A report that Microsoft is reconsidering its offer for Yahoo signals a new phase in the two-month-old takeover battle, says Vator.tv managing editor John Shinal.

With Yahoo getting to issue a report and forecast in a few weeks, Microsoft is turning up the heat.

The brinksmanship holds lessons for any company -- big or small -- that's the target of a takeover: when you turn down a friendly bid, then a hostile one, things cans start to get nasty. 

We've said from the beginning the Microsoft's $42 billion bid values Yahoo too high, and CEO Steve Ballmer may finally be starting to agree, given that Yahoo continues to lose search share to Google.

See our complete Yahoo-Microsoft coverage here.