Engadget http://www.engadget.com Engadget http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif Engadget http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Deutsche Telekom chief says T-Mobile USA merger still an option, sweeps full sale off the table]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/24/deutsche-telekom-chief-says-t-mobile-usa-merger-still-an-option/http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/24/deutsche-telekom-chief-says-t-mobile-usa-merger-still-an-option/http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/24/deutsche-telekom-chief-says-t-mobile-usa-merger-still-an-option/#comments Image

T-Mobile's USA proposed union with AT&T might have gone down in flames, but that isn't precluding the boss of parent company Deutsche Telekom, René Obermann, from exploring tie-ups in the future. He's now telling investors that the company won't "exclude any option" for its US carrier, up to and including mergers with others. Before you worry that your One S might lose its luster through an outside takeover, though, the CEO has said it's "unlikely" that DT will sell T-Mobile outright. There aren't any coded messages about possible merger targets, either, even if rumors of a MetroPCS deal have percolated elsewhere. Most of the present focus is simply on reworking and trimming the company to get it running at full efficiency in the face of some very stiff competition; Carly can keep wearing that T-Mobile magenta for awhile yet.

Deutsche Telekom chief says T-Mobile USA merger still an option, sweeps full sale off the table originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 May 2012 14:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>acquisitionattbuyoutcarlycarly foulkesCarlyFoulkescellphonecellphonesdealdealsdeutsche telekomDeutscheTelekomdtmergermetropcsmobilepostcrossrene obermannReneObermannsmartphonesmartphonest-mobilet-mobile usaT-mobileUsatakeoverThu, 24 May 2012 14:25:00 EST<![CDATA[Seagate to buy LaCie for $186 million, expand its storage empire]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/23/seagate-to-buy-lacie/http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/23/seagate-to-buy-lacie/http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/23/seagate-to-buy-lacie/#comments Seagate to buy LaCie, expand storage empire

Seagate and LaCie have gotten friendly before -- the former company's drives are in the LaCie 2big Thunderbolt HDD, for instance -- but the storage makers are about to get even cozier. Today, Seagate announced its plans to buy a 64.5-percent share in the French company, which is currently valued at $186 million. The acquisition will combine the two outlets' product portfolios and, according to the press release, "accelerate Seagate's growth strategy in the expanding consumer storage market, particularly in Europe and Japan." The deal should go through by late 2012, and Seagate will bring over LaCie CEO Philippe Spruch to head the consumer storage products division.

Continue reading Seagate to buy LaCie for $186 million, expand its storage empire

Seagate to buy LaCie for $186 million, expand its storage empire originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 23 May 2012 11:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>acquisitionacquisitionslacieLacie2bigseagateSeagate TechnologySeagateTechnologyWed, 23 May 2012 11:21:00 EST<![CDATA[Facebook likes Karma app, buys the whole darn thing]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/19/facebook-likes-karma-app-buys-the-whole-darn-thing/http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/19/facebook-likes-karma-app-buys-the-whole-darn-thing/http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/19/facebook-likes-karma-app-buys-the-whole-darn-thing/#comments Facebook likes Karma app, buys the whole darn thingWhat does one do after generating billions from an initial public stock offering? Go shopping, of course. After falling short of expectations following its somewhat helter-skelter IPO debut, Facebook simply shook off the whole thing and acquired itself some good Karma. No, we're not talking about that Karma. Instead, Facebook purchased the startup responsible for the Karma social gifting app. The move was apparently made to bolster Facebook's mobile chops -- an area the company considers ripe for opportunity. Just recently, Facebook also acquired mobile stalwart Instagram and the Lightbox team, for example. As for its newest purchase, Karma will be allowed to "continue to operate in full force" despite its recent status change, according to a blog post by co-founders Lee Linden and Ben Lewis. Details weren't disclosed about how much the deal was worth but judging from celebratory nature of their post, it doesn't look like Linden and Lewis will "Unlike" the agreement any time soon.

Facebook likes Karma app, buys the whole darn thing originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 19 May 2012 16:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>acquireacquisitionandroidappbuyfacebookfilterinstagramiphoneiphone androidIphoneAndroidkarmakarma appKarmaApplightboxmobilemobilepostcrosssocial giftingsocial networkSocialGiftingSocialNetworkSat, 19 May 2012 16:38:00 EST<![CDATA[China clears Google acquisition of Motorola, eliminates last barrier to Googorola bliss (update)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/19/china-clears-google-acquisition-of-motorola/http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/19/china-clears-google-acquisition-of-motorola/http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/19/china-clears-google-acquisition-of-motorola/#comments Google-Motorola

The final significant roadblock to Google's buyout of Motorola has been cleared, as Chinese regulators have just given their rubber stamp. Their approval follows a few months after the simultaneous American and European clearances, and virtually all that's left now is to formally close the deal and start integrating the two mobile giants. It might still come too late for the combined entity to present a united front at Google I/O, but at least they won't have any awkward glances at each other across the room. We're just trying to decide on whether or not Googorola is the best pet name for the loving, $12.5 billion-dollar Android union.

Update: Google has since told the AP that the deal will likely wrap up early next week, so Motorola should be part of the family well in advance of Google I/O. Also, Google has to keep Android freely usable by anyone for at least five years, although no one was expecting that to change anytime soon.

China clears Google acquisition of Motorola, eliminates last barrier to Googorola bliss (update) originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 19 May 2012 14:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>acquisitionandroidapprovalbuyoutbuyoutscellphonecellphoneschinagooglegoogle androidgoogle iogoogle io 2012GoogleAndroidGoogleIoGoogleIo2012mergermergers and acquisitionsMergersAndAcquisitionsmobilepostcrossMotorolaRegulatorstake overTakeOvertakeoversSat, 19 May 2012 14:39:00 EST<![CDATA[Facebook snaps up mobile photo sharing firm Lightbox, decides Instagram isn't enough]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/15/facebook-snaps-up-mobile-photo-sharing-firm-lightbox/http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/15/facebook-snaps-up-mobile-photo-sharing-firm-lightbox/http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/15/facebook-snaps-up-mobile-photo-sharing-firm-lightbox/#comments Facebook

We get the impression that Facebook is on a big mobile photo sharing kick: just weeks after it bought Instagram for a cool billion, the social network has just hired the staff behind Lightbox. The two-man team of Nilesh Patel and Thai Tran is bringing its mostly Android- and HTML5-focused knowledge over to Facebook, where it's hoping to reach many, many more people. You'll have to wait awhile to see what the Lightbox team brings to Facebook's ever more mobile platform, but you'll also want to hurry if you want to keep anything hosted on Lightbox: the service shuts down on June 15th. As a consolation for the shutdown, the startup's code is being posted to GitHub so that the fruits of its efforts live on in open-sourced form.

