CBS in $1.8B deal for online news, info site CNet

CBS Corp. is acquiring a big online reach with its acquisition of CNet Networks Inc. but also a company that's faced heavy criticism from investors. Those concerns as well as the hefty $1.8 billion price tag helped send CBS's shares down after the deal was announced Thursday.

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CNet Dissidents Outline Turnaround Plan

Dissident shareholders belittled CNet Networks Inc.'s leadership as incompetent and lackadaisical in its latest efforts to steer the slumping technology news and entertainment company in a new direction.

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CNet Networks to Cut 120 Jobs

CNet Networks Inc. says it is laying off 120 employees as part of an effort to streamline the online media company while generating more content for its news and entertainment sites.

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Dissident Investors Boost Stake in CNet

An investment group that wants to shake up CNet Networks Inc. has boosted its holdings in the online technology news and entertainment provider in an effort to overcome the company's resistance to a proposed overhaul of its board.

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Investors Vie for Control of CNet Board

A group of dissident investors is vying to seize control of CNet Networks Inc.'s board in an attempt to shake up the online technology news and entertainment company, which has been struggling for years to capitalize on one of the Internet's largest audiences.

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CNet Sells Webshots for $45 Million

Online technology news and entertainment provider CNet Networks Inc. has sold photo-sharing site Webshots to American Greetings Corp. for $45 million, substantially less than the service cost to acquire three years ago.

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CNet CEO Quits Following Options Probe

Shelby Bonnie, chairman and chief executive of technology news publisher CNet Networks Inc., has resigned following a review of the company's stock-options practices, the company said Wednesday.

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(CNET) There's a lot to love about silly Internet memes and fads, and one reason is that they can dig up something old and make it cool again.

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Cnet reviews and rates the following e-book readers: Cool-er e-book reader, Sony Reader Digital Book PRS-700BC, Amazon Kindle 2, Amazon Kindle DX

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Google just opened up to a limited audience its very interesting communications experiment called Wave (news stories). Our hands-on evaluation: there's a lot to like. It really is a more contemporary take on communications. But it will knock many e-mail users off-balance.

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Techmeme is one of the sites that Robert Thomson, editor-in-chief of the The Wall Street Journal, presumably thinks is a "parasite" or "tech tapeworm in the intestines of the Internet."

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A California court has tossed out Gibson Guitar's patent infringement lawsuit against Guitar Hero maker Activision, saying Gibson's arguments "border on the frivolous."

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Samsung wasn't the only company showing a solar-powered cell phone at the GSMA World Congress. On Wednesday, Chinese manufacturer ZTE launched a green model of its own.

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A Reason Why Circuit City Went Under

I wrote the following about a year ago. It was titled "The Sad State of Customer Service". After reading it again, it makes the fact that Circuit City is going out of business much more understandable.

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Dell tracks $1 million in sales to Twitter campaign? CNET blogger Charles Cooper reflects on InternetNews.com story -- what it means for marketers and the potential of Twitter as it continues to garner attention as a vital element of today's ad mix.

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It's just a rumor at this point, but the usual anonymous tipsters have told the Boy Genius Report that Apple is planning to sell a $99 iPhone at Wal-Mart. There's been some debate about whether this would be a good idea for Apple.

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Whether you love or hate Apple, the company set a new standard with the iPhone. From its multitouch screen to the integrated multimedia features to the ease of use, the iPhone acts as a benchmark for all other touch-screen smartphones. Included in that group is the T-Mobile G1.

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Because the numbers on solar energy investments are looking better and comparatively safer, the business predicts rapid growth despite the economic crisis. Read this blog post by Martin LaMonica on Green Tech.

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Word surfaced Monday of a Web "comic book" introducing Google Chrome, the search giant's long-rumored open-source browser project.

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CNET presents a guide on tweaking your PS3s settings to achieve the best quality for your setup.

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This article discusses the recent acquisition of CNET by CBS and the future of CBS.

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"So Microsoft's Sinofsky had a pretty good dance with CNET about Windows 7, really not saying much of anything. But a picture's worth a thousand words, right? Howzabout a ton of pics?

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In today's episode, Leo Laporte drops in (and out) to discuss the future of CNET, the future of Yahoo, and lack of future we'll all have if the Air Force doesn't stop trying to build a real-life Skynet.

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MEDIA CONSOLIDATION: CBS said Thursday it would buy CNET Networks for $1.8 billion in cash, marking its biggest online acquisition since hiring Quincy Smith, a former media and technology investment banker, to lead its interactive unit in late 2006.

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CBS has agreed to acquire CNET Networks in a deal valued at $1.8 billion, the companies said Thursday.

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CBS (NYSE: CBS) is acquiring CNET (NSDQ: CNET) for $1.8 billion in cash. The purchase price comes to $11.50 per share, representing a 44.6 percent premium over last night's closing price of $7.95.

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It's no secret that the Garmin Nüvifone is one of the most anticipated smartphones of this year--partly because of its killer feature set (GPS with full navigation, 3.5-inch touch screen, quad-band world roaming, HSDPA, Wi-Fi, 3-megapixel camera, and so on) and partly because ev …

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When former CNET TV anchor Veronica Belmont announced last week that she was leaving her gig as host and producer of the Mahalo Daily video podcast for "new projects," her loyal fan base immediately started wondering where she'd head next.

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Weary of his job as an urban planner for the city of Portland, Ore., Sloan Schang dreamed of making a living as a writer. How, exactly, he wasn't sure.

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The Sad State of Customer Service

Customer service today is in the pits! Yeah, I said it, the pits! Aren't companies there to make money? I mean, aren't they supposed to cater to the customers every whim and need? It seems some retail establishments are doing their hardest not to make money, let alone stay in bus …

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One year ago today, we learned of the death of our dear friend and colleague, James Kim. James was, both at work and at home, a kind, intelligent, exuberant presence. We miss him very much.

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Consumers who think they can help improve the environment should be careful when it comes to their purchasing decisions and avoid relying on labels.

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