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☆ UK to examine Broadcom's $61 bln VMware deal in depth
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] A smartphone with a displayed Broadcom logo is placed on a computer motherboard in this illustration taken March 6, 2023. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File PhotoMarch 29 (Reuters) - Britain said it would investigate Broadcom's (AVGO.O) acquisition of VMware (VMW.N) in depth after the U.S. chipmaker offered no immediate undertakings in response to its concerns about the impact of the $61 billion deal on the server market. Britain's Competition and Markets Authority said earlier this month that Broadcom's acquisition of the cloud computing and virtualisation company could drive up the cost of computer parts and software for servers. Broadcom said earlier this month that it was working constructively with the regulator and it would demonstrate that the deal would enhance competition and would benefit businesses and consumers. Reporting by Sinchita Mitra in Bengaluru and Paul Sandle in London; Editing by Anil D'Silva and William JamesOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Broadcom (AVGO.O) agreed to buy the cloud computing and virtualisation company last year to diversify into enterprise software. Britain's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said on Wednesday the deal could dampen innovation and drive up the cost of computer parts and software for servers. "Servers are a vital building block, functioning largely thanks to hardware products made by firms like Broadcom, working in unison with virtualisation software from firms like VMware," said CMA Executive Director David Stewart. The regulator said Broadcom had five working days to address its concerns, after which it would decide within a further five days whether to refer the deal to an in-depth investigation. The EU competition enforcer, which declined to comment on the report, will make a decision by June 21.

☆ UK considering in-depth probe into Broadcom-VMware merger
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LONDON, March 22 (Reuters) - Britain's competition regulator said on Wednesday it was considering whether to refer U.S. chipmaker Broadcom's (AVGO.O) $61 billion acquisition of VMware (VMW.N) for an in-depth probe after finding the deal could harm competition. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said the deal could make computer servers more expensive for British businesses. "Servers are a vital building block, functioning largely thanks to hardware products made by firms like Broadcom, working in unison with virtualisation software from firms like VMware," said CMA Executive Director David Stewart. The regulator said Broadcom now had five days to offer legally binding proposals to address its concerns, after which it would decide within a further five days whether to refer the deal to a in-depth investigation. Reporting by Muvija M and Paul Sandle; editing by William JamesOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

China has routinely denied hacking into businesses or governments in other countries. State-sponsored hackers from China have developed techniques that evade common cybersecurity tools and enable them to burrow into government and business networks and spy on victims for years without detection, researchers with Alphabet Inc.’s Google found. Over the past year, analysts at Google’s Mandiant division have discovered hacks of systems that aren’t typically the targets of cyber espionage. Instead of infiltrating systems behind the corporate firewall, they are compromising devices on the edge of the network—sometimes firewalls themselves—and targeting software built by companies such as VMware Inc. or Citrix Systems Inc. These products run on computers that don’t typically include antivirus or endpoint detection software.

☆ EU watchdog extends deadline on Broadcom-VMware decision to June 21
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

BRUSSELS, March 14 (Reuters) - EU antitrust regulators have extended their decision on U.S. chipmaker Broadcom's (AVGO.O) proposed $61 billion takeover of cloud computing company VMware (VMW.N) by two weeks to June 21, the European Commission said on Tuesday. The EU competition watchdog said the extension was agreed with Broadcom, which is looking to diversify into enterprise software. The Commission is expected to warn Broadcom about potential anti-competitive effects of the proposed deal in the coming weeks, sources close to the matter have told Reuters. The U.S. and UK antitrust agencies are also investigating the proposed acquisition. Reporting by Foo Yun Chee Editing by David GoodmanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

The court also allowed testimony from an expert who said Meta owes Neural Magic as much as $766 million in royalties. Representatives for Meta and Neural Magic did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the decision. Meta asked the court to throw out the case last year, arguing Neural Magic had failed to identify any protectable trade secrets and that Zlateski had not acquired the information improperly. But the court on Monday allowed Neural Magic's case to continue for all but one of the 41 secrets it accused Meta of misappropriating. The case is Neural Magic Inc v. Meta Platforms Inc, U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, No.

