Building and Destroying a Brand

Laura Ries picks on Dell:

The Demise of Dell

The personal computer is one of the most important developments of the 20^th century. Its importance as a product, category and industry continue today.

Hindsight is always 20/20. But try to imagine going back in time.

Back in 1980 if I asked a multiple choice question about the emerging personal computer industry, what would your answer be?

What company is most likely to dominate the personal computer market?

(a) IBM, the company that invented the mainframe computer?

(b) Apple, the leading home computer?

(c) Sony, the leading electronics brand?

(d) Digital Equipment, the inventor of the minicomputer?

(e) Dell, a company started by a sophomore at the University of Texas?

Most people would probably answer IBM. With the rest answering Apple, Sony or Digital Equipment. I doubt anyone would have said Dell.

It isn’t logical, rational or reasonable to believe that a nerdy student from the University of Texas could take on some of the biggest companies and brands in the world and win.

But of course he did. He took them all on and won. Michael Dell built Dell Computer into the world’s largest computer company leaving IBM, Apple, Sony and Digital Equipment in the dust.

Marketing isn’t logical and marketing doesn’t follow the rules of common sense. Which is why the best way to understand marketing and to predict the future is by studying the past.

How did Dell come out of nowhere to dominate the computer market? It wasn’t an accident that Dell succeeded. They succeeded because unlike IBM, Apple, Sony, Digital Equipment or any of the other computer makers, Dell was totally focused.

Dell focused on one product: the personal computer.

Dell focused on one distribution system: direct.

Dell focused on one market: business.

And as a result, Dell became the largest selling brand of personal computers in the world and had the best stock-market performance of the 500 companies in the Standard & Poor’s Index in the decade of the 1990’s.

But success can go to your head. And a great stock performance can lead to intense pressure. And that (perhaps unreasonable) pressure to keep up the growth leads to expansion which can undermine a company and a brand. This is exactly what happened at Dell.

In 1997, Dell announced it would begin taking aim at consumers.

In 2003, it announced it would be diving into the consumer electronics marketing.

Also in 2003, it announced it would be selling computers in Sears and other large chains. In 2007, Dell announced it would be selling computers in Wal-Mart. In 2009 Dell announced it would start to sell smartphones.

All of this has diluted Dell’s focus and eroded the strength of Dell’s brand. No longer does Dell stand for “direct” in the mind. Dell is just another computer company. The expansion of the brand hasn’t helped it gain market share either, quite the opposite, Dell lost its PC leadership HP.

Today Hewlett-Packard is the world leader.

HP 19 %

Dell 15 %

Lenovo 7 %

Acer 7 %

Toshiba 4 %

In 2007, Michael Dell returned as CEO in an attempt to right the ship. And while his personality and presence has helped the company. Michael has not made the tough calls necessary to refocus the company and brand.

Why is Dell still relentlessly chasing consumers. Dell’s consumer division accounts for 20% percent of sales and it operates at a dismal profit margin of 2.4% (far lower than Dell’s other divisions.)

Why isn’t Dell making money on consumers? Because the brand doesn’t have power with consumers.

The low-cost, no-frills, personalized, direct model isn’t appealing to consumers. Consumers like cool, consumers don’t know enough to personalize their computers, consumers like to touch before they buy and consumers are turning to laptops which are harder to customize.

Consumers have distracted Dell. Dell spends so much time trying to make itself more appealing to consumers that they become less appealing to businesses. “Dude you’re getting a Dell!” was the kind of advertising that doesn’t win over company procurement departments.

The Wall Street Journal blames Dell’s demise on the “faltering” of its direct sales model. I think it is just the opposite. I blame Dell’s demise on its drifting away from its direct sales model. Dell should have stuck to its focus on selling direct to businesses.

The Dell brand will never work with consumers. Dell will never be cool. The more it tries, the worse the results. And when a brand isn’t cool, a company is forces to sell on price which is why Dell will never make any money selling to consumers.

Expansion is what got that got IBM, Sony, Motorola and many other companies into trouble. You can’t put your name on everything and sell to everyone.

That’s not the way to build a leader brand. Nor is it the way to make decent profits.

In the business world today there are dozens of Dells, all trying to expand their way to success when the only thing that really works is exactly the opposite.

Narrow your focus. Build your brand. Rake in the dough.

Enough said?

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Classic Ad of the Week

Your CellPhone is more powerful.

