Tuesday, December 12, 2006Interview with Jay Goss, COO, Whyville.netJay Goss is the COO of Whyville.net (www.whyville.net), an online virtual world that plays in the same space as Second Life, targeting 8-15 year olds with an educational spin. Virtual Worlds have been getting increasing attention from advertisers looking for new ways to reach their customers, and are seeing increasing interest from the Internet population at large. socalTECH's Ben Kuo talked with Jay last week about the site, its Caltech origins, Jay's views on the next frontier in Internet adv (More info...)
posted on Tuesday, December 12, 2006(Full story)
Nomadix Acquired By MagiNetNewbury Park-based Nomadix, a provider of network devices and broadband interconnects for the hospitality industry, has been acquired. MagiNet, a Singapore-based provider of technology for the industry, said this morning that it will acquire Nomadix to enhance the firm's offerings and to provide financial stability to Nomadix. Financial terms were not disclosed. MagiNet said that Nomadix will continue to operate from Newbury Park. Nomadix provides equipment used to provide and bill for broadband (More info...)
posted on Tuesday, December 12, 2006(Full story)
Red 5 Studios Scores $18.5MAliso Viejo-based Red 5 Studios, the game studio from the team that developed the World of Warcraft, has raised $18.5M in venture capital funding. Red 5 said today that the funding came from Benchmark Capital and Sierra Ventures, who co-led the Series A round. The funding will go toward creating massively multiplayer titles. According to Red 5 Studios, its first title is already under development, and will be distributed globally by Webzen.
posted on Tuesday, December 12, 2006 (More)(Full story)
Vativ Technologies Adds $10MSan Diego-based Vativ has raised an additional $10M in funding, the firm reported today, in a round led by Intel Capital. Vativ, which is developing semiconductors for the digital television market, said that all existing investors also participated. Those investors include Redpoint Venture Capital, Mission Ventures, Innocal Venture Capital, Forrest Binkley Brown, and the Viterbi Group. According to Vativ, the funding brings the total invested in the firm to around $37M. Vativ is developing DSP- (More info...)
posted on Tuesday, December 12, 2006 (More)(Full story)
Yahoo Redesigns Search Marketing PlatformYahoo's Burbank-based search advertising unit said today that its new search marketing platform is available for new customers. The new platform, code named Panama, enhances the firm's sponsored search services, and was previously rolled out to existing customers. The firm said that its new platform provides streamlined, user-friendly signup, ad-testing and optimization features. Yahoo has been in the midst of a rollout of the new system to existing customers for the last month.
posted on Tuesday, December 12, 2006(Full story)
Invitrogen Licenses Gene Synthesis ServiceCarlsbad-based Invitrogen, a provider of products and services for the life sciences industry, said today that it has invested in a Bothell, Washington-based firm, Blue Heron Biotechnology. The investment comes as part of a strategic development and distribution relationship with Blue Heron. Invitrogen will gain worldwide rights to distribute Blue Heron's custom gene sysnthesis services. Amount of the investment was not disclosed. Blue Heron's technology is used to synthesize gene sequences, and (More info...)
posted on Tuesday, December 12, 2006(Full story)
Napster Hits IrelandLos Angeles-based digital music provider Napster said today that it will debut on the Telefonica O2 mobile network in Ireland later this month. The move is part of the firm's European launch. According to Napster its catalog will be available to O2 Ireland's 1.6M subscribers through NTT DoCoMo's i-Mode, through Ericsson. The launch will be the first for Napster Mobile in the European market. Napster said that it will be expanding its service to WAP- and Java-enabled handsets early next year. Eri (More info...)
posted on Tuesday, December 12, 2006(Full story)