BRIEF: Tech company forays into software [San Jose Mercury News]

Dec. 12--INCREASINGLY, Technology Companies -- including many that traditionally have sold computer-related equipment -- are investing heavily in software. Here are several examples.

--Intel (INTC): The Santa Clara chipmaker has bought 14 software companies and added thousands of software specialists to its ranks since 2004.

--Cisco Systems (CSCO): Nine of the past 10 companies snapped up by the San Jose computer networking giant have been software firms and it has vowed to double its $6 billion in annual software revenue over the next three to five years.

--Hewlett-Packard (HPQ): Known primarily for its printer and personal computer products, the Palo Alto corporation has bought a number of software companies in recent years, including Autonomy, for which it now admits it paid more than $5 billion too much.

--Dell: Hoping to revitalize its business, the Texas computer maker also has been acquiring software companies and it announced in February the creation of a software division to "help catalyze our transformation."

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