Microsoft to Purchase Yahoo?

[MacRumors]

http://www.macrumors.com/images/macrumorsthreadlogo.gif (http://www.macrumors.com)

Reuters reports (http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070504/tc_nm/yahoo_microsoft_dc) on rumors that have started circulating that Microsoft is in talks about acquiring Yahoo Inc.
Investment bank Goldman Sachs is advising on the process, the paper said. The bank declined to comment. One banking source said that investment banks had been pitching Microsoft on the idea of buying Yahoo for months.
Yahoo's stock has jumped up almost 18% in response to the rumors. According to the reports, the companies have held "informal" talks over the years, but this latest round comes after increasing competition from Google. Google recently acquired online advertising company DoubleClick Inc, which Microsoft was also pursuing. After the deal was made, Microsoft urged U.S. regulators to scrutinize the potential deal on anti-trust grounds.
"The minute you hear Microsoft start arguing against something on antitrust grounds, you know they are desperate and need to do something big," said one [NYPost (http://www.nypost.com/seven/05042007/business/bills_hard_drive_business_peter_lauria_and_zachery_kouwe.htm)] source.
While not directly Apple related news, the implications of a Microsoft-Yahoo acquisition would be far reaching.

[arn]

Just goes to show how much the world has changed. Microsoft definitely sees Google as its biggest enemy/competitor.

arn

[DMann]

Oh well, that places Google in a MUCH higher light, with less competition on the innovative front.

[deputy_doofy]

F Yahoo and MS.

[nagromme]

Sounds like a bad move for Yahoo rather than a good move for MS... although Yahoo doesn't seem to be doing that great anyway.

It sounds like a GOOD thing for us, since Microsoft is probably more Mac-friendly than Yahoo :)

I can see it now: MSN Search and HotMail on iPhones instead of Yahoo and Yahoo Mail :o

[Peace]

So if this goes through do Yahoo users become Micro-hooligans ? :p

[kainjow]

Microsoft + Yahoo = iPhone e-mail trouble? (http://www.ilounge.com/index.php/backstage/comments/microsoft-yahoo-iphone-e-mail-trouble/)

[motulist]

Good, I'm glad. I don't like the way yahoo sets its stuff up, so if MS buys it they'll either totally remake it so it's a better service, or they'll totally remake it so yahoo uses only MS tech like they did with hotmail and make it worse so people will stop using yahoo as much and give other companies services a chance to compete.

[Frohike]

What exactly does it mean by "The implications of the acquisition would be FAR REACHING"? I don't really get the far reaching part!

[Queso]

I hope this doesn't go through. The iPhone is going to use Yahoo! for mail services. Watch the availablity of the service go deliberately down the toilet if M$ buy the company.

EDIT: Or what kainjow said ;)

[Clive At Five]

Microsoft + Yahoo = iPhone e-mail trouble? (http://www.ilounge.com/index.php/backstage/comments/microsoft-yahoo-iphone-e-mail-trouble/)

That was my first thought too...

The iPhone uses Yahoo mail for those who forgot. That would suck if yahoo mail degraded to "worse-than-hotmail" status. It's headed in that direction. Yahoo needs to take a page out of Google's book and cut down on the invasive ads and overall slow-ness.

-Clive

[xUKHCx]

Just goes to show how much the world has changed. Microsoft definitely sees Google as its biggest enemy/competitor.

arn

IF this is true and goes ahead, will bring up the rumors of apple + google again

[freezingmariner]

*******, if that happens I'm dumping all my flickr photos and flickr can kiss my rear end goodbye. No way I'm letting Microsoft managing my creative work.

[furcalchick]

yahoo email is also full of spam. worst mail filter out there.

and i use yahoo for their sports pages, i hope this isn't true...yahoo is still decent, and has one of the best im and fantasy sports out there....if ms takes over...

[Peace]

I certainly hope Apple has an option to opt out of Yahoo mail for the iPhone and replace it with what it should have.A .Mac account.

[Clive At Five]

Just goes to show how much the world has changed. Microsoft definitely sees Google as its biggest enemy/competitor.

arn

Definitely true, and Yahoo is Google's biggest enemy/competitor.

Not only that, but Yahoo is the only company that can catch Google on the "Internet OS" race. The entirely predicatble thing about this is that everything new Yahoo rolls out is a complete and utter ripoff of Google's implementation. Google is most certainly the pioneer in this field...

Sound familiar, Mac users?

Yahoo is to Google as Microsoft is to Apple.

-Clive

[Queso]

IF this is true and goes ahead, will bring up the rumors of apple + google again

No chance of that these days. Google is worth $108bn against Apple's $86bn. In contrast Microsoft is worth $298bn against Yahoo's $44bn.

Google can't afford Apple.

[coledog]

F Yahoo and MS.

I second that!!

It would certainly be an interesting combo.
I'm not too hot for the iPhone, because it pushed Leopard back so far, but it would suck if this delayed everything even more.

[Clive At Five]

IF this is true and goes ahead, will bring up the rumors of apple + google again

I highly, highly doubt either of these two would achieve any gain from acquiring each other. They're better off as business partners.

But you're probably right to a certain point: there WILL be rumors... :rolleyes:

-Clive

[iSee]

Please remove this article from Macrumors.

It seems as though someone has made an error. Thanks. :)

[cshehadi]

I certainly hope Apple has an option to opt out of Yahoo mail for the iPhone and replace it with what it should have.A .Mac account.

y'all know way more than me, but won't iPhone's OS X include Apple Mail and can't you use it to check your regular email account? iPhone may come with a free Yahoo account - but most won't use it? or am I polluting these boards with my ignorance. hope not.

[Clive At Five]

Please remove this article from Macrumors.

It seems as though someone has made an error. Thanks. :)

Why? It's industry relevant.

Just because it doesn't say anything about a new mini-tower or Santa Rosa laptops doesn't mean it's irrelevant.

