Monday, January 23, 2012


Semtech To Pay $494M For Data Communications Firm Gennum
Camarillo-based Semtech, the maker of analog and mixed signal semiconductors, said late Monday that it will pay $494M for Gennum Corporation, a Canadian maker of communications semiconductors. Semtech said it believes the acquisition will extend its portfolio into the metro, access and enterprise computing markets. Gennum is headquartered in Burlington, Ontario, Canada, and has approximately 450 employees. Semtech said it will fund the acquisition through a combination of cash on hand, plus new (More info...)
posted on Monday, January 23, 2012(Full story)

Internet Brands Buys The Frugal Travel Guy
Los Angeles-based Internet Brands is building out its travel vertical today, saying that it has acquired The Frugal Travel Guy, an online travel blog. Financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed. Internet Brands said the acquisition will help it bolster the lineup of travel sites its owns, including FlyerTalk, Wikitravel, and CruiseMates. The Frugal Travel Guy was foundedin 2007 by Rick Ingersoll, who Internet Brands said will continue to produce the site after the acquisition. Ingerso (More info...)
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Nimble Snags Talent From Salesforce
Santa Monica-based Nimble, the customer relationship management and contact management software developer headed by Jon Ferrara, has snagged a high profile hire this morning, hiring former Salesforce Director of Mobile Product Jason McDowall as its new Director of Product. Nimble said that McDowall will lead the expansion of its platform and mobile strategy. McDowall apparently lead product development for Salesforce.com's Chatter Mobile product. Ferrara is a serial entrepreneur who founded popu (More info...)
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GeoMicro Acquired By Canadian Firm
Irvine-based GeoMicro, a developer of GPS route planning software for the logistics industry, has been acquired by Canadian firm Descartes Systems Group. Financial terms of the buy were not announced by the firms. GeoMicro's software is used for commercial, turn-by-turn and mapping for enterprises. Descartes (Nasdaq: DSGX) said the acquisition would help it bolster its technology platform.
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Man Gets Life In Murder of Angel Investor
In the sad conclusion of the trial in the murder of a local angel investor, a man was sentenced to life in prison Friday without the possibility of parole, in the murder of angel investor John G. Watson two years ago. Kent Thomas Keigwin was convicted of five felony counts, including murder, grand theft, burglarly, identity theft, and forgery in the murder of Watson, who was very active in the San Diego Tech Coast Angels. Watson had been found dead by fellow Tech Coast Angels members in June of (More info...)
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QLogic Sells InfiniBand Products To Intel For $125M
Aliso Viejo-based QLogic, the manufacturer of networking adapters, switches, and ASICS, said this morning that it is in a definitive agreement to sell its InfiniBand product lines and assets to Intel Corporation, in a deal worth $125M in cash. According to QLogic, the sale will allow the company to provide a greater focus to growth opportunities in the converged networking, enterprise Ethernet, and storage area networking products. The company also said the sale will provide a "greater investmen (More info...)
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j2 Global Buys Cloud Backup Provider
Los Angeles-based j2 Global said this morning that it has acquired substantially all of the assets of Offsite Backup Solutions, LLC, a provider of online backup products. Financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed, however, j2 said it did not expect the acquisition to be material. j2 Global said marks its launch of online backup services in the U.S., and expands its suite of services for businesses. j2 Global has been providing online, cloud-based backup in Europe via its brand KeepI (More info...)
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LA Studio Takes On Cute YouTube Pet Videos
Looking to corner the market on cute YouTube pet videos, a Los Angeles studio said this morning that it has launched a new YouTube channel called Petsami, entirely dedicated to pet videos. The studio, FishBowl Worldwide Media, said it was founded by Vin Di Bona and Bruce Gersh, and will focus on "people passionate about their pets" from the perspective of their "best furry friends". The studio said that its videos will include YouTube phenomenon Clark G--a talking dog--to host and produce a pet (More info...)
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CODA Takes On Energy Storage
Los Angeles-based electric vehicle developer CODA Holdings is branching out from the electric vehicle business, saying Friday that it has created CODA Energy, a new business arm taking its advanced battery systems and applying it to energy storage for the electrical grid. CODA said the new unit will leverage its electric vehicle battery technology for energy storage applications for utility providers. The firm called the move a "strategic progression" to its business. CODA has a joint venture wi (More info...)
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Mogreet Launches Social Sharing Service
Venice-based Mogreet, the mobile marketing and services firm headed by James Citron, has launched a new, mobile service today called moShare. According to the company, the service makes it easier for users to share video, pictures, songs, and articles to consumers via a text message. The firm said the service is built on its media messaging platform, and can deliver any type of content to mobile phones, regardless of wireless carrier or device type. The company is promoting a "moShare button"--s (More info...)
posted on Monday, January 23, 2012(Full story)