Google Delays Facebook-Killer Until Next Spring

Google has delayed the launch of its "big social play" until next year -- perhaps March or April, Mashable's Ben Parr reports. Previously, Google was reported to be launching a social network, perhaps called "Google Me," this year.

If true, this delay is not a big deal. Whatever Google is going to do now isn't going to immediately destroy Facebook, so Google might as well take its time to do it right -- if it can do anything at all.

Google is notoriously bad at "social," and the company would be wasting its time if it came out with another lackluster product like Wave or Buzz.

Or is Google pushing it back until it has had time to buy and integrate Twitter?

http://www.businessinsider.com/google-delays-facebook-killer-until-next-spring-2010-11

Facebook Is Sniffing Around Twitter, Thinking Acquisition

Facebook and Google are giving "serious look-sees" to Twitter as a potential acquisition, Liz Gannes at All Things D reports.

No term sheet has been extended, but both companies are apparently thinking about making a move. As we previously reported Google offered $2.5 billion - $4 billion for Twitter this year.

It would be out of character for Facebook to drop $4 billion on Twitter. It mostly buys smaller companies at lower price tags. It also offered $500 million in stock and cash for Twitter two years ago, which Twitter rejected.

Just last week Twitter cofounder Biz Stone said the company wouldn't sell, not even for $5 billion. That suggests the company would rather raise a fresh round.

Gannes reports DST is offering Twitter a $100 million investment at a $4 billion valuation. (We have heard from sources that DST is interested in Twitter, as well.) It is willing to make a huge investment to beat out Kleiner Perkins and Andreessen Horowitz, which both want to invest in Twitter.

http://www.businessinsider.com/facebook-twitter-acquistion-2010-11