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Apple Vs. Vista

In my family, we have 2 Windows Vista laptops, 2 Windows XP Desktops, and 2 Windows XP Laptops. Oh, we also have one Mac Laptop.

But enough about me, on with the latest Apple Ad:

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Combine Online with In-Store Retail

I have bought several items this way. This combines the best of both worlds, the convenience of shopping from home, your office or coffee shop, and then picking it up, sometimes as soon as 20 minutes later.

Can you implement this business model in your business?

Buy Online. Pickup Instore

According to the e-tailing group's recent Cross-Channel Shopping Study, "buy online for pickup in-store is definitely becoming more a part of stores' culture," according to Lauren Freedman, President. "Customer adoption coupled with growth among key multi-channel merchants embraces cross-channel customer convenience."

A primary appeal is free shipping to the store which 96% now offer vs. 92% last year. Merchants that stock products centrally need more time to ship goods to the store. This impacts same day pickup, now available from just 54% of those surveyed vs. 73% last year.

Efficiencies within the store like the pickup location more frequently being at the customer service area, and more related in-store signage, are further evidence of the feature's integration within the brick and mortar environment.

The overall wait time is also improving for store pickup; down to an average of 2.58 minutes versus 3.21 minutes last year and 3.64 the year prior. Products were ready and waiting when the customer arrived at the store 94% of the time, up from 83% in 2007.

In-Store Pickup Experience (% of surveyed merchants)
	3Q 2008	3Q 2007
Pickup Location & Type
Designated pickup counter	37%	45%
General cashier	42	43
Customer service area	21	12
Designated counter*
Easy to find	79	78
Medium difficulty	17	13
Difficult to find	4	9
In-store signage for pickup	58	55
Overall wait time	2.58 min	3.21 min
Produce ready & waiting	94	83
Source: the e-Tailing Group, September 2008 (*subset % penetration)

Online there is good visibility and promotion of this feature. It is constant on the home page and gaining penetration on the product page (50% '08 vs. 27% '07) as well as in the shopping cart.

Along with the order confirmation and onsite thank-you standards, more merchants are including pickup instructions. The study received email notification that products were ready for pickup 71% of the time vs. 52% last year.

Freedman concludes, "... more merchants (should) step up their efforts and make the necessary investment to facilitate buy online/pickup in-store.... customers coming into stores will be critical for servicing and selling to today's multi-channel customer."

An example of recommended (by e-tailing) customer service practices relative to in-store pickup is included here:

The e-tailing group Checklist: In-store Stellar Customer Service

• Keep promoted products be in-stock
• Allow shoppers to designate who will be picking up the order
• Include signage to direct customers picking up online orders
• Staff pickup counters with associates that have been trained on ship-to-store
• Keep store pickup areas in order
• Limit multi-tasking while with the customer
• Get feedback about customers' pickup experience

For more information including a list of surveyed merchants or to order the report visit the e-tailing group's website here.

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Tips for Starting Your Own On-Line Store

This came from Kim Komando's regular weekly (free) newsletter that she sends out on Saturday mornings.

On my personal blog, I will feature some of her articles on occasion. But this one includes tips for the budding entrepreneur:

STARTING YOUR OWN ONLINE STORE
Brad in South Whitley, IN, is going to start his own online store. He is looking for a professional Web designer and a search engine optimization (SEO) company. He'd like advice on picking the right companies to develop his site.

Good for you, Brad! There's nothing quite like owning your own business. There is a lot of hard work involved. But, ultimately, the rewards make it worthwhile.

I wrote a column on starting your own e-store not long ago. I've also written about optimizing your site for SEO. You should read these tips for some background information. The tip on SEO will be particularly helpful.

Read my tip on building a commercial site. It will help you develop a request for proposal. You'll also find help on selecting a developer.

The tip wasn't written with retail in mind. So, there are a few more considerations in your case. You should examine retail sites that you like. See what works and what doesn't. You'll also want to think about payment processing. And securing customers' data should also be a high priority. Make sure the developer you hire has what it takes to handle these things.

Now here's all the legal stuff and a link to sign up for your own Kim Komando newsletters:

Copyright © 2008, The Kim Komando Show. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission of The Kim Komando Show is prohibited and strictly enforced. Newsletters may contain links to sites on the Internet owned and operated by third parties. The Kim Komando Show is not responsible for the availability of, or the content located on or through, any such third-party site. Information in this document is provided "as is" without warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, including but not limited to the implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose and freedom from infringement. The user assumes the entire risk as to the accuracy and the use of this document. We will not be liable for any damages of any kind arising from the use of this information, including, but not limited to direct, indirect, incidental, punitive, and consequential damages.

