Silicon Valley Wire

Palo Alto-Based High Gear Media Raises $5.5 Million in Second Round

Palo Alto, Calif. -- High Gear Media, a Palo Alto-based publisher of automotive digital media, said on Tuesday that it has raised $5.5 million in its second round of funding, led by new investor DAG Ventures. Previous investors Accel Partners and Greylock Partners also participated, which increased the company's total backing to $12 million. The company said that it will use the proceeds to expand its technology platform and make acquisitions to accelerate the growth of its network of owned and operated web sites. High Gear operates a network of 38 automotive sites targeting car buyers and auto enthusiasts by lifestyle, interest and vehicle. Sites include TheCarConnection.com, GreenCarReports.com, AllCarsElectric.com and AllAboutPrius.com. The company said that it expects the new round to carry it into profitability. 
http://www.highgearmedia.com
http://www.highgearmedia.com/press_releases/high-gear-media-secures-55-million-series-b-funding/

Palo Alto-Based Facebook Names David Ebersman as New CFO

Palo Alto, Calif. -- Facebook, the Palo Alto-based online social network with more than 200 million members, has named David Ebersman as its new CFO, three months after Gideon Yu stepped down from the role. Ebersman most recently served as the CFO at South San Francisco-based Genentech from 2006 through March of this year 2009, when the company was sold to Swiss pharmaceutical giant Roche for $46.8 billion. "[Ebersman] was Genentech's CFO while revenue tripled, and his success in scaling the finance organization of a fast growing company will be important to Facebook," said Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg.
http://www.facebook.com/press/releases.php?p=108731

Sakhr Software Acquires San Francisco-Based Dial Directions

San Francisco -- Sakhr Software, a Washington, DC-based developer of Arabic speech and language software, said on Tuesday that it has acquired San Francisco-based Dial Directions, a developer of speech recognition technology for mobile devices and services. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. Sakhr said that the acquisition will allow it to deliver new technologies to instantaneously translate speech into Arabic. Last year, the two companies teamed to develop technology that allows English and Arabic speakers to speak their native language, hear the audio translation and read the text translation  -- all with an iPhone or Blackberry. "We built a strong working relationship with Sakhr while jointly developing the mobile speech to speech translation product," said Adeeb Shanaa, the CEO of Dial Directions. All of Dial's employees have joined Sakhr, which now has 200 employees. Shanaa will serve as CEO of the combined company, with Fahad Al Sharekh, Sakhr's CEO, becoming chairman. The company currently has more than 100 clients, including the Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security and Department of Justice.
http://www.sakhr.com 
http://www.dialdirections.com
http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20090629006246/en

S.F.-Based Game Developer Zynga to Open East Coast Facility

San Francisco -- Zynga, a San Francisco-based developer of social games for platforms such as Facebook, MySpace and the iPhone, said on Tuesday that it will open its first East Coast office in Baltimore, housing 12-15 game designers, web developers, artists and producers. The company said that the office, to be led by newly appointed chief designer Brian Reynolds, will focus on creating social network games with a strategic emphasis. Reynolds, an 18-year industry veteran, played key roles in founding game studios Firaxis Games and Big Huge Games, and his videogames have sold over six million copies worldwide. Zynga's titles include Texas Hold’Em Poker, Mafia Wars, YoVille, Vampires, Street Racing, Scramble and Word Twist. The company last July raised $29 million in a new round of funding, co-led by Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers and Institutional Venture Partners (IVP).
http://www.zynga.com
http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20090630005379/en  

Comcast Begins National Rollout of Wireless Data Service

Philadelphia -- Comcast, the nation's largest provider of cable TV and Internet services, on Tuesday began the nationwide rollout of its high-speed wireless data service in Portland, with other markets such as Atlanta, Chicago and Philadelphia set to launch before year's end. The service, known as Comcast High-Speed 2go, uses wireless data cards to connect users to Clearwire's mobile WiMax network. It follows the company's investment in Clearwire last November. Comcast also is offering a slower nationwide service, running on Sprint's national 3G network. The company is bundling its wired and wireless Internet access together for $49.99 a month for the first year.
http://www.comcast.com/highspeed2go/#/home
http://www.comcast.com/About/PressRelease/PressReleaseDetail.ashx?PRID=887

Cupertino-Based ParAccel Raises $22 Million in Third Round

Cupertino, Calif. -- ParAccel, the Cupertino-based developer of a database management system for data warehousing and analytics, said on Monday that it has raised $22 million in its third round of funding, led by new investor Menlo Ventures. Previous investors Bay Partners, Mohr Davidow Ventures (MDV), Tao Venture Partners and Walden International also participated in the round, which the company will use to expand its product development, sales and marketing and services and support activities. John Jarve, a managing partner with Menlo Ventures, has joined the company's board of directors. ParAccel moved to Cupertino from San Diego after landing $20 million in its second round in late 2007. 
http://www.paraccel.com
http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20090629005328/en

