Google just loves to buy up new technologies, especially when it’s working on similar technologies of its own and it wants a bit of a kick start. Google’s purchase of YouTube for example was sparked by the fact that YouTube was beating Google Video for users – if you can’t beat them, buy them!
Now Google has seen an opportunity to wade in on what has been predicted to be the next new craze among gadget fanatics, tablets. Apple has the iPad, Microsoft has its own version and Google is apparently working on a little something too, if their purchase of Canadian company Bump is to tell us anything
Bump, owned by entrepreneur Anand Agarawala, has just invented the BumpTop – a unique way of ordering your files on a computer system. The BumpTop allows you to create a virtual desk and order your files as you would on your own real desk (in my case, one large pile should do it). However, the BumpTop has been critisised as being too fiddly for a mobile device, because of the space it requires and the number of files it offers at once, so would be more at home on a larger, tablet sized system.
Now it all makes sense – what Apple and Microsoft have, Google wants. A spokesperson for Google commented – while keeping tight lipped about any plans:
We’re happy to welcome the BumpTop team to Google, but we don’t have any specific information to share.
Specific details of the deal have been kept quiet, but the word is that Google paid up to $35 million for Bump, who are based in Toronto.
Bump commented on their website:
More than three years ago, we set out to completely change the way people use their desktops. We’re very grateful for all your support over that time….
In a move that perhaps tips us off to Google’s plans, Bump has announced that it will not update the PC or Mac version of its BumpTop software, and it no longer sells the software via its website. Google obviously has plans, and it doesn’t involve selling the software as is.
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