What impact has the 2008 recession had on High Tech’s richest achievers? Bill is back on top but $18 billion poorer for it… 

Microsoft Corp. announces expanded commercial availability of Microsoft Surface to 12 select markets in EMEA (Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Qatar, Spain, Sweden, UAE and UK.)

Microsoft Surface is a surface computing platform that responds to natural hand gestures and to the placement of real-world objects on the display. With a large, 360-degree, horizontal user interface, Microsoft Surface creates a tabletop computing platform where multiple users can collaboratively Continue reading...

Lilian Haner from Monster Cable is available at this address: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Logitech acquires SightSpeed for $30 million in cash, providing Logitech with video calling technology and a SW development team that hopes to create an enthusiastic video calling experience in the home.

GO Logitech Buys into Video Calling

American favorite TiVo moves from set-top box to the PC with a deal that brings TiVo functions to PCs using Nero's LiquidTV package. 

Nero LiquidTV/TiVo PC will allow users to burn DVDs and carry their recorded content with them. (e.g., take TV shows on a plane trip or car ride).

The device targets the road warrior, college student and existing TiVo user (hardly any in EMEA outside UK at moment).

LiquidTV/TiVo PC is available in No. America but will not expand into Europe Continue reading...

But is the rejection real—or part of a strategy to get a higher offer?

SanDisk CEO, says the $5.6 billion all-cash bid is "opportunistically timed at the trough of an industry-wide downturn" and fails to recognize the value of SanDisk patents.

In a letter Eli Harari sent to Samsung’s Yoon-Woo Lee, Harari says SanDisk remains "open-minded about a transaction that appropriately addresses the issues of value, deal certainty and process".

SanDisk claims the offer Continue reading...

Samsung Electronics wants to buy SanDisk , in a USD $3 billion move that thwarts No. 2 player Toshiba.

SanDisk owns 1550+ patents (with 1440+ patents pending) and is the only company, worldwide, with rights to both make and sell every major flash card format. Samsung already pays them $450 million a year in royalties.

Price drops in the $15 billion global memory market forced SanDisk into its first quarterly loss in 7 years ago.

This comes as SanDisk sets a new speed record Continue reading...

Now’s your chance to get some of your processor budget back: Intel wants to award $100,000 of seed funding to any four developers, individuals, or organizations who can develop the best technology solutions in education, healthcare, economic development, and the environment.

GO Seed Funding Inside