Japanese multinational Softbank isn't afraid to spend a lot of cash in order to secure some of the hottest tech properties on the market today. The company demonstrated this in July last year when it acquired chip company ARM Holdings for around $32 billion. Now we can add Boston Dynamics to its list of assets.
Google started putting the feelers out for a sale of its robotics division Boston Dynamics in March last year. At the time, a few buyers were thought to be already showing an interest, including Toyota and Amazon, but nothing came of it. 14 months on and Softbank just announced a definitive agreement has been entered into to acquire the robots company from Google parent Alphabet.
Masayoshi Son, Chairman & CEO of SoftBank Group Corp, said, "Today, there are many issues we still cannot solve by ourselves with human capabilities. Smart robotics are going to be a key driver of the next stage of the Information Revolution, and Marc and his team at Boston Dynamics are the clear technology leaders in advanced dynamic robots. I am thrilled to welcome them to the Softbank family and look forward to supporting them as they continue to advance the field of robotics and explore applications that can help make life easier, safer and more fulfilling."
Related
- VIDEO: Boston Dynamics Shows Off Latest Robot 'Handle'VIDEO: Boston Dynamics Shows Off Latest Robot 'Handle'
Boston Dynamics isn't the only robotics company Softbank acquired as part of the Alphabet deal. The press release also mentions Schaft, a Japanese bipedal robot company founded in the JSK Robotics Laboratory at the University of Tokyo and also owned by Alphabet. Schaft was acquired by Google back in 2013 when it decided to embrace robots and bought up eight companies.
Neither Alphabet or Softbank is discussing the terms of the deal, so we don't know how much money is changing hands or if there's any caveats. What we do know is Softbank just became a major player in the robotics market, adding to its existing Pepper robot research. And of course, it can make full use of new ARM chips inside them.
With HomePod, Apple puts Siri in a speaker to face off against the Amazon Echo and Google Home. Let's see how they stack up against each other.
GameStop really needs to review its used game checking policy, as this is the second time meth has been discovered inside a game case.
Handle stands 6.5 feet tall, can travel at 9 miles per hour and jump four feet in the air.
Relax Google Sells Boston Dynamics to Softbank stories
Google plans to block the most annoying advertisements in its Chrome browser, even those that run on the company's own platform.
A standalone Siri speaker would help Apple better compete against the likes of Google Home and Amazon Echo, according to Bloomberg. Look for it at WWDC next week.
HSBC surveyed 12,000 consumers and found twice as many would trust a robot to perform heart surgery than handle their savings. Is anyone except HSBC surprised?
Google's advertisers will soon be able to measure the success of their online campaigns based on credit card transaction data from physical stores.
You can now create a family group with up to six members of your household to easily share calendar info, photos and videos, to-do lists, and notes with everyone.
Google's $5,000 collaborative and smart digital whiteboard is now available to buy.
An algorithm developed by Google's sister company DeepMind is once again taking on human opponents in the ancient Chinese strategy game of Go.
Intel wants Euclid to be the brain, eyes, and communication device at the heart of new robot projects.
Google I/O 2017 was a continued transformation of the company, from machine learning to greater control of Android. Here's what we learned at the show.
An update, which can even be delivered via Wi-Fi if your car supports it, will bring the latest car software from Google and Apple to more Ford owners.
Redesigned emojis that more closely resemble the circular smily faces you're used to will launch with the Android O operating system.
Google pulled back the curtain on both visible and behind-the-scenes improvements to its next mobile OS, Android O.
Waymo is not playing around: as the New York Times first reported, Waymo is teaming up with Uber's chief rival, Lyft, on autonomous vehicle technology.
PCMag visits GE's Research campus in upstate New York to learn more about its work to quantify everything and turn that data into a giant digital system.
The bot's mechanical arm is fitted with nozzles that can spit out any number of substances used in building construction, such as concrete or insulation.
The Knightscope K5 robot was on patrol in a Mountain View parking lot when the incident occurred.
Phoenix-area residents can apply now to be among the first in the world to ride in and give feedback about Waymo's self-driving vehicles.
Populations are growing older, and one day we'll need helpful robots more than we need vehicles. Toyota is planning for this future now.
Handle stands 6.5 feet tall, can travel at 9 miles per hour and jump four feet in the air.
Breakthrough paves the way for a reliable Internet service provided by balloons.
A robot ethicist from MIT's Media Lab helps us parse what our treatment of tech says about us.
The Handle robot looks scary, but it doesn't threaten our physical well-being, just our economic future.
Let's be honest, that's a surprise to no one.
Chinese authorities told local tech companies, including Tencent and Baidu, to shut down 60 social media accounts focusing on celebrity gossip.
You'll be able to listen to Taylor Swift's entire back catalog on all streaming services this midnight.
Work isn't recess but it shouldn't be detention, either.
The stylus lives in a holder inside the 2-in-1 convertible, and its fine point offers a handwriting experience similar to what you'd expect from writing on paper, Samsung says.
Niantic has some special in-game and real-world events planned; the fun kicks off with Pokémon Go Fest, which will take place in Chicago on July 22.
Now you can use your AirPods with your Apple TV.
Save $100 on a Sonos subwoofer and $50 on a pair of Play:1 speakers
Apple's iMac finally features Kaby Lake processors and Thunderbolt 3, but later this year the workstation-class iMac Pro arrives. Is it time to upgrade now or wait?
Western Digital's My Cloud Pro will now support the Plex media server, which recently gained the ability to play and record live TV from a tuner card.
Rubin reveals more details about Ambient OS, Essential's interoperability strategy, and explains why you shouldn't call it a 'modular smartphone.'
