Stakes high for 1st private rocket launch to space station

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla?? Nerves are frayed here on Florida's space coast as commercial company SpaceX prepares to launch its Dragon capsule on the first-ever flight of a private vehicle to the International Space Station.

The milestone mission is being viewed as a test not only of Dragon but of private spaceflight in general. It will be the first commercial spaceship test flight for NASA's new plan to outsource transportation of cargo ? and eventually crew ? to the space station to the private sector now that the agency's space shuttle fleet is retired.

SpaceX's Dragon space capsule is due to lift off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station here at 4:55 a.m. EDT (0855 GMT) on top of SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket. The first 75 hours of the flight are critical to get the vehicle in the correct orbit to catch up with the space station on Monday and dock on Tuesday.

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"I think we're going to be biting off our fingers between now and hour 75," SpaceX president Gwynne Shotwell told SPACE.com during a press briefing today (May 18). "I don't think there's going to be a lot of sleep in the next 70 or 75 hours for the folks at SpaceX."

Weather forecasters predict a 70 percent chance of good conditions for launch on Saturday, with just a small risk of clouds preventing a liftoff. The booster is scheduled to begin fueling at 1:05 a.m. EDT (0505 GMT). [ Photos: SpaceX Poised for Historic Launch ]

Dragon fire into space
The gumdrop-shaped Dragon has flown only once before, a successful test flight in December 2010 that sent it to orbit and back. However, that flight lifted off after a first attempt was called off because of a minor technical glitch.

Shotwell herself admitted that the rocket has never successfully gotten to T-Zero (launch time) in a launch countdown on the first try.

"We have not hit a T-Zero yet," she said. "However, our team learns more everyday about this vehicle. I'm going to give myself a better than 50-50 shot of lifting off tomorrow, and if we lift off I believe we'll make orbit."

Both SpaceX and NASA have been very upfront that failure is an option for this flight. SpaceX experienced several failures during the first launches of its smaller Falcon 1 rocket, and even NASA stumbled through rocket failures during the early days of the Space Race. SpaceX's Falcon 9 rockets, however, have launched on two flights, each of them reaching orbit.

"This is a test flight," said Phil McAlister, NASA's director of Commercial Spaceflight Development. "NASA views test flights primarily as learning opportunities. They don't fit very neatly into characterizations of success or failure."

If SpaceX is unable to launch the Dragon capsule Saturday, the company will have to wait until Tuesday, May 22, to try again. That's when the next window to launch the Falcon 9 rocekt to the space station opens, SpaceX officials have said.

Space taxi business boom
NASA has awarded SpaceX a $1.6 billion contract to develop Dragon and fly 12 cargo-delivery missions to the space station. If tomorrow's flight goes smoothly, the first of these should launch in early fall.

Overall, NASA is planning eight Falcon 9 flights in 2013, including two supply runs to the space station and six missions for commercial and government partners, such as communications satellite launches.

SpaceX is one of two private spaceflight companies NASA has hired to ferry cargo to the station ? the other is Orbital Sciences Corp. of Dulles, Va. This outsourcing plan is intended to allow NASA to focus on pursing travel beyond low-Earth orbit, including manned missions to asteroids, the moon and Mars.

"The upcoming SpaceX launch is a thoroughly exciting moment in the history of space flight, but is just the beginning of a new way of doing business for NASA," John Holdren, White House science and technology advisor, said in a statement. "This new way of partnering with U.S. industry is a cornerstone of President Obama's plan for space exploration, and supporting it adequately is essential to maintaining America's leadership in space."

You can follow SPACE.com assistant managing editor Clara Moskowitz onTwitter@ClaraMoskowitz.Follow SPACE.com for the latest in space science and exploration news on Twitter @Spacedotcom and on Facebook.

? 2012 Space.com. All rights reserved. More from Space.com.

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WATCH: Gloria Estefan Plays Santana's Mom on 'Glee'

Get on your feet, Gloria Estefan fans, because the Latina superstar is headed to Glee! Estefan will play Santana Lopez's (Naya Rivera) mother Maribel in the upcoming season finale.

