Twitter has finalized its acquisition of immensely popular third-party client TweetDeck, according to a report by CNN Money. The report says the deal is worth more than $40 million in a mix of a cash and stock.

A few weeks ago, TechCrunch reported the first tidbits of the deal. TechCrunch initially cited a $40 million to $50 million range for the purchase, and if the CNN report holds up, TC’s first report will prove accurate.

Just last month UberMedia was supposedly in the process of buying Tweetdeck and had a 30-day exclusive to buy. But negotiations took too long, and that gave Twitter time to propose a better offer.

Tweetdeck is one of the most popular third-party client for Twitter users, with versions available for desktop, iPhone, iPad, and Android. It can display real-time tweets, direct messages, Facebook feeds, and more, all from the same interface.

Twitter says it wants to better control the user experience, and control of TweetDeck will certainly make that possible. Before this, Twitter bought iPhone client Tweetie and partnered directly with with photo-hoster TwitPic. The company is also encouraging external developers to focus on something other than straightforward Twitter clients.

The only downside to Twitter purchasing Tweetdeck will be the loss of an innovative, popular client pushing Twitter to add new features and come up with better ideas. On the upside, having Twitter and Tweetdeck on the same team could mean better and faster integration between service and client.

Companies: TweetDeck, Twitter

Article courtesy of VentureBeat » deals

Twitter has finalized its acquisition of immensely popular third-party client TweetDeck, according to a report by CNN Money. The report says the deal is worth more than $40 million in a mix of a cash and stock.

A few weeks ago, TechCrunch reported the first tidbits of the deal. TechCrunch initially cited a $40 million to $50 million range for the purchase, and if the CNN report holds up, TC’s first report will prove accurate.

Just last month UberMedia was supposedly in the process of buying Tweetdeck and had a 30-day exclusive to buy. But negotiations took too long, and that gave Twitter time to propose a better offer.

Tweetdeck is one of the most popular third-party client for Twitter users, with versions available for desktop, iPhone, iPad, and Android. It can display real-time tweets, direct messages, Facebook feeds, and more, all from the same interface.

Twitter says it wants to better control the user experience, and control of TweetDeck will certainly make that possible. Before this, Twitter bought iPhone client Tweetie and partnered directly with with photo-hoster TwitPic. The company is also encouraging external developers to focus on something other than straightforward Twitter clients.

The only downside to Twitter purchasing Tweetdeck will be the loss of an innovative, popular client pushing Twitter to add new features and come up with better ideas. On the upside, having Twitter and Tweetdeck on the same team could mean better and faster integration between service and client.

Companies: TweetDeck, Twitter

Article courtesy of VentureBeat » deals

Twitter has finalized its acquisition of immensely popular third-party client TweetDeck, according to a report by CNN Money. The report says the deal is worth more than $40 million in a mix of a cash and stock.

A few weeks ago, TechCrunch reported the first tidbits of the deal. TechCrunch initially cited a $40 million to $50 million range for the purchase, and if the CNN report holds up, TC’s first report will prove accurate.

Just last month UberMedia was supposedly in the process of buying Tweetdeck and had a 30-day exclusive to buy. But negotiations took too long, and that gave Twitter time to propose a better offer.

Tweetdeck is one of the most popular third-party client for Twitter users, with versions available for desktop, iPhone, iPad, and Android. It can display real-time tweets, direct messages, Facebook feeds, and more, all from the same interface.

Twitter says it wants to better control the user experience, and control of TweetDeck will certainly make that possible. Before this, Twitter bought iPhone client Tweetie and partnered directly with with photo-hoster TwitPic. The company is also encouraging external developers to focus on something other than straightforward Twitter clients.

The only downside to Twitter purchasing Tweetdeck will be the loss of an innovative, popular client pushing Twitter to add new features and come up with better ideas. On the upside, having Twitter and Tweetdeck on the same team could mean better and faster integration between service and client.

Companies: TweetDeck, Twitter

Article courtesy of VentureBeat » deals

The news of Burnett’s departure from CNBC for CNN broke Wednesday night but apparently she’s been waiting for CNBC president Mark Hoffman to get back from vacation to make it official face to face. While there’s been no indication what EB’s last day on the network will be, we suggest you start thinking now about how you’d like to comfort Mark Haines, who is more than likely an emotional basket case, so you’re ready when the time comes. [BI]

Article courtesy of Dealbreaker

The Times reports that Mark Haines’ gal-pal is “ready” to jump to CNN.

