Archives for October 2004

Google: Print This The biggest news from Frankfurt actually originates in California, as Google moves to the next phase of their Google Print feature. The company has a booth here in Frankfurt’s Hall 8 and “Google guys” Larry Page and Sergey Brin (the co-founders) are holding a press conference here tomorrow afternoon. Google started rolling the new Print database into the larger Google index earlier today. The new iteration of Print — which Google Director of product management Susan Wojcicki’s underscores is “very early” and viewed as “just a preliminary test, working with the publishers we’ve already signed up” of […]

From FBF Things were not necessarily as they always are on this day before the full opening of the Frankfurt Book Fair. (Of course certain things we’re just as ever, like the half-mile u-turn that the taxi cabs take in order to drop you off, practically doubling the fare.) It was unseasonably hot for one thing. Outdoors it was about 80, while some glass-exposed indoor sections were far hotter. (Tomorrow is supposed to be back to normal.) And at tonight’s official opening ceremony, any traditional expectations you might have had about German efficiency were wiped away. Fair director Volker Neumann […]

Schedule Notes I head to Frankfurt tonight; anticipating disorientation and a hectic day tomorrow, I’m not sure when tomorrow’s Lunch will be delivered. For the rest of the week, with the time difference on our side, Lunches will probably be served earlier than usual. If you’re there, I’ll have a little office in 8.1, lucky number 13 — and of course always reachable via e-mail. Milestone, Reached Just in time for FBF, our deal database has passed 10,000 records. Barnes & Noble Will Spin Off GameStop Stake The game of financial ping pong with Barnes & Noble’s videogame subsidiary GameStop […]

SEC Starts Civil Charges Against AMS; “It’s possible that other suits will be filed” Following the plea entered by former AMS employee Mary Roke on two criminal charges (covered here yesterday), the SEC filed additional civil charges against her, in a complaint that alleges “that AMS fraudulently overstated its earnings through two schemes. The SEC “alleges that the fraudulent schemes caused AMS to overstate its pre-tax earnings by about 9% in fiscal year 2001, 10% in fiscal year 2002, and 19% in fiscal year 2003.” The commission also says that their “investigation is continuing.” SEC Pacific regional office director Randall […]