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Installing Accounting Software for More Efficient Business ...

Business companies can only grow if they have sufficient knowledge and technology in managing all aspect of their business, most especially their finances. Accounting is a critical undertaking, as it lets owners keep track of their productivity rate, sales, and positioning against competitors in the market.

Conventional accounting comes in thick ledger books. This implies meticulous and difficult work for the company accountant. One mistake entry may cause a huge loss or even termination for the company. Fortunately, technology developed a breakthrough to lessen their burden and improve financial management of every company. Today, accounting software has been backing up millions corporation owners and accountants worldwide.

Accounting software is essential in recording, classifying, and assessing all finances of every company. This can be of great help to all businesses in all industries regardless of their coverage. Here are some specific benefits of having this kind of system in your own business.

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Accounting software has efficient programming system that enables owners monitor everything that is happening in their business through their personal computers. It has easy-to-navigate features that aid beholders in evaluating every transaction easily. Company accountants, whether beginners or not, can also simply keep track of every accounts payable and receivable, inventories, and payrolls with software?s programmed formats and automatic features.

All accounting software programs like peachtree quantum 2012 can also aid in making financial reports. Business owners can easily review the current status of their business by just clicking some features of the installed program system. They can also see all products or services provided by each of their workers and the amount paid by every customer. This accounting device can also audit input data and help owners easily analyze and decode all finances.

At the end of each year, many business owners may find themselves rushing through the thick conventional ledgers to update their personal and business tax records. But with accounting software like peachtree quantum 2012, many business owners are now worry-free. All finances they take for the whole year can be mapped through the software in their computers.

Indeed, accounting software like peachtree quantum 2012 can be your great partner in detailed monitoring of all your finances and making sure your company meets growth expectations.

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Manny Pacquiao denounces anti-gay allegations

LOS ANGELES (AP) ? Manny Pacquiao says he loves and supports gays and lesbians, even though he does not approve of gay marriage.

The world champion boxer and Filipino congressman has been criticized ever since he was quoted in an interview on the examiner.com website saying he opposed President Barack Obama's support for gay marriage.

Pacquiao said Wednesday in an interview with The Associated Press that he doesn't support gay marriage because of his Roman Catholic beliefs. But he said he has gay friends and relatives, and supports their rights.

"I'm not against the gay people," Pacquiao said. "I'm not condemning them. ... I have a cousin (who is) gay. I have relatives (who are) gay. I have a lot of friends (who are) gay, so I'm not condemning gays. What I said is I'm not in favor of same-sex marriage. That's the one thing I said to the guy.

"I told (the reporter) I'm against same-sex marriage," Pacquiao added. "He said, 'Why?' I said, 'It's the law of God.' That's all I said."

The examiner.com story contained a Bible passage from Leviticus calling for the death of "a man (who) lies with a man," and Pacquiao said many readers erroneously believed he had quoted that verse.

He said he had not, and the writer later clarified in a follow-up post that he had included the verse himself.

"My favorite verse in the Bible is 'Love one another,' and 'Love your neighbor as you love yourself,'" Pacquiao said. "It's in the Bible: Do not judge. I'm not judging."

Pacquiao was banned from a popular Hollywood shopping mall after the article was publicized Tuesday, and an online petition encouraging sponsor Nike to drop Pacquiao received 4,868 signatures before it was suspended Wednesday morning. The petition site, change.org, posted a note saying that the author of the original article had clarified that Pacquiao didn't cite the Bible passage.

Pacquiao spoke to the AP next to his pool at his comfortable Los Angeles home, where the congressman lives while training for fights at Freddie Roach's Wild Card Gym in Hollywood. The champion had the day off from training, spending the morning in medical exams before a big lunch and some relaxation.

Although Pacquiao is experiencing a newfound passion for his religion and has socially conservative views in line with many Filipinos' beliefs, he was eager to clear his name after a 24-hour avalanche of criticism over the belief that the eight-division world champion boxer had denounced gay rights and even supported the killing of gay people.

