Google Inc. Announces Chrome Operating System-Reuters
November 20, 2009 |
| Reuters reported that Google Inc software will start up a computer as fast as a television can be turned on as it showed off its Chrome operating system designed for PCs that do their work on the Web. Google Inc. gave the first public look at its Chrome OS four months after declaring its intention of developing the PC's main software. The Chrome OS resembles a Web browser more than it does a traditional computer operating system like Microsoft Windows. The software will initially be available by the holiday season of 2010 on low-cost netbooks that meet Google Inc.'s hardware specifications, such as using only memory chips to store data instead of slower hard drives, the current standard. Netbooks running Chrome OS will only be able to run Web applications and the user's data will automatically be stored on the Web in the so-called cloud of Internet servers. |
Google Inc. Signs Agreement To Acquire AdMob
November 9, 2009 |
| Google Inc. announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire AdMob, a mobile display ad technology provider, for $750 million in stock. |
Google Inc. Launches Google Commerce Search
November 5, 2009 |
| Google Inc. announced a new hosted enterprise search product, Google Commerce Search, to power online retail stores and e-commerce websites with the speed and accuracy customers expect from Google. Commerce Search will help retail website stores reach their full potential as commercial hubs by improving the shopping experience for customers and the associated conversion rates for retailers. |
Best Buy Co., Inc.'s Best Buy Mobile Announces Partnership With Google Inc. To Co Market Google Mobile App
November 5, 2009 |
| Best Buy Mobile, the mobile specialty retail unit of Best Buy Co., Inc. announced a retail partnership with Google Inc. that will help bring Google Mobile App to consumers and expand their mobile experiences. |
Google Inc. Announces Launch Of AlertMe Energy In Collaboration With AlertMe
October 28, 2009 |
| Google Inc. announced that it launched AlertMe Energy with its Power Meter software, an online energy management service, in collaboration with AlertMe. Based upon this service, the customers can reduce their utility bills and in turn stop climate change. Financial details of the agreement were not disclosed. |
France Telecom's Orange And Google Inc. Sign Pact For European Mobile-DJ
October 28, 2009 |
| Dow Jones reported that France Telecom's Orange brand said it has signed a strategic pan-European partnership with Google Inc to bring Google Mobile App to Orange mobile customers in Europe. France Telecom's Orange brand plans to launch Google Mobile App across its footprint in a phased approach and will deliver it across range of Orange Signature phones. |
Google Inc. Launches Music Search With Lala, iLike-Reuters
October 28, 2009 |
| Reuters reported that Google Inc partnered with web services LaLa and MySpace's iLike to give music fans an easier way to find, sample and buy songs on the internet. The Company will provide users who want to sample a song with a pop-up box that will play at least a 30 second segment, in some cases the entire song, provided by iLike and Lala, which will then offer links to purchase the music. Google has also teamed up with Pandora, iMeem and Rhapsody to incorporate links to those music sites, to help consumers discover music related to search queries. |
On2 Technologies, Inc. Announces Proposed Settlement In Litigation Involving Proposed Merger With Google Inc.
October 26, 2009 |
| On2 Technologies, Inc. announced a proposed settlement, subject to court approval, to resolve litigation involving five purported class action complaints, four filed in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware, which have been consolidated into a single action (the Delaware Action), and another filed in the Supreme Court of the State of New York, County of Queens (the New York Action) that were brought in connection with the proposed acquisition of On2 by Google Inc. (the merger). As more fully described in a Form 8-K being filed by On2 and as disclosed in the registration statement on Form S-4, as amended (the Registration Statement), which Google intends to file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC) on or about October 26, 2009, On2 and the On2 Board of Directors and the plaintiffs to each of the Delaware Action and the New York Action entered into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on October 23, 2009 contemplating the settlement of all claims in each of the Delaware Action and the New York Action. Pursuant to the terms of the MOU, On2 agreed to provide additional supplemental disclosures that are reflected in the proxy statement/prospectus, which forms a part of the Registration Statement. The settlement is contingent upon, among other things, further definitive documentation, approval of the settlement and the dismissal with prejudice of the actions by, respectively, the Delaware Court of Chancery and the Supreme Court of the State of New York. |
Google Inc. Eyes Deals-Reuters
October 16, 2009 |
| Reuters reported that Google Inc. said that it was looking for major acquisitions and could buy a large company maybe every year or two. Google also made headway in some of its other business initiatives. |
Google Inc., Authors Asked For Deal Changes By November 9-Reuters
October 7, 2009 |
| Reuters reported that changes to a settlement that would allow Google Inc. to put millions of books online should be presented in court by November 9, the judge presiding over the case said. Google's plan to create a digital library has been praised for bringing broad access to books but has also been criticized on antitrust, copyright and privacy grounds. The settlement is an effort to resolve a 2005 lawsuit brought by the Authors Guild and others against Google's effort to scan libraries full of books. In that suit, authors and publishers had accused Google of copyright infringement. Judge Denny Chin, of Manhattan federal court, said he hoped the parties would file a motion for preliminary approval of the amended deal by November 9 so a hearing could be held in late December or early January for final approval. Under the terms of the original settlement, Google would pay $125 million to create a Book Rights Registry. Authors and publishers could register works there and be paid for books and other publications that the search giant would put online. Google has already digitized 10 million books. The division expressed concern that the deal would give publishers the ability to restrict price competition and that Google would have the de facto right to distribute books which are in copyright but whose authors cannot be found. |
Verizon Communications Inc. And Vodafone Group Plc's Verizon Wireless Announces Strategic Partnership With Google Inc.