-Clive

[Cameront9]

Other than iPhone+Yahoo, really the only reason I care is that Yahoo owns Flickr, which I use quite a bit. I don't want Microsoft taking Flickr and screwing it up.

[rdowns]

Google will still kick YahooSoft's ass.

[amac4me]

I for one would not favor a Microsoft aquisition of Yahoo.

[Clive At Five]

y'all know way more than me, but won't iPhone's OS X include Apple Mail and can't you use it to check your regular email account? iPhone may come with a free Yahoo account - but most won't use it? or am I polluting these boards with my ignorance. hope not.

I don't see any reason why you wouldn't be able to use g-mail via the web-browser, but as far as I know, the mail app. only connects to yahoo mail... that's probably for simplicity reasons.

-Clive

[KurtangleTN]

I was trying to think of the last time I used Yahoo's search in awhile and I come up with nothing. The only thing i've used Yahoo for ever is their fantasy sports.

[DTphonehome]

I was never really clear on why Apple went with Yahoo anyway for email. Obviously, Apple and Google are working together to bring Google Maps to iPhone, so why not just offer Gmail instead (which I and many others find vastly superior to Yahoo mail)? I'm sure Google would be thrilled to be the sole provider of internet services to iPhone users, and maybe that would push them to offer up even more (Google Earth? Google Video/Youtube?) to iPhone users.

--DT

[jbernie]

on the other hand the combination could see the iPhone hget yahoo & msn mail and maybe yahoo & msn messenger, so in theory it doubles the options and makes the device potentially more desirable.

Kinda funny how people love to lampoon MS yet Google seems more of a concern on the monoply side these days as the web content is generally device independent. ie Google in a monopoly affects Apple just as much as it affects PCs.

I can't be confident that this is a great change for web users, but combining two major services like this does potentially provide the benifit of reducing the number of apps and sites you need to visit.

[mattscott306]

Say MS buys Yahoo, couldn't apple then switch all of the apps it was going to use Yahoo for over to google. I mean, honestly, I thought to myself "Why not go all google" during the keynote. This just gives more reason to go that way.

[Corrosive vinyl]

I think that M$ is using the "Zune Defence" and realizes that as a software only company, they can't put out a competitive phone (hardware), they already tried, with the zune, and are probably spread too thin. so they did the next best thing, buy a part of the iPhone, specifically what certain people at M$ are lauding over, the phone browser!

I also feel remourse because I have friends that have Flickr accounts and have frequented there for years... tis a sad state of affairs.

[dernhelm]

I certainly hope Apple has an option to opt out of Yahoo mail for the iPhone and replace it with what it should have.A .Mac account.

That's funny, I was just thinking that they'd switch to using Google's GMail exclusively.

[rdowns]

If this is real, it's likely in response to Google's rumored purchase of DoubleClick.

[DTphonehome]

...so they did the next best thing, buy a part of the iPhone, specifically what certain people at M$ are lauding over, the phone browser!


What do you mean? Yahoo provides the email service, not the browser...the browser is Safari!

[DTphonehome]

If this is real, it's likely in response to Goggle's rumored purchase of DoubleClick.

What rumor? The deal is on:
http://www.doubleclick.com/us/about_doubleclick/press_releases/default.asp?p=572

[rdowns]

I certainly hope Apple has an option to opt out of Yahoo mail for the iPhone and replace it with what it should have.A .Mac account.

That wouldn't go over too well. Aside of adding $99 to an already high price, .Mac is down way too often. In fact, it's down right now.

[Peace]

That wouldn't go over too well. Aside of adding $99 to an already high price, .Mac is down way too often. In fact, it's down right now.

It's down ?? really!!! I wonder why ;)

[chocolate]

Yahoo is somewhat a mystery. Helps the Red Chinese gov't hunt dissidents. Runs news it's headings with an obvious bias. Offers free email and co-ops with AT&T to run all their DSL email and accounts.

Large Brother?

[kalisphoenix]

That wouldn't go over too well. Aside of adding $99 to an already high price, .Mac is down way too often. In fact, it's down right now.

Who said anything about adding $99?

[Clive At Five]

That wouldn't go over too well. Aside of adding $99 to an already high price, .Mac is down way too often. In fact, it's down right now.

How ironic. :rolleyes:

Not to change the subject or beat a dead horse around these forums, but Apple REALLY needs to enhance .Mac. Actually, the .Mac platform is the probably the only way Apple will compete in the Internet OS age of the future.

Man, someone in 5-10 years is going to come back, read this post and laugh.

-Clive

[morespce54]

OH NOOOO!!!!

I don't want my Yahoo Mail to become as bloaty as Hotmail... :(
But then I guess it could be good (somehow) for Yahoo...

The only good news (for me) is that maybe I could finally access my Yahoo Mail with Safari... ;)

[cshehadi]

I don't see any reason why you wouldn't be able to use g-mail via the web-browser, but as far as I know, the mail app. only connects to yahoo mail... that's probably for simplicity reasons.

-Clive

After some research on the web - I think it connects to most email providers:

from Apple's "breakthrough internet device" page if you pass your mouse over "Mail" you'll see:

"iPhone uses a rich HTML email client that fetches your email in the background from most POP3 or IMAP mail services and displays photos and graphics right along with the text."

So it looks like it's not exclusive to Yahoo mail. I'd be pretty peeved if I got an iPhone and couldn't check my regular email accounts. I'm pretty sure Apple wouldn't do that to us. So maybe we don't have to worry about the quality of Yahoo's email going down - because most iPhone users will just use their regular email accounts anyway.

[guzhogi]

I don't see M$ just doesn't buy Google. I'll admit, I'm no business expert, so please let me know (in a nice, polite way of course) why this wouldn't work. I don't really want this, but it's a good way to get rid of a competitor.