Facebook snaps up mobile photo sharing firm Lightbox, decides Instagram isn't enough originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 15 May 2012 13:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>acquisitionacquisitionsandroidbuyoutbuyoutscellphonesfacebookgithubhtml5instagramlightboxmobilepostcrossopen sourceopen-sourceOpenSourcesharingsmartphonesmartphonessocial networksocial networkingsocial networksSocialNetworkSocialNetworkingSocialNetworksTue, 15 May 2012 13:22:00 EST<![CDATA[Twitter now sending email summaries, will keep weekly tabs on the Biebs]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/14/twitter-now-sending-email-summaries/http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/14/twitter-now-sending-email-summaries/http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/14/twitter-now-sending-email-summaries/#comments Image

Twitter hasn't wasted any time in making good on its Summify acquisition. Not even half a year after the ink has dried, you can now opt to get a curated summary of the "most relevant Tweets" and linked stories sent to your email inbox. The layout borrows more than a few cues from the new Discover tab and will let you respond from the email message itself, although we can imagine friends being slightly irked at reviving a conversation that was so very three days ago. Even so, once the option has rolled out to everyone within the space of a few weeks, it'll be an easier way to keep up on one Mr. Bieber's Twitter adventures without others' pesky life events and politics getting in the way.

Twitter now sending email summaries, will keep weekly tabs on the Biebs originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 14 May 2012 16:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>acquisitionacquisitionsemailinboxMessageminipostnotificationnotificationssummarysummifytwitterMon, 14 May 2012 16:22:00 EST<![CDATA[Samsung snaps up mSpot, teases a boost to media cloud efforts]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/09/samsung-snaps-up-cloud-provider-mspot/http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/09/samsung-snaps-up-cloud-provider-mspot/http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/09/samsung-snaps-up-cloud-provider-mspot/#comments Image

Talk of a Samsung cloud service might not have panned out at the Galaxy S III event, but that doesn't mean the Korean electronics giant isn't interested in the space. Samsung has just acquired mSpot, best known for its cloud music storage and its earlier movie streaming tie-ins with carriers. The exact intentions aren't exactly clear -- Samsung is only promising that mSpot's technology will represent a "key integrated offering" on new mobile hardware. Still, the deal suggests that the Music Hub and Media Hub may get that much more cloud-savvy in the future. When asked for comment, Dropbox coyly stated: "It's cool. Being single is the new black."

Continue reading Samsung snaps up mSpot, teases a boost to media cloud efforts

Samsung snaps up mSpot, teases a boost to media cloud efforts originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 09 May 2012 16:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>acquisitionacquisitionsbuyoutbuyoutscloudcloud musiccloud serviceCloudMusicCloudServicegalaxy s iiiGalaxySIiimedia hubMediaHubmobilepostcrossmoviemoviesMspotmusic hubMusicHubsamsungsamsung media hubSamsung Music HubSamsungMediaHubSamsungMusicHubstreamstreamingWed, 09 May 2012 16:51:00 EST<![CDATA[DTS and SRS Labs to combine into one big happy family]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/17/dts-and-srs-labs-to-combine-into-one-big-happy-family/http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/17/dts-and-srs-labs-to-combine-into-one-big-happy-family/http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/17/dts-and-srs-labs-to-combine-into-one-big-happy-family/#comments

DTS and SRS Labs logos

You've probably heard of both DTS and SRS Labs or seen their logos, but you might not be able to explain exactly what these companies do. To put it simply: both enhance the sound from our electronics, and now, they'll be doing it together. In a cash-and-stock deal worth just under $10 a share DTS will acquire SRS Labs, giving the new company over a thousand audio related patents (what else?) and trademarks. The deal is valued at about $148 million and expected to be accretive to DTS by 2013. It's hard to predict what this might mean for us consumers, but we're sure both hope that when two great companies get together they find new ways to make better products. Of course,, that isn't always how these deals turn out.

Continue reading DTS and SRS Labs to combine into one big happy family

DTS and SRS Labs to combine into one big happy family originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 17 Apr 2012 23:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>acquisitionaudioDTShdpostcrosshdpostminimergerSRSSRS LabsSrsLabssurround soundSurroundSoundTue, 17 Apr 2012 23:07:00 EST<![CDATA[Facebook to buy Instagram]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/09/facebook-to-buy-instagram/http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/09/facebook-to-buy-instagram/http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/09/facebook-to-buy-instagram/#comments
How's this for some big news on an otherwise slow Monday? Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has let slip that his company plans to buy popular photo-sharing app Instagram (pending all of the standard regulatory approvals, naturally). According to a report from All Things D's Kara Swisher, Facebook will pick up the social app, which got its own long-awaited Android version, for a cool $1 billion in cash and shares. Ole Zuck confirmed the news on his personal blog, adding that the deal won't affect Instagram's integration with competing social networks:
We think the fact that Instagram is connected to other services beyond Facebook is an important part of the experience. We plan on keeping features like the ability to post to other social networks, the ability to not share your Instagrams on Facebook if you want, and the ability to have followers and follow people separately from your friends on Facebook.
Instagram CEO Kevin Systrom confirmed via his site's blog that the service, "is not going away," adding, "The Instagram app will still be the same one you know and love." Check out some PR on the subject after the break.

Continue reading Facebook to buy Instagram

Facebook to buy Instagram originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 09 Apr 2012 13:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>acquireacquisitionandroidappbuyfacebookfilterinstagramiphoneiphone androidmobilemobilepostcrossphotosocial networkSocialNetworkMon, 09 Apr 2012 13:05:00 EST<![CDATA[Netflix snags DVD.com domain, invests in the future of optical media]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/30/netflix-dvd-com-domain/http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/30/netflix-dvd-com-domain/http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/30/netflix-dvd-com-domain/#comments ImageLooking for a shortcut to Netflix's home on the web? Try hitting up DVD.com -- it'll take you there, for now. The latest address to join the family of Netflix redirects actually brings you to a subdomain -- dvd.netflix.com -- suggesting that the company could once again be planning to split its streaming and physical media services, at least from an access perspective. A shareholder letter lists the company's U.S. DVD subscriptions at 11.17 million at the end of Q4, bringing in a total of $370 million in revenue, with a profit of $194 million. Compare this to domestic streaming, which represents $476 million in revenue with a mere $52 million profit, and it's clear that the DVD rental market is still quite strong. So what could this latest domain acquisition mean for snail mail subscribers? DVD-only customers may soon have a new site to call home, with focused content and perhaps an upsell opportunity or two. At the very least, it certainly can't hurt when it comes to SEO.

Netflix snags DVD.com domain, invests in the future of optical media originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 30 Mar 2012 14:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>acquisitionacquisitionsdomaindomain registrationDomainRegistrationdomainsdvddvd.comdvdshome entertainmentHomeEntertainmentinternetmoviemoviesnetflixonline streamingOnlineStreamingoptical mediaOpticalMediastreamingvideovideoswebsitewebsitesFri, 30 Mar 2012 14:21:00 EST<![CDATA[Rovio acquires Futuremark Game Studios, seeks a life less poultry]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/27/rovio-acquires-futuremark-game-studios-seeks-a-life-less-poultr/http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/27/rovio-acquires-futuremark-game-studios-seeks-a-life-less-poultr/http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/27/rovio-acquires-futuremark-game-studios-seeks-a-life-less-poultr/#comments ImageIn what's likely a proactive bid to prevent its one-note franchise from crashing down into unpopular orbit, Rovio's spreading its wings beyond that flock of malcontent fowl and adding to its in-house development team. Helping further speed its forward merchandising momentum is the Finnish company's recent acquisition of Futuremark Game Studios -- formerly an offshoot of benchmarking outfit Futuremark. The small developer, while nowhere near as successful as its new parent company, has a trio of titles, like Hungribles and Unstoppable Gorg, currently available across the iOS, PC and Xbox platforms. No word on what projects the studio will be tasked with under this new regime, but it's a safe bet Angry Birds Rotisserie won't be on the schedule.

