[Corbu]

BlackBerry in Advanced Talks to Buy WatchDox - WSJ
Estimated $70 million deal could be announced as soon as this week

By DANA MATTIOLI
April 21, 2015 8:46 a.m. ET

BlackBerry Ltd. is in advanced talks to buy document-security firm WatchDox Inc., according to people familiar with the matter.

BlackBerry will pay around $70 million for WatchDox and a deal could be announced as soon as this week, one of the people said. There is no guarantee a deal will get inked and talks could break down at the final hour, one of the people cautioned.

WatchDox, which is privately held, makes software that allows companies to share and protect their files across a number of devices.

BlackBerry has been making small, so-called tuck-in acquisitions since the company abandoned plans to sell itself in 2013 for $4.7 billion. Instead, the Waterloo, Ontario-based smartphone maker took a $1 billion investment from a group led by major shareholder Fairfax Financial Holdings Ltd. and replaced its chief executive with John Chen, former chief executive of enterprise software company Sybase Inc. BlackBerry currently has a $5.3 billion market value.

Since rebuffing the buyout offer, BlackBerry has focused on mobile security software and smartphones, which are areas that WatchDox would help bolster.

[randall2580]

Interesting. With the WatchDox acquisition, it appears Chen is trying to mirror Citrix in many ways. They can't be happy over there right now.

[jake simmons3]

Interesting. With the WatchDox acquisition, it appears Chen is trying to mirror Citrix in many ways. They can't be happy over there right now.

I'll be pretty happy if we get the same kind of valuation as Critix's does.

P/E 43.06 lol

[_dimi_]

It seems they raised approximately 35,8 million dollar in cash over the period 2008-2014 .. and I would suspect they still have some left in the bank today... so not sure what you mean crackdoodle?

Posted via CB10

[igotaq]

Do they have the Model STA100-3 (verizon)?
much appreciate it!!

Edit: Called CB and it's the model STA100-5 (bummer)

check your PM.

[Corbu]

Well, so much for the WSJ...

It's official:

BlackBerry Acquiring WatchDox to Bolster Mobile Content Security and Enterprise Collaboration - Press Releases

[Corbu]

OT:
SAP profit plunges 23% - MarketWatch

[plasmid_boy]

WatchDox has great potential IMO. I am currently using Box Enterprise with unlimited space, but it I am going to suggest IT to look into WatchDox.

[masterful]

It seems they raised approximately 35,8 million dollar in cash over the period 2008-2014 .. and I would suspect they still have some left in the bank today... so not sure what you mean crackdoodle?

Posted via CB10

You should know better from those fud

#BBFactCheck

[BACK-2-BLACK]

.
WatchDox is also HIPPA Compliant.

"HIPAA, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, sets the standard for protecting sensitive patient data. Any company that deals with protected health information (PHI) must ensure that all the required physical, network, and process security measures are in place and followed.

This includes covered entities (CE), anyone who provides treatment, payment and operations in healthcare, and business associates (BA), anyone with access to patient information and provides support in treatment, payment or operations. Subcontractors, or business associates of business associates, must also be in compliance."

[W Hoa]

Good article on WatchDox. BlackBerry could be the perfect fit to allow WatchDox to increase its market impact.

WatchDox�s chief product officer, Ryan Kalember, explained on September 12, there are many estimates for the size of its market. He thinks that the median forecast is $10 billion and growing at 40%.

WatchDox is a small company growing fast. According to Rafalin, �Since 2012, we have more than doubled to 100 people, our funding has reached $35 million, and our revenue is up four-fold into the eight figures. And we have 400 large customers through OEMs like Hewlett Packard.�

Ovum � in an August 28, 2014 report that surveyed 5,197 users � concluded that WatchDox leads the �Enterprise File Sync and Share� industry in product features � but not in market share. Ovum wrote that WatchDox �ranks highest on the Ovum Decision Matrix in terms of features that address end-user and IT management requirements, but the vendor�s market impact is very low.�

EMC Revenue At Risk In $10 Billion Document Security Market to startup WatchDox

[sidhuk]

OT.
What about websites who live off of these creatures?
http://www.engadget.com/2015/04/21/t...=rss_truncated
"Almost every website with comments suffers from trolls, people who like to spout obnoxious and irrational gibberish just to offend others. Since you can't just ask people to behave like human beings, a lot of time and effort is spent monitoring and policing this idiocy. Thankfully, the internet's long national nightmare may now be at an end after researchers from Stanford and Cornell developed an early warning system for trolls. After conducting a study that examined close to 40 million comments, it was found that trolls can be algorithmically identified before they've written 10 posts.

The team took the comments sections from websites CNN, Breitbart and IGN, looking at the contributions of 1.7 million users over 18 months as well as the up and down votes each post got. The team then dug in to work out what differentiates a banned user from those who are deemed to be worthwhile members of the community. it turns out, perhaps unsurprisingly, that trolls are pretty easy to spot.

For instance, trolls are more likely to write less coherently and often with more profanity than other users. They're also found to concentrate their discussions in a narrow group of threads and often generate more responses than less inflammatory comments. The team thinks that this latter point is because they're adept at "luring others into fruitless, time-consuming discussions."

Naturally, while a little obnoxiousness when a new user joins a community is tolerated, this patience is worn out over time, leading to an increased rate of post deletion and banning. Familiarity also breeds contempt, and trolls are understood to post significantly more frequently than other members of a site. For instance, one candidate for banning had written 264 missives on CNN, far in excess of the average, which was 22.

Loading all of these characteristics into a computer, the team was able to cook-up an algorithm that they claim will identify trolls with a success rate of 74 percent. Now, the researchers believe that a lot more work needs to be put in before comment services will be able to shoot down negative comments before they're read, but it is, at the very least, a promising start."



Posted with BlackBerry Passport

[Corbu]

Updated story by WSJ:
BlackBerry to Buy WatchDox - WSJ

BlackBerry to Buy WatchDox

Acquires privately held document security firm

BlackBerry Ltd. announced Tuesday it has entered into a definitive agreement to buy document-security firm WatchDox Inc.

BlackBerry will pay around $70 million for WatchDox, one of the people with knowledge of the deal told The Wall Street Journal. BlackBerry did not disclose the terms of the transaction.

WatchDox, which is privately held, makes software that allows companies to share and protect their files across a number of devices.

...

[Corbu]

Securing Your Mobile Corporate Content: A Conversation with WatchDox and BlackBerry | Inside BlackBerry

[jake simmons3]

Updated story by WSJ:
BlackBerry to Buy WatchDox - WSJ

70 million is alot better then 200 million lol

[Shanerredflag]

OT.
What about websites who live off of these creatures?
http://www.engadget.com/2015/04/21/t...=rss_truncated
"Almost every website with comments suffers from trolls, people who like to spout obnoxious and irrational gibberish just to offend others. Since you can't just ask people to behave like human beings, a lot of time and effort is spent monitoring and policing this idiocy. Thankfully, the internet's long national nightmare may now be at an end after researchers from Stanford and Cornell developed an early warning system for trolls. After conducting a study that examined close to 40 million comments, it was found that trolls can be algorithmically identified before they've written 10 posts.

The team took the comments sections from websites CNN, Breitbart and IGN, looking at the contributions of 1.7 million users over 18 months as well as the up and down votes each post got. The team then dug in to work out what differentiates a banned user from those who are deemed to be worthwhile members of the community. it turns out, perhaps unsurprisingly, that trolls are pretty easy to spot.

For instance, trolls are more likely to write less coherently and often with more profanity than other users. They're also found to concentrate their discussions in a narrow group of threads and often generate more responses than less inflammatory comments. The team thinks that this latter point is because they're adept at "luring others into fruitless, time-consuming discussions."

Naturally, while a little obnoxiousness when a new user joins a community is tolerated, this patience is worn out over time, leading to an increased rate of post deletion and banning. Familiarity also breeds contempt, and trolls are understood to post significantly more frequently than other members of a site. For instance, one candidate for banning had written 264 missives on CNN, far in excess of the average, which was 22.

