Apple grabs another video software firm

Making its latest in a string of acquisitions in the digital video software arena, Apple Computer has quietly scooped up the technology of Prismo Graphics.

"Apple has acquired technologies from Prismo Graphics, a developer of motion graphics for broadcast and digital video projects, including their DVFonts and India special effects software," the company said in a statement posted on Prismo's Web site. "Apple intends to use the acquired technologies in future products."

Financial details were not disclosed, and an Apple representative was not immediately available for comment.

The move follows Apple's acquisition earlier this month of technology from visual effects company Silicon Grail and the purchase in February of Silicon Grail rival Nothing Real.

By scooping up Prismo, whose India software is used for creating titles for movies, Apple gains control of yet another niche of the video production market, a tool it can leverage as it tries to make the use of Macs more pervasive in Hollywood.

Linux has gotten a lot of attention at many studios. For example, Disney announced a deal on Tuesday for its animation unit to get Linux-based workstations and servers from Hewlett-Packard.