Comment on Should We Be Afraid of Apple, Google and Facebook? by John Conor

The US DoJ uses a particular test to determine if a firm has monopoly power - the Herfindahl - Hirschmann index (HHI). Using this as the sole indicator, and thinking reasonably carefully about the markets in which each plays (search and web-delivered ads for the first, 'social network' connections for the second): Google and Facebook absolutely have monopoly power. The answers for the others are less clear. I have not read Prof. Wu's book (and can't get it except, ahem, to my Kindle, since I live in Asia), so cannot tell if he used the DoJ numerical definition, or how precisely he used term monopoly at all.

Comment on Should We Be Afraid of Apple, Google and Facebook? by John Conor

Backlink: http://gigaom.com/2010/11/25/tim-wu-google-facebook/#comment-524183

Comment on Should We Be Afraid of Apple, Google and Facebook? by eideard

The paranoid rarely change - except, occasionally, the direction of their fears. A foolish waste of time and energy.

Comment on Should We Be Afraid of Apple, Google and Facebook? by eideard

Backlink: http://gigaom.com/2010/11/25/tim-wu-google-facebook/#comment-523837

Comment on Should We Be Afraid of Apple, Google and Facebook? by PRETHOUGHT

Yeah, tell me about it. Now complete proud owner Novell! 420 million dollars worth to MS and then the rest to Attachmate another company owned by MS just to make it look like it's not an anti-trust case. Android and Linux users be prepared for the MS lawsuit assaults!!!!! In 2011 the battle royal against open source will begin!

Comment on Should We Be Afraid of Apple, Google and Facebook? by PRETHOUGHT

Backlink: http://gigaom.com/2010/11/25/tim-wu-google-facebook/#comment-523821

Hell, Yes, Google Should Buy Groupon. And Twitter. And Foursquare...

Google is in talks to buy Groupon for more than $3 billion, Kara Swisher reports.

Good.

Google offered $2.5-$4 billion to buy Twitter a few months ago, Nicholas Carlson reports.

Also good.

Google's Marissa Mayer is obsessed with Foursquare and is probably considering buying it.

Also good.

Google should buy all these leading companies--and more. 

Here's why:

Google has cash coming out of its ears, and the cash is currently doing the company no good whatsoever.  Google has $30 billion in the bank. It's earning next to nothing. Google generates another $2 billion of cash each quarter, or $10 billion a year.  Google could buy Groupon, Twitter, and Foursquare for, say, $10-$15 billion in all.  Google shareholders would never miss the cash--not for one second.  And Google would then own the leading companies in three potentially huge new businesses, none of which Google is currently in.

Google's core business, search, is maturing, and despite a lot of excitement about display ads, Android, YouTube, etc., Google's other businesses are still a rounding error.  Groupon is already generating $500+ million of revenue a year. Twitter and Foursquare could become massive new businesses, especially with Google's help. 

There's very little downside risk: If Twitter and Foursquare and Groupon ended up being worthless (unlikely), Google would just take a meaningless write-off.  Some journalists and Twitter-pundits might snicker at Google's "stupidity," the way they snickered at Google's "stupidity" in paying $1.7 billion for YouTube (great deal) and Microsoft's "stupidity" in investing in Facebook, etc. But whatever. That's a small price to pay for owning the top companies in several exciting new categories.

History has shown again and again that buying the No. 2 or No. 3 player in online categories is usually a much worse move than paying up to buy No. 1.  Groupon, Twitter, and Foursquare are No. 1s, at least for now. 

Google sucks at social, and it has never done anything in commerce or, really, location.  Thus, if Google buys these companies and doesn't screw them up (not a given), Google will suddenly add competencies that so far it has been unable to develop internally.  Again, that's worth paying up for.

Google's spending big bucks to move into social, commerce, and location-based services is VASTLY smarter than some of Google's other bizarre investments, such as wind-farms and self-driving cars.  These businesses are complementary to Google's core business and close to its core competency.  Wind farms aren't.

The bottom line: Google has way more cash than it will ever need, and the cash is a competitive weapon. Instead of just letting that cash sit around and earn peanuts, Google should convert the cash into potential future growth engines.  Google can afford to buy companies that other companies can't--and it can afford to pay top dollar for them.  If all the bets don't pay off, whatever--Google has way more cash than it needs.  And Google's investors are invested in the company in the hope that it will one day pay out the cash as dividend.

So just write the checks, Google.  Be bold.  The time is now.

