It’s been a very interesting week for business and tech news.The iPod nano, rumors about Skype, and of course Hurricane Katrina have been among the topics that I’ve seen blogged a lot, and which I’ve commented on as well. Other things going on, too, some related, that caught my eye this afternoon from recent RSS […]
Category: Web/Tech
Brand creativity on show
I spent a couple of hours yesterday strolling through the 11 halls of the RAI Center in Amsterdam taking in the sights and sounds of the IBC 2005 exhibition. This is a massive show. Imagine – over 1,000 companies exhibiting their wares occupying all 11 halls of the RAI. That’s about 72,000 square meters (216,000 […]
Ebay acquisition of Skype looks imminent
Still just a rumour? Last Thursday, the Financial Times reported on a strong rumour that Ebay was in talks to acquire Skype. This morning, the FT has this story prominently displayed on its home page: Ebay was in the final stages late on Sunday night of sealing an agreement to buy Skype, the fast-growing provider […]
Ebay says it is acquiring Skype
It’s now official – Ebay is acquiring Skype. A press release on the Ebay investor relations website makes it clear: London, September 12, 2005 – eBay Inc. (Nasdaq: EBAY; www.ebay.com) has agreed to acquire Luxembourg-based Skype Technologies SA, the global Internet communications company, for approximately $2.6 billion in up-front cash and eBay stock, plus potential […]
Influential Dutch marketing blog in partnering deal
Ilse Media, a Dutch publisher and blog portal, has taken a 25 percent stake in Marketingfacts.nl, one of the most influential marketing and business blogs in The Netherlands. Ilse Media’s strong interest is in “the knowledge power of a community of interactive marketeers,” Marketingfacts pioneer Marco Derksen told me (I’ve known Marco for much of […]
The Hobson and Holtz Report – Podcast #67: September 12, 2005
Content summary: Listeners’ comments discussion (bandwidth, bit rates and listening preferences; jazzed about podcasts; answering the logo call); PR firms with no RSS; emergent journalism with PublicNow.com; IABC’s Katrina initiative; Queen of Sky sues Delta; eBay acquires Skype, Oracle grabs Siebel Systems, America West goes to US Airways; two new European podcasters; 20 uses for […]
A powerful combination for Les Blogs 2.0
Exciting news from Blogging Planet, the communication consultancy in which I’m an alliance partner with Guillaume du Gardier, Elizabeth Albrycht and Christoph Ducamp. Loic Le Meur of Six Apart has invited Blogging Planet to co-produce Les Blogs 2.0, a two-day conference scheduled for 5-6 December in Paris. And, given how close the dates are for […]
Communicating the power of 3
Listening to eBay’s investor conference call last night which took place to discuss eBay’s acquisition of Skype, and following along with the slide presentation (PDF), it’s now clearer to me what the expected synergies are from this deal from eBay‘s and Skype‘s perspectives. It’s something they’re calling the Power of 3: (Click to see a […]
FIR Interview: Gerry Murray, President IABC Belgium – September 14, 2005
In this edition of For Immediate Release podcast interviews, Neville enjoyed a 47-minute conversation with Gerry Murray, President of IABC Belgium, and a management and communication consultant. Topics discussed include: development plans for IABC Belgium, the new Chapter website and new President’s blog, the challenges in engaging members throughout Europe, professional development opportunities for IABC […]
Google Blog Search is fast
Like almost everyone else in the blogosphere, I’ve tried the new Google Blog Search tool, released in beta yesterday. My immediate impression from doing a half dozen searches at various times today is that it’s fast! Much faster than, say, Technorati. Every search I did with Google Blog Search, the results were there in less […]
Let transparency enter your company
Before you next try and explain to your colleagues or your clients why they should pay attention to business blogging, read a terrific pitch from Loic Le Meur that sets out some of the key reasons. Example: […] One of the reasons why you should open your own blogs is now to participate in this […]
The Hobson and Holtz Report – Podcast #68: September 15, 2005
Content summary: Listeners’ comments discussion; new research from IABC Foundation; Google Blog Search; Yahoo! Mail; PodcastCon UK; a how-to ebook on podcasting; new white paper on corporate blogging; Chrysler media blog. Show notes for September 15, 2005 Welcome to For Immediate Release: The Hobson & Holtz Report, a 73-minute conversation recorded live from Amsterdam, The […]
London podcasting conference set for success
Europe’s first conference on podcasting takes place in London tomorrow, and it looks clear that it will be a terrific event. So far, 128 people have signed up and paid their ₤30 to participate in PodcastCon UK. The sign-up wiki shows a further 35 people who still might be there once they’ve paid the small […]
PodcastCon UK well underway
The afternoon session at PodcastCon UK has just got underway, with a live recording of the Richard Vobes Radio Show. An opportunity to get online (for the first time since leaving Amsterdam yesterday morning) on the conference hotel’s wifi connection to pick up email and RSS and do this quick post. PodcastCon UK is a […]
A bright future for UK podcasting
A tremendous success – that’s my judgment of PodcastCon UK which took place in London on Saturday. Europe’s first conference on podcasting saw 120 or so people gathered together to present, talk, mix and get to know each other in an atmosphere of keen excitement. A massive tip of the hat to the four organizers […]
The broadband siren call
We all want fast always-on internet, right? Not a measly 8-megs-fast (that’s what I get here in The Netherlands), something blisteringly fast: Give me speed that terrifies the old and exhilarates the young. Let me download life with wild abandon. Make it ludicrously affordable, that I may infuriate my friends (but make it easy for […]
The Hobson and Holtz Report – Podcast #69: September 19, 2005
Content summary: Listeners’ comments discussion (sound improvements; Dmoz.org; podcasting in higher education, and in business schools with RSS and Blackberries; lighting the blogging flame; podcasts at different bit rates); Global PR Blog Week 2.0; review of PodcastCon UK; Sun warns employee bloggers about confidentiality; Phil Gomes starts a podcast; Business Week’s podcasting efforts; viral marketing […]
Biz-Tech-News: Headlines 20-Sept-05
A new blog about PowerPoint AOL offers new VOIP service b5 is waking up Black day for IBM traditionalists Dell Unveils Music Player Economist falls for Skype-hype: wrongly predicts end to mobile voice calls Google Prepares to Launch WiFi Service Identity Theft inFlightHQ Launches Internet industry unease at EU rules revision Novell PR Team Opens […]
Reuters is podcasting the news
First it was RSS feeds, now it’s podcasting – Reuters joins the mainstream media podcasting fray: Get the latest on world news, politics, business, entertainment and more. Click Listen to hear the stories now or select Podcast to transfer them to your MP3 player. Each podcast contains the ten most recent news stories in that […]
Blogging the Frankfurt Motor Show
The Frankfurt Motor Show takes place this week, and a group of bloggers is there courtesy of German car maker BMW. PR blogger Björn Ognibeni writes: I am traveling to Frankfurt [on 16 September] visiting the 61st International Motor Show (IAA). BMW was so kind to invite a bunch of bloggers, including me, to the […]