GET MORE TIPS FROM ME TO YOU
You get this newsletter. Now, sign up for my other three free e-mail newsletters. Try 'em! You'll like 'em!

• Free computer tip Mon-Fri
• Free cool site daily
• Free news links Mon-Fri

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The Microsoft vs Google Battle Update

From my email:

Inside Microsoft's War Room
by Steve Baldwin , Monday, July 7, 2008

THE TITANIC CLASH BETWEEN MICROSOFT (aka "The Evil Empire") and Google aka "The Don't Be Evil Empire") is accelerating, and while most attention focuses on the ongoing on-again, off-again Yahoo deal, the most significant elements of Microsoft's strategic plan are being laid irrespective of the deal's ultimate outcome.

What are these elements? What are their chances of success or failure? Let's take an imaginary walk through Microsoft's War Room, spend some time studying the "threat board," and assessing the major threats and opportunities as they might be perceived by a Redmondian. (Note: all points in this article are conjectural and have not been conveyed or even suggested by any living and breathing Microsoft employee).

Contingency Plans for a Google-Ruled Web
While most outsiders accept the proposition that Microsoft, with or without Yahoo, will do what is required to restore some semblance of parity to Web-based search queries, various contingency plans have been prepared to deal with a Web ruled by Google. These plans will only be implemented if Microsoft is unable to succeed in any of the following short-term tactical objectives, which include Delay and Defend (by lobbying aggressively against a Yahoo-Google search alliance), Acquire and Assimilate (by buying several large chunks of non-Yahoo traffic), and Bribe and Switch (using its new Cashback service). I very much doubt that we've seen all of these tactical objectives emerge yet.

One obvious plan that Microsoft hasn't tried or even hinted at might be called "Subsidize and Subvert," in which Microsoft would extend a reward offering to Google's thousands of Adsense publishers, enticing them to switch to a Microsoft contextual network through a direct subsidy or revenue guarantee. After all, Adsense contextual revenue constitutes 32% of Google's cash flow, and many of Google's long-tail partners have long ached for a more lucrative deal. Frankly, I find it remarkable that Microsoft didn't target Google's partner network a long time ago.

Let us assume, however, that all of the aforesaid tactical objectives fail, and Google (or Google-Yahoo) continue to grow query and click share to 90% and above within the next year or so. At this point, Microsoft would be forced to execute one of the following contingency plans:

Domination of the air. Most observers agree that the mobile era we're about to enter will represent the biggest platform change in computing history. Even today, roughly a billion mobile devices are shipped each year, and, as pointed out by experts such as AMR Research's Jonathan Yarmis, this number both dwarfs the roughly 100 million PCs sold annually and creates a much-faster evolving computing market (due to the short 21 month life cycle of such devices). The applications-driven nature of these devices creates an opportunity for an applications/OS vendor to dominate delivery of information services in a way that may replicate the control Microsoft enjoyed in the PC era. And while open source advocates like to point out that operating systems such as Symbian and Android provide more opportunities for innovative application development than a closed OS like Windows Mobile, business users are less interested in new and cool applets than in seamlessly extending their work environment to the mobile sphere. Microsoft can gain dominance by providing the best mobile integration of its industry standard Office productivity suite. After all, the 2001 consent decree that has been prohibiting it from integrating certain applications into its desktop OS does not extend to the mobile environment.

Complete control of the home. Xbox is the "Trojan Horse" whose characterization as a gaming console obscures the fact that it is a powerful multipurpose device capable of serving up the entire gamut of interactive services, including IPTV, VOD, media serving, and other next-gen entertainment content. Query-based search will be the primary interaction mechanism for accessing content on the Xbox, and Microsoft (through its internal efforts or through acquisitions) will control the serving of traditional text-based units, modular IPTV spots, rich media, and in-game advertising (projected to be worth about $2.5 billion annually by 2010). This new den-based computing platform is rapidly becoming, in the words of an associate of mine, "the new AOL" in the sense that it functions as a primary place for users to gather, surf, play, search, communicate, and shop. With worldwide sales at 19 million units (and more sales coming thanks to last week's price cut), Microsoft has made a long-term investment in a Google-proof fortress that can only be penetrated if Google buys Nintendo or Sony.