October 6, 2009 |
| Verizon Communications Inc. and Vodafone Group Plc's joint venture Verizon Wireless announced the strategic partnership with Google Inc. that will leverage the Verizon Wireless network and the Android open platform to deliver mobile applications, services and devices. Integral to this agreement is a commitment by the companies to devote substantial resources to accelerate delivery of innovation that will put applications in the hands of consumers quickly. The two companies will create, market and distribute products and services, with Verizon Wireless also contributing the breadth of its nationwide distribution channels. Consumers will be able to purchase products resulting from the collaboration in Verizon Wireless retail and online stores. Verizon Wireless and Google plan to co-develop several Android-based devices that will be pre-loaded with innovative applications from both parties as well as third-party developers. |
Eolas Technologies Inc. Files Infringement Lawsuit Against Google Inc. And Others
October 6, 2009 |
| Eolas Technologies Inc. announced a Texas federal lawsuit filed to assert the company's intellectual property rights based on two patents, including one that has passed two separate reexaminations at the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and resulted in a $565 million federal court judgment in 2004. The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, includes claims related to two Eolas patents, U.S. Patent No. 5,838,906 (906 Patent) and U.S. Patent No. 7,599,985 (985 Patent). The companies named as defendants include Adobe Systems, Amazon.com; Apple Inc.; Argosy Publishing Inc.; Blockbuster Inc. ; CDW Corp.; Citigroup Inc.; eBay Inc.; Frito-Lay Inc. (a subsidiary of Purchase, PepsiCo Inc.); The Go Daddy Group Inc.; Google Inc.; J.C. Penney Co. Inc.; JPMorgan Chase & Co.; New Frontier Media Inc.; Office Depot Inc.; Perot Systems Corp.; Playboy Enterprises International Inc.; Rent-A-Center, Inc.; Staples, Inc.; Sun Microsystems Inc.; Texas Instruments ; Yahoo! Inc.; and YouTube LLC, a subsidiary of Google Inc. |
Google Inc. and Verizon To Develop Android Mobile Phones-Reuters
October 6, 2009 |
| Reuters reported that Verizon Wireless said it will develop and sell mobile phones and services using Google Inc.'s Android operating system software. Google and Verizon Wireless, a venture of Verizon Communications Inc and Vodafone Group Plc, will sell several Android based devices loaded with applications from both companies and other mobile software developers. |
On2 Technologies, Inc. Announces Early Termination Of HSR Waiting Period In Connection With Proposed Acquisition Of On2 By Google Inc.
