Verizon to Introduce 4G Smartphones This Week

By
Mark Hefflinger
-
0

Las Vegas – Verizon is expected to introduce a number of 4G
handsets and debut its 4G wireless network this week at the Consumer
Electronics Show in Las Vegas, according to published reports. The Wall Street
Journal reports the company will show Android-powered 4G phones from Samsung,
Motorola, HTC and LG. CNET notes that Verizon’s 4G network will offer average
download speeds between 5-12 Mbps, compared to Sprint WiMax (3-6 Mbps) or
T-Mobile USA’s HSPA+ (3-7 Mbps).

 

Related Links:
http://tinyurl.com/2w3b6pg
(WSJ)

http://ces.cnet.com/8301-32254_1-20027064-283.html

Report: Hulu in Talks to Restore "The Daily Show," "Colbert"

By
Mark Hefflinger
-
0

New York – Comedy Central’s "The Daily Show" and
"The Colbert Report" may be returning to the Hulu video portal, after
being removed in early 2010 when terms for streaming couldn’t be agreed upon,
The New York Times reported. Sources told The Times that executives from Hulu
and Viacom’s (NYSE: VIA) Comedy Central have been in talks recently and "were eager to
make peace." Comedy Central had reportedly been seeking upfront payments
for episodes of the programs.

 

Related Links:
http://tinyurl.com/25mwnl6
(N.Y. Times)

RealD, Samsung Developing RDZ 3D Display Technology

By
Mark Hefflinger
-
0

Los Angeles – RealD (NYSE: RLD), a developer of 3D cinema projection
systems, announced on Tuesday that it is working with Samsung Electronics on
new 3D display technology called RDZ, which supports the same 3D glasses used
in RealD-equipped movie theaters. "Unlike patterned retarder based 3D
display technologies that cut resolution in half or diminish brightness, RDZ 3D
display technology delivers full resolution high definition 3D images by
adopting active shutter technology on the display," the company said.

 

Related Links:
http://tinyurl.com/2bpndnu

http://www.reald.com

Toyota to Integrate Pandora Web Radio on In-Car Media System

By
Mark Hefflinger
-
0

Oakland, Calif. – Streaming radio service Pandora said on
Tuesday that carmaker Toyota will integrate the personalized Internet radio
service into its Entune in-car multimedia system. The first Toyota vehicles to
feature Pandora are slated to be announced later this year.

 

Related Links:
http://tinyurl.com/2wdavvo

http://www.pandora.com

Exit Activity Picks Up in 2010 Following Downturn

By
Mark Hefflinger
-
0

New York – Exit activity for venture-backed companies in
2010 moved closer to levels seen prior to the economic downturn, according to
new figures from Dow Jones VentureSource.

All told, 514 companies achieved
liquidity during the year, a 25% increase in exits from 2009.

Those companies
together netted $39.3 billion, up 72% from 2009, but still dramatically behind
the $69.1 billion netted in 2007.

"Exit activity is staging a comeback but
capital netted lagged as large M&As and IPOs were still uncommon in
2010," said Jessica Canning, director of global research for Dow Jones
VentureSource.

"While it isn’t clear if companies with blockbuster
potential — like Facebook and Groupon — will come to market in 2011, there is
a healthy IPO pipeline."

Currently, 44 companies are registered to go
public, up from 25 at this time last year.

 

Related Links:
http://tinyurl.com/2g2wlg6

http://www.dowjones.com/privatemarkets

Netflix "Button" to Appear on Video Device Remote Controls

By
Mark Hefflinger
-
0

Los Gatos, Calif. – Netflix (NASD: NFLX) announced on Tuesday that it has
partnered with a number of consumer electronics firms to place a Netflix button
on remote controls, to provide subscribers with one-click access to Netflix
streaming on supported devices.

The Netflix button, featuring the company’s red
logo, will start appearing on remote controls this spring on products from Boxee,
Iomega, Roku, Dynex, Haier, Memorex, Panasonic, Samsung, Sharp, Sony and
Toshiba.

Devices that will feature the remote button will include
Internet-connected TVs, Blu-ray disc players and set-top boxes.