EMC Extends Tender Offer for Santa Clara-Based Data Domain

Santa Clara, Calif. -- Despite having its unsolicited takeover bid rejected by Santa Clara-based Data Domain two weeks ago, Massachusetts-based EMC on Monday extended its tender offer for the company to July 10. The offer, which so far has seen just 0.28% of the company's shares tendered, had been scheduled to expire at midnight. EMC's $1.9 billion all-cash bid is competing with an alternative cash and stock buyout offer by Sunnyvale-based NetApp, which is being supported by Data Domain's board. Joe Tucci, the chairman, president and CEO of EMC, maintains that his company's offer is superior.
http://www.datadomain.com
http://www.emc.com/about/news/press/2009/20090626-02.htm

San Francisco-Based Grou.ps Raises $1 Million in New Funding

San Francisco - Grou.ps, the San Francisco-based provider of a service that lets users create their own online social networks, has raised $1 million in the second tranche of its first round of funding from Golden Horn Ventures, VentureBeat reported. Grou.ps counts around a million registered users -- 75% outside the U.S. -- who have created 40,000 groups using the service. Features on the niche social networks include wikis, RSS feeds, and templates on which users can build their network.
http://grou.ps
http://digital.venturebeat.com/2009/06/25/groups-comes-together-with-funding-business-models/

San Jose-Based IDT Completes Deal for Tundra Semiconductor

San Jose, Calif. -- Two months after first announcing the deal, San Jose-based Integrated Device Technology (IDT), a developer of mixed signal semiconductor used in digital media, said on Monday that it has completed its $104.4 million acquisition of Canada's Tundra Semiconductor. IDT said that the acquisition of Tundra will add serial switching and bridging technologies to its current mixed-signal portfolio. "We believe that this strategic combination will provide customers with a broader product offering as well as improved service, support and a future roadmap for serial connectivity," said Ted Tewksbury, the president and CEO of IDT.
http://www.tundra.com/  
http://www.IDT.com  
http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20090629005637/en

Death of Michael Jackson Inundates Major News Sites

San Mateo, Calif. -- As news spread about Michael Jackson's death on Thursday, fans and curiosity seekers inundated the Internet for information, slowing several major news sites to a crawl, according to San Mateo-based Keynote Systems. The firm, which measures web site performance, said that during the early evening hours, sites including ABC, CBS, the L.A. Times and AOL became nearly unavailable (down to nearly 10% availability). "Beginning at 5:30pm (EDT), the average speed for downloading news sites doubled from less than four seconds to almost nine seconds," said Shawn White, Keynote's director of external operations. "During the same period, the average availability of sites on the index dropped from almost 100% to 86%. The index returned to normal by 9:15pm (EDT)."
http://www.keynote.com

Cupertino-Based Apple Triples Stake in Imagination Technologies

Cupertino, Calif. -- British chipmaker Imagination Technologies said on Friday that Cupertino-based Apple has nearly tripled its stake in the company to 9.5%. The company disclosed in a regulatory filing that Apple acquired 2.2 million more of its shares for about $5.2 million. The move comes about six months after Apple initially acquired a 3.6% stake in Imagination, which develops mobile graphics technology and also makes digital radios. Another local company, Santa Clara-based Intel, also increased its sake in Imagination to 16% earlier this week.
http://www.imgtec.com
http://www.imgtec.com/corporate/newsdetail.asp?NewsID=473

Bay Area Companies, Executives Win National Stevie Awards

New York -- Several Bay Area companies and executives earlier this week were named winners of the 2009 American Business Awards, known as the Stevies, during an event in New York. Winners included: Mountain View-based Tumri (Advertising); Sunnyvale-based Lending Club (Web Site or Blog); Santa Clara-based Billeo (Web Site or Blog); Earl Fry, the CFO of Redwood City-based Informatica (Finance Executive); Campbell-based YouSendit (Company - Up to 100 Employees - Computer Software & Services); San Francisco-based Gallagher Group Communications (Communications or PR Campaign); Palo Alto-based HP (Communications or PR Campaign); San Francisco-based Attack! Marketing (Marketing Department); San Jose-based Samsung Semiconductor (New Product or Service - Computer Hardware or Services); Redwood City-based Sentilla (New Product or Service - Computer Software); Sunnyvale-based SiBEAM (New Product or Service - Media & Entertainment); and David Perlmutter, executive VP and GM of Santa Clara-based Intel's Mobility Group (Product Development/Management Executive). A complete list of winners and finalists is available at the link below.
http://www.stevieawards.com/pubs/awards/403_2183_19888.cfm

Spire Corp. Secures $8 Million Expanded Credit Facility with SVB

Santa Clara, Calif. -- Spire Corp., a Massachusetts-based provider of solar factories and equipment for manufacturing photovoltaic modules and solar systems, announced that it has increased its revolving credit facility with Santa Clara-based  Silicon Valley Bank (SVB). The company said that it has added another $5 million to the facility, upping it to $8 million. Spire recently dissolved its solar systems integration joint venture with Gloria Solar, and formed a new unit that will provide those services in the U.S.
http://www.spirecorp.com/
http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20090625005948/en

