Social giant Facebook is in discussions to acquire mobile navigation service Waze, according to people familiar with the matter. The purchase price has been reported by some outlets as high as $1 billion, which would rival the amount Facebook paid last year to purchase mobile photo-sharing service Instagram. The Waze acquisition would provide Facebook with the opportunity to efficiently deliver local ads and content to its 1.1 billion users. Continue reading Facebook in Talks to Purchase Mobile Navigation Startup

Pay TV operator Dish Network announced yesterday that it has placed a $25.5 billion bid for wireless carrier Sprint Nextel, which is presently ranked third in the U.S. behind Verizon Wireless and AT&T. Dish Network’s chairman and former CEO Charlie Ergen is hoping to bridge the gap of current wireless models by offering customers faster and more affordable television, high-speed Internet and cellphone services in a single package. Continue reading Dish Network Submits $25.5 Billion Bid for Sprint Nextel

Eastman Kodak announced yesterday that it has entered into an agreement with Brother Industries for the proposed sale of its Document Imaging business. The deal includes a cash purchase price of approximately $210 million and about $67 million in deferred service revenue liability. If a better deal is not offered by another company, Brother will likely take control of Kodak’s scanning hardware and software products. Continue reading Kodak to Sell Scanning Business to Brother for $210 Million

Multiple sources suggest that Peter Chernin, former president and chief operating officer of News Corp., has formally bid around $500 million for Hulu through his Chernin Group holding company, reports Reuters. Chernin helped launch the online video streaming service in 2007, which is currently controlled by Disney and News Corp. (co-owner Comcast relinquished corporate control as a concession when purchasing NBCUniversal). Continue reading Insiders Say Peter Chernin Bidding $500 Million for Hulu

Amazon announced it will purchase the popular book discovery and recommendation website Goodreads, a social service that centers on book recommendations and reviews. The acquisition — which comes at a time when readers are increasingly turning to tablets and e-readers to search for authors and books — could help push Amazon ahead of competitors Apple and Google in e-book retailing. Continue reading Amazon to Acquire Goodreads for Competitive E-Book Edge

Twitter recently acquired Vine, an easy-to-use new app that allows users to share six-second looping video creations with friends on social networks. “Instead of the standard video-sharing experience, you record videos by holding your finger on the screen. By lifting your finger, you can momentarily pause the recording, making it possible to create a miniature narrative out of multiple scenes,” explains Wired. Continue reading Twitter Acquires Vine, Hopes To Spark More Video Sharing

The proposed buyout of Dell has a new development as Microsoft has entered talks to acquire the computer maker. The software giant would be buying the company from public stockholders, but a deal has not been announced. “Microsoft hasn’t made a commitment to throwing its money and weight behind the possible deal, which is expected to carry a price tag of $22 billion or more,” according to the Wall Street Journal. Continue reading Microsoft Enters Discussions to Help Finance Buyout of Dell