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AcquisitionNew York Times: Microsoft Increases Bid for YahooAuthored by Ned Sherman on May 2, 2008 - 10:39am.
VeriSign Acquires Mobile Content Publisher m-Qube for $250 MillionAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on March 20, 2006 - 7:55am.
Watertown, Mass. - m-Qube, a provider of mobile content, applications and messaging services, has agreed to be acquired for $250 million by VeriSign, a California-based provider of infrastructure services for the Internet and telecommunications networks. Mountain View, Calif.-based m-Qube is privately held and employs about 200 people in North America. Its customers include Sony Pictures, Major League Baseball Advanced Media, Reuters, and Telus Mobility, among others. The company's main investors include Bain Capital Ventures, General Catalyst Partners, Globespan Capital Partners and Sigma Partners.
Online Games Firm SkillJam Acquires WorldWinner for $23 MillionAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on March 20, 2006 - 7:54am.
Newton, Mass. - SkillJam, a Los Angeles-based provider of "skill-gaming" technology and unit of FUN Technologies, has acquired WorldWinner.com, a Massachusetts-based online game company, for $23 million. WorldWinner.com hosts more than 10 million games and awards millions of dollars in prizes every month, with games in five categories: cards, words, arcade, strategy and sports. Last year, the company had revenue of $10.67 million, a loss of $680,000 million and net assets of $3.9 million, the company said.
Internet TV Firm Brightcove Acquires Rich Media Publisher MetaStoriesAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on March 20, 2006 - 7:48am.
Cambridge, Mass. - Brightcove, an "open" Internet TV service, has acquiredMetaStories, a Seattle-based provider of rich media publishing technology, for an undisclosed sum. Both companies are privately held. Founded in 2000, MetaStories provides rich-media publishing technology used by a variety of media companies including Yahoo, MSN, USATODAY.com, Discovery Networks, National Geographic, and Scripps Networks. Massachusetts-based Brightcove's Internet TV service allows content owners to distribute content and build broadband businesses.
Pegasus Wireless Acquries Wireless Device Remote from MaccontrolAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on March 10, 2006 - 2:45am.
Fremont, Calif. - Pegasus Wireless, a maker of hardware and software for broadband wireless networking and Internet access, said on Friday that it has acquired a wireless technology product line from Miami-based maccontrol for an undisclosed sum. The technology includes a handheld remote that can access any component, such as the TV, DVD player or the contents of a computer, that is linked to a wireless connecter from anywhere in the home.
Scientific-Atlanta Shareholders Approve Acquisition by Cisco SystemsAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on February 2, 2006 - 7:14am.
Atlanta - Scientific-Atlanta, a developer of digital content distribution equipment, said on Thursday that its shareholders have approved an acquisition of the company by Cisco Systems for $43 in cash per share, for a total of around $6.9 billion. The deal remains subject to approval by regulators in various jurisdictions outside the U.S., but is expected to close during the current quarter, the companies said. Cisco anticipates that the addition of Scientific-Atlanta will give it a stronger presence in the home entertainment market.
Report: Google Considering Partnership, Acquisition of NapsterAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on January 31, 2006 - 7:24am.
New York - Google is considering a possible acquisition of Napster, or else a strategic alliance with the digital music service, the New York Post reported on Tuesday, citing "sources within the music industry." The search giant is reportedly looking to partner with an existing digital music provider rather than developing its own service. The report sent shares of Napster up 30% on Tuesday. Last week, Napster told Reuters that it was not actively seeking buyers, responding to media reports that included layoff rumors. The company did acknowledge that it laid off ten middle managers last week.
Sega Completes Acquisition of GameWorksAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on November 3, 2005 - 6:08am.
Glendale, Calif. - Sega Entertainment U.S.A. Inc. (SEUI), an American unit of the Japanese video game publisher, announced on Thursday that it has completed its acquisition of the assets of GameWorks, a location-based entertainment business. GameWorks currently operates 14 restaurants with expansive video game arcades. Founded in 1997, with backing from Steven Spielberg's DreamWorks studio -- which withdrew support for the company in 2001 -- GameWorks would later file for Ch. 11 in 2004. Sega said it named former Coca-Cola executive Ben Kitay to serve as president and COO of SEUI, which will oversee GameWorks. The company plans to invest in updating the games offered in GameWorks locations over the next year.
Dutch Telco KPN Acquires 51% Stake in Mobile Ticketing Firm BeepAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on October 27, 2005 - 4:28am.