Report: Sunnyvale-Based Yahoo Planning Major Rebranding

Sunnyvale, Calif. -- Looking to reshape its image, Sunnyvale-based Yahoo is at work on a major rebranding campaign that may be tied to the expected launch of its redesigned home page this fall, The Wall Street Journal's AllThingsD blog reported. The project, being spearheaded by new CMO Elisa Steele, is an effort to steal some momentum from market-leader Google, as well as hold off Microsoft's newly launched Bing search engine. The blog said that Steele has hired brand consulting firm Landor Associates and outside consultant Penny Baldwin to help guide the effort.
http://kara.allthingsd.com/20090624/exclusive-yahoo-working-on-major-brand-overhaul-please-no-more-yodeling/

Palo Alto-Based Varian Acquires Assets of IKOEmed and IKOEtech

Palo Alto, Calif. -- Varian Medical Systems, a Palo Alto-based maker of medical devices and software used to treat cancer and other conditions, said on Thursday that it has paid $2.2 million to acquire the assets of Houston-based IKOEmed and IKOEtech, suppliers of software used in the planning of radiotherapy and radiosurgery treatments. Varian said that the deal will allow it to offer hospitals and clinics an additional software tool to automate a time-consuming portion of the treatment planning process, which typically takes anywhere from 30 minutes to 4 hours. Varian plans to sell the software initially in the U.S. as a standalone product, and eventually integrate it with its own Eclipse treatment planning software for radiotherapy, radiosurgery and brachytherapy.
http://www.varian.com
http://varian.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=43&item=689

Mountain View-Based Virsto Software Raises $7 Million in First Round

Mountain View, Calif. -- Virsto Software, a Mountain View-based developer of storage technology for virtual servers, said on Thursday that it has raised $7 million in its first round of funding, led by August Capital. Canaan Partners. a seed investor in Virsto last year, also participated. The company said that it will use the proceeds to launch its new storage software, as well as focus on expanding its roster of customer and partners. Founded in 2007, Virsto said that it plans to address the growing need for storage in virtualized data centers. The company said that most data storage systems in use today were designed before server virtualization came about. "The assumptions that were true for physical servers are not true for virtualized servers," said Mark Davis, the CEO of Virsto. "Current storage systems weren't built for this reality and as a result, storage for virtualized data centers is broken."
http://www.virsto.com
http://www.virsto.com/062509-funding.html

Santa Clara-Based Nokeena Networks Raises $6.5 Million in Second Round

Santa Clara, Calif. -- Nokeena Networks, the Santa Clara-based developer of a software appliance designed to improve the storage and distribution of online video, said on Thursday that it has raised $6.5 million in its second round of funding, led by Mayfield Fund. Several previous investors also participated in the round, which increased the company's total backing to $15 million since its founding in Feb. 2008. "The additional financing marks a significant milestone as we enter the next phase of company growth,” said company co-founder and CEO Rajan Raghavan. Nokeena's Media Flow Director is designed to reduce infrastructure costs for media publishers and distributors, while also enabling a TV-like viewing experience. Clearstone Venture Partners and Trinity Ventures co-led the company's first round in August 2008.
http://www.nokeena.com
http://www.nokeena.com/news-events/press-release-folder/nokeena-funding

Apple CEO's Liver Transplant Confirmed; "Excellent Prognosis"

Cupertino, Calif. -- Apple CEO Steve Jobs is "recovering well and has an excellent prognosis" after receiving a liver transplant, according to a statement by the Methodist University Hospital Transplant Institute in Tennessee. While the hospital did not disclose when the operation took place, The Wall Street Journal, which was the first to report on the matter, said it was about two months ago. "[Jobs] received a liver transplant because he was the patient with the highest MELD [Model for End-Stage Liver Disease] score of his blood type and, therefore, the sickest patient on the waiting list at the time a donor organ became available," the hospital added. Jobs announced in January that he would take a medical leave of absence from Apple, and expected to return to work at the end of June.
http://www.methodisthealth.org/methodist/About+Us/Newsroom/News/Steve+Jobs+Receives+Liver+Transplant

AOL Relaunches Cleaner Truveo Video Search Site

San Francisco -- Following six months of design, AOL said on Thursday that it has relaunched a less-cluttered version of its San Francisco-based Truveo video search site in 17 countries. The new site will feature an index of more than 350 million online videos, as well as a cleaner homepage and easier navigation than its predecessor. "We want to improve the user experience on the site first and foremost," CEO Pete Kocks told paidContent. Truveo stands second only to Google in both the U.S. and worldwide online video search markets.
http://www.truveo.com/
http://www.businesswire.com/news/google/20090624006128/en
http://paidcontent.org/article/419-aol-video-search-site-truveo-relaunches-in-17-nations-lands-deal-with-u

