Google To Acquire YouTube for $1.65 Billion in Stock

Combination Will Create New Opportunities for Users and Content Owners Everywhere

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., October 9, 2006 - Google Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG) announced today that it has agreed to acquire YouTube, the consumer media company for people to watch and share original videos through a Web experience, for $1.65 billion in a stock-for-stock transaction. Following the acquisition, YouTube will operate independently to preserve its successful brand and passionate community.

The acquisition combines one of the largest and fastest growing online video entertainment communities with Google's expertise in organizing information and creating new models for advertising on the Internet. The combined companies will focus on providing a better, more comprehensive experience for users interested in uploading, watching and sharing videos, and will offer new opportunities for professional content owners to distribute their work to reach a vast new audience.

"The YouTube team has built an exciting and powerful media platform that complements Google's mission to organize the world's information and make it universally accessible and useful," said Eric Schmidt, Chief Executive Officer of Google. "Our companies share similar values; we both always put our users first and are committed to innovating to improve their experience. Together, we are natural partners to offer a compelling media entertainment service to users, content owners and advertisers."

"Our community has played a vital role in changing the way that people consume media, creating a new clip culture. By joining forces with Google, we can benefit from its global reach and technology leadership to deliver a more comprehensive entertainment experience for our users and to create new opportunities for our partners," said Chad Hurley, CEO and Co-Founder of YouTube. "I'm confident that with this partnership we'll have the flexibility and resources needed to pursue our goal of building the next-generation platform for serving media worldwide."

When the acquisition is complete, YouTube will retain its distinct brand identity, strengthening and complementing Google's own fast-growing video business. YouTube will continue to be based in San Bruno, CA, and all YouTube employees will remain with the company. With Google's technology, advertiser relationships and global reach, YouTube will continue to build on its success as one of the world's most popular services for video entertainment.

The number of Google shares to be issued in the transaction will be determined based on the 30-day average closing price two trading days prior to the completion of the acquisition. Both companies have approved the transaction, which is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2006.

http://www.google.com/press/pressrel/google_youtube.html
http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=34961
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/10/09/youtube_content_deals/
http://www.gizmodo.com/gadgets/deals/official-google-buys-youtube-206331.php
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061009/ap_on_bi_ge/google_youtube
http://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Google_purchases_YouTube_for_%241.65_billion

Buy a new PC this holiday season, get a free piece of paper

Microsoft Planning Windows Vista Upgrade Coupons

While Windows Vista expected to be released to manufacturers around October 25, retail PC pre-loaded with the new operating system won’t be available until the New Year. Microsoft and its partners are doing their best to get the new operating system into consumer hands this holiday season, even if it may come in the form of a piece of paper.

Microsoft is planning an upgrade program for those who purchase new PCs this holiday season. According to Information Week, the upgrade coupons will either be free or provide discounted pricing:

Customers who buy systems running Windows XP Home Edition can upgrade to Vista Home Basic Edition for a flat $49 fee and to the higher-end Windows Vista Home Premium Edition for a cost of $79.

The Windows Vista Technology Upgrade Program runs from Oct. 26, 2006, through March 15, 2007. Distributors are expected to have the new SKUs in house for system builders by Oct. 15.

Microsoft has not officially announced the coupon program, but has commented that it is currently working with its partners on a plan for such an offer.

Those who wish to preview a Windows Vista might want to clear their schedules for tomorrow’s RC2 release.

infos from DailyTech.com

Windows Vista To Take New Tough Line On Counterfeits

One analyst says Microsoft's new activation requirements will simply give legitimate users another reason not to upgrade to the new operating system.

Microsoft on Wednesday unveiled anti-piracy plans for Windows Vista that take tougher measures against users of counterfeit software, including limiting protection against spyware and incapacitating the PC. Not everyone welcomed the measures.

Windows Vista, which Microsoft has said will ship to business customers in November and to consumers in January 2007, will be the first operating system to include technologies that the Redmond, Wash. developer called "Software Protection Platform."

Under the new plan, counterfeit copies of Vista will not run the Aero interface, the OS's much-touted updated graphics look; will disable ReadyBoost, a feature that lets users add memory to systems by plugging in a USB flash drive; and will cripple Windows Defender, the anti-spyware protection tucked inside Vista. Previously, Microsoft had said it would strip some features, including Aero, from non-genuine Vista, although Defender was not among those mentioned.

