Cisco to buy US cloud computing firm Meraki for $1.2bn
Cisco, the world's largest maker of networking equipment, has agreed to acquire the cloud computing company Meraki for $1.2bn (£750m).
Meraki offers services that help firms to manage their networks using the internet.
Meraki's services, targeted at mid-sized businesses, are used by more than 10,000 companies.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-20389492
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‘Call of Duty: Black Ops 2′ Sales Smash Records, Makes $500M in One Day
Call of Duty: Black Ops II delivered the “biggest entertainment launch of the year,” after sales of the popular video game hit $500 million worldwide in 24 hours, according to publisher Activision.
“We believe Call of Duty is the biggest entertainment launch of the year for the fourth year in a row,” Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick said in a release Friday. “Life-to-date sales for the Call of Duty franchise have exceeded worldwide theatrical box office receipts for Harry Potter and Star Wars, the two most successful movie franchises of all time.”
http://mashable.com/2012/11/18/black-ops-2/
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Google planning AirPlay rival for Android
Google is working on a rival content streaming technology to Apple's AirPlay.
Having already integrated video and audio sending abilities to its YouTube app for Android, which will "send" a clip to your Google TV set or set-top-box, the company is to explore more extravagant wireless functionality.
Speaking to GigaOm, Google product manager Timbo Drayson said that the YouTube Google TV compatibility was simply the first step in company plans. "We really want to move the whole industry forward," he said.
Drayson also explained that the software giant is working with device and audio equipment manufacturers in order to unify the Google system as an open standard. The company is "actively working with other companies", he explained.
Of course, Android devices are already - on the whole - DLNA capable, which already allows them to talk and stream content back and forth amongst similarly capable devices. However, it is believed that a large quantity of consumers still find this confusing and that a single platform would help them identify which of their devices can talk to each other through a single badge.
And, as Drayson pointed out, the more companies that jump on board, the better.
http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/48487/google-planning-airplay-rival-android
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Nokia's Here Maps finds its way to Apple's App Store
The company yesterday launched Here Maps, a free application that provides a host of features for travelers. The mapping application is powered by Navteq data, the same information used in the majority of in-car navigation systems. Users are able to view maps and get real-time traffic data on a particular area. Here Maps also includes a satellite view and the ability to save map areas for later.
To add a social flavor, Here Maps lets users create and save maps that can be accessed by others. Users can also share points of interest.
Here Maps for iOS comes with step-by-step voice-guided navigation for travelers on foot. The app also features walk navigation through pedestrian walkways and parks. Considering it's a mapping application, Nokia has of course bundled driving directions into the program.
Nokia's push to iOS is a thinly veiled attempt to capitalize on the mapping kerfuffle impacting iOS 6 users. With that launch, Apple decided to nix Google Maps in favor of its own Maps application. But it wasn't long after launch that Apple CEO Tim Cook was forced to apologize to users, citing Maps' many issues, including incorrect maps, duplicate landmarks, and other odd errors. Apple suggested competing mapping applications available in the App Store for users to consider while it works out the kinks.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-5