Palo Alto-Based ooma Reportedly Raises Another $14 Million

Palo Alto, Calif. -- ooma, the Palo Alto-based developer of a device that gives consumers unlimited telephone service in the U.S. with no monthly fees or contracts, has raised another $14 million in funding, the blog TechCrunch reported, citing multiple sources. Previous investor Worldview Technology Partners reportedly led the new round, which -- combined with strong sales of its devices at retailers such as Best Buy -- should help the once-struggling company reach profitability. ooma's system consists of a hub device linked to a broadband connection and a primary phone. The company, which now has raised $56 million since its inception, also makes another device that ties the system to additional phone jacks in the home.
http://www.ooma.com/
http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/06/23/ooma-gets-14-million-survival-looks-like-a-real-possibility/

Mountain View-Based LinkedIn Names Jeff Weiner as New CEO

Mountain View, Calif. -- LinkedIn, the Mountain View-based developer of an online professional network with more than 42 million members, on Wednesday named Jeff Weiner as its new CEO, replacing company founder Reid Hoffman, who will remain executive chairman. Weiner,a former executive-in-residence at executive in residence at Accel Partners and Greylock Partners, had served as LinkedIn's interim president since January. "Over the past six months, Jeff has done an exceptional job leading the company and I look forward to continuing the work that we have begun together," said Hoffman. LinkedIn has secured more than $100 million in funding since its inception, and posted a profit in 2008.
http://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffweiner08
http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20090624005921/en

Palo Alto-Based True Ventures Leads $2M Round for Reductive Labs

Palo Alto, Calif. -- True Ventures, a Palo Alto-based venture capital firm focused on early-stage technology companies, said that it has led a new $2 million round of funding for Portland-based Reductive Labs, a developer of tools designed to improve the automation and management of IT operations. Other private investors also took part in the company's first round. Reductive's Puppet framework is currently in use by several large clients, including Google, Digg, Twitter, the New York Stock Exchange and Stanford.
http://www.trueventures.com
http://www.reductivelabs.com
http://news.yahoo.com/s/prweb/20090623/bs_prweb/prweb2564724_1

Santa Clara-Based Tensilica Lands New Round of Funding, Led by Docomo

Santa Clara, Calif. -- Tensilica, a Santa Clara-based developer of processor cores used in mobile devices, said that it has raised an unspecified amount through a new round of funding led by Docomo Capital, the venture arm of Japanese wireless carrier NTT Docomo. Previous investors Foundation Capital, Meritech Capital Partners, Oak Investment Partners and Worldview Technology Partners also participated. "Tensilica’s high-performance DPUs for audio, video and baseband functions will be key enablers for new capabilities and increased battery life in future mobile telephones," said Tomoya Hemmi, the president and CEO of  Docomo.
http://www.tensilica.com
http://www.tensilica.com/news/288/330/Tensilica-Announces-Strategic-Investment-by-DOCOMO-Capital.htm

T-Mobile to Launch Second Google Phone This Summer

Mountain View, Calif. -- Wireless carrier T-Mobile said that it plans to launch its second smartphone featuring Mountain View-based Google's Android operating system later this summer. The HTC myTouch will sell in the U.S. for $199. The device features a 3.2-inch touch screen, virtual keyboard and an upgradable 4GB memory card, with users also able to customize the applications on their phones through the Android Market. T-Mobile previously launched the T-Mobile G1, the first smartphone to run Google's Android mobile operating system. Existing T-Mobile customers will be able to purchase the myTouch starting on July 8, while new customers will have to wait until August.
http://www.t-mobile.com/company/PressReleases_Article.aspx?assetName=Prs_Prs_20090622&title=T-Mobile%20USA%20Unveils%20the%20T-Mobile%20myTouch%203G%20with%20Google%20Featuring%20Personalization%20Front%20and%20Center 

MySpace Cuts Two-Thirds of Intl Staff, Will Shut Some Offices

Los Angeles -- Following the trimming of 30% of its U.S. staff last week, News Corp.'s MySpace social network announced on Tuesday that it will additionally lay off two-thirds of its international workforce and close at least four of its offices abroad. The company, which recently saw its monthly traffic fall below that of Palo Alto-based rival Facebook for the first time, will now count around 150 employees outside of the U.S. MySpace said that its offices in Argentina, Brazil, Canada, France, India, Italy, Mexico, Russia, Sweden are now under review for possible closure. MySpace China and the company's joint venture in Japan will not be affected. "As we conducted our review of the company, it was clear that internationally, just as in the U.S., MySpace's staffing had become too big and cumbersome to be sustainable in current market conditions," said CEO Owen Van Natta.
http://www.myspace.com
http://www.businesswire.com/news/google/20090623005497/en

