Yahoo China + more news

3 minutes estimated reading time

Yahoo China

Yahoo China begins shutdown – Globaltimes.cn – will Yahoo China properties like flickr start to get blocked then I wonder since there wouldn’t be anyone in Yahoo China to harmonise the content?

Yahoo China stops providing news and community services, hinting at shutdown of its operations – The Next Web – Yahoo China also has local versions of its media content like TechCrunch and similar titles that were rolled up in the Aol deal.

Business

Power Of Purpose – seems obvious. Companies that have a clear mission tend to do better from a reputational standpoint

Branding

Landor Associates – Branding in the new era of ecosystems

Gadgets

I, Cringely I was, uh, wrong: Chromecast does what Google claims – I, Cringely

How to

AboutTheData.com – really interesting public project by Axicom Corporation in the US to help consumers understand the data held about them. It should be a boon to planning directors as well looking for inspiration

Facebook Begins Penalizing “Low Quality” Content on Pages

Innovation

The World’s Most Innovative Companies 2013 | INSEAD Knowledge

High Costs and Errors of German Transition to Renewable Energy – SPIEGEL ONLINE

Entrepreneurs or the state: Innovation comes from public investment. – Slate Magazine – interesting essay on the role that government plays in catalysing innovation (more than you’d think)

Busting Innovation Myths | INSEAD Knowledge

Luxury

For Rich Mainland Chinese, Hong Kong Loses Luxury Luster – Scene Asia – WSJ

Marketing

Experience Marketing is the New Integrated Marketing Model | Chief Marketer

Global Multichannel Marketing – Accenture – (PDF)

Multichannel Marketing – Direct Marketing News – useful supplement to take a read of

Media

National Geographic Found – great source of inspiration

Ten Facts About MailOnline, the Site That Ate the News | Media – Advertising Age – The site reaches 19% of all U.S. women ages 25 to 34 online.

Yahoo unveils new logo as symbol of company’s progress | VentureBeat – sweet Jesus, no it feels so wrong

Ministry of Sound sues Spotify for copyright infringement | theguardian.com – interesting case

Sony betting big on 4K, launches Video Unlimited 4K download service — Tech News and Analysis

Wretch to withdraw from the social media competition|WantChinaTimes.com – Yahoo! consolidating services

Cameron Porn – too much time on their hands

Retailing

Seamless Retail – Accenture – (PDF)

The Future Shopper – Kantar Retail – (PDF)

More than 1 in 8 UK shops face closure, says study – FT.com – “The (UK) retail sector is bigger than health, education, defence –and yet it doesn’t have a minister”

Discounters lead the way in grocery market growth – RTÉ News– Tesco got a real kicking in terms of market share

Security

Google encrypts data amid backlash against NSA spying – The Washington Post

Anonymity, Privacy, and Security Online | Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project

NSA Laughs at PCs, Prefers Hacking Routers and Switches | Threat Level | Wired.com

Boffins follow TOR breadcrumbs to identify users • The Register

Software

Kakao launches KakaoGroup, a private group communication app that pairs with its messaging service – The Next Web

One Microsoft On, Ballmer Out, ValueAct In. Get Ready for More at MSFT – Kara Swisher – News – AllThingsD

Thailand

Thailand’s Chang Allows Followers To Order Home Deliveries on WeChat – this is the first time I have seen a brand use WeChat in a non-Chinese language

Wireless

At the Heart Of Verizon-Vodafone, Differing Outlooks for the U.S. Market – WSJ – Vodafone’s move is a bet that the US market has peaked or is close to peaking

Microsoft Raced to $7.2 Billion Deal With Soul-Searching Nokia – Bloomberg – the financing aspect that Microsoft is giving the rest of Nokia is interesting. If Nokia are that pressed how will they be able to compete on future network technologies like 5G?

Microsoft Board Shows Little Taste for Bold Choice in CEO – WSJ.com – interesting questions about the wisdom of having Bill Gates as chairman (paywall)

BBC News – Microsoft to buy Nokia mobile phone unit – does this preclude the truncated Nokia from buying a business like Jolla?

Verizon Reaches Agreement to Acquire Vodafone’s 45 Percent Interest in Verizon Wireless for $130 Billion – I think that it’s a bad deal for Vodafone in that so much of it is actually in Verizon paper rather than in cash. It’s cheaper for Verizon than one realises