OpenMobile

Bill Gates v/s Sergey Brin, Microsoft looking to buy eBay?

As Microsoft has gained a new rival in Google, the New York Post made quite a stir on Friday the 26th by reporting secret negotiations between Microsoft and eBay executives. As some of you know, things between eBay and Google have soured over the past few months (or years) due to Google’s ‘control’ of all customers getting to eBay. In other words, most eBay users/visitors come through google’s search engine. eBay (rightly so) is concerned enough to go out and create a strategic alliance with Yahoo!. Gravity is showing its effect on the Search Market and Google is in for a challenge.

So we got Sergey Brin, Larry Page and Eric Schmidt v’s Meg Whitman, Terry Semel, Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer. Fun!

More to come…

Nike+iPod

Nike+iPod. Seconds after my post about Apple partnering with the NBA, we have this announcement. NIke and Apple have partnered to integrate music + excercise, while maintaining the leadership of the iPod as THE quintessential portable music player. My friend Paul Greenberg is going to LOVE the fact that Apple leapfrogged Sony on this one (although I have found no indication that such a deal was even contemplated, let alone discussed).

Now, there are three different product concepts according to Apple and Nike*

1. Get in gear. Grab an iPod nano, a pair of Nike+ shoes, and the Nike+iPod Sport Kit.
2. Rock ’n’ run. Your shoes talk. Your iPod nano listens. Track your run in real time.
3. Stay in sync. Connect your iPod nano, then connect with the world on nikeplus.com.

The first one "Get in Gear" is just a kit that has limited assembling of the two product ideas.

Rock'n' Run on the other hand has this transmitter that goes in your Nike's and transmit's data to your iPod (Nano). Simple stuff like time, no. of miles, and other pedometer data.

Stay in Sync. is an extension of Rock'n' Run where, all this data can be Sync-ed to multiple devices including (obviously) your .Mac over the internet.

Now you can grab your Nike's, grab your iPod Nano and go running with your favorite playlist and rest assured that all your important excercise data is being sent to the Nano and later on to the the internet.

The actual usefulness of the concept can be debated, needless to say. But it sure is COOOL! Very Coool. I mean i'd love to know how many miles I walk or run with Max (the Great Dane/Lab puppy) while I listen to "Eye of the Tiger" singing...

It's the eye of the tiger, it's the cream of the fight
Risin' up to the challenge of our rival
And the last known survivor stalks his prey in the night
And he's watchin' us all in the eye of the tiger

But before you run out to buy your Nike+iPod (SwooshPod?) gear, check prices. Oh! and make sure you check out the new games that are available on the iPod (kidding!). And the little golfer device that is built in to your Nike Golf Shoes, that tell your iPod Nano, how far the green is and wheather you should use your Five iron or your Three iron, and when you get there, how hard you would need to putt, what distance, what angle, and trajectory. Oh and it will also tell you, based on sweat analysis from your sweaty bicep, how much gatorade you need to drink in the next 10 minutes to keep you optimally hydrated (in case you are playing 54 holes that day).

** Pics. courtesy Nike+iPod

Apple’s iTunes shoots for the NBA business

Imagine this? How simple and wonderful is this match up? Along with its partnership with Nike, Apple is really allying itself with the right brands and extending its customer experience quite nicely. What could be next? A gaming engine on an iPod? Why not?

(From the Internet Retailer)

Now in addition to soundtracks and music videos, iTunes customers will be able to download to their iPods or computers complete game replays of the National Basketball Association’s Finals broadcasts the day after they air on ABC TV, Apple Computer Inc. said today.

Starting this week, iTunes customers will also be able to download 15-20-minute game recaps for every NBA playoff game within 24 hours after a game appears on any TV network that carries the games, including ABC, ESPN, TNT and NBATV. Apple is No. 17 in the Internet Retailer Top 400 Guide to Retail Web Sites.

Basketball fans can also sign up for a “Follow Your Team” package, which automatically downloads recordings of all recaps and any Finals games for a fan’s favorite team.

In addition to the basketball games, iTunes customers will be able to download more than 15 episodes of the TNT Sports program, “Inside the NBA on TNT.”

"We`re thrilled to be offering basketball fans this unique opportunity to follow NBA Playoffs on iTunes," said Eddy Cue, Apple`s vice president of iTunes. "With the new `Follow Your Team` feature, fans automatically receive full game recaps of every game their favorite team plays from the Conference Semifinals through The Finals."

Apple is offering the downloads in a variety of pricing packages:
• $1.99 under an a la carte package for individual downloads of recaps, full Finals games and Inside the NBA programs;
• $5.99 for a package that includes every game of the Finals;
• $8.99 for a “Follow Your Team” package that includes all Conference Semifinals and Finals games played by one selected team, plus a season recap video;
• $8.99 for a package that includes all Inside the NBA episodes throughout the playoffs and finals.


Courtesy: The Internet Retailer