Mobile, Acquisitions

Vodafone Buys Mobile Social Network ZYB for $50 Million

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on May 16, 2008 - 8:37am.

Amsterdam - International wireless carrier Vodafone (NYSE: VOD) announced on Friday that it has acquired Denmark-based mobile social network ZYB, for about $50 million in cash.

dotMobi Acquires Mobile Browsing Technology from Mowser

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on May 9, 2008 - 7:04am.

San Mateo, Calif. - dotMobi, a provider of Internet addresses for mobile phones, said on Friday that it has acquired the technology assets of Mowser, a developer of mobile Web browsing technology.

Mobile Entertainment Distributor PlayPhone Merges with Pitch

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on May 7, 2008 - 7:57am.

San Jose, Calif. - PlayPhone, a mobile entertainment content distributor, announced on Wednesday that it has merged with U.K.-based Pitch Entertainment Group.

Zodiac Interactive Sells Mobile Content Search Engine Zodigo

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on April 30, 2008 - 7:52am.

Valley Stream, N.Y. - Zodiac Interactive, whose interactive TV software has garnered the company an Emmy award, announced on Wednesday that it has sold its Zodigo mobile content search engine through a management buy-out led by Matt Johnston, formerly Zodiac SVP of strategy and CEO of Zodigo.

ROO Group Acquires Kamera, Sputnik; Moves HQ to Dubai

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on March 18, 2008 - 7:54am.

New York - ROO Group, a provider of online video broadcasting and related services, announced on Tuesday that it will acquire Kamera, a Sweden-based provider of technology that lets partners deliver IPTV channels over mobile and online networks.

MobiVentures Buys Move2Mobile for $4.2 Million

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on March 18, 2008 - 7:40am.

London - MobiVentures, a provider of mobile applications, announced on Tuesday that it will acquire Move2Mobile, a U.K.-based mobile and wireless business accelerator, for $4.2 million.

LiveWire Mobile Acquires Groove Mobile for $14.5 Million

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on March 18, 2008 - 7:27am.

Framingham, Mass. - LiveWire Mobile, a unit of NMS Communications (NASD: NMSS) that provides managed personalization services for mobile operators, announced on Tuesday that it has acquired Groove Mobile, a provider of mobile music delivery services, for $14.5 million.

Mobile Video Firm ROK Acquires Finland's Geniem

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on March 12, 2008 - 8:46am.

London - ROK Entertainment Group, a provider of mobile video delivery services, announced on Wednesday that it has acquired a 51% controlling interest in Geniem, a Finland-based mobile and Web applications developer.

U.K.-based 3Bill Acquires Social Network Faces.com

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on March 11, 2008 - 8:35am.

Fareham, England - 3Bill, a unit of Web and mobile software developer Symbios Solutions, announced on Tuesday that it has acquired social network platform Faces for an undisclosed sum.

Mobile Marketing Firm Mozes Acquires Hurricane Interactive

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on February 5, 2008 - 8:27am.

Palo Alto, Calif. - Mozes, the provider of an on-demand mobile marketing platform, announced on Tuesday that it has acquired Hurricane Interactive Promotions, a provider of live concert mobile phone promotions.

Mobile Games Publisher Glu to Buy Superscape for $36M

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on January 23, 2008 - 8:26am.

San Mateo, Calif. - Mobile game developer and publisher Glu Mobile (NASD: GLUU) announced on Wednesday that it will acquire mobile game publisher Superscape Group, for about $36 million. Founded in 1993, San Clemente, Calif.-based Superscape, which is listed on the London Stock Exchange, was ranked among the top five mobile game publishers in the U.S. during the third quarter of 2007, according to Nielsen Mobile.

Handmark Acquires Smartphone Game Developer Astraware

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on January 7, 2008 - 10:02am.

Kansas City, Mo. - Handmark, a developer and distributor of mobile games and applications, announced on Monday that it has acquired U.K.-based Astraware, a developer of games for smartphones.

Motorola to Acquire Asian Digital Music Provider Soundbuzz

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on January 7, 2008 - 8:19am.

Singapore - Motorola (NYSE: MOT) announced on Monday that it will acquire Soundbuzz, a provider of online and mobile music services in Asia. Financial terms of the transaction, which is expected to close in the first quarter, were not disclosed.

Motricity Raises $185 Million, Acquires InfoSpace Unit

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on January 3, 2008 - 8:04am.

Durham, N.C. - Motricity, a provider of mobile content services, announced that it has raised $185 million in a round of venture capital, which was led by Advanced Equities, Carl Icahn and New Enterprise Associates.

Mobile TV Firm ROK Acquires Notebook PC Maker Rock

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on December 11, 2007 - 10:30am.

Wolverhampton, England - ROK Entertainment Group (NASD: CYFD), a U.K.-based provider of mobile TV services, announced on Tuesday that it has acquired a 51% controlling interest in Rock, a manufacturer of notebook PCs.

Nokia Acquires Mobile PC Access Technology Firm Avvenu

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on December 4, 2007 - 11:04am.

Amsterdam - Nokia (NYSE: NOK) announced on Tuesday that it will acquire Avvenu, the provider of a service that offers mobile access to personal files stored on a PC, including users' iTunes music libraries.

Microsoft Acquires Mobile Music Firm Musiwave for $46 Million

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on November 15, 2007 - 8:00am.

Redwood City, Calif. - Openwave Systems (NASD: OPWV) announced on Thursday that it has agreed to sell its Musiwave mobile music service provider unit to Microsoft (NASD: MSFT) for $46 million in cash.

Microsoft Looks to Acquire Mobile Music Firm Musiwave

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on November 12, 2007 - 7:40am.
Musiwave logo

Redmond, Wash. - Microsoft (NASD: MSFT) announced on Monday that it intends to acquire Musiwave, the France-based unit of Openwave (NASD: OPWV) that provides mobile music entertainment services to wireless carriers.

MAX Entertainment Acquires Mobile Gaming Firm Europlay

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on November 1, 2007 - 8:16am.

New York - MAX Entertainment Holdings announced on Thursday that it will acquire a 60% majority stake in Europlay, the developer of a mobile gambling platform.

Mobile Content Firm Buongiorno Acquires By-Cycle for $5.5 Million

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on October 24, 2007 - 9:36am.

Miami - Buongiorno, an Italy-based mobile entertainment and marketing services firm, announced on Wednesday that it has acquired By-Cycle, a provider of mobile marketing and content services in South America, for $5.5 million.