Goldman Sachs (GS) was among the first banks to show interest in social networks with its effort to buy into Facebook. It seems the idea is catching. Now, JPMorgan Chase (JPM) began its own fund called the Digital Growth fund, according to the Financial Times.

The fund is in talks to buy 10% of Twitter for $450 million, according to the report. That would value Twitter at $4.5 billion.

Continue reading JPMorgan Fund to Buy 10% of Twitter

JPMorgan Fund to Buy 10% of Twitter originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 01 Mar 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

There is quiet revolution taking place in communication. It's PC telephony. It's been around for years, but is catching the imagination of users around the world. The key driver of PC telephony is cost. Skype offers free online phone calls to any receiver who also has Skype.

Such calls require a microphone and desktop speakers. In a business setting where cubicles are adjacent to one another, the noise can be distracting.

Continue reading Are Headsets Displacing the Office Phone?

Are Headsets Displacing the Office Phone? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 16 Jan 2011 10:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The market for streaming video calling is exploding. An estimated 13.2 million people worldwide will make video calls this year, up 400% from last year. By 2015, it is estimated that 155.1 million calls will use streaming videos.

Skype is a leader in low-cost phone calls. Calls to other people who have Skype are usually free. Now Skype is offering video calling for as low as $8.99 per month, with up to 10 people on the same call. Skype accounts for 25% of international calling traffic, up from 13% in 2009.

Continue reading Skype to Acquire Qik with Mobile Streaming Video

Skype to Acquire Qik with Mobile Streaming Video originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 07 Jan 2011 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

According to the Financial Times, the Chinese Ministry of Information and Industry Technology called for a crackdown "on illegal VoIP (voice over Internet protocol) telephone services" and is collecting evidence for legal cases against them.

China is a big player in most markets; however, when it comes to technology, powerful local companies hold sway. Last year Google (GOOG) fought a battle to keep its website in China. A couple of years ago, China set rules whereby all Internet content had to pass through censors before being approved.

Continue reading Skype Could Face Charges in China

Skype Could Face Charges in China originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 02 Jan 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Cisco Poised to Buy Skype?

Cisco Poised to Buy Skype? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 30 Aug 2010 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Google (GOOG) has a new service, as reported in Reuters. Starting now, you can make free calls in the U.S. and Canada from you Gmail account. Calls to other countries will be as cheap as two cents per minute. Google's stock was up $3.22 Wednesday to $454.62.

The process is real simple. Just click on the "call line" option on the chat buddy list in Gmail and type in the number. You can also enter a contact person.

Continue reading Google Takes on Skype with Phone Service via Gmail

Google Takes on Skype with Phone Service via Gmail originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 26 Aug 2010 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Even Wozniak Has iPhone Antenna Issues

Even Wozniak Has iPhone Antenna Issues originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 15 Jul 2010 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

eBay's (EBAY) purchase of Skype for over a billion dollars years ago was seen by many as obtuse and strange. Did eBay really expect its auction buyers and sellers to want to speak over the Internet (or video conference, for that matter)? Part of the allure of online auctions is the relative anonymity both sellers and buyers have. No "meeting in the parking lot" Cragislist-ish type of meetings in most cases.

But Skype has not paid off like eBay would have hoped. While the purchase of PayPal was the best acquisition eBay ever made, the planned synergies never materialized with Skype. While still a popular voice and video service around the world (ultra-cheap as well), Skype may be posed to bring voice and video calling direct to flat-panel television sets near you soon. The "videophone" concept has never really been that popular, mostly due to the kludgy ways past products have been designed and marketed.

Continue reading Ebay's Skype Coming to a Television Near You?

Ebay's Skype Coming to a Television Near You? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 03 Mar 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Skype Scores a Deal with Verizon to Provide Cheap Calls

Skype Scores a Deal with Verizon to Provide Cheap Calls originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 16 Feb 2010 16:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Look, 2009 was a "flush" year. Market rallies were constrained by the low baseline set at the end of 2008, unemployment was high and caution defined nearly every corporate decision. The travel market sucked. The art market sucked. The financial industry labored on with the support of taxpayer money while 140 banks were forced to call it quits. So, we turn to the new year, as yet undefined, for excitement of the type we want ... and it seems likely to deliver. As Nero played from the rooftops, the social media industry inched forward to the climax we hope to see this year -- the initial public offering.

The action hasn't really begun, and the signals emitted are open to various interpretations. Nonetheless, Facebook's new dual-class stock structure is hard to miss, as it would protect the influence of early entrants to the company -- either as investors or options-compensated employees in the event that the 350 million-strong social networking site brings ownership opportunities to the public.

Continue reading Social IPO? Hype Accumulates for 2010 Offerings

Social IPO? Hype Accumulates for 2010 Offerings originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 02 Jan 2010 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Look for eBay (EBAY) to more than hold its own this holiday season, which is one major reason I'm reiterating my buy rating for the company, first recommended on May 14, 2009, at a price of $16.84. If you bought EBAY in May, you're up about 40%.

Earlier this year, eBay sold a 70% stake in Skype for about $2.75 billion, enabling the company to focus on core operations at eBay and at PayPal.

