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Archive for March 12th, 2010

FTC Probing Google’s Planned AdMob Acquisition

U.S. regulators are reportedly digging deeper into Google’s planned AdMob acquisition. The Federal Trade Commission is asking for sworn statements from the search giant’s competitors and advertisers in what could signal plans to hold up the merger. The news comes as part of a wave of government scrutiny against the maturing company.

According to Bloomberg News, the FTC is seeking to learn whether Google’s proposed purchase of the mobile-ad technology provider would lessen competition in the market for Internet advertising on mobile phones. The FTC couldn’t immediately be reached for comment.

Bloomberg didn’t identify the names of two companies that said they were asked to sign statements for the probe. However, it’s likely that the FTC spoke with companies like Microsoft, Yahoo, Jumptap and Millenial Media, all of which have stakes in this growing space.

Read the rest of my story on TopTechNews.

Add comment March 12th, 2010

OnLive Plans On-Demand Streaming of Video Games

In a move to shake up the online gaming industry, OnLive has announced PC and Mac versions of its on-demand, instant-play games will roll out in June during the E3 2010 show. Here’s the rub: Gamers don’t have to buy a console, and they can get broadband speeds.

OnLive delivers games to HDTVs over an Internet connection via a small browser plug-in for PCs and OnLive’s MicroConsole TV Adapter, which will roll out later this year. The company is billing its game service as a way to find, purchase or rent video games from publishers like Electronic Arts, Ubisoft 2K Games, THQ and Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment.

“The idea here is that you buy or rent the games and stream them. That’s pretty challenging when it comes to gaming because you need very quick responses,” said Michael Gartenberg, a partner at the Altimeter Group. “OnLive is an interesting twist. The question is how it’s going to work in real time over the network.”

Read the rest of my story on CIOToday.

Add comment March 12th, 2010