Internet advertising giant (Google) ‘mulls’ map app Waze gobble
Ad giant Google is also considering snapping up mapping software firm Waze, which could spark a bidding war with Facebook over the business.
Sources whispered to Bloomberg that Google was interested in the navigation firm - which is, of course, seeking a price tag of more than $1bn. What kind of tech company are you these days if you don't ask other tech companies to fork out at least $1bn for you?
Google told The Register that it doesn't comment on rumours or speculation.
Earlier this month, other sources claimed that Facebook was also interested in snaffling Waze and was unfazed by the billion-dollar price tag. Since Facebook was outed as an interested party, Google and other tech firms have approached the firm about a possible deal. Read more...
Heroku entices enterprise Java developers with cloud platform
Salesforce.com subsidiary Heroku today is launching a PaaS (platform-as-a-service) cloud option for Java developers that is intended to make it easier to deploy Web applications on the Heroku cloud platform. Developers will able to package applications as WAR (Java Web Archive) files. Applications can be built and deployed in minutes instead of months, the company claims.
Developers gain access to a Java stack that includes the Apache Tomcat server along with a provisioned PostgreSQL database and a caching service. Support is offered for JDK (Java Development Kit) 7 and 8 builds.
Applications can be scaled as needed, with Heroku offering production and staging capabilities. The service features a plug-in for Eclipse IDE users. Through custom scripting, developers can use other IDEs as well. Heroku anticipates deployment of applications like portals and marketing sites via the service. Read more...
Apple vs Amazon in ereader format smackdown
Format wars are a mixed blessing for consumers. Whether it's Betamax versus VHS or Blu-Ray versus HD-DVD, the consumer ultimately wins because companies have to advance superior technologies. But problems arise if the format you backed loses the war - and your device becomes next year's expensive doorstop.
A new fight is emerging in epublishing between Apple iBooks and Amazon Kindle, with skirmishes between Barnes & Noble, Kobo and others. But the real battle is between the underlying formats: EPUB 3 and KF8.
So far, this particular format war has been waged rather quietly, but it's a war that will affect you more than you might realise: two rich, powerful and mighty West Coast tech companies could soon end up as gate-keepers to the world's literary works. And if we've learned anything about West Coast tech companies, it's that once they've got the data, they want you're pretty much at their mercy. Read more...
Canadian Songwriters Want to Legalize File-Sharing
While most of the major entertainment industry companies wage war against BitTorrent sites, the Songwriters Association of Canada prefers to embrace file-sharing. Speaking with TorrentFreak, vice president Jean-Robert Bisaillon says that the Internet has revived the music business. Sharing music is part of people’s nature and the songwriters want to legalize file-sharing, while compensating the artists whose works are shared.
With prominent members such Bryan Adams, Eddie Schwartz, Randy Bachman and Carole Pope among its ranks, the Songwriters Association of Canada (SAC) is the voice of more than 1,500 Canadian artists.
In common with many of the groups tied to the music industry, SAC has a strong opinion about file-sharing. But unlike most of the others, they don’t want to shutter sites that allow people to share copyrighted music. Quite the opposite. Read more...
Big business in big push for cloud computing standards
The rise of cloud computing has led to a strong push from the IT leaders at many major companies for cloud standards around such things as security and data portability.
But the early push for standards is beginning to resemble a NASCAR race -- everyone is is driving on the same track, but are sitting in different cars.
Multiple organizations are in pursuit of the same checkered flag, a set of standards that will facilitate the adoption of cloud computing technologies.
The latest standards group group, the IBM-backed Cloud Standards Customer Council, announced its steering committee this month. Read more...