IT-company began to repurchase its shares

The financial crisis forced shake world markets, dramatically changed the behavior of the leading IT-corporations. Those that have only recently boasted popularity of its shares to investors now enjoy the moment and quickly buy up their own podeshevevshie securities. And these actions are not devoid of meaning: in a situation of instability and the lack of interesting investment projects profitable companies to invest in themselves.

Microsoft has announced that it is ready to redeem their shares at U.S. $ 40 billion over five years. In addition, the company increased its quarterly dividend of one share at 18%, to 13 cents. According to the experts, all this shows that the direction Microsoft wants to return funds to shareholders, lost from the failed deal with Yahoo. Another, much more clear goal - to increase the value of their assets during the financial crisis.

However, not all start now. Back in 2004, Microsoft announced four years to spend up to $ 30 billion to purchase its own shares. Later, this amount increased to $ 40 billion Given the current size of the capitalization of Microsoft, it becomes clear that for $ 40 billion corporation may skupit approximately 17.4% of its shares. In total, over the past five years, Microsoft by redemption of shares and payment of dividends paid to shareholders of approximately $ 115 billion, but it now turns out, it was just the beginning.

In a press release about the redemption of shares Microsoft Chief Financial Officer Chris Liddell said: "Recent actions demonstrate the company's confidence in long-term growth and our commitment to return capital to our shareholders." Indeed, before the NASDAQ trading session of September 22, Microsoft shares went up by 4.81% - to $ 26.37.

The world's largest manufacturer of personal computers - the company Hewlett-Packard - also agreed to add to your portfolio shares. For additional redemption board of directors of Hewlett-Packard has allocated $ 8 billion This will be the biggest purchase in the company's history. By the way, about $ 3 billion of that amount left from last year, when the plan for redemption was missed.

Apparently, HP at $ 8 billion could buy 166 million of its shares. According to analysts, the time for redemption chosen well: market value of securities PC manufacturers (all) fell to a minimum.

The example Microsoft and Hewlett-Packard in the last two-three weeks, followed by many residents of Silicon Valley. Specialists attribute: Purchase of treasury shares, the company actually pays dividends to its shareholders. The fact is that in the U.S. buying shares taxed at a lower rate than the payment of dividends. It turns out that it is advantageous to shareholders to sell its corporate securities.

Generally same diligence IT-companies to support their stock quotes using the procedure to reverse repurchase (buy back), until recently, determined the stability of the stock market in a crisis. NASDAQ Stock Exchange because more confident and kept others in the "black" days of September that the IT-companies to invest spare cash in shares. Theoretically buy back must show that managers believe the securities of the company undervalued. In fact, the company attempts to raise the stock market on their own are very similar to the actions of Baron Myunhauzena, vytaskivayuschego themselves from the swamp by the hair. While difficult to say happened or not.

IT-business: the fight man-eater with cannibalism

Normally, summer - a period of quiet business activity in the IT-industry, and with the onset of autumn business life has intensified. But looking at the past months, you know that this year no summer slowdown in business, actually, was not. And the question arises: whether and, indeed, now wait a marked recovery? Personally, I have no answer ...


Sun eve of change

Sun is can be bought one of the world IT-leaders, analysts believe. To promote this can collapsed capitalization companies, as well as reducing costs for large customers «big» servers - is based products Sun. The sharp fall in prices of shares Sun (YTD quotes the company fell by half - from $ 18 to $ 9 per share) sparked renewed old debates about the future of the company and options for the purchase of Sun any of the major players market.

Among the most likely buyers, many referred to as technology partner Sun - the Japanese manufacturer's server and telecommunications equipment Fujitsu, which may be interested in acquiring the technological baggage as Sun's hardware, and in the field of Open Source solutions. Another candidate, experts tend to believe HP, which, despite a number of steps to enter the Linux-market, failed to reach its considerable success, and through the acquisition of Sun could significantly expand the portfolio of Open Source solutions. The acquisition of Sun could be an unexpected and potentially a good course for Microsoft - both within the stated strategy of cooperation with the Open Source community, as well as more traditional strategies to address competing products. Eventually, Sun - the main sponsor of a draft free OpenOffice.org - the chief rival Microsoft Office - and the developer platform Java, struggling for market. NET.

