• Apple’s New Data Center to Run iOS 5 Voice Recognition Powered by Nuance Technologies

    // Gradly // Apple, blog, News, Rumors, Tech. No Responses

    Another view of Apple’s relationship with Nuance Communications offered up tonight by TechCrunch and this time claiming that, having dug into the ties between both companies more deeply, Apple could already be using Nuance technology in its yet-to-officially-open North Carolina data center.

    In digging into the information about the relationship between the two companies, we had heard that Apple might actually already be using Nuance technology in their new (but yet to be officially opened) massive data center in North Carolina. Since then, we’ve gotten multiple independent confirmations that this is indeed the case. And yes, this is said to be the keystone of a partnership that Apple is likely to announce with Nuance at WWDC next month.

    More specifically, we’re hearing that Apple is running Nuance software – and possibly some of their hardware – in this new data center. Why? A few reasons. First, Apple will be able to process this voice information for iOS users faster. Second, it will prevent this data from going through third-party servers. And third, by running it on their own stack, Apple can build on top of the technology, and improve upon it as they see fit.

    Nuance technology, which already used to power personal assistant Siri, is expected to be “a big part” of iOS 5, reportedly set for introduction at Apple’s software-centric Worldwide Developers Conference, which kicks off June 6.

  • YouTube Announces Film Rentals From Major Movie Studios

    // Gradly // blog, google, Movies, News, Youtube No Responses

    YouTube has announced the launch of film rentals from major Hollywood studios.

    Today, we’re announcing another step in our goal to bring more of the video you love to YouTube: the addition of thousands of full-length feature films from major Hollywood studios available to rent in the US at youtube.com/movies. In addition to the hundreds of free movies available on the site since 2009, you will be able to find and rent some of your favorite films. From memorable hits and cult classics like Caddyshack, Goodfellas, Scarface, and Taxi Driver to blockbuster new releases like Inception, The King’s Speech, Little Fockers, The Green Hornet and Despicable Me. Movies are available to rent at industry standard pricing, and can be watched with your YouTube account on any computer.

    The new titles will begin appearing later today and over the coming weeks at www.youtube.com/movies.

  • Microsoft To Acquire Skype For $8.5 Billion

    // Gradly // Acquisition, blog, Featured, Microsoft, News, Rants & Raves 1 Response

    Following The WSJ report tonight which shows Microsoft, in what would be its most aggressive acquisition in the digital space, was getting closer on buying the online telephony and video communications giant Skype for $8.5 billion all in with an assumption of the company’s debt–$686 million.

    Kara of AllThingsD has confirmed the deal is actually done and will be announced early tomorrow morning.

    The purchase is a bold move for the software giant and its biggest acquisition in more than three decades.

    The big price will give Microsoft–which has struggled in its online efforts and has lost billions of dollars for its work–a big brand name on the Web.

    With Skype, which has been aggressively expanding, Microsoft will continue to lose money in its Internet efforts. Skype lost $7 million on revenue of $860 million. Operating profits, which Skype highlighted, were $264 million.

    But, sources said, the concept is bigger than just money, including getting access to Skype’s 663 million registered users.

    Skype has had a big-company owner before–eBay Inc. paid $2.6 billion in cash and stock for it in 2005, as a way for the auction site’s buyers and sellers to communicate.

    Facebook and Nokia seemed to be interested in the acquisition too:

    Other suitors have looked at Skype, including Google, although acquisition interest by Facebook was very much overblown, said several sources.

    Interestingly, Microsoft’s new smartphone partner Nokia also held meetings with Skype’s CEO Tony Bates, a former Cisco exec who arrived at the company relatively recently.

    Update:

    The deal confirmed by Microsoft

  • Apple Surpasses Google as World’s Most Valuable Brand

    // Gradly // Apple, blog, google, Microsoft, News, Rants & Raves, Tech. No Responses

    Apple has overtaken Google as the world’s most valuable brand, ending a four-year reign by the Internet search leader, according to a new study by global brands agency Millward Brown. Apple’s brand is now worth $153 billion, almost half Apple’s market capitalization, says the annual BrandZ study of the world’s top 100 brands.

    Apple’s portfolio of coveted consumer goods propelled it past Microsoft to become the world’s most valuable technology company last year.

    Peter Walshe, global brands director of Millward Brown, says Apple’s meticulous attention to detail, along with an increasing presence of its gadgets in corporate environments, have allowed it to behave differently from other consumer-electronics makers and went on to say:

    Apple is breaking the rules in terms of its pricing model. It’s doing what luxury brands do, where the higher price the brand is, the more it seems to underpin and reinforce the desire. Obviously, it has to be allied to great products and a great experience, and Apple has nurtured that.

    Other Top-100 list companies including: Apple (1), Google (2), IBM (3), Microsoft (5), AT&T (7), Coca-Cola (6), McDonalds (4). Facebook entered the top 100 at number 35 and No. 10 spot on the top tech brands with a brand valued at $19.1 billion. Here is top tech brands list:

    Download Full Millward Brown’s 2011 BrandZ study – PDF 11.8MB

    [Via Reuters]