IBM announced in February that it had signed an agreement to acquire Berlin-based digital agency Aperto, which would join the IBM Interactive Experience (IBM iX) team to support IBM’s growth in Europe’s largest economy. IBM announced on Tuesday that it…
Yahoo Said To Be Giving Interested Parties Longer For Opening Bids
On Thursday, a report from Bloomberg came out indicating that Verizon is poised to make a first-round bid for Yahoo and that Google parent Alphabet is considering doing the same. The report also said that AT&T and Comcast, and Microsoft…
Google Parent May Try to Buy Yahoo?
Google parent Alphabet (formerly Google) is considering bidding on Yahoo as the deadline for first-round bids approaches. This is particularly interesting considering that regulators shut down a potential Google/Yahoo partnership years ago. Bloomberg reports that Verizon intends to make a…
Salesforce Acquires MetaMind To Add AI to Services
Artificial intelligence startup MetaMind launched in late 2014 with $8 million in funding from Salesforce CEO Mark Benioff and Khosla Ventures. Now, Salesforce has has acquired it. Salesforce will integrate MetaMind’s technology into its services. “With MetaMind and Salesforce coming…
Microsoft Buys Xamarin To Help Developers Build Apps On Any Device
Microsoft announced that it will acquire Xamarin to “empower more developers to build apps on any device.” Xamarin is a mobile app development and creation software provider that is already in use by over 15,000 companies including Microsoft, Foursquare, Kellogg’s,…
Amazon Is Acquiring Software Company NICE
Amazon announced that Amazon Web Services is acquiring NICE, a software and services provider for high performance and technical computing. NICE will operate under its existing brand and continue to work with its customers and partners ad well as develop…
Pandora Is About to Start Slinging Concert Tickets
Streaming music platform Pandora has just announced it has acquired ticket-selling site Ticketfly, in a deal valued at around $450 million. Pandora says it will help in “achieving Pandora’s mission to help artists find their audience and help listeners find…
Verizon’s AOL Is Acquiring Millennial Media
AOL, which as a reminder, is now owned by Verizon, announced on Thursday that it has entered agreement to acquire mobile ad platform Millennial Media. It’s paying $1.75/share, which comes to roughly $238 million. AOL says it will use Millennial…
Microsoft Is Acquiring Organizational Analytics Provider VoloMetrix
Microsoft announced on Thursday that it has completed an agreement to acquire VoloMetrix, an organizational analytics provider. “Today’s announcement is part of Microsoft’s commitment to reinvent productivity and business process, and combines VoloMetrix’ experience, technology and track record of success…
AT&T / DirecTV Deal Gets Thumbs Up from FCC, with Conditions
After “careful, thorough review,” the Federal Communications Commission has given AT&T and green light to acquire DirecTV. The combined entity will boast about 26 million customers. Say hello to the new largest pay TV company in the US. The approval…
Fake Twitter Buyout Article Fools Everyone, Sends Stock Soaring
Hoax articles – fooling everyone from your racist uncle on Facebook to top Wall Street investors. An article suggesting that Twitter had received a $31 billion offer sent the company’s stock prices soaring earlier this afternoon. The article, called Twitter…
Netflix Snags Indies to Boost Its Big Film Push
After very successful TV series and documentary ventures, Netflix is getting serious about original feature films. That $60 million buy of Brad Pitt’s new military satire should tell you that. But it’s not just the giant acquisitions that show Netflix’s…
AT&T, DirecTV Merger Reportedly Nearing Approval
It appears to be smooth sailing for AT&T in its acquisition of DirecTV, as the merger has reportedly cleared one major hurdle and is about to clear the last. Reuters reports that the Department of Justice has already wrapped up…
Uber Makes a Big Mapping Play, Hires 100 Bing Engineers
Uber is continuing its quest for maps self reliance, and is set to acquire a chunk of Bing’s mapping assets. Both Microsoft and Uber confirmed the deal to TechCrunch, but wouldn’t get specific on the terms. The deal will see…
Verizon Now Officially Owns AOL
Verizon announced on Tuesday that it has already completed its acquisition of AOL. That didn’t take long, did it? The $4.4 billion deal was only announced last month. Now, Verizon says it has successfully completed its tender offer to purchase…
The Verge Publisher Vox Media Acquires Re/code
There’s a lot happening in the world of tech news media. The latest piece of news in the publisher circuit is that Vox Media (The Verge, SB Nation, Polygon, Vox.com, Eater, Racked, Curbed) is acquiring Re/code roughly a year and…
Now Charter Communications Is Going To Buy Time Warner Cable
Now that Comcast’s acquisition of Time Warner Cable has fallen apart, Charter Communications has swooped in to attempt an acquisition of TWC. In February, Comcast announced its intent to acquire the other cable giant, but that deal officially died in…
The AT&T/DirecTV Merger Will Likely Be Approved: Report
It doesn’t appear that federal regulators are going to stand in the way of AT&T’s bid to acquire DirecTV. According to sources quoted in the Wall Street Journal both the Justice Department and the Federal Communications Commission are almost done…
Netflix Doesn’t Like the AT&T/DirecTV Merger
If AT&T’s proposed merger of DirecTV is approved, it would create the largest pay-TV provider in the country. And according to Netflix, the merger in its current form is bad for everyone. The streaming company has written a letter to…
Comcast’s Final Tally on Failed Time Warner Cable Deal: $336 Million
Comcast spent $336 million to not acquire Time Warner Cable. In the company’s Q1 earnings report, it reported $99 in “transaction” costs. If you add that to all the other transaction costs Comcast reported in 2014 it looks something like…