San Francisco-Based thisMoment Launches, Reportedly Raises $3M

San Francisco -- thisMoment, the San Francisco-based developer of a web platform for people to share moments through photos, video, blogging and social networking, said on Tuesday that it has officially launched its public site. Dow Jones' VentureWire also reported that the company has raised $3 million from angel investors. The site, founded by CEO Vince Broady, has signed content licensing deals with The New York Times, the Time Inc. Lifestyle Group and Road & Track, and also is integrated with social media sites such as Flickr, YouTube, Photobucket and Facebook.
http://www.thismoment.com
http://www.thismoment.com/i/press/thisMoment-Launch-Release.pdf (PDF)

FCC to Examine Handset Exclusivity Deals with Carriers

Washington, DC -- The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) said that it will launch formal proceedings to examine the exclusive deals made between cell phone makers and wireless network operators. Some have argued that the deals -- such as those between AT&T and Apple's iPhone, and Sprint and Palm's Pre -- go too far in limiting the choices of consumers. The FCC said that its proceeding, which follows a Senate subcommittee hearing last week, will attempt to "determine whether some of these arrangements adversely restrict consumer choice or harm the development of innovative devices." "We must ensure that consumers are able to reap the benefits that a robust and innovative competitive marketplace can bestow," said Michael Copps, the FCC's acting chairman.
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-291492A1.pdf (PDF)

WSJ: Apple CEO Steve Jobs Had Liver Transplant

Cupertino, Calif. -- Steve Jobs, the CEO of Apple on medical leave since January, received a liver transplant in Tennessee this spring, The Wall Street Journal reported over the weekend. Neither the company nor Jobs had publicly disclosed the exact reason for his absence. Jobs, who reportedly has remained involved in the company's activities on a limited basis, remains on track to return later this month, though it would likely be on a part-time basis at first. Should that be the case, Apple COO Tim Cook would take on a "more encompassing role," including possibly taking a seat on Apple's board of directors, the Journal reported. Jobs, a survivor of pancreatic cancer, first announced in January that he was suffering from a treatable hormone imbalance, but a week later acknowledged that his health problems were "more complex" than initially thought.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124546193182433491.html#mod=djemalertTECH (subscription required)
http://www.reuters.com/article/marketsNews/idINN2047408620090620?rpc=44

Apple Sells 1 Million New iPhones in First Three Days

Cupertino, Calif. -- Just three days after launching its new iPhone 3GS model, Cupertino-based Apple said on Monday that it already has sold more than 1 million of the smartphones. In addition, the company said that over 6 million customers have downloaded its new iPhone 3.0 software ion the first five days of its release. The launch wasn't without hiccups, however, as some customers reportedly faced long waits when trying to activate their new phones on AT&T's wireless network, and some remain unable to use their new purchases. To compensate, Apple will offer affected customers a $30 iTunes Store credit, TechCrunch reported. "We are still resolving the issue that was encountered while activating your iPhone with AT&T," Apple wrote in an email to affected customers. "On Monday, you'll receive an email from Apple with an iTunes Store credit in the amount of $30. We hope you will enjoy this gift and accept our sincere apologies for the inconvenience this delay has caused."
http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2009/06/22iphone.html 
http://www.apple.com/iphone/softwareupdate/ 
http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/06/21/apple-stuck-apologizing-for-att-yet-again-with-a-30-itunes-credit/   

Mountain View-Based Tumri Lands $15M, Major Investment from Time Warner

Mountain View, Calif. -- Tumri, the Mountain View-based developer of a display ad platform, said on Monday that it has raised more than $15 million in new financing, including over $10 million in equity funding from Time Warner Investments. Previous investors Accel Partners, Shasta Ventures and Tenaya Capital also participated. The company, which also received a $5 million loan from Silicon Valley Bank, plans to use the capital to expand all aspects of its business. Founded in 2004, Tumri is the developer of AdPod, a platform designed to let advertisers target their messages to consumers on the fly. The company in 2007 also raised $10 million in its second round of funding, led by Lehman Brothers Venture Partners.
http://www.tumri.com/
http://www.tumri.com/about/press-releases/06-22-09-funding.html

Menlo Park-Based Redpoint Ventures Leads $10 Million Round for 2tor

Menlo Park, Calif. -- Redpoint Ventures, a Menlo Park-based venture capital firm, said that it has led a new $10 million round of funding for New York-based 2tor, a developer of online degree programs for universities such as USC. Novak Biddle Venture Partners and City Light Capital also participated in the company's first round, which it plans to use to increase its student recruitment and marketing efforts. Greg Martin, a partner with Redpoint Ventures, will join the company's board of directors.
http://www.2tor.com
http://www.redpoint.com/
http://sev.prnewswire.com/education/20090622/NY3587222062009-1.html