Continue reading eBay: Pull-back is buy opportunity

eBay: Pull-back is buy opportunity originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 25 Nov 2009 13:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

BT Group, which virtually owns the UK telecommunications market, isn't waiting for Google (GOOG) to launch a full attack. The company probably expects to be under assault from the search engine (and advertising and e-mail) giant, so it's taking early action. Google Voice is still being tested, but words like "free" and "powerful" and "internet-based" are bound to inspire fear in even the most established of companies.

To protect itself from the eventual attack from Mountain View, BT picked up Ribbit Mobile, and testing is in progress. Ribbit's technology has some overlap with Google Voice and even beats it with a few capabilities, according to Bloomberg. Ribbit just launched its beta product this month. It allows either the user's current phone number or a new one from Ribbit -- which is no different from Google's alternative. The product suite is generally the same, with phone- and web-based voicemail retrieval and automatic transcriptions that can be sent by text message or e-mail. For an extra fee, BT's Ribbit does provide human transcription, though it is free during testing. And, calls can be taken directly from a computer, using a microphone and speakers.

Continue reading BT and Google battle over the spoken word

BT and Google battle over the spoken word originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 16 Nov 2009 11:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Online auction giant eBay (NASDAQ: EBAY), a business that counts Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) and Yahoo! (NASDAQ: YHOO) as related companies, was not popular in Wednesday's after-hours session. The third-quarter report just didn't do it for Wall Street, so Wall Street decided to make some trouble and bring the per-share price of the stock down by 4.5%. Oh sure, the company beat earnings by the most famous amount there is -- the proverbial penny -- but, according to this Bloomberg piece, guidance was not so inspiring.

The top line was actually pretty cool. Net sales saw an increase of 6%. Unfortunately, the bottom line couldn't take advantage of such growth. On an adjusted basis, net income dropped 16% to 38 cents per diluted share. And, as I just said, that was one penny ahead of the analysts.

Continue reading eBay sees declines in profit and operating margin in Q3

eBay sees declines in profit and operating margin in Q3 originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 22 Oct 2009 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T) has seen massive negative publicity come in from earlier in the summer to know in regards to its policies on the Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) iPhone it currently has an exclusive on. After all, that $99 or $199 purchase was not giving customers complete control over over the freedom to do what they wanted with those precious iPhones.

When the AT&T/Google/Apple situation flared up recently, it caused the microscope on AT&T's strict controls on the iPhone to become even more intense.

Continue reading AT&T reverses itself, will allow VoIP programs on the iPhone

AT&T reverses itself, will allow VoIP programs on the iPhone originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 07 Oct 2009 10:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Skype's founders go nuclear on the $1.8 billion buyout

Skype's founders go nuclear on the $1.8 billion buyout originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 18 Sep 2009 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

eBay has held its own, despite the recession. Hence, I'm reiterating my Buy rating for eBay (NASDAQ: EBAY) recommended on May 14, 2009, for $16.84. I you bought then, you're up about 40%.

Earlier this year, eBay sold a 65% stake in Skype for about $2.75 billion, enabling the company to focus on core operations at eBay and at PayPal.

Continue reading eBay is more than holding its own

eBay is more than holding its own originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 17 Sep 2009 11:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

"According to terms of the deal, the internet-based phone service will fall under the ownership of a private syndicate for about $1.9 billion.

"Former CEO Meg Whitman orchestrated the acquisition of Skype back in 2005 as a means of communication between buyers and sellers. And the service has attracted hordes of subscribers in a short period of time.

Continue reading eBay (EBAY): Life after Skype

eBay (EBAY): Life after Skype originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 11 Sep 2009 15:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

eBay Inc. (NASDAQ: EBAY) announced Tuesday it has reached a deal to sell most of its stake in Skype in a deal that values the online telecommunications service at $2.75 billion. eBay will get $1.9 billion in cash and a $125 million note from the buyer.

An investment group led by the private-equity firm Silver Lake, including Index Ventures, Andreessen Horowitz, and the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, will buy the 65% stake in the company. eBay, which will retain a 35% stake, expects the deal to close in the fourth quarter of this year.

Continue reading eBay strikes a good deal on its Skype sale

eBay strikes a good deal on its Skype sale originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 01 Sep 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

It looks like Skype is going to wind up with a new owner. Internet auction company eBay (NASDAQ: EBAY) owns Skype now but is said to be selling the online telephony provider to private investors.

Andreessen Horowitz, a recently formed venture capital fund with Netscape co-founder Marc Andreessen at the helm, is said to be a likely participant in a transaction. Index Ventures of London and Silver Lake Partners are also rumored to be involved.

Continue reading eBay may be selling Skype -- can it get what it wants?

eBay may be selling Skype -- can it get what it wants? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 01 Sep 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

While eBay (NASDAQ: EBAY) said earlier this year that it was planning to spin off Skype in an initial public offering in 2010, it is now being reported that eBay is looking for a buyer willing to pay $2 billion or more for the internet telephone service provider.

Those interested in a buyout may include Andreesen Horowitz and Index Ventures, which were early investors in Skype before its eBay acquisition in 2005. A group of well-known venture capital and large private equity firms are pooling resources to join the bid, according to a source close to the deal.

Continue reading eBay seeks a buyer for Skype

eBay seeks a buyer for Skype originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 28 Aug 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.