Tuesday, November 22, 2011


Citrix Systems Sued Over GoToMeeting
The Santa Barbara-based online services division of Citrix Systems has been sued in the Florida Southern District Court, over alleged patent infringement. The lawsuit, filed Monday by Pragmatus AV, an intellectual property licensing firm, claims GoToMeeting infringes on four patents owned by the company, covering aspects of video conferencing, according to the legal docket of the Florida court. Pragmatus has patent suits pending against Facebook, Youtube, LinkedIn, and others over similar patent (More info...)
posted on Tuesday, November 22, 2011(Full story)

Anybeat Opens To Public Access
Los Angeles-based Anybeat, the alternative social networking site created by former MySpace Music VP Dmitri Shapiro, has opened up broad, public access to the service. The firm--which had been in invite-only, beta mode--said it is looking to create a "third place"--different from home and work--for people to get away, relax, and socialize. Anybeat is taking a very different approach to Facebook, which is centered around people you know, and instead trying to create an online space where you can (More info...)
posted on Tuesday, November 22, 2011(Full story)

Man Guilty In Murder of Angel Investor
In the end of a sad saga for the startup investment community in Southern California, a San Diego man has been convicted in the murder of a Tech Coast Angels member last year. The San Diego Union Tribune reported that Kent Thomas Keigwin has been convicted of the murder of angel investor and retired biotech executive John G. Watson, as well as for taking $8.9 million from the victim's accounts. Watson had been found by local Tech Coast Angel members, after failing to show for an event he was org (More info...)
posted on Tuesday, November 22, 2011(Full story)

Solarflare Bolsters Marketing Expertise
Irvine-based Solarflare is bolstering its marketing expertise, the company said this week, and has hired Scott Woolsey as Director of Brand Development. The developer of 10 Gigabit Ethernet adapters said that Woolsey has worked on marketing campaigns for such companies as Intel, Oracle, Toshiba, Western Digital, Quantum, Fujitsu, Maxtor, JD Edwards, Mentor Graphics, KLA-Tencor and Cox Communications, among others. Woolsey has most recently been at RealtyTrac, CJ Patrick Company, neoBrands, and S (More info...)
posted on Tuesday, November 22, 2011(Full story)

Paramount Sends Mission Impossible To Facebook
Los Angeles-based Paramount Pictures said Tuesday that it is making its entire line of Mission: Impossible movies available on Facebook. Paramount said that Mission: Impossible, Mission: Impossible II and Mission: Impossible III will all be made available for rent directly through the Mission: Impossible Facebook page. Each rental will cost 30 Facebook Credits, or $2.99.
posted on Tuesday, November 22, 2011(Full story)

Break Snags VP From Universal Music
Los Angeles-based Break Media, the online content publisher run by Keith Richman, said this morning that it has hired Mitch Rotter as its Senior VP and General Manager of Editorial Properties. Rotter joins the company from Universal Music Group, where he was SVP of Marketing and Product Development. Break said Rotter was in charge of marketing for all of UMG's products. Rotter has also served at Thumbplay, New Line Cinema, and Capitol Records.
posted on Tuesday, November 22, 2011(Full story)

Qualcomm Powers Korean e-Reader
San Diego-based Qualcomm MEMS Technologies, a subsidiary of Qualcomm, said today that its products have been used in a new e-reader product from Korean bookseller Kyobo. Qualcomm said its mirasol display technology is being used for the touch display for the e-reader for Kyobo. Qualcomm said that Kyobo is the largest seller of books in Korea. Kyobo is also using Qualcomm's Snapdragon S2 processor, with the Android operating system. The e-reader is the first to user Qualcomm's new mirasol display (More info...)
posted on Tuesday, November 22, 2011(Full story)

Call of Duty Elite Hits One Million Members
Santa Monica-based Activision reports that its Call of Duty Elite online networking service for players of Call of Duty has hit one million memberships, just six days after launch. The service--launched in conjunction with Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3--allows players to connect with others, upload game videos, see scores, hold competitions with others, and more. Activision also said that it is providing an additional 30 days of the service for free, due to issues with scaling the new service a (More info...)
posted on Tuesday, November 22, 2011(Full story)

Excaliard Pharmaceuticals Acquired By Pfizer
San Diego-based Excaliard Pharmaceuticals, a developer of biopharmaceuticals for treating skin scarring, has been acquired by Pfizer. Financial terms of the buy were not disclosed. Excaliard was venture backed by RiverVest, Alta Partners, ProQuest Investments, and Isis Pharmaceuticals. Excaliard's technology is based on technology licensed from Isis Pharmaceuticals. Excaliard's lead product is an antisense oligonucleotide, which isi being used for treatment of skin fibrosis, preventing disfiguri (More info...)
posted on Tuesday, November 22, 2011(Full story)