Microsoft Office + more news

2 minutes estimated reading time

Google hunts down Microsoft Office | Techeye – Google’s move is a big one but indicative of how desperate Google needs to diversity from its current online ad based model into subscription software (like Microsoft Office 365)for the enterprise

Google and Yahoo sign search partnership – San Jose Mercury News – interesting because Yahoo! gets around the antitrust hobson’s choice it had with Microsoft and works with someone who can monetise half their search traffic better

Yum Brands to spin off China business after activist investor named to the board | SCMP – whilst they have had problems in China, it is still over half their revenues (paywall)

8 Things About WhatsApp You Should Consider Before Signing Up | Makesuseof – quite damning

Yahoo and Google strike a search deal—if the Department of Justice says it’s OK | Quartz – this is huge for Yahoo!

Tommy Hilfiger Introduces Virtual Reality Headsets for Shoppers – The New York Times – to showcase Autumn and Winter range (paywall) – more on VR here.

Popcorn Time Download Not Needed, New Browser App Even Better | BGR – interesting hybrid of streaming and bittorrent

Socialbakers Launches Advanced Native Analytics on Weibo | Socialbakers – interesting given that the data has to stay in China

A Brand New Sysomos MAP And More Updates | Sysomos Blog – really nice interface changes

Deutsche Telekom Said to Weigh New Antitrust Complaint Against Google – The New York Times – interesting that T-Mobile has stepped in on this given their pioneer status with the first Android handsets

New Arduinos will be shipping soon with Intel’s Curie chip inside | ExtremeTech – this is about getting back into product prototypes and building a skill set ecosystem in the technology community

Amazon PR Boss Blasts New York Times Exposé, Digs Up Dirt on Its Sources (Update) | Re/code – Amazon goes all Frank X. Shaw on the New York Times

Pioneer Joins High-Resolution Audio Player Market – smartphones not cutting it

CONSUMER: Wal-Mart, Suntory Struggle in China; Bright Shops in NZ – bottom line: Declining Wal-Mart China sales and Suntory’s decision to dissolve a China joint venture reflect difficulties foreign consumer names face in the fast changing market

GPS and electronic payment: Hong Kong taxi industry insiders have big ideas for government review in wake of Uber crackdown – a cab drivers’ representative is calling on the government to review how taxi licences are issued and traded as the city’s transport chief plans to overhaul local taxi and car-hire services (paywall)

The new favorite sport of wealthy teens: Soccer – data via Piper Jaffray

The China Context | Alibaba Group – some great datapoints for presentations