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Microsoft Buys German To-Do List Startup 6Wunderkinder

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Re: Microsoft Buys German To-Do List Startup 6Wunderkinder

#71

Post by rgovind »

theallan wrote: post #30

How do big companies make the initial approach? Do you get a phone call out of the blue from someone at Microsoft saying "We are interesting in acquiring you - how does x million sound?" (I know I've grossly over simplified!).

Someone from big C(M&A division?) typically calls you and says "We would like to explore if it is possible to we can work together". As part of it, they may ask you to do a small project for them, asap (This is to test your speed of execution. I believe it happened in case of Google Docs). If they like it, they will ask for company financials/Growth numbers etc

Source: Reading many articles

Re: Microsoft Buys German To-Do List Startup 6Wunderkinder

#72

Post by Nicholas_C »

downandout wrote: post #56

Everytime I run into the WSJ paywall I want to throw things. Yes it is easy to get around but no we shouldn't have to. Because advertising. Anyway does anyone know approximately how many users this app had? Seems like a pretty rich valuation for a to-do list app.

>Anyway does anyone know approximately how many users this app had?

10M

Re: Microsoft Buys German To-Do List Startup 6Wunderkinder

#73

Post by grmarcil »

jkcl wrote: post #57
vegashacker wrote: post #43

It would be nice if this results in the Pro features becoming free.

How would it be run as a sustainable business then? Sorry, but I really fail to understand how we can expect quality for free. Free means that it's either run as a hobby (you shouldn't make it part of your workflow as it might disappear one day) or run on ads (lower quality by implication). Why not support your favourite apps by paying a little so the good folk can continue working on it!

Or option 3, be a goliath sized company (eg Microsoft) and run the app as a loss leader to consolidate/establish a position as a market leader in mobile.

Re: Microsoft Buys German To-Do List Startup 6Wunderkinder

#74

Post by dragonwriter »

robhu wrote: post #66
downandout wrote: post #56

Everytime I run into the WSJ paywall I want to throw things. Yes it is easy to get around but no we shouldn't have to. Because advertising. Anyway does anyone know approximately how many users this app had? Seems like a pretty rich valuation for a to-do list app.

If you're often running in to the WSJ paywall that means their content is often good, and they fund that content through subscriptions. Their competitors, who you're not running in to very often are not funded through subscriptions. Maybe subscriptions lead to higher quality content?

> If you're often running in to the WSJ paywall that means their content is often good,

Doesn't follow. It does mean its often get linked in places that I read, but that doesn't mean its good.

> Their competitors, who you're not running in to very often

That was never stated and is an unreasonable assumption.

Just because one isn't running into competitors paywalls (because other sources often don't have such a thing) doesn't mean one is not running into the competitors far more often than the WSJ.

Re: Microsoft Buys German To-Do List Startup 6Wunderkinder

#76

Post by dragonwriter »

rgovind wrote: post #75

Honest question : I thought there are many ToDO list startups Why is this still an unsolved problem?

Because a 'todo list' isn't a problem, its a piece (but only a piece) of a solution to a variety of problems, which don't all have the same solution (even for any given user that has multiple of the problems that todo lists are a component of a solution for.)

Re: Microsoft Buys German To-Do List Startup 6Wunderkinder

#79

Post by mpweiher »

MCRed wrote: post #63
toomuchtodo wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"Tax haven support as a service"

Germany is not a tax haven. Taxing the repatriation of funds that have already been taxed (Eg: Apple sells a Mac in germany, it pays taxes on the profits in germany) is punitive and very rare for a country to do. Most countries actually want money coming into the country from outside- and call it "foreign investment". This money tends to stimulate the economy and benefit everybody. The USA is neandrathal in its taxat…

Yes and no.

Yes, Germany is not a tax haven. However, US multinationals have been avoiding paying taxes in the EU. For example, those profits made in Germany are offset by purely fictitious charges from an entity in Luxembourg or Ireland, so no actual tax is due in Germany. The host countries of those entities negotiate special deals where they also pay essentially no taxes.

So there is no actual "double dipping", most of those profits haven't been taxed, they've been tax-avoided.

See:

http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/09/30/us-apple-ireland-t...

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/09/30/apple-ireland-tax-b...

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/17/business/amazon-luxembourg...

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/10/15/us-britain-starbuc...

Re: Microsoft Buys German To-Do List Startup 6Wunderkinder

#80

Post by manis404 »

tomkin wrote: post #78
easytiger wrote: post #59

Can we please stop posting paywalled content? http://www.slashgear.com/microsoft-tipped-to-buy-6wunderkind...

I said a similar thing a few days ago, but was ridiculed for it: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=9625769

But now who's having the last laugh, EH?
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