☆ Salesforce: A New Dawn. CEO Marc Benioff is pivoting the cloud company from family to profitability.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-02 | by ( Diamond Naga Siu | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

I'm Diamond Naga Siu, and I'm not just talking about the Selena/Hailey 'mean girls' saga — I'm fascinated by the Salesforce spectacle. CEO Marc Benioff recently oversaw the departure of two leading candidates to inherit the Salesforce throne. Now, under their careful watch, Benioff needs to guide the company through a cost-cutting period — something he's never done before. This is quite the turn, considering he was still emphasizing Ohana after laying off 10% of the company in January. CEO Marc Benioff announced on Wednesday that the company is starting a "new day."

☆ Exclusive: Broadcom faces EU antitrust warning on $61 billion VMware deal - sources
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-27 | by ( Foo Yun Chee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] The Broadcom Limited company logo is shown outside one of their office complexes in Irvine, California, U.S., March 4, 2021. REUTERS/Mike Blake/File PhotoBRUSSELS, Feb 27 (Reuters) - U.S. chipmaker Broadcom (AVGO.O) is set to receive an EU antitrust warning about the possible anti-competitive effects of its proposed $61 billion bid for cloud computing company VMware (VMW.N) in the coming weeks, people familiar with the matter said. The EU competition enforcer, which will decide on the deal by June 7, declined to comment. Broadcom said it will continue its "constructive work" with the Commission. Reporting by Foo Yun Chee, Editing by Louise Heavens and Jane MerrimanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Inflation takes a back seat to earnings next week as stocks look to bounce back
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-24 | by ( Matthew J. Belvedere | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

The latest Fed projection for the so-called terminal rate — the level where the rate hikes stop — was just over 5%. Before this past week, those intraday levels hadn't been seen since November 2022. ET: ISM Services Looking back January's hot reading on core PCE on Friday was the most influential economic number of the past week. In Club earnings this past week, Nvidia (NVDA) was certainly the highlight. As a subscriber to the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer, you will receive a trade alert before Jim makes a trade.

☆ Goldman sees another robust year for spinoffs. How to spot those that will outperform
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-21 | by ( Christina Cheddar Berk | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

In a research note published last week, Kostin updated that study to look at the track records of more recent spinoffs, completed over the past two years. "However, while 11 of the 20 spinoffs completed during 2022 outperformed the S & P 500 since transaction completion, only six of the spinoffs outperformed their parent entities." The largest completed deal in 2022 was General Electric' s spin off of GE HealthCare , a $26 billion business. The next largest completed deal last year was Intel's spinoff of Mobileye , which wrapped up on Oct. 26, 2022 . In 2021, the value of the completed spinoffs hit $112 billion, and included Dell's spinoff of VMWare , the largest deal at $57 billion.

☆ VMware, Broadcom extend merger close deadline by three months
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Feb 17 (Reuters) - Cloud computing company VMware Inc (VMW.N) and chipmaker Broadcom Inc (AVGO.O) extended the date by which their $61 billion merger is to be completed by 90 days, according to a regulatory filing on Friday. The new "outside date" for the deal is May 26, the filing said. Broadcom's move comes as regulators worldwide ramp up scrutiny of deals by Big Tech. A Broadcom spokesperson said it was common for acquisitions of this size to extend their deal deadline. Reporting by Tiyashi Datta in Bengaluru; Editing by Shailesh Kuber and Leslie AdlerOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ EU regulators set new June 7 deadline for Broadcom, VMware deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

BRUSSELS, Feb 15 (Reuters) - EU antitrust regulators have resumed their investigation into Broadcom's (AVGO.O) $61 billion bid for cloud computing company VMware (VMW.N) and will decide by June 7 whether to clear or block the deal, a European Commission regulatory filing showed on Wednesday. The EU competition watchdog had stopped the clock on its investigation on Jan. 31, effective Jan. 24, while waiting for the companies to provide requested information. The UK antitrust agency is also investigating the deal. Reporting by Foo Yun Chee. Editing by Jane MerrimanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Former VMWare CTO turned VC Steve Herrod has left General Catalyst to join the firm Juxtapose. Here's where he sees opportunity in building enterprise and AI startups.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( April Joyner | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Herrod, the former CTO of VMWare, will build enterprise startups in areas like AI and cybersecurity. Herrod is joining the venture studio Juxtapose, where he will focus on creating enterprise software startups, he told Insider exclusively. Though Juxtapose's portfolio includes a range of industries such as fintech, insurance, and healthtech, the firm hasn't had a long reach within enterprise software. He told Insider he sees ample opportunity within segments such as cybersecurity, open-source software, software supply-chain management, and artificial intelligence — several of which are receiving a hefty amount of attention from VCs right now. Now the venture world is full of former tech executives who have made the switch to backing startups.

