Intel's Buying Nvidia, The Pirate Bay's Going Legit, and 8 Other Tech Stories We All Got Wrong

Posted 05/07/2012 at 11:02am | by Seamus Bellamy

If there's one thing that those of us in the tech media love, it's to whip ourselves into a frenzy over a juicy rumor. It doesn't matter that the source of the rumor is someone's second cousin who knows a guy who works in an Apple Store in Tuscon, Arizona; all that matters is that nobody wants to miss out on the next big story.

The predictable downside is that a lot of the time those rumors turn out to be false. Presented here, for your consideration, are 10 tech rumors from the last few years that created a huge commotion--before they turned out to be BS.

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10 Tech Rumors That Proved Wrong

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Facebook to buy Twitter:
According to the Wall Street Journal, in February of 2011, Facebook was in talks to buy out Twitter to the tune of $10 billion. If it happened, no one bothered to tell us. Instead, Facebook ended up buying Instagram for a much more reasonable $1 billion.
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Turning on CERN's Large Hadron Collider could destroy the planet:
Sadly, taxes, The Kardashians, and the KFC Double Down Sandwich are still here. Nothing but sweet, sweet science was created when the LHC was turned on for the first time back in 2008. Too bad. We could have been spared having to watch that Green Lantern movie last summer.
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Duke Nukem Forever Is Finally Dead:
After spending so many years as vaporware, it was almost a relief when 3D Realms closed down, and we all believed that DNF had been one long fever dream. Unfortunately for us all, Duke wasn't really dead.
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Gizmondo Part Two:
Back in 2005, the Gizmondo handheld gaming system’s features were ahead of its time, which because of the technical constraints of the day, made it something of a flaming turd. In 2008, a company called Plextek was said to be working hard to bring it back. We’re still waiting patiently…
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Intel to purchase Nvidia:
We hate each other! Want to make out a bit? That pretty much sums up the rumor that Intel was going to buy Nvidia. The scuttlebutt about the acquisition cropped up back in 2009. Three years later, Nvidia's still its own boss.
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iPhone 5:
Apple fanboys were positive that when the iPhone 5 was released last year, it would feature edge-to-edge glass, a new teardrop shaped case and the answer to all of their most secret dreams. How's that iPhone 4S tasting, kids? Maybe the rumors will be right this year... or not.
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The Pirate Bay's Gonna Go Legit:
Sure they are. We couldn't help but guffaw at back when it was being whispered that Global Gaming Factory was going to buy the infamous p2p file sharing site for $10 million and turn it into a legal, legitimate pay per use download service. Pirates can't be bought, savvy? They be taking what they want. Yar.
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Samsung to Buy RIM:
Research in Motion was *the* name in smartphones until Apple and Google came along and drank their milkshake. Earlier this year, it was rumoured that Samsung was looking to buy out the browbeaten Canadian tech company. RIM has shot those rumours down in recent weeks, and seems determined to go it alone... for now at least.
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Steam Box:
In February, everyone was talking about the possibility of Valve releasing a Steam-branded home gaming console called the Steam Box. A PC-centric gaming device for the living room? Yes please! Sadly, it turns out that we all thought might be the Steam Box was only a device set up to test Steams new UI. Boo.
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Apple to buy Tivo:
Apple was planning to get into TV before the AppleTV was even a glint in Steve Jobs' eye. Back in 2005, it was rumored that the Cupertino-based company was interested in buying Tivo. It never happened, and man, we're all the better for it.

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Intel's Buying Nvidia, The Pirate Bay's Going Legit, and 8 Other Tech Stories We All Got Wrong

10 Tech Rumors That Proved Wrong

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