Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Technology Stocks : Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN) -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Glenn D. Rudolph who wrote (12157)	7/31/1998 10:56:00 AM
From: JimNewby	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 164684

City newspapers started their decline in the sixties; long before the inet. i.e., LA had 4 newspapers in the fifties (times, mirror, examiner, and herald). In the sixties, they combined into two (times-examiner and Herald-express). My point, they were weak to start with and the inet was just the straw. This brings up another point, people read less today and depend on e-media (TV/Inet) to provide. Less books are being read too. What does this say for amazon's future? Is the future in e-books?? I personally don't think so; I wouldn't want to read a book on this screen, I don't even like reading long winded posts like this one. all IMO of course. Just some thoughts. Jim

To: Glenn D. Rudolph who wrote (12157)	7/31/1998 11:05:00 AM
From: Jan Crawley	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 164684

*OT* Morning Glenn, Asnd is having price-swings due to the Asnd/Stratus rumor. Just want to bring to your attention..I placed some puts order.

To: Glenn D. Rudolph who wrote (12157)	7/31/1998 11:18:00 AM
From: umbro	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 164684

Investors applauded Hollywood Entertainment Corp. on Friday morning, snatching up shares of the No. 2 chain of video stores after it made a bold Internet play. [it seems the competition for online video sales is heating up. Note that the barrier to entry is low ... Reel.com has been in biz. only 15 months.] The Portland, Ore.-based company (HLYW), which runs the Hollywood Video outlets, agreed Thursday to purchase Internet startup Reel.com for about $100 million in stock and cash. Acquiring the 15-month old Reel.com makes the bricks-and-mortar retailer, overnight, a major e-commerce factor. Reel.com, based in Berkeley, Calif., claims it's the largest seller of videos on the Internet. In a related transaction, CMG Ventures, Intel Corp. (INTC), Paul Allen's Vulcan Ventures, and former Blockbuster Entertainment vice chairman Scott Beck will buy restricted shares in Hollywood Entertainment. By converting its 34 percent stake in Reel.com into Hollywood stock, CMG will become Hollywood's biggest investor. URL: biz.yahoo.com*http://cbs.marketwatch.com/archive/19980731/news/current/hlyw.htx?dist=yhoo

To: Glenn D. Rudolph who wrote (12157)	7/31/1998 11:35:00 AM
From: H James Morris	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 164684

Glen it appears that Paul Allen is going to compete with Mr Bezos. Now Amzn might have $325 in debt to burn but the last time I checked Paul Allens pockets are so deep he can reach all the way down to Australia. Look out Mr Bezos Mr Allen wants to be the king of E-commerce. < PORTLAND - Hollywood Entertainment said it will buy Reel.com for $100 million in cash and stock as the second-largest U.S. video-rental chain expands its business onto the Internet. As part of the deal, an investment group that includes Paul Allen's Vulcan Ventures also will take a stake in Hollywood Entertainment. The Portland-based company, which operates the Hollywood Video chain, will issue about 5 million shares, or about $70 million in stock, and $30 million in cash to Reel.com shareholders. The transaction gives Hollywood Entertainment the edge on Internet video sales over No. 1 video-retailer Blockbuster Entertainment. Just 14 months old, Reel.com is the leading Internet video retailer, with about 2 percent of more than 200,000 visitors a day making a purchase, the companies said. "We view the Internet as the place in which people will ultimately make their decision of what they want to watch," said Hollywood Chairman and Chief Executive Mark Wattles. An investment group led by Scott Beck, former chief executive of Boston Market and ex-vice chairman of Blockbuster, also will buy 5 million shares for $13.50 a share, or about $67.5 million, in Hollywood Entertainment. The group, which includes Vulcan Ventures, Intel and CMG Ventures, will be represented by Beck and CMG Information Services Chief Executive Dave Wetherell on the board. CMG Ventures, a unit of Andover, Mass.-based CMG Information Services, plans to convert its 34 percent stake in Reel.com into Hollywood Entertainment shares, making it the retailer's biggest shareholder. >