Wednesday, November 2, 2016YouMail Hones Battle Against RobocallersIn a bit of a brilliant tactic against the scourge of robocallers, Irvine-based enhanced voicemail technology developer YouMail has come up with the best approach yet to shutting them down: quietly detect those robocallers--without interrupting your life--and playing an "out of service" greeting to those robocallers. YouMail said it made the update to both its iPhone and Android apps, saying that the technique fools those callers into thinking your phone is out of service, so that your phone is (More info...)
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NantWorks Backs Genos ResearchCulver City-based NantWorks, the collection of companies run by biotech billionaire Patrick Soon Shiong, has backed gene sequencing startup Genos Research, the companies disclosed today. Genos said it raised $6M in the funding round from NantWorks. Genos operates a service which lets consumers pay $399 for sequencing of their genes, and says that consumers own that gene sequencing data, which is not shared with any other companies or services. The company said it will give consumers the option (More info...)
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Ring: More Than 1 Billion Events Captured By DevicesLos Angeles-based video doorbell and camera developer Ring says its cameras have captured more than 1 billion events--which it calls "Ring Moments"--since the product rolled out in January of 2015. Ring, which was founded by Jamie Siminoff, develops a video doorbell and a camera which are aimed both at improving home security, as well as just a way to figure out what's going on at home. Ring highlighted a number of successes from its product, including assisting in locating many package thieves; (More info...)
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Preact, Backed by LA Investors, Acquired By SpotifyPreact, a San Francisco startup which is backed by a number of LA investors, has been acquired by Spotify, Spotfy announced this morning. Financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed. Preact had been backed by Karlin Ventures and Launchpad LA, plus Trinity Ventures, Root Ventures, Atlast Venture, Bee Partners, Boldstart Ventures, and Harmony Partners. Preact had been based in Los Angeles, where it was part of Launchpad LA, but was quickly moved to San Francisco after its participation i (More info...)
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Broadcom Acquires Brocade For $5.9 BillionBroadcom Limited, the network semiconductor giant which is a mashup of Broadcom and Avago Technologies, said this morning that it has acquired Brocade Communications Systems, the developer of Fibre Channel switching technology, for $5.9 billion. Broadcom said it will pay $12.75 per share in cash for Brocade. As part of the acquisition, Broadcom said it will divest all of Brocade's IP networking business--including recently acquired Ruckus Wireless. The company said the deal specifically will hel (More info...)
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Signal Genetics Acquired By Miragen Therapeutics In Reverse MergerCarlsbad-based Signal Genetics, which had been developing genetic testing technology for multiple myeloma, has been acquired in a reverse merger by miRagen Therapeutics, a developer of microRNA (miRNA)-targeting therapies for treating cancer and other diseases. miRagenTherapeutics said it is acquiring approximately 96 percent of Signal's outstanding common stock in the reverse merger, and will rename Signal to Miragen Therapeutics, Inc. In addition to theacquisition, Signal Genetics' stock symbo (More info...)
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j2 Quarterly Revenues Rise To $210.1M In Q3Los Angeles-based j2 Global announced its quarterly results on Tuesday, saying that its Q3 quarterly revenues have grown to $210.1M. The revenues are significantly higher than the $178.7M the company earned in Q3 of 2015. The company--which runs both a large set of cloud-based services business in the backup, email, and other software areas, as well as runs content businesses like Ziff Davis--is now sitting on $378.9M in cash and investments. j2 Global--which has had a ravenous appetite for Inte (More info...)
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Newegg Kicks Off Holiday SeasonLos Angeles-based online e-commerce provider Newegg, which focuses on technology products, has kicked off its holiday season, saying that it has begun its "Black November" holiday sale on Tuesday. Newegg said it will be offering up "deep discounts" and special promotions to early holiday shoppers on its web and mobile site, iOS and Android apps. This is the eighth year that Newegg has started offering up special shopping deals for the entire month. Newegg's move to launch the holiday season earl (More info...)
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Woven Digital Names New CEOLos Angeles-based digital media and content provider Woven Digital announced on Tuesday that it has named Benjamin Blank as its new CEO. Blank was previously Chief Creative Officer at the company. Previous CEO Colin Digiaro becomes Executive Chairman at the company. Woven Digital focuses on millennial males, and runs such sites as UPROXX, HitFix, and BroBible. The company is backed by WPP Ventures, Advancit Capital, Institutional Venture Partners, United Talent Agency, and others. Blank previous (More info...)
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UBTECH Launches STEM Friendly RobotsUBTECH Robotics, a Chinese developer of consumer robots which has its U.S. headquarters in Los Angeles, said today that it has launched a set of robots specifically aimed at kids and the STEM market. The company said its new Jimu Robots line lets kids build, program, and share their own robot creations, letting kids program different movements of those robotic kits. The company said the robots will be available at Toys R Us, Best Buy, Target, Fry's Electronics, and Amazon.com.
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