"No more
turning on the TV, going to a home screen and searching for the Netflix
icon," said Netflix chief product officer Neil Hunt.

"With the
Netflix one-click remote, it’s simply a matter of pushing the Netflix button to
instantly watch any of the vast selection of TV shows and movies available to
stream from Netflix."

 

Related Links:
http://netflix.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=43&item=381

Report: U.S. Tablet Sales to Double in 2011, Hit 44M in 2015

By
Mark Hefflinger
-
1

Cambridge, Mass. – U.S. sales of tablet computers — such as
Apple’s iPad — reached an estimated 10.3 million units in 2010, and projected
to more than double in 2011 to 24.1 million and eventually hit 44 million by
2015, according to a revised forecast from market research firm Forrester.

The
firm predicts that Apple will command the vast majority of the tablet market
through 2012, and that consumers will update their tablets more frequently than
previously thought — closer to the rate at which they replace MP3 players or
iPhones.

By 2015, 82 million U.S. consumers — or about one-third of all U.S.
online consumers — will be using a tablet, Forrester said.

 

 

Related Links:
http://tinyurl.com/29lzjl5
(Forrester)

Report: U.S. Display Ad Spend Up 8.7% in First 3Q of 2010

By
Mark Hefflinger
-
0

New York – Total U.S. ad spending grew 6.4% in the first
nine months of 2010, and Internet display ads had the second-largest growth
rate among media sectors at 7.7%, according to a report from Kantar Media.

During
the third quarter, overall ad spending was up 8.7% on last year, the largest
quarterly gain since the end of 2004.

"The advertising recovery expanded
during the third quarter to include stronger participation by the long-tail of
marketers beyond the Top 1000," said Jon Swallen, senior vice president of
research at Kantar Media.

"Having fewer resources, this segment was
previously cautious about raising budgets and it lagged behind the early year
rebound in ad spending.

"Smaller advertisers are now as fully vested as their
large counterparts and in that sense, the advertising recovery has reached a
significant milestone."

 

Related Links:
http://tinyurl.com/34tqdqa

http://www.kantarmediana.com

Report: MySpace to Axe Half of Staff; Sale Expected by Mid-Year

By
Mark Hefflinger
-
0

New York – News Corp. (NYSE:  NWS) is expected this month to lay off more
than half of the staff at MySpace, its social network-turned entertainment
portal, and sell the site off by mid-2011, CNBC reported on Monday, citing
sources. Reuters cited a person familiar with the matter as saying the company
is currently not in any talks with potential buyers, but previously reported in
November that News Corp. was considering a sale of MySpace — following its re-launch
with an entertainment focus.

Sources told CNBC that the expected massive round
of layoffs — shaving half of the company’s 1,100 employees — would be
insufficient to attract potential suitors, and that more layoffs were likely.

Despite
losing traffic as a social network to rival Facebook, MySpace is still
attracting some 54 million monthly visitors.

News Corp. acquired MySpace for
$580 million in 2005.

 

 

Related Links:
http://www.cnbc.com/id/40895344

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE7023NG20110103

Ziff Davis Acquires Deals Site LogicBuy, Debuts Ad Network

By
Mark Hefflinger
-
0

New York – Ziff Davis, an online publisher of technology
news and information, announced on Tuesday that it has acquired LogicBuy.com, a
provider of tech-related deals and coupons that counted over 10 million
visitors in 2010.

Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

New
York-based Ziff said the deal will allow it to offer up-to-the-minute deals and
coupons on products that readers are researching on sites like PCMag.com.

Ziff
Davis also on Tuesday announced the launch of BuyerBase, an ad targeting
platform that analyzes real-time, anonymous data on 40 million readers monthly
across more than 100 of both its own and partner websites.

The company said the
platform focuses on product-specific research and shopping activity, and will
provide an easy opt-out for consumers who do not wish to have ads targeted to
them.

 

Related Links:
http://www.ziffdavis.com/press/releases/110103.1.html

http://www.ziffdavis.com/press/releases/110103.0.html

http://www.logicbuy.com

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