Microsoft announced this morning a new agreement with 24/7 Inc. , a company that designs intuitive customer experiences. As a part of the deal, Microsoft will merge its interactive self-service assets (meaning people, clients and technologies), into 24/7 Inc. The deal also includes an R&D partnership, long-term IP licensing and Microsoft taking an equity stake in 24/7, Inc. → Read More
While it’s easy to rag on Blippy for their controversial model (making credit card transactions social), and their security slip-ups (making credit card numbers social), it’s hard to deny that there is something compelling behind the idea. If there weren’t, no one would use the service. Enter Swipely, a service that also aims to make your purchases more social. But rather than focus on the money… → Read More
It’s been almost a year since Google introduced a feature that allows iPhone owners to search the Web using voice commands, and now Microsoft is getting into the game, too. As announced on the Bing Search blog, Sprint Wireless’ brand new Samsung Intrepid phone now comes equipped with a fresh voice user interface from Tellme, a speech-recognition company that was acquired by MS in early 2007.
As… → Read More
If you’ve got a company and you want a big acquisition in a year or two, you may want to consider hiring Alfred Lin, currently the COO/CFO of just-acquired Zappos. Every company he’s worked for has been acquired, and the smallest deal was $265 million.
Lin dropped out of a PhD program at Stanford to join LinkExchange in 1996 as acting CFO. Two years later the company was acquired by Microsoft for… → Read More
TellMe, which Microsoft bought two years ago, is rolling out an upgrade to its call center automation software which should improve its speech recognition rates. It is also adding Global Crossing as partner for reselling its VoiP carrier service, along with AT&T and Verizon. TellMe handles 2.5 billion calls a year for customers such as American Airlines and ETrade, all on-demand. Even a… → Read More
TellMe, which Microsoft bought two years ago, is rolling out an upgrade to its call center automation software which should improve its speech recognition rates. It is also adding Global Crossing as partner for reselling its VoiP carrier service, along with AT&T and Verizon. TellMe handles 2.5 billion calls a year for customers such as American Airlines and ETrade. Even a one percent… → Read More
Google’s recently launched Free 411 competitor, GOOG 411, has added maps to their directory assistance. Customers will now have the option of getting a hyperlink to a map SMSed to them by saying “map it” for any listing in the directory. It’s not as clean as TellMe’s solution, which lets you interact with listings through a map or the voice interface, but is a first… → Read More
Tellme Networks announced at the Web 2.0 Expo today that it will be adding three new ways to access its information service that was launched back in January. The service functions similar to to 411, but users can request information through voice, SMS, or Mobile Web. The announcement comes just a week after Google announced its free 411 service, Goog-411. To use the service through voice, simply… → Read More
Microsoft announced the acquisition of Tellme this morning, confirming the two week old rumors. The Price, previously rumored in the $800 million range, is undisclosed. The WSJ says “up to $800 million” and Gigaom is saying “over $800 million but below a billion dollars.” My bet is that GigaOm has the better information. The core Tellme executive team is staying on board. → Read More
On February 26 we reported that a TellMe acquisition by Microsoft was imminent. The WSJ has now reported (behind paywall) that the two companies are in merger talks, and that a deal may be signed this week. The price – “up to” $800 million. Microsoft Corp. is in acquisition talks with Tellme Networks Inc., a closely held company that makes Web-based voice technology, and may sign… → Read More
Further Update: This deal is now confirmed. Update:TellMe is saying that they have not been acquired by Microsoft, adding only “conversations are happening across the board.” More on this as it develops. Acquisition discussions are clearly occuring. Take TellMe off the IPO list for this year – We have multiple sources saying that Microsoft has acquired the company. We’re… → Read More
Oliver at MobileCrunch and Mike at TC got to test out the latest version of TellMe, a voice-enabled search service that lets you tell a robot what you’re looking for. The robot then sends you a map, if necessary, and lets you call the locaation or SMS directions to friends. TellMe requires a tiny standalone app for the mapping and it seems to be free right now, so it’s a considerable… → Read More
If you have a cell phone that supports the new TellMe mobile application, you will never use 411 again to find a business. It launches today at 5 AM PST. TellMe mobile is a free Java application that you install on your phone. You can then find normal 411 information via a voice activated menu. Just hold the talk button and say the city and state you are searching in. Then say the business name. → Read More
Austin, TX
Seattle, WA
San Diego, CA
Menlo Park, CA
San Francisco, CA
Berlin, Germany