Although he opposes same-sex marriage, Pacquiao declined to weigh in on civil unions, the internationally popular alternative, saying he didn't know enough about the concept to form an opinion.

"It's hard to give a correct answer to what's the right situation," he said.

The expansive Los Angeles mall known as The Grove, where the syndicated entertainment-news show "Extra" films its episodes, wouldn't allow Pacquiao to film a segment on its premises, worrying that an appearance by the boxer could be disruptive. Host Mario Lopez, an avid boxing fan, instead filmed an interview with Pacquiao at the fighter's home.

Pacquiao chuckled at the knowledge that his words ? even words he said he didn't say ? carry more weight than those of an average athlete because of his political aspirations.

"With great power comes great responsibility, so that's my responsibility, to handle everything," Pacquiao said. "This has happened before. You have to explain and understand. It's a lot more fun to train (for a fight)."

Pacquiao is the Philippines' most famous person and one of the world's most popular athletes. The eight-division world champion is a movie star, singer, pitchman and congressman, representing the Sarangani province in the Philippines' House of Representatives since May 2010.

He has won 16 consecutive fights since March 2005, beating Oscar De La Hoya, Juan Manuel Marquez, Miguel Cotto, Shane Mosley and Antonio Margarito. He will defend his WBO welterweight title against Timothy Bradley on June 9 in Las Vegas.

Pacquiao has embraced Catholicism in recent months after marital trouble with his wife, Jinkee. Although he has always attended Mass before his fights, the boxer has taken up frequent Bible study, and he traveled from the Philippines to the U.S. in the company of a spiritual adviser and pastor, Jeric Soriano, now a regular presence in Pacquiao's life in Los Angeles and the Philippines.

"It's difficult sometimes, but God gave me a talent," Pacquiao said. "He gave me a wisdom and a knowledge."

Although Pacquiao has some conservative social views, he also has ties to progressive American politicians, including Nevada Sen. Harry Reid. The boxer campaigned for the Democratic majority leader during his tough re-election victory over Sharron Angle in 2010.

Pacquiao also visited Obama at the White House last year, discussing basketball and boxing. The fighter says he enjoyed meeting Obama, but didn't share his views on same-sex marriage.

Pacquiao is the fourth of six children born into poverty in the Philippines, and he has four children of his own with his wife. He has spoken out against birth control during his political career, affirming his Roman Catholic faith.

Floyd Mayweather Jr., Pacquiao's only rival for pound-for-pound supremacy in boxing, took to Twitter on Wednesday to tout his own beliefs.

"I stand behind President Obama & support gay marriage," Mayweather tweeted. "I'm an American citizen & I believe people should live their life the way they want."

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Mark Ruffalo on the Fracking Fight (Rolling Stone)

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Know Why Video Marketing Is A Great Search Engine Optimization ...

There are indeed a lot of newer and more innovative search engine optimization solutions nowadays. This is because of the ever continuing search of more effective SEO solutions that many online entrepreneurs have today. Although you may not indeed be an SEO expert, you still need to be aware of these innovative methods so that you can utilize them for your online business. In a way, it is very important that you are able to let your online business cope up with the changing world of the internet, if you want it to continue flourishing.

One particular innovation in the world of search engine optimization solutions today would be SEO video marketing. Just like articles or blogs, these videos are generally contents on the internet that you can use for your SEO work. Since there are now a lot of online video sharing sites on the internet, these videos can easily work to the advantage of any SEO campaigns that you may have. With their help, your SEO campaigns can easily amass the traffic that it needs to land your website on the first pages of search engines.

Videos are more visually entertaining so it better than articles and simple blogs. It is also believed that more information is absorbed by those who watch these videos. Your target market can also be easily attracted by the tips and other useful information found in these videos. Since this a more effective way in providing valuable information, this marketing strategy especially works for your target market.

