News

Motorola Pays $3.9 Billion for Symbol

By the Betanews Staff | Published September 20, 2006, 11:59 AM

In its biggest acquisition since 2000, Motorola on Tuesday announced plans to acquire Symbol Technologies for $3.9 billion. The deal will bolster Motorola's sale of wireless handheld devices to enterprises, as well as its position in the RFID market.

Symbol is most known for its barcode scanners, which are used in supermarkets, and its rugged mobile computers. Motorola expects the deal to double its reach in retail, transportation and health-care markets, although some analysts are concerned it may distract the company in the process. Company CEO Ed Zander said Motorola was looking at Symbol "for some time."

Comments

View comments by with a score of at least

Faulkner63
Sep 20, 2006 - 1:32 PM

I'm not sure how I feel about this buyout - we use and spec Symbols' rugged handhelds for our customers and some of those customers are not Motorola fans. Motorola has long been the 800 lb gorilla in the public safety sector and this only adds additional weight to their presence.

Score: 0

|
Post Reply
Kompressor
Sep 20, 2006 - 2:47 PM

What's not to like about Motorola?

Score: 0

|
Post Reply

Google rolls out real-time search, Near Me Now, extended personalization

Over time, searches from PCs and mobile phones will grow even "more personalized." But what about user privacy and search results that give you "the truth"?

Intel's marriage of CPU and GPU not ready for prime time

Although there will be an Intel component this month that can compute and plot in parallel, Betanews was told today, it won't be based on Project "Larrabee."

An alternative to Research in Motion's enterprise e-mail? There's an app for that

Good Technology today released an iPhone app compatible with its enterprise e-mail solution.

Playing catch-up in 2010: Windows Mobile, BlackBerry, and Symbian

Microsoft, RIM, and Nokia are each working on improved mobile operating systems. But could these efforts add up to too little, too late?

Windows fix for TLS security bug still forthcoming, won't be Tuesday

Anyone looking for a fix for last month's discovery of a potentially serious security hole in TLS and SSL may have to wait until everyone is ready to act together.

Not the first, not the last, technology predictions for 2010

Carmi Levy | Wide Angle Zoom: The real truth is probably that what went around in 2009, will come around to haunt us next year.

Google Goggles: Hands on with the Shazam of the Real World

Google today unveiled Goggles, its visual search lab for Android devices that identifies objects by sight.

Microsoft: Windows 7 Family Pack wasn't 'pulled,' it just sold out

If you hurry, you may still be able to find the last Family Pack upgrade editions hanging around retail store shelves, but probably not so much online.

Clever iPhone game returns after being bumped over a name dispute

The game's simple concept and multitude of platforms and puzzles manage to pull off a retro, 8-bit style that's reminiscent of an old Atari game given a modern makeover.

Report: Microsoft to randomize Europe's browser screen choices

The fact that "A" is for "Apple" was apparently at the heart of browser vendor objections to Microsoft's alternative to listing IE first.

Will Nokia's plans further alienate American consumers?

A look at Nokia's plans for the coming years does little to shine up the company's increasingly dull image.