Wednesday, March 9, 2005Napster Rolls Out Free Music TourLos Angeles-based Napster is aggressively promoting its music download service with a multi-city tour. The company said that it will give away free music and MP3 and music players in New York, Austin, Los Angeles, and Nashville as it looks to drum up interest in its music download service. The tour comes as multiple music download services jockey for mindshare, drafting the success of Apple's ITunes service. The new Napster is the result of the purchase of the defunct file swapping service's bra (More info...)
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Kyocera, Alienware Co-Develop Gaming AccessoriesSan Diego-based Kyocera Wireless is in a deal with Alienware to develop gaming accessories for Kyocera wireless phones. The two companies said that Alienware will product accessories for Kyocera that will allow for a true gaming experience on Kyocera CDMA phones. Alienware is known for its unique, gaming focused desktop PCs. The companies said the first in their line of co-branded products will be shown this month. Kyocera acquired Qualcomm's CDMA wireless phone business in 2000.
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Report: Yahoo Targeting iTunesCNET's News.com is reporting that Yahoo is in preparation to launch a web music store and music player to compete against Apple's immensely successful ITunes service. The new service will reportedly be run out of its Santa Monica entertainment group, and leverage assets that the search engine giant gained in its purchase of San Diego-based MusicMatch. Yahoo recently renamed its Los Angeles-based Launch unit to Yahoo Music. News.com cites sources saying that the new service will be launched by th (More info...)
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Digital Map Products Finds $1.4MLos Angeles-based Digital Map Products has raised $1.4M in Series C funding for its Internet-based mapping service for government and private sector organizations. The funding came was led by members of the Kieretsu Forum, a local angel investor group. Funding came from the forum's Westlake, Los Angeles, Long Beach, and Bay Area chapters. Digital Map Products said it now has over 25,000 registered users from over 100 client organizations. The company said that the funding will go towards additio (More info...)
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Netifice Raises $55MCosta Mesa-based Netifice Communications said yesterday that it has raised $55M and acquired the Managed SSL VPN Business from Aventail. The provider of IP Virtual private Network solutions raised this round of funding from Columbia Capital, Boston Millennia Partners, Dolphin Equity partners, and HIG Capital, along with new investors Fidelity Ventures and Rho Ventures. Netifice provides IP VPN services including SSL, IPsec, and MPLS to corporate customers. Netifice said that it will operate the (More info...)
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Broadcom Acquires ZeevoIrvine-based Broadcom has acquired Santa Clara-based Bluetooth headset semiconductor startup Zeevo for $32M. The cash and stock deal was announced Monday. Broadcom will expand its line of semiconductors for the wireless headset market, complementing its existing Bluetooth solutions for mobile phone and PCs. Zeevo's Bluetooth stereo headset chips are provide high quality noise cancellation and all-CMOS integrated RF, and is used by manufacturers such as Logitech for their Bluetooth headsets. Vent (More info...)
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