You can see that most high-ranking websites on search engines today have utilized videos as their search engine optimization solution. This simply shows that video marketing is an effective search engine optimization solution for these websites. You can make this SEO soluition work for your advantage too if you, along with your SEO expert, have the knowledge on how to use videos for your campaigns.

SEO video marketing is just among the many innovative search engine solutions that come out each day. You are set to succeed if you just continue to be open to newer SEO solutions available online. So make sure that you are constantly updated on the latest trend on SEO solutions for your business to succeed in the online business world.

If you need SEO Consultant in Singapore for your business website SEO, please check out 3sevenmarketing.com to know more about the SEO Services provided and how search engine optimization can help to improve your website search engine results.

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Honda unveils new Segway-like vehicle for indoors

Today,?Honda announced the UNI-CUB???personal mobility device that's very similar to the Segway. But unlike the Segway that's?mainly used for outdoors, the much smaller UNI-CUB is a one-person scooter for indoor spaces. Honda first announced the personal transpo system back in 2009, and the UNI-CUB that you can see in the video above is the latest update to its design.

The?lithium-ion battery-powered machine has a compact design with a seat fashioned like a saddle. Honda claims it's easy enough to balance, but we bet the injured, the sickly, and the elderly who have the most use for something like this would have a hard time getting used to riding it.

The UNI-CUB can move in any direction you choose, no matter where you're facing. To control it, you only need to shift your weight toward one direction or use its smartphone app. While it's not yet ready for release, Honda will be testing the UNI-CUB in June at?Japan's National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation.

(Source)

This article was written by Mariella Moon and originally appeared on Tecca

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Daily Devotional: God's Great Puzzle | First Baptist Church Doylestown

I have lots of patience for some activities but I get antsy pretty quickly with others. One thing I love is board games, and our family always gets excited about them. We could play games ?til the cows come home. It?s created a lot of fond memories for all of us.

One of the great elements of board games and cards is the competitive aspect. My family (including my girls) are really competitive, so we go at it. To me, the rivalry and the interaction are the 2 big ingredients, and boy, are we are ready to go at it. We will play until all hours of the morning.

Another activity I really enjoy is puzzles, even though they?re non-competitive. I?m not sure why, but I love the challenge of hard puzzles. So, over Christmas break, or during a long family? vacation at the beach, we break out some tough puzzles. Each of us has a special area to attack. Then it all builds ?til we get to that last piece. And we usually let the youngest one have the honors of bringing it all together.

Nothing is so disappointing as discovering that one last piece is lost. The 2500 piece puzzle looks broken without it. It?s incomplete, so the whole message isn?t there. That ultimate pinnacle is not reached ? the beauty of the puzzle is diminished. Wow, isn?t it the same as God and his Word?

Like a puzzle, the body of Christ consists of many parts, which together make a complete picture. God has equipped each believer with particular gifts needed to do what God has called him or her to do. When that person is missing or not able to carry out his role, an important part of God?s plan is missing. The picture is incomplete. Not only does that person miss out on being part of God?s great puzzle, but all the other pieces are affected too. They won?t connect as a whole.

God has a perfect plan for His body of believers ? including you! Like the pieces of a puzzle, each one of us has a specific place and a specific task to fulfill. When every piece is in its God-designed place, the picture is perfect. But when just one piece is missing, the body is incomplete and Satan gains.

So, when you see others struggling, realize that you are hurt when they aren?t able to fulfill their roles. You are part of that incomplete mosaic of believers. Look to help those who struggle, not only because God calls you to ?care for the least of these,? but also because you will benefit from being part of a complete picture.

Today, take ownership of your place in the puzzle. Are you a lost piece ? one that dropped off the table? Are some of your edges worn down or jagged ? not fitting smoothly into the other pieces? Ask for feedback today from 2 people who are close to you. How can you fit better into God?s puzzle? Your decisions can sabotage God?s perfect fit, so align your decisions with God?s ways. Stop working against God. Working with your God-designed fit will lead to a pleasurable and easier life. The kind of puzzle piece you are is your decision, so choose well.

