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The expectation is that at a special event next Thursday Apple will reveal improvements in the iPhone, including access to corporate email through Exchange and Lotus Notes. Despite its success the lack of enterprise functionality has been seen as a weakness in the groundbreaking cell phone. In addition to email, analysts are predicting improved security, better support of VPNs and possibly a level of CRM support.  Watch the stock rise!! 

So the great Mr Scoble has come clean as to what he saw at Microsoft that made him cry. It was a “World Wide Telescope”. What’s so special about that I ask myself. Well Robert fills us in .. 

But it has one difference between any telescope you’ve ever looked at.You can zoom. Zoom. Zoom. Zoom.We picked a point of light inside the big dipper. Zoom. Zoom. Zoom. Zoom. Holy shit, it’s two galaxies colliding. It looked like a star. Zoom. Zoom. Zoom.Now the magic happened.Curtis Wong said: “let’s switch to a different telescope and see what these two galaxies colliding are spitting out.”He clicked a button and we saw a completely different view of the same colliding galaxies. This time we weren’t looking at visible light, but at something else. I think it might have been infrared, or maybe a look at radiation being kicked out. He had about 10 of the world’s telescopes to look at. I forget all the names, but that detail is in the video coming on Monday.Zoom out. Zoom out. Zoom out. Zoom out. Pan over to Mars. What a glorious view. You’ve never seen Mars like that through your $2,000 Celestron Telescope.   

  OK my eyes are welling up a tad. But there’s more …. 

So, why cry over a telescope?Because I just saw the world I live in, er, excuse me, the universe I live in in a new way that I never had imagined before.I cried because I imagined all the kids, like my sons, who will be inspired by what they see. It took me back to the days when John Kennedy wanted us to go to the moon. Hint: there’s a lot more out there to explore.I cried because I realized just how much work, money, and all that went into making these images. I never had access to them before. Certainly not in this way so I could compare them by clicking a button. As a taxpayer who’s helped pay for some of these telescopes it’s the first time I’ve seen the results of my and your, investments in our scientific research.It’s human to look out at the sky and wonder what’s going on out there. This takes us a LOT further into our understanding of just what is.And,, yes, that’s worth crying some inspirational tears. Thank you to Microsoft Research for inspiring me in a way that Microsoft hasn’t inspired me in years.    

I guess you had to be there.

Take-Two Interactive Software, publishers of the Grand Theft Auto series of games, has rejected an unsolicited $2billion acquisition bid from Electronic Arts. The $26 per share cash bid was rejected by the Take-Two Board on the grounds that it …   

substantially undervalues Take-Two’s robust and enviable stable of game franchises, exceptional creative talent and strong consumer loyalty. We believe EA’s unsolicited offer is highly opportunistic and is attempting to take advantage of our upcoming release of Grand Theft Auto IV, one of the most valuable and durable franchises in the industry. Furthermore, the offer values the Company at a significant discount to its public peers and does not compensate Take-Two for its intrinsic value and the substantial synergies that the proposed combination would create.     

  The door is however open for an improved offer in the future. 

 An open letter from EA CEO John Riccitielo explains the thinking behind the offer ..   

Right now, Take-Two’s future is uncertain. Take-Two’s creative teams make fantastic games and the company has gotten some good interim support from a group of new corporate leaders. But Take-Two is facing a host of threats and – with or without combination with EA – we believe there is a strong likelihood that the company will be sold in the not-too-distant future. We also believe that EA’s proposal to acquire Take-Two is a good one for the people that make the games or are involved in leading these creative teams. We’re offering stable management with an executive team that truly understands games. EA has a powerful publishing capability. We want to offer these and other advantages to Take-Two’s creative teams and provide them an environment that shields these teams from unnecessary interference and allows them to keep making great games.  

 EA Open Letter  Rejection  

The head of Sony’s in-house game studio and one of its longest serving executives, Phil Harrison, will resign from the company at the end of February, Sony Computer Entertainment said Monday. No reason was given for the move which will see Kaz Hirai, president of Sony Computer Entertainment (SCE), take on Harrison’s duties in addition to his current job running the entire gaming unit.      Full Story 

About time! LinkedIn, the world’s largest professional network, has announced over 19 million members can now access a LinkedIn web application via mobile devices with Internet browsers like iPhone and iPod touch, Blackberry, and other web-enabled wireless phones.

“Let’s face it, every professional today is carrying a wireless device,” said Dan Nye, LinkedIn CEO. “Many of these professionals are on the move, attending conferences, sales meetings and client events. Making LinkedIn available on mobile devices responds to both these business realities and will be great for our users.”

There were more than 405 million mobile Internet users worldwide in 2007, with that number projected to grow to 489 million this year, according to eMarketer.com, a market research resource for Internet and emerging technologies. And industry analysts including Standard and Poor’s conclude that the phenomenon of online social networking has gone mobile and is one of the key applications driving mobile Internet usage.

LinkedIn members can utilize the LinkedIn network on their mobile devices by logging into the web app at m.linkedin.com. This release is a beta product with the final version expected later this spring. The beta is available immediately in English, French, German, Spanish, Japanese and Chinese with additional languages to follow

LinkedIn members will be able to immediately take advantage of the following LinkedIn features on their mobile devices

• Search LinkedIn profiles including photos and bio information to help recall and connect with business acquaintances at events and conferences
• Research the mutual contacts they have with other professionals to help make real world introductions easier
• Invitation capability to connect on LinkedIn anywhere
• Network update capabilities to receive important updates about your connections while on the go