News bullets of the day:

- Microsoft said it's resuming talks with Yahoo and the possibility of making a new bid for Yahoo.

"Microsoft has proposed to Yahoo a deal related to advertisements that run next to Internet search results, a large business that is dominated by Google Inc. The move by Microsoft appears to be an attempt to stop Google from entering a search-related deal with Yahoo that's now under discussion and could be announced in coming days.

In a statement, Microsoft said only that it has raised with Yahoo the possibility of a "transaction" that isn't an acquisition of all of Yahoo, and declined to be more specific. However, Microsoft also said in the statement that it "reserves the right to reconsider" the possibility of a bid for the company, depending on developments or talks with Yahoo or its shareholders or other parties."

- In a post on Cramer RealMoney.com blog last Thursday, Cramer warned that Carl Icahn should not be taken lightly by Yahoo!.

"Yahoo!, be prepared to get pantsed. Carl Icahn has spent much of his life working just on the kind of situations that CEO Jerry Yang just engineered -- a situation where entrenched management doesn't own a lot of stock but doesn't want to lose its job and is willing to screw all of the other shareholders.

I have believed from the beginning that Yahoo! did not deal in good faith with Steve Ballmer of Microsoft (MSFT - Cramer's Take - Stockpickr). I believe that every time Ballmer tried to reach a deal, Yang went higher. He wasn't a seller because he believed he owned the company.

Now Icahn has put together a slate that I think can be a winner. I think he knows that you can buy the stock at $23-$25 and flip it to Microsoft after the election."

- The fight between Microsoft vs. Yahoo isn't funny any more.
According to Michael Arrington of TechCrunch,"Yahoo is so out-gunned in its fight to simply stay independent that it isn’t even funny anymore. Microsoft’s serious attempts to take over the company are over, even though Yahoo shareholders have begun to prostrate themselves in grief. Oh, if only they could go back and take that $31 offer."

So what happen next?

"Microsoft could partner with Yahoo on a search deal. Or Yahoo may do something with Google instead and fight it on the regulatory front. Or the whole acquisition may come back on the table."


- AOL completed the its $850 million purchase of Bebo, now users will be able to integrate AOL community applications and tools into Bebo.

"As part of the move, AOL said it will focus on three areas: The advertising network, publishing and people networks. The goal: Figure out a way to monetizing social networking, a challenge that has befuddled monetization kings like Google.

Among the items on AOL’s social networking to-do list:
- Integrate AOL IM, chat and email into Bebo. Users will have common screen names.
- Integrate other AOL acquisitions–Goowy Media and Yedda for instance–into the People Networks unit. AOL will also cross-distribute content on these properties. In short, you’ll see Bebo’s original programming across multiple properties.
- Monetize this social fiesta with open media platforms and content screening."


- Google is accepting third-party advertising tags on the Google content network in North America.
"Ad servers, rich media ad agencies and research firms can now go through a certification process that ensures the highest level of advertiser service and user experience. In fact, advertisers and agencies now have the ability to serve ads and measure performance through these certified third parties:

    - Advertiser ad servers: DoubleClick (DFA), Mediaplex
    - Rich media agencies: DoubleClick Rich Media, Eyeblaster, EyeWonder, Interpolls, PointRoll, Unicast
    - Research firms: Dynamic Logic, IAG Research, InsightExpress, Factor TG "


Google plans to certify more third-party partners in the future.