Friday, December 8, 2006DARPA Sets Robotic Race PrizesThe U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) announced this afternoon that it has set prize levels for its next race, the 2007 DARPA Urban Challenge. The robotic race will award three prizes, of $2M, $1M, and $500,000, to the first three finishers in the challenge. The awards are a change from the agency's plan to only award trophies in the race, after funding for the prizes expired. According to DARPA, the new prizes were approved by Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Tec (More info...)
posted on Friday, December 8, 2006(Full story)
Interview with Steve Grady, President and COO of RoyaltyShareRoyaltyShare (www.royaltyshare.com) is a San Diego-based company that is looking to solve the problem of managing royalties for online sales for record labels. The founding team is from eMusic, and the company is venture-backed by Trident Capital. They last closed a round of funding in July of last year. socalTECH's Ben Kuo spoke to Steve Grady, President and COO of the firm, about where it sees itself and his reflection on the record industry's transition to online sales, and the current issues (More info...)
posted on Friday, December 8, 2006(Full story)
Researchers Create DNA Logic CircuitsThe California Institute of Technology is reporting that researchers there have created DNA logic circuits that work in test tubes, paving the way for future advances in DNA computing. DNA computing, the idea of using DNA to solve complex mathematical problems and calculations, based on the way DNA intracts, has the promise of being far faster than existing silicon-based computers. In the current issue of the journal Science, a Caltech group is reporting that they have created DNA circuits that (More info...)
posted on Friday, December 8, 2006(Full story)
Spark Networks Buys Schmooz-a-PaloozaBeverly Hills-based online dating service Spark Networks said Thursday afternoon that it has acquired the assets of Stu & Lew Productions, creater of the "Schmooz-a-Palooza" event. "Schmooz-a-Palooza" is an annual Jewish holiday party held at the House of Blues every year. Spark Networks said that it will continue the event as part of its JDate online Jewish dating web site, and also expand the event to New York. Financial terms were not disclosed.
posted on Friday, December 8, 2006(Full story)
DivX Renews Google BundleSan Diego-based DivX, a provider of video decoding and compression software and technology, said today that it has extended a multi-year agreement with Google to bundle Google's Toolbar product with downloads of its DivX video software products. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. DivX said it would continue to bundle Google Toolbar, along with the Mozilla Firefox browser with its software. Google's Toolbar provides integration of Google's search services with web browsers.
posted on Friday, December 8, 2006(Full story)
CSC Buys DatatracEl Segundo-based Computer Sciences Corporation today said that it has agreed to acquired Richardson, Texas-based Datatrac Information Services, a provider of U.S. government services and solutions. Financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed. Datatrac has more than 1,800 employees and provides identity management and credentialing services for the federal government, including smart card, IT lifecycle support, records management, and other services. Datatrac will become a division of C (More info...)
posted on Friday, December 8, 2006(Full story)
Tritech Software Gets Growth InvestmentSan Diego-based TriTech Software Systems has received an investment from midmarket private equity firm WestView Capital Partners, the firm said today. Amount of the financing was not disclosed. TriTech, which develops public safety software, said WestView Capital made an investment in the firm as part of a recapitalization. Tritech develops software for the law enforcement, fire, and EMS industry, used for emergency dispatch.
posted on Friday, December 8, 2006(Full story)
Citysearch Powers Ask.com's AskCityWest Hollywood-based Citysearch said today that the firm is providing its local content to Ask.com's new local search product, AskCity, as the provider of the core content for the new site. Citysearch, which is owned by IAC/InterActiveCorp, said that the deal will extend its reach and brand to Ask's users. Ask launched its new local search site earlier this week in an attempt to expand its market share in the search arena.
posted on Friday, December 8, 2006(Full story)
PhotoSite Offers Sarah McLachlan Photo CardsWoodland Hills-based PhotoSite, a photo-sharing service operated by United Online, said yesterday that it is offering holiday photo cards featuring Sarah McLachlan. Sarah McLachlan has donated two holiday songs from her most recent holiday album as part of a promotion that also includes a $1.00 donation to Ronald McDonald House Charities for each photo card sent. PhotoSite is marketing the online photo cards as an alternative to Chritmas cards and family holiday letters. PhotoSite offers a photo (More info...)
posted on Friday, December 8, 2006(Full story)
Zetera Gets Design WinIrvine-based Zetera has scored a win for the firm's IP storage technology, saying this week that Clinical Computer Systems will use the firm's IP technology as part of its products. Clinical Computer is using Zetera's storage technology as part of a central surveillance and archiving platform used for monitoring child birth. According to Zetera, its Hammer Z-Series products replace a system that primarily used optical drives for archiving data.
posted on Friday, December 8, 2006(Full story)
SimplyHeadlines Launches Customized Email NewspaperRedondo Beach-based SimplyHeadlines has launched a customized email newspaper service, saying this week that it is offering a customized, daily email service that provides news clippings, personalized stock quotes, local weather, comics, and other features. The service pulls news from online sources in a formatted, HTML email and allows users to link to full articles. The service, which has been operating in semi-stealth mode, also pulls RSS feeds and blog posts, and supports sending summaries t (More info...)
posted on Friday, December 8, 2006(Full story)