Prayer:
Father God, Thank You for letting me know that I am an important part of Your Grand puzzle. And thank You, Father, for equipping each member of Christ?s body, the church, to do what You have called him or her to do. Help me to be aware and sensitive as You lead me to do my part. Instead of judging or ridiculing others who are struggling, help me encourage and assist them in fulfilling what You have called them to do. I ask this in the name of the ultimate picture on the puzzle box, Jesus Christ; and all God?s children say ? Amen!

The Truth:
Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ?s body.?We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other. Romans 12:4-5

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Immigration, NATO protest ends with four arrested

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Stream TV finds a manufacturing partner in Pegatron for glasses-free 3D displays

We've been hearing about (and even seeing) Stream TV's Ultra-D autostereoscopic 3D chops for a while now, but so far there hasn't been any actual hardware to show for it. That could change soon, since the company is announcing OEM Pegatron as a manufacturing partner today. Ultra-D's claim to fame is the ability to bring clear 3D to displays of varying sizes, from portables to HDTVs with no loss of quality as well as SeeCube 2D-to-3D conversion technology. Pegatron builds devices for more recognizable names like Apple, Asus, Toshiba and others, and once they're ready to build products around the tech it should be able to put them together at more affordable prices than we've seen for glasses-free 3D hardware so far. CEO of Stream TV Mathu Rajan says this partnership will help it bring Ultra-D products to customers this year, so it might be time to clear out some space next to that 3DS and Evo 3D. We'll be convinced when we have Ultra-D hardware in our own hands, but until then you can check out the full press release after the break.

Continue reading Stream TV finds a manufacturing partner in Pegatron for glasses-free 3D displays

Stream TV finds a manufacturing partner in Pegatron for glasses-free 3D displays originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 15 May 2012 11:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Must See HDTV (May 14th - 20th)

This week we're completely overrun by season finales -- if there's a winter show that you watch that is still airing, it's a safe bet that it will be wrapping up its run this week. Check after the break break for the dates and times on those as well as NBA and NHL playoffs action plus Blu-ray and videogame releases (we couldn't ignore Diablo 3), but there's just one finale we're highlighting this week.

Community
Even with the good news that NBC has ordered up (at least) 13 more episodes for next season, we'll be sad to see Greendale's study group leave for the summer. Season three wraps up Thursday night with an oddly disjointed three episode finale broken up by 30 Rock in the middle. While the only thing we know for sure is that they're never doing paintball again, it seems certain the finale will include healthy amounts of Officer Chang, a doppleDeaner, the appearance of Evil Troy, Jeff and Abed, and possibly a return trip to the Dreamatorium.
(May 17th, 8, 9 & 9:30PM, NBC)

Continue reading Must See HDTV (May 14th - 20th)

Must See HDTV (May 14th - 20th) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 14 May 2012 18:50:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Iran talks to continue, IAEA speaks of good exchange of views, Iran of 'fruitful discussion'

VIENNA - U.N. nuclear negotiators seeking to probe Tehran's nuclear program for signs of secret work on atomic-weapons technology spoke of a good exchange of views Tuesday after talks with Iranian officials, who described the meeting as having made progress.

Neither side elaborated on the substance of their talks. But in another indication that some common ground had been found after more than four years of stalled discussions, both said the talks would resume Monday.

International Atomic Energy Agency officials had entered the talks seeking more co-operation from Iran in their attempts to investigate what the agency sees as strong indications that Tehran has conducted research and development on components of a nuclear weapons program ? something Iran strenuously denies.

In particular, they were pressing for access to a site at Iran's Parchin military facility that they suspect was used to test multipoint rapid explosives of the kind needed to set off a nuclear charge. Iran has denied such tests have taken place but has fended off repeated IAEA requests over the past three months for quick access.

Those requests have taken on added urgency after agency officials suggested that Tehran was cleaning up the site. Diplomats say the IAEA has seen satellite imagery showing what appear to be streams of water coming out of the building in question and of removal of bags from inside into waiting trucks.

