Plus the banks can save capital because through a combined clearing platform for derivatives.

FORBES: Promises, Promises -- NYSE and Nasdaq Duel on Hypothetical Savings

Its second quarter of Windows 8 and RT sales involved a big year-to-year jump as well, but it was also starting largely from scratch -- the combined Windows platform was still tiny at 3.7 percent.

ENGADGET

He had the technical skills needed to solve this problem and started to build the first traffic platform that combined GPS technology with open source software.

FORBES: Would $500 Million Waze Buy Save Apple Maps?

They believe that the combined organisation will have a stronger platform and greater resources to invest in rich content, new digital publishing models and high-growth emerging markets.

ENGADGET: Penguin and Random House merge, promise a brave new e-book future

The combined technical capabilities of the ConnecTV platform provide a unique social and content user experience designed to transform television into a highly interactive second screen experience, in tandem with a live or time-shifted program.

ENGADGET: ConnecTV officially launches, gives you more ways to bug your buddies

"Through this merger, iControl and uControl have combined our respective strengths to deliver the best platform for the broadband home management market, " said Paul Dawes, co-CEO of iControl.

ENGADGET: iControl and uControl engage in home automation merger, domestic disputes seem inevitable

With Pandora 4.0 we have combined years of innovation and learning into one cross-platform app that sets a new standard for mobile personalized radio.

ENGADGET: Pandora app gets major redesign on Android and iOS with new social features

The importance of the Web browser is that, combined with Java, a software language which can run on any platform and which was developed by another of Microsoft's rivals, Sun Microsystems, it may become a rival to the Windows operating system.

ECONOMIST: Microsoft��s browser