LONDON/WASHINGTON, Feb 7 (Reuters) - A global ransomware outbreak has scrambled servers belonging to Florida's Supreme Court and several universities in the United States and Central Europe, according to a Reuters analysis of ransom notes posted online to stricken servers. Florida Supreme Court spokesman Paul Flemming told Reuters that the affected infrastructure had been used to administer other elements of the Florida state court system, and that it was segregated from the Supreme Court's main network. "Florida Supreme Court's network and data are secure," he said, adding that the rest of the state court system's integrity also was not affected. Because internet-facing servers were affected, researchers and tracking services like Ransomwhere or Onyphe could easily follow the criminals' trail. Digital safety officials in Italy said on Monday that there was no evidence pointing to "aggression by a state or hostile state-like entity."

LONDON/WASHINGTON, Feb 7 (Reuters) - A global ransomware outbreak has scrambled servers belonging to Florida's Supreme Court and several universities in the U.S. and Central Europe, according to a Reuters analysis of ransom notes posted online to stricken servers. The Florida Supreme Court didn't respond to messages. Reuters contacted the hackers via an account advertised on their ransom notes but only received a payment demand in return. Because internet-facing servers were affected, researchers and tracking services like Ransomwhere or Onyphe could easily follow the criminals' trail. Reporting by James Pearson in London and Raphael Satter in Washington; Editing by Anna DriverOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ IT Job Market Shrinks for First Time in Over Two Years
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-06 | by ( Belle Lin | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +4 min

The job market for information-technology professionals shrank in January for the first time in over two years, a sign that IT staffers are facing the same scrutiny as workers in other positions and sectors as companies slow spending. Newsletter Sign-up WSJ | CIO Journal The Morning Download delivers daily insights and news on business technology from the CIO Journal team. The McLean, Va.-based bank said those roles would be absorbed by its existing engineering teams and product managers. Still, employment in the overall technology sector hasn’t wavered, according to IT trade group CompTIA. “Not only do we need to provide capabilities to propel the business forward, but we need the best engineering tools, modern architectures and people in the right roles to respond to changing market conditions,” Ms. Caldas said.

☆ Chip equipment maker MKS Instruments says it is investigating ransomware attack
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Feb 6 (Reuters) - MKS Instruments Inc (MKSI.O) said on Monday it was investigating a ransomware attack that occurred last week and affected the semiconductor equipment maker's production-related systems. The company said it was in the early stages of investigating the attack that it identified on Feb. 3, adding that costs related to the incident have not been determined. Ransomware is a form of malicious software deployed by criminals which works by encrypting data, with hackers offering the victim a key in return for payments. MKS said it would temporarily suspend operations at some of its facilities, as part of its containment efforts. Italy's National Cybersecurity Agency warned on Sunday that thousands of computer servers had been targeted by a global ransomware hacking attack targeting VMware (VMW.N) ESXi servers.

☆ EU antitrust regulators pause Broadcom, VMware probe, await data
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-03 | by ( Foo Yun Chee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] 3D printed clouds and figurines are seen in front of the VMware cloud service logo in this illustration taken February 8, 2022. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/IllustrationBRUSSELS, Feb 3 (Reuters) - EU antitrust regulators have paused their investigation into Broadcom's (AVGO.O) $61 billion bid for cloud computing company VMware (VMW.N) while waiting for the U.S. chipmaker to provide requested data, the European Commission said on Friday. The European Union competition watchdog said it stopped the clock on its investigation on Jan. 31, effective Jan. 24. "Once the missing information is supplied by the parties, the clock is re-started and the deadline for the Commission's decision is then adjusted accordingly." Broadcom's move to diversify into enterprise software comes as regulators worldwide ramp up scrutiny of deals by Big Tech.