Tehran last month said a visit was possible but only after "modalities" were worked out, and diplomats accredited to the IAEA and critical of Iran's nuclear program have expressed concern that could turn into a drawn-out process that would allow Iran to "sanitize" the site of any signs of the explosives tests.

Chief Iranian delegate Ali Asghar Soltanieh indicated Iran is continuing to insist on a comprehensive plan on what could be visited when. He told reporters the talks resulted in "progress ... regarding the preparation of modalities of a framework for resolving our outstanding issues." He spoke of a "fruitful discussion in a very conducive environment."

IAEA Deputy Director General Herman Nackaerts was more circumspect. He said the two sides had talked about "a number of options to take the agency verification process forward in a structured way."

Describing the meeting as focusing on "unclarified issues related to possible military dimensions of Iran's nuclear program," Nackaerts said "we had a good exchange of views."

Nackaerts went into the first set of talks Monday saying the IAEA was looking to visit facilities where it suspected such secret nuclear work was ongoing, as well as interview scientists it suspects of involvement and look at relevant documents. All are goals the agency says have been stymied by Iran's refusal to co-operate.

The Islamic Republic describes such allegations as fabrications, based on phoney evidence from the United States, Israel and their allies and says its nuclear program is geared only toward producing energy.

The agency, in a November report, said the tests at Parchin were conducted in 2003 in a metal containment chamber the Iranians covered by erecting a building over it.

A computer-generated drawing provided to the AP by a nation critical of Iran's nuclear program late last week shows such a structure, with the official who shared it saying it was drawn based on information from someone who saw it.

Former IAEA Deputy Director Olli Heinonen says it jibes with a photo he has seen that depicts the chamber, down to the matching colours. A senior diplomat familiar with the IAEA probe says Iran has never acknowledged or denied the chamber's existence. He requested anonymity because his information was privileged.

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DJ Platform Dubset Becomes Thefuture.fm, Doubles User Base To 100K

Naming your company Thefuture.fm is kind of a bold move. Sure, it's fun at first, but if things go badly, you're setting yourself up for lots of bad puns ("No future for Thefuture.fm," etc.). Luckily, the site seems to be off to a good start. Founder and CEO David Stein says the service first launched about eight months ago as Dubset, which he now describes as a beta test. After refining and iterating on that initial version, the site relaunched on April 25 under its current, awesomer name. In the first three days after the launch, Thefuture.fm claims to have doubled its user base to more than 100,000.

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Galaxy S III vs. Galaxy Nexus and Galaxy S II: what's changed?

We're here live at Samsung's unveiling of the Galaxy S III and while it was going on, we furiously built this chart to see how the biggest phone of the year stacks up against its two progenitors. Here's some trivia: that 4.8-inch display is 22 percent bigger than the Galaxy S II's, but its overall dimensions only grew by 16 percent. If you're interested in those sort of details, then after the break is where you need to be.

Gallery: Samsung Galaxy S III vs. Galaxy Nexus

Continue reading Galaxy S III vs. Galaxy Nexus and Galaxy S II: what's changed?

Galaxy S III vs. Galaxy Nexus and Galaxy S II: what's changed? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 03 May 2012 14:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wallpapers o' the week - Android R2-D2, deep space, black squares

 

Who doesn't love a little bit of fun in their Android wallpaper? Recently our gallery has seen a bunch of great uploads coming in, and there have been some rather awesome variations of our good friend BugDroid. We have tons of great wallpapers to meet the needs of just about anyone out there, whether looking for some great custom designs, some candid shots, or some favorites from around the 'net, they are all here.

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• Black Squares, lewisdraye
• Android R2-D2, mrfett79
• Space wallpaper

 

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Microsoft's Nook deal a real 'game-changer'

CNBC's Jon Fortt reports on the partnership between Microsoft and Barnes & Noble. Rafe Needleman, CNET editor-at-large, explains what this big bet could mean for Microsoft.

