WRAL Tech Wire

IRS Is Watching: Government Is Taking a Hard Look at Taxpayer Claims Regarding Stock Option Taxation

<b>TechLaw:</b> Notice warns against filing 'highly questionable, and in most cases meritless, pointless' positions. Punishment includes fines, penalties -- and jail time.

NewsFactor: Google Sets IPO

Digital Envoy's Sanjay Parekh Brings Intelligence to Web

Georgia Tech graduate turns an idea about tracking Internet users into a company, a patent-winning technology and a growing company. Geo-intelligence evolves into variety of services, including fraud prevention.

NewsFactor: Google To Trade as 'GOOG', Shoots for $3.8 Billion in IPO

Google To Trademark Owners: In Your Face!

Google's policy of selling trademarks as keywords on its search engine -- even to competitors of trademark holders -- is a gamble. How big is the gamble?

Discussing Google's Rather Unique IPO Auction Plans: We Should All Hope It Works

<b>A different view, Updated:</b> The successful Google IPO will not only be good for Google and its stakeholders in the short term, but it will be good for all issuers and investors over the long term.

More Buzz: About Google: Its IPO Auction Plans Continue To Stir Considerable Interest

<b>Tech Law:</b> Revisions in SEC filings highlights more direct and specific warnings to potential investors about auction process. Impact extends far beyond Google.

StrikeIron Closing in on Investment as Web Service Sector Blossoms

The 15-month-old Durham startup offers some of its Web services tools online free to attract users as it wraps up Series A funding round. 'We think we have a real opportunity as a first mover,' one of StrikeIron founders says.

Searching for Growth: WebSourced Acquires Florida Firm in All-Stock Deal

Engine Studio, its two web sites and search engine applications, to be incorporated into WebSourced's KeywordRanking program. Deal is worth more than $1.4M.

Going Public Scrutiny: Google's Unusual IPO Plans Raise Questions

<b>TechLaw:</b> The facts that founders and other shareholders are participating and insider voting rights raise red flags about the initial public offering of one of Internet's best-known success stories.

Google Gmail Jousting: Should Government Ban the Controversial Service? No. Let Consumers Decide.

<b>C:\Spin:</b> The idea of government, which routinely invades individual privacy, acting as a defender of e-mail privacy, is preposterous. Whether consumers want to use Gmail should be left up to them.

The Underground Internet: Commercialization Now Targets Blogville and Weblogs. How Can You Use It?

<b>The Global Province:</b> Many businesses must connect with the underground press...weblogs and bloggers...if they want mindshare and marketshare around the world in years to come as the Internet further redefines what marketing is all about.

Is Too Much Venture Chasing Too Few Good Deals? Some Say Yes

Some venture capital vets see overloaded funds running after too few good startups. In Southeast, early stage deals are still hard to come by. <B>Plus:</b> Piedmont Venture Partners are hard to reach.<b>And:</b> Pappas-backed NuVasive stock falls.

Five Atlanta Area Firms Crack Red Herring's Top 100 List

Not Cold, Not Hot: 'Cautious Interest' Key Investor Stance at Venture '04

Investors taking close looks at new companies, but mood is restrained and careful. Presenters Chorus Systems and Polyglot create some buzz. 'The venture spigot is not going full blast, but it is trickling back to life,' one attorney says.