JibJab Premiers Obama Musical Parody Video

Venice, Calif. -- JibJab, the Venice-based creator of political parity cartoon videos, on Saturday premiered its first satire of the Obama administration at the 65th Annual Radio and Television Correspondents Dinner, with the President, himself, in attendance. The 2-minute musical video, entitled "He's Barack Obama," portrays Obama as a super hero battling challenges such as the economy, foreign policy and pirates -- all to a heavy metal rendition of "When Johnny Comes Marching Home." In a departure from its banjo-centric musicals of the Bush era, the company recruited musicians from bands such as the Foo Fighters and Jane's Addiction to take part in the project, which can be viewed at the link below.
http://sendables.jibjab.com/originals/hes_barack_obama

Google Invests Another $2.6 Million in Mountain View-Based 23andMe

Mountain View, Calif. -- Google revealed in a regulatory filing that it has invested another $2.6 million in 23andMe, a Mountain View-based developer of DNA analysis technologies co-founded by Anne Wojcicki, the wife of Google co-founder Sergey Brin. Google also had previously invested $3.9 million in the company in May 2007, and purchased an additional $500,000 stake in the company from another investor in November of that year. Other investors, including New Enterprise Associates, also took part in 23andMe's latest funding round. Google also entered into a lease agreement with the company earlier this month. Founded in 2006 by Linda Avey and Wojcicki, 23andMe offers services designed to help people learn more about their personal ancestry, genealogy and inherited traits through DNA analysis technologies and web-based interactive tools.
https://www.23andme.com/
http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1288776/000119312509133284/d8k.htm

San Mateo-Based Veodia Acquires ScreenToaster

San Mateo, Calif. -- Veodia, the San Mateo-based developer of a video platform for communicating online, said on Friday that it has acquired France-based ScreenToaster, developer of a free browser-based service designed to capture screen activity along with audio for playback in flash players. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. The company said that the acquisition will allow clients using its video service to also share tutorials, product demos and document reviews. Veodia expects to announce specific service offerings related to the acquisition later this year. ScreenToaster was founded in 2008 by entrepreneurs Marco Fucci and Elie Curetti.
http://www.veodia.com
http://www.screentoaster.com
http://news.yahoo.com/s/prweb/20090619/bs_prweb/prweb2552874_1

Google, Facebook Post Iran-Centric Language Updates

Mountain View-based Google and Palo Alto-based Facebook this week both posted Persian (Farsi) language updates to their web services, a nod to making them more readily available as the post-election events unfold in Iran. Google added Farsi to Google Translate, meaning that users can now translate any text from Farsi into English and vice versa. "Since the Iranian election last week, people around the world have increasingly been sharing news and information on Facebook about the results and its aftermath," Facebook's Eric Kwan wrote in a blog post. "Much of the content created and shared has been in Persian-the native language of Iran -- but people have had to navigate the site in English or other languages." To that end, Facebook added a Persian version of its entire site, which was developed with the help of "more than 400 Persian speakers who submitted thousands of individual translations of the site."
http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2009/06/google-translates-persian.html
http://blog.facebook.com/blog.php?post=97122772130

AT&T Loosens Pricing Policy on iPhone 3G S Upgrades

San Antonio -- Responding to customer outcry, wireless carrier AT&T has loosened restrictions that would have made owners of Apple's iPhone 3G -- released last year -- pay significantly more to upgrade to the new iPhone 3G S model than most other customers. Under the carrier's original rules, most customers who purchased the 11-month-old iPhones would have had to pay as much as $499 for the new model -- roughly $200 more than new customers or purchasers of first-generation iPhones. Now, however, AT&T said that it willing to waive a rule requiring a minimum amount of time between discounted upgrades. "Since many of our iPhone 3G customers are early adopters and literally weeks shy of being upgrade eligible… we're extending the window of upgrade eligibility for a limited time," the company said. Cupertino-based Apple released its newest iPhone model on Friday.
http://www.att.com/gen/press-room?pid=13745

Schappert to Return to EA as COO; Pleasants to Become CEO of Playdom

Redwood City, Calif. -- Electronic Arts (EA), the Redwood City-based developer and publisher of video games, on Thursday named John Schappert as its new COO, following news that John Pleasants will leave the company to become the new CEO of Mountain View-based social game developer Playdom. Schappert returns to EA, where he broke in as a software engineer in 1991 and went on to lead many of the company's biggest game franchises. He left in 2007 to become the corporate vice president of Microsoft's interactive entertainment business, responsible for Microsoft Game Studios and Xbox Live. He is scheduled to return to EA on July 14. Pleasants, also the former president and CEO of Revolution Heath and Ticketmaster, will replace Playdom co-founder Dan Yue, who will become chief product officer.
http://www.playdom.com/
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/John-Schappert-Returns-to-EA-bw-2708450215.html?x=0&.v=1
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Playdom-Names-John-Pleasants-bw-1641472831.html?x=0&.v=1