Rovio acquires Futuremark Game Studios, seeks a life less poultry originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 27 Mar 2012 12:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>acquisitionAngry BirdsAngryBirdsFuturemark Game StudiosFuturemarkGameStudiosgamingmobilepostminiRoviostudioTue, 27 Mar 2012 12:26:00 EST<![CDATA[Broadcom extends fiber reach with BroadLight acquisition, intros new location architecture]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/21/broadcom-acquires-broadlight-fiber-indoor-gps/http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/21/broadcom-acquires-broadlight-fiber-indoor-gps/http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/21/broadcom-acquires-broadlight-fiber-indoor-gps/#comments ImageHere's a question: did Broadcom get a 50 percent discount for acquiring a company that already had "Broad" in the name? Hard to say at this point, but regardless of semantics, the aforesaid company has snapped up BroadLight in a bid to extend its fiber access portfolio. In lay terms, it's hoping to use BroadLight's inroads to roll out next-gen fiber networks across the globe -- perhaps even through the arctic. In semi-related news, Broadcom has also chosen today to reveal a new location architecture, which will reportedly provide "more responsive outdoor and indoor positioning capabilities for smartphone devices." The new system opens the door for even more indoor GPS locks, and it relies on a minty fresh Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) chip that "significantly reduces time-to-first-fix (TTFF) for outdoor positioning applications." The full deets on both can be found in the source link, but sadly there's no word on when the fancy new positioning tech will meander into your next handset.

Broadcom extends fiber reach with BroadLight acquisition, intros new location architecture originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 21 Mar 2012 16:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>acquireacquisitionandroid 4.0Android4.0BCM28155broadcombroadlightbusinesscommunicationsconnectivityfiberfiber networkFiberNetworkgpsice cream sandwichIceCreamSandwichindoorindoor gpsindoor locationindoor positioningIndoorGpsIndoorLocationIndoorPositioningindustrylocationmergermobilepostcrossnetworknetworkingoptical networkOpticalNetworkroutingWed, 21 Mar 2012 16:29:00 EST<![CDATA[Beats Audio is buying MOG music streaming service]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/20/beats-audio-acquiring-mog-music-streaming-service/http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/20/beats-audio-acquiring-mog-music-streaming-service/http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/20/beats-audio-acquiring-mog-music-streaming-service/#comments ImageLooks like the rumors were all too true -- according to All Things D, Beats Audio is picking up MOG. For those unaware, MOG is yet another music streaming / subscription service, and while the feature set bests even the vaunted Spotify in many ways by including a Pandora-like playlist generator, it's had a tough time procuring the same hype machine. Regardless, there's no more hiding under the radar now, and you can bet that anything with a Beats label on it will soon be using MOG as a musical pillar (hello, HTC Sense?). We're reaching out for comment and will update when we can.

Beats Audio is buying MOG music streaming service originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Mar 2012 13:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>acquisitionaudiobeatsbeats audiobeats by dreBeatsAudioBeatsByDrebreaking newsbusinesshtcindustrymergerMOGMOG radioMogRadiomusicmusic streamingmusic subscriptionMusicStreamingMusicSubscriptionradiostreamstreamingstreaming audioStreamingAudiosubscriptionTue, 20 Mar 2012 13:57:00 EST<![CDATA[Apple announces dividend and share repurchase program for 2012, expects to spend $45 billion over three years]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/19/apple-dividend-share-repurchase-program-2012/http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/19/apple-dividend-share-repurchase-program-2012/http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/19/apple-dividend-share-repurchase-program-2012/#comments Surprise, surprise -- Apple just let the cat out of its own bag. In right around a half-hour, the company will officially unwrap plans to initiate a dividend and share repurchase program commencing later this year. 'Course, analysts have been clamoring for such an announcement for quite some time, and with a stock price near $600 and some $100 billion in the bank, the outfit can clearly afford it. More specifically, Apple plans to "initiate a quarterly dividend of $2.65 per share sometime in the fourth quarter of its fiscal 2012, which begins on July 1, 2012." Granted, that's all subject to the Board of Directors giving the ole a-okay, but we highly doubt the company would issue such knowledge without a practical guarantee that everyone is on board. Additionally, the Company's Board of Directors has authorized a $10 billion share repurchase program commencing in the Apple's fiscal 2013, which begins on September 30, 2012; we're told that said program will be executed over three years, with the main goal being to "neutralize the impact of dilution from future employee equity grants and employee stock purchase programs."

As for CEO Tim Cook's thoughts on the matter?

"We have used some of our cash to make great investments in our business through increased research and development, acquisitions, new retail store openings, strategic prepayments and capital expenditures in our supply chain, and building out our infrastructure. You'll see more of all of these in the future. Even with these investments, we can maintain a war chest for strategic opportunities and have plenty of cash to run our business. So we are going to initiate a dividend and share repurchase program."

Naturally, this all shows that Apple is supremely confident in its future, but it doesn't shed any light into potential acquisitions from a technology standpoint. Strangely enough, it was just a few days ago that Mr. Cook ended his new iPad keynote with a promise that 2012 would be chock full of unbelievable things from his company, but it sounds like the only folks celebrating this particular announcement are those with a hand in the stockpile. We don't expect to glean much more than what's given in the presser just past the break, but we'll be liveblogging the actual conference call starting at 9AM ET.

Continue reading Apple announces dividend and share repurchase program for 2012, expects to spend $45 billion over three years

Apple announces dividend and share repurchase program for 2012, expects to spend $45 billion over three years originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 19 Mar 2012 08:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>acquisitionapplebreaking newsbusinesscashdividendearningseconomyindustrymergerrepurchasestockstockstim cookTimCookwall streetWallStreetMon, 19 Mar 2012 08:32:00 EST<![CDATA[Dish buys TerreStar and DBSD, inches towards LTE future]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/13/dish-buys-terrestar-and-dbsd-inches-towards-lte-future/http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/13/dish-buys-terrestar-and-dbsd-inches-towards-lte-future/http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/13/dish-buys-terrestar-and-dbsd-inches-towards-lte-future/#commentsDishDBSD North America and TerreStar Networks probably aren't the first two companies you think of when talking about cutting edge broadband, but they're integral to Dish Network's LTE plans. Both companies were in dire straights, with TerreStar declaring bankruptcy in 2010 and DBSD filing for Chapter 11 in 2009. But, Dish doesn't want them for their customer base or portfolio of services -- it wants their spectrum. The FCC approved the transfer of the spectrum last week, but did not grant the company a waiver to immediately start using its new radio real estate to start broadcasting LTE signals. Still, it was a good enough sign for the satellite company, which completed the purchase of the two properties. Now it just has to put those plans to expand into broadband and cellphone service into action.

Dish buys TerreStar and DBSD, inches towards LTE future originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 13 Mar 2012 07:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>acquisitiondbsddbsd north americaDbsdNorthAmericadishdish networkDishNetworkhdpostcrossmergermobilepostcrosspurchasesatellitesatellite TVSatelliteTvspectrumterrestarTerreStar NetworksTerrestarNetworksTue, 13 Mar 2012 07:29:00 EST<![CDATA[Gowalla officially shut down, uses Facebook to check-in at SXSW 2012]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/12/gowalla-shut-down/http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/12/gowalla-shut-down/http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/12/gowalla-shut-down/#comments SXSW attendees may remember that both Gowalla and Foursquare launched at the aforementioned conference in 2009, and during its 2012 edition, the former is formally saying goodbye. Just three months after we heard that Facebook had picked up (but two months after the shutdown was promised), Gowalla is saying its final words. Specifically:

"Thank you for going out with Gowalla. It was a pleasure to journey with you around the world. Download your check-ins, photos and lists here soon."