However, top management of companies and a number of market analysts believe that with the current crisis in the U.S. economy holders of the shares of Sun were expecting even worse results. Despite the efforts of the company vozglavivshego Jonathan Schwartz, Sun is still in large part by the «big» servers, the demand for which has fallen as a result of cuts in big companies of their IT-budgets. However, Schwartz after taking control of Sun Scott MakNilli in 2006, has shown strong commitment to making the Sun's, first of all, the player software market. This was confirmed and the acquisition of companies MySQL - producer of the same DBMS, Innotech - producer of Open Source-decisions in the field of virtualization, a number of strong action for the development of the project Open Solaris and partnerships with other market players free software (such as Canonical). Actively promote the opening pooling and software developments Sun and their concentration around the Linux-community and around their own platform Open Solaris does not allow to speak about the lack of long-term strategy for Sun. However, luck and Sun's implementation of its strategy also is not guaranteed. But you can say for sure: developed by Sun technology and solutions still have an impact on the IT-market as a whole and the development of free software in particular.


Microprocessor cheaper

Intel Corp. added to the list of their products immediately, three low-cost processors, two of which were set up on 45-nano tehprotsessu. The first of them - Core 2 Quad Q8200, running at clock frequency of 2.66 gigahertz. It is equipped with 4-MB cache second level (the smallest amount in line) and supports a tire with a frequency of 1333 megahertz. Its price - $ 224 (for the purchase of 1000). The second processor - Core 2 Duo E5200 valued at $ 84. Its clock speed of 2.5 GHz, it has two gigabytes of cache, the second level and supports 800-megagertsevuyu tire. The third processor - Celeron D 450 - worth $ 53, equipped with 512-kilobaytnym second-level cache, runs at 2.2 GHz and supports 800 - megagertsevuyu tire. It is more manufacturers than the previous model - dvuhgigagertsevy Celeron D 440 worth $ 44.

The company followed the example of AMD and Intel also lowered prices on its Quad processors. Cost Phenom X4 9950 BE 140W - the most productive chip AMD - fell from $ 235 to $ 186. There was also cheaper processors Phenom X4 9750 and the Phenom X4 9650 - up to $ 156 and $ 134 respectively. There were problems with AMD processors Phenom X4, due to new chip architecture and manufacturing difficulties. This has allowed Intel to increase the gap between competitors by offering their own 4-nuclear processors. The current price declines, presumed to AMD and Intel, clearly lead to a new intensify competition between the two leading manufacturers of CPU.


Staffing issues

The company Alcatel-Lucent lead the people invited to the party. In particular, the new executive director, former head of BT Group PLC Ben Vervaaen to replace as Patricia Russo. At the chairmanship of the Board appointed a former director of space programs, the largest European aerospace corporation EADS Philippe Camus, successive Sergei Churuka. I recall that Alcatel-Lucent was formed after the absorption of the French mobile phone manufacturers Alcatel American company Lucent Technologies in November 2006. The restructuring, designed to make the combined company more competitive, has not been able to solve all problems, including increased costs and insufficient growth. As a result, in July this year, the company began its search for new leadership. Now, after the correct people are found, and announced the date change Churuka and Rousseau - October 1.

A company Yahoo left two more top managers. Todd Teresa - senior vice president of Internet business Yahoo - resigned to take up the post of chief financier of Quantcast. The company also left Steve Boom - one of the senior leaders of Yahoo Mobile. According to official statements by Yahoo, these resignations are part of the ongoing restructuring of the Internet giant.

According to the updated terms of compensation to the second CEO Motorola Greg Brown in the event of the sale of the mobile unit of more than $ 2 billion will receive $ 5 million bonus. However, Brown is among the options - it is also permitted to receive $ 1.66 million shares and repurchase of securities by another $ 3.33 million will recall that Brown now divides the powers of executive director of the company with Sanzhaem Jakarta heads the wireless unit. The latter will also receive a certain number of shares in the event of the sale of its subordinate areas. In addition to financial bonuses Brown eligible for at least a month of rest and the right to use official aircraft for personal purposes.


