Wednesday, September 15, 2010MySpace, American Idol Kick Off Online AuditionsLos Angeles-based social networking site MySpace announced Wednesday that it is kicking off an effort with American Idol, the audition people through the web site. American Idol's Ryan Seacrest had announced the effort on the season finale of the show last May. According to MySpace, it will allow users between the ages of 15 and 28 to submit their audition videos on MySpace from today until October 6th. The best of those users will be selected for Los Angeles callback auditions. MySpace said the (More info...)
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Google Takes Clue From Robertsons' MP3Tunes, Planning Music LockerMountain View-based Google appears to be taking a clue from San Diego entrepreneur Michael Robertson, the former founder of MP3.com, and has proposed a "digital locker" for online music. According to a report from Billboard, Google's plan would allow users to stream music from an online digital locker. One of Robertson's many ventures is MP3Tunes, an online site which allows users to buy, store, and stream music to PCs, Android phones, the iPhone, and other devices. Google is reportedly looking (More info...)
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Microsemi Corporation Buys Arxan Defense SystemsIn what is the firm's second buy in as many days, Irvine-based Microsemi said Wednesday that it has acquired Arxan Defense Systems, a provider of anti-tampering, anti-piracy, and other software products. Financial terms of the buy were not announced. Microsemi said that Arxan serves defense clients, including customers building major weapons systems, who use its products to meet mandatory, U.S. Department of Defense directives. Microsemi said the buy will both help it with the defense and non-mi (More info...)
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Zynga Ramps Los Angeles OfficeZynga, the high flying social gaming firm behind the popular Farmville social game, appears to be ramping up its recruiting efforts in Los Angeles. The firm, which said last year that it had selected Los Angeles for an expanded recruiting effort, recently posted a position for a Chief Technology Officer, based in Los Angeles. Zynga said in the listing that the CTO will be instrumental in growing and scaling the organization. Zynga had said earlier this year that it selected Los Angeles due to it (More info...)
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Needly Launches Mobile MarketplaceLos Angeles-based Needly, a new startup headed by Fred Kreuger, who has been involved with such firms as Adconian, the Dot Eco domain, Tagworld, and iWin, has launched this week at the DEMO conference in Silicon Valley. Needly has created a way for mobile phone users to list the goods and services they are looking to buy and sell. The firm said its mobile listings platform runs on the iPhone or Android, and allows users to phogoraph, price, describe, and upload their items to a personal page on (More info...)
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Southern California Goes Back To School: Five Education StartupsIt's back to school time for most of Southern California, as kids are back in school everywhere after a long summer break. However, it's always school for these five companies and startups, who focus on the education market and are defining the next generation of companies focused on this market.
Student of Fortune
(www.studentoffortune.com)
Student of Fortune lets students ask for homework help, and pay to get answers to those questions and access tutorials and other informatio (More info...)
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Total Immersion Adds Augmented Reality ResellerLos Angeles-based Total Immersion, the developer of augmented reality software which allows computer images to interact with live video, said today that it has added a certified value added reseller to its partner network. The firm said it has added Augmented CPG, based in Montreal, to its network. Augmented CPG focuses on consumer packaged goods, and applies augmented reality to B2B customers. Total Immersion said the addition is part of a strategic program to recruit partners in various vertic (More info...)
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Grid2Home Gets Seed FundingSan Diego-based Grid2Home, a developer of energy management software, said today that it has raised a seed round of funding. The funding was led by Granite Ventures. Financial details of the funding were not disclosed by the company. According to the firm, Doug Rasor has joined the firm as Chairman of its board, and Rick Kornfeld has joined as President and CEO, along with the funding. Granite is represented by Sam Kingsland on Grid2Home's board. Grid2Home develops communications software used f (More info...)
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Interview with Scott Sangster, Health In Reach
Yesterday, there were a lots of startups who launched at the DEMO Fall event in Silicon Valley. One of the local firms that launched was Los Angeles-based Health In Reach (www.healthinreach.com). HealthInReach was founded by Scott Sangster, who some will know best as the President of the Los Angeles chapter of the Tech Coast Angels. Scott sat down with us to tell us about the startup and how he decided to start the company.
Scott, thanks for the time. What's Health In Reach?
Scott Sangst (More info...)
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WebVisible Ties With Franchise Service FirmIrvine-based WebVisible, the provider of local advertising services for the small and medium sized business market, said today that it has linked with a provider of technology for franchise organizations and franchisees. WebVisible said it is in a strategic alliance with IFX Online, which provides technology to the franchise industry, to boost local online marketing for IFX's customers. Financial details of the deal were not announced. WebVisible explained that IFX Online will offer access to We (More info...)
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United Online Retargets Classmates At NostalgiaWoodland Hills-based United Online appears to be making a major shift in strategy for its Classmates.com subsidiary. According to United Online this morning, it is looking to transform Classmates from what is now a social networking company to a "premier nostalgia content center" on the Internet. United Online explained that the move starts today, as it has posted more than 30,000 high school yearbooks on the site, allowing users to browse those yearbooks and even order printed copies of those y (More info...)
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