Don't cry, Gowalla -- at least you won't have to deal with any more SXSW registration lines.

Gowalla officially shut down, uses Facebook to check-in at SXSW 2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 12 Mar 2012 07:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>acquireacquisitionfacebookgowallainternetripshut downShutDownsocial networkingSocialNetworkingsxswsxsw 2012Sxsw2012timelineMon, 12 Mar 2012 07:32:00 EST<![CDATA[Google reportedly considering sell-off of Motorola's set-top box business]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/07/google-reportedly-considering-sell-off-of-motorolas-set-top-box/http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/07/google-reportedly-considering-sell-off-of-motorolas-set-top-box/http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/07/google-reportedly-considering-sell-off-of-motorolas-set-top-box/#commentsThis one is still far from a sure thing and would represent something of an about-face from earlier statements made by CEO Larry Page, but The New York Post is reporting today that Google may be looking to sell-off Motorola Mobility's set-top box division as its $12.5 billion acquisition of the company nears a close. Specifically, the Post reports that Google has brought on Qatalyst Partners and Barclays Capital to help shop the business around, and the paper's sources say that Google is "highly likely" to sell-off the division, at least partly because cable operators have "shunned" buying Motorola set-top boxes ahead of the acquisition. Details get decidedly murkier beyond that, with one source only going so far as to ballpark a possible sale price at anywhere from $2.5 to $4 billion. For its part, Google said only that it doesn't "comment on rumor or speculation."

Google reportedly considering sell-off of Motorola's set-top box business originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 07 Mar 2012 11:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>acquisitiongooglehdpostcrossmotorolamotorola mobilityMotorolaMobilitysell offsell-offSellOffset top boxset-topset-top boxSet-topBoxSetTopBoxWed, 07 Mar 2012 11:51:00 EST<![CDATA[FTC: Western Digital and Hitachi must give assets and IP rights to Toshiba (update: sale approved)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/06/ftc-orders-western-digital-share-assets-with-toshiba/http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/06/ftc-orders-western-digital-share-assets-with-toshiba/http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/06/ftc-orders-western-digital-share-assets-with-toshiba/#comments Thought everything was looking rosy for the hard drive hitch of the year? Well, it looks like Federal Trade Commission reckons the union of Hitachi and Western Digital isn't quite there just yet, ordering that the new company would have to shed some of its assets to Toshiba. The FTC wants to ensure a competitive climate in the 3.5-inch hard drive market and avoid Western Digital and Seagate -- the two largest HDD manufacturers -- carving up the whole sector between them. According to the FTC's proposals, Toshiba has to receive the production assets needed to equal Hitachi's current HDD market share, alongside access to Western Digital's research and development resources and licenses to its intellectual property. Regulators had previously stated that WD could expect to sell on some of its production assets in order to get the tie-up okayed. Western Digital now has 15 days to hand over these assets to Toshiba -- who, presumably, aren't complaining -- once the deal with Hitachi is finally inked.

Update: Looks like all the FTC wrangling was worth it, because WD and Hitachi have announced that all the necessary approvals have been obtained and the deal is due to close on March 8th. PR's after the break.

Continue reading FTC: Western Digital and Hitachi must give assets and IP rights to Toshiba (update: sale approved)

FTC: Western Digital and Hitachi must give assets and IP rights to Toshiba (update: sale approved) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 06 Mar 2012 11:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>acquisitionanti-competitiveFederal Trade CommissionFederalTradeCommissionftchard diskhard diskshard drivehard drivesHardDiskHardDisksHardDriveHardDriveshddhitachimergerregulatorregulatorssalestoragetoshibawestern digitalWesternDigitalTue, 06 Mar 2012 11:38:00 EST<![CDATA[AMD absorbs server startup SeaMicro for $330 million, says it's no impulse buy]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/01/amd-buys-server-startup-seamicro-for-330-million/http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/01/amd-buys-server-startup-seamicro-for-330-million/http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/01/amd-buys-server-startup-seamicro-for-330-million/#comments AMD buys SeaMicroAMD has faced some tough tactical decisions since it sold its handheld chip division to Qualcomm in 2008 and effectively stepped out of the smartphone business. Whistling that "No Regrets" tune, it has burrowed ever deeper into ever bigger devices, from laptops to desktops and massively multi-core servers and supercomputers. Today's purchase of Silicon Valley startup SeaMicro is an exponential leap in the same direction, because SeaMicro specializes in building low-power server hardware for entire datacenters. One of its key innovations is a "fabric" that hooks up thousands of processors, memory units and storage devices into a sensible whole for cloud computing. Rather than trying to compete with its own server-building customers, AMD may well offer them SeaMicro's platform on license and seek to recoup its $330 million investment that way. With ARM also stepping up its server efforts, it's a question of snoozing and losing.

Continue reading AMD absorbs server startup SeaMicro for $330 million, says it's no impulse buy

AMD absorbs server startup SeaMicro for $330 million, says it's no impulse buy originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 01 Mar 2012 05:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>acquisitionAdvanced Micro DevicesAdvancedMicroDevicesAMDcloud computingCloudComputingdata centerDataCenterfabricseamicroserversupercompute fabricSupercomputeFabricThu, 01 Mar 2012 05:36:00 EST<![CDATA[Apple chomps Chomp to improve App Store search]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/24/apple-chomps-chomp/http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/24/apple-chomps-chomp/http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/24/apple-chomps-chomp/#comments Apple Chomps ChompIf we were Tim Cook, we wouldn't be able to resist the temptation of wasting some of that $100 billion on something extravagant, like a crystal iPhone dock or private theme park. Instead the boys in Cupertino remain dogged in quietly acquiring start-ups and hoping no-one notices. Chomp is the latest technology company whose staff will find themselves with a pass for the Infinite Loop car park. It's an app discovery business with technology reportedly far in advance of the App Store's current keyword-based search and given that there are 500,000 apps, it's unsurprising that people aren't finding what they need. You may recall that Chomp powered Verizon's Android searches too, a situation we don't expect to last very long as soon as it's time to renegotiate that contract. The companies will be mixing their sauces together in the hope of making some good goulash, although as usual, we don't expect to get a taste for a while.

Apple chomps Chomp to improve App Store search originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 24 Feb 2012 06:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AcquisitionAndroidApp DiscoveryApp StoreAppDiscoveryAppleAppStoreBusinessBuyoutChompGooglemobilepostminiStartupTim CookTimCookVerizonFri, 24 Feb 2012 06:28:00 EST<![CDATA[Google 'close' to picking new Motorola Mobility CEO, say the usual gang of sources]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/23/google-close-to-picking-new-motorola-mobility-ceo-say-the-usu/http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/23/google-close-to-picking-new-motorola-mobility-ceo-say-the-usu/http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/23/google-close-to-picking-new-motorola-mobility-ceo-say-the-usu/#comments Google's first act with Motorola Mobility under its wing? Picking a new head for the company, apparently. According to some anonymous-type sources over at Bloomberg, Mountain View "is close" to picking its own SVP, former ad man Dennis Woodside, to succeed Sanjay Jha. Google, naturally is refusing to comment on the matter, which is still waiting the completion of the $12.5 billion acquisition.

