Insights into how technology and the outsourcing of R&D are changing the software industry

OK, so it’s April already.  But you still should take note of these articles.  I promise next week’s post will be Monday.

1. Novell rejects $2B takeover bid.  It’s nice they feel the company is worth more, but it’s never a good sign that the board is “looking for alternatives”.  I hope the company makes it. I hear their new social enterprise platform Pulse is very strong.  I can’t wait for the beta.
2. Fantastic article about who might buy Palm that includes profiles of the 13 potential suitors with rationale.
3. Google Testing Hotel Prices in Google Maps.  I guess it’s no longer a question on whether or not Google’s entering travel meta-search…they’re in it.  They’re also excellent analysis on the move by travel industry blogger Robert Cole here.
4. TravelClick to add sales and marketing services to Central Reservations Systems software platform. http://www.4hoteliers.com/4hots_nshw.php?mwi=7107
5. WSJ reports that hotels are most vulnerable to data breaches.  This is on the heels of the news that Wyndham was hacked for the 3^rd time in the last several years.  For those who didn’t know, PCI-DSS compliance is important.
6. Everbread emerges from stealth mode and launches a new search platform that claims to be significantly faster than other travel search engines.  The fare and pricing engine named Haystack is being targeted to airlines and OTAs.
7. Yahoo releases 2 new iPhone apps for search.  The Sketch-a-Search capability is really cool.
8. The Open Source and PaaS Paradox http://www.enterpriseirregulars.com/15160/open-source-and-the-paas-paradox/
9. Tnooz to launch Travel App portal in association with Capterra. http://www.tnooz.com/2010/03/22/news/tnooz-to-launch-tsoftware-a-unique-software-store-for-travel-technology/. Pretty interesting development to see a news organization become a marketplace. I guess they’re going the CNET route.  At the very least this will probably be the best way for me to build a travel technology prospect database J
10. Valyn Perini, Executive Director of Open Travel, asks “Why do car rental agencies make it so easy for me to stiff them?” She makes good points about how car rental agencies are basically the only part of the travel food chain that doesn’t ask for at least some payment up front or charge penalties for no shows.