Daily Marauder

ONLINE SERVICES/INTERACTIVE MEDIA

If you’ve been waiting to see what Windows 7 will look like then you may want to head over to CrunchGear to check out a bevy of screen shots that hit Techcrunch earlier today. Of course, the release is a couple years out, but Techcrunch confirmed that this is what the current build of Windows 7 looks like. Coincidentally, Microsoft’s Steven Sinofsky was interviewed by CNET about Windows 7, but gave very little, if any, details on the subject. As the saying goes, though, a picture is worth a thousand words. (http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/27/leaked-screen-shots-of-windows-7-hit-crunchgears-inbox 5/27)

Online advertising is a “very, very” significant growth opportunity for Microsoft, says Kevin Johnson, the exec who is leading the software giant’s effort in the area. Johnson is prepping an “engagement mapping” system to scrutinize all the ads a user sees before clicking on a search ad. (Iwantmedia 5/28, http://money.cnn.com/2008/05/26/magazines/fortune/tech/kirkpatrick_johnson.fortune/index.htm?postversion=2008052805 5/26)

Microsoft’s Kevin Johnson

Shares in Yell Group rose as much as 5.4% early on Tuesday as traders cited market talk of bid interest from Microsoft. The British-based Yell declines to comment on the talk. Yell is a classified advertising directories company, operating both in print and online. (Iwantmedia 5/28, http://www.reuters.com/article/hotStocksNews/idUSL2760450620080527 5/27)

Yahoo plans to offer real-time stock quotes to users of its finance Web pages. Data will be provided by Kansas City, Mo.-based Bats Trading. Google and rival Web sites from Microsoft and AOL provide quotes with more than a 10-minute delay and charge users for real-time data. (Iwantmedia 5/28, http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601204&sid=aEyPi1i2yMVI 5/28)

Facebook has announced it will make its third-party developer platform open source which could be a huge step toward breaking down the wall between its site and the rest of the web. (http://www.halflifesource.com/052808/facebook_launches_open_source_initiative/article2456.htm 5/27)

Comcast-owned G4 is making some of its programming — including “Code Monkeys” and “Attack of the Show!” — available on Microsoft’s Xbox Live Marketplace. “G4 is a natural fit to be part of the Xbox Live community,” said Neal Tiles, G4’s president. “Our young, male audience spends more time interfacing with technology than any other network.” (Broadcasting & Cable 5/27, GameDaily BIZ 5/27)

Premium movie channel Starz has announced that it will soon enter a distribution deal with Verizon Communications. The deal brings the Starz Play online video offering to the telecom’s 8.5 million high-speed Internet subscribers for $5.99 a month. (Los Angeles Times 5/28, Reuters 5/27, Light Reading 5/27)