Adware Firm Zango Shuts Down; Sells Assets to Blinkx

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on April 22, 2009 - 8:22am.

Bellevue, Wash. - Zango, an "adware" company that provided free game, song and other downloads in exchange for the ability to serve targeted ads while browsing the Web, has shut down and sold its assets to video search firm Blinx for an undisclosed sum.

Previously called 180Solutions, the ten-year-old company raised at least $40 million in venture capital financing.

It also faced a number of lawsuits over its software, where users said they were tricked into installing it, and had a very difficult time removing it.

Other providers of desktop advertising applications, such as Claria, WhenU and DirectRevenue, are also now out of business.

In a blog post, Zango co-founder Ken Smith blamed the company's demise on a range of factors, including "partnering with some people that we should never have partnered with"; the business practices of other adware purveyors; a failure to "deliver adequate value in exchange for the advertisements"; financing acquisitions with too much debt; and being "unfairly charged with affiliate commission stealing."

Related Links:
http://snipurl.com/ggy1i (PEHub)

http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Security/Adware-Firm-Zango-Shuts-Doors-609694/

http://blog.wouldbetheologian.com/