Dot Wireless Rides South

 Centillium Communications (CTLM) to acquire Avio
Digital

  
* 
Amount:        
Undisclosed

  
* 
Terms:           
n/a

  
* 
Premium:        n/a

  
* 
Industry:       
Speed/Bandwidth

  
* 
Scorecard:      A-

FREMONT, June 29–Centillium Communications announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to
purchase Avio Digital, an independent start-up focused on creating
home networking technology based in San Carlos, Calif., funded by seed
investments from Vulcan Ventures. The engineering staff of Avio Digital will be joining the
staff of Centillium Communications.
The acquisition of Avio Digital demonstrates Centillium’s intention to be a
formidable competitor in the home networking market worldwide.




 

 Tumbleweed Communications (TMWD) to acquire
Interface

Systems

  
* 
Amount:         $63
million

  
* 
Terms:           
0.264 TMWD shares per INTF share

  
* 
Premium:        50%

  
* 
Industry:        Internet
services

  
* 
Scorecard:      B

REDWOOD CITY, June 29–Tumbleweed Communications , which makes software used to transmit secure e-mail via the
Internet, said it would buy Interface Systems ,
in a stock deal worth about $63 million. Tumbleweed said the combination of Interface, which connects established
computer systems to the Internet, with its own software would make more
secure the way companies exchange information. Under the terms of the
agreement, Interface shareholders will receive 0.264 of Tumbleweed common
shares for each share of Interface common stock.




 

 Quest Software (QSFT) to acquire FastLane
Technologies

  
* 
Amount:         $100
million

  
* 
Terms:           
cash and stock

  
* 
Premium:        n/a

  
* 
Industry:        Performance
Software

  
* 
Scorecard:      B

IRVINE, June 29–Quest Software , a
leading provider of software for managing and monitoring business-critical
applications, and FastLane Technologies, a leading provider of
directory management software for Microsoft platforms, announced the
companies have signed a definitive agreement for Quest Software to acquire privately held FastLane Technologies for a combination
of cash and stock totaling approximately $100 million. The acquisition
positions Quest as a leading vendor in the Microsoft systems management
market, with complete solutions that enable enterprise deployments and
ongoing management of Windows 2000.




 

 Texas Instruments (TXN) acquires Dot
Wireless

  
* 
Amount:         $475
million

  
* 
Terms:           
100% stock

  
* 
Premium:        n/a

  
* 
Industry:       
Speed/Bandwidth

  
* 
Scorecard:      B-

DALLAS, June 29–Texas Instruments , the
world leader in programmable digital signal processors (DSPs) and analog
chips and the leading supplier of semiconductors to the wireless industry,
announced that it has reached a definitive agreement to acquire Dot
Wireless, a leading expert in third generation (3G) CDMA wireless
technology. Dot Wireless is a
privately held company that develops and markets 3G wireless CDMA
technologies, software and transceiver reference designs enabling the
growing convergence of data and wireless communication services and will
enable TI to expand its offering of leading
programmable DSP and analog-enabled wireless solutions across all 2.5G and
3G wireless standards and markets, including IS-2000. The acquisition is
being made through a stock-for-stock transaction for an aggregate
transaction value of $475 million.




 

 NetZero (NZRO) acquires RocketCash

  
* 
Amount:         $35
million

  
* 
Terms:           
5.6 million NZRO shares

  
* 
Premium:        n/a

  
* 
Industry:        Internet
services

  
* 
Scorecard:      C

MOUNTAIN VIEW, June 29–NetZero , a
leading provider of targeted advertising and commerce-supported Internet
access, announced that it has signed an agreement to acquire privately held
RocketCash, a leading online gateway that enables consumers,
particularly the rapidly growing teen market, to shop and buy securely on
the Internet without a credit card. Under the terms of the agreement, NetZero will issue approximately 5.6
million shares of its common stock to acquire RocketCash. NetZero intends to utilize
RocketCash’s proprietary and patent-pending Currency Exchange and Payment

Processing Technology to create a robust merchant network for NetZero’s
more than 4 million registered users.




 

 Avid Technology (AVID) acquires The Motion
Factory

  
* 
Amount:        
Undisclosed

  
* 
Terms:           
n/a

  
* 
Premium:        n/a

  
* 
Industry:        Performance
Software

  
* 
Scorecard:      C+

TEWKSBURY, Mass., June 29–Avid Technology announced it has acquired The Motion Factory, a
Fremont, CA-based company specializing in applications for the creation,
delivery and playback of interactive rich 3-D media for character-driven
games and the Web. Bringing The Motion Factory’s innovative
technology together with Avid’s
top-of-the-line 3-D products will set the pace for the future of the
interactive 3-D industry, allowing animators and developers much greater
freedom in creating content for everything from standalone gaming consoles
to Web-based interactive experiences.