Mobile

A well-known manufacturer of electronics and home appliances Japan's Sharp Corporation has announced a unit Mobile Business Group. The task of the new unit - the promotion and sale of mobile phones and smartphones Sharp production in foreign markets. The headquarters of Mobile Business Group will be in Yamatokoriyame (Japan) and will bring together under one roof, two new department: New Business Promotion Center and Wireless Convergence Promotion Center. According to official sources, through the reorganization of the company would try to increase sales of mobile devices overseas markets including China, Europe and the U.S. to levels comparable with its own market. Back in August, the company president Mikio Katayama said: «Over the next two years we plan to increase sales in the Chinese market to levels comparable with sales in Japan. A summer of 2009, the company would try to enter the mobile market in Europe and the USA ». At the same time the export is only about one-tenth of all manufactured by Sharp cell phones. All others remain in the domestic market Zambia.

Motorola Corp. is buying a private company AirDefense - one of the leaders in the security of wireless LANs. The company AirDefense is the developer of integrated security systems wireless networks - Wireless Intrusion Prevention Solutions (WIPS), - as well as software that allows corporate customers to protect their networks. Since its founding in 2001-m AirDefense company focuses on innovation: for example, she first proposed the system of round-the-clock monitoring and detection 24x7 (Monitoring and Wireless Intrusion Detection System). Decisions AirDefense to ensure the security of wireless networks, regardless of whether the use of any equipment vendor, they are built. After completion of the transaction AirDefense become a subsidiary of Motorola and will join the unit Enterprise Mobility business. Motorola Corp. intends to retain the headquarters of the company AirDefense in the city Alfaretta (Georgia), making it part of the infrastructure of Motorola systems market WLAN. The transaction, to which a number of regulatory and other taken in such cases, the conditions should be finalized within the next few months.


New purchase Mail.ru

Russian portal Mail.ru became the owner of approximately 30% of the shares «Mamba» - an online dating service. The value of transactions amounted to approximately $ 18 million «Mamba» working on a partnership basis: service dating from 8000 is available online resources, including Mail.ru. The partner usually receives 50% of revenues. To date, «Mamba» contains about 10 million questionnaires, 5 million of whom belong to active users. The daily audience «Mamba» of 839,000 unique users, the company earnings in the first half of this year reached 222 million rubles. The parent company ZAO «Meyl.ru» repurchased shares «Mamba» from the investment company «Finam», vladevshey 100% online service. Interestingly, the very purchase was completed a year ago. However, the deal is not announced it as a direct link with Mail.ru bad impact on relations «Mamba» with partners, many of whom are competitors Mail.ru. Now representatives of Mail.ru and «Mamba» confirm the deal, but
refused to comment on it. And in the opinion of the President of Association of «Internet and business» Alexei Belyaev, Mail.ru will use «Mamba» to move his Internet-pager «Agent@Mail.ru». In addition, the transaction will enable Mail.ru deeper integration «Mamba» in its portal, a dating agency, in turn, receive site, generating more than 40% of its traffic.

Cheapest music online store in the USA.

Siemens will cease to produce computers

German group Siemens intends to leave the business of manufacturing personal computers. To this end, the holding company parent company Siemens will sell its share in the joint with a Japanese company Fujitsu enterprise (source newspaper The Wall Street Journal in banking circles praised the joint computer business corporations and Fujitsu Siemens at $ 3.12 - $ 4.65 billion).

Under the terms of a prisoner 9 years ago the contract, Fujitsu has a preferential right to purchase shares of Fujitsu Siemens Computers (FSC). However, so far unknown whether this right will seize the Japanese corporation. Moreover, in various media from time to time pops up information on what to buy shares of Siemens might be interested company Lenovo - the largest manufacturer of computers in China and the fourth largest in the world. According to the President Fujitsu Kuniaki Nodzoe, production of mobile phones his company is now considering a more profitable business. Using phones in the short term, Fujitsu can achieve in overseas markets better than engaging in production and sales of personal computers. Officials from Siemens while refusing to comment on «divorce» with Fujitsu. In turn, in the Tokyo office of Fujitsu journalists respond that news is not unfounded.

According to Press Secretary Masahiro Yamane Fujitsu, Fujitsu and Siemens are negotiating to change the terms of the contract (which expires next year), but no final decision has not yet been made. I recall that, in addition to personal computers, Fujitsu Siemens Computers makes servers and meynfreymy. According to analysts, the value of FSC may be about 2.6 billion euros. By the way, the plant Fujitsu Siemens Computers is the only manufacturer of notebooks in Europe and one of the few outside Southeast Asia. In 2007, sales of computer equipment under the brand name Fujitsu Siemens Computers accounted for 6.6 billion euros. Nevertheless, the company is in a fierce competition under the onslaught of such giants as HP and Dell. According to research company Gartner, Fujitsu Siemens holds 5.5% of the world market of servers, and according to DisplaySearch - 5,2% in the notebook market. It seems that the German group is now actively disposes of all its IT-industry. A week ago the company Siemens announced sale of its business to produce wireless phones, receivers and other devices Siemens Home and Office Communication Devices - 80,2% of its shares were acquired by the German investment company Arques Industries AG.

