Google and Comcast want AOL

From Greg's blog titled \nGoogle, Comcast & AOL??? Oh my.

This just crossed the wire. Oh my.

These are interesting times indeed.

Google Inc. and Comcast Corp. are in "serious discussions" to buy a minority stake in Time Warner's America Online, a source familiar with the matter said on Wednesday.

AOL has been in discussions with both parties separately, the source said. But in recent weeks, Google and Comcast have had discussions to possibly make a joint investment in the online unit of Time Warner Inc.

AOL is also separately in talks to create a joint venture with Microsoft Corp.

Interesting times indeed Greg. I have nothing further to add. You said it all! ;)

Actually, I wonder if Google was disappointed in their Google Talk rollout (I don't think their concurrent users numbers are very good) and figured if they add AOL's millions of users and then make it interoperate with AOL/AIM then Google will have more VoIP subscribers than Skype or Vonage combined! Interesting indeed.

Although Comcast has their own competing broadband VoIP offering, so I'm not sure how Comcast fits into all of this. Perhaps they are more interested in AOL's content than any sort of VoIP synergies.