posted 10-10-2000 06:36 PM         

Yahoo has partnered with Net2Phone to provide free voice-activated telephone services. Users will be able to make free PC to telephone calls, and receive email and news over the phone. Yahoo is going up against a number of players in the voice-activated market, including AOL. (source: MarketWatch) http://www2.marketwatch.com/news/story.asp?guid=%7B5BAE27F1%2D0D93%2D4D49%2D98FB%2D59EAD1BFD3C7%7D

Upstart PC maker eMachines will be in the Internet appliance business by the end of the month. The company is working with Microsoft to market its monitor-less MSN Companion, which, with a price tag of $349, will target the low-end of the market. (source: ZDNet) http://www.zdnet.com/zdnn/stories/news/0,4586,2638153,00.html

Buy at 70, sell at 10 - is that any way to become an Internet millionaire? It is if you’re a "star" stock analyst covering the Web sector (witness some unnamed analysts' coverage of Priceline.com). For brokerages attached to large investment banks, pumping up stocks is big business, and their analysts do the dirty work by touting the stock just about anywhere they can get exposure. Pity the poor investor who takes their advice. (source: MSNBC) http://www.msnbc.com/news/472643.asp

Amazon.com has come under fire from every which way, as investors grow weary of the company's absence of profit. In response, the online retailer has surreptitiously been raising book prices. This may seem like a good opportunity for independent booksellers to regain market share – but this columnist says Amazon's strategy is bound to succeed. (source: E-commerce Times) http://www.ecommercetimes.com/news/viewpoint2000/view-001010-1.shtml

posted 10-09-2000 11:00 AM         

USA Technologies has unveiled its e-Port, an e-commerce device that it says can be attached to vending machines, gas pumps, office equipment and almost any point-of-sale terminal. The technology enables unattended e-commerce transactions when the consumer swipes a credit card. The device supports micro-credit transactions for as low as $1 and has a small video display which can show banner ads. (source: AllNetDevices) http://www.allnetdevices.com/wireless/news/2000/10/06/wireless_vending.html

This is a tale of Wall Street that would be funny if it weren't so sad and typical. It's the story of Salomon Smith Barney analyst Tim Albright and his touting of e-commerce company priceline.com to the bitter end. It could just as well be about dozens of other analysts and well-known firms of the day. http://www.thestreet.com/_yahoo/markets/brettfromson/1114343.html

posted 09-22-2000 05:32 PM         

A recent study by Forrester Research indicates that the key players in online travel are no longer web portals like AOL and Yahoo, but bargain-oriented sites like Travelocity and Priceline.com. (source: Reherring.com) http://www.redherring.com/industries/2000/0922/ind-etravel092200.html

The German government has proposed a controversial fee on electronic goods, the proceeds of which would be used to reimburse musicians, artists and writers for the use of their work online. (source: TheStandard.com) http://www.thestandard.com/article/display/0,1151,18782,00.html