What Slump? Big Blue Sees Growth

Despite a 30% jump in profits, investors worry the software maker is vulnerable

(NEWSER) - Oracle missed its third-quarter revenue projections yesterday and investor reaction was swift and dramatic: shares of the software maker dropped 8% in after-hours trading, reports the Wall Street Journal. This despite the fact that Oracle’s profits rose 30% to $1.34 billion, 26 cents per share, from $1.03 billion, 20 cents per share a year ago. Revenue rose 21% to $5.35 billion, short of analysts’ $5.42 billion expectations. More»

Oracle's lawsuit stumbles in San Francisco court

(AP) - A federal jury in San Francisco has reached an impasse on a key issue in Oracle's copyright-infringement case against Google, handing the database-software company a major setback. Oracle had been seeking up to $1 billion in damages on copyright claims after alleging that Google Inc. built its popular Android mobile software by stealing some of the technology from Java, a programming platform that Oracle Corp. bought two years ago. More»

Tech and telecoms dominate the top brands

(NEWSER) - Apple has taken a bite out of Google. It's now the most valuable brand in the world, finally ending Google's four-year run at the top of Millward Brown's list of global brand value, reports Reuters . The study estimates Apple's brand to be worth $153 billion, almost half of the company's market capitalization. "Apple is breaking the rules in terms of its pricing model," said the global brands director of Millward Brown. "It's doing what luxury brands do, where the higher price the brand is, the more it seems to underpin and reinforce the desire." 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.

(NEWSER) - Oracle Corp. has agreed to buy Sun Microsystems, swooping in after Sun’s talks with IBM fell apart. Oracle will pay $7.4 billion, or $9.50 a share for Sun, the Wall Street Journal reports, a 42% premium on Friday’s close. Though Sun has been losing money, Oracle expects the deal to tack $1.5 billion onto its profits in the first year, and called Sun’s Java platform “the most important software” it’s ever acquired. More»