Valley Tech Giants Ditch Cubicles for Open Space

Google hired 786 employees in Q1

(NEWSER) - If you went to MIT, the economy shouldn’t look half bad. Tech companies are hiring again, often even fighting over top recruits, the Wall Street Journal reports. Yesterday, Google announced that it had hired 786 employees in the first quarter, and said it expected to “continue hiring aggressively throughout the year.” The announcement came alongside a stellar earnings report that showed a 37% profit jump for the company. More»

From the improbable to the top secret, it takes all kinds

(NEWSER) - The Business Insider figures you've also wanted to know how your favorite high tech concern got its name. Well, you're in luck! Here goes:

1. SUN Microsystems: It's actually an acronym for Stanford University Network, the school where the founders met.
2. Cisco: Actually not an acronym, as often assumed. It's just San Francisco without the San Fran, which is why the "c" was not capitalized originally.

New WiFi Direct would eliminate need for hotspots

(NEWSER) - If setting up a wireless router just sounds a little too daunting, new technology looks to make unplugging a lot easier. WiFi Direct, slated to roll out in the middle of next year, will turn every device enabled with it into a miniature access point, able to create connections with broadband modems and other WiFi enabled gadgets, BusinessWeek reports. More»

(NEWSER) - IBM withdrew a $7 billion offer to buy Sun Microsystems this weekend after Sun's board called the bid too low, the Wall Street Journal reports. Sun also worried that IBM sought too much leeway to walk away from the deal if antitrust regulators challenged the merger, insiders say. People expected Sun to fetch around $11 per share, but as the company demanded an ironclad deal, IBM's offer sank to $9.40 per share. More»

Software giant slashes 15-18% of workforce

(NEWSER) - Sun Microsystems intends to lay off 5,000 to 6,000 employees, amounting to 15-18% of the computer maker’s workforce. The cuts should shave about $800 million off Sun’s costs, as the company struggles to compensate for swiftly declining sales. Sun lost $1.68 billion last quarter, as revenue fell 7%. The cuts are part of a wider restructuring intended to boost focus on its software business, the Wall Street Journal reports. More»