jul 2010

The official variety has fallen far short in investigating the Hermitage lawyer's claims about a $230 million fraud. His boss has taken to the net to show two police officers' unlikely wealth, with more revelations promised. The publicity campaign seems to be gaining momentum.

iPhone subtraction could be addition for AT&T

16 Jul 2010

The U.S. operator's days as sole carrier for Apple's iconic handset appear to be winding down. Customer growth may slow. Yet if Verizon lands the iPhone, it should push the industry toward more rational pricing for carrying data increasing returns on AT&T's iPhone customers.

Antennagate galvanizes Apple PR machine

16 Jul 2010

Steve Jobs showed the likes of BP and Goldman how spindoctoring works. Of course the comparison is unfair: the iPhone 4 problem is minor and easy to address. Still, the rumor mill was getting out of hand, and the usually aloof Apple has made a decent fist of a response.

Google earnings show cost of ambition

15 Jul 2010

The Internet search group's revenue continued to grow at a good clip in the second quarter. But the firm eased its formerly tight control on costs at an even faster rate. Some investment is appropriate. The worry is Google's cash hoard will encourage overindulgence.

iPhone subtraction could be addition for AT&T

12 Jul 2010

The U.S. operator's days as sole carrier for Apple's iconic handset appear to be winding down. Customer growth may slow. Yet if Verizon lands the iPhone, it should push the industry toward more rational pricing for carrying data increasing returns on AT&T's iPhone customers.

Google’s China deal features ceremonial substance

9 Jul 2010

The search giant's renewed Middle Kingdom access doesn't change much. Users will still be sent to an uncensored site, and Google could easily be shut down if the country senses a ceding of control. But it's not the contract that matters so much as the symbolism.

Apple’s spat with Google should cheer regulators

10 Jun 2010

The latest clash of the tech giants has Steve Jobs essentially barring Google from serving ads on iPhones and iPads. While this may seem anticompetitive, the sniping is actually a healthy sign of a vibrant rivalry. Saber rattling from watchdogs would further encourage it.

Go East, young nerd!

18 May 2010

Apple, Cisco and Microsoft have $120 bln in cash and investments between them. Yet much of it is trapped overseas, and bringing it back to the U.S. would cause a huge tax hit. So the companies are looking for acquisitions overseas creating an opportunity for tech startups.

Google starts cashing in on recovery

15 Apr 2010

The search giant has weathered the economic storm in the highly cyclical advertising market. Impressive firstquarter results show a turnaround is well under way. Even better for shareholders, Google is still keeping a tight rein on costs and capital expenditure.

Twitter takes small step to becoming a business

13 Apr 2010

The microblogging site for the attention deficit disordered is carefully rolling out advertising. Ads will be limited and those that don't generate favorable response pulled. It's a sensible first step in Twitter's need to generate revenue without annoying users. More are needed.

Big Media trips again on Web 2.0 with Bebo

7 Apr 2010

AOL plans to shut or sell the social network just two years after former parent Time Warner paid $850 mln for it. Media conglomerates have struggled to catch waves of new technology or social trends. They can t stop trying but it s high time they stop making the same mistakes.

Internet inches away from utility status

6 Apr 2010

A landmark court ruling means broadband operators won t need to treat all traffic on their networks equally. The blow to net neutrality gives the Internet a longer leash than its telco or electricity cousins. But it could spur an even more ambitious Washington power grab.

EBay inches from auctions to outlet sales

29 Mar 2010

The Internet auction giant s latest attempt to revive its core marketplaces division is by selling overstocked items for fashion designers. If it really wants to build a business running other companies web sales efforts, though, perhaps eBay should do a little shopping itself.

Hot tech firms snub VCs, IPOs with D rounds

29 Mar 2010

Silicon Valley darlings have long faced a choice sell or go public. Now firms such as Facebook and Yelp are accepting later financing rounds that both raise capital and create liquidity. It s a good way to get the benefits of a float while staying private. Expect more.