Google buys Israeli start-up

            Google has made its first Israeli purchase. Lab Pixies, a start-up that develops widgets such as games, translating programs, calculators, and calendars for personalized internet platforms such as iGoogle, the Android smartphone, and the iphone was bought by the internet giant for what many believe to be around $25 million. Google stated that Lab Pixies sees cloud-based application development as the "beating heart" of its business, which makes it an attractive purchase for the company's research and development center in Israel. "Lab Pixies is known for its cloud-based applications, which allow thousands of developers to create applications for users throughout the world, and its purchase will allow us to join forces and continue creating developments for surfers together," Google Israel stated. "We believe that the addition of this talented team will allow us to strengthen internet platforms and make them more attractive than ever," said Prof. Yossi Matias, who heads Google's research and development center in Tel Aviv. "Google believes in Israeli renewal and creativity, and we will continue to strive for cooperation with local companies and start-ups in the future." Investments in Lab Pixies amount to just $2 million in all since it was established. Those who stand to gain the most from the purchase are the four founders of the company, Ran Ben Yair, Oded Pontash, Udi Graf, and Nir Tzemach. (09,12)