By Martha C. White

The idea of going into a bookstore and walking out with a tablet or other device might sound contradictory, but it could be the future for Barnes & Noble (BKS).?

The bookseller announced this morning a plan to spin off its digital and college divisions into a subsidiary and partner with Microsoft? (MSFT) in a digital reading venture the two companies have dubbed Newco. The Windows creator will invest $300 million in return for a 17.6 percent equity stake in the new business.?Goldman Sachs analyst Matthew Fassler?called the deal a "game-changer."?

Barnes & Noble?shares surged about 60 percent Monday on news. Microsoft shares were flat.

"To me, the key takeaway is this guarantees the long-term viability of the Nook," said?Bob O'Donnell, an analyst at IDC.

From a technology angle, it makes sense: Microsoft and Barnes & Noble need each other to better compete in the e-reader and tablet business.?Fassler wrote, "Our biggest concern for BKS has been its ability to compete against AAPL (Apple) and AMZN (Amazon), two of the deepest-pocketed players in the technology and media world. NewCo now has an equally deep-pocketed partner."

(Msnbc.com is a joint venture of NBC Universal and?Microsoft.)

Barnes & Noble needs Microsoft's global scale and money to grow its ebook business beyond the United States. Amazon has been aggressively rolling out its Kindle reader worldwide; it announced earlier this month that the?Kindle Touch 3G is available in more than 175 countries.?"It appears strategic to Microsoft to put more skin in the game by partnering with BKS for digital content supply and creation for both the U.S. and international markets," Nomura analyst Rick Sherlund wrote in response to the announcement.

Barnes & Noble and Microsoft?also have settled their patent litigation, the companies said.

Microsoft needs Barnes & Noble's presence on college campuses and its textbook business to help it compete against Apple's educational offerings. "Microsoft will want to make sure that ... there is a counter balance to Apple?s growing partnerships for content and creation of interactive educational content," Sherlund wrote.??

It's also a fascinating peek into what could be the future of the bookseller's retail presence. The two companies confirmed the development of a Nook app for Windows 8 but didn't offer any more details about whether or not the bookstores could become a sales channel for Microsoft.?

It's an idea that could benefit both brands, though. Roughly two years ago, Barnes & Noble gave its Nook e-reader a big push with spacious in-store kiosks that have been compared to the Apple store in concept and design. At the time, analysts praised the idea of letting people play around with the devices and ask knowledgeable salespeople how to use them.?

Even as the number of books read on tablets or e-readers increases, Barnes & Noble seems committed to its physical stores, said Michael Norris, senior analyst of the Trade Books Group at Simba Information. "The actual value proposition of a physical store is clearly there," he said, pointing out that Apple's retail presence boosts its brand image as well as its sales figures.

Although the market for e-books continues to climb, analysts say paper books are never going to disappear entirely. The amount of store square footage needed to house this inventory will probably shrink, though, and Barnes & Noble has an enormous real estate footprint. Filling it with more electronics could make sense.?

Microsoft has experimented with branded retail locations in the past, and it has a handful of Microsoft stores around the country, but the response from consumers has been underwhelming. (From tech bloggers, it's been downright derisive.) Being able to sell products under an existing, well-run and admired brand's umbrella would be a good solution.

Analysts also speculate Microsoft could create products designed specifically for the e-reader market.?The deal "rais[es] the question of whether MSFT will develop additional mobile devices that can enhance the sale of ebooks," Fassler wrote.?The Nook currently runs on the open-source Android operating system.

With Circuit City long gone and Best Buy planning a future of fewer and smaller stores, Barnes & Noble could be an attractive alternative for Microsoft, especially if it had more control over the sales process than it would via a third-party channel.?"If something was to ever happen to Best Buy... people still need to buy electronics, so where are they going to go?" O'Donnell said. "Maybe there's an interesting opportunity for Barnes & Noble."

More

Microsoft takes a stake in Barnes & Noble's Nook

Barnes & Noble, Sunoco among hot stocks

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