今日科技：Skype为逃避高额分红罢免高管？

    * 《彭博新闻社》（Bloomberg）报道，Skype 近日罢免了数名高级管理人员，其中包括副总裁大卫•格尔、克里斯托弗•迪恩、拉斯•萧、以及唐•阿尔伯特。文章还分析说，一旦微软收购Skype的交易完成，后者需要支出的员工分红会更高；该互联网电话公司此举很有可能正是为避免这笔高额的费用支出。【《彭博新闻社》（Bloomberg）】

    * Y Combinator创始人保罗•格雷厄姆亮相彭博美国电视（ Bloomberg TV）。据他介绍，这家初创公司孵化器最近破记录地收到了2，000多份投资申请；此外，他认为，在线存储服务供应商Dropbox的价值胜过专注于公寓交换业务的初创公司Airbnb，并对背后原因进行了剖析。Airbnb制定了自己最近几周的融资计划，有报道说，它计划以10亿美元的估价，筹集1亿多美元的资金。【彭博美国电视（ Bloomberg TV）、科技博客SAI（Silicon Alley Insider）、以及科技博客TechCrunch（TechCrunch）】

    * 我们的同事丹•普里麦克建议，那些对潘多拉公司（Pandora）摇摆不定的股值穷追猛打、横加指责的批评家该冷静思考一下了。[参见：《潘多拉灾难》（Pandora's Pox）或《潘多拉首次公开募股一败涂地》 （Pandora IPO debacle）]。“仅凭3天的交易情况就得出结论，未免太过幼稚。”他在文中写道。【《财富》（Fortune）】

    * 黑莓智能手机厂商RIM公司（Research in Motion）如今步履维艰（该公司不仅将其全年利润预期值降低了30%，而且还计划裁员）。RIM研发部门的一位前员工一语中的，揭示了原因所在：“他们当真认为自己理解消费类产品、业务、思维方式、以及营销，但其实他们根本不懂。”【科技博客SAI（Silicon Alley Insider）、美国有限电视新闻网财经网站CNNMoney（CNNMoney）】

    * 莫名其妙、不伦不类的点对点（P2P）在线货币Bitcoin目前可能春风得意：甚至有家餐厅都开始接受这类货币了。尽管如此，但它好景不会太长。【《财富》（Fortune）】

    * 紧步《城市小镇》（CityVille）等一系列游戏的后尘，Zynga公司最新出品的社交游戏《帝国与同盟》（Empires & Allies）的用户群也在以惊人的速度扩大：发布后17天内，用户数就猛增至3,000多万。【科技博客VentureBeat（VentureBeat）】

    * 跨平台新闻阅读器Pulse的开发商阿方索实验室（Alphonso Labs）在其最新一轮融资中筹集到了900万美元的资金。这一大受欢迎的阅读器目前号称拥有400万个跨平台用户。

    * 消息人士对《电讯报》（The Telegraph）透露，MySpace有可能在6月底以1亿美元的价格售出。据猜测，目前有意出价收购该娱乐性社交网站的几方中包括由动视暴雪公司（Activision Blizzard）首席执行官鲍比•科蒂克领衔的投资团和标准资本合伙人公司（Criterion Capital Partners）。【《电讯报》（The Telegraph）】

    * 通过这张有趣的、颇具讽刺意味的图表，图片达人可以找出自己喜欢图片共享应用。[提示：不管你如何进行细分，结果都肯定不会是色彩（Color）]【科技博客TechCrunch（TechCrunch）】

    * （专注于苹果产品的）科技网站Cult of Mac的迈克•艾尔甘撰文称苹果（Apple）应该用其手中的几十亿美元资金征服（并且拥有）好莱坞。【科技网站Cult of Mac（Cult of Mac）】

    译者：大海

    * Bloomberg reports that Skype fired several high-ranking executives -- including vice presidents David Gurle, Christopher Dean, Russ Shaw, and Don Albert -- suggesting the Internet calling company may have done so to avoid even pricier employee payouts once the Microsoft acquisition deal goes through. (Bloomberg)

    * Y Combinator's Paul Graham took to Bloomberg TV to discuss how his startup incubator recently received the most applications ever -- 2000-plus -- and why Dropbox is worth more than the apartment-swapping startup, Airbnb, which made deadlines of its own in recent weeks for reportedly raising $100-million-plus at a $1 billion valuation. (Bloomberg TV via Silicon Alley Insider and TechCrunch)

    * Colleague Dan Primack suggests pundits pouncing on Pandora's oscillating share value (see: "Pandora's Pox" or "Pandora IPO debacle") chill out. "Reaching conclusions based on just three days of trading is sophomoric," he writes. (Fortune)

    * A former Research in Motion (RIM) employee weighs in on why the BlackBerry smartphone maker has it rough right now. (The company slashed its full-year profit expectations by 30% and also expects to layoff some of its staff.) "They honestly think they understand consumer product, business, mentality, marketing -- but they really don't," the source said. (Silicon Alley Insider and CNNMoney)

    * Enigmatic (and unregulated) peer-to-peer online currency Bitcoin may be enjoying success -- heck, it's even accepted at a restaurant now -- but don't expect that to the case for much longer. (Fortune)

    * Following in the footsteps of recent offerings like CityVille, Zynga's newest social game, Empires & Allies, has seen some pretty impressive growth: more than 30 million users in the 17 days since its launch. (VentureBeat)

    * Alphonso Labs, the makers of Pulse, raised $9 million during its most recent round of funding. The popular cross-platform news reader now claims 4 million users across platforms.

    * A source tells The Telegraph that MySpace could sell for $100 million or more by June 30. Current parties supposedly circling the social network-turned-entertainment hub include an investor group led by Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick and Criterion Capital Partners.

    * An enjoyably snarky chart to help photo lovers figure out which photo-sharing app to use. (Hint: It won't be Color no matter how you slice it.) (TechCrunch)

    * Cult of Mac's Mike Elgan on why Apple should use its billions to crush (and own) Hollywood. (Cult of Mac)