Wednesday, May 24, 2017


Circle Media Gets $10M For Connected Device Management
Cypress, California- and Portland, Oregon-based Circle Media has raised $10M for a gadget--called the Circle with Disney--which helps parents manage the content and Internet use of their families. The Series A funding was led by Relay Ventures. Circle's product connects to a home's Wi-Fi network, and lets parents identify what devices (including smartphones, tablets, computers, and gaming consoles) have access to the Internet, and lets those parents control what kinds of content can be accessed (More info...)
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Factual Snags Marketing Exec From Telesign
Los Angeles-based mobile location data provider Factual announced on Wednesday that it has named Brian Czarny as its new SVP of Marketing. Czarny was most recently SVP of Marketing at Telesign, and also has served as VP of Marketing and Product at Symplified, in addition to stints at Webroot and MessageLabs. Czarny is also a mentor at Techstars. The hire comes just a few weeks after TeleSign was acquired by BICS in a $230M deal.
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Resolve Systems Acquired By Insight Venture Partners
Irvine-based Resolve Systems, which develops enterprise incident response and automation software for the cybersecurity, IT, and network operations markets, has been acquired by Insight Venture Partners. Financial details of the buy were not disclosed. The companies said on Wednesday that Resolve Systems was advised by Pacific Crest Securities, a division of KeyBanc Capital Markets Inc. in the deal. Resolve Systems is led by CEO Martin Savitt.
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Disney Accelerator Link Pays Off Again With Lightning McQueen Toy
A link, first forged at the Disney Accelerator in Burbank, has paid off for robotic toy developer Sphero, with another Disney-themed toy for the Disney Accelerator graduate. Sphero has rolled out a new, robotic toy, the Ultimate Lightning McQueen race car, a smartphone-controlled, animatronic, talking toy based on the Disney charger of the same name. The new robotic car, which costs $299.99, features animated eyes and mouth, a "emotive" suspension which mimics the movements of the Disney Cars' c (More info...)
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Sonos Suggests Ways To Battle "Sonos Rage" At Work
Santa Barbara-based whole home music systems developer Sonos, battling reports of "Sonos rage" in offices which have installed its systems, released a list of ground rules for using its systems in office workspaces on Tuesday. The company's systems, which were originally designed for use in a home, apparently have become popular in work settings, leading to (not unpredictably) conflicts over musical styles and tastes, plus people forcing their favorite tracks into the play queue. A recent articl (More info...)
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PodSearch Takes On Podcast Discovery
A new, Los Angeles-based startup, PodSearch, is hoping to connect listeners with new podcasts, through a new interactive, online directory. According to PodSearch, it now offers up a website and app that lets listeners discover podcasts that reflect their personal interests, and helps them keep up with new podcasts. The new service lets users search for podcasts by keyword, and also lets users browse podcasts by category, although searches on the website did not appear to be working as of launch (More info...)
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Fetch Aims Software At Veterinarians
Irvine-based Fetch, a new software platform aimed at veterinary practices, said it has launched, aimed at helping veterinarians with managing their businesses and communicating with clients. According to the new service, it is looking to replace "antiquated" systems that veterinarians use to remind pet owners of routine care such as wellness exams and vaccinations. Fetch appears to be a new line of business for Irvine-based PrescribeWellness, which recently has been developing a product aimed at (More info...)
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Jam City Rolls Out Cookie Jam Sequel, Cookie Jam Blast
Los Angeles-based mobile game developer Jam City has rolled out a sequel this morning to its immensely popular game Cookie Jam, called Cookie Jam Blast. According to Jam City, the new title launches as the original Cookie Jam has just passed 100 million downloads. The new title, which runs on iOS and Android, is a free-to-play, match-3 mobile puzzle game centered on "Chef Panda" and a "quest to become the best patissier in the world."
posted on Wednesday, May 24, 2017(Full story)