Monday, August 14, 2006Userplane's Mike Jones Speaks on AOL AcquisitionAOL announced that it was acquiring Los Angeles-based Userplane (www.userplane.com) this morning, adding Userplane's many instant messaging, chat, and community tools to its lineup of services. We spoke with Mike Jones, CEO and founder of Userplane, on his thoughts behind the acquisition and what it means to the firm. (Photo courtesy of Martin Schaedel)
Ben Kuo: Congrats on the acquisition! Can you talk a bit about your thoughts behind the sale, and why you decided to sell now?
Mike Jones: (More info...)
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Microfabrica Finds $8M Strategic RoundVan Nuys-based Microfabrica said this morning that it has closed an $8M Series C venture capital round in what it calls a strategic financing. The round was led by Draper Fisher Jurvetson, and also included its existing investors, DynaFund Ventures, Partech International, ChevronTexaco Venture Equities, Zone Ventures, and Atherton venture Partners. The company said that this round will be used primarily to expand its fabrication facility in van Nuys and to increase manufacturing capacity. Microf (More info...)
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AOL Buys UserplaneAOL said this morning that it has acquired Los Angeles-based Userplane, a provider of software for social networking and community networking web sites. Financial terms were not disclosed. AOL said that the acquisition would expand and extend the relevance of AOL's instant messaging franchise. Userplane provides instant messaging and functionality to MySpace.com, Honda, Date.com, Spark, IGN, and other sites. Userplane's 12 employees will continue tob e based in Los Angeles, and will be a wholly- (More info...)
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Internet2 Speed Record Team Launches StartupFor the last three years, a group of researchers have been breaking the Internet world network speed records every year at the SuperComputing Bandwidth Challenge. Last year, that group showed a demonstration of an astounding 100 gigabit per second sustained speed, and 131 gigabits per second peak transfer speeds -- enough for transmitting five feature-length DVD movies on the Internet from one location to another in a single second, or the equivalent of serving 10,000 MPEG2 HDTV movies simultane (More info...)
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Fox, Twentieth Century Adds Film, TV Downloads To MySpaceFox Interactive Media and Twentieth Century Fox are adding television and film downloads to Fox Interactive Media's network, which includes the popular MySpace.com social networking site. The firms said this morning that Fox will add films and television content for download-to-own to its web sites. The service will include content such as the films "X-Men The Last Stand" and "The Omen", and TV shows "24" and "Prison Break". The service will initially launch on IGN Entertainment's Direct2Drive s (More info...)
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Entrepreneur To Pay $2.86M For Wiki DomainSan Diego-based MindTouch, a firm that launched its commercial Wiki software last month, said this morning that it is partnering with the entrepreneur who just purchased Wiki.com for $2.86M. The firm said that it has partnered with John Gotts, an entrepreneur who the firm said committed to purchase Wiki.com, to help consumers learn about, create, and share wiki sites. Gotts, who is also the owner of Adware.com and Searching.com, recently made headlines for his multi-million dollar purchase of th (More info...)
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j2 Looks Into Stock Option Grants, Delays 10-Q FilingLos Angeles-based j2 Global Communications said Friday that it has established a special committee of outside directors, as it launched an internal review of its option grant process. j2 joins a growing list of Southern California high tech companies who are either looking at their own stock options grants, or who are under investigation by the SEC for options backdating. j2 said that the special committee would perform an independent investigation. As a result, j2 said that it would delay the f (More info...)
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Strix Scores Win In ChinaCalabasas-based Strix Systems, a provider of wireless mesh networking systems, has scored a win in Beijing. Strix said that the Beijing Public Security Bureau has deploed the firm's outdoor and indoor wireless systems to provide mesh networking in the Xicheng district of Beijin. The network will be used for public security, and for the ucoming 2008 Olympics. Strix is developing wireless mesh networking products, and is backed by CMEA, Crosslink, El Dorado Ventures, Palomar Ventures, UV Partners, (More info...)
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Ingram Micro Adds Services To MixSanta Ana-based computer distributor Ingram Micro is adding services to its lineup, saying today that it has formed a new North American Services Division. The company said its new division is focused on helping U.S. and Canadian solutions firms develop and grow their professional IT services business. Ingram will provide professional IT labor services, warranty contract management and renwal services, and managed services. Ingram Micro is a distributor of computer equipment and products to val (More info...)
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Xirrus Appoints Two VPsWestlake Village-based Xirrus, a manufacturer of Wi-Fi networking equipment, said today that it has named two new vice presidents. Xirrus has added Alan Amrod as VP of Marketing of the firm, and Alan Hahn as VP of Sales for the company. Amrod was most recently VP of Marketing for Ixia, and has also served at Alcatel and Xylan. Hahn was most recently at LogLogic, and has also served at Tumbleweed Communications, Corvigo, and Telelogic. Xirrus develops WiFi switch technology that provides higher d (More info...)
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