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Ubisoft won't attempt an unlimited gaming service until EA proves it can work
It turns out Electronic Arts' Access program has at least one high-profile spectator: Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot. The Assassin's Creed and Watch Dogs company's head says that Ubisoft is keeping a keen eye on what that type of service can offer players, telling Game Informer that he's open to "any way" of giving fans access to Ubisoft's games. However, "it has to work well and be a smooth experience," he says. An Access-like system seems like the natural progression that the French company's been building toward for awhile, albeit slowly, putting various pieces in place and testing them out over time. Given Ubisoft's checkered history with DRM issues and that Uplay Passport system, though, it's probably better if Guillemot lets someone else deal with the growing pains with this time 'round.
CNBC: Softbank to pay $20 billion for a 70 percent stake in Sprint
Rumors of Sprint's $12 billion acquisition by Softbank weren't exaggerated, they were understated: according to CNBC, the Now Network will announce a $20 billion transaction with the Japanese network on Monday, granting Softbank a 70 percent stake in the company. According to people familiar with the matter, Softbank will purchase $8 billion in shares directly from Sprint, snagging an additional $12 billion in stock at $5.25 a share from other shareholders. The Japanese firm's payout would net Sprint $3 billion, money CNBC supposes it might use to regain control of Clearwire. Softbank's cash may also be used to bolster Sprint's ongoing LTE rollout, which is poised to light up in over 20 markets in the coming months. The details are said to be officially announced tomorrow morning, but we've reached out to Sprint for a comment in case it wants to spill the beans early. Update: Just heard that the announcement is due at 4am Monday, so we'll likely learn more then.
Japan's Softbank in 'advanced talks' to acquire Sprint for more than $12 billion (update: confirmed)
While recent rumors suggested Sprint could be interested in snatching up Metro PCS, it may actually be the target of an acquisition.The Nikkei, Reuters and Wall Street Journal report it is in final buyout talks with Japanese carrier Softbank at a price in excess of 1 trillion yen ($12 billion US). Just over a week ago Softbank snapped up rival eAccess in a billion dollar deal that added 50 percent more base stations to its LTE network and will move it from third to second largest in the country when it is completed. It got to third place with a leveraged buyout of Vodafone's Japanese arm back in 2006, and CEO Masayoshi Son mentioned last week that he has his eye on the number one spot. We're not exactly sure how a potential purchase of the third place American carrier fits into its plans (or what this means for Sprint's future, its LTE rollout and its often woeful 3G speeds), but we're betting Softbank's CFO is just trying to keep Son away from any juicy looking eBay "Buy It Now" auctions. Update: Looks like those reports were on the money: Sprint just released a statement confirming it is in talks with Softbank about a possible transaction. Find that terse press release embedded below.
Softbank to acquire competitor eAccess, expand LTE network by 50 percent
Softbank isn't content with being Japan's third largest wireless provider, so its scooping up competitor eAccess for $2.3 Billion (or $1.8 Billion, if you ask Reuters) to claim the number two slot. Bringing the other carrier into the fold will give Softbank a total of 39 million subscribers and infuse its network with 50 percent more LTE base stations. Picking up the new customers and additional LTE capacity comes at a premium, however, as the firm will purchase eAccess' shares for roughly three times their value. Softbank CEO Masayoshi Son expects to launch a new tethering service with the aid of the new-found resources come this December. Ink on the deal won't fully dry until February, but Son is already dreaming of the number one spot. "I never liked third place," Son said in a statement. "We fought for No. 2, and someday, we will be No. 1." You've been warned, NTT DoCoMo. [Image credit: Miki Yoshihito, Flickr]
Smart Bar from eAccess combines Gingerbread with traditional numpad for old-school enthusiasts
Well, you don't see this too often. A new phone dubbed the Smart Bar is set for sale in Japan on September 22nd that combines the retro styling of a candybar with a modern 3-inch touchscreen. We're undeniably intrigued by the numerical keypad (for obvious reasons), and the WVGA display sports an admirable pixel density of 311ppi, although the rest of the specs are decidedly mundane. The handset is manufactured by Huawei and features an 800MHz Qualcomm MSM7227 SoC, 512MB of RAM, a 5 megapixel camera and Gingerbread. There's also support for 802.11n (which allows tethering for up to five simultaneous devices), Bluetooth 2.1 and IrDA. It features 3G support on the 2100 and 1700MHz spectra, along with tri-band 1900 / 1800 / 900MHz GSM capability. The Smart Bar will sell for approximately ¥29,800 ($385), where fans of vintage fusion may select from black, white and brown variants.