Erin Burnett is poised to sign a long-term contract with CNN, according to three people with knowledge of her plans. The signing will represent a shift to general news anchoring for Ms. Burnett, who has shown interest in branching out beyond business news, CNBC’s specialty. It is unclear what time slot she will occupy at CNN.

Ms. Burnett, who was considered a rising star within CNBC and its parent, NBCUniversal Media, held talks with two broadcast networks, ABC and CBS, before deciding to join CNN, according to two of the people.

For those of you not ready to accept the news, you could conceivably zero in on the fact that it doesn’t sound like Burnett has *actually* signed the contract yet, meaning perhaps she can be convinced (by begging on hands and knees, Mark) to stay. For those who’ve hearts have been broken by the betrayal and need to rebound in the arms of another woman or man, who would you like to see take over the Squawk on the Street slot? Don’t limit yourselves to just the CNBC talent pool.

[NYT]

Article courtesy of Dealbreaker

The Associated Press is reporting that Apple (AAPL) CEO Steve Jobs has agreed to cooperate in a book about his life.

The book, which will be called “iSteve: The Book of Jobs” will be written by the biographer Walter Isaacson. It is scheduled to be published in early 2012 by Simon & Schuster.

Isaacson, the president and CEO of the Aspen Institue and a former executive at CNN and Time magazine, has reportedly been working on the book since 2009 and has interviewed Jobs, members of his family and others.

Isaacson has written acclaimed biographies of Albert Einstein and Benjamin Franklin.

“This is the perfect match of subject and author, and it is certain to be a landmark book about one of the world’s greatest innovators,” Jonathan Karp, publisher of Simon & Schuster, said in a statement. “Just as he did with Einstein and Benjamin Franklin, Walter Isaacson is telling a unique story of revolutionary genius.”

Apple shares are down 1.3% at $330.88 in midday trading.

Article courtesy of Tech Trader Daily

GameSalad, a maker of game development tools, has raised $6 million in a second round of funding. The company’s goal is to enable anyone to make mobile and web games.

The Austin, Texas-based company has made a suite of tools with a drag-and-drop user interface, making it easy for users to develop their own games even if they don’t know any programming. The technology is another example of how we’re becoming a “creator economy” in which everyone contributes digital content.

The round was led by Disney’s Steamboat Ventures, with participation from Greycroft Partners, DFJ Mercury, DFJ Frontier and ff Asset Management. The company will use the money to grow its technical and product teams and further develop its game creation technology. Steve Felter (pictured), who recently joined as chief executive, said the company will unveil some new technologies this year that bring people together through the creation, sharing and playing of games.

Beau Laskey, managing director at Steamboat Ventures, has joined GameSalad’s board of directors alongside existing director Blair Garrou from DFJ Mercury, who led the company’s initial seed round. Dana Settle, partner at Greycroft Partners, joins as a board observer.

GameSalad’s tools can be used to make games for Apple iOS devices, the Mac, and the web. It has been used to create more than 8,500 games to date.

The market for these tools is heating up just as enthusiasm for mobile game companies is picking up. Disney recently acquired RocketPack, which specializes in making tools and games based on the HTML5 web format. Mobile games are taking off because demand for smartphones and tablet computers is also skyrocketing. More than a third of adults say they now play mobile games.

Felter recently replaced co-founder and former CEO Michael Agustin, who is now chief product officer for GameSalad. So far, the business is going well.

GameSalad appeals to anyone who has ever dreamed of creating a game. Abdulrahman Al-Zanki, a 14-year-old student in Kuwait, accepted a dare from a friend who said he was incapable of building an iPhone game. He downloaded GameSalad, which is available for free in its limited form. Three days later, he submitted his first game to the App Store. Now that game, Doodle Destroy, has been downloaded more than 1 million times and has been featured on CNN.com.

“It’s like a lottery. There’s always the chance of making the next Angry Birds,” Felter recently told us, referring to the Rovio game that has been downloaded more than 100 million times.

Once game makers get the hang of it, they can buy the professional version of GameSalad in order to better monetize the games.

GameSalad was founded in 2007 by Agustin, Daniel Treiman and Tan Tran. The company had previously raised at least $1.2 million from Steamboat Ventures (Disney’s investment arm), DFJ Mercury, DFJ Frontier, and ff Asset Management. Rivals include Unity Technologies, which makes tools for the professional and amateur crowd. While GameSalad focuses on two-dimensional games, Unity’s tools (which require programming knowledge) can be used to make sophisticated 3D games. Other rivals include non-game app makers WidgetBox and Cabana. GameSalad has around 20 employees.

