These Are The Top Acquisitions Of Big Tech Companies

Facebook's (NASDAQ:

) acquisition of WhatsApp for $19 billion earlier this year caused quite a stir, but that's only been the fourth biggest acquisition so far this year, according to a new infographic from Finances Online. Comcast (NASDAQ:

) offered more than double that amount — $45 billion, to be exact — to buy Time Warner Cable (NYSE:

). Other big bidders this year include global pharmaceutical-maker Activis (NYSE:

) and Charter Communications (NASDAQ:

). Companies acquire startups for a number of reasons, from acquiring technology to inheriting prized employees. Google (NASDAQ:

) tends to be a big spender, throwing down billions of dollars for property and equipment, while Apple's (NASDAQ:

) acquisitions are often smaller and less publicized.

Check out the full infographic here: