Thursday, June 26, 2008Gizmo5 Taps JAJAH For Termination ServicesSan Diego-based Gizmo5, the voice-over-IP firm headed by former MP3.com founder Michael Robertson, has tied into fellow voice-over-IP provider JAJAH for call termination. According to JAJAH, its platform is being used by Gizmo5 for all call termination, as well as customer care and billing. Financial details of the arrangement were not announced. Gizmo5, which was previously known as SIPphone, develops the Gizmo Project, which is a open source instant messaging and VoIP project. The firm's softp (More info...)
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Blizzard Looks To Security Tokens For World of WarcraftIrvine-based Blizzard Entertainment, which operates the popular online massively multiplayer online game World of Warcraft, has taken an interesting take on problems with hacking into its online game. The firm said today that it has added a keychain security device (known in the industry as a "key fob") which generates a unique, six-digit security code which can be used to validate signing into the World of Warcraft game. The device--which is designed to attached to a keychain--uses the code in (More info...)
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SYS Technologies Gets Approval On MergerSan Diego-based SYS Technologies, a provider of communications products for the Department of Defense and other government agencies, said Thursday that its shareholders have approved a merger with Kratos Defense and Security Solutions. SYS Technologies had previously announced its merger with Kratos in February, in a stock transaction worth roughly $50M. Kratos Defense & Security Solutions is a provider of engineering, IT services, and other services to the national security customers.
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EQAL Hires VP From Mark Burnett ProductionsLos Angeles-based EQAL, the digital entertainment company founded by the creators of lonelygirl15, said today that they have hired James Sterling as Senior Vice President of Business Affairs and Operations. Sterling joins the firm from Mark Burnett Productions, the production company behind The Apprentice, Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader, and other reality television shows. Sterling previously oversal business and legal matters for Mark Burnett Productions. EQAL was founded by Miles Beckett a (More info...)
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Interview with Matt Dusig, United SampleOur interview today is with Matt Dusig, CEO of United Sample (www.unitedsample.com), an Encino-based startup focused on the online polling and surveying space. Matt and his partner Gregg Lavin were the founders of goZing, which they sold to Greenfield Online in 2005. Matt told us a bit about the new firm, what it's up to, and why he decided to start another online surveying firm, and told us a bit more about the firm's recent venture round.
What's the idea behind United Sample?
Matt Dusig: (More info...)
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SpaceX Tests Falcon 1 RocketHawthorne-based SpaceX, the high profile, commercial spaceflight operation funded by Paypal founder Elon Musk, said today that it has completed a successful static test firing of its Falcon 1 rocket. According to the firm, it conducted a full launch dress rehearsal and hold down firing of its launch vehicle yesterday, in preparation for a launch of its rocket sometime between July and early September. The test comes ahead of the firm's third attempt at launching its rocket; two prior launch test (More info...)
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MySpace, NBC, MSNBC Team On Convention ContestLos Angeles-based social networking web site MySpace, NBC News, and msnbc.com said today that they have teamed on an online video creation contest focused on the Republican and Democratic Conventions. According to the firms, MySpace users will be invited to submit short video pieces on "Why do you vote" and similar topics, with those videos being whittled down to five finalists, one of whom will be send to the Democratic National Convention in Colorado, and the other to attend the Republican Nat (More info...)
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United Sample Raises Series A FundingLos Angeles-based United Sample, a firm which provides online polling services to market research companies, said today that it has launched and closed a Series A round of venture capital financing. Amount of the financing was not disclosed. The round was led by DFJ Frontier. United Sample is the newest venture of Matthew Dusig and Gregg Lavin, who founded goZing.com; the firm sold goZing in 2005 to Greenfield Online for $30M. The firm also said that it has hired four new executives to the firm. (More info...)
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