Google 'close' to picking new Motorola Mobility CEO, say the usual gang of sources originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 23 Feb 2012 13:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>acquisitionceodennis woodsideDennisWoodsideexecutivegooglemobilitymotorolamotorola mobilityMotorolaMobilitysanjay jhaSanjayJhaThu, 23 Feb 2012 13:59:00 EST<![CDATA[AT&T's hungry eyes turning toward Leap, Dish or MetroPCS?]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/16/att-eyeing-dish-metropcs-leap/http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/16/att-eyeing-dish-metropcs-leap/http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/16/att-eyeing-dish-metropcs-leap/#comments AT&T's hungry eyes turning toward Leap, Dish or MetroPCS?
Publicly, at least, AT&T is bursting at the seams as it runs out of space to put all of its customers. The failed $39 billion purchase of T-Mobile was all about trying to match (or better) Verizon's reserves of wireless spectrum. Given the FCC's blocking of LightSquared and stymieing of future spectrum auctions for the time being, AT&T needs to make some more acquisitions -- the $1.9 billion purchase of Qualcomm's small slice of the airwaves isn't enough. If the Wall Street Journal is to be believed, there's a whiteboard in Whitacre Tower with Dish, Leap and MetroPCS written all over it. Reportedly, a purchase of Leap is the nearest to fruition, with "under the table" talks already underway. However, the Cricket Wireless operator would only provide a short-term solution to Ma Bell's very long-term woes. The other big target is Dish Network's reserved spectrum, kept back for its own planned broadband network, but if it fails to get Government approval, it might look to offload it. Third on the roster and marked as "highly unlikely" is a purchase of MetroPCS. The carrier was bitterly opposed to the T-Mo merger and pouted at the idea of purchasing some of Big Blue's divested assets, so if those two met around a table, they'd have a lot of awkward apologizing to do.

Image courtesy of Fierce Mobile Content

AT&T's hungry eyes turning toward Leap, Dish or MetroPCS? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 16 Feb 2012 06:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>4G700MHz700MHz Spectrum700mhzSpectrum800MHzAcquisitionATTBusinessCricket WirelessCricketWirelessDish NetworkDishNetworkFCCFierce MobileFierceMobileJulius GenachowskiJuliusGenachowskiLeap WirelessLeapWirelessLTEMergerMetroPCSmobilepostcrossPurchaseRumorSpectrumT-MobileVerizonWall Street JournalWallStreetJournalWirelessWireless AuctionWireless SpectrumWirelessAuctionWirelessSpectrumWSJThu, 16 Feb 2012 06:44:00 EST<![CDATA[Nintendo brings Mobiclip on board to help with Wii U development]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/14/nintendo-mobiclip-acquisition-wii-u/http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/14/nintendo-mobiclip-acquisition-wii-u/http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/14/nintendo-mobiclip-acquisition-wii-u/#comments
Nintendo beefed up its proprietary arsenal yesterday, with the acquisition of Mobiclip -- a Paris-based video codec provider. As Gamasutra reports, the deal was actually finalized back in October, but only became public this week, when Mobiclip confirmed its new ownership on its website. The company already has a history with Nintendo, having lent a hand with video rendering and playback on the DS and Game Boy Advance. Now that it's officially under its wing, Mobiclip will reportedly collaborate with Nintendo on its forthcoming Wii U, as suggested by a recently posted job listing for a "console software engineer."

Nintendo brings Mobiclip on board to help with Wii U development originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 14 Feb 2012 07:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>acquisitionbusinesscodeccompanyconsolecorporatefrancegamegame boy advanceGameBoyAdvanceindustrymobiclipmoneynintendonintendo DSNintendoDsparisplaybackrenderingsoftwarevideowii uWiiUTue, 14 Feb 2012 07:44:00 EST<![CDATA[Google gets European Commission approval for its purchase of Motorola Mobility]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/13/google-gets-eu-approval-for-its-purchase-of-motorola-mobility/http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/13/google-gets-eu-approval-for-its-purchase-of-motorola-mobility/http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/13/google-gets-eu-approval-for-its-purchase-of-motorola-mobility/#comments Google gets EU approval for its purchase of Motorola Mobility
Google is one step closer to making it through the gauntlet of regulatory approval for its proposed acquisition of Motorola Mobility, as it now has the thumbs-up from the European Commission, according to Reuters. Commissioner Joaquin Almunia stated that the transaction was approved because it "does not itself raise competition issues." That's not to say the EU won't be watching Mountain View like a hawk to ensure it doesn't go overboard on patent disputes, however, as each legal matter will be reviewed separately for compliance with antitrust laws. And while this is an incredibly important step for Google, the software giant's not through with the regulatory process -- it still needs to be signed off by the US Justice Department (expected later this week), as well as governing bodies in China, Israel and Taiwan.

Google gets European Commission approval for its purchase of Motorola Mobility originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 13 Feb 2012 13:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>acquisitionapprpovalbreaking newsEUeuropean commissionEuropeanCommissiongooglemergermobilepostcrossmotogoogmotorolaus justice deptUsJusticeDeptMon, 13 Feb 2012 13:39:00 EST<![CDATA[Qualcomm buys Pixtronix to make for better Mirasol displays?]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/26/qualcomm-buys-pixtronix/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/26/qualcomm-buys-pixtronix/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/26/qualcomm-buys-pixtronix/#comments Qualcomm's whipped out some flipping great wadges of cash in order to snap up Pixtronix for its PerfectLight MEMS-based display tech. It reportedly cost between $175 - $200 million and is expected to be merged into the company's super-low power Mirasol-based displays. Compared to the Kyobo eReader we played with at CES, PerfectLight has a wider viewing angle (170 degree), supports full speed video playback and much better RGB modulation. Depending on how successful the marriage is, it could spell the end of the final hurdles that have hampered the widespread adoption of the technology.

Qualcomm buys Pixtronix to make for better Mirasol displays? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 26 Jan 2012 15:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AcquisitionBusinessBuyoutCESCES 2012Ces2012e booke bookse readere readerse-booke-bookse-readere-readersKyoboKyobo eReaderKyoboEreaderMEMSMEMS DisplayMemsDisplayMergerMirasolMirasol DisplayMirasol E-ReaderMirasolDisplayMirasolE-readerPerfectLightPerfectLight MemsPerfectlightMemsPixtronixPurchaseQualcommQualcomm PixtronixQualcommPixtronixThu, 26 Jan 2012 15:22:00 EST<![CDATA[Rhapsody officially acquires Napster International, eyes European launch]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/26/rhapsody-officially-acquires-napster-international-eyes-europea/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/26/rhapsody-officially-acquires-napster-international-eyes-europea/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/26/rhapsody-officially-acquires-napster-international-eyes-europea/#comments
After having already acquired Napster here in the US, Rhapsody has taken its expansion one step further, with the acquisition of Napster International. Under the deal, announced today, Rhapsody will continue to offer Napster-branded services across the UK and Germany, as promised, and will eventually migrate Napster subscribers to its own infrastructure in March, with existing personal libraries remaining intact (Napster is already live in the UK, but has yet to make its official German launch). The move will also bring changes to Napster users' mobile apps and web clients, with Rhapsody promising improved offline playback and enhanced library management tools "in the coming months." For more details, check out the full PR after the break.