See Also: "My Nightmare Interviews With Google"

Join the conversation about this story »

See Also:

• My Nightmare Interviews With Google
• "Easy To Work At Google? Bulls--t"
• Google On A Massive Hiring Spree: Wants To Add 2,100 New Employees

Post originale: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/typepad/alleyinsider/silicon_alley_insider/~3/BxjAs1ce0jg/google-buy-groupon-and-twitter-and-foursquare-2010-11

Government should urge Indonesia to disclose location of the skeletons of November 12 victims

Diario Nacional, November 11, 2010 language source: Tetun - MP Domingos Mesquita from the National Unity Party (PUN) has urged the Indonesian Government to disclose the location of the skeletons of the November 12, 1991 victims who were massacred by

Tags: timor-leste east-timor crimes-against-humanity

Post originale: http://www.blogcatalog.com/search/frame?term=location&id;=502888ae48ffd442052b058af6950db8

Comment on Why Apple Should Consider a Seven-inch iPad by John Gibson

Apple does - see Mac Book Air 11.6

Post originale: http://gigaom.com/mobile/why-apple-should-consider-a-seven-inch-ipad/#comment-502782

Interview Questions Project Managers Should Be Ready For

Interview questions for project managers inevitably focus on past project experience. The ability to form detailed and articulate responses is one of the top factors recruiters look for, since the nature of the position entails so much communication. You should also be able to demonstrate excellent organizational skills when you describe previous projects, according to Vasanthan Dasan, CTO and VP of Engineering for the Armada Group, a cloud computing firm in Silicon Valley. Demonstrating time-management skills, and the ability to identify project roadblocks in advance, are also key.

Here's a sample of the questions you'll be asked.

Give me an example of a project you managed as it relates to this position.

Most project manager interview questions are related to previous projects. The project manager should be able to articulate project details such as planning, methodology, team management, risk management, collaboration, technical tools, obstacles, communication and results.

The best answer is to give an example of a project that is similar to your prospective employer's projects. If not, you should at least attempt to orient the answer as it relates to the position.

Here's a sample project. How would you go about planning, managing and completing it?

A variation on the first question, this one's designed to test your quick-thinking ability and depth of knowledge.

Talk about a project you worked on that had problems and what you did to fix them.

A similar question that may be asked: "Explain when an IT project wasn't in line with what the organization wanted. How did you get around that?"

"Project Managers are frequently asked about challenges and to reveal a situation where there was conflict that needed to be resolved," says Susanne Currivan, senior account manager for Project One, a New York-based IT staffing firm.

During a project, how do you inform all stakeholders of progress on a regular basis?

Effective communication is key to a successful project, so you'll need to demonstrate numerous ways and tools used to communicate with team members and stakeholders in the organization.

"Methodology and communication end up being a big part of the hiring decision," says Craig Kapper, senior regional vice president for Robert Half Technology. "Do they have the right methodology and does the project manager consistently relay progress reports to stakeholders?"

What tools do you typically use to monitor and control a project?

Obviously, there are numerous tools that can be used during a project, yet some are more robust and scalable than others. The idea here is to find out if you're using some of the more effective tools available, Kapper says.

How did you apply your training or certification to a previous position?

This question will commonly be addressed to probe your experience or certification, such as PMI. Interviewers may follow up with a request to give specific examples.

Explain how you established a relationship with your project team and how you collaborated to get things done.

This is a "culture fit" question designed to discover how you work with other people. A similar question is: "Give an example when you received coaching and how you reacted."

Others to look out for:

What project management methodologies are you most familiar with?

Give an example of a time where you had a conflict with, or disagreed with a boss or coworker.

-- Chandler Harris

Post originale: http://career-resources.dice.com/articles/content/entry/interview_questions_project_managers_should

Ask The Headhunter: Should I pursue a company even if it has no jobs open?

 By Nick Corcodilos

Question:

You have written that when identifying job opportunities, a person should "...find out who, exactly ... industry, companies, specific managers ... the problems, challenges and opportunities these employers are facing."

Do I do this without knowing whether they need someone or not? Am I hoping that, in the course of my research, I will discover an opening that my skills will complement even though I don't know if a specific opening exists?

Or, should I expect that if I have the skills the employer needs to make his business more profitable (whether or not he has a specific opening), he'll find a spot for me if I prove myself valuable?

Nick's Reply:

Ah, you're asking the kinds of questions I love!


"Do I do this without knowing whether they need someone or not?"



Yep. One thing should guide and motivate your research: your interest in the business, the company and the work you are researching. That's what makes you a powerful candidate and - ultimately - a desirable employee.



"Am I hoping that in the course of my research I will discover if they have an opening that my skills will complement even though I don't know if a specific opening exists?"

Yes again. It never ceases to amaze me that the typical approach to job hunting is to look for "what's available" rather than "what you want." Imagine choosing a mate that way. Or a meal. Why settle, when with a little effort you can pursue what's important to you, rather than "what's on the menu?"


"Or, should I expect that if I have the skills the employer needs to make his business more profitable (whether or not he has a specific opening), he'll find a spot for me if I prove myself valuable?"



