Founding a startup is risky. Using their apps (or other products and services) can be, too. That’s because aside from failing, startups are often acquired, for many millions of dollars, by the likes of Apple, Facebook, Google, and Yahoo. And when that happens, the startups often disappear. (more…)
startups
Facebook buys Instagram. Is Tumblr next?
A Guardian story rounded up likely acquisition targets among tech startups, following Facebook’s $1 billion purchase of Instagram. It’s an interesting read — and a troubling one.
I’m not particularly happy about the Instagram/Facebook deal. After all, Facebook is already tied into so many services through its “like” buttons, Facebook Connect login service, and apps connected to the Facebook Timeline.
But what really hit me in the Guardian story was the suggestion that Google might buy Tumblr. I’m a big fan of Tumblr (that’s where I’ve got my iPhone photography blog, What I See Now), and I really (really!) don’t want to see it owned by Google. In fact, I’d probably rather see Facebook buy it. Why’s that? Well, if Google bought it, it’d be all about tying it to Google+, and that’s a service I don’t use and have no plans to start using.
Tumblr, please: Stay indie!
ALLAN HOFFMAN 