Continue reading Rhapsody officially acquires Napster International, eyes European launch

Rhapsody officially acquires Napster International, eyes European launch originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 26 Jan 2012 10:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>acquisitionappbusinesseuropeGermanyindustryinternetlibrarymobile appMobileAppmoneymusicmusic streamingMusicStreamingnapsterplaybackrhapsodyservicestreamingUKwebThu, 26 Jan 2012 10:14:00 EST<![CDATA[Twitter buys Summify, helps you automatically turn off the noise]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/20/twitter-buys-summify/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/20/twitter-buys-summify/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/20/twitter-buys-summify/#comments
Summify is a beloved little news-curation platform that works out (based on your reading habits and those of your friends) what news is most relevant to you. Yesterday the Vancouver-based start-up announced that it had been snapped up by Twitter and will commence shutting down in the next week. Fortunately, the team is relocating down to the micro-blogging site's San Francisco base, ostensibly to bake the service into forthcoming variations of the site -- which might be enough to stop us complaining about losing our retweets panel. Hopefully this means that we can dial out all the noise about Lindsay Lohan without having to ask it: truly we are living in the future.

Twitter buys Summify, helps you automatically turn off the noise originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Jan 2012 09:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AcquisitionBusinessNews CurationNews CuratorNews FilterNewsCurationNewsCuratorNewsFilterRetweetingRetweetsSocial NetworkingSocialNetworkingSummifyTwitterTwitter SummifyTwitterSummifyWe miss retweetsWeMissRetweetsFri, 20 Jan 2012 09:37:00 EST<![CDATA[Samsung wasn't interested in buying RIM, still isn't interested in buying RIM]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/17/samsung-not-buying-rim/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/17/samsung-not-buying-rim/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/17/samsung-not-buying-rim/#comments Samsung already passed on webOS, and now, it's passing on RIM. The flagging handset maker was reportedly in talks with Samsung about a buyout, but according to a fresh Reuters report, Sammy's "not interested" in taking over Research In Motion. Samsung spokesman James Chun said the following: "We haven't considered acquiring the firm and are not interested in (buying RIM)." Why even respond to a rumor? Well, RIM's shares surged some ten percent at just the whisper, further proving that stocks in the digital age are little more than sophisticated gambling blocks when unfounded rumors are bandied about. So, that's that -- Samsung's not buying RIM, the sun's still warm, and RIM is still too far away from BlackBerry 10.

Samsung wasn't interested in buying RIM, still isn't interested in buying RIM originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 17 Jan 2012 19:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>acquireacquisitionblackberrymergermobilepostcrossrimsamsungsmartphoneTue, 17 Jan 2012 19:01:00 EST<![CDATA[Verizon to stop allowing legacy Alltel devices to be activated on its network, starting today]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/16/verizon-legacy-alltel-activations/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/16/verizon-legacy-alltel-activations/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/16/verizon-legacy-alltel-activations/#comments
It's been three years and two days since Verizon officially closed its acquisition of Alltel, and it looks like Big Red's finally putting the sledgehammer down on activating legacy devices from the purchased network. We just received official word from a Verizon spokesperson that effective today, the carrier will no longer allow you to bring over an Alltel device to a retail outlet and get it activated on their network. If you're currently using an Alltel-branded phone on Verizon, don't panic: this new policy change only applies to handsets that haven't already been activated. We can't imagine this will affect too many users at this point, but we imagine Chad's still feeling a little bummed out today regardless. Continue on below for Verizon's statement.

Continue reading Verizon to stop allowing legacy Alltel devices to be activated on its network, starting today

Verizon to stop allowing legacy Alltel devices to be activated on its network, starting today originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 16 Jan 2012 18:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>acquisitionactivationsalltellegacymergermobilepostminipolicypolicy changePolicyChangeverizonverizon wirelessVerizonWirelessvzwMon, 16 Jan 2012 18:21:00 EST<![CDATA[Nokia acquires mobile OS outfit Smarterphone: because clearly, Windows Phone just isn't enough]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/06/nokia-acquires-smarterphone-mobile-os-company/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/06/nokia-acquires-smarterphone-mobile-os-company/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/06/nokia-acquires-smarterphone-mobile-os-company/#commentsNah, neither MeeGo nor Symbian were robust enough to keep Nokia interested, but for whatever reason, a Norwegian mobile OS outfit by the name of Smarterphone has something that Elop and co. just can't resist. As the story goes, Ferd Capital has sold Smarterphone AS to Espoo's finest, and actually, the deal went down (all too quietly) back in November of last year. The company claims that it makes ultra-smart mobile operating system software for featurephones, enabling users to get a smartphone-like experience on "affordable hardware." Of course, we've all seen how well that kind of thing goes over in mature markets. Granted, Nokia's playing its hand in a great many locales, and there's certainly the possibility that this OS will gain traction in markets that were previously ruled by Symbian. Moreover, there's the possibility that Nokia simply wanted the talent that came with the company, and that it'll scrap the actual code as soon as it gets the new crew onboard. Neither company's coming right out and saying what their plans are, and no financial details have been disclosed, but something tells us you won't see the fruits of Smarterphone's labor on a Lumia device anytime soon.

Nokia acquires mobile OS outfit Smarterphone: because clearly, Windows Phone just isn't enough originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 06 Jan 2012 14:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>acquisitionbusinessindustrymobilepostmininokianorwayoperating systemOperatingSystemOSsmarterphonesoftwareFri, 06 Jan 2012 14:24:00 EST<![CDATA[Google buoys its patent portfolio with 217 more filings acquired from IBM]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/03/google-buoys-its-patent-portfolio-with-217-more-filings-acquired/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/03/google-buoys-its-patent-portfolio-with-217-more-filings-acquired/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/03/google-buoys-its-patent-portfolio-with-217-more-filings-acquired/#comments It's not quite as big as some previous patent transactions between the two companies, but it looks like Google did a fair bit more shopping from IBM's vast portfolio at the tail-end of 2011. As noted by the SEO by the Sea blog, IBM transferred 188 granted patents and 28 published patent applications to Google during the last week of the year, including a number of patents related to phones and web browsers. Unfortunately, other key details like an acquisition price remain a mystery, but you can peruse some of the patents themselves at the source link below.

Google buoys its patent portfolio with 217 more filings acquired from IBM originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 03 Jan 2012 15:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>acquisitiongoogleibmminipostpatentpatent applicationpatent applicationspatent portfolioPatentApplicationPatentApplicationsPatentPortfoliopatentsTue, 03 Jan 2012 15:57:00 EST<![CDATA[Eldar Murtazin gives RIM six months to win back customers, says Nokia is selling its soul to Microsoft]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/03/eldar-murtazin-gives-rim-six-months-to-win-customers-nokia-selling-soul-microsoft/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/03/eldar-murtazin-gives-rim-six-months-to-win-customers-nokia-selling-soul-microsoft/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/03/eldar-murtazin-gives-rim-six-months-to-win-customers-nokia-selling-soul-microsoft/#comments Murtazin is a guy well known for scoring handsets way ahead of even their debut showing. He also has an uncanny knack of knowing exactly what mobile companies are plotting -- sometimes. He's a guy worth listening to, especially for his often outspoken views on company failings. In his latest (lengthy) editorial, Eldar Murtazin takes umbrage with two companies that have weathered a tricky 2011; RIM and Nokia. He reckons that the BlackBerry makers have around six to eight months to convince people and the markets that there's still a future -- a worrying deadline given that we're not expecting to see its OS successor until the second half of 2012. Regardless of when these long-awaited QNX handsets do appear, Murtazin maintains that even if they arrived with the kind of OS that dreams are made of, they are unlikely to recover the ground lost in recent years -- especially on corporate handsets.

