Italy

Voices

The Criminal Mind

Adrian Raine, Author, "The Anatomy of Violence: The Biological Roots of Crime" in Voices on April 28 at 8:10 am PT

The scientific study of crime got its start on a cold, gray November morning in 1871, on the east coast of Italy.

Voices

U.S. Probes Microsoft, Partners Over Bribery Claims

Christopher M. Matthews, Joe Palazzolo and Shira Ovide, Reporters, The Wall Street Journal in News on March 19 at 10:27 am PT

Federal regulators are investigating Microsoft Corp.’s relationship with business partners that allegedly bribed foreign government officials in return for software contracts, according to people familiar with the matter.

Italy Accuses Apple of Misrepresenting Warranty Options, Threatens to Kick It Out

John Paczkowski in News on July 2, 2012 at 4:32 pm PT

More drama over at Apple Italia.

Apple Fined $1.2 Million in Italy Over AppleCare Warranties

John Paczkowski in News on December 27, 2011 at 8:00 am PT

“Unfair commercial practices.”

News Byte

Ngmoco Hires Former Mattel Exec to Head Up Marketing

Tricia Duryee in Commerce on October 13, 2011 at 8:00 am PT

Following the recent appointment of a new COO, San Francisco-based Ngmoco continues to fill out its executive team. It has hired Michael Staskin as CMO to lead global marketing and communications, including the launch of Mobage, a mobile games platform. Previously, Staskin was VP of Marketing at Sisal, a gaming and lottery company in Italy; before that, he held several positions for Mattel. He will be based in San Francisco.

Voices

Samsung to Seek Ban on Apple iPhone 4S in France, Italy

Evan Ramstad, Reporter, The Wall Street Journal in Mobile on October 5, 2011 at 2:40 am PT

Samsung Electronics Co. said Wednesday it would try to stop the sale of Apple Inc.’s iPhone 4S in France and Italy, aiming to use the product’s rollout as leverage against Apple in a broader fight over the design of smartphones and tablet computers.

Where in the World Is Yahoo’s Carol Bartz? (Here’s the Internal Memo GPS!)

Kara Swisher in News on June 19, 2011 at 12:03 pm PT

With its annual meeting this coming Thursday, you’d think Yahoo CEO Carol Bartz would be taking a rest. Not so! She has been a regular Carmen Sandiego, in fact, jetting to Yahoo hotspots around the globe from Dubai to Milan to New York and then back to Yahoo’s Sunnyvale HQ.

News Byte

Kobo Opens New Chapter in Europe

Tricia Duryee in Commerce on April 11, 2011 at 12:01 am PT

Toronto-based Kobo, the e-reading service going up against Amazon, Apple and others, is expanding into Europe. It plans to launch local content versions starting in Germany and Spain in May, and then expand to France, Italy and the Netherlands. Kobo, which isn’t focused on selling hardware, turned one in December and has sold millions of e-books in at least 100 countries.

Voices

Telecom Italia to Shuffle Key Roles

Giada Zampano, Reporter, The Wall Street Journal in News on March 14, 2011 at 12:00 am PT

Telecom Italia SpA’s controlling shareholders have agreed to a reshuffle at the helm of Italy’s largest phone operator that will see Chief Executive Franco Bernabe moving to the role of executive chairman at the end of his mandate, with a new chief executive, Marco Patuano, to focus on turning around Italian operations, people familiar with the situation said Sunday.

News Byte

Spanish Private-Sales Site Privalia Expands to Germany Via Acquisition

Tricia Duryee in Commerce on March 7, 2011 at 3:46 pm PT

The online private-sales retailer Privalia, which operates in Spain, Italy, Brazil and Mexico, is buying Germany’s Dress for Less. Reuters said that according to its sources, Privalia paid between $210 million and $280 million. On Monday, Privalia raised roughly $123 million from private equity firms General Atlantic, Highland Capital Partners, Index Ventures and Insight Venture Partners to fund the transaction, which also included debt and shares. Together, Privalia is forecasting that they will achieve triple-digit revenue growth this year to around 400 million euros. In December, eBay purchased Germany-based brands4friends for $200 million.