Product activation, which debuted in 2001 with Windows XP, but is now part of Software Protection, will also be dramatically revamped. If a copy of Vista is not activated within 30 days, the operating system will only let the user run the default browser, and then only for an hour at a time before logging off. Legitimate copies that for some reason later fail the ongoing validation tests will have another 30 days to re-activate or purchase a new license before the PC slips into what Microsoft dubbed "reduced functionality," while copies detected as fake during the validation process will also be downgraded after 30 days. In addition, users of genuine Vista must reactivate within three days of "a major hardware replacement," said Microsoft, or face a crippled computer.

"This is actually a little more open in Vista [than in Windows XP]," said Cori Hartje, the director of Microsoft's Genuine Software Initiative. "Today, if you don't put in a key [within 30 days], you can't use the computer at all."

"But is she talking about validation or activation?" asked Joe Wilcox, analyst with JupiterResearch, who thinks Microsoft is making the wrong move at the wrong time and giving legitimate users another reason not to upgrade to the new OS.

In the Software Protection Platform, the two -- validation and activation -- which were separate entities in Windows XP, will be intertwined. "The Software Protection Platform brings together new anti-piracy innovations, counterfeit detection practices and tamper resistance into a complete platform that provides better software protection to programs that use it," Microsoft said in the white paper it released Wednesday (file in Word .doc format).

Microsoft will also extend activation and validation to enterprise volume license users for the first time with Vista, said Hartje, and require them with Windows Server "Longhorn," the server software follow-on. "One of the big holes we've had [in our anti-piracy efforts] is in our volume keys. It's a very open process, with the keys in clear text and easily stolen and misused," Hartje said.

Volume licensees will be required to manage keys and run activation using one of two services, KMS (Key Management Service) or MAK (Multiple Activation Key), with the former targeting shops with more than 25 machines that are always connected to the organization's network. MAK, on the other hand, is similar to the retail product activation keys, and lets one Windows PC connected to Microsoft to vouch for multiple machines.

"Why do you need two mechanisms?" asked Wilcox. "I think that [enterprise IT] management becomes much harder now. Microsoft's increasing the complexity of Vista, which decreases its appeal compared to XP."

"The process of setting up key management is really very straight-forward," countered Hartje.

The crackdown, she said, is necessary to protect users and Microsoft's OEMs. "We need this to protect consumers and partners. Consumers want to make sure they get what they've paid for."

Wilcox, however, sees it as a mistake. "Microsoft's making software potentially harder to use. I don't think it's a good move for them to make things hard when competitors are making things easier."

As examples, Wilcox cited the free or low-cost choices that users now have via the Web. "Web 2.0 is bringing change to how people consume technology, you have all this stuff that's available for low-cost or free. Contrast that to what Microsoft is doing on the desktop, putting potentially onerous safeguards on Vista.

"It's important for Microsoft to make Vista as appealing as possible. But how appealing is it when you go up to your new home and you have to undo five locks to get in the door and there are bars on all the windows?"

Wilcox also slammed Microsoft for scaling back Windows Defender's protection. "That means it's partly disabled. It means [bad] stuff can still get through. Either your priority is security, as Microsoft has repeatedly said, or it's not. There's no gray area."

On a counterfeit copy of Vista, Windows Defender will not be turned off, but only "severe, high-critical patches" will be provided, said Hartje. "Users will still see the other patches to show them what they're missing," she added.

In the end, said Hartje, Microsoft believes that the new measures of Software Protection are warranted, and won't impact legitimate users. "We don't expect that end users will see any of these issues," she said.

Wilcox sees it differently. "I don't believe it when Microsoft says this will benefit the customer. I can't imagine that the majority [of customers] are asking for this.

"Microsoft has two fierce competitors. Itself is the first, with 'good enough' [attitudes] and difficulty in convincing people to upgrade. The second is piracy.

"They may be going after one at the expense of the other."

infos from informationweek.com

Microsoft to shut out PCs using pirate Vista

Microsoft on Wednesday toughened its stance against software piracy as it disclosed that it will hobble PCs that it suspects of running pirated copies of its forthcoming Windows Vista operating system.

Users running unauthorised software will immediately lose some of the features of the new operating system and will eventually be able to use the machines only to browse the internet, the company said.

While the fresh attack on piracy was generally applauded by software analysts, some warned that it could lead to bad publicity if Microsoft mistakenly cracks down on genuine customers because of glitches in its own software validation process.

"There will be some issues with it", since even a very low error rate could affect a large number of PC users given the large numbers involved, said Michael Cherry, an analyst at Directions on Microsoft. However, he added that Microsoft appeared to have struck a good balance between taking a stronger line to protect its software and not antagonising its users.

Piracy has loomed as a larger problem for Microsoft as it has looked increasingly to emerging market countries for future growth. Piracy has also become big business as perpetrators have become more sophisticated. It has become a bigger threat to PC users as pirates have used the unauthorised software as a way to insert extra software, such as keystroke logging technology, on to PCs, said Mr Cherry.

Cori Hartje, director of Microsoft's anti-piracy initiative, said any adverse publicity that Microsoft attracted over an earlier software validation process tied to its Windows XP did not point to future problems with Vista, since the new anti-piracy system was built on an entirely new technology.

The latest attack on piracy in part reflects the growing problem from stolen activation keys, which are then given to unsuspecting customers who think they are buying genuine software.

Many of these keys were originally issued to large companies or other big customers. To combat this problem, Microsoft said users of suspect software would be given 30 days to get proper authorisation or face losing much of the functionality of their machines. It added that it would never fully disable any user's PC.

The attack on piracy will mean companies that buy volume licences from Microsoft will have to follow additional procedures when upgrading to Vista, said Ms Hartje. The company did not expect this to slow adoption of the software.

Milenyo 'Xangsane' Left Me Good Benefit...

For a day Milenyo visit our country, a power-cut takes place almost at our place from 11am to 7:30pm. So I can't use my computer and even my internet until the power back at already night time, and so until 12mn I use it.

Then today, when I wake up too early because my mom shout aloud just to tell our maid that she will go to church for Morning Watch, maybe it was 5-5:30 in the morning. Then I stood up and try to open my computer. When I open my web browser, Mozilla Firefox, "the page cannot be displayed" it says... Then I try to check the cables and powers, it's all set and ready-to-use (as is :D) ad when I really cannot browse any site,.. I surrender! I shut down my computer at 6am. I eat breakfast, some body stretch and relax. I took my cellphone and i noticed that it has only 2 bars or sometimes it goes down to 1 bar only. My network is also SMART just like my ISP. So, I think the problem is with the tower. I went down at our house and just relax outside garage. 7am or later, I returned up at our house and check my cellphone if it has still 2 bars, the signal was Full Bar now!!! I rush open my computer and try to access at the internet and then poof... it became Koko Cru... ahhh! I'm still starve :D,.. I can browse at the internet again!

Then it was, I opened my site and check my current bandwidth.. it was 950 or somethin' higher but not reached 1 Mb, and I can download files for about 118KB/sec upto 125KB/sec!!! What a boost!!! But the normal bandwidth of SMART Bro (WiFi) was only 384 kbps or for about... 48KB/sec. But mostly my maximum bandwidth only was 256kbps (32KB/sec) and below. And I download RAN OnLine Installer approximately 3hours. And playing Tantra OnLine without any disturbance of network failure (Laggggg XD).

I just thinking if...

- The signal of SMART WiFi and SMART Cellphone was the same traffic... or in other words, same signal receiveing...
- By the time I was check my bandwidth, everyone still disconnected and I took all of their signals to make my internet boost... or in other words, I'm just too lucky that I am the only one using Wifi here in our area...


(So what's the connection of Hurricane 'Xangsane' Milenyo at the boosting of the Internet Connection???)

Another Mail, Same Scam

Yesterday, I received a scam mail from STAATSLOTERIJ INTERNATIONAL... then when I open my hotmail this earlier, same mail from the said company. Please, if you don't have things to do... don't play with e-mails... It's for your own safety too! Also, you did flooding in the internet.

E-mail Spam (SCAM WARNING)

YOUR EMAIL ID HAS WON $1,000,000.00 USD !!!CONGRATULATIONS!!!

FROM: PROMOTIONS DEPARTMENT OF STAATSLOTERIJ INTERNATIONAL,
WINNING NOTICE FOR CATEGORY"A" WINNER-
Ref. No.- LSLUK/2031/8161/06
BATCH NUMBER: 14/011/IPD.
www.staatsloterij.nl

Attention:

Staatsloterij International has just concluded its final draws of it's periodical promotional program.An exclusive list of email addresses of thousands of individual and corporate bodies were picked by automated random computer search from the internet with serial number 5772-54 drew the lucky numbers 3-4-17-28-35-44and consequently won in the First Category.

No tickets were sold. Your email address emerged as one of seven winners in the silver stakes category"A" as email addresses were soughted, from a total number of 1,000,000 addresses drawn from all over the globe. After an automated computer ballot of our International Promotions Program, only Seven winners emerged in this category and therefore each are to receive payouts of $1,000,000.00 usd from the total of $7,000,000.00 usd ( Seven million united states Dollar )

However, every email address selected was accompanied by a reference and ticket number,after the cyber lotto selection, the below ticket and reference numbers emerged as one of the lucky winners in the above category.CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Reference number for your prize is:Ref. No.- LSLUK/2031/8161/06
BATCH NUMBER: 14/011/IPD.
ticket number 50941465206-529

For your prize claim processing, we have employed the service of an lnternational Trust firm. They are to handle the transfer of your cash prize of 1,000,000.00 Dollar in line with our procedures and upon your directions.Your prize has been insured to its full value with your email address and will be transferred to you under their professional service.
To immediately initiate the processing of your prize claim, please contact the under-mentioned at our claims department;

Dr.F.Vincent
Amsterdam-Netherlands.

Email: staatclaims03@aol.com

Tel: + 31-644 945 401.

In your best interest(s), you must initiate contact within three weeks of receipt of this Correspondence. Attorney/Fiduciary Agents, are to handle all matters with regards to legalization of your winning documents.You are also advised to send a copy of this email, to the Director of operations at the claims department, Mr.Frank Vincent,when contacting him.

You may be required to provide any of the above information during the process of collecting your prize. We congratulate you once again and it is our hope that you participate in any of our international programs in the nearest future.

Thank you and CONGRATULATIONS!!!.

Sincerely,
Mrs.Kate Veldhuizen.
Promotions Manager,
Staatsloterij international,
Netherlands.

====================================================================
This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they are addressed. If you have received this email in error please notify the system manager.

*Copy right 2006* Staatsloterij NL.



I received this e-mail September 15, 2006... same time when I blog this post. While I'm playing Tantra MMORPG, a Yahoo Messenger alert tells me that I received a message w/ a subject, "YOUR EMAIL ID HAS WON $1,000,000.00 USD !!!CONGRATULATIONS!!!". Of course! I'm surprised because it is my first time I experience this kind of mail. But I went to an investigation first if that company, Staatsloterij International, is real or a scam/spam mail only. I try to copy-paste the subject title to Google search and numerous of result appeared mostly telling this mail is a scam and and also I want to warn all of you who are not yet encountered this kinds of mails... Better delete it from your address and even blog it to share this to those people who have not yet experience this.

Introducing in a New World

Last week, when Windows tell me that I'm a victim of counterfeiting about the piracy of Windows installer. I think about using other OS (Operating System) and install it to my other desktop computer. I decided to change OS in my P3 computer with Linux. And yesterday was it happen. But I still have Microsoft Windows computer. But now, I'll try to compare these two OS and try to learn more about Linux and what are their secrets.

Damn Activation

For about 30 days of Windows Activation has ended, they forcing me to activate this Windows in my computer. I try to put my "original" product key but they say,"According to our records, the number of times you can activate Windows with this product key has been exceeded. Please enter a different product key, and then click Retry..." and so on. It can be also be activated via Telephone process call into Microsoft Company here in the Philippines but I'm tired dial my phone that was given to the activation window on the telephone number displayed at the Windows Activation window. I'm not good on conversations, that's the reason in easier way to tell you about. :D

In the time that Windows asking for activation, I can't open any applications that was in my computer, in other words, They will not allow me to log-in to my copmuter until I activate my Windows, but I tell you that while I am typing this post is the time that Windows asking me to activate, in other words again, until now Microsoft asking me to activate my Windows. I'm thinking about if I will just forget activate my Windows and repeat the process that I did to open my applications without activating my Windows. The disadvantage of this process is that my computer is not fully secured but it's ok cause I still can run my programs in manual steps or processes. Microsoft didn't know that there's a way on how to use computer even if they lock my desktop so so I can't use it and force me to buy another product key by the same price I brought an original copy of Windows XP Home Edition CD set. Just repeating processes everytime I open my computer. :D

But still, I'm suffering in this Windows Products because of so many commercials, updatings and other non-so-very important things that trying to get your attentions for nothing.

SCREW WINDOWS!!!
SCREW MICROSOFT!!!

This is a whole print screen only... sorry if it is so blurrrrrr....

Why Windows So Stupid?

Most softwares are compatible in Windows/Microsoft but every software Windows runs is that everytime I open a program, there are always popping-up that so called "ERRORS" and/or "A programs has encountered a problem and need to close" and all they can say is "Sorry for the inconvenience" and then I always send a report for that problem and their only help is that always say "Call for on-line support" or "e-mail us for more support". If you call them for supports, maybe they reply to you "there is/are ways to solve YOUR problem/s (not YOUR COMPUTER's problem)" but they only says "Just buy our products/utility softwares..." (just like that).

I try to buy a licensed copy of Windows Home Edition CD for almost P5,000.00 (about $96.00 in US Dollar). Then I reformat my new computer (before: Pirated Windows XP Professional) and after t'was installed and reboot and start to run, a balloon pops at my taskbar button says "30 days left for activation". Then when I open the the activation window it say, "According to our record, the number of times you can activate Windows with this product key has been exceeded..." but this is my only computer that has been installed with this product key. They are only did was MONEY MAKING.

This is always what I get so I try to visit Windows Activation Assistance Web Site for more informations. A Internet Explorer window opens. After the loading session, there is a very short sentence says, "Please visit Shop.Microsoft to purchase this item." The question is, "Why do I need to buy that product if I have already one?" Windows is soooo stupid!!! They try to mek more money but they are already the Richest in the World. I only did was wait for the time left to activate that stupid activation!

Another problem is that in Internet Explorer is that spywares, adwares, viruses and other malicious programs/softwares. If you don't have any anti-virus or anti-spywares, those programs are so easy to attack your computer without alerts and notices. They will attack your computer's memory, hard disks, softwares and/or anything that will destroy your computer. Anti-Virus, Anti-Spyware and other Internet Security or utilities are recommended to secure your computer from any malicious programs/softwares but, even those software installers are needed to purchase first before you can use it completely to secure and all of those are so expensive for licensed programs. Then you will be forced to buy pirated cds/installers for Windows users only. Maybe other OSs also needed some security but it doesn't matter anymore, like Linux, very seldom viruses can attack Linux because almost all of the viruses are only compatible with Windows.

The only advantage of Windows OS is that almost all of the games are only compatible with it. But I or WE (with Mike Lopez - a Linux user) discovered that StarCraft can run and play in Linux (mentioned already).

There's alot more reasons why Windows, or maybe I say, Bill Gates is very STUPID!!!

LAN over Internet

Bored playing starcraft alone while no one wants to play with me as LAN games... My friend Mike Lopez, just a walking distance near from our house, set-up my computer LAN connection and sharing files and it was done. When we done playing starcraft in multiplayer, before he went home is that came to our mind if we can connect LAN via internet connection and then we search all around the google and then we've found out a software Hamachi (www.hamachi.cc) . Hamachi is the software that WE to do exactly what we want - to setup a Local Area Network over my Internet connection. Then we download the software depends on what will be compatible with our copmuter (I have Windows and he has Linux) and then after following instructions and installing the program, we got connected to each other like we were on the same LAN but this time, it's LAN over Internet. T'was GREAT!!!

Here comes the step ' Test'. We open starcraft to play and... We are enable to play together just like we're on the same LAN connection but there's a times that the connection slows down and almost we dropped the game. But good news is, we finish play starcraft and it was horrible that we won the 'Test Game'. Hamachi provides a GUI setup for Windows users and a command line version for Linux and OSX. Gui version for Linux and OSX is said to be under development. It’s a great tool and it was pretty trivial to setup LAN Over Internet with Hamachi.