Amsterdam - Royal KPN, a telecommunications company based in the Netherlands, announced that it has acquired a 51% stake in mobile ticketing company Beep from Imtech, a local technical service provider. Financial terms were not disclosed. KPN and Imtech -- which will own the remaining 49% of Beep -- said they would work together to expand Beep's service in the Netherlands and Europe. The service allows Internet and mobile phone users to buy tickets for events; once purchased, the tickets are downloaded in the form of a barcode, which can then be scanned at entry to the event. "The Beep platform and the 2D barcode form an ideal stepping stone in the further development of mobile authentication and authorization services," KPN said. "Essentially all modern mobile phones are equipped to make use of the service."
SanDisk to Acquire Matrix Semiconductor for $250 MillionAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on October 21, 2005 - 8:10am.
Sunnyvale, Calif. - SanDisk, a manufacturer maker of flash storage cards, said that it has signed a deal to acquire Santa Clara, Calif.-based Matrix Semiconductor, a developer of 3D integrated circuits, for about $250 million. The deal consists of $12 million in cash, and the remainder in SanDisk stock. Matrix's 3D memory is used for storage applications that do not require multiple rewrites and where low cost is the paramount consideration, such as video games, music and other content, or for archiving. The deal is expected to close by the end of the year.
Handleman Company Acquires Games Firm Crave Entertainment for $72 MillionAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on October 21, 2005 - 8:06am.
Troy, Mich. - The Handleman Company, a distributor of CDs and other recorded music formats to music retailers, announced on Friday that it plans to acquire Crave Entertainment, a developer of video game hardware, software and accessories, for $72 million. Newport Beach, Calif.-based Crave Entertainment distributes its products to more than 30,000 retail stores, and reported sales of $240 million for its most recent fiscal year. The company released "The Bible Game" earlier this week for PlayStation 2 and Game Boy Advance. "The acquisition of CEG expands our customer base, broadens our product line and will be immediately accretive to earnings," said Handleman chairman and CEO Stephen Strome. "Video game software is one of the fastest growing entertainment product lines, with industry growth expected to exceed an 8% compounded annual growth rate over the next four years."
Macromedia Completes Acquisition of Mobile InnovationAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on October 20, 2005 - 9:16am.
Bracknell, England - Macromedia, the distributor of media software including Flash, announced that it has completed its acquisition of Mobile Innovation, a U.K.-based user interface (UI) designer, developer and integrator for mobile devices. Macromedia said the acquisition would strengthen its ability to develop new mobile applications and content built on the Flash Platform. The company also said that Mobile Innovation would be integrated into the Macromedia Consulting team, led by Peter Lelliott, and that Mobile Innovation co-founder and chief technology officer Matt Millar would head the Mobile and Devices practice in the EMEA region. Financial terms for the deal were not disclosed.
Bertelsmann's Arvato Mobile Acquires U.K.-based MovotaAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on September 27, 2005 - 7:25am.
Hamburg, Germany - Arvato Mobile, a unit of Bertelsmann that distributes mobile entertainment content, announced on Tuesday that it has acquired U.K.-based Movota, a developer of mobile-based TV and radio audience participation software. Financial details of the transaction were not disclosed. Movota will continue to operate out of its London offices. Hamburg-based Arvato said the deal will allow it to expand SMS interactive TV services to WAP and Java-based mobile technologies, allowing synchronized participation in TV quiz shows, opinion polls and interactive games.
SeaChange Acquires On Demand Group Ltd. For $13.4 MillionAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on September 27, 2005 - 7:15am.
Maynard, Mass. - SeaChange International, a provider of on-demand video technology, has acquired the remaining 72% stake that it did not already own in On Demand Group Ltd., a U.K.-based aggregator of television content. SeaChange paid $13.4 million for the 72% stake in On Demand Group, which is based in London and offers its aggregated content to pay-per-view services in Europe. Its customers include the cable operators ntl and Telewest in the U.K. On Demand Group also is a principal in the recently launched FilmFlex on-demand movie service venture with Sony Pictures and The Walt Disney Co.
Report: Viacom to Acquire Online Video Site IFilm for $50 MillionAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on September 26, 2005 - 7:52am.
San Francisco -- Media conglomerate Viacom is expected to purchase the video-on-demand website IFilm for $50 million in a deal that will close in the next several weeks, CNET News.com reported, citing people familiar with the matter. The deal would likely place IFilm, which hosts short films, movie trailers, amateur videos and other content, under the Viacom umbrella that includes MTV Networks and Paramount Pictures.
