Big companies eat things

The rate at which the giants of the internet are hoovering up minnows is phenomenal but consistent, which is why it's perhaps not worth writing up each acquisition as a full-blown front page splash. Here's a few of the latest from the last couple of days:

Google eats Panoramio

You know that layer in Google Earth which lets you see photos taken at various locations? The company which provides that is a Spanish startup called Panoramio - now it's part of Google itself.

News Corp eats Photobucket

More photo stuff. King Rupert (Murdoch, not Goodwins, obviously) has snaffled Photobucket, which often provides image hosting for his other online plaything, MySpace.

eBay eats StumbleUpon

That clever little toolbar which helps you randomly wander around the extremities of the interweb? Hands off - it's eBay's now.