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

Google Puts Instant Message Service Inside E-mail (Reuters)

1. Google Puts Instant Message Service Inside E-mail (Reuters)

Google Inc. users will be able to conduct instant message chats from a Google Web browser window, alongside their e-mails, instead of requiring a separate application, the company said late Monday.

For more on this:
- read full story from messagingpipeline.com, Feb 8 2006


2. Google: Firefox AdBlock Interferes With Gmail Chat

Google Inc. is advising users of Gmail Chat to disable the Firefox browser plug-in AdBlock when using the new instant messaging feature embedded within the search engine's Web mail service.

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


3. Privacy Networks Launches Integrated E-mail Management Platform

Privacy Networks took the wraps off a new integrated e-mail management platform designed to replace multiple point solutions with a single system that combines spam and virus protection with e-mail archiving capabilities.

For more on this:
- read full story from messagingpipeline.com, Feb 8 2006


4. US web phone firm Vonage to float

Vonage, the broadband phone company, is to float its shares in the US, the first big company of its kind to do so. The fast-growing but loss-making business hopes to raise up to $250m from the flotation (£142m) to win new customers and expand its services.

For more on this:
- read full story from BBC News, Feb 8 2006


5. Yahoo accused in jailing of 2nd China Internet user

Yahoo Inc. (Nasdaq:YHOO - news) provided evidence to Chinese authorities that led to the imprisonment of an Internet writer, lawyers and activists said on Thursday, the second such case involving the U.S. Internet giant.

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


6. E-Mail, Blogs, Text Messages Propel Anger Over Images

Mohammad Fouad Barazi, a prominent Muslim cleric here, received a text message on his cell phone last week. It was a mass mailing from an anonymous sender, he said, warning that Danish people were planning to burn the Koran that Saturday in Copenhagen's City Hall Square out of anger over Muslim demonstrations against Danish cartoons of the prophet Muhammad.

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


7. AOL UK's email suffers collywobbles

AOL's email service in the UK appears to be up and running again after suffering the collywobbles earlier today. The ISP blamed essential maintenance work in the US for the problems, which left some users unable to send or receive email, while others temporarily "lost" emails in their inbox.

For more on this:
- read full story from theregister.co.uk, Feb 7 2006


8. SonicWall Strengthens E-Mail Security

Security gear maker SonicWall said Feb. 8 that it has acquired e-mail security vendor MailFrontier for $31 million in cash. The deal will add MailFrontier's messaging security software and hardware to SonicWall's portfolio of security hardware and software products for small and midsize businesses, according to a statement from SonicWall.

For more on this:
- read full story from eweek.com, Feb 8 2006


9. Intel, Skype Making PCs Chattier

Skype Technologies and Intel are making good on a promise to work together to get people talking on their Intel-based computers. Skype said on Feb. 8 that it will offer a free voice conference calling feature for up to 10 people inside its Skype 2.0 VOIP (voice over IP) software.

For more on this:
- read full story from eweek.com, Feb 8 2006

1. AOL, Yahoo Plan to Launch Paid Certified Email Service

America Online Inc. and Yahoo Inc. on Monday said they planned to launch certified email services that would bypass spam filters and deliver messages directly to subscribers.

For more on this:
- read full story from messagingpipeline.com, Feb 6 2006


2. Google gets chatty with its Gmail

Google Inc. will introduce over the coming weeks a simpler way for Google users to conduct instant message chats from inside a Web browser window, alongside their e-mail, the company said. Google (Research), which is known for its simple way of searching the Web, is hoping that by embedding new instant messaging software it calls "Gmail Chat" into its existing e-mail service it can differentiate itself in a crowded market it was late to join.

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


3. Gordano Updates Messaging Suite With SNMP Links

Gordano’s latest messaging product can now tie into systems management implementations. Gordano Messaging Suite (GMS) version 11.02's SNMP Master Agent makes it easier for solution providers to tie e-mail into systems management software such as Hewlett-Packard's OpenView or IBM's Tivoli that may be running in the hub of a hub-and-spoke organization. SNMP, or Simple Network Management Protocol, underlies most popular management systems.

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


4. Internet growth lifts Yell Group

Directory publishing group Yell has reported rising revenues and profits, helped by strong growth in the US and at its Yell.com website.
The company said revenue for the nine months to 31 December rose 23.7% to £1.1bn ($1.95bn), while pre-tax profits were up to £220m from £173m.

For more on this:
- read full story from BBC News, Feb 7 2006


5. Google takes aim at chat rivals

Google is to integrate its popular e-mail service with instant messaging, allowing users to chat and send e-mails from the same web browser window.
The company hopes the new feature, known as Gmail Chat, will attract users by offering instant messaging without having to use a separate program.

For more on this:
- read full story from BBC News, Feb 7 2006


6. Google, Cos. Clash Over Internet Access

Internet giant Google said Tuesday that the wide variety of Web sites might shrink if broadband providers like AT&T start charging companies for premium access to high-speed networks.

For more on this:
- read full story from Yahoo! News, Feb 7 2006


7. 'Father of the Internet' Asks for Internet Neutrality Law

The man often called the father of the Internet told U.S. lawmakers today that the future of the Internet is at risk if Congress does not pass a law prohibiting broadband providers from discriminating against competing Web applications and computer devices.

For more on this:
- read full story from Yahoo! News, Feb 7 2006


8. Verizon Executive Calls for End to Google's 'Free Lunch'

A Verizon Communications Inc. executive yesterday accused Google Inc. of freeloading for gaining access to people's homes using a network of lines and cables the phone company spent billions of dollars to build.

For more on this:
- read full story from Yahoo! News, Feb 7 2006


9. Mixed Reactions to Fee-Based E-mail

Today's America Online and Yahoo announcement that they plan to levy e-mail sent to their users could double the cost of messages, which could put e-mail correspondence out of the reach for some, according to Matthew Moog, CEO of Q Interactive.

For more on this:
- read full story from internetnews.com, Feb 6 2006

1. Beefing Up E-Mail Security

In an effort to get tougher on spam and phishing attacks, e-mail security vendor IronPort Systems has launched a new capability that enables its appliances to assess the trustworthiness of Web links embedded in e-mails. The vendor’s new Web Reputation technology, rolled out this month, aims to increase the antispam functionality of its e-mail security appliances and is supported by its SenderBase Network security database.

For more on this:
- read full story from messagingpipeline.com, Feb 3 2006


2. Study Says ISP Filters Cutting Spam

ISP filters are largely responsible for a decline in e-mail spam, which is expected to continue declining through 2010, according to a report released Friday by Jupiter Research.

For more on this:
- read full story from messagingpipeline.com, Feb 3 2006


3. State of the Blogosphere, February 2006 Part 1: On Blogosphere Growth

It's been 4 months since last October's State of the Blogosphere report, so it's time to update the numbers! For historical perspective, you can see earlier State of the Blogosphere reports from July 2005, from March 2005, and from October 2004.

For more on this:
- read full story from sifry.com, Feb 6 2006


4. E-mail charging plan to beat spam

Big net firms are trying to stop spammers by charging to deliver e-mail messages.
AOL and Yahoo plan to charge fees of up to one cent (US) per message to those that sign up for the service.

For more on this:
- read full story from BBC News, Feb 6 2006


5. Microsoft opens up censored blogs

Microsoft has changed how it reacts to government calls to censor blogs.
Recently the software giant faced criticism for removing the blog of Chinese journalist Zhao Jing for writing about sensitive topics.

For more on t his:
- read full story from BBC News, Feb 2 2006


6. Google merges Gmail with chat

Google on Monday was set to launch Gmail Chat, which will let users send instant messages with one click from their e-mail account, see when contacts are online and save the chat history like an e-mail message.

For more on this:
- read full story from CNET news.com, Feb 6 2006


7. Blog world growing by leaps and bounds

According to the blog trackers at Technorati, a company that indexes and searches blog postings, the number of blogs online is doubling about every five and a half months .

For more on this:
- read full story from CNET news.com, Feb 6 2006


8. AOL and Yahoo! to charge for emails

AOL and Yahoo! are to start charging for sending emails. Both companies will still accept free emails but are offering the chance to pay to avoid their spam filters. By paying between a quarter and one cent per message companies will get preferential delivery of their messages.

For more on this:
- read full story from theregister.co.uk, Feb 6 2006


9. Google to Unveil New Chat Feature

Online search engine leader Google Inc. is wedding its instant messaging and e-mail services in the same Web browser, hoping the convenience will lure users from the larger communications networks operated by its chief rivals.

For more on this:
- read full story from Yahoo! News, Feb 7 2006