Thursday, May 1, 2014


Beats Music Releases iPad App
Los Angeles-based streaming music service Beats Music said Thursday that it has released an iPad version of its music app to users. The music service had previously allows users to use the iPad, but using the less optimized, small-screen iPhone app. According to Beats, the new app is optimized for the larger tablet screen on the iPad, and works in both portrait or landscape mode. The new app is available in the app store.
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Snapchat Expands To Video Chat
Venice, California-based social networking wunderkind Snapchat has extended out its application, saying today that it has added a new, video chat ability to its app--part of a move to add "presence" to the company's popular app. According to Snapchat, the move goes to address what it says an "important part" of a conversation which was missing, which was knowing that you had the full attention of the friend you were chatting with. The new feature lets users start a chat by swiping right on a fri (More info...)
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Rubicon Project Appoints Trio Of Board Members
Fresh off the company's IPO, online advertising technology developer and online real time marketplace operator Rubicon Project has added three new board members. The Los Angeles company said today that it has named Robert Frankenberg, former CEO of Novell; Robert Spillane, former CEO of Donnelley Marketing; and Lisa Troe, former regional chief enforcement accountant of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to its board of directors. The company said it added the new board members to expand (More info...)
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Instacart Expands In Los Angeles
On-demand grocery delivery service Instacart has expanded in Los Angeles, saying recently that it is now covering downtown Los Angeles and Culver City, and will deliver groceries from Ralphs and Costco. The company--which launched earlier in April in Los Angeles--offers up personal shopping services driven by crowdsourcing. The company joins other similar, peer-to-peer marketplace companies like Uber, Handybook, DogVacay, TakeLessons, and Homehero, all of whom have made Los Angeles a major focus (More info...)
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Upfront Gets Exit At Awe.sm
Los Angeles-based venture investor Upfront Ventures has scored a win at social media analytics and measurement startup Awe.sm this morning. San Francisco-based Unified, a provider of cloud marketing technology, said it has acquired Awe.sm, and will integrate Awe.sm's social media measurement tools into its products. Financial details of the acquisition were not disclosed. Awe.sm's board included Upfront's Mark Suster.
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LionsGate Extends Into Video Games, Interactive Media
Santa Monica-based movie and entertainment company Lionsgate said late Wednesday that it is expanding into a new line of business, and has launched a new, interactive and game arm. Lionsgate said that it has named digital media entrepreneur Peter Levin as President of its new Interactive Ventures and Games unit, which will help expand Lionsgate into video games and other interactive ventures. Levin was most recently CEO and co-founder at Nerdist Industries, and also served as an advisor to Yoshi (More info...)
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Qualcomm Spins Out Retail Solutions Unit
San Diego-based Qualcomm said late Wednesday that it is spinning out its Qualcomm Retail Solutions (QRS) unit as a new company, Gimbal, Inc., in a deal with a group of third party investors. Qualcomm said that the new business is being funded from Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., i-Hatch LBS Fund (which includes Zebra Technologies Corporation and AEG), as well as other venture capital, strategic, and individual investors. Financial details of the funding were not disclosed. Gimbal will focus on prov (More info...)
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Dun & Bradstreet Credibility Corp. Gets New Patents
Los Angeles-based Dun & Bradstreet Credibility Corp. reported yesterday that it has been granted five new, U.S. patents, bringing its total patents to 15. Details on the new patents were not announced. According to Dun & Bradstreet Credibility Corp., the new patents cover everything from business scoring to ts verification and reputation products. The company says it now has over 60 domestic and international filed patent applications. Dun & Bradstreet Credibility Corp., which is led by technol (More info...)
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SMC Gets Win With Cable Television Operator Mediacom Communications
Irvine-based SMC Networks said Wednesday afternoon that it has scored a win with cable television operator Mediacom Communications. The company said its Veloxite customer premises equipment was deployed as part of a high speed, Internet services demonstration in Cedar Rapids, Iowa for Mediacom. Financial impact of the win was not disclosed. The company said its equipment is being used as part of a boost in high speed Internet service in Cedar Rapids.
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TouchCommerce Takes On Contact Centers
Agoura Hills-based TouchCommerce has launched a new product aimed at contact centers, called TouchConnect. The company--led by Bernard Louvat--said the new product helps reduce call volume and increase customer satisfaction, by leading customers off traditional call center calls via online, self-service options. The new product includes such things as co-browsing and helping to direct users to relevant content; tracking the history of calls and integration into CRM systems; and more.
posted on Thursday, May 1, 2014(Full story)