Bingo! That's the big Ask The Headhunter lesson. If the company is healthy, it may make room for you. If not now, in the near future. If not in the future, then they might recommend you to another company. Regardless, you will have made a new friend in the industry you want to work in. At the very least, you wind up with an excellent reference.



Recently, in the course of a search, I encountered a person who I thought could be a great hire for one of my clients - but the client didn't have an open position. The company recognized "a solution in search of a problem" and promptly hired her, creating a new position. How did we pull this off? I coached the candidate to prepare a business plan describing how she could create a new role that would clearly benefit the company. They hired her, and they paid her what she asked.



This is the sort of deal that makes the world go 'round. You're getting it. Now try it!



Copyright © 2010 Nick Corcodilos. All rights reserved. Ask The Headhunter® is a registered trademark. Nick Corcodilos is president of North Bridge Group, Inc. and the author of two new e-books, How to Work with Headhunters and How Can I Change Careers? He shares his contrarian advice and hopes to learn a lot from you, too. Got questions or comments? Please join the discussion!

Post originale: http://career-resources.dice.com:80/articles/content/entry/ask_the_headhunter_should_i2

THE APPLE INVESTOR: If Apple Were To Acquire A Company, It Should Buy Netflix (AAPL, NFLX)

The Apple Investor is a daily report from SAI. Sign up here to receive it by email.

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AAPL Sideways As Market Slips 
Stocks are sliding this morning as concerns grow over whether the Fed's plans to buy Treasury bonds might be smaller and slower than anticipated. Shares of Apple are trading relatively flat. Upcoming catalysts include monthly NPD data (Mac / iPod business); holiday iPhone and iPad sales updates and carrier expansion; new content revenue streams such as video, books and social (Ping); and the uptake of refreshed Apple TV. AAPL trades at 14x Enterprise Value / Trailing Twelve Months Free Cash Flow (incl. long-term marketable securities).

An Apple / Netflix Combination Makes Sense, Says Analyst (Barron's)

Gleacher & Co. analyst Brian Marshall continues to believe that Netflix makes sense as a top acquisition target for Apple. The company wants to be the first to seamlessly integrate the home office and the living room. What’s limiting them now is basically content and better broadband into the home. In terms of content, they have over 10,000 titles on iTunes. Netflix has over 100,000 titles. That would be a pretty interesting marriage right there. Take that Sony! (Sony is “not very innovative” for Apple to consider and has missed the industry shift to software.)

Apple Seeks Help To Gain The Enterprise (Bloomberg)

Expanding beyond its consumer customer base, Apple has enlisted Unisys to help with sales to businesses and U.S. government agencies. The company will provide maintenance and other services to companies and government agencies that purchase Apple devices. One of the first of its kind for Apple, the contract was signed this month. Watch out Microsoft, Apple wil get adoption of more Mac clients in the enterprise because of the iPhone.

Ballmer Steals Halo From Jobs (Develop)

Steve Jobs was allegedly in a rage about Microsoft’s purchase of Mac game developer Bungie back in 2000, a deal that was to bring Microsoft-published games to the Mac. Bungie was the premier game developer on the Mac platform. Halo was to be the company’s next big franchise. If that were the case, I'd be pissed too! That's Microsoft's big seller.

Launching Online Apple And App Stores In China (AppleInsider)
Apple launched its online Apple Store for China as well as its Chinese-language version of the App Store (iTunes), as part of its efforts to strengthen its brand in the Chinese market. An image posted to China's Apple website promoted the new online store with an image of an iPhone, iPad, and iPod nano dressed up as traditional Chinese lanterns. Ah, how cute.

Apple Not Buying Spotify Says Spotify (CNet)

Contrary to published reports, Apple is not talking with Spotify about acquiring the European digital music service (to either take iTunes online or shut it down). The company's spokesman Jim Butcher said acquisitions discussions with Apple have never taken place. "We wouldn't normally comment on this kind of speculation, but we wanted to make it clear that we have absolutely no intention of selling Spotify," he said.

White iPhone Not Coming Till Next Spring (Reuters)

Apple is delaying the release of its eagerly anticipated white iPhone again, this time until next spring. The latest version of the popular handset, the iPhone 4, was released in June, but the white model was delayed first to July, then to the end of the year and now to early next year. At this point, why bother? By the time it's ready, no one will want it.

Join the conversation about this story »

See Also:

• THE APPLE INVESTOR: Apple's Mysterious NC Data Center Nearly Operational And Already Looking To Expand
• THE APPLE INVESTOR: Apple Losing Investors Because It Won't Pay Dividends, Says Analyst
• THE APPLE INVESTOR: Mac Enterprise Market Share To Increase 57%

Post originale: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/typepad/alleyinsider/silicon_alley_insider/~3/J-vy8XWnrTw/the-apple-investor-oct-27-2010-10