[Object-X]

Microsoft + Yahoo = iPhone e-mail trouble? (http://www.ilounge.com/index.php/backstage/comments/microsoft-yahoo-iphone-e-mail-trouble/)

Well, there is always .Mac. On second thought, let's not talk about .Mac. But I think it goes without saying that any Yahoo! initiatives with the iPhone or even the AppleTV would be pretty much over.

I was actually encouraged to see Yahoo! become part of Apple's plan. Their annoucement got me looking at Yahoo! more closely and I was quite surprised by some of their technologies. There so much potential for joint ventures with Apple. Microsoft will ruin Yahoo! if they buy it. What a shame.

Microsoft is a virus.

[DTphonehome]

After some research on the web - I think it connects to most email providers:

from Apple's "breakthrough internet device" page if you pass your mouse over "Mail" you'll see:

"iPhone uses a rich HTML email client that fetches your email in the background from most POP3 or IMAP mail services and displays photos and graphics right along with the text."

So it looks like it's not exclusive to Yahoo mail. I'd be pretty peeved if I got an iPhone and couldn't check my regular email accounts. I'm pretty sure Apple wouldn't do that to us. So maybe we don't have to worry about the quality of Yahoo's email going down - because most iPhone users will just use their regular email accounts anyway.

If I'm not mistaken, I think the unique thing about the Yahoo mail is that it is "push" email and not pull. Your regular email account can't push mail out, and if it can, it probably isn't free, like Yahoo iPhone mail is supposed to be.

[rdowns]

I don't see M$ just doesn't buy Google. I'll admit, I'm no business expert, so please let me know (in a nice, polite way of course) why this wouldn't work. I don't really want this, but it's a good way to get rid of a competitor.

It's not too easy to buy a company worth $147 billion (Google's approx. current market cap). Microsoft's market cap is about $292 billion. I don't believe Google would allow a Msft. takeover.

The largest merger ever (in the works) is the Barclay's taking over ABN Amro. That deal is worth $91 billion.

[steve_hill4]

IF this is true and goes ahead, will bring up the rumors of apple + google again

I agree, it is a possibility. I would see Apple leaving Google to be self-sufficient for quite some time yet, why break a winning formula. With all the Google labs stuff too, Apple would be buying into future online technologies. A possibility, even if quite small.

Just imagine too how much that would irk Microsoft, Apple would not only own the world's number 1 search engine, but also.......YOUTUBE.

[Object-X]

I don't see any reason why you wouldn't be able to use g-mail via the web-browser, but as far as I know, the mail app. only connects to yahoo mail... that's probably for simplicity reasons.

-Clive

I don't think the issue is wether this is technically feasable or not, but that Yahoo! has far more email users than Gmail or .Mac. If you are a regular user of Yahoo! mail then the iPhone's ability to do push mail is another reason to buy an iPhone. Apple gets to tap into a large user base with a value add for it's product. A Microsoft aquisition would certainly kill that.

[RRK]

That's funny, I was just thinking that they'd switch to using Google's GMail exclusively.

Apple REALLY needs to enhance .Mac.

A Google enhanced .Mac could be the magic stone for these two birds.

[mattscott306]

A Google enhanced .Mac could be the magic stone for these two birds.

What enhancements would you say google could bring to the .mac table?

[generationxwing]

So it looks like it's not exclusive to Yahoo mail. I'd be pretty peeved if I got an iPhone and couldn't check my regular email accounts. I'm pretty sure Apple wouldn't do that to us. So maybe we don't have to worry about the quality of Yahoo's email going down - because most iPhone users will just use their regular email accounts anyway.

Yahoo is providing the push email services. I'd imagine that the iPhone could check other accounts, but you'd have to take the initiative to pull new emails from the server. If you go with Yahoo then, well, the emails are pushed out to you.

[kwood]

I don't understand...Why is it so bad that Microsoft is talking about buying Yahoo? Are all these people voting negative simply because they don't like Microsoft?:confused: :confused: :confused:

I don't see why this is such a huge deal. I can see the potential Yahoo iPhone conflicts but I am sure there will be a resolution.

[Clive At Five]

What enhancements would you say google could bring to the .mac table?

I wouldn't suggest Google pairing with .Mac, but I can think of some nice enhancements *I* would make...

More webspace, cheaper price, standard Apple reliability.

I think that sums it up for most of us.

-Clive

[guzhogi]

It's not too easy to buy a company worth $147 billion (Google's approx. current market cap). Microsoft's market cap is about $292 billion. I don't believe Google would allow a Msft. takeover.

The largest merger ever (in the works) is the Barclay's taking over ABN Amro. That deal is worth $91 billion.

You see this post?

No chance of that these days. Google is worth $108bn against Apple's $86bn. In contrast Microsoft is worth $298bn against Yahoo's $44bn.

Google can't afford Apple.

$108 billion or $147 billion? Either way, that's a hunk of change. But, as I said, I don't know much about business. But, you're right Google probably wouldn't allow a M$ takeover.

[williedigital]

I don't think the issue is wether this is technically feasable or not, but that Yahoo! has far more email users than Gmail or .Mac. If you are a regular user of Yahoo! mail then the iPhone's ability to do push mail is another reason to buy an iPhone. Apple gets to tap into a large user base with a value add for it's product. A Microsoft aquisition would certainly kill that.

I wonder if the users of yahoo mail are frequent email users though. I'd rather have the computer savy gmailers than the grandmas on yahoo mail. They aren't your market.

[iscripter]

Although this is not Mac news. It would be bad news for Yahoo if it did happen. It makes you wonder if MS would keep the Yahoo brand or just take all their intellectual property and incorporated it with MSN and Hotmail.

Cause we all know what happened to Hotmail after MS bought it a few years back.

[RRK]

What enhancements would you say google could bring to the .mac table?

Oh I don't really know, the Google products list is huge. .Mac is basically Google's game and Apple could let Google do what they do best and stick to the ever-expanding Apple catalog.

