Microsoft writes off $6.2 billion: Blamed on performance of
online services division. Paid $6.3 billion to acquire digital advertising
agency aQuantive in 2007, growth and profitability lower than expected. Failed
to gain foothold in smartphone market, CEO Balmer announced Slate computers two
years ago that never materialised two months before Apple iPad was released, Online
search and advertising investments not paid off. Xbox and Kinect are bright spots. [CR: $6.3
billion for a digital agency? Sounds like a bargain.] (Brian Corrigan)
Dell to purchase Quest Software for $2.4 billion. Quest was
founded in 1987, has $US857 million in annual sales, sells software t manage
databases, protect information, and simplify access to data. Looking to be an end to end solutions company
across SME and enterprise. Dell’s profit fell 33% to $US635 million, mobile and
desktop computer sales down 6%. [CR: Perhaps Dell will fare better?] (Evelyn
Rusli)
South Korea gender diversity: South Korea is Asia’s fourth
largest economy, only 50% of women 15 years or older were working last year.
Female participation with higher education is lowest of the 34 members of the
Organisation for Co-operation and Economic Development. Royal Bank of Scotland:
South Korea working age population to contract by 2016, curbing growth by 1.7
percentage points to 2.5% by 2050. Women in OECD countries earn on average 16%
less than men, women earn 39% less than men in South Korea. 1.9South Korean
boardrooms made up of 1.9% women. (Eunkyung Seo)
US Information Security Oversight Office said government spent
more than $US11 billion to protect secrets last year, double the cost a year
ago. [CR: I wonder if they have twice as many secrets, or how additional
channels such as social media or WikiLeaks impact the costs?]
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