Report: Facebook Ditching Microsoft for Display Ads

By
Mark Hefflinger
-
1

New York – Facebook has ceased using Microsoft’s (NASD:  MSFT) services to
sell display advertising in some international markets, and may do the same in
the U.S., Robin Domeniconi, Microsoft’s VP of U.S. ad sales, told BusinessWeek.
"We are in discussions with them on adjusting it or changing it as we go
forward," Keith Lorizio, another Microsoft VP, said of the companies
agreement. "They have a desire to sell their own advertising."

The
changes were said to be restricted to display advertising, and not expected to
alter Microsoft’s deal to sell search-based ads on Facebook.

Along with its
advertising relationship, Microsoft also holds a stake in Facebook after
investing $240 million in the company several years ago.  

 

Related Links:
http://snipurl.com/u5d1r
(BusinessWeek)

WSJ: Apple Seeks to Reshape Print, TV with Tablet

By
Mark Hefflinger
-
0

New York – Apple (NASD:  AAPL) is hoping that the new tablet computer it’s
expected to introduce next week will be used in classrooms as well as homes,
and "reshape businesses like textbooks, newspapers and television much the
way his iPod revamped the music industry," The Wall Street Journal
reported, citing people familiar with the situation. Apple intends for multiple
family members or persons to be able to share the device, which is expected to
feature 10- or 11-inch touch-screen, a virtual keyboard, and possibly a webcam.

The company has reportedly recently held discussions with publishers including
The New York Times, Conde Nast and News Corp. on getting their various
publications on the device; one source said The Times is discussing possibly
charging for access through the iTunes Store.

Apple is also said to be working
with Electronic Arts to bring games to the tablet, and speaking to networks
about a "best of TV" subscription service.

The Journal cited analysts
who believe Apple’s tablet device will eventually go on sale for about $1,000.

 

Related Links:
http://snipurl.com/u5cwi
(WSJ)

Social Media Management Firm KnowEm Acquires FriendsCall.Me

By
Mark Hefflinger
-
4

Morristown,
N.J. – KnowEm, a provider of
social media services for businesses, has acquired FriendsCall.Me, a provider
of similar services, for an undisclosed sum, TechCrunch reported.

FriendsCall.Me
was launched in April 2009, and offers to help individuals and businesses
manage their online identities on social media; fees range from $99 for
individuals to $599 for enterprises.

New Jersey-based KnowEm offers similar
services, and has to date secured over 200,000 social media profiles for its
customers.

 

Related Links:
http://snipurl.com/u5cr7
(TechCrunch)

http://www.knowem.com

http://friendscall.me

Social Games Publisher 6 Waves Secures $17.5 Million

By
Mark Hefflinger
-
0

Hong Kong – Social games
publisher 6 Waves announced on Thursday that it has received a $17.5 million
investment from Insight Venture Partners.

Hong Kong-based 6 Waves says its more
than 20 titles, which include "Happy Harvest," "Animal
Paradise" and "My Fishbowl," count over 50 million monthly
active users.

The company offers developers distribution, localization,
monetization and infrastructure services.

6 Waves will use the funds to develop
infrastructure and grow its team.

 

Related Links:
http://www.6waves.com/press.php

Music Discovery, Marketing Site OurStage Gets $2.55 Million

By
Mark Hefflinger
-
0

Boston
– OurStage, a provider of music discovery and online marketing services for
musicians, has raised $2.55 million towards an expected $6 million in second
round financing, Billboard reported.

The company raised $17 million in its
first round in 2008, and was reported to have raised $3 million towards this
second round in August 2009.

Billboard notes that an SEC filing lists 49
investors for the round.

Boston-based OurStage lets bands upload and market
their music to fans, who in turn can rate and rank them.

The company expects
its second round to bring it to profitability this year.

 

Related Links:
http://snipurl.com/u5cbh
(Billboard)

http://www.ourstage.com

Mobixell Networks Acquires Mobile Internet Firm 724 Solutions

By
Mark Hefflinger
-
0

San Jose,
Calif. – Mobixell Networks, a
provider of mobile multimedia and advertising services, announced on Thursday
that it has acquired mobile Internet firm 724 Solutions.

Financial terms of the
deal were not disclosed.

Founded in 2000, San Jose, Calif.-based Mobixell provides
multimedia processing and multi-channel mobile advertising to over 300 mobile
operators and content producers.

Mobixell said that the merged company "will
create a global organisation with local sales and support capability in the US, UK,
China, Switzerland, India,
Israel,
and other countries, and with a customer base of over 350 mobile operators
worldwide."

 

Related Links:
http://www.mobixell.com

http://www.724.com

NewsGator Acquires Social Computing Firm Tomoye

By
Mark Hefflinger
-
1

Denver
– NewsGator Technologies, a provider of news content aggregation services,
announced on Thursday that it will acquire Tomoye, a developer of social
computing technologies.

Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Denver-based
NewsGator said it counts over 2.1 million paid enterprise social computing
users, with customers including USA Today, CBS, CNN and National Geographic.

Tomoye
counts among its social computing customers the U.S. Army, with 150,000 users.

"This
strategic move expands our market reach and gives us a broader portfolio of
solutions for current and future customers," said J.B. Holston, NewsGator
CEO.

 

Related Links:
http://snipurl.com/u5c6g

http://www.newsgator.com

http://www.tomoye.com

Grammys Telecast to Feature 3D Michael Jackson Clip

By
Mark Hefflinger
-
0

New York
– This year’s Grammy Awards telecast will feature a 3D clip made by Michael
Jackson before his death, the Associated Press reported. The five-minute 3D
clip for Jackson’s
song "Earth Song" was to be included in the series of comeback
concerts that never happened. Target will offer free 3D "Grammy"
glasses in its retail stores from Jan. 24 until the day of the broadcast on
Jan. 31.


 

Related Links:
http://snipurl.com/u50hs
(AP)

Sirius XM Adds 257K Subscribers in Q4 2009

By
Mark Hefflinger
-
0

New York
– Sirius XM Radio (NASD: SIRI) announced on Wednesday that it added 257,000 net subscribers
during the fourth quarter of 2009, to end the year with a total of 18.8 million
subscribers. "Based on preliminary financial data, we expect to report
over $100 million of free cash flow for 2009, an extraordinary improvement over
the pro forma negative free cash flow of $552 million that the company
experienced in 2008," said Sirius XM CEO Mel Karmazin. "This is the
first year in our history that we have generated positive free cash flow for
the entire year."  


 

Related Links:
http://snipurl.com/u50kp

http://www.sirius.com

"Tetris" Hits 100 Million Paid Mobile Game Downloads

By
Mark Hefflinger
-
0

New York
– Classic video game "Tetris" has surpassed 100 million paid
downloads to mobile phones worldwide, according to distributors Blue Planet
Software and EA Mobile. The game was developer by Alexey Pajitnov in 1984
originally for the PC, but was later ported to the original NES, Nintendo Game
Boy and eventually mobile phones in 2001.


 

Related Links:
http://snipurl.com/u4zzp

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