Tuesday, September 16, 2008DATAllegro Acquisition CompletesAliso Viejo-based DATAllegro is now officially part of Microsoft, Microsoft said Tuesday, and will become part of Microsoft's SQL Server offering. Microsoft, which announced its acquisition of DATAllegro in July, said that it will retain most of DATAllegro's team and headquarters in Aliso Viejo, and make it a "Center of Excellence" for data warehousing. DATAllegro's CEO, Stuart Frost, remains with Microsoft, as well as what Microsoft describes as a majority of its key executives. Financial terms (More info...)
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Bestofmedia Buys Computing.netCulver City-based Bestofmedia Group, publisher of gadget and electronics blog site Tom's Guide, has acquired Computing.net, a provider of high tech information and technical support. Financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed. Computing.NET offers online tutorials, knowledge bases and other information for both computer users and It professionals. According to Bestofmedia, Computing.Net is now part of Tom's Guide. Bestofmedia Group is backed by Index Ventures with $35M in funding; the (More info...)
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RealGifts Targets Facebook MonetizationSan Diego-based RealGifts has a new take on earning dollars from Facebook applications: allowing users to purchase real, tangible items from the popular social networking site. According to RealGifts, the firm has just rolled out a new application programming interface (API) which allows other Facebook Application developers to integrate its services. The API is an extension of the firm's own Facebook application, which allows users to select and buy real gifts which show up both as "virtual" gi (More info...)
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Cognition Trumpets Semantic MappingLos Angeles-based Cognition Technologies, a provider of search engine technology, claimed Tuesday that it has created the "world's largest semantic map of the English language." The firm said that the information is being used as part of its technology for helping to improve search results and to personalize and filter content. Cognition -- which is backed by Tim Draper, Draper Associates, Fingerhut Ventures, and the firm's CEO, Scott Jarus -- develops software which looks to understand English (More info...)
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SOA Software Teams With CompuwareLos Angeles-based SOA Software, which develops software for the enterprise SOA market, said today that the firm has partnered with Compuware, a provider of software and services for the IT market. According to the firms, the two will partner on accelerating adoption of mainframe SOA. SOA software develops products used to manage and build service-oriented-architecture (SOA) projects; Compuware will provide expertise and services in the mainframe industry. SOA is a set of standards based on XML a (More info...)
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SolarReserve Raises $140MSanta Monica-based SolarReserve, a developer of utility-scale, renewable energy solar power plants, said today that it has raised $140M in a Series B funding round. The firm said the funding was led by the renewable energy private equity group within Citi Alternative Investments, Sustainable Development Investments (SDI), and Good Energies, along with US Renewables Group, PCG Clean Energy & Technology Fund, Nimes Capital, and Credit Suisse. SolarReserve said it is looking to build more than 5,00 (More info...)
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International Rectifier Rejects Takeover BidEl Segundo-based International Rectifier said this morning that it has rejected a revised takeover bid from Vishay, saying that Vishay's $23.00 per share offer for the firm "significantly undervalues the future prospects of the Company." IR had originally received a $1.6 billion, unsolicited offer from Vishay in early August for the company. IR said in a statement that it believes Vishay's offer is "not in the best interests of Interntional Rectifier and its stockholders." In addition to the uns (More info...)
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Tsavo Buys BetterPPCSanta Monica-based Tsavo Media, the startup headed by former Userplane CEO Michael Jones, said today that it has acquired Better Inc, the SEO and pay-per-click marketing software firm headed by Ben Padnos. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. Better Inc.'s technology uses technology to help set up, manage, optimize, and report on pay-per-click campaigns for small and medium businesses. According to Tsavo, Better provides SEO and PPC management to such clients at Paramount, Dreamworks, (More info...)
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Sequenom Licenses Prenatal Diagnostics TechnologySan Diego-based Sequenom said today that it has acquired the rights to intellectual property from The Chinese University of Hong Kong, in the area of digital PCR and other prenatal diagnostics. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. Sequenom develops genetic analysis products used for noninvasive prenatal diagnostics, biomedical research, and medical research. According to the firm, the deal gives the firm exclusive worldwide rights, excluding Hong Kong, to the diagnostic test, which he (More info...)
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Language Weaver Gets Customer Win, Expands Commercial FocusLos Angeles-based automated translation software firm Language Weaver said Monday that the firm has been selected by a provider of translation and dictionary software, Babylon ltd., and also expanded its focus on markets beyond the government. The firm said that Babylon Ltd. is using Language Weaver to power an online consumer translation product. Financial impact of the deal was not disclosed. Separately, Language Weaver said that it is expanding in the commercial market with a new focus on web (More info...)
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