Vonage's Iffy IPO

1. Vonage's Iffy IPO

On Feb. 8, Vonage made official what the telecom world had long expected. The Web-calling leader finally filed with regulators a plan to raise as much as $250 million by selling shares. Speculation over an IPO erupted last year after online-auction powerhouse eBay (EBAY ) scooped up Vonage rival Skype for $2.6 billion.

For more on this:
- read full story from businessweek.com, Feb 9 2006


2. Microsoft Rebrands MSN to Focus on Content

Microsoft Corp.'s plans to rebrand its free e-mail, instant messenger and Web search products under the name "Live" could be interpreted as a sign that MSN — the unit that previously housed those products — is a sinking ship.

For more on this:
- read full story from Yahoo! News, Feb 9 2006


3. Fresh US outrage ahead of China Internet hearings

U.S. Internet companies faced bipartisan criticism in the Congress on Thursday amid a rising controversy over Yahoo Inc.'s alleged role in the Chinese government's imprisonment of a second dissident.

For more on this:
- read full story from Yahoo! News, Feb 10 2006


4. Charge E-Mailers, but Keep Pipeline Open

A lot of the companies involved in our online experiences must be running short on pocket change this month, because so many of them have been doing the equivalent of looking under the sofa cushions for quarters. To be exact, they're looking under each other's sofa cushions.

For more on this:
- read full story from Yahoo! News, Feb 10 2006


5. IM, E-Mail Identities Hot on The Net

Online data brokers are selling far more than personal telephone records, including the actual names, addresses and phone numbers of instant messaging users and those registered with dating sites, such as Match.com.

For more on this:
- read full story from internetnews.com, Feb 9 2006


6. Bid-Rigging Costs Firm in E-Rate Fraud

The federal government's ongoing probe into E-Rate fraud nabbed another conviction Wednesday with the guilty plea of California-based Premio, which agreed to $400,000 in criminal fines and $1.3 million in restitution as part of the civil settlement.

For more on this:
- read full story from internetnews.com, Feb 9 2006


7. Advertisers may face public humiliation over adware

Companies could find themselves put up for public humiliation by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission if they continue to advertise through insidious ad-serving software.

For more on this:
- read full story from CNET News.com, Feb 9 2006


8. Yahoo adds new My Web 2.0 features

In a bid to make its My Web bookmark saving and sharing site a little more up-to-date, Yahoo said Wednesday it has added a bunch of new features to the service.

For more on this:
- read full story from CNET News.com, Feb 9 2006


9. The End Of E-Mail?

What's worse than spam, the junk e-mail no one wants yet no one can stop?
Perhaps the methods e-mail systems use to fight it. Today, e-mail users already have to delete spam daily from their in-box, then root through a separate folder their e-mail filter has already classified as junk: Better hope your cousin didn't use the word "Viagra" in that last note he wrote.

For more on this:
- read full story from forbes.com, Feb 7 2006


10. Google Offers Transfer Tool for Computers

Google Inc. is offering a new tool that will automatically transfer information from one personal computer to another, but anyone wanting that convenience must authorize the Internet search leader to store the material for up to 30 days.

For more on this:
- read full story from washingtonpost.com, Feb 9 2006