THE BUSINESS OF TECHNOLOGY
Skype has managed to maintain a degree of independence from Microsoft following its $8.5 billion acquisition by the company, and more importantly, has managed to grow its base to nearly 250 million users, a 26 percent jump over the past seven months, according to the New York Times. “We’ve kept our identity and our autonomy,” Tony Bates, … [Read more...]
Tax breaks aren't free. In exchange for $89 millions of dollars in tax incentive, Apple is planning to build a $1 billion data center in Reno, Nevada, in order to house its various online services, including iCloud, iTunes, and its App Store. The news was first reported by the Reno Gazette-Journal. In response to rising Internet traffic as well … [Read more...]
Ooyala, the digital video platform, has raised $35 million in a Series E round of funding, led by Telstra Applications and Ventures Group, with prior investors Sierra Ventures, Rembrandt Venture Partners and CID Group participating in addition to other strategic investors. The company will use the new funding to fuel its market, particularly in … [Read more...]
Better late than never. The US Justice Department has opened anti-trust wide-ranging investigation of big cable companies, according to the Wall St. Journal, which sited sources familiar with the matter. There have been concerns that big cable companies are using their dominance to suppress online video service, discouraging subscribers from … [Read more...]
Zynga stock took a nosedive June 12, dropping as much as 13 percent in a fall that triggered a short-sale circuit breaker, designed to halt stock trading when the price drops below 10 percent. The ban will be in effect through Wednesday. It was the largest drop for a stock that went public in December with an IPO value of almost $9 billion. … [Read more...]
At this week's WWDC event, Apple lived up to its own hype, releasing a slew of announcements and product updates that are sure to shape the very future of tech itself. The company introduced the iOS 6 platform, boosted improvements in its notebook line, its own “Flyover” 3D maps system that replaces Google, and a new Facebook partnership that … [Read more...]
Facebook has acquired the development team behind Pieceable, a one-year old startup that creates a handy development tool that allows software apps to be used through an Internet browser, rather than having to download and use them in a separate device. It makes it easier to share the app with colleagues, clients, family, and friends. The … [Read more...]
Gamification is becoming more than just a buzzword, but the next profit making machine for businesses that will likely be around a long time. At least the VC community seems to think so. And to prove it, Badgeville recently raised $25 million in Series C financing in a round led by Interwest Partners. El Dorado Ventures, Trinity Ventures and … [Read more...]
By Matt Gallagher, Red Herring Following Facebook's IPO on May 18, the largest tech IPO in history, the company’s stock price had slipped almost 25 percent from its initial offering of $38. Shares in Facebook closed at $28.84 in today’s trading. While the IPO's opening price was ideal for Facebook and its initial investors as it left no … [Read more...]
PayPal has teamed up with Softbank to launch a joint effort in Japan and extend's PayPal's mobile payments service into Asia, Bloomberg reported. Each company is putting in a 50/50 share with 1 billion Japanese yen or $12.5 million, and will each choose three directors. The CEO of the new company will be Softbank Mobile’s director and senior … [Read more...]