Tuesday, February 10, 2015SpaceX Hopes Three Times Is A Charm, Moves Launch AgainHawthorne-based SpaceX has been forced to scrub the launch of the USAF' DSCOVR space weather satellite for the second time, due to high winds, and will try a launch on Wednesday. The rocket developer--which had to scrub its first attempt Sunday due to Air Force radar issues--said its next launch window in tomorrow, February 11th, and 6:03pm EST. The mission--aside from launching an Air Force satellite into orbit--is expected to be used to again test the ability to land its booster rocket on a pl (More info...)
posted on Tuesday, February 10, 2015(Full story)
New Matter Gets $6.5M For 3D PrintingPasadena-based New Matter, which is developing consumer focused, 3D printers, said today that it has raised $6.5M in a Series A funding round. The funding was led by Alsop Louie Partners, and also included Arden Road Investments, Biotechonomy, Dolby Family Ventures, First Round Capital, Idealab and frogVentures. New Matter said it is on the brink of shipping its 3D printer, the MOD-t, this spring. New Matter said the funding will go towards accelerating product development efforts. In addition t (More info...)
posted on Tuesday, February 10, 2015 (More)(Full story)
Netflix Expands In CubaOnline video streaming service Netflix--which has significant operations in Los Angeles--opened up its service in Cuba on Monday, one of the first companies back into the country after President Barack Obama's move to re-establish diplomatic ties with the Communist country. Netflix will charge $7.99 a month for the service. It's unclear how many customers Netflix actually hopes to gain in the country, which has an average wage of $20 a month, and where there is extremely limited access, mostly v (More info...)
posted on Tuesday, February 10, 2015(Full story)
3D Robotics Open Source Flight Control App Takes Flight3D Robotics, the drone maker which has a significant office in San Diego, said today that it has rolled out a new, open source app aimed at drone software developers. The company--which says it is now the largest, consumer drone manufacturer in North America--said its open source Tower flight control app provides an open programming interface, which allows users to build new features into the app. The app--which runs on Android--lets users use waypoints to create flight paths, point cameras at (More info...)
posted on Tuesday, February 10, 2015(Full story)
Former SurfAir Founder Eyerly Surfaces With New Air Travel StartupWade Eyerly, the founder of LA's SurfAir, is taking the membership-based flight model to the East Coast, and has booted up a new startup called Beacon. Eyerly--who has apparently relocated to Boston--co-founded Beacon with
Cory Cozzens and Reed Farnsworth, two other of co-founders of SurfAir, along with Ryan Morley. Beacon said it will focuse on the Northeast, starting with travel between New York and Boston, as well as Nantucket and the Hamptons. Beacon said it will charge as little as $2000 (More info...)
posted on Tuesday, February 10, 2015(Full story)
CurbStand Buys Curby To Expand Valet Parking EffortsLos Angeles-based valet parking app developer CurbStand said this morning that it has acquired another, parking app developer, Curby, and will integrate Curby's technology platform into its software. Financial details of the buy were not disclosed. Curby develops software for valet parking operators, including reporting, metrics, and other enterprise features. CurbStand said the acquisition will help it expand into new customer categories, including lodging chains, healthcare institutions and mu (More info...)
posted on Tuesday, February 10, 2015(Full story)
SpaceX Satellite Launch Now Targeted For TodayHawthorne-based SpaceX is looking to launch its latest mission--the launch of an space weather satellite for the U.S. Air Force--later today, aboard a Falcon 9 rocket, the company said in its updates on Monday. SpaceX said its next launch window is today, at 6:05pm ET, with another, backup launch opportunity on Wednesday at 6:03pm ET. SpaceX delayed the original, weekend launch of its latest mission due to issues with an Air Force tracking radar. SpaceX is launching a space weather satellite--us (More info...)
posted on Tuesday, February 10, 2015(Full story)
Rubicon Project: Valentine's Day Is Last MinuteLos Angeles-based Rubicon Project has run another of its online advertising surveys, ahead of Valentine's Day, and says that it has found that 89% of purchases for the holiday are "last minute"--in the week before the holiday, and 38 percent of people wait until the last 24 hours before purchasing a Valentine Day's gift. Rubicon Project--which has regularly been studying trends in online shopping an advertising--also found that men are the worse offenders for last minute gifts, with 43 percent o (More info...)
posted on Tuesday, February 10, 2015(Full story)
NoFlyZone Looks To Keep Pesky Drones Out Of Your BackyardAre you in one of those areas where there seem to be an abundance of drones buzzing around your backyard? A new, Los Angeles-area startup, NoFlyZone.org, said it is looking to help keep drones out of your property, with a new online database it is creating with drone manufacturers and operators. NoFlyZone, which is based in El Segundo, said it lets users enter their address into a giant database, which can be used by drone manufacturers to avoid flights into your property. NoFlyZone appears to b (More info...)
posted on Tuesday, February 10, 2015(Full story)
Legend3D Takes On Virtual RealityHollywood-based 3D and visual effects studio Legend3D is getting into the virtual reality business, saying this morning that it has opened up a brand new Virtual Reality division. Legedn3D said it will help create immersive, VR experiences for film studios, ad agency, and global retail partners. The company already released its first, virtual reality title--a short call The Recruit: R U In--which it showed off at CES. Legend3D said it will work on both 2D and 3D virtual reality experiences, for (More info...)
posted on Tuesday, February 10, 2015(Full story)
RealD Seeks Buyer, Hires Investment BankLos Angeles-based 3D theater projection company RealD said late Monday that it has started a process to review "strategic alternatives" for the company, and hired investment banking firm Moelis & Company LLC as a financial advisor. RealD said the move is a "logical next step" to unlock value for its shareholders. The announcement ccame as the company reported a loss of $11.3M on revenues of $32.6M in the company's third quarter fiscal 2015. Those revenues were a sharp drop from the company's thi (More info...)
posted on Tuesday, February 10, 2015(Full story)