Plano-based telecommunications design and engineering company Goodman Networks said Wednesday that it has acquired Multiband Corporation, a provider of DIRECTV installation and home services. Goodman Networks said it will pay approximately $116M in cash, or approximately $3.25 per share for publicly traded Multiband. Multiband is based in Minneapolis....Continue →

In what can only be good news for Austin-based SpareFoot and its online marketplace for self-storage, the company said it has commissioned a survey that shows that one in six American adults moved within the past 12 months. The startup released the survey in conjunction with "National Moving Day", which it says is the day after Memorial Day, the busiest days of the year for moving....Continue →

In the future, will food come out of a machine, printed just like you print your documents? It might be, if an Austin company's technology advances. NASA said Thursday that it has provided funding to Austin's Systems and Materials Research Corp., which is developing a 3D printer which--instead of plastic or metal parts and prototyped mechanical items--prints edible food....Continue →

Austin-based SolarWinds, the developer of IT management software, said Tuesday that it has agreed to acquire N-able Technologies, a Canadian developer of cloud-based remote monitoring and management software. SolarWinds said it would pay $120M in cash for N-able. N-able's cloud-based software is used by managed service providers to manage their "lights out" environments.Continue →

Austin-based Postmaster, which develops simple, programming APIs for connecting into Fedex, UPS, and USPS, and helps to manage a consistent way to handle shipment notifications, tracking, address validation, and more, has raised $600,000. The firm said the funding was led by Capital Factory, Cloud Power and Zelkova Ventures, and a consortium of angels....Continue →

Austin-based Open Labs, which develops the StageLight music creation software and related NeKo and MiKo music hardware, has raised $800,000 in a seed funding, the firm disclosed Tuesday. The funding came from music performer Timbaland. Timbaland is a record producer, songwriter, and rapper. The two have had a long relationship; Open Labs has a number of hardware keyboards it has been producing branded with Timbaland over the past few years.Continue →

In a move specifically designed to bolster the link between Silicon Valley and the Silicon Hills, air carrier Virgin America said Tuesday evening that it has launched a new, daily roundtrip service between Austin-Bergstrom International Airport and San Francisco International. According to Virgin America, the new daily flight between AUS and SFO is specifically designed to connect the tech community flying between San Francisco and Austin....Continue →

Grapevine, Texas-based videogame retailer GameStop told its rewards members today that it is planning pre-orders for the new Microsoft Xbox One System and games. The company did not give details dates, but invited members to sign up for its Xbox One First to Know List Tuesday afternoon, so that they can receive details on titles, trade and pre-order details, and other offers from the company. GameStop has not yet started accepting reservations on the brand new platform....Continue →

Austin-based SpareFoot is again lending a hand to the latest victims of a nearby tragedy -- this time, in the Oklahoma City area. The online, self-storage marketplace said it will donate a free month of storage to businesses, families and individuals who were affected by the Oklahoma City area tornadoes. SpareFoot said it will cover up to $100 for the rental of a storage unit within a 50-mile radius of Oklahoma City, OK, for customers who move their items into a unit by June 21st....Continue →

Austin-based Compare Metrics, a developer of product discovery software for e-commerce retailers has raised $4.2M in a first round of funding, the firm announced today. The funding was led by Austin Ventures, and also included Mike Maples (Floodgate), Bob Greene (Contour Venture Partners), Julie Allegro (Allegro Venture Partners) and Ralph Mack (Mack Capital), Tom Meredith, and Adam Ross. The company said the funding will go towards aggressive growth of the company....Continue →

Houston has ranked number one for engineering jobs, in a report from job listings site Monster.com this morning, with both Dallas and Austin also seeing a high ranking. According to Monster, the online job board service, it ranked the top engineering job opportunities by location, and found that Houston had the highest volume of engineering jobs listed nationally in the past 120 days. Houston even beat out San Jose, California, for the number of opportunities....Continue →