MashLogic pulls in $2.5M for page view-lengthening browser add-on
MashLogic, maker of a contextual browser add-on that pulls in text and images related to the web site you’re visiting and displays them in pop-up windows, has raised $2.5 million in a first round of funding — touting itself to publishers as a way to keep visitors on their pages for longer, upping ad revenue.
None of the Menlo Park, Calif. company’s investors were listed on the regulatory filing, but it took in $500,000 from Bessemer… Continue Reading
Roundup: Google Health’s profiles, Oodle’s Facebook marketplace, and more
Here’s the latest action:
Google Health lets you share profiles — With this feature, users can invite family members, doctors, and other trusted folks to view their medical records and personal health information.
Oodle launches new version of Facebook marketplace – Inside Facebook describes the new marketplace as more social and conversational. Facebook announced it was handing its classifieds service to Oodle in December.
Why Intel will let TSMC make its Atom processors — Intel’s deal with the Taiwanese manufacturer is… Continue Reading
LinkedIn’s CEO departs, executive shuffle ensues
A familiar face is returning to the top spot at professional networking site LinkedIn. Chief executive Dan Nye is leaving the company, while founder Reid Hoffman (pictured) is taking his place.
The official line, according to the Los Angeles Times, is that the shuffle was brought on by hiring Google executive Dipchand “Deep” Nishar to take over product strategy, a role previously held by Hoffman. It’s hard to believe that’s the full story — why the… Continue Reading
Shawn Fanning negotiating to sell social gaming company Rupture for $30M
Shawn Fanning, who gained fame after launching early music file sharing company Napster, is in advanced stages of talks to sell his most recent social gaming start-up, Rupture, for $30 million.
The buyer would be Electronic Arts, but unlike first reported by Techcrunch, the deal hasn’t gone through. I reached someone very close to the deal but who requested anonymity, who said “nothing has been signed, but it’s getting close.”
“Is it likely to go through?,” the… Continue Reading
Chirp, a screensaver that shows you what’s happening on your social network
Chirp offers a screensaver that you download, then sync with Facebook, Flickr and soon, other sites. It displays status messages, photos and more from your friends. If you see a photo or update on Chirp that you want to look at, you click on it to go to the source site. (Demo here.)
It reminds me of the SETI screensaver – you know, the one that uses your computer to analyze radio telescope data collected by researchers,… Continue Reading
Dopplr, a trip-sharing site for the jet set
Dopplr, a Helsinki, Finland company that lets frequent travelers share their trips with friends and so that they make notes on each other’s itineraries, has raised an undisclosed amount of financing from individual investors.
Sharing travel plans isn’t new. A plethora of sites offers ways to consult with others on travel plans, from MyTripbook, to RealTravel to Tripwiser. The difference is, most other travel sites offer trip-sharing as part of a much larger palette of offerings.
Dopplr… Continue Reading
Kongregrate, the online social game hub
Updated
Kongregate, of San Francisco, launches tomorrow with a host of Web games targeted at young males with social networking components pushing new bounds.
Kongregate is signifiacant because it targets a group that until now hasn’t been served by online social games. Social gaming has been the domain of women, especially older women (served by companies like Club Pogo, owned by Electronics Arts). Young males searching social action games have had to download large software programs to… Continue Reading
LinkedIn’s chief executive steps down
Updated
Reid Hoffman, one of the earliest and most prolific players in the early years of the social network revolution, has stepped down as chief executive of LinkedIn.
LinkedIn, the online site for professional networkers, last week announced it had raised $12.8 million in fresh venture capital, which may be connected to the executive change.
Hoffman notified VentureBeat of the change earlier today in an email. He did not state the reasons for the change, but did say… Continue Reading
Jaxtr, an easy way to phone, launches service — with at least $1M in funding after all
See our story here. Initially, Jaxtr’s chief executive told VentureBeat he hadn’t raised any money, saying it was self-funded. However, comments on our story yesterday helped ferret out that he had indeed raised angel money, apparently just over $1 million in convertible. We’ve updated story.
Peanut Butter redux, expensive Sonsini, Hoffman burned, Infinera & much more
(Updated) roundup of the high-stakes game going on in Silicon Valley:
Brad Garlinghouse’s Peanut Butter memo — The Yahoo executive complained about the company’s “proclivity to repeatedly hire leaders from outside.” This is noteworthy, because he himself was hired from the outside. Before Yahoo, he’d served as chief executive at DialPad, and drove that company into the ground. We reached out to Brad Monday night, and hope to get comment soon.
Larry Sonsini can’t be at fault — Fortune… Continue Reading
Gaming company Winster gets a tad more VC
Burlingame gaming company Winster raised about $380,000 more from individual investors including LinkedIn chief exec Reid Hoffman, VentureWire reports today (sub required).
It completes a first round that now totals $1.88 million in venture capital, which we wrote about here (scroll down)
It plans to add a $1 million line of debt as well.
Bigtime Web 2.0 angel investor Reid Hoffman adjusts how he invests
GigaOm has a noteworthy piece about Reid Hoffman, chief executive of LinkedIn, and how he almost decided to sit out of investing in the crowded media space, but the decided to invest anyway — but only after adjusting his strategy.
Hoffman was in from the beginning of the fad, and has been known to speedily round up $250,000 seed rounds from among his friends for projects he likes. Obviously, with LinkedIn, he might be using… Continue Reading