Mac News: Deals

Google's Strange and Shiny New OS
November 20, 2009

Google just keeps invading new territories, and its latest target is your computer's operating system. It's officially released the open source code for its Chrome OS, an operating system that will turn up in third-party vendors' netbooks. Those devices should start selling next year. With Chrome, Google takes a very different approach than major OSes like Windows, Mac OS, or even most Linux distributions.

EU Gives Oracle Extension to Build Sun Deal Defense
November 20, 2009

European Union regulators said Friday that they have extended until Jan. 27 a deadline to wrap up their antitrust review of Oracle's planned US$7.4 billion takeover of Sun Microsystems. The European Commission said Oracle had asked for more time "in order to have the opportunity to further develop its arguments in response to the Commission's concerns."

Time Warner to Show AOL the Door Dec. 9
November 17, 2009

Time Warner said Monday that it will spin off its Internet business, AOL, as a separate company on Dec. 9. On that date, Time Warner shareholders of record as of Nov. 27 will receive one share of AOL common stock for every 11 shares of Time Warner common stock they hold, the media company said.

Would Palm Buy Scuttle Nokia's Symbian Strategy?
November 16, 2009

Palm had its hands full over the weekend. The company's Sunday launch of its new US$99 Pixi smartphone had to compete with fresh rumors begun Friday that the company was a possible target of a takeover by Finnish telecommunications giant Nokia. Those rumors sent Palm stock soaring by 8 percent on Friday, although Monday's trading was back within normal ranges.

NBC's Sale to Cable Co. Signals TV Sea Change
November 16, 2009

Eight decades after pioneering the concept of broadcasting, NBC is on the verge of a startling move that illustrates broadcast television's decline. Cable TV operator Comcast is expected to buy a controlling stake in NBC Universal, perhaps as early as this week.

War and Peace: HP Drops Bomb; Intel and AMD Call Truce
November 16, 2009

We seem to be surrounded by conflict; sometimes it seems peace is harder to make than war. There were two big events in tech last week: HP picked up 3Com, the company that first dominated the network space, as a major shot across Cisco's bow. Also the major legal battle of the decade, between AMD and Intel, came to an end.

Google to Deepen Voice With Gizmo5 Buy
November 13, 2009

Google's purchase of VoIP company Gizmo5, announced Thursday, accomplishes two things for the search giant: It brings new levels of potential business-class service to Google Voice, and it gives AT&T ammunition in its regulatory fight with Mountain View. Google isn't providing much detail regarding how Gizmo5's technology will fit into Voice.

Intel Escapes Its Legal Morass, One Settlement at a Time
November 13, 2009

Intel and AMD have finally put a long and bitter disagreement to bed, and in the end, all it took was a little open communication and understanding, along with one and a quarter billion dollars. The two have been at it for years -- accusations, threats, lawsuits. AMD said Intel engaged in anticompetitive behavior; Intel said AMD broke its licensing agreements.

Bing Buddies Up With Wolfram Alpha
November 12, 2009

On Wednesday, Microsoft announced it's teaming up with answer engine Wolfram Alpha to beef up its Bing search engine. This will give Bing users access to Wolfram Alpha's algorithms and curated data. The team-up marks yet another step in Microsoft's battle with Google in the Web search market.

Intel, AMD End Legal Hostilities
November 12, 2009

Rival chip companies Intel and Advanced Micro Devices have forged an agreement to settle their legal conflicts. AMD has agreed to drop its litigation against Intel. In exchange, Intel will pay AMD $1.25 billion and promise to follow certain business rules as the two continue to compete head to head. The deal includes a five-year cross-license renewal.

HP Raises Stakes in Networking Game With 3Com Play
November 12, 2009

HP's $2.7 billion takeover of 3Com is a shot at networking leader Cisco Systems -- and a sign of how old relationships are being frayed by a flurry of maneuvers by technology heavyweights. HP said Wednesday it has agreed to pay $7.90 per share for 3Com, a 39 percent premium to 3Com's closing stock price before the deal was announced.

Logitech Gets a Life in Big-League Videoconferencing
November 11, 2009

PC peripherals maker Logitech has announced it is acquiring LifeSize Communications for $405 million in an all-cash transaction. The purchase of the high-end video equipment manufacturer places Logitech squarely in the middle of the enterprise video-conferencing industry.

EC Throws Monkey Wrench Into Oracle, Sun Deal
November 10, 2009

Europe is ratcheting up its opposition to Oracle's proposed $7.4 billion acquisition of Sun Microsystems. The European Commission has issued a formal statement of objections to the deal, based on a perceived threat to competition. Competition Commissioner Neelie Kroes raised those concerns last month in a meeting with Oracle's top executives.

Google's AdMob Move: Breaking Away From the Pack?
November 10, 2009

Google is buying mobile advertising network AdMob for $750 million, underscoring the Internet search leader's determination to ensure its marketing machine reaches the growing number of people surfing the Web on phones. The all-stock deal announced Monday also represents the latest sign that Google's leaders are feeling better about the economy's direction.

Headed for the Clouds - Cisco, EMC and VMware Launch VCE Coalition
November 05, 2009

By and large, IT favors grand pronouncements and overheated rhetoric, and the industry abounds with "unprecedented" efforts firmly rooted in precedent and "unique" solutions fashioned from the commonest clay. Is that the case with Cisco, EMC and VMware's new Virtual Computing Environment coalition? Decidedly not.

City of Angels to Give Cloud Computing a Go
October 28, 2009

The Los Angeles City Council voted 12-0 on Tuesday to adopt Google Apps, which include Gmail and other office software tools, for its 30,000 employees. The deal places Los Angeles among the vanguard of public sector operations relying on cloud-based productivity software. Plans call for installation of the system by June, when a pilot project will begin.