Wednesday, April 7, 2010


Boingo Wireless: iPad Already Popular Device At Airports
Los Angeles-based Boingo Wireless, which operates a network of Wi-Fi access points, reported Wednesday that the Apple iPad--four days after launch--is now the second most popular, non-laptop device accessing its airport network. The firm said iPads have displaced Android devices as the second most popular device. The most popular, non-laptop device, with 90 percent of connections at Boingo's airports, is the Apple iPhone. Android phones only represent 2.5 percent of accesses to the firm's airpor (More info...)
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Druva Raises Funding, Heads to Santa Monica
Druva Software, a developer of continuous data protection and disaster recovery products, announced today that it has raised $5M in a Series A funding round, and will be setting up its corporate headquarters in Santa Monica. According to Druva, the funding came from Sequoia Capital and the Indian Angel Network (IAN). Druva's research and development operations are in Pune, India, and the firm currently lists its U.S. offices in Santa Clara, however, CEO and founder Jaspreet Singh said its office (More info...)
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Spark Networks Rejects Buyout Offer
Beverly Hills-based online dating operator Spark Networks said late Tuesday that it has rejected the bid from Great Hill Equity Partners, III, to purchase the firm. According to Spark, it will continue to consider "all other strategic alternatives" available to the company. Great Hill had made an unsolicited bid for Spark in early March, saying it would pay $3.10 per share for all of the shares of common stock not owned by Great Hill. The deal would have valued Spark at around $64M.
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Twiistup Goes Upscale With The Retreat
Twiistup, known for its lavish Los Angeles technology networking conferences, announced today that it has launched a new, invite-only event called The Retreat. According to Twiistup, the new event will be co-hosted by by David Hornik of August Capital and Andy Sack of The Founder's Co-op, and will be limited to 85 people by invitation or application only. The event is scheduled for Dana Point, June 16-18th. Francisco Dao, who organizes Twiistup, said the exclusive event is somewhat patterned aft (More info...)
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Report: Veoh Assets Go To Qlipso
The assets of ill-fated online video site Veoh have reportedly been sold to 2Peer Ltd., operator of media site Qlipso, according to a report from VentureWire. Details on the sale have not been released. Qlipso lists its headquarters in Los Angeles, and the firm says it is backed by Jeruslem Venture Partners, with links to Israel. Qlipso is headed by former Foundation 9 Entertainment co-founder Jon Goldman. Veoh filed for bankruptcy in February, after burning through over $70M in venture funding (More info...)
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Pictage Shifts To Monthly Subscriptions
Torrance-based Pictage.com, which operates an online service for helping professional and wedding photographers market and sell their photos, announced today that it has opened up new monthly subscription plans for the service. According to the company, it is now offering three new monthly plans for its users, including a Starter, $19.00 per month plan; Premium, $49.00 per month plan; and a Pro, $99.00 a month plan featuring different product options, services, and support. Pictage previously of (More info...)
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CyberDefender In International Deal with Guthy-Renker
Los Angeles-based security software developer CyberDefender reported today that it has expanded its relationship wtih direct marketing firm GR Match, an affiliate of Guthy-Renker, where GR Match will gain international and domestic distribution rights to the firm's line of antivirus and Internet security products. According to CyberDefender, the deal calls for it to receive a royalty, on a product-by-product basis, for annual subscriptions and annual renewals by end users. CyberDefender said tha (More info...)
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Jirbo Claims iPad App Download Surge
Los Angeles-based Jirbo, which develops iPhone and iPod Touch games, said today that it has seen more than 100,000 iPad application downloads since this weekend, when Apple released its newest device. According to Jirbo, a number of its titles are iPad specific--including Doons, Paper Football, Break, and Slider--and include a mix of both free and paid applications. Jirbo said it is seeing over one million iPhone/iPod touch app downloads per month. Jirbo is headed by Jonathan Zweig, and quietly (More info...)
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Eucalyptus Ties With Groundwork
Santa Barbara-based Eucalyptus Systems, a provider of software for managing cloud computing, has tied with GroundWork Open Source, a developer of open source network and systems management software. According to the firms, they have partnered to provide monitoring and management of applications running in Eucalyptus private cloud environments. Financial details of the partnership were not disclosed. Eucalyptus is venture backed by Benchmark Capital and BV Capital, and is now headed by former My (More info...)
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Solera Holdings Buys Market Scan
San Diego-based Solera Holdings, a provider of software and services for the automobile insurance claims processing industry, announced this morning that it has acquired Market Scan Holdings B.V., a provider of data analytics and software for the Dutch insurance industry. Financial terms of the buy were not disclosed. Solera said the buy will expand its product bundle in the Netherlands and other markets.
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Inphi Expands In The UK
Westlake Village-based Inphi Corporation, a developer of high speed semiconductors, announced today that it has opened up operations in the United Kingdom, with a new design center. According to Inphi, the new design center will help its accelerate research and development of hgih speed interface devices targeted at 100 Gbps networks. As part of the new center, Inphi said it has appointed Mike Harwood as Director of Inphi United Kingdom; Harwood was co-founder of HSZ Consulting, and was an archi (More info...)
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Arrowhead Adds Nobel Prize Winner To Advisory Board
Pasadena-based Arrowhead Research Corporation announced today that it has added Nobel Prize winner Dr. Lee Hartwell to its Scientific Advisory Board. Hartwell, President of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, received the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 2001. According to Arrowhead, Hartwell will help the firm focus its strategy and extend its scientific reach. Arrowhead is commercializing technology in the area of nanotechnology, including carbon nanotube technology through subsidiary Unidym (More info...)
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