In an official message then was told that this step was taken in the Siemens strategy to focus on three areas of work - the production of equipment for such industries as energy, heavy industry and medicine. It should remember that a few years ago, Siemens actually went out of business for the production of mobile phones sold its Taiwan company BenQ. A recent high-profile trials have highlighted the corrupt underpinnings of IT-business Siemens, clearly accelerated the process of restructuring of the group.

IT-industry: options for success

Let not this year, but next crisis the world economy has just hit the IT-industry. A well-known business analyst Richard Holvey am sure that in 2009 the company employed in the sector of hi-tech, face a credit crisis and the slowdown in business activity. 

Holvey predicts that the sustainability of the sector to the effects of the global financial crisis is not long enough. In an interview with the publication Computer Weekly, he explained that in 2009 revenues in IT industry decline: the decline reaches almost 2%. Quote: «In my opinion, in the first half of 2008 has not yet created real problems in the world of technology, and possibly in the next half year will not happen, do not. But I sincerely believe that 2009 will be the year when all those scrape in the economy, in the end, nastignut technical sector ». Holvey pointed out that different types of companies within this sector, too, will have different perspectives. «Some areas of greatly expanded, and some of whom, unfortunately, waiting periods of global recession. I think the first situation in 2009 will differ slightly, but still - in the negative side ». He also stressed that the strike could hit many IT outsourcing companies. This warning came from National Outsourcing Association (NOA). Nigel Roksburg, director of research at NOA, declares: «As the financial sector a significant part of the business involved, it is only natural that it should be reconsidered. It can be assumed that financiers would resume negotiations with its IT-suppliers to achieve short-term cost reductions ». Nevertheless, Richard Holvey believes that the IT companies that will help customers save through outsourcing contracts, will flourish. Quote: «Any autsorser, announced the company:« We can save you money and not just because, as we will help you save money in this fiscal year », undoubtedly succeed in business. ... I think that in the IT sector, everything will be slightly better than in other areas, but it certainly does not mean that it will not be exposed to the economic downturn ». A similar opinion and experts of the company Gartner. According to Gartner, worldwide volume shipments of servers in the II quarter grew by 12.2% to 2.3 million units. And profits from them - only to 5.7% to $ 13.8 billion Commenting on sales, Jeffrey Hewitt, Vice-president of Gartner Research, noted that the market for servers has maintained good volume growth, even during the economic crisis in the USA. A key driver of growth as sales, according to Hewitt, has become a massive replacement of old cars for new architecture x86, which began as far back as I quarter.

IBM has strengthened the leading position in the market, increasing its share in total sales from 29.6% last year to 31.2% this. Second manufacturer - Hewlett-Packard - on the contrary, some lost presence in the market with 28.4% and 27.6%. However, with the exception of Dell, to increase the share from 12% to 13%, passed and the rest of the company's top five: the proportion of Sun Microsystems fell from 13.4% to 11.8%, and Fujitsu / Fujitsu Siemens - with 3.8% to 3.6%. According to the number of deliveries in the same quarter II leader Hewlett-Packard (30,2% of total), followed by spread Dell (24,7%), IBM (13,2%), Sun Microsystems (4,1%) and Fujitsu / Fujitsu Siemens (2,6%).


Pulse Hewlett-Packard

Hewlett-Packard Corporation has completed a deal to buy Electronic Data Systems for $ 13.25 billion deal, announced back in May - the biggest acquisition of HP since the purchase of Compaq Computer in 2002 for $ 19 billion in contrast to a transaction to which were some of the major shareholders of HP, EDS has approved the purchase of most investors. As a result of the transaction in HP will shift more than 140,000 members of EDS, some of them already involved in joint projects the two companies. Actually, in recent years, HP is trying to diversify their IT-business. Return on sales of personal computers, which account for a significant portion of revenues the company declined, sales growth also slowed printers. In the past three years, HP more actively engaged in establishing the software and work in the service sector. Now Hewlett-Packard expects that the purchase will allow EDS to more than double the revenues of IT-services unit, earned in last year's $ 16.6 billion


