Wednesday, June 22, 2011Google, Citi Each Put Another $102M In Southern California Wind FarmGoogle and Citi are each putting another, $102M in financing into the Tehachapi Alta Wind Energy Center (AWEC) project, the companies said Wednesday. According to the firms, they will each invest $102M into the 168 MW Alta V project, part of a wind farm being developed by Terra-Gen power and Global Infrastructure Partners. The funding comes on top of an earlier, $55M each Citi and Google said they would invest last month in the project. The wind power is being supplied to Southern California Edi (More info...)
posted on Wednesday, June 22, 2011(Full story)
TeleSign Gets PatentLos Angeles-based TeleSign, the provider of phone-based authentication and verification services which is headed by former FrontBridge and Vantage Media CEO Steve Jillings, said today that it has scored a U.S. Patent. According to the firm, it was awarded U.S. Patent 7,945,034 for the technology behind its PhoneID verification technology. That technology provides information like phone type, geographic location, and other data as part of two-factor authentication processes. Inventors on TeleSign (More info...)
posted on Wednesday, June 22, 2011(Full story)
Fisker Automotive Starts Hiring In DelawareIrvine-based Fisker Automotive announced today that it has started hiring at its Wilmington, Delaware manufacturing plant. Fisker said it will be hiring around 120 employees, part of an initial group at the site, which will include engineering staff, electro-mechanical technicians, and early teams of production workers for its Project Nina vehicle. Fisker said the new jobs in Delaware comes on top of aggressive hiring at its Anaheim headquarters, where it says it aims to have 300 people by the e (More info...)
posted on Wednesday, June 22, 2011(Full story)
CyberDefender Snags VP From ReachLocalLos Angeles-based CyberDefender, the developer of Internet security software and provider of technical support, said today that it has snagged a Kamran Izadpanah as its new Senior Vice President of Technology. Izadpanah was most recently Vice President of Software Development at ReachLocal. Izadpanah has also served at the Los Angeles Times, Interactive Division, Edmunds.com, and J2 Global Communications. CyberDefender says Izadpanah will be in charge of all of its technology teams, including eC (More info...)
posted on Wednesday, June 22, 2011(Full story)
UberMedia Upgrades TwidroydPasadena-based UberMedia, the developer of Twitter client applications, said today that it has upgraded its popular Twidroyd Twitter Client for Android, adding a new "UberBar" and other features to the software. The firm said the UberBar allows users to customize access to different parts of the application. Among other updates are auto-shortening of tweets, more font size options, back buttons. UberMedia owns the UberSocial, Echofon, Twidroyd, and other Twitter applications, and is backed by Id (More info...)
posted on Wednesday, June 22, 2011(Full story)
Apriso Wins Thales OptroniqueLong Beach-based Apriso, which develops manufacturing and operations management software, disclosed today that it has been selected by aerospace and defense manufacturer Thales Optronique. Apriso said Thales is using its FlexNet software for managing its manufacturing. Financial details of the win were not disclosed. Apriso's customers include such companies as GM, Lockheed Martin, Bombardier, Textron Systems, Honeywell, Volvo CE, and L'Oreal.
posted on Wednesday, June 22, 2011(Full story)
MindJolt Names Mobile Development HeadLos Angeles-based MindJolt, the social gaming firm headed by former MySpace founder Chris DeWolfe, announced this morning that it has hired Ulf Waschbusch as head of its internal social mobile game development. Ulf was most recently Chief Product Officer at Garena, and also has served at Google, MySpace and T-Mobile. MindJolt said Waschbusch will head up SGN Studio, the firm's mobile game development studio. MindJolt is backed by Austin Ventures.
posted on Wednesday, June 22, 2011(Full story)
GameSalad Unveils HTML5 Game Publishing SupportGameSalad, the developer of Apple iPhone and iOs games which has operations in Los Angeles, Austin, and San Francisco, said today that it has added HTML5 game publishing support to its software. HTMl5 is the next-generation, HTML standard which brings a new level of interactivity to web browsers. The firm said the support will allow games developed using its tools within any web browser. GameSalad said it now has over 170,000 developers using its tools.
posted on Wednesday, June 22, 2011(Full story)
VIZIO Rolls Out Tablet PCIrvine-based VIZIO announced today that it has entered the tablet market, with its VIZIO Tablet, an 8-inch, touch screen capable tablet with HD video playback. VIZIO said the new tablet is the first in a line of Internet connected HDTV, Blu-ray players, tablets, and smart phones from the company. The new tablet is build on the Android platform, and has full access to the Android Market. VIZIO said its VIZIO VTAB1008 tablet with Wi-Fi will ship this summer to retail stores. The company said it al (More info...)
posted on Wednesday, June 22, 2011(Full story)
Amgen Gives Teachers $10,000 For Teaching ExcellenceThousand Oaks-based Amgen said today that it has awarded 34 science teachers with $10,000 each, in its 19th annual Amgen Award for Science Teaching Excellence. The firm awards the grants each year for "extraordinary" science teachers throughout the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. The firm said it has now given away more than $3M through the program. Amgen received more than 360 applications this year for the awards.
posted on Wednesday, June 22, 2011(Full story)
EV Connect Selected By Fisker AutomotiveCulver City-based EV Connect, a provider of electric vehicle infrastructure, said today that it has inked an exclusive services agreement with Irvine-based Fisker Automotive. According to EV Connect, it will install and service electric vehicle supply equipment for Fisker Karma owners, and the 47 Fisker dealerships throughout the United States and Canada. Financial details of the agreement were not detailed.
posted on Wednesday, June 22, 2011(Full story)
OnGreen Names CTOPasadena-based OnGreen, the clean technology, funding marketplace headed by Nikhil Jain, said this week that it has named Mark Richards as its Chief Technology Officer. Richards was most recently Vice President of Technical Operations at Fox Interactive Media, and also served as Interim VP of Infrastructure and Technology at Hulu. OnGreen said Richards will manage the firm's development team and product rollouts. OnGreen operates an online marketplace which allows companies to find investors for (More info...)
posted on Wednesday, June 22, 2011(Full story)