However, he saves most of his ire for the Nokia-Microsoft partnership, claiming that Nokia executives have lost their ability to sensibly judge the state of the mobile world. With apparently the "most valued" engineers and developers leaving the good ship Nokia, the shuttering of Nokia's own Ovi sync services are apparently talismanic of a shift closer to Microsoft. Murtazin thinks that Nokia CEO Elop has only two aims while at the helm; to ruin the company's chances of recovering in the mobile market and increasing Microsoft's own share and influence in the same sphere. He also reckons a Microsoft buyout of Nokia is still plausible, and while we're sure you've been reading Eldar's missives with a hefty side of salt, it would make for an even more interesting 2012.

Eldar Murtazin gives RIM six months to win back customers, says Nokia is selling its soul to Microsoft originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 03 Jan 2012 12:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>acquisitionblackberrybuyeldareldar murtazinEldarMurtazinhardwareindustrymicrosoftmurtazinnegotiationsnokiapurchaseRIMrumorsmartphonesspeculationstephen elopStephenEloptakeoverwindows phoneWindowsPhoneTue, 03 Jan 2012 12:52:00 EST<![CDATA[IBM's Samuel J. Palmisano: we sold PC business due to lack of innovative opportunities]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/02/ibm-samuel-j-palmisano-we-sold-pc-business-innovation-china/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/02/ibm-samuel-j-palmisano-we-sold-pc-business-innovation-china/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/02/ibm-samuel-j-palmisano-we-sold-pc-business-innovation-china/#commentsDeparting IBM head honcho Samuel J. Palmisano has been known to say some outlandish things, but there's nothing comical about the information divulged in a new piece surrounding his legacy in The New York Times. Outside of looking into the details of how IBM become one of the world's most boring, highly profitable outfits, there's plenty of fascinating nuggets to be had. For one, he focused intently on getting out of "low-margin businesses that were fading," and not surprisingly, the outfit's personal computer business was first on the chopping block.

Reportedly, he saw a lack of opportunity for innovation (at least "in the corporate market"), and felt that the "hub of innovation would shift to services and software." As if a prophet, just about everything he expected has come to pass. The article explains that the jarring sale of its PC business was no easy thing to decide upon, and he even affirms that he "deflected overtures from Dell and private equity firms, preferring the sale to a company in China for strategic reasons." As the story goes, China wants its corporations to have global reach, and by helping with that, IBM "enhanced its stature in the lucrative Chinese market, where the government still steers business." Trust us -- there's far more where this came from in the source link below.

[Thanks, Theo]

IBM's Samuel J. Palmisano: we sold PC business due to lack of innovative opportunities originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 02 Jan 2012 13:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>acquisitionbusinessceochinachinesedesktopgovernmentibmideapadindustrylenovomergernotebookpoliticalpoliticssaleSamuel J. PalmisanoSamuel PalmisanoSamuelJ.PalmisanoSamuelPalmisanostrategythinkpadMon, 02 Jan 2012 13:58:00 EST<![CDATA[FCC approves AT&T's $1.9b purchase of Qualcomm's 700MHz spectrum (update)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/22/fcc-approves-atandts-1-9b-purchase-of-qualcomms-700mhz-spectrum/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/22/fcc-approves-atandts-1-9b-purchase-of-qualcomms-700mhz-spectrum/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/22/fcc-approves-atandts-1-9b-purchase-of-qualcomms-700mhz-spectrum/#comments
Christmas has come early to the execs at AT&T, who are likely celebrating the FCC's 3-1 approval to purchase Qualcomm's block of the 700MHz spectrum for $1.9 billion. The news comes as a bittersweet victory for Ma Bell, whose efforts to acquire T-Mobile turned sour earlier this year. Qualcomm's block of the airwaves, once used to facilitate FLO TV, now sits unused. Once the acquisition is complete, AT&T will use the new share of spectrum to increase download capacity for its burgeoning LTE network.

For the FCC's part, it has approved the deal with only a few stipulations: AT&T will be required to satisfy interference requirements and must offer data roaming to its competitors on the spectrum. That's not to suggest everyone's pleased, however. Rural cellular providers asked that, as part of the deal, AT&T must ensure that its LTE network is interoperable with the bands used by smaller networks. Sadly, the FCC has denied this request, ostensibly limiting the little guy from receiving Ma Bell's hand-me-downs.

Update: AT&T has gone ahead and released a wee bit of celebratory PR, which we're including after the break. Most importantly, it expects to wrap up the finer details in the next few days.

Continue reading FCC approves AT&T's $1.9b purchase of Qualcomm's 700MHz spectrum (update)

FCC approves AT&T's $1.9b purchase of Qualcomm's 700MHz spectrum (update) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 22 Dec 2011 21:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>4g700mhzacquisitionagreementattbreaking newsBreakingNewsbuydealfccflo tvFloTvltemobilepostcrossnetworkpurchasequalcommspectrumwirelesswireless spectrumWirelessSpectrumThu, 22 Dec 2011 21:20:00 EST<![CDATA[Nuance gobbles up Vlingo, yearns to transcribe its own announcement]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/21/nuance-gobbles-up-vlingo-yearns-to-transcribe-its-own-announcem/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/21/nuance-gobbles-up-vlingo-yearns-to-transcribe-its-own-announcem/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/21/nuance-gobbles-up-vlingo-yearns-to-transcribe-its-own-announcem/#comments Apparently, if you can't (legally) beat them, you buy them. Such is the thinking over at Nuance, who has decided to acquire its competitor and former courtroom dance partner, Vlingo. Should make for some nice additions to the former's voice recognition tubes -- technology which powers everything from Apple's Siri, Dragon dictation and even various autos. No indications as to how many greenbacks exchanged hands, but the newlyweds were happy to boast their "complementary research and development efforts" will result in a company "stronger together than alone." We'll have to see about that. PR after the break.

Continue reading Nuance gobbles up Vlingo, yearns to transcribe its own announcement

Nuance gobbles up Vlingo, yearns to transcribe its own announcement originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 21 Dec 2011 07:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>acquisitionbuyoutlawsuitnuanceNuance CommunicationsNuanceCommunicationsspeechspeech recognitionSpeechRecognitionvlingovoicevoice recognitionVoiceRecognitionWed, 21 Dec 2011 07:44:00 EST<![CDATA[RIM purportedly shopped by Microsoft and Nokia, talked with Samsung / HTC about licensing]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/20/rim-purportedly-shopped-by-microsoft-and-nokia-talked-with-sams/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/20/rim-purportedly-shopped-by-microsoft-and-nokia-talked-with-sams/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/20/rim-purportedly-shopped-by-microsoft-and-nokia-talked-with-sams/#comments Tomorrow's headlines: local florist and rural farmer consider purchase of RIM, or at least the "In Motion" part. Hot on the heels of a report suggesting that Amazon was at least considering a purchase of Canada's famed BlackBerry maker, in flies a separate report suggesting... well, all sorts of insane things. For one, The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Microsoft and Nokia "flirted with the idea of making a joint bid" for RIM in recent months, with the status of the talks today being "unclear."