[sionharris]

if you can't beat 'em, buy 'em.

[zv470]

I wouldn't suggest Google pairing with .Mac, but I can think of some nice enhancements *I* would make...

More webspace, cheaper price, standard Apple reliability.

I think that sums it up for most of us.

-Clive

I think they should make .Mac free.


Now... re: MS buying Yahoo.... I think that's hillarious for New Zealand as up until recently Telecom used to use MSN and now have changed to Yahoo.

[Queso]

$108 billion or $147 billion?
$108bn. Here (http://quotes.nasdaq.com/quote.dll?mode=stock&page=multi&symbol=AAPL&symbol=YHOO&symbol=GOOG&symbol=MSFT&symbol=&symbol=&symbol=&symbol=&symbol=&selected=AAPL&FormType=&kind=&Leap=&mkttype=&sel=multi&userinput=&x=22&y=10)'s the source.

[mattscott306]

Oh I don't really know, the Google products list is huge. .Mac is basically Google's game and Apple could let Google do what they do best and stick to the ever-expanding Apple catalog.

So basically what you are saying is: Tack googles name up there, even though we don't really know what they would bring to the table, just to get more sales and a higher potential audience?

Thank you, no.

[Zigster]

If you are an MSFT hater, you should be rooting for this deal. They will be buying at the top of the market, and the integration between the two companies will be horrible. It would be a 60 billion dollar mistep.

[a456]

I can see it now: MSN Search and HotMail on iPhones instead of Yahoo and Yahoo Mail :o

Heh, maybe you are right - this might be MS trying to get a piece of the iPhone action! (Ballmer was just putting us off the scent)

P.S. Has anyone used Live Search? It seems to throw up a tiny amount of results and be next to useless when compared to Google.

[Object-X]

I wonder if the users of yahoo mail are frequent email users though. I'd rather have the computer savy gmailers than the grandmas on yahoo mail. They aren't your market.

First, Apple isn't limiting the iPhone to "computer savy" people. Certainly, tech savy folks will be early adopters, but the iPhone will not be a sucess if it is relegated to only geeks with money. Apple's appeal is they can make something that is technical and powerful and make it easy for non-tech people to use. The iPod started off as a geek toy and is now in the mainstream with mom and dad and even grandma and grandpa using them. There are all kinds of new an interesting uses of the iPod beyond just listening to music. How do you think Apple can sell 10 million a quarter and keep those numbers going? Because the same non-computer savy people using Yahoo! Mail are buying them too.

Secondly, the iPhone, like other Apple products, is intended to create a market where there wasn't one before. No one knew they needed an iPod until they bought one, and then they discovered how useful it was and bought another. Apple has a history of disrupting markets because they change the rules and people's perceptions of said market. The iPhone will be no different. Any feature that has the potential to appeal to the masses is an important part of Apple's strategy.

And along with that dynamic, Apple has the ability to create secondary markets for other companies that align with them. Perhaps internet mail is not used that often by some, but a device like the iPhone has the potential to change that. It holds the potential to reinvigorate existing technologies by taking advantage of them and changing how they are used. Yahoo! Mail stands a good chance of becoming a more important technology for Yahoo! by virtue of millions of iPhone users wanting to use it with their phone.

We shouldn't underestimate the potential this device has to completely change the way we use and think of a phone. The iPhone is not just a geek toy.

[RRK]

So basically what you are saying is: Tack googles name up there, even though we don't really know what they would bring to the table, just to get more sales and a higher potential audience?

Thank you, no.

No, that's not what I meant at all. I am saying .Mac is not worth what I pay for it and it needs to be reworked. Who better to do that then Google. Web services is Googles game and based on .Mac its not a game Apple is so great at. They could also, obviously, be the answer to this perceived e-mail problem that could arise from the MS Yahoo purchase.

[Diatribe]

If MS were to shut down Y! messenger and incorporate its userbase into MSN then it would truly dominate the IM market. And that is not a good thing. At least not if you're a Mac user.

[bigandy]

i don't see how this should be allowed. not because i just plain don't like microsoft, but because it's swallowing up more competition.

[CRAZYBUBBA]

I'd be happy too!

Good, I'm glad. I don't like the way yahoo sets its stuff up, so if MS buys it they'll either totally remake it so it's a better service, or they'll totally remake it so yahoo uses only MS tech like they did with hotmail and make it worse so people will stop using yahoo as much and give other companies services a chance to compete.

[gmanca]

I love how Microsoft complained about DoubleClick, a much smaller entity than Yahoo, and yet they want to add a huge chunk to the conglomerate.

Total desperation move.

[mattscott306]

No, that's not what I meant at all. I am saying .Mac is not worth what I pay for it and it needs to be reworked. Who better to do that then Google. Web services is Googles game and based on .Mac its not a game Apple is so great at. They could also, obviously, be the answer to this perceived e-mail problem that could arise from the MS Yahoo purchase.

I'll agree .mac isn't worth the money (hence why I don't purchase it), but I don't think google is the solution to .mac's problems. I think APPLE needs to work on it themselves, there's a thread that I was in a while ago where one user stated that apple could greatly improve .mac with not a lot of effort. I agree with that user, and I'd love to see apple actually make a move to fix .mac.

[mustard]

I realize that Yahoo E-mail can push an e-mail, but is that really necessary. If RIM can push any email to their Blackberry's why can't Cingular/AT&T, or Google, or Apple provide the server technology to make it happen?

[Diatribe]

I'll agree .mac isn't worth the money (hence why I don't purchase it), but I don't think google is the solution to .mac's problems. I think APPLE needs to work on it themselves, there's a thread that I was in a while ago where one user stated that apple could greatly improve .mac with not a lot of effort. I agree with that user, and I'd love to see apple actually make a move to fix .mac.

