Monday, June 21, 2010MySpace Highlights World Cup PageLos Angeles social networking site MySpace said today that it has launched a World Cup profile page, where it is bringing together World Cup related content from the site and elsewhere on the web, and also is powering a profile page for Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo. The firm said the World Cup profile page includes live streaming feeds of matches, streaming of World Cup related Twitter and MySpace status, videos from Fox Soccer, and a number of badges which show up in user status updates, a (More info...)
posted on Monday, June 21, 2010(Full story)
Solarmer Energy Partners With NRELLos Angeles-based Solarmer Energy, the UCLA spinout which is developing flexible plastic solar panels, and the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), said today that they have signed on in a research and development deal to work on improving the lifetime of plastic solar cells. According to the firms, they will explore the lifetime and stability of the organic photovoltaic (OPV) devices that make up the energy-harvesting layers of plastic solar cells, with (More info...)
posted on Monday, June 21, 2010(Full story)
Amazon, Barnes and Noble Battle Over E-Book Reader PricingA pricing war has erupted today over electronic book readers, as Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble have begun sparring over the pricing of their e-book products. This morning, Barnes and Noble said it would sell a Wi-Fi only version of its Nook book reader for $149, and lowered the pricing of its 3G Nook to only $199. In response, Amazon.com said this afternoon that it has lowered the price of its Kindle reader to just $189, down from its previous pricing of $259. Amazon said the new pricing was e (More info...)
posted on Monday, June 21, 2010(Full story)
Thunderhead Wins Life Insurance CustomerIrvine-based Thunderhead a provider of customer communications software, said today that it has been selected by life insurance customer Dearborn National. The firm said the Worksite and Individual Solutions Division of Dearborn National selected the firm for automating the production of its insurance policies, customer and agent correspondence. Financial impact of the win was not disclosed.
posted on Monday, June 21, 2010(Full story)
Virgin America Dangles Free Flights To Twitter UsersAs part of an effort to boost visibility for an expansion of its flight schedule, Virgin America and partner Klout unveiled a plan today to give away tickets to Twitter influencers, based on how influential they are on the Internet. According to the two, they will give users a free round-trip flight between LAX and SFO to Toronto, between June 23rd and August 23rd, and wireless access on that flight, as part of a promo for its new Toronto and SFO and LAX routes. Virgin America had announced in M (More info...)
posted on Monday, June 21, 2010(Full story)
Hydra Acquired By AdknowledgeLos Angeles-based Internet advertising firm Hydra, which operates a cost-per-acquisition affiliate advertising network, has been acquired by Adknowledge, Adknowledge said this morning. Adknowledge is based in Kansas City. Financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed. Adknowledge said the acquisition will make it the largest affiliate network measured by its CPC and CPA offers. The company also said it will retain Hydra's brand in the near term, and operate it alongside its Adstation eff (More info...)
posted on Monday, June 21, 2010(Full story)
Fallbrook Technologies Wins Chinese Bus ManufacturerSan Diego-based Fallbrook Technologies, which develops continuous variable transmissions, said today that it has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Chinese bus manufacturer Chengdu Bus Company Ltd. Fallbrook said that the MOU calls for Chengdu Bus to implement its NuVinci continuously variable accessory drive (CVAD) in buses for the Chinese market. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. Fallbrook did not say when it expects those buses to go into production.
posted on Monday, June 21, 2010(Full story)
Contour Energy Expands In UKAzusa-based Contour Energy Systems, the Caltech spinout working on Flourine-based battery systems, said today that it has opened up a new limited subsidiary in the United Kingdom. Contour Energy said that the new location will provide a "strategic presence" in advance of its rollout of its commercial battery systems in Europe. The firm said that it has opened a headquarters in Midlands, UK headed by Simon Lee-Overy. Lee-Overy was previously at Energizer. Contour Energy was formerly known as CFX (More info...)
posted on Monday, June 21, 2010(Full story)
Valeant Merges With BiovailAliso Viejo-based pharmaceuticals firm Valeant said today that it has agree to merge with Biovail, a Toronto-based pharmaceuticals developer. According to the firms, the deal calls for Valeant stockholders to receive $16.77 in cash per share plus 1.7809 shares of Biovail common stock, for each share of Valeant Common stock they own. The new company will be called Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, Inc. The companies said the combined firm will have pro forma revenues of $1.75 billion, for th (More info...)
posted on Monday, June 21, 2010(Full story)
InTouch Technologies Names General Counsel, Eyes Public MarketsSanta Barbara-based InTouch Technologies, which develops remote, telemedicine products for the healthcare industry, said today that Paul Evans has become General Counsel of the firm. Evans joins the firm from Specialized Health Products International, where he was General Counsel and Vice President of Business Development. Intouch Technologies said that Evans specifically joins the firm as it "looks toward the public markets." InTouch is venture backed by Acacia Venture Partners, Beringea, Galen (More info...)
posted on Monday, June 21, 2010(Full story)
Sorenson Media Powers GomezSan Diego-based Sorenson Media, a developer of online video hosting and encoding products, announced today that web performance firm Gomez has selected the firm's online video platform, Sorenson 360. Sorenson said that Gomez, which is a division of Compuware, is using the firm's Sorenson 360 product to deliver online video content for its website. Financial details of the deal were not disclosed. Sorenson is providing Gomez with development and delivery of marketing videos to its customers.
posted on Monday, June 21, 2010(Full story)
DivX Lands Australian Consumer Electronics FirmSan Diego-based DivX announced today that it has signed on an Australian consumer electronics firm, SONIQ, as the latest firm to license its DivX video playback technology. According to DivX, SONIQ, a supplier of consumer electronics products to Australia and New Zealand, will offer its DivX Plus HD Playback technology. Financial details of the licensing deal were not disclosed. SONIQ manufactures Blu-ray players and other hardware such as LCD TVs and set top boxes.
posted on Monday, June 21, 2010(Full story)