Loading all of these characteristics into a computer, the team was able to cook-up an algorithm that they claim will identify trolls with a success rate of 74 percent. Now, the researchers believe that a lot more work needs to be put in before comment services will be able to shoot down negative comments before they're read, but it is, at the very least, a promising start."



Posted with BlackBerry Passport

That's some serious awesomeness.

Classically Posted.

[La Emperor]

That's some serious awesomeness.

Classically Posted.

Yeah...this thread would have been a great study case for those researchers!

[Soumaila Somtore]

Responded

check your PM.

[KenFletch]

That's some serious awesomeness.

Classically Posted.

That's a pretty low bar to get over. 70%. Gotta hope they didn't spend too much time on it. A coin toss gives you 50%. And so what do you do with that. And does that mean 30% that are identified as trolls are or 30% of trolls are missed.

Moderators need not worry about being replaced yet

Posted with my flash Passport

[bungaboy]

OT.
What about websites who live off of these creatures?
Scientists can build an early-warning system for trolls
"Almost every website with comments suffers from trolls, people who like to spout obnoxious and irrational gibberish just to offend others. Since you can't just ask people to behave like human beings, a lot of time and effort is spent monitoring and policing this idiocy. Thankfully, the internet's long national nightmare may now be at an end after researchers from Stanford and Cornell developed an early warning system for trolls. After conducting a study that examined close to 40 million comments, it was found that trolls can be algorithmically identified before they've written 10 posts.

The team took the comments sections from websites CNN, Breitbart and IGN, looking at the contributions of 1.7 million users over 18 months as well as the up and down votes each post got. The team then dug in to work out what differentiates a banned user from those who are deemed to be worthwhile members of the community. it turns out, perhaps unsurprisingly, that trolls are pretty easy to spot.

For instance, trolls are more likely to write less coherently and often with more profanity than other users. They're also found to concentrate their discussions in a narrow group of threads and often generate more responses than less inflammatory comments. The team thinks that this latter point is because they're adept at "luring others into fruitless, time-consuming discussions."

Naturally, while a little obnoxiousness when a new user joins a community is tolerated, this patience is worn out over time, leading to an increased rate of post deletion and banning. Familiarity also breeds contempt, and trolls are understood to post significantly more frequently than other members of a site. For instance, one candidate for banning had written 264 missives on CNN, far in excess of the average, which was 22.

Loading all of these characteristics into a computer, the team was able to cook-up an algorithm that they claim will identify trolls with a success rate of 74 percent. Now, the researchers believe that a lot more work needs to be put in before comment services will be able to shoot down negative comments before they're read, but it is, at the very least, a promising start."



Posted with BlackBerry Passport

Coming to CB soon I hope.

But, we can spot them within a few posts as well.

[kfh227]

Trolls live under bridges, not in awesome threads.

Posted via CB10

[bungaboy]

Trolls live under bridges, not in awesome threads.

Posted via CB10

Some how, they get visitors passes.

[Superfly_FR]

Hey guys !
So, you're all on the WatchDox news; nice eh ?
Can't wait the time we won't have to remind the increasing name of all those companies and only name theme by service/features offered !

Slightly OT but with points discussed here lately.
I went to the official Leap launch here in France (hey, besides BlackBerry internal, we were the very first ones to get our hand on demo units !).
I'll dig more once I've used it for a while - and in a separate thread - later, but let me share some with you first, fella gang
Mostly, we've been confirmed many points.

Leap (warning : plastic screen protection still in place)


a. Basically, the Leap is aimed to large fleets and really compares to the Curve line.
b. Should we make a balance between PKB and touch KB requests in companies for large fleets: 20%-80%
c. C level employees still like and ask for PKB
d. Leap pricing +/- 280€ here; very aggressive price, no competitor on the battery life (high selling point)
e. Very first impression : that's a really good looking (screen is way better I thought it'd be) and it looks solid and durable.
VERY good job here for large fleets.

