Cisco Acquires Enterprise Wi-Fi Startup Meraki For $1.2 Billion In Cash  —  Networking tech giant Cisco has just agreed to acquire cloud infrastructure startup Meraki, and my industry sources confirm the purchase price was $1.2 billion, all in cash.  I've also gotten ahold of the letter to Meraki employees from CEO Sanjit Biswas.

Apple Can Finish What Microsoft's Sinofsky Started  —  In 2007, Microsoft introduces a new version of Windows called Vista, a grand name for what turns out to be an embarrassing dud.  (Memories of my first and determining interaction with Vista can be found here.)

Nintendo Wii U Teardown  —  When Nintendo announced the Wii U there was a lot of interest in its hardware specs.  The new console could very well end up the fastest kid on the block thanks to the sheer age of the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.  I wasn't all that interested in the Wii U …

Making Cents  —  I'm sure each generation of musicians feels they've lived through a time of tremendous change, but the shifts I've witnessed in my relatively short music career— from morphing formats to dissolving business models— do seem extraordinary.  The first album I made was originally released …

Windows Phone 8 users report random reboots and battery issues  —  Windows Phone 8 devices have been available since the beginning of the month and users are starting to report early issues across HTC and Nokia handsets.  In a thread over at WPCentral with 143 replies, a variety …

This Trend Is Very Worrisome For Apple  —  Over the past couple of years, we have written often about a major long-term risk for Apple, which is the gradual loss of mobile market share to the Android platform.  —  This trend has continued in recent months, to the point where Apple …

Facebook rolls out Bango-powered operator billing payments in France  —  Initially launching its operator billing payment service in the US, UK and Germany in September, Facebook is now welcoming mobile payments from users in France, after its processing partner Bango announced that its service is now live for Orange France subscribers.

JUDGE APPROVES FTC'S $22.5M FINE OF GOOGLE  —  SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A federal judge has approved a $22.5 million fine to penalize Google for an alleged privacy breach, rejecting a consumer-rights group's plea for tougher punishment.  —  The blessing from U.S. District Judge Susan Illston came late Friday.

Automated Bidding Systems Test Old Ways of Selling Ads  —  Publishers and broadcasters have long tried to offer advertisers the right audience for their products.  Want to sell pick-ups to people who like sports?  Buy ads at halftime during a football game.  Selling luggage or airline tickets?

Amazon halts $7.99 monthly Prime plan after under 2 weeks of testing  —  Amazon Prime is a great way to save money if you are well-invested in Amazon's services.  You get free 2-day shipping, Amazon Instant Video streaming and free book rentals - not a bad deal for $79 a year, right?

Disruptions: A $1 Billion Start-Up Might Not Be So Fun  —  Congratulations!  Your start-up is now valued at over $1 billion!  —  This might seem exciting, as though you've won a lottery.  But in reality, when you recheck your lottery ticket, you might find you were off by a single number.