Of course, the fact that these talks are even ongoing says a lot about the internal happenings at the company, and with co-CEO Jim Balsillie recently suggesting that "no stone" would be left unturned in a bid to turn the corner, it doesn't take a professional Between The Lines reader to make sense of it all. Crazier still, two other folks "familiar with the situation" have said that RIM executives have "approached other smartphone makers, including Samsung and HTC, about licensing RIM's new operating system," presumably BBX BlackBerry 10. If anyone else decides they too are interested in having a talk with these guys (read: it's highly likely), we'll be sure to let you know.

RIM purportedly shopped by Microsoft and Nokia, talked with Samsung / HTC about licensing originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Dec 2011 20:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>acquisitionblackberrybusinessbuyoutindustrymergernokiaplaybookresearch in motionResearchInMotionrimsoftwareTue, 20 Dec 2011 20:27:00 EST<![CDATA[Apple buys flash storage maker Anobit for $500 million, aims to establish R&D lab in Israel]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/20/apple-buys-flash-storage-maker-anobit-for-500-million-aims-to/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/20/apple-buys-flash-storage-maker-anobit-for-500-million-aims-to/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/20/apple-buys-flash-storage-maker-anobit-for-500-million-aims-to/#comments
The rumor mill has been churning on this one for the last few days, but it's now as official as it's ever apt to get: Apple has decided to splash out the $500 million to buy Israeli flash-chip outfit Anobit. The fabless designer of MLC NAND flash chips should be a good fit, given Cupertino's reliance on solid state storage technology for its iPad, iPod, iPhone and Macbook Air lines. With $84 billion in the bank, the purchase has cost the company just over half a percent of its war chest, and we're guessing it'll just barely feel the pinch when said funds are transferred over. The story was originally reported in the Calcalist financial daily newspaper, with the verified Twitter account of the Prime Minister of Israel chiming in with the following:
"Welcome to Israel, Apple Inc. on your [first] acquisition here. I'm certain that you'll benefit from the fruit of the Israeli knowledge."
Moreover, Apple's expected to open up a research and development center in the nation, marking its first outside of the USA. If history has anything to say about it, we highly doubt Apple will ever open its mouth one way or the other on this, but it'll be interesting to see what related nuggets are uncovered in the company's next quarterly filing with the SEC.

Apple buys flash storage maker Anobit for $500 million, aims to establish R&D lab in Israel originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Dec 2011 20:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>acquisitionanobitapplebusinessflashflash memoryflash storageFlashMemoryFlashStorageindustryisraelmemorynandstorageTue, 20 Dec 2011 20:06:00 EST<![CDATA[Amazon reportedly considered a RIM purchase, 'commercial partnership' still on the table]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/20/amazon-reportedly-considered-a-rim-purchase-commercial-partner/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/20/amazon-reportedly-considered-a-rim-purchase-commercial-partner/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/20/amazon-reportedly-considered-a-rim-purchase-commercial-partner/#comments According to those all-knowing "people with knowledge," Research in Motion could've been cut down to a single CEO company -- that is, if Amazon would've pushed through with its purported takeover wishes. Based on a new Reuters report, the same company shipping out your grandmother's holiday gifts was hot-to-trot on the idea of buying RIM, but those desires seemingly cooled after the BlackBerry maker decided that it'd rather "fix its problems on its own." Wildly enough, the report states that an investment bank was hired earlier this summer "to review a potential merger with RIM," but no formal offer was ever extended.

Of course, it's not atypical to hear of Amazon buying unusual assets -- it's snapped up everything from a touchscreen startup to a UK-based movie streaming and rental service -- and sources have affirmed that "other kinds of commercial partnerships" could still be in the cards. In fact, the two are rumored to be actively discussing ways to "expand their commercial ties, which currently include a service launched last year to make Amazon's music catalog available to some BlackBerry users." BBM for the Kindle ecosystem? Zanier things have come to pass.

Amazon reportedly considered a RIM purchase, 'commercial partnership' still on the table originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Dec 2011 19:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>acquireacquisitionamazonblackberrybusinessdealindustryjeff bezosJeffBezosm and aMAndAmergermobilepostcrossresearch in motionResearchInMotionrimsmartphoneTue, 20 Dec 2011 19:39:00 EST<![CDATA[AT&T, Sprint and C Spire halt suits over T-Mobile acquisition, wireless competition to die another day]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/13/atandt-sprint-and-c-spire-halt-suits-over-t-mobile-acquisition-w/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/13/atandt-sprint-and-c-spire-halt-suits-over-t-mobile-acquisition-w/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/13/atandt-sprint-and-c-spire-halt-suits-over-t-mobile-acquisition-w/#comments It's never nice to beat a dead horse when it's down and the same seems to be true for the litigious mudslinging Ma Bell's had to endure. Now that the nation's second largest carrier has been granted a stay in its pending and publicly messy T-Mobile acquisition, vocal opponents like Sprint and C Spire are withdrawing their respective suits (and fangs) to block the merger for the time being. But don't take this latest courtroom move as a supportive change of heart -- both wireless companies will likely lawyer up again in the new year when these M&A wheels begin to roll anew. So while this potential AT&T&T deal appears to be dead in the water, there's always a chance it'll resurface with an extra face.

AT&T, Sprint and C Spire halt suits over T-Mobile acquisition, wireless competition to die another day originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 13 Dec 2011 16:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>acquisitionATTc spirec spire wirelessCSpireCSpireWirelesslawsuitlawsuitsmergermobilepostcrosssprintT-MobileTue, 13 Dec 2011 16:24:00 EST<![CDATA[Apple to buy flash chip maker Anobit for $500 million?]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/13/apple-to-buy-flash-chip-maker-anobit-for-500-million/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/13/apple-to-buy-flash-chip-maker-anobit-for-500-million/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/13/apple-to-buy-flash-chip-maker-anobit-for-500-million/#comments
Disclaimer: Delving into Apple's business requires a hefty pinch of salt, okay? Good. Is Apple about to open that $84 billion war chest to make another one of its traditional flash-memory supply-chain land-grabs? Rumors from Reuters suggest it's planning to snap up Israeli outfit Anobit for $400 or $500 million. The outfit specializes in signal processing for the memory chips, increasing volume and performance, which you'll already find bolted onto the Samsung and Hynix flash drives inside the iPhone 4S. Whilst we're having a hard time believing Cupertino would buy a hardware maker (even P.A. Semi and Intrinsity were fabless designers), it seems a logical move from a company who probably see traditional HDDs as an evil to be eradicated from its simplistic designs. We've reached out for comment from the companies and we'll let you know if we get anything more substantial than the regular "no comment."

Update: The initial reports suggested that Anobit had production facilities, but it's since been clarified that the company is a fabless designer in the same vein as P.A. Semi and Intrinsity.

Apple to buy flash chip maker Anobit for $500 million? originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 13 Dec 2011 12:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AcquisitionAcquisitionsAnobitAppleBusinessBuyoutIntinsityP.A. SemiP.a.SemiPurchaseReutersRumorRumorsTue, 13 Dec 2011 12:21:00 EST