BondHub's end a mysterious one

BondHub shut down Tuesday. The Seattle company started in 1999, the heyday of the dot-com era, as a Web site that helped professional money managers get multiple bids for bonds.

BondHub's Web site, www.bondhub.com, offers very little information about what happened, and executives did not return several requests for information.

The company had raised $6.5 million since it was founded, and had 16 employees when it announced its last funding round of $2.3 million in August. Nearly 1,000 money managers and brokerages had signed up for its services.

BondHub was reportedly backed primarily by Microsoft employees and alumni. One of its directors, Jeff Thiel, worked at Microsoft from 1990 to 2000, and was a product manager during the Windows 95 launch.

\ The story that wouldn't die: There's little doubt Mike Rowe, 17, is a budding entrepreneur. Rowe's saga began last year, when Microsoft accused the Canadian of infringing its copyright with his Web site, www.mikerowesoft.com.

Microsoft recently resolved the issue, persuading Rowe to hand over control of the site in exchange for a trip to Redmond, an Xbox video-game console and other goodies. Rowe has since launched a new site, www.mikeroweforums.com. But the story continues — as many often do — on eBay.

Now, Rowe is auctioning the 25-page letter and the accompanying inch-thick book of documents he received from Microsoft during the dispute. The auction doesn't end until Thursday, but by yesterday afternoon 182 bids had pushed the price up to $202,088.

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Who's buying what?: The rumors have been flying since AT&T Wireless was put up for sale, and Cingular Wireless, Nextel Communications and NTT DoCoMo have all reportedly lined up.

In the mad dash to buy the Redmond carrier, British-based Vodafone has been named, too, but with qualification because of its 45 percent stake in Verizon Wireless, which it would likely have to sell.

That no longer seems to be a problem. Reuters reported last week that Verizon welcomed consolidation in the industry and if Vodafone wanted to sell its shares, Verizon CEO Ivan Seidenberg said, "We certainly would not shy away from wanting to own 100 percent of Verizon Wireless."

Vodafone CEO Arun Sarin kept a poker face: "We're partners with Verizon Wireless in the U.S. We're a large investor in the U.S. We're watching the developments as they occur." Some British media, however, reported today Sarin is understood to have asked bankers to prepare draft documentation for a $30 billion dollar bid.

\ Commitment phobia: Some small and medium-sized businesses are concerned about depending too heavily on Microsoft, according to a Yankee Group survey. About 43 percent of respondents said they worried about becoming too reliant on the company's products, and 72 percent said they are shopping for other vendors.

A Yankee Group researcher said his company was surprised at the extent of the concern.

Sounds like Microsoft, which has made the small and medium-size business a priority, has some ruffled feathers to smooth over.

Maybe offering more free trips and Xbox consoles would help.

On the record

New business: MarketWatch.com has agreed to use the behavioral-targeting service by Bellevue-based Revenue Science. ... Digeo says its iTV service is now available to Charter Communications subscribers under the brand name Charter iTV. ... Molded Fiber Glass has selected Bellevue-based Saflink to help secure its network through biometrics.

New office: Avenue A, a unit of Seattle-based aQuantive, has opened an office in Chicago.

Download can be reached at biztech@seattletimes.com.