Tags: game development, game tools

Companies: Cabana, DFJ Frontier, DFJ Mercury, ff Asset Management, GameSalad, Greycroft Partners, Steamboat Ventures, Unity Technologies, Widgetbox

People: Beau Laskey, MIchael Augustin, Steve Felter

Article courtesy of VentureBeat » deals

If you’ve been dying for a while to see the Steamroller and Dick Grasso battle each other for the job of running NYC but never told anyone about it because you felt silly, given that it will never happen, you’re not alone: reporter Charlie Gasparino, too, would love such a match-up and despite being told Ashley Alexandra Dupré vs Gary Busey would have a better chance of coming to fruition, can’t help himself. He’s decided to put it out there, today, Secret-style, in the hopes the universe will give it back to him.

Eliot Spitzer’s resurrection — from the disgraced gov ernor better known as Cli ent 9 to CNN talk-show host — has the political class buzzing about him running for mayor in 2013. Wilder still, one of his former targets is talking about running against him. Former New York Stock Exchange chief Dick Grasso — one of the highest-profile targets of Spitzer’s uneven assault on Wall Street — has quietly been telling friends that he’s leaning toward challenging Spitzer as a Republican (particularly if Police Commissioner Ray Kelly doesn’t seek the GOP nomination himself, as some speculate he will).

Sure, Grasso (a Jackson Heights native) has no political experience, unless you consider his long years as NYSE chief, before he was forced out in 2003 amid the controversy over his massive compensation package. But ever since he beat back Spitzer’s charges that he’d improperly collected tens of millions in salary as the head of the NYSE back in 2008, Grasso’s been dropping hints to reporters that he may run for public office, possibly mayor. And I’m told that Grasso’s enraged at Spitzer’s resurrection, as the liberal media and left-wing documentarians paint him as a force for pure good during his days as AG over the pure evil that were his Wall Street targets (Grasso included).

Yes, Chaz, concedes, there are “a few caveats,” such as the fact that Spitzer hooker banging past would present some issues and that Dick Grasso might just be fucking with him.

The Grasso-for-mayor notion is a longshot (Grasso, who didn’t return a phone call, is known for playing practical jokes), and the Spitzer-for-mayor scenario is far from a layup.

NEVERTHELESS. CG wants- no, needs this- in his life so please, everyone cross your fingers and toes it happens, even though it’s also unlikely because, Gasparino says, Spitzer is a pussy but still.

Here’s hoping that the absurd actually becomes reality, and Spitzer goes toe-to-toe with Grasso, who won’t be bashful about pointing all this out. I know Grasso is game, but somehow I think Spitzer will chicken out rather than face the possibility of a more balanced depiction of his record.

Spitzer vs Grasso [NYP]

Article courtesy of Dealbreaker

Apparently it’s now “in the hands of the Republican Party,” which will prove negative for the economy.

Republicans “are going to pursue a very strong effort to cut services by refusing to have any tax increases,” Soros said in an interview with CNN’s “Fareed Zakaria GPS” program.

“This agenda will be successful,” though it will be “more directed at cutting services and achieving the ideological purposes of the Republicans rather than to get the economy going,” Soros, 80, said, according to a transcript of the interview released by CNN. “This will have a negative impact on the economy.”

[Bloomberg]

Article courtesy of Dealbreaker

$$$ A Delaware judge harshly criticized Barclays Capital’s role in the $4 billion takeover of Del Monte Foods Co., saying the bank “secretly and selfishly manipulated the sale process” to boost its fees, and in a rare step delayed the deal’s closing to give other bidders a chance to jump in. [MarketWatch]

$$$ 100-foot-long narco sub found in Colombia [CNN]

$$$ John Paulson’s Interview With the Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission: The Signs Were There [SSA]

$$$ Barclays Grows Staff and Compensation, Bonuses Slashed [FINS, DB]

$$$ Brian Kim, who had appeared on CNBC in the past as an Asian futures derivatives trading expert, allegedly convinced at least 45 people–many in the technology industry–to invest in what he claimed were “safe, stable and consistently profitable securities,” Vance said. Instead, Kim allegedly diverted vast amounts of investor money to himself and also generated enormous financial losses in highly speculative futures contracts, Vance said. [WSJ]

$$$ JPMorgan Has Three Perfect Trading Quarters in 2010 [Bloomberg]

$$$ America shouldn’t fear German takeover of NYSE [Reuters via Heidi Moore]

$$$ Are You An Asshole On The Street? [WSJ]

Article courtesy of Dealbreaker