VentureBeat: Trimble Acquires Spime

Spime?

Spime specializes in GPS software platforms for use by smartphone app developers. Its MapMan LBS Platform integrates social and location services into GPS-enabled apps. Spime also offers a navigation service and map service under the names Northstar Nav and Northstar Map. Spime’s customers include mobile operators, manufacturers, developers, and platform and semiconductor providers, who use its platforms to build location-based apps. Nokia’s Navteq has partnered with Spime for its GPS technology.

Most of its offerings are white labeled, so its not a brand that's well-known in the LBS or consumer space.

VentureBeat reports the news citing Spime CEO's Shankar Narayanan, chief executive's LinkedIn page. There's no official word from Trimble on its website as this post goes to press. It's unclear if Trimble plans to use the technology in its professional offerings or if maybe this is a move into the platform space.

- VentureBeat

Digging Into the SimpleGeo Acquisition by Urban Airship

The news broke about the acquitiion yesterday (APB coverage), which will retain the Urban Airship name. The all stock deal is estimated at $3.5 million. Reports put the funding levels of the two companies at : 

Urban Airship - $6.5 million

SimpleGeo - just under $10 million 

New product announcements are expected next week and the new company does not plan to make any immediate changes to its offerings on either side of the house.

First off, let's review the nature of the companies, which I'd classify as "on the edge" of professional GIS and more in the mobile platform space. 

Continue reading...

SimpleGeo Acquired by Urban Airship

A number of publications are confirming the acquisition. Per ReadWriteWeb.

Today blogger Michael Arrington reports that the company has been acquired in an all-stock deal by fast-growing Portland, Oregon startup UrbanAirship.

Urban Airship is a push notification solution. It's unclear how these two will mesh. 

- RWW

Apple Acquires C3 Technologies

One of the hot technologies at CES this year was from C3 Technologies. It makes a 3D data capture/creation solution. (APB coverage) Apple has confirmed it aquired the company last year. Now, there's all the speculation about how it will be used and connected to Poly9 (APB coverage) and Placebase (APB coverage), the other two mapping companies Apple now owns. Three C3 staffers are already on the iOS team while the rest of the company remains in Sweden and is now referred to as the Sputnik division.

- PC Mag

Avisen Reverse Acquires 1Spatial

I don't follow the mechanics of the money, but basically it seems Avisen (a busness enterprise solution provider, best I can tell) is aquiring 1Spatial at an 11% discount over its value last night at market close.

Its bid for 1Spatial values the location-based information solutions player at about £4.74m, an 11 per cent discount on its closing share price yesterday. On completion, the enlarged firm will transition to a single 1Spatial brand.

Avisen chief executive Marcus Hanke will be chief executive and 1Spatial chief executive Nic Snape, will be managing director.

- ChanneWeb