☆ UK competition watchdog probes $61 bln Broadcom-VMware deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Jan 25 (Reuters) - Britain's competition regulator said on Wednesday it had started the first phase of an investigation into U.S. chipmaker Broadcom Inc's (AVGO.O) $61 billion acquisition of cloud-computing firm VMware Inc (VMW.N). The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said in November it was investigating whether the deal between the two U.S.-listed companies could substantially hurt competition in Britain, adding that it had until March 22 to decide. The Broadcom-VMware deal was one of the biggest announcements globally in 2022, marking the chipmaker's attempt to diversify into the enterprise software segment. Broadcom and VMware did not immediately respond to Reuters' requests for comment. Reporting by Aby Jose Koilparambil in Bengaluru; Editing by Dhanya Ann Thoppil and Vinay DwivediOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ IBM tops revenue estimates, says it will cut 3,900 jobs
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-25 | by ( Jordan Novet | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

IBM reported quarterly revenue on Wednesday that topped analysts' estimates, driven by higher-than-expected growth in the company's software and infrastructure segments. Here's how the company did:Earnings: $3.60 per share, adjusted, vs. $3.60 per share as expected by analysts, according to Refinitiv. $3.60 per share, adjusted, vs. $3.60 per share as expected by analysts, according to Refinitiv. Revenue: $16.69 billion, vs. $16.4 billion as expected by analysts, according to Refinitiv. With respect to guidance, IBM called for 2023 revenue growth in constant currency and around $10.5 billion in free cash flow.

☆ Intel Chairman Omar Ishrak steps down
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

Jan 23 (Reuters) - Intel Corp (INTC.O) said on Monday Chairman Omar Ishrak had stepped down and the chipmaker appointed board director Frank Yeary as his replacement. Ishrak, who was named chairman in 2020, played an important role in bringing Pat Gelsinger as Intel's chief executive from VMware to drive change at the company, which is restructuring its business to catch up with rivals. Yeary, a director of Intel since 2009, also serves on the board of PayPal Holdings (PYPL.O), Intel's Mobileye (MBLY.O), and a number of private companies. Reporting by Chavi Mehta in Bengalur; Editing by Maju SamueluOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ These are the most important executives who joined Google Cloud in 2022 — and the ones who left
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-19 | by ( Ellen Thomas | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

Below is a list of the key executives who left Google Cloud in 2022 — and the most important new hires. At Google Cloud, Gearhart was responsible for the Google Cloud Platform and Google Workspace channel business around the world, according to her LinkedIn profile. Exit: Frank BienBien, a Looker vice president, left Google Cloud in February, two years after Google acquired the data-analytics company for $2.4 billion. A nearly 20-year Microsoft veteran, Jester joined Google Cloud in 2019 as part of an executive hiring spree initiated by Kurian, who had recently taken the helm of Google Cloud. Hire: Kevin MandiaMandia, Mandiant's CEO and cofounder, joined Google Cloud in September after Google completed its $5.4 billion acquisition of his cybersecurity firm.

☆ True, a budding social platform with $15 million in backing from Microsoft veteran Paul Maritz, takes aim at Facebook by rejecting user tracking and targeted ads
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-14 | by ( Kali Hays | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

True is another newer entrant into the social media space, long dominated by Facebook and Twitter. Bret Cox and Paul Maritz want to prove that a social media platform can be a sustainable business without tracking and selling users' every online move. "It's not nearly as lucrative as targeted advertising, but it will be sustainable," Cox said. Although he admits True is something of an "experiment" in the world of social media. Do you work in social media or are you someone else with insight to share?

☆ VMware ranked #2 software company on the "Just 100" list
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-13 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

In this videoShare Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailVMware ranked #2 software company on the "Just 100" listRaghu Raghuram, VMware CEO, breaks down software company and ranking on "Just 100" list.

☆ Aging, outdated technology leaves air travel at risk of meltdown
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-13 | by ( Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +13 min

As early as 2012, the FAA decided it wanted to replace aging legacy voice switches used in air traffic control communications with new, internet-based communications technology. Trying to integrate old systems with newer ones — always in real time, because the global aviation industry never sleeps — can also create its own opportunities for catastrophic mistakes. Many more things can go wrong than you might expect — highlighting the sheer complexity of the aviation industry, and underscoring how there isn’t a quick easy fix for IT-related travel disruptions. But it has had lasting effects on FAA technology. That bureaucratic myopia is its own cause of today’s technological malaise in the aviation industry.

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