Mobility

Of the company Motorola left Rob Shaddok, head of the working group on consumer goods in the units of mobile phones. Since April Shaddok supervised multimedia phone companies. His place was taken by the new manager - John Chipolla - who will report directly to the new Chief Executive Officer of Dja Sandzhaem. Jakarta, as is known, has promised as soon as possible to reform Motorola, and the resignation Shaddoka directly linked to the start of the professional activities of the new leader. The Chinese company ZTE said that has set itself the goal of getting the five largest manufacturers of mobile phones and increase the supply by half (from 50 to 100 million) as early as 2010. However, while ZTE longer known as a manufacturer mobilnikov, but as one of the leading mobile network infrastructure. Until now, this is the direction for the company was a priority. On the other hand, ZTE is a serious bargaining chip in a bottomless market for China. I recall that now TOP 5 manufacturers of cell phones is as follows (starting at the end): Sony Ericsson, LG, Motorola, Samsung, Nokia. Perhaps within a year or two on the list actually occur reshuffle. Korean LG will not only benefit the sad situation in the company Motorola, but also to consolidate their positions. According to plans the company after 18 months it should take up to 15% of the market (currently 9.3%).

Thus, the 2010-meters to take the company assumes a steady third place. Rather, the major breakthrough will be done through phones with touch screens. According to Strategy Analytics, in the 2010-meters in the world will be sold 125 million such phones, while the 2007-meters were sold only 30 million the company to start producing sensors had sold 7 million units. According to Gartner, demand for cellular phones in rural areas of the Asia-Pacific region is increasing, but the growth of mature markets of Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan slowing. Senior Gartner analyst Anshul Gupta believes that in the near future sales of mobile phones in Southeast Asia increased mainly due to significant growth in the markets of China and India. Other emerging markets - Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia and the Philippines - also show a marked increase, which, according to Gupta, is due to the proliferation of mobile networks in rural areas. Today, the Indian mobile operators are aggressively expanding their influence in rural areas. They offer attractive prices and inexpensive phones, trying to attract the primary subscribers. At the same time, experts warn that demand for mobile phones in the mature markets of Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan weakened in the current year due to high rates of inflation and increases in fuel prices. In technological terms, according to Gartner, the market Asia-Pacific region will grow as follows. Sales GSM / GPRS-phones will be gradually reduced in favor of communication devices standard EDGE. Sales WCDMA standard devices will grow as a mature, and in emerging markets. Bestsellers HSDPA-devices will become South Korea - analysts expect that the less expensive machines will result in sales growth in the region. Gartner analysts expect that the proportion of smartphones on the market will increase to 35% by 2012, while last year it was only 7%. It is predicted that sales of mobile phones in the Asia-Pacific region will grow faster than in other parts of the world. On the world market in 2008 and 2009, an estimated Gartner, sales growth of 10.3%. However, in Western Europe sales on the basis of 2008 will decline by 1.5% over the previous year.


Internet Business

Social network Facebook intends to increase the rate of return by running a new advertising system, known as Engagement Advertisements. This, in his blog wrote an analyst company Forrester Research. The system will allow participants to interact with the network advertisements at least three different ways. Some ads will be to leave comments. Others are a virtual gifts that users can obtain from the brand. In addition, participants in the network will be able to enroll in the number of fans advertised brands. Advertisers for the success of the campaign would have, except the announcement, Facebook users useful content. This will increase the percentage of clicks on ads. Already aware that among the first advertisers on the Engagement Advertisements will be Paramount Pictures, Adidas and General Mills.