French Mobile Game Publisher InfraWorlds Acquires Mobile Digital MediaAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on September 21, 2005 - 8:50am.
Paris -- Following on its acquisition of U.S. mobile game publisher 995 Soft in July, French mobile game publisher InfraWorlds announced on Wednesday that it has acquired Mobile Digital Media (MDM), a Mountain View, Calif.-based publisher of mobile device software. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. MDM has published memory card and CD-ROM mobile games based on titles from Electronic Arts, Atari and Microsoft, in addition to dictionaries, bibles and encyclopedias for mobile phones. InfraWorlds said the purchase will strengthen its entertainment catalog and provide it with new expertise in the retail distribution of mobile device content.
U.K. Online DVD Rental Service Video Island Acquires BrafilmAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on September 14, 2005 - 3:42am.
Stockholm -- Video Island, a U.K.-based online DVD rental firm, announced that it has acquired Brafilm, the largest online DVD service in the Nordic region, for an undisclosed sum. Video Island said the acquisition would increase its total subscriber base to more than 150,000, making it the online-DVD market leader in Norway, Sweden and the U.K. "Brafilm is a well-established and respected player in Scandinavia and has some valuable partnerships, including MSN, TV4 in Sweden, TV2 in Norway and Coop," said Video Island CEO Simon Calver. "The acquisition provides a solid base for us to expand across Europe." Video Island, which earlier this year secured $10.9 million in venture capital financing from EVP, has made two other acquisitions within the last year or so, snapping up ScreenSelect.co.uk in August 2004 and DVDs365 just three months ago.
News Corp Acquires Web Video Game Network IGN for $650 MillionAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on September 8, 2005 - 4:55am.
New York -- Adding to a recent string of online acquisitions, Aussie media tycoon Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation announced on Thursday that its Fox Interactive Media unit has acquired IGN Entertainment, a video game news and information network, for $650 million in cash. San Francisco-based IGN claims 28 million users for its network of video game and other entertainment-related sites, which includes IGN.com, Rotten Tomatoes, AskMen.com, GameSpy and FilePlanet. The newly formed Fox Interactive Media also recently acquired social networking site MySpace.com parent Intermix for $580 million, and online sports news provider Scout Media for an undisclosed sum; News Corp. has also been rumored to be in talks to acquire Internet video search index Blinkx. News Corp. said the IGN buy will increase its U.S. Web traffic to 70 million unique monthly users, making it the fifth most-trafficked presence on the Web, and fourth-largest in terms of monthly page impressions.
MTV Films Acquires Rights to Midway Games' "The Suffering"Authored by Mark Hefflinger on September 8, 2005 - 4:44am.
New York -- MTV Films announced on Thursday that it has acquired the film rights to "The Suffering," an action-horror video game from Surreal Software, a unit of publisher Midway Games. Released in April 2004, "The Suffering" features a man on death row in an island prison that is invaded by monsters he must battle to escape; a sequel, "The Suffering: Ties That Bind," is scheduled for release this month. MTV Films is working in conjunction with Stan Winston Productions ("Alien," "Predator," "Terminator") and Circle of Confusion to produce the film. The agreement follows an announcement in June between Midway and MTV to jointly market three of Midway's upcoming titles, including "L.A. Rush."
OpenTV Acquires Cable Ad Tech Firm CAM Systems for $19.5 MillionAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on September 8, 2005 - 4:36am.
San Francisco -- OpenTV, a provider of interactive TV software and services, announced on Thursday that it has acquired the assets of CAM Systems, a provider of advertising technology and services for cable TV operators, for $19.5 million in cash and stock. Saratoga, Calif.-based CAM Systems provides cable TV operators with technology to manage their local cable TV advertising businesses, an estimated $5 billion market. San Francisco-based OpenTV said the deal will immediately add the ad sales divisions of Time Warner Cable, Cox and Charter as new customers, as well as improve its ability to provide interactive, addressable and on-demand advertising services.
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Sunnyvale, Calif. - Hoping to avoid a messy proxy battle, Microsoft has increased its bid for Sunnyvale-based Yahoo by "several dollars," The New York Times reported on its web site late Friday. Specific financial terms being discussed have not been disclosed, though Microsoft reportedly has raised the possibility of increasing its current $29.30-per-share offer to as much as $33. 
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