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FCC conditionally approves Verizon's Rural Cellular acquisition
Verizon Wireless announced its intentions to snap up Rural Cellular way back in July of last year, and as these things tend to go, it has taken a full 13 months for the FCC to green light the deal. Said agency has just issued a "conditional approval" for the acquisition, but it noted that one of the companies will be required to "sell licenses in six markets in order to improve competition." More specifically, the outfits will have to "shed licenses in several parts of Vermont, one area of New York state and two areas of Washington state." Nothing too earth-shattering, but it's good to see the books (almost) closed on this one.[Via PhoneScoop]
Tenchu IV is jerky, graceful
Tenchu IV's animations are the very definition of a mixed bag. The player-controlled kittens, as seen above, look graceful when they move (as cats tend to do), but we're not exactly convinced by the human death animations, which seem to feature enemies jerking about like electrocuted dogs. In the second of the three videos posted after the break, the downed enemy seems to perform some kind of bizarre humping motion in his death throes.Not that we mean to pick on Tenchu IV or anything -- being overly picky about this stuff is just part of our job.%Gallery-25071%
Kitten-free Tenchu IV trailer
We're sorry to report that the latest media from From Software and Acquire's Tenchu IV does not feature adorable historical kittens. But on the upside -- if there can be said to be an upside to a lack of kittens -- the video is instead chock full of badass ninjas assassinating folks and threatening one another in gravelly voices. That's pretty good too!After more bad Tenchu games than good ones, we aren't sure why we're so hopeful about IV. We'll have to wait until the Japanese release in October to find out if the return of Acquire means a return to form or if this is going to be another Z-grade release.%Gallery-25071%
Palm's 10-K filing reveals smaller acquisitions, reads like a mystery novel
So Palm, what exactly have you been up to lately? Besides pumping out that tired, ho hum 800w, of course. The snoopers over at monoNews went and dug through your latest 10-K filing, and it seems as if that noteworthy Elevation Partners deal wasn't the only agreement you were wrapped up in during the past little while. As a matter of fact, we're seeing that during February of 2007, you "acquired the assets of two sole proprietorships [at a cost of $19.2 million] focused on mobile computing and media devices, one a developer of user interface environments and the other a developer of email software applications." Oh, and in October of last year, you "acquired substantially all of the assets [for $500,000] of a corporation focused on developing solutions to enhance the performance of web applications." Curiously, you nonchalantly failed to mention any names, but it's pretty clear that those new pick-ups weren't utilized in the last 16 months or so. [Via mocoNews, image courtesy of DayLife]
Tenchu IV to feature kittens, might be the best game ever
While it may look like some Laser Cats to most of you, us history buffs know that Lasers were not discovered in Japan until 1714, much later than when Tenchu IV takes place. So, these cats can't shoot lasers, but they can do other awesome things. Like look cute and distract enemies.Thinking of a ninja's arsenal, kittens don't really come to mind. They're prone to make noise (which could mean certain death for a ninja) and they take up a lot of space in a satchel. This space could be used for more deadly ninja stars. But, hey, we're not complaining. We love kittens. Even the fake kind in video games.%Gallery-25071%[Via Go Nintendo]
ATMC Cable acquires Tele-Media, 1,100 subscribers to be switched over
North Carolina-based ATMC Cable has just acquired another local cable company, Tele-Media. The agreement will see "the majority of Tele-Media's cable television assets in Brunswick County" becomes ATMC's, and all areas currently served by Tele-Media (save for Bald Head Island) will soon be served by a new master. That means that just over 1,100 customers in the Bricklanding, Shell Point, Holden Beach / Seashore Road and Sunset Harbor / River Run areas will be affected, but judging by the way ATMC has been rolling high-def options out of late, we don't suspect anyone will complain. As it stands, the deal should close in early July, with another 75 - 90 days before the conversion is complete.
