Monday, November 22, 2010


SpaceX Gets FAA License
Hawthorne-based SpaceX, the commercial rocket firm headed by Elon Musk, has scored a license from the Federal Aviation Administration, NASA said Monday. According to NASA, the license is the first-ever, commercial license to reenter a spacecraft from Earth orbit. The FAA license was a requirement of the firm's launch of its Dragon capsule, which is being designed as a commercial cargo delivery vehicle for the International Space Station.
posted on Monday, November 22, 2010(Full story)

RealD Files For Secondary Offering
Beverly Hills-based RealD, the developer of 3D movie projection technology, has filed for a secondary offering worth $242.16M. According to the firm's filing, it is looking to offer up 7,815,001 shares of its common stock, with proceeds going to existing shareholders of the firm's stock. The firm said it is not selling any shares of its common stock, and will not receive any proceeds from the sale. The offering is being run by J.P. Morgan Securities LLC., Piper Jaffray & Co., William Blair & Com (More info...)
posted on Monday, November 22, 2010(Full story)

GameSalad Launches New, Free Basic Version
Los Angeles- and Austin-based GameSalad, a developer of iPhone and other iOS platform game creation software, said Monday that the firm has launched a new version of its software which allows users to create their own Apple iOS games without a fee. GameSalad said it also has rolled out a new, $499 Professional level account which provides ads and promotional links for games. The new version comes after an abortive launch of GameSalad Direct, an effort the firm had to help connect users with othe (More info...)
posted on Monday, November 22, 2010(Full story)

SVnetwork Grabs AOL Vet As Sales Head
Los Angeles-based SVnetwork, which operates SocialVibe and other pay-for-performance advertising sites, said Monday that it has named Anna Seibert as its SVP of Sales Development. Seibert was most recently at AOL, where she was VP of Agency Development for AOL Advertising. The firm said Seibert headed up accounts with Disney, American Express, Delta, Kraft, InterContinental Hotel Group, GM,and Wal-Mart. Seibert is in SVnetwork's New York office. SVnetwork uses social media to expose brands to co (More info...)
posted on Monday, November 22, 2010(Full story)

Rotohog Becomes FastPoint Games
Los Angeles-based Rotohog, the online games developer headed by Kelly Perdew, has renamed itself FastPoint Games, according to the firm. According to Perdew, FastPoint has repositioned itself as a company focused on building live, data-driven, multi-platform games for clients to engage, reward and monetize their audience. The move broadens the firm's prior focus on fantasy sports and related games. The firm counts Us Magazine, Bloomberg Sports, Sports Illustrated, NASCAR, The Los Angeles Times, (More info...)
posted on Monday, November 22, 2010(Full story)

HauteLook Launches Private Sales On Facebook
Los Angeles-based HauteLook, which operates an online, private sales website which offers up deals on fashion and other items to users, has expanded into Facebook, the firm said today. ACcording to HauteLook, it will begin offering up private sale events on Facebook starting tomorrow. The firm said it has created a new dedicated shopping page on the social networking site, and will also allow consumers to shop directly in-stream posts from their friends. Prior to the Facebook support, HauteLook (More info...)
posted on Monday, November 22, 2010(Full story)

OnGreen Launches Patent Marketplace
Pasadena-based OnGreen, the online marketplace for green and clean technology businesses, said today that it has launched a new, patent marketplace focused on allowing users to license or sell their intellectual property (IP). According to OnGreen, the new marketplace will provide additional funding avenues for entrepreneurs. OnGreen said the patent exchange will focus on promoting the sale and licensing of green and clean technology patents and other form of IP.
posted on Monday, November 22, 2010(Full story)

iSuppli Acquisition Completes
The acquisition of El Segundo-based iSuppli, worth $95M, has completed, according to acquiring firm IHS Inc.. IHS said late Friday that the deal also included Screen Digest, a digital media and technology research company which was recently acquired by iSuppli. iSuppli is a provider of analyst services for the consumer electronics and other industries, and is well known for their tear-downs of electronic products. The acquisition had originally been announced on November 2nd. iSUppli was headed (More info...)
posted on Monday, November 22, 2010(Full story)

Gaikai Names Strategy Head
Los Angeles-based Gaikai, which develops a cloud-based, game streaming services, said today that it has named Nanea Reeves to the position of Chief Strategy Officer. Reeves joins the firm from Electronic Arts, where she was Senior Vice President/COO Global Online. She also served as SVP of JAMDAT Mobile. Gaikai is venture backed by Benchmark Capital, TriplePoint Capital, Rustic Canyon Partners, Limelight Networks and Intel Capital. The firm's technology allows users to play any games inside a we (More info...)
posted on Monday, November 22, 2010(Full story)

Broadcom Buys Gigle Networks
Irvine-based Broadcom, the developer of networking and communications semiconductors, announced this morning that it has signed a definitive agreement to buy Gigle Networks, a provider of systems-on-a-chip for home networking over power lines. Broadcom said it would pay approximately $75M to acquire all of the outstanding stock and rights of Gigle Networks, with up to $8M in earn out. Gigle had been venture backed by Accel Partners, Pond Ventures, and Scottish Equity Partners. Gigle had raised a (More info...)
posted on Monday, November 22, 2010(Full story)

CODA, Hertz Ink Rental Partnership
Santa Monica-based electric car manufacturer CODA Automotive and The Hertz Corporation said this morning that the two are in a deal to provide CODA's Sedans at "select" Southern California Hertz locations. According to the two, Hertz will allow users to rent the all-electric CODA as part of an EV Rental program it expects to roll out in 2011. Neither the number of locations or number of cars involved in the program, were announced by the two companies.
posted on Monday, November 22, 2010(Full story)

DTS Inks Deals With Chinese TV Manufacturers
Calabasas-based DTS, a provider of high definition audio technology, said last week that it has inked deals with the top five TV brand manufacturers in China. DTS said the brands include Skyworth, Hisense, Haier, Konka, and TCL. Financial details of the wins were not disclosed. DTS said those brands will incorporate its DTS audio in their HDTV models.
posted on Monday, November 22, 2010(Full story)