So there you have it. If Microsoft is unable to defeat Google in Web search, it will strategically retreat to higher ground (mobile and the home) and fight a long withering battle where Google's control of the territory is weakest. It is impossible to know at this juncture what this conflict's resolution will be, how it will alter the digital marketing ecosystem and change our own roles as marketers within it -- but it is our dollars that will ultimately separate winner from loser.

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A Link to 100 Free Software Links

Monday, on one of my other blogs, I posted an article with Links to 100 free software applications.

You may find it helpful too. (And there are more links in the comments section).

Click here to go there.

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On-line E-Greeting Cards

I used to think it was fun and cute. Now I think they are simply annoying. I'm not in the target demo, though:

Happy Birthday, Sis

Baby-Boomer women are most likely to send electronic greeting cards over the Internet, a recent survey finds.

Here's how a demographic profile of the 9.2% of adults who sent an e-card:

Male, 29.7%

Female, 70.3%

Millennials, 18.9%

GenXers, 25.3%

Boomers, 44.5%

Pre-Boomers, 11.3%

Source: MRI's "Survey of the American Consumer"

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Teen Habits

Take a look at this research:

Teens Learn From Advertising on Social Sites

OTX, releasing new results from its Teen Topix study, the complex lives of the 13 -17 year old set, found that teens are spending an average of 11.5 hours online, doing everything from instant messaging and visiting social networking sites to shopping and listening to music, but dispels myths that this group wants to do everything online.

Jane Buckingham, President, The Intelligence Group, concludes that "Teens are not a ‘one size fits all' market and the... report show this group to be complex, sophisticated consumers and media users... "

Given the choice, though, teens prefer real friends to online friends, date someone from school over someone from the Internet, and shop in a store to shop online,

Ranking Paired Preferences (Teens aged 13-17)
Would you rather...	% or respondents	OR...	% of respondents
Have a lot of "real friends"	91%	Have a lot of "online friends"	9%
Date someone you know from school	87%	Date someone you meet on the Internet	13%
Shop in a store	82%	Shop online	18%
Watch a full length program on TV	81%	Watch a full length program online	19%
No television for a week	74%	No Internet for a week	26%
Get information from the Internet	71%	Get information from traditional media like TV, magazines, or newspapers	29%
Give up cell phone texting	71%	Give up Internet access	29%
Get your locker vandalized	63%	Get your personal homepage of profile vandalized	37%
Be limited to a TV antenna for watching TV	63%	Be limited to a dial up connection to access the Internet	37%
IM your friend	54%	Call your friend	46%
Source: OTX, June 2008

The study did find that 24% of teens are spending more than 15 hours a week online and when all teens were asked how frequently they do typical online activities, instant messaging came up as the most frequent activity, followed by visiting social networking sites, email, searching, and visiting virtual community sites.

• 45% spent from 1 to less than 8 hours on line during a typical week
• 31% from 8 to less than 15
• 24% 15 hours and over

Bruce Friend, President Media and Entertainment Insights for OTX, said "Many of (their) online activities take place simultaneously... our Longitudinal Media Experience (LMX) study confirms that teenagers are often heavy simultaneous media users."

The study also says that 58% of teens have made a purchase online. On average teens who make purchases online are spending $46 per month, and 26% of teens are spending $50 or more. Clothes and music are the two most popular online purchases, followed by books, electronics and DVDs.

The bedroom (36%) and living room (24%) are the places teens are most likely to have their primary computer. Teens with their primary computer in their bedrooms are more likely to be heavy internet users (15+ hours per week) and spend money online.

Products Personally Purchased Online (Among teens who have purchased online)
	% of Respondents (multiple response OK)
Clothing, Shoes & Accessories	46%
Music	41%
Books	30%
Electronics	27%
DVDs	20%
Source: OTX, June 2008

78% of teens are concerned about computer viruses while online, followed by:

• Identity theft (67%)
• Unauthorized access to personal information (65%)
• Scams (60%)
• Spam (60%)

The average teen has signed up for over four social networking sites and currently belongs to two, reports the study. Teens are receptive to advertising on these sites, where the majority of teens learn about:

• Financial services (63%)
• Movies in theaters (59%)
• Mobile services and accessories (58%)
• Travel (57%)
• Other websites (53%)

For more information please visit OTX here.

