When is a circle not a circle?

When it is a square, and that is Jerry Yang.

Interesting article from ars technica talking about how badly Yang wants a Microsoft deal. http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20080629-jerry-yang-is-out-of-choices-and-he-wants-microsoft.html

No surprise here. Insiders say it is downright creepy inside the hallways at Yahoo! People are departing "what seems like every few hours, and you can actually feel a shift in power."

We shall see what happens. We shall see.

New Social Agencies. . .no, just Search modified!

With the Yahoo/Google partnership, many search agencies seem to realize that they may not has as much to do. So, what to do instead? Well, focus on Social Media!

Yesterday, GroupM announced a new Social Media arm, fueled out of Outrider, until now, a predominantly search focused agency: http://www.adweek.com/aw/content_display/news/e3i2da171c37e1d75e234cdcc9d4f7f5b66

They are not alone. Reprise Media, 360i, iCrossing and others have also gone down the path.

Why?

Engagement. These shops specialize in getting people to take action, and in social media, that means engagement. Will be interesting to see how this shakes out.

The Giant who Cried Wolf!

After all the back and forth over the past several months, even I am tired of the whole Microsoft/Yahoo courtship. Let's review:

Yahoo is the Treasurer of Student Council, and is working hard to keep her position.
Google, of course, is the Class President, Prom King, Homecoming Court, you name it.
Microsoft comes along, tried to woo the Y! Cause she is pretty, just not pretty enough.
Yahoo says "maybe" but I could do better (Microsoft is a bit geeky)
Yahoo plays hard to get, Microsoft pays for dinner (again) and asks for another date.
Yahoo thinks "but Google MIGHT ask me for next Friday" VERY Marcia Brady!
Microsoft balks, Yahoo weeps, and then gets her mom and day screaming at her "But you HAVE to go to the Prom." You are pretty, but don't try to be something you are not!
Yahoo tries to entice Microsoft back to her house. Microsoft declines. He is over it.
Yahoo says "I'll show you!" and Asks Google to the prom. Google has heard about Yahoo! And accepts, sort of. "Says I will drive you, but I can't promise to dance with you at all."
Yahoo agrees, and when she gets there, immediately goes to Microsoft to gloat.

Microsoft asks her to dance.

And there they are. Who knows what will come of it, but honestly, they better either get it on, or move on. They are becoming the Prom Court Jesters.

And we're BACK

Yep, according to TechCrunch's Michael Arrington, he has confirmation that Search talks are back on with Y and M!

http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/06/24/sources-microsoft-and-yahoo-talks-back-on/

Now, in my opinion, when the stock gets to $20.01, make an offer. . . $32.99.

Long Time . . Same News

No movement on the Yahoo! Microsoft front (even though NEWS.com is saying there is another conversation happening).

What I want to know is. . . what is the biggest thing to happen to the web in the last 90 days from your perspective?

Give the good, the bad and the ugly.

Away for a day. . .

And not much actually happened! Well, that isn't exactly true!

Technorati announced its new blog network yesterday, to great response! In a matter of hours, over 300 individual blogs reached out to join! This is very good news, especially since the mid teir blogs (and smaller ones, like Technorobi!) are definitely limited to the types of relationships that they can have with the guys with the money! (Look out AdSense).

Not that any one thing could kill Google, but this is the start of something truly great!

Good morning media. ..

What will you bring me that is new and useful today? Everyday there are tons of new and innovative ways to use the internet to fine tune your experiences.

The current buzz is really tied to all things Widget. So, it bears to question . . how many widgets is too many?

Do people really use widgets? Please comment, would love to understand how you are using widgets in your daily experience.

Another day, another disaster

So, with the news out, it definitely seems that Yahoo has found itself all alone in the world. Well, that isn't exactly true, but it is more true that you can imagine.

First, it has lost its frienemy Microsoft. In fact, I am pretty sure that Yahoo thought they were enemies that they treated like friends, sort of . Microsoft was the more mature player, and realized that what their momma always told them still is true: "you don't have to be friends with everyone, but you need to try."

As for Icahn, he seems to be the biggest loser in this whole thing. Yahoo lost $3.1B in valuation yesterday following all that news, and well, what can you do Icahn? Try actually coming to the table with real ideas, not just a bunch of whining!

As for all my homies left at Y! hold your heads up high! It isn't your fault. You guys just work really hard on really good products, and the Others are the ones that mess it all up!

So too, goes the Micro . . . .

Microsoft and Yahoo merger conversations have completely fallen apart, according to the WSJ, featured here on Yahoo Finance! (how appropriate) http://biz.yahoo.com/rb/080612/markets_stocks_yahoo.html?.v=1

Yahoogle - Yahoo to pass the search over to Google?

TechCrunch is reporting that a new partnership between Google and Yahoo is being announced later this afternoon . . not confirmed by either party, this will definitely change what happens at Yahoo! http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/06/12/googleyahoo-announcement-at-130-this-afternoon/

On another note, part of the announcement includes the departure of a "Senior Management Player" again, no comment, but it is supposedly NOT Jeff Weiner, as already reported by the LATimes.

Do You Want Fries with That Shake?

Shake - up that is!

Another Yahoo (meaning person that works there, not just the company). This time the departure of Jeff Weiner, as reported by the LATimes: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/technology/2008/06/its-official-we.html

As the main guy leading the Yahoo strategy it will be interesting to see how this fares for Y!

Weiner moving on????

Well, this would be very interesting indeed. Valleywag is reporting that not one, but TWO VCs are interested in having a new "entrepreneur in residence" http://valleywag.com/

And the battle continues . .

It seems that there isn't much coming out of the whole Yahoo/Icahn/Microsoft thing . . .

One thing is for sure though . . .whatever the result, we can expect to hear about it for a very long time.

My World, My Time

So, I was thinking what I should be doing is paying more attention to the blogosphere, now that I work within it!

I am the Sr. Director of Sales for Technorati (get it) and obviously want to stay tight with the comings and goings of the blogosphere, and the social conversation as a whole.

There are a lot of things that I could talk about, but, for the most part, will spend my time providing my expertise on what is happening "out there."

Just so you don't think to yourself "who is this woman" I thought I would provide a glimpse of my time in media:

Spent 4 years working at Wireless for the Corporate User magazine
Spent the next 2 years at Network Magazine, and at a handful of internet start ups
Follow that with 5.5 years at CNET Networks (through MySimon acquisition)
6 months at Tribal Fusion (a blog entry all on its own)
A year at Yahoo! - Search was still fun then
Drop off at Technorati.

Stay tuned for the latest and greatest from my mind!