Beyond the Wow Factor: Why LinkedIn’s IPO Matters

Posted on May 19, 2011 by robhof

It would be easy to take today’s blockbuster initial public offering by business networking service LinkedIn as a sign that the IPO, the fuel for the tech industry’s wealth-creation engine, is back. But one IPO on the first day won’t tell us that. It’s just as easy to dismiss the rocket-ride to well over double [...]

Filed under: advertising, Facebook, LinkedIn, Silicon Valley, social, Twitter, venture capital | Tagged: , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

What’s Coming on the Internet in 2011 (Or Not)

Posted on January 2, 2011 by robhof

I know I shouldn’t do it–predictions too often are either obvious or wrong–but I can’t help it. If I have to think about what’s coming in 2011, and I do, I might as well inflict those thoughts on the rest of the world. Isn’t that what blogging is all about? Anyway, here’s what I expect [...]

Filed under: advertising, Android, Apple, Chrome OS, display, e-commerce, Facebook, Google, Google TV, Groupon, iPhone, mobile, search, Silicon Valley, social, social games, startups, TV, Twitter, venture capital, video, virtual goods, wireless, Yahoo, YouTube, Zynga | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments »

Mike Moritz and Steve Streit at TechCrunch Disrupt

Posted on September 28, 2010 by robhof

Michael Moritz, perhaps the key partner at Sequoia Capital, is “the most powerful venture capitalist in Silicon Valley,” says TechCrunch editor Mike Arrington. Moritz is onstage with Steve Streit, founder and CEO of financial services company Green Dot, a Sequoia-backed company that went public in July at a $2 billion valuation. They’ll be talking about [...]

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To IPO or Not to IPO: Live at TechCrunch Disrupt

Posted on September 28, 2010 by robhof

IPOs traditionally are the grease that keeps Silicon Valley’s gears turning. There’s no lack of startups today, but the big question is whether initial public stock offerings will ever become a viable way for investors, founders, and employees to get a return on their money and work. When even the likes of Facebook and Zynga [...]

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LIVE from TechCrunch Disrupt: Fireside Chat with Reid Hoffman and David Sze

Posted on September 27, 2010 by robhof

Now we’re on to the fireside chat with Reid Hoffman, cofounder of LinkedIn prolific angel investor, and VC David Sze. They’re both partners at Greylock Partners. TechCrunch editors Mike Arrington and Erick Schonfeld are moderating. Hoffman: Today, we’re announcing Greylock Discovery Fund, a $20 million seed fund to operate very quickly to invest in startups [...]

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Eric Schmidt: Google’s Next Big Business Is Display Ads

Posted on May 13, 2010 by robhof

Annual shareholder meetings can be anticlimactic snoozers, but often enough, Google’s are not. There was the time in 2008 when cofounder Sergey Brin abstained from a motion for Google to end its activities in China, on which the rest of the board voted no–providing a clue to Google’s recent decision to stop censoring search results [...]

Filed under: advertising, antitrust, Google, search, Silicon Valley, social, wireless | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments »

What I’d Like to Happen in 2010 (But Probably Won’t)

Posted on January 4, 2010 by robhof

I just foolishly offered some predictions on what will happen in tech and and on the Internet this year (and what won’t happen). Now, I’d like to offer a few things that I wish would happen: * Cell phones provide decent call quality. I really don’t get folks who don’t have a landline, because cell [...]

Filed under: advertising, Facebook, Google, innovation, Silicon Valley, startups, Twitter, venture capital, Yahoo | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments »

What Won’t Happen on the Internet in 2010

Posted on January 4, 2010 by robhof

Against my better judgment, I just posted a few predictions for the parts of tech and the Internet that I pay attention to. But maybe it’s just as important to note what won’t happen: * Tablets won’t be the next big thing in client computing. Oh, Apple will create a lot of buzz over whatever [...]

Filed under: advertising, Facebook, Google, innovation, Silicon Valley, startups, Twitter, venture capital | Tagged: , , , , , , , | 1 Comment »

What Will Happen on the Internet in 2010

Posted on January 4, 2010 by robhof

Predictions may be more useful for the writer than the reader. After all, if you’re as specific or as provocative as you should be, you’re going to be wrong at least half the time, and that’s not a very dependable percentage to prove your worthiness as a futurist. For me and other prognosticators, though, predictions [...]

Filed under: advertising, Facebook, Google, innovation, search, Silicon Valley, startups, Twitter, venture capital, Yahoo | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments »

Greetings

Posted on November 23, 2009 by robhof

On Dec. 1, I’m leaving BusinessWeek magazine after 21 years as a writer and bureau chief in Silicon Valley for some new adventures of my own making. For the last few years, my Web site has been businessweek.com and its Tech Beat blog. Suddenly it’s time (and yes, WAY overdue) to set up a more [...]

Filed under: innovation, Silicon Valley, startups | Tagged: , , , | 3 Comments »

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