Yahoo rebuffs Microsoft

Yahoo called Microsoft's threat of a hostile takeover "counterproductive" yesterday, while also saying it is open to a deal, but only at a higher price, says ITWorld.

In a letter addressed to Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, Yahoo CEO Jerry Yang and chairman Roy Bostock said Microsoft has mischaracterised the negotiations since the initial offer was made, and that the companies have had "constructive conversations".

"We consider your threat to commence an unsolicited offer and proxy contest to displace our independent board members to be counterproductive and inconsistent with your stated objective of a friendly transaction," the letter said. Yahoo said Microsoft's falling stock price has devalued the value of the proposal. Microsoft offered Yahoo a cash-and-stock deal worth $44.6 billion.

HSBC has lost a computer disc containing details of 370 000 customers, reports Computing.co.uk.

The disc - lost while being couriered between offices four weeks ago - contained details including names, dates of birth, levels of insurance cover, and whether a customer smokes.

The bank said the disc would have limited use to criminals. "The data disc lost by HSBC contains no address or bank account details," said a spokesperson.

Facebook is rolling out its first chat application to let its nearly 68 million users ping each other in real-time, says eWeek.

The application, which the company will roll-out slowly this week, is geared to provide a speedier communication mode than the popular social network's Wall and Inbox.

The approach echoes moves from Microsoft, Yahoo and Google, which all began offering chat applications after their Webmail applications gained momentum.

The skies over Europe may be getting chattier after the European Union opened the way for travellers to talk, text or send e-mails on mobile devices using European GSM technology while in the air, says The Wall Street Journal.

Air France-KLM's Air France unit said it has run successful trials in which customers could send text messages and e-mails, but not talk, on phones.

Now, along with partner OnAir, a unit of plane-maker Airbus, Air France is running a trial of in-flight voice calling on an Airbus A318 operating on routes in Europe. Customers are informed about the service via seat-back leaflets and cabin crew announcements.