Yep, I made some of these comments. It would not cost Apple very much to enhance .mac especially at the enhanced cost/benefit ratio it would give Apple as more prople would sign up.
Examples are plenty, like an integrated web editable calendar, notes, easier calendar sharing, server side spam filter, push email, integration of .mac services into OS X like iCards in mail, more sync options, etc. or even a VOIP service with iChat.
It's really not hard to improve upon .mac and it is definitely not all about the iDisk space.

[bluebomberman]

I don't understand...Why is it so bad that Microsoft is talking about buying Yahoo? Are all these people voting negative simply because they don't like Microsoft?:confused: :confused: :confused:


That's my take. For years, my primary email's a Yahoo! address (I reluctantly pay the stupid POP annual fee because I don't want to go through the hassle of switching email addresses). Meanwhile, I found the Hotmail of years ago to be horrible, and that's before I switched to Macs.

If Microsoft swallows Yahoo!, it might be time for me to get a Gmail address...

[tobor68]

this is probably an attempt from M$ to stymie the iphone. they see it as a threat despite their denial.

you know they'll dick with yahoo till it sucks. they did the same thing with sympatico email. AND they'll make it ugly...

[Donnacha]

Hmmm... my Flickr Pro account in coming up for renewal and I was already annoyed about being forced to drop my Flickr username in favor of a crappy, far longer Yahoo username.

I guess this development makes the decision for me.

Can anyone recommend a good Flickr alternative?

I'd go Picassa if Google got their finger out and released a Mac version.

[RRK]

Yep, I made some of these comments. It would not cost Apple very much to enhance .mac especially at the enhanced cost/benefit ratio it would give Apple as more prople would sign up.
Examples are plenty, like an integrated web editable calendar, notes, easier calendar sharing, server side spam filter, push email, integration of .mac services into OS X like iCards in mail, more sync options, etc. or even a VOIP service with iChat.
It's really not hard to improve upon .mac and it is definitely not all about the iDisk space.

Well, bring it on. I have been waiting for years to see significant change, only to see free services pass us by. I tell myself that I keep renewing .Mac because I like having my @mac.com email address and dont want to change all of the things I have hosted there but I know that it is mostly out of some sense of loyalty. I mean if a fanboy like me isn't buying it who is? :o

Also, doesn't Google already have some form of all of those improvements you suggest that could simply be made to integrate with the iApps?

[Donnacha]

Having said that, it would be good for Google to have a decent-sized competing ad network - Microsoft+Yahoo won't exactly be a match for Google+Doubleclick but it'll be better than nothing.

[alec]

flickr........ noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

[Cabbit]

well this would suck. i kinda like the mac yahoo messanger its the only supported cross platforum messanger that supports video that my friends use.

[glennyboiwpg]

Well, bring it on. I have been waiting for years to see significant change, only to see free services pass us by. I tell myself that I keep renewing .Mac because I like having my @mac.com email address and dont want to change all of the things I have hosted there but I know that it is mostly out of some sense of loyalty. I mean if a fanboy like me isn't buying it who is? :o

Also, doesn't Google already have some form of all of those improvements you suggest that could simply be made to integrate with the iApps?

parhaps, the reason why we haven't seen any improvements to the service is because apple pulled programmers from the .mac team to help with the IPHONE team. ;)

[iJawn108]

a few yeara ago i used yahoo all the time,but they took out their science section in their news. Its back now but it was enough for me to stop using them all together.

[iJawn108]

flickr........ noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
oh yeah i forgot about that :(

[tobor68]

parhaps, the reason why we haven't seen any improvements to the service is because apple pulled programmers from the .mac team to help with the IPHONE team. ;)

ha! good one! .mac has sucked for years. i can't justify paying $130Cnd a YEAR for a slow, sub-standard email/website thingy that pales compared to free/cheaper services. i'm sure it's a bit of a cash cow for apple, tho.

it'd be nice to see an enterprise version of .mac or at least a bump in the value offered thru .mac. at the moment it's just not there. perhaps when the rumored iweb pro is a reality, so will the enterprise .mac.

[RRK]

parhaps, the reason why we haven't seen any improvements to the service is because apple pulled programmers from the .mac team to help with the IPHONE team. ;)

Could there even possibly be a .Mac team? Is Jobs cracking the whip and making someone work 12 hour days to drag and drop some free Garage Band instruments in the iDisk and make a new iCard?

[rdowns]

What enhancements would you say google could bring to the .mac table?


How about uptime, reliability, increased storage?

[rdowns]

$108bn. Here (http://quotes.nasdaq.com/quote.dll?mode=stock&page=multi&symbol=AAPL&symbol=YHOO&symbol=GOOG&symbol=MSFT&symbol=&symbol=&symbol=&symbol=&symbol=&selected=AAPL&FormType=&kind=&Leap=&mkttype=&sel=multi&userinput=&x=22&y=10)'s the source.

Google's market capitalization is $146B. Here's (http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=goog) the source.

[mattscott306]

How about uptime, reliability, increased storage?

All things that apple should have planned and worked out to run on their own- not to sell an app to another company.

[whatever]

y'all know way more than me, but won't iPhone's OS X include Apple Mail and can't you use it to check your regular email account? iPhone may come with a free Yahoo account - but most won't use it? or am I polluting these boards with my ignorance. hope not.

Yes, you are correct, the iPhone does support .Mac mail and others as well. The key that Apple wanted to exploit/promote was that it support Yahoo Mail, which is the most used e-mail service in the world.

Basically Yahoo Mail is to Mail what AIM is to chat .... #1.

[bdkennedy1]

Now Microsoft just needs to aquire AOL after Yahoo to complete the Triad of Crap.

[macidiot]

yahoo email is also full of spam. worst mail filter out there.

and i use yahoo for their sports pages, i hope this isn't true...yahoo is still decent, and has one of the best im and fantasy sports out there....if ms takes over...

