3 Tech Stories You Should Read Today: Google's Earnings, Twitter's Problems and Questionable FISMA Certifications
Here is a new feature on the site. Every day, we are going to feature three must-read stories. Some got a lot of attention, some flew under the radar. In general, we are going to aim for stories that are interesting and provide background information about current trends in the world of tech.
Have ideas for stories we should feature here? Email us at tips@siliconfilter.com
The bad PR for Twitter just isn’t stopping. Today, Fortune’s Jessi Hempel takes a look at the current state of affairs in Twitter’s boardroom and why the company still hasn’t found a business model or even a definitive mission statement.
The most telling part of the article for me:
“Costolo, Twitter’s current CEO, spent his first six weeks on the job creating and refining the company’s first mission statement—”Instantly connect people everywhere to what’s most meaningful to them”—and reminding Twitter employees how valued they are. And the company tells Fortune that in coming months Twitter will roll out new features and ad products, including a set of services aimed at helping small businesses market themselves on Twitter.”
Related: Twitter Biggest Problem: Tweets are Ads
Bob Warfield: “Twitter’s problem is that when the vast majority of your content is advertising you give away for free to get participation, it’s going to be very very hard for you to sell additional ads on top of that for revenue.”
Bloomberg: Google’s Profit Falls Short of Estimates as Employee Costs Rise
Today’s afternoon news cycle was mostly dominated by Google’s first-quarter earnings report. While income rose 18 percent, earnings per share were down slightly. The stock market was not amused.
Interesting analyst quote from Bloomberg:
“Google’s decision-making process has slowed over the years,” said Jordan Rohan, an analyst at Stifel, Nicolaus & Co. in New York. He recommends buying the stock, which he doesn’t own himself. “He’s trying to attack that decision paralysis.””
Business Insider: Dear Microsoft: You Owe Google An Apology
The story around Google’s FISMA certification has gotten rather technical and convoluted, with a headed back-and-forth between Redmond and Mountain View. Looks like Microsoft was wrong
“Microsoft called Google a liar. Turns out, Microsoft is wrong. Google Apps for Government was, always has been, and still is certified under a government security spec called FISMA.”