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Are You Trendy?

It seams like everything from Startrek has come true. Well, except for Vulcans; Spock; and being able to say, "Beam me up Scotty", and actually go somewhere.

That last one, would solve the energy crisis, wouldn't it!?!

Anyway, recently I wrote about the relationship between Technology and Marketing truths that stand the test of time. Click here if you missed it.

Also take a look at this report on future trends:

Shoppers Primed for New Kinds of Shopping Experience

Biometric fingerprint payments, intelligent shopping carts, holographic sales assistance, and interactive dressing rooms are among the top shopping-experience innovations foreseen by shoppers, finds a TNS Retail Forward study.

The “New Future In Store” study is base on a Feb. ‘08 online survey of 4,600 shoppers across eight countries in Asia, Canada, Europe, and the US.

Shopping via social networking websites and consumer participation in product development are already in use today; they are the most likely to be in widespread use in the future, the study found.

Some findings regarding the 12 innovations covered in the study (reg. req’d):

Biometric Payment - Fingerprinting

A shopper can pay for purchases by placing his/her finger on a sensor that reads its fingerprint, linking it to the shopper’s bank account or credit card to record the purchase:

• 60% of shoppers globally say that they will be able to use biometric payment fingerprinting by 2015.
• The payment method was rated as having “high appeal” by 41% of consumers and was the No. 1 favorite of 25%.
• 60% of Chinese shoppers liked it, but only 24% of Germans and just 19% of US shoppers voted for it as their favorite.

Smart Carts

Interactive, intelligent shopping carts have a video screen that consumers can use to locate products, access shopping lists, check prices, receive promotions/coupons, and scan purchases.

US consumers like the idea of smart carts - 28% rank it as having the highest appeal vs. 19% of all shoppers and just 9% of shoppers in France and Germany.

Interactive Dressing Rooms

A high-resolution digital “mirror” uses a camera to relay live video and project holographic images of clothing items, so customers can see how they will look in an outfit without trying it on - about half of respondents said that interactive dressing room mirrors will eliminate the stress of trying on a new outfit.

Digital touch screens will allow shoppers to communicate with sales personnel without leaving the dressing room - 73% of shoppers globally say they expect to be using them by 2015, but 23% say they would be very likely to use them.

3D Body Scanning

A 3D scan of a shopper’s body is used to make recommendations about the brands and specific clothes most likely to fit well, or to help fit custom-made clothes; the technology was found to be most popular among Germans (21%) compared with all shoppers (12%).

Other Innovations:

• Sales and product information sent via SMS to mobile phones (based on location)
• Placing orders and arranging delivery with a mobile device
• Holographic sales assistant (appealing to 59% of Chinese shoppers)
• Group buying (online collaborative shopping communities)
• Self-activated shopping agents (e.g., a “networked” refrigerator that can order groceries)

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iPhone, u-phone?

Here's some interesting feedback regarding one of the biggest tech gadgets to go mainstream recently from Apple.

Do you have an I-Phone? Do you carry more than 1 mobile phone? Do you have too many electronic gadgets in your life?

Survey says (Click on the charts to make them readable):

iPhone Users Satisfied, but Many Carry Second Mobile Phone

Apple’s iPhone on the whole lives up to the hype according to its users, who tend to be satisfied with their shiny new gadget - some even say it’s displacing their laptops - though many also carry a second phone, according to a Rubicon Consulting study.

Rubicon conducted a survey of 460 iPhone users in the US to determine how the iPhone is being used and its effects on consumers and the tech industry (via MarketingProfs Daily Fix blog).

Some of the key findings of the study:

• iPhone users are satisfied. Most users report high levels of satisfaction with its various features - from music and touch interface (the highest-rated features) to battery life (the lowest rated - though 60% are satisfied):

• E-mail is the leading iPhone function. The data function most used is reading email (72%) - though not writing emails (about 58%). Next are texting, browsing the web and listening to music.