September 29, 2009 |
| On2 Technologies, Inc. announced that On2 and Google Inc. have been granted early termination by the Federal Trade Commission and the Antitrust Division of the Department of Justice of the mandatory waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended (HSR), in connection with Google's proposed acquisition of On2. Termination of the HSR waiting period satisfies one of the conditions to completion of the proposed merger between On2 and a subsidiary of Google. Completion of the proposed merger also is subject to the adoption of the merger agreement by On2 stockholders at a special meeting of On2's stockholders and the satisfaction of the other closing conditions set forth in the merger agreement. |
Judge Delays Hearing On Google Inc. Books Deal-Reuters
September 25, 2009 |
| Reuters reported that a judge delayed a hearing on a $125 million deal that would allow Google Inc. to create a massive digital library. In a two page order, U.S. District Judge Denny Chin postponed the fairness hearing scheduled for October 7 regarding a controversial settlement between Google and groups representing authors and publishers. The settlement, which would allow Google to distribute and sell digital versions of out-of-print, copyrighted books, was criticized by the U.S. Justice Department on Friday. The DOJ urged the parties to modify the settlement, which it said appeared to pose antitrust issues. On Tuesday, the authors and publishers groups that struck the deal with Google last year asked the court to delay the hearing in order to resolve the DOJ's concerns. Jurge Chin said that while the proposed settlement would offer many benefits to society, it also raises significant issues, as demonstrated by the number of objections to the deal by various parties, including countries, states and nonprofit organizations. Instead of the hearing on October 7, the judge scheduled a 'status conference' on that date to determine how to proceed with the case. Google issued a statement citing the Judge's statement that the settlement would benefit society. |
Google Inc., French Publishers Face Off In Court-Reuters
September 24, 2009 |
| Reuters reported that major publishers accused Google Inc. of 'brutally' exploiting France's literary heritage as they launched a court challenge to Google's drive to scan digital copies of books and put extracts online. Publishing house La Martiniere, the French Publishers' Association and authors' group SGDL asked a Paris court to fine Google EUR15 million ($22.09 million) and EUR100,000 for each day it continues to violate copyright by digitising their books. The trial caps a three year challenge to what publishers say is Google's 2005 plan to create a massive online library without prior approval. Colin argued that the case, which targets Google's French unit, should be tried under local law as the publishers, scanned works and authors were French. The publishers also argue that Google's massive profits are 'parasitic', as they were generated from sponsored links which are presented to web surfers searching for copyrighted books. Google's lawyer argued that the firm is not creating a library, but rather a book search service which makes information more freely accessible. The tribunal expects to reach a decision by December 18. |
Lobby Calls For EU Scrutiny Of Google Inc. Book Deal-Reuters
September 18, 2009 |
| Reuters reported that EU regulators should look into the book settlement that Google Inc. reached with a group of U.S. writers and publishers last October because the deal will create a de facto monopoly. Earlier this month, Germany and France took their case against the settlement to the Manhattan federal court, which will hold a fairness hearing on October 7. Amazon.com Inc has also argued against the plan. A hearing held by the European Commission on the matter on September 7 and attended by interested parties and Google officials failed to answer critics' questions. |
Italy Antitrust Chief Warns Google Inc. Of Heavy Fines-Reuters
September 17, 2009 |
| Reuters reported that Italy's antitrust chief urged Google Inc. to begin talks with Italian publishers to resolve allegations that it coerced newspapers into posting stories on its news website, or risk heavy fines. Italy's competition regulator last month began a probe after the Italian Federation of Newspaper Editors alleged that any publication refusing to appear on the Google News Italia website was excluded from Google's search engine. The probe was later broadened to include Google's U.S. parents Google Inc. as well. Google has argued that it helps newspaper websites make money through online advertising and does not misappropriate content. |
Google Inc. Acquires Carnegie Mellon Spin-off ReCAPTCHA Inc.
September 16, 2009 |
| ReCAPTCHA Inc., a spin-off of Carnegie Mellon University's Computer Science Department, announced that it has been acquired by Google Inc. Financial terms were not disclosed. |
Swiss Watchdog Threatens To Sue Google Inc. Over Street View-DJ
September 14, 2009 |
| Dow Jones reported that Switzerland's data protection watchdog threatened to sue Google Inc. over its Street View facility, saying that measures taken by Google Inc. to address privacy concerns were inadequate. The Street View facility allows users to take a ground level panoramic view of some locations on Google Maps, based on still photographs taken by specially-equipped vehicles. |
Photographers File Objections To Proposed Google Inc. Settlement
September 2, 2009 |
| The American Society of Media Photographers (ASMP), joined by the Graphic Artists Guild, the Picture Archive Council of America, the North American Nature Photography Association, and several prominent individual photographers, announced it has filed documents in opposition to the proposed settlement of the consolidated copyright infringement actions against Google Inc., instituted by the Authors Guild, Inc. and the Association of American Publishers, Inc. ASMP and the other trade associations represent thousands of photographers, graphic artists, and other copyright owners who assert that they were excluded from the process as well as from the proposed $125 million settlement. |
SpotMixer And Google Inc. TV Ads Sponsor TV For All Contest On YouTube
September 1, 2009 |
| Google Inc. announced that SpotMixer and Google TV Ads have collaborated to offer small and medium sized businesses a chance at $25,000 worth of free national TV advertising as they kick off their TV for All video contest on YouTube. Officially launching today, the contest gives participants an opportunity to try out SpotMixer's do it yourself video ad solution and compete for one of three $25,000 prizes. |
Italy Antitrust Agency Probes Google Inc.-De Tijd
August 27, 2009 |
| De Tijd reported that Google Inc. will be probed by Italian antitrust agency. Italian newspapers complain about the abuse of the Company's dominant position. The Italian Federation of Newspaper Editors have filed a complaint with the authorities to commence an investigation. |
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