Thursday, October 2, 2008GumGum Partners With Glam MediaSanta Monica-based GumGum said Wednesday that the firm has inked a partnership with Glam Media and Splash News. According to GumGum, it will provide Glam's publishing network with free access to entertainment from Splash News, which is a major provider of celebrity and paparazzi photos. GumGum said it will provide ad-supported photos to sites on Glam's network, which includes over 600 publishers, and share ad revenue with those publishers using photos from Splash News. GumGum is venture backed b (More info...)
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Avaak Raises $7MSan Diego-based Avaak, which is developing wireless video networking technology, said Thursday that it has raised $7M in a Series A funding. The round was led by Trinity Ventures, and also included investments by InterWest Partners and Leapfrog Ventures. According to Avaak, the funding will go towards product development, marketing, and sales. Avaak uses wireless mesh networking technology in connection with video to help consumers and small businesses monitor their homes and offices. The firm's (More info...)
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MP3tunes' Robertson Claims Legal WinMichael Robertson, the former founder of MP3.com and CEO of San Diego-based MP3tunes, an online music storage service, is claiming a win this morning in a lawsuit filed against Robertson by EMI. According to Robertson in an email, the court has dismissed claims against Robertson, who had been named personally in addition to MP3tunes, for copyright infringement related to the firm's service for storing music online. Robertson said the dismissal clears the way for the case against MP3tunes to proc (More info...)
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EI Solutions Acquired By SuntechPasadena-based EI Solutions, the solar power integrator arm of Idealab-backed Energy Innovations, has been acquired by a Chinese photovoltaic module manufacturer, Suntech Power Holdings. Financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed. According to Suntech, it is will rename EI Solutions as Suntech Energy Solutions. The new unit will be headed by Andrew Beebe, current president of EI Solutions. EI Solutions was a wholly owned subsidiary of Energy Innovations, which is backed by Idealab, M (More info...)
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Materia Lands Army Funding For Fuel AdditivePasadena-based Materia has scored Army funding for a program focused on developing fire resistant fuel additives, the firm announced Wednesday. Materia, which is commercializing olefin metathesis catalyst technology developed at Caltech, said that the funding is going towards technology to provide greater fire protection for fuel tanks. Materia explained that enemy combatants currently target fuel tanks with their improved explosive devices (IEDs) and small munitions, in hopes of creating a fuel (More info...)
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Panda Security Buys German FranchiseGlendale-based Panda Security, a developer of IT security software, said earlier this week that it has acquired its franchise in Germany. Financial terms of the buy were not disclosed. According to Panda, the move is part of a plan to reach into strategic markets and consolidate its position in Europe. According to Panda, the German franchise includes offices in Dusseldorf, Munich, and Hamburg. Panda also has subsidiaries in Spain, France, Germany, Japan, Holland, Belgium, and the United States, (More info...)
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YouMail Inks Deal With Montana Wireless FirmAliso Viejo-based YouMail has inked a relationship with a Montana-based wireless firm, SmartCall LLC, the firm disclosed Thursday. According to YouMail, SmartCall, which runs Ismart Mobile, a wireless carrier in Bozeman, Montana, will provide its customers with free cell phone voicemail services based on YouMail. YouMail said SmartCall will launch its voice and data services at the first quarter of 2009. Financial details of the agreement was not disclosed. YouMail is a venture-backed provider o (More info...)
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inQ Adds Stiefler To BoardAgoura Hills-based inQ said this week that it has added former Digital Insight CEO Jeff Stiefler as Chairman of the company's board of directors. Stiefler is a venture partner at Emergence Capital, which is also an investor in inQ. inQ provides outsourced, online chat services which are used to help companies improve sales conversions. According to inQ, the firm is looking to bring its services--which are being used by telecommunications firms to boost their online sales--to large banks and fina (More info...)
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RealD Names Marketing HeadLos Angeles-based RealD, a developer of 3D cinema technology, said late Wednesday that it has appointed Kristina Warner as the firm's Vice President of Marketing. RealD said that Warner joins the firm from New Line Cinema, where she was VP of exhibitor relations. Warner has also served at Columbia Pictures International. RealD develops 3d projection technology, which is used to show 3D movies.
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Interview with Alex Aydin, IcanbuyIn what looks like what might be one of the worst real estate markets in recent memory, one which has been driven by homeowners buying much more of a home than they could afford and not being able to pay their mortgage, we were quite surprised the other day to run across a new company, Santa Ana-based icanbuy (www.icanbuy.com) looking to help consumers find what kind of a home loan they could afford. Then, we spoke to the firm's founder, Alex Aydin, and discovered that he wasn't just your usual (More info...)
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