Thursday, April 26, 2012

Google Sells SketchUp

SketchUp, the 3D modeling tool owned by Google--which started its life as a software product of Boulder-based @Last Software--has been sold. Google said Thursday that it is selling off the SketchUp team and technology to Trimble, a maker of GPS, geospatial, and other software and hardware. Financial details of the move were not disclosed. The SketchUp team said the move would help it better focus on its "core communities", including those in the architecture, engineering and construction industries. The move brings SketchUp back to its origins at @Last, where it had originally been targeted at those industries before becoming part of Google's move to bolster 3D modeling in Google Earth. @Last was acquired by Google in March of 2006.