Canadian antitrust authorities began investigating the transaction, which is preparing to conclude a two leaders of Internet business: Google and Yahoo. About the beginning of the investigation told several media - in particular, Bloomberg News and the newspaper The Seattle Times. According to their figures, Google, planning to conclude with rival Yahoo partnership agreement for the sale of its online advertising on its sites, first need to obtain approval of Canadian regulators. «This is a very ambitious deal, and we must carefully examine its details», - said Anthony Dyuroshe, one of the leaders of the Bureau of competition - competition authority of Canada. The two largest Internet companies in the world are planning to start joint advertising sales by October this year. In July, Google assured U.S. lawmakers that the deal will only contribute to the development of competition and will not increase its market share. To agree and Kevin Restivo of the Canadian branch of analytical company IDC: «The dynamics of the North American market little changed, so if the partnership will receive approval in the U.S., the Canadian regulators are unlikely to find grounds for blocking». In the U.S., Google now handles 61.9% of all search queries from Yahoo second place (20,5%), Microsoft is third with 8.9% (for July). Not without reason the head of the Legal Committee of the U.S. Senate, Patrick Leahy also expressed concern about the deal Google and Yahoo, stressing that Google may concentrate their own massive amounts of personal data. But in Canada of Microsoft markedly better - here it is on all tracks online business ahead of Yahoo, so that in this country deal Google is unlikely to jeopardize the market competition. Nevertheless, Microsoft has stated that the partnership of two leading Internet market would harm competition and will result in higher prices. For information: according to IDC, the total world market for online advertising in 2008 to an $ 65 billion

The online store Amazon has bought a social network of book lovers Shelfari. The amount of the transaction have not yet been reported. We know only that Amazon has invested in Shelfari million dollars in February 2007. On Amazon plans on social networks reader does not know. Social network Shelfari lets you create virtual bookshelves of your favorite products, which could see owners of accounts Shelfari. Also service allows the exchange of information on literary news and reviews published in the works. In early August, Amazon bought the company AbeBooks, sold online rare books. In AbeBooks database contains about 100 million of rare books. AbeBooks also owns the social network of fans of the books LibraryThing, competing with Shelfari.


Mobile Finance

In the coming months, residents of Mexico will be able to pay for goods and services - for example, traveled in a taxi or a meal in a restaurant - with a mobile phone. The agreement concluded a major Mexican banks and mobile operators. In accordance with the subscribers of mobile communication will have access to their bank accounts via the mobile network. This will enable them using SMS to pay for various services. The program has already agreed to participate operators Telefonica and Iusacell, as well as banks Citigroup and BBVA. However, Mexico's largest mobile operator Telcel, which controls more than two-thirds of the market of cellular communication, has not yet joined the project. Note that using a mobile phone to pay for various services - such as train tickets - has become a common practice in Japan and several European countries. But in the U.S. mobile payments are just beginning to be implemented.

Google hires state power?

At Russian Mission Internet company Google has a vacancy for a very unusual position for the post-Soviet space - «political representative» (Russia Policy Counsel). As stated in the description of the vacancy, the political representative of the Russian office of Google should be seized «interaction with government agencies and the lobbying interests of Internet companies in the Government». Simply put, the Moscow office of Internet giant require specialist who will be able to effectively maintain a dialogue with the authorities.

It is clear that while the Russian representation of Google information about the new office confirmed the utmost caution. Many IT-experts and journalists, however, have expressed the view that American Internet companies require new - political - tools to further increase the proportion of the Russian Internet market. For Russia and the CIS countries this post until the gimmick, but the West is a perfectly normal to have in the state specialist in government relations - «connection with the authorities» (similar to public relations - «public relations»). The responsibilities of government relations specialist true communion with the state, and industry associations, media, industry experts, partners, as well as lobbying the interests of the company in the supreme power. Just last places special emphasis in Google: a vacancy in the direct text states that the candidate must be built up connection, the Russian government and parliament. Also on the future of Policy Counsel requires excellent knowledge of English, law, as well as excellent personal qualities and analytical context. How many will pay a specialist, not reported, but it can be assumed that much. After all, in Russia «connection» with the authorities has always valued as such. The Russian office of Google, however, officially denied that attempts to «not attracting attention, into the Kremlin». It Zabrovskaya explained Alla, Director of Public Relations Google: «This is not so much about interaction with political actors, but for the settlement of legal issues and work at the intersection of public relations and relations with the State». According to her, the post of Policy Counsel Google has presence in all countries.

