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Yahoo buys content-speeding startup PeerCDN

In line with its focus on the stuff users read and view, the Internet giant acquires a "content delivery network" to help with its media efforts.

Richard Nieva Former senior reporter
Richard Nieva was a senior reporter for CNET News, focusing on Google and Yahoo. He previously worked for PandoDaily and Fortune Magazine, and his writing has appeared in The New York Times, on CNNMoney.com and on CJR.org.
Richard Nieva
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If you're keeping tabs on Yahoo's shopping spree, here is another one to add to the list. On Tuesday, the Web server aide PeerCDN announced on its Web site that it had been acquired by Yahoo.

The startup hosts a peer-to-peer network that helps people exchange content like pictures and downloads (The CDN in the company's name stands for "content delivery network," naturally). The idea is to smooth out the delivery of those resources to create fast response times and lower bandwidth costs.

The acquisition is a little different than many of the other Yahoo buyouts that have been announced in recent weeks. While many of those were very consumer facing, like online video companies Evntlive and Ptch, this one is a more technical grab. It does, however, fit in thematically with the company's focus on content.

Yahoo confirmed the acquisition to CNET, saying that three of PeerCDN's engineers have joined Yahoo's "media organization" at the tech giant's headquarters in Sunnyvale, Calif. "The team has a solid background in domain expertise and a passion for video that makes them a perfect fit for Yahoo," said a spokesperson.