Facebook announced its first acquisition today – a low-profile and unlaunched Web OS startup by Firefox founders’ Blake Ross and Joe Hewitt called Parakey – for an undisclosed sum (tens of millions?).

This doesn’t sound that big until you note that Blake Ross launched Firefox, the open-source browser that seriously threatens Internet Explorer. Parakey is focused on the space between desktop and browser, and aims to move much of the action on one’s hard drive (e-mail databasing, file storage, software apps) directly in to a browser.

The obvious impact of this acquisition is the Facebook Platform. Ross and Hewitt are reportedly going to be immediately joining Facebook, and if it is anything like it sounds, we can start expecting some really cool stuff from Facebook soon.

So all of this just goes to say that Facebook will head for an IPO soon and when it does, it might be the first big signal that the tech boom is back.

Other Facebook news:

Facebook costing companies billions daily

Facebook to raise more cash

Video: Facebook “inventor”

Facebook acquires Web OS

Facebook reaches 30 million users

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