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To: puborectalis who wrote (27057)	9/3/2013 12:04:18 AM
From: zax	Respond to of 32692

Party time for NOK longs... Plus, Elop to make triumphant return to MSFT. :) Microsoft To Buy Nokia’s Device Business in Deal Worth $7.17 Billion September 2, 2013 at 8:15 pm PT allthingsd.com Microsoft announced late Monday that it is buying the majority of Nokia’s cell phone unit for 3.79 billion Euros ($5.0 billion) and spending another 1.65 billion Euros ($2.18 billion) to license Nokia’s patent portfolio for a total of 5.44 billion euros ($7.17 billion). Once the deal is done, a number of Nokia executives will join Microsoft including Stephen Elop, a former Microsoft executive seen as among the top contenders to replace CEO Steve Ballmer. Also set to join Microsoft are Jo Harlow, Juha Putkiranta, Timo Toikkanen and Chris Weber. For now, Elop is stepping aside as Nokia CEO to become executive VP of devices and services. Nokia Chairman Risto Siilasmaa will serve as interim CEO. “For Nokia, this is an important moment of reinvention and from a position of financial strength, we can build our next chapter,” said Siilasmaa “After a thorough assessment of how to maximize shareholder value, including consideration of a variety of alternatives, we believe this transaction is the best path forward for Nokia and its shareholders.” The move is a clear sign that Microsoft believes it can and must succeed in the phone business and that it cannot afford to leave the success in the hands of a partner–even one like Nokia that had bet its future on Microsoft’s phone software. Nokia agreed in February 2011 to make Windows Phone its primary play in smartphones and their mobile fortunes have already been closely tied. So far the combination has managed to pass BlackBerry but remains a distant No. 3 platform to Google’s Android and Apple’s iOS. “Bringing these great teams together will accelerate Microsoft’s share and profits in phones, and strengthen the overall opportunities for both Microsoft and our partners across our entire family of devices and services,” Ballmer said in a statement. “In addition to their innovation and strength in phones at all price points, Nokia brings proven capability and talent in critical areas such as hardware design and engineering, supply chain and manufacturing management, and hardware sales, marketing and distribution.” Microsoft will dip into its large overseas cash holdings to finance the deal. At the close of the deal, roughly 32,000 employees are expected to transfer to Microsoft including 4,700 in Finland. Nokia has roughly 56,000 employees not expected to transfer to Microsoft, as of the end of the second quarter. Nokia is also selling its non-Windows Phone device business, including its basic phones and its Asha line (which are advanced feature phones or entry-level smartphones, depending on one’s perspective.) As for Nokia, while it is selling its most well-known business to Microsoft, the company will focus on its businesses making cellular networking equipment, its Here location-based services and other “advanced technologies.” The remaining businesses account for about half the company’s 2012 sales. As part of the deal, Nokia will grant Microsoft a 10-year non-exclusive license to its patents. Microsoft will license Nokia reciprocal rights to its location-based patents. Microsoft will have the option to extend the patent deal in perpetuity. Microsoft will also license Nokia’s Here platform and become one of that unit’s biggest customers, paying a separate license agreement. Microsoft has also “agreed to make immediately available to Nokia EUR 1.5 billion of financing” in three separate convertible bond deals. Nokia has the option whether to draw down some or all of the bonds. If the deal closes any of the exercised bonds will be redeemed from the deal proceeds. Nokia plans to hold an “Extraordinary General Meeting” of shareholders on Nov. 19. The companies said they expect the deal, which is subject to approval of Nokia shareholders and regulatory approval, to close in the first quarter of 2014. Correction: An early version of this story incorrectly stated the U.S. dollar amount of the amount Microsoft is spending to acquire a license to Nokia’s device-related patents. That amount is $2.18 billion. Also, Microsoft is spending 3.79 billion Euros to acquire Nokia’s device business.

To: puborectalis who wrote (27057)	9/3/2013 10:41:34 PM
From: sylvester80	Respond to of 32692

Google announces 1 BILLION Android activations, teases Android 4.4 By Brad Reed on Sep 3, 2013 at 1:50 PM bgr.com 1:50 PMIn case you haven’t noticed, Android is a pretty popular mobile operating system. Google announced on Tuesday that it has now activated more than 1 billion Android devices throughout the world, a major milestone for a platform that’s been around for less than six years. The 1 billion total Android activations mean that the number of total Android devices has roughly doubled over the last year since Google said last September that it had activated more than 500 million Android devices. In addition to announcing the latest Android milestone, Google also teased the upcoming release of Android 4.4 Kit Kat, which represents the first nickname change for Android since it first released Android 4.1 Jelly Bean last June. Google hasn’t announced any release date or new features for Android 4.4 but it has built a giant Kit Kat-shaped Android statue outside of its Android team’s headquarters in Mountain View, Calif., so details on the new OS can’t be that far off. Tags: Android, GoogleSource: Google

To: puborectalis who wrote (27057)	9/3/2013 11:13:24 PM
From: sylvester80	Respond to of 32692

Details and video of Sony’s upcoming QX lens-shaped camera leaked: two versions coming later this month Details of the rumored smartphone-compatible, Carl Zeiss lens-weilding camera attachment from Sony, set to be announced tomorrow, have been leaked by sonyalpharumors. The promotional video above shows the features of the QX100/QX10 “lens-style cameras”. For devices with NFC, a simple tap hooks up the camera/lens and makes it ready to share or save files right on the spot: For added convenience, the app can be activated using NFC one-touch with compatible devices. Once pictures are taken, they are saved directly on both the phone and the camera*, and can be shared instantly via social media or other common mobile applications. The device will take advantage of the PlayMemories Mobile app available for iOS and Android devices. The device will come with a piece to attach to a phone, however, it is also detachable as seen in the video. The QX100 and QX10 will be available some time later this month for $500 and $250, respectively. ( Cross-posted on 9to5Mac.com)