Instagram … Two years ago we invested $250,000 in Instagram.  Thanks to the spectacular vision and effort of Kevin Systrom and the Instagram team, the investment will be worth $78,000,000 when the Faceboook acquisition closes.  The work that Kevin and team did will go down as legend in the industry and we thank them immensely.

The Flight From Conversation  —  WE live in a technological universe in which we are always communicating.  And yet we have sacrificed conversation for mere connection.  —  At home, families sit together, texting and reading e-mail.  At work executives text during board meetings.

Adobe Officially Unveils CS6 And Its $49/Month All-Inclusive Creative Cloud Subscription Service  —  Today is a big day for Adobe.  Not only is the company officially unveiling the next versions of virtually all of the applications in its Creative Suite, but Adobe is also launching its Creative Cloud online offerings.

Intel's Ivy Bridge chips launch using ‘3D transistors’  —  Intel's new Ivy Bridge processors use a new tri-gate transistor technology to boost processing power while reducing the amount of energy needed  —  Intel is launching its Ivy Bridge family of processors - the first to feature what it describes as a “3D transistor”.

Nokia: Three Big Problems  —  Nokia's results for Q1 2012 are in: They're not good.  (See the earnings release here, Management's Conference Call presentation here.)  —  Compared to the same quarter last year, Nokia overall revenue is down 29%, to $9.7B.  And the company is now losing money, $1.8B, 18.5% of revenue.

Skype for Windows Phone version 1.0 released, no longer considered beta  —  Microsoft promised a full version of its Skype for Windows Phone software in April back when the original beta was released at Mobile World Congress earlier this year.  The company delivered on that promise today …

Will Stanford and Silicon Valley Transform Education? … - POLITICS - PROFILES - THE TALK OF THE TOWN - COMMENT - TABLE OF CONTENTS - THE FINANCIAL PAGE - NEWS DESK - THE POLITICAL SCENE

Vodafone Buys Cable & Wireless For $1.7B, Gives Mobile Carrier Bigger Window On Enterprise, Broadband  —  Big news from the UK this morning: Vodafone, one of Europe's biggest mobile operators, has made a formal offer to buy up the assets of Cable & Wireless Worldwide for £1 billion …

How to cope with the Gmail redesign  —  Reports are coming in from around the Internet that the Gmail redesign, which we were previously able to stave off with “revert to the old look temporarily”, is now forcing itself upon us.  I too have succumbed to the new design, and have been forced to find ways to cope.

Google Makes Its Big Video Push With AdWords For Video  —  A couple of weeks ago, early participants in the new AdWords for Video program gathered at the YouTube offices.  The ostensible justification for the meeting was a fancy photo shoot, but YouTube executives also gave a little pep talk …