Yahoo, Bebo, Microsoft and Innovation.

With all of the recent news on Microsoft and Yahoo, Yahoo and Bebo, and various other combinations (all of which have yielded no solid partnerships) it's hard to resist the urge to comment. At the risk of throwing stones from my glass house....
The highest good that Yahoo, Microsoft, and anyone else in business that's trying to "catch up" with someone else is going to be just that: catching up. The best case scenario for these guys is to reach a pinnacle that Google has already achieved and try to do it slightly better. Innovation is the key to much of Google's success and I would argue that this also marks the top players in any industry. Case in point: Google employs 10 people who work solely on Artificial Intelligence. Of course, we haven't taken advantage of this technology yet and no one has monetized it but you better believe that when it does, Google is going to be miles ahead while everyone else tries to buy their way in.
If you are busy trying to catch up with the leaders without branching off in new directions, you lose your ability to lead any market. Granted, your business may not have the capitol that Google has to pursue robots or plasma solar panels but small steps towards innovation in any company can yield successes that can catapult your business to the forefront.
Keeping up with the industry is important but don't forget to have "nest egg ideas" for your business. Innovative projects keep your team fresh, exited, and most importantly, prepare you for changing markets.
Lots of companies display the "catching up" mentality when it comes to social media as well. Facebook garnered attention for those who jumped on early but now is no longer the newest, most innovative way to have a presence online. Even a Youtube video with millions of views isn't displaying the same power as it did a year ago. Fortunately, there are ways to reach your online audience emerging every day so while I wouldn't recommend changing your entire buying plan based on new technologies, I would recommend educating yourself on them and giving them a try.