BBM
a. (re: BBM subsciptions) they aknowledged the situation can be somehow foggy and packs addition can lead to large expenses. I suggested a "all inclusive" with adapted pricing and better control (re: stickers). Suggestion was received.

BES12 Cloud
a. Licenses can be bought through selected resellers like Ingram micro for small distributors; while quite efficient in UK, still have work to do here (FR) to make it more appealing.
b. many services (related to security) that were not present at launch should come this summer.

Marketing
a. As we all noticed, there's "no signal" for consumers' communication. That's only the logical implementation of Chen's strategy aimed to enterprises and "we" (the "social influencer's") are expected to help in this area but that's pretty much it. Stop asking about it, it won't happen soon.
b. In the interviews - both with clients/prospects and press - the recurring question about "BlackBerry imminent death" is gone [note: that's the very first time they have such a strong statement about it]. Question is now - press, analysts - about adding value and increasing revenues.

That's it for now [I'll point to the thread later, will be in maybe 10 days. Will use the leap during my vacations and let you know the good, the average and (hopefully not) the bad]

Cheers
SF

[Soumaila Somtore]

Confimation from BBRY
BlackBerry to Buy WatchDox -- Update - NASDAQ.com

BlackBerry Ltd. confirmed Tuesday it would buy closely held WatchDox Ltd., its latest niche acquisition aimed at boosting sales of mobile security offerings to government and corporate customers.

The deal also gives the Canadian smartphone maker a platform to expand its research and development operations into Israel, a center for the development of security technologies.








Waterloo, Ontario-based BlackBerry didn't disclose financial terms, but The Wall Street Journal reported earlier that it is paying about $70 million for WatchDox.

Startup WatchDox is based in Palo Alto, Calif., and develops software that allows companies to control how employees edit, copy, print or forward files. Its software can also revoke access and delete files remotely across desktop and mobile devices, including BlackBerrys, Apple Inc.'s iPhones and smartphones powered by Google Inc.'s Android operating system.

The acquisition follows BlackBerry's $32.5 million purchase in September of Movirtu Ltd., which develops software that helps companies reduce their employee mobile-device costs, and its $82 million acquisition in December of Secusmart GmbH, a maker of mobile encryption and anti-eavesdropping technologies.

WatchDox and Secusmart together allow BlackBerry to offer enterprise customers "secure voice, secure data, secure messaging and secure documents," across platforms, Jim Mackey, BlackBerry's executive vice president of corporate development, said in an interview.

BlackBerry is betting on the sales of mobile security and productivity software, and smartphones aimed at professionals, to reignite growth after a failed attempt in 2013 to compete in the consumer market against Apple, Samsung Electronics Co. and other device makers.

Still, its growth strategy remains unproven amid uncertainty BlackBerry can win back its traditional enterprise customers after many abandoned its older technology for mobile security offerings from Citrix Systems Inc., MobileIron Inc. and other rivals. Last month, BlackBerry reported a 32% decline in quarterly revenue.

Founded six and half years ago, WatchDox counts private-equity giant Blackstone Group L.P., Nike Inc., the well- known running shoe maker, and the Californian Department of State Hospitals among its customers. It won't say if it generates a profit.

The deal gives WatchDox access to BlackBerry's 160 carrier partners to help its boost sales of its file security technology.

"BlackBerry can really help us accelerate our reach into markets," Moti Rafalin, WatchDox's chief executive and founder, said in a telephone interview.

WatchDox also operates a research and development center in Petah Tikva, Israel, where slightly more than half of its 85 employees work. Israel is a well-known technology center for security and BlackBerry hopes the R&D center will allow it to take advantage of this opportunity.

The WatchDox acquisition "is the best way to get to that market and to get access to the talent," BlackBerry's Mr. Mackey said.

[chrysaurora]

BlackBerry just acquired another company and it our stock isn't going up. That's a shame. A company that was on verge of going bankrupt won't go around acquiring other companies! Shouldn't wall-street react positively to it?