Sausalito-Based Adgregate Markets Acquires S.F.-Based Gydget

Sausalito, Calif. - Adgregate Markets, a Sausalito-based developer of transactional advertising technology, announced on Thursday that it has acquired San Francisco-based Gydget, a provider of brand-oriented widget advertising services. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. Adgregate, which to date has raised about $2 million in venture capital, said that Gydget will compliment its own ShopAds network, which lets people purchase items by clicking on banner ads. The deal will allow the company to distribute ShopAds through Gydget's 200,000 unique widget installations. "With Gydget, ShopAds bridge the gap between brand advertising and direct response marketing," said Henry Wong, the CEO of Adgregate Markets.
http://www.adgregate.com
http://www.gydget.com
http://www.adgregate.com/about/press/pr-20090617.asp

Fremont-Based Exar Acquires Canada's Galazar Networks

Fremont, Calif. -- Exar, a Fremont-based maker of chips used in portable devices, home media gateways, communications systems and industrial automation equipment, said on Thursday that it has acquires Canadian chip firm Galazar Networks. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. Galazar, which will operate as a unit of Exar, makes a variety of silicon and software products targeting packet-based telecom infrastructure. Pete Rodriguez, Exar's president and CEO, said that Galazar's products, combined with security and compression technologies that his company gained through its recent acquisition of Hifn "provides a comprehensive set of solutions for the next wave of telecommunications networks."
http://www.exar.com/
http://www.galazar.com
http://media.prnewswire.com/en/jsp/myPRNJ.jsp?profileid=1140076&resourceid=4007388

S.F. Examiner Owner to Buy Conservative Magazine The Weekly Standard

Denver -- Clarity Media Group, the Denver-based publisher of The San Francisco Examiner, said that it will pay an undisclosed sum to buy conservative opinion magazine The Weekly Standard from owner News Corp. Clarity, owned by billionaire Phil Anschutz, said that it plans to retain the magazine's staff and content. "We're very much looking forward to working with [Clarity]to produce an even better magazine with a stronger web presence and even larger readership," said William Kristol, editor of The Weekly Standard. The publication, launched by News Corp. in 1995, has an audited circulation of 83,000, with a newsstand price of $3.95.
http://www.weeklystandard.com/
http://www.claritymediagroup.com/
http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/politics/48275582.html

Sirius XM Releases Long-Awaited iPhone Application

New York -- Hoping to give a boost to its lagging subscriber base, satellite radio provider Sirius XM on Thursday launched its long-awaited application for the iPhone and iPod touch. The free app will give those who subscribe to Sirius and XM's Internet services access to 120 satellite radio channels through their mobile devices. Channels available feature Oprah, Martha Stewart and Opie & Anthony, among others. Notably absent from the lineup, however, are channels featuring shock jock Howard Stern, as well as those proving Major League Baseball and NFL play-by-play coverage. The app also allows users to purchase a song being played through iTunes, tab channels as "favorites" and quickly scan programming on all channels through a multi-touch user interface. Sirius XM reported 18.6 million subscribers at the end of the quarter, down from 19 million at the end of last year.
http://www.siriusxm.com/app
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/SIRIUS-XM-Radio-Now-Available-prnews-2499530812.html?x=0&.v=1

Report: Americans Value Internet Over Cell Phones, Cable TV

Washington, DC -- Americans now value their Internet connections more than either their cell phones or cable TV, according to a new report from the Pew Internet & American Life Project. The report found that 63% of U.S. adults now have home broadband connections, up 15% in the past year. In another aspect, 22% of respondents said that they either have scaled back or canceled their cell phone or cable TV services over the past year, compared with just 9% who have cut back on the Internet. "We found that broadband is now in the 'must keep' category for Americans, even when economic times are tough," said report author John Horrigan. "Many consumers view their home broadband connection as a conduit for connecting to community and economic opportunities."
http://www.pewinternet.org
http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=PRNI2&STORY=/www/story/06-17-2009/0005045536&EDATE=

Cupertino-Based Apple Releases iPhone 3.0 Software

Cupertino, Calif. -- Apple on Wednesday released its 3.0 software update for the iPhone, giving users of the popular devices access to long-desired features like copy-and-paste, push notifications, multimedia messaging and tethering of 3G connections, allowing users to share their connections. Other features added include a landscape keyboard in some applications, including Mail, along with support for stereo Bluetooth and a feature called Find My Phone, available to MobileMe subscribers. The software update is free for iPhone owners, and will cost $9.95 for iPod touch owners. Apple plans to begin selling its new iPhone 3G S on Friday.
http://www.apple.com/iphone/softwareupdate/

Menlo Park-Based AdWhirl Raises $1 Million in Seed Funding

Menlo Park, Calif. -- AdWhirl, the Menlo Park-based creator of an ad platform used by developers of iPhone applications, said that it has raised $1 million in new round of seed funding, led by Foundation Capital. Several angel investors also participated. The company said that it will use the funds to expand to other platforms, such as the Android, Blackberry and Palm Pre. Founded in April, AdWhirl said that it already has more than 1,000 publisher clients with more than a billion ads served monthly to iPhone and iPod touch users. The company's platform is designed to help app developers make money by managing and serving ads to their free apps from ad networks such as AdMob, Quattro Wireless, Videoegg and Jumptap. AdWhirl is planning to add Millenial Media and Google's Adsense in the near future, as well. "Our goal as a platform has always been to give developers full control over their ad space," said company co-founder Ra Roath.
http://www.adwhirl.com
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/iPhone-Application-bw-15542092.html?.v=1

