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Uber's latest acquisition should bring better public transit accessibility
Uber’s efforts to pivot towards becoming a software-as-a-service (SaaS) provider for local transit agencies continued on Thursday as the ride-hailing startup announced its acquisition of Atlanta-based Routematch. Routematch offers accessibility services including trip planning, vehicle tracking, and payment tools for transit riders with additional needs — both in public transportation settings like subways and busses as well as more specialized paratransit services. The company had already partnered with more than 500 urban, suburban, and rural transit agencies around the world at the time of its acquisition.
Vimeo's latest tool for video pros is stock footage
For the longest time, Vimeo was one of YouTube's most conspicuous alternatives. It was where you posted your indie production if you weren't a fan of YouTube's approach and it even created original material in a bid to stand out. The company has always lived in the shadow of its Google-owned rival, however, and now it's backing away from that obvious rivalry. In an Axios interview, company chief Anjali Sud said Vimeo was shifting away from its emphais on indie filmmaking and will instead focus on selling a creative tool, Vimeo Stock. However, a Vimeo spokesperson told Engadget that the company is absolutely not moving away from its core offering of video hosting and embedding tools; instead, Vimeo Stock footage is meant as a feature that creators can use in their videos shared on Vimeo and other platforms.
Valve, Blizzard wary of Windows 8
Earlier this week Valve head honcho Gabe Newell made headlines by labeling Microsoft's forthcoming Windows 8 operating system "a catastrophe for everyone in the PC space." Newell, whose company is responsible for the Steam digital download service, is concerned that Microsoft's move toward a closed platform will adversely affect game developers and publishers. Blizzard executive vice president Rob Pardo chimed in to support Newell's comments via Twitter. Microsoft's bid to control applications and Windows Store purchases is "not awesome for Blizzard either," Pardo tweeted.
Intel bolsters video patent portfolio with purchase from RealNetworks
Silicon juggernaut Intel has inked a multi-million dollar deal with RealNetworks, agreeing to purchase scores of video-related patents and annex an entire software team. Specifics of the accord have Intel shelling out $120 million in exchange for 190 patents, 170 patent applications and a video codec development squad. In addition, the two companies have signed a "memorandum of understanding," agreeing to collaborate on future development of the licensed software. RealNetworks states that the sale "will [not] have any material impact on its businesses" and it will retain "certain rights" to the sold technologies. Intel says the sale will improve its ability to "offer richer experiences and innovative solutions [...] across a wide spectrum of devices." The full PR is queued up for you after the break.
Google Apps Marketplace opens for business, for business
Google's certainly made some enterprise inroads with Google Apps, and now it's opened the door for other cloud-based service providers to build on that success: it's launching Google Apps Marketplace to sell third-party web apps that integrate with the Apps suite. The apps are sold as a subscription, with both monthly and annual pricing, and the billing is all handled by Google. Since it's all targeted at the enterprise, the apps themselves are pretty dry -- we're talking notables like Intuit Online Payroll, eFax, and TripIt -- but it's pretty easy to see how Google could build a similar consumer-level marketplace into Gmail and Google Calendar sometime in the future. And then? Skynet. Video after the break.
