It’s no secret that there’s some contention between Pandora and the powers that be over how much it pays for every song its users listen to, with the Internet radio station feeling it pays too much, and with the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, more commonly known as ASCAP, frequently trying to raise
As it was tipped just days ago by Israeli news sources with the inside line, so too does Google make their acquisition of the Waze team official. This acquisition has Google bringing in a team of creators that’ve made the Waze app a highly-used collection of real-time travel and traffic information bits, lighting the fire
One of the more persistent acquisition rumors as of late has come true: Google just confirmed that it bought Waze. As many expected, the deal will see Waze largely operate independently of its new parent while supplying Google Maps with traffic update features. The stand-alone Waze app, meanwhile, will receive some of Google’s know-how in search. While the two sides haven’t discussed the much ballyhooed (and reportedly $1 billion-plus) purchase price, we suspect it was just large enough to snub Facebook.
Filed under: Cellphones, GPS, Tablets, Internet, Mobile, Google
Source: Google Official Blog
Telus’ bid to acquire Mobilicity was primarily a play for more spectrum, and the Canadian government’s obligation to block the related frequency deal largely killed the merger’s reason for being. However, the carrier isn’t fighting that fatal setback to the bitter end, AT&T-style — instead, it’s backing out entirely. That’s undoubtedly a relief for Canucks wanting a competitive cellular marketplace, although we wouldn’t cheer too loudly. Mobilicity was partly hoping the deal would eliminate its financial woes, and it now has to fend for itself once again. There’s also no guarantee that we’ll avoid an eventual repeat: it could be open season on Mobilicity when there’s no longer a moratorium on spectrum transfers.
Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile
Via: MobileSyrup
Source: Canada Newswire
This weekend inside sources have suggested Google to be reaching a deal with the team at Waze, a smart navigation app previously rumored to have been in talks with Facebook for a similar deal. This acquisition has been tipped to be ringing in at $1.3 billion USD while real terms have not yet been revealed.
Last month news leaked that Facebook might acquire crowdsourced navigation / traffic / mapping app Waze, but now two papers in Israel say Google is about to close the deal. Globes and Calcalist both peg the potential sale price at $1.3 billion US, with the company’s development team remaining in Israel after the sale and not moving to the US. Where they will work from is cited by Globes as one reason why negotiations may not have worked out with Facebook, along with the price tag. For those unfamiliar with Waze, the app generates mapping data in real-time based on its nearly 50 million users and reports of accidents or traffic jams.
Update: Not to be left out, the Wall Street Journal also claims that Google is near buying Waze. The newspaper hears that the Waze app could soldier on while Google beefs up its own mapping app with data from its reported target. Likewise, Google Maps information could slip into Waze.
Softbank and Sprint have been on pins and needles ever since January, when the US Department of Justice asked the FCC to delay the carriers’ merger as it scrutinized the deal over national security concerns. The two networks can breathe a little easier this weekend, as the DOJ just dropped its request for more time. There’s “no objection” to the acquisition following a review, the agency says. Not that the companies are completely out of the woods: the FCC has to approve the buyout, and there’s still the small matters of Dish’s bids for both Sprint and Clearwire. Softbank may not want to drop its backup plan just yet.
Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile, Sprint
Via: Computerworld
Source: FCC (PDF)
Softbank’s plan A is still a $20.1 billion deal for Sprint, as it looks to enter the US wireless market. But, with stiff competition from Dish in the effort to acquire the black and yellow carrier, rumors are that it’s keeping one eye on T-Mobile. You know… just in case. According to a report from Reuters, the Japanese company is in discussions with Deutsche Telekom for its share of Big Magenta. Softbank was involved in discussions last year to purchase T-Mo, before the MetroPCS deal was eventually struck, following the collapse of a proposed merger with AT&T. Obviously none of this is official just yet. But, if Sprint’s shareholders reject the Softbank deal on June 12th, we wouldn’t be surprised if it quickly made moves to purchase the second most beleaguered national wireless provider in America.
Filed under: Wireless, Mobile, T-Mobile
Source: Reuters
Remember Draw Something? The fun social game that had you and a friend work together to try and guess each other’s drawings was an absolute huge hit, and Zynga went right ahead and just bought the game and its studio who developed it: OMGPOP. However, it doesn’t seem to be working out too well for
In case it wasn’t already obvious that Sprint sees Dish’s attempt to buy Clearwire as rather rude, the carrier made its irritation perfectly clear today. Sprint just sent a letter to Clearwire’s board of directors that claims the latest Dish buyout proposal violates Delaware laws relating to board control. Moreover, some of the proposal’s terms would reportedly need Sprint’s permission — which, as you’d imagine, isn’t exactly forthcoming. We’ve reached out to Dish for a response, although we’re not expecting the satellite giant to simply accept Sprint’s interpretation at face value. If Sprint is right, however, the objection could at least force Dish back to the drawing board.
Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile, Sprint
Via: Wall Street Journal
Source: Sprint
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