Welcome to the Tech Mem Ride Home for Thursday, April 16th, 2020.

I'm Brian McCullough.

Today, the video conferencing space is so hot.

We're getting steamy M&A action now.

Apple wants to get stylish with over-the-ear headphones.

Robin Hood bucks a couple of trends with a new round raised

and is Facebook's Libra just going to drop like a stone at this point.

Here's what you missed today in the world of tech.

Yeah, there really is a new COVID-era horse race going on. Verizon has agreed to buy video conferencing company Blue Jeans Network for less than $500 million. If you are unfamiliar with the horses in

this new race, Blue Jeans was the video conferencing tool that for a brief period of about

six months, maybe three or four years ago, a lot of companies were suddenly using.

I'm not saying that people stopped using it. I'm just saying that about six months ago suddenly everyone was using Zoom and then the virus hit and then

Zoom became the thing and you you remember all that you're up to date anyway quoting

the journal the deal announced Thursday is part of an effort to

bolster Verizon's business group as the carrier rolls out faster 5G networks and

pitches new applications of wireless technology to its largest corporate

customers.

The conferencing service gives the carrier the ability to help its corporate customers build

telemedicine, remote learning, and virtual training services, said Tammy Irwin, head of Verizon's business unit.

The Platform Security and Integration with Workplace Collaboration Tools like Microsoft Teams was part of its

appeal, she added.

Blue Jeans, the company's brand name, is aimed at businesses rather than consumer

...