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Google grows IP arsenal with mobile patents from Magnolia Broadband
In the tech industry, you're only as safe as your latest batch of patent procurements. And Google, stuffed with billion dollar coffers, is only too happy to comply. Neatly paired with its recently wrapped Motorola acquisition, the Mountain View-based company's just expanded its intellectual property holdings with a portfolio related to mobile RF uplink solutions. Formerly the property of Magnolia Broadband, the outfit's "beamforming" tech will now undoubtedly aid the search giant's in-house manufacture of smartphone and tablet devices -- likely those of the Jellybean sort. No financial details of the transaction have been disclosed at this time, but you can bet your bottom dollar the price of this innovation didn't come cheap. Über-brief PR after the break.
Google to buy Modu patents, hopefully leave Nokia alone
It took complete failure to do it, but it looks like Modu founder Dov Moran finally found that new source of capital he went hunting for last November. In an effort to pay back creditors and unpaid wages, the firm's patent portfolio is slated to be snatched up by Google for roughly $4.8 million. What's Mountain View going to do with a mess of ultra-lite modular phone patents? It didn't come up, but we wouldn't be too surprised if it had something to do with its Danger-powered hardware wing and Android Open Accessory. Putting Modu to rest hasn't phased 'ol Dov, though; Israeli news source Calcalist reports that he's already invested three million smackers in a mysterious new start up -- about which Moran remains tight lipped. Goodnight, Modu; we'll always remember you as the audacious underdog who had the brass to tell Nokia to say their prayers.