MySpace Lays Off 420 Employees; 30% of U.S. Staff

Los Angeles -- Confirming runors last week, News Corp.'s MySpace announced that it will cut 30% of its U.S. staff, or about 420 employees as part of a larger restructuring plan. "Simply put, our staffing levels were bloated and hindered our ability to be an efficient and nimble team-oriented company," said new MySpace CEO Owen Van Natta. The news came a day after Internet audience measurement service comScore revealed that rival social networking site Facebook had for the first time overtaken MySpace in U.S. web traffic during May.  "MySpace grew too big considering the realities of today's marketplace," said Jonathan Miller, News Corp.'s CEO of digital media and chief digital officer. "I believe this restructuring will help MySpace operate much more effectively both structurally and financially moving forward."
http://www.myspace.com
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/MySpace-Reduces-Staff-by-bw-15538841.html?.v=1

Twitter Postpones Maintenance to Support Iranian Protestors

San Francisco -- Twitter, the San Francisco-based microblogging service, postponed plans to take down its site for scheduled maintenance Monday night after hearing from both users and the State Department that its service is being used by protestors communicating information about the election and aftermath in Iran. "Our network partners at NTT America recognize the role Twitter is currently playing as an important communication tool in Iran," Twitter co-founder Biz Stone wrote in a blog post. The maintenance was moved to Tuesday afternoon -- early morning in Iran. With many forms of communications in the country either censored or unreliable, Iranians increasingly have used social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook to report on events in the county, according to media reports.
http://blog.twitter.com/2009/06/down-time-rescheduled.html
http://www.reuters.com/article/rbssTechMediaTelecomNews/idUSWBT01137420090616

Palo Alto-Based A9.com Acquires SnapTell

Palo Alto, Calif. - Amazon.com's Palo Alto-based A9.com search engine unit has acquired SnapTell, a Palo Alto-based provider of visual product search and mobile marketing services, for an undisclosed sum, TechCrunch reported. Founded in 2006, SnapTell has developed a service that lets users snap a photo of a book, CD or other media with their mobile phone, and automatically receive related price comparison information and ratings from a range of online sources. The company's iPhone application recently was featured in a commercial for the Apple smartphone.
http://www.a9.com
http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/06/16/image-recognition-startup-snaptell-acquired-by-amazon-subsidiary-a9com/
http://snaptell.typepad.com/snaptell_blog/2009/06/snaptell-has-been-acquired-by-a9com-a-subsidiary-of-amazoncom.html

San Francisco-Based Boku Raises $13 Million

San Francisco -- Boku, a San Francisco-based developer of mobile micropayment services, said on Tuesday that it has raised $13 million in a new round of venture capital funding, led by Benchmark Capital. Index Ventures and Khosla Ventures also participated. Boku also announced its acquisitions of mobile payment firms Paymo and Mobillcash, as well as the appointment of Mark Britto, a former executive at Amazon, Ingenio and FirstUSA, as its CEO. Boku said that it is aiming to bring "bank-grade" mobile payments to consumers making purchases of digital and virtual goods with their phones.
http://www.boku.com
http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/Boku-1004439.html

San Francisco-Based Zoosk Lands $6 Million in Third Round

San Francisco - Zoosk, the San Francisco-based developer of an online social dating community, announced on Tuesday that it has raised $6 million in its third round of funding, led by previous backer Canaan Partners. The company, which claims to be the top-ranked lifestyle application on Facebook, will use the funds to grow its worldwide market share, as well as for continued product development. Founded in 2007, Zoosk now claims more than 30 million users. The company generates revenue from premium memberships, advertising and the sale of virtual coins that can be used to purchase virtual gifts.
http://www.zoosk.com
http://news.prnewswire.com/DisplayReleaseContent.aspx?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/06-16-2009/0005044775&EDATE=

San Jose-Based Certify Data Systems Lands Second Round of Funding

San Jose, Calif. -- Certify Data Systems, a San Jose-based developer of technology that allows hospitals and doctors' offices to exchange health information, said on Tuesday that it has raised an undisclosed amount in its second round of funding, led by Ziegler HealthVest Partners. Ziegler also took part in the company's first round last August. Certify's information exchange gateway and appliance are designed to allow disparate systems to exchange clinical data, such as lab reports, discharge summaries and other patient data. The company in March named Jeffrey Rideout, the former chief medical officer at Health Evolution Partners, as its chief strategy officer.
http://www.certifydatasystems.com
http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20090616006013/en