Deals

Kim Dotcom: Two-Step Authentication Patent Is Mine
May 24, 2013

Kim Dotcom, founder of the seized file-sharing site Megaupload, hinted via Twitter that he might sue the slew of companies using two-step authentication, for which Dotcom claims to own the patent. Dotcom provided a link to a patent that deals with two layers of identification, corroborating his purported ownership.

Yahoo Pulls PlayerScale Under Its Umbrella
May 24, 2013

Yahoo hasn't been playing around when it comes to acquisitions. Its latest, announced Tuesday, is PlayerScale, which makes software infrastructure for cross-platform gaming. Four-year-old PlayerScale has built a sizable audience, and it could fit well with Yahoo's new direction. "This deal is intriguing for a couple of reasons," said tech analyst Charles King.

Google's Makani Buy Could Take Wind Energy to Higher Levels
May 23, 2013

Google X Labs, the not-so-secret-but-secretive facility that works on cutting edge projects, has bought airborne wind turbine developer Makani Power, which announced the news on its website. Makani uses tethered aircraft that fly in figure 8s to generate power. The purchase formalizes a long and productive relationship between the two companies.

GrubHub, Seamless Merge to Boost Restaurant Delivery Chops
May 21, 2013

Two well-known restaurant delivery services -- GrubHub and Seamless -- announced plans to merge on Monday. The services enable users to search local restaurants that deliver by ZIP code and food specialty. Combined, the companies' footprint will cover 500 cities and connect users to more than 20,000 establishments.

Dish Eyes LightSquared's Wireless Spectrum
May 21, 2013

Dish Network is offering $2 billion for some of LightSquared's spectrum in a move that could help the company expand its services beyond pay TV. The offer would add spectrum to Dish's growing supply of airwaves and allow it to expand into wireless solutions. LightSquared, the bankrupt wireless network company, would use the capital to pay off debt.

Yahoo's Too Uncool for Some Tumblr Bloggers
May 20, 2013

Yahoo confirmed on Monday that it was acquiring Tumblr for US$1.1 billion -- perhaps further propelling the flight of Tumblr bloggers that began when rumors of the sale intensified last week. While the deal has implications on many levels and for many players, at least one group appears to have weighed the transaction and come to a conclusion about its merits.

Yahoo's 2013 Shopping Spree May Include Tumblr
May 18, 2013

Yahoo is reportedly looking to purchase microblogging platform and social networking website Tumblr for $1 billion. Tumblr is considered one of the coolest companies on the Internet because of its appeal to younger users -- the very demographic that Yahoo, which recently characterized its users as aging, is now attempting to reach.

Nintendo Scoops E3 With Previews of Upcoming Titles
May 17, 2013

Nintendo has once again gone straight to gamers with its latest Nintendo Direct video to generate hype for its latest offerings. The video game console maker and game publisher announced Friday that popular characters will arrive for the Nintendo Wii U and Nintendo 3DS handheld system. The latest Nintendo Direct primarily focused on games coming out this summer.

B&N Investors Salivate Over Microsoft Nook Deal
May 10, 2013

Barnes & Noble investors reacted with pure unadulterated joy to the possibility that Microsoft is considering entering the e-book market and will acquire the company's Nook unit for a whopping $1 billion. Shares rose by a dizzying 24 percent on Thursday, when the rumor surfaced. By the close of Friday trading, shares were up another 5.6 percent, at $23.31.

Facebook's Road Trip May Include a Stop to Buy Waze
May 10, 2013

Rumors that Facebook is deep into the process of purchasing Waze -- maker of a mobile satellite navigation app that leverages crowdsourced mapping and traffic tips -- are making the rounds. Facebook has apparently signed the terms and is conducting due diligence after six months of negotiations.

Huawei Founder Speaks
May 09, 2013

Ren Zhengfei, the founder and CEO of Huawei Technologies, spoke to the media for the first time on Thursday. Ren, formerly a member of the Chinese military, has been the focal point of Western skepticism toward Huawei -- which resulted in the company being barred from a broadband project in Australia, as well as being labeled as untrustworthy in a U.S. House Intelligence report.

Hacking Software Guru Faces the Music in US Court
May 06, 2013

Hamza Bendelladj, an Algerian national known by his alias "Bx1," appeared in an Atlanta court last week, where he faced a 23-count indictment stemming from his alleged participation in the cybercrime consortium responsible for hacking software known as "SpyEye." Bendelladj, 24, was the target of a three-year manhunt that ended in a Bangkok airport in January.

Wall Street Gives New T-Mobile Thumbs-up
May 01, 2013

T-Mobile on Wednesday announced that it had completed its merger with MetroPCS. The new company debuted on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker "TMUS," ringing in a new start for the No. 4 U.S. mobile carrier. The merger gives T-Mobile an additional 9 million subscribers, for a total of 43 million.

MetroPCS Shareholders Bless T-Mobile Union
April 25, 2013

T-Mobile can breathe a sigh of relief: After an initial show of reluctance by MetroPCS Communication investors, 80 percent approved its sale to T-Mobile at a special shareholder meeting held on Wednesday. T-Mobile reportedly sweetened its bid for the company to bring on board those shareholders who felt the original offer undervalued MetroPCS.

Provo Is Next Stop on the Google Fiber Express
April 20, 2013

One week after the announcement that the Google Fiber network would come to Austin, Texas, Provo found out it will be the third city to get the search company's gigabit high-speed service. The Utah city, home to a much-criticized, money-losing fiber optic network, will sell it to Google for $1. The announcement means the company will eventually provide the city with Internet service that is 100 times faster.

Verizon May Have Finagled a Less Taxing Way to Buy Out Vodafone
April 19, 2013

Verizon Communications, which posted a higher-than-expected quarterly profit on the performance of its wireless business, has increased the pressure on Vodafone Group to sell its 45 percent stake in Verizon Wireless. The sale would give Verizon Communications full control of the largest mobile carrier in the United States. "There has been a lot of speculation about the tax consequences of a purchase of this 45 percent," noted Verizon CFO Francis Shammo.

Icelandic App Aims to Prevent Accidental Incest
April 18, 2013

Before knocking boots, knock phones. Three software engineers at the University of Iceland have designed an app to alert people if a casual encounter might in fact be casual incest. By bumping their mobile devices together, the app lets users -- and potential partners -- instantly compare their lineage, showing the nearest common ancestors. If a close relative is detected, users are alerted via an alarm and text warning.

Wireless: Fertile Ground for Wheeling and Dealing
April 18, 2013

Thanks to countless conversations with reporters, I have developed a crystal clear idea of why Dish Network and SoftBank want to acquire Sprint Nextel. It has less to do with wireless carrier ambitions, and much more to do with the future -- being leaders in a new space that's still largely under the radar. When wireless took off, it is was all about voice calls. Then the industry realized if it wanted to continue strong growth, it had to be about more.

HP Takes Leap of Faith Into Motion Control Tech
April 17, 2013

HP will be incorporating Leap Motion's motion control technology into some of its upcoming products, both companies confirmed Tuesday. Select PCs from HP bundled with Leap Motion's technology will be available this summer, HP spokesperson Cherie Britt told TechNewsWorld. Devices with the Leap Motion Controller technology embedded in them will come later.

Dish Stirs the Pot With $25B Sprint Bid
April 16, 2013

Dish Network set up a battle with SoftBank for ownership of Sprint after it bid $25.5 billion for the company on Monday. The bid consists of $17.3 billion in cash and $8.2 billion in stock. That works out to a combined premium of 13 percent over what SoftBank is offering. The merger will create an industry-leading spectrum portfolio, Dish Network said.