I'm with you on Yahoo fantasy sports. It works like a champ with great features and has very nice support for the Mac.

I suppose I'll have to switch over to ESPN... but I have no idea how good they are, and if it's free.

I pretty much use Yahoo for my yahoo rss aggregation, maps, yellow pages, spam bucket and fantasy sports. I stopped using the search a long time ago.

I've been using Yahoo since about 1993? If Microsoft buys Yahoo this will probably be the death knell for me.

Yahoo and Mac support... no audio, poor video support, poor IM, "improved" mail doesn't support Safari... Back in the day, Yahoo was unix, pearl and java and had strong Mac support. Now, not so much.

Blame Terry Semel. A moron among morons.

[macidiot]

Now Microsoft just needs to aquire AOL after Yahoo to complete the Triad of Crap.

Now that is the funniest post I have seen in ages.

[morespce54]

...Just imagine too how much that would irk Microsoft, Apple would not only own the world's number 1 search engine, but also.......YOUTUBE.

Then M$ would probably come up with something like "IMTUBED"... ;)

Okay, it's getting late... need some sleep...

[whatever]

I wouldn't suggest Google pairing with .Mac, but I can think of some nice enhancements *I* would make...

More webspace, cheaper price, standard Apple reliability.

I think that sums it up for most of us.

-Clive
We're talking to different business models here.

When was the last time you paid for anything from Google?

Alright already.

[macidiot]

parhaps, the reason why we haven't seen any improvements to the service is because apple pulled programmers from the .mac team to help with the IPHONE team. ;)

What .mac team?

I'm guessing Apple has more people assigned to censoring support forums than they have working on .mac.

[xVeinx]

This merger could be likened to the merger of AMD and ATI. Two big named companies combined in an effort to take on Intel and gain greater dominance in the computer industry. Unfortunately, that same merger has erased the excess cash of now-AMD and will cause it to be slowed down in trying to accomplish its original goal. AMD isn't going to die obviously, but the merger has placed a notable amount of strain that is going to require years to recover from, great products not withstanding.

Microsoft would effectively erase any cash on hand that it has through this merger. The consequences of this extend to the countless projects-run at a loss-that have been churned out in varying markets to look for new areas of revenue. On the one hand, this might stimulate better products from Microsoft, but at the very least will inhibit their ability to enter other markets. Essentially, Microsoft would have to be staking (to some degree) the future of the company on the internet domain. Management failures, less-than-stellar products, etc. could quickly pull Microsoft into a spiral from which it could conceivably never recover.

[donlphi]

Just because Microsoft buys Yahoo doesn't mean it will SOIL the iPHONE. I personally don't like Yahoo with or without microsoft. I actually like my Hotmail account.

I have Yahoo, Gmail, Hotmail (paid subscriber), and .mac (paid subscription is the only option) and from order best to worse:

1. GMAIL
2. HOTMAIL
3. YAHOO and .MAC are both crap

I PRAY iPhone will support other mail options... hopefully GMAIL. PLEASE GMAIL. Personally, I could care less if .mac survives. They charge WAY TOO MUCH for what you get. It's worse than being a HOTMAIL subscriber.

[whatever]

If MS were to shut down Y! messenger and incorporate its userbase into MSN then it would truly dominate the IM market. And that is not a good thing. At least not if you're a Mac user.

AOL's AIM has a much bigger customer base than Yahoo Messenger.

[johnee]

wow, this would be horrible...

[localoid]

We're talking to different business models here.

When was the last time you paid for anything from Google?

Alright already.

You've not heard of Google Apps Premier Edition (http://www.google.com/a/), I take it?

[macidiot]

I don't understand...Why is it so bad that Microsoft is talking about buying Yahoo? Are all these people voting negative simply because they don't like Microsoft?:confused: :confused: :confused:

I don't see why this is such a huge deal. I can see the potential Yahoo iPhone conflicts but I am sure there will be a resolution.

Because, Microsoft will eventually design(excuse me, "optimize") all of Yahoo to only work with whatever version of IE they happen to be pushing. And probably require some sort of activex, directx, .net, vb for everything.

Like, say, movie listings. :rolleyes:

[whatever]

I wouldn't be surprised to see the other internet company, eBay, come in and buy Yahoo. It would provide eBay with several key pieces that they have missing in their current puzzle (which includes PayPal and Skype).

That would be an interesting threat to Google.

[Wolf103FM]

to somewhat quote Jim Norton in Spiderman (1) "Yahoo stinks, and I don't like it!"
good riddance

[mdriftmeyer]

Sounds like a bad move for Yahoo rather than a good move for MS... although Yahoo doesn't seem to be doing that great anyway.

It sounds like a GOOD thing for us, since Microsoft is probably more Mac-friendly than Yahoo :)

I can see it now: MSN Search and HotMail on iPhones instead of Yahoo and Yahoo Mail :o

This is brain dead.

Yahoo is all FreeBSD/OpenBSD/NetBSD based. That is OS X's roots.

No. Yahoo is more friendly if Apple made joint relationships with Yahoo, not because Microsoft would buy them.

Microsoft has not designs to make extended relationships with Apple. They keep Office for it's profit making aspects and to stem Anti-Trust issues.

[Counter]

NEWS JUST IN: Yahoo to be renamed 'Yahcrosoft WOW'

[macidiot]

I wonder if the users of yahoo mail are frequent email users though. I'd rather have the computer savy gmailers than the grandmas on yahoo mail. They aren't your market.

I don't know, I consider myself computer savvy and use Yahoo email but not gmail.

Of course, I use yahoo exclusively as a spam bucket.

My opinion of gmail is kind of a reverse-snob thing. Your kidding yourself if you think gmail is for tech savvy people now. That was the case 5 years ago when it was semi-private. Now, people that don't even know what a virus is use gmail (true story).

[yzp]

google is tha sh*it,

so much features, its almost as monopolistic as microsoft, but features works...

just as :apple:mac, it works!

