SOMA’s return, Google’s smokescreen and copying, iTunes flatlining?

SOMA’s return, Google’s smokescreen and copying, iTunes flatlining?

Roundup of the latest tech action in Silicon Valley:

Young start-ups pouring into the South of Market (SOMA) area in San Francisco. Deja-vu? — The region’s real estate prices are lower, at least where large companies like Looksmart are able to sublet expensive buildings to new copycat… Continue Reading

Web 2.0 week: IM-email integration trend, Google GPS, Google Ventures, Reality Digital & more

Web 2.0 week: IM-email integration trend, Google GPS, Google Ventures, Reality Digital & more

Roundup of a busy week:

Instant messaging and email are merging, Yahoo kicks it off — Yahoo will be integrating IM through its email, Yahoo executive Brad Garlinghouse revealed during the Web 2.0 Summit in San Francisco. In retrospect, we’re wondering why this trend hasn’t happened earlier…. Continue Reading

Google buys its start-up garage

The start-up garage is a thing of legend in Silicon Valley.

Now, Google has bought the Silicon Valley home where co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin rented a garage eight years ago to start their company, the AP reports.

The Mountain View-based company bought the 1,900-square-foot… Continue Reading

Roundup: Apple secrets, India hype, Cheney’s visit, VideoEgg, Zillow,

Roundup: Apple secrets, India hype, Cheney’s visit, VideoEgg, Zillow,

Here is a shotgun of the latest stuff in raging Silicon Valley, leading of course with video:

VideoEgg gets easier — VideoEgg, a site that lets you download software so you can post video on any site, has partnered to make the process easier at key sites…. Continue Reading

Taking Washington seriously

Taking Washington seriously

Silicon Valley can be a smug, protected place, and along the leafy streets of studied Palo Alto, quite conducive for dreaming up lines like “do no evil.”

What happens when your platform outgrows this place? We learn that Google has retained the services of DCI Group,… Continue Reading

3Jam launches group SMS, nice

3Jam launches group SMS, nice

Updated

3Jam has launched a new way to texting friends in groups, and we think it’s going to do well. Multi-person texting simply isn’t possible yet, and with 80 million people with texting in the U.S. and growing, 3Jam may be hitting a sweet spot.

And texting… Continue Reading

Silicon Valley leaders prove clout on global warming bill

Silicon Valley leaders prove clout on global warming bill

Turns out, a group of Silicon Valley venture capitalists, including Kleiner Perkins’ John Doerr, and other business folks helped tipped the balance on the landmark global warming bill passed last week.

The bill, AB 32, mandates that California reduce global warming emissions by 25 percent —… Continue Reading