Judging from the reaction of Russian Internet companies, they feel deeply offended so forthright action Google. Director of Public Relations «Yandex» Mikhail Ushakov hastened to remind the IT-awareness: «the fall of 2005, Google hired its first lobbyist in Washington, and later - a company lobbying. Apparently, came mainly to localize the project in Russia ». A well-known personage Runet and former president of Technology Rambler Anton Nosik sure that Google vain shy, as is evident today in the interest of establishing personal relationships with government officials. Quote: «denying intention to lobby for the interests of the government, Google is seeking not merely to attract attention. In the job clearly stated requirements for the applicant (the links in the government, known in the press) and its objectives. Google maintains a lobbying actively in many countries: for example, when Microsoft announced its intention to buy Yahoo, Google launched in the U.S. against the first antitrust inquiries. The desire to negotiate with the authorities, not by raising the noise dictated by the peculiarities of local mentality: in Russia there is some intimidation officials in America is lobbying - normal, none of which make no bones about not hide. With regard to the specific interests of Google in Russia, they are clear: today the State is a major and influential player in the IT-market, realizing a lot of programs in innovation, education, development. Participation in such projects potentially profitable. In addition, Google has a problem and accounting for payments to partners that the company would like to solve. ... Google is fighting for world domination on the Internet, and that he is well produced in most countries, except four, which includes Russia. Recently, the company significantly increased its share of the local market by acquiring Internet advertising agency «Begun»: a business expansion has required new measures ». Other market participants, however, believe that Google would be more correct to deal with the legal settlement online environment and its development in Russia, were brokered by the association «Internet and Business» (AIB). For reference: a non-profit association was founded by Russian players largest Internet market is precisely for such purposes. And one of the founding association made and Google. The statute of the organization, among others, described in including the participation of its members in legislative activities. President of Association of «Internet and Business» Alexei Belyaev, of course, assures that the prescribed goals «not remain on paper», and it «is a constant work». Namely: organized a meeting between representatives of Internet companies and government structures, including law enforcement. The main objective of such exercises - to reach a common understanding of the pressing issues - such as piracy, the spread of illegal content, child pornography, and much more. However, the same Belyaev forced acknowledges: «In Google to address some issues themselves no contradiction membership in the association do not have».

There are those who understands and fully accepts the policy of Google. For example, Vice President Mail.Ru Anna Artamonova believes that the deployment of such a vacancy «there is nothing special». Quote: «Participants of any market is always very important to broadcast its position State. Is it for this purpose a special person, special position, whether - all companies interested in the development of the market one way or another engaged in dialogue with the State».

ZML.com - AllofMP3 films

The network has a new Web resource offering all those wishing to download the video at an affordable price - site ZML, another offspring of the founders of scandalous known AllofMP3. In July this year, the site AllofMP3, in a database which hosts thousands of musical compositions of Russian and foreign performers, was closed. Claims of Western record companies a long time not to impede resource function, because Russian law does not provide penalties for failure to pay royalties to foreign companies. When under threat of being Russia's entry into the WTO, government authorities rushed to terminate the existence of the resource.

Following the closure of the site just a few hours gave his counterparts, claimed that operate in Russia and strictly followed Russian law. The situation is repeated in that time, in this case, changed only to trade.

ZML.com site offers thousands of movies, watching where possible on most devices, including iPod, Zune, and DivX players. ZML refers to the Russian Society for Multimedia and digital networks, and said that the Russian law on copyright. "You can buy movies on our site, if it does not contradict the laws of your country" - calls on the Web resource. "It's quite a controversial assertion, however, does not diminish the responsibility nor the buyers nor sellers," - comment on the situation Western specialists.

The situation is ambiguous. The Russian Society for Multimedia and digital networks, describing their activities, said that "ROMS represents the interests of all Russian rights holders on the world stage in relations with foreign organizations on the management of copyright and related rights, concludes with an agreement on mutual representation of interests". Thus, to defend their rights can only members of ROMS.

In addition, in August this year, Western rights Sony BMG, Universal Music, EMI and Warner Music Group ignored the notice ROMS on the possibility of receiving royalties for the use of music. According to the Law on Copyright and Related Rights, the rewards should be given to companies to record labels whose music was sold to licensees ROMSa. ROMS calls the situation absurd, as well as western companies are not tired accuse Russian portals of theft, but did not want to put his interest in sales.

Recall that a Moscow court ruled to acquit AllofMP3 owner David Kvasovu ("Mediaservises"). In the criminal case of EMI, Warner and Universal have filed claims for moral damages to each of 5 million rubles. But the court ruled that the existing 2004 law on Copyright and Related Rights does not impose a ban on the distribution of tracks on the Internet. Regulation came into force only on 1 September 2006 - thus Kvasov is not responsible for the crimes committed in 2004.

What fate awaits resource ZML.com, one can only assume. If Russia will again be under pressure from the West, the resource can be removed, as well as its musical analogue. But experience has shown that this niche will not be vacant long.