Way of the Samurai 3 spreading bushido love on PS3
Remember Tenchu? It was a ninja stealth-action game that the PlayStation birthed. It was fun and had a couple of sequels -- offspring, if we want to continue the analogy. Well, that franchise has gone to the Wii and Acquire seemed to leave the PlayStation behind. Not so! Way of the Samurai 3 is making its way to the PS3 to be published by Spike in Japan this year, according to Famitsu.Visuals get a minor tweak (the second game in the series is pictured), but gameplay is what's really changed. Characters are getting much better AI, for starters. The storyline will be influenced by your actions; in certain events or cutscenes you will have the option to draw your sword or remain calm and unflappable. Sounds cool, but then again, we haven't heard if Capcom will pick up the third one for release outside of Japan since they brought over the second.
How to snap a neck in Tenchu IV
With the Tenchu IV trailer and teaser site out of the way -- along with screenshots of ninja miniskirts -- the next media update we needed was video of someone actually playing the stealth game. Luckily for us, developer Acquire and publisher From Software didn't keep us waiting long, demoing the title at a recent press event. The Tenchu IV screen is a bit washed out, but you can still see a preview of how the controls will work and how to stash a dead body in nearby bushes. Apparently, hanging upside down and snapping an unsuspecting dude's neck is as easy as hitting the A button.
Tenchu 4 screens: Stealth and miniskirts
While this outfit is nowhere near as scandalous as what Tecmo's female ninjas have been wearing, we still have to question the appropriateness of Ayame's Tenchu 4 garb. Being a ninja is hard work, what with all the hiding, flipping, and killing people. Is it really in your best interest to show up for your ninja job in a miniskirt? If you've an interest in ninja legs -- or if you just like seeing ninjas sneak behind stuff -- prowl into our gallery below for some stealthy Tenchu 4 screenshots.%Gallery-25071%Read - Famitsu's Tenchu 4 screenshotsRead - GPara's Tenchu 4 screenshots
Tenchu IV trailer and site appear from shadows, slit your throat
Keeping the ninja news flowing, From Software has put up a teaser page and a minute-long trailer for Tenchu IV. It has pretty much everything we look for in ninja videos -- namely, ninjas.All the people getting stabbed? While awesome (for us, not for the people getting stabbed), that's just a bonus that comes with the ninjas. Other ninja bonuses include people getting shivved, people getting their necks snapped, and people getting dealt with in general, all of that in this video!
Tenchu IV being published by ... Ubisoft?
Famitsu has put up a slew of images, both directly from Tenchu IV and its announcement event, documenting the various ninja techniques, such as flipping out and killing people. For those of you that have lost faith in the Tenchu franchise (this blogger included), perhaps these screens will get you down from the fence? Still, we have yet to get to the big news surrounding this.Ubisoft is set to publish Tenchu IV, both here in the United States and in Europe, taking up localization duties, as well. Given the flack that Ubisoft has taken recently for all of its casual titles, we're a bit surprised to see them so dedicated to this title, given the recent entries in the series being less than stellar, to put it politely. And, as if that weren't enough, there's even more to all of this. Apparently, a Tenchu V and Tenchu VI are planned, although no consoles are mentioned. Could these titles also be Wii exclusives? We'll have to wait and see, we suppose.For some basic facts about Tenchu IV, that come from the Famitsu magazine article about the game, head past the break.
Tenchu 4 sneaking up on Wii
If you're a Tenchu seeker who, despite the franchise's decidedly clumsy plummet from grace, insists on having your ninjas murder enemies with elegance and discretion (sorry, Ryu), you'd best check out the latest issue of Japan's Famitsu magazine. According to IGN, its pages declare that Tenchu 4 is headed for the Japanese Wii on October 23rd. The game is said to be developed by Acquire, the same company that delivered the original Dimensional Ninja Action Movie: Tenchu. And not Tenchu Z.Not much else is known at this time, so you're more than welcome to speculate about how you'll use the Wiimote as a sword and the nunchuk as a ... well, we're sure you'll think of something.
Hey Hey Let's Go! Tenchu 4
The Wii is currently Tenchu-less. Ninjas are cool, but not having them on your console is very uncool. And yet suddenly, from the depths of a Japanese scan, we find the first announcement of Tenchu 4, right here on Nintendo's home turf. It's a rumor for now, but there has been no word on development for other consoles -- this may be a Wii exclusive. Let's hope it fares better than the latest portable entry into the series.The first shots of the game look pretty smooth, despite the magazine scan. In the second image after the jump, there's some chop-socky action with grappling moves and takedowns. It looks colorful and violent, which is always top stuff. Our keen eyes of power are ready for the Japanese release on October 23. Let's fighting love!
