Corporate and legal

AT&T is considering working with the Chernin Group to make a joint bid for Hulu, according to a new report.

The telecommunications company and Chernin Group, which is led by former News Corp. President Peter Chernin, have not yet placed a bid, according to All Things Digital, citing sources who claim to have knowledge of their plans. Still, it's possible that if AT&T and Chernin Group come together, they could make a stronger bid than the reported sub-$500 million offer Chernin already put up for Hulu.

Several companies are reportedly trying to get their … Read more

Hon Hai Precision Industry is considering chopping the part of its business that gave Foxconn its name.

Hon Hai is planning to spin off its Network Interconnection Business Group next month, Reuters reported Thursday, citing people who claim to have knowledge of its plans. The business group makes connectors and cables for the PC industry, but due to the recent downturn in the PC market, has become a big of a drain on Hon Hai's otherwise strong operation.

At one time, the connector business was such an integral component in Hon Hai's business that it helped form its … Read more

Logitech, a company focused on selling tech accessories, has acquired a company that got its start on Kickstarter.

TT Design Labs was founded a little under two years ago by Derek Tarnow and Zahra Tashakorinia. The company's first product was an iPhone accessory, known as TidyTilt, that doubled as both a stand for easier viewing of the iPhone, as well as a case protector. The TidyTilt could also handle the wrapping of earbud cords to keep everything, well, tidy.

To get off the ground, TT Design Labs brought the concept to Kickstarter, where it raised more than 2,000 … Read more

Statements, bills, legal notices, and other official communications are steadily shifting to paperless delivery, but even four years from now paper will still dominate in the United States.

So concludes a study released Thursday by InfoTrends, which surveyed 2,025 consumers and 267 businesses on the matter. The analyst firm forecasts that paperless document deliveries will increase from 4.2 billion in 2012 to 8.6 billion in 2017, while paper deliveries will drop from 19.5 billion to 15.9 billion over the same period.

Obviously, paper will still dominate our lives for a long time coming. While going … Read more

If you thought airlines and hotels were sneaky and stingy about the fees they impose on their customers, just take a close look at your next wireless bill.

What you'll find in addition to the taxes and fees the government requires you pay on top of your cell phone bill are charges that your wireless operator has also tacked onto the bottom of the bill. All four of the major U.S. operators now add some sort of "below the line" charge to their customers' phone bills.

These fees are not considered part of the service fee … Read more

Members of the U.S. House of Representatives Intelligence Committee are in the middle of proposing a new cybertheft law that would target hackers based in other countries, according to Reuters.

The bill, which doesn't yet have a name, is to be introduced on Thursday by Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Mich.), Rep. Tim Ryan (D-Ohio), and Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wisc). These lawmakers have said that the intent of the law will be to go after hackers from "offending nations" and deliver "real consequences and punishments."

Of those countries said to be cyber spying on the U.… Read more

Working with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Microsoft on Wednesday moved to disrupt a massive cybercrime ring allegedly responsible for stealing online banking information and personal identities, leading to more than $500 million in losses.

In what the company described as its "most aggressive botnet operation to date," Microsoft acted on a court ordered civil seizure warrant from the U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina to take down 1,462 Citadel botnets. The company wasn't able to shut down all of the botnets using the Citadel malware.

"However, we do expect … Read more

MakerBot, one of the biggest names in the personal 3D printer business, is in acquisition talks.

That's according to The Wall Street Journal, which reported Wednesday that the Brooklyn, N.Y., company is in discussions with possible buyers.

MakerBot, which produces the $2,200 Replicator 2, one of the most popular 3D printers of its kind, has been a leader in the industry for several years. Its CEO, Bre Pettis, has become a spokesperson of sorts for the 3D printing industry and was the opening keynote speaker at this year's South by Southwest Interactive festival.

The Journal reported … Read more

NEW YORK -- Amazon acted like a bully and threatened the publishers when discussing a new e-book sales structure, according to two publishing CEOs who testified during the Apple e-book price-fixing trial over the last two days.

David Shanks, CEO of Penguin Group USA, and Carolyn Reidy, CEO of Simon & Schuster, said Amazon's e-book pricing, in which the publishers had little power, was the main factor that drove them to pursue deals with Apple that allowed them to set their own prices. But when the publishers attempt to change their agreements with Amazon to fall more in line … Read more