• Increased mobile browsing. More than 75% of users say using an iPhone has resulted in more mobile browsing. But some 40% of iPhone users say it has trouble displaying some websites.
• Expanding the smartphone market. About half of iPhones replaced conventional mobile phones, 40% replaced smartphones, and 10% didn’t replace a phone.
  • Among conventional phones, Motorola Razr was the phone most often replaced.
  • Among smartphones, Windows Mobile and RIM Blackberry were most often replaced.
• One-third of iPhone users carry a second phone. Among those who do, the RIM Blackberry is the most popular - carried by nearly 10% of all iPhone users.
• iPhone is displacing a laptop computer. 28% of users say they often carry their iPhone instead of a laptop.
• Users tend to be young. About half of users are under age 30; about 15% are students.
• iPhone owners use other Apple products. Some 75% of iPhone users have used either iPods or Macintosh computers.
• Phone bills increase. Users’ monthly mobile phone bills have increased, on average, 24% - or about $228 annually.
• Carriers switched. Nearly half of iPhone users say they switched carriers.

Rubicon’s whitepaper, “Apple iPhone: Successes and Challenges,” provides additional, detailed survey information and analysis on the iPhone and its users.

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Google is a verb...

Microsoft is a noun. Yahoo! is an expression. AOL is outdated. And MySpace and Facebook are the current big boys in social media.

But back to my first couple of statements. I find it interesting that Google is so popular and has very few detractors, while Microsoft is also popular but has so many detractors.

Stepping back into history, it was America On Line that popularized the internet by giving away their software and free trials. They evolved into AOL and joined forces with Time/Warner/CNN and these days are a minor player.

Bill Gates and his buds should be credited for developing software that was relatively easy to use compared to the programs that we had to use before Windows. Microsoft also launched MSN in 1995 which included the free email service, HotMail. Meanwhile Yahoo! incorporated in 1995 and also provided free email accounts, just for signing up.

(By the way, if you don't have a free email address, get one. G-mail from Google is my favorite, but both Yahoo! and MSN Hotmail are also free and this way if you ever change jobs or internet service providers, you can always have the same email address using one of these free services.)

Microsoft received bad press for their bundling of software, and has been in court multiple times on anti-trust lawsuits. And there are people that simply want alternatives to the Big Dog.

Yahoo!, Google, and Microsoft all have diversified services and yet the fact that "Google" is a verb shows that they have been able to stay clean and not confuse the public as to what Google is all about. We can't say the same about the other companies I've mentioned.

Google's popularity continues to grow because they have stayed true to their core business, that is the internet search engine. The other companies, never quite took hold in the same manner and they are suffering either financially, or public relations wise as a result.

Take a look at these numbers from MarketingCharts.com (click on the charts to make them bigger):

Google at All-Time High of 67% of US Searches

Google accounted for 67.25% of all US searches in the four weeks ended March 29, 2008 - the highest proportion of searches it has ever achieved, and up some 5% from a year earlier, when it accounted for 64.13% of searches, according to Hitwise.

Yahoo Search, MSN Search and Ask.com received, respectively, 20.29%, 5.25% and 4.09% of US searches in March. The remaining 46 search engines in the Hitwise Search Engine Analysis Tool together accounted for 1.72% of US searches.

Ask.com was up 18% year-over-year, though down from the previous month. Yahoo and MSN were both down month-over-month as well as year-over-year.

Search Traffic to Key Industries

Search engines remain the primary way for internet users to navigate to various key industry categories.

From March ‘07 to March ‘08, the Travel, Entertainment, Business and Finance and Sports categories increased by double digits their share of traffic coming directly from search engines.

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Tips & Tools

I've got a few links for you to check out to help you with your creativity and organization.

First, if you are looking for Images for a presentation or inspiration, click here and follow the clickable links.

Next, if you are looking for communication resources, SoundBite Back has a whole clickable list that you check out by clicking here.

Now, if you are looking to move over to internet based instead of computer based productivity and office tools, I have a clickable list here that I use, along with a clickable list here that I've also checked out, but I'm not currently using.

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More on the Google & Microsoft relationship

There are all kinds of lessons about marketing that can be learned from the folks at Yahoo, Microsoft, Google, AOL, IBM, and nearly every other computer and internet oriented company. But for now, let's just look at the the latest news.

From my email, the Giant's continue to duke it out:


Google Inc. co-founder Sergey Brin called Microsoft Corp.'s takeover bid for Yahoo Inc. an "unnerving" maneuver that threatens innovation on the Internet. Brin reiterated the Internet search leader's position that a merger could violate antitrust laws and harm Internet users. Brin made the comment after an event at the Mountain View-based company's headquarters for the Google Lunar X Prize, a race to land a privately funded robotic spacecraft on the moon. Jordan Robertson of the AP reports. more »

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