Latest screenshots show more of Acquire's new RPG
Ken To Mahou To Gakuen Mono appears to be a dungeon-crawler RPG with a school setting. The gist of this game sounds so familiar, we wonder where from. Of course, school is boring; the kiddies need extracurricular activities ... like say exploring cavernous terrains. Yes, that is most appropriate.In the real world, it's very dangerous for these rambunctious children to frolic in such places. So please, supervise them. Watch over their activities carefully by looking at these screenshots.
Iomega acquired by EMC for $213 million
Not even a month after we heard that Iomega was warming to a revised takeover bid from EMC, the two lovebirds have finally let their true feelings be known. Announced today, EMC is acquiring the famed Zip Drive manufacturer for $213 million. The final figure is nearly $7 million higher than the one proposed in March, and the all-cash agreement worked out to $3.85-per share -- 5.8-percent higher than Iomega's Tuesday closing price of $3.64. Also of note, Iomega will be picking up the tab on a $7.5 million termination fee to the shareholders for a canceled deal involving China's ExcelStor Group, and EMC stated that it didn't expect the acquisition to "have any material impact on its full-year earnings."[Thanks, Khattab]
Tenchu dev K2 acquired by Capcom
Capcom is certainly in the mood to spend money. On the heels of knotting up the rights to MotoGP for the next half-decade, the company has forked over enough cash to purchase Japanese dev K2, a studio known for such titles as Valhalla Knights as well as last year's abysmal Tenchu Z. The purchase was made via an exchange of stock that's expected to be completed on May 1. Capcom failed to elaborate on its plans for the studio, however, noting only that the acquisition was made in order to make "its game development activities more efficient and speedy," leaving us wondering if Capcom plans to revisit the flailing Tenchu stealth action series at all or is simply adding cogs to its development machine.
Acquire announces new RPG project
Under development at Zerodiv, Acquire is working on a new title after their runaway success with Yuusha no Kuse ni Namaikida. The new title, dubbed a 3D Dungeon RPG, has a name that roughly translates to Sword to Magic to Campus Mono -- or Ken To Mahou To Gakuen Mono. There isn't much information on the game's teaser website except for a single image. More details are promised in the next Famitsu magazine, so until that hits, we're as in the dark as everyone else.
Microsoft picks up Musiwave for $50 million
Openwave systems can look forward to running a leaner operation starting now, as Microsoft has officially agreed to lift its Musiwave subsidiary off of its hands for a cool $50 million. Granted, only $46 million of that will actually hit Openwave's bank account, as the other $4 million will be debt that Microsoft will assume. Three days prior to this announcement, the two firms made known that they were in exclusive talks, and apparently, 72 hours was enough time for Redmond to pull the trigger. Reportedly, the purchase will give Microsoft access to valuable relationships with "music labels, device makers and mobile operators that deliver digital entertainment to consumers," but what exactly the firm plans to do with its new acquisition remains to be seen.[Via mocoNews]
T-Mobile buying Suncom for $1.6 billion
Well, we guess we can put aside any intermittent chatter of Deutsche Telekom losing interest in the US market (for the time being, anyway). The German conglomerate has announced that its US subsidiary, T-Mobile, is acquiring regional GSM carrier Suncom for some $1.6 billion plus $800 million in existing debt obligations. As the smallest national carrier in the country, T-Mobile's clearly looking to increase its footprint and flex some muscle here against its larger adversaries; if everything clears the usual regulatory hurdles, the two can expect to take on the world some time in the first half of 2008.[Via Phone Scoop]
Intel to acquire Havok, in-game physics company
Intel has announced that it is to acquire Havok, a company that specializes in providing physics algorithms for a lot of big name games, amongst other digital content. The gadget link here isn't totally clear right now, but we're certain that the Ageia guys will be feeling rather antsy at the news: it ain't no coincidence that Havok CEO David O'Meara mentioned Intel's scale in the company's official press release. Intel's big, baby.[Thanks, Yubal]
