More fallout from the Yahoo mess, AOL has a pink slip mess of their own, and Samsung may just have a very familiar software partner for tablets. Let's wrap up the week in news!
Yahoopocalypse
Investor Daniel Loeb, who holds a big stake in the company, went after Yahoo's board for hiring Carol Bartz in the first place, saying that her lack of experience with consumer internet had doomed the company from the moment she was hired. Meanwhile, Bartz herself had some very strong words for her former employers, calling them "doofuses" and saying a few unprintable things to boot. Meanwhle, the speculation continued that the company is up for sale, although they've denied it – leading some to question what they're really worth (they do have substantial holdings in Asia, including the Chinese business search site AliBaba and Yahoo Japan, a very popular auction site). The bottom line: We've been saying for awhile that this troubled company is a must to avoid, and that goes double now, at least until we find out what their future is – if any.
Video Games
Video Game of Thrones: HBO's megahit is about to have a PC game counterpart, but it's no quick cash-in: French company Cyanide has been working on a game based on the Song of Ice and Fire novels – also the source of the TV show – for the past two years. Call it fortunate timing on their part, as they stand to rake in some big cash based on the popularity of the show. (Lesson learned: If you get a chance to develop a game based on a literary property that a big-name TV or movie company is sniffing around take it).
Assassin's Creed 3 Beta Opened to All PS3 Users: Previously, it had been available only to subscribers of the PlayStation Network. There's a catch, though – it's only good through Sunday. Still, this "sneak preview" looks like an effective way to spread word of mouth about an already-anticipated game in advance of the holiday shopping season- expect this approach to catch on.
The Cult of Kid Icarus: How a game that at first glance seemed to have everything going against it became one of the most fondly remembered games for the original Nintendo Entertainment System – and has spawned a sequel years later. The lessons here: Don't be afraid to be different, even a little weird, and a minor flaw here and there can be covered by charm and originality.
Social Media
AOL Fires TechCrunch Founder: Michael Arrington was about to launch a venture captial fund with AOL input – and then, suddenly, he was out of a job. (Apparently, Arrington had been moved to a non-publishing role within AOL, and then started demanding they sell him his site back). This is more proof that AOL is a very unstable company at the moment – another must to avoid.
Google Buys Zagat: This is a series of restaurant guides which later went online that pioneered the "reviews by actual customers" concept years before Yelp came into being. Google plans to integrate their content into local services, including incorporating reviews into maps. (They also may utilize it with a daily deals service they recently bought, which looks like they're about to make a run at Groupon – which spurned being taken over by them).
Tablets
Samsung to Have a Windows 8 Tablet?: They are apparently going to show off a prototype of the slate at an upcoming Microsoft developer's conference. Since Samsung needs a new software partner after Google bought Motorola to start an Apple-like ecosystem, and since Windows 8 is said to be designed for tablets as well as desktops, this looks like a perfect match – and it makes more sense than some of the rumors that Samsung was going to acquire another OS producer.
Anime/Manga/Japanese Pop Culture
Miyazaki Films Get New Distributor: There had been some dispute whether the House of Mouse still held the rights to the classic films (including Princess Mononoke and My Neighbor Tororo) that were made before 2002. Now, distributor GKids will have the theatrical and film festival rights to the films, while Disney will continue to distribute them on home video. A compromise that will ensure these films will continue to have an audience – and a reminder of how important it is to be careful with rights of overseas licensed properties.
Miyavi's 30th Birthday Concert to Be Streamed Worldwide: The J-rock artist, who has toured the U.S. and Canada before, will be coming here again as part of a world tour, and his birthday show in Tokyo will be streamed on the NicoNico Douga and Ustream sites. Miyavi, along with X-Japan leader Yoshiki, has done a lot for the cause of the globalization of J-rock – we'll see if their efforts get mainstream North American distributors to sit up and take notice.
QUESTION OF THE DAY: Is the Google-Motorola merger ultimately the foot in the tablets and mobile door that Microsoft has been looking for?