[Queso]

Google's market capitalization is $146B. Here's (http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=goog) the source.
Bizarre. Google's Investor site agrees with the Yahoo figure, so $146bn it is. So how did NASDAQ lose 100 million shares in their calculation? :confused:

[kingtj]

Unlike some people here though, I'm not against this Yahoo/MS merger simply on some grounds that "the big, evil Microsoft empire is growing again!". That's a bunch of FUD, really.

My concern is that with consolidation like this, you're simply going to have a duplication of almost every service the two companies offer online - so that means they'll end up discarding many of them. (Why have MSN Groups and Yahoo Groups if they're both owned by MSN, for example? They'll pick one and remove the other.)

Redundancy is a key reason the Internet is so useful, though. If one service isn't performing well for you, is undergoing some regular maintenance, or whatever - you have alternatives.

A merger like this wouldn't give MS a "monopoly" on any of the features offered. (Obviously, Google has their own variations, and you have other IM choices like AOL or ICQ too.) But it does reduce your options - while not adding any new value I can see for the end user.



I for one would not favor a Microsoft aquisition of Yahoo.

[edenwaith]

Until I see something really happening, I wouldn't worry about it. My company recently went through a potential buy-out, and since Microsoft and Yahoo are public companies, Yahoo needs to at least listen to and consider any reasonable offer. But either company certainly could terminate any potential deal.

And even if Microsoft does try to purchase Yahoo, would the government step in to inspect if this could cause anti-trust issues? It would be sad to see Yahoo be consumed by Microsoft, especially since Yahoo was one of the earliest pioneers, plus the first search engine that many of us used.

[macidiot]

Bizarre. Google's Investor site agrees with the Yahoo figure, so $146bn it is. So how did NASDAQ lose 100 million shares in their calculation? :confused:

It has to do with the float. Only a portion of Google stock is actually available to the public. Google has about 100 million, or about 1/3 of its stock, reserved for future use, currently unavailable for purchase.

Total value of all shares: 146 billion.

Total value of all shares publicly available: 103 billion.

[Object-X]

Unlike some people here though, I'm not against this Yahoo/MS merger simply on some grounds that "the big, evil Microsoft empire is growing again!". That's a bunch of FUD, really.

My concern is that with consolidation like this, you're simply going to have a duplication of almost every service the two companies offer online - so that means they'll end up discarding many of them. (Why have MSN Groups and Yahoo Groups if they're both owned by MSN, for example? They'll pick one and remove the other.)

Redundancy is a key reason the Internet is so useful, though. If one service isn't performing well for you, is undergoing some regular maintenance, or whatever - you have alternatives.

A merger like this wouldn't give MS a "monopoly" on any of the features offered. (Obviously, Google has their own variations, and you have other IM choices like AOL or ICQ too.) But it does reduce your options - while not adding any new value I can see for the end user.

I think the concern is more about how Microsoft kills off good technology that is a threat to it's hegemony. This would indirectly affect us in the Mac community because Yahoo! has announced an initiive to provide services for Apple's new iPhone and has publically stated their desire to do more. A Microsoft merger would kill these initives in favor of supporting their own competing products and services. This raises the old monopoly specter of the past. So, even though this would not represent a monopoly position for Microsoft, it would still have the same net affect on us as Mac users, that is, robbing us of technologies that we otherwise want.

[localoid]

Unlike some people here though, I'm not against this Yahoo/MS merger simply on some grounds that "the big, evil Microsoft empire is growing again!". That's a bunch of FUD, really.

Microsoft has yet to be truly successful in the online world. Microsoft's popularity in the online world keeps shrinking smaller and smaller, not growing. They're desperate at this point. So (once again) Microsoft is trying to buy "success"...

I think Google's Eric Schmidt and Steve Jobs are probably on the phone right now brainstorming how they can offer their help and support of the deal to go through. Why? Because Microsoft will end up totally screwing-up both Yahoo and itself, to the Nth degree, via the resulting culture clash that's bound to occur if the two companies would try to mesh. :rolleyes:

[PetMac]

Looks like the deal is off (http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070504/tc_nm/yahoo_microsoft_dc_11). At least for now

[rdowns]

Looks like the deal is off (http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070504/tc_nm/yahoo_microsoft_dc_11). At least for now

As Yahoo stock begins its after hours decline. Currently down 1%.

[macidiot]

As Yahoo stock begins its after hours decline. Currently down 1%.

Looks like it's turning out to be standard market manipulation.

[synth3tik]

Even though the Wall Street Journal states this not likely going to happen, it does make sense. Yahoo has for some time been very un mac friendly. With Google rawking the world M$ is going to want to try and be the other dominant force.

[localoid]

Even though the Wall Street Journal states this not likely going to happen, it does make sense. Yahoo has for some time been very un mac friendly. With Google rawking the world M$ is going to want to try and be the other dominant force.

Microsoft's been "trying" to gain a clue about how the online world of content and advertising works since about the time Windows 95 came out.

They have yet to "get it." :p

[synth3tik]

Microsoft's been "trying" to gain a clue about how the online world of content and advertising works since about the time Windows 95 came out.

They have yet to "get it." :p
It's rather sad isn't it.:cool:

[SiliconAddict]

I wouldn't be at all surprised. When Microsoft can't compete they buy someone who can.

[GanleyBurger]

.

Wasn't FREE PUSH from YAHOO MAIL part of the collabortaion deal with Apple and the iphone?:eek:, just as Google maps was???

If I am correct, and if MS were to buy Yahoo, Apple would be at MS YAHOO's mercy... correct?:confused:

food for thought...

[Max Payne]

I like the way they divert their resources. :D

[EagerDragon]

Quick, someone deflate all 4 tires.
This is bad!!!!!!!

[EagerDragon]

There go all the projects Apple and Yahoo were working on. Oh and lets not forget the iPhone Yahoo push mail capability.

[Luis]

Well if it would have happened we could have a "cool" new name: Microhoo

-Luis

[breath of apple]

I am glad the deal is off between Yahoo and Microsoft. As far as the iphone and Leopard, I hope that Apple deals with Yahoo, Google, and Skype and offers compatibility between iChat, Skype, YM, and Gtalk. Can you imagine if you could switch between these IM servers, all within iChat on your iphone or mac? And Push e-mail availability on the iphone with user choice of .mac, gmail, skype, or yahoo mail upon set-up would be fabulous!

I am also all for Apple re-vamping .mac with lower cost, greater size, better spam protection and a server reliability that Apple could be proud of. Apple, you are never one to settle for less than excellence. The concept of integration of .mac with Apple apps in a smooth, excellent customer experience is such a great goal, so don't stop halfheartedly! There is much more with .mac to be done! And it's already a published credit that your creativity far exceeds Google. :apple:

I do dream, and just maybe one day...

[Eric5h5]

Then M$ would probably come up with something like "IMTUBED"... ;)

The traditional Microsoft name, as dull and unimaginative as they come, would be "Microsoft Television". Although lately I have to admit they've been getting a little more creative (Zune, Silverlight).

--Eric

[shigzeo]

ive been enjoying yahoo.co.uk's email for over 4 or 5 years and find the new beta to be the best ever... too bad microsoft will get their hands on it and look like hotmails.... bother

[CoreWeb]

The traditional Microsoft name, as dull and unimaginative as they come, would be "Microsoft Television". Although lately I have to admit they've been getting a little more creative (Zune, Silverlight).

--Eric

I wouldn't really call "Zune" and "Silverlight" creative... they kind of are, but really, the just sound like names which were made to attract hype. And you know, when hype comes quickly, it goes quickly as well. Especially when it comes to somewhat cheesy sounding names.

Speaking of hype... has anyone else been feeling "it"? That the iPod's hype is going down? I hope the iPhone will be a suitable replacement for hype (though its hype also comes alarmingly fast. But at least iPhone doesn't sound quite as in-your-face-look-at-me-trying-to-be-cool as Zune.)


And Microsoft buying Yahoo - that would be a sign of dark days for the world. Both companies seem sub-par. (I must be too used to Apple - though I'm not that big a fan of Google (don't dislike it or anything)). Both companies are too huge. Combining them together would be very bad.

[dsnort]

Meh, Yahoo used too be "THE BOMB", now it's more like "the bam". I don't see where M$ can improve this product beyond where it is

[SiliconAddict]

.

Wasn't FREE PUSH from YAHOO MAIL part of the collabortaion deal with Apple and the iphone?:eek:, just as Google maps was???

If I am correct, and if MS were to buy Yahoo, Apple would be at MS YAHOO's mercy... correct?:confused:

food for thought...

Woopty do. Apple could provide free e-mail in a heartbeat. It not that expensive to setup or even manage if they wanted to. Its just that Apple is cheap as heck.

[surferfromuk]

It's proof that under Blamer M$'s Standard Operating Procedure has not changed.

Furthermore, all those Vista coders have got to have something to keep them busy.

Should keep both companies REALLY confused and totally distracted for the next 5 years whilst they 'figure out' how to 'integrate' Yahoo's $50 billion dollar website into the next generation of M$ 'copy-tech' they call MSN plus.

Should create a whole new generation of people who distrust M$. Should create a large hole in innovation for lots of startups to occupy...

Hoorah for M$ getting even bigger and more stupid...first new product will be a yahootube running exlusively on 'silverlight'..

In the meantime Apple keeps it's tight focus on providing real world cutting edge technology solutions that provide an exquisite physical and virtual bridge between our digital media and it's real world application.

[msandersen]

How ironic; We'll end up with two great internet companies: Google, whose motto is "Do no Evil", and Yahoo, whose motto will soon be "Do Evil" :D .
They already had a head-start in China giving names of dissidents to the authorities.

[phatspider]

Some say this rumor is not true :

http://transportation.engadget.com/2007/05/04/microsoft-and-yahoo-no-deal/

[angelwatt]

It wouldn't be a smart thing for Yahoo to do this. I have multiple accounts with Yahoo and if they join MS I'll be shutting down those accounts immediately and take my money elsewhere.

[notsofatjames]

That's my take. For years, my primary email's a Yahoo! address (I reluctantly pay the stupid POP annual fee because I don't want to go through the hassle of switching email addresses). Meanwhile, I found the Hotmail of years ago to be horrible, and that's before I switched to Macs.

If Microsoft swallows Yahoo!, it might be time for me to get a Gmail address...

I use yahoo as my primary mail, and I dont pay for pop access. It's free. Well at least here in the UK it is, and ive been signed up for pop access for years. Its the main reason i chose yahoo over hotmail, (before gmail sprung up), because pop access was free.

[aafuss1]

I could see them partnerning for Flickr intergration with Digital Image. And Apple is yet allow Yahoo! contacts in iChat-MS already does this.

[Cult Follower]

Yahoo is too smart to let something like that happen. I'm sick of microsoft trying to rule my life.

[twoodcc]

i wouldn't like to see this happen. mainly b/c i just don't like microsoft

[MikeTheC]

While I certainly appreciate the "It'll scuttle Yahoo in the long run" sentiment expressed here, mergers are one of the big "things I f-----g hate" bugaboos in the business world. It just perpetuates the trend of setting an anti-competitive precident.

This leaves us all worse off, not better, Yahoo's quality (or lack thereof) notwithstanding.

[a456]

What if Apple were to takeover Microsoft? Things would really get interesting then.

[PlaceofDis]

What if Apple were to takeover Microsoft? Things would really get interesting then.

impossible. not to mention creating a monopoly so it wouldn't happen ever.

[Dustman]

What would M$ do with yahoo?