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YAHOO Chairman ROY BOSTOCK sent CARL ICAHN a letter Thursday that said Icahn’s perspective on the botched MICROSOFT deal “reflects a significant misunderstanding of the facts about the Microsoft proposal.” However, Bostock reiterated that Yahoo remained open to a deal for the right price. While Icahn is apparently moving ahead with a proxy fight, there is still no word from Redmond as to whether or not Microsoft is still interested in acquiring Yahoo.
CBS is purchasing CNET for $1.8 billion. According to CEO Les Moonves, the all cash deal will help bolster CBS’s online presence, while expanding its scope to both audiences and advertisers. The acquisition is the biggest since CBS split from VIACOM INC. two years ago and includes online properties CNET, Download.com, GameSpot, TV.com, BNET, Chow, ZDNet and News.com.
RIM announced that the first BlackBerry touchscreen will be available exclusively via VERIZON. Dubbed “Thunder”, the touchscreen handset will debut in the third quarter and is the next logical step for RIM in combating APPLE’s iPhone. The big question remains whether or not BlackBerry’s considerable business clientele will flock to a touchscreen phone, as many have stated the keypad is the reason they’ve stuck with the BlackBerry.
YAHOO and the WPP will announce a new online advertising partnership today. The deal will make it easier for agencies within the WPP to purchase web ads. Like the potential GOOGLE Search Ads deal, the WPP deal is another way for Yahoo to inflate its cash flow.
IAC will purchase LEXICO, who owns Dictionary.com, Thesaurus.com and Reference.com, in order to boost its Ask.com property. The undisclosed deal will help reinforce Ask’s content, as well as drive up traffic for the site. The deal